Finding a Friend (Shade)

Raven sat at the table in the cafe in Balamb Garden. He wasn't wearing his usual military get up. Instead, he sported a dark grey longsleeved thermal and khaki cargo pants. He glanced around at the people as they went by. Everyone looked so cheery, so serene. Since the Sorceresses were... "taken care of" Garden had been a relatively peaceful place. Besides the few criminals here and there, Garden had been cleaned up. It was actually turning into a nice place to live. If his family was still alive he probably would have thought about moving there.

But they weren't and Raven wasn't out house shopping. He was here for a purpose. A purpose that he was being very careful about how he went about doing it. If he did even one thing wrong, his target would either go back into hiding... or kick his butt. For he was searching for the elusive Shade Leonhart. Up until recently she had seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth, but Raven had caught word that she was back. So he immediately dived right ino trying to find her. If there was anyone left that he could trust in all these worlds, it was Shade.

He had been searching for her in Balamb for about four days, but hadn't come up with anything. But he had an ace in the whole. He knew she was from another dimension and had been trying to get back ever since. So he dropped a hint that there was a man trying to sell a trans-dimensional rift machine, one that could send her home. He set up an appointment and she was supposed to meet him at the cafe. Hopefully she would show.

The waiter walked up to Raven and lowered the tray to arm's reach. The waiter looked at him and said, "Sir, you have a call." The waiter looked Raven in the eye and Raven looked down at the phone. Raven reached out and picked up the phone and the blue-tooth headset off the tray and put it in his ear. "Hello?"

"John, I am sorry but you have to get going. Now. You have PSI-COM heading towards your position."

"Gray? What the hell is going on? How did you find me?" Raven said into the phone angrily. Gray was the other female member of TF 3. She also was one of the few who chose to stay with PSI-COM. Raven instantly looked around, trying to pick the PSI-COM soldiers out of the crowd. He didn't see them.

"John, stop looking for them, they aren't there yet, but if you don't move they will be there."

"How the hell do you know what I am doing?" Raven continued to look around. And then he saw her. Shade Leonheart was making her way towards the cafe.

"They are dressed like SEED, you have to move now."

Still staring at Shade, Raven said, "Don't worry about it. I'll handle it."

"What are you going to do?"

"What I do best." Raven started to walk towards Shade. He didn't like tieing her up in this sort of stuff, but he couldn't loose her again. He spent too damn long trying to find her. Raven drew his pistol and chambered a round. He then put the pistol back in the back of his pants.

"John... One more thing... Your wife and daughter are still alive. If you don't get yourself killed I can tell you more."

"WHAT!?!?! Gray, what are you talking about?!?!" But Gray had already disconnected. Raven had stopped midstep and almost stuttered. He recovered and then continued towards Shade. He took the headset off and chucked it aside. As he approached Shade he said, "I'm sorry. I meant this to be different, but we have to move now. There are men coming to get us."

Even while standing outside upon the small terrace, Shade Leonhart still heard the elevator alert that someone was about to seek her audience within the Headmaster's office of Balamb Garden. With a slow, yet reluctant sigh, she took one last gaze over the serene terrain of rolling meadows and clustered mounds of forest, where beyond the foliage horizon was the ocean, even though she couldn't see it. Still, Shade could smell the salty aroma wavering through the breeze before turning her back upon the serenity she sought for to return to her duties at hand. It only took only a few steps from the arched balcony for her to reach the dark marble floor of the grand office when the elevator doors slid open to reveal a SeeD graduate calmly enter the room with a stern expression across his chiseled features that was just as stiff as the starch ironed uniform he wore. His piercing green gaze remained fixed forward as he approached the wide mahogany desk where he came to an abrupt stop and remained silent while waiting to be acknowledged by his superior. Even the breeze passing through the office couldn't nudge a single strand of his short tawny hair out of place.


Shade simply rolled her own steel hued orbs out of annoyance before heading for the desk herself. She never asked for this. No decision had been finalized if Shade would take control as Headmaster, nor did she present any interest for the position. Yet here she was. This wasn't even her Balamb; not that anyone here knew the truth. Students and faculty simply believed her last name signified a distant relation, and as such, Shade allowed them to believe their own assumptions. The truth would be far too hard to explain, let alone accept. So for now, to appease the pressure of leadership and any further suspicions, Shade Leonhart watched over this dimension of her home world within the one place that would help her keep it safe. Now rounding the SeeD informant from behind, she appeared a stark contrast against the young man who still remained as still as a cold stone statue. His towering stature stood several inches above her, and her ragged attire of plain military pants and tattered shirt appeared far more worn of battles and travels than his pristine assigned suit.


Although wearing heavy steel toed boots, Shade's footfalls were paced and quiet against the floor until she stood at the other side of grand scale desk where her attention reverted to the file that previously annoyed her as she spoke her sole company. "You have something to report?"


Nothing fell out of place. His gaze never faltered as he replied in a crisp, stern tone. "In regards to the strange individual lurking about the grounds, Headmaster. Security has kept a keen eye on him as ordered. No one has approached him, as ordered. But now he asked about you directly."


Shade's head slowly nodded as she casually flipped open the file to now stare directly at the face of the very young man she knew was requesting her whereabouts. The security camera pictures were enough for a positive identity, and the reports of Raven's every move throughout the Garden were noted in great detail. She never expected to see him again, nor ever hear that name. Yet here he was. What didn't make sense to Shade was.... why didn't he simply demand her audience? Raven was one to use stealth and secrecy against a target to achieve his goal, where he was always abrupt and up front when seeking Shade's assistance in the past. Shade found more amusement in the matter rather than feeling any form of threat or concern, which was why she decided not to seek him out in return. Perhaps even a slight smirk of victory now that Raven finally came out and inquired her whereabouts. To Shade, that was a defeat to his patience. "Headmaster? The appointment?"


The SeeD's monotone snapped her attention back to the matter at hand. The mock appointment.... as if Shade was so easy to fool. Surely Raven would've predicted she would have such a claim investigated before meeting anyone regarding such an implausible possibility. Yet his little tale worked for Shade to find him, rather than the other way around as he had hoped. Just as she was about to reply, the direct line to her monitor blinked with an emergency notification. With a scowl, her gloved fingers tapped the answer icon on the screen for a young woman's urgent face to appear, and by her clothing and background, Shade immediately assessed the call was coming from the cafeteria. "Sorry to disturb you, Headmaster. But the gentleman under surveillance has received a direct call, and I thought you should be made aware...He didn't seem too happy. Seemed rather upset, ma'am." With a quick nod, Shade replied her thanks and disconnected the call with a mutter under her breath. "Sloppy, Raven. You know better..."


Still, something didn't feel right. Without a word, Shade headed for the elevator, but motioned for the SeeD informant to follow her. Her brain would just have to work out the details along the way, as well all possible scenarios her suspicions were leading up to. Raven's team wasn't sloppy. They never made mistakes, nor took any risk that would jeopardize a mission. And Raven was best known for keeping himself in check just as well as Shade's impassive demeanor. There was their first encounter to take into account as well, and Shade wasn't about to risk Balamb Garden getting blown up to smithereens by whomever Raven pissed off this time. With that in mind, Shade reached up into the dark strands of her hair to activate the earpiece which was connected to hub of communications. "Get me Bridge..." She caught sight of silent companion's composure flinch at her order, but the young man quickly caught himself and remained silent. When her call was answered again, Shade gave her orders. "Get the Garden off the ground. Steer clear of the city, but head to the ocean. Do NOT activate the alarm or make any announcements. Just get this thing up and moving, then wait for my next orders."


By then the elevator reached the first floor lobby and Shade was side stepping through the doors as they opened. As she stormed off, she turned to deliver her next orders to the following SeeD now behind her. "Get security on ALL floors, at EVERY section. Anyone at all looks suspicious, you notify me immediately." She was satisfied by his startled expression and quick reflexes as the young man shot off barking orders into his own earpiece. And just as Shade was descending down the flight of stairs behind the Garden's main directory, she easily spotted Raven as he turned about and locked eyes with her while still snapping at whomever on the phone. Seeing his actions with his pistol alerted Shade that her suspicions were right and was ever thankful she always kept her blade at her hip at all times. She didn't expect any formal greeting. Such never existed with Raven, unless one counted some form of emergency, or an explosive situation as a "Hi, how ya doin'?" Now standing and watching Raven's urgency, as well as hearing it in his words, Shade calmly crossed her arms and appeared oddly relaxed without so much as a blink. Just then, the entire structure jolted, leading to many around them to cry out in alarm. The Garden was now vibrating and roaring from beneath as hover engines ignited, lifting the complex completely off the ground. There came another jolt, which sent anything not bolted to the floor to fall over, or several SeeD students to stagger or stumble with more startling yells to follow.


Meanwhile, Shade maneuvered herself to adapt her balance and remain steady on her feet while keeping a close watch over Raven and concentrating on the sounds of the Garden's take off. The facility was now in motion as she previously instructed, yet it's hovering flight was still sorely wavering side to side while coasting across the Balamb meadows in direction for the sea. Now that the inhabitants seemed to calm themselves, her silver hues flashed with brief annoyance as Shade finally acknowledged Raven's presence. "Sorry about that. New pilot."

Raven stumbled for a moment when the ships stuttered off the ground. He didn't know these things could fly and was definitely not ready for it. If he wasn't ready for it, then their pursuers wouldn't either. Ignoring Shade's snarky comment, Raven quickly scanned the crowd, looking for something that would give the men away.

