HELLO AGAIN MARIANNE!
Van laid his back on the grass with his hands behind his head. It has been a while when he casted the line of his fishing rod, but his companion was just getting started.
Whoosh! The bait sank under the water as the game of patience began.
The long haired boy wore his casual purple long sleeved shirt and a straw hat on his head.
Above anyone else who was with Van, he was the only one who had the liking for fishing even if he had to wait for several minutes or even hours. While waiting, Rudolph decided to start a conversation so neither of them would get bored.
"How long has Raven and Reese been with you Van?" The Emperor asked.
Van began to ponder. "Almost a month I guess." He added. "Pardon me for not mentioning them before. A lot of things came up and they've been through a lot."
"Is that so?" said Rudolph. "I used to think that the next time I'd hear about them is in prison. So tell me why you decided to let them join the Guardian Force."
"Well, I just wanted to help out at first." Van continued after a short pause. "Did you know that he actually was there in Eveopolis? He was trying to stop Prozen. In the end, he helped me deal with the Death Saurer."
"What a shame for Prozen. He was being used after all." muttered Rudolph. "So are you trying to say that you saw there's a chance that Raven could become an ally?"
"Something like that." replied Van. "He was in a really bad shape when I saw him back then, and Reese was there looking after him."
"He was? Well that's inevitable even for someone like him." said Rudolph.
"I thought so too." Van agreed. "Even bad guys get sick. Though I don't consider him a threat anymore. He just needs more time to adjust with a new environment since he has been living like an outcast."
There was another moment of silence.
"By the way." said Van. "Do you have any idea how Raven became a part of the Empire Army back then? I'm just curious because he was just a kid back then but his skills as a Zoid pilot were definitely not for a rookie type." He cuts the part when Raven also used to beat him in battles.
"I don't really know that much about him. Grandfather was still alive back then and I was just, you know, just a kid who doesn't have any idea about what's going on around." Rudolph replied, reeling his fishing rod. "But from what I've heard, Prozen adopted Raven when he was little and he was taught how to pilot Zoids and such in the Military. I don't know the rest of the details."
"Oh." Van mumbled. "I wonder why he's such a maverick though."
"Why don't you ask him then?" suggested Rudolph.
Van had second thoughts. "I doubt he'd answer me." He began to wind his fishing rod. The bait was gone. "Fish got away. Looks like we'll have to wait for a little longer then."
Just then, a high pitched voice called up to the Emperor. The brown haired little girl skipped gleefully toward Rudolph. "I saw this serious looking man resting on the top of a tree but he's really cute—but you're much cuter Your Highness!"
"Hello Marianne…"Rudolph's face grew red after hearing what Marianne said about him with Van around but he managed to make a casual reply. "Who are you talking about?"
"Well, he has a black Zoid along with him and a girl who creeps the life out of me." Marianne elaborated.
"That must be Raven and the creepy girl is Reese." said Van.
"I think she's pretty too. Are they new friends of yours Lieutenant?" The girl asked.
"Why, yes, but I don't think they consider me that way though." Van replied with a delightful expression. "Did he say anything to you?" Why is he resting on a tree by the way?
"But you're the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for. Emperor Rudolph approves as well." Marianne stated. "He didn't really see me. I was merely passing by because I wanted to see my love—I mean, Emperor Rudolph."
Rudolph blushed from embarrassment.
"By the way, Moonbay just arrived. Did you know?" The girl mentioned to Van.
"Glad she made it on her own." said Van. "Maybe we can continue this some other time since there aren't much catch today."
They picked up their things and went off together.
A couple of yards away, Raven glanced down from the eight feet tree he was resting on. The view up there was great because he could see everything that would come by.
But what he really enjoyed was the view down below. He could stare at Reese without her noticing. His black shirt crumpled when he leaned his back on a thick branch with leaves almost covering him.
He could see Reese making a tiara made out of flowers and then placed it on Specula's head. She was wearing a long sleeved sky blue dress reaching below her knee. She had removed her leather boots and placed it on the side while she relaxed on the soft grass.
He was spellbound for a moment until Shadow broke the silence when he noticed who his master have been staring at.
"Gyuu?"
