There and Back Again
OR
A Little Bit of Luck
The use of boldface italic means some form of action that I am too lazy to write out, despite how stupid it looks (Damn you Quickedit!!!)… Also, I realize I use "…" a lot during this fic. I, for the most part, did it on purpose. Just so you know… And Brad seems slightly out of character, namely with the fact that at one point he starts talking alot and using big words (not that he's stupid, it's just that what he's saying makes him seem…brainy or even chipper, if you will.). But Leena's and Bit's OOCness make sense, considering the situation…
I don't own any part of Zoids whatsoever, which is quite sad. I wish I did, because I would make a new NC0 season where the pasts of the characters are actually explored. And Brad would actually have a real last name (I believe the name "Hunter" has been implied by our fellow Zoids fanfic writers. Not that I'm knocking it. I like the name "Hunter", and it really fits him.) But that's what is all about, right?
Random yet fit fitting quote: "…The world that loves its irony must hate the protest singer…" Barenaked Ladies, "I'll Be Leaving Soon"
Bit sighed loudly as he raked his fingers through his messy blonde hair. Here he was, back again at the Tauros base after six months. He left to see the world. But something inside him called him…No; forced would be a more accurate description, to come back. Then again strange forces always seemed to push him this way or that… the breeze on a warm summer's day… the rumbling of his stomach… the oppressing force of a certain trigger-happy redhead's fist making contact with his skull…
He did have his reasons to leave. There was only so much a Zoid pilot can do on a team, even if it had one of the best reputations around. So he and Liger Zero packed up and went on their merry way. He wasn't heartless- he told the guys two days before he left. Okay, so maybe that was a bit heartless. He hated to make a big stink about things; cookie stealing not included- If Leena just let him have a stupid cookie in the first place; although, it did become fun after a while… but that was beside the point.
Yet, there he was. That same goddamn force, all over again.
After climbing out of the Liger he attempted to enter the base, by signaling the mechanism that acted as the security system. This usually involved a combination of knocking, ringing an electric doorbell, and some form of a cheesy signal into a camera. A strange way for one to enter a base, let alone a home. Yet, he reminded himself, this was the Tauros base, home of the S-Class ranked Blitz team, as well as one probably certifiable Dr. Steve Tauros.
After making a series of failed, yet humorous attempts to get in the base (the usual 2 short knocks, 1 long buzz, 1 long knock, 3 short buzzes, and a large grin and peace sign into the camera, among others), Brad greeted him at the door.
"Next time, try using the intercom."
"Since when did we have one of those?"
"Right after you left. But there's no way for you to miss it." Bit glanced to the left and noticed the large mounted box labeled Intercom- press the red button to talk- DO NOT press the green button. You will be shot on site (it's the alarm system!) "By the way, any foolish gestures caught on the surveillance camera points up will be used against you at your own expense. Namely by Leena and myself. Oh, and welcome back."
"Yeah… the Doc has yet to gain any sense, has he? The alarm system on the same system as the intercom, and labeled? He's just asking for trouble."
Brad leaned himself up against the side of the base. "We're waiting for someone to try to break in; it's gonna be a fun sight… I mean for us, watching the poor fools… So, did you make any money?"
"Hello to you too." Bit muttered.
"Hey, just asking. No harm, no foul."
"Yeah, right," Bit replied sarcastically. "Well, I made barely enough to get by. You know, food, shelter, occasional keep-up and repair to the Liger. That's about it."
"So that's why you came back."
"I don't think so…"
"Then why?"
Bit paused, trying to figure out what exactly to say. "Dunno. A feeling, I guess."
"A feeling, huh?"
Thus 10 seconds of awkward silence ensues. A tumbleweed rolls across the desert behind Bit…
"Hmm…that tumbleweed came out of nowhere…"
"Wha???"
"Nothing, I guess. You can put the liger in the garage around back, next to the Shadowfox. I'm the only one here at the base right now; everyone else is out. I'll go and put on some coffee."
"No surprise there. You know, I heard somewhere that if you drink too much coffee you can stomach ulcers" (A/N- Someone actually once told me that…Not that it ever stopped me… although now I'm wishing it did…).
Brad turned around long enough to flick Bit off, and walked into the base. "Shut up, smartass."
Strange, Bit thought, it's as if I never left…
Somewhere between 20 minutes and an hour later (depending on how long it actually takes to put a giant animal-like Mech away)…
Nothing much had changed. The couch in the common room still sagged, in need of repair- better yet, replacement. The cracks around the doorframe into the bathroom remained, acting as a horrible reminder of Leena's physical prowess, at least in Bit's mind. Apparently, no one has yet to get around to fixing them... And the kitchen, as always, had the distinct odor of coffee and… freshly baked cookies!!! God help me, thought Bit. Oh, the temptation…
"Hope you like your coffee black. We're out of milk and sugar." Brad put the coffee down on the table in front of Bit (on the couch) and sat down across from him.
"And it continues. I swear man, did you guys even clean house while I was gone?"
"Hardly. Every time Jamie cleaned up, the Doc or Leena would trash the base just as quickly, if not faster. Poor kid. That's where he is; taking a well-needed vacation. The stress was causing his other self to appear when least expected."
"That can't be healthy. Has he seen anyone about Wild Eagle yet?"
"Actually, he's got an appointment early next month. Sure, Wild Eagle's good in battle, but he's been causing Jamie himself to black out every time he appears. "
"That really sucks…So, while we're on the topic, how's everyone else doing? Damn, that sounded cheesy."
Sip "Pretty good. As a team, we're still on the lower end of the S-Class. We win about half our battles."
"Not bad."
"I know this might sound strange, but Leena's actually calmed down tremendously during battle. She's even got herself ranked as one of the top 20 Gunsniper pilots in the ZBC."
"You're joking. Leena? Little miss trigger-happy? She-who-cannot-go-through-a-battle-without-totally-wasting-her-ammo-in-the-first-three-minutes? Leena, who'd rather break your spine before admitting defeat?"
"I kid you not."
"Holy shit!!!"
"My thoughts exactly."
"Any ideas on what brought this on?"
"Nothing solid, but I have a theory."
"Spill it."
"I think it's because she really cared for you, but when you left she was devastated."
"Ha! Yeah, right. Chasing me with a bathtub and nearly breaking my spine on more than one occasion really shows that she cares."
"Well, there is a saying that you always hurt the one you love…" Snicker
"I don't think that that is what it means."
