Authors Notes: Well it has been awhile, at least three years. I joined the military for those wondering about my sudden disappearance. But I am back now and can finish what I started, those of you who read my storied and enjoyed them I apologize for keeping you waiting and wish I had at least let you know ahead of my plans. For those of you new to my stories, I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy creating them. Now, let the show begin.

Disclaimer: In no way, shape or form do I own Zoids, claim to own Zoids, or make any type of profit off of Zoids.

Authors Warning: My stories tend to be darker then most written and is intended for the older, more mature readers of 5

Soul Searching

The soft rain gently tapped the window, bring certain calmness about that just never seemed to come to the young man. "How long?" Raven asked breaking the silence that stood between him and the aged man sitting a few feet apart.

Masato continued the silence, letting his thoughts roam free within his soul and mind. The legacy he had spent decades building, the stature and respect he had earned by giving his heart to the Empire. He felt his time was nearing and the further along his pupil advanced the more evident it seemed to become, though weather that was the fact or his own paranoia wasn't quite as obvious.

Raven slowly stood up and walked closer to the window, staring at the few beams of light that pierced the black sky and watching as they slowly fell down behind the horizon. "I asked you how long." He asked calming, concealing the rage that began to fester.

"When it is time. Until then you will sit down and keep quiet." The man finally broke the silence, glaring at Raven until he finally sat back down. The boy had changed since he had first come into his hands. He had turned so dark and cold on the inside, almost lifeless.

Masato gently dropped his head back down and closed his eyes. As time went on he was slowly regretting the way he had brought up his student. When the boy was first brought to him he seemed lost, empty inside. Yet at the same time, he was so much stronger then any man Masato had ever come across. A mere child was able to with stand so much brutality, to shake everything off and keep going on for a life he didn't want. Prozen had asked him to break the boys spirit, to crush whatever heart and soul he had and turn him into nothing more then another tool for the Empire to use. He opened his eyes a moment and out of the corner, gazed at Raven as he did what he was told.

The boy had no heart, no soul. He was walking to prove himself wrong, fighting to release an untold amount of rage, living just to spite death. In a sense, Masato had done what he was asked to do, then again he was not sure exactly what he had done. "What drive you to fight?"

Raven glanced over at his mentor for a moment then went back to watching the ran splatter against the window. "I have something to prove."

"To who, there is no one left for you." Masato regained his attention and focused it all on Raven. The boy had become more of a threat now to him and he knew Raven would require his full attention. "Your parents are dead, you have no friends, no siblings." Masato paused a moment, trying to get the boys eyes to lock onto his. "Do you have something to prove to me, to yourself?"

"No." Raven said underneath a soft breath.

"Then who?" Masato demanded as he got up from the chair. The boy continued to stare out into oblivion, ignoring everything he said.

"Does it matter, I have something to prove." Finally Raven rose again and locked into Masatos dried, tired eyes. "And I've proven all I've needed to prove to you."

Masato nodded and broke his away his gaze. " You'll be a fine soldier for the Empire."

"I don't care." Raven snapped his words right back at Masato. "Do you really think I care about the Empire, about a war, about politics." He jumped over his chair and grabbed Masatos uniform. "I'm not you, I'm not fighting your battles, I'm fighting my own. And that is all I'm here for, why I fight or who I fight for is none of your concern."

Masato gave his appretiance a small smirk as he snatched his wrists and threw them to the side. "Even after all this time I'm still teaching you. I've given you that lust to fight, I've given you that taste for blood. You remember the first time you tasted it." His smirk diminished quickly into a straight cold face. He had grown tired of these confrontations with Raven, they always began and ended the same, each time Raven getting further and further away from his grip. "Without me...without the Empire, what would you be Raven. I've have given you four years of my time and sixty years worth of knowledge. The Empire has given you a future, a chance to be at the top of the world, a chance at true power and skill, a chance to be the best pilot ever. Men would kill to be in your position with your talents and you brush it off like it's dust in the wind." The smirk returned as he watched the fir in Ravens eyes grow. Maybe deep down, the boy really did have a heart and soul. "Where would you be Raven, a bum in the streets. Rotting in the ground next to your parents." He caught Ravens fist as it flew towards his face, how could he not have a soul. Never had Masato seen such a fiery passion within a man, let alone a boy. "You used to cry when I treated you like this."

"I want you to die." Raven hissed and he pulled his fist out of Masatos hand.

"Die? Why die? If you really hated me wouldn't you want me to live, to make me suffer? Death is an ending Raven. Sure, you never have to deal with that person again but it doesn't satisfy your hunger." Masato reached towards his belt and pulled out a knife and dropped it on the floor. "You want me to die, you want to kill me. There's your tool Raven. Go ahead, it's what you want."

