RRMKII: ::Swings from light pole:: Weeeeee! CB! This is fun!
CB: -_-. Why did you have to give the child sugar?
DW: ::Evil grin:: Her puppy eyes are the worst.
RRMKII: I am not a child! ::Swings from lamppost to lamppost like a monkey:: What this fic about again?
DW and CB: ::Sweatdrop:: *-_- You're the authoress.
RRMKII: What's this story 'bout? ::Puppy eyes::
CB: ::Looks away:: Not the puppy eyes!
DW: *-_-. Can't…help…myself…
RRMKII: ::Cackles like a witch and bumps head on post::
CB: Gah! ::Runs away holding hands to his eyes::
DW: ::Eyes twitch:: RRMKII was playing with her Liger Zero Ultimate X one day and came up with a new version of the Liger. Since then she's been wanting to write a story about it.
RRMKII: ::Walks up calm as anything:: Basically it's an AU where Van, Fiona, Moonbay, and Rudolf are in a gang called the Gate Lords and Raven, Irvine, Hiltz and Reese are in another called the Shadows. The whole of the Elemia Desert Clan is in an uproar due to the unusual amount of casualties being produced by the two warring gangs.
CB: When did the sugar wear off?
RRMKII: ::Eye twitch:: It…hasn't…
CB and DW: *-_-…AH!!!!!
_*-_*-_*-_
Moonbay padded through the dismal streets of the Elemia bazaar. Wondrous items such as gold pendants, gems with the power to ward off even the strongest of spirits, intricate designs of rugs and lots of food were on display in the market area. Smells wafted from every corner of the unique bazaar as Moonbay stopped to buy some steamed dumplings to take back to her friends.
The afternoon bell tolled the moment she climbed to the upper streets of the market area. Golden sunrays reflected of the silver armband she wore on her upper arm. Everyone in the Gate Lords wore them.
The Shadows wore deep gray sashes around their waists. Their breeches were of the purest black while their tailored tunics were a contrasting white. Oh, how the Gate Lords detested them. The Shadows never knew when to quit. They insisted on picking fights with the much tougher gang and invading their territory. They got licked every time. Moonbay smiled to herself remembering the time she pummeled the tessku of the Shadows, Hiltz.
The upper streets were crowded with more than just people hanging out their laundry, which was unusual. Clothes of all sorts mingled here. Some looked like they might be from the Guylos Empire up north, while others could have been mistaken for the New Helic citizens out east. Then it hit her. The Zoids Festival was coming up in a week or so. Many people came to see it.
The Zoids Festival was seven days of giving thanks to Elemia, and the Zoids who served their masters well. It also held a Zoids show. People from all corners of the Elemia Desert came to show off their Zoids. First prize was an all expenses paid trip out to the Helic Republic. The winner of the show for the past three years has been Regent Prozan and his Red Horn.
So wrapped up in her thoughts, Moonbay didn't realize she had bumped into someone and knocked them over. That someone was now getting to their feet and brushing themselves off before facing her.
'Watch where your going Gate Lord.' She spat. Her burgundy cloak was tattered and worn, but still clean. Maroon breeches covered her muscular legs while black leather boots hid her feet from view. All was covered in dust.
'Listen, eshe, no one disrespects a Gate Lord on their own turf. Back away now and I might change my mind.' In truth, Moonbay was in a good mood and didn't want to fight, but if this eshe, was going to not pay her respects, then she was going to have to be taught some manners.
'I'll very well do what I please,' a sharp gust of wind blew the hood back, revealing a mass of pale green hair. The young girls features were weather worn, but her eyes were two blue pits of ice. A faint scar ran from her forehead, around her right eye, and ended at her nose. Moonbay hadn't been able to get a good look at the other side before the hood was yanked back up and the girl stalked off. The Gate Lord's mood was ruined.
_*-_*-_*-_
Zeke greeted Moonbay when she returned home. The exuberant organoid was a bit overenthusiastic in his greeting. Moonbay was knocked down and her purse of bronze paaze was knocked out of her hand-made leather belt. Van chuckled from the doorway of the den.
'Zeke, get off poor Moonbay-chan.' The silver organoid made a noise of exasperation in the back of his metallic throat, but obeyed. Fiona came over and collected the small coins Moonbay had managed to pickpocket.
The brunette couldn't help but giggle a bit at the organoid's antics. 'It's Okay, Zeke-kun. Van only shrugged and grabbed the dumplings Moonbay held out,
The Gate Lord's den contained three rooms. One was the main room where they conducted their business. A small fire pit and kettle stood in one corner; above it, a hole gave the smoke leeway to get out. Several other cooking and eating utensils hung on the wall next to the pile of rages that served as Zeke's bed. The room to the immediate left was the boy's bedroom. There were only two (Van and young Rudolf) at the moment, but the Gate Lords had more than enough hoodlums to fill the room. The adjacent room from there was the boy's latrine. The same went for the girl's side of the room.
