Author Note: Fifty chapters!!!!!! And over 1500 hits, I'm happy and honored. I hope you keep enjoying the fic because it has a long way to go yet. Enjoy and review!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Countdown to the end: 2 (Primordial fear)

The sun light woke me up against my will. My head ached; it was a hell due to the hung over. Only few times I felt that bad, just how drunk could I have been? I couldn't tell; there were many things I could not remember. My body felt heavy, I was sweating while I tried to move forwards, it was hard for me not to throw up as I headed for the door, which was mysteriously open, why? I didn't know, but it was my only chance to escape. It was hard for me to move; my vision was blurred. The surroundings seemed to be fading away as I headed forwards. It must have been dawn; the corridor was quite dark and quiet too. There was no sound other than my own footsteps. It gave me a bad feeling and Yoshi could feel it.

"Be careful" he asked me.

"I'll be"

Yoshi was the only one who I ever felt concerning about me and his guidance let me cross the whole corridor. I let him to see for me and he leaded my body to what it seemed to be the only possible exist. I opened the door that was supposed to lead me to the escape route, but there was no exist. It was a huge white empty room, filled only with the tobacco scent coming from Wolf's cigarette. He was expecting me to come; somehow he knew that I would eventually come to him.

I was pushed forwards by an invisible hand as the door behind me closed. Now it was a chance for both of us. Either of us would be given the chance to kill the other, but that wasn't the outcome, neither for him, nor for me.

"Please, take a seat" Wolf offered.

I stared at him skeptical about doing what he wanted. Despite that I did it anyway. Yoshi was ready to fight alongside me as we always did.

"You know I want to destroy you" I was amazed, when Pit told us that Wolf never lied, he was saying the truth "Your bond with Matthew might drift him away from me"

"How?" I was confused "We despise each other"

"More the reason to fear you"

"I don't understand"

"While most of people who care about him would comfort him, which comfort is nothing that an encouragement to his confusion, because he only knows that he has more people to worry about. You are different, as you despise him you are the only one who ever told him how reality was like and you made him stand up and walk forwards. Despite you hate him, you helped him, you made him see what has to be done. Confusion is what must be in Matthew's heart, that way his will die as Mario did"

My eyes opened wide at his last statement. Was Mario really dead? I watched when Matthew pierced his shoulder in order to pierce Wolf's chest, could that have been enough to kill him? No, it couldn't. A pierce shoulder could not cause dead, at least he bled to death and that wasn't the case.

"I apologize" Wolf said reading my expression "Mario isn't technically dead. I spoke through what Matthew feels. Mario is indeed alive, but very weak and thus he can't talk to Matthew. Hence he thinks Mario is dead and I spoke through that feeling"

"How do you know what he feels?"

"I have a strong bond with Matthew. I can see what he sees and I can feel what he feels. He is not aware of that yet. As you are not aware that we share a bond as well"

I jumped backwards and I turned into Yoshi before the chair I was sat on could fell. I turned into an egg and I rolled forwards Wolf who just jumped forwards his desk and stopped me bare handed. When the egg broke, I took a split second chance to throw my tongue and catch his body. I digested him and I laid him as an egg. I knew he would break it through soon; hence I prepared to give him a head butt, but when the egg broke there was nothing inside and a blaster shot paralyzed me as Wolf grabbed my head and threw me to the walls. I rolled in the air and my legs opened in order to spread the whole impact in the wall that started falling apart the second I jumped forwards. I used my bomber and the waves caused by the landing trapped Wolf giving me time to hit him with my tail. He rolled in the air and stopped as soon as his left hand touched the floor acquiring an amazing balance that stopped his flight backwards.

I decided not to waste more time and I unleashed my final smash. Wings sprouted in my back and I threw fireballs at Wolf who easily dodged all of them until I rushed against him and I caught his body to make the final move. Or so did I think, but when I shot the fireball Wolf was not in my hands anymore and I could only hit the door. I turned aside and I saw a relaxed Wolf lightening a cigarette with the fire I started on the carpet, which was also being extinguished by something I could not see. And as usual I returned to my normal self and took a defensive stance.

