Van Flyheight, leader of the Guardian Force, rolled over in bed. He was
dreaming about swimming in a lake of papayas. The alarm clock rang loudly-
Beep beep beep SMASH! A tanned hand lifted from the clock's crushed remains
as Van swung his legs over the side of the bunk and stood, rubbing the
sleep from his eyes.
He grabbed his uniform and buttoned the pants before slipping into the shirt. Freshly combed, he left the room and navigated woozily to the mess hall. Irvine looked up and greeted, "'Lo Van." Van nodded to Moonbay, Fiona, Irvine, and Thomas before sitting down and pouring milk into his bowl of Sugar Bombs.
Fiona sighed, saying, "Van, eat something more nutritious then just sugar." Van held up a papaya. "I am." The zoidian shook her head, smiling ruefully. Irvine reached around Moonbay for the cream, setting off a fight between him and Moonbay, whose orange juice he had just spilled.
Thomas was fiddling with his headset, alternating between working on it with tiny instruments and gazing love-struck at Fiona. The oblivious object of his affections was having a conversation with Van about nutrition while gesturing with her fork, flinging globules of oatmeal into the air.
Doctor D sighed as he monitored the wavelengths. The door slid open as the five walked through, bickering quietly. The mad doctor spun in his chair, looking at them gravely. Van, always the leader, said, "What's up Doc?"
Thomas added, "Yeah, what's so important to drag me away from working on BEEK?" Doctor D waved them over. "I have a video I'd like to show you." He flicked the switch.
The room onscreen was dim, pallid tiled walls reflecting the scant light. A small grate was in the wall, a shaft of white light streaming through. Irvine said impatiently, "Yes, we know, it's a room. Now what?"
The aged doctor answered, "Look at the bed." A small cot was in the left corner, a curled form sleeping on it. Shaggy ash-gray hair flowed onto the pillow as Doctor D questioned, "Recognize him?"
They all shook their heads in a firm negative. The doctor sighed, "I didn't expect you to. That is Raven." Van's jaw dropped. After four years, the Dark One had turned up again. "Where IS he?!" he sputtered.
Doctor D answered regretfully, "New Helic City Mental Institution." Irvine snickered, "Figures, but we already knew that he was loony!" He looked up, surprised, as Dr. D sent him a cold glare.
"What?" Dr. D shook his head. "Irvine, do not presume to laugh at him, and at his helpless state. He has been through more you can imagine, this insanity is just the final product."
Thomas questioned, "But sir, why call us?" The old man replied, "You will be visiting him." Moonbay's eyebrows shot up. "WHY US?!" she shrieked. Doctor D shrugged. "He has no one else."
Van fumed as he piloted the Blade Liger beside the Dibison, Gustav, and Lightning Siax. The crazy scientist had refused to tell them anything, sending them off with a goodbye. The massive zoid pounded to a stop alongside the three others. He flipped off the restraints and slid to the ground, gallantly helping Fiona out of the cockpit.
They entered the large, foreboding building, moving to the reception desk. The receptionist looked up, smiling. "Hello, you must be the Guardian Force! Dr. D said you'd be coming." Van nodded, answering, "Yep, we're here to visit Raven."
The receptionist nodded and pressed a button, smiling, "That's good, the poor boy doesn't get any visitors." Van exchanged looks with the others; they were all sympathetic towards the Dark One?
A short woman with severe features and black hair came up to them, dressed in a white coat and carrying a clipboard. "Hello, I'm Doctor Hall, Raven's doctor. We're going to one of the private rooms." She led them down the halls, sensible shoes slapping the floor.
They sat in chairs, shifting uncomfortably. Dr. Hall flipped through the papers on the clipboard and looked up, speaking. "Raven has been here for three years now. He has basically retreated into himself, not talking much at all. He walks with a limp, due to three bullets lodged in his leg. We believe much of his mental trauma was suffered in the last ten years.
From what we've gathered, Raven was Prozen's ward. He was taught not to value himself, and to focus completely and totally on the mission. By the time he was sixteen, he had no self-worth, knowing he existed completely to be the best zoid pilot."
