Trippy wakes up at three in the morning… at least it looks like it. He threw out the digital clock that came with the room, he never really liked alarms and clocks. “It's time consuming to keep up with an annoying piece of plastic” he says. He reviews what has happened in the last twelve hours and remembers he has challenged the Mecha tech institute to their own game. He gets up, stretches his limbs, and proceeds to walk out the room. He sees the halls empty, with slightly dim lights. Walking down the long blank corridors, he manages to walk back into the cafe. Its empty, its big, and all the doors are open. Why where all the doors open? We don't know, neither does he, and he dont care, so he just left the area and made his way back to the mecha bay.
When he arrived, there stood his Eclipse mech, wires lead in and out of the RV (or the head) but nowhere else.
“Seems like that's the only opening they managed to find” Trippy comments to himself while feeling exponentially proud of his work “looks like my work is to good for them to even make a scratch in my defensive barriers”
Trippy walks around some more, he finds The American Maiden and three other grunt mechs, each set up in their own dock. They are all either damaged, or HEAVILY damaged. Trippy kept on walking towards the back of the hangar, there he found two more docks with smaller mechs.
“These seem to be the practice mechs” Trippy thought “wonder how much different this is compared to the Eclipse and the other mechs”.
Trippy walks into the doors at the end of the hangar, there, he found what looks like an accounting table, what is this a hotel? Odd design for a place like this. Either way, he walks to the left of the desk, which he assumed was where the rooms where, (doesn't matter, they lead to the same place). Walking up the stairs, he finds himself looking down a long hall of doors. He counts twelve total. Pondering why there is a hotel conected TO the mecha hangar, Stephani walks out in her nightgowns. They both meet eyes and wonder the same question.
“whuuu thhee fuuuhh??”
“W-what are you doing here?” Stephani asked.
“Meandering… is this a hotel?” Trippy responded.
“Well… yeah… i guess you can call it a hotel”
“Cool… is this for… like… battle ready reasons or something?”
“You could say that”
“Seems legit”
“Alright… there's really no point in stopping you so… imma go get some coffee”
“From my shop?”
“Cant today… i'm on patrol today”
“I see…”
The two of them walk back down the stairs that Trippy had just ascended. Turning to the further right of the desk. It’s weird how we didn’t see this before. But either way, they made their way to a small lounge. There was a coffee machine, a toaster, a microwave, a grill, and a fridge. Its a breakfast lounge!
“Hey! Pretty neat!” Trippy looked around amused at what he has seen “why don’t you have your breakfast here instead of at my shop?” he asked.
“Well… the food here is stale… and it almost tastes like if it’s stale”
“How much food can taste stale while being healthy?”
“I don’t even think thats how ‘100%’ healthy food tastes…”
“100%?”
“Yep, they say it’s ‘the most healthy food you’ll ever eat’... and i don’t think so?”
“So how come you’re short and fat”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“what?”
Stephani got mad.
Trippy was concerned.
Stephani was FURIOUS.
Trippy was worried.
“I’M NOT FAT!!” Stephani yells out angrily while throwing wild punches at Trippy.
“But-ah . but you are!” Trippy cries out while dodging and blocking the attacks as best as he can. “A-am i not supposed to say that!?”
“No you’re not supposed to say that! You’re not supposed to say that to women!”
“RRRREEEEEEEEEE!!!!” Trippy screeched as he dodged every attack.
Three hours pass by, actually, it’s already noon. Only 5 hours left until the battle.
Trippy walks back to the hangar, there, he sees the practice mech from earlier step out of the hangar. He just figured he would be either walking to the stadium to warm up, or to just boast how he’s going to win.
“I still find it stupid that we are going to waste resources on this crap…” Stephani questions “Why can’t we just let you keep your machine and win the war for us?”
“There are many reasons… but here… i’m kind of conflicted…” Trippy answered “maybe… they just want someone ‘responsible’ to pilot such a monster?”
“I don’t know, but, you should probably get ready for your battle for rights over your machine”
“Thanks for the enthusiasm… but i know what i’m capable of, and how to go even further beyond any logical capabilities”
Trippy walks back to the lobby to get a box of orange juice. Stephani, however, walks to the labs and meets to talk to Dr.Hudson.
“So how is the subject?” Dr.Hudson asked.
“Trippy?” Stephani replied
“Yes”
“He’s… taking everything to his own liberties”
“Is he showing any signs of stress?”
“Not at all sir”
“I see… i want him to back down before we proceed with the plan”
“Knowing him for the past three days… he doesn't seem to be the type of guy that knows the meaning of backing down”
“I see…either way, there is a way that we can ensure our victory and the rights to the Eclipse mech”
“And what would that be?”
“You’ll find out eventually”
“So it’s THAT type of thing…”
“Well yes, but actually no”
“Oh… ok…”
“I do have one question…”
“And that would be?”
“What does he like to eat”
Stephani sits there in confusion, only to realise what’s going on “h-he doesn’t really ever eat… at least i haven't seen him eat, but he does drink a variety of beverages… mostly tea and milk” she answers anyways.
“Is that so? Interesting”
“W-what are you going to do with this information?”
“You are dismissed”
“Y-yes sir…” Stephani leaves the room slightly unnerved.
