Loonatics Unleashed:

"Faux Hunt" part 1

(This story is prior to "The Music Villain.")

Rated T for reading level.

Disclaimer: Loonatics Unleashed and related Characters and Elements are trademarks of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The door leading from the command room slid open. A very distracted Tech rushed into the main living area of Loonatic Tower obviously coming from his main lab situated through the far side of the the briefing room.

"Let's see, now," Tech muttered to himself. The coyote busily punched in programming on a device similar in appearance to the Loonatic communicator only mounted on the opposite arm. "A number of phenomena seem to interfere with Rev's internal GPS. Like water vapor when he couldn't distinguish between clouds and cloud monsters when we first encountered Weathervane or certain cloaking technologies as when he couldn't detect Black Velvet's dirigible. Hopefully this bio-signature scrambler will do the same for me."

In his preoccupation, the coyote genius cut across the living room, running afoul of Slam on his way to the couch nearly spilling the devil's large bowl of popcorn. Even though it was still in the morning, Danger had turned on the TV to catch the daily weather report, and if the Tasmanian devil was going to watch TV, he was going to have popcorn along with it. Lexi looked up from her magazine and called a warning as Tech also veered into their leader, although it was unclear if it was to warn Ace or Tech.

Even so, the coyote nearly knocked Ace off his hover meditation pad. The yellow toned bunny only saved himself an undignified dump by jamming his guardian strike sword into the floor as a support. "Eh, what's up, Tech?"

"What? Oh, nothing." Startled from his concentration, Tech finally looked up at his teammates. He continued adjusting the bio-signature scrambler. "Its just . . . uh. If you see Rev . . . then you didn't see me!"

The four Loonatics stared dumbfounded as Tech ran to the elevator. The lift doors no sooner slid shut behind him when the command room door opened again.

"Tech-E.-Coyote! When-I-catch-up-with-you-I'm-going-to-kick-that-bushy-tail-of-yours-so-hard-it'll-be-in-traction-for-a-month! . . . even-with-your-molecular-regeneration!" Rev zoomed into the living room toting what looked to be a cross between a fat, round laser rifle and a bazooka. The new neuron net ionizer was similar in effect to Electro J. Fudd's net launcher, except instead of an actual net coated with a power inhibiting jell, the metallic blue launcher shot out a purely electronic power dampening web. An angry scowl etched the roadrunner's face that was usually reserved for villains. None of his teammates had ever seen the roadrunner quite so peeved.

The rest of the team was stunned. First Tech and now Rev came barreling through. The force of Rev's speed spun the hover meditation pad around and around, flinging Ace off to fly across the room to land on Lexi. The two toppled over onto Danger who jostled Slam just as the Tasmanian devil was about to sit down. Popped corn flew everywhere.

"Where-is-he!?" Rev demanded swinging the launcher around to cover the living area, trying to get the object of his irritation in his sights. "Where-is-that-devious,-two-faced,-conniving,-son-of-a-desert-wolf?"

Ace raised a brow, then cocked a thumb over to the elevator. If the two were feuding again, it was best for them to just get it on and get it out of their systems. It only made the inevitable confrontation worse when they let it ferment. It wasn't like he was betraying Tech, anyway. The Loonatic leader never said that he wouldn't point Rev in the right direction.

"Try down," Danger advised, taken in by the fallacy that the natural predator was always in the wrong. The comedy duo's little tiffs were always fun to watch from a distance, but he had no desire to experience Rev's indignation on a personal level.

"Now dat's something ya don't see every day," Ace commented as Rev zipped out in hot pursuit of Tech. "Da roadrunner hunting down da coyote."

" kkrrnkkrrn gblaakkrrn playing rougher," Slam commented. With Tech getting out of the lab more and becoming more physical and with Rev becoming more assertive, the two had their minor clashes . . . as well as their not so minor ones.

"Ya t'ink so, Slam?" Ace asked.

"Ppptttt yeah," Slam replied. Both being primarily carnivores, he and Tech had started going out to eat more often. With increased familiarity, he noticed the difference in the scientist. The purple toned Tasmanian devil started drooling as he remembering the last place they dined. Tech chose a fantastic Brazilian restaurant where they had over 20 kinds of meat that the waiters served sewered on swords right to the table.

