16 Tides of Sorrow

Inside the cruiser's cockpit, Issac and the others all had taken seats inside, as it was heading to it's destination, on autopilot. Issac was looking out the window, lost in thought.

"(Why am I still here? Everyone else is falling like flies, I should have been the one who died, not them... I hate this feeling, letting myself get close with the others. What if they get hurt or die?)" Issac thought, glancing to Barret and the girls, he looked back off to the window.

"(You wish to die, but as we said. We won't let you. It's not your time... yet.)" Whispers of the dark dama crawled in his mind.

"(You don't get it... It's just going to make things more agonizing... I thought allies, innocent people... but I feel like things are getting worse... Do I really have a reason to keep my heart beating?... They're better off without me anyway... I wish I never let Barret know about this struggle... I'm better off alone... keeping this to myself...)" Issac thought, his depression sinking in.

"(Then leave them. You could do so much on your own. Think about it, the things the two of us can do. Forget them, let us help you. That is what you desire, isn't it Issac?)" Spoke the menacing whispers in his mind.

"(Stop... This war with myself needs to end... I... I don't think I'm winning anymore... The suffering... It needs... to stop... I don't really have a purpose, so why should I prolong this pain?)" Issac thought to himself. "(I put up with so much as it is, but things haven't changed much since... I ran away...)"

"(It's futile, you won't die. Not as long as we're in control.)" Replied the whispering darkness of his mind.

"(Leave me alone... Dark dama is supposed to kill me. So kill me.)" Issac thought, replying to the dark dama. "(Nothing matters...)"

"(You will live, because you wish to die... Think about the thrills you get from those near death experiences. Like how you enjoy playing hero. Is that the only way you feel alive?)" The whispers cackled.

"(Go away.)" Issac insisted to it.

"Hey Blue, everything alright in there? You're really quiet." Cynder crouched next to him, on the seat, looking to Issac.

Issac jumped slightly, leaving his mental thoughts. "I-I'm fine. Don't sneak up on me like that." Issac gawked.

Cynder smirked, devilishly. "I'm sorry, I had no idea you were such a scaredy cat." She teased.

"I-I am not." Issac crossed his arms, looking off. "(You know nothing about me... Not really...)"

Cynder climbed behind his chair, sitting on the head rest, as she leaned forward slightly, as she hovered over Issac. "So. How come Blondie is more talkative than you are, eh?"

"I don't know. (It's not easy to keep this charade... I know exactly why. Barret's more confident with himself, and he's used to making friends, and being around others. He's pretty upbeat and positive, while I fain it...)" Issac sighed.

Cynder grabbed his cheek, stretching it out, as she leaned over his shoulder. "Come on Blue, don't you want to get to know me more?"

"(I really hate opening up to people... They just don't let up... Just leave me alone...)" Issac groaned.

"Cynder. Stop pestering him, for this constant behavior, you get to stay behind, and watch the cruiser, while we seek out Luklen." Myde scolded from across the cockpit.

"That's not fair!" Cynder grumbled.

"Learn your lesson, and next time you won't be punished." Myde raised a brow.

"Fine." Cynder narrowed her eyes, jumping to the ground, to take a seat from a distance of the others.

Issac glanced off again. "(I want to be alone... but I hate feeling lonely... Is this really worth it... living? Maybe I should have taken that missed opportunity while I had the chance...)"

"Hmm, I feel we'll be arriving soon, I can already spot some of the ocean. " Barret says, shifting his hand over his face to block out the sun a little. "Now, not to sound odd, but you guys are okay with water, right?"

"You need not be concerned about us, we may be cat,s but that does not imply we have issues with water." Myde mentioned, looking to Barret.

"Speak for yourself, water dampens my fire." Cynder groaned.

"Well, you're not leaving the vessel anyway. So stop complaining." Myde replied.

Cynder stuck out her tongue, in irritation. Issac glanced over to them talking, remaining silent, "(All that water....)" He seemed uneasy in thought.

"Well alright." Barret says, adding in a laugh. "I didn't mean it that way though, Myde. I'm sorry. How about you, Issac?" Barret says, turning to him slightly.

