GIANT FREAKIN' ROBOTS

GIANT FREAKIN' ROBOTS part 14: Meet the Kyoto Team

The scene shifted from the cube's landing pad to a brief interior shot of the complex before settling on a view inside a rapidly descending elevator. A window behind an armed escort in black body armor gave fleeting glimpses of the complex's many floors as the elevator sank into the facility.

The Austrian woman provided narration as the elevator ride continued. "In response to the flood of interest in their upcoming match, the Japanese build team--simply known as the 'Kyoto Team'--has granted our small crew unprecedented access to the inner workings of their complex. We will be interviewing their Chief of Operations, Kengi Sato, and key members of his engineering crew. Afterwards, we'll get an exclusive first look at the prototype of their battling robot."

A hush went over the crowd in the break room. "Don't get too excited," said Lumin. "Roundstone already told me there's not much new footage of the Japanese bot in this video...this is simply to help us know who we're up against."

A few groans rolled up to the front of the break room.

The elevator stopped and the camera pushed out past the armed escort into a wide hallway. Everything in the Kyoto Team's headquarters was composed of gleaming black composite plastic or bare metal polished to a blinding sheen. Ancient woodcuts and antiquities had been hung on the walls, seemingly to offset the sterility of the building. After the camera crew walked a few meters, the scene abruptly cut to the interior of Kengi Sato's office, similarly unadorned and minimalist. Sato clasped his hands on the other side of a outlandishly large hardwood desk as he faced the camera crew. Shoulder length hair and dark sunglasses complemented his stern expression.

"So cool," swooned Dezzie.

"Before we interview the mastermind of the Kyoto Team, Kenji Sato, we will profile the talented engineers working to bring his vision of the perfect robot warrior to life," said the narrator.

"Ah, man," grumbled Dezzie, disappointed.

The Austrian woman continued. "First up, we have Kanazawa Saburou, lead armor designer."

"Hey Spotswood, it's your evil twin!" yelled Skip, turning to him with a smirk.

"Shut up," complained Spotswood, "that guy looks like he's 400 pounds...plus he's bald!"

Dezzie shrugged. "He still looks better in a leather jacket than you do."

"So, Saburou-san, what drives you forward when tasked to work on a project so outlandish?" An off-screen woman could be heard translating the interviewer's questions into Japanese.

Saburou laughed heartily. His jacket fell open as he leaned closer to the camera, revealing a t-shirt printed in English that read "GOLD SWAMP." The subtitles scrolled quickly as he began to speak. "I suppose it is outlandish, isn't it? While Sato-san has become enamored with his mission of goodwill, and rightly so, I remain focused on the grave insults and boastful lies the Americans have used to discredit Japanese engineers."

"Yeah right, the trash talking went both ways, pal," said Skip

"Coming from a culture of violence, the Americans' best robot designs are clumsy battlefield weapons, while the majority of ours have been designed to benefit mankind."

The crowd in the Shuffle Pig's break room began booing at the screen.

"Until recently, our most fierce robots only existed in the realm of Science Fiction. This is no longer true. I have joined this team to show the Americans just how ferocious the Japanese can be when cornered," said Saburou.

More boos. "I'm half Japanese and I say bring it on, pal!" said Katerina, defiantly.

"Good passion...nice...but shut up you guys! Just watch," said Lumin, turning up the volume again. "Let's keep the jingoistic flag-waving to a minimum, please."