Rebirth of the Machine: 1st Draft

by Andehshun

The year is 26XX, three centuries have passed since the destruction of Sigma and Zero. Almost all reploids have been either destroyed, or shut done. Human utopia is attained. But someone shatters the peace.. Bringing about the age of Reploids once more.

37. Chapter 36

Chapter 36 - Other Sources

Ramzal paced back and forth slowly, with Ran watching on. Ran teetered his legs off the bottom step and swung them opposite of each other in slow rhythmic motions. Ramzal finally stopped pacing, sighed, and turned toward his short friend.

"I don't know what to do."

"The first big question, Ramzy, is did you steal the saber?"

"Like hell! Found it in my attic."

"Alright then! So you're innocent. We have two choices, run away. Or find the culprit."

"I'd rather leave.."

"Then lets go!" Ran leapt from the stairs and landed in front of Ramzal.

"Go? Go where!" Ramzal spread his arms wide, his eyes slightly wide.

"Away from China!"

"But where!" Ramzal yelled after Ran as he ran off down the alley, "Dammit."

Ramzal took off after the small man, chasing him down the dark alley. Ran turned to the right and headed toward the front of his bar. He glanced around for a moment, then bolted across the empty street, with Ramzal right on his heels. The two slipped through the alleys and stopped in an alleyway a few blocks from the police station.

"Alright, Ramzy.. I'm going to leave you now."

"What! But this was your idea!"

"I know, and I'm sorry I have to make you do this alone, but I need to go somewhere myself. Just pay attention."

"Alright.." Ramzal stuck his head out of the alley, glancing to both sides, before coming back into the alley.

"Go to the dock, get a boat. Steal one if you have to, but get a boat. Head to Japan and dock in Fukuoka, then find your way to Neo Tokyo."

"But.. Neo Tokyo is half of Japan's length away from Fukuoka."

"You have to go there! When you get to Neo Tokyo, find a man named Frostheart, the leader of the Kitetsu. Tell him Ran sent you."

"Alright."

"I feel like a mobster." Ran grinned widely, "When you find him, I should already be in Russia. I'll contact you then, alright?"

"Are you sure this Frostheart guy is going to let me hang around just because I know you?" Ramzal wrung his hands together, apparently nervous.

"Of course! And if he doesn't believe you, just bellow out a nice loud 'Booyaka!'." Ramzal laughed at that, nodding.

"Alright, I'll see you later Ran. Don't die on me." Ran smiled wide, "Same to you, Ramzy!"

And with that, Ran turned and ran back down the alley they were in, heading away from the docks. Ramzal turned his head and stared at the docks in front of him, resting against the wall for a moment. He closed his eyes, taking a breather before stepping out into the street.

"Freeze!" The sound of multiple guns cocking came to his ears.

"Oh shit.."

Cody leapt over his chair and scrambled up a ladder behind it, connected to a bookshelf. He stopped on the top rung, skimming over the book names quickly. He stopped on one, re-read the title, and then pulled the book from the shelf. He flipped it open and smiled, closing the book back up..

"Finally found you, you sneaky book you." He slid down the ladder and leapt back into his chair.

He flipped open the book as he sat back down. He set the book down on the table in front of him, skimming over the models and text quickly, flipping through the pages. He stopped on a particular page, a schematics layout for the generic Cain model Reploid drawn into the book's pages. He pulled his notepad toward him, flipping through it to find a clean piece of paper, having to go through twenty or so pages of notes, doodles, and design scribbles to find a clean piece. He twirled his pencil between his middle and fore finger for a moment before setting it to paper, fleshing out a design in the spur of the moment. He used himself as a model for the Reploid.

"Ah-hah. What a handsome devil! Now, for some protective armor.."

He tapped the eraser of the pencil against his chin for a moment, before yawning loudly. He leaned down toward the table a little more, flipping the paper over. He started at the feet first, sketching in the boots lightly, returning back to the feet as he adds minor details at the tip of each boot, as well as around the ankle guards. He yawned again, feeling the pencil slip from his grasp and drop to the paper.

"Ugh.. Too tired.." He collapsed forward against the table, snoring softly.

Ramzal glanced to both sides, a group of five cops on either side of him. His right hand crept toward his back pocket slowly, barely moving at all. Footsteps came from in front of him as a large man in a police uniform stepped off the docks and on to the sidewalk two yards in front of where Ramzal stood.

"My young lad, you just lost." Vuittonet grinned a wide, large-toothed grin.

'Did Ran set me up.. No, he wouldn't. They somehow knew where we would go.'

"How did you find me, chief?" Ramzal's fingers coiled around the metal cylinder in his back pocket.

"The saber." Ramzal glanced down at his hand, "Hand it over."

"Tell me how you found me first!" Vuittonet growled, "Ran was tracked. We were following you the whole time."

"... So is this the part where I give up?" Ramzal smirked slightly, mocking a serious tone.

"Yes, this is where you give up. Hand over the saber, punk."

"Better idea.. How about.. I don't!"

