***RB***
Zero walked slowly down the halls. His mind was absolutely flooded with questions, scenarios...memories…
...fear…
Lumine flashed through his mind. The very sight of that lavender helmed freak was putting his emotions in a spin. Memories were swarming to him. Feelings of loathing, hatred, and grief were slamming into him…
Enemy...ally...this issue isn't so black and white….
Get out of my head.
Now that you've defeated Sigma...I suppose you're satisfied…
Go away...Stay away…
Maverick? You don't really think that's the case, do you?
We possess the ability to go Maverick at WILL!
SLAM!
Zero panted as he PUNCHED the wall as hard as he could, leaving a sizable dent in the shell. He panted and trembled, his optics wide and his pupils shrunk.
….Lumine…
...but how...HOW was he alive? X had ended him! X had shot him into nothingness!...there was no possible way…
"Zero?"
The hunter swiftly turned, drawing out his Z-Saber and pointing the blade at...Ciel's throat…
Ciel gasped and took a couple of steps back. "...Z-...Zero…"
"...CIEL!" Zero quickly took his blade away, sheathing it and gritting his teeth. "...Ciel…"
"...Zero...What's-"
Ciel didn't get to finish her sentence, because Zero had already turned and was continuing down the hall. For a moment, she stayed silent...before she spoke. "...Zero I'm sending Raven on the scouting mission-"
"NO!'
Zero turned, his eyes wide and his teeth gritted dangerously. "NO! She's NOT leaving the base! Not with HIM on their side!"
Ciel stood there, wincing lightly. "...Zero...What's happened? Ever since yesterday...you have not been acting like yourself…"
Zero didn't reply...he only stared at Ciel for a long while. "Raven….is NOT going on any missions...got it?" After a tense moment, he turned and continued down the hall, leaving Ciel alone in the hall.
All he could THINK about was yesterday…
***FB***
Zero stumbled as he and Raven were warped back to base, nearly tripping over Raven's feet as they materialized into the room. Raven wasn't as lucky and fell FLAT on her toosh when they warped.
Groaning, Raven rubbed her bum and growled. "I hate Phantom so MUCH, he's such a freaking-" Raven paused as Zero stepped over her and put a hand to the wall, gripping at the wall and...panting?
Making a face, Raven stood and turned to face Zero, taken aback by his...demeanor. "Uh, Zero? You ok-" She recoiled as Zero turned to face her, an almost ghostly look to his face.
"Raven…" He choked out for a split second, his eyes wide and his pupils shrunk. Raven took two steps back. Zero looked like he had seen a GHOST...and it was freaking her out!
"Whoa- Zero!" She paused before forcefully shaking her head and taking a few steps towards him, reaching out for him. "Dude...Zero….Zero! What happened?... Look at me!...ZERO!"
Zero gritted his teeth, before pointing toward Raven, a dark look in his eyes. "...I don't want you on any more missions."
"Wh-" Raven blinked, before she seethed. "WHAT?! You can't do that! I'm not staying inside like a- GAH!"
Raven yelped when Zero grabbed her arms and frimley hoisted her upwards. A few of the rebels gasped at the action, and Ciel quickly stood.
"Zero!"
There was a tense moment of silence between Zero and Raven, before he gritted his teeth. "...You're staying at base...from now on." He growled darkly, making Raven tense up in his grip.
She LOOKED like she wanted to make a retort...but...the darkness in his eyes…
After a long while, Zero finally put Raven down and left the room, leaving the rest of the Resistance to try and figure out WHAT just happened…
***endFB***
Zero opened his eyes, gritting his teeth tightly.
...maybe he had been too harsh...maybe everyone deserved an explanation…
...but he couldn't get Lumine out of his mind...He couldn't get X out of his mind…
….he couldn't get Axl out of his mind…
Zero looked up as he entered the control room, taking note of Colbor at one of the computers. He let off a small sigh and made his way over to the rebel, putting his hands behind his back.
"...Ciel said she wanted to put Raven on a scouting mission?"
"GAH!"
Colbor whirled around in his seat, only to find Zero standing there, looking at the screen. "O-OH! Zero! I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, I thought you were-"
"Where is this scouting mission?" Zero asked, paying no mind to Colbor's panic.
"OH! UH-UM-YES, see the Neo Arcadian south sector base is going to have an annual reposition." Colbor pointed towards the screen. "In about five weeks, that particular sector's security systems will be down for maintenance...and their main computers are in there." Colbor pursed his lips.
