New Beginnings (With A Revenge)

Written by Hunter and Magnus

(It's a rather fine ... day, or whatever you have in space. Our fellows Hunter and Magnus are having a visit tour all around the Marauder.)

Hunter : And here, you have the engines' section. The Joes handle it quite fine on their own.

Magnus : Woah. Any idea how it works?

Hunter : From the looks of it, I'd say it's fusion reactors, but I should ask the Joes about the details. Anyway, how is it going with the other Mercs ?

Magnus : Fine. But they seem to skip the subject when I mention the Fatal Five.

Hunter : ... In which ways ?

Magnus : Like, when I ask about where they came from, or why they take on us.

Hunter : Well, our defeat is still fresh on our minds, so we'd rather wait before talking about it, isn't it ?

Magnus : *narrows eyes* You're all hiding something.

Hunter : H-how can you say this ? There's nothing to hide !

Magnus : Please. You've been sweating bullets ever since I mentionned them.

Hunter : It's kinda hot in here, after all ! How about going back to your room ?!

Magnus : Yeah, fine. (There's some fishy stuff going on. And you seem very involved in this, Bossman.)

(Later, at "night", in the computer room...)

Magnus : Silly Hunter, firewalls are for keeping out spam bots. So, what did that security system record ? ... Is that ... Joes ... doing ... *switches records in a hurry* Never mention it anymore, okay ? *shudders*

(And finally, after a few more surprising experiences...)

Magnus : Quite a stock of blackmail in here. Too bad everyone involved could access it. Now, that seems interesting.

Hunter (on tape) : And I took part in the creation of these Fatal Five.

Magnus : Holy crunchmuffins ! So, he and I are as much guilty in launching those guys against us. Time for some payback! *runs away*

(Same night, other place. We're in Henry's Hideout now.)

Warpman : I'm telling you, they fled like chickens ! We are the ultimate winners !

Henry : Doesn't surprise me that I didn't see them recently, then. I kinda liked them.

Riff : Still, I believe they're still active. Only recovering from the humiliation.

Staccato : Alas, it could be weeks before we see our valliant foes once more.

Magnus *barging in* : YOU DIE NOW !

Staccato : Or minutes.

Lento : Unit Hyper Storm shrank in the washing machine ?

Karasû : I'd rather say it is not Stardust anymore.

Staccato : Magnus, maybe ?

Magnus : Damn right ! *throws a Surging Gust at Warpman*

Warpman : *teleports away, leaving the Gust to destroy part of the counter* Too slow, newbie !

Henry *takes a shotgun from behind* : Fight outside. Or you get the shotgun.

Riff : Okay, okay. *points at the door* Let's go, boys.

Warpman *out* : Now, where were we ?

Magnus : I was about to snap your neck like a slim jim, Freak-bot.

Karasû : At one against five ?

Magnus : *looks around to find himself surrounded, then shrugs* Please, I've had worse odds. You five rejects don't have a chance!

(We leave this scene of ultra-violence to get back to more pleasant fellows.)

Iga : So, anyone seen Magnus ?

Crew Joe : Negative. He's nowhere to be found.

Naoshi : We inspected every room.

Shinobu : And he left no note behind him.

Hunter : Bad news, people. Magnus paid a visit to the control room.

Iga : He saw ... that ?

Kayorei : What is "that" ?

Hunter : Among other things, and you don't wanna know. He went to battle the Fatal Five on his own.

Naoshi : ... He isn't that pig-headed, right ?

Crew Joe : Incoming transmission from Riff, sir.

Falling Star : Guess it's "yes". He's Hyper Storm Hog, right ?

Riff : You already guessed why I called, isn't it ?

Hunter : Yep.

Riff : Good. Bring a case full of money at the quarry we first fought in, or you'll be short of a Hyper Storm. *to someone off-screen* Warpman, stop this music, now !

Warpman *off-screen* : But he likes listening The Sound Of Music ! Isnt' it, my chained and gagged Merc buddy ?

Magnus *Off screen* : *muffled yelling that could very well be large amounts of profanity from one seriously pissed off Merc*

Riff : Please, think of us. Come with or without cash, as long as he stops that music.

Naoshi : Hold on. What if we don't bring the money ?

