Disclaimer: Uh...I don't o--hey, I already did this!

CHAPTER 3
 Wrong Place, Wrong Time

"To the team!" Mr. Karlen said cheerily, holding up his Styrofoam cup of sparkling apple cider.

"To the team!" all of us repeated after him, raising our cups as well. I didn't know about anyone else, but I was totally faking all this happiness stuff to make Mr. Karlen feel like he's actually useful. Don't get me wrong; I was very excited about winning our first race. I mean, I was bouncing up and down onstage after we got out of our mechs and Benjamin Bright came over to talk to us. But, to me, Mr. Karlen was an instant killjoy.

As I downed my apple cider, my favorite drink in the whole entire world, Jax jostled into my elbow, causing me to spill some down my shirt. Immediately I made a protesting noise in my throat, hopping back to prevent more from spilling. "Jax!"

"Sorry! I'm just too excited!" he said, bouncing up and down and then making a crazy face. I gave him a big smile as well and it was then that I promptly made up my mind to leave this team party as soon as I could

---zoOM---

The streets in this town that was pretty much entirely devoted to IGPX were amazing at night. Neon signs flashed in my face, kids ran around holding balloons that they had bought from some vender that was still around this late at night, hot dog stands were still open…it was like a never-ending party city.

I turned the corner and suddenly found myself at a street fair. Wrapping my jacket around myself, I couldn't help but smile at the scene and noises all around me, just screaming that this was a happy place and shouldn't be for me. But I walked on, trying to keep out of people's way and not talk to anybody.

I found, after a while, that I had wandered into a souvenir shop. I smiled, looking at all the keychains and postcards that could be sent to someone back home, wherever home might be. Then I turned and saw a rack holding miniature versions of…

"My mech?" I breathed, not daring to believe this. I was holding up to the light an exact replica of my mech, except smaller, of course. It was crazy. I turned it over and over, running my hands over the excellent detail of the toy. We were just a rookie team, and yet…

I stepped back from the rack and saw that the first three shelves were for my team. The Forward mechs, mine, were on top. Then came the Midfielders. Then came the Defenders. Underneath us were three racks of little minis of Skylark's mechs. What a coincidence…

"Cute, huh?"

I could feel the shot of surprise run through me as I looked up and saw Cunningham's face that had apparently popped up behind the little rotating rack. I thought that I had done a good job hiding my surprise at his presence (again) until he said, "Sorry if I surprised you."

"Do you start every conversation off with an apology?" I asked him, looking back down at my mini mech and moving the little arms. It was in Battle Mode at the moment, but after a few tries I managed to change it into the normal mode, the way it was in races at the very beginning.

Cunningham seemed to ignore my question. "Want to race?"

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him and completely not understanding.

"Race. Want to?" He jerked his head behind him. I moved to stand on his side of the rack and saw a miniature racetrack on a table nearby, exactly like the one we were racing on for the real races.

"Man, they thought of everything," I said quietly, admiring the detail of the toy.

"Well?" Cunningham persisted, holding up a mini Team Velshtein Forward mech and shaking it a little.

I considered it and then smiled. "All right. But only if I can be Team Velshtein."

"Why would you want to be Team Velshtein?" he asked me as he handed his little mech over and I handed him mine.

"Because they're good," I said to him with a smile, walking to survey where the starting places were.

We placed them both where the Forwards should go, and then Cunningham pressed a big red button on the side of the foundation of the toy track. I watched as mini screens next to the mechs flickered on, showing 5, 4, 3…

"Two…" Cunningham said.

"One…" I said.

"AND THEY'RE OFF!" we said at the same time, punching a fist into the air in an excellent impression of Benjamin Bright. We didn't see the storeowner give us a weird look and then give us an oh-my-freaking-god look.

There were even mini sparks as the mechs started off, zooming down the track at what was supposed to be over 350 speeds, but what was actually probably something close to under 4. In any case, I watched, astounded, at what, technology could do. My mech, the Velshtein Forward, pulled ahead for the first lap. They were skating in small circles because they'd probably been programmed to be skating with all their team members.

