Alright, before I show you all the next chapter, I'll reply to all the reviews just to show that I'm paying attention to them (which is more than an understatement)
SpartanCommander: Well, that is an interesting idea, but I'm afraid I don't know how that would work with the Robot Masters part, and I already have some other plans for now. That's a good point about how the robots are pretty much tools, so I'll be sure to include that to Shademan's motives.
MegaHog14: Well, it's kind of new for me to write in first person like this, so there'll be a bit more mistakes. I'll try to keep my eye out for them if there's anything wrong. It's harder for me to write like this, but it's also more fun.
ZEROfromtheOTHERDIMENSION: Don't worry about this story going dead. I first decided to write to try a crack pairing (FortexPrairie) and I'm not gonna quit until I finish that pairing. Besides, I really don't like unfinished fanfics, so you won't need to worry about that.
Mocha: Patience is one of the things I have when it comes to work like this and I keep getting ideas whether it's at school or at home, so I don't think my conscience would want me to abandon this fic.
Hasabusa: Not much to say here, except thanks. I'm glad that you like my fic, and that's one thing that keeps me writing.
Alright, without further ado, here's the next chapter for all of you to enjoy:
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So… bored… There's nothing to do around here. Maybe I should go and find X. Oh wait, he's at the library. I may be bored, but I'm not desperate. What to do now? I'll just have to look for Ciel then.
Right now, she should be in her room. She does most of her work there anyways. What should I tell her after I get there? She's probably busy doing work. She really needs to lighten up a bit. Maybe I should help her out a bit. I don't understand most of the things that she works with, but I'm sure two people will be better than one.
Let's see… Her room is past the cafeteria, medic wing, and the Commander's Room. I better start moving before I die of boredom from being stuck in my room. Wait, I think I saw someone wearing pink back there in the cafeteria. I better back up for a bit.
"Ciel, is that you?" All I can see is the back of someone wearing pink crouched down on the floor doing something. Yup, that's definitely her. What's she doing over here anyways? She doesn't usually come here unless the coffee dispenser isn't working.
"Oh hi…" Ciel stops what she's doing and pauses for a moment as she looks at me as if trying to place who I was. "…Zero." Why did it take her so long to say my name? She looks strange…
"Ciel, have you been getting enough sleep lately?"
"Of course I have. Why would you ask that?"
"You're just acting a bit strange." Wait, what's in her hands? I just saw her put a piece of round and spherical metal behind her back. Is she trying to hide something? "Anyways, what are you working on?"
"No, I can do this by myself." Ciel looks at me for a moment, expecting me to leave. Should I just walk out right now? She doesn't seem to be alright, but I don't want to push it. There's nothing scarier than an angry female especially if I'm the target. I better go and find out what's wrong some other way.
I quickly exit the cafeteria and head for Ciel's room. If Ciel's been acting strange lately, then Prairie should be the first to know. Still… she didn't exactly look like she hadn't slept well. Last time, she had heavy bags under her eyes and still managed to recognize me at first glance.
I hope she isn't sick. If she is, then I don't know what I can do to help her. I'll just have to hope there's some simple explanation that will make everything alright. Guess I'm already here.
I take a deep breath and open the door. "Hey, Prairie, I was wondering if you noticed anything strange about Ciel lately."
"Why would you ask that?" Wait, that voice isn't Prairie, that's… How's that possible? I thought that this was the only hallway connecting this room to the cafeteria. "Why would there be anything strange about me lately, Zero?"
I scan the room and sure enough, I find Ciel with Prairie as well. That would mean she had to have teleported here to get past me, but why would she spend the trouble of punching in the co-ordinates to her own room just to avoid walking a few meters? Unless…
"Get everyone out of the cafeteria's area immediately!" I hear my voice shout out perhaps a bit louder than I planned, but I think that got the message across. Prairie presses a button and a microphone appears on the desk.
"All Guardians who are close to the cafeteria move as far away from there as possible." Just as she finishes saying that, there's a huge explosion that blasts metal debris everywhere.
