Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Blood Red Fox ❯ Confrontation? ( Chapter 4 )

Jan/19/2000

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A Known Blood Red Fox

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By Vile Deadboss

Chapter IV: 'Confrontation?'

Kurama sat quietly in Vile's office watching a small screen which viewed and spied on the hunters that have been warned of the mavericks possible wherabouts and they seem not to be doing much to prepare for an attack. Vile's presence was about as well, giving out some unusual commands that the fox couldn't quite follow, yet his mind was somewhere else and his gaze fell on the navy hunter who managed to make it back all fine to warn the other hunters.

Two other hunters were missing however, Kurama smirked slightly to himself noticing that somehow has all the mavericks everywhere nervous. Those two hunters were as good as he heard, he hoped deep in his mind that they can be even better for his own sake. Was Ragnarok nervous as well?

"Well search the damn bunk area for all I care! You find X and Zero now!!" Vile growled as the reploid soldier nodded and replied a 'Yes sir', before letting Vile be finally. "New models my ass!" Vile growled as he shuffled some papers to a side but paused for a bit when he heard Kurama chuckle amusingly.

"Wasn't aware that reploids had one..."

"Figure of a stupid human speech...." Vile muttered, noting to himself that he should be more careful with his words around the fox. Kurama only grinned mildly as he kept his golden gaze on the small screen still, uneffected by Vile's anger and stayed deep in his own thoughts alone. Okay, he couldn't stand it, waited long enough....

"Alright Kurama..."

"Hm?" Kurama turned his head slightly, curiously wondering what Vile wanted now?

"I bite and I will literally if you don't tell me 'Why' you want to die so badly?" Vile calmly asked, tapping his desk patiently waiting for his answer.

"Trying to start conversation while we wait for the two hunters to show up?"

"More or less...."

"I cannot say yet why I want to die, in fact...." Kurama returned his gaze to the screen watching the navy hunter who seemed to be giving out orders of his own to the other reploids. "...It won't be wise at all for anyone to know why...and I want to keep it that way."

"I see...well answer this one for me then..." Vile sat back on his seat and propped his metallic boots up on his desk and extended his palms to the back of his helm comfortably eyeing the fox. Kurama looked back to the hardly inquisitive reploid. "...Who's Hiei?"

"A colleague of mine who I work with back in my world..." Kurama answered bluntly yet that question hurt him more deeply then he thought it would. He forced the painful memories to a side as he watched the screen trying to even forget his past.

"What's the story on him? is he any more powerful then you?" Vile asked. Kurama then closed his eyes for the moment ignoring the world that he was in and breathed in deeply to hold his pain back. "He's a fire demon, half koorime which of course would mean nothing to you.."

"You got that right..."

"...and yes, he's very powerful, his level of ki is high and very dangerous. Someone who I would consider....Ignoring, he's a waste of time to be with...."

"Are you saying that he would be more harder to cooperate then you? or are you just saying that to...how do I say this....Save his life?"Vile grinned under his mask as he noticed Kurama tensing slightly and looked to the reploid with a hint of anger and pain that embedded in his golden eyes.

"Both I suppose, he would hate me enough as it is if I even tried to save him..." Kurama looked down to the floor to avoid eye contact with the reploid and once again forced the pain in him to go away by ignoring his past.

"Whoa! he hates you already??"

Kurama frowned at the question and ignored it, before Vile could persist on it, Flair stepped in with Storm Eagle cutting the commander off their conversation. "Sorry to intrude in like this, Sir...but master Ragnarok wishes for Kurama's presence to be with him now, and is expecting you to help Agile to prepare for the hunters attack." Storm Eagle reported quickly as Flair glanced at Kurama who avoided all stares from the reploids and frowned hating the idea that he had to go stand by Ragnarok's side? He would rather stand by one of the hunters side then his.

Kurama then thought of the blond haired reploid for a moment, remembering the dream when Zero stood outside thinking, asking the wind to take away the painful feeling that embedded withen himself. He shook his head and turned his gaze to Vile.

"I don't know what Ragnarok has planned now, and I don't like it. Kurama as much as you hate Ragnarok, I'm afraid that you have no choice but to be with him up at the high chambers."

"Understood..." Kurama calmly said, it was something not worth arguing with anyhow. Getting up from his seat he took a step forward, about to follow Flair to the High chambers.

Kurama.....

