AN- Hello, ShadowRebirth37 here!! Finally… after several weeks in the making, I have FINALLY finished this fic!! I experimented with a new technique in here- using more description (hence the length. ^^;), metaphors, and a new style of character development. I think you'll enjoy the results. ;P Ambient may seem a little OOC, but we rarely see him in the anime, so what exactly does and in-character Ambient act like, huh? ^^; And, the beginning is going to be pretty emotional, so some may tear up while reading. Also, I'm going to give
Ambient his energy wings, like the ones he has in the first few episodes. He just looks better with angel's wings. ^^; Anyway, this takes place after episode 59, The Capital Collapses, in the after Hiltz destroys the city and before Van arrives. So, without further a due, here is Atonement!!
Here is a quick speech guide…
/hello/- normal Organoid/Organoid-to-Organoid/Zoidian speech
"hello"- normal human/Zoidian speech
'hello'- Organoid thoughts
Disclaimer- No, I do not own Zoids. I just own this fic, this storyline, this plot, and the little Shadow figure perched atop my computer. XD
This fic is dedicated to ChicagoBears23, or as he is now called, Bears23. This one-shot is for you. I hope you enjoy, I worked extremely hard on this, I poured my heart and soul into this, I hope and pray it shows.
.:Atonement:.
Ambient stood silently on the rocky edge of the canyon, his emerald eyes fixed to the soothing twinkling of the stars. He was trying to focus on the stars, and ignore the dull ache in his chest that was eating away at him. The strange pain had been plaguing him for years, and always seemed to get worse after he did something 'bad' or after watching Hiltz do something he would deem evil. Regret? Remorse? Those feelings held no meaning to the crimson Organoid, he was hardened by battle and unaffected by such petty emotions… or so he told himself.
He sighed and lowered his gaze from the stars, his body drooping visibly, a quiet growl rumbling from deep within his throat. 'What is this ache within me? Why does it not cease?' he thought in frustration, clutching at his chest with a clawed hand. Ambient growled and lifted his gaze to the stars again, his shimmering emerald eyes focusing on one particular bright, blue star; the Star of Eve. 'Mother Eve… why would you let your child endure this pain for so long? Why do you not help me?!' he thought in despair, whining softly.
Silent seconds slipped by, Ambient remaining unmoving with his eyes on the Star of Eve. The star shimmered for a moment, making the Organoid blink, before it returned to its normal radiance. Ambient sighed and tore his gaze from the stars, knowing such pleads would go unanswered. He turned his head away from the once-comforting stars, his head and gaze lowered. His long sweeping tail slowly rocked from side to side, the deadly spines that armed the tip motionless and lowered.
Thoughts swirled in his head, but Ambient tried his best to ignore them. He did not want to think of the death and destruction he had witnessed earlier, as he watched Hiltz decimate New Helic City and the brave few who tried to stop him. Even though he had left early, and Hiltz was still destroying the city, he had seen horrific and mortifying things, things that were currently vying for his attention. But despite his best efforts, one particular image flashed into his mind, and it made him fall motionless. It was of Raven and Reese, when the two pilots had fallen against the mighty Death Stinger, standing and waiting for their deaths. Ambient had never seen Raven surrender, but he had today; he didn't try to fight or escape after his Zoid fell, he accepted his fate. Ambient had been watching from one of the destroyed buildings, and somehow Raven had seen or sensed him, for the young pilot had looked right at him. His eyes; the hurt and hopelessness, the emptiness and misery, had pierced the Organoid like an arrow. The human's spirit had been completely broken by the loss of Shadow; it was as if the teen's very soul had died with his Organoid. Seeing him like that, in that broken, hopeless state, had affected Ambient in a way he had never felt before.
Ambient shook his head and snorted, trying to get the image out of his head, but it persisted. 'Why will it not vanish? Raven and Reese are both dead, so why is this image haunting me?!' he thought in anger, shaking his head furiously and snarling loudly. The ache inside him grew suddenly worse; the sharp throbs of pain making him grimace and roar. The image of Raven refused to leave his thoughts, its presence seeming to make the pangs worse.
/Stop it!!/ he howled in agony, grasping at his head with his talons. He whipped around frantically, snarling and gnashing his teeth in anger and pain as the ache grew worse and worse. /Make it stop!!/ he screamed to the stars, falling to his knees, scratching at his chest plates in a vain attempt to reach the source of the pain. Then, just as suddenly as the pain began, it stopped, leaving Ambient on his knees, his body shaking and eyes wide. He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving with every gasp, shudders racking his body.
'What is happening to me?! What could be causing pain this intense?!' Ambient thought frantically, shakily getting to his feet and looking upwards. He looked to the stars for some sort of answer, but like every time before, no answer came.
