Alright, new story. Now, this won't seem like a Fan Fiction at first, but trust me, it will be. This takes place on a messageboard community I have become a part of called Xero Creative. Its a great board, check it out sometime. This story uses characters from that board.

Later in the story, you will see what I mean by it being a Fan Fiction.

For now, enjoy.

Introduction I

What good are message boards when free speech is dead?

These questions are raised when the realm of Xero Creative turns upside down. Becoming the equivalent of an anarchy, chaos reigned until one man rose to the challenge and brought order back to the realm. However, this order is brought back with an iron fist, forbidding almost everything that made XC what it was.

Discord rang throughout the realm almost instantly. However, because of the recent incident most commonly called 'The Great Cataclysm', weapons that the denizens had never before laid eyes upon were unleashed upon them, creating an uncountable about of death in their wake.

Rebellion was crushed in almost all but the hardest of hearts.

In secret, these individuals began to gather, plotting the downfall of the tyrannical regime. Working when the eyes of the Leader was not upon them, they strove to increase their ranks and power. Although they were small, they were ready, willing, and prepared to fight.

Welcome to Xero Hour.

Rain. The giver of life, the tears of the world. Without rain, life would cease to exist. However, little rain fell anymore. The world had given up its tears. The world had wept its eyes out for its children. Now, it was as if it was simply watching in horror as events that completely and totally decimated its children unfolded.

It had not rained within Xero Creative for two months. All of things green wilted as they used up the water hiding deep within the ground. It had been two months since weapons of untold destruction had been unleashed on the populace. Because of the lack of rain, the metallic smell of blood was still strong near the Admin stronghold.

This lack of rain, plus the abrupt ending to the last uprising caused the Admins to grow confident. They believed that, along with the will of the people being striped away from the draught, that their show of power had crushed any thoughts of rebellion in the mind of their people. However, they did not know just how wrong they were.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Underground, a meeting of five people had begun. It was the type of meeting the Admin had forbidden. It was a meeting with a sole purpose. And that purpose was…

"Revolution," DS said, slamming his fist against the brick wall of the underground structure. He stood in front of the other four, as he spoke. "That's why we agreed to form this group. Everyday, new risks arise. Yet here we stay. Why haven't we made a single move yet?"

"…Do we really have to go over this again?" Jin asked almost lazily, "We're undermanned, under equipped, and under powered. We make a move now, we'd simply be crushed." He tipped his chair back, touching his face with his palm.

Rubbing his temple, DS asked, "And how are we supposed to gain more supporters? By making moves. Now, I do not mean huge moves that will attract instant attention. But at least something so that those above know of our presence."

Rising out of her chair, Kazuma nodded. "He has a point. We're not using all the equipment we can yet and…"

Miguel cut her off with a slashing motion. "Woman, sit down. You have no idea what you're talking about."

Kazuma's eyes widened with indignation. "Woman!? I've worked twice as hard as you! I've done twice as much! I'v-"

Miguel stood up abruptly, knocking his chair behind him. "How would you know?! You have no idea what Jin and I have been working on!"

"…People, can we not fight?" DS called out, still rubbing a temple, "We came here to discuss what to do next, not fight…" However, no one took notice.

"And what is this 'secret project' you two have been working on? I haven't heard any progress on it since you began! We don't even know what it is!" Kazuma called out, taking steps towards Miguel.

Miguel smirked. "You wouldn't understand… only Jin, DS, and myself understand what it is."

Kazuma, now standing in front of Miguel, stabbed him in the chest with her finger. "Then why don't you enlighten us? Or are you three simply slacking while Vergil and myself do all of the work?!"

Looking to Vergil, DS nodded his head. Grinning slightly, Vergil stood and shouted, "Shut up!" His shout echoed through the enclosed space, causing both Miguel and Kazuma to jump. They both turned to look at him as he said, "Now that we have your attention… Can we please get on with the meeting? Kazuma, we have our own project to work on. Can we just focus on the topic at hand?"

Reluctantly, Kazuma walked back to her seat. Before she sat however, she shot a glare at the still standing figure of Miguel. Miguel just smirked as he said, "Women… what are you gonna do?" and sat.

Sighing, DS rubbed the hand he had slammed into the wall. I And they wonder why I try to keep those two apart… /I "Now that that is settled… We need to decide on what to do. Everyday, the grip of the Admins tighten… Jin, how long 'till the project is completed?"

Looking at the ceiling, Jin answered, "Another month, give or take a week."

DS sighed. "We may not have that long…"

Jin snorted. "They all think we died. Of course we have that long." Standing, he let the chair fall to its feet. "Now, instead of wasting time with this meeting… can we get back to our projects?" Without waiting for an answer, he walked towards the steel door, opened it, and left.

