Zoidia
(Chapter 1)
I woke up. The sun was bright and warm. I didn't know where I was. As I climbed out of Liger Zero, I could tell it wasn't home. It was a barren land. There were no trees, no water, and no people in sight. Just desert.
I turned around again to face Zero. Zero was damaged very badly and not moving. ::What happened? Zero? Are you all right? Can you hear me?:: There was no response. Zero was a good friend, but there was nothing I could do, for now.
::I'm sorry Zero. I pushed you too hard again. I promise to come back and help you.:: With that I turned around, looking at the desert I could see that it would be a long walk to whatever lie ahead.
I started to walk, but I really wasn't sure I wanted to leave Zero. I was afraid. I didn't remember how I got here. What else could I do, but walk. I looked back one more time and reassured Zero I'd be back. Yet Again I turned around, looking at the ground and its mini canyons not even an ant would dare climb.
I hadn't walked much more than a few steps when I looked up. Just above the horizon I could see something reflecting off of the sun. It was too far to see what it was, but I know it was either a zoid or, well..a zoid. ::Zero, someone or something is coming. Please help me. What should I do?::
::Come back.:: The response was faint and weak, but loud enough to be heard in my head. I couldn't believe it.
::Zero!! You're all right!!::
::What did you expect?::
::You didn't respond to me earlier.::
::I was too weak.::
::And you're feeling better know?::
::Come back quickly. There is a zoid coming.::
::I'm coming.:: And with that I turned back around. Whatever was coming was getting closer.
I got back to Liger Zero. Zero looked the same, but I noticed more than I had before. Zero had ended up on his side. The cockpit where I sat was worse than I previously thought. The barrier separating me from the outside world was shattered to pieces, but none of the pieces could be seen from anywhere around. How did I survive?
I walked around to the side of Zero. Most of his back was black and grungy. The white of his armor was gone, faded and made now into a black, gray, and dirty brown. Then I looked up further and noticed that Zero had long claw like marks down his back. ::What happened Zero?::
::You'll find out soon enough, my friend.:: Zero's voice still sounded very weak.
I gazed back towards the horizon, where the mysterious object had been. To my shock the object had disappeared out of sight. ::Zero! Where did it go? I can't see it anymore.:: I tried looking harder, straining my eyes to see as far as I could. ::Did it leave?::
::No, it's still there.::
::But I don't see it.::
::It's there.::
::But-::
::Don't argue with me. I am much older than you.::
::What's your point?::
Zero let out a big sigh that echoed though my head. ::I am a Zoid, too. I have the systems needed to detect any objects in the area.::
I started to laugh. I could tell that Zero had no clue why I was laughing. ::Zero. You sound so much like a machine.::
::I resent that.:: ::Don't be such a baby.:: I turned around to face the setting sun. It was huge against the sky. "What a day." I said out loud with a sigh. To think that the last thing I remember was being back at home with Zero and. and... And I don't remember. What happened? I know that I want out to train with Beth, but-
I stopped to look at Zero. ::Is there anything I could possibly do? I know the basic's on how to repair a Zoid, so. maybe I could-::
::You're not going to touch me.::
::But-::
::No.::
:: I-:: I was interrupted again, but not by Zero, oh no, not Zero, but by the sound of metal hitting the ground hard and fast. It had gotten much darker and I had completely forgotten about the Zoid that had lain hidden, shielded by the sun. Now I strained my eyes to see where it was, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Then something huge rushed by me so fast I started to wobble as I walked and the dizziness came on suddenly without a single warning. I fell to the ground unaware of my surroundings. ::Zero, what's happening to me? I feel so. so.::
::Anu? Anu you mustn't fall asleep. Wake up. Wake up! It's the-:: Zero tried wake me, but I couldn't hear a single word that he mind-spoke to me.
