Alright, I suppose I should be explaining myself here, shouldn't I? Well, you see I just got a really bad case of writter's block and in addition, I had to do a little planning ahead. Anyway, I have nothing more to say.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent yawned and stretched as he felt around the floor for his shirt. He shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Mumble mumble...shower...now..."

Vent dragged his lazy ass out of bed and made his way over to the bathroom and opened the door. It should have been no surprise, but...

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

...Aile was already in. Luckly, she had a towel on.

"Aw shit! Aile! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!!!"

"God damn it, Vent! Haven't you seen me naked enough!?"

Vent started to answer and slowly stopped.

"Yyyyy...nnnn...uh...this is a trick question, isn't it?"

"GET OUT!"

She punched Vent so hard he went flying a good ten feet before hitting the ground. She slammed the door as Vent rubbed his cheek.

"Hey, remember that little talk we had about locking the bathroom door when you're in there!?"

Aile's response was as clear as day, even from behind the door.

"Go to hell!"

"If you keep hitting me like that I'll be well on my way!"

Aile didn't have a comeback this time. Prairie knocked on the door and it opened. She blinked at Vent, who lay at her feet.

"You walked in on her again, didn't you?"

"Ugh...you sound just like Boss would have when you say that."

"That's a yes."

"Yeah, and I've got the fist impression on my face to prove it."

Prairie smiled.

"That's just to hide her feelings."

"So what's going on? Find another biometal for me to go after?"

"Yeah, I did, but you don't have to get on it right away. I can tell just by looking at you that you just rolled out of bed."

"You're rather relaxed for a girl that knows what Serpent is up to."

"What would be the point in panicking?"

"Good point. Well I'm going to grab a bite. I'll look into the biometal after that."

Vent left the room, leaving Prairie alone. She glanced over at a table with a lone picture frame on it. Upon closer inspection, it was of Vent, Aile, and Giro. It was a reminder of happier times. A time where Vent didn't have much of a care in the world, Aile wasn't worrying herself over him, and Giro had somehow managed to keep the two in line. Zero hovered over.

"Reminds you of how we used to be, doesn't it? Back when she was still around."

"Yeah...I miss Sis. What it really reminds me of was you and her."

"There was nothing between us I say, damn it! We were friends!"

"Maybe in your eyes."

"Why the hell won't you just go with me on this one!?"

"Because I used to hear her mutter your name in her sleep."

"What!?"

Prairie smiled. Around this time, the bathroom door opened up and Aile stepped out, dressed this time.

"Prairie? What brings you here?"

"Just thought I'd drop in."

"Oh."

"By the way..."

She put an arm around her friend, grinning.

"If you keep hitting him like that, he may start thinking you hate him. Then there goes your chance!"

"What!? Prairie, what did I tell you!? I--"

"Or maybe someone will steal him out from underneath you? Rose seems rather fond of him, y'know?"

"What!?"

Rose was the nurse of the infirmary. Human, young, pretty. She seemed rather shy, but once someone got her talking, she was rather social. She and Vent had been seen talking a few times and Prairie was right: She did seem rather fond of him.

"I-I already said I--"

"Oooooooh. You're stammering. Hitting a soft spot, am I?"

"Prairie!"

The blonde laughed as she ran out of the room. Aile folded her arms.

"Why is she so concerned with me and my relationships!?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Prairie looked back to make sure Aile wasn't chasing her, not putting it past her. She looked around to see she had ended up in the cafeteria. She looked through the Guardians there and finally found Vent lazily shoving half a waffle into his mouth.

"Healthy appetite."

She sighed and took a seat next to Vent.

"Hey Vent."

Vent swallowed.

"Yo."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

Prairie, in her usual manner, cut to the heart of the matter.

"What do you think of Aile?"

"She's a good person. Nice body...I've seen her naked enough to confirm that...especially her legs."

Prairie couldn't help but laugh.

"I don't know if she would take that as a compliment."

"Yeah. It would probably equal another fist in my face."

"Yeah," Prairie thought. "But I'd bet she'd be as red as a cherry if she heard you say that."

Prairie finally shot for the target she was aiming for.

"Do you love her?"

Vent didn't miss a beat, as if he hadn't even heard her and was making up a random answer.

"Never thought about it."

"Denying it are--wait, never thought about it?"

"To be honest, no."

It was the last answer she ever expected.

"You've known her for that long, lived together for that long, been friends for that long, and you've never thought about it...?"

"Nope."

She was at a loss.

"What do you think she thinks of you?"

"I dunno."

"Good lord! He's gotta be doing this on purpose! Is he messing with me?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Eh?"

"You seem rather interested in knowing my stand point on Aile. You gunning for me?"

Vent was so casual about it that even Prairie turned a bright shade of red.

"No! Why would you think that?"

Prairie's thoughts raced.

