Chapter Text
It's another fine weekend in Fair City, when a certain citizen screams around town with a frantic voice.
"Heeeeelp! Tobey's robots are going to attack the city if Wordgirl doesn't accept his challenge to a Last One Standing Match this afternoon outside Fair City!" Cries out the Exposition Guy.
"That's our cue, Bob. Word Up!"
Not far form the outcry, Becky Botsford A.K.A. Wordgirl, The hometown hero bravely accepts the challenge and flies through the outskirts of Fair City to find his location where their skirmish will take place. She has sworn to take down the evil boy genius and his robot army before he could even attempt to seize Fair City.
Wordgirl and Huggyface arrived at a wide tropical dry forest where a certain boy genius stood. Unknown to her, she was about to learn completely different from the usually predictable behavior of the supposed evil boy genius.
"Tobey!" Shouts out Wordgirl.
The young inventor mentioned, is currently attending to his robot, making some final adjustments and scribbling on his notepad. Upon hearing his name, He turns around to greet his admirable love interest.
"Wordgirl!" Exclaims Tobey. "I'm actually surprised to see you, my dear!" Says Tobey, placing his hands on his chest as if it became lighter.
Wordgirl points at the villain. "You were threatening to destroy the city, of course I'm compelled to take your challenge!" She makes a fist in front of him and resumes on her speech. "...And I'm here to make sure that..."
"Hold on... Tobey interrupts. "How did you know where I was, and my brilliant scheme for that matter?"
"The Exposition Guy, of course!" Says the heroine proudly.
Tobey's jaw dropped at the heroine's reply. "But.. I haven't told any guy! I haven't told anyone! This is a secluded place! And I'm barely finished with my calibration!"
Wordgirl and Huggyface blinks in disbelief. "Really?" The boy genius just nods back.
The Lexiconian scratches her head, even though she has a helmet. ”Well, that was awkward..."
"Why that busybody!" says Tobey with his hands on his waist. "One of these days I must simply know how he does it!”
But Wordgirl doubts him nonetheless, "Anyyyyyyywayyyyy!" Continues Wordgirl, resuming her pose. "I'm gonna make sure that you and your robots will... wait a minute."
With a troubled look, she turns her head around, then suddenly leaves Tobey as she surveys the area. From the vast, flat and dry terrain, and steep mountainsides, with minimal vegetation and fauna, there are no presence of the evil boy genius' robot army. Baffled, she heads back to the young inventor.
"Where are the rest of your robots, Tobey?"
"Most of them at home. I only brought one for this occasion."
"Seriously? Are you sure they aren't hiding somewhere?" Says Wordgirl suspiciously.
"Well some of them are, deactivated. But it's an irrelevant information that has nothing to do with..."
"Aha! You must've lured me here so you could attack the city secretly without me noticing! Let's go, Huggy!" She turns back and head for the city.
"Wait!” Tobey waved his arms rapidly to catch the heroine's attention. But it was too late. She zooms away from MacCalister leaving a yellow with reddish glow of trail behind her.
Tobey lets out a sigh. "Might as well finish my fine-tuning...”
She flew around Fair City, seeking every block and corner for any sign of Tobey's gargantuan robots, but to no avail. Not even their shadow. Not even the seismic tremors from their colossal feet can be heard. All the buildings and structures where the residents occupying are in good condition. She does find a few robbers and needy citizens that she instantly dealt with along the way. Oddly enough, the Fair citizens themselves didn't go panic-stricken, even after the Exposition Guy's early warning. Probably because no follow up from Tobey's robots ever came after.
Unsuccessful, she and Huggy returns to the rendezvous point where she left him. Tobey was writing more notes with his back facing Wordgirl, is already feeling vexed.
"Umm... Sorry about that MacCalister." Says the Lexiconian with an embarrassing facade. "What were you saying back then?"
"That I would resort to underhanded tactics? How uncharacteristic, my dear. I'd much prefer to see you in action up close." He puts away his materials and turn around to face Wordgirl, having completed his robot's settings. "Now then, could you please settle down so I can explain my proposal, before you abruptly depart from me again?"
Wordgirl and Huggy didn't want to waste any more time and effort to prove Tobey suspicious.
"Alright, MacCalister. Tell us what you're up to."
"Very well." The young inventor pushes his glasses inwards as he repeats the same explanation given by the rumormonger. "As you might have already known, I, Theodore Tobey MacCalister III, issue a challenge to you Wordgirl, the undefeated hero, against the contender of my choice in a 'Last One Standing Match'. As the title suggests..."
"The last one standing wins, I get it. What happens if you win?”
"I'm all just for bragging rights, my dear Wordgirl. But let it be known after this bout, the world's most formidable boy genius, shall finally claim his victory over Fair City's Champion...” He places a hand on his chest. ”...And then win her heart for sure!."
"Blegh, how nauseating!" Says Wordgirl with a face of disgust.
"Hmph, Though if you win, the title would rather be uninteresting. Regardless, It's a simple enough condition.”
"And what about your robots? You mean you won't send them to destroy the city afterwards? Whatever the results?"
"Mind you, I was only planning them to lure you here, when that stool pigeon beat me to it." Nevertheless, accept my challenge, and you only get to face one."
"And how would we know you won't resort to cheating during the match? I wouldn't be surprised if you rigged this entire place either...”
"Ugh.” groans the boy genius. "Seriously my dear, you have accused me quite enough. I do not have ulterior motives of some sort! But for the sake of sportsmanship, I shall allow your anthropoid here to be our arbiter, assuming he is unbiased. However, should he interfere during our match in any way, you lose!"
Wordgirl and Huggy looked at each other and whispered to keep MacCalister away from their discussion.
"Calling me outside the city limits? And wants nothing more than to fight me with his robot? This is probably one of my easiest battles ever!"
The sidekick shrieks at her partner.
"No sweat, Huggy, this is hardly a skirmish. It's more like a training exercise!"
The sidekick replies with another shriek.
"Don't worry, Huggy. This won't take long." says Wordgirl as he approaches the villain.
"How about it Wordgirl? Afraid you might lose this time?"
"Are you even self-aware of how many countless robots of yours I have taken down all these times! How would one more prove a significant difference!"
The boy genius lets out a smirk. "My dear Wordgirl, my name may not be Tony, but I certainly learn from my mistakes. Today, you would fathom the masterpiece I have undertaken so far. Behold, your challenger!”
Tobey only brought a single robot in battle, but asserts himself that it is one of his best amelioration. It is similar to the generic ones that typically destroy buildings but this prototype stood only thrice his height. The boy genius considers this a strategic decision: He made it compact and agile by adding density and mobility to the robot's structure, in contrast to the humongous but slow and brittle material he generally mass produce. The unit appears tinted with gold instead of just typically galvanized.
Wordgirl gently drops down Captain Huggy Face near MacCalister before the fight commences. "Just give the ten count on whoever stays down.” says Tobey.
"Are you ready, Tobey?" says Wordgirl as she hovers in front of his robot from a safe distance.
With a proud face, Tobey responds. "This time, I'll defeat you for sure!"
The monkey sidekick quietly observes from the sidelines as he gives the signal to begin.
"Alright, gimme what you got!"