Resolve

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ZOIDS

Resolve

Raven looked up from the Geno Breaker's cockpit at the fireworks lighting the sky. In all honesty, he was a bit surprised that they would show up this far out in the desert.

The thought of a new year brought an onslaught of overwhelming emotions. The dark haired pilot tipped his bottle and took a noisy gulp of his alcohol. He detested the thought of losing control, but for once he didn't care; he wanted to get wasted. The war was finally over and he was a free man with no one to answer to.

The sound of broken glass turned his attention from the spectacle in the sky to his forsaken home a few meters way. Specula and Shadow were fighting again. One of them had broken a window. Reese would say that they were 'playing', but Raven failed to see how such raw anger and viciousness could be associated with playing. Those Organoids were out for each others' blood.

Raven took another swig, savoring the alcohol's burning affect as it slid down his throat.

If he got drunk enough he could really forget everything.

_Why hadn't Reese returned?_

He hadn't seen her in months. They didn't talk much - as both of their life styles were ones of preferred silence; but from what he had gathered Reese had taken a job as a mercenary. Her services went to the highest bidder. It was of no real consequence to him, a job was a job after all...

What did disturbed him however, was the fact that in this particular case she hadn't taken her blue Organoid with her, and Reese always took Specula when she left on assignment. They were a team, just like Shadow and himself. All the more alarming was that Reese hadn't come back yet. Usually she was gone a couple weeks, up to a month at a time. The money she brought back was well worth her absence, or so Raven had first thought. He wasn't ready to admit it to himself, but in his own peculiar way he was beginning to miss her. The nomadic life style he had chosen had come easily to him, but apparently not so for Reese. The ancient Zoidian thrived on relationships with others. It was what had ultimately led her to her alliance with Hiltz; but now the vile man was gone and all that Reese had was the clothes on her back, the Organoid that was her friend and the Zoid that she piloted.. and him.

Wasn't he enough? Why did she have to keep running?

A strange entourage of static gold lit up the sky and Raven turned back up to watch it.

When Reese had flippantly mentioned her new career move, Raven hadn't cared much about it. It wasn't his business after all. He knew the Zoidian had combat skills. She was a big girl and he knew that she could take care of herself. They had never gotten around to talking about where they stood with one another. It was always a 'come and go - I don't really care about you but I kind of do' sort of attitude. Now he wished that they had addressed the issue more thoroughly.

Reese was what?

_An ally._

He thought automatically. After all, they had fought together in the end.

_A friend._

He could agree to that, if somewhat uneasily. She had stood with him, after all.

If things continued... then what? What would she be then? Should he let them continue?

Raven tipped the bottle and emptied the last of the bitter drink into his mouth. The popping sound the fireworks made was starting to give him a headache.

Yes, things should continue. Since she had come along the loneliness and pain in his heart had slowly begun to fade. Of course, he had always had Shadow, but Reese was different. She was a human. A human girl that was very important to him, he decided. When she got back -

A bright explosion flashed in the sky and Raven was forced to shield his eyes.

If she ever got back. Damn it, where was she?

"Reese..." He mumbled irritably and his head began to swim.

"Yes." Came an automatic response.

At the sound of her voice, Raven whipped his head around, only to smack it into the base bar of the cockpit's entrance support.

"Ugh!" He grumbled in pain, deciding that it would be better to remain still seeing that the alcohol had severely limited his hand eye coordination.

Reese laughed and slid into the cockpit so that she sat on the side lip of the door. The force of her entrance caused their knee caps to hit. Raven glared angrily at her.

"What are you doing? The cockpit is too small for the both if us! Get out!" He stuttered, his cheeks flushing slightly from the alcohol's influence. Reese studied him intently for a minute.

"Are you drunk?" She finally asked. Raven scoffed. She always seemed to ask questions that she knew the answer too. Still, he wasn't going to admit that to her, no matter how obvious his drunkenness was.

"Of course not. Hey -" Reese spotted his empty bottle and swiped it from his hand. After studying the beverage container for a moment, she took a whiff of it and smiled. Raven remained silent. The alcohol was burning his throat and making it swell.

"I haven't seen this before. Have you been holding out on me?" She teased casually. Raven snorted and his throat protested. His eyes started to water.

"No," but his voice was drowned out by the fireworks. He watched them with a scowl. They didn't seem that beautiful anymore... not when there were now more beautiful things to look at.

"Hmmm." Reese contemplated and it took a moment for Raven to realize that he had spoken out loud. Startled by his own words, he shot a confused glance at his companion. Sensing his panic and embarrassment, Reese graciously ignored him and moved the bottle slowly over in her palms. She smelled like cool spice. Raven's nose started to run and he began to feel like a drunken fool. Reese pretended not to notice.

"Do you have anymore of this stuff?" She asked in interest. Raven tried to study her from the side of his eyes. She had cut her hair since he had seen her last. It had grown out to her chin but now she looked more like she did when they had first met.

"Where have you been?" He asked her softly. It sounded like a whine. The ancient Zoidian made brief eye contact with him before she went back to watching the bottle.

"Why? Did you miss me?" She countered in a quiet voice. Agitated by her response, Raven grabbed her wrist in an attempt to get her attention. He was being serious! His dimmed reflexes ended up missing her wrist entirely. Reese watched him expectantly as he slapped at the joint helm of the droid's dome.

"Is that yes?" She asked and then Raven knew that she wasn't going to tell him where she had gone. It irked him.

"You didn't take your Organoid with you." He jabbed, looking away. Reese brushed some invisible lint off of her shoulder.

"Specula doesn't need to follow me everywhere." She reasoned. Her casualness unnerved him. Raven stared at her hard. Reese evaded his stare, reaching under his seat with her hands.

"Ah, looks like you got another one." She said smugly, pulling her hand out to reveal an unopened bottle. Raven tried to grab it from her but his maneuverability was sluggish. Reese smiled in satisfaction and yanked the bottle open. Raven watch as she titled her head and started to down the burning liquid inside. The gulping noises she made turned his stomach and made him want to retch.

"You were gone for much longer than usual. Why?" He demanded. Reese pulled the bottle away from her mouth. Already a fourth of its contents were gone. Why had he wanted her back so badly? She was incredibly annoying.

"It took longer than usual. Why do you care?" Her constant word spars were really grating on his nerves. Couldn't she tell that he had been worried? Why was she always so difficult? Oblivious to his thoughts - but not his emotions, Reese took another few gulps from the bottle. Raven watched her throat bob as she swallowed. Casually, she leaned in.

Squirming, Raven tried to pull away from her, but the cockpit was small and cramped. Really, he had no where to go. His head hurt and now he was beginning to wish that she had come back in the morning instead of the evening where he had gotten drunk. He didn't like the thought of appearing weak or foolish in front of her.

He tried to pull his thoughts together but everything was blurry. He wished he had sobered up before trying to speak to her.

"You know what? Just forget it."

Reese stared at him blankly for a moment and it occurred to Raven that she probably had no idea why he was acting the way he was. He needed to tell her.

His body felt sluggish and heavy. Scowling, he turned his gaze back to the sky.

"This is our home now. If you plan to stay here, than you need to be here. I've been waiting for you for a very long time, you know."

_He thought he had said those words, anyway._

The next morning, Raven woke up early to the hang over of his life. From his cockpit, the dark haired pilot saw that Specula and Shadow were both asleep. The fireworks had left an eerie silence over the desert plain along with a chilling fog. Raven was only mildly surprised to find himself surrounded by empty bottles of alcohol.

There was no sign of Reese, and in disgust Raven realized that his intoxication had spurred on the illusion of his companion's presence. She still hadn't returned. Deep inside of him, the loneliness was beginning to take root again. A twinge of pain flared sharply in his chest as a vision of his mother and father flashed before his eyes.

_Family_

His parents' deaths had left him empty inside. The years spent with his Organoid had helped in his endeavor to fill in the gaping hole in his heart but it was only after meeting Reese that Raven understood what it was that he had finally needed. Shadow alone could no longer fill the void within him. Now that he had sampled the taste of her company, he wanted it desperately. Reese was in his life now and she was important to him. Dismissing his wondering thoughts, Raven made his way into the house. Finding a spare pack, the pilot stuffed it with some food and extra clothing. He was tired of waiting. If she wasn't going to come back to him, then he would just have to go to her.

End file.

Resolve by 157yrs


Prologue to 'Becoming A Better Me'

KONNICHIWA!! Yuppers! It's me! And **no**, I haven't given up on 'Becoming A Better Me'. Is it on hiatus? Maybe, but no guarantee that any chapters will be out soon.

Anyhoo, this little one-shot is what happened the night Leena told Doc that she was leaving the Blitz team. Yup, that's right. And its in Leena's POV also.

ENJOY!!

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Prologue to 'Becoming A Better Me'

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I tear down the last poster on my picture wall (refer to Chapter 8 of 'Becoming a Better me') and crumple it up before tossing it into the trash bag beside me. There's only one thing left on the wall, the photo our team took after winning the Royal Cup. Picking it up, I can only gaze as it and struggle to hold back the tears.

Rubbing away the moisture in my eyes, I wrap the frame in old newspaper before placing it into my backpack. I look at my backpack and duffle bag, the only pieces of luggage I'm going to bring with me. Sure enough, I couldn't get all of my clothes and stuff to fit into the two bags, but that's okay. The guys can split the stuff up among themselves or sell it; though I think the latter is more favorable for them. I'm pretty sure Naomi is going to look better in my designer clothes that I ever will, even if we are near the same size.

I sigh and take a look around the room I have grown up in for ... well ... pretty much all my life. Everything's bare, save for the three garbage bags and four boxes of stuff/clothes. I briefly wonder if someone else, someone more better than me in personality and piloting skills alike, will come along and claim this room as their own.

Most likely.

The metal of the door is cool under my touch before it slides away to let pass. I leave my bags in my room as the door slides back into place. I won't be leaving just yet; I still have to tell everyone about what I'm about to do.

I'm sure they'll be thrilled to hear it.

I can hear laughter coming from the rec. room. No doubt Bit's making an ass out of himself, laughing along with everyone at his stupidity. Getting closer, I can identify everyone's own laugh. Brad is chuckling in a low tone, Jamie's laughing with his sides undoubtedly aching along with Dad, and Bit is, without a doubt, laughing the hardest and loudest. I find my lips curling upwards, my own burst of giggles fighting for freedom. How can they all have such an affect on me? Making me smile and laugh just by the sound of their own laughter.

I hate them because of that.

I wipe the smile off my face and push aside all of those feelings. If I don't do this now, I won't be able to do so later.

I'm greeted with the sight of Jamie and Dad leaning on each other for support as they laugh uncontrollably. Brad is clutching his coffee mug, trying his best not to spill any of its contents as he chuckles deeply. And then I see Bit rolling on the floor, his whole being shaking in laughter.

