The sun was sinking fast over the horizon. It lit up the western sky, beautiful, orange fading into blood red, then to purple, and into the blackness of space. The stars were visible in the eastern sky, as well as both of the planet's moons. They were so beautiful on nights like these. It was rare that both of the moons were full at the same time. Much less in such beautiful alliance.

Kamui couldn't help but realize how beautiful the moons were. Of course, Raven-Chan was too concerned with his surroundings. He had never seen the Seaside Pub from the sky, so he had to look hard along the coast for it. All of the docks looked so much alike from here.

"Damn!"

"Something wrong, Raven-Chan?" Kamui asked. He was flying, not really paying attention. Just following his friend. He would have to change that soon. Airships weren't just for the rich and powerful anymore.

He sighed at the thought.

"I'm trying to find the Pub!" Raven-Chan said, obviously frustrated and some what upset.

You're trying to hard," Kamui stated firmly. "You should be more relaxed. Look at the moon." Kamui made a slight nod. "Isn't it so beautiful."

Raven-Chan looked up and, for the first time that night, saw the full beauty of the two moons. Alpha and Omega. The two moons that were so beautiful slight so deadly intertwined with the planet. Alpha was full, and shining it's full, brilliant tint of white-blue. Omega was also full, and it's bright orange blending in with the blue tint form Alpha. The light met in the thin space between them, making a beautiful, almost violet glow.

Raven-Chan looked back down, breaking his gaze from the moons. His heart may be hard, but his mind still saw beauty.

"There it is," Raven-Chan stated, as he looked down and saw the familiar squat building.

Kamui and Raven-Chan landed outside of the small pub. Their feet touched softly as they landed. They looked up at the sign. Same old sign. Three years, and she still hadn't got that old bear to change the sign. It was still here.

The door was only about 6 feet tall, if that. The roof was only a few centimeters higher. On the outside, it looked as if no one could be comfortable in there. But the marvel was inside.

The Pub was two levels, the bottom level under ground, and the top level only came slightly down into the ground. Toward the back, the top level was almost four feet off the ground, and the pub hosted its own dock. It was the most popular and unique pub in the countryside.

Raven-Chan walked into the door, his height of five foot seven inches easily going under the door. Kamui followed behind him. They walked down a set of spiraled stairs, to the floor of the top level. The floor was still hardwood. No carpeting. That was how it should be, Raven-Chan decided. The bar was in the center, where it had always been. There were spiral steps that led down to the bottom level. Raven-Chan had been down there many a time. Down into the pit.

"Darin!" A young woman hollered across the bar. She came running across the floor, running toward Raven-Chan. She had long, jet black hair, pale skin, and a fair body. She was wearing a white halter top and a black skirt. Her eyes were a sharp green. She ran, and jumped at Raven-Chan. Not missing a beat, Raven-Chan caught her in his arms, hugged her, and let her down to her feet. She was a bit smaller then Raven-Chan when she stood flat on her feet. It was Carmilla.

"So you came back," She said, looking up at his eyes. She saw something different then usual in those eyes, but it was still her friend, Darin. He had been closer then a brother to her, and it didn't matter. "And Ryo's back, too!" She hugged Kamui as well, and looked up at him. "I'm glad you to are back." She said. It was as if she had been waiting for him.

"I couldn't leave you for good," Raven-Chan said. "Couldn't let you down like that."

"Yeah, well," She started. "There's something different about you two, isn't there?" She looked at both of them closely. Then, she looked at their ears. "You pierced your ears," She stated. She had noticed the earring in Raven-Chan's left ear. It was a silver ring that held blue orb at the bottom of the loop. Kamui had a black orb embedded in his ear. As she looked up as Kamui's eyes. They were black; not the beautiful green she had always loved.

"Ryo? What's wrong with your eyes?" She had a genuine concern in her voice.

"Don't worry about that right now," Raven-Chan said. He was now starting to worry her. "Right now, we need to find Neo. Is he around?"

"He comes in here everyday. He's over there at the bar. He's having a drink. Why do you need him?"

Raven-Chan turned his head and looked at the bar. Sure enough, he was there, having a glass of Kupo Wine. That stuff was about the most disgusting new drink, in Raven-Chan's opinion. Fermented Kupo Nuts weren't the new thing, Raven-Chan had decided.

"Come over here with us," He said. "We're going to need to talk with both of you." Raven-Chan and Kamui walked over to the bar, Carmilla walking between them. Neo turned his head, and saw them coming. He took a sip of his drink, stood, and met them at the bar.

"Raven-Chan. Kamui. It's good to see you two."

"Raven-Chan? Kamui? what are you talking about? What's going on?"

"We'll explain," Raven-Chan said. The crono-mancer standing in front of him was only five years older then Raven-Chan, who was still only 19 himself, but he could sense that Neo was much older. The times were taking there toll on Neo. Times were passing him by, and he knew that inside, Neo was older then any man in the bar. The inventions, the innovations. All the new thoughts and ideas. Everything was taking it's toll on him. He wouldn't be around much longer.

"Neo," Kamui said, intent on getting the conversation over with. He didn't like feeling the crono-mancer's power fade and die in front of him. At this rate, he thought, the guy would be dead next week. "We have a mission."

"But I thought that STRIKE was retired" Carmilla said. It had been five years since she and her friends had been mercenaries for hire. They had teamed up since they had been hired by the king of Mormegil had hired them to assassinate the Queen of Aelia. They had gotten the job done, but only after losing one of their own. Now, the queens older daughter had taken the throne. Her young sister obviously wasn't happy. She as to be queen. But when her mother died, she was not old enough. So her sister had taken the throne.