/Mother Eve… why have you abandoned me?!/ Ambient cried in frustration, roaring to the Star of Eve. He roared and howled like a wolf to the moon, hoping for some sort of response from the Zoid Eve. But no reassurance came to the Organoid from the Zoid Eve; Ambient truly believed Mother Eve had abandoned him. Ambient called a last time to the Star of Eve and fell to his hands and knees, feeling completely alone on the empty cliff, his only company the cold night wind.
/It wasn't my fault, Mother Eve… it wasn't my fault…/ he whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut and bowing his head. /It wasn't my fault… it was Hiltz's fault…/ he repeated, twisting his face into a snarl, /… he turned me into this monster… he stole my innocence and honor… … why did you not save me, Mother Eve?! He snatched me from your comforting arms… he turned your angel into a twisted demon!! Why did you let him do it?!/ he screamed to the moons, unfurling his glowing feathery wings, /… how could you let one of your own children be turned into a monster such as I?! How could you let him kill the angel you birthed of your own love and resurrect me as the cruel demon I am now?! What kind of mother just watches her child be beat and tortured and abused, and does nothing to stop it?! Why did you not rescue me, Mother Eve?!/ he cried, lifting his head and staring at the Star of Eve.
Ambient roared sadly and weakly fanned his angelic wings, feeling an unbearable weakness and hopelessness spread through him. 'She's abandoned me… she's left her child to die at the hands of a monster…' he thought sadly, tearing his gaze from the Star of Eve and getting to his feet, turning his back to the only source of compassion he ever knew. 'Mother Eve has abandoned me… because I am no longer the child she birthed, but I am the demon Hiltz created… … a being of darkness that can never return to the soothing light of Eve…' he thought, closing his eyes and sighing sadly.
The sound of an approaching Zoid brought Ambient back to reality, the crimson Organoid shaking his head and snorting. He lifted his head and narrowed his glowing eyes, and within a moment recognized the unmistakable form of the Death Stinger. Ambient growled deep in his throat and narrowed his eyes, deactivating his energy wings as the scorpion Zoid drew closer.
"Ambient, success! The Republic capital has fallen!!" Hiltz yelled in triumph, the Death Stinger snapping its pincers in show, "The Republic has been crippled and its forces all but destroyed; it will not survive to see another sunrise, Ambient!! I have discovered the location of their 'secret weapon'; all of the remaining forces have gathered there, and I will destroy them all in one fell swoop!!"
/Finally we will be rid of our enemies…/ Ambient growled, feigning excitement so not to anger his master.
"Yes, soon the whole of Zi will be ours!!" Hiltz said slyly, smirking in a dark manner, "But first, I have a task for you, Ambient…" he added, his smirk broadening.
/What is my task, master?/ Ambient asked, not knowing what Hiltz had in mind.
"Well… I'm almost positive I completely destroyed the capitol, but I'd like to be sure. I want you to go back to New Helic City and look for any survivors, Zoid or human, and if you find any, kill them." He said, his emotionless ebony eyes narrowing seriously.
/It will be done, master.../ Ambient nodded, his wings materializing in the thin desert air.
"Oh, and Ambient, take this…" Hiltz said suddenly, opening the cockpit of the Death Stinger and tossing a dark colored object, a canteen, towards the crimson Organoid, "There are fires probably still burning in the city and I'm sure the air is still hot from the Charged Particle Beam, so you'll want to keep your internal temperature in check." Ambient nodded in agreement and snatched the canteen from the sand, holding it carefully in his razored talons. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, a crimson glow enveloping his body as he transformed. Ambient's eyes flashed open and he launched into the air, blazing off in the direction of the fallen capital.
'Check for survivors? I watched him melt half the city with my very eyes; no one could have survived that…' Ambient thought, thinking his task idiotic, but he knew better than to question Hiltz.
Flying at such an advanced speed, Ambient reached the destroyed capital in mere minutes. Slowing down, the crimson light surrounding his body dissipated as he transformed back into his normal form, soaring on his wings of light. His eyes widened as he realized the full extent of the destruction. There wasn't a building within sight that hadn't received some sort of severe damage, though most of the structures had been vaporized or pulverized by the immense heat and power of the Charged Particle Beam. A thick blanket of ash and soot covered the ground as far as his eyes could see, looking almost like dirty snow. Spires of steel and concrete stood like a skeleton in the shattered remains of the city, surrounded by the mutilated bodies of unrecognizable Zoids.