"What's so funny?" The whole lot of them doesn't stop their merrymaking and are unable to speak. Because of this, they just point at the large monitor up on the wall. Thoughts of what I had come into the room to tell disappear. My lips part ever so slightly as they curl upwards, a fit of giggles overcoming my being. There on the screen, is a home video of moments where everyone was in one of their most hysterical moments.

I guess I was wrong, though Bit did make an ass out of himself in many of the clips. I was in a few, but it was to be expected. In the end, I end up by Bit's side, laughing to my heart's desire. When the home movie is over and the laughter has died down some, I find myself and Bit leaning against each other.

And for some reason, I don't feel like hurting him for being so close.

"Where were you, Leena? I haven't seen you around for the past couple of hours." I turn to Jamie, remembering why I had been missing for the past couple of hours and why I had come to face all of them. I open my mouth, ready to give the speech I had all planned out, but nothing comes out.

I turn my gaze to Dad and take a deep breath before trying again. Again, nothing but soundless air passes over my lips. The four of them look at me; curious as to why I've become so quiet. I feel someone's hand on my shoulder, Bit looks concerned and I don't feel like swatting his hand away; the weight actually feels nice.

"Leena, what's the matter?" I turn from Bit to Brad, his brow creased in worry, surprising me. Am I acting that much out of character? Clearing my throat, then coughing, I give Brad a hard look.

"I felt kinda sick, so I took a nap. Is there something wrong with that?" My tone is biting and prideful, as usual. The tone in which I am lying to them with isn't what gets to me; it's the concept of lying to them at all. What am I doing? Shouldn't I be telling them that I was packing up, cleaning up my room, and getting ready to leave them for good?

I felt Bit pull me to my feet, easing me over to the door while everyone looked on in concern. Were they **that** worried about me?

"You shouldn't be out of bed if you still feel sick. Did you take any medicine?" I shake my head and wonder when Bit had become so caring. He has always had a knack for helping people, but since when did he start caring about **me**? Especially since I'm the one who beats him to a pulp on a regular basis.

Isn't he supposed to hate me?

As Bit helps me out the door of the rec. room, I turn my head to get a glimpse of everyone. I tell myself that I have to say it now, while I still have their attention. The fabric of Bit's blue and black shirt is soft and smooth as I grab a hold of it to tug, causing Bit to stop in the doorway. I open my mouth to tell them all about my plans of leaving, but once again, no sound comes out. My cheeks flush in anger, but I think they take it as a flush in fever.

"I'll get you some medicine and make you some soup, Leena. You may need it later." Jamie stands from his seat and starts his way to the kitchen.

"It's okay, Jamie. I'm fine, really. Besides, I already took some medicine. All I need is some rest, honest." Jamie seems reluctant, but he nods in reply. I think I was just lying to him in complete tenderness. Bit must think that I **am** ill.

"Come on, Leena. We better get you back to bed." I push myself away from him and give him a scowl.

"I am **very** capable of getting to my room by myself without any of your help, thank you. G'night, everyone!" I glance over everyone's face; this would be the last time I would be seeing them. Yup. I'm not changing my mind.

I'm leaving. With or without telling them all.

Brad is reading his newspaper while sipping his coffee, but I can tell he's fighting the urge to look at me. He can be that way sometimes. Ever since Leon left, he's taken the role of 'big brother', though not a good enough job to pass as Leon. Jamie is getting up to head to bed himself, his sleepy eyes not betraying anything including the concern he's aiming my way. Always the smart one. 'Early to bed, early to rise'. And with Jamie always being the first to wake up in the morning, that makes sense. Dad is playing with his zoid models. He's childish and incredibly smart. Enough said. Bit is looking at me concerned and somewhat upset by my refusal of his escort. He's a sweet guy, but I'm not a damsel in distress. He should know that by now, especially after all he beatings I've put him through.

Turning my back to them, I make it to the living quarters before Jamie and lock my door behind me while turning off the lights. I hear Jamie come up to my door and knock. I don't answer and he eventually leaves. Once I'm sure of that, I go over to my phone and call a taxi to pick me up at midnight. It takes some convincing on my part for the Taxi Company to come out this far so late at night to drive me to Romeo City, but I'm victorious in the end.

As I wait for midnight to come, I'm stuck thinking about my teammates ... My friends ... My family ...

Dad with his childish antics and zoid models; Brad and his addiction to black coffee and money; Jamie, brooding over how unorganized we all are along with his crazy alter ego, the Wild Eagle; and Bit, with his cocky attitude, natural battling skills, and Ultimate-X.

Should I tell them that they'll never see me again? Nah. If I couldn't say its before in the rec. room, then I'm sure I can't tell them now. Besides, they'll be too ecstatic and to see their expressions would make me face reality.

No one wants me around. They'd all be better off without me.

__

That's not true. Oh, great. The little voice in my head, a.k.a. my conscience, is trying to persuade me to stay. I hate it when it does stuff like this.

__

They were all concerned about you when you said that you didn't feel well. So? Big deal. They're all nice guys; they would do the same with anyone.

__

That's not true and you know it! Don't be stubborn and-- OH! Looks who's talking! Arg! I can't believe I'm arguing with myself!

__

At least tell Dad. You don't have to tell him that much. Just tell him that you're leaving. Wow. My conscience is **actually** agreeing with me for once. So I **can** leave without my conscience giving me the guilt trip. I open the door and make sure that everyone is too preoccupied to notice me as I make my way to Dad's study.

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Do you really want to leave without coming back? Sure. They don't need me around. Like I said, they'd be better off without me.

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Then you're just taking the easy way out, like a coward. What? I am **no** coward.

__

Then why not improve who and what you are. Prove to them-- What's there to prove? I suck and don't deserve to even know these people much less be on their team in Class-S. I mean, Bit has an Ultimate-X and natural talent for battling, Brad's got Shadow Fox and is a mercenary for a reason, Jamie has an alternate ego and an incredible aerial zoid, and Dad is a zoid genius. What am **I** good at? Wasting ammo, getting everyone into trouble, and being a pain on and off the battlefield, that's what.

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Then change what you're good at. Become a better you. Become a better me? You mean, up to the point where I won't be talking to myself in my head anymore?

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Precisely! Well ... I guess it couldn't hurt, especially if it means that I won't be talking to myself anymore. Then I'll show all of them that I'm just as good as they are.

But will they care?

Oh shoot! I just reached Dad's study. What should I say?

__

Simply tell him what we're going to do. You mean become a better me? I get no response, so I take it as a 'yes'. Man. I didn't know I had enough issues to have my sub-consciousness take on a personality of its own. Then again, it's probably just reflecting my own attitude. Sighing, I place my hand onto the metal plate on the door and it slides open for me to enter.

"Dad?" He looks up from his zoid models to face me. Immediately, his expression changes to that of concern.

Why is he so worried?

"Leena, what's wrong?" Wrong? Why would he think something's wrong. Oh. I probably don't look all that cheerful right now. Am I that sad about leaving? I guess it comes with the knowledge that the only reason why you're leaving is because you're useless. I lower my head to hide my face and clench my fists.

"I'm leaving the team." I chance a glance upward in his direction and am greeted with a dumbfounded gaze. Dad kinda looks funny that way, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open like that.

"Why would you want to leave the team?" Why? I clench my fists even more, the knuckles turning white and my nails threatening to puncture my skin. That's a stupid question. He should know how pathetic I am. He **is**, after all, my father and the manager of the team.

"I'm nothing but a useless piece of junk to the team. I waste ammo, I always need someone to bail me out, I'm the first one down, and all I do is cost everyone trouble. Not only that, but outside the battlefield, I'm only a nuisance. Everyone would be better off without me." He shakes his head quickly and I don't know whether it's to tell me I was wrong or to shake the idea of it all out of his head.

I didn't know he cared either way.

"Leena, you know that's not true--" Not true?! Where has his brain been all this time since team Blitz was first created? And he's the zoid genius of the family. Sometimes I wonder.

"But it is, Dad! It's all true! Jamie doesn't need someone picking on him. Brad sure doesn't need to split the prize money with a useless pilot. And Bit honestly doesn't need someone beating him up, stealing his cookies, and chasing him non-stop around the base day-in and day-out. Face it, dad: I'm not needed here and it's about time I figured that out." Dad lowers his head, obviously tossing in the towel in trying to convince me that I'm wrong. He looks defeated when he sighs. I think he's finally getting it now.

"I'm guessing by the way you came up to me about this, you don't want me to tell the guys until you're gone. Am I right?" I nod. Finally. He understands the truth of what I'm saying.

"So ... When are you leaving?" Dad sits down in a distraught manner.

I seriously didn't think he would care to know.

"Tonight." His head snaps up so quickly that I wonder if he suffered from whiplash.

"What do you mean by 'tonight'?" Ugh! Another stupid question. I thought the two-syllable word would be enough. Regardless, I sigh and relax a bit, knowing that the explanation part of the conversation was over.

"I already packed and called a cab to bring me into town." His eyes went to stare at his desk sadly.

It wasn't all that bad for news, was it?

"When are you planning on coming back?" There's the question I've been dreading. Should I stick with my original plan or go with the one my conscience made up on the spur of the moment? Words come out of my mouth before I can think it through.

"I don't know. As long as it takes me to become a better person and warrior." I pause for a moment as Dad stares at me. He's probably thinking about the depth of my words. I'm not so sure there **is** any depth to them, though.

"So you want to go on a trip of self-discovery like Leon?" I smile at the thought. If I could grow as much as Leon did ...

"Yeah ... To prove myself to you and the team that I'm worthy enough to be on team Blitz and be in Class-S. I'll come back after I prove that, I promise." Dad pulls out his wallet, taking out a card and handing it out to me.

"Take it. It has a balance of $5,000. You can take the Gun Sniper--"

"No." I push the credit card back into his hand, shaking my head.

"I have enough saved up and I don't need the Gun Sniper. You can sell it if you want; technically, I could care less about it." He nods and puts the credit card back into his wallet, then swivels in his plush chair so that he's not facing me anymore.

"Alright then. You better grab your stuff and get ready for your taxi. Don't worry. I'll tell the guys about this in the morning." I gaze at the floor for a bit before heading to the door to leave. When I open the door, I stop, run over to Dad and hug him for all he's worth before running out of the room.

I don't dare look back.

Once I reach my room, I put on my backpack and sling my duffle bag over one shoulder. I poke my head into the hallway to make sure the close is clear. All the lights are off, so I guess it's safe to go. Having lived in this base all my life, I easily navigate myself to the hangar through the seemingly pitch-black halls. When I finally reach my destination, I can hear the low rumble of a car in the distance. I guess the cab is early.

