My Morphine

Chapter Nineteen: Girl.

Meara sat by the grand bay window in her room, staring out at the deserted land before her. She was in no mood for anything, not even playing tricks on the pathetic soldiers.

"Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored…" she chanted endlessly, swinging her foot in time. She was restless and bored to tears and missing Reese quite a bit. She shook her foot with annoyance as she plucked the multicolored petals from the vase of flowers Reese had brought up. The petals formed a little pile on the sill, collecting until there were none left to pick. She let out an aggravated sigh and looked out the window again, seeing a Great Sabre approaching. She knew that Zoid from a distant memory, the thought making her shudder, filling her with fear. Her staff jingled loudly as she grabbed it and ran from the room.

Karl and Mizuno both looked up from the papers they were reading at a knock on the door to the Colonel's office.

"Come in," He said as Meara stepped in, chewing nervously on her bottom lip.

"Hey," Mizuno said, then noticed her expression. "What's wrong?"

Her lips moved but no sound came out till finally, a squeak. "He's here."

"Who?" He asked as he and his partner stood.

"F-father." She said, clinging to him.

"General Arthur James Holden, requesting clearance." A middle aged man's voice boomed through the speakers. The heavy gates opened, letting the Zoid in.

"What could he want?" Mizuno thought aloud as Karl stepped out of the office, the two following cautiously into the hall.

"Where are Project 01, Project 02 and Project 03?!" he bellowed as Raven stepped up to the three, Thomas following quickly behind.

"Raven! What's going on? Tell me, please…" The younger Schubaltz said, his catlike eyes full of worry.

The maverick avoided his gaze, and met the others'. "So, my vision was true."
"Unfortunately." Karl said as Thomas made Raven look at him.

"What the hell is going on?! Who is that man and what is he talking about?!"
"He is our Father, Keeper of the 3 Projects."
"But, what does that mean? What 'project'? I've never heard of such a thing."

"The 'Project' was us three . 'Project Raptor', as it was codenamed was designed to take children that displayed 'unnatural' and potentially 'dangerous abilities' and exploit them. Mizuno and Meara had inherited their talents from their mother, who mysteriously vanished as the Project was being conjured up and I, a half Zoidian who showed 'potential'. The Goal was to use us against the Republican forces during the wars. We were trained to be the perfect soldiers, we were trained to kill. Prozen held some control in this and was the only one in the upper workings who gave a crap about our well-being. We stayed a part of this for about 7 years, till Karl told us something really shady was going on and helped us escape. We went back to Prozen, or, rather, should I say, Meara and I. Mizuno was separated from us till the death…or not-so-death of Hiltz. Prozen, then, took control of the Project and modified it, making us under his control, then leading us to the rebel-faction we were, trying to eliminate Elise Lynette." Raven answered.

"B-but what does he want?" Thomas whispered as the dark haired teen rested against him.

"Most likely to start up Project Raptor again."

"Bring me the Projects at once!" The man raged as Raven stepped out into the daylight, the others following.

"Quit your bloody yelling, we're right here." he said as the General smirked.

"So, there you are. You've grown well 03, all of you, 01, 02."

"We have names," the young woman growled. "Our mother gave them to us."
"Feisty as always, Meara." he chuckled lowly. "Now, I've come to tell you that Project Raptor is back up and running and in my capable hands, since, a dead man cannot possibly do the job."
"Prozen is not dead." Raven objected.

"He's still worthless."

"Shut up! He is my Father! Don't you dare deride him!--"

"That's alright, Raven. Let him say as he pleases." the ashen haired man said, stepping up. Meara snuffled and gave her brother a quick nuzzle and wedged herself in-between Prozen and Hiltz, leaving him with Karl. "It's been a long time, Arthur."
"Hn, Gunter…you have no place working on Project Raptor anymore."

"And nor do you, seeing as it would violate the peace treaty of the Guylos Empire and the Helic Republic."
"Hn! Peace treaty…" he spat, "There is no such thing until the glorious Guylos Empire controls all of Zi!"
"Well, that's your opinion, but you have no power over them anymore. The three belong to me, now, and I have set them free."

"Gunter, Gunter, Gunter. That useless half-breed is yours, I'll concede to that, but Mizuno and Meara are mine. They are my children, do what you want with 03, but they are mine."

Prozen bit his lip, knowing there wasn't any legal loophole or codicil to disprove him.

"We are not going with you." Mizuno spoke up, stepping forward, Raven doing the same.

"I won't let you!"

"You…" He sneered, glaring at the Maverick. "You have no right to speak to me like that. I remember you, how you used to look at my daughter, and how when you were 'safe' all you did was put her in more danger.--"

"Shut up…" Meara growled, pulling from the two elder's comforting embrace. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" She shrieked, storming up to stand beside her brother and best friend. "I challenge you! I'll show you what you've created!" She hissed. "You will fight us and see. If you can beat Mizuno and I, we'll join you. But, if we win…you will die."
"How unfair of you." He mocked as she snarled.

"Do you agree or not?!"
"Fine, I accept. You have 24 hours. It will be a 2 on 1. Oh, we'll see…"

The bunch gathered in the hangar as Ambient created Meara a new Geno-Sniper.