/Hiltz is a fool… no one is alive in this wasteland…/ Ambient thought, hovering in the air like a hummingbird as he stared at the surreal landscape. He fanned his wings and landed gracefully on the top of a leaning building, perching on the sloped top like a vulture looking for prey. His feathered wings dissolved in a flash of light, Ambient gripping the roof tightly with his powerful talons, the crimson Organoid scanning the desolate landscape with his emerald eyes for any survivors.
A wave of heat washed over Ambient's body, making him turn away from the depressing landscape in search of its source. A massive fire was eating away at the buildings farther away, the few that had survived the initial blast, heat billowing from the hungry flames like the burning breath of an angry dragon. The size and intensity of the blaze concerned the Organoid, but not enough for him to abandon his vigil.
Even though a good amount of time had passed since the attacked ended, debris were still returning to the ground, littering the decimated city with layers of dust and cinders. Soft, pale ashes drifted from the smoke-choked skies, almost like a morbid snow, coating the city in a ghostly pallor. Black soot clung to the heat-smoothed concrete, some of the cinders still burning in the dark, giving the broken city a hellish appearance. Death seemed to hang in the air, giving the hot, thick atmosphere an even darker feel.
Ambient growled and shook his head and body, knocking the ash that had accumulated on his body free, the soft fluff falling from his smooth armor. The pale gray ash seemed to fall from the sky endlessly, quickly recovering Ambient in a snow-like layer. He snorted and shook himself again, the strange material greatly annoying the crimson Organoid.
A sudden movement on the ground below caught Ambient's attention, drawing his focus away from the falling ash. His emerald eyes scanned for the source of whatever had moved, expecting to see a dying Zoid or fallen piece of debris. But even with his sensitive vision, he was having a hard time locating whatever was moving on the ash-covered ground. A sapphire flash against the pale gray ashes caught the Organoid's eye, Ambient zeroing in on the source. His emerald eyes narrowed in confusion as he identified the source of the movement, a bluebird, thrashing on the debris-strewn ground.
'How could a bluebird survive the attack? It should have been incinerated in the blast…' Ambient thought, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at the small bird. The jay appeared to be injured or tangled in something, the songbird crying and flapping furiously. Ambient slung the strapped canteen over his armored shoulder, his gleaming eyes still focused on the feathered creature. His lighted wings materialized in the heated air, bright beacons of light in the darkened atmosphere.
Ambient released his grip on the building, completely unfurling his energetic wings, gliding on the hot winds created by the fires. He circled over the space the jay occupied, making sure the ground was safe for him to land. Nothing seemed too dangerous to the crimson Organoid, Ambient slowing and lowering towards the ground. The bird began to panic and screech as he landed, Ambient's clawed feet sinking deep into the thick blanket of ash. Ambient deactivated his wings and leaned down to the small creature, looking at the tiny bird oddly. It stopped thrashing and stared at him with pupil-less, liquid onyx eyes, wide with a wild fear. Its tiny body was trembling in terror, its small chest heaving as it breathed heavily, its bright sapphire plumage singed from the heat and blacked by soot.
The Organoid's eyes drifted down the small creature's body, coming to rest on one of its thin legs. A wire had somehow wrapped itself around it, the thin piece of metal cutting into the songbird's fragile leg. Ambient cocked his head and blinked his glowing eyes, staring at the hopeless bird, a strange feeling building inside him.
Before he could stop himself, Ambient reached out towards the small creature, carefully clasping his talons around the injured bird. The jay screeched as soon as he lifted it from the ground, weakly beating its wings in a feeble attempt to escape his grasp. Ambient tightened his grip slightly, making the bird cease its struggling, the helpless creature making soft, sad chirping noises. The crimson Organoid looked down at the wire that connected the bird to the earth, knowing that the bird would die within a day if left bound. Ambient growled softly and, without releasing the bird, cut the thin wire with his dewclaw, severing the bird's tie to the ground. Again using his dewclaw, he carefully loosened the loop around the bird's leg, flicking it off, completely freeing the small creature.
Ambient stopped for a moment, just feeling the softly feathered bird clutched within his claws. He could feel its little heart beating rapidly in its small chest, the tiny bird squirming slightly and chirping quietly. The crimson Organoid had never really felt a living creature, the beating of a heart or the delicate bones; it seemed truly amazing to Ambient that these organic beings could survive at all with their fragile bones and soft flesh; they were so vulnerable and defenseless against Eve's children, like him. Why, he could crush the tiny jay as easily as he could an egg, even a half-hearted flick of his claw could cut the bird fatally, but his mind wasn't on murder as he looked at his clasped hands. He could just see the helpless creature trapped between his talons, the songbird struggling slightly as it tried to determine what had happened to it.
