I guess I should apologize for taking so long. I'm really, really sorry,
but I've been caught up in my own little world for the past few weeks.
I've been hooked on Inu Yasha and I just didn't feel motivated to write,
and to tell ya the truth, I still don't. I'm going to anyway, since I feel
like crap right now. Maybe this'll get my mind offa things for a while.
And as for the special moment, it is something you guys have been waiting for. This is probably my favorite chapter out of this whole fic. WARNING: This is a LONG chapter, and I mean long, so please read it, okay?
Disclaimer: See first chapter.
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Morning rolled around quickly and the people in the base were finally crawling out of bed. However, 11 people were already up, dressed, and waiting by the laboratory area of the base. They sat in chairs in the waiting vicinity, doing what most do there: waiting. Finally, a scientist came out, a clip board in his hand. He had a smile on his face.
"Good news. Everything's fine. The procedure went smoothly and she'll be up in a few hours." Everyone sighed in relief. Risai was going to be okay.
"That's a relief," said Miharu.
"You still shouldn't be up," said the scientist.
"I know, but I had to make sure she was alright."
"Well, she is. Like I said, she'll be asleep for a few more hours, so you can all leave now. We'll notify you when she wakes up."
"Thanks." Miharu turned and began to head back to the medical vicinity. Everyone else left to do their own things as well. Basically, they all went to fix up their zoids. There had been a lot of battles lately and they were getting slightly sick of it. Every time they battled, more and more people got hurt. At least now they wouldn't have to worry about Risai being their enemy. While fixing his Blade Liger, Leon decided that he would go an see Risai after he was done, whether she was awake or not. He just needed to know if she was all right. He had to confirm it with his own eyes.
******
Risai was lounging peacefully in the black abyss of her dream realm. It was so calm and she felt completely light hearted. It was painless, like a strong anesthetic. A smile graced her face as she floated in the darkness.
"Good to see you're alright, sis," said Taban. Risai opened her eyes, the smile never leaving her face.
"Hello Taban. It's good to hear from you. I thought something might have happened to you."
"I'm fine. I should be the one who's worried. You just went through a major operation."
"Yeah, but I'm fine. It's not like they had to cut me or anything. It wasn't really an operation, I guess."
"Yeah, but still, you could have died."
"But I didn't." Her smile only broadened. "It feels good to know I'm alive."
"I'll bet it does."
"Taban, where are you?"
"I'm at the Backdraft's main base. You already knew that."
"I know, but where is it?"
"I don't really know. I haven't been able to get outside to pinpoint my exact location."
"Just stay safe, okay? We'll get you out soon, I promise."
"Thanks Risai. By the way-" His voice was cut off again.
"Taban?" asked Risai, but she received no answer. "Oh no, not again." Her smile was gone and her face was full of worry. 'Please be alright Taban.'
******
Taban was awoken by the sound of an explosion. He sat up and looked around. Another sound came. They weren't explosions but crashes. Taban looked around and then listened. It was silent, but not for long.
"What do you think you're doing?!" yelled Rose. Her voice was much quieter than it would have been if she were in the hallway. Taban guessed that she must have been in the hanger.
"You told me to bring in my zoid!" yelled a male voice. Taban straightened at the voice. It was familiar and he was having a hard time believing that the voice belonged to who he was thinking of. He could hear footsteps coming up the stairs and then down the hall.
"Can you believe that guy?" asked one of the soldiers.
"What is he thinking?"
"He must purposely tick off Rose. He probably does it to get a rise out of her."
"Probably. You would never be able to guess he was one of our spies."
"At least he's smart enough not to try and flirt with Rose."
"You got a point there." Taban could no longer hear their conversation, since they turned the corner. 'Who could they be talking about? That man...his voice is so familiar...I know I've heard it before.' Just then, two more sets of footsteps could be heard. Taban looked up and into the hallway. Just as he expected, Rose walked up to the bars.
"Hello Taban. How are you feeling?" Her voice dripped with false concern. Taban just glared at her, his eyes cold and full of hate. Rose just smiled. "I have someone here who wants to meet you." A man stepped out of the shadows and Taban was able to see the owner of the familiar voice. He was wearing a uniform from the ZBC...the uniform of a Colonel.
"Garner," said Taban, with both shock and ice in his voice.
"Surprised?" asked Garner.
"But you're...you're suppose to be..." Taban's eyes became cold again. "You traitor." Garner simply laughed.
