Disclaimer:  Alright, I am feeling the effects of junior year in high school at full force.  I'm not sure how many of you actually look forward to my updates, but to those of you who do, I'm sorry I haven't been updating.  I may not update until next month, either.  Goin' out of the country for winter vacation.  Joy.  I should hope you have lots of that for the holidays.  Shiro and Izumi (and her Dreigon) are original creations.  Don't steal.  Enjoy chapter.. 7, was it?  Enjoy.

[ once again: forgive grammatical or spelling errors.  They are wholly unintentional, I assure you! ]

Deus

                Jamie always felt alone at such late hours when everybody went to sleep and he was the only one awake in the whole building.  He used to tell himself that he stayed up because he wanted to work on strategies for the team, but half the time, he had nothing to do except walk about, trying to make himself sleepy so he could go to bed.  Nothing ever worked, and he always felt so alone.

                He stepped into the hanger and went directly to the green Pterosaur that sat between Leena's Gunsniper and the empty slot where Brad's Shadow Fox would be and laid his hands over the right wing of his Raynos Zoid.  He was so proud of it.  And for some reason, he didn't feel quite so alone when he has his Zoid with him.  He failed to notice that across the room, beside the Liger Zero was the Drache Rebirth, and at the black Zoid's feet was the Black Dragon herself.  It wasn't until she was about ready to leave that the two noticed one another. 

                "Oh, Izumi…!"

                "I apologize.  I'll go."
                "No, it's okay.  I'd like it if you stayed down here for a little bit longer."

                "What's the matter?  Are you afraid of the dark, Jamie?"

                "Sort of…"
                Izumi almost blinked at this then returned to her Zoid, patting it lightly over the nose as it lowered its head to her.  Jamie approached them, watching the black Zoid with each cautious step, "It's just like the Liger…"

                "It's an Organoid, exactly like the Liger Zero."

                "An 'Organoid"?  Those are hard to come by now…  I heard they actually learn from past mistakes like people do, and they can function even without a pilot at the helm.  They're amazing…"

                "Yes, and there are only three of them."

                "Really?  The Liger, the Berserk Fuhrer…  The Dreigon must be the third!"

                "Yes.  They're as close to the fabled Ultimate X type as you'll get, but the Dreigon is like the black sheep of the three.  It doesn't have any real history behind it.  It was simply… created, and then given the shell of an ideal Zoid."

                Izumi turned away from her Zoid and leaned back against it, sliding down to the floor so she could sit, allowing Jamie to take a seat beside her on the floor, "I wonder when Brad's coming back."

                "Probably tomorrow morning.  He went to see that Fluegel girl, right?"

                "Yeah.  They don't get to see each other very often, and it took them forever to admit that they were interested in one another.  I think it's just a crush, on both sides, I mean."

                "What makes you say that?"  Izumi tilted her head back against the Drache's leg, watching a moth hover around one of the lights above, "Do you actually watch them, or something?"

                "I don't go out of my way to, but sometimes, I see them outside together.  I don't know how to say this, but I just think those two are too alike.  They're too used to being loners to have a real relationship with one another.  It's too balanced, you know?  Then again, what do I know…?" 

                "You analyze everything you see, don't you, Jamie?"
                "Uh, no!  Of course not!  I just think a bit too much."
                "Yeah, me too." 

                For the first time, Jamie saw Izumi smile – well, something like that.  He wasn't quite sure if it was really a smile or just a smirk, but either way, she didn't appear quite as upset as she normally seemed.

                "You know, Izumi…  You should smile more often.  You're pretty when you smile like that." 

                "You sound so sure, Jamie…"

                "That's because I am."

                She blinked at the boy, her smile disappearing as she arched her brows in bewilderment, "Why would you say something like that?  Being beautiful is…" Izumi paused, waiting for a name to come to mind, "Naomi is beautiful.  Beautiful women are the ones who have companions…  The rest of us are alone."

                "That can't be true!  Izumi, if you really feel that way, I'll be there for you!  I think you're pretty, Izumi, honest…!" 

                "Jamie."

                "I'm serious!"

                "Jamie!"

                "…Yeah?"

                "Maybe in five years or so, Jamie.  Don't get so worked up just yet."

                "Oh, okay…  Sorry."