Clock hits 1500 and everyone is waiting. Two sparing machines stand in front of each other, a small crowd gathers as an audience. Only two news reporters (or news vans) are on site as they are what’s left of any news network around this area. The opposing mech stands tall and proud, it's pilot being none other than Lieutenant Ross. trippy waves a simple ‘hi’, but Ross ignores it by pulling off some simple consecutive punches to show off.
On the other side, is Trippy and his given sparing machine. Trippy moves all the joints around to see how they are, they’re rather stiff. Trippy tries to throw three punches in a swift fashion, but it seems as if he's in 2x slow motion.
Either way, the battle would take place in only thirty minutes, with that said, Trippy exits the machine, and walks back to the lobby. There, Stephani offers him a glass of milk, Trippy could tell she was unnerved to do so. Trippy paid no mind to it, but was still skeptical to accept it. Trippy accepted the glass anyways and sat down to analyse what he’s going to have to do in order to win the fight, and keep the rights to his machine. He takes a sips from his glass of milk a few times. Stephani watches him from afar, she wants to see the reaction he gets from the warm glass of milk. He has none.
It's only ten minutes left, and lieutenant Ross is waiting patiently on the other side. Trippy sat in his machine as well… sleeping… he is not in this battle at all. Time hits 5:30, and it’s time to duel, trippy wakes up frantically, closes the cockpit, and readies his machine. Ross however, was already set up. A small single bell rang, and both machines walked forwards Trippy’s being the slowest of the two. When they met face to face, someone yelled
“FIGHT!”
Ross throws the first punch. Trippy tries to throw one back, but is interrupted by Ross’s speed. Trippy raises his arms to block but has them punched down by Ross, followed up by a three hit combo from Ross before sent stumbling backwards. Ross asserts a boxing stance, swinging his arms up and down, and stepping back and forth. Almost taunting Trippy as he gathers what is happening.
“Why is Trippy losing?” Stephani asks while standing on the side lines “from what i recall… Trippy’s mech is super complex, so he should be able to control any simple machine!”
“It’s simple… he lies…” Dr.Hudson responds while walking up behind her “he seemed to have bluffed his way in order to get himself here, also… did you manage to give him the beverage?”
“Y-yeah… what was in the glass anyways?”
“Nothing that concerns you”
“It may not concern me but it may concern him”
“It’s nothing that concerns you”
“Fine...” Stephani responds very annoyed by his response.
They continue to watch. Trippy has been backed up into the corner, and is currently being pummeled into the wall by Ross. His left arm is being crippled beyond use, all the while, Trippy doing his best to get the machine upright while keeping his left arm up as best as he can.
“D-dang!! Why the hell are the limiters up so high!?!” Trippy looks around to find the control box below his seat.
He locks up the joint at his legs to keep him upright, he proceeds to jump off his seat, and kicks off the chair. He then fiddles around with the control box and multiple warning symbols pop up. He ignores them and continues to work.
On the outside, the left arm being used to block the attacks is moving more and more. Suddenly, Trippy’s machine kicks Ross’ away with a good spartan kick. Everyone is surprised by the sudden comeback, including Dr.Hudson. Using the moment of pause, Trippy took the chance to regain his stance and ready himself to counter attack.
Ross jumps forward “must have been sheer luck” he yelled out.
Trippy jumps forwards as well… except, he doesn't just jump off, he BLASTS OFF!!!! “Have at me boiii!!!”
Trippy’s machine takes off, and in what seems to have been impossible, has been done possible. Trippy grabs the right arm that Ross has thrown out, swings it under him, and hits the opposing machine’s head with his knee. Shortly after, Ross tries to follow up with a counter punch, but Trippy quickly dodges it by going below the fist, behind the machine, and back handing the left side of the Ross’ machine’s face with his right hand. Ross stumbles to his side, losing track of his target, he receives a strong punch from behind. The back armor of the practice mech is crippled and mangled, but looking over, Trippy’s machine’s left arm seems to have broken off due to the sheer force of the punch. Despite the broken arm, Trippy charges forward and throws a powerful left kick to Ross, Ross manages to dodge it, but only to receive a frontal kick by his right leg, sending him back a few meters. Trippy gets his machine back up and runs forward, only to be stopped by the crippled left shin. But to his grace, Ross’ machine’s right elbow is beyond use.
“H-how is this possible!? We specifically put strong limiters on that machine!! Not only in the circuitry, but the joints as well!!” Dr. Hudson yelled out in concern.
“W-wait… you set him up!?” Stephani yells in response.
“H-huh?” Dr.Hudson realises he has spoken his mind “i think you misheard me” he tries to recover from his mistake.
“Tell me… what was it that you put in his drink!?”
“It… it was… i-in your terms… its poison”
Stephani’s face goes pale.
*crash*
What will happen next? Will Trippy reclaim his rights to the machine in his victory!? What really did happen to that machine he was using!? WILL TRIPPY FIND AN ANTIDOTE TO THE POISON HE HAS CONSUMED!?
Find out next time in… “ANOTHER ONE”
Never gonna give you up
never gonna let you down
never gonna run around
And
desert you
never gonna let you cry
never gonna say goodbye
never gonna tell a lie and
hurt you.