van and mercenary chapter 15, a zoid fanfic, in which the century's Van meets Bit Cloud and others

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 was having problems learning how to fly with my new wings.LOTS of problems.Sombra and Sakura tried several plans to try and help me learn how,but nothing seemed to work.I soon found out I had a never-before-noticed fear of heights.

Every attempt we made turned out to be a failure,and I became exasperated and ran off.but not long afterward the Neo Empire found us and launched an attack.When Sakura fell off a cliff during which,I knew I had no other alternative.It was fly or die as I spread my wings and somehow or other brought myself to fly down and save her.

If only I could have done the same for Sombra though,who was captured by Neo Imperials...

Chapter 15

"Rescue"

I whispered.Then,almost as if on my command,Sakura winced,slowly opening her eyes.

She whispered,sitting up,but gripping her side quickly where she had taken the blaster shot.I gently helped her lay back down.

I told her,starting to pat her forehead with the cloth again,just now realizing it had gone dry and then dipping it back in the ice water basin,getting it good and cold before wringing it out and going back to Sakura with it.She did'nt fight me keeping her in bed.I think I'm the only person she won't fight about that.She instead turned her head on the pillow and looked to me.

She asked,the question sort of making me wince.I wondered if I should tell her,knowing if I did there was no way I'd keep her in bed,and that she might acciddentally re-open the wound with all the action she'd be planning on doing.But I could'nt lie to her...I had to tell her the truth.What else was I supposed to tell her?

Sakura sat straight up again,groaning and gripping her wound.I reached forward and placed my hands on her shoulders,preventing her from getting up further.

"Sakura,please,just rest for now!There's no way you can help Sombra in this condition!"

"That's the second time I made you snap at me...I'm sorry...you're the last person I want to be angry with me..."

My eyes softened as I watched her.She felt guilty for wanting and trying to help...I guess I was partially to blame.I had snapped...she was just trying to help before and I snapped at her then,and she was trying to help Sombra now and I snapped at her again.All though she WAS injured this time...I could'nt just let her go out there with a blaster shot like that in her side.

"I'm sorry I snapped Sakura,it's just...I don't wanna see you get hurt any worse..."

I told her,trying to show her I meant it by pulling her close in my arms.I did'nt see it,but she blushed deeply.About as red as Naomi's Gun Sniper.

"I'm not mad,just concerned,okay Sakura?I'm just concerned...because you're my best friend and I don't wanna see you get hurt anymore."

I watched as Sakura slowly nodded,understanding my words as she closed her eyes,then speaking softly.

"Yeah you do.You've gone so long without anyone...no one there for you.So I'm here now...I'm here."

Sakura slowly nodded again,her eyes staying closed as she driftd off to sleep.I smiled as I watched her.She looked just like a sweet little child when she slept...she was so cute.

I closed my own eyes as I held her close to me while she slept,smiling and thinking to myself.

I snapped my eyes open,now finding myself in a completely different place.A dark,dimly lit place made completely of metal and electronics.

I heard Sombra yell again,following her voice down a hallway and to a small room,where I saw two Neo Stormtroopers holding her securely in a chair while another strapped her in.I then saw one of the well-dressed officers with all the badges walk forward.What had Sakura said those guys were called?Moffs?Something like that...

"Tell us where the mercenary and the Ancient Zoidian are.If you don't,you'll regret it..."

The Moff growled,then standing straight up and stepping back,nodding to a Stormtrooper that had his hand on a switch.

I yelled,throwing myself forward,but realizing I was too late as I saw the switch being thrown,closing my eyes tight.

I slowly reopened my eyes,finding myself back in the doctor's office,still holding Sakura close to me as she slept.

I looked back to Sakura,gently laying her down and pulling her covers up,being careful not to wake her.

"Sorry,Sakura.But Sombra needs help and she needs it fast,and you're in no condition for an adventure."

I whispered,watching her a moment more before leaning down,thinking about my move before gently kissing her forehead.I blushed bright red afterwards,moving my lips a little after I had kissed her.

I murmured,then remembering Sombra and shaking my head,realizing who needed me more right now as I grabbed my pack and ran out the door.

"Great...so just where do I start looking...I'm not even sure where they took her..."