"Seriously, that is Leena's way of showing affection. Think about it; her mother died when she was young, and was raised by her insane father and kind but overprotective older brother. And she's the only female member of an otherwise male team. Her major influences in life have been, for the most part, male. She doesn't know how to be feminine, except for what she's learned from TV and magazines. And the only person before you came to us was Harry Champ, whom she reacted to in a negative male way- with force. So when she finally found someone she cared about in more than a friend-friend way, Leena Tauros reacted the only way she knew how."
"When did you notice this?"
"Not at first, but by the time of the A-Class championships, probably before. She seemed to almost look for an opportunity to... umm… cause you bodily harm. Hence the food, especially cookie, chases across the base. Anything to spend time with you or get your attention, even negative."
Bit missed about half of Brad's explanation. Leena? Leena cares for me? She hurts me to get attention, or just to be with me? That's why she did what she did? My head hurts… It was time for a subject change.
"How are you doing? Wasn't there some talk about you going over to the Fluegel team, or something?"
"The good Doctor gave me a 30percentpay raise to stay put. Since he didn't have to pay you anymore, we actually had some leftover cash from the tournament. I thank you for this, Bit Cloud."
"It's just you and Naomi were getting so close…"
"Well, that hasn't hindered our relationship one bit." Bit perchance happened to notice the ring on Brad's hand…
"Christ, man. I leave you alone for 6 months, and you get engaged on me. How long did you two date? 2 Weeks?"
"We've been engaged about 4 days now. We were secretly dating for a little while before you left. You know, wait for the tournament to be done and over with as not to create a hassle. And actually, Naomi asked me to marry her. I figured I would wait a year or so before asking. But there the ring was, at the bottom of a cup of coffee. I almost swallowed it…"
"Well then…That's cool. Leon must be pissed, though. He seemed to be pining for her last time I saw him."
"He's taking it pretty well. Leena said that he said something to the point of if it wasn't going to be him, it should been me. But he's been watching over both Naomi and Leena like a hawk."
"That's what brothers do, so I'm told. Congrats! When's the wedding?" Bit laughed.
"She wants to wait a year, to have plenty of time to waste my money. And that is a quote."
"Hehhehheh, Brad and Naomi Hunter. That has a nice ring to it."
"So does Bit and Leena Cloud."
"You're never going to get off of my back 'bout that, are you?"
"Sorry, but never. I swear, she really likes you. Just talk to her and tell her how you feel."
"How do you talk to a psychopath?"
"First, as I said, she's calmed down, so she'll' listen to you. And if she does act like her old self, face her. Don't run off. And if it comes to it, get in her face, or something appropriate."
Sigh"Are you sure about this?"
"Damnit, for the last time, yes. Talk to her. You will be surprised."
Bit was hopelessly confused. The fact that Leena might have some kind of feelings for him was throwing him off enough. Am I loosing it? By chance, does this have even some little iota of relationship to the weird feeling from recently? What should I say to her? Do I have any feelings back? Where did that last question come from?
"Where is she?"
"Last thing I knew she was in town, shopping for hell-knows what. Clothes or ammo or the like."
"…"
"The Jeep is at the side of the base. I don't need it; Naomi's coming over later…"
"Ah, I see, you want me to leave."
"Let me put it this way- yes, I do. But if you need to come back, be quiet and come in through the back. All should be quiet by 11 pm… maybe…"
"Well, I guess…" Bit stands up and stretches his arms over his head. " I'll be back… Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
"Don't worry; I don't plan on disappearing for six months."
"Excuse me, I need to go and throw away all forms of caffeine in the house."
Brad took a sip from his cup, and responded in monotone, "Touch my coffee and die."
Sweatdrop "Hey, at least you're keeping the tradition alive. Leena would be proud."
"Except it wouldn't be a bathtub or butcher knife aimed at your head." There was almost no emotion in Brad's face. In fact, the little that was there looked almost…evil…
"Yeah, It's time to go. I guess I'll see you around."
"No problemo. See you in the morning." Any signs of… ehm… darkness… was gone.
"Umm… okay then…. Bye…" Bit inched slowly to the door. Mood swings- another effect of coffee? That, or nerves about tonight. Maybe Leena wasn't the only person affected by his leaving….
Sure, Brad's bipolar moment was odd. Odd enough to creep Bit out. It wasn't that he wanted to go face Leena (in fact that was the last thing he wanted to do). But it was time to get out of here anyways. Again he was feeling the "force". Shrugging his shoulders and giving a weak wave to Brad, he left the Tauros base. But not before he stole one of Leena's cookies.
By the magic of writing and the use of a plot hole large enough to drive a tractor trailer through, Bit arrives at… ehm… what's a good generic city name?… Ah! Bit arrives at the City of Greendale, to look for Leena…
"So, where is Leena the most likely place to be?" Bit climbed out of the jeep and looked at his watch. 4:30-ish. Almost dinnertime, but early enough to stop and shop at one more place. And the lucky place was…
CRASH!
"Hey, watch where you're goin'. I'm carrying some highly destructible, not to mention messy, stuff here!" At first, Bit thought it might've been Leena that he walked into without realizing it. Instead it was another girl- roughly his age. Maybe a year or two older, but not by much. Next to her was a shorter girl, with pale hair tied back high on her head and… he thought he saw pointed ears, figured out that he must have imagined them. Both were wearing relatively dark shades of clothing (green, blue, gray, black, etc.)
"Sorry, I've got something on my mind. If I broke anything, I'll pay for new ones." The girl he ran into was quite tall, with a massive amount of reddish-gold hair down past her butt. Adjusting her narrow, blue-rimmed glasses, she looked through the bag, checking the condition of… a huge cheesecake?
"No worries, it's okay. Good thing, it cost me 25 bucks." She gave a half smile.
The other rolled her eyes. "Sorry about my friend here," she said, "she tends to get cranky when she hasn't eaten anything."
"Yeah Sangi, tell the world, why don't you."
"Ehm… sorry, but I got to go find someone. Maybe I'll see you around sometime." With that, Bit walked away from the two strange girls.
"Hey Skadi?"
"Mhmmm?"
"I think you should apologize yourself."
"Nah, you did it well enough for me. Now c'mon, it's cheesecake time!"
