Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids or any of the respective characters in this wonderful fandom. I am, however, absolutely in love with the anime and wish that it was still on the air! This disclaimer is for the entire fic.!!

Summary: Christmas time has come again for our favorite Zoids pilots and those closest to them, but what does the holiday have in store for them? Only time will tell…

A/N: Hi! Told you guys I'd be back in this fandom; it won't leave me alone. I have a busy schedule, so I don't know when this will be updated, but I just knew that I had to post this. This is just a short Christmas story for the Zoids characters. It has nothing to do with Wedding Day Rhythm, so anything that happened in there didn't in here, except the fact that Van and Fiona are married. Then again, we expected this, right? This takes place five years after the series ended. Enjoy!

"…"- conversation

'…'- thoughts

"…" – Zoids and Organoids talking

Chapter 1: Morning Craziness

Red River Base, Central Continent of Delpoi, Planet Zi – 24 December, 9:00 AM

All was quiet at the Red River Base, current headquarters for the Guardian Force. As it was, the only members present at the moment were the Shubaltz brothers, Van and Fiona Flyheight, the mercenary Irvine, the freelance transporter Moonbay, and special agents Raven and Ryss, the latter two present due to needing repairs to their Zoids, along with the few minor officers it took to keep the base running. Major General Robert Hermann had gone home for the holidays to the Republican capital, and Colonel Jake O'Connell had returned to the capital as well to visit his family. Emperor Rudolph and his fiancée Maryanne were coming on Christmas Eve, as well as Van's sister Maria, who was being escorted to the base by Rudolph's honorary adoptive parents Rosso and Viola. All were due to arrive soon, and Dr. Dee had decided to stop by as well, although Irvine had remarked that if the crazy doctor actually came he wouldn't be getting a gift from him. Needless to say, Fiona had sent him an icy look for the remark.

Overall, it was shaping up to be a very busy Christmas. That is, if everyone could just get along…

"How many times have I told you, woman, not to put salt in my damn coffee?!" rang one angry agent's voice from the cafeteria. Irvine, stationed in his room down the hall, groaned and buried his head underneath his pillow, desperately trying to obtain a few more minutes of sleep.

"It's not her fault, Raven, that you automatically assume that we can read your mind!" came a retort and Irvine growled. Damn it, don't people have the decency to let him sleep? Obviously not.

Giving up, Irvine got out of bed and, yawning, hopped in the shower, hoping that the water would wake him up and he could avoid the developing scene in the cafeteria. When he finished, he got out and felt another yawn overtaking him. Guess not; did fate hate him today?

Throwing on a pair of black jeans and a black tee shirt, his combat boots, eye patch, and orange bandanna, he grabbed the key to his room and, exiting, made sure that the coast was clear before running towards the hanger. No way in hell was he risking being seen and roped into doing something "Christmassy"… like hanging mistletoe over random doorways. He'd had enough of that, thank you very much. However, first thing was first – take the Saix out for their morning run and then grab the coffee.

When Irvine reached the hanger, he groaned on seeing that, unlike every other day, he was not the only person who had the idea to escape the base. The few mechanics who had volunteered to stay at base were moving around, yelling friendly insults and comments as they worked on what appeared to be a banged-up Gunsniper. Resigning himself to his fate, he walked towards his Saix, ignoring the nervous voice in the back of his head telling him that this was not a good idea. Why this voice was talking to him, he didn't know; and didn't care.

"Irvine!" a voice called out and Irvine groaned again. This was so not his day. Turning around, he prepared to tell off the voice's owner when he saw just who it was.

Moonbay was walking over, two cups of coffee in her hands. "Irvine, what are you doing in here this early? The Saix isn't scheduled to be worked on until after lunch. Coffee?"

Irvine eyed Moonbay and, deciding that she wasn't going to pull the cup away if he reached for it took the offered cup and, taking a sip allowed a smile to etch its way onto his face. "Thanks, 'Bay. Definitely appreciate it."

Moonbay's chocolate eyes eyed Irvine knowingly. "Raven and Ryss arguing again, right?"

Irvine nodded, taking another sip of the rich and wonderful coffee. "Yep, and, lucky me, I have the closest room to the cafeteria."

Moonbay shook her head in amusement, taking a long sip of her own coffee. "Figured as much, considering that Raven's been moody since yesterday when he found out just what day was coming up." Wrinkling her nose at the thought, she continued, "Of course, Ryss is doing her best to calm him down, but she'll need an army of help to do it."

Irvine grunted in agreement, too busy savoring the coffee. Moonbay did always make the best coffee, even when they were traveling and she had almost no coffee grinds left. "So, Moonbay, why are you in here so early?"

Moonbay glanced over at Irvine and, grinning, replied, "Oh, I was just looking over the paperwork that I'm going to submit to the Republic and Empire to gain ownership of the Ultrasaurus." Grinning wildly, she took another sip of her coffee, happy thoughts of being able to pilot her baby anytime she pleased coming to mind.

Irvine rolled his eyes. "Since when is the Ultrasaurus your Zoid?"

"Since I was able to pilot it for days on end and since he only responded to me."

"That was a fluke, and you know it."

"Wrong, Irvine. I am the best pilot in the world, and that is why the Ultrasaurus chose me."

Irvine cocked an eyebrow. "Cocky, are we?"

Moonbay returned the gesture. "Look who's talking, Mr. 'I'm the best pilot and sole pilot of the Lightning Saix, the only Zoid of its kind'."

