Sam Robins stared down at his home the Windcolony, looking at the silent streets and empty stores. The battle a few miles away had spooked the town, but did nothing to it, except kill it's hero. He stared at a small house on the edge of the main road. It belonged to a family who seemed to be plagued by this war. His friend, Dan Freiheit, the hero killed defending his home and Karen Freiheit killed while on her last spy mission for the Republic. Now he had to break it to there two kids that they were now orphans due to a war for power and greed. He began to walk down to the house; it was like walking to his execution. In his mind he tried to think of what to say, how do you tell a 12 and 8 year old that now both of their parents were dead. He thought about the little boy they had found, both of his parents dead as well. Sam didn't know exactly what happened to him; he had scurried off during the battle. He hoped he was in good hands. Before Sam realized he was at the house he feared going into right now, but had no choice. He had a promise to keep to Dan, and would watch his two kids as if they were his own. Opening the door, he watched Van run towards him, smiling and laughing, completely unaware of what happened a few miles away. He was young, small. Short black hair a lot like his fathers, but looked a lot more like his mother.
"Is my dad home?" Van asked, running out the door looking for the white Command Wolf called Zeke. "How come he's not home yet, he promised he would be home today?"
Sam watched as Maria walked in as well, she to looked more like her mother as well as her hair.
Maria looked at him and by his dark and vague expression; she could tell something was wrong. "Where's my father at wasn't he coming home with you?"
"Van, Maria come here real quick." Sam said, pointing to a pair of chairs in the corner of the house. He waited for both to sit down, Van no clue what was going on but Maria, even though she tried to hide it, knew exactly what had happened. Her father had done the same 5 years ago. "You father was killed a few hours ago, defending the city and an Organoid we had found. He was successful, but he was killed in the process." He paused a moment, Maria starting to cry and Van in complete disbelief. "I'm very sorry. He told me to look out for you two, so that's exactly what I'm going to do."
Maria stood up and nodded, holding her head down to hide her tears. She walked away, going into her room.
Sam turned back to Van, his mouth open and eyes wide and watery.
"He promised he would come back though." Van's voice empty, soft with a sobbing tone. "He promised."
"I know, but it's all right, he knew what he was doing. He died making sure you and Maria lived." Sam rubbed his hand in the boy's head; everyone's heart in the house was broken, though they had no choice but to let it heal.
A few months slowly went by for Raven; the tedious and painful training General Masato was putting him through wore on his body and slowed time down drastically. But he had no choice but to stay and obey him, and the training just seemed to get easier. Raven lied there on his bunk, staring up at the ceiling. He tried to remember what had happened, some reason though everything seemed blank. He tried to remember his parents, but all he remembered was that red Organoid, the spikes on its tails slashing through his parents, killing them both. For some reason it let him live, and he didn't know why and probably never would. He couldn't sleep much anymore; usually he fell asleep instantly after training. But now, at night when he had some peace, he tried to remember something. He couldn't even remember his own name, though like Masato said; the name would put a fear in his enemies, and fear was a warrior's greatest ally. Raven still stared at the roof, the room dark and cold just as his life was turning out to be. Masato had molded his mind in a few short months. Now Raven was as cold as the room he slept in, though it was much better then the nights Masato had forced him to spend in the desert. Prozen had said Masato would be like a father to him, and to an extent it was true. Masato protected Raven, but taught him to defend himself. He cared for Raven, but taught him how to be dependent. He had stripped any conscious or remorse he had in him, and taught him how to be ruthless and cold-hearted. Raven didn't know any other type of life, and he wasn't sure he wanted to either. A few minutes later the door opened and the dark room glowed with a light.
"Don't you ever sleep?" Masato asked walking in.
Raven stood up and shook his head.
"Here." Masato threw him a uniform. "Special uniform worn by the elite of the Empire."
Raven put it over his bare chest, looking down at the black uniform and silver shoulder pads.
"Today you learn to pilot a Zoid, all I have is a modified Saber Fang."
Raven looked at him. "I hate Zoids." His voice thick and heavy, matching the bruises on his face, body, and limbs.
Masato studied the boy; he had grown a lot even though he was still only 10 years old. His face red, black, and blue from the continuous beating Masato had put on him over and over. But soon Raven would watch how it would pay off; already he was tougher then most soldiers in the Imperial army. Now all he needed was to learn how to use that toughness in combat and piloting. Two things Masato excelled at.
Masato led Raven out of the barracks, taking him to a desert field and stopping him there. "You have endured a beating no child your age should have the ability to endure. You're a warrior, and a damn good one. But taking a beating is only a start, you have the endurance now it's time to build up your skills as a fighter." Masato walked up to him and reared back a fist, driving it into Raven's fairly hard stomach. It didn't have much affect on the boy, even though Masato didn't hit him that hard. "Counter!" He shouted.
Raven grabbed Masato's arm and twisted it behind his back, hearing his shoulder make a slight cracking sound as he did.
Masato kicked Raven in the shin, forcing him to release his tight grip. "Not to bad for a first try." He kicked Raven again in the thigh. "Eventually you'll learn." Masato picked him up by his hair and turned his head towards a red Saber Fang. "You're Zoid."
Raven took his elbow and drove it into Masato's chest, then kicked the tall man swiftly in the face forcing him to the ground. "I hate Zoids!"
Masato got up fast, grabbing Raven by the throat. But he didn't make a tight grip. He just smiled and laughed. "Very good." Masato wiped the blood off of his mouth with his arm, and let Raven go. "But no matter how much you hate Zoids, you will learn to pilot them."
Raven looked at him, nodding slowly. The incident before was just a usual game to them, they had done it before and neither took it personally. Masato wouldn't do anything to permanently hurt Raven, and he knew it. Raven walked over to the red Saber Fang and got in the cockpit, putting the straps over his body and taking hold of the controls.
"Ever piloted a Zoid." Masato asked getting in the seat behind him.
"No sir." Raven said quietly, as if he was in trouble.
"Use the throttles to move the Zoid slowly forward." Masato pointed to two handles on the console.
Raven pushed them forward as he was told, the Zoid slowly moving forward.
"Faster." Masato said, feeling the Saber Fang quickly pick up speed. "Better. Now start to swerve." Again he felt the Zoid swerve, left and right, in and out. For some reason Raven seemed to handle the Zoid very well, maybe all the hate he had made him a better pilot. "Alright stop." Masato waited for the Zoid to stop then jumped out, ordering Raven to remain. "You can move around well, lets see if you can shoot some targets." He walked over to the jeep and took out a transmitter. "Captain, activate the simulation."
"Which one?"
Masato looked at Raven, he seemed to be waiting impatiently. "Class 4."
"As you wish General."
Masato turned and watched a few Rev Raptors and Dark Horns charged in. "You objective Raven, take out all enemy Zoids and infiltrate the base."
Raven smiled and charged, handling the Zoid as if he had done it all his life. True, Masato had taught him the basic tactics before, but he had never used them.
Masato watched as the Saber Fang dodged the heavy gunfire of the Dark Horns. He was able to take out a few of them before a Rev Raptor came up and sliced the leg of his Zoid off. Masato bit his lip, shaking his head. He thought Raven would have done much better.
Raven walked up to him, he could tell Masato was disappointed.
"You lost fairly easily."
"Yes sir."
Masato wanted to hit him, but the boy had more bruises on his face then white skin so decided not to. "Get back to your Zoid, we'll practice this all day."
Raven nodded and ran back to the Saber Fang and doing exactly what Masato said, they practiced all day.