Flemish States

 

     Here on the edge of Europe we find a gargantuan wall. This dyke rises into the air 200 feet, and has expanded the local land mass of the Flemish Confederation by twenty percent. The large indigo wall stands like a vigilant warrior against the constant threat of the sea. On the land, one finds a literal horizon full of large wind mills, providing booster energy to the nation. Occasionally one will spy a conventional windmill of another time placed next to the new wave version. All over, the advanced agriculture of the confederacy has produced the finest tulips, which cover the ground below. The cities of Brussels, New New Amsterdam, and Luxumbourg sparkle like jewels within the kinetic landscape.

     In contrast, the southern part of the Flemish States lie in ruin, as a great swath of destruction was cut through here by the Maverick Enigma Cannon. Burned out grasslands and the hollows of buildings mark a landscape where nothing thrives, and nothing will grow, for a very long time.

 

Camera <Chest>                         Omega Cuisinart <Gate> [I]

Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> [RF]     Battlebot Arena Hazards

Battle and Chase Stands - Battlebots   RF Outpost <Brussels> [RF]

Maverick Outpost

 

South <S> leads to France.

East <E> leads to Germany.

Up <U> leads to Sky Above Western Europe.

 

The Camera turns on.

 

"Chest here, reporting live and on the scene at the Battle and Chase Olympic Games!" Chest is on screen. There's a mic in one hand, leaving one to gesture wildly to the sprawling Battlebot arena behind him. "Here tonight we have for you, the viewer, the semi-final match between the Omega "Gate" Cuisinart and the Rolllllling "Krieger Wolf" Magnum! The winner will go on to face Little "Crescent Grizzly" Bear for the gold medal, while the loser suffers the shame and disgrace of the entire planet, forced to meet Hyper "Overclock" Active for the bronze."

        The camera rises in its viewpoint to get a beautiful view of the arena. As this one is being televised in prime time, GNN has jazzed up the crap out of it. The arena is a deep steel pit jam packed with death traps of all sorts going off randomly. Flame blasts out of trenches, ice forms along the walls in a strangely beautiful pattern, and rocket launchers twirl about on the edge of the pit, seeking a target. The bleachers surround the pit, and is full of cheering and jeering fans.

        "Tonight's match will be reffed by none other than... Me! Hah! And now, lets meet the competitors as they make their grand entrance!" And the crowd goes wild.

 

From the arena floor, Gate just smiles politely, and walks his battlebot to the arena, setting it down inside, and taking his place on the marked off competetor's square, controller in hand.,

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> is carried into the arena as well, under Krieger's arm. The battlebot is very carefully placed in its assigned 'start' position, and Krieger moves over to the control station. He gives a slight nod in Gate's direction. "Nothing personal, master. If this were the Single Combat event, I would feel bad about hitting you....but these are just toys, and their destruction means little." Geez, there he goes again....

 

From the arena floor, Chest has the camera focus in on Gate as he enters, with lots of close-ups on the Cuisinart. Krieger's comment is captured for the viewers at home, and Chest chuckles, hovering atop the ref's platform overlooking the deep pit. Think the Klingon courtroom in Star Trek VI, folks. The fans continue to cheer so loudly it's almost difficult to hear Chest over them, but thankfully shouting is something he has a whole lot of pratice with. "Krieger Wolf!" he bellows, turning towards the Repliforce Gunner. "You'll be calling the toss for the first move of the match." Chest produces a San Angeles coin. "This is the head, and this is the tails." he says in standard football tradition, showing both sides to the participants. "Call it in the air, Krieger." he says. The coin flips upwards and hangs in the air for a split second...

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> beeps. It's operator, however, says: "Tails."

 

Chest flips a coin in the air and it comes down heads.

 

From the arena floor, Chest catches the coin and shows it. "Heads is the call, Krieger. Tough luck - but you'll have plenty of time to make up the loss of initiative." Chest turns briefly around to the crowd, which is still roaring, eager to see these two 'toys', as Krieger put it, shed blood for entertainment. Sure, first they're cheering for simple machines to kill each other... but then it's Reploids, and then civilization gets destroyed! Chest nods to Gate. "You have first move - But I warn you, the hazards are deadly and not to be taken lightly." Chest pulls out a cigar and lights it, saying between a puff, "I've made certain of it." All for the ratings, baby. All for the ratings.

 

From the arena floor, Gate chuckles. "I'm well aware of how much of a problem the hazards can be. They seem to favor me at times.

 

The Cuisinart revvs its blades, little beady, glowing red 'eyes' lit up on the front. It starts off by extending some claw-handed tentacles from its sides, reaching into a storage compartment in the side, taking out some tomatos and dropping them into the processing unit. It blends it into a fine red paste, and then, spout appearing on its front like a mouth, it sprays crimson at its opponent in a wide arc.

