Fan Fiction / Zoids Fan Fiction ❯ Writing down the words ❯ Have you shrunk? ( Chapter 1 )

AN:// Hey! I know I have a ton of writing to do on my other stories, but this one was just begging to be written. As much as I based my other story around him, I figured Thomas needed a voice too.

 

Prequel to “In Your Memory”, Thomas' point of interest.

 

Here's a Non Sequitor that you can chew on:

United States Civil War 1861-1865- Colonel Laurence Chamberlain of Maine fought alongside his little brother Lt. Thomas Chamberlain. Quote from the movie “Gettysburg“:

“ Darn it Tom, don't call me Laurence.”

 

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He was writing again. It was his escape when there were no parts left to fix, nothing mechanical he could alter or tinker with. He had done all the repairs he could in the zoid bay until they had locked down for the night, and all his spare parts were used in whatever he could make of them. So he sat, curled in bed, escaping into a world of his own making. In these pages his hopes and fears gained a life of their own in his characters. Everything came out, nothing hidden, and he could resolve anything with his pen. The feelings flowed away in dark ink. These stories were his very own secret, as was what was in them, and nobody would read them. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing though; he had never finished one before.

Thomas's hand scribbled across the page in messy scrawl. The white space was quickly giving way to surprisingly even lines of small, winding cursive that dashed along the surface almost illegibly. But he knew exactly what was being said by the screaming letters. This was his heart pouring out after all, somewhere within the fictional scenes of his worlds. His writing was getting messier as sleep crept up on him. He had been awake since four that morning running errands for Guardian Force, and doing the paper work that came with his treasured job. Exhaustion was bound to set in if he didn't get some rest. He'd been going nonstop for, he glanced at the clock, twenty four hours. His pen slipped as he stared at the glowing red numbers. It was four o'clock again.

With a sigh he flopped back into the covers and snuggled for a moment. He was due to report in twenty minutes.

“ What's two days without sleep?” He giggled to himself through a yawn. Leaning over the edge of the bed he felt along the bottom of his desk until a loosened piece of wood fell into his hands. He had fixed the bottom of the cheap desk to hide his journals, but figured he'd have to find another spot soon, the hollowed spot could only hold so much.

Thomas pulled himself out of the warm blankets and swung his feet to the cold floor, recoiling them for a bare second before standing. The shock of cold on his sensitive bare soles woke him enough to get to the shower and gather his clothes.

He had just finished dressing when a loud knock on his door jarred his half-dreaming mind.

“ Thomas? Time to go!” A loud voice boomed clearly though the door.

Deciding against his boots Thomas slipped on the nearest pair of flat soled shoes and rushed to the door.

“Coming Irvine!” He called back as he rushed toward the door. An odd glance behind him caught his eyes on an edge of his journal sticking out from under his desk. He skidded around, sliding in his shoes and ran back. A quick kick knocked the book under the hollowed drawer space and he was hurrying to the door. Irvine had already left by the time he threw open the door.

It was only a five minute walk to the office, but he was already two minutes late. He supposed Irvine would be too, but the other man hardly cared. Thomas had no idea why he bothered showing up at all. Of course life here at the base wouldn't be half as interesting without him, he thought fondly. That brought a smile to his lips. It only dimmed when he thought about the coming weeks. Irvine would be heading out and moving on. He had already been there a month, long enough according to him, and time to find another town or base. Thomas couldn't help but feel a little let down by that news. He had been here on his own for too long now and it was beginning to wear on him. With Irvine leaving, that pretty much guaranteed the impromptu visits by Moonbei would end, and he hadn't heard from Van or Miss Fiona in a while.

Walking past the commons he waved amiably to the three men who called a greeting out to him. He wasn't friendless here, but that comradeship just wasn't as deep as what he had shared not so long ago. Loneliness had such an edge.

“ Lt. Shubaltz!”

Thomas winced and sped up. He was late.

 

The afternoon sun warmed his skin through the dark shirt he wore and made his pale face a rosy, sun burnt, red. He silently fumed for a moment, a tad miffed at standing here in the hot sun for an hour, but let it go shortly after. Being angry only made him hotter. He had been shuffling papers all morning, and now all he wanted was a cold drink and some lunch, but his lunch `date' was an hour late. He had no idea what Irvine could be doing. The man hadn't in fact shown up to the meeting so he knew it most likely had nothing to do with orders. It had been such a slow month for the both of them, a supposed break, so nothing much more than loads of paper work awaited them beyond the odd assignment. He figured the higher ups wanted him to be grateful for that. He was downright bored. Not to mention it gave him too much time to think. His journals were nearly full.

