Chapter 9
Roar, Cyandog! The Monkey-Dog Relationship
§
[Ginjō Elementary]
Late July, almost the beginning of August (a few days after the chance meeting with Yuzu and Hijiki the Pure Mermaid).
It was the unofficial school tournament that went underway as the crowds gathered for their top players' Medarots facing off against their opponents'. Naruto and Arika unfortunately had already backed out because they have important matters in hand.
There were several referees overseeing the matches, making sure that everything was settled fair and square.
On one side, it was Kikuhimé's Peppercat facing off against a rival classmate's SNA-Type [Maxsnake]¹ - - - Peppercat won as Kikuhimé obtained the Virus (Right Arm) Medapart.
On another side, Kagamiyama's Keithturtle is facing off against another classmate's SNG-Type [Volume·10]¹ - - - Keithturtle wins as Kagamiyama obtains the Pipe Organ (Legs) Medapart.
On a different ring, Iwanoi's Cyandog is facing off against a smart classmate's MON-Type [Monkey Gong]¹ - - - Cyandog flubbed the match big time and lost, as Iwanoi got booed and was pelted by the crowd's garbage and water bottles as he ended up being a monkey of himself.
(Thankfully, Kikuhimé managed to win back Cyandog's parts back from the Monkey Gong's handler.)
Glory, failure, and friendship. Robattles can bring forth all kinds of emotions. This is the story of a group of passionate Medafighters who gave their lives to robattles. However, there seems to be a pecking order going on with the Screws Trio.
-Medarots-
[Outside, near the 24-Hour Hop Mart]
It was a slightly cloudy day as this entire affair started after the School Robattle matches. Kikuhimé has one thing to say to Iwanoi, "You're out!"
"Eh?" Iwanoi stupefyingly wondered.
"Don't "eh" me, mister. You're blackballed from our gang! Finished!" she explained to the idiotic Iwanoi as she got into his dumb face, "You're expelled, fired, done for, and all washed up! I'm giving you your walking papers, so start walking!"
"Wh-why?" he whines to the point of crying, "Oyabi, what did I do wrong to deserve this? Please say something!"
""Wrong", you ask?" Kikuhimé signals Kagamiyama to reveal a scroll with their names written with a traditional ink brush, the O's for their wins and X's for their losses. "These are the results from this month's battles. 20 wins and 13 losses, one of which we lost against Tenryo's Metabee altogether in a handicap match. Winning average: slightly above 60%. You notice something is wrong here or do we have to spell it out for you?"
"Well, winning two out of every three matches is pretty good," Iwanoi guesses, but when he looks at Kikuhimé's angry face, "*gulp!* I think? Hee, hehehe…"
She bends down to the kneeling Iwanoi's level and plainly says, "You schmuck! You're the one responsible for most, if not all the lost matches even after your Cyandog tripped my Peppercat into the water fountain!"
Iwanoi pleaded and begged as he played with Kikuhimé's purplish bangs, "Well, I mean… every time I lose a part, you always win it back for me. Oyabi, you know, I love you."
*GAN!² 🐦*
Kikuhimé was furious at Iwanoi's little slight and she bashed him with an uppercut as she yelled, "Fool! Only Tenryo has the right to even brush my hair aside! And besides that, you've lost the right to call me the boss or cross or toss anymore! If you want to duel against me, I'm ready for you anytime!" She shows her pink and white Medawatch, proving that she means business, Medarot-style.
"I...I'll pass," Iwanoi cowardly says and Kikuhimé and Kagamiyama leave the scene, very disappointed.
Hikaru witnessed the action from inside the store while taking inventory as he said to himself, "If I'm not mistaken, Iwanoi's Medarot is Cyandog, a well-balanced model with great sharpshooting skills. It shouldn't be that weak."
"Hikaru, I think you're missing the point," a male voice with a low register in the medal said through his hidden Medawatch, "I sense an incompatibility issue coming from the boy's Cyandog."
"Hey, now! Who told you to speak?" Hikaru argued to the Medawatch, "You're not supposed to reveal yourself until later!"
"Sorry, Hikaru, just stating the facts."
"Proud punk. You're lucky that your new body parts are still in the works."
"So sue me. After all, I am without a body and you know it. You're still that same, snot-nosed little punk who didn't assemble my parts properly."
