Zoids Fuzors: Faerie's Beginning

Chapter IV: Unexpected Surprises

            I fired first and immediately took out a Command Wolf.

            "The Rhodes sister is down!" declared a black-haired man with a prominent nose.

            "And you're next!" Flame shouted.  His weapons readied to fire, but I was faster.  I fired and the Command Wolf fell.

            "Kwik, come – ARGH!" shouted a woman as I took her and another man down in one go.

            "Boss!  Gonzales and the Rhodes brother are down!" yelled the last woman.  I fired and took her out too.

            "How -!?" Rudolf began.

            "Maybe you should think about your strategy more," I growled.  "No room to evade attacks at point-blank range."  The Shadowfox turned tail.  "Oh, no you don't!"  I fired and the Zoid was taken down.  I called Gummy, a Peace Corps officer.

            "Yeah?" Gummy asked, appearing on my screen.

            "My friend and I just took out some bandits trying to steal my Zoid.  Could you come pick them up?  End of Storm Avenue, near the Zoids' highway," I told him.

            "I'm on it.  Thanks, Faerie," Gummy said.

            "No prob.  I'm going to go on and deliver a package, so I'll be gone when you get here," I informed him.  Gummy nodded.  "I'll see you at work, then!"  The screen with Gummy on it flickered off.  "Let's get going, Flame."

            We picked a path around the fallen Zoids and got on the highway.  Flame looked at me strangely through the video communicator.  I ignored him for awhile, but he continued staring.

            "What?" I finally snapped.  Flame just continued looking at me.  "WHAT!?"

            "Where'd you learn to fight like that?" he wondered.

            "I don't know," I admitted.  "I guess it's just in my blood."

            "Guess so," Flame agreed.  There was silence for a few seconds.

            "So… how are Rebecca and James?" I wondered.

            "They're -," Flame began, but an alarm cut him off.  "What's up?  Why is the Palomino Hope sending an alarm tone?"

            "Hope, what's going on?" I asked.  A visual of the area around Flame and me came up with infrared heat images.  I saw the problem immediately.

            "Flame!  We're surrounded by Helcats!" I cried.

            "What the hell!?" Flame cursed.

            "My point exactly," I replied.  There was about eight Helcats forming a circle around us.  There was no escape.  Unless…  I called Gummy again.

            "Yeah?" he asked when he answered.

            "I've got about eight Helcats in an attack formation around me," I told him calmly.

            "I'll send somebody over to get them," he said.  There was a short pause, then, "You should do have a knack for getting into trouble."

            "I know," I admitted.  "Trouble follows me.  Anyway, I'll be seeing you at work I suppose."  The screen with Gummy went off again.  I turned to the screen with Flame.  "Ready to lose these freaks?"

            "You got a plan?" he wondered.  I looked around and saw a smokescreen button.

            "Perfect," I muttered.  To Flame:  "Get off at the next exit.  I'm firing a smokescreen."

            "Roger that," Flame said.  I saw his Zoid heading slightly right.

            'Ready?' Hope asked.

            "Firing smokescreen!" I shouted.  The smokescreen fired around Hope and the Helcats scattered.  I bolted toward the nearest exit.  Behind me, the Helcats burst out of the smokescreen.  They were still invisible, but I saw eight disturbances as the Zoids followed.  I began to lead the Helcats to the police.

            "Run, but you won't escape!" gloated a woman clad in jewels who had just appeared on my screen.  I ground my teeth.

            "What do you want?" I growled.  The woman laughed.

            "I want whatever valuables you have," she said coolly.  "You must be very rich to own a Zoid like that!"

            "Well, you lost that bet," I snapped.  "I earned this Zoid on pure talent!!  …You don't need to know about how much money I make."

            "Oh?  And how much do you make?" the woman laughed.

            "None of your business," I growled.  "Now, do you want me to take you out like I took out Team Pyrite?"

            "I've never even heard of them.  Are they a real team?" the woman sneered.