"That's it, he is so messing with me!"

Prairie's communicator beeped.

"Yes, what is it? ...Uh-huh...what? Are you serious? Okay, I'm on my way."

She slipped the device back into her pocket.

"Vent, we need to get going. That biometal missions just took priority!"

"Why?"

"I'll explain on the way! Finish eating and get to the bridge!"

"Fine."

Still red, Prairie took off for the command deck, passing Aile on the way there.

"...What's she so flustered about?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent entered Area F, teeth chattering. Ice and snow surrounded him on all sides. It must have been 10 degrees out. Even with the heating system inside of Model ZX's armor, it was ridiculous. The radio crackled to life.

"Vent? Can you hear me?"

"The sudden climate changes in this country are fucking ridiculous! I'm, what, ten miles from the city tops!?"

"Eheheheheheh. I don't know what to tell you. Anyway, the distress beacon is coming from this area without a doubt. but we can't pinpoint it from here."

A green holographic visor formed over Vent's eyes.

"Y-yeah I c-c-can't get a g-good lock, either...I'm gonna freeze my ass off!"

X's voice sprang into his head.

"Vent!"

"Oh for...I cuss, X. Get over it. Zero cusses. You should be used to it by now!"

Zero must have been smiling on the inside.

"Yeah, but he's such a god damn goodie goodie!"

He heard Prairie sigh over the radio, muttering something about never keeping focus.

"Just find where the damn distress signal is. And find the biometal while you're at it!"

"Yes, mom."

Vent transformed into Model HX. If it was 10 degrees in Model ZX, it was -20 degrees in Model HX. Vent transformed back before he froze from the inside out.

"What the hell was that all about!?"

Harpuia floated there, doing what Vent could only assume was shivering.

"I d-d-d-don't do c-c-cold!"

Zero's voice sprung to life.

"Yeah, you see, Harpuia acts like a bad ass (he can't hold a candle to me though) and all cool, but put him someplace where it's actually cold, he turns into a little pussy!"

"U-up yours, P-p-ponytail boy!"

X sighed.

"Save the insults for later. Let's just go!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Prairie sighed as she cut the connection. Aile sighed in the fold-up chair next to the blonde.

"He sure gets along well with the biometals."

"Like old drinking buddies."

"Ugh. No. He's terrible when he's drunk."

"What do you mean."

Aile covered her face and shook her head.

"I-I don't wanna talk about it..."

It almost looked like Aile was crying. Prairie frowned.

"Aile?"

She pulled a hand away from Aile's face. She wasn't crying. She had a smile on her face and was trying to keep herself from laughing.

"Looks more to me like he's funnier than hell when drunk."

Aile snickered.

"No, there was just one time imparticular that he...he...hahahahaha!"

It was clear that Aile would have a hard time holding back laughter trying to tell this story. Prairie smiled.

"Okay, you have my interest. Shoot."

"Alright, alright...you see there was this one time that--"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Christ, this water is cold!"

A small mask, whose sides came from Model ZX's helmet, covered Vent's mouth. Harpuia shuddered next to him.

"No shit."

"Language!"

"X, I respect you, but up yours!"

As if the ice and snow wasn't bad enough, Vent was forced to traverse through water. It had chunks of ice in it and, if it wasn't for the armor's heating systems, he would probably be dead. The place was littered with blocks of ice, spikes, Galleon Hunters' on plasma-blasting suspended bikes connected to a large airtube to keep it from being crushed under the water's pressure. Vent sighed.

"This is starting to look awfully familiar. I gotta lay off the video games."

Zero decided to bite.

"Why?"

"This looks like something out of an old game made by these people called Capcom."

"Eheheheh. You don't say?"

"Yeah, but let's get out of this water. I'm freezing."

After traversing the area, he came to a dry area where he began jumping up and down in feeble attempt to regain body heat. Zero snickered.

"Hey, save the happy dance for after the mission."

"Shut up."

All of a sudden there was a transmission, but it was silent.

"What the...hello? Can you hear me? Hello?"

"..."

"Nothing...hey, Prairie do you read me?"

Once a communication link was established he wasn't met with Prairie's voice. More like her and Aile's hysterical laughter. It sounded like someone was pounding the arm of their chair with their fist. Vent could make out Aile's voice.

"That's not even the funniest part!"

It sounded like Prairie was suffocating.

"Hahahahahahaha! Please! No more! I'm gonna die!"


"No, just one more. This was around Vent's ninth shot and--"

"Oh, you are not telling her what I think you are!?"

The laughter stopped instantly. Aile's voice was barely audible.

"Uh-oh. How much do you think he heard!?"

"I knew it!!! I'm gonna kill you when I get back!!!"

"Apparently enough to get really pissed!"

Vent cursed to the point that X felt like, if he had been capable of doing so, sobbing. Aile fled the room and Prairie picked up the communicator.