"I'm winning," I joked to Cunningham.

Cunningham gave me a little smile. "I'll catch up."

Whoosh, and the mechs were on their second lap. Automatically, both the Forwards morphed into Battle Mode. I watched, delighted, as the Platinum Forward closed the gap between it and the Velshtein Forward and then deliver a series of quick punches. The Velshtein Forward blocked them all and then started grappling with the Platinum Forward. The Platinum Forward was too fast to be grabbed, however. It zoomed behind the other Forward and then kicked it full in the back. The Velshtein Forward was knocked onto its front as the Platinum Forward skated away.

"Now who's winning?" Cunningham asked me. I scowled.

"Oh my god! It's them!"

"No way! Ohh, I want a picture!"

"Alex Cunningham, can I have your autograph?"

"Hey, look, it's that good-for-nothing rookie."

"Ohh, she is pretty."

"Cunningham, can you sign your card for me?"

"I'm Velshtein's biggest fan!"

We both whirled around, our intense toy race forgotten, and saw a nightmare. We were surrounded by rabid fans.

"I think it's time to get out of here," Cunningham said. I was just about to agree when he grabbed my hand and charged directly through the crowd.

I screamed.

---zoOM---

"Um, I honestly don't think I should be here," I said to Cunningham as he pulled me through the crowd of a nightclub. He probably didn't hear me because the nightclub noises were so loud. He kept pulling me through. I was hoping that he was actually purposefully going somewhere before I spotted the two other Team Velshtein pilots. They made me relieved and nervous at the same time.

"What's she doing here?" one of them asked, looking at me like I was a nasty bug. At the same time, Cunningham said, a little out of breath, "Hey, guys."

"And you guys have been…" the other pilot prompted, moving one of his hands in a circular motion that asked for us to finish his sentence.

"Running away from a swarm of killer fans," I finished for him. He snorted and half-laughed at my comment, which I took as kind of a good sign.

"So," the second pilot continued. I think I remembered his name as Jan something-something. "You guys did good for rookies in the first race."

"Against Skylark? You're kidding me. We'd beat them just by blowing on them," the other pilot argued with a laugh. He was the other guy, um, one Dew something-something.

"But still, they are rookies," Jan said, glancing at me to see if his words would have any effect. I had already made sure not to show any emotion on my face. I smiled at him politely, a smile that showed that I wasn't really paying attention. He frowned.

"So, uh, Cunningham…" Dew said awkwardly. His eyes traveled downward to look at something and then traveled back up to look at Cunningham and me. Without looking down I suddenly knew what it was Dew had glanced at. Our hands were still connected…

Shit.

"I should be getting back to…um…yeah. I should be getting back," I said intelligently. I discreetly dropped Cunningham's (warm) hand and then made my way back through the crowd, hoping that Cunningham would know what was best for him and stay behind to chat with his buds.

"I could walk you back," he said right behind me as I got outside. UGGGGGH. I turned around and regarded him critically.

"Do you think this is funny?" I asked him, glaring my eyes out.

"What is?" Cunningham asked innocently. I suddenly had the strong urge to slap him in the face.

"Nothing. See you later." Before he could say something else cool and unpredictable, I ran off, dodging people as well as I could, not giving them time to say to me, "Hey, aren't you that girl…?"

A/N: Mmkay, so I know this chapter is a little short. But I'd rather end it there instead of having a weird ending. So sue me. XP

Thanks to ALL OF MY WONDER REVIEWERS! You guys are so cool. And you rock my nonexistent socks. Because you make me, like, swim in praise. And I know that's bad. But it's good. Don't worry. You can, uh, give me more praise if you'd like. Haha. O:D (That's Miss Angel me, with my halo. Not for one night stands. Anyone who can tell me what song that's from will get a cookie. And no cheating to go look at reviews before you answer.)

So yeah, I wish that I could write eps for IGPX. Like, for real. That would be shweet.

But for now, I'll stick to teh story. YEAH!

Does Lotus like Cunningham?

Ha. Like I'd tell you now.

Until next time! -zooms off-