Very clever fanfic. It makes it so that characters from two eras which are hundreds of years apart end up meeting. The main Zoid in here, called The War Wolf, is very believable. Tim Seltzer, seltzer@seltzerbooks.com
Sakura's Disclaimer: This goes for all chapters,so I don't have to write this dislaimer again...I don't own Zoids and don't get paid for writing this.Thank you.
Van asked as he tossed his backpack into the War Wolf's cockpit.
"That's right."
I replied,tossing in my own backpack.
"But the mercenaries now are'nt bad.We get paid to help people fight in friendly Zoid battles."
"Oh,I see.Things really have changed."
"All mercenaries must've been bad back where you come from,huh?"
"Well,I would'nt say all of 'em are bad,but all of 'em were'nt good,either."
He thought about Irvine,who pretty much had been a mercenary though he never actually called himself that.Van was already missing everyone.
"Something wrong?"
I asked,getting ready to jump in the cockpit when I saw his sad expression.
Van looked back at me,seemingly having to wipe the frown off his face and replace it with a smile.
"Uhhh...yeah,sure!I'm fine!Nothing wrong here!"
He jumped up into the back seat and clasped his harness.
"Well,if you say so."
I said,clasping my own harness now and bringing down the canopy.
Van looked around as I did so.I could tell that he felt...strange,and...out of place.This world was so different to him.I guess I could'nt blame him for feeling that way.I mean,according to what he had told me,he had been living in the time of the war between the Empire and the Republic.That war had ended over 300 years ago.
I felt so sorry for him.I knew he had to be missing a lot back home.Was my need of a friend worth pulling Van away from all that he knew and loved?I did'nt know.It did'nt sound right to me,but what had happened happened,and I had no idea of how to change that.All I could do was try and help Van feel more comfortable while he was here.
I then had a thought.Maybe this was'nt permanent.Maybe he'd go home soon...and I'd be alone again...
I shook the thought away,realizing that all I'd lose was a friend if he went back.What Van had lost was his entire world when he was brought here.The thing that confused me was...Van meant the world to me.He was the only friend I had.My question now was,which was more important?His world,or mine?
I sighed depressedly as Van hardly spoke a word as we now traveled across the desert in the War Wolf.What was I supposed to do?What was having a friend worth if they were sad like this?Friendships are supposed to be happy,right?Well,I had never had a friend,so I did'nt know.
I sighed and began singing my song subonciously,not really realizing I was singing it.
"Sakura's my name,"
"Mercenary's my game."
"With War Wolf and I,"
"The limit's past the sky."
"We'll travel far and wide,"
"From the desert sand to the ocean tide."
Van blinked as he listened to me singing.It was...familiar.
"You know,you remind me of Moonbay.She had her own song,too.All though you sing a lot better."
He said with a smirk.
I chuckled and said,
"I'm like your friend Moonbay,am I?"
Van nodded.
"Yeah.You act sorta like her,too.Don't take this the wrong way,but...you're both rough."
I simply laughed.
"I take pride in being rough."
Van smiled.Maybe this would'nt be so bad.
"So,he's in there with the mercenary?"
A gruff voice asked as he and his partner stood not too far away,hidden behind a cluster of desert rocks,both of them camouflaged in desert Command Wolves.
"Yeah,he's in there."
The other Command Wolf pilot answered,his voice more smooth than his partner's.
"The kid that fell out of the sky like a rock the other day."
"And,what did you say his name was again?"
"Van Flyheight."
"Van.Well,he'll be ours soon enough.Let's go."
"Hold it,Lars.We're not going in yet.That mercenary is'nt like the others.She's a particularly rough one."
"Your point being?"
"I don't wanna take chances.We'll go in when they're snoozin'."
"You always want to take precautions,Regis.Why is that?"
"'Cause I don't want my Command Wolf getting demolished by that War Wolf,that's why!Now,shut up and follow my orders!"
Van and I yawned tiredly as we stretched out in our sleeping bags for the night.I watched him look up at the sky,then around at the seemingly endless desert.
"It has'nt changed much..."
He said,more to himself than anyone.