Then, Ambient did something completely against every instinct Hiltz had drilled into him- he opened his hands. The little bird laid in his hands for a moment or two; its eyes squeezed shut with fear and tiny body quaking. It cracked open a coal-black eye and blinked, lifting its head and glancing around. Shakily it got to its feet, ruffling its brilliant plumage and fanning its short, full wings. As soon as it relaxed its feathers, it stretched its newly freed leg, looking down at it and cocking its head curiously. The little bird lifted its head and looked at Ambient, blinking its glittering eyes before fluttering up from his hands, circling his head a few times, before it winged off behind him with a pleasant chirp.
Ambient turned and followed the little bluebird with his eyes, watching its form grow smaller and smaller as it flew away. 'At least something survived… but Hiltz doesn't need to know, after all, he said to look for Zoids and Organoids, not birds…' he thought, blinking his glistening emerald eyes as the small bird disappeared into the smoky sky. He stood there for a moment, just staring into the sky, his crimson body reflecting the eerie light of the raging fires.
For some odd reason, Ambient's eyes suddenly cut downward, something seeming to… call him. Ambient narrowed his eyes and started walking; not knowing what he was doing or where he was going, just following his instincts. 'I… I think I sense something alive… something bigger than that bluebird… a human, perhaps?' he pondered, flicking his spined tail-tip at the thought, 'Maybe I will finally get to kill something today… … I think the feeling of some warm blood running down my muzzle and hearing a few screams will help keep my mind off this ache…' he thought, a dark smirk tugging at the edge of his lips as his flexed his deadly spines. He could indeed still feel the dull ache deep in his chest, but the thoughts of killing helped distract him away from the ever-present pain. Even though Hiltz had not completely twisted Ambient, most of his mind had been distorted with violence and killing by the Zoidian.
Ambient walked through the thick layer of ash, the pale fluff springy and soft beneath his feet. It was akin to deep snow, though the heavy Organoid didn't sink in as far due to its almost spongy resilience. The layer was at least a yard deep, completely covering the ground and muffling the otherwise loud footsteps of the crimson Organoid. Ambient was beginning to like the blanket of ash; the pale gray coloration made anything on the surface stand out, giving him an advantage to spot any potential 'prey' faster and make sure he wasn't seen too early.
The Organoid noticed a growing number of Zoids near him, the dead machines silent and still, covered in the pale ash. Their melted and twisted bodies were bent and mangled, their eyes wide in pure fear and pain. The Zoids' haunting presence didn't bother Ambient in the slightest, he was used to being around death and destruction, and this was no different than any other time. He kept his eyes focused ahead, trying to keep from looking at the carnage and scanning for the source of the strange feeling urging him on.
He stopped for a moment and glanced around at the few buildings that surrounded him, trying to get a feel about where in the city he was. The large business buildings looked familiar to him, and he began to wonder just where he was exactly. Something about his surroundings made him feel… strange, like he was returning to a place where he had committed some wrong. The ache inside him started to throb, almost like the beating of the blue songbird's heart. Ambient greatly detested the feeling; it made him feel like he was one of the weak organic creatures and not a proud Organoid.
Ambient continued walking through the destroyed city, his only company the hot swirling winds in the deserted, empty city. 'Whatever I'm sensing must be nearby… I should be seeing it soon…' he thought, smirking darkly as he thought of happening across an unfortunate survivor. Ambient shook his head and blinked his eyes, stopping as he came across a barrier- a gored, burned and dismembered Command Wolf. The once white Zoid was charred and blackened, its metal body warped and partly melted, its Core showing in its torn-open belly. The Wolf Zoid had stood no chance against the Death Stinger.
With a quiet growl, Ambient leapt up onto the downed Zoid, landing gracefully on its shoulder without so much as a sound. He hopped onto its back without much effort, shaking himself of dust and soot, looking over the Pulse Laser at what lay behind the downed Republican Zoid. A strange cloud of dust or haze obscured his vision as the wind shifted, showering him in hot embers from a distant blaze. He waited patiently for the fog of dust to lift, curious to see what lay hidden behind the veil of soot and ash. The winds shifted again and the ash settled, the air clearing, revealing…
/Dear Eve…/ Ambient muttered in shock, seeing the destroyed bodies of the Geno Breaker and Psycho Geno Saurer, laying motionless on the ash-covered ground, surrounded by the shattered remains of countless buildings. Ambient stood motionless in disbelief, not understanding how the two Zoids had managed to withstand the Charged Particle Beam without being obliterated. Both Zoids were in a deplorable state, but amazing Ambient could still hear their voices, whimpering and whining in agony.
