Warning:                No more warnings.  I'm gonna stop putting my stories down.  It's not healthy.

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

Emotional Dilemmas

                Stigma Stoller stood in the main control room of the Whale King as it swam its way through the clear blue sky above planet Zi.  He had his hands on one of the panels while he stared into the monitors and screens, occasionally lifting his head to gaze at the other operatives or through the glass windows, the creases in his face standing out more than they would normally as he stressed and worried, a bead of sweat slipping through his short, grey hair, down his face.  When one of the men piloting the Whale King spoke, he was startled by the sudden sound of the pilot's voice, "Captain Stoller, sir, the Lapin Blanc has returned.  Two of our Storm Sworders are bringing it into the hanger." 

                Stoller replied with a hoarse voice, "Thanks, pilot.  I'll be in the hangers if anyone needs me."

                With that, the man was out of the room, making his way to the hangers with an unusually hasty stride.  He stopped at a heavy, steel door marked "03", where he was required to give verification that came in the form of an ID code.  When his identity was confirmed, the door slid open for him, and he stepped through onto a catwalk.  He took a moment to scan each Zoid in the hanger, leaning forward against a railing that went up to his waist.  Ah, the white Genosaurer.  Stoller rushed to the end of the catwalk where an elevator waited to take him down, and as soon as it touched down with the floor, he was in a hurry again, running to the white Zoid as its pilot was emerging from its cockpit.  She landed on one foot, a woman with pale, milky skin, and narrow green eyes that could barely be concealed by frameless spectacles.  Overall, she appeared to be an intelligent looking character, her femininity made obvious by the tightness of her black bodysuit, one that carefully outlined each curve of her female form.  She glanced up at Stoller as he approached, her head bobbing slightly so that the silver bangs of her hair swayed in front of her face.  The actual length of her hair was wrapped into a bundle over her head, letting only one rivulet fall over her back, giving the general idea of how long the other strands might be, "Ah, Stoller!"

                Her voice presented some enthusiasm.

                "Shiro, you're safe…"

                "Well, of course, but I came back empty handed.  I must apologize." 

                "That's quite alright, Lieutenant, just glad to have you back in one piece."
                Stoller offered her a black lieutenant's uniform – the coat, anyway.  She took it and pulled it over her shoulders, tugging at the three gems on each sleeve.  She usually never wore a complete uniform, but only the coat so soldiers would recognize her by rank because Shiro spent most of her time in research laboratories with scientists.  Most found this behavior unfit for a lieutenant, but Shiro had never actually failed to please the officials that monitored them from higher ranks and high places, so no one bothers trying to change the way she conducts her business.  Another factor was her relationship with Captain Stigma Stoller.  Others knew the two were well acquainted (and there were rumors stating that they were much more than friends), and if people didn't respect the female lieutenant, they usually respected her captain-friend, and thus, had to give Shiro her space.

                "Thanks, but sometimes, I swear you're being too easy on me."

                "What… makes you say something like that?"

                "The way that you paused in that last sentence."

                "Uh…"

                "Forget about it.  I shouldn't be picking on my superiors like that.  Not in public, anyway."

                She almost laughed at the bewildered expression over Stoller's face, and quickly ended the teasing by leaning forward so she could reach his face and kiss his left cheek, letting the touch of her lips against his face linger long enough for him to turn a soft red.

                "I'll get the Drache Rebirth for you, captain…  Just you wait."

                White rabbit, white rabbit…

                "Quit bullshitting us!"

                The entire table creaked under Leena's fists.  Izumi didn't even open her eyes, "You think I'm lying?  I really have no idea what the hell's going on.  Dreigon's my Zoid and I'm its pilot."

                "Then what's this about a 'Project Dreigon'?  Jamie said it has something to do with the Backdraft!  That means your Zoid is a part of their organization!"

                "Listen, I'm not a part of the Backdraft Organization.  I left them a long time ago so I could officially battle Bit Cloud in a Zoid match.  Why else would the Lapin Blanc attack me?  You think they would attack their own pilots?"

                "She's right, Leena, you have to admit…"

A smack to the nose shut Bit up just as Jamie was ready to speak, "Lapin Blanc?  That translates to 'white rabbit', doesn't it?"
                Izumi's lips twitched in a smirk, "You're pretty smart, kid.  That's the name of the white Genosaurer, also used when people refer to its pilot.  She's quite skilled, you know.  She actually makes most of the modification plans for Zoids belonging to the organization."

"She?"