"The queen needed our help." Raven-Chan said. "She knows we killed her mother, but she doesn't hold a grudge. She only wants to stop this Industrial Revolution. She's afraid for the planet. I could care less, but... It's our job."

"But why did you take it? We didn't need the job." Carmilla was trying to make sense of all of this.

"65,000,000 Gil," Kamui said simply. "With that, we could buy our own land. Our own land. Build up a place for refugees. You know how much you've always wanted people like ourselves to have a place."

"You mean... those who can acquire Trance?" Carmilla was starting to see now.

"Yes. Everyone sees us as freaks. Kamui and I ended up killing a bar full of people to escape. A bar full of innocent."

"The queen doesn't know we can reach Trance. If she did, we'd be hanging in the gallows." Kamui knew that for a fact. He had feared for his life, afraid he would be found out as he kneeled before the queen.

"But what's the thing with your names? Raven-Chan and Kamui? I mean, are you hiding something? Darin Angle? Ryo Sisara? Aren't those your names?"

"You know the legend of my family," Raven-Chan began softly. "The legend says, 'And a raven will descend from the sky, and his power will bring destruction to everything it touches.'"

Carmilla stood still, looking at him in wonder.

"You mean the legend is true? You're the Raven?" She was beginning to fear for him. "What about your Trance? I remember your hair would grow long and blue, and your eyes would shine brighter? Does that still happen?"

"Black Angel wings," raven-Chan stated. "My eyes glow dark blue...I use black magic." Raven-Chan looked at her, almost sad, and she saw her friend Darin in his eyes.

"What about Kamui?"

"I was saved by Raven-Chan," he said. "I was killed by an angry gang of men. My Trance was going, and I was fighting, but when my power broke, they overwhelmed me. Raven-Chan used his dark magic. This earring... He used it to get the magic through me."

"What about your Trance?"

Kamui looked away from Carmilla.

"He doesn't want to talk about that," Neo stated. He knew what had happened.

"Okay," Carmilla said. "I'll go get my gear."

"You carry a gun?" Neo motioned to the revolver.

"I picked it off some guy I killed. I didn't want to kill him. I've been meaning to get rid of it." Raven-Chan held the gun in his hand, and in a moment, all that was in his hands were black ashes. he dropped them to the floor.

"So," Neo said as Carmilla walked away, "I knew you were coming. I signed you up for the next pit fight, Darin."

Darin looked at Neo.

"You want me to fight?" It had been a while since Raven-Chan had fought in the pit.

"That's what I'm saying," Neo retorted calmly. Then he added, "You'll be fighting Rio. The guys huge. Bigger then he used to be. If I were you, I'd watch my back."

"Fine. I'll fight."

Raven-Chan had watched down the stairs. Everyone was watching him. Neo. Carmilla. Kamui. only his father wouldn't be here to see his first victory...

Darin stood at the edge of the pit. He was only twelve, but he would be able to fight now. He stood in the middle of the pit. The sweat running down his chest gleamed in the spotlights.

"You can do it son! Make out family proud!" His father was cheering him on from the side of the pit.

His opponent stepped into the ring. The referee made them lace their left hands together. He tied them together, tight and secure. The only object of the fight was to knock your opponent out. Of course, you were bound together at the wrist, and all it was a human dog fight.

The fighting began as soon as the bell rang out. Darin punched into the man's gut. The man grabbed his hand, pulled it away, and slammed Darin into the brick wall. He then pounded his head into the wall, again and again. Then, pulling Darin away from the wall, he planted his knee firmly into the young man's stomach. Darin folded, out of breath and fell to the floor. The man then kicked him in the face. The knock out blow.

He fought in the pit once a month for a year and half. He always lost. He met Neo, Ryo, and Carmilla this way. His last fight was on his fourteenth birthday. He was knocked unconscious in three swift blows. The man then mutilated his face, breaking his jaw, and his left cheekbone. After the fight, his father took him home, and broke the other cheekbone. That's when Darin left. And he, Carmilla, Ryo and Neo formed STRIKE.

Raven-Chan stood in the familiar pit, ready to fight. The light once again gleamed off his chest. I heard the muttered talking. Carmilla held his jacket and shirt by the gate, waiting for him to win the battle.

The opponent came out with the Referee. Cheers came from the crowd. A commentator stated from the bar. "The returning champion, Rio, faces off with the returning fighter, Darin the Raven!"

The referee tied their hands together, and went from the pit. The bell rang out, and it was time.

The large man, Rio, punched straight at Raven-Chan's face. Raven-Chan dodged, and returned a punch in the gut. Rio, breathless, began reared back for another punch. and got an elbow in the jaw. This just made the large man even angrier. He punched Raven-Chan in the temple, a huge cut appearing in his forehead.

Raven-Chan could no longer hold his anger. His earring flamed up, as did his eyes. He held back the urge for Trance, and began to administer a swift beating to the man. He punched the man, fast, three solid hits before the man could move. Blood began to stream from Rio's nose and mouth. Raven-Chan planted his knee in Rio's gut, then dropped his elbow on the man's shoulder. The man crumbled. Raven-Chan picked him up, and slammed him into the wall. He then jumped, breaking the man's left arm to do so. He brought hid knee around, and slammed it into the man's face. It broke the man's jaw, and he fell to the floor, unconsious.

Raven-Chan, Kamui, and Neo stood on the landing abovethe dock. They were looking out over the sea, the light from the two moons, casting beautiful reflections. They stood, silent. They saw lights from a ferry. Obviously, someone was coming to the Pub. Raven-Chan looked closer.

"Looks like there's some trouble on that ferry," Raven-Chan said. "There are about three gaurds looking around. One of them's raising hell on a girl over there. I think I'll go check it out."

So, Raven-Chan pushed lightly into the air, and began to fly down to the ferry.