Caged Wings

Chapter Two: Reunion II

After a good night's rest, Raven, Sith, and Zero were on there way to Galileo Blvd. They walked the streets as the fresh smell of the mourning air still lingered. It was silent for a few moments. Then Zero finally broke it, "So......what happened to you during the Slavery Period?"

Raven smiles, "You mean after we got attacked by a troll three years ago?"

Zero chuckles, "Uh....yeah...."

Raven then looks ahead, "Well......I woke up in a cell surrounded by tons of people. We were in cuffs and chains and was put in a line to walk as prisoners."

Zero's eyes deepened with concern, "Oh....."

Raven smiles a little, "Yeah, I was separated from everyone I knew. Never saw anyone I recognized. When I got out, I found my brother locked in a cell with a bunch of other kids. I took him on the day the Great Release Period began. Been traveling together ever since."

Zero then said, "Did you find any other family?"

Raven shoke her head as she made a saddened face, "We found no one. There was only us."

Zero then said, "Oh.....I'm sorry to hear that. That must've.......sucked."

Raven chuckles, "Yeah, it did."

Zero pats her back in comfort. Raven looks up at him and smiles. She felt like she wanted to cry, but she didn't. She rubbed her eyes just in case. Raven then says, "What about you? What happened to you?"

Zero sighs, "Well........it's pretty much the same as what you told me. I woke up in a cell with a bunch of people and found no one I knew anywhere. I got out and found none of my friends or family."

Raven's eyes widened, "You mean.....you've been by yourself this whole time?"

Zero scratches the back of his head, "Well.....for the first year and a half I was. Then I found an elderly asian guy. He was very ill when I came across him on the street. I helped him and for thanks, he let me stay at his place. I helped around the house and then one day, he just randomly came up to me and said he was gonna teach me to master the art of fighting."

Raven smiles, "Really? Cool. What was his name?"

Zero then looks ahead, "His name was Li Pei. He taught me everything I knew and helped me understand what our city had become over the times. Then......last year, his illness got the better of him. He gave me this Naginata I carry with me before he died on his bed. His last words to me were, I see purity in you. From the first moment I found you. That's why I taught you all I knew, I believe you can help this city. Soon, a lady will come your way to help you. A friend from your past. That was when his eyes closed...."

Raven looks to the ground, feeling sad. She whispers, "I'm sorry...."

Sith listened to the whole story and didn't bother saying a word. Zero then waves his hand, "It's alright. Don't worry about it. What's there to be sorry for?"

Raven then said, "I know. Just.....your story was sad, that's all."

Zero chuckles, "Yeah. I know."

Raven then hugs Zero. He just smiles and rubs her back.

They finally arrive at Galileo Blvd. It was all in ruins. All of the trees were burnt down and then houses looked like rubble and gravestones. Raven's eyes widened at everywhere she looked. She keeps walking as Zero walked beside her and Sith behind her. Sith runs his fingers on his sythe, in case of any danger. He finally says, "This place looks like crap compared to last time we were here."

Raven then looks back at Sith, "Sith! Shut up!"

Sith then said, "Why don't you?!"

Raven just shakes her head as she steps onto a grass field, where a park once stood. She stares at the ground. She whispers, "My.....my best friends......use to live here....."

She felt like she was gonna cry again. Zero came right up to her, along with Sith. Sith then said, "Hey, don't worry. Let's look first before we cry, okay?"

Raven then nods. As they went to walk, a ball of fire almost hit Raven's feet. She jumps back, "Ah! What the hell?!"

Sith gets out his sythe, while Zero gets out his Naginata. They all look around and see no one. Then another ball of fire came. Sith jumped in front and bounced it back with his sythe. A girl finally came out from her hiding. She had her hands out pointing at them, "L-leave. Now!"

Sith then points his sythe at her, "Hey blondie! You almost hit my sister with your fireballs!!"

