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.
I yawned some as I awakened from my peaceful slumber,slowly opening my eyes,which I soon turned to my new companion.
"Wuzza matta,Sakura?"
I asked sleepily as I sat up with another yawn.What had woken me up was hearing her yell.I figured she had just had a nightmare.
She looked over to me.Was it just me or was she drenched in sweat?Man,whatever she had been dreaming about must've been pretty awful...
"Van?"
She said,her voice barely above a whisper.
I climbed out of my own sleeping bag and went over to her.
"Are you all right,Sakura?"
I asked,placing a hand on her shoulder as she sat there,still breathing somewhat heavily.
She swallowed hard,not responding for a moment.But she then said,
"Y-yeah,I'm all right.Just a...bad dream...that's all..."
I sat down next to her,still having my hand on her shoulder.She was shaking slightly,which pretty much surprised the heck outta me.
"Hey,it's okay,I'm here."
I told her.
"It was just a dream.It's okay."
She swallowed hard again and nodded.
"Yeah,okay...you're right...thanks,Van."
"No problem,Sakura."
I said with a smile.
"Just makin' sure you're okay."
She nodded again and turned her eyes to me.I could tell that she had been really scared just now.
"Um...I'm okay now,Van...thanks...go on back to bed..."
Sakura told me,turning her eyes from me.I guess she figured I had just seen how scared she had been.
I nodded and replied,
"All right,Sakura,if you're sure.But if you need me or anything,don't be afraid to wake me up,okay?"
She nodded back to me at that,still shaking some.
I sighed and lowered myself back down into my sleeping bag.I acted like I had fallen asleep,but I was actually wide awake,watching her.She did'nt lay down and go back to sleep for several hours afterward.Man,whatever she had dreamed about,it must've been terrible...
Later on the next day,as she piloted her War Wolf out across the burning mid-day desert,I noticed how tired she still looked from the night before.I had tried to get her to stop and rest a while longer,but she did'nt listen.She just said that she was fine and that she could keep going.
What was I to do except go along with her?
We went on like this for a good 3 hours.I thought for sure Sakura was gonna fall asleep then and there and I'd have to put the War Wolf on Auto Pilot.If the Wolf would obey my command,that is.Then...
BOOM!!!
Some type of missile hit the ground end exploded right next to us!
"Wha-huh?"
Sakura mutterd,the blast waking her up.
"What the...?!?!"
She swiftly brought her Zoid to the left to evade another missile.
"What the heck's going on?!?!"
I yelled as a third missile blew to our right,way too close for comfort.
Sakura piloted the War Wolf around a huge desert stone and looked around.We could see this big Zoid not too far away that I had never seen.It looked like a Liger,but...it was Black with Gold trim,and it had lots of malicious looking weapons on it.
"What is that thing?"
I asked as I stared at it.
Sakura growled,sounding a lot like her Zoid when she did so.
"Chaos Liger..."
She said in an angry tone.
"Chaos Liger?"
I asked,blinking twice.
Sakura did'nt reply,growling again and bringing her Zoid around the rock at top speed and toward the Chaos Liger.
"Somethin' tells me Sakura and whoever's piloting that Liger don't get along well..."
I thought to myself.
Meanwhile,in the Chaos Liger's cockpit,a young man not too much older than Sakura smirked,watching her with cat-like,yellow eyes from beneath black bangs of hair.
"Come on,Wolfess."
He said with a smile as she charged him,but he evaded to the left and hit her hard with glowing hot paws.Man,this guy's Zoid was equipped with Strike Laser Claw!!!
Sakura let out a surprised yell,but did'nt back down.She just glared at the Chaos Liger with narrowed,aqua eyes.
"Hang on to your underwear,Van.This is gonna be rough."
I did'nt hesitate to grip onto my seat firmly just before she leapt forward,bringing the War wolf into an all out brawl with the Chaos Liger.Both of them activated their Strike Laser Claws and started slashing at one another as they rolled around on the ground,shouting insults and profanities at each other all the while.
I myself did all I could do.Hang on for dear life and pray.