And then he saw it. There were a group of four men who looked slightly more confused than the rest of the Garden. They each were carrying silenced pistols much like the one Raven was carying, but they had theirs drawn. Raven started towards them saying to Shade, [color=red]"There, do you see them? You take the two on the left, I'll take the two on the right.

Raven made a bee-line for the two. They were scanning the crowd for him, but hadn't found him yet. They wouldn't find him at all. In a moment, Raven was standing next to the first one. He grabbed the man's pistol by the sight and yanked upward, forcing the gun out of his hand. At the same time, his steel toed boot crashed into the back of the man's lead leg in a sweeping motion. As the man fell, Raven drew his pistol and reached up to catch the second one out of the air. Just as the man hit the ground, the move was complete. Raven stood with one gun aimed into the shocked face of the second man and his own pistol in the face of the stunned man on the ground. He pulled the triggers simultaneously. The man on the ground jerked once and then never moved again. The man standing wasn't so lucky. The bullet struck him in the center of the throat as he walked into the gun. He reached up to his throat and thrashed past Raven, splattering blood on him and anyone near him. The man hit the ground and continued to thrash. In one movement, Raven stepped towards him and raised the pistol level with the back of the man's head. In a flash, the man's head was no more. Raven threw the second pistol on the original man and pulled a rag out of his pocket. He wiped the blood off of his face as best he could while he glanced over to Shade, inspecting her as she finished off the two she was supposed to. She glanced to the man who was thrashing on the ground and the looked at Raven with one eyebrow raised. He glanced at the dead body and then back at her with a blank look on his face. "What? I wasn't expecting him to actually step INTO the loaded gun. I shot a little low." he raised his hands in mock surrender.

Raven glanced around, trying to pick anymore soldiers out of the crowd. He couldn't find anyy, but couldn't help feeling that they were still there. He looked back at Shade and said, "It is good to see you, but can we speak somewhere a little more private? Sorry but I don't truust your security now." Raven gave her the usual smirk before letting her lead the way.

Shade immediately noticed Raven scanning about the faces of those around them to know something was up. As she too looked around for anything out of the ordinary through the crowd scrambling for balance, Raven already spotted what he was looking for and pointed them out. She wasted no time in charging after them along side of him with her arm swiftly strapped into her Gryphon weapon.


Just as Raven dove for the two he selected, Shade fired a round of steel arrows at the feet of the her two targets. Loaded with wind, they were as fast, if not faster than their own bullets, and their non elemental energy would send a bust of explosion to throw off their aim as she continued to charge forward after them. What rounds they managed to fire at her, Shade raised the thick steel prod of her weapon to block their shots without a single pause to her charging pace. Although royally ticked off that someone was stupid enough to cause trouble in her domain, and possibly injuring those under her care, Shade managed to keep her raging fury in check. Her long strides were steady and fluid in motion even when the soaring bullets struck against the Gryphon.


Just as her arm lowered, she was upon the first one with a hard swing of her weapon for the sharpened side to gash across the man's face. His body twisted in motion of her swing with a scream and blood gushing from where his nose barely hung by a thread. Before he even collapsed to the floor, her weapon was poised at the other man and fired simply in his general direction to at least maim him before he could fire off another round. The arrows struck his arm and both of his legs to send him also collapsing to the floor, where she gracefully stepped over the first wailing victim to reach the other who just fell. Since he was still able to speak, Shade snatched him up by the collar with her left hand to give him a firm shake before bringing his face directly up to hers to hiss her words against him.


"Who sent you?"


All he could reply were screams and cries about being shot in the kneecaps, followed by choice names of profanity. With a sneer, Shade threw him back on the ground, and as she turned to see Raven finish the last of his assassins, her right leg swung hard for her steel toed boot to crash against the crying man's head. Even though this left him instantly unconscious, she still spat down at him. "No one threatens my home, or me for that matter...."


Now facing her uninvited guest, Shade only rolled her eyes at his lame excuse. While he commented for a more private place to talk, she tapped her earpiece and held up a finger to Raven to give her a moment. Whatever his issue was now.... whatever he was about to drag her into again,,, it could wait. When the young male voice answered into her ear, she barked her orders quickly. "Get your asses to the main complex. We just nailed 4 assassins. I want this mess cleaned up, and whomever of the 4 is still alive, I want them contained for questioning. I'll be in my office sorting out this business. Shade out."


Struggling to control her rage, she pulled at Raven's arm to have him follow her to the elevator. The Garden was still in motion, so hopefully they nailed all of what assassins managed to get in. She said nothing at all to him. She didn't dare utter a question just yet. The countless students who bore witness to the scene already saw enough, so they didn't need to see Shade loose her temper on top of it all. So with a calm pace, Shade entered the elevator, knowing Raven was close behind. With the doors slid to a close, Shade's steady hand slid the key that required to reach the Headmaster's office at the top floor with silence filling the elevator. Once it was in motion, Shade's whipped about with such speed, a mere blink of an eye never would have caught her.


The second her grip lunged on Raven, She twisted his arms with violent force and jerked them behind him while forcing his back to face her, while also using her feet and legs against his own to hamper his movements. Within that split second, she then use her knee to slam against the back of his, forcing them to buckle so he would land on his own knees before slamming his chest hard against the wall. She kept his arms pinned behind him, but painfully high so her forearm would be pressed hard against the back of neck to keep him pressed against the elevator. "Have you lost your damn mind..." She growled from behind him. "You damn well KNOW what happened when you came looking for me last time! Those damn idiots blew up that entire CITY! Whether they knew it was abandoned or not, you knew they don't give a rats ass about anyone to get to their target! And you lead them here of all places? HERE? What the HELL is wrong with you, Raven! These are kids you put at risk! KIDS, RAVEN!!"


She gave him one harsh shove against the wall before releasing him and tearing herself away before she totally lost control of herself. By this time, she was shaking profusely while rubbing her temples and trying to slow her breathing. ...find a way to consume it.... Easier said than done.... She grasped the voice and the words to concentrate hard while waiting for what outlandish report Raven had to dish out now. As the elevator finally came to a stop and slid open the doors, Shade staggered a bit before walking into the grand scale office.

Raven wasn't completely taken unaware when Shade forced him down against the wall. He knew something was coming, it always did when it came to Shade. He practically had her entire routine down pat when it came to these chaotic moments. So Raven gave her the moment of rage. He knew that she was under a lot of stress and that his appearance never helped with that, but what he was here for was important. Not worth the lives of innocents but important nonetheless. So when Raven heard the accusations spitting like venom from Shade's mouth, he lost it.

When Shade shoved his face in the wall one final time and released him, Raven spun around with equal speed and caught her wrist in his grip. He swung his free hand in for a punch straight to her nose, but made it veer at the last moment, so that his fist slammed into the metal wall of the elevator, denting it. He looked straight into Shade's eyes and growled, "You know damned well Zanarkand was out of my control. I was sent there to kill the man and get out. I did that and more! I have no control ver what the enemy does after they lose their leader. Need I remind you what that mission had cost me?" Raven had taken sever burns across his back during the mission while trying to save his spotter. Ironic, as that was the day he started smoking.

Still standing with his fist in the wall and towering over Shade, Raven said, "As for today, I have no clue how they found me. I made all the necessary arrangements for them not to be here and they still showed up. Obviously someone leaked information. It will be taken care of." Raven knew it would because he himself would conduct the investigation until the mole was found.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened up. Raven regained his composure and briskly walked out. He wasn't one to loose his temper easily but there was no way he was going to let Shade slide that one in there. He was not going to let her keep doing that to him. She always blamed him for the bad like he controlled the assholes who blew through his life everyday. Like he planned on being a burden to her.

A burden to her...

That reminded him of why he was here. Raven locked his jaw and walked behind her desk. He stood there staring at her for a moment, not quite knowing how to put what he was trying to say into words. He opened his mouth once or twice to speak, but thought better of it and shut up again. Finally, Raven pulled his backpack off of his back and laid it on the desk. "There is something you need to see," said Raven as he placed the files on the desk, one at a time. Each file recounted a test result of an experiment they performed on Raven when he was a new born. The last file he placed on the desk was the one detailing who he actually was and who his parents were.

Raven unstrapped the rifle bag off of his back and placed it on the desk also. He slowly unzipped the case to reveal a sniper rifle. The rifle had a regular sniper barrel and arm guard, but when it got down to the actual chamber, the gun took a new form. The chamber was that of an oversized revolver. The barrel had been sauterized to the jagged broken pieces of a once long blade. The underside of the barrel was fitted with a slender curving blade that ran from the tip of the barrel to the handguard. The grip was modified also to allow a full stock for aiming. Ontop of the rifle, there sat a long telescopic sight that appeared to be off one of the Garden's Ragnorak ships.

Raven waited patiently for Shade to piece it all together.

When twisted about and jerked back into the elevator, Shade saw his fist coming, but she refused to flinch. Her eyes even narrowed as if daring Raven to hit his intended mark, but when he slammed the wall beside her head, she had to clench her jaw to keep from spitting in his face. As he shouted his defense at her, once again, her emotions became enraged and fueling the powers she was struggling to suppress. What was it that was so infuriating about him? Or was it that fact that Raven was one of two people who ever had the courage to face off with her without an ounce of fear to their own lives. To actually tell her like it is without an ounce of regret....


Still, his words had no merit of justification. Her eyes were fuming with scorn as she violently twisted her wrist out of his grip before he claimed he would investigate the matter himself. Now, outside of the elevator and within the office, Shade silently kept a wide distance away from him while trying to control the rage he ignited again. "You expect me to believe that in your line of work, you never would have expected this? Not even suspected, or out right take the precautions? You know to think ahead, Raven," She snapped with a vengeance. Just the mere thought of one of those kids accidentally getting caught in the cross fire refueled her own accusations. She wasn't letting him off that easily. "You could have easily sent word to me to meet you elsewhere, anywhere for that matter where no one could get hurt...."