Issac looked over, gawking slightly. "Uh, what? (this wasn't what I had in mind when I said I 'wanted to die'...)" He asked, anxiously.

"Are you okay with water?" Barret responded to Issac in a lazy manner.

"Uhh...." Issac rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I sort of... well... can't... swim..."

"..." Barret rubs his hair. "Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea for you to go then. It could get out of hand..." Barret states, keeping his eyes ahead of them.

"Then he can stay behind with me." Cynder sing-songed.

"Last thing we need is you making kittens. No. I think we should make him go along, if he falls in, he can learn how to swim. You're too easy on him Barret." Myde suggested.

"..." Cynder grumbled.

"Wait.. a sec...uh.." Issac grew more uneasy. "(Too easy on me?! The guy's been giving me grief since we met, he's only recently simmered down..)"

"Well it's just...urgh, well, Issac? If anything happens, I can help you out, okay? It is good for us to have more feet on the ground." Barret explained.

"But.... (crap... Why does it have to be water?..)" Issac gritted his teeth.

"A real warrior wouldn't let something as simple as water hold them back. If everyone let handicaps restrain them, then the war is already over. Didn't your commanders teach you anything in this regards?" Myde crossed her arms.

"I..." Issac tried to talk. "(She's so harsh...)"

"Myde, you're way too military sometimes. If he can't swim I'll go in his place, since you already said I can't watch him." Cynder suggested.

"No. You aren't getting out of punishment. Stand down." Myde looked to Cynder.

"Hard ass." Cynder glared.

"Answer stands." Myde looked sharply over.

"Hmph. No wonder Cecil broke up with you." Cynder provoked.

"Don't even go there, he never did such thing." Myde snapped.

"Fine, let everyone hate you. Not like I care." Cynder groaned.

Barret sighs to himself. "(Wait, is Myde taken?) Calm down ladies. We're nearly there, okay? I believe we all can use a little fresh air."

"You mean you guys. She's locking me to the ship." Cynder muttered.

"This is exactly why I told Luklen we shouldn't be partnered up." Myde held her temples.

"You just want Cecil to be on your team." Cynder growled.

"He is far more mature than you." Myde snapped.

Issac sighed, biting his lip. "(I'm not looking forward to this. She won't even let me talk... She's worse than Barret when it comes to things...)"

They soon arrive at the drop point. Barret stands up, looking to the others. "Okay, here we are. So you said your commander should be around here?" Barret questioned to Myde.

"Correct. He should be somewhere in this area." Myde acknowledged. "We should get to seeking him out then. Cynder, stay here."

Cynder groaned, "Fine."

Barret opens the door leading out to the beach. He hops out ahead of Issac and Myde. He then turns to them, and folds his arms. "Okay, let's stay close together. Issac? I don't want you getting too close to the water, alright?"

"Hey, I don't want to be close to it. You don't need to tell me that, I got it." Issac held up his hands. "(I rather not go out that way... Choking isn't fun..)"

"Are humans usually this feeble?" Myde looked to Barret.

"It depends. We come in all different types. Though Issac has his reasons. Right now, let's focus on getting to your commander." Barret states, walking ahead of them.

"You might need to follow me then. You don't have a Ferline's sense of smell." Myde suggested.

Issac looked off, "(That sea air smells way more salty than I remember... I must be loosing it...)" He sighed. "(Those heightened senses... Urgh...)"

"(Why don't we take a swim?)" The Dark Dama inquired.

Issac gawked, "(No-no-no-no-no-NOOOOO! Leave me alone... Eh...)" Issac held his ears.

Myde looked to him raising a brow.

The Dark Dama takes hold of Issac, making him look at the water. Barret turns around to them. "Issac? Myde? Everything okay?" Barret asked to the two.

"(EEEEPPP!)" Issac gritted his teeth.

"Your friend is weird." Myde rolled her eyes.

"Heh...Issac's just a little tired... Come on Issac, okay?" Barret says, forming an uneasy smile.

"(Speak to him...)" The Dark Dama commanded, to Issac.

