Jack could feel the cold sheets under what was left of his body. It made him feel numb, yet still attached to the real world as his one good eye remained tightly shut, concealing him in darkness. This all felt like a dream. That E.K.L.I.P.S.E. Monsuno was more than he could handle. The thing tore him to pieces causing him to lose one arm, one leg, and an eye. Jack was lucky he got out alive.

S.T.O.R.M. made it to where he could hear a Monsuno's thoughts. All it wanted to do was be free. Jack felt sort of bad for the unearthly being until the nurses came to change his bandages and pain tears through his body. That was when all the pity melted away.

Jack's routine consisted of getting his vitals and one good eye constantly checked on, changing his bandages, getting stronger pain pills, and sleeping. Jack's world had become grey. He hated it. What was going to happen to him? Was he going to die from the injuries? Charlemagne always remained so hush hush about things like this.

One day though, Jack's world turned from gray to red. It all began when Commander Trey came for a visit.

"Hey Jack," greeted the black haired commander.

"Hey," Jack croaked in reply.

"Commandant Charlemagne wishes to give you a new assignment."

Jack groaned. Didn't the woman understand he was injured? She was a slave driver!

"It's nothing physical," assured Trey. He pulled out that E.K.L.I.P.S.E. Monsuno's core much to his dismay and sat it on the injured soldier's bedside. "She requires you to get any information out of this Monsuno that you can, preferably about . I don't care how you do it. Just do it."

Without another word Commander Trey left the room. What a douche bag. Jack's eye focused on the core. The being inside it looked like a saber toothed tiger, but was twice as vicious. Jack grimaced as flashbacks of the being using him as a chew toy rushed through his head. The Monsuno kept screaming that it would never be dominated. Jack turned his head away from the core. He'd communicate later with it.

Jack…

The injured man almost leapt up. Who said that? He glared at the core. No, it couldn't be! How could that beast talk to him through the core? His abilities must be stronger than he thought them to be.

Jack…spin me out…set me free.

"No way you monster!" yelled Jack in his mind. "You've caused enough misery in my life!" Jack was about to throw the core across the room, but the Monsuno's next words held him back.

How much misery do you think I've been through, Jack? I was a mighty creature that roamed the Earth once. Now, I'm just a toy shoved into a cylinder!

Jack sat the core back on the bedside table. This thing…it had pride. "What is your name?"

My name is Freedomstriker.

"Well…um…it's nice to meet you I guess," Jack mumbled, but the Monsuno remained silent beside him. Jack guessed it said all it had to.

Jack kept having strange dreams. In it he stood in front of Freedomstriker, but the Monsuno did not move an inch. Instead he just stared Jack down with sad eyes. Eyes that begged Jack to free him, but he couldn't. Charlemagne would not be pleased. He woke up with a start, drenched in sweat, and with Freedomstriker's core a little closer to him.

The next day Jack decided to drill Monsuno about what it knew about Klipse. Freedomstriker seemed unwilling to answer though.

Why should I care about him? The Monsuno snarled in Jack's mind. He abandoned me and all the others you S.T.O.R.M. soldiers took!

"I'm sorry that you feel upset…," Jack began.

No you don't! You whip us and beat us! That doesn't make you any better!

Jack looked up at the ceiling. He was still too weak to sit up fully. The pain was almost unbearable and this Monsuno yelling in his ear almost made things unbearable.

"I can't exactly whip you anymore. You took care of that, remember?"

I saved you Jack.

"What?"

I saved you from being their machine, their puppet. They won't want you anymore with your arm and leg gone.

Jack gritted his teeth. "I can still talk to monsters like you so I'm still of use!"

What are you going to do Jack? Tell them I'm not telling you the things you need to know? They won't believe you because you're the only one that can hear me, Jack.

Freedomstriker was correct. Charlemagne would fire him in an instant.

A few days later Jack was told he would get new bionic limbs. The technology was foreign to him, but it was great news. He would be able to walk again. Freedomstriker was not pleased by the news.

You'll just become their slave again. The Monsuno growled. You'll just end back up here again. Then again maybe you won't. A Monsuno less…giving than I would take you out.

Jack, now able to sit up, looked down at his hand. Freedomstriker was right. It was only going to be a continuous cycle, but what else was he going to do? S.T.O.R.M. was what made his money.

I could make you a great man Jack. Freedomstriker purred. With your abilities we could set all the Monsuno free!

"I don't know...," grumbled Jack. "You guys are very dangerous. If you weren't, then why is S.T.O.R.M. trying to capture you all?"

Freedomstriker remained silent once more. This Monsuno was weird. He had a point though. S.T.O.R.M. was hurting the Monsuno. Jack never knew they had feelings. He thought they were just mindless beasts until he was given the ability to listen to them. All they wanted was freedom.

"Hey Freedomstriker."

