Ayre flew on top of the satellite, feeling weak from the blast her AC, ECHO had just taken.

She now stood onto the giant mechanical sphere. She stood right where she could see everything through the eyes of the previous version of IB-07: SOL 644. Would be known as an "unimproved" version of the one Iguazu or ALLMIND piloted, however it could do more than just turn into a cannon.

She would call it "RESOLUTION."

A shared dream was powering the very wings of this machine. A dream that came from tw minds, linking them together, creating a seemingly unbeatable bond. However, it turns out life is not that simple.

RESOLUTION looked the way down. Seeing him on the very outskirts of the battlefield where ALLMIND was still floating around.

The AC's name read DARK WING. The black was even more darker. It was almost like staring at a black whole, the midnight blue now shining like steel in the dark sky. The device colors had shifted blue, no sign of Coral within the system anymore, no Ayre anymore.

https://youtu.be/QbRbelCsrn4

Her hurt voice spoke softly in 621's mind. "...Raven. I know you can still see it. The voices of the Coral. And yet you turned your back on shared potential... you want to silence us forever."

She then zoomed down towards 621, who dodged with mere ease.

It then turned to see its new opponent. The wings detached themselves from the arms and folded back to the back of Ayre's new armored self.

"Raven. I will stop you." she said darkly, "You will never burn Rubicon."

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Ayre frowned and the two enemies began to walk slowly towards each other. DARK WING walked towards RESOLUTION with a VE-60SNA Stun Needle Launcher attached to its left shoulder.

The Coral Intelligence quietly gasped at the mere sight of it, watching the powerful weapon unfold and extend.

This is bad. Very bad.

That weapon will be very effective against her Coral Shield. She'll need to wreck that weapon if she's to get anywhere near to taking Raven down. However, it's quite obvious that she'd never allow him to do that.

"I will stop you, and the Xylem." Ayre promised.

She then took off to, engaging RESOLUTION's boosters.

She came in, charging in by DARK WING's left side. "Carrying our shared resolved on the wings of this machine."

621 could see her coming at him at full speed, causing him to match it, only faster. The two slowed down for a split second, charging up their melee weapons.

Ayre was the first swung her blade.

621 ended up blocking it with his light wave blade. Their weapons were locked together.

Ayre then looked to the person she once called her "friend," the only person who could understand her. She trusted him.

Why would he just suddenly attack her? It didn't make sense. The way whoever spoke with him... did they... plan this? Both her partner and whoever that was? Or is Raven being mind-controlled?

If this was Raven's choice, then why did he just surprise attack her? Was he afraid of her reaction: Fighting him? Well, of course, even if that was the case, she'd still take a stand against him. However, she'd at least like to know...

Her voice spoke with disappointment. "Symbiosis. A shared life. I saw the potential for our future within you. You and I... could have walked together."

As a reply, 621 only engaged its assault armor, breaking through her Coral shield and staggering her. It swung two waves at her, landing each hit, but it didn't stop there; It boost kicked her right after.

Raven was fast, fast enough to catch up to V.IV Rusty of the Vespers, and apparently the Rubicon Liberation Front, Ayre however, was fast too. And with any luck, maybe even faster. She engaged her boosters once again and charged at Raven, who merely ducked and boost kicked her down.

Not so fast after all.

However, 621 had its own set of words that needed to be said.

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It then slammed a second kick against Ayre's AC's armored stomach, sending RESOLUTION around the place. She crashed right into a large pillar, causing it to tumble down. She looked up. She may be good, but Raven's mere experience was already proving him to be more superior.

After all, this is technically her second time using an AC herself.

And the fact that she's using a Coral generator, it's already beginning to tire her down. She could see the blue flames flare up within DARK WING's boosters, showing that he was no longer using the IA-C01G AORTA.

She then started to bring her limbs all together, forming a large cannon and shooting powerful lasers at 621.

So she can still transform like Iguazu, huh? Interesting, thought 621.

All of a sudden, the stun needle launcher on DARK WING's right shoulder fired off. Ayre panicked, bringing out a Coral shield as fast as she could.

