Chapter 4

Outside the hangar was a large open plain of land that has nothing but a wall around it. The hangar doors slide open with a large screech. There at the border of the wall stood 5 people. They were the General, Thorin, Levy and lastly there was two girls, their age was 15 & 16, both were short and had a petite build. The girl on the left had light beige color hair that was made in a high pony tail, the one on the right looked almost exactly the same except she had dark brown hair. Their names where Coffee and Cream, they both were the head engineers of the base.

"Hey hey chief where are the two idiots we're busy people you know!" said Coffee.

"Actually, you were just planning to stay in your room and watch movies all day isn't that right sis?" responded Cream.

"Why did you have to sell your sister out!" said Coffee as pouted and sniffed as If she was crying.

"Nooo I'm sorry sis please forgive me!" shouted Cream as she hugged her sister also crying.

"Um they are quite the characters right Thorin?" said Levy who looked over at the tall girl, just to see that she's fallen asleep while standing.

"Oh, your sleeping... that's fine I'll just stand here awkwardly." said Levy as she did indeed stand there awkwardly between the crying siblings and the sleeping girl.

Everyone heard giant thuds (Which woke up Thorin to her dismay) as two shadows cover them, they look up to see two standard military Chasser's. The standard Chasser was a painted a camo green with an overall bulky structure and its head consisted of only one circle visor glowing red. It was John and Devon piloting the separate robots. What came off as a surprise was that the entire team consisted of single pilots! Each of them had their own personal Chasser as well.

"All right are all of you prepared to see me best this supposed leader of ours?" said Devon as he made inverted commas in the air when he said the word leader through the robot's speaker.

John didn't say anything and moved to his side of the field so they can begin. The rules of the duel were simple, make the other pilot surrender or knock him unconscious, that will make the person the victor. Both robots only had a standard military knife they could use. They weren't given any other weapons because we don't want one person to kill the other.

"Ok let's start this thing so I can go back to paper work" said the General as he sounded very sad and tired on the word paperwork.

"BEGIN!" Shouted the man.

Devon floored his thrusting flying towards John who was running towards him without his thrusting.

"Haha you probably don't even know how to use your thrusters huh!" shouted Devon.

When Devon reached John and tried to tackle him down John activated his foot thruster pushing his knee right up in Devon's chest. You could hear the sound of metal being crushed as if it was a piece of paper. John doesn't stop his attack there as he clasps his hands together and threw it down onto Devon's back slamming him into the ground. Devon being completely shocked by the sudden knee didn't even see the two fists which pounded him into the earth.

John used his thrusters and glided over the robot looking down at him still waiting for Devon to make a move again.

"How how is that possible?! Two hits and this robot is already damaged a lot." spoke Devon to himself.

With a growl Devon placed his thrusters on full gear and blew himself up out of the crater like a rocket. The pure pressure of the thrusters knocked up a storm of dust. John couldn't help but be blinded by the cloud. He was on guard as he held the knife in a reverse grip looking around cautiously. Suddenly he felt a big force knock him forward out of the cloud of dust.

Devon had used the dust as a distraction and shoulder bashed John in the back! John could see on his monitor that bash had broken 2 out of the 4 thrusters on his back.

"Ha! You can't run anywhere now" said Devon arrogantly over the coms.

"Geez do you ever keep that big trap of yours shut?" responded John over the coms.

Devon gritted his teeth and roared as he charged the robot. Devon tried a hay maker but John blocked it with both arms and kicked him away. John charged him with a knife and sliced Devon all over severing a bunch of wires that acted as muscle.

"Arrrghhh!" shouted Devon in frustration

Devon activated both feet thrusters and double kneed John in the stomach. The force was so much that it lifted John of the ground and pushed him back. John clutched his stomach in pain. The reason why both Devon and John get more hurt than a normal pilot would, was because they both are single pilots meaning that they connect with the robot as if it's a second skin to them!

Devon jumped toward John but he had recovered a bit and delivered one massive right hook that was also powered by his shoulder thruster. John's fist crashed into the red visor and completely crushed it finishing the fight. Devon's robot fell down as the pilot hatch opened showing a hurt Devon with a shocked and angry look on his face.

John's robot powers down as it showed that Devon's knife was stuck mere inches away from the robot's core. If It wasn't for the force of the punch that pushed Devon back the knife would have gone in the core giving him the win. John climbed out of his robot, also damaged as his arms were bleeding from when he blocked Devon's hay maker. The spectators ran to go check up on everyone.

"Oh my gosh are you all right John?!" asked Levy as she was looking his body over searching for any other damages.

"Hey I'm fine don't worry" responded John while looking at her

Devon couldn't believe it; a simple commoner beat him! The heir of the So'leer family that was one of the strongest Chasser family in countless domes!! How did this happen, this has got to be a trick ...? His thoughts where interrupted when a shadow appeared above him. When he looked up, he saw it was none other than John...

��What do you want, to brag now huh? You beat a So'leer huh is that what you wanted all along!" shouted Devon.

John said nothing as he looked down at Devon. He suddenly went down on his knees so that he can be level with the fallen teen, John did something Devon could have never expected, he held out his hand to shake Devon's!

"What are you doing?" asked Devon bewildered by this action.

"I wanna shake your hand dumb ass ,you almost had me there at the end and I respect you for that, I thought you would be like the other snobs that challenged me giving up immediately when I land one hit on them, but you didn't . You fought to the end and for that you have earned my respect. Pride is a powerful thing just don't let it consume you, ok?" said John.

Devon was truly surprised that John wasn't rubbing it in his face that he lost or gave him degrading remarks like his family gave him. John was a man that had compassion though he doesn't show it a lot he can tell. Devon finally raised his hand and shook John's hand firmly.

"That's the spirit, my second in command should be proud "said John sending a grin at him again

"Second in command?" asked Devon

"You heard me correctly, you are second in command of the team that way we both get to lead right?" said John.

Devon couldn't believe what he was hearing. He and John where going to be the leaders. Suddenly Devon started laughing, not an arrogant one or a snarky one, it was a happy normal laugh.

"You are one strange man John Grim you are probably a big softie deep down" said Devon while laughing.

"Just don't tell the others, got to keep my cold appearance in tact you know" teased John as he winked and laughed with Devon.

Both teenagers had new found respect for each other. The general thought this is possibly one of the strongest exploration team in the current era, he just hopes they are ready for their mission....