Raven stirred from his spot, swaying the branches. He averted his eyes away from the ground as he tried to maintain his balance on the tree. He saw Shadow gazing curiously at him.
"Have you been watching Reese?" The black organoid asked.
"Be quiet!" said Raven in a low tone. "And I wasn't watching her. I just happened to, uh, look in that direction when you climbed up."
"I've been here for five minutes already. Haven't you noticed?" Shadow told him. "You don't have to hide it because she probably knows, go on and talk to her so I can have my chance with Specula."
"Specula?" Raven raised an eyebrow. He likes Specula? Can organoid's even feel emotions like falling in love? Raven suddenly snapped his self. Just what am I saying? "Are you all right with her being taller than you?"
"It's not like I have any other options. She's the only female organoid around here." growled Shadow in a low tone.
"Don't tell me you want to mate with her, do you?" asked Raven straightforwardly.
The black organoid grew edgy, shaking the branches from telling Raven to keep his voice down about the matter. "Don't say that here Specula might hear you!"
"Huh? But you're a robot, how can you-"
Shadow swiftly reached to cover Raven's mouth with his claws but his arms were too short so instead he accidentally pushed Raven off the tree with his body. He heard Raven moan on the ground. "Sorry master!" At that moment, the branch that Shadow was leaning on suddenly snapped and he pummeled down.
Raven rolled from his spot before the organoid could crush him.
Reese and Specula saw it all happen. "That must have hurt a lot." The Ancient Zoidian muttered. "Is everything okay over there?" Reese asked out loudly without not moving from her place.
It took Raven a minute until he could answer. His back ached as he tried to get up on his feet. "I'm okay!" Then he glared at Shadow. "You moron, why did you do that?"
"Gyuu…" growled Shadow apologetically. "I said I was sorry, what you said was a little sensitive for me. Sure I like spending time with Specula but not in a way that I want to…you know what I mean."
"Well, then keep trying. She'll notice eventually." Raven articulated.
"How about Reese?" Shadow mentioned. "She's been around you ever since that day. There must have been a spark between you two."
Raven felt his face blush. "Give me a break!" He grumbled. "Let's just change the subject."
"What are you arguing about?"
Raven turned around and saw Moonbay.
"Nothing." He answered, turning his face into a frown.
Moonbay shrugged. "Anyway, do you know where Van is? Colonel Schubaltz is looking for him."
"He's with Rudolph by the lake." Raven replied.
"Thanks." Nice talking with you. Then Moonbay went away.
A soft breeze blew on Raven's face. This feeling made him feel nostalgic. If I never met Van, could my life still turn out to be the same?
Maybe not. I couldn't possibly find peace on my own.
Just a few feet away, he could see Specula snuggling her head on Reese's lap as she gently stroked the organoid's head.
I don't think she needs her title as the 'Blue Devil' anymore. Raven said in his mind. I wonder what could've happened to me if we chose different paths… Hey, what's that crawling on her back?
He narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what it was. It didn't seem like one of those bugs Reese controls. He saw the five-inch eight-legged creature slowly making its way to her shoulder. Is that a spider? It's big…
Reese felt the tingling sensation on her back. She tried to brush it off thinking that it might just be some bug but when she saw the spider clinging onto her hand, it almost made her jump. She frantically tried to shake it off but the spider jumped on her head.
Specula got up, trying to get the spider off of Reese. "Hold still!"
"Get it off me!" She yelled.
Raven tried to control his laughter. He thought that Reese could deal with it since she had hundreds of tiny blue Double Sworder's somewhere and she's all right with it, so he didn't tell. But when he saw how the spider agitate Reese, he rushed toward her, telling her to calm down so he could brush off the spider but it kept crawling fast to her chest.
He saw the spider's thick furry limbs. It was brownish in color. "I got it, just stay still." Raven tried to pick it up, but he was hesitating to touch it.
"What are you waiting for?" Reese uttered.
"I'm just being cautious, it might be poisonous." Raven said, but it sounded more like an excuse to him. In his head, he didn't really want to touch it with his hands.
Reese was beginning to get impatient. "Hurry before it crawls into my clothes!"