The fight continued like this for a good while until Sakura finally managed to bring the War Wolf paw up to the Chaos Ligers lower jaw,knocking it out of place and system freezing the Zoid's motor control,and in turn system freezing the rest of the Zoid afterward.I sighed with relief as Sakura brought the War Wolf off of the Chaos Liger,the War Wolf then collapsing on the ground,also system frozen.
"Aw,man..."
I said,checking the War Wolf's systems from the control panels next to the back seat.
"Sakura,the War Wolf's down for the count,I hate to say..."
Sakura sighed.
"Well,at least I got Jet..."
She said with a satisfied smirk as the pilot of the Chaos Liger climbed down from his cockpit.Sakura also descended from her cockpit.I followed close behind her.
"So...you know this guy?"
I asked as the two faced each other,both glaring.Sakura simply nodded in response to my question.
"Jet Skyline..."
She growled.
"Still after me,huh?"
Jet nodded and said,
"Well,you know I'm not gonna let a pretty bounty like you slip through my fingers."
I was shocked!This guy was a bounty hunter?!?!And Sakura was wanted?!?!
Sakura growled and said,
"You know I'm not guilty of what I've been accused of.What little bit is left of the Empire is still after their revenge on me.I'm no terrorist."
Jet smirked.
"Yeah,right.Even if you were'nt Babe,you know I'd still be on you like white on rice in a glass of milk on a paper plate in a snowstorm with the bounty on your pretty little blonde head."
"If I'm such a big bounty,then come on and get me right here.Unless you're chicken and won't fight out of Zoid."
"Chicken?Oh Baby,you just ticked me off.And nobody ticks Jet Skyline off."
"Looks like I just did."
I watched and backed up some as her glare became more vicious.I had this bad feeling that I did'nt wanna be around when she really got angry.
"If you want to taste the ground,feel free to attack me!"
She yelled at Jet,who smirked again.
"Gladly,Babe."
He said just before leaping forward at her,drawing a dagger like lightning from it's sheathe at his belt as he moved.But Sakura was ready for him and caught the blade on it's flat sides between her hands.I just stared,wide eyed.I had no idea she could do that!
"Boys should'nt play with knives."
She said,her voice now more of a growl than anything as she easily pulled the knife rom the surprised Jet's hands and raised her foot up,roudhouse kicking him in the temple.I was surprised to see him get up after it.
"You never did go down easy,did you Solo?"
Jet said as he leapt at her and the two went at it.Jet delivered a pretty hard punch to Sakura's stomach,making her double over.I cringed when I saw it,but I knew it better to stay out of it and let her fight it out.
As she bent down in the double over though,she reached up like lightning and grabbed Jet's arm and moved into sort of a whirlwind stance,throwing Jet over her right hip.
But Jet apparently was'nt going down that easy and swept his legs under hers as soon as he hit the ground,causing her to fall.She let out a whoosh of air as she had the breath knocked out of her fom the fall.
Jet did'nt hesitate to leap up and pin her down.He smirked down at her before leaning his face closer and kissing her devilishly.
"Uh-oh..."
I thought.
"This guy's had it now..."
Sakura let out her most vicious growl yet and literally threw him off of her.She was officially mad now,and I think Jet knew it.He quickly stood up and backed off,pulling some sort of small remote from his pocket and pressing a button on it.
Sakura drew her 357 Magnum and fired at Jet,but he moved quickly with a show of flips and tumbles and evaded her shots,but just barely.
I heard Sakura mutter a few more profanities as her clip ran out of bullets.She reached into her pocket for another clip as some sort of small,desert skiff came up and Jet climbed on,waving back with another smirk.
"See ya.Hope you enoy the heat,cause you guys are stuck."
He blew Sakura a kiss and started off.
I looked at Sakura,seeing her face turning red with anger as she raised her now re-loaded 357 Magnum and firing at Jet again.Once again,Jet tried some pretty fancy maneuvers.But this time,Sakura managed to make some hits.Not to Jet,but his Skiff.He would'nt get far.The bullets had'nt hit a major area,but the damage from them would bring the Skiff to a stop before long.
"Blasted Jet..."