Mumbled "Boy, she really loves that cake. Maybe a bit too much…"
"Hell yeah, and you know it! Le Gateaû du Fromage ou la Morte!!!" And the two took off into the opposite direction of Bit, with "Skadi" singing a song about traffic lights. As they were walking away, "Sangi" concluded that she would never take "Skadi" shopping again…
Sorry about that, I couldn't help it! Now, back to the REAL story…
The more Bit walked around Greendale, the more hungry he became. Of course, the encounter with the two strange girls and the cheesecake didn't help the situation much. Luckily, Bit found a nonspecific chain restaurant nearby. Simply hoping for a Burger-and-Fries-to-Go Meal, he got more than he'd hoped for…
Bit smacked his forehead. Somehow, if food was involved, Leena couldn't be far behind. He should have known this; it was almost cannon law. Nevertheless, there she was, sitting at a 2-person booth off in the corner, by herself. Leena's hair was slightly longer, and her "antennae" headpiece nowhere to be seen. In fact, she almost seemed scrubby. She was wearing a pale blue tee-shirt that was just tight enough to show her curves, and a pair of low-rise jeans. Actually, it wasn't a bad look for her, he thought.
Noticing that the restaurant was nearly full due to the dinnertime rush, he stealthily made his way over to the table (out of Leena's line of vision), he took a deep breath, thinking it was now or never.
"Ehm, excuse me Miss, but the restaurant is kinda crowded. Might I be able to sit with you?"
"Sure, I guess, I mean… wait. Bit?!?"
"Hey Leena, long time no see." Bit pulled up the chair across from the redhead. Even her makeup had been toned down…
It was hard to describe Leena's reaction. At first, it seemed like joy, then a wave of hatred, and finally annoyance. "Yeah, really."
He tried to make eye contact, and failed. She was purposely avoiding him. Ah crap. First Brad, now this…
"So, it's nice to see you again. I've heard you've made quite a name for yourself in the ZBC."
"Hmph. Nothing out of the ordinary, really…" She sighed, leaning back in her chair while crossing her arms over her chest.
"Brad told me that you've made the top 20 best Gunsniper Pilots list. Not bad."
"And did he tell you that his Naomi ranks number 3?"
"No…"
"Figures." Open mouth, insert foot. If he could just find the right words…
"Okay, I'm sorry, for what ever I did."
"You're sorry?!?" she snorted, "I bet you are. So, how long did you wait before you told us that you were leaving? 10 minutes? An hour, maybe?"
"Hey, no fair, I waited a…"
Leena cut Bit off. "Okay a day. Two, tops. If you planned on telling us at all!"
"I… what…. I mean…"
"You know, just because you technically won for us doesn't make you any more important than the rest of us. We're a team; teams communicate, Bit Cloud, C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-E. That requires talking and listening." …if she does act like her old self, face her. Don't run off. And if it comes to it, get in her face, or something appropriate… Heh, easier said than done, Brad. But Leena wasn't acting like her old self; she almost looked like she was about to cry…
"Okay, I decided to just up and go, without saying much to anyone. I'll be the first to admit it. But it's not like you've never done anything without thinking before…" Oops. There goes the other foot. Shit, he blew it again.
"What??? Did you just call me stupid?" Leena had stood up, slamming her fist into the table.
"I meant that figuratively."
"You don't need to lie; I've heard what your fan club thinks of me. I'm some kind dumb-ass Amazon woman with constant PMS.."
"But I… Hold on, I have a fan club?"
"God Damnit Bit. And they think that I'm dense. You know, I haven't got the effin' bloodiest idea why you left and could care less that you actually came back."
"Leena…"
"Shut the hell up…. I changed my mind. Why did you leave?"
Bit lowered his head, trying to find the right words. Turning to look out the window, he replied, "Because… I felt a calling… don't know what, but somehow, it brought me back just as easily as it led me off."
At first, Bit thought he saw Leena give off just the faintest smile, almost with a sense that she had returned to her old self. But, whatever it was, changed quickly into sarcasm.
"Wow, I figured that you could be more original. Then again, I've come to expect very little these days. Well, it's been a real blast, but I must be off." Having already paid for her food, she proceeded to storm off.
"Wait…" Bit's body acted on its own accord; reaching out and grabbing Leena by the arm, he pulled her close, causing her to meet him face to face.
Almost immediately, she found herself gazing to his beautiful sea-green eyes… no, this was wrong. It had to stop. "Bit, let me go, please." She used her free arm to push herself away.
"Uhm…" If he let her go, he might never be able to speak to her again. If he didn't, he wouldn't have to worry; he'd be too dead to speak. There was nothing he could do, besides watching her hurriedly run out the restaurant door. Realizing that their fight had caused nearly everyone inside to take notice, Bit paid for his food and left.
Bit shrugged, checking the rear-view mirror on the jeep. He had found Leena, and then lost her, all in a matter of about 15 minutes. Still, at least he got even a little of what was wrong. And I thought a vacation was supposed to leave one relaxed and happy. He had hurt her- bad. He could see it in the way she snapped at everything he tried to say; how she tried to avoid his eyes; the look of loneliness when hers finally made contact with his.
Fear… hatred… depression… what he saw made him want to wrap his arms around her slender body, and promise that she would never have to face life alone again. He wanted to kiss her lips, and tell her that she is loved. He wanted to wake up next to her; ready to face a new day, knowing that he could always make her happy…
Huh? Oh my God, did I really just think that?
He had to clear his head. What a funny headline that would be; "ZBC Champion Found Dead in Desert Due to Crashing Jeep Into Dune!" He figured it would also probably be on his tomb stone. Brad would make sure of it. And Leena… Argh!
Funny, 12 hours earlier and this stuff would have never crossed his mind. Sure, the random thought of being with Leena had crossed his mind on occasion, but not like this. It had to be hormones and the thought Brad had put in his head. Bit needed to get his mind on the road and off of the lovely redhead.
He managed to drive for an hour, rarely thinking of anything Leena related. He blasted the radio, tried to create a Haiku (it was desperation- Look! A golden dune,/ Taller than any other./ I really hate sand.) and counted every bird and cactus he saw (4 and 23 ½ ). But apparently, as much as the Goddess of Luck was a fan, the Goddess of Fate must have liked Vega Obscura instead.
Passing a person wearing a gray sweatshirt with the hood up over her head, as well as waving a sloppily written sign (most likely written with lipstick) saying "Zoid Broken! I'll trade Foods for Rid Home!!!" he stopped. Being the nice guy he thought he was, he thought he'd rack up some community service points.
"Hey need a hand? Umm… Uh oh…"
"You've got to be kidding!" Leena Tauros looked even more pissed than in the restaurant.
