Chapter 11: Tossing Reality

It all just seemed to stop… Where she was, how it was happening, and why it was happening. The anger that filled her body faded, and she was left gripping the controls. All knowledge of what she had just done faded into her mind. Eureka's hand began to tremble, she couldn't grip the controls as she gazed out the view port and at the 606. Just a few seconds before, she was defending herself from the enemy. But she couldn't comprehend why her body commanded itself to attack with out understanding what it was attacking. Her breath starting to become quicker and shorter as the realization hit her.

"Renton…" She whispered… Utter shock covering her wide eyes. Her blade had gone strait through the cockpit. Who ever was inside, would have been dead. But she knew who it was, and she refused to believe it. Her hand shot across the controls, opening the cockpit, and the sword retracted. But before the 606 could fall, the Xellien reached out and embraced it in its own arms. She stumbled out of the Xellien, and climbed her way back over to the 606.

"Renton!" She screamed at the 606's cockpit door… but no response would come. Slowly she shifted her vision to the emergency door lock. She began to reach over for it, but her hand stopped. What ever the door opened to… she wasn't sure she wanted to witness. But she reached out and gripped it anyway, turning the cold hard handle. The 606's cockpit door slid up and back. Her eyes shut tightly eyes tightly, but then opened again. Renton was sitting in the pilot's chair, out cold from the world. There was a large hole running through the metal, barely missing in between his legs. Metal twisted out in sharp pointed edges. She noticed blood was flowing down his forehead, from a gapping cut at the side. His leg was also slightly moist with a damp red, but Eureka couldn't tell how deep the cut was. Something else that caught her eye, something that seemed to jolt her with an energy she had never felt before. Renton's chest slowly rose and fell again… or in other words, he was breathing. She quickly hopped down into the cockpit and unbuckled his safety strap. Then she pulled him out with all the strength that her arms were able to produce. Warm tears started to fall across her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Renton…" She muttered as she dragged him across the 606 and to the Xellien. The shivering wind blew across them, making it hard to keep Renton from falling off. Finally she reached the Xellien, but there was a small gap that separated the two. She shifted her legs and heaved him onto the Xellien. For a few seconds she stopped, and looked around to see what else was happening. More P.O.F.s units had come in to cover her. A small whisper of thanks drifted through her lips as she began to drag Renton into the cockpit.

The cockpit closed and Eureka immediately turned the Xellien around. Her mind was on overdrive, everything she did had a hint of Renton in thought. Every other second she would turn to see if he was still breathing. But as her eyes scanned the surroundings, she finally spotted what she was looking for. The Gekko-Go was flying over head, and the sun shining just above it, causing a shadowy silhouette. Eureka dipped the board upward, and the jets on the back exploded with streaming heat, pushing the Xellien forward along with the 606. Her vision began to become blurry as the Gekko-Go got closer. She knew that the device had taken her again, and if Renton hadn't come to save her…

When the Xellien neared the Gekko-Go, to Eureka's surprise, the catapult door opened as if expecting her. She didn't hesitate to comply, but immediately turned the Xellien up and swerved it inside. The 606 slipped from its hands, crashing against the metallic floor. The Xellien then transformed into its car form and landed on the ground, while coming to a screeching halt. Eureka reached across and opened the cockpit.

"Eureka…" A whisper so weak, that Eureka could feel her tears purging again. Swiftly she turned to Renton, to see his eyes open.

"Renton, it's going to be ok, I got you now." She forced a smile as she pulled Renton out the cockpit. But her arms were starting to tire, and couldn't handle the weight.

"I'm sorry Eureka… I couldn't be there." His voice was a little stronger, but she could tell that it was diminishing.

"Renton… No… I." She searched for the words in her mind, but it didn't come. The two became silent as they moved across the hanger. Suddenly the door to the hanger slammed open, Mischa, Matthieu, Holland, and Talho charged down the steps. She stopped, relief pushing out some of the stress in her body. Help had finally come to save Renton. Mischa charged forward and crouched down by Renton, checking over his wounds carefully. A sigh of relief came from Mischa's mouth.

"Just a few cuts, he'll be alright. But we should get them patched up." Mischa motioned to Matthieu who nodded and took Renton from Eureka. Eureka briefly stood up and began to follow, but she stopped when she felt the eyes of Holland on her. The gaze on her sent a hard pressure of guilt through out her body. He was confused, surprised, worried, and even suspicious. All those words drifted into her mind as she saw his face. When she tried making eye contact with Talho, Talho only looked away.

"I think we need to have a talk Eureka…" Holland spoke in a casual voice, but still seemed unsure. She nodded and turned toward him, knowing that she had little choice.

"That'll have to wait, looks like Eureka has a problem herself." Frowning, Eureka turned toward Mischa, who advanced and lifted her arm. Eureka looked down to see her side was moist with blood, along with a small tare in her white and blue clothing.

"How did…" She muttered in confusion. Mischa looked over it carefully.

