Warnings:             It's getting there, I think.  Keep reading, please.  I already have the whole thing mapped out.  I just need to proofread it on my own (heaven forbid) because Ian dearest is in Louisiana.  Ack!  He needs to come back so he can help me!

Disclaimer:           Izumi, Shiro, and the Drache Rebirth are my creations.. blah blah blah….  Everything else is credited to the creators of New Century Zoids.

Enter, le Lapin Blanc

                The Liger Schneider stampeded its way down the hill it had been standing upon, leaping forward after only a few steps.

                "Liger, use Strike Laser Claw!"

                A familiar glow consumed the Liger's forefeet as it drew one claw back, bringing the claw down when it was right about to pass over the Dreigon. 

                "Idiot…"

                The Dreigon reared onto its hind legs, bringing its head up so the two horns mounted on its snout pierced Liger's stomach, allowing it to drag the lion-Zoid through the air with casual tosses of its head.  The Dreigon's head then lowered to the ground and the Zoid broke into a run, shoving its opponent against the soil as its snout remained burrowed against its opponent's underside.  When Liger was finally stopped by a sudden upheaval in the terrain, it brought its claws down across the Dreigon's shoulders, beating repeatedly and desperately as it tried to break free of the Dreigon's hold.

                Do you seek to become stronger?

                "Let go!  Keep fighting it, Liger!  We can beat it!"

                The lion complied and places the bottom of each foot against the Zoid pinning it down and pushed against an opponent larger and heavier than itself.  Its joints were creaking as he strained to move the opposing pressure.  The Dreigon slid back a couple of inches.

                If you want strength…

                "That's it, Liger…"

                The Dreigon was pushed back even further as a low rumbling emerged from Liger's throat, like a growl, as if it understood everything its pilot was saying and it wanted to oblige. 

                … I'll give it to you.

                Liger Schneider.  Specialty: close combat.  Its legs gave slightly, bending, allowing the Dreigon to gain a bit more ground before it shoved all four claws forward again, pushing against the Dreigon with a sudden boost of energy. 

                Just fight me!

                "What?!  Dreigon, no!"

                The massive Zoid was tossed back by the Liger's strength, allowing the white lion enough time to roll onto its feet again.  As the Dreigon was recovering, it failed to notice two blue blades emerging from the sides of the Liger Schneider's neck.  While it was rising off the ground, the Liger was charging toward it, and when it lifted its head, the Liger was lunging, swinging its head to one side so one of the blades cut into the Dreigon's hind quarters.  The dragon's recovery was much quicker this time, "Good job, Bit Cloud.  If I didn't dodge like that, you would've knocked me and my Zoid out of the battle."

                "Well, that was the point."

                He smiled, and the awkwardness was still there.

                "However, I won't let that happen again."

                The Drache Rebirth was silent now, say for the quaking it caused when it stomped against the ground, planting its four feet firmly against the green earth.  It crouched on its forelegs as the cannon over its back slid forward as it had in the last battle, humming softly while a faint yellow glow formed at the mouth of the cannon, between the four razor blades that pointed forward as if to direct the blast after it finished building. 

                "Liger, run!"

                Panic.

                There was a loud sonic boom, but when Bit regained his senses he was still there, and his Zoid was in one piece.  Both pilot and Zoid lifted their heads to see the Drache Rebirth tumbling through the air, falling to the ground with a portion of its armored waist caved in.  To its right (and their right) was a white Zoid, a Genosaurer.  Genosaurer?  He'd never seen a white one before… 

                This one was white, and in some areas, it was streaked with grey.  As the Dreigon was crawling to its feet, it was consumed by a burst of flames that, as Bit turned his head to notice, came from the Genosaurer's open mouth. 

                "Hey!  What the heck is going on!?"

                As the Liger moved to intercept the white Zoid, one of the blue blades jutting from its neck was suddenly torn off, a yellow Saber Tiger in its place.  Another Saber appeared at Liger's other blade, ripping that off with its teeth, and a third came down upon the orange Liger from above, pinning the lion down with its weight.

                "What the heck is this?!"

                "Run, Bit Cloud…"

                "What?  Izumi, you're still there?  You're okay, then?"
                "Run, Bit Cloud.  Run from this battle.  You can't win it now.  Run and survive so that I… I may be the one to destroy you…!"

                "But the Drache Rebirth…  It can't move anymore!"

                "I know.  I'll accept the consequences of my defeat, Bit Cloud, but leave this place before she notices you!"

                The truth…

                "I…"

Bit's teeth were clenched and bared, his gloves groaning in protest as he tightened his grip on the controls in front of him.