Did Hell freeze over, or something?
"… Is everything alright?"
"What do you think?"
"Well, you're holding a poorly-spelled sign stating that your Gunsniper is somehow busted, and are willing to give out food for a ride home."
"Nice, Captain Obvious. At least you can read."
"No, seriously. Are you okay? Did you get hurt, or something? Is there anything I can do? I'll take a look at your 'Sniper if you want."
"No, I'll wait for the next traveler, thanks." She turned around and started to stomp off in no general direction.
"I can't let you do that. Who knows when that will be. And what if it's some kind of pervert that stops? Or Harry Champ? At least let me drive you back to the base."
Leena paused. "…Alright. You have a point. A ride home, and that's it. Let me just get some stuff out of the cockpit, and we can go."
"And I'll throw in a look at your Zoid for free."
"Whatever. Just don't break anything else. And Bit,"
"Mhmm?"
"Don't make anything of this. When this is over, I never want to see you again. Clear?"
Bit flashed a peace sign and the same cheesy grin from earlier. "Crystal."
"So, let me get this strait. Somehow, you were on your way back home to the base, when your Zoid simply froze. No accidents, no battle, it just froze." The two of them were walking back to the jeep. Leena was walking, with her hands stuffed into the pockets of her Hoodie; the hood had since been pulled down. Bit walked next to her, on the left. For the most part, his head was turned away, as to keep Leena out of his sight line.
"Yeah. That's it. Sure, I accidentally slammed my fist into one of the control panels…"
"You're kidding."
"Nope. And I expect you to pay for it. You made me pissed, so you caused me to slam my fist into the control panel." She snickered.
Sigh "I guess I owe you that much." Bit smiled. The old Leena seemed to be trying to make a well-needed comeback.
"Damn strait. So we'll head back, and I'll send someone out to fix my Gunsniper in the morning."
"Sounds like a plan. And I'll go sleep in the Hangar."
"It's a deal. Ehm… maybe you could sleep on the couch. An eye for an eye, as they say."
"Strange, I always thought that that was meant for revenge."
"Who says you'll sleep well? Mwahaahaa!" Leena threw her head back in mock laughter.
"Oh no, I'm soooo frightened." He couldn't help but watch the woman he remembered, desperately looking for some way to beat off what surely was destroying her.
"You should be. I have so many ways to torture you that I have been itching to try out."
Bit's mind started to wander off into the possibilities of torture, and not all of them exactly normal. Then again… Bit quickly shook his head. No, you idiot, get your mind out of the gutter…
"Bit, what is it?"
"Nothing. Just thinking…. Shit. Shit! SHIT!!!" Coming in sight of the jeep, the two teens found the vehicle smoking.
"Okay, what the Hell?!?"
"My thoughts exactly." Apparently, due to the fact that he forgot to turn off the jeep, the radiator overheated. Not that it couldn't be fixed; he had to let it cool off for a while before he could deal with it. (A/N- I know absolutely NOTHING about cars and/or engines!) Fate wasn't done with Bit yet.
"You know, you are an idiot."
"So I've been told. Many times." After about a minute of awkward silence (and Bit waiting in fear for a patented Leena Tauros Death Blow) the two burst out in hysterical laughter.
"You… Dumbass!…"
"I know…"
"You actually… forgot…."
"To turn off… the jeep…"
"Good Lord!…"
"If I don't stop, I'll pee my pants…"
"Now that's what we need. "
"You know… we're stuck here… for a while…"
"At least… we're stuck together…" The laughter came to a sudden halt.
"Wha?…"
Leena blushed profusely. "What I mean is, at least neither one of us is stuck here alone."
"Ehm… Right." I think it's because she really cared for you. Well…
"So, what are we going to do now?"
"I dunno…"
" I have emergency food in the 'Sniper."
"And I think there's a portable campfire thingy in the jeep."
"It'll be a sleepover party."
"In the middle of the desert. Wow, this is pathetic. But there's nothing we can do. Unless you have a cell phone with you."
"Nope."
"Wahoo." Bit concluded that this was getting way too odd. Too much of today was coincidental. And there was nothing he could do but to let whatever's going to happen, happen; yet, he wasn't about to give up without a fight. He gave an imaginary middle finger to Fate, concluding that he'll never act on any random impulses ever again.
(A/N- I have no way to pass time, so that's what these thingies mean… At this point, the story is 13 pages typed, so deal with it.)
Bit was sitting in front of the temporary cooking source, realizing that he hadn't heard much from "the call" in the past few hours, when Leena let out a high-pitched scream.
"GOD DAMNIT!!!!!!"
Jolting from his daze, he turned to where his red-haired counterpart was almost to the point of having a conniption fit. "Are you okay?" He called to her, fearing that she was seriously injured.
"I RUINED MY HOODIE!!!!" On further inspection, he noticed a large red stain on the front of the sweatshirt; probably some of the fruit juice that she bought.
Sweatdrop "Is that all?"
"What do you mean? It's a designer Hoodie. Great, 50 dollars down the porcelain throne."
"But, you're unharmed, right?"
"Yeah?"
Putting his arms behind his head, he looked up at the stars and replied, "Then that's all that matters." It had been a few hours since he came across Leena. The sun had fallen behind some distant sand dunes, and the twin Zian moons had replaced it. One was full, giving the sky the usual greenish tint. The other was a Crescent, soon to become a New Moon.
"But it's designer…" Leena whined. It was no use to try to convince Bit otherwise. Pulling off the offending sweatshirt and eyeing the blonde boy, she considered strangling him with the Hoodie, but figured that it would be a waste of energy on her part. Instead, she plopped herself down next to Bit and copied his position.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing really. Just thinking."
"About what?"
Let me see; I've been wandering throughout the continent for six months at the whim of some force calling me, but when I get back here, all I can think about is you. No, seriously. "Not much…" Yep, and my name is Van Flyheight.
"Oh."
"The stars are pretty tonight." And the conversation had died off, for better or for worse.
"I know."
"They kind of remind me of a story my Dad used to tell me."
"Really? Tell it, I'm all ears."
"Well, you know humans used to live on a planet called "Earth", right?"
Leena smirked. "Duh. That's basic ancient history. Of course everyone knows that."
