[Trigon]

Between Darkness And Light: Evolutions

Part 1: Rebirth And Revelations

It was the final battle all over again, except this time they were surrounded by friends and loved ones, each seeking to put an end to the tyranny of Arkon once and for all. It had been a complete surprise that he had been revived and had sent crushing blows to each of them in turn. It had been one of the longest days in their lives, after the enemy had continually assaulted their defences relentlessly, leaving each of them tired in turn, before the final wave had been unleashed upon them.

During this time, each of them had been seperated from the other, each fighting for survival during the long night that the battle raged. When the morning light had finally begun to shine over the battlefield, it was apparent that this had been one of the bloodiest battles to ever rock the face of the planet, but it was what could be seen in the centre of it all that was the real horror to the group.

Vast wings could be seen fluttering in the wind, wings that were stained with blood as Rydius Scarwing stood there holding the body of Arkon above him with the twin blades that he carried thrust deep within the body. As the others cheered at the sight of it, Rydius' legs buckled and he fell to the ground, failing to make any attempts to get up. Misato Anami ran towards where he was, only to find that he was no longer moving. Various cuts covered almost his entire body, any number of them could've been fatal...

However, no-one knows what happened to them after that day, for Misato took Rydius' body and disappeared. Since then the battle has faded to nothing more than a legend, a legend that holds some significance in people's hearts for Rydius died that day to protect them all...

1600 years later.......

Since that time the world has changed greatly. Magic has almost completly disappeared and is now only known to a few people that hold strong ties with the past. Mankind has now begun to spread out into the stars with the moon now colonized and a new colony being prepared for use on the nearest planet Vilant. These days, people live in peace with everyone else and it is this that has allowed them to prosper happily. But this changed when a mysterious corporation discoved a hidden chamber near the ruins of 'Old Elysion'...

A couple of years after this happened, the president of Vilant was assassinated by a mysterious assailant that had come to be known as 'Firewing' and one of the most feared people to ever live. When this event took place the peace was shattered and anarchy took over on Vilant with little or no opposition. That was the case until the corporation rose up and restored peace on Vilant earning them the respect of those back on Elysion (the people of the planet had since voted to use the name of the city of legend as the name of the home planet). But the peace back on Elysion had yet to be completly restored after this event...

"So what do you plan on doing now?"

The figure looked up from where he had been lost in thought as the question was directed at him. The voice belonged to Tia, the owner of the bar that he was sitting in and one of the few people he classed as 'friends'. She smiled at him, even though all you could really see was the top half of his head and long dark hair. Cold blue eyes that seemed to have no emotions looked back at her before closing slowly.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll go and take a look at that old cavern they found two years ago again."

"You seem to really like that place. I wonder why?"

He looked up at her once again before shaking his head. As she walked off to serve some of the other customers he began to wonder why himself. Ever since he had started to work for the corporation he had felt some sense of calmness in that cavern, as if it held some sort of significance to him. Slowly he stood up, feeling the heavy cloak fall back into place around his body making sure that no-one really could see what he was wearing underneath.

As he took his first step towards the door, a crash nearby caught his attention as he noticed a couple of the local punks threaten Tia for protection money. Occurences like this were slowly becoming commonplace and he had just about had enough of punks trying to take over small buisnesses like this. Grinning inwardly to himself, he walked over and grabbed one of them by the scruff of their neck.

"What are you trying to do here to this young lady?"

The other punks turned to face him when they heard one of their own yelp out before the question was asked. Some gulped when they caught a glimpse of how tall the figure was and how coldly he was staring at them.

"I asked a question. What are you trying to do here?"

"It's none of your buisness. Keep out of it or you'll get yours!"

The punk that had spoken seemed to be the leader of the outfit and seemed to be holding a gun of sorts. The figure grinned a little more before throwing the punk he held straight into the leader which made him direct the rest of them to attack. Before anyone could say anything, bodies began flying as the figure countered every strike with force, several of them crashing through tables on the other side of the building. One of the punks tried using a chair, only to have it snatched from him and then smacked across his back, causing the wood to splinter and break.

This went on for around five minutes, Tia and several others cowering behind the bar while the fight went on. Soon it had quietened down and some poked their heads up to see the punks scattered all over the place, some of them still barely standing and ready to rush the figure one more time. But what they hadn't expected was for the figure to raise an arm sharply, striking some of them to the side before the cloak moved to reveal the guns attached to the arm aiming at them.

They froze to the spot wondering who this figure was. He easily outclassed them in both skill and weaponry and what's more seemed to be even more ruthless than they were, which one of their members had found out first hand when he had been struck hard against the wall before crashing through the table below. Gritting his teeth, the punk that was the leader told the others to leave and the figure watched as they fled, not before he fired a couple of shots at them to make sure that they wouldn't come back.

"Are you ok Tia?"

He watched as she and several others came out from where they were hiding to see the devastation that had been brought upon the bar. Looking around the bar, she sighed heavily at the amount of work it would take to get the place back up and running again but knew that although he had caused most of the damage, it had been honorable intentions that had started it all off.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But it'll take a while to sort up the place."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. On you go and visit the cavern."

As he left, she smiled to herself. She hadn't really known him for that long and he always seemed so cold to others, a trait that was reflected in his eyes, but there was something about him that said that he was a kind person at heart. 'At least he'll be back soon' Tia thought as she began to clear up the debris.

Slowly he made his way up the trail that led to the cavern which overlooked the ruins of the ancient city. It was strange that he always seemed to go there every chance he got, but then he had no memories of his childhood or anything up until two years ago when he had woken up. They had said that he had been in a severe accident and had been in a coma for quite some time, but sometimes he wasn't so sure that it was the truth. But he hadn't questioned them about it back then since all he knew was that his head hurt like nothing else.

'Who am I really?' he thought to himself as the cavern slowly came into sight.

[Sparx]

Humanity was doing iteslf big favours now. The all out peace that had everyone happy and cheerful. Every now and then there would be someone wanting to try something new and it would be welcomed with open arms, and then gently discarded if it didnt seem up to scratch or if it never met expectations. There were afew things that reached this status but they were very cleanly and carefully disposed of by means of 'space junking'. Mankind was, after all, beginning to branch out into space and there were a few unstable or unsuitable finds out there in the vast expanse called space, so what better place to dispose of potentially harmful items or devices that didnt make the grade? Of course it was upon the safer interests to strip down the reusable materials and then discard the dangerous part, be it a nuclear drive or an experementa Plasma core reactor, the reusable bits were removed and the volatile core or whatever part, was removed and stored within a coolant container and then shipped off to the space Junk depo.

Although there were strict guidlines to deactivate and recycle unsatisfactory items, there were even stricter guidlines as to the coralling and storage of these items in the space junk. It was all automated and interesting. It was too dangerous for humans to be near the masses of expelled reactors or other items. Even with a Haz-Mat Suit or a Bio-Protector, humans would succumb to the radiation very quickly and be killed, so it was all automated to keep things in check. Which was a good thing.

Farther through space, orbiting one of the moons of Vilant was a space station. and onboard the space station was a secret construction bay. It had existed well before the corporation had begun its grip over everything, and for the most part lay unnoticed and un discovered as there were no astral nor orbital charts pertaining to the origins of the station were in existance. There was a secret going on onboard the station.

Down winding corridors and cutoofs and apparent dead ends, there was a medical bay where a crew feverishly worked to save the life of a young man. There had been an accident on Vilant not long after the assassination of the president, and it had taken the lives of many innocents and the young man was amongst those caught in the accident. Somehow he still lived and was hanging on by willpower alone, and the doctors and nurses worked in a feverpitch state to save his life. Unfortunately the majority of his body was shattered beyond repair and they created the first bio-roid. The young man's lower body was rebuilt with artificail parts synthskin and electro neruo-fibre rods. It was an experience that they all shared in and the young mans life was saved. but there was still the matter of what they were going to do . The still had to report to the over-seer of the whole facility and inform him about the success of the operation. It wouldnt take long for the military units to want to outfit him with some of the latest hardware that they had developed, including the new semi auto hadcannons that were part of the slide spring system they were developing for quick combat. The armour was a different story. they wanted to fit him with a form of powered armour around his torso shoulders and legs. The doctors had let a groan out at the shape of what was daubbed 'Pre-Heresy Tactical Dreadnought Armour' The suit was huge and would need to connect directly to the man's CNS (Central Nervous System) and FONU's (Fibre Optic Neural Units). The Doctors argued that it was too soon to fit him with all these machinations of power and energy. The military argued that it was time that they were tested in actual combat and not in simulated experiences where computational data was no match for actual feild data.


"THIS IS GETTING US NO WHERE!!!" yelled the man in the gry suit as his fist slammed down on the dossier of information infront of him. His coffe mug waverd and its contents fought to stay inside the plastic mug. Other men in suits nodded their approval of the man's statement and he was representing the military side. They never could iron out their differences, and it was always suit and ties that had to discuss or confer or make some form of mad agreement for both sides.

The CIC (Commander In Chief) of the whole installation was not pleased that the Persona Medica and the Astartes factions could not get along with each other. It had been too long since there was any actual need for both factions to co operate and so they began to mistrust each other. But things would have to finsih up with this. This was the new timing of it all, and the CIC knew that at the heart of the Corporation there was something afoot, something rotten. But what it was, no one knew and they were afraid to find out. They needed this project off the ground and with the massive disagreement between the Persona Medicae and the Astartes, things were looking very bleak to begin with.

In the medical recovery bay, the young man was beginning to come round, groggily and slowly at first and then more coherently as his eyes managed to focus on the room. He looked to the left and to the right to a series of monitors that shown his vital signs in bright greens and reds against the black backgrounds. The digital display of his heart rate constantly rose and fell by two numbers keeping it average. He scanned the room and noticed the messages scrolling along the monitor in the angled ceiling. the message scrolled from left to right and was constantly saying his name. The message read :

Welcome Trask. Glad to see you are awake, alive and well....

The message kept on repeating itself over and over again. There was a swish of doors opening and a young woman walked in on him. She smiled, her sapphire blue eyes warm and inviting as she gnetly approached him. He was still connected by a few purification leads and energy transductors, and had difficulty in sitting up in the bed. In fact he nearly fell out of the bed, but the nurse caught him, the feeling of his skin agains cool mettal skin made him look up. The nurse was a humanoid robot, a type designed and produced exclusively for medical services to carry out the smaller and more delicate operations that humans could not. There was only a handful of the droids in operation as they were still on the drawing board. even though she was a robot, her smile was genuinely human as the synthskin gently moves as she smiles at him.

He thought her beautiful and blushed slightly as he felt her strong yet gentile hands help him up. He looked up at her and she just smiled and never said anything. That was the problem with the droids that were made for positions such as this. They were designed on the most beautiful women and yet not given a voice. All they could do was communicate with others in binary data and take orders from the humans without complain and carry out the tasks efficiently. it was something taht the humans were thankful for as it could allow the human doctors and nurses to deal with the more seriously ill patients.

Trask just looked at her, perfect in every way and yet as silent as the space around them. The door opened again and someone else entered. A nam in a royal blue suit and red tie. His shoos clicking on the smooth clean floor noisily as he approached the bed.

"Ah" his smooth yet stern voice began " I see that you are awake now Trask"

"Trask?" Who...who..the hell are you?" THe young man answered from his propped up position.

"Who am I? I am the CIC of this installation and I find it an honour to finally see one of our successful operations in work."

"The hell??" Trask began but was cut off by the female droid gnetly placing her hands on his chest.

"You see my friend, you were crushed when an accident destroyed the top half of the Metholic Hall on Vilant. you were in the crowd that were crushed as it fell. YOu might not remember but its true. You effectively died there and we managed to save you, or the most of you. You see you were that badly damaged that we had to rebuild half of you using mechanical parts and artificial components."

"Uhh..you mean im a freak?...youve made me a freak!!" Trask moved to get up from the bed bu the droid gnetly forced him down a look of 'dont strain yourself' in her sapphire eyes, and it took away the anger he felt.

"Freak? As CIC of this orbital installation, i would prefer, Trask, that you be called almost super human. And besides, as far as the world down on 'Elysion' is concerned this place doesnot exist and you are effectively dead so you are not classable as a freak, only a ghost if someone recognises you."

"But my name is not Trask..my name is...my name is...what was my name??"

"You dont know becasue your name effectively died with you down in that accident. Unfortunately that accident was a long time ago now - thirteen months to be exact and youve been here since then. It was a long process and we managed to get everything working now." HE looked at the chronometer on the wall and then excused himself, the nurse droid looking at Trask with a form of happyness in her eyes before following the CIC out ofthe room. Trask was alone again.

He lay back and looked out the window at the blue glow of the planet below them and sighed. He wondered what would be waiting for him when he got back. If he got back

[Misato Anami]

(OOC: Seriously, I'm going to post, but Trigon, PM me first.. I need to figure something out from this - Misa)

[Andromeda]

(OCC: Yay finally sorted things out and got a post for you guys.)

Life has its highs and lows, ups and downs. Life is never kind all the time, but nor is it malicious all the time. But perspective can warp the view of such sense, to err is human and to forgive is human. But so is to feel and love. Emotions are human and feelings are human, to want to feel is what anyone ever wants. However, far too often humans can see only the worse, they do not want to see the brighter side of life. It is the pain and suffering that defines our lives, happiness is fleeting that can only be remember as fond moments that were wished for.

The times have advanced in many fashion, however there is nothing less than feelings ever to be found in science to replace this. Science is random and indiscriminant at times, creation of things were never meant to exist. It is normal to eliminate such random as data that is useless and an error. Errors were never meant to exist, they are anomalies and such are destroyed. That is how science thinks, but it only is logical for numbers. Lives cannot be counted as a number on a pad of paper, however that is how it was for her.

The genetic experiments had produced something that they did not want, did not need. It was to be terminated, before it could be justified a life. However, that was not allowed to happen. She was stolen away from them by a scientist that disapproved of their actions. Taken away to be given a life, a life of regrets and pain. The theft had made the scientist a criminal, outlaw, and destroyed his reputation forever in the scientific community. He did not care, he saved a life and had a daughter that he could call his own. But it was not a good life, or kind life that he gave her. It was a fugitive’s life, never in the same place long. Always on the run, wondering if they had found where they were hiding.

