Sorry for the delay! School continues to kick my ass. Updates should regulate around may. To optimise this reading experience, I would reccomend listening to the song that is the namesake of this chapter. It's what I listened to on repeat while writing this.

Enjoy!

Shulk, Kallian and Gadolt were in Junks, getting details from Miqol. They'd been asked to recover some memories, which wouldn't be a problem. They were about to leave when a scout came running in.

"A large squadron of mechon, including a faced once, has left for Colony 9."

"There isn't much we can do," Miqol sighed.

"Yes there is!" Shulk shouted, surprising everyone including himself. "Agniratha can wait; we're going."

"Are you sure?" Before those words finished leaving Miqol's mouth, Shulk was already halfway out the door.

"My family and friends are in Colony 9. Even if I don't make it time, I'm not going to sit back and wait until the report comes in."

"I'll make sure he comes back alive," Kallian said as he followed Shulk out.

"And I'll make sure Kallian gets back alive," Gadolt sighed, following after both of them.

Shulk ran and then flew as fast as he was physically able.

The only moment he hesitated was right before boarding Ruby.

"What's wrong?" Kallian asked as he joined him.

"I do want to protect my colony, but…"

"You're worried about your family," Gadolt concluded. Shulk nodded. "You don't have to see them if you feel you're not ready."

"You're right. No time to be down, we've got a colony to save."

They set off for colony 9, going at top speed.

0o0

By the time the four arrived at the cylinder hangar, Colony 9 was on fire. There were mechon everywhere.

Wordlessly, they jumped in the water to get there faster. The defence force was struggling to keep the mechon back, but at least they'd had enough of a warning to get most people to the shelters.

With the Monado at their side and anti-mechon weapons, the mechon didn't stand a chance. The only problem was the sheer number of them. They killed one, three more popped up, in Reyn's words.

The other main problem was the faced mechon. It was flying above the colony, shooting at any large group of Homs. The current plan was to try and get it to land so the Monado could do damage to it. Nearly two hours in though, it hadn't landed and the defence force was starting to run out of ideas.

The report was grim when three more faced mechon were detected, approaching at top speed. There were words of calling for code green. No one would accept that. This was not the end of Colony 9. This was not the end of the Homs.

The three mechon came into view. Morale fell all at once. Fiora pointed at the one flying in the middle of the formation. It was Pearl.

The new arrival's allegiance was quickly set in stone as the three shot down the other faced mechon that had been causing trouble. Fiora and the others jumped on the opportunity to take it down.

It's armour was green, so the defence force had been referring to it as "Green Face". It had a gun mounted on its shoulder and a wicked looking sword in its hand.

"Anti-mechon weapons, eh?" it taunted. "Those can't dent me!"

"Maybe not," Reyn taunted right back, "but the Monado can!"

"We'll see about that kiddoes."

The four of them got in formation, ready to use roughly the same strategy as when they'd fought Xord. Seeing her chance, Fiora moved, aiming for one of its legs to throw it off balance.

The Monado bounced off its armour. She tried again. Same result.

Emerald Face hit her with the back of its hand, sending her flying. It laughed. "That sword of yours is useless, girl."

How? She wondered as she pulled herself up. Why isn't the Monado effective against this guy? Even if it works when it's toppled, the Monado is just a fancier anti-mechon weapon than the ones we already have! Was all we did to get it for nothing?

"Hers might not be," an eerily familiar voice said, "but mine are!"

A red faced mechon dropped out of the sky, cutting down Green's gun in one swipe.

Green stepped back as the gun fell to the ground and the red one placed itself between it and the Homs.

"Well met, traitorous Ruby Face," Green snarled.

"Looks like I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here," Ruby replied, calmly shaking its head, "you know my name, I don't know yours."

"I am Emerald Face. I would have gracefully brought you back if you hadn't done what you just did."

"As you said, I'm a traitor with no plans of going back."

"I guess that settles it," Emerald drew its sword.

"It sure does," Ruby drew its own.

Emerald flew into the air, surprising even Ruby, or, at least, Ruby deigned to look surprised. "I'm not dumb enough to fight you!" It was heading for Jade, considering she was a long-range unit. She was in theory, anyway. Jade had been training to not be helpless at close range.

