The Five Kaus: Part Seven

      "Be reasonable, Red Metonot!" gasped White Metonot, once again dodging one of Red's deadly kicks. "Whooper is our Petpet!"

      "He isn't anybody's Petpet but mine!" retorted Red Metonot, whose kick finally connected with the winded White Metonot. "And I'm tired of dealing with him. Now stay out of my way!"

      Once again Red Metonot chased after Whooper. He continued to not only dodge, but enjoy himself at the same time as he danced and hopped about. This continued for several seconds, until there was nowhere left to run as the Avabot had his back against the wall.

      "That's right!" said Red Metonot as he got ready to stomp upon Whooper. "Your days of dancing and making me look like a fool are OVER!"

      Before his feet could crash down upon Whooper, Grey Metonot slammed into Red, sending them tumbling into a gang of Mutant Grundos. Whooper, sensing that he had been saved once again, continued to jump about the heads of the Grundos, causing confusion amongst the ranks.

      "Get off of me, you stupid Kau!" said Red Metonot as he kicked Grey Metonot into some surrounding Grundos, knocking them out in the process.

      "It would seem you are incapable of being reasoned with," said Grey Metonot, "so I'm going to have to beat it into you."

      "You wouldn't stand a chance, pipsqueak!"

      "Come on then," said Grey Metonot. "Hit me."

      Red Metonot screamed with rage, kicking out his back feet into Grey Metonot's face. He flew up into the ceiling with a loud crack, and fell down to the floor with the same effect. And he got right back up.

      "That the best you can do?" laughed Grey Metonot as he quickly got back to his feet. "Jacob can get harder than you."

      "Shut up! Jacob is nothing to me! You hear me!?! Nothing!"

      "Really? Prove it to me then."

      "I WILL!" and he rushed at Grey Metonot horns down.

      And Grey Metonot clashed horns with him, and used the momentum from Red's body to throw him over his shoulder into the wall. While he was stunned, Grey Metonot quickly ran over to him and put him in a grapple hold.

      "If you have any sense left in that head of rage, you will listen to me!"

      "Let me go!"

      "Aren't you tired of being angry? Look around you! Has any of this chaos made you any happier?"

      "I don't care!"

      Grey Metonot replied by slamming him into the wall.

      "Stop being a baby and think. You do realize what me and the other Kaus are, right? We are you!"

      "Shut up!"

      "I know you can't help being angry, as that is what you are, but if you stay this way for much longer, the only thing you are going to be IS angry, and happiness isn't included in that. I should know, as I AM our happiness."

      "What do you want from me?" said Red Metonot, finally calming down a bit.

      "I want you to help us fend off these Grundos after I let you go, as we won't be able to do it on our own. And realize that if you don't, we will never be put back together again, and we will each be as miserable as Blue Metonot. What is it going to be?"

     ********

      On the outskirts on the battle that was being waged, Judge Hog fought against a never ending tide of Mutant Grundos. For every one that he knocked aside, two more would replace it. If it kept up for any longer, even his strength wouldn't be enough, and he would be overwhelmed.

      Relief came in the several Grundos being thrown in the crowd from behind him.

      "Did I miss anything?" asked Jacob as he slung a Mutant Grundo off his shoulders. "Sure hope not. I found some nifty tools while on the way here," and he brandished a pair of blasters we swiped from Garoo's elite guards.

      "Be careful with those! They are not toys!"

      "I know. That's why I'm using them to make people dance," and he began firing at the feet of the Grundos, who began hopping about. While they were off balance, he knocked them aside and fired at a new set of Grundos. This strategy coupled with the might of Judge Hog soon had them both running deep into the ranks of Grundos, until they both caught sight of the fighting Metonots.

      As Jacob had hoped, they were not in much need of help, and could take care of themselves. Yellow Metonot continued to run about the feet of the Mutant Grundos, Blue was still kicking and screaming, Grey fought ever on, and although White looked a little injured, he continued to duck and dodge with the aid of Whooper. The only Metonot unaccounted for was-

      "HEY!" said Red Metonot. "It's about time you got here!"

      Before Jacob could defend himself, he was knocked against the floor, Red Metonot, pushing him to the ground.

