***RB***

Zero frowned as Foxfire scurried to the very BACK of the holding cell that he shoved her in and proceeded to keep her back to the wall, sai drawn.

"The weapons." Zero held out his hand and made a 'come here' motion. "Now."

Foxfire didn't comply….if anything, she pressed her back harder against the wall and kept her sai up, narrowing her eyes. This made Zero frown deeply and take a few steps up to her, which made her get into a fighting stance.

"Don't make me fight you." Zero grumbled. "I won't hesitate."

"I don't doubt it." Foxfire hissed, unable to get any closer to the wall than she already was. "Being the spawn of Dr. WILY, I wouldn't be surprised if you wouldn't hesitate to kill me."

Zero frowned when he was right in front of Foxfire, still glaring at her. She was absolutely shaking...it would be an EASY win if she tried to fight him.

He swiftly SNATCHED her sai out of her hands and turned to leave; however, as he walked away the sai vanished from his grip.
"What the-" Zero paused and checked his hands, before turning to face Foxfire...who had the sai RIGHT back in her own hands.

Zero gave a strange look before he narrowed his eyes at the trembling girl.

"They're programed to my unique signature." Foxfire growled, holding them up defensively. "...They're not going ANYwhere…"

Zero frowned...and looked down the hall. "Chateau!"

From the hall, the soldier quickly made his way over and saluted. "Yes Zero, sir?"
"Are you armed?"
"Well, yes, I have my blaster." the soldier motioned to the blaster at his waist.

"Keep an eye on our guest." Zero ordered, closing the door and locking it on a special setting, glancing towards Foxfire, who was STILL plastered against the wall. "She's still armed…"

Chateau gazed inside the cell, but Foxfire made her way BEHIND the resting cot and sat on the ground, out of sight of both of them.
The soldier blinked for a moment, before looking towards Zero. "She shouldn't be too much of a problem, sir. Still, I'll keep an eye on her.

"ZERO"

Both Chateau and Zero looked towards the main entrance of the holding cells, where Raven was motioning towards the once-Maverick hunter to get over there. "May I have a WORD with you?!"

Chateau winced, but Zero's expression didn't falter. If anything, he made his way down the hall and towards Raven. Once he got to her, however, she GRABBED him by the hair and DRAGGED him out of the hall, SLAMMING the door behind them.

"What th- Hey!" Zero started to say before Raven was practically in his face.

"ARE YOU FREAKING INSANE!? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FREAKING MIND?!"

Zero's eye twitched slightly from the yell and he rubbed his helmet for a brief moment, before facing Raven fully. "What? What exactly is the issue?"

Raven was fuming and pointing towards the closed door. "The ISSUE, is that you captured FOXFIRE." She flailed her arms around in the air dramatically. "FOXFIRE! The Second in Command of the Cutting Shadow Squadron, and the Lieutenant of HIDDEN. PHANTOM!"

"Yes." Zero rose an eyeridge, confused by Raven's...outburst. "That was...kind of the point."

"Zero!" Raven shook her hands at him, her eyes twitching heavily. "Do you know...how BAD...this is?" The girl pointed at the closed door once again. "YOU KIDNAPPED THE WOMAN PHANTOM. LOVES!"

There was a moment of silence from Zero. All that his expression reflected was confusion...before a slightly sarcastic look came to his face. "Raven...Now REALLY isn't the time to get sentimental. I'm not concerned about Hidden Phantom's lovey dovey feelings to his Lieutenant."

"OBVIOUSLY." Raven put her hands on her hips and scowled. "Besides! I don't think you even KNOW what it's like to feel emotions, do ya?"

Zero made a face at the retort and put two fingers to his forehead. Letting off a long sigh, he looked back up towards Raven and frowned. "Listen Raven, Hidden Phantom is a master of keeping himself in check...I'm not worried about him at all... I think he can handle a few moments of loneliness."

"Well you SHOULD be!" Raven shook her fist at him. "Because once he finds out that WE have her...He's going to be more than just 'lonely'...HE'S GOING TO BE FREAKING PISSED!"