"That's a pretty deep cut, come on Eureka. You're coming with us as well." The tension in Eureka's body had just faded, and she followed them out. Though it was a cut, she was just happy that she no longer had to talk with Holland. And while they walked back up the stairs, she turned her head to see Holland and Talho looking at her strangely. A shiver rushed down her spine and she quickly turned back to Mischa.

As they moved down the hall, Eureka felt her steps getting slightly wobbly. Mischa noticed this and helped her along.

"Do you know how you got the cut?" Mischa asked her inquisitively." Eureka looked down, thinking about it carefully, but there came no memory.

"I don't remember, it might have happened while I was getting Renton out." She thought back to the twisted metal, it now seemed very likely.

"I see, well, we'll have to do a complete check on you." She pointed at other red marks on her shirt. "We're not sure if that's Renton's or yours." Eureka looked down at the wounds, the thought slightly sickening her stomach. They finally reached the infirmary where Eureka and Renton were both placed on medical beds.

"Attention!" Holland voice broke through the comms.. "We're retreating from the battle at full velocity. You just might want to hold onto something for a second." Mischa nodded at Matthieu who quickly complied by grabbing Eureka's medical bed and holding something that was firm into the ground. Mischa did the same thing with Renton. And just a few seconds later, the whole ship shook as the back jets boomed to life. After a minute had passed, everything calmed once again. Eureka turned her head to see Renton was still asleep. She then turned her head back to the ceiling… wanting more then anything to speak with him at that moment. But she knew that no words would come from his lips.

"Ok Matthieu, thank you, I can take it from here." Mischa said and Matthieu left with a short nod. She walked over to Eureka and handed her a small cloth. "Hold this against your side." Eureka did so as Mischa started check over Renton.

---

An hour passed by as Micha patched up the wounds on Eureka and Renton. Eureka noticed that Renton had a cut on his head, the side of his leg, and his left arm. She herself had a deep cut in her side, and another just on the side of her leg.

"That should be ok for now." Mischa said as she finished wrapping Eureka's leg in a bandage cloth. Both Renton and Eureka were in patient type clothing. "How does it feel?" She asked, motioning at the leg.

"It stings slightly, but not to bad." Eureka casually responded.

"Good, then you to should be ok for now. In the mean time, you should try and get some rest. I'll get some one to bring dinner in an hour or so." Mischa walked over to the table and started to write something down. Eureka lifted her head in curiosity.

"What are you writing?" Eureka asked.

"A do not disturb sign." Eureka tilted her head in surprise.

"What about the kids?" Mischa sighed and started for the door, but she stopped and turned around.

"I don't want any one disturbing you two at the moment. Truly Eureka, you two have had enough for the day. Don't worry, tomorrow the kids will be allowed to come and see you." Eureka nodded in disappointment, really hoping to see the kids. Mischa shared a small grin before walking out the door.

"Eureka…" A rather strong voice spoke to her. She turned her head in surprise, to see Renton's eyes open and looking up at the ceiling. He seemed to be deep in thought. At that moment, she really wanted to know what. Slowly he turned his head to look at her, but no smile came to his face this time. It suddenly became difficult for her to hold eye contact with him. "It happened again… right?" He asked.

"Yes…" She answered simply, yet uncomfortably.

"… You didn't know it was me… right?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer. Eureka instantly twisted her head in urgency.

"Of course I didn't know!" She almost yelled, which took Renton by surprise. But he could see the tears starting to swell in her eyes. "I had no idea… I was so cold… so alone. But then I felt something reaching out to me, it was warm and familiar, it was you. When it all came back, I saw the Xellien's blade inside the 606. That wasn't me that attacked… I don't even know who that was. But I had no idea that I was attacking you..." She turned her head, facing away from Renton. He could hear her muffled breaths, trying to suppress the urge to cry. A wave of guilt piled itself into his stomach. He couldn't believe he just assumed such a thing. Suddenly he shifted his weight and got on his feet. Then, slowly he dragged his medical bed closer to hers, so they were no longer on the opposite ends of the room, but right next to each other. Eureka turned her head to see what he was doing. She was surprised to see him moving the bed, every step showed the pain in his wounded leg. When he reached her, he laid back down on his bed, and reached across taking her hand. She shifted her vision between Renton and his hand. Then she took his hand with both of hers.

"I'm sorry Eureka." He whispered back to her. She shook her head, and let a warm smile spread across her face.

"Renton... Thank you." She smiled as well. Finally they both let the guilt and worry drain from their bodies. They were free from the pain of the world, only being left with the pains of their bodies. But those didn't matter, because they both knew that those would heal. Ever so slowly, Eureka eyes became heavier, as she felt the urge of sleep starting to claim her. And as Renton watched fatigue overcome her, he felt his own desire for sleep creep on his tired body. He closed his eyes along with Eureka, as they both fell into the world of regeneration.

---

"How is he doctor?" Klera asked a tall black haired man. She almost felt intimidated by his sheer height. The doctor turned around with a friendly smile, and small little clip board.

"He'll be fine, his body just need plenty of rest. If you want to visit him, you can, but I don't think he'll be awake for a while." His voice, not very surprisingly, was deep. But Klera was satisfied with the answer, and she smiled in gratitude.