'What took you Moonbay?' Rudolf asked. He was the youngest and shortest of the gang. At sixteen, he was only five foot even. He had been orphaned at eleven and suffered from amnesia at fourteen. Moonbay sighed.
'Some eshe bumped into me over the market square. She showed no respect toward a Gate Lord so I threatened her. She ran off after her hood blew back though.' She recounted everything she had seen with the young girl. Everyone else shrugged it off even though she had a distinct feeling of déjà vu.
_*-_*-_*-_
Irvine was shaken roughly awake by the Shadows tessku, Hiltz. Scowling eyes opened and glared daggers at the unfazed leader.
'Get up. The fyr would like to speak with us.'
Reese and Raven were already waiting by the time Irvin had tied his sash around his thin waist. "This had better be good." He thought. The fyr lived not too far from the bazaar. The Shadows used the extra time they had to make a quick sweep of their territory.
Raven just started attacking a young eshe girl, before being ushered away by Hiltz. They only stopped once after that, for Irvine to buy himself some papaya, before they moved on.
Guards stood at the entry to the flat roofed home. When Hiltz showed them the gold band the fyr had given him, they let the Shadows pass. Following some muted servants, the four were lead past gardens adorned with the finest trees money has to offer, beautiful roses and violets were in bloom. Their sweet scent filled the somewhat musty halls and made breathing easier. Torches flickered every now and then while dust particles danced in their scare light.
The fyr's chambers were better smelling than the halls outside. The fragrance of frankincense floated through the air into the young gangs noses. Upon arrival, the four immediately dropped to one knee, hand across their heart; a symbol of obedience and loyalty, not to mention respect. The kneeled there until a voice danced across the room.
'You may rise and come forward.'
They did so quickly. No one wanted to end up like the poor souls before them. Burnt alive in stone chambers somewhere below. Hiltz stood slightly in front of his pack, showing he was their tessku.
'My lady,' Hiltz began, bowing. She raised her hand to silence him.
'My faithful Shadows. You have served me well the past few weeks, bringing in more gold than your worth.' She paused to let these words sink in. 'In doing so, you have earned yourself a, gift, if you will.' Beckoning to the mute beside her, she called to Raven. A sleek black organoid was pulled to his line of vision. 'All yours.' Reese and Hiltz were each presented with a blue and red organoid. Irvine received nothing.
The three new owners of the organoids stepped back and haughtily bowed. Only the brunette Irvine remained standing.
'Ah Irvine. Don't think I've forgotten you. Yes, I think I'm giving you the most valuable gift of all.' Irvine's knees shook with anticipation. Maybe he was getting more gold! Some new knives would be nice as well. Reese looked at him with a bi of a smirk.
'Haiku!' A half gloved hand seated itself on the fyr's chair. A leg, torso, and head appeared out of the shadows behind Alice Linette. The lady looked at Irvine's reaction over the thin rim of her glasses. 'Irvine, meet your new partner. Go on, Haiku. I don't think he bites.'
The person called Haiku muttered something that sounded astoundingly like "I do," before coming to stand in front of the Shadows member. She was approximately and inch shorter than Irvine himself, and wore a tattered burgundy cloak, maroon breeches, and thin leather boots. Her hair was a pale green and a scar massed the right side of her face.
'Haiku is from the Guylos Empire. She escaped the law there and came to the Elemia Desert. I have asked her to become part of the Shadows and she has so readily agreed.'
The aforementioned person turned and bowed, long ponytail doing everything but whipping Irvine in the face. 'I'll charged Hiltz and Irvine with her well being. You are dismissed.'
Now, five Shadows arose from the ground and were hastily escorted from the house. Once out into the glaring sun of the desert Irvine spoke.
'You three get organoids but I get a partner? Has the fyr gone mad?' Haiku scowled and held up a knife.
'Watch yourself. I may be a eshe, but I'm as ruthless as the lady you just escaped. I've seen more death in a year then you will ever dream of seeing in your lifetime. You'll do well not to cross words with me.' She gave Irvine his knife back. He took it, mouth agape.
'What's say we go terrorize the Gate Lords with our new member?' Reese suggested with a smirk.
'Yes, let's.'
_*-_*-_*-_
RRMKII: Well?? How was that for a first chapter?
CB: Do we have to answer that question?
RRMKII: *-_- No but the readers do.
DW: You really think they will?
RRMKII: ::Pulls knife:: Do the disclaimer DW before I slash your Liger Zero doll.
DW: Eep! RRMKII does not own Zoids Chaotic Century. She merely uses it to her own twisted thoughts. She does however own the knife Haiku was holding, and Haiku herself. She also owns the really…bad…plot…
CB: You better run…
RRMKII: Where you going DW? I only want to play!
DW: ::Running away:: Keep her baaaackk!
Tessku—Gang leader, whether boy or girl
Fyr—The so called "sponsor" pf the gang. Usually used for females
Eshe--Foreigner
Paaze—The lowest amount of coin in the Elemia Desert