It was pitch black in the dense forest, navigation only possible thanks to the Fox's sensors. Between the dark and blowing snow, any other Zoid would've found these conditions not just difficult, but impossible.
Brad was tired, both mentally and physically.
"Fox. Are you sure y-"
Mental rebuke. Brad just wanted a reprieve from the intense anxiety the Fox was drowning him in: he had enough to deal with. The Mackaray base was underground, and in this weather nothing sane would dare rise to the surface.
Brad sighed. This was now simply a cold, annoying exercise keeping him from sleep. Worse: it was inflicting this same unnecessary punishment on Naomi.
The Shadow Fox stopped, looked around. Listened carefully. Its agitation became more honed, and Brad found it more easily understood as it gained focus - and speed.
They'd been right though. The surrounding terrain, snow-coated or not, was familiar to the Fox. Whatever this was, it was definitely coming from the Mackaray Base.
The Zoids there were in severe distress. They were trapped. They were scared. The Fox didn't like that.
But scared of what?
"They're Backdraft Zoids." Brad mumbled, both over the comms and in acknowledgment to the Fox. "Backdraft's obviously abandoned the place, and probably left them there. Who-"
The Shadow Fox brusquely reminded Brad that it was a Backdraft Zoid.
"Not anymore you aren't." Brad growled. "Just because you were built there doesn't mean-"
The Fox squinted into the cockpit. Did Brad really want to go that route?
Per that logic, if these Zoids were freed they wouldn't be Backdraft Zoids anymore either. Look, additional problems solved! Even better, right?
Brad sighed, unable to complete a single thought or sentence, and far too tired to argue. "Fine, whatever. Can we at least see to this in the morning? It's garbage out. I'm beat."
Something about urgency. Something now. Something-
It hit him in an instant, between one of the Fox's footfalls and the next. Sickening, exhilarating, consuming. That deep, sinking pain in his chest. Brad doubled over, harness the only thing that kept his face from smacking into the steering column.
He took a few moments to catch his shuddering breath.
They weren't just dealing with Zoids. The Fury was nearby.
"Backdraft Zoids?" Naomi finally acknowledged over the comms. She'd stayed back as instructed, well out of sight. "Who cares?"
Brad sucked in an annoyed breath, still trying to process what he'd felt.
Why would the damn black Organoid be around? He blinked hard, trying to force calm.
"Fox does."
"...right."
The Fox now had complete confidence that it'd been hearing only Zoids: there was no pilot chatter. Brad relayed this. "There's been no other comm activity in this region besides the Fuma Team for a bit." He paused, then added for reassurance: "I checked the logs in the Whale King."
The Fox mentally side-eyed Brad for omitting his suspicion of the Fury's presence.
Brad side-eyed it right back. He wasn't sure. He did feel some apprehension, being back in range of the Mackaray base. Maybe he was just responding to that. The bad memories were indeed bad. Perhaps some echo of the beast remained in the area. Who knew.
Besides, Naomi was already stressed enough by all what'd gone on. He was certain he and the Fox could handle whatever the issue was. And why on Zi would it - One - be out here? It wouldn't be.
"Okay." Naomi said, uneasy and tired. "Visibility's shit but I can still keep an eye out with IR. Stay in touch."
Brad nodded.
The Shadow Fox suspected that an exit it remembered was nearby, but had difficulty finding it. Between the scrutiny of a man's keen eyes and a Zoid's sensors, the two found the exit - or what was left of it.
It'd been blasted out, melted shut.
A low whine. The Fox scraped at the solid mass blocking the way, confused. It considered its weapons, pondering the pros and cons of their use.
Brad shook his head. "Not happening. Don't draw attention. Find somewhere else."
It agreed, reluctantly. Now properly oriented with the base's location, the Shadow Fox quickly made its way between the various openings into a structure it knew well. But each location told a similar tale: every entrance and exit had been blasted into collapse, melted shut.
