Here it is chapter 2. It's a lot shorter than the first, but I figure I can work better that way. The chapters might come out smaller but they get done faster.

Disclaimer: Don't own zoids, anizoids, or the two songs I used in chap.1 Everything else is mine.

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"F#^k." A coughing fit soon followed this curse. Saliva and blood was hacked up, staining the dirty floor. "No one ever said playing hero would be easy." Another curse and more hacked up blood. "No one ever said it would be painless either." He could be happy for one thing. He got Sage out of trouble and got his self caught. It seemed like such a good idea at the time too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~flashback~~~~~~~~~~~

Theo hid behind one of the tree's branches waiting for the perfect time to jump. A Command Wolf slowly made its way towards the tree. Its twin 80mm Cannons aimed and ready to shoot the Storm Sworder out of the sky. The moment it was directly under the tree Theo jumped. He landed on the zoid's head and grinned, waving at the pilot inside. The next sequences of events unfortunately don't require much detail.

1. The pilot opened the cockpit, preparing to yell at Theo.

2. Theo busted the pilot in the jaw before he uttered a word.

3. After freeing the pilot from his harness and dumping him, Theo climbs into the Command Wolf and races off to assist Sage in battle.

Okay stupid, Theo thought to his self, you know you couldn't fight in a zoid battle to save your life. Or in this case Sage's life. So what are you going to do? He racked his brain, trying to come up with something. Anything! Gi-Give up? Is that all I got. He thought about the shape his piloting skills had left the LeoMaster in. Yeah it's all I have to give.

Theo switched the com-link on. "Boss? I know you can hear me, so answer."

"Where's my zoid Eros?"

"Leave the Storm Sworder alone."

"And why pray tell would I do that?"

"Leave the zoid alone and....and I'll give myself up."

"Tempting, but no. I want my zoid now. I can kick your @$$ after I get it back."

Keep it together Theo. Remember you have something he wants. Or at least you have to make him think you do. He mentally chuckled. "Yeah you could do that, but as you can see I don't have the liger anymore and you won't find it without me. Do we have a deal?" You couldn't tell by looking at or listening to him, but Theo was terrified.

"You drive a hard bargain Eros." The boss remained silent for a moment. "We have a deal."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~end flashback~~~~~~~~~~~

So here he was. Battered and bruised. Numerous cuts bleeding freely. Needles to say the boss wasn't very happy when he found out that Theo really didn't have any information on the Shield Liger's whereabouts.

"Hello Theodore." Theo managed to raise his head and was greeted with the sight of a large burly man. He held a riding crop, squeezing it in his hands. "The boss thinks you might know something you just aren't telling us." He grinned and slapped the crop against the palm of his hand. "Personally I disagree. If you knew something, you would tell. It'd save you a lot of pain. But what can I say. I like the sound leather makes when it hits skin, and I love hearing people scream."

"Well I'm glad you're going to enjoy it." Theo knew that voice. The boss stepped out from behind the large man. "I however don't care for your opinion. Just shut up and hit him when I say so." The large man sneered at the boss, but for the rest of this long painful night in Theo's life, he did not speak. He simply shackled Theo so he was hanging from the ceiling by chains and stepped back. Awaiting orders. "This is very simple Eros. I ask you a question and you give me an answer. Give me the right answer and I consider letting you go. Give me a wrong answer...."

"And you have Hans here slap my back with that crop. How original."

"Don't be silly. Of course Bruno," the large man flinched at his second new nickname, "won't hit your back. Why would he do that when there are so many other body parts available to him. Now where is my zoid?"

"Go to hell."

"Hit him."

CRACK! "Ahhhhhhhhh!"

"Why did you want me to leave the Storm Sworder alone?"

"Kiss my @$$"

"Again."

CRACK! "Ahhhhhhhh!"

"Last chance. What did you do with my lion?"

"Suck my---"

"Again."

CRACK! "Ahhhhhhh!"

"Really Eros, there's no need for vulgar language. Again."

CRACK! "Ahhhhhhh!"

"I don't think he'll be talking tonight. Keep at it though. Maybe a few lashes will loosen his tongue." The boss left after that, leaving Theo alone with the big guy would had been so humbly nicknamed Hans Bruno.

