Sweat and Tears
by WSJ
Chapter 2: Finding a Friend
Sheesh, usually my titles are more creative then this! *slaps forehead* Well duh, it's after my bed time after all! *smirks* Anyways, this is going to be a flashback chapter, about how Blitz Team met up with Lizzie. For disclaimer and warnings see chapter one.
*bounces up and down* 30 reviews! I swear, you just made my day! That's the most I've ever gotten on any one story! Thank you all! (But just because I have 30 doesn't mean I don't want more. ^_~ Keep 'um comin'!)
()()()()()
"Hey Bit, we're coming up on a town soon, do you four wanna stop for awhile?" the Professer asked his pilots.
As usual, seventeen-year-old Leena was the first to speak up. "Sure thing! I wanna go shopping with my share of the prize money from our last battle!"
Bit, also seventeen, and Brad, nineteen, sweatdropped. "Uh, yeah Doc, we'll stop. I don't think Leena would let us pass by without at least getting a bite to eat." Brad answered.
"What about you Jamie?" Bit asked their youngest member at fifteen. "Wanna come with?"
Jamie shrugged. "Why not. If I stay here Doc will have me filing papers again, and I'm ready for a break from all the battles we've been having lately."
When they reached the town, which was really more like a small city, the Hovercargo (formerly called Sandcrawler) stopped and the four teens disembanked, money in Leena's purse, radio in Brad's pocket, sunglasses on Bit's nose and a smile on Jamie's face. They'd all been cooped up in the Hovercargo for quite awhile now and it was good to get out.
Leena dragged them to a jeweralry store, after which Bit insisted they head to a Zoid's part store. Finally Jamie put an end to all the bickering by declaring they go to a resteraunt, as his stomach was growling louder then the Liger.
They found a rustic little family resteraunt and headed inside. They were just beginning to order when a sonic boom just overhead almost tore the room in two. Everyone inside ran into the streets, and Jamie and Leena simply stared while Bit ran for the car and Brad fumbled for the radio.
Leena put a hand on her older friend's arm. "We won't need that! Check it out!" she yelled over the noice of jet engines, pointing upwards excitedly.
Spiralling and diving above them was a Zoid none of them had ever seen before. It was all black, with silver and red highlights. It vaugely resembled the Gun Sniper, but looked a lot more like Jamie's Raynos then it did Leena's Gun Sniper. Everyone watching was reminded of the old English legends of dragons, deep in caves guarding their hoards of jewels, especially when the unusual Zoid turned a backflip on a dime and belched a collumn of flame at its pursuers, three SpitFire eagle-type Zoids.
Two managed to avoid the stream of fire, but one went spinning out of the sky and crash landed just outside of town. The dragon then cocked it's tail at the two remaining followers, launching several missels and a high-powered laser at the foes. Another was down for the count.
To deal with this last one, the dragon unsheathed huge claws on its front and back legs and literally tore the other Zoid into two peices, sending them spiralling in oppisite directions. It then sped out of sight to the west, leaving only three lazily floating parachutes to mark that there was a battle in the sky that day at all.
"Did you see that?" yelled Bit, running back toward where the trio still stood staring in silent wonder toward the western sky. "That was awesome! Just one Zoid conquering three of the best sky fighters there are! That was Zuno and his team, I recognised the markings on the SpitFire before that dragon tore it in two! I wonder what kind of Zoid that was?"
Leena sweatdropped. "Bit, Zuno and his crew are the weakest pilots I know! No wonder they got trashed! But still... That was pretty impressive!"
"I'd sure like to meet the pilot." Jamie noted, his voice twined with gentle awe for someone who could master such an amazing beast.
"I'd like to date the pilot!" exclaimed Leena, her eyes turning to huge hearts as she clasped her hands together and sighed in admiration, already dreaming of how hansom and strong the pilot just *had* to be.
Brad put his hands on his hips and smirked. "As long as we're wishing, I'd like to battle that pilot. He must have a big hunk of cash to get a Zoid that impresive. He might give me a nice challenge."