Her and the only person she could call a father ran around the moon bases and cities more times than she realized. Before her tenth birthday she had been to more schools that she could count. Her education had be secondary to her safety and freedom, he would teach her most times. But he wanted her to have a normal life with other children. However, the cruelest people were often children, they never understood her. They feared her and found her too weird to accept. Despite appearances, they always managed to learn her secret eventually and then it would not be too long before she would have to leave.

Peace was something that she dreamed of, hoped was at the end of the miserable life that she went through. She had finally escaped that life, or so she thought, Vilant seemed a place of opportunity and new beginnings. But it was no different, as a runaway she had to learn to survive alone, stealing the food she needed to live. The streets were a simple place to lose herself into, but it was just as lonely as the moon. She wondered for years without purpose, not knowing what to do, what to feel.

Andromeda walked down the street, her head hung low, but her heart even lower. Strands of her blue, dyed hair fell over her shoulders swaying in front of her. She stared between her hair that slowly blew in the wind and the black, grayish asphalt of the street. Her feet barely carrying herself further through the darkened streets of Vilant, streets that were as alleys if they had only been thinner. It was the bad side of town as many would call it, but she called it her home, or at least tried to make herself believe that.

She continued down the street aimlessly, but with a decided path. The building she wanted was coming up, she knew it without looking. The smell of woman’s perfume and drunken sounds of men nearby was strong enough for her to notice. This was the place. If any place could have ever been called her home, this was it, three years of service here in exchange for shelter. She slowly opened the door, the hinges squeaked and cried as she pushed the door open. The manager and owner of her called out to her, “Back from your little walk?”

“Yeah…”

“Get ready, it is almost time to open.”

“Yeah…”

“For such a gloomy woman, I don’t see how you get so many customers.”

“Whatever…send them when they come.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

She walked up the stairs to the second floor of the worn building, the wooden railings given away as she put pressure on it. Eventually this building would fall apart, she just hoped that it would take her with it. She walked to her room, one of the largest in the room in the building. She gained the status for the largest and some of the other women were jealous of her, but she had something that they never would. There were things thing she would understand, that they could not. She had a unique perspective, one that was her bane and suffering.

In the bedroom, only a king size bed with full fittings could be seen. A mirror was on the wall near the window and cracks in the paint lined the ceiling. She had only a chair and table, which she would find her clothes on each day. They were always delivered to her when she woke up, laying on the table waiting for her. She sat down on the chair removing her coat placing it on the table. Her eyes strolled down to her arm, she rubbed her arm feeling each scar she had, the cuts that she had made into her skin. Two were still red, fresh from the night before. Even now all she could feel was the pain, not even pleasure made her feel anything. In the beginning she had hoped that she would feel something, find someone, but there was nothing. She remained alone and empty, never certain about anything. Her hand touched her oldest scar, barely still visible, faded away from time.

It was jagged and rough, and it hard most of any of them. She always would remember its pain, it was all she had felt in a while. At that moment when the blade had ripped into her own flesh for the first time, she had smiled. She knew that there was something real, something that made her feel in this heartless, soulless world that cared nothing for her. Now all she was a tool, an instrument for someone’s pleasure. Her first time had never felt pleasure, she never felt anything, but she was told that she was good. All she could think was that she had a place to finally rest. She had never given any thought to the future, just that it would have her end eventually. It was a relishing thought in her mind, she wanted to bring it sooner, leave this terrible place, but she had been unable to fulfill her wish.

She stripped down looking at herself in the mirror, not able to look anymore she put on the new clothes. They were a little tighter than her last clothes, but it was nothing she was not used to. Soon the customers would come, she expected to have about four regulars in the night with a couple new ones. The manager seemed concerned about her taking so many customers nightly, but she could careless about her own well being. If it had meant a sooner death she welcomed it. The manager never understood, he just cared about the money she brought him. She drew her composer up and opened her eyes wider, she pulled a smile across her face and then a more seductive look. It was time to put on her game face for work. For her it was simple enough to put on a façade for the customers, giving them what they wanted. She could see and feel what it was, some strange gift she assumed, it was often the only time she could experience any feeling. It was at certain moments she could feel almost true emotions, it broke through her walls. She treasured those moments as the only moments she would really know, but the moment would pass and she would realize that it was not her own emotions, but the customers and her heart would sink. There was some small amount of eagerness that she got from the wait, waiting for such a small piece it was all she lived on anymore, besides pain.

The hours passed on for Andromeda, peaks coming once in a moment and then falling away. She took in the money as they came, her price was set high by the manager, but she still collected the money. At the end of the night he would come and collect his cut of her earnings, which was general 75% of her intake. She could careless if he took all of it, she had little use for money. He fed her well enough, she was special to him, so he did not want her to be malnourished. It was a desire of greed that he had, though she could sense a touch of sensitivity in him, which he would not let out. He had finally come as the sun was crawling up into the window, the last customer left half an hour ago, the woman had seemed very pleased. Apparently she had a husband that was not doing it for her completely. She never understood them in their infidelities, but she understood what they wanted well enough to give it to them.

Andromeda looked out the window staring out as the grayed sky as the sun rose up. It seemed that she did not reach that feeling like she normally did. She wanted that feeling, she needed it to live, to know that she was alive. What else was there for her? Her eyes wondered around the room, as she turned back towards, they caught sight of her blade. It was inviting calling to her, it was feeling in its purest, polar form. She walked over to the table staring down at the blade. The metal edge dully glowed in the light, the point curved back. The blade itself was a knife that she was given to her by father as protection in the chance spot that something dangerous happened to her and he was unable to protect her. He had not wanted her to come harm or be taken with out a fight. Though she imagined that he would not had want the blade to be used to bleed herself as she did often. It was the past though, gone from her life forever.

She grasped the hilt of the knife raising it to her and then against her arm. Her eyes closed as she pressed and pulled the knife across her flesh. A brief moment of biting pain and then it left with just a dull aching as blood dripped around her wrist. A stream slowly flowed down the bottom of her arm to her elbow where is dripped to the floor. She tried to focus on the pain, feel it and bring it through herself, engulf the moment tasting as she did food. The knife dropped from her hand as she sat down on the floor, feeling a little lightheaded. She had not felt this before, she was confused the pain normally seemed to end quickly and her arm stop bleeding. But it was not stopping, she was drinking up the pain, having a strange sense of happiness before she passed out on the floor.


Andromeda eyes opened slowly finding that she was not in the same place as before. Her room was gone, it was a hospital room now. She was confused, why was she here, what had happened to her? All she remembered was that she cut herself and everything was foggy. What was happening? They had not found her had they? That organization and they were going to kill her. She looked around, the constant beep of the heart monitor over ahead on the flat screen echoed in her head. There was an IV in her arm, while her other arm was bandaged tightly, it was weak as she tried to lift her. She could barely feel it and her fingers seemed stiff, hard to move.

Before she had much more time to look around and take in the surroundings, she heard a door open and the sound of footsteps. A doctor appeared from the curtain, he had a smile on his face trying to make her feel better. She scowled at him, or hoped she did, she still felt weak and lightheaded. He looked down pushing the screen at the foot of the bed, a stream of data came out across the screen. He nodded and looked up at her. “Looks like you are recovering well. You have a strong will to live, we thought that many times we had lost you.”

“What?! You saying that I almost died?”

“Yes, thankfully you did not.”

Andromeda’s heart sank, she had missed the moment, she was alive and this stupid, idiotic doctor saved her life. She was angry at him for saving her, it would have ended this whole thing, her whole life. The misery would have been over and she could be in peace. But this doctor had to play god and save her life. “Why you do that?”

“What? You should be happy.”

“You shouldn’t have let me live.”

“I couldn’t let you die. I can’t let a patient of my die without a fight.”

“Screw that, I should have died.”

“Madam, please calm down, I can understand that you have a bad life, but killing yourself isn’t the answer.”

“It is the only answer now.”

“Why?”

“Look at me, you probably have, you know.”

“Hmm?”

“I am not a woman or a man, but I am both too.”

“Yes…it was strange…I don’t think I have heard of a case of a hermaphrodite before.”

“I am not some lab rat for your pleasure.”

“What makes you think that? I am talking purely medically. How do you feel?”

“Angry.”

“I know that, I mean about being a hermaphrodite.”

She did not say a thing. That was personal and he was no friend. She just wanted him to leave and let her be. “Go away!”

“Alright, I’ll come back to check on you.”

Andromeda laid back against the pillows looking at the ceiling. She was stuck in this world, not to be one or the other. Never meant to be whole, but always to know how it feels. She was lost in the maze and just wanted to die now and then find the end.

[Sparx]

The groggy feeling floated around his head again as he woke. He was still in the same room looking down on the planet, and even in the half dazed and drugged state he was in, it still looked beautiful. Trask smiled weakly before turning his head around to see some more doctors walk past. The flexi-glass was semi opaque so only the general outline, which was blurred, was visible. The nurse droid was there, checking and moinitoring his position, her eyes always looking him over, analyising for any changes or any form of corruption from the augmentics. There was the swishing sound of doors opening and Trask looked over groggily to see the CIC entering, accompanied buy a form of suit on a rack. It was formed from the basis of a crimson red jumpsuit and gunmetal torso armour, a large neck collar and lower leg armour. the forearms were of the same gunmetal color yet were wider and broader than any other type of forearm guard.

Trask groaned as he sat up in the bed and looked at them. They had kept on pestering him at the most in-opportune times. Trask groaned again as he felt the warm yet cool hands of the droid on his skin. Ever since the last operation his skin was on fire, the pain was always there and it itched too...it itched badly and he couldnt do anything to calm the burning sensation beneath his skin.

"Relax Trask, this wont hurt a bit" Said the voice of the CIC who pressed a button on a controll panel at the base of the bed. Instantly the itching burning sensation was replaced by a newer sensation. The sensation of awakening and the sensation of intimate surroundings. Trask looked at the man with surprised hate in his eyes. They were for ever turning his body on and off, but little did he know that this was to be the last attempt.

"What the hell are you doing to me goddamnit??"

The CIC chuckled at the underlying entendre of the statement he made.

"Why Trask...I'm simply turning you on!" there were a few sniggers and suppressed chuckles from the other people that were with him. Trask looked down at his skin and saw that there were various outlines and designs that were glowing a gentile green under his skin. What the hell did they do to him? Various jack ports existed over his body, several on his shoulders, on his legs, and the vast majority were situated upon his back and chest. there were two on his temples. Trask instantly knew what they were. Hardwire Jack Ports. He looked at the armour and blinked, then to the jump suit and then to the assembled men and women.

Trask threw back the covers, the droid silently protesting at this, but the CIC held up his hand in a stop motion as Trask stood there. His well muscled form and healed synth and real skin fused together well, the only real difference were the scar lines that were hidden by clever surgery, and were only noticable when one looked closely. Trask didnt bother about covering up, making some of the female reps and medics, blush or squirm slightly - but he took no notice, his eyes set on the crmson jumpsuit as he lifted it from the rack. The waterproof, thermal heating suit was lined with micro fiber technology, a rarity, yet a very functional system - only corporations had access to such equipment, and Trask was liking the Technology even more. The suit fitted perfectly and Trask streached, the jack ports synching with the ones on his flesh and his muscles showing through the suit as he pulled on the inner boots and the black leather padded gloves. The leather was fresh and it creaked as it flexed, a good sighn of sturdy materials Trask mused.

They just stood there looking at him as he pulled on the armour bit by bit, part by part. The CIC grinned inwardly and the military representatives felt good about themselves, if, although, a little nervous at the whole scene. They shuffled backwards to the other side of the bed. They hadn't expected this to happen as Trask clamped on the final parts of teh armour. However in his progress to attach the armour he hadnot noticed the Jack Plugs on the insides of the armour. There was a stalling hiss then the pain began again as the jack plugs connected to the underlying circutry in Trask's skin and activated along the network under his skin. But that wasn't the pain that was to come. For Trask picked up the large head set that covered his left ear. the receiving antennae sticking out at an angle towards the back while the large solid band went out around the front of his forhead to a peak before winding back round to connect fully with the receiver unit.

There was barely a whirr and a click as the jack plugs connected, and as they did the surge of power and pain shot right through him and Trask grabbed at his head in agony as he began to thrash around violently. The nurse Droid's internal panic alarms were set off as she repeatedly tried to go to him and put him back into bed. But the CIC over rode her internal systems and she stayed back, her sapphire eyes full of worry as she wached him in pain.

There was a sudden stiff crack as the large armoured gauntlet smashed into on of the walls as security then arrived and tried to restrain the situation, but were only battered and wounded by the thrashing Trask. The pain soon died down, as Traks was on his hands and knees, breathing hard, surprisingly he wasn't sweating like he should have but he felt stronger and more absolute. He looked up at the CIC who ad a pleased smirk on his face. This angered Trask and with that thought there was a hiss and a sliding click - the forearm guards had opened and out shot two large and very powerfuly hand guns, and Trask grinned outwardly and stood up. They had made a mistake giving him weapons now.

The CIC just smiled and dismissed everyone.

"Trask i hope you realise that those guns are out of ammunition, and that you cannot fire them in here, especially at me..."

"Why not asshole? give me one good reason that i can't blow your collar and tie ass over this room!"

"Because its in your programming...its been written into your programming incase you get any ideas about going rogue, and it prevents you from harming me directly should you decide to come and kill me for what I've done. May I remind you that I was the one that authorised the whole situation to save what was left of you. I wanted someone with at least the majority of his sanity and humanity left intact after the operation, and you fit the bill. Now to business..."

"Business??? You arrogant prick! you rebuild me with machine parts and turn me into a freak, take away my humanity, and now you want to talk business??"

"Calm yourself..if you are worried about what would happen if you met a girl and fell in love with her you can still do it if thats what you are worried about!"

Trask lushed slightly. At least one question had been answered.

"The boys that we report to want some stuff Trask, and you are going to get it for them..."

"Stuff??"

"yes, what you are wearing is the Per-Heresy Series of Tactical Dreadnought Armour, and they want actual raw data from everything and anything."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you go down to Vilant and raise some hell for them. I know it doesnt sound very prosperous but they have already subsidised you with a vast amount of money to get whatever you need down there. But firstly you will be dropped off in some of the bad sides of town, and have fun."

"What about my guns...no ammo..."

