Princess of the Zoids: Could it Be Me

Author's notes: Dialogue between mean that it's over a com-link. For the purposes of this battle, dialogue will be considered to be in the two bases, so dialogue being sent from the base to the Zoids will not be marked as 'com-link.'

Chapter 4: The First Battle

Arasu took in a deep breath, and sighed, as she ran her hands across her custom-made battlesuit. The fabric had rubber threads throughout it, to help buffer her against any electrical attacks she might face in her aerial Zoid. Dr. Raon had given it to her the night before, but she didn't know how long ago he had had it made. At least the other Backdraft warriors couldn't complain about this gift. It was a known fact on the Whaleking that Dr. Raon thought her a more than competent warrior, and that she should go into battles more often. And that she didn't have any real battle attire.

Of course, those facts did nothing to sweeten her to the pilots Dr. Raon had chosen for this battle. She'd worked with them all before, but as strategist, not as a battle leader. They did nothing to hide their contempt for her, and the fact that they did not think her competent to lead the battle. Still, Dr. Raon was their commander, so they followed his orders, even if that meant that they had to be lead by Arasu.

Picking up a digital tablet from her desk, Arasu reviewed the battleplan one last time. The four Helcats would go into battle first, making it appear as if they were the only adversaries. She'd come in afterward, with the Zabat pilot remaining on standby until it appeared that the Blitz Team might launch their Reinosu. Arasu sighed one last time, then walked down to the hangar to finish preparing for battle.

"It looks like they're using four Helcats," Jiemi told the three warriors, "but be careful, because they're still the Backdraft Group."

"No problem, Jiemi," Bit confidently told the younger boy. "Helcats have speed, but nothing Raigaru and I can't handle."

Jiemi sighed. They would never learn. "Ready to launch?" he asked Bit.

"Go, Iega!" Bit shouted, the catapult sending him and Raigaru flying from the Hover Cargo.

"Ballade, Rinon?" Jiemi asked.

"Launching Shadow Fox," Brad announced, and followed Bit off of the catapult.

"Rinon here, mobilizing Gun Sniper!" Rinon yelled to Jiemi. The three Zoids landed close together, and lined up ready to face the Helcats that Dr. Raon was sending against them.

Arasu watched from the cockpit of her Reinosu as the Dark Judge capsule landed in the middle of the battlefield. "Battlefield set up! The Blitz Team vs. the Helcat Team. Battlemode: 0999. Ready, FIGHT!"

The Helcats were doing just what they had been instructed. Two of them distracted the Cancer Sniper and Shadow Fox, while the other two lured the Raigaru Iega out of the way.

Arasu watched the battle for a few minutes, before launching her Reinosu.

"They're launching another Zoid!" Jiemi cried. He looked toward Dr. Torosu unbelievingly.

Dr. Torosu sighed. "Battlemode 0999 has no rules. There's nothing to keep them from launching another Zoid." Dr. Torosu thought for a moment. "Of course, there's also nothing to keep US from launching another Zoid. You'd better stand-by in the Reinosu; we may need to use you." Jiemi nodded, and quickly left the command room to get his Zoid ready.

"Rinon, can you take out that Reinosu?" Bit asked.

"This stubborn Helcat just won't take the hint and let me catch it!" Rinon shouted back.

"Ballade?" Bit asked.

"I'm in the same fix Rinon is, Bit. I can't help you," the oldest warrior on the Blitz team replied.

"And I'm stuck with two. I guess we'll just have to wait to see what the Reinosu does." Bit sounded slightly rejected, but he didn't have any time to think about the Reinosu, because the two Helcats were keeping him busy enough.

Arasu flew above the battle, checking it out. Arasu flipped a couple of switches on the side of the cockpit. "Helcats One and Two, break off battle with the Raigaru. One, take the Gun Sniper; Two, the Shadow Fox." The two pilots acknowledged her orders, and broke off from the Raigaru. Arasu flew low purposefully, flying away from the Raigaru, and, just as she'd planned, the Raigaru followed her. This is too easy, she thought, watching all the pieces of her strategy fall into place.

Arasu waited until it seemed that the Raigaru was going it's fastest speed, before swiveling around. Dr. Raon had added tremendous maneuverability to her Reinosu, so it could literally turn on it's tail. She flew straight at the Raigaru, her forward cannon blazing, forcing the Raigaru to skid in it's attempt to turn around, and loose quite a bit of its speed. As it raced away from her, she shot out her new electroclaws, and could practically feel the surge of energy as it shot out toward the Reinosu.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" Bit screamed, and Arasu felt pleasure knowing that her plan was working. She quickly sent the code for the Hijack program, followed by starting the Remote Pilot program in her own Zoid. The Raigaru Iega twisted and turned, trying to dislodge her claws from it. Arasu checked her screens to check the progress of the battle. Good, she thought. The Gun Sniper and Shadow Fox are too busy to notice us. She sent the code for the Hijack program to activate, and watched as another electrical surge froze the Raigaru. Arasu knew she had only moments, so she activated the receptors in the claws, and disengaged them from the cables connecting them to her Zoid.

Bit was confused. His computer had frozen for a couple of seconds, but everything seemed fine. He didn't know what happened in the battle for those few seconds, but apparently the cables on those stupid claws of the Reinosu had broken, because now just the claws remained hooked on his Zoid. He looked around, and couldn't find the Reinosu anywhere. Either the pilot had gone down, which he doubted, or he was just hiding. Well, if he's not gonna show himself to me, I might as well help the others. It looks like Rinon and Ballade need me.

I know that this battle was originally supposed to be one chapter, but it's getting pretty long, so I'll stop it here and make chapter 5 "The First Battle, part 2".

Please review, though. As I'm writing this, this fic has no reviews.