Smoke enters the room and the alarm starts blaring. "Intruder detected! Intruder detected! All Guardians please evacuate the airship from the nearest exit!" The automatic sprinklers turn on as the three of us get soaked with water.
"Zero, what's happening?" Ciel coughs as she speaks. There's too much smoke here, I can barely tell where she is.
"Ciel, get out of her now! I'll explain everything later." Through the smoke, I can make out the motion of her and Prairie nodding. They start running towards the exit as the flames begin to die down.
Their footsteps become fainter and fainter until I can't hear them anymore. I grab the Z-Buster from my utility belt and start charging towards the cafeteria. I just hope that everyone got out in time.
-----------POV Shift: Vent-----------
Vent and Aile's Room
Where's Aile right now? She went outside for a moment to get something, and now this happens! Did she escape already? The flames are slowly dying down, but what if Aile's injured? I have to find her and fast. Where did she say she was going again?
I can't remember what she said… I'll just have to search every room in here. I run past the hallway without bothering to look in the room of some other Guardians. Why would she be inside there?
I open the door to the Commander's Room and peer inside. "Aile!? Are you there?" I manage to shout in between coughs and wait for an answer. Well, I guess not then. I keep going into the other room that she would have possibly gone to and started shouting out her name waiting for an answer. The fumes are beginning to get almost unbearable. I put my hand over my mouth to try and stop coughing and it manages to work to some degree.
There's no sign of her here, although a bomb just exploded, so maybe I just can't see it right now. Come on, Aile, where are you? I open the door to the training room and hear movement. There she is!
"Aile!" The footsteps begin to grow more distant and I follow it into a large empty room. This is the place that Aile and I trained with Zero. The sprinklers die down as the flames disappear.
"Figures you'd be the one stupid enough to stay inside during an infiltration." The figure starts to get closer and everything becomes more visible. A green cape and a light green scythe become visible. Oh no, please don't tell me… "You weren't the one I'm after, but I'll gladly tear you apart all the same." Yup, that's definitely Prometheus.
"I defeated you before and I'll do it again!" I reach into my pocket to take out biometals X and Z, the ones that I always use when I start a fight with him.
"I don't remember the last time that you beat me by yourself. This time, your friend won't be able to help you." Does he mean Aile? What does he mean by she won't be able to help me. Unless…
"What did you do to her!?" I demand, perhaps my voice a bit louder than necessary. If he harmed her in any way, then I'll kill him. Prometheus just smirks at my demand.
"I don't know where she is. If I did, I'd be out of here already. I'm just saying that the door's locked and no one will be able to come in and interrupt us three." Wait a minute did he just say three? Does that mean Pandora's…
"It's been a while, Vent." I turn my head and see white and blue armor. I knew it.
"Pandora, why are you doing this? I thought that you didn't want to fight anymore!" Pandora looks at me with cold eyes.
"I'm just following orders."
"Alright then, it's time that I put you out of our plans permanently." Prometheus twirls his scythe and charges forward.
-----------POV Shift: Zero-----------
Cafeteria
I enter the room and see Ciel's face, but this time, I know that she's an imposter. I raise my buster. "Who are you and what do you want?" I keep my finger on the trigger and wait for her to answer my questions, but she doesn't speak for a moment.
"The two of us are alone, Zero. I've completed my main objective, now it's time for me to annihilate you." I guess there's no choice but for me to defend myself. I pull the trigger on the Z-Buster, but the shot misses her by two whole meters.
What's going on!? Why can't I aim properly!? I fire again, but I see the image of the shot piercing Ciel just before I pull the trigger, causing me to flinch. Is this why I can't aim properly? Even though I know she's an imposter, the image of seeing Ciel get hurt will still haunt me.
"Stop hiding behind that disguise!" I fire a few more times, but all the shots miss.
"If you're having trouble trying to fight now, then I won't need to show you my true form." The imposter lunges at me and her hands become claws. I jump back to avoid the attack, but the attack manages to scratch me.
Three claws make contact with my armor and tear the outer layer apart, leaving a mark behind. This is going to be tougher than I first thought. I can't fight her if she looks like Ciel and I can't keep running away forever. There has to be a way for me to get around all of that.