I walk out of the hangar and into the cold night, grateful for the windbreaker I'm wearing and my wise decision on wearing jeans today. The cab is just about stopping and the driver is motioning me to hop in; I do so, throwing my stuff into the back. As the yellow car drives away from the Toros base with me as its passenger, I keep my eyes forward.

If I look back now, I'll want to go back to my delusions that anyone really cares about me. I know that's not true. I can't afford to back down now; I've gone too far.

From this point on, I'm becoming a better me.

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Wow, that was ... interesting. Hope you enjoyed it.

Sorry if it was crappy. The idea just came to me a few days ago and I just had to write it down.

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REVIEW PLEASE!!

Sakura Scout

End file.

Prologue to 'Becoming A Better Me' by Sakura Scout


Attack of the fan girls!

Hea! Van Flyheight here! Ya know the one who defeted the deathsuares and all.the one who found Fiona and zeke in a capsule in some ruins. THE ONE WHO SAVED YOUR ASSES!!!!!!!!!if you live on planet zi anway umm, how do I say this, sigh. OK her it goes. I LOVE FIONA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh BOY I'M FEELING GOOD TODAY. HEAVY BREATHING um sorry. Yeah so I love Fiona.big deal right? Wrong. There are a lot of girls mostly fangirls oo scary huh that like me , I wouldn't blame them though, I am hot,they seem to be slightly attracted to Irvine though.But also attracted to me to. I guess you could say were on the same level of atraccevness. Somtimes I wonder about him. He,well,uh is kinda creepy almost. But You know he is still my best, most trusted friend.back to Fiona.

"VAN!!!!!!!HELP ME!!!"

Hold on. peeks out bedroom door to see Irvine is being mauled by some fan girls

I'm comin buddy!! stops abruptly Wait what the hell am I doing? fan girls stare at him RUNAWAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!! Ivine is running right beside me.waht did you do to them!!! " I don't know, I was sitting on the couch and they all jumped on me !!" "VAN, IRVINE WE LOVE YOU" "OH SHIT THERE CATCHING UP VAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" HEAD FOR THE GUSTAV!!!!!!!!!!!!both jump into the gustave in slow motion I think were safe now. "we better hope so Van." Irvine turns on the light, only to find out that the fangirls are surrounding them INSIDE the gustav.

Again van flyheight, please read and rewiew.

SIAFCamong the fan girls- AHH I love being evil

Irvine- I don't like you.

Van-yeah,what did we do

SIAFC-nothing

Irvine and Van- WE WILL GET OUR REVENGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

End file.

Attack of the fan girls! by Saskue- Is- A- Fat- Chibi


I'm With You

_I'm With You_

**Disclaimer: sigh This truly is the hardest part of writing fanfics...the disclaimer, I unfortunately do not own Zoids or any of the characters involved, please don't sue me!On with the story!**

Leena Toros stood rigidly still for one who always seemed to be chasing after something, or a certain blonde haired _someone_ after he had stolen her cookies. But right now, she looked as if she were frozen to the spot. Leena's usually lively and energetic facade, remained stoic and unchanging, revealing nothing to anyone who happened to pass her by on the bridge she stood on. Her life was a mess and she knew it, nothing ever seemed to right for her ever since the day her mother died, so she became one of her fathers Zoid pilots, taking up the position of the trigger happy Gunsniper pilot on the team. Tears silently fell down her face as she recalled the days earlier events.

**Flashback**

_" Bit Cloud! Drop my cookies now!!!" The blonde pilot froze on the spot, hand still in the cookie jar he had found hidden, as he heard the all to familiar bellow of rage from Leena that always took place as she caught him in her "secret stash" . A lone bead of sweat formed on his brow as he put the cookie jar down and hastily stuffed the cookie he snatched into his mouth._

_"Weena...hi! I didn't hear you get back from getting the groceries, ummm...how long have you been here?" Bit Cloud pilot of Liger Zero asked nervously swallowing the last remnants of cookie that was in his mouth. An almost primal growl escaped the angered redheads throat as she lunged at her co-pilot, missing him by inches as he leapt nimbly out of the way._

_"BIT! You jerk, get back here so I can clobber you properly!!" Again Leena lunged at Bit and successfully grabbed him by the shirt collar, wrenching his face mere centimetres from her own._

_"N-now Leena, let's be reasonable about this...I only took one cookie! I swear! Please don't kill me!!"_ _Bit pleaded with Leena, her eyes flashing fire within them. Another growl escaped the young woman as she slapped the other teen upside the head and stormed away, not letting the blonde guy see the tears of anguish and pain silently roll down her face as she stomped to her room, shoving past Jamie roughly as she went by. Flopping down on her bed Leena shoved her face into the pillows she screamed at the top of her lungs and then submitting into silent sobs that wracked her entire body until sleep took hold of her. _

**Still flashback- Den area with the other pilots**

_Bit sighed and sat down on the couch that occupied part of the den at the base, thinking back to his earlier encounter with Leena. Something with the way Leena reacted seemed off, usually she would clobber him until he was a mess or gave up (whichever happened first), but today just wasn't right. Something was wrong with Leena and he knew it, sensing another presence in the room Bit looked up to see a worried Jamie standing in the doorway._

_"Hey Jamie, what's up? Is something wrong?" Of course something was wrong, if Bit sensed something was wrong, obviously Jamie would._

_"Well, actually, yes...did you notice Leena's odd behaviour today? When she stormed past me after catching you she was crying, or at least trying not to, but still she was crying none-the-less. I think she's depressed or something." Bit nodded silently as if to say he did understand, looking up and into the eyes of his fellow pilot._

_"Yeah, you're right I think something is wrong with her...she didn't even give me a total beating when she caught me in her cookie stash."Jamie and Bit both sighed in unison, unknown to them that a certain someone they were talking about just caught the last of their conversation_.

**Leena standing outside the door**

_'So they think that something's wrong with me, huh? Well maybe I should just leave then and let them get on without me. I don't want to be a** burden** to them any longer, now do I?'It's settled then, I'm leaving and not coming back, I know Bit doesn't feel the same way about me so what's the point to life either?' Leena thought bitterly to herself, envisioning her family and so called "friends'" faces when they found out she left and took her life soon after. With those final thoughts she fled to her room once more and scribbled separate little notes to her father and her teammates, telling them of what she planned to do that night._

**Back in the den**

_"You know what Bit? We should do something special for Leena, you know, to let her know we care about her. Some more than others...you have got to tell her how you feel you know." Jamie brightened up slightly, but became serious when he started to talk about the blondes feeling towards Leena. Bit sighed and ran an exasperated hand over his face. Everyone but Leena knew how the blonde Liger pilot felt about the "trigger happy", fiery spirited, redhead._

_"I know, I know...you're right I've got to tell her, I'll do it right now!" Getting up and gathering what courage he had in him after his earlier "encounter" with Leena, Bit left the den and headed for the redheads room, a half hour too late, Leena had already left._

**Leena**

_Packing only a small backpack with a sharp knife and a few measly keepsakes, Leena silently made her way from her room and to the door leaving the base. Those fateful letters stacked neatly on her bedside table. Fleeing into the darkness a cloaked woman left everything behind, even the one she loved but could never tell._

**Flashback ends**

At the base Bit knocked silently on Leena's bedroom door, calling her name. When he received no answer from within, Bit cautiously opened the door and peeked his head inside the darkened room.

"Leena, hey Leena, are you here? Can we talk?There was still no answer and Bit grew worried, going fully into the room he turned on the lights, preparing himself for an oncoming beating. But no beating came.

Noticing the room was vacant and some items missing, his mind reeled as he noticed a stack of letters on top of Leena's desk. Picking up the letter addressed to himself, he opened it with shaking hands and read it.

_Bit,_

_As your reading this letter you must have discovered that I am gone, and no Bit I will not be returning. I know you do not feel the same way towards me as I feel for you, so here it is I'm telling you now because I'll never have the chance to tell you myself to your face. Bit since the first day you waltzed into our lives with your cocky, know-it-all attitude and egocentric ways I've loved you...I fell for you hard, and yet you never really gave me the time of day. And now I'll never know how you feel or even reciprocate the same feelings because I plan on ending my life tonight. My life isn't worth shit all and I have no reason to go on anymore. All I do is waste ammo in battles and bring down the team when we fight. So here it is, my final good-bye to you and the others. Please don't be angry with me, that's not how I want it to be. Just remember all the fun times we had earlier on and all of our pointless arguments about you stealing my cookies and such or when you accidentally walked in on me in the bath and then I proceeded to chase you with the bathtub above my head, trying to murder you. Good times huh? Bit remember me as who I was, not who I am now. I love you!_

_Leena_

Bit's vision blurred and his hands trembled violently as he read the letter from Leena, _she loved him_? A lone tear cascaded down the teens cheek as he fought the panic that rose in him at the thought of Leena out at night, contemplating death, he had to find her and fast! Grabbing the other letters Bit raced from Leena's room, forcing the urge to scream bloody murder as he passed Jamie on the way out, forcefully he shoved the letters into Jamie's hands and ignored the sounds of confusion coming forth from the younger boy. Breaking into a sprint Bit headed to the hanger where they kept their zoids and his jeep, leaping into the vehicle he hit the automatic door opener and turned the ignition, speeding into the night and to the one he loved, praying he wouldn't be too late.

**Back to Leena**

Standing on the bridge Leena swung her bag off of her shoulders and opened it, taking the switchblade she had concealed within it out. Tears once more slipped down her face as she went to drag the blade along her wrist, pausing momentarily as she remembered her father and the other pilots. She remembered how her father always managed to seem so juvenile when he happened across new zoids models or how Brad was always the solitary, quiet guy who usually only spoke when he was spoken to and how he always had a mug of coffee in his hands.

_'Brad the voice of_ _reason,'_ Leena thought to herself cynically, _'I wonder how he would reason to this?'_ Shaking her head Leena pushed those thoughts out of her mind and continued reminiscing about the other pilots.

_'Jamie, dear sweet, naive Jamie.'_ He always seemed so innocent. Being the youngest member of a team can have that effect on a person, he was always nice, kind and polite to her...looking up to her (not so) secretly as being a big sister to him. And then there was her secret crush Bit Cloud, he was always cocky and had the air of an arrogant guy around himself. But deep down he was a shy guy, just being loud to keep the air of confidence he had built around himself so no one could crumble his walls. That's what she admired about him most, his confidence...he kept everyone going with it, even when things seemed bleak. But she wouldn't be able to see that any longer...not after tonight, she was never going back and yet she still wished she would. Momentarily Leena dropped the blade she was holding, startling herself back to reality and what she was about to do. Bending down she picked the blade up and once again held it to her wrist.