Simple access into this mountain base was clearly a thing of the past.
Brad produced a cigarette, lit it, and took a long, irritable drag. "Come on, you idiot. If we just wait until daylight, this'll be easier."
Even at this range Brad had no ability to directly pick up the clamor so badly agitating his Zoid, but its upset reached him loud and clear. The Fox snarled its frustration.
"Please, Fox. Give it a rest. Let's just-"
It began bounding up a rocky mountainside, as only it could. Laser claws flared to life, needed for traction against the ice.
"Sure. Whatever. I'm only the fucking pilot." Brad leaned back in his seat, testily took his hands off the controls, and exhaled smoke. "Where are you going?"
The Shadow Fox reached a ledge and rotated tightly. It gazed down into the snow-torn darkness, able to precisely assess the terrain below with its many sensors.
"Fox..."
It reflected cleverness. Then leapt.
"FOX-"
Calculations were its specialty.
Not that every value was guaranteed, but estimates were usually close enough. It used its weight, its laser claws, a precise angle and the jump's momentum to drive itself at an edge of one of the sealed tunnels.
The melted parts held fast, but the juncture between it and the rock above the intact corridor couldn't deal with the slam of a Zoid's weight. The ground buckled inwards, and the Fox fumbled to a halt, scrambling for traction as rock and dirt rolled in behind it.
Then it stood, victorious, in the corridor. At Brad, it reflected smug satisfaction.
Brad sighed, but smirked. "Asshole."
Like pilot, like Zoid.
"I choose to take that as a compliment."
Their amusement abruptly died as the two now heard the echoed screeching of terrified Zoids.
The Shadow Fox's ears swept back.
Vega grinned down into the darkness as he watched One. The Organoid had become overall less ravenous, more selective, more interested in toying with the hangar full of doomed Zoids. The child found it interesting that the Zoids grouped by type, and that said types seemed to have some vague, instinctual idea of how to ward off a predator.
But it was only that. Vague, Incomplete. These were Zoids long removed from wild stock, bred into tools for humans. Nothing else.
One enjoyed their terror, enjoyed watching them bunch away, bristling and keening with fear. The Zoids didn't truly understand the nature of the threat they faced, but they had all been watching it kill their companions. They weren't stupid.
One glanced up at Vega, gratified to see that he also found this entertaining. It at last made a selection and slipped into an unlucky Heldigunner's Zoid's Core chamber.
Despite their fear, not one of these Zoids possessed the will to decline One when it asked. A split-second mental handshake, and their life was effectively over.
One sank its teeth into the Heldigunner's glistening Core, ripping out and bolting down a few crunchy mouthfuls. Beneath their inner shells, Cores had the texture of a thick, grainy warm jelly - and it was this substance One greedily consumed, its snout shoved into the hole it'd made.
The Heldigunner didn't live much longer.
Vega hummed to himself and leaned on the rail above, basking in the contentment One shared. Much preferable to the sear of starvation, the constant gnaw of hunger that the Organoid's presence always seemed to incur.
Vega paused, squinting.
He suddenly couldn't remember if he'd eaten anything for the past few days.
The Fox crouched, frozen in the dark corridor. Though the screeching had died down, the Zoids' terrified agitation remained.
Their fear was tangible, their panic and destruction giving off subtle chemical cues that only other Zoids - or Organoids - could detect. The Shadow Fox became afraid, suddenly realizing that these Zoids weren't just upset, trapped. They were under attack.
By an Organoid.
Brad felt like every organ in his body was going to meld into the floorboards. Part of his mind panicked wildly: he'd been wrong, desperately wrong. That damn thing was here, and he really needed to leave.
The rest of his mind just wanted to join in on the sense of intense contentment, curl up, and take a nap. In the same instant Brad registered he should've already said something to Naomi, the allure had him. He wasn't expecting it, nevermind something so mindnumbingly good.