If only I had some way of revealing what she truly looked like, or at least make her look like someone easier to hit. Wait, that's it! I dodge another attack and press a few buttons on my helmet. My vision begins to change as I activate my heat sensors.
Now, I only see the figure of the imposter and not the actual face. It should be easier to fight this way. I jump away again and aim my buster at her. I fire and hear the shot make contact with her.
She lets out a scream and I change back to my normal vision as she falls down to the ground unconscious. Electricity shoots through the imposter's body and I draw my Z-Saber. I should take her in for questioning to find out whoever she works for is up to. Somehow, I get the feeling that Model W was the one that sent her.
Wait… she's becoming more unstable. She's probably changing back to her true form. I put the Z-Saber next to her throat in case she tries anything when she transforms back. Well, I guess it could be a he, but only time will tell.
Ciel's blond hair becomes brown and long and a red cap forms on her head. Wait, she looks familiar for some reason. I feel like I met her somewhere before. Why's my body trembling? My hand begins to move by itself and the Z-Saber leaves her throat. She starts stirring and then she stands up.
Why does she seem so familiar and why is my body not responding to my commands!? She looks at me with eyes that seem so familiar and yet distant enough so I can't remember where I've seen them before. "I'll make you pay for what you did to my brother two hundred years ago, Zero!"
That voice… now I remember! It can't be can it? It has to be another illusion, but how can she change to another form while she's unconscious. "Is it really you… Iris?
-----------POV Shift: Normal-----------
Outside Guardian HQ
"Let's see, that should be everyone in this squad." Prairie stops counting and looks at X and the former Guardians of Neo Arcadia. "Zero, Vent, and Aile are still missing. I know that Zero's back there and chances are the same goes fro Vent and Aile."
"We'll find them." X grabs onto Fefnir and transforsm into his Falcon Form while Harpuia grabs onto Leviathan. The four of them leave the ground and head toward the flying fortress.
Ciel rushes in next to Prairie. "Everyone's present in the other squads. I just gave Rose and the others on the medical relief team to check them for any injuries. Did Zero come back yet?" Ciel looks around and for the crimson reploid.
"I just sent Leviathan, Harpuia, Fefnir and X back in there to find him. Vent and Aile are missing as well."
"I'm going to help them as well." Ciel rushes forward, but Prairie stops her.
"We'd just get in the way. If there was anything that we could do, then I'd have gone with them myself. Besides, we have no way of reaching the airship from here." Ciel sighs in defeat.
"What are we suppose to do now?"
"I guess we just have to…" Prairie looks somewhere else for a moment. "DUCK!" She tackles Ciel down to the ground as a blast of energy narrowly misses them. "It looks like we have company."
Mechaniloids rise from the ground as the Guardians open fire on them. A few mechaniloids fall down and some Guardian soldiers get injured in the crossfire. Then, all the mechaniloids just stop.
"That's enough for now." Phantom teleports in and the mechaniloids move out of the way to create a path for him. "Seeing as how there's no one here that will pose much of a threat, I'll just drop this off and leave."
Phantom puts a disk like device on the ground and presses a button. A shockwave fans out from the device and all the reploids in the area except Phantom cover their eyes and starts screaming. "I can't see anything! My light sensors aren't working properly."
"Prairie, are you alright?" Ciel shakes Prairie and Prairie quiets down a bit and uncovers her eyes. "Can you see anything?"
"There's only static now. My light senses have been completely damaged to even tell black and white apart." Phantom looks around, happy with the results and turn to the mechaniloids.
"Open fire on them. I'm leaving for now." The mechaniloids point their guns at the blinded Guardian soldiers as Ciel looks up at them.
I'm the only one left that can see them now now. Come on, Zero. Where are you? Ciel reaches into her pockets to pull out a pistol and looks at the others. "Try to fire depending on the sounds that you hear. Everyone nods and they clumsily reach for their weapons.
Prairie rubs her eyes and then pulls out a weapon as well. If only there was something I could do, then everyone wouldn't be risking their lives everyday. Despite Ciel's help, there's no way we can win this one. I want to be able to not have to rely on others just to survive anymore. I want to be able to protect them instead of the other way around.