"I've been working with the Backdraft since day one. I'm surprised you didn't know that. You never did like me, Taban. Oh, and by the way, Risai is doing great. She's as beautiful as ever."
"Shut up, you lecherous traitor," said Taban, the hate hanging heavy on his voice.
"It's time to put our plan into action," said Rose.
"What plan?" asked Taban, his gaze shifting to Rose.
"It's not something that concerns you.but it does concern Risai."
"Leave her alone!"
"I'm sorry, but we can't do that. She has to die. With all these attacks, the ZBC is weakening. They'll be unable to defend themselves soon. But then again, our plan doesn't involve a battle."
"What then?"
"Like I'd tell you. See ya around, Taban." Rose left, followed by Garner. Taban shifted his gaze to the ground and cursed to himself. 'This can't be good.'
******
"Risai," said Rose. Risai's head snapped up and she looked around the darkness.
"W-who's there?"
"You know who this is." Risai's eyes grew cold and her expression was full of anger.
"Rose! What did you do to Taban?"
"Nothing...yet."
"You better not hurt him."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Her voice was heavy with sarcasm. "I have a proposition for you."
"Oh? What is it?" she asked, not really interested.
"If you want to see your brother alive, then you better accept." This got her attention.
"What do you want?"
"At 2000 hours, I want you to come to the desert near the cliff on the battlefield. You have to come alone and don't bring your zoid."
"...Why should I accept?"
"Because if you don't, Taban will die."
"..."
"I'll take your silence as a yes. You better follow all the rules, or I'll make sure your brother doesn't see the light of another day." Risai remained silent. She knew Rose was already gone, but there was still nothing she could do. She had to accept. She wasn't going to lose her brother again.
******
Risai's eyes opened slowly, taking in what was around her. She was in the lab room she had been staying in for the past few days. The familiar sound of the brain wave machine was the only noise in the room. Her eyes slowly focused on the clock on the wall. It was already 6:00pm. She had slept for over half the day.
"Good to see you're awake."
A small smile crossed Risai's face. She knew who the voice belonged to and turned her head to come face to face with Leon. "How do you feel?" he asked.
"Fine."
"That's good. The scientists here said you could leave as soon as you were awake. You might want to fix up your zoid." Risai cringed inwardly.
"Yeah, of course," she responded. She knew what she had to do tonight and she hated it. She would be sneaking out of the base on her own, and she wasn't sure what would happen. Risai slowly stood up and walked to the door.
"What about you?" asked Risai. She looked over Leon. He had a few scratches and cuts from the recent battle.
"I'm fine."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to."
"I know." He just smiled, causing Risai to do the same. She opened the door and both of them walked out. Leon headed towards his room and Risai walked to the garage to fix her zoid. She looked to the ground as she walked. 'Just two hours.' The wait was going to seem like an eternity.
******
It was 7:55pm and Risai was sitting in a now empty garage. She jumped down from her now finished zoid and walked to the door at the far end. She opened it slowly and was about to leave, when she heard a familiar roar come from her zoid. She turned her head and smiled.
"I'll be fine," she reassured her partner. "I'll only be gone for a while." Her voice must have been dripping with dishonesty, since the Genosaurer roared once again. "Please be quiet. I'm leaving. And if I don't come back, tell Miharu I'm sorry." Risai walked out the door, not wanting any more protests from her zoid. She walked quietly, her hands behind her back and her head down, deep in thought. 'Is this really a good idea? She said she'd kill Taban if I didn't come. I hope she doesn't find out I came armed, but I couldn't risk it. Not now. This could be a trap.' She arrived at the place and just stood there, waiting. She glanced around. 'Yep, this has to be a trap.'
"Hello, Risai," came Rose's voice. Risai looked up at the cliff and there was Rose, and her Ryujin right behind her. "I'm glad you could make it."
"Where's Taban?" asked Risai, her voice angry.
"Just wait. I want to show you something else first." Rose smiled her trademark smile. Another zoid came, but this one wasn't on the cliff. Instead, it approached from the canyon below. It was a Dark Horn, painted a midnight blue. Risai's eyes went wide upon seeing it.
"But that's..."
"Hello Risai," said the pilot. The cockpit opened and out jumped a very familiar colonel.
"Garner."
"In the flesh." He smirked.
"But...you..." She was at a loss for words. Her eyes became hard. "Traitor." He simply laughed.
"That may be, but it doesn't matter now. No one will ever find out."