"So help me, I'll reset your programming and we'll have to start from scratch again."
-Medarots-
[At the park]
Naruto and Metabee are now into another heated argument. Naruto wanted to get a vantage point on the Jungle Gym to see any incoming Robattles ahead, but Metabee has been watching too much TV again, this time, acting like the Banchō with a twig in his where his mouth is supposed to be as he is acting like he owns the place.
Arika and Brass sighed at the situation they're looking at.
"I wonder why those two can't seem to get along?" Brass questioned, "They get along as if they're oil and vinegar."
"*sigh* Brass, those two act like they are really fighting for control or something like that," Arika said with melancholy, "They fight more like monkeys and dogs just to keep their distance. It's the Monkey-Dog Relationship."
What Arika says is that there was a thing about keeping distance - a way to deal with people who can't quite get along and end up fighting all the time: keeping distance. An example of this is the rivalry between dogs and monkeys. In this case, it doesn't matter which side Naruto or Metabee are on.
"I would disagree partially on the Monkey-Dog Relationship," Naruto said as he managed to put Metabee in his place, "Sure, the dog was put in space first, but that's to make sure that other animals have a chance to fly in space safely, such as the monkey. I've read that they have a rather competitive relationship that requires flexibility to achieve their common goals. They're actually a lively pair, if they play their cards right, y'know."
"Smart-aleck!" Metabee grumbled at his know-it-all handler.
"It's a guy thing, I suppose," Brass commented.
Arika then gets a sudden phone call from a girl named Rihoko from the Newspaper Club who asked her for an urgent mission and then she said to the boys, "We have an assignment with my club and we haven't got a good scoop lately. Looks like we're going to make a last minute report for the week."
"Yes, but about who and where?" Naruto wondered, but then he hears the voice of Iwanoi coming from over the hill, planning to regain his favor with the gang after being blackballed.
-Medarots-
Iwanoi is standing on the path, briefing with his Cyandog, "If it comes down to this, I gotta win a Robattle! If I show Oyabi (Kikuhimé) that I've won, she'll surely let me back in! I know she will! Get it? We only fight about someone we definitely can't lose against, okay?"
"Yes, Oyabin," Cyandog understood.
"Please stop calling me "Oyabin" like that."
"Yes, Oyabin."
(It's hopeless, says Iwanoi.)
"Hey, Iwanoi!" Naruto called as he made a leafy appearance via shunshin.
Arika and the Medarots caught up with Naruto as she asked, "It's weird seeing you all alone without the gang, what's up with that?"
"You're asking for a rematch, aren't you?" Metabee dared.
"Uh-oh! Naruto and Metabee!" Iwanoi nervously exclaimed after his last battle with them.
"Oyabin, what should we do?" Cyandog asked.
"One thing that we can do and we do just like the Rubberobo Gang." he suggested, "Run away!" And Iwanoi and Cyandog scrammed.
"Hey!" Naruto called out, "We haven't even considered having an exhibition match!"
"Urusei (Shut up)! A true Medafighter doesn't take on weaklings, especially chickens like you! *clucking noises*" Iwanoi was acting like a craven little coward as he ran like hell.
Naruto suggested, "Maybe that big "chicken" may lead us to other candidates for a challenge. What do you say, Metabee?"
Metabee agreed to a common goal as he and Naruto ran ahead, while Arika and Brass followed not far behind as they don't have the same agility as their friends.
-Medarots-
[At the Sand Box]
A group of 3 Kindergarten-grade kids (2 boys and a girl) were playing in the moldable sand pit. The girl pets her guardian BER-01 model Medarot - the Bear Type [Charlie Bear] and she said, "Good boy, good boy. You wait wight herwe."
-Meda Vital Stats-
Charlie Bear
Owners: Kindergartners (Girl)
Medal: E - Bear
Specialty: Gravity Break
Iwanoi with his Cyandog thought it was a sneaky, nefarious idea to find himself a new start, taking on little kids who are practically defenseless without their parents around to supervise and have only their big teddy bear Medarot for their protection. He approached the kindergartners who were minding their own business having fun in the sand as he said, "Hey, hey, hey!, little runts. Playtime's over, for I am the third member of the Screws, the strongest team in town, Iwanoi! I hope you little brats are ready for a Robattle because that's what's going to happen! I'm gonna challenge you, you hear me!"
