EPISODE 2: BERZERK AGAINST BERZERK
"Dammit! There's just too many of these guys." Tidus activated his Zoids shields and slowly retreated away from the battle field. Yuraki was having a hard time dodging the wild weasel assaults for a hasty retreat. "Yuraki get behind me quick!" She luckily made it to his side.
"Take this!" Zut fired the Whale Kings pulse lasers and scattered the enemy Gun Snipers. Their numbers were slowly depleting. "We have to get Sasha.."
"Tidus you god the fastest and strongest Zoid so get in there and save Sasha." Yuraki commanded.
"You would make me do this wouldn't you?" Tidus charged in and avoided enemy fire with ease. The rods upon his Berzerk Fury extended forward and pierced through the charging G.S. Units.
Meanwhile, deep within the base, the ravaged Shield Liger laid lifeless on top of some large broken crates. Electricity snapped all around its body and pieces of the armor slowly slid off of its hide. The cockpit cover struggled to open then slid off onto the floor. The walls quaked slightly from the battle above ground. Dirt fell down upon Sasha's face and irritated him enough to awaken. "W-wha?" He open his green eyes and blinked hard till they focused. "Where am I? What Happened?" The seat restraints came undone and he fell hard to the broken ground beneath. "My Liger!" He looked up at his destroyed Liger. "Now I remember! I charged in like an idiot and attacked those Gun Snipers." He stumbled to his feat and starred at what was left of his Zoid, his partner. "Rest in peace old friend." He could barely move his legs but he tried his best to search for a way out. He luckily avoided a large peace of rubble that landed behind him. "Better be careful." The area looked strange. It appeared that the base had been built above a cave that had been made into a large storage area. "Looks kinda like a maintenance area. But who would build one in a cave?" He walked deeper and deeper until he came across a large crate that was nearly unharmed. "I wonder what's in here." He looked around for the release switch. "Lets hope what ever it is can get me out of here. Oh here it is. Hmmm lets just push 'em all." He pressed a few buttons and the box opened slowly shooting out steam all the while. "Whoa what kinda Zoid..."
Meanwhile the battle was drawing close to a victory for the Blazing X team. Only about ten more G.S. Units stood in their way. Sparks pour flew off the Zoids like rain as they battled furiously. Yuraki held her own, easily, against the exhausted Shadow Knight warriors. She struck the Snipers as fast as lightning taking only minimal damage herself. The Berzerk Fury rushed to her side. The two stood back to back firing at the last few remaining Snipers.
"Down hold back soldiers! Destroy those two!" Their leader screamed. He then realized that only he was left. "My men!? All defeated by average Zoid warriors." He attempted to retreat but before anyone could react the final Gun Sniper fell hard on the ground. "What the hell is going on here!?"
"You made a huge mistake!" A new Zoid stood before them all. A black and gold colored Liger resembling the famous Liger Zero unit. It roared loud and the pilot spoke again. "You're useless." Liger shocked the fallen Sniper with many bolts of electricity.
"Now that's a nice looking Liger." Yuraki slouched down in her seat and cracked her neck. The battle was over finally yet they still didn't know what was going down. "Oh I'm so glad you are ok Sasha! I knew that was your voice I heard. Where did you pick up that kick brass Liger? Does it have any cool weapons? How fast is-is-is...." She began to hyperventilate because of her excessive jabbering.
"Breath deep idiot!" Tidus yelled. "The other was totaled eh?" Sasha didn't answer. "Must have been some real dumb luck to find a Zoid like that in the base. Do you suppose that that's what the Shadow Knights were after?"
"I don't know. I really don't care! This is one awesome piece of machinery!" His voice sounded sinister. He didn't sound like his normal happy go lucky self. "Hahaha!"
"Calm down you haven't even got a taste of that Zoid.
"Oh but I will! Tidus, Yuraki, you are my first true opponents."
"What!?" The others asked in unison.
"You heard me! Brace yourselves!"
Yuraki chuckled hard. "Oh man you really had me going for a moment!" The new Liger howled and attacked her with lightning speed. "AAAAAAAHHHHH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"
"Testing my new Zoid." The Ligers clashed. Fighting like wild animals over a scrap of food. The Blade Liger wouldn't last much longer against the furious swipes of its opponent.
"What's going on down there!?" Zut yelled.
"Stop it you two!" The B. Fury intervened. A three way clash had began between the three teammates. A viscous struggle that Yuraki couldn't handle. Her Zoid quaked furiously and began to slow down more and more.
"Like it!? I'd like to introduce you to the Liger Zero X!" He slammed down on the foot pedals and retreated a small distance from the two.
"Impressive. But I must ask....WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? We're a team we don't fight each other." Yuraki exclaimed.
"Shut up! AAAARRRGGG!" Sasha grabbed his head in pain. What is this feeling!? The Liger Zero X darted around behind the others and began to glow with a brilliant golden light. What is it doing? The monitor flashed wildly. "S-strike l-laser claw? What's that?"
"Watch your back!" They turned and fire their weapons, every bullet missed their mark. The rampaging Zoid jumped up high and pulled its front right arm back.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" With a single, radiant downward slash the Zero X tore the Blade Liger's left arm clean off. Sasha began to breath erratically. "What are you doing Liger. That's not what I wanted! W-wha? Nooo, they're my friends so stop!" His head began to ache again. "What kinda Zoid is this!?" The Zero X seemed to laugh as it stomped the Blade Liger.
"Tidus do something! My command system froze!"
"Don't move, Sasha!" Tidus tensed up as he locked onto the Zero X for his charged particle blaster. Sweat rolled slowly down his face as he contemplated his action.
"This Zoid-it-its out of control!" Sasha pounded away at the monitor. "Disable it!"