"What?" asked Risai, surprise evident in her voice.
"Just like he said," answered Rose. "Did you really think we'd bring Taban with us? You're so gullible." Risai reached to her side where she kept her gun, but was stopped by a bullet shot that hit near her. Her hand dropped back to her side.
"Tsk, tsk, I thought I told you to come unarmed. You're such a naughty little girl." Risai shot Rose a death glare, but she wasn't very threatening. The situation seemed hopeless for her. Rose smiled and got back into her zoid. She maneuvered the guns on its back and aimed for Risai. Her finger slowly began to push the trigger.
******
The group entered the hanger, looking for Risai. The room was dark and her zoid was nicely polished, but there was no sign of her.
"Where is she?" asked Bit. "We've looked almost everywhere." Risai's Genosaurer stood motionless, wishing it could tell them where he friend had gone, but it would sound like nothing more than a simple roar to their ears. However, there was a roar that filled the room, but it wasn't from the Genosaurer. Everyone turned to face the Liger Zero.
"What's that Liger?" asked Bit. Liger roared again, as if speaking in a sentence. Bit listened intently. His eyes then widened. "She said that?" asked Bit, shock in his voice.
"What?" asked Leena. Bit turned to face them.
"Liger said that Risai left a while ago. She said she was going somewhere and that's she'd be gone for a while. She also said to tell you, Miharu, that she's sorry, if she doesn't come back."
"Why wouldn't she come back?" asked Jamie.
"I don't know. I guess she didn't say."
"Come on," said Miharu. She walked over to the door and walked out. "Let's follow her." Everyone nodded and they all ran out the door.
******
The gun went off, but Risai managed to dodge to the side, using her gun to hit the shell, knocking it slightly off course. It hit the ground and exploded. Risai was on the ground, covering her head as gravel rained down onto her. She quickly got up and ran to a nearby rock, but a bullet shot by her feet stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned to Garner, who had his gun pointed at her. He kept her at gunpoint and slowly walked towards her. Risai just stood still, not wanting to get shot.
"Why?" she asked him. He didn't answer. "Why did you do this? Why did you betray us?"
"You sound as if you care." He smirked.
"You swore allegiance to the ZBC. Of course I care. I won't forgive a traitor."
"I never really was on your side. I've been with the Backdraft for years now." He was now only a foot or so away from her. He quickly knocked her gun out of her hand and it went flying. He kept her at gunpoint. He just stared at her for a while. "You were always a pretty one, Risai. Please don't take this personally." He flipped his gun and struck her with it. The force knocked her to the ground, a red mark forming on her face.
"Move Garner," ordered Rose, as she repositioned her gun. Garner moved out of the way and Risai stood up just in time to dodge another gunshot. However, the explosion caused even more gravel to fly at her, and this time she didn't escape unscathed. Her black jacket was ripped up and there was a cut on the side of her face. She quickly stood up and dusted off her clothes. She had to get her gun, so she made a run for it, but was stopped by Garner, who punched her in the stomach, causing her to fall to her knees. She cautiously stood up; her posture was less than perfect.
"I expected more from an agent," said Garner. Risai glared at him, her eyes full of ice. She quickly discarded her jacket, revealing another gun on her side. She grabbed it quickly and aimed it at Garner. Her hands shook slightly.
"Drop your weapon," she said. Her eyes told him not to mess with her. Garner smiled and put down his gun. His smile never left his face. He laughed slightly.
"What's so funny?"
"That." Just then, the sound of a gun shell piercing through the air could be heard. Garner jumped out of the way and Risai jumped the other, but wasn't in time. The explosion happened close by this time and ruble from the ground lashed out at her, cutting her right arm up. She cried out in pain as the crimson blood stained the ground she lied on. She had dropped her second gun. Now she was completely unarmed. Garner once again approached her. He looked down at her scared form. She was trying to cover her arm. Garner just smiled as he kicked her in the side, causing her to roll over onto her stomach. She cried out in pain again. He began to laugh, as did Rose. She sat smugly in her cockpit. Just then, some stray fire came her way, knocking her unprepared zoid over. She cursed under her breath and looked towards the ZBC base. In the air was the Phoenix. Rose got her zoid back up and turned around.