"Wobattle?" the kindergarteners questioned.
"Yeah," Cyandog agreed with his handler, "Your teddy bear isn't so tough, isn't that right, Oyabin?"
"Hold on there, you two!" Naruto yelled as he managed to catch up.
"Just what the heck are you doing, asking these little kids to fight against you?" Arika asked.
"Ah, shaddup!" Iwanoi arrogantly replied, "Fighting only those who are weaker than me — that's my style, so what are you going to do about it?"
"Iwanoi," Naruto warned, "You better put your Medaparts while your mouth is, 'cause I don't think those little kids are here in the sandbox just to play nice. ::Yuzu-chan is much nicer than they are, believe me...::
"Onii-chan (mister)," the little girl turned to Iwanoi, "Arwe you saying that you'rwe going to Wobattle us?"
"Are we gonna Wobattle?" the little boys followed.
"Darn tootin'!" Iwanoi replied, "If you want to keep playing here, you're gonna have to beat me first!" And he and Cyandog laughed at his would-be opponents thinking that they're so macho. Little did they know, the atmosphere in the sky is starting to change as it begins to turn dark.
"I don't like the looks of their eyes," Naruto commented, "Underestimating the opponent is a Medafighter's worst enemy."
Arika and Brass agreed without saying and Metabee is curious about the strange heaviness affecting him as they see the kindergarteners giving off evilish looks.
"Hee-hee-hee... To challenge us, the Cwushers, into a Wobattle… I say that you've got some nerve, cha!" Kindergartner Boy A-san made some cruel chuckles.
"If you insist, we'll beat you to a pulp and weduce you to scwap metal, cha!" Kindergartner Boy B-san agreeingly mocked.
Kindergartner Girl C-ko then says, "🌟🌟Bear-chan, it's go-time, cha!"
Charlie Bear's eyes glow red as he is ready kick some Meda-butt.
Naruto shunshins quickly and stops both sides from attacking as he said, "Hold everything! Before we begin, since the local referee impeccably didn't show up, I declare this as an exhibition battle between the Crushers' Charlie Bear vs Iwanoi (the dimwit) with his Cyandog. Both sides will not surrender any Medaparts after this battle is concluded and let's fight clean. Okay, ready? Robattle, FIGHT!"
(Ding!)
Charlie Bear is going all-out as he starts flying with his hover parts as he aims to take on Cyandog with a full-bodied tackle against the cowardly Cyandog as he and Iwanoi were defeated in a big blast. (The match didn't even last 5 seconds.) Cyandog's parts had not jettisoned, but he appeared to be out cold, as did Iwanoi whose pants were disintegrated, showing his tighty-whitey brief underwear, lying face-down, bottoms up.
(DING-DING-DING!)
Naruto declared after the 10-count, "They stopped moving! The winners are the Crushers with Charlie Bear!"
A-san laughed at Iwanoi and cackled, "What arwe you? Weak as applesawce? It's like taking candy from a baby, cha!"
B-san mocked, "The Scwews Gang awen't much of a thweat to us, The Cwushers, cha!"
C-ko eerily added, "And don't you forget it, for this is our tewwitowy, cha! You bettewr wemember ouwr names, cha!"
And the kindergartners mockingly laugh at the practically whipped Iwanoi and dissed the Screws' reputation.
"Geez, what a mess," Naruto shook his head in disappointment, "I hate to see a guy and his Medarot go to pieces like that. Tsk, tsk."
Arika decidedly shoots a picture with her camera of the latest result of the exhibition along with profiles of the victors. Kikuhimé is going to get mad when she sees this in the papers tomorrow.
And Naruto, he reminded the Crusher Kids that there are going to be times when a maintained Medarot can save their lives, so he told them and their supervising parents to take good care of Charlie Bear.
"Okay," the kindergartners kindly obeyed like angels as they left.
Metabee decided not to fight Charlie Bear without some strategy, which is a right decision.
-Medarots-
[The next day]
Kikuhimé grabs the school newspaper and read the headlines:
·
The Dangerous Little Medafighters Chewed the Worst Medafighter Out!
