" And so the best way to handle the situation is to box them in and try not
to harm any of the civilians. Since they have hostages, a nonviolent
resolution could be the best way to handle this situation. As such."
Raven was paying no attention to his superior at their mission briefing. He was more concerned with the intruder that threatened his home and his family. Someone had invaded his privacy and decided they were going to take him out.
They had snuck around his home intending to bring harm to his loved ones. That man could have shot Seifer. He could have killed his son. Or worse, if he had been asleep, he wouldn't have heard him in time to do anything. He could have been shot. Or he could have missed and hit..
*Smash*
Raven broke the glass model in his hand. He didn't even want to think about what could have happened. That man was no problem of his anymore. The only trouble he'd have would be talking again. He hoped they had to wire his jaw shut.
" -Raven are you listening to me?!" Van cut into his thoughts.
Raven looked up at Van with a snarl on his lips. He was mad he wasn't listening. But when he saw his face, he forgot about being angry and replaced it with confusion.
" What's wrong? Why'd you break the model? Are you okay?" He asked concerned.
Raven simply 'hmph' and stalked out of the room.
******************
Raven had gone off to the gym. He had laced up his black boxing gloves and began beating up a bag ruthlessly. He pounded on it harder and harder each time. Soon sand was coming out of it. The bag would not be able to take much more of his punishment.
But his mind was elsewhere. He thought about what the amateur assassin had said to him. He seemed to believe everything that he had said. Even though he was scared, he intended to shoot Raven.
" I am a Guardian of Zi. I will rectify the mistake of the Emperor Rudolf by letting you live! Murderer! Die Dark One!!!"
*Gunshot*
" Raven?"
" Uragh!!" He roared launching one last punch.
This punch broke the bag from its hanging chain. It flew across the room and slammed into the wall on the other side.
Van was behind him. He was concerned. He could tell it in his voice. He hated it when people worried about him. Except Moonbay, she was special. She could do what she wanted.
He sighed and walked over to the curl-up bar. He didn't want to talk to Van. He'd get into his business and assume that he'd need his help. He hated it when people wanted to help him. It made him feel weak.
" Raven, what's going on? You've been acting weird all morning." Van said walking over to him.
" Nothing." He said unlacing the boxing gloves.
" That doesn't look like 'nothing'." He said pointing to the broken bag in the corner.
" Well that's what it is." He said pulling on black fingerless gloves that were white around the openings.
" What's going on Raven?" He asked.
" Get the gum outta your ears, I said there's nothing wrong!" He said pulling himself up on the metal bar.
" Raven, you and I are partners now. I'm not your enemy anymore. You can trust me. I want to help you." Van said.
" I don't want you to help me." Raven said pulling himself up more.
" .... Did something happen to Moonbay? Is she alright?!" He asked; starting to panic.
" She's fine." He growled.
" Thank goodness. So what's the problem?" He asked.
" For the love of all things metallic, will you just get offa my back!" Raven yelled.
" No!" He said grabbing hold of his arm.
Raven stopped and looked at Van in shock. He was serious and he wasn't going to let go. He really wanted to know what was bothering him. Moonbay said he should trust Van since she trusted him. She said that Van was a good person no matter how clueless he could be. He sighed and decided to take her advice.
" Do you really want to know?" He asked.
" Yes." Van said.
" I'll tell you if you ask nicely." He said.
" Alright then, please tell me what's wrong." He said.
" No." Raven said.
" But you just said-"
" Alright! Alright!" He said laughing.
Van was a bit offended, but soon he laughed too. Raven wasn't so bad. But the smile on his face faded as he remembered what Van had asked him.
" Someone tried to kill me last night." He said solemnly.
Van choked on his laughter and looked at him in shock. Raven got down from the bar and sat down on a bench.
" Someone tried to kill you?!" He almost shouted.
" Could you possibly be any louder?! I don't think the dead heard you!" Raven snapped.
" Who?" Van asked in a dangerous tone.
