Erin Prazan

aka the Red Phoenix

Red Phoenix Part 3…

 

            Bit and Leena ran their Zoids for about six miles until Leena asked if they could stop at a cliff to rest and watch the sunset.  “Sure, just as long as we don’t stay too long.”  Replied Bit as they headed to a small cliff over at the far side of the canyon that they were running in.  They stopped their Zoids and walked out on to the cliff edge.  They sat down and let their feet dangle over the edge.  Bit looked over at Leena.  The fading sunlight was shining off her reddish-brown hair as she looked over to the setting sun.  She all of a sudden looked over at Bit, who blushed and quickly turned toward the sun.  It was still bright and it hurt his eyes but he didn’t dare look back at Leena.  He still felt her gaze on his neck and face, drilling into him like one of his drills drilling a new screw hole into a Zoid part.  He forced himself to look back at her; she was still looking at him.  The look in her eyes was the same as the look Jamie used to give to his old Pteras before Doc traded it in to buy Jamie’s new Reynos.  Bit blushed again, causing Leena to blush.  They looked at each other for a few minutes; they began to lean toward each other.  But before they got close enough, the air erupted with the sound of gun fire.  “Who in the hell would be battling at this hour?”  Asked Leena peevishly as they got up to look for where the sounds were coming from.  In the valley below them they saw a lone Zoid being battered by at least six Rave Raptors.  The Raptors had a familiar symbol on their heads.  The symbol for the Backdraft!  Bit remembered seeing the symbol on a bracelet he had seen on the wrist of Backdraft member.  He also remembered that the pilot quit the Backdraft Group after a loss from the Blitz Team.  The Zoid they were attacking was familiar as well.  It was Fiona and her Liger 009!  It was wearing the Schneider armor and it wasn’t having much luck beings it was outnumbered.  “Fiona!”  Cried Bit, “Leena, we’ve got to help her!” 

“Way ahead of ya!”

 

Bit and Leena ran down to the valley as fast as their Zoids could carry them.  Fiona was just about to take a final blow when the Liger Zero used its Strike Laser Claw and brought down two of the Rave Raptors.  “Weasel Unit Total Assault!”  Came Leena’s cry as her Wild Weasel Unit fired its many missile launchers.  She brought down three others, injuring one only just.  “I’ll finish the last one!”  Said Fiona, “Buster Slash!”  Five blades came down and positioned themselves on the Liger’s head.  One blade across the top of the head and two on either side of the jaws.  The Buster Slash sliced through the Zoid as if it was paper.  The last Rave Raptor fell to the Liger’s feet.  “Yeah!  Blitz and Phoenix Teams score again!”  Yelled Leena as she jumped up from her seat in the cockpit.  “Getting a little over excited I see.”  Came Fiona’s joking reply as Bit brought his Zoid next to Leena’s. 

“Well it’s been so long since I battled, so you can’t blame me!  Besides, Bit’s been cooped up in the hanger for so long so he needed something to get his blood rushing again.” 

Leena smiled at Bit who smiled back.  “Well, I better get going.  The Amazon Maidens are holding interviews with new recruits tomorrow.  We finally got rid of Melanie today.  She was spying for the Backdraft, so my mom kicked her out.”  Fiona said with a grin.  “See you at the carnival tomorrow.”  And with that Fiona and her Liger ran off into the distance.  Bit looked over at Leena, who was looking down at the Rave Raptors.  “I think their unconscious.”  Said Leena as Bit followed her gaze. 

“Should we leave them?”

“No, call the police and tell them to let us keep the Zoids.  I might give them to Fiona or use the parts.”

They only had to wait a few minutes for the police to arrive.  After questioning, they ran home with the reward money in Bit’s lap. 

 

            “Good work you two.  We got prize money before he even went into a sanctioned match.  Good work!”  Doc was complimenting Bit and Leena’s work on the Backdraft and had offered to split the money between them for a good job, beings they had earned it.  They both had agreed.  It wasn’t until Bit went to bed did he remember something.  Was Leena just about to kiss him before they fought the Backdraft warriors?  This was confusing Bit.  If this was true then that meant that Leena had the same feelings for hi as he did her.  The thought still lingered in his mind as he said good-night to the Liger and the other Zoids.  He turned off the lights in the hanger and lied down on his bed.  Sleep didn’t come right away like it had the past few nights; his mind was to bust thinking.  Leena must have been read y to kiss him, why else was she leaning toward them?  He shook his head.  No, it had to be his wild imagination.  He turned over to his left toward the wall.  I don’t get it, things have been going weird, and I’ve only been back for a week almost.  Usually it doesn’t start getting weird until about after a month that I return.   Bit just shrugged off his confusion.  It was late, and he really didn’t want to press the matter further.  Maybe he should ask Leena for a run some other time and see if it happens again.  With that thought burning into his mind, he drifted off in to a peaceful sleep.