"Thank you, that really means a lot to me." He nodded and motioned at the door. Then he walked down the hall, moving on to other duties. As he did so, Klera quickly seized the chance to walk in. When the door opened, she spotted Konner lying on the bed. A light was lit dimly at the side of his bed, leaving the room in cool shading. A sigh drifted from her lips as she walked over to a chair and sat down next to him. Her gaze kept on his sleeping face for a long time.

The door opened and two people walked in. Klera looked up in surprise to see both Dominic and Anemone.

"Hey Klera, how is he doing?" Dominic asked, looking over at Konner with true concern. It seemed as though Dominic was actually starting to form a friendship with Konner, much like Anemone and Klera had started a while back

"He's is doing fine, the doctor said he just needed plenty of rest." Klera responded, and a relieved smile spread on Dominic's face.

"Good…" Anemone looked between Konner and Klera curiously. She smiled and tilted her head at her.

"And how about you Klera, how are you doing?" She asked with a tinge of mischievousness. Klera looked up in confusion, but looked back down, blushing slightly. "As I thought, well Dominic, best we leave the two alone." Dominic looked over at Anemone in his own confusion. But then it clicked for him.

"Oh, alright, I think I had a report I needed to finish up any way." He said as they both turned around to walk out.

"No way, not this time Dominic. You're taking a break from your work." Anemone pressured him with a defiant voice. Dominic backed away slightly in defense, a nervous smile emerging on his face. But as he did so, just before the door closed, Klera noticed something in between them. It was small, but it spoke something that couldn't be uttered in words. She saw them holding their hands, and even though they bickered with each other. That bond was still being held. She looked back up to see the door closing behind them. She shifted her gaze back down to her own hand, and then at Konner's.

"Must be a strong bond." She whispered more to herself then Konner. But ever so slightly, she reached her hand out and took his. A smile slipped across her face, as a warm feeling flushed over her body.

---

"What do you supposed caused it?" Hap asked Holland, who was leaning on a bar, with his arms folded. They were both left alone in the command room. Holland sighed and shook his head, while shifting his gaze to the ceiling.

"I don't know… I've never seen her act up that way." He replied.

"Could it have something to do with the Xellien?" Haps suggested the idea. Holland turned around and rested his elbows on the railing, while looking out the view port.

"I don't know, Irik never said anything about it. He told me that the machine was in perfect working condition, and besides, I've already asked the exact question. I'm going to trust him on this one. But it still worries me." Hap shifted his gaze to the view port as well.

"And the news report from Jurgens?" Hap asked him curiously, which received a short nod.

"Yes, with half of those kids he took in being spies. They had confessed that they were the ones who installed the prototype Inverse Drive." The piece of information shot a look of surprise on Hap's face.

"So it was them… when did he confirm this with you?"

"Just an hour ago… But that's not what's truly peeking at my nerves." Holland looked over at Hap, fierce importance passing over his face. "It's all the news coming in from the P.O.F.'s Traitor Log. The command center in Bellfrost, the kids, and other small reports are popping in left and right." He looked out the window again. "There is no way of telling who can be trusted of the P.O.F.. From now on, we'll have to keep our ears sharp, and our eyes pealed." Hap nodded in agreement, completely understanding the level of importance.

"I'll have to talk with Gidjet, Jobs, and Woz. But in the mean time, you should get back in contact with Jurgens. We need to discuss with him the full danger of this situation." This time Holland nodded.

"I know, I've already discussed with him some of my worries. He's a smart man, he won't hesitate to take action. I just hope the rest of the P.O.F. follows his lead." They continued to look out the window, the sun slowly setting bellow the horizon. Both were caught in their own thoughts, considering how this is going to falter their plans on living as the Gekko-State.

---

"Thanks kids for helping make dinner." Talho rubbed their heads affectionately. They all nodded in excitement. "You guys can go eat now yourselves, I got it from here."

"Ok!" Linck almost yelled as he and Maeter both ran around the counter and back into the lounge. Maurice stayed behind, a look of serious reflection on his face.

"Talho." He spoke out as she turned to gather more food. She turned around with a friendly smile, and looked down to see his face. A frown crossed her face in confusion.

"Something wrong Maurice?" She asked. He quickly shook his head, and looked directly up at her.

"No, I just want to know how they're doing." Talho knew who he was talking about, and she took a few steps forward, while kneeling down to his height.

"They'll be just fine, don't worry." She smiled and reached across, rubbing his head gently. Maurice smiled weakly and nodded.

"Ok." She stood up and watched Maurice run around the counter to join with his siblings. Talho sighed as the smile quickly faded. She turned back and served up two more dishes of food. Then carefully she started for the door. She quickly eyed the kids, making sure they didn't see her walking out. Luckily for her, the rest of the crew was causing a big enough distraction. So ever so quietly, she slipped out the door and into the hall.

