Hey guys! :D Welcome to the rewritten version of Flashbacks, y'know, that crappy fic that tries to not look like a loser in the archives?

Never mind. XD

Fun fact: I was so pumped after I re-watched Rise of the Cobra, so the timelines might get messed up a lil between Rise of the Cobra and Retaliation. Hope you don't mind.


I always wanted to know how does being in someone's world felt like. How they felt, what their background stories were, how they survived, how they were.

Yep, I was always the curious one. I was always thinking. Not logical Einstein thinking, unfortunately. That wouldn't explain my grades.

Like, what happens inside a criminal's mind? What drives them to that kind of madness? Was it truly madness for them, or do they find jailing a whole new purpose? Was there another reason for their breakouts except for freedom, family and that kind of stuff?

The last question seemed a little bit off the 'possible' line, but something inside me that believed in anything kicked that thought away.

Occasionally I would tell my friend Meggie about the wild, wild maze of things in my head, but after listening she said its like hers just came off. Then she would recommend me to go to jail and experience it for myself, or split open Eduardo Ravelo's head to see.

"Might not see any thoughts, but looking at it might be enough to make your thinking a little bit sane." Meggie edged her voice with a smirk. I dismissed her teasing, and wander about the real reason that I thought this whole thing.

My beloved Ge Ge.

He was there. I was there too. He was standing at the doorway, holding a really creepy knife he stabbed Mama and Papa with. Dark, icky red liquid dripped from its blade, splattering to the floor with a empty ploop.

Mama's blood.

A younger me sitting at the back of a door swallowed hard, my heart beating like a limp horse. His face was darkened by the lack of light, only the back kitchen lit, casting a eerie glow behind him. His disheveled dark hair seemed messier and wilder than ever, like a psycho killer with his mask taken off. He advanced on me.

I cried and wailed like a baby at every step he took towards me, the tears blurring my vision, slipping down my cheeks. My heart leaked terribly, like it got crushed between two walls, my soul torn between terror and bewilderment.

My once loving brother that stood up for me for everything and gave me the teddy bear I was holding, was now going to kill me, to place me beside Pa and Ma in heaven.

What in the world happened to him? What demon possessed him, transforming him into a monster that shedded the very thing of love? "Ge ge?" I whispered softly, clutching the teddy bear in my arms so tight I think some of the cotton came out.

"Shhh, Mei Mei, ssshhh." He placed a finger above his lips, and he tilted his head up, letting the light fill his maddened eyes, his whites bloodshot. "Don't you wanna be with Ma and Pa again? Hmm?" He whispered, and I registered a raspy breath. "Ge ge, no, no."

"Well now, it all ends here." He grinned so wide his cheeks looked bright red, like a Chesire Cat, and finally, he lifted his knife. He opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted-

"Earth to Rachelle? Earth to Rachelle? Hellloooooo? Anybodeh hooome?"

A faint bunch of snaps that sounded distant drilled slowly into my attention, until it officially broke my daze and the snaps burst in my ear, annoyingly clear, just right beside me. I scowled at Meggie who sighed, withdrawing her fingers.

Meggie. Dad's best friend's daughter, lives near off the coast, a few miles away. Tough, kind and kind of nice. Wouldn't hurt a fly, but the school's jerk squad didn't need that kind of information.

"Y'know, I'm seriously worried for you. Throughout the whole class you were acting the exact same way. You're so lucky that the teacher didn't notice you."

"Yeeeeaaah, I definitely know when to daydream." I mumbled, still having my flashback just now clawing on my heart.

He was the reason I had so many thoughts about this. I wonder where was he now...

"There you go again." Meggie sighed as she twirled her ginger locks around her index finger, speaking in her thick Australian accent. "Y'know, I'm seriously thinkin' what got you into this mess. Your boss will literally throw you out of the window if you were a whoopin' worker. How often does Mr Erikssen have you in training? I bet for 8 hours a day?"

"4 hours a day. If there's no school, probably over eight." I estimated as I pulled out my bag, and hauled myself to the locker hall. "Hey, its no big deal, okay? There's nothing about my training connected to this!"

"Oh really? Does that explain why you're always thinking about blades now? Clearly. You should really take a break. See how the results are going." Meggie shook her head. If I had a mouthful of water, I'd spit it. "No way! I'm having my Opening Gate Ritual next-"

"Nuh-uh. I'm telling that to your mom, end of story." She flashed me her most annoying grin. "Perks of being someone's best friend."

I pretended to play with the game. Mom was completely assured that I am sane while training, and she has her long list of medications on me to prove it. But I didn't feel like owning my best friend right now. "I can't quit. Dad will let me handle bladed weapons on my next birthday if this keeps on."