" Kick off the afterburners Van, I've taken care of him already. He won't be coming back anytime soon." He said looking away.
" Tell me what happened." He said sitting next to him.
" I was about to go to sleep. I heard this noise and I decided to go see what it was. I got Shadow to go around back. This amateur assassin with a crossbow was trying to break in. I snuck up on him. He started babbling about my freedom being a mistake and saying he would make sure I didn't kill anyone else. Then he took a shot. I caught the arrow and had Shadow dispose of him." He said taking a drink from his water bottle.
" Kuso. I knew something like this would happen. I knew someone would try and make a move on you." He said.
" She said that too. She was really scared. Seifer was up in the bed with her. He was the one comforting her though. I'm superman to that kid." Raven said; smiling at the thought of his family.
" And why shouldn't you be? Faster than a charge particle beam, more powerful than a Gojulas, able to destroy an entire enemy battalion in a single-"
" Shut up you dork!" He said laughing.
" I don't think you've got anything to worry about. This is just a one-time- thing. It's only natural some people be bitter towards you Raven. But don't let that get to you. You're human just like us and you're gonna make mistakes. Take it from me, civilians just don't understand." Van said.
" Maybe you're right. I gotta go check on Baybay and Seifer. I'll be back in time for the dispatch." He said getting up to get his duffle bag.
" I'll go with you. I gotta go see Fiona and Taylor before we go too." He said walking to his locker to get his own duffle bag.
" What kind of a name is Taylor? You do realize he'll be limping home everyday from school, don't you?" He said leaning in the doorway.
" And Seifer is better? He'll get detention just for being there. He'll be lucky if he's there through Christmas. I'd pray to God that he doesn't get thrown out." He said closing his locker.
" How'd you like to meet him in person?" Raven threatened holding a fist.
Van looked between him and the mangled punching bag.
" No. Thank. You!" He said waving his hands.
" That's what I thought. And besides, by Christmas, Seifer will rule the school and 'Taylor'," He sneered," Will still be in nursery school trying to count past 10."
" Hey!!!"
Raven was paying no attention to his superior at their mission briefing. He was more concerned with the intruder that threatened his home and his family. Someone had invaded his privacy and decided they were going to take him out.
They had snuck around his home intending to bring harm to his loved ones. That man could have shot Seifer. He could have killed his son. Or worse, if he had been asleep, he wouldn't have heard him in time to do anything. He could have been shot. Or he could have missed and hit..
*Smash*
Raven broke the glass model in his hand. He didn't even want to think about what could have happened. That man was no problem of his anymore. The only trouble he'd have would be talking again. He hoped they had to wire his jaw shut.
" -Raven are you listening to me?!" Van cut into his thoughts.
Raven looked up at Van with a snarl on his lips. He was mad he wasn't listening. But when he saw his face, he forgot about being angry and replaced it with confusion.
" What's wrong? Why'd you break the model? Are you okay?" He asked concerned.
Raven simply 'hmph' and stalked out of the room.
******************
Raven had gone off to the gym. He had laced up his black boxing gloves and began beating up a bag ruthlessly. He pounded on it harder and harder each time. Soon sand was coming out of it. The bag would not be able to take much more of his punishment.
But his mind was elsewhere. He thought about what the amateur assassin had said to him. He seemed to believe everything that he had said. Even though he was scared, he intended to shoot Raven.
" I am a Guardian of Zi. I will rectify the mistake of the Emperor Rudolf by letting you live! Murderer! Die Dark One!!!"
*Gunshot*
" Raven?"
" Uragh!!" He roared launching one last punch.
This punch broke the bag from its hanging chain. It flew across the room and slammed into the wall on the other side.
Van was behind him. He was concerned. He could tell it in his voice. He hated it when people worried about him. Except Moonbay, she was special. She could do what she wanted.
He sighed and walked over to the curl-up bar. He didn't want to talk to Van. He'd get into his business and assume that he'd need his help. He hated it when people wanted to help him. It made him feel weak.
