Chapter 3
Running Scared Stupid! A Man's Dream is a Strong Body
§
[Daytime, Ginjō Elementary - near the school's shed]
July has started as Kikuhimé, Kagamiyama, and Iwanoi are re-training themselves and their Medarots so that they wouldn't lose to Naruto again in such a humiliating defeat.
"Kagamiyama, you're not defending properly!" she noticed her friend's mistakes, "Iwanoi, get behind him faster!"
Little did they know, a mountain of a man carrying heavy dumbbells was approaching them while flexing his muscles and called their attention, "Oi, you little wimps!"
Kikuhimé was startled as she turned around to find an ambitious Otokoyama overshadowing her and the boys with absolute seriousness.
"!... Otokoyama…-sensei!" Kikuhimé gasped by the sudden surprise.
"I see that you're skipping Gym class on a nice, sunny day, Robattling, when you should be doing REAL sports! You three are coming with me. Let's enjoy the days of our youth together until I see you soak the schoolyard… With. Your. SWEAT!
All that the Screws Trio can do is scream as they have to face their demerits.
-Medarots-
[Ginjo Elementary - Gym Grounds]
Kagamiyama and Iwanoi were forced to wear school-colored gym clothes while Kikuhimé was forced to wear girls' gym bloomers (showing her legs and behind, hiding her bikini underwear instead of her usual boyshort pair) and white shirt as they and their Medarots were forced to run the school track in the hot sun.
"Why the hell are we doing this, sensei?!‽" Kikuhimé complained as she was jogging and catching her breath.
Otokoyama (AKA Yama-kong) was using his chest expanders as he answered, "A strong mind resides in a strong body! If you have time to play with your "tin cans", then train your bodies instead! Now, you still have 98 more laps to go for the 100 Lap Punishment and I want to see your elbows and knees sweat!"
While the Screws Trio and the Medarots were busy running the track, Naruto and Arika were from a safe distance away from Otokoyama's gym regiment as they watched the whining peanut operation.
"Man, oh man," Naruto exclaimed, "Those three never even go that far before in Gym Class, Arika."
"That Otokoyama-sensei is doing those "Club Activities from Hell" again, Naruto," she said, almost feeling sorry for them, "He always finds out where kids are using their Medarots in school without just cause."
"Well, I did tell Metabee to stay outside of the school gates or out of sight - -"
"Hey, Naruto! Over here!" Metabee yelled as he waved for his partner's attention.
Before Otokoyama notices Metabee, he sees Naruto surprisingly move fast in a blink of an eye as he takes Metabee away from the gates, with Arika not too far behind. ::Must be getting dust in my eye or something…:: the teacher thought as he refocuses his attention to the sluggardly victims…er, members to keep at it until something else in their bodies sweat.
Naruto grabs Metabee and says, "You idiot!"
"What's the big idea?" Metabee questioned, "Your mother sent me to give you a new water bottle for Gym class. So what'd I do?"
"You… you just had to pick a worse timing for you to come here, that's what!" Naruto explained.
Metabee tilts his head, wondering what was the fuss.
-Medarots-
[After school, Ginjō City - Bridge]
Naruto, Metabee, and Arika were watching the river as Naruto says, "Metabee, you almost got me and Arika-chan into a "free membership" to Yama-kong's workout club!"
"Heh? Is that teacher really that terrible?" Metabee questioned.
"That's just an understatement, Metabee," Naruto replied, "They don't call him,「 Ginjō Elementary's Mr. Muscle」for nothing, y'know. If he finds you, he'll run you and your parts to the ground!"
"Rumor has it that he moved 30 big rocks at the entrance of the Ginjō Shrine, bare-headed," Arika added, "He even fought and won against 50 men in a row while touring in Africa, and the time he stopped a volcano from erupting once."
"Wow, I'm burning, burning with ambition!🔥" Metabee psyched up, "To think that there was a man like that near me!"
Naruto disagreed, "While they may be rumors, Metabee, Otokoyama holds some kind of grudge against Medarots."
"Sensei says that Medarots are for the weak-minded, it makes him sick whenever he sees one in the school, other than the Principal's Nantetsu, that is," Arika added, "Maybe he has a bad experience with them."
Metabee felt disillusioned.
Naruto placed his hands on his Medarot's shoulders and said, "For the time being, Metabee, try not to make a scene in the school and go hide in a tree or someplace, unless it's something urgent. And I do mean urgent. My Medawatch can communicate with you from there." And he gave a signal from his device, playing the beeping noises that sounded like, "Babanban! Babanban!," from a certain TV animé theme.