            "They're a team of bandits and I took out all six of their Zoids, single-handed," I snapped.  The woman laughed.

            "Oh, really?" she said in a disbelieving voice.  I heard a man's voice speak to her.

            "Natasha, I have proof.  Look at her records," he said.  Natasha looked and snorted.

            "Beginner's luck," she sneered.  I readied my weapons.

            "How's THIS for beginner's luck!?" I roared, turning around and firing.  I took out a Helcat.  The others got ready to fight.

            "Cheap trick!" a man accused, coming onto my screen.  I smiled.

            "I'm gonna take you down!" I declared.  I fired at him, but he dodged.

            "My turn!"  Natasha fired at me, but I quickly avoided it.

            'Seven against one isn't good odds,' Hope warned.  I sighed.  She's right, I thought.  But I can handle it!

            I fired at a Helcat.  It dodged to avoid, but as it dodged, I fired again in the direction it was heading.  It couldn't turn quick enough and suffered enough damage for a Command System Freeze.  I heard a Zoid walking up behind me.

            "Need some help there, Faerie?  I brought some reinforcements," Flame joked.

            "You two just mosey on outta here," Gummy said.  "We can handle these crooks."

            "Thanks, Gummy," I thanked and followed Flame down the street.

            We rode in silence for awhile, trying to find the right street.  I was about to check my navigator again when Flame asked, "Isn't it funny?"  I glared at him.

            "Isn't what funny?" I questioned.  Flame ignored my cold attitude.

            "Isn't it funny that two different criminal Zoid teams have attacked us in the same day?" he wondered.

            "I don't find that very funny," I snapped.  Flame looked shocked.

            "I meant funny as in strange, not funny as in, well, funny," he pouted.

            'You really should go easier on him,' Hope said.  I sighed.

            "Sorry, Flame.  I'm just kinda short-tempered right now," I apologized.  Flame looked at me with curiosity.

            "Who's in your Zoid with you?" he wondered.

            "What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

            "I heard someone talking to you," he pressed.  I tried not to act surprised.  Putting on y best "poker face", I laughed.

            "You silly – I mean, have you been getting enough sleep?" I chuckled.  The Palomino Hope stopped moving.  "What the -!?"

            "What's going on, Faerie?" Flame asked worriedly.  I knew what.

            "Hope, WHY exactly have you stopped?  We're late enough as is!" I yelled.

            "Why -?" Flame began, but Hope interrupted him.

            'I refused to move until you tell him the truth,' Hope said obstinately.

            "No, I can't let anyone else know about you!" I shouted.

            'I can't believe the daughter of the great Dustin Pegs, Champion of Zoids, would be afraid to let people know that her Zoid can talk and think,' Hope sneered.  I was enraged.  Flame looked excited.

            "You're Zoid can -?" he started, but I didn't pay him any attention.

            "YOU LISTEN HERE!!!" I roared.  "I've had a bad day already, and I don't need you making it worse by making it seem like I'm crazy!  Zoids can't -!  Hold on…  How do you know about my dad?"

            'Well, let's just say that he's not dead and he's looking for his daughter,' Hope answered.  I could just imagine her winking at me.

            Daddy… I thought, wiping away a tear.  Hope began moving again.  I smiled.

            "Where's Dad?" I wondered.

            'Let's just say he's closer than you think,' Hope replied.  'Your heart knows what your mind is too scared to hope.'

-*~*-*~*-

            After work, I went home and fell into bed, thinking about what Hope had said.  Finally, I got up and called in a vacation day for my night job at the Peace Keeping Bureau.  I pulled on my blue blazer and left the apartment.  I called Flame on my cell phone and told him where I was headed and not to follow me.

            Hope was waiting for me.  I climbed into her cockpit and rode in silence all the way to Dusty's house.  Dusty looked surprised.

            "I don' need a courier righ' now," he said.

            "My last name is Pegs," I told him.  "And you can quit the fake accent, Daddy[1]."



[1] Anyone not see that coming?  I think I made it a bit too obvious.  Need to work on that.