By Your Blade (Loonatics)

5 Down, 1 To Go

"No no no!! Stop! Release them!!" Tech begged. Sam sighed, then signaled them to uncuff them. Immediately, they ran towards the coyote. "Tech!! I can't believe my eyes!!" Lexi yelled. She ran up and hugged him. "Lexi.. Ace. You're... Alive." He said, standing still from shock, not even hugging back.

"Tech... You've been with the ravagers this whole time?!" Ace said. "When I went into hiding, I knew I had the knowledge to take care of myself. But still as a Loonatic, I wanted to help the people. So, I joined the ravagers. People with no homes." He explained.

"Well would ya look at that.. Looks like we all are still who we were." Lexi said, happily. "Enough of this crap. Take the to your lab and don't disturb me again." Sam said, then swayed them away with his hand. Tech walked out with the two rabbits, and took them into his lab.

"Even in hiding.. You still have to take up half the damn place for your lab." Ace joked. "How else would I manage?" Tech laughed. "Let me show you something." His smile faded. They walked to a corner of the room, with the same cylinder tube. As he opened it, they stared at his old, torn suit in shock.

"I kept this, to remind me there was still hope left in the world. And hope, that maybe you were all still out there somewhere." He sighed. "Do you even know, where the others are Tech?" Lexi asked. "Well, yes and no. I know exactly where Duck and Slam are. But I haven't seen Rev since... That day." He said sadly. They all knew Tech and Rev were the closest.

"So then, where are Duck and Slam at?" Ace asked. That question made Tech have a destroyed look. "I'll take you to them.." He sighed. That worried Ace and Lexi. As he led them out of the lab, he went toward a big metal door. Then, he scanned his eye, opening the giant sliding door.

They walked in, hearing nothing but howling and hissing. "Tech.. What is this place.." Lexi said, partially freaked out. "Here, we call it hell. This is the prison for our insane and dangerous ex-ravagers. Who have murdered, raped and gone off the deep end." He said in a darker tone.

"So then.. Where are Duck and Slam.." Ace said, afraid Tech was gonna say they were now criminals. "This way.." He said, as he pointed to a partially lit area. It had two cages on the far wall. Only two.

"These two cells, I designed myself. And I alone, can activate and deactivate." He said. Then, they saw a big brown fuzzy creature in one cell, and a duck staring at them darkly, in the other. "Here they are... The old Loonatics.." He said sadly. "W-what happened to them..?" Lexi asked, about to cry.

"Neither of them could take it. They were traumatized, after The Fall of Acmetropolis. They began going crazy as seeing things. Becoming more dangerous, the more severe it got. So against my will, I had to lock them up." Tech said, as he brushed away a tear from his fuzzy cheek.

Ace just stared at the two, with a distressed look. "How long have they been like this..." He said, with a heartbreaking expression. "A year now.. It kills me to still see them like.. Wild animals." He said sadly. Then Ace thought for a moment without speaking.

"Get them in cuffs. Bring them out into an open area." Ace then said. "What?!" Tech and Lexi both said in confusion. "I'm still the leader of The Loonatics. So what I say, goes. Get them out here." He said sternly. "... Gotcha Chief." Tech said blankly. "Go out into the commons. I'll get them." He said. Ace nodded, then they both left the small prison and Tech.
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They waited an hour and a half, until they finally heard the roaring and claw sound get louder. They were in a big inside open arena-like area. People were gathered to see what would happen, as Ace and Lexi stood in the middle.

Lexi could easily hear the whispers about them being surprised and happy the Loonatics were alive, and finally out of hiding. Even whispers saying they were crazy what they were doing. As the crowd of people died down, everyone saw a giant beast and a duck get taken into the arena by Tech.

He chained them to a wall for a moment, the walked over to Ace. "I hope you know what you're doing." He sighed. "Trust me. Now, you and Lexi gather around with the others. This is gonna get messy very quick." He said.

"WHAT?! No way! You can't take these two alon- "Lexi! That's an order." Ace said, then threw off his cloak, revealing a his scratched up armor. "Shield." Ace blankly yelled, as someone in the crowd threw him a triangular shaped shield. "Alright Tech, this won't last long. Hit it." Ace said, ready.

Tech sighed then nodded. He pulled out some kind of pistol, then shot the chains. Immediately, two two Loonatics went straight for Ace. He took a fighting stance, then waited patiently. As Duck fired his orange eggs, Ace reflected them with his shield, with them hitting Duck back in the face.

As Slam ran at him with his sharp teeth ready to chew into his flesh, Ace got the shield ready in a backhand motion. As soon as Slam lifted off the ground to dive at him, Ace backhanded him right in the jaw with the shield, throwing him to the side.

But he knew it wasn't that easy. He saw Danger get back up, and charge at him. He dropped the shield, ready for hand to hand combat. Which, he mastered to near perfection over time. As Duck threw the first punch, Ace went under it, and uppercut him right in the jaw.

But, he wasn't paying enough attention to Slam. He came back at Ace, and slashed his back with his claws. "AAAHHHH!!!" Ace yelled in pain. He felt the coldness of the air hit the blood in his back. He quickly turned and roundhouse kicked him into the wall.

Now, they were both down. "Anyone else..?" He said like a smartass. He then walked over to Duck calmly, as the crowd of people went quiet. He picked him up by the neck, with everyone thinking he had intentions to kill the duck. But, he just shook him back awake.

"Wake up, Duck. Now." He said sternly, then dropped him on his back. Danger's eyes suddenly opened, no longer red with psychological problems. "A-ace..?" Duck said, as his eyes opened. His vision finally got clear, as he saw the stern looking grey rabbit.

"Yeah, it's me. Cmon get up." He slightly smiled, then helped Danger up. As soon as he was on his feet, he immediately hugged Ace. "I knew you were alive!!" He said in joy. "Good to see you too Danger. Now, let me take care of the big guy." "Big guy?" Duck questions.

Ace walked away, then walked toward Slam, who was out cold. But as soon as he was over there, Slam slowly stood up. Ace was ready for another round, so he got ready to reach for his sword. But when Slam looked at him, he had an excited smile. "LEADER GOOD!!" He said happily, then also grabbed him into a hug.

He slurred his words as usual, as he expressed his happiness. "Y-yeah that's nice.. Can you p-please let me d-down now..!" He said, feeling his back get crushed. "Oh my god... He actually did it." Lexi said in disbelief. "He really is our leader." Tech smiled.