"I'm leaving this to you, Garner," she said. And with that, she left the summit. Garner smiled and stood over Risai. He lifted his leg and brought his foot down on her back, causing Risai to cry out in more pain. He didn't notice the 9 people who were running towards him. He then kicked her away to the side. Risai didn't even bother to fight back. She was still conscious, but she was lost in her own thoughts. This all seemed so pointless. Her form began to shake. Half was from fear and half was from helplessness. She felt completely helpless as she lied on the ground. The nine figures stopped as they reached the area within 3 yards of Risai. Their eyes all landed on Garner, who seemed pleased with his work. Miharu landed her zoid and jumped out. She was the first to break her shock of who she was now facing.
"Garner," she said, a little shocked, yet also angry.
"Hello, Miharu," he said, a false sweetness in his voice. He pulled out his gun again, aiming it at Risai. "It's a true pity you'll have to witness this, but I can't let Rose down." Just then, his gun was knocked out of his hand by the bullet of another gun. Leon had his gun out, now aiming at the colonel, who had his hands up. Rick then began to approach Garner.
"You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Gee, I've always wanted to say that," he said. Bit and Brad then ran over and put the colonel in a hold, making sure he wouldn't be able to get out. Leon was the first one to make it over to Risai. He looked her over. Her cerulean hair was dusty and was covering her face. There was a small pool of blood around her from her arm. Leon carefully turned her over so that she was on her back. Her eyes were open and full of emotion. She just stared at him as he slipped his arms under her and carefully lifted her off the ground. Risai turned her face towards his chest, not wanting anyone to see her. She gripped his shirt as if she was holding on for dear life. Leon turned and began to sprint back to the base. Everyone just watched him as he left, not sure what to think of this. They were all a little surprised, but most of them understood exactly what was going on. They then all turned and began to walk back to the base, each remaining in their own thoughts.
******
It was mostly dark in the base, since the sun had set. Everyone was extremely quiet that night. No one was even walking the halls. Leon sat in his room with a first aid kit resting on his bed. Risai was sitting next to it. Leon was just finishing up the bandages on her arm. After finishing, he sat down next to her, closing the first aid kit and shoving it under his bed. They both just sat there, in silence for a while.
"Thank you," said Risai, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Don't mention it," responded Leon. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes." Her voice was still quiet. So many thoughts were running through her mind. She was having a hard time sorting them out.
"What made you go out there?" asked Leon.
"She said she would hurt Taban if I didn't come."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry. I put myself in danger again and I could have ended up putting all of you in danger as well. I'm so sorry."
"It's alright."
"No, it's not." Risai clenched her fists. "I should have been able to handle them. I'm an agent. I should be stronger." Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I'm so helpless...I'm so...worthless." Her tears began to fall down her cheeks, landing on her clenched hands. Leon just stared at her. Risai was shaking slightly. That was exactly how she felt. She felt worthless, and nothing Leon could say would make her feel any different. Her eyes were tightly closed, but they suddenly opened as she felt a hand on her cheek. She stopped sobbing and shaking. She turned her head to face Leon. He had his hand on her cheek and was wiping away her tears with his thumb. Risai wasn't sure how to react, so she just stared at him, her expression slightly shocked. He just looked at her, his face very calm and caring.
"You are not worthless," he said in a soothing voice. Then, slowly, he began to move towards her. Risai's mind was racing. 'Oh God, is he going to...to...?' He was still moving closer; the space between them was shrinking. 'No! He can't. I can't let him. I'm not allowed to. He'll just get hurt.' She stopped her thoughts for a second. 'But I...I...' The gap between them was no more than an inch.
'...I really want to.' And with that last thought, Risai closed her eyes and met him the rest of the way. They connected in a passionate kiss. Risai moved her arms and rested her hands on Leon's shoulders. Leon moved his arms and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her closer to him. After a while, they broke the kiss, but remained in the same position. Risai gave a small smile, and then rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes. Leon pulled her onto his lap so that she could rest comfortably. Risai allowed herself to drift off into a peaceful sleep, and for the first time in months, she felt safe. No more words were said that night, since there didn't seem to be any need for them.
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That felt good! I hope this makes up for not writing for a month. Wasn't that sweet? And for all you people who have your minds in the gutter, this is NOT a LEMON. I don't like lemons very much and could never bring myself to write one. My mind doesn't work like that.
And I'm sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes. If I made a big one, please inform me and I'll make sure to go back and fix it. Thanks.
Anyway, for those of you who watch Inu Yasha, please email me! I need people to talk to about it and I have fanfic ideas. For a hint as to what they will be about, go read the happy little Inu Yasha section in my bio. I took the 'What Inu character are you?' test. I bet you guys will never guess who I got. ME! I'm happy about my results, though. I'm actually overly happy. Well, until I write again. REVIEW!