It worked, but for only a moment, the shield was already shattered.

621 assault boosted towards RESOLUTION, slamming its foot against the cannon barrel, forcing the AC to turn around and fire at a few more pillars. Ayre immediately took a shot once the spinning cannon happened to be aiming at Raven, where DARK WING was slammed into the floor, a small explosion from the floor erupting.

"Farewell, Raven..." said Ayre with sorrow as she landed on her feet, "Now, I will destroy the Xylem-"

Suddenly she felt two light waves clash against her AC and DARK WING suddenly kick her into a wall.

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It got up and realized that the stun needle launcher had been damaged.

Got to reduce the reloading speed or else it'll break off entirely, Raven grumbled in silence.

621 dodged every attack and eventually flew straight for Ayre. It charged up its light wave blade and swung at her before she could use her Coral blade. Ayre attempted block it, merely for it to only be in vain, as RESOLUTION was once again flying at another pillar, crashing into pieces of machinery.

She then transformed into a plane and swooped down, right at 621. Before it could move, DARK WING was already picked up by the swing, taking in significant damage as they flew higher above the Closer Station. It then quickly kicked Ayre off.

Ayre gasped for a quick moment. "...Raven. You are strong. Dangerous." RESOLUTION rotated its entire body, loosening a few missiles. "I... will hold nothing back."

621 believed her. After that reckless move, she definitely was going to hit more harder than before.

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They then engaged their boosters, going right for each other at top speed. Giant sparks bounced off their colliding blades. They'd chase each other around the station. If one were to see it, they'd describe it only as two small lights bouncing off one another and yet go right back, almost like they were magnets.

All this exhaustion that was beginning to tire her. The weight of fighting someone she knew... It was all beginning to burn on Ayre's soul, bleeding her heart.

She spoke with a tone of dread. "Clash after clash... the collision of lives... Is this... what battle feels like, Raven?"

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They continued their battle. 621 activated its missiles to stagger her. It then kicked her, then slashed at her again. He then fired off another round with the stun needle, causing a giant electrical explosion as RESOLUTION activated another Coral shield, immediately cracking it.

It then unleashed another powerful wave of energy from the light wave blade, finishing off the shield.

"...I realized what you are." said Ayre, "The spark of war..."

She flew higher, summoning a few Coral clones of herself, both coming after him. "The fires that haunt Rubicon!"

<<"The spark of war?" Maybe. But "fires that haunt Rubicon?" No. What caused the Fires of Iblis? The Coral did. It's too dangerous, just like you.>>

Ayre teared up and kicked it in the head, stabbing it in the rib. No, he couldn't be doing this on his own. He just couldn't...

621's own eyes began to threaten tears, but it shoved them down. It assault boosted and slammed Ayre with its boost kick. It then shot a volley of bullets at her armored chest, cracking an energy core.

Ayre let out a pain-filled gasp. "No...! My brothers and sisters...!"

She looked down at the hole in her AC. She then looked up, seeing the commitment in DARK WING's pilot's heart. "You are determined to carry on Walter's will, and commit a great sin in his stead. I respect your resolve. I highly cannot allow this to happen."

621 then landed a surprise boost kick, sending her towards the edge of the battlefield. She slowly got up, looking at the red aura surrounding the Rubicon Research Institute, hearing its cries, begging her to save it. She began to feel doubt clouding her mind. But merely horror took over.

"Humanity wants to burn it all!" she said, "Everything on Rubicon! I won't let you... your fire must die!"

She turned and engaged her wings once again. She was not going down. Not now. Not ever. Never.

They continued to slash into each other. Their armor was beginning to crack more and more and more. By then, 621's repair kits had all been used. However, his legendary "grit" was just beginning to kick in.

"I'll end this... Raven!" Ayre screamed.

<>

They then began to power up their booster thrusters. And soon enough, they took off with every inch of speed they had left.

621 took off even faster and began an overcharge with its light wave blade. It took a deep breath, then seeing it, he could see the Coral generator. Destroy it, and she's dead, taken care of, gone.