The Crushers
They're here, antagonizing the Screws!
·
It shows the defeated face of Iwanoi with his edited and censored butt away from the camera, crying out for his boss.
This made Kikuhimé very mad, almost enough to burst a blood vessel in her head, as she crinkled the paper. "I-WA-NO-I!" She sees part of the instigators, that is Arika, passing out the news to the people.
"Arika!," she swiftly moved from her spot to where her rival was at as she grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, "Where is he? Come on now! Spit it out! Tell me everything you know!"
"I don't know anything!" Arika gagged from getting into a chokehold, "What's gotten into you? Who are you talking about?"
"You know who I'm talking about! Iwanoi was throwing around the Screws' name, even though he's officially kicked out of it! And you're telling me that he was even beaten by a bunch of little brats that came out of nowhere‽ I'll squeeze your boobs out just like I'll wring his whole, scrawny neck!"
"Let go of me, Kikuhimé… Can't breathe…"
Thankfully, Kikuhimé didn't make good her threat as she loosened her grip but drags Arika away to her house to have a briefing, in the bathhouse in a private room for a naked girl-to-girl talk, including the one time Naruto was "dating" with a younger girl already in the 1st Grade. Arika (getting the "squeeze play") spills out the details to Kikuhimé about the recent events. They notice that the rest of their body figures are starting to catch up… maybe just just a little, as they play a little game of「the battle of the bulge」while discussing the situation with the Crushers team and their Charlie Bear.
Meanwhile, Brass and Peppercat shared stories of their own outside the bathroom, making sure that no peepers are allowed. They wonder what Naruto and Iwanoi are up to.
-Medarots-
And sure enough, Iwanoi and Cyandog have decided to pack up their belongings in green cloth packs and run away from home and the city, without the former's parents knowing.
"Now that I brought shame upon the Screws' name I can't continue to stay in this town," Iwanoi moped, "I guess it's just you and me from now on, Cyandog.
"I'll follow you wherever you go, Oyabin!" Cyandog loyally said.
"Please stop calling me that…"
"Hold it right there, Iwanoi!" It was Naruto accompanied by Metabee and Salty the Parson Russell Terrier. "What are you getting at, running away from home like that? Are you trying to further tarnish your life the way it's been going?"
"Arf!" Salty barked.
"You and Cyandog are coming with us for a little workout," Metabee said and they took them away, "You need to stop your bitching and moping just because you lose most of the time."
Both the pitiful boy and Medarot were taken to a much-needed workout by the riverside.
-Medarots-
Naruto and Metabee are dressed in their Kenpo Gi uniforms as they have some heavy equipment salvaged from the non-burnable garbage - heavy tires tied to ropes for weight, some kettlebells, some empty iron barrels, discarded gym equipment that is still usable, and some empty soda cans for target practice.
"Why are you helping us after all that we've done, tarnishing the Screws' name?" Iwanoi asked.
"Listen," Naruto said while giving him a heart-to-heart talk between men, "We knew that we're already disgusted with you. You're a yellow cat of a cowardly dog, and on top of that, you've besmirched your group's honor because of an exhibition match against the Crushers. But if you think you're going to just run away from home like that, you're crazy!" He warns Iwanoi that if his parents found out that he ran away from home, there will be consequences that he possibly won't be able to amend. And he means it, too.
Naruto brought out his boombox with a selected set of songs for an inspirational workout, including a hit song from a certain Martial Arts/Slice of Life movie.
[Cue: "You're the Best" from 'The Karate Kid', sung by Joe "Bean Esposito]
The group was practicing their running skills on different terrain, including the water's surface. Iwanoi is already tired from not being athletic enough to even catch up with his partner Medarot.
Naruto gives Iwanoi some pointers about the teamwork and kinesthesia between man and machine.
In the next workout, the group are practicing reps (doing push-ups with a heavy barrel on their backs. Naruto is handling the exercise with ease with a barrel full of sand while reading a ramen magazine. Cyandog is starting to build his skills to work out his kinks while Iwanoi couldn't handle even one. It's supposed to help the Medarots build up their Medals' stats for certain parts and for their handlers to keep up with them.
