[Mushverse: seeking Ninja Storm rangers~?]

[navyshockproof]

The thing about being a professional racer with a contract is that you never really think about the little things.

Like, I've been racing on Kawasakis, Yamahas and Suzukis for... basically my entire life. I could rebuild any one of them (and them some) from the ground up in less than a day.

And I've been enrolled at a super secretive ninja school for... about as long, really. I mean, I was adopted right into it.

Yet it had never clicked in my head that all the best bike manufacturers were in Japan.

Until I had the plane tickets in my hand for an exhibition ride in Japan, that is.

Mostly it was to show off some of the specs of the newer bikes coming down the factory line. And that's fine, I can ride anything with two tires and a throttle. And I'm popular on the circuit, I'm one of the biggest names on Factory Blue's bill right now.

Beyond that, I was beyond ready to accept the excuse to leave the goddamn country.

I need space. To think, I think. Or something.

I need to get away from my brother.

For the first time in my...

Entire life.

Comments

[scottishheartofblue]

Now, Flynn knew they were technically supposed to be there to do work for Dr. K (and look for the missing Tenaya), but when he heard about the exhibition race, he couldn't not find an excuse to attend.

Plus, Tenaya could totally be at the race, right?

At the moment, Flynn was just wandering, getting a look at some of the bikes getting ready to race and missing Summer like crazy.

[navyshockproof]

Mostly Blake does his own repair. He knows the bikes as well as anyone, and while Factory Blue was doing great in America, they couldn't exactly justify the expense of sending a whole pit crew to Japan for something as... frivolous as an exhibition race. There wasn't really any direct money to be had in it. At best, Blake might earn a few Japanese sponsors.

Except the bike he's supposed to be on the track with in an hour is not cooperating at all.

"Shit." Blake flung his wrench to the ground, and after a moment gave it a kick, just to show it who was boss.

Not helping, with the whole tension bit.

[scottishheartofblue]

The tell tale sigh of a wrench hitting the ground with frustration was like a beacon to the Scot, though the tool hitting his boot a moment later didn't hurt either. He turned around and headed toward the biker in blue. Definitely couldn't go wrong with the color.

"Aye, need a lil help, do ya?"

[navyshockproof]

Blake looked up at the words. Heavily accented, sure, but not the accent he was growing used to, from his translator or any of the people around him, fans and he like, that were interested and had at least a passing knowledge of English. He'd held a lot of stilted conversations since arriving in Japan, but this was different.

He looked around at the source of the voice, and grinned, if awkwardly, at the newcomer, who was obviously not Japanese.

"Normally it's no problem." He said as he clambered to his feet. "But the bike is fighting me every step today. Hi," He offered his hand to the stranger. "Blake Bradley."

[scottishheartofblue]

Flynn had had a feeling the guy wasn't from around here so hadn't even tried any of the Japanese he'd managed to learn, especially since with his accent, no one could under his tries anyway.

Walking closer, Flynn rubbed his hands together as he got a good look at the bike. "I know how it is. Some days, they just don't want to work with ye. Mind letting another mechanic have a go?" Though he did shake the offered hand. "Pleasure ta meet you Blake. Flynn McAllister."

[navyshockproof]

"Awesome to meet you." Blake insisted, giving Flynn's hand a good shake.

He stepped back then, spreading his arms and laughing a little. "If you think you can fix her without hurting her... Well, I'm not gonna complain, you know?"

[scottishheartofblue]

"Don't worry. I'll have her good as new in just a shake." Flynn knelt down and started poking around until he found the root of the problem. "Here we are. Got a screwdriver a few wee size bolts?"

[navyshockproof]

"Of a lamb's tail?" Blake asked curiously, recognizing the turn of phrase but amused to hear it in Japan of all places, never mind with a... Scottish? Accent. "Sure."

He retrieved the requested items (though he's just guessing on what 'wee' meant) and deposited them in Flynn's hand.

"Maybe I'm just too close to the problem?"

