Arthur's Note: Thanks for the hits but please, PLEASE, review. Tell me if it's good, bad, places that need improvement, or any idea's you have.

Learning Ones Past

Seria, for her age, moved like youngling out of the city and into the greenzone of Angel Island with Aaron still on here tail.

"I haven't moved this fast in a long time," her voice echoed through the forest. "A young handsome man, like you, is making me feel like a kitten again."

"Yeah, but the way you talk makes you sound like a cougar." He spotted Seria meditating at the base of a tree. "There you are!"

He charged at her but was stopped by invisible unknown force. It felt like her just crashed into a soldier wall. He pried himself off the wall, and fixed any part that was bent.

"You drag me all the way out here just to lock me out?"

"No," Seria said. "But to show you down the right path."

Aaron, confused, looked behind him to see a grave with newly cut flowers at the base. On the grave it marked 'Lara-Le of the house of Edmund. She taught others how to love.'

"Lara-Le?"

"Lara-su's grandmother." Seria said. "She was the person Lara looked up to the most. And she was also one of the guardians who brought you back from the dead."

"O.K." Aaron said, getting up. "I understand what you are to do. And I'm not buying it. I just came here to give her Odokemono back."

"If that's so, then why is my granddaughter still wearing that ring you gave her?" An angelic voice came from behind Aaron. The scenery around them seemed to stand still. "Do you still just plan to leave knowing that?"

"Who are you?"

A vision was an echidna woman with red hair and green eyes in wears yellow dress appeared in front of Aaron.

"I am that what I am." The vision said.

"I don't understand."

"I am Lara-Le," She said. "Mother of Knuckles and Mace Echidna, and grandmother to Lara-su. I already know of you, Aaron Wynne."

"What do you want with me?" Aaron asked. "Why have you appeared before me?"

"I have seen the oppression on which Wolfcrow will bring down on my granddaughter." She said as the sound of Lara's screams and the crack of a whip roared out and the forest seemed to wither and die. "I have also seen the happiness you will bring here." The screams were then replaced with the calm of children playing and the forest started to grow again. "So unto Wolfcrow, I will send… you."

"Me?" Aaron questioned the remark. "W-who am I to purpose to her. The other Mobians won't believe me, they won't even listen. You've chosen the wrong man! H-how can I even speak to her?!"

"DID YOU EVER THINK THAT WHEN YOU MADE THE MANDALORD ARMY?!" Lara-Le shouted, causing Aaron to be knocked back words into a tree. "OR WHEN YOU TOOK KELBADE, OR WHEN YOU WERE THE FIRST TO PURPOSE TO LARA?! DID YOU?! NOW GO!"

The wind died down letting Aaron to fall to the ground. Aaron cowered up to the truck of the tree. He soon felt a warm pressence on his back.

"Oh, Aaron," Lara-Le said in a calming voice. "I know my son will be to stubborn to listen to you. His mind has been poisoned with Scourge's word. But with your power, you will bring this planet to salvation." her voice started to fade away. "You truly are the Mandalord."

Aaron looked up, everything started to move again and the forest was back to its green self.

"What was that?!" Seria laughed. "It felt like I was in that position forever."

"Yeah," Aaron shook off any remaining fear. "It seems like the times are changing."

"Yes but change can be good." Seria through up a card which sucked both of them into a black hole. They soon reappeared on the top of the dormant Red Mountain. "Coming to this place means you'll have to face your past."

She then held up another card over Aaron's head, causing a huge pile of junk to fall on him.

"Ow! Damn, what was that for?!" Aaron said coming out of the junk.

"It doesn't matter! It's in the past!"

"Yeah, but it still hurts."

"Oh yes the past can hurt." Seria reactivated the card, cleaning up the junk. "But the way I see it you can either run from it, or learn from it." She tried to reactive the card again, but Aaron grabbed it. "Ha, you see! So what are you going to do?"

"Well first, I'm gonna take those damn cards." Aaron snatched the deck of cards from Seria and threw them off the side of the mountain.

"No, no, no, no, not the cards!" Seria yelled as Aaron jumped off the cliff. "Where are you going?!"

"To find Lara!"

"Fine get out of here! HA HA HA HA!" Her cards flew back into her hands as Aaron made his way down to the city.

XxXxXxX

After a long day of shopping, Lara-su and her mother, Julie-su, were relaxing in her apartment. Julie-su was busy brushing her daughters hair.

"I thought today went quite well, honey," Julie-su said. "So why the frown?"

"Cold feet I guest." Lara said as she played with her ring. "I mean I'm getting married at the end of the week."

"You act like that is a bad thing?"

"I'm twenty-five tears old, already seen war, and I'm extremely scarred about marrying a man I barely know!"

"All your father and I want is what's best for you."

"So I don't have any say in it?"

Julie-su thought about it for a second.

"Can you help it, honey," Julie said. "You're still a baby."

"Mooommmmm!"

"You still make that face, Lara." Julie said. "You'll make a perfect wife and a beautiful mother."

"We'll I wouldn't be on their cases twenty-four seven."

"Wait until you become a mother. Then we'll see how you treat your daughter."

"What if I have a boy?" Lara rolled her eyes.