" Raven, what's going on? You've been acting weird all morning." Van said walking over to him.
" Nothing." He said unlacing the boxing gloves.
" That doesn't look like 'nothing'." He said pointing to the broken bag in the corner.
" Well that's what it is." He said pulling on black fingerless gloves that were white around the openings.
" What's going on Raven?" He asked.
" Get the gum outta your ears, I said there's nothing wrong!" He said pulling himself up on the metal bar.
" Raven, you and I are partners now. I'm not your enemy anymore. You can trust me. I want to help you." Van said.
" I don't want you to help me." Raven said pulling himself up more.
" .... Did something happen to Moonbay? Is she alright?!" He asked; starting to panic.
" She's fine." He growled.
" Thank goodness. So what's the problem?" He asked.
" For the love of all things metallic, will you just get offa my back!" Raven yelled.
" No!" He said grabbing hold of his arm.
Raven stopped and looked at Van in shock. He was serious and he wasn't going to let go. He really wanted to know what was bothering him. Moonbay said he should trust Van since she trusted him. She said that Van was a good person no matter how clueless he could be. He sighed and decided to take her advice.
" Do you really want to know?" He asked.
" Yes." Van said.
" I'll tell you if you ask nicely." He said.
" Alright then, please tell me what's wrong." He said.
" No." Raven said.
" But you just said-"
" Alright! Alright!" He said laughing.
Van was a bit offended, but soon he laughed too. Raven wasn't so bad. But the smile on his face faded as he remembered what Van had asked him.
" Someone tried to kill me last night." He said solemnly.
Van choked on his laughter and looked at him in shock. Raven got down from the bar and sat down on a bench.
" Someone tried to kill you?!" He almost shouted.
" Could you possibly be any louder?! I don't think the dead heard you!" Raven snapped.
" Who?" Van asked in a dangerous tone.
" Kick off the afterburners Van, I've taken care of him already. He won't be coming back anytime soon." He said looking away.
" Tell me what happened." He said sitting next to him.
" I was about to go to sleep. I heard this noise and I decided to go see what it was. I got Shadow to go around back. This amateur assassin with a crossbow was trying to break in. I snuck up on him. He started babbling about my freedom being a mistake and saying he would make sure I didn't kill anyone else. Then he took a shot. I caught the arrow and had Shadow dispose of him." He said taking a drink from his water bottle.
" Kuso. I knew something like this would happen. I knew someone would try and make a move on you." He said.
" She said that too. She was really scared. Seifer was up in the bed with her. He was the one comforting her though. I'm superman to that kid." Raven said; smiling at the thought of his family.
" And why shouldn't you be? Faster than a charge particle beam, more powerful than a Gojulas, able to destroy an entire enemy battalion in a single-"
" Shut up you dork!" He said laughing.
" I don't think you've got anything to worry about. This is just a one-time- thing. It's only natural some people be bitter towards you Raven. But don't let that get to you. You're human just like us and you're gonna make mistakes. Take it from me, civilians just don't understand." Van said.
" Maybe you're right. I gotta go check on Baybay and Seifer. I'll be back in time for the dispatch." He said getting up to get his duffle bag.
" I'll go with you. I gotta go see Fiona and Taylor before we go too." He said walking to his locker to get his own duffle bag.
" What kind of a name is Taylor? You do realize he'll be limping home everyday from school, don't you?" He said leaning in the doorway.
" And Seifer is better? He'll get detention just for being there. He'll be lucky if he's there through Christmas. I'd pray to God that he doesn't get thrown out." He said closing his locker.
" How'd you like to meet him in person?" Raven threatened holding a fist.
Van looked between him and the mangled punching bag.
" No. Thank. You!" He said waving his hands.
" That's what I thought. And besides, by Christmas, Seifer will rule the school and 'Taylor'," He sneered," Will still be in nursery school trying to count past 10."
" Hey!!!"