Harry: O.K., review answer time!

WB: Whoa, its been a while since I've had this many… uh, Jill, you'll see. D. D., is the next chapter too soon for you? Zero collides with Fefnir in that one.

Harry: Yamiangie, yup, ol' Harpuia's gone evil! He's evil!

WB: Watch it, -glances at Rioni Riishu- we've got Harpuia lovers around here. Yes, I'm terrified. And according to MegaMan Zero Online, Allouette was a reploid destined for 'retirement,' before she was rescued. Ciel then adopted her.

Harry: In da sequel, Laza.

Begin Chapter!

"Keep running!" Nal shouted back to Arrow, Hess, and Red as they continued to flee toward the Trans Server.

And away from the mass of X Drones following them.

"We can't just lead them to the Server!" Hess called back as the swerved around another corner. "Then they'll get everyone!"

"But we can't let them get us, mate." Red snapped as he begged his legs to move faster. "And all of the other routes are blocked."

"Maybe we can shake them somehow?" Arrow yelped as he ducked a random blast from their pursuers.

"Easier said than done!" The tall Reploid shook his head, "X Drones aren't smart, but they're relentless, they'll never let us get away."

"DUCK!"

"What?" Red glanced around as Hess yanked the unruly robot to the floor.

A large green arrow shaped blast of energy whipped over the crouching Reploid's heads, and continued on to crash into the pursuing Drones, deactivated and destroying them.

"The Throw Blade." Hess identified the move as he and the others stood up. "Which means that Zero's-"

"Here." The Hunter dropped appeared before the group of fugitives. "Hurry, I've already cleared out the other halls, but I don't know how long they'll stay that way."

"Thanks." Nal nodded before the quartet took off running.

Zero nodded before turning away and dashing down a hallway. He'd continue to cause chaos in the Neo Arcadian army's ranks until the last Reploid and Human had reached safety.


"Merge found her!" The Cyber Elf's eyes sprang open; "Ms. Allouette and Mr. Dande are in the armory!"

"The armory?" Ciel's face took on a look of bewilderment. "Why are they in the armory… oh no… the armory's already fallen to Neo Arcadia… they've been captured!"

"That bad…" Merge frowned, "maybe Merge should go find Mr. Zero and get Mr. Zero's help?"

"There's not time, we might not find him for hours." The scientist shook her head, "We'll have to go rescue them ourselves, let's go, Merge!"

"Ms. Ciel not worry, Merge promise Mr. Cerveau that he protect Ms. Ciel, and Merge will."


"She did WHAT?"

"Ciel took Merge and went to find Allouette," Cerveau replied calmly to Zero's question.

"What was she thinking?" The swordsman shook his head, "This place is crawling with X Drones… How many Reploids are left?"

"We have about 56 percent of our forces." The inventor shook his head; "The rest are MIA, and before you ask, I'm not leaving without Ciel."

"Makes two of us." Zero spun on his heel and dashed away, "stay put."

"My plan exactly."

The Hunter didn't reply as he dashed away.

BREAKMAN!

"I can't believe that we haven't been spotted yet." Ciel peeked around a corner to keep an eye on the handful of X Drones that were guarding the armory door.

"Merge don't like this." The Elf whispered, "its too easy."

"I know, but we have to try. If we can distract those guards, then we can slip into the armory…" Ciel shook her head at the impossible-ness of their task. By now, all of the explosions had stopped, which had to mean that Neo Arcadia controlled just about all of the complex. That in itself didn't worry her, what did was the fact that the building was exhibiting signs of weakness, and she guessed that the entire complex would collapse soon.

She just hoped that she wasn't there when it did.

But that could wait, first she had to rescue Allouette and Dande.

"Merge, do you think that you could distract them? Wait, can you see into the armory and find out how many Drones there are?"

"Merge can't sense Drones." The Cyber Elf shook his head, "Not yet anyway. But Merge can ghost through wall, then come back."

"All right, but be careful."

"Merge will," The Elf slowly hovered forward, and then disappeared through the solid concrete wall.

It took him seconds to report back.

"No Drones."

"Are you sure?" Ciel couldn't believe her ears.

"Very sure." Merge nodded, "armory is empty or Merge not named Merge."

"Did you see Allouette?"

"Yes, Ms. Allouette tied up next to Mr. Dande."

"And there wasn't anyone around?"

"No," The Elf peeked around the corner. "Merge will distract Drones, so that Ms. Ciel can rescue Ms. Allouette."

With a silent nod between the two, they set their plan into motion.

Merge flew around the corner and right up to the X Drones, there he paused while the Drones turned to look at him.

"NA! NA!" The Elf stuck his thumbs in his ears, wiggled his fingers and stuck out his tongue at the robots. "X Drones are stupid!"

"Take him!" The lead Drone squawked as he and the rest of the unit stepped forward to capture the Elf.

"Nope, Drones have to catch Merge!" Merge spun on his wings and then whisked down a nearby corridor.

His ploy worked, the X Drones left their post and scrambled away after the Cyber Elf, conveniently leaving the area wide open for Ciel to do her job.

The blond scientist slipped down to the armory door. Once she had overridden the new lock command, Ciel slid the door open and stepped inside.

"Oh no…"

It only took the girl scientist a split second to locate Dande and Allouette; the two were lying in the center of the room with the girl's stuffed doll tossed carelessly to one side, Neo Arcadian issued restraints had been locked around their wrists and ankles.

The bad news was that they weren't moving at all.

"Allouette!" Ciel called out as she rushed over to her daughter's side, without hesitation she dropped to her knees next to the Reploid. "Allouette?"

Ciel's fears skyrocketed when no sound came in reply.

"Allouette… say something…" The scientist gently stroked the girl Reploid's face.

Silence.

"Ciel…"

The scientist shifted a little as Dande's weak voice came through the air.

"Restraints… interrupting… processor…" Dande's voice stumbled through the air.

"I see… if you can hear me, just hold on a minute." Ciel immediately shifted her focus to the bands locking the Reploid's wrists together. Over the course of the resistance, she had removed these kinds of restraints so many times that she could quote the override sequence in her sleep.

Quickly the scientist entered the needed commands into the miniature computer set in the handcuff's frame. And her work was soon rewarded as the bands fell to the floor with a loud clank.

"Oh…" Allouette's small voice came from her unmoving lips as she began to stir.

"Allouette… can you hear me?"

"Ciel…?" The Reploid girl's eyes slowly slid open as she reached up to rub her head. "I was so scared…"

"Its alright, I'm here now." Ciel cradled her adopted daughter in her arms.

"I thought that they'd… retire me." Allouette whispered; unbidden tears began to seep from her eyes.

"I won't let them hurt you… not now or ever." Ciel whispered back, "You're safe now."

"Thank you…"

Dande stifled a groan as he rubbed his clearing head. The last thing he remembered was running away from the X Drones with Allouette in his arms, and then… Fefnir had shown up… and then the world had gone dark.

The Reploid kept quiet out of respect as Ciel and Allouette finished their reunion.

"Now, we need to go, Cerveau's waiting on us, once we get to the Trans Server we'll get away from this insanity." Ciel stood up and took Allouette's small hand in her own.

End Chapter!

Next: Fefnir and Zero: Battle!