Author's Notes
I could apologize a million times for taking so long with the chapter, but that would delay your reading it further, so I won't. There were many problems writing this chapter, but I managed to finish it, but if it's any consolation to the length of time it took to get this out, I typed it and posted it the same day I finished writing it. Anyway, according to my wonderful reviewers, (Thank you all so much!) The term is Spino Sappa, so that is the one I'll be using.
One more chapter after this. I hope to finish it within a month.
Disclaimer: I don't own zoids, or any of the characters on it.
* * *
Over the next week, the Blitz team didn't accept any challenges. They prepared in case of an
attack from Rachel.
But Leena knew, she knew that Rachel wasn't coming for her yet. But she felt a sense of
foreboding, a feeling that changed the next Sunday morning...
That morning Leena awoke with an acute sense of danger. She knew she would battle Rachel
that day. And only one of them could win.
She took her time getting dressed in her battle suit. As she did her fingers brushed the
embroidered lily with her mother's initials.
"Help me." Leena whispered a plea for strength she hadn't realized she lacked until recently.
Leena took a deep breath to steady her nerves and went to go get breakfast.
The other members of the Blitz team were surprised to see Leena suited up for battle when she
came for breakfast. Although the past week she had been behaving unusual, for her at least. She
had seemed grimly determined, and rather sad, like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.
"Uh, Leena? Why are you ready for a battle before breakfast?" Bit asked from the table where
he was waiting for the breakfast Jamie was preparing.
"Rachel's coming today." Leena said. The rest of them looked puzzled by her statement. Then
Alex walked up behind Leena.
"So she's coming? Will this be the end then?" he asked, his voice almost wistful.
Leena turned to look at him, "I wish I knew." she said.
"Should we get ready for an attack?" Bit asked.
Leena shook her head back and forth slowly. "No, we can take our time."
She looked out the window. "She's waiting."
***
Rachel waited patiently in the cockpit of the Spino Sappa. She was flanked by two of her
servants in matching warsharks. Other than that she had brought a few Rev Raptors and a Saber
Fang without pilots. But Rachel smiled.
This was it.
She would avenge her mother.
There was no way she could lose.
***
The Blitz team stood to face Rachel and her forces.
There was no judge, no signal, no one to say "go," so they stood there and waited for their
opponents to make the first move.
Leena had to remind herself to breathe. She had never battled for anything but the game before.
Now she was battling for her life. She didn't think the others realized that fact, except Alex.
The Spino Sappa opened to reveal Rachel.
"What the?" Leena heard the voice over the com link. She knew that they all could see Rachel
too. She raised one arm glowing eerily white and pointed to Leena and the RaeKuma.
Leena gulped; she understood. She had the RaeKuma take a step forward to show it.
Rachel wanted to fight her and her alone. Only one of them could win. But how do you defeat
that which is dead?
The cockpit of the Spino Sappa closed and it took one step closer to the RaeKuma.
"Attack." Leena said to the others through the com link. "Just leave Rachel to me."
"Leena are you sure you want to do that? You'd have a better chance if-"
"No." Leena interrupted Jamie. "This is my fight."
The she turned off all communication systems so none of them could protest or interrupt her.
Both sides seemed to begin fighting at the same time. But the RaeKuma and the Spino Sappa
stood still in the midst of the chaos for a moment, as if they were showing respect in advance to
the fact that for one of them this would be the end.
Leena, still one to act impulsively, struck first. But the blade of the Spino Sappa not only met her
claw but made an attempt to slice the RaeKuma with its other blade. As a result the RaeKuma
had to rear up on two legs to counter it.
Leena seized the moment to fire a few missiles at the Spino Sappa. However, throwing stones at
it would have been more effective. The Spino Sappa's armor being reinforced by Rachel's
ghostly powers.
They began a deadly dance of dodging, swiping, shooting, and shielding. Neither giving an inch.
The rest of the Blitz team was having its own problems. Every time they took a zoid down it was
somehow repaired and ready to battle again, courtesy of Rachel's doing. The Blitz team although
winning easily at first soon slowed and began retaining more damage and losing more ammo.
***
Inside Doc Tauros and Alex watched the battle on the screen. Neither of them could say
anything. Alex dug his nails into his palms.
His daughter was making a huge mistake and he couldn't do anything. But he had to get through
to her. He had to make her understand.
He squeezed his eyes shut. He loved his child, but he could never bring her back. She had to go
join her mother, and he had to help her.
He turned on his heals and left the room.
***
Leena's breath was coming short and ragged. The Spino Sappa enhanced with Rachel's abilities
had been too much for her. Nothing she had done had affected it.
Then, somehow, Rachel had used the flat sides of the Spino Sappa's blades and flipped the
RaeKuma over.
Now it was laying on its side, one of the Spino Sappa's blades at its neck holding it down.
"I have been waiting for this a long time Leena." It didn't matter that all of her com systems
were turned off, Rachel's voice echoed in her cockpit anyway.
"Now you will feet the agony I have suffered with for so long. Lily took everything from me.
Now I will repay the favor to you. Goodbye."
Leena closed her eyes. This would be the end. She would never she her family of friends again.
But she might be able to see her mother again.
Rachel got ready to fire. Her hand squeezed the trigger...
The blast went out, but instead of hitting the RaeKuma, it caught the jeep that had driven in front
of it.
The jeep burst into flames and its driver was thrown a few feet a way.
The cockpit of the Spino Sappa opened. Rachel stood there, fists clenched. A tear could just be
seen below the rim of her hat.
"Daddy." she cried. The Spino Sappa's blades had gone back into place and the zoid seemed to
be fading. The zoids that had been held together by Rachel now fell apart leaving the Blitz team
confused. The RaeKuma stood up and shook itself.
Rachel was in shock. The only family she had left had been taken away by her.
She looked down letting a few more tears fall.
That was it. Now Leena would suffer and she would die. And this time, she wouldn't take any
risks.
The little girl began glowing more fiercely. Soon where there had once been a ghost girl and
Spino Sappa there was now a glowing ball of silver energy floating in the air. The ball hung
there, then, suddenly, rushed toward and seeped into the cockpit of the RaeKuma.
For the briefest of moments, panic and worry forgot themselves, and all was silent and still.
***
Author's Notes
Does that count as a cliffhanger? Once again, I'm sincerely sorry this took so long and thanks so much to all of you who have put up with me and reviewed!