Shadowwolf: *still crying*
Brad: Don't start that again, and whatever you do, don't hug me!
Shadowwolf: *sniff* You're alive! *calms down* Okay, you're right, I'll just stay in my happy place.
Brad: Happy place?
Shadowwolf: Zoids Zoids Zoids Zoids Zoids…
Brad: Right, hey Naomi!
Naomi: *walks in* What?
Brad: Let's go run in our Zoids or something, Shadowwolf has gone crazy.
Leena: You guys can't just leave like that.
Brad: Why not? Shadowwolf isn't doing anything.
Shadowwolf: Zoids Zoids Zoids *snort* Brad Zoids Zoids Zoids Zoids…
Leena: I get your point. Go ahead, Bit and I will finish up here.
Bit: /We/ will?
Leena: Yeah, you can read the disclaimer, and I'll do the other stuff.
Bit: Okay, Shadowwolf does NOT own Zoids or the characters. She does own the plot. Don't sue.
Leena: Great job! We all hope you enjoy this chapter, right Shadowwolf?
Shadowwolf: Zoids Zoids Brad Zoids Brad Zoids Zoids…
Leena: Interesting. Brad and Zoids are in her happy place. Hmmmm. Anyways, please review and enjoy! ^ ^
THE DAY ZI SPUN AROUND MORE THAN ONCE CH 3,
THE SETTING LIFE OF A WARRIORTears started to come out of Naomi's magenta eyes, and continued their journey to her cheeks and onto the picture. She remembered where they sat one day.
## FLASHBACK ##
Naomi had just had a battle with the Blitz Team and was going to leave when she got an idea. She didn't know Brad liked her at the time, and she was kind of curious to find out. Things were hectic at the Hovercargo that night, so she figured he wouldn't refuse her offer.
"Hey Brad, I was going to go out for a run with my Gun Sniper, want to come?" Naomi asked hoping he would say yes and she could show him her secret getaway. Brad looked around at the chaos and smiled at her.
"Sure, where to?"
"We could just explore."
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As they ran farther out into the desert Naomi decided to start test 1. She put her Gun Sniper on full speed and waited to see what Brad would do.
"Oh, you don't want to start that with me," he said as he sped up the Shadow Fox, and easily passed the sluggish Gun Sniper.
They ran side by side for several miles before either one of them spoke.
"I know a cool place to go," Naomi said as she looked at the sky, the sun was starting to get lower.
"Lead the way," Brad answered and fell in behind Naomi.
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As the sun came close to setting, the two warriors ran up the backside of a cliff and parked their Zoids at the top. Looking over the edge of the cliff was the perfect view of a sunset. They jumped out of their Zoids and Naomi grabbed a mat out of her's. She set it down not too far from the edge and looked at the horizon. It was time for test 2.
"Do you want to sit down here to watch?" Naomi asked, trying to sound like normal. Brad was standing by the Shadow Fox looking at the horizon too.
"Is there room?" He asked. She nodded and he walked over and sat next to her. They sat together and watched the sunset. She was never sure if he just wanted to get away from the chaos at 'home' and liked sunsets, or if he liked her too.
## END FLASHBACK ##
She hadn't realized it, but she had cried so much when she remembered, that her shirt was completely soaked. I hope no one heard me crying, she thought. Naomi picked up the picture and put it back under his bed. It was his after all. There was a knock on the door again.
"Naomi?" It was Doc, "Are you doing okay, we need to know where you want to…have the ceremony." Naomi wiped her eyes and sniffed.
"Yeah, can you guys just follow me there?"
"Sure, do you want to take your Gun Sniper or one of our Zoids?"
"I'll take mine."
"Okay, we'll be ready when you are." He walked off. How am I going to dry my clothes? She thought. They can't see me like this.
"Oh and Naomi?" Doc was back. "The doctors gave us this, we think it would be best for you to have it." He cracked open the door and put his hand through. His hand was holding Brad's feather necklace. Naomi started to cry again, but quietly. She scooted over and Doc handed it to her.
"I'm sorry," he said as he walked off again. She held the necklace as though it was her only lifeline. He'd want me to have it, right? She thought. Or am I just fooling myself? She put the necklace around her neck and decided that it didn't matter if her shirt was wet. Naomi walked out and took a deep breath before going to see everyone in the living room.
