rChapter 9: Past of the Dead
"Hey! Horizon! Come over here! The sky looks so beautiful!" A young girl with long blonde hair that reached down to her waist said.
"Hm? Ahhh….okay…sure…" The boy with short brown hair and dark eyes said. He walked up the stairs to see the girl leaning against the garage railing, her hair flowing with the wind that blowed her hair back.
"Doesn't the moon look great?" she asked smiling softly at him.
"Ahhhhh…yeah…." The boy known as Horizon blushed a light red, purely because he was staring at the girl who was talking to him.
"You know Horizon…your doing extremely good, considering that you've only joined the Ark for only a week. She walked closer to him.
Horizon scratched his head, "Ahhhhh…thanks…"
"Hey…thanks for taking me out tonight…that was a great Arena match you had," She whispered as she put her hand on his chest.
"So….you enjoyed it!" He asked, his heart beating faster.
"Hell yeah!"
"Well…I'm glade you enjoyed it…frankly, I didn't think that I would get second place in the standings…" he said, running his hand through his dark brown hair.
The girl drew closer, only inches away from his face, "I had faith…I knew you would do great in there…" she whispered in his ear.
He was as red as a beet now, "Ummmm…thanks…for your faith…" he looked her figure over, with the starlight in the background. "You look…lovely tonight…Charisma…" She smiled at his complement and pressed her lips against his. They embraced eachother throughout the entire night, not knowing how much time passed.
This image, immediately faded, blackness now only covered the vision. How times have changed…haven't they…Horizon? A voice impeded on his thoughts. The man stirred on the ground a little. Sara, a young girl with black hair that reached down to her shoulders, reacted to this.
"Wind! Are you alright?" she had worry in her eyes. Windbreaker merely grunted in pain, and only managed a squint in an attempt to open his eyes. A picture of Sara and with a bright smile played across his mind. You…worry too much…
So…that's your new girlfriend huh? The gruff voice interrupted his thoughts once again.
Who are you? He asked inside his mind.
Me? Just someone who now has no identity…I call myself Enigma…you remember…don't you?"
You…what are you…how can you speak inside my mind?
I am the same as you…
Same…as me?
Yes, you know full well of what I mean…the ability to see things that others cannot…the ability to slow time down in an instant and see things from a better perspective. The ability to act faster than that of normal pilots.
…
Hehehe...I remember when you use to be in Revelation…you were the best pilot we had…
We? You are in Revelation?
Yes…I'm currently looking for some help…
…whats Revelation up to now?
We are planning on destroying the sinners.
Sinners?
Mankind must atone for their sins, they have battled too much and exploited the resources of this planet far too much…they are a parasite. We plan to exterminate these pests by activating the forbidden technology deep within the boundaries of Fenris Dome…there we will find…the Archangel Pulverizer.
Archangel Pulverizer?
Yes, a power built from the knowledge of our ancestors, an ancient relic with the power to destroy hundreds of civilizations. We will once again awaken it to cleanse the entire world this time.
Again? You've used it before?
Yes
How come I was never aware of such a weapon in Revelation.
After you left and joined the Ark, we decided to resort to the weapon…its quick and efficient, we burnt the UN to the ground with it in a matter of days.
So…you were the one that did that…
Yes, we thought that would teach humanity a lesson...but I guess we thought wrong. So, this time, we will make sure, once and for all that humanity will never make the same mistake as the Great Destruction. By destroying every single last wench that walks on this planet.
So…why are you telling me this?
I know that you don't quite care about it, and I know that you already foresee such things. So too, does the administrator of the Ark and Evangel. You've seen what the future could be like if we don't do something.
The future, is as of yet undetermined, we could only see to the point of a near chaos situation, we did not see what actually happened.
Hmph, always waiting till the last moment. You shall see, so will humanity. The voice faded.
"Hey! Wind?" Sara's voice was loud and clear now. Windbreaker opened his eyes to see the girl's face hovering over his. He rubbed his eyes.
"Ugh…what happened?" he groaned.
"You fell unconscious during the Arena fight between Vanguard and Enigma."
Enigma…
"Wind, what happened in there? You started having outbursts and looked like you were in serious pain…" she said, with worry in her eyes.
Windbreaker sat up, still rubbing his eyes, "Just…some migraine…"
"That's a pretty big migraine you had there…'
"Yeah, well…it's the first time I've had one so…who won anyways?" he wanted to change the topic really badly.
"Oh! Vanguard won, you wouldn't believe how much he won by! He was flying circles around Enigma!" her face lightened up and appeared to be her usual excited self again.
Yes…always bathing in his ever vast glory at the top…wish the Ark would arrange an Arena match with him at least just once…
"Wind? I have a question…why do you fight so hard?" she asked staring at him.
