Just so yal know, I'm not disin' people who believe in aliens in this chapter. So if anyone reading this happens to believe, then please don't get offended. I am not saying that all alien enthusiast are like the one portrayed here.

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Morning had come to the Orosis Mountains, golden and warm. Ice-gale was still. Silent. Like most sleepy little towns early in the morning. And Sikes' old house, where the Guardian Force was staying, was quiet as well.

The four friends were fast asleep in the living room. Quiet in their slumber; Van wasn't even snoring.

Complete silence.

……Boy, was that about to change.

"GOOOOOODDD MORNINGG GAURDIAN FORCE! THIIIISSS IS YOURRRR WAKE UP CALLLLL!"

"Nnnnnnnhh……five more minutes….," moaned a half-asleep Van.

"Hrhmmmm?" hummed Tom, barely even awake.

"……grawrrrr-rrrrghhhh," growled a sleepy Zeke, blinking his red optics, trying to clear them of slumber.

"Mmmmmmm……" murmured Fiona.

"COME ON YOOOUUU FOOOUURRR! UP AND AT'EM! WE GOTTA GET READDYY!"

Sikes, the local fanatic, was to say the least, very excited. Today was the day that he and the Guardian Force were going up on the mountain to the site of the supposed 'Flashing'. And he wanted to set off bright and early. So he decided that the best way to wake the four…….was to scream his lungs out into a bigass megaphone.

"Alright, we're awake…. We're AWAKE!" cried Van over the din.

"WELLL ABOUT TIME," said Sikes, still talking into the megaphone. Realizing this, he brought it away from his mouth. "We got lots of stuff to pack before headin out!"

"Stuff? What stuff? All of our equipment is in the Zoids," said Tom.

"Well duh! I'm talking about all MY stuff! The contacter, the mobile tracker, the…."

And the list went on.

And on.

And on…..

The four sweatdropped as the fanatic named off all of his devices, each one more radical than the last.

"AND I think that just about covers everything…Yup, that's all. So guys, MOVE'EM OUT!" said the pudgy fellow, pointing his fat finger.

40 minutes later….

Having loaded down the Liger and the Dibison with all the odd inventions that 'every good alien fanatic should have', the Guardian Force and company set off up the mountainside, following the road. The only reason the pilots had even agreed to this, was that Sikes would not come without his stuff. And, since they needed him as their guide, their only option was to go along with it. And so, Sikes was now riding in the back of the Liger with Fiona, practically bouncing in anticipation.

Van was not thrilled about this in the least, and had seriously considered stuffing him in the small cargo hold beneath the blade-liger. Since Fiona would not stand for that, the only option had been to let Sikes ride along.

So, as the Zoids treaded on, Sikes decided to fill the silence with his explanation of what a 'Flashing' was.

"You see, my theory is that a 'Flashing' is when the extraterrestrials arrive on the planet, after being beamed down onto Zi from the mother ship! The flash that follows is just the spare light particles that got caught and scatter when they are released from "the teleportation gravity", which keeps every thing together when in transition! That way, the 'otherworlders' are kept in one piece, instead of like, just their arm or something being beamed to the surface! And I've been seeing these 'Flashes' multiple times; I've got a lot on tape, too, to prove it! And all of them happened right before an abduction!"

"Look, that's great and all, but could you give me directions instead of talking about aliens and their 'telefarters' or whatever it is you called it?" asked an irritable Van. He was starting to regret not putting Sikes in that cargo hold, as he had previously planned; though, for different reasons…….

"What, you don't believe in aliens? Who else could possibly have the technology to abduct over two dozen people, with hardly to no eye witnesses?" asked Sikes, smirking slightly. To him, people who didn't believe in aliens where ignorant and blind. Much like what some people thought about those who did.

"Look I don't care who's abducting the people! I just care about stopping them! So they could be aliens, boogeymen, or chubby, pink, space-ninja chinchillas for all I care!"

"Van! You should care about those people! Who knows what horrible things are happening to them right now, wherever they are!" cried Fiona.

"Whuh? Ohhhh, that's not what I meant!" he sighed in exasperation.

"Heheheheh," the pudgy fanatic snickered.

"I don't need this right this now, I already have to put up with Lt. 'Showoff' as it is."

Snxxxxkkt "Hey!"

"Hahahaaahhaaha!"

"You! You shut up!"

"Aye, Captain!" 'saluted' Sikes.