He held his breath when he heard the small voice echo lightly through his mind. He turned to look back at Vile who was busy going through files with Storm Eagle before they were off to do their duties. Flair paused when Kurama did, wondering why the fox was hesitating?

"Kurama?"

That voice he heard wasn't Vile's, Kurama made note of the voice and looked back to Flair, motioning her to go ahead and he continued to follow her to the high chambers. The voice was to familiar yet it was hard to identify considering the call of his name was like a faint blow of a whisper.

Kurama.....You're not safe there....

"who?" Kurama paused and turned to look back at the hallway they were passing through, trying to locate on who was talking to him? Again Flair paused catching his confused question.

"Kurama? what's wrong?"

"Odd...." Kurama glanced around the hallway once more before he turned his gaze to Flair and shrugged. "I feel that someone is calling me but I see noone."

"Really?" she glanced around the hallway as well. "These buildings are old, you must be hearing echoes of some dead humans or something." She grinned a little amused after, and continued her pace. Kurama followed and rolled his eyes not the least bit amused by that.

"Yeah well I never introduced myself to these dead humans!" Kurama growled lowly, Flair chuckled softly as she checked a small scanner in hand. Kurama tilted his head slightly to see what she had?

"What's that?" He asked curiously.

"Just a small device that keeps it's eye on the hunters." She answered mildly, as she set the small metallic box to a side.

"how are you able tell which is which?"

"Easy! all reploids are coded with serial number in each of their systems when they are first awakened. It only keeps track of the unknown codes that were not yet familiar with, thus that's how we keep track of the hunters that are nearby." As Flair pointed to a couple of reploids nearby to emphasize her explaination. "The small tracker I have notes those three there as code blue, which means that their pretty well on our side!"

"And the red color dots shows the unknown reploids as hunters?"

"yep! get the idea now? I was just checking to see how close those other hunters are." She frowned slightly. "But...."

"The scanner was watching the hunters from a few blocks from here, why won't it scan the other two that disappeared?" Kurama asked, noticing the location of the scanner. "And why hadn't it caught my presense as well?"

"Okay! I can see your brain ticking now!" Flair stopped in her tracks and pulled out the scanner to show Kurama how it works. "This thing I have only watches reploids, it was not made to scan humans at all. So that would explain why it has not yet caught your presence."

"Yet?" Kurama blinked.

"And there are only four reploids in this entire planet that all metallic scanners can't watch, because those four are the only reploids that have been found and their creators are unknown. Especially Mega man X, him and Zero have no seriel numbers on them and why they don't have one is something I would like to know also." Flair put her scanner away again, and folded her arms allowing whatever she said sink into Kurama for a bit.

"I see...Only Mega man X has a creator?" Kurama tilted his head in a curious matter as Flair nodded, but paused to raise a brow when Kurama was waiting for her to answer his question further.

"Dr. Thomas Light, everyone knows how the whole story went..."Flair eyed the corrider for a bit as she checked to see if anyone else was listening to all this as well? "We all exist becase of X, the first reploid hat Dr. Cain found and studied him to create all of us... etc...etc..I should of told you the history instead of the facts earlier."

"The history of the reploids..." Kurama murmured quietly to himself, remembering that he took a quick glance in it and seen no point of reading it. If Mega man X was the first reploid founded and every reploid here exists now because of him, why do these reploids want him dead now? Vile seemed to wanted revenge against the azure hunter and he had not yet told Kurama why. As for the rest of the reploids here, they just seem to fear X and Zero.

What the hell is really going on here?

As they reached the high chambers finally, Flair stepped up to Ragnarok and started giving him; her small report plus to let him know that Kurama is there as ordered. The fox however ignored the two and turned to watch the screens nearby and listened to the other reploids giving orders to the fighters outside the building.

Kurama....get out of there.....

His ears twitched nervously when the small voice echoed withen himself. "Who..?"

He glanced around the chambers to see who calls him still? and why?

Stupid fox! Get out of there!!

Kurama held his breath when he realized Who was calling him. "Hiei!?" Kurama almost choked.

Fox please....it's not safe there....

Kurama almost jumped when a large hand grabbed his shoulder, turning to see who Ragnarok looked at him seeming very puzzled. "Are you alright, Kitsune? you seem to look a little pale..."

"I-I'm fine..." Kurama turned his gaze away from Ragnarok's and kept his golden eyes on the screen that viewed the hunters in a small battle with the other reploids. Kurama shrugged the large hand off his shoulder moving himself slightly away from the larger reploid.

