Hey to everyone! I'm a little ticked off at the moment-I feel like I'm fuming. I just read the now-popular review from Lyza about Khilai's story, and here's what I have to say: what a no-good jackass! Sorry, but no one has the right to throw their prissy attitudes around, NO ONE! She said a lot of unnecessary things-I know she didn't attack me or my story, but I feel like she did, so I've got something to say about it! Khilai isn't lying about anything-you've got no right to put down people that use their talents! I know a lot of fourteen year olds are bratty and snobby, and the only things they care about are boys! But that's what makes Khilai so amazing! She writes like a thirty year old! She isn't like every other kid out there!

People like you definitely disgust me! You shouldn't even be allowed to look at this place. You're obviously nothing but a snot-faced loser, or else you'd be able to appreciate something that was created by a very young but very talented kid. I'm not just speaking to Lyza, but to ALL OF HER PALS THAT AGREE WITH HER! Why don't you go spend your time elsewhere? We have no need for hateful comments here. If you want to attack me, Miss Prissy Princess, go right ahead. Give me your best shot. That goes for all of the other creeps out there. If you want a really cute, happy fairy tale, go read Thumbelina or something. And deal with your insecurities somewhere else.

As for the new "Red" party: YAHOOOOOO! YES, THE TREND HAS FINALLY PICKED UP! EVERYONE, LET'S GO TO THE STORE AND BUY LOTS OF GASOLINE! You'll find out why I need it later….(smiles while holding a box of matches)

There are only a few chapters left. I am very sad indeed.

-

The winds of deadly fear whirled in Axl's heart for what felt like several years. Time flew by at the speed of light as he was forced to plunge towards the vermillion oceans of fate...he made an attempt to escape, but escape was not possible for two reasons. The grip Hyenard had on him was beyond painful-the young one felt as if he was being crushed between two boulders because of the power of Hyenard's grip, and the emotions that were currently swirling around in him didn't help anything. The young one was still upset, still lonely, still sorrowful….everything that had happened with Red created a ton of steel in his chest, and there wasn't a single friend in sight.

Seconds flew by at the speed of sound. The heat surrounding him became even stronger…..

Ten seconds later, a miracle occurred. The most beautiful sight Axl had ever seen appeared.

A wave of beautiful, heavenly yellow light pierced the young one's eyes, and the sound of a blade ripping apart the body of his enemy met his ears. The wave of light caused small streams of golden yellow glitter to flow through the air swiftly and silently…..and the light caused him to think of the heavens.

It was as if the light had descended from the wings of an angel.

Before he knew it, he was swept away in the arms of another Reploid, but the Reploid definitely wasn't Hyenard. Without even recognizing the face of his rescuer, he looked back at the place the golden yellow wave had come from, and saw the most phenomenal thing. Hyenard's body had been torn in two…..both pieces hovered in the air for a minute, and then they quickly fell into the hot depths of eternity.

But that wasn't the phenomenon.

A Reploid with red and white armor was hovering in the air, holding a magnificent green saber in his hands, and wearing a smug, calm look on his face. He had a long, golden yellow ponytail, which shimmered like the beams of the brightest sun. His eyes were filled with an indescribable amount of fire, but the fire was calm and serene, like the breezes of a summer night. His armor defied all comprehension-it was shimmering with an aura that shamed even the most beautiful pearl. There was a small smile on this Reploid's face, and the smile matched the emotions of his eyes. A smile bloomed on Axl's face when he realized that the Reploid was none other than-

"Zero!"

"Looks like we got here just in time." The Crimson Flame said softly, and waved at the one that had given him so much just a short while ago. His voice was definitely the voice of a true warrior-calm and filled with the song of triumph-but at the same time, it was warm, like the voice of a parent comforting a small child.

"Hey there, Axl. You hurt?"

"No. Not really."

Right then and there the young one noticed his other rescuer.

"Good. Why don't you sit this one out. We'll handle this."

"X!"

Megaman X smiled at him warmly, feeling his heart sink under waves of pure happiness and sunlight. The young Reploid always made him feel safe, secure and strong….X had become quite fond of the young runaway, and wanted no one else to harm him. He knew Axl was strong enough to take care of himself, but he wanted to protect him…..since he had been struck down by the one he cared for so much. "Greetings, young Axl." the Hunter said to him gently, beaming. "Glad you're all right."

"X." Zero said to his dear friend, his eyes shining like the eyes of a hungry lion. "Why don't you take Axl somewhere safe? I'll make this a solo act."

The eyes of the young one widened in surprise, and he immediately decided to object. He really did enjoy helping others out, and besides, the members of the Red Alert Syndicate used to be his allies, so why did the two Maverick Hunters have to do anything? Hyenard was his business!

