Big Duo had come in for gliding downward punch, but missed his target. Roger took advantage of the blinding light and fired a hip anchor from the side toward the ground and pulled Big O out of the way quickly. By the time Michael had seen Big O was gone, Big O fired another hip anchor, this time wrapping around Big Duo's head.
"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" roared Roger, as he struggled to hold to Big Duo as Michael recovered and tried taking off once more. However, with Big O's hip anchor around his head, Big Duo got choked by the chain and he couldn't turn his head to fire an Arc Line at it.
"Damn… that's a good move," said Michael, struggling, "But you got no ammo and no missiles. And your Arc Line isn't strong enough to damage us! This is a stalemate!"
Roger growled. Michael was right. He could use a Chromebuster, but he knew he would never hear the end of it from Dorothy. However, the chain was still attached to the hip.
"Yeah, I don't have any ammo, that's true. But I got something else!"
Roger hit the command and slowly began reeling the chain back closer to him, Big Duo still struggling. Roger helped Big O, putting more power into the hip anchor system. The console began to beep erratically, showing the hip anchor system was straining from the struggle.
"Come on, Big O, you and I… we can do this! Bring him in and we got him!"
Big Duo slowly began to lose ground and began to get closer to Big O. Big O raised his right arm, firing back the piston for a Sudden Impact attack. Michael growled.
"I don't think I want to be hit by that thing. Come on Big Duo! I know we can win this! I'm not giving up and neither should you, that's the honest truth! LET'S DO THIS!"
Big Duo's eyes flashed at Michael's words and the afterburner on its arms began pumping out even more energy, stalling the hip anchor once more. Then, the chain finally snapped, but not before Roger fired the Sudden Impact.As Big Duo took off, the blast of pressured air caught its lower legs, causing it to spin wildly, Michael holding onto the joy cons for dear life.
"TCH! DAMN IT!"
Roger realized what he had done and instantly regretted his decision.
Mary and Dorothy are gonna kill me.
Michael felt the forces of gravity pulling him to the side as the spun closer to the ground.
"BIG DUO, PUT EVERYTHING INTO THE AFTERBURNERS!"
The jets took a few seconds to fire up, but once they did, Big Duo was able to right himself up and land on the ground on his feet, skidding to a halt. Roger breathed a sigh of relief.
"YOU MORON! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOIN'?" Beck was now yelling at Roger through the comm, "WHEN I SAID 'DON'T GO EASY ON THE KID,' I DIDN'T MEAN WRECK HIM AND BIG DUO!"
Dastun joined in as well.
"PILOT GRIFFON, IF YOU SO MUCH AS HARM ANOTHER HAIR ON THAT KID, I'M GONNA SLUG YOU MYSELF!"
"AH GEEZ, CUT ME A BREAK! HE RECOVERED JUST FINE!" Roger yelled back.
Dorothy was giggling and chimed in on the comm. "Roger dear, they have a point. It took forever to restore Big Duo. Give Michael a taste of the real world, but don't overdo it."
"Now you too? On top of Mary, there won't be much of me left at this rate for everyone to have their fair share of pickings."
"Keep up that attitude, and you'll be sleeping outside tonight."
"Eh? WHAT? Come on, Dorothy!"
Michael was laughing hard at the exchange on the intercom.
"This is too much! And I'm not doing anything! They're doing all the psychological warfare for me, HA! Let's use this as our chance, Big Duo. Let's get airborne!"
Big Duo responded climbing up in the air, taking off. Roger grimaced, realizing he had missed his chance to take out Big Duo and incapacitate him.
"Dora girl, I love you, but I have to focus on the test now. Everyone else, I'M WORKING HERE!"
The comm link died down as Michael was analyzing what attacks Big Duo had left. Big Duo showed him the two high-yielding explosive rockets inside his legs. Michael debated out loud with Big Duo.
"Uh… damn… don't you think that's a bit extreme, even for winning? I don't think they'll let us, Big Duo."
Big Duo now engaged in the set-up process for the rockets. Michael then understood what Big Duo was trying to tell him.
"You have a plan. Alright buddy, I'm trusting you."
Meanwhile, Sheila noticed the rocket system was being activated on Duo's console.
"Miss Dorothy!" she yelled, looking at her alarmingly.
Dorothy peered over her shoulder and realized what was going to happen. But by the time Big Fau would get mobilized and shipped over to the test field via the Prairie Dog, it would be too late. But they had to try.
"PILOT KRAKEN, GET TO THE FAUST UNIT!" she yelled at Beck.
"Huh? What?"
"NOW! Big Duo and Michael have activated its final attack, the rocket system!"
