Hi everyone! Usually it's Nozomi or Protocol here to talk about the upcoming episode but not this time! You get to talk with good ol'Dragoon! Now, I'm having a bit of a problem. Rai's in a rut because of Nozomi's growing relationship with Protocol. He feels like...he's not welcome in the relationship. The summer festival is this week and we're going to try our best to get Nozomi to like us again!

Battle Yuke Yuke!

Episode Nine: Dragoon's Lament

"Rai-kun!!" Nozomi knocked on the door that led to Rai's bedroom. "Rai-kun come on! Wake up!"

Inside the bedroom, Rai continued to sleep and dream of girls and robot battles. When he heard his foster sister pounding on the door, he opened his blue eyes and rubbed them tiredly. Dragoon, resting beside his bed, shifted into his humanoid form from his key chain form. "Rai...come on, wake up." He looked to his partner and gently prodded him with his finger. "Come on sleepy head."

"Getting up." Rai replied, sitting up. He was clad only in a pair of shorts and nothing else on. When he saw the doorknob begin to turn, he panicked and launched himself at the door. "Don't come in!" He yelled.

"Oh come on Rai-kun. It's not like I haven't seen you wearing short before..." Nozomi scolded him. "We've been to the beach together." She backed away from the door and said quietly, "It took me a whole two weeks to convince you to go."

Rai sighed. "What do you want anyways?"

"The summer festival is this week! Today is when they give out goldfish if you win that game the have. Oh come on Rai-kun, you've got to take me! Come on!" Nozomi pleaded from the other side of the door.

"Nozomi-chan...I..."

"Yeah?"

"I have to work."

The reality hit her like a cold bucket of water. She then remembered that during the summer holidays, Rai always worked. She sniffed lightly and her fists clenched and unclenched. Nozomi wanted to be kind but at the same time she felt betrayed. "F-Fine! I'll...I'll just have Protocol take me! You can just go to work for that ramen shop like an idiot! I don't like hanging out with you anyway!"

Rai heard her footsteps as she ran from the door. Taking a deep breath, he stood up. The footsteps were heard again and the door was kicked loudly. "Take that!" Nozomi yelled before running away again. A sweatdrop dangled off of his head as his head and shoulders slumped.

"She hates me...doesn't she?" He asked Dragoon.

"You're putting the job before her again, aren't you?" Dragoon asked back, his hands on his hips and his head cocked to the side. "It's a bit obvious isn't it?"

Rai reluctantly nodded as he opened his dresser, retrieving a pair of brown slacks and a long gray t-shirt. "Come on, we have to get going." He said to Dragoon who turned back to key chain form. Clipping him onto his belt, Rai walked out of his room and down into the kitchen.

Miyako looked over to him from the table. She sipped at her tea and had a bemused expression on her face. "I do wish you'd try to hang out with Nozomi-chan more." Miyako pointed out to her son. "She's a growing girl you know."

"Yeah...I noticed..." Rai lamented as he drank from the carton of orange juice. "What time is it anyway?"

"About ten-thirty...why?"

"Oh for..." Rai left the carton on the counter and ran to put is shoes on. "I start in a half hour...Oh...Nozomi-chan couldn't have woken me up sooner could she?" He complained loudly. "I'm leaving now!"

"You're fired!"

"But...But..." Rai couldn't think of a thing to say to his 'former' boss. "Hiroyoshi-san...give me another chance! I can be on time! I just have some trouble at home that's all!"

"It's something I don't need at my business, Rai," The older man, a bit round and lacking of hair, looked at him with a warm expression. "You're a good kid. But I can't have this on the job. You might not have noticed but we all have. You're distracted."

Rai bowed quickly. "I'm sorry...I'll go now..." He turned and left the shop, Dragoon walking behind him.

"Well...that sucks." He muttered. "Now what am I going to do?"

"You can take Nozomi-chan to that festival now!" Dragoon mentioned, tugging at Rai's shirt in the direction of the festival.

Rai looked in the direction of the festival but his feet never moved. He was suddenly unsure of himself. How would he explain to Nozomi what had happened? He didn't even have a job now. What money he had, he needed to save it. Going to a festival and spending it was in no way helpful. He looked down at Dragoon who stared back pleadingly.

"I don't want Nozomi-chan to hate us," Dragoon said quietly, his gaze turning to the ground.