"Oh yeah… ehm… that aside, There is much mythos surrounding Earthan culture. One involves a story about a massive Metropolis called New York City. It was one of the most important cities on Earth. Being such an important city, it used up great amounts of power. The power system was connected to hundreds of others all across the Continent. One very hot day, the power for the whole city went completely caput. The people of the city were able to see the stars brightly that night for the first time in over a hundred years, because all the people needed power and light to see and do things. The real cool thing is, that you'd think that such a Massive city in such a situation, there would be chaos. But there was hardly any crime or violence that night."
"Despite the fact that you sounded like an eight-year-old while telling it, that was a pretty cool story. Your Dad told you that?"'
"He was a Professor of Ancient Earthan History and Culture."
"It's weird to imagine a massive city like that without power. I can't even picture Romeo City that way."
"That's nothing, compared to some of the other stuff that happened on Earth."
"You never talked about your family much."
"Not much to talk about. My dad's a professor, my mom's a "Domestic Goddess", as she calls it and I am an only child, at least to her. They divorced when I was 10. The two of them just couldn't make the marriage work. My mother got to maintain custody of me, because she found work at a Daycare service when I went to school. After about 4 years, we lost contact with my father, but I heard a rumor that he remarried and now I have a stepsister.
"After a while, I became restless, and took off to become a scrap dealer- I'd send a fourth of my income home to mom. I was about 16 at the time. I actually stopped to see her right after I left for my vacation; she's doing pretty well. She was overjoyed that I had become a famous Zoid Pilot, and said that I should start sending her a third of my wages instead, à la Brad. You know the rest of my story."
"A wandering junk dealer stumbles his way into the middle of a Zoid battle in a small trailer truck with stealth capabilities, and proceeds to throw the battle, get himself captured, discovers an Ultimate X Zoid, and manages to drag his team up into S-class in a matter of months. Then he disappears into the wilderness, doing God knows what, but slinks back six months later, hoping in vain that things will return to normal. I believe that's the rest of your story."
"I told you I was sorry. If I knew that some time off would have ruffled so many feathers, I would have never left."
Was he really that dense? Leena turned head enough so she could see the blonde boy out the corner of her eye. Or maybe he truly meant what he said. He looked like he had much on his mind. What could he be thinking about?
"You could have told us earlier, and that would have been alright."
Bit sat up. "I know. But did you ever have the feeling that there was something that you knew or sensed that you just had to do or you'd be tormented for the rest of your life? In a way, that's kind of what made me leave. I couldn't deny the pull that I was feeling. So I left."
"You're not the only person to ever have feelings like that, ya know. We all get them at some time or another. They're induced by different things, but the feeling is still the same. The problem is that your own impulse threw of too many other people's. You didn't know, and I'm sorry for biting off your head earlier about it."
"A reaction to an impulse, maybe?"
"I guess wanting to strangle you to death with my sweatshirt counts as an impulse that I chose not to act upon."
Sarcastically "Yeah, that's a lovely sentiment." Both let out a laugh at the thought of Leena attempting to kill Bit with the punch-stained hoodie.
"It wouldn't happen, though."
"And why couldn't it?"
"You'd miss me too much."
"Yeah, I'd have to find a new punching bag."
"Hey! I have to mean more to you than that…"
"It's been too quiet around the base lately. You added some excitement to the mix."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, I really missed your cookies. I had to have one before I came… To… find…. Crap. "
"You WHAT?"
Whimper "They were excellent?!?"
"BIT CLOUD!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!"
"Eep!"
The chase was on. Bit was on his feet first, sprinting off in the general direction of the Gunsniper. Leena wasn't far behind; her feet making contact with the desert would have been audible if it wasn't for Bit screaming like a little girl. After about ten minutes of dashing around the immediate desert…
"CLOUD, DIE!!!" Leena was right on Bit's heals the whole time, and he was starting to wear down. Being close enough to lunge for his jacket, Leena felt the fabric in her hand. (AN- Hey look! Another cliché!!! This story is crawling with them ; ) As soon as she made contact, Bit lost footing, and began to fall, pulling down the fuming redhead on top of him. He had managed to somehow turn around as he hit the sand, causing Leena to fall haphazardly in such a way that their faces ended up mere inches from each other.
His eyes instinctively shut as his head make contact with the soft ground beneath him. When they reopened, he found himself staring directly into twin amethysts, and a pair of ruby lips were of little distance from his own. Both were blushing furiously. Almost all of the last few minutes were, at least temporarily, forgotten. Neither knew what to do. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, a little voice screamed "Yes!" Images floated through his head of what could happen next; the vast majority of them somehow leading to sex… He had to get up, but was pinned down by Leena, unable to move. She was hardly heavy at all. It was more like he was afraid to move too much in such a position. Little did he know that Leena was having similar thoughts.
Bit finally spoke first. "Ehm… Leena… you kinda have to get up first…"
"Wha?… Oh, um… right…" She slowly pushed herself off of Bit, almost unable to break visual contact. Both faces were still red. As she got up and moved away from the still stunned blonde, he sat up, brushing sand from his hair and jacket.
"Well then…"
For a time afterwards, there was silence between the pair. Neither had any idea what to say about the situation. The cookie chase before was a minor skirmish, now an unimportant non-event. Neither could rid themselves of the sensation of being so physically close. Bit had moved some distance from Leena; He found himself deep in thought, and Leena was doing what she could not to look over at Bit. Cooking Ramen over the makeshift stove (it was the only thing bought at the store that was remotely feasible to be cooked in the middle of the desert) in a baking tin bought for cake making at a later date, the faint scent of oriental seasoning filled the air. Not a horrible smell, but not the best, either. Finishing relatively quick, he broke off 2 plastic spoons from the lids of yogurt cups, and, using multiple sheets of paper towels as potholders, carried the pan over to the redhead.
Leena was tracing pictures in the sand with her index finger to pass the time. She had made what appeared to be some form of landscape. She was also shivering. The temperature had started dropping hours ago; it must have been in the upper 40's (AN- Just assume Zi has adopted the Fahrenheit temperature scale…). Stealthily sneaking up behind her, he placed the Ramen in front of her and his jacket over her shoulders. Handing her one of the pathetic excuses for a spoon, he added (in a psudo-French accent), "Voila mademoiselle, your Diner iz served. Bon Apetit," and sat down next to her.
"Mmm, Ramen. What a feast."
"Just remember to tip your waiter."
"I think he's already been tipped plenty. And what's with you giving me your jacket? Aren't you cold?"
"I like the cold. Besides, you're the one shivering." Bit smiled, attempting to twirl a few of the noodles around the spoon, with little luck. "Damnit, I missed."