"As if you could beat it."
The four turned around to see a little girl about seven years old wearing a pink frock and light blue dress, with dark violet hair done in pigtails with some falling out around her face, bringing out the blue in her eyes.
"What do you mean 'as if I could beat it'?" Brad asked. "Of course I could beat it! I'm Brad of the Blitz Team!"
The little girl still shook her head. "Nope. No one can beat the Rano."
"The Rano?" asked Bit, perking up a bit. "Is that the kind of Zoid it is?"
She nodded. "Uh huh."
"How do you know all this?" asked Leena, kneeling and putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Because I know the pilot."
The four stared in slight shock at the girl, and then looked at each other. "Can you take us to meet him?" Jamie ventured after a moment.
She nodded and grinned. "Sure! Come on!" She led them through some back alley-ways in the city until they reached a large stone building. It was big, certainly, but not big enough to hold a Zoid like this Rano.
The girl brought them in through a side door into what appeared to be a large living area, with a door to what looked like a kitchen off to the right. From that door appeared a girl about Jamie's age, whisps of lavendar hair lighter then the little girl's falling into icy eyes the same shade as the smaller child's.
"Where have you been Zoe? I need you to help me here until Papa and Mama get back from work." she said to the little girl, not noticing the strangers for a moment, giving them time to study her.
She did indeed look quite a bit like Zoe, and had on a white peasent blouse, tight navy blue pants and tall black boots.
"I brought visitors to see the pilot of the Rano!" Zoe said hopping from one foot to the other excitedly.
She blinked, and for the first time looked up at Bit and the gang. She smiled and held out her hand. "I'm sorry, hi. My name is Elizabeth Sanshari. Call me Lizzie. I don't know what's gotten into my sister." She glared at Zoe for emphasis.
Bit felt dejected. "So you don't know who the pilot is?"
Lizzie smiled. "Yes, we know the pilot. Zoe might get a bit over-enthusiastic, but she doesn't lie."
Leena squealed. "Awesome! Can we meet him?"
"Sure. Zoe, show them the living room and give them some drinks. I'll be right back." Lizzie trotted out of the room, and Jamie noticed how muscular she was. Her shoulders looked powerful, and her legs were thin and shapely.
"Hey Jamie, what're you blushing at?" Bit asked, tapping his friend on the shoulder.
Jamie whirled around and got even redder. "Ah, nothing!"
Bit and Brad gave him strange looks, but Leena smiled knowingly as Zoe led them into a sparsely furnished, but comfortable living room. They each took seats while Zoe served lemonade and some small nutsyish cookies.
About five minutes later the door opened and in stepped a figure in a tight black flightsuit, sky blue boots, blue gloves and a blue helmet. A female figure.
"You're the pilot?" Brad asked doubtfully.
She reached up and pulled off her helmet, shaking out her hair and smiling at him as she did so. "Yup." Lizzie said, smiling at their astonished looks.
Bit bounced up from his seat and stuck out his hand. "Well Lizzie, how would you and the Rano like to join Blitz Team?"
Lizzie smiled, but her eyes were on Jamie, sending shivers up his spine. "I'd really like to, but my parents need me here."
"No we don't." said a person that until now had been standing unnoticed in the doorway. "If they think you're good enough to be on a team Lizzie, then you'd best not decline." said Mr Sanshari, walking into the room with Mrs Sanshari behind him.
Lizzie started. "But... But I'm *not* that good! What I did today was just anger adreniline. Zuno called me a slut, so I creamed him. He challenged me to a Zoid battle and I was so mad I accepted. Sorry for taking out your Zoid without asking Dad." she said, dropping her head and blushing in shame.
He put his hand under her chin and pulled it up so he could look into her eyes. "I'll forgive you if you join Blitz Team and win some money to spend on yourself. Up until now you've given every bit of everything you earned to me and your mother. But we're not that poor Lizzie, and you deserve much better."
