Chapter 2: Two faces, one soul

It is silent, and surprisingly white. In fact, everything is white. He doesn't see anything else. He doesn't breath, but doesn't die either. He tries to speak, but no sound leaves his mouth. He floats around an empty space. No thoughts, no feelings. A soft, echo-like voice said: 'Come back to me, to the light...' He closes his eyes. Moments later, he feels a gust of wind hitting his face. The white begins to change to black as he is being blown away. Aimlessly, he flies around as he sees that the black begins to engulf him. The soft voice changed quickly to an angry and demonic voice saying: 'OR ELSE!'

His back suddenly clashes with something hard and invisible. As he tries to contain his pain, he begins to hear again. The first thing he hears is a somewhat familiar voice, far away. *No clue whatever this voice is saying. Hey, I can hear my own thoughts again.* The voice becomes more clear, but so are the sounds surrounding it. At first, nothing but static, but the static turns into explosions and cannon fire. He opens his eyes to find his ship in perfect condition with a clean shirt and pants. No loose candy bars or takeaway's but clean controls. He finds his hands firmly clutched to the control stick. 'Wow, that's a tight grip.'

'What did you say?' It was a female voice, soft, kind and beautiful. He looks to his side to find another Phantom-wing, with a shadowy silhouette of a vixen.

'No, it can't be. I'm back here?'

'What's the problem Ro…?'

'Nothing, nothing, just stay focused.' interrupting her.

'Alright!'

*Damnit, this exactly what happened two years ago. Can I reverse it? I can try.*

'Tiff, get away from there!'

'What!?'

'I said get to hell out of there!'

'Why?'

'Just do will ya!'

'Not until you tell me why Ro…'

'Just do it! Now!'

*White beam impact*

'Noooooooooo….' his scream seems to last forever as the black disappears and turns into white once more, taking the scream with it. As tears bursts out of his eyes, his scream returns to his mouth. Again, it is quiet.

'Sir….'

'Sir?...'

'Wake up sir…'

'Please wake up'

'Wh... Whe... What, what's…? Going on?'

'We have arrived at your selected target sir.'

Phantom begins to smile, but laughs on the wrong side of one's mouth.

'Is something bothering you in your sleep sir?'

'That's none of your fucking business okay!? *condemns himself* Just, just leave it.'

'A… Alright sir.'

The Phantom-wing entered to security zone of the vessel.

'Sir, incoming message.'

'Play it'

*Transmission*

This is the Cornerian Army. This vessel is military property. Turn back now or we are forced to shoot you.

'Let me think about that.'

Mister, you only have five seconds to turn back or we will open…

'Fire!' he yells.

*Cornerian Fighter explodes*

Everyone, we have got an enemy incoming. Protect the transport at all costs!

'Nice, a challenge. God, I love a good challenge!'

Several minutes later, the fighting ceased.

'Sir, the transport is transmitting SOS signals.'

'Yeah, let them squirm for a bit. I like that.'

'Could we just finish what we've started?'

'You're no fun are ya? Alright, we'll do it your way.'

*Transmission*

To the staged personnel of this Cornerian transport vessel. My name is not important nor is my motives for shooting down your security escort and looting your ship of fuel and parts. Don't resist and you will all see the light of a next day.

'PAL, set course to the ship's bay'

'Affirmative.'

The Phantom-wing flies towards the ship's bay. Incapable to land, he bails out using his ejector seat and leaves the Phantom-wing where it is.

'PAL, remind me to find another ejector seat.'

'I will sir. Good luck, I guess.'

Phantom turns around, looks at the ship and starts smiling. He shakes his head as he moves into the transport vessel.

He is greeted by the personnel holding their paws up.

'Ah, good thing everybody listened, even the security personnel, nice. Alright, here's the deal. Show me the valuable stuff, and all of you will live. Simple enough eh?'

Everyone else nods their heads.

'Everybody agrees. I just love it when we all agree. Saves a lot of time. Well, will someone guide me to the "Room of valuables"?'

A dog scientist volunteers.

'Walk with me please…'

Ten minutes later, the two are still walking, when suddenly:

'Do you even know where it is?'

'No.'

'Why did you volunteer then?'

'For this…'

A security guard on a steel bar above Phantom, fires a stun dart in Phantom's neck. His vision becomes blurry, however, also reddish. As if blood is dripping down from his forehead. He walks back, dizzy and confused as he sees the guard approaching him.

'We didn't want to hurt you, it's the truth. We just want to help you!' says the scientist.

'Sir, please stop moving. The effects will only stop if you stop moving.'

He couldn't think straight. He rubs his forehead with his glove and sees blood that slowly turns white.

'No, stay back. Stay back I tell you!' says Phantom.

'Sir, you can't think straight, I know, but you need to remain calm.'

The guard comes closer and closer.

'No, no, no!' screams Phantom.

He falls to the ground. As the security guard tries to help him up, something snaps in Phantom's mind. His vision shows a white plated environment with a white plated polygon-like figure sticking his arm out.

'You… are… not going to transform me in you!'

He gets out his blaster and shoots the figures. He runs towards the white plate once known as the door. He bursts through only to see more white and more figures. He runs towards the bay while shooting the figures into oblivion. He charges his blaster and blows the remaining white wall away. His vision turned to normal as he entered the bay. The Phantom-wing was still there. With a leap of faith, Phantom clamps on to his ship. PAL opens the cockpit and Phantom enters.

'What happened?'

'Just fly away!'

The ship flies away from the scene.

'Sir, what happened?'

'It was the white again, it was everywhere. The vessel was a diversion, a trap!'

'What white figures?'

'Like, white plate tainted polygon-like freaks.'

'Sir, I have tapped into the security cameras, and I couldn't see any polygon-like figures?'

'You got shit in your receptors? I clearly saw them. You know what, show the footage.'

He leaned back in his seat, thinking that he was completely right.

'Footage ready sir.'

'Play it, and on a screen that still works.'

The footage showed no white plated polygon or white walls. It was a hallucination. He shot innocent people.

'No, but, they were…'

'Sir, the footage doesn't lie. That's you, mowing down unarmed men and woman. Also, nearly shot me with the charged blast.'

Phantom starts raging, about his own failures, about his nightmares and about what happened. He punches and kicks everything he could find, only to smash his face into the control panel. He begins to cry and scream: 'who am I?! What am I!? WHAT THE FUCK AM I!?'

A moment of silence followed.

'Sir, are you okay?'

*condemns himself*

'Bring me to the nearest planet.'

'Yes sir. Nearest planet is Kew.'

*Wiping his tears*

'I don't give a crap, just, ugh, get me out of here.'

The Phantom-wing then flies towards Kew.