Author's Notes
This bit of musing is centered a decade or two after the Bit Cloud universe. Bit, Brad, Leena, and the rest of the gang are still around, but are for the most part retired, simply because the ZBC won't let them participate in any more official battles, seeing as they could never lose. After fifteen years of lying dormant, the Back Draft is beginning to pull itself back together. This story focuses on the life of one of the current members and her travels.
Reviews: I really, really, really like to get reviews that tell me exactly what I'm doing wrong. I've noticed that most of the reviews here--no offense intended to anyone, except perhaps flamers--are often very extreme in what they say. Either people would die for it, or they're flaming your tush off. If there's something you don't like, don't hesitate to tell me. It makes my day simply to get a review at all. And, yes... I love reviews. Gimme. ^_^ R&R, by all means.
Disclaimer: I may not own zoids, but I certainly own Yasu, Sparrow, and all the other quirky little characters you'll happen across here. Yes, all the zoids mentioned are actual, official zoids; I simply like the ones that never get shown nor mentioned in the series.
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Prologue
"Hra!"
With a grinding crunch of steel, the Command Wolf AC collapsed, its severed leg falling away at a right angle. Sand splayed out from the impact, sending dirt and grit cascading against the nearest wall, and off of its opponent. Its pilot, somewhat put out, began removing himself from the cockpit seat.
"That's a wrap, Yasu. Take your zoid back to the hangar, and report to your captain immediately," barked out the infinitely cool, calm voice of the acting judge of the match. In all reality, he was bored stiff with watching these amateurs battle. This one, while faintly more exciting than some of the others he had been unfortunate enough to witness, was hardly enough to keep him from yawning into his coffee cup.
"Yes... sir..."
Yasu was not a particularly pretty girl. In fact, when you got right down to it, she was boring to the point of awe. Her hair was shoulder-length, a light mouse-brown that never seemed to lie quite flat at any given time. Her skin was as nondescript as the rest of her, devoid of anything that might mark her out from a crowd, other than a light spattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. At the moment, however, all that was visible of the girl was a slightly battered helmet, and a brown leather jacket that had seen better days.
But Yasu was not worried with her appearance at the moment. Right, the only thing her mind seemed to grasp was the swirling dizziness in her temples, and an annoying bead of perspiration that was making her nose itch. That had been hard, far harder than usual. She had been certain that Horus was about to crush her, during one point in the match.
'Back to the hangar. Go back to the hangar, now,' she told herself mentally, her hands fumbling at the controls of her zoid. She needed a rest. A nice, long shower, and an even better sleep. She really, really didn't feel like reporting to her commanding officer at the moment. Not that she would willingly disobey any member of the Back Draft.
"Yasu, you may go back to the hangar now," the judge repeated after a moment, frowning from behind his Plexiglas window at the girl. He watched her nod, a little despondently, before piloting the mechanized feline away from the coliseum. He had seen her before, in other battles. She was nothing special, even if her zoid was a little... unique. Perhaps that made up for her being so blasted normal. With a barely audible snort, he checked something off on the notebook beside him, before calling out the names of the next two opponents.
It was not a particularly noteworthy zoid, despite the fact that it was the only one like it that belonged to the entire Back Draft Organization. In fact, most people would simply note that it was incredibly small, had a rather odd hair-do, before continuing on their blithe way. But to Yasu, it was her only solace from the world, and she would never find anything wrong with it.
The Saber Lion is, when properly piloted, a machine whose maneuverability and overall handling can rival that of a Blade Liger. It is a small, cat-like zoid that comes in a primarily blue paint scheme. As far as weapons go, it sports only two side blades, and a slightly longer 'sword' that can be extended from the front of its bulky head. While relatively agile and swift, the greatest problem with piloting a Saber Lion is the fact a pilot must sit on its back, and there is very little separating them from the oncoming projectiles of a rival zoid. The fact that the Saber Lion is strictly a close-range zoid is rarely overlooked, either.
It will be duly noted that most people wishing to live to a ripe old age seldom go anywhere near this particular make of zoid.
"Good job. Y'won again," drawled a feminine voice off to her right.
"...Yeah. Guess I did," Yasu mumbled, still staring up at the bulky head of her Saber Lion. She had forgotten to remove her helmet, and so far, seemed to have forgotten about it being there in the first place. She could still feel her heart pounding in her ears; the smell of smoldering metal and musty leather clung to her nostrils.