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I-I knew I'd pay for that lie I told, but hell! I didn't think I'd pay for it like this. It hurts! Dear Gods it hurts! He groaned, unable to talk. His voice hoarse and throat sore from screaming. Well look on the bright side Theo. Your back is fine. It's just the rest of your body that's been ripped to shreds. Thank God I'm wearing jeans. Lessen the pain some.

Theo craned his neck to see if he was alone. Hans Bruno had left an hour ago leaving him to stew in his pain. Though Theo had passed out around the thirty-something lash he knew how long he had been hanging there. Too long. Time to get out of here.

He was alone; it was the perfect time to escape. He flexed his fingers and twisted his wrists, testing his mobility. He had to bite his tongue to keep from crying out from the pain the slight movement had caused him. C'mon. Stop being such a wuss. You're not weak. I know I can do this!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm afraid he won't be much help to you. He's not one of the strongest of my sons." Yuji stared down at the little boy who was struggling to get out of his father's grip. It was rather sad; the boy was pulling with all his might yet his father didn't even seem to notice the small tugs at his arm. "Of course I wouldn't be selling him to you if he weren't so weak. But I suppose you can find something for him to do." The man shoved the boy into Yuji's legs and he had to watch as the boy crashed into him and tumbled to the ground. "Now, my money."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~end flashback~~~~~~~~~

Yeah. That's right. You sold me like a slave. You were never my father and I was never your son. But I'm going to prove to you that I'm not weak. Never had been and never will be. I just had a heart, unlike you. AND I'M NOT WEAK!

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Theo crept down the hallway, looking for a way out. In case you're wondering how he got out of his shackles. Well even with his little speech he didn't rip the chains from the ceiling. After all he said he wasn't weak not that he was Superman. Actually by wiggling his wrist around he'd managed to slip his hands free of the chains. It seemed that Hans Bruno had about as much love for the boss as he did. The chains weren't as tight as they should have been. Now how am I going to get out of here?

"Do you think Theodore is going to crack soon?"

"Most probably, you heard him screaming. He won't last much longer." Two men were steadily making their way down the hall and closer to Theo.

This can't be good. Theo decided. How many options did this leave him with? He couldn't run, he'd make too much noise. Gotta hide! Gotta hide! One problem, he was in a hallway. That didn't offer many hiding places for him. It's dark down here; I could try the shadows. He backed up against the wall and-- "Whoa! Ouch! Damn it!" Fell down something. "Ahhhhhh!" THUD! "That was really painful. What's that smell? Ew, gross!" How'd he end up in a garbage bin? Theo plucked what use to be pasta out of his hair and climbed out of the bin. "At least I'm outside now. Don't know how, but I am."

Theo hissed in pain as he walked down the alley. He knew how to take punishment, but apparently his body was trying to tell him something. Get help or he could kiss his life good-bye. He just needed an opportunity to get some transportation.

"What are you looking at?" There stood a tall lanky man, his body covered in tattoos, leather, and grease stains. Hello Mr. Opportunity.

"Something ugly." This was going to hurt but it would be worth it.

"You little son of a b!^ch!" The man yelled before he drove a right fist to Theo's mouth. The punch sent him to the ground, but the man wasn't finished. He gripped Theo by his shirt and pulled him to his feet. "I'm gonna teach you a lesson boy."

"And what would that lesson be?"

"That it's not nice to call people names." He raised his fist, ready to strike him again. Never got the chance. Theo hooked his feet behind the man's ankles and pulled forward, yanking the man's legs out from under him. They both fell, but Theo made sure he shoved his elbow into the man's throat.

"Thanks for the lesson. Unfortunately I can't stay to fully learn it. I'd also like to thank you for your keys." He grinned, dangling the said items in front of the man's face. "I'll be burrowing your motorcycle and I don't suggest you try to stop me. Cause if I wanted to I would seriously hurt you." Theo dug his elbow into his throat to further prove his point even though it was a lie. He was so drained right now he barely had the energy to perform that simple act, but the man didn't need to know that. This was how Theo did things, he bluffed.

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"Up."

"It's not happening."

"Up."

"Sorry. No can do."

"Up."

"You're going to kill me."

"Up."

"How many times and how many ways can I tell you I can't do another one?!"

"I don't know, how many languages can you speak? Up."

"Ah, no, I quit."

"Ah, no, you don't. Up."

"Fine!" Stupid push-ups! Theo raised his self on shaky limbs; he managed to stay up for a few minutes before he collapsed to the ground. "I hope you're happy; you've killed me." Sage grinned and patted his friend on the head.

