Hey, guys, Veek back! Sorry it took so long to make the next chapter! I get sidetracked easily for months at a time, and get uninterested in my stories. Which is why I never finish one, haha. Well, this was originally going to have up to finding Giro again, but I didn't realize it would end up being so long! Also, this chapter was half-written approx. 3months ago, then resumed two days ago, so it may change a bit half-way through. Sorry! Well, enjoy!

(I take no ownership over the main storyline, or any of it's characters)

"Which way were we supposed to go again?" Aile panted out.

"Do I look like a map?" Vent huffed, but Aile couldn't help but snicker.

'You sure you don't have a map in that get up?" She grinned. Vent sighed and turned his head.

'I dunno, you tell me. We have the same armor!" Vent replied, but Aile only giggled again. He sighed and faced forward again. The Biometal made him feel so… light. Like if he jumped, he'd almost float away. The lack of weight made it much easier to run through the crowded forest.

"Stay here, ma'am!" Aile called to the girl in pink. "We'll be back with some help for the soldiers after we deliver this!" She and Vent turned to leave.

"Wait!" the girl called, and the two turned. "My name... is Prairie."

Vent and Aile looked at each other. They saluted. "Vent and Aile of the Giro Express! We'll be your transporters!" they called before turning and running off.

They continued to sprint to the rendezvous point, where help was. Vent was still feeling weirded out by all of this. Talking chunks of metal? Magic armor? It was rather overwhelming. Suddenly he felt two other presences in his mind.

'I'm not a chunk of metal,' came a male voice; Vent practically tripped over himself in surprise. Aile laughed at him. He also wasn't getting used to the Biometal talking to him in his head (and reading his thoughts, which was more annoying than startling.)

"Magic armor?' Aile laughed harder. "Jeeze, you just love to ramble don't you?" What? Vent gave her an odd look: he hadn't been talking out loud had he? He didn't think so…

'STOP" Biometal X called; the two skirted to a halt. 'Behind that tree!" He had no idea what he was doing or why, but he obeyed and slid behind the tree. 'Be still and silent, or they'll hear.' Thump thump thump thump. It was getting louder. The thumping was soon joined by the sound of many legs, and the clanking of metal.

Dozens of mechanaloids were marching behind them.

Vent and Aile remained completely silent, watching the miniature army clunk by. Vent stared at the purple mechanaloids with their glowing green lights, and thought hard.

Hey, wait a minute, these guys work for Slither Inc! Vent realized. He certainly despised the damned company, but they needed the extra firepower if they were going to save the soldiers.

"Vent, don't!" came the reply of Aile and Biometal X in chorus.

Without thinking twice, Vent ran out of the cover behind the robots. "Hey! Wait, we need help!" The robots halted in their march and faced Vent. "There's a huge snake monster! It attacked our friends and…" Vent fell silent. One by one, the mechanaloids green lights flickered to red. "We…need help." Suddenly a fit of panic, not of his own, rushed into his mind out of nowhere.

"Vent, look out!" Aile darted out of the cover and shoved the boy out way. Not a moment later, the energy bolts of mechanaloids seared the ground where he had been standing. The robots re-aimed their weapons at the two.

'RUN! NOW!' came the voice of Biometal X. He didn't have to tell them twice; Vent and Aile were gone in a flash, with the now-violent robots right behind them.

"What happened!? I thought Slither's guys were supposed to help civilians!" Vent cried out, ducking to avoid a shot.

"Well, you don't exactly look like a civilian, genius!" Aile snapped back at him. A foreign feeling of agitation crept into Vent's mind.

'The mechanaloids reacted to your weapons. They're programmed to attack any unauthorized armed personal.'

"Peachy! Well, here's you chance to get you revenge of Slither" Aile said, she suddenly turned on the spot. Vent skidded to a halt "I'll show you some weapons, you trash!" Aile held her arm up, and the cannon formed once again. She fired dozens of shots at the attackers, taking off heads, arms, anything and everything. The barrage decimated the army, and the remains fell to the ground in a heap. Aile huffed at them, and turned to Vent and smiled. "Alright! Lets keep going"

Vent just stared at the wreckage, and muttered, "She... she didn't miss one shot." Just one more reason not to get her mad. 'I second that.' Biometal X muttered, also rather surprised.