**Back to Bit**

Gunning the accelerator on the jeep Bit sped to the one place he could always find Leena at when she was upset, the park on the bridge, he found her there on her birthday once when she became upset when her father gave her a picture taken of her and her mother when she was ten years old on her birthday only a few months before her mother died of a rare disease. Bit and Leena just sat in silence on that bridge until she finally broke down and clung to Bit telling him about her mother dying when she was only ten, Bit remembered sitting there and holding the trembling girl in his arms. His only thoughts now was that he wouldn't be too late.

**Leena**

Ever so slowly Leena drug the blade softly over her wrist, only drawing a thin trail of crimson blood, she didn't make the first cut into the fatal one. But she would soon, she knew she would, then why was she hesitating? In the far regions of her mind she was hesitant about ending her life, but otherwise she was determined to do it, she didn't want to live a life of pain any longer... she wanted to see her mother again and be held in her arms. As Leena once more raised the blade above her wrist and began to dig the blade in wrist, lights from a vehicle flooded onto her and a vehicle, a jeep to be exact, screeched to a complete halt. A figure jumped out of the jeep and yelled her name, in her daze she never recognized the voice.

"LEENA! DON'T DO IT!!" It was Bit running towards her at a speed that rivalled the Liger Zeros. Startled Leena looked up with a tear stained face.

_"Bit?"_ Leena couldn't believe her eyes. There was the infamous Bit Cloud running to her with tears in his eyes. He was crying, but why? Was it because of her? She didn't know, all of a sudden she was enveloped into a crushing hug and having sweet kisses rained all over her face.

"You're alive...I wasn't too late!" Was all Bit was able to get out of his mouth over and over again as he kissed Leena repeatedly, tears still freely falling from his eyes. Pulling back slightly Bit looked into the young girls eyes and looked at her, hurt reflecting in his eyes.

"Why Leena? Why all of this? Don't you know what you mean to me? And not to mention all of the others. Leena don't you know I love you?" Leena looked like a small child as Bit ranted on and on, suddenly a thought occurred to her.

'Bit loves me?' With tearful eyes Leena looked up into Bit's face and gave him a look that questioned him do-you-really-love-me? Her only answer was Bit tilting her chin upwards with his thumb and kissing her softly on the lips with a passion that rivalled any other emotion. Slowly they broke away and Bit softly whispers in Leena's ear.

"I love you too."

(A/N: Okay seeing as it's such a sweet and sappy scene here, I've decided to skip ahead into the future a little... )

**One Year Later...**

It was exactly a year after Leena tried to take her life and Bit confessed his feelings when he found her, and things between the couple couldn't be better, they were happy and in love nothing could go wrong and things could only get better for the two. And that's precisely what Bit was planning on for that day, he was planning on asking Leena to marry him, with the ring box in his pocket he thought back to earlier in the day when he asked Doc's permission to do so.

**Earlier that day, Doc's office**

_Bit nervously walked up to Doc's office a small box in his front jeans pocket, he had something important to ask Doc and he prayed to God that he would approve. Hesitantly he knocked on the older mans office door, a warm "come in" could be heard from the inside of the room. Slowly making his way into the room, Bit looked around noticing different types of Zoids models adorning the rooms shelves._

_"Ah, hello Bit, what can I do for you?" Doc asked the Liger pilot cheerfully, almost a little too cheerfully for Bit's likings. Bit shifted nervously from foot to foot, carefully he reached into his pocket and pulled out the box that contained the ring._

_"Well Doc, as you know Leena and I have been a couple for a year now and I love her more than you would think possible...so what I would like to ask you is...canIhaveyourpermissiontomarryyourdaughter?... I mean, do I have your permission to ask Leena to marry me?" Doc's face broke into the biggest of smiles, an even bigger one than that of one when he got himself a new model, laughing heartily he embraced Bit in a fatherly hug._

_"Of course my boy, I couldn't have asked for a greater thing to happen today, you make my Leena happy and I want that for my daughter... so yes you may." Bit grinned his trademark grin and thanked the Doc profusely about his acceptance. Leaving the room he gave a sigh of relief._

_'Today's the day...and tonight I'm going to ask Leena to marry me.' With that thought Bit went off to prepare for that night._

**That night...Bit and Leena**

Bit had everything planned to the very last detail and was now walking along the same bridge with Leena where she was going to kill herself. Stopping at the very spot where he found Leena, Bit came to an abrupt halt, puzzling Leena to no end.

"Bit Cloud what...!?" Leena was cut off mid-sentence as Bit got down on one knee and pulled out the red heart shaped ring case. A sharp gasp escaped Leena lips as she realized what was happening.

"Leena...love, this is the very spot where you and I first confessed our feelings to each other a year ago, this is the place where I was given a second chance at showing you how much I love you. And here's the place I wanted to propose to you. Leena Toros...will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" Tears formed in Leena's eyes and a sob escaped her throat as she launched herself into Bit's arms, kissing him passionately she gave him the answer he wanted, softly he slipped the ring upon her finger sealing their love for each other and telling what lay ahead for them in the future.

End

(A/N: Well I hope that you liked this hopeless mushy story and give me a good review...I did have this fic posted under another alias for a long time on here...still is. Just my account never got used very much and I don't remember my old password...sweatdrop...whoops. I'll also be posting my other fic I had started too it's an Inuyasha one...so stay tuned!)

Always,

Miko

End file.

I'm With You by musicismylife87


Obsolete Components

Obsolete components

This is for you Raziel . . ..

Ligar. Do you need me? I mean. Really need me? Doc told me how you never let anyone he knows of pilot you before me. So what makes me so
Special? Raw skill like I keep telling everyone? But what's the point of skill, when your weapon has a mind all it's own? I've talked to Vega.
Now that Backdraft has fallen apart I can see that he isn't really that bad a kid. But I talked to him Ligar. Ligar . . .. During that last stretch of
the final battle? The part where after that one hit he so quickly increased in speed and reaction time? I talked to him. He was out cold that whole time.
I wasn't fighting him, or him and Berserk Fury in unison; it was the Berserk Fury, and only the Berserk Fury. Do you ultimate X's even NEED a pilot? Or are we just for show? Do we just slow you down with our commands? Leon talked about bringing out your full potential in our first
fight with him. But now I wonder, am I holding you back? Are we human beings an obsolete component to the ultimate X Zoids? Leon says he
just found his Zoid just wandering around. Or rather it found him.
Do you just LET us pilot you, just so the Zoid Battle Commission will let you battle? Zoids aren't allowed to fight without a pilot. Are we just a technicality? Ligar . . . I considered you my partner, maybe even my friend, but . . . now I can't help but feel used, betrayed. Do I have any skill at all? Or did you choose me BECAUSE I had no skill and therefore, would be easy to direct in combat? Just let the idiot sit in the command chair and let the Zoid do all the work is that it Ligar?!
You won't give me any answers. Not even a reactions. Are you ashamed that you used me? Or are you thinking I still "pilot" you as long as
I think there's a chance that I'm actually doing some of the work too? Does that surprise you Ligar? That I WANT to be useful? That I WANT to have to earn that cash I need to break free of my huge dept to Doc? (the Royal Cup prize money wasn't as much as we thought it was after
reconnecting the wings to the Rainos and the legs to the Shadow Fox and having to rebuild the Gun (V)Sniper from almost nothing, and then was the overhaul the zero armors all needed.) We human like to useful Ligar, in spit of some ugly exceptions.
But now I doubt, that I've been doing anything. Vega's revelation is just too much right now. I'm sorry Ligar. I can do it. Not now. I can go into battle with you. Knowing that maybe, everything that happens is only you, and I have nothing to do with it. What's stopping me from taking out your AI and piloting you without it? To find out if I do indeed have skills at all? I know I've acted cocky from day one, but . . . this is different. I think I'm afraid I already know the answer that I'll lose if I go out there. Because it was all you to begin with. I'm sorry Ligar, I can't deal with this. I wonder if we can find a copy of Brad's old Zoid somewhere. I'm sorry Ligar. Good-bye.

Flames, comments, suggestions on future events, spelling and grammar corrections, reactions, occasional constructive citizen all welcome.

End file.

Obsolete Components by Alex Warlorn


1. Default Chapter

Chad: Hi people! This is my take on Bit and Leena's marriage. It came to me while I was sketching a couple of days ago when I was stuck with a..a. ACHOOO!! 'Sniff' cold. I soon felt better and got down to writing this. B/L fans, Hope you like it. Also, this will probably be my first (And last) fic without the "script" font.

Jecht: Now people, what we are about to say is a lie, but I'm sure all of you would like to say this: I DO OWN ZOIDS! Again, what you have just read is a lie. We don't really, but we'd like to!

Leena looked at herself in the mirror. She was dressed in a white wedding dress with a jeweled brooch and white sleeves. She barely ever wore a dress, but this was a special time. Two weeks ago, Bit Cloud had proposed to her. Though she was a little surprised, she happily accepted. She couldn't believe the day had finally come. Everyone had come to see them. Well, everyone except you-know-who.

"Nervous?" Leena spun around and saw Naomi standing behind her.

"A little. It's still a little hard to believe though." Leena said sitting down.

"Hmm? What is?" Naomi said, sitting beside her.

"Well, when Bit first came to us, I completely hated him. I thought he was a useless jerk. I just wanted to slam him into the wall, then beat the stuffing out of him, then drop him into the desert, then trample him with my Di-bison, THEN SHOOT HIM WITH IT'S MEGALO MAX ATTACK, THEN TRAMPLE HIM SOME MORE, THEN THROW HIM OFF A~"

(Sweatdrops) "LEENA! Get ahold of yerself!" Naomi said. Leena stopped swinging her arms around and sat back down.

(Sweatdrops too) "Sorry, guess I got a little carried away. (Smiles nervously) I just hated him, and here I am getting married to him! It's just a little strange doncha think?

"Well, do you love him?"

"Well Yeah! If I didn't, I wouldn't be dressed this way, would I?!" Leena said.

"Well then there's no problem is there? All that matters is if you both love each other, right?"

"..Yeah, I guess your right. (Blushes and looks up) 'sigh' After today, I'll finally be Leena Cloud. ^_^ It's just so amazing!"

"Yeah, and besides that, "Mr. King" will probably stop chasing you."

"I know! Isn't it wonderful? Nothing can spoil this day!"

"Well, except maybe if Harry found ou~"

"'gulp' DON'T SAY THAT!!" She said crying.

Elsewhere, Bit Cloud was sitting in the lounge of the hover cargo with Brad, Leon, and Jamie. Bit was staring at the wedding ring he got for Leena. He was dressed in a tuxedo (minus the coat), waiting for the time he would stand side by side with Leena.

"So your actually going through with this huh?" Brad said.

"Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I?" Bit said, turning to Brad.

"Cause just being near Leena is a safety hazard if ya ask me."

"Brad's right Bit. Just being married isn't gonna save you from her wrath ya know.." Jamie said.