"...Vent?"

"...How much...did she tell you?"

"She got to the ninth shot."

Vent breathed a sigh of relief. He was obviously calming down.

"Thank god for that."

"You're not mad?"

"No. Irritated but not mad. Now had she finished the ninth shot part, then I would be so mad I could raise hell so bad it would put Serpent and Model W to shame."

"Okay, so what is it?"

"I think I found the distress signal's location."

"Good, go help."

Prairie cut the line. Vent stood there and sighed.

"All of that and all she says is 'Good, go help?' God, my new job really blows sometimes."

Vent made his way past Galleon Hunters and snow boulder throwing robo-polar bears and reached yet another new room. Before him loomed a duplicate of the large robot he enountered in the power plant. The one that tried to smash him into the wall. He sighed and raised his gun.

"I so don't have time for you..."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Vent! What is going on? What is taking you?"

"Ran into an old friend," he muttered as he passed the scrap pile that used to be the mechaniloid. He proceded to see what the thing had been guarding. He was met with a small room with a large terminal.

"Prairie. I found the source of the distress signal. There's on one here."

"What?"

"The terminal still has a data disk in it though. Hang on, I'm gonna play it."

Based off of the dust that covered the terminal, it hadn't been used in a long while. Vent blew a layer of dust off of the keyboard and typed away for a moment. The screen fizzled to life with a still image. One of a small group Guardians around what appeared to be the Model W fragment.

"What on...?"

A recording began to play.

"My time is running out. I can only pray that this doesn't fall into the wrong hands...The recon unit has unearthed a strange hunk of metal in this area. It appears to be...conscious. It spoke to our minds. The commander called it "Biometal Model W." We researched the biometal on her orders. But, however, everyone began complaing of unexplained headaches and a strange numbness. Even the reploids."

There was a pause. Prairie's voice fizzled to life in Vent's radio.

"What is--"

"Shhh. There's more."

The recording continued.

"Upon learning of this, the commander removed us from the site and began research on her own. It wasn't enough though. Our unit was...I guess the only way to put it is we were annihilated. One of our own had suddenly gone mad.

No one said much of anything for a moment. Finally, Vent spoke.

"That's the end of the data."

Prairie's voice was quiet with shock.

"Sis...This was from the first commander's recon unit! The distress call must have activated--"

"To make sure someone found the data?"

"Yeah...But the recon unit...they're gone...they're..."

Vent solemly finished Prairie's sentence.

"...Dead...I know...Hey, focus. We found the data. Now what about the biometal?"

"...Vent? What is it?"

"That data didn't sound complete. I'll bet Serpent's goons have the other half. Don't give up on your sister yet. Okay?"

Vent could have sworn he hear Prairie sniffle on the other end.

"You're right...thanks, Vent. Okay...the biometal...you passed a locked door on your way over there, right? The signature is coming from behind it. We'll hack it open."

"Alright! I'll get the biometal and be back soon. Do me a favor, and tell Aile I'm not mad at her for the story session, okay?"

"Heh heh...you got it!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The locked door had led to a single water filled room with a familiar looking garage door. Vent went through it and was met with a pseudoroid in the shape of a angler fish. However, it was the size of a small whale.

"Aw shit."

The lure part of the mechanical nightmare spoke...in a very annoying, semi-high pitched voice.

"Oh me, oh my. Now what is that data disk you have there? Damn it, I told you stupid mavericks to leave anything important you find with me! Worthless piece of trash."

Vent snorted.

"Kiss my ass! Where's the other half of the data!? I know you have it!"

"Oh my. You must be some of the insects that's irritating Lord Serpent? I hear you defeated Hivolt. Well I'm not telling you anything! Once I kill you, maybe I'll take the biometals with me along with the data disk back to Lord Serpent! I'm the lovely Model L pseudoroid: Luerre! I look forward to rending you limb from limb! Time to die!"

Warning systems began blaring in Vent's helmet.

"Is there a volume control on this thing!?"

Zero's voice made itself known.

"Vent! Harpuia specializes in analyzing enemies you can use that to find--"

"I can make my own weakness without harming the biometal myself, thank you."

"This kid is good."

The first thing Luerre did was charge Vent with the large fish body attached to her with its mouth wide open. Vent didn't move. X's voice was frantic.

"Vent, what the heck!? MOVE!"

Vent was swallowed whole by the large fish-bot. Luerre snickered.

"That was too easy."

Vent's voice resonated within her.

"Yeah, but only if you had chewed your food! Wow! I'm inside of you! Wow! Your circuits! Oooooh! Your fusion core! Hey, I've got a energy sword.

Zero burst out laughing.

"I like where this is going!"

"Let's filet this fish!"

Luerre winced.

"Uh oh..."

