Beyond the horizon

-Calm quiet and tranquil a few words unfamiliar to a certain some one, a certain some one who finally got a much needed break from what he had gone through, one that which he hoped would never end. Yep it had been a while since he fired a weapon, had to run for his life or avoid authorities, In fact he had nearly been 4 months of total peace coming nearly to 5, things have changed a lot, after managing to almost sink H.R.C by spreading the information he so dearly fought to protect until the time was right, it was quickly handed over to higher end Authority to quickly remove all backing, funding and any thing else to them, with that out. H.R.C started to crumble and fall apart into disarray. There were few who fled but he believed they would be no trouble to the local population, with H.R.C down for the count and Dark ones no where in sight, bounty lifted off his head Shrike was a free man now. 

However he didn't know what to do with himself, he really didn't know what else there was to life other then what came before, so naturally he stuck to the only thing he really knew and enjoyed, being a soldier.  He did not return to G.U.N no he did not join a mercenary force no, he became a free lancer for hire. Offering his service to over watch small towns or villages that were beyond reach of local authorities and law enforcement providing them protection as these towns were often to far from reach.

Paid well and given a place to stay the free lancer would in return watch over them for a certain period of time before he would move to the next and so forth, allowing him to return and re connect with the world he had lost for 4 years, a chance maybe to return some of his former self the better side of Shrike. At first hesitant worried to how those would knew of who he was would look at him, surprisingly the welcomes were much warmer then he even thought, making some new friends , allies and more even times where he enjoyed interacting and even entertaining kids, and when stationed somewhere, would be watching over all who lived and thrived. During this time Shrike began to learn to let his guard down a little more, improve his trusting skills and just over all...let go..let go of a lot of baggage of the past. 
He found a new sense of belonging among those who were nice enough to grant him a place to stay and accepted him for who he was and what he had done viewing it was a brave cause. 

The sun was setting in latest village he was at, a village of all mixes of Mobians, it was his second day here,   he had the utmost view of the far horizon, kicking his feet up on a small rock with his hands behind the back of his helmet he watched the horizon, the light glancing off his dark blue visor, Shrike now looked over at what he had been through and accomplished, despite a over all positive out come, the young free lancer still had a sense of regret. He felt as if he had done a few things different that day maybe some of his buddies could of lived to see what he is seeing now, but he knew that was not the case or so he thought. However after the finally blow was struck to H.R.C and there final essence finally hitting rock bottom his old friend Dr Hayden spoke to him about possibility of maybe 1 other may of survived but he was not sure, that was 5 months ago and Shrike tried not to get his hopes up.

 He turned his head back to see a few Mobian kids at play all who which they waved to him and he himself returning the wave back, life was changing and he was enjoying it, yet still Shrike had to be still on some what guard, any new person or being entering this town would have to be checked out by him and made sure not to be hostile. Shrike had not gotten to a state yet where to remove his helmet but perhaps in time and with enough progress, learn not to be scared to take it off. 

As the sky got darker Shrike popped onto his feet and helped round up the kids who were still out side guiding them off to their parents as the inhabitants were settling in for the night, Shrike was in the opposite, night duty was important, only place that was still open was the local bar. While making his way down the main local street he saw kids and their parents settling into their small houses, he often paused to watch the interaction of them together, took him back to when he was small, brought another great sense and reason for protection, he knew the cost of loss and what it does to some one, he took great pride in watching over them... Although it couldn't hurt for him to think of what having a family would be like, it was a brief thought before moving on his way, his distinct look and gear, earned a nickname by the kids as the "Green knight defender."

  Even when new beings entered the time for what ever reason they knew he was here and he watched them all the time ready to act if needed, leaning against the side of the bar building and starts his night watch.-

" Well if all goes well bartender I'll be back for a round soon on the house, but looks to be another good quiet night...I hope it stays that way...I wonder what all those beings I once knew are up to..well hopefully they will no more have to deal with any more for H.R.C. there all free now, And I will always be there, watching , waiting..protecting. Maybe see them again one day or not, either way its over...its all over couldn't feel better then that turned a new page. Another night in tranquility. " 


 -a sign of relief escaped him as now the moon light eliminated the small village just him, the bar and a awesome looking night sky. However he felt a gnawing like feeling about what lay beyond the could be's and what if's.- 

( Just would like a response in 48 hours at least that be all. )

((It's been a while shrike. May I join? There's a certain purple cat the wants to ruin your peace.))

( Oh lord the purple cat really has it out for him doesn't she.)

(( He he yes. Lillith's going to give him hell))

 Lillith was holding a map on her hands. She was turning from side to side and even flipped it upside down. "Are you sure you know how to read maps? Is there really a village around here???" "Yes yes of course I do know how to read maps. And I know for a fact there is a little puny village full of mobians that have souls ripe for the tak- I mean uhh look here we are!!" Lillith said finally out of the wilderness and at the village entrance.