"Vent! Hurry up you slow poke!" Aile called ahead.

"C-coming!" Vent continued after her.

Fwip fwip fwip!Shots fired from Vent's buster gun, destroying another rogue mechanaloid. They had met even more of the violently responding robots, but easily took them out, thanks to X.

"I can't believe there are so many of the damned things!" Aile said, kicking down the standing legs of a robot. The two finally exited the forest, coming into a small clearing. Fallen trees scattered the ground, along with many small shrubs and grasses.

'This was an important mission, of course they would send so many men." X muttered mostly to himself.

Vent looked thoughtful. What mission was he talking about? "What do you mean—' A sudden shove and the tremor of a tail slamming the ground interrupted him. Vent tripped over roots into a thick bush, Aile tumbling into him from behind. "What the...?" The duo looked up as a shadow reached over them.

The head of the mechanaloid serpent towered above them, hissing in rage. Sunlight reappeared for a brief moment as the snake leaned back to strike. The two yelped in fear, and rolled in opposite directions, narrowly avoiding the massive robot's lunge, which utterly destroyed the bush and all else the path. Vent stood quickly to face it, lifting his buster gun automatically. His eyes shifted for a moment to Aile in a brief moment of worry, but to his relief saw she was standing in the exact same position as he, unscathed.

His eyes snapped back to serpent as it hissed again, looking between both of them. Triggered by something, Vent began firing in rapid bursts at the snake simultaneously with Aile. The onslaught of attacks barely scratched the surface of the metal armor encasing it. Enraged further, the snake started spiting green bullets at Vent, which, thanks to his new added agility, he managed to jump over the shot.

"Agh! Vent, this isn't working!" Aile called, quickly dodging an attack by the snake. Aile had barraged the snake, but even her ferocious attacks left no mark on the robot.

Damn! This thing has got to have a weakness! He thought, growling to himself. Another similar alien thought invaded his head once more, equally frustrated. The foreign presence suddenly brought up the memory of the earlier fight with the serpent, along with a questioning aura.The Biolink established…Biometal X merged… attacking the snake… it's head flailing… It suddenly clicked it his head; Vent flung his buster cannon up, charging another massive shot up.

"The head!" Vent and Aile called, and released the massive energy towards the skull of the mechanaloid. Two direct hits sent the robot screaming; it roared, flailing it's head in pain, bright light shining out of cracked metal, until it plummeted to the earth, exploding and destroying it's body.

Vent, panting from the amount of energy used up, breathed a sigh of relief. He looked towards Aile, who was also drained. She met his glance, giving him a thumbs up and a grin. Vent smiled back, "We did it…"

'Congratulation,"' came the voice of Model X. Vent went back to frowning.

"You're name is Model X, right? … Why did you help us?" Vent inquired. Model X gave an amused huff.

'Do I need a reason to help people?' said the Biometal. 'You two were trying to help that girl, even though you'd never met before.' He laughed. 'I just gave a helping hand; you two kids are the real brave ones.'

"Me? Brave? That's a laugh," Vent said, plopping onto the ground to catch his breath. Aile did the same. "I just know if I hadn't tried, I would have regretted it…" Rogue robots swarmed the crowd, attacking any in their path. None, not men, women, or children, were spared in the mass murder. He watched far away, covered in mud and tears, to afraid to move or stop watching the rampage.

X said nothing. If had tried, maybe Mom wouldn't have…

"Oi! C'mon, lazy bones!" Aile spat out. Vent's head snapped up from its down position up to the girl, who was standing above him. "The rendezvous point is just up ahead!" she said in a serious tone, but with a playful smirk on her face, "Ya better hurry up, or I'll leave you behind!" With that she held her hand out to him. Vent smiled gratefully, took her hand, and pulled himself up.

They met up with no more mechanaloid opposition as they crossed the short distance to the rendezvous point. The place was another clearing, near the cliffs that separated the sector from Innerpeace: near the safety of the city, but private and secluded.

And also very empty.

"Uh… so where are the guys we're delivering to?" Aile said, annoyed. Vent sighed, and slapped his forehead.

"Hiding, probably." He groaned, noticing a door hidden in the cliff, with a shaking soldier in green peeking out from. The green soldier panicked when he was spotted, letting a shout of surprise and slamming the door shut. Aile laughed.