Lizzie blushed deeper and threw her arms around her father. "Thank you so much papa. Am I going to take my Squa with me?" She practically winced at the name of the ancient aquatic Zoid.
Mr Sanshari threw back his head and laughed. "No way Liz! You're taking the Rano."
She blinked. "Wha-?"
"Just what I said, you're taking the Rano. Now go pack while your mother and I arrange things."
"I'll help." said Leena, standing up to follow Lizzie back toward her bedroom.
~*~
"Jamie?"
Blinking, Jamie came back to the present, staring up at Leena. "What?"
"Shouldn't you be in bed?"
Jamie shook his head as he realized that Lizzie's watch must have ended already and Leena's had begun. "Uh, probably. I couldn't sleep earlier so I came down here to clear my head."
Leena smiled. "I understand completely. Oh, what's this?" She reached down, and before Jamie realised what she was looking at she had picked up his sketch book and was staring at the top sketch. Jamie steeled himself for the shreiks of horror.
"Jamie, this is great! Are you sure you did this?" asked Leena, her eyes shining.
"What?" Jamie asked again, feeling like a fool.
Leena showed him the drawing of Lizzie, her long lavendar hair curling over the shoulders of her flight suit as she smiled at the 'camera', green eyes shining. It really was a great sketch, and Jamie hadn't even realised he was drawing as he remembered.
He blushed and hurridly grabbed the pad out of Leena's hands, gathered up his pencils and high-tailed it out of the hanger.
Leena smiled softly as she picked up the forgotten lamp, turning to head back to the command room to releive Lizzie. "Yes Jamie," she whispered, a sympathetic gleam in her eye. "I understand completely."
()()()()()
Yeah! Second chapter finally out! Hurrah!!!
Chapter 3: Matchmaker: Leena has a talk with Lizzie, and desides she's desperatly needed to play matchmaker. The Blitz Team is challenged to a battle, and we finally meet the allusive Rayna.
by WSJ
Chapter 2: Finding a Friend
Sheesh, usually my titles are more creative then this! *slaps forehead* Well duh, it's after my bed time after all! *smirks* Anyways, this is going to be a flashback chapter, about how Blitz Team met up with Lizzie. For disclaimer and warnings see chapter one.
*bounces up and down* 30 reviews! I swear, you just made my day! That's the most I've ever gotten on any one story! Thank you all! (But just because I have 30 doesn't mean I don't want more. ^_~ Keep 'um comin'!)
()()()()()
"Hey Bit, we're coming up on a town soon, do you four wanna stop for awhile?" the Professer asked his pilots.
As usual, seventeen-year-old Leena was the first to speak up. "Sure thing! I wanna go shopping with my share of the prize money from our last battle!"
Bit, also seventeen, and Brad, nineteen, sweatdropped. "Uh, yeah Doc, we'll stop. I don't think Leena would let us pass by without at least getting a bite to eat." Brad answered.
"What about you Jamie?" Bit asked their youngest member at fifteen. "Wanna come with?"
Jamie shrugged. "Why not. If I stay here Doc will have me filing papers again, and I'm ready for a break from all the battles we've been having lately."
When they reached the town, which was really more like a small city, the Hovercargo (formerly called Sandcrawler) stopped and the four teens disembanked, money in Leena's purse, radio in Brad's pocket, sunglasses on Bit's nose and a smile on Jamie's face. They'd all been cooped up in the Hovercargo for quite awhile now and it was good to get out.
Leena dragged them to a jeweralry store, after which Bit insisted they head to a Zoid's part store. Finally Jamie put an end to all the bickering by declaring they go to a resteraunt, as his stomach was growling louder then the Liger.
They found a rustic little family resteraunt and headed inside. They were just beginning to order when a sonic boom just overhead almost tore the room in two. Everyone inside ran into the streets, and Jamie and Leena simply stared while Bit ran for the car and Brad fumbled for the radio.