The Geno Breaker was laying awkwardly on its right side, a deep puncture in its side, where the Death Stinger had stabbed it. It was coated in a layer of dust and ash, its body still and eyes dim; it was about to die. Alongside it was the once-beautiful Psycho Geno Saurer, and it was in even worse condition. The Zoid was collapsed on its belly, its brilliant colored armor blackened and peeling, an effect of the intense heat of the blast. Its sapphire eyes were flickering between life and death, the Zoid in its last minutes of life. The poor Zoid's chest was blown open, exposing the dying Core, the pale blue light of the orb growing dim with every passing second.
Ambient was in shock, not believing he was seeing both the Psycho Geno Saurer and the Geno Breaker alive. As he looked at the dying Zoids, a stray thought crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed the idea as outlandish. 'There is no way Raven and Reese could have survived… they were standing right there, the blast surely killed them both…' he told himself, knowing there was no possible way that the pair could have made it through the Beam. Ambient found the Zoids' survival very perplexing, and his natural curiosity pressed him to go and investigate.
He jumped down off of the dead Command Wolf, landing heavily but quietly, the spongy layer of ash absorbing the force of the fall. The deep layer of downy ash muffled the clanking of his feet as he took a few steps closer, Ambient scanning the undisturbed surface of the gray coating for any sort of threat or danger. Nothing sharp or glowing was protruding from the ashen blanket, so he figured he was safe as he began plodding towards the half-dead Zoids.
The crimson Organoid could feel buried debris as he walked over the layer of ash and dust, his feet sinking deep enough to reach them. The sudden, sharp clangs of his claws banging against metal and glass seemed deafening to the Organoid, making him feel exposed, like a black wolf in a snowy clearing. He could sense the unmistakable warmth of a mammalian mind, but where it was coming from he couldn't determine. It was near, he knew that much, according to his senses he was right on top of it…
Ambient took another step forward, his foot once again sinking into the ash, expecting to feel hard steel beneath his foot. But instead of metal, his claws touched something soft, something that wasn't ash, something that moved. Ambient instantly stopped, frozen in mid-stride, his foot resting on the buried object, his thoughts racing at what could be lying below him. Whatever the thing was wasn't moving very much, only rising and fall slightly, almost as if it was breathing.
'What on Zi…?' Ambient thought, still frozen, his foot still touching the strange object. His curiosity was urging him to explore what was hidden beneath the dust, and his hunting instincts were beginning to surface, telling him to kill. Ambient's glowing eyes were focused on the ground before him, looking for any movement and listening for any noise, anything that could tell him what was below the surface.
He pushed his foot down lightly, his claws pressing into the buried object, trying to figure out what it was. Ambient stared in fascination as the ash in front of him twitched very slightly, something moving beneath the blanket of soot. He now knew that whatever was buried was somehow alive, and the impulse to kill began to grow stronger inside him. He wanted so badly to just duck down and snap his jaws shut on the hidden thing, but oddly he found himself resisting the urge, which greatly confused and surprised him.
A weak, muffled noise came from beneath the ash, intriguing the crimson Organoid. Ambient withdrew his foot and stood over whatever was buried, leaning down slightly, narrowing his gleaming eyes as he pondered what he would find. He sniffed the soot like a hunting wolf, before he pushed his nose down into the ash, rooting down into the downy fluff in search of the thing.
His snout touched something soft, making Ambient instantly stop, his nose pressed against the strange object. Whatever it was moved, almost as if it was shying away from his touch. 'Something alive… something to kill…' Ambient concluded, a grim smirk crossing his muzzle. He snorted and lifted his head, shifting his weight, flexing his claws and flicking his tail in anticipation. He growled and tore into the blanket of ash, ripping into the covering with his powerful claws, determined to find what lay buried. A soft cry of pain made him stop, suddenly and strangely concerned that he was hurting whatever was hidden. He snorted and shook his head, and instead used his feathery wings to blow away the ash from the buried thing, effectively removing the obscuring blanket to reveal- Ambient's eyes widened in shock and his body froze, for he was standing over…
/Raven…/ he growled quietly, looking down at the young human in amazement. The ebony-haired boy was on his side, his eyes closed and body still, not reacting to him at all. He was barely breathing, his breath slow and weak, choking on the soot and dust. The downy ash clung to his side; where a dark smear of crimson shone against the ghastly pallor of his clothing, coming from a slash across his ribs, from Ambient's own razored talons. He looked dead, but Ambient could see and hear him breathing, but it was growing weaker, and the realization dawned on him…
/He… he's dying…/ Ambient said softly, strange feelings filling him… worry, and fear. He stood over the unconscious boy, unmoving and silent, his thoughts racing as to what he was going to do. The sight and smell of the fresh blood triggered his instincts to kill, urging him to finish off the helpless human. He snarled and shook his head, trying to resist the urge to tear into the boy, oddly not wanting to hurt him. 'No… stop…' he thought vainly, turning away from Raven and growling loudly, and mercifully the desire to kill him faded away.