                He lowered his head, blushing furiously.  He looked up only when he heard Izumi chuckle, and barely noticed her lean in as she kissed his cheek, "Grow up, Jamie Hemeros."

He shouldn't figure it out.

                He mustn't hate us.

                She made her way through the dark hallways, carrying a sleeping boy in her arms.  She knew where his room was and found it soon enough, struggling only with opening the door while still carrying Jamie.  Izumi then returned him to bed, removing only his outer vest for him as she tucked him under the covers and then pulled the blankets to the top of his chin.  He rolled away in his sleep so that his back was to her, and she blinked at this as she pulled a chair to the side of his bed, sitting down so that the back rest was actually in front, allowing her to rest her arms over it.  And now that she was alone, she began to wonder about her own existence and the relevance of others.  A purpose…

                Was he it?

               

                There is only one White Rabbit,

… only one Black Dragon…

                Looking up at the sky, Izumi was able to understand everything.  No purpose was needed in order for them to survive – only contact.  All she had to do was connect with the outsiders, and she could survive. 

                There is only one Wild Eagle.

                "What?!  You let Bit and Izumi have this match?!  What were you thinking, dad?!!  Izumi's a loose cannon!"

                "Look who's talking…"

                "Shut up, Brad!  Dad!"  Leena turned back to face Doctor Toros, "Why?!  What got into you?!!  You know Izumi's just going to snap and go on a killing rampage!"

                "That's based on theory, Leena."

                "DAD!"

                Toros was in his swiveling chair and trapped against a wall as his daughter screamed uncontrollably and ranted in his face, "Uhm, Leena?"

                "WHAT, dad?!"

                "You're making me miss the battle."

                Brad snickered as Jamie stepped in the room, "You're just in time, kid."  The boy walked up beside the mercenary, and they watched Leena's temper soar.  They were bored just seconds later and turned to watch the monitoring system that gave them a front row seat to the battle – Liger Zero and Drache Rebirth versus two members from the Hammerhead Team.  Of course, by the time Brad and Jamie figured this out, the battle was over.  The Liger and Dreigon had taken out the two Hammer Head Zoids in no time, the two Zoids from the Blitz Team moving so quickly and with such precision that even the Judge was dumbfounded for a few minutes before it was able to announce the winner of the battle.

                "The winner is… the Blitz Team!"

                The white lion and the black dragon stood side by side as both raised their heads in unison to roar.  Then, the Liger turned its head to snap at the Dreigon, who was barely able to escape the Liger's jaws by leaping back.  It let out a grunt of discontent before both pilots forced their Zoids to part, remaining side by side as they returned to the hover cargo, only this time, they kept a distance of ten yards between them.  A ramp to the right of the hover cargo opened, allowing the two Zoids to enter.  Izumi pulled Dreigon back as it tried to cut the Liger off, "Behave yourself…"

                Bit sighed as he guided the Liger into the empty slot.  As its feet were secured into place on the platform, the wheel began to turn, stopping when another empty platform was in place, allowing the Dreigon onboard.  As the hovercraft slowly turned around to leave the area, Toros' voice boomed over the intercom, congratulating the two pilots, "A job well done, team!  The Drache is the most incredible Zoid I've ever laid eyes on!" And so on, and so on, until Liger was fidgeting with jealousy and discontent.  Bit patted the side of its head as he emerged from the cockpit, "Don't worry, Liger.  You and I both know that you're the real champion Zoid."  Liger roared.

                "Everybody hurry!  We have another request for a battle!"

                "What, another one?!" 

                "We need the money!"

                "Hey, doc.  We're not really that desperate, are we…?"

"Izumi, are you feeling okay?

Jamie was almost afraid to approach the woman, afraid that he might have interrupted her time with the Dreigon, "That battle was really something else…"

                "I guess.  And Jamie, I'm fine.  If the doc is having second thoughts about sending me into this next fight, tell him to forget it.  I'm going in…"

                "Well, we only need two people in the next battle, and the doc's already decided to send Brad out there.  He's just not sure if you'd be willing to go.  The Liger needs a few minor repairs, and he doesn't want to send Leena out…  She's kind of pissed right now, you know."

"Yes, Jamie, I'm aware.  This makes the Shadow Fox and the Dreigon.  I hope it will be able to keep up."

