Author's note: Yay! Another chapter! I just have to tell everybody, go read Biowolf's fic "Zoids: Fun with Phones" if you haven't already! Talk about something totally hilarious! Especially Raven, Hiltz, and the Shubaltz brother's! And to all those who reviewed, a huge thank you!!!
Dragonflame by Shelly
CHAPTER SIX
The two damaged zoids were loaded onto two platforms that Moonbay would be pulling behind her Gustav, and they were on their way towards the Empire's capital city. They stopped at a small village along the way to restock some of their food supplies as well as get a good night's rest without having to watch for another surprise attack.
Van and Fiona gradually became closer as they spent more time in each other's company, Moonbay smiling whenever she looked at them. They continued on their current path, taking the same path that they did before when they were in the middle of the war between the Empire and the Republic. Tania and Irvine rode with Moonbay, and they both entertained her with tales of their adventures which she enjoyed hearing about.
Soon they came upon the Sand Colony, and there they found the parts they needed to repair the damaged zoids. They also rented out rooms to stay in overnight, the owner of the place inviting them to a celebration of his daughter's wedding that evening, giving them just enough time to clean themselves up before arriving. The inn was packed as it seemed all of the Colony was there, and the party lively as Moonbay persuaded Irvine to dance with her and Fiona and Van spent some time together dancing as well. Tania knew that Karl wasn't really one to dance, and she noticed that Thomas really didn't seem to be enjoying himself so she asked him for a dance, dragging him out there anyway when he refused. He wasn't that good of a dancer, but she had put a smile on his face and that was all that mattered.
They returned to their seats, Tania seating herself on Karl's lap and sharing in a heated kiss with him as she touched his face with her fingertips, sighing with happiness when she felt his hands along her back holding her close. "I think I'm almost ready to retire for the night, if you are," she whispered in his ear, giving it a little nip with her teeth.
"I am getting a little tired," he replied with a smile.
She laughed. "But first, let me grab something to drink. I'm thirsty from all that dancing." She started to leave, but he held her in place on his lap, tunneling his fingers into her hair and pulling her head back gently to assault her neck with soft kisses which had her moaning his name.
He finally released her, smiling when he heard her small whimper of disappointment. "Don't worry. There's more where that came from if you'll just hurry back," he said, laughing when she jumped up and rushed off to find the refreshments.
She grabbed a drink and started to rush back, but a hand caught her wrist and drug her down into an alleyway between two buildings, pushing her roughly up against the wall and holding a knife against her throat. Her breath came in startled gasps as fear overtook her, and she found herself looking into a pair of gray eyes belonging to the very person she had fought and strangely defeated.
Raven preferred to destroy his opponents by fighting them in a zoid battle, but because of her he no longer had a zoid to fight with so he was going to do it the old fashioned way. Only he didn't anticipate the type of reaction he would have upon seeing her so close, realizing for himself at how beautiful she had become since he had last saw her. Her amethyst eyes were wide with fear, and the uniform she wore showed off every curve of her body that was pressed against his, awakening that sweet longing within him once more.
Abruptly releasing her, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. What had Riese done to him? He had come here to kill Tania as that was what Hiltz had wanted, but found he couldn't do it after looking her in the eye. "Tania, leave," he finally told her.
She looked at him strangely, the fear slowly fading away as she saw for herself how much he had changed and at the same time how much he had stayed the same. Physically he had not changed, but it was evident in his emotions. No longer was he the cocky kid he used to be, although he still held the same skill he always had at piloting zoids. Apparently Van's victory over him taught him some humility, but she had a hard time believing that.
And she didn't know how, but she could see deep within him a hurt that he had kept hidden for so long it had become a part of him. "Raven?" she asked, reaching out towards him with a hesitant hand.
Raven growled deep within his chest. Was she stupid? "I said leave, before I change my mind!" Leave before I lose control once again, he added to himself as he fought against his emotions.
Tania came to her senses and fled back to the party, seeking safety in the press of people around her.
Turning, he ran off to find Riese and find out once and for all what she had done to him.