They tried using the sit-up machines, gazelle leg machines, but the progress seems to be working on certain people, unlike the wimpy Iwanoi. He wonders how even Naruto could handle the intense training as he watched him practice skating on the water's surface like it was on ice. He's almost like a crossing between a water spider and a water strider. ("So how come it works for him? It's not possible, even for me!")
They took a break from the exercises as they looked up into the slightly cloudy skies.
[End Cue]
"Doesn't it feel good to work out like this?" Metabee questioned.
"Yes, Coach," Cyandog agreed as he lay down on the grass.
"Well I don't agree about Medarots sweating," Naruto said after he moved the heavy barrel off of Iwanoi, "It's supposed to help with them to gain some boosting in their abilities." Then he sets up the barrels with a few cans for shooting practice.
Iwanoi struggles to get himself up from the pain of his sore, wimpy muscles. He wonders why Naruto is setting things up like that.
He answered to Iwanoi, "It's to see how well our shooting parts work out, the better the success and a good chance where they make their shots count." The objective is to aim for the cans with their shooting Metaparts while Metabee swapped his Missile Head Part for Tyranos Laser, as it is compatible with the Horned Beetle Medal (the shooting part).
Naruto lets Cyandog have the honor to go first to shoot the empty soda can off the barrel. Iwanoi removes the safety locks. "I'll use this opportunity to see what it takes to win all of Metabee's Parts!" he whimpered, "Take down that can, Cyandog!"
The Medarot gets himself into position and aims his Snipe Rifle (Right Arm) and opens fire at the can - - - it keeps missing it, as they arc to both the left and the right and keeps hitting the barrel. He tried the Assault Rifle (Left Arm) - - - again, the shots missed it. Cyandog even tries his Linear Cannon (Head Part) - - - nothing but air.
"Go! Fire, fire, fire!" Iwanoi yelled out his orders, but the firing parts' aim went flying out of control and almost hit Naruto and Salty.
"Metabee," Naruto almost loses his temper, "Stop Cyandog! He almost got us in the crossfire!"
"You gotta aim first!" Metabee said, "Like this!" He fires his Revolver and his Laser and hits Cyandog, the can, and the barrel.
"A-amazing!" Iwanoi exclaimed before the flying barrel hit him in the head, giving him a lump on his head. Both Medafighter and Medarot are out cold (꩜ ꩜).
"I… I admit defeat…" Cyandog muttered.
-Medarots-
"Man! Our training was pointless after all," Metabee said with dissatisfaction after switching back to his usual head part.
"Iwanoi, your Medarot's gunfire almost hit me and Salty, you nitwit!" Naruto said as he rendered first-aid and some sanitizer to his whipped classmate as he was feeling the sting from the antiseptic liquid.
"I'm so sorry, Coach," Cyandog apologized, "I disappointed myself."
"When it comes to battling, you two, attacking mindlessly is no good, y'know," Naruto informed, "You need to be more strategic rather than go into battles recklessly. In other words, use your head, y'know."
"But does this mean I have no talent for this?" Iwanoi asked while petting Salty, "I guess the name『underdog』fits me."
"Still, it's pretty weird how Cyandog couldn't even make one shot hit the target," Naruto pondered the trouble, "There must be some sort of efficiency issue at the root of this."
Then Salty barked as he noticed something on Cyandog's back.
"What is it, boy?" Naruto asked Salty as the dog pressed the hatch button, revealing Cyandog's medal. Naruto realizes that something isn't right as he deadpanned while trying to keep an even temper, "Iwanoi, care to tell us what the hell is wrong with this picture, y'know?"
"What is it, Naruto?" Metabee asked.
"What do ya mean?" Iwanoi questioned while being none the wiser, "It's the one I bought with my own money, isn't it?"
"That's not the point, you lamebrain!" Naruto argued, "Cyandog has a [Monkey Medal]!" It shows a Class 1 Monkey Medal with an image of a simian showing off its butt.
"Monkey‽" Cyandog questioned about his own medal.
"What's wrong with having a Monkey Medal?" Iwanoi asked, "I had put it where it was supposed to go, so what?"
:: And here I thought I was called the idiot,:: Naruto grumbled before making Iwanoi look at his Medarot's medal, "Don't you know, you goof‽ It's not the price or how you install the medal, so get it through your thick skull: it's sheer existence doesn't mesh well with its parts. It's what Arika-chan called this a living example of a monkey-dog relationship!"