"I'm fine." Issac lied.

The Dark Dama let's off of Issac, cackling. "(Fun wasn't it?)" The Dama Joked. "(Next time, we shall go closer.)"

"(Stop it...)" Issac replied, uneasily.

Barret and Myde had walked ahead a little more, and Barret turns back to Issac. "Issac? Come on, if you're not feeling to well, though Myde doesn't want it, You can go back to the cruiser."

"Refrain from babying him. He's never going to learn if you do as such." Myde scolded.

"I-I'm coming..." Issac trailed after them, trying to keep away from the water. "(She reminds me of my gym instructor...)" He sighed a bit, following them along the beach.

Barret looks back to Issac nodding, though he still felt really uneasy. He then turns and walks after Myde. They walk passed some ruins, that lay leading out to the ocean. Barret turns his attention to them.

"Hmm, they say at some point in the past, they had a lot of typhoon activity around here. Seems these ruins are more proof. There was a temple that sat right in the center of the ocean." Barret says, explaining. He then panics, "I forgot to bring my notebook!" Barret gasps, as he sighs to himself.

"(He's worried about a notebook, when he's making me more tense... I hate this...)" Issac sighed.

"Fascinating. Seeing how you left it behind, perhaps you should try to remember for later? We should carry on." Myde grabbed Barret's sleeve, to pry him away from the sights.

Barret blushes a bit, getting pulled off with Myde. They continue their trek along the beach, and come to a small tent that was set up. Around the tent were chairs and a lone table. Barret steps beside Myde.

"Hmm, he could be close." Barret says, looking around the tent outside.

The sea water rushes up to the surface a bit, nearly hitting Issac's feet. Issac jumped away from it, fearfully. "...."

"Perhaps. I doubt he would have strayed too far unless he was onto something however." Myde held her chin.

Barret nods, "Alright,hmm." Barret looks back to Issac, and noticed the water. "The tide seems to be coming in. I guess we'll keep looking. Issac? Hang closer to shore, alright? I know, you know, but heh have to watch rip tides, especially around this time." Barret explains.

"I'm trying... (Stop reminding me of how bad it can get... Please?...)" Issac pouted.

"(We like being reminded of it.)" The Dark Dama teased.

"(Leave me alone.)" Issac whimpered.

Myde looked off, "Keep up you two." She said, walking ahead of them.

Barret and Issac follow after Myde, quickly. Now around the beach, a pink haired, armored cat man with wings, was fighting against a slew of Kaos units. Over watching the matter stood a dark skinned woman with pink hair. The cat slashes the heads off many of the robots, making them explode upon impact.

"Such callus actions. You and your organization shall fall!" The male cat yelled to the woman.

"Ho ho ho! Aren't you cute. You know, if you had just placed your weapons down. We could have worked something out. A dashing Ferline like yourself would be wonderful beside me." The woman spoke, to the cat man.

"Pss! You heathen! You dare even consider that ideal!? You are going to surely perish for your incompetence!" The cat growls. He shifts his wings upward, getting ready to fly at the woman.

Issac, Barret and Myde arrive spotting the on going battle.

"Commander!" Myde rushed into battle, forming a duel chained sword-staffs. She swung one end to the mystery woman, without hesitation.

"M-Mydeline? " The cat man's eyes become very bishōnen.

The woman dodges Myde's attack quickly, grinning to her and the other two behind her. "More for the party? My kitty. You know a lot of people... I see two celebrities have made it here as well."

Barret grits his teeth. "(Great, she must work for Kaos!)" Barret thinks nervously.

"(Finally, a distraction... I really need this right now.)" Issac pulled to his power glove.

Myde reaches the commander, kicking up some dirt as she halted. Myde retracted her sword-staffs, holding one in each hand now. "Commander Luke. Are you alright?"

"I am, now that you've showed up, my dear Mydeline. This fiend has been quite a thorn in my side." Luke says, looking to the woman quite distastefully.

"My dear kitty cat. I do have a name...I am Freya. Weapon and tech specialist of the Kaos Empire." Freya stated boastfully, holding a hand to her chest.

