Zoids: Renegade Shadow

"Nothing makes sense anymore..."

Chapter I: A Shadow Crept By

Dive into the mind.

Robert Marron looked up at the sunset as to familiar moons faded into view. They were beautiful and had always been so since they first existed. There was only one problem... you weren't supposed to watch them alone...

No, he told himself. Loneliness was an emotion and those were nonexistent. Or so said the Kaiser... Was he right? Even Akira and Neos were beginning to have doubts about their superior's sanity. Maybe Robert wasn't a Zoidian, but Kaiser insisted that nothing, even humans, had emotions. Especially not Zoids. Zoids weren't living creatures, they were only artificial intelligence. Did that apply to organoids and Zoidians, too? Then why did Robert find himself so attached to his Spino Snapper...

He sighed. It wasn't Roberts business to be asking those questions. It was only his business to make sure the ten Chosen didn't find their way into Kaiser's domain. Doubts were inevitable, but so was the destruction of humanity on Zi. Wait! If Robert was human, and Kaiser was intent on destroying all existing humans, then why did he follow Kaiser with such sureness?!! Darn. Just another question to be put aside. They were piling up with surprising quickness.

A Whale King could be seen above this vast rocky desert flying faster then any other known Whale King. The transport was apparently chasing a Storm Sworder. Why? Darn, another question. There was no way Robert was going to be able to find all the answers in his lifetime. Not only that, but the Whale King had deployed almost a score of Zabats to shoot at the Storm Sworder? Did they want to destroy it or capture it? Darn, too many questions. Was curiosity an emotion, too? Not another question... Robert hated questions. Especially those addressed to him, and unanswered ones.

The Zabats finally succeeding in hitting their target. Smoke rose from the Storm Sworder's left wing as it slowly descended to crash in the desert. With that the Zabats flew back to their transporet and into its hangar as the Whale King circled around the area twice and then, not having spotted the crashed Storm Sworder, gave up and left.

Robert was puzzled. Why couldn't they have spotted the Storm Sworder? Wrecked Zoids were surprisingly easy to find. Another darn question. He felt a surprisingly strong urge to swear with a more vulgar word than 'darn.'

In the darkness a Shadow crept by.

***

Two years later...

***

"Strike Laser Claw!" A green Liger Zero X jumped at a Lightning Saix, severing its front leg off.

"What?!" shouted the pilot of the Lightning Saix. "How did she-?!" He sighed and shook his head. "I never should have underestimated the power of someone out to get revenge..."

"Jack!" Two more Lightning Saix' appeared around the corner of a cliff, and the Liger turned its head towards them.

"Are you okay?" yelled Chris and Kelly together. Jack Sisco grinned as his Lightning Saix struggled to get up.

"I'll be fine. Right, now let's get her once and for all!" His two friends nodded, and the three Lightning Saix' formed a triangle around the Liger Zero X.

"No matter how brilliant your next plan is, you'll never beat me again, Jack." Static electricity formed around the Liger and shot out simultaneously at all three Zoids. They staggered as the Liger Zero X roared and backed up a few steps. The Lightning Saix' stopped working altogether and stoooped low to the ground. The LZX ran forward and jumped onto Chris' Zoid, tearing off the gun on top. Next, it head butted Kelly's Zoid into the side of the cliff.

The Liger Zero X turned towards Jack's already half destroyed Zoid. "Ayumi Kroger..." muttered Jack. LZX took up a position with its front paw placed on top of the Lightning Saix' neck. "Let Chris and Kelly go."

"Good try, but no." Ayumi smiled darkly and her ethnic earrings jingled as she yelled, "Strike Laser CLAW!!!"

***

Dive into the heart.

Leena drowsily plopped herself down on a sofa and turned on the television, switching to the news. She half watched and half slept for about half an hour when something caught her eye. Bit walked in and looked down at her. "You're looking very nice today," he said, referring to the bags under her eyes and her messy hair.

Leena mumbled something in response and her eyes widened significantly. "DAD!!!"

"Leena, Doc isn't here." Jamie walked into the room, looking puzzled. "He told me he was going to pick up a new Liger Zero X model kit."

"D-dad..." Leena slowly pointed to the television, and the two turned their heads toward it.

" -In other news, a Liger-type Zoid attacked a man at New Helic City this morning. Witnesses saw no apparent reason for this. Reportedly his name was Steve Toros, and as of now he remains in severe condition at a local hospital." A reporter was standing in front of the scene when they showed footage of the incident, from the point of view of a store security camera. Steve Toros was picking up a model kit of the Liger Zero X with a happy look on his face when suddenly a hole was shot in the roof of the store and plaster fell everywhere. After the dust cleared the camera went up to show a green Liger Zero X. Static electricity gathered around it and shot at the camera, disabling it.

"Who would want to hurt Dad like that?" asked Leena, starting to cry. "I don't understand!"

Bit sat down next to her. "Dr. Layon," murmured Jamie. "It was most likely Dr. Layon."

***

Dive into the core of Zi itself... Zoid Eve.

A Dark Horn ran across the desert, shooting down several Command Wolves at once. It moved in on a lone Gun Sniper and hesitated once before blowing its missile pods off. "Gotta remember, none of the pilots of these Gun Snipers are Leena!" the pilot reminded himself as he shot at two Hel Digunners.

"Don't think you're going to get out of this that easily!" shouted someone as a gray Bear Fighter walked up behind it and shot several missiles at the Dark Horns armaments, disabling most of them. After that it shot at the Dark Horn with its laser cannon (whatever it's called), disabling the entire Zoid.

"Argh, he hit my weak spot!" shouted the modified Dark Horn's pilot.

"Ha! Now I can finish you off once and for all, so you can't interfere witho our illegal plans anymore!" The Dark Horn took several hits to the head, its pilot lurching forward and hitting his head on the computer screen.

Suddenly the Bear Fighter was barraged from all directions as the word "Megalomax!" could be heard. "L-Leena?" asked the pilot of the Dark Horn weakly.

The Zoid turned around to see a Dibison standing there, having just fired the shots. "You better hope you didn't damage any of my equipment!" shouted the Bear Fighter's pilot as it stood up on its hind legs, changing to Bear Fighting Mode (seriously, as stupid as it may sound, that's what its called. if you don't believe me, read the box to the Bear Fighter model kit).

"Whatever," mumbled the Dibison's pilot as its mortar cannons all turned towards the Bear Fighter, preparing for another all-out assault. The Bear- type Zoid ran forward as fast as it could, and just as it reached the Dibison another Megalomax fired point blank. The Bear Fighter skidded backwards several meters, staggered, then fell over backwards.

"Leena..." mumbled Harry Champ as he blacked out. "Thanks..."

***

This has been the first chapter of the sequel to "Zoids: Shadows of the Past." You might want to read it in order to understand some concepts and characters. I'm currently working on chapter two. ***KITAI MATSARU (however you spell it): Unfortunately, I might not be able to finish this sequel! Since you absolutely loved my last story I thought you might want to know that my parents might get rid of our internet, and then I probably won't be able to upload to fanfiction.net! Blame it all on my sister. I don't know all of the details, but all I know is that it's her fault. So sorry.

I just hope I'll be able to upload things at our local library. Otherwise... Argh, now I feel like swearing! And I'm not exactly supposed to do that... So I won't. Gomen again.***

Also... I decided not to write the Redwall story first, after all, in case you-know-what happens. Argh again. *sniffles*