Fan Fiction / Zoids Fan Fiction ❯ Failures ❯ Failures ( Chapter 2 )

Bit yawned and looked grumpily at Leena. "Do we HAVE to be here?"

"Yes!" she snapped, looking around. "All the Zoids need to get check-ups, you know that! God if Brad were here, he'd show you the light soon enough. Too bad he's been gone half a year now."

"I don't mind that…I just don't like this place…" Bit looked at the gaming consoles with dislike, memories flooding back to him.

Leena looked confused, then began howling with laughter. "I remember why you don't like this place! Too bad Vega-"

Two kids pushed past them, heading for the virtual reality Zoid consoles and whispering excitedly.

"Did you hear? Vega Obscura is skewering everyone that challenges him in less than five seconds!"

"Well, duh! That new team he's on…The Geno team or something, they've just started and they've gone to Class A in less than a month! Not to mention he pilots an Ultimate X!"

"But I heard…" their voices died in the crowed.

Bit smiled and cracked his knuckles and ran off while Leena sighed in exasperation. In less than ten seconds she heard people cheering and shouting either Bit or Vega.

Making her way through the crowd, she looked up at the monitor where the two pilots were fighting…or at least were thinking about it.

"Bit! It's been a long time! How's Class S?"

"There's no real challenge…Liger and I can take on anything! How's the Berserk Fury?"

Vega didn't answer. Bit looked confused and was about to ask again when another player entered their game. He called up the newcomer's face and said,

"Hey, I suggest you leave now unless you want your but kicked, eh, Vega?"

Vega looked away from Bit and stared grimly at nothing.

"Bit Cloud…didn't Vega teach you enough lessons on arrogance? Or should I give you a second helping?"

Bit couldn't make out the anonymous player's face: it was shadowed by a hood he wore. Soon the game began and he forgot all about it.

They were in a forest, one that looked almost real. Bit looked around and murmured, "Great, they've got better graphics. Big-"

His game cockpit went dark and the door opened. People took no notice of him, but were staring up at the screens on top of the two remaining game pilots. Bit walked stepped out of the little room, looked up and opened his eyes wide in shock.

The gunsniper that Vega was piloting and the command wolf that the shadowed kid was piloting hadn't given a nick at the other's zoid. Vega seemed to have the advantage, firing rounds and rounds of machine gun bullets while all the command wolf did was dodge and run away. Dodged, and ran away. Though the command wolf hadn't fired a single shot, it was crouching, jumping and moving its head around so precisely that even the most inexperienced zoid pilot could tell it wasn't a fluke.

Leena walked up to him and looked up at the screen by his side.

"Weird, huh? It's almost like he knows where the next bullet's coming a minute before he's dodged it…"

Bit stayed silent and watched the screen grimly.

"Bit…?"

Bit held up a hand and said, "Watch, Vega's going to win right…now."

At that exact moment, The gunsniper brought it's tail's end forward and fired a sniper bullet before it had even turned around. Everyone cheered and cried, "It's over!" before letting out a startled gasp.

The command wolf didn't hesitate a millisecond as it brought its own gun around and fired three bullets, all hitting the sniper bullet midway. The gunsniper faltered, a grave mistake. The command wolf used the opportunity to take off every gun the gunsniper had, and missed only the tail as Vega gathered his wits again and dodged. A horn sounded, and the screen went blank. Vega's door opened, and he stepped out, his eyes dark. The crowd opened up without a word and let him through. A kid Vega's own age from the crowd somewhere began to clap, and soon everyone else joined in. Vega brightened, but when he saw the source of the praise, his eyes went dark again and he walked quietly out of the arcade.

"It was strange," said Leena later that day in the Tauros base. "It was like the first time we saw Vega fight, except this guy made Vega look like a Rev Raptor against a Gojulas."

Bit didn't answer, but was staring grimly at the wall.

"What's up with him?" Jamie whispered to Leena.

Leena shrugged and said, "He hasn't said a word ever since he lost as soon as that battle started."

The door opened and the Doc came in, smiling.

"We've got our next match! It's tomorrow, and we're gonna have a two on two match. I've already signed up Bit and Leena, if that's okay with you, Jamie."

Jamie nodded.

"Who're we up against, Dad?" asked Leena.

"Hmm…wait, let me check…" The Doc took out a remote from his lab jacket and clicked it towards the monitor.

A couple of pages of scrolling words appeared, issued by the Zoids Commission.

"Ah…It's the Xeno team…Seems they're new and they've made it to class A extremely quickly…"

"New? Maybe a couple of veterans decided to team up together, because I don't see how any newbies can get to Class A this fast." said Jamie, watching the information roll on screen.

Finally, the screen gave information on the Zoids and the pilots.

Leena drank deeply out of a can and said, "So? Is it anyone we know?"

Jamie stayed silent and didn't answer immediately.

"Vega," was all he said.

Bit came out of his reverie at that point. "Vega?" he cried, jumping to his feet. "Yes! I can't wait! I'm gonna pay Vega back for what he did at the arcade! Who cares if he's piloting the Berserk Fury, I'll-"

"Bit," said Jamie, turning to him, looking confused, "He's not piloting the Berserk Fury."

Bit stopped his raving and looked at Jamie.

"What?! Why?! The Berserk Fury's the best Zoid out there besides the Liger Zero."

"I don't know," said Jamie, going up to the command board and scrolling back up again to Vega's profile. "He's piloting another Zoid…A Genobreaker…whatever that is…"

Bit shrugged and said, "Doesn't matter! It'll just make it easier, won't it, Liger?"

The Liger Zero growled in response from the hangar.

Leena sighed and looked at Jamie again,

"It's a two on two, right? Who's Vega's teammate?"

Jamie keyed in a couple of commands.

"Xen Omega. No other information about his past or his Zoid is shown. I guess he's so new that he hasn't even taken the information test yet."

"He shouldn't be too hard, said Leena, smiling.

"It he's that new, he shouldn't stand a chance against my new Mad Thunder."

"Alright then! If that's all cleared up, let's all go to bed early for the battle tomorrow!"

"Sure," chorused Leena, Jamie, and Bit.

"I'm gonna kick Vega's butt so hard tomorrow!"

As they were filing out the door, a call came in.

"What now?" muttered Jamie as he jogged back into the room.

Brad's face popped onto the screen.

"Jamie, this is urgent, a priority one message. Get Bit in here, now!"

"Jamie looked startled, but nodded and called for Bit. Bit walked in, followed by Leena, who cried, "Brad, is that you? We haven't heard from you in a-"

"Bit," said Brad, ignoring Leena completely, "Have you gotten that message for your next battle?"

"Yeah…And Liger and I are going to-"

"You can't go there, it's a trap."

"A trap for what?" asked Leena, curious.

"A trap for the Liger Zero."