Chapter Three: Rescue Ravyn

            The Shining Gundam pounded forward towards Shinjoukou, flanked by Jewel, Dragon, Blood and Shadow Gundam. The others of the Shuffle Alliance trudged just behind them. Domon could feel Schwartz Bruder's determination to find the Wild Ace, and the Astral Gundam.

            "Where is she? Do you know?" George asked him. Domon shook his head.

            "Alia, do you sense anything?" The King asked her.

            "Nope. How about you, Shikon?"

            "Yeah, a faint life force, small and thin. Not too strong. Try to sense it, look to the West."

            "Yeah… my God, Shiko! All that pain… the energy's feminine, though, no doubt about it, kinda dark and feathery."

            "That's her." Schwartz said, then, whispered softly, "I'm coming Ravyn, and then we'll take them out together. I promise." They left their Gundams hidden, pressing on by foot. Alia and Shikon led them forward, keeping the Ace's life force in their senses.

            "There she is!" A girl of nineteen or twenty was tied by a sash to an iron post, her head hanging so their view of her was obscured. Everyone ran forward, but Schwartz got there first, sliced through the knotted sash with his knife. The girl fell into his arms, and he gentle pushed the hair from her eyes.

            "Ow… oh, Schwartz… you came to rescue me." She fell back into semi-consciousness, a smile on her bruised, swollen lips. The masked man fairly shook with rage: Ravyn, clad in a black off the shoulder top and a pair of black shorts, was covered in bruises, most of them very dark and ugly, and thousands of deep cuts and scratches. Her shirt was ripped in numerous places, revealing bruised, lacerated flesh. Domon draped his cloak over her, gently, and Schwartz lifted her into his arms. One eye drifted open.

            "The King of Hearts… you are he?"

            "Yes."

            "I'm Ravyn, the Wild Ace. Pleased to meet you." Her eye closed again, and Domon started to turn away, but noticed a large red heart glowing on her right hand, with a black "A" and the words, "Wild Ace of Hearts." After seeing it, he turned away.

            "Come on, we'll take Ravyn to the Ghianna Highlands."

            "I don't think so." A malicious voice snapped.

            "Kyoji!" Domon cried in shock.

            "Yes, that's right. Dear Ravyn, do you really want to leave me all alone? You're such stimulating company."

            "Really?" Chibadee snapped at the Dark Gundam.

            "Yes, she's so fun to hit, and she bruises so easily. Plus, I like hearing her scream. She has a beautiful voice… makes you wanna rip her throat out."

            "You're sick, Kyoji!" Argo cried.

            "Now, you're jumping to conclusions. Numerous times, I've tried to kill her, but she's so beautiful when she's being strangled, I couldn't finish."

            "Shut up!" Schwartz shouted angrily, his body pulsing with hatred.

            "What? You're here? Damn ex-boyfriends… listen up, she's my plaything, so give her back."

            "Not a chance."

            "Fine. Take her. I'll just get her back when I kill the lot of you. Schwartz Bruder, I challenge you to a Gundam fight!"

            "I refuse."

            "What?"

            "I will not accept a fight in which Ravyn's life is the prize."

            "How sweet. Give her to me! What the- aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!" Kyoji fell to the ground, unconscious, and the white-haired girl with mercury eyes standing behind him, about ten years old, smiled and held up her right hand, which glowed with the symbol of a Wild Card. Sprinting over Kyoji's fallen body, she raced over to Saisashi and Shikon.

            "Thought you could use a hand," was all she said, but Schwartz had never been more happy to hear the Wild Joker, who was normally a pest when not fighting, in his life.

            "Thank you, Epona."

 "Hey, let's get out of here, before he wakes up." Chibodee said.