OH MY GAWD! I'M NOT DEAD!?! I know…it's not a shocker anymore. X3 I've done this to you guys so many times you're used to my "near death" experiences. Overall my break from school, life, etc. was pretty stressful. I felt torn in a million different directions. I did get to see the people I wanted to, but it ended all too quickly.

Now it's back to the grind of school…how lovely…don't you think? I'm over it already…which is a problem. Ah, well, what can I do but deal, right?

For some reason I felt like writing tonight. I'm working on submitting some of my poems/songs to something called Afterworks here at my school, and that got me in the mood. FINALLY! I haven't felt like writing in a while, and when I have there hasn't been a computer in sight…somehow they evade me when I need them most. So, here is the latest chapter of this story for you all!

You've all been amazing readers, I can't even begin to explain how much I love/appreciated you all! Your comments have been much appreciated, and they've always made me smile. X3 If only I could writer these chapters faster to pay you all back for your wonderful…ness. : ) hugs

Well, without further ado, here is the latest installment of this never-ending story. Ta-daa!

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A Cat's Betrayal

Cold…it was there…all around me. I felt it cover me as though it were attempting to give me some kind of comfort. I could feel it in every fiber of my body…in every nerve. I was going to die…I would going to-

"Train…?" A voice swam through my thoughts, pulling me away from the engulfing cold. "Train, it's not real. None of it's real."

I opened my eyes slowly, blinking as the light flooded in painfully. I groaned quietly as I moved, pain shooting through the back of my head and splintering into my neck.

I looked around through squinted eyes, trying to regain what little consciousness I had left. Creed knelt above me, his hand supporting my head as I lay against the cold, hard ground.

I took in a deep, shuddering breath before the realization his me. My hands flew up to my throat, expecting to find blood and torn skin, but instead my fingers were met by nothing but normalcy. I breathed in and our quickly, confusion taking over.

"Where-" I sat up quickly, dizziness taking over as I glanced around.

"Train," Creed's hand took my shoulder as if to steady me. "What's the matter?"

"Where is he?" I asked, looking to him for some kind of answer.

"Where is who?" He asked, looking confused. "Train you passed out. Something pulled you backwards and I found you lying here like this. I couldn't find you for the longest time; it was as though you vanished into thin air."

"But I didn't-" I tried to explain. "He was here. I saw him!"

"Saw who?" He asked, shaking his head slowly.

"I-" I stopped, my mind slowing. "No one-never mind."

It had all been inside my head. It had all been trapped inside the recesses of my mind. None of it had been real, just as I had tried to convince myself when it had all begun. Zagine was still dead. He hadn't shot me, he hadn't killed me, and he hadn't come back.

I pushed Creed away as I stood in the dimly lit corridor, swaying on uneasy legs. I glanced around slowly, checking for the weight of Hades in its holster, before turning to look down the corridor. We had to keep going.

"Which way?" I asked, having lost all sense of direction after the incident.

"This way," Creed said slowly as he pointed to my right, eyeing me cautiously as though he were afraid I might combust.

"We have to keep going." I said, repeating the thoughts in my head.

No matter what I did, no matter how fast I ran or how hard I tried to erase the thoughts from my head I couldn't forget the image of Zagine. I couldn't erase the idea that he had been alive inside my mind-so vivid it had felt as though he had killed me.

Creed ran beside me as we made our way through what felt like the final stretch of this monster. The corridor was narrowing and the lights above were flickering to life as we passed beneath them before flickering out behind us.

I had to forget what I had seen. I had to forget what wasn't real. What mattered was that Eve was ahead of us and she was in serious danger. Neither Creed nor I knew what awaited us at the end of this never-ending stretch of metal and humming engines. We were so deep inside now that we couldn't hear what was going on outside. We were cut off from the world.

Just ahead of us, in the murky darkness I caught sight of a set of metal, double doors. Where they led to I didn't know, but at this point I didn't care.

We skid to a halt in front of the doors, Hades in hand as Creed grabbed the lock that held the doors together. Heavy chains wrapped around the door handles, the lock securing them firmly as if to say whatever waited beyond this door was too important for us to see.

I pulled Hades up hastily and rammed the muzzle against the lock. Creed quickly dropped the chains, knowing better than to have his hands so close, before I pulled the trigger.

The lock shattered into several pieces, clinking to the floor softly as if it were made of glass. Together we uncoiled the chain from around the handles, letting it slide loudly to the floor.

I glanced sidelong at Creed before looking back to the door, knowing that both of us had fallen a bit nervous now that we knew what we might be facing. For all we knew another hallway waited ahead of us, then again something far worse might as well.

I looked to Creed again, his eyes finding mine before he nodded reassuringly. We had to do this; there was no other choice if we really wanted to save Eve and everyone in Eden's path.

I took in a deep breath before we both simultaneously slammed the doors open, weapons drawn and ready.

"What the-" I took in a sharp breath as my eyes caught what was in front of us.