Zero watched Raven for a moment, a look of utmost confusion on his face. For a while, neither said anything, before Zero put up a hand. "Raven. Foxfire is an intelligence agent...she is a key player in finding out all that Copy X knows and protects. She may know not only about why Copy X is after the two fires; but what other plans he has for obsolete reploids." He put his hands on his hips and scowled.
"She could very well be one of the leaders who helps him carry out those plans as well…"

He waved a hand in the air for emphasis. "Besides...I don't see how this is any different from you CONSTANTLY taunting Phantom during battles. Every chance you get, you're nipping at him like a small dog and getting him angry at you."

Raven put her hands on her hips and gave off a scoff in reply. "No. Taunting Phantom and getting him irritated is. FUN. He loses his sense of control and becomes more predictable when he's irritated." She put up a finger and PRODDED Zero's chest with it. "KIDNAPPING his GIRLFRIEND….IS FREAKING INSANE!"

The girl held her head for a moment before she shook her fists at him. "Zero. Let me lay this out for you." Raven looked up at the former Maverick hunter, a look of frustration on her face. "This is the girl….Hidden...Phantom...loves….When he comes for her….and he will...it's NOT...going to be pretty."

Zero was dumbstruck for a moment, still not understanding why Raven would care so much about Hidden Phantom's feelings for Foxfire. Did she used to be a friend of him or something? After all, she always aimed at PHANTOM first in any training simulator.
Did he also 'betray' her like Foxfire did? Had they been close?

...Did she by chance used to have feelings for the guy and lost to Foxfire?

Pushing his musings aside, he put a hand on Raven's shoulder.
"Raven...I made a Tactical decision...this is supposed to give us an advantage-"

"GAH!"
Raven threw her hands in the air and SLAMMED them against her face. "Oh for crying…." She turned and started marching off, making Zero give off a sarcastic look.

"Raven WHERE are you going?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe to go write my last will and testament!" Raven shot back as she marched off.

Zero gave off a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead, before turning and heading the other way…

As they left, Chateau peeked out the prison area door, a wince on his face from the most recent Zero/Raven argument. Behind him was Foxfire behind the bars, looking towards the door...the darkest blush on her face.

***NA***

"So our top researcher has been captured by rebels…" Copy X kept his back to his soldiers, hands behind his back and a thoughtful look on his face. "...how troubling…"

"Master, let me take the blame for Foxfire's capture." Harpuia took a knee and kept his optics firmly resting on Copy X. "I was the one who allowed her to go with Commander Fefnir and Lieutenant Sobek, when she was supposed to be under my command."

"Yes, but those two still lost her." Copy X hummed lightly, looking over his shoulder towards the four in the room, particularly Fefnir. "...Commander Fefnir, you'd better hope that Lieutenant Foxfire is not the spilling type."

"Master-" Fefnir began, a wince on his face, before Phantom took a step up.

"Master X, I know for a fact that if the Rebels are trying to get any information out of her, they will have no success in getting it from her." Phantom took a few more steps up, until he was beside Harpuia, and also took a knee, though his teeth were gritted. "However, Master, Foxfire is our top strategist and researcher. I humbly recommend we set up a rescue squad to atta-"

"No."

The guardians were silent at the answer, even stunned. For a moment, none of them dared to move. "...M-...Master-"

Copy X turned to face the four Guardians, approaching them with a cool smirk on his face. "There is no need to launch an attack." He purred, his hands still behind his back. "The rebels captured Lieutenant Foxfire instead of killing her. Once they are made aware of the fact that the Lieutenant will not share any information with them, no doubt they'll be offering her up for a bargain."

Copy X smirked darkly, before making a motion towards Harpuia and turning, walking towards the computer in the room.

Harpuia quickly got up and followed Copy X, frowning seriously as the leader typed into the system and motioned towards the screen. "Look at everything Foxfire has stripped from that one datapad that once belonged to the rebels." He said, once again putting his hands behind his back and smirking. "Any normal reploid soldier would still be working on the mechanics of the datapad." Copy X looked towards Harpuia, his smirk never leaving his face.

"Considering that the information pad belongs to the human Ceil; no doubt the rebels will be wanting it back."