But through the entire time she lectured him, she found him not paying too much attention at this point, and pulling out files from his satchel. When Raven stated she had something to read, Shade paused with a slight tilt of her head and a suspicious narrow of her eyes. Here it comes.... another mission he's about to drag me into... But what was off about this meeting was that he didn't act persistent and eager as he did with the previous missions. As almost as if he found approaching the subject to be difficult. It was odd aura, for Raven was never reluctant when duty calls.... So with a faint sigh of irritation, Shade slowly approached her desk already feeling a headache begin to start. She remained on the opposite side of the desk from Raven. As she snatched the files and opened them with a jerk of her hand, she presumed not being to close to him was the better position, just in case she should haul off and crack his head once she discovered the details of whatever ludicrous.... situation... he...


The silence was stifling. What rage and frustration previously coursing through her veins now came to a slamming stand still...and left her with a numbing nausea. As her eyes scanned through more of the file, her chest heaved as if her rib cage caved in, and she found she couldn't breath....


Suddenly, her hands jerked as if they were burned to throw the file down against the desk, now finding them trembling again. Here eyes flared up at the man standing there, yet what she read simply wouldn't sink in. It was unfathomable. It was simply impossible.... which only left one string of explanation for Shade to grasp onto for the sake of what foundation to her sanity she had left. Her voice may have cracked when she forced her throat to work, but her words were still demanding. "Where did you find these lies.... Who wrote this? Who sent you?" It had to be lies.... she needed this to be a lie! If there was any ounce of truth in those files... it was beyond a reality Shade couldn't grasp, and it was already tearing away the internal walls she built for so long to keep herself strong and sound. And as she felt each of those walls began to crumble, Shade realized she was loosing the one thing that kept her stable. Her sense of control....One's perception of control is merely their own wall of illusion to the truth.... The fact that control was an illusion all along.... She never accepted that fact. She couldn't bring herself to.... This had to be a lie!


Whether it be out of desperation, or the fact that Shade hadn't felt such an overwhelming wave of panic since she was a child, in rare form her emotions took control. In one sweep of her arms, everything upon the desk went flying across the floor as she released a scream of rage. "YOU LIAR!!" In the heated rush of her actions, memories flooded her mind at an alarming rate. What little of her childhood she had before the attack that started it all.... Then the onslaught the nearly destroyed her world..... her mother's fear stricken face and screams, the explosions, even seeing her father afraid, and hearing his own fear in his voice when he tried to be strong just for her... only to have it all stripped away. To have herself stripped of everything she ever knew, or held dear to her heart. She rebuilt herself from all that! She spent her whole life rising above the choking ashes of destruction, only now, to have this lying bastard throw such lies against her past? For whatever gain he had in mind, Shade didn't spare a moment to ponder it. She needed her control back! "YOU'RE A DAMN LIAR, RAVEN! THIS ISN'T EVEN POSSIBLE! LIES!!"


His satchel was the next to be thrown before she lunged over the desk and slammed her fists against his chest for a powerful blow just to get him away. "I won't have this!! Do you hear me? I will NOT HEAR OF IT!! You're a goddamn LIAR!!" She could feel those cursed powers rising, and at a pace she never felt before. ...find a way to consume it.... Damnit!! It was becoming a chaotic whirlwind spiral that she couldn't stop! ...find a way I can't! I can't do this on my own anymore! Her mind screamed as did her words, until a flare of energy escaped her hands that she didn't even willingly conjure. The blast narrowly missed Raven and exploded through the wall of the office with a ear shattering blow, and now returning that once chilling silence between them. Her widened eyes shifted from their steel hues to flickers of gold as the sorceress powers remained simmering through her veins, yet her body betrayed her as trembling limbs led her legs to collapse beneath her. Shade sat upon the marble floor with a harsh landing, yet still gaping at what she had just done. She could killed him... easily. Raven never would have had a chance had she struck him with that blow.


Now weakened by the surge of unexpected power, on top of the exhaustion of shock, Shade's final defenses were falling into shambles. It was then she realized her hand was upon something odd on the floor beside her. With her gaze literally having to be torn away, she slowly looked down to see the weapon Raven previously pulled out of his rifle bag. Having what memories of the past a 4 year old could contain, it was the realization of the revolver section to the weapon that stabbed her straight through the heart.... "No..... no....." Her head began to shake slowly as the single word simply repeated itself, as if trying to will the weapon away somehow. When Shade finally managed to tear her gaze away from it, her eyes now locked up to Raven with tears that had yet to spill and a voice that implored for some shred of mercy. "Please don't do this... I don't know why you are.... but please. Don't do this to me, Raven...." A tear or two managed to escape as her hand squeezed tightly around the gunblade's broken revolver as a shocking reality that either Raven was telling the truth, or he managed to manipulate an outrageous claim to hide the fact that he very well may have played a part to her father's death.


"Please don't, Raven. This isn't right, this isn't right... They didn't do this... not you.... they wouldn't..." Her hand squeezed harder around the revolver portion as she lifted the entire weapon to her chest and hunched over to hide what remaining tears cascaded down along her face to fall to the floor.

Raven let the comment about what he could of done slide by. He had tried all that. He had tried to get her to meet him somewhere else, but was always met with the cookie-cut out secretary stating that she wasn't in at the moment or she had a meeting. Apparently, a freedom fighter from another world wasn't important enough for here staff to tell her about. Finally he had to fabricate this story for them to even mention it to her. The whole process enraged him, but there was nothing he could have done. Raven had taken the precautions, that's the exact reason he didn't just barge in and start demanding things. He kept a low profile and hoped to have avoided a tail. There shouldn't have been a tail. But there was nothing he could do now except find the leak. That mole had better hope he never found him.

He was more worried about how Shade would react to the news. If Raven ever had a moment in his life where he was nervous, this was it. He had no clue how she would react. If his memory served him right, he himself had a breakdown when he found out. But Shade was always so strong willed so headfast, maybe she wouldn't react at all. Maybe she would laugh in his face. As she rifled through the documents, Raven's jaw locked in anticipation.

And then it happened. Raven could hardly believe his ears. HE was lying? What was wrong with her? She had no idea what this had done to him. What it took for him to tell someone about it. As she pushed him back and screamed in his face, Raven's locked jaw rolled down to a scowl. How dare she accuse him of lying! She had no clue! NO CLUE! And here she was screaming an yelling at him! Then she puched the hole in the wall and Raven snapped. Raven's normally green eyes turned to a dull steely jade and Raven's arm snapped up to Shade's throat. His hand clamped around it and lifted her off the ground. He spun around and slammed her against the wall that she had just forced him against and drew his knife. He placed the knife down along the curve of her jaw and said in a low voice, "Don't you ever call me a liar and never, EVER, try and tell me what is and isn't possible. I have seen things that will make you weep and cry for mercy. I have gone through hell and back just to figure out who the hell I am. And now that I am trying to help YOU, I am the one who is wrong? No. I thought you were the only one I could trust with this. That you should know these things, but obviously I was wrong. Obviously you are still too much of a child to comprehend that the world doesn't always work out the way you wanted."

Raven was trembling by the time he dropped her to her feet. He stepped away and shoved the knife back into its sheathe with shaking hands. He walked over to the the glass doors that led onto her balcony and leaned onto the frame for support. He shook his head in disbelief, partially of Shade's actions, partially of his own. He knew he had gone too far this time, but he could not control himself when it happened. He could not believe the way they were acting. Neither of them ever acted like this.

Raven turned around to face the music and was met with an image he thought he would never see. He saw Shade hunched over in pain, clutching his rifle to her chest... sobbing. Raven had never seen Shade allow emotion through. It was then that he realized how selfish he was looking at the situation. He had been only able to see how this all effected him and never even thought about Shade's feelings.

"Ahhh shyt, Shade..." was all Raven could say as he took a step closer to Shade. He glanced around the room, not really looking for anything, just trying to give Shade some privacy. His eyes fell upon a shelf. Sitting on the shelf, half hidden behind books, was a very bedraggled stuffed moogle. Seeing that made tears well up in Raven's eyes. She had kept it all those years. He only allowed one tear to roll down his cheek before rubbing the rest away with his hands. He walked over to the shelf and picked up the moogle. He tentatively approached Shade and knelt in front of her. He placed the moogle down inbetween them and said, "This isn't easy for either of us, but this is no lie. This here is the proof. On my travels I found you, and I guess my... father too." The word felt dry in his mouth. Could he even call him that? "I did everything to help but in the end, I don't quite know what happened to him. I went looking for answers and found you, alone and asleep in the basement of the Lighthouse. I didn't know it was you at the time and I left this with you. I know this is a lot to take in right now, but I need to tell someone. If I held it in any longer I think I'd explode. You were the only person I thought I could trust with this. I'm sorry I dumped this on you."

Raven stood up and walked back towards the elevator. Coming here was a mistake. Shade had already made that abundantly clear. Telling her the truth was even worse. On top of that he just found out his family was still alive. His emotions were getting the best of him. It was best if he just left.

Perhaps such rage of emotions were what some required to breach through the drowning madness in order to find truth..... or accept it. It was the first coherent thought Shade found when she began to find the calm again. During the trickling moments Raven was to his own thoughts near the balcony, Shade's own finally began to seep through. His words sliced through her very soul, and for that she could never forgive herself. Once again, on the rare moments her emotions got the best of her, things fell apart...


