Fan Fiction / Zoids Fan Fiction ❯ Run With Me ❯ Chapter 4

Hey, look! Part 4 earlier than I expected...heh. I never thought this fic would get as much attention as it has been, which makes me feel that I'm doing something right with it. ^^;;

This one's a little different, but I'm starting to get into the 'what-the-heck-happened?' part of the fic...

Anyhow, I know I sound like a broken record, but thank you so much to everyone who'd read and commented on this fic. I appreciate each and every one of you who's done so, and thank you for all of your kind comments.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids or any other Zoids characters, much to my sorrow. ^^;;

Anyhow, feedback is greatly appreciated!

//Italics// is mind speech...(>_<)



********************************* < p class="c1">Run With Me - Part 4

*********************************

"Hey, Brad!"

Glancing over his shoulder, Brad hid a smile at the sight that met his eyes.

"Leena got to you again, didn't she?"

Glaring, Bit dumped the armload of zoid parts he'd been carrying where he stood and strode over towards the older man until they were less than a handbreadth away from each other.

"Nice attitude, Brad. I'd like to see how far you'd get when she has that crazed look in her eyes and an order form in front of her." Bit retorted, punctuating his sentences by poking Brad in the center of his chest with his index finger.

Batting Bit's hand away, Brad turned back what he'd been doing before Bit's little interruption.

"I wouldn't know about that, Bit. I usually try to be out of her line of sight when that happens."

"Yeah well, that never works for me. Give me a hand with this stuff? It's heavy."

His curiosity piqued as he heard Bit struggling with the parts and boxes he'd been carrying earlier, Brad turned back to see just what he was carrying. He lifted an eyebrow as he recognized the shop names on some of the boxes, places well known for quality zoid parts and weapon upgrades.

"Is all of that just for her Gun Sniper?"

Busy trying to balance the packages in his arms, Bit didn't answer right away, eyeing a smaller box that didn't seem too inclined to stay where he'd placed it. As Brad watched, the box in question started to slide sideways, the panicked look in Bit's eyes warning him that it was a vital component.

He was moving even before he'd realized it, hand reaching out to snag the box before it could hit the floor.

"You can open your eyes now, Bit. I caught it."

Slitting open one eye, Bit blinked as he saw Brad standing in front of him, precious package held in his hands, smiling that irritatingly cocky smile of his, blue eyes narrowed in amusement.

"Hey, thanks, Brad. Can you get the rest?"

Seeing the mischievous glint in Bit's eyes, and that odd little smile on his lips, Brad realized he'd been had. Bit had to know just how powerful that little smile of his was, even Leena had been known to fall prey to it once or twice in the past.

"I'm almost afraid to ask what you were like before you showed up here, Bit. You probably would have had the world at your feet before long." Brad muttered, scooping up the last of the packages sitting on the walkway behind Bit.

"Who knows? Maybe I could have. You should be grateful I've decided to become a zoid warrior instead."

Snorting, Brad fell silent as they approached the Gun Sniper's appointed berth.

"Now what? She's not here."

Shrugging, a not inconsiderable feat considering the mountain of boxes he was carrying, Bit set the packages he was carrying down.

"Just leave it here, I guess. Leena's probably trying to convince Jamie that all of this stuff is an asset to the team so she won't have to pay for it. She'll know what to do with all of this since she ordered all of this stuff."

Giving Bit a dubious look, Brad set his armload of zoid parts down next to Bit's stack and backed away as it wobbled slightly.

"Yeah, but you're forgetting just how much she takes after Doc."

"Buy first, think later?"

"Something like that, yeah." Brad muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Grinning, Bit turned to say something, when his expression softened. Brad fought the urge to take a step backwards as Bit approached him, some indefinable emotion in his eyes.

"Bit?"

"Hold still, Brad." Bit said, reaching up to brush his thumb across Brad's cheekbone. "You've got something on your face."

For no reason that he could explain or understand, Brad held still, blue eyes going wide as he felt the infinitely gentle touch of Bit's thumb on his cheek. With Bit this close he could see his eyes more clearly than he'd ever been able to, and what he saw in them startled him.

"Bit..."

Brad didn't know what to do. He knew what he wanted to do, but nothing good had ever come of what he had wanted.

Perhaps Bit saw that in his eyes, because he drew his hand back and held out his thumb to reveal a smudge of grease on it.

"Come on, I'll help you with the Fox, if you want. Those repairs will take days with just one person working on them." Bit said, flashing him a sweet smile, the look in his eyes belying his expression.

*********

Leaping to his feet as another crack of thunder split the air, Brad felt his hackles rise, fangs bared as a feral snarl escaped his throat. He felt a moment of disorientation as memories fled from his mind. Memories of warmth and safety. Memories of belonging.

