Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids or any of the original characters-Sigh. Well anyway long live the freedoms of FAN FICS. Give me liberty or OOOoooo a chicken strip.
Author's Note: I am finally getting around to writing again. I had to play catch up in some of my classes. Like, you guessed it Chemistry- or purgatory- same difference. I did get exempted from all of my semester testes- collective sigh of relief-. So no more school for a while. Still got to go play at graduation. Yes, I am a band nerd. Thinking about just driving around for the hour and half or going to the local Wal*Mart, just whatever. Instructor will never notice I am not there as long as certain people keep their mouths shut.
I am sooooooo glad they did not kill off Ravin *eyes glaze over w\thoughts of the handsome cartoon guy* I so wish I was a cartoon. However that Ryss girl with the blue organoid is getting to close to RAVIN! What a hussy. What? Stalling? Who me? Never.
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THE FIREFOX LETHARGICALLY PRESENTS: THE PROPHECY OF THE ZOIDS
Chapter 4- Operation C.G.
"My name is Andrea" he heard her say.
~So you got her to care again. No matter. I have waited for over a millenniums; I can wait a few months longer. Though Chronos, the time weaver, is on your side, you cannot stop time.~
No matter. She will be binded. She was once before and shall be again. I doubt your spell is still as strong as it was.
~You underestimate. However it is your turn.~
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She stretched out on the ground. Camping out was just not her style. The term "roughing it," meant staying at a hotel and not ordering room service. This was torture. She had never really thought what the future would be like when she was younger; however, she had thought it would be more comfortable than this.
"Where is Ravin," the girl asked the organoid lying beside her, "Shadow."
"RRrroooaaar." (Over by the Genosaurer doing miantance work on it.)
"Why aren't you helping him?"
"Roaaarrr." (Don't wana.)
"Oh."
The girl jumped up and walked over to the Genosaurer. She had a plan. Shadow had helped her out with the details. He also agreed to help her with the plan, which was a big plus. The organoid was cunning and could predict Ravin better than she could. With his help, the plan would be successful.
"Time to launch Operation C.G."
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"Raaaavviiiinnn," she chimed. "How far are we from the closest town, or preferably city (a\n- did you know that to be classified as a "city" it must have a professional sports team, diversity of cultures, etc. So technically Arkansas has no citiesL - what? You don't care. Well. On with the story.)
"A couple of days. Why?" he asked looking up from his work on the Genosaurer. He wiped the sweat and dirt from his sun baked face. The Genosaurer took a lot more miantance work then one expected.
"Weeeelllll," she strung out the word. "I was thinking we could actually stop at the city and stay in a hotel. I haven't had a good bath since I meet you. I am tired of washing in a streams, ponds, et cetera." She made little circles in the air to illustrate her point. Actually there was no reason- she just liked doing it.
"And my shampoo is about to run out. I have already used all of my conditioner. Look at this," she grabbed a handful of her long, auburn hair, "look how limp it is. I need conditioner. I am also running out of make-up. I want more make-up and conditioner NOW."
She could see the answer on his face. "Not to mention that YOU could also use the ummm facilities that a hotel has to offer." Her face reddened as she thought about what she had said.
"I mean," she went on quickly before Ravin could give her that you-really-ought- to -think-before-you-talk look, "if you don't take a good, really good bath soon, we will never get the smell out of the Genosaurer."
"GGrrrr, Grrr," Shadow snickered.
Ravin turned his attention to the organoid. Ravin gave Shadow a look at could kill.
"Grrr?" (What?) He said (growled) safely hidden behind the girl.
She laughed at Shadow. The sight of an angry Ravin and scared Shadow hiding behind her was funny. She stifled the laugh that arose within her. It was no good getting Ravin mad at her while she wanted something.
"Shh, Shadow you aren't helping my case any."
"You certainly don't need any help," was all that Ravin said. He couldn't believe the audacity of the girl. She wanted him to risk his safety and well being just for a night in the city, and she was insulting him while asking.
"Besides, why do you put on all that make-up when you know that no one save me, Shadow, and the Genosaurer are going to see you?"
"It keeps my face from drying out." Andrea was thrown off guard with that one.
"I guess I certainly would hate to see you without your make-up on then. Come to think of it. All that time asleep must have decreased the quality of your make-up, but you are right in needing new, better make-up."
Andrea gave him the you-are-so-immature look, "That's besides the point on hand," in an annoyed tone.