"You always sound so drab…"

                "I'm sorry…  Now, I need to complete the modifications on Dreigon…  I wasn't able to finish them in time for the last battle, so I'll finish up before the next one.  I've already replaced the charge particle cannon with Brad's old twin 80mm cannon."

                And with that, Izumi turned away from Jamie to scramble up the Drache's leg, moving to its back.  The boy exited the hanger with a slight sigh.

                "I can feel it, captain…" Shiro smiled, "I can feel it.  It's so strong, this feeling, that it's burning me from the insides!  Stoller, today's the day!  Today's the day Lapin and I will fight the Dreigon."  She broke off with a laugh as she stood at the mouth of the open hanger, resisting the wind that threatened to suck her out.  She had her Genosaurer to hold on to.  Stoller on the other hand was a safe distance away from the mouth of the hanger, shielding himself from the wind with an arm against his forehead, "Shiro, get into your Zoid before the wind drags you out!"

                She whirled around to face Stoller and offered a deep bow as the Lapin Blanc gave to the wind and was pulled from the hanger while its Zoid pilot was still perched on one of its hind claws.  Stoller immediately ran toward the platform but was held from going too far by three mechanics, "Shiro!"

                He thought he heard a faint "I love you".

                Naomi Fluegel versus Hagime Izumi.

                Brad sat at the controls of his Shadow Fox, his fingers growing tense around the clutch as he prepared himself for the launch.  He hated preparations.  They were so monotonous.  No time to complain, and the stealth Zoid was hurled into the air by the catapult at the very top of the hover cargo.  The Dreigon followed soon after, making contact with the desert arena in a graceful landing, beside the Shadow Fox.  The two pilots waited for the battle judge to arrive on the field.  The other team had already arrived – it was the Fluegel Team.  Izumi sat motionless in the Drache's cockpit, reclined against the backrest of her seat, arms folded over her chest as she waited in silence, her eyes closed.  Naomi Fluegel's voice came into the seclusion of her cockpit, and though Izumi could not see, she could tell by the faint beep that a window had popped up on the battle monitor in front of her as well.  She gave no response – as if Naomi needed one.  The Fluegel Team leader had a look of intense determination on her face as she made her challenge to the female mercenary.  Brad could hear it through the intercoms linking their Zoids to Izumi's. 

                "Hagime Izumi!  I've been waiting so long for this.  You'll pay for what you did during that last battle.  Warriors like you should not be allowed to fight sanctioned battles, not with your methods and strategies…  Only the Backdraft group would stoop to your level!"

                "Naomi Fluegel."

                Izumi's voice was cold, and it reminded Brad of the first time he'd met Izumi, "Naomi, I don't want to hear your insults until this battle is over…  Focus on the task at hand because you'll be needing every bit of experience you have to defeat," she paused before continuing, "the Blitz Team." 

                Leon's voice broke in before Naomi could respond, "Hey, the Judge declared the start of this battle ten seconds ago.  Let's get to it."

                Brad sighed as he leaned forward, "I'm with ya' on that one, Leon." 

                The two black Zoids lunged into the battle as the red Blade Liger on the other side rushed forward to meet them.  Naomi's Gunsniper stayed at a safe distance, turning away as it prepared the rifle in its tail. 

                Zoid battles follow strict rules of conduct, and the violation of such rules will result in disqualification, fines, a drop in rank, and in some cases, arrest…

                "Strike Laser Claw!"

                The Shadow Fox leapt into the air to clash with Leon's Blade Liger.  When they made contact, both Zoids locked together as one attempted to tear apart the other.  Izumi sped by with the Drache Rebirth, taking care not to go at top speeds when she passed the two Zoids lest they are blown to bits by an unintended sonic boom on her part.  Naomi's Gunsniper had disappeared, but Izumi didn't seem surprised or fazed in the least bit.  She only continued forward until the Dreigon came under fire.  No doubt Naomi was hiding behind some dune or in the cliffs bordering the battlefield.  She was launching an assault on the Dreigon without making any contact; thus was her method of battling, and Izumi could care less.  The Dreigon charged onward, heeding the silent guidance of its pilot and partner even while she was guiding it deeper into the storm of 144 mm bullets and the explosions that wracked the black dragon.  From the cockpit, Izumi could hear a low growl, and she moved one hand from the controls to place it over the monitor in front of her, calming her partner, coaxing it forward, "Don't worry, Dreigon.  We'll get her, and then you may tear her to pieces as you did the last."