As she walked down the hall, she stopped at the infirmary and turned inside. To her surprise, both Renton and Eureka were awake, talking with each other. It seemed as though some one had moved Renton's bed closer to Eureka. But to her relief, they were both smiling at each other. What ever happened, it cleared all doubt that she had about the two. Even though what had happened, they still loved each other.

"Hey." She spoke out and stepped forward. The two looked up in mild surprise.

"Hey Talho." Renton replied as his eyes settled on the food she was holding.

"Just thought I would bring in dinner." She said with that same tender smile. After that, she set the plates on two trays, and handed it to them. They both sat up and started to look over their dinner intently.

"Thank you Talho." Eureka smiled in gratitude.

"Yes, thank you." Renton quickly said himself. Talho nodded and started for the door.

"Ummm, Talho." Eureka spoke suddenly, and Talho turned around. "Are the kids doing ok?" She asked, concern starting to build in her face. Talho responded with a gentle smile and warm nod.

"Yes, they're doing just fine." Eureka sighed in relief, and nodded in gratitude. Talho saw that she was no longer needed, and left the room, leaving the two to themselves.

---

Eureka and Renton finished their food, and settled back as the time for sleep came. Renton turned his head to look at Eureka, who was looking back up into the ceiling. '

"How are your wings?" He asked on a random subject. Eureka shifted her head in surprise, but she smiled and looked down at her exposed wing.

"They're fine, I just wish I didn't have to sleep on my back. But it hurts a more to sleep on my side. She reached down and rubbed the bandage across her stomach softly.

"Do you mind if I?" Eureka curiously turned around and followed his line of sight to her wings. She blushed slightly and nodded. Slowly he reached across and placed his hand on her smooth wing. It was extremely soft against his skin, and perfectly warm. Eureka kept watching comfortably, a gentle smile on her face. She suddenly reached up and took his hand. Then she pulled it closer and rested her head on its palm. Renton watched in surprise, but a smile formed on his face. Both were left in a blissful state, free from any captivity the world could produce. So they both fell asleep, in the feeling of peace.

---

Renton felt as if he were floating in nothing but warm air. He softly opened his eyes to see Eureka clinging to him, as he was back holding onto her. They were floating in a dim setting, soft colors floated around in the back round. Eureka was resting her head against his chest, and even though he had no idea where they were… he felt safe. But it also felt so strange.

"Eureka." He softly whispered down to her. There was an obvious smile on her face.

"Yes?" Eureka responded in a gentle voice. Renton shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Never mind." They held onto each other, just floating in the warm air. But suddenly they felt as if they were falling. Gravity had just turned on unexpectedly. Both of their eyes shot open as they looked around.

"What in the…" Renton spoke out, looking around in confusion. Eureka was doing the same thing. The dim colors had turned into a complete blackness. And the warm air had drained, and was filled with a cold frost.

"Where are we?" Eureka asked, looking around desperately.

"I don't know, weren't we just in the infirmary?" Confusion was rushing around in his eyes. They kept falling for what felt like forever, until it all just stopped. Their feet were suddenly against the ground. They looked around to see that they were in a large kitchen, how large they couldn't tell. It seemed as if the tables dragged on forever.

"Renton, Eureka?" A voice said with confusion behind them. They both turned around to see Hap in chefs clothing. He was by himself in the never ending room.

"Ummm… Hap… where are we?" Renton asked in utter bewilderment. The man shook his head and motioned them to come closer.

"That doesn't matter, but it's a good thing you're here. I need you to help me with this cooking." He exclaimed and pulled out two empty card board boxes. Both Eureka and Renton looked at the box, no comprehension on what was happening would enter their minds. "What are you waiting for? Startcutting them!" He pointed at the box in frustration.

"T-the boxes?" Renton asked in complete confusion. Hap nodded vigorously and then shook his head. Eureka stepped forward first, and Renton followed behind.

"This cant be right…" She muttered as she took the box and fumbled with it curiously.

"I guess I must be dreaming…" Renton mumbled as he took a box as well. Eureka turned to him and cocked her head.

"You're dreaming? I've never had a dream so strong before. It all feels so real… Even you Renton." She turned back to the box and slowly started to tare at its edges. Renton on the other hand stopped to look at her suspiciously.

"Are you saying that you're the one dreaming?" He asked. Eureka turned and politely nodded. Renton turned around and scratched his head in frustration. The whole thing was just too overwhelming.

"Maybe we're both dreaming?" She suggested and continued to rip the box in half. Renton stood strait and nodded in agreement.

"You remember being in the infirmary?"

"Yes." She responded simply.

"Then where is thi-" Renton stopped when a loud clang of metal rang through the air. Both Eureka and Renton turned their heads to see Hap looking down the table in horror.

"Hap, what is it?" Eureka asked urgently, twisting her head to see what he was looking at. Renton did as well, and what he saw utterly blew his mind. A large... huge blender was hopping its way towards them.

"That… can't be right." Renton felt like he was about to scream.

"Not again… It's coming for me again!" Hap yelled and turned around, running with all his strength. Eureka and Renton caught the same idea, and turned around to escape as well. But the minute they faced the other direction, they were floating again in darkness.