“ Thomas!” A loud voice screamed in his ear.

Thomas jumped and spun on a heel, hand flying up to ward of any offender. He berated himself for jumping when he found his late companion behind him.

“ Watch it.” Irvine batted the waving hand way. “ Space out on your own time, I'm hungry.“ The taller man threw an arm around his shoulders and lead him toward a waiting jeep.

Thomas bit the inside of his cheek to keep from remarking.

“You're here early.” Irvine said conversationally. Thomas' teeth drew blood.

“ You're late!” He rounded on the other man.

“ What? It's only twelve fifteen.” Irvine retorted grabbing Thomas' wrist to check the time.

“ We were supposed to meet at eleven.”

“ Twelve thirty.” Irvine shook his head. “ I said twelve thirty.”

“ We agreed on eleven!” Thomas shouted. He felt the beginning of a headache flash through his skull.

“ Oh, did we?” Irvine outright laughed at the expression on his friends face.

“ Let's just go.” Thomas moaned, rubbing his head.

 

The bistro in town was slowly emptying after the lunch rush, but the two still sat in there little outside table watching the people on the sidewalks quietly. Thomas could feel Irvine's eyes on him from time to time, but couldn't figure out what his friend found so fascinating. He was pretty sure he had cleaned all of his spilled sundae off his lap. Warily he shot a quick glance around to make sure the kid who had put it there was well away from him. Irvine had found the accident the highlight of his lunch, but Thomas didn't know what had caught his attention now. It was beginning to unnerve him.

“ Yo, Thomas?” The quiet seriousness in his friends voice immediately drew him around.

“ What is it?”

“Have you shrunk?” He asked just as seriously.

Thomas stared at him for a moment before laughing.

“What?” He giggled again, but when he looked up Irvine's expression had only gotten darker. “ Irvine?”
“ Your clothes are too big.” He stated in a clipped tone.

“ Yes. I suppose.” Thomas pulled self-consciously at his loose shirt. He could feel the tight belt around his waist press slightly against the food contented bump of his normally flat stomach. They had fit a when he got them hadn't they?

“ Why?”

Thomas met Irvine's eyes but didn't know what to tell him.

“ You haven't been eating.” Irvine said for him when he got nothing but silence.

“ Well, I've been busy.”

“ Bullsh-”

“ Irvine!” A high pitched voice yelled from across the street.

Irvine turned toward the voice and impulsively smiled, almost instantly distracted.

“ Hey! Over here!” He called back and waved the woman over. Thomas recognized her from the base.

He also recognized he was forgotten.

Watching as Irvine got up to hug the young woman he slipped quietly out of his chair.

“ I'll be around town.” He said loudly. Irvine waved as he walked off.

Strolling the sidewalks of the little town Thomas didn't know weather to be relieved or saddened by his dismissal. At least his headache would get a reprieve. Irvine could be quite annoying when he wanted to be. But, he could be really observant too as he had just shown, and caring. Not even Karl had noticed anything different last he was here, though that had been awhile. Thomas himself hadn't paid the state of his clothes much attention the last few months.

He brushed the musings away for now and looked for a place to go. Taking his bearings he scanned the street signs for the one that would take him to a parts shopped he frequented whenever he made it into town. While he was here he might as well replenish his stock he figured. Besides, there was a little project he had been itching to dabble with. Unfortunately, he had thought of it after he had dabbled with two other projects and used the last of his equipment. His thoughts successfully diverted, and now genuinely excited, Thomas hurried up the walk and breezed though the door.

The little bell that signaled his entrance drew the attention of the store clerk who immediately smiled warmly. The older woman leaned forward on her stool behind the counter, brushing snow white strands of hair back from her face.

“ Thomas,” She held out a hand and grasped his proffered one gently. “ I've missed you dear.”

Thomas smiled back in greeting. In an instant he was at ease in the cozy shop, lit with a warm orange glow despite the heat and time of day. Flowers sat in various arrangements around the room, and with the old grandmother sitting behind the counter it was every bit a welcoming atmosphere. He had stumbled in here a few months ago and had since made every possible excuse to come back. There was a larger brand name store not a block from here with every new technology possible, but he had barely been once.