Jade shot Emerald point blank, sending it crashing to the ground. While it had not been dumb enough to fight Ruby, it also hadn't been smart enough to consider that long-range units weren't strictly that.

While Emerald struggled to get back upright, Fiora and the others once again took their chance. With it toppled, they could do damage. Dunban called for a chain attack. He opened with blossom dance. Sharla followed with headshot. Reyn came in with sword drive. Fiora was planning on finishing with a daze art, but the Monado began to glow. Shr harnessed its energy, the blade extended and she brought it down hard.

"Monado buster!"

0o0

Another wave of mechon landed on the bridge leading to the residential district, blocking it off from reinforcements. Luckily, Fiora and the others, along with the three faced mechon were in that district.

Ruby headed for those on the bridge, a red aura surrounding it.

"Stay away from Ruby," Pearl (Kallian?) warned. "When she gets like that it can get dangerous."

"What do you mean?" Dunban asked. It seemed odd to ask a question to a mechon, but this one in particular had proven that he was trustworthy.

"She's going to take down those mechon," was the only explanation he gave.

The aura burst out and practically all of the mechon on the bridge deactivated or were toppled. The defence force moved in to take down the stragglers.

Ruby contacted Jade and Pearl.

"What's your status?"

"I've got a few scratches, nothing major," Pearl replied.

"Same here," Jade chimed in.

"We'll take down the remaining mechon in the area then retreat." It was Meyneth's voice, not Shulk's.

"I would actually like to find out who that Emerald Face is. I've never seen him before but he sounds familiar," Jade declared.

"If you would like me to, I have enough energy left to to free him of Egil's influence should you wish to," Meyneth replied.

"Honestly it would probably be best if you did that with every face we run into," Pearl added. "The less Egil has, the better."

"That would cause me to power down permanently, I am afraid. It takes an enormous amount of power to do what I did for you."

"Let's not do that then."

Jade landed next to Emerald , Ruby landing opposite from him and Kallian hovered overhead so it couldn't escape. A group of Homs had surrounded them, but this was something between the four of them.

This was something between mechon.

"Do you know what your name is?" Gadolt asked.

"Emerald is the only name I need."

"Then show me your face at least," Gadolt replied, his voice commanding.

The only answer he got was the chest cavity opening and revealing an unfortunately familiar Homs inside.

Sharla's hand flew to her mouth. Not only did that mechon with dual guns, Jade, sound very much like Gadolt, but Emerald… Emerald was Otharon. Half of his face was gone and replaced with mechon-like skin, but it was Otharon.

"There's a Homs inside a mechon," Reyn muttered.

He caught Sharla when she fell to her knees.

A dead silence fell over the colony. Nearly every soldier in the colony dropped their weapon. There was no way they were seeing right. There was no way that there was a Homs commanding that mechon. But there was.

"I'm sorry you ended like I did old man," Gadolt said, voice breaking. "I truly am."

The chest cavity closed. "I do not care if I knew you before. All that matters is now."

If Gadolt still had one, his stomach would have dropped to his ankles. "Meyneth."

"I'm sorry," that was Shulk. "There's something wrong and I'm losing power quickly. That Final Cross earlier drained more than it should've. I'm actually not sure if I'm going to be able to make it back to the village before I shut down."

Kallian landed next to Shulk. "Send this message to Egil: the three of us are never, ever, going back to him. If he tries again he can stick his foot where I think."

Otharon nodded, took a step back, and flew out.

Silence once again ruled.

It was Dunban who broke it. "Who, or what are you?"

"We've met before," Kallian started, doing the best bow he could manage with Pearl, "but let me formally introduce myself. I am Pearl Face, though you may call me Kallian."

"Jade," Gadolt replied.

"Ruby," Shulk answered. If he still had a heart, it would be going a thousand miles per hour. This wasn't how he'd thought it would happen. But it was happening. He felt like he might pass out. He wasn't sure if it was because of the energy drain or because he was mortified. It was probably an unhealthy mix of both.

This was happening right now whether he wanted it or not.

He took a deep breath.

"If you'll give me the chance, Dunban, I'll explain everything."

Special thanks to consort for the idea with Otharon and Emerald!