"Ciel...was thinking with Raven's mirror suit and refracting capabilities...she'd be the perfect candidate to plant a virus in their system-"
"I don't want Raven in Neo Arcadia." Zero said simply, pressing a button and making the screen go blank. He glanced towards Colbor darkly. "I'll go."
"Oh but Ciel said y-" Colbor didn't get to finish, because Zero was already out the door...leaving the reploid to sigh to himself.
***NA***
Foxfire let off a small breath as she entered the Strong Air Battalion, passing a few of Harpuia's best soldiers and keeping her eyes on her datapad as she made her way to Shadow's office. The past month had been...hectic.
She had FINALLY managed to be put back with Phantom, which had been a drama all by itself…
...for some reason Lumine had only asked her questions about Raven...and only Raven. Nothing about any other part of what Master X was looking for.
Once he was convinced that she had given him everything he wanted to hear...he was no longer interested in bothering her.
Foxfire glanced to the side for a brief moment and narrowed her eyes.
...she wondered how long it would take him to realize that everything she had told him about Raven...had been a lie.
"OOFF!"
"OW!"
She gasped when she realized she had SLAMMED into one of the soldiers and put a hand to her head, looking up quickly. Turning around was Aztech Falcon, who looked down at the much shorter soldier.
"Lieutenant Foxfire…"
"Sorry Falcon!" Foxfire put a hand up. "I have...way too much on my mind."
"That's not new when it comes to you, Lieutenant." Falcon replied, turning to face her, still gazing at her evenly. "What tears you away from your own Squadron?"
"I have a few things to discuss with Shadow. Most of them concern Director Lumine. Others have to do with the partner that Zero has with him most of the time."
"Understood...though you may be interested to know that the Raven has not been seen on the battlefield lately."
Foxfire paused at the report and looked up at Falcon, a concerned look on her face. "...What?"
He nodded. "It would seem Zero has been keeping a tighter leash on his Raven ally…" His optics narrowed slightly. "No doubt he intends to keep the moon power away from Master X and is making this far more difficult…"
Foxfire pursed her lips and glanced to the side for a moment, before Falcon continued. "But Commander Harpuia is already putting together an attack on the Resistance base itself…"
"...I see." Foxfire looked up slowly and nodded. "Then please, don't allow me to hinder your work. I'll see myself to Shadow's office."
"Of course, Lieutenant." Falcon stepped aside for her to pass, and she started walking further in, a stressed look on her face.
...Harpuia was planning a direct assault?...No doubt Master X wasn't pleased with last month.
"Lieutenant."
Foxfire looked up and noticed Harpuia walking past her, nodding towards her as he walked.
"Commander Harpuia." Foxfire greeted, a small smile on her face, before continuing towards Shadow's office. Once she was out of Harpuia's eyesight, her smile faded.
...That last meeting with Raven had caused her to start questioning herself...after years of being so certain she was right...so certain that Raven was wrong…
….was everything before….just nothing? And if it was...how could she tell that to Sobek, Sandstorm and Shadow?
How could she say that to Harpuia?
...What...would Phantom think about her second guesses?...would...she be a traitor to him?
Foxfire sighed quietly and opened the door to Shadow's office. The sight of an overly-clean, spic and span office made a small sarcastic look come to her face. Shadow, unlike herself, was a complete NEAT. FREAK.
She swore he had a little area for EVERY small or big thing that belonged in his office. HECK! EVEN SLAGGING PENS WERE LINED UP NEATLY IN A ROW!
Even his little gadgets in the room had their own 'special place'...she swore if she knocked one out of its place, he'd be all over it like bees on a hive.
Shaking herself out of her musings, Foxfire made her way over to Shadow's desk, who was busily typing at his computer. He didn't look at her, which told her that he probably found something of high interest.
Slightly clearing her throat, Foxfire set her datapad on his table. "Shadow, I got those readings you wanted from our squad." She informed, glancing towards his computer briefly. The screen was showing incident reports...from 15 years ago…
Foxfire looked puzzled and took a step closer. "Shadow-?"
"Did you get Hanumachine to properly diagnose last week's technical glitch?" Shadow suddenly asked, turning in his seat so suddenly, Foxfire near jumped six feet in the air. She took a step back and put a hand to her forehead, slightly cursing herself, before looking back at Shadow.
