Chapter CCVII: Bet Sly Stallone Had It Easier ~Multehx

Ratch skidded down the mountainside on his back. As he reached the ground, the impact caused him to flip up on his shoulders, then crash down on his front. His robotic scanners could tell him another robotic being was approaching from above. He threw himself to his feet with a motion like a tremendous push-up. Though slow, this move gave him an instant's rest before Malfector's metallic boot crashed into the earth.

Then, the two stood, in fighting positions, sizing each other up.

Ratch was the first to speak. "So...you're an Infect too, eh?"

Malfector nodded slightly. "Yes, I am."

"And what's your name then, punk?"

"They would call me 'Malfector'. I am the Virus Infect, the most ultimate fighting machine yet."

Ratch snickered. "Ultimate, hunh? Cute."

Malfector tilted his head. "I do not find anything 'cute' about that fact. It is hardly adorable in any way."

Ratch flateyed and put a pronged hand on his head. "So they used mosta yer memory for fighting, threw in a robot's personality to save space. Wonderful…"

Malfector interjected, "Actually, I also fail to find an–"

"Stop that and put up yer fists."

Malfector folded its arms and stated, "Willingness to fight noted; opponent identified as Ratch Havoc. Run program 4.559." It whirred and assumed a fighting stance again.

Ratch was the first to the draw, throwing a simple punch. Almost instantly, Malfector blocked with his left arm, brought his right arm around in a circle at the shoulder and karate chopped Ratch's arm just above the elbow guard. The blow seemed succinct in the process, but it left a tremendous indentation in Ratch's arm. The yellow robot yelled in pain, recoiling the injured arm and throwing a punch with his other.

Malfector caught this punch in his hand and delivered a knee to Ratch's armor "skirt" just below the midsection, denting it deeply. Again, Ratch yelled in pain and recoiled. Quickly, but with some difficulty with the damaged arm, he entered Mode 2; his current wrists moving to become shoulder mounted laser cannons. He threw out the hand on his new right arm and yelled at the top of his lungs. The dual laser cannons spread the claw/prongs and fired two tremendous blue and white laser blasts at Malfector.

The new Infect was caught off guard, picked off his feet as the blasts slammed into his chest, and carried him backwards, ploughing him into the mountainside. As the dust cleared, Ratch smirked as he saw the body of his opponent, slightly blackened, and sparking in places. He was about to make some glib remark when Malfector rose, shook his head rapidly, and stated in his calm toned voice, "That was most unpleasant. Repeat such actions and I shall 'let loose on you'."

Ratch moved his jaw slightly, as he was doing the equivalent of gritting his teeth if he had teeth to grit. Damn, what I give for the living opponents and staying DOWN when someone hits you with their good stuff..."