"Forget it guys, nothin' you say's gonna stop me."

"Okay Bit, it's your health." Jamie said taunting him.

"Geez, even on my big day I can't even get a little support from you guys."

"Ah, were just messing with you Bit. Don't take it so seriously."

"Yeah. By the way, any of you guys seen Doc? I haven't seen him all day." Brad said.

"Dad said something about seeing some of the guests." Leon said.

"Knowing Doc, he's probably off spending what's left of our funds on this wedding." Jamie said. "Well, I guess this probably is worth it guess."

Doc was in the church, talking to a few of the guests. A lot of their rival teams had come to see his daughter's wedding. He walked around and saw Jack, Chris, and Kelly sitting in one of the rows, playing cards, Jack obviously winning. He then saw the Saber fangs team devouring the buffet at a tremendous speed. (And stuffing bits and pieces in their coats for later) Doc then turned his attention the Champ team. (Sans Harry) He chuckled at the site of Benjamin and Sebastian in strangely shaped tuxedos.

"I'm glad that cold-hearted woman is finally getting married, maybe know that pea-headed leader of ours will finally get some sense into whatever's in that empty space he calls a head." Benjamin said.

"We were lucky just to get out of the base unnoticed. Are you sure Harry doesn't know were came?" Sebastain said worried.

"Positive. I told him we were going to go and convince Mary to accept his love for Leena. It was way too easy!" Benjamin said, looking around the place.

"What are you looking for Benjamin?"

"I invited my sweet angel to the Ceremony. She should be here any minute." Benjamin said, turning red like he did before. Benjamin sweatdropped.

"Your just as pathetic as Harry Benjamin. Do you honestly think a battle commission Judge would come all the way down from a satellite to~"

"Oh Bennie!" a voice called from behind.

"There she is!!" Benjamin yelled as he saw his girlfriend judge. He glowed red again and wheeled over to her, leaving Sebastian speechless.

"Unbelievable." Was all Sebastian could say.

(Editor's note: "Ya know folks, I've read in the japanese, uncut version of zoids, Benjamin and Sebastian are programmed to be females. That's why Benjamin fell in love with a judge. They made the Judge a female for the American version. Just a quick note." ^_^)

Doc turned his attention away from the robots to Oscar, who was talking to an emerald haired woman.

"Glad you could come Oscar."

"Believe me Tauros, I wouldn't miss this for anything." He said shaking Doc's hand.

"Ooohh. And who might you be? You look familiar." Doc said, turning his attention to the girl next to him. He stared at her for a while then he remembered Bit's "sketches" of the people who stole the Liger Zero. "Now I remember. Your the girl from the backdraft group!"

"(Laughs lightly) Flattered you remember. My name is Pierce. A certain Wild Eagle invited me." She smiled and Doc grinned.

"TOROS!!" A voice yelled from the door. Doc, Oscar, and Pierce turned around and saw Dr. Layon walking towards them.

"Oh, it's just you Layon. Sorry, but I'm not battling you today."

"I'm not here for a challenge Toros. You didn't think I'd miss this do ya?"

"You serious? ..Well, I guess I'm glad you could come."

"Oh, by the way." Layon walked up to Doc and punched him in the gut. Toros fell to his knees, gasping for air.

"What 'cough' was 'cough' that 'cough' for?!" Doc managed to say.

"Just a little revenge." Layon as he walked away laughing.

Oscar and Pierce helped Doc up of the floor. Suddenly, Jamie came running up Doc, a worried look on his face and completely out of breath.

"Doc! Doc! We got a big pro.'gulp' Oh! Hi ..Pierce.. Glad you. could come." Jamie said stuttering.

"No problem kid. How's the Wild Eagle doing these days?" She said smiling. Jamie blushed all sorts of red.

"Well.. no problems. We got into class S and.. OH YEAH! Doc! We got a real problem!!" Jamie said turning his attention back to Doc. He whispered something into Doc's ear. When he finished, Doc's face grew pale.

"Your kidding!" Doc said in his sad voiced tone.

"Fraid' not! Come on!"

Jamie dragged Doc outside the curch and into the Hover cargo's lounge. Inside, Bit was looking horrible. He kept ranting on about mutant alligators and apples with the peels inside of them, or something. Empty bottles of sake lay around the floor.

"What happened!? Who gave Bit sake?!" Doc yelled. Jamie and Leon pointed at Brad. "Brad! How could you?!"

"Sorry, didn't know the guy couldn't take a glass of the good stuff."

"Oh, look peoples! I see Killer domes! Flying around in the sky even! Oh someone save me!" Bit said, still ranting.

"Ehh, that's great Bit. Don't worry, Doc's here to help you." Jamie said.

"Oh goody! Listen Doc, it's like this." Bit said, leaning on Doc's shoulder. Doc cringed at the scent of alcohol. "Every night, I eat some kind of food, and I experience a loss of appetite, followed by excruciating pain later on by some screaming creature that follows me everywhere. And some nights, I fall unconscious until the next morning, but I always feel tired when I recover and I don't wanna get up. And sometimes,"

"Uh, that's very nice Bit, why don't we get you some medicine and a breath mint. You need it. badly."

"Okay, fine! But first! Get me a hatchet! Must slice up the green canaries for dinner!" Bit said.

"Green canaries. Yeah right." Brad said. A large green canary then landed on Brad's shoulder. Everyone but Brad gasped and ran stumbling out of the lounge. "Hmm? What's up with them?" Brad then turned around and saw the canary. He did a double-take then ran out of the lounge.

Meanwhile, Harry Champ was trying to call Leena at the Toros base for the twelfth hundredth time.

"Leena! Come on! Pick up!" Still no answer. "Fine, a message will have to do. But I know, in my heart, my beloved angel will hear it and come rushing over to me." Harry pushed a button on the phone and a recording came on.

"Hi! This is Steven Toros, leader of the Blitz team. If your calling about a battle request, press one. If your calling about a zoid trade, press two. If your calling about Bit and Leena's wedding, press three." Harry's face turned pale and he dropped the receiver. He growled and clenched his fist.

"How.. How DARE HE?! THAT LITTLE JERK IS FORCING MY BEAUTIFUL QUEEN TO MARRY HIM!!! NOOOOO!!! I MUST SAVE MY DARLING LEENA!! HOLD ON MY SWEET!!! I'LL SAVE YOU!!! BENJAMIN!! SEBASTIAN!! TO ARMS!! IMMEADIATLY!!" Harry waited for his robots, forgetting the excuse they gave him. No one came. "FINE!!! FORGET YOU!! I'LL SAVE MY QUEEN MYSELF!! Harry ran to his zoids screaming.

"If you want to sell us a zoid, press six. If you want to give me a rare zoid, press seven. If you want to sell me a rare zoid model kit, press eight. If this is Layon, don't press anything and I'll get back to you sometime in the next century." The recording continued.

Chad: Okay, that does it for the humor, next is, well, read and find out!

Jecht: "CAPTAIN! Pointless Harry bashing ahead! Should I set a direct course?"

Chad: "Affirmative Mr. Jecht!"

	2. ch. 2

Chad: I don't own zoids. Enough of the disclaimer. Let's get on with the ceremony!

The time had come at last. Everyone was gathered in the church. Bit and Leena stood side by side at the stand while the judge had almost finished his speech. (Chad: "So I can't remember what they say at weddings! Shoot me!" Jecht: "Can I be of assistance?" Chad: "Shaddup Jecht.")

"Do you, Bit cloud, take this girl to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, till death to you part?"

"I do." Bit said nervously.

"And do you, Leena Toros take this man, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

"You betcha." Leena said. The judge sweatdropped.

"Then with the power invested in me, I now pronounce you~"

BOOM!!!!

Without warning, the ceiling of the church exploded open. Leena screamed and Bit instantly shielded her from the falling debris. Everyone else ran for cover.

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON?!" Bit yelled as he looked up at the hole. When the smoke cleared, a huge Gojulas peered through the roof. It's head moved towards the couple.

"BIT CLOUD!! RELINQUISH YOUR HANDS FROM MY LEENA!!!" A voice yelled from the Gojulas at an incredible volume.

"Harry?! What are you doing?!" Leena screamed.

"Leena my sweet! Never fear! Your Prince is here to save you!" Harry said jumping down from the Gojulas' cockpit.

"Save me!? Save me from what!?! Get the hell outta here! Your ruining my wedding!!!" Leena screamed.

"W.what? You mean..you actually want to.MARRY HIM?!"

"Very clever Einstein!" Leena said, trying to stop herself from killing him. Harry looked just plain stunned. He then snapped his fingers and pointed at Bit.

"i.I know! This..this must be some kinda power that ultimate X pilot's have! That's gotta be it! Leena! He's controlling your mind!! Try to snap outta it!" Harry yelled.

"Gee, you have an excuse for everything doncha Harry?" Bit said sarcastically. Harry then turned around and started strangling Bit.

"RELEASE HER TENDER MIND FROM YOUR EVIL CLUTCHES CLOUD!! OR I'LL DO IT MANUALLY!!" He said as Bit tried to get his hands of his neck. Suddenly, Harry got kicked in the side by Leena. He lost his grip on Bit's neck and crashed into the church wall. Leena bent down to see if her fiancee was still breathing.

"Bit! Are you all right?!" She said hugging him tightly.

"'hack' Yeah I'm all right." Bit said standing up.

Harry wiped his bloody nose and growled at the site of Leena hugging Bit. He reached into his pocket and pressed a button on a remote. Without warning, Harry's gojulas released a smokescreen into the church. Everyone was soon coughing and completely in the dark. Harry somehow managed to get back into the cockpit. The gojulas made a swipe at Bit and Leena. It grabbed Bit and pulled it towards it's jaws. Bit struggled to get free, but to no avail. The Gojulas cockpit opened and Harry walked up to Bit's face.

"So, thought you could force my girl to marry a slime like you?? I don't think so Mr. Cloud. Once I take care of you, my sweet pumpkin's mind will be free and we'll be together again! (Laughs insanely.)"

Suddenly, Something knocked the Gojulas off it's feet and sent Harry tumbling back into the cockpit. Bit fell from the air and landed in the Liger zero Jager's cockpit. ("I love the Jager. That's why it's here insted of the basic zero.") The restraints lowered and Bit grasped the controls. The Gojulas regained it's composure and roared at the blue zoid. The Jager roared back and Bit tried to hold it back.

"Listen Harry, I don't want to fight you, but if your going to force me, I got no choice but to take you down!"

"Just try and stop me! You won't take my Leena away from me!!" Harry yelled as the Gojulas fired the mk. 2 cannons. The Jager ran away from the church and avoided the fire. It then turned around and charged the ion boosters. The Jager thrust forward at an insane speed toward the gojulas. Harry continued to fire at the Jager, missing of course.