You just had to make it so easy in the end, didn't you? 621's mind thought out.

But before it could swing. It suddenly felt something. It felt like, guilt? Why was it feeling guilt? Its only doing its job. It's just a job, all of it. But, then again, was it, really? Suddenly it felt a huge surge of pain in its brain.

He let out a frustrated grunt as they both swung.

They both felt blades pierce their ACs' chests and enter out.

Sparks fell out of their chests. Ayre first looked down at her chest, seeing a large scar singing up. The generator didn't seem too damaged. However, ultimately it had taken up too much damage, she attempted to get up, only to feel her AC suddenly go limp as RESOLUTION was now on its knees.

Ayre over her shoulder, seeing 621 looking back. She seemed to have done some similar damage.

Her plan. Her dream. Her hopes. Her brothers and sisters. Everything. It's all gone.

RESOLUTION and DARK WING both began to overload as Ayre's weak voice came over the coms, sounding almost like static was taking over it all. "...Raven. You were the only one ..."

The ACs cores both began to reach their limit. And a giant red sphere of energy was released, followed by a blue one.

...

621 opened its eyes suddenly. He looked around and saw... her...

He then suddenly felt guilt crash into it. It felt its horror was beginning to rise. It then looked over to the floating enemy AC, looking lifeless, its red lights barely flickering while its limbs began to fly all around it.

No... No!

It then quickboosted to Ayre, ignoring the explosions DARK WING had just endured. It then held it close, it looked into its face, watching it turn slowly back to it.

"R-Raven...?" she groaned with confusion, "Wh-What're you- ?"

<>

Ayre felt her heart begin to pulse seemingly back to life. Raven, her friend, her beloved partner... he was still in there. He really was? No. It felt too impossible. He didn't even flinch once he swung his weapon...

She looked away, feeling hurt, so confused, everything. First he was just her enemy, and now he wants to be her friend again?

"You were the only one, Raven..." she sobbed.

<>

Ayre could still barely look him in the eye. She still didn't know if he was just mocking her or attempting to make her go away, thinking that he still cared for...

"Ayre..." said a voice.

Ayre's eyes widened as she looked back. She could see right through, through his eyes looking concerned with a serious look on it, due to augmentation, he was broken himself. And furthermore...

Did he just... talk?

It was very quiet, rough, probably due to it being a long time since his voice was last used. But that was enough to make Ayre seemingly start crying.

He spoke. He actually spoke.

Ayre could tell that this was not something he'd do very often. And this... was something she should not take lightly. Raven was probably forcing every bit of his freewill... just to say her name.

Her first time hearing his voice, and it's her name, Ayre.

He really is sorry.

The lights of the head flickered off, going from crimson red to a darkened black. 621's eyes widened even further as it began to faintly shake the AC.

<>

"And I still need you." said a familiar voice.

621 gasped and leaned back, sighing in relief. She was still alive. Ayre was still alive. However, it could still hurt her from its betrayal.

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"Raven..." Ayre started.

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"Raven, listen to me-!"

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"Raven!"

Ayre then grabbed onto its shoulders. She made it focus on her, imagining she was right in front of him, despite it still not knowing what she looked like.

"Raven, please..." Ayre begged.

621 then felt a presence embrace him, feeling the familiar warmth. Ayre then pulled away and copped his cheeks with her ghostly hands.

"It's okay. You did nothing wrong." she soothed, "That back there wasn't your choice. It wasn't you. I should've realized that sooner."

The Coral Intelligence then could've sworn that she had seen 621's lips twitched. She could happen to feel his happiness at the same time. Was he... trying to smile? Just for her? She could sense him trying to force himself, but she quickly stopped him.

"Don't strain yourself, Raven." she said, "There's nothing that can truly separate us, not anymore."

<>

"You're welcome. So, what now?"

<>

"And whoever did this to you?"

<>

Was Raven going to kill him? Ayre didn't know. She'd probably try to, but maybe Raven might have a better solution...

https://youtu.be/WEsibVKPNA0

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Thanks for Reading!