"In just how many minutes into the fight, things are already this lit, Wow, what a fight, Mehn, Elaine got some skills alright, but I never expected Leah to be so skillful too," the crowd express their admiration, and somebody, his surprise. "I wouldn't blame you. You don't know huh," another of Leah's handbag started. "She trained ever since the time she left Dr. Gearne's workshop, yesterday. Since the challenge was on, till this fight, she has been training. Wow!" those among the spectators show their endearment for the fight.
"But I still know Elaine is going to win," a teenage voice said with so much confidence that people turned to see who was talking. He was white haired, dark skinned, not that tall, and still above average height. "Hmph, bigot," one of Leah's fan said.
As the dust settle, the Mecha's holographic shield was falling apart. "Shield, huh," Leah said.
"Hmm, something is off," the blonde haired soldier that is far away, and both Commanders that were present thought.
"Leah Leah Leah. Did you plan on blowing my face to bits since the very beginning?"
"How could I fathom such for my beautiful Elaine. But the Mecha, oh my. I am so going to destroy it, Dr. Gearne would not know where to start from for repairs," she said. "Hmph, you are one pain in the ass, you know that?," Elaine teases.
"Ready or not, here I come," Leah said, dashing towards her, bringing out another spear as she suddenly throws it. Elaine catches it, and thrusts it back to her. By the time she caught it, she was already very close to Elaine. She spins it to gather momentum and aimed to hit Elaine on the right side. But as Elaine guarded her right, with her very flexible body frame, she suddenly turned and attempted to hit Elaine on her left rib, but Elaine raises her knee high, blocking it, and landed a perfect hit to her jaw, shifting it.
For some time, Leah blacked out as her pupils were nowhere to be found, and was bending backwards, while standing. But due to her supernatural gene, immediately, she came back to her senses, straightening her posture.
"Hmm, that was sharp," Commander Rayes commended.
"Nice hit," Leah said. "Krrr!" as she corrected her jaw. "Now I can end this," she continues.
"Pardon?" Elaine said, quite surprised.
"I was going to give a free hit. Mehn, that was one hell of a hit", Leah commends.
"I landed that, all me, all on my own," Elaine affirms.
"Whatever. Well, it all ends here," Leah said, taking a stance.
"Yeah? Well, guess what, I also happen to have a move I have been keeping for you," Elaine said as immediately the Mecha's fist turned into a cannon, brought out three more minor stands from each leg, causing a crater on the floor, allowing for perfect balance.
"Gbao!!", one huge bullet, shot. As the bullet travelled with a wave, Leah thrusted the spear forward first to reduce the bullet's speed. By the time the bullets shredded through the spear, like how volleyball players give themselves a little jump, to make a drastic movement easy, that was how she jumps backward, absorbing the initial speed, she carefully caught the bullet, spinned her entire body while holding the 'live' bullet, and redirect it to Elaine.
The bullet first digged into her chest, latched on, and exploded, carving a perfect hole in her chest. Out of the Mecha, blood was coughed up.
"Oh my, Elaine," Leah said, rushing to the side of the lying Mecha. "I just got caught in the moment," she said. "What have I done," Leah thought, as suddenly another masked female came and tried to check the body. "How is she?" the female asks, checking the pulse. "I don't know, I think she...," immediately, Leah bowed her head, and cries for a little bit. But then, the smell of engine oil dawns on her. Like Rhema, it hit Leah. On lifting up her head to look up at the female, a light flashes from a phone, capturing her runny nose and almost red eyes. "Elaine?" Leah said, voice shaky, removing the mask. Lo and behold it was her, stunning the crowd. "Elaine," Leah said, never happier to see her, feeling sincerely relieved. "Wait a minute," she thought. "What was I fighting with all this time?" Leah asks.
The whole crowd went nuts, as Elaine stood smiling. "What's going on," the spectators wild with curiosity. "What of sort of trick is this, I'm pretty sure I heard Elaine's voice from that Mecha..." they wondered.