Metabee pouted as he walked ahead back home. Naruto and Arika also walked home, after taking the well-worn Screws and their regular clothes from the gym session.
-Medarots-
[The next day, Ginjō Elementary]
Otokoyama is in "school teacher" mode as he checked his students' papers and graded them properly yesterday and made an assessment, "I'm giving you the graded test papers that you brought in the other day. The average result was 70 and I am very disappointed. Before you start looking at the results, I want to say that I see a number of you not putting enough effort in your studies. Those who scored 69 or under, will have to spend one fun afternoon and maybe much of Saturday with Yours Truly and my club activities to really sharpen your brains with roadwork until I really see you sweat. Your parents will be contacted and they will probably get mad at you, but not as mad as I get when I see you being put through the wringer to make you have a better future with your BRAINS sweating, understand?"
"Hai…," the students morosely complied as they nervously flipped over the papers.
"Good. To study well, you need to have a soundly strong body. We'll have a great time getting some much needed exercise. You may begin looking at your papers... now."
Arika breathed a sigh of relief as she got a 92. Naruto felt a little bit disappointed with a 90 because of tripping up on some questions. They hear the voices of 3 particular classmates moan with the feeling of utter disaster. They and a few other students are on Otokoyama's hot list as they start taking laps and doing other exercises after school...
"UNTIL THEIR BRAINS SWEAT!," reminded the teacher.
::Man, they are practically out now,:: Naruto thought, ::Was I really like this in another life or was there a boy like me who is not so smart with his tests?::
But for now, wishful thinking doesn't really solve everything.
-Medarots-
[After School]
The Screws and a few fellow students were in their gym clothes jogging in the hot sun with Otokoyama who noticed some students slacking, "Come on now! I don't wanna see that half-assed running!" But then he spotted an extra student, Naruto in his gym clothes, jogging around outside of the circle of the track and he yelled, "Hey, Tenryo! What are you doing here? You already have good grades, so why are you hanging around here?"
Naruto called back, "My parents are busy for a week and there's no dumpster diving for spare Medaparts lately, y'know! Is it okay if I join in for a while?"
Otokoyama broke his chest expanders and he ran to Naruto with great speed and he was close enough to loudly explain to his students, "You see, kids, even with good grades, you better make sure there's enough oxygen going through your heads! Do you understand my feelings of wanting you to do some aerobic exercises to refresh your minds and bodies? Follow Tenryo's example and finish your laps and I don't want to see you sitting down on the job while your joints sweat! You will get more tired if you do! Now get moving until I see your eyeballs sweat!"
Kikuhimé wonders why Naruto would be so eager to run himself ragged in Otokoyama's regiments like he was a private soldier of a military and Arika thought the same too as she has some class activities of her own.
In actuality, Naruto needed something to do to help burn off his excess energy after eating a hearty meal from his mother's prepared bento boxes. (In another life, Naruto was practically starving to death finding sustenance while trying to survive a world completely torn by war.)
Kagamiyama is so envious that Naruto ate as much as he does, but did not end up practically overstuffed and full of flab. And Iwanoi's pitiful food choices didn't help him in the long run either.
::Tenryo must be a demon! What's his real secret?:: the Screws Trio wondered, along with the other students.
Meanwhile, Otokoyama takes a break at the teacher's lounge for some iced coffee in a parfait glass to rehydrate himself from a workout. He suggested to his "members" to do the same by getting some water to keep themselves hydrated before resuming the running, not that Naruto wouldn't mind.
"Man, Naruto must be crazy to handle the hellish drilling and Otokoyama is really stupid, having iced coffee all to himself," Arika commented while having an ice cream stick in her hand while staying in the shade of the tree.
"You're telling me," Metabee quipped while lying down on the big branch of the tree, "Medarots don't sweat when it comes to long running."
-Medarots-
[A few days later, at the 24-hour Hop Mart]
Naruto was stretching his joints after a session of Otokoyama's exercises (including jumping in place, lifting dumbbells, run dashes, practically anything that almost makes it like a decathlon tailored for any experienced runner, but not for young students). Sure, there were some foul-ups by a few careless mistakes mostly caused by the tired Screws Trio during class...
However, Kikuhimé held by Naruto in a fireman's carry trying to get some water noticed that Otokoyama has been talking to some strange folk lately, as if he was speaking to some underworld mobsters and why his regiments were getting too monotonous and tedious; grind, grind, grind at the old grindstone for every flunk on the papers or other goofy accidents carelessly planned in advance.