As he was preoccupied with his out of control instincts, Raven moved and groaned, some of his sense starting to return. Ambient heard him try to take a deep breath, but start to cough violently, something wrong with his lungs. Ambient turned back to him and snorted, plodding over to him and leaning down. He cocked his head and looked at Raven, knowing the boy was dying, but unsure of what to do. He growled quietly and bent down closer, sniffing his body curiously, search for any signs of deterioration in his condition.
Raven winced and curled up slightly, his body shaking, a weak cry of pain escaping him as blood continued to bubble up from the slash on his side. Ambient blinked and looked at the human oddly; he had never seen Raven like this, it was just strange to see the fearless pilot whimpering and shaking like a frightened child. 'Something is wrong with him… the slash from my claw isn't his only injury; that one cut couldn't possibly be causing this much pain…' he thought, knowing something had to be seriously wrong with the human.
Ambient leaned closer and sniffed Raven's face, smelling for blood on his breath, which would mean internal bleeding. His fears were realized; he could smell blood, and a lot of it. 'Either he has another wound I can't see, or he has serious internal bleeding…' he thought, knowing he likely was going to watch Raven die. He sighed loudly, looking down at Raven, not knowing what to do.
Raven shivered and his eyelids fluttered open with a weak moan, looking up at Ambient with clouded eyes. He blinked slowly and stared at him blankly, a distant, empty look in his clouded amethystine eyes. Ambient could see the pain and suffering in the boy's eyes, and for some reason, it hurt him. Raven closed his eyes and curled up tighter in a vain attempt to protect himself, but only succeeded in worsening the slash, a soft whine of pain coming from him as the blood continued to paint his ashen clothes a morbid crimson.
"A… Am-bi…" Raven stuttered quietly, too weak to even open his eyes again, his body still shaking. Ambient blinked his glowing eyes and growled, watching Raven grow weaker and weaker, at war with himself over whether to leave him to die or do something. He shifted his weight uneasily, and he felt the canteen bump against his side, and a thought struck him. He slung the canteen from his shoulder and grasped it in his claws, unscrewing the cap.
Ambient poured a little of the water out onto his claws, the cool, clean water seeming to sparkle in the pulsing light of the countless fires. He took a step closer to Raven and held his hand over his head, letting the water drip down his claw onto the boy's lips. Raven instinctively opened his mouth when he felt the moisture, allowing Ambient to drip the water directly into his mouth. The crimson Organoid poured more water onto his claws and dripped it into the injured pilot's mouth, knowing the boy would choke if he tried to let him drink from the canteen on his own. This way he could get water without the danger of choking on it.
Raven swallowed as soon as Ambient stopped, coughing slightly and continuing to shake. Ambient couldn't help but feel sympathetic, seeing the pilot so helpless and weak, but he didn't know what to do. The fires were closing in fast; there wasn't much time before the fires reached the two dying Zoids and Raven.
Ambient stood up and capped the canteen, looking over at the Psycho Geno Saurer. The Zoid's Core had extinguished; it was truly dead. A cold gray was beginning to appear on its once beautiful body, the stone of death slowly creeping over its shattered body. The Geno Breaker was slowly approaching death as well; it had very little time left. Ambient sighed as he looked at the crimson Zoid, his eyes drifting downward to Raven at his feet. The boy had managed to roll onto his back, but he was still lapsing in and out of consciousness, his breathing ragged and labored, but sounding marginally better because of the water.
"R-Re…" Raven muttered softly, catching Ambient's attention. He leaned down and growled quietly, knowing what he was trying to say. 'He's worried about Reese… where is Re-?' he didn't get to finish his thought, for a sapphire blur tackled him away from the half-dead boy, making him roar in shock. He quickly regained his composure and whipped around, and unsurprisingly found Specula standing protectively over the young pilot, hissing loudly.
/Get away Ambient!!/ Specula snarled threateningly, though her voice was weak from pain, /Haven't you caused enough death and despair today?!/ Ambient recoiled slightly, but met her piercing gaze.
/I have done nothing here, Specula, Hiltz is responsible for the death here, not me…/ Ambient growled, standing up confidently, /… I was only trying to… help Raven…/ he forced out, the word leaving a foul taste in his mouth.
/Help? Help?! You were trying to kill him!! You are incapable of helping anything!!/ Specula hissed, narrowing her golden eyes, baring her silver teeth in a feral snarl.