"Just what do you propose we do with Shadow and the Genosaurer while we are in the city," smiled Ravin at his minor victory, "Any idiot would be able to identify Shadow or the Genosaurer: and I hardly doubt that we would be counted as privileged guests. "
"Yes, any idiot would be able to identify Shadow," she said out loud. "It would be his color, wouldn't it?" She said with a leading voice and innocent face.
"Of course it would, Andrea!" Ravin said aggregately. "Now if that's all."
"I suppose. Oh, I saw a deep lake some ways back and Shadow and I are going swimming."
"FINE! JUST GO!"
"Touché"
Ravin stared after the girl. She of all people should know that he couldn't be seen in public. No matter how much he would of liked to show her "his" world. He chuckled at one of Andrea's quirks. She talked as if Zi belonged to him and as if she where an alien. However, he had spent enough time with her to know that a scheming Andrea was hundred-fold worse than Cold Fire. Paired with Shadow, he didn't know if he could protect himself from the two. Ravin turned back to his work and on guard for anything suspicious.
*****************************Later That Night****************************
Andrea turned to make sure Ravin was sound asleep. Unlike her, he was a light sleepier. He always knew when she had a rough night. She smiled at his sleeping form. If she thought love was real, she would have known that she was beginning to fall in love with him. Since she thought it was fake like all other fairy tales and happy endings, she did not. After thoroughly assuring herself that he was sleeping, she woke up her pillow.
"Grrr" (Go away)
"Shhh," she hissed. "You will wake up Ravin."
"GrrrrrR" (Well by all means. Master can't be woken up, he who calls you stupid and a pest. But your constant companion, friend, and pillow can.)
"Shut up, Shadow," she whispered. Grabbing the bulls by the horns, or rather Shadow by the horns, she pulled his face down to hers. "We are going to get to that hotel and nothing is going to stop me. Especially my favorite organoid."
"grrr." (You should have told me while we were swimming about our late night meeting.)
"Sorry," she whispered. "Wait. What do you mean stupid and a pest?"
Both Shadow and Andrea froze. Ravin was turning in his sleep. Apparently he didn't always have good nights either.
"grrrr." (Perhaps we had better continue this someplace else.)
"My exact thoughts my dark beauty."
Shadow let Andrea mount him, so he could take her somewhere farther from camp where they arose unwanted problems.
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Ravin was in a chasm of darkness. He could not even see two inches in the unlivable darkness. Nothing could survive in this darkness. It was a complete darkness of the soul. It did not intimidate him if that was the purpose of the darkness; in fact, it did quit the opposite. It made him fill whole, secure, and consequential. He usually only got this feeling from Shadow or at atypical, rare moments when Andrea was in a nice mood. Soon he found that he could project his "awareness" out into the black void. He sensed a thing coming near him. It lumbered towards him at a pace that was purposeful, yet without hurry. It was a pace of one who played with time as a child plays with toys, careless. Whatever it was wasn't afraid of Ravin. The creature abruptly stood in front of Ravin. He had thought it was some type of zoid, but now the ripples of darkness told it was no zoid that confronted Ravin.
What are you?
"I am the," Ravin knew his answer lacked flare, was dull, "darkness."
The darkness and the light, order of existence and chaos of recklessness, stability of time and revolution of spontaneity: to kill one would be to extinguish the other for they burn jointly. Yet they hate the other. Why is that?
Ravin could not answer the question, so he asked his own, "Who are you?"
The creature seemed to smile, if that is what you would call it. You cannot answer my question, but I can answer yours. I appear to you as a creature that has long ago ceased to exist in this form, a grizzly bear, but is in another form.
"The zoid-Bearfighter."
Yes, but I digress. The dark and light have always fought, fight, and will fight. It is an endless battle, and both parties know this. They forget; they just fight, hate. Their hatred is their lifefire. Without their hatred, what will they be? All they have left is this odium of the other. They forget why they struggle against the other; they forget.
Some say in the last clash of the light and dark a new power was created- a combination of the two.
A small figurine emerged out of the darkness. It burned of darkness and smoldered of light. It was both, yet neither.
I know differently. It has existed as long as the light and dark. It just has passed the time unnoticed till recently. While the light and dark fight, it lived, learned to love. It ceased to be and learned to breathe. It became part human, the best part of it.
Ravin noticed the bear's voice (psychic presence?) softened at the talk of this "in-between" thing.