Windbreaker was puzzles by her question, "What do you mean?" he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Well…every time I work with you in a mission…you seem to always push yourself to the limit…is there a reason why?"
"…that's none of your business…I have my own personal reasons…"
"Okay…but you know…if you need any help, I'm always here for you!"
"…" he looked out of the garage gates that had been opened. It was midnight and the sky was dark blue with a full moon. She's too optimistic…
"What?"
"You said, the other day, that you were here to avenge your parents…who were your parents."
"So…your going to help me…" she turned to him in a kneeling position with a look on her face that told Windbreaker that she was very glad and happy.
"Okay…yeah…sure…" he said, hesitating, I can lose her sooner if I help her... "Maybe I can help you if you told me your parent's names…I might know him…"
"Oh…well…my parents were both AC pilots as well…I don't remember they're actual names as I always called them Mom and Dad…but my father's name was Genobee.."
He seemed shocked at this, this was the last thing that Windbreaker expected. He quickly turned to her, trying to hide his surprised and fear, "Who was…your mother?"
"My mother? She worked for Crest…her name was Agraya…" she said looking down at the ground, "Both of whom, were killed by the same pilot…."
"Genobee…Agraya…" the names escaped Windbreaker's mouth.
"You know them?" she asked, looking back up at him.
"Yeah…you could say that….we were…acquaintances…"
Her expression seemed to show how happy she was, "How was he?"
Windbreaker tried to hide his expression. He also didn't want to get into another argument with this girl, "Your father?...well…he was…not the best of pilots….but he was a pretty good man…so was your mother."
"You knew my mother too?"
"..Yeah…" he scratched his head, not the best of pilots…haha…that's for sure!
"Then you must know who killed them! I mean, I heard my father was first ranker for a long time in the Ark! News of him getting killed would be big!" she jolted up with rage in her eyes.
"Do you…really want to know who killed your father?" he said as his face darkened.
She nodded with confidence, "Yes! I want to know…to avenge my father's and mother's death!"
"It was…a Raven…known as Horizon," he said staring at the ground.
"Horizon…there's no way…anyone could have defeated dad….dad was strong…stonger than any Raven I have seen," Sara quickly ran off.
"Where are you going?" he asked, still sitting on the edge of the deck.
"I'm going to find this guys and challenge him, to prove to everyone that my father was cheated into death!" she said, turning around. Sara's eyes showed how enraged she was, covered by a veil of confidence. Windbreaker gazed at her, impressed by how much determination she had.
Those eyes…their just like…mine…back in the days…He looked back at the dark blue sky outside the garage, "Its hopeless…you can't defeat Horizon…he was too much…your father and mother put up a hella fight and I'll say this….they were pretty good…but…" Sara stared at him as his gaze turned towards the ground, "Horizon was…a monster…he wasn't even human…there's no possible way that anyone, even you, could stand up to him."
"Well, I'll never know till I try! Isn't that right! We always have to give it a shot! Live or die, its better than doing nothing with your life!" she yelled, clenching her fist in anger. Sara's words pierced Windbreaker, it had struck him hard with realization.
…better than doing nothing with your life…yes…of course… he stood up and brushed the dust off of his pants, "Well…its too late now…" Sara had a change of expression, she was puzzled at his words, "Horizon is dead now, he died at the site of the Bayload city destruction…the day that almost led to another Great Destruction…"
"Damn….I wanted to avenge my parents so badly…" her fist shook furiously at her side.
Windbreaker looked at her and narrowed his eyes, "So…what do you plan on doing now? Your goal to avenge your parents deaths are now impossible…"
She looked him in the eye, "Heh…that was my main goal…to avenge my parent's death…" she averted her gaze to the ground, "But now that's impossible for me…however…I do have a second goal…"
Windbreaker raised one eyebrow in curiosity, "And that would be…?"
"To become the best Raven, just like my father! That will be what I will aim for from now on!" she said, her fist raised in a triumphant stance.
Heh…the old cliché…how entertaining…Windbreaker stood up, still looking at the nightly sky, "I'm sure…you'll do pretty good…"
Sara simply looked at him and gave him a soft smile, "Thanks…I never would've expected such a complement from you."
"Just don't expect to get past me without some hard work…" he said and grinned.
"Wind!" a voice called out.
"Hm? He turned his head to see Jack-O and his white hair, this time not slicked but scattered making him look like a commoner.
Sara looked over his shoulders with a dumbfounded look on her face, "Wind…who is this?" The man wearing a long brown trench coat and white hair walked towards him.
"The name's Jack-O…I believe your Sara Landfield right? Its an honor to finally meet such a Raven as yourself." He said calmly.