I thought to myself as I later skimmed the desert on my hoverboard,looking around the endless sands.Geez,way too much sand on this planet...

Then,as though I was receiving an answer,the crystal around my neck started to glow.I blinked when I realized it and slowed the hoverboard to a stop,taking it off and looking at it.It started to swing.

I muttered as I watched it swing,and almost as though I actually knew what I was doing with this thing,like it just came naturally,I closed my eyes and tried to think of Sombra.I had to concentrate on her.Sombra...

The crystal continued swinging in it's circular motion,then finally swinging out straight in front of me.I blinked my eyes open and watched it.

I did'nt waste time putting the crystal back around my neck and darting off on the hoverboard again,praying to the Lord I could reach Sombra in time as I shot over the midnight,desert sands.

I kept a watch on the crystal,noticing it got brighter as I got closer.I smiled and soon came to a stop,something inside telling me to do so as I stepped off the hoverboard and walked up to the top of the next sand dune,looking down.

I was amazed to see a Neo Imperial base hidden in a huge hole,the surrounding sand dunes keeping it out of sight from any possible passers-by.

"Whoa...look at the size and technology of that thing...these guys mean business.I'd better get in there and get Sombra out ASAP...but how do I get into a place so heavily guarded?"

I murmured to myself,watching the Neo Imperial Stormtroopers and Moffs all walking about down below.I then had an idea,smirking to myself as it sounded like a crazy stunt Sakura would pull.I silently crept down into the hole where the base stood,hiding all along the way and stopping behind some large packing cases near the building.A Neo Stormtrooper soon walked by and I was quick to grab him,seeing one place unarmored on the body of a NeoTrooper:The base of the neck.I quickly placed my hands there and squeezed down hard,putting him in a sleeper.He hit the floor unconcious and I smirked.

With that,I pulled off his armor and began to put it on my own body,surprised at how light it was.I then dumped the Trooper in one of the packing cases,closing the lid and trying to look like a normal Trooper doing his job as I stacked other cases neatly on top of it,making sure there was no way that trooper'd be getting out anytime soon.I chuckled to myself,then remembering Sombra.

I nonchalantly walked back inside,looking around as I did so.Man,how was I gonna find her in a place this big?Well,takin a wild guess would only get me deeper in trouble than I already was,so I decided to ask someone,knowing they would'nt know I was'nt one of them.I stopped one of the troopers that passed by me.

"Erm,'scuse me,but I just got transferred to this base,and I'm a little lost.I'm supposed to go down to the Detention Blocks,but I'm not sure where they are.Could you do me a favor and help me out?"

"Yeah,just take the elevator down that hall and go down to the bottom floor.Those are the Detention Blocks."

With a slight snicker to myself at getting past these PVC wearing freaks so easy,I took the elevator down to the Detention Areas,several other troopers and a couple of Moffs on board with me.But I noticed something,seeing one of the Moffs...was the same one I had seen in my vision earlier!!

I sweatdropped behind the breath mask,but managed to keep my cool,holding the Blaster Rifle that came with the Trooper's PVC suit in hand as the others did,my eyes moving all about as I thought,taking in the surrounding everywhere I came to in this place,and remembering where I went in and how to get there systematically.I figured I'd better know it by heart,or it could be the end of Sombra and I both if we had to make a quick break for it.

The elevator finally came to a slightly jerking stop as it hit the bottom of the shaft,the door opening with a soft hiss as most of the occupants piled out,and I did so with them,glad to see that the Detention Blocks were'nt overrun with NeoTroopers.I walked forward down and Trooperless hall,looking into the transparasteel doors of each cell.

Once at the end of this hall,I still saw no Sombra.I went to try another,and then another,a feeling of dread continuing to bubble and rise in me,burning badly as though it were the lava of a volcano.Then...

I quickly followed her voice,rounding a corner and watching as two NeoTroopers hauled her arcoss the metal floor.

Before I really realized what I was doing,I quickly raised my Blaster Rifle and skillfully shot the two NeoTroopers that restrained her down,Sombra falling with them as they fell,but she quickly got up,looking to me.She growled,ready to fight me.

