Chp.4: Weeeee're off to see the emperor, the wonderful emporer Rudolph

The next morning, Van was exhausted. Maria let him sleep in till 11:00, and he felt better. Now he was packing up his things into his suitcase. He didn't have a lot, so it wasn't that heavy. He sat the case down outside and went to hug Maria goodbye.

"Okay, you know how to reach me on my com-link so if anything happens, you know how to get me. Be careful sis. I can't loose you," Van gave her a quick hug, grabbed his bag, and headed in the direction of his zoid.

A Lightning Saix pulled up with a Dibison before he could get there. The cockpit of the Saix opened to reveal Irvine and Moonbay. "Van, don't think you're goin' alone."

"Irvine? Moonbay? Thomas?" Van watched the Dibison cockpit open.

"Van!"

"Fiona?!"

The blonde hopped out of the zoid and ran over to him. "Van, I'm sorry I hung up on you last night."

"It's allright. It was my fault," Van spoke quietly so that they could quickly shy away from the subject.

"I hope you don't mind if I still ride with you. Thomas's Dibison is awfully cramped."

"Oh, you can ride with me," Van nodded and spoke quickly. He couldn't want anything more than to explain everything to her. She'd understand fully.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh, my," Fiona exclaimed at the end of the story. Thomas and Moonbay, who had been listening through the com link the entire time, were speechless with gaping mouths.

"-and THAT'S why we're going to see Rudolph!" Van said in his happy voice.

"I don't see the connection," Irvine sweatdropped.

"Well, this guy might have backup soooooo---We'll need backup too, right?" Van asked. "Since Hiltz died, our armies have joined forces and become amazing. They, unfortunately, had nothing left to fight against. They gotta just be itchin' to fight again."

"I hate to break it to ya', Van, but not as many people love to fight as much as you do," Moonbay laughed.

"Oh, well," Van laughed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Van and company wandered through the halls to where Rudolph would be. They arrived at a large double door with golden handles and the signs of the Zi armies on each door. Van knocked and waited a moment. The door opened slowly.

"Hello!" Marianne said almost overly cheerfully.

"Hi!" Fiona greeted alone. Marianne smilede sweetly and opened a pair of identical doors to reveal a hard at work Rudolph at a desk.

"HI RUDOLPH!" Van and Irvine yelled. Rudolph screamed out then sighed.

"Do you have to do that every time you come here?" Rudolph's voice had changed by now and he had grown almost as tall Van.

"Yeah," Van said.

"Of course," Irvine smirked.

"Oi, no use asking….So! What is that you guys need? I'm really happy to see you guys, but I'm a very busy person, so I can't talk long,"Rudolph said.

"Oh, we understand,"Thomas said.

"I would certainly hope so. I don't like it when people are mad at me,"Rudolph said.

"Well, here's the problem Rudolph," Van said sitting down in one of Rudolph's cushy chairs. "Hiltz is dead, but he still has followers being led by---by a man named Han. He's major trouble. We were wondering if we have your army to back us up if it's too much for us alone."

"Of course, Van! Obviously, these people mean trouble. Especially if they're followers of Hiltz. Who knows what they have planned up?! Now, describe their leader so I can send a warning out among Zi."

"Well, uh-he looks just like me except that he has a long braid in the back and smaller eyes," Van looked at his feet.

"Uhhh----" Rudolph blinked.

"He's my brother," Van said quietly.

"I didn't know you had a brother," Rudolph said surprised.

"Neither did I," Van smirked. Silence….Then everyone just laughed for some reason. It was the happiest Van had been in the last couple of days.

~~~~~~~

"Hey Karl!" Thomas ran up.

"I'm not Karl," Karl said wishing to be called by his army name.

"Right now you are," Thomas crossed his arms. "Mister 'the resteraunt is under attack everybody panic'."

Karl's eyes widened, and his cheeks flushed embarrased. They turned even deeper when everybody laughed. "Hmph," He turned away with a vain popping on his head.

"So, Rudolph informed you about us. How do you think the army will do?" Irvine asked.

"Very well, I'm sure," Karl said smirking. "We have a secret weapon."

"Really?! What is it?" Vas asked happily.

"Hello, Van."

"RAVEN?!!!!!"

"That's right. Don't take that I'm on your side or anything, I'm just finding something to do till I'm powerful enough to destroy you," Raven smirked. Even though he said so, he looked like he was a much better person in the face, and his voice had a little more emotion than before.

"Hello," Reese peeked around from him and waved. "Don't listen to him. We want to be friends with you guys."

"Shut up, Reese."

"MAKE ME!"

The two began arguing. Loudly. Angrilly. With lots of colorful words.

"Awww, isn't that cuuuuute. Lover's quarrel," Van and Irvine chimed. Raven and Reese looked at them shocked with red cheeks, either because they were embarrased, had been yelling too much without air, or both. Everybody laughed again, even Karl! Imagine-Karl-laughing….Woah, weird. O.o

Something suddenly crashed down onto the base and exploded a hole in the ceiling. Everybody went running to their zoids. Raven grabbed Reese and threw her in the back of the Geno Breaker. Van and Fiona clambered into the Blade Liger. Shadow and zeke flew in to their zoids. Irvine got into the Lightning Saix and was surprised to find Moonbay sitting in the back. Thomas got into his Dibison, and Karl clambered into his Iron Kong.

"I-I don't see anything," Thomas said. "My radar is picking up on anything. Beek, can you find anything?"

"Beep Beep."

"Okay, well, keep looking."

Everyone continued searching the ground and sky. "It had to be a flight zoid since they dropped a missile through the ceiling, but no zoid can fly out of radar. It'd have to be faster than sound." Van said. Zeke roared in agreement.

The radar beeped, but when Van blinked it was gone.

"What's the deal? Is this thing busted?" Van yelled.

"If yours is, mine is too," Raven said on a comlink. Reese was beating at it in the background.

"Work!! Work Darnit!" Reese sai pounding at it and after a while began cussing it out. Raven sweatdropped. Shadow roared embarrased.

"Reese, I don't think that'll work," Raven said.

"But that's what you do when it doesn't work, and works," Reese said.

Raven blushed and got a pout face. "Whatever."

"GOT IT!" Thomas yelled. "I was able to lock on when my radar blinked, and now I know where it's going." Just then the Dibison was hit by a missle or two.

"THOMAS!" Karl screamed out. The missiles had landed on his weapons making them blow up. Thomas yanked his helmet off with one had and pressed the eject button. He got out just before the Dibison became a major explosion. He fell to the ground, injured badly and unconsious.

A zoid landed not far from them….