Lexi pushed Ace off her lap, then stood and nodded her agreement with Slam. "Rev and Tech are fighting more . . . a LOT more. I remember having to break up an argument when the three of us stayed here while the rest of you escorted Tweetums back to his planet. I had to grab their beak and muzzle and send them to opposite sides of the room. Tech had looked chagrined, but Rev had looked smug."

"Ho, ha, ha! And don't forget the time when Tech tackled Rev and they had a regular knock-down, drag-out fight over who would be in charge when the rest of us went on vacation." Danger chortled. There were also the numerous times they insulted each other like when Tech mocked Rev's discussion on knots when they faced Adolpho or when Tech simply pinched shut the runner's beak to stop him from yodeling. But the brawl was the best. "Though by the time we got back from Apocalypso, their little spat was over."

Remembering all the fun of having a 'ring side seat' for the duo's tiffs Danger quacked over to the elevator. No way did he want to miss this!

Slam's eyes widened in surprise. "Rrhhngrrhhng Misty Breeze?"

"Rev and Tech won't wait. I'll catch Misty on the rerun."

Orange Triangle.

Assorted booms and bangs guided Ace, Duck, Lexi, and Slam as they followed the collateral damage to the roadrunner and coyote. A rumble followed by dust and minor debris raining down on them set the four Loonatics running to catch up.

"Nothing like a nice romp through da base ta get da old blood pumping," Ace commented as they ran. The Loonatic leader sprinted faster. They had to catch up with Rev and Tech before they brought down the whole tower.

"And this is NOTHING like a NICE romp through the base," Danger retorted. The mallard was starting to regret skipping Misty Breeze after all. With his shorter legs, he was having a hard time keeping up with the two fleet footed lagomorpha. Slam swirled by scooping up Danger with him. "You'd think those two would at least have the decency to tell us where they are. Then I could just quack in."

A loud screech of metal rent the air and the Loonatic quartet skidded to a halt outside the main virtual training room. From the sounds of it, their two feuding teammates were within.

"Come-out,-come-out,-FRIEND,-and-let-me-show-you-what I-think-of-your-latest-PROJECT. I-know-you're-here,-Tech,-and-there-ain't-no-way-no-how-you're-getting-past-me!" Rev sidestepped an attacking hologram with a blur of speed that left the solid hologram crashing into its neighbor. The speedster didn't move far from his chosen post. "You-are-in-trouble,-mister . . . deep!"

"Agreed." Though Tech managed to stay hidden in the streets and buildings of virtual China town, Rev kept an annoyingly close cover of the room's exit. Even the huge, slathering reptilian monstrosities that the coyote programmed into the simulator didn't deter the roadrunner. It had seemed like a good idea to use the virtual trainer to slow down Rev, but now he was trapped.

"Eh, what's up, docs?" Not having gotten a satisfactory answer the first time around, Ace decided to try again. The yellow toned leader of the Loonatics cut off his inquiry as he found himself the target of one of the draconian holograms. He drew his guardian strike sword and leaped into a downward strike even as the rest of the team was sucked into the impromptu battle simulation.

A tight frown etched Tech's muzzle as his teammates unwittingly came to Rev's aid. Lexi dropped into a kick that sent hologram enemy after hologram enemy into Slam's spin cycle while Danger temporarily disoriented the attackers with every kind of egg he could produce while Ace took them out with his sword. Rev dashed between Lexi and a trio of holographic draconians, and Tech smirked. Perhaps the added confusion would work to his advantage after all. At least now Rev was further away from the door. The coyote edged toward the exit.

Seeing his rival dash for the door, Rev brought up the experimental neuron net ionizer. "Oh,-no-you-don't,-Tech! If-you-think-that-you're-getting-out-of-here-in-one-piece-then-you-have-another-think-coming . . .."

Rev's threat was cut off by a loud backfire as he pulled the trigger. The misfire threw the roadrunner from his feet. Luckily, the virtual landscape opacity was set to only 40 so Rev broke through the the simulated restaurant wall without serious injury.

Tech threw himself to the ground, winding himself in the process. The electronet splatted against the wall above him, forming a glowing spiderweb network over the door. Tech rose to his feet and picked up the launcher that Rev dropped in the kickback. He deactivated the net then set about adjusting the gun's firing charge to be less explosive. Upon hearing Rev stirring in the rubble and recovering his breath the coyote startled, dropping the gun again, and took off running.