Hello people! I just wanted to say thanx to all of you who have been reading up to this point. And also I noticed in the first and second chapters, I never put a disclaimer, so here it is! I do not own Zoids in any way, and had I, I would hold very important producers of Viz hostage until certain demands were met.but that's a different story! On to Chapter three!

Zoids Chaotic Century:
Child of the Black Moon
Virus Organoid
Part 3
Darkness

-The Guardian Force Base-
"Jeez it's hot out," Moonbay said to herself, "but I won't let that stop me." For the past three days, she had been desperately trying to think up a way to find Irvine, and to stay away from Van. Ever since Moonbay had figured out what Elliee was up to, he had been acting strangely. Fiona too. They would glare at her whenever she passed them, and Fiona refused to talk to her. Even Dr. D was acting weird, well, weirder than usual at least. Thomas was still hurt, so he would drift in and out of sleep. Even that little girl wouldn't work her mysterious powers over him when he was in this state.
Yet all these events seemed to happen when Elliee was around. Moonbay couldn't figure it out, what was with this little girl?
"Hey Moonbay, what are you doing?" She turned around and saw Van walking towards her.
"Oh, just, you know, fixing up the Gustav," she replied. He seems pretty normal, she thought. Maybe it's because Elliee's not around.
"Still worried about Irvine?" he asked her softly. She nodded slowly. "Don't worry, Irvine's been gone longer than this, and he still made it back okay. I bet that he's on his way back now."
"But you said that yesterday," she replied sadly, "and he's still not here."
"Maybe he has something he needs to do, like, go earn some extra money or something."
"But would it really take him this long?" she asked. Van didn't reply.
"Daddy!" came a cry. Moonbay turned around to see Elliee wrapping her arms around him. Suddenly, she knew that he was lost again. "Daddy, what you doing with her?" Elliee looked at Moonbay in resentment.
"Yes Van, what are you doing talking to that monster?" Fiona agreed, walking up to them.
"MONSTER?!" Moonbay screamed, "I'll tell you who the real monster is here, it's HER!" she pointed at Elliee, who hid behind Van. What Van did next scared Moonbay. He came up and slapped her-hard. So hard, that Moonbay fell down.
"Don't you ever talk about my girl that way again," he told her menacingly. Moonbay looked at him with wide eyes, her hand on her cheek. Fiona walked up behind him, and Moonbay saw that their eyes were glowing. It wasn't bright, but there was a slight blue glow to them. She looked at Elliee. Her eyes were glowing too!
Oh my god, she's controlling them! Moonbay suddenly realized. Slowly, she got up and began to walk away.
"Stay away from our daughter!" Fiona yelled after her.
I don't know what the hell that girl's trying to do, but I'll help you Van; Fiona, I promise.

-A few days later-
Finally, Thomas began to come around, yet Moonbay was getting a heavy feeling in her stomach. If Thomas was getting better, Elliee could trick him too. Moonbay promised herself she wouldn't let that happen, so she stayed with Thomas all the time. Even though he found this a bit awkward, Thomas enjoyed all the attention given to him, especially by Moonbay. Normally she wouldn't act this way. Yet he decided not to let it bother him, and he just sat talking and laughing with her. He did find it odd, however, that Van nor Fiona had been around to check up on him. Yes, it was very odd that Fiona-kind, caring Fiona-wouldn't even come to see how he was doing. He decided to ask Moonbay about this. "Moonbay," he began, "why is it that you have been with me ever since I woke up, and Miss Fiona nor Van has come to see me once? I haven't seen that little girl either." Not that I mind, he thought, there is something very odd about her. It makes me feel uncomfortable. "Oh, well." Moonbay couldn't answer. How can I tell him that Elliee is controlling them? "See, Thomas, they're really busy right now, um, looking for Irvine," she lied. "Oh, I see." "But they'll come to see you soon," she said reassuringly, but she bet anything they wouldn't come near the room as long as she was in there. Thomas just smiled. "Yes," he said, "yes, Irvine's safety is more important right now, so I should just be patient. I hope they find him soon." "Yeah," Moonbay replied quietly, "so do I."