"Then we can't waste time here can we?"

Dragoon looked up at Rai. "I can find a job somewhere else, I just have to work hard at it. Let's go Dragoon!"

As the two ran down the street to the festival, they noticed that something was strange. People were running away from the festival. Worry tugged at his heart as he ran faster, Dragoon was beside him readying his weapons. Up ahead at a goldfish booth, Blue was trying to throw a ping pong ball into bowls of goldfish.

Rai was confused as he skidded to a stop. Why were people panicking about this? Dragoon tugged his arm again and pointed ahead. Now he knew why people were running away. Protocol was duking it out with Red. Blue had only taken a time out to...win a fish? The man at the goldfish contest trembled with fear.

"Hey you!" Rai pointed at Blue. "Get away from him!"

"Protocol may be busy with Red but you won't get away from me!" Dragoon swiped the air in front of him with his hand and pointed at Blue as well. "Come on!"

Blue sighed and turned to look back at Dragoon. "You're serious? You...heh...fight me? You're nowhere near Protocol's power level, forget it!"

"Forget this!" Dragoon dashed at Blue and punched his face. Blue stepped away from him and rubbed his faceplate.

"You call that an attack?" He chided with a laugh. "Barely a scratch." Blue responded by punching Dragoon. The other robot was sent flying into another booth.

"Dragoon!" Rai shouted. Dragoon shook his head and rubbed it.

Now...Now I understand Rai. You want to be Nozomi-chan's older brother but no matter how hard you try, you fail. Now that someone likes Protocol shows up and becomes the one most important to her...It's unfair, isn't it? I want to be strong like that. I want to protect her too.

Someday I will beat you!

Dragoon leaped up and dashed again at Blue. The other robot shrugged and stepped to the side, Dragoon whizzed by. He had a plan though. Dragoon planted his lance into the ground and swung around on it, kicking Blue in the back and into a nearby cotton candy stand. The other robot sat up, blazing with fury.

"You...you caught me by surprise...Damn you!" He yelled, letting his chopper wings form. "I'll kill you!"

Dragoon's eyes widened as the robot flew down at him, his chopper wings reflecting sunlight off of them. Blinded, he didn't know where to turn. He barely heard Rai yell his warning and was swooped up in Blue's arms. "Dammit!" He cursed, pounding on Blue's shoulders. "Let me go!"

"Really? Let you go?" Blue looked confused almost which in turn confused Dragoon. He looked down to the ground, the were flying over the beach now. "Okay!"

Blue freed his arms from underneath Dragoon's. The SpearJumper plummeted toward the water at an agonizing pace that to him was slow but was fast to others. He closed his eyes, readying himself for the impact. However, he was caught by someone else.

He opened his eyes and saw Protocol's face. "What? What are..." He began.

"Dragoon-san, strength doesn't come from fighting alone. It comes from fighting together." Protocol explained to him as they glided to the ground.

"That's...pretty good to say. How'd you..."

"Well, Nozomi gave me this fortune cookie and it was written on it." Protocol pulled out a piece of paper from his arm pack. Dragoon sweat dropped as they landed on the ground.

"They got away didn't they?"He moaned.

"Yes but," Protocol looked toward Nozomi who was standing beside Rai. The two humans were running toward their robots. "They are unharmed."

"Mm, guess you're right on that one. But," Dragoon playfully punched Protocol's shoulder. "Next time, I'll beat you."

"Hm? What do you mean by that?" Protocol cocked his head to the side, confused at the statement.

Dragoon rested his hand on Protocol's shoulder. Rai was still not at ease with the fact that Protocol was starting to take his place. Dragoon was just realizing that he could be easily replaced. It doesn't matter though, he thought, we'll all have our special place within each others hearts. Rai needs time to realize that.

Daijobu.

A/N: Not as great as my other chapters but I'm trying to defeat the ultimate enemy that is writer's block. In response to a recent review, yes I have checked that story. And you kno what? I don't like it. I'm sorry. I don't. I write my stories to be quick, easy to read and fun. I don't want to write a story that takes paragraphs to tell you what shade of hair a girl has okay, thank you. Everyone has their own particular style of writing and frankly, if you don't like my style than don't read it. Consider the flipping audience. Some readers want quick and easy to read and I'll provide that.

Thanks Chi-chan for giving me that support on-line!