Lightness turned to darkness as I became more and more unconscious and then... then my head started to throb. No. Now it was beginning to pound like someone was taking a hammer and pounding it over my head. Then, just as quickly as it had started, it stopped. Everything stopped. Even time seemed to have stopped, but now. Now there was a voice. A calm and peaceful voice, one that sounded like it would come from a mother, but who was it?
I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn't. :: Zero, are you there?::
:: I'm here.:: He said back.
:: Zero, my eyes won't open. Have I gone blind?:: I asked franticly.
::Calm down. Everything is all right. Move your hands over your eye's.:: He said back in a soothing voice.
I reached towards my eye's and felt that there was something over them. That only made me tenser. I sat up quickly and yelled " Zero!" Then someone or something grabbed me.
"Please calm down, miss. It's all right." It was a young girl's voice. "Please relax. You're hurt. We only want to help you." The girl said.
"Who are you?" I said still quite tense.
"My name is Fiona." She said cheerfully. "And Van's to your right. Um. Let me see if I can move those bandages out of your eyes, ok?"
"Ok." I said unsure what to do.:: Zero?::
:: Yes.::
:: What's going on?:: ::Don't worry. They're only here to help you.:: He said trying to reassure me.
Fiona moved the bandages up onto my forehead. Finally I could see. The sun was bright and high above us. I had to squint at first it was so bright. I looked to the left and found that there was a young man standing next to me.
"What is your name?" asked the young man.
"I'm.. Anu. Who are you?" I asked. I still didn't know whether I should trust them.
"I'm Van." He smiled. "Is.is that your zoid?"
I looked behind me where Zero lied untouched, but as I tured around to answer Van's question, I found myself face to face with a mechanical creature I didn't recognize. It came out of no where and made me scream. "AHH!! What is that?!"
"Oh, that's Zeek. Don't worry about him. He's harmless." Van said. "Zeek, don't bother her right now." Zeek backed away enough for me to sit up- right.
::Zero?::
::No::
I turned around to face Zero and said, "What do you mean 'No'?" Van and Fiona turned towards me with very confused looks on their faces. "He's.. Never mind."
"Can you talk with him?" Fiona asked.
I didn't respond. Should I tell them? I thought to myself.
"You aren't afraid, are you? There's no reason to be. I talk with my Liger, too. He is a liger, right?" Van asked. This came as a major surprise to me.
"You have a liger?" I asked instead of answering his question.
"Ya right there." He pointed just beyond Zero. It was exactly like Liger Zero, but Van's Liger was blue. A dark sky blue, well, I mean, a really dark sky blue.
"What did he say?" Fiona asked. "Were you arguing with him?" She asked even more curious.
"He assumes too much," I said loud and clear, so Zero could hear it.
::Do not,:: He said defending himself. ::You usually ask too much.:: I started laughing.
"Now what?" Van asked, "What did he say?"
"He's only denying what I said." I paused for one second and looked at the mechanical object that had frightened me earlier. " What is that mechanical looking dino?"
"That's Zeek. He's an organoid. Don't worry about him. He's really nice," Van said. "Hey Zeek! Come here!"
Zeek came back over and I had to touch him. I had never seen anything like it before. It looked like a mechanical dino that was as tall as a human. It was a shinny silver color, too. I like silver!
"Hello. You're so cute!" I said cheerfully.
"Hey Anu?" Van stared at me.
"Yes," I responded.
"Can I ask you a question?" He asked.
"Of course," I responded.
"What happened to your Liger? He doesn't look very good." He seemed timid and unsure.
I was in a debate on whether I should tell him. "To tell you the truth, Van," I started saying, "I really don't know." I stopped at that, but both of them were not satisfied.
"What do you mean?" Fiona asked.
"Exactly what I said. Yesterday, or I think I was yesterday, I woke up in my zoid, but the last thing I remember was being at the palace." I tried to stretch my mind for more information.
"So you don't remember anything?" asked Fiona.
I nodded, "Being at home, in the palace, is all I remember."
"In the palace? You mean you live in Rudoph's Palace?" he asked excitedly.
