Shadowwolf: Hullo!! I live! 'Mazing, i'n't it? -cackles-
All: -blink-
Shadowwolf: You wanna go?! DO YA?!
Brad: -inspects coffee sitting near the coffee machine- I'm assuming this is fresh?
Shadowwolf: Well, yes, of course it's—HEY!
Brad: What? -sips-
Shadowwolf: I'm trying to do a fic, here. Could you help me out?
Brad: How? -sips-
Shadowwolf: Be quiet and drink your coffee. Let me do the talking, 'tay?
Brad: -sip-
Shadowwolf: -.-; Anyway…welcome! Yes. I found the first two chapters of this fic in an old notebook of mine. They were pretty short, so I combined them into one, producing -thunder claps in the background- THIS! The first chapter of a new fic. Amazing, yes?
Brad: Mystifying. -sip-
Shadowwolf: Grr…don't worry, you'll get it later on. -coughs- Please enjoy, my lovelies. -cackles- Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids, yadda, yadda, I suppose I own the plot, but it could also belong to my minions living in my head. Who's to know? Either way, don't steal it. You don't wanna steal it? Why, you… -raises fist-
Brad: -sips-
Shadowwolf: o.o Right…ENOUGH CHATTER! On to the fic! -bows out of the way-
-
The Mask of the Fox
Mystery
-
WHHHIIRRRRR…
The catapult stopped at the top of its track.
"Mobilizing Shadow Fox," Brad said as the catapult charged. With a great rush, the Shadow Fox was launched into the air, and it soon landed on the battlefield. Beside it stood the blue Gun Sniper and white Liger Zero belonging to the Blitz Team.
"Okay guys, let's rack up another win!"
"Guys?! In case you didn't notice, Bit Cloud, you are in the company of a lady." Bit erupted into laughter over Leena's comment, while Brad sighed.
"Battle mode 0982. The Tigers Team versus the Blitz Team. Ready…fight!" the judge interrupted to do his duty, ending the "family" squabble.
"We'll show you that we aren't 'the Fuzzy Pandas!' We're the fearsome Tigers Team! You'll learn your lesson this time, Bit Cloud!" Kirkland shouted at Bit, ignoring Brad and Leena completely. Omari charged at Leena, who fired all of her guns at once. Knowing she would do this, Omari zigzagged through the fire, and reached her quickly.
"Weasel Unit Total Assault!" Leena shouted while each missile was launched, and pounded into the Saber Tiger's sides. Several caught the Zoid's front legs, causing it to fall forward, feet from Leena's Gun Sniper. "Ahahahahahaha!"
In his cockpit, Lineback sighed and sweatdropped. His eyebrow began to twitch. "How did he lose to Leena, of all people?" he asked himself.
"I'd say that's a fair question."
"Wha?" Lineback looked around and spotted a black Zoid several hundred feet in front of him. "Oh, it's just you Brad."
"Just me?"
"Heh, ready to lose?" Lineback asked with a nod.
"Nah, I don't get paid as much if I lose," Brad said before he engaged the smoke dischargers and disappeared into a massive cloud of smoke.
"Er…" Lineback searched around frantically, the smoke starting to envelop his Zoid as well. A small signal appeared on his radar screen before proximity alarms went off. "Awh!"
"Strike Laser Claw!" Brad shouted before the Shadow Fox's glowing claws tore into the Saber Tiger's back. The Fox landed gracefully and the Tiger collapsed to the ground behind it. Brad looked over at the Liger Zero with a smirk.
"Urgh!" Kirkland let out, pouncing on the Liger. It was knocked over and the Tiger prepared to bring its oversized fangs down.
Brad fired his gatling gun at Kirkland in an effort to distract him. It worked, and he turned his attention to Brad long enough for Bit to get up. The Liger roared fiercely as it stood.
"Strike Laser Claw!" Bit yelled as the Liger leapt into the air and slashed the Saber Tiger's leg clean off. The Shadow Fox bounded out of the way to avoid the falling limb.
"No!" Kirkland shouted as his Zoid fell to the ground, sand flying into the air.