"What's going on?" Renton took a deep breath in disbelief.

"Renton!" He quickly turned his head to see Eureka desperately reaching out for him. Some how they had drifted away from each other. Quickly he tried to grab her hand, but a bare inch separated their success.

"Eureka!" With all his strength he yelled, trying to just grasp her finger. They both looked down to see a white light growing larger. Before they knew it, they were both surrounded in a bright blinding light. Renton covered his eyes, shielding them from the sheer intensity. After a moment, he opened his eyes again to see he was in a long field with wavy green grass. The skies were a pure blue, not a spec of white to be seen.

"Eureka…" He whispered in fear, and continued looking around, but all he found, was that he was alone.

"Look out down there!" An extremely high pitched voice yelled down to him. When he looked back up, he witness two very large boats sailing at each other. Or he assumed sailing, there seemed to be no trapar. But each one was loaded with over sized cannons, and the ships were bulky beyond belief. From what Renton could tell, it was a very cartoonish looking ship.

A rope ladder dropped from the side of the ship, clearly aimed at Renton. He quickly jumped up and grabbed onto it. The force of the ship took him by surprise, as he was dragged along. But he quickly gathered his footing and climbed his way up to the top of the ship. Once he reached it, a man stepped forward and saluted.

"Second in command Barfy I understand? Why aren't you in uniform?" The tall man asked in confusion, looking him up and down.

"Don't worry, leave him to me!" The same high pithced voice came again. Both Renton and the man turned their heads to see Linck. He was standing proudly, in a small little uniform that almost made Renton laugh.

"Linck?" Renton almost yelled, running forward to get a better look at him. "What are you doing here… where is here?" Renton asked, looking about in utter confusion. Linck tilted his head up with his own confusion.

"We're here to finally take down the dreaded Captain Maeter!" Linck pointed in the distance at a black ship sailing towards them. Renton blinked a few times, looking in between the two.

"Ok…" He muttered as his eye twitched.

"Captain! They're almost within firing range!" A man yelled from atop the ship.

"Attack!" Linck yelled excitedly as he ran to the back of the ship. Renton followed, but stopped and fell to the ground.

"I'm so confused." Once again he started to itch his head violently in confusion.

"Sir, their going to ram us!" The same man yelled again.

"Ok!" Linck yelled back. Renton's eyes shot open and he sat up, looking at the black ship draw closer and closer.

"Ummm… I don't think that's such a good idea… heh." He kept staring, a nervous smile stretched across his face. The two ships were about to clash, and Renton closed his eyes tightly.

---

Eureka's eyes shot about, looking for any sign of Renton. But he seemed to be gone…

"Renton!" She yelled into the empty air. No response came, and she felt a fear starting to build inside her. "He's gone…" Closing her eyes tightly, she attempted to wake up from this nightmare.

"Mama?" A voice spoke out from behind her. Eureka opened her eyes to see she was sitting on a pure white floor. No matter where she looked, it seemed as if she were in a never ending colorless box. Slowly she turned around to see Maurice sitting on a small stool. Next to him was a canvas on a stand.

"Maurice?" Eureka stood up in complete bewilderment. Maurice seemed to be just as confused.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, looking around to see if there was any one else.

"I don't even know what's going on… what are you drawing?" She asked suddenly, and stepped forward to see it. Maurice quickly blushed, and slid to the side to block it from her site.

"It's nothing, just a scribble of something I drew…" Eureka stepped forward and stopped.

"Let me see Maurice." She looked down at him with gentle eyes. Ones that were the sign of his beloved mother. Ever so gently, he slid aside to reveal his painting. To Eureka's surprise, it was beautiful. Mountains rose in the back round, tipped with icy tops. They were settled in a sea of dark green trees, that almost looked as if they were waving in the wind. A pure white bench sat up close, with two people sitting in it. Eureka squinted, and took a step forward to see who they were. It was her and Renton sitting next to each other. They both were looking into each others eyes, as if in complete happiness. Eureka felt a smile slip across her lips.

"Maurice… this is absolutely-" She turned her head and only saw darkness. When she shifted her gaze back to the painting, it was gone as well, replaced by piled shadows.

---

Renton opened his eyes again to see he was in a completely different setting. This time the smell of smoke drifted into his nose. It burned at the inside of his lungs, trying to escape with no success. He coughed a few time and stood up. The place was dark, with only an orange haze to bare light. His irritated eyes looked around to see crumbled buildings, masked in burning flames. Over head he could see large black ships flying, just waiting to crush their pray. The sound of a gun exploded from behind him, he quickly turned around to see two men struggling with each other. One seemed angry, fierce, about to burst with anger. While the other was calm, pristine, emotionless to the soul.

"You can't rule me any more!" The angered one yelled, and quickly pointed his gun at the man's head. Renton instantly recognized who it was, but his mouth would utter no words. Holland was lying on the ground, the black barrel of a gun on his forehead.

"Stop haunting my nightmares…" A cold voice drifted from the other man. The trigger was pulled and Renton had to twist his head away, unable to witness the murder. When he turned around, the man was standing back up again. But this time he recognized the other man… to be Holland.