The Shadow Fox shoved its steering column into Brad's chest, hard. The man choked a breath and snapped out of his reverie.
Don't. The Zoid reflected in warning.
But that was easier said than done. Especially because Brad was tired, desperately tired, and the contentment was so much, too much, he just wanted to sleep.
His eyes fell closed and he started to slump. The Fox shoved him back up with the steering column again.
Don't!
Brad taloned his hands on the back of the steering column's displays, trying to sit up. That stopped when One noticed him, its shift of attention intentionally languid.
The two's bond was gone, but a fierce magnetism remained. The man's mind blanked of everything besides how much he'd immediately discard just for a few seconds of contact. He was so much better than Vega...
Vega glanced.
The other Zoids had also become aware of the Shadow Fox's proximity. They understood it came from elsewhere, and began keening for its help. The Fox was torn, desperately unhappy with the idea of leaving - but also daunted by the Organoid, albeit for different reasons.
One lay on its back in the Heldigunner's emptied core chamber, body gently following the small chamber's contour. Even unseen, there was no mistaking the odd Shadow Fox, and there was no mistaking its pilot.
The Organoid snorted. The unexpected arrivals weren't terribly interesting, and didn't represent a threat. One reflected this information to Vega.
But Vega didn't want to deal with anyone, and certainly not Brad. "What are they doing here?" He sighed through a whine.
One caressed Vega in-mind. He smoothed the child's wrinkled brow and sapped the peevish tension out of his face.
~Nothing that matters. Rest your head.~
A serious stalemate persisted.
It broke after what seemed like ages, the Fox at length mustering the nerve to creep into the vast dark of the underground hangar space. WIthout the Fury or Geno Saurers to make it look small, the Shadow Fox was actually impressively sized. It easily rivaled the Liger Zero.
Vega regarded its cautious arrival tiredly, and didn't feel terribly argumentative. Just annoyed. He leaned over the rail to address the two.
"What do you want?"
After a moment Brad opened the cockpit hatch and stood, staring up at Vega with legitimate confusion.
"Why the hell are you here?"
"I think that's a better question for you. Aren't the doors… you know... gone?"
"Doors aren't the only way in."
Vega snorted, as Brad looked around.
The ensuing silence felt dangerous, and the focused attention of so many Zoids at once was bizarre and uncomfortable to Brad. The Shadow Fox gave a soft growl, and a timid flutter of sound arose from the other Zoids. The Fox listened, then quietly relayed the situation.
Brad's eyes flicked, processing this. He finally looked back at Vega, brow knit.
"...what the fuck, man. You shouldn't be doing this."
Vega arched a brow. "Did anyone ask for your opinion?"
The Fox shifted, uncomfortable. It rumbled, and the other Zoids again hesitantly replied from the darkness. Brad wasn't concerned with them personally, but the Fox's agitation about the situation may as well have been his. He frowned.
"Look. One's hungry. I'm hungry," Vega said sharply, and a little desperately. "It's okay for a little bit if he just… has a Zoid. You know?"
In the back of his mind, Brad registered how endlessly hungry he'd been. How much more he'd reflexively been smoking to quash it. If that had been filtering through despite everything…
Realistically though, the situation's raw logistics were what concerned Brad. "You're gonna run out of Zoids here."
"I know."
"What are you gonna do then?"
"I... don't know."
"Vega. "
"Just shut up, okay? Everything was fine before you screwed up the Fury."
"Kid. That Organoid is the Fury. There is no Zoid. I'm not sure there ever was."
Vega scowled. "Then why's Bit still have the Liger?"
It was a good question. Brad obviously didn't know, and didn't respond. Vega's scowl grew, but after a moment the child paused and grinned instead. It wasn't kind.
"I know. Let's just make this even. You don't get a Zoid either, seeing as you ruined mine."
A petulant decision, a flick of wrist. One swung its head towards the Shadow Fox, and there wasn't time to react. The ink-black slash of the Organoid cut out of the Heldigunner, across the short distance, and plunged into the Fox.
