I RETURN. With a massive (6400+ words) chapter full of action! Great way to get back into things! This WAS two chapters, but developments in later chapters caused me to shift things around so this is now one massive chapter XD

BIG thanks to everyone who was patient with me as I took a break to finish my last semester! Excluding any future weird complications, we should be back on a weekly upload schedule! After this story (only five chapters left!) and "Commander, Meet the Cat" I'll be posting book three "To the Far Reaches" AND book five "Fallen Not Forgotten" simultaneously! Fallen Not Forgotten will be the main story, with uploads three times a month, and To the Far Reaches being uploaded once a month. Depending on the interest for the pair, I may do alternating weeks but we'll see how it goes XD I'm figuring that since Fallen Not Forgotten brings in Rex, Domino, and the Jedi it will be the more popular but y'all never fail to surprise me XD

As always, feedback is very much appreciated! Even if its just a keyboard smash XD I do read all the comments, and from this point forward will hopefully be able to respond to them all again!

Really hope you enjoyed the battle scenes, and the little milestone at the end! ;)

CW: Canon typical violence, callbacks to Trust Shattered, Twiggy therapy, self doubt, regrets.

"Done this before?"

My ear twitched at the crackle from the helmet's speaker. "No this… this is a first for me."

Creeping through the trees at the edge of the field in Kelusine form, soft paw pads muffling my steps, I kept my eyes on the advancing battalion of droids as Trevor walked out to meet them. Tech hid in the barn with Crosshair's Night Hunter gremlin, no doubt ready to record the battlefield from afar, while Wrecker and Hunter lurked at the treeline further back with Sarah.

Crosshair, meanwhile, laid flat against my back, tightly gripping my mane.

The arrangement was… odd to say the least. The only Kelusine saddle Sarah had was outfitted for a Forester Kelusine, not an Mountaineer one, so the sniper rode bareback. I didn't really care too much for hard plastoid rubbing against my spine, especially when he shifted side to side to find the best spot, but he had to be on my back or he'd never keep up.

The plan was simple; once Trevor gave the signal, Crosshair and I would run full speed to the jammer as Wrecker, Hunter, and Sarah kept the clankers busy.

The only issue? Trevor hadn't said exactly what the signal would be.

"How fast can you run in this form?" Crosshair whispered, shifting up on my neck.

"'Round forty to forty five mph, slower if I want to keep the pace uphill but faster if I'm going downhill," I replied, the pervasive roughness from my new vocal cords made worse by my hushed tone. "How 'bout those rollies?"

I counted at least ten, but hopefully a few would stay behind and not follow Crosshair and me. Then again, I didn't want Hunter and the others to face all those droids.

"Roughly seventy klicks an hour."

Yeah, my American ass has no idea how fast that is compared to me.

I looked across the field, eyeing the rocky gorges splitting open the mountainside, the mottled gray rock leaving a bald spot on the otherwise lush mountainside. How about a little theft from the Spirit movie? "Can you hold on if I get us in those narrow gorges?"

"Hmm." He remained silent for a moment, no doubt scanning the obstacle course. "Yeah."

"Good. Mountaineers are perfectly at home in rocky terrain." I settled into a crouch. "Hold on as tight as you can, I got mane to spare."

Crosshair just grunted and relaxed on my back, stroking the mane. "Soft fur…" He hesitated. "Can I still call you kitten?"

"Here, kitty kitty."

Even now, hours later, that chilling purr from Nightmare!Crosshair still echoed in my ears.

My ears and tail twitched as the fur bristled along my spine. "Probably need to hold off on that one for a bit. For multiple reasons."

A soft, disappointed sigh, but other than that he didn't say anything. He did, however, move his hands away from my mane.

Wait no come back.

"Can still hug me, though. Kitten just… brings him back."

Lean arms wrapped tentatively around my neck again. "Don't blame you for holdin' a grudge."

"Ain't helpful for either of us if you dwell on what happened and you let yourself spiral," I muttered, tail twitching before I forced it to stay still. "That whirlpool can and will drown you in an instant."

"You'd know something about that."

There was no bite to those words, but even so…

I can't concentrate in these conditions.

It was hard enough trying to figure if I wanted him close or if I didn't want him close without the added uncertainty on his end. The last thing I needed right now was a manifestation of Hot and Cold by Katy Perry.

