Fan Fiction / Zoids Fan Fiction ❯ Search for Power ❯ Search for Power ( One-Shot )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Search for Power


It has been a year since the most inspirational Royal Cup, where the mighty Blitz Team
had achieved full glory. As they moved on to a higher rank, other teams decided to follow in the
Liger Zero pilot's footsteps. Many have trained hard with their Zoid counterparts, ruthlessly
battling and gaining more knowledge from each fight. While some chose to do so as teams, there
were few who sought out their own means of obtaining power and enhancing their skills solo.

Somewhere within a valley region on Zi, a seventeen-year-old Zoid warrior tinkers with
her partner. At the time being, she was with a Blade Liger, one with a hue of beautiful deep blue.
Its armor glistened majestically beneath the sun's rays, which shined high and radiantly at the
noon hour. There was a cool zephyr to bring relief and establish a sense of relaxation for them
both, who had been working together all day. The teen's brown eyes lifted from the golden paw
of the Liger, giving herself a moment to gaze at the surrounding mountain's beauty. Their peaks
were snow covered and shrouded in clouds, while the rocky bodies held a steady grey hue.

The teen's name was Jessica, and her lips pulled back for a gentle smile, baring her pearly
white teeth. She was very happy being on her own and away from true civilization. The company
of her Zoid was enough. Then again, if a conversation ever had to be made, her dragonic
Organoid Strike was the perfect substitute for any human being. For now, the Organoid slept on
the soft fertile soil, which was rich with luscious green vegetation. Its light blue body matched
the sky's own pigment perfectly, but stuck out like a sore thumb on the ground.

Held in Jessica's right hand was a rag, and beside her stood a bucket filled with a
cleansing solution. She used this mixture to polish Blade Liger's claws, more or less for
presentation manners. It was something to please her Zoid, who does so much and goes through
even more for this pilot. Through thick and thin, it's always given its all, and never let her down.
Even when going up against a recovered Genosaurer, piloted by a new and mysterious Backdraft
operative, they've tasted victory. It was a thrilling fight, and never had a dull moment to it.
Sitting on the ground with her legs crossed, the seventeen-year-old began to recall this event.

Jessica, Strike, and her Blade Liger were out doing their usual thing: training. She'd use
anything to achieve her task, from nature herself (boulders and other stone structures) to wild
rampaging Zoids. They've strayed away from the safety of the mountains, and ventured deep into
a wasteland terrain for this very purpose. Blaze had been traveling by air, using its wings and a
pressurized stream of flames for propulsion. The Organoid was just above the Liger.

"Blade! Charge up your Laser Blades! Lets see how strong they've become!"

Blade Liger unleashed a ferocious roar. From its back fell its blades, which immediately
extended outwards there after. A sum of kinetic energy had been sent to them, causing the
weapons to glow brilliantly with a golden light. Jessica's hands were steady on the controls as
she led the Zoid closer to a stone pillar. It was around twenty feet thick, and over fifty feet tall.
The structure must have taken centuries to form.
Only a few minuted had elapsed for traveling towards it, the Liger's blades made
connection. Rather than shattering, the energy summoned helped them slide straight through the
stone, making a fine gauge in its body. As they passed by in a swift run, Jessica could feel the
very earth rumble. Looking back, her eyes widened with both shock and excitement. The pillar
had began to crack everywhere, small stones chipped off and plummeted from the main body. It
then fell forward (or away from their point of view).

Jessica had her Blade Liger holster its blades, then sink its golden nails deeply into the
rocky earth. They skidded for a long distance before eventually coming to a stop, and calmly
turned around. Once the pillar fully collapsed, a shockwave had been released in every
direction. Masses of dust and other substances filled the air, all at the wave's mercy. The teen
actually chuckled as it brushed over her Zoid's body, making it extremely filthy.

"You've improved. Very good."

Roaring out happily, the Liger lowered to its underbelly for a rest. Its wire-like tail was
swinging around from side to side in a rhythmic fashion, further revealing its glee. Blaze
descended as well, folding his wings into a compartment on his back, which sealed up
afterwards. Jessica's seatbelts were just about to be removed before an alert sounded off,
warning her of an approaching Zoid. A switch was flipped on the control panel, and a
holographic screen projected.

"Blaze! Get out of here now!" The teen shouted, watching the large whale-shaped figure grow
closer and closer to the screen's center.

A large shadow had appeared on the earth, growing darker and larger as a Whale King
descended. Its roaring engines threw around more particles of dust and smaller rocks, until the
heavy transport landed safely a good hundred meters away. Blaze shook his head, unwilling to
leave his best friend in a sticky situation. However, Jessica wouldn't hear from it, and ordered
him to go once more. Reluctantly, the Organoid obeyed and wandered to the top of a nearby
cliff.

Jessica was silent. Her heart leapt into her throat as the Whale King's mouth opened.
Judging by its black hue, this wouldn't be an ordinary warrior coming out. It'd be a merciless
member of the Backdraft. Ever since their defeat in the Royal Cup, they too have undergone
heavy training to benefit the organization. Even more powerful Zoids had been obtained, which
made the Berserk Fuhrer pale in comparison. She could only hope this one wasn't a vessel for
one. The result varied in opinion.

A Genosaurer strut its way down the smooth ramp, its hardened alloy claws and talons
glistened with the dimmest of lights. The teen could see its rectangular eyes glowing a ominous
red, head directed towards her. From the moment the Zoid was fully out, the transport's mouth
shut tightly closed. Its engines revved, forcing the Whale King straight up into the sky and away
from the battlefield. Those in the Backdraft knew it wouldn't be safe being anywhere near the
two.

"Great. Just what I needed." She frowned, eyes narrowing in anger.

A sudden crash startled her, which came from the infamous Black Judge. Its robotic
cackling broke the silence of the wasteland, just as its capsule opened to bare the Judge itself.
The laughter grew louder.

"Ah-hahahaha-hhh! Battle approved, battle approved. The Genosaurer versus the Blade
Liger. Battle mode...none! Ready? Fight!" Its arms crossed to signal the start of the match.

"This is a major deja vu.." Jessica muttered.

Genosaurer wasted no time to attack, its back-mounted Twin 120mm Cannons aimed slightly
downward, and opened fire on the Blade Liger. However, the Zoid was too quick for it, and
easily leapt back out of range. Miniature explosions kicked up before them, due to the blasts'
impacts. Growling, Jessica threw two levers to lower the Liger's blades, which charged
themselves with the same kinetic energy as before.

"Gotta do better than that!"

Blade Liger raced forward, a trail of golden light dwindled behind in their wake. They
rapidly approached the enemy Zoid. Genosaurer's anchors deployed silently, securing it firmly
to the ground. Its tail armor lifted to bare black fans for ventilation, while a cannon extended
from the dinosaur's throat. Small orbs of a yellow light began materializing before its barrel,
collecting into a perfect sphere. The sphere itself grew larger and larger, until becoming the
same size as Genosaurer's head. A massive beam was released suddenly, ripping up the very
ground below in its path, cutting straight through the air for the lion.

"A Charged Particle Cannon. How typical."

The teen's Zoid growled and opened the top and bottom sections of its mane, while the
side portions stretched outwards. A blue essence escaped from the structures, fanning our
around the Liger's body. Soon, it had become thick and condensed into an Energy Shield, which
warded off the powerful blast. However, Blade Liger's speed had decreased dramatically. This
was countered easily, though. A slab of armor on its back lifted, and two booster engines raised.
Twin streams of pressurized white flames jetted out, returning them to a greater velocity.