This girl had tear blue eyes, her golden hair going down her back, passed her shoulders. She stood around 5,1 in height, she was fairly skinny with a peach tone with a hint of pale. She wore a light pink, sleeveless shirt, with tight black shorts. She also wore white boots as well. Lastly, she wore long, black fingerless gloves, that went up passed her elbows. Her hands then lit up with fire. She says firmly, "Go now! You shouldn't be here!"

Raven's eyes widened when she got a good look at this girl. She then goes in front of Sith and places her hand on his sythe and lowered it, "Woah! Hold on a second."

Sith and Zero both look at Raven. The blonde haired girl looked at Raven as well. A little confused at what she was gonna do. Raven then said, "Janice? Is that you?"

The girl's eyes widened. She then lowers her hands and steps closer to look at Raven. Her eyes widened as well, "C-Carrie?!!"

Raven smiles and nods. Janice then jumps on Raven with a big hug, "Oh my God, oh my God! I can't believe you're here! I thought you were dead!!!"

Raven hugs her back, "Well I'm not."

They both look at one another smiling. Janice then looks at Sith, "Who--?"

She then realized who Sith was. Her jaw dropped, "Is that you, Quinn?! My God, how you've changed!"

Sith puts his sythe away and smiles, "Yeah, I've changed a lot."

Janice chuckles, "Great, now YOU'RE taller than me now."

Sith smirks, "Damn right!"

Janice then sees Zero, "And whose this?"

As Zero puts away his Naginata, Raven chuckles, "You remember Nash right?"

Janice's eyes widened, "Oh my God! I didn't even recognize you!"

Zero shrugs and smiles, "It's okay. It's fine."

Then there was a voice from above the hill, "Serenity? What's taking so long? Are there enemies or not?"

Everyone looks up and sees a strange creature walking down the hill towards them. Everyone's, except Janice, eyes widened. Raven then looks at Janice, "Serenity?"

Janice nods, "Yeah, it's the name I go by now."

Raven smiles, "Oh."

The creature arrives before them. He then looks at everyone and then back at Serenity, "Are these guys giving you a rough time?"

Serenity shakes her head, "No. These are our friends!"

The creature raises an eyebrow, "Friends? All our friends are dead!"

This creature stood 6,2, an inch taller than Zero. His skin was smooth and a dark, greyish purple. His eyes were a cold emptiness of black. He also had giant claws on his hands AND feet. The one thing that got everyone's attiention was his giant wings! They were a dark blueish and stood out, A LOT! They were spiked and sharp looking. He was also fairly muscular too. As for clothes, he only wore ripped, black shorts.

Raven then takes a good look at his face. He had fangs and he looked almost scary, well, scary to a normal person anyways. He then catches Raven staring at him. Serenity then says, "Well....these friends survived! They're not dead! See?"

The creature shrugs, "Whatever. You were suppose to make me lunch, woman!"

Then that was when it hit Raven. She then stepped closer, "John?"

The creature then looks at Raven. He stayed silent for a moment. He finally said, "Who wants to know?"

Raven then says, "It's me.......Carrie...."

The creature's eyes widened, "Carrie?"

He then thinks for a moment, as if trying to remember something. He then said again, "Carrie?"

Raven nods, "Yeah, it's me."

The creature then said, "I thought......I thought you died."

Raven then said, "So you ARE John!"

He then turns his back, "I don't go by that name anymore. I go by Coslotus now."

With that, he walked away back up the hill. Raven then looks at Serenity, "Is that really John?!"

Serenity nods, "Yeah...."

Raven then said, "W-what happened to him?"

Serenity looks to the ground sadly, "Well.....when this whole thing began....he was sucked into a gate of some sort...."

Raven's eyes widened as she got a flashback of the gate she'd seen three years ago. Serenity then finished, "A few weeks later, he came back looking like he is now.....other than that, I have no idea what happened on the other side."

Raven nods, "I see...."

Serenity then said, "Where are my manners? Would you guys like to come inside?"

Everyone nods. Raven says, "We'd love to."

Serenity then lead everyone up the hill. Beside a rotting tree was a fair sized hut. They go inside and see a kitchen-like room, with a table and chairs. Raven, Sith, and Zero sit down. Serenity then put on a kettle, "Tea anyone?"