"That will be resolved, you will have two hoppers for each gun and ana chain feed connecting the guns to the hopper. You will be carrying nearly four times your weight in amunition, but your armour and your suit will compensate for that. Now if you have anymore questions then we can get you deployed onto the planet"

"Yeah just one question...what about the civvies?"

"Civvies? You mean Civillians?"

Trask rolled his eyes

"Yeah the civillians..."

"What about them?"

"'What aboaut them?' What happens if they get in the way?"

"Use your discretion...If something becomes a problem, terminate it"

With that the CIC moved past Trask and he followed him. This was going to be one hellish day, but some where inside Trask, it jumped up and down ant the prospect of causing massed of carnage.

[Misato Anami]

The pain grew in her chest. Tears one by one fell down her face and landed in the soft ground beneath her. Ever since that fateful day 1600 years ago, she knew she always did it to save him... Now standing before the broken seal of his tomb, Misato Anami fell to her knees - someone had stolen the love of her life...

************
With his body in her hands, Misato had reached the tomb... their tomb. The place where Misato had first "met" him... The tomb she had saved Rydius from once before stood intact and was ready for use once more.

His body was bloody and broken. Misato could no longer feel for a pulse, no longer for a life line. With some ease, Misato was able to place his body in the mold of the tomb. Tears streamed down her dirt-strewn face. Blood covered her body, blood of her enemies, Rydius', and her own. With her face to his, Misato risked everything. Her last chance at saving him was to heal him and seal him away...independently from her. The only way to revive him was to do so - had she been in the seal with him, she would have shared the healing spell she placed on him thus keeping him from being fully healed. She winced with pain and realized she would soon faint from her own pain. Closing her eyes, Misato kissed Rydius softly and held her hands to his face, one last time...

Blue and white sparks came between the two, Misato's body began to emit a soft glow. The warmth of her body soon flowed to Rydius as she backed up, her hands still to his face. Her soft silver eyes rested on his face, just to watch for anything. She knew every line of his face, every crease, the lines that would burrow on his forehead when he became angry or confused... everything. She knew him like he did her, their lives were one. Hours had passed and Misato's body was giving out. The glow still remained around Rydius as Misato watched, hoping to see one last time those piercing blue eyes that would always keep watch of her...

Misato watched as Rydius' eyes began to move... She gasped as she saw him trying so hard. Brushing his hair out of his face, Misato watched his eyes slightly part.

"Mi.."

"Shh... just... just promise me that you'll take care of yourself.. "

"....Whh..Mi.." (What? Misato...)

"I just wanted to make sure that you'd be okay. Rydius, I love you, I'll always be with you... But this is where we have to say goodbye.." Rydius eye's began to open more quickly as tears now were endless for Misato. Backing up, Misato let go of Rydius and watched as the tomb closed, with the love of her life in it... The glow from Rydius now surrounded the entire tomb. It would take a long time for Rydius to ever fully recover, and Misato knew in the back of her mind, he'd lose his memory once more as he had so long ago...

Before Misato could go back and attempt to break the seal... change her mind... Misato ran to her own tomb - another area of the cavern... There she immediately began the sealing process. Turning around Misato backed into the tomb. Crying, Misato felt her body go numb as the tomb enclosed. Her body finally gave out as Misato felt her body begin to black out. "I've... died before... I guess losing Rydius... mmake...s... it... twice..."

******************

Sitting next to the opened tomb, Misato's hand ran down the engravings of the tomb. It had been two weeks since her seal was released and she was free. Already had her pet Phoenix Artemis' decendant, Frey, find her. Misato had been physically weak and had stayed in her seal for the first week to gain her strength, and now that she was better, as she came to find Rydius - hopefully well and alive, she found him gone. The seal seemed to be opened prematurely...

The dust off the tomb came off on Misato's fingers. Looking at it, Misato knew it had been awhile. Rydius had been gone for quite some time.

Misato closed her eyes... she wanted to get rid of this image. She knew she risked losing him by his memory loss, she assumed she could help him.. This was different. She lost him completely. She pulled out his handkerchief with the emblem of Aenuric and Solin on it. She had so many memories come at her from the touch of some faded material... The memories of her friends...Nighte, Kharn, Alias..., her enemies, Rydius, they all hit her at the same time.

Misato tried to breath as the wind was knocked out of her. Her choking sobs wouldn't stop. Frey looked at her from the entrance way and flew out of the tomb to keep eye outside of the cavern. Such pain she felt, it was worse than when she had commited suicide to save Rydius, when she was controlled to attack Rydius on command... it all compared unfairly to her...

Misato wanted to pull one of her Lucilas Blades out and destroy herself once and for all. Rydius had probably already foudn someone else, had already built another life... His memories of her were probably gone with her sanity...

As she cried for hours, Misato soon gained composure and looked at the tomb once more. Rydius was out there somewhere, and she had had to have given him life once more. If his body was gone, hopefully he was still alive...

Standing carefully, Misato approached his tomb once more. With her hand on the tomb, Misato looked at her wedding ring. The light green stone shone still... Misato kissed her ring and went back to the room where her tomb lay. Her eyes changed from its usual silver color to a firey orange. Frey had seen nothing, as Misato could see - their bond gave each the power to see through one another.. Calling him back, Misato began to fall asleep, her body still getting used to its normal function. Soon, she would be fighting again and walking around as she used to, but now her body had to keep up with her. She was still young, her body wouldn't age any faster, and from her family line, she'd remain this way for a long time. The being in a tomb for 1600 years took her strength from her and Misato had eyt to discover the time change...

As her eyes began to close, Frey had returned and landed next to her keeping an eye for anything that may come by... As she felt herself go under, thoughts began to flood her mind of how she was going to find him...

[Andromeda]

Andromeda tossed and turned back and forth, her mind lost in a dream, or nightmare depending on your look of things. It was almost a dream for her, despite the fact that it was a nightmare and she was frightened. She did not want to return to the labs, the place that wanted her dead, it seemed a contradiction, not to want to die for her. But it was naturally more complex than just wanting to die out right by any means necessary. They wanted her, but more than just to end her as a mistake made from the random chance of the universe’s little jokes on people’s lives. They would take her apart, examine her, try to find out what went wrong with her. She had been told by her father that because of him taking her away, their research would be set back years. It had always given her something to laugh about, give a little that no one understood. There was little she could against them but run in the opposite direction. She did not want to see them ever again, the hunting and searches had ended finally, when she reached Vilant. But she would never be rid of the shadow that was constant over her.

Now it was in her dreams again, images of the laboratories flashed in her mind. She could not remember must about the place, considering that she was taking away from it when she was young, still barely a baby. Though she had seen pictures, watched taped experiment of her father’s, she had an idea of the place. Which was just enough for her imagination to run with. It had haunted her dreams before, but it had gone away for years. She had not thought about it since she was younger back on the moon. They were childish thoughts and nightmares, she had told herself. She did not want to give into the weakness of her past and emotions of childhood. There was never anything good from it, only the pain of reflection that stirred up memories she did not want to remember. The time on the moon was in her past, a place she had done all to forget that place. She did not want the memories, this was her life, or what there was of it.

She kept thinking during the dream, why she was thinking about this suddenly. It had been years, she thought it was behind her. But it seemed that even now, with it in the back of her mind, always trying to be forgotten, that there was something. That she was fooling herself to believing that she was not thinking about it. That not wanting it, not wanting to think about just makes it more thought of because you are concentrating on forgetting it and then you can never forget it. When all she wanted to do was forget, and lie to herself that she had forgotten, she had not forgotten at all. The layers and faux thoughts, the ideas and lies that she tried to tell herself, all she could see was the futility. The futility she had in life and with herself.

It seemed the only reason, or it could have been the fact that she was in a hospital and it made her feel uncomfortable. She did not want to stay in it any longer than she had to. Though it was surprising enough that she was able to sleep and not be on edge about being in a hospital. There was always the worry that if the reports found their way back to the moon, she would be hunted again. She did not want that to happen, she would have to convince the doctor and hope it was not too late. Though her impression that she left on the doctor might prove difficult. She just did not like doctors of any type, they should all be killed for their curiosity in science. It was because of doctors she was created and she hated them for it, every last one of them.

Andromeda shuck awake, rising up out of the bed quickly, but then falling back down to her pillow. She was still very weak from the loss of blood. It takes forty-eight hours to regain the blood when you give it, but she had given more than anyone should. There would be a while till she healed, though the extra blood that they were giving her would help. She looked around again, seeing the blood IV that ran to her. The monitor above and equipment all around her, the equipment left her unsettled. It was the sight of metal and lights, that were used for the use of science and medicine, it was uncomfortable. She did not want to label it fear, though it was the only proper way to refer to what she was feeling. She had not known such feelings in a while, it was a strange sense. Sure there had been fear, being afraid of a thug in the streets, but this was something different. She was not too sure about it, what to think. Feeling so blank and empty, not getting anything but from the moment left her so barren. There was little that she could see, the room was sparse with anything else. The curtain hid most of the left side of the side. The window was all she had to stare at. Sleep would do her no more good or comfort, it was not an escape at the moment. Too much sat at the surface for her to sleep and relive her past.

Outside the window was buildings and sky, darken clouds. Apparently a storm was coming in, rain would be washing out the streets. If she had been back where she was meant to be, she would be walking out to the rain. Taking it in, the rain just dropping on her face, soaking her clothes. She would just sit in the street watching the rain drop, feeling like the water that met together at the ground. Mixed with the rest, not alone anymore, but forced down a path. The sound of the water hitting the concrete and asphalt would touch her ears as the mist of the rain in the distance would pull her into its abyss welcoming her to a gray haven. The smell of the water mixing with the oil of the streets, yet a freshness that would be in the air cleansing the dirt of the world.

She returned her sight back from a blurred to focused, as she realized that she was drifting off in thought. The building in front covered half of the view, blocking her imposingly, it seemed confident and proud, almost cocky. She did not like it, but it was there, her eye continued watching as a couple birds flew around, back and forth making a nest. Time passed to her without much realization to her. The birds just passed by and then came back. It was enough for her to forget and just watch.

However, the doctor arrived now and broke her concentration on the window, it immediately annoyed her that he interrupted her. Though it was also that he was a doctor that annoyed her, so she was quickly angered by his presence in the room. He looked like he has a purpose, something that he wanted to do, it frightened her a little. She was at a vulnerable state and did not know what the doctor might try on her. She could barely lift herself up, she knew that she could stop him from whatever he wanted to do. But he just waited, staring as she stared at him. What did he want, it was bothering her his silence. After interrupting her, he had the nerve to just look at her, standing there like an idiot. He had not said a word at all, not even to interrupt her, she realized it, he only used his presence to make her aware and nothing more. He was waiting for a move, like in chess, his move was already taken and he was waiting for her to move to make some play. But she did not want to play his little mind game, she would wait him out until he either fell asleep, left for other duties or could not stand anymore.

Unfortunately, he was still standing in the same spot after a half hour, and an hour. The two just stared at each other, hands on their holsters not wanting to draw. It had become a matter of pride for her not to speak, despite his annoyance and he just seemed to peacefully stand there not affected by anything not impatient, just waiting. She had not seen a more annoying man before, he would not leave or speak, even now after two hours of staring. What was it that he was trying to prove, trying to get? He wanted something or else he would not be here still. He would not have stayed for two hours unmoved. The nurse that came in did not seem to pay him mind, as though it was normal for him to be here. The woman just walked around to Andromeda’s right side of the bed looked at the IV and the monitor and then left leaving the two to their contest. Neither was giving in, but Andromeda growing frustrated by the minute. What ever this doctor wanted, he was not getting it, After all of this, he would leave empty, not successful with what he wanted. But she could not understand him, he just stood. The anger was mounting up in her, her palms grew sweaty and face warm. Her eyes narrowed more and eye brow pushed down, close together across her forehead. She squeezed her fist, wanting to get this ended now. It had come to the point, where she did not care what it was just as long as he talked and left. Her fist bound tighter in anger, patience was running thin and if she had the strength she would have leaped out of the bed to strangle the doctor where he stood.

She grinded her teeth together as she approached words to say, “What do you want!” she said loudly startling the patient to the right of her behind the curtains. The doctor just smiled and stood there for a moment, still not saying a word. Her eyes flattened out, this doctor would not even speak when spoken to. Frustration was setting in when he finally spoke.

“Just watching you.”

”What?! All that just to watch me. I hate all you doctors.”

“Why is that?”

“Now you want to talk?” What was this doctor’s game that he was playing with her. He says nothing, then just says he is watching and now he wants to chat. There is something strange about him. Did he know more about her than she realized.

“Why do you hate doctors?”

“Because all you are interested in is your science and cutting things open.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I know, I just do…”

“That is not much defense for such a strong distain.”

“I didn’t ask for your critique.”

“Hmm…why do you hate doctors?”

“Repeating it? Don’t think you’ll get me to talk.”

“What do you mean, I am just curious to learn more about you.”

”And why is that…you doctors are all a like,” Andromeda said turning away, looking away from him at the plain white wall. It was dull and boring, though she had things on her mind, she did not want to approach them. But facing the doctor’s line of inquiry was just as bad. It was making her remember more than she wanted. She did not like him, she did not want to think about it.

“No, not all doctors are the same. There are many different doctors, I am a doctor and my concern is your well being.”

“Just shut up and go away, I don’t want to talk to you.”

“I see and what about yourself? Do you want to be alone with yourself?”

“What? Don’t get in my mind, it is more than you could handle.”

“Really? That sounds like a challenge,” the doctor said chuckling. “I’ll leave you be…I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Just leave.” She did not like the sounds of this doctor, he was too curious, too inquisitive it would be his undoing. There was nothing left for her and now she was a doctor’s amusement. She had to get out of here soon, once she was better she would escape one way or another.

[Sparx]

"Ok so where do we start with this thing?" Trask commented, as he was led through the halls of the orbital station. It was surprising enough as everyone he passed made way for them both or just carried on with their daily business of making sure that the facility was in perfect running order and that everything is as it should be. The facility was an undisclosed function, and it was not known to any of the planet's ruling bodies. Councils and factiuons had no information that the facility existed. If they had any information or publicly relesed data or beta information, then it was only a drifting wreak deemed unsafe for anyone to explore or even live in for a period of time, so the operation itself was all going on unknown. The unkown factor was a great addition in the game that they were playing. A risky game where the cards delt meant life death or pure survival.