"You are strong" Wolf acknowledged "Most of my fighters would have no chance against you. You are quite a fighter Robert. You are talented, you were gifted with amazing fighting skills that you still must develop, not to mention you also posses the sense to see things through. If you grow up correctly, one day you might be able to defeat Matthew"

"Is this what you want" I asked "Sorry, but your trick won't work on me. I won't join the dark side in order to defeat Matthew"

"Dark side?" Wolf asked laughing "Oh, come on Robert, you know more than anyone that there's no such thing like right or wrong, neither light or dark, nor good or evil. It's all a matter of perspective. Do you feel better than us for killing someone? Doing it in the name of justice makes it easier? If that were the case, Roy's death would have never traumatized Matthew at all. Both sides fight because they fear something and want to protect something. Just as Matthew fights because he's scared of losing some other person he loves, I fight because I'm scared that my angst will finally overwhelm me. Fear is why we fight; protection is what gives us will and strength. Why do you fight Robert? What are you afraid of? What do you want to protect?"

"It's not of your business"

"I should have never asked, because I already know the answer. You do not fear anything, because you are dead inside. You have nothing to lose. That's why you are such skilled! But you have no reason to fight, despite you want to prove yourself that you can live by fighting, but your side is fragile. Do you really belong to Matthew's side?"

"We only act together on convenience. I fight in no side; I do what I think it's right.

"Do you think is it right to kill me?"

"Yes"

"Despite you ignore my intentions?"

"The reason doesn't justify the means. You and your minions killed innocent people. Thus you must pay for those lives"

"Is it right to protect a family that despises you?"

"Do not try to confuse me Wolf. I'm not soft as Gabriel, you won't brainwash me"

Wolf smiled; he seemed to be reading my answers with anticipation. He was no tense; he seemed prepared for any kind of argument. I had to make the conversation long enough to be able to shape shift again and escape.

"Your heart is empty" those words somehow managed to hurt me "You understand what love is, but you haven't felt it. You know what friendship is, but you have never felt it. Isn't it cold at nights? Isn't it sad how you try to love your mother and find yourself unable to do so?"

It's a mental trick, it's a trap. Despite I shouted that in my head I couldn't avoid having tears shedding on my face. Those facts were true; I tried to love my family, but I hated them deep inside. There were only two people who I ever felt truly comfortable with. My Judo instructor and Yoshi. I thought I was close to Yoshi, then why back then Wolf seemed to be much closer to me than him?

"Your jealousy towards Matthew is only natural. He might have lost his father, but his family loves him, he has friends that care for him no matter how his arrogance might tire them. And he is strong, stronger than you actually. Matthew is everything you are not. Don't you feel like filling the emptiness of your heart by drinking? I do it by smoking, but neither of us will ever fill it with these items, because they don't last. I'm seeking for something that lasts, wouldn't you do the same?

"Do not listen!" Yoshi warned me "I'm close to you! I want to make you happy, because we are friends! And I want to keep fighting at your side"

"Robert" Wolf interrupted "My target is Matthew, but in the meantime I can offer you to become one with me. I won't kill Matthew, but I will defeat him and I'll fill the emptiness of your heart for a while. I can only offer you a while, because I seek Matthew, but don't you want to feel a warm sensation on your heart at least once?

"Robert! I know you! I know you are not stupid; you are a good guy with good feelings. I love you Robert, you are a brother for me! Our bond is deep! So please, do not listen to him"

"Robert"

"Robert!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP" I yelled.

My screaming was louder than what I expected. My face was filled with tears, I don't remember any time I cried more than back then. I was scared, confused and tempted to do as Wolf said, but there was Yoshi. Was I low enough to turn back on him when he was there for me for such a long time? What did I feel for Yoshi? Did I love him as a brother as well? I was not sure, my heart and brain were screaming to say yes to Wolf, the only thing that stopped me was Yoshi's screams.

"Thank you" I said mentally "Thanks for caring about me… and I'm sorry"

"ROBERT!"

And then my story took a twist. I would be never the same Robert Wolf again.

"Farewell… Yoshi…"