An attack has been ordered. What will happen in Iselia? Please R&R.

Don't own anything except the concept of the story.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN: ATTACK ON ISELIA…YET AGAIN

Everyone in the base was scrambling to get to the rheairds in a hurry. There was an attack on Iselia and everything near it. Darknuts had just landed on the beaches near the town and kargoroks were flying over the horizon, heading towards the town. Who instigated the attack? You guessed it…Lord Irving.

Thanks to the upgrades made to the rheairds, it would take only fifteen minutes to reach Iselia (usually it took half and hour). This time would give the team time to plan an attack. Lloyd was hollering over the winds as the team rode the rheairds to Iselia.

"What do you think we should do?" asked Lloyd.

"We should now formulate a plan to deal with this situation," replied Professor Genis.

"According to the renegade area scans, the darknuts are landing on the northern shores of Iselia," said Professor Raine, "and those bird-like creatures are attacking from the sky."

"We must stop them from all costs," replied Regal.

"Or save Iselia at the very least," said Presea.

"We'll attack them in two groups," replied Lloyd. "Those with wings should attack the ones in the skies. Everyone else, attack everyone on the ground."

"So it's your basic Raine maneuver?" asked Kratos.

"Hey, I resemble that remark!" exclaimed Raine.

Zelos noticed that saving Iselia wasn't on Genis' mind.

"What's up, brat?" asked Zelos.

"Bug off Zelos," replied Genis, "I'm thinking."

"Oh? Thinking about what?"

"Probably that girl he saw in the holodeck," replied Sheena.

"N…no I wasn't!" stammered Genis.

"Admit it, you like her."

"As a friend! Not as a…a…"

"Girlfriend," teased Sheena and Zelos.

"You can relax kid," said Zelos, "she and her little friends were real. They were just teleported to another room."

"Really!"

"Really. Now you can stop acting gloomy and stuff."

Genis took point on his rheaird.

"Did that really happen?" asked Sheena.

"Beats me," replied Zelos. "I made it all up."

"What? Why did you do that?"

"Couldn't stand the kid like that. The real question is where did those other kids go?"

The group had just touched down near the outskirts of Iselia. They went over their plan in more detail. Finally, they struck. The angels attacked the kargoroks and the darknuts that were arriving on the beaches. The others infiltrated the town only to find it deserted.

"It looks like the renegades got to them before we did," said Lloyd.

"Guess again, Lloyd!" exclaimed a voice. They looked around and saw, out of the ashes, Lord Irving who said, "It's amazing to find myself fighting for a side that cannot win."

"Lloyd!" exclaimed Genis.

"Not exactly…the Lloyd you know fights for a lost cause: A cause that will never be realized. I, however, fight for a future…a future that is…how you say…inevitable."

"Well, your future ends here," Raine replied. "There are a whole lot of us and a lot less of you!"

"Guess again…again, Raine! It may look like I'm outnumbered but let's take a look on what's behind building number one!" He pointed to a building which immediately collapsed and revealed Shinji, Asuka and Rei.

"Wow…this is what we're up against?" asked Shinji. "Looks like a lot of people…"

"Can it, idiot," replied Asuka, "We got a job to do."

"Hey look, it's the others! Hey, Genis! Raine! Are they fighting on our side too?"

"No, you idiot!" exclaimed Irving. "They are you enemies!"

"Are they really?" asked Asuka. "Then that would mean…"

"We're betraying them," replied Rei.

"Getting all soft, wondergirl? Don't tell me you're afraid of hitting your boyfriend over there."

"What are you talking about?" asked Shinji.

"He is not my boyfriend!" exclaimed Rei.

"Wow…you really do have emotion…"

"If the three of you are done talking over there, I would appreciate you taking the time to GET RID OF THESE FOOLS AT ONCE!"

"Quit yakking, will ya?" said Asuka. "I'm getting to it."

The three of them started to transform into angels. Asuka had red wings, Shinji had yellow and Rei had blue.

"So you angel wannabees think you can handle us all at once?" asked Raine. "And to think, I was starting to like you guys."

"Don't take this personally, but we need you to die," replied Asuka.

"For the purity of both of the worlds," added Shinji.

"For a better future," whispered Rei.

"A future full of hate and regret?" asked Regal. "That is no future."

"A future shines the light of hope upon the world," added Presea.

"A future releases those bound by darkness," added Sheena.

"And a future you dream of will be destroyed," replied Irving. A whole bunch of darknuts appeared out of nowhere. "Along with any hope of your survival."

And so began the battle. Lloyd and the others battled on with Lord Irving and his darknuts. Raine, Genis and Aryll were pinned up against Asuka, Shinji and Rei (who used swords that had colors that corresponded with their wings). A few pre-battle conversations before they fought:

Lloyd, Colette and Lord Irving:

"Why must I be so weak in this world?" asked Irving.

"Must be your typical good guy gene," replied Lloyd.