Another week passed, and Thomas was on his feet again. But Irvine was still nowhere to be found. It had been almost three weeks since he disappeared, and it seemed no one but Thomas and Moonbay was worried about finding him. Van and Fiona had been with Elliee, and Dr. D was cooped up in his laboratory, not letting anyone enter. Until one warm afternoon changed everything. "Elliee, Elliee!" Van called out as he walked through the hallway. "Oh, Thomas," Van ran toward him, "have you seen Elliee?" "No Van, I haven't seen her all day, are you sure she's not with Fiona?" "I'm positive, because Fiona's looking for her as well." "Well then Van, I-" "Lieutenant Schubaltz! Lieutenant Freihiet!" Van and Thomas turned around to see a Guardian Force officer running towards them. "Yes, what's wrong?" Van asked him. "There's been.a strange.accident." he replied slowly as he caught his breath. "What sort of accident? What happened?" Van asked again. "A strange Zoid.destroying our troops.we need your help." "We're on it," Thomas replied courageously, as he and Van helped the officer up, and ran toward the hangar. "ZEKE!" Van cried out. "Fiona! We need your help!" "What is it, Van?" Fiona asked, coming out of one of the rooms. "Did you find Elliee?" "Not yet, but I need to go, there's a strange Zoid out there." "Oh, well, let me come, Moonbay can stay here and look for Elliee." "I can what?" she asked, walking towards them. "We need to go investigate a strange Zoid, can you stay here and look for Elliee?" Van repeated. "You mean you trust me with her?" Moonbay asked, confused. "Of course we do, Moonbay, why wouldn't we?" Fiona asked, also confused. "Oh, nothing, sure, I'll stay here, good luck." she replied. "Great, thanks Moonbay, Zeke! Where are you?!" Van called the organoid again. They heard a growl, and then Zeke appeared from behind the corner. "Come on, Zeke, we have an emergency, let's go." They all ran down the hall and Moonbay just stood there, stumped. "Stay away from our daughter!" Fiona's threat kept echoing in her head. Van's too. "Don't you ever talk about my girl that way again." Moonbay just couldn't figure it out; how could they such terrible things to her then, and be so kind now? And calling Elliee their daughter.of course! Elliee was controlling them.to act like her parents! She had figured something out at least. The real question was: why? Why did she want Van and Fiona to be so protective-and mean? Moonbay also remembered how she found it funny when they fought as well, but she couldn't explain that one.

Well, it's better than knowing nothing, at least maybe I can tell Van and Fiona the truth about her, Moonbay told herself reassuringly, yet something deep inside her was saying that this wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded.