Harpuia looked over the information on the screen, before looking back towards Copy X. "Master...are you suggesting a trade with the rebels?"

"I am." Copy X replied smoothly, turning and walking away from the guardians. "I already have all the information I need on the subject of the two fires...well...at least all the information that the rebels possess."

He glanced over his shoulder. "Establish contact with the rebels and tell them they can have their information back in exchange for my Lieutenant...after all...I still need her."

The last statement made Phantom pause. The way that was worded didn't sound...right. However, not one to question his master, he echoed along with his siblings, "Right away Master X!"

***RB***

"And then, once the calibration was done, I simply added a little sodium chloride to the substance!" Colbor held up a balloon that had a slight foggy smoke coming out of the bottom of it….before it plain popped in his face, covering the reploid with a foggy substance.

"GAH!" Colbor quickly tried to rub his goggles and flailed a little, in an attempt to regain his sight. "However...it doesn't seem to be perfected just yet…"

Across from him was Foxfire, who was still behind the bars, but now sitting on the cot that the cell provided. She wasn't looking at Colbor; if anything, she was resting her back and head against the wall, looking up at a random place on the ceiling.
She listened to the humorous sounds of Color struggling, but didn't look at him.

"Sodium Chloride doesn't mix with carbon dioxide, unless the carbon dioxide is a solid." Foxfire muttered lightly. "Sodium Chloride is better paired with food."

Colbor looked up at Foxfire, blinking lightly. "Really? Why?"

Foxfire looked over towards him, a sarcastic look on her face. "...Colbor, was it?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Sodium Chloride...is SALT." She grumbled. "Humans use it in food."

Colbor blinked...and took out his datapad, typing something into it. After a moment, he looked back towards Foxfire, perplexed. "...oh…"

Foxfire looked back up at the ceiling, crossing her arms lightly. She absently wondered how Sobek was doing...if Sobek was going out of his mind, trying to find ways to get her back. How much would Sandstorm be panicking right now? What would Shadow do? Would he be harping on the both of them? Those three were practically her brothers…

What would they do?

….What would Commander Phantom do?

Foxfire slowly opened her eyes, her mind drifting to her own commanding officer. According to the argument Zero and Raven had earlier...Raven firmly believed that Phantom was going to stop at nothing to get her back…
...the very thought made Foxfire's cheeks pink…

Did Phantom have the same feelings for her as she had for him? And if he did...why would he be silent about it? He wasn't a coward like she was...

She paused when she heard a door open and close, and she casually glanced over towards Colbor to see who had come in.
Please don't be Zero. Please don't be Zero. PLEASE don't be-

"Oh Hi Raven!" Colbor waved down the hall, before Raven could be seen approaching Colbor. "I thought you'd be in the training room or something!"
"I'm done for the day." Raven replied to Colbor, glancing towards Foxfire, who's eye twitched.

I take it BACK. I'll take Zero over HER!

There was a small moment of silence, before Raven looked towards Colbor. "Ciel is asking for you, Colbor. You'd better go help her out."
"Oh, but I need to watch the prisoner." Colbor motioned towards Foxfire. "After all, she's still armed."

Raven glanced back towards Foxfire, but the Neo Arcadian soldier frowned at her and looked away, tightening her crossed arms.
"...I'll be fine, Colbor. Besides." She looked back towards the young soldier. "The communications system is on the fritz again. You're the best at those kind of systems."

"Oh! Well if Ceil needs me..." Colbor stood from his chair and glanced toward Foxfire, who was still looking away. For a moment, he seemed to ponder, before looking back towards Raven. "You...sure you can handle a dangerous reploid like her?"

"Foxfire? Dangerous?" Raven scoffed and gave him a thumbs up. "Those two words don't belong in the same SENTENCE." she replied, earning a glare from Foxfire.

Colbor seemed to hesitate, before he nodded. "Ok, if you're sure." He turned and headed back down the hall. After a while the door shut, and Raven looked back towards Foxfire, who was glaring at her.