"I… I don't get you. You are dense, oblivious, moronic; at the same time you're one of the friendliest, sweetest guys I have ever met."
"Someone once said to me, 'Hakuna Matata'. It's supposed to be an old Earthan saying that means 'No Worries'. It obviously doesn't work all the time, but it helps. Being depressed and pissy all the time isn't good for you. As for being sweet, I dunno. I eat a lot of sugar? Heh, I know, how original. Beats me…"
Leena pulled the jacket tighter around her shoulders, and tried to accomplish what Bit had failed to do. No luck, until she got an idea.
"Bit, give me your spoon for a second."
"…Sure…" Taking the second spoon, she levered a few strands of noodles just above the liquid surface, and used the other to hold the noodles still as she twirled the former. When done, she triumphantly took the first bite of the Ramen.
"Not bad, Bit. It tastes pretty good, at least as Ramen goes."
"Not bad yourself. Very clever."
"it's all a matter of Hakuna Matata."
"I guess. Now fork over the spoons, 'cause I'm hungry."
"Haven't you ever heard of ladies first?"
"But you had lunch. I didn't."
"And you had one of my cookies. It's only fair."
"Life's not fair."
"Exactly. Slurp Mmm, soo good…"
"Have a heart, woman."
"I'd love to, but not 'till after dinner."
"But Leena…"
"No!" Leena watched a dejected Bit mumble something about he was the one that made the Ramen. The whole scene was reminiscent of a seven-year-old moping in the corner because he had to share his favorite toy.
"…Here. I was kidding. We'll share. You have a few bites, I'll have a few, we'll all be happy!"
"Yay!!!" Bit grabbed the spoons from her hands, and managed to stuff a good fifth of the pan into his mouth with one go. That's how dinner went. Leena took a few scoops, and Bit stuffed his face. Repeat steps one and two a few times. With the Ramen gone, the teens split a pack of orange TicTacs, to rid themselves of the aftertaste. Fate must have let Hakuna Matata take the reins for a while.
INSERT IMAGINARY COMMERCIAL BREAK HERE!
C'mon, you know you wanna! Hmmm… Dancing… Potatoes!?! Now, back to our regularly scheduled Zoids Fanfic…
Curious as to what time it was, Bit looked at his watch. "How did it get to be 10:30?" He scratched his head.
"Well, when you found me in Greendale, the sun was just starting to set, so it kind of makes sense."
"So, what are we going to do now?"
"I'm not really tired yet."
"Ditto."
"It'd probably be a good idea to figure out where we're gonna sleep, though."
"As far as I can tell, we have three choices: we could sleep on the ground, cram ourselves into the cockpit of the 'Sniper, or the jeep."
"I'll take door number three, Mr. Cloud."
Bit smiled. "Just what I was thinking. Now that that's settled, how do we kill an hour?"
Leena had moved herself away from the fire, having spread the emergency blanket in the jeep out so she and Bit could relax without covering themselves in sand. "We could keep asking each other questions. You know, figuring that about half of our conversation today must be in the form of a question…"
"What do you mean, like truth-or-dare?" He had joined her on the blanket, positioning himself comfortably on the opposite corner.
Leena slapped her forehead. "Yes Bit, like truth-or-dare. But that's not exactly what I was thinking; I figured they would be more on the lines of "would you rather…?" or "If you…?". If I was going to humiliate you through truth or dare, we'd need more witnesses. "
"And by that, I assume you mean Brad."
"Maybe…"
"For the record, the two of us are going to play a question game made up by young teenage girls at sleepover parties, talking about hell knows what, so we can kill another hour before we're off to dreamland."'
"Umm… yep, that's about right. I'll pretend you're a young teenage girl, if you want."
"Thanks but no thanks," Bit shook his head, "I feel pretty attached to my masculinity as of the moment."
"Let's start off small. Boxers or Briefs?"
"Wha?"
"I'm tired of the pointless rambling, so I started already. Now, answer my question."
"And this isn't pointless rambling? Briefs, I guess."
"Now you ask me one."
"Sneakers or sandals?"
"Couldn't you be a wee bit more original than that? It depends on the time of the year, but probably sneakers. If you had to give up all your senses but one, which one would you want to keep? Mind you, if you give up hearing, you're deaf, if you give up touch, you are completely paralyzed, and so on. And explain why."
"And boxers or briefs is original? Woah," he scratched his head, "…tough question. I think I'd want to keep my hearing. Taste and smell are really useless senses when it comes to normal functioning, and I could probably deal with being blind. Touch would be hard to give up; I couldn't move, couldn't feel warmth or cold, physical pain, or the feel of the wind across my face. I wouldn't be able to pilot the Liger, and my sex life would cease to exist, if I had one, that was. But as long as I could hear, I would know that I wasn't alone. Then there's always music. And despite the fact that I probably couldn't talk, I could at least make some kind of noise- you know, a grunt- in response. I don't think I'd be able to survive in silence. You, same question."
Leena really didn't expect an answer so deep, let alone having to answer back. "Well… I… Umm… I guess I'd hope to keep my sense of touch, assuming that I'd be able to move around. I agree with you about the taste and smell thing. Yet, I know that people have lived their lives both deaf and blind. I'd probably have to be led around like a five year old for the majority of my life, but you gave my reasons for wanting to keep my sense of touch. It would still be possible for me to one day to have children and… enjoy the process that leads to doing so. Although I would never be able to see them or hear their voices, I could still hug them or tuck them in at night, and let them know I love them."
"Let's make a deal. If you ever find yourself in such a situation, I'll promise to lead you around like that little five year old, until Mr. Right comes along."
"And I swear that I'll be there to change the radio station, or push your wheelchair for you, until… you know what I mean."
"Leena?"
"Hmm?"
I swear I'll be your Mr. Right if you ever get into such a situation. "…Thanks." Bit extended a hand. Leena took it, grinning.
"'Welcome. And Bit?"
"Yeah?" He broke the handshake.
You could be my Mr. Right if you wanted to. "Jamie's apple pie or my chocolate oatmeal cookies?"
"Is there a way to answer this without threat of death?"
"It depends on how you answer."
"Eep."
The Q & A was more or less the same for a little while; as every round of the game went on, the questions started to get more intense. More, and more, and more, until…
"Leena, have… have you ever been in love before?" It had to come out, sooner or later. And Bit figured that he better be the one to ask. Although there was still a way for her to counter the question, he didn't want to say something that he didn't mean.
"Why?"
Cough "I dunno, I guess I'm curious."