Audi^.^
And as for the special moment, it is something you guys have been waiting for. This is probably my favorite chapter out of this whole fic. WARNING: This is a LONG chapter, and I mean long, so please read it, okay?
Disclaimer: See first chapter.
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Morning rolled around quickly and the people in the base were finally crawling out of bed. However, 11 people were already up, dressed, and waiting by the laboratory area of the base. They sat in chairs in the waiting vicinity, doing what most do there: waiting. Finally, a scientist came out, a clip board in his hand. He had a smile on his face.
"Good news. Everything's fine. The procedure went smoothly and she'll be up in a few hours." Everyone sighed in relief. Risai was going to be okay.
"That's a relief," said Miharu.
"You still shouldn't be up," said the scientist.
"I know, but I had to make sure she was alright."
"Well, she is. Like I said, she'll be asleep for a few more hours, so you can all leave now. We'll notify you when she wakes up."
"Thanks." Miharu turned and began to head back to the medical vicinity. Everyone else left to do their own things as well. Basically, they all went to fix up their zoids. There had been a lot of battles lately and they were getting slightly sick of it. Every time they battled, more and more people got hurt. At least now they wouldn't have to worry about Risai being their enemy. While fixing his Blade Liger, Leon decided that he would go an see Risai after he was done, whether she was awake or not. He just needed to know if she was all right. He had to confirm it with his own eyes.
******
Risai was lounging peacefully in the black abyss of her dream realm. It was so calm and she felt completely light hearted. It was painless, like a strong anesthetic. A smile graced her face as she floated in the darkness.
"Good to see you're alright, sis," said Taban. Risai opened her eyes, the smile never leaving her face.
"Hello Taban. It's good to hear from you. I thought something might have happened to you."
"I'm fine. I should be the one who's worried. You just went through a major operation."
"Yeah, but I'm fine. It's not like they had to cut me or anything. It wasn't really an operation, I guess."
"Yeah, but still, you could have died."
"But I didn't." Her smile only broadened. "It feels good to know I'm alive."
"I'll bet it does."
"Taban, where are you?"
"I'm at the Backdraft's main base. You already knew that."
"I know, but where is it?"
"I don't really know. I haven't been able to get outside to pinpoint my exact location."
"Just stay safe, okay? We'll get you out soon, I promise."
"Thanks Risai. By the way-" His voice was cut off again.
"Taban?" asked Risai, but she received no answer. "Oh no, not again." Her smile was gone and her face was full of worry. 'Please be alright Taban.'
******
Taban was awoken by the sound of an explosion. He sat up and looked around. Another sound came. They weren't explosions but crashes. Taban looked around and then listened. It was silent, but not for long.
"What do you think you're doing?!" yelled Rose. Her voice was much quieter than it would have been if she were in the hallway. Taban guessed that she must have been in the hanger.
"You told me to bring in my zoid!" yelled a male voice. Taban straightened at the voice. It was familiar and he was having a hard time believing that the voice belonged to who he was thinking of. He could hear footsteps coming up the stairs and then down the hall.
"Can you believe that guy?" asked one of the soldiers.
"What is he thinking?"
"He must purposely tick off Rose. He probably does it to get a rise out of her."
"Probably. You would never be able to guess he was one of our spies."
"At least he's smart enough not to try and flirt with Rose."
"You got a point there." Taban could no longer hear their conversation, since they turned the corner. 'Who could they be talking about? That man...his voice is so familiar...I know I've heard it before.' Just then, two more sets of footsteps could be heard. Taban looked up and into the hallway. Just as he expected, Rose walked up to the bars.
"Hello Taban. How are you feeling?" Her voice dripped with false concern. Taban just glared at her, his eyes cold and full of hate. Rose just smiled. "I have someone here who wants to meet you." A man stepped out of the shadows and Taban was able to see the owner of the familiar voice. He was wearing a uniform from the ZBC...the uniform of a Colonel.
"Garner," said Taban, with both shock and ice in his voice.
"Surprised?" asked Garner.
"But you're...you're suppose to be..." Taban's eyes became cold again. "You traitor." Garner simply laughed.
"I've been working with the Backdraft since day one. I'm surprised you didn't know that. You never did like me, Taban. Oh, and by the way, Risai is doing great. She's as beautiful as ever."
