Sorry if this chapter is a little bit of a let down after all my hype at the end of the last chapter. Its mostly just filler, but has some intresting surprises as well along with information you need to know so things make more sense later. Hope you like it. Chapter 20
Josh Goes to Collage.
The Whale King landed on the outskirts of New York to drop off passengers that had competed in the championship and Josh led the others off, as their Zoids were off loaded. Joshua had arranged for a Gustave, which was a snail like Zoid that towed a flat bed trailer for Zoids, to transport them back home. Upon arrival, they were met with good news and it turned out that their loss had not been a complete failure.
"How did it go?" Joshua asked them once all the Zoids were put up in the hanger.
"We didn't make it." Josh replied. "We were only two battles away from being able to claim the location, but I couldn't hold out."
"You did last the longest." Pepper encouraged.
"I know, but it is still a little disappointing."
"You did your best." Joshua told him as they walked up the steps. "But I have been waiting for you three to get home. I got some news from the Federation. Come on inside and I will tell you."
As they walked through the door the three were met by Brian, Nick, Joe, Chomper, Godzilla, and even Pepper's grandparents, and on the table sat a cake beside a rather large bronze cup.
"What is going on?" Josh asked.
"The federation did not know it would work out the way it did," Joe started.
"But as the teams got knocked out." Nick continued. "It became evident that only one team would be left standing. So those last two battles that you had to win would have left you as the last team standing."
Josh and his friend's mouths dropped open, and continued to widen with each new fact.
"That's not all." Joshua said with a smile. "Each battle you won was counted as an A class battle. That means that the three battles you won each earned you one million."
"On top of that you got a million dollar award for coming in third," Joe continued. "And then another two hundred thousand bonus for style and technique."
"You guys aren't kidding right?" Pepper asked excitedly.
"No." Answered his grandfather. "You have made mama and me very proud.
The three young teens looked at each other for a moment with stupid smiles on their faces, then jumped and shouted in celebration. They would have more than enough to repair their Zoids, and then hire two new partners, if they wanted. They were not sure about the partners, but their Zoids would be the finest, they were sure.
Finally, they calmed down as the cake was cut as everyone gathered around the table to listen to their stories of the competition. The Celebration went late into the night and it was arranged that Pepper would spend the night again because the three wanted to spend as much time as possible together before Josh would leave for collage in a week. The group did not know what they would do while he was away, but they would try to stay in contact, and maybe he could come back once in a while for Zoid battles. Still he would be missed.
Josh found it hard to think of also leaving Gunner along with his friends for so long, but the flame of knowledge had been rekindled and the prospect of studying with some of the world's most educated minds was thrilling to him. For now though, he would focus on spending as much time with his friends as possible trusting that they would be reunited again in a few years.
As the conversation went on that night, they discovered that NASA had accepted Joshua for a project that would make intergalactic travel a common thing. At the time, the most advanced ship could only travel through one galaxy, but the one NASA proposed would travel easily across three. The project was to take ten years, but Joshua knew he could shorten that time considerably. His mind was always considering, solving, on one thing or another. He knew nearly as much as Joe and the other two did. The only difference was that they worked undercover, but Joshua's mind was open to the masses, and soon they would realize just what he could do. He did not boast, but simply accomplished every mental task set before him. Josh was the same way except he did not have the complete teachings; still, given enough time, here was nothing he couldn't figure out.
That night, after the other visitors had left, the three heroes of the day headed out for the barn like they had done the time before. This time it was too late to start telling stories so they went directly to bed, but as Jake and Pepper drifted off Josh remained awake unable to stop thinking about the days ahead. My time with friends is so short before I have to leave. The next time I see them I will be an adult, or at least close to one. The thought brought pain to his heart, but it was something he had to do and slowly he drifted off into another world where lived strange creatures of his imagination.
Bright and early the next morning, the group went to work ordering parts and repairing their Zoids. They were able to outfit each one with completely new armor, but kept their improved weapons from Nick, Joe, and Brian who also helped with the work, which meant Pepper got their original gun back. They bought top of the line equipment that enlarged the scope of their radar and Josh also put more time into improving the Sinker, and Zaber Fang's response time. Then he and Joshua completely rewired both Zoids to give them the ability that Gunner had that if one component was taken out the others could still operate, and in four days each Zoid had gone through a major overhaul. During that time, Joshua did a scan on Gunner, and the other Zoids, and found a small black box located in the center of the Zoid core.
"Josh!" He called into the other room. "Take a look at this!"
Josh came over to the computer, and puckered his brow in confusion.
"What about it?"
"I never put that there." Joshua answered. "I don't know where it came from."
"Can you zoom in closer?"
Both of them looked on in wonderment as the others gathered around the screen to see an object that was a small black box resting in the center of the Zoid core. Engraved on the side was a head of a strange type of T-Rex Zoid. On the other side was the head of a strong looking Liger, with another Liger head on the opposite side of the first. The top was engraved with a picture of Gunners head and on the bottom end was a picture of what looked to be a Zabit's head. The Last side was carved with the picture of a monstrous Zoids head that had a cannon on top.
"What is it?" Jake asked.
"I'm not sure." Joshua answered. "It could be something to do with the Organoid unit."
"Do you think that it could be the unit itself?" Josh asked.
"That would seem plausible." Joshua replied, still focused intensely on the box. "But then what are the other five pictures for?"
"Wait!" Josh said excited. "That Liger! Remember the legendary Liger Zero from planet Zi! It is supposed to be an Organoid."
"Yes and the other must be the Red Blade Liger!" Joshua said excitedly. "But then what is the other with the big gun?"
