Authors Notes: Yea I seem to be making a lot of mistakes, guess that's cause I'm rushing these chapters out so Ill slow it down a bit and get it right.
Time slowly went on after the great battle, days turning into weeks, eventually becoming a month. Van had kept his promise to Fiona and Zeke. Taking time off from fighting, relaxing and enjoying themselves. He took them back to where there lives had all started together, the Windcolony. Nearly rebuilt after more then two months, it looked almost as it did before Raven took aim at the peaceful city. The few that had survived, including his sister Maria, welcomed him with open arms, and like most trying to understand how he could be standing in front of them. But they lost track of that wonder quickly, glad to see their hero, their friend, and their savior alive and well.
Raven had spent the time wandering the planet, lost like he had been the first time Van had defeated him in his GenoSauer. Though the reason was much different this time. He had defeated Van, and could have killed him if he chose to. But Raven didn't, he decided to spare Van. The same man who had ruined him, the same man who had tormented him, and the same man he felt a touch of jealousy towards. Raven let Van live, something he doubted he would ever know the answer to. Raven practically vanished from Zi, rare occasions would allow a person to see him.
Zack had left Ryss and John, not willing to spend any more time then he had to with Ryss. He had gone back to what he had been doing, searching for the Tiger, searching for the truth of the magnificent lost race. The same race his most hated enemy belonged to. Ryss had spent the time with her father. Though while John wasn't her paternal father, he had found her in a pod similar to the one Fiona and Zeke had been found in. And from that day on he had taken care of her as if she was his true daughter. Her memory was blank however, slowly disappearing from her mind. She wasn't sure of anything that had happened since Jason had taken a knife and began to slash her. Vague images rested in her mind, but nothing more.
And then Jason remained, still wandering deep within the nights shadow. He had done nothing to anyone since the battle between the great rivals. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike at those he had molded, and created, and tormented. The Tiger waited patiently, its taste for flesh and blood growing stronger as the minutes passed on like days. The powerful Zoid eager for a fight against those it had wanted since the day it had been created. The drive to kill, the will to survive, and the burning spirit of the animal it represented gave it all the raw power it could ever need to destroy Van and Raven, to kill off the last of the race it had started centuries ago, and annihilate an entire universe of life. The same life that had caused its existence in the first place.
Van watched as a few children played a game of tag under the warm morning sun. He smiled at the sight, remembering how he had done the same long ago, long before Fiona and Zeke had come into his life. Van took his eyes of them, looking around the rebuilt colony. The image of it slowly burning was still engraved in his mind, and it would never return to the way it was. He knew this was a great start though, and it was going in the right direction.
"Van! Breakfast is ready if you want it!" Maria shouted as she set a few plates of food on a table.
Van stood up and stretched, smiling as he walked into the newly built house.
"Hi Van." Fiona said cheerfully. Zeke gave a roar of joy as well.
"Hey." Van said taking a seat at the table slowly eating the bacon his sister had made, thinking about what he would do now.
Jason smiled as he looked down at the two brothers, Karl and Thomas. Both near their Zoids, camping out for the night, not knowing that the darkest man they will ever meet stood just above them. Turning his head, facing Phantom Jason gave a smirk. "Kill one of them, wound the other but let him go." Jason listened to the growls and roars of his Organoid. "Doesn't matter which one, your choice." He watched his Organoid jump down the cliff and lay in the shadows, waiting for his prey to come into view.
"So how much longer until we reach Galena Canyon?" Thomas asked, pouring his brother a cup of coffee.
"Best guess, another day." Karl said taking a drink.
Thomas nodded. "Need to get these supplies there quick." He took a drink of the warm black coffee as well, looking up at the sky.
"You here that?" Karl said standing up, looking over towards some bushes and shrubs.
Thomas stood up as well, drawing out his sidearm. Watching in horror, a gray Organoid jumped out of the shrubs and onto Karl, biting into his neck. Dropping his coffee he opened fire at the Organoid but found himself on the ground quickly as well after the Organoid hit him across his head with its tail.
Phantom raised his foot and drove it down into the chest of Thomas, the sound of ribs snapping under the pressure filled the air. Looking back at the dying Karl and then back down at the screaming Thomas he jumped back up to his master, giving a low growl stating that his job was done.
