Chapter Five:
Deadly Shadows

"Fire, fire!" Fefnir commanded, as a hail of bullets flew out toward the ancient reploid. Zero commanded the older model, "Duck, damn it!" The older reploid complied quickly, as Zero quickly engaged the shield boomerang, deflecting the bullets back. The drones were sent falling back on top of one another, getting caught up in confusion as they started to accidentally shoot one another.

"No, you idiots, stop it, get up!" Fefnir roared at his troops. "Seems your troops are giving you some trouble, Fefnir! Perhaps I'll help you out!" Zero tossed the boomerang out toward the confused troops. The energy disk sliced through the metallic drones with ease, the drones falling in two from the sudden slicing. Fefnir smirked as Zero caught the energy disk, powering it down and placing it on the armor of his hip afterwards. Fefnir spoke, "I really shouldn't have expected them to be any good against you, Zero."

Zero spoke confidently, "As if you would be either, Fefnir!" Fefnir grinned wildly, holding his blaster arm forward as he spoke, "I've missed our old fights, Zero! I'm gonna take you down this time Zero, so you'd better be ready to die!" Zero rolled his eyes, muttering, "Isn't that what you said last time?" Fefnir growled, "Very funny! Now just stay still!" Fefnir fired his usual fire bullets, as Zero, reacting quickly, dodged away in a series of back flips.

Fefnir growled in annoyance, continuing to fire continuously at the red reploid. "You ain't gettin' away from me!" Fefnir continued to blast through the forest surroundings, soon incinerating the land around him. Fefnir was losing Zero in the smoke and flames of the forest, coughing slightly. "Damn it, where are ya?"

Fefnir looked around him through the smoke, unable to see Zero through the thick curtain of polluted air and flame. Soon enough, the wind kicked in, blowing the smoke around wildly. Fefnir saw a movement in the smoke, and grinned. "You're mine!" Fefnir then shot madly into the smoke, laughing loudly. After around twenty shots, Fefnir stopped firing, looking around. "I've got ya now, Zero." Fefnir walked out through the flames, and saw…a cloak?

Fefnir realized, but it was too late, as he yelled out in pain, electricity coursing through his body. "Grah!" Fefnir fell forward on his face, growling as he stood up. "Damn element weakness!" Fefnir turned around, seeing Zero standing in the fin of flames, his blonde hair flowing proudly in the air, his energy pistol pointed forward as he spoke, "Careless as always, eh Fefnir?" Growling, the flame reploidpulled the trigger to fire at Zero.

Click

"What?" Fefnir continued to try and fire, only hearing a "click" each time. "What's wrong with this thing!" Zero tossed up a small metallic piece, humming as he tapped his foot against the ground impatiently. "Well, I guess the spark trigger would help you fire, don't you think?" Fefnir stared in disbelief. "What? How did you?" Zero rolled his eyes, yawning as he tossed the piece into the flames.

Fefnir growled out in rage, "You may have broken my normal blaster, but I've still got my other arm!" Holding up his other arm, energy flared out of his left arm, as the metal changed rapidly into a secondary fire buster unit. Grinning madly, Fefnir whipped his arm forward, clenching the trigger with his finger. "Now you'll see my true flame!" Fefnir fired a constant stream of fireballs toward the red reploid.

In his usual fashion, Zero's leg boosters activated, as he instantly slid out under the flames, dashing right toward Fefnir. With an immense burst of speed, Zero dashed under his blaster arm, and wrenching out his Z-Saber, flipped upward. Zero sliced clear through the middle of Fefnir's armor. The flame reploid staggered back, energy blood flowing out of the large gash in his armor.

Fefnir, surprisingly, laughed, though wearily, "You never fail to amaze me, Zero…You're a worthy opponent!" Fefnir spit up some blood, and then glared toward the old model reploid, snarling, "You're lucky, old one. We'll come back for ya later, so don't expect any mercy from Neo Arcadia next time!" Zero growled, and yelled out, "Wait, tell me where Ciel is, Fefnir!" Fefnir laughed wearily, "Heh, she got away…I don't know, or care for that matter, where she went. We're not gonna bother with her, she's no use to us." With that, Fefnir blurred away, most likely to the Neo Arcadian base.