Naruto who was joined by Metabee, and the Screws still worn out and sunburned, along with their slightly beaten Medarots who were obliged to join their handlers in the drilling, they were starting to get suspicious of their teacher being too secretive and why he was making most of his students of his classroom slave over the gym grounds a little too hard and under the hot July sun a little too long.
Hikaru (currently in charge of the store) notices the rough and ragged group and said to them, "You kids sure had it bad."
"Bad? Heh, that's putting it lightly," Kikuhimé groaned from her sore muscles over her already sore muscles, "Otokoyama was always a fitness fanatic, but lately, he's gone a bit overboard…"
"Maybe you aren't being more active in running with your Medarots, Kiku-chan," Naruto said as he stretched himself.
"Easy for you, Tenryo! You always have unusual stamina ever since nursery school! Ouch! I think I pulled a muscle..."
Kagamiyama and Iwanoi were too tired to complain or even riposte.
Naruto said, "But I do agree that if this keeps up, I'm not even sure our whole class can handle the stress from the coach's exercises any longer. We aren't exactly training for the Olympics, y'know."
Suddenly, Arika (with Brass in tow) quickly entered the store with her camera in hand as she yelled, "Guys, guys! Take a good look at this!" And she replays the footage.
-Replay Footage-
[July 16th, 15:34 hours]
The video shows Otokoyama near the school shed with his Bulldozer/Mole MOG-Type Medarot, [Digmole], as he bashes part of the wall.
-Meda Vital Stats-
Digmole
Owner: Otokoyama
Medal: U - Monkey
Specialty: Buster Parts
-End Footage-
Naruto notices something's not right. Why does Otokoyama have a Medarot originally built for support being used for offense? It's not made that way by itself. But then he remembered the other day where he and Metabee saw the coach carrying a huge wad of cash from the bank that could be from his savings. And he and the Screws Trio did see Otokoyama talking to 2 strange men outside from the school gate.
"Definitely not teachers, from what we saw," Kagamiyama mentioned.
Arika was brimming with determination with her camera over her head like it was a selfie and then said, "A big scoop! It's a big scandal! I can feel something big is going on behind the scenes! A fistful of Yen, some shady characters, and our local gym teacher is hiding a big secret!"
"So that's it!" Kikuhimé assumed, "I knew something wasn't right with the coach lately. So he was secretly doing that kind of deed!"
"How can we trust grown ups after this?" Iwanoi wondered.
"Otokoyama-sensei must be a bad guy after all the sweat and dirty laundry we pulled out," Kagamiyama added.
Naruto wanted to agree to disagree, but Arika beat him to the punch as she says, "Now it's the time for us to expose our coach's little secret! This way, he won't be acting so big and tough anymore."
"Hell yeah!" Kikuhimé made a decision, "We've worked too hard with our sweat! Just you wait, Sensei! It's time for a little payback after all of this!"
Arika turns to Naruto and asks, "You're ready for this?"
"I'm going to regret this, Arika-chan," he answered, "We could get ourselves into trouble because we never go into the dark side of town without our parents before. But besides that, I'm gonna get those answers from Yama-kong anyway."
It's as the saying goes: "Yesterday's enemy is today's ally. Sometimes it's necessary to join up for common cause," or somewhere down the line.
"Is it just me or has all the sun completely fried their brains?" Metabee wondered while reading a Medarot Club magazine.
-Medarots-
(Fair Warning: The scenes you're about to read may offend you and are not intentionally made for the younger audience. Viewer discretion is advised. You have been warned.
[The same day, sunset - Ginjō Suburbs]
Otokoyama is dressed in his informal attire as he is staggeredly walking towards the big city. Naruto, Arika, the Screws, and their respective Medarots go incognito as they follow the coach into the night. And what Naruto said previously about the dark side of town, he wasn't kidding, as there are many bright lights from the signs by the buildings. Some places were reasonable and decent, but there are some locations that are very indecent, including the bars, the casinos, the strip/gentlemen's/ladies' clubs, sleazy shops, and a women's lingerie shop‽
The Screws are absolutely frightened by the speculations and the bright lights as Kikuhimé nervously said, "We… we can't! My mama told me to never ever go beyond this point!"
"『Mama』?" the group suddenly learned more about Kikuhimé and her secrets.
Kikuhimé got flustered and then she explained, "An...anyway! Mama told me that whatever it gets dark, evil spirits come down from the mountains. And if kids enter alone they would lose their souls out of their bodies in the blink of an eye!"
