WB: TA DA! Yet another chapter!

Harry: Wadda ya mean? You've got dis entire fic written out. Dere's no need to worry about you missin' an update.

WB: I had to make an intro somehow. Anyways… Uh, L. Wulf, don't worry about it. Whatever doesn't kill me only makes me stronger. Ice, not water. Got it. And I'll make that note about the element cycle.

Harry: You told me somedin' about 'fictional liberties', when I raised a fuss about it.

WB: -Shrug- So sue me.Yamiangie, Segres and Serges are really close. Its just two letters flipped, so I don't blame you for missing it. Most people probably thought it was one of my famous typos.

Harry: Oh well… Huh? Natsuko37… wow danks.

Begin Chapter!

Harpuia growled as he watched Zero vanish in a burst of light. But he managed to console himself with the thought that someday soon he'd take that titanium troublemaker down once and for all.

"Harpuia?"

The thunder guardian turned slightly so that he could see the trapped Fefnir. Without a word he slashed at the fire guardian with his dagger.

Fefnir instinctively flinched as the blade whistled through the air, and came within inches of him. But the dagger cut through the ice surrounding him without touching the fire guardian, freeing him from his prison as the ice shattered.

"Get Leviathan, take her to maintenance," The green Reploid snapped before turning away from the fire guardian, "And then meet me in my chambers, we have things to discuss."

With that command, the guardian vanished from sight, having teleported back to base.

Fefnir obeyed without comment, gently retrieving the motionless Leviathan and then contacting the Neo Arcadian government for transport.

A few moments later, the fiery Reploid reappeared in the maintenance level of the Neo Arcadian Government's headquarters. Without wasting an instant, Fefnir took off at a fast clip heading for the recovery ward.

As soon as he arrived, the guardian turned the unconscious Leviathan over to a human Reploid researcher for examination. Although he had to bend Harpuia's order slightly to do so, Fefnir stayed by Leviathan's side as the researchers ran test after test on her, trying to determine just what was wrong with the Reploid.

"Come back to us, Fairy." Fighting Fefnir watched the humans perform yet another test.

"Sir," One of the humans turned to the guardian. "With all do respect, we are doing the best we can. If your other duties are calling you away, we will contact you the second that we learn anything."

Fefnir glared at the human, but took the offered hint and reluctantly left the compound. He had hoped never to see this day again, the day that a guardian died. First Phantom had been killed at the hands of Zero, and now Leviathan…

Zero…

The fire guardian clenched his teeth as he remembered Phantom self-destructing in a vain attempt to stop the warrior's attack on Neo Arcadia, the same night that Zero had slain Master X.

Zero…

Fefnir felt the rage against the red Reploid building as he stormed into Harpuia's quarters, he hadn't even bothered to announce his arrival.

"How is she?"

The thunder guardian's voice stopped Fefnir in his tracks, as the fiery guardian saw Harpuia standing a short distance away, the guardian was supporting himself with a table as if he felt extremely weak.

"They don't know what's wrong with Fairy." Fefnir shook his head, "Nor how long it will take her to recover."

"First Ninja Phantom, now Fairy Leviathan." Harpuia's head was hung low. "I never thought that I'd see the day… if only I'd caught onto their plans earlier!"

Following the code of conduct, Fefnir did not proceed to question his superior, although he would have liked to know just what 'plans' Harpuia had mentioned.

"Fighting Fefnir," Sage Harpuia turned and activated a nearby view-screen. "We have been duped, and taken advantage of by the Resistance."

"We have? Sage, what are you talking about?" Fefnir's rage pushed him beyond all pretense of respect.

"This," Harpuia activated the screen, "A few months ago, after Elpizo's defeat. An influx of activity was detected around the Resistance Base, at first we dismissed it, after all, we weren't bothering them, and they weren't bothering us. However, a few weeks passed and we began to detect massive energy readings."

"Acting on this information," The thunder guardian continued, "I sent a spy drone into the complex, and the robot taped this conversation."

Fefnir kept silent as the following conversation came over the screen.

Voices flooded the room. The voices of Zero, Ciel, and Cerveau, all of them planning an attack on Neo Arcadia. But it didn't end there. Next came pictures of them assembling various Mavericks, and then came transcripts of radio transmissions. And then videos…

The fire guardian's jaw clenched as the evidence continued, the three Resistance Members were plotting to build an army of giant robots, and then destroy Neo Arcadia in a mad attempt to create a world of only Reploid inhabitants.

"Enough." Fefnir snapped.

"Then you see what has happened?" Harpuia inquired.