Ramzal leapt upward easily, since he was already crouched. He pushed his hands forward, pumping the air with enough force to push him backward. His back hit the brick building just as the cops began opening fire on him. He set his left hand flat to the building and kicked off, straight over the road. Bullets flashed around him as he pulled his legs up into his chest, rolling through the air, whipping his body around sharply. He whipped the saber from his back pocket as he began dropping, igniting the blade as he landed, holding it diagonally, the energy singeing through the back of Vuittonet's uniform.

"Call them off. I'm leaving and I don't care if you live to see me get on that ferry."

"Guh.."

"Call them off, Vuittonet!" Vuittonet could have been steaming from the ears, "Your little punk ass is going to be filled with lead, I'll get you, you little shit!"

"Do you want to die, chief!" Vuittonet swallowed heavily, glancing back at Ramzal.

"I'm always the thief, always the mugger, always the murderer, ain't that right, chief?"

"Prime suspects are always the rowdy good for no-OW!" Ramzal moved the blade closer, singeing Vuittonet's back with the blade.

"Tell your men to stand down!" Ramzal slammed the ball of his foot into the back of Vuittonet's knee, dropping him to his knees, holding the blade at his neck.

"Listen to the kid!" Vuittonet closed his eyes, sweating heavily, "Put your weapons away.."

Ramzal kept the blade unwavering next to Vuittonet's neck, the smell of singed hair and burnt flesh wafting into his nose, almost making him gag. He swallowed heavily, deactivating the blade as he sent his knee into the back of the chief's head, sending him toppling forward into the concrete road. He turned and bolted down the dock, gunfire splintering the wood around his feet.

'Bad idea! BAD IDEA! Should've kept him as a hostage and chucked him off the ferry!'

He reached the end of the dock and practically dove forward on to the small ferry. He rolled to his feet at the other side of the boat, his back resting against the boat's inner side, his head on the railing. He gasped sharply as the wood right next to his head exploded, sending wood shards everywhere. He threw himself down and crawled to the side of the mast, hiding behind it.

"God forsaken mother fuc-"

"This is a family place, keep the swearing to a minimum."

'Everyone's a fucking critic..'

Ran waved to the driver as the car pulled away from the curb and drove off down the road. He turned and looked around for a moment, before turning and walking down an alley that he was left off in front of. He tapped three times on a solid metal door, a tiny panel opened up a few feet above his head.

"Who dere? Aye cannit see ye."

"A disgruntled ferret disguised as sleep."

"Aye got dat part, but who are ye?"

"Booyaka Ilgrid!"

"Ah, is Mista Ran."

"Open the door, Ilgrid." Ran watched the door buckle slightly and then swing open, letting him step in. It closed behind him.

"Nice to see you again, Ran." The voice came from across the room, shrouded in darkness.

"Booyaka Sachial!" Ran smiled broadly, Sachial only chuckled.

"Just as I remember you from way back when. Always the childish commie-bot. On to why you're here.. The teleporter, I assume."

"La la la.." The massive man known as Ilgrid had his hands over his ears and mumbling a soft tune to himself, Ran perked a brow.

"After our first meeting about the teleporter, he assumed it was something he wasn't supposed to know about and began doing that. It's convenient at times, but it starts getting rather annoying."

Ilgrid stomped around for a moment, before moving out of the primary room that Ran and Sachial were in. Ran watched him go, shrugging slightly and turned back toward Sachial, who had risen from his seat. He swung his arm in the direction that Ran needed to go, following after the shorter Reploid. They entered into a room cast in a blue hue, numerous plants growing about the room. Ran glanced back at Sachial, the taller Reploid shimmering slightly in the blue light.

"What's with the plants?"

"Ilgrid."

"Oh."

They swept out the other side of the room, moving through a door of plastic wrap. The next room was dark, like the first one. Ran sighed lightly, and Sachial only laughed.

"I'm afraid I like the dark, Ran. Don't worry, the next room is where we want to be."

Ran nodded in the dark, heading toward the outline of a door. He stopped in front of it, knowing that it wouldn't open for him, just like last time. Sachial stopped beside him and grabbed the doorknob, setting it aglow in blue from three claws protruding from his knuckles. He twisted the door knob, a trio of clicks sounding from inside the door and it came open. He stepped into a brightly lit room, pulling Ran into the room with him.

"You remember how it works?"

"Yup!" Ran smiled, his eyes closed tightly.

"Well, Ran.. This will probably be our last meeting like this." Ran slightly opened his eyes, but quickly shut them.

"Why do you say that Sachial?"

"Because I do believe that you're going somewhere with a grid of your own, and won't be needing mine anymore."

"I'm sorry."

"For what? I'm glad to be rid of you, you little commie-bot." Ran frowned slightly. "Cheer up, we'll see each other again, I can almost promise you that."

"Do you know something that I don't?"

"Envision mother Russia, Ran."

"How did you.."

"Bye Ran Cossack."

Ran was enveloped in a light he couldn't see, but seemed to come right out of his body and grew brighter than the room. A ring shot down from the top section of the pod, spinning around as it dropped. It touched down at the bottom and then shot back up to the top. The hum of the machine grew louder as the ring began to move quicker between the two portions. As it made its thirteen course between the two pods, the light erupted outward, Ran vanishing as it faded away. Sachial set his right hand to the side of his helmet, sighing.