/I was trying to give him water, Specula, not kill him…/ Ambient defended, /… even you know I am not a savage killer deep down, we were both born from the same mother, Mother Eve, so you are no different than me than I am you, or Shadow, or Zeke…/
/Shut up Ambient!!/ Specula snapped, /I am nothing like you!!/ Ambient sighed quietly and looked down at Raven, knowing he would never be able to convince Specula of his intentions. 'He will die if I leave him, Specula doesn't know what to do, I have to do something…' he thought, his eyes not leaving the dying pilot.
/Specula, can you not see Raven is dying?/ Ambient asked, looking at the female with his glittering emerald eyes, /… he will not make it another sunrise unless you let me help him…/
/You cannot help him, Ambient, you just want to kill him!!/ Specula roared, lowering her head and showing her horns threateningly.
/If I wanted to kill him, Specula, why did I not kill him when I first found him?/ Ambient shot back, trying to defend himself. Specula opened her mouth to respond, but shut it, the realization of his words sinking in. /Go ahead, search my thoughts if you think I am lying, but I assure you, I meant no harm to the boy…/
/You… you are telling the truth…/ Specula whispered, her eyes widening slightly, /… but… why?/
/I wish I knew the answer myself, sister, but even I do not know why I want to help him…/ Ambient answered quietly, walking over to Specula and Raven. Specula hissed quietly but stepped away, letting him get to Raven. Ambient nodded at her and looked down at the boy, a quiet sigh escaping him as he tried to determine what to do with him.
A sudden wave of heat made him turn his head to the right, and his eyes widened when he realized the fires were much closer than he had thought. He only had a few minutes before the inferno reached them, only a few minutes to escape. He tore his gaze from the massive fire and looked down at Raven, knowing he would die unless he did something now.
/Specula, the fires are closing in/ Ambient warned, standing over Raven to shield him from the hot, drifting embers. Specula nodded and looked at the raging fire, a hint of fear in her molten eyes.
/What do you want me to do, Ambient?/ she asked calmly, cocking her head slightly and growling quietly.
/Fix the Geno Breaker enough for it to walk; you are a better healer than I/ Ambient ordered gently, before looking down at the injured pilot at his feet, /I'll get Raven, just hurry and get the Geno Breaker operational or we're all dead…/ Specula nodded and transformed, launching into the Geno Breaker to begin the healing. Ambient looked down at Raven again, sighing and slumping his shoulders as he looked at the boy.
Raven moved slightly and cracked open his eyes, blinking and looking up at him. Ambient growled softly and leaned down to him, his emerald eyes meeting his violet ones, the pain once again visible. To Ambient's surprise, Raven didn't panic or start to struggle or fight, almost as if he knew he wasn't going to hurt him. 'Good… this will make things a lot easier…' Ambient thought, sighing quietly, but another blast of searing air reminded him of the urgency of the situation.
Ambient growled softly and walked behind Raven, leaning down and lightly grasping his shoulders. He slowly started to drag him towards the Geno Breaker, not wanting to lift him for fear of aggravating any internal injuries. Raven struggled only once, obviously not enjoying having Ambient drag him, but he didn't fight against his grip. 'Hmm… this is unexpected…' Ambient thought, '… I would have expected Raven to be kicking and screaming… but I'm not complaining… it's not like I want him to be fighting…'
The crimson Organoid carefully dragged the ebony-haired pilot next to the cockpit of the Geno Breaker, releasing Raven as he turned to look up at the ruby Zoid. Its armor had repaired and one of the missing claw-arms had regenerated, but it still was in a sorry state. As if responding to his thoughts, Specula erupted from the Geno Breaker's Core with an exhausted roar, landing heavily next to the crimson Organoid, falling to the ash with a fatigued sigh.
/Specula… good job. The Geno Breaker should be able to make it far enough away to be safe…/ Ambient said, helping the sapphire Organoid to her feet, /… but make haste, the fires are advancing quickly, we do not have much time before they reach us…/ he said on a more serious note, approaching the Breaker's cockpit.
The Geno Breaker sensed his presence and opened the cockpit, the dimly lit space black and forbidding. Ambient turned and carefully lifted Raven in his arms and jumped up into the cockpit, hearing the roaring of the fire growing stronger and louder. He stopped for a moment, the same strange sensation that he received when holding the bluebird washing through him. He could feel Raven's heart beating weakly and the rising and falling of his chest as he breathed, the boy barely conscious in his claws. As Ambient held him, he noticed the strange pain inside him, it began to change. He could feel the throbbing pain begin to synch to Raven's heartbeat, making him feel as though he had a heart of his own buried within his chest. Ambient growled and shook his head, trying to ignore the pain within him and focus again at the task at hand.