"Sage Harpuia." Fefnir dropped to one knee as hate flooded his eyes. "I pledge myself to your service until Zero and his rebel cohorts have been crushed into a thousand pieces. I do this for Ninja Phantom and Fairy Leviathan, may I be able to avenge their name!"

"Excellent," An almost invisible grin appeared on Harpuia's face, "Now rise, we must plan our attack, the attack that will destroy Zero and Ciel once and for all!"

10101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101

"Zero aborted?" Ciel couldn't help but show the surprise in her voice as she watched the Operators activate the Trans Server.

"Yes, Ms. Ciel."

"Oh, Mr. Zero fail?" Merge fluttered just behind the blond scientist's shoulder.

"I'm afraid so…" The researcher's statement was lost as the Trans Server flared to life, and the swordsman materialized on the device.

"Mission accomplished." The Hunter announced as he stepped off of the teleporter.

"Accomplished?" Every Reploid and Human in the room turned to stare at him in disbelief. Hadn't he just aborted?

"I destroyed the Maverick that was attacking Neo Arcadia." Zero began his report, "And rescued a damaged Leviathan in the process. However, Harpuia doesn't believe that that's the case, and is still under the impression that we built Armored Armadillo, and as such are responsible for Leviathan's condition and for the damage to Neo Arcadia, so I aborted to avoid a fight with him and Fefnir."

"Leviathan?" Ciel raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "How badly hurt was she?"

"Pretty bad." The Hunter admitted, "I'm not completely sure what was wrong with her though, it seemed as if she were… dormant."

"Dormant?" The blonde tried to puzzle out the meaning of that statement.

"Mr. Zero…" Merge's small voice flooded the air, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." The Hunter nodded, before setting off at a brisk pace. "Just fine."

"Operator." Ciel turned to the Reploid manning the Trans Server, "Put all stations on level red, and expect an attack at any time. If you need me, I'll be in the lab."

Zero trudged away from the control room, for all of his good intentions he had just put the Resistance in even more danger than it had been originally. Sometimes the best-laid plans went wrong.

In this case, dead wrong.

After retrieving his repaired Shield Boomerang from Cerveau, The Hunter set out to circle the base, he didn't expect anything from Harpuia this soon after their encounter, but still, it never hurt to be cautious.

The swordsman roamed the base, passing by the Reploids that were silently urging him on, Dande, Ibu, Cerveau, and countless others. Each one was counting on his help for them to continue to survive outside of Neo Arcadia, but after his recent adventure, Zero had to admit that he felt more like a hindrance than help.

"Zero?"

The Hunter turned to find Allouette slowly approaching him, her doll clutched in her small hands.

"Zero, what's happening?" Allouette looked up at the red Reploid with her innocent eyes, "They're putting the Base in red mode, and Colbar just told me to stay inside for a while… Why is everyone so upset?"

The swordsman didn't know what to say; the last thing he wanted was to damped Allouette's spirit, yet at the same time the Reploid girl deserved to know the truth.

"First, let's go back inside," Zero bought himself a few moments of time to work on the problem as he gently guided Allouette back into the complex. "We don't want Colbar to get mad at you do we?"

"I guess not."

Together, the two Reploids entered the complex, and underneath Zero's light prodding, they made their way up to Allouette's room.

"Now then," The Hunter finally decided on a course of action as Allouette looked up at him awaiting an explanation. "Sometimes… sometimes people and Reploids jump to conclusions, you know what that means right?"

"They decide things without knowing all of the facts." The Reploid girl replied, "Ciel says that all good scientists try not to do that."

"That's true." Zero didn't relish the situation he found himself in, but he had no choice but to continue. "Now, Harpuia has jumped to some conclusions about us. He thinks that I hurt Leviathan without any reason."

"But you wouldn't do that."

"No, I wouldn't. But Harpuia thinks differently, so now he's got all of Neo Arcadia mad at us, and they could… come any time."

"Oh." Allouette's eyes dropped as the realization crept over her. If the Neo Arcadians came here, then they'd start…

"But don't worry," The Hunter laid his hand on the girl's shoulder, "I won't let anything happen to you."

"And you'll stay to help Ciel?"

"I will, I promise you that." Zero nodded, meaning every word that he spoke.

"Thank you-"

Allouette's sentence was drowned out as a sharp scream split through the air.

End Chapter!

Harry: Is it just me or is Harpuia gettin' a little outta character?

WB: He's acting in accordance with the evidence; don't panic, he's not that OOC.

Harry: Yeah, but whatta 'bout Fefnir?

WB: Oh for Pete's sake, will you just do the preview?

Harry: -gulp- Next, Dachu bites off much more dan he can chew!