I just can't stop looking at its eyes! Okay, here I go. Raven tried to make it quick, but before he could grab it, the spider crawled upward, making its way behind her neck. It alarmed Reese. She could feel its limbs touching her skin. Raven tried to grab it again and but he was too slow so the spider decided to hide inside the soft cottony fabric.
Raven scowled. "Where do you think you're going?" Before the huge spider start moving again, he snatched it and then threw it far away. He watched it fly by the wind…and straight to Van's face who was returning with Rudolph and a little girl he hardly knows.
Raven saw the girl shriek when she saw the big brown spider on Van's face.
Van hollered as he swiped the thing off. "Why did you do that?"
"Oops." shrugged Raven. Turning at his back, he saw Marianne blocking his way with a beaming smile on her face. "Uh…"
"I think it was brave of you for trying to take that awful and mean spider away from Reese." Said Marianne.
Raven walked through her without even a slight reaction.
Marianne watched him go with a curious look on her face. "Did he just snub me?"
"Sorry about the way he acts, Lady Marianne. He's always like that." Van said.
"Is that so?" Marianne began to ponder. "I do feel a 'bad-boy' aura in him."
"But you know, he becomes less intimidating when he's around Reese." chimed Moonbay.
Awkward ideas started to pop into Marianne's head. "Are you saying that him and her are…"
"They're just having trouble with confessing how they really feel about each other. Even if they keep denying it's already obvious to me." Moonbay grinned, staring at a distance where she could see Raven still walking away and Reese saying something to Specula.
Then she felt Van tapping her shoulder.
"What are you thinking?" Van asked with stern eyes.
Moonbay lied. "Nothing."
"Come on, spit it out." Van demanded so Moonbay spat on the ground. "That's not what I meant!" Van uttered.
"You said spit it out." Moonbay stated sarcastically.
"You're planning to do something crazy. What is it?" insisted Van.
Moonbay lied again, looking at Marianne with a wily grin. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Van, Col. Schubaltz was looking for you remember?" Rudolph reminded.
"Emperor Rudolph is right. You shouldn't make the Colonel wait." Marianne giggled.
"We won't do anything wrong. We promise." Moonbay crossed her fingers behind her back.
"Why is it that I find it hard to believe what you're saying?" Van said skeptically.
"I'll keep an eye on them for you." Rudolph said willingly.
"Oh, all right." Van answered, trusting Rudolph. But can he really keep an eye on those two?
As soon as Van had already left. Rudolph tried to take charge. "All right ladies, please be on your best behavior and— hey!"
The two girls ran off like typical teenagers. Rudolph can't possibly handle those two, can he?
Marianne stood behind Reese, innocently asking her, "Watcha doin'?"
Reese stared at the girl for a little while. "Can I help you?"
"I actually heard your secret devotion for Mr. Snub-a-lot over there from Moonbay. Is it true?" Marianne buoyantly asked.
That Moonbay is starting to get really annoying. "Don't listen to her. She's just making it all up." Reese replied.
She seems pretty serious. "But Moonbay didn't seem like she's lying." Marianne stated.
"You better keep your distance away from her if you want to stay out of trouble." Reese advised.
This is a little challenging. Marianne thought. "You know, when I passed by earlier I saw that cute guy over there staring at you from that tree."
"Did you just call him cute?" asked Reese in surprise.
"Don't you agree with me?" said Marianne.
Reese began to ask her herself in her mind. Well, I kind of like to look at him when he smiles but…cute?
The Ancient Zoidian burst from her bubble when she heard the little girl asked bizarre questions to her.
"Do you know what to do to get him to notice you even more?" Marianne asked, noticing a sign when she saw Reese beginning to stammer.
He really was? I knew it! Oh wait, I think that how this girl wants to hear from me. I better think up of something so I can get out of this situation. "You know, why don't you just run along and play since I'm still busy, okay?"
"Busy doing what?" Marianne skeptically asked.
A fake grin grew on Reese's face. "I'm afraid I can't tell you about it because it's none of your business."
"But—" Okay, time to get serious. "Are you just going to suppress your feelings for him for the rest of your life?"
"I've had enough of this. Now please leave me alone." Reese sternly said, leaving the place with Specula.