"They must be very rare because I have never heard of such a Zoid." Josh answered. "And I study every new thing I can get my hands on. There must be untold new Zoids on planet Zi!"
"Maybe we can go there someday." Pepper said wishfully.
"I know I want to." Josh agreed. "But it will take a while before we are ready. If we cannot beat teams here on earth, then how can we stand a chance against people who spent their whole lives with them? I mean the person with the most time in a Zoid here on earth is only twenty-one years. Imagine one that has had a Zoid for his whole life."
"That would make them a little harder." Jake said sarcastically.
"This is really cool and all." Pepper said. "But if we're ever going to be good enough, we better get practicing while we can."
"I agree." Josh said as they headed out for the barn.
Climbing into their cockpits, they headed out for the usual practice area and continued practicing there everyday until the last day with Josh had passed. In the morning they would say good-bye.
Again Josh found it hard to sleep. Crawling out of his bag, Josh walked out of the barn, but then for one reason or another he felt like going for a walk. Heading for the training grounds, two miles away, he had gone only a mile when he looked back to see Gunner running towards him. They walked side by side the last mile, and then Josh sat down and leaned against Gunner as he gazed into the stars.
What was out there? What kind of Zoids could be found? The moon shone bright casting its blue light on the open field. He would miss his friends in the coming years. What will it be like when I return? What will have changed? Josh knew well that things changed, and that it was this time in life that many friends were left and often forgotten. Would they forget me? Would Gunner go looking for a new Partner? What about Chomper and Godzilla? So many questions that tugged at his heart that he was unable to answer.
"Gunner." Josh said. "You understand that I will come back right?"
Gunner growled softly.
"It will be hard to leave you. I just hope the rest of the group is here too. I wonder what they will do while I am gone? Do you think they will be able to keep battling without us now that we are in A class?"
Another soft roar.
"Me too."
Josh sat there thinking of all that lay before him. What will I do with my talents? Somewhere deep inside was a desire to help those in need, but how could he do that? I could make medicine, but that would only heal the body. People need more than just their sickness to be healed. There are too many out there who seem to have forgotten how to hope or dream, but how can I fix that?
For all its advancements the world was a gloomy place to live for most off its residents. What he did not know was that soon the world would be covered in hopeless despair, and that he would be called to mend what was broken. For now he would focus on the task at hand. He would go to college and learn, and then return to whatever had transpired while he was gone.
While he thought on these things, the box in Gunners core was still in the back of his mind, and eventually found its way to the front. What did it mean? If Joshua had not put it there then where did it come from? How did it get there? Suddenly Josh's mind raced back to the night he had first met Gunner. There had been a man in black closing up a panel. Who was he? Why would he have given the gift of being an Organoid to Gunner? Was the box the Organoid cell? Or was it something else? But what else could it be? Again, Josh had asked himself questions he could not answer.
He sat there for a while longer gazing deep into the night sky. He did not know why but he felt the urge to keep his conclusion about the box to himself. Finally, he rose to his feet and started back home, with Gunner walking by his side taking one step for his every ten. Josh smiled. This is how it must always be. Me and Gunner, side by side, until the end of time.
The bond between them was an unspoken bond of the soul through love. Josh new Gunner did not have a real soul, but there was undoubtedly something that called to his soul. It was the same with his other friends, but soon time would call on them to prove that bond, and that nothing could ever break it. Their journey was not complete, and the circle of friends not yet full, but stand together they must.
The next morning the band woke to bid their friend far well for now. Brian, Joe and Nick showed up later that morning to send him off, as well as to see the box on Joshua's scanner, but first they all went together to the airport. Chomper and Godzilla went as well, but had to wait outside the terminal as the others went in.
"I will see you guys later." Josh told his pets giving them each hugs.
"We will be waiting for you." Chomper answered.
"Please hurry." Zilla requested.
"I will see what I can do." Josh told her with a smile as he walked inside with the others.
"You should reach London by two." Joshua told him as they stood at the gate. "Now you take care of yourself and stay out of trouble."
"Same to you." Josh replied with a witty smile.
Then there was a group huge before they watched as he stepped into the walkway to board the plane, and then headed home after the plane took off. Pepper was dropped off at his house, and then Joshua and the other six headed back to his place.
Setting down at the computer Joshua brought up the pictures he had saved from the scan as Joe, Brian, and Nick looked on in deep thought, but could not hold back a gasp of shock when Joshua showed them the picture of the monstrous Zoid's head.
"What?" He asked. "You know something about it?"
"No." Joe answered quickly as his mind raced. "It just seems that it is strange to have certain Zoid heads carved into a box. It does not make sense to have pictures in such an obscured location."
"Right." Joshua said wondering about their strange behavior. "Well I just thought you might like to see it."
"Yes, it was quite interesting." Brian told him.
"Thanks anyway." Nick said. "But we wanted to get a little climbing in today."
"Ok then, see you later!" Joshua called as they walked hurriedly out of the room. "What was that all about?" He asked himself aloud, and then shrugged it off knowing they had done stranger things.
Joshua worked on getting his things together to head down to NASA. He would only be there for orientation and then come back to work at home so Chomper and Zilla were given the task of watching the house until he got back. Jake would be sent back to Australia until his project with NASA was complete while Pepper would stay there in New York with his grandparents.
Much would change in the following Years, but for now, everyone went their own ways until they would meet again. For Nick, Joe and Brian though it would be a different story. Much lay waiting in the road ahead for them.
Why were Joe and the others so shocked about the box? What does it mean? How will things change? Find out now if you like, just click the next button below.
Nothing much to say.... please leave a review and the next one will be alot more intresting.
9TailedFox.