How could this of happened? It was a repetitive question that would never be answered, but the most demanded for one. Nothing would ever repair the past. Shade realized that now. There would be no salvation for her own world as she strived so hard to believe in when her mission began two years ago. What's been is done... Raven stood there as proof against the illusion she tried so hard to cling to. And it was then she realized how Raven must have crumbled as she just did when he discovered what he did. While rubbing the back of head where it struck against the wall, his words burned through her mind again. But it wasn't the words that so much got through to her, as did the look in his eyes. She saw her own pain within them.


Two of the same clashing together against the one thing that should be bringing them together instead.


Just as she was about to attempt to speak from the floor, Shade heard him again. She still couldn't move much, but she managed to turn her head to peer through the fallen strands of hair over her face. The tears had stopped and her breath came steady now, until he handed her the one thing she never imagined he bore a connection to. Now staring dumbfounded at the stuffed toy within his hand, she was once again slammed with the memories of that day. And the ones she didn't have... her brother had all along.


Her hand flew out and gripped into his vest to stop him from leaving. It took several moments for Shade to raise her head again with such a torn and weary expression, as if she were left her beaten and left for dead. Her arm was too weak to pull, so she simply kept hold of him. With a harsh rasp in her voice, she spoke as firm as she possibly could. "And who else could you have gone to with this, Raven? To our parent's graves?" It was more of statement to enforce his very own claim through her mind. With a heavy sigh, she abandoned the rifle on her lap as her other hand reached for the aged torn Moogle she kept since that dreadful day. She remembered waking up with it... no one knowing where the hell the thing came from. At the time, it didn't matter with all the devastation that had taken place and so many lives lost. During the years of struggle to pick up the pieces and rebuild, the mystery of the small thing would still linger in the back of her mind from time to time. Now, she looked down at it held in her hand with an answer to the mystery, then brought her gaze back up to the very man who left it with her so long ago. "I failed them, you know. As I failed our home world. But I'm not making that mistake ever again, Raven..." She swallowed hard to force the next words out through the sob she struggled to keep in. She didn't want him to go. Especially not like this. But when it came to words that meant most to her, Shade always faced an unbreakable wall. For now, she could only manage the ones that hopefully said everything all at once. "I'm not going to fail you, too..."

Raven was jerked back to the ground by Shade. He didn't quite know what to expect when it happened. Was she going to break his nose? Or was she going to hug him? Raven thought about it for a moment and figured he would prefer the first choice. Raven never was one for the emotional side of things so in situations like these he felt lost.

But Shade did not do either of those things. Instead, she held back the tears and made a comment about their parents. While the words themselves did "ot seem like they were intended to hurt, Raven was taken aback by the statement. She was right, Raven had nobody. He couldn't even trust his own friends sometimes, let alone think that they could handle something like this. Raven was alone in a universe that hunted those who are single out but refused to be bested. So Raven gave her a weak smile to face that comment. No sense in creating more problems.

He crouched in silence as Shade examined the moogle. The thing used to be his own child's. He gave it to her when he first saw her after she was born. She was nearly two by then and she carried that damned thing everywhere. That was her focus point in the universe. So long as she had her "Lovie" she was happy. After the train incident, Raven had gone home to grab what he needed to survive on and then go underground. He had found it laying on the kitchen counter and almost bawled his eyes out at the sight of it. Since that day, he had carried it with him always. It reminded him of what it was he was truly fighting for: Revenge. But when he had seen Shade in the lighthouse, he was compelled to leave it. Perhaps it would bring better luck to her than it did his own family? Perhaps he figured she was just going to need a Lovie.

Raven sat there for a moment after Shade spoke again. He had absolutely no idea what to say to that. He never in a million years expect to hear words like that come out of Shade's mouth like that. Especially not towards him. He knew she didn't hate him, but he also knew that she made it a point to show her dominance when he was around. It was why he had liked her so much, She wasn't afraid to tell him the way it was. So when Raven saw her like this, it nearly broke his heart. He had not been this upset about something since the deaths of his family.

Raven slid the gun out from between them, out of view out of mind. He then stepped in closer and brushed the hair the was hanging down over her eyes back over her ear. His hand went down to her chin and brought her face up to look at him. He stared her straight in the eyes and said, "Look at me. You did not fail them. You were too young to have down anything. You being here is proof that you did not fail them, because you did the exact thing they died for. You lived. You overcame all the bad and kept going. Heck you even crossed dimensions and time to go back to save them. You have done more than enough. And though I didn't know them very well, they would be fools to not be poud of you."

Raven released her and and stood up. He placed the rifle with gentle care back in its case while saying, "As for me, well you have already failed me countless times," Raven's smirk broke through on his face, "You have deprived me of my big brother duties." Raven let out a slight chuckle, trying to ease Shade's feelings back to a stable platform. Raven's smile faded though, and he got a little more serious. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I always am. But I would like to help you with your mission. I want to help with trying to prevent whatever it was that did that to our home. Maybe then I can actually meet our parents for more than mere seconds. But first I have something I must do. I have word about my family. I need to folow a lead I have on them. I have to find out if they are really alive or not."

Raven looked back out the glass doors and down to the large courtyard. He could see a group of five men moving in perfect unison towards the elevator. The attendant raised his hand to them and asked a question. The lead man swiftly pulled out a silenced pistol and shoved it in the man's face and pulled the trigger. The attendant never had a chance. He dropped to the ground in a heap and the men all marched into the elevator. Raven swirled around and looked at Shade. "Whatever we are going to decide, it's gonna have to wait, we have company again. They're in the elevator now, get ready."

Shade fully expected him to scoff at her words. It may have been what she just might do to someone else, not wanting to face anything of personal nature. When seeing Raven reach out to her, she felt her leery scowl return, fully expecting to be snatched up and drug up on her feet again for another shouting match. Surprisingly tho, he simply moved Shade's hair away and must have predicted she'd turn aside, and stumped her further to make sure she'd look right at him and listen. She found Raven to accept her words, then offer his own she never expected from the likes of him. And so many have told her the same so many times before, but Shade would always dismiss them as needless pity, or everyone's way of trying to lie to her. Yet for some reason, hearing it from Raven allowed the words to actually sink in a little. It was something to ponder a bit when a more appropriate time allowed for her to do.


When he stood up and stated she already failed him, her gray hues immediately flared wide until she saw that cursed smirk of his. His brotherly comment and chuckle lured a smirk of her own as she narrowed her eyes and stood up as well. "Oh spare me the proof of testosterone, Raven. You need me more to protect your own ass."


Now what came next was both predictable and a shocking blow at the same time. His usual get down to business attitude returned, but at the mention of having a family of his own threw Shade's recovery for a loop. A family? Raven? By the heavens, there was a woman out there who could put up with him? But before Shade could utter a word, he sensed something and was off towards the elevator. Upon hearing his announcement of uninvited company, Shade found her blood boiling all over again. With her annoyed expression returned, she tore back at her desk, careful not to step on the files she had previously thrown across the floor to reach her Gryphon weapon and sword belt. Turning, she stormed back to the elevator while strapping the sword at her hip and latching the Gryphon to her right arm, all the while grumbling under her breath about some goddess hating her since she can't have even have a spare moment for a decent family reunion.


There was small chrome door on the wall beside the door, which reminded Shade she foolishly left the damn key in the elevator itself for anyone to reach the top floor. Cursing under her breath, she tore the entire panel off the wall and slammed her palm on the red "Stop" button. With her sword in hand, she pried the doors apart to allow them access to the elevator's roof just a few feet from reaching them. Now, with her Gryphon loaded and aimed directly down at the roof to rain a stream of deathly arrows, Shade suddenly paused, then slapped Raven hard across the chest with a scolding look.


"A family? You never once mentioned to me you had a family, you asshole!"

Raven let the smirk grow on his face even more when Shade made the comment about her saving his ass. She was right, she had saved his butt countless times, but Raven had done it just as much to her.... and that's when it hitt him. They had been acting like brother and sister all along. Each would save the other in some fantastic way and then scoff it off like they didn't even like the other enough to do it again. But they did do it again, time and time again.

But it was time to move. The men were in the elevator and on their way to the floor they were on. Raven swiftly crossed the room to where the papers were tossed about. He quickly pulled all of the papers together and placed them back in his backpack. He then carefully placed the backpack and the rifle bag behind the desk. Itt was a crude hiding place but Raven hoped if a firefight was going to break out in this office, he didn't want his secret within easy reach.

As he turned around, Shade was already tearing open the doors to the elevator shaft. He swiftly walked over to her and drew his pistol. He slid the clip out to check how many rounds were still in it and then chambered a round. When he realized what Shade was doing, he placed his pistol back in his hiding place for it. He reached for the bullet proof vest he had on underneath of his thermal and revealed a small cylindrical device. He smiled at the sight of it and started towards the elevator shaft...

...only to be stopped by Shade's extended arm crashing into his rib cage. With a oompf Raven looked at her incredulously. "Is this really the time and place to be talking about this?" he pushed past her arm and hopped down onto the elevator. He looked back to her and saw that she had that "Yes it is the right time and place, now spill it" look on her face. Raven sighed in defeat and said, [color=red]"I've been happily married since before I even met you. I've been that way since I got out of high school. Shortly after meeting you I had a kid. When I disappeared for a while it was because I took a new job to be closer to them. I never mentioned them while on a mission, because... well... I never really thought of it safe to be doing that. But if you want to talk about letting someone down... I was on a mission when they came. They took them both along with anyone else they thought could have possibly been corupted and placed them all on trains to be taken far away and most likely shot. I tried to do something... and.. I almost made it in time, but something went wrong. Some asshole blew up the train and I watched everything I loved fall into a pit."