"Um, no, but I do live in a palace in my capital city, Zoidia," I said. At this point I had started to relax. They're young, I thought, probably ten years younger than me. I smiled.
"Zoidia?" Fiona asked. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. Why? Is there some wrong?"
"Well," Van started, "Zoidia existed about two-thousand years ago." He shifted uneasily and so did I.
I stood up on my feet. How could this be? It can't be true. No, it just couldn't. ::Zero! Is it true? What's going on?::
::Ask them,:: Zero said to me.
::What?:: I asked confused.
::Ask them,:: He repeated to me.
::Alright, I'll ask them,:: I said reluctantly. I turned to face Van and asked, "What do you mean? How could Zoidia have existed two-thousand years ago? I'm only twenty-four. And." I stopped for a second. "And I remember. I remember being home, but--" I stopped again. There was a picture starting to form in my mind, but it wasn't clear enough to tell where or what the picture was.
Fiona stared at me as if she were studying me. "You defiantly don't look very modern," she said and smiled. She had been referring to the bright blue robe I was wearing. It was a simple robe that wraps around the body and is tied in a slightly loose knot in the front.
"I'm really not from here, but how did I get here? What is this places name?" I asked, feeling very vulnerable and lost. "What is the date? Year?" I stared blankly at Van and Fiona. In turn they turned and looked at each other.
::You ask too many questions,:: Zero said trying to get me to react. Instead, though, Zeek made a kind of hissing sound.
"Hey, Zeek. What's wrong?" Van asked.
Zeek looked past them and I followed his gaze. In the distance I could see two dark objects moving our way. "More zoids," I said with a sigh. "Please no more."
"Don't worry. It's probably Moonbay or Irvine," Van said happily.
Moonbay and Irvine? Are they friends of Van and Fiona? I sat down again and said nothing. I guess I'll find out soon. I stared at the zoids, who were half hidden from the setting sun. They'll be here soon, I thought.
THE END TO CHAPTER 1
(Chapter 1)
I woke up. The sun was bright and warm. I didn't know where I was. As I climbed out of Liger Zero, I could tell it wasn't home. It was a barren land. There were no trees, no water, and no people in sight. Just desert.
I turned around again to face Zero. Zero was damaged very badly and not moving. ::What happened? Zero? Are you all right? Can you hear me?:: There was no response. Zero was a good friend, but there was nothing I could do, for now.
::I'm sorry Zero. I pushed you too hard again. I promise to come back and help you.:: With that I turned around, looking at the desert I could see that it would be a long walk to whatever lie ahead.
I started to walk, but I really wasn't sure I wanted to leave Zero. I was afraid. I didn't remember how I got here. What else could I do, but walk. I looked back one more time and reassured Zero I'd be back. Yet Again I turned around, looking at the ground and its mini canyons not even an ant would dare climb.
I hadn't walked much more than a few steps when I looked up. Just above the horizon I could see something reflecting off of the sun. It was too far to see what it was, but I know it was either a zoid or, well..a zoid. ::Zero, someone or something is coming. Please help me. What should I do?::
::Come back.:: The response was faint and weak, but loud enough to be heard in my head. I couldn't believe it.
::Zero!! You're all right!!::
::What did you expect?::
::You didn't respond to me earlier.::
::I was too weak.::
::And you're feeling better know?::
::Come back quickly. There is a zoid coming.::
::I'm coming.:: And with that I turned back around. Whatever was coming was getting closer.
I got back to Liger Zero. Zero looked the same, but I noticed more than I had before. Zero had ended up on his side. The cockpit where I sat was worse than I previously thought. The barrier separating me from the outside world was shattered to pieces, but none of the pieces could be seen from anywhere around. How did I survive?
I walked around to the side of Zero. Most of his back was black and grungy. The white of his armor was gone, faded and made now into a black, gray, and dirty brown. Then I looked up further and noticed that Zero had long claw like marks down his back. ::What happened Zero?::
::You'll find out soon enough, my friend.:: Zero's voice still sounded very weak.