Meanwhile, back at the ruined church, everyone was getting their bearings together, all except Leena who was shaking Sebastian quite violently.

"YOU METALLIC MORONS!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL HARRY ABOUT THIS!!" Leena yelled while crying anime style. Benjamin then intervened and pulled his robotic teammate out of her grasp.

"Leena! Sebastian and I never once told Harry about this! It's not our fault!"

"Well? How else would he have found out?! Can ya tell me?! HUH?!"

"Hmm. It might be that Harry listened the recording I left for people calling about the event." Doc said. All eyes turned to him. "What?Well, how was I supposed to know Harry would actually listen to something for once?! What do you expect me to do now?"

"Frankly Dad, I think you should run for cover." Leon said. Before Doc could ask why, he found himself being strangled by his daughter.

"Get em Liger! Strike laser claw!!" The Jager's paws glowed and jumped into the air. But before the strike laser claw could connect, Harry spun the Gojulas around and it tail whipped the Jager out of the air. It came crashing to the ground. Liger struggled to get back up.

"Not so tough now are you, huh Bit?!" Harry opened fire on the blue zoid and soon had it pinned to the ground. Harry stopped firing and the Gojulas walked over to the sparking downed Zoid. It aimed it's cannon at the cockpit and charged a mini particle cannon on the head. "It's over now!! Once you and your little ultimate X are out of commission, Leena will be free of your dastardly power and we'll spend the rest of our happy lives together! You lose Bit!!" Bit managed to sit up in the cockpit. He then imagined the site of Harry and Leena getting married, and frankly, it was revolting.

"Ugh.. No way Harry!!" Bit opened the Ion boosters and slide along the ground, away from the Gojulas. The Jager got up on it's feet and made another charge for the gojulas. It charged up again for the strike laser claw and lunged at the Gojulas. Harry saw this coming and knocked it down again with another tail whip. The Jager tumbled to the ground and staggered a bit before regaining it's composure.

"You can keep charging all you want Bit! But your no match for the King of zoids, the Gojulas!!" Harry laughed as the Gojulas roared.

"Aw man! Okay, what now Liger?" Bit asked his mechanized companion. The Liger roared and a new screen came up on the monitor showing schematics for a new attack. "Super Sonic Strike?.. All right, LET'S DO IT!!" The Liger charged it's ion boosters and started running away from Harry. This attack need at least a few hundred feet to be used.

"What's the matter Bit? Finally realized your no match for me?"

"Hardly Harry." The Liger turned around and charged towards Harry at full speed. Harry smirked and ran towards the blue zoid.

"All right Liger! SUPER SONIC STRIKE!!" Bit hollered. The Jager's ion booster's glow went from bright blue to hot pink and the Armor went from Blue to a glowing yellow.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Harry yelled as the Jager ran towards him. He started panicking and started firing blindly. The yellow zoid then turned into a beam of light and shot right through the Gojulas. A second later, the beam turned back into the glowing Jager and stopped in a few miles away from Harry's zoid. The Gojulas toppled over with it's bottom half completely gone. The Jager returned to blue and it's roar echoed through the air.

"ALL RIGHT!!! WE DID IT!!" Bit yelled. Bit then stopped laughing and felt a little nauseous. The speed of the sonic strike was too much for his stomach to handle. He then fell back into the seat and grabbed a paper bag from the back of the cockpit. "Ugh. way too fast.. (censored)"

Back in the fallen Gojulas, Harry still couldn't have grasped the fact that he had lost. "I..I lost.Leena.. I couldn't save. couldn't save you. Leena.. I lost. Leena.."

A few hours later, a zoid battle commission whale king arrived. They took what was left of the Gojulas and took Harry into custody. Bit, Leon, and Doc (Who finally managed to calm Leena down.) watched as Harry was dragged crying into the whale king. Doc took a long hard look at Harry and frowned.

"Hmm. Whaddya think Bit? Should we press charges?" Doc asked. Bit stared at Doc for a second and then turned around. He looked at Harry for a while and couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy.

"Naw. I don't think we should. Poor guy's had enough I guess. Let's just send him back to his base."

"Think he'll be all right?" Leon asked.

"I don't know Leon. I don't know." Doc replied. Soon the Whale king was fully loaded and vanished into the sky.

Chad: "Now that Harry's been taken care of, what about the wedding? Will their BE a wedding? Find out in the next chapter."

Jecht: "Who ya kiddin? Of course theirs gonna be a wedding!"

Chad: "You numb skull!! Whyd ya go and tell them?!" (SLAP)

Jecht: "Cause they all ready know!" (SLAP)

(SLAP)

Jecht: "LISTEN YOU!"

Chad: "What?!" (extremely evil look)

Jecht: "Uh.. Nothing."

Chad: "Just what I thought." ^_^

	3. ch. 3

Chad: I don't own Zoids.. OH COME ON PEOPLE! This fic isn't THAT bad is it?! Gimmi a review here!! T_T

Bit ran into the empty ruined church. He looked at all the debris that was caused by Harry's attack. He then saw Leena sobbing in one of the seat rows that hadn't been crushed. Her head hung low. Her dress had been slightly stained from all the debris. Bit walked over and sat down next to her.

"You okay Leena?" Bit said as he put his arm on her shoulder. She looked up at him with teary eyes then collapsed into his chest. Crying was totally out of character for Leena, so he knew this was a real blow to her. Bit hugged her tightly and ran his hand through her hair while she sobbed.

"Bit. "Sniffle" Why did this have to happen?" She managed to say after a while.

"I'm sorry Leena. Don't worry, Harry's gone now. It's gonna be all right."

"No it's not!" She said. "The most important day of my life and that moron had to ruin it. "Sniffle" All I wanted to do was get married." She said clinging on tighter. Bit frowned for a moment and then slightly smiled. He gently pulled Leena's face up and wiped her tears.

"Well, who says we still can't get married today?" Bit said. Leena gave him a puzzled look. "I mean, just because the church is a wreck doesn't mean we can't get married, does it Leena?"

".I. I guess not."

"Right! Whaddya say we get outta here and get on with the ceremony? We can continue outside.. K'?" Bit said. Leena smiled and hugged him. "You always do manage to make me feel better Bit." Bit smiled.

A half hour later, everyone was gathered outside the church near the liger Jager. The first judge had gone crazy from fright due to Harry's attack, so Benjamin's girlfriend judge was making the speech. (Chad: Again, I don't know what they say at weddings. T_T)

"Do you, Bit Cloud, take this woman to be your wife? To love and cherish, till death do you part?"

"I do." Bit said.

"And do you, Leena Toros, take this man to be your husband? To love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

"I do." Leena said.

"Do you have the ring?" The Judge asked Bit. Bit smiled and reached down into his pocket. After a few seconds, he realized there was nothing in his pocket.

"That's weird." Bit said.

"Somethin' wrong Bit?" Leena asked.

"I know I had it before." Bit said. He then took his coat off and started fishing through it. After a while he reached for his belt.

"O.O Bit!! Not here!" Leena said.

Suddenly, the Jager started walking towards Bit and Leena. Leena stepped back slightly and the Jager moved it's head towards Bit. It then opened it's jaw and dropped something shiny into Bit's hand. Bit looked into his palm and saw the ring. "Hm. Thanks buddy." Bit said to the Jager. It growled lightly. Bit turned around and placed the ring on Leena's finger.

(Sweatdrops) "Very well then. With the power invested in me, I know pronounce you, husband and wife. You may ki~"

"I think we got that part down Judge." Leena interrupted. Leena jumped into Bit's arms and they kissed like never before. The whole crowd cheered as the couple turned around. Leena smiled and launched the bouquet into the air. All the ladies lunged for it. Who caught it? Benjamin.

Suddenly, a couple of Hammer heads appeared heading towards the ceremony with news logos on them.

"Oh no. HEY! Who invited the media!?" Bit and Leena yelled. Everyone was silent. Doc took a few steps back. Everyone turned around and sweatdropped.

"DOC!!" Everyone yelled.

"I couldn't help it! They all offered me so much money! I just couldn't say no!" He said.

The Hammerheads landed and hordes of reporters started stampeding towards them. Bit and Leena were about to break for it, when the Jager roared and opened it's cockpit. The newlyweds ran to it.

"Thanks Buddy!!" Bit yelled as he and Leena jumped into the cockpit seat. The hatch closed and the Jager started running away. Bit and Leena sighed as they ran farther and farther away from everyone else.

"Man! Talk about a close call." Bit said.

"No kiddin'." Leena said. She then relaxed into her husbands chest and looked up. "So what's next for us Bit?" She asked. Bit looked at her and smiled.

"I dunno Leena. But whatever it is, I'm sure we can handle it."

"You know it Bit." Leena smiled and kissed Bit again. The Liger roared and continued it's run.

End.

Chad: Okay folks. That's it. NOW PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I'm getting desperate here!! T_T

End file.

Cloud's wedding by Chad Hyou


The Moment

Disclaimer: I do not own zoids. Tomy does, so there.

The Moment

Josie sat musing over her laptop. She was a writer, a poet, a muse of sorts. She had a saying stuck in her head and she didn't know why; she wanted to turn it into a poem, but no inspiration was coming to her.

"A moment in time," Josie said softly, running the words across her tongue. "A moment in time."

"Josie, time to get up!" came a call from downstairs. Her mother.

Josie glanced at the clock next to her bed, it was seven-o-clock. _Time for school already?_ Josie thought as she shut her laptop down and climbed out of bed, yawning. Josie had been up since four that morning, after waking up from a strange dream . . .

_Josie gripped the controls in panic, as she felt herself thrown into the air, as if grabbing onto them would prevent her from leaving the ground. Feeling her distress, Dallas snapped at the zoid producing before them, reaching with all his strength from the arm. It was of no avail; the Blade Liger and its pilot were thrown into the abyss below them._

_To Josie it seemed like it was taking forever for them to fall. She smiled as she saw a bright light above. They had done it. Everything would be ok . . . for them. Her grip on the controls relaxed. Slowly the Genosaurer, Iron Kong and the Command Wolf on the rocky platform above were disappearing as they grew farther and farther away. Dallas growled a soft goodbye to their friends now far above them. Josie patted the console comfortingly. "It's ok Dallas. It's just me and you now, together."_

_Josie leaned back in the cockpit. She found herself wondering if she had any regrets: all those dreams and goals . . . No. She was happy, though she would've liked to have said goodbye to everyone first and for Dallas to live longer. He was only a year old, a very young zoid. Josie thought she could hear some words coming from the distance. Josie's eyes narrowed in concentration, it sounded like . . . her voice, saying something. But what was it?_

_Time sped up suddenly. The Blade Liger slammed into the bottom of the canyon. Glass and armor shattered, debris, flying everywhere. Rocks crumbled on the canyon walls, falling on the Blade Liger, denting what was left of the bent and battered frame. Then an explosion sounded. When all the smoke finally disappeared, all that could be seen below among the debris, was an old, dead Blade Liger._

. . . A moment in time. Those were the only words Josie could remember hearing right before she and Dallas hit the canyon floor. A moment in time . . . Josie shrugged. It was just a dream, but the words, 'A moment in time,' would've been neat in a poem. So much for that.