Naruto explains that Cyandog is a DOG-0 model Medarot specializing in shooting parts and is mostly compatible with a Horned Beetle Medal like Metabee. "Monkey medals work better with Strike Medaparts, that is Hand-to-Hand combat, and they are compatible with parts that can cause disruption effects. That's why you keep losing almost every time, y'know!"
Iwanoi's jaw felt like it dropped to the ground and rolled out a long pink carpet for his tongue for being a big jackass.
"Fortunately, for you," Naruto added, "I have some Medaparts that can address the situation. But remember, they are loaners, so you have to either battle me or trade parts for keeps, okay? Now hold out your Medawatch and let me work my magic." He transferred two Medaparts: the Snipe Rifle interchanged with the Decoy Krab (Right Arm) from Taraba Kuraba and the Scout Arm (Left Arm) from Monkey Gong.
"What are these?" Cyandog questioned.
"The Decoy Krab is a part I won the other day, it has weak punches, but it offers a good defense in armor. And the Scout Arm that I salvaged is a Strike part that can use Hammer attacks. They work better with the Monkey Medal or any medal that works with close combat."
But just as they're about to resume the regiment, Naruto sees Arika and Brass coming from uphill as they were stunned to see their boyfriend in a training uniform, working up a sweat, but she has other agendas at hand, "Naruto-kun, it's bad! Kikuhimé is facing off against the Crusher kids! She'll be at a disadvantage!"
"What ya say?" Naruto exclaimed as he used the 「art of the quick-change」 into his regular clothing.
"How did you do that without showing off your pants?" Metabee asked, and Cyandog and Iwanoi agreed.
"It's a fairly simple process, and I'm pretty certain that other people can do it too," Naruto explained, "Now we gotta hurry up, because Kiku-chan's Medarot is in trouble if they don't know what they're getting themselves into."
And the party of 3 kids and 3 Medarots left the park to reach the other side of the hill.
-Medarots-
[At another kiddy park]
Kikuhimé is accompanied by Kagamiyama as they already challenged the Crushers, but the referee didn't show up either as Peppercat is caught in a Gravity Break field, with her parts jettisoned down to just her head parts.
"Heheheheh," the Crushers mockingly laughed as C-ko said, "Your ugly mug of youwrs is a bypwoduct of youwr miseducation, cha! In the end, you'we all just talk, cha!"
"Oyabi!" Iwanoi ran to Kikuhimé to give her support, only to be given the chokehold.
"Iwanoi, you blockhead!" Kikuhimé yelled while trying not to cuss in front of the younger audience.
"What the heck did you come here for!" Kagamiyama also yelled, "Peppercat's losing!"
Naruto assesses the situation with Charlie Bear and discovers that the Medarot has the ability to manipulate gravity like Yuichiitang, but with hover parts. They had disabled Peppercat's strong points with her agility and close combat.
Charlie Bear fired one more attack from his Spreader head part and it connected, leaving Peppercat a wreck in the sand pit.
"Peppercat has stopped moving!" Naruto declared as he managed to lift the Medarot from the impression with its medal ejected as he passed the fallen Peppercat to Kikuhimé.
"We knew it, we knew it," the kindergartners singsonged, "The Scwews are a bunch of sissies, cha!"
"Now we, the Crushers, are officially the strongest Medafighter Team in the whole town, cha!" And she and the boys made cruelly evil laughter.
"I...I lost…," Kikuhimé choked to the point of tears, "I lost to a bunch of frickin' kindergartners…"
Iwanoi tries to stand up for Kikuhimé, but the Crushers rebuke him for his wanton cowardice as he hid behind Arika.
Naruto then said to the Crusher kids with an aura of his own as he said while giving off the real evil-eye, "You call yourself a team with intentions like that? Someday, your own confidence will turn on you and break you down just like you did with Peppercat."
"It seems that dogs have it easy," the local chick salesman said to Iwanoi as he made his sudden appearance in front of the group, "If you call them and pet their head, they'll be happy as a clam. Most of all, they will not forget their duty."
Iwanoi wanted to run away, but Naruto grabbed him as he said, "Stand up for your friends, you big Crimson King chicken!"