Miguel stood with a shrug in DS' direction and followed Jin. Kazuma leapt to her feet, nodded to DS, and left as well. Only DS and Vergil were left. DS walked down the two steps of the platform to reach the chairs that the other four had been sitting in. Shoulders slumping, he let himself flop into one of the chairs.

Vergil stood and walked over to his friend. "Hey… it's been two months. We're all just… cranky I guess."

Nodding, DS said, "I know…"

Patting his shoulder, Vergil turned to run after Kazuma. "Kazzy! Wait up!" His footsteps echoed through the encampment.

Shaking his head, DS pushed himself up from the chair. Running a hand through his black hair, he exited the room through the steel door, closing it with his foot as he left. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he walked down the long barren hall.

The group had been hiding within this underground encampment for two months now. How they had found the place had been purely by accident.

They had been in the uprising against the Admins. They had fought like everyone else. Under Rockanomix, they had risen up against the oppressive regime. Rockanomix had led them into battle, believing the will of the people could overcome the Admins. With a few of his friends, he decided the day they seemed the weakest. And, that day, all who had staged the revolt had been captured or killed. All five of them had stood in the front lines. All five had seen the weapons being unleashed.

And somehow, they had survived. None knew exactly how. All they knew was that the attack began, and just death began to rain upon them, they had somehow shown up here.

That was the project assigned to Kazuma and Vergil. They were searching and building tunnels throughout the compound. They believed that there was a passageway from the battlefield to the compound, and they needed to find it. If it was found, it would make striking at the Admins that much simpler.

Jin and Miguel's project was much more secretive. They were working on a device only those two and DS knew of. DS only knew because he was helping both groups when his time allowed.

DS had his own project he was working on. He was researching the Great Cataclysm, trying to figure out what caused it. He held many theories on it, but had little to no evidence. That subject was taboo in the new Xero Creative society. That and many other things. Any evidence that may have remained were probably in the control of the Admins, or destroyed by them.

However, that was not his only task. He routinely monitored the above surface, trying to determine the mood of the people and what XC was being put through now.

This seemed a mundane task, since new laws passed by the Admins were routinely broadcasted over the loudspeakers throughout XC. The messages were so loud that they could easily be over heard in the compound below.

The group believed that this constant barrage of messages and control would galvanize the populace above, so that when the group reveled themselves, the citizens would eagerly rise to their cause. DS however, believed just the opposite.

"Oi! Watch where you're walkin'!" Miguel yelled, snapping DS out of his daze. "We're bringin' in more equipment now."

Holding up his hands, DS backed up. He had walked farther through the compound then he had known. On the other side of it was Jin and Miguel's workshop. In his daze, DS had crossed the entire encampment to make it to their side.

They had claimed it because it was the room deepest in the ground, and was the one closest to the treasure trove of buried machinery. No one knew why it was there, but most figured it was the Admins doing.

Cocking a brow, Miguel put down the machinery in his arms and crossed the room to face DS, stepping over the wires he had almost trodden on. "Hey, come on. We've been stuck down here for two months. We've just got cabin fever. Don't worry, we'll be out of here soon."

Nodding, DS sighed. He couldn't help but wonder if it would too late when they did leave.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Up above, in the land touched by the sun, a man bowed, his knees touching the soft red carpet that marked the path through the Grand Chambers of the Admin fortress. Not daring to raise his eyes, Gren simply kept his face to the carpet. "The construction is almost complete."

"Excellent…" a masculine voice said. At the end of the carpet were steps that rose monumentally to a platform high above the ground. Upon that platform was a semicircle made of ordinatly-decorated chairs. Upon each chair sat a figure. However, all were clocked in darkness. The hall was bright in all but the platform. This was so that any who entered could be seen, but could not see those on the platform.

"You may rise…" A feminine voice said. "You have done well…" As Gren rose to his feet, a smile grew on his face.

Smoothing his black t-shirt, he bowed at the waist. "Thank you. This means much from you all…"

"Now go…" Another voice called, "You must see its completion. Do not report until it is."

Bowing once more, Gren turned on his heel and hurried from the Grand Chamber. The large doors at the end of the Chamber opened as he approached, and closed behind him without a sound.

Up atop the platform, the figure near the center of the semicircle smiled, its red eyes all that could be seen in the darkness.

Yes, its a bit slow, but... I need to build things up before anything can happen. I hope you liked, regardless.

This will not die. I refuse it too. So, it will be updated. Maybe a bit slowly, but it will.

For now... review, tell me what you think, and wait for the bloodshed. It'll happen.