Episode 6: Worth Fighting For: Part 1

Samantha and the screws were walking high that Monday morning as they made their way up into the school yard. She was feeling particularly proud of herself, and she couldn't help but smile a wicked smile.

"Breathe it in, boys." she cooed while taking in a deep breath of air. "That's the smell of a school where in Ikki Tenryou no longer exists. It's a wonderful smell."

Spyke took in a deep breath, and then he started to cough.

"It don' sbell good to be." he wheezed while pinching his nose. "I thind we're stan'in' downwin' da dumpster."

Samantha shot him an irritated look, but she decided it would be better just to let him off.

"Even you aren't going to ruin this for me, Spyke. The Big Cheese will no doubt of taken care of that little shrimp and put him out of my misery. It's gonna be a good day, boys, and there ain't a thing anyone or anything can do to spoil my…"

She was cut short when she bumped into something. She hadn't been paying attention to where she had been walking, and it seemed that she had bumped into another student.

"Hey, move it runt!"

The student turned to face her, and now she and Ikki were now looking one another in the eye. They stayed frozen while staring at each other for a decent couple of minutes, and then Ikki finally broke the silence by screaming at the top of his lungs and then started sprinting for the school's front doors. Samatha didn't give chase, her eyes glued to the door and Ikki's vanishing figure. Both Sloan and Spyke were wearing horrified expressions as they exchanged glances.

"Sloan?"

"Yeah, Spyke."

"I don't think this is going to be a very good day."

…..

Ikki didn't dare to stop running until he reached the second floor of the school and skidding to a stop in front of his locker. He leaned his back up against it, and he gave himself a moment to catch his breath and slow his heartbeat. He then heard the sound of chuckling, and he raised his wrist so that Metabee was in clear view.

"It's not funny, you jerk."

"It is pretty funny." Metabee giggled. "I didn't think humans could scream that loud. Thought you were gonna crack the screen of the watch there for a moment."

Ikki snorted.

"Well, if you had to deal with someone like Samantha on a regular basis, you wouldn't think it so funny. That girl can make someone like that Banisher creep from the other day look like a kitten."

Metabee scoffed.

"I don't have a clue what a kitten is, but give me a break."

The hologram then cocked his head, and he studied Ikki carefully.

"You know, I think I've finally figured out what your problem is. You have absolutely no selfworth. If you want that Samantha kid to leave you alone, don't run. Just stand up to her and fight back."

Ikki huffed at that.

"That's easy for you to say." he retorted. "You've got three-inch armor plating and laser canons."

"True." Metabee consented. "But I didn't always. Even then, I didn't let people push me around. You shouldn't either."

Ikki just rolled his eyes, and he turned and undid the combination to his locker.

"The last thing I need to do is start picking fights." he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Between my own personal issues and this medabot stuff that's been popping up, lately, I'm amazed that I haven't gone crazy, yet."

Metabee just shrugged and shook his head.

"Whatever, kid. It's your life. But, sooner or later, you'll realize that I'm right."

"Sure, I will." Ikki replied with another eyeroll. "And maybe Bigfoot and the abominable snowman will come along and help me out, too."

He slammed his locker shut, and he spun about to make his way to class.

SNAP!

Without warning, Ikki's retinas were assaulted by a bright light. Doing his best to rub out the glare, Ikki could soon see Erika standing in front of him with her camera held up to her eye. She lowered it, and Ikki could now see that she was smiling a very sweet smile. The first sign that something was amiss.

"Heya, Ikki." she greeted warmly. "Have a good weekend?"

Ikki wasn't entirely certainly what was going on, but he decided to play along and smile.

"Yeah, it was ok. What's up?"

Erika's smile widened.

"Straight to the point. That's what I've always liked about you, Ikki. But I digress. I just thought you might like these pictures I took a couple of days ago."

She reached into the pocket on the front of her pink overalls, and she produced a small wad of photographs, which she proceeded to hand to Ikki. The boy accepted them, and he looked them over. A visible shudder raced through him when he recognized the telltale features of Metabee and Banisher duking it out in the park. He flipped to the next one to see Metabee shooting his lasers, the next was when Banisher punched him into a tree, but the third was perhaps the most terrifying image of all. It was a picture of Ikki himself when he was switching out Metabee's helmet. Erika leaned forward just enough so that she could see the picture herself.

