Disclaimer: Same as before

Chap. 13

Global Cortex

Aria was in her garage sitting by her signature core, Firewave. However, if anyone was close enough, they would have heard her actually speaking quietly to her machine.

"It was nice. He was nice. No, he was a complete gentleman. I never met anyone like him. No, I didn't...well I did, kind of. It wasn't like that. I feel...a connection with him. Would you stop asking that? I wanted to, I mean really wanted to, but he wasn't ready for it. I don't know, it's a feeling. I don't know if I'll see him again. Well, he is a Raven after all. You're right, I shouldn't think like that. Do you think he'll want to see me again? Thank you."

"Hiya, up there!"

Aria turned around and looked down to the direction of the voice. It was Diana.

"Hello. Can I help you?"

"Don't you remember me? I'm Diana."

Aria slid down the ladder, "I remember your face, but I didn't get your name before. So you're Diana?"

"Yep, the one and only. Pilot of AC Cloak."

"You were the one who set us up. May I ask why?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to offend you or anything. But you're the first person I've seen Cain even remotely take an interest of. And after that little scene on that joint mission, well, I just couldn't help myself."

"On the mission?"

"Oh you know. When he came to your aid and helped you out of your AC, putting himself in danger like that to help you."

Aria's face began to redden, "You...saw that?"

"Yep. It was like something out of a fairy tale. The noble knight comes to the aid of his beloved princess. And the way Glaive carried your Firewave. Oh, I almost broke into tears over that."

Aria began to regain some control, "He is a strange man. He would have done the same for his partner."

Diana nodded, "That is true, which is why in he did it with you means something." Diana smirked, "Am I right?"

"I...don't know. Who are you to him? Are you...his girlfriend?"

Diana laughed aloud, "Hahahahahaha!!!! That's a good one. I almost wish that were true. No, I date his partner, Koemai. The other name on the letter."

"Oh, now it makes sense."

"Well, now that that's out of the way, you have to tell me how your date with him went."

"Why don't you ask Koemai? I'm sure he's asked Cain and knows what happened by now."

"Yeah, but he's gone on an arena battle. Both of them actually. Besides, it's a lot better to hear it from a woman's viewpoint."

Aria smiled as she thought for a moment before nodding, "Okay."

The garage arena...

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Both AC's rammed into each other with great force, their blades clashed and sparking with energy. After several seconds, the AC's backed away and Darkhand immediately began firing. Glaive had to retreat. Had to be in his stage, didn't it? Darkhand's continued his barrage of energy blasts.

"Forget it, Glaive. In this place, I am the master and I MAKE THE RULES!!!!!!!"

Darkhand fired another blast, but Glaive managed to duck behind one of the pillars and fire a grenade shot. Darkhand barely avoided the deadly fireball and now Glaive was coming at him. Great. How did that happen? Glaive continued to rain fire down at Darkhand, but Darkhand wasn't out yet. Using the OB, he flew past Glaive and spun around. Locked on, he fired a shower of energy beams, forcing Glaive to retreat once again. Darkhand began to chase him again as he continued his relentless assault. A few of the beams hit Glaive, damaging his armor. Glaive suddenly shot himself forward straight at Darkhand and fired. Darkhand was caught off guard, but was even more surprised when he saw that Glaive didn't fire at him, but rather at the power panel on the wall. The panel exploded and the lights flashed briefly before dimming out. Darkhand didn't understand why Glaive did that, but as he looked around, he couldn't find Glaive anywhere.

"What the...? Where is he?"

Suddenly, a white-blue glow emerged and Glaive came at Darkhand full speed, slashing him across the core. Figures that he couldn't find me. He never uses his radar. Darkhand fired back, but missed due to the fact that Glaive was too close. Glaive slashed out again and nicked the Karasawa rifle. Darkhand retreated, his weapon damaged and unable to use. He would have to rely on his blade. He just realized that this stage may work more to Glaive's advantage than his. I...don't have a choice. Darkhand detached all of his weapons except for his blade. As he predicted, Glaive suddenly stopped his attack and detached his grenade and ignited his own blade. If he could have seen Cain's face, he could be sure it had a smile on it. But that thought disappeared when Glaive charge and struck Darkhand. However, the damage was minimal and Darkhand struck back, his blade slashing across Glaive's core. Glaive retreated back and Darkhand came in a fury of slashes and swipes. Glaive blocked and parried the blows, but made no move to fight back.

"What's the matter, Glaive? Too much for you?"

Glaive didn't respond as he deflected another two slashes. Darkhand came, even harder.

"What are you waiting for? Fight me!"

Darkhand made another slash and suddenly Glaive swung upward, clashing with shattering blow that threatens to take off Darkhand's arm. Fortunately, the arm held in place, although it did rattle a bit. Darkhand backed away and so did Glaive. Both pilots were breathing heavily, but were about to resume their battle when a loud explosion interrupted them. A giant hole had been blown open and a swarm of MT's dropped in and began firing on the two Ravens. Glaive and Darkhand swooped back behind the pillars.

"Who are these guys?" Glaive wondered aloud. Privately, he thought, Those MT's have the Controller's insignia on them.

Darkhand on the other hand, was enraged, "How dare they interrupt my match!"

Glaive looked at his partner/opponent. Uh, oh. It was a well known fact that if there was one thing you didn't want to do to him was interrupt a match.

Darkhand's eyes glow angrily, as though it conveyed the anger of the pilot.

Inside, Koemai opened a CD track and inserted a CD. Loud music filled the cockpit and Darkhand went into a berserker rage on the invading MT's. The lyrics of the song filled his ears as he brutally slashed down on the MT.

Let the bodies hit the......FLOOR!!!!!!

Let the bodies hit the floor!

Let the bodies hit the floor!

Let the bodies hit the floor!

Let the bodies hit the floor!

Let the bodies hit the......FLOOR!!!!!

Darkhand was merciless as his single blade massacre creamed everything in front off him. Meanwhile Glaive fought his own share of MT's. As he did, he was astonished by his friend's wrath until he noticed the sparks emitting from the joint of the left arm. That arm won't last long. Darkhand continued fighting, blinded by his anger and unaware of the damage. All he cared about was destruction as his blade brought havoc on the MT's. But another MT landed, more heavily armed. Glaive shot toward.

"Darkhand, look out!"

Darkhand then became aware of the threat, but could do nothing as the MT fired its laser cannon.

"No!"

The beam hit Darkhand dead on, but that didn't stop the enraged Raven as he blasted toward the MT and in one strike, impaled it with his blade. The MT exploded and crumbled to the ground, taking the AC's arm with it. Then Darkhand itself knelt to the ground, badly damaged. Glaive came toward him.

"Darkhand, come in. Darkhand? Koemai, respond!"

"Ha! Never mess with the dark hand vengeance."

"This may sound like a silly question, but are you alright over there?"

"Never better. Ughhh. But I'm a little beat up over here. I'm going to need help."

"Alright, I'm on my way." Glaive stumbled toward his comrade, noting the various destroyed MTs, "You are truly a berserker, you know that. You played that song again, didn't you?"

"Well, of course. They deserved it." His tone turned serious, "Why did those guys attack us? Who were they?"

"They were from the Controller. And as for why they attacked us, your guess is as good as mine."

Looking back at the hole, Cain shook his head. But I doubt we've seen the last of them.

So what do you think? I just had to use that song in this to fully describe what goes on in Koemai's head when he fights. Yeah, he's a real psycho.