Arrrrrgh!!! I'm sorry! This time its not really my fault! I had it all done, but when I got on and tried logging on, it was having trouble and wouldn't let me. It stayed that way for two hours which is crazy. Then Sunday and Monday, I could log in, and yet it wouldn't let me upload the chapter. I'm told this kind of crap happens on a lot, so I apologize, even though I was powerless to do anything. Sorry! Anyway, I can't really say there is much going on in my life this week! Since you guys came here to read my fic and not my random babblings, lets get to it.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Come on, Vent. Hiding from me will get you nowhere!"

It had been about three days since the last biometal had been found. Prairie was having no luck finding them. "What? Do you think all the pseudoroids like to go on ramapge all at once?" she would say. Vent and Aile tried to keep themselves busy. Aile suggested that she help Vent train again. He had two new models to master. Though Model L didn't take much to master. The Halberd that came with it was only really capable of stabbing and single slashes. If anything, it was designed for underwater travel.

"Vent! Quit hiding!"

Nothing.

"Did he sneak out on me?"

Aile lowered her blaster and what happened next came all in a blur. Vent came out of the sky changing into Model Zx, cut Aile's blaster in two with his saber, twirled around, and put the tip of his saber about three inches away from his neck. If Zero, Harpuia, and Leviathan had hands, they would have been applauding. Zero laughed.

"Nicely done, Vent! You're getting much better!"

"Thanks. You okay, Aile?"

"H...How did you...?"

"Oh, well, I used Model Hx's thrusters to get into the metal girders along the ceiling, changed back into human form for stealth purposes, and then once I got above you...you know the rest!"

Vent deactivated the saber and put it on his belt. When he turned away, Aile went for his gun again. The surprises never ceased that day. Vent spun around, grabbed Aile's wrist, held it abover her head, and finally pinned her against one of the rooms metal pillar. When Aile tried again, it yielded the same result. She was stuck between the pilliar, and Vent no more than six inches away. She turned red. Vent smiled, thinking it was out of irritation.

"You can't pull the same stunt twice and get away with it."

"...Damn biometals...they give you better reflexes and enhanced strength. How much a can you lift like that? Vent...? Aaaaah!"

Vent hoisted her up into his arms.

"Uh...based on how easily I did that, I'd say 'a hell of a lot.' That answer your question?"

Aile didn't look him in the eye and nodded. She had to have looked like a cherry at this point. Luckly, Vent still thought it to be irritation. The door slid open and Prairie walked in. Aile sighed.

"Oh...oh come on. That is just waaaay to typical!"

"Vent? Aile? Where are you--"

When she spotted the she smiled. Aile knew by the look of it that it was directed at her.

"Ohhhhhh. Trying to have you way with her, are you Vent? Don't stop on my account!"

Based off of X's reaction, it was almost like that sentence had forced him out of deep sleep.

"Huh!? What!? No! Stop! Not happening! What did I tell you, Vent, not on my watch!"

Zero sighed.

"Jeeeeez, X. Chill out. She teasing them."

"She is? I mean...right! Course she is...eheheheheh."

Vent tilted his head.

"Wha...?"

Aile began squirming.

"Vent! Put me down!"

"Oh! Right!"

Aile went straight for the door once her feet hit the ground. Prairie sighed and shook her head as Vent removed Model Zx.

"Prairie, do you know what's going on with her? She's been acting strange lately."

"Oh come on! You can't tell me you don't have any clue!"

"None."

"You wanna know?"

"So you do know..."

"You wanna know?"

"Yeah."

"You really wanna know?"

"Yes."

"You sure you wanna know?"

"Don't play games with me. Tell me."

"Okay. She likes you!"

"Eh!?"

"I think I'll let you take that in. Later!"

Prairie left leaving Vent all alone.

"Aile likes me? Wha...nah..."

Vent put the thought away in the back of his mind before stretching.

"Oh well. Time for bed methinks."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Back in their room, Vent, as usual was sleeping like it had become an olympic sport. Aile, after managing to fall asleep over Vent's snoring, was also rather content. The biometals sat in the corner whispering. Zero sighed.

"Vent has gotten much stronger over the past few weeks. In a way...he kinda reminds me of the first time you fought, X."

"Eh?"

This caught the others' interest.

"Remember? You used to know next to nothing about fighting, but you were stupid enough to take Vile on by yourself."

"Oh yeah. You had to save me...man I sucked back then."

"What do you mean 'back then?' You're still the little weenie you were back then. Now your just a weenie that can fight."

Harpuia growled.

"Hey, leave Maste-- I mean X alone!"

The silence of the room was broken with a loud blaring alarm. Vent shot up right in his bed. Aile slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"What in the name of all that is holy is going on at this hour?"

The door slid open and Prairie entered. Based off of her hat being askew, ther fact that she was missing a glove, and that the pink trenchcoat she wore over the pink shirt, shorts, and black jumpsuit, she had either A.) Gotten dressed in a massive hurry, or B.) Dressed in the dark.

"Vent come on!"

"Wha...?"

"We've got a problem."

"Eh...? Problem...? What do...you...zzzzzzz..."