Raven looked down at the blade for a moment, tempted to grab it and repay this man for all the years of hell, all the years of unimaginable brutality. Then he simply backed away and smiled. "In time."

Masato nodded slowly, kneeled over and placed the blade back into his sheath. "You're the best Zoid pilot I have ever come across. You've surpassed the elite of the Empire." He walked over towards the window, listening to the drop of rain as the crashed into the glass. "You may hate me with every drop of blood and sweat in your body, but always remember. I am the one who made you." He peered over at Raven, pondering what was going through his mind now. The boy did nothing, said nothing. He just stood there, smiling that cold twisted smile of his. "Tomorrow you do another four rounds of piloting and hand-to-hand combat." Again Raven said nothing, he just turned around opened the door and walked away. When Masato heard the door close he let out a sigh and dropped down into his chair. Everyday he realized something new about Raven, something different and special especially ever since he was given that organoid. There was nothing more Masato could teach the boy, it was merely a matter of breaking him down psychologically which was becoming a much for difficult task in itself. He sighed once more as he rose from his seat, pacing himself slowly as he walked towards the window. Masato peered down to the ground two stories below, through the heavy rain he could see the faint outline of a man gazing straight back at him. After a minute his eyes adjusted to the dark and he could see it was to small to be a man, then in an instant a flash of lighting lit up the sky followed by a huge clash of thunder that shool the tiled floor under his feet. It was Raven below, giving him that blazing stare once more. Masato swallowed hard and sat back down. His work was done, his mission complete. He had turned young child, alone and devastated, into a monster.

Raven smiled as he watched the shadow of Masatos body vanish from the window. "Shadow." He said silently with a cracked voice as his sleek black organoid walked slowly besides his master. "Come." The boy turned and began walking towards the dormitory, his clothes soaked from the rain that continued to come down. He looked up into the sky, no light anywhere, just black, empty.

"You can take him whenever you're ready Admiral." Masato said as he watched Ravens Saber Tiger blast away the practice drones they had set up. "There isn't much else I can teach him."

Prozen just continued to stand there as he tried to keep up with the Zoids quickness. "Not yet." He said in a stiff voice. "I will determine when he is ready." He glanced over at Masato and watched him shake his head discreetly. "Do you disapprove General?"

"No sir." He replied as he walked over to the intercom. "End scenario." Masato backed away and looked back at Prozen. "I just feel we are doing him more harm then good sir. He rarely sees live combat under my training. I've taught him every trick and tactic in my book. What good does it do? If I may ask of course, sir."

"Then perhaps it's time to give him some live combat." Prozen looked over at Masato and gave him a some what sinister grin. "I want you to take Raven and a small unit and make your way to the Republics border, I think it may be time to re-incite this war."

"Again sir, with all due respect. That is an extremly dangerous area for someone inexperianced in live combat as Raven."

"Well then perhaps he is not as good as we thought, or maybe you are not quite as good of a mentor as we thought."

Masato knew there was no point in arguing and simply gave a respectful bow. "As you wish sir." He soon as he said his words he turned his back on Prozen and walked out of the room and down to the training field towards Raven was walking away from his Zoid. "Tomorrow we make our way to the border, you're going to get your first tastes of heavy combat."

Raven looked over at Masato for a moment but continued to walk past him.

"Did you hear me?" Masato snapped as he grabbed Ravens arm and threw him hard to the ground. "I am your superior officer! When I speak, you listen and respond!" Again he waited for Raven to say something, but nothing. He watched the boy simply get up, brush off the dirt and walk back towards the building. He folded his arms across his chest and looked around at the training field, at all the twisted pieces of steel and destroyed Zoids. It wasn't the Republics forces Masato was worried about, it was the tool that would be used to destroy them.

Raven walked into his room and dropped down on his bed, putting his hand on Shadows head as he did. "The old fool." He muttered.

"You did well out there today." Prozen said with a smile as he walked silently walked into Ravens room. "You've become a much better pilot then when I last left saw you."

Raven matched his smile as he leaned back on the wall choosing remaining silent.

"This is the chance for you to show exactly how good you are Raven. A chance for you to step up and show me exactly what you've become."

"I've become the best, that's all there is to know." Raven remarked as he closed his eyes, exhausted from the long day of training.

"Perhaps, then again in order to be the best you must defeat the best. We've put alot of time and effort into you Raven, I expect when you come back from this mission you will have solidified you place within the Empire." Prozen turned around and began making his way out of Ravens room. "Just remember you're here for a reason Raven. Do what you must do Raven."

Raven waited until Prozen was gone before he opened his eyes, his hand still on top of Shadows head. "We will, won't we Shadow." Once again he closed his eyes, falling quickly into a deep sleep which would once again be haunted, tainted with relics from the past.