I simply nodded,knowing he was still missing his own home and his own friends and family.I wondered how to make him feel better.I then thought of something and reached into my backpack,pulling out a couple of plastic bottles.
"Yo,Van!Heads up!"
I tossed him one of the bottles.He caught it and said.
"Thanks,I was gettin' thirsty."
He guzzled down some and smiled.
"Wow!What is this stuff?It's great!"
I smiled.
"It's Vanilla Coke.Like it?"
"Like it?Man,I love it!This stuff is so delicious!"
He continued to drink,savoring every last drop of it.I grinned as I watched,glad I had made him happy.At least for a little while.
"There's plenty more where that came from if you want it,Van."
"Gee,thanks,Sakura!"
He upturned the bottle and downed the rest,giving a loud belch.
"Excuse me."
He said with a blush.I simply chuckled,then taking a deep breath and letting out an even louder belch.
He looked at me speechlessly for a second,but finally said,
"Oh,yeah?Well,how about this?"
He took in a breath and let out another belch,topping mine.
I simply smirked.
"Child's play."
I let out my loudest belch,which could have been heard for miles.
Van stared wide eyed at me a moment before letting out a nervous chuckle.
"That was...pretty good..."
He stuttered with a sweatdrop.
I smirked again and said,
"That's not all I've got in me."
I went to belch again,but in it's place was a loud explosion nearby.Both of us hit the dirt.
"Man,what was that?"
Van asked in confusion.
I scowled,my personality changing.
"We're under attack.Van,come on!"
I got up and made a run for the War Wolf,Van hot on my heels.
Suddenly,more disaster struck.A small missile came down right in front of us,blowing us both back and to the sand.
Van sat up,shaking his head.
"What a ride..."
He got up and went over to me.
"Sakura?You okay?"
He asked,shaking me some.
Then,out of nowhere,ropes came out and encircled Van from behind,pinning his arms to his sides and immobilizing him.
"Wha-what the...?!"
He was then pulled back,where two men awaited him.
One man was tall and well built,wearing a pair of small glasses that really did'nt go with his size.The other man was'nt as tall,and not nearly as builty.Very skimpy,actually.He looked like he was probably the brains of the operation.
Van glared at the two.
"Who are you?!What do you want?!"
He demanded.But the two men simply smirked.
"Just relax now.We're not going to hurt you."
The skimpy one said.
Van growled,looking back to me as I started getting up off the ground.
"Sakura,run!"
Van yelled as I looked up.
"Huh?Van!"
The beefy man grimaced.
"Come on,Lars!Let's go!"
He said,grabbing Van and running toward his Desert Command Wolf.
"Right behind you,Regis!"
The skimpy one said,following to his own Desert Command Wolf.
"Man,these guys apparently don't wanna mess with Sakura..."
Van thought to himself as he began to struggle,looking back to see me getting into her War Wolf.
I leapt gracefully into the cockpit,clasping my harness and bringing down the canopy.
"MOBILIZE!!!"
I yelled out,bringing my Zoid toward the Command Wolves,which were already taking off.
Van struggled against his restraints as he sat behind the pilot's seat of Regis' Zoid.
Regis turned on the comlink and said,
"Lars,get rid of her!I'm taking the boy on!"
"Roger that!"
Lars said as they came into a mountainous area.
I was hot on their tails,trying to think of some way to disable their Zoids without hurting Van.I started to go around some tall,spire-like stones,picking up my speed to come around and cut them off.
But Lars saw my move and fired the 50mm Double Barrel Rifle that was mounted on his Command Wolf's back at the spires,causing an avalanche of stone and rok to rain down on me.
"NO,SAKURA!"
Van yelled,seeing all this from Regis' cockpit.
"Sakura,no..."
Regis smirked wickedly.
"Well,that's it for her."
He then slowed his Zoid and turned to Van,who had his head hung in sorrow for his friend.Regis could'nt help but smile as he drew a packet from his pocket,opening it and bringing out what looked like a slightly damp pad of cotton,then pressing it over the unsuspecting Van's face.
Van struggled,smelling something noxious on the textile.
"Chloroform..."
He thought,recognizing the smell as he continued to struggle.But this
did'nt last long,and Van finally succumbed.
End of Chapter 3
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