The doctor's sharp eyes focused on Van as she continued, "However, around his sixteenth birthday, he was beaten by Mr. Flyheight, thereby destroying the last thing he had. His pride. The young man then devoted himself completely to destroying Mr. Flyheight, believing that only by defeating him, he could recover his pride and the last shreds of his happiness."
She sighed, eyes dropping to the paper. "That's enough for now. After all, the worst didn't happen for a while." The woman supported her chin in one hand as she told them, "You are wondering how we cannot hate him, are you not?"
They nodded. She smiled sadly, "Because he has nothing left. Not pride, not his zoid, not his sanity. He may have destroyed cities, but he did not enjoy it, not really. He may have thought he enjoyed it, tried desperately to believe he enjoyed the destruction, but he did it all to please his father figure."
Van jerked and said excitedly, "He still has Shadow, doesn't he?!" The doctor's steely eyes gazed at him as she replied,
"Shadow is dead."
The doctor led them to the room, room 109. She knocked on the door. Vague shuffling noises were heard as the door swung open soundlessly. Doctor Hall gestured for them to go ahead and enter.
They did so reluctantly, glancing around as they sat on the floor, backs against the wall. The doctor closed the door behind them. Irvine looked at Moonbay, Moonbay looked at Thomas, Thomas looked at Van, and Van looked pleadingly at Fiona.
The blonde zoidian sighed as she said quietly, "Raven?" The figure on the bed shifted silently, lifting his head. The young man had changed, lavender eyes sunken, white skin pulled tight over his bones. The eyes were the only things that held life anymore, with a last spark in their depths.
He tried to focus on them but failed, staring past them at the wall. "I'm all alone.." his voice hissed out, cracked and raspy. Fiona's eyes widened before she replied comfortingly, "No, you're fine. We're all here with you."
The young man swung his legs over the side of the bed and looked at them quizzically. He was like a skeleton, the loose white shirt and pants hanging off his frame. He whispered, "Why did Shadow leave me?" His question was like a child's, but the eyes were so much older.
Raven stood and wobblingly took a step, making his slow way towards them. "The sun's black now. Everything's dark.." he sat in the middle of the floor, breathing heavily from such a small exertion.
Thomas cleared his throat and said tentatively, "The sun's yellow, Raven." The thin Dark One in front of them sighed, resting his chin on his knees. "Raven," Fiona asked, "what happened to you?"
The man in the middle of the floor looked up. "Don't remember. Desert, things that pop up that look like zoids. I'm high up.. in the big blue bowl. Red dinosaur roars and falls from the bowl. Don't understand, why is Geno.. Geno.. why is dinosaur falling?
Hits sand. Burst of blue light. Get out of dinosaur's chest. Run to Shadow. Shadow's head. Cracked.. hurting. Shadow says he tried.. tried to do what? Says we'll get Va.. Vam? Doesn't matter. Shadow says goodbye.. why? Grey spreads, covering. Want Shadow back, back to talk. Shadow falls, shattering.. swift death. Turn, look. See.. big blue..tiger.."
Raven trailed off, burying his face in his knees as his shoulders shook quietly. Fiona exchanged looks with the rest before getting up and crouching by Raven. "Raven, what's wrong?" Raven looked up as tears slid silently to the floor.
"The sun's gone. Shadow gone, dinosaur gone. Alone.." A empty smile stretched his lips as he struggled to his feet and walked to the cot. He stuck his hand inside the pillowcase and rummaged about briefly, bringing out a chunk of stone.
They looked closely and gaped; it was Shadow's left hand! Van got to his feet and left the room, the others following. Raven looked up for a second before returning to his contemplation of the stone.
Doctor Hall met them outside the room. "Do you see now? Raven lost everything that mattered to him, his organoid, his only friend, his zoid, his sanity, his parents, and his pride."
Van nodded mutely as they stumbled out of the hospital and into the bright sunshine. Van stared straight ahead, dry-eyed, but crying inside.
'My fault. I took his pride, the only thing he had left. And when he had lost even that after the Deathsaurer, I saw him flying above the obstacle course. Of course, I couldn't resist shooting at him. I saw the Genobreaker tumble from the sky. I made him insane. I took his pride, his friend, his life, and his sanity. I can't hate him now. I never hated him.. until my foolish pride killed Shadow. God.. I'm sorry Raven..:"
In the dingy room, the former Dark One stared at the stone, tears slipping from his eyes, years of his suffering released.
