Authors notes: I have to say this, you people are lucky your not writing this fic cause goddamn do I want to read something like this. It's the only story on Zoids that has as much darkness as romance. I'm setting the light on some things you never, never read anywhere else like McMahon, Zoid Eve, and the connection between Fiona and Zoid Eve. I made a plot that can actually be believed as a continuation of the anime, and I am even taking risks on altering some of the characters ways. And for those of you who think the story is nothing but bloodshed and gore (hell the anime has more then this story, only difference is I describe it and do it to major people). Moonbay had a kid, Raven's getting married, Fiona has completely lost it, and Van has no clue what's going on. It's not my fault the freak makes the old Raven and Hilz look like choirboys. Don't really know why I wrote that, guess to summarize my story real quick. Half of the shit is a one-time thing that you'll only see in my story. Well, enough talking, enjoy and send me those reviews and flames. And uh for you sensitive people, grab a box of tissues cause damn are you gonna need it. And I suppose if you hate the V/F pairing, well avoid at all costs cause goddamn will I put a lot of that in.
"At my best guess, it's 200 to 400 years old. But it's only a guess." A short man wearing glasses said, staring at the marble the held the near perfect image of Fiona.
O'Connell looked at it and shook his head. "Have you ever seen anything like this before?"
"Never, well at least not an engraving of." The man tilted his head towards Fiona; he didn't want to make it obvious that he was talking about her.
O'Connell nodded and watched him walk off. He turned and looked at Fiona, staring at it dazed and confused. "Any idea."
"No." Fiona said softly and quietly, staring at the marble, staring at herself. It was like looking into a mirror, a lifeless mirror.
"Maybe they did it with each Zodian." O'Connell had no idea what he was saying, but figure it best to do something to cheer her up.
Again Fiona shook her head. "No, it's me. But a little younger." Once again thousands of questions raced through her mind, begging for an answer that she could not give.
O'Connell put his arm around her shoulder, forcing her to leave the marble image despite her extreme protest. "Fiona, there isn't much we can do with this."
Fiona bit her lip and took one last look, following under O'Connell's arm.
Raven stared at the old priest, who just stared back with a cold look of emptiness. Raven knew that stare all to well. Shadow stood next to him, still looking down towards the ground, avoiding any eye contact with his master. Raven couldn't believe what Shadow had done, but he wasn't sure weather it was entirely his fault. For some reason, Jason seemed to be targeting him, giving him knowledge he didn't want to know. And now that monster had returned, and Raven had no choice but to make sure he was dead before Alice or himself. But now, now he was making sure Alice understood how much he loved her, and the lengths he would go to, just to make sure she would never get hurt. Jason was alive, the sinister man who had haunted him like his shadow, beginning with his parents and ending with. Jason's wraith hadn't ended yet, and he knew someone else would die before it was. And Drake, the same man who had helped him put and end to Jason and the Tiger was working on his side. It made Raven wonder, wonder just who else was alive. His thoughts ended abruptly though, watching as Alice walked up to him, as beautiful as ever. Her long and dark blond hair flowed freely down her back and her dull blue dress dropping down to her feet, sticking tightly to her skin. Raven smiled, watching as she gently stuck a rose onto his shirt. He had nothing nice to wear otherwise he would have.
"Holy Father, join thee now as we bond these two in an eternal marriage." The priest said slowly, reading from the large book. "Protect them as a Shepard protect thy flocks and as you spread your hands over are life. I ask thee to give these two all the will and strength you can offer, let them live and die together in peace." The priest closed the book and nodded his head.
Raven turned his body, facing Alice as he grabbed her hands gently. Clenching them with a lose grip.
"Do you honor thy bond, to love and cherish each other from now until death, weather in sickness or health, to protect each other and share you love with each other, and none other until death."
Raven looked down at her, listening to the words as they buzzed around in his mind. "I love you, I always will. From the day we met until the day we die."
Alice felt as his palms started to sweat a little, it was a cool sweat though. One that showed she wasn't the only one tense. "I love you." She said softly, looking into his eyes. "I always have and always will until the day we die."
The priest lowered his head and kissed a golden cross around his neck. "May God bless you."
Raven leaned over, kissing her with all of the passion he had for her. He released her, looking at her smile, which always cheered him up. It made him forget about yesterday, made him forget about Drake and Jason, he forgot everything. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms, feeling her small, soft arms wrap around his neck as they walked out of the church, still amazed at what they had just done, but glad they had done it.
"I can barley breath!" Van shouted as he ran out of his Zoid, the black air around him clogged his lungs and made it almost impossible to take a breath.
"The air's mostly made of Sulfur!" Moonbay shouted back to him, the first to run into the dark building, closing the door quickly as the rest followed her.
