(Two Days Ago)

"Dammit, Clare, how much farther do you plan to go on this useless chase? We need to leave this to the cops... HEY, are you even listening to me?" Nathan shouted out as he continued to chase after the night after they had heard Erik's home was discovered in shambles, and that he'd gone missing. A little while later Nathan had caught Clare in the act of running away from home to search for their missing friend. Unable to talk her out of it, or even hold her back for that matter, Nathan chose to tag along until he could convince her to give up. This, if he cared to admit it, had become useless almost immediately. If he didn't persist though, he'd have no excuse for why he was still accompanying Clare.

"I didn't ask you to come, Blondie, and I sure as hell didn't ask for your whining mouth to spout out useless rabble. 'Leave it to the cops' hah! Fricken useless lot of dumb asses; do you know how many times I have evaded those jerks? Enough to know they can't be trusted to find a smart teenager who doesn't want to be found. Doesn't matter if they're a delinquent, fifteen year old boy or not." Clare growled back at Nathan as she continued to stare holes into the hover bike that indeed belonged to Erik's father. Looking for any clues that could help her, she started to get angry and frustrated. Releasing the stress tangled in her, she screamed a wordless cry into the air. Glancing around for something to vent her anger on, the fence the hover bike rested against was the most appealing target.

Nathan took a step back, nervous about being in range of the berserkers' furious kicks. While she went rampant on the poor fence, Nathan slowly started to pull out his cell phone with the intention of calling her parents to inform them their daughter was insane, and where to come pick them up, or send a ride. That call would then be followed by a call to the police to tell them about-

"Ultimate technique: Raikan Fist!"

Nathan's face showed complete terror as his eyes widened. He could feel the death glare behind him. The sudden pain in the center of his left elbow kept him from having to feel the glare long. He yelped, dropped his phone, sank to his knees, and vigorously rubbed his injured elbow. As the pain diminished, he noticed a very ticked-off Clare was still glaring down on him, causing the poor boy to sweat at the ominous aura around her as she moved her gaze to his phone.

"That really hurt, you psychopath. " He growled, finally regaining his nerve now that her attention was no longer on him. Then his eyes went wide again, watching Clare annihilated his cell phone with murderous kicks and stomps. Weakly he outstretched his hand in defeat towards the destroyed phone. "It was so young." He had it for a month, and had just finished tweaking and customizing it to his tastes.

"We. Don't. Need. The. Police. And that goes double for my parents. That was who you were trying to call, right?" She returned to glaring at the hoverbike. "We are going to find him, no matter what, without help. Hell, we found his dad's bike, didn't we? Now, help me push this thing to the closest recharge station; we're going to need it." The gas station they were outside of was so old that it couldn't service newer bikes like this one. Maybe that's why it was abandoned. All the better for them. Clare huffed as she turned. Nathan, instead of jumping to obey her, was burying something. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Respecting the cruelty of those who die young," Nathan mourned.

"You're burying your phone... how did we become friends again?" Clare looked at him as if he was a complete nut job. "I'm fairly sure I never consider you for a friend when we first met. When was that…?" She trailed off with a puzzled expression, which was just fine with Nathan since he could continue his moment of silence without interruption that way.

Nathan got up from the little mound of dirt, satisfied with the burial, and started pushing the bike. "You didn't have to break my phone, you barbaric tomboy." Nathan said, a weak glare pointed at Clare, who joined him on the other side of the bike.

"Yadda, yadda, less whining and more pushing. We need to find him soon, before something bad happens."

"WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, YOU INSANE PSYCHO! For all we know, he might have just run away from home and made it look like a kidnapping to get back at his parents. The way they've been lately, or not been because they're always gone, I wouldn't put it past him."

"Then why didn't he crash at one of our houses?" Clare asked in an unexpected, serious tone that caused Nathan to fall silent. "We both agree on that opinion of his parents, and I sure would have played along for a bit. Also, his parents are still gone. Why would he set up a kidnapping now, when they wouldn't find out for so long?" She huffed again. "I doubt that even being kidnapped would have caused them to come home early. And if that's not enough to convince you; Can you think of anyone else he would go to besides us?"

"... Dammit, you're going to get me killed, I swear... you and Erik, one or the other, or both of you together." Nathan grumbled.

"I don't know how, but I know we are moving in the right direction. Please, just trust me on this," Clare said as she continued to push the bike towards her own outdated model. They'd be able to haul it easily if one drove and the other rode on the hover bike to keep it steady. She hoped it'd last that long. Occupied by her own ponderings, she missed Nathan's reply.

"... I trust them more than you know." Nathan whispered as they headed down the long path ahead of them, the remnants of his phone in his pocket, especially the casing.

