{A/N: I'm really sorry about not updating! I've been really busy and I also had a writer's block. But I'm over it and I'm pretty sure you people don't want to listen to all of my sad excuses, so on to the story!}

Hope

The three shapes snuck passed the power plant unnoticed to the other side of the property. There, they saw a small village. For a long time they walked around looking for the weapons shop. The town may have been small, but it was almost like a maze. There were dead ends, twist and turns, merging roads, and not to mention a few obstacles. Countless times the threesome had to fend off a few demons.

"This is getting ridiculous," Shinigami spat after beating up another group of demons.

Finally the three looked up at a sign in front of a small store. 'Weapons and Artillery' the sign read.

"This must be it," Jake said.

"How do we get to the basement?" Kat wondered aloud.

"A distraction," Jake said simply.

"What do mean?" Shinigami said.

"One of us will pretend to be interested in some item and occupy the cashier while the rest of us sneak into the basement. Or at least find the entrance to the basement. Then the other person'll have to break for it and find us. Or just say you need to go to the restroom and walk toward us instead."

"Do demons go to the restroom?" Kat asked, wrinkling her nose.

"It's worth a try," Shinigami said, shrugging. "I'll volunteer for being the distraction," Shinigami added, with a nasty smirk on her face.

"Just don't kill the cashier okay?" Jake said.

Shinigami scowled but nodded. The three walked into the store. For a while they feigned interest in the weapons, chatting and pointing at the items. Jake shot Shinigami a looked, and she nodded. Picking up a curved sword by the hilt, Shinigami walked up to the counter and started asking the cashier questions related to the sword. Jake and Kat watched to two chat away from the corners of their eyes. As soon as they were sure the man was occupied with answering Shinigami's questions, they snuck off.

"Here, let's try this door," Kat whispered, pointing at a small door.

Jake looked at the door and shrugged. "May as well."

The two slowly opened the door and peaked inside.

"Bingo," Kat said.

Shinigami was still talking with the cashier when she heard a soft, "Pssst!" Without turning her head, she looked over and saw Kat waving her over. Shinigami nodded her head very slightly and turned back to the cashier. She smiled sweetly.

"Excuse me," she said.

She turned away. Then suddenly she spun around and hit the demon in the face. The cashier fell unconscious. With a smile of content Shinigami walked toward the others.

"I found it easier than lying," she said with a shrug.

"Whatever," Jake grumbled.

The three declined down the stairs, cautiously as to not arose any sound or anything that might be waiting for them at the bottom of the steps. They entered a very normal-looking basement and started to look for the boxes labeled 'Explosives'. Sure enough, the boxes were there, and so was the hidden entrance. The trap door opened when Jake tapped on it, and lead down to another set of stairs, not so friendly-looking as the basement ones. They were narrow and spiraling and had somewhat of a creepy look to them. Shinigami pushed Jake forward.

"You go first."

Jake snorted but obeyed. The other two hesitantly followed him down the stairs. The stairs seem to go on forever. But as they neared the bottom, Jake almost fell down the stairs. He grabbed onto the railing and pulled himself back to his feet. The energy coming from the bottom was immense. Kat and Shinigami ran over to help him, but he shrugged them off.

"I'm fine," he kept saying.

Jake started down the stairs again, trying his best to breath evenly, though the sticky energy was like smoke from a cigarette to him. The three finally reached the bottom. They stood in front of another door. It was very plain looking, but at the same time very menacing. With a last deep breath, Jake pushed the door open. He fell back. Kat and Shinigami caught him before he hit the ground. Gritting his teeth, Jake got back to his feet. He felt like he couldn't breathe. In front of them was a strange round room tiled with blue-ish metal. In the center of it was a black and white ball, no bigger than a baseball. But the ball had hexagon shaped markings all over, making it look almost like a soccer ball. Jake stared at it.

"I-it's an organoid core."

Kat and Shinigami took a step toward it. They inspected it, and confirmed it looked like a mini Zoid core, and therefore was indeed an organoid core. Kat reached toward it. Jake grabbed her hand.

"Don't," he said sharply.

"Why?" Kat asked.

"You see how the core is both black and white? It is neither good nor evil. It can serve either way, but it still has an immense amount of destructive power. Mortals cannot handle it unless they have righteous ownership of it, which you do not. If you touch it, it will consume you."

Kat, wide-eyed, stepped back.

