Return of the Angels
Celine sighed heavily as she stocked up her zoid for the road ahead. By Karl, and through her actions of not thinking as she took over Kristen's job, she had been opted to personally go undercover to seek out what it is that Raven is most likely planning. Mai watched from the sidelines, her head cocking side to side as she watched Celine undergo her usual preparations of supplies. The others were giving her a helping hand, asking her where she wanted it putting and what else she needed. She acted leader as she gave out instructions. Mai of course knew that no one was accompanying her, besides Storm her best friend who refused to allow her to travel and do this alone.
Fearing that Celine would get agitated from boredom, and she would probably go on a rampage to get some fun through her system.
So the two best friends continued to get supplies, with old friends helping out.
Zeke stood beside her. Once again they had become acquainted with each other, and like before, they had easily accepted the other's company and friendship. Compared to Mai, Zeke was a complete organoid of birth and his metallic coating was complete dull against the shining gold colour of his female friend. His eyes spoke of an obedient red flame, whereas Mai's where a wild green flame that would only obey one and would also remain as wild as all the creatures that held no master. Her tail, with a sharp sword appearing like a thorn, gently moved but struck nothing that was behind. Zeke's tail was plain, and he appeared to be a much gentler organoid species than the one that stood beside him.
Celine walked over to Moonbay who held the clipboard in her hand. She was checking off the checklist. Whereas Celine was the first one to check off the list in her head, Moonbay being prepared to help her did the double check up. Reading a top of head, Celine listed out the items that was needed and Moonbay spoke as she checked it off. Nodding her head as all preparations had been complete; Celine glanced over to Storm who had the help of Fiona. The boys were the ones carrying the luggage to their zoids. Smiling in acceptance, Celine glanced back to her friends who sat down on unloaded crates to gather their breaths and release the tension in their stiff backs from carrying.
Alongside Storm, Celine walked over to them.
"Thanks for the help, guys." She stated in a grateful tone.
"It's what friends do, Celine." Van replied with a smile. Beneath the smile, Celine still found the hint of confusion within his features. He was the main one to still be affected by the news of her having survived the battle with the demon Rafael.
She walked over to him and got his head in an arm lock.
"Ouch, Celine quit it." He said laughing.
"Does it matter how confused you have to be that I survived a battle that could have killed me?" Van suddenly became as she released his head. She towered him with hands on hips. "Van, just be glad that I survived and that we reunited after all these separated years."
"Why didn't you tell us you were alive?" his voice was low and full of sadness.
Her arms fell to her sides. "Because I needed to stay undercover…" her voice faded. She had become unsure on her answer. Van having known that she could only find that as an excuse refused to battle her further.
He stood and smiled, still a little saddened. "Well, I'm glad you're back with us now." He towered her and she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Aw, come on Celine, don't be depressed."
"I hate feeling small." She huffed.
"Well you can't help that. You are small." He grinned and she kicked his legs out from underneath him, grabbing his arm, she flipped him.
He stared up at her dumbfound.
"Okay, I'm small," she said with a laughing humour in her eyes and a toying smile played at her lips. "But that doesn't stop me from being able to kick your ass."
He laughed and stood, accepting it. He glanced to her packed zoid and the laughter in his eyes died. "You best be off then…"
"I won't be gone long Van. Besides, you know I'm here to stay now. I won't go running off on you this time."
He grinned and this time put her head in a headlock. "You best not, or I'm coming after you to kick your butt and bring you back."
She got out of his headlock. She laughed and skipped away from his reach. "If you can catch me that is!"
"That's it… I'm going to get you." He said playing and ran after her as she raced away.
She raced around her zoid, around Storm's and just kept dodging out of his reach, taunting him with a stuck out tongue and the pull down of her skin underneath her eye. She even swung her butt at him and jumped out of his reach with a laughing glee. The others watched with a smile at their lips. Mai, looking with amusement dancing in her eyes, raced from her spot towards Celine. She jumped on the organoids back and allowed her organoid to race away from Van.
"That's cheating…" Van cried out with laughter.
"No it's not. It's using your head, using what's available." She chuckled as Mai dodged Van's reaching hand. The organoid wagged her tail happily, and this time Zeke joined in, offering Van a ride on his back. Now it was organoid and owner against each other. Whose speed would win, who would prevail… it was now down to them.
Several beats later the pair reached the rest of their friends, dying down their laughter. Celine had won; Van had no chance catching her, especially when she was on Mai. But it was time to leave. Storm and Celine gave everyone their farewells. Celine gifted everyone, including Kristen and Zeke, with a hug. The last person that she hugged was Herald. They had their talk and she discovered a hell lot more about Herald, things she had never thought would have occurred. There was more than just an Uncle respect for him now. She knew that she could count on him for future preferences. Although her friends were there to support her as well, she would still have Herald as the main to help her. After all, they both shared a very deep heritage.
"Be careful, Celine. You are more than our last hope." She smiled slightly at him.
"I'll be careful, Herald, I know that I must be more careful." He gave her a small smile and enveloped her into another hug.
They parted and alongside her best friend they made their way towards their zoids. Jumping inside, Celine looked down at her friends. Raising her hand in farewell, she sat down and strapped herself in as the cockpit closed down on her. She was enveloped beneath the red cockpit shield. She looked down at her friends. Releasing a heavy sigh, she worked her zoid towards the door and soon sped out of the opening with the sky zoid flying right after her and then soaring above her head. Taking the chance to sneak a view of the belly of the flying zoid, she smiled before her eyes focused back to the path before her.
The desert was heated by the sun that glared down at it. From within the glare could not reach them, the air conditionings cooled them even if the heat managed to get inside. The sky was clear of clouds, as it was on every other day. The stretched out in the horizon like lost sheep that was unable to gather across the rest of the sky. The sun was in the middle of the undisturbed vast sea of bright blue, and beneath it was the suffering sand that had no choice but to endure the increasing heat of the rays of the sun.
Time passed as they continued to speed across the sand. Their destination still far away from their reach! They travelled to the west, which Celine had noticed that the sun was slowly descending in that direction as well. Senses something she halted her zoid, digging its claws into the sand and skidded to a halt. The claw trail showed in the sand and the sky zoid hovered above her head. There was nothing wrong on the radars of her zoid, but she knew that this sense was far beyond the mechanical operations of any machines. But she made double check on the zoids sensory systems anyway. Nothing appeared just like she had thought in the first place. But it did nag at her mind.
She opened up a communication link with the zoid above her.
"Something's amidst, so head's up okay?" She told Storm.
"Okay, Celine." There was that deep connected between the two that allowed the silver haired girl to heed her friend's warnings.
There was no key tapping as she took her friend's words seriously. Having known what Celine truthfully was, there was no need to think that it was just some trickery to get the girl on edge. Celine was not like that. Mai, the gold creature who stood on top of the Energy Ray Liger, staring out at the sky as she too could sense the shift that Celine had been able to sense. The zoid's horn was in proportion to the organoid that stood on top of its head. Having no choice but to move on, Celine made her movements towards the west. The moment Storm had seen the movement of the Energy Ray Liger, she too held hold to stay in position above the zoid's head.