"You know, I think that's my favorite one of the bunch."

The next thing Erika knew, Ikki had shoved her into a janitor's closet, and he locked the door behind them. When he was certain that they wouldn't be disturbed, Ikki fixed the girl with the most serious expression he could muster.

"Erika," he began, "we need to have a serious talk."

"I'll say!" the girl replied, practically shaking with glee. "I mean, this is the scoop of a lifetime, and to think that it was little old me that got it first! So how do you want to do that interview? Should we do it right here? Oh, I wish I hadn't of forgot my video camera at the house! Written interviews are fine, but videos can be edited for an added kick and provide much better…"

"THERE'S NOT GONNA BE AN INTERVIEW!" Ikki bellowed.

Erika jumped back. In all her life, she had never known Ikki to raise his voice, especially not to her. The boy's face was mired with a mixture of straight up anger, irritation, and even a dash of fear.

"Erika," he began again, "let me make this very clear. You can't tell anyone about what you saw. You must keep it to yourself."

Erika stared at him with shock.

"Keep-keep it to myself." she stammered, dumbfounded. "Are you kidding me? Ikki, this has to have something to do with that Medabots live show my dad was telling me about. I start getting the scoop now, it might just be the scoop that gets my editorial career going. Why on earth would I keep it to myself?"

"Because it's so much more than that!" Ikki insisted. "I can't explain everything. Heck, I don't even understand everything. There's these badguys in black running around, and this weird masked guy stealing medals. They're dangerous, Erika, I'm sure of it. You could get seriously hurt, or worse!"

Erika placed her hands on her hips, and she offered Ikki a pout.

"Is that so? Well, if that's the case, then that only gives me more reason to react. If there's something insidious going on, then the public has a right to know."

"Erika, I mean it!" Ikki snapped, this time putting much more menace into his voice. "I will not let you publish this story!"

Just then, the bell signaling the end of first period began to ring, and the faint sound of the many kids in the school changing classes could be heard. Erika flashed Ikki a smirk.

"You're gonna have to catch me first, bucko!"

With that, Erika shoved Ikki into a stack of mops, unlocked the door, and then went racing into the crowd of students. By the time Ikki righted himself and made it out of the closet, Erika was long gone, and the crowd was soon dispersed. Ikki felt a rush of panic course through him, and he thought long and hard on where the girl could have gone. Then, it hit him.

"The computer lab! It's the only place where she could work on her story!"

He took off down the hall at breakneck speed, but he didn't get very far. Something grabbed him by the back of his collar, and it dragged him back. Ikki looked up to see a middle-aged man in a track suit, and he didn't appear to be too happy.

"Late for class again, I see, Mr. Tennryou." the man growled in a gravelly voice.

Ikki gulped.

"C-c-coach Mountain! Nice to see you, this morning. I promise you, I was just on my way to class, but…"

"Promises! Promises! Promises!" Coach Moutain barked indignantly. "You keep swinging, but it never gets you to first base! If you ask me, you lack some serious discipline, and I'm just the guy to whip you into shape. Come on! You've got a date with the school's race track."

He started to drag Ikki away, and the boy was powerless to resist. As he was being carted off, he could only wonder what else was going to go wrong today.

….

"I just can't believe it!" Samantha bellowed for the umpteenth time.

All three of the Screws gang were still standing in the school courtyard with Samantha trembling in absolute rage. Both Spyke and Sloan remained behind her and out of her line of sight.

"It just doesn't make any sense!" Samantha went on. "There's just no way that a wimp like Ikki Tennryou could have survived an encounter with the big cheese? It defies logic on a number of levels! It just makes me wanna kill someone!"

Spyke and Sloan exchanged glances, and Sloan raised his hands for a game of rock, paper, scisors.

"Oh, no you don't!" Spyke hissed. "I had to do it last time. You talk to her for a change. You could use the lines."

Ssloan groaned, and then he slowly made his way closer to his still furious boss.

