TROUBLES
     The beginning

A beautiful sunset started off the new day, with the golden sun rising from the trees. On this day my best friend moved away. I was filled with grief, but my parents had been long gone and I lived in the orphanage next to the church. Even though it was nice it wasn't the same with out Her, Jodie. All of the children were nice, but I hated it. It was to kind of a town and to oblivious. If a stranger came to town they would welcome this person to stay even if they meant us harm.
That's why I decided to run away.
The night I left was when the moon had its turn to disappear. I left at midnight and I met my friend moonshine in the forest. Moonshine is a tiger, a black tiger with blood red eyes and dark gray stripes. Now even though she sounds wicked she really isn't.
The both of us sneaked through the forest in pitch black, but the unique thing about myself was that I have the abilities off a cat. I have no idea how it happened, but the day I was born I had incredible powers like a cat. We moved through the night swiftly and were out of sight.
The next day was gloomy. Moonshine went out and caught a couple of rabbits to cook. I ate quickly. When we were finished I heard an explosion.
"What was that?" I asked.
"I don't know, but we better check it out." Moonshines voice rumbled. I nodded and headed off.
When we got to where the bomb exploded, I found a whole base had been blown to bits. We stood staring at all the bits and pieces on the ground.. There must have been about twenty explosives in the building.
All of a sudden I felt a gun to my back. Moonshine started to growl. I turned to face a young boy. He was about my age, he had long brown hair that was braided and he was also shorter than me, but I have to say he was cute.
"YYYEEESSS." I said.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" He had a sort of strange voice like he was a tough guy.
"Good question huh moonshine." I looked at her, "Very good indeed."
He jumped back in astonishment "It can talk."
I rolled my eyes," Yes SHE can." I turned and faced her and made an expression that said, "Why can't people get things right."
"So…I'm, Emily and you are?"
He turned and said, "Do you think I am going to tell you my name?" I breathed out softly. " It's Duo." I laughed under my breath; I started to walk to some of the parts of the building that had exploded.
"What happened here?"
Duo walked up beside me, "Don't know really, I just heard it and cam to investigate."
I dropped my shoulders, "With a gun, hum with a gun. Like I'm supposed to believe that." Then I mumbled, "That's the lamest story I've ever heard."
"It's the truth." I walked over to a huge pile of rubbish; I started to flip up pieces of debree over to one side, when all of a sudden a person reached out and grabbed my leg. I sprang back and heard him say, "Help me.."
I started to throw more and more off. "Finally." He breathed out heavily. He had blonde hair and green eyes. He looked like a general of an army and was dressed in a generals uniform "Are you all right? And what are you doing here?" I was concerned to find out if he was really a general. He tried to stand up so I helped him, "I am Cornel Shubultz and that was our military base. Some of the best men were destroyed in that explosion. Some one must of planted explosives inside."
I turned to Duo, "Was that you?" I was curious to find out who was responsible.
"NO it wasn't me. Why would I do that?" He was a little to quick to answer.
I looked at him for a minute then at Shubultz. Since he was already standing I helped him walk over to were he could sit up against a piece of what used to be a wall.
"You sure you are all right?" I didn't like it when people didn't tell the truth, just trying to be a man I guess because you can never understand men.
"Yes I'm sure." He answered grimly.
I felt some thing wet against my leg, when I looked down I saw that his leg had been badly injured.
"Moonshine go get a vine or something like a rope so I can cut off his circulation, QUICKLY!!"