"We might have to evacuate soon, If your feeling ill Kurama, perhaps sending you off to fight the against the hunters might not be a good idea." Ragnarok grinned slightly to himself as he noticed the fox's shoulders tense up a bit.

"I said that I'm fine. I'll fight them with or without your command anyways." Kurama snarled lowly, narrowing his eyes to the screens. A part of him already felt that he should have no part in this, this is not his world and this is not his war. What did he have against the hunters anyways? What did the mavericks have against them??

Kurama looked to Ragnarok who walked back to his seat and started talking to a tall reploid with four arms and a scorpian like tail.

Magna Centipede, if his memory served him correctly. He saw Vile talk to that one a couple of times and overheard their conversation, he couldn't help but listen. They kept on talking about using the Chimera on the hunters. What is the Chimera?

"Sir! there's an intruder breach at level 7!" One of the female reploids spoke up, Ragnarok looked to the reploid quickly and frowned.

"Magma....that's your level..." He said lowly that non of the other reploids could hear but Magma, Kurama caught the level of tone though. His ears were sensitive so everything around him was of course ....Noisy...

"Go check it out.."

"Yes sir.." Magma bowed slightly to Ragnarok before he made his way out, not without glancing at the fox for a bit catching his stare on himself.

Kurama watched him leave the chambers, he couldn't help but notice how eerily different all the reploids eyes were. He shook his head feeling a bit dizzy suddenly, there was no ki anywhere to sense but his own and he felt really alone there. He couldn't remember when he last felt this alone in all his years? The plants were always there with him and so were other demons nearby, he felt really bare of any power but the seeds that he carried withen his hair and nails.

It was too awkward for him.

"Track the intruder down, find out who dares to be this close to the chambers!" Ragnarok ordered with a bit of a snarl, but still remaining calm to his seat. What was that reploid up to? Kurama wondered as he folded his arms and decided to continue watching the screens ahead.

"Yes sir..." one of the male reploids replied but he stood frozen when he found the intruder. "S-sir! it's Mega Man X!!"

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X dashed through the hallway quickly, shooting every reploid in sight that tried to take him down, Zero went off to another direction saying that he knew this building somehow and left off to find the main power for the building.

X was left to find Ragnarok himself. So they did have a Underground base here, it was a good thing Dr. Cain agreed to the councils plea after all.

But is this the place where Ragnarok could be hiding? X paused all his dashing and looked around the hallway carefully checking to see if he got most of the reploids down, after confirming it he dashed ahead again. The base's alarms went off then and X bit the bottom of his lip wondering how Zero was holding up with his half?

"Raaaagghh!!!"

X ducked quickly rolling on the floor to avoid the pouncing maverick and a loud crash was heard somewhere else, he looked up to see who.

Neon Tiger got up quickly, his claws glinting from the corrider lights and his metallic fangs were shown widely as he snarled at the azure hunter. X got up quickly as well and tilted his head amusingly at the maverick. "Out of all mavericks I get stuck with you?"

"Disappointing, I know..." The reploid tiger hissed. "But the masters are busy with stuff of their own, I can only be but a service to .....End Your Misery!!!"

With that Neon rushed forward to slash X, X leaped out of the way again and twisted around to shoot Neon but before doing so another growl was heard nearby and it forced the hunter to thrust up to the wall and kick it again to thrust over the second maverick. Landing easily, X noticed the second maverick and sighed.

Sting Chameleon and he had no time to mess around with these guys, Again. X then powered up his plasma cannon and frowned at the two mavericks.

"Alright! You want to deal with me? Then you got it! but this is the last time I play with you guys!!"

X rushed forward to the two as they put their weapons up in a stance to welcome the attacking hunter in....

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It was odd, to odd. Zero thought idly as he sneaked by the main groups of mavericks that awaited for him and X. The Mavericks weren't protecting the 4 & 5 levels of the HQ but more like running around as if they were evacuating, well of course they were, but everything was just to damn calm.

He shut down his communicater for him to sneak around more quietly, he spotted a few revived main bosses here and there.

"Why would he revive them back when they were killed before for a reason." Zero murmured quietly as he entered one room to avoid being seen by another group of maverick soldiers walking by. They were unarmed and unarmored, taking them down would be to easy but he didn't want to catch any attention to this level yet.