Many things were forming in Trask's mind. He would go to the planet below and raise hell. But for what? Just to Grab data and information in actual feild use for this armour? Was that all that they wanted him to do? Sheesh it felt like the same simple solution. Go out. Cause mayhem. Get information. It seemed like his life was one never changing swirl. His mood became bleak and grey as he followed the Commander in Chief of the Station into a large room that held all forms of weaponry and other optional combat extras ranging from energy blades to full blown explosives. Trask all of a sudden grinned at the prospect of taking one or more of these items with him, and the CIC seemed to sense that and just turned and spoke calmly and evenly with a smile on his face.

"Feel free to pick any two option extras for your new suit Trask. Choose wisely as once you've chosen the hardwire points and had them fitted, you cant change your mind so think carefully."

Trask felt his white gloved fingers scratch at his chin in thought. He was going to have to think carefully, but his mind kept on wandering to the large hardwire point on his right forearm, and then to one of the energy blades. It was that, which he chose as his first option. The second came in the hope that it could improve his aim a little better and add to the crystal matrix over his left eye. Trask chose an IR Pointer scope that would be hard wired into his shoulder just aside th collar of the armour itself. It was his own choices but he was sure that they would help him in getting what was required by them.

"Im beginning to get bored here suit!" Trask began to say as the CIC chuckled slightly as he saw Trask rub his hands over his wrists in eagerness. Trask had a deeply impatient side anbd wanted to get down there and regain the feeling. The feeling of being alive. The feeling of existing. It was tugging at him like a tension cord, and the CIC could see it in his eyes as he looked at him from accross the room. The man just chuckled softly, a thick treacley sound that made Trask shudder slightly. It was then that the CIC moved his hand over a plate and the back of the room opened and rotated round to reveal a sprawling room that was strewn with cables wires and coolant piping, and in the center of the large room was a dominating looking edifice. An edifice carved of glittering steel and blazing indication lights. The center of the device was a large glass crystal screen that held blinking lights in a roulette. It only had to be one of two things: the vast power core for the facility, or it was a translocation device.

A series of servitors looked up from their work, their white engineer coats slick withe grease and other forms of lubricant and coolant. One of them poked up from the terminal his eyes covered with a large optical enhancer which had vision lights attached to the sides so that he could see into poorly lit areas of machinery. The man gave a half cocked smile and stood up straight, his joints popping from stiffness as he cleaned his hands on an already filthy rag.

"Ah bout time! The Translocator chamber is ready for use. Some of the wiring came loose after the initial testings and such like but we got that fixed so its ready to go. I also..."

He was cut off as the CIC began to speak clearly to everyone in the area.

"Our translocator is ready? Good. Trask this is how you will access the planet below us. In this instance you will be split into molecular data and then re built back on the planet. It will..."

"I dont really relish the thought of having my body pulled appart and then restitched together. I like my molecules where they are thanks."

The CIC laughed a bitter sarcastic tone.

"You think you really have a choice? How else will we send you down there hmm?? Shuttle you down? Impossible because we would be instantly discovered if we were to send you down in a pod? Or perhaps youd like to walk down?" his voice became venemous at the last statement. It wasnt a statement of 'I am better than you', but it was a statement of fact!

Trask glared down at the man, his eyes burning with unheld rage, his white gloved hand grabbing the man by the collar and lifting him up off the ground.

"Maybe you could take a walk down there with me to see what it feels like? See if you pop like a cherry tom* or would you like your molecular form scattered like tinderwood"

:OC; cherry tom: a type of tomatoe (very small one)::

The CIC squirmed and the servitors only looked on and chuckled softly. He was taken aback. The core type-X had the fail safe didnt it? Trask couldnt touch him in anyway could he? Well he could..he just couldn't kill him. Trask then dropped him to the floor, his body making a painfully muffled thud as it hit the steel floor of the room.

"I have my ammo now and my hardwired weaponry so im off..But take not if you screw me over i'll make your life a total misery!"

With that statement, Trask stepped into the translocator and waited for the servitors to ready the powering switches. The machine started to hum, and Trask couldnt help but be dramatic as he held his head back and spread his arms out before vanishing in a flash of super-intense white and blue light.

[Trigon]

(A/N: Most of this is exactly what is written in part 2 of the story - up soon)

Part 2: Dreams of the Past

Slowly he strolled through the fields leading up to the cavern, he smiled inwardly to himself at the beauty that the fields of flowers gave to the area, yet this feeling did not reveal itself in any way since his face was half covered by a high collar from the cloak. The cavern in question was situated in the middle of the field, having been discovered only two years ago by accident when children had fallen into the moss covered entrance while playing. The corporation had excavated it and found it to be a sort of tomb, with the items recovered inside now in the local museum.

The armour he was wearing could be heard gently on the stairs leading to the cavern before he stopped and turned round and looked at the view. Not many people actually took the time to come out here nearer to sunset when the area was bathed in golden rays which emphasised the beauty of the area, making it the perfect spot for relaxing in which was why he came here quite a bit. After a moment he turned and entered the cavern, still wondering what it said on the engravings on the floor surrounding the tomb-like structure inside.

Stepping into the main part of the cavern, he was taken by surprise as a small bird started chirping at him from a part which hadn't been there previously. Curiously he looked in, finding a young woman inside seemingly asleep, the bird that was chirping sitting next to her as if it was protecting it's master. Not knowing what was going on or why she was here, he walked over and placed a couple of fingers onto her wrists, checking for a pulse. He found one after a moment, albeit a very faint one.

"I wonder what happened to her to make her so weak..."

Gently he lifted her up into his arms and turned to leave the cavern, knowing of only one place he could take her to rest up well enough until he could find out what happened. And he also needed to contact the corporation to inform them of the new part of the cavern that had opened up. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the small bird following as he ran back towards the town of Laxton and once there, towards Tia's bar where he had a room kept for his infrequent visits.

As he pushed open the door using his back, Tia turned to see who it was before noticing that he had returned to the bar carrying a young woman in his arms. Wondering what had happened, she found herself being asked if there was a room available that he could put her into until she could tell them what had happened to her inside the cavern. In the meantime, he needed rest himself and once they had placed her in the room next to his, he bid Tia good night.

Inside his own room which no-one had entered since his arrival two years ago, he began the long process of removing the armoured plating from his body, beginning with the gauntlets which housed the guns which were placed respectfully next to the torso armour, the leg greaves and finally the upper arm greaves and boots, leaving him in a tunic styled shirt and jeans, his long raven black hair flowing down his back to his waist. He had been down at the bar once while dressed like this and even Tia had no idea that it was him who was sitting there.

Checking to see that no-one was in the alleyway below his window, he lept out and grinned, before heading back into the bar through the front door, people looking to see who had entered before going back to their drinks. Sitting down he began to relax after ordering a drink for himself, listening to the idle gossip that was circulating around the room. After a moment he noticed Tia come up to the table with his drink, a concerned look on her face.

Taking the drink, he wondered what she was so concerned about as he leaned back onto the chair he was sitting in, letting his mind wander with the discovery that he had made today. In all the times that he had been to the cavern, he had never seen that part of it where he had found her. Come to think of it, who was she anyway? There was this feeling that they had met once before, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

__________________

Tia placed another cloth on the girl's forehead, making sure that she was comfortable in the bed. It was unusual for him to bring anyone back from the cavern, seeing as how it was only him that went there regularly. Also, she was dressed in an unusual style of clothing which seemed a little out of place considering what everyone else wore regularly. It was almost like she had stepped out from an historical display somewhere.

But still she had been pretty weak when he had brought her into the bar downstairs earlier, but with the rest she was getting now was slowly beginning to make all the difference and hopefully she would be awake soon so they could explain what had happened to them to leave their body the way it was.

Getting up, Tia left the room and made her way back down to the bar. The people seemed to be laughing and joking as normal, yet when she looked over to the chairs that sat next to the bar itself, there seemed to be a young man contemplating something. He was a cute one she thought, taking in every toned muscle that was visible beneath the tunic shirt. Something was glinting from just under it whenever the light passed over his chest as he took a drink.

She watched as he slowly stood up after finishing the contents of the glass, leaving the empty on the top of the bar along with a tip for the assistant working behind it. His hair dropped over his shoulder accenting his facial features before he left the building, leaving Tia standing there with a slight rosy tint on her cheeks. Walking over to the assistant, she asked her who that was.

"I don't know. Said something about making a phone call before coming back in a little while though."

Sure enough, after about five minutes he walked back into the bar and sat down before ordering another drink and leaning back in the chair again, this time more relaxed before joining in with the laughing and joking that made this place so popular. 'I wonder what his name is...' she thought quietly to herself before getting back to work.

__________________

He had been busy after leaving the bar the first time, returning to the room via the window in the alleyway to contact the corporation about the recent events. After they had heard about the new part to the cavern, the voices had become excited with the prospect of more answers to why the cavern had been there in the first place. Admittedly he had omitted the part about the young woman he had found there, not wishing to involve her in the corporation's buisness. After all, they had been the one's that had helped him when he awoke from that coma two years ago.

He still didn't know what his name was, only being known within the corporation under the codename 'Firewing'. But for now they had told him to relax for the time being and that they would contact him later on if anything happened. Not like anything really happened anyway apart from the usual trouble with the punks, leaving him doing patrol duty like some of the other recruits. The last thing that took place was the assassination job of Vilant's last president, earning him a reputation as a valued employee in the company.

Climbing back down into the alleyway he entered the bar once more, ordering another drink and joining in with the local's drinking game. But at the back of his mind he wondered if the young woman he found would be downstairs soon...

[Misato Anami]

Misato had fallen into a dead sleep, however the warmth given off from the man who picked her up was a warmth she was familiar with. She could feel it even though she was out cold. Frey kept an eye on her and as she was brought to Laxton, Frey took a scan of the area and quickly became acquainted with the area that she was taken to. Her thoughts were haywire. They went anywhere from her first time revealing herself to Rydius to the first time he told her he loved her... so on and so forth. Misato's eyes brimmed with tears as she felt her own body stir awake...

Opening her eyes, Misato soon grew uncomfortable and realized she wasn't in the cavern any longer. Careful not to make any sudden movements her eyes traced every line and wrinkle of the dark room. The window was slightly open and Misato woke with the cold breeze against her face. Sitting up, Misato pulled off the cloth over her forehead and suddenly knew it had been a long time that she had been sealed away. Her surroundings were foreign to her, she suddenly longed to be back in the Aenuric palace once more, just once more...

Standing up, Misato walked the corners of the room and found a mirror. Her body, her image was all the same, however her hair was much too long to maneuver around with. It was as long as it was when she had first met Rydius... Pulling out her Lucilas Blades, Misato held her hair in a fist and with one sweeping motion, Misato cut her hair and let the hair fall to the ground. Wherever she was, she had to start anew. Rydius was gone forever and there was nothing she could do about it.

Sounds came from outside and Misato turned quickly to see if someone was coming. Misato's newly cut hair swirled around and landed in place along the middle of her back, long enough to keep and manage as a warrior... With the Lucilas Blades in her hand, Misato waited for a few moments before realizing it was someone just passing by. Placing her weapons away, Misato concluded that she needed to do something, figure out where Rydius was, anything to get her mind off losing him. It was her fault... she wondered... maybe she should have just let him remain eternally asleep.. and have joined him...

Walking out the door, Misato looked around oddly before looking at the odd stares back. She realized she was clearly not up to date on anything. With soft steps, Misato walked downstairs to what appeared to be a bar. Somewhat crowded, Misato soon was a lost person in a group, the way she liked it... however once again her looks caught the eyes of some.

Walking past some tables to leave, Misato felt uneasy, and she didn't know why. Her body tingled and her hair stood on end. Straightening her back, Misato turned for a moment and stopped suddenly...

The figure in the crowd, lost altogether in a crowd of faces, he was the only one she saw despite the group of men who soon would come her way. His raven black hair... Misato couldn't help but look at it. She didn't mean to stare... but...

The man soon realized he was being looked at and stood up, he turned to see what it was when he saw the woman that he had pulled from the cavern. His outline, the way his body filled his tunic, and his eyes, his cold, caring, stone blue eyes... everything was there... Misato forgot to breath as he stopped as well, what he was thinking, she didn't know... Her cloak almost fell out of her hand as she stood there. She wanted to take a step towards him.. what was his name... could he possibly.. he'd almost have to be. Misato felt a rush of emotions overcome her as she stood there. She hadn't felt that way since the day he proposed to her...

Once she realized he had taken a step towards her, Misato shook her feelings and thoughts away. Turning to leave, Misato bumped into a man apparently standing there for her.

"Oh, excuse me, I'm sorr-" The man grabbed her hand pulled her towards him. "I don't think you did that on accident miss, I just think you're in need of some companionship... awfully pretty for such a strange look, why, silveeerrr.. eyess too!?" Misato couldn't only smell the rankness of his breath, but she could feel it all over. As he came down to kiss her, the man had come to help, but he was too late. Misato came back and slapped him harshly. Overcome with anger, the man hurled at Misato and she easily dodged his attack, not realizing that her eyes had noticeably turned crimson red. Two other men had joined him in his quest to defeat his rejector and Misato had easily rid herself of one with a quick jab to the jawline, knocking him unconscious for the time. The second one, Misato had to use her legs for and as he pinned her against a wall, she used her legs to trip him and knock him in the gut sending him into a table. Turning to leave, the drunk that had first hit on her stood there with a large dagger in his hand. Swiping at Misato, she jumped back and unclasped Athena and Lucifer from their cages. Standing there, she stood in an offensive stance. The man soon ran off, as her blades were reasonably larger than his...

Misato soon realized what happened as she saw the table on the floor. Pulling out her money, Misato threw the entire bag on the floor and walked out silently, but quickly.

As she reached outside, Misato began to head back for the cavern when she realized someone exited the bar too. Stopping, Misato turned and in a blink her crimson eyes turned silver...

[Andromeda]

It had been a week and the doctor returned each day to visit her. She continued to give him biting words and frustration, but he did not seem to relent. Nothing seemed to tire this doctor and it was never as the same time, she never knew when to expect him, it kept her off guard and tense all the time. Her body felt like a coiled spring ready to launch. Though tonight she would leave, the doctor said that she was almost completely recovered and she could even move her toes with feeling. Everything was the way it should be for her body, she would be able to escape from this torture she was left in.