"W-what's going on?" Renton croaked and fell to his knees. Nothing was making sense to his bewildered mind. Holland turned around in confusion, flinching when he saw Renton.

"Renton… what are you doing here?" He stepped forward and crouched down, looking him over to see if he was ok.

"Holland, where is this place… where am I… what is going on?" Renton begged for the answers, but Holland could only stare in utter confusion.

"I don't know… but I've relieved this nightmare several times. This is the first I've seen you here…" He stood back up when he saw that Renton was ok.

"Holland, something isn't right." Suddenly the world around them started to melt away, as if to disappear. Renton realized that the worlds were changing again.

"Holland… I don't know what's going on, please help me and Eureka!" Holland tilted his head, not knowing what to do. But as the rest of the world faded, so did Holland. And Renton was left in the cold dark abyss.

---

Eureka blinked for only a seconds, but when she closed her eyes and opened them again. She was again in a different place.

"Not again… where am I this time?" She stood up and looked about the strange area. This time she was in the middle of what seemed like a large forest. The trees didn't cover this one spot, leaving a clear open area. She turned around to see a white table with four chairs. Sitting in them was Holland and Talho. Both were cradling their baby, and playing around with it, filling the area with its new born laugh. Eureka couldn't help but smile at the joy and happiness the three seemed to be sharing. But she still needed to find out where she was, so she decided to intrude.

"Talho." She spoke and walked forward. Talho looked up and frowned in confusion.

"Eureka, did you decided to join us at last? Where is Renton, is he alright?" Talho asked with such a kind and gentle voice, that it seemed to flush a feeling of peace on Eureka. She softly motion at one of the empty chairs for Eureka to sit down. Politely Eureka stepped forward and took the chair.

"I…I don't know where Renton is…" She admitted uncomfortably.

"Oh… I see… did you loose him?" Talho asked her, no change in her pleasant tone.

"Yes, and I want to find him again. But I don't know where to look." Eureka slowly lifted her eyes to Talho, who was looking down at her baby with complete and utter joy.

"Don't worry Eureka… you'll find him." Talho looked up and shared a smile of confidence, and at the same time was extremely calm. Eureka tilted her head, not understanding how Talho knew if she was going to find her. But when she blinked again, the world was yet again… gone.

---

"Eureka!" Renton yelled out into the never ending darkness. But all he could hear was the hollow air. Suddenly he felt ground beneath him. "What in the?" He whispered, looking down and around to where he was. But this time no world filled his surroundings, but this instead he was still left with darkness. Stones suddenly fell from the sky and landed down in front of him, perfectly aligned with out distortion. He curiously stepped on it, and it didn't give under pressure. The stone seemed to create a path for him to follow, so he continued down its path.

After what felt like hours of walking, a large building just appeared in his sites. The large two story building stood alone in the empty vastness. Above the door hung a sign with the words "hotel" inscribed upon it. Each word gave off a soft red neon glow. The hotel was painted in complete gray, and each window was emitting a yellow glow. Everything about it gave off an ominous aura, but Renton walked up to the door and entered anyway.

He entered into a small room, only lit with a few dimming lights. Looking around, he spotted the counter. A girl stood there, about his age, with beautiful teal hair. It suddenly grasped his realization that it was Eureka. Complete unbelief shot through him, but it was smoldered down by his complete joy and relief. He ran around the counter and wrapped his arms around her.

"Eureka… Eureka you're here, you're alright." He gasped in between heavy breaths. But as he held her, she did not move back. Inside his arms she seemed very cold, almost dead. Puddles of fear suddenly settled in his stomach. He pulled away and she fell to the ground, limp and lifeless. "E-Eureka?" His throat started to close on him as he looked at her in shocked terror.

"What is it Renton?" An amused voice broke the silence of the room. Renton turned around, but only saw four empty tables.

"Who's there?" He asked his eyes darted about the room, searching for some form of life.

"I'm here of course, who else would be?" The being whispered in annoyance. Renton looked back down to see Eureka's body was gone.

"Eureka?" He yelled and fell to the ground, searching for some trace to where she could have gone.

"Eureka? The girl that you so love? Ahhh, what a lovely couple you make." The voice spoke again, its voice seething with the darkness that was starting to gather around him.

"Who are you?" Renton yelled and stood up, but still only found the empty room.

"A little sign of anger… that's good… I'll have to note that for future experiences. But if you must know, I'm a remnant of the past that was forgotten. Or rather, was never known. A part of the past that was suppressed by a pathetic force. But since that force is gone, I can save the falling pieces it left behind." Renton listened in complete confusion, having no comprehension of what was going on.

"Please… please stop." He fell to his knee's and begged. "Just bring Eureka back." He searched around desperately, looking for Eureka where ever she could be. And the cold breath of some one filled his ears. It made every muscle in his body freeze. But he didn't stop searching. He knew that with Eureka, he could face this. So he continued to search in the hopeless situation.

---

"Where is he…" Eureka begged to nothing. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. She found herself sitting in a room filled with millions and millions of boxes.

