Foreword: Non-canon to current storyline. After being revealed as IS-human hybrid, the now fugitive Elliot was forced to escape and hide in order to evade capture by various governments and organizations. Now what had befell the gold-eyed hybrid?

The Two Hunters

A rainstorm poured over the collection of concrete buildings situated in a remote forest, creating an eerie ambience over as night enveloped the forest in pitch black darkness. Only the light pouring out from the windows and the scant few outdoor lamps created little sanctuaries of safety amidst the inky blackness that hid who knows what.

The place was an abandoned US military base, part of the relics of the old age. Recently new occupants have taken residence over the abandoned installation, retrofitting it for their own needs. Lights were set up, armed guards patrolled the base at regular intervals. It would've passed as the place being renovated by the US government, reused again to serve its original purpose.

If only if the current occupants were US government employees. The guards that currently took on the night shift wore black unmarked uniforms, decked out with the latest equipment and weapons. On their helmets, quad tube night vision devices were worn over advanced ballistic helmets that covered the entirety of their heads. The men kept an alert watch, their gazes roaming through the expanse of straight trees covering the perimeter of their base.

One of the guards was trying hard not to shiver under the stinging rain, bemoaning his fate of being consigned to guard duty when the weather was this atrocious. He wished he could finish his shift so he could head back into the warmth of the base. Scanning the woods, he turned around and continued on his path. He took about a few steps before he heard an unexplainable noise coming from above him.

Craning his neck upwards, he looked towards the guard tower that loomed over him. The goggles casted a dim blue tint to his vision but it allowed him to see the night, from what was nearly pitch-black darkness. What he saw gave him a fright.

On the rickety tower, he saw one of the other guards slumped over the edge of the low wall, liquid dripping down the side that intermixed with the rain. He knew that the man was dead, probably from a suppressed weapon.

Alarmed, he scanned the forest frantically, worried that he was going to be the next target. His HK 416 was raised up, parallel to his vision. Nothing save for the sounds of rain pattering in the background and the wall of trees greeted him.

But his luck ran out. A thin steel blade found its mark on his throat, easily meeting no resistance as it plunged into the man's neck. He gurgled, flailing panickily as he struggled against the grip that now held his head tightly. Then he stilled, his body went limp as it was dragged away into the darkness.

A hooded figure breathed out a sigh of relief, glad that the alarm hadn't been raised. It was a risky gamble trying to bring his partner in crime along with him, what with her penchant for aggressive action and wanton violence. But this was too big for him to do it alone.

Dissipating his knife into a mist of black dust, he mentally contacted his partner, who he knew was listening in on her radio.

"Good shot. I'm impressed you can pull this off with a rifle at that distance."

He heard an unamused snort from the other end, the sender obviously was not amused by his offhand praise.

"I told you so. Do you believe me now when I say I am well trained by them?"

The figure smirked behind his mask, getting some enjoyment out of making a bit of fun at his partner.

"I don't know…I seem to recall that I've beaten you in a gunfight when we fought in an IS. Can't blame a guy for having doubts after that."

"I can see you from here. If you keep making fun of me, maybe I'll leave you a nice reminder why people don't mess with me. You can heal from gunshot wounds instantly, can't you?"

Hearing the seriousness in his partner's voice, he knew he was stepping on thin ice right now. He cleared his throat, returning his attention to the task at hand.

"Noted. On that note, is it clear now?"

"Yes, you have a clear shot into the main building. Get in there now."

"Got it."

Before he disconnected his line, he heard his partner calling out to him. Concern laced her tone as she voiced her concerns.

"Just be careful in there, Elliot. If I don't see you within 30 minutes like you've promised, I'm tearing that place down to come get you."

The figure smirked, feeling amused at her show of concern. Even if it was covered under a tough exterior, he knew his partner cared for him just as much as he did.

"Don't worry, Madoka…I'll be out before then. Until I found the IS, hold off from destroying the place with me in it. Once I got out and call you, then you can go crazy."

Madoka huffed, though he could hear some hidden enjoyment from her voice.

"You really know how to show a girl a good time…. Perseus."

The masked IS-human hybrid groaned quietly behind his mask, feeling very peeved at being called by the title the world governments gave him, after they had forcibly separated him from his family and marked him for capture. And of course, feeling a bit mortified for the blatant innuendo from Madoka.

"Please no. Not that cursed title."

"Alright then, Leo."
"No."

He heard a low chuckle over the comms as he snuck his way into the base, avoiding the lights and the occasional roaming guard. Annoyed at being reminded of both the best and worst times in his life, he went for a counterattack against his partner.

"How about you keep that scope on the base, M? Wouldn't do if you fail this mission, right?"
It worked, as he could felt a deep growl coming from the woman from the other end of the comm line.

"Don't call me that…. I don't want to remember my time under those bitches. Used me then cast me away…I'll get them back for that."

Elliot knew just what got the ever-grim Madoka so riled up. After Phantom task betrayed the Orimura sibling, he was the only one that helped her despite his own reservations. At that time, he was doing it for Ichika's sake after his brother pleaded him to spare her when he had captured her.

Never did he realized that small act of mercy would've ended up with him and her being ended up as an item after he was casted down from general society. After falling out with the girls in the Academy, he didn't expected she reached out to him and asked for his help, only to find out she wanted him to save her from her former comrades. He saved her and both of them went into hiding together, working together to take down the leviathan that was Phantom Task. And soon weeks turned to months, their relationship slowly morphed from comrades in suffering to that of lovers.

Opening the large door, he silently closed it as he trekked deeper into the underground base. He knew he had only limited time before the base knew something was amiss and went into alert. Elliot knew that would've made the overprotective woman very antsy and she would've charged right after him, wreaking havoc just to pull him out of the fire.

As much as it was an odd and unexpected relationship, the hybrid didn't dislike this present arrangement with his former enemy turned partner in crime and lover. Maybe they came from different worlds, living through different lives and had nothing in common save for a common goal.

But as the saying goes, life finds a way to surprise you. Even if he was technically dating his stepsister, he didn't care much for society's sense of norm or its rules, not after it had turned its back against him despite all of his deeds.

Besides, they do form a formidable pair in going after Phantom Task. While Chifuyu and Ichika lived in the limelight, both admired and suspected by society in general because of his now revealed condition, both him and Madoka worked in the shadows to take down the organization that harmed their family and them. Like two hunters going after a large, dangerous prey.

Even if their odds of taking down such a large organization was miniscule at best, they still kept on their grim task. After all, even a large predator can fall to a thousand cuts.

And they had struck many blows against Phantom Task, dismantling cells and destroying bases all across the world. They would never stop until that shadowy organization was taken down to its very roots, its every member sent to hell.

And that would also be the day when the two Orimura siblings would be reunited with their family. The day when they would set aside their bloody profession and step back out into the light.

Author's note: After getting some requests and even laments from you guys that bemoan the lack of Elliot x Madoka pairing, I decided to write this story as a comfort fic and experiment to what you guys think of this idea. For those who had read the first version of this story, I apologize. Since I've rushed the idea and didn't flesh it out well, it seemed very shoddy and out of character for both Elliot and Madoka. Hopefully this rewritten version would be a lot better than the travesty that I somehow managed to post up.

Anyway, let me know what you guys think of this experimental writing. If this idea really catches on, maybe I will consider about it. Thanks and stay safe, guys!