[IC] - All the World's a Game

[S121]

Medical Ward

Lily smiled as she began to follow Raven.

"Hang on. You're going to need someone to point you in the right direction, or else you'll spend hours trying to figure out where to go.", Lily said.

All of a sudden, James came back with a large canister of Biofoam and a bag full of medical supplies.

"Uhh, ok. I guess he doesn't need medical attention. Where are you guys going?", James asked Lily.

"I'm going to help Raven find somebody to fix his arm.", Lily answered as she pointed to Raven's damaged Nasod arm.

"Got it. I'll see you guys later. I'm needed here.", James said as he nodded at Lily and Raven as he carried the medical supplies off to the closest Spartan in need.

Lily turned towards the doorway and began walking out of the room.

"Follow me.", Lily said to Raven as she exited the Medical Ward.

[SUSTIC]

Medical Ward
_____________

Raven remained quite silent as he followed Lily through the Medical Ward, he remained quiet even when James started talking. Raven was just tired and wanted to get his Nasod Arm repaired. "You know you are the only person I've really talked to here, besides Halsey though. I only talked with her once however, and that was when I started working here." Said Raven as he kept walking.

[S121]

Halls - Sector 3

"Hmm, is that so? Why?", Lily asked Raven as they walked the halls of Sector 3, curious by Raven's possible reasons.

[SUSTIC]

Halls-Sector 3
_______________

Raven shrugged his shoulders as he walked the halls with Lily. "Just never really... wanted to I guess. I don't really talk to people unless I really have to or want to. Besides I kind of felt a little... out of place here..." Said Raven. It was quite obvious that among scientists and people in the MJOLNIR armor Raven would kind of stand out. Not only that, but he is one of the only ones here who uses a sword as his main means of combat.

Raven continued walking with Lily. "It's not that I don't like talking to people though. It's just that when you feel out of place somewhere you tend to just avoid conversations. Though if my friend Elsword was here he would be talking to almost everyone he met... Chung might as well... and Rena... maybe Aisha... I know that EVE would probably be trying to talk with a freaking computer here though." Chuckled Raven as he begins to reminisce about the adventures he had with his friends.

[S121]

Halls - Sector 3

"Hm.", Lily uttered as she smiled at Raven's reminiscing.

It was good to see that his once quiet and serious demeanor was giving way to a more relaxed and carefree one.

"I can understand your concerns about fitting in. It's hard for us Spartans to fit into the outside world, due to our size and weight. Somehow, people can just tell that we're Spartans. You really shouldn't worry about not fitting in. Some of us are actually quite friendly and deal with Characters on a daily basis.", Lily said in a friendly tone as they neared Sector 4.



Sector 4




Sector 4 was quite different from the rest of the facility. The most obvious difference was how it looked as if it was taken straight from the Halo universe. It was somewhat dark, save for the bluish light coming from the computer screens in the area. The floor was made out of some kind of reinforced metal, perhaps so that Spartans never had to worry about damaging the floor by simply walking on it.

"We're almost there.", Lily said as they walked deeper into the facility.

[SUSTIC]

Sector 3 Halls
______________

"Well at least I know that now." Said Raven as he kept walking, eventually they made it to Sector 4.


Sector 4
_________

As they entered the Sector Raven looked around. The blue lights, and reinforced metal always reminds him of the Altera Core where the King Nasod was stored at.

"I still never get used to this place..." He said as he looked at the ceiling. A small shiver went down his spine as he walked through the halls. Raven kind of hated how he was stationed so deep within the building, but he was also quite proud to be stationed in such an important sector.

[S121]

Sector 4

As they entered the main hallway of Sector 4, two abnormally large Spartans could be seen guarding the entrance.

"You left your post.", the larger Spartan said in a cold, almost venomous tone.

The Spartan was adorned with bullets and what looked to be a vandalized suit of experimental MJOLNIR armor.




"Do you know what the punishment is for insubordination?", Spartan-728 coldly asked as he began to walk towards Raven.

The Spartan towered over Raven, and even Lily, despite the fact she was a Spartan-III.

"That's enough, Jack.", Spartan-636 said as he crossed his arms and slightly tilted his head.

The other Spartan had a golden colored set of MJOLNIR armor, one that looked much cleaner than his partner's armor.

[SUSTIC]

Sector 4
__________

Raven looked up at Jack, not even scared one bit. In fact it just made Raven to stand up to Jack even more. "I had to, if I didn't this whole place would have been a pile of rubble." Said Raven in a similarly cold tone.

Raven had not interacted with these two before, but he was aware of what they were capable of. "Anyways I'm back now aren't I?" He replied as he turned to Spartan-636.

"I am sorry that I left my post though. It's just that this whole place was going to be in serious danger if I didn't go out there in time."

[S121]

Sector 4

Spartan-636 eased his posture back to a normal standing position and nodded at Raven.

"You may have left, but you did take out the threat. You have no worries from me.", Spartan-636 said.

Spartan-636 then turned his head over to Jack and spoke.

"He did good. There are many times when one must bend the rules to do what's right. Isn't that right, Jack."

Jack continued to stare down at Raven, reluctant to forgive the transgression.

