Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

Chapter 23: Coral Convergence

Ayre watched over Raven as he slept. She'd been hoping that this would end soon. She wasn't sure how much more one could take if she was honest. Even more, she honestly hoped that when this is over, maybe Raven wouldn't want to disconnect with her, maybe stay with her.

They've been through so much together. Not to mention how much they even helped each other. But if Raven wants to go off alone again, well... then she guesses that she'll just have to learn to move on.

She suddenly heard the COM explain that Raven had one message. She quickly woke him up, then watched him take a look at the briefing.

"You saw the ruins." said Walter, "Institute City... The mausoleum of the sinners who caused the Fires of Ibis. The Coral's right there. Waiting..."

The picture of the city slowly turned red as Raven was shown the familiar flaring particles of the Coral, just like Ayre when he sometimes sees her, as a small red glowing dot, pulsing as if imitating a heartbeat, and yet like a small lighter flickering.

"Arquebus has ordered us to discontinue the survey and hand things over to their AC squad." Walter continued.

But then, suddenly, the Arquebus logo disappeared, and Walter's voice got even more serious.

"621." he said slowly, "We're done with the corporations. Wipe out the Arquebus AC squad and get to the Coral first. When this job is over.. I'll tell you about the last of my friend's requests."

Raven looked at his handler's logo with a suspicious look. What did he mean by that? And now they're done with the corporations? What is going on. But, nevertheless, he clicked the button, and felt his AC being taken up and brought over to the opening.

"...621. From here on out I..." Walter's voice came again, then pausing, "Nevermind. Just trust your instincts."

Now Raven was getting even more suspicious. That's the first time he had ever paused like that.

...

They waited in the helicopter. Ayre felt almost nervous. She could hear them. She could really hear them.

"Their voices are so close now..." she said, "This... This is my home..."

Raven wondered what else she was feeling at the moment. His thoughts were interrupted once OBSIDIAN WING was then being taken outside, ready to fly. It then dettached, and Raven enagged the thrusters. He then looked over to all the rusted metal and fallen buildings all across the place.

"Comence mission." Walter ordered.

"...Let's go, Raven." said Ayre.

OBSIDIAN WING then engaged assault boost and started to fly over the ruins of the city. They then started to pick up channels and began to hear some commotion.

"V.II Snail, come in. Requesting backup," said V.VI Maeterlinck, "We have insufficient force to ensure success."

"These institute relics are such pests!" G3 Wu Hauha complained.

"That's the Arquebus squad." said Ayre, then realizing, "...Isn't that one with the Redguns?"

<<Looks like not all of them retreated.>>

"Looks like the drones are keeping them busy," said Walter.

Raven then realized that his boosters had run out of charge, and would've been fine with him if he hadn't happened to have landed his AC right in between the two enemies and drones. He immediately fired at the Vesper first, staggering him.