      "And here I thought you were undependable. Now help us fight!" and jumped back in the fray. Jacob was stunned to say the least, as he was sure he was going to receive a whooping like last time. Whatever caused the change, he was glad, as Red Metonot packed quite a punch.

      Quickly picking back up his dropped blasters, he continued to fight against the Mutant Grundos, who were now beginning to flee seeing that it was a hopeless cause. As the numbers began to thin, Jacob happened to notice a figure running away, one which he recognized immediately: Dr. Sloth.

      "Manage without me!" Jacob called back after the Metonots and Judge Hog. He easily broke through the small ranks of Grundos before him and was soon on a dead run towards Dr. Sloth. A quick fire to his feet was all it took and Sloth fell over, followed soon after by Jacob who pinned him down.

      "Get off of me!" said Dr. Sloth.

      "I don't think so," said Jacob as he rummaged through his pockets. "I've been waiting to do this ever since I heard you escaped from your invasion of Faerieland. Now you will know true suffering!"

      And Jacob brought forth his weapon of torture, something he knew Sloth wouldn't be able to stand: His Feather Tickler! If there was one thing Sloth hated, it was being happy with glee when he wasn't doing something evil.

      "For all the suffering you have caused!" cried Jacob, and he began to tickle Sloth's neck... and Sloth didn't laugh. Instead, he kept trying to struggle, as if he didn't feel the Feather Tickler at all. "Why aren't you... hey, wait a minute!"

      Jacob put back the Feather Tickler in his coat pocket and poked rather forcibly at Sloth's head. Like he thought, the head popped off with an electric snap and rolled a few feet away, and the body stopped thrashing.

      "I should have figured you'd use a robot clone to work your guise here at the Space Station," said Jacob with disgust as he got up from the ground. "That explains why you allowed Metonot to get so close to you. If you had nothing to lose save another clone, it was worth the risk."

      Kicking the lifeless body one more time, Jacob looked over his shoulder at the dwindling battle behind him, being taken care of the five Metonots and Judge Hog.

      "Well, all that's left is clean up," sighed Jacob. "May as well get this over with. The sooner we get back to the lab, the better."

     ********

      Several hours later, Jacob, the Metonots and Judge Hog were sitting inside a debriefing room within the Space Station's security headquarters. Word of their heroic deeds were being kept from the populace of the Station, as it was uncertain if they would accept Red Metonot as a hero, seeing as he also destroyed so much of their community.

      Not only that, but if word got out that Garoo had managed to escape once again, fear would only be escalated.

      "I can't believe you let Garoo slip through your fingers!" said Red Metonot. "You had him by the ropes and you let him go!"

      "I didn't have any rope to tie him down," said Jacob as he scratched his head. "If I went on a search for rope, I wouldn't have been able to help you guys and Hog."

      "And I think it's worth noting," White Metonot interjected, "that you were helping Garoo the whole time, and therefore had a better chance to take him more than any of us."

      Red Metonot looked grimly at White Metonot, but cooled down when Grey patted his shoulder.

      "Either way," Jacob sighed, "I don't see why my blasters had to be confiscated."

      "They weren't yours to begin with," said Judge Hog. "Nor were they Commander Garoo's. Most likely stolen from a shipment being delivered to the security force. I'm sure they will be glad to have then back."

      "Even so, having those would have be nice... Metonot could have used them well in the Battledome."

      "No!" cried out Yellow Metonot. "Not the Battledome!"

      "Quit your whining!" said Red Metonot. "You can't stand to be in the Battledome? Fine! I'll take your place. I'm not afraid of anything."

      "And if we manage to come back together again, you or he won't have to be," said White Metonot with a sigh.

      "Speaking of that," Jacob said to Judge Hog as he got to his feet, "I was wondering if you could pull a few strings and let us head back to Neopia. We have some business to settle with the Lab Ray Scientist."

      "I would recommend you stay behind," Judge Hog said. "That Scientist is a crafty one, and you would do better to have me along."

      "He's right about that, Jacob," added White Metonot.

      "Even though it isn't logical, I still want to go," said Jacob. "I have a feeling Red Metonot is getting anxious to move." Red Metonot grunted in reply.

      "Very well," said Judge Hog. "Just be careful with him. He is not someone to be taken lightly."

      "Will do, Hog. Thanks for all the help." Jacob bowed before he turned away.

To be continued...