We now stood in a large, round room that was filled with flickering screens, wires, tubes carrying glowing liquids, and in the center stood a large, glass cylinder filled with bubbling water, but it wasn't empty.

I felt my fingers tighten angrily around Hades as her face came into focus. It was Eve. She floated, dream-like just beyond the glass. Her legs were pulled up to her chest and her chin was buried in her knees. Her hair floated around her, catching the eerie light of the screens and shining silver, and her face look almost serene.

I rushed forward, determined to help her. But it seemed I had made the wrong move.

I choked as I was thrown to the floor by an invisible force, my face slamming into the ground. I gasped as I felt the pressure increase and all the air leave my lungs, slamming me into the floor as the tiles cracked beneath me.

"Train!" Creed called desperately from behind me, unwilling to get trapped but feeling the need to help.

I winced as the pressure increased and something felt as though it snapped in my body. But just as it had begun it stopped. Air rushed into my lungs and I felt as though my body had to break away from the floor as I rolled onto my back.

Creed was at my side in a matter of seconds, checking me over with a glance before helping me up into a sitting position.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he glanced around the dark room.

"Fine," I said as I rubbed my bruising cheek. "But we need to help Eve."

We moved to stand but just as we did the pressure returned, barreling Creed into me as we slammed into the floor. I cried out as Creed's shoulder was pressed painfully into my ribs, and my head was forced to the side.

There was a strange noise and suddenly the pressure was gone again, only to be replaced by the sound of several approaching footsteps. We stood quickly, pulling our weapons up and glancing around for our attacker.

"So nice of you to come on time," The unmistakable voice of Doctor entered my ears. "I was wondering if you'd ever make it."

I whipped around, my gun pausing only centimeters away from his face. I flinched as I felt the cold metal of a gun rest gently against my temple, setting my nerves on fire.

I looked over slowly, refusing to move my head, to see Echidna standing there, her gun the one aimed at me. I heard Creed shift behind me, Echidna's eyes faltering towards him before locking back on me.

"What are you doing?" I growled.

She smirked, her painted lips sparkling in the eerie light before she cocked her gun.

"The highest bidder has spoken, Heartnet," She spoke softly. "And that is no longer you or Creed."

"You-"

"You had to know this would happen, Black Cat," Doctor spoke, my eyes looking back to him as he studied me with a disturbing look. "You can't be on the winning side forever."

"Funny," I snapped. "I thought I still was."

"Thoughts can be deceiving," Doctor smirked before stepping towards the tube where Eve floated silently. "As can what you see."

I glared at him as I tried to read his face. Did he know what I had seen earlier with both Saya and Zagine? Or was he simply trying to sound profound as he usually attempted?

"There is so much I wish to tell you both," Doctor spoke softly. "But for now I have little time."

"You have time to let Eve go," I spoke darkly, my anger flaring.

"Do I?" He turned and looked at me, pushing his glasses up his nose, the light flashing off them.

I yanked my right hand up that held Hades and knocked Echidna's gun to the floor, before grabbing her arm with my free hand and twisting it behind her. I pulled her back against me, jamming the muzzle of my gun against her temple.

"Let her go," I growled. "Or I swear I'll-"

"You'll what?" He smirked as he laughed sardonically. "Empty threats will get you nowhere, Black Cat."

"I'll kill her, I swear to God," I growled back.

"What happens to her does not matter to me," He replied calmly. "She has no part in my final plans for Eden."

Creed stepped up beside me, his sword in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak but as he did the earth shattering pressure returned, missing Echidna and I by centimeters and slamming Creed to the ground.

"Creed!" I yelled, jerking forward, but holding tightly to Echidna.

Within seconds the pressure had stopped, allowing him to stand. Blood soaked into his sleeve where his sword had collided with his arm during his fall, but otherwise he seemed unharmed.

"Where are you?" He called into the darkness, turning to study it with his pale eyes. "I know you're there…Maro."

The floor shook slightly as a set of heavy footsteps approached from within the dark shadows. Within seconds Maro's oversized features were made visible by the light of the computer screens, a sneer on his face as he studied Creed.

"So I see you've betrayed me as well," Creed spoke calmly, but his fingers tightened on the hilt of his sword, betraying his hidden anger.

Maro had nothing to say in response, he simply stood there looking powerful. Creed turned back to Doctor, their eyes locked as something silent was passed between them. Creed knew he had been stabbed in the back by his most trusted allies, he knew they were working against him…but that didn't stop him from being mad.

"As you can see you have nothing to bargain with," Doctor spoke softly as he repositioned his glasses again. "You have nothing left, in fact."

Our angered glares were his only response. I loosened my grip on Echidna, knowing she was no longer a bargaining chip, before shoving her forwards.

"Chronos has turned against you," At this he looked at me before looking to Creed as he spoke again. "Your precious Apostles of the Stars have turned against you. What more do you have left but defeat?"

"They have us." An alien voice broke through Doctor's front as though he were made of glass.