Looking up, Brad's eyes widened at the fat storm clouds that hovered there, flashes of lightning visible through the gloom.

Another peal of thunder forced him back, smooth pebbles giving way beneath his feet. Eyes flitting to the side, Brad felt panic rise within him as the wind began to blow, shaking the trees of the forest and rippling across the lake with ever increasing violence. The birds hand long since taken shelter for the coming storm.

//Hurry!//

Whirling, Brad saw the tiger standing at the edge of the forest, tail twitching nervously as the wind ruffled its fur.

//Hurry, Brad! Before the storm breaks!//

He didn't need any other urging. His legs carried him across the loose stones of the lakeshore, to the pine needle carpeted forest in a flash, the tiger matching his pace beside him.

//Where are we going? //

//Follow me.//

Feeling a measure of relief at the fact that the tiger seemed to know where they were going, Brad fell back a pace, allowing the tiger to lead the way. The forest flashed by around them as the storm built up, a heavy, oppressive presence that seemed to press down upon them.

Skidding a little as the tiger twisted around a cluster of boulders, Brad followed it, ears pressed against his head. He didn't know why, but he could feel the tiger's near-desperation to get them to shelter before the rain fell like a tangible thing. It felt like something was pressing down on his chest, like being caught in a vise.

//Where are we going?//

Sparing a glance back at him, the tiger didn't slow as the path they ran on twisted and turned. They wove through grove of dead trees, under and around boulders and exposed tree roots. Through thickets of dense underbrush and wide clearings.

//The caves. It's the only place we'll be safe.//

Snarling as the rocky path cut into the soft flesh of his feet, Brad forced himself to go faster, the tiger's desperation spurring him on.

*********

Watching the rain as it poured down in sheets from the safety of the cave entrance, Brad felt a shiver go through him. He could feel a gentle nudging at the back of his mind, like the feeling he got when he knew he'd forgotten something. It was annoying and familiar all at the same time, and he hated it. Hated feeling that he was missing something.

They'd reached the caves minutes after the rain began to fall. Fast and heavy, plastering their fur to their bodies and filling the cave with the stench of wet animal. Wrinkling his nose at the smell, Brad edged closer to the cave opening where the air was circulating freely.

He could feel the tiger watching him. Could feel the weight of those eyes on him as he watched the rain.

//Why is it raining? It didn't do that before.//

Admitting that he had a bad feeling about it wasn't something Brad would have done voluntarily. The fact that the weather had been perfect - not so much as a cloud in the sky - the whole time he'd been there so far did not bode well for the current circumstances.

Turning at the soft scrape of claws against rough stone, Brad moved aside as the tiger sat beside him, head turned to watch the rain.

//Brad, what were you doing before I found you?//

Blue eyes narrowing, Brad cocked his head to the side thoughtfully.

//I'm not sure...I think I fell asleep after we came back from the run, and then...I don't know what happened then. I think I was dreaming...//

//Dreaming? What happened in your dream?//

Startled at the tiger's sudden interest, Brad backed up a step, lips lifting from his fangs.

//Why?//

Sighing, the tiger growled softly as it flexed its claws.

//Because if I know the answer to my question I may also know the answer to yours.//

Growling at the tiger's cryptic reply, Brad shook himself, sending water droplets spraying everywhere.

//I don't really remember much...it was like I was outside my body watching everything happen. I could see myself - my real body - working on the Fox. I think there was someone else there, but...//

//Who was it?// The tiger prodded gently, watching him closely.

//I don't know. I can't remember. I know him, but I can't remember who he is.//

Looking up sharply as he felt the tiger's sigh in his mind, Brad was surprised at the look in the tiger's eyes. They looked as though the tiger held the weight of the world on its shoulders, and it was tired of such a responsibility. So very, very tired.

//What? What's wrong?//

//Brad, where are you?//

Sensing the meaning behind the tiger's question, Brad bristled as he felt a wave of dread go through him.

//The Dreamscape.//

//Exactly. When you sleep here, you don't Dream, Brad.//

Flinching as those green, green eyes fixed on his, Brad forced himself to ask the next question. The one that was at the tip of his tongue. The one he dreaded most to hear at that moment.

//What do you mean? You said people come here to Dream - //

//Or hide. That's true, but who would Dream of Dreaming, Brad? Everything you do here when you're awake is part of the Dream you Dream. When you sleep here, you no longer Dream.//

Snarling, Brad began to pace the confines to the cave, fangs bared.

//You're not making any sense.//

Snorting, the tiger pushed past him, the tip of its tail brushing his chest.

//Brad, when you sleep here in the Dreamscape, you don't Dream. You remember.//

**************************

To be continued...

**************************