14 - Fefnir Strikes

"Another patrol," Zero warned as he stepped in from the mouth of the cave.

Ciel had Kuro stripped from the waist up, and was working on his circutry from the access panel that opened on his back. She stopped working, turning off the flashlight she was holding with her teeth. She pulled it out and wriggled her jaw, "never thought I'd be thankful for that," she smiled, "my mouth was getting sore, but I'm done with his torso." She closed the panel, and Kuro's psuedoskin reformed over the creases.

Kuro shivered as the skin reformed, "Rah! that feels so wierd... So, in your opinion, how much longer?"

"Maybe another hour or so," Ciel thought, "I still need to work on your legs."

"I'm not sure if we have an hour," Zero commented as he slowly edged towards the mouth of the cave to see if the coast was clear. "These patrols are becoming more frequent, and each time they come closer. I think they know you are in the area... We're clear for now."

"Alright Kuro," Ciel motioned to him.

Suddenly Kuro blushed profusely when he thought about how he needed to strip entirely for Ciel to work on his legs. "I think I should have asked for Cerveau for this part."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked then thought about it, "oh come on, I'm a professional!"

"SSHHH!" Zero sharply hushed them, not sure if he'd heard something coming or not. He pulled his shot buster out and stepped out of the cave to investigate. After a minute he came back in, "still clear."

"You still have your buster out," Kuro observed, "are you sure?"

"No," Zero admitted, "I feel like somebody is out there, so be quiet and let her work."

Not sure if Zero was being serious about the last part or not, Kuro reluctantly removed his body suit completely. Ciel kept her eyes above his waistline as she handed him the towel she'd been wiping her hands on, "here, if this makes you more comfortable."

"Thanks," Kuro accepted the cloth, even though it was covered in chemicals. "It's nothing personal, its a decency thing."

"uh-huh," Ciel said dismissively as she ran her fingers along his leg looking for the release for the access panel of his leg. She found it and set to work, this time setting the flashlight on her leg.

After about ten minutes Zero's attention was suddenly entirely outside the cave. "We're out of time!" he whispered sharply, "they're coming."

"But..." Ciel pleaded, "I'm not close to done."

"Doctor," Kuro gave an assuring grasp on the shoulder, "I can cloak, act like I'm not here."

Ciel's eyes betrayed many feelings about the idea, "but how could they possibly believe it's just us in here?"

Zero bit his lip, "Ciel, this will change alot with how people view our time together... but we can pull it off..."

"What do you mean?"

"When they demand to see who else is in here, act like you are just finishing redressing when you come up behind me."

Her eyes changed again, "you can't be serious?"

A voice from outside the cave stopped the conversation, "We know you're in there Kuro!"

"Fefnir..." he gritted his teeth as he faded into the darkness.

Zero pulled his helmet off before he stepped to the mouth of the cave, placing it back on his head. "Damn Neo Arcadians! Even out here we can't have any peace!"

"Zero?" Fefnir was legitimately dumbfounded, "what the hell?"

Ciel bit her lip and her cheeks reddened with shame as she began to unbutton her overshirt. She looked over at Kuro, to see nothing.

Fefnir leapt from the ledge he had been standing on. He landed with the sound of gravel being crushed beneath his feet. He walked right up to Zero, flipping his new smaller cannons into combat-position. He peered over Zero's shoulder, "who's in there with you?"

Ciel came out, acting as if she had just gotten hastily dressed, and thoroughly embarassed about the implications of this plan.

Some of Fefnir's lesser officers began giving cat-calls and various other taunting you might give somebody caught in the act.

Ciel decided she needed to put on an act fast, Fefnir didn't seem entirely convinced. She stomped her foot, "How dare you give us such grief for our feelings!" She latched onto Zero by the shoulders, making sure to stay just far enough away that she wouldn't interfere with any movements he might need to suddenly make. To her suprise, the contact, whether a farce or not, felt right. She smiled slightly as she realized she might have more than just a crush on the hero of the Resistance.

Zero placed his hand protectively around Ciel's waist and grasped it gently.

Fefnir grinned, "so the rumors ARE true."

"Say what you will," Ciel tightened her hold and edged closer to Zero, allowing her emotions to add to the natural element of the farce. "I love Zero."

For a moment, the two red reploids stared at each other. Fefnir raised his arm and made a strange hand signal. He grinned, "well, sorry to interrupt a private moment."

Suddenly Zero tensed and Ciel felt a rushing movement. She found herself in Zero's arms on top of the ridge with the cave. All of the N-A officers surrounded them with weapons drawn, charged and aimed.

"But, no matter what you two were doing..." Fefnir cackeled, "all Class-S criminals are to be terminated on sight! OPEN FIRE!"

Ciel felt like a ragdoll, even with Zero's arms absorbing most of the movement. After a black arc came flying past and shearing a blue and green repliod, Ciel found herself flying away from the protective grasp of her red hero. The red arms were replaced by a pair of black ones.

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Zero screamed as he drew his saber and shot buster.

"Anubis stay here!" Fefnir ordered as Kuro began tearing across the terrain with a screaming Ciel, who was reaching toward Zero as if her hand could protect him from any damage. "Everyone else persue the traitor!"

Zero squared off, preparing to fight not only Fefnir, but his personal apprentice as well. Kuro ran, trying to save the important life that didn't want to be in HIS arms; his former allies slowly closing the distance behind him.