I turned to see Sephiria standing at the door, her sword glinting in her hand as she studied Doctor placidly. Behind her stood Jenos, Lin Shao Lee, Nizer, and Anubis, their weapons held at ready.

"I see you have back up," Maro snickered as he turned his massive figure to face the Chronos Numbers. "That won't do."

Before he could move Jenos had flicked his gloved hand and entwined Maro's massive arms with his sharp wires, beads of blood appearing as the wire cut into his skin.

Sephiria stepped forward until she stood level with me, her eyes never leaving Doctor as she did. She raised her arm slowly until the tip of her sword balanced centimeters away from Doctor's throat, forcing him to swallow hard.

"You will release the prisoner," She spoke softly. "And you will stop this monster from destroying anymore innocent lives."

Doctor did not move, his eyes never wavering.

"Immediately." Sephiria snapped, her voice dropped in temperature as she uttered the word.

"I'm afraid it's not quite that simple," Doctor smirked and I raised Hades towards him as his hand began to wander towards the tube Eve floated in, his fingers halting. "You see, Eden cannot be stopped."

"We have no time for lies, Doctor." Creed spoke from behind Sephiria.

"Neither do I," Doctor nodded in Creed's direction. "And as I do not have time for them I will not tell them. Eden cannot be stopped."

"That's ridiculous!" I growled, my temper getting the best of me. "You built this damn thing, now SHUT IT OFF!"

I cocked my gun as I pressed it against his temple.

"And let her go," I growled, pressing Hades muzzle harder against his skull. "Or I will pull this trigger. And I assure you there's nothing empty about it."

He smirked as he watched me. He was breathing so hard I could feel it as it washed across my skin. Something wasn't right.

I moved to back away from him, when I felt a set of hands take hold of my wrists, pulling them away from Doctor. I turned in time to see Echidna's hands outstretched through a set of portals, the rest of her out of harms way across the room.

She jerked her hand, forcing my wrist to turn painfully and my finger fall away from Hades trigger.

"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped at Doctor as the rest of the room fell still.

"Eden must be complete in order for it to be controlled," Doctor spoke softly as his hand wandered behind him, taking hold of what I realized was a narrow tube that ran out of the cylinder Eve floated in, it's end resembling a electrical plug.

"Don't move!" Sephiria's sword swung up to press against Doctor's neck, but he appeared undeterred.

"In order for Eden to be complete," He spoke softly, my eyes on his hand as he pulled the tube closer, the liquid inside shining a strange color. "It must have an Adam."

It happened in a matter of seconds. Maro broke free of his restraints and slammed the rest of the room with hundreds of pounds of pressure, throwing the Numbers and Creed to their knees in gasps of pain.

Echidna's fingers tightened around my wrists as Doctor wrenched his arm forward and slammed the end of the tube between my collar bones, the prongs cutting deep into my neck.

I let out a yell of pain and the liquid inside the tube exploded with a white light and bubbled rapidly. Echidna's fingers disappeared from my wrists, letting me fall to my knees as Doctor held the tube tight against me.

He knelt in front of me, his glasses shining in the light as he jammed the prongs of the tube further into my neck. I cried out, my fingers wrapped around his as I tried to pull it out, while trying my best to hold onto Hades with the other hand.

"Eden must have an Adam," He spoke softly as he leaned closer, his dark eyes filled with what could only be put as insanity. "Eden must have you."

I felt a pulse of painful heat shoot through my body and the liquid inside the tube where Eve floated exploded with the same white light. I cried out as I felt something sharp pass through me, as if I had been cut in two, before everything exploded into white light and my head hit the ground.

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So there you have it, yet another installation to this never-ending story! I hope you liked it, there was some action at the end. It was a bit confusing I know, and I feel like I didn't write this chapter as well as I could have…for some reason it just wasn't translating from my brain to paper. I hope it's not too horrible X3

This is the beginning of the very end of this story. Train has now, as you may have assumed/guessed, been put into Eden. Now, I know that isn't in the anime, and it's DEFINITELY not in the manga (Eden isn't in the manga at all, really), but I felt like Eden (where Eve is in the manga) is a pretty cool idea that never got much credit. So I decided to put Train into it. It's also not going to be like the anime is…entirely. If you noticed in the anime the Eden where Eve's mind is trapped with creepy Adam is kind of her imagination, with the stomping elephants (from her book), fireworks, the reflections of her friends in the water, stuff like that… So of course part of Eden will have to be Train's imagination/mind, right? I'm not sure where that will go, but it'll be somewhere lol.

I'm very excited currently because I found out that Black Cat will be out in a box set here in the U.S. on the 18th of March! Now, I think the dubbed version (what I've seen of it) isn't the greatest, but I'd like to have it so I can watch it along with the Japanese version (which will be in the box set too). I'm very excited…..hehehe…

Well, this story only has a few chapters left, and I hope to GAWD I will get better at updating. Things are getting a little stressful here at school and I graduate in May…eek! But I promise this story will be DONE by May, it better be done by March lol…I hope… I love you all, you are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! X3 Nyah!