There was a dejected look on Marianne's face. But she isn't going to give up that easily. I'll do anything for the sake of love. Just watch my determination grow Reese!
Whatever you little brat. Reese thought in her mind as she paced further with Specula at her side.
On the other side, Moonbay was still trying. But it only pestered Raven.
"Now don't be shy and say it." Moonbay persistently said over and over, blocking Raven's way when he tried to lose her.
"I'll be asking you nicely Moonbay, get out of my way." Raven coldly said.
"You don't scare me now. You don't have your Zoid." Moonbay teasingly muttered, puckering her lips. "I can do this all day if I want to."
"What's with you people?" grunted Raven, trying to get pass through her. "Why do you keep on interfering with our lives? Don't you have anything else to do?"
Moonbay blocked his way again as she kept the conversation going. "Actually I'm already done with my duties today and I'm here because I'm just a bit curious, that's all."
Raven stopped for a moment. "Are you doing this because you want to get back at me for destroying your Gustav before?"
"Oh yeah! Thanks for reminding me Sherlock!" Moonbay laughed, and then all of a sudden her expression changed. "Do you have any idea how much I spent to repair my Zoid." She grumbled.
"Don't try to fool me, the Military must've fixed your Gustav for free even if you nagged them or not." Raven smirked.
I can't lie to that. "Trying to be a wiseacre, eh?" sneered Moonbay. "If I can't make you talk, then Shadow will!"
The black organoid gazed in curiosity.
Raven broke into laughter. "Van has really weird friends." He said. "I can learn to get used with people like you." He told his self. Or not.
Moonbay just ogled at Raven as he passed along and went away with his organoid.
There was a slight moment of silence.
I've never seen him laughing before. Moonbay thought as if she just had a religious experience.
"Moonbay he's getting away!" Marianne yelled.
"Huh?" Moonbay woke up from her trance. "You're right! I guess I screwed up."
"It's okay. Let's go back in the palace for now." Marianne said.
They almost forgot that Rudolph was still there.
"Moonbay, Lady Marianne." He called in a soft tone.
"I'm sorry for running off like that Your Majesty. We can return to the palace now if you please." Marianne suggested.
Rudolph agreed. "Sounds like a good idea. Moonbay, are you all right? You seem to be spacing out."
"Oh, it's nothing. Nothing at all." Moonbay sheepishly laughed, and then followed Rudolph and Marianne as they went on their way.
A couple of hours later, Moonbay was unloading huge boxes out of the Gustav and no one seems to be around to help he out. Theboxes were carefully sealed so there's no way that she could peek whatever is inside it.
She found a trolley that she could use so she placed at least two of the boxes and decided to just come back for the other two. She found the loaded trolley a little heavy for her to move around. Moonbay thought that the boxes must be filled with metal.
This is not a job for a lady like me! Just where did the guys go? She asked herself, wiping sweat on her forehead. I wish someone were here to help me out of this.
Just then, she thought she heard someone coming. With a sigh of relief, she turned around and then abruptly asked for a favor to assist her without knowing who he was. Her lip twitched when she found out that it was the blacked haired maverick. She looked at him hesitatingly.
Raven stared back at her.
Moonbay couldn't understand why. So what if it's Raven? Her throat suddenly dried up and her mind was going blank every second.
It didn't take that long for Raven to figure out about Moonbay's problem. "You need help with that?"
Is he trying to be nice? Moonbay thought. "If it's okay, these boxes are pretty heavy." She said almost mumbling the words.
"Okay." Raven said blandly, pushing the trolley for Moonbay. "Where am I going to take these?"
"I'll show you the way to the Research Lab. That lazy old geezer's just too lazy to do his own job." said Moonbay.
"Are you talking about Dr. D?" asked Raven, not that he's interested.
Moonbay nodded her head. "That's right." She said leading the way. "If it doesn't bother you, there's still two more back there so we still need to return for those."
"Let's just keep moving." Raven muttered indifferently.
So is that a yes or a no? Man, I wish Irvine should've been the one here instead. I'm still getting goose bumps around this guy! Moonbay thought in her mind.