"We have to destroy it," Shinigami said flatly.

Jake shot a look at her. "Yes, I realize that."

Black light began to collect around the ball. The three stepped back. The energy slowly formed itself into some sort of strange form. Two long lines of light stretched from the ball and touched the ground, forming legs and talons. Wings sprouted from the back of the shape as well as a long, serpentine tail. Soon, the creature was formed. An organoid stood in front of them. Jake stood, stunned.

"It...Looks like me!" he thought.

The organoid turned to him.

"That is because I am you."

The voice was startling. It sounded almost exactly like Jake's but with a darker tone. Jake took a step forward.

"You are not I. I am I. I stand here, not there."

"I see you have been influenced by these ignorant humans a little too much hm?" the organoid made of light replied.

Jake glared at the organoid. But Shinigami stepped in front of Jake.

"What are you?"

"I guess you could say I am the forgotten portion of this," the organoid said, nodding its head toward Jake.

"Forgotten portion?"

"After living as a human, with them, this creature here has let go of a portion off himself. Me. The true organoid self."

Jake was furious. "OH? So I'm just a 'this creature' now? I'M MORE ME THAN YOU, YOU STUPID PIECE OF LIGHT!"

The light organoid seemed amused by Jake's sudden outburst, and let out a small laugh. Kat glared at the organoid.

"Well, I don't care what you are. We need to destroy you, and you're not going to stop us."

"No, of course I will not stop you. But it may be a little hard for you to destroy me. You see, as I said before, I am him." The organoid gestured toward Jake. "And to destroy me, you must destroy him."

The three stood, stunned.

"We can't do that," Shinigami said simply. "There must be another way."

"There is not, as far as I know," the light organoid replied.

"Well you know nothing," Kat spat.

Shinigami stared at the organoid, as if trying to figure out something. She closed her eyes, and reached out for it. Her hand stopped millimeters away from its chest. Visions filled her mind. Shinigami's eyes opened promptly. She stood in that position, shaking her head.

"What?" Jake asked.

He walked up toward him, and put his hand lightly on her shoulder. Shinigami moved out from underneath his touch. She turned to him, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"This core has been feeding Inari too long. It is bent toward evil. It cannot be turned away from it. The core serves Death. But there is another way to destroy it..."

"So?"

"...The only way to fight Death is...with Life."

Kat and Jake looked at Shinigami, disbelieving. Shinigami looked back at them, smiling softly, but with sad eyes. She looked at Jake. Jake blocked her path toward the light organoid.

"I cannot let you proceed with this. If I am the price that needs to be paid, so be it. I will not let you interfere."

"Jake...I was the one who saw the visions. I...I can't let anyone else do what I was meant to do."

"You were not meant to do anything," Jake said back.

"In the visions, it showed me walking up to the organoid. Not you. It showed you and Kat going back to the real world. The core of the organoid will replenish your energy when it is destroyed. But I am the one to do it."

Jake looked back at her. Kat did the same. She looked at Jake.

"You can't let her do this," she pleaded.

"Is this...what you really want?"

Shinigami nodded. "The world still needs you, Jake - no, Exile. You still have a purpose to serve. Me? This is my purpose."

Jake looked back at Shinigami. "I...We will meet again, Shinigami. In some other world. I know it."

He hugged her close. "After my first life as a human, I had promised myself that I would never get close enough to any human. I promised that I wouldn't let any human hurt me.I will miss you."

"Me too," Kat said, from behind Jake. Her eyes were worried, and pleading.

Shinigami looked at both of them, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't bear it any longer.

"Good-bye," she said simply.

She pushed Jake away, and before the two could react. Shinigami turned and ran into the black light of the organoid. Jake stepped toward the light, but he was too late. Shinigami was engulfed by the light. There was a pained roar, and the light became brighter. Jake and Kat shielded their eyes from the light. When they put down their arms, the organoid and Shinigami were gone. Kat fell to her knees. Jake felt a newfound strength inside himself. Kat refused to get off the ground, even when Jake tried to help her to her feet.

"There's nothing we can do now, Kat. She wanted to do this. We couldn't have stopped her."

"I know... I just wish... I wish..." But Kat didn't finish.

Jake supported Kat as she climbed to her feet.

"I just want to go home," Kat said.

"Me too."

Kat leaned again Jake, and Jake held her close. A bright light surrounded them, and they disappeared from the room, just as the ceiling began to collapse.

