Medabots: New Beginning, Chp6

__ Duo Dilemma, Part I __

Just another normal day at school.

Just another normal day of classes and more Medabot talk.

So why did something feel different about today?

Kenro sighed, glancing at the clock. Another five long minutes to go. He glanced around the classroom. Hana seemed to be focused on what the teacher was writing on the chalkboard, but she didn't look like she could stand it much longer. Inao ran a hand through his hair, taking to staring at a corner of the room while Nerai, sitting behind him, was innocently snoozing through the rest of class. Nothing new there on this cold, Friday afternoon.

The bell finally rang, and the entire class rushed out the door except for four students.

"Well, guys, the competition's coming up in two weeks. You guys think you can come over today for another practice round?" Inao asked.

"Inao, it's great you've given us ways to practice based on our Medabots' attributes, but we won't know if we're ready unless we practice against other teams," Kenro said.

"Today should be the last day we focus on the competition. We should spend the rest of the week relaxing instead of stressing about this whole thing," Nerai added.

"Sounds good to me," Hana said.

The team looked at their captain, waiting for a response. "You're right," Inao said after a moment's thought. "I've already varied the practice areas, so after this, we can all take a break. The couple of days before the competition should be spent repairing our Medabots instead of training."

Having agreed, the four set off to Inao's basement for their last day of training before the Medabots Competition. The categories had been announced three days earlier, and each Medafighter knew which one he or she would participate in. Cyandog was the unanimous candidate for Accuracy, and Peppercat won the position for the Agility category against Lea. Rokusho and Lea were finally decided as a team for the competition's Robattle against another two-Medabot team. This was partially based on their Robattle against the businessmen in addition to the team's knowledge that while both Medabots had the strength, their armor wasn't strong enough for their size to last an Endurance match.

Kenro was against the idea of having Rokusho Robattle, but it appeared that Rokusho had been willing to do so from the start, leaving his Medafighter no room to argue.

Rokusho and Lea went to improve their coordination in the set-up arena, while Cyandog sent several shots at difficult targets, working to improve his reaction time and accuracy. Peppercat had done a brief practice in the cage before walking over to Cyandog.

Cyandog kept his arm up, seeming to lose himself in his thoughts. At a single touch on his shoulder, Cyandog twisted around, firing at Peppercat.

"What was that for?" Peppercat screamed, flung back from the shots. Without waiting for a response, she bounded up the stairs followed by a loud slam moments later.

Nerai chased after her Medabot as Cyandog froze as if he was still trying to fathom what happened.

"I-" Cyandog stammered, visibly shaken.

Inao hugged his shaking Medabot, thinking about Nerai, thinking about a similar moment.

----

"I thought I'd find you here."

Nerai clambered up wall next to Peppercat, who was hugging her knees tightly. Nerai rubbed Peppercat's head and moved closer to hold her Medabot more easily.

"Remember when we first met Inao?" Nerai asked.

"What about it?" Peppercat responded sullenly.

Nerai remembered that particular memory vividly. Her parents had introduced her to Inao and his parents because of the work each parent did at Medabot Corporation, four years ago. While the adults discussed work, Nerai and Peppercat had been running in the yard, away from the soccer practice Inao had with Cyandog. Nerai remembered the soccer ball hitting her head, her tears as she ran to her room, and the guilt in Inao's face. Even when Nerai had yelled at Inao to leave when he knocked on her door, he still came to press a pack of ice to her swelling head.

"You really like him, don't you, Nerai?" Peppercat asked, already knowing the answer.

Nerai blushed, realizing that her hand was where the ball had hit her, but she still smiled. "I really do, Peppercat," she laughed. "I could tell that Inao had to find a lot of courage in order to just go in my room with that icepack, and that's what I love most about him. He knows when he makes a mistake and works to fix it, and that is a trait I think Inao passed on to his Medabot. Cyandog is scared, but he'll come to apologize to you."

"You sure about this like-Medafighter, like-Medabot relationship?"

"Um, Peppercat?" Cyandog strained from the foot of the wall.

The Cat Medabot glared doubtfully at Nerai's wide grin before dashing into the nearby tree, reaching ground safely.

"I wanted to s-"

"This is for shooting me," Peppercat interrupted, throwing an electrified left hook at Cyandog.

"This is for coming to apologize," Peppercat said, hauling Cyandog back on his feet. "Just don't do that again, 'kay?"

"Sure," Cyandog chuckled weakly.

While the Medabots made amends, Inao climbed up next to Nerai.

"Kinda like us, don't you think?" Nerai smiled, looking up at the sky.

"I don't think you punched me, though," Inao grinned.

The two laughed and moved closer, staring at the sky together as the first snow soon fell, but their gladness was only temporary.

"Still playing with your puppy, Inao?"

Inao looked down to an older female smiling smugly at him, her shiny black hair over her shoulders. "So what if I am? I don't see why you would care, Yukami," Inao scowled.

"Because I'm your older sister," the female replied, her smile widening. "You really shouldn't be playing with old toys anymore, and I have a friend who agrees with me."

"And who's the friend?" Inao asked, moving towards the tree.

"No one you would know, Inao, but I think your girlfriend should recognize me," said a voice, its source getting out of a car. He was an inch or so taller than Yukami, and his brown hair was tidy. Wearing the same smug smile as Yukami, he walked over to join her to look at the pair on the wall.

Nerai rolled her eyes. "Tora, what are you doing here?"

"How rude. I had to suffer three hours in a car just to see my beautiful cousin," Tora replied. "But I suppose I could have waited for the competition coming up."