"What are you, some crazy cat lady?" Issac called out, forming his saber.

"Oh cutie, I can be more than just a cat lady." Freya joked.

Barret's face turns green. "Issac? You do have limits right?"

Issac gawked, "What?! Are you crazy? She's like old enough to be my mom, plus... I don't have a chubby fetish. Ew." Issac made a face. "(I mean come on dude... Doesn't anyone know the difference between flirting and being classy?)"

"YOU BRAT! If you take a look in the past, all of the greatest works in Terra were based on woman of my caliber. My size is a gift, but that's beside the point! You all are on Kaos property, and that means you get to take a trip back to headquarters..." Freya says, tapping a button on her metallic arm. Behind her appearing out of camouflage, was a huge robotic suit. Freya teleports into the cockpit, and holds a hand to the side of her face. "Ho ho ho! What do you think of this?"

"A fat chick in a suit, is still a fat chick. Just saying." Issac proclaimed.

"SILENCE YOURSELF THIS INSTANT!" Freya shot back to Issac.

"I think she's shaking the beach." Barret says, engaging his sword. Freya's eye twitches to Barret's comment.

Luke grips to his sword firmly keeping a sharp eye on Freya. "Such a heavy burden, come along, let us end this! Then you will give us the information of the whereabouts of our people!"

Freya adjusts a control on the robotic suit, engaging it's weapons. A lone microphone extends from the top of the hatch. "There is one slight thing I forgot to mention... It's not over until the fat lady sings..."

Issac and Barret sweat drop. "She just went there, didn't she?" Issac muttered.

"Yes Issac, sadly she did." Barret says shaking his head.

"Focus. This is a battle field, not a comedy club." Myde scolded.

"(I'm surprised you know what that is.)" Issac groaned a bit.

Freya shoots off some laser bullets their direction. Issac sways out of the way of some of them, and Barret moved quickly too. Myde took this time to run between them. She swings her weapon which hammers the side of Freya's machine. She then pulls back her chain weapon, pulling the machine her way. Issac rushes along the chain, connected to the robot, making way for Freya fast, with Luke and Barret adding in another couple strikes on Freya.

Freya then swings at them quickly, knocking them all back into the sand hard. Freya then hits a button, which creates a digital screen. On the screen was a volume setting to produce a high ear piercing sound on the outside of the robot suit.

"Grr. You nearly had me there dears. But..As said before.." Freya begins to set up the volume. "It's not over until I SING!"

Freya begins to sing opera styled music, horribly into the mic, which starts to shake the beach.

"Turn off the light, and Let it begin.

We'll do our thing, so raise your chin.

Verses you; Verses me

There is such a thing, as Loyalty.

Two of a kind, now and forever.

Don't give up, because it's now or never."

They all drop their knees holding their ears in pain. Myde and Luke's ears, had started to bleed, as well as Issac and Barret's. Freya's singing was getting louder as the waves of the ocean were starting to produce ripples.

"(OH...MY...JOAN...)" Barret groans, trying to press his hands harder into his ears.

"(ARGH!!...)" Issac held his ears, "(WHY... is it... So LOUD?! Opera isn't supposed to sound this awful!!)"

They all held their ears tight, as the audacity of the volume continued. From unseemingly nowhere, a silver bullet blasted passed them, into the glass of Freya's cockpit.

"W-What!?" Freya gasps, her eyes widening. The sound system was now malfunctioning. Ironically it was sending other glitches to parts of the robotic suit. "I tested this! How could one shot just..WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MADNESS!?" Freya demands, panicking.

The others let off their ears finally, and Luke pans his eyes upward. In his blurry sight he could see smoke coming from the cockpit. Luke grins softly.

"Where did that come from?" Issac gawked, looking around. "(Some kind of sharp shooter?!)"

"Urgh, I don't know, but I'm really happy it happened." Barret says, holding his head, he was becoming quite dizzy.

Freya hits the mount of her cockpit. "WHO DID THAT!? ANSWER ME NOW! I'VE WORKED TOO HARD ON THIS!!! And don't you tell me IT WAS MY VOICE!!!!"

