Mechanid World - The Green Cyclone Part 1

Part 1: Cleaning

Miss Eloise’s Home for Children. AKA Last Stop Shop as the kids inside referred to it. The kids that fell through the cracks, the mechanids and huminids, no one wanted or just couldn’t get placed.

Kids of all ages resided there, from infants to teenagers. Some had been there for a few days, some for their entire lives.

Ripslinger stood beside his secretary, Kelly, about to head in. “You sure this is a good idea?”

“Of course.”

After the Wings Around the Globe Rally incident, Ripslinger had to lay low. Many people were outraged when details of what he had done during the race got out to the press. His secretary, the only person who could reign him in sometimes, had arranged for him to do some charity work, to prove that her employer wasn’t a monster. That he was trying to make up for what he did.

Ripslinger gulped a bit. He was rarely nervous but he never did well with kids.

“Go on…”

They headed in…. and nearly got rammed into by a couple of kids running by. “Whoa!”

“Hey I’m walkin’ here!” one of them yelled with a distinct Brooklyn accent.

“Go back to Jersey ya bums!” another screamed.

Ripslinger rolled his eyes, wondering if he was ever that bad as a kid. “Pheh, typical New Yorkers, even as kids…”

Kelly shook her head. “Try not to bite anyone.” She teased him a little as she went to find the administrator.

Ripslinger looked around while he waited. He could make out some flyers in the kids that were playing. A few took off into the air or floated when they ran as they picked up speed.

A few minutes later, some caregivers were trying to round up the kids as Kelly hurried over, handing him a sharpie and a stack of posters. “Here.”

Here we go…

The kids lined up to get autographs from the racer, some of them asking him a few questions… A few of which were cringe worthy to him.

“Where’s Dusty?” One girl asked. “He’s MY favorite.”

“He uh… couldn’t make it.” Ripslinger lied signing his name quickly. “Sorry…”

“Do you have a girlfriend? Is THAT your girlfriend?” Another kid asked pointing to Kelly.

Kelly had to excuse herself to laugh. Ripslinger turned red. “Uh… No. She’s my secretary.”

“What’s a secretary?”

“It’s someone who does stuff for me and helps me make choices at times.”

In another part of the orphanage a young boy was just getting up from a nap. He yawned rubbing his eyes wondering what all the noise was about.

He opened his door nearly getting mowed over by his roommate. “What’s the big deal?” He asked mid yawn. “Wha’s all the noise about?”

“There’s a real racer here signing autographs!” His roommate Tommy exclaimed with a large grin. “Go get one Matthew!”

Matthew scrunched up his face at his full name. “It’s MATT and who is it? El Crophopper or something?”

“No… Go see!”

Matt looked out the door eyes widening. “No way… It’s… It’s…” He ran over skidding to a stop just behind the girl in front of him.

“There you go-”

“RIPSLINGA!”

Ripslinger looked up to see the kid who had said this and grinned. “What he said. You next?”

“Yes please!” Matt cheered, bouncing in place a little, blowing some of his black hair out of his eyes.

“Alright.” Rip got a poster ready. “Here, hold this up so I can sign it right. Your name?”

“Matthew Damien, born on six, six, six!” He said proudly.

Rip chuckled signing. “Alright, I’ll put that too. How’s that sound?”

“Awesome! Thanks Mr. Ripslinger! You’re awesome!” Matt smiled, looking at the poster eyes lighting up. “This is the best day EVER!”

He smiled. “Anytime kid. Go find a good spot for that.”

The nine year old nodded and ran off. “Yahoo!”

Kelly giggled. “Well he seemed pretty happy.”

“Yeah…”

One of the caregivers smiled. “He’s a big fan of yours sir.”

Rip raised an eyebrow. “How big of a fan?”

“Well look at his clothes… He tries to dress like you….That’s how much he looks up to you.”

… Great, a kid looks up to me and I was SO not a good example during the last race… He thought mentally cringing.

“Got it…”

They all jumped hearing a loud crash and seeing Matthew chase after another boy.

“GET BACK HERE!”

“HE’S GONNA GET ME WITH KETCHUP! HELP!”

The caregiver facepalmed. “Excuse me, I have to reign in the trouble maker. MATTHEW!” She chased after the boys. “Put it down!”

Kelly shook her head. “Well I see the resemblance.”

Rip gave her a look. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Anyways...That was the last one…”

“C’mon, I wanna talk to you outside.” They headed out, Ripslinger glancing back to see Matt and his roommate getting scolded… Matt didn’t look like he regretted anything.

… 666 huh?

------

“This seems to be going well for you.”  Kelly commented, as they stood outside. “You’re a lot calmer too.”

“The kids aren’t so bad…” Ripslinger shrugged a bit, surprised at how well it was going as well. “Just hope I can start entering races again soon.”

Kelly laid her hand on his shoulder giving him a sympathetic look. “You’ll get there big guy, just got cleaning to do.”

“Yeah… Just hate being grounded.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

She smiled. “It won’t be forever… And don’t forget one day soon you gotta bury the hatchet with Mr. Crophopper.”

