Hunter & Rose: The Epic Journey Part 2

**"Hunter‌ ‌&‌ ‌Rose:‌ ‌The‌ ‌Epic‌ ‌Journey‌ Part 2"** is an episode of the MMC HTF Crossover.

## Plot

### Intro Segment

The Episode Starts With A 70s Style Up Next Card With An Announcer Saying The Following: "Next On GBS 7, Join Hunter Dolbear And Rose Carlson In, Hunter‌ ‌&‌ ‌Rose:‌ ‌The‌ ‌Epic‌ ‌Journey‌ Part 2, The 15th Episode Of Megaman Chronicles X Happy Tree Friends, Next On GBS 7, Celebrating 75 Years In Entertainment For Syracuse And The Central New York Area" (WBDG Started Airing In 1946 As WBWN). The Episode Starts And In The MMC Art Style (Which Is Basically Bfdi Assets) Dallas Clarkson, Sandie Bryant, Tucker, Billy, & Allison Harrison, Rick Black, Ell Stark, Quartz Davidson, Irin Davidson, Jordan McGrath, Angie Browning & Harry Dyke Are Pretty Much Doing Nothing Until Ross McFarland Gets In With Some Old Tapes. Ross States That These Tapes That He Found Are Left Over Presentation Footage Of The Hunters In Their HTF Form, And It's Willing To Show Them To The Rest Of The Hunters. Everyone Agrees As The Tapes Are Popped In. The Tapes Start Out, With A Disclaimer Saying That None Of These Predictions Could Be True, But They're Damn Near Spot On Anyways. The Tape Starts By Showing Footage of The Characters In Their HTF Forms, As Dallas Is Shown As A Coyote, Sandie Is Shown As A Horse, Tucker, Billy And Allison Is Shown As Possums, As Tucker Sarcastically Says "Yep, Heard That Story Before" Quartz & Irin Are Shown As Porcupines, As Quartz Says "Yeah, That Makes Sense" Angie Is Shown As A Lop Rabbit, Jordan McGrath Is Shown As A Lynx And Harry Is Shown As A Wolf. Ross Then States That These Were The Last Tapes Of The Hunters As Of Right Now As He Dismisses The Meeting As We Transition The Black

### In HTF Land

We Then Fade Into The Famous Vortex Like Backdrop With The Series Title With Dream On By Aerosmith(Ment For The TV Release, Youtube Release Will Have Mvci’s X Vs Zero Track [25% Faster And 3 Pitches Higher] Replacing Ethan Maxwell's Demise As Of 2/12/2021). We Then Transfer Into The HTF Dimension, And Brandon's HTF Home, As We See Jared Finishing His Breakfast, And Walks Over To The Bookshelf And Picks Up The Book He Read Last Night (A.K.A. The Epic Adventures Of Hunter And Rose). Brandon Chimes In And Says "Ready To Read More Of That Story?" Jared Then Says "Yeah, I Never Realized This Book Would Be As Long As The Original True Love Never Dies. Anyways, Time For Part Two".
As He Sits On The Couch, Opens The Book Again And We Zoom Into The Book That Was Glowing And It All Fades The Black.

### Chapter 11: Awry Altercations

It Was The Day Before School Started Back Up From Winter Break. Ryan Z The Mail Squirrel, On His Merry Way, Walked Up To Hunter's House, And Knocked On The Door. Hunter Opened It For Him In A Matter Of Seconds.

"I Have A Letter For You, Sir." Hunter Shook His Hand.

"You Shouldn't Be Calling Me That, But Thank You. Have A Nice Evening." He Went Back Inside And Looked At The Letter. Rose Came Down And Pondered It.

"Who's It For?"

"It's Addressed To Both Of Us." Hunter Replied, Looking At The Return Postage. "And It's From School."

"Must Be Our Schedules." Rose Reasoned. "For The Second Semester." Toad Opened The Letter.

"They Are." Rose Tried To Sneak A Peek, But Hunter Wouldn't Let Her. "Now, Let's See How Lucky We Got." He Looked Down. "Oh, No."

"What?"

"We Have Physical Education, First Period. Even Worse, It's With The Most Feared Teacher Ever. Mr. Flippy." He Said The Last Two Words In A Somber Voice. Rose Jumped Back In Surprise.

"Are You Serious? Give Me That!" She Snatched The Letter From His Hands And Read It Herself. Then She Sighed. "Well, We Sure Have It In For Us This Time."