 

From the arena floor, Omega Cuisinart <Gate> misses Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> with its Tomato Puree attack.

 

From the arena floor, Krieger Wolf merely...gapes as the cuisinart spools up. "That....that's really your Battlebot, master?" He, unfortunately, has the presence of mind to direct the Rolling Magnum into a quick sideslip that carries it away from the blast of tomato sauce. "I suppose it can't be any stranger than your children." Of course, as he says this his finger is hovering over a particular button...even as he says in a rather conversational tone: "So how many are you working on this time?" And before he's even finished, a steel panel flips up, revealing the RC car beneath...and the many small missiles strapped to it. WHOOSH!

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> misses Omega Cuisinart <Gate> with its Toy Rocket attack.

 

From the arena floor, Chest grins at Gate and gestures for him to get things moving. And indeed, the Interpol scientist has his robot do just that. Chest provides commentary. "Gate, winning the coin toss, moves out from his corner, drawing in its primary source of ammunition and spewing it at the Magnum, but with a terrific display of control, the Magnum emerges unscathed!" The hazards, meanwhile, continue to do their thing blindly. Spikes violently jut out from one of the walls, but thankfully neither of the Battlebots are there to catch it. A sudden stream of napalm abruptly coats a fifth of the arena, creating a hellfire that just revs up the crowd even more. But again, neither of them are in range. Just when you think they're going to escape for one round, a pair of magnets opposite each other in the deep walled pit spring open, targeting Gate's cooking robot! "The magnets have the Cuisinart and are attempting to rip it in two different directions!" Chest shouts. Will this occur?

 

From the arena floor, You strike Omega Cuisinart <Gate> with a glancing hit from your Pulling Magnets attack.

 

From the arena floor, Gate, slightly indignant. "I'll have you know that this battlebot has devoured most of its opponents so far." He pilots the food processor away from the toy rocket, narrowly avoiding a strike.

 

However, this puts it in the way of the magnets, which create a rippling field around the appliance, denting it lightly. Gate frowns, just slightly.

 

"And I'll have you know I'm not building any more reploids. Yet."

 

Omega Cuisinart pulls a potato from its food storage compartment, dropping it into the processor. French fries are shot from the spout in front at railgun speed.

 

From the arena floor, Omega Cuisinart <Gate> strikes Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> with its Even Makes Julienne Fries attack.

 

From the arena floor, Krieger blinks. Potatoes? He shakes his head. "It appears that you've stumbled upon my secret potato weakness," he observes wryly, before reaching over for another button. A pair of panels on the side of the Rolling Magnum flip open, glowing an ominous red, then turning almost white....then suddenly twin bolts of microwave energy come surging out! Gate's not the only one who cannibalize household appliances, it seems.

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> misses Omega Cuisinart <Gate> with its Nanoflare attack.

 

From the arena floor, Chest cackles as the New And Improved GNN-Style Hazards <tm> manage to do some damage to one of the combatants. "And the hazards have drawn first blood in this match!" he shouts. "But the Omega "Gate" Cuisinart draws second with a well placed french fry ballistic cannon!" Were this another time, Chest might ask a few questions about Gate and what he plans to do (or not do, as the case may be) in the Reploid Building department. "Gate looks like he has the advantage as the Magnum fails to blast the Cuisinart... unless the hazards have another try at things, of course!" And indeed they do. The magnets, still locked onto Gate's robot, revs up the power, trying to do more than just a little dent on the poor machine.

 

From the arena floor, You miss Omega Cuisinart <Gate> with your Magnetic Crusher attack.

 

From the arena floor,

Gate, cagey.

 

The Cuisinart dashes to the side, away from the energy bolts, and the magnets alltogether. As Gate flips a switch on the side, the Cuisinart seems to hiss evilly - or maybe it's just the noise of the blades inside, who knows - and it charges towards the Rolling Magnum, its food tube widening, trying to ram the other battlebot inside and shred it a bit.

 

From the arena floor, Omega Cuisinart <Gate> strikes Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> with its Extra Wide Food Tube attack.

 

From the arena floor, Krieger watches the cuisinart approach, and isn't able to avoid in time....it manages to cram part of the front end of the Rolling Magnum in, however....the cannon is not one of those parts, seeing as it's mounted on a gimbal towards the rear. And unfortunately for Gate, his Battlebot is now practically touching the barrel. The cannon looks a little familiar....and Krieger is missing one of his. Interesting, no?

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> strikes Omega Cuisinart <Gate> with its Bfg 1337 attack.