"See you in two months, Ran.. When the world is once again within the grips of the Maverick King, his Prince, and the Justice's Apostate.."

Ramzal groaned as he got to his feet, pushing the saber back down into his back pocket. He glanced around at the other people on the ferry, names coming to him as his eyes scanned their faces. He looked over at the guy steering the ship.

"How long do you think this little boat ride will take?"

"About as long as I feel like making it, sonny." Ramzal grit his teeth and sat down on the boat's rail.

"Smart ass.."

He closed his eyes, letting the breeze from the Yellow Sea wash over him. He took a deep breath, getting the smell of salt water stuck in his nose. He let the breath out slowly, reopening his eyes and staring out over the small waves of the sea.

'I wonder how Ran is doing..'

Ran's body sunk down into the snow, almost all the way up to his head. He gasped loudly and shot straight up into the air. He dropped back on to the snow, standing completely still for a moment to see if he'd sink in. He sighed and began trudging through the snow slowly.

"Booyaka Mother Russia!"

He headed off in the direction of what his internal compass called northeast. He was scanning over a map in his left eye as he looked around with his right eye. The map in his left eye began to blink, catching his attention. He stopped and immediately began to sink into the snow, but he didn't notice as he memorized the distance between his current position and the blinking red dot on his internal map.

'Welcome home, Ran.'

He set his hands up on to the surface of the snow and shoved, pushing him from the hole. He rolled to his feet and began running toward the red dot, both of his eyes now watching the ground in front of him, having turned the map off.

Ran finally slowed to a slow pace, his eyes slowly moving up the front of the building in front of him. A small split his face, widening broadly. He leapt straight up into the air, letting out a yell of joy, which was torn away from his ears by the sharp wind. He sunk back into the snow when he landed, but he easily got out and began running toward the building. He blinked, having just noticed something strange about the building.

"Why are the lights on inside.."

'Do you think.. That my siblings are online after all this time?'

He was running toward the door quicker than he had ever run before at the thought of seeing his siblings again, he had been alone for too long to care how they felt about him. Just the thought of seeing them sent him going.

The thin, blue rapier blade sliced forward, clashing sharply with the green saber. The two fighters pressed forward, sparks showering off from where the blades met. The orange Reploid wielding the rapier leapt back, spinning around and driving the rapier upward. The Reploid wielding the saber leapt backward as well, narrowly evading the rapier. The two breathed heavily, grinning at each other.

"Come on, don't chicken out on me now."

"Not on your life!"

The blonde-haired Reploid with the green saber dashed in quickly, slicing forward wildly at the orange Reploid. The rapier caught the tip of the saber, and he pushed forward, the rapier sliding down the entire length of the saber. He leapt upward, slamming his knee into the blonde Reploid's chin, sending him stumbling backward.

"Ow, I said to NOT hit me in the face!"

"My bad? Now shut up and get back here!"

The orange Reploid dashed after the blonde Reploid, the rapier clashing rapidly with the saber as he pushed him back slowly, each clash of the blades pushing the blonde Reploid back a half a foot or so. The orange Reploid thrust the rapier forward, but the green saber caught it and drove it to the side. He slammed his right hand forward, the metal fist connecting sharply with the orange Reploid's face, sending him flying backward. He hit the ground hard and slid back for a few seconds, before flipping upward and sliding back in a crouch.

"So you're allowed to hit me in the face?"

"Pay back is such a bitch?"

"I'm going to cut that fake arm of yours off and kick your ass with it!"

"Love to see you try."

The orange Reploid grit his teeth and ran forward, holding the blade steadily at his side. He whipped it forward, catching it on the green saber, but he spun his body around quickly, flicking the saber around easily with his wrist, moving it to the other side of the green saber. He grinned slightly, twisting his wrist and practically slapped the saber with his rapier, sending it spiraling out of the blonde's hands. He continued his spin, catching the saber with the blade of his rapier, tossing it into the air and catching it in his free hand. He deactivated it and with a grin, tossed it back to his opponent.

"... I hate you."

"Aw, I love you too, Goldenwing."

"You're a horrible, horrible orange man." The orange Reploid only shrugged, the blue rapier deactivating.

"Cronos! You did wonderfully!" Two girls came running toward the pair of guys.

"Thanks, Arabelle." Cronos grinned, wrapping an arm around Arabelle, who shared a striking resemblance to Goldenwing, who shuddered.

"I'm always going to have nightmares of you sleeping with an alternate of me."

"Thanks, Goldenwing. I didn't want to know you dreamed about me." Cronos smirked.

"Glad to see you used the arm for an advantage, Goldenwing. Even if it was short-lived." The other girl had finally spoken, she was shorter than the other three and had on blue armor, with brown hair.

"Thanks, Isis. Glad to know someone cares."

"Oh, I don't care. I just thought it was funny to see Cronos get punched in the face."

"... Thanks." Cronos and Goldenwing both scowled.

"Um.. Hello?"