Jason looked down. "Good job Phantom." He smiled as he gently pet the Organoid across its head and back of the neck. "This should bring Van out of his little dream world." Jason turned and walked away, Phantom following him as usual.
Thomas rolled on the ground, trying to get over to his brother but when he did it was far to late. "Karl!" The words from his screaming voice came out as a mixture of pain and sorrow. His brother's blood slowly collected around his cold, lifeless body. "Karl!" He screamed again, putting his hand over the bite wound. It did nothing to help though. Karl was dead, murdered by a wild Organoid. Thomas had forgotten about his own pain, the broken ribs a swollen chest. He began to sob as he did his best to make it to his Dibision. "Beek, call. Send a distress message to the Galena Canyon quick." He listened to the beeping sounds and crawled back to his brother, waiting to see if he would be joining him shortly.
Zack picked up a few rocks, his sling was finally off and he could get back to work once again. This time around though, he had no help. No one around to help him search for the ancient secrets these ruins could hold. "Damnit." He yelled. For weeks he had been searching ruins by ruins, finding absolutely nothing. Zack tired, cold, and hungry walked back to his Sabertiger. Reaching in the back of the cockpit he took out a sandwich and took a seat under the make shift tent he put up to keep the rain off of him. Unwrapping the foil he took a bite and rested his back against his Zoid, pulling up a map. Scanning it with his right hand and eating his lunch with the other, he finally found the next set of ruins he would take a look at. Sitting back he finished his lunch and picked up the few things he had left out, quickly throwing it in the back of his Zoid to hurry out of the drenching rain. Zack quickly closed the cockpit and took off, though he decided to take his time. He took in a deep breath, listening to the rain pour down on his cockpit. Rubbing his temples he decided to see if John had found anything, though he was tempted not to because he knew Ryss would still be there. In the end however he decided to see what he had found.
John flicked down a flashing switch on his transmitter and watched as Zack came up in the small window. "Zack." He was surprised to see the man calling him. "Something wrong?"
Zack smiled. "No, just wanted to see if you found anything."
"Well no, haven't found a thing. Those pictures you gave me were useless like you said." John pulled up a wooden chair and took a seat. "How about you?"
"Nothing. Four separate ruins and not a useful thing in them."
"Keep looking, Ill do the same." John switched off the transmitter.
Zack shook his head, turning his attention back towards the path ahead. The rain ruined his visibility and he couldn't move anywhere fast. He pulled out the map again, pushing the coordinates into his computer and reading the information as it slowly came up. "Few days." He threw the map down on the floor. "Damn." Zack rubbed his temples again and stopped his Zoid. Drifting off, he finally fell asleep.
Van walked out of the house and watched as the kids who he had watched playing earlier not gathered around his Blade Liger, admiring it as if they had never seen a Zoid before. Van smiled and walked up to them, three boys and a girl all about 10. "So you guys like Zoids?" Van said as he came up behind them.
"Yep." One the tallest of the group replied. "My father used to pilot a Terrace, but the Empire shot him down."
Van watched as the boy closed his eyes, facing down at the ground. "Yea I know what that's like." Van thought about his father.
"Have you been in any battles?" The smallest one said, he was the only one who seemed younger then the rest.
The girl smacked him across the back of his head. "This is Van Flyheight, of course he's been in battles."
The boy rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't know who he was. You didn't have to hit me."
"Yes I did. You should know who he is."
"Leave him alone Sally, he doesn't know who he is. He's 7 years old." The tallest boy said again.
"I know how old he is, but he should still know who Van Flyheight is." Sally replied.
"I didn't know who he was either." The boy who had remained silent said, standing far in the back. "Don't really like these things anyways." He turned and walked off, his hands in his pocket.
Van knew who else had that same thought. "How come you don't like Zoids?"
"Cause they do nothing but kill. Killed me uncles family last year, killed my grandparents as well."
"Sorry to hear that." Van walked up to the boy, thought he should try and cheer him up. "Hey want to try and pilot the Blade Liger."
The boy looked up and smiled. "Sure."
Van took the boy over to the Blade Liger and picked him up, putting him in the front pilot seat. "Ever piloted a Zoid before?"
The boy shook his head, seemingly a lot happier now, a huge smile crossing his face.