Raven moved over the hatch that would lead down into the elevator. He bent down and pulled out his pistol. Leveling it with the lock, he fired once, blowing the lock off. He pulled the pin on the grenade and opened the hatch. There was a few yells of paniic as they saw the grenade fall inside, but was quickly muffled by Raven closing the hatch. There was a dull thud as the blinding and disorienting flashbang grenade went off. Raven reopened the hatch to see the five men inside stumbling around. He glanced back up to Shade with a wicked grin on his face and said,"Ladies first..."

((OOC:Okay, I had no idea how many you were sending in this thing, or what you had in mind. I forgot to ask when you were in the chatbox. So if I need to edit anything, just let me know))



Shade didn't care that there were bloodthirsty mercenaries, most likely armed to the hilt with explosives and arsenal, ready to kill on site, and just a few feet away with only a slab of metal between them. Of course this was the right time! She was already fuming mad enough from the fact that they only had a handful of minutes to share the truth Raven had discovered, and barely any time at all for a such a remarkable shock to sink in. So if these idiots out to hunt Raven down were so ignorant with their lousy timing, then Shade was going to have to endure having the brief family reunion while cracking some skulls.


And why in the hell was Raven smirking like that? She didn't find any humor at all from this interruption of assassins!


But thankfully, Raven obliged Shade this time, and while he set into action, he gave her what brief details he could with what little time allowed. She could feel what pain he must have endured when he believed he lost his family. Any form of loss of close loved ones had no form of measurement. But a child too? Shade could never imagine having one of her own, let alone loose one such a way. Was it not enough that they themselves were torn apart, yet Raven had to endure loosing his as well? Yet his reasoning for never mentioning his family to her in the past did have merit, so there was no need to sock him in the gut again. Now, Shade was left with a dying question that simply had to wait.


And Shade was growing more furious for it.


After the explosive went off in the elevator, and Raven open the hatch with a snarky invitation, Shade's mood was most foul. With just a single step, she allowed her body to slip right through the hatch in a free fall, and the second her feet hit the elevator floor, she shot up with a swinging fist against the first man's face, 'that's for trespassing on my terf!' only to keep hold of him with her other hand to twist him about and use him as a shield when he became further distracted with a broken nose. With only split seconds to work with, she snatched her victim's extra pistol from his hip and began firing at the others 'that's for interrupting my reunion!' . She heard two random screams, then return fire slugged into the man's body she used as a shield as she pushed him forward against the remaining mercenaries still firing at her. By the grunts and force of impact, Shade knew she struck her mark and slid out from behind to fire upon the remaining two. This time, she voiced her thoughts aloud. "And that's for pissing me off!"


Now standing with what drifting streams of smoke remained and five bodies fallen in a heap of limbs at her feet, Shade let out a faint snort before she looked back up to meet Raven's eyes. The question felt stuck in her throat at first, but she just had to know.... "So..... do I have a niece, or a nephew?"

Raven watched the whole thing unfold below him. He thought about dropping down and lending a hand, but Shade seemed furious and he didn't want to get in the way of that. So instead he watched her move through the PSICOM soldiers with such grace and fury, he had thought they choreographed the whole thing beforehand. That or Raven had never allowed himself to see the Shade's true capabilities. Most of the time she had relied on magic or summons to assist her, but not today. Raven saw first hand what Shade Leonhart could do if backed against a wall and pissed off. He made a mental note to not cross her anytime soon, even if her form was a little sloppy.

Shade finished with the last of the mercenaries and stood over them with a smoking gun. Raven let out a long high-pitched whistle and rocked back on his heels while looking down at the carnage. She finally looked up at him and her question stopped him in his tracks. How to answer a question like that? It was a simple question and under normal circumstances came with a simple answer, but this wasn't a normal time. Raven hopped down from the elevator roof and started rummaging through the dead men's wares. Hopefully, the little stunt would buy him enough time to think the answer through while still finding what he was looking for. He stayed silent for several moments while he picked over their things, looking for identification and a way to contact their leader.

After what seemed like an age of silence, Raven pulled the headset from the last member's distorted head. He kept his eyes on it the whole time, inspecting it while he said in a very low voice, "You had a niece, but like I said, she is gone now." Raven stuck the headset into his ear and hit the redial button on the phone. The phone rang twice before someone picked up.

"Is it done?"

Raven's jaw locked up and he ripped the headset out of his ear. He threw the headset against the wall of the elevator and it smashed into a thousand pieces. He glanced around to the dead bodies, except one wasn't dead, he was starting to stir. Raven scooped him up by the neck in his grip. The man instantly came to and started to struggle against the vise. Raven lifted him off the ground and growled, "Which unit are you with?"

The man struggled some more but decided talking would be better. The man opened his mouth to speak, but instead spat in Raven's face, casting out a "Piss off" As Raven's grip tightened. Raven spun the man around to the closed metal doors that would've opened if they were on a designated floor. With one arm, Raven forced open the door and slammed the man's head into the wall behind. Raven then grabbed the door and repeatedly slammed the doors closed on the man's head. Once, twice, thrice the doors slammed closed. Raven picked the bloodied man up again and screamed, "WHICH UNIT, DAMNIT!"

The man looked terrified now. He was a bit dazed by the repeated head trauma and confused about what exactly was going on. All he knew was that Raven was causing him severe pain. He spat out blood and loosened teeth and as pleaded, "Please, if I tell you she'll kill me! She'll kill my family! Please don't make me!"

Raven swept the man's knee out from under him, dropping the man down onto his opposite one. Raven drew his pistol out and punched the barrel into the man's eye, saying with an eerie calm, "I will do a lot worse than that if you don't tell me."

Blind in one eye, with a concusion, and covered in blood, the man broke down. He began blubbering like a baby, pleading for mercy. "Please! I was in Eden Detachment. We got hand pickded for the job. The Ice queen made sure we stayed on your trail so she could dispose of you quickly if the need arised. We were told to take you out after you killed the rest of the team this morning! Please don't do this! Please don't kill me!"

Raven picked the man up and held down hard on the man's windpipe. The man thrashed violently against Raven's arm, but could not break his grip. After a few moments, the man stopped thrashing. Raven dropped him to the ground and pressed the down button on the elevator. The man would live. Raven turned to Shade. [Color=red]"Let's go find your niece."[color] the elevator dinged and the doors opened. Raven stepped out and started towards The Kestrel.

Shade stood aside and held her breath during Raven's silence and his search through the victims lying on the floor. It felt like eons before he replied, and she was biting her tongue until it nearly bled. Then his words shot a pang through her heart. Had a niece... But he previously said he had a lead....


Shade wasn't about to press the matter, but she could feel her blood begin to boil again. Just then, Raven shot into motion, finding one of the assassins still alive. Shade scowled in disappointment. One was still alive? Damn... she was slipping.... but she gave Raven wide berth during his own 'interrogation'. Seeing the wounded man spit, and tell Raven to piss off only led Shade to roll her eyes and shake her head. Here comes the slamming.... SLAM!SLAM! SLAM!...and now the yelling... WHICH UNIT DAMNIT! And now the whimpering pleas of mercy from the whimpering victim....


With a sigh of annoyance, Shade's scowl returned. This was getting them nowhere.


Just as Raven threatened the man one last time, Shade came up right behind him and slowly raised her Wolf's Bane sword to be clearly seen from behind Raven's left shoulder. Her thumb gently pressed the lever beneath the hilt of the weapon to slowly reveal the steel curved teeth encasing the blade as she glared into the single eye the guy had left. She didn't even have to utter a word for this fool to get the obvious hint that she too would carry out Raven's threat.


Suddenly... he began to blurt the answers Raven demanded. Shade quickly stepped back for Raven to finish the job, yet even after the initial attack, the rain of bullets, the dead lying on the ground, it was Raven's next words about his daughter that brought a shocking blow, but one that was most welcomed. "That's more like it..." She replied with a single nod before they set off again.


As she followed close behind, she quickly pressed her earcom and started barking orders at the director of security. They were terribly sloppy for letting this slip through their fingers, and now a SeeD was a dead for it. Someone's ass was going to pay for such incompetence, especially after she personally revised the entire outfit herself with strict authority. After ending the call, she was finally able to address their next course of action while she and Raven continued rushing through the Garden. "You mind telling me where we're going, or what your plans are? Or do I need to remind you that the Garden is still in flight, so there's no exiting the damn thing right now?"

Raven grimaced at himself when Shade reminded him of the fact that they were flying and not where he had landed the Kestrel. In his rage he wasn't thinking straight. His only focus was to get back to Cocoon. He had to get to Eden and fast if he wanted any chance of following up on this lead. Raven quickly turned in a new direction and picked up his pace. "This way"

If they were flying away from the site, Raven needed to be able to get back there fast. Since he didn't seem to be sprouting wings anytime soon, he needed to find another plan. He walked in silence for a bit, working out the plan as he walked. Finally, he had it and was ready to share with Shade. He turned his head slightly in her direction to catch a glimpse at her. She looked like a wreck. Normally she doesn't look like a movie star but this was worse. Her eyes were still red from the tears and her hair was all matted up. Her face was pulled down into her usual scowl which made her usually gorgeous grey eyes seem disastrous and the puffy red swelling made them all the more distinguished. Raven thought of saying something to her again, like what he had done back in her office, but he couldn't bring the words to leave his throat. No matter how hard he tried, the thought of opening up again terrified him. He did not quite know what exactly she was going through with this news, but he knew it had to be something similar.