Grabbing her leather gloves, Josie paused at a picture of a young, blue-haired woman. Her great-aunt Blue. Apparently her aunt had been a zoid pilot too, though Josie had never met her before her aunt had died. Her mom had always said that she had gotten her zoid piloting skills from the Flyhight side of the family, but her Aunt Blue had been the only 'Flyhight' to actually become a pilot. Josie hoped to become a pilot one day herself, either that or a famous poet.

Josie ran downstairs and ate breakfast as fast as she could. She had taken too much time to get ready this morning; she was going to be late. "Bye, Mom!" called Josie as she ran out into the family hanger, past her Dad's Pteras and the family jeep, right up to her own Blade Liger, Dallas, a present from her last birthday. The Blade Liger leaned down and opened its cockpit, allowing Josie easier access. "All right, Dallas," she said as the cockpit closed and the liger stood up. "We're going to have to go top speed. I'm bordering on late, and we're holding Zephyr and Alex up." Dallas roared an answer and burst out of the hanger at top speed. Technically it was against the rules to take a zoid to school, but no one enforced the rule. So anyone with a piloting license and a zoid skipped the bus and came with their zoid to school; even some of the teachers took a zoid instead of their cars.

Up ahead, Josie could see a Command Wolf and a Genosaurer. Josie briefly remembered her dream, but pushed it from her mind. It was true that her friends piloted these zoids, Zephyr, who had been lucky enough to get the Genosaurer from his uncle who was a professional pilot for his birthday, and Alex in her Command Wolf, but Josie had no friends who piloted a Iron Kong, or even knew someone who piloted an Iron Kong for that matter.

"You're late," commented Zephyr, or Zeph, as they sometimes called him, as Josie's Blade Liger came up to the two zoids. "Well then what're we waiting around for?" asked Josie. "I'll race you guys to school." The Genosaurer and Blade Liger took off at the top speed each pilot could withstand, with the Command Wolf lagging behind them.

"Guys, wait, stop! I don't want to do this!" came Alex's exasperated face on the screen.

Zephyr smirked. "You don't want to do this every morning. And you don't just want to do this because you always lose."

Alex looked to Josie beseechingly. Josie shrugged. "You'll never get any better unless you practice, remember? Besides, we'll be late if we don't hurry."

Josie heard Alex sigh, exasperated, and mutter something about how they'll never be late at the rate they're going as Josie turned her eyes back to the race. Zephyr was ahead, but Josie would soon change that . . .

* * *

Josie and Alex had gotten out of homeroom early that afternoon, and waited outside patiently for Zephyr. When he finally came out, he had an annoyed look on his face.

"What's wrong Zeph?" asked Alex, concern on her face.

Zephyr sat down next to them and sighed. "Mr. Tangelan, he's the most boring science teacher that ever walked the planet." Zephyr chuckled dryly at this and continued. "Today we were talking about the space-time continuum. Puhhh, all I know about time is that it's boring."

At the mention of 'time,' Josie's dream resurfaced in her mind again. Josie almost slipped into deep thought, but Alex brought her out of it at the mentioning of zoid piloting.

"Come on Zeph. We'll take our zoids out for a ride. Piloting always makes you feel better."

Zephyr brightened up at that. He stretched as he stood up. "Well then, what are we waiting for? I'll race you guys to the triangle rock formation over by the north side Twilight City."

Alex didn't look happy at this idea, but got into her Command Wolf anyway.

* * *

The race had succeeded in cheering Zephyr up, though he claimed he hadn't needed it. All three zoids now stood around the edge of the Triangle Rock formation, which was at the edge of a canyon where the river had long dried up. Josie and her Blade Liger stood over the edge of the canyon, looking down into the abyss below, 'a moment in time,' echoing in her head. Suddenly she turned to the Genosaurer and the Command Wolf which where in a sort of wrestling match. It appeared as if the Genosaurer might be winning. "Hey guys, what does 'time' mean to you?"

Both zoids stopped in mid-tussle. Both Zephyr and Alex's confused faces appeared onscreen. "What do you mean?" Zephyr asked.

"Exactly what it sounds like. What does time, mean to you?"

The Genosaurer got off the Command Wolf and seemed to contemplate along with its pilot. "I think . . . I think time goes too quickly. I think you have to constantly be aware of it or it'll take you by surprise. Before you know it . . . you'll be old." Zephyr seemed to shiver at that last thought. The Genosaurer looked in the direction of the Command Wolf. "What about you, Alex?"

Alex also thought about how she should answer. Finally she said, "Time is powerful."

"Is that it?" asked Zephyr.

Alex nodded. Zephyr burst out laughing. "That's the stupidest answer I've ever heard."

Alex flushed. "Stop it! It's not funny." Though the reply was calm, hurt was clearly in her voice, and anger mixed with embarrassment now showed on her face.

Zephyr just laughed harder, paying no attention to Alex's pleas. Finally Alex broke down. "Stop!" Zephyr paused, tears of mirth in his eyes and he started at Alex. To both Josie and Alex's surprise Zephyr started laughing even harder. Alex burst into tears and ran in the direction of the canyon toward Twilight City.

Zephyr stopped at this, now angry. "Hey! Come back here! I was just teasing you." No reply came. Alex had shut off her comlink. "Stupid whore," Zephyr muttered angrily.

Josie sighed and began talking to Zephyr as if he was a naughty child who didn't know any better. "You shouldn't have teased her like that. She really _likes_ you, you know," she said, reminding Zephyr of the crush Alex had on him.

Zephyr blushed angrily. "Yeah, I know."

"Come on, we better go get her," Josie said, urging Dallas off in the direction Alex had taken. The Blade Liger needed no further motivation, he was off. After half an hour or so, Josie noticed something in the distance, about three-hundred meters away from them. There were two zoids, duking it out. One was Alex's Command Wolf, but the other?

A tear-stained faceappeared before them. "Zephyr, Josie, get out of here, you'll get hurt!" said Alex.

"No way!" yelled Zephyr, angry that someone could be attacking his friend. "We'll teach this jerk a lesson."

"Zephyr . . ."

"What, Josie?"

"There's something coming toward us." A blip had appeared on the radar. Zephyr was the first to realize what it might be. "That zoid that's fighting Alex is a Iron Kong. There's only one missile that I know of that could come this far . . ."

"That's a Ballistic Missile!"

"That's a Ballistic Missile!"

The Blade Liger's and Genosaurer' shields flew up in the nick of time, just managing to save the zoids from a command system freeze.

"We can't let that thing fire another missile again. Come on." The Genosaurer ran off towards the two combatants. "Hey you! Leave our friend alone!"

Josie followed, but more carefully. Her shield was out, there was no way Dallas would survive another attack like that, and Josie knew how strong a Iron Kong was. They would have to be careful.

"No!" Alex yelled. "Go away! I can handle this!" The Command Wolf leaped onto the back of the Iron Kong in desperation. The Iron Kong grabbed the Command Wolf and slammed it into the ground.

Dallas's blades flipped out and lighted up with heat energy. Josie charged the Iron Kong. To her surprise, the Iron Kong stepped right in front of the charging Blade Liger. Dallas slammed into the Iron Kong, which managed to remain standing. Josie tried to back out, but the Iron Kong was bending over her with a strong grip on the base of Dallas's blades. Josie had a clear view of the cockpit, but it looked as if there was no pilot. "Hey guys, I think this is a wild zoid." As she said this, Josie heard something snap. Dallas fell down and the Iron Kong stood over it with the Blade Liger's blades pointing down at it.

The Genosuarer's claws latched onto the Iron Kong, sending volts of electricity into the ape zoid. The Command Wolf began pummeling the Iron Kong with its Twin 50mm Cannons. The Iron Kong roared in pain and dropped the blades. Grabbing the cables that attached the grappling claws to the Genosuarer, the Iron Kong swung the Genosuarer so that it crashed into the Command Wolf, tripping it. The Iron Kong then picked up the blades again and prepared to drive them down into Dallas's cockpit.

The Command Wolf was the first to get up. "No!" The Command Wolf charged at the Iron Kong. The Kong turned and saw the Command Wolf. Taking the two blades, it drove them into the Wolf's side. Unable to battle any longer, the Command Wolf fell to the ground. The Kong prepared to finish it, and Alex, off.

By this time, the Genosuarer and Dallas had gotten up. Josie looked in the direction of the canyon and an idea formed. "Zeph, prepare to fire your charged particle gun in the direction of the canyon. I'll take care of the rest." Zeph's head nodded. Dallas turned in the direction of the Iron Kong. "Hey you!" Josie called. "Follow me." Dallas roared at the Iron Kong mockingly, saying something to the big ape zoid that Josie couldn't quite understand.

The Iron Kong turned and ran after the Blade Liger. Before Josie knew, she found herself looking down into the canyon again. Dallas turned around to find itself facing the Iron Kong. The Blade Liger snarled, and leaped onto the Iron Kong, scratching and biting madly at the zoid. Somehow, the Iron Kong managed to stand up. It grabbed the Blade Liger with both hands and . . . Josie gripped the controls in panic, as she felt herself thrown into the air, as if grabbing onto them would prevent her from leaving the ground. Feeling her distress, Dallas snapped at the zoid producing before them, reaching with all his strength from the arm. It was of no avail; the Blade Liger and its pilot were thrown into the abyss below them.

To Josie it seemed like it was taking forever for them to fall. She smiled as she saw a bright light above. They had done it. Everything would be ok . . . for them. Her grip on the controls relaxed. Slowly the Genosaurer, Iron Kong and the Command Wolf on the rocky platform above were disappearing as they grew farther and farther away. Dallas growled a soft goodbye to their friends now far above them. Josie patted the console comfortingly. "It's ok Dallas. It's just me and you now, together."

Josie leaned back in the cockpit. She found herself wondering if she had any regrets: all those dreams and goals . . . No. She was happy, though she would've liked to have said goodbye to everyone first and for Dallas to live longer. He was only a year old, a very young zoid. Josie thought she could hear some words coming from the distance. Josie's eyes narrowed in concentration, it sounded like . . . her voice, saying something. But what was it? _A moment in time._ Josie smiled regretfully. She knew what she should have written that morning, now, she could hear the poem.

