Its been a little while, but I have the next chapter ready! Yay! Please
review if you like it! Or I won't make another chapter. That was a threat!
(
~~~Chapter 3: Hallucinations~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Still slightly bewildered by the events of the day, Eircad strolled home before the three moons of Zi rose above him. (This takes place in ZAC 2042, 14 years before a meteor struck one the moons, and 57 years before Prozen declares war on the Republic after Rudolph's Grandfather's death.) He walked the four miles home in the dying heat of the summer evening, still thinking about the Shield Liger. He tried to keep the Zoid off his mind, but its stunning portrait of strength remained glue to the back of his head, refusing to leave.
He got home to see his family just sitting down to dinner. His mother had made her infamous beef stew. [Oh great.] Her eyes lit up when she saw him, "Eircad! Welcome home! How was work?"
Eircad had to smile at his mother's mirth in the midst of a continental war, but either way, he hid the pin that Tristan had given him. He wasn't ready to show her yet.
His little sister, Alexy, gazed slightly at him, he soft, yet piercing glance looked right through him, yet she turned her head , as if denying the conversation was directed at him, "So Eircad, did you get that Zoid you wanted?"
Eircad had forgot how often he bothered his sister to tell her of how much he wanted to pilot the Shield Liger! "Well, I'm actually doing the technical stuff with the cockpit. Maybe I'll pilot it later."
He ate diner quietly, listening with petty interest to his mother's conversation, which was directed at his sister, though he swore his name was mentioned on a few occasions. His mother suddenly paused, which Eircad gave little notice too. She rose from her seat and went to another table, lifting a small envelope from under a book. She handed it to Eircad, almost dumping it into his outstretched palm, "Eircad, it's from dad."
He carefully opened the seam and pulled out a picture. The glossy paper displayed a caterpillar type Zoid. Eircad read the small note that was also in the envelope: Eircad, this is the newest front line Imperial Zoid. Good luck with the Shield Liger. Dad.
Eircad carried the small parcel to his room and slipped it under his mattress. His mom wouldn't want to see it, she was mad at him for evening going to the war, but then, who told him about the Shield Liger? Alexy could have, but, she didn't really care, but neither did mom. [Oh well, I'll have to ask him next time I see him.]
He looked at his clock, which was glowing in the dull light. Though the evening was still young, he crawled into bed and dreamed of the zoid he wished to pilot to the top one day; the Shield Liger.
The next day, Eircad installed a new program into the already complex system of the Shield Liger. He sighed as he lifted his head to breathe the cool air outside the warm cockpit. He sighed again and fiddled with a small wire, carelessly exposing its sharp strings, and sliced his finger. A thin drop of blood fell onto the wire. Eircad struggled to wipe it away, but still he was sure some had soaked deeper into the processing system. He rubbed his forehead, "How can careless can I get?"
After plugging the wire into its correct place, Eircad sat back into the soft new seat of the cockpit and gazed dreamily at the controls. An urge shot through his fingertips, startling him. Was this Zoid truly speaking to him? There was only one way to find out. He pushed a shaky finger towards the on button, a chill running through him. [Nothing is going to happen. You know that. This is only a machine, it isn't alive!]
The normal rushing sound that most computer systems made when starting up never came to this Zoid. Silence was all that could be heard. A voice from below yelled up to him, "Hey kid, ya testing the system?"
Eircad replied with a start, "Yes! I was having a few difficulties, and wanting to try and see if they came up when turned on."
The man shot him a smile of approval, but narrowed his eyes when Eircad turned away and closed the cockpit. [That was too close.] He sunk into the squishy seat and looked at the screen. "So, this is what I did. I made this system. I'm responsible for everything that the Shield Liger does. I'm its brain. Amazing."
"Ha."
He froze, his eyes fixed upon the controls, his body trembling. "You. Right. Zoidian Blood. Pure. That Is You. Only You. Can I Work. Kin Too. Spirit. Must Free. Finish System. Then I Speak. I Will Tell. Ple-"
Eircad had shut the power off with shaking hands. He took the final piece of the system and gripped it in his wet hands. [This can't be real. He, he won't hurt me. Right? Go. Do it.]
It was the final piece of memory and it was his choice. He took a screwdriver and swiftly unlocked a panel. Without thinking, he plunged the chip into its slot and a shock of light spread throughout the cabin. Eircad closed it up and turned it back on. The voice came again.