He grabbed his uniform and buttoned the pants before slipping into the shirt. Freshly combed, he left the room and navigated woozily to the mess hall. Irvine looked up and greeted, "'Lo Van." Van nodded to Moonbay, Fiona, Irvine, and Thomas before sitting down and pouring milk into his bowl of Sugar Bombs.
Fiona sighed, saying, "Van, eat something more nutritious then just sugar." Van held up a papaya. "I am." The zoidian shook her head, smiling ruefully. Irvine reached around Moonbay for the cream, setting off a fight between him and Moonbay, whose orange juice he had just spilled.
Thomas was fiddling with his headset, alternating between working on it with tiny instruments and gazing love-struck at Fiona. The oblivious object of his affections was having a conversation with Van about nutrition while gesturing with her fork, flinging globules of oatmeal into the air.
Doctor D sighed as he monitored the wavelengths. The door slid open as the five walked through, bickering quietly. The mad doctor spun in his chair, looking at them gravely. Van, always the leader, said, "What's up Doc?"
Thomas added, "Yeah, what's so important to drag me away from working on BEEK?" Doctor D waved them over. "I have a video I'd like to show you." He flicked the switch.
The room onscreen was dim, pallid tiled walls reflecting the scant light. A small grate was in the wall, a shaft of white light streaming through. Irvine said impatiently, "Yes, we know, it's a room. Now what?"
The aged doctor answered, "Look at the bed." A small cot was in the left corner, a curled form sleeping on it. Shaggy ash-gray hair flowed onto the pillow as Doctor D questioned, "Recognize him?"
They all shook their heads in a firm negative. The doctor sighed, "I didn't expect you to. That is Raven." Van's jaw dropped. After four years, the Dark One had turned up again. "Where IS he?!" he sputtered.
Doctor D answered regretfully, "New Helic City Mental Institution." Irvine snickered, "Figures, but we already knew that he was loony!" He looked up, surprised, as Dr. D sent him a cold glare.
"What?" Dr. D shook his head. "Irvine, do not presume to laugh at him, and at his helpless state. He has been through more you can imagine, this insanity is just the final product."
Thomas questioned, "But sir, why call us?" The old man replied, "You will be visiting him." Moonbay's eyebrows shot up. "WHY US?!" she shrieked. Doctor D shrugged. "He has no one else."
Van fumed as he piloted the Blade Liger beside the Dibison, Gustav, and Lightning Siax. The crazy scientist had refused to tell them anything, sending them off with a goodbye. The massive zoid pounded to a stop alongside the three others. He flipped off the restraints and slid to the ground, gallantly helping Fiona out of the cockpit.
They entered the large, foreboding building, moving to the reception desk. The receptionist looked up, smiling. "Hello, you must be the Guardian Force! Dr. D said you'd be coming." Van nodded, answering, "Yep, we're here to visit Raven."
The receptionist nodded and pressed a button, smiling, "That's good, the poor boy doesn't get any visitors." Van exchanged looks with the others; they were all sympathetic towards the Dark One?
A short woman with severe features and black hair came up to them, dressed in a white coat and carrying a clipboard. "Hello, I'm Doctor Hall, Raven's doctor. We're going to one of the private rooms." She led them down the halls, sensible shoes slapping the floor.
They sat in chairs, shifting uncomfortably. Dr. Hall flipped through the papers on the clipboard and looked up, speaking. "Raven has been here for three years now. He has basically retreated into himself, not talking much at all. He walks with a limp, due to three bullets lodged in his leg. We believe much of his mental trauma was suffered in the last ten years.
From what we've gathered, Raven was Prozen's ward. He was taught not to value himself, and to focus completely and totally on the mission. By the time he was sixteen, he had no self-worth, knowing he existed completely to be the best zoid pilot."
The doctor's sharp eyes focused on Van as she continued, "However, around his sixteenth birthday, he was beaten by Mr. Flyheight, thereby destroying the last thing he had. His pride. The young man then devoted himself completely to destroying Mr. Flyheight, believing that only by defeating him, he could recover his pride and the last shreds of his happiness."
