Author's note: Hey, I'm back! This is the sequel to "Loyalties of the Heart" so Aries of Attitude won't have to beat up her friend. ^.^ This one will take a little longer to post as I am writing this at the same time that I'm posting it. The last one I already had written beforehand. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own zoids, just Tania.
Dragonflame by Shelly
CHAPTER ONE
Tania stood by the gates belonging to the Red River Base, looking upon the everyday activities going on around her as the breeze ruffled through her newly cut hair which sported a much shorter style than the longer locks she was used to. It was still long enough to brush against her forehead but narrowed down in the back to leave her neck uncovered in a style that was ideal for the hot weather upon them.
Karl at first had mourned the loss of her long hair, but he quickly grew to like it when he discovered how much easier it was to tease the back of her neck, a pleasure that she soon learned to love. She couldn't wait for the others to see as Karl had been the only one to see it so far, and she smiled when she imagined the looks on their faces.
"There you are," a familiar voice greeted her.
She turned and accepted her beloved's soft kiss. "Wow, you're out and about early," she commented. "I thought that you said that the meeting would take all day."
"I thought so, but all we had to do was go over the information we got out of Tragar," he replied, unable to resist kissing the sides of her neck as he loved her so very much and needed her so very badly in his life. Things had been easier for them since her name had been cleared of any criminal activity as they were now able to express their feelings for each other in public without fearing any negative repercussions. And it wasn't often that they weren't seen close together touching in some small way, whether it be a quick kiss or loving touch, leading those that saw them to smile and shake their heads.
"And you decided to come out here and see me," she breathed, sighing happily as she threaded her fingers into his hair to hold him close. "Aren't you sweet?"
He brought his green gaze up to look into her amethyst eyes which he never tired of looking into. "You should know," he whispered, a smile spreading across his mouth.
She gasped in mock outrage. "Ow. Someone's fired up this morning."
He laughed in response. "I can't help it that you have that effect on me." Then he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "I actually came out here to tell you that they're running a test to see the Lightning Saix' capabilities. Your presence has been requested as it was thought you might like to be there."
"Who's piloting it?" she asked as she placed her crutch under her arm which she never went anywhere without until her leg was fully healed. They slowly began walking back into the base.
"Irvine volunteered since you're out of commission right now," he answered.
An eyebrow rose in response. "Interesting. What kind of testing are they going to perform?"
"Just the basics at first. Then later today the combat system will be tested against Van and his Blade Liger."
Tania nodded her approval. "Then he should do well, then," she stated. "I mean Irvine. I just hope he can withstand the incredible speed it can generate."
It took them awhile but they finally reached the command center where the viewscreen showed the Lightning Saix being prepped for testing, Irvine's voice affirming that all systems checked out fine. Thomas, Van, and Fiona were already there as they eagerly anticipated seeing how this new zoid performed. Tania looked upon it with a mixture of awe and excitement, still feeling the rush that had overcome her when she had piloted it before. It was a rare find for them and the timing never better as Tragar had planned to use it against the Blade Liger soon.
"It's too bad that I'm in no shape to pilot it," she commented to Karl.
Van and Thomas turned at the sound of her voice, a greeting on the tip of their tongues which was silenced as they looked upon her. "Karl, who's this strange woman you're with?" Thomas asked, knowing good and well who it was but still amazed that she had changed so drastically since he had first met her. Instead of her usual leather outfit, which had been nearly ripped to pieces since then, she had chosen to wear a uniform like Van's, leading him to think to himself how much better she looked in it than he did.
Karl grabbed a chair for her to sit in so she could rest her leg a while. "Don't tell Tania, but he's seeing me on the side," she replied dryly, earning a good laugh from them.
"You're look like you're moving around better," Van observed. "And I like the new haircut."
"I like it, too," Fiona added.
"Thanks," Tania said.
"Tania, is that you?" Irvine's voice came to them full of surprise. "I can't believe this. I let you out of my sight for a moment and you go and change on me. Glad you're here to see me test out my new zoid."
"Excuse me," she fired back. "Would you mind repeating that? I thought I heard you say that that was your zoid? I don't think so, mister."
"Hey, I found it first," he retorted. "So that means it's mine. Besides I let you pilot it last time. I never said it was yours."
She was quiet for a moment. "Irvine," she pleaded piteously.
"Tania," he replied just the same.
A flash of anger lit up her eyes as she didn't like to be mocked, even teasingly. "I went through a lot to get that zoid, Irvine," she ground out.
Irvine laughed. "You know I'm only teasing you, Tania," he replied. "I'm too loyal to my Command Wolf to pilot another zoid."
Then all talk was cut short as the testing began. The first test was to determine its top speed, and Tania couldn't help but laugh when Irvine's startled exclamation accompanied the lightning burst of speed that gave the Saix its name. She had said much the same when she had first felt it. A few other tests were run then it was time to call them back to the base. Van and Thomas were the first ones down to the hangar to meet Irvine, the others dragging behind with Tania, who was amused to see Irvine laid out flat on the floor.
