Yes, this is the last chapter. To tell you the truth, I haven't been very motivated to write this story. I guess it's partly because I've been writing this for over a year now, and that I've just grown away from Zoids. I'm also getting older, which means schoolwork.

The End

Chapter 9

Melinda was very suspicious of Ray's actions. She did not like the sense of secrecy behind everything.

"Ray, what's going on? How come you weren't 'comfortable' in there?" Melinda inquired.

"Mel...Something's happened, and I don't think you'll take it well...actually, I'm not sure how you'll take it." Ray replied.

"Just tell me, I can handle it." Melinda said.

"Melinda...Raven was captured. He's going on trial pretty soon." Melinda didn't know how to react. She still cared about him so much, but she wanted to hate him. He had just caused so much trouble. Just in his past. But she had no control of that, it was his entirely fault.

"I have to be at that trial." Melinda said.

"That's what I thought. We'll go back to the house and pack your stuff. Then I'll send you off. I'll loan you some money too."

"No, you don't have to loan me money."

"No, you'll get the money. It's like pocket change for me. Don't feel bad; just take it."

"Ok, if you say so..."

Melinda went into the house and grabbed her things and came back out. She saw Midnight waiting for her, cleaned, polished, pretty much in excellent condition.

"Wow...Thank you so much Ray!" She hugged him.

"No problem. I've packed you with some basic supplies in there." He squeezed her back, then said, "Be careful, please. You don't know how devastated I would be if I lost you."

"Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid."

Then Ray kissed Melinda's forehead, and Melinda climbed into her Zoid, waved at Ray, and took off.

******************************************

Van was happily lounging in his room, eating crackers and drinking juice, watching a movie. It was a romantic chick flick that Fiona lent him.

"KISS HER, YOU IDIOT!!!!" He screamed at the screen just as Moonbay and Fiona came in. Moonbay glanced at the screen, arched an eyebrow, then told him the news.

"Um, they've just captured Raven and they need you." Moonbay said. Then she left, shaking her head curiously.

"So, are you enjoying the movie?" Fiona asked, sitting next to him. "Yep." He answered, not looking at her, cramming crackers in his mouth in anticipation, while whispering, 'kiss her, kiss her!'

"Oh, they don't kiss until the end." Fiona said.

"AUGH!!!!" He said as the couple shied away form each other.

"C'mon, Van, we need to go..." Fiona said, standing up, and offering him a hand up. He took it and Fiona pulled him up.

Van didn't let go of her hand, and they walked to the room where Raven was together.

Raven was slow at registering where he was. Although he really didn't care anymore. He didn't want to live anymore. There was no point. He was unwanted by anybody, and Melinda had sort of stomped out his desire to kill people just for the hell of it.

Van arrived with Fiona arrived in the room. Raven didn't look up. Fiona stayed in the back, while Van talked with officials and other people.

Then they heard people frantically yelling about a black Hellcat barging in and demanding to see Raven...

Raven perked up, knowing it was Melinda. Suddenly, Melinda came barreling through the doors. Following her was Moonbay and Irvine.

"Y-Young Lady!!! You shouldn't be here!!!" One officer yelled.

"So, what were you planning to do with Raven?" Melinda said, breathing hard from all of the running she did.

"W-well...He's probably going to trial and going to be executed." One officer said.

"Hmm...Well, you could do that, but I have a better idea." She said and she walked over to Raven. He didn't know whether to be angry or happy for her being here. "You know how Raven destroyed so many bases and cities, and how you were powerless to stop him?" The soldiers cringed at the thought, remembering the destruction. "And then, how suddenly it all stopped? Well, in that time, I was dating him." All the soldiers' eyes' widened in disbelief, just thinking how someone was crazy enough to be with him, much less date him. "Yeah, we had fun, and somehow, I must have de-iced his heart and soul. I gave him someone to protect, when before it was only his pride. And I must have done the same to Shadow; he was kinder to most people, or at least me. But, you know, you can't always just stomp those out. There is always some of it lingering. Now, you must be asking how I got to dating him. Well, I was kidnapped from him. Can you believe that? But I found out some things about him you would never suspect. And now, I suppose before you saw the same old Raven, looking cold and cruel as usual. You feared what he would do. But something was different about him, he lacked of energy. Take some time to look at him again, men."

Everyone looked at him. He did look different. He lacked of energy, as Melinda had mentioned. But they also noticed something else. Instead of the cold, empty violet eyes, there was a bit of...warmth in his eyes. Not much, but just a tinge. You had to look hard in his eyes to see this.

"Yep. He's actually got some good in him." Melinda said, grinning. "And I don't think he'll be destroying bases and cities anytime soon. But he still wants to destroy. So this is what I propose: Put him on the Guardian Force. Van and Fiona will keep him 'tamed', if you want to put it that way. And I'll also be there with him too, which is the reason why so many people feel more comfortable these days. So, what do you say guys?"

Everyone in the room, with the exception of Melinda, had a look of deep shock in their face, and in Raven's case a look of disbelief.

"What?!" Everyone pretty much said in unison.

"Melinda!!! Have you gone mad?!" Raven said through clenched teeth. Melinda looked down at him. "No, I'm saving your ass." Then she looked up at everyone else. "Do you mind if I have a talk with him? I need to tell him what I'm thinking of." They nodded their heads, and watched as the two went into the next room. The moment they had left, chatter filled the silence.

Melinda pulled Raven into the room, when they both look at each other deeply in the eyes.

"Melinda...Why the hell would I want to be on the Guardian Force?!?!?!" Raven asked.

"First things first, Raven. I'm sorry. About Ray and all that. I was really stressed, and I guess I was also shocked to see Ray."

"Yeah, whatever. I understand. It's just a girl thing, I guess." Raven replied.

Melinda smiled, then went on. "So, now you're asking about why I proposed to put you on the Guardian Force?"

"Yeah." Raven said, slightly glaring at her.

"Well, I guess it's a way to spend your life out of prison, not dead, but still destroying things, and maybe being with me."

Raven sighed. "Oh, c'mon, Raven!!!" Melinda pleaded.

"Well, I will, if you promise me one thing." Raven said.

"What?"

"If you promise to stay by my side the whole time, no matter what." Raven said. Melinda grinned, and threw her arms around him. They embraced each other tightly, happy to have each other again. 

*********************Epilogue*******************

Raven did get on the Guardian Force, and Van was a bit cold to him at first, but they soon became mutual friends. Melinda and Raven did get married a year later, and the next year Fiona and Van also got married. Moonbay and Irvine didn't get married. They broke up, and when Moonbay had heard about Ray, whom was only a few years older than her, she met him, and they loved each other. Irvine however settled down with another woman (he was around 30). Melinda and Raven had two children (one boy and one girl), whom grew up to be friendly rivals with Van and Fiona's two sons'. Basically, it all worked into a happy ending.

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Hmm...It's over. I'm sorry it had to end so vaguely, but I've grown tired of this story, I'm sorry. It's been about a year when I first began writing. But, I do think this sequel thing was also useless; I think there was no point in writing a sequel. I only wrote it because I was so attached to this story and I too didn't want it to end. I really hope you all enjoyed this story, and I appreciate everyone who has read it and reviewed it. I've enjoyed writing it, and building up my writing skills. ^_^ I do have another Zoids story in mind, though I'm not sure if I'll get it up here. Well, I guess this is goodbye!

~animeluver4ever