Brad barely had time to register the command. He jolted with adrenaline and horror, taking a sharp breath-
The Fox didn't resist, it couldn't. One made its deep, luxurious promises of power that it absolutely could keep - but they came at a price. And the moment that initial handshake had been eagerly accepted, it was too late.
One reformed in the Fox's Core chamber and interfaced delicately - before sinking black fangs into the Core's perfect surface. Crystalline blue fractured around the bite, and once it had access, One began greedily bolting mouthfuls of the Core.
The Fox collapsed after only a few seconds, shrieking in pain. It pitched onto its side and threw open its belly-paneling, desperately trying to expel the Organoid. Its body arched and jaws chopped empty air.
It couldn't mind Brad at that moment, and Brad couldn't mind himself. The Fox's sharp movements threw the man from the cockpit hard, and he barely caught himself in a roll before things became quite indistinct.
One easily overwhelmed them both, and Vega just laughed, delighted. "Awww. What happened to you being all tough?"
A slash of red. Ambient towered suddenly over Vega and swung down with a bite, narrowly missing.
Vega choked on his laugh and scurried backwards, One immediately materializing above and slamming itself down between the child and Ambient.
Ambient's low growl met One's throaty hiss.
~You are unwelcome here, peon.~ The black Organoid snarled.
~Ah'm unwelcome everywhere, nothin' new. Why's your brat gotta stick up his arse?~
One twitched the end of its tail and said simply, ~Why are you playing pretend?~
Ambient stiffened. It took a moment to respond.
~Ah... is that the game we're playin?~
~We are not playing any game.~ One spread its massive wings, lunging with a downstroke into Ambient. It slammed into the red Organoid and sent it skidding several meters.
Ambient caught itself in a roll and quickly righted. Brad had also managed to pick himself up, and staggered to stand beside the creature. The two glared.
Vega glared right back from beneath the splayed arch of One's wing. His brief wariness faded, replaced by petulance.
"You really think that thing's going to help you? At least he's less ugly now."
Ambient turned its head sidelong to Brad. It didn't reflect anxiety per se, but a deep apprehension. ~Lad... I donnae think I can take on the One. We'd best get ourselves and the tod out of here.~
Brad hesitated, but nodded. He turned towards the Fox-
"I didn't say you could leave!" Vega shouted. "Your Zoid's mine now."
Brad didn't look at Vega again. He just made a run for it.
Black gouged the sky, red blazed. The two lines of energy collided with a shriek and ear-splitting crackle, slamming to the floor and reforming into the two Organoids, who immediately faced off. One parted its jaws and screamed an indignant, frenzied roar.
Ambient just held up an admonishing foreclaw. ~Nh'ah'ah. The tod's mine.~
~I will not tolerate such impudence or interference.~ One's pitch-black optics narrowed. ~Submit or be destroyed.~
~Ah, no. How dae'I put this… get fucked.~
One hissed and launched at Ambient again. The red Organoid dipped almost completely aside but was narrowly struck. It spun, and One's momentum pulled them both down: the two went screeching head-over-talons into a tangle of fierce combat.
The two Organoids' teeth, talons and tails were at unrestrained war, dangerously flecking the area with shards of armor. Both Brad and Vega watched with alarm and backed up - the close-range combat audibly slicing air was more than a little intimidating.
It quickly became obvious that One had the upper hand. The black Organoid seized Ambient's throat and shook it violently, ripping plating and synthflesh while Ambient's hindlimbs gouged furiously, frantically up at One's underside. Despite the fact One was smaller than Ambient, it was also clearly much stronger; with its firm grip it repeatedly whipped the red Organoid's head back and forth against the ground, until the larger's body went slack.
Complete confidence returned to Vega's face. Bright eyes flicked back to Brad, and he smirked.
"Looks like your Organoid's mine now too."