She sighed, eyes dropping to the paper. "That's enough for now. After all, the worst didn't happen for a while." The woman supported her chin in one hand as she told them, "You are wondering how we cannot hate him, are you not?"
They nodded. She smiled sadly, "Because he has nothing left. Not pride, not his zoid, not his sanity. He may have destroyed cities, but he did not enjoy it, not really. He may have thought he enjoyed it, tried desperately to believe he enjoyed the destruction, but he did it all to please his father figure."
Van jerked and said excitedly, "He still has Shadow, doesn't he?!" The doctor's steely eyes gazed at him as she replied,
"Shadow is dead."
The doctor led them to the room, room 109. She knocked on the door. Vague shuffling noises were heard as the door swung open soundlessly. Doctor Hall gestured for them to go ahead and enter.
They did so reluctantly, glancing around as they sat on the floor, backs against the wall. The doctor closed the door behind them. Irvine looked at Moonbay, Moonbay looked at Thomas, Thomas looked at Van, and Van looked pleadingly at Fiona.
The blonde zoidian sighed as she said quietly, "Raven?" The figure on the bed shifted silently, lifting his head. The young man had changed, lavender eyes sunken, white skin pulled tight over his bones. The eyes were the only things that held life anymore, with a last spark in their depths.
He tried to focus on them but failed, staring past them at the wall. "I'm all alone.." his voice hissed out, cracked and raspy. Fiona's eyes widened before she replied comfortingly, "No, you're fine. We're all here with you."
The young man swung his legs over the side of the bed and looked at them quizzically. He was like a skeleton, the loose white shirt and pants hanging off his frame. He whispered, "Why did Shadow leave me?" His question was like a child's, but the eyes were so much older.
Raven stood and wobblingly took a step, making his slow way towards them. "The sun's black now. Everything's dark.." he sat in the middle of the floor, breathing heavily from such a small exertion.
Thomas cleared his throat and said tentatively, "The sun's yellow, Raven." The thin Dark One in front of them sighed, resting his chin on his knees. "Raven," Fiona asked, "what happened to you?"
The man in the middle of the floor looked up. "Don't remember. Desert, things that pop up that look like zoids. I'm high up.. in the big blue bowl. Red dinosaur roars and falls from the bowl. Don't understand, why is Geno.. Geno.. why is dinosaur falling?
Hits sand. Burst of blue light. Get out of dinosaur's chest. Run to Shadow. Shadow's head. Cracked.. hurting. Shadow says he tried.. tried to do what? Says we'll get Va.. Vam? Doesn't matter. Shadow says goodbye.. why? Grey spreads, covering. Want Shadow back, back to talk. Shadow falls, shattering.. swift death. Turn, look. See.. big blue..tiger.."
Raven trailed off, burying his face in his knees as his shoulders shook quietly. Fiona exchanged looks with the rest before getting up and crouching by Raven. "Raven, what's wrong?" Raven looked up as tears slid silently to the floor.
"The sun's gone. Shadow gone, dinosaur gone. Alone.." A empty smile stretched his lips as he struggled to his feet and walked to the cot. He stuck his hand inside the pillowcase and rummaged about briefly, bringing out a chunk of stone.
They looked closely and gaped; it was Shadow's left hand! Van got to his feet and left the room, the others following. Raven looked up for a second before returning to his contemplation of the stone.
Doctor Hall met them outside the room. "Do you see now? Raven lost everything that mattered to him, his organoid, his only friend, his zoid, his sanity, his parents, and his pride."
Van nodded mutely as they stumbled out of the hospital and into the bright sunshine. Van stared straight ahead, dry-eyed, but crying inside.
'My fault. I took his pride, the only thing he had left. And when he had lost even that after the Deathsaurer, I saw him flying above the obstacle course. Of course, I couldn't resist shooting at him. I saw the Genobreaker tumble from the sky. I made him insane. I took his pride, his friend, his life, and his sanity. I can't hate him now. I never hated him.. until my foolish pride killed Shadow. God.. I'm sorry Raven..:"
In the dingy room, the former Dark One stared at the stone, tears slipping from his eyes, years of his suffering released.