"Shall we?" she said, and, with that, made her way to the door and it flew open. "Vent and Aile of Giro Express, here to serve—" Aile froze midway through her salute, face frozen.

"MAVERICK!" came an insane yell from inside. Bullets suddenly begin spraying form the door. Aile shouted in surprise("WHAT THE HELL?") and dove to the side, narrowly avoiding damage. "Come back here, coward!" yelled one of the men, as he ran out. This soldier was a bit overweight. "I'll get you, foolish Maverick! No one messes with…" His face met the end of Aile's buster cannon.

"You have three seconds before I blow your brains out." Aile growled out in anger. The man wheezed, falling over. Faster than a crab, he scuttled back into the door. Aile swiveled to face the other men. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?"

Vent sweat-dropped, and laughed nervously. "Uh... Aile, these are our customers, remember?" Aile's hard face showed confusion for a moment.

"Oh… right." The anger was immediately replaced with cheer, just as fast as it had changed before. "Hello! The Giro Express is here to deliver your package!" Vent slapped his forehead again, amazed by his partner's bipolarity.

"Who's causing this ruckus?" snapped an elderly voice from behind the men. Shoving two large men out of the way came a small bearded man clothed in a blue coat and red goggles. "Who are you two youngsters?" He looked them up and down. "And why are you using OUR Biometal" he added angrily.

Vent walked into the doorframe. "Sorry to interrupt, but you might take your men to find the girl in pink and the men she was with. You're comrades were hurt badly in a fight."

"Prairie?"

"Is she hurt?"

"What about the other men?"

"Hurry, we have to go help them!"

The men, in a passionate moment of bravery, rushed passed Vent, knocking him down and trampling him. Vent moaned in pain, before leaning up. He attempted to stand, but his dizziness simply caused him to fall over again.

"Hmph," he heard Aile say, "The all sure seemed worried that Prairie girl." Vent felt an aura of foreign irritation in the back of his mind. The man ignored them both, still staring at them in an interested way. He circled around Aile and the finally standing Vent, as if to take in every detail of the two transporters.

"Amazing…" he said, anger disappearing. "It looks like you've managed to actually link up with the Biometal." He wandered a few feet away, back turned. "Anyways, I'm glad it's made it here to us safe and sound."

Wait, was he going to take back the Biometal? Well, it was theirs to begin with. They were only using it to safely transport His mind suddenly drifted back to this morning when him, Aile, and Boss had been attacked.

…Boss!

"Wait!" Vent called in a panic. "Our boss was with us before. He hasn't come by here has he?"

"Boss! I almost completely forgot about him!" Aile said, looking a bit guilty. "Hope he's okay."

The man shook his head. "No, besides the large amount of Slither mechanaloids and you two, we haven't seen anyone." High-pitched beeping suddenly erupted from the large machine behind the man. He quickly turned and brought up a sound-only comm-link.

"Sir!" came the static-blurred voice of the man who had stood up to Aile before. "Rescue squad here! We've found the survivors. We'll treat them, and head back to HQ!"

"Hold on! You haven't seen another transporter nearby have you? The two who came before said a man traveling with them has gone missing."

There was silence for a moment on the line. "Hey! There's some huge smoke coming from the next area. It's like someone has gone under attack!"

Vent and Aile came under the same realization immediately. "BOSS!" Without a second thought the two rushed out off the building.

Aile yelled behind them, "Sorry, gramps, we're gonna have to borrow this package a little longer!" All they heard behind them was the ranting off the man as they rushed towards the towering smoke.

Well, hope you enjoyed it! The whole soldiers attack Vent/Aile was because this chapter was too serious for me, and I wanted to laugh at massive bipolar Aile MOAR. The 'foreign presence' thing will be explained next chapter, though it's nothing too interesting.

Quick Notes about the planned story: There will be chapters that will deviate from the main plot. They do have a BIT of signifigance, but a bit for fun as well. The first half of the story won't have as many fillers, so, most of them will be after the Pandora/Prometheus event. There will also be OC's. The first batch will be introduced chapter after next, during a filler.The next one(who really isn't an OC, more of a revived character) will appear during the P/P even as well. And that's all I ahve to say, so far! See you around!