Episode 3
The stands were packed with fans. Everywhere on the track there was the hustle and bustle of preparing for a race.
In Satomi's prep room, the team had gathered for their standard prep talk. "Ok, everyone," Miss Satomi started, "We won our last race, but let's get another one today. I know you guys can do it."
Andre took over. "These guys should be easy to beat if you keep them away from each other. And Takashi…" Takashi and Andre met eyes. "I don't want you going into Keashin just yet." Takashi gave him a reluctant nod. Andre turned to everyone else. "TEAM SATOMI, LET'S WIN!"
Everyone pumped their fists in the usual cheer and headed to their places. The pilots dropped into their mechs, mechanics made final adjustments, and the captains went to their usual places.
Benjamin Bright, who had been there hours beforehand, began his report. "This is going to be a great race, folks. Team Satomi is coming in from an incredible victory that still has Velshtein scarred. Team Fire Fox, the year's rookies, lost their first race to Sledgemama, but they showed some true promise. Fire Fox's forward, Vince Hugo, is the record holder for being the youngest pilot to achieve the famed Keashin, a technique generally used to separate the goods from the greats. Only seven others have managed such a title, including the former Rocket-G." Takashi perked up at hearing his idol's name. "My sources tell me that a small error while performing Keashin was what caused the fateful accident all those years ago. And now it's back, this time in the hands of a rookie. Could we see it used today? Stay tuned and find out!"
The mech's were on the track and ready. Shana was looking over her meters. "Everyone set?"
"I'm set here," Shingo said.
"Yeah," Vince replied with no emotion.
Their team captain, Larne, sat in the team's control center. "Listen up everyone, this team is no joke. Use your team combos wherever possible. Eliminate them swiftly and it should be simple."
Andre was giving his team a similar talk. "Ok, guys. Remember the new formations. Take them into one-on-one and keep as much distance between yourselves as possible."
"Roger," they all answered.
"The countdown has begun!"
3
2
1
GO!
The mech's blasted their accelerators. The teams began to slide in and out of each other, but Fire Fox pulled out after a few seconds to get their formation together. Each of them began the usual spinning standby formation.
The entire lap passed with no problems and the teams were approaching the line. "Ok, everyone," Takashi called out. "Get ready."
The Satomi team stopped their spinning formation and line up side by side. They turned in unison to face their opponents just as they crossed the finish line.
As one they took their targets. Takashi smashed into Vince and pulled back, drawing him away from the others. Liz charged Shingo hard, pushing him further back.
Amy spun around Shana, looking for a weak point. Shana turned in unison. Amy came at her with a punch, but Shana ducked under and out. Shana let out a laugh and her mech completely vanished. Amy gasped. "Where'd she go?" A blow from behind shook her. She spun around. Another punch struck her arm. Just after the impact, Amy could see an outline of the other mech, then it vanished. "She's using a cloak."
"Amy," Luca said. "We have to use the cat."
"Right," Amy nodded. "Get ready." She waited. She couldn't really do anything else. A punch hit her from the side. "Go," she screamed through a grunt. Her mech lowered itself slightly and an object flew out of its propulsion pod. It was a small, metal and cat-shaped. It connected with Shana's chest and attached. Shana, still invisible, moved around, but Amy could follow her now, because the cat was still visible.
"Clever," Shana said as her cloak dropped. "But two can play at that game." Several objects flew out of Shana's back. They stopped and created a small circle around Amy. Lights appeared and three images of Shana's mech appeared. Shana quickly moved around and fell into formation with the others. Amy tried to keep up, but lost track of which one was the real one. All of them looked identical, even to the cat stuck on their chests.
Amy frantically asked Luca, "Can you track the cat?"
"No. The probes must be blocking the signal."
Liz was having an easy fight. This guy Shingo was a push-over. She landed hit after hit until she sent him sprawling. But he surprised her when he flipped and landed on his feet. "No wonder this kid's the Fox Demon. He just won't go down."
"Time to use my specialty," Shingo said in an eerie voice. His mech crouched into a ball. "Cannon Bolt!" Several jets shot the mech forward. Liz pulled up her arms and blocked him easily. She threw him off. With another jet burst, Shingo changed course and drove into Liz's arm. She moved it and Shingo flew past. He let off his jets again and came back.