"And Colette, must you continue to defy me?"

"What are you saying?" asked Colette. "What do you mean?"

"Hmm…that brat Sage never told you anything, did she?"

"Uh-uh, not a thing," said Lloyd.

"Oh well, like it matters." He took out his sword. "By the time I'm through with you, wouldn't have to worry about what she was hiding."

"What she was hiding?" asked Lloyd. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Like I said, you don't have to worry about that any longer."

Irving lunged towards Colette and Lloyd, knocking them over instantly.

"It shouldn't be this easy, no," said Irving, "but, mustn't complain!"

Raine and Asuka:

"Do you earnestly believe you can defeat me?" asked Asuka.

"Damn straight!" exclaimed Raine. "You're not so tough."

"You have so much pride in yourself. That will be your downfall. I will find victory in this fight."

"Humph. You couldn't find victory even if you had a road map to it."

"Brat. You'll pay for that. You're too weak."

"What was that?"

"You depend on others to fight your battles for you, even though you're fully capable of fighting for yourself."

"Look whose talking! You're the one with the darknut army!"

"Those aren't mine. There're Irving's. He's weak as well. Only the strong will survive and the weak will perish. Prepare yourself!"

Aryll and Shinji:

"Aw, come on!" whined Shinji. "Why did I have to fight the cute one?"

"Stop acting like a wuss," yelled Asuka from afar, dodging Raine's fireballs. "Just kill her already!"

"Couldn't we stop this right now?" asked Aryll. "I mean, you're my friend after all."

"Hmm….okay!" replied Shinji.

"No, you dork, your supposed to fight her, not be her friend!" yelled Asuka. "Don't make me come over there!"

"Uh-oh, I don't want to get into any trouble," replied Shinji. "Let's get this over with quick. Nothing personal, but I must win."

"Please, is there no other way?" asked Aryll.

"If you have any opinions, then I would like to hear them."

"………"

"Then I guess it's your time to die. En Garde!"

Genis and Rei:

"Genis…" mumbled Rei. "Look, I meant to tell you--"

"Can the bullshit already," replied Genis coldly. "Just get ready."

"Why are you in a hurry to end this?"

"Why the hell do you think? It's a freakn' win-win scenario for me. If I die, then I won't have to suffer your betrayal. If I win, then I'll have the satisfaction of defeating you."

"……you're not taking this pretty well."

"Ya think? During the world regeneration, a close friend betrayed me. I thought I would never trust again. After seeing you guys, I thought that it would be different. Humph. Shows what an idiot I am…"

"You are not an idiot!"

"Well, you finally show emotion…at a time like this…although it wouldn't do you any good. Now…draw your weapon."

"What?"

"I said draw your weapon!"

Fighting resumed after the pre-battle conversations. Although many in numbers, the team managed to push Lord Irving's troops back.

"Damn!" yelled Irving. "Retreat for now! Just you wait, Lloyd. These three aren't the only angels as Lord Ganondorf's disposal." He spread his wings and flew off. Asuka, Shinji and Rei also took their leaves.

"Ouch," whined Shinji, "Who knew Aryll could pack a punch like that?"

"Quit your whining, stupid," yelled Asuka. "I was about to cream that Raine until someone gave us the order to retreat."

"We already completed our objective," replied Irving. "There was no need to go any further."

Rei flew behind the three angels. Asuka called out, "Hey wondergirl? Why were you holding back?"

"What?" asked Rei.

"I said, 'why were you holding back?' You could have easily defeated Genis with one of your ice spells."

"Uh…yes…I could have…but…"

"I think she likes him," replied Shinji.

"I do not!"

"Yes you do!"

"Rei, those foolish sentiments of yours will be the death of you," said Irving. "Be rid of them as quickly as possible. Otherwise…you will be made completely useless to us. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir…"

The four angels flew to the direction of the ruins of the remote human ranch.

Meanwhile, back in Iselia, after dowsing the flames and cleaning up the mess left by the battle, the team received orders to return to the Renegade Base. Returning to base, Genis couldn't stop thinking about his conversation with Rei.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" asked Raine.

"Ye…yeah," replied Genis sadly.

"I heard you. I never heard you so full of bitterness and anger."

"I thought I'd be different this time. I thought they would be…you know…"

"Our friends?"

"Yeah…but now they're nothing to me."

"When you say 'they', you mean Rei, don't you?"

"………"

"Do you think she liked you?"

"She's nothing more than an obstacle now…an obstacle that should be cleared as quickly as possible."

"Maybe we could get her back on our sides. That applies to Shinji and Asuka too."

"Maybe…or just maybe they're lost…just like Mithos…"

"Who's Mithos?"

"It's nothing…look, I don't want to talk about this anymore…"

Raine thought it'd be best not to do anything about it. All Genis needed was a little time; a little time to heal. Although sometimes, wounds like these never do seem to heal…

A kind of sad ending. What will be the fate of our heroes next? Please R&R and no flames.