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"Die now!"

Shane closed her eyes tight. She didn't want to die, but she began to accept it. The blast seemed delayed. Shane opened her eyes slowly. The flame was beginning to disappear.

"What's happening?" she screamed.

From the shadows, Enko and Khai appeared. Their animalistic features had disappeared.

"I'll tell what happened. We've been freed. The three you sent to the demon world found that source. And destroyed it," Enko said.

"You!" Inari screamed. "You helped them! You were supposed to deceive them! I still have some power though! I can still destroy you!"

Inari faced Shane once again, releasing the red flame from her fist. Jason, freed from the demon's control, leapt in front of Shane. The flame hit his back. Jason fell over, his eyes glazing over and filled with pain.

"Jason!"

But Jason stood wearily to his feet.

"You can't hurt me. You can't hurt any of us now."

Jason pulled out his handgun and fired. The bullet whizzed through the air and embedded itself between the demon queen's eyes. With a last scream, the demon melted into a pile of dust. Everything was quiet. Jason dropped his gun. Shane walked over to him and put her arms around him.

"It's alright now, Jason."

"Are...you okay?"

"Yes. Now I am."

Rit helped Drake to his feet. The forest seemed to begin to move. The four looked around.

"What's happening?"

Enko and Khai looked at the trees.

"This forest was being fed by Inari's life energy. With her dead, it will diminish. We must escape before this whole forest drags us to the same doom."

The six ran through the forest, dodging and ducking under falling branches and vines. The forest began to sink to into the ground. Then they began to move toward the spot where Inari's dust remained. The six fought against the drag and reached their Zoids. Enko and Khai looked around.

"We can escape on our own. You must go."

Rit nodded and pushed Storm forward.

"Let's go! Chemuk! Come on!"

The organoid howled and fused with the Zoid. Shane's Gryphantom came to life and took off into the sky along with the Dragon King and Jason's Zabat. The Shinryu took the Konig Wolf in its claws and hoisted it into the air. The four watched as the forest below began to disappear, sucked into the black hole made by Inari's remains. Rit turned away, unable to watch. Her mind was on Vega. She wanted to get back to him. Wanted to see him normal again. Wanted everything to be normal again. Wanted so much but nothing at all. The wind whispered in a tongue no mortal could understand, as the last tree moaned and was sucked into oblivion.

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"ANGEL!!"

It seemed to take forever for that bullet to reach the behemoth. But it went closer, and closer. The bullet ripped through the kneecap of the Gigantor. The beam incinerated half of the Ion Sniper, along with the ground and its user. The flaming Zoid fell to the ground with a last groan of defiance. As his Zoid began to burn, Cloud jumped out of the cockpit and fell to the ground. He watched the two Zoids burn to eternity. Cloud lay motionless on the ground, watching the world through blurred eyes. His vision then went black.

Cloud's eyes fluttered open. It was late in the afternoon. The body of the Gigantor was still smoking. Cloud felt blood trickling down his face, but wiped it off. He didn't care what happened to himself. His first thought was of the others. Cloud staggered to his feet.

"Hey."

Cloud spun around. Angel stood in front of him, a cocky smile on her face.

"You're alive!"

"Somewhat," Angel said.

Cloud rushed over to help Angel walk. Soon, the others began to get up from their slumbers. The teams were reunited. They looked over at the fallen giant, arms over each other's shoulders. They had defeated the giant. K.O. wasn't smiling though. His thoughts were on the Raynos pilot that had saved his life.

"You...forgetting someone?"

The two teams turned around. There, stood Jamie, his face covered with soot and dirt. But he was smiling.

"Jamie!" Cloud said.

"In the flesh," Jamie said with a grin. "It'll take more than that to kill the Wild Eagle."

K.O. looked at Jamie. "Why did you do that?"

Jamie looked back at K.O. and shrugged. "Sometimes the Eagle takes over and does things. He must like you though. I don't think the Wild Eagle would do something that considerate for anyone."

K.O. grinned slightly. The two adversaries turned back toward the Gigantor, for now, friends and teammates. But tomorrow, they knew they'd be opponents once again.

{A/N: Yes folks. I am sad to announce this is The End. Hope you enjoyed the story, and I thank you for reviewing and staying with me for the whole time! You guys are great! Thank you soooo much! I love all of you and hope to see you in the future! I'll probably put up an epilogue soon, so please read it. ^.~}