Why did all the bad things have to happen at once? Why couldn't he have had time to explain it all to her? Instead, he had to drop everything and deal with these damned hit squads. On top of that, he had just found out that his family may still be alive? And now he was dragging her through that too. He felt a pang of regret in coming now, but he pushed it away. How was he supposed to know that all of this was going to dump on him when he went to talk to her?

Instead of opening up again like he had tried before, he chose to fill the silence by answering her questions. In a low tone he said, "we are heading to Cocoon, back to where I..." Raven almost said was born, but caught himself. "...was raised" Raven continued down across the large courtyard toward one of the exits. What he was thinking was stupid and insane. Not to mention the fact that it could end up injuring one of them, but Raven saw no other way. He walked toward the large exit door and opened it up. "As for what we are doing about the whole "We're in flight" thing," Raven removed the golden cross from around his neck and placed it on the ground. The cross itself grew into a very large cross with white light streaking up from it. Out of the light galloped George the dragon slayer atop his horse. Raven grabbed ahold of the rope ladder that dangled down from the saddle and started up. "This is what we are doing about it." Raven reached about halfway up and turned around. He stretched out his hand and looked Shade straight in the eyes. He knew she was going to think he was an idiot for trying this, but he didn't have time to dicker with her. He said the only thing he could think of to get her to come. "Trust me.

Shade didn't argue when Raven took the lead and changed his course. She knew from previous missions that brain of his never stopped racing and he could very well hold his own. Now unless he was going to blindly walk right into a T-Rex through the Training Center, she wasn't going to interfere unless he did his normal barking for it if he ran into a jam. For a moment, Shade was nearly concerned and almost spoke when Raven slowed their pace and was now walking in deep thought. While watching his face closely, she searched for any hint that the news of his family's possible survival may be inflicting his concentration. Not that she would fault him for that. He may very well be one of the top notch soldiers of his field, but Raven was still human after all. But instead, she witnessed the hard lines of battle etched across his face while in deep thought, so she thought it best to give him just a few more moments.


So when he finally turned his head to face her, Shade was alert and ready to move once the plan was explained. Her grip tightened around the hilt of her sword and her muscles tensed, ready to bolt. But there was a moment's pause which led her scowl. What was he waiting for? Was he lost? Did something else come to mind? She tilted her head with a questioning look being that the silence between them seemed...different somehow. In a frantic grasp for options, Shade swung her free hand out and slugged him in the arm. "Hey! You alright? We got a job to do, let's go...."


Well that seemed to work. She got the info out of him, but the name was foreign to her ears. A place she had never been to, but heard odd rumors about. So she followed Raven once again until they came to one of the cargo bay doors at the back of the Garden. Before she could say a word, Raven had the door flung wide open for the winds to now tackle against them. She barely noticed what he did next before the flash of startling light struck her eyes. When she moved her hand away from shielding them, a grand horse and rider was the last thing Shade ever expected to see. For one who despised magic so, Raven could summon a Guardian like this? And for the purpose of jumping out a perfectly fine flying craft? Why the hell not.... But his next words stunned her for just a brief second.


Shade was never one to hold back or shy from a challenge. She could face any threat without a flinch. She could risk daredevil moves without a second thought. So how was it that words struck her so much more to core? In the fraction of a second, a mind can whirl a thousand thoughts and even deja vu until she realized it wasn't just Raven's words, it was what Shade could hear in his voice and see in his eyes. This wasn't about egos anymore. This wasn't about trying each other's nerves, and who was always right or wrong. After enduring whatever it took for him to discover the truth between them, and to still reveal it to her when he could have kept it from her all along, Raven would never betray her trust in any aspect.


The realization in that fraction of a moment led Shade's hand to firmly take his own and hoist herself up the rope ladder. It wasn't as if she feared the fall or flight, yet risking her form to be seen by any wandering eyes within her world may very well strike a panic. As the winds from the Garden's flight still beat against them, Shade turned to face Raven with narrowed eyes and shouted above the noise of the engines. "If you dare drop me, so help me Hyne, I will turn you into a crow myself and use you for target practice!"

Raven allowed a slight smirk to curl his lips up when hee heard the quip about dropping her. Obviously she really didn't realize how they were getting down. Raven reached up and tapped the behemoth of a man in front of them. George turned his head slightly to look at Raven and Raven gave him a nod and a thumbs up, "Take us back to the ship!" he shouted over the roar of the engines. George lurched the horse forward towards the end of the Garden. Just as they reached the edge, the horse lunged off and into the air, plummeting down towards the surface of the planet. "HANG OOOOOOOON!!!" was all Raven could say before the winds of the fall became deafening.

The trio plummeted down towards the surface at an astounding speed. Halfway through the fall, Raven though maybe it wasn't suchh a good idea for them to have done this. Just as they were about to impact and probably smash into the ground, George pulled hard on the reigns. The horses head reared back and two large mechanical wings sprouted out of its flanks. The wind caught the wings and allowed them to safely land without so much as a bump. The horse hit the ground in a sprint and headed straight to where the Kestrel was waiting for them. Raven looked incrediously at George. "I didn't know you could do that."

The ride lasted about half an hour before they arrived at the ship. Once there, Raven hopped down from the summons and thanked him. George saluted Raven with his lance before disappearing in a flash of light and Raven was left holding his cross. Raven placed the cross back around his neck as he stepped into the Kestrel. He began booting everything up and got the engines started. He sat down in the pilot's seat and cursed himself for not bringing Dizzy with him. He needed a good pilot for where they were going. Instead, he punched in the coordinates and set the thing for auto-pilot. The engines roared to life and the ship took off for the nearest portal to the Universal Multiplex

He spun around in his chair to face Shade, "It's gonna be a while before I actually need to pilot this thing. If there any question you have about the info I gave you earlier now would be a good time." he got up from his seat and grabbed his back pack that he had thrown off to the side once he needed to set up the ship's coordinates. He pulled all of the files he had given Shade earlier out and presented them to her again, along side the journal he had kept while on the journey. He hesitated with the journal, though, remembering that he did find her and their father on his travel and had recorded the encounter within the pages. He didn't know how she would respond to that, but it was too late, he had already handed it over. If she got mad, he would deal with it. He always did.

Fortunately for Shade, she was quite accustomed to freefalls and flight, so the soaring drop to the ground wasn't much different than her own descents when using her wings. Still, she gripped onto the ladder and wrapped one of her ankles securely within the rope to keep hold until they safely reached the ground. Shade found herself quite astonished by how Raven used the Guardian Force in such a way, as well as witnessing the brief interaction between them. Not many were personal with their GF's as Shade was with her own, and the fact that Raven even had one at all was a shock in itself.


She followed him within his ship without a word, and was immediately impressed with the vessel while Raven went straight to the pilot panel and began programming the controls for their destination. Taking advantage of the moment, Shade contacted the Garden through her earcom to confirm all was safe, and left orders for the duration she would be gone. A faint sigh of relief passed through her lips when given a surprising report that the SeeD who was shot at the elevator actually survived, but was currently in intensive care. Apparently, what the assassin believed was "point blank" range was actually a misfire of the weapon itself. Now ending the call, her mind swiftly went into action, assessing the previous events and the next course of action, as her eyes scanned over the makings of Raven's airship and marveled at the foreign technology.


But the adrenaline rush from their brief battle and escape, and their potential mission for Raven's lead came to a slamming halt by Raven's unexpected question. She was turned away at that moment and felt her brow crease at how impersonal it sounded, yet as she turned and her shrouded gaze to met his own, she recognized the unfamiliarity in his eyes for what it was. Just how were they to cope with this? Her steel hues fell upon the files he brought out again, along with a tattered looking book, then looked back to Raven as her hand slowly reached out to take them. After her initial reaction when first presented with the shocking news, Shade decided it was best she sit down this time before addressing the sensitive issue. There would be no interruption this time, yet Shade felt herself clam right up as she always did when forced to face any form of personal matters. As she ventured quietly to the co-pilot seat, she sat and locked her gaze upon the items at hand, realizing this was beyond anything close to her heart since the death of her parents... their parents.


She also realized just how terrified she was. With her heart hammering against her chest, it was that very fear trying to keep her fingers from opening the files. The truth would sink in even further, as well as the risk involved stabbing into her soul. What if he disappeared from her life just as everyone else did she dared to get distinctly close to? It's what this universe did. Even though the unknowing of who, or when.... certainty guaranteed anyone could vanish from her life without a trace and without warning. Be it family, friends, or otherwise, it had happened far too often of late. She couldn't bear another... especially her own brother. The silence was stifling, but Shade forced her hand to shift through the notes and reports he retrieved, only to nearly choke when she stumbled across the name. Fury... A solitary childhood memory that always remained a mystery came slamming into her mind and choked the breath in her lungs. Now she knew what that name meant..... Yet she forced her gaze to continue on, reading what horrors were inflicted upon Raven when just a babe which nearly made her loose her stomach. When her sense of control could take no more, she closed the files and turned her attention on the book. When her mind screamed in defiance, her strength fought back. If Raven could endure everything he suffered, as well as discovering this truth on his own, then she very well had the strength to learn of it, no matter how much more about the tragedy was to be discovered.


