Changing History: Giro's Story

Chapter One

"Hello, this is Giro Express Transporters! We can take anything, anywhere!" A cheerful voice sounded over the com system.

"Giro? Is that you?"

"Ah, the Guardian… or should I say client."

"Did you receive the package yet?"

"Yes, I got it…" Giro glanced over at the unobtrusive package laying in the container on the side his partner's motor bike. He shook his head softly. If Aile knew what they were carrying… well, she probably wouldn't know the significance of it. But still…

"We're heading for the rendezvous point. It's a little earlier than we were planning, but…"

"It's fine. We'll be there shortly."

"I'm counting on you, Giro."

"Right." Giro agreed, then cut off the connection.

"Hey, Aile! You ready to move out?" The boy called over his shoulder to his companion. Giro started to get ready to go, then he realized he had not heard a response.

"Aile! Did you hear me?" Giro turned around to face the girl… then stopped his rebuke. She was staring out at the Slither Inc. building again… Giro never liked it when Aile was like this, so sad and… severe. She was usually bright and cheery, but at the sight of that building… Giro knew it brought back painful memories for the girl.

Giro walked forwards until he was but a few feet behind the girl. He almost thought of resting a hand on her shoulder to reassure her, then thought better of it.

"You can see the Slither Inc. building from here. They sure did a lot for this country…" Giro tried to divert from what he knew Aile was currently dwelling on.

"The country, maybe," Aile said bitterly, her eyes still fixed on the building in front of her, not turning towards Giro, "but ten years ago, they didn't save my mom. We were surrounded by Mavericks… Even now, I can still hear the screams of the people… the pain… The Mavericks took everything from me."

"I remember when I found you. You were all alone…" Giro admitted. He never told Aile, but he had been caught in a Maverick raid as well, six or seven years before he met her. He was haunted by that experience as well, but he tried his very best to hide it. He had been found by a wandering Guardian, and had been practically raised by them. Until, one day, he was forced to grow up quickly… that was when he knew he couldn't afford to wallow in self pity. Before he had acted… well, pretty much like Aile was right now. He couldn't think of anyone but himself and his own pain. Then, he had met Model Z while following one of the Guardians on a mission. He wasn't supposed to be there, he had just followed along. He was eight or nine at the time. During the mission, the small Guardian unit had gotten in trouble. They were on an "Archaeological" dig, which Giro later learned was a search for the Biometal he was now in possession of. He had rushed out to help them before remembering he had no weapon. Then, Model Z had showed up and saved him. He learned he was a Chosen One, who, with the power of the Biometal, was given the ability to protect people… or harm them. Giro's whole outlook on life changed right then. He knew he had to live not for himself, but for others. He convinced Prairie to let him start taking on missions then, and, when he was twelve years old, he had found a young girl curled up near the body of a woman, with dead bodies littering the area nearby. It had reminded him all too horribly of his own past. He had started a transporting business on the side, in order to fend for himself without depending on the Guardians. He took in the five-year-old girl, and, after talking it over with Prairie, stopped working as a Guardian instead helping them with transporting and watching over a hopeful Chosen One. He remember how Aile pled with him to allow her to help him out; she had some measure of pride, and didn't want to take advantage of anyone, despite the fact she was at the age most depended on others during. It also reminded Giro of himself, and he allowed her to help him once she turned ten. She attacked her new job with enthusiasm, but she had times when she would retreat into herself, usually only if something reminded her of that day. Lately, however, she had gotten quieter, more solemn. Giro hoped she would get over it soon.

"Look, I know it's hard, but I don't think your mother would have wanted you to be this sad." Giro encouraged. He then continued, "Besides, you're not bad in a pinch. I bet you don't know that all of our customers like you."

Aile turned to face Giro, glowering. "Not bad!? Giro, was that supposed to be a compliment!?"

Giro laughed. It wasn't the effect he had intended, but at least Aile was out of her funk. "It's nice to see you're back to normal! Anyway, we have to get moving."

"Already?"

Giro nodded as he headed toward where both bikes were currently parked. "The client is already making their way to the rendezvous point."

Aile quickly caught up to him. "Hey, Giro, what's up with them, anyway? And the package? They haven't even told us what's in it, and they seem pretty anxious to get it."

"The Guardians are the people's strongest defense against the Mavericks, just normal people who banded together to fight them. Right now, they're moving from place to place, trying to find and take out the source of the Mavericks. And, as far as the package…" Giro hesitated. He knew what the package was, but he wasn't sure what he should tell Aile. "Well, I'm sure it will help them stop the Mavericks. It's best not to ask too many questions." Giro decided that was good enough, all of it was true, anyway. "I'm sure it's very important, and quite possibly dangerous." Well, that much was true for certain. "Try not to get too involved, okay? There might be trouble."

Before Aile could respond, several energy shots hit Giro's bike. The two transporters ducked down behind their vehicles and turned towards the source of the shots.

"W-What happening?" Aile asked, sounded slightly confused… and slightly scared as well.

Giro knew what was going on, however. "Mavericks! Blast, how did they get here so fast?" Giro murmured the last part to himself.

A few more shots hit his bike, knocking out the engine.

"Ah!" Giro cried, as the smoke flew up in front of his vision. He wanted to Megamerge, like Model Z was urging him to, but he couldn't. Not in front of Aile. That would raise too many questions… and there was hope he could salvage the situation without having to do that.

"Aile! They must be after the B-package!" Giro caught himself from almost slipping and calling it 'Biometal'.

Suddenly, a series of shots flew by Giro, headed straight for Aile's bike. Before the girl could react, she was flung backwards and off the cliff, along with the Biometal. Giro heard her scream out as she was flung backwards.

"Aile!!" Giro called, turning towards where she had fallen. His head then whipped towards the Mavericks in front of him. He stood up slowly, his eyes glinting dangerously.

"And, with that, you have just signed your death sentences." The words escaped his lips, right before he cried out "Model Z! Rock on!"

A few seconds later, the Mavericks were trashed.

"And if you hurt her… oh, looks like you're dead already. Never mind." Giro commented, then turned on his handheld communicator. I hope you're okay, Aile…

Author's notes: Well, this is the first in a three-part (or possibly more, I'll decide when the time comes whether to continue it or not) story of the occurances in ZX through Giro's point of veiw. This is AU due to the fact there is a pretty major plot change in the third chapter, and, since apparently in the actually series Giro is a Reploid, but here he's a human. (Humaniod would be more accurate, I suppose.) Anyway, I'll be working on this not very often, because Shinigami's Angel is my main priority. (I just have Writers Block for that at the moment. It's really annoying.) I'll hope to have finished the three main chapters by August, though, hopefully earlier but I might be gone all June, so... yeah. If I do decide to have this be longer, it will take second priority to Shinigami's Angel.