It took them around twenty minutes until they got back to the Gustav for the last two boxes. Moonbay carried the next one thinking that it would be easy, but then she realized that it was much heavier than the first two boxes. She was straining to keep it in her grasp but it felt like she's about to drop it before she could put it on the trolley.
"Careful now." said Raven, lending Moonbay a hand. "Just leave it to me, is that okay?"
He's really being nice to me, isn't he? "Thank you for your help. I'm really grateful. I really am." Moonbay stopped herself from blabbing over and over because she thought that it might get Raven annoyed. He wasn't saying anything that much. He just wants to get the job done.
And Moonbay became unexpectedly quiet while going back on their way to the Research Lab. She felt like she was going to stammer if she starts asking him a question again. It wasn't like that earlier. I think there's something wrong with me… Moonbay thought, a little anxious.
Raven also noticed how that Moonbay has been less annoying lately. He thought that she might just be returning the favor of not tattling while he's helping her out.
They finally stopped by at the Research lab and Raven carried the boxes in. "There, all done."
"I hate to be redundant but thanks for your help, again. Really." Moonbay said.
"No problem." Raven muttered. "See you later." Then he left.
See you later? I always thought that I annoyed him so much… Moonbay shook her head to snap herself to reality. Just what am I thinking? Am I going nuts? I better find Fiona and do something to pass the time here.
"A fine afternoon, isn't it Moonbay?" Marianne greeted, almost startling
Moonbay. "Pardon me if I surprised you, are you done with your duties?"
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" Moonbay exclaimed. "Now what are you doing her in the Research Lab?"
"I was looking for Emperor Rudolph but I think he's hiding from me." Marianne presumed, then abruptly changing her thoughts. "Oh wait, I think he's busy. Anyway, since you're here, would you like to join me for a cup of tea?"
"I'd love to." Moonbay smiled.
"By the way, I just saw Raven leave. Why were you with him?" Marianne wondered.
"He was just helping me out, that's all." Moonbay replied. This girl is so curious about everything. "Now, about the tea…"
"Oh yes. Come with me, Fiona's already there." The girl cheerfully said.
Lady Marianne brought Moonbay to a chamber with light pink wallpapers on the wall, crimson curtains covering the windows, a crystal chandelier lighting up the ceiling, and a fancy table near the balcony. "This is where I stay whenever I visit Emperor Rudolph."
Moonbay admired the room. "You're room is really cute."
"Hello Moonbay." Fiona greeted while sipping her tea on the table. "Done with your chores?"
"Yep!" answered Moonbay. "No thanks to Dr. D and those other guys who are probably slacking off by this moment."
"But Raven helped you out didn't he?" Marianne mentioned.
"Oh yeah…"mumbled Moonbay.
"It's good to know that Raven's helping around now." Fiona gleefully said. "You should've invited him for tea."
"He actually left as soon as the job was done." Moonbay replied. "And I don't think that he's the type who would stick around for tea."
"Well, at least give it a try." Fiona said. "He may be aloof sometimes but he's not the same person we thought he was."
Maybe you're right, Fiona. But why am I starting to get the feeling that-that… Moonbay began to stagger. My brain might explode if I keep on thinking about that! I'll just forget about him and have tea. She sat down beside Fiona as Marianne passed her a filled cup. She took a sip. "This is delicious."She breathed.
"Do you have any idea where Reese is?" Fiona asked.
Moonbay pondered. "No actually. Maybe she's outside."
"We should invite her here." Fiona said, getting up. "I'll be back in a minute."
While waiting for Fiona to return, Marianne opened up something to keep the conversation going. "Fiona's really nice, but a little slow sometimes, don't you agree?"
"Yep, but that's the reason why we love her." Moonbay said.
"Poor Thomas though. Fiona doesn't seem to notice whatever he does no matter how hard he tries." Marianne casually said.
"It actually took me a while to figure out that he has a huge crush on her, but I just don't think that things would work out his way." Moonbay grinned. "But he's still trying until now."
"That's how a man should be. Never give up when it comes to love!" Marianne stated merrily.
But love is sometimes ironic. You'll never know who you'll end up with. Moonbay said to herself.
Moments later, Fiona came back with Reese.