"Cross, listen. It's temptin' to rake yourself over the coals for every mistake you make. Especially when failure was punished very harshly in your early years. It ain't easy to shake that internalized hatred. Trust me, I know. But in the long run it only prevents yourself from movin' forward."

"You shut down when you mess up."

Thanks for the reminder.

"Newsflash, I ain't perfect. Neither are you." I took care to soften my tone when he flinched. He needed a wake up call, not a broken heart. "But it's not that we can't mess up. It's that we learn and work to prevent it from happenin' again. That's the key."

Arms tightened around my neck. "Thanks for not givin' up on me. Haven't said it nearly as often as I should."

I flicked my tail against his leg. "Welcome, Twiggy."

He gave my neck a final squeeze before clearing his throat. "What signal we waitin' for?"

"Trev didn't say."

"Said you'd know it when you heard it."

Yeah, and that was as helpful as a flamethrower in a forest fire.

"Honestly, could be anythin' with that bastard."

"Why do you keep him around, again?"

"He has his uses."

Hunter's whisper crackled through Crosshair's comm. "Everyone in position?"

"Ready for the signal," Crosshair replied before adjusting his weight. "Think you can do this, sweetheart?"

I snorted. "Think you can hold on, Twiggy?"

The sniper lightly kicked my sides.

"Quit that 'fore I buck your bendaroo ass off," I growled, but grinned over my shoulder at him. He flicked my nose and in return I snapped my teeth at him.

"Hello, friends!" Trevor said, voice carrying across the field.

I tucked my legs under me as Crosshair gripped my mane tighter. Adjusting his weight, heels digging into my sides behind my forelimbs, he wrapped his legs around my chest best he could and tucked his elbows in.

One of the droids, a B1 at the front of the horde, held up a hand. "Halt!"

Trevor stopped, raising his hands. "Something I can help you with?" he asked, tail flicking side to side.

"We received a tip that clones had been spotted here!"

"Clones!" Trevor gasped. "How awful!"

I snorted. "Ham."

"How many of those horrid troopers should we be on the lookout for?"

"A commando squadron of four and a fighter with a furry tail."

"A commando squad? Dreadful!"

"Dramatic, isn't he?" Crosshair muttered.

I rolled my eyes. "Knows how to play his part."

"Enough games!" The B1 turned to another droid. "Sergeant, take this civilian in for questioning!"

"Wait!" Trevor said. "I have one thing to say first."

"What?"

"Kids Next Door…"

Memories upon memories, episodes upon episodes, flashed through my head. So many characters. So many adventures. I loved the Clone Wars, but even it lost first place to Codename: KND. And Trevor's signal…

I knew it by heart.

"Battlestations!" I roared, giving Crosshair just enough time to hang on before I burst from the undergrowth. Taking the droids by surprise, my markings blazed to life as I reared up and slammed my paws down. A massive earthen barrier of moss and stone erupted from the ground, shielding us from the battalion, and I took off across the field towards the cliffs.

"Oh yeah! Here comes the Wrecking Ball!" Wrecker cheered, charging from the bushes with Hunter close behind.

"Ambush!" the B1 screamed, turning to face the pair but getting annihilated by a supercharged bolt from Trevor that arced between the droids and felled the central column.

The rest I didn't see, intent on reaching that canyon before the rollies beat me around the barrier. Blaster fire filled the air, accompanied by the now familiar smell of ozone and hot metal as cannon blasts from the tanks shook my chest. Missile rounds struck the barrier, sending bits of rock flying, but no shots reached us as we made it across the field and I charged into the narrow canyon.

"Rollies, inbound!"

So soon?

Very well.

I kept the Bad Batch themselves off my tail with half the space and without this special form all that time ago.

No teeth, claws, or powers.

No rocks, vines, or sudden drops.

No sniper watching my back, ready to defend me with lethal force.

At the Anthill, it'd been me and me alone.

Not here.

Now… I had a partner.

A team.

I could do this.

We could do this.

This is where the fun begins.

"They can't shoot while rollin' right?" I yelled.

"Right!"

"Then buckle up, buttercup, time for a little Anthill throwback!"

I shot down a side canyon, hazy images flashed through my mind as I leapt over fallen rocks and dodged creeping vines.

Left.

Right.

Straight ahead.

We're in the labyrinth.

As the song played in my head, filling me with determination and newfound energy, I led the pursuing droids through a maze of columns, sudden turns, and false exits.

Turn.

I sailed over some rubble.

Turn.

Ducked under a low archway.

Wait.