"Shut up, you lecherous traitor," said Taban, the hate hanging heavy on his voice.
"It's time to put our plan into action," said Rose.
"What plan?" asked Taban, his gaze shifting to Rose.
"It's not something that concerns you.but it does concern Risai."
"Leave her alone!"
"I'm sorry, but we can't do that. She has to die. With all these attacks, the ZBC is weakening. They'll be unable to defend themselves soon. But then again, our plan doesn't involve a battle."
"What then?"
"Like I'd tell you. See ya around, Taban." Rose left, followed by Garner. Taban shifted his gaze to the ground and cursed to himself. 'This can't be good.'
******
"Risai," said Rose. Risai's head snapped up and she looked around the darkness.
"W-who's there?"
"You know who this is." Risai's eyes grew cold and her expression was full of anger.
"Rose! What did you do to Taban?"
"Nothing...yet."
"You better not hurt him."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Her voice was heavy with sarcasm. "I have a proposition for you."
"Oh? What is it?" she asked, not really interested.
"If you want to see your brother alive, then you better accept." This got her attention.
"What do you want?"
"At 2000 hours, I want you to come to the desert near the cliff on the battlefield. You have to come alone and don't bring your zoid."
"...Why should I accept?"
"Because if you don't, Taban will die."
"..."
"I'll take your silence as a yes. You better follow all the rules, or I'll make sure your brother doesn't see the light of another day." Risai remained silent. She knew Rose was already gone, but there was still nothing she could do. She had to accept. She wasn't going to lose her brother again.
******
Risai's eyes opened slowly, taking in what was around her. She was in the lab room she had been staying in for the past few days. The familiar sound of the brain wave machine was the only noise in the room. Her eyes slowly focused on the clock on the wall. It was already 6:00pm. She had slept for over half the day.
"Good to see you're awake."
A small smile crossed Risai's face. She knew who the voice belonged to and turned her head to come face to face with Leon. "How do you feel?" he asked.
"Fine."
"That's good. The scientists here said you could leave as soon as you were awake. You might want to fix up your zoid." Risai cringed inwardly.
"Yeah, of course," she responded. She knew what she had to do tonight and she hated it. She would be sneaking out of the base on her own, and she wasn't sure what would happen. Risai slowly stood up and walked to the door.
"What about you?" asked Risai. She looked over Leon. He had a few scratches and cuts from the recent battle.
"I'm fine."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to."
"I know." He just smiled, causing Risai to do the same. She opened the door and both of them walked out. Leon headed towards his room and Risai walked to the garage to fix her zoid. She looked to the ground as she walked. 'Just two hours.' The wait was going to seem like an eternity.
******
It was 7:55pm and Risai was sitting in a now empty garage. She jumped down from her now finished zoid and walked to the door at the far end. She opened it slowly and was about to leave, when she heard a familiar roar come from her zoid. She turned her head and smiled.
"I'll be fine," she reassured her partner. "I'll only be gone for a while." Her voice must have been dripping with dishonesty, since the Genosaurer roared once again. "Please be quiet. I'm leaving. And if I don't come back, tell Miharu I'm sorry." Risai walked out the door, not wanting any more protests from her zoid. She walked quietly, her hands behind her back and her head down, deep in thought. 'Is this really a good idea? She said she'd kill Taban if I didn't come. I hope she doesn't find out I came armed, but I couldn't risk it. Not now. This could be a trap.' She arrived at the place and just stood there, waiting. She glanced around. 'Yep, this has to be a trap.'
"Hello, Risai," came Rose's voice. Risai looked up at the cliff and there was Rose, and her Ryujin right behind her. "I'm glad you could make it."
"Where's Taban?" asked Risai, her voice angry.
"Just wait. I want to show you something else first." Rose smiled her trademark smile. Another zoid came, but this one wasn't on the cliff. Instead, it approached from the canyon below. It was a Dark Horn, painted a midnight blue. Risai's eyes went wide upon seeing it.
"But that's..."
"Hello Risai," said the pilot. The cockpit opened and out jumped a very familiar colonel.
"Garner."
"In the flesh." He smirked.
"But...you..." She was at a loss for words. Her eyes became hard. "Traitor." He simply laughed.
"That may be, but it doesn't matter now. No one will ever find out."
"What?" asked Risai, surprise evident in her voice.
"Just like he said," answered Rose. "Did you really think we'd bring Taban with us? You're so gullible." Risai reached to her side where she kept her gun, but was stopped by a bullet shot that hit near her. Her hand dropped back to her side.