"Y'know, Samantha," he said in a coaxing tone, "it's quite possible that the guy just didn't find Ikki. After all, it's a pretty big city to find just one random person."

Samantha wheeled about on him, but instead of rage she looked on him with a very serious expression. She motioned for Spyke to move closer, and she dropped her voice to whisper.

"You would think that, wouldn't ya?" she asked rhetorically. "But that's not the case. I've actually tried hiding from him before, wore a disguise and everything, and he still found me in time for his usual cut of our gains."

That would explain why the boss was wearing a wig and a beard that one time. Spyke thought to himself.

"I can only guess that he's got connections in the city." Samantha went on. "That's how I know that he must've found him, which only ticks me off cause there's no way Ikki could have beaten someone like Baron Von Banish. I just don't get what happened."

"Well, why don't you ask him yourself." Sloan suddenly said. "Ain't that him over there?"

Samantha bolted upright, and she followed Sloan's outstretched finger. Sure enough, the hulking figure of Baron Von Banish skulking his way around the side of the school. The trio exchanged glances, and then they quickly went after him. The search eventually brought them to the roof of the school. Taking refuge at the stairs, Samantha and the Screws watched the scene unfold. Baron Banish was talking to a short figure dressed in black spandex and black sunglasses. It should also be noted that he was sucking on a blue pacifier.

"You gotta give me another one!" wailed Bansih, whom no longer possessed the strong façade that Samantha had been used to. "Nobody takes me seriously anymore! You gotta give me another one!"

The short figure pushed his sunglasses back into their proper place, and he sighed deeply.

"Look, Frances," he said in a tired tone, "I've told you already. For the umpteenth time, I cannot give you another medal. It's just not doable."

"Don't say that!" Banish suddenly proclaimed, snatching the shorter figure off the ground and shaking him madly. "I'm nothing without one of those medals! You hear me, nothing!"

The smaller boy scowled, and he kicked Banish hard in the chin to release himself. Baron stumbled onto his back, and the shorter figure towered over him.

"Will you calm down?!" he said scathingly. "It's for your own good, anyway. That was the only medal we had that was compatible with you, and, after seeing what happened to Sea Slug the other day, it will be better for everyone's health if we just reclaim your medal from this Wicky Den Ryu guy!"

Samantha's ears perked at that, and her mouth welled into a wide smile.

"Hey, pipsqueak!" she called out.

Spyke and Sloan jerked about, and they stared at Samantha.

"Boss, what are you doing?" Spyke squeaked.

"Can it, Spyke!" Samantha hissed. "I smell a golden opportunity on the wind."

Stepping out into the open, Samantha made her way over to the two thugs, much to the surprise of Baron Von Banish. As Samantha drew closer, he stood in her path and tried to look menacing.

"What are you doing here, Samantha?" he growled. "You had better have my money this time! That Tennryou kid didn't have it."

Samantha didn't offer him a reply, instead shoving him aside and making her way over to his shorter companion. At a first glance, the small fry didn't look like much, but Samantha detected authority in the eyes behind the shades, and it made her interested.

"Name's Samatha." she said with her hands on her hips. "I'm the leader of the Screws Gang, and I happen to be in charge of this place. I hear that you guys got a grudge against Ikki."

Her eyes narrowed into slits and she raised one fist.

"I want in."

Ever since she had come out of hiding, the short figure had been studying Samantha with clear intrigue, and she was already making a good first impression.

"Beautiful and ferocious." he said with a little bow. "I like the cut of your jib, Miss Samantha. My name is Shrimpy Lippowitz, but you can just call me Shrimplips. Like you, I am part of a gang, though my organization is by all means much larger and possesses more resources. We're always looking for fresh talent off the streets, and you my dear seem to be hitting all the right cues."

Samantha allowed herself a moment to soak up all of his praise, and then her face fell into a more serious expression.

"It's appreciated, Shrimpy, but I could really care less. All I want is some payback from that jerk, Ikki, and, if you can give me that, you get the Screws."

"WHAT?!" Spyke exploded.

Before Sloan could stop him, he went racing out of their hiding place, knocked Baron Banish onto his backside, and then went kneeling at Samantha's feet to beg.