"Yes, it's in those reports. Something to due with an improper balance of energy getting to the systems."
Shadow glanced to the side, looking thoughtful. "...strange...That type of glitch shouldn't be happening at all in those types of systems…" He shook his head slightly and looked back towards Foxfire, a serious look on his face. "Hey Fox...mind if I ask you something personal?"
Foxfire blinked, surprised by the question, before she loosely crossed her arms. "As long as it has nothing to do with my crush on Commander Phantom."
"I don't need that kind of information." Shadow replied sarcastically. "Literally the whole Army knows about you and Phantom."
Foxfire's eye twitched and she shook a fist at him, which he didn't seem phased by. "We are NOT a couple-!"
"How long have you known the Raven? You two spoke to each other as though you were once friends, before your parting."
Foxfire suddenly paused, the weight of his question suddenly flooring her. How...did he know...about-
"...Wait...Speaking to each other?" She tucked in her arms as she saw the stoic look on his face. ...The incident with Raven...They...had heard her transmissions. "...H-...How much did you hear?"
"Bits and pieces." Shadow replied. "Basically everyone knows you two used to be friends and now you hate each other." He glanced back toward his computer and seemed to ponder, before reaching over to a key and minimizing the screen. He then rose an eye ridge at Foxfire. "We also heard why you're too chicken to confess to Ph-"
"HEY SHADOW!"
Sobek all but BURSTED into the room, Sandstorm right at his heels. The two Lieutenants slid in, big stupid grins on their faces. "SHADOW! Turn on your security to hall D-3! NOW! NOW! HURRYHURRYHURRY NOWNOWNOW!" Sobek grabbed ahold of Shadow's desk, jumping up and down like he was on a caffeine fix.
"HI FOXFIRE!" Sandstorm nearly ran into the purple and teal femme, scooping her up into his large arms and slinging her over his shoulders to keep himself from crushing her against the wall. "SHADOW OPEN IT! OPEN IT!"
Foxfire had a dumfounded look on her face and started pounding on Sandstorm's armor. "SERIOUSLY?! PUT ME DOWN YOU LOUSEY-"
"SOBEK!" Shadow made an exasperated motion. "YOU'RE DISORGANIZING MY DESK!"
"THE CAMERAS! HURRY! NOWNOWNOWNOW!"
Shadow's optic twitched in irritance, and he growled, turning to his computer and typing at it. After a moment, several security screens came online, and Shadow casually searched for camera D-3. Making the image fullscreen, he watched…
...an empty hallway.
Shadow glared over at Sobek and Sandstorm. "The heck are yo-" he started to grumble.
"Waaaaiiit foooorr iiiiiit." Sobek bounced up and down, his stupid grin never leaving his face.
Foxfire had squirmed out of Sandstorm's grip, and he carefully set her back down, but didn't stop snickering. Looking at the screen, Foxfire crossed her arms and scoffed. "The heck did you idiots do?" she asked...before Lumine came onto the screen. The lavender haired bot was casually walking down the halls, looking at a datapad.
Foxfire rose an eyebrow and looked towards Sobek, a bizarre look on her face. "...What….did you idiots do?"
Sobek grinned over at Foxfire like a little kid.
BANG!
Foxfire jumped slightly, and Shadow made a face...as Lumine was seen THROWN across the hallway by some sort of….goop.
On a different screen, it showed that Lumine had been hurled all the way to a different hallway...and was now absolutely COVERED in barbie pink paint, rainbow glitter, and little baby pink pansies were stuck all over him.
The office was silent….dead silent...Foxfire bit her lower lip-
Before Shadow absolutely BELLOWED in uncontrollable laughter. One by one, the Lieutenants lost it, all of them absolutely howling with glee over the grief that Director Lumine was now experiencing.
***RB***
Raven stormed for Zero's room, seething and pushing past anyone who got in her way. It was bad enough that a month ago, Jaken wouldn't let her hear the END of the fact that EVERYONE knew about her suppressed crush on Zero…
...BUT ZERO WAS NOW ACTING LIKE HE COULD ORDER HER AROUND AND KEEP HER IN THIS CAGE OF A BASE!
He had been avoiding her and it was driving her INSANE. SURE, she had avoided him like the plague for about a week, until she had been told that she couldn't go on any FLIPPING MISSIONS!
Her job NOW was to find a chainsaw and SHOVE IT SO FAR UP ZERO'S FIRETRUCK AFT!