What is it Jack?

"What would you do if you were free?"

I'd make the world a better place for Monsuno.

"How would you do that?"

I would kill all the humans.

Jack's eyes widened in fear. "Why would you do that?"

It is hopeless for us to coexist, Jack. Humans and Monsuno can NOT get along. And I'm sure if it ever came down to a war you measly humans and your weapons will be no match for us.

"That isn't true. Humanity is smarter than you think. We'll figure out a way to stop you!"

You'll find out too late. Just face the truth, Jack. We Monsuno are better than you worthless humans. We are smarter, stronger, and better built for survival.

"Says the big kitty stuck in its core," joked Jack.

I consider you a friend, Jack.

"Why do you think that, Freedomstriker?"

I let you live didn't I? That's a good sign of friendship: letting you live. You are special to me Jack. You are different than the other humans. You can hear me and speak to me. There is a place for you in the Monsuno world.

"Really?"

Yes, Jack, really.

"Go to sleep Jack," said a nurse giving him his final dose of medicine for the night. "Tomorrow is your big day."

"So quickly?"

"Yes, Commandant Charlemagne needs you back in the field as soon as possible."

Jack nodded. Giving a brief goodnight to Freedomstriker he fell into a deep sleep filled with more dreams of Monsuno and a world without people. A world that could not control him. A world ruled by him and Freedomstriker. What a pleasant place.

As soon as the man opened his eyes he was wheeled into surgery. This was a complicated process so Jack had to be awake for the whole thing. The doctors and nurses sedated him the best they could, but the pain was unbearable. Jack roared as he swung at the doctors with his good arm and leg. They retaliated by strapping him down.

Finally, the torture was over. Jack was wheeled back to his room to get some rest. They would check up on him later to see his progress. The bionic limbs felt heavy and the pain left Jack trembling and in tears. Only Freedomstriker's core remained to comfort him.

There, there, Jack, it will be ok. Poor man, those humans do not care for you one bit do they? They strap you down like a wild beast and put things on and in you. It's ok Jack. I'm here and I care for you. I care for you more than those foolish humans.

Freedomstriker was right. He was nothing more than a toy to Charlemagne. She wanted him to get back to work so bad that she put him through painful, life threatening surgery! That woman would pay for ruining his life.

Nurses came in and out, but Jack spoke to none of them. The man barely ate or drank the food they gave him. His hair turned a bit grayer and he grew out a beard. The nurses became worried, but the doctors said it was only caused by the stress of the body reacting to its new limbs.

All the while Jack and Freedomstriker planned escape. The Monsuno whispering him promises and building their trust along the way. When Jack would try to back out Freedomstriker would pull him back in. There was no turning back.

One night Jack got out of bed. He walked out of his room and down the hall, motives in mind. The hospital wing of the S.T.O.R.M. base was not heavily guarded so he had no trouble sneaking away. Jack then wandered into the room where two of Freedomstriker's friends were being kept. Jack did not hesitate snatching up the cores causing alarms to go off.

Jack fled the room, cores clenched tightly in his hand. Guards flooded the corridors. Jack tried to escape down one hall, but the end was blocked with many soldiers and Charlemagne herself. Jack sneered at seeing Trey. The commander was such a loyal dog to that evil woman.

"Vhat do you think you are doing, Jack?" asked Charlemagne.

"I am here-ah to free-ah all the Monsuno!" cried Jack. "I am not-ah your slave, your machine-ah, anymore Charlemagne!"

The commandant raised an eyebrow. "Vhy are you talking like zhat?"

"My angel has shown me the truth-ah! Now he will show it to you too and we will free all of the Monsuno!" With that Jack launched Freedomstriker. The red Monsuno rose with a roar as he began to attack the soldiers.

Jack ran up, surprising Charlemagne by grabbing the woman by the throat. "You will taste freedom or death-ah, my commandant!" cried Jack.

Trey reacted lightning fast. The commander grabbed the nearest gun and shot Jack in the shoulder. Sadly, it was his metal arm and did no damage, but it did cause the man to release Charlemagne. The nut case glared at Trey before returning his attention to Freedomstriker.

"Freedomstriker, my angel-ah, it seems-ah we are not welcome-ah! These humans do not wish to taste freedom-ah like I have-ah!"

Freedomstriker swept by. Jack gracefully leapt on to the Monsuno's back. The red cat blasted a hole through the base to escape through. The soldiers were about to follow when Charlemagne, recovering from her attempted strangling, spoke up.

"Do not vorry about him. The Monsuno vill time out in a few more minutes. He vill most likely parish from starvation and such. Ve have no time for lost causes. Get back to vork and someone fix zhat hole in zhe vall."

With that Charlemagne marched off having no clue in the world that Jack would actually survive, find two companions willing to join his cause, and will roam the deserts looking for Monsuno to set free.