"Well, I've definitely had my fair share of crushes. But… I think… that yes, I can say that I have." She had put herself in a reclining position, supporting herself with her arms behind her. Leena turned her head away from Bit, looking up at the stars.
"What's he like?"
"You know, it's none of your business. Besides, it's my turn to ask the question."
"Shoot."
"Bit… could you… might you… possibly… ever consider… the idea that we…" Leena stopped when she felt a hand lightly grab hers.
"It's really strange. When I first met you, it was you bringing me food after I caused you guys to blow that battle. After that, I could never really figure you out. You used me as bait, nearly broke my back on multiple occasions, and had no problem with blowing me up if it gave you the win. Despite how many death threats you would give me for simply stealing a cookie, you grew on me. By the time I left, you had not only let me into your family, I was family.
"Honestly, it hardly even phased me at the time that you and I might have any form of a romantic relationship. Not that it never went through my head; there were a couple of times where I considered asking you out on a date, just for the hell of it. Maybe I feared your (or your brother's) wrath. Who knows.
"Then, something gets put into my head to go off on a journey. I was stupid to think that nobody would care if I was there or not. I was another mouth to feed, another mess to clean up after, I was only good for winning money, or I was simply an annoyance.
"When I came back, I learned two things. First, thinking that I wouldn't be missed was bullshit. It was obvious as soon as I walked into the base. And then I learned something that completely shocked me, and I couldn't believe I was so blind as to miss it.
"The problem is, when I found this out, I started having thoughts that were never present before; I imagined scenarios that I never thought possible, and felt certain emotions that I had no idea that I felt.
"Leena, Brad told me that he thought you might have feelings for me. In doing so, I started to question how much I really care for you. But, since I have never had these feelings towards you before, I'm afraid that this… this isn't real. My heart is screaming "I love you", while my brain is warning me that it's all hormones.
"But I know one thing. I do care for you. Greatly. I'm just not sure if these feelings are platonic or more. In case that my feelings are really the former and not the latter, I ask for a few days to try to figure this all out. I don't want to hurt you; I've already done that to you enough." It was as if something had put the speech into his head. Bit had no idea where that came from.
By the end of the speech, Leena had scooted herself over so that she was sitting next to Bit. Putting her head on his shoulder, she replied, "I'm sorry for all the hell I caused you in the past. At first, what I was doing to you I really meant. But, after a while, all of the shit I pulled was so I could get a rise out of you. Maybe it was because you had taken Leon's place. But one day, it all clicked. I suddenly found myself wanting to spend time with you, which became longing.
"When you left, I was crushed. You… took off, before I had a chance to say anything. I became lonely, probably even depressed. The team was falling apart without you. Brad was spending more and more time with Naomi, Jamie was becoming more and more unstable, Leon and even Harry seemed to be somewhat out of it- you know, no rival, nothing to do. Who knew that we all depended on the cocky blonde pilot from hell-knows-where that managed to become one of the best Zoid pilots on Zi.
"It was at this point that I realized how much I truly cared, and yes, eventually loved you. I retracted into myself, hoping that maybe one day, you'll come back. At first, I had one of those fairy tale images of the two of us running into each other's arms, which would turn into a passionate kiss. I know, it's very sappy. But that too, soon faded away, and I was left with nothing.
"Then, you walk into that restaurant this afternoon, acting like nothing had happened, wanting all to be right with the world again. It was as if the hope of you sharing how I feel was a balloon that inflated too quickly and then burst from the pressure."
"Adjusting herself so she could look directly into Bit's eyes, she continued, "I want to thank you for what you just told me, and know that no matter how you feel for me, I will always love you. I know that we're still teens. We have so much life to live yet. But I can't make you love me in return, especially under these conditions. Just don't leave me alone like you did…" The redhead threw her arms around Bit's middle and started to sob.
"I know, I know." He said softly, returning the embrace, letting her cry into his chest. "I promise I won't leave you alone again." Kissing her lightly on the top of her head, he held her in silence, until she fell asleep.
The rays of the early morning sun beamed into Leena's eyes, causing her to wake. Looking around, she found herself in the back of the jeep, wrapped up in the emergency blanket. Bit had reclined the passenger side's seat (her head was on the driver's side) and was currently curled up reminiscent of a cat, facing her. His watch, luckily readable by Leena in his current position, read 7:06 AM.
At first, she thought about waking him with a kiss; sure, it was reversing the roles, but it was romantic, in a cute but cheesy sort-of way. But another idea got the best of her. Quietly positioning her mouth over Bit's ear, she said musically, "Good morning, my dear Bit!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" CLUNK! "OOOWWWWHHHHHHH" "Whimper" Utterly startled, Bit screamed and attempted to sit up, but his skull made contact with Leena's chin.
"Are you okay? You didn't bite your tongue or anything, did you?"
"No, it was the initial shock, more than anything. Speaking of shock…"
"I'll fine. Damn, even your jaw hurts me. Oh, and good morning to you too."
"You know, that really felt pretty good, scaring the crap out of you like that."
"Although the feeling in your jaw probably says otherwise..." The pair laughed.
Bit sat up and stretched. "Well, I guess I'd better check the jeep, in case of the off-chance that our problem is more than the radiator overheating."
"Sounds good. You… um… want your jacket back?"
"No, you hold on to it until we get back to the base."
"Alright then."
Sure enough, to the luck of the two teens, the problem was solely the radiator. They cleaned up the leftovers from the night before, and drove the two hours back to the base in silence. Almost immediately upon returning, Brad (whom remarked that he had a wonderful night with his fiancé) and the Doc boarded the Hover Cargo and picked up the Gunsniper. Despite the minor repairs, Bit still was required to pay for the damages. Not having the money to do so personally, he rejoined the Blitz team, causing a general feeling of excitement to resound through the base. Leena was overjoyed. Even Brad, in a minor slump due to the cut of his earnings, was glad to see him back on the team.
(A/N-This one should be the last of the time jumps)
A few weeks had passed. The excitement (along with the force) had died down, but the sense of happiness never left. Bit single-handedly won his first S-Class battle for the Blitz team. If it wasn't for the fact that the teammates were starting to go their separate ways, it would have been like old times. But what Leena had told him was right; it could never be the same way it was before he left. Brad would be leaving for good within the next year, and Wild Eagle might be about to disappear completely. And as for him and Leena? He still wasn't sure how he really felt. He had spent more than one sleepless night listening to his heart and brain arguing over the matter.