"………I can't believe I skipped breakfast for this."

" Where do we turn, Sikes?" asked Fiona.

"We were supposed to turn back there."

"What? Why the hell didn't you tell me damn it!" growled Van.

"Because……you told me to shut up."

"RrrrrggGGHHHH!"

Farther up the road, at Guss' cabin………..

SSSsssSSSSSSSSsss

Ham sizzled and popped in the frying pan, sending a delicious scent wafting about the house.

"………..,"

Guss stood at his stove, casually cooking breakfast. And….lying on the couch in the living room, was Angela, still unconscious. He had managed to dress her wounds well enough, having stopped the bleeding of her more serious injuries first. Ever since then, he had kept a close eye on the teen, checking her vital signs every so often.

He began to hum to himself, as he cracked open an egg or two for frying, and sliced papaya on a cutting board.

"Hhmmm-hmmm-hmm….Hmmm-hm-hm-hmmmhmm….."

Setting down his kitchen knife, the old man went to his refrigerator, to get some milk. Shutting it, he started to turn back to his stove, milk carton in hand…..but stopped.

………And stared into a pair of glowing, violet eyes…….

Sitting up on the sofa, in seemingly perfect health, the teen sat watching him, her eyes shining in the dimly lit room. Purple eyes aside, what shocked Guss the most, was the fact the girl was even capable of holding herself up after sustaining such wounds. But after getting past his surprise, the old veteran smiled warmly, his wrinkled face lighting up cheerfully.

"Well good mornin'! It's nice to see that you're feeling better. And just in time for breakfast, too!" he said, lifting the milk carton for emphasis.

The teen didn't say anything in response to this, only listened, confused by the warmth in the stranger's voice. Or…..at least she thought he was stranger………damn, only she could remember……

If her silence disturbed him, the old man didn't let it show, as he promptly returned to his chore: makin' breakfast. He talked the entire time, telling her his name, where they were, where they were was, what he was making for breakfast………that sort of thing. Small talk.

…..And….as she listened…..a very small smile started to form on her lips….

Back to the G.F.

"Okay, Beek says that the….er….ahem…'flash' occurred up ahead, about a hundred or so meters."

"Thank you, Tom," said Fiona.

"You're very welcome Miss Fiona. In fact-"

"Yeah, yeah, Tom, I think she gets the picture already," interrupted Van.

"Picture? What do you mean? I did not get a picture."

"…………,"

"…..Are you sure she's not an alien? Seriously, I could run some tests……"

"……………,"

"………OH, um, were here!"

5 minutes later……

The four, plus one, were finally walking over to the indicated area. The hold up had been caused by a certain, infamous fanatic who as now wearing a ridiculous looking helmet covered in tin foil and had a triangular antenna, which was actually a metal close-hanger glued on upside down. He was clutching in his hand the device from the previous night, the one that he had used to "threaten" Fiona.

"Okay, remember, in case we see anything, then whatever you do DON'T look it in the eyes unless you want to be mind-controlled, and stay out of range of it's………." Sikes continued to babble on, claiming that all kinds of calamities would befall them if they did this, or didn't do that.

The friends ignored the radical enthusiast, as they approached the site.

Buy suddenly, Fiona stopped, holding her nose.

"There…is a very unfriendly smell to this air…."

"What do you mean, Miss Fiona."

"Yeah, I don't smell anything."

"WHAT IS IT! May it's the alien-mmmffff!" Van clamped a hand over the fanatic's mouth, watching Zeke.

The Organoid was sniffing the air, a worried growl coming from his throat.

"What's wrong, buddy?" asked his partner.

"Zeke, you smell it too, don't you?" asked Fiona, her hand covering the bridge of her nose.

The Organoid nodded and whined in response, walking forward.

…..Towards a familiar hemlock…….

The pooledin an areabeneath the shadow of the mighty tree, blood stained the needles a vicious red color. And nearby………was Guss' staff….the one he'd forgotten.

As the group came upon the site, there was a mutual shock at the scene.

"Oh dear…..,"murmured Fiona, pressing her hand over her mouth.

"Hrrrp! Igonnabesic!" repressed Sikes, as he ran into the surrounding forest to hurl, horrified at the sight of blood. He got nasea very easily...

"….This…isn't good...," said a solemn Thomas, as kneeled to pick up the dropped staff.

"No kidding," said Van, taking in the scene.

