Just outside the large, rising canyons, was where the now-foursome and their organoids were camping. Ryss and Hiltz were setting up a fire to warm themselves, and Raven was just placing the girl on the ground. He took his cloak off and set it down, making sure it was large enough to not only keep her from getting dirty, but also could soften the hard ground for her. Gently, he set her on it, then looked towards his black organoid.

"Shadow, get my blanket out of the box in the Genobreaker," he ordered Shadow, and then stared at the black and green organoid for a moment.

"I suppose you are this girl's organoid," Raven wondered aloud, tilting his head curiously.

Mystic nodded her head and looked back down at the girl affectionately, almost motherly. Shadow returned with the blanket, quickly, and handed it to Raven. Raven took the blanket without hesitation, and wrapped it around the girl, snuggly, making sure it would keep her warm.

An hour or so later, Hiltz and Ryss sat at the fire they had just made, both pondering over Raven's recent actions.

"Hiltz, he's getting soft on us," stated the puzzled Ryss, giving an odd glare towards her redheaded companion, who sat just across from her, on the other side of the blazing, dancing fire.

"I do not know, Ryss. He was so much stronger and ruthless, even when we met back up with him," Hiltz answered, bewildered at what was going through the younger man's mind at this moment.


ADVANCE \d4"He's been by her side for an hour now. What is he thinking? " Ryss was cut off by Hiltz's cold stare and harsh interruption of a comment made by none other than Hiltz.

"No. His heart is to hardened to be in that state," Said the man, a brooding look coming over him, taking the place of his puzzled expression. His response from Ryss was a stare towards the ground. Specular gently nudged her mistress compassionately. 

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For a long while now, Raven had been sleeping, having dozed off while watching over the 'prisoner' of his. He only awoke by a slight shuffling noise, and a quiet brush of clothing. His eyes opened, and then widened when he realized something. The cloak, which he had laid the girl on, was now covering him. He sat up and stared around for a moment. It was still early in the morning, before the first rays of light would begin to beam over the horizon. Raven looked toward the fire, and there she was, sitting cross-legged in front of the fire, with the blanket rapped around her.

That black and green organoid was sitting next to her, and both were just staring down, emptiness etching their features. After throwing the cloak off and staring for a moment, Raven stood and walked towards the girl.

"May I sit next to you?" he asked when he stood next to her, compassion lacing his usually stern and proud voice. The girl responded with a modest nod, studying Raven for a moment before looking back towards the ground.

"What's your name?" inquired Raven, looking forward toward the fire, trying not to look to interested in her.

"My name is Raena, or that's the name they gave me. Most people call me Rae," the girl answered, still looking forward, also trying not to look too interested. Or maybe she was just lost in thought....

"Is this your organoid?" Raven asked, this time giving a studious glance towards the green and black organoid.

"No, I had just found her before you came across me. May I ask what your name might be?" Raena replied, continuing to study the ground intensely.

"I am called Raven, and that black organoid over there is Shadow. He was given to me," Raven commented, motioning towards Shadow, who was now awake and coming towards the three.

"Who are those other people?" asked Rae politely, glancing towards the sleeping Hiltz and Ryss. They had positioned themselves on the other side of the fire, and were snuggly wrapped in blankets of their own.

"The girl is Ryss and her organoid is Specular, the blue one. Hiltz is the man, his organoid is the red one, Ambient," answered Raven, now looking at Rae.

"Oh," was the only reply of the quiet girl.

"Why were you in that bush, where I found you?" Raven questioned, finally getting his thoughts out. He had been pondering over why she had been hiding in the bush with such fright.

ADVANCE \d4"I was hiding. I didn't want to go back to prison -- " The girl began, only to stop herself, at realization that she probably would have been better off not mentioning the prison.  "Oh! I shouldn't have said that! Please don't take me back to the prison!!!"

Panicking, the girl first looked forward, then to Raven, gazing into his eyes as a tear formed, then ran down her cheek. That single tear seemed to move something inside of Raven. It mattered not if it was the way it glistened so brightly in the firelight, or how deeply sorrowful it made this beautiful young girl look… But it certainly had it's affect. 

Rae buried her face in her hands, to hide the tears, which were beginning to come in full. Suddenly Raven felt another strong feeling arise in him. This one he knew what it was. It was sorrow. . . And how he despised it.

::I WILL not soften to this invasive feeling. I have a mission and cannot allow flaws.:: He kept thinking over and over to himself for a moment, trying to force the feelings and emotions out of himself.

"I -- I do not know what to do with you. We will see," he stated, a sudden roughness and irritation returning to his voice, taking over his recent compassion.


ADVANCE \d4He looked away, his expression changing from kindness to hatred, along with his voice, entire presence. Before anything else happened, he stood and walked away, scowling again like he had done so much, and so often before.

Just then, the sun peeked over the horizon. Rae and Raven had been too engrossed in their conversation to notice it creeping up slowly upon them. Ryss stretched and yawned, rising with the sun like usual. Hiltz also sat up, keeping a silent fact to himself: he had been listened to Rae and Raven the whole time.