What she didn't expect was the opponent's claws being shot out suddenly, and actually
managed to shatter straight through the barrier. One of them clamped down on Blade Liger's
front right shoulder, while the other had a firm grasp on the left. Jessica gasped as her Zoid was
lifted right off of the ground, and swung around in circles. The seventeen-year-old silently
screamed, never liking those spinning rides at carnivals. They disoriented her and made her
quite nauseous. They were released after at least twenty spins, the Liger came to a forceful
crash against a large boulder, which shattered upon impact.

Sparks were surging from Blade Liger's body, for some circuits had been damaged.
Jessica wasn't in tip-top shape herself. A trickle of blood ran down her cheek from her forehead,
as constant as a small stream. Her right shoulder ached as well. Growling, the seventeen-year-
old jerked the controls to get her Zoid onto its feet, which it did slowly and uneasily. It roared
out at the Genosaurer in a taunting manner, which seemed to puzzle the pilot a bit.

"Give it up, girl. I don't have all day." Came the voice of a young man, no less than her
own age.

"Excuse me? Who is this?" She asked with a puzzled expression. A video communication
link was activated.

She gasped. The man was absolutely gorgeous! Definitely had model potential in him- if he
wasn't one already. His dazzling green eyes showed no emotion, but seemed to penetrate
Jessica's very soul. The teen felt like putty as she stared into them, but was drawn away by the
flipping of his long, silky silver hair. Silver. One of her favorite colors. Long hair! Oh! How she
adored it on a guy! And leather...Again, the seventeen-year-old gasped. It was her favorite
material and clearly his own. Though, all that was visible was the upper portion of a black
leather jacket, which holstered metal armor on the shoulders.

"Oh...my.." The teen was absolutely shocked.

"Hmph." He grinned sadistically, seeing her reaction. He knew this could be used
towards his advantage. "What's your name, warrior?"

Jessica blacked out for a minute. "My-um...Oh! It's- Jessica! Yeah, that's it." Her cheeks
were burning red.

"Sefirot Zenkai." The man replied, his tone cool and well composed. His image faded
suddenly.

The cockpit began to vibrate as Blade Liger was pummeled, being shot by rapid fire from
Genosaurer's 20mm and 30mm Nose Cannons. They lightly dented the Zoid's armor, and
scorched its bared metal flesh. More sparks flew out from harmed circuits. The offensive assault
soon died away, as did Jessica's stroke of happiness. She had been betrayed. Sort of. And that,
made her very mad. The teen knew her Liger was in bad shape, so it was time for one last attack.
Hopefully, it'd work.

Both Blade Liger's blades extended once more. Rather than remaining horizontal, their
tips were turned directly forward. All of the Zoid's shield energy was diverted into the blades,
which were glowing brighter than ever before. As they charged the Genosaurer, a spiral of
energy encased around the lion's body, actually forming a lesser form of shield from both air
and the energy. As they grew closer, the opponent had began charging a second Charged
Particle Cannon, which was released quickly after.

As the two forces met, a brilliant flash of light filled the entire wasteland, blinding all in
range. A dome of this light formed and rapidly extended outward, while shockwave after
shockwave was released. A few minutes later, everything had grown calm. Both Zoids were apart
from one another, back to back. Blade Liger's body was scorched and sparking, as was
Genosaurer's own. They remained motionless, their pilots unsure of who was hit. It all became
known as the dinosaur fell over limply, drawn into a Command System Freeze...

Jessica smiled as she faded back into reality. Her victory was well-earned and shall never
be forgotten. That pilot especially. She sighed, wishing his face could be seen just one more time.
But that was months ago. Since then, not a hint of the Backdraft had been detected. The
seventeen-year-old had a funny suspicion they were plotting something against her, but that could
just be her slight case of paranoia acting up again. Frowning, it came to her mind of how lonely
she actually was becoming. She had secluded herself away for so long now, and longed for
human companionship. To share new and unexplored emotions. Love especially. How she
longed for it, but never dared seek, being of the shy type and all.

Swallowing hard, she returned to polishing the Zoid's claws. It managed to keep her mind
off of such foolishness. Emotions were for the weak. Jessica was taught this well by that
Genosaurer pilot. Even if he did lose and leave her life forever. She felt her eyes swell as tears
invaded them, soon running loose and free down her cheeks. Though the two had never met
before, she felt an instant connection with him. Call it love at first sight, if you will. Taken back
by her own display, the teen collapsed to her knees and covered her face with both hands. She
sobbed into them for a while, then lowered flatly onto her back.

Blaze woke up suddenly, sensing the girl's feelings. He got up slowly and approached
with caution. The Organoid knew well of her random outbursts, and was intelligent enough to be
careful, unless he wanted to be pummeled in a fit of rage. A claw was placed onto her shoulder,
his eyes expressed concern. Jessica smiled weakly and motioned him to lie down next to her,
which the dragonic beast does. His presence soothed her slightly, but couldn't fill the hole in her
heart. It was time for her to head back into the city.

"Lets go, Blaze. It's time to become more social."

"Graaaooor?" The Organoid looked at her blankly, head tilted to one side.

Jessica got to her feet and wandered over to the Blade Liger, who greeted the teen with a
roar. Its translucent orange hatch opened automatically, revealing not one but two seats. They
were lined up behind one another. As she hoped into the pilot's chair, Blaze situated himself in
the passenger one behind. She applied a pair of seatbelts for security, which crossed at her chest
in an X form. Once the controls were grabbed, the hatch re-shut, and her Zoid took off in a gentle
run.

The valley's rich grass was but a blur beneath the Liger's body, the mountains began
growing further away. Minutes were flying by with no grand changes, nor much excitement to
experience. These minutes dragged out into hours, which felt like days in her opinion. Jessica
was growing a bit tired from boredom, but forced herself awake with a hard slap to a cheek. Its
effects lasted for three more hours, by which the perimeter of a large city was spotted off to the
distance.

Blade Liger came to a stop on the very top of a hill, which had a large drip to it. Scanning
the land below, it was determined that their arrival wouldn't take more than half an hour. And
this was based on the caution needed for such a path. So they began their trip down, the Zoid slid
every now and then but quickly regained its composure. In quite the impressive way, the Liger
used its tail for balance, which helped out a lot. With one strong leap, they've landed on leveled
ground and took off towards the city.


The streets were filled with Zoids of all sorts, used by the residents or traveling warriors.
Amongst the selection were many Gustavs and Sinkers, along with a Command Wolf,
GunSniper, and Guysack every here and there. Compared to these Zoids, Blade Liger was a
jewel; it stuck out marvelously, and was admired by all. The civilians journeying on foot gawked
and made random praises as they strolled by, Liger's head was held up high in a proud fashion.
Jessica chuckled to this, then affectionately stroked the control panel.

"That's right. You show off all you want. You've deserved it."

Quite pleased, the lion began a graceful trot like a show dog would, making sure not to
step on the pedestrians. They didn't need a law suit on their hands. Blaze's tail was swishing
around, he was also excited in the change of atmosphere. He was truly more outgoing than the
teen. And though her presence was appreciated, the Organoid preferred to be surrounded by more
than one person. She knew this quite well, and planned on this little trip as a treat for such a loyal
friend. Who knows? Maybe she'll find someone for herself.

Along her way through the area, Jessica spotted an impressive Zaber Fang. It had been
modified with a Hiblit Vulcan Cannon, and hued silver. This brought back memories of her
crush, whom she preferred to claim to be her soul mate. For it wasn't until that fateful day that
she'd experienced such warmth and flow of emotions. The teen sighed heavily, easing Blade
Liger away. She knew well enough that it wasn't the same pilot. His Genosaurer would have
recovered by now. And who'd be crazy enough to downgrade from it to a Zaber?