There was a good five minutes of nothing but silence. The sounds of machinery could be heard, as well as a weak air conditioner that only cooled certain areas of the rebel base. Even the sounds of rebels training in the other room could be heard above the awkward silence in the holding cells.

"So." Foxfire finally broke the silence, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "You hear to soften me up or something? You know you're not going to get any information out of me."

"Yeah I know." Raven took out a bag from her back and tossed it towards Foxfire, the bag FLYING past the girl's nose, making her flinch from the sudden movement. Raven then glanced towards the corner of the cell, seeing a canister of reploid fuel that was still full.

"Huh...I didn't know Colbor already gave you rations." Raven said with a smirk on her face.

Foxfire scoffed and glanced away, eyeing the paper bag that had BOUNCED off the wall with a 'CLANG' and rolled around on the ground. "Don't you have better things to do than to come and taunt me?"

"Nah, I prefer taunting your boyfriend over you." Raven put her hands on her hips. "He has better reactions."

"Commander Phantom is NOT my BOYFRIEND!" Foxfire stood from the cot and shook her fist at Raven. "When are you going to get that through your HEAD?!"

"Oh I don't know," Raven replied sarcastically. "When are YOU going to wake up to the fact that Copy X is a genocidal maniac?"

"Oh NOT. THIS. AGAIN!" Foxfire grabbed her helmet and seethed, pointing towards Raven. "If Master X was a genocidal maniac, Commander Phantom wouldn't be FOLLOWING him! He has this thing called 'honor'! Perhaps you've HEARD of it?"

"Oh YEAH! It's REAL honorable to follow some Sociopath blindly like a lovesick PUPPY!"

Foxfire gritted her teeth at Raven, her fists clenched tightly, before she pointed at the girl accusingly. "Don't you have anything BETTER to do, than to come taunt me for my crush on Phantom, or rubbing in my face that I got captured by YOU of all people?!"

"...well technically you got captured by Zero, not me." Raven muttered, crossing her arms. "I'm not stupid enough to pull off a stunt like that."

Foxfire rolled her eyes and growled, putting her hand to her head. After a moment, she turned her back on Raven and walked back to the cot, sitting down and crossing her arms, leaning her back against the wall.

"Go away."

"Can't do that, Princess." Raven snipped, leaning against the wall and smirking. "You're still armed, and I'm your guard now."

"Oh for-" Foxfire SLAMMED a hand to her face and growled. "For the love of all that is sane, SHUT UP RO—….Raven!"

Raven narrowed her eyes lightly at the slip up.

"...what's wrong little flower? Upset that your dark Prince isn't here to give you orders? Can't stand the sight of the past? Know I'm right? Am I getting under your s—"

THWIP!

Raven flinched when a sai was HURLED in her direction, went THROUGH the bars and was now sticking out of the wall exactly one foot away from Raven.

For a while neither of them said anything….before the sai disappeared and reappeared in Foxfire's hand.

Raven frowned but said nothing else, while Foxfire kept her back turned to her guard.

***RB***

Zero pursed his lips and rubbed his forehead lightly. This girl wasn't making his job any easier...it was like he was dealing with one of the guardians THEMSELVES. She had all night to herself, and now that it was morning, Zero was hoping that a whole night in a cold cell would have made her a little more...cooperative.

NOPE!

He let out a sigh and looked back across the table towards the prisoner.

Foxfire was sitting across from Zero, hands rested on the table and her thumbs twiddling. She kept her gaze firmly on the table, absolutely REFUSING to look up at Zero...no matter WHAT he did.

"Miss Foxfire…" Zero muttered lowly, a small hint of agitation in his voice. "This will all go a whole lot smoother, if you would just give me what I ask for." The former Maverick-hunter leaned forward in his seat, frowning. "Look. You seem like a decent bot. You've spared my soldiers, twice...not a lot of soldiers from Neo Arcadia have that quality."

Foxfire didn't reply.

"...Listen, If I promise to allow you passage back to your beloved Commander Harpuia, would you be more talkative?" Zero asked, rubbing his forehead.

Foxfire still didn't look up at Zero, but she did make a weird face at the question.