I gazed back towards the horizon, where the mysterious object had been. To my shock the object had disappeared out of sight. ::Zero! Where did it go? I can't see it anymore.:: I tried looking harder, straining my eyes to see as far as I could. ::Did it leave?::
::No, it's still there.::
::But I don't see it.::
::It's there.::
::But-::
::Don't argue with me. I am much older than you.::
::What's your point?::
Zero let out a big sigh that echoed though my head. ::I am a Zoid, too. I have the systems needed to detect any objects in the area.::
I started to laugh. I could tell that Zero had no clue why I was laughing. ::Zero. You sound so much like a machine.::
::I resent that.:: ::Don't be such a baby.:: I turned around to face the setting sun. It was huge against the sky. "What a day." I said out loud with a sigh. To think that the last thing I remember was being back at home with Zero and. and... And I don't remember. What happened? I know that I want out to train with Beth, but-
I stopped to look at Zero. ::Is there anything I could possibly do? I know the basic's on how to repair a Zoid, so. maybe I could-::
::You're not going to touch me.::
::But-::
::No.::
:: I-:: I was interrupted again, but not by Zero, oh no, not Zero, but by the sound of metal hitting the ground hard and fast. It had gotten much darker and I had completely forgotten about the Zoid that had lain hidden, shielded by the sun. Now I strained my eyes to see where it was, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Then something huge rushed by me so fast I started to wobble as I walked and the dizziness came on suddenly without a single warning. I fell to the ground unaware of my surroundings. ::Zero, what's happening to me? I feel so. so.::
::Anu? Anu you mustn't fall asleep. Wake up. Wake up! It's the-:: Zero tried wake me, but I couldn't hear a single word that he mind-spoke to me.
Lightness turned to darkness as I became more and more unconscious and then... then my head started to throb. No. Now it was beginning to pound like someone was taking a hammer and pounding it over my head. Then, just as quickly as it had started, it stopped. Everything stopped. Even time seemed to have stopped, but now. Now there was a voice. A calm and peaceful voice, one that sounded like it would come from a mother, but who was it?
I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn't. :: Zero, are you there?::
:: I'm here.:: He said back.
:: Zero, my eyes won't open. Have I gone blind?:: I asked franticly.
::Calm down. Everything is all right. Move your hands over your eye's.:: He said back in a soothing voice.
I reached towards my eye's and felt that there was something over them. That only made me tenser. I sat up quickly and yelled " Zero!" Then someone or something grabbed me.
"Please calm down, miss. It's all right." It was a young girl's voice. "Please relax. You're hurt. We only want to help you." The girl said.
"Who are you?" I said still quite tense.
"My name is Fiona." She said cheerfully. "And Van's to your right. Um. Let me see if I can move those bandages out of your eyes, ok?"
"Ok." I said unsure what to do.:: Zero?::
:: Yes.::
:: What's going on?:: ::Don't worry. They're only here to help you.:: He said trying to reassure me.
Fiona moved the bandages up onto my forehead. Finally I could see. The sun was bright and high above us. I had to squint at first it was so bright. I looked to the left and found that there was a young man standing next to me.
"What is your name?" asked the young man.
"I'm.. Anu. Who are you?" I asked. I still didn't know whether I should trust them.
"I'm Van." He smiled. "Is.is that your zoid?"
I looked behind me where Zero lied untouched, but as I tured around to answer Van's question, I found myself face to face with a mechanical creature I didn't recognize. It came out of no where and made me scream. "AHH!! What is that?!"
"Oh, that's Zeek. Don't worry about him. He's harmless." Van said. "Zeek, don't bother her right now." Zeek backed away enough for me to sit up- right.
::Zero?::
::No::
I turned around to face Zero and said, "What do you mean 'No'?" Van and Fiona turned towards me with very confused looks on their faces. "He's.. Never mind."