Raven hopped into his genobreaker and called out, "Everyone get up. It's time to leave. Prozen will want us to accomplish this as fast as possible!"

Ryss scambled to her feet, quickly, and then hurried to put the fire out. Hiltz stood up and nodded his head in approval, also made his way to his own zoid: the Death Sting.

After Ryss put out the fire, she grabbed Rae by the hand and shouted to Raven and Hiltz, "What are we going to do with the girl!?"

"The girl has a name you know. We're keeping her until Prozen tells us what to do with her," was Raven's answer as he closed the cockpit door and got ready to leave.

"Looks like you're coming with us. You'll come in my zoid for now. You're organoid can run along side us," Ryss sharply told the girl, taking her hand and leading her to her blue genosaur.

Rae looked down and just nodded her head, thinking she was blessed that she didn't have to go back to prison. Ryss helped her climb into the cockpit and Rae took a small seat behind Ryss's. As Ryss sat down, the cockpit door began to slowly close, and she initiated the zoid to follow Raven and Hiltz, who were already on their way.

"What is your name, how old are you, and where did you come from? I should at least know this information about one of our prisoners," Ryss asked with a rough tone, but a hint of friendliness and concern was evident.

"My name is Rae. I do not know how old I am. People that were in charge of the prisoner center found me in a capsule, or so they say," Rae started, but stopped abruptly, a strange look washing over her face.

"Oh. Why did they take you prisoner I wonder. . .?" Ryss softly questioned, staring at her controls.

"They needed me for research. They wouldn't tell me for what, though…" Rae replied, her voice trailing off as she went into deep thought. Ryss continued to stare, trying to pretend she didn't care.

::I wonder. No, she couldn't be. I highly... but why would she tell me about a capsule...::

ADVANCE \d4

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Mid-day the group stopped for a sort of pit-stop, getting out and stretching their legs. Large canyons surrounded them, rising out of the flat sands for miles and miles. Raven and Hiltz had been standing, waiting for Ryss to catch up, her zoid being slower than theirs. When Ryss hopped out, then Rae, Raven just had to catch a glimpse of her, to make sure she was alright. The affect of the sun's rays shone on the ebonhaired girl's face made Raven want to melt. Of course, his mind was too stubborn to conform with his heart, and he only scowled. When Rae looked over to see Raven scowling at her, she immediately looked away with a soft sigh.

Raven trudged off, trying to avoid the curious look from Hiltz, and the jealous glare from Ryss. After he was out of ear-shot, he turned around the his organoid who'd followed him. Shadow was always loyal. . . Maybe too much so for his own good. Although, sometimes Raven knew that Shadow had a mind of his own, and an agenda of his own to pursue.

"Shadow. What's wrong with me. I can't stand this!" the young warrior asked his organoid, who in return made a soft roaring noise.

::Rrrrr:: (You're in love, admit it!)

ADVANCE \d4"NO! I am not! Do not speak of such things!" he shouted back, blushing, and getting a mortified look on his face.

The orgnanoid just shook it's head and stared at him, grinning (can organoids grin?). Shadow was beginning to get on his nerves with this whole love thing. A feeling crept up on Raven again, the one where he knew someone was watching him. He turned his head to see Ryss gazing at him in silent adoration.


ADVANCE \d4"Must she stare at me?" Raven sighed. "It makes me so nervous!"

After a few moments, Hiltz had the group move to on top of one of the giant cliffs, and there they all sat and waited for what Hiltz had planned. According to Ryss, they were waiting for a special force sent out by the Empire, known as "The Chronos Force." Presumably they were going to meet with some top officials on an important matter of some sort, in a fortress that they could see well from where they waited.

Rae sat away from all the others, sulking as usual. Her emerald eyes seemed distant and far, lost in her thoughts of much. 

"Mystic, why do they hate me? Why does everyone hate me?" she asked her loyal companion, who was of course standing by her side. Mystic gazed at the distressed girl with much compassion, and sighed as she nudged her lovingly.

"I see that the organoid has grown quite fond of you," said an arrogant and rough voice from behind her. Rae turned around to face the malicing, mischievous grin from Hiltz.

"What are we doing here Hiltz?" Rae asked as she studied the odd glint in his fiery eyes.

"Wait and see," was the cold reply of Hiltz, who then turned around and walked off.

Rae looked down again, drowning herself in the sea of her thoughts.

"They're up to no good. I know that much," Mumbled she, with disgust and defiance. Hiltz was definitely someone that loved to torture. . . And Ryss also. Especially with the mind. . . And both were very cunning. Raven. . . Raven was a different story. She really thought he might have some good in him. Well, Ryss too, but she was so hard to look into.

Another moment passed before Rae stood to her feet, and with Mystic at her heels, walked off to find Raven. She found him sitting near the edge of a cliff, alone with Shadow.

"Raven, what are you going to do here?" Rae questioned, standing in front of Raven with her hands on her hips.

Raven looked up, and slowly his lips upturned into a vile smirk. They parted only to released a laugh, pleased at her annoyance.