Sakura muttered,reholstering her weapon and going over to the War Wolf,petting it's nose as it whimpered almost pathetically.
"So...that guy's a bounty hunter?"
I asked.
"And...you're wanted for terrorism that you did'nt do?!"
Sakura nodded.
"Yeah.You remember the Galactic Empire I told you about that was defeated not long ago?Well,I had some dealing in the Empire's defeat,and there are still slight remnants of the Empire left.The ones in those remnants are constantly trying to get their revenge on me.They set up the terrorist acts and make it look like I did them.But I did'nt.The only destruction I ever did was in a simple Zoid battle or against the Empire.I never terrorized."
I nodded,understanding what she was saying.I never really had realized how rough she had it.It was no wonder she was all alone and did'nt have friends.Everyone thought she was a terrorist!And who wants to be friends with a terrorist?
Well,I knew she was'nt a terrorist and I was her friend.And I was'nt afraid to admit I was her friend either.
That's all the poor girl ever really wanted was a friend.
I watched as she petted the War Wolf again,looking up sadly at it.I could tell she hated to see it in this condition.
"Don't worry,War Wolf.As soon as we get to a town or something,we'll get someone out here to repair you."
The Zoid whimpered again and she rubbed her face against it's nose as though it were an oversized house pet.
I stepped forward and said,
"Yeah,don't worry,War Wolf.We'll get ya fixed up soon."
I reached up and petted it some myself,remembering how I had done this many times before with the Shield Liger.
Sakura smiled and went into the cockpit,grabbing her backpack and putting some things in it,then jumping back out.
"We'd best get started while the sun's still high."
She said,looking up at the sky.
I nodded.
"Yeah.We'd best take plenty of water."
"Already taken care of.I've got several bottles of water in my pack."
"That's good.Let's get going then.You want me to carry the pack?"
She blinked and looked at me,as though taking that last line as an insult.But then she smiled after she thought about it a minute and said,
"Nah,I got it.Thanks."
I smiled back and said,
"Well,okay."
"Come on.Let's go."
With that,the two of us started out across the burning hot,mid-day desert.
The two of us traveled across the desert for what seemed like forever.We went on for about 3 days,camping out at night and making ground during the day.But now,both of us were suffering from heat sickness and we were running out of water.
I dropped to my knees in the sand and said,
"Sakura...that's it...I can't go any further...I'm too tired and sick..."
She dropped to her own knees next to me and said,
"Yeah...me too...I just can't take another step..."
I closed my eyes,dipping my head down some and wiping some sweat from my forehead.
"We're running out of water and we ran out of food a while ago...if we don't find a town or something before long,we're both gonna dehydrate..."
Sakura nodded.
"Yeah...I know...there must be a town or something somewhere...if we don't find something,we're both done for..."
She swallowed hard and looked at me.
"Van,I finally found a friend in this world...I don't wanna lose you this soon..."
The way she looked at me...man,I never thought I'd see her of all people look that way.She looked sad and scared.It almost made me wanna cry,seeing her like that.
"Hey,don't worry,Sakura...Lord be willing...we're gonna get outta this...one way or the other..."
She simply nodded slowly,apparently not having much energy left.I did'nt have much energy left myself.
"Come on...let's rest here a while and then keep going...maybe if we drink some water we'll feel better."
Sakura nodded again and reached into her backpack,handing me one of my water bottles.I was on my last bottle and there was about half of it left.Sakura was doing about the same with her water.
I turned my bottle up and took a good swig.Just enough to wet my throat down and everything.It did make me feel better.
Sakura turned her bottle completely up-side down over her mouth and took a few good glugs out of it,then capping it and putting it back in the bag.I figured I had had enough to keep me going for now and put my bottle back as well.
"We've only got about a quarter of a bottle a piece now..."
Sakura speculated.
"We'd best not drink it unless we just totally have to."
"Yeah...won't be easy,but we're gonna have to...it may be the only thing to help us survive..."
She nodded and stood up.
"Come on...let's go...if you feel like you can go on,that is..."
I stood up and said,
"Yeah...I'm good for a while now..."
"Good...let's move..."