After a deep sigh, "I believe this concludes today's event. You see nothing is perfect, but as long as it helps boost a good area of life, you are good to go. No machine is hundred percent efficient, still, I can assure you that you will not regret investing into Mechas," Dr. Gearne said, and since it was certain nobody died, the Soldiers applauded him. "Homo-luminus!" somebody cheered. "They are the best, we are the strongest, the Mechas are defeated...". Leah stands, not sure of what was going on. "I won, at least, there was no body, she's still alive," Leah thought and was about to lift her arms, to bask in the rain of praises. But ignorance did not let her.
The crowd was still confused. "What the, what's going on, how come?" leaving the spectators confused. The Mecha waved again, while pierced on the floor, as a tiny explosion occurs in the arm, making it malfunction, as the fingers shook, like they were having seizures. But by the time it stopped, it stopped while doing a 'fuck you' finger gesture.
"But that's not all. The Mecha is only a prototype, so it could only imitate Thirty Five percent of Elaine's entire combat ability, but has hundred percent of her voice. Yeah, you only won to a prototype," Dr. Gearne said. "And not up to my half," Elaine finishes. Then the Mecha opened, exposing the entire empty Driver body frame. "I can not help but imagine if Elaine had mounted it. But really, Leah, you did very well, I must admit," Dr. Gearne said as Elaine smiled.
"You mean during the target practice, hitting target after every first try was Elaine's accuracy of thirty five! percent?!," someone among the spectators just realized.
"Damn!" Leah expresses her dissatisfaction.
Commander Dudlin begins to clap. "I must say, I am a bit impressed. I may be a bit edgy and all, but once I see a good thing, I appreciate. You have my vote for the mass production of Mecha in any setting whatsoever. You are free to quote me. Good job", he said, walking away with his attendants, as some of the Soldiers begin to leave,
"Oh, just one moment", he said turning. "Can I get one of those squeeze dependent guns?" he asks.
"First, it's a Mark VII. Secondly, you know this things are cost, and personally funded by me".
"How much is it?
"One thousand, five hundred Veldrings," he answers.
"Woah woah, that's cost," Elaine thought with widened eyes, hiding her face.
"I will send somebody," Commander Rayes says before leaving.
Commander Dudlin stands. "Well, this does not really prove anything to me. In fact, You have just proved to us Homo-Luminuses that we can be better. Thanks for the eye opener. Unfortunately, you will never have my vote", he said, walking away.
"So yeah. About our bet," Leah said. "Ah ah, yes, my Ten Thousand Veldrings, right. Let me send you my account number," Elaine said, looking down, trying to find her phone in her pockets. On finally looking back up to Leah's position, she was nowhere to be found, as even her main coucus did not know when, how, and to where she had disappeared. "Hmph, dey play," Elaine thought, smiling.
When all of them were finally gone, "I can't thank you enough. Having my Mecha copy your moves was a brilliant idea, Elaine", Dr. Gearne said happily.
"Hmm. Well, it's time to do the other part of our deal", she said.
"Sure thing ma'am," Dr. Gearne said. As he pressed a knob, a card gets exposed. He removes it and breaks it.
"Hope you didn't-"
"I don't have copies," he said with a stern face, cutting her short. "Okay, okay," Elaine said, apologetically.
The white haired teenager from earlier among the crowd comes to meet them. "Oh yeah, there's somebody I want you to meet. Elaine meet my Grandson, David," Dr. Gearne said, as she shook hands with the dark skinned, white haired and handsome man of Twenty One years. "Are you also a tech enthusiast?" Elaine asks. "Yeah. I use all my Grandad uses, and AI," David said, as Dr. Gearne sighed heavily. "What's the matter?" Elaine asks. "He does not believe in anything AI," David explains. "I mean, it-". "Erhm, how about we discuss this later. Right now, we are celebrating a victory," Dr. Gearne suggests.
"I agree. How about we discuss this at my place another time," David suggests. "My, I would love to see this argument through," Elaine said. "Thanks for everything," Dr. Gearne appreciates. "Sure," she replies, taking her leave. As they watch her go further and further away till she was out of sight. "What a beautiful lady," Dr. Gearne and David said at the same time.