By now, Sikes had returned, looking rather green in the face. Seeing the staff in Tom's had, though, and he quickly forgot his illness.

"Hey! That's Guss' staff!"

"Who?" "Who's Guss?" "Rrggghrwrar?" "Huh? Whose staff?"

Sikes went into a quick explanation of who the old veteran was, and proclaimed that to be the staff he always used, because of his leg.

"If this is his staff,….then……." Van trailed off, looking at the bloodied conifer needles.

The five of them began to investigate, looking for a body. There was none.

"Hey, there's a pair of footprints coming in, and then leading away from the site.Their deeper leading away, like the person was carrying something when they left," said Van.

"Or someone...," tossed in Tom.

"And their uneven, like the person walking had a bit of a limp," said Van, pointing at the prints.

"Then...this wasn't an abduction?"asked Fiona.

They began to discuss thestrange situation, when Zeke spotted a butterfly fluttering nearby. As it began to fly away, the curious Organoid followed after it. His human compatriots did not notice his leaving.

Deeper into the woods he trotted, playfully snapping at the colorful insect. Suddenly it veered into a dim clearing, and zipped upwards through the branches, beyond his reach.

Whining unhappily, Zeke prepared to head back to the site, when something caught his eye.

Erected in the middle of the dark clearing, was what looked to be an obelisk, standing about nine feet high. Its surface seemed to be of an almost liquid texture, for while it was mainly a deep, bluish black, a glaze of colors shimmered across its surface.

"…………,"

Cautiously, the Organoid padded up to it, muzzle extended. Closer up, one could see that the shimmering affect was caused by the words written upon the strange stone, where rivers of iridescent color pulsed across them every other second.

Reaching out, Zeke pressed his muzzle to the stone, and watched as the rivers of colors immediately changed course, and flowed up and away from the contact. As he pulled away, a small voltage of purple electricity exchanged between Organoid and obelisk for a fraction of a second.

Seemingly satisfied by this, he turned away, and began to return to his friends……leaving the mysterious stone behind, where the current of color returned to its normal path of flow…….except, it was slightly different. The frequency of its pulse was much quicker. At a distance, instead of shimmering, it seemed to glow the pulse was so fast.

……….It was as if….. it was anticipating something……………

Back at Ice-gale, the people went about their daily routines and chores. Women bustled about their homes, sweeping, cooking, and cleaning, while every so often scolding a disobedient child. The men were off chopping and hauling wood, doing yard work, working in the fields…….that sort of thing. And speaking of fields………..

Two little children, who's names were Ethan and Cally, a brother and sister, continued their game of tag, giggling and laughing all the while. They ran amok in the fields, through the rows of wheat and corn, completely caught up in their play, oblivious to how far their game had taken them from home.

Suddenly Cally stopped, looking into the forest nearby. From where she stood, she could see the glimmer of a metallic red form through the branches.

Ethan ran up behind her, giggling, "Gotcha, Cally! Your it!" He tagged her on the shoulder and prepared to run away, until he noticed what she was looking at…

"Whooaahhhhh, whadya think it is?" he asked.

"I-I dunno…..let's go check it out!" she declared excitedly.

"Race ya!"

"Ha, you're on!"

The siblings raced over to the forest's edge, and disappeared into its foliage. As they approached the object of interest, the two stopped in their tracks………..

An enormous dinosaur-like Zoid stood before them, red and menacing. A very familiar red Zoid………..

A pair of electric blue eyes watched the children from up high in the trees.

"Oh wow! Check it out, Ethan! Do you think it's one of the Guardian Force's Zoids?"

"N-no, I saw 'em go on up the road early this mornin'. Cally,….we shouldn't be here….'specially in the woods an' all. You know about all the disapearin's."

"Awwww, c'mon, Ethan. Don't be a chicken!" scolded the little girl, as she walked closer to the large Zoid, causing her brother to follow after her.

As the two skirted around the Zoid, they could see a campfire near its feet.

But a sudden growling stopped the siblings in their tracks, as a form leaped down from the trees, snarling.

"Aawrraauwwrrrr-rghrawwwwrrrrrrggg!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" "Eeeeeeeppp!"

The two children took off like bats outta hell, running as fast as their legs would take them. As they cleared the woods, they ran even faster, crying their little hearts out and sobbing for their mother as they headed for the colony, causing all sorts of ruckus.

And, standing where the siblings had fled from……was Shadow, glaring at their retreating forms.