Leena put a hand on her older friend's arm. "We won't need that! Check it out!" she yelled over the noice of jet engines, pointing upwards excitedly.
Spiralling and diving above them was a Zoid none of them had ever seen before. It was all black, with silver and red highlights. It vaugely resembled the Gun Sniper, but looked a lot more like Jamie's Raynos then it did Leena's Gun Sniper. Everyone watching was reminded of the old English legends of dragons, deep in caves guarding their hoards of jewels, especially when the unusual Zoid turned a backflip on a dime and belched a collumn of flame at its pursuers, three SpitFire eagle-type Zoids.
Two managed to avoid the stream of fire, but one went spinning out of the sky and crash landed just outside of town. The dragon then cocked it's tail at the two remaining followers, launching several missels and a high-powered laser at the foes. Another was down for the count.
To deal with this last one, the dragon unsheathed huge claws on its front and back legs and literally tore the other Zoid into two peices, sending them spiralling in oppisite directions. It then sped out of sight to the west, leaving only three lazily floating parachutes to mark that there was a battle in the sky that day at all.
"Did you see that?" yelled Bit, running back toward where the trio still stood staring in silent wonder toward the western sky. "That was awesome! Just one Zoid conquering three of the best sky fighters there are! That was Zuno and his team, I recognised the markings on the SpitFire before that dragon tore it in two! I wonder what kind of Zoid that was?"
Leena sweatdropped. "Bit, Zuno and his crew are the weakest pilots I know! No wonder they got trashed! But still... That was pretty impressive!"
"I'd sure like to meet the pilot." Jamie noted, his voice twined with gentle awe for someone who could master such an amazing beast.
"I'd like to date the pilot!" exclaimed Leena, her eyes turning to huge hearts as she clasped her hands together and sighed in admiration, already dreaming of how hansom and strong the pilot just *had* to be.
Brad put his hands on his hips and smirked. "As long as we're wishing, I'd like to battle that pilot. He must have a big hunk of cash to get a Zoid that impresive. He might give me a nice challenge."
"As if you could beat it."
The four turned around to see a little girl about seven years old wearing a pink frock and light blue dress, with dark violet hair done in pigtails with some falling out around her face, bringing out the blue in her eyes.
"What do you mean 'as if I could beat it'?" Brad asked. "Of course I could beat it! I'm Brad of the Blitz Team!"
The little girl still shook her head. "Nope. No one can beat the Rano."
"The Rano?" asked Bit, perking up a bit. "Is that the kind of Zoid it is?"
She nodded. "Uh huh."
"How do you know all this?" asked Leena, kneeling and putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Because I know the pilot."
The four stared in slight shock at the girl, and then looked at each other. "Can you take us to meet him?" Jamie ventured after a moment.
She nodded and grinned. "Sure! Come on!" She led them through some back alley-ways in the city until they reached a large stone building. It was big, certainly, but not big enough to hold a Zoid like this Rano.
The girl brought them in through a side door into what appeared to be a large living area, with a door to what looked like a kitchen off to the right. From that door appeared a girl about Jamie's age, whisps of lavendar hair lighter then the little girl's falling into icy eyes the same shade as the smaller child's.
"Where have you been Zoe? I need you to help me here until Papa and Mama get back from work." she said to the little girl, not noticing the strangers for a moment, giving them time to study her.
She did indeed look quite a bit like Zoe, and had on a white peasent blouse, tight navy blue pants and tall black boots.
"I brought visitors to see the pilot of the Rano!" Zoe said hopping from one foot to the other excitedly.
She blinked, and for the first time looked up at Bit and the gang. She smiled and held out her hand. "I'm sorry, hi. My name is Elizabeth Sanshari. Call me Lizzie. I don't know what's gotten into my sister." She glared at Zoe for emphasis.
Bit felt dejected. "So you don't know who the pilot is?"
Lizzie smiled. "Yes, we know the pilot. Zoe might get a bit over-enthusiastic, but she doesn't lie."