Shade never expected to find it to be Raven's own words, let alone it being a journal with his own thoughts over each and every tribulation he endured during his search for answers. While reading every entry, she dared to believe she could feel every emotion and more that he suffered as if she were there along side of him each and every step of the way. After reading the last page and slowly closing the journal, her hands carefully placed the small pile upon the dash of the ship's control panel to release a heavy sigh. Now she felt as if someone beat her thoroughly with a bat, and with her leg lifted upon the seat of the chair to press against her chest, she leaned to the side a bit while resting her elbow against the armrest to drop her forehead into the palm of her hand. Questions.... if she had any questions.... After struggling through her chaotic thoughts, Shade rubbed her forehead for a bit before raising her weary hues to face Raven again. It was a bit startling to see him with new eyes, yet it was a truth that felt so easy to accept, now that she calmly took everything in. From the very beginning, whatever situation or mission the two found themselves forced into together, it often felt as if they were of the same mind, or reading each other's minds. Although their battle skills were a stark contrast against each other, their tactics, their determination, their ability to strive through the odds were equally matched. Two peas in a pod, so to speak. Even their foul dispositions.


By this time, her throat had clenched so tight for so long trying to hold back her emotions that her voice cracked when she spoke. "Seems to me, you would be the one with the questions, Raven. Isn't that what your journal is full of? Granted, the main question was answered, but now that you know, I would think you may want to know more about them...." Her throat constricted again as she swallowed against the rise of tears at one single, solitary thought. "They.... how they would've fought for you...if they knew... died even, if that's what it took...." Now the previous rage was mounting against the entirety of it all. "....How they would've.... cherished and loved you, as they did me..." Her other hand gripped fiercely into the other armrest as if clutching onto her sense of control in the same manner. Then a most unexpected question fell from her lips. One she never perceived before speaking it. "Will there ever come a time when things are made right?" Shade didn't expect an answer. But her heart simply wanted to release just a fraction of pain to the one person who would never find her weak for it.

Raven leaned against the door frame leading into the cockpit while Shade read. He studied her with calm eyes as she pushed through the material. He could tell that it was a struggle to do for her and it caused him a pang of regret bringing it back up. He knew she would want to know about it, though, and this may be the only chance they got to go over it. Besides, this was also probably the safest place to talk about it. Up in the sky and all alone, this place was perfect to counter those who would want to listen in on either of their conversations. Perfect for keeping this their own secret.

But as Shade struggled to get through it, Raven became worried. He honestly didn't know how she was going to react to the contents of the Journal. The thought scared the crap out of him. His mind flashed back to how she had first reacted in her office, how she screamed and called him a liar. He couldn't deal with that again, not when Shade was the only one he felt he could trust right now. If she snapped he didn't know what he would do. He didn't know what he could do. As much as he hated to admit it, and he truly hated relying on anyone, he needed her right now. She was the only thing keeping him from just throwing himself at every challenge until his body submitted. Her and the slim chance that his family still lived.

When Shade finished and curled up in the chair, Raven breathed a sigh of relief. He was expecting either a blast of anger annd a wash of sorrow. Instead, he received a calm frustration. He could deal with that. When Shade asked him if he was the one who had questions, Raven's face twisted, trying to find the right way to word the question. "I guess the only true question I still have is probably the hardest for you to answer. I know you were very little at the time that they... disappeared," Raven refused to say died. He never saw any proof that they were infact dead and knew from his own experience with his family that death has its ways of being cheated. "But the only thing I really want to know is... What were they like? I understand if you can't tell me, because of any reason. I know it's a lot to ask, but that's what I'd like."

Then Shade went on with her half choked explanation of them, trying to reasure him of their love. Raven never had to deal with Shade like this. He really didn't know what to do with her. He didn't like seeing her this vulnerable almost as much as he figured she hated being vulnerable. He was never good with these things, but he would try, for her sake and for the sake of his own sanity.

He stepped closer as she asked if everything was ever going to be ok and Raven entertained the thought of jokingly saying, "It will get easier when we die," but thought better of it. Even if he made jokes at the wrong times a lot, he still had enough common sense to know when it wasn't appropriate. Instead, he crouched down infront of her and said, "Well, I don't think I inherited the ability to see the future to be able to tell you, but this much I do know: I will keep fighting until we reach a point where it may be possible. And who knows? Maybe now that I know I have the ability to help with these portals, we may be much closer than we think."

There came a subtle blanket of numbness that seemed to settle over Shade by this point, and a calm she graciously welcomed. Only the hum of the airship's engines could be heard between them as she let his words of hope sink in. Hearing them even brought a faint, rare lift to the corner of her lips. She allowed her gaze to drift away from his for a moment while allowing that hope to toy with what possibilities came to mind; something Shade never dared to do. It was waste to get one's hopes up, especially since she was thrown from her from her own dimension, but then a thought came across her mind that struck her hard with optimistic reality. Had Shade never been thrown off course, and for this long? She never would have met Raven, let alone discover he was her brother.


Looking back to the piercing green hues, it also made her realize how much more was at stake. Even if there was a possibility.... to anything.... nothing was worth loosing Raven to achieve it. With a short sigh and nod, Shade left the talk of portals at that for now. There was still alot Raven didn't know about that would prove a risk to himself. And if his family was indeed alive, she wasn't about to see him torn away from them again either.


So instead, she spoke of what he asked for. "You know... they were really wonderful.... not just for what they did before we were born, but.... " Odd.... for the first time since their death, Shade found no pain or bitterness for revenge when speaking of their parents now. Perhaps... it was because she was sharing with someone who understood, or the fact that Raven was a part of them too. "Father remained the same fierce fighter he was even after the Sorceress war, but when that part of his life was over for the day, he was completely different the moment he came home.... I swear.... his amount of patience was impeccable, Raven. Especially with me...." Her memories drifted back to certain events as a child that even she was far too embarrassed to ever admit, let alone tell Raven about.


"Now, mother had patience as well, but she..... she had this amazing gullible quality that always believed everyone was good hearted and honest. Thankfully, father's usual cynical eye saved her gracious nature from being taken advantage of..." After the brief recollecting, Shade's gaze veered back to Raven's with the tremendous urge to ask about his own. But as her lips parted for the words, she couldn't bear to bring herself to ask. She remembered how he struggled to simply answer if she had a niece or nephew, and she didn't want to risk bringing back that painful reminder. Instead, Shade clamped her mouth tight and waited to see if he has any further questions.

Raven silently listened to Shade as she explained their parents to him. How she spoke of themm made them sound amazing, but Raven wondered how amazing they would have been if they would've had to of dealt with him. Would they have kept the same cool with a kid like him? Thinking back to his own childhood, Raven recalled all the problems he caused for his other parents. He still believed that he was the reason they separated. They just couldn't deal with the pressures of a child who always caused problems.

What Raven didn't realize, though, was that him and his sister were more alike than they thought. With her childhood parents and most of her friends gone, Shade was alone in the world. With his father dead at his own hands, his brother killed in the war, and his mother in the middle of who knows where, Raven was in a similar boat. Then when his family was taken from him, he became even more alone. But not now. Now he had a crutch. Now they both had someone who could be there when the other needed them. And Raven was too headstrong to realize it.

Instead,, he focused on Shade. He knew this was a tremendous step forward for her. He knew she never opened up to anyone. He knew because it was the exact same reason he did the same. Because if you let someone in and open up to them, then when they betray you or disappear it only hurts ten times as much. Raven had been kicked that way his whole life, so he understood her struggle, especially with all she had gone through.

His green eyes studied her as she spoke. She seemed to be in a tranquil state as she recalled them. It was a side of Shade that Raven had never seen, and he thought he might be one of the few. Her worry lines fell away and her body relaxed. For once, she seemed at peace and Raven smiled inwardly, she needed this more often. He was going to make sure she got to that time where she could be that way without worrying about anything, even if it meant he would die for it to happen.

But then she clamped up all of the sudden. She seemed like she wanted to say more, but was contemplating it. Like it was a delicate butterfly that landed on her hand and she didn't want to make a move or she would scare it away. Raven went to ask her what she wanted, but quickly clamped his own mouth shut. If she really wanted the answer, she would ask herself.

Raven's mind began to wander among all the new information in the silence. He went over what Shade had said about their parents mull over in his mind's eye. And a thought struck him like an anvil to the head. Raven rocked back on his heels and plopped down in the pilot's chair next to Shade. He stared off towards the back of the airship for a moment, lost in thought. When he came to, he looked at Shade, his eyes searching in her's for the right way to say what he had in mind. He spoke in a low self-loathing voice as he said, "You know... when I saw... him for the first time, he was defending you. He was fighting a war to save your life and I didn't think twice about him. I had no clue who he was, so he was just another soldier to me...." Raven looked away, not able to look Shade in those piercing grey orbs while he uttered the next part. "I... I could have done more. Shade I could've done more to help him but I didn't. I stood there and watched like a helpless child. Shade, I could have saved him..." Raven kept his head turned away from Shade, hidning the fact that his eyes were near exploding with water. Raven never cried. He wouldn't let her see these.

Again, the silence.


Shade's gaze lingered upon Raven for a few moments, unsure of what to say at this point since she found her own questions choking within her throat. She knew this was just as hard for him as it was for her, and wished like hell she knew of some way to make things right. Finally, she decided to get up and pace a bit due the awkward silence now lingering between them. While rubbing the back of her neck to hopefully ease the mounting tension, she so happened to tilt her head and catch a rather odd look across Raven's face before he slumped into the pilot's seat as if someone hit him across the chest. She simply paused in her movements and silently watched Raven's face closely as he was obviously struggling with something in his mind.


His next words froze Shade's heart to a chilling stand still.....


Her eyes widened slightly at his unexpected confession.... Sure, the moogle doll proved Raven had found her at some point, but he was actually there.... he saw..... Her heart immediately hammered against her chest with such velocity, Shade nearly believed it would knock her on her knees. It was yet another blow Shade never saw forthcoming, yet there no sense of panic as before when Raven first presented his discoveries to her in the office. And when he spoke again.... she could hear, as well as see what he was doing to himself. The very same self blame Shade had beaten herself with for so long. At first, Shade couldn't move a single muscle as so much more ran through her mind like a maddening hurricane she had no control over.