_Here today, gone tomorrow,_

_leaving is always such sweet sorrow,_

_But don't you worry, my darling Devine,_

_Life is but a moment in time,_

_Not the future, and not the past,_

_Always the present, always to last,_

_In the moment, you will shine,_

_Life is but a moment in time_

Time sped up suddenly. The Blade Liger slammed into the bottom of the canyon. Glass and armor shattered, debris, flying everywhere. Rocks crumbled on the canyon walls, falling on the Blade Liger, denting what was left of the bent and battered frame. Then an explosion sounded. When all the smoke finally disappeared, all that could be seen below among the debris, was an old, dead Blade Liger.

_Here and there, moving and not,_

_it is what it is, and it is what it's not,_

_But wait a while, and you will find,_

_Life is but a moment in time._

End file.

The Moment by Blue Flyhight


Hunter & Hunted

Hunter and Hunted

_**Author: This is the re-load of the original except with a bit more detail. I own nobody but the members of the Wolf Pack, the Shadow Raptors & their members, plus the three new zoids. If ya want a description of them, here ya go:**_

_**Desert Wolf is just like the Command Wolf with a longer muzzle & ears like the Shadow Fox.**_

_**A Mountain Wolf is a more slender & agile version of the Command Wolf that's built closer to ground.**_

_** Wind Wolf is very slender & has long legs. It doesn't really look like a Commander Wolf at all.**_

Brad took a drink of his coffee and watched Bit wander around the hanger aimlessly. "Stupid rookie." he muttered. Outside the base, lightning lit up the sky. It also lit up the hanger, making almost everything glow with a silverish light. But when the light hit Brad's eyes, they glowed a weird shade of yellow-green. He closed his eyes and didn't say a word. By the time the light subsided, Bit was out the door. But standing in the opening of the hanger was a shadowy figure.

"Hello Brad." the figure said. Brad jumped to his feet and stared at the figure. Lightning flashed again, lighting up his eyes again and revealing a huge zoid behind the figure. His eyes went wide with shock.

"Wait!" Brad Hunter jerked upright in his bed, breathing hard. He looked around his room half heartedly. Nothing was out of place and the door was still locked; he was okay. "A nightmare." he whispered, brushing his bangs back. "That voice, that zoid. I know them both. And I thought I buried them away. Guess not." he muttered as he lay back down. He put his arm over his eyes. "I have to go out there tomorrow, today, which ever it is." Brad said, glancing at his alarm clock, which read roughly five thirty. He reached over and turned it off. "I'm going to sleep in for once." he muttered.

A knock came on his door a few hours later.

"Brad! Wake up!" It was the pink haired Leena Toros.

"I'm awake Leena." he muttered, glaring at the door.

"Then get out of bed. It's almost ten o'clock." she told him.

"Alright." he said. She walked away and he got up to get ready. About ten minutes later, he stepped into the kitchen.

"Are you okay Brad?" Jamie asked, handing him some coffee.

"Fine, didn't sleep very well." he muttered.

"Hmm. That's unusual." Naomi Flugle walked in, a usual visitor to the base, with Leon Toros at her heels.

"Hi Leon." Leena said, with a grin.

"Morning." he said, sitting beside her.

Naomi dropped down beside Brad and asked, "What's the matter." He shook his head.

"Brad?" Leon asked.

"It's nothing to worry about." he growled, getting up and taking his coffee with him.

"Brad!" they all called after him. He went to the living room and leaned against the door.

_"They left you for dead at the bottom of that cliff. He left you for dead."_ he thought. He set his coffee on the table and lay down on the couch, thinking of the first time he had even been inside the base. _"That was a long time ago."_ he thought.

Flashback

He was awake, but lay still to allow his senses to kick in. There were bright

lights above him, not the sun though. He could hear none of the sounds he was

used to: the wind, zoids moving, his pack mates breathing. "Where am I?" he asked.

"In the Blitz team base." His eyes snapped open and he found himself staring

at a pink haired girl slightly younger than him.

"Hi." she said. A brown haired boy, older than him, stood behind her; a brown haired man was sitting alongside him.

"It's okay son." he said.

"The name's Brad Hunter." he growled, attempting to force himself up. His chest and ribs were taped, so the pain left him with no choice but to lay back down.

"I'm Leena Toros. This is my big brother Leon and our daddy." the girl said.

"Doctor Toros." the man said.

"Where's Command Wolf?" he asked.

"In the hanger, it's beat up, but can be repaired." the doc said.

"Good." Brad sighed.

End Flashback

"Ash, Dawn, Jade, Cloud, Lightning. Whatever happened to you all?" he whispered. Someone clicked their tongue from the doorway. Leon stood there, the one person Brad had truly trusted since he had woken up at the base.

"Who are they, those people you named off?" he asked.

"People I used to know; a long time ago." Brad whispered.

"A long time ago, before we found you." he guessed. He started to answer when the door opened.

"There's some people here, all in wolf-type zoids. They want to see you." Jamie told him. Brad got up, went to the hanger and just outside.

"Hello Brad." a female's voice said, making him jerk back. Five zoids stood before him, four of which zoids he knew. One was gray Command Wolf, very plain. The second was beautiful red-gold Desert Wolf, with streaks of a very pale pink and blue mixed in, to resemble the sky at dawn. Third in line was yet another Desert Wolf, this jade green some darker splotches on it's paws and face. The fourth was a silver and blue Wind Wolf and the fifth was a Mountain Wolf, white in color with streaks of blue, silver and gold which gave it the effect of seeing a lightning storm.

The five pilots stood in front of their zoids. The Command Wolf's pilot was a tall, heavy built older man with very pale almost gray skin, brown eyes and graying hair. This was Ash, the oldest of the pack. Where he was from was a complete mystery. He didn't talk of his past but then again he didn't talk much at all. Ash was a man who Brad would gladly have as a friend rather than an enemy if he had to choose.

The beautiful Desert Wolf's pilot was a very beautiful woman. She was average height and build with long golden blond hair, pale blue eyes and a dark tan; Dawn. Dawn was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met and if she hadn't been like a sister to him for most of his youth, he would have probably fallen head over heels for her. He had been very young when he asked where she was from and the only answer he had gotten was: "The desert Brad. I'm a daughter of the desert."

The third wolf's pilot was a beautiful and skinny young woman with jade green eyes, red hair and a dark tan. This was Jade, Dawn's daughter. Jade had been born when he was young, a daughter of the desert like her mother. The day she had been born the whole pack gathered to welcome this new addition to their family. It had been a night full of celebration: a feast, music, a bonfire and plenty of howling from the zoids.

The Wind Wolf's pilot was a young woman with odd silver hair, blue eyes, a little tall and skinny with a light tan; Cloud. Where Dawn had been like sister to him, Cloud had been like a mother to him. For a majority of the time he had been with the pack, she had looked after him. It was her who had taught him that in order to get anywhere in life, he had to work hard. Like Ash she was a mystery and wouldn't talk about her past.

The final pilot was a man a bit older than Brad with jet black hair and hazel eyes. He was tall, thin and pale. This was the head of the pack, Lightning. Lightning had come into the pack when he was young like so many others. They hadn't really ever gotten along growing up: Lightning had always be very power hungry. It didn't surprise Brad that the runaway from the city was leading the pack now.

Like him, they gave nothing away in their eyes. He saw no clues as to how they had faired over the years, where the rest of the pack was or if they were the last. It was hard to say how much they had changed over years. But many years ago Jade had been just a tiny girl much too young to pilot a zoid and he had been a very different person.

"Brad." Lightning said, as he eyed the gold and black Shadow Fox.

"Why are you five here?" he asked.

"You had the dream didn't you. Of Inferno returning to lead the pack." Cloud said, in her soft soothing voice.

"He will not!" Lightning snapped at her. The younger woman refused to shrink away from him.

"I did have the dream, but I don't know if I want to believe it." he said, narrowing his eyes at Lightning.

"Why not?" Ash growled.

"He left me for dead at the bottom of a cliff after our battle with the Shadow Raptors." Brad said. Jade's jaw dropped and understandably so, Inferno was her father and she had been very small when that battle had happened.

"He didn't. I did." Lightning hissed. All five looked at him.

"What! How dare you leave one of our own for dead!" Dawn shouted, as she left her daughter's side.

"Learn your place Dawn Wolf!" he barked.

"My place is at side of our pack's leader." she growled.

"Then by all means, take it." he told her. She didn't move, a look of mixed defiance and hatred in her eyes.

"By our true leader: Inferno." she added. Lightning growled and without warning, slapped her. She stumbled back, her daughter and Cloud rushed to her. Ash pulled them away, stepping in front of them.

Brad growled, punched Lightning and pinned him to the ground.

"It's againest our law to hurt them! You're supposed to turn your shoulder and take her rage!" he snapped, with hackles raised.

"You aren't part of the pack, you never were! I knew Inferno was going to pick you to lead us in his place, but I couldn't allow that to happen. So I struck a deal with Havok of the Shadow Raptors to get rid of you. Then I told them I'd let them run on our territory if my plan worked. The pack destroyed them, but I still gained the leadership I deserved." he said.

"Traitor!" Brad roared as a shadow fell over them.

"Then take your vengance. He nearly destroyed your zoid, do what you will to his."

Dawn, Jade, Ash and Cloud stared in shock. Brad looked up over his shoulder at the man who stood beside him. His hair was flame red and his eyes were green. He was tall, muscular with the lightest of tans. This was the man who he had idolized for many years and who had taken him into the pack as a child.

"Inferno." Lightning said, the only one not in shock of seeing him return.

Some time later, Brad and the Wolf Pack were sitting on the roof of the base.

"I believe we've stayed long enough." Inferno finally said, as the sun began to set.

"What are you going to do about Lightning?" Brad asked.

"He will be dealt with, if he returns to our territory." the older man said. The sandy haired man sat in silence as they walked away, got in their zoids and ran off. In the distance he could hear them howling and saw their pack formation. At the back, Cloud and Ash ran side by side. There was a space in the middle of the group. In front of the space, Dawn and Jade ran together. In front of them was the pack's real leader. The Mountain Wolf was black with red flames around it's throat, down it's tail and on it's paws.

"Is the space for you, if you go back to them?" Naomi stood behind him, watching them.

"I think so." he whispered.

"Are you going to go back to the pack?" she asked, sitting beside him on the edge of the roof.

He shrugged and whispered, "I don't know. Maybe, if I ever have nowhere else to go."

"Are you still a Wolf?" she teased.

"In the form of a Shadow Fox, yes." he said.

"They seem like good people." Naomi said.

He looked at her and said, "One day, I'll take you to meet them."

"Sounds like a good idea." she said.

"You're a lot like Dawn." he told her.

"That's an honor to hear." she said.

_**Author: Thanks to KitsuneFyn for the review on the original version. I hope you like the new version of this story. Now I'm off to see if Mirokou's bf will take me to see X-Men Origins tonight when he takes her. *crossing fingers* R&R plz.**_

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Hunter & Hunted by everfaraway