 

            Oh no, not again.  Not this hell of a dream.  Bit was once again in the haunting dream this time it started before the battle.  He was standing a well furnished living room.  The children; Fiona, Bit, and Vega, were playing with the mercenary Erin.  It had to be her, Fiona’s mother.  The black haired man was sitting watching the children play.  A young blonde haired woman with Vega’s gray eyes was washing dishes from dinner, its scent still lingered in the air, the scent of Fettuccine Alfrado with chicken.  A another man was sitting at the table, talking to a boy about a year older then the younger Bit, who looked strangely familiar.  Jack Cisco.   Thought Bit the other man pushed his son toward the others to play.  “Hey Cisco, can you grab me a beer while you’re up.”  Asked the Black haired man as Cisco got up to help the woman with the drying.  “Max, way don’t you give it a rest with the beers; you’re like my dad’s cousin.  Can’t go a day without a beer.”  The whole adult half of the room burst out laughing.

 “Erin, be a dear and go get my tool box, the sink is acting up again.”

 Erin nodded and walked out the door. 

“Colleen, relax with the dishes and turn off the water.  Either that or you’ll flood the kitchen.”

Colleen, as the woman was called, turned off the water and went to sit with her husband.  Just then, Erin burst in, pale as a sheet.  “Erin, what on Earth…”  Cisco began, but was interrupted by Erin’s yelling.  “Backdraft Group!  They’re attacking us!”  As soon as Erin finished that last sentence the hanger was rocked by a huge explosion.  “Colleen, Cisco.  Get your Zoids and meet outside!”  Cried Max as Erin scooped up the children and ran into a bedroom.  Jack was on her heels as she ran.  Bit found himself in the boys’ bedroom.  Jack went and sat on his bed and both Bits’ sat on the other with Erin and the baby.  Fiona went to go sit with Jack.  The sounds of gunfire shot through the air as all of them cowered in the room.  Bit looked at them, a sadness in his eyes.  Only he knew what was to became of the adult’s outside, up as he was thinking, Erin’s vivid blue eyes began to glow strangely.  All of the looked at her as she went into some kind of trance.  Soon she snapped out of it and shook her head violently.  “Oh Jesus no, they can’t be.”  Sobbed Erin as the sound of gunfire began to cease.  Bit swallowed. He knew what had happened.  This Zoid team had been defeated, and the pilot’s killed.  Erin quickly took the children outside.  Bit found himself standing next to Erin as she muttered something in Jack’s ear,

“Take one of my Hel Cat’s and get out of her as fast as you can.  Go to your grandparents place.”

Jack was reluctant at first until he saw his father lying dead on the ground.  He nodded and ran toward a Hel Cat in the corner.  He was soon fleeing toward the horizon.  Bit watched on sadly as the end of the dream played again in his head.  His dying father’s last words to Erin, and Erin taking the children and fleeing in her Liger.  But surprisingly, it didn’t end there.  All of a sudden all of the Zoids in the hanger sprang to life and followed Erin.  Including two Liger’s that looked dead familiar.  Liger Zero!  His Liger was accompanied by all the other Zoids.  A red and gold Whale King landed in the distance and collected all of the Zoids, including his Liger. 

 

            Bit snapped awake.  It was morning and the hanger door was open.  The Liger was growling happily as Leena prepped her Gun Sniper up for the Zoid show that day.  The carnival, how could I forget, and Fiona even reminded me.  But stretched and sat up.  “Morning Bit, lovely day isn’t it?”  Came Doc’s voice as Bit quickly changed into his battle uniform. 

“Yep, can’t wait for the carnival today, are you going?”

Doc nodded.  “It’s going to be hard not to.  I loved carnivals as a boy.  I don’t see how being an adult would change it.”

Bit smiled and went get his Liger ready.  “Good morning Liger, how did you sleep?”  Bit asked as his Zoid growled a good morning.  Liger roared and shook himself.  Bit patted Liger on the paw and stared to smooth out the scratches the Liger got from yesterdays battle.  It about two hours until Liger was as clean as a fresh new car.  Every inch of the Liger shone.  Bit had to clean his battle uniform he had cleaned the Liger so well, getting all the dirt and grime on himself.  “I guess you should have worn your work clothes.”  Said Leena as Bit put on his now clean jacket.  “Ha ha, very funny, could you help my over here with Liger’s jet boosters, they need cleaning.”  Leena looked at Bit, “But you just cleaned your uniform.”

“I’m going to use a special tool the Doc gave me as a welcome home gift.  It works really well; I used it to clean the Reynos’ jets.”

“Fine, I’ll help out.  But do you promise that I won’t get dirty?” 

Bit nodded and headed toward the Liger.