All four of them turned at once and were shocked to see a Reploid standing in the doorway to the building they had been staying in for only a few days now. He was much shorter than Isis and had on a white coat. Goldenwing's eyes widened slightly.

"Ran?"

"Huh.. Oh, booyaka Goldenwing!"

"You know him?" Isis whispered.

"Ran? Wait, you mean the Cossack bot?" Cronos glanced over at Goldenwing, who nodded, "Wow, I remember him from my home dimension."

"I know Goldenwing, but who are the rest of you?" Ran had walked forward and was now standing a few feet away from the four of them.

"Name's Cronos Saint's TimeLight. I'm not from.. Around.. Here." Cronos glanced over at Goldenwing, who only shrugged.

"My name is Arabelle Kintotech, I'm in the same boat as Cronos." She smiled warmly and gave Ran a pat on the shoulder. Goldenwing and Cronos exchanged glances when Ran didn't die immediately.

"And since you already know Goldenwing, I guess that leaves me. My name is Isis Macrow. The only brain in this entire group."

"Booyaka Arabelle, Cronos, and Isis! My name is Ran Cossack!"

"Cossack.. So you own this place?" Isis glanced around for a moment, then back to the small Reploid.

"I suppose I do, yeah. Since Dr. Cossack and mommy aren't around anymore. That just leaves my siblings and myself." Ran frowned at the mention of the Cossacks, but perked back up at the mention of his siblings.

"Siblings?" Cronos exchanged glances with Goldenwing again, "The Cossack Circus?"

"You have to remember, Cronos, different dimension." Goldenwing whispered to Cronos, who nodded slightly.

"Yup! When I saw lights, I thought it might be then, but it was only you guys. Well, you guys can get back to what you were doing, I only need to do a few things, then I'll be on my way. Don't mind me."

"But.." Goldenwing began, but Ran had already walked past them and into another room that opened at his touch.

"So now what?" Isis looked at the other three.

Cody yawned loudly as he woke back up. He stretched in the chair, rubbing the backs of his hands into his eyes. He blinked a few times and looked down at the notepad that had half of an armor design drawn out on it. He cleared his throat, grabbing the book, pad, and pencil and pushed out of the red chair. He walked around the chair slowly, stopping in front of one of the bookshelves. He grabbed for one of the books, 'Nuklear Age,' and yanked on it. The book tilted out of the shelf at a slight angle, and as it slid back into place, the shelf shook slightly. It slid open, revealing a sharp decline down underneath the thatch hut. He pushed the book and pad into the crook of his arm, putting the pencil behind his ear. He made his way down the stairs slowly, the bookshelf closing behind him.

"Ugh.. Stupid steps.. Stupid.. Ugh.." He stumbled slightly, catching his balance.

He finally reached the bottom after a few minutes. He bent down and rubbed his calves, yawning again. He shook his head and tossed the notepad and book on to a rather large metal table that looked like one you might find in an operating room at a hospital. He took the pencil from his ear and set it between his lips, twisting it back and forth. He glanced around for a moment, before blinking rapidly.

"Waith a minuth.." He spat the pencil out, "Wait a minute."

He walked around the room for a moment, checking all the cupboards. He even stopped in front of the computer setting against the wall and tried to turn it on. He ground his teeth together and slammed his fists against the keyboard.

"What the hell kind of lab is this! No parts, no power, no nothing!"

"I wouldn't say that.." Cody spun around the room quickly, glancing around, but found nothing.

"Who.. Said that?"

"I did." Cody turned and looked at the computer, "Quick deduction."

Cody stared at the computer screen in silence for a moment, before shaking his head and rubbing his eyes again. He poked the screen a few times, before taking a step back, bumping into the lab table.

"Quit being shocked, I figured you knew. All the Izzy's knew of my existence."

"I didn't get that memo!"

"No worries. Here." A compartment slid open beneath the keyboard and a cup of coffee was sitting there, Cody took it hesitantly.

"So, who are you?"

"The A.I. that all Izzy's have used. And also, whenever you need something, you ask me and I get it."

"But get it from where? And how?" The computerized voice laughed slightly.

"Beneath this is another area, it's a large warehouse. I just bring everything up from there."

"Wow.." Cody sipped at the coffee.

"I'm assuming you want to be a Reploid, or you wouldn't be down here."

"You are correct, oh great and wise A.I."

"Call me I.C.E." Cody perked a brow, "Ice?"

"Izzy's Computerized Equivalent." Cody shrugged, taking another sip, "Okay then. Well, can I get all the necessary equipment needed to build a Reploid?"

"Of course."

Cody turned and watched as compartments all around the room began to open, filled with objects and devices that hadn't been there when he had first checked them when he came down. He moved out to the closet and opened it, finding it stocked with material needed to build a Reploid. He moved back to the table, opening his notepad and did a quick sketch of the rest of the armor's body. He turned around, finding a cart just behind him stocked with metal and devices.

"Wow, this is so convenient. Thanks Ice."

On the opposite side of the town Wei-Hai-Wei, the same town that Cody was in, an explosion had just erupted within a building. A trio of Joe's ran from the building, laughing loudly. Just outside, another group waited, watching the three leap on to their ride chasers. The large group of Reploid menaces sped off on their chasers, their busters out and firing. The energy blasts ripping through the clothing and flesh of civilians. The ground rumbled slightly as a tank rolled up the end of the street.