The doctor had already come today and his words seemed faint in her mind. She could not remember what he had said, just that she was angry wit him. He annoyed her more each day and being stuck her only further to heighten her anger. The window had beckoned to her several times already for her to leap out of and ran away. But she had to restrain herself from staying the leap. It would be time soon enough, the sun was almost down and the nurse’s rounds were coming up. She hoped that they would not care or notice her disappearance, but leaving between rounds was the only way to be sure she would not be missed for a few hours.

She watched as the sun slowly came down from it perch in the sky, hiding in behind the clouds as it slept waiting for the moon to come up. The nurse had come in very quickly, checked things and left. It was pleasing to her, everything was moving smoothly, there did not seem any problems, nothing was happening to ruin the night. She was almost feeling something, feeling excitement for leaving, and impatient, it would be time soon. Then she could make her way down the hall, crawling under the desk to get out view and running into an elevator as it was about to close.

Andromeda could see it happening until it happened, she was in the elevator moving down the building, the hospital that she was forced to stay in for more than a week. Her life toyed with and teased, what she was examined and investigated it was out of her control until now. She had her own life, it was the only control she could have anymore. The elevator opened and she walked out of the elevator through the lobby without a care. No one seemed to care about her, the people were going about their business, they just let her walk out. It was over, simple easy as she had imagined it, exactly as she imagined it happening. No troubles, no problems, no interruptions, she was free the street would take her back home.

But before she could take a step out of the hospital, a bright light flashed on her, too bright for her to see around. She was blinded from everything, she tried to move but her legs would not let her. They seemed stiff and weak, like before when she was in the bed recovering. She collapsed to the floor the doors to the hospital held opened by sensing her in the entrance. Sounds of a vehicle from where the light came from made her believe it was some sort air vehicle, a hover plane or something. Then the sounds of boots on the granite stone floor of the hospital echoed in her ears from behind. She could hear some voice now through a speaker speaking to her, “Don’t move Andromeda. You thought that you could escape us. Did you not think that we would hunt you down where ever you are?”

“What?” ”No…not the research people…they found me…” she thought to herself. Fear ran through her, she was going to be cut up and examined on their tables. They were here for her and she could not run, her legs had given out. She tried to pull herself across the floor with her arms, but the men came up to her and grabbed her. They held her, lifting her up putting her on her feet, but her legs buckled and collapsed again.

“Foolish girl…Major, shoot her, we don’t need her alive. We won’t have you escaping anymore.”

“Yes, sir.” She heard the sound of the gun charging up, a slight hum and second delay before he fired. She closed her eyes and screamed in despair. Suddenly she threw herself awake to find herself in the doctors arms on the floor, her face wet from tears. She breathed heavy, short breathes as she turned to focus on him. She blinked once, twice checking to see what had happened, realizing that it was just a dream, they were getting worse now. Not just images, but they were invading her dreams as a reality beyond her control. She shuck in his arms trying bring herself back to reality, had been real, too real for her.

“Are you alright?”

“I…I…what happened?”

“One of the nurses had heard you screaming, they thought that you might have been in pain or something. They called me to check on you. You were tossing about, trying to get out of bed and stand, I was able to catch you before you hurt herself from the fall. I thought about waking you, but…”

“I see, why didn’t the nurse come in?”

“They are a little scared of you—“

“Because I am freak.”

“Because you are so cold.”

She was beginning to regain her composure and awareness back. Her anger quickly returned moving to the front of her tongue. It felt good to be awake and what she knew. It was reassuring for her to assert herself, that this doctor would be put into his place. She tried to stand up and return to the bed, but her legs would not let her, they were still too weak to move her body up. The doctor helped to lift her, but she pushed him away, breaking out of his arms and falling to the ground hitting her back to the wall. He looked at her slightly puzzled, but changed to a blank face just watching her. She had felt the still pain as she hit the wall hard, but it was more painful not being able to use her legs. She raised up her arm to the edge of the bed pulling at her to lift her up. However, her arms was still weak too, she could not feel much strength in her pull, as though her body weighed ten times more. There had been a moment she thought the bed might tip, but she realized it was attached to the wall, so she could pull as hard as she could even though it was nothing. Her arms had no strength still, even through the exercises that the doctor put her through to test her body’s recovery and strength it had not been enough. She should have known, but she would not give the doctor the satisfaction of helping her.

She released her hand from the bed and let it back down to the floor where she decided to sit. But the floor was cold as she was quickly realizing and the gown that she had on did not cover her well. Her butt was sitting on the cold floor and she was unable move herself enough to try to adjust it. The doctor sat down on the floor too, just watching her, staring at her without a word to say. She could not figure him out, there was something strange about him, he had a strange manner. She would have thought that he would be forcing himself on her to put her in the bed, that it would more comfortable and better for her recovery. But he was doing nothing, the nurses were not coming in to call him away, he just sat there not caring about her.

What was wrong with this doctor she wondered, he just sat not letting anything bother him. Even though he was wearing slacks, the cold floor had to be getting to him now too. Her butt almost felt numb from the cold, but she knew it was just the exaggerated feeling of her body. The doctor just sat unmoved, like last time. She was not sure if she could out last him this time, it was not the same staring contest as before. She needed help up and was cold, but she did not want his help. He was a doctor, they always had some motive, some ulterior plan, they could not be trusted. There was too much curiosity within them, they wanted to know, know without the care of the need. If it got them more knowledge the side effects, the accidents were worth the risks for knowledge. The accidents were something to learn from and she was an accident too, something to take apart and see how she works. Like she was some sort of clock to be simply pulled apart, it was old and used no one wanted it and no one would miss it if it did not work again. Something to try things out on and test new thoughts. She was just something to be used, a thing and nothing more.

Doctors were heartless beings, not even people, less than people not deserving to be call human, and she would not let this one try to be her friend. His kindness was wasted on her, he would betray her in the end for his own desires. He would not want know about her and what strange twisted things happened in her own body. How it was possible to have what she had. It was a sickening thought that they had, she knew they all desired the answers, he was no different. She would have to out last him, his help was not needed.

Again she raised her arms up to try to pull herself up to the bed, but it was even worse this time. She could barely manage a pull, there was nothing in her. She was just too weak to hold herself. Her arms fell back down to her sides and she looked back at the doctor. ”He must be laughing right now…well laugh all you want you won’t be helping me.” She hoped that a nurse would come in and lift her on to the bed just to spite him. But none were coming, it seemed strange that these so-called duty bound people would just leave her on the floor freezing her butt off, quite literally. Even though she was finally warming the spot up, it was still uncomfortable and cold, it would be a while before it was warm. But in the mean time it was turning her body cold, her hands her cold and stiff. She tried to warm them up in her lap, but her gown was cold to and the air was cold around the floor too making more and more of cold. Her skin was still warm enough to keep her hands a little warm, but she could not stay here forever. She would freeze on the floor and die of some cough because of her weak immune system.

The time past and they were still both on the floor not saying a word. It had been for a couple hours now she figured from the sound of the doctor’s clock beeping twice. She was feeling more comfortable on the floor now that it was warmer, but the air at that level was still cold and her skin tensed up a times as a chill would blow up her gown. Her body twitched a little, but she remained still. After another beep, their floor-sitting-staring contest started to draw company. The patient in her room, who was an elderly woman that had just gone through a heart operation pulled back the curtains puzzled by the doctor’s frozen figure. It was when she saw Andromeda on the floor that she knew why. The woman had tried to speak to her but she did not return a reply, ignoring everything but the doctor. The elderly woman seemed to have nothing better to but join in the staring and stared at the two of them, moving about slightly every few minutes unable to remain still.

When the nurse came in to check on the elderly woman, the nurse watched the two of them on the floor almost spilling the medicine for the woman. The two stopped and watched these two stare each other down as though it was a duel that they were measuring each other before an attack. It was not long before two nurses that were going to break stopped into the room watching the contest taking place. Their vigil was drawing a crowd, one that Andromeda was trying to ignore, but it was becoming uncomfortable to be in front of so many people. She just wanted to give it up and let him take her back into the bed, but in front of all these people she did not want to give in. It was now more a matter of who folds first and she had nothing to lose by being on the floor. The doctor had stacked his hand against him, he had a job and she knew this had to be taking him away from his other patients. If he stayed too long, the hospital would probably do something to him like suspend him. She did not know what would happen to him, just as long as it removed him from her sight.

The crowd was growing bored though, after almost another hour of a full crowd, their staring gave out and one by one they left, some going home to families who they had stayed too long already. Others needed to continue back to work and some patients that had nothing better to do but amuse themselves at something different. The elderly woman had fallen asleep as the crowd slowly left. They were again alone and she was trying to decide what would happen next. Her butt had grown used to the cool floor, that was sort of warm. It had felt warm at least, but she imagined that it was still cold, that it was her body that had gotten cold.

She just wanted this to end, it was tiring seeing this doctor’s face for hours. No words spoken since she had just woken. Though she felt some strength in her arms. She had rested up and though she had not moved in a while, it might be enough to get her up to the bed. She had to do it and prove that doctor wrong and waste his time by waiting. Her arms felt strong, stronger than before at least. Slowly, she put her arms up on the bed, grabbing the edge by her hands. Her arms were a little stiff, but she felt like she would be able to do it. There was a certain matter of hope, though it seemed silly to her, hoping to reach the bed. But there was the moment before she started trying that everything just left her. The worries melted away, the thoughts of the moon and those scientists, the dreams, the doctor, herself, everything did not mean anything. It was a peaceful moment for her, a moment to prove her strength. She had to do it, she knew that she could do it if she just tried. Her arms pulled at her shoulder and body, pulling herself up to the edge of the bed. They were strong, she could feel it, there was a slight grin across her face. She would prove this doctor wrong.

Her arms flatted against the edge of the edge using her whole arm to pull herself up. She felt herself move, lift up off the ground, her butt finally released from the cold floor. Though she was still far from celebrating, she was only a few inches off of the ground and she had to get her whole body up off the ground and on the bed. She pulled and pushed with her arms as she slowly brought herself up to the bed. Though she felt her strength slipping away. Her arms were getting tired fast and she had only managed to lift herself a foot off the ground. She had a long way to go and she did not know if her arms would hold. She continued to try to push with her legs, but they would just slip on the floor feebly. Her grip was loosening on the bed, she struggled to hold herself to the bed, but her fingers and arm were giving up. A desperate grab at the sheets sent her to the floor again as she lost her balance falling against the cold floor once again. She wanted to cry, there was nothing that she could, she was useless right now, this doctor knew it. He was just toying with her.

She pushed the sheets off her to find the doctor standing over her. He looked down at her for a moment and then bent down to grab her up. She tried to fight him back, but her arms were too exhausted. Her arms stopped falling into her lap as he rose bringing her up. A tear formed at her eye gently falling away to the side of her face as she was set back in the bed. The bed was warm to her cold body, broken and pathetic she did not want any of this, but it was happening. The doctor then just walked out of the room without a word. She did not know what to say, she had thought about a thank you, but could not bring the words up to say it.

What would she do, there was no escaping right now and this doctor seemed to have made her his patient no matter what she had to say about it. He did not care what she did to him or said, what she thought and wanted, just seemed to do by his own will. There was a strangeness again him that she had not seen a person before. ”Why?”

Andromeda laid back into the pillow watching the ceiling for a while trying not to think too much about one thing or another. She wanted to sleep, the contest left her exhausted, but she feared sleeping again so soon, especially if she was going to dream again about that place. It was something she tried forever to forget and now was stronger in her mind than when she was back on the moon. At least then there was things like school to distract her. What would she do…

[Trigon]

Part 3: Introductions

The bar was beginning to become a little more rowdy as the drinking match went on late into the night, each drinker trying to outdo the other as much as possible with bets being placed on who would win. Firewing had since taken to watching the match while placing a few bets of his own and was laughing as the next one to go out of the match fell to the floor, belching loudly before laughing themselves. A couple of empty glasses were passed to Tia as the match entered the final phase having been going on for the last few hours.

It was around this time that Firewing had felt as if someone had been looking at him, so stood up slowly to check if his intuition was right and maybe get one more drink before calling it quits for the rest of the night. As his eyes scanned over the crowd, they came to rest of the young woman who he had found in the cavern earlier that day. As he took a step away from the table towards her, he remembered that he wasn't in armour and couldn't ask her anything about what had happened.

Just as he remembered this, a scuffle broke out with some drunks hassling the young woman. Sighing, he quickly made his way out of the bar and into the alley, climbing up into his room and placing each armour piece onto his body. Once the ancient gauntlets were in place and the cloak wrapped around himself, he strode out of the door that led to his room, moving down the stairs to find that the drunks had fled, the young woman holding a reasonably sized blade in her hands before throwing a bag onto the floor and leaving.

Tia noticed him standing on the stairs, before walking over and telling him what had happened to the drunks. A sly grin passed over his face mostly hidden by the large neckguard and visor as he walked through the crowd of people towards the door and outside into the cool night air. The woman was slowly heading in the direction of the cavern before she stopped suddenly and turned round, her eyes seemingly crimson for a split second before becoming silver. Unusually, she didn't show any fear even though there was a six foot man in armour standing in front of her.

Before he or she could say anything, Firewing noticed something just behind her heading this way rapidly - very rapidly. 'What now?' he thought, shifting his arms slightly and hearing the now familiar click of the guns loading. His visor scanned the object heading towards them before bringing up the image of several known troublemakers and the drunks from earlier on a stolen army truck.

Misato looked over the armour clad figure as he stared into the distance behind her, unable to determine anything about them since a cloak was wrapped around the majority of the body although it hung loosely and the face was obscured by a large neckguard and a helm with a visor over the eyes. Yet she could just make out a few strands of black hair just behind the visor which was flashing small images on it. It was now he spoke, his voice seeming hollow and metallic, yet containing a hint of sadness.

"Looks like more trouble again tonight..."

Before Misato could say anything in query to what he meant, Firewing had brought both his arms up from under the cloak and had started firing like crazy over her shoulders, bullet casings hitting the ground as they were ejected from the guns inside the gauntlets. A split moment later, his fire was returned by those on the truck who were using stolen weaponry like it was nothing but a game. Maybe a game to them, but in reality a pain for everyone else.