"ARE YOU… DAMN IT! I CAN'T SAY THAT WORD AROUND YOU BUDDY! ALRIGHT, I'M GOING! I'M GOING NOW! POPS, I'LL NEED…"
"I'll man your console! JUST GO!"
Tim didn't understand what was going on, but judging from the way the adults were acting and the way Beck handed him to Dastun, it didn't look good.
"Uncle Dan, put me down! I need to watch the computer."
"Not now, kiddo, I got it. Let the adults…"
"BUT I MADE A PROMISE TO DAD! I HAVE TO DO THIS AND HELP MA!"
Dastun looked at Angel and then looked at Tim. He sighed.
"You understand, this is really important right now, watching this screen? I need you to tell me any changes as they happen. This isn't a joke, Tim. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Uncle Dan!"
"Watch your dad's. I'll watch Michael's."
Goddamn it, Michael. What the hell are you thinking?
*******
Roger saw Big Duo's legs come undone, showing the high yield explosive rockets encased inside. Roger felt himself tense up.
Not good.
Dorothy came across the comm.
"CEASE FIRE! THIS TEST IS OVER! I'M CALLING IT. PILOT GRIFFON, TEST PILOT #24, STAND DOWN!"
Dastun shook his head.
"Uncle Dan, nothing's happening!"
"PILOTS ARE NOT RESPONDING, DOROTHY! POWER THEM DOWN REMOTELY!"
Dorothy started typing furiously on Big O's console, sending the command to power down Big O. But the code came back, reading, "ERROR: UNIT UNRESPONSIVE."
What?
She tried again, this time double checking the command. It was correct. She hit ENTER. The error flashed again on the screen.
But… why? Why now?
She moved over to Sheila's console, and began typing the same command. The same error appeared on Duo's console screen.
"They're… they're… THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING!"
"WHAT?!"
"They're not responding, Dan! Oh no! What have we done?"
Sheila looked at Dorothy. Dorothy's eyes were trembling.
"Do you think… it's because we told them we were sitting this one out and they're making us stay true to that decision?"
"I don't know… I don't know!"
She ran over to Big Fau's console, and hit the video comm. Beck was still firing up Big Fau.
"What's going on Crow Bird?" he said, not looking at her as he crossed his arms as the joy cons came down, with CAST IN THE NAME OF GOD, YE NOT GUILTY coming across the center console.
"Beck, I can't power them down remotely! They've locked us out!"
"What? Are you serious right now, Crow Bird?"
Dorothy nodded. "Beck please!"
Beck finished up as Big Fau began to descend into the Prairie Dog.
"I'm moving as fast as I can, Crow Bird! DAMNNIT! SMITH, SEEBACH! YOU MORONS! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!"
****
Roger realized he only had moments to make a plan, but there was no dome this time to pull him to safety. Except the mountain cliff. But it was too far to run to. Michael locked on to Big O. Big O's systems began flashing a warning to Roger, indicating he was locked on.
"Damnnit! MICHAEL!" Roger yelled.
But Michael fired the rockets in his direction. At the same time, the control for the Chromebuster rose by itself. Roger saw it.
"Great, now Mary and my wife are going to kill me! Alright Big O, I might be living in you for a few days after this, but if this is what you want, I understand!"
Roger hit the control and Big O fired the Chromebuster. The giant flash of pink light charged briefly in Big O's glass dome and shot forward, creating a sphere of light around him. The beam flew through the air, hitting one of the rockets, but missed the other. The rocket continued its trajectory to Big O as Big Duo veered off hard to the left to avoid being hit by the Chromebuster and the midair explosion.
"What's the old man doing? Big Duo, increase your speed! Get behind him!"
Big Duo flew downward, his pace quickening and closing the distance. The missile hit the ground first, exploding into the dome of light created by the Chromebuster. A large, massive explosion consumed the testing field. Everyone watching held their breath as Michael flew wide from the blast, waiting. Big Duo had told him it wouldn't be this easy of an end.
And then, Michael saw him. Big O had fired a hip anchor into the mountain cliffside and was being pulled out of the blast trajectory. As the blast wave died down, Big Duo's eyes flashed and the afterburners on its jets increased their output as they closed the gap. Roger saw them coming.
What the…
Big Duo got behind Big O, still hovering just above ground using its jets to keep itself afloat and retain its mobility superiority over Big O. Its right arm was closed in a fist, its left arm had the propeller still going, closing in. But Roger had a surprise for Big Duo.
"NOW!" Roger shouted, and he flipped the pink switch off on his right. The chain disconnected first, then exploded in front of Big Duo and Michael, the flash of light blinding Michael.
"AHH! WHAT THE…!"