Vent fell back. Aile jumped out of the top bunk, landing as gracefully as a cat.

"Would you like me to make sure he stays awake?"

"Uh...?"

Aile cleared her throat, and when she spoke, a rather good impression of Giro came out.

"Oi! Vent you dumbass! I'm sick of you falling asleep!"

"WAH!!!! I'm sorry, Boss! I won't...eh? What's going on?"

Prairie and Aile sighed in unision.

"Ugh...Vent, you and Aile get changed and meet me on the command deck!"

Aile blinked.

"Why me? And why get changed? You tell Vent the mission, I go back to bed!"

"I need everyone on this! And seeing as I turn the heat off, I doubt a nightgown is gonna be very warm."

Vent looked at Aile.

"...Pink?"

"Oh shut up!"

Vent began searching for his shirt.

"What? It's cute on you."

"Eeeeeh!?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

All the Guardians were assembled on the command deck. Vent and Aile in the front of the pack. Prairie tried to quite everyone.

"People! Quiet! If I could just get everyone's...WILL ALL YOU FRACKIN' PEOPLE SHUT THE HELL UP!?!?"

Silence came over.

"Jesus! This is an emergency for the love of all that is...A fire just erupted in Area G. Not only that, but we're detecting a biometal."

Vent nodded.

"You need me to go down there and get it?"

"Yes. Half of the Guardians will be going down there with me and Fleuve to try to stop and maybe even push back the fire. Unfortunately, some of our own were down there when the fire broke out. Some of our people are already down there attempting rescues. We fear that some of them may have also been caught in the fire. We neeed Vent to secure the biometal, and save anyone he comes across. Aile, I'm leaving the rest of the Guardians here with you. If something goes wrong, its up to you."

"You got it!"

"Alright people! Let's haul ass! Remember! Only humans can save humans! You know the distrust that the citizens have for Reploids!"

"Right!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Down in the field, it was a mess. The fire had really spread. Prairie was yelling orders.

"Make sure everyone gets a portable Trans-server! Where the hell is Vent!?"

Fleuve pointed.

"He's already out in the field on his mission."

"Good! Make sure any and all wounded get priority!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent tore through the fire with Model Hx, the winds took the fire out in an instant. Vent sighed.

"My guess is that this is Serpent's doing."

Zero nodded. Or nodded for a floating piece of metal.

"More specifically, the pseudoroid."

"Yeah. Hey, look!"

"I see them."

Guardians, surrouded by fire. More than likely the ones Prairie mentioned.

"Hang on, guys. I'll have you out of there in a moment!"

Vent charged up his weapon systems.

"Hang on to your panties, ladies and non-ladies!"

Despite the situation, the guys snickered. The girls shot them a dirty look, and smacked them, their faces red with what might of been embarassment or anger. The winds Vent kicked up forced everyone to grab onto something. Some even grabbed onto each other. Vent smiled.

"Ah, young love."

While that made him think about what Prairie said to him the day before, he quickly put it away again.

"You guys okay?"

One of the girls, a red head, and one that Vent recognized from the little hide-and-seek routine a few weeks back, stepped forward.

"Yeah, thanks Vent. Here take this. A portable Trans-server. It's destination point has already been pre-set to the base outside the perimeter to the fire. There's still one person in the building. Go save them.

"Right!"

Vent charged into the burning building.

"Good luck."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Back on the airship, Aile observed from the command deck. The fire was like a bright star against the black of night covering the city. Aile sighed. Her worries were not getting any better. She finally snapped.

"Aaaaaaargh! That's it! Half of you, come with me! We're going down there to help!"

"Erm...yes, Ma'am?"

"Who's down there on medical staff?"

"Myuget!"

"That's it!? Get Rose and let's get down there!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent cut through the flames of the building and finally found the person. A young woman. It looked like her leg was broken.

"Hey!"

"Stay back!"

"Eh?"

Vent remembered what Prairie said about the citizens' distrust of Reploids. Vent sighed and began approaching.

"I said--!"

"Relax. I'm not a Reploid."

"Wha..?"

Vent resumed human forn. The woman blinked.

"Who...?"

"I'm with the Guardians. Come on. I'm getting you out of here."

"Wait!"

"Hm?"

"Take this. Its the key to the roof of the building. The maverick that stared this fire. His body was covered in flames. He's dangerous."

"I can handle him. Don't worry."

Vent took the keycard from her.

"Good luck...um..."

"Vent."

"Good luck, Vent."

Vent changed into Model Zx and ignited his beam saber.

"In my experience, there's no such thing as luck."

The woman laughed, but winced as she grabbed her leg."

"Easy, there. This will take you to a medical facility nearby."

Vent warped the woman off.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Prairie!"

"Aile!? What are you--!?"

"You're obviously understaffed. I brought Rose!"

Rose saluted shyly.

"H-hello Prairie."

"Thanks for coming, Rose. And thank you, Aile."

A voice called out.

"We have another injured!"

The group of three ran over and began examining a young woman. Rose nodded."

"Broken leg...where's Myuget!"

"What is it Rose, dear?"

