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A Farewell to (really long triple-jointed) Arms

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A Farewell to (really long triple-jointed) Arms

Notes

Episode published on Wednesday 6th of February, 2008.

The second of my "spectator entries" (hope you're catching on to the lingo by now), following my win in round 1.

I wanted to keep Gregorovich on my side. This is a perk to winning, it's generally accepted that (with the permission of your defeated opponent, preferably) any defeated characters may suddenly ally themselves with the person/people who beat them...whether their incentive is money, endorsement, advertising or sheer mutual gain. Tenk rather graciously lent me Greg for a while. According to TVTropes, these partnered characters are called "tagalongs".

Also, Dr. Alba was quite right, Ralph's rain gun was quite juvenile compared to the chap who had managed to sneak a full-power laser gun through on the technicality that it's purpose was for "mining" (that seems to be a fairly familiar excuse, eh?). And then there's the sign I threw in there for "no assassinating", referring to one of the other round 1 entries, which had been rather abrupt and...er...graphic, to say the least. Not that I hadn't liked it, I thought that it was an awfully direct and frank approach to winning! Shame it lost, but then it wouldn't have been fair on the other competitor if it hadn't, I suppose.

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Transcript

TITLE: A Farewell to (really long triple-jointed) Arms

PANEL: Gregorovich, having lost round 1, sits on a set of stairs looking depressed. He's face is on his hand, which leans on his leg via his elbow. He exhales heavily.
Gregorovich: *Sigh*

PANEL: A concerned Dr. Gyrode appears to Gregorovich's side, which annoys Gregorovich. The dialogue is in English but is flagged as being translated from Russian.
Gregorovich (in Russian): What do you want, old man? Come to gloat or lecture me some more, I bet.
Gyrode (in Russian): On the contrary.

PANEL: Gyrode sticks out his right hand, surprising Gregorovich.
Gyrode (in Russian): I came to offer you company, comrade.

PANEL: Gyrode keeps his hand held out in front of him.
Gyrode (in Russian): You fought well, with passion that burned as bright as the fires that took Stalingrad. And the Gigil is truly a masterpiece of private engineering. Please, I have vodka. Let us talk of mecha, Mother Russia and the state of the Soviet Union.

PANEL: Gregorovich smiles and places his hand in Gyrode's.
Gregorovich: ...Thanksch.

PANEL: Silhouetted by the setting sun, both men walk towards the horizon. Gregorovich points at Gyrode, who seems confounded by the news Greg gives him.
Gregorovich: ...Yoo do know that der Sovee-et Yoo-nyun wasch deesolved een 1991, right?
Gyrode: WHAT!!?!

PANEL: Inside the MTX building, Ralph walks down a corridor. He's halted by a voice from behind; it's Dr. Alba looking frustrated, following him down the corridor with a finger raised. Ralph looks annoyed.
Narrator: Meanwhile...
Dr. Alba: Dr. Smiffington!
Ralph: Dr. Bird, what a pleasure to see you again.

PANEL: Dr. Alba admonishes Ralph. Ralph turns to face her and beams an innocent smile at her, his arms open in a gesture of "what, me?". On a nearby wall is a sign which is a symbol of a person firing a machine gun with a red line through it. Underneath is another sign which reads "NO ASSASSINATING".
Dr. Alba: I just want you to know that the stunt you pulled in your first round is still unacceptable in my book, and that the rules have since been tightened on use of weapons not attached to the mech, as well as those regarding the manipulation of the atmosphere or environment.
Ralph: Not just because of little old me, I hope!

PANEL: The conversation continues. Ralph looks off to one side and rubs his chin with a finger in thought at what Alba is telling him.
Dr. Alba: I also want you to know that you and your ethically-challenged Russian friend didn't sway me at your audition. In fact, I argued against letting you both into Steel Nation, but the final decision was made over my head.
Ralph: Really? Now that is interesting. We have a friend "upstairs", eh?

PANEL: Alba adjusts her glasses. Ralph smiles smugly and gestures at himself with a thumb.
Dr. Alba: I honestly cannot see why you'd be wanted here, but it is out of my hands.
Ralph: It must be my raw animal magnetism, it has this effect on people, you see.

PANEL: Alba walks past Ralph, continuing down the corridor. Behind her Ralph sticks out his tongue, gives her a middle finger with one hand and the V's with the other.
Dr. Alba: You think that you're clever, Dr. Smiffington, and yet of those contestants insisting on bending the rules during their matches, your schemes are just juvenile pranks compared to theirs. Good day to you.

PANEL: Ralph's eye spins as he addresses the audience, grinning evilly with a finger raised.
Ralph: Juvenile? I'm just warming up! THEY HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET!
Narrator: To be continued...