I took the helmet off,letting her see who it was.She sighed with relief,coming on me with a tight hug.I smiled and hugged her back as she said,

"What,did you think I was just gonna leave you here?You got another think coming."

I then remembered my vision and sighed,letting her go and putting my helmet back on.

"Come on,we gotta get out of here.You have no idea what's hanging overyour head here..."

Sombra nodded,not able to argue with that as I took out a pair of wrist restraints from the suit's utility belt.Sombra blinked in confusion as I pulled her wrists forward,crossing them over one another before putting the restraints on.

"We have to try and make this look convincing.I'm gonna tell them I'm transporting you to another prison..."

"Oh,all right.Good idea.But...where's Sakura?Is'nt she with you?It's not like her to miss out on a life-threatening mission..."

I sighed,not really wanting to say the words,but managed to do so anyway,finally saying,

With that,I led her like she was my prisoner down the hallways and to the elevator shaft,going up to the floor I had just come from.I gave the restraints on Sombra's wrists a hard tug now and then to make it look like I was forcing her to follow.She tried to be slightly resistant,making it look very real.We got a few looks from some passing Troopers,but they said nothing.

He said,nose stuck up in the air like he was everything.Boy,I wished we had been outside with it raining so he could drown...hehe...

"I was not notified.And we do not transport prisoners who are scheduled for interrogation and possible execution."

He seemed to glare at Sombra,who's eyes widened a little before looking to me.I gulped and replied,

The Moff huffed,then raising his hand as a few NeoTroopers came our way.I sweatdropped in the suit for the third time I think and raised my Blaster Rifle to the Moff's heart.

I hissed,the Moff immediately ducking away from my gun as I broke into a forward run before the Troopers had a chance to surround us,still gripping Sombra's wrists as I did so.She followed me closely,soon being alongside me as she ran for her speed,as well as being without the darn suit I was in,which,might I add,was starting to seem heavy because of all the action.

Crimson hot beams shot past us from behind,Sombra yelping when they started.Fortunately,neither of us were hit.But Sombra...she did'nt have any armor against it,so I picked her up and held her close in front of me to keep her out of enemy fire while we made our way down the hallway.A few shots hit me in the back now,but it did'nt hurt since the suit was so toughly armored.

I yelled,rounding a corner quickly and heading to the exit,smiling when I saw it just ahead.I ran faster,as fast as my legs would carry Sombra and I both.

I then saw a huge,metal barrier coming down over the door.I swallowed hard,knowing that door was our last chance at escape as I leapt forward in a last ditch effort,Sombra closing her eyes and holding on tight as I flew through the door,just before the metal barrier finished it's descent over the door.

I hit the sand rolling,my helmet coming off at around the second roll,my body not stopping until the fifth roll as I laid flat of my back,breathing heavily.Sombra finally opened her eyes and looked to me.

Sombra nodded back to me and stood,then holding out her hand and helping me up.I did'nt refuse,standing quickly as I heard more NeoTroopers heading our way.

I yelled,grabbing Sombra's hand as we headed up the path out of the hole which the base stood in,both of us breathing heavily and slowing some on the steep incline.I started taking off the armor as I ran,feeling a lot cooler and better as I did so.

Then,as we were about halfway up the path,explosions suddenly rocked the base behind us,the force from the blasts throwing Sombra and I forward and out of the hole.I landed on top of her by complete acciddent,my lips touching hers.

We both froze there,not sure what to do as a Zoid moved nearby:The War Wolf.Apparently,Sakura had followed me and fired when she saw Sombra and I were 'out of range',all though it would appear she made a slight miscalculation.

She stopped her sentence slowly,her voice trailing off as she saw the position Sombra and I had landed in.I started to get up,looking to her.I opened my mouth to say something,but Sakura did'nt give me time,like seeing Sombra and I in the position hit a nerve as she turned on her heels and broke out into a run for the War Wolf.

I yelled after her,but she was fast:The fastest running person I had ever seen as she leapt into the War Wolf's cockpit,paying me no mind as she strapped herself in and brought down the canopy,taking off.

She whispered as I watched Sakura leave as well,feeling the heat from the super hot flames that now rose from below blowing against my skin,making me sweat.It helped hide the tears that welled up in my eyes and run down my face.

Van and the Mercenary by Sakura

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