She is better than both the light and darkness the bear spat
She is dieing, and all she has to do is forsake you to live. Hell knows her passing fancy is worth more than both of you combined. Yet she loves you, the both of you. Yet she remains with you. She lets the darkness and light think you protect her, yet in truth, she protects the both of yall from your all-consuming loathing. Even when she is gone and you hate the rhythm of her name or any mention of her being, she will protect you from loneliness and hatred. All she has to do to live is desert your worthless world and she would live; yet she doesn't. Hell knows you aren't significant enough for her regard. All you have to do is name her. As you named yourself of the darkness, so must she be sorted.
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"Shadow, how do you feel about a paint job?"
"Rrrrgggg." (I don't trust you when you are all sweet and nice.)
"How so?"
"Roaarr." (It's not you.)
"Well, I am not sure what that's supposed to mean," Andrea said with mock indignity. She knew perfectly well how evil she was and enjoyed it. Even her friends where mean- not as mean as she was- but all the same, she reveled in her unscrupulousness nature. "Anyways, Ravin said we could stop in the city if you were properly camouflaged."
"Rooaaarrr." (He is not going to give in that easily.)
"It's a step."
"RRRRrGGGg." (Okay)
"Of course you would have to be my organoid while we stay in the city, and travel around town with me," she said in hopes of bribing Shadow. She knew Shadow remembered how much she enjoyed spending money on herself and friends, as long as it wasn't her money.
"Rooaaaarrrr." (Ravin is not going to like this, so lets break out the paint.)
"How do you feel about purple with green stripes," she said cheerfully.
"Rrrrrgggg." (Ravin is really not going to like this^_^. So what about with pink stripes? Green would clash.)
"Can do. I know. Isn't it great?"
Andrea stepped back and looked at her handy work. Shadow was barely recognizable in his new look. Ravin couldn't say people would be able to identify Shadow. The only thing that remained the same was the body style, which could not be changed. But surely most people did not know anything about an organoid, so what would it matter. Even if Ravin didn't want to stop at the city he would have to. Shadow had jettisoned most of the soap supply at their last stop.
"Unless, Ravin wants a pink and purple zebra looking organoid he will have to stop."
"RRRrrggg." (Got a mirror?)
Andrea pulled out her pocket mirror to let Shadow get a look at his paint job.
"Rrrggg." (Stripes make me look fat.)
"Pleasure doing business with you Shadow," chuckling at Shadow's comment. "However, I don't think 'Shadow' as a name will cut it."
"Rrrroooaaaarrrr." (You are right. Got any suggestions?)
"No but it will come to me at the perfect moment."
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Ravin woke up and noticed that Andrea was gone. Instantly he remembered his dream. A pained panic was rising up in his chest (a\n-and what a fine chest it is) at the remembrance. Had she just left? He noticed then that Shadow was missing to. Relief flooded over him. She and Shadow had probably gone off somewhere. That was another thing he had to talk to Shadow about. He and the girl seemed to vanish whenever he had any hard work to do. The girl was one thing, but Shadow? Shadow was supposed to be "his". He then spotted Andrea and the organoid returning to camp. Since they where in front of the sun, they only appeared as black forms. Something's not right thought Ravin. Since when as Andrea gotten up before noon? Snatching the binoculars from his pocket, he got a closer look at the pair.
He saw her walking and talking to some freaky painted organoid. They appeared to be having a good time. Well this might solve my problem with Shadow Ravin thought smugly to his self. Taking another look at the pair a thought shadowed Ravin's mind. No, it cannot be. They wouldn't. Ravin focused the binoculars on the organoid. It was. They did. His Shadow who had used to strike fear in heroes and children alike was now a purple and pink toy. Shadow is definitely not mine anymore.
"What did you do to MY organoid?" he pounced on Andrea before she had finished walking into camp.
"I camouflaged him."
Ravin stared at the girl dumbfounded. She said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. He could tell that in her twisted mind she thought it was logical.
"Why, pray tell, did you find it necessary to veil Shadow's true identity?" he said in low, dangerous tones. Like he didn't know where this was going.
"So when we go to the city, people won't recognize him," she said in a merry voice, not in the least daunted by Ravin.
"People will still recognize me with an organoid."
"Well," she had not planned on getting this far before Ravin killed her, "Shadow was going to be my organoid. But you are right," she was squinting her eyes at Ravin, "people will definitely be able to distinguish you, especially with that thick head of raven black hair." She smiled at her play on words.
"I am not sure what a raven is, but yes my hair would identify me. Now I am going to wash MY organoid."
"Nhaha," laughing nervously, "you might have a problem with that course of action."
"Why?" Ravin looked quite mad now.
"We are out of soap," she said with a smile knowing she had bested him for now. "You could only cleanse his upper torso. That would make him look like he had strange pants."