"The battle is over, the battle is over. The winner is…the Blitz Team!" the judge announced proudly before it blasted off as it had done so many times before. Leena began laughing again.
"Sorry guys, but it looks like you'll always be the Fuzzy Pandas. At least as long as I'm around," Bit said with a smile, and the Liger punctuated his statement with a growl.
-
"Hey, Brad," Jamie called as Brad walked by him in the hallway, "the Shadow Fox has been repaired, but it's acting strangely. I thought you might want to check it out."
Brad blinked. "Thanks, Jamie." He turned around and went back down the stairs and into the hangar.
He flipped a switch and the hangar lit up to reveal their recently famous Zoids. Brad smiled slightly as he walked over to his Shadow Fox and looked up at it. "So, you've been silly? What's the matter?" The Fox growled lightly. "Eh?"
Brad climbed into the cockpit and ran a quick system scan. "Hmm…nothing seems to be wrong." The Fox growled again. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" It growled again. "Okay then. If you're gonna be so grumpy, I'll wait until tomorrow to check you out. G'night, Fox," Brad said, thinking himself in a strange mood.
Brad left without another word and the Shadow Fox lay down with a great mechanical sigh.
-
"Good morning, Brad!" Jamie shouted over Bit and Leena. They were yelling at each other about something, but no one else really cared to know what. They found out anyway.
"It was MY cinnamon roll, Bit."
"I didn't see your name on it," Bit defended. Leena glared at him and pointed to the frosting on his chin.
Brad walked into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. With a sigh, he made his way into the living room, sat on the couch, and grabbed the newspaper. A headline on the first page caught his attention for some reason.
"REV RAPTOR MYSTERIOUSLY DESTROYED
Reported by Rita Net
ROMEO CITY – This morning a young Zoid warrior woke to the smell of fire and the sound of destruction.
At 4:50 Monday morning, 20-year-old Linda Stevens heard crashing sounds coming from her Zoid hangar. She went down to investigate.
'When I got into the hangar, all I could see were flames and some kind of reddish light. I turned on the ceiling lights to get a better look and saw my Zoid in several pieces on the ground. You could barely recognize it!' she told police.
'I know it was a Zoid that did it, because I looked out through the hole the thing must've made and saw it running away.'
Miss Stevens described it as 'black, fast, and doglike.' If you see a Zoid fitting such a description, be sure to contact your local police. Officers are warning that this attack may have been the work of a local gang, and more attacks could follow."
"Black, fast, and doglike?" Brad thought. Must've been some Command Wolf. He set the paper down. "I'm gonna go do some work on my Fox. See ya," he said to Jamie before walking off. Bit and Leena's arguing could, unfortunately, still be heard.
"Bit Cloud, you coward! Get over here!"
"Eheheh!!"
The quiet of the hangar was a welcome change for Brad. He looked around slowly, as there was a small voice in the back of his mind that suspected his Zoid. The Shadow Fox was right where he'd left it. "There. Problem solved," he muttered to himself with a shrug. The Fox lifted its head and growled a comment to him.
Brad shook his head and climbed into the cockpit. Displays and numerous status lights came on, but one in particular caught his attention. The latest scan information was displayed and everything appeared to be fine.
"I guess we'd better run—wait," Brad gasped as he noticed a small skull and crossbones icon in the lower right corner of the screen. "What's that about?" Brad asked, pointing to it. The Fox growled and a strange new screen came up.
…Failure…
Auto Virus engaged
[ 71:59:31 ] remaining
"What the heck is this?" Brad asked with a frown as he read the information over and over again. A thought finally hit him, and it hit hard. "I have to find Laon. He must've done this. It was his Zoid, after all." He frowned as he watched the numbers run down on the counter.
"Three days," he mused, and the timer kept running.
Shadowwolf: -pokes head out from around corner- Well? -cringes- I hope you liked it. If you did, I have a bonus for you!
-drum roll-
Shadowwolf: This fic is already finished, and I'll be posting chapters ever two days or so.
-much rejoicing among small collections of fans gathered at sleepovers-
Shadowwolf: Love to you all for reading! If you feel compelled to, have a look-see at my bio! I updated. -snickers- Review if it so tickles your fancy! XD