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…WOW. Jet was not kidding.
Today was the day the Babylon Rogues would teach Ashley how to effectively use her Extreme Gear. A couple days ago, she and the rest of the Neos encountered this flock of birds at Metal City, where they may or may not have used Jet’s pettiness towards Sonic against him, making him agree to give the leopard some lessons.
The location he told her to meet them at was Music Plant. It wasn’t difficult to get there; all it took was a train ride.
And Ashley was expecting the place to have a musical theme. But definitely not to this extent.
The place was essentially a music-themed amusement park. The sky was pink (don’t ask her how), there were music notations in the air, pianos that you could jump into which’ll bounce you out of the other side (Ashley learned that the hard way), trumpet horns which looked like they acted as chutes and flew you out the other side, flutes which blow airs out of their holes that could send an average person flying, and cymbals on the ground, walls and ceilings.
Was that a lot? Well, sorry. This place is just that bizarre.
The leopard had found a bench where she could wait for the Babylon Rogues at. They didn’t give her an exact location to meet up in, so they shouldn’t blame her if they can’t find her.
“Oh. Great. You’re here.”
Ashley looked up in the air. Up there were the Babylon Rogues, slowly descending to the ground with their Extreme Gear.
“Not gonna lie, I figured you wouldn’t show up,” Jet said upon making contact with the floor “Didn’t think you were so serious about this.”
She stood up from the bench. “”Course I am. You chose one hell of a place for our first class, by the way.”
Storm glared at Ashley. “First? As if we’re gonna do this again, you puny tiger!”
“...not a tiger, dude.”
“He’s not wrong. This isn’t gonna become a daily thing,” Wave told her, with a hand on her hip. “Unless we actually find this worth our time.”
She looked the leopard up and down. “I will admit, though, you definitely look way more prepared than last time.”
That she did. Unlike the first time they met, Ashley was able to get an outfit prepped up specifically for riding Extreme Gear. She was wearing purple shades, a red fleece jacket with yellow zig-zag stripes, dark blue gloves and pants, and yellow sneakers with black laces. And of course, she had the Neo Diamond Cutter armband where her robotic arm is.
“Oh, yeah! This time I have an outfit ready,” Ashley said, putting her hands on her hips. “Pretty cool, huh?”
“I said you looked like you were prepared,” the swallow bird huffed. That’s it.”
…the others thought I looked cool, though… Ashley pouted.
“Alright, alright. We’re not here to yap; we’re here to learn ,” Jet snapped her into attention. “Grab your Turbo Star and follow us. We’ll be going upwards, but surely you can’t suck at that.”
Storm guffawed while Wave wiped her beak, and they all got on their Extreme Gear, floating up.
Remember, you asked for this, Ashley sighed, getting on her board and following them.
-
Thankfully, following the Rogues was a breeze, aside from Ashley getting wobbly at some points.
And when they stopped, Ashley saw that they were behind the entrance of a trumpet horn.
“So… one of the most important things about riding Extreme Gear…” Jet began. “...is looking snazzy while doing so!”
“...what.”
“You think I’m kidding? In an actual race, it’s mandatory that you show off a little! Really helps get the crowd immersed,” Jet continued.
Ashley still looked confused, but Wave stepped beside the hawk.
“I know this sounds like it’d just be for attention - and it is…”
“Hey!”
“...but it does help you out in the long run. When you stick the landing, it really keeps the flow going,” she said, ignoring Jet. “Since you’re new to this, we’re not expecting you to go all out on your first run. Just simple flipping and spinning on your board will do.”
Gripping her board, Ashley gulped.
“That makes… a little sense, I guess. So what are we…?”
Jet smirked and pointed at the flute. “You’re gonna go in there on your board, shoot out of it, and do as many tricks as ya can!”
Just like that, the leopard was lost again. “Wait… isn’t that gonna burst me into the sky?!”
“Um, duh! What are you expecting it to do?”
“Okay, well, like, can’t we just start with tricking off a simple ramp or something?!” Ashley desperately asked.
“Nope. Not enough air time,” Jet told her. “It’s this or nothin.’ Did you want us to train you or not?”
Ashley frantically looked around at him, Wave and Storm, who were growing impatient.
“...okay. Fine. You’re right.” Ashley let go of her board, and hopped on it as it hovered in the air. “Just give me a second to prepare myself-”
“Storm?” Jet snapped his fingers.
“On it, boss!” Storm immediately replied, grabbing Ashley with one hand and her board with the other.
“Wha-?!”
And then he ran her up to the entrance.
“WaitwaitWAIT I’M NOT REA-!”