On top of a higher peek, a long haired rabbit with white and red hair stood. They wore mostly black, with a back scarf lowing from the sea breeze. heterochromia eyes looked lazily to Freya's machine. The Usa wielded two pistols, linked together by a chain. The sound of music was heard from a pair of ear buds that had sticking from their ears. The mysterious Usa hopped down, looking over. In their mouth was a strawberry. "..."

Freya turns to them. "Who in the? A rabbit!?" Freya says, becoming more annoyed. "You can't tell me...YOU DID THIS!?" Freya says, aiming the robots arm canon at the rabbit.

The rabbit held up both pistols, aiming them to her Machine. A smirk formed after the rabbit had finished the strawberry.

Freya begins to charge her canon. "Smile all you want! I'M GOING TO WIPE IT RIGHT OFF OF -"

A barrage of bullets pelted her machine, without anything said from the rabbit. The machine falls back exploding instantly. Freya is knocked out landing on the sand making quite a lot rise into the air.

Barret's mouth had dropped "That was amazing." Barret looks over to the rabbit. "Miss! You were wonderful!"

The rabbit glances over to Barret, removing an ear bud, "Did you say something?" The rabbit asked, with a manly voice.

"Oh umm good... uhh job." Barret kicks himself. "(Phew that was close but..I'm starting to question myself.)" Barret thought nervously.

Freya shifts up from the sand half of her body suit burned off. She looks to them all scorned. "You...Monsters...I will...NEVER FORGET THIS! You are top priority!" Freya stands to her feet trembling. "Mark my words..I WILL BE BACK!!!!!!" Freya says, the very world around her shaking.

Freya teleports away from them. The rabbit snorted, looking to where Freya was. "Must have had my tunes up too high again." He muttered, taking out his ear buds.

"You didn't hear that ghastly noise screaming in our very ears? Remind me to invest in some of those. " Luke says to the rabbit.

The rabbit glanced over, "Heh? Sorry Lucky, I don't think DBV is quite to your taste buds."

"DBV? You listen to them?" Issac seemed surprised. "(That Death Metal band, that everyone's been raving about since school?...)"

"Yoh, new peeps. Yeah, love their works, right up my alley." The rabbit snickered.

Barret shakes his head. "What's DBV?" Barret questioned the two.

"Bryce used to talk big on them, before all the Kaos propaganda. It's a Death Metal band, Death by Vagina. As crude as that is." Issac smiled uneasily. "(I really don't see the appeal...)"

"That's a horrible name." Barret states in disgust. "But to each their own. We're really happy to have your help, mister...?"

"This is Kirbon Fragum, the assassin of our faction." Myde introduced. "He's a very skilled marksmen."

Kirb put his arm over her shoulder, "Dee-Dee, no need to get so proper." Kirbon teased, glancing to Issac and Barret. "Just call me Kirb, you can drop the mister."

Barret shakes a bit. "I-It's nice to meet you Kirb...(Please don't tell me they're together... but Cynder did mention a guy's name... Cecil I think... It can't be him...)"

"Yeah, you're pretty good with those guns." Issac nodded.

"Oh these Pea-shooters-?" Kirb began, but Myde grabbed Kirb's wrist, twisting it. "Ouch." Kirb laughed.

Luke walks to Kirb and grabs Myde by her hand. "Are you quite okay, my dear?"

Barret jumps in his shoes. "(Oh, come on! How many guys are into her?)"

"What has gotten into you two, you know I'm with Cecil..." Myde pulled away from Luke."Don't either of you ponder why I'm here?"

Barret felt his heart break a little, "(She admitted to it... I guess she's taken then... Oh well.)"

"I was going to ask about the two strangers beside you." Luke said, folding his arms.

"Yeah, as well as where Flamey is." Kirb crossed his arms.

"They're with us. We can discuss this on the way, we have been offered an alliance." Myde explained.

"(There's way too many people falling in here.... I can't stand all these crowds... guess I just need to put up with it for now...)" Issac sighed.