Saw the gap ahead.

Wait.

Continued to race towards it.

Wait…

Grinned.

Now!

I slammed on the breaks, dropping my weight onto my back legs. Tail acting as a giant rudder, lending me maneuverability, I avoided the sheer drop at the last minute and took off down the narrow ledge as it snaked along the cliffside.

Clattering followed by a crash echoed off the stoney walls.

"One down! Four to go!"

I grinned at Crosshair's report and took a left.

Up the cliffside trail the rollies followed, the uneven terrain barely phasing them. Two more turns and a roundabout later they still remained like heat seeking missiles.

Locked on.

"Almost got you, Ice!"

Gaining.

"Run, kitty, run!"

Closer.

"Here I come, Squeak!"

Closer.

"Don't you trust us!?"

Closer!

"The arch!"

Crosshair's voice broke through the nightmarish echoes, snagging my paws and nearly sending him from my back as I stumbled.

"What?!"

"The arch!" he yelled, gripping my mane tighter now. "Will shoot it!"

Arch? What arch?

All I saw was the shadowy visage of twisted woods encroaching on the path head.

"Where?" I yelled, eyes darting around as the misty trees and dark figures slowly evaporated from my peripheral vision.

Guess I wasn't as ship shape as I thought if that damn nightmare was still haunting me. How long would it take to finally shake this?

Crosshair's left heel dug into my side and his left hand yanked back. "Down!"

I still didn't see it. But, even after last night…

I trusted my sniper.

Leaping off, I slid down to the path below and landed rather heavily, a rock slicing my back right leg, but I quickly took off again.

No time to rest.

Rest was death.

Rest was death.

Move.

Run.

Go.

"Here, kitty kitty!"

Now!

The rollies crashed down behind us as Crosshair's hand left my mane. Brilliant blue bolts zipped ahead, embedding themselves in the now visible rocky arch and sending debris everywhere. The archway buckled and collapsed in on itself just as I raced through, the rubble raining down on the tip of my tail.

"Three left!"

"Hang on!" I warned before dashing at a steep cliff face. Loose rock shifted under my paws and tumbled down to the rollies as I scaled the wall, but I crested the ridge before they could get a clear shot.

Panting hard atop the windy plateau, limbs trembling from the strain as the gash on my leg throbbed with unforgiving fire, I looked around.

There. Only one way up for the rollies.

Pressing my paw into the stone, closing my eyes and channeling elemental magic through me, I summoned a thicket of thorns at the top of the path. Opening my eyes and grinning at my handiwork, I dove back over the ledge as the first droideka rolled full speed into the unyielding mass.

Idiot.

Sliding down and dashing into another narrow slot canyon, I sped towards a small tunnel system. "Keep your head down!"

Plunging into the cold, dark cavern, I soon found myself in a large underground chamber with various tunnels heading deeper into the mountain. A single shaft of sunlight illuminated the cavern, striking the veins of brilliant white quartz just above a wide tunnel entrance.

Good enough for me! I thought and charged in.

But the deeper I went, the narrower the tunnel became. Funneling me down down down into what I could only hope wasn't a dead end.

Come on.

The walls nearly brushed my shoulders.

Come on.

The roof grew closer with each stride.

Come on!

I wasn't going to make it through.

The tunnel shot to the left suddenly, widening once more before spitting me out in yet another slot canyon.

"Spin!"

"What?!"

Crosshair jerked my mane. "Stop and spin! Now!"

Following the command, I slid to a stop and spun around, claws scraping against the dark stone.

Blue bolts sent shards of rock flying from the top of the tunnel mouth, cracks racing up the wall as the tunnel buckled under the weight of the mountain.

Heels dug into my flanks. "Go!"

Resuming my escape, I prayed his plan worked because…

I really couldn't outrun these guys for much longer.

I bloody hate cardio.

"Only two more left!"

Well that was something at least.

Painfully aware of my rapidly approaching energy crash, I led the remaining droidekas in circles. Around and around we went, circling the same area again and again.

"One will double back, what are you doing?!"

"You'll see!"

Sure enough, as I rounded the corner a droideka unfolded to meet me.

Dumbass.

Leaping over its head with ease, I laughed again as an explosion sounded behind me.

But the joy was short lived.

"Kark! Three more!"

Really?! Hellfire and damnation, I can't catch a break!

"Do you trust me, Cross?" I yelled as I raced up a steep path.

"With my life!"