They continued through the asphalt streets sluggishly, the Zoid always did react to its
pilot's mood. Blade Liger roared weakling and with sorrow, regretting the victory of months past.
The seventeen-year-old, sensing such dismay, reassured the lion with a few gentle strokes. She
whispered to it softly while Blaze patted the seat.

"Don't be sorry, Blade. You didn't make the decision, I did. Besides, he's in the
Backdraft. It'd never have worked out anyway." Jessica sighed deeply, her chest tightened and
ached.


Blade Liger trotted further down the street, which was narrow due to the great skyscrapers built
on both sides. There were less pedestrians down here, but even more Zoids. The variety had
greatly increased as well. Each of them were gathered around a single building, that was made of
white stone and had the words "Castro Caf " painted in big bold letters on a flat sign. This was
where all the Zoid mercenaries hung out, and where she might find someone to connect with.

Blade Liger settled down beside a Dark Horn and a Rev Raptor, which were immobile
without their pilots. As her own Zoid's hatch lifted, the seventeen-year-old removed her seatbelts
and stood to stretch. It felt good returning her body's circulation, Blaze even shared in her
sentiments. Both of them yawned and leapt a good distance onto the cemented ground. The
Liger's hatch shut on its own. She summoned some courage from deep within, and entered the
caf through a glass door.

No one had noticed their arrival, nor seemed bothered by it. Only casual glances were
passed over the teen, and even less made onto her Organoid. It seemed that in this era, everything
was to be expected. The rare wasn't so rare, and common a bore. Already Jessica felt a bit
uneasy, but wouldn't let her social anxiety get the best of her this time. Brave and bold, she
walked over to a stool planted before a long counter and took a seat.

"Can I get you something, miss?" Asked a waitress, who held a notepad in hand.

"Oh. Yeah, I'd like a cup of coffee, please."

"Right away." The waitress nodded then kneeled down momentarily, bringing a coffee
mug back up with her. It was placed before Jessica and filled with the coffee.

A few small containers of half-and-half milk were opened and dumped into the brew.
Following it were a few sugar packets, making the drink ever so sweet. All were mixed with a
metal spoon, the warmth from the mug ran up it and into her hand. Rather than be burned, the
seventeen-year-old enjoyed the sensation. It had been a long time since she's drank anything
besides fresh stream water.

She became startled as a cup clattered onto the table beside her. From the corner of her
eye, the teen was able to make out the figure of a young man. Growing curious, Jessica turned
her head fully to him and nearly fell off her stool in shock. It was him. The Genosaurer pilot! Her
heart was leaping for joy, and yet she could feel a wave of fear flow throughout her body. A
leather gloved hand was put into a pocket of his long black leather jacket, she could just make
out the figure of a gun.

Raising her view, Jessica came to realize he was staring at her. Those gorgeous, trance
educing eyes were locked in her own. They glanced downward towards his pocket for a split
second before returning. He was hinting something, and Jessica could tell clearly what it was.
Silently, the seventeen-year-old got off from her stool, followed by Sefirot. She led him outdoors,
then he took the lead. The man brought them over to a Gustav, but around to the side away from
the caf . His pistol was taken out and pointed threateningly at her chest.

"What do you want from me?" She asked, her voice steady and calm.

"A rematch." Sefirot replied, stepping closer to her.

He came so close that Jessica could feel his breath on her, which was warm and soothing.
Their bodies were no less than an inch apart from one another. The teen whimpered softly as he
bent his head forward, his silky silver hair brushed against her cheeks. She was trembling now,
but not out of fear. Her eyes gently shut as his soft lips pressed against hers, then slid all the way
down to her bare neck. The kiss was ended there, she then reopened her eyes. Sefirot hadn't left,
but remained close to her. Jessica saw something new in his cold eyes. Something pleasant and
loving. Perhaps he too shared the same emotions for her, or perhaps the girl was being foolish
once again.

Not wanting it to end there, she grabbed Sefirot's arms and pulled him down to her. It
was her turn to kiss, and she did so with such great passion and love. One of her hands slipped
under his silver locks, which she began to µneed' like a kitten. He placed an arm around her
waist
while returning the loving gesture to the fullest. The man broke away reluctantly, and took off in
a run away from Gustav. With tears swelling in her eyes, Jessica watched his departure, but
noticed something on the floor. It was a card with a set of coordinates written on it. So, he still
wanted a rematch after all.

It was five minutes later that Blaze realized he was alone, having been caught up in his
eavesdropping on a couple of mercenaries. According to them, the Backdraft was recruiting more
members into their organization, but would only take the best of the best. This would be by will
or force, so nearly no one was safe. The Organoid quickly ran out of the caf to give Jessica the
news, only to find her sitting on Blade Liger's paw, her hands covering her face. She wasn't
crying, but more or less in shock. That was her first kiss ever given, and by far the most
enjoyable. And now, after all that, the teen couldn't even enjoy herself, having been dragged into
yet another battle.

The Organoid sighed and shook his head, unsure what was wrong with her this time.
However, upon seeing the card and putting two and two together, Blaze managed to figure things
out. He grumbled while taking a leap onto the Zoid's head, then manually opened its hatch.
Settling down in the passenger seat, Jessica shortly appeared inside the cockpit after. Her
bindings were put in place, controls taken, and hatch shut. She inputted the coordinates to bring
up a map of the location, which seemed to be at the bottom of a canyon's crevice. This was going
to be a lot harder than last time.

It took a few more hours to reach the battlefield, or at least the ground above it. There was
still the matter of getting down into the crevice safely. The seventeen-year-old did notice these
odd mine-looking devices laid out in a circle, as though they were creating a perimeter for the
match. Shrugging, Jessica had her Blade Liger leap down and onto a large ledge, then off from it
and onto another. This process was repeated until the land leveled out, and the Genosaurer was
spotted off directly ahead. It was just as fierce as ever, its eyes glowed brighter than the last
they've met. Quite obviously, it wanted revenge for its embarrassing defeat.


Jessica gasped, hearing a current of electricity run wild. Those mines above had become
active, and began molding a solid black dome around the battlefield. It was completely dark
inside, besides a single trickle of sunlight that came through the very top. There wasn't enough to
see the entire area, but the two Zoids could still make one another out. That is, until the
Genosaurer backed into the darkness. Blade Liger did the same, for safety precautions. The Black
Judge didn't arrive for a few more minutes.

"Yeee-hehehehehe! Battle approved, battle approved! The Backdraft vs. the Blade Liger.
Battle Mode 0999."

"Wait..Backdraft? Last time it was just the Genosau-"

"Ready? Fight!"

The ground suddenly exploded before the Liger, who leapt back out of fear. There was a
large hole in the ground from a bullet's impact. Judging by the size and depth, it had to have been
used by a sniping weapon. Jessica looked around wildly, trying to spot her opponent(s). How
many present wasn't too clear. A second shot connected into Blade Liger's right front shoulder,
causing the Zoid to jerk downwards then regain its balance. She brought up the radar screen and
shifted its mode into a three-dimensional grid. Besides the Genosaurer, a Konig Wolf was in the
quarrel. As was a Liger Zero X. This definitely was an elite team.

It would take patience and pure skills to win such a battle. However, the Backdraft had
the upper hand. Konig Wolf had perfect vision for the dark, and was even able to use infrared
and trace a Zoid Core's energy. Mounted on the back was a Dual Sniper Riffle, making this
canine one tough competitor. It continued to heavily fire, but Blade Liger was far too agile to be
easily hit. A few bullets caressed across the Zoid's mane, and another struck the end of its tail.
Jessica had the blades lower and extend to the sides, while its connected 30mm Laser Gatling
Riffles aimed for the wolf.