"Tsk, tsk, I thought I told you to come unarmed. You're such a naughty little girl." Risai shot Rose a death glare, but she wasn't very threatening. The situation seemed hopeless for her. Rose smiled and got back into her zoid. She maneuvered the guns on its back and aimed for Risai. Her finger slowly began to push the trigger.
******
The group entered the hanger, looking for Risai. The room was dark and her zoid was nicely polished, but there was no sign of her.
"Where is she?" asked Bit. "We've looked almost everywhere." Risai's Genosaurer stood motionless, wishing it could tell them where he friend had gone, but it would sound like nothing more than a simple roar to their ears. However, there was a roar that filled the room, but it wasn't from the Genosaurer. Everyone turned to face the Liger Zero.
"What's that Liger?" asked Bit. Liger roared again, as if speaking in a sentence. Bit listened intently. His eyes then widened. "She said that?" asked Bit, shock in his voice.
"What?" asked Leena. Bit turned to face them.
"Liger said that Risai left a while ago. She said she was going somewhere and that's she'd be gone for a while. She also said to tell you, Miharu, that she's sorry, if she doesn't come back."
"Why wouldn't she come back?" asked Jamie.
"I don't know. I guess she didn't say."
"Come on," said Miharu. She walked over to the door and walked out. "Let's follow her." Everyone nodded and they all ran out the door.
******
The gun went off, but Risai managed to dodge to the side, using her gun to hit the shell, knocking it slightly off course. It hit the ground and exploded. Risai was on the ground, covering her head as gravel rained down onto her. She quickly got up and ran to a nearby rock, but a bullet shot by her feet stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned to Garner, who had his gun pointed at her. He kept her at gunpoint and slowly walked towards her. Risai just stood still, not wanting to get shot.
"Why?" she asked him. He didn't answer. "Why did you do this? Why did you betray us?"
"You sound as if you care." He smirked.
"You swore allegiance to the ZBC. Of course I care. I won't forgive a traitor."
"I never really was on your side. I've been with the Backdraft for years now." He was now only a foot or so away from her. He quickly knocked her gun out of her hand and it went flying. He kept her at gunpoint. He just stared at her for a while. "You were always a pretty one, Risai. Please don't take this personally." He flipped his gun and struck her with it. The force knocked her to the ground, a red mark forming on her face.
"Move Garner," ordered Rose, as she repositioned her gun. Garner moved out of the way and Risai stood up just in time to dodge another gunshot. However, the explosion caused even more gravel to fly at her, and this time she didn't escape unscathed. Her black jacket was ripped up and there was a cut on the side of her face. She quickly stood up and dusted off her clothes. She had to get her gun, so she made a run for it, but was stopped by Garner, who punched her in the stomach, causing her to fall to her knees. She cautiously stood up; her posture was less than perfect.
"I expected more from an agent," said Garner. Risai glared at him, her eyes full of ice. She quickly discarded her jacket, revealing another gun on her side. She grabbed it quickly and aimed it at Garner. Her hands shook slightly.
"Drop your weapon," she said. Her eyes told him not to mess with her. Garner smiled and put down his gun. His smile never left his face. He laughed slightly.
"What's so funny?"
"That." Just then, the sound of a gun shell piercing through the air could be heard. Garner jumped out of the way and Risai jumped the other, but wasn't in time. The explosion happened close by this time and ruble from the ground lashed out at her, cutting her right arm up. She cried out in pain as the crimson blood stained the ground she lied on. She had dropped her second gun. Now she was completely unarmed. Garner once again approached her. He looked down at her scared form. She was trying to cover her arm. Garner just smiled as he kicked her in the side, causing her to roll over onto her stomach. She cried out in pain again. He began to laugh, as did Rose. She sat smugly in her cockpit. Just then, some stray fire came her way, knocking her unprepared zoid over. She cursed under her breath and looked towards the ZBC base. In the air was the Phoenix. Rose got her zoid back up and turned around.
"I'm leaving this to you, Garner," she said. And with that, she left the summit. Garner smiled and stood over Risai. He lifted his leg and brought his foot down on her back, causing Risai to cry out in more pain. He didn't notice the 9 people who were running towards him. He then kicked her away to the side. Risai didn't even bother to fight back. She was still conscious, but she was lost in her own thoughts. This all seemed so pointless. Her form began to shake. Half was from fear and half was from helplessness. She felt completely helpless as she lied on the ground. The nine figures stopped as they reached the area within 3 yards of Risai. Their eyes all landed on Garner, who seemed pleased with his work. Miharu landed her zoid and jumped out. She was the first to break her shock of who she was now facing.