She ran off into the woods and in a couple seconds she came out with a mouthful of vines. I snagged one and quickly tied it around his right leg. I whipped my face from the sweat that ran down my forehead.
"Thanks for helping Duo." I was a little ticked that he didn't come over and ask if I needed help. I turned to Cornel Shubultz," Why didn't you tell me that your leg had been sliced?"
"I didn't feel it." He twitched from the pain.
Moonshine came over to ask, "Is he going to be all right?"
I sighed, "Yes he should be and thank you for your concern."
She nodded and stretched, "I think we should go back in the woods, I have a bad feeling about this."
"Yes I do to. Lets go Duo into the woods." I shouted so he could her me from were he was standing.
I pulled Cornel Shubultz so he could put his arm around my neck and headed into the woods. Soon enough Redlers landed and the pilots examined thee area.
"That is the empires Zoids." Cornel Subultz said.
"Maybe they can take you back."
"Emily, are you sure that this is a good idea?" Duo was concerned about something.
"Yes I'm sure about this, now lets go."
We walked out of the woods they saw us instantly and came running over to us.
"Cornel Shubultz are you all right?" One of them said.
"Yes I'm fine." He was glade to see them.
"What happened to your leg?" Another asked.
"He was in the base when it exploded and got buried under the pieces." I had to say something so they wouldn't think I didn't like to talk.
Cornel Shubultz turned and said," Thank you for your help, I pray one day we will met again."
I nodded and waited until he was in one of the Redlers.
"Hopefully we won't see that guy again," Duo said.
"Why do you say that?" Moonshine asked.
"I don't care what the reason is, but I hope we do see him again."
Duo looked at me like I had said something wrong, then just laughed even though it wasn't funny.
"Well lest go. I want to find a Zoid for all of us, well just me and you Moonshine." I said to Moonshine. I suddenly remembered that this was a military base and that there might be a Zoid around here. I started to look in places that might have had Zoids. "Hey guys look over there!!" I saw something over in the distance, it was a Zoid. We ran over to it.
"That is amazing! What is it?" Duo asked.
"It looks like a lion, but skinnier. I know it is a Liger, part lion and part tiger." I said amazed by it.
It is red with blades on its side and many types of small guns on its back. I walked up to it and felt the hard metal. It started to move, it turned around and opened the cockpit for me to get in. It has two seats in it.
"Moonshine, Duo get in." I shouted from the cockpit.
They both climbed in the back. I closed the cockpit and walked, but it started to run when I stopped. It kept on roaring and wouldn't stop running.
"Slow down Liger, STOP!" He would not listen to me. I am going to call it a boy because boys are hard headed. "Make it stop." Duo didn't want him to run either.
In the sky ahead of us there were the Redlers. I guess that is why he would not stop running. They must have seen us because they tried to communicate with us. A screen popped up with Cornel Shubultz on it.
"I see that you found the Liger Zero X and you can pilot it." He said with a smile.
"Why wouldn't I be able to pilot it? Can't everyone pilot a Zoid?" I was curious to find out why.
"Well it is a bit picky about people who ride in it. It is like it has a mind of its own."
I hate it when people call things "it". "Yes he certainly does have a mind of his own."
"I have an idea, since you can pilot "Him" you can have it and join sides with us and fight against the Republic." He was getting on my nerves with "it" and how he said "him".
I decided to go along with his plan, "All right I'll do it."
Duo tapped on my shoulder, "What about me?" He asked like a child that was jealous.
"Welll…You can have on of the Zoid of your choice." He had to think a second, "Signing off."
Duo was happy about the Cornels decision. Moonshine was getting a little grumpy about having to sit in the back with him, so I ran to make them go faster in the Redlers.