"Yes.  Sorry, don't know her full name.  I'm not sure anyone does, really…  I've only heard people

refer to her as 'Shiro'.  I suspect that's just an alias."

                "What about your name?"

                Izumi opened her eyes to glance at the boy sitting beside her bed, her arms unfolded to rest at her sides.  Then she looked to the others in the room; Naomi Fluegel, Bit Cloud, Doctor Steven Toros, Leena Toros, Leon Toros, Brad Hunter and the youngest, Jamie Hemeros.  She looked back to Jamie when she answered as if she were speaking only for him, "It's my name because it's the only one I remember having.  I don't know what name I was born with, but the one I have now is perfectly legal, and I'm comfortable with it."

                What's in a name?  Even nobodies have names.

                "Dreigon, I've accepted their hospitality."

                The dragon was silent as it slowly lowered its head, nudging its pilot with the tip of its charred nose.  Izumi reached up to touch the burnt metal with both her bandaged hands, and the Zoid drew back slightly while tilting its head against her hands, eyeing the bandages over her, as if just taking note of their presence, the way they wound about her like linen chains.  It growled.

                "We'll get the White Rabbit next time, old friend."

                It growled again.

                "So you just talk to that thing all day?  Is that your secret?"

                Izumi turned, and the Dreigon lifted its head to see Brad standing at the entrance of the hanger, leaning against the frame of the large doorway that let in a chilling breeze.

                "Cold, isn't it?"

                "It's the desert, Brad Hunter, and it's night."
                "Just call me 'Brad', okay?"

                "Does calling you by your full name irritate you, Brad Hunter?"
                "Slightly.  I'm not used to it."
                "Okay."

                The woman turned away, her attentions returning to her Zoid, "Let's fix you up before the morning comes…  I'm sorry I couldn't help you earlier."

                The Zoid was still staring at Brad as the young mercenary ran a hand through his auburn hair, closing his eyes for a quick moment to avoid returning the metallic monster's glare. 

                "Don't you have anything better to do than to upset Dreigon?  Where's that Fluegel woman?"

                "We're not on the same team, mind you.  She does have her own business she needs to attend to."

                "Whatever…  Come on, Dreigon."

                Izumi climbed onto the nose of her Zoid and walked up its forehead to its back, taking a moment to survey the damages before sliding down its back and heading for a pile of scrap metal where an orange toolbox sat.  Brad stayed where he was, watching her as she scrambled from corner to corner, searching for parts that might be of use to her while she prepared to repair her battle-worn Zoid. 

                "Need help?"

                "No."

                He smirked when he saw her drop to the floor in pain, her hands clutching at her sides from the sudden aching, no doubt the result of lifting such heavy objects while still recovering from her last battle, "Sure you don't need any assistance?"

                "Shut the hell up and pick this up for me."

                "Alright."

                Let's just be friends…?

                "You clumsy idiot!"

                "At least this is going a lot faster now that I'm helping you out."

                Brad Hunter hadn't laughed in quite a while, and he wasn't about to start now, but Izumi's frustrations did coax appreciative chuckling from the Zoid mercenary.  It felt good…

                "Brad, pay attention!"

                "What?  Oh shit!"

                He was brought back to reality with the sound of her voice, and he found himself taken by surprise as he realized he was still perched on the Dreigon's backside with Izumi standing below, holding the open toolbox for him.  The Zoid suddenly reared onto its hind legs, screeching into the empty hanger.  In the next moment, Brad was losing his footing and tumbling from the dragon's armored back, "Shit!"

                "Hey!  Quit fooling around and – Brad!"

                Both mercenaries seemed to close their eyes at the same time, just as they collided with one another, one knocking the other to the cold floor.  When they opened their eyes, they became stupefied and could only stare at into each other's faces because they were so unbearably close then, with Brad's weight pinning Izumi to the floor.  All they could really do was… stare?

                Perfect timing placed Bit Cloud in the hanger while the two were still stuck to the floor in their precarious situation (and positioning).  They both turned their heads when the lights flickered on to see Bit standing at the door, rubbing his eyes with a fist while his mouth was open in a yawn, "Hey, why're you two up so… late?"

                He blinked and was suddenly quite awake.

                "Wh-What's going on here??"

                "Bit, it's not what you think!"

                "Uh, no, it's okay, Brad, really, I just… never saw a thing!  I'm sorry!!  Oh gosh, I'm so sorry, Brad!  Uh, Miss Izumi!"

                Both Brad and Izumi were screaming, "Bit!"

                This is rather… fun.