"Leave me alone, alright‽" Iwanoi refused.
"Why did you hide behind me‽" Arika yelled as she pounded him with her fists.
"You'll never win against them if you keep running away from underclassmen like that!" Naruto stated.
"So what‽" Iwanoi argued as fear started to settle in, "I'm nothing more than an underdog in the end!"
The chick salesman stepped in and declared, "Dogs have it easy, I tell you! But you'll never win with an attitude like that! Do you not know the old saying,『A cornered rat will bite the cat』?"
What the chick salesman is explaining is that there are times when the weak are trying to fight off the strong. This is often represented by a mouse, who, when cornered, will even try to bite his natural enemy, the cat. It has no relation to dogs whatsoever.
"That's it!" Arika said, "It's as the salesman said, if you don't show your might, then you'll be more than just a cornered dog, being whipped by a bunch of kindergartner Medafighters."
Naruto agreed, "If you're a man, Iwanoi, at least show the strength to fight back, no matter how strong the opponent is!"
Arika explained how Naruto started out as an outcast without a Medarot, but then he and his Metabee won against the Medarot-hunting Rockers, the Banchō, the Rubberobo gang, and anyone else that faced him, even against the odds.
"That pep talk is much better than I realized," the chick salesman said as he tended to the chicks, as Metabee and Brass mutually agreed.
Iwanoi gathered his courage and said, "You're right. Even an underdog can bite back! I'll be the one to avenge Oyabi!"
"Hey!" the kindergartners yelled as C-ko (the ringleader) declared, "So you grown-ups think we're overconfident, are we, cha? Boys, bwing out your Medawots, cha!
"Right, cha!" A-san and B-san obeyed as they transported their Medarots, the first is an older model BER-type teddy bear Medarot named [Betty Bear] and the second one is a HBY-type wheeled Medarot named [Toy World].
-Meda Vital Stats-
Betty Bear
Owner: The Crushers (A-san)
Medal: E - Bear
Specialty: Gravity Press
·
Toy World
Owner: The Crushers (B-san)
Medal: E - Bear
Specialties: Gravity Break, Fishing Rod, and Yo-yo
"We challenge the bad dog and the spiky blondie to a Wobattle, cha!" C-ko said as she pointed out.
"Then it's agreed!" Mr. Ucuchi declared after coming out of the domed playpen, "Sorry for the lateness. I declare this as a 2-on-3 handicap submission Robattle where one member will be declared as the leader. If the leader is defeated, then the match must conclude right away as the winner is declared."
Naruto decides to take the leading role, changing Metabee's Head part with the Tyrano Laser again while he gives Cyandog some pointers with his Strike-attributed Medaparts, including the part to keep his chin lowered.
C-ko decided to take the role of Leader for this fight.
"Now then," Mr. Uruchi declared, "Robattle, FIGHT!"
(DING!)
While Cyandog charges in and attacks Charlie Bear up close, Metabee fires his Submachinegun against Toy World - - - they connect as Toy World's Blast Rod was jettisoned.
Betty Bear fires his Gravity Beam from the Pressure part - - - Metabee dodges it as he uses his Laser Beam at Betty Bear - - - it connects when the beam hits Betty Bear's Head Part, causing them to jettison. (Betty Bear is out of commission.)
"Betty Bear, down," Mr. Uruchi declared while Metabee faces off against Toy World.
Meanwhile, Cyandog was hit by the Gravity Beam from Charlie Bear's Splasher part as he was sent spinning around the chin-up bars. However, as luck would have it, Cyandog was sent flying upwards and landed on Charlie Bear's head with his head, causing the C-ko's Medarot to fall over and its Class 1 Bear Medal ejected from the impact.
"Bear-chan!" C-ko cried in defeat.
"Everybody, halt! Leader function ceased!" Mr. Uruchi declared, "The winners are Naruto and Iwanoi!" He left the scene to fill in on the reports.
The cloudy weather cleared up as Kikuhimé and Kagamiyama couldn't believe their eyes as their lowest seat - Iwanoi and his Cyandog won the battle.
"Oyabi! I did it!" he said to Kikuhimé.
"Eh, we did it," Naruto corrected and Metabee (back to his usual set) agreed as they helped Cyandog back on his feet.