...

(Present Time)

Erik's eyes opened groggily at the sudden sound of thunder booming into the night whilst he rested in the dimly lit boxcar inside the train. With a unappeased look he stared into the darkness of the night through his window as the pitter patter sound of rain beat against the glass. The night looked so much darker than usual as he found himself leaving his home state... The final step that for the first time would completely remove him from any feeling of home... How odd it felt, yet a feeling that wasn't all that painful just... strange. The redheads thoughts slightly shifted over as he thought back four days ago to the fight they had with Simon, and his two lackeys. That power he used, it was called Quickman from what Gaven explained. Itwas a speed type obviously meant for powerful collision type hits, and slashes due to the reversed arm blades that looked like they could be pulled off. The teens thoughts went to the last day of class he attended a ironic topic slowly swirling around in his head...the future. Another thunderous roar wailed in the air as he turned his eyes to the seat across from him where Gaven was currently resting while twiddling a empty teacup in his hands. Where was he taking Erik? To the Indigo National Forest... that's all he knew currently.

"Neat little service they do here. A three day train ride all the way to the next state Uvoku, a little room compartment with a bit of room service thrown in. Heh, I could get use to this." The glasses wearing teen chuckled lightly as if he hadn't a care in the world. How was he so calm, he lived a life where everyday people were after him, to kill or torture was a simple coin toss in the air. Yet here he was with that playful smirk just so calm with the umbrella he had stolen from Erik's house leaning up against him. The redhead now a bit more awake stared at the umbrella, surprisingly during the random sneak attack they had lost a few things in their rush to put distance between themselves and their chasers. A bit ironically that had lost all the can openers which in hindsight Gaven had foreseen though it didn't stop him falling to the ground in defeat when Erik delivered that news the night before they got on the train.

"Ya... I guess," Erik said letting the small thought go as he slumped back into his seat trying to forget about the more pressing issues along with the silly thought that came with being around the glasses wearing teen. This may have worked if he wasn't finding himself being poked by the umbrella the teen had at his side. With a bit of a confused glare directed at Gaven the red head swatted the umbrella point away. Then with out warning right as Erik was about to go back into his gloomy stupor the empty cup landed a blow on the top of his noggin causing him to stand straight up looking at Gaven as if he had just cause a world war. Gaven however pretended to act like he hadn't done anything though the sight of a grin lightly escaping his lips dared to argue that fact. Without even a thought Erik grabbed his pillow and threw it at the caught off guard Gaven whose glasses fell off from the impact. With a glare at each other powerful and tense enough to cause a rope of electricity between the two a sudden brawl broke out which could easily be heard from outside the room especially by those just passing by who stared at the door like something monstrous was behind it. A few minutes later however would reveal absolute silence as Erik struggled under the weight of Gaven sitting on top of him in the middle of the room.

"You need to loosen up buddy ya look so damn gloomy. Especially ever since we left your town. I think I am going to go fetch us some more tea." Gaven quipped as Erik still uselessly tried to escape while his captor just hummed innocently. While watching Erik struggle Gaven straightened his own glasses back on making sure no damage had been caused. When satisfied with the results the nineteen year old got up, and started to head out to fetch the desired drink.

"How can you be so calm under all this stress... How can you be so calm knowing so many people want you dead?" Erik's sudden dark question caused Gaven to tilt his head in the redhead teens direction with a blank expression. It came to no surprise that such a question had escaped the younger teens lips. All this unexpected power and this insane world had captured Erik in a flash, and dragged him down to its deepest and darkest pit. In all honesty Gaven saw it as a miracle the kid hadn't broken from all the mental stress.

"Simple, when you are already seen as dead... you start to look at yourself as dead... makes its a hell of a lot easier when you accept the fact you are probably going to die fighting a battle you never started," Erik held a completely baffled look... that sentence... didn't feel right with the actions Gaven portrayed. "Any who about that tea... I'll be back before you know it." Gaven said sliding a grin onto his face as he snaked his way past the door making sure no one was near before closing it leaving now more confused Erik to his thoughts. Dusting himself off from his scuffle Erik got back up his original gloomy self starting to step back into the moonlight that now cascaded much of the small boxcar. With a ruffle of his hair he got up only to immediately sit back down, and right as he was about to return to his dreary rest the sudden opening of the door jolted him back to life.

...

(North Branch HQ)

"Sheesh ever since the big boss, and his two lackeys left things sure calmed down... ugh it feels weird being at a base where that creepy chick is in charge." Kaz spoke to himself in a mutter as he walked the long empty white halls. It was a fact that the Northern bases were mostly research bases, and all fell under the jurisdiction of Mino Asagura the Undead Queen as she was nicknamed for numerous reasons... many of which were quite unsettlingly especially when added to the fact all her projects were kept in the dark to a select few on her staff.