Rapid fire was released, which the Konig Wolf didn't expect. It took heavy damage on its
chest region from being pummeled. Seeing how the armor wasn't too strong, several circuits had
been slain. Before long, the Zoid collapsed onto its stomach with sparks surging from the
wounds. Blade Liger was thrown back by a head-on ram with the Liger Zero X. They tumbled
through the air, then came to a skidding crash onto the right side. The other Liger continued its
advance, claws glowing a brilliant gold. It leapt up for a Strike Laser Claw as her own Zoid got
up to its feet. Seeing the Zoid descend, Jessica let out a battle cry as their own blades were
pointed forward and raised into a forty-five degree angle. Liger Zero X had unintentionally
impaled itself straight through the chest. The blade gave way to the Liger's body weight and
snapped clean off. At least the other was in a Command System Freeze.

So once again, it was down to the Genosaurer and Blade Liger. Jessica was unsure if she
could finish him off this time, not only because her Zoid took heavy damage, but she cared
deeply for the pilot. To her he was misunderstood, and like all guys complicated. She felt he
didn't deserve to be in the Backdraft; he didn't belong there. His heart was too big for that, she
sensed it in his tender kiss. But, could he be driven blind by the heat of a battle and still attack? It
appeared to be so. Sefirot deployed his Zoid's anchors, which smashed deeply through the
planet's crust. The dinosaur hunched forward slightly to create a perfect alignment from its head
to the tip of the tail. Each piece of segmented tail armor raised to activate the jet black fans of
ventilation. And at last, the cannon extended from Genosaurer's throat, which began to collect
the spheres of light into a giant orb.

Jessica tensed, waiting for the attack to be launched. She waited and waited, growing
more concerned as each minute passed. Was he trying to unnerve her? Or, could it be that he
didn't want any harm to be brought onto his love? It was neither. A sudden Charged Particle
Cannon penetrated right through Blade Liger's side, and burst out at the opposite end. It melted
right through the armor as if it was a thin sheet of paper, and it only took a few seconds more to
eat its way through the Zoid's metal flesh. As the lion laid on its side smoldering with smoke, the
seventeen-year-old was searching wildly for the culprit.

Perched high on the cliff's top was a Dark Spiner, whose spines had lifted and been
directed forward. Its platinum claws opened and closed rhythmically, while both anchors raised
from the back of its feet. As the spines fell back into position on the Zoid's back, she was
pressing every button and flipping all the switches, trying to get a response from her Liger. There
wasn't any. Jessica began to panic. Sefirot used his own attack as a distraction, giving the Dark
Spiner the perfect opportunity to maul her Zoid. One thing they didn't count on though was her
Organoid.

"Blaze! You have to help!" She cried, literally. Tears of both anger and sorrow were
streaming down her face.


He nodded and lift open the lion's hatch, and immediately took off into the air. His body
began to glow heavily with a sky blue light, which stretched out into a beam shaped as a spear.
Blaze plummeted back down and into the Blade Liger, then fastened his body around its slightly
damaged Core. A radiant glow was issued out from every inch of the Zoid's being, and right
before everyone's eyes, the wound had sealed and its energy levels skyrocketed. Blade Liger, or
rather Blaze, let out a vicious roar while jumping to its feet. The hatch shut tightly. They were
ready for battle once more.

She could actually hear Sefirot's laughter from the cockpit. He was quite impressed with
this display. His Charged Particle Cannon was fired at last, which her Blade Liger leapt clear
over and onto a ledge. Rebounding off the cliff's wall, the man was shocked to see the Zoid's
claw slash across his Genosaurer's face. A chunk of armor had been torn clear off, exposing
circuits and its true metallic form. It didn't end there, though. Blaze had the lion clasp its fangs
over the dinosaur's neck, and actually had it thrown to the ground. Blade Liger thrashed out a
main circuit, rendering the Genosaurer immobile.

The cockpit was heating up, and sweat began to seep out from the teen's pours. Blaze was
overworking the Zoid, which could lead to their eventual downfall. Jessica chose to ignore this
for now, knowing the Dark Spiner wouldn't go down as easily. She knew that Sefirot secretly let
her strike him down, for he was far more skilled than that. Of course, the seventeen-year-old
wouldn't let him know she knows that. It would be a mock of his masculinity.

Dark Spiner's twin forward-facing AZ 144mm Cannons unleashed a swarm of alloy
bullets towards her, each one entered the world with a brilliant flash of light. Blade Liger leapt to
the side and began a run, the bullets' trail was just a few feet behind them. Blaze lowered the
Zoid's blades and charged them with a sum of kinetic energy. Changing their course, they ran
directly for the Dark Spiner's location, racing up the cliff's body. Her opponent leapt off the cliff
as they reached half-way, but Blade Liger pushed forcefully off to propel itself backwards. The
Zoid's blades cut right through the foe's side, making a deep gauge into its body. Dark Spiner
landed flat on its stomach, while the lion landed perfectly on all four feet, but collapsed there
after.

Her Organoid was jettisoned from the Zoid, and seemed overly exhausted. Quick to react,
Jessica removed her seatbelts and pushed the hatch open, then leapt out and over to her best
friend. She cradled his head in her arms as he laid down, cooing praises for him. Upon closer
examination, no major injuries could be detected. Blaze just pushed himself too far. The
seventeen-year-old was overly joyed at this, and gave the dragonic beast a hug. Sunlight began to
rain down as the dome was deactivated. It disappeared in small sections, and took around three
minutes to completely dissolve. Jessica ran a hand through her long dirty-blond hair and smiled.
Another victory had been gained. Or, had it?

A blackened Whale King had began its descent, just as it did so many months before. The
seventeen-year-old had no choice but to watch the arrival silently, and grow fearful for her
existence. Last time, her Blade Liger was some form of fighting condition, so the hoards of Zoids
that rampaged out from the transport's mouth weren't any threat. But this time, there was no
means for defense. Jessica, Blaze, and her Liger were all at the Backdraft's mercy. She entered
another flashback.

There she waited, her eyes narrowed slightly at the newly landed Whale King. Jessica
was growing aggravated with this organization. They've attacked her a few times before, mainly
due to her rare and exclusive Zoid. As of lately though, the matches had become ruthless. This
time it was no different. Out from the transport's open mouth marched out several Spinosappers,
their Omnidirectional Beam Saws revved up furiously. The weapons' jagged teeth were glowing
a bright purple, hinting an energy source was activated.

Following the gang were a pair of modified Zaber Fangs, who had been fitted with Flight
Packs, which granted the Zoids access to eight Mortar Missiles each. Two Dark Horns were
present in the back, mounted with Hiblit Vulcan Cannons. All these were to go up against a
single Blade Liger. It seemed that the Backdraft were beginning to panic. The battle was
incredible to behold.
Without hesitation, Jessica had lowered the Liger's blades but pivoted their tips forward.
Their attached 30mm Laser Gatling Rifles unloaded rapid fire across the Dark Horns' bodies,
rendering them immobile in seconds. One of the Zaber Fangs charged forward and fired off their
missiles, which Blade Liger gracefully dodged with a few side leaps and by ducking low. A
horizontal slash brought the sabertooth tiger down, and a second thwarted off its twin. To make
sure they were down, the lion's teeth tore through the main circuits upon the necks. It was time
for the Spinosappers.