It was then something unusual caught his eye. Zero turned his gaze down to a desk and there sat some different white clothing that sat neatly on the desk but it was ripped and some blood clung to it. Zero picked it up and analyzed the article of clothing.

"A human? here?..." Zero wondered. "What would a human be doing in this part of the base? unless..."

It was pointless, Zero saw no reason on why the mavericks would keep a living human here, that human would be dead by now anyways. He put the clothing back down neatly as it was and he blinked at what he did. He then shrugged and looked back out the door to see if there was any more mavericks walking about?

Seeing none, he made his way through the corrider once more.

"Commander!"

Upon hearing the shout Zero quickly leaped through another empty room and stood quiet behind it, waiting for the two mavericks nearby to pass....hopefully.

"Vile sir...Ragnarok wants you to see that Kurama fights X at the bunker." A feminine voice echoed through the almost empty corrider, Zero held his breath upon hearing X's name mentioned and a part of him rose in anger when he heard that Vile was alive ....again.

"Me?? But I just thought....Agh!! I wish he would make up his goddamn mind!!" Vile growled as a screech sound was made by Vile twisting around to face the female reploid who only shrugged and lifted a thumb pointing to the hallway behind her.

"Sir..X is in the 7th level fighting off Neon Tiger and Sting Chameleon now as we speak. Ragnarok thinks that X should be introduced in the bunker area since he's near it.." with that said she looked around the hallway cautiously, Vile frowned under his mask wondering what she was looking for?

"Flair?"

"Something's not right here...You better head to the high chambers now!" She growled lowly, sensing an intruder about already, she reached for her metal spear that rested on her back. Vile nodded and quickly made his way to the chambers, leaving Flair to the intruder about.

Zero held his breath, wondering how she knew that he was there so quickly? He moved slowly to peek out the door and noticed that she was a staring at the room totally opposite from him. He blinked a bit confused as she approached the room carefully and looked in it cautiously.

With a sigh of annoyence, Zero reached for his lightsaber and stepped out of the room slowly, prepared to activate it. As he took a step forward the female reploid screeched suddenly and fell back with a shock from the room her spear flying away from her hands and landing near Zero startling him a bit.

He blinked confused as he watched Flair get up quickly and backed away from the room, growling lowly at it.

Shadow then stepped out of it shaking his head slowly at her with an amused grin, he then noticed Zero and his smile brightened up. "Yo Zero! I didn't expect to see you at this part here so quickly!"

"Shadow?? how did you-" Zero paused and looked back to Flair who's face fell shocked now noticing him. Zero then looked down to her spear and picked it up curiously.

"Oh....cra-" Flair choked as she slowly took a step back from them both. Shadow lifted his scythes and grinned once more at the feline reploid.

"Taunting the cats just makes it all the more fun! Zero toss it back to her! I wanna play some more!"

"Wait....who is this Kurama you speak of?" Zero asked, giving her a stern look as she bit her lip not knowing how to answer that. "your keeping a living human here...aren't you.."

"That's for X to know alone...hunter.." She growled lowly and as quickly as she could she turned and thrusted forward to run from them, Shadow then ran after her and extended to reach for her tail grabbing it successfully and pulled her back. Flair let out a sharp yelp as she fell face forward to the metallic floor.

Shadow grinned and held onto her tail still, Zero approached to the both of them calmly shaking his head.

"Goddamn, Insensitive, JERK!!!!" Flair screeched as she twisted to her back and looked up to the hunter who finally let go of her tail with a snicker. Slowly she sat up keeping her angry icy blue eyes on the two hunters.

"Don't make Zero ask it the second time now, darlin'." Shadow smirked, Zero's expression was emotionless as he looked to Flair's weapon in his hand still. Noticing a carved symbol of a rose with it's thorn stem that swirled around the spear's end creativitly. Tossing the spear back to her, she caught without questioning but gave the hunter a bewildered look.

"Zero?" Shadow nudged the hunter slightly, Zero glanced to Shadow for a bit before turning his cold gaze back to Flair who sat quietly and stared back at him as well.

"Who's Kurama?" He asked for the second time, having an odd strong feeling about the name. It wasn't a bad feeling but it wasn't good either, X had the similar feeling earlier.

"Y-you think I would r-really tell you!" She snarled yet her voice trembled, her eyes melting into a painful gaze now. Shadow blinked and raised a curious brow at her while the crimson hunter stood calm.

"Another trap for X, no doubt." Shadow sighed

"That hunter will die if he even dares to hurt him.." Flair muttered silently to herself, glaring coldly at Shadow. Zero frowned slightly catching what she has said.

