Welcome to my first fanfic. So, without further ado, here's

High Stakes, Steep Odds

Bit watched in horror as the shot went straight into Leena's cockpit, shattering the armored glass.

"Leena!" He yell trough the comm. system. "Judgeman! Stop the battle! We have a wounded pilot!"

"Injury confirmed. All zoids cease fire immediately!" The judge called through its own communications.

It's my fault; Bit thought angrily, I should have made her tell them.

Flashback:

"You should tell them, Leena." Bit said as the pair of them inspected the small crack in her zoid's cockpit. "It's quite dangerous."

"No." She said shortly. "I want to be in this fight. This is my one chance to show Zeru that I'm worth putting on the field!"

"But Leena," Bit pleaded, "if a pebble strikes that the whole cockpit will smash. If the projectile doesn't hit you then you'll be shredded by the glass."

"I'll be FINE!" Leena yelled, going into one of her trademark rages. "Besides, what are the odds I'll get hit? I'm in the back line for Christ sake! Your Zero Panzer is going to be right in front of me!"

"Okay Leena. But watch yourself."

What are the odds? Bit repeated in his head as he quickly got out of his Liger's cockpit. What are the odds? Very steep, as it turns out.

He rushed over to a couple of team medics that were pulling Leena out of her cockpit, the zoid having sensed the pilot's distress and leaning down to allow easy access. He saw that his prediction had been sickeningly accurate. Although the large hole in he lower torso was survivable, her entire body was cut to ribbons by the flying fiberglass.

Bit followed them into the medical wing, feeling more helpless then he ever had during his life. He stood outside the surgery door, wishing he could do something, as the medics attempted to keep her alive. But Bit knew there was no hope. An officer putting his hand on his shoulder brought him back from his thoughts.

"She wants to see you." He said. "We've done all we can for her, but it's bleak."

"How long?" Bit asked as he moved towards the door.

"Minutes, not hours." The officer said.

Bit nodded and went inside. He walked over to her side and crouched next to her.

"Bit…" She said weakly. "I'm sorry…"

"What do you mean?" Bit said, taking her hand as tears came to his eyes. "It's my fault, I should have told them."

"No…" She said. "That's not anyone's fault… guess the odds were worse then I thought, huh?" She tried to laugh, but ended up coughing up a lot of blood. "I'm sorry I won't be here…"

"Leena… don't say that…" Bit said, knowing she was right.

"Remember how we met?" She said. "You were trying to steal components from my old zoid, remember? I tied you up and insulted you. Now…" she sighed as best she could. "Now, I'm leaving this mortal coil with one regret."

"One regret?" Bit said, unable to do anything but parrot her words.

"My only regret," she started hacking again, "my only regret is that I won't be able to live with you. Bit, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." she laughed again. "Looks like it'll happen that way. I just wish my life had been longer."

"Leena… Leena, no… I want you to live…" Bit said through his tears.

"Could you grant my dying wish?" Leena asked. Bit nodded. "Hold me. Hold me as I leave this plane…"

Bit scooped her up in his arms. She looked up at him.

"Tell dad… tell Leon, if you see him… tell everyone… I said goodbye." She looked Bit straight in the eyes. She closed her eyes weakly, and then her muscles slackened.

"Leena… goodbye." Bit said, and then hugged her body close.

The funeral. Everyone was there. Even Leon, a Backdraft pilot, had declared cease-fire to come. Bit was standing near her open casket, looking at her body.

The way she was dressed looked unnatural. Bit knew she would have preferred to go wearing some of her own clothes, but her father had insisted. Bit felt around in his pocket and pulled out the simple gold ring.

"Another day and your wish would have been reality." He said quietly. Making sure nobody was looking; he slipped the ring onto her left ring finger.

"Farewell, my love."

Some days later Zeru opened the door to Bit's room. Bit had been looking more and more depressed as the days wore on. Now, one week after Leena's funeral, Bit and his liger had gone missing entirely.

Inside the room Zeru found nothing out of order. He was just about to leave when he spotted an envelope on a side table. It had his name on it, so Zeru opened it and read.

'Zeru, and everyone else,
Thanks for all the kindness you've shown me. I greatly appreciate all you've done for me, especially you, Zeru. But with Leena gone, there is nothing in my life that truly holds meaning anymore. Find enclosed my final will and testament. Don't look for me; by the time you find this, I'll already be gone.
Regards,
Bit Cloud.'

"Zeru, sir!" Claudia said as she came bolting in. "We found Liger Zero sir, but…"

"No pilot, right?" Zeru said, cutting her off.

"Yes, how did you…" She saw the note Zeru was holding. "Has he run away?"

Zeru shook his head. He showed her the note, pointing to the line 'Find enclosed my final will and testament.'

"My god… do you really think…"

"Bit's a headstrong person." Zeru said. "If losing Leena caused him this much pain, there was nothing anyone could do. His remains are probably at the bottom of a cliff somewhere." Zeru looked wistfully out a window. "Tell everybody."

"Yes… sir." She said, and left.

"Bit, you didn't have to do that." Zeru said Bit's spirit, hoping it would hear him. "We're all here for you. But, if this is what you want…
"May you find Leena, and true peace."

So, what did you think? Depressing, eh? Review, please!