Kelly laughed as Ripslinger visibly paled. “Rip! It won’t be that bad!”

“Oh it will be. I can already see the wrench his mechanic will chuck at my head!” He exclaimed eyes wide.

“That’s why you got me.” She winked. “I’ll protect you.”

Ripslinger laughed. “What would I do without you?”

“Hm…” She pretended to think for a moment before smirking. “Be a hobo?” She nudged him playfully.

He grinned nudging her back. “The prettiest hobo on the streets!”

“Darn right you would be!”

The two shared a laugh as they started to walk off.

“Maybe you could do more work here…”

“Maybe…” They glanced back at the building before rounding the corner.

-----


A couple of weeks after, Matt had gotten into more trouble… But it was surprisingly one of his “good days” when the real trouble began.

An older boy, a car mechanid, wandered into his and Tommy’s room looking through their stuff. The two nine year olds looked to each other and cringed knowing they were going to lose something of theirs.

“I’ll take this.” The boy said starting to unpin the poster Rip had signed for Matt.

Matt felt his eyes go wide. “No, no, no! That’s not for gives!” He ran at the boy pulling him back throwing his weight back in order to leave the poster hanging. “He signed it special!”

“Oh yeah?” The older boy threw him to the ground. “What’cha gonna do about it?”

“Don’t go nuts Matt!  I heard he ripped a guy’s thumbs off!”

HIS THUMBS!? Matt didn’t know if he was going to believe it, but he decided his thumbs were important.

“Yeah, thumbs!”

The smaller plane growled before lunging, throwing a punch into the boy’s stomach as hard as he could. He yelped leaning forward.

“Why you little-”

WHACK!

His head snapped up when the boy delivered a right hook to his jaw.

It was deadly silent as he slowly lowered his head glaring at the black haired boy. “You… Are gonna… DIE!” He screamed giving chase, Matt took off running.

“AHHHHH!”

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU!”

The caretakers on a typical day would’ve broken it up by now, but being tied up quite literally when trying to pull apart two teenage plane mechanids who were trying to take off and take them with them, it was easier to get out of the building and onto the streets.

Matt’s heart bounded in his chest as he ran, looking over his shoulder. He floated off the ground a little every so often but didn’t get any air. He never learned how to fly. He could just float a little but not actually get any air.

And that he realized, may be his downfall.

“GET BACK HERE! I’LL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF AND SELL IT ON FLYBAY!”

MY HEAD!?

Matt ducked a grab at his hair rounding a corner.

THUD!

“Oof!”

‘Ow!”

The two who collided with one another looked up. One had a confused look on his face, the other a look of desperation.

“Kid?”

“SAVE ME!”

Ripslinger was surprised when the boy launched himself at the racer. He caught him and steadied him as he got to his feet. “Easy now… What’s up-”

“THERE’S THAT BRAT!”

Matt ducked behind the racer. “He’s gonna rip my head off! He ripped a guys thumbs off!”

Ripslinger raised an eyebrow, not believing it, but decided to do a bit of a scare tactic. “Oh he did, did he?” He glared at the kid. “Then why haven't you done time? Would you like to tell that to the cops?”

“I’m already doing time, I gotta live with THAT scrawny brat!”

“I’m not scrawny!” Matt growled.

Ripslinger stayed between the boys, giving the one in front of him a look of death. “Well if you’re ‘already doing time’ then you won’t mind if I call the cops-”

The kid took off running.

“Hmph! Good riddance!” Matt scoffed.

“Coward.” Ripslinger muttered. The racer turned around and knelt to Matt’s level. “You alright?”

“I’m fine…” He nodded. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.” He ruffled his hair a little. Matt laughed trying to get his hair smoothed back down, only to have it messed up again.

“Hahaha, hey! Stop!” The boy chuckled.

“Got ya!” Ripslinger grinned.

“That tickles!”

“I know it does!”

The two laughed as Ripslinger let up, Matt smoothing his hair down. “Silly.”

Ripslinger chuckled. “Maybe. So what made that kid so ticked at you?” He asked, wondering what it was all about. He knew Matt was a mischief maker, he had seen it himself.

Matt frowned lowering his head. “He wanted to take my poster you signed special for me…”

Ripslinger frowned as well, squeezing his shoulder. “Hey… It’s just a poster…”

“But my hero signed it.”

“Kid….” Horrible role model you picked kid… Ripslinger stroked his hair a little. He had visited the orphanage a few more times since the first time, so he wasn’t a total stranger to the boy.

Matt nuzzled his hand a little, smiling a bit. “Hee.”

Ripslinger smiled, standing to full level, scooping him up into his arms. “C’mere you!”

“WAH!” Matt squealed hugging him, laughing. “Hey!”

“Gotcha!” He hugged him back.

The boy smiled curling up a little, he could hardly believe where he was. He was talking to his hero, and hugging him! If he died tomorrow he could die happy at least.

“Kid… Make me a promise okay?”

“Okay… What is it?”

“Don’t get a huge ego, don’t do what I did during my last race…” Ripslinger went over to a city bench sitting, setting Matt next to him. “I got so blinded…” He sighed looking at the sky longingly. He had time to reflect and think on what he had done, not to mention Kelly nearly murdered him for it.