"Hmm. We better get moving, Shadow," said a voice from behind the black Organoid.

Shadow turned to look at the speaker.

Raven stood at the foot of the Geno Breaker, as he looked off in the direction where the children had fled. Those kids would alert the entire colony to their presence now, and since he didn't like to draw extra attention, it'd be best to head out.

The Organoid nodded in agreement, his metallic growl grating the late morning air.

In a heartbeat, Raven was in the cockpit of his Zoid, professionally steering it around the enormous trees.

In truth, after his adventures when the Guardian Force was just starting out, he had had a change of heart. His hatred for Zoids had practically dissipated, mainly because he'd finally avenged the deaths of his parents, by helping to destroy Hiltz and Ambient. Should he go into battle right then and there, he not only wouldn't obliterate his opponent, he simply couldn't. He just…..couldn't do it anymore. He had lost that cruel edge.

And he also recognized Shadow as a friend and partner instead of a servant. Over the months following Zoid Eve, their bond had grown thicker and thicker. Now, he was no softie. He was still an official badass, through and through. And he still had most of his angst and attitude….but he just couldn't kill anymore.

His reasons for not wanting attention from the villagers were simple: he still wasn't a people person. And even after hearing that the Guardian Force was in town, he was still ready to continue his search of the area. His hate for Zoids wasn't the only thing that had disappeared. His hate for Van had as well. After the battle with the Death Saurer, the two enemies had called an end to their rivalry. They weren't exactly friends, per say, just no longer opponents.

In fact, the President and the Emperor had dropped all his charges for his aiding in the defeat of the Death Saurer, and had extended him an offer to join the Guardian Force. He'd decided to think on. And six months later, he still was. But the delay was caused mainly by his investigation of the disappearances……of Ryss and her sapphire Organoid, Specula.

It wasn't out of deep personal feelings. He was simply concerned for a friend. Five months ago, Ryss had left him a letter in her hotel room, saying that she and Specula were off to investigate something and would return in two weeks.

They hadn't.

And so here he was, piloting his Zoid through a forbidden forest.

He hadn't been able to find out much about the disappearance of the mysterious pair, and what he had, had led him here. To Ice-gale. But he was determined as hell to find out……….

"……….,"

'Meanwhile, back at the ranch'………….

"And so you see, Zoids are not only used in combat, but also transportation and multiple other things as well," finished Guss.

It seemed that all he'd been doing since breakfast was answer questions. And the funny thing was, was that the girl didn't ask very many at all. In fact, she'd hardly said a thing. He was the one who'd done most of the talking. And he was still shocked that the teen had literally healed herselfwithin the space of seven hours. It was obvious that she was more than human; but, in all honesty, he didn't really care about that.

She sat across from Guss, cupping her hands around a mug of hot-chocolate that was setting on the table. She nodded her head as she looked at her drink, taking in what he had said.

Guss had mainly explained what Zoids were during their 'conversation', mostly because they didn't ring any bells for her when it came to remembering things. She new what everything else was, pretty much: household appliances, trees, furniture, food, etc. But when it came to Zoids……her mind was completely blank.

Guss watched her reaction, trying to think of something else to say. And then, he had it.

"Do you remember your name?"

She looked up, violet eyes blinking.

"…….Name?….."

"Yes, like, what other people address you as?"

After a second, she shook her head, at a loss.

"Well that means we're gonna have to think of something now, don't it?" the old man smiled, setting his coffee down on the table.

"Let's see…..how about Ally?"

The youth considered it, before shaking her head.

"No? Okay then,…….what about….."

And he went off on a long list of names, none of which she seemed to take a liking to,…..until….

"Hmmmmm,………Larka?"

"…………okay….."

"Well if not that, then……wait a second…'okay'?"

She nodded, smiling slightly.

"Well, allrighty then," said Guss, chuckling.

Suddenly, the newly dubbed 'Larka', tensed, sensing something. And looked up through the window at the overhang high above the cabin.

Someone was watching them…..

High up on an overlook, stood Ryss, binoculars held to her eyes as she watched the two, noticing as the teen below her turned to look up directly at her location.

"There you are, Angela," she murmured to herself.

Besides her, swishing her tail back and forth, was Specula, her exotic head cocked slightly as she watched her partner. Suddenly, the Organoid lifted her head towards the west, growling.

"…….I sense it too, Specula," said Ryss, lowering her binoculars as she looked off in the same direction.