Zero turned back toward the old model, putting away his weapons. "You alright?" The old model just stared. "You...You're...Zero? I fixed Zero? My god, I'm a hero!" The older model started dancing around, laughing happily. "Haha, this is great!" Zero scratched the back of his helmet, glancing to one of the monkey drones. It shrugged to him, not quite getting him either. The old model then grabbed Zero's hands, shaking them vigorously. "I always wanted to meet you, great Zero! What an honor it is! My, yes! Is there anything this humble old one can do for you?"

Zero said shakily, "Well f-first of all, you c-could st-top shak-king me..." The old model was startled. "Oh. OH! I'm sorry!" He released Zero quickly, as the red reploid cleared his throat, "I want to know if you saw the commotion at the Neo Arcadian base..." The old model blinked. "Hm...Monkey drones, if you saw anything, come and tell me!" Quickly, a drone ran up and started screeching to the old model. Zero sighed inwardly as all the commotion took place.

Soon, the old model spoke up, "It seems that two people escaped from the base before, and headed toward the rocky cliffs." Zero smiled lightly, "Thank you, sir. You've helped me out immensely. Maybe another time you could check out the resistance base." The old model jumped up and cheered. "That would be wonderful sir Zero!" Zero laughed, "Well, I think you should get out of here and live elsewhere, so the drones won't come back for you." The old model nodded. "Indeed! Drones! Help me move out of here!"

As the drones got to work, Zero picked up his cloak, and walked away from the area, to find a better view of his surroundings, wrapping his cloak around his body tight. Zero thought to himself, Ciel...Please, be safe...

To Neo Arcadia...
Fefnir limped out of the transfer room, falling forward, right into Leviathan's arms. Fefnir laughed exhaustedly, "Ha, ha, Zero beat me again…I'll get him next time!" Fefnir then passed out, as Leviathan sighed, placing him on a medical stretcher, drones dragging him away to the repair room. The female reploid let out a deep sigh of frustration. "Zero, you always show up to stop us…Why don't I hate you? Why! You've ruined everything we've tried to do every time, so why is it so confusing?"

Leviathan walked through the halls, her ocean blue armor reflecting slips of light as she walked; her head hung low in thought. Zero, she thought, how do you always manage to defeat me? Where is master Harpuia during all this! He disappeared the night Ciel escaped…damn drones couldn't see the intruder…Zero, damn you, it's probably all your fault!

Back with Ciel and Harpuia...
Harpuia watched from up high on the cliffs, scanning for any more drones, though really thinking to himself about things. I can't return to Neo Arcadia now, after what I did… I only have Lady Ciel to stay at my side…No other allies at my side, what can I do? Am I a maverick for my actions? Damn it, I can't think like this! The former guardian of Neo Arcadia sighed heavily, shaking his head as he muttered, "I need a break..."

Harpuia jumped down to the ground, sighing lightly. "Harpuia…" a voice said behind him, startling him. With lightning fast speed, Harpuia whipped around, energy blades at ready. Ciel stood there, her face registering no surprise. Harpuia blinked, tilting his head as he flicked off the energy blades. "Usually people are scared half to death by that." Ciel smirked barely, and said, "Well, living around Zero, you get used to reactions like that." She laughed half-heartedly, and then stared at the ground silently.

Harpuia noticed her look, tilting his head as he whispered, "Lady Ciel?" Ciel looked up at Harpuia, tears in her eyes. "Harpuia…I-I'm sorry…I just…I just want him…Zero…I want him close…To tell me it's all okay, protecting me...but, he's…" Ciel leaned up against Harpuia, crying.

Harpuia stared at the girl for a moment, then muttered, "Lady Ciel…I'm sorry…" Ciel continued to cry wordlessly. For a moment, Harpuia stayed silent. Then, held Ciel in a tight embrace, his face shaded in the darkness of the cave, Harpuia muttered, "I'll protect you then," Ciel stared up at him, as he continued, "even if I'm not Zero, I can protect you."

Elsewhere...
Zero stood on a rocky ledge, overlooking the world in the front of him. His long blonde hair whipped freely in the wind as he stared over the scenery in front of him, as he spoke quietly to himself, "Ciel, I will find you." He closed his eyes, and added, "I always will…"