Oh Sh*t...There are Robots in the Road!

[Baka]

"Further...further...a little further..." Kale called out to his father as the elder Yoshii backed the large truck beneath the MAC. The hitch rested in the tool bed of the large truck and waited for the goosneck of the large MAC to be lowered down onto it. Standing on the roof of the truck, Kale reached up and gripped the top of the MAC as Graun began to lower it. The machinery hummed as the MAC was lowered down onto the hitch. Hopping off of the roof of the truck Kale ran the chains through the side of the hitch and connected it to the truck itself, successfully locking the MAC in place.

Kyre, Kale's father, stuck his head out from the driver's side window. "All hooked up?"

Hopping off the back of the truck Kale landed flat on his feet, causing his legs to shake as his feet made contact with the concrete. "Yeah, all set to go? Where we off to?"

The older man in the front seat unscrewed the lid off of a water bottle and took a swig before tossing the empty container on the ground. "You'll find out when we get there."

Pulling his shirt back on Kale sighed. 'You're a real ass, ya know that?"

"Yeah, but your my son." Kyre said with a smirk.

Graun made his way up behind Kale with a smirk of his own. "Does that make you ass junior?"

"Ha ha..." Kale said with sarcasm in his voice"Very funny. Let's get going"

Kale began to climb up into the back of the large truck when Graun spoke.

"Don't you think we should at least get Feral's cannons back online. You never know what sort of trouble we might run into and not having any firepower could be dangerous."

Leaning out of the door Kale sighed. "That would take at least an hour with all three of us working on it. Besides the cannons have just been cleaned and modified, the Energy Spear will work fine. Not to mention, we're on the Main Road in Hurm. No one uses the Main Road in Hurm anymore."

Graun turned to Kyre not even bothering to acknowledge Kale's statement. "Kyre..."

The older man held his hand up. "I know, I know, but we don't really have a lot of time. There's only about two hours of daylight left and I'd like to get to the station before dark.

With a smirk Kale sat down in his seat and shut the door. Graun jogged around to the front and sat in the passenger side front seat as Kyre shifted gears and drove off.

After about thirty minutes on the road Kale removed a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and lit one. Taking a deep breath Kale sighed and exhaled a large amount of smoke out of his window. Kyre glanced at his son through the rearview mirror.

"You know I hate it when you smoke." Kale's father said with a slight grimace.

With a small smirk Kale took another drag of the cigarette. "I know, that's why I do it."

Graun turned around in his seat and shot Kale a disapproving look. "You know what those things can do to your body, yet you continue to smoke. You need to try and stay at peak physical condition in order to properly work with Feral."

Blowing a puff of smoke in Graun's direction Kale chuckled. "Fluffy and I have never been better, thank you for youre concern Mister Bellow."

Graun opened his mouth to respond when Kyre cut him off. "Oh sh*t, there are robots in the road."

"What?" Kale asked positioning himself in between the driver's and passenger's seats to take a look.

"Looks like two Pawns..." Graun said leaning forward. "Fully operational too."

"What the hell are Pawns doing in the middle of the road at this time of day?" Kale asked tossing his cigarette out of the window.

"Doesn't matter" Kyre said flicking a button on the dashboard. "You'd better make your way back to Feral, Kale. If those things weren't fully operational I wouldn't worry but those guns look hooked up and ready to fire."

As if on cue the two Pawns both fired a shot in the air before making their way towards the oncoming truck. Over the radio frequency Kale and the other's could clearly hear a rather intoxicated male voice. "Alright...pull over. We're checking every vehicle that comes through this checkpoint."

"Checkpoint my a**." Kyre muttered as he pressed his foot on the gas. "You gonna go get Feral or sit there with your thumb up or your ass?"

"I thought I might sit here with my thumb up my a**...it's rather enjoyable." Kale watched as Kyre grinned. Graun began to babble, making it evident that he was uncomfortable with the approaching battle suits. "Increase speed," Kale said just before hauling himself out of the window.

The wind whipped at his clothes and hair as he pulled himself up onto the roof of the truck. Leaping into the air, Kale grabbed onto the edge of the MAC's roof before pulling himself up. The Pawns seemed to have caught on that this was no ordinary truck and had begun to open fire. Energy bullets flew over Kale's head and bounced off the armor plating of the MAC truck. Moving to the entry hatch, Kale slipped down into the holding area and landed on Feral's shoulder.

{ You awake, big guy? } Kale asked on a psychic thread.

{ I am always awake } The large MECH responded.

{ We've got some trouble- }
{ There's always trouble. }
{ Right...well, you ready to rock? }
{ I am always ready. }

Kale slipped into the cockpit as the MECH opened itself up. { That's why I love you...you're so much fun to hang around }

{ You are being sarcastic again } The large MECH observed.