"Hang on a sec." Van turned his body and faced the house. "Zeke! Come here!" He shouted watching as the Organoid came sprinting out. Van turned back to the boy. "So what's your name?"
"Ralph." He said, looking down at the console.
"Alright Ralph, put your hand on the throttles right there and push them forward." He looked over at Zeke and nodded, watching the Organoid merge with the Blade Liger. The Zoid stood up and quickly took off. Van smiled and turned back to the other three kids who stood there in awe, watching there friend pilot the same Zoid that had saved there lives many of times.
Fiona and Maria came out, watching the Blade Liger run around on the desert sand. Fiona smiled as Van stood over by the group of kids showing them how to pilot the Zoid.
"Van's changed a lot since he left me." Maria said.
Fiona nodded. "I know he has."
Maria looked down and smiled walking back into the house. She could tell how much Fiona loved him.
Van watched the Blade Liger sprint around outside of the town. The sight made him laugh. "Alright Zeke! Bring it back!" Van yelled, watching the Zoid slow down at walk up to the town. He watched the cockpit open up, Ralph smiling as he unfastened himself from the Zoid and got out of the cockpit. "Wasn't so bad was it."
Ralph just shook his head and walked back up to his friends.
Fiona smiled at the sight. She knew Van had changed a lot over the course of time. Starting out as a hard headed, over confident pilot to a decent, respectful man. Though Fiona knew he was still hard headed, he was much better now. And his heart was always good, that was the best thing about him to Fiona.
Van watched as a jeep pulled up into the city. A tall, well-built man who seemed to be in his late 30's, wearing a full-rimmed tan hat got out and walked up to him. "Mr. Flyheight." He said, taking his hat off and resting it against his heart, revealing his slick, blond hair combed back. "I'm looking for Fiona Lynnette."
Van nodded. "Yea sure, um why? If you don't mind me asking that is."
"My name is Jack Phillips, I worked with her and Dr. D a few years ago. I found something that she might find very interesting." Jack found Fiona staring at him on the porch of a house. "Miss Lynnette!" He yelled only loud enough for her to hear.
"Hi Jack." Fiona replied, very surprised to see him but she was able to hide it.
"I found something you should really take a look at."
"What is it?"
"Ruins, old, old ruins. Talks about Zoid Eve, how she was created, everything about the Zodians. It's amazing."
Fiona smiled, relishing the thought that she may finally be able to learn about her past. "How far is it from here?"
"Day and a half if we drive straight through. Interested?"
Fiona looked over at Van and walked up to him. "Do you mind if I go with Jack and see what he found?"
Van smiled, he knew how much she wanted to find out about the Zodians. "Yea, just meet up with me at New Helic in two weeks, that enough time for you."
Fiona smiled and kissed him on his cheek. "Ok, Ill meet you again in two weeks." She turned and walked towards the jeep.
"Ill watch her." Jack said walking up besides Van. "She'll be back alright." He walked over and got into the jeep as well.
Van nodded and watched as Fiona put her hand up, saying goodbye to him once again. Though this time he knew she would be back, and pretty quick as well. Van put his hand up as well, watching the jeep until it was out of his sight. "Come on Zeke, let's go." Van looked for the kids, they all gathered around Ralph, admiring and congratulating him. Van got in the cockpit and waved to Maria, who smiled and waved back. He went off, leaving his old home and returning back to what he does so well.
"Ryss you need to eat." John said, watching the girl turn down another meal. "Ryss, you've hardly eaten anything since you came back. What's wrong with you."
Ryss looked up at him, she was sitting down near a window, looking out at the horizon. "He's still out there."
"Ryss who is out there." John had heard the same thing for a month now. "Ryss, I can't help you if you don't tell me."
Ryss closed her eyes. "I don't know. He's hiding my memory though, he doesn't want me to tell anyone about him."
John put the plate of pasta down on a table near her. "Please try and eat Ryss. Maybe you'll remember who he is if you do."
Ryss felt her eyes start to water. "Raven." She said, turning her head back out to the blue sky.