With the blades still pointed forward, the seventeen-year-old charged ahead. The Zoid
pounced onto one of the Spinosappers, sending it smashing into the ground. Its jaws clamped
onto one of the chainsaw-like weapons, and tore it clean off. Using it as a sword, its brothers
were gauged and smacked around, before Blade Liger got fed up and decided to use its claws
and teeth. Once all had been cleared, a deep manly voice boomed out from the Whale King's
cockpit.

"Very impressive, Jessica Ribarich."

Jessica gasped. "How do you know my full name?"

The man merely laughed. "I have a proposition for you, if you're interested."

She shook her head. "If it's joining up with you, forget it."

More chortles sounded off. "And why not? You need to see things through our eyes. We
want to make Zoid battles better than they are now. More interesting, if you will, by putting the
best of the best up against one another. Think of all who will benefit from it. Mechanics would
have their hands full. Warriors would gain tons of credits from all those who pay to view their
matches. You, my dear girl, would be known Zi-wide and grow in popularity."

The seventeen-year-old grinned sadistically, aiming Blade Liger's 30mm Laser Gatling
Riffles at the Whale King. "Sorry, but I have social anxiety. All that fame would kill me."

Several rounds of fire pelted the Whale King's body, setting off miniature explosions here
and there. She heard the man order their departure, in a harsh and dominating tone. Noticing
the Whale King begin to rise, Jessica holstered the blades onto her Liger's back. The teen
watched as the mighty transport became a mere speck of black in the sky, and eventually
disappear entirely.

Jessica faded back into the present, or rather was knocked over the head and into it. A
soldier dressed in the Backdraft's black uniform had approached, and used a wooden club to
whack her good. Unfortunately for him, it didn't knock her out. Instead it made her very angry.
As she growled a feral growl, the soldier began cautiously stepping back. Getting to her feet, the
teen continued her advance and cracked her knuckles. She spun around quick on the ball of her
left foot, while her right leg lifted high into the air. Its foot was sent straight into the man's jaw,
repelling him to the ground.

Hearing frantic cries and rampaging footsteps from afar, the teen's head jerked to the side
just in time to witnessed a small army of gun armed soldiers run out. They surrounded her within
seconds, their weapons loaded and ready. Admitting defeat, Jessica raised her arms over her
head, then slowly dropped to her knees. Her brown eyes scanned over Blaze, who was beginning
to recover. The Organoid's limbs twitched, tail swayed across the ground. He was taken away
from her by a few guards, and vanished inside the Whale King.

Sefirot frowned as he pushed his way through the soldiers and over to her. With a hard
glare all around, the men lowered and put the safety on their guns. They made a small clearing
for the two, but kept on guard. He extended a gloved hand to her, which was taken with slight
hesitation. Jessica was still unsure whether or not he could fully be trusted. Surprisingly for her,
he pulled the teen close to his body and embraced her in a hug.

"I was worried you've been hurt.." he whispered, which brought tears into the girl's eyes.
She had finally found out how he felt.

"Come now, Sefirot. Bring her aboard." It was the same elderly voice she heard a few
months ago.

"Yes sir, Alteil." The man bowed out of respect, and helped Jessica to her feet.

Alteil. He once was the head of the Backdraft organization, until being overpowered by a
menacing woman who went by the name Sarah. She manipulated Vega Obscura, pilot of the
infamous Berserk Fuhrer to do her bidding. Well, they got theirs in the end, and Alteil his power.
The Count had made sure of this, as did the Committee of Seven. All did favor him anyhow.
Jessica was gently led into the Whale King through its mouth, and passed through a long
corridor. On either side were doors, each labeled with a gold number. These were the dorms.

As they continued on their way, the seventeen-year-old's head just happened to glance
down a passing hallway. She saw a pair of guards who had their arms locked around her
Organoid's, who was utterly unconscious. Jessica went to turn, but Sefirot pulled her away. His
head shook and eyes lowered in shame. The teen watched as to her horror, Blaze was thrown into
a small metal box, where a few holes had been drilled into it for air. She had to wonder now if
Organoids even breathed. Apparently, they were puzzled by this as well. None-the-less, the
dragonic beast was locked inside and carried into a darkened room.

Sefirot lightly tugged on her arm. "You'll be staying in my quarters. They've placed you
in my hands."

Jessica didn't say anything. That is, until a thought popped up in her head. "What are they
going to do with Blaze? And what about my Blade Liger?"

He chuckled faintly, then sighed. His green eyes glared into her own. "They wish to
experiment with him a bit. Find out how he works. It's been a while since we've last seen an
Organoid, and never had the Backdraft owned one. The only thing that even came remotely close
was the Berserk Fuhrer. It was more of a menace than anything." Sefirot paused. "Alteil plans on
making a clone of your Organoid. It'll be used until we discover the technology to create an
artificial simulation of one. And, I'm sure a few Zoids will be forced to evolve in this process.."

"And my Blade Liger?"

"It'll be our first test subject, to see if your Organoid is capable of bringing it to the next
level."

Jessica raised a brow. "But Blade Liger is an evolution of Shield Liger. Can it go any
further?"

He nodded. "In theory, yes. No one had tried it before, so none can say it'll fail."

Sefirot came to a door labeled with a golden thirteen. A card was removed from a pocket
of his jacked, and slid through a small metal machine. Much like in hotel rooms, a green light
flickered on to grant access. With the downward push of its handle, the door was opened. His
room was magnificent! Most certainly worthy of a five star rating. They've entered into a living
room, which had been furnished with a long black leather sofa and a few black recliner chairs. A
television set sat across from the couch, and in-between the two laid a marble coffee table. The
floor consisted of marble tiles of black and white, the room's walls had expensive wallpaper with
golden leaves as a design running vertically.

"I'll give you a guided tour." He chuckled, taking Jessica's hand.

He led her into a narrow hallway and opened a door on the left. It was a bathroom.
Everything was made of white marble, and there was a Jacuzzi in the back. Across from it was
the shower, hidden behind a thick silk curtain. Continuing on through, a door on the right
opened. This was the master bedroom, complete with a king size bed. The covers were made of
silk and velvet, the sheets have been hued silver while the covers themselves black. They went
along well with Sefirot's choice of fashion. Jessica loved it as well.

"I've got to speak with Alteil, my dear. Feel free to look around the Whale King. Just try
and stay out of trouble, will you?"

She nodded. Heading on back through the hall, the seventeen-year-old followed him out.
As he made a left turn, she proceeded to the right. Jessica wouldn't stand for her Organoid being
used. Even if it did mean harm would be brought to her. Then again, the Backdraft went through
a lot of trouble to get her. Their reasons for this was still unclear, but she figured they wouldn't
kill her, at least.. Maybe a few torture methods at the most. There was worse, of course, like
being the soldiers' means of sexual relief. She shuddered at the thought, took a deep breath, and
continued back the way she came.

A loud bang came from behind a metal door which was followed by masculine screams.
The door suddenly flung open as several men ran out, screaming at the top of their lungs.

"Beast!"

"Monster!"

"How could they bring such a thing on board!?"

This made her perk up for certain. Slamming her back against the wall, they ran by without even
noticing her. She chuckled. Men could be so blind. Once the coast was clear, Jessica jetted down
the short corridor and into the room they've fled from. It was entirely dark. A few flickers of light
came on every few minutes up above, while sparks surged down from a shattered lamp. Only a
small section of the room came into view, but nothing of importance could be made out. There
was a crash to the right, then a bang right in front. Suddenly, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared
but an inch from her while its owner issued deep growls.

"What's going on in here!?"

Jessica winced as the lights came on fully, blinding her momentarily. "Huh? Uh-oh.."