Matt gulped a bit.

“I was willing to hurt someone… To kill them because of fame… Don’t ever do that, okay?”

“I promise I won’t… But can I still look up to you?” He asked hopefully. To him it didn’t matter, he didn’t see that side of Ripslinger as far as he was concerned, he was still the racer he looked up to.

Ripslinger’s eyes widened a bit. He didn’t expect that. He thought the kid would tell him how “mean” it was what he did, or point out he could’ve done something different.

“S-Sure?”

“Yay!”

He ruffled the kid’s hair, not minding when Matt threw his arms around him, he kept one arm around the boy keeping him close. “Heh…”

“You’re awesome.”

Kelly was rounding the corner talking to a reporter when she spotted the two. “Oh look!”

The reporter’s eyes got wide at the sight. Ripslinger, sitting in casual attire and hanging out with a kid? That was a first. They started snapping pictures. “Is that his kid?”

“No, from the orphanage he’s been volunteering at. Looks like he could be his little brother though, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, the resemblance is uncanny.” They zoomed in on the two’s faces snapping another picture.

This one Matt did notice as he whined trying to hide his face.

Ripslinger shook his head, bringing him into his arms. “Hey it’s okay kiddo.”

Matt rested his head on the racer’s shoulder. “Okay…”

Thankfully for Ripslinger and Matt’s respective ego’s, they didn’t hear Kelly and the reporter awwing a bit at this.

“That is really sweet.”

“Yeah… He’s coming along.”

“Let me know if there’s more to it.” The reporter nodded before leaving.

Kelly nodded before making her way over.

“Hey, trouble.”

Ripslinger rolled his eyes smirking a bit. “Hey yourself.”

“I see the mini you is having fun.”

“Mini Ripslinger?” Matt blinked.

Ripslinger chuckled. “Suppose so.”

The boy smiled hugging him. “Yeah!”

Kelly giggled. “Aww…”

Ripslinger ruffled Matt’s hair eliciting a laugh from the boy. He tried smoothing his hair down only to get it messed up again.

“Hey!” He squealed.

Ripslinger chuckled before setting the boy down. “So Kelly, what’s with the reporter?”

Kelly grinned. “Nothing~”

“When you say nothing that always means trouble for me.”

His secretary gave a fake hurt look as she pouted. “When have I ever steered you wrong?”

Ripslinger hummed in thought. Kelly was usually right about things and as much as Ripsinger hated to admit it some days, he really wished he had listened to her during the Wings Around the Globe.

Just focus on doing your best ignore, Crophopper.

And he didn’t listen.

“... Actually, when I don’t listen to you is when trouble starts.”

“Exactly!” She grinned.

Ripslinger turned to Matt. “Remember this kid, no matter what if your secretary is right about a LOT, don’t doubt her.”

The little boy nodded quickly. “Okay… But I thought she was your girlfriend.”

Both Kelly and Ripslinger turned bright red at this.

“H-Hey!”

“Kids… Say the darndest things.” Kelly giggled before checking her phone for the time. She frowned a bit. “Say, it’s getting late… Better get that kid back home before it gets dark.”

Ripslinger nodded and gestured for Matt to follow him.

He lead the way back, surprised when Matt insisted on holding his hand the entire time. This wasn’t the way he was acting earlier. He studied the boy’s features noting his head was bobbing every now and then.

He’s exhausted.

“Aww… Poor kid.” Kelly murmured before heading in first to let them know that they were just bringing Matt back after something happened.

Ripslinger picked the boy up into his arms, cradling him a little. Matt yawned curling up a bit using his shoulder for a pillow. “I got you…”

“Can we hang out again…?”

“Of course…” Ripslinger looked around quickly before shifting the boy in his arms, so he had a free hand and pulled out a business card. “Kelly always makes me carry these suckers around. Here..”

Matt looked at it blinking before taking it and reading the words. “A phone number…?”

Don’t know why I’m doing this… But the kid’s gotta have another way of keeping busy… Or he might get beaten up for real next time…

“Yeah… For my home phone, if you need anything, even if it’s just to talk out a bad day… It’s okay to call.”

“Thanks…” Matt pocketed it hugging the racer a little tighter nuzzling him a little. Ripslinger’s gaze softened stroking his hair a little.

One of the caretakers came over. “Thank you for looking after him… The boy who chased him off has been dealt with… His roommate and your secretary explained.”

“Hey, anytime… He wasn’t trouble.” Ripslinger replied handing him over. Matt was half asleep and barely noticed. The caretaker was genuinely surprised at hearing the last part of Ripslinger’s sentence.

Matt was a mischief maker, he took pride in the pranks and mayhem he could cause in just one afternoon. They frequently blamed his birthday alone for part of it, given the superstition around the number it added up to.

“W-Well thank you again.”

The racer nodded as he and his secretary started to head out. Ripslinger turned his head a bit. “Night Kid.”

“Night Rip…” Matt tiredly called back.

He smiled a bit before heading out.

Kelly nudged him with a grin. “That was cute.”

He blushed a bit. “Heh…