Prologue
A teenage boy with medium, black hair and deep blue, almost grey eyes tossed and turned in his sleep. There was a mark on his right cheek that resembled a backwards seven and a dot. He screamed and fell out of his bed. He woke up in a cold sweat. He rubbed his head and stood up.
"Man, that nightmare again. Why do I keep having it?"
He walks over to his window and looked up at the moon. Something caught his eye two stories down, in the alley. A girl, probably only two or three years younger than him, was being chased by fifteen well-built men in suits. She stumbled over some bins and grasped her foot. The boy watched on in horror as they yelled at her, and then punched or kicked her. He bolted out of the apartment and down two flights of stairs. He ran out to see the men were gone. Only the barely conscious, highly injured girl was left there. He knelt beside her and she tried to move away.
"Please don't move. You shouldn't be able to after that scene."
She looked up at him and coughed.
"W.. Who… are…?
"Don't speak either."
He picked her up and took her to his bedroom, placing her on the bed. He tended to her wounds. She was unconscious by the time he was changing her into something more comfortable. He observed the dagger that he had found under her skirt. It had the ancient language of Zoidians all over the handle. He looked at the girl. He noticed she had markings on both cheeks. They looked like three claw marks. It was rare for anyone with these marking to have it on both sides of their cheeks. Her hair was a rare albino white, that was cut like her mother's, and her eyes where crimson. He pulled up a chair beside the bed and watched over her for the remainder of the night. Something clicked in his head. She was like the girl in his dreams. He noticed a letter in her hand when she clenched her fist. He pried her hand open and observed the letter. He was amazed at how much strength she had in her grip.
Cherry,
Find a friend of mine in Helix city. His name is Raven and he'll look after you. You must get to him as you are in danger. I'll come and sort things out in a few weeks.
Regards,
Fiona
"So she knows Fiona. Why does she need me to look after this girl?"
Shadow walked in and looked at Raven. Then Cherry, then back to Raven. He growled and stared at Cherry. He could sense a power that Raven could not.
"She hasn't replaced you Shadow. I just stood up here and watched her get thrashed. I could have done something."
Shadow walked closer and nudged her. She stirred a little, groaned and turned over.
"I found a note in her hand. Fiona sent her to look for me. Apparently, she needs my protection."
Shadow curled up at the foot of the bed and fell asleep. Raven smiled and leant back in his chair, also turning in for the night.
Cherry opened her eyes and groaned.
"You have five busted ribs, one fractured wrist and a sprained ankle."
"Who are you?"
She had a hard time speaking and sat up slowly.
"You shouldn't move."
"Answer my question!"
"My name is Raven and that's Shadow."
"I made it Aunt Fiona. I'm safe now."
"Fiona is your Aunt?"
"Yeah. Her husband, Van, is my father's brother."
"Who's your father?"
"Bit Cloud."
"Interesting.
She looked down and blinked. Raven swallowed deeply when he saw her face.
"Did you change my clothes?"
"I had to cleanse your wounds somehow. And these clothes were extremely dirty."
She tackled him and pinned him down. He smiled nervously.
"Why did Fiona choose me? Of all people. Why not Vega?"
She collapsed and glared at her weakness. Raven wasn't complaining now.
"My Aunt trusts you."
He blinked and helped her up. He led her out to the kitchen and placed her on a stool. He looked in the fridge and pulled out some bacon and eggs.
"Do you have any inactive zoid cores?"
"I have one spare, why?"
"Do you or will you have need of it?"
"No. I don't see…"
"Can I have it?"
She was standing, weakly, right next to him. Only inches apart.
"Sure. Heh, heh."
He scratched the back of his head and ran into his room. She took over cooking and burnt her arm. He walked out and handed her the orb. While she observed the zoid core, he checked out her arm.
"You should be more careful."
She blinked and looked at him. She shook her thoughts away and held the orb to her chest.
"What are you doing?"
The orb glowed and dissolved into her. Her wounds were healed and she sneezed.
"I found out I could use zoid cores to heal myself."
They ate breakfast in silence. Raven finally brought up the courage to start a conversation.
"So, are you going to stay here?"
"Do you think you can handle me?"
"Sure. Do you have a zoid?"
Cherry looked down and turned away. He could tell she was crying. He brought her into a gentle embrace. He didn't know why he did that though.
"It was destroyed… Along with my organoid."
She buried her head into his chest.
"It's ok. Your organoid isn't truly dead."
"What do you mean? I saw Xephon destroyed with my own eyes."
"He'll be at Zoid Eve."
Cherry looked up and Raven smiled. She clung to him and Shadow walked out, yawning. He roared for attention and narrowed his eyes at Cherry. Cherry hid behind Raven.
"Shadow! She's here to stay."
Shadow walked out the door and left the building. Cherry went to go after him, but Raven stopped her.
"He's just jealous.
"I need to go get a new zoid."
"You can't go anywhere in just my shirt."
She blinked and sighed. He walked back into his room, holding her hand and pulled out a pair of cargos and a smaller shirt. He handed them to her and pushed her into the bathroom. He laid on his bed whilst he waited for her. She had a shower and put on his clothes. She walked out and poked him. ~Darn, she looks good. What am I thinking?~ She picked up her dagger and sheathed it in the back of the pants.
"Do you have a jacket I could use to hide my dagger with?"
He went to a wardrobe and threw her a jacket. She smiled and put it on. ~She should wear more of my clothes. Damn, why do I keep thinking this kind of stuff?~
"I know where we can get you a powerful zoid. I can even get you a discount."
She smiled and blushed.
"Well, where to then?"
He took her hand and ran out.
"What zoid do you want?"
"Shadow fox."
He stopped in front of a well known shop.
"Why that one?"
"Because I mastered it."
He looked her over and laughed.
"What are you, 16, 17?"
She pulled out an unfamiliar combat chip.
"16. I programmed it myself."
He blinked and snatched the chip off her. They walked inside the shop.
"Hey Raven!"
"Hey Santil? Check this out on the computer would you!"
He threw the chip to him. Cherry panicked and Raven blinked. Raven organized with the shop owner what Cherry wanted, whilst Cherry was jumping up and down trying to get her chip back.
"Put it own my account."
"You're going to pay for my zoid?"
"Yes. I owe Fiona and Van a few favours."
"Hey Raven! This chip is highly detailed. It can only be custom made for a certain pilot. Where'd you get it?"
He pushed Cherry forward.
"She says she made it."