Shana suddenly charged from out of her clones and sent a powerful punch to Amy's chest. At the same time she called over the radio. "Shingo, now!"
Shingo dropped out his ball and sent an uppercut into Amy's back, sending her airborne. Shana was already waiting. She whirled in a drop kick to Amy's head.
Amy screamed as she fell. Liz charged in and caught her at the last second. She pulled back from the other two to let Amy recover. "You all right?"
"I think so."
"No, you're not," Mark interjected. "They've damaged your joints a bit. Stay out of trouble. I'll bring in the skeleton."
Takashi was starting to get mad. Vince Hugo was a good fighter. Each of them had landed good blows and blocked more. Neither one could gain an upper hand. Takashi was about to charge in again when the yellow bar appeared. He stopped and moved back into cruise with a snarl on his face.
"Talk to me, Takashi."
"I don't get it, Andre. This guy isn't even trying. He's toying with me!"
"Calm down. Use your head. You won't be able to do anything without a clear mind."
Takashi heard him, but didn't like it. "I should be able to take this guy," he said in an almost inaudible voice.
"The rest of you are doing fine," Andre said to the other pilots. "Liz, watch out for that spinning attack of Shingo's. Amy, I'm sorry, but I haven't got anything for you."
"It's ok, Andre. It's not like we could have seen that coming."
"But isn't something like that illegal?" Jesse asked.
"Not exactly," Andre said. "It's a defensive move, just like Black Egg's gas."
"And," Johnny entered, "it's not perfect. It breaks slightly during an attack. A technology is only illegal if the other team has no way of fighting it."
"You've been studying," Miss Satomi said as she patted his shoulder.
Johnny smiled big. "I just want to be ready for my first race."
"Keep it up and it will come in no time."
Larne activated the team's radio. "Vince, what are you doing? Quit playing around and finish him."
The running skeleton finished its repairs and moved out. Takashi watched Vince closely. The yellow bar was replaced by a big blue GO! Takashi swerved in and sent a punch into Vince. Vince disappeared just before impact. Punches suddenly started bashing Takashi from everywhere at once. "Ah!" They suddenly stopped and Vince appeared in front of him.
"You like my little trick?" Vince asked. His voice was emotionless.
Takashi pulled his mech up straighter. He didn't move, but his mind was racing. He tried to push himself in. "Have to win. Gotta do whatever it takes." He had completely forgotten Andre's order. He could feel his body becoming part of the mech.
Andre took a look at the readings of Takashi's mech. They were starting to climb. "TAKASHI, DON'T DO IT!"
Vince crouched. "It's time to end it." He vanished.
Takashi pushed his mind into Keashin. In a split second, he saw Vince coming up behind him. In that same split second, he spun his mech out, fast as sound. He pulled out his arm and sent a powerful backhand to Vince's head.
There was a massive explosion in Takashi's back. Both mechs slowed enough to see. Vince was tumbling and Takashi's propulsion pod had become engulfed in flames. A second later, Takashi also fell and started tumbling.
Both teams looked at the rolling mechs, but couldn't stop. The race was still on.
"Oh, my!" Ben screamed. "I don't believe it! Takashi went into Keashin himself and stopped Sasuke with one hit. But Takashi also took damage, as his engine seems completely out of commission. Neither mech is moving and the medics appear to be on their way to the track. This doesn't look too good.
Takashi's eyes fluttered open a bit. He let his eyes focus. He was right under a light. He turned his head. Liz was sitting on a seat next to his bed. Takashi tried to push himself up, but someone pushed him back down. He turned and saw Andre standing over him. "No, stay down."
Takashi relaxed back down. "What happened?" he asked weakly.
"You blew out your engine when you went into Keashin," Andre explained. "After I specifically ordered you not to."
"Sorry."
"You're incredibly lucky. A person would normally be killed by that kind of mishap."
"What about the race?"
"We won," Liz said as she stood up. "You knocked out Vince. He's in another room here at the hospital. Amy took first and I second."
"The hospital?" Takashi asked, confused.
"The explosion did some temporary damage to your nervous system. You should be out tomorrow, but the doctor has forbidden you from running in the next race." Takashi's face was distraught. "Well, at least Johnny is going to get his wish."
To Be Continued…