{ Only because you were being an ass } Kale said buckling himself in place.

{ My cannons are not online. What is our situation? }

{ Two Pawns and the Energy Spear should be fully operational. }

{ Very well. }

Reaching out Kale pressed a small switch over his head that would open the MAC's rear doors. As the large metal door slid open Kale had Feral slip out. The large MECH landed with a loud thud as it's metal legs slammed into the ground. The large black MECH turned to face the two Pawns, which were now on either side of the MAC.

"Holy sh*t! It's a MECH!" Kale heard one of the Pawns' pilot say.

"Who gives a d**n. Smoke em!" that intoxicated voice replied.

The Pawns opened fire but their guns did little damage to Feral's heavy armor. The large MECH moved with surprising speed, raising it's energy spear as it neared the first Pawn.

{ This is growing tedious. } Feral said to Kale.

{ Well...these guys aren't really a match for you. Eventually we're bound to find someone to test your capabilities. } The first pawn was easily sliced in half. Turing to face the other Feral deflected an energy bullet with the tip of the spear before skewering the smaller battle suit.

"Argh!" the pilot called out as the suit exploded.

{ Well, that was easy } Kale said as he yawned.

{ It is always easy. }

{ Seriously Fluffy, stop being so happy...it's annoying. }

{ More sarcasm and I still don't understand this nickname you've given me. }

{ Don't worry about it. Let's get you back in the MAC. }

After Feral was loaded up Kale slipped back into the truck.

"I told you we should have attached the cannons before we left. "Graun said.

"Shut up, Graun...just shut up."

[TGP]

"Well, that certainly takes care of the little road block," murmured Cai Si Zun with a lifted brow as she watched the unfamiliar MECH work. The MAC driver had spoted the Pawns ahread and pulled off the road while she and Maia decided what they were going to do about it. Maia hadn't wanted to reveal her MECH's presence just yet (surprise and all that) but the decision had been taken out of their hands when another large vehicle sped past them. The girls had recognised it quickly enough as being too similar to their own for comfort. So, Maia had them wait and looky there; they'd been right.

"Think we should go meet them?" Cai Si asked, glancing at her companion. Maia sat with her arms folded over her chest, solemn green eyes taking in the MECH's presence.

"Mother says that no MECH can be evil," the younger girl murmured in a quiet tone. "However... We can't be sure about the pilot's intentions."

"Right..." Cai Si sighed a bit, brushing a few bangs out of her face only to have them fall right back into place. "Tail 'em?"

"That MECH may sense us and inform the pilot," Maia replied, frowning a little. Mother had never been very clear about how much she knew about the other MECHs, just that there were five in all. Maia tended not to press much, either.

"Then what do you propose we do?" asked Cai Si with a dose of annoyance. Maia glanced at her, then looked back at the sight before them. She was quiet a while, weighing the pros and cons of revealing themselves. Her father had given no order in regards to it. Finally, the girl got up from her seat.

"I'm going to talk with Mother."

Cai Si rolled her eyes. "Yeah, go do that. I'll just sit here and stare at the destruction. Maybe something funny will happen..."

Maia didn't bother sparing her any attention as she got out and moved to the back of the vehicle. She entered through the entry hatch into the holding area then slipped into the hatch of her MECH.

{Mother,} Maia called softly as she rested in the pilot's chair.

{I am here,} the MECH returned gently, her soft tone enveloping the girl like an embrace. There was a reason she called her 'Mother' after all.

{There is another MECH.}

{I know.}

{It is fighting Pawns so I believe it is on our side.}

{Perhaps.} Maia thought she might have heard approval in the MECH's 'voice'. She closed her eyes.

{We will meet them. Do you agree?}

{I always do.}

Maia nodded and returned to the front of the truck, sliding back in beside Cai Si.

"You missed some pretty nice explosions," the older girl murmured, eyes glittering as they took in the wreckage of the Pawns. Maia barely noticed them.

"The MAC is leaving. Follow them. When they stop, we will confront them."

Cai Si nodded and started up the engine. Neither girl figured it would take the other MECH pilot long to notice the tailing MAC, but they weren't trying to hide anyway. With Cai Si's steady hand on the wheel and Maia's cool gaze locked on the vanishing figure in the distance, they headed after the other pilot.

[Baka]

Reaching out with his left hand, Kyre adjusted the large side mirror. His eyed would widen slightly at the sight of another MAC.

"Uh oh..."

Sitting up from his position in the front seat, Graun began to look around frantically.

"WHAT WHAT! WHAT IS IT? ARE WE OKAY?!"

With a sigh, Kale propped a leg up in his seat. "Care to be any more manly, Graun?" Without waiting for a respone, Kale leaned forward and tapped his father on the shoulder.