I reached the top, a flat expanse leading to the edge of the large gorge.

Across the gap, safety.

And rest.

I badly needed both.

"Well, hope it's well founded!"

Focusing on a patch of grass on the other side between two large cedars, I pressed forward with all the speed I had left.

Steady.

Watch the stride.

Ignore everything else.

Get ready.

Five.

Four.

Three…

Two…

One.

Paws leaving the ground.

Wind in my face.

Weightless.

Soaring.

Flying.

Free.

The hard impact of the rock beneath my paws nearly threw Crosshair from my back, but the commando quickly recovered as I ran into the trees and left the rollies behind. Onward I raced, bolts slamming into trees and rocks, until I could no longer hear the sounds of blaster fire from behind.

As if on cue, my energy evaporated. Coming to a stop, wheezing as my throat burned, Crosshair barely had time to slip from my back before I flopped on my side.

"Shadow?" Crosshair said, urgency in his tone as he knelt beside me with a hand on my furry shoulder.

My eyes remained closed. "I… hate… cardio."

That got a soft, shaky laugh from the sniper. "Did good, furball." His hand rubbed a small circle. "Did real good."

I weakly patted him with a paw, nearly knocking him over. "Ugh, need more sleep juice for feats like that."

"Not dyin' on me, are you?"

I snorted. "Takes more than a run to kill me, Charlie." Another soft chuckle from him brought a smile to my face and I looked up at him. "Gotta say though, missed hearin' that laugh of yours."

"Missed havin' you make me smile," he replied, pulling his helmet off and allowing me to see the sincere expression on his usually stern face.

I pushed myself to my front paws and rubbed my head against his, purring. Helmet hanging in his one hand as he ran his fingers through the longer fur at my cheek, Crosshair rubbed his nose against mine.

Tail curling as warmth surged through me, filling me with energy once more, I shoved him with a paw. "Alright, enough of this sappy shit. Gonna need to see a dentist at this rate."

Crosshair narrowed his eyes at me, but that smile remained. "Hmph." He stood tall. "Then on your feet, soldier. Got a mission to do," he said, tucking his helmet under his arm.

Twitching my whiskers at him, I shook myself off and stood completely. "Alright, corporal. Let's do this."

Glancing at him as we headed to the transmitter, albeit at a walk this time, I smiled again. What a different man he'd become. While still not one to waste his breath on idle talk, he'd certainly gotten less harsh or snappy in conversations. More open to giving heartfelt responses and allowing that softer side to slip through.

A softer side that made me fall harder and harder.

But… I also missed that snarky, dry humor that could even border on bullying at times. I knew that to be more authentically Crosshair anyways. Avoiding any and all situations where even playful aggression was perceived as malice? No, that wasn't Crosshair. While I appreciated the newfound sensitivity to his words… I couldn't stand the idea of forcing someone to be something they were not.

"Found it," Crosshair announced, sweeping his hand to indicate the contraption hidden amongst some ferns and moss beneath a large pine.

"Looks like an old generator box," I said, eyeing the rust patches and weathered control panel casing.

"Cracked worse," he said with a shrug.

As he crouched to work on it, sitting his helmet beside him, I positioned myself on his opposite side. "Hey, Cross?"

His hands faltered.

"You don't… you're not overthinkin' your responses when you talk to me now, right?"

More silence.

My fur bristled. "Crosshair?"

"Your love language is clearly words of affirmation. And I suck at it," he confessed, voice soft yet bitter as he fiddled with the jammer.

"It's my main receiving one, yes." I watched a squirrel run through the dark branches overhead. "But it's not your main giving one."

"Shockin', huh?"

I wrap my tail around him. "What I'm tryin' to say is whatever love language is your main giving one, use that."

"We weren't exactly taught love on Kamino." He shook his head. "All I ever do with you is mess up."

"How do you apologize to your brothers?"

"You're in a bit of a different arena. You're my girlfriend- wait, significant other." He paused. "At least… I hope."

I curled my tail tighter around him. "Aye. But I'm also your friend, Crosshair. You don't need romantic coded acts to bond with me or make me feel better.."

He leaned against me. "It's just hard for me."

"Hey," I said with a soft laugh. "I ain't got much datin' experience, so take what I say with a grain of salt."

"Friendships, I mean. Not used to 'em," he mumbled, turning back and working on the jammer.

