On Metal Wings

The dog ran all the way up to the the deck and all the way to the other side where there was a set of stairs leading to the cannons. I saw the twins waiting for me. "There she is, only a few hundred seconds too late." Airi said smirking. I ignored them and followed them to the cannon room. We walked in and saw Izo slightly rubbing a cannon. "Cannon, CAN I touch you?" he said, climbing on top and rubbing his face on its cold metal, too. We didn't exactly know what to do so we just stood there. Even the dog didn't bark. Thirty slow seconds passed and we stared at each other. Finally, Izo looked up and noticed us standing there, ceasing all movements of rubbing. "CANnon I help you? Get it? Cannon." he said cracking up at his own joke. Airi shook her head and walked over to Izo. She raised his hand and crossed it over to his left side. She let it fly and slapped Izo. Izo smiled and winked at her. She shivered and proceeded to say, "Izo, we need you to fire the cannon." At this, Izo smiled wider. "No prob." Akio turned to Peo. "Alright, get in." I looked at him unsure, but I didn't exactly argue so I got in the cannon. They all crammed in with me all of a sudden. I'm not exactly sure, but I'm pretty sure I was eating foot. "Fire!" Akio commanded to Izo. Suddenly, I thought of something. "Wait! Won't we die being blasted out of a cannon!?" I half shouted. "Go, pup!" Airi said, and the dog made a whirring sound and formed an egg-like shield around us. The cannon fired with a deafening sound and we were shot out, the fire-powder heating up the egg.

After a while of flying, and cooling down, our egg-shield released us and it turned back into a dog with a propeller to fly.* We fell the rest of the way to an island. We landed on what I assumed was the port, which was weird because there was usually a ship or two at these. I looked around, rubbing the dirt off me and I saw only trees and a few mountains. "We're still playing tag, right?" I asked, as Akio and Airi nodded their heads in unison. "Not it!" I said out loud. " Well, duh, of course your not it. . ." "Oh?" I asked confused. Airi pulled on some combat gloves, and Akio pulled out a remote control. "What are you guys doing?" I asked. "Playing tag." Airi said. "Duh." Akio concluded. I cocked my head to the side as the robot dog started growling and his eyes turned a vivid red and he flew closer to Akio. It became obvious that this wasn't a simple game of tag as I suspected earlier. "What about the rules guys?" I protested. "Simple." Akio started. "Kill or be killed." Airi finished with a smile. "Twenty minute head-start!" Go!" they yelled at me. I turned on my heels and ran into the woods.

Ten minutes must have passed ever since I ran into the woods. Worst part is, I've been running in circles. Not very productive, they have got to be on their way by now. I pulled out my gun and loaded it. I stole refuge in a cave I had passed by like a million times in my circle walk. I heard footsteps and I scurried into the recesses of the cave, awaiting who was first to get me. I heard the dog's metallic sniffing his way into the cave and I knew Akio was first. The sniffing suddenly stopped and I held my breath and gripped my gun more steadily. I heard the boy laugh and say, "Found you." I shot out, and heard nothing more. Maybe I got him? Suddenly, I felt a sharp prick into my right shoulder. "Nice try!" he said. Before he could stab me, I rolled forward and spun around to face him. I shot again, in hopes of at least grazing him, but the stupid dog jumped and ate the bullet. Ate it. I turned and ran out into the dim green light of the trees. We were on the higher end of the land and near a cliff. I had no choice but to run that way since in the other direction there was that dog and Akio. I looked at the edge and there was water. I heard them running towards me and I looked back up at them. Akio was messing with his controller and the robot started flying again, this time deploying a net and rushing towards me. Akio grinned. Right before the dog captured me, I aimed my gun and shot. My bullet found its goal and broke the dog's propeller. He slammed into me, catching me in his net, but I was close enough to the edge that we fell over. "LEOOOO!" Akio shouted, running to the edge seeing us fall.

The dog half whined and half barked as we fell down, to the water. We hit it, and it stung me at the rate we were falling. The robot dog didn't fare well with the water and it shorted out, electrocuting me along with it. I figured the dog was important to Akio and I didn't want to be heartless, so I scooped up the dog and swam to shore with it. I set him down carefully on a rock, in full sun so he'd dry faster. I shook out my hair and my clothing and I retied my ribbon into my hair. I found that my guns were useless at this point. I walked along, searching for a weapon to use and just standing in front of me was Airi.