One afternoon, Bit found himself wandering into the kitchen, looking for a snack. He had missed lunch, and dinner was still a ways off. The aroma of freshly baked cookies floated through the air. Mmmmm, peanut butter and chocolate, he thought. This particular scent was one of his favorites, and it was always better when Leena made them. Funny, with all her masculine habits, somehow she had learned the ability to make the best cookies on Zi, at least in his opinion.
From the minute he picked up one of her cookies, he knew his answer. Why it came to him from simply picking up a cookie, he didn't know. It wasn't the cookie that decided it for him, though. Fate had a strange way of telling him things.
"Drop it, now!" Growled a familiar voice. Dare he face her wrath? Better yet, use it to his advantage.
"Oh, um… Hey Leena. Your cookies smelled really good, and I couldn't help myself," he half-faked, gently placing the cookie back on the sheet.
"Tsk tsk, my dear, haven't you learned your lesson yet? I thought you knew that it's not always… healthy… to act on impulse." She had slowly been taking a few steps closer to him with every few words. Bit backed into the wall nearby; she had forced him to, blocking his escape.
"But, they taste so good. I don't know how I survived without them for the past few months. If I had known how much I would miss them, I would have hoarded them when I had the chance."
"There's the problem. You're eating my cookies. I baked them for myself. You should at least ask before taking them. Maybe I'd let you have one."
Did she catch what he was throwing? Taking a breath, he realized what he had to do. "But, you never let me know. You always chased after me before I could ask you." He pushed himself off of the wall, and put his arms around the redhead, pulling her into a tight embrace. "But, maybe we could share them. And, who knows; maybe some day you can teach me how to make them for myself."
"B…Bit? What are you…. Wait…." Her face turned almost as red as her hair.
"I figured it out. You want to guess which one?"
"I think I know, but I better make sure." As their lips met, Leena wrapped her arms around his neck and started to run her fingers through his already messy blonde hair. His arms, placed around her waist pulled her even closer. As kisses went, this one was rather chaste, but it contained as much passion as one belonging to the most experienced of lovers. The only reason they broke the kiss was so that they could breathe.
"Is that your final answer?"
"Bit Cloud, you're an idiot."
"But, I'm your idiot, no?"
"Man, I came out to get a teaspoon of sugar for my coffee. If I wanted the whole bag, I'd have gone to the store first." Brad stood in the doorway, smirking and chuckling lightly to himself. Both Bit and Leena pushed each other away, looking as if their faces were sunburned.
"No, no. Carry on. I didn't mean to interrupt anything. Sure, the kitchen isn't the best place for a romantic interlude, but it was bound to happen sooner or later." Brad walked over to the cabinet, pulled out a spoon and the sugar bowl, added sugar to his coffee, put the bowl back and the spoon in the sink, and proceeded to walk out of the kitchen. The whole time, there was an awkward silence. Not turning around, he added, "And kids, don't forget to use a condom" and walked out of the kitchen.
"Umm… blink blink What the hell just happened?"
"You told me how much you love me using cookie metaphors, Brad interrupted our first make-out session, he gave his blessing, and then warned us to use protection. All in the span of about five minutes, I believe."
"This coming from the guy who got popped the question after dating the woman for only six months."
"Yeah, he developed quite a peculiar sense of humor while you were gone as well…"
Bit pulled Leena back into a position similar to before they were interrupted. Placing his forehead against hers, he whispered, "Hey, stranger things have happened."
"Really." She returned, smiling. "I love you, Bit Cloud."
"I love you too, Leena Tauros." Leaning into their second kiss, he realized that this was what he was trying to find, all along.
FIN!!!!!!!
OH MY EFFIN' GOD! I don't know what to do right now! Should I rejoice, seeing that I actually finished this? Or should I go vomit, seeing as I made this so sugary that it turns my stomach (hence the Brad joke near the end)?
Damn, I forgot about the reformating when this uploads... adjustsusing quickedit just before posting!!!
Nevertheless, I am completely astounded that I wrote this, in it's entirety, all 26 pages of it (I said it was going to be a one-shot…), in a matter of a month and a half. It probably sucks to high heaven. I, in all 19 years of my life, have never even had a boyfriend, so all the fluff is pretty much based off of movies and fanfiction that I have read (If you like fluff, go see Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" and then read the fanfics. They're pretty good, but most are fluff-heavy.). I consider myself a comedy writer, and usually avoid certain genres like angst and romance.
In regards to the characters: Despite the utter randomness of the Cheesecake scene, based off of myself (Skadi- yes, I really have three feet of strawberry blonde hair) and Sangi, AKA Malsangaiel, the half muse half voice in my head (who is an elf, BTW- Bit's not hallucinating, although I wouldn't put it past him to do so), I have decided to set up a pattern in my fics. This just happens to be the first one, do ignore it if you want. Also, not including Sangi and myself, did anybody notice that only three people have speaking lines throughout the whole story? That was completely unintentional. I swear I didn't mean for it to happen… And the ramen scene is indirectly based off of how my younger brother (although 17 and not 7), and I would act in such a position. Yes, both the "Hakuna Matata' and 'We'll all be happy!/Yay!' are a commonplace within our conversations.
Almost done here. I love just about every character in this show (except for Harry). But Bit and especially Brad are my favorites by far. Brad's probably on my "Top Ten Bishounen" list, and I love the sound of Bit's (also Inuyasha's, among others) voice. I 'Heart' Richard Cox! Dunno why I really like the chars themselves; I am a big fan of the "stereotyped" Loner and Dreamer characters, so it kinda makes sense.
I have no idea how much I will be able to write next semester. I am a freshmen Music Ed. Major, which means I take at least 10 classes a semester (I hate 1 and ½ credit courses). And, besides the 11 classes I know I will be taking, one of them (somehow) is Honor's English composition II. I am honestly shocked about the fact that I was placed in there, seeing that I averaged a C in English in high school. Then again, I'm acing English Comp 1... So, god knows when or what I will be writing next (besides one current project). I either want to write a Low Fluff Spirited Away fic, or something involving Invader Zim…
Okay, now I'm done. I have to go write the second chapter for my omni-crossover fic (I thought I swore to stop writing multi chapter tales, but I couldn't resist!) It sucks at the moment, but I'm attempting to introduce chars into the story right now. Who knows who will show up… whistles.…
And Happy Chrismahanakwanzakah (and other various holidays indigenous to this time of year) to all, and to all a good night!!!
Skadi Hime