Sara was astonished and amazed, "The Jack-O! The head administrator of Ark!" she pushed Windbreaker out of the way and quickly grabbed Jack-O's hand to shake it, "It is such an honor to finally meet the head of Ark." She smiled with glee. Jack-O chuckled lightly in amusement. Windbreaker was busy dusting himself off from the crash to the floor he had just received.
Jack-O put his hand back into his pocket, "If you wouldn't mind Sara I have some matters to discuss with Windbreaker," Windbreaker just stood there plainly and nodded at her as a sign of privacy.
"Ummmm…okay…"she said walking towards Windbreaker.
He turned towards her, "Just wait for me down at the bar okay? Have a drink or two, this won't take too long…"
"Ummm…okay…" Sara noticed that Windbreaker's tone seemed to have changed right after they had discussed about her father, He's hiding something…I can just feel it. She simply nodded and gave him a smile, running off into the distant.
The office was dark only lit by a single dim light, the two figures stood there, Jack-O looked out of his large office window and folded his hands behind his back, "So…I heard that Sara is becoming quite a prominent Raven…I must say, this has turned out to be quite a surprise, especially her dramatic improvement." Jack-O gave a short laugh, "How ironic that you're the one she has been looking for all this time."
"Yes…but Horizon is no more now," Windbreaker said plainly.
"Yes, yes…whatever you say…in any case, I heard his words…I'm sure Evangel did too…it's already a sign…"
Windbreaker's face darkened, "We…can't let it happen…not again…"
"No…we can't….and I'm sure Evangel would agree just as much…if he were here…"
"So…are you going to cooperate with your little brother for once?" Windbreaker found this amusing.
"In any case, Wind, I have an assignment for you…it will take place over a course of events…it could mean you life…" Windbreaker folded his arms in front of his chest and stared plainly out of the window, "are you willing to accept it?"
"What's the mission?"
"First, you must swear to accept the mission…once you have accepted it, there is no turning back, no declination," Jack-O turned around, his face with such an intimidating expression. An expression that earned him the place of administrator of Ark, "It is up to you…it will determine the future of the Ravens…and mankind."
Windbreaker thought it through for a moment, What have I got lose? The silence was soon replaced by his reply, "Mission accepted…"
"Good…now, Wind…listen closely…this is your mission…" both figures had not noticed that it started to rain, the lightning that struck just outside the office window emphasized the mood of Jack-O's expression.
After his discussion with Jack-O and debriefing he walked slowly to the bar to look for Sara. Only one thought was on his mind during the time he had taken to walk there, This mission…it already tells me…that I am dead…He looked inside the bar to find a girl with black hair on the counter, just plopped there. He walked towards the sitting figure and put his hand on her shoulder, "Hey! Its time to go…"
Sara spun around to meet his gaze, "Oh! Hey…hic…"
Windbreaker looked at her with his usual curious face and looked towards the glass in her hand, Hm? Too much alcohol? He looked back at Sara, whom was clenching tightly to his shirt, "Exactly, how many drinks did you have?"
She drooped over and wrapped one of her arms around his neck, the other still holding the glass and swinging it everywhere, "Uhhhh…let's see…" she held up three fingers in front of her as if inspecting some strange object, "1?"
Hmmm…low alcohol tolerance…wouldn't have expected that out of her…
"Can you please…hic…help me get to…my room…" she said with heavy eye lids.
"How can you still be so conscious of what's happening?" he asked dully.
"Geez, Wind…it was only hic one cup!...its nothing so….serious…" Sara hung over his shoulders like a rag doll.
Wow…she's out cold…what a frickin pain…Windbreaker decided to carry her to her room, despite the fact that he would enjoy just leaving her there. Her seemed to have been left open without turning on the security lock, How careless…people could have taken money…He proceeded inside the room and set her down on the couch. Sara stirred for a moment and rubbed her eyes.
"Wind…what are you doing here?" she said, apparently still in a semi-conscious state.
"Carrying you to your room…that's what you wanted…remember?"
"Oh yeah…you know, Wind…when I first met you…I thought you were one of nicest guys I had met," she said, standing up trying to gain some footing on the carpeted floor.
"Yeah…whatever..." Windbreaker was paying more attention to the class of room she had, How come she gets a five star quarter and I only get a three?
"I wasn't sure about my feelings for you yet…but now I know how I really feel about you…" she said walking closer, still in her drowsy state. Windbreaker still paid no attention to her, "I have to say three words, Wind…I love you…" she pressed against his chest.
"…Uh-huh…how interesting," His gaze was fixed on the refrigerator she had, What fuckin nice refrigerat- He felt a force that pushed him down on to the soft bed, "Ack! What the hell are you doing Sar-!" Sara pressed her face against his and enjoyed the feeling to the fullest.