-At this time the village was almost devoid of beings, being night and all they had settled away to sleep, only the bar and Shrike were awake and active, time was unknown but that didn't seem to phase those guys, Shrike by now had done about 2 passes around the small town, he had a set route he followed covering all zones, thankfully his night vision was still working, giving him great sight to the world around him.

Of course now he head backed to the bar, propped himself onto a chair, ordered something and sat their waiting for his drink to arrive, some music was going music he actually enjoyed. He was watching the clock above the bar racks, he paused looking back for a second, thinking he heard a noise, Shrike's old self would of gone to check it out but now he just shrugged it off and went back to waiting for his drink.-

" Hey did you hear any thing ? Actually no never mind, probably just some critters in the woods, nothing to worry." 

"Looks like nobody's here." "Well that's because it's night silly. They are all sleeping. The bar is open though." Lillith said walking to the bar.

-Shrike turned the corner and froze, he saw what he couldn't believe, Lilith, he checked again to make sure and yea it was her, Shrike couldn't believe it, even all the way out here on the outskirts some how he was still found, this kind of put a dampening on his mood, he wanted to enjoy and now he more or less knew what was coming his way.

-The bar tender greeted them, welcoming them both to the small village, and of course the bar man would blow Shrikes cover, as all outside personal were to be checked and cleared by Shrike.- 

-Ahem, Shrike we got some new personal here at the bar, they don't seem to be to much trouble, but I know it is your job to come and make sure all is well, I'll get you ladies some drinks.-

-Shrike turned the corner and there he stood, same guy they had all come to know as the mysterious run away renegade, he slowly enters the bar to see them both standing there. Happy to see Liela, not really to see Lilith, the reason being of how she treated him before. 

Shrike did think that maybe since so much has changed perhaps she would as well, but he was not going to hold his breath on any of this, probably nothing he would ever do would ever change her mind set, Shrike had changed a bit, well at least in his looks, gone was his advance suit, now just the plain old armor of his former life, the armor covering his chest, back and shoulders, his arms exposed, his old helmet, dark green cargo pants with steel tipped black boots.-

" Well well well, look who rolled into town, didn't think I would be seeing you all again, even at the furthest reaches of the world I was still found." 

Lillith's face changed from a Normal one to a serious and cold one as soon as she say shrike. "Oh... It's you....thought you off'd yourself a long time ago. Shame. Well at least my source was right about you still chugging along." "Lillith!!!" Liela went Infront of her and went up to shrike. "Man it's good to see you alive and well."

-Shrike expected as much of a response like that from her, but it seemed like some one she knew was watching him, where he went what he was doing then filed the information back to her, this didn't sit well with him, he was trying to enjoy his freedom and now he felt again some one was watching, on the other hand Shrike was happy to see Liela still alive and well, his sudden vanish did leave lots of questions.

He on the other hand didn't know if he be seeing her again or any one else he knew, stretching to the far reaches of Mobius, he never knew they would cross paths, despite his appearance change, he was glad she could still recognize him, guiding her back to the bar he probably had some explaining to do.-

"Still alive, still out there, but a lot changed in a short space of time, something I am still coming to grips with, good to see you as well Liela, didn't think I would be seeing you again, I see you still have your body and all that is also good...well to start it off, drinks are on me." 

-Shrike ordered some drinks, taking a deep breath at Liliths comment but she was right, that is exactly what he was doing.-

"Yea, that is true, since the fall of H.R.C and the final and total disappearance of the Dark ones, I kinda found myself lost, no sense of direction, where to go or what to do. So I turned to the only thing I knew, being a soldier, I became a free lancer, going from village to village acting as hired security to those who were far beyond the reach of the local authorities.


And you know what I ended up enjoying it, I started to feel accepted for the first time in my life, it was good seeing Mobians and humans come up to welcome me rather then run away, having the ability to let my guard down and relax, rather then worrying about that I may never see tomorrow.


And that is how it has been for 5 months now, traveling from one to another, each place a new start, new people to meet, new experiences and so on. It's far better then what was before. Even tho my story will never be told I can rest easy now.


And you two, how the hell did you get out this far and why ?"  

Lillith's eyes twitched when shrike said he got rid of all the dark ones. It was obvious she was pissed. "Well Lillith said she wanted to go visit an old friend. Something about some unfinished business. Said I know them too but refused to tell me who. Now I know who she was taking about."

"Unfinished huh, well there will be no fighting in this small town as long as I am here, I watch over them and protect them, and in return, they give me a place to stay, something to eat, company and some cash to help me on my way. H.R.C that bastard corporation that was responsible for this entire thing...well I manage to get my information out.