"You did well," Kikuhimé admitted to Iwanoi, "But you still have a lot of making up to do in restoring the honor of our name, get me?"
Meanwhile, the defeated Crushers were relieved of their wagered parts to the victors, but still cried at their loss.
Naruto stepped in and said to them, "Listen. There is no greater sportsmanship than to accept your losses like a champ. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, so keep your chin up, okay?"
The Crushers trio sniffled as they replied as they took their wrecked Medarots with them back to their parents who were waiting. C-ko waved bye-bye as she and her friends left the scene. (After all, the kindergartners are really angels without wings, says Naruto.)
But then, Naruto senses something with bad intentions attacking him and Metabee from behind and they jump out of the way in time. It was Iwanoi and Cyandog, trying to prove who is the Top Dog in the Medafighting.
"Why, you!" Metabee cussed, "Didn't you say you owe us your life after we trained you?"
"Uh-huh," Cyandog answered, "That's why beating you will be our way of showing you our gratitude." And with Iwanoi's orders, he attacks Metabee with a row of punches, but they don't seem to connect as they fell short of reach and Cyandog's chin wasn't lowered.
"That's "gratitude" for you," Naruto said to Metabee, "So let 'em have it with a Horn Missile."
"Didn't we teach you how to AIM BEFORE YOU ATTACK!‽" Metabee declared, "Missile Launch!"
*BOOM!*
Cyandog was sent flying from the blast radius as he muttered, "I remember now, coach…"
Naruto took back the loaned Medaparts from Iwanoi just for the insolence.
"What the hell...?" Kikuhimé gives off an irksome look as she gives Iwanoi another clobbering (a slap on his face) as she yells, "You useless piece of crap! 💢 You're still out of the gang!" Before she left, Kikuhimé said, "Enjoy your victory while you still can, Tenryo, but you and me and our Medarots are gonna duke it out at the arcade tomorrow, you hear me‽!"
"Loud and clear, "Himé-sama"," Naruto mock-salutes, "And you better bring your plenty of Play Credits and with you, if you have any, y'know." (It's almost as if they're asking for a dinner date at the arcade.)
And she, Kagamiyama, and a snivelling Iwanoi (stowing away his Cyandog) left.
"At the end of the day, Iwanoi's nothing but bad," Naruto said, but notices that Arika feels faint, so he suddenly sweeps her off her feet. He tries to wake her up, but what's the use? Was it something he did, he wondered, as he was suddenly planted by Arika's kiss in his mouth as she blushingly said, "Just take me home, you strong man, you…" And she embraces her arms around his neck as if they're already married. (Arika is a little tired from all the running for leads.)
Brass is wishing that she could be lifted off her feet like that, but she decided to wait for the chance next time.
"Seriously," Metabee said to himself, "I'll never understand human nature and adult issues."
·
10 years old and in love… What more can Naruto do on the road to life?
-Winning Medaparts-
Naruto
Charlie Bear - Splasher (Left Arm)
Betty Bear - Pressure (Right Arm)
Toy World - Blast Rod (Right Arm)
·
Iwanoi
Charlie Bear - Smasher (Right Arm)
Betty Bear - Meteor Strike (Head Part)
Toy World - Yo-yo Yo-yo (Left Arm)
Decoy Krab and Scout Arm - Revoked
§
A/N: ¹ - They weren't specifically identified in the animé series. The selected Medarots were from Gen-1 / Game 1.
² - That's the onomatopoeia for something like "KONK!" The little birdy was an added effect for the tweeting effects. You'll see the action frequently for comedic effects.
If you watch the original episode, you may want to try to slow the picture down and you may find something interesting, frame-by-frame. Like how Kikuhimé went cartoonish for a moment in the in-between animation, stretching her leg, showing her black sock-covered foot and almost turned herself into a monster. You'll see what I mean. Almost went into a strange Sci-fi Gainax/Trigger moment, didn't it?
The part where Naruto calls Iwanoi a Crimson King chicken is actually a Medarot with very dangerous, destructive attacks that rival with Blackram's parts and its compatible Medal.
Also, the kids weren't given a name in both the original Japanese and English versions, so they were given censored names.
Some ideas in this chapter were borrowed from NewMystery356's discontinued story.
And the heat will be on!
-blukmage19