"Ready.."

The Joe's picked up speed, pushing the throttles forward, readying the boosters.

"Aim.."

A few of them slammed on the boosters, rocketing them forward, tilting the bike back. The energy on the bottom becoming like a blade, severing through people trying to avoid the bikes.

"Fire!"

The tank recoiled sharply, an explosion tearing through the street, two smaller explosions following. Two chasers came sliding out of the smoke. The other eight were all sitting within the smoke, watching it face. Their singular eyes swivelled around before stopping on the tank.

"Fire at will!"

The tank fired again, followed by a spray of rapid machine gun fire. The Joe's were caught in the tank's shell, only one Joe exploding from it this time, taking the ride chaser with it. The other seven pushed forward, four charging their busters while the other three fired at the machine gunners. The four Joe's all fired simultaneously, the blasts ripping holes into the tank, but not damaging it too much.

A long figure stood on top of a building, a cloak waving out behind him. A soft chuckle escaped this man's lips as he lifted the hood of the cloak and let it slide off his helmet. He undid the cloak from his shoulders and let it flap away in the wind, like a kite breaking from the string. His armor was dark grey, with green lines interweaving across the dark armor. His right hand morphed into a rather large buster, the barrels rotating slowly.

"I'm here, I might as well destroy me some Joe's.. Rather funny coming from me.."

He set his left hand down on the side of the building and he pushed off, dropping quickly through the air. He tucked his legs up to his chest, slamming in hard against the sidewalk, digging into the ground a half a foot. He set the buster atop his knee and fired, the barrels rotating rapidly now, energy blasts ripping through the Joe's and the tanks. The gem on his helmet flashed brightly as a grin spread over his lips.

'Damian, the Joe that returned from death..'

Ramzal sighed heavily, his eyes closed. He opened them as the horn on the ferry sounded, telling them that they were about to dock. He lifted his head from its tilted back position and sat up, rubbing his hands into the sides of his neck. He got to his feet, turning to see the port town of Fukuoka rise up before him. He stared out over the boat's rail, his eyes slightly wide.

"Wow.. This place is amazing.."

The boat jerked to a stop and he stepped off the ferry, setting his hands behind his head as he walked up the dock toward the actual city. He moved his right hand to his back pocket, shifting the saber from his back pocket to his right front pocket, in easy reach. He moved his hands back behind his head, laughing lightly.

"I can't believe I actually got away from Vuittonet.."

The sound of loud yelling came from Ramzal's right and he tilted his head to look and see what was going on. His eyes widened and he dropped low, a charged energy blast shooting past just above his head, the smell of singed hair coming to his nose. He grit his teeth, drawing out the saber. Two of the Joe's turned and looked in his direction.

"Look at this kid. He has a beam saber."

"Do you think he even knows how to turn it on."

"I know damn well how to turn it on."

Ramzal swung his right arm in front of him, igniting the blade halfway through the swing. He held it at his side, sliding into a stance. The two Joe's both aimed their busters at him, one firing off rapid blasts, while the other charged. Ramzal dove forward, rolling under the shots, as he came to his feet and leapt upward, over the tiny energy blasts. He landed with his back to the Joe and spun, the blade splitting through the metal armor.

"Hiyah!" The Joe exploded behind him as he completed his three-sixty spin.

"You're dead!"

The other Joe fired the fully charged blast in Ramzal's direction, but he swung the blade straight upward, the plasma reacting with the beam saber, and canceling the shot out. He ran forward and thrust the blade straight through the Joe's chest, jerking it upward, out through the Joe's helmet, splitting him in half from the chest up. He leapt backward, covering his face with his hands at the Joe exploded.

"Get him!"

'Aye, shit.. All over some singed hair, I get myself into such trouble..'

Ramzal turned and ran into a building just off to the right, energy blasts ripping into the concrete and the walls around him. He pressed his back against the wall just inside the building. He took a quick glance around the place he hid himself in and gasped slightly. He moved into the room and away from the wall, setting his hands lightly on one of the ride chasers in a row of about ten of them. He spun the saber within his hand and shoved it downward into three of the bikes, before the footsteps of the Joe's came to his ears. He jumped on to one of the chasers he hadn't damaged and clicked it on, revving the engine with a mischievous grin.

"God, I love a good hover bike!"

Ramzal grabbed ignited the hovering, pushing the accelerator forward quickly. The bike jerked and tilted back just as the Joe's came into the doorway of the building. The blade beneath the bike tore through one of the Joe's, the bike itself knocking two of them aside. Ramzal jerked the controls of the bike, swinging the bike around right as he exited, pushing forward on the throttle hard, jetting down the road on the chaser.

"Yahoo! And to think, I was going to use the Bullet Train!"

"You're on, X2."

"Gotcha, Smoke."