Ashley pleas were cut off as she was shoved inside. The Babylon Rogues could hear her crashing and tumbling, before she was blown out by the horn.
“There ya go! Now style on ‘em!” Jet called.
It seemed that Ashley didn’t hear him, though. She was flipping in the air, her whole body holding onto the board and screaming for dear life.
“Style on ‘em, huh?” Wave snickered.
The birds heard a WHOOOSH sound, and found that Ashley had “landed” successfully on the other side, getting a small boost before stopping completely. She opened her eyes, looking at the platform beneath her.
“Wait, did I… do it?” she asked herself. “Hey, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be!”
On the other side, Jet just sighed. Humble beginnings, I guess.
“Alright, come on back!” he called, cupping his hands around his mouth. “We’re gonna go over something else!”
But Ashley’s confidence was through the roof now. “Hang on! I wanna try something!”
Before any of the Rogues could say anything, still on her board, she jumped off the platform.
“Hey-!” Jet started. But he stopped when he saw that Ashley was actually spinning as she was descending.
“Woah, look at that tiger go!” Storm exclaimed. “She’s a fast learner!”
Unfortunately, Ashley didn’t stop in time, so once she landed, she swept herself off her board and faceplanted.
Jet grumbled to himself and facepalmed, Storm looked confused, and Wave just laughed.
Weirdly enough, it wasn’t as much of a mocking laugh as it usually was.
-
After that stunt, the Rogues and Ashley were standing by the edge of another platform. Except this one had a grind rail on it.
“What we’re gonna do next should be pretty straightforward,” Jet instructed. “Just grind on this rail without losing your balance!”
Ashley leaned forward and looked at the rail, which was going downward, until it straightened itself out at the end and led to a ramp, which seemed to be meant to stop your momentum, like a halfpipe. Not to mention they were pretty high above ground level.
Who designed this madhouse?
“This is… a HUGE step up from Metal City’s skatepark,” Ashley shuddered.
The hawk scoffed. “No shit! That place is only good for showing off your skills, not learning them! The learning process there is way too slow!”
“He’s right. They have it easy nowadays,” Wave agreed. “You don’t even want to know the crap we went through learning how to ride Extreme Gear when we were mere kids.”
“If we’re going to teach you, you’re gonna learn OUR way!” Storm told the leopard. “Not all that sissy stuff your little group teaches you!”
“Okay, okay! Message taken!” Ashley said, backing away from Storm. “...either way, grinding was what I failed at the most last time I trained.”
The Babylon Rogues stared at her.
“...you can’t be serious,” Jet said.
“Look, there was no grinding when I first had to use these!” Ashley retorted. “I didn’t even realize you could do that until the skatepark!”
Wave scoffed. “...you know what, get on your board.”
“Huh-?
“Get. On.”
The leopard gulped and quickly did what she was told. Before she could ask what they were doing, Wave jumped up on her own board, positioning herself right behind the leopard.
“When you grind on a rail with a board like this, the most important thing is to maintain your balance. Now spread your arms and legs.
Ashley blinked, but spread her arms and legs out.
“Maintaining your balance isn’t just rocking your board back and forth to not fall off, though,” the swallow bird continued. “It’s also about body language. First things first; are you right-handed or left-handed?
“Um… I’m ambidextrous, actually,” Ashley responded.
“Well, for this example, you’re right-handed.”
Wave then gently grabbed her robotic arm, and Ashley just looked at Jet and Storm.
“Don’t look at us,” Jet shrugged. “Lecturing people is her thing.”
“Watch it, Jet,” Wave spat, before focusing back on Ashley. “Now, with this hand, grab the side of your board.”
The leopard let Wave guide her arm until she grabbed the board. “Like this, right?”
“Mmhm. And with your left arm…” She took that arm and hoisted it upwards. She hovered back, observing the position. “Yeah, that looks good.”
“...does it? This doesn’t feel like a position to be in when grinding.”
“It’ll make sense once you actually do it,” Wave said, hopping off her board. “...oh yeah, and you’ll be going down the rail sideways. And backwards.”
“...WHAT?! Why didn’t you start with that?!”
“It’s basic knowledge when it comes to Extreme Gear racing,” Storm said, even though the question wasn’t aimed at him.
Ashley sighed heavily. “...fine. Fine. I got this…”
She walked up near the edge of the platform, the Babylon Rogues watching expectantly. She grit her teeth, jumped up, did a 180° spin facing the birds and landing on the board…
And lo and behold, she was grinding on the rail.
“Woah, woahWOAH!” Ashley blurted out as she went down. The hand grabbing her board was way too close to the rail for her liking, yet despite this, she was sliding down with no difficulty. And somehow, it just… clicked with her.