"It appears that the Saix takes a lot out of the pilot," Fiona observed.
"It appears so," Karl agreed. "Are you sure you still want to pilot this?" he asked Tania.
She nodded her head as she admired the zoid. "Definitely," she replied. "It may take a few days of training, maybe weeks, but I feel as if I was meant to pilot it. I was able to do so in combat, even with the super speed, and yet Irvine was wiped out by it."
"I guess he wasn't expecting it to be so fast," Fiona pointed out. "He's tough and can just about pilot anything. He's saved mine and Van's lives more than once."
"He's a good person all around, although he doesn't like to let it show," Tania stated, smiling as her stomach growled. "I'm hungry. Why don't we all go get something to eat?"
That caught everyone's attention, and the Lightning Saix was momentarily forgotten as food was foremost on everyone's mind.
Raven submerged his head under the water's surface, letting it cool his sun-warmed head before sitting back up to let it run down his back and neck. He didn't bother to wipe away the water that ran into his eyes. Nothing mattered for him anymore except revenge, revenge against zoids as they had kept his father from being a father to him, kept him from spending the time together that was expected of a father and his son.
How long ago it seemed. It seemed like a different life which he had seen through another's eyes as if it didn't belong to him. He wondered sometimes if he would've turned out different if Shadow hadn't killed his parents. But it was a thought that he never bothered to dwell on for very long as another more important thought would always divert his musings away from his past life and into his present. Thoughts of the one person he hated most in this hell that was his life: Van Flyheight.
A growl of rage escaped as he thought back on the day Van defeated him and the Genosaur. He saw it every night in his dreams and thought about it every day during his waking hours. The only thing that surprised him was the vision of the Red Saber Tiger that had been defeated as well, piloted by a woman he had seen only a few times since Prozen had taken him in.
He knew she was his daughter, had known the first time he laid eyes on her, and had wondered who was the unfortunate woman to have laid with him since the only thing Prozen had ever wanted was power. Raven sneered. Prozen was a fool as he sought power only to dominate and rule, a mistake Raven would never make. He would use power as a tool to get what he wanted, and to hell with the rest of the world, so long as he crushed Van and his organoid into dust.
******************
Ouch! Revenge is a nasty thing. Oh, and this time I'll try to squeeze in a little Van/Fiona romance if there are those of you out there that want it. Please review and tell me! Thanx
Disclaimer: I don't own zoids, just Tania.
Dragonflame by Shelly
CHAPTER ONE
Tania stood by the gates belonging to the Red River Base, looking upon the everyday activities going on around her as the breeze ruffled through her newly cut hair which sported a much shorter style than the longer locks she was used to. It was still long enough to brush against her forehead but narrowed down in the back to leave her neck uncovered in a style that was ideal for the hot weather upon them.
Karl at first had mourned the loss of her long hair, but he quickly grew to like it when he discovered how much easier it was to tease the back of her neck, a pleasure that she soon learned to love. She couldn't wait for the others to see as Karl had been the only one to see it so far, and she smiled when she imagined the looks on their faces.
"There you are," a familiar voice greeted her.
She turned and accepted her beloved's soft kiss. "Wow, you're out and about early," she commented. "I thought that you said that the meeting would take all day."
"I thought so, but all we had to do was go over the information we got out of Tragar," he replied, unable to resist kissing the sides of her neck as he loved her so very much and needed her so very badly in his life. Things had been easier for them since her name had been cleared of any criminal activity as they were now able to express their feelings for each other in public without fearing any negative repercussions. And it wasn't often that they weren't seen close together touching in some small way, whether it be a quick kiss or loving touch, leading those that saw them to smile and shake their heads.
"And you decided to come out here and see me," she breathed, sighing happily as she threaded her fingers into his hair to hold him close. "Aren't you sweet?"
He brought his green gaze up to look into her amethyst eyes which he never tired of looking into. "You should know," he whispered, a smile spreading across his mouth.
She gasped in mock outrage. "Ow. Someone's fired up this morning."
He laughed in response. "I can't help it that you have that effect on me." Then he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "I actually came out here to tell you that they're running a test to see the Lightning Saix' capabilities. Your presence has been requested as it was thought you might like to be there."
"Who's piloting it?" she asked as she placed her crutch under her arm which she never went anywhere without until her leg was fully healed. They slowly began walking back into the base.
"Irvine volunteered since you're out of commission right now," he answered.
An eyebrow rose in response. "Interesting. What kind of testing are they going to perform?"
"Just the basics at first. Then later today the combat system will be tested against Van and his Blade Liger."
Tania nodded her approval. "Then he should do well, then," she stated. "I mean Irvine. I just hope he can withstand the incredible speed it can generate."