“ I've missed you too Matty.”

“ Well go on,” she shooed at him, “ you don't want to stand around talking to an old granny. I'll make us some coffee. No salt.” She teased easily.

He had told her everything about his one time crush and friends. In return she regaled him with stories of her life in her younger days up to her grandchildren and cats.

“ Cookies too?” His face became that of a child begging his grandma for treats.

“ Yes, now hurry up and find what you need hunny.”

Turning with the enthusiasm he hadn't felt in the last week Thomas finally took note of the others customers Matty had. There were only two other people in the entire store, but they were standing close to the front looking not at all interested in the rack in front of them. He smiled tentatively when he realized the two men weren't looking at the merchandise, but him. Quelling the suspicion that tried to rise up in him he began walking toward the back, collecting odd bits as he went past, and avidly trying to ignore the feeling of eyes on him. His mind automatically filed away the detail he'd picked up off the men. Two tall, built men who looked oddly out of place in the dirty clothes of what he assumed were fielders. Their demeanor hadn't been that of one of the towns hard workers, but that of someone uncomfortable in the garb they'd put on. Thomas mentally berated himself for being so paranoid. He hardly looked like the epitome of military display. But, he cursed his inquisitive mind, the men's hands hadn't had looked so untouched by roughness. He was paranoid.

“Thomas, coffee dear.” Matty called from up front and he hurriedly put his things in a basket and rushed to her, the smell of fresh cookies already permeating the store.

Sitting at the counter munching on fresh baked peanut butter cookies a few minutes later Thomas had forgotten the odd gentlemen from before, both having left just after Matty called him. So, after being admonished for his lack of weight, his coffee with his dear friend had been a delightful time. For awhile the outside world had waited. Matty was an endless source of information, both small gossip and tidbits to the most important news, some of it secret. No one would notice an old woman and watch their words after all would they?

After paying for his collection Thomas hugged Matty and promised to be back as soon as he could get away again. Time had worn on as he listened to his friend and it was already time for him meet Irvine. He was almost out the door when Matty called him back.

“ Thomas.”

“ Yes Ma'am?” Eyebrows creasing in concern at the grave tone in her voice he turned toward her. She waited until he met her eyes.

“ There's time enough to sit in silence, don't let the time to speak slip by.”

“ Matty?”

“ Have a good day dear,” She quickly intervened, all motherly cheer, “ and remember to eat something. Your pants will fall down.”

Thomas stared at the grandmother for a second before smiling a questioning goodbye and hurrying out the door.

He hummed contemplatively as he walked, quickly losing himself to his thoughts and the old tune he'd learned from his brother. He couldn't help but over analyze Matty's words, but still couldn't understand them. Unconsciously he changed the tune to one his brother had sang him when he had nightmares. For whatever reason he couldn't put his finger on he had a feeling something was wrong.

All this thoughts vanished as he caught sight of the town clock tower.

“Oh no. I'm late!”

He had forgotten Matty's old clock was always an hour behind. He was supposed to be back at the base already, now he could only hope Irvine had waited for him. He stopped right there and immediately calmed down. With Irvine being late meant being on time. Still not completely at ease he picked up the pace and hurried across the streets.

It was in a stunned daze that he stared at the empty parking spot that had once housed their jeep. It would appear Irvine had had an odd day.

“ Oh all the…”

 

 

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AN:// I've got a great idea for this story, and it will work out some answers too. Yeah, this could be weird. I'm still working on the sequel. Should I finish this one first, then work on the other. Or vice versa?

 

If you want a say, just tell me. I'm going to finish them both anyway.

About the tidbit from the beginning:

Weather the interaction between the brothers in the movie is substantiated in real history, I don't know, but that they were in the same unit together is true. But, it just hit while watching that movie how it reminded me of that little interaction between our lovely anime characters. Throughout the movie the Lt.is always coming up to his brother and calling him by his first name, and in response getting a “don't call me that”. I'm guessing since they did use that it must have some true origin. I hope. They even reminded me of our colonel and lt.with how they acted somewhat, in the movie of course. Hollywood hams it up quite a bit, but “Gettysburg” was really quite an accurate and serious movie. It was rather…mind tickling.