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It wasn't the typical funeral procession that ran through the desert. In the lead was Naomi and her Gun Sniper, leading the way. Flying above her was Jamie, the Wild Eagle at this point, in his Raynos. Following Naomi was Bit and the Liger, towing the Shadow Fox. Inside the Shadow Fox's cockpit was Brad. Dressed in his normal clothes and in a makeshift casket, ironically made out of armor that was scavenged from his Command Wolf by Bit. Following the Shadow Fox was Doc, riding with Leena in her Gun Sniper. Leon in his Blade Liger followed them. Everyone was quiet and mournful. No one spoke, or made a sound on the way there.
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Eventually the procession got to its destination. Naomi looked over the edge of the cliff and saw the horizon. The sun was getting lower in the sky. It brought back memories of him, the only man she ever loved. She wasn't one of those girls that obsessed over boys, but there was something different about Brad. Something that puzzled her. He almost never showed his feelings, yet he wasn't cold or mean like some emotionless people.
"So, this is where you want to…" Doc couldn't quite finish his sentence. Naomi nodded and walked over to a spot near the edge, almost exactly where they had watched the sunset together. She had been back to this spot many times to think. She hadn't forgotten where they sat.
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After a hole was dug and he was placed inside, and buried, everyone said what they wanted and needed to say.
"We sure will miss you. The only guy besides Jamie that cared about how much ammo we were using, or money we were spending. It will be tough without you, but I hope you're happy where you are. Goodbye Brad." Bit said sadly and stepped away. Leena walked up next.
"You always bugged me about how much ammo I was using, but now whose going to keep from using too much? It will be very hard without you, and no one could ever replace you." Leena finished as she started to cry.
"You were always easy to make strategies for because you'd think before you acted, unlike some people I know, standing next to me. You were the most careful fighter, and it will be really tough without you." Jamie was close to crying, he lost one of his best friends, even though they didn't seem like they would be.
"Well, you can't bug me about getting paid anymore, but I'm not sure that's a good thing. It was always fun to take money from Bit's paycheck and give it to you. Who can I give Bit's money to now? You also gave the Blitz Team one of the coolest Zoids ever, the Shadow Fox. We appreciate it, and we'll sure miss you." Doc said sorrowfully.
"After Bit came along, I only got to fight against you, but while I was on your team, you always helped me when I was in a pinch. You were a great warrior Brad, and the Blitz Team won't be the same class S team without you." Leon closed his eyes and bowed his head. It was Naomi's turn. Everyone decided to let her be alone to talk to him.
"What can I say, Brad?" She sat next to him with her wet shirt and his necklace around her neck, "I never got to outright tell you how I feel about you, even though you knew I like you. I didn't know if you felt the same way until today. I accidentally found that picture of me standing next to my Gun Sniper, you know, the one under the bed. I'm glad you care for me, but now we can't be together." She paused and took a deep breath to stop herself from bursting into tears. "You'll always be in my heart and mind, but I won't see your beautiful blue eyes ever again, except in pictures." She couldn't help it anymore. Tears ran free down her face. "No one can ever, replace you…not for a pilot…or a…a…love…the world will be dark and cold without you, but…I'll visit you often, here in the warmth of the setting sun. I didn't know if you'd like to…be buried…here but I didn't…know of anywhere else. I hope you will remember…me…and be…happy…where…you…are…now." She looked towards the horizon, the sun was starting to set. Then she looked at Brad's necklace around her neck. "And I have no…right…to keep this…it belongs to you…and you need…it more than…I." She took the feather necklace off her neck and looked around for a stick or something. She suddenly remembered the glass from the Shadow Fox's old cockpit.
When Jamie had replaced the glass and repaired the Fox he gave her a shard of the original glass. She kept it in her pocket, even though she could have been cut by it easily. Naomi reached into her pocket and pulled it out. It had a little of his blood on it, but it was perfect. She plunged the long thin piece of glass into the ground above Brad. She kissed the big red diamond bead on his necklace and put it around the glass. "That kiss is for you…too. I promise…I'll…be…back……to visit." She wiped her eyes once and looked out at the horizon again. Half of the sun was showing. Naomi watched and thought. The sun will set and disappear, like Brad's life, but it will rise again like my love for him.
Shadowwolf: (I can't believe /I/ wrote that!) *big tears* *crying a lot* *crying Anime style*
Leena: That was kind of sad.
Shadowwolf: *crying* *sob*
Bit: Deep. Kind of corny though.
Shadowwolf: *crying*
Leena: We'd better finish it for her, yet again! Shadowwolf hopes you enjoyed the last chapter of the story, and hopes you'll review too. Please review! Thanks for other reviews. Thanks for reading! ^ ^
Shadowwolf: *still crying* *crying big* *sniff*