"Guys, those are just stories our parents told us whenever we get into trouble, y'know," Naruto stated, "Anyway, we're going to lose track of the coach. Let's not try not to get separated as we go, okay?"
Ginjō City at night. A place where the young kids' mothers don't want them to go but their daddies like to go, just to unwind or to buy some things not readily available in the daytime.
There were a lot of strange signs as the kids followed the coach not too far behind, through the streets and alleys. Of course, they ran into some weird and peculiar people, such as transvestites (men dressing up and remodeled as women), some drunk businessmen with bad teeth and bad breath, some down-and-out people who were stuck in the streets after they were let off from their jobs talking about adult things that made the kids' heads (except Naruto's) come up with strange migraines, and even gangsters and punks that angrily tell them to go back home where they belong, for they strictly have no business with little brats.
By the time they escaped, Naruto noticed the Screws and their Medarots turned chicken and left the city, back to their homes, where they were going to get scolded by their parents. Only Metabee, Arika, and Brass have remained.
"Great, just great!" he grumbled, "Kiku-chan and the Screws left us in the lurch and we seem to have lost Yama-kong somewhere. We might as well go home too."
"What are you saying now that we come this far, Naruto?" Arika angrily questioned.
But then they hear the sound of treads and crunching metal nearby. Could it be a Robattle, they wondered. And they investigated the scene and sure enough, inside the empty lot was Otokoyama and his Digmole facing off against the same 2 gangsters and their Medarots - the tank-like ELF-Type [Megaphant] and the dump truck PGB-Type [Piggyback].
-Meda Vital Stats-
Megaphant
Owner: Gangster #1
Medal: M - Knight
Specialties: Defense and Trample (Iron Flail)
.
Piggyback
Owner: Gangster #2
Medal: F - Spider
Specialty: Carrier
The weaselly gangsters' Medarots were flooring against Digmole. Otokoyama also happens to be weakening from something as he clutches his gut.
"Stay back! You'll get hurt!" he yelled with his eyes reddened from the pain.
"Are you feeling okay, Sensei?" Naruto asked as he helped the coach on his feet.
"Did they hurt you?" Arika concerningly asked.
"Don't be rude, brats!" Gangster #1 yelled.
"We're honest to goodness businessmen, ya know," Gangster #2 said, "We normally hate using violence to make people listen to what we say, but this schmoe here said he wanted a Robattle with us, so we're just playing along."
"『Playing along』, my butt," Naruto grumbled, noticing that the local referee wasn't around in this battlefield to make it official.
Gangster #1 cussed, "So what's up with this shitty Medarot? A percolator on roller skates with those cheap-ass parts‽ What a complete f***-** for an amateur!"
"You're 10 years too early to win against me and Aniki here!" Gangster #2 bragged.
Digmole is stuck on its side in the sand hills and has taken heavy damage, but hasn't jettisoned its parts, still showing signs of functioning.
"Otokoyama-sensei, what's all this?" Naruto questioned.
"Scram! This has nothing to do with you!" the coach yelled.
"Yeah, go and tell 'em!" Gangster #1 jeered at Otokoyama, "You wanted to build a park right here on this spot for the little kiddies to play while we want to build a bar full of strippers, drinks, and games galore, but you had to pick a fight with us, didn't you? Now you will watch as we crush your dreams and your Medarot into scrap metal!"
"A… a park?" Naruto and Arika wondered why and they soon saw some younger kids around 4 or 5 years old from the streets ran to the coach. It turns out that Otokoyama appears to be the younger kids' role model in a dark section of the city without any sign of greenery or even an open space to play.
"Mister, it's all right," one boy cried, "You've done all you could for us!"
The little girl also said, "Yeah, we can make do, even without a park!"
The little kids actually live in the vicinity, but they have no place to play, not even a parkplace. Otokoyama promised those kids that he would build a strong and safe park for them with his own money, but the mobsters were constantly feuding over this piece of land. It also turned out that Naruto and Arika learned why the coach is in poor health, not eating decently proper meals, while saving his money like crazy to build a park for the little kids. The mobsters wanted to outbuy the estate, so they Robattled to settle the dispute.
"Wait a minute!" Naruto yelled, "Has anyone noticed that there is no referee to judge this battle? You might as well be having an Exhibition Robattle that way! It's no means of fair play, y'know!"
Both sides realized that Naruto was right. They hadn't contacted the nearest referee to settle things fair and square, so the match has been declared as unofficial and void.