Sitting behind him, facing the opposite direction to watch for droids, I curled my tail around him again. "Takes work, not gonna lie. Ain't too good with 'em myself. There's so many social taboos I gotta watch out for, to say nothing of 'Forbidden Topics' that everyone except me seems to know." I sighed. "At least with you I know I can be honest no matter what and get honesty in return."

"Will never lie to you, sweetheart. Promise." He groaned. "Just what am I supposed to do? You don't want me to try and use your love language, then how should I interact with you?"

"Be you," I stressed.

"I hurt you," he growled.

Yes, you most certainly did. But I'd be a liar and a hypocrite if I said I haven't done the same to people before when I was emotional.

"I've hurt you, too." Through the trees, where the mountainside dropped off steeply, I could see the blue sky marked by fluffy white clouds and plumes of dark smoke as the main battle raged. "Yet you forgave me."

"Didn't erupt on me."

"No." I scanned the forest for enemies as the distant sounds of blaster fire and artillery reached my ears. "Just tried to kill you."

"Thought I was tryin' to kill you," he shot back as a beep sounded from the jammer.

I shook my head. "Look, the only reason I know how to avoid the most dangerous landmines is because I've stepped on the damn things before. An eruption on my end ended my first relationship. I've hurt friends too, and ruined some friendships before that will never be mended."

The confession pained me, regret tightening my chest as longing for mended relationships surged through me and crawled up my throat.

Hellfire, what I wouldn't give to have some of those old friends back.

Then again… maybe it was the memories I missed, not the people themselves.

"Sweetheart?" Crosshair asked, turning towards me as my breath trembled.

I shook myself. "I'm fine, just… trust me. I've done my fair share of pain. And…" I hesitated but turned to face him. "I did erupt on you. Not to your face, but when I was speaking with Hunter."

"What?"

"Said some things I'm… not the proudest of." I covered my shame with a snort and a shove. "And, remember, I kicked you back in the creek and endangered your life for Pete's sake."

"Think I deserved that one," Crosshair scoffed, punching something into the keypad then hitting the top with his fist. "Stupid rust bucket."

"No more self loathing from you, mister. And leave the poor jammer alone," I snorted, facing outward again. "My point was, there's only one way to truly know how hot a stove is; gotta touch it yourself. And I have. I've been burned, done the burnin', and sometimes both at the same time. You haven't been able to stumble your way through relationships of any kind before, so your stovetop touching opportunities have been extremely limited. Not to sound depressin', but this is the first of many burns. You will mess up again, it's unavoidable. But we all deserve a chance to heal and grow from our mistakes. Otherwise, what's the point of even tryin'?"

He groaned loudly. "Hate when you do that."

My ears twitched back, insecurity flaring to life and taking off like a runaway freight train. "Ah."

"I-In a good way," Crosshair said quickly as another beep came from the jammer. "But it…"

"Hits too close to home sometimes?"

"Yeah."

I laughed softly. "Welcome to therapy, Twiggy."

"At least the therapist is cute."

I smacked him in the face with the tip of my tail.

The sniper chuckled before straightening up. "Jammer's workin'."

I turned to him. "Ready for a grand entrance?"

He smirked as he slipped his helmet back on. "Always."

I grinned. "Then let's go kick some tin-can ass!"

-EARLIER-

"Battlestations!"

At Shadow's battlecry, Hunter sprang into action. Charging across the field and pouncing on a B1 with bright blazes, he plunged his blade into the droid's chest and back flipped behind another to stab it in the back.

Wrecker joined him, cackling with sadistic glee, as Shadow's barrier tore across the field. Hunter's comm was off to avoid the feedback once Crosshair and Shadow activated the jammer, but he really didn't need it to hear the demolition expert. "Here comes the Wrecking Ball!" the larger clone yelled, smashing his fist into one droid before grabbing it by the neck and swinging it at two other droids.

Taking out a B2, Hunter thanked his armor's electric-blocking feature as Trevor sent another bright blue arc of lightning through a droid column. Despite driving Hunter up the wall, the sergeant couldn't deny how immensely powerful the godling was. Against droids especially, the ability to summon strong electrical surges at will could turn the tide of any battle.

Alternating between his blade and pistol, Hunter felled another handful of droids as Wrecker stormed through his own batch of tinnies. The blast from a cannon rattled his teeth as the ground shook beneath him. Diving to a roll and narrowly avoiding a round from the cannon which sent debris everywhere, Hunter swept the legs out from under two droids and quickly ended their career with two rounds to their chests.