"I would rather that you kill me now, It's not like I'm going to tell you anything about Kurama anyways." Flair hissed at the both of them, a certain pain that embedded in her eyes were now forming to small tears.

"I'm not one to argue with that! alright, if you say so then darlin'-"

"Wait!" Zero lifted an arm to motion Shadow back who stood surprised for a bit, then he stepped back and raised a questioning brow at Zero.

"Zeeerrrooo....give me a damn good reason why you dun want me to kill her yet?" Shadow pouted comically as he folded his arms, the two metallic scythes dangling against his hips carelessly. Zero shot him a silent glare then turned his cold gaze back to Flair.

"Who's Kurama?" he asked for the third time now, Flair sat silent. Getting his patients up, Zero activated his beamsaber and took a step forward pointing the saber for her throat as her eyes widen out of fright for a moment but returned back to her cold silent gaze, knowing that the hunter wasn't going to cut her throat just yet.

"Zero, she's not gonna give in, let's just kill her and get going already!" Shadow nudged the crimson's hunter arm lightly then paused and looked around the corrider they were in carefully, forgetting where they were, Shadow blinked a bit surprised at how empty the corriders were.

Flair closed her sapphire eyes then and took a deep breath, Zero glared down at her sternly and patiently waiting for his answer, he had to know who this Kurama was. Shadow then raised his scythes once more slowly but only this time he faced a different direction.

"Uhm....Zero..."

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"Their too close...closer then X.."

Ragnarok hissed slightly, his tone seeming to remain calm. Kurama tilted his silvery head to one side lightly and eyed the two hunters carefully that held Flair captive for now. She was weak but he didn't think she would fall so easily, will she really tell them about himself? Kurama thought idly.

Ragnarok then turned away from the screen, facing Vile who stood calm as well and eyed another screen viewing the maverick hunter Mega Man X in a short battle with Neon Tiger, X successfully killed Sting Chameleon already.

"Useless!" Ragnarok hissed as he noticed the loss of a maverick boss. "If I known he was going to be so useless I wou-"

"Are you going to send Kurama at X or Zero?" Vile interrupted him quickly not in the slightest mood to hear his leader's complaint. Kurama looked to the two and observed their arguement silently.

Ragnarok frowned at Vile for a moment then snorted disdainfully and headed for his seat in the middle of the chambers. "Their both well skilled yet X is who I worry about the most, I want Kurama to end his life but Zero is too close along with that new hunter Shadow. Did you gather any more info on him, Storm?"

Pushing his red cape back with flap, Ragnarok stood calmly and turned his deep red optics to eye Storm Eagle who shook his head slowly.

"No sir, As far as I could tell you about Shadow is that he's the third class unit leader. Lower then X and Zero but higher then the two human maverick hunters." Storm looked down to the floor for a moment in thought, Ragnarok uttered a low growl but remained calm when he looked to Kurama's direction, noticing the fox was playing close attention to their conversation.

"How strong is your You-ki so far, Kitsune?" Ragnarok asked curiously. Kurama shrugged his shoulders causing some of his silver hair strands to slip off.

"I am unsure right now, it seems my powers have doubled when I entered your world... but.." Kurama paused for a moment and turned his golden gaze to Vile who stared back.

"Last time I used my youki, I weakened quickly due to the lack of plant ki and the strength of the ki that killed the reploid soldier yesterday."

"You hardly did much to kill the Soldier, Kurama." Vile noted. "are you saying that when your youki doubled so has the absorbtion of it?"

"Hai." Kurama answered.

"Most interesting." Ragnarok murmered. Sitting back on his seat calmly and stared at the metal table ahead of him that sat a holographic map of the abandon city's sectors. "So then I gesture that you do not use to much ki on the hunter X, his Niaveness shall be no problem for you to kill him."

"His Niaveness??" Vile said unsurely, looking to the small vidscreen where X was beating Neon Tiger badly. "So X is first?"

"I'm betting that when Zero hears X is in trouble, he'll head to his rescue."

"And Shadow?"

"Well...I can't let you and Kurama have all the fun.." Ragnarok smirked amusingly then. Kurama's eyes widen slightly and took a step forward.

"Your gonna fight the hunters too?!"

"Of course, since Shadow is the lastest I wouldn't mind having a shot at the fresh ones." Ragnarok sighed after. "I'm sure you can kill two birds with one stone, hm?"