-----------POV Shift: Vent-----------
"Too slow!" I slash with my ZX Saber, but I only managed to scratch Prometheus's green cape. Electricity shoots out from the ground underneath me and become chains as they wrap around my legs.
"DIE!" I look up just in time to see a green scythe as Prometheus dives down at me. I try to run as I look in Pandora's direction to see her staff pointed to the ground keeping me here.
Just before Prometheus attacks, the electricity disappears and I manage to narrowly avoid the blunt force of his attack. "AHHH!" I let out a scream as the scythe makes contact with my helmet.
Volts of electricity run through my body. I need to switch back… now! I deactivate the biometals to switch back and shakily stand up. Prometheus looks over in Pandora's direction. "Why did you stop the attack? We could have finished him back then."
"Model W didn't say killing him was our main objective. If you were faster, then maybe you wouldn't have missed." Promethesu scowls and looks at me. I need to switch to something… anything… and quick!
"Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter. You aren't a genius, but I'm sure even you can figure out you can't defeat us this time."
"Don't be so sure… about that." I stand up and grab Model X. "Rock-on!" My armor changes and my hand becomes a buster. I aim the attack at Prometheus.
"If you think you're going to do any better just because you changed colors and weapons, then bring it on!" Prometheus raises his scythe and flames start to surround it. Soon, the green blade becomes a burning blade of fire.
"Give up, Vent…" I quickly turn to find Pandora behind me. How did she get there? A large block of ice appears in front of her as she slams her staff onto the ground. She hits it with her staff and sends it flying towards me. I can't keep getting hit!
I run at the ice and quickly use it to push myself up. I point my buster at Pandora and prepare to shoot. Do I really have to shoot her? I'm sure that the fact the electricity stopped imprisoning me right before Prometheus attacked wasn't an accident, but what did that mean? If she isn't an enemy, then why is she fighting me?
Why is she working with Prometheus!? "I'm just following orders." That's when I make my decision. I stop charging my buster and fire a weak energy blast at Pandora. She easily deflects it with her staff.
"Behind you." I turn to see Prometheus with his blade raised. Prometheus slashes at my chest, slamming me down and he walks forward. I can barely move anymore. I reached my limit a long time ago. I don't even know how I managed to keep moving for as far as I did. My whole body's feeling the heat from Prometheus's attack. If I keep trying to fight, then I'll eventually die…
"Alright, Vent. I'm getting sick of you always getting in the way." I have to keep moving. I still haven't reverted back to my human form, so I have to have some kind of energy left. If that's true, how come I can't move legs or stand up. I try to crawl away, but something heavy slams down onto my back, forcing the breath out of my body. I turn to find that was Prometheus's foot.
"You're not going anywhere, Vent." Prometheus points his scythe at my throat as the flames subside and it reverts back into its plasma form. I can feel the cool beads of sweat running down my face and hear the humming of the curved blade.
"Wait, didn't you say that Model W could use one of the chosen ones?" Pandora floats closer to the two of us and turns to Prometheus. "Why not just take him with us? It will save a lot of trouble."
"He'll just be a waste of time. He won't fit into Model W's plans." Prometheus moves the blade farther away from me as he turns to talk to Pandora. I still can't escape yet. I just need a little bit more power…
"You've defeated him, isn't that enough already!? I thought you just wanted to prove that you were stronger than him." Pandora raises her voice as she begins to shout. Is she trying to defend me? "Why aren't you happy yet?"
"I never said I wasn't happy. I'd just be happier if I know for a fact that I sent him to the next dimension permanently." The weight of Prometheus's foot on my back becomes a bit lighter as he moves to argue with Pandora. Now's my chance!
I quickly turn and fire a charged buster shot at Prometheus's face. "AH! I'll make you pay for that, brat!" I take the chance to put some distance between me and him as he wipes his face. The skull on his helmet is now jagged and cracked.