"Can you talk with him?" Fiona asked.
I didn't respond. Should I tell them? I thought to myself.
"You aren't afraid, are you? There's no reason to be. I talk with my Liger, too. He is a liger, right?" Van asked. This came as a major surprise to me.
"You have a liger?" I asked instead of answering his question.
"Ya right there." He pointed just beyond Zero. It was exactly like Liger Zero, but Van's Liger was blue. A dark sky blue, well, I mean, a really dark sky blue.
"What did he say?" Fiona asked. "Were you arguing with him?" She asked even more curious.
"He assumes too much," I said loud and clear, so Zero could hear it.
::Do not,:: He said defending himself. ::You usually ask too much.:: I started laughing.
"Now what?" Van asked, "What did he say?"
"He's only denying what I said." I paused for one second and looked at the mechanical object that had frightened me earlier. " What is that mechanical looking dino?"
"That's Zeek. He's an organoid. Don't worry about him. He's really nice," Van said. "Hey Zeek! Come here!"
Zeek came back over and I had to touch him. I had never seen anything like it before. It looked like a mechanical dino that was as tall as a human. It was a shinny silver color, too. I like silver!
"Hello. You're so cute!" I said cheerfully.
"Hey Anu?" Van stared at me.
"Yes," I responded.
"Can I ask you a question?" He asked.
"Of course," I responded.
"What happened to your Liger? He doesn't look very good." He seemed timid and unsure.
I was in a debate on whether I should tell him. "To tell you the truth, Van," I started saying, "I really don't know." I stopped at that, but both of them were not satisfied.
"What do you mean?" Fiona asked.
"Exactly what I said. Yesterday, or I think I was yesterday, I woke up in my zoid, but the last thing I remember was being at the palace." I tried to stretch my mind for more information.
"So you don't remember anything?" asked Fiona.
I nodded, "Being at home, in the palace, is all I remember."
"In the palace? You mean you live in Rudoph's Palace?" he asked excitedly.
"Um, no, but I do live in a palace in my capital city, Zoidia," I said. At this point I had started to relax. They're young, I thought, probably ten years younger than me. I smiled.
"Zoidia?" Fiona asked. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. Why? Is there some wrong?"
"Well," Van started, "Zoidia existed about two-thousand years ago." He shifted uneasily and so did I.
I stood up on my feet. How could this be? It can't be true. No, it just couldn't. ::Zero! Is it true? What's going on?::
::Ask them,:: Zero said to me.
::What?:: I asked confused.
::Ask them,:: He repeated to me.
::Alright, I'll ask them,:: I said reluctantly. I turned to face Van and asked, "What do you mean? How could Zoidia have existed two-thousand years ago? I'm only twenty-four. And." I stopped for a second. "And I remember. I remember being home, but--" I stopped again. There was a picture starting to form in my mind, but it wasn't clear enough to tell where or what the picture was.
Fiona stared at me as if she were studying me. "You defiantly don't look very modern," she said and smiled. She had been referring to the bright blue robe I was wearing. It was a simple robe that wraps around the body and is tied in a slightly loose knot in the front.
"I'm really not from here, but how did I get here? What is this places name?" I asked, feeling very vulnerable and lost. "What is the date? Year?" I stared blankly at Van and Fiona. In turn they turned and looked at each other.
::You ask too many questions,:: Zero said trying to get me to react. Instead, though, Zeek made a kind of hissing sound.
"Hey, Zeek. What's wrong?" Van asked.
Zeek looked past them and I followed his gaze. In the distance I could see two dark objects moving our way. "More zoids," I said with a sigh. "Please no more."
"Don't worry. It's probably Moonbay or Irvine," Van said happily.
Moonbay and Irvine? Are they friends of Van and Fiona? I sat down again and said nothing. I guess I'll find out soon. I stared at the zoids, who were half hidden from the setting sun. They'll be here soon, I thought.
THE END TO CHAPTER 1