"That all ya got?!" Wrecker demanded, punching a B2's face in. "Lame!"

Kicking an approaching B1, denting the metal, Hunter ducked and spun around to fire a couple of rounds into a B2.

Dozen or so down. Scores more to go.

At least half of them seemed to be converging on him, accompanied by one of the tanks. Cursing, he fished out two detonators and threw them in opposite directions. The blast took out a handful each, but not enough.

This is why I hate splitting up…

"For the farm!"

Relief washed over Hunter as Sarah's battlecry split the air.

Charging out of the smoke, golden blades spinning dangerously, Sarah waded into the fray and made short work of the droids surrounding Hunter.

The sergeant had never fought beside a Jedi before, but he quickly understood why so many troopers preferred it. Shadow was skilled in their own right, especially considering how little training they'd truly had, but they couldn't even remotely compare to Sarah.

Shadow's fighting style was less refined and more reliant on strength than technique and finesse. Using them more as blunt weapons and combining them with other methods, Shadow lacked the effortless grace that Sarah possessed. Simply put: Shadow fought, Sarah danced.

"A Jedi!"

"Not anymore!" Sarah laughed, leaping over a cluster of B2s. Spinning her blades around as if they were lighter than air, the older woman demolished the droids with frightening efficiency.

The pressure off himself, Hunter darted out of the former killzone and threw himself back into the fight.

Blade to the chest here.

Bolt to the head there.

A series of lethal kicks, including a lucky strike that took off a B1's head.

"Hunt!" Wrecker yelled as a group of droids surrounded the sergeant. "Catch!"

Snatching the massive virboblade out of the air as Wrecker threw it to him, Hunter hacked and sliced as he spun around. Decimating the droids, Hunter sent an incoming droid into the dirt with a well-placed back kick to the pelvis joint.

The concussive force of another cannon blast shook Hunter's chest and gave him just enough of a warning to duck and roll before the energy bolt made a crater where he'd been moments before.

"We need to take out that tank!" Hunter shouted above the sounds of blasterfire and Wrecker's near-psychotic laughter.

"Oh it!" Sarah yelled back, dashing for Wrecker. "Hey! Big guy! You're up!"

"All right! Now we're- HEY!"

His last word came out as more of a startled scream as Sarah used the Force to launch him through the air.

"There's your first flyin' lesson!" Sarah laughed, decapitating three droids.

With the first wave down and the other not quite over the hill yet, Hunter had a brief moment to catch his breath and watch Wrecker as the demolition expert landed hard on the tank.

Scrambling to the top, Wrecker ripped off the top. "C'mere!" he growled, yanking out a B1.

"Why!?" the unfortunate droid cried as Wrecker proceeded to stuff him into the cannon.

"I honestly feel bad for those droids," Hunter remarked to Sarah.

Wiping sweat from her forehead, dark curls hanging in her face, she chuckled. "See what you mean. Shadow always said he was rather… enthusiastic about demolishing droids."

Had they really? Or was it some memory planted in her head by Trevor or Maxolyn? How long had Shadow even been in this universe? Should he ask?

No. Later. When there wasn't a battle. Surly Sarah would let them rest there for the night again. He would ask then.

Driving a fist into the chest of the droid and forcing it deeper into the barrel for good measure, Wrecker jumped to the top again and threw in a handful of detonators. Leaping off the tank and landing in a crouch, he dusted off his shoulder and calmly walked back.

"Boom."

Fire erupted behind him, the force of the explosion flattening the grass and sending red-hot shrapnel everywhere.

"Now, was that necessary?" Sarah teased, hand on her hip.

"Nah, but sure was funny!" Wrecker laughed.

"Gloat later, we got another wave incomin'," Hunter ordered, shaking his head at his younger brother's sadistic tendencies.

Between the two, Crosshair was definitely the more sadistic one especially when it came to sentients such as Regs. Some of the tricks he played on the regs who bullied them honestly bordered on torture. But, despite being mainly directed towards machines, Wrecker's sadism was far more noticeable.

"Where's Shadow and Cross?" Wrecker asked, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles. "I wanna see Squeaky in action again! Never seen 'em fight in dragon form!"

Right. Shadow would be using that Icespitter form. Hunter wouldn't deny he looked forward to that spectacle. But, one thing at a time.

"They'll be here," Hunter said. A smile crossed his face even though he knew Wrecker couldn't see it. "Right now, though, think that godling is goin' to best your kill count."