"Very well then... Don't do it again.", Jack coldly said as he turned back around and returned to his post.

"Nice to see you, Jack, Daniel.", Lily said in a calm tone. Lily was used to Jack's behavior, so she wasn't intimidated by his stature or actions.

"Nice to see you too. Where's your helmet?", Daniel asked Lily.

"It was destroyed in the battle, so I took it off and.. threw it at a hostile.", Lily responded.

"Ahh.... What happened to your arm?", Daniel asked Raven as he pointed to the ruined Nasod arm.

[SUSTIC]

Sector 4
__________

Raven looked at Daniel as he placed his hand on his Nasod Arm's shoulder.

"I used the Overheat function, as well as the dangerous awakening technique in an attempt to take out the hostile. However even Overheating my special attack while in Awakening only did so little as to damage him slightly. However it did leave him vulnerable for the others to get in and attack." Said Raven as his Nasod Arm was truly damaged. Almost beyond repair.
"We came here for it to get repaired."

[S121]

Sector 4

"Impractical, unbalanced, garbage technology. Who designs a weapon that melts down after use? You should get it upgraded while your at it, make sure you don't kill yourself with it.", Jack said in a calmer tone as he looked at his Spartan Laser Arm Module.

"What he means to say is that yes, you can go in and see Dr. Halsey about that, and that you should also ask about upgrading it. It would be bad if you overworked your arm and self-destructed.", Daniel sad to Raven in a friendlier tone than his partner.

Of course, that wasn't saying much. It was very easy to be nicer than Jack.

Daniel then looked over to Jack. Despite the fact that Daniel was wearing a helmet, it was obvious that he was scowling at Jack.

"What? I'm just telling him to find a better arm that won't kill him.", Jack calmly said as he slightly shrugged his shoulders.

"And you wonder why people tend to avoid you."

"It's because they can't handle the truth.", Jack said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"No, it's because instead of telling them the truth, you rip off their heads and sh*t the truth down their necks.", Daniel said as he returned Jack's tone.

"Uh, it's okay if we go in and see Dr. Halsey now, right?", Lily interrupted.

Jack turned his head over to Lily and spoke.

"Yea, sure. Go ahead.", Jack said as he turned his attention back to Daniel.

"Yea,.. let's go.", Lily said to Raven as she walked past Jack and Daniel and towards the door to Halsey's Lab.

[SUSTIC]

Sector 4
__________

Raven scowled at Jack. "Listen here Jack. This arm uses Nuclear Flames as it's main means of attack. I can still use it without Overheating. The Overheat function is what it is, a function. I only damage the arm when I activate Overheat. So SHUT UP!!!" Yelled Raven, obviously Raven is awfully sensitive about his arm. Well who wouldn't be? I mean it has caused him nothing but grief after obtaining it. Thing is he does need it to kind of live now. It's like it's now a part of him.

"I apologize for my outburst. It's just that this "garbage technology" was made by one of the most technologically advanced races known to man that are capable of creating perfect combinations of both man and machine. The only reason why it's so dangerous to use is due to the serious strain of enhancements I've done to it." Said Raven as he turns to Daniel. "I will consider getting it upgraded. It would be quite bad if I overheated it one day, and it blew up right in my face." He replied as he turned to Lily. "I think it would be best, I don't want to risk another outburst like that. Like I said in the Medical Ward... this arm caused me nothing but grief... but I can't just get rid of it..." Said Raven as he followed Lily into Halsey's lab.

[S121]

Sector 4

"Then it's your fault that it sucks.", Jack said to Raven in a calm tone, as if he was stating a simple fact.

"Jack, SHHHH!!! Five minutes! Just five minutes. At least until they're inside.", Daniel said to Jack in an exasperated tone.




(Music Halsey is listening to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvFH_6DNRCY)
Halsey's Lab






As Lily and Raven entered the room, they could hear the sounds of classical music. It was Debussy, Dr. Halsey's favorite composer. The lab was just as blue as the rest of Sector 4, only that the machines in her lab looked much more advanced. Not only were there normal electrical cables, there were also cable carrying light energy running across the ground. Instead of normal computer screens, there were holographic displays, each with various schematics and documents being shown. Off on one of the tables was a cold cup of coffee, perhaps forgotten by Dr. Halsey because something else caught her attention.

Over in one of the chairs sat Dr. Halsey, trying to organize the security reports from the recent attack.

[SUSTIC]

Sector 4
___________

As the door behind them closed Raven turned to Lily. "Sure are quite the duo huh?" Said Raven as they entered Halsey's Lab.


Halsey's Lab
______________

As they entered the Lab Raven seemingly felt at ease. The music was rather calming and actually welcoming. It gave the lab a more... friendly feel, despite it still looking like a rather bleak laboratory... a rather advanced, but bleak laboratory.
As Raven listened to the music he started to remember what it was like, before he entered the real world... spending time with his friends at the Harmony Festival. As he listened to the music he took out a small photograph from his pocket. It was a small photograph of him and his friends taken during the Harmony Festival.

The photograph also looked torn, and burned from the constant battles he went through. The photograph was taken by a small Nasod machine capable of taking pictures.

[wonderweiss]

I suddenly woke up.

"Gah!... Where am I?"