"You will find out soon enough." Raven answered mischievously, the got to his feet and glared at Rae. Shadow stirred from his spot to stand by Raven's side, giving the girl a sighing shrug. Raven mumbled something under his breath as he walked off, Shadow at his heels.

"OH! He's so rude and arrogant!" the bothered Rae said with an irritated tone, almost on the verge of frusterated tears. Mystic gave a sigh, shaking her head. "Why do you avoid me? Why do all of you avoid me?" Her voice asked quietly, crying with loneliness and sorrow.

Raven only walked on, pretending to ignore the girl. Only his heart was aching for her, noting the tender, bitter-sweet her voice took on out of emotional pain.

"RAVEN!" Rae shouted, loud enough for her plea to be heard echoing off of the surrounding canyons. This time, Raven stopped.

"I have told you before not to talk to me. You will find out what we are doing in a day! Then we might make use of you and maybe you will be worth something to us." Raven replied, facing ahead with his eyes closed, an evil smirk planted in his lips, and his arms folded across his chest with arrogant pride.

A crystalline tear formed, and slowly ran down Rae's cheek. She shook her head, rubbing the tear away from herself, and walking off to be in the cool shade of the Deathsting. Mystic glared at Raven and ran to catch up with her mistress, raging at Raven's pride, and how it caused Rae much pain.

After a second, Raven permitted himself to turn his head, and look towards Rae. She was now sitting against on the zoid's legs, and had hugged her knees to her chest, forming herself into a ball. Her trembling hinted at her sobbing. His heart ached so bad. Why had he been such a bastard to the poor girl? For the moment, he had to go and think somewhere. Somewhere that his thoughts wouldn't be interrupted by a scheming Hiltz, or a drooling Ryss. . . Or even the beautiful prisoner of theirs.

The raven-haired boy sighed, looking up at his Genobreaker in awe, silently adoring it. After-all, it was his zoid, and he was one with it by now. That's where he would go. He would go off somewhere for a while and think. . . Quickly and discretely, he hopped into his zoid and took off, even leaving his loyal Shadow behind.

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On the morn of the following day, Raven came back from his thinking, and landed his Genobreaker near the Deathsting. His eyes searched busily for the ever-sad Rae, and quickly spotted her laying a little way away from the sleeping Ryss. Hiltz wasn't too far, gazing out upon the rising-sun. But Raven's eyes quickly averted to Rae, who was just now stirring. The newly-born rays of the bright sun lit her pale face up, bringing the most ethereal beauty about her. Raven's eyes softened as he gazed upon her in wonderment.

"Raven! What the hell are you doing?" shouted a perplexed Hiltz, now glaring at him from below. Raven, in response, shook his head, hopped off of his zoid, and walked past Hiltz with not so much as a word.

Hiltz growled, but immediately stopped when he heard a slight noise coming from the distance. His ears perked and he turned his head. Slowly, a menacing smirk played his lips.

"They're hear. . ." his voice taunted eerily, and Ryss came to his side, just having woken. Rae was also up by now, and near the duo of evil.

"What is that?" she asked softly, studying the small force of zoids.

"That is the Chronos Force. That is who we're targeting." Informed Ryss.

"Oh, what do you mean by 'targeting'?" inquired the girl with concern noticeable in her green eyes.

"We will do away with them. Kill them. First them, then the Guardian Force." Ryss spat the words Gardian Force out like a detestable poison.

"Are they evil?" was Rae's next question. Ryss's laughter began, and she howled at the girl's innocent question.

"They're about as innocent and 'good' as they get. That's the main reason we're exterminating them. They're always interfering with our plans." She said after containing her laughter.

"What kind of plans do you make?" another innocent question.

"Well, Hiltz wants to wipe out everyone who is weak. Raven wants to make sure every zoid on Zi is done with. I just want to bring suffering to the entire planet of aliens that have invaded the precious planet of Zi, home of the Ancient Zoidians." Apparent irritation was growing in Ryss's voice.

"Oh. Why?" Blinked Rae, her mind not fully comprehending as to why someone would want to do those things.

"Ooooo! Just shut up!" Ryss finally yelled at the girl with extreme aggravation, and her eyes blazing with disgust.

Rae looked down and squeezed her eyes shut, wincing at the manner of Ryss's voice. They all seemed to yell at her more than enough. . . Maybe it was enough. Maybe it wasn't enough.

"Alright. Time to slaughter!" Hiltz's voice implied extreme pleasure, making Rae's mind want to hurl. What was with these people? Why did they enjoy pain so much? Rae's face suddenly became evidently filled with concern. Something suddenly turned a light on in her mind, and her eyes widened.

She rushed over toward the Death Sting and shouted, "You can't do this! It's insane and wicked!"

Hiltz didn't listen, and instead shut the cockpit door to the giant scorpion-zoid. Ryss was already in her zoid and Raven was headed toward his. Rae raced toward Raven and grabbed his arm, clinging on as if for dear-life.

"NO! Do not do this!" she frantically demanded, tears starting to form and run down her cheeks

"And what makes you think I won't? Huh?" Raven smartly asked.