Raven walked through the swampy marsh in the freezing night, Shadow besides him. The Fury was destroyed once again, damaged far beyond any kind of repair he could do. So Raven hid it, making sure no one would use its destructive power. "Why didn't I kill Van?" Raven said to Shadow, even a month after he still wondered why he decided to spare Van. He listened to Shadow, the Organoid giving a reason though he didn't believe it. Crossing the swamp was tiring work, the soft mud sucking in Raven's boots and the thick trees and shrubs made it difficult to find a decent path. Raven stopped and looked up, a sound crossing his ear. "You hear that Shadow?" He looked around and felt the wind of something cross his face. An arrow had been driven into an old tree, and had come inches from entering through his head. Shadow hissed and looked around, Raven diving to the ground, pulling out a knife. Looking up, he watched as a shadowy figure soon formed into a human being, then turning into a familiar one. It was the same girl he had seen at Prozen's base.
"You killed my father!" Alice shouted at Raven, putting another arrow into the crossbow she held in her hands.
"Maybe your father should have picked a better ally." Raven said rising to his feet.
Alice shook her head furiously and raised the crossbow, aiming it between Raven's eyes.
Raven smiled as Shadow pounced on the girl, the arrow flying up into the trees. Walking over he signaled Shadow to get off of her. He picked Alice up by the hair. She was wearing a black coat, trying to blend in with the night sky. Her face was covered with mud, the same with her arms and body. "Normally I would kill you."
"Then do it and get it over with. I don't have anything else to live for." Alice said, flicking some of the mud on her face into Raven's eyes.
Raven let her go and got off of his knee. "Your father was pathetic enough to join Prozen anyways, he deserved to die."
Alice stood up and smacked Raven. "Don't talk about him like that!" Alice shouted at him, tears now mixing with the mud on her face.
Raven turned his head backs towards her and smiled. "Anyone who works with Prozen is pathetic." He watched as Alice got ready to smack him again, but he caught her wrist before she could make contact. "Don't do that again!" Raven shouted, twisting her arm behind her back, listening to her give a quiet shriek of pain. "You think you're the only one who lost parents! Mine were killed when I was 9 years old!" Raven continued to shout at her. "Do you know who raised me!" Raven threw her on the ground. "That son of a bitch Prozen!" Raven went to kick her, but stopped as he decided not to. He lowered his head, listening to her start to cry. "Ill let you come with me until we get to a city." He started walking forward quickly.
"I don't need your help." Alice's voice had a strong, sobbing tone in it.
"Then don't take it!" Raven said turning back around, shouting at her. "I don't owe you anything."
Alice stood up again, her blond hair now stripped black with mud. He face and body covered with dirt and mud as well. "Yea you do, you killed my father. You owe me something."
Raven stared her in the eyes, his face stiff and tight. "And I am, I'm letting you come with me. If you don't take it then that's your problem."
Alice wiped her face and nodded. "Fine, Ill go with you."
"Come Shadow." Raven said turning back around and continuing the path were he had left off.
Alice walked fast, keeping up with Raven and his Organoid.
"Damn bandits." Irvine said, firing a few more shots at the two Guysacks. "Moonbay what the Hell are you waiting for, get out oh here."
Moonbay smiled, watching Irvine pilot the Lighting Saiex. "Why, you have everything under control."
Irvine smiled as he finally hit one of the Guysacks, its command system freezing up. "Only one more to go." But he watched as the Guysack pilot decided he had no chance and ran off. Irvine started to chase but stopped as Moonbay told him to stop.
"Let him go Irvine, he's not going to mess with us again."
Irvine pulled his Saiex back up on the trailer and jumped out, getting into the Gustav. "Should have let me gone after him. Wouldn't have taken to long."
Moonbay laughed. "Unless he had a few more friend back there."
"Could have taken a dozen of those pilots."
Moonbay put her hand on his face, watching Irvine smile as she did. "When are we actually going to get married?" She asked, he never had old her an actual date for there wedding.
"Whenever we get the money I guess."
"What did you do with the money the Republic and Empire gave you?"
Irvine smiled, not saying anything in response.
"Fine then be that way." Moonbay put the Gustav in drive and set it back on its path. They had to deliver a few supplies for the Empire, they were needed at a base recently attacked by a few bandits and the pay was good like always. She smiled, watching Irvine doze off quickly. "Oh well." She shrugged her shoulders, basically talking to herself.