"We have a broken tibia."

"Alright dear. Hello. Are you alright."

"Yes..."

She looked to Prairie.

"Are you in charge?"

"I am."

"Can you tell Vent thank you for me?"

"Vent saved you? Is he...?"

"He's fine. He looked like he was singed a bit. Maybe a few burns, but he was acting like he didn't notice them."

Despite the purple hair in front of Rose's eyes she was clearly concerened.

"Vent..."

Aile frowned.

"Idiot! I told him to be careful out there!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent growled as he approached the chamber where the Pseudoroid more than likely resided. He entered and the pseudoroid frowned. It looked beastly, but Vent couldn't really tell what animal it was supposed to be. The beast growled.

"And here I expected a mighty warrior and go figure, it is a boy."

"Oh up yours."

"Oh, just for that I'm gonna skip my speech and go straight to the part where I kick your human ass! I am the Model F pseudoroid, Fistelo! Prepare to die and--what!?"

Vent was up in Fistelo's face hacking away with the Zx saber. Slashed already covered Fistelo. He caught the Zx saber and threw Vent into the opposing wall.

"Not bad, kid, but I have some sad news for you: Its not enough!"

Fistelo glowed and his cuts began closing. Vent's mouth gaped.

"Oh come on!"

Zero sighed.

"A maverick that can heal itself? Haven't seen one of those in a long time, have we X?"


"No we have not. Vent, you'll have to deal more damage than he can heal!"

"Duh! And if this works, I won't be surprised."

Vent transformed into Model Hx.

"How about a little lightning, Scarecrow?"

"I think the term is--"

"Gotcha!"

Vent hurled the orb of electricity at Fistelo. The volts and the wind tore away at him.

"SONOFABITCH!!!"

"Ha ha, got ya, bitch!"

"Oh you little...!!!"

Fistelo leaped up and punched the ceiling, causing large rocks to fall. This gave Vent an idea. As he dodged the rocks, he made his way over to one imparticular spot and called to Fistelo.

"Hey, asshole! Free shot!"

"Your funeral kid!"

Fistelo charged Vent. He laughed at Fistelo.

"You dumbass!"

Vent jumped up and changed into Model Hx, used the thrusters to get to the ceiling to cut a large hole in the ceiling causing it to fall...

"You lose!"

...right where Fistelo was standing.

"Awww, sonofa--"

The rock smashed Fistelo and he exploded. Vent smiled.

"I love it when they're that stupid."

Zero laughed.

"Focusing on raw power? I think I know why they're a dumbass!"

A new voice rang out of the smoke.

"Hey, up your's blondie!"

The smoke cleared. The biometal looked something like a helmet in the shape of an 'H'.

"Hey, kid! Thanks for saving me! I'm Model F, but call me Fefnir. It seems you call the others by name. Alright! Let's go kick some ass!"

Vent blinked.

"Easy, Tarzan, I haven't even--"

"I know what is going on! And you know my password is cut in two! So let's cut the shit and go kick some ass!"

Vent blinked and nodded.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The minute he arrived, Aile and Rose (mostly Aile) saw to it Vent was back in the medical wing. His fight with Fistelo had given him more burns than he had before. Aile and Rose (Once again, mostly Aile) were chewing him out.

"Vent...you shouldn't do so many risky things like that...you'll get hurt..."

"Or get your ass killed! What the hell are you thinking out there!?"

Vent sighed.

"Rose, Aile, relax! I said I'm sorry!"

"Y-yeah...sorry, Vent."

Rose left the room to attend to the other patients from the fire. Aile didn't speak.

"Aile...c'mon, say something."

"..."

"Please?"

"Apology accepted. Just...be more careful."

Vent stood up and hugged her.

"...Sure."

"Wh-wha...? V-Vent?"

"What? Don't your friends hold you when you're upset?"

"Vent...I..."

Words were there, but wouldn't come out. Aile put her arms around him rather hesitantly. The biometals chattered in the corner. Zero, X, and Leviathan imparticular. Leviathan sighed.

"Like our own private soap opera, isn't it? Our own little romance movie..."

Zero laughed.

"Yeah, more or less...I can see you're still a sucker for that stuff...eh? What's wrong X?"

"It's just they're getting so close. What if something happens? Like one of them dies? How will the other be affected?"

"Oh, come on X, you're just worried they're going to have sex and you know that there's nothing you can do to stop them if they did."

"What!? No! Well, yes, but that's not what's really worrying me! Well...it is but...argh! You know what I mean!"

"I do...you have a point X...They've already lost Giro...if one lost the other...that could be disasterous. Even if one can't face her own feelings for him, and the other is fighting to protect someone that he holds similar feelings for...even though he's yet to notice them himself..."

Leviathan sighed.

"You're so analyzing that you make Harpuia seem normal...still...I doubt they'd let something happen to one another."

Harpuia nodded.

"Only time will tell for sure."

X nodded.

"For better or for worse..."

And Zero too.

"Only time..."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Alright, another chapter in the hole. I can only say that I'll try to post next Friday, despite the problems I've had with the updating. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I look forward to writting this next one imparticular. See you next time!