If that's all a fully charged shot sent directly to his face will do right now, then there's no way I can fight them with the little energy that I have left. Wait, what's he up to now? Prometheus is putting away his scythe?
"I've had enough of playing around with you. This fight ends now!" Prometheus slams hand into the ground. Something's coming out under me! I quickly jump out of the way as a streak of fire almost hits me.
I avoid four more similar attacks and I struggle for breath. At least none of those attacks hit, but I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up. Prometheus smirks at me. "Hey, Vent, look up."
Oh no… I look above me and find that the five fire pillars have transformed into five floating blue flames. Prometheus still has his hand on the ground. He's the one controlling them!
I have to run, but I can barely walk anymore… The five flames circle around me as Prometheus prepares to finish me off.
"First hit." Something hits me from behind as bits of armor break off, digging into my skin. If I didn't have any armor on, then that attack would have finished me. "Second hit." I cross my arms in a defensive position, but the flame charges straight at me and the armor protecting my arms crack and break off.
"Third hit." This attack hits the front part of my body armor, now leaving only my helmet and the armor protecting my legs. "Fourth hit." My helmet cracks and I revert back to my human form. Am I at my limit now? There's blood on the ground in front of me, I don't even know where it's from anymore.
Every part of my body hurts so much now. The last falem increases in size and Prometheus closes his fingers into a fist. "Final hit!" There's nothing I can do to stop this now. I look behind me to see a wall.
I guess I'm at a dead end now, although I doubt I could run away even if I wasn't. The attack's getting closer to me. I look at Pandora and I notice she's raising her staff. Is she trying to save me?
"VENT!" The flame subsides, causing smoke to block my vision. Who was the one that saved me? I catch a glimpse of long blond hair and crimson armor. Is that Zero? No, the voice sounded too feminine. That means it had to be…
"AILE! Run away now, they're too dangerous for you to fight alone." The smoke clears and Aile looks at Pandora and Prometheus. She raises the ZX Saber and prepares to attack. Is she really planning to take on both of them?
"I guess it's a lucky day for me today. First, we get to defeat one Chosen One and then the other one comes to use right after." Prometheus looks at Aile. "We'll make this easy on the two of you. If you come with us right now, then we'll leave without harming anyone anymore than we already did."
What do they want with Aile? Wait, I remember Pandora and Prometheus talking about how Model W needed one of the Chosen Ones, but why did they choose Aile? I look to Aile as she reaches into her pockets for something.
Is that Model O!? "Rock-on!" Aile's armor becomes darker and the green saber becomes a bright violet color. Prometheus just looks at her amused.
"You think using that will help you defeat the two of us? This might turn out to be more interesting than I thought." Prometheus gets out a long metal rod and a curved blade appears at the end.
"I'll make the two of you pay, for what you did to Vent!"
"Someone's very violent today. Perhaps this was why Model W said that you had potential." I can barely remain conscious like this, but I have to make sure that Aile's alright.
"DIE!" Aile lunges at Prometheus and jumps up. Why's she trying to fight the two of them alone? Why isn't she just running away instead? Prometheus kicks off the ground to dive at Aile and he raises his green scythe.
The two of them bring their weapons down as green meets violet. Aile… please be okay. Wait, something's coming out of the ground beneath her! Electricity starts shooting out at Aile in the form of a serpent and catches her in between its jaws.
The white serpent keeps rising until its head slams into the roof. "AILE!" The serpent disappears and Aile plummets down to the ground followed by chunks of the roof. The rubble buries Aile when she lands and I try to reach out for her.
"You don't have to worry about her, she's still alive. Besides, we'd be in trouble if we killed her." I lift my head up to see Pandora floating in front of me. Is she going to finish off what Prometheus started?
I wait for her staff to pierce me, but she doesn't attack. She just turns to the rubble that Aile's buried in. White light begins to shine from it and the rock scatter to reveal Aile still in her OX form.
She's still alright! "Aile, if you keep fight, then you'll…" I try to stop her, but she just charges at the nearest target – Pandora. Aile grips onto the OX Saber with both her hands and she brings it down on towards Pandora's face. Pandora lifts her staff up to protect herself from the attack. I think I hear a cracking sound, is that Aile's OX Saber or Pandora's staff.