                The Dreigon lifted its head while it stampeded toward the red cliffs ahead, letting out a roar as it declared its victory even before it had even engaged the enemy.  Izumi brought into the canyon between the rows of rock walls which made the cliffs, pausing when the fire stopped so that the Dreigon could scan the area, searching for its target.  Powder from the iron-enriched earth tumbling down a cliff side beside them caught the Zoid's attention, and it whirled around on all fours, immediately firing three shots at the very top of the cliff with the twin rifle over its back.  The red Gunsniper was exposed and it stood perched over the Dreigon.  Without wasting any time, the red Zoid had fled, disappearing from view once more, leaving the Dreigon in the canyon as fragments of the cliff came tumbling down over it.

                "You lose, Izumi!"

                A few miles away, the battle between the Shadow Fox and Blade Liger had ceased fighting as both Zoids watched the canyon in the distance with their heads raised, their pilots questioning until both received a message from Naomi.

                "It's up to you now, Brad.  Your teammate is out of commission."

                "What?!  That's impossible!  The Dreigon is stronger than that!" 

                "Stronger than me, you mean?"
                Leon's Blade Liger took this opportunity to attack the Shadow Fox, twisting its head to the side.  One of two blades appeared on the right side of the Liger's neck, cutting into the fox's shoulder, forcing it to the ground by disabling one of its limbs. 

                Naomi disconnected the link as she heard the Shadow Fox fall, smiling to herself, "We beat… the Blitz Team and that renegade pilot." 

                She turned her Zoid around and began to leave the area to find Leon when a low rumbling distracted her, and her attention was diverted to the canyon below where the Dreigon had been buried.

                "What was that?"

                The Gunsniper peered over the edge to see the chasm empty.  There were rocks here and there from before, but the black dragon was gone, "Oh no!"

                "Oh yes…"

                The Gunsniper took a step back as it raised its head to see the Dreigon coming down from above, its shadow looming over the red Zoid like grim death before it struck the Gunsniper with both of its front claws.  The Gunsniper was tackled off its feet and secured against the red earth by the Dreigon's weight.  The larger Zoid had its claws through the Gunsniper's neck, and when under its bulk, Naomi's Zoid could barely move.  She could feel the pressure in her cockpit…

                "I win, Naomi Fluegel."

                The last thing Naomi saw was the pitch black leading down into the throat of the Dreigon as its jaws closed over its victim's head.

                "Naomi!"

                Leon stared at the static in his vid-window, disbelieving.  Naomi wasn't responding to him, but why?  What could have happened?

"Naomi!"
"Naomi won't be waking up any time soon…"

                The renegade pilot!"

                "I suggest you worry about yourself."

                Just as it had done before, the Drache attacked from above, slashing into the back of the Blade Liger's neck.  As it held the Zoid in place, it began tearing apart the armored backside with its teeth, not bothering to stop even after the Judge had declared the Blitz Team the winner of this battle.

                When the Blade Liger ceased all movement, the Dreigon stepped off of it and turned to peer at the Shadow Fox.  It tilted its head to see the hover cargo rolling toward them, and upon deciding that it was too slow, lowered its head to nudge the Zoid.

                "Brad.  Brad, you alright?"

                Izumi almost smiled when she heard a groan.  Brad's voice came through.

                "Er, yeah…  That was a pretty sad display of effort I put in."

                "You did fine, Brad, really."
                "Wait, where is Naomi?!"

                "Naomi?" Izumi paused, "Naomi is alive…"

                The Drache Rebirth was still for a moment, its pilot falling silent before the Dreigon turned away and marched slowly to the approaching hover cargo.

                Rules are meant to be broken.

                In love, there are no rules to break…

                Izumi stood against the wall outside of Brad's room.  Her eyes were closed and her arms were tucked behind her back as she listened to the silence pouring from the open door.  Naomi was occupying the bed, and Brad sat in a chair beside it, hunched over with his elbows on his knees.  They said nothing, but as always, their silence spoke volumes.  He kissed her.

                … only hearts.