The White Vixen Nymph
Chapter Two:
Beneath the MaskBy: fairysphinx
fairysphinx: Hiya! Okay, two reviews on this. So, I think I'll wait until I at least have five (5) reviews before continuing. Okay? Thank you! So, please read, and, of course review! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids, so, if you please, don't sue me.
Lieutenant O' Connell looked at the pictures he had received. Captain Herman was down with the flu, so he was taking over.
"What do you make of it, Lieutenant?" asked an eager recruit. O' Connell just shook his head.
"I haven't the slightest idea. But, I do know this: it would be best to call Dr. D. He would probably know." The young man rushed off, to carry out his orders. O' Connell sighed. 'What is this thing? And is it potentially dangerous to us?'
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The damp air was pressing down on him. It was getting harder to breathe, and he was getting a cough. The air was getting cold. Rudolf shivered, as the wind howled under the sideboards, since they didn't go completely into the soil/sand below him. The tiny space was cramping him. And it really didn't help that he was claustrophobic.
It had been quiet for a while, with a few footsteps every now and then. But, none came his way. And the lock was on the outside, disabling him from climbing out himself. Rudolf sighed, and shifted in the space, dozing at times.
Footsteps sounded above him, and stopped near the door. However, they were too heavy to be Ayu's. The door swung silently open. A dark figure loomed over it. There wasn't much light, but Rudolf could tell that the man had a scowl on.
Suddenly, he felt himself be lifted up by the collar (what was left of it) of his shirt. "Don't think that silly hair cut can hide your identity, Emperor!" hissed a voice. Rudolf gritted his teeth.
"What do you want with me?!"
"Huh! I don't want to have anything to do with you!"
"Then, why are you?"
"A request of a- friend." He carried the poor boy to a room that he didn't recognize. It was by far the largest in the house, and looked quite-er-messy. It was darker than the first.
Then man threw him a white shirt, and a pair of khaki pants. Rudolf just gave him a confused look. "Well, don't just stand there! Put them on!" Rudolf gladly stripped off his dirty, shredded clothes, replacing them with the cool, crisp, home-spun material, several times too big, but still better than what he originally had on.
Collecting his courage, the young boy asked, "Where's Ayu? What happened to her? An who are you?"
"In bed, she'll tell you, none of your business," he simply answered. Rudolf frowned, ever so slightly, but still pursued.
"May I see her?" The man was about to protest, but they're conversation was interrupted.
"Veni (ven nee) mihi (mee hee). Es me (may). Veni." The man frowned in the dim light, but obeyed whatever orders he had been given in that strange (dead; okay, it isn't a dead language, but it seems like it!) language. Once again, Rudolf was picked up by the collar, and taken into a room, dully lit, but enough to see the outline of Ayu on the bed.
"Ayu! Poor Ayu! What happened?" The man, who stayed in the shadows, frowned again, however, he didn't intervene. Ayu sat up in her bed, weakly.
"Sorry, I wasn't able to go and get you. But, I trust my, um, messenger, took good care of you?" Rudolf shook his head, yes. "Good. Now, about what happened...." She trailed off, sucking her teeth. Rudolf found the wick on the small oil lamp, and turned it up, emitting more light. In the new light, he was able to see Ayu's bottom lip, split, a dried trail of blood running down her chin. Black circles were forming over both eyes. An ice pack was on her forehead, red marks ran all over her face and down her face and neck, and, if her nightgown was lower, he was sure the pattern would continue on the rest of her body. She winced in pain whenever she even twitched a muscle. New bruises were showing up every second, clearly visible on her pale skin.
"Ayu, I-. I'm sorry. I should have been there, and stopped this from happening. Oh, Ayu!" A tear casually strolled down his cheek. Ayu quickly wiped it away.
"Don't worry. I'm used to it. Judging by your reaction, I think you've basically figured out that I was beaten. The man, who I might just as well call Dad, and his friends, are all rebels from the Guylos Empire, and the New Helic Republic. And, as far as I know, they're planning an attack on the Empire-that's where most are from. But, he's afraid I'll tell, so, he beats me. It's as simple as that." Ayu rested her head against the pillows. Rudolf looked down at his hands. He cleared his throat.
"I have to get back home. I have to warn my-the-people of the Empire. And the Republic. They have to be prepared." Ayu nodded slightly, in understanding.
"But.... I'm not sure how to get you back there!" The man in the corner cleared his throat.
"Perhaps I could be of assistance." Ayu raised an eyebrow.
"You have a Zoid?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Well, you don't have to get so snooty about it!"
"Well, Little Miss Not-So-Honorable, you don't have to get so personal!"
"At least I like to be nice to others, Mr. I'm-named-after-a-bird!" The man gritted his teeth.
"Why, you little-."
"Ah, ah, ah! You don't threaten ladies or call them names, or have you not learned that rule?" The man opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again, in defeat. "I thought so, Raven." A frown crossed his face. Rudolf gasped.
"Raven?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" Raven jeered at the sixteen-year-old.
"Will you be nice, Buster?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
"Jeeze, you don't have to be so mean!" he pouted.
"Baby!" Ayu muttered under her breath.
Rudolf had moved to the far side of the room, as far away from Raven as possible. "You don't have to worry, Rudolf. He won't hurt you. Unless I order that. But, that will not happen, because I like you. You're my friend!" He smiled. Raven rolled his eyes.
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"Now, here's food, and some clothes, and some other nick knacks that you might need. Take care of yourselves, and be good!" Ayu kissed both of the boys on the cheek, before she pulled Rudolf to one side. She handed him a brown, soft, leather pouch.
"What's this?" he asked.
"A leather pouch."
"What's in it?" Ayu smiled.
"It contains a miracle. Only open it when you're in need of one. Take care!"
"Aren't you coming with us?"
"I'll always be with you, Rudolf. It's just that the people here might get suspicious if I leave. It's another story with Raven. He wanders here and there, going and coming as he pleases. But, I'm staying here. In body, at least. In soul, I'll be riding along with you. Take care." She waved as the cockpit closed, and Raven's Storm Sworder took off.
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Everyone looked anxiously at Dr. D, who was closely examining the discovery. He looked very grim. After an hour of examination, the old man turned back to the men that stood behind him.
"Well, to be totally honest with you, I haven't seen anything resembling this in my life." The men sighed. "But, I do think it's safe to say that this is a Zoid." The faces lit up.
"What is it called?" one of then asked (he was a new recruit, in the lowest army spot one could have; no idea what it's called). Dr. D rubbed his chin for a while, thinking.
"I think we'll call it the Black Vixen, since it's black, and resembles a fox."
"Vixen? Why did you name it after a female fox?"
"If you look at it, it has a motherly nature to it, if you know what I mean." Actually, none of them did, but they just nodded and smiled.
END OF CHAPTER TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
fairysphinx: So, how did you like chapter two? I know, not much in this chapter, but it's getting there. Please be patient. Just reminder, I have to have at least five (five) reviews on this before I continue. So, tell your friends, tell your family, tell anybody to review this fic, please! Thanks! See you next chapter!