Ravin just walked away. Yes, he had lost Shadow to this girl.
Watching his master walk slowly away, he turned his head to Andrea.
"That went better than planned."
"Rrrrgggg." (Now what?)
"It is his hair which gives him away."
"Rooarrr." (Your NOT thinking what I think you're thinking.)
"Do you know where Ravin put the bottle of peroxide?"
"Rooaarrr." (You are a complete idiot. Ravin is not going to like this.)
"Silly Shadow, I am not a complete idiot."
"Rgggg." (How so?)
"Some parts are missing," she started to laugh at her own joke.
"Rggg." (-_-')
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"ANDREA WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" a livid (a\n- or should I say blonde) Ravin yelled. He had finally got a good look at his reflection for the first time this week. He had also figured out why Andrea and Shadow, or Mauve as Andrea had taken to calling him, had not taken a single word of his seriously for the past couple of days. Just wait till I get my hands on that girl.
A solemn parade marched back to camp. Andrea had been able to hear Ravin's rantings a mile off. People five miles off could probably hear Ravin too. She had not meant to make Ravin so mad, but she just had to get into the city. However, she wasn't sure she wanted to lose Ravin over it, though. It wasn't that important.
"What's done is done," she said to Shadow while looking at the ground. She felt somewhat remorseful for her behavior towards Ravin. She had been meaner to him lately than usual. Considering the paint job she did on Shadow and now this.
"Rggg." (I told you Ravin wasn't going to like this.)
"Well when it came to pouring the peroxide into Ravin's shampoo," snapped Andrea, "I didn't exactly hear any protests coming from you."
"I am sorry I snapped at you, Shadow," apologized Andrea. She put her hands behind her head and looked up into the sky. "Well, Shadow, my darkest dearest, someday we will look back on this, laugh nervously and change the subject."
She tried to keep her sense of humor with her. Her sense of humor was often her best ally is tough situations. It keeps her amused with life. And to be amused was life's purpose. Was it not?
"Rgggg." (Your mind not only wonders, but it leaves completely.)
"A mind is a terrible thing to waste, so I save mine for special occasions," she smiled at their jokes. Well, it was better than facing Ravin. She soon found herself acting out the inevitable confrontation out in her mind. Mentally preparing herself for their fight, and coming up with good comebacks so she wouldn't be the only one having her intelligence insulted.
She suddenly came to a stop at the foot of the camp. Her stop was so abrupt that Shadow nearly mowed her down. She turned around to meet Shadow's eyes on the impulse. She just couldn't have him think that her wanting to go to the city was purely effervescence. She knew it was selfish, but it wasn't just for shopping's sake that she wanted to go to the city.
"I wanted to go to a city to see," she could barely hold back the tears and voice was choking, "normal people. I wanted to know that they existed. I have only seen you and Ravin. I know it is selfish, but I wanted to see different people." She started crying. She couldn't hold back the tears any longer; it was just too hard. And she was just so tired.
"I wanted to see what it is like to be human. I wanted to see happiness, heedlessness, and everything. I wanted to know if it was all worth it. But most of all, I suppose, I wanted to forget. I wanted to forget my past. In the city, everything would be too new and wondrous, and I would be too busy to remember my past, to busy to think about my life. I just wanted to see if it was worth everything."
Shadow lowered his great head next to hers. Gently he rubbed the side of her head with his. He didn't know how to make her fell better, so he just let her cry.
Ravin stood off in the distance watching the scene unfold. Damn girl he thought when I finally have her in a corner, she goes and spills her heart to Shadow when I'm listening. It just wasn't fair. He finally had a right to be mad at her, to yell at her. He had planned out a lecture and was going to berate her till the zoids came home. And there she was crying with Shadow sitting next to her trying to comfort her. It just wasn't fair. She was not supposed to win. A red-headed girl who didn't even have a zoid and would probably be dead by now if it wasn't for him was NOT suppose to beat him, Ravin, one of the most feared personality in Zi's history. It was not to turn out like this. It just wasn't.
"A hem."
At the sound of Ravin's voice Andrea jumped up. She lifted her head in a haughty pose, straightened her shoulders, and stiffened her body. She was like a child preparing to take punishment for some crime thought Ravin and she is not in the least sorry for her actions.
"I hate you, Andrea," Ravin said in cold, callous tones.