"But-"

The soft eyes of Megaman X became as hard and cold as ice, but the love within his heart remained. His voice was no different from the voice of an affectionate mother trying to protect her child, and his eyes would have made anyone think of two green emeralds soaking in the waves of topaz blue skylight. They were definitely warm and gentle gemstones of true devotion.

"I KNEW you were going to object. Why can't you just sit down and relax for a moment! A mere moment! That's all we're asking for!"

The protesting continued. Axl definitely wasn't comfortable with sitting on the sidelines.

"But-"

"You're right, X." the Crimson Flame said, folding his arms. "Th' kid's definitely stubborn."

"Listen. You've done MORE than enough, so quiet yourself for a minute! Please, do me just one last favor! Relax!"

"X-"

"For crying out loud. Look." The soft-hearted Hunter placed an arm about the young one's shoulders. His eyes began to shimmer like two stars hovering over a serene meadow…..and his voice became as soft as a flower petal. X truly had become very fond of his new friend…..and wanted him to rest...after everything he had done.

"Let Zero take care of this one. Please. You've done enough for right now, and Zero was locked up for quite a while. This is his chance to refresh his skills. And besides, don't you want to see him in action?"

The young one wrestled with his uneasiness for a moment. X was right. He had a burning desire to his hero in action. He knew how strong X was, and now he had the chance to see Zero perform….but still he was uncomfortable with having someone else take care of his business. He wanted no one to take on his burden….

"Yaawwwwwwnnnnnnn-"

"Oh, be quiet, you." X snapped at his dearest friend playfully, savoring the sound of the Crimson Flame's voice. His precious friend had always been irritated and impatient-there wasn't anything different going on…..

But the eyes of the amazing Maverick Hunter were filled with the most precious treasure life had to offer.

Devotion.

His eyes were fiery, red-hot gems of unparalleled strength and beauty. There wasn't a single gemstone that could rival the starlight within his eyes...he was like a tiger, ready to attack an unsuspecting victim….but at the same time, he was like a small, crystal white feather-soft, gentle, and flowing with the winds of boundless time. His Saber was still in his hands…..

"Can't wait all day, y'know. Just give me the word already."

Happiness and relief united on the face of the blue Maverick Hunter, and those two emotions gave him the warmth of golden, sandy shores. He looked back at Axl, who stayed silent, and then gave a thumbs-up to his dearest friend, the Maverick Hunter called Zero. The living, breathing phenomenon didn't waste a second. With his golden yellow ponytail streaming out behind him, he rushed out at the remaining Flame Hyenards, his eyes glowing perilously.

He looked like a black panther, ready and willing to strike out at its prey.

X quickly took Axl out of harm's way. The place he chose was a perfect place-the oceans of fire weren't unbearably hot in the chosen area, and they could see the battle perfectly. Both of them watched Zero battle Hyenard in silence, unable to speak because of the magnificence of the Maverick Hunter. There were three Hyenards left-but none of them could match the skill and grace of the Hunter.

Samurais were swift, deadly, elegant and powerful. Zero was no different from the greatest samurai-he took out his enemies with an indescribable amount of speed, style and power. The battle was only a minute long, but it was definitely one of the greatest battles either one of them had ever seen. The Maverick Hunter called Zero was definitely someone that should not be taken lightly-he had the ability to move beyond the speed of light, and his strength would have made an army of black demons run for shelter. Axl was amazed by the performance his new friend had delivered-being able to see his hero in action was wonderful. But….there was something strange about the power coursing through the Flame's veins.

"Well now. That's the end of that."

Zero sheathed his Saber, satisfied with what he had done, but also acting like he had just taken a bag of popcorn out of the microwave. He made his way to his two friends in no more than a moment, smiling triumphantly with a hand on his hip.

"Wow. Being able to breathe is great. Being able to walk again isn't too bad, either. It's sad how much you guys take for granted."

"Whatever…" X muttered under his breath, stifling laughter and shaking his head. Axl gave his new friend a high-five, beaming with joy. He bore the appearance of a child that had just finished his first trip to a brand-new world.

"Way to go! You were awesome out there!"

Zero smiled at the young one warmly, feeling the affection he had for him increase. Axl was like a little brother to him….and he had never had a brother before. "Thanks." he said, feeling a little embarrassed because of the praise he had received. The fact that he had never been embarrassed by anything in his life before just made it the embarrassment increase-soft laughter left the handsome Hunter's mouth and drifted away into the silent, calm air. X asked him a question a moment later-

"But Zero…..were you……you weren't always…..that powerful….were you?"

"Nope."

Zero removed his Z-Saber once again. The Hunter was beyond cool-the sound his Saber made when it was removed from its sheath was amazing. And….there was something different about his Saber. It was a strong, powerful beam of immense energy….unbreakable, immeasurable power….

The power of his Saber came from his emotions, and the strength flowing through his body.