"But your all still unsure of Shadow's strength, are you able to even defeat him?" Kurama asked quickly, Ragnarok chuckled at the fox's questions.

"I'm not sure to be insulted or to be honored for your doubt on me." Ragnarok grinned more amused. Kurama raised a confused brow. "To be insulted because you doubt my power, or to be honored because somewhere in that cold youko heart of yours, that you care for my safety?"

Kurama blinked at the gesture and stood confused, unsure of why he asked that himself? He hates Ragnarok to the core for bringing him to this ungodly place but he needed him for something, what was it? "uh...I..."

"You have been thinking things over I see." Ragnarok grinned amused still, placing the tip of his fingers together in front of him. "I take it Vile won't answer your wish?"

"It is still on a decision yet a slight consideration on it, Sir." Vile replied to the question, looking to Kurama who turned his gaze down to the floor.

"Really..." Ragnarok droned, his grin melting to a pleased smile as he stared at the map in thought to himself. "Kill X, Kitsune...and you'll get what you want."

"will do." Kurama shuddered slightly at the tone given off Ragnarok, he wasn't sure but something didn't seem right about his 'word', it made him feel to cold.

"And Zero." Ragnarok added.

Kurama took in a sharp breath and nodded slowly, keeping his gaze away from the maverick master. Why did he want him alive again? did he actually want go back home? His schooling is at stake, Shiori is probably worried sick, the Reikai are probably wondering where he is now, Hiei is...is..

"Sir, Neon Tiger's orders are now being put in place!" Storm reported immediatly, noticing the reploid Tiger taking the evuasive action finally to save his life.

"Exellent!" Ragnarok stood up and pushed his cape back from his footing with a loud soft flap. "Vile...you know what to do."

"Right...Let's go Kurama." Vile then started making his way out, Kurama followed calmly without a word. Occupied with his thoughts still, he said his apologies, he tried to make up the mistakes and this is where it took him.

"Don't disappoint me, Kurama..." Ragnarok murmured softly, sensing the fox's attention and knew full well that Kurama would catch it. Noticing him hesitate near the door way for a second then continued to follow Vile.

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"EEYAAHHH!!!!!!"

"Calm down already!!" Shadow growled, raising his voice for Flair to hear above the firepower of plasma shots being thrown at the two hunters and Flair, as they ran through the corrider quickly.

"CALM DOWN!? Your using me as friggen shield!!!!!" Flair Screeched again as a shot went by missing her and Shadow thankfully, she then struggled against Shadows grip and also glaring at the fools shooting them. "How dare they! I am the First officer of the reploid research studies, and they Dare to shoot their Commander?!"

"Who do you think has a higher authority? you or Raganarok!?" Zero replied back and ducked quickly to avoid a shot to his head. Flair frowned at Zero's response.

"He wouldn't order those idiots to shoot me! would he?"

"Puh-lease!! He's Ragnarok! right up there with shmuck Sigma, of course he would!!" Shadow snapped, taking a sharp turn to another corrider as he followed Zero, dashing through the corriders quickly to leave the trouble back there and searching for the power supply still.

Zero then realized that he still has not yet asked Shadow how he got here so fast in the first place? Wasn't he supposed to be helping Lerek and his men out?? The questions soon dissapted when they passed by a metallic poster board that said: 'Level 3' on it. They should be close to the power supply then, hopefully...

That Hunter will die if even dares to hurt him....

Zero couldn't help but think about of what Flair said back there, his concern for X grew as half of him regretted leaving the azure hunter alone, attempting to find Ragnarok by himself like he always does. Could X be in danger?

"Eyagh!!! Ragnarok is going to have my head for this!!" Flair screeched as she noticed the metallic poster board they slipped by quickly, Zero now wondered if they were closer to something else then the power supply?

"Why do you think he's already allowing those 'fools' back there to pick us off in the first place?" Shadow laughed after sensing the feline tense against his armored back. Flair thought for a moment on that, he's sacrificng her to save himself from them or what? Usually she understood Ragnarok's plans but this one she could not yet grasped.

"Hey Shadow! Do you think were closer to Ragnarok's main room instead of the power supply?" Zero asked, as he took a sharp turn to another corrider with Shadow following still.

"I think we might actually beat X at Somethi-Eegh!!" Shadow yelped followed by a muffled clang to the floor. Catching Shadow's yelp, Zero skidded to a stop and turned to see what made the hunter fell.