At the sound of Ravin's voice, Andrea felt her heart break. She knew that Ravin liked his hair, but she didn't think it would come to this. She just didn't know what she would do without Ravin. This wasn't her world. She didn't know where any was, what was safe, and whom she could trust. Until this moment, she did not comprehend how dependent she was on Ravin and Shadow's hospitality. She felt her soul die within. The city wasn't that important. She did value Ravin and Shadow above all else. She just couldn't lose them both. She shrank behind Shadow. He was the only one of the past and present who tied her to the "now". He understood.
"But Ravin…" He cut her off before she could even get out her case.
"I swear you must be the daughter of Satan," Ravin said. He smiled inwardly at her furrowed brows, not being able to comprehend where he was going with that remark. He had lost the war, but he was going to be damned if he didn't win at least one battle. "Every time I am right or make the logical chose, you go and make me feel guilty for my RIGHT decision. I can't even yell at you."
Sensing she was on safe ground again, Andrea smiled evilly. "Yes, I am the spawn of pure evil," she said in dark tones, "but my duties are largely ceremonial." She finished the last part of the statement in happy-go-lucky nature.
"Largely." Ravin spat sarcastically.
"Does this mean what I think…?"
"Yes, we are going to the friggin' city," Ravin all but yelled. "Shadow, or Mauve, is yours for the time being, we are going to stay at a fancy hotel with a gigantic swimming pool for the both of you, and you are going to go shopping and have a good time." Ravin snarled.
Andrea, caught up in the moment of victory, hugged Ravin around the neck.
"Thank you so much Ravin," she sobbed, "you will never know how much this means to me."
"Whatever," groused Ravin. Grumpily, he disentangled himself from Andrea's body. He then and there decided that Shadow or the girl could never be trusted again. Also, he was right in thinking that Cold Fire was preferable over a scheming Andrea. He stormed off to the Genosaurer, who apparently, was the only one not to betray him. The only one that could be trusted not to con him. Well Shadow may not be mine any more thought Ravin but the Genosaurer still is.
"Rooarrr." (Do you think we should tell him who gave us the paint?) Shadow grinned (a\n-which is amazing since he is made out of metal) mischievously (roared) while watching a disgruntled Ravin traipse off to the Genosaurer (which is, as you recall, black and…)
"Whoa, Shadow, you are the master of calculating people. I did not even see him till after I gave my little, shall we say, donation. I think performance is such an ugly word."
"Roarrr." (Of course I am, nothing less than extraordinary on my part. I must admit, you are the Queen of "Donation". I think the tears are what pushed him over the edge, nevertheless.)
"Yes, I think the tears helped. How did you know?"
"RRrrrrgggghHH." (For all his talk he really does like you. Besides I have never met a guy who could stand to see a girl cry.)
"You are the greatest. I guess that means you win and get to pick out the first store we visit, my dear Mauve."
"Rooaaarrr." (About the name.)
"Okay, how about that purple TelATuby from my time. What was his name again, Tinke-Winke?"
"Rggghhhh." (As you command, my dear mistress.) Shadow smiled (amazing) at their silly game. They were both inebriated with the campaign of victory.
Andrea smiled too. It was going to be great getting Shadow, Mauve, all to herself and watching a jealous Ravin. Yeaaa!
"Rooaaarrrrr." (Do you think Ravin will ever figure out he has been played)
"Naah"
"Rrrggghh." (Naah.)
"We were to good to be figured out. Teach him to call me brainless."
"Rggghhh." (Its not like you are bordering on Van. He could never pull something like this off. You are the best.)
"As you are, my striped organoid."
"This will learn him," she said with a grin. Perhaps life wasn't so bad after all.
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Author's note: My my my, aren't I the wordy thing. I was going to include more in this chapter but it got too long. Sorry I had to make Andrea so ruthless to get what she wanted. But she was out of conditioner. The inhumanity of it all, no conditioner. Tell me, what kind of girl wouldn't do the same thing put in Andrea's position, or guy for that matter. I was surprised how fast I got this done once I actually set down and worked. I would have got this out sooner, but you know, the classic story of working two hours or so and not saving. Then the computer decided to crash. Go figure. Luckily I remember the idea of what I was typing. Well I am officially a senior. One last year at the god-forsaken school they call HS home of the lions. Now I can work late into the night and early morning without having to catch my Z's in the uncomfortable school desks. They really ought to look into making them more comfortable.
I hope to get the next chapter out w\in a week or so, but don't hold your breath. I get distracted, easily. Unless you don't like my story. Then go on hold your breath, die. Bwhahahahaha
Newayz thanks to Kala, xTZealot, Hell Fire, and everyone else who reviewed. Plz send comments, ideas, or random thoughts. They will be appreciated. REMEMBER the review button is your friend. See ya.