Everyone shakes their heads. Serenity smiles, "Okay."

She sits with everyone, "So.......what names do you guys go by now?"

Raven replies, "Raven.......Raven Corvinous."

Serenity chuckles, "I figured as much."

Raven rests her elbow on the table, "Yeah, tell me about it. Nash said the exact same thing."

Serenity chuckles as she looks to Sith and Zero, "What about you guys?"

Sith then said, "Sith."

Then Zero says, "Zero."

Serenity nods, "Cool."

She then stands up and gets out some food and starts to make a soup of some sort, "Anyone hungry."

Sith then said, "We ate before we got here."

Serenity then said, "Okay. Just making sure."

In the other room, Coslotus was sitting in a meditative state, listening to the whole conversation in the kitchen. His eyes were closed as if asleep. He then opens his eyes and stares out into space, but still keeping his pointed ears open.

Zero then said, "Now that we found two more of your friends, where do you think we should look next?"

Raven then said, "I don't know, I suggest down town."

Coslotus then came in the room, "You're wasting your time. The rest of your friends are probrably dead."

Raven's eyes narrowed, "And since when did you get so negative?"

Coslotus then said, "Since reality clicked in. I suggest you quit while you were ahead."

Raven then said, "Well I won't! I found my brother, I found Nash, and I just found you two!"

Coslotus snorted, "Hmf! Pure luck!"

When Raven was about to say something, Serenity snapped, "At least she's trying!! What have you done, John?!!"

Coslotus' cold eyes turned toward Serenity. He then walked right up to her, so they were face to face. He says calmly, "Didn't I tell you not to call me by that name anymore?"

Serenity crosses her arms, sounding a little hurt by his remark, "Not even your own sister?"

Coslotus then turns his back, "Nope. Not even my own sister....."

Sith then stood up, "What happened to you, dude? You use to be cool when I was growing up. Now you're like dark and stuff."

Everyone then looks at Sith after he said that. Sith then said darkly, "You should be grateful you still have your younger sister around! At least she isn't dead! I'm glad I got MY sister! She's all I've got for family! And I'm all she's got!"

Coslotus was silent and motionless. He then sighs out of frustration, "Sorry......Janice....."

Serenity smiles, "It's okay."

Raven looks to Sith and smiles. She pats him on the back. Sith looks and smiles back. Zero didn't say a word. Raven then said, "Back to business. The reason why I'm looking for friends is because I want our race to claim our city back."

Serenity's eyes widened, "Car-I-I mean Raven.....are you serious? You're gonna go against monsters to claim back our city?"

Raven then said, "If I have to.......yes....."

Serenity then made a worried look, "I don't like the sound of this."

Raven chuckles, "Still the same. Always paranoid."

Serenity then said, "At least being paranoid kept me alive."

Raven laughs, "How do you think me and Sith survived? It wasn't hiding that's for sure. We fought our way for two and half years straight to survive. And look at us now, sitting before you."

Serenity looks down at the table, "Hm..."

She then took the kettle off the stove as Raven said, "So what do ya say? Wanna join up with us? Come on Serenity.....Janice.....for once, take a chance."

Raven then sticks out her hand, "You with me here?"

Sith then puts his hand on Raven's, "I am."

Zero looks at the table and then at Raven and Sith. He smiles, "So am I."

He then places his hand on Raven's and Sith's. They all looked at Serenity now. She looks back at them. She thinks for a moment. She then sighs and smiles, "Alright.......I'm with you too."

She then puts her hand on Raven's, Sith's, and Zero's hand. Raven smiles, "Yes! I knew you'd come through."

She then looks to Coslotus, "How about you big guy? Wanna come with us?"

Coslotus then looks at everyone. He then walks up to them. He looks at Raven. She smiles, "For old time's sake?"

Coslotus sighs and then smirks, "Fine. I guess I'll join."

He then puts his hand on top of everyone else's. Raven smiles, "From this day forward, we're officially a team."