“Attention all Cadets,” echoed Lorenzo’s voice throughout the speakers from all over the base, “Your mock battle will be happening in approximately ten minutes! Hurry on over to the hangar and do suit up. Don’t worry about being indecent either, the only ones that’ll be looking is your Framewerk, so go ahead and get ready and move them to nearby ruins where you will be participating in the mock battle. Oh, and do put on a good show… we will be watching your performance with the utmost of interest!”
With a little disturbing laugh, you can’t help but wonder if the man was watching you all while you were off to your own devices…
Antwon grunted as he pulled himself up at the thought of the impending battle, feeling pumped by his impromptu exercise. Yeah, these guys definitely aren't up to anything sinister. No sir, Antwon thought to himself, in particular looking towards the one camera pointed squarely in his direction at a farther end of the room. Antwon, mature as he was, enthusiastically displayed his two middle fingers straight in the direction of the lens, before leaping off his raised position and walking casually to the hangars with the rest of his peers. Ant couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as Ian started stripping before he even made it to his mech. Ant made a simple mental note: Watch out for that one.
Ant casually slipped out of his clothes and into his suit right in front of his framewerk, not bothering the walk to the bathroom, and uncaring of the peeping eyes (or so one could only assume) of the rather creepy superior who spoke over the speakers. It was a simplistic forest green, without much insignia, just like Perry. Ant took a moment to look upon his machine with a small sense of pride, then looked over the rest of the competition. He noticed Perry was slightly smaller than most of the other mechs, and far less... accessorized, for lack of a better word. But this only served to comfort him. None of these mechs have even the slightest chance of catching up to me, Ant thought.
Some were certainly threatening in appearance, and most had some very menacing weapon systems, visible from their exteriors alone. But they would be no use if they could not close the distance or make the shot. The only mechs he was truly concerned about were the quicker ones, taking mental notes of the framewerks known as 'Atty' and 'Anubis', the only other mechs that were even marginal in Perry's comparative speed. Most especially, though, was Ant's concern for the mousy girl... he took a very particular mental note of "data collector" when she introduced herself. She will be the most problematic, Ant thought. Best to make sure she is out of the picture, first. Or at least, make sure that I'm not in her scope.
Ant entered his cockpit, quickly made sure his systems were fully operational, and let the numerous thrusters scattered all over Perry warm up. Ant reveled in the sound of Perry's engine revving up to full power, as the lights in his cockpit hummed ever greater to full life. A rare grin grew upon his face, his eyes closed, as he took this small meditative moment to think back on the few pleasant memories he had. Ariadne. Having grown familiar with the sound of Perry's generators when they were ready, Ant's eyes sprung open with a new flame, ready for the chance to prove himself. Just before he could spring out, however, Ian took the lead. "Dammit!" Ant cursed himself, letting one of his targets out of the gate first. Best to get the head start with the others while you still can, Ant concluded.
Perry took a half-kneeling stance, similar to that of an Olympic sprinter. The sound of the thrusters grew even louder, until all at once, Perry practically exploded out from the hangar. In a matter of seconds Perry was already out in the field, noting Anubis was busy flaunting up in the air. Ant smirked to himself. Excellent, he thought, Yes, stay in the air. I'll just be down here, tending to my own business...
Perry leaped like a frog onto the massive boulder sunken before him, using the momentum to change his course left, using similar boulders to swing left, right, left, right... not before long, Perry was well out of view, making preparations for the long haul...