Story of his life, really.

[scottishheartofblue]

"Aye, you've heard it." Flynn just flashed up a quick grin before getting back to work. "I had to downplay the sheep puns or Scott was going to kick my arse. Not a fan of Scottish humor."

Apparently they were the right size as Flynn kept working, replacing some bigger bolts with the smaller ones and adjusting things here and there. "I think that may have been the case. This is one nicely upkept bike and the problem wasn't all that difficult to find."

[navyshockproof]

Blake smirks at that idea, taking a few steps back from the bike and planting himself on the ground to watch the unfamiliar mechanic at work.

His skill reminds Blake of Perry, which makes him uncomfortable for a moment, but this is Japan, after all. And Blake hasn't had access to his morpher in... a while, yet. It's nothing, just a lingering unease. He shakes it off and grins to himself, appreciating the irony instead. "Scott doesn't like Scottish humor. Nice."

He nods appreciatively at Flynn's assessment. "Thanks. I don't do everything, though, just most of it. Thanks for your help. I've gotta get her on the track in..." He checks his watch, "About forty minutes. Less, if you could manage it?"

[scottishheartofblue]

Flynn just happily kept working, moving from one thing to the next, occasionally asking for tools or reaching for them in they were in reach. "Scott has an odd sense of humor to begin with. I blame him being in the military."

"No worries at all, mate. This is the kinda stuff I like to do and it helps someone out, all the better. To be honest, it's nice getting to work on a bike that's not clogged with sand." Not that that was Summer's fault but with the Wasteland so close, sand in engine parts was a common problem for all the RPM machines. Especially the Fury, but he wasn't going there.

"Give me another twenty and I should have ya in tip top shape." He pulled a rag closer and used it to clean out a bit of oil. "Your American then, aye? Here for the race?"

[navyshockproof]

"Yeah, that might explain it." Blake allowed, but he still can't help but smirk at the unintentionally irony anyway. He's not sure whether he'd find Scott's sense of humor odd, anyway.

"Well, hey, if you're having fun, no problem." The reference to sand is curious, but Blake lets it slide. He's not the type to pry, even of the idea of a guy who is obviously from Scotland having issues with sand-clogged engines is a little... odd.

"Twenty is good for me!" Blake laughs and stands up to pace a bit more while Flynn walks.

"Uh, yeah, American. I'm here for the exhibition. Gotta show off for the manufacturers, you know?"

[scottishheartofblue]

Flynn was just talking as he worked. It helped him concentrate, especially since he was used to all the commotion around the garage when he was working at him.

"Who do you race for? And what are you doing here on your own? If you are looking for manufacturers sponsors, should ya have a team with you?" Flynn didn't know a lot about how racing worked before Venjix but he had a pretty good idea.

[navyshockproof]

The genial chatter coming from the Scotsman as he worked was more appreciated than he'd ever know. It was a nice distraction, after all.

"I'm a rider for Factory Blue." He said it casually, unsure if the stranger would recognize the brand. "I'm not technically on my own, they just couldn't really afford to send a whole crew out with me for something like this," He spread one arm in a wide gesture, indicating the entire track and the circus going on around them. A circus Blake was very soon going to be a main attraction at, if he had anything to say about it anyway.

"If I pull any sponsors after this exhibition, it'll just be a bonus." He admits with a shrug. "Mostly I'm just here to show off the bike."

[scottishheartofblue]

"Factory Blue?" Flynn paused for a moment as he tried to think if he'd ever heard of the team name before. He didn't think so but then he'd never followed motocross except passively. And then, well...it hadn't really mattered. "So not a big team then? Still, good on you mate. Riding for any team means ya have to be pretty good!"

He chuckled as he went back to work. "Here you are to showcase the bike and it let's you down. Ain't that a sorry predicament." He made a few more adjustments before looking up at Blake. "Let's see if we can't make you the belle of this ball, shall we? Rev it up so I can see what else needs doing."