"...Get back to your room, Yaz," the woman told her gently, laying a hand on her right shoulder. Yasu flicked a glance to look at the figure belonging to the hand. She was tall, and muscular, with a friendly but worn-looking face. Dull green eyes that were far more intelligent than she let on. Of course, what drew Yasu's attention immediately was the braid that extended past the woman's waist, flipped casually over one shoulder. And the fact that it was the sort of unnatural orange that one might find in a Crayola box.
"I can deal with it, Sparrow. I'll meet you back in the room, all right?"
Yasu turned, forcing a very faint smile up at her companion. It was obvious that the older woman--Sparrow--was not satisfied with that response, but she shrugged it off nonetheless.
"Whatever y'say. Just make sure you tell him that you need some time off, all right? 'Cause you do. You may not know it, but I do, and he certainly does. "
"Sir?"
The room was not what one would call 'small.' It was oddly shaped--the walls were concave curves, ending in a large, wide window that looked out onto one of the most prominently used coliseums of the Back Draft Headquarters. The walls and carpet were a dark maroon that somehow made Yasu feel a little on edge, though she had no clear idea why. A very shiny, very polished, very expensive desk was sitting in the middle of the room, and behind it was a similarly expensive chair.
The man sitting in this chair was staring at his desktop, though one could not tell why exactly, seeing as the only thing on so-said desk was a paper clip. There was never anything on his desk; if there was, it was something completely inconspicuous. Like a paper clip.
"#583, reporting, sir," Yasu said in as loud a tone as she could manage in her quiet voice, walking a little farther into the red room. "I... just defeated Horus, sir. In the Command Wolf," she went on, fumbling a bit with her words. Finally, after a few moments of silence, she looked down, feeling very small and foolish. Maybe she should have lost. At least then she wouldn't have to go through this, like every other day of the week.
Of course, those that were always losing usually didn't stay with the Back Draft for long.
After what seemed like an eternity--according to the clock on the wall, however, it was only 18 seconds and counting--the commander looked up. There was a faintly smug expression on his narrow face, and his dark brown eyes seemed to gaze steadily at his charge without blinking. 'Like a lizard, or a serpent,' thought Yasu, but kept this firmly to herself.
"...Good. It will please you to know, I'm sure, that you will be leaving shortly." His voice was smooth, and his subtle tone implied that he was quite certain that she wasn't pleased at all, but that she had very well better pretend that she was.
She gazed at him, her weary mind trying to process that a little slower. Leaving? Why? People didn't just leave the Back Draft. When they did, they mysteriously disappeared not long afterwards, and several weeks later their bodies were found floating in the nearest body of water. Or what was left of them.
"You will be going on assignment within the next two weeks, and will be gone for an indefinite amount of time. You will be given further instructions upon your arrival to Mercury City... understood?" Again, that barely visible smirk. He wasn't very impressed with this particular charge of his. This way, he wouldn't have to deal with her quite so often.
"I... ugh... Yes, sir." The words stuck briefly in her throat, which had decided to cease working a few moments ago to make up for the confusion reigning in her head. How could she be going on a mission so early? She had been one of the more talented of the recently recruited members, but why not someone else? Someone who wouldn't be killed within the first four minutes of combat?
"Glad to hear it. You may leave now, #583." His brown eyes flicked up to her face, a smirk lighting up in them. He could fell her unease, and he certainly wasn't helping, which made his day seem a little better.
"You're late," Sparrow commented dryly, glancing up her from magazine. Yasu paused in the doorway, casting a blank glance around the cramped, messy room, before slouching silently into the bathroom for a much-needed shower.
Sparrow frowned, pouting faintly at the closed door, and began scribbling out a message onto a nearby pad of paper.
~~~
More Author's Thoughts: Aiieeeee... prologue-ishness. Blarg. x_X Not really much of a cliffhanger, either. Ah well.
I hope to get the first chapter up... at some point... hmn. Might start doing the actual first chapter, once I actually figure out what afore-mentioned chapter will be about. The more reviews I get, the faster it goes up or stays down... *Hint hint, nudge nudge* Hn. Ooh, also, wanted to mention that I kind've need some helpers, 'n' stuff...
If you think you know a good deal about fanfics in general, have a decent vocabulary, and would like to be a beta reader/plot helper, just email me at salukipawz@yahoo.com. Don't worry; I don't bite. Often.