"Boss, please, think about what you're doing!" he pleaded. "I don't like the looks of this guy, and we could get into some serious trouble if we were to go along with him."

Samantha replied with a scoff, and shoved him aside.

"That's a sacrifice you'll just have to be willing to make." she stated simply. She looked back to Shrimplips. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's get him!"

Shrimplips shook his head.

"Don't be so eager, my dear tigress. It just so happens that this Ikki fellow is in possession of a valuable item I would like to retrieve. Two of them, in fact, and they are quite fragile and irreplaceable. What's more, were we to enact anything here, it would no doubt provide witnesses and the police, both of which I would like to avoid. We will need to set a trap for him, and that will require some bait. Do you know of anything, or better yet anyone, that he holds dear? Something he would do anything in order to protect it?"

Samantha didn't have to think very hard on that one, and she couldn't help but smile as she considered the possibilities. Two helpings of revenge for the price of one. It really was going to be a good day.

…..

The computer lab was completely empty, and that was just the way Erika liked it. She was running the risk of running through Coach Mountain's boot camp for skipping numerous classes, but this story was more than deserving of the pain. Her mind was almost dancing with the thoughts of want it would mean for her when this story hit the papers. She was about to become the youngest journalist in all of Tokyo, Japan, and it would start with this simple, little paper. However, she had encountered one of the writing world's most dangerous foes: writer's block.

It never failed. Even on Erika's good days, it took her at least three hours to come up with just a title for her work. It was so frustrating, too, because it all came together so well in her head. The way the facts came together was like linking up the stars in a constellation, and when it all came together it was the more beautiful than a Mozart symphony. But, every time she had to put pen to paper, there was nothing but a big white screen of nothing sitting in front of her eyes. So, here she was, sitting in her computer chair and staring at the blank computer screen with her arms folded and wearing an angry grimace.

"Come on, think!" she grumbled to herself, tapping her forehead a few times hoping that it would stimulate her thoughts. "You know the story. Just write it out; it's not that hard."

She tilted back a bit in her seat, and she closed her eyes as she fell into deep thought.

"Maybe I should have gotten that interview from Ikki." she mused aloud. "He sure seemed to get bent out of shape when I brought it all up, though. Heh, he's probably just being paranoid. If it's got anything to do with that medabot show dad mentioned, then how dangerous could it all be? I mean, it's not like some goon is gonna sneak up behind us and stuff us into burlap sacks."

It's safe to say that the irony of what happened next was not lost on Erika. Just as she was opening her eyes again, a burlap sank went over her head, and she was forcefully yanked out of her chair.

"Hey!" she exclaimed with fright. "What's going on? Let me out of this thing! Help!"

Spyke was chewing nervously on his fingernails as Sloan tied the open end of the bag into a knot, and then slung the bound Erika over his shoulder.

"Oh, man! Oh, man!" he blubbered. "We're gonna get in so much trouble, here! I can't believe we're doing this!"

Sloan quickly hushed him with a finger to his lips, and he motioned for the door. Quietly and quickly, the duo and their captive made their way out of the computer lab and towards the stairs just as the bells for the next period began to ring.

….

Ikki, I owe you an apology. That Mountain guy really is nuts! Same goes for your other teahers, too.

Metabee was referring, of course, to the overly excessive workout that Ikki had been put through. For nearly two whole hours, the boy had been running laps non-stop around the school's race track. His only saving grace was when one of Ikki's teachers had arrived to escort him to his next class, but not before he gave him an exhaustingly long lecture about skipping class. By the time school had let out, Ikki was tired beyond words, and he just wanted to go home and take a nap. Unfortunately, there was still a small matter he had to take care of.

"Now where the heck did Erika get to." he grumbled to himself. "She wasn't in the computer lab, and I didn't see her back in art class."

Uh, Ikki. Metabee suddenly piped up.

"Not now, Metabee!" Ikki shot back. "I'm trying to think. My best bet would be that she went straight home to edit her work."

Ikki. Metabee called again.

"Be quiet, Metabee! It's too bad Erika doesn't have a medawatch. I could use mine to send her a text and try to find her. If only she had just…"

IKKI! Metabee screamed, and at last he had the boy's undivided attention.