It was Alteil with Sefirot at his side. They were looking at her with pure rage. The
Backdraft official stomped forward, his long coat billowing behind. He came closer, right hand
flattened for a slap. She ducked beneath it agilely. Alteil spun around for a kick, rather swiftly for
his age. Jessica leapt over it, then landed in her spot. The teen was very tempted to taunt, but
knew better than that.

"Impressive..." he muttered. With a snap of his fingers, two guards appeared out of the
shadows. One wielded a bo, while the other a long sword. "Lets see how you fair out now."

The seventeen-year-old glances at Sefirot with a µyou've-got-to-be-kidding-me' kind of face. He
smirked then nodded, giving her the okay. With a shrug, Jessica's palm slammed up into the chin
of one guard, causing him to stumble back and drop his bo. Stomping on its end, the bo lifted
straight into the air and into her waiting hand. The second guard charged forward, swinging the
blade like a mad man. She simply wove her body from side to side, dodging the slashes.

"Say goodnight!" Jessica laughed, smashing the bo's end directly between his eyes. He
was knocked out instantly.

"Is that all you've got?" The teen asked Alteil mockingly. A shake of his head was her
answer.

"Of course not. If I truly wanted you dead, he could have finished you off already."

"He?" She looked confused, until motioned to turn around.

"Holy!"

It was an Organoid. Unfortunately, it wasn't her Blaze. But it strikingly resembled him,
minus the black hue. She remembered seeing such a creature before. Not in actual life, but in text
books. History ones. That's it! Shadow! Jessica grew pale. This Organoid was one of the most
powerful to have ever existed. He belonged to the infamous Raven, pilot of the ferocious
Genobreaker. But that was so many years ago. How could he possibly look so healthy and
young?

"Organoids don't have a set life span, as we do." Alteil cooly explained, seeing her
reaction. "They might even be immortal. This one was harnessed from Vega's Berserk Fuhrer.
We were quite pleased in discovering the µblack box' as we call it was fully alive and in tact."

"And the Fuhrer?"

"Destroyed. After Sarah's little shenanigan, I made sure no one would rise past me. Or, at
least not in that terror."

Jessica blinked. "Shadow, in the Berserk Fuhrer? But, that doesn't make any-"

"It's come to our attention that Zoids don't have a set evolution. It depends on how it
occurred, and by whom. For instance, you're a smart and attentive girl. I'm sure you've studied
your history?" After she gave an agreeing nod, he continued. "Ambient, that red Organoid of
Hiltz's. It was able to change a GunSniper into a Pierce Sniper. You know, with all the spikes
jutting out from its body and what not." Again the teen nodded. "Good. That was one evolution a
GunSniper could take. Have you heard, by chance, of Snipe Master? Of course you have. That is
another."

"So, you're telling me that a Genobreaker is capable of reaching a Berserk Fuhrer's level?
Just because of Shadow there, and all?" Alteil smirked. "What are its other evolutions, might I
ask?"

"We aren't for certain. That's why we've rounded you here, my dear. Since Shadow's
abilities made the Fuhrer, we wanted to see what Blaze could do."

The seventeen year old shook her head. "You're using Sefirot's Genosaurer, aren't you?"

"You catch on quickly.." Alteil grinned.

"Wait. Then that means..."

Alteil clapped his hands. The room began to tremble as the sound echoed off its vast
walls, until the northern one slid open. Jessica's eyes bulged at the sight before her. A large gem-
a crystal- stood glistening. It was as large as a Zoid, but bigger than her love's Genosaurer. The
evolution had already began.

"Blaze.."


"He'll be fine." Sefirot assured her, placing a hand onto a shoulder. She brushed him off.

"Don't touch me.." the teen whispered, forcing back her tears. Once more she felt
betrayed.

"A brand new Genobreaker will be born by tomorrow. We'll have to give the Organoid a
rest, of course, before sending it back in." Alteil explained, heading for the doorway.

"You monster...Forcing a Zoid to evolve. Forcing an Organoid to evolve it!" Jessica's
fists shook. "You'll pay for this!"

He burst out laughing and left the room. The door remained open for when she and
Sefirot decided to leave. Sefirot went to comfort her, but Jessica moved forward and away.
Hanging his head in defeat, the man walked away. She dropped to her knees, then sat down with
her legs crossed just watching the gem. Hours passed with no movement from within, the
seventeen-year-old laid down on her side, growing tired. Exhaustion got the best of her
eventually, and she drifted off into an uneasy slumber.




Jessica awoke the next morning not on the floor, but beneath warm, smooth covers. Her eyes
slowly fluttered open, mouth opened wide to a yawn. As her vision cleared, the teen recognized
her surroundings immediately. She was back in Sefirot's room. He must have carried her in. Or,
so it was hoped. It wasn't exactly a pleasant thought thinking who else it might have been.
Especially after recalling the other members she's heard of.

Take that Major Palta for instance. Large sunglasses, odd hair cut. There's no doubt that
he's one lonely man. Then, there's Dr. Leyon. A self-proclaimed genius of Zi. Famous for his
creation of the Shadow Fox, and other technological manipulation (i.e artificial storms). Neither
of them compared to the cruelty and self-conceited attitude as Alteil though. He was the most
villainous of them all. Probably didn't partake in intercourse for a good thirty years.

But wait! There was someone even worse. Far, far more sinister. An ex-warrior who
battled under the Zoids Battle Commission's rules, in fact. He apparently went insane after being
rejected one too many times. His nickname is "King," for he was a man once destined to be it.
Famous for his luck, infamous for his unstable mind. The one, the only, Harry Champ! He's been
sporting a new Zoid as well, rather than the occasional Iron Kong or Dark Horn. It was stolen
from beneath the ZBC's nose. Or, for reality issues, the hangar it was stored in had been raided
by him and his robots. A Gojulas Giga. He always was trigger-happy, just like his former love.

"How I hate her!" Jessica heard a door slam shut, and heavy footsteps proceed down the
hall. "I will have my revenge on that Bit Cloud! Once we discover their little get-away spot,
there'll be nothing left to his Liger Zero besides a pile of melted metal!"

The seventeen-year-old scratched her head and got up from the bed. Inching her way to
the door, it was slightly placed ajar. She watched the man stomp by in his usual unique
garments. The same yellow jacket with its fluffed pieces, red shreds of a cap billowed behind him
as he walked. He didn't notice Jessica peeking through the small crack. Even if he did, Harry was
too preoccupied in his thoughts to even care.

"Her GunSniper's tail will make a good cannon for my new Gojulas Giga. I'll rip it limb
from limb, weapon from weapon. Make its death slow and painful."

A hand was clasped over her mouth in shock. Could this once love-struck psychopath be
serious? There was a sweat drop dangling from the side of her head (Anime style). Again, the
teen had answered her own question. He turned down another hallway, giving her the cover to
slip out unnoticed. Jessica tip toed her way back into the Evolution Room,' as she's dubbed it.
Its door wasn't locked, making things a great deal easier for her.

Inside, the lights were on and the shattered one had been fixed overnight. Jessica wasn't
surprised to see a fully evolved Genobreaker before her, where the crystal once stood. What did
come to a shock, though, was the cage beside it. Shadow was resting within, lied down on a pile
of pillows and blankets of wool. Looking from the Organoid and back to the Zoid, she wondered
whether or not it had been used, rather than her own.

She was right. After exploring the room a bit more, and heading into its back, the
seventeen-year-old found a second evolution taking place. A hand was placed against its smooth
and warm body. Jessica closed her eyes, her mind became blank. The image of her best friend
suddenly popped within, its eyes dull from exhaustion. He was clamped onto the Core of a Zoid,
but his claws seemed to be relaxing. Just then, the crystal began to vibrate. Several cracks had
began to form on its surface. The evolution was complete.