"He's here of course." A cold voice replied to her. Eureka looked up, searching the room with her eyes, but no sign of life was found.

"Who are you?" She asked carefully.

"I've already answered this question… I don't have the desire to answer it again. Maybe I can simplify it into an easier sentence of understanding… Well, I'm that which was gone, and has now returned." Eureka felt herself freeze, the very voice catching her fears.

"Dewey?" She asked, not wanting to know the answer. The voice suddenly became silent.

"That man was a fool, and I am no longer bound by his idiotic actions. He tricked many, including myself, into believing he was something he wasn't." The voice was harsh, but it didn't yell, but instead seemed to shiver the cold air with its writing touch. Eureka's breath became heavier as she felt the fear inside her build.

"Please, just bring back Renton." She whispered in desperate hopes.

"I already told you… he's here." The voice was strangely calm this time, too calm for Eureka's nerves. She looked about the boxes, checking their sizes for viable life.

"No… he's not here… I have to find him, he won't be taken away!" She ran forward violently reaching out for something, anything. But then she felt a warm hand against her face. It filled her entire body with a warmth she couldn't explain. Gently she reached up and took the hand. Everything around her disappeared… Carefully she opened her eyes to see Renton looking at her. His soft eyes were staring right back into hers.

"They're awake!" Holland's voice suddenly broke silence. Both Renton and Eureka looked up to see Holland staring back down at them.

"Holland?" Renton frowned in confusion, and shifted his gaze to see Mischa was looking down at them as well.

"Good… you guys had me worried for a second." Holland smiled and leaned back, a breath of relief fell form his lips.

"What happened?" Eureka asked, looking at all three of them. But she stopped and kept her gaze on Renton. She couldn't believe how good it felt to be with him.

"It was real right?" Renton stared back at her. She quickly nodded, confirming his worries.

"So that really did happen." Holland muttered, and shifted his gaze downwards. Renton turned his head slowly to look up at him.

"That really was you I was talking to?" Holland nodded and leaned against his chair.

"Trust me. That was the first time I've lived that dream that way. I knew something wasn't right." Holland seemed as if he were about to laugh, but he turned in his chair towards Mischa. "So what do the computers say?"

"Well, from when I put them on, their brains were giving off hardly any activity. The most being emitted was the normal actions to keep the body alive. Such as keeping the heart beating, or keeping your lungs breathing. But, suddenly both of their brains spiked with incredible activity. Different parts were lighting up, and I found it a little hard to keep up. But then it all settled down, as if they were normally awake and… that's when you two awoke." Mischa finished and looked in between the two. Renton looked over at Eureka, who was looking back at him. Both knew exactly what happened. But both feared what had happened. Holland noticed the strange look they were sharing with each other.

"What happened?" He asked, a curious look crossing his face.. Both Renton and Eureka shifted their gaze to him.

"It didn't make any sense." Renton started, and began to recollect the whole thing. Once Renton finished, Eureka explained what had happened to her.

Finally they both stopped to let the story sink in. Holland and Mischa looked at each other, and then back at Renton and Eureka.

"That is strange… I'd like to study into this further." Mischa nodded and turned back to her computer, beginning to type something.

"Holland." Renton spoke suddenly. Holland turned to him, wondering what he wanted. "Where exactly was that place… in your dream?" He asked him curiously, the question had been bugging him for a while now. Holland sighed and stood up, taking a few good stretches.

"Ciudades Del Cielo" Was all he replied and shared a strange smile. Both Eureka and Renton looked up in surprise. He suddenly wished he hadn't asked the question. "Don't worry Renton, things change." Renton tilted his head and saw the smile on Holland's face. They shared eye contact for a while longer, but Holland broke away and shifted his attention to Mischa. "Mischa, keep the computers monitoring them. It's still late at night, only being one in the morning." Renton looked up at a clock, seeing the time for himself. And to his surprise, it really was one o'clock in the morning. But at the moment, both he and Eureka didn't really desire sleep. Or rather, they both feared the thought. Mischa seemed to notice this, because she grinned and rolled her chair forward.

"Don't worry, I'll keep the computers monitoring you. I've set them up to go off when something strange happens." They both nodded, yet still seemed unsure.

"Well, in the mean time, I'm going back to sleep." He gave off a short wave and left the room. Renton could tell from the look on his face that he was just as concerned about what had happened.

"I'll stay up for a little while longer, and do a little more study on these statistics. So don't worry, you can fall asleep." She grinned at the two and turned back to her computer. Renton sighed and rested his head in the direction of Eureka. She was staring right back at him, but he saw something in her eyes. She was worried, and looked at Renton as if searching for an answer. But he had none, and she knew it as well.

"I think we can fall asleep this time." He smiled and reached out, taking her hands with his. She smile of relief crossed her own face. But she still didn't close her eyes, and neither did Renton. They didn't want to think about what would happen if they opened them again.

---

Renton rubbed his eyes and sat up, looking around the room. A sharp pain shot on his forehead, and he reached up, rubbing it softly.