Thomas clung to Raven, looking up at him. "I…I can't believe this…Fiona's gone, why is he still like this?"
"Because, perhaps, he liked what Elise Lynette had in mind." He said, resting his chin on the top of his head.

"Are you two sure you don't want any assistance?" Karl asked, holding Mizuno tight.

"What…? Are you, the great Colonel Karl Lichten Schubaltz suggesting we cheat?" the blonde said, bopping him on the nose with his index finger with a tiny smile crossing his lips. Karl sighed and gave him a mildly annoyed look.

"Besides, we don't need to cheat, we're gonna win. I know we will, we have to." Meara said, sitting and nuzzling into Prozen, who was being consoled by Hiltz.

"It's not fair….I'm so sorry, you two…" he said as the red haired man pulled his fingers through his long ashen tresses.

"Stop beating yourself up over it, love, there was nothing you could have done to prevent this." Meara nodded and wedged herself under his arm.

"Just…just be careful, both of you." Raven said softly.

The two pilots geared up and got in their Zoids.

"Care to discuss a strategy, sis?"

"Yeah, tear him to fucken bloody shreds." Came the spiteful remark as he laughed.

"Exactly what I had in mind."
The Geno-Sniper was perched on the cliff, hidden amongst the rocks and Mizuno's Gun-Sniper was standing below it. The Radar bleeped as a few more Zoids approached, the two tensing.

"Hey, chill out." Thomas said, noticing Meara was about to shoot through the Dibison's cockpit glass.

"We're not letting you go this entirely alone. We're gonna be here," Raven said.

"Just in case he decides to try and pull a fast one." Karl finished.

"Yeah, yeah. Just sit back and watch the carnage."

Soon, the Great Sabre appeared.

"My, my, quite the welcome party. Have the stakes changed?"
"No," Mizuno answered, "They're just here to watch."
"Hn. So, shall we begin?"
"C'mon."
The Geno-Sniper made the first move, using the long range rifle, just skimming past it as it dodged, moving into the blonde's line of fire. Mizuno smirked.

"Weasel unit, TOTAL ASSAULT!" The artillery of the Gun-Sniper unloaded upon the Great Sabre.

The pilot only laughed, avoiding another of Meara's shots, the dust clearing.

"You're so predictable. The Peregrine, with it's keen eyes, speed and deadly aim. The Hawk, with it's brute strength. Fools, I taught you how to fight--"
"Fuck you! We'll show ya what we're really made of. That was just a goddamn preview!" The brunette growled, jumping down from the ledge. "Mizu!"
The two sniper Zoids jumped on the Sabre, firing and biting on it. The substantially larger Zoid shook them off and fired the main gun at them both.

"Hah! Not bad, not bad at all, old man." Mizuno jeered as Meara cackled, inclining the head of the Geno-Sniper and raising its tail, firing the spike-missiles.

He grunted at the impact and glared at the Red Zoid.

"Bitch!" He snarled, swiping at her, the paw connecting solidly with the head of her Zoid, throwing it several yards.

"Meara!" Mizuno yelled.

She groaned, raising her head slightly. The Great Sabre loomed directly over her. The system was fading out as she smiled, moving the control to the arm ever-so-slightly. She pulled the trigger quickly, shooting into the chest of the Zoid. "Fire, Mizu!" She screamed as he did so.

The Great Sabre staggered back, blinded with rage. The Gun-Sniper stood in front of the fallen Geno-Sniper, then was hit with more fire. With a fatal hit, the Gun-Sniper's system froze.

"Oh, fuck…" he muttered, watching his sister crawl out from the broken canopy of her Zoid, battered and bruised. Mizuno jumped down and knelt beside her.

"You okay?"
"Why of course, never better." she said, swaying slightly, holding her right arm.

"Puny little weaklings…" He mused over the com as the 3 Zoids behind tensed.

Mizuno nudged at Meara, noticing a trail of slick, black oil leaking from the Zoid. An impish smile briefly passed her lips as he nodded.

"On three?"
"Yup." She flexed her good hand, feeling the magic gather and surge within. Mizuno rubbed his hands together, a small white-blue ball of electricity crackled as it pulled together.

"I win. That means you are mine, Units 01 and 02."

"Three!" he hissed, tossing the ball of electricity at the Great Sabre and as Meara touched her hand to the start of oil.

"Burn!" She yelled as the oil ignited and the electricity paralyzed the Zoid. Flames sprung up around them as Raven yelled.

"Shadow!"

Two Organoids, one black, one red, swooped down and lifted them above the danger.

"Thank you, Ambient, sweetie." She cooed from sitting behind his wings.

The pilot ejected and scrambled out, choking on the smoke.

"You little shits! How dare you do such a thing!?"
"Easy, really." Mizuno said as Meara sneered at him.

"Quite easy. Rule number one of Project Raptor--The ends justifies the means; win at any cost."

[To be continued.]

*Naomi Sniffles* One more chapter left! And then Acknowledgements. That is a long word I can not spell….o.o

Wa~ai, Mea and Mizu won. ^^ I seriously hate Arthur, I do. Hehe.

Mata ne, Minna!

~Naomi-chan.