Zero paused when he noticed the expression change of the girl and mentally kicked himself. Right, right, Foxfire was in love with Hidden Phantom, not Sage Harpuia. Clearing his throat, he gazed back towards the prisoner and frowned.
"Miss Foxfire, please don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be...so let's try this one last time...why is X after the two fires?"

Zero got no reply. Sighing, Zero tried another question. "Ok. What does he plan to do once he has the fires? Attack us? Defend the city?"

Foxfire stayed quiet.

"...Do you at least know who stripped the data from Dr. Ciel's datapad?"

At the question, Foxfire's eyes shifted to the side for a brief moment, before she set her gaze firmly on the table.

Tired of this, Zero slowly stood up and walked for the door. He left the room and glanced towards the two soldiers guarding the room. "Do NOT let her out. I'll be right back."
Zero then made his way down the halls, past more areas and sectors until he got to his destination.

...the training room. As he made his way inside, he paused when he saw not Raven training...but Colbor...with Raven off to the side with her arms crossed.

"No, Colbor, you're still too tense." Raven called out, her hands on her hips, and an unimpressed look on her face. "If I let Foxfire out of her cell to face you, she'd take you down EASILY!"

"That's just making me even MORE nervous!" Colbor called out in a somewhat fearful whine.

Zero watched the exchange for a moment, noticing how Colbor was shakily shooting at targets...and missing. Clearing his throat slightly, Zero managed to get their attention, before he motioned towards Raven.

"...I need you in the interrogation room please Raven."

There was a moment of silence before Raven gave off a sarcastic look. "You're kidding, right?" she made a motion with her hand. "Yeah. no, I've got rookies to train."

"Raven please." Zero rubbed his forehead and pointed towards the door. "She's not talking at all. She's proving difficult."

"Zero. She's the Second in Command of the Cutting Shadow Squadron." Raven put her hands on her hips. "You think Phantom hasn't taught her a few tricks about being quiet?"

Zero frowned, but continued to gaze at Raven seriously. Finally Raven shrugged. "Ok. But I can't guarantee you're going to like what you hear."
"Thank you." Zero muttered. As he turned to head out, Raven looked back towards Colbor. "Go take a short break. I'll come back once i'm finished with this drama."

"Yes ma'am, Raven ma'am!"

"Don't call me 'ma'am', I work for a living" Raven called out, following Zero to the interrogation room.

Once they got there, Raven noticed that Foxfire was fiddling with a pencil of all things. Making it spin round...and round...and round. Geez, she must be bored if she was playing with a PENCIL for entertainment.

Foxfire glanced over as Zero and Raven entered the room. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed Raven and she pain FLICKED the pencil clean off the table. Zero paused and watched the writing utensil go flying, before he looked back towards Foxfire, who had her arms crossed and was glaring at the table.

Well...her DEMEANOR sure changed.

"Now...let's try this again." Zero sat across from the irritated prisoner, while Raven shut the door and made her way to the other side of the room, leaning against the wall and crossing her own arms.

"...Foxfire...What is X planning to do with the two fires? Where are they?" Zero asked seriously.

Foxfire scoffed and glanced towards Raven. "Is he serious?"

"I'm afraid so." Raven muttered lightly. "He's always serious. Like 'never crack a smile' serious."

"Well that's one thing the legends got right about him, isn't it?" Foxfire sneered, looking back at the table.

Zero gave off a confused look, his gaze going from Foxfire, to Raven, and then back towards Foxfire.

"Miss Foxfire….what other intelligence does Hidden Phantom have on the rebel base?" He finally asked, before hearing Raven snort.

"Phantom and 'intelligence' don't belong in the same sentence, Zero."

"SHUT UP, RAVEN!" Foxfire turned and pointed at Raven accusingly.

"Whaaaaat?" Raven made a face at Foxfire. "You don't like me picking on your boooooyfreeeeeiiind?"
"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" Foxfire snarled, flailing her arms. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Zero SMACKED his hand to his face at the now all out word-war going on between the two girls. "Raven...you're NOT helping."

"Well I never said I WANTED to be in here, blondy." Raven muttered, glancing towards Zero. "Now did I?"