Tidus gulped hard. He couldn't attack his friend but he had to. "Eject! Dammit eject!"
"I can't!" The Zero X began to crackle with electricity as the three blades upon its back began to raise up. "Get out of the way!" No matter what he did he could not keep the liger from firing its electromagnetic bolts. Without even thinking Tidus fired the particle blast.
"SHIT!" He cried as the thought of the Zero X and its pilot completely destroyed stuck in his head. "SASHA!" The beam died down slowly. An massive explosion could be seen off in the distance. But where was the Zero X. He panicked for a moment, examining the area for his friend. "Sa-Sasha! Sasha! SASHA!"
"Look out behind you!" Zut's face popped up on a hologram screen. "Sasha?"
"Damn this Zoid!?" Sasha head ached more and more as the battle went on. Tidus attacked with everything his Zoid had. He had to disable it and rescue his friend but what a task that was proving to be. Two powerful Zoids scratching and clawing away at each other. Determined to win. But what was it about the Zero X. It fought with determination as if it were natural predator.
Meanwhile Zut paced back and forth in the Whale Kings control room. He couldn't bring himself to subdue the Zero X with power. The only alternative was his genius. "It makes sense now. That is no ordinary Zoid. Its a rare wild Zoid that must be tamed. A Zoid like that would be extremely capable if someone trains it and forms a bond with it. But how can Sasha calm it down?" He activated a direct link to the Zero X. "Sasha! Listen up!"
"I-aah-hear-arg-you!"
"That's a wild Zoid you found. It would be a great addition to our units if you can tame it. You sound like your head hurts. If I'm right its probably feeding on your brainwaves."
"So what-aaaaahhh-you're saying I need to focus my mind if I want to stop it?" He replied sarcastically.
"Yah hunh! Just give it a try."
That didn't sit too well with Sasha. He had meditated with Zut a few times but couldn't quite do it. "Help me out here! It's gonna be hard with Tidus retaliating."
"Tidus back off and keep moving. Sasha has to beat this thing with his mind."
"Mind? Well...ok." He pulled the joysticks back and retreated. After all that they had been through the two Zoids hadn't taken as much damage as expected. "Well at least we should be able to afford these repairs. Dammit! My beautiful Fury." His Zoid growled. "Yea I hear you buddy. Don't worry. You'll be good as new in no time."
"Alright! Focus Sasha focus." Zut commanded . He was surprised however that the Zero X had already stopped. Strange.
Concentrate....focus....Zut believes in me. I can do it! The Zero X howled ferociously and paced back and forth. Listen to me X. You can trust me. You helped me escape the cave....I needed you then. I trusted you. Stop fighting my friends. It seemed to calm down somewhat but still paced back and forth back and forth. Slower and slower it moved until finally it stopped. Don't worry. I forgive you. I didn't rescue you, you rescued me. Now just simmer down.
"What's going on Sasha?" Zut questioned.
"It's ok, I guess. The Liger won't retaliate anymore, I hope." The cockpit opened up and Sasha quickly jumped out. "You're an amazing piece of machinery. But you're too wild for me to handle sooooooo...I guess you can leave. You're free to roam my friend."
"I've never seen this Liger type." Tidus walked up behind Sasha. "You should keep it. Like Zut said, you tame it and it'll be incredible."
"Well that's for him to decide. What will it be Liger?" There was a long moment of silence before the mysterious Liger finally ran off through the jungle.
"Why let something like that go!? That Liger was like free money you find on a ground when you're broke!" Tidus exploded. Ever since he acquired the Berzerk Fury he had never had such a hard time against one Zoid.
"He told me he wanted to be free again. I found him frozen in a crate. He must have hated that with a passion. So now he's free to roam. He only attacked you because he hadn't seen others like him in so long." Sasha softly rubbed his forehead. "Plus that thing causes a lot of stress on ya."
"If you say so. This maybe the worst decision you ever made."
"Maybe it is. Something tells me that's not the last I'll see of him."
*****
They finally dragged the Blade Liger back into the ship and secured it to the maintenance deck. Yuraki fell fast asleep during the battle and didn't notice she was now sprawled out in her bed. Tidus and Sasha sat around playing cards while Zut piloted them home. Sasha had been in low spirits since the Zero X walked off. He felt as if his date had dumped him. He may not have gotten a feel for the Liger but he really wanted to let it roam.
"See I told you!" Tidus slammed his cards down on the table.
"Ah shut up!" Sasha nearly had a fit. "I do not regret letting him go! And no I'm not crying...I just got something in my eyes."
"What's going on in here?" Yuraki stumbled sleepily into the room wearing a gray sweater and a pair of low cut jeans. "Why is the whop-head pouting?"
"I'm not!"
"He's crying because he set that Liger free." Tidus snickered, grabbed Sasha, and put him in a headlock. "Ah don't worry. We'll get you a new Shield Liger."
"You were right before. I want that Liger frickin' Zero X."
HEY GUYS COME QUICK YOU GOTTA SEE THIS! Zut yelled over the intercom. They looked at each other curiously then rushed to the control room. They got there as quick as they could and nearly flopped down on the ground in exhaustion.
"What is It?" Sasha questioned.
"Look on the monitor."
"Wha-oh my god!" Sasha's jaw dropped like a brick. "Its him...THE ZERO X IS AT THE BASE!" He jumped up and down with glee. The Zero X had found there base and awaited their return like a faithful hound.
"Well Sash, looks like he wants to get to know you too." He rubbed his friend's head and watched the Liger on the screen as it roared.
We'll be partners for life my friend. Sasha though to himself. "Alright!"
****The Liger Zero X. I still haven't gotten around to buying the model kit. Ah well stay tune for the next chapter.****