Huh… guess Wave was right! It does make sense when-!
What she forgot, though, was that time doesn’t slow down to let you gather your thoughts. Already on the other side, she swooped up the ramp, slipping off her board and landing on her back.
“Owwww…” Ashley groaned, the Turbo Star landing right beside her.
Meanwhile, back where she started, Storm doubled over in laughter.
“Well, she successfully grinded, at least,” Wave shrugged.
Jet crossed his arms. “Yeah, well, ‘at least’ ain’t enough.”
-
For the next hour, the Babylon Rogues taught Ashley more attributes to Extreme Gear. Drifting, wall riding, going around loops, all that jazz. And of course, there was a lot of fumbling on the leopard’s end.
And after all that, they were back to where they met up. While the Rogues were unfazed, Ashley was panting, and even had a bandage on the side of her head.
“So…” she began, hands on her knees. “How’d I do?”
The birds all looked at each other, and Ashley already knew there was a clear answer.
“Your performance was garbage,” Wave said.
“Puts other racers to shame, even the mediocre ones,” Jet told her.
“Although, it was really funny!” Storm guffawed.
Ashley looked to the side, the sting from those comments getting to her a bit. It was to be expected, though-
“ But. I will admit, there were some glimmers of hope,” Jet continued. “You’re not a lost cause.”
“I’m with him there,” Wave added. “It was definitely better than that sorry display back in Metal City.”
“Yeah, this wasn’t as funny as that,” Storm admitted.
“...oh!” Ashley looked back up.
“Honestly, I was planning to just ditch ya after today, but you’ve piqued my interest,” Jet said. “Same time this Wednesday, Station Square.”
“Straight to the point, huh?” the leopard giggled. “I can make that work.”
“Good,” Jet just said, getting on his board.
“Oh, and uh…! Thanks a lot. Y’know, for agreeing to this,” Ashley said.
The hawk looked back at Ashley for a second before scoffing and turning back around. “Whatever. C’mon, guys, let’s go.”
“You two go ahead. I’ll catch up,” Wave told him as Storm got on his board.
Jet and Storm looked at their mechanic, then at each other. They shrugged, and flew up to the sky.
After they were gone, Wave walked up to Ashley, board under her arm.
“I never got to say this; during our first encounter, I noticed your metal arm. Looks sick,” she said.
Ashley’s ears perked up.
“Oh, you noticed it?” She pulled her right sleeve up, revealing the arm. “Thanks. But I wouldn’t have it without some… allies back at the Restoration’s machine shop.”
Wave leaned in and observed the arm. “I guess I should give them their dues; they did a good job. But how’d you end up with this, anyway?”
“...I’d rather not get into that,” Ashley said nervously, pulling her sleeve back down. “Let’s just say, I made some idiotic decisions.”
Thankfully, Wave didn’t press further.
“You ever thought about upgrading it? I can already think of a few things that can benefit you. Specifically in Extreme Gear racing,” she said.
Ashley grinned. “Funny you say that, cause the machine shop’s chief mechanic wanted me to think of some upgrades, then get back to him with them! And after some training with my team, I have a couple of things in mind. Wanna hear ‘em?”
Wave hummed and smirked. “I guess so.”
-
In Babylon Rogues’ ship, which was parked just outside of Music Plant, Jet and Storm were sprawled on a couch, watching TV.
They heard a door slide open and closed, and Wave entered the room. “Alright, I’m here.”
“Finally!” Jet sighed in relief, getting off the couch, “What have you been doing?! It’s been twenty minutes!”
Wave scoffed. “What, I can’t have a conversation with our ‘student?’”
“Seems like more than a conversation when you’re keeping us waiting this long,” Storm grumbled.
Wave sent a death glare to the albatross. “What?”
“Nothing,” Storm quickly answered, looking directly at the TV.
Jet squinted at Wave. “Don’t tell me you’re already developing a friendship with her.”
“I can talk to people besides you guys, y’know!” Wave retorted.
Offended, Jet put a palm on his chest. “I did not say that. You’re gaslighting yourself.”
The swallow bird just groaned. “You’re impossible!”
“Love you too,” Jet playfully sneered. “I’m gonna go and get this baby in the air.”
With that, Jet walked off.
“Tch…” Wave turned and went in the other direction.
In a way, Jet wasn’t wrong. Maybe a friendship was beginning to brew between her and Ashley.
However, while she wouldn’t say it out loud, skills in Extreme Gear didn’t define the leopard as a person.
It was her perseverance to keep trying.