Leena squealed. "Awesome! Can we meet him?"
"Sure. Zoe, show them the living room and give them some drinks. I'll be right back." Lizzie trotted out of the room, and Jamie noticed how muscular she was. Her shoulders looked powerful, and her legs were thin and shapely.
"Hey Jamie, what're you blushing at?" Bit asked, tapping his friend on the shoulder.
Jamie whirled around and got even redder. "Ah, nothing!"
Bit and Brad gave him strange looks, but Leena smiled knowingly as Zoe led them into a sparsely furnished, but comfortable living room. They each took seats while Zoe served lemonade and some small nutsyish cookies.
About five minutes later the door opened and in stepped a figure in a tight black flightsuit, sky blue boots, blue gloves and a blue helmet. A female figure.
"You're the pilot?" Brad asked doubtfully.
She reached up and pulled off her helmet, shaking out her hair and smiling at him as she did so. "Yup." Lizzie said, smiling at their astonished looks.
Bit bounced up from his seat and stuck out his hand. "Well Lizzie, how would you and the Rano like to join Blitz Team?"
Lizzie smiled, but her eyes were on Jamie, sending shivers up his spine. "I'd really like to, but my parents need me here."
"No we don't." said a person that until now had been standing unnoticed in the doorway. "If they think you're good enough to be on a team Lizzie, then you'd best not decline." said Mr Sanshari, walking into the room with Mrs Sanshari behind him.
Lizzie started. "But... But I'm *not* that good! What I did today was just anger adreniline. Zuno called me a slut, so I creamed him. He challenged me to a Zoid battle and I was so mad I accepted. Sorry for taking out your Zoid without asking Dad." she said, dropping her head and blushing in shame.
He put his hand under her chin and pulled it up so he could look into her eyes. "I'll forgive you if you join Blitz Team and win some money to spend on yourself. Up until now you've given every bit of everything you earned to me and your mother. But we're not that poor Lizzie, and you deserve much better."
Lizzie blushed deeper and threw her arms around her father. "Thank you so much papa. Am I going to take my Squa with me?" She practically winced at the name of the ancient aquatic Zoid.
Mr Sanshari threw back his head and laughed. "No way Liz! You're taking the Rano."
She blinked. "Wha-?"
"Just what I said, you're taking the Rano. Now go pack while your mother and I arrange things."
"I'll help." said Leena, standing up to follow Lizzie back toward her bedroom.
~*~
"Jamie?"
Blinking, Jamie came back to the present, staring up at Leena. "What?"
"Shouldn't you be in bed?"
Jamie shook his head as he realized that Lizzie's watch must have ended already and Leena's had begun. "Uh, probably. I couldn't sleep earlier so I came down here to clear my head."
Leena smiled. "I understand completely. Oh, what's this?" She reached down, and before Jamie realised what she was looking at she had picked up his sketch book and was staring at the top sketch. Jamie steeled himself for the shreiks of horror.
"Jamie, this is great! Are you sure you did this?" asked Leena, her eyes shining.
"What?" Jamie asked again, feeling like a fool.
Leena showed him the drawing of Lizzie, her long lavendar hair curling over the shoulders of her flight suit as she smiled at the 'camera', green eyes shining. It really was a great sketch, and Jamie hadn't even realised he was drawing as he remembered.
He blushed and hurridly grabbed the pad out of Leena's hands, gathered up his pencils and high-tailed it out of the hanger.
Leena smiled softly as she picked up the forgotten lamp, turning to head back to the command room to releive Lizzie. "Yes Jamie," she whispered, a sympathetic gleam in her eye. "I understand completely."
()()()()()
Yeah! Second chapter finally out! Hurrah!!!
Chapter 3: Matchmaker: Leena has a talk with Lizzie, and desides she's desperatly needed to play matchmaker. The Blitz Team is challenged to a battle, and we finally meet the allusive Rayna.