I take another look to find that Aile's overpowering Pandora. I haven't seen her like this since Giro's death or when she figured out that Serpent was the one who killed our parents. Two parts of Pandora's helmet de-attach and create a line of electricity above Aile.
Aile pushes herself out of the way using Pandora's staff just as the blue lightning slams down. Wait, something's above her. It's Prometheus! Prometheus slams down with his scythe, but Aile manages to deflect the attack with her saber. I didn't know that Aile was this powerful.
"Look out!" Prometheus turns and throws his green cape at Aile. Aile slashes through the flimsy material, but then Prometheus manages to catch her off guard. He slashes with his scythe, creating a wave of wind that pushes her to the wall. Ouch, that's gotta hurt.
"You don't have to keep fighting. Just give up and come with us." Pandora appears in front of Aile. Hurry, Aile… just run away. Aile stands up again as pieces of her armor start to crack and fall down. She can't keep fighting like this.
Even from here, I can tell she's having trouble just breathing after all of that. Using Model OX is pushing her past her limits. "I'm not going to be beat that easily!" Aile grabs onto her OX Saber and attempts to attack Pandora, but she teleports away before it could make contact.
"Very well, I'' just have to take you with us by force." Pandora's staff begins to glow and electric serpents shoot out.
"AILE, RUN!" Aile just stands there, ignoring me as her right hand begins to glow. She slams her hand down on the ground and light rays fan out. The electric snakes are vaporized and Pandora gets knocked down to the ground by the force of the attack. I don't believe it! Aile's winning!
"GAH!"
"Vent!" I slowly turn my head to find Prometheus with blood staining his scythe. When did he get behind me? The colors are beginning to drain from my vision. I can't remain conscious any longer.
"I'll ask you one last time. You can come with us, or he dies. If you think I'm bluffing, then I'll attack again, though I can't guarantee he'll be able to survive the next attack." I look at Aile as she looks at me then at Prometheus. "Return back to your human form, and then we'll talk."
"No, Aile, don't!" I try to stop her, but she reverts back to her human form despite my pleas. She walks forward and Prometheus slowly backs away. Pandora stands up again and gets out a communicator.
"We've completed the objective. We're requesting to return." A black portal appears behind Prometheus and he makes a path for Aile.
"Go inside and we'll be right behind you as well. If you do that properly, then I'll keep my end of the bargain and let your partner live." Aile's stepping closer to the portal. I try to reach for her and grab onto her legs.
"Aile… don't leave…" My voice is getting hoarse and I cough out some blood. Aile just looks at me for a moment. How pathetic do I look right now?
I'm sorry… Vent. I promise that we'll meet again." Aile enters the darkness and disappears from my sight. Prometheus sheaths his weapons and follows her. He turns to me one more time.
"Don't worry. You'll meet her again, although I can't guarantee that it'll be what you're expecting. I can't wait to see the look on your face when you find out that she decided that she's joined Model W." Prometheus exits as well and that left only Pandora.
"Don't try to look for her, Vent. I can guarantee you that it'll only bring you and everyone around you sorrow once you do find her." The three of them disappear. I have to… follow Aile and bring her back.
Why can't my legs move! The black portal closes as I try to reach into it with my hands. "AAIIILLLLEEE!" I shout until I can't shout anymore. My throat has become dry and my whole body's aching.
Please, Aile, stay alive. I promise that I'll find you no matter what it takes. You risked your life for me countless times so that's the least I could do in return now. Right now, my world is getting darker.
I don't know how much time I have left, or if any of these injuries can be healed, but if I'm alive, then I'll keep on looking. The world around me grows dark and I feel my body going numb, not just because of the fact that I've been beaten, but also because I failed you in the end. I'm sorry, Aile…
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Not sure how this one turned out, since this is my first fight scene written in first person. Anyways, the next battle will be Zero and Iris, though I'm not exactly sure what I'll do after that, since it won't be able to reach my goal of 5000 words per chapter. Anyways, remember to Read and Review!