X2 tapped the side of his helmet once, deactivating the camera that was put in place. He ran across the street, sliding over the hood of a car that was about to hit him. He gave the driver the finger as he stopped in front of the door to the building that the suits from Globotech had gone inside of. He morphed his right hand into his buster, turned, and kicked the door open. The door shattered off its hinges and shot down the hallway a few feet, before catching on the carpet and dropping to the floor with a loud bang.

"Lucy! I'm home!"

Contra grabbed the two guys with machine guns by the backs of their shirts, hefting them up and slamming them into one another. He threw them across the room at the one-way mirror, the glass breaking slightly, but not shattering. He slammed his fist right through the glass, ripping the entire thing from the wall, throwing it behind him.

"Axl, get out of the box." Contra had his left hand to his ear.

"About damn time, Contra!" Came the response, "Oh shut the hell up and get out of the box."

He leapt up onto the window sill, grinning down at the group of men on the other side of the window. He tilted his head to the side before pushing his fists together, each knuckle cracking all at once. He stepped down into the room, towering over all the men in suits.

"Fucking with the Kitetsu is not a good idea."

Axl formed his right hand into a buster and unleashed a blast into the top of the box. He twisted around and set his back to the box's base, thrusting his legs upward sharply. The covering of the box shot right up into the air and clattered to the floor. He leapt from the box, his buster aimed in front of him. He slowly turned his head, glancing around the room.

"Dammit, I get stuck with the 'Room of No Action.'"

He clambered over the box's edge and moved toward the door. He cracked it open and looked out into the hallway in time to see a door slam into the floor. He whipped the door open and laughed as he heard X2 call out.

"X2! This way!"

X2 rounded the corner and dashed toward Axl's direction. About halfway there, something slammed right into X2's face, sending him right into the wall, the wall shuddering from the force. Axl ran forward, firing his buster off rapidly in the direction of the door.

"Who the hell are you guys! We didn't do anything wrong here!"

Smoke landed lightly on the roof of the building that the other three were in. Jakku landed beside him seconds after. They looked at each other for a moment before Jakku leapt through the sky light, dropping quickly to the floor. He turned in time for a fist to connect to his jaw, sending him sliding toward the door.

"Ow.. Oh hell no you didn't!"

Smoke dropped down on top of the man's shoulders, whipping his entire body around quickly. The man's neck and shoulders twisted inhumanly, a loud snap resonating from the man's spine. The body slumped to the floor as Smoke leapt off, landing next to Jakku.

"For a ninja, you sure do suck at sneaking around, Jakku." Jakku scowled.

"Where do you think the others are?" Smoke shrugged, "They have to be around here somewhere."

Smoke headed out the door, turning to the right. Jakku followed him out the door and turned left. Smoke nodded and they both headed in opposite directions.

Ramzal's chaser was getting battered by energy blasts. He grit his teeth angrily, deflecting as many of the tiny annoyances with his saber as he could, but there were so many, he wasn't doing a very efficient job. He pushed the throttle all the way forward, the chaser bucking forward, the thrusters growing slightly.

"Come on, dammit.."

He jerked the controls, taking a left turn sharply, the bike tilting low toward the ground. He slipped out of the turn and shot off down the road, the Joe's quickly following. He glanced down at the monitor below the controls, watching the chaser's speed begin to drop. He swore loudly, grabbing the throttle and pushing it down, rapidly reducing his speed. He leapt from the bike, kicking it forward. One of the Joe's slammed into it, exploding both chasers and himself on contact. Ramzal landed, spinning the saber around in front of him, deflecting the blasts sent his way.

"I have no idea where I am, or where the Bullet Train is!"

He turned and ran off down a random alley-way. He glanced behind him, watching the chasers zip past and head back down the road. He knew they were going to head around and try to cut him off. He dug the saber into the wall and climbed up, leaping up on to the rooftops. He withdrew the saber, deactivating it, and slipped it back into his pocket. He gazed around for a moment, before seeing the station for the Bullet Train.

"There you are.."

He leapt across the alley, landing on the next building. He took off at a quick ran, leaping from rooftop to rooftop for a few minutes. The sounds of ride chasers became distant and lost after awhile. He sighed softly, grinning to himself.

'Never thought I'd be using the rooftops as an escape route.. To the Bullet Train!'

Ran stopped in front of a large computer, smiling broadly. He stepped up to the console and tapped a series of unique key presses. The computer hummed to life for a moment, before the screen flashed on. Words in Russian scrolled down the screen, displaying the date, lab status, and things of the like. The actual OS booted up, leaving Ran to do his bidding.

"What was the grid program.. Umm.. Oh, right."

He typed in the words 'Mother Russia,' followed by 'Father Cossack,' and ended it with 'Booyaka.' The computer sputtered for a moment as it loaded the program. The screen changed to that of a grid map of the world. He typed in a quick series of numbers and letters and then the red light at the top of the grid switched to green almost immediately. He smiled and ended the grid program.

"Alright. Now, the regeneration pod. I don't even know why I'm turning this on.."