Zero rubbed his forehead and looked back at Foxfire. "Miss Foxfire...please, talk to ME...If you're not going to rat out your allies, then at least answer me this. Where is the nearest supply depo?"

Foxfire finally looked up at him, but gave him a bizarre look. "...what?"

Zero blinked and made a motion with his hand. "The nearest Supply Depo….where is its location?"

Foxfire continued to stare at Zero blankly, as though he had just asked her if the Flipping MOON was made out of cheese.

"Oh for- SERIOUSLY, Foxfire?" Raven put up a hand. "You're an INTELLIGENCE AGENT, and you don't know what a Supply Depo is?"

Foxfire looked back towards Raven and put her hands up. "The heck are you TALKING about?!"

"Supply depo." Raven said slowly, moving her hands around for emphasis. "We need Suppliiiiies. Paaaarts. Stock."

Foxfire stared at Raven for a moment, before she made a motion with her hand. "The Storage Inventory Units?" She asked, before looking back towards Zero. "You know if you would actually call it by it's NAME, maybe this would be easier!"

"Well what do you expect from a 200+ year old reploid?" Raven muttered, motioning towards Zero.

Foxfire paused and looked thoughtful. "...that's true."

"Uggghhh" Zero growled lowly and stood up, before heading for the exit and plain walking out the door. After a moment, one of the two soldiers peeked his head in.

"...Miss Raven, do you want us to escort the prisoner back to the holding cells?" He asked slowly.

"You do that." Raven replied, causally strolling out of the room. "I'm going to go rub in Firetruck butt's face that I knew the interrogation would go this way." She slowly sauntered out the way Zero had gone out, leaving the two soldiers to slowly approach Foxfire with handcuffs….to which she promptly SMACKED out of their hands.

"No." she growled. "I'm not putting those rusty things on again."

"Miss Foxfire-"
"No."

The soldier sighed and rubbed his head, before aiming his blaster at her. "...the cuffs….now" He said.
Foxfire was silent for a moment...before she crossed her arms and turned her nose up.

"No."

Both Rebel soldiers gawked at her…

***RB***

Zero walked into the main control room, rubbing his forehead and growling lowly.

"I take it Foxfire wasn't the most cooperative in there?"

He paused and looked to the side, where Ciel was at one of the computer screens, typing. She looked over towards him, giving the reploid a kind smile. "Foxfire is the loyal type. Once she's given someone her loyalty, she'll see it out till death."

"She's almost as stubborn as Raven is." Zero muttered, making his way towards Ciel and crossing his arms. "No wonder they hate each other."

"Oh there's more to it than that." Ciel looked towards Zero, a look of empathy in her eyes. "They both betrayed one another."

Zero looked towards Ceil, looking confused. "Wait...I thought Foxfire was the one who betrayed Raven?"
"That's because you're only seeing Raven's point of view…" She smiled. "That and your affections for her are making you somewhat bias."

"Aff-" Zero took a step back, his face slightly pink. "For that skinny little brat, are you out of your mind?"

"Who's a skinny little brat?"

Zero groaned and he looked over as Raven sauntered in, pointing towards Zero. "You're one to talk. What happened to all of your armor you used to have?" she pointed out, getting closer to Zero. "Without all that bulk, you look like a TWIG!"

"Is that supposed to insult me?"
"Yes. Yes it is"

Ciel giggled slightly at the two, before she looked towards her screen that was now flashing the words 'INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM NEO ARCADIA'.
Ciel's face fell and Zero suddenly looked on-guard. "...Ciel...you don't have to answer that…"

Ciel breathed out slightly. "...yes….yes I do…" she whispered.

After a moment, Ciel pressed a button, and the screen displayed Copy X front and center. Behind him were the four Guardians lined up, looking serious, almost dangerous.

Zero narrowed his eyes, and Raven became tense at the sight of the Genocidal leader of Neo Arcadia gazing down at them, like a cat looking down on mice.

"Ahh...Dr. Ciel my dear." Copy X purred, lightly placing his hands behind his back. "So good to see you again."
"...what do you want?" Ciel asked slowly. "Surely you're not contacting us to propose a peace treaty."