Raven moaned weakly as Ambient placed him in the pilot's seat, his eyes opening slightly as the crimson Organoid strapped him in. Ambient made a soft purr and met his gaze, making sure the pilot was comfortable and that his wounds weren't upset. He appeared fine to the Organoid, and he turned away from him to leap out. Just before he jumped out, he felt a weak tug on one of the spines that armed the tip of his tail, making him turn. Raven had a feeble hold on the razor-sharp spine, his hand shaking and strength weak.
"Am… Am-bient…" he wheezed, his voice weak and fading, "… t-th… t-hank… y-you…" he breathed, his soft voice barely heard over the roaring flames. Ambient blinked his glowing eyes in surprise, never expecting the boy to thank him, after all he had done to him in the past. His gaze met Raven's, and he could see the relief, and he noticed the pain in his eyes had faded. He blinked again and recovered enough to nod in understanding, before he leapt down out of the cockpit. The Geno Breaker closed the cover and staggered to its feet under its own power and will, growling sadly when it saw the now-stone Psycho Geno Saurer lying a few yards away.
/Specula, can you control the Breaker enough to pilot it somewhere safe?/ Ambient asked his female counterpart, turning to look at her. Specula nodded and looked up at the wounded Zoid, a quiet sigh escaping her.
/It won't be easy, but I can do it…/ she said quietly, /… anything to ensure my mistress remains safe…/ she whispered, laying a hand lightly on her chest-plates, where Ambient assumed Reese was.
/Hurry and get yourselves out of here, Hiltz may still return and Raven and Reese, and the Geno Breaker, are in no condition to fight the Death Stinger. Hurry and go…/ Ambient said, nosing her lightly, urging her on. Specula nodded and transformed, fusing to the Breaker's Core. The mighty Zoid let out a deafening bellow and fired its boosters, rocketing away from the destroyed city. Ambient spread his own angelic wings and rode a thermal up and away from the ground, hovering in the air.
Not three minutes after the Breaker had vanished, the fires reached and engulfed the body of the Psycho Geno Saurer, destroying the buildings that had surrounded Raven and the Geno Breaker. The heat from the fire was nearly unbearable, but Ambient showed no sign of discomfort as he skimmed the top of the flames, turning and winging off in the direction he had remember Hiltz taking. 'Why did I save Raven and the Geno Breaker? Why did I not kill him? He was helpless at my feet, and I helped him… has Mother Eve finally answered my prayers? Or was that of my own doing?' countless questions swirled in his head, none of which he could supply an answer for. He shook his head and beat his feathery wings, trying to focus on flying as he left the desolate ruins of New Helic City behind him.
As Ambient flew, he began to grow more aware of the throbbing in his chest. He could sense the beating within his chest, but it began to change as he focused on it. The heart-like rhythm began to grow faint as he soared through the starry sky, fading away until… the pain was gone. Ambient felt a strange mix of joy and freedom fill him, as if he was suddenly free of a burden he had carried for years. He felt light and energized, and he roared in happiness as he acrobatically spun in the calm desert winds.
/At last!!/ Ambient cried in delight, /At last I am free of this pain!!/ he roared to the heavens, weaving and diving in the cool air, feeling as free as the bluebird. He had never felt so alive, he felt as if he had been reborn in Eve's light. The pain had left him and the weight of the countless sins he had committed no longer pressed down on his conscience; he felt as if he had never done anything evil in his life. He felt… free… free from Hiltz's twisted ways.
'I have redeemed myself of the evils of my past… I have cleansed my soul and conscience from Hiltz's malice… never again will I hurt another innocent heart! I will never return to being Hiltz's demon… but return to being Eve's seraph!!' Ambient thought proudly, roaring out in triumph across the sleepy desert. He twisted his body in an aerobatic display of pleasure and freedom, trilling his bliss to the twinkling skies above and the silent sands below.
'At last I have found… atonement…'
AN- I really enjoyed this one for some reason. I normally do not like Ambient, I mean he's the villain in half my fics, but it just felt so good to write him like this. So, how did you enjoy my new style of writing? I sorta like the new descriptive style, and all the new fancy words. ^^; Anyway, I am thinking of doing a series of one-shots, each focusing on one of the Organoids. I already have Shadow and Ambient down, so that just leaves Specula and Zeke to go!! XP Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one-shot!! Sorry if it was long, but I just couldn't stop myself. ^^;
Thank you so much for reading, and please leave a nice review!! They make my day and feed my lazy muses!! XD
~Ibeyla ^^