   Chapter two
     The mysterious Zoid of Duos choice

When we got there Major Shubultz showed us to where they have all the Zoids. There were Command Wolves to Redlers and War Sharks to Gordoses. Duo walked around amazed looking at everything. He walked up to one that I didn't see. It was a Storm Sworder.
"I like this one." He sounded like a little child that got his own choice of a pet.
"That's a Storm Sworder, Duo. They're one of the fastest Zoids around and one of the strongest. With blades that form in the front of the wing and can cut through any metal."
"It is a fine choice. You may take it for a spin to see if you can control it and become a fine pilot." Shubultz informed him.
Duo climbed in and closed the cockpit. I got in my Liger and headed out also. At first he couldn't control it then he finally got the hang of the controls.
"You are doing just fine and don't let the controls slip." I warned him.
Soon enough he started to show off doing loopty loops and corkscrews. "This is amazing!" He was astounded by what it was capable of doing.
"Just don't go into a nose dive if you're not ready." Shubultz warned him.
"Come on Duo try to hit me, I dare you." I egged him on.
"Okay here I come." He swooped down and missed.
I came around and caught the tip of his wing. The Storm Sworder then pulled out of it.
"Very impressive, but you can't hit me." I wanted to see how accurate he was.
"Don't hurt your selves or maybe even kill one another." Cornel Shubultz was being very cautious about us just playing around. Then he started to laugh at us playing like children.
"Where are you going?" One of the soldiers asked.
"I'm going to have a bit of fun." He turned and left.
I stopped when I saw him come out in an Iron Kong. Duo didn't see him and hit me with a line of fire. "Duo watch what you are doing. You could have injured me."
"Well if you didn't stop I wouldn't have hit you." He did start to get annoying after a bit.
"Mind if I join in?" Shubultz walked over to me.
I looked far up to see the head of the massive Zoid. "No I don't, but you're on his side. I can handle all of you at once."
I started to run the other way to see if the Iron Kong could keep up, it did.
"LOOK A HEAD!" Moonshine saw the gorge before I did.
I slid to a stop and turned to see them closing in. When they got so close someone really shot them.
"Who is that?" Moonshine shouted and pointed her paw at a Zaber Fang that was purple.
"Are you all right?" The pilot asked.
I opened the cockpit and stood up, "Who are you to come and spoil our fun. I wasn't in danger so but out." I jumped to the ground to see that he had dark brown hair and purple eyes. He was a pretty boy and I didn't like it. "I am Stinger and you are my lady."
"I am Emily no if you don't mind I need to check up on the other two."

   Chapter three
     Stinger, Friend or Foe

Later that day when we were finished fooling around Stinger kept following me around.
"What do you want?" I was getting tired of this. "You have been following me around all day, get lost."
"Oh, but I can't your beauty has kept me lost in my own thoughts. So I must ask are you single?" He stared at me and didn't look away.
I laughed under my breath, "Do you think I'm going to tell you."
"Then you are." He smiled at me. He was pure evil I could tell.
Duo walked in through the door.
I ran and put my arms around him, "Oh Duo, where were you? I've missed you." I gave him a look that said, " Get him away from me."
Stinger was shocked, "I didn't know. I'm so sorry." He turned and left the room.
"Okay, did I miss something?" Duo had a very blank look on his face.
"No, but I was getting tired of him following me around. So I acted as if you were my boyfriend. Was that a good idea or what?" I gave a little cutsie smile.
"Well yeah, if your not the boy." He laughed.
I smacked him upside the head and went for a stroll in Liger. I wanted to be by myself. I wanted to think over things when a blue Redler landed right in front of me. The pilot had ejected, but collapsed on the ground beside the flames. I jumped out and ran to assist them. "Hey are you all right? Wake up, please."
He opened his eyes slowly, "Wh… who are you?" he stuttered his words.
"I'm Emily. What's your name and what happened to you and?" I held him up straight. His eyes gleamed red and not from the fire, they were natural. His golden hair was a bit singed from the flames.
He jumped up with no pain then fell back down, "Where is Drake? He must be around here somewhere." He looked all around and found nothing. He dropped back down to the earth.
I felt sorry for him, "What is your name?" I looked down at him.
"My name? I don't know. I can't remember anything, but I need to find Drake." He was very eager to find this Drake person, or thing.
I helped him up to his feet. I stared at the flames and inside them there was a tiny movement. I sat him on the ground and walked over to it. The thing seemed to be alive. I ran into the flames and pulled out a metal dinosaur. I dropped it on the ground because it was hot. The boy sat up and saw it. He ran over to the metal monster. "Drake!" He ran and hugged it then let go quickly 'cause of the heat it was producing.
"So this is the Drake you were worried about, but tell me is it a boy or girl?" I asked because I hate calling things by "it" or "thing".
He answered me, "He's a boy, of course."
I got them into the liger and headed back to the base to get the boy to a doctor to see if he needs treatment.

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