Hunter Nodded. "Let's Hope We Don't Regret It." They Went Upstairs To His Room. Hunter Hung His Schedule Up On The Wall And Got Into His Bed. Rose Climbed Up To The Top Bunk, And Purposefully Hit Him With A Pillow. "Hey!" Hunter Was Giggling As He Got A Pillow Of His Own And Started To Throw Them Up Top, Trying To Hit Her. Rose Took A Blanket From Her Bed And Covered Him With It. He Staggered Backwards And Fell Onto The Bottom Bunk, Laughing At The Spectacle. "Okay, Okay! You Win."

"Finally!"

"Don't Get Too Full Of Yourself! Next Time, You'll Be The One Taking My Place!" Hunter Said, Still Giggling. He Threw The Blanket Back Up To Her. "But, In All Seriousness, We Should Get To Sleep. We Have A Long Day Ahead Of Us."

"Okay." Rose Rested Her Head On The Pillow. "Goodnight, Hunter."

"Good Night."

The Night Passed, Still And Calm, Only Disturbed By The Clock In The Middle Of The Town, Tolling, Signifying The Hours. Soon, The Alarm Was Beeping, Set Much Earlier Than It Had Been In The Past Two Weeks. Beep, Beep, Beep... Hunter Slowly Climbed Out Of Bed, And Turned It Off. Rose Was Still Sleeping Through It. Hunter Put A Pillow On Her Head, And Waited. Eventually, She Woke Up, Throwing The Pillow Off.

"Good Morning." Hunter Said The Same Thing, And They Got Ready For School, Which Took Longer Than Usual. Hunter Checked His Watch.

"We Have Twenty Minutes To Get There. That Should Be Plenty." They Took The Bus In Silence, Unaware That Everyone Was Staring. First Period Came, And The Teacher Was Already Shouting In The Locker Rooms.

"You Guys Get Dressed, And You Leave! Let's Go!" Hunter Was Surprised At The Tone Of His Voice. They Went Out To Roll Call And Were Counted, With Mr. Flippy Saying Mean Things About The People Who Were Absent. "People, Always Trying To Give An Excuse To Be Out Of My Class..." Then, He Came Face To Face With One Student. "One Lap Or Two?" He Played A Game Of Rock, Paper, Scissors With The Student. He Won, And The Students Groaned In Unison. "Two Laps, Around The Blacktop!" His Voice Was Infamous. "Let's Go!" Some Were Straggling Behind, Rose Included. "You Can Run Faster Than That, You Little Shrimp!" Everyone Fell Silent. Hunter Walked Up To Him, Not Caring That Everyone Was Looking On.

"You Will Never Say Those Words Again To A Student!" He Said, Calmly, But Terse.

"Oh, Yeah?" Mr. Flippy Retorted. "Make Me, Shrimp." He Pushed Him Backwards, And Toad Hit The Back Of His Head On The Concrete With A Thud. Everyone Gasped, Trying To Make Sense Of What Was Happening. A Teacher, Bullying A Student? This Was Unheard Of.

"Okay, Okay, Settle Down." Everyone Looked In The Voice's Direction. Principal Lumpy Walked Up, And Motioned For The Two To Come. "I Need Both Of You In My Office, Please." They Followed, Shooting Harsh Looks At Each Other.

### Chapter 12: It's Begins Again

Hunter Walked Into The Office Of Principal Lumpy, The Office That Everyone Feared. I Never Thought I Would Be Here. He Thought, Still Hurting From The Fall.

"Come In, Sit Down," The Principal Said, His White Coat Flowing Behind Him. His Blazer Cap Was Unmistakable, As No One Else Had It. "Right Over Here." They Sat, With Mr. Flippy Is Still Giving Him Dirty Looks. The White Walled Room Was Very Plain, Apart From The Certificates Lumpy Had. The Principal Frowned At Him. "I'm Ashamed, Mr. Flippy. Insulting Our Students Like This Is Unacceptable." Flippy Stammered.

"But... What About Him?" He Questioned, Pointing To Hunter.

"Hunter Isn't Going To Be Detained At All." The Principal Replied.

"But-"

"Ah!" The Principal Hushed Him. "His Actions Were Justified, And Were Minor. Not Everyone Could Do Something Of That Caliber. If Anything, Hunter Should Be Rewarded For His Bravery To Stand Up Like That. If He Didn't, I Would Never Have Seen This Monstrosity Of An Incident." Flippy Fell Silent. "You're A Disgrace. Openly Insulting Two Of Our Finest Students... I Can't Allow It. You've Been Under My Radar For Three Months, But This Is Where I Draw The Line." He Pointed To The Door. "Pack Up Your Stuff. You're Dismissed."