He typed in the words 'Kalinka' and 'Science Project.' The screen changed to that of a status report on Ran himself. He clicked through the pages before coming to the specifics of the regeneration pod his mother built for him. He clicked on 'Activate' and heard a soft humming issue from the computer. He put the computer on stand-by and left the room. Goldenwing, Arabelle, Cronos, and Isis were all still standing where they were when he left, but he walked on by. He turned into a room a few doors down and stepped inside. More than half the room was filled with miscellaneous Russian products that were torn to pieces, the tiny part not filled with junk was where the pod sat. He walked over to it and checked up on it, making sure it was working.

"Alright, time for a test run!"

He turned and ran straight at the wall. His body crashed into it, going limp and slamming backward into the floor. The pod whirred violently, before Ran re-appeared within the glass section at the other end. He leapt out and grinned. The door opened suddenly, revealing Cronos and Goldenwing.

"What the hell did you.. Just.. Do.." Cronos' eyes moved from Ran to the dead Ran body on the floor.

"Oh."

"Booyaka Cronos! Booyaka Goldenwing! It works!" Ran grinned broadly, trudging out of the room.

Cronos sighed and Goldenwing smacked himself in the forehead, before they both followed the small bot from the room, who was grinning beside himself with Russian pride.

Ramzal ran up the ramp to the train. The guard wasn't looking so he just leapt right over the payment center, bolting into the train before the man at the station could stop him. He slid to a stop and slumped down into a random seat, staring at the floor. Sweat trickled down his face as he breathed heavily. He glanced up slightly, watching the man at the ticket booth and the guard come running toward the train, just as the door shut. He smirked slightly, chuckling.

"Next stop; Neo Tokyo." The train's driver announced over the PA system.

Contra held one of the suits up high, his fingers gripping tightly on to the man's shirt and tie, a growl escaping his throat as Smoke came busting through the door. The rest of the guys in suits rushed him, knocking him out of the way.

"Whoa! Hey! Keep that for the second date!" Smoke got to his feet, dusting himself off, "Hi Contra. This the VIP?"

"Yes, yes he is." He tightened his grip, forcing the man to choke.

"Don't kill him. Well, don't kill him yet anyway." Contra scowled, setting the man down, "Let's go find the others."

Jakku's blade tore through a man with a machine gun, slicing the gun into multiple pieces. He stopped on the other side of the man, who crumpled into pieces, blood pooling underneath him.

"X2! Axl! Where are you two!"

Axl came flying out from a door right at the moment, his back cracking sharply against a wall, a scream of pain escaping his lips. X2 followed, sliding across the ground, stopping a foot in front of Axl, his body crouched low.

"Right here, Mafuyu.."

A large man stepped through the doorway, his arms covered in large metal plates, half of his face covered in metal as well. Jakku held his blade steady, before rushing, leaping upward, the blade slicing easily through his exposed flesh. Despite his size, the man was around and gripping Jakku's throat.

"Erk.." Jakku stabbed the blade into the man's hand as quick and as hard as he could, his face slowly changing to blue.

"Drop him!" X2 leapt up, cracking his large metal boot into the fleshy side of the man's head, blood exploding on impact.

Jakku fell to the floor, as did X2. The man stumbled slightly, before moving around and slamming X2 right into the wall, the man's hand grinding X2's head into the concrete. Axl aimed carefully, firing a charged shot right into the man's back. He turned and stepped toward Axl, who scrambled backward across the floor, his buster charging again.

Jakku croaked, "Sm..oke.." into the communication link before passing out.

"Jakku? Shit!"

Contra and Smoke headed out of the room, making multiple turns before seeing Axl flying straight into a large metal door, his body bending the thick metal in inhuman ways. He slumped to the floor, blood trickling from his mouth and nose.

"Guh.. Ugh.."

Contra tossed the man in the suit to the side, walking past Axl's defeated body. Smoke knelt beside Axl, glancing slightly and sees Contra's fist slam right through the other man's metal shoulder, ripping the entire thing from his form, blood splattering across the walls. A howl of pain escaped the man's large mouth, before Contra rammed the metal arm right into his face. He threw the man down the hallway, walking past both the passed out Jakku and the battered body of X2.

"You okay Axl?"

"Ugh.. Ow.." Axl nodded slightly, pushing himself to his feet, staggering a little.

Smoke smirked slightly, walking over to X2. He helped the Reploid to his feet, and then got shook off. X2 grit his teeth, half his face torn off, revealing the wiring underneath it. He ran off after Contra, seemingly determined to kill the man that had defeated him. Axl came up behind Smoke, dragging the suit by the back of the collar. Smoke hefted Jakku up on to his shoulder, heading off down the hallway after Contra and X2.

The train slowed to a stop, jerking Ramzal awake after a few seconds of bored sleep. He tilted his head up and looked at the clock. It had only taken them ten minutes to get from Fukuoka to Neo Tokyo.

"Ah, modern technology.."

He stepped off the train and made his way toward the departure booth. The man was checking tickets. Ramzal rushed past and leapt over the railing, bolting straight out of the building. He turned right outside of the building and just ran. After a few blocks, he came to a stop, breathing heavily. He looked up to see a group of police cars hover past at extreme speeds.

'Kitetsu is a terrorist group, isn't it? So.. Might as well, what have I got to lose?'