Karl stood when he saw her running towards him, fear written across her face, and he caught her in his arms to hold her, wondering why she was trembling so badly. Thomas saw as well and rushed over to see what was wrong. Tania held onto Karl so tightly it frightened him. "Shh, Tania, it's all right," he whispered into her hair, rubbing the back of her neck gently with his hand to try and calm her down. "You're safe now. Tell me what happened."
She drew back, still trembling slightly and allowing Karl to lead her over to sit down and crouch down so he could look into her eyes. Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths and calmed herself down enough so she could talk. "It was Raven," she breathed.
His eyes widened. "Raven? Where?"
She pointed back the way she had come. "Down that alley. He grabbed me while I was getting a drink and drug me down there to try and kill me."
From his vantage point, he saw the fingerprints Raven had left behind on her throat and reached up to gently tilt her head back enough to look at them. Thomas saw them as well and growled in anger, leaping to his feet and running off to try and find Raven.
Soon the others noticed that something had happened and rushed over to see what was wrong, and when they heard that Raven had been here, Van and Irvine started to leave but saw Thomas returning saying that he had left.
Tears started to run down her cheeks, and Karl wiped them away, his own anger smoldering at Raven's boldness but wondering at the same time why he had not gone through with it. "Come on, Tania. Let's get you into bed and get some rest," he said, helping her to her feet.
She swallowed deeply. "I don't understand why I'm so shaken up over this. I faced worse than this with Tragar and wasn't nearly as scared."
"You weren't expecting it, and it caught you off guard. Besides, everyone knows you're tough and can take care of yourself so you're allowed a few moments of weakness. It only shows you're human," he added with a smile.
She laughed, some of the shock wearing off the longer she was around him, and she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. "Thank you," she whispered.
He drew away to look in her eyes. "What for?" he asked, bewildered.
A smile spread across her face. "For everything. For loving me and being there for me whenever I need you."
Returning her smile, he gifted her with a soft kiss. "As you know I always will. Because I love you so much."
Hearing a collective, "Aww!" they pulled apart, laughing when they saw everyone looking at them.
***********************
Awww! Read the next chapter to find out what Riese did to Raven! Thanks for reading and please review!
Dragonflame by Shelly
CHAPTER SIX
The two damaged zoids were loaded onto two platforms that Moonbay would be pulling behind her Gustav, and they were on their way towards the Empire's capital city. They stopped at a small village along the way to restock some of their food supplies as well as get a good night's rest without having to watch for another surprise attack.
Van and Fiona gradually became closer as they spent more time in each other's company, Moonbay smiling whenever she looked at them. They continued on their current path, taking the same path that they did before when they were in the middle of the war between the Empire and the Republic. Tania and Irvine rode with Moonbay, and they both entertained her with tales of their adventures which she enjoyed hearing about.
Soon they came upon the Sand Colony, and there they found the parts they needed to repair the damaged zoids. They also rented out rooms to stay in overnight, the owner of the place inviting them to a celebration of his daughter's wedding that evening, giving them just enough time to clean themselves up before arriving. The inn was packed as it seemed all of the Colony was there, and the party lively as Moonbay persuaded Irvine to dance with her and Fiona and Van spent some time together dancing as well. Tania knew that Karl wasn't really one to dance, and she noticed that Thomas really didn't seem to be enjoying himself so she asked him for a dance, dragging him out there anyway when he refused. He wasn't that good of a dancer, but she had put a smile on his face and that was all that mattered.
They returned to their seats, Tania seating herself on Karl's lap and sharing in a heated kiss with him as she touched his face with her fingertips, sighing with happiness when she felt his hands along her back holding her close. "I think I'm almost ready to retire for the night, if you are," she whispered in his ear, giving it a little nip with her teeth.
"I am getting a little tired," he replied with a smile.
She laughed. "But first, let me grab something to drink. I'm thirsty from all that dancing." She started to leave, but he held her in place on his lap, tunneling his fingers into her hair and pulling her head back gently to assault her neck with soft kisses which had her moaning his name.