"I can't do that, Miss Izumi…"

                The Liger suddenly leapt forward, tearing itself away from the Sabers that had been chewing away at its sides while throwing the third off of its back as it jumped into the air in front of it and then charged blindly toward the Dreigon as it lay immobilized in the center of the battlefield, awaiting the white Genosaurer as it approached the black dragon. 

                You are the Lapin Blanc…?

                "Stay away from her!"

                As Izumi's eyes slowly began to close, she could barely witness the Liger Schneider leaping between her Zoid and the white Genosaurer, warning the intruder with a snarl before lunging at its throat. 

                Bit Cloud…

                The Genosaurer ducked away and struck the Liger with its tail.  The idiot, why wouldn't he just run now?  While he was still capable of escaping…

                … don't protect your enemies. 

                "Strike Laser Claw!"

                The light shining down on her was almost blinding even while her eyes were closed.  When she opened them, she found herself in a most unfamiliar bed, in a room that was equally as alien.  What the hell?

                "Oh, you're awake."

                "You're…"

                "Jamie.  My name's Jamie…  Sorry the rest of our team isn't here to welcome you onboard, but… they're all pretty bitter, except for the doc, that is.  He's busy drooling over your Zoid…  We haven't fixed it up or anything 'cause it's not letting anyone get within ten feet of it…  It's like the Liger, you know, 'cept the Liger's a little more approachable."

                The dark-haired boy offered a smile, but Izumi could see the uneasiness behind his friendly expression.  She looked away from him to see a tray on a desk serving as a nightstand beside her bed, and on the tray was a bowl of tofu broth with seaweed.  Her stomach seemed to growl at the sight of the food, and when she tried to sit up, pain shot through her body, running up her spine and neck to the back of her head, and her arms couldn't support her very long before giving out, and her head was back on the pillow.  Jamie blinked at this, and watched as she pushed herself back up, using the wall which her bed was placed against as support, and she remained in a seated position this time, her back against the wall.  She blinked, too, when she saw Jamie picking up the bowl and chopsticks.  He picked up a cube of tofu with the chopsticks between his fingers and lifted it to Izumi, offering it to her by holding the tofu an inch from her mouth.  She stared at the food for a moment before slowly letting her mouth open, allowing the boy to slip the morsel in between her teeth. 

                Jamie Hemeros…   

                "I'll get you some fresh bandages later…"

                "…Sure."

… you are remarkable.

                "That should do it.  Wow, you just used up an entire roll."

                Izumi gave Jamie a subtle nod and turned slightly to stare out the window, looking out into the night through the blinds.  Jamie sighed at this and tried to smile again, "Er, I have to go get more bandages... and some warm water for your wounds.  They're actually still bleeding… a little."

                He left, knowing she wouldn't answer that.  She was too preoccupied with the marionette of a man and woman, young warriors and aspiring Zoid fighters.  The scene mesmerized her, as she watched Brad Hunter and Naomi Fluegel hold one another and share the stars with each other.  What a curious display…

                Brad Hunter…

               

                "I did some research on what Izumi referred to as 'Project Dreigon'.  I don't know who was involved, exactly, but it's safe to assume that these were some pretty ingenious scientists, the people who developed such a Zoid as the Drache Rebirth…"

                Brad leaned forward to stare at the information listed on the screen beside a rotating, computer-rendered image of the dragon-Zoid.

                "Uh, here, Brad."

                "What?"

                He looked down at Jamie, who handed him a fresh roll of bandages, "There should still be a towel and bowl of warm water on that desk.  Leena got as far as doing that before she freaked out and had to step out of the room before she lost her temper and started beating up on the injured pilot."
                "You mean the Dreigon's pilot?  I don't think so…"
                "Come on, Bit's asleep, and I don't want to ask the Fluegal Team to do us any favors."
                "Ask Leon."

                "Leon's catching up with his dad.  Brad, grow up!"

                … Brad Hunter.

                He paused outside the door, taking a moment to hold his grumbles and curses before stepping into the room as the door slid open to let him in.  He stopped again to tilt his head at the woman sitting in the bed across the room while she stared outside.

"Hey, you, I've got some clean bandages for you." 

"Where's the kid?"

"Jamie's busy."

"So were you, a few moments ago… with that Fluegel girl."

                "Naomi."

                "Whatever.  It's not like her name should matter to me."

                She turned to look at him, and he was forced to take in a quick, subtle breath of air, his brows furrowing in an odd manner as, for the first time, he could get a good look at her.  He was still then, because for a moment, the enemy was beautiful.

                Brad Hunter, do you believe in love at first sight?