-The desert-
"Do you see anything, Van?" Thomas asked him as they ran through the desert. They had been running for about twenty minutes, and had found nothing, even though the officer said the incident was only occurring about sixty miles ahead.
"No, I don't see a thing," Van replied slowly, "Fiona, are you picking up anything?"
"Nothing yet.wait! I'm getting a reading of some kind, and it's coming nearer!"
"How fast?" Thomas asked.
"I'm not sure exactly, but it's-wait, it's retreating now!"
"Let's follow it!" Van cried, "full speed, Zeke!" They followed it for about five minutes, until they finally began to see something.
"Van, there's something up ahead!" Thomas cried.
"Yes, I see it," Van replied, "can you tell what it is, Fiona?"
"It's some sort of Zoid, I think," she replied. They got closer.
"That's no Zoid I've ever seen!" Thomas yelled. Indeed, it was no ordinary Zoid-if that's what you'd call it-it was black, but it had no definite form. It was like some sort of black hole. From where they were standing, they could see some Zoids from the Guardian Force trying to avoid it.
"Hey!" Van tried to contact them. "What's going on? What is that thing?" They got a response, but they could barely hear what they were saying.
"Va---heit---it---too---can't avoid---." It was too broken to understand.
"Please repeat that!" Thomas yelled. All they got for a response was static. Then, to their utter horror, the 'thing' just seemed to suck up all the Zoids!
"What the hell is that?" Van yelled.
"That's the-AAGH!" Thomas screamed in pain. "Thomas? THOMAS! What the hell is going on?" "Van.it's the.darkness." Thomas fell unconscious. "Oh my god, Thomas! Van, what happened to him?" Fiona screamed. "I don't know Fiona, but I think it has something to do with this 'darkness' we're up against. ZEKE! Get ready to attack!" "Wait.Van." came a quiet reply from Thomas. "You can't attack it.you will be.Agh!" he brought his hands to his head again. "Hold on Thomas!" Van yelled. "Let's go Zeke!" The Liger began to charge at the darkness. "Wait, Van!" Fiona cried, "there's a strange presence here! I don't know what it is, but it's telling me we're in grave danger! You mustn't go!" "Fiona, we're not going to know what it is unless we attack!" "No!" she screamed, "please, Van, listen to me!" But Van had already gotten the blades out, and was charging. The darkness seemed to notice him, and started to charge up for an attack. "I don't think so!" Van yelled. It hit, but his blade just passed right through it. "What the hell?!" he yelled. They landed, and Van tried to turn around, but the Liger fell to the ground. "What happened?" "Van.the Liger.the entire system.is frozen! "How can that be possible? We didn't even hit it!" "It seems that infected the Zoid! There's a form of darkness spreading throughout the entire system!" "I can't move! Zeke, ZEKE!" Van yelled. He got no response. "It's.its affected Zeke! He's been hurt Van, there's nothing he can do!" "Can you get rid of it?" "I can try." "Hurry!" The darkness began to advance towards them, ready to attack. It opened up its 'mouth' and began to absorb darkness from all around it. "We're going to be killed! Hurry Fiona!" "I'm trying!" It was almost charged up. "Van! Fiona!" Thomas yelled. "FIONA!" "It's not working Van!" In the few seconds before the darkness attacked, Thomas knew what he had to do. He couldn't let Van and Fiona get killed. He would. It fired. Van and Fiona closed their eyes, bracing themselves for the impact.but it never came. "Huh?" Van opened his eyes and looked back. "No.THOMAS!!" "No." Fiona couldn't speak. "Now." Thomas said weakly, trying to withstand it, "you must get out of here." "No Thomas! Not without you!" "Van! It's working!" Fiona yelled. "NOW!" Thomas yelled. With all the strength he could muster, Van ran, as fast as the Liger would go. Thomas watched it slowly disappear. "Goodbye Van.and good luck." He smiled and closed his eyes.

-A few minutes later-
Van stopped in the middle of a desert. Fiona was crying.
"Thomas.why?" she said barely above a whisper. Van opened the top of the cockpit and jumped out. Fiona followed. He stood there, staring at the ground. After a few moments he spoke up, quietly.
"It should have been me.I should be the one to pay the price.not Thomas." Fiona walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder. Van just stood there, crying.

Well, there's chapter three!!!! Can you believe that this frickin thing took me over a month to finish??? I had so much damn homework, these teachers never give you a break!!! (Yeah, yeah.excuses, excuses) Anyway, I am going to answer a question I've been getting a lot lately. In the first chapter, why does it seem that Van is fighting in a NC0 battle? Well, the answer is, he wasn't, I just made it seem that way. I didn't really mean to, it was supposed to be just another antagonist disturbing the peace. Sorry if I mislead you. I also want to apologize. I've been leaving you guys hanging in all my chapters, and I guess you guys don't approve. (How was I to know??? I thought it would be a cool idea!) Anyway, I'll try to stop doing that. Look out for chapter 4! Keep reading! Bit's Girl