It took them awhile but they finally reached the command center where the viewscreen showed the Lightning Saix being prepped for testing, Irvine's voice affirming that all systems checked out fine. Thomas, Van, and Fiona were already there as they eagerly anticipated seeing how this new zoid performed. Tania looked upon it with a mixture of awe and excitement, still feeling the rush that had overcome her when she had piloted it before. It was a rare find for them and the timing never better as Tragar had planned to use it against the Blade Liger soon.
"It's too bad that I'm in no shape to pilot it," she commented to Karl.
Van and Thomas turned at the sound of her voice, a greeting on the tip of their tongues which was silenced as they looked upon her. "Karl, who's this strange woman you're with?" Thomas asked, knowing good and well who it was but still amazed that she had changed so drastically since he had first met her. Instead of her usual leather outfit, which had been nearly ripped to pieces since then, she had chosen to wear a uniform like Van's, leading him to think to himself how much better she looked in it than he did.
Karl grabbed a chair for her to sit in so she could rest her leg a while. "Don't tell Tania, but he's seeing me on the side," she replied dryly, earning a good laugh from them.
"You're look like you're moving around better," Van observed. "And I like the new haircut."
"I like it, too," Fiona added.
"Thanks," Tania said.
"Tania, is that you?" Irvine's voice came to them full of surprise. "I can't believe this. I let you out of my sight for a moment and you go and change on me. Glad you're here to see me test out my new zoid."
"Excuse me," she fired back. "Would you mind repeating that? I thought I heard you say that that was your zoid? I don't think so, mister."
"Hey, I found it first," he retorted. "So that means it's mine. Besides I let you pilot it last time. I never said it was yours."
She was quiet for a moment. "Irvine," she pleaded piteously.
"Tania," he replied just the same.
A flash of anger lit up her eyes as she didn't like to be mocked, even teasingly. "I went through a lot to get that zoid, Irvine," she ground out.
Irvine laughed. "You know I'm only teasing you, Tania," he replied. "I'm too loyal to my Command Wolf to pilot another zoid."
Then all talk was cut short as the testing began. The first test was to determine its top speed, and Tania couldn't help but laugh when Irvine's startled exclamation accompanied the lightning burst of speed that gave the Saix its name. She had said much the same when she had first felt it. A few other tests were run then it was time to call them back to the base. Van and Thomas were the first ones down to the hangar to meet Irvine, the others dragging behind with Tania, who was amused to see Irvine laid out flat on the floor.
"It appears that the Saix takes a lot out of the pilot," Fiona observed.
"It appears so," Karl agreed. "Are you sure you still want to pilot this?" he asked Tania.
She nodded her head as she admired the zoid. "Definitely," she replied. "It may take a few days of training, maybe weeks, but I feel as if I was meant to pilot it. I was able to do so in combat, even with the super speed, and yet Irvine was wiped out by it."
"I guess he wasn't expecting it to be so fast," Fiona pointed out. "He's tough and can just about pilot anything. He's saved mine and Van's lives more than once."
"He's a good person all around, although he doesn't like to let it show," Tania stated, smiling as her stomach growled. "I'm hungry. Why don't we all go get something to eat?"
That caught everyone's attention, and the Lightning Saix was momentarily forgotten as food was foremost on everyone's mind.
Raven submerged his head under the water's surface, letting it cool his sun-warmed head before sitting back up to let it run down his back and neck. He didn't bother to wipe away the water that ran into his eyes. Nothing mattered for him anymore except revenge, revenge against zoids as they had kept his father from being a father to him, kept him from spending the time together that was expected of a father and his son.
How long ago it seemed. It seemed like a different life which he had seen through another's eyes as if it didn't belong to him. He wondered sometimes if he would've turned out different if Shadow hadn't killed his parents. But it was a thought that he never bothered to dwell on for very long as another more important thought would always divert his musings away from his past life and into his present. Thoughts of the one person he hated most in this hell that was his life: Van Flyheight.
A growl of rage escaped as he thought back on the day Van defeated him and the Genosaur. He saw it every night in his dreams and thought about it every day during his waking hours. The only thing that surprised him was the vision of the Red Saber Tiger that had been defeated as well, piloted by a woman he had seen only a few times since Prozen had taken him in.
He knew she was his daughter, had known the first time he laid eyes on her, and had wondered who was the unfortunate woman to have laid with him since the only thing Prozen had ever wanted was power. Raven sneered. Prozen was a fool as he sought power only to dominate and rule, a mistake Raven would never make. He would use power as a tool to get what he wanted, and to hell with the rest of the world, so long as he crushed Van and his organoid into dust.
******************
Ouch! Revenge is a nasty thing. Oh, and this time I'll try to squeeze in a little Van/Fiona romance if there are those of you out there that want it. Please review and tell me! Thanx