She was now wearing her pilot suit. Marianne invited her in and let the Zoidian sit down beside her. "Would you like some tea?" The girl politely asked.
"Why not." said Reese, accepting the filled cup.
"More tea Fiona?" Marianne kindly said.
"Certainly." Fiona replied sweetly, having her cup poured with steaming tea.
Marianne sat back down and then gazed at Reese while she was drinking her tea. "You have pretty eyes you know."
Reese cleared her throat, looking flattered. "Oh, um, thank you."
There was a flighty expression on Marianne's face. "Raven will absolutely confess his love to you. Just wait and see."
Reese grew stunned at what she heard, completely speechless.
Fiona giggled. Although, there wasn't that much statement coming from Moonbay. She cracked a grin on her face but she only did that to hide what was bothering her mind, but she just couldn't quite put a finger in it.
"Do you also like Raven?" The girl asked.
Reese grew uneasy with answering the question all over again. No matter how much she denies, either one of those around her would ask the same thing. "Well, I'm not saying that I don't."
"So you do like him then?" asked Fiona.
"I like him as a friend." Reese replied. These people are so persistent, that's why I keep hiding from them.
Moonbay joined in. "But what about the time before Van found you and Raven, weren't you two living together?"
"Together?" Marianne exclaimed with an astonished expression on her face.
Moonbay continued. "It's hard to think that nothing happened between you two."
"What do you mean?" Fiona asked with curiosity.
Marianne eagerly stared at Reese. "Did something intimate happen? Tell me!"
Reese began to stagger and felt her body temperature rising because she was too edgy to answer anything they wanted to know. "I-Intimate…o-of course not! Just because we lived in the same roof doesn't mean that there's a meaning behind it. Raven got sick back then, remember?"
"He was, but what about the days before he got ill?" Moonbay questioned.
"We were looking for a town to stay." Reese replied.
"Nothing happened?" asked Moonbay, narrowing her eyes on Reese.
"Nothing." The Ancient Zoidian answered.
"Don't lie." sneered Moonbay.
Reese crossed her arms. "How can you be so sure that I'm not telling the truth?"
"Your face is red." Moonbay pointed.
"It's too warm in here." Reese reprimanded.
"You're just making up an excuse." Moonbay derided.
Reese frowned. "Why do you care anyway?"
Moonbay frowned back. "Don't change the subject."
"I'm not changing the subject." muttered Reese.
"I asked first didn't I? So answer." Moonbay demanded.
"I already answered your stupid question." Reese argued.
"You're merely bluffing." Moonbay argued back.
"I wasn't." Reese answered. Maybe a little, but why does she want to know so badly?
Fiona and Marianne tried to calmly settle the dispute.
"Let us all be just friends, ladies. Have more tea." said Marianne, pouring more tea in the empty cups.
The atmosphere within the chamber became still.
Reese sipped on her cup again, slightly upset in her mind. Why is she always bringing these things up? Raven might have been careless at times especially in bathroom schedules but expressing his feelings isn't really his forte.
Just then, a yellow disk swiftly flew in the window, hitting Reese on the forehead. She lost her balance, falling on her chair backward, spilling what was left from her cup on the floor.
"What was that?" Marianne said, surprised at what happened.
"Are you all right?" Fiona asked with concern as she approached Reese.
There was a red mark on Reese's forehead. "That was uncalled for…" She muttered.
"I wonder whose frisbee that is." Moonbay wondered, picking up the yellow disk on the floor and then looked outside the balcony. "Who owns this thing?" She said loudly.
A couple of meters away, she saw Thomas arguing with Van.
"You threw the freesbie too hard! What if Fiona got hit?" Thomas exclaimed.
Zeke growled, agreeing with Van.
"Because you were complaining a while ago that I'm throwing it too low!" Van told him. Then he saw Moonbay on the balcony. "Sorry about that, did anyone get hurt?"
"It was a bull's-eye actually." Moonbay answered in a loud tone.
Thomas suddenly alerted. "Oh no! It must be Fiona!" He sprinted into Marianne's chamber with anxiety. "Are you hurt Miss Fiona?"
"Reese is, get some ice, quick!" Fiona told him.
