Pretty obvious what this chapter is all about. Please read on.

Don't own anything other than the concept of the story.

CHAPTER FOURTY-ONE: TRUTH

Lloyd awakened in a bed with white blankets and a dresser beside him. He figured that he was in the medical wing of the Renegade Base. His head hurt and his legs were numb. There were bandages on his body, stained with blood. It looked like the wound was healed. As he got up, he saw Shinji who was lying in the bed beside him. He was unconscious. His pale expression was gone and replaced by a calm one. On the other side of him was Colette who was sitting and went teary-eyed on him.

"Colette?" asked Lloyd. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Lloyd!" she sobbed. "I thought you would…that you…"

"Died?"

She sniffed, "Yeah, died."

"Well…I didn't…how did I end up like this?"

"It was me…no, another me. She stabbed you…really hard."

Lloyd remembered everything. He started to form a picture of that very scene:

Begin Flashback

Suddenly, Raine was knocked back by an unknown force which came from Brunel. She launched herself from that spot and pierced Lloyd in the gut with her twin blades.

"No, Lloyd!" screamed Raine.

"Gah!" yelled Lloyd in pain.

"Treachery requires no mistakes," said Brunel with a sense of satisfaction. She took out the blades. Lloyd dropped to the ground.

End Flashback

"What did she mean by that?" asked Lloyd aloud.

"Mean what?" asked Colette.

"That treachery requires no mistakes. She said it after she stabbed me. What do you think it means?"

"Maybe you betrayed me…or her. Maybe you did something bad to her."

"Like what? What could I have done to you…or her?"

"Um…well, I can't figure this out."

"But I know who can. Where's Raine?"

"She's in the holodeck. Why do you--"

Colette stopped talking for Lloyd was already gone.

It was only Raine in the holodeck. The holodeck wasn't used only for training but for a place of relaxation. Raine had created a program that made the room look like the room where she found Brunel. Raine sat in the middle of the room, seemingly starring out to the four corners of the room. Lloyd entered and Raine got up.

"You're here," she said. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Colette told me where you were. Raine…you owe me."

"Owe you what?"

"Answers."

"Of course…answers," she started to pace around the room. "We all would like answers. But in order for me to give you an answers, you must first ask a question. Well, Lloyd? What do you want to know first?"

"Where is she?"

"Right here," she replied, holding up her arm with the gauntlet on it. Next question."

"I want to know," said Lloyd, "what did I do to her?"

"Why should I tell you when I could simply show you?" asked Raine. Her eyes glowed red. Images of Brunel's life (so far) were shot into Lloyd; right up to the part when she was sealed away did she stop.

"You get the idea."

Lloyd let out a yell. "And you think I did this to her!"

"Probably…"

"That wasn't me! It was another me!"

"You're all the same. I'll all end the same. You'll betray her…just like you betrayed me."

Aurion entered the holodeck. "Lloyd! What the hell is going on? I heard you scream and…Raine, what did you do to this room?"

"Should have locked the door," said Raine. The door was sealed with dark energy. "There, all done."

"Isn't it against the rules to posses your master's body?"

"Possessed?" asked Lloyd. "She's being possessed?"

"Uh, yeah? Didn't you sense it?"

"Um…not really, no. Who is she being possessed by?" Aurion looked at him, eyes narrowed. Lloyd said, "Okay, stupid question."

"Your girlfriend is psychotic."

"She's not my girlfriend!" exclaimed Lloyd, "Well…not her anyways."

"So the other Colette?"

"We're just friends!"

Raine/Brunel cleared her throat. "Aurion, why don't you just stay in a corner or something?" She came out of Raine, who dropped to the ground and appeared in front of them.

"What are you going to do to him?" asked Aurion.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I know it is, it's just that Lloyd's very dense and doesn't get anything."

"Shut up!" exclaimed Lloyd.

"Fine," said Brunel. "I'm going to kill him."

"What are you going to do again?" asked Lloyd.

"That's what I thought," said Aurion. "Listen, you can't hold this grudge forever."

"And why not?" asked Brunel.

"Come on. You don't know this Lloyd. He's nice, not a total tight-ass. I heard really good things about him. He save this world, got everyone to respect other races, you know, the good stuff."

"I don't care. He'll betray my master. I can't let that happen."

"Look, Lloyd's all good. I'm swear, if he betrays Raine I'll kill him myself."

"Hey," exclaimed Lloyd.

"I'm helping you here."

"Oh…right. Thanks."

Raine got up from the floor and rubbed her head and asked, "Where am I?"

"In a dark, scary room," replied Aurion. "Your friend is trying to kill Lloyd."

"Going to," corrected Brunel. "I didn't try to kill him…yet."

"You are one vengeful spirit," said Raine.

"You try being trapped within a glass coffin for a number of consecutive years. Then try to tell me you wouldn't kill the person that trapped you in there."

"………"

"Touché," said Aurion. "Can't say anything because you know you'd do the same thing. This is getting nowhere. We have to end this conversation. I have a way to solve this dilemma."

"And what is that?" asked Raine.

"Let's eye Lloyd for the time being. If he proves his motives are good and true, then you (referring to Brunel) shall leave him alone."

"And if he chooses to betray us?" asked Brunel.

"If he does betray us, then you can take care of him…personally. Until then, no hands should be laid on him. Agreed?"

"I have no objections," said Raine.

"I don't," added Lloyd, "although the thought of me betraying you guys is pretty far-fetched."

Everyone looked at Brunel. She walked over to Lloyd and said, "If you ever hurt Raine, I'll pull out your intestines and eat them while you watch."

"Ewww…" said Raine.

"Didn't know you could be that brutal," said Aurion.

"I'll…I'll never hurt her!" said Lloyd. "I swear."

"Better not," said Brunel disgusted. Before she left, she kicked Lloyd in the crotch. Lloyd fell to the ground. "That was for sealing me away in a glass coffin thing." Then, she disappeared.

"That was low," said Lloyd, still on the ground.

"You're telling me," replied Aurion. "I felt that." He helped Lloyd up. The holodeck reverted to normal. "You better be a good little boy to Miss Raine over here."

"Yeah…I never knew Colette could be so brutal," said Lloyd.

"Just goes to show how tough girls could be," replied Raine.

"Not really."

The gauntlet started to glow red.

"I…I take it back! All of it!"

The glow disappeared.

"Whew!"

"For the safe side, don't say anything offensive to Raine," said Aurion.

"I'll take you up on that," replied Lloyd.

Cheesy ending, I know. I could think on how to end it right. Anyway, please R&R and no flames.