Raven had to get through some major hoops to get Zero's whereabouts, but THANKFULLY, someone had confirmed that he was currently in his Quarters.
And she was going to give him a piece of her mind!
"ZER- GAH!"
Raven SMACKED face first into Zero's door, stumbling backwards when the door didn't open despite all the force she had put into it.
Rubbing her mouth, Raven growled and proceeded to start POUNDING on the door, gritting her teeth.
"ZERO OPEN THIS FREAKING DOOR! You have the AUDACITY to give me a lecture about ME not trusting anyone, and yet HERE YOU ARE! Locking me out, Keeping me in the base like a caged animal, and REFUSING to talk to me like a MAN!"
She continued to pound on the door, getting angrier with each pound.
"ZERO! You flipping HYPOCRITE! I'm NOT staying in this base another day! It's no better than Neo Arcadia! A freaking PRISON! A ZOO! A-"
Raven continued to pound on the door- only for the door to suddenly open, allowing her hand to go punching...RIGHT for Zero's face.
PAIN shot through Raven's knuckles and she suddenly hopped back shaking off her hand a few times. The throbbing pain of hitting METAL with her fingers unexpectedly was making its displeasure known.
"OW! Owowowowow!" Raven hissed and rubbed her hand, growling in pain.
"...How do you expect to fight a war that's not yours, if you feel pain from a simple SLIP, Raven?" Zero asked bitterly, frowning at her darkly. "I'm not even ATTACKING you, and you've already hurt yourself."
"You took me off guard, Firetruck butt!" Raven snapped, shaking her fingers a few times. "And we've been over this! What made me suddenly lose YOUR trust?"
Zero was silent for a moment, taking in her question, before he gritted his teeth.
...The lecture he had with her...she was bringing it up now?
"This has nothing to do with my trust for you, Raven" he growled. "You're not the one I don't trust."
"Oh REALLY? Could have fooled ME!" Raven waved a hand in the air for emphasis. "You don't TALK to me, you don't let me go on Missions. HECK! You're hiding from me RIGHT. NOW!"
Zero gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
"...Raven…"
Raven jabbed a finger in his chest. "I was the one who told YOU trust is earned, and you told ME you already trusted me! If you trust me so much, then why are you treating me like a criminal?! You're caging me like a-"
Without warning, Zero suddenly took a step towards her, grabbed her firmly by the shoulders, and firmly planted his lips against hers.
Raven's eyes widened and her entire body went rigid as it felt like pure lightning was coursing through her veins. Time stopped...The earth stopped spinning…
All she could focus on was how close she was to Zero…
...and the fact….that he was…
Almost as quickly as it happened, it stopped. Zero broke the kiss and panted angrily, gazing deeply into Raven's eyes.
The woman before him only stared back at him, completely perplexed and baffled…
"...Raven. You don't understand." he muttered. "I'm not trying to hurt you...I'm trying to protect you...You have no idea...what Lumine is capable of…"
The girl couldn't quite comprehend what Zero had said...she was still trying to figure out WHAT THE SLAG JUST HAPPENED!
"Listen to me Raven." Zero took his hands from Raven's shoulders and cupped her cheeks firmly. "...Just do as I ask...please...I….I can't lose you...I-..." He couldn't continue. For a long while he only stood there with Raven's face in his hands.
Thoughts of Lumine's laugh were echoing in his mind...paired with the bewildered look Raven was giving him…
"I can't lose another person I love….not again." That much said, Zero released Raven's face...and shut the door…
Leaving Raven staring at the closed door in utter shock.
***NA***
Daisy let of a sigh as she tightened her jacket around her. Fall was slowly drawing to a close and winter was letting itself known…
...the perfect time for rebels to hit another one of her family's shops apparently.
When her father had contacted the authorities, he had asked for an audience with Master X. X had accepted...
….aaaaannd her mother just HAD to get sick didn't she?
It wasn't like Daisy didn't appreciate the hard work Master X put into protecting Neo Arcadia. However she didn't want to handle political or legal stuff...that was her DAD'S job.
All I have to do is deliver this to Aztech Falcon...it's just a delivery...you've delivered flowers everywhere in Neo Arcadia…
She shivered and tightened her jacket…
...she didn't want to be here...not with a war going on…
Looking ahead of her, she couldn't help but mentally berate herself. She had spoken with one of the guards before coming in here...but...did he say two lefts and a right?...or was it two rights and a left?