"What's up?"

Looking over his shoulder, Kyre grimaced. "It's a MAC."

Eyes widening Graun began to scream out curses. "Aw sh*t! If it's a Mac there had to be a MECH iniside right? If there's a MAC there's gotta be a MECH!?"

Leaning back in his seat Kale scoffed. "Calm down." Gripping the top of the truck again the young man began to pull himself out. "I'll go say hello...keep driving."

Reaching back with his free hand, Kyre grabbed his son by the leg. "Listen, if that is a MECH back there, don't do anything stupid." The tone of his voice was that of a father beggin his son to be careful.

With a small smirk, Kale pulled himself onto the roof as he called out. "No worries pops!" Once again grabbing the roof of the trailer, Kale pulled pulled himself on top of it and made his way to the entry hatch.

~*~From within the cab of the truck, Kyre looked over to Graun. "I dunno about you but I've seen enough f**king robots for today."

With an expression of fear on his now pasty white face, Graun nodded. ~*~


Dropping through the entry hatch onto Feral's shoulder Kale tapped the MECH on it's large head.

{Guess what, big guy.}
{I do not understand.}

Rolling his eyes, Kyre made his way down to the MECH's chest.
{We've got another MECH on the loose}
{Another? It would be wise to attach the cannons}

Slipping into the cockpit as the large metal plate opened, Kale sighed.

{I know, but we don't have the time. Hopefully they won't be hostile-}
{They are always hostile.}

Kale smirked as he flicked the switch to openthe MAC's rear doors.

{Good to know you've still got that winning personality}

Touching a button on the control panel, Kale sent a message to his father. "I'm going to approach and see if they're hostile, keep driving if ya see sparks."

Flicking the switch off, Kale moved Feral out of the MAC. The large black MECH was a frightening thing, with it's large armored top and frightening shape.

{Okay, Fluffy...let's do it}
{As you wish}

{Opening transmission with the other MAC}, Kale said flicking a few switches.
{If you must}

Standing in the middle of the road, Kale raised his energy spear.

<"Alright..who are you and what do you want?">

[TGP]

"f**k!" Cai Si growled out as she spotted the emerging MECH, slamming her foot on the breaks. Maia grabbed hold of the 'oh-sh*t' handle above her window. The MAC skidded and slid a bit before it came to a stop with Cai Si still spitting curses. "They must be men! Bastards, pulling out the big guns before even figuring out if there's reason to!"

Maia frowned a bit as she got a look at the black MECH. Bigger but with the same kind of specializations Mother had. There was no reason she saw to 'wake' Mother, but the decision dropped from her attention as a voice came over the comm.

<"Alright..who are you and what do you want?">

"I knew it was a d**n male!" Cai Si snarled while Maia reached over to tap their own comm on.

"We are not hostile," she murmured, her voice just as blank and emotionless as ever. "We will exit our vehicle peacefully if you do the same."

"Right," Cai Si grumbled, "and he'll shoot us on sight."

"Quiet," Maia shot back at her with a frown. "You don't know that."

"Of course I do. He's a man. Men do that."

"Not all of them."

"Right. Name one decent male you've ever met."

Maia decided to ignore that as she turned to the comm, belatedly realising it had continued to broadcast to the MECH. "Unidentified MECH, do you agree to my terms?"

[Baka]

"Unidentified MECH, do you agree to my terms?"

Rolling his eyes from behind the confines of Feral's heavily armored chest plate, Kale sighed.

{What do you think, Fluffy?} Kale asked the large MECH.

{They do not appear to be hostile. It might be wise to agree their terms.}

With a sigh, Kale unsnapped his seat belt . {Fine, but you keep that energy spear there so I don't get hammered if they decide to open fire.}

{As you wish[/i[}

The chest cavity would open up and the tall young blonde would make his way out onto the platform.

Tossing back his medium length blonde hair Kale looked off at the MAC truck, with a smirk.

Placing a hand on his hip Kale waited for them to do the same.

[TGP]

Maia slid out of her seat first, shutting the door quietly. She took only a step before Cai Si exited the MAC as well, but quite a bit louder with a slammed door. Maia seemed to sigh a little but said nothing as both girls headed for the midground between both of them.

Cai Si folded her under over her somewhat large chest and fixed a hateful glare on the man before them, eyes narrow and watchful. Maia appeared quite a bit more calm as she lifted a hand and wave once in greeting before dropping it.

"I am Maia," she introduced, then gestured to her friend, "This is Cai Si. We saw you take out the PAWNS and were interested in what you planned to do with your MECH."

Cai Si rolled her eyes. "He expects to blow sh*t up. What's to know?"

"Perhaps we have the same goal," Maia said, ignoring Cai Si's remark.