Flair then hopped to her feet quickly and glanced to Zero for a second before she started running back from the way they came. Shadow groaned as he got up slowly, muttering curses under his breath. "Son of a-"

"She's getting away!" Zero dashed after her quickly, Shadow followed soon after Zero went past him.

Using her reploid animal agility, Flair could quickly escape them but not for long considering they have boosters and she doesn't. Her only means of escape was to head back to the reploid soldiers that Shadow and Zero were running from, but then a thought occured to her...

What if those idiots still had their orders to shoot her? She knows their not that stupid but when it comes down to an 'order' from Ragnarok which is pretty damn hard for them to ignore, so one can never know the possibility. Further of all what if those hunters back there decide to shoot her? hearing the thrust of the hunters boosters she knew they would have no problem catching her unless...

She activated her metallic claws as she eyed a tower of boxes ahead, materials that they were supposed to take along on their evacuation but since the hunters are so close they are useless. She leapt forward and slashed at the metallic cord that held the tower, a loud snap was heard as she leapt again to the other side and watched for the hunters who appeared from around the corner but paused immediatly as they noticed the tower leaning towards them.

"HOLY SHI-!"

"MOVE!!!!"

Zero tackled the navy hunter down back to the corner they just turned from using the wall for a shield to avoid the boxes. A loud crash of the rumbling boxes echoed through the corriders, missing the hunters completely. Flair had lifted one arm to shield her face from any flying shrapnel as small clangs followed the crash. She frowned slightly noticing the hunters turn to the corner for safety yet that gave her enough time to escape.

Zero hopped to his feet quickly as his eyes widen at how many boxes fell, noticing many heavy stuff in them, they would of definiately had been crushed if he hadn't moved Shadow in time. A light groan caught to his attention and looked back at Shadow who got up once more and shook his head slowly.

"Thanks alot Zero, that brings my pride bar down by a notch." Shadow muttered knowing full well that the crimson hunter would catch it. Zero snorted at the response and tossed a bit of his blond hair back.

"I'm not the moron who awed at the Mavericks collection."

"Now she's gonna get it!" Shadow growled as he got to his feet and glared at the mess before them. "That Stupid Bit-"

Zero whapped Shadow upside the head, cutting the hunter off who yelped from the smack. "Ack!! Damnit Zero!"

"Let's move it." Zero took a calm step and peered through the corner slightly.

She turned once more and chuckled amusingly to herself, Ragnarok will not be impressed but she'll know someone who will be.

~"Flair!"~

A loud roar almost caused her to trip, catching her balance quickly she paused for a moment to check her communicater. "M-master Ragnarok?!?"

~"Lead them to the bunker."~

"The bunker, sir?" Flair questioned, she took a glimpse to the corner to check if the hunters were still following her?

~"Take them there Now!"~ Ragnarok roared once more.

"Right away!" Flair said quickly as she heard the lithe impulse of activated thrusters and started to make her way to the bunker.

"It's another damn trap!" Shadow snarled lowly.

"I know.." Zero calmly said, both the hunters continuing their pursuit on Flair. "We still can't let her go though."

"Zero, are you out of your thick headed mind?? She's leading us to a trap now! I think we should just give up and find Ragnarok and the power supply already!!" Shadow then immediatly skidded to a stop, Zero stopped right after Shadow did and looked back to the angry hunter. "Were wasting time like this!"

"Shadow, she's heading where I left X and-"

"Hold it!!" Shadow quickly lifted his palms to silence Zero. "You left X alone over there??"

"He insisted that I go ahead to find the power supply."

"Last time he insisted and said that he was going to be okay when really he's Not going to be okay!" Shadow frowned at the crimson hunter who stood quiet. "Zero, you go ahead and help him. I'll find the power supply on my own."

"Shadow... are you sure?"

Shadow looked back to the other direction and frowned slightly. "Just be careful this time! I'll be okay as long as you two keep Ragnarok busy, you know the routine."

"Yeah, but the change in the routine is what I'm afraid of..." Zero looked ahead to the long corrider Flair went. "Alright then, You be careful as well."

Shadow looked back to Zero and smirked slightly at him. "Don't worry about me." the navy hunter last said before dashing off to the other direction. Zero watched him disappear around the corner before he continued his way to pursue Flair if she's anywhere in sight now that is.

Though something told him already that she was waiting anyhow.....

To Be Continued.......