"Oh, for god's sakes, he's letting you touch blades now? What is wrong with your dad? Is this like, Japanese Samurai Ninja-whatever Children Slavery Era? Why the heck is he training you, a brunette with a innocent sweet face to be a ninja warrior?"

"'Cause it'll look bad if he's a top martial artist and I'm a wimp that stares at a computer all day?" The only house without a computer in the whole neighborhood is, unfortunately the most humiliating truth I have when I get pulled into neighborhood gatherings and I get to stick with a bunch of lame techies obsessions.

Still, truly, he never told me. I went with his game and kept quiet about it, just because he promised that one day that secret will bloom into truth.

"Still, why is he doing this to you, its not like you have to fight off enemy ninjas when you come to school everyday."

"I probably do." That snapped her to attention and made her stare at me, wide eyed as if I just blasted down from space, before I shrugged it off, my lips curving upwards a little. "Kidding." She smacked my arm in reply, only to have it dodged quickly, and in turn I grabbed her wrist firmly to immobilize anything else. "See? I can't hurt you now, and it sucks." She whined. "You know what's unfair? You getting paired with the school's Golden Boy for the school's art fair and me stuck with this lame-o guy!" I exclaimed, and she immediately flushed to a shade of red. "Hey, the teacher gave the job, okay?"

"Fine, be that way. What time is it now?" I mumbled. She shot a glance at the clock that hung far, above the entrance."Break time. Now c'mon, we don't want to be the last to eat."

I nodded slowly, before shaking myself out of the daze. Meggie got a firm grasp on my hand, and we ran to the cafeteria.


I walked back home, the few rare times where Meggie's irritating yet comforting presence was absent. She had to attend the campus's photography club, which was excusable.

I let out a long sigh as I walked down the avenue. It wasn't a big deal- at least that was what I always tell myself- Dad wanted me to be in this kind of silence anyways, he always complained I couldn't concentrate for mediating. The whole bully team didn't know my gentleness, they didn't dare to hurt me as well, but sadly that seems to let me miss that part of a normal teenage life.

My house looms over the distance, an cream colored house with three stories and a few blunt roofs, sitting at the corner of the road looking lonely and silent with a few taints of brown on the walls. There was a steep hill that connected itself to the house, right beside the backyard entrance; mom freaked out about removing it so that it doesn't bury us in anytime, but dad insisted on keeping it.

I rapped the door softly, and seconds later the first thing I saw were the bright red subtle, freckled cheeks, and then I saw my mom smiling widely, having her favorite 'Kiss the Cook' floral apron on, and her hair tied firmly back into a pony tail. Her bright, willowy grey eyes with a tinge of green twinkled, her hand holding a glass containing murky orange liquid. My daily dose of fruit vitamins.

"How was school?" She asked warmly as I gulped down the fruit drink. At lucky days, her fruit drink will taste like molten Skittles; and leave a really sweet taste in my mouth which I really liked. But today the whole sweetness was melted down by a bitter whack of cucumber through the mix. Not gonna be my lucky day.

"Fine." I gave the glass back to her, and she pulled me into a hasty, one armed hug, before letting me in. "Your dad wants to speak to you for a while, if you could." She called out from the entrance, and I replied with a nod I didn't know who to give.

The arena was at the second floor- separating the bedrooms and the living room, kitchen and backyard. Dominating 158 square meters, it has a small section for weapon storage sealed by a thick steel layer, and another bit of small space for the staircase. I changed hastily into my usual black gi, and wandered around the arena until my adopted dad showed up.

"Hello, Rachelle." He emerged from the shadows, padding across the arena soundlessly. There he is again, mysteriously mysterious, like he was born in the shadows. That's my dad.

"Since you're now back from school, I'll have to announce your testing day." His voice boomed through the atmosphere of silence like a gong. Tension gushed into the situation like a leaked bottle, surrounding me like waves, and I flexed my fingers.

Testing day.

The day where I get to finally know why I've been gritting my teeth, filling my life with swords, knives, and blades.

"The day before your birthday. As your birthday gift, how does that sound?" I saw his face brighten up a little bit with affection, like a smile. I beamed up as well, realizing that he had believed in my power, thinking I would win. "Today you will have a free training session. Get to your best, and show your best at testing day. Leave me proud. Until then..." He assumed a battle stance. "Come at me."

Show your best? I cocked my eyebrows. What kind of judge will stand for my testing day, that might mean so much about my life?

