Chapter 2
Karaoke Night
By Shinotenshi

	The security team pulled the completely numb X back to the 25th floor.  "Just a few more 
inches and I would have had him."  X sobbed.  "He was counting on me.  I let him down."
	"You did all you could, Commander."  Said one of the hunters solemnly.  "It's not your 
fault."  He placed his hand on X's arm. Without another word X stood and walked away.  He walked 
slowly down the stairs.  If he went fast he would surely fall.  After what seamed like forever he 
reached the basement.  The doors of the elevator were blown out from the impact.  Debris littered 
the basement floor.  He numbly approached the rubble.  It was silent.  Very silent.  X fell to 
his knees before the elevator.
	"I'm so sorry, Zero."  He said softly.  He stayed completely motionless for a long time, 
until he felt something touch his helmet.  He looked up and saw an arm sticking out of the 
rubble.  X gasped and fell backwards.  The arm waved pleasantly at him.
	"Hi, X."  Came a voice from inside the shaft.  "Why the long face?"  From a small crack 
between the top of the rubble and the top of the door was Zero looking out at him.
	"ZERO!"  X cried, running to his best friend.  "You're alive!"
	"Help, I've fallen and I can't get out."  Zero said with a small laugh.
	"How?"  X asked.  "No, I don't care how!  You're alive!!"  Tears welled up in his eyes.
	"I slowed my descent by sliding along the wall."  Zero said.  "But I'm stuck in here.  
Can you help dig me out?"
***
	The hole was finally big enough for Zero to slip out.  "Wow, it feels go to be out of 
there."  Zero dusted himself off.
	"Are you really okay?"  X asked.
	"Sure, X."  Zero said.  "A few dents and scratches but no worse for wear."  X wiped the 
tears from his eyes and tossed his arms around his best friend.  Zero frowned in concern.  "Come 
on, X.  I said I was all right.  You don't have to go and get all teary eyed on me."
	"I'm sorry, Zero."  Was all X could manage to say.
	"Let's go drink ourselves into a stupor and forget this day ever happened."  Zero 
suggested.  "What do you say?"
	"I don't know."  Said X, finally letting go of Zero.  "It's karaoke night."
	"After a few drinks, you won't care."  Zero said guiding X towards the stairs.  There at 
the stairs he saw a pair of tear filled stormy blue eyes looking back at him.  "Beta."  He though 
aloud.  He felt a bit of heat in his cheeks as he looked at her.  She smiled gingerly.  He smiled 
back at her.  X had already walked past her.  Zero stopped briefly in front of her and wiped away 
a tear.  "Tears don't suit you."  He said softly as he continued up the stairs following X.  
***
	"Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto."  Sang Dr. Cain off key.  X was in the middle of a drinking 
induced giggle fit.  Zero hadn't even finished off his first drink.  Though, he wanted to forget 
about today, he wasn't in a drinking mood.  He sighed as he watched Cain make a complete fool of 
himself.  The other hunters urged him on.  Cain's singing always sounded better after you've had 
a few drinks.  Being very bored, Zero walked over to the window.  The night was clear, unlike his 
mind.  The slit of a moon was bright against the blackness of the night.  He searched out 
familiar constellations.  He followed the handle of the Big Dipper down to the North Star, but 
there was something blocking his view, or rather, someone.  On a balcony, a few stories up, was 
Beta.
	"It figures."  Zero said.  "I can't escape her."  With her on the balcony was a male 
reploid with auburn hair and golden yellow armor.  Zero caught himself wondering who he was and 
why he was talking to her.  Z clattered over to the window, startling Zero from his thoughts.
	"Just ask her out, already."  X said with a slur.  "It's so obvious that you like her."
	"Like who?"  He leaned his back against the window, refusing to acknowledge Beta was out 
there.
	"Beta."
	"Nonsense."  Said Zero
	"Is it?"  X said.
	"I'll have you know, I have no interest in her or any other romantic wastes of time."  
Zero announced as he returned to their table and quickly finished off the rest of his drink.  
"And, to further crush your theory, she appears to have a boyfriend."  X looked out the window.
	"So you were looking at her."
	"Was not."
	"Were too."  He paused.  "Boyfriend?  You mean that guy?  That's her brother Gamma."  
	"Maybe I was just hoping he was her boyfriend so you'd leave me alone."  Zero said 
quietly.
	"Well, if you don't like her, than I'll ask her out."  X said starting for the door.
	"What?!"  Gasped Zero.
	"What's with the look, Zero?"  X asked, seeing the surprised look on Zero's face.  "You 
said you don't like her.  I do.  So I'll ask her out if you don't want to.  Or were you just 
pretending not to like her for some odd reason?"
	"Of course not."  Said Zero.  "I'm just surprised you'd consider asking her out in your 
state.  You can't walk strait, you can't talk strait.  You're drunk."  X started back to the 
table.
	"I'm not dr-"  His foot caught on a loose floor tile and he tumbled forward.  Zero jumped 
out of his chair and caught X before he hit the ground.  "-unk."  X finished embarrassedly.  
Everyone in the room was now watching X and Zero.  They had been for awhile.  Apparently, they 
were more entertaining than Dr. Cain.  "Don't say it, Zero."  X said as he plopped down in his 
seat.
	"Say what?"  Zero asked.
	"I told you so."
	"I already did."  Zero said with a smirk.
	"No you didn't."  Said X incredulously.
	"Sure I did.  You're just too drunk to remember."  He said walking off.
	"Where are you going?"  X asked.
	"I'm going for a walk.  I need some fresh air."
	"We don't breath, Zero."  X said firmly.  "Do we?"  Zero laughed as the door closed 
behind him.
***
	"You're sure this will work?"  Asked a dark figure.
	"It work.  You trust?"  Replied a bird like reploid.
	"Of course I trust you.  I was just asking."  The dark figure said.  The room was dimly 
lit, giving it a very eerie feel.  The dark figure looked at the device.  It looked like a simple 
flashlight.  "Perfect."  The light's flicked on.  A koala reploid stood in the doorway looking 
surprised to find anyone in the almost lightless room.
	"Night Cat?  Shadow Vulture?"  He said to the cat reploid and the vulture.  "What are you 
doing in here with the lights off?"
	"Nothing that concerns you, Spark Koala."  Said Night Cat.
	"Secret business.  You not know."  Shadow Vulture said.  "It bring down Maverick Hunters. 
Special device."
	"You made a secret device to bring down the Maverick hunters?"  Spark Koala asked.
	"Thank you, big beak."  The feline maverick said.  "Now he knows."
	"Knows what?"  Asked a wolf reploid who was in the hall.
	"Nothing, Fire wolf!"  Said Night Cat in annoyance.
	"Night Cat has some kind of a plan to bring down the Maverick Hunters."  Said Spark 
Koala.
	"Not have plan."  Said Shadow Vulture.  "Have device."
	"Would you shut up!"  Night Cat snapped.  "No one is supposed to know!"
	"You might as well tell us, Catnip."  Fire Wolf said.  "We might be able to help."  Night 
Cat growled in anger.
	"Very well."  He said through clenched teeth.  "The plan is simple.  Even a pup like you, 
Wolf, should be able to understand it."
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