Jessica withdrew back, an arm shielded her eyes from a brilliant flash of light. It was
issued through the cracks, and molded into a dome around the crystal itself. The dome expanded
outwards, which the girl continued to back away from, worried as to what would happen to her if
the light was touched. It then imploded entirely, vanishing instantly. There, where the crystal
once stood, was a new breed of Liger. It stood roughly at a height of 14.6 meters, and had a
length of around 27 meters. The armor was hued purple and turquoise, fangs and claws made of
solid gold. Mounted on the Zoid's back were a pair of long blades, as were two on its muzzle,
and one on its tail's tip.

The Zoid growled, wire-like tail whipped around with energy. Her former Blade Liger
was quite pleased in its alteration, though the sentiments couldn't be shared by Blaze. He was on
the floor in a fetal position, energy nearly entirely drained. Jessica dropped to her knees beside
him, lifted his cold head into her arms. The Organoid's eyes were still glossy, and he didn't react
to her touch. Despite all, the seventeen-year-old remained calm. She would have to keep a clear
head to save him. As she tried lifting his heavy body up, footsteps echoed through the long halls
of the Whale King. They grew closer and louder, until the shadow of a man crept its way over to
her.

"And you must be Jessica." Spoke Harry Champ, who had his arms crossed and a sinister
expression on his face. "And I see your Zoid has evolved. Into a Slash Liger, no less. You must
like close-range combat." He grinned wickedly. Then after being responded to with a nod, he
continued. "Good. Good. Then I'll be having a little match with you. Don't give me that
expression!" Jessica had raised a brow and tilted her head, in a yeah-right-I'd-kick-your-ass' sort
of way. "You have no idea what I pilot! I'll crush you and your little Liger like I would Bit
Cloud!"

She blinked. "Um, you're Harry Champ right?" He nodded. "Well, I'm sorry to bring this
up, but your ass has been handed to you several times by him." Harry's face was growing red,
and steam poured out from his ears. The teen quickly continued. "Besides, underestimating your
opponent isn't a good idea. I'm here for a reason, you know." Jessica nearly slapped herself for
that remark. "Anyway, why should I accept your challenge?"

"Well, for one it'd give you a chance to prove your skills. Plus, get used to that new
abomination of yours."

He had a point. That was a real shocker. "Alright. I accept."

"Good. We'll be landing shortly at the HQ. We'll use the arena there." Harry walked off
with his head held high. His confidence was showing, as was his conceited mind.

Jessica looked back down at Blaze, who had remained resting this entire time. He seemed
to be growing healthier as time passed by, but it'd take a day or two for him to fully recover. She
lowered his head gently back onto the floor, knowing it was impossible to move him on her own.
The teen hated to leave him alone, but had no other choice, and stepped over to her Slash Liger.
Just as always, the Zoid greeted her with a warming growl, then opened its orange hatch with a
black painted design on it. Hopping inside, she settled down on its smooth turquoise chair, which
the teen was automatically bound to by two criss-crossing belts.

The seventeen-year-old let out a silent yelp, feeling the room shake. Apparently, the
Whale King was making its initial descent into HQ. Outside was a tall black building,
surrounded by an electrified and barb-wired fence. There were two Gojulas guarding the gate's
main doors, as were a few armed guards. Beside the structure was a large black dome, where all
the official' battles between members took place. The Whale King hovered at least ten feet
above the ground, and its underbelly flung open.

Without warning, Jessica was dropped to the ground, that was around thirty feet below.
Her landing was perfect, though Blaze wouldn't have appreciated it. However, the teen couldn't
find him anywhere. Alteil, having planned the battle beforehand, snuck in while she was
preoccupied within her Zoid. As for the Genobreaker and Shadow, they were still aboard the
transport, for that section remained closed. She watched as an opening formed on the dome,
seemingly out of no where. With a shrug, her Slash Liger paced inside.

The arena was massive; definitely bigger than it appeared from the outside. There were
cement seats, like in a stadium, stretching towards the ceiling. And, upon the wall dividing
audience from battlers were several holes. These bothered Jessica a bit, for who knows what
could come out from them. Her Zoid came to a stop at the arena's opposite side and turned
around, awaiting their opponent. Harry came in shortly after, wielding the mighty Gojulas Giga.
The teen nearly passed out on the spot, having never thought that he- such a poor fighter- would
ever get one. Or be able to use it, for that matter. She expected a Dark Horn, or Iron Kong even.
But this...

"No freaking way.." The teen gasped, her eyes widening in awe.

"What's the matter? Not thinking about backing out now, are you?" Taunted Harry.

"Of course not! I'm just surprised it accepted you as a pilot!"

"That's enough from you two!" Called Alteil over a loudspeaker. "Now, on the count of
three, the battle will begin." Both warriors prepared themselves. "One.." Jessica leaned forward.
"Two.." Harry gripped tighter onto the controls. "Three!"

A sudden glow fitted around the barrels of the Gojulas Giga's Republican Super
Cannons, which were the largest of its arsenal and back-mounted. The light from them
intensified by the minute, until two massive beams were launched. Their speed wasn't too great,
so Slash Liger was able to easily avoid the strike via side jumping. However, they were sent
backwards and crashing into the arena wall, merely by the beams' pure force. Jessica growled,
her head ached from bashing it onto the chair. Slowly her Liger recovered, and began whipping
around. It was becoming furious.

The seventeen-year old began looking at the controls. She couldn't find a button for any
canonry weapons, just many levers for blades. A large sweat drop appeared along side her head.
This definitely was going to be a challenging battle. Harry Champ stomped his way closer, trying
to box the Slash Liger in. Luckily, Jessica picked up on this, and forced her Zoid to dash away to
the side. Gojulas Giga's bladed tail lashed out for her, but Slash Liger gracefully leapt over it,
then continued its run. Being the large size it was, the dinosaur couldn't move fast nor maneuver
well. So in those categories, she had the upper hand.

Rapid bullets crashed into the ground behind them, smoke raised from Gojulas Giga's
Dual Twin 40mm Machine Guns. Their barrels flashed with a bright yellow light, which greeted
the alloy shots into the world. Slash Liger skidded to a stop, then leap back suddenly. Two more
beams from the enormous cannons launched, forming a shallow crater upon the arena floor. The
teen growled as once again she was repelled away from the blast. This time, however, her Zoid
landed on all fours. Some sweat was wiped from her brow.

"He's heavily armed. Lets test the armor out, though."

Jessica pulled down the largest two levers. From Slash Liger's back folded down its
longest blades, which then extended outwards. They took on a brilliant yellow hue, having a
strong energy source condensed around them. The girl pushed the controls forward, sending the
Zoid running at the Gojulas Giga at full speed. Seeing her coming, Harry lashed the dinosaur's
tail out again, which was a big mistake on his part. Leaping clear over it, Slash Liger tilted to the
side in mid-air as the limb soared beneath. Their new angle allowed one blade to slice right into
Gojulas Giga's tail, making a deep gauge through it. The wound surged with electricity, sparked
wildly as though miniature fireworks were set off.

But the attack didn't end there. The Liger leapt powerfully once more, bringing the same
blade across Gojulas Giga's knee. It was quite vulnerable at that area, and proved to be a
weakness as the Zoid buckled and fell forward. Though it caught itself, its own weight proved a
hazard, and it was taking a while for the dinosaur to get up. Jessica retracted the blades, rerouting
their energy into Slash Liger's right arm. Light of a yellow hue escaped from beneath the armor,
racing downward for the claw. There it became steady and ready to be unleashed.

"Lets go for it!"