It was enough of a blow to them to cripple there entire system, highly doubt it will be the last of them, but for now they took a serious beating, most of their facilities are now deserted, no sign of them, many were rounded up and sent off to jail. As for the Dark ones, well who knows what happen to them, I manage to finally get rid of that blasted Ark gate device that seemed to have.....solved the problem strangely, it was as if...they just left and never came back.


That again was the result of why I look different, I lost my advance suit during that fight, if not for it, I'd probably be dead, now...now I am living a some what ideal life...some what I suppose."

-The bar tender brings forth their drinks, Shrike put down the cash on the counter giving a nod to the tender.- 

" And who knows what the future holds now, maybe turn to a bit of treasure hunting, who knows what kind of valuable stuff H.R.C left behind, could be worth a lot. Yet you seem a little...erm how do I put it...Off something a miss ?" 

 "So glad you got rid of those guys for now. And it's even better to here the dark ones are gone. No more innocent have to die." Liela smiled a little before taking a sip of the drink. " I can fight wherever I want!!! And Off?! Are you taking about me?!" Lillith almost spit those words out. "Or are you taking about master?"

"May not be the last we hear from then Liela, but I could be wrong, time will tell that answer, but if they do come back, well some one has to send them back, but I am hopeful that won't be the case this time round.


No, no more will perish at their hands and the hands of H.R.C those wacko nut jobs have claimed to many people as it was already, taking civilians to be experimented on for personal gain, if it were me, I'd happily put a bullet through each of their heads, they deserved nothing less.


That warning of fighting goes for every one Lilith, every one here, we trying to avoid it, as am I, fighting just brought out the worst in my, made me aggressive and harsh, made me something I was not. Any one who causes trouble here will have to either leave or deal with me.


Now what about you Liela, I assume you and Lilith, Kia and the rest have been doing alright all this time ?"

-Shrike leaned back against the bar counter with his arms folded, the time lapse was rather large so bound to hear something interesting, he waited for her response and of course looking at her was the good old helmet every one came to know and associate by him.-

"you say that as if I can't deal with you." Lillith crossed her arms. "I wish I could say things have been any better but.. Kia isn't the same anymore. She's really taken what happened to heart. She still comes and chills with us but I can see it in her face. She blames herself for everything. She's given me more gifts than a billionaire's spoiled kid. And that's what's going on with her. Well my life is not that much better. It's hard to find a job when I've never went to school ever. It really sucks. " "Yeah it's almost like things would have been better if shrike would of never interfered." Lillith said glaring.

((how about we round off the trio, eh? Mind if I join?))

It was dark. That, Caen could definitely tell. Where he was, exactly... Not so much. The company that he decided to work with wasn't exactly the best at giving information, like the fact you had to find food, and a place to sleep, yourself. "You'd think they'd give me a trailer, or something, considering we're in the middle of nowhere... Ugh, this isn't even the first time this's happened, isn't it?" Caen stopped and rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighing. "This is definitely the last time I'm working with them. I don't care how well they pay."

At this point, in the distance, he could make out the light of a village's bar. Something to eat and drink certainly wouldn't go amiss, he thought. Even if he had to sleep under the stars, the fact that there was somewhere to eat made Caen breathe a sigh of relief. He quickened his step, and soon arrived at the entrance to this bar. He strolled in, and leaned his arm on the bar, waiting patiently for the bartender to finish serving other customers, first. He didn't notice Shrike, Liela and Lillith's voices, as they all mingled with the other voices in the bar, forming the same background noise that he mostly ignored.

(Perhaps I can be Cyrene, or if you need an antagonist I could be Scylla? )

((And there goes the trio. Rip ))

(Three's a team, but fours a party.)

((Lol still rip though. Back in the day the three of us used to rp together.))

(Ah, I see. Well I was wondering if I should either use a comic relief character or an antagonist.)

(( An antagonist would be cool. ))

( Welcome back red and Jared choice is yours. ) 

-Shrike felt really insulted, he never tried to or even was a reason behind most of her problems, he was trying to fix them not make them worse, he re called a distinct being who was the main reason her life fell apart, yet he could not remember his name and didn't want to, he wanted to leave that life behind along with the rest of that natural messed up world.-

" I do not recall that, in fact what I remember is if it was not for myself and that other guy Liela may of been trapped as a ghost for the rest of her life, she would of been trapped as his slave, doing as he said, as I see it we did fare more good then harm, both put a lot on the line to do what we did, so I do believe you are wrong very wrong.


But you can go on believing what you want to believe, Kia well I never knew her really I was angered that she brought him back, but now that time has passed I learned to let go of that day, Learned to let go of many things and.....

-Shrike looked over above Liela and saw some one who he seemed to recognized, of course totally forgetting what he was saying to Liela, just when he thought things couldn't get more interesting they just did, seems like his old friend made his way here as well.-

"Check who just rolled up into town over there, look familiar don't he ?" 

(I will be Scylla then, Grief's sister. Don't worry, none of the Moebian fluff has to be even mentioned with her.)