"Why him…" Aimi said, moving a solid Ice figurine of Takeshi on a chess board, closer to hers… "…Why?"

Chapter VI:
Aimi

Part II: Fire

Takeshi stood on his balcony, looking at the stars. Such a beautiful night… the gentle wind slowly caressed his cheek and the sound of the sea lightly splashing against the rocky shore calmed him even more. Nothing could make this night better… the sky was the perfect shade of blue, and a few shooting stars flashed across. Cold… Takeshi spun around, to see that Aimi was now only a few feet away from him, also staring at the nighttime sky. "I miss the old days… when I used to come to this exact spot and watch the sky… before this lab was here." Takeshi looked back to the sky.

"It is a beautiful sight…" He sighed. "Won't Wily…" Aimi put her gloved index finger to his lips.

"No. Everything's quiet today, so he gave us the choice to either watch over our domains, or just roam around unnoticed by the public." Takeshi was surprised, making Aimi chuckle. "He isn't all evil, you know." He nodded, his eyes feeling heavier, and a yawn escaping him. "…Tired?" Takeshi nodded. "Perhaps I should head back then…" Takeshi was silent for a moment as she climbed atop the balcony and formed an ice disc to ride back to Ameroupe.

"Its getting a bit dark… maybe you should wait 'til morning to head back… I'm sure there's a spare room somewhere…" He trailed off. Aimi jumped down and kissed his cheek, allowing her ice disc to fall and shatter quietly on the ground.

"Arigato." She said, grinning. She then stepped into his room, leaving him for a few more moments to marvel at the skies...

… … … … …

Takeshi glided across the sunrise-lit New Tokyo City… nothing was more beautiful. He noticed a few people on the eastern beach, quietly watching the sun rise above the sparkling cerulean waters, its beautiful golden rays reflecting off its wavy surface. Such a beautiful morning… yet it could not compare to the night that led up to the day. He still couldn't figure out how Aimi got him to allow her to sleep with him… yet he didn't care… there was something about her… something that he loved. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath from his nose, taking in the crisp morning air. As he glanced behind, he noticed Aimi was not far behind. "I didn't know you were up yet." He looked back in front of him.

"I've been up for a while now… don't you think people'd think it's strange to see a normal teenager riding around across the sky on a transforming robotic dog?" She said, obviously noticing the fact that he didn't put on his battle armor, but remained in normal clothes. He laughed.

"Don't you think people'd think it's strange that a normal teenage girl riding around on a disc of ice?"

"Point taken." She said. She had left her coat back in his room, and remembered that she should have been back in Ameroupe last night… "…Unfortunately, I need to head back to Ameroupe… Wily would get suspicious if I wasn't back at my post any later than 9:00 P.M. tonight." He nodded.

"I understand…" He sighed. He did a quick barrel-roll and turned back to the lab, his newfound home.

… … … … …

Takeshi sat bored on his bed, knees in his chest, while simultaneously, on the other half of the world, Aimi sat bored upon her throne. They really seemed to enjoy each other's company… and both of them were experiencing something new… a feeling inside that just made them want to throw up… was this… love? No… Aimi couldn't let this get in the way of her duties, and neither could Takeshi. It could mean life or death… and Aimi would rather live. "How is the infiltration…?" Wily gasped for air.

"Fine…" Aimi said, annoyed. "He doesn't suspect anything…"

"You seem annoyed, Aimi… have you…" Wily inhaled dryly. "…Forgotten the mission?"

"…No, its just…"

"What? Lil' sis, have you forgotten that this is a mere façade?" Max was now the one on screen.

"No… but what if…"

"What? What if what?"

"……Nothing." With that, Aimi disconnected and sat bored once more… she didn't want to do this anymore.

… … … … …

"Protoman and the so called Fireman are now bitter enemies, and have burned nearly every major forest in Japan! They continued their heated battle now in Japan Natural Forest and Wildlife Reserve. The officials, seeing them come from miles away, had them all moved to an underground chamber… where hopefully, these near-extinct species would survive." People could only watch as the two cyborgs battled, one armored, one completely exposed in his standard clothes.

"JUST BURN ALREADY!!!" Max shot forth large, horizontal fire pillars from his hands, only to have them blocked by Protoman's large shield.

"Give up, Max…"

"I'm not Max anymore, Satoshi… I'm not your friend…" Max grinned. "They're calling me The Fireman… and so that is what I shall be…" Max exploded into flames, fire shooting forth in every direction and every spectator burning in a matter of seconds while Protoman hid beneath his shield.

"So… hot..." Max grinned, as he seemed to be vaporized in his own heat… alas, it would not be. He appeared atop a large stone pillar a few feet away, its heat melting his shoes, but easing his sore feet. Protoman had had enough. As the last wave of fire approached, he shoved it away with his shield, and dashed madly toward Max. Once an old friend, now a sworn enemy… Appearing around him with several teleports, he finally stopped teleporting behind him and punched with his buster, plasma and thunder combining into a single blast. The electricity was so hot, even the fire began to seemingly burn brighter at its heat. The flames finally disappearing, the wreckage was revealed… no grass… no trees… no nothing. Just a huge crater of dirt… not even the underground facilities and species survived. Protoman clenched his fist. "MAAAAX!!!!!!!!" He teleported now above Max, slamming him down with another buster punch, his face cracking on impact. Metal and paint shards flew by Protoman as Max fell to the ground, unable to move, or even teleport. The angry, red-clad warrior landed on Max's chest, a few sparks flying by on contact. But something was wrong… his shoes had melted… yet they now appeared perfect… and Max's bones were much stronger than Protoman's, they shouldn't have shattered…

"Hello again." The real Max appeared behind Protoman, and sent him flying with a fireball to the back. "I've grown bored of you… you're too easy to fool… didn't you notice me get replaced before you hit me with that first blast? Or is a millisecond to fast for you?" His hand now magma and rock, Max set the entire crater ablaze, boiling Protoman on contact. Such heat… as Max walked on top of the magma now filling the crater, he laughed. He laughed like he hadn't laughed before… he laughed a laugh of regret… with the job done, he disappeared back to the offshore, manmade, Island… Wily's Base of Operations.

END CHAPTER