The sounds of zapping and cutting came from the inside of Luerre. Just then she realized something.

"Ha! Joke is on you kid! You'll electrocute yourself to death!"

But nothing was happening. Luerre felt her fusion core pierced twice at the same time. Like two blades had struck her.

"Wh-what!?"

A pink saber cut a hole in the closed mouth of the main body. Vent stepped out in the form of Model HX.

"Harupia: Not the best with cold, but electricity? No problem!"

"G-g-glad...I c-could help!"

"AAAAARGH! I've been done in by a brat like you!? I told them to make the inside of me sword-proof! But noooooo, they said blast-proof would suffice! Those lousy no good--!"

Luerre was cut off by her body exploding. When the light faded, a blue, white, and yellow biometal hovered before Vent. While it looked a lot like X, it had a more...girlish look to it."

"I am the Biometal of the Ice: Model L. I have to thank you for freeing me from that horrid body...ugh. Made me sick knowing I was stuck in that disgusting form."

Zero laughed.

"She's still as concerned with her looks as ever. Even without an actual physical body."

Model L continued.

"I imagine you're looking for the other half of the data? It's already been sent away. A hundered years since the war, but I guess things still don't show signs of changing."

Vent sighed. What she said was pretty much true.

"A man named Serpent is trying to awaken Model W. I need your password to stop him."

Model L spied Zero floating in the water nearby.

"Ooooh...hello, Model Z. I heard about your little run in with Serpent. I knew you had a host, but I heard Serpent beat you."

"Cut the Model Z crap, Leviathan. We trust the kid. We're going by our actual names...and...yes...I lost. My failure lead to the death of a good man named Giro."

"Real names then? Alright...anyway, I see. Okay, I'll join you. It should be an interesting challenge to take on the one who bested the mighty Zero. I'd give you the password, but I guess you can already tell my data was split in two. We'll have to beat the pseudoroid with my counterpart to get the password."

Leviathan floated over making sure to place herself next to Zero. X sighed.

"She still has a thing for him?"

Harpuia made a small sigh of acknowledgement.

"It seems so."

"Say, you're not cold anymore?"

"No. Ever since we linked, I've started to warm up."

"...Huh...whoa, hold on! Don't get cute with me Harupia! Do I look like that fake you call a leader to you!?"

"...Uh...yes...yes you do."

"Okay, dumb question...whatever. Vent, can you please swap Harupia with Zero? I'd rather be linked with him."

Zero started floating off. He voice amused.

"Sorry, X! I don't swing like that!"

"Hey! Ooooh. When I get my hands on you I'll--!"

"I don't wanna know! Good thing you don't actually have hands!"

"ZERO!!!"

Zero laughed. Vent sighed as he made his way back to Guardian HQ...

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Ah-ah-ACHOOOOOO!!!"

...And straight to the medical bay for the nasty cold he caught. He sat down on a bed with a thick blanket wrapped around him. Aile sighed as she passed him a cup of coffee. Rose stood nearby to make sure Vent was fine.

"Are...you okay, Vent?"

"Yeah, I'll live. You don't have to worry. I'm sure there are guys who need your attention right now."

"Are you...sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks."

"Okay...see you later..."

Rose walked down the hall into another patient's room. Aile sighed to herself.

"Prairie was right. Rose is fond of him...argh, why do I care!?"

Aile frowned at Vent.

"See? This is what happens when you over exert yourself."

"It wasn't my fault! I was in ice water! Would you like to go take a swim in it?"

Aile sighed.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Are you really doing okay?"

"Just a bit chilly. I'll live..."

Aile frowned. She paused for a moment before she took one of the blanket's folds, pulled it open, and wrapped herself in it with him.

"Aile? What are you...?"

"You'll warm up faster this way. Just roll with it."

"Alright."

Neither of the two spoke for a moment until Vent sighed.

"You know, bare skin typically works better for this sort of--"

"Don't push it."

Vent snickered.

"Sorry. Couldn't help myself."

Another long pause came over the two. Aile sighed and actually cuddled up next to Vent.

"Should you really be doing this?"

"What?"

"Getting so close. You'll catch my cold."

Aile turned red.

"We share a room, Vent. I'll probably catch it anyway."

"...Are you...blushing?"

"What? It just warm under this blanket with two people."

Prairie peeked in from the hall. Neither of the two noticed her. The blonde smiled as she left for the command deck.

"She certainly has excuses for everything she does. Oh well. She's getting closer to him. At least my poking around is doing something."

With that, she began to think up more ways to motivate Aile.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Okay, another chapter. Once again, I'm sorry for the wait on this one. Hopefully, I'll never take this long again. I made the chapter longer to make it up to you guys. Maybe if I keep at it I can make all my chapters this long, eh? Anyway, I'm shooting for next Friday to update again. Maybe since I've started writting again, I can get ahead of things, eh?