I dismissed my thoughts at a invisible swipe of my hand, as if it were tufts of clouds, and lunged at him, fists raised.

My dad; adopted me when he found me in the adoption suite; the six year old me surviving the scarring, sick effects of my maddened brother. Then he knocked me off with intensive training; against my mom's favor at first, but after I revealed my likings to being beaten up and almost stabbed at the eye, I was set into the world of martial arts. Memories of him darkening my past with stern shouts and harsh shoves on the back as I struggled with a kick sent random shudders down my spine.

Don't concentrate in the past, Rachelle; focus on what you can do now.

My dad was everything about the martial arts I knew: the fights, the moves, and the knowledge. He was the only experience I had with actual fights, since I never got to go out into the real world to know what kind of distinction the competition was. But it was already enough for me.

I gunner his stomach with my knuckles, and he blocked with a cross formed in his arms, then flung his arms open once more, attempting to hit me. I ducked underneath and smashed his hips, causing him to groan. Then I let myself fall to the unbalanced weight of gravity, and lashed a leg out, hitting his and forcing him to his knees. He rolled across the arena, before running back to me, demonstrating a kick. In vain I took out a fist to block it by fearful guts, and he landed on top of me.


"Alright, class dismissed. What you did is satisfactory. When we come back, I want you to be ready for a lesson about facing the element of surprise. I caught my father letting out a pace of exhausted breath, worn out from our fight, and he disappeared into the shadows once more.

Well I can't tease him about it, because I was pinned to the ground with exhaustion, my mouth too much occupied for more breath to reply him. Cranking my head, I sacrificed few seconds of pinned fatigue to get a blurry glance a the clock. Half and hour of mock combat. With that, I let myself hit the floor again, panting heavily, my lungs screaming for more air.


Mr Erikssen looked silently through the glass barriers that kept the arena from the staircase, at his adopted daughter, at target 301. His first zero one mission, the Cobra's priorities. The first digits usually say the level of the missions; the second and first last how important the assignment is, the lesser the more. He went down the stairs soundlessly, careful not to disturb any of the beautiful tranquility.

He ambled down the hall, stepping on the wooden tiles. He then paused at a side of the wall; gazing wistfully at it, before looking at both sides in care, before pressing a hidden section of the hallway. The hidden tile sank in and slid out of sight, revealing a keypad and a scanning pad. Mr Erikssen lowered himself to the level of the safe, and let the scanner do its magic.

A much larger section of the wall hissed open when the safe recognized the user like a moisac, enough for Mr Erikssen to step through without crouching. Looking around for one more time, Mr Erikssen meld into the wall, before it seals itself back into a normal part of a old, cream colored house.

After a empty, brightly lit metal hallway that clanked noisily at every step Mr Erikssen took, he reached the meeting room which reeked of new. The walls were the purest white, the chairs and tables not a tint of contamination on them, letting the man feel like he was floating off the ground. There was another door sealed with steel, but that was for later to enter.

Mr Erikssen stepped into the specified area of the room, right in front of the table, and immediately a holographic image of a shadowed man flickered to life, sitting at the chair across Mr Erikssen, folding his fingers, metallic and dagger-like in a very mannerly way.

"Viper asked how is she." The voice, even though static through the communication, it was heard as if it was from a robot speaking, deep and threatening. mr Erikssen nodded his head. "The usual."

"What do you mean, the usual?" The voice started to boil as Mr Erikssen watched him tilted his head.

"She has been trained according to the syllables I've given very smoothly, and now already achieved black belt. I supposed the date of the initiation test."

"Very well. Make sure that she is trained to the best, I don't want anyone getting through our plan this time." He heard a growling edging his voice, a voice of hungry determination. "Especially that masked wretch that steered Storm Shadow away from us for quite a while."

Snake Eyes. Member of the arch enemy organization that had snuffed the threatening flames of Cobra again and again. Mr Erikssen stiffened. "Your words will be reality, sir."

"And, General Fang;" Mr Erikssen looked up upon the rare mention of his code name; "We have spotted them with a nanobyte. Turns out the tracking system is still working, but it won't if they get the nanobyte out sooner or later. We can still have an advantage and multiply them to warheads once more."

"Send Viper." The man suggested immediately, and the shadowed hologram shuffled his legs, and there was a smirk. "Already done. Let's see how the Joes react to this, and let our new plan unfold. Soon you will have a place among my world domination, my loyal pet."

Mr Erikssen stood there soundlessly, before speaking once more, fists curled. "Then I wish you the best of luck, General." He bowed briefly, and departed the room, where the hologram smiled once more, before falling back to lifeless pixels.