They all waited and caught their breath, looking around at the massive structure that had once been used as a research center for the Empire.
"Any lights?" Kelly asked, feeling the walls for a light switch.
"Found it." McMahon said, pushing the glowing red button, watching as a few light flickered on and off repeatedly.
The room was filled with dust and cobwebs, showing years of emptiness.
"This is kind of creepy." Moonbay said, the first to take a step down a small flight of stairs.
"Yea." Thomas replied, looking around. This was what appeared to be a lounge room. A few sofas and chairs rested along the walls, a chessboard and books over near a corner. "They didn't do to good of a job on packing up before they left."
Van gritted his teeth as he walked to the next door, it wouldn't budge so he kicked it a few times, opening it forcefully. He took out a flashlight, shining it down the corridor.
"Wanna wait up Van." Moonbay said rushing up after him.
Van ignored her; he just wanted to see what was so important about this place anyways. At the end of the corridor, another rusty door blocked the entrance to another room and once again, Van kicked it down. He looked around, amazed at the sight. "Oh my God." He said quickly and softly, a room filled with green pods like the ones he had found Fiona is, all lined up in two rows.
"All of you come here quick!" Moonbay shouted as she rushed up to them. "There has to be twenty of these things."
Van looked in them, each one thoroughly finding them to be empty. "They haven't been used have they?"
"Goddamn." Thomas said, looking at the rows of pods. "Are each of these Organoids?"
"There empty." Moonbay said, looking in them as well.
"Why would there be so many empty pods?" McMahon looked around, walking up a steel staircase in the corner.
"Maybe the Empire was trying to create them." Kelly said.
Van looked around the large room, staring at the pods over and over. Looking at one though, he thought he saw a reflection of a familiar person. "It can't be." He said under his voice, watching as it quickly disappeared. Van shook his head, trying to get his senses back.
McMahon broke down the rusted door, turning on the flickering lights, which dimly gave off light to the dark room. It looked like a kitchen, pots and stoves rested along the walls and a large counter stood in the middle of the floor. He continued on, breaking down another door, revealing a dead-end room, a single pod standing tall near the wall. "Van." He said nervously and softly. "Van! Moonbay!" McMahon shouted this time. It took the two of them a few minutes to find him, but both looked in amazement at the single pod.
"It. It has something in it." Moonbay said with a nervous feeling flowing in her voice.
"Well. Should we open it?" Van asked, looking into it. "It's a person." Van looked at the man, he wasn't a child like he had found Fiona as, but a man, a large and well-built man. Van heard no objections so he walked over to a console, staring down at the controls, which seemed to be the only things working in the entire facility.
"Don't open it!"
Van looked up and saw Ryss rush into the room with Specula behind her. "Ryss?" She was the one who's reflection he had seen earlier. "What the heck are you doing here?"
"Don't open that pod." Ryss said pushing Van aside from the console, catching her breath.
"Why not? I don't think he wants to be stuck in that pod forever."
"You don't understand." Ryss said furiously. "He's not real."
"What do you mean not real?" Moonbay said looking at the man. "He seems real to me."
"I mean he isn't human." Ryss looked at him. "He was born in that pod."
Van looked at her confused. "Born. How is he born in that pod."
"Don't worry about that. You have to leave now!"
"Why?" Van was surprised to see Ryss like this.
"Will you get out of here!" Ryss shouted, turning to run out the door.
Van watched her suddenly stop and slowly walk back in, a tall man with blood red hair stood in front of her.
"He's why you needed to leave." Ryss said, staring Hilz in the eyes.
"How the Hell are you alive!" Van shouted with anger and rage, looking at Hilz who just smiled back.
"Great." Moonbay said, gritting her teeth, hating to see this man once again. "Don't you die."
"I have died, many times." Hilz said. "But ill make sure you die before I stay dead."
"What are you doing here?" Van said, looking around to see if there was another way out.
"The question is what are you doing here." Hilz replied walking up to Ryss.
Van hated Hilz, he hated Hilz as much as a man could hate.
Hilz smiled. "You've stumbled onto something you can not comprehend Van. This place, the Zodians called it the A passagem a Inferno. Meaning Gateway to Hell."
Van looked at Moonbay who was standing next to McMahon, both showing signs of fear. "Why are you so interested in this place Hilz?"
"Because of him." Hilz said pointing to the man floating in the green pod. "And deep in this facility, are the power cores for the Death Sauer and Death Stinger."
Van couldn't believe any of this, looking at the pod.
"You don't understand what is going on, do you Van." Hilz once again smiled at him. "Maybe I should give you a quick history lesson."
"How about you just drop dead and burn in Hell." Van replied, returning Hilz's smile.
"Centuries ago, this land was known as the continent Nyx. A man named Guntar Prozen ruled it as his Empire, you know him better as the Dark Kaiser."