"But, Sir, You Must Have A Reason For-"

"I Already Explained. You're Dismissed, And That's Final. Now Go." Flippy Started To Walk Away, But Turned Back, Stomped Toward Hunter, And Clouted Him In The Face. The Principal Recoiled At The Blow.

"That's For What You've Done, Shrimp." He Walked Out, Steaming. Lumpy Walked Up To Hunter And Put A Hand On His Shoulder.

"You Okay?"

"Yes, Mr. Lumpy. Thanks."

"Do You Want To Know The Reason I Brought You Here?" Hunter Nodded. "It's Because I've Noticed Something. People Have Been Insulting You And Your Girlfriend, Rose, For Days Now."

"You Know She Has A Connection With Me?" Hunter Cried, Blushing.

"Oh, Big Time." The Principal Chuckled. "But Being Insulted For It Is Very Wrong. I've Called The Secretary To Put A Stop To It, But We're Doing All We Can. You Have To Do The Rest. You Know, I Saw The Fight Just Before Winter Break Started. The One With Pierce And His Posse."

"You Did?"

"Yes, I Did. They've All Been Suspended. I Don't Know About You, But I Just Hate When People Rely On Numbers To Torture Other Students."

"I Know!" Hunter Replied. "It's Crazy How Many Bullies Have Resorted To That. But, Mr. Lumpy?"

"Yes, Hunter?"

"You Know What I Always Say About People Like That? That The Reason Bullies Do What They Do Is Because They Can't Find Anything Better To Do With Themselves."

"That's Exactly Right. You Have To Show That You're Stronger Than The Bully, Instead Of Escalating The Situation, To The Point Where It's Incorrigible." He Smiled. "I Know That You're Considered Weak Because Of Your Pacifism, Toad. But You Know The Old Saying. Great Things Come In Packages Of Peace. And Your Determination For World Peace Is What Drives You To Continue To Save The World."

Hunter Giggled. "Nice Analogy."

"Thanks. And I Know What Will Always Cheer You Up In This Kind Of Situation."

"What?"

"A Joke, Of Course! What Do You Get If You Cross A Parrot With A Radio? A Walkie-Talkie!" They Were Both Giggling. "Wait, Wait, Wait. I Got Another One."

"Hit Me."

"A Person Walks Into A Bar. He Tells The Bartender, 'what Do You Do For A Living?' 'why, Tend The Bars, Of Course. With Cleaning Spray!'" Hunter Was Now Laughing.

"I Got One." He Pointed To A Handicapped Person's Placard. "Look At That Stupid Placard. How Does That Pencil Neck Even Support The Guy's Bowling Ball Head? How Handicapped Is This Dude? And How Do We Know That's Not A Place For People With Bean Bag Chairs?" Lumpy Was Slapping His Knees.

"See, My Boy? Laughter Always Gets You Out Of Things.". The Bell Rang For The Second Period, And They Both Got Up. "Just Remember. If You Ever Feel Like Something Is Wrong, Never Hesitate To Talk To Me. We'll Sort It Out."

"Thanks, Mr. Lumpy."

"You're Certainly Welcome. Run Along, Now." Hunter Ran To His Second Period Math Class. He Certainly Has A Lot Of Things On His Shoulders. I'm Very Proud Of Him. The Principal Smiled Once Again As He Lay Back In His Chair, Looking Up.

### Chapter 13: Invasion Of The Black And Red

The Day Was Finally Done, And Hunter Literally Staggered To His Locker From All The Books In His Backpack. He Unloaded Some In His White, Plain Locker, Then Turned And Walked Out.

"Man." He Mumbled To Himself. "The Day After Winter Break Sure Is A Big One.". He Sighed. "I'm Going- No, What Am I Thinking? I'm Waiting For Her." Minutes Passed, With Students Passing Without A Care For Him Or The Actions He Had Done. Rose Walked Up, And They Walked Home, The Wind In Their Faces. She Shivered.

"Man, It Sure Is Cold Today."

"Well, Good Thing I Brought These." Hunter Opened Up His Backpack, Now Lighter, And Took Out Some Windbreakers. He Opened Hers Up First. "You Said Orange And Rose, Right?"