"What, Metabee? What could you possibly have to say that is more important that what's going on right now?"

Metabee pointed a finger.

Frances is back.

Ikki froze, and he now realized that he had been completely surrounded by a dark shadow. Looking up very slowly, he could now see the towering figure of Baron Von Banish leering down on him. Ikki went staunch still within the behemoth's stare, and he could nothing but quiver and quake as Banish reached into one of his coat's pockets. When pulled his hand back out, Ikki flinched, but he relaxed when he saw it was just a folded-up piece paper he was holding. In a rather unceremonious fashion, he shoved the paper into Ikki's chest, turned about, and then walked off without another word. Both human and medabot watched him walk away, each exchanging glances as they tried to make sense of what just happened. At last, it was Metabee that broke the silence.

That was…weird.

Ikki nodded, and he looked down to the folded-up piece of paper. He carefully unfolded it, discovering it was some kind of note. His eyes slowly grew wide as he skimmed through a couple of lines, and he began to tremble and his breath began to come out in short, ragged bursts. Metabee took note of the boy's sudden change, and he became concerned.

Ikki, speak to me! he pleaded. What is it? What does it say?

Ikki extended his arms as far as he could, acting as though the paper were made of something toxic, and then, with his voice cracking every other word, he began to read.

Dear Ikki Tennryou,

You don't know us, but we know about you, and you have something we want. We hereby demand that bring both of the medabot medals in your possession and bring them to the warehouse down at the docks. What's more, should you decide not to obey our demands, we have a hostage: you little reporter friend, Erika. If you want her back, you will meet us at the spot stated earlier. We hope to see you very soon.

Sincerely yours,

THE RUBBER ROBBO GANG

P.S.

You are to come alone. If we so much as smell a cop in the vicinity of the rendezvous point, you will never see Erika again! Clock is ticking, kid!

When Ikki finished, he dropped the paper and remained stark still. His eyes had become like dinner plates, his skin had waxed pale, and he had broken out into a cold sweat. He just stood there as the fear raced through his body, and the bile formed in his throat. Metabee, on the other hand, was quite livid.

Dang, those rubber freaks! he snarled and hissed. This is all my fault! I shoulda wasted them when I had the chance. Well, we're not gonna let them get away with this, aren't we Ikki? When I get my hands on those latex wearing weirdos, I swear I'm gonna…

Metabee fell silent when he got a better look at the boy's face. In truth, he looked like death warmed over, and the only movement he made was a constant shivering. He didn't look so good, and Metabee suddenly wasn't feeling so confident.

Suddenly, Ikki threw his hands to the sides of his face, threw his head back, and cried out, "I can't take this anymore!"

He looked about for somewhere to hide, and he spotted one of the school's many bushes that lined the front wall. He quickly rushed over to the nearest one, diving inside and curling up into a little ball. It was a small fit, but it was decent enough fit. There, Ikki remained, though now he was openly crying and moaning. From his spot on the medawatch, Metabee was at a loss for words. He was a battle-hardened warrior, not a babysitter. So, he wasn't really equipped to deal with emotional situations, especially when it came to childen. He waited for a couple of moments as Ikki continued to despair, and then he tried to talk the boy down.

Heya, buddy. You ok?

Ikki's neck suddenly snapped upward, and he stared at the medabot incredulously.

"Am I ok? AM I OK?! What kind of stupid question is that, you worthless hunk of junk? I've been bonded to a psycho robot with a serious attitude problem! I've been forced to fight into two robattles, and I've nearly been killed in both encounters! Now I find out that my best friend has been captured by a mob of mad men, and you ask me if I'm ok?! WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

He lowered his face again, and he did his best to fight off a fresh barrage of sniffles and tears.

"I'm only ten years old." he moaned pitifully. "I shouldn't have to be dealing with stuff like this. Why does everyone have to pick on me? What did I do to deserve this?"

Metabee didn't have an answer for that, and, what's more, he couldn't help but feel guilty about the boy's plight. In a way, he felt a bit guilty for the kid's troubles, but he knew that there wasn't much he could do about it. He hadn't asked to come to this planet, after all, nor did he want that poor girl Erika to be caught in the crossfire. But that didn't change the fact that Ikki was in way over his head, and there now lay an incredibly hard choice ahead of him. With that all in mind, Metabee took a deep breathe, and he clenched his fists tightly.