Riff : Then we get another round of beating you senseless. Please, hurry, or I'll murder a Fatalist. Shortly after Hyper Storm. *screen goes offline*

Shinobu : We seem to have a problem with Hyper Storms.

Naoshi : We have a bigger problem : what must we do now ?

Falling Star : The easy way doesn't sound that good to me.

Kayorei : That, and they're villains. Can't keep their words.

Hunter : Losing money AND a Merc ? Losing only a Merc ? Trying to fight ? I can't choose !

Iga : If I may suggest something ...

Naoshi : Yeah ?

Iga : Magnus and I designed a few stuff when he arrived, and I guess it may come in handy. Now, all we need is ...

(You wouldn't like spoilers, isn't it ? Anyway, back to the quarry.)

Riff : How's the prisonner doing ?

Staccato : He has stopped swearing, milord. And I wot not some of his profanity of choice existed before now.

Riff : And the music ?

Lento : Walkman crushed.

Riff : Good. And, I see our friends are coming.

Hunter *with a case* : Okay, here's the cash. Give the Merc back.

Riff *taking the case while the Fatalists gather* : Tut-tut. We prefer to check on the money first.

(And as they opened it, our villains were in for quite a shock.)

SFX : FLASH !

Iga : EMP bomb. Can't beat that.

Fatal Five : *screaming imprecations while walking around blinded*

Shinobu : *slashing Magnus' chains* You're gonna be in trouble for running wild like this, you know.

Magnus : Don't we have some Fatalists to beat up like right now ?

Hunter : Good idea. Let's win this together !

Magnus : YEAH !

Hunter : But not before they recovered from the EMP.

Magnus : What ?!

Naoshi : It's only fair-play.

(After a few seconds, the fight started back. The Five used their old strategy, with one minor change, though...)

Riff : They've countered every of our attacks ! How can it be ?

Naoshi : Know the saying, "live and learn" ?

Kayorei : We studied our last defeat, and saw what went wrong.

Iga : So now we know !

Hunter : And knowing is half the battle !

Riff : ... Please tell me you repeated for that part.

(And while the fight notably goes in favor of the Mercs...)

Warpman : *escaping the battlefield* I'm gonna meet you all at the base, okay ?

Magnus : *blasting Warpman's leg* Not so fast !

Warpman : Uh-oh.

Magnus : *pulling a chainsaw from Hammerspace* Payback time !

Karasû *watching from afar, beaten to a pulp* : My word. You do seem to have found a psychopath.

Riff : Still, it was the Sound Of Music.

Lento : Unit recommends discipline on Hyper Storm.

Hunter : Will do. *kicks Staccato*

(And after an afternoon filled with fun and violence, the Team returned to its base. But it wasn't the end of Magnus' troubles...)

Naoshi : Okay, so WHY did you not warn us ?

Magnus : I thought it'd be quickly over.

Kayorei : A whole Team against you ?

Magnus : *shrugs* I've seen worse.

Falling Star: And I have a question. Why did they gag you, Magnus?

Magnus: I tried to eat Warpman's hand when he started in with the crappy music.

Other Mercs: O_O

Hunter : Okay........Anyways, I think we can go easy on him, people. After all, without his intervention, we wouldn't have been able to beat the Five, isn't it ?

Shinobu : Depends from the point of view, but yes.

Hunter : And we're somehow back to good Team spirit of cooperation. All's fine !

Magnus : So, party ?

Hunter : No. A week without Pocky for punishment of your insubordination.

Magnus: NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!! NOT MAH POCKY! *sulks in a corner for three days*

Falling Star : We're gonna have busy days with that lad.

(Meanwhile, at the Hideout...)

Riff *patched up* : Another defeat. Again.

Henry : Better luck next time.

Staccato : Defeat is not an issue. Mockers are one.

Chimeraman : So, how did your losers' day went, lame-os ?

Clawman : To think we have the same creator ... Frankly, I'm disgusted.

Warpman : Could be worse. And you, STOP POKING ME !

Airman *hides his stick* : Oh, I heard that one bad. Do you want me to tell Ben what horrible things you think of him ?

Warpman : Alright, back with the stick.

Airman *continues poking* : Awesome.

THE END