Wrecker straightened. "We'll see about that!" he roared and spun around. Snatching a large chunk of shrapnel for a shield, he charged over the hill screaming like a madman.

Hunter looked at Sarah. "Are you ready to fight some more?"

A playful grin. "You bet, sergeant."

Hunter matched her grin and he swept his hand to indicate the hill before them. "After you."

"How kind," the ex-Jedi laughed, running ahead.

Chuckling, Hunter raced after her.

Taking down another tank and half the second wave of droids, Hunter cursed as the third wave joined them. Even his superhuman stamina had a limit.

"Now the fun really begins! Welcome to the fight, Shads!" Trevor yelled as he sent a bolt arcing through a column.

Embedding Wrecker's blade into a B2's face, Hunter scanned the sky.

Sure enough, a massive multicolored dragon dove towards them with an armored rider on their back.

Shadow and Crosshair!

"The cavalry has arrived!" Shadow laughed, landing atop the large droid transport. Once Crosshair slipped from their back and took up a sniping position, they took off once again and encased an unfortunate group of B1's in a massive icy prison.

"Go, Squeak, go!" Wrecker cheered, tearing apart a B2.

"Shads!" Trevor shouted. "Lightning Rod!"

"One combo move coming up!" Shadow laughed, landing hard atop a B1.

Combo move?!

Shadow and Trevor could combine moves?!

As Shadow slammed their paw into the ground, tall shards of what Hunter recognized as silver erupted from the ground. Circling the impact zone, Trevor screeched and hit one of the shards with a bolt of lightning. A deadly, supercharged web of electricity blazed to life and overloaded any droid unfortunate enough to be caught in the middle.

Including the large, semi-skewered tank.

Between Shadow's elemental might and Crosshair's lethal accuracy, the tide swiftly turned.

"Uh oh," a B1 groaned seconds before Hunter's blade buried itself into its chest.

Uh oh was right. For the droids at least. The bulk of the force was destroyed, save for one tank and a handful of droids taking up a defensive position around it.

"Sarge!" Shadow yelled from above. "Got a new plan for you lot!"

"Lay it on me, Ice!"

Shadow dove and snatched him off the ground. "Liftoff!"

A warning would have been nice!

Dropping him off atop the tank as Wrecker and Sarah eliminated the droids around the bottom, Shadow laughed. "Blow that bitch sky high, Hunter!"

With pleasure.

Hunter ripped open the tank's lid and tossed in his last few detonators. Diving off and breaking his fall with a roll, he jumped up and broke into a run, stabbing a few B1s as he went. Joined by Sarah and Wrecker, he skidded to a stop and turned to watch the light show.

A bright flame engulfed the tank, the concussive force knocked down any remaining droids left around the tank that hadn't been felled by Sarah and Wrecker.

"C'mon!" Hunter yelled, charging to the main transport. "Not done yet!"

"I got it!" Trevor laughed, rapidly ascending into the clouds. "Get back, this is gonna be big!"

"Clear the area!" Shadow shouted, snatching Crosshair off the top and flying back towards the farm.

Not questioning it, Hunter forced his sore legs to move and hurried up the hill. A roar similar to the scream of an incoming missile split the air and Hunter stopped to watch Trevor's plan.

Jet black storm clouds, as menacing and powerful as the worst monsoons on Kamino, swirled around Trevor while bright flashes of electricity, accompanied by painfully loud explosions of thunder, silhouetted the godling's form. Torrents of rain erupted from the bottom of the clouds and drenched the transport as well as anything within a 20 yard radius. A bluish green glow illuminated Trevor's extremities and grew in intensity until it resembled the full force of an atomic bomb or supernova. While it was too far away to tell, Hunter swore he could see the very outline of the dragon's ribs as the godling extended his wings to their full length. Lightning struck his back, bright enough to activate the glare sensor in Hunter's helmet.

Then, in a blinding flash, a supercharged volly of lightning struck the top of the transport. The result was immediate and catastrophic, short circuiting the entire ship and no doubt every droid hiding within. The shockwave overloaded his helmet's comm, even while silenced, and pierced through the protective padding within his armor, sending the sergeant to the ground in pain.

Wrecker quickly caught him. "Woah… didn't know he could do that!"

Well, Shadow had called the dragon a Swift Stormcaller. Hunter now saw why.

If this sort of power was the norm on Shadow's planet, rather than the exception, then the next leg of their mission was sure to be an interesting one. He'd definitely have the Realm Walker give them a full briefing on the way to their universe so they could be prepared for anything thrown their way.