"Place really gives me the creeps... amazing how a kid like Orion can deal with this creepy base," Kaz said as the disturbing aura of the place rubbed him the wrong way. The looks of the actual staff stationed here didn't help either... there was a air of fear among them all... and the worse part was outsiders like Kaz would never now why... without disappearing themselves. It was clear that the rumor that people just randomly disappeared on this base was possibly no joke. The base was well known for changing out its staff every once in awhile yet no one from any other base could make claim to meeting someone transferred from North HQ it was almost like they never existed. That added with their being no records of anyone retiring from the base... Well it definitely sent shivers down this particular megamans back. Even the higher ups seemed to ignore the facts. Kaz shivered at that thought as he took a left from the fork in the hallways... these eerily long hallways painted white did not help the flame boy's nerves at all.

"Excuse me sir."

"CENTIPEDE ZOMBIE QUEEN... oh... hello," After yelling his lungs out Kaz turned around to realize his sudden grasp of fear was actually just one of two scientists tapping his shoulder with a notepad trying to figure out what he was doing in their sector of the base. After his random scream the two wide eyed scientists stared blankly for a moment until the one who had tapped him on the shoulder snapped out of it raising a eyebrow.

"Mr. Chambers, can we help you with something?" The male scientist asked, curious as to why the megaman was currently walking aimlessly around their sector. His female colleague however was trying to register the odd scream, and had a well earned dumbfounded look.

"Uhhhhh ya imma looking for Orion he's a buddy of mine. Was looking to say if you happen to know which way he is that would be perfect." Kaz hesitantly laughed as he admitted to his lost sense of direction.

"You mean Mr. Memrem his location is actually to the right of the fork...," The man continued to give directions until he nodded at Kaz while the megaman gave thanks, and ran back the way he came. Leaving the two scientist to watch him run off.

"For a megaman... that was undoubtedly a strange mind to meet,"[COLOR=rgb(255,0,0)] T[/COLOR]he woman said. "To bad he's a outsider, I would have loved to have picked at a untouched megaman's brain." The two scientist looked at each other and gave out a somewhat creepy laugh.

"You know the rules Veronica we are only aloud to tamper with what's in our actual sector... though I am sure Ms. Mino would agree. It truly is annoying that Mr. Sigma won't allow us the more combative samples."

(Back At A Certain Train Ride)

"Ahhh excuse me miss," Gaven called out as he finally caught sight of the waitress who had originally brought them the nourishment he sought. It had taken him two railcars to catch up to the brunette who had turned around to tilt her head in surprise to the out of breath Gaven.

"Can I help you sir?" she asked in a upbeat manner as Gaven caught his breath.

"Ya, I was hoping I could get some more of that delectable tea you served us, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all, sir. It's our job to provide excellent service." She said with a smile as she reached into her trolley to fix a cup. Once done she turned around with the tray offering it to Gaven, who gladly took it.

"You know even though its nighttime I am kinda surprised by how quiet it is right now." Gaven randomly pointed out, causing the waitress to wear a look of confusion as she tilted her head again as Gaven held the tray with one hand and used another to take a sip from the tea cup.

"Oh? Well that just shows our excellent skills in Squad Echo," Gaven immediately froze at the response the woman gave at his small inquiry. In a calm manner he placed the cup back on the circular tray as he gave a blank look to the cup as the woman wearing a fake smile dropped her sweet ruse.

"I see... I wasn't aware Squad Echo had been configured into a eraser unit... heh guess a lot can happen in a year." Gaven said finally looking away from the cup to make eye contact with the smirking woman who was now in a more intimidating stance, though that didn't seem to faze Gaven much as he looked to one of the doors who occupants were more then likely... well... he didn't want to think about that right now. At this time he was now the one in danger.

"A whole train full of innocent people just to catch two runaway's I must say you people are messed up... and it sickens me to think Simon would agree to this." Gaven spoke out flatly his amusing personality clearly blotched out at the moment. The woman let out a small chuckle at his response.

"Don't even start to act righteous Mr. Veramore I have read your files, and have gone through a brief summary from the Elite Captain. I know of the things you have done that make this look like a ray of sunshine, not to mention also what you did before you ran away... breaking one of the biggest taboo's of the Corporation," Gaven lightly turned his head to the left to find the new source of vocals that turned out to be the megaman Erik had fought a few days ago... pale skin with dark brown hair that was designed in a militant look barely longer then a inch all around. However, just like Erik, Gaven was more noting the unnatural purple eyes, however, Gaven knew what it meant.