Irvine had the good grace to look a tad embarrassed. "Yeah, well…"

Moonbay was about to reply when they heard the hanger doors opening and, glancing over saw two Stormzorders enter, the Zoids folding their wings so that they'd fit inside. A dark red Redlar came in next, bowing his head so that his pilot could climb out easily. Grinning, she moved towards the supersonic birds, and Irvine followed, taking another sip of his coffee as he did so.

The Stormzorders' mouths opened and the two pilots stepped out, followed by the Redlar's hatch opening and two people getting out, one jumping out and the other carefully climbing down.

"Rosso, Viola!" Moonbay called out, waving in greeting. The pilots looked over and, nodding, took off their helmets, revealing the emperor's bodyguards Rosso and Viola.

"Hello, Moonbay, Irvine," Viola greeted, running a hand through her short brown hair. Rosso nodded in greeting, too concerned in looking over his Zoid for any damage that he might have sustained to give a verbal greeting in return.

Irvine nodded and as Viola returned the gesture, he noticed the Redlar's pilot and passenger approaching. Tilting his head he asked, "Who's the girl?"

Viola, without looking back replied, "Irvine, you remember my sister Rosa from Mt. Icelina, right?"

Irvine blinked; damn, he hadn't recognized her. Then again, it had been close to six years, so of course he wouldn't remember her. Moonbay, on the other hand, seemed to have her memory intact as she walked over to Viola's sister and, within a few minutes, she and Rosa, plus Maria Flyheight – the Redlar's passenger – were talking up a storm.

Rosso walked over to Irvine and, grinning, said, "Women, huh?"

Irvine grinned back and replied, "Right." He ducked as something flew over his head from Moonbay's direction. Looking behind him, he saw that it was an empty Styrofoam cup. "Moonbay, your aim needs work."

Moonbay flipped Irvine off, clearly irritated with him for his earlier comments about not only her gender but about her Ultrasaurus, and Irvine rolled his eyes, having expected this. Rosso, seeing his wife join the other women, asked, "Irvine, you got anymore of that coffee? I'm beat and caffeine'll cheer me up."

Irvine nodded then paused, realizing that he didn't know if Moonbay had any more coffee in the hanger. Shit. "Well, rather than try and ask Moonbay where her stash of coffee is let's go to the cafeteria. Hopefully Raven'll have left to go and sulk in his room." Looking over at the group of women Irvine shouted, "Moonbay, Rosso and I are heading to the cafeteria for coffee."

Moonbay waved a hand in response, obviously not caring where Irvine went. Viola looked up and nodded, silently pleading with her eyes for Rosso to bring her back a cup and Rosso, not immune to Viola's look nodded.

As Irvine and Rosso left the red-haired pilot looked at the mercenary and said, "Irvine, don't shoot me until I've finished asking my question, but is there something going on between you and Moonbay? I mean, you took the time to tell her where you were going, and unlike Viola and me, the two of you aren't together. Are you?"

Irvine had stopped walking when Rosso was halfway through his question, his mind working furiously. He didn't like Moonbay like that… did he? Nah; couldn't be. Moonbay was just his best friend after Van, that's all. "Nope, not all," Irvine replied smoothly. "Why?"

Rosso shrugged. "Just seems to me that you care enough about her to let her know where you're going to be, which, in my experience is a sign that you may harbor feelings for her."

Irvine snorted. "The day that I admit that I feel anything for Moonbay beyond friendship will be the day that Thomas finds himself a girlfriend and Raven and Ryss stop fighting enough to make-out in a public area." Irvine's grey eyes moved from Rosso's own grey eyes to the door to the kitchen, from whence no sound came.

"Well, looks like Raven and Ryss have left," Irvine commented praying to Zi that it was true. Pushing the door open, he looked up and paled. Rosso, pushing past a shell-shocked Irvine swore. There were Raven and Ryss in the midst of kissing. The raven-haired agent was pushed up against a wall, the blue-haired Zoidian having initiated the kiss as evidenced by the sprig of mistletoe that she held over their heads.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Irvine muttered and, turning around said, "Coffee's behind the bar, Rosso. I'm going to hurl the contents of my stomach and try to recover." Irvine left, leaving behind Rosso who shook his head in amusement at his friend's antics.

Rosso crossed over to the bar, calling out as he did so, "Don't you think you lovebirds need a room?"

Raven's eyes shot open and realizing just what kind of position he was in pushed Ryss away from him roughly and, glaring at Rosso stalked out of the kitchen, anger coming off him in waves. Ryss looked like Christmas had come early (for her it might have), her sea-green eyes shining.

Rosso watched Raven stalk out and, turning to Ryss said, "So, did your plan work?"

Ryss turned her attention to Rosso and, grinning said, "It sure did. Thanks for the suggestion, Rosso. I really appreciate it. Incidentally," here she moved to get her own coffee cup, which she had abandoned on a nearby table, "did that move really work with you and Viola?"

Grinning, Rosso replied, "Yep. However, I was the one to dangle the mistletoe over her head. Almost got a nice shiner for the trick." Taking two cups of coffee, one with milk and the other black he moved towards the door and, turning commented, "Hey, you want to tag along with me to the hanger? I'm sure that Maria'll be happy to see you."

Ryss looked up from her now cold coffee and said, "Maria's here? Of course I'm coming! Let me go and grab Fiona and I'll meet you there." Ryss dumped her coffee down the drain and moved past Rosso, holding the doors open for the red-haired pilot and then moving towards the Flyheights' room, intent on getting Fiona, even if it meant dragging her away from her husband. More important things were afoot!