Or, at least, more prepared than they would have been otherwise.

The commando knew better by now to expect things to be even remotely normal with Shadow around.

Speaking of Shadow…

A weary but proud smile spread across his face as he looked to where Shadow and Crosshair had just landed at the treeline by the barns.

Time to go congratulate their partner on another battle well done.

But, as he and Wrecker limped back, Hunter realized he wouldn't be the first one to celebrate with Shadow.

Because Crosshair had just beat him to it.

-Shadow pov-

Drained.

That's what I was.

Drained.

All I wanted to do was sleep for a month. A light coma, nothing too lengthy.

Maybe I could bug Hunter to give me a massage tonight before we headed back to the Outpost. Or maybe Wrecker.

Tough call between the two, really.

Or, maybe I could get Crosshair to help me out?

Or maybe Tech.

Hellfire, at this point I'd take anyone. Who knew flying was this straining?

But it was worth it. Although it took a bit to get used to such a high viewpoint that wasn't in an airplane, which of course came with some nasty side effects courtesy of my fear of heights, after I got used to it flying was exhilarating. Talk about feeling free.

Not only because of that reason, but it turned the tide of the battle. We won. James and his backup had lost. I couldn't wait to rub it in his arrogant face that the rejects he so scorned had triumphed.

Score another win for the misfits!

"Nice work, sweetheart," Crosshair praised, holding onto my paws tightly as I circled a landing spot.

"Thanks, Twiggy! Nice snipin'!"

"Have you to thank for gettin' me the best position."

"Ah, but it is you who helped me actually get my ass in the air when I stalled at the clifftop."

Because jumping off a cliff had not been easy. I almost didn't go through with the plan, and probably wouldn't have had Crosshair not encouraged me to do so.

"I… I can't."

"Yes, you can."

"No, I… the heights…"

"Shadow, you evaded four superhuman elite commandos with nothing but your wit and agility. You held your ground numerous times in that jungle. You took a bullet for me. You took all of us on in combat and came out on top."

"Cross-"

"You can do this. I believe in you."

What wonders those four last words could do.

Present Crosshair chuckled. "Suppose you're right about that."

I snorted to hide my laugh. "Don't get cocky."

"Me? Never, sweetheart."

"Liar liar, pants on fire."

"You wound me."

Yeah, this was the snarky sniper I'd fallen in love with.

Gently dropping Crosshair, I landed and quickly shifted back into Beta mode. Kneeling on the ground, throat burning as I tried to get enough air back into my lungs, I surveyed the damage. Luckily none of the droids had reached the fenceline for the outer pastures, leaving Sarah's cabin and stables untouched. The Hillguides were still missing, but they'd be back soon.

"Here," Crosshair said softly, holding the blue diamond as he crouched beside me. "This'll help, right?"

"Yeah, gimme."

"No please?"

I smacked his shin.

"Alright. Here."

Gratefully taking it from him, I held it in both hands and inhaled deeply as the magic bled into me. An ice cold yet soothing sensation soaked into my palms and made its way up my arms, growing hot as it pooled in my chest. Extremities tingling as newfound energy surged outward from my heart, pulsing through my veins, I blinked and tried to shake the stars from my eyes. "Hellfire, talk about an energy zap," I grunted, fighting down the urge to twitch as electricity raced up and down my spine and sent shockwaves through my brain.

"You alright?" Crosshair asked, kneeling beside me.

"Aye!" I laughed as the glow faded from the gem. "Besides, we won! Battle's over!"

Crosshair helped me to my feet. "Yeah but…" He slipped off his helmet. "There's one more shot I need to take."

I tilted my head in confusion. One more shot? All the droids were-

An arm looped around my lower back, pulling me closer to the sniper as his free hand lifted my chin. "That is." His eyes shifted to my lips before looking deep into my own eyes again. "If you'll let me."

Oh.

Oh.

OH.

Was it time?

Had the moment arrived?

Would this enemies to lovers finally be complete?

Would… Would Crosshair seal the deal with a kiss?

Heart hammering against my chest and the blood roaring in my ears, I searched his eyes.

Yes.

It was time.

Warmth filling my chest, making me feel lighter than air, I nodded slowly.

A smile.

A hand brushing hair from my face.

A deep breath.

A pause…

And Crosshair pressed his lips against mine just as the sun went down.