Van looked at him. "Prozen, he was alive."
"Prozen was the most powerful man on Zi back then, he used the Zoids created by the Zodians and turned them into weapons of war and destruction. Soon though the Zodians countered him, building their own Zoids and fighting back at Prozen and showing how they refused to take his abuse. In the end, the Zodians lost and Prozen made most of them suffer. But he couldn't kill them. The Zodians were a very smart race. He had those who were loyal to him create pods to extend his lifetime, and to create a race of unbeatable warriors. Soon though Zoid Eve refused to create any more power cores. Prozen grew furious, and he created the Death Sauer to challenge Zoid Eve and show how he was in control. The Zodians who were loyal to him began to move away from him, and created two-scorpion type Zoids to stop it. Of course, Zoid Eve did something he didn't expect. She took control of the Death Sauer, and slowly began to tear the planet apart. The scorpion Zoids weren't finished on time. One Zoid though, created without a power core, destroyed the Death Sauer but basically finished the job until Zoid Eve stopped it."
"How can a Zoid be a Zoid without a power core?" Moonbay asked.
"No one knows except the creator." Hilz smiled and walked to the pod. "These pods, they aren't meant for the purpose you believe."
"What do you mean?" Van asked, watching Hilz walk to the console.
"They are meant to give the person a new birth, a rebirth. Yes, they can hold people but only for a short amount of time, a year at the most. Organoids are created in them as well, something the Zodians mastered."
Van looked at him, trying to piece everything together. "What about Fiona, I found her in a pod and she." Van stopped.
"She's normal." Hilz was finishing Van's sentence. "Zodians aren't as mystical and amazing as everyone thinks. Ryss, well she got her powers from Jason. And Fiona, what about sweet little Fiona. I don't even know the truth about her, only one creature on this planet does."
"She's as normal as anyone else, I don't care what you say!" Van shouted at him, holding back his tears at the horrible thought.
"You just don't understand. Your one weakness is how closed minded you are. A dark secret that died away centuries ago with the race that sealed the fate of life has been unleashed."
"Don't listen to him Van." Moonbay said giving Hilz a evil smile. "You know he's lying."
"Am I. Tell them Ryss, am I lying." Hilz looked over at Ryss and could tell she was hesitating.
Van looked at Hilz, furious with him. "Then tell me Hilz, what is so special about Fiona."
"I don't know, but I know this. In time the entire universe will know. Because like I said, even Fiona herself doesn't understand who she is." Hilz smiled and began to push a few buttons on the console. "She was reborn when placed in the pod, she was like a new born child with a secret that has remained dead for centuries. And you have awaken that secret, and I must say Zoid Eve thanks you for that."
Van's angry expression turned to one of surprise. "Zoid Eve?"
"You think you have finally understood what Zoid Eve truly is." Hilz pushed another button. "Van, the quest for Zoid Eve has only begun. And soon it will end."
Van's anger quickly returned. "So you want to bring back the Death Stinger, and what take over the planet."
Hilz laughed. "That was Prozen's dream. His ambitions were far too complicated. Prozen wanted to enslave the universe and rule it for all eternity. Me, I simply want to kill it."
"Your insane you know that!" Van shouted.
Hilz only smiled and pointed to the pod. "That man right there is over 450 years old, yet he only looks 25. He was born in this pod and has slowly grown there for years. When Prozen had become Prime Minister to the Empire, he secretly reopened this facility and began to reconstruct the Death Sauer. But as we all know, you made sure that wouldn't happen." Hilz pushed a final button and watched as the green pod began to shatter, a hissing sound filling the air as water shot out.
"We have to get out of here!" Ryss shouted, watching how everyone except Van ran. "Van, we have to get out of here!"
Van ignored her, he just stared at Hilz's eyes.
"The war has only begun Van, and we are far from finishing it." Hilz said, watching as the tall man fell out of the pod.
Van turned and ran out, hearing Hilz's laughter as he did.
Raven looked up at the sun, beginning to set down on the horizon as the stars and moons slowly began to appear. He looked over at Alice, holding her hand tightly, not ready to let her go.
"What are you going to do about that man?" Alice asked, looking at him, smiling.
Raven had forgotten about Jason. "Find him and kill him."
Alice stopped him and wrapped her arms around his chest, resting her hand on his shoulder blades. "Just come back alive, and Ill be happy."
Raven felt her kiss him, kiss his lips and cheeks gently. "Ill come back." Raven looked at Alice, loving her smile and her childish laughter. But Raven's eyes dimmed as he watched her smile die, and her laugh become a shriek of pain and terror. "Alice!" Raven looked and saw Shadow, his teeth dug deeply into her back. "Shadow! What are you doing!" Raven watched the Organoid release her and take off into the sky. "Shadow!" Raven shouted. "Shadowwww!!" He was furious but turned back to look down at Alice, she held her back, hiding the wound from Raven. "Are you all right?"
