[[Yay, introduction of the folks that will be my new PC team. ^_^ This will be open in just a few posts. Also, congrats to Team SilverHammer for being the PC winners of the Reaper's Bounty Collect-a-Code sweepstakes! Details to follow...]]
The Royal Cup was quite possibly the most widely televised event in the history of Zi. For most of the battles in the semifinal and final rounds, viewership was estimated at over ninety percent of the entire planet's population. Even those without enough money to reliably eat or sleep indorrs would pool what little they had to rent a viewscreen and watch the titans of the battlefield fight for the coveted title and Class S.
Seven or eight of those viewers lay sprawled on a large fur rug, in a setting rather reminiscent of a nineteenth-century Earth hunting lodge -- not that anyone alive on Zi could have remotely made the connection, but some ideas for decor and atmosphere were evidently hard-coded into human genes. Several were snuggled up with each other here and there for warmth, with evidently no regard for gender.
The fight itself had finished, and even now old Bobby Fisher and Chase Stevenson were busy dissecting the fight...
"...concentrate on Kyne Xaratan because he was piloting the Liger Zero," Chase was saying, pointing to a freeze-frame of the Geno Breaker passing up an opportunity to strike at Jenny's escaping Leomaster. "Too many pilots forget that the Battle Commission's rankings and tiers are no absolute divisions of power. In this case, it just looks like Wyatt made the wrong tactical choice in favor of the Zoid that looked most threatening."
Bobby shook his head. "I don't know if I agree with that, Chase. Kyne Xaratan is not a pilot I'd want running free at my back under any circumstances. We can pretty easily say that he should have payed more attention to Jenny, but I'll tell you -- it's a tough call to make out there in a fraction of a second, when you're being pummeled by two enemies at once."
The theme music started up as Chase turned to the camera. "Well, folks, it looks like we have an announcement from a team that was eliminated by Dawnstar just short of the Royal Cup finals. We'll be right back after this!"
Two or three of those sprawled around on the rug got up and made as if to leave, but a young dark-haired woman held up a hand and spoke with obvious authority. "Hold just a moment, packmates. I believe this is the announcement of the sweepstakes winners!"
An older man in a weathered pilot's jumpsuit seated himself again with a slight wince for joints that didn't really want to work. "Heh. Well, this ought to be worth watching. Let's see some Guylos grandmother get a Geno Saurer... that will put some life back into the ZBC, for sure!" Scattered laughter followed as the firelight flared briefly, consuming some new piece of fuel in the fireplace.
"Greetings and welcome! My name is Liam Alexander. You may know me from previous battles in the Royal Cup and earlier in the regular season--"
Nodding and general recognition around the circle. Many of them had been impressed by his show against Kyne in the semi-finals.
"--as you know, this season, our team's battles have been followed by certain codes that many of you sent in for free merchandise and a chance to enter the grand prize drawing. The time for the announcement of those winners is here!
"First of all, the grand prize for all applicants -- the purchase of any readily-available ZBC Zoid, and an all-expenses-paid trip to ACI Headquarters in New Helic City where you'll learn to pilot it, followed by a berth on an actual competition team. Congratulations to Mary Allison and Team SilverHammer!"
After the cheering of the studio audience had died down, Liam continued. "Now as part of the competition, Reaper's Bounty received the right to obtain a limited ZBC Zoid for our very own use. However, after all that we've been through with our machines, we can't bear to part with them -- except for Tamar, who does so on a weekly basis."
Several of the assembled had a good laugh at that. Her maneuver with the Storch in the battle against Pointy Darkness had been a crowd favorite. Marik knew from life experience that Liam would probably regret having made that quip later... Nature had no fury like a female scorned, indeed.
"Therefore, we carefully reviewed the applications of already-qualified Zoid pilots that were sent into us. After due consideration, we have chosen The Pack and Marik Anderith to receive a brand new Konig Wolf! Congratulations, Pack!"
...
Dead silence reigned in the room for nearly five full seconds. Then, all eight assembled pilots exploded into cheers, whoops, hollers, howls and assorted other noises of delight.
"...holy shi..."
"...a Konig Wolf! Those..."
"...hah! We can enter the..."
"...money can be used for..."
"...HOLY SHI..."
"...a Konig Wolf!..."
Finally, Marik's voice cut across the noise and everyone quieted down to listen. "Packmates!" he called out, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. "Sleep is for the weak! If we head out now and move as quickly as we are able, we can reach New Helic City before the sun rises! Who will go with me?"
Unsurprisingly, all present were quick to volunteer...
Less than fifteen minutes later, eight Command Wolves moved out into the gathering dusk, moving at a mile-eating trot that would not slow until New Helic City was in sight.
[[Soyeah. Kitsune, if you're interested in an additional team member written up for you free of charge, just let me know which of the non-rare Zoids you'd like for her to have and you'll get her with all of her starting fundage via PM.]]