"Don't worry Theo, I'm sure you'll survive." Ever since Sage had found him he had been helping him get back on his feet and with Theo's negative attitude it was a slow progress. " I'll tell you what dude, if you give me one more push-up I'll let you have the last bottle of beer."

"I hate beer." He growled back.

"Okay, if you say so." Sage picked the last bottle up off the coffee table and popped the top.

"Don't you dare! I paid for those, if anyone's going to drink the last one it's gonna be me!"

"Dude you got to earn your right to drink it."

"I hate you." Sage set the bottle on the floor, just out of his reach.

"You'll have to get up to get it, and don't try scooting or crawling towards it. I'll just sit on you."

"I really hate you."

"Sure you do."

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Theo scratched his head and glance between the two items in his hands. This was one of the most important decisions he had to make. His very health depended on it. Should he get jalapenos or pickles? He loved spice, but the pickles were cheaper and neither he nor Sage had gotten a job so money was pretty tight. It was only a matter of time before they were kicked out of their apartment; the rent was overdue by six months. That was to be expected he had been bed ridden for two months and Sage had been helping him recover for the other four. Theo had just recently healed up enough perform normal tasks again. According to a certain doctor who agreed to keep Theo's injures a secret it was a miracle itself that he had managed to find Sage before he passed out again from the loss of blood.

"Hey buddy are you going to move anytime soon?" Theo jumped and fumbled with the jalapenos and pickles, almost dropping them.

"Sor-Sorry bout that." He placed both items into his basket and walked away. He still had to finish shopping and he wanted to get it done quick. He felt like such a girl pushing a shopping cart around and he didn't want anyone he knew to see him.

Theo walked out the mine mart with an arm full of brown bags. He was securing the food to the back of his stolen motor bike when he heard something. The sound was so soft no small wonder he actually heard it. A very quiet whimper was coming from behind him. Theo turned around to watch a creature lumber out from behind the mini mart. It had a trail of blood following it and was limping badly. The creature half bark half whined before its strength gave out and it fell to the ground in front of Theo's feet. "ACE!"

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Theo paced the length of the den, stopping every once in a while to glance at the clock on the wall, and then going back to pacing. It was weird how he had come to care so much about a dog that attack him every chance it got. Through all the bites, scratches, barking and growling a strange bond had somehow formed. Somewhere along the way Theo had started to call the dog Ace, granted he still called him mutt, damn dog, mongrel, and the newly added insult royal pain in the @$$, but Ace was the more frequent of the names. Besides the dog seemed to respond to him when he called him Ace, he never listened to him but it was some progress. Theo had gotten as close to Ace as he could with a wild wolf, good thing Ace was a bit more tamer than a wolf, but he loved that dog. He'd never admit that though.

"Theo--?"

"How's Ace? Is he okay? Will he live? Does he need anything?! Well does he? Why aren't you saying anything?!"

"I'm waiting for you to breathe."

"Oh.... Well?"

"Theo."

"Yes?"

"Let go of me." Theo immediately released Sage. "I found something you might want to see." He placed a small object in Theo's hand. "It's a bullet," he said, not waiting for extremely stressed teenager to inspect it, "I found two of them in Ace's side. Somebody killed your dog." Theo clenched the bullet tightly in his hand, someone was gong to pay--Whoa! Wait! What did Sage say?

"Don't you mean tried to kill my dog? Ace's too stubborn to die."

"Come back down to earth, Theo. Your dog was shot twice in the side and you expected it to live. I'm not a medical doctor or a vet, even if I was I wouldn't have been able to save him."

"I don't care what you say, Ace isn't gone. I'll find a way to bring that stupid mutt back. I wish someone would take me up on my selling my soul offer."

"Did I ever say your royal pain in the @$$ was gone? What do you think anizoids are for?"

"But....but don't they still need to be breathing to do that?"

"Who told you that? All I need is some DNA and a lot of money. Just don't get the body cremated and Ace can come back. Oh and you need a job, cause we're both broke."

"Sage.... Thanks dude!" Theo didn't stay to hear a welcome he was already running out the door.

"Dude?! Where you going?!" Sage called after him.

"To give LeoMaster some exercise, get the money to turn Ace into an anizoid, and avenge my dog. I'm going to kill three birds with one stone!"

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Chapter 3 should be out sometime next week or the one after it. R&R C' ya.