Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Uncovered but still Unknown
It had been several days since Raven and Prozen had left for the attack on the Republic's capitol, New Helic city. She wandered aimlessly around the corridors, passing some other officials along the way. Some of them would whisper things in the other's ears as she walked by. Reika looked at them curiously and just continued on her way. She just assumed it as normal behavior. Reika found a balcony and looked out into the garden. Unbeknownst to her this was the same one Raven looked out of when Prozen called him down to talk about her.
Reika looked out at the dark filled night. The stars shone and twinkled in the midnight blue sky. Luminescent walked up beside her and gave a mechanical purr.
"I am fine Luminescent. I just miss Raven's company. I know you miss Shadow's." Reika pet the top of Luminescent's head as she went down to nuzzle her owner. She gave a whine and Reika laughed. "Raven will come back Luminescent. And so will Shadow. Ok you worry too much." Reika began to walk back down the corridors towards her room. She noted that the corridors were very empty and hollow, seeing as no one was awake at this hour. "Hey Luminescent." She started speaking to her faithful pet. "Maybe we could go to father's office and find out what's really on those sheets." Luminescent nodded then began making noises again. "What are you talking about, of course he's my father." Reika stated. Luminescent sighed.
They began walking in the opposite direction towards the office. Reika was quiet as a field mouse unlike Luminescent whose footsteps practically bellowed like church bells.
"Hey Luminescent, do you think Raven will really teach me how to pilot a Zoid?" She asked. Luminescent made a sound resembling "I dunno."
"What Zoid do you think I would get? A Hellcat? Maybe a Redhorn. Or a Redler!" Reika listed with enthusiasm. "I like the Redler best in that." Reika added. Luminescent chuckled at her. They reached office and slowly she opened the large creaky door and went inside. Reika walked the length of the room and went around the desk and sat in the chair. The chair was probably twice as big as her, the back loomed over her as she sorted through papers on his desk and opened a drawer. There she found a stack paper-clipped together in a manila folder with "Reika" scribbled on the front in black typing. She curiously picked up the manila folder and opened it to read the contents. Across the front of the paper it read "Reika Testing #1". She flipped the page. "Testing?" She stated aloud confused. She heard footsteps coming from down the hall. She let out a frightened gasp and hid underneath the desk as she heard the door handle turn. Luminescent hid behind the chair.
Several men in uniform came in single file and made their way through the office, chattering about something almost in a whisper.
"When will the next testing take place?" one asked another.
"Not exactly certain, Lord Prozen made it clear that he wants to be present for them." Another replied.
"Why is that, she's not really his-," the man was cut off by another's hushing.
"Quiet I heard something." He had stated fiercely. Reika held her breath, and held perfectly still, almost as if she was frozen in her capsule in the ruins again. She felt her heart begin to race incredibly fast and could hear it pounding in her head. Reika remained in control of her breathing as one of the men had come around the corner of the desk and almost peered underneath.
"Sir you must be going schizophrenic. We didn't heat anything." One of the men chuckled.
"Yeah guess your right." The other man stated dejectedly as he pressed a button and a secret door opened up into the next room beneath the office. The men filed out of the room and as soon as the door had suctioned shut Reika heaved a large sigh. She held the manila folder to her chest as she took in deep breaths.
"Come on Luminescent! We have to get out of here!" She breathed frantically to the Organoid and they dashed out of Prozen's office. They made their way back to Reika's room quickly and once they were there Reika had just fallen onto the edge of her bed. She hugged herself and Luminescent walked over to her and nuzzled her affectionately. Reika took in quick breaths and felt her head spin. She wasn't her father's what? What did this folder hold in store for her and her future? Was everything going to change as quickly as this event happened? If it was there was going to be a lot of moments like this.
"I can't seem to calm down Luminescent…No matter how hard I try everything is so confusing…" Reika whimpered. Luminescent said something to her as she nuzzled her. "That…might work.." Reika replied. Reika closed her eyes and pictured Raven sitting there next to her with a caring arm over her, and she felt her heart slow down and mind somewhat clear itself. She remembered the thing Raven had called a kiss and how different but good it felt when he had brushed his lips with hers. She missed him terribly.
Reika began to calm down and started to evaluate her options and what she should do. She glanced down at the folder clutched, now wrinkled by how hard she had clutched it. "I should wait for Raven and father's return to bring this up. But who to ask?" Reika thought. She opened it up and read a few lines and then it transferred into an unknown code and many words even before that were odd. She lied down and put the folder back together. "I should wait for Raven. He might be able to answer both my questions." Luminescent crawled onto the bed next to Reika. Reika pet her and relaxed a bit more with more thoughts of Raven. Thinking of Raven reminded her of their deal about him teaching her to pilot. She stuffed the folder underneath her pillow and crawled into the sheets, fully dressed and just dozed off trying to forget the night full of events.