Moving quickly, Firewing shot out the tyres of the truck causing it to grind to a halt after falling on it's side sending several of the troublemakers sprawling to the ground hard. Some of them had jumped off before the tyres had been shot off and were now advancing, using the buildings and the overturned truck as cover. Grabbing hold of Misato's hand, he pulled her into the nearest alley while firing shots at the thugs hearing a couple cry out as the shots hit their targets.

Once they were both safely in the alley, Firewing stuck his arm out around the corner and fired a short volley of bullets blindly in the direction of the truck which was quickly replied with by the counter fire of the thugs, several striking the stone of the building sending shards flying off the wall. Muttering to himself, he got ready to spring out of where they were hiding and go out full guns blazing. It may be the only chance they had of getting out of this amount of trouble.

After firing another blind volley Firewing lept for all he was worth, spotting that several of them were nursing wounds from some of the wild shots and let loose with everything he had, striking them down as if they were nothing. However, as they fell to leg shots and arm shots, several of their bullets struck Firewing bringing him down to his knees in the middle of the street. Now that the firefight had been brought to an end, the people in the bar felt it safe to look out and see what had happened.

Misato stared at the person that had pulled her into the alley as he slowly began to rise from his kneeling position, pulling the cloak from his body to examine the damage done to himself. The armour that was revealed was reminiscent of Rydius' armour, yet wasn't quite the same. He was beginning to mutter something under his breath before tapping the side of the helmet, the visor sliding upwards until it vanished from sight. Shaking his arms slightly he walked over towards her and she noticed that he had blue eyes.

"Are you ok miss?"

"Y...yes.."

Firewing smiled before turning around and moving back towards the entrance to the bar, leaving Misato a little flustered at having stuttered a reply. She then heard him say to her that she'd be better staying at the bar tonight before he went through the door. Looking once more at the people that had been injured and the truck - a vehicle she had never seen before - she followed him back into the bar, noticing that he had sat down in a secluded corner of the place. Tia walked up to her and asked if everything was alright after what had just happened.

"My name is Tia. Nice to meet you."

"Misato."

"So what happened to you that left your body so weak? I know he's interested in that as well."

Tia pointed over to where Firewing was sitting with this comment before seeing that he had gotten up and was now heading for his room. Quietly Misato asked what was up with him before Tia told her about his role as an enforcer in the corporation that had made him almost completly heartless towards others. But there was still a small piece of him that held on even though he couldn't remember anything from over two years ago.

Firewing locked the door behind him as he sat down on the bed. 'What am I doing?' he thought to himself as he removed the armour and closed his eyes...

[Misato Anami]

This world, everything... it was all different, even the people... but no sadly the grim had not changed.. her reality had not as well... Rydius stood right in front of her, she knew it, she could feel it, yet she could not touch him the way she used to, she couldn't put her arms around him and whisper how much she loved him any longer. This strange man with blue eyes, it was as though she were meant to find him again...

Flustered by the occurence between the man and the drunkards, Misato watched as she noticed that he had gotten hurt. Upon removing his cloak, Misato realized it was the same as before. His voice with a broadening boom to it sounded almost hollow and rustic...

"Are you okay miss?"

"Y..yes.." Misato just stood there as he turned and told her it'd be better to stay in her room for the night. Staring blankly at the door for a moment, Misato sighed and walked in. She recieved a couple of stares, none really bad, just some surprised looks, a few rude glances, probably acquaintances of whomever she had attacked...

A woman had approached her upon entering, she assumed it was the owner of the bar...

"My name is Tia. Nice to meet you."

"Misato."

"So what happened to you that left your body so weak? I know he's interested in that as well."

Misato wasn't really sure about revealing everything to someone right away. Without a smile, something she never did before she met Rydius, Misato looked off to the man from earlier that night.

"Who..who is he?"

"His name is Firewing......(background)"

Nodding, Misato apologized for the mess and Tia told her not to worry about it. Although she didn't tell Misato that the coins she threw on the floor weren't the currency to date, but money from way back when... a time most would consider legendary times... Misato thanked her for the room and assured her that she would help in anything if necessary. Tia refused and accepted her as a guest of Firewings for the night. Finally, with a last look towards Rydiu...Firewing, Misato walked to her room.

The remnants of her long long hair lay on the ground as Misato walked in. Somewhat short now, Misato pulled it up into a ponytail and sat on her bed. Putting her face into her hands, Misato took a deep sigh and wondered what to do. He didn't remember her... she was useless to her, and she contemplated helping him with his memory again. Should she put him through that? Should she confuse him even more, maybe to make things more awkward?

Wrapping her arms around her knees, Misato sat there for a few minutes. She felt cold not physically, but emotionally. She felt as though she were regressing back to her state when she was merely his guardian and nothing else. She was becoming that once more. Her surroundings were so foreign. She longed for her old horses, their place, Alias, Nighte, Kharn... She missed the palace and the white roses.. she wanted it all back...

Standing up, Misato walked to the door and hesitated. She couldn't stand it, she couldn't stand being somewhere like this, even if he were in the next room...

Walking out the door, Misato passed the rooms quietly and as she passed Firewings door, she stopped for a moment and looked a the door. She knew he was in there, she could feel it. She could feel her Rydius calling for her to bring him forth... but could she do that to who he was now? Would he be happier and wasn't it selfish of her...? Misato's hand touched the door gingerly as she stood there.

With a sigh, Misato walked out of the bar and practically ran the entire way to the cavern. Frey had met her half way there and she knew she wasn't being followed. As she walked among the grass, Misato felt a tad bit relieved. She disliked the harshness she felt when in the town... As the cavern came into site, Misato broke into a sprint.

As she reached the cavern, Misato walked calmly inside. It felt as though she was coming home, although this place held sad broken memories for her. Walking from the ruins where she broke him from the seal, Misato still saw the rocks with the engravings of S, A, R... when she had to solve the puzzle and free Rydius...

Then there it was once more.. The torches around it shone brightly as they had for so long. Her hands ran over the remnants of the seal... She could tell it had been messed with, but she still clung to it as her own security blanket. Looking to the seal, Misato prayed that Rydius would be okay..

"I have to leave you here... you might be happier here than with me..."

Misato paused as she felt as though she were being watched. Turning, Misato looked at a group of men standing before her. All in the same suits with an emblem upon their suits she didn't recognize, they stared at her in wonder. One came forth, dressed in other apparel, his appearance elegant yet... Misato couldn't place her finger on it...

"Hmm.. Firewing mentioned something about a new passage, not a new person.." Misato said nothing as the man looked at what she was wearing, something apparently not from their time.

"Whats your name miss?"

Misato didn't mind that - "Misato.."

"Misato?"

"Anami - Misato Anami"

The man looked a bit puzzled for a moment as he stood there. He stared at her as though he remembered something or he was reaching for something to say, but he instead looked to his men.

"Examine the new area - see if it leads to anything else here."

"Yes Laindrius." The men went to as the so called Laindrius stood before Misato.

"Well Miss Anami, its either you're a wandering traveler that stumbled before this here... or you know a lot more than you present... Do you know anything about this cavern?"

Misato shifted to one side as her eyes never left his... She was not one to be intimidated or otherwise. "How would I if I'm just a passerby?"

"Cause I think you're from this cavern, just like Firewing."

"Now why would you say that?"

"Cause your name.. Anami, that name hasn't been in records since the Great Wars and the conflict between Solin and Aenuric. They say it could all just be fables, or even legends, but I want to find out for myself. You see, Firewing knows nothing of his past, however his appearance was similar to yours. Foreign clothing... I just can't tell..."

"Well whatever it is, do what you will.." Misato walked out of the cavern. With a large sigh, Misato rested along the cavern as the men left, her out of sight yet watching them intently. Her silver eyes shown.. What did they want? Was this her only way to protect Rydius was to protect Firewing from these people if they had any bad intentions towards him? The man that had talked to her walked out and turned around staring right at her.. Misato didn't move, nor twitch at all. She remained there and watched as he walked away.

Sadly, Misato looked at the cavern. "Or maybe its better if I just leave you altogether..."

[Sparx]

It was a moving experience as Trask felt ever part of him tingle and charge with electrostatic energy. It was then that he felt the pulling sensation - not a small light tug like a child would an adult's sleeve, but a full gut wrenching jerk that tossed him into the immaterium and down a black-white shaft of powerful light. The molecular disassembly wasn’t as bad as he first though, and now, as he opened his eyes, it was like a myriad of shapes and tetra forms, everything passing backwards and forwards in an information frenzy - signals, messages, communications, images of the past and the unrelenting irregularity of the cosmos itself. If Trask could, he would have more time just to stop and listen to the endless chatter and ghosted relays of images past and present. It was beautiful in its own disturbing way, but that was just how everything operated in sub space.

A rippling shudder broke through Trask as he suddenly encountered a violent flash of white. He blinked and rubbed away the small black and white stars in front of his eyes, yet everything was strange around him, he expected to have sunlight glaring at him through the tops of the buildings, and the sounds of the city in the background. Something was amiss. Turning around Trask was met with a surprised young woman who was wearing a nurse’s outfit. She was gazing directly at the black armoured grid of Trask's breastplate, before timidly looking up. The red optical lens over Trask's hidden eyes flared to life and the red glow clicked the few delicate nerves that the nurse had left, before she turned and fled. Trask gave a grunt of dissatisfaction and turned around and looked at a window, then to his left.

'Beds?? With sick people in them, what’s going on?'

Trask turned to his right and saw fewer beds but one person caught his eye. She was glaring at him with a mix of confusion, hatred, and standoffish fear. Trask was intrigued and walked over to her, the large belt feeds of the ammo hoppers on his shoulders clinking slightly as they swayed back and forth. He looked down at the foot of her bed, and picked up the clipboard attached at the end. His eyes became a blur as he read the information on the clip pad before looking up at her. Trask spoke her name softly, but it was her reaction that was not expected.

"Andromeda..."

"Yes?" her eyes shone as hers met his, some kind of understanding flashing between the two. There was no revulsion in Trask's gaze as he scanned her, and deffinately no distaste either. His moment of quiet thought was broken when the sound of heavy running feet were sounding in the hall.

Spinning, Trask noticed the black shapes through the door, and he instinctively stood back from the bed and turned towards the doors. There was a mechanical click and Trask’s arm's were in a slight blur, and when they stopped spinning he was holding two large hand cannons each a clear two foot barrel on a powerful mechanism. He stood and waited as the shapes burst through the door rifles pointed in his direction. The black rifles stood out like filth against the clean crisp light of the hospital, as small beads of red light sprung forward from the under hooked tracers of the barrels. Trask didn't need to look at where they were aiming the tracer lights, he knew where they would place them to try and bring him down. He wasn't going to give them that satisfaction, as there were too many innocents that could get hurt.

Trask could here radio chatter from them in the still quiet of the hospital.

++This is unit 3 we have target covered and cornered++

++This is Unit 4 Bravo, am in position on skyline++

++Rodger, this is Control: Do not harm the patients or any civilians. Repeat do not. ++

It was then that Trask fired the first volley of shots over their heads and into the ferro-crete wall behind them. Instinctively they all ducked and at that point their eyes were off their target. The target that was suddenly running towards the sixth storey window!

++Target is moving repeat Target is...++

There was the audible sound of crashing glass as it rained down on the security officers outside the building, the shards bouncing off everyone and everything in the cordoned off area, and as the rain of glass began to cease, the security officer in command, was able to make out a strange shape grabbing onto the ledge of a window on the adjacent office block two storeys from the ground, before flipping up and proceeding to jump up the building by using the walls. The Officer in command gaped at what he saw, and the other officer’s began to frantically radio in what was going on. No doubt news crews would be here in a flash. Top headlines there no doubt!


Trask vaulted from the window and felt the breeze of the wind outside ruffle his long raven hair as the glass shards fell to the street below, amongst the black shapes of the security vehicles. Trask willed one of his guns away and his right hand caught the ledge of an office block window, startling the woman at the window. Trask hoisted himself up and began to climb the building by jumping from wall to wall, not looking back at them until he reached the top of the office block and caught his breath.

He slumped against the wall of a service shaft and called up the communications relay to the station in orbit. The small holo screen jumped into view in front of Trask's face, one of the servitors looking back surprised.

"Y…yes??"

"Mind telling me what the hell is going on? I was supposed to go to the west side of the city. This doesn't look like the bad part of town I was supposed to go to now does it?"

"Uh well… well… we…um that is...."

"Idiots" Trask muttered under his breath

"It could be worse…" a voice on the other end of the communication "…you could be dead!"

Trask felt his blood boil and almost threw a fit. He then closed the communication and stood up, looking around; he took stock of his location and mentally recorded it to the map files in the CPU in his head. This was going to be a difficult one. He took a deep breath of the clean air and let it fill his lungs before he took his ammo count on the small HUD that floated into view in front of his eyes. His ammo count shown over a thousand rounds held in each hopper on his shoulders. He was down four rounds. No big loss as far as the hopper amount was concerned; in fact it was like pocket change to the vast number of bullets he was carrying. There was a small growling in his stomach. Trask was well hungry and needed to eat.

'I might be half machine but I’m still hungry...where can I get something to eat here??'

Trask called a wild search. They had at least had the decency to provide him with a map of the area, and the general layout of the city they had dumped him in.

"Well I suppose I should get some chow! Now where’s the best route to…"

"YOU THERE ON THE BUILDING!!! THROW DOWN YOUR WEAPONS AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP!!!"

There were the sounds of buzzing rotors as two helicopters shot into view over Trask's general position. Trask was not having a good day. He wasn’t about to lie down and give anyone a chance to stop him this time. He turned and made for the service shaft as the guns of the copters started their deathly chatter, throwing up chips of stonework and richoeting off steel buttress and vent shafts as Trask's full weight impacted next to the service door, tearing it of its hinges. The service elevator, however, was down on the basement floor and the door clanged noisily.

No time to stop and think, bullets were whizzing past him and bouncing off the stone and metal of the doorway. No chance at going back, and the only other way was down....

'High tensile steel wire - industrial elevator grade'…"Yeah!"