Apparently, the Crimson Flame was feeling pretty happy.

Axl watched his two friends coverse with each other. Both of them were incredibly happy…..and they were no different from brothers that had spent two million years away from each other. The eyes of Megaman X were bright, radiant stars of joy, and his voice was also radiant with happiness. The placid, strong Zero was a quiet yet luminescent wind of happiness-there were tears in the Hunter's beautiful eyes, and there was a small yet deep smile on his face. Both of them were…..

Happy.

"I haven't always been this strong, you know. I've never felt like this before."

"Really!" X was like a child at an ice cream store. Weird, but true-the Hunter was happy to have his friend back….and Zero's coolness always brought a bright smile to his heart. "Wow. I bet you're able to take out an entire planet now, huh?"

"Why in the hell would I want to do that?"

"Sheesh, I didn't say you have to. I just wanted to say something about your new strength. Besides, there aren't any empty, unoccupied planets around yet."

"I can think of one."

"Wh-" X stopped himself before it was too late. He knew Zero was going to crack a joke about him. "Okay. Don't even go there." the blue Hunter said to him firmly, listening to his laughter. "I already know what you're going to say, so stuff it."

"Well, it's true. Your skull is an unoccupied planet."

The blue Maverick Hunter tried to growl at him the way a dog would growl at an intruder, but the growling didn't last longer than two minutes. Waves of laughter replaced the comical attack…..and the laughter from X sent Zero into a small fit of laughter. Tears streamed down their faces as the uncontrollable laughter consumed them……but the laughter only lasted for a few seconds. Arrows of sorrow pierced both of their hearts when they noticed the look on Axl's face.

The young one looked lost and sorrowful……he was a million miles away from the two Maverick Hunters……and his heart was lost under an everlasting sea of loneliness. He bore a great resemblance to a tiny puppy that had been left all alone in the pet store-his eyes were filled with tears….and he looked sad and lonely. X's heart went right out the to young one, and regret instantly made itself known on Zero's face. "Axl…." the blue Maverick Hunter said to his dear friend gently, feeling tears rush into his own eyes.

"I-"

The young one smiled and waved a hand at them, but the smile was definitely weak.

"It's okay. Go right ahead. Don't stop because of me."

That just made everything even worse.

Zero's eyes became soft, luminous jewels of infinite devotion….and sadness. "I apologize, Axl." the Hunter said to him gently. "I truly am sorry. We didn't mean to leave you out of anything. We came here to rescue you, didn't we?"

Axl wanted to fall to his knees and cry his eyes out-that was clear. The look on his face made that fact apparent to both Hunters.

"Yeah. I understand. It's okay, really. I know how you guys are feeling right now, seriously. I mean, you just got each other back, you know? You should celebrate. I mean, the two of you have been working with each other for a long time. Don't let me get in the way."

X's eyes widened in the greatest amount of shock, and his mouth fell right open. "What!" the Hunter cried out in disgust. "I can't believe you just said that! You're not in anyone's way! Why, don't you give yourself ANY credit for anything! You're always throwing dirt on yourself!"

"I'm sorry, X…..it's just…..I don't know……..I don't……"

Silence crushed all three of them for a moment, stirring up excruciating emotions inside every heart. Zero's heart sank under unbearable sadness…..X's heart also sank under the same black waves of darkness….but at the same time……eternal hatred developed….and that hatred was directed not only at Red, but at Sigma as well….

"You guys……..I don't……care about being a Maverick Hunter anymore….."

"WHAT!" Both of them cried out simultaneously. Zero took the baton and spoke next.

"What are you saying! Do you know what you've done, or are you completely BLIND!"

"I'm serious. You guys don't have to make me anything if you don't want to. I mean it."

"But wha-"

X cut Zero off in a hot second. "So what are you saying!" the Hunter shouted, his voice filled with both infinite sorrow and fury. "You're telling us that we should just throw you out when all of this is over?"

Axl lowered his head.

"I just….don't want you guys…….to leave me, you know?"

"Leave you!" Zero released a heavy sigh of frustration. "Why in the hell would we LEAVE you!"

X's heart shattered into a million pieces as the young Reploid fell to the ground. The eyes of the Hunter became eternal, solid pools of celestial light…..tears began to descend from them swiftly….and his blood froze because of devastating sorrow….

"I just want…..friends to be with. I'll take care of you guys, I promise…..just…don't leave me alone….okay?"

That was the straw that broke every camel's back.

Axl covered his face with his hands and began to sob heavily. X fell to his knees and embraced the young one, sobbing softly…..Zero embraced the young one a second later, feeling his heart crack in the clutches of intolerable sadness. The two Hunters held onto the young one that had just saved their lives a short while ago…….

The young one that had just been abandoned by the very one he called 'father'.-