...great...she had forgotten which way she was supposed to go...
"...ROGANT, RUST FILLED, EGOTISTICAL MANIAC REPLOIDS OF JUNK!"
...huh?
Daisy looked up as she heard yelling from the hall she was about to turn down. Oh dear...another reason why she didn't want to be here…
Turning the corner, Daisy kept close to the wall...only to see three reploids talking...arguing rather. Two big mechs and a...rather small replied accompanying them.
Daisy recognized ONE of them. Sobek, the Lieutenant of Fighting Fefnir of the Scorched Earth Squadron!
Surely he would know his way around here.
Sobek was smirking at the smaller reploid, his arms crossed against his chest. "Aww….poor Lumine...did you have to pick out all those widdle pansies off your aft?"
"IM STILL CLEANING GLITTER OUT OF MY CIRCUITS YOU LOUSEY-"
"Umm...excuse me?"
The three turned their attention on the new arrival...the human arrival. Sobek immediately uncrossed his arms and made a small bowing motion. "Evenin' Ma'am!" he greeted pleasantly. "Can I help you find something? This is the Guardian side of the base."
"I apologize." Daisy replied meekly, showing him a letter. "My father was supposed to meet with Master X...but my mother has relapsed and he's sent me to make the request instead…" She allowed Sobek to take the paper out of her hands.
"I...have no idea where I'm supposed to be going…"
Sobek looked over the paper and looked back at the woman, a big goofy grin on his face. "Well you're heading the wrong way, but I know where you need to go! It won't be a problem miss!"
"Thank you, I apologize again." Daisy put her hands together. "You're Lieutenant Sobek, right?" She glanced over towards Sandstorm and Lumine...before motioning towards Lumine. "Oh, I see you're with Lieutenant Sandstorm...and….Is this your girlfriend?"
"MMMMPPFFF!" Sandstorm suddenly bit his lips, and Sobek SLAMMED his hand over his own mouth, his eye suddenly twitching as he FORCEFULLY held back his laughter...don't be rude, don't be rude, don't be-
"How. DARE. YOU!" Lumine seethed, pointing towards Daisy, who took a step back.
"I-I'm sorry! I thought-"
"To even SUGGEST such a thing!" Lumine pointed accusingly towards Sobek, gritting his teeth. "ME?! Wit-"
"Director Lumine!"
All in the hall looked over as Harpuia made his way towards them, a stern look on his face. "That is no way...to speak to a lady." he said, frowning at the lavender helmed reploid. He narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Unless by some chance...you're going irregular…"
Lumine bit his lip and glared right back at Harpuia for all of two seconds, before putting his hands behind him and giving him a forced smile. "Wouldn't dream of it...excuse me." he muttered pleasantly.
As Lumine turned and sulked off, Harpuia watched the reploid leave like a hawk...before he turned and faced Daisy, his demeanor softening considerably.
"My sincerest apologies, ma'am…" He stood in front of her and studied her for a moment. "Oh...I remember you...Miss Daisy Spazz, correct?"
Daisy blushed lightly, before letting off a small salute. "Uh- Yes sir, C-Commander Harpuia sir-"
"Oh please, ma'am, there is no need for formalities." Harpuia offered her a hand. "I am simply Harpuia to you, ma'am. You are, after all, one of the top priorities of Neo Arcadia."
Daisy blushed and gingerly took Harpuia's hand. She paused and held up her letter. "O-Oh...I have...a summons...My father was suppose to meet with Master X….but my Mother's sick…"
"I'm terribly sorry to hear that, miss Daisy." Harpuia replied, glancing towards the two Lieutenants...who were STILL holding back their laughter. "I wish her good health. I'll see what assistance I can send you home with after your meeting with Master X."
"Oh...Commander Harpuia, that's real kind of you, but...I don't want to be a bother-" Daisy started to protest.
"Nonsense, Miss Daisy." Harpuia smiled. "As a Citizen of Neo Arcadia, it's our mission to protect you." He turned and offered her his arm. "Please. Call me Harpuia...and allow me to escort you to Master X."
"Oh." Daisy blushed and took his arm. "Well...Thank you C-...Harpuia."
Harpuia began leading Daisy down the halls, glancing back towards Sobek and Sandstorm, and letting off a smirk at their faces…
...as the door closed behind Harpuia and Daisy, the hall suddenly was filled with the loud laughter of Sobek and Sandstorm.