Ramzal turned and followed the cop cars, their sirens easily trackable. After a few blocks and more turns than Ramzal could remember, he found where the police were all headed. A block of identical buildings, and they had stopped right in front of one. A door-less one, that looked like the door had been removed with excessive force. Ramzal stood there for a moment before gasping as a very large man slammed through the front of the building, tearing off parts of the wall. He flew through the air and slammed into one of the hover cars. His body slammed the entire front end of the vehicle into the road, destroying the car completely.

'Well, holy shit..'

Contra stood breathing evenly, with X2 at his side breathing a little heavier. The two turned back around as the police opened fire on the buildings front. The bullets deflected off of X2's metal armor and Contra's tough skin-suit. They walked back to where Axl and Smoke were waiting with Jakku's body and the suit. Contra took the unconscious Kitetsu member from Smoke and shouldered him. The four members and the suit exited out the back of the building, just as the cops came rushing in the front.

"Contra, head back to the base with Jakku. Axl, you go with him. X2, you and me are going to take the suit to somewhere quiet."

Contra set his hand on Jakku's back as Axl grabbed his elbow. Contra reached his free hand up into the air and then slammed it into the ground, an explosion wrapping around the three Kitetsu members. As the smoke cleared, they were gone and the ground was undamaged. X2 tossed the suit over his shoulder and followed after Smoke.

"Hey! Are you Frostheart!"

The two both turned at once, watching a silver-haired man come running toward them. He stopped in front of them, breathing a little unevenly, his hand pressed into his right side, a slightly pained expression on his face.

"Yea, I'm Smoke. What do you want?"

"Ran sent me here, I don't know why. He just told me to find Frostheart and the Kitetsu."

"... Fine, follow us, kid."

"Oh, the name's Ramzal."

"Whatever, kid, just follow."

Ramzal frowned, but obediently followed after the Reploid and the overbearing man with black streaks on his face. The man slumped over X2's shoulder seemed to be pleading with Ramzal for help in silence, but he ignored the man, his finger picking at the saber hilt in his pocket.

'Frostheart seems like a prick, I hope Ran didn't send me to the wrong people..'

"Nice to meet all of you, but I'm tired! I'll see you all in the morning, good night! Goldenwing, we can talk in the morning, okay?"

"Uh, alright."

Ran smiled widely as he walked past them and headed toward the stair case on the right side of the main entry hall. He made his way upstairs and went into the first door, which opened at his touch. Cronos stopped beside Arabelle, whispering something that Goldenwing and Isis couldn't hear, which caused Arabelle to giggle.

"Oh god.." Goldenwing sweat-dropped.

"Come off it, Goldenwing, it's perfectly normal!" Arabelle smiled at her alternate and followed Cronos into their shared room.

Goldenwing face palmed and then glanced at Isis, who stared at him for a moment, before shaking her head and walking away from him. Cronos and Arabelle's door clicked closed, but not before Arabelle let out a soft giggle and a playful scream. Isis's door clicked closed without a peep from her. Goldenwing stood there for a moment, staring at the floor.

"What the hell is wrong with the world when your friend is doing your other self?" He let out an involuntary shudder, heading toward his room.

A lone figure sat in a rather large chair, shaped like a skull in the shape of a throne. Across the room was a large projector screen, where the news was playing over and over, about how the attacks were ending and the world was returning. A wild grin split the figure's lips, an angry glint appearing in his eyes.

"The world has no idea what's happening, Bloodbath.."

He reached his hand out and scratched the head of a large metal cat. The cat purred mechanically, tilting its head to get the scratching behind his ears. The figure got to his feet, clicking off the projector screen. As the screen went off, the lights in the room clicked on. The figure was a rather tall man, with ebony black armor, with golden guards around his ankles, wrists, shoulder edges, and around his mid-section. The golden guard in his mid-section wrapped around a shimmering, dark green gem. The cat stalked around between his legs, the greyish green metal reflecting slightly, with golden guards around the ankle of each paw, around the tops of his hind legs, the tip of his tail, and two parts jutting up from its shoulders.

"Calm yourself, Bloodbath.."

A door across the room slid open and a women walked into the room. She had soft, silver hair. Her body was wrapped in a dark grey rubber suit, with golden armor. Her knees and wrists had red gems, with blue guards around the ankles, wrists, as well as the shoulders being blue. She stopped just inside the doorway, with the man's gaze upon her.

"Yes, Cazzle?"

"I heard the projector go off, so I decided it best to come and see if you needed anything."

"Cazzle, my dear, you're not my slave. You don't have to do anything for me."

"It doesn't matter, I'm here now. Is there anything you wish?"

"Not really.. Everything is going according to plan, really."

"But what about Sebastian, is he following your orders?" He chuckled lightly, "As good as a human can."

"Do you believe Azazel can accomplish the task that you wish of him?"

"He'll do it even if I do not tell him so. If given the chance, he shall be taken care of. And besides, Altor will not let the truth escape our Prince. Once they meet, of course."

"So you've thought of everything then, Monarch?"

"Of course.. I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't in complete control.. Oh, tell Rose and Christy that we have a job to do later." Cazzle smiled and nodded, "Of course, Monarch."