Trask jumped and caught onto the cable and slid down the high tensile cord, the metal on his boots and legs sending off sparks as they collided with the solid steel. Trask descended the elevator shaft effortlessly a grin on his face as the buzzing of the rotors slowly faded.

[Trigon]

Part 4: Ancient History

Firewing's eyes opened suddenly as he pulled himself up into a sitting position, sweat running over his face and body before yawning as he looked outside the window. It had been the same dream again, the same one he had been having for the past few months that he couldn't work out the meaning off. Staring out the window for a while, he thought about the days events and decided that he needed time to think.

Grabbing a small cylinder object, he lept out the window into the alley below and walked off enjoying the cool night breeze. It had been a while since he had taken the time to enjoy something like this plus it gave him time to think about that dream he had been having. A woman in white standing next to him with a man in armour standing next to a woman wearing black just behind him. What did it all mean to him?

Sighing briefly, he looked up and noticed that he was standing outside the museum which housed ancient artifacts from all over Elysion. It's doors were rarely locked due to the intense security of the place and were inviting to those seeking time to themselves. Walking inside he noticed a soft glow coming from one of the exhibits, a sword called the Vanguard which sat next to two other blades. He read the notice underneath it to himself.

"One of the fabled weapons weilded by the ancient warrior Rydius Scarwing. It was found in a cavern alongside the twin blades Alucard and Alexis. It is still unknown why they were there to this day."

He shivered briefly like a cold breeze had just struck him, leaving him wondering what was going on to his whole being. For the past few months they had been coming and this was the strongest yet, leaving him more restless than before. 'Why do I dream such dreams that make no sense?' he thought quietly to himself, turning away and exiting the museum not noticing that the light flashed briefly from the sword before becoming dormant again.

Moving through the streets like a shadow, Firewing soon became aware that he wasn't alone out here. The presence was odd yet comforting to him as he made his way to the edge of town in the direction of the cavern. However as soon as he left the town, he felt a severe blow to the back of the head as thugs dropped from the trees weilding clubs. Stunned for a moment, they took advantage by striking him repeatedly around the lower back and gut.

"Dammit.... The worst kind of..."

One of the thugs cut him off when a club smacked into the side of his face causing him to spit blood before closing his eyes in pain. The blows continued as he began to drift into unconsciousness causing the thugs to laugh before Firewing's eyes shot open and he stood up, the small cylindrical object in his hand coming to life as a beam shot forth from it. The other thing which threw them was that he was staring at them with crimson eyes.

The beam sabre glowed brightly like a beacon in the night before Firewing moved faster than before, slicing through the clubs with ease before barging into one of the thugs, sending him sprawling to the ground hard. Laughter could be heard before the sabre was swung downwards ending the thugs pitiful life with blood spraying across the dusty ground. The other thugs paniced when the laughter became more maniacal and turned to run only to find themselves suddenly missing body parts. The laughter continued as blood was sent everywhere, the green light from the beam moving in carefully calculated arcs which cut deep into the thugs.

"What the!"

Firewing shot straight upwards on the bed, sweat dripping onto the white sheets as he placed a hand onto his face and wiped most of it off. It had been a horrible dream for him even though something about it seemed familiar, almost too familiar to be exact. Stretching and getting out of bed he went to the en-suite shower to freshen up. After that he put on the armour once more before leaving the bar for a late night trip to the cavern to check something.

The night had been a long one and by the time he reached the edge of town, the skyline had taken on a soft orange glow signifying the morning beginning to head this way. When he reached the cavern he went straight in, not noticing Misato nearby in his quest to discover the truth behind that nightmare. The stones with the marks S, A and R caught his eye near to where he had found the young woman as he placed a hand on one of them.

"Solin. Aenuric. Rydius."

The moment he said this out loud a buzzing pain shot through his skull making him fall to one knee, a hand instinctivly reaching for his forehead. The stones meant something to him, but what exactly? He couldn't think straight. Pulling himself up, he staggered from the cavern making his way back to town before falling to the ground unconscious.

'Power...'

Power? Power to do what? Nothing was making sense anymore to him. Two years of feeling different to everyone else, like he had no place in the world. The pain began to ease off slowly, but it would leave a deep impression upon Firewing...

[Misato Anami]

Misato sat there for hours after she watched the men leave. The night had proved unhelpful in all aspects. Misato was tired, but she then swore that she wouldn't let Rydius get hurt once more. Keeping watch closely on the cavern, Misato soon began to think back to when they were happy. Her and Rydius, Kharn and Nighte, how much she remembered in so little time. Frey sat upon her shoulder as she leaned against a tree in the broad forest that lay nearby. The only appearance they both gave were their eyes. Misato had bonded with Frey to keep watch around the grounds and her silver eyes glowered a fiery orange as she kept eye on the entrance to the cavern. Her holsters remained unclasped and Lucifer and Athena awaited battle.

It was funny to Misato that she had a feeling that she wanted more to be back in the past, even when they were fighting Alucard, Mephisto...Akron and Dechala...all of them. Back then he knew who she was.

As she stood there, Misato resolved one thing and one thing only. That was to protect Rydius under all circumstances. She would no longer put her affection she used to towards him, yet she would protect him, just as she used to.

As she began to wonder about her decisions, Misato shot up as she saw Firewing enter the cavern. She knew he'd be fine, so Misato stood still. Tapping into his aura, Misato kept her watch on him that way and for a few minutes, all was well. Suddenly her body went haywire as she felt him going through pain. As she ran to the entrance to the cavern, she watched as Firewing passed out in the grass before her...

Putting her hand to his head, Misato became worried and knew this wasn't good. There was no other way, putting her hand to his forehead once more, Misato closed her eyes and began to send her energy to him. She felt her body going numb like someone was pouring her soul through her fingertips to his. Suddenly with a jolt, Misato felt him stir for a moment and go silent again. Sparks began to emit from her hands as she was merely trying to help him. She also knew what she was doing was dangerous. She had previously given him memories in their past, would healing him do so again? There was blood all over him, mostly others... but he seemed to have taken a beating a bit.

As he lay unconscious, Misato closed her eyes and summoned forth all her courage. A light shot out of Misato's back and the force caused her ponytail to fall out. Grabbing Rydius, Misato stood there, her wings finally regained. Stretching them out, she felt as though she had fallen off a horse and was just getting back on. Descending to the skies, Misato sped to town, hopefully that Tia person would be awake.

The sun had already been above for quite a time. As Misato reached the bar, she realized the stares were at her...that didn't matter now, running into the bar Tia's eyes widened, but then she saw Firewing unconcious. Misato took him to his room and they put a damp cloth over his head. Misato pulled a chair to window and sat a distance. Any closer and she'd be compelled to hold his hand. The sun emitted soft glow on her hair as she waited patiently with her hands to her face crouched. "I'll stay here.." she thought... "I'll stay here until he wakes.."

[Andromeda]

The ceiling had become the main focus for since the nightmare and cold contest the day before. She had just stared at the ceiling without too much going through her mind for most of the day. It was a peacefulness that she enjoyed, it was painful enough to think about the nightmare. Not having anything in her mind was better than a nightmare that would not leave. She had analyzed the ceiling over and over again. Still commenting to herself the same things.

A crack that was subtle, but noticeable on the ceiling streaked across four tiles. The middle tiles were sagging a little, the light shadowed differently than with the others. These must had been older one not replaced yet. The light from the monitor above her would glow slightly onto the ceiling, nothing was legible, but the blurred colors could be seen. There was two dots in the ceiling that were closer together than all the rest, they were almost joined together. It was something that you do not really notice, people just pass by, maybe take a second hand glance up at the ceiling. Or just the standard peripheral vision that catches in a lot of sources and images, just nothing clear or defined.

Her staring at the ceiling and noticing herself with these observations only went to her realization of how bored she really was. It was dark out the window still, she had woken up early from sleep. A sleep that she had not realized that she was in until she woke from it. She had been thinking about going back to sleep, but she wondered if thinking about going to sleep would only make the nightmares return to her. If so, she did not want to sleep, remembering her past was not something that she wished to do. Though forgetting it was not easy, it was simpler that living in what had happened.

She looked around the room a little trying to find something interesting to watch and take her mind of thoughts. But there was nothing to find in the room. She had little to do and less to want to think about it. Her mind went back to the day before when that man broke into her room. He was strange, armored as though going into combat and with a chip on his shoulder the side of the moon. There seemed like something was wrong with him and the fact the police were after him was no surprise, considering his weapons and armor, he was a threat to anyone safety. Not that she really cared what happened to these people, just as long as she did not get involved. She did not need any of this. She was alone and in her own place, on that no one else belonged. It had been a causal thought if the man had shot the doctor, she would have been glad. Not that the doctor would had been in the room, but it was a thought that would have pleased her. He would be out of her hair and gone from her life. Though then they would just have some other doctor replace him and she would back at this again, with probably a worse doctor. She could never leave it, until she was healed and gone. Then she would be glad. It bothered her just sitting in this room.

She wondered if she would run into that man again outside on the streets, he did not know her. So even if he saw her in the streets, he probably did not think her to be a prostitute. He would probably just pass her by without much of a thought, or the other way around. He might be looking for one and not realize it until it was much later. It was too much thought for her, she did not need to think about the what ifs of the world, if it happened it happened, nothing she could do about it. World was against her, she knew it and she just the world take it’s swings hoping of the times it would kill her. Unfortunately for her, life has a twisted sense of humor, almost killing her only to bring her back.

Her fist tightened thinking about the fact that she had almost succeeded in ending her own life. A life she did not want. It had not even been planned or intended, she did not think that she would have died that day, she thought she had not cut too deep. She learned that she had cut deeper that she should have, if she wanted to life. But she was just cutting to feel, and it had been a weak night for feeling, a deep cut had seemed like the answer. She wanted that feeling, something, now all she was feeling was fear. The fear of those doctors, the scientists that would be after her. As much as she thought she was cold and emotionless, she knew now that there was still on thing that made her feel afraid, though it had always made her afraid. That had never changed in all these years, she was afraid of those men. She did not want to die on their tables at their pleasure. If she was going to die, it was going to be by her hands the way she wanted it. She wanted to leave.

Her arms felt stronger today, she had been able to hold herself up for longer in the physical rehab. It seemed strange to her that such a loss of blood had weakened her body so fully. Though the doctor said that she had been out for two days and they fought to put blood into her for a day. They used a large amount of cloned blood to return the heavy amounts she lost. But her body was getting used to it finally, the regermortis that had been setting in on her, when they found her, had left her body stiff and weak. Though it seemed like she was dead then, it was still early and medical science was far more advance than she had liked. It bothered her what people had to die to bring medicine this far, and how many more would die to bring medicine even farther. It was cycle that she was a part of, a part that ran away and now hunted.

She began to wrap her finger around her brightly dyed blue hair. It’s length extending down the bed to her feet, it was about the only thing she seemed to enjoy and keep her mind free. She would grab a few strains together enough for a small braid and proceed to braid the length of her hair. With such a tight braid and the length of her hair would take a few minutes or more to finish. Enough to pass the time and clear her mind. It would leave her blank and empty, a place was the warm to her. It had been almost a year ago that the owner had her go to a professional hair salon to have her get something, anything she wanted for her birthday. She did not really want to go, she did not even plan on celebrating her birthday, just more of a reminder of where she had come from. But he had insisted and so she just decided to change her color, she had wanted something duller and more towards her mood, but the stylist seemed to take another turn and just give her a bright blue and not a dark blue. He said it would make her seem more pleasant, to her it was just strange, but it was just a color and probably added to her paradox even more.

Andromeda laid back closing her eyes as she braided her hair, having taken another strand by now and was braiding that. She emptied backwards through her mind putting herself into a calm mood. Everything was just dust on the shelves of her mind, it did not affect her, she was greater than it all. Alone, the dust just sat and could do nothing. She slowly fell asleep finally, having been awake for longer than she should have been. Her body had been through enough for the day.

The white walls of the hospital room faded to dark black fog where memories, secrets and hidden things dwelled and the consciousness burned brightly. Fog enshrouded everything around her, for a time she was not aware, just resting. Her mind was building to a paramount of thoughts to burst her with until it finally exploded upon her sleeping consciousness waking her within her mind quickly. She looked around to only see fog everything thick as the mornings along the port. There was nothing she could see other than herself, her hands in front of her as they waved about trying to find anything out there. She slowly walked forward through the fog hoping to find something in the thick gray mist.

She heard a slight hum in the distance, it was the only sound that pierced through the fog. It was subtle and strong, powerful sense that echoed through the area. What was it, she had never heard anything like this. It was strange, foreign to her no sound that she had heard before. The noise continued is hum, softly growing in volume as the fog thinned out. She stood watching as the scene began to change in front of her eyes.

Columns rose from the ground breaking the earth and blowing the fog away. Dust flew in the air, and walls pushed up between the colums. All around her a room, a large room a hall maybe for a great building. Some ancient structure, the appearance was new, but it was not like any thing she had ever seen before. It was a strange place, foreign to her, but familiar deep down. There seemed like a familiarity that was not natural to her, as though it made her seem familiar and she was not familiar to it. A strange sensation to her, one that she wanted to leave behind. This was place not familiar, she knew that to well. She knew where she had been and this was not a place she had visited it, but yet it pressed its familiarity upon her.

Andromeda walked down the length of the hall where two large wooden doors stand blocking her path. She pushed against the doors trying to free them from their place, but she had not the strength. The doors were too large, weighed too much and there seemed like no way out. Her hand rested against the door, what would she do to leave this place? It would be a simple matter if this door was lighter or just gone completely. But she could do neither, what was this place? She turned around to find a person, more familiar than she had wanted. The figure seemed to look like her, though there was some difference, such as their clothes, but overall it seemed to be her.

“You want out?”

“Yes.”

“Antiquated things such as those should not be any trouble for you.”

“What?”

“I see…witness! Remember!” The woman raised her arm at the door, the distance between her and the door was far beyond her reach. She stood at the opposite end of the hall, how did she expect to open the door? These doors were not metal and wires, where a remote could open them on a command, they are old wooden doors, an ancient memory. However, a red glow grew from her palm until it was flames bursting from in front of her hand. Then sudden the flames shot from her palm towards the door. Andromeda backed away as the ball of flames flew past her, hitting the doors at the middle blowing the doors off their hinges and onto the ground outside.