[Am I sick? I'm simply imagining this! It's mom's soup! That's it. I don't want these hallucinations!]
~~~Chapter 3: Hallucinations~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Still slightly bewildered by the events of the day, Eircad strolled home before the three moons of Zi rose above him. (This takes place in ZAC 2042, 14 years before a meteor struck one the moons, and 57 years before Prozen declares war on the Republic after Rudolph's Grandfather's death.) He walked the four miles home in the dying heat of the summer evening, still thinking about the Shield Liger. He tried to keep the Zoid off his mind, but its stunning portrait of strength remained glue to the back of his head, refusing to leave.
He got home to see his family just sitting down to dinner. His mother had made her infamous beef stew. [Oh great.] Her eyes lit up when she saw him, "Eircad! Welcome home! How was work?"
Eircad had to smile at his mother's mirth in the midst of a continental war, but either way, he hid the pin that Tristan had given him. He wasn't ready to show her yet.
His little sister, Alexy, gazed slightly at him, he soft, yet piercing glance looked right through him, yet she turned her head , as if denying the conversation was directed at him, "So Eircad, did you get that Zoid you wanted?"
Eircad had forgot how often he bothered his sister to tell her of how much he wanted to pilot the Shield Liger! "Well, I'm actually doing the technical stuff with the cockpit. Maybe I'll pilot it later."
He ate diner quietly, listening with petty interest to his mother's conversation, which was directed at his sister, though he swore his name was mentioned on a few occasions. His mother suddenly paused, which Eircad gave little notice too. She rose from her seat and went to another table, lifting a small envelope from under a book. She handed it to Eircad, almost dumping it into his outstretched palm, "Eircad, it's from dad."
He carefully opened the seam and pulled out a picture. The glossy paper displayed a caterpillar type Zoid. Eircad read the small note that was also in the envelope: Eircad, this is the newest front line Imperial Zoid. Good luck with the Shield Liger. Dad.
Eircad carried the small parcel to his room and slipped it under his mattress. His mom wouldn't want to see it, she was mad at him for evening going to the war, but then, who told him about the Shield Liger? Alexy could have, but, she didn't really care, but neither did mom. [Oh well, I'll have to ask him next time I see him.]
He looked at his clock, which was glowing in the dull light. Though the evening was still young, he crawled into bed and dreamed of the zoid he wished to pilot to the top one day; the Shield Liger.
The next day, Eircad installed a new program into the already complex system of the Shield Liger. He sighed as he lifted his head to breathe the cool air outside the warm cockpit. He sighed again and fiddled with a small wire, carelessly exposing its sharp strings, and sliced his finger. A thin drop of blood fell onto the wire. Eircad struggled to wipe it away, but still he was sure some had soaked deeper into the processing system. He rubbed his forehead, "How can careless can I get?"
After plugging the wire into its correct place, Eircad sat back into the soft new seat of the cockpit and gazed dreamily at the controls. An urge shot through his fingertips, startling him. Was this Zoid truly speaking to him? There was only one way to find out. He pushed a shaky finger towards the on button, a chill running through him. [Nothing is going to happen. You know that. This is only a machine, it isn't alive!]
The normal rushing sound that most computer systems made when starting up never came to this Zoid. Silence was all that could be heard. A voice from below yelled up to him, "Hey kid, ya testing the system?"
Eircad replied with a start, "Yes! I was having a few difficulties, and wanting to try and see if they came up when turned on."
The man shot him a smile of approval, but narrowed his eyes when Eircad turned away and closed the cockpit. [That was too close.] He sunk into the squishy seat and looked at the screen. "So, this is what I did. I made this system. I'm responsible for everything that the Shield Liger does. I'm its brain. Amazing."
"Ha."
He froze, his eyes fixed upon the controls, his body trembling. "You. Right. Zoidian Blood. Pure. That Is You. Only You. Can I Work. Kin Too. Spirit. Must Free. Finish System. Then I Speak. I Will Tell. Ple-"
Eircad had shut the power off with shaking hands. He took the final piece of the system and gripped it in his wet hands. [This can't be real. He, he won't hurt me. Right? Go. Do it.]
It was the final piece of memory and it was his choice. He took a screwdriver and swiftly unlocked a panel. Without thinking, he plunged the chip into its slot and a shock of light spread throughout the cabin. Eircad closed it up and turned it back on. The voice came again.
[Am I sick? I'm simply imagining this! It's mom's soup! That's it. I don't want these hallucinations!]