With that,we began to move across the desert again.We traveled once more on up into the evening.
That's when Sakura hit the ground.
"Sakura!Sakura,come on!Don't quit on me now!"
I yelled as I bent down,shaking her.But she did'nt come to.
"No good...I don't have a choice..."
I pulled one of the water bottles from her backpack and tilted her head up,giving her what was left in the bottle,knowing how badly she needed it.
She opened her eyes and looked up at me.
"Huh?Van?"
"Shhh...just relax...you just passed out."
She swallowed hard and tried to sit up.
"No...we can't stop...we have to keep going..."
But tried was the word for her effort to sit up,as she only fell back to the sand.I sighed and said,
"Well,you're right.We do need to keep going."
I stood up and reached back down,picking her up and holding her in my arms.She looked up at me with tired eyes.
"It's okay,Sakura.You don't have to walk."
She just nodded weakly.I could tell she was fading fast.She needed some water and a place to rest.I figured a doctor could'nt hurt either.
"Okay..."
I said to myself with a sigh,continuing to walk across the seemingly endless desrt.
I started my way up over a sand dune,feeling like before long I'd probably be as bad as Sakura was now.I was'nt really sure I could even make it to the top of the dune I was scaling.But when I did make it to the top...
"Oh my gosh..."
Was all that escaped my lips as I looked on at the brightly lit City ahead of me.Man,I could'nt tell you how happy I was!
"Sakura,look!A City!And it's no mirage either!"
I said as I looked to her.But I did'nt get a reply.
"Sakura?"
I still did'nt get any answer I stared at her unconcious,pale face.
"No,Sakura..."
I said silently.
"She needs a doctor..."
With that,I used what little energy I had left to go into a sprint,making my way towards the City as fast as my tired legs would carry me.
"Please let Sakura be okay..."
I prayed as I ran into the City with Sakura laying limp and unconcious in my arms.One could've easily mistaken her for dead.
When I made it into the city,I came in and started down one of the sidewalks,soon spotting some people up ahead of me.I ran up to them,then dropping to my knees in front of them,no longer able to hold myself up with them.
"Someone,please!Call a doctor quick!"
I yelled at the top of my lungs.
I watched Sakura carefully as she laid in the hospital bed a while later.She looked terrible,like she might pass away at any minute.She had about a hundred IVs in her arm and an oxygen mask pressing over her face.It was just so pitiful.
I reached forward and gripped her hand.
"Sakura,please...don't die...please...you finally found a friend...please don't leave me..."
I pleaded as I sat there,holding her hand.It was slightly cold,and her skin resembled porcelain.
"Please,Sakura...I'm here for you,I promise...that's what friends do..."
I felt like I might burst into tears at any second.It was just so sad what she was going through.She only had one friend and now it looked like she might die.
"S-Sakura..."
I choked out,a tear running down my face and dripping onto her hand as I held it.I felt her hand move some.
"Huh?Sakura?"
She grunted and opened her aqua eyes slightly.
"Huh?Where...am I?Van?"
I placed a hand on her forehead and said,
"Sssshhh.Just relax.You're in the hospital,Sakura.But it's okay.I'm here."
She smiled slightly and said,
"Thanks Van...you really are my best friend..."
I could'nt help but smile back,thanking the Lord she was all right.I reached forward and gave her my most friendly hug,glad she was still there.
"Man,Sakura...I was so worried...I thought you might..."
"Die?Ha.It's gonna take a lot more...than a little dehydration...to separate me from my best friend..."
She smirked.
I could'nt hep but smile again,a few tears running down my face.
"Sakura..."
End of Chapter Five
Discuss books at Blogging about Books http://www.seltzerbooks.com/blog/
Other book reviews
by Richard Seltzer
Opus authors -- contemporary
writers whose entire work is great
The Readers' Corner
and Writers Showcase
This site is published by Samizdat Express, 213 Deerfield Lane, West
Roxbury, MA 02132-002. (203) 553-9925 seltzer@seltzerbooks.com
Book
collections on CD and DVD. A library for the price of a book.
Limited time
offer: 2 for the price of 1