But one thought alone stood out. This wasn't Raven. He was always sturdy under any amount of pressure. Always sensible. Always strong. Always knew what to do in any given situation. And it wasn't so much seeing him this way that scared her. It was the fact that as much as Shade hated to admit any form of weakness, she needed him to be the strong one through this. She had been alone fighting against her own demons for so long, that she knew she couldn't face up to all of this by herself, nor did she want to loose him to such self loathing. Biting down on her bottom lip, Shade approached him with trepidatious steps and slowly lowered herself to one knee in front of him. Her gaze was steady, and surprisingly to her, so was her voice. "Raven.... listen to me. Don't do that. I'm begging you not to blame yourself. Her hand rested on his knee in hopes her words were getting through to him. "You just told me not to do the same to myself. How can you do the very same thing when you were at a time that was out of your hands? Out of your control?"


Her eyes were silently imploring, even if she was unaware of it. She promised him she would never fail him. She was going to start on that promise right now. She knew deep down he felt defeated in a way that couldn't be placed into words, but Shade knew it all too well for what it was. "If you find it too hard to believe in the hope that your family still lives.... then I'll hope for you, Raven." She swore she would never place such a thing on anything ever again, but this.... they both needed this hope now. And she would hope enough for her brother if he needed it, to see him through this mission.

Raven hated himself. Why the hell did he bring that up? It did nothing but make both of them hurt more and him look weak. If it wasn't for Shade kneeling before him, he would have probably slapped himself. This was definitely not him. He did not talk about these things with anyone. He did not allow anyone to see this. It went against everything he stood for. But something kept yanking at him to keep talking. To keep releasing all of those little fears he had, all of those pent up memories that terrorized him in the night. He wanted nothing more than to open the floodgate and let it all out, but he woudn't. He wasn't going to dump on Shade. He didn't want her to bear his crosses for him. Those crosses were too big for anyone to carry.

He listened to her words and blinked away the tears. She was right, he had to stop this. This crying and complaining about what he could have done was useless. All that was in the past, done with. If he dwelled upon it for too long, he would get lost and too many people were counting on him for that to happen. All of those inocents that died, his own family, they were all waiting for him to carry out their vengence. He couldn't let them down. He couldn't let Shade down...

She had been shaky since he had first given her the news. He knew this was extremely hard for her to take in and that his continuation wasn't helping at all. She seemed frazzled by his actions and somewhat aloof. Raven understood perfectly, fpr even if she won't admit it, they were the same and Raven was gong through the same thing. But it was different for him. He was supposed to be the big brother. He was supposed to be the light in the darkness for her and yet she was the one giving him comforting words? No, he wouldn't stand for it.

Raven stood up out of the chair. "Save your hope for something real. I watched them die with my own two eyes. In fact, I don't even know why we are going..." A slight lie. Raven knew exactly why they were going. Because no matter how much he told himself that they were dead, so long as there is a chance of them being alive, Raven would go to the ends of the worlds for them.

"But I guess we're about to find out..." Raven punched the manual release and the autopilot shutters pulled back, revealing the thralling metropolis of Eden. The ship headed straight for the Sanctum's large building in the center of the city. "Welcome to Eden. Home of the scum of the world"

Raven sat down in the pilot's seat and steered the craft straight into one of the hangars in the Sanctum palace. Just as the landing gear touched down, twenty armed guards came out of a nearby door and surrounded the craft. Raven turned to Shade before grabbing his guns and heading toward the back of the craft. [color]"Well, let's go see if we can find you your in-laws."[/color]

The cargo door on the Kestrel began to open...

How Shade knew that look so well. She did the very same to herself when memories got the best of her at times, but she chose to remain silent, allowing Raven to collect himself just like she knew he would. Yet she was slightly startled when Raven shot out of the chair so fast to stand back up. So, she too slowly rose up to face him and take in his words, yet she found no discouragement in them as most might. Her eyes narrowed upon him a bit with a faint lift across her lips, knowing exactly what Raven was doing, for she would do the same so many times before when faced with a painful moment her heart refused to cope with. Dive right back into business and buckle down like they both knew how to do. Practically reading his mind, Shade said nothing more as she approached the panel to stand beside him and view this Eden he welcomed her to with a voice of scorn.


Her eyes couldn't help but widen at the site. Yet another world so unfamiliar to her, but Shade soon discovered they weren't landing on the ground, but upon some floating city in the sky. There was no time for questions, seeing as they were about to land, so Shade swiftly turned and grabbed the files along with Raven's journal and quickly returned them to his bag, then back under the console where he previously had it stashed. By the time she had her Gryphon strapped onto her arm, she was back beside him working on the buckles when Raven broke the silence again. This was the Raven she knew...


Her fingers slipped into the triggers beneath the prod of her weapon, and the faint turbo whine could be heard as the chosen mag of arrows was slipped into the mechanism for the first round to slam into their appointed slots. "Damn right we will," she sneered toward the door as it began to open. The adrenaline now coursed through her veins with vengeance, and without warning, Shade went into form. She wasn't taking any chances with a mission that involved family, nor was she about to hold back. With a resounding snap of her wings, Shade shot her arm out straight and prepared to aim. "No one's fucking with this family anymore..."


Whether it pissed Raven off or not, she snapped her fingers for her Mighty Guard spell to encase them. Not only would it give added protection, but it gave both of them more speed against the multitude of adversaries outside awaiting them. And once the airship door opened wide enough, Shade was soaring straight out with her steel arrows raining down with lightning to not only pierce through whatever armor they wore, but to shock them into oblivion as well. She remained airborn to better aid Raven upon the ground and watch his back while still firing upon what fools dared to fire up at her. After her full mag of 30 arrows were spent, the prod section shot off, spinning through the air like a blade boomerang to take out yet another soldier by the chest, then come twirling back toward Shade. She changed her direction in order to shift the direction the prod took upon return in order to take out another from behind. As it slammed back onto the stock strapped to her arm, Shade looked for Raven's position once again.

Raven took a breath in as Shade became over-enthusiastic about what they were about to do. While Raven did enjoy a good fight once and a while and was eager to try and find his family, he did not like putting people who didn't need to fight, hurt. That was exactly what Shade was in this situation, and considering what he had drug her through in the past, Raven was regretting telling her about what he had to do. He didn't want to see her hurt over a fight that would probably end in disappointment.

Raven quickly shook his head to clear those thoughts. Shade was a big girl, she could take care of herself. Even if Raven hadn't told her about the fact that it was about his family, she most likely would have chased him along here anyway. Besides, just like what he was just telling himself, all of that was in the past. There was going to be no changing it now. Raven had no choice but to continue on and try hiss best to protect her.

The door was just about open and Raven drew his pistol. Shade cast the mighty guard over them and Raven opened his mouth to protest, bbut closed it. I guess I should get used to that now considering what I am. Raven watched as Shade went into form. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as the door slammed down to make a ramp and all of the men outside raised their guns to face them. While she retained that raging demeanor, the form seemed to soften her. It cast a sense of calm determination over her instead of the steaming anger she had a moment ago. Raven was taken slightly aback by this and continued to watch her as she shot out of the Kestrel, spooking the guards into firing.

Raven didn't notice until it was too late. The only thought going through his head was I failed, I came all the way here only for me to never know. But Raven wasn't going to go without a fight. Just as the first of the bullets wwere about to reach the Kestrel, Raven instinctively threw up his arms in a sweeping motion in front of himself. Somehow, that was all it took. A wall of fire erupted in the doorway in front of Raven, stopping the bullets.

Staring at the wall, Raven saw the visage of a lion swirling in the flames. The lion seemed to beckon him forward and Raven found himself reaching up with his hand to touch the wall. The flames became attracted to his hand, pulling away from the wall and reaching out to touch him. The flames did not burn him like he expected, instead they felt cool to the touch. The flames grabbed a hold of him and pulled him through the wall, sending him out into the world and refreshing him.

Born again through fire, Raven surveyed the field. Shade was flying high in the hangar and firing a hail of arrows down on all the guards, who must have thought the fire took care of Raven, because they were all focused on her. Raven coouldn't have that. He charged up to one of the guards that were firing at her, but didn't realize that he was much faster now. He collided with the man, sending the guard flying across the hangar and taking out a few other guards before crashing into the wall in a heap of broken bones and armor.

Raven looked down at his hands in disbelief. Did he just do that? Putting his gun away, Raven drew his knife and dove towards the nearest guard. He struck the knife down where the shoulder and the neck met and could hear the audible snap of bone crunching beneath the blow. His other hand reached down and grabbed the man's hand that cluthed the assault rifle that was just being used against his sister. He twisted the man's arm up and heard another snap before he forced the man to fire on his own teammates. A few rounds found purchase in the backs of his comrades. Some turned around to fire at him while the others continued to fight Shade. The man tthatRaven had as a shield protected him from most of the bullets, but those that got through were swatted away by the swirling flames. He continued to fire until all of the guards were dead.

Raven looked up at Shade through golden eyes. "looks like I saved your ass this time." he tossed the now dead and broken man's body across the hangar with a crash. He walked toward the only door leading out of the hangar and punched the keypad. The door began to open, but stopped maybe five inches off the ground. Raven frowned and looked around for something to force it open. While he did, though, more guards came to the door. One summoned a behemoth and the giant creature crashed through the door, sending it flying. Raven turned just in time to see the large slab of metal crash into him. He flew across the room only to stand up again and face the behemoth flanked by ten more guards. Oh yes, this was going to be easy...