Big O then dispersed his smoke screen and disappeared into it. When Michael recovered from the blinding light, he saw that he and Big Duo were surrounded in black smoke.
"Big Duo! Are you alright? I can't really see still! Damnnit! Where did he go?"
"RIGHT HERE!"
Big O appeared suddenly within the smokescreen and seized Big Duo's head, the O Thunder module on his right arm opened, spinning, ready to fire. The fight was over. Michael was dumbfounded.
"How in the…"
"You got skill, I'll give you that," Roger said, holding on to the O Thunder joy con, "Using the rockets as distraction was reckless, but smart. But even so, when you're in the city, that can never be an option. It's up to you to guide Big Duo on how to protect the city without losing property or life. You have to help him, his being and soul, understand that this isn't an acceptable way to fight. I can only guess he went as hard as he did against me and Big O because this isn't our first time fighting and he desperately wanted to win."
Michael hung in his head in defeat.
"This is the part where you yield, Test Pilot #24," Roger said firmly.
"Big Duo… I'm sorry. I failed you as a pilot. I really tried. But, he's right. And he has us. We have to yield. I just… wish I could do more with you…," said Michael, sounding very depressed, figuring he had lost his chance to pilot the megadeus.
Big Duo was struggling against Big O's hold, but then stopped. The center console flashed, CAST IN THE NAME OF GOD, YE NOT GUILTY. Michael scratched his head.
"What are you telling me?"
The center console flashed the message once more.
"Uh… Pilot Griffon! I think we're yielding. He just flashed the 'CAST IN THE NAME OF GOD, YE NOT GUILTY,' message to me… twice!"
Roger twisted the joy con and the normal joy con surfaced. Big O's arm returned to normal. Roger grabbed the joy con as Big Duo took a step back, taking the knee to the ground. Roger looked dumbfounded at the sight and by what Michael told him. The only time this had ever happened was when Big Fau accepted Beck as his pilot, by flashing the message on the screen twice.
"Are you sure? He flashed it twice to you?"
"I can confirm, Pilot Griffon!" Sheila came across the comm now, "The message was indeed shown twice!"
At the same time, Big Fau burst through the ground, with Beck yelling across the comm, along with Dorothy, at the same time.
"ROGER SMITH!"
"YOU FUCKING MORONS!"
"LANGUAGE BECK!"
"SORRY CROW BIRD! TIM, DON'T EVER USE THAT WORD!"
Dastun held his forehead, groaning, while Angel tried to cover Tim's ears.
Talk about adding fuel to the fire with these idiot pilots.
Roger on the other hand was trying to recover his head being scrambled by the simultaneous yelling from his wife and co-pilot.
"ONE AT A TIME!" he yelled.
But this was the wrong thing to say to Dorothy.
"YOU LOUSE! YOU NEARLY BLEW YOURSELF AND MICHAEL UP! WHEN I TELL DR. PLEBANSKI WHAT YOU DID, YOU'RE GONNA WISH YOU HAD BEEN BLOWN UP! I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE THE CHROMEBUSTER!"
"But I didn't! Big O made me use it!"
"SAVE IT! YOU AND I ARE HAVING A TALK WHEN YOU COME BACK! MACHINIST GRIFFON SIGNING OFF!"
The comm link died.
Oh damnnit. Now I'm in trouble.
Beck on the other hand was beside himself, surveying his test field.
"YOU IMBECILIC MORONS! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BEAUTIFUL TEST FIELD! THIS COST A FORTUNE TO BUILD! YOU'RE GONNA HELP ME FIX THIS, SO HELP ME OR I'M GONNA SUE THE CRAP OUT OF THE BOTH OF YOU!"
Roger groaned.
"Really? Everyone's yelling at me for doing my job and apparently, we're not realizing it, but BIG DUO FOUND HIS PILOT!" he yelled annoyed at everyone.
"KISS MY ASS CROW BOY! I'LL BE FINDING YOUR REPLACEMENT IF YOU DON'T HELP!"
"Oh, THAT IS IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOUR ATTITUDE, BECK! WHEN WE GET BACK…"
Michael, on the other hand, was chuckling at the comm link with Roger and Beck arguing with each other. The cock pit was opened, and he had taken off his helmet, enjoying the breeze. He looked up at Big Duo.
"Well, what do you think, Big Duo? I think that's awesome you want me to be your pilot. We got a lot to learn from each other. However, it sounds like we gotta deal with these two idiot geezers and keep them in line!" he laughed. Big Duo's eyes flashed in response. Roger and Beck heard his comment via his helmet as Michael hadn't shut off the link.
"OH, SHUT UP SEEBACH!" They both yelled at him.
Michael Seebach grinned sheepishly.