Ikki, look at me.

His tone surprised the boy. Over the past few days since they had met, Metabee had only spoken to Ikki with sarcastic annoyance, or a militaristic shout. This time, however, his words were much more tender, and his tone conveyed understanding and kindness. Ikki looked up again to Metabee, and he noted that the medabot's overall features had softened, thought he still maintained a serious expression.

Ikki, the medabot repeated in an even voice. I'm about to tell you something personal; something I haven't even shared with my closest of friends.

Ikki remained perfectly silent, and Metabee could see that he had his full attention.

It all started several years ago, he began pensively. It was my first day in the Medafighter CORP, and I thought of myself as something special. Not many graduated the accademy as young as I was, back then, and I was amped for my first mission. But reality is much harsher than fiction. Me and my squad got pinned down by a squad of some really bad medabots. In the thick of the battle, my wingman Kintaro got separated from us, and he was cornered. I saw that he was in trouble. I could have saved him and we could have fought our way to safety.

Metabee's shoulders sagged.

But I didn't. Actual combat was more horrific than I had ever expected, and, in the end, I ran away like a coward, only content with saving my hide. When backup had finally arrived, and drove off the criminals, I went back to where I had saw Kintaro, and what I found tore at my soul. All that was left was Kintaro's organic partner, and at his feet was Kintaro's medal, which had been reduced to nothing more than a molten piece of slag; he was gone.

Ikki couldn't help but stare in wonder at Metabee's diminutive form. Gone was the usually stalwart, smug, and confident medabot, and in his place was a more humble, spiritually broken fellow. The shadow of the past still seemed to be wrapped around the beetle medabot's heart, and it showed Ikki that Metabee was a more complex individual than he had given him credit for.

It…it still hurts, ya know. Metabee went on, his voice going soft. I never did find the jerk that did him in, but that doesn't really matter in the end. I shouldn't have run. I should have gone back and helped. The thing is, Kintaro would have lived if he had of just jettisoned his medal and abandoned his partner, but he didn't. It was because he understood what I had only just learned that day: it's never wrong to do the right thing. Kintaro knew that he had a job to do, and he wasn't going let his partner suffer because he was afraid.

He looked deeply into Ikki's eyes, and he offered a small nod.

Look, kid. This is serious me talking to you. Right now, you've got a very important choice to make. First, you could go home, call the local law enforcement, tell them what's going on, and then hide under your bed. It'll be alright. I won't judge, and any that did would be a liar. But here's the thing, you were chosen. Whether you like it or not, the responsibility was placed upon you. I know that you're a kid and that it's not fair, but that's just how it is. Now, Erika needs you, and there's no telling what could happen to her if you just walk away. However, whatever you decide to choose, I want you to know that I'll back you up. Medabot's honor.

Ikki lowered his arm, and he allowed his thoughts to run rampant. His first thoughts were, naturally, about how unfair the whole situation. He was only ten, so he shouldn't have to be dealing with this. This was a matter for the police, and he should just call them and get it over with. But, then again, there was Erika herself. While she may have been a bit pushy at times with her reporter business-she had made him dress up like a girl once for a lead-she was still his best friend. She had been there for him through all of the hard times, especially when his dad had first been laid off. She had always had his back, and now, as unfair as it seemed, he knew in his heart that it was his turn. So, he pushed himself up, stepped out of the bush, and he took a deep breath.

"I don't know what's going to happen," he said. "But I can't let the Rubber Robbo Gang get away with this."

He looked to Metabee.

"Can I count on you to help me with this?"

Metabee's personality did a quick one-eighty, and he pumped his fists in the air with excited anticipation.

Yeah, yeah! That's what I wanted to hear! We're gonna make a hero out of you yet, Ikki!

The boy couldn't help but smile at the encouraging words, and then he took off for the bus stop, and, beyond that, what would certainly be the biggest fight of his life.

"But I won't let that stop me." Ikki grunted through gritted teeth. "I will save Erika, no matter what. So ready or not, Rubber Bozos, here we come!"