[Baka]

{Courtesy and the rules of fair engagement dictate that you meet them on equal ground...however, if you wish to eliminate them now is the perfect opportunity} Kale heard the MECH's voice remark in his mind.

Sliding down the creatures large metal leg, Kale landed gracefully upon the concrete with a low thud.

{ Glad to hear you speak your artificial mind...but I'd rather not blow up two little girls for no profit} Kale remarked back as he slowly made his way towards the girls.

{ I always speak my artificial mind...}

Rolling his eyes, Kale stopped in front of Maia and Cai Si resting his hands upon his hips.

"I plan to do the smart thing...and turn a profit." Taking a moment, Kale eyed the young women over in a suspicious way. People with the ability to pilot MECH's were few and far between and Kale was wondering if his meeting these girls was more than a coincidence.

[TGP]

"Turn a profit?!" Cai Si exclaimed with quick anger. "Just like a man!"

Maia shot her a very faintly annoyed look before she set her gaze back onto Kale. "Please excuse my companion. She is very rude."

"Don't you even start-" Cai Si snarled at her and continued ranting but Maia completely ignored her.

"Profit does not enter into our own motivations," the cool toned girl murmured.

{If he is not an ally, he may be in your way later on,} Mother murmured in her mind. Maia frowned a little, gaze internalizing. Cai Si cut off her rant as she saw this and turned to scowl at Kale, just in case he tried attacking her partner while she was "conferencing".

{He has not shown himself as an enemy. There is no reason to eliminate him yet.}

{As you will.}

{Do you think he's dangerous...?}

{Of course. He has a MECH.}

That was not what she'd asked but Maia doubted Mother would be able to give her any other answer. Much as she'd personified the machine, it was still simple a machine. Her eyes flicked back to Kale as she took him in, weighing the options. She really didn't want to kill anyone who wasn't expressly in her way.

"It would seem our plans do not coincide," she said finally. "We will take our leave then."

[Baka]

Giving the girl's response a nod, Kale turned back and headed for his MECH. Wisps of blonde hair fell across his brow, and the young pilot brushed them away with long slender fingers.

Turning to face the girls' position, Kale called out.

"Hey, make sure you're careful out here. You girls don't wanna get hurt do ya?"

Not waiting for a response, Kale climbed into the small chest cavity of Feral, who had kneeled down for that specific purpose.

Waving a farewell to the girls, Kale laid back in the cockpit and sighed.

{You do not wish to do battle?} Feral asked sounding uninerested.

{Not at this moment, no.} Kale said cracking his fingers. {While I am interested in the power her MECH posesses you're in no condition to handle another MECH at the moment.}
Feral did not respond, he had already recieved an answer to his question.

[TGP]

"f**k you, chauvinist!" Cai Si called back with a very rude hand gesture. Maia gave a bit of a sigh before both girls headed back into the MAC.

"He has a MECH," Maia murmured quietly. Cai Si grit her teeth as she started up the MAC.

"He's a man and can't be trusted." She hesitated a bit then started the MAC going to pass Kale's own. "Besides. We have a mission, right?"

Maia's eyes narrowed as she watched the other MAC as they passed. "...Right."

Cai Si glanced at her then rolled her eyes. "You want to try to get his help, don't you?"

"He does have a MECH."

"And that just means his head is f**ked up, not that he's a good person."

"Can we afford to have a possible enemy at our back?"

Cai Si scowled. "Doesn't mean I want that ass to follow us. And he might be working for the enemy."

"After taking out PAWNs?"

"Could be a trap."

"Maybe," Maia conceded, though she didn't wish to. {Mother, this unsettles me.}

{Tell me how I can be of assistance.}

Maia closed her eyes. {He could help...Or betray us...}

{Caution dictates to count on enemies instead of friends.}

"You're totally not listening to me," Cai Si grumbled and Maia opened her eyes.

"You were saying something important?"

"f**k you, b*tch."

Maia sighed and Cai Si pursed her lips and brought the MAC to an abrupt stop, nearly throwing both girls out of the truck if it weren't for their seat belts. Maia frowned at the jerk and glanced over at her companion.

"Look," the darker haired girl mumbled, "It's a long way to the enemy and that guy may never cross our path again. He could be useful but he might stab us in the back. Do you trust your skill enough to keep that from happening? And is it worth the risk either way? I mean, this is your life's work, ridding the world of the Elites. He could distract you at best, kill both of us and take Mother at worst."

"...It's a lot of risk," Maia said softly.

Cai Si was silent for a bit, fingers tapping irritatedly on the wheel before she rolled her eyes.

"You want to go back, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Might as well just wait for them to catch up then." She rubbed her forehead. "d**nit. I hate you sometimes."