"Garner," she said, a little shocked, yet also angry.
"Hello, Miharu," he said, a false sweetness in his voice. He pulled out his gun again, aiming it at Risai. "It's a true pity you'll have to witness this, but I can't let Rose down." Just then, his gun was knocked out of his hand by the bullet of another gun. Leon had his gun out, now aiming at the colonel, who had his hands up. Rick then began to approach Garner.
"You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Gee, I've always wanted to say that," he said. Bit and Brad then ran over and put the colonel in a hold, making sure he wouldn't be able to get out. Leon was the first one to make it over to Risai. He looked her over. Her cerulean hair was dusty and was covering her face. There was a small pool of blood around her from her arm. Leon carefully turned her over so that she was on her back. Her eyes were open and full of emotion. She just stared at him as he slipped his arms under her and carefully lifted her off the ground. Risai turned her face towards his chest, not wanting anyone to see her. She gripped his shirt as if she was holding on for dear life. Leon turned and began to sprint back to the base. Everyone just watched him as he left, not sure what to think of this. They were all a little surprised, but most of them understood exactly what was going on. They then all turned and began to walk back to the base, each remaining in their own thoughts.
******
It was mostly dark in the base, since the sun had set. Everyone was extremely quiet that night. No one was even walking the halls. Leon sat in his room with a first aid kit resting on his bed. Risai was sitting next to it. Leon was just finishing up the bandages on her arm. After finishing, he sat down next to her, closing the first aid kit and shoving it under his bed. They both just sat there, in silence for a while.
"Thank you," said Risai, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Don't mention it," responded Leon. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes." Her voice was still quiet. So many thoughts were running through her mind. She was having a hard time sorting them out.
"What made you go out there?" asked Leon.
"She said she would hurt Taban if I didn't come."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry. I put myself in danger again and I could have ended up putting all of you in danger as well. I'm so sorry."
"It's alright."
"No, it's not." Risai clenched her fists. "I should have been able to handle them. I'm an agent. I should be stronger." Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I'm so helpless...I'm so...worthless." Her tears began to fall down her cheeks, landing on her clenched hands. Leon just stared at her. Risai was shaking slightly. That was exactly how she felt. She felt worthless, and nothing Leon could say would make her feel any different. Her eyes were tightly closed, but they suddenly opened as she felt a hand on her cheek. She stopped sobbing and shaking. She turned her head to face Leon. He had his hand on her cheek and was wiping away her tears with his thumb. Risai wasn't sure how to react, so she just stared at him, her expression slightly shocked. He just looked at her, his face very calm and caring.
"You are not worthless," he said in a soothing voice. Then, slowly, he began to move towards her. Risai's mind was racing. 'Oh God, is he going to...to...?' He was still moving closer; the space between them was shrinking. 'No! He can't. I can't let him. I'm not allowed to. He'll just get hurt.' She stopped her thoughts for a second. 'But I...I...' The gap between them was no more than an inch.
'...I really want to.' And with that last thought, Risai closed her eyes and met him the rest of the way. They connected in a passionate kiss. Risai moved her arms and rested her hands on Leon's shoulders. Leon moved his arms and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her closer to him. After a while, they broke the kiss, but remained in the same position. Risai gave a small smile, and then rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes. Leon pulled her onto his lap so that she could rest comfortably. Risai allowed herself to drift off into a peaceful sleep, and for the first time in months, she felt safe. No more words were said that night, since there didn't seem to be any need for them.
**************************************************************************** ********************
That felt good! I hope this makes up for not writing for a month. Wasn't that sweet? And for all you people who have your minds in the gutter, this is NOT a LEMON. I don't like lemons very much and could never bring myself to write one. My mind doesn't work like that.
And I'm sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes. If I made a big one, please inform me and I'll make sure to go back and fix it. Thanks.
Anyway, for those of you who watch Inu Yasha, please email me! I need people to talk to about it and I have fanfic ideas. For a hint as to what they will be about, go read the happy little Inu Yasha section in my bio. I took the 'What Inu character are you?' test. I bet you guys will never guess who I got. ME! I'm happy about my results, though. I'm actually overly happy. Well, until I write again. REVIEW!
Audi^.^