"Five days ago and the cut still hurts." He grumbled and yawned. Tiredly he shifted his attention over to Eureka who was lying in her bed. In her arms was Maeter, and they were both sleeping peacefully. His stomach built up with joy. Even though it was five days ago since the strange dream, and the whole accident. They were able to live them out in complete relaxation. Though the first few nights were uncomfortable, as long as he had Eureka at his side, he was alright.

The door suddenly slid open, and Stoner stepped inside still wearing his green jacket.

"Hey-" He stopped when his eyes landed on Eureka holding Maeter. His eyes lit up, as if staring down into a treasure of gold. "This is the perfect picture… they're both so peaceful… so… cute." Out of what seemed like no where, he whipped out his camera and took several different pictures from multiple angles. He then stopped and let out a sigh of satisfaction. Turning around he looked at Renton, his smile faded and was replaced with confusion. "I came here to tell you something… but now I can't remember what." He paused and took another random picture of him. "Oh yeah, that's right, Mischa wanted to see you and Eureka." With that Stoner left the room, smiling in his own satisfaction. Renton rolled his eyes and carefully walked over to Eureka. Gently he reached down and rubbed her shoulder softly. Her eyes drifted open, looking up at Renton as they did so. A smile softly grew on her face.

"Hey." She whispered up to him.

"Mischa wants us in the infirmary." He replied, sharing his own gentle smile. She nodded and crawled off the bed, being careful not to wake Maeter.

"Did she say for what?" She asked as they slipped out the door and into the hall. He shook his head.

"No, but I think I might now." Eureka nodded wearily, thinking the same thing.

They made it down the hall and into the infirmary. As they walked through the door, they saw Eureka looking at her computer

"Mischa." Renton said, expressing that they were there. Mischa paused for a few more seconds, and then turned to them.

"Renton, Eureka, I've been studying all the data from the night five days ago. To tell you the truth, I have no idea what happened. It's a strange phenomenon that has absolutely no explanation. I have a few theories, but even then they'll probably get me no where… That's really all I can say." She shared a weak grin and looked in between the two.

"Absolutely nothing…" Eureka muttered, looking down at the cold floor. Mischa sighed and shook her head.

"I interviewed every one that you saw in your dream, and they all surprisingly have vivid recollections of those same dreams. But… they also don't remember you guys being there. It's just… unexplainable." She finished.

"So there's nothing we can do?" Renton looked up hopefully.

"Nothing…" She responded. Renton nodded and turned around, as well as Eureka. Mischa watched them leave the room, a look of guilt starting to cross her face. "Absolutely nothing." She whispered under her breath, and turned back to her computer.

A solemn aura seemed to settle around Eureka and Renton.

"It felt so real." Eureka whispered barely loud enough for Renton to hear. He turned his head to her, watching hopelessly.

"Mischa will find something out." He attempted to convince her, but her nod in reply didn't look reassuring. He felt useless at that point, only walking with out speaking a word. "How's your side?" The question popped out of his head. Eureka turned her head in confusion, finding the question a little odd. But she reached down to her side and rubbed it softly.

"It never really hurt, but then sometimes, it really hurt. That's passed, and I'm able to sleep on my side and stomach a little easier."

"I'm glad." Renton responded, a cheery smile appeared on his face. Eureka frowned and looked up at him, but then saw what he was attempting. She smiled, a wave of relaxation washing over her. She had forgotten that Renton was there for her. Slowly she reached out and took his hand. He clasped hers just as she clasped his. Renton suddenly perked up. "Want to make breakfast for the kids." The idea hit his head, he could already see the kids jumping up and down.

"Yes!" Eureka responded in her own excitement. They started towards the lounge, still holding hands, and holding each others strengths… together.

---

"How is that possible?" Hap muttered in the command room of the Gekko-Go. Holland looked up with a bored expression, as if he needed some excitement.

"What is it?" Holland asked with a slightly raised brow.

"The Inverse Drive…" Hap replied, his voice becoming darkly serious. Holland's mood had instantly changed from the name. Jumping from his seat, he quickly walked over to Haps station.

"What's the news?" Holland asked with the same tone.

"This came in from one of the P.O.F.s spies. Apparently he stumbled across one of the U.F.s secreted science facilities. This one… just by luck, contains the work on the Inverse Drive development lab. But that's not all, apparently they're developing a new type." Hap started to grit his teeth.

"What do you mean a new type?" Holland seemed utterly confused, though he wasn't sure he wanted the coming answer.

"They're calling them S.U.s, or Slave Units. They're not like KLFs, they're a whole new design. These things are especially made for the use of the Inverse Drive. He wasn't able to gather more information then that. But… there are some pictures here." Hap tapped a few buttons, and a few blurry pictures popped up. Although the shapes of the S.U.s were dim and faded, their shapes were fierce and fast.

"Dang it… Do we have a location on the facility?" Holland asked, standing strait and starting to walk back to his chair.

"Yes… why?" Hap asked in slight confusion.

"We have to stop the production of those things…" Holland responded simply, and then hopped back into his station.