"………….,"

"…….He's back……"

On the western slopes………….

A Stealth Viper slithered its way between a pair of enormous boulders, hissing occasionally.

Nearby, a Command Wolf leapt over a stream, as it headed in the same direction.

"Shhrrreeeiiiiii!" cried a Guysack, as it clawed its way out of a self-dug tunnel, throwing dirt everywhere.

A couple of clouds of the stuff were flung at the passing Wolf, covering it head to tail in a fine layer of dust.

"Talea! C'mon, watch it will yah?" pleaded Reaver, as the Zoid shook itself clean of the debris.

"Hehheheh, sorry Reaver, I didn't see you there."

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you…."

"Hey love birds, chop-chop already! Let's go! Gordo's waitin' for us, and I know you two don't need reminding about how bitchy he gets when he has to wait for long."

"Wow Nave, what's got you all worked up? Trying to be on time. Damn, I didn't even think that was possible."

"Screw off, Reaver!"

"See? You dish it out, but you can't ever take it! Seriously though, what's your problem? Is it that time of month again?"

"I thought I told you to-"

"Hey! Both you shut up! I'm getting a transmission from that Damien guy."

The pilots reined in their Zoids around the Guysack,……waiting.

SSNNKKKTtttttxxxxttttt "Blood Reapers. How goes the search?" asked the man on the screen. He had a pair of cold, green eyes, and short, dark brown hair.

"Um, well we're still looking, sir. We're hoping to come up with something soon, but so far-"

"I understand. But I want you to put a temporary halt on your search."

"A halt? But……why?"

"I have…..a side job for you four to perform. Someone came through one of our portals….here, to Zi. They are a….problem…to our people here, as well as in our other area of operation. We need you to put an end to them."

"You mean kill them?"

"…..It is necessary, yes."

"…..R-right…well, what does Gordo say?"

"I have already spoken with him. And he has said to give you the go ahead."

"Nnnnnnn…..I don't know about this." "Yeah! Why can't he tell us himself!"

"………..,"

"I…have sent him on another mission."

"Where?"

"That information cannot be released to you."

"Hmmph. Right, well, where are we supposed to find this mystery person, anyhow?"

"Simple. There's a small cabin to the east of here, about ten miles. Go there, and you will find her. But do NOT confront her inperson. Simply use your Zoids to destroy the cabin at a distance. You…..should be safe, so long as you stay in those machines of yours."

"And what do you mean by that!"

"I meant exactly what I said. Damien out." And with that, the screen went black.

"Huh. Jerk. Well yal…… let's hop to it."

"Whatever, Talea. I don't like what that guy said 'bout 'staying in our Zoids and we should be safe' one bit."

"It'll be a piece of cake, Reaver. Hey Nave, you still alive over there? You haven't hardly said a word."

"…..Somethin doesn't feel right about all this. Really, somethin's up with that Damien fellow."

"I'm sure its nothing. C'mon. Let's go get this over with." And the three headed out, their Zoids making their way east.

On a distant cliff, watching all of this, stood the man. Damien. Smirking slightly, he turned to the hogged tied Gordo, whose scar was white with rage. Surrounding him were the others, drooling and grinning.

"Sorry Gordo. But your just too smart for your own damn good," chuckled the arrogant man, looking the mercenary in the eye.

"But don't worry; the second your 'friends' get rid of the little thorn in our side and find the Obelisk, they'll be joining you."

"YOU LYING SON OF BITCH!" yelled Gordo, thrashing in his bonds. The others growled and hissed at him, their eyes bulging angrily.

"Now, now. Theirs no need for cussing," smirked Damien. Gesturing to the others, he said, "Take him."

Grinning like the lunatics they were, they gathered around him and hoisted him up, ignoring his cursing and struggling. One of them lifted a device in his hand and entered some sort of coordinates before disappearing in a familiar flash.

FLAAASSHHH!

Damien continued to look off over the landscape, his hands folded behind him.

"…..May god have mercy on your soul, Angela of Earth," he said to himself, a smug look on his face. Considering what he had just said, the man started to laugh as if he had just heard the funniest joke ever.

" Hehehehehaahhaahahahahaahahahaaaahahaa-HAAHAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAaaaaaaah!" and with that, he lifted a device similar to the other's, before disappearing in a flash himself.

FLLLLAAAAASSSSHHH!

And……..the sun sets in the west, ending the day.

………..Bring on the night………..