Otokoyama takes Digmole out of the sand to get it under maintenance, on an empty stomach while the gangster brothers decide to settle through other means, as Gangster #1 declared, "Since you boldly opened up your big yap, you little cuss, I challenge you to a Robattle for the estate and your parts!"
Otokoyama has to rest from starving himself, as Naruto had to face a 2 on 1 Handicap match with the coach's and the little kids' dreams on the line.
"We won't rest until even the monkey bars are set," Metabee added as he readied himself in battle.
While Naruto sets up Laserbeak for aerial video capture, changes Metabee's Revolver with Death Bomb for more firepower, and removes the safety locks, Mr. Uruchi the referee appears from the vertically standing drainpipe, Mario Bros. Style. "Then it is agreed! I, Mr. Uruchi, declared this match an official submission Robattle! Both sides remembered the rules? Since one side has more than one Medarot, one member must have their Medarot declared as Leader."
Gangster #1 takes the leading role with his Megaphant while his blood brother supports him with Piggyback.
"Medafighters, ready? Robattle, FIGHT!"
(ding)
"Metabee, keep your distance and start firing at their legs!" Naruto ordered and Metabee fired his Submachineguns at Megaphant's tank-legs, but the shield deflected the shots, taking a few hits. Piggyback quickly roared in and crashed Metabee with a full-body impact, followed by Megaphant's Iron Flail sending him flying to a sand hill. Metabee took considerable damage to his legs and slight damage to both his arms.
"Dammit! Do something, Naruto!" Metabee yelled.
Naruto is in a jam. Metabee is slipping on the sandy terrain and both Megaphant and Piggyback have the advantage in the sand. If only there was a way to - - ! A sand hill! That's it! "Metabee, climb up the hill! Trust me!"
"Don't let him get away, Megaphant!" Gangster #1 declared.
"You too, Piggyback!" Gangster #2 ordered and both Medarots race to get their opponent in a pincer attack, only for Piggyback to start to fall on its back with its wheels and the weight from the steep incline and Megaphant is up in the air just as Metabee got under him.
"Open fire!" Naruto ordered and Metabee fired his submachinegun at Megaphant's treads, causing it to jettison from excess damage. Megaphant is a sitting duck (hiding his exposed Tinpet legs) as Metabee fires his Horn Missiles and Death Bomb at him, and they connect as piercing damage as they get around the shield arms' guards as they jettison too!
"His armor is tough! Keep firing!" Naruto said.
Metabee uses his Missiles again and they connect with a blast as Megaphant's head parts jettisoned. Megaphant is out of commission.
(ding-ding-ding!)
"Leader function ceased!" Mr. Uruchi makes his judgment call, "The winner is Naruto and his Metabee!"
"Dude, I rock," Metabee said as he switched to Self-Repair Mode to repair his damaged parts and Naruto retrieved Laserbeak into his camera form.
The gangster brothers hung their heads low in defeat as they lost the battle against a kid and his solitary Medarot, and just in time for the mayor who arrived after he witnessed the battle and commended Otokoyama for making a big difference in the city and Naruto for staking the claim as he is now a proud co-owner of the upcoming parkplace for the younger children. That, the mayor has had enough of the crazy people taking too much property for the night-life and leaving abandoned areas shortly later. It's high time that Ginjō City needs a reformation and to see the light.
The younger kids now have another champion and role model as Naruto plays the role of big brother.
Arika and Brass are glad that things turned out very well at the end. Otokoyama would be a nicer teacher, right?
-Medarots-
[The next day, a few minutes before school]
Otokoyama, with his newly replaced chest expanders, is eating better so he can burn some muscle again as he orders Naruto, the Screws, Arika, and a few other students who got punished as they jogged around the track, while their Medarots stay out of sight inside the school grounds.
"Staying up late is no excuse. In fact, it makes you the epitome of unhealthiness!" the coach barked, "It makes you tired, sluggish, and weak! Another 3 full laps would oughta wake you up before class begins and another 30 laps after school, and then you'll help me with the park equipment WITH YOUR SWEAT!"
Naruto groaned because he got himself in the mess last night, but then more of his memories came flooding into his mind as he soon started to look a bit muscular, much to everybody's surprise.
As for the kids' Medarots and Digmole, they watched their handlers struggling to jog.
"Like I said, Medarots don't sweat," Metabee quiped.
"You said it," the Medarots agreed.
-Medapart Winnings-
Naruto
Megaphant - Left Guard (Left Arm)
Piggyback - Big Roady (Leg Part)
§
And the heat will be on!
-blukmage19