Alice smiled, feeling him gently pick her head up. "I'm."
Raven felt a tear run down his face,
followed by many more as he looked at the vicious wound on her back. "You're.
You're." Raven tried the find the word he dreaded. "You're dying." His voice
was filled with sorrow, tears running down his face like a leaky faucet.
"I'm sorry raven." Alice said, rubbing her bloody hand through his black hair. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."
Raven didn't say anything, he sat there, feeling her hand run slowly through his hair and his cheek. He ignored the blood on him, he ignored the man next to him who had rushed over after hearing the screams. He ignored everything. "Don't. Don't be." He held her, watching her breathing slow down. "Ill miss you." Raven watched as she tried to talk, but her voice was gone. But he knew what she said, he could tell by the movement made by her lips. "I love you Raven." Raven watched as her eyes rolled back and closed, her smile gone forever. Finally he heard the man who had run towards them.
"Is she all right?"
Raven looked at him, giving him a smile as he still found it hard to believe. "Yea, she's jus. Just resting a little." He raised her head so the man could see. "Just resting."
The man saw the blood all over him, but he also saw the ring on Alice's finger so he said nothing and walked away.
Raven looked down at her. "You'll be ok, right Alice." He knew he was lying to himself, but what else could he do. He raised her hand and looked at the ring. "Until we die." He gently put her head down on the ground and kissed her cold lips just as easy and gently one last time. He stood up and dug a shallow grave, putting her body in it and covering it up. Raven took off her ring and looked at it, slightly dyed red with blood, he put it in his pocket and wiped the tears off of his face. "I swear Ill kill you." Raven's voice was low and terrifying, his eyes bloodshot from all of the rage swelling up in his body and his muscles tense from the adrenaline rushing through his veins. "Ill kill you Jason!" Raven yelled towards the sky like a wolf yelling at a moon. Now though he looked down at the ground, his body ready to fight and kill, his fists tightly clenched together. "You to Shadow." He said with his jaws clamped shut. "Ill find you and kill you." Raven turned and stormed away, kicking a rock. He ran back to the city and found the vendor who he had bought the ring from. "I want the Hellcat."
The man looked at him and smiled. "Sure, how much are you going to pay up?"
Raven grabbed the man by the throat, choking the life out of him slowly. "I want the Hellcat!"
Raven released his grip and the man nodded, taking him to the Zoid.
Raven got in and wasted no time, the Zoid streaked off into the sunset. The old Raven had returned, and only one thing rested permanently in his mind. Vengeance.
Fiona woke up, looking around the dark tent. "Van." She said softly, once again she felt something happen to him, something terrible. "Van!" Fiona shouted and stood up, quickly getting dressed and running out of the tent.
"Something wrong Fiona?" O'Connell asked, still drowsy as he got up. The scream had woken him up.
"Van's in trouble!" Fiona said loudly, not caring if she woke up the camp.
"He is?" O'Connell stared at her. "Where is he?"
Fiona looked at him, and closed her eyes as she did her best to feel for Van, trying to find him and why he was in danger. "A dark place." Then the image of a red haired man flashed in her mind. "Hilz. Hilz is back!"
"What!" O'Connell yelled. "Hang on ill." But he watched as Fiona took a Spinosapper and quickly left. "Least she could have done is tell me where she's going."
Fiona looked up at the night sky, still not sure why van was in trouble but she knew he was. And Hilz, why was Hilz back. None of this was making any sense to her and she wished it would very soon. But in the end she smiled simply because she would see Van again, and this time she wouldn't leave him.
Jason looked at the statue, watching it give off a slight glow. "Dort ist noch etwas, den Sie mich will, zu machen?" Jason asked, bowing his head.
"Wir werden auf Hilz und Lucifer warten, wenn sie die Aufgabe dann wir vollenden, nichts werden haben. Aber wenn sie versagen, seien Sie Chancen des Gewinnens werden werden dünn."
Jason raised his head and nodded, obeying the command she had given him. He walked out and listened as the stone gate slowly closed behind him.
"What did she want?" Drake asked.
"We wait for Hilz, if he succeds then we do nothing."
"And if he fails?"
Jason looked up at him. "Then are chances will become very, very bad."
"Even with the Tiger?"
Jason turned and looked at the pink cocoon, watching it glow brightly, beneath it one of the greatest evils life has ever seen, and the beast that was created to rid the universe of evil. He sighed and turned back to Drake. "I don't know."
Authors Notes: Well, tell me what ya think. Nice chapter which is bringing back a lot of the stuff that made the anime one of the best out there.