"Is she okay?" asked Thomas.
Marianne flung a stuffed toy on the lieutenant, looking furious. "Why don't you be careful next time, Lieutenant!"
"But it wasn't me Lady Marianne…." Thomas mumbled.
"No more excuses! Now go get some ice for Reese." Marianne commanded.
Thomas immediately obeyed. Along the way, Van saw the Lieutenant darting along the hall ways. Thomas was in a hurry for some reason. While trying to figure out what might have happened, Van entered the chamber and saw Fiona supporting Reese on a chair.
Van apologized. "I'm really sorry about what happened, Reese."
"Don't worry about it." Reese muttered. "It didn't really hurt that much."
"But you fell from your chair, doesn't that hurt?" asked Fiona.
"A little, but I'll be fine." Reese said.
"Van, why don't you and your buddies find another place to play?" Moonbay suggested. "I'm sure that the palace gas a bigger yard somewhere."
"Zeke was feeling a little lonely so I thought he might want to play catch." Van explained.
"Where's Shadow and Specula then?" Fiona wondered, and then she turned to Reese.
"They must be somewhere outside. I'm not really sure where they are now. Maybe Raven knows." Reese replied.
"If that's the case then I'll go look for him then." Van said. "See you girls later!" And then he went on his way.
Just a minute later, Thomas returned with the ice, wrapping it around in a cloth. "Here's the ice." He said, giving it to Marianne.
"Let me do this for you, okay?" She swept Reese's bangs backward. She could clearly see the red bruise on the Zoidian's forehead, just at the center of the scarlet circle.
"That almost looks like a ringed planet." Fiona said as she stared closer.
Hearing what she said made Moonbay snigger.
Reese grew embarrassed. "Stop looking at me like that!" She insisted, moving away from her seat. "I appreciate your help but I can do that on my own." She told Marianne, asking for the ice.
I guess I'm not needed here anymore, better get going. Thomas thought, slowly making his way to the door.
"Thomas," Fiona called.
"Yes Miss Fiona?" Thomas enthusiastically asked.
"Will you do me a little favor?" She asked.
"Anything for you! What is it?" Thomas keenly said.
"I almost forgot about this but can you please take this flash drive to Dr. D when you see him?" The red eyed Zoidian requested. "It's really important."
A beaming smile grew on Thomas's, willingly accepting to do the task for Fiona. "Most certainly!"
Just behind Fiona's back, Marianne was giving out two thumbs-up. Then Thomas went on his way to find Dr. D.
Somewhere in the capital city, Irvine stumbled on Wesley who was sitting outside a coffee shop. They actually didn't expect to meet each other along the way.
"Small world. What brings you out here?" said Wesley in his navy sweater.
"I just thought to look around for parts. Is it still your day off?" Irvine asked.
Wesley shrugged. "Well, I'm not busy. Care for a cup of cappuccino?" He offered.
"If you're buying." Irvine stated, occupying a vacant chair facing Wesley.
Moments later a conversation began. Out of Irvine's curiosity, he brought up something that has been distracting his mind in the past few days. "Can you tell me something?"
Wesley stared at him. "What is it?"
"I overheard what you told Raven before, and you called him Joyce." Irvine asked in a serious tone.
Wesley let out a snort. "I was just teasing him that's all."
"But why would you call him that way?" Irvine doubtfully asked.
Wesley pondered, trying to keep things low. "Because I was teasing him. It's no big deal."
"Raven would just shrug it off if it were just some of your lame jokes, but when I saw that look on his face, I just can't help but think that there might be something more behind it." Irvine elaborated. "Is there something you're hiding from us?"
"Just as the way you're hiding from Flyheight that you've been a spy the whole time?" Wesley said cunningly. "Maybe. Why do you want to know anyway?"
"It's not that I want to know Raven's personal life, but it's how you knew all these things." Irvine said with a serious tone. "I just don't know who you really are sometimes."
"You're better off not knowing a lot about me." Wesley said in a calm manner. "Drink your cappuccino before it gets cold."
I guess he's not going to talk. If this lapdog know this much, what about his master then? Irvine speculated, sipping his cappuccino. I just can't wait what happens next…