He finally released her, smiling when he heard her small whimper of disappointment. "Don't worry. There's more where that came from if you'll just hurry back," he said, laughing when she jumped up and rushed off to find the refreshments.
She grabbed a drink and started to rush back, but a hand caught her wrist and drug her down into an alleyway between two buildings, pushing her roughly up against the wall and holding a knife against her throat. Her breath came in startled gasps as fear overtook her, and she found herself looking into a pair of gray eyes belonging to the very person she had fought and strangely defeated.
Raven preferred to destroy his opponents by fighting them in a zoid battle, but because of her he no longer had a zoid to fight with so he was going to do it the old fashioned way. Only he didn't anticipate the type of reaction he would have upon seeing her so close, realizing for himself at how beautiful she had become since he had last saw her. Her amethyst eyes were wide with fear, and the uniform she wore showed off every curve of her body that was pressed against his, awakening that sweet longing within him once more.
Abruptly releasing her, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. What had Riese done to him? He had come here to kill Tania as that was what Hiltz had wanted, but found he couldn't do it after looking her in the eye. "Tania, leave," he finally told her.
She looked at him strangely, the fear slowly fading away as she saw for herself how much he had changed and at the same time how much he had stayed the same. Physically he had not changed, but it was evident in his emotions. No longer was he the cocky kid he used to be, although he still held the same skill he always had at piloting zoids. Apparently Van's victory over him taught him some humility, but she had a hard time believing that.
And she didn't know how, but she could see deep within him a hurt that he had kept hidden for so long it had become a part of him. "Raven?" she asked, reaching out towards him with a hesitant hand.
Raven growled deep within his chest. Was she stupid? "I said leave, before I change my mind!" Leave before I lose control once again, he added to himself as he fought against his emotions.
Tania came to her senses and fled back to the party, seeking safety in the press of people around her.
Turning, he ran off to find Riese and find out once and for all what she had done to him.
Karl stood when he saw her running towards him, fear written across her face, and he caught her in his arms to hold her, wondering why she was trembling so badly. Thomas saw as well and rushed over to see what was wrong. Tania held onto Karl so tightly it frightened him. "Shh, Tania, it's all right," he whispered into her hair, rubbing the back of her neck gently with his hand to try and calm her down. "You're safe now. Tell me what happened."
She drew back, still trembling slightly and allowing Karl to lead her over to sit down and crouch down so he could look into her eyes. Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths and calmed herself down enough so she could talk. "It was Raven," she breathed.
His eyes widened. "Raven? Where?"
She pointed back the way she had come. "Down that alley. He grabbed me while I was getting a drink and drug me down there to try and kill me."
From his vantage point, he saw the fingerprints Raven had left behind on her throat and reached up to gently tilt her head back enough to look at them. Thomas saw them as well and growled in anger, leaping to his feet and running off to try and find Raven.
Soon the others noticed that something had happened and rushed over to see what was wrong, and when they heard that Raven had been here, Van and Irvine started to leave but saw Thomas returning saying that he had left.
Tears started to run down her cheeks, and Karl wiped them away, his own anger smoldering at Raven's boldness but wondering at the same time why he had not gone through with it. "Come on, Tania. Let's get you into bed and get some rest," he said, helping her to her feet.
She swallowed deeply. "I don't understand why I'm so shaken up over this. I faced worse than this with Tragar and wasn't nearly as scared."
"You weren't expecting it, and it caught you off guard. Besides, everyone knows you're tough and can take care of yourself so you're allowed a few moments of weakness. It only shows you're human," he added with a smile.
She laughed, some of the shock wearing off the longer she was around him, and she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. "Thank you," she whispered.
He drew away to look in her eyes. "What for?" he asked, bewildered.
A smile spread across her face. "For everything. For loving me and being there for me whenever I need you."
Returning her smile, he gifted her with a soft kiss. "As you know I always will. Because I love you so much."
Hearing a collective, "Aww!" they pulled apart, laughing when they saw everyone looking at them.
***********************
Awww! Read the next chapter to find out what Riese did to Raven! Thanks for reading and please review!