Zoids Fuzors: Faerie's Beginning
Chapter II: A New Co-Worker
I rode home to an apartment building. It was a bit run-down, but it was all I could afford. Working Monday through Thursday during the day from 11:30AM until 5:00PM, Monday through Thursday nights from 7:30 until 11:00, Friday mornings from 4:00 until 8:45, and weekends at the ranch wasn't enough to pay for a nice home and saving up for a Zoid.
Many it was because I had too many mouths to feed. My apartment was like a zoo: I played abandoned animal rescue. At that time, I had five dogs, eight cats, three iguanas, two macaws, and a cockatiel. Jackie was just a kitten when his mother died and I had to save him off the streets. I nursed him back to health, and now he thinks I'm his mother.
I parked the Palomino Hope in the Zoid's garage and carried Jackie up to my apartment. I was surprised to find the door unlocked. Surprise quickly turning to fear, I took out my cell phone, ready to dial the Peace Corps station, and cautiously went into my apartment.
All the lights were on, the animals appeared fine, and a blond-haired someone was sitting on the couch drinking coffee and reading the latest edition of Zoids Now magazine.
"FLAME!!!" I roared. "Flame", a childhood friend of mine, jumped in surprise. His name wasn't actually "Flame", but everyone called him that. Even his parents. In fact, I've never heard anyone call him by his real name.
"Yes?" he asked innocently, turning to face me. I set down Jackie and grabbed the front of his shirt, breathing heavily.
"DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!" I spat.
"What?"
"DON'T ASK STUPID QUESTIONS! YOU KNOW 'WHAT'!"
"I-I'm sorry, Faerie, I-I tried c-calling," Flame muttered weakly.
AND IF I DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE YOU DON'T LET YOURSELF IN!!" I bellowed. I let go of his shirt, went to the refrigerator, and began preparing the iguana's food.
"Why don't you ever give the iguanas meat?" Flame wondered as I brought out the salad. It had collard greens, dandelion leaves, a couple of chopped up carrots, green leaf lettuce, and green bean in it. I split it up and put it in the separate cages, turning to Flame when I was done.
"Iguanas are vegetarians. They get sick if they eat meat[1]," I explained. "And I know you're interested in getting an iguana, so another thing to remember about the diet of iguanas is that you can't give them too many carrots."
"Why?"
"The carrots are calcium oxalates, meaning they lock calcium in the muscles and cause metabolic bone disease," I explained. Flame stared at me, mouth open. "What?"
"How-how-how d-d-d-d'you remember all that?" he stuttered. I rolled my eyes.
"I read the dietary portion of Iguanas for Dummies, silly," I laughed.
"How many times?"
"I think… one or twice[2]," I replied slowly. Flame gaped at me.
"You should be, like, a medical professor or something with a brain like that," he stated.
"Nah, I'd rather find time to be a professional Zoid battler," I admitted. I went back into the kitchen and got out the macaws' and the cockatiel's food. I fed them without inquiries about their dietary needs (which was good, because I feed them commercial food and hadn't found the time to read about their dietary needs). I gave Gertie[3] her arthritis pill.
Next, I fed and watered the cats and dogs. Jackie waited for his food. He always ate at the table with me. However, today, I gave him his special kitten formula on the floor with the rest of the cats. He looked at me and meowed.
"Don't look at me like that," I said softly. He meowed again. "Please. I have to do this. I may have found a new home for you."
"Where's the home?" Flame wondered.
"At the ranch," I replied. I took some soup out of the fridge and began warming it up for lunch.
"How are things going?" Flame asked as I put two bowls of soup on the table. I sat down and picked up my spoon, pausing before I spoke.
"I got a Zoid," I told him. Flame sat down, beaming at me.
"Great! Now we can start our own Zoid team!" he exclaimed. I shook my head.
"I don't have time right now. Did you forget how many jobs I have?" I questioned. "Let's see… there's the ranch on weekends, selling used parts, courier, and Peace Keeping Bureau"
"Why don't you just quit a few jobs and –"
"QUIT A FEW JOBS???" I bellowed, causing every living thing to cower. "Puh-lease! Like I'm going to quit just to start a Zoid team that probably won't get off the ground and let my poor animals die. How would that be any different from their original owners, hmmm?"
"Okay, okay! I see your point! Geez!" Flame looked out the window. "It just… when I see how successful those Zoid teams are, I just… want to at least try. And I know you want to."
I sighed and looked at my watch. "Damn, I'm late! Sorry, Flame, got to go! Lock up behind you, and don't forget to put away the soup!"
"I won't! Bye, Faerie!"
"Bye!" I ran out the door.
-*~*-*~*-
"REEEEEEE!!!" the Palomino Hope whinnied as I drove on the Zoid's highway to my courier job. I suppose she was trying to clear the way for me. It worked because some Zoids, including a Liger Zero, moved out of our way.
"Thanks, Hope," I thanked. I was almost positive the Palomino Hope could understand me, but what happened next shocked me so much, I was surprised I didn't lose control of my Zoid.
'Would you like me to go faster?' asked a disembodied voice. I jerked the control stick hard to the right. The voice spoke again.
'I don't think you want to run into that Red Blade Liger over there. It looks very expensive,' it commented calmly. I straightened out the control stick and realized the Palomino Hope had prevented itself from obeying my reflex. I laughed and patted the Palomino Hope.
"You're one unique Zoid," I laughed.
'Thank you,' the Palomino Hope said. 'Now would you like for me to go faster?'
"Nah, we're almost there," I told her. We went the rest of the way in silence. I finally reached the office. Once I had parked Hope in the Zoids garage, I went inside.
"You're late," a woman (my boss) named Cho Harpy growled.
"Sorry," I apologized. "I've got good news though."
"What is it?" Cho snapped.
"I finally got a Zoid."
"Great!" Cho exclaimed, dropping her icy tone immediately. "You can show the rookie the ropes! As soon as he shows up, that is."
Someone burst into the office just then. "Sorry I'm late!" gasped a familiar voice. I turned around.
"Flame?"
[1] Even fish, it's in Iguanas for Dummies for all you iguana lovers out there.
[2] Took me that long in reality to memorize it. Question: Being able to memorize science facts like that, what science field should I go into in college? I need help making a decision. Maybe Physics, since it's a general science and all other sciences branched off from that? Feedback welcome, if you e-mail it to me, put in the subject line "My Answer to Your Question in Your Zoids Story". Please, I have very little time before I go to college. I need to make a decision!
[3] My real dog's name. She's part German Shepherd, part Golden Retriever, and 100% love. Whenever she barks at someone, it means "Play time?" not "Stay away!"