Slash Liger roared as it made a sharp turn, and rounded the still recovering dinosaur.
Coming upon its backside, the Zoid actually climbed up its back, creating thick dents upon
Gojulas Giga's armor from the energy encased claw.

"Strike Laser Claw!"

Roaring again, the Liger kicked off with its hind legs and brought back its right arm.
Nearing the neck, it was thrust forward, and the nails themselves penetrated through the armor
with ease. Even more sparks raced around as a circuit was sliced, rendering the right side of
Gojulas Giga immobile. Reaching back with the left claw, the Zoid clamped onto Slash Liger,
plucked it off, and chucked it across the arena. They landed in the bleachers, which shattered
beneath the Liger's weight. Jessica was breathing heavily now, feeling the effects of this combat
already. Every maneuver with the new Liger took a great toll on her own energy. She had yet to
become in tune with it.

Luckily for her, if one Republican Super Cannon malfunctions or is disabled, so is the
other. Melee combat wouldn't work too well for the Giga, so all it really had left for defense was
one 40mm Machine Gun. The battle shifted more so in her favor. Harry Champ was screaming
his head off, and was very audible over a communication link. He cursed her and her tactics,
along with Slash Liger itself. Never in a million years would he have expected to lose with his
Gojulas Giga. Now, the man regrets having ever challenged Jessica in the first place.

"Do you surrender?" The seventeen-year-old asked slyly.

"Never!" Harry screamed.

More bullets were spewed out. Slash Liger remained still, though, watching as they
collided into the rows beneath them. Apparently, Harry was blinded by his rage. Jessica chuckled
lightly, which was more nervous than anything. She had some idea how hazardous a crazed
lunatic could be, especially one with weapons. But, with the damage sustained, he was as
harmless as a kitten without claws. While waiting for his ammunition to run dry, the seventeen-
year-old began preparations for a more powerful finishing attack.

"Time for a High-Intensity Blade Attack."

Slash Liger's muzzle blades extended outward, while the back-mounted ones lowered and
flared open. The Zoid's tail became stiff, as did the rest of its body, which began collecting
energy from deep within. Soon, a golden glow shined out from all five blades (two muzzle, the
back-mounted, and tail). Their energy began swirling outwards and around the Liger's body,
which coiled constantly as though a serpent who could only slither in place. At long last, the
40mm Machine Gun ran dry, and out from it seeped a thick black smoke. The weapon was
overused, and turned slightly red from heat. Harry had no choice but to jettison it or risk further
injuries.

Not that it would do him any good now. Once again, it came time for Jessica to finish her
opponent off. Her Zoid leapt clear off of the bleachers and began to run from the moment its
paws struck the ground. The corkscrew of energy was still quite visible, and even grew over time.
Harry could be heard screaming in a high-pitched tone, realizing he was completely defenseless.
Slash Liger jumped, the energy followed. They plowed into Gojulas Giga's stomach, and straight
through to the other side. This was done on purpose, as not to harm the Zoid's Core within the
chest region. She didn't want to kill it, after all.

They landed on all fours. Her Zoid collapsed to its stomach, completely exhausted.
Luckily, Gojulas Giga fell the opposite way, shaking the arena upon collision. Harry Champ leapt
out from the cockpit, then clenched onto his Zoid's face the best he could. Jessica watched him
with an odd expression as the man cried, then began furiously lashing out into the air. Feeling her
uneasiness, Slash Liger pulled itself up, and slowly crept away. They headed for the door, but to
their misfortune, it led directly back into the Whale King.

"Is there no end to the madness?" She asked herself as her Slash Liger weakly paced
around.

A Gustav of black armor trudged out from the transport, wielding many mechanical arms
on its platforms. They were thicker and stronger than usual ones, which was a good thing due to
the Gojulas Giga's size (even if it was cut down a bit). So onto the platforms it was heaved, and
motored back into the Whale King's hangar.

"Get on board right this moment. We have a new task for you..." Called Alteil.

"Excuse me? But since when do I take orders from you?"

"Since we have your Organoid in captivity..." He chuckled.

What other choice did she have but to comply? With a heavy heart and lowered head, the
seventeen-year-old piloted her newest Zoid back into the darkness and beyond. Everything in the
room was back to normal. The Genobreaker and Organoids remained in place. Jessica hesitated
for a moment before removing her bindings, then slipped out from the cockpit silently. She
walked over to Blaze and took a seat beside him. It had just come into realization that she was
just another Backdraft grunt now. Not by will, but by blackmail and force.

Blaze began to stir, his tail swished on the cold floor. His eyes, no longer glossy but
glowing with life, looked at Jessica sorrowfully. Sitting upright, the Organoid wrapped a wing
around her, and pulled the teen close. Both pair of eyes settled on the Genobreaker before them,
wondering what it could further turn into. What monster it would soon become, and what the
Backdraft had planed for it. The seventeen-year-old herself was pondering what Alteil meant by
having a new task for her.

Sefirot walked into the hangar silently. If it wasn't for his shadow, Jessica wouldn't have
even acknowledged the man's presence. Blaze quickly jerked away his wing and got to his feet,
while the teen shifted her body around to face the man. She looked at him, unsure whether to be
happy in his return, or kick him square in the huzzah for so many betrayals. The latter seemed
more realistic, but was held back. One day, she'd get back at him, and do far more damage than
make him sterile.


He remained still with a hand offering to help her up. Jessica knew of it, but chose not to
fully acknowledge. The teen got up on her own and stood beside the Organoid, who was
growling ferociously. Her stomach then let out its own bellow. It had been a while since she last
ate. Sefirot heard the gurgling and chuckled, then motioned for her to follow. Blaze exchanged
looks with the teen. What could she do but go along with him? She'd have to build up their trust
together to later destroy him, as he would most certainly her, and has proved so many times
before. Plus, Jessica was very hungry.

The kitchen was impressive, to say the least. Every pot and pan was of the highest class,
and the floor and walls were spotless. Everything was kept in tip-top-shape, plus plenty of
already prepared meals had been placed on a long counter. Present was a large bowl of fruit,
beside that a large bottle of wine. There was also a large vase full of beautiful flowers, all radiant
in their own beauty. Jessica took a seat on a tall stool, right before the fruit. She plucked off a
few grapes from a bunch and popped them into her mouth. The grapes were fresh, delicious, and
full of nectar. Very enjoyable.

Sefirot sat down across from her, his hands folded on the table top. He was silent as the
teen continued eating, his eyes never leaving her. The man's hands were slightly moist, and
shook a little nervously. His lower lip was bitten down on gently, throat then cleared. Jessica
perked up, stopping in mid-chew of a banana piece she cut off. She could tell he had something
on his mind, but what couldn't be guessed. All she could think was, it wasn't good. Either that,
or overwhelming.

"I'd like you to.." A rose was plucked from the bunch of flowers, its step twirled between
two of his fingers. He paused, then presented it to her. "Would you possibly-" Jessica looked at
him sideways, her cheeks already beginning to blush. This was far off from her expectations.
"Could you, my dear, find it in your heart to care for someone such as myself?" She nearly
choked on her banana piece. Now, isn't that the proper fruit for such an occasion? "In other
words, would you go out with me?"

"..........."

"....Is that a no?" Sefirot asked sincerely.

"......................"

Jessica's mind went blank. Just before, she was plotting her revenge on him. A needless
one, now that she comes to think of it. After all, he -did- let her win that last match. And, he was
just doing his job. That reflected the obedience in him, which was a bit of a turn-on. Especially if
this teen ever decided to become a dominatrix. She always did want a whip. Leather was a
favorite material of hers. But- nah! That won't ever happen! (Or at least not in this PG-13 rated
story.)