[navyshockproof]

"Big enough," Blake wasn't really offended but he felt he had to defend his company. It was more than just his livelihood, after all. "But, yeah, I'm good." He never thought it was worth the time it took to be humble about something he was legitimately pretty awesome at.

"Yeah," He grinned and approached, swinging one leg over the bike, bracing himself, starting her up and giving the throttle a few turns. "Well, you're doing better than I was already."

[scottishheartofblue]

"I'm looking forward to the race. Will be nice to have someone to root for." And Flynn really was. It had been a long time since he'd been able to see anything close to a race that wasn't another event in Dillon and Scott's ever constant game of one upmanship.

Though to be honest, he probably would have rooted for Blake anyway. Got to go with the rider in blue.

"Just had to sweet talk it a little. They love the accent, ye know?" He winked up at Blake playfully before giving his attention to the bike, watching how it worked while powered up. "Alright, I think I see what needs doing. Kill the engine again."

[navyshockproof]

"Hey, thanks." Not that Blake needed validation from strangers, but it was nice to think that he was going to have at least one friend in the crowd of people who spoke a language Blake had always had trouble with, despite being a ninja.

"I bet that's it. Makes as much sense as anything else." He chuckles and lets the engine die, but stays straddled across the seat for the moment.

[scottishheartofblue]

It was always nice to have a friend around, especially in a strange country. "No worries!"

Flynn reached in and removed a part, adjusting a few bolts on it and cleaned it off with a rag before replacing it at a slightly different angle. "Alright, I think you'll be all set now. And just in time for the race!"

[navyshockproof]

Blake grinned, nodding and reaching to shake the mystery mechanic's hand. "Thanks a lot, dude, seriously, you're a god send."

The bike is practically purring under him when he starts it up again and he can't help a little whoop of excitement. He really does love racing.

"I'll see you after?"

[scottishheartofblue]

Happily shaking the Blake's hand, Flynn shook his head. "No need to thank me. It was my pleasure. Now, go win that race!" He added with a happy chuckle at the whoop of joy from the rider. That was why he did what he did.

"I think I can stick around after." He said good naturedly even as he meant it. "We can celebrate."

[navyshockproof]

"I'll do my best to make sure I live up to that promise." Blake gave Flynn a wink and a nod before shoving his helmet on and making for the gate.

The race is going incredibly well, Blake's leading the pack by a few lengths and generally making himself and the bike look good. He has a feeling he could probably swing this Flynn a spot on Factory Blue's pit crew, if he wanted it.

Up until the monster comes clanking out on the track, right in his path.

And here, Blake thought he had left all that long behind.

[scottishheartofblue]

On the sidelines, Flynn was cheering his Scottish butt off for Blake, glad to see the bike performing perfectly for him!

But the moment the monster was spotted, Flynn was going in the opposite direction of the rest of the crowd, jumping the fence and sprinting towards Blake and the monster. "Blake! Get out of here!" He called as he moved to pull his morpher out of his pocket.

[navyshockproof]

Blake brings the bike around to a skidding stop and manages to leap clear before it topples over and pins him. Not that he couldn't throw it off, but better to avoid the possibility of a broken leg or even a twisted ankle in the face of a monster.

As he tosses off his helmet (which is probably a bad idea, he could use the protection after all, oh well) he throws a glance around for a moment to make sure the civilians are all retreating.

And most of them are. Screaming their heads off. Monster attacks must still be in vogue in Japan.

But Flynn, Flynn is running right for him.

Blake raises one arm to shout at Flynn to run, but then Flynn cuts him off with the exact same sentiment, reversed.

"Huh?"

[scottishheartofblue]

"Let a Ranger handle this creep!" Flynn said as he got in between Blake and the monster. He wasn't about to let this creep hurt anyone.

He put his engine cell in his morpher and sent out a quick alert to the other Ranger Operators for backup. He was about to morph...when he realized Blake was still there. "Go on, get out of here!"