"Oh my, I am pinned it looks like," Gaven mumbled sarcastically as he took another drink, finishing the cup of tea as he lazily lowered his left hand holding the tray. "Oh is that right? Heh guess if I was still making a wealthy paycheck I would swallow any BS given to me as well. Even if from garbage like the great and wondrous Elite Captain Gerald." There was a sudden tension as both megaman gave the 19 year old an aggravated glare... clearly they hadn't liked that comment much. "Oh did I hit a cord unknowingly? Didn't realize I was talking to mind washed followers who believe that noble image he likes to put out in front of his soldiers." Gaven chuckled as his cheery sarcastic nature return as he gave a smirk of his own.

"How dare you insult the Elite Captain you traitorous murderer. Someone like you doesn't deserve to speak his name."

"I think that murderous title is yours, or are we still talking about scumbagman... I mean Gerald... then again that would be a well earned soulfuse for a guy like Gerald though... should see if I can find someone to commission that for me." Gaven spoke back as he seemed to ignore the two temporarily contemplating how that would look causing the male megaman to twitch.

"I am going to kill him, Vanessa."

"You better not the higher ups want him alive."

"Ya listen to the flat chested cosplayer," Gaven threw in causing the female megaman to take turn in a twitching moment. "Doesn't a waitress outfit count as cosplay?" Gaven asked, breaking the brief moment of silence with a tilt of his head wondering over that thought.

"Accidents happen all the time." Vanessa growled as she pulled out a combat knife hidden under her skirt. While the other megaman did the same thing. Clearly thanks to the constricted room they weren't about to go Megaman nor use a gun with there being such a high risk of hurting each other in the process.

"Well then I guess our light tea time chat is over," Gaven chuckled before throwing the tea cup at Vanessa spilling the left over contents on the woman's face causing her to stumble back as she held back a scream from the burning pain before the pain was nulled out by the new pain delivered by Gaven as he shoved his right foot into her stomach lifting the woman just enough for her to fall backward unto the trolley as the momentum sent her rolling forward until the trolley crash into the front end of the railcar causing a loud yelp sound to escape as Vanessa fell off the trolley. Turning a 180 degree Gaven just barely had enough time to swing left avoiding a downward slash as the unnatural appearing megaman stabbed his knife into the floor. Slamming his back into the window side of the railcar Gaven was quickly reminded that wide movements could end fatal. With a rough tug the purple eyed megaman pulled the combat knife out of the ground as he shifted to the right to perform a wide swing as Gaven ducked down and rolled to the left still oddly holding onto the silver tray.

"As much as you are annoying... I am starting to see how you were able to avoid Squad Eta for a year. If it wasn't for your mouth and your past actions one could say you deserve quite a bit of respect." Gaven slowly stood back up as he paid close attention to his opponent and the opponent further back starting to recover.

"Glad to see someone can see my absolute flawlessness." Gaven chuckled as he slightly calculated how far away he was from Erik. If he was dealing with two of them here that meant their was still five other squad members unaccounted for. Unlike a hunter Squad which only contained three members like Haley's squad a Eraser squad contained seven member, and since one already knew where there room was... that meant they all did. "However, I don't have time to keep on impressing my audience, so lets make this quick." Gaven spoke confidently pointing the tray at his opponent.

"Hmph don't underestimate me, bastard!" The male sneered as he twirled his knife and lunged at Gaven who immediately reacted by deflected the strike with a swift swing of the tray. Spark impressively flew as the tray held its own against the knife and redirected the knife attack into the glass, causing the blade to stab through which in turn caused the Echo squad member's eyes to go wide as he was now left wide open for attack.

"Don't overestimate yourself," Gaven shot back before performing a roundhouse kick to the mans chest shoving him into the glass window. The purpled eyed megaman would only have a second to register the sound of breaking glass before the next he would feel the drop of rain over his body... with the last moment he would realize... he had just been smashed out of the train as the darkness of night swallowed him whole. "Well then that takes care of MOTHER OF SIN!" With a quick reflect Gaven held the tray outwards with his hands as a new combat knife impaled through up to the hilt. Immediately dropping the tray Gaven caught sight of Vanessa getting back up, and to make matters worse... she was loading a hand gun. "Fuuuuuuuuuuu," Gaven mad dash away in the other direction as the sound of gun shots started to resound in the air as Gaven barely escaped gun fire as he exited out of the railcar to the raining weather between the two railcars.

"Jeez... didn't think she would take that comment to heart," Gaven chuckled before bullets started to fly through the door causing Gaven to scream before rushing through the door ahead. "SHE'S CRAZY !"