"Then... I guess... You and Aaron will have your hands full."

Lara's eye's widened.

"Wait, mom," she said. "I never told you anything about Aaron, how do you know---?"

Her mother was already gone.

"I really have to put trackers on people in my family."

XxXxXxX

Lara laid on her bed thinking about what her future marriage would be like. Would Wolfcrow be a good husband? How many children would they have? But what troubled her the most was whenever she would think of that, she would always think back to Mandalore and Aaron.

"Mandalore. It's filled with dangerous creatures," Lara thought. "One of the most Subtle, and deadly, is that you start to love it to much."

XxXxXxX

The fight for the upper Kelba river. Cut off this part of the river, then Kelbade wouldn't have a abondent supply of water. Seemed pretty simple right? Wrong! If the Nobles didn't already booby trap the river with water mines, then the rapids alone would capsive any boat. But I guess you can thank the Goddess Kendo for making then calm for the whole battle.

"Brace yourself!" Aaron yelled. Lara proceeded to grab the attack boat and prepare for the fight.

"Get ready!" Aaron jumped on the turrent. "OPEN FIRE!"

The warriors in the boat opened up on the Noble army's river side camp. Destroying anything that was there.

"Good job," Aaron said. "Get ready for the next att--."

The boat suddenly was airborn on the right side. The warriors on that side were able to come off unsceathed. But, unfortunately, Lara was thrown into the river and was heading some of God Hashi's rapids.

"Lara!" Aaron, without thinking, jumped into the river after Lara.

Lara couldn't stay above the water for more than a second. But thank both of the Gods, her coat was snagged on down tree before the rapids.

"Aaron," She cried back. "Help!"

Aaron was able to catch up with her, but so was the remains of the Noble army.

'The Gods must really hate us.' Aaron thought. "Lara, hold on tight. And don't let go."

He unhooked her from her jacket and then pulled her under water, becoming lost to the rapids.

XxXxX

At least two miles streem down from the battle, Aaron broke the surface of the water gasping for air. He still had Lara in his arms, only this time she was unconscious. He grabbed hold of a tree root and pulled the both of them back on to shore. He carried her to a small cave that the past flooding seasons created. The cave seemed to be abandoned, but was used by the various rebel groups in the past, so there were food, blankets and other provisions. He laid her down on the mattress and wrapped a wool blanket around her.

"Hey Lara, wake up," Aaron said as he nudged her. "C'mon, wake up!"

He got no response from her. She was lightly breezing, and her skin, under her fur, was starting to turn light blue. he found blood on his arms and found that they were coming from Lara's feet because she lost her boots to the river. Luckily though the former camp had several first aid kits, so he was able to bandage her up. He started to become more worried when the sting of the alcohol didn't shook her awake.

'This is bad,' Aaron thought. 'It's getting dark, she is exhausted and freezing, and we have no contact with the rest of the army. She could die of hypothermia tonight if I don't do something.' Aaron knew what he had to do, but was quite hesitant to do so. 'I can't,' he fought within himself. 'It's not what a gentleman would do. But... she'll die if I don't do something.'

He then started to light some of the old lanterns. He then, keeping his eyes closed, started to take off Lara's clothes and hang them in front of the roaring blaze of the wood stoke oven.

"Lara," he spoke kneeling down. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

He still had no response. "DAMN IT!"

This time he felt how cold she was. Her lips were turning purple and she was as cold as ice.

"DOUBLE DAMN IT!!" he started to feel panic set in. "Forgive me Lara, but I don't know what else to do for you."

He removed his jacket and most of his clothes, except for his boxers out of respect, and hurried under the blanket.

Aaron wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Cold as she was, her body was still soft and inviting. Aaron buried his face into her damp hair. 'Lara, you have to make it! I'm not gonna only anyone else be taken from me! God Hashi! Goddess Kendo! If you take her away from me I'LL KILL YOU!"

He wasn't even sure if he was hugging a living person or a corps. He started to lose faith, until Lara's hand started to hold onto his arm.

"Aaron," She weakly whispered. "Wh-where are we?" she lightly sneezed. "I-I'm so cold."

"Shhh," Aaron hushed while gently rocking her. "Save your strength, you're safe now." he started to lightly sob out of relief. 'Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!' he though as he started to hold her tighter.

Lara didn't even mind that she was naked. She just felt glad to be in Aaron's arms and not in a Noble prison or dead. She sighed in relief and rubbed up against Aaron's chest.

Aaron ran his fingers through her fur. The dampness didn't bother him; he still played with it and rubbed his face in it. He was completely elated that she was alive. Aaron felt like he was holding the entire universe in his arms.

XxXxXxX

Lara sat up right in her bed. She rubbed her eyes, and leaned back against the frame.

"It was a dream of that day," She thought, seeming disappointed with reality. "CRAP!"

Suddenly there was knocking at her door. She threw on a pale blue kimono, which showed a good percentage of her cleavage, and a loaded .375 magnum revolver. She opened the door and shoved the barrel of the gun in the visitor's face.

"Aaron?"

You were only a slave when I met you.

I made you into what you are today.

You should be thanking me.

But instead you're trying to kill me.

Next Time: The Survivor of Xernex: I Am Alive.