"Checking out the other teams, Yukami? I thought you liked surprises," Inao said to his sister.

"I do, but I thought I had to check my little brother's progress after he was so close yet so far from winning last year," she responded. "Besides, I haven't been home in months."

"What do you want?" Inao asked, still scowling. He and Nerai went over to the tree and climbed down.

"Just to test my cousin's Robattling skills. You know, sizing up the competition, and I think my partner wants to do the same with you," Tora smiled, his eyes glinting brightly.

Inao and Nerai glanced at each other and nodded almost imperceptibly. "We accept," they said, Cyandog and Peppercat standing in front of their respective Medafighters.

"Transport Medabot, Ice Wolf!" Yukami shouted into her Medawatch.

"Transport Medabot, Flame Tiger!" Tora followed, transporting his own Medabot to the scene.

Both models were similar to Lea in that they were both animalistic and bent over. Ice Wolf was light blue with a green eye cover, the top part of a wolf head donning his head Medapart. Ice Wolf's claws were open-ended, made for ranged fighting instead of melee. Already, the Medabot was beginning to be obscured by the falling snow.

Flame Tiger looked closer to Lea aside from the contrasting orange and black stripes, causing him to stand out more easily. His fingers were curled into fists, and his red eyes seemed to blaze for the upcoming battle. Specialized in hand-to-hand combat, Flame Tiger growled quietly, ready to pounce.

"Ready when you are, captain," Nerai smiled.

"Let's get started then," Yukami said, Ice Wolf set to fire.

Peppercat and Flame Tiger pounced at each other, fists ready to make contact. Flame Tiger knocked Peppercat back easily.

"Sorry, dear cousin, but you really should think about letting your kitten grow up," Tora teased.

"And I thought you liked the recent stuff," Yukami added, watching Ice Wolf outshoot Cyandog.

"No one replaces Cyandog," Inao growled. "Nerai, we have a change in tactics."

Nerai nodded as she guided Peppercat away from Flame Tiger's punches. "What's the magic word this time?"

"Switch!" Inao grinned. Cyandog ceased firing and rolled away from Ice Wolf's shots, shifting his aim to Flame Tiger. Occupied by Cyandog, Flame Tiger was distracted long enough for Peppercat to run free towards Ice Wolf. The lupine Medabot adjusted his footing to face Peppercat but was too slow to react to the consecutive shocks attacks.

"Pull back and cover Ice Wolf," Tora commanded, not liking how this battle was going.

"Not on my watch," Cyandog said, blocking Flame Tiger's path and firing to keep the opposing Medabot from reaching his partner.

"Get out of there, Ice Wolf!" Yukami ordered, her teeth clenched.

"Can't move," the Medabot responded, covering his head from the agile Peppercat but with no avail.

Flame Tiger continued to evade Cyandog, but his opponent's grudgingly remarkable aim kept Flame Tiger away from pouncing on Peppercat. The start of the Robattle was the same as two single battles with each family fighting the other, but the pairings soon made the battle more difficult.

Flame Tiger hesitated when he saw Ice Wolf fall, allowing many of Cyandog's shots contact to their target. Soon taking the offensive, Flame Tiger ran towards Cyandog. As he was about to throw his fist at Cyandog, a shadow loomed overhead. Peppercat jumped from behind Cyandog and sent jolts of electricity to Flame Tiger's head, lifting off and landing gracefully behind the paralyzed adversary. Cyandog took this opportunity to back off a few feet and resume firing. Roaring in frustration, Flame Tiger had trouble backing out with shots in front of him and Peppercat disabling his Medaparts from behind.

It was only a matter of time until Flame Tiger ceased functioning, his medal falling into the snow. Inao and Nerai high-five'd while Tora and Yukami could only stare in fury and disbelief.

"Nice work, but don't expect it to go so well in the tournament," Tora said, heading back to the car.

"You were lucky, but your baby toys won't last long in the competition. Oh, and your other teammates ought to be having trouble against the other half of our team," Yukami mentioned as she entered Tora's car.

Nerai's eyes widened in worry, but Inao put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from running into the house. "They'll be fine," Inao told her. "Kenro and Hana are already fighting as a pair in the competition, so this will be better practice than my basement."

"And us? We might have won, but-"

"We were fine. Ice Wolf and Flame Tiger are strong, but they have their weaknesses. Ice Wolf has to stay still while firing, as does Cyandog, but Yukami doesn't pull back her shots. He only focused on Cyandog which left him perfectly open for Peppercat to come at a different angle, and even with his heavy armor, Ice Wolf was still zapped by Peppercat," the team captain explained. "Flame Tiger relies on his strength and speed. His armor and speed makes things more difficult, but he's wild. Peppercat's ability, combined with her agile nature, stopped Flame Tiger in his tracks, leaving him open for attack.

"The key problem is that Ice Wolf and Flame Tiger didn't really work as a team. Even when we fought our individual opponent's, you exploited Ice Wolf's inability to move while I kept Flame Tiger at bay. Cyandog would probably have been knocked out of the fight if you hadn't helped," Inao concluded, letting his analysis sink into Nerai's mind.

"So for that last part, you're basically saying that you trusted me and Peppercat to come to Cyandog's aid."

"That's what being a team's about, right?"

"I agree, but quit talking so much like a captain. You need to loosen up and stop thinking analytically," Nerai shook her head, walking back to Inao's house with Peppercat.

Inao smiled and walked next to her, Cyandog following behind. Nothing like a cup of hot chocolate after a good Robattle.