"As nice as that would be, I know the rebels better than that, my dear." Copy X replied cooly. "It has come to my attention that you rebels have someone of great importance to my loyal guardians." He made a motion with his hand. "Knowing you, Dr. Ciel...you don't particularly enjoy distributing death to others, do you?"

Ciel said nothing in response, which only made Copy X chuckle.

"Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way...I am going to have to ask for my Lieutenant back." He smirked lightly. "She can't sleepover continuously after all."

"She's very safe over here, I can assure you that." Ciel replied calmly, trying to ignore the dark glare that Zero was giving Copy X, alongside the look of fear/rage that Raven was giving off. "Besides...I don't think where she stays is your call…"

"Oh, so we're going to pull that card. That's fine, I'm in a decent mood for games, Ciel." Copy X made a motion with his hand. "I'm certain my Lieutenant isn't making things easy for you, I suppose?"

"Your little BRAT of a Lieutenant is nothing. She's no concern and she's certainly no threat." Zero shot, crossing his arms tightly against his chest.

"Have CARE how you speak!" Hidden Phantom suddenly snarled from his place, his optics glowing a dangerous red. "You would be wise not to underestimate my Lieutenant."
"Your little mouse of a girlfriend is nothing but a mouthy brat who can't even fight her way out of a-"

"ZERO." Ciel looked back towards the former-Maverick hunter, her voice a hushed hiss. "Please!"

"Yes, it would be wise to settle this...diplomatically, wouldn't it?" Copy X crooned, looking towards Ciel. He paused and his gaze rested past her for a moment. "Ah...I see even the Aurore holder is in on this conversation…"

Raven gritted her teeth and kept her hands behind her back, not daring to break eye contact with the Neo Arcadian Leader.
For a while there was nothing but silence, before Copy X smirked cooly, looking back towards Ciel.

"I don't suppose the sky fire holder would be in for negotiations as well?"

"This is about your Lieutenant, X…." Ciel mumbled seriously, frowning lightly.

"Yes, the one being transported by your soldiers I see."

Ciel paused at the words and glanced behind her. From the open doorway, she had noticed two of her soldiers struggling to get Foxfire to go a particular way down the hallway. However, as soon as Foxfire had gotten to the door, she wouldn't budge from her spot, her eyes deadset on the screen showing Copy X.

Cursing lightly under her breath, Ciel looked back towards the screen and pursed her lips.
...there was no convincing Foxfire to stay...nor was there any possible way of getting Harpuia or especially PHANTOM to let her go as a prisoner either…

This she knew all too well…

Clearing her throat, Ciel looked up towards Copy X and frowned. "...If you want your Lieutenant back...we're going to need a few things in return."

"Oh?" Copy X held up a data pad in his hand. "Perhaps your stolen tech?"

"That...along with some other things."
Ciel could see the Guardians exchange glances between each other, while Copy X himself never lost his cool smile. "I'm no fool...I hold your best intel officer here….She's worth far more than JUST a device full of data."

"Why you little-" Phantom started to say, before Copy X held up a hand to silence the ninja, a cool smirk on his face.

"What did you have in mind, my dear?" He asked coyly.

As the two negotiated, Foxfire looked up towards the screen, trying to get a better look of Hidden Phantom...but Copy X was blocking the way. She knew he was there...was he there just for appearances?
….For Orders?
…...for her?

Pursing her lips, Foxfire squirmed slightly, trying to loosen one of the guard's grips on her right arm. He was holding her wrist too tightly...she had been loosing-

Foxfire's thoughts came to a screeching halt when she noticed Raven's demeanor...The soldier was looking up at the screen and watching Ciel and Copy X deliberate.

...however...if one really focused on Raven, they would see that the girl was...shaking…
...absolutely trembling…

Foxfire looked from Raven...to Copy X...and then back again.

...This was RAVEN...Raven wasn't scared of anything or anybody…
So why was she so terrified of one legendary war hero...but not the other?

Foxfire gazed back towards Copy X. His smug grin and his haughty stance finally caught her eye.
...Surely...Surely everything Raven kept accusing Master X of wasn't real….right?