Andromeda turned to look at the woman, but she had vanished. ”What was that? What trick was my mind playing on me?” Though it was of little concern now, she walked out of the room into open meadows. She looked around the horizon seeing nothing but green grass for miles. There was no cities, skyscrapers, electronics or anything. It was nothing but the building behind her. She walked around outside letting the wind blow through her hair. These had been more peaceful times, times that should have continued. But progress walked all over it, as she walked over the grass. She was the embodiment of progress, everything that science knew had made her. This was not a place for her, it would never accept her. She turned back around walking into the building once again. There seemed not much reason to her to return back to this place, but she was curious about it. What it was, maybe something she could recognize to place it.

But everything was bare, the columns and walls were plain at smooth paper. Perfectly smooth in fact, far too smooth to be natural. She placed her palm on the stone column when it suddenly glowed brightly. In a quick flash of light the column altered and changed, runes appeared on the stone glowing deep blue. ”What the…” She removed her hand from the column and the runes faded away. Andromeda placed her hand back on the column and the runes returned once more. The runes did not make any sense to her. She could not read it, but there was something familiar about one of the runes. The runes glowed brighter until they grew in force, pushing her backwards away from the column. A quick burst sent her sitting up in her bed quickly breathing heavy.

To be continued...

[Andromeda]

It had been a dream, not one that she had wanted, but it was not about the other thing. A trade off it seemed, her mind was getting creative with her consciousness unwillingness to think about her past. At least she believed that to be the case. However, now that doctor was standing in front of her. He seemed to have just been standing there doing nothing, just as he always was. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him.


“How are you feeling today? Better, now that you have had some sleep?”

“What do you care?”

“I was told that you haven’t slept since your last nightmare yesterday. It is not good to hold yourself wake, even if your don’t like what you dream.”

“What would you know about it?”

“Nothing. Are you better?”


“….no….”

“Why is that?”

His questions were bothering her, but she knew that he would not be leaving. He was a stubborn man, one that wanted things his way. She was beginning to realize this. Though she would fight him, he would not control her. He was just a doctor, a person of science, just another one of those people. “It is this place….”

“What the hospital? You aren’t the first person to hate hospitals, but I don’t think I have seen someone with such strong feelings against a hospital. It must be something else.”

“…I told you before don’t try to get in my head.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t.”

“Fine then, another subject. I am curious about you. Are you bothered by being what you are?”

“What sort of question is that?”

“Do you like yourself?”

“….no….”

“Okay. Have you thought about a surgery? Medical science is advanced enough that we can make you only one gender if you want.”

“Why…how would you expect me to choose a gender.”

“Well how do you refer to yourself? He or she?”

“I don’t…you can’t…I am both…it is more than just a gender…I understand the male emotions, horomones, desires, and I understand the female’s as well. I am both and I know both, I am not simple more one than the other.”

“Yes, that is true, though for all practical purposes your appearance is female is it not?”

“Appearances are nothing but the cloaks at conceal the daggers.”

“Hmm…well I hope you feel better. I have other patients, I’ll be back for your physical therapy.”

She turned away from him looking back at the ceiling. His footsteps faded away as he walked out. Her mind was more concerned about what she had seen though in her dream. That rune puzzled her, she knew that she had seen it before but could not be sure where. It was something from school, she knew that much. The name was on the edge of her mind, almost at spoken word. Then it hit her, it was the symbol that was to mark the ancient times by archaeologists. She was told that it was from a race the exist millennia’s ago, long before legends were created and told, many called it the Pre-Legends era. A time far before the mythical wars and heroes that had been spoken as fairy tales to children. It was before everything, historians considered them to be the earliest known people to live and the earliest known from a written language. But why did she see that? What made her dream about it, there was no reasons she could think that her mind would have such school lessons on her mind. What was happening with her mind?

(OOC: ^^ Didn't realize it was so long. Guess it was good that I didn't decide to add on more that I was thinking about.)

[Trigon]

Part 5: Explanations

Power.

One word that can hold so many reasons behind it. For some, this can lead to wealth and respect through fear and intimidation although for others it may be the power to protect those closest to them. But for Firewing it meant nothing of the sort as he only did what he was supposed to do. Sure he was a powerful warrior, but he sought nothing in return except a little peace for himself from time to time.

Darkness.

Right now he was surrounded by it having fell into unconsciousness outside the cavern and was no oblivious to everything that was going on around him. For now he was going through his own mind trying to fathom out what was happening to him. For a couple of months he had been having dreams only to have any injuries that happened in these dreams show up on his body for about a couple of hours then mysteriously disappear.

Light.

From where he was sitting right now, he could see a small glimmer of light within all of the darkness that surrounded him. Although he didn't understand what was going on, something deep down inside him made him slowly begin to move towards the light to find out. For what seemed like hours he walked, seeing vivid images flickering past occassionally. Moments after the last hazy one passed, he fell to his knees in pain as a very strong, yet still hazy, image appeared.

__________________

In the room where Misato was sitting with her hands on her face, his body jerked suddenly and violently. Tia, who had just entered the room saw this and rushed over only to be held back by Misato. They both watched as Firewing's body stopped moving and fell back onto the bed peacefully leaving both of them wondering what was happening to him.

__________________

Back in Firewing's phyche, he was breathing hard as he recovered from what he had just seen not knowing what it was. But he had reached the light that he had seen earlier and was just about to reach out and touch it when everything faded and he opened his eyes to see a very familiar ceiling, but behind it a very chilling recollection of the image he had just seen. 'How many times has this happened now?' he thought as he began to focus, turning his head to see the two women.

"Are you ok now?" Tia asked, worry etched on her face.

Firewing turned his head back to the ceiling and sighed. He hadn't expected to awaken to find Tia or that mysterious woman there in his room. Actually, come to think of it he was sure that he had collapsed outside the cavern. How did he end up here if that was the case?

"I'm fine. What happened?"

Both Misato and Tia looked at each other for a second before telling him that they didn't know, only that he had been brought into the bar like that. Firewing wasn't impressed as he could tell that they were keeping something from him by the look in their eyes. But he kept quiet before Tia said that she had to go down and watch the bar, leaving him with the young woman.

"You don't have to stay."

"Maybe I don't, but I choose to stay." Misato replied.

Firewing turned to face her for a second before returning his gaze to the ceiling, beginning to move one of his arms up to his forehead and draw it slowly over it as if he was starting to wake up from a long dream. Moments after this, he swung his feet over the side of the bed so that he was in a sitting position, the lower half of his head still hidden by the armour he wore. For a couple of minutes he sat there with his eyes closed before speaking again.

"I don't even know your name."

"Misato. Misato Anami. And yours?"

"I don't know."

Misato had expected this. His memories had vanished the last time he had been sealed away and it was fitting that the same thing had happened again. But she had resolved not to tell him anything of his past and let his memories recover in there own time - if they ever did.

"So what do I call you? Firewing?"

"Tia told you then. I'd appreciate it if you didn't say it so loudly though."

"And why is that?"

And so he told her about the assassination job that took place two years ago, and how he gained a reputation about being a cold hearted killer for just over a year until the whole truth behind it came out. But even then people had difficulty trusting him until a couple of months ago when he had been in the enforcer division of the corporation and stopped a major bank robbery on his own. But even after that Firewing had problems trusting people and prefered to distance himself from human contact and only a few people were close enough to him to be considered 'friends'.

Standing up, he walked over to the door and opened it slowly before turning to Misato and asking her if she fancied a drink. Although hesitant, she accepted and followed him downstairs to his normal corner where she noticed the regulars staring at her, having seen her run in earlier. However, Firewing had noticed the stares as well and returned it with glaring stares of his own which made them return to whatever it was they had been doing previously.

Upon reaching the corner, he made sure that she was comfortable before getting the drinks for the both of them. After they had drank the first one, Misato asked him what he did before the 'assassination' job.

"Actually, I don't know. From what I can remember I awoke from a coma just over two years ago with no memory whatsoever. A couple of days after I woke up someone from the corporation came to see me and said that they had been worried when one of their top men had had a severe accident on the job."

"So you have absolutly no memory of your past at all?"

"Thats about the size of it. Except that I've been having flashes of images that make no sense. There's one image that has been recurring more often than the others."

"What is it?"

Firewing stopped and thought about it for a moment. Here he was, holding a conversation with someone he had only recently met and felt absolutly comfortable telling her about things that he kept to himself. Only Tia knew a little about the whole coma part but his dreams? Well that was his own little private hell. 'Heck, I've started so I might as well finish' he thought to himself.

"An image of a woman in white standing next to me with a man in armour standing not too far back next to a woman wearing black. I can't see their faces though but it feels familiar."

'That's our wedding day.' thought Misato into herself. 'So somewhere he still remembers.' She looked over the bar and noticed that Tia was having something set up in one of the corners of the bar and wondered what she was doing. Firewing followed her gaze and said something about it being the kararoke night and it was normally a lot of fun after people had drank quite a bit.

"Sounds like it's an interesting night."

"It is. But I'll be asleep early. What happened last night has tired me out, but feel free to enjoy yourself. Tia will look after you, especially after last time. But for the moment, I'm going to enjoy the day if it remains peaceful for once."

"So what will you do for the day?"

"I think I'll go to the museum. You may want to take a look at it as well..."

[Sparx]

Trask was hiding, and hiding was difficult. Not many people were wearing a type of experemental armour and carrying enough payload to decimate a city block. Things could have been worse though, he could either have been dead from the transport, or just shot to bits, but Trask was better than that, and didnt want to go down so easily or stupidly. But then again, Trask wouldnt have been in this situation, if he hadnt have been such an idiot and waited around for her when she never shown up. Talk about a measly first date.

'If she didnt like me then why didnt she say so...'stead of standing me up like that....' Trask remained silent before adding softly under his breath "Bitch!!" At that point several women walked past him, their revealing clothing suggested that they were either out for the night and on the pull, or they were looking to sell their services to anyone with enough money. Trask laughed inwardly and took abite out of the hogie that he had bought. The cowboy hat added a little class to his already strange build and the black tarp wrap suggested that he was on his way to a fancy dress party. He turned and was almost walked into by the women who suddenly started to coo and gush all over him like he was some first class prize at a male auction. Trask was not amused and just stood there before taking another bite out of the hogie, his jaw moving slowly, as he chewed they bgan to gush even more over his jawline and the way his jaw moved as he ate. This was crazy! What were they wanting?

One of them walked right up to him and pressed her body against his, making his jaw stop and his red eyes focused down oh her, and they began to burn with a fire than none of them had seen before, and they thought it held something good for them - but if they only knew the truth about who they were trying to charm.

"MMM so strong and handsome..mmmmmm i think i'll take you"

"Get real girl! Im taking him with ME!"

They were beginning to squabble amongst themselves, as Trask polished off the hogie, and went for another, and when he came back they were still at it, hurtful insults being thrown amongst the women, some of whom were in tears at this point. Trask just gave a sigh and a shrug and walked through the group, the tarp wrap, billowing out behind him from a gust of wind, showing his body in the half light. The women stopped bickering and gazed as he vanished from view around the corner.

"If this is what city life is like at night time, im glad im no longer part of it..." Trask mumbled to himself before looking upwards and seeing the sign of a 24 hour diner even after two hogies, and a extra large chocolate shake, Trask was still hungry. Instinctively he checked for his pockets but remembered suddenly about the small holder in the breastplate. He touched it and out popped a small slider with a clear transax Card. Trask monitary solution. He grinned and entered the diner, a few heads turning in his direction then went back to what ever they were doing. A waitress on hover skates shot over to him and smiles brightly. Trask smiled back and she blushed as he tool off his hat, hair spilling down round his shoulders.

"Hungry Sir?" she piped and Trask nodded and was suddenly shown to a table set at the bar of the diner. A menu was thrust into his face and Trask began to choose as much food as he could eat. And eat he did!

Outside the diner, down the street, there was a commotion of sorts. The security forces that had attempted to tangle with Trask at the hospital, were roughly pushing around the group of women who had tried to grab Trask - what was all this becoming wanted for? This was too surreal and Trask just smiled and Dug into his food, gulping and scoffing it down without a breath. Anyone looking in at that time would have thought that he hadnt eatne in several days - which to be truthful - he hadn't. Trask downed the drinks in one and let out a satisfied belch before excusing himself, and ordering more food.

He was that hungry that he could have ate a whole Knarlox, which was a feat unto itself, but he settled down and ate more of the food. It was as if he hadnt eaten in weeks - which was true because the only thing that kept him alive and fed were the IV drips, but it had done nothing for his actual hunger. He was sitting proper now and had removed the tarpaulin cloak from around him, and the armour made a few people blink, but no one took any real interest, untill a huge flood light beam cut through the glass of the window and illuminated Trask and his seat. If he shown that he was aware, Trask didn't flinch as he just continued to eat - even when the loud voice over the vox caster, Trask continued to chomp down the huge burger, ignorant of the now demanding voice outside the diner. That was the pont when Trask finally took notice of the annoying security forces outisde, disturbing his meal. The force of the glass being put down on the counter was almost unnerving as there was no sound before the glass cracked and Trask stood and streached.

The building annoyance outside was becoming intense

"I REPEAT COME OUT NOW OR WE'LL OPEN FIRE!!!!!"

The sound of guns being loaded without question echoed in the warm night air as Trask suddenly vaulted backwards and crashed thropugh the window feet first, his boots connecting with the shouting officer and cramming half the mic into his mouth, making him gag and splutter as he staggered away, the crumpled Vox-Caster jammed into his face, blood running from under the helm, as several of the security officers trained their auto-guns on him, the red targeting beam finding various areas on Trask's body, before he rolled to the side and fired, the large rounds, impacting into the search beams, shattering the halcyon lights and sending order into blind panic as Trask fired off volley after volley of shots into the lights and weapons of the Security forces. Soldiers ran for cover and dropped weapons as the impact of the bullets into the housing of the guns made them short and buckle violently in their hands before they dropped them to the ground.

Trask rolled out of sight and activated the built in Targeting system, and a hot red beam sprung up andilluminated the edge of one of the APC units before the small red lens slid into place and lit up with greens and whites before he Fired his guns again, both wepaons barking loudly as one APC detonated in the night, the resounding boom audible inside the hospital, and other far away buildings.

Trask's little trial was just beginning.