 

From the arena floor, "Nobody can stop the Cuisinart now! It breaks free of the magnets /and/ avoids being fried by the Magnum! Will this mean Gate is going to be challenging Crescent Grizzly for the Gold?" Chest peers down at the big ol' display of Hazard Buttons. Anyone who saw Mass Media mk.II fight knows he's not very good at operating things beyond a camera and microphone. "Hmmm. 'Plasma Flame'... Ooooh, that sounds wonderful." he mutters. Chest presses the button, and a wave spreads out from one of the many emitters littered around the arena. And guess what, Gate's Battlebot happens to be nearby! "The Hazards once again go for the Cuisinart, and Krieger finally gets in a strike... is fickle lady luck changing her mind?"

 

From the arena floor, You strike Omega Cuisinart <Gate> with a glancing hit from your Plasma Flame attack.

 

From the arena floor, "Women are scary," Gate muses knowledgably at that comment.

 

The Cuisinart is blasted away from Rolling Magnum, then charred a little from the rear. It's smoking now, and throwing off a few sparks, but not going to give up. If such things can be said to have determination.

 

Once more, it loads a potato into the processor, and again, the french fry bullets scatter.

 

From the arena floor, Omega Cuisinart <Gate> strikes Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> with its Even Makes Julienne Fries attack.

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> is sparking, hissing, and otherwise giving off every indication that it's not a well 'bot. This has been going badly for Krieger almost from the start, which is strange. Perhaps Lady Luck has forsaken him. Either way, he decides that there's only one proper way to finish this. ANOTHER ROUND OF CANNON! Since, y'know, there's no way it could turn things around now.

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> misses Omega Cuisinart <Gate> with its Bfg 1337 attack.

 

From the arena floor, "Gate and the Cuisinart is now fighting against both the hazards and the Rolling Magnum, and doing a magnificant job of holding off both! But I can see the wear and tear starting to show, folks. Yet he manages to strike the Magnum yet again with the Freedom Fry Cannon!" Chest catches himself, "Oh, excuse me... /French/ Fries." Cough. "The Cuisinart is once again one step ahead of the Magnum - oh, but wait! The hazards have finally focused upon Krieger Wolf!" From above the pit, along one of the beams that criss-cross overhead, a vat of acid overturns, sending a vile chemical down upon the Rolling Magnum. Oh no!

 

From the arena floor, You miss Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> with your Rust Inducer attack.

 

The Cuisinart has been drawing closer, and as the Magnum moves out of the acid's way, it comes closer to the demon appliance. The top flips open, and a massive metal garlic press springs out towards the Rolling Magnum, trying to grab it up like a vise and squeeeeeeze.

 

From the arena floor, Omega Cuisinart <Gate> strikes Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> with its Garlic Press attack.

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> falls to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage.

 

From the arena floor, Rolling Magnum <Krieger Wolf> fall down, go boom. Well, okay, it doesn't fall so much as it just....stops. There's not even a satisfying *KABOOM!* Where is my kaboom?!?!

 

Krieger, for his part, just blinks. "Well, now I'm really curious how you were able to turn an appliance into a death machine....."

 

From the arena floor,

Gate sheepishly replies, "I didn't know how to cook."

 

From the arena floor, Chest claps as the Cuisinart moves in for the killing blow, grabbing the other robot with the touch and squeeze of death! "And there you have it, folks! A fantastic finishing move by the OMEGA "GATE" CUISINART! Krieger Wolf and his Rolling Magnum has suffered a horrible loss at the hands of a common appliance gone wild." Chest turns towards the camera and says, "You saw it here live on GNN - your exclusive source for the 2217 Battle and Chase Olympic games. This is Chest, signing off."

 

The Camera turns off.

 

Gate has arrived.

 

Chest hovers down from his platform as the crowd continues to cheer Gate on for his victory. "Good work, you two." Chest says, taking a puff from his cigar. "Way to keep the hazards off your back, Gate. Better luck in the consolation finals, Krieger."

 

Krieger Wolf has arrived.

 

Krieger Wolf nods, as he collects what's left of his Battlebot. *sneef* ;_; "So, I heard something about the consolation match being against a Maverick?" he asks, idly. Of course, at the moment his thoughts are of what he's going to do differently next year....

 

Chest nods and says off-hand. "I'm getting word from the studio that you'll be up against Overclock." Chest nods as he apparently gets confirmation. "Bring home a medal for Repliforce, Krieger. Lets see if ya can't keep shutting down the Mavericks this year." Chest is, however, just pleased that it's mostly the good guys in the final four.

 

Gate hmms. "Could be... Blast them one for me, Krieger."

 

Krieger Wolf hehs, and nods. "Of course. I may have lost to you, master, but that's to be expected. If I were to lose to one of those demi-human mongrels, though, I should have to fall on my sword in disgrace."

 

Chest takes his cigar out of his mouth, peering at Krieger. He then glances at Gate, giving him the 'is your buddy there nuts?' kind of look. You never know what some of these people will do. Chest has a theory that all the blows to the head makes the combatants in this war loopy.

 

Gate shrugs, nonchalantly.