"Oh, Wow!" Rose Exclaimed, As She Put It On. It Was Frilly And Soft In Her Hands. "You Got This For Me?"

"Of Course I Did!" Hunter Smiled, Like It Was Obvious. "Why Would I Not?" He Put His On, Which Was Green And Blue. They Neared His House, Which Was Normal, As Far As They Could Tell.

"I'm Actually Kind Of Worried About This. Last Time We Got Near A House, A Grenade Blew It Up."

"Devious' Vanquished." Hunter Reassured. "Don't Worry About That. Even If Another Villain Comes, We Can Take It." They Entered The House. It Was Quiet. Too Quiet. "Wait. We Left The Heater On, Right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"So Why Is It Off Now?" Hunter Questioned, Pointing To The Controls. The Heater Was No Longer Blowing. In Fact, The Thermostat Itself Was Displaying Nothing At All On Its Screen; It Was Blank. "Do You Think Someone... Broke In?"

"I Don't Know."

"Well, Whatever It Is, We Have To Be Ready. Come On." They Walked Down To The Barren Basement, Where Hunter Kept His Stash Of Weapons. Spider Webs Littered The Shelfs And Lighting. Dust Was Everywhere. He Took Their Specific Sabers, Apex Chips, And Busters From A Shelf. He Gave Rose's Gear To Her, And Together, They Walked Back Upstairs. As They Sneaked Into Huntee's Room, They Heard A Moan Of Some Kind. Then A Mummified Scream.

"Grrraaaww." They Stopped In Their Tracks. The Window Was Right Beside Hunter, With Rose Behind Him, Pistols Armed And Ready To Fire. Suddenly, A Civilian Infected With The Zalgo Virus Staggered Forward, And Hunter Rolled Out Of The Way, Just In Time To See The Scaly Arm Shatter The Glass Window.

### Chapter 14: Battle Of The Dark Descendants

Shots Were Instantly Fired As Hunter Stood Up And Shot Bullets Into The Sky. He Didn't Stop To See Where He Hit, Or If He Hit Anything At All; He Just Turned To The Next Featureless Dark Descendant And Fired At That One Too. That One Civilian Was Accompanied By Many More. Rose Turned To Him, To Come Up With A Strategy.

"Okay, What's The Plan?"

"You Go Long Range Shooting." Hunter Told Her. "Just Keep Firing From The Side. I'll Come In Close And Slice 'em Up. Or You Can Fire Beside Them, As A Distraction."

"Sounds Good. Let's Go." They Launched Into The Horde Of Dark Descendants, Advancing Into The House. Hunter Counted The Slices He Made As He Cut The Zombies Into Pieces.

"Ten, Eleven, Twelve..."

"Why Are You Counting?" Rose Asked.

"To See How Big This 'attack' Really Is, And To See If We Can Take More." Hunter Replied, Indifferent. "Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three..." Dark Descendants Were Pouring In, Hitting Him In The Shoulders And Back, But Hunter Stood His Ground And Kept Slicing. His Sword Was Dark Red From All The Blood. One Apparition Tried To Sneak Up With A Knife.

"Watch Out!"

"I Have Him!" Hunter Grabbed The Zombie's Arm, Wrenched The Knife From Its Hand, And Hurled The Body Into The Fray. The Move Was Unexpected, And Several More Baddies Were Knocked Down. Hunter Brandished The Knife In His Other Hand.

"Double The Weaponry, Double The Carnage! Take This!" He Let Out A Battle Cry As He Ran Into The Bustling Mass, Slicing The Zalgo Infected Civilians Like Nothing. Rose Kept Firing, Slow, But Steady As She Shot The Stragglers In The Head. As The Fight Wore On, She Put The Pistol Back, Grabbed Her Sword, And Went In With Him. Their Blades Started To Become Easier To Maneuver, And Started Increasing In Power. Hunter Noticed, And Began To Slice Faster. The Dark Descendants Never Had A Chance. They Forced The Civilians Back To The Window, And They Eventually Stopped Coming. The Bout Was Finally Over. Their Room Was Coated With Blood Where The Window Was, But Otherwise Unscathed; The Beds Were Still Made Without A Wrinkle In Sight.

"How Many Were There?"

"More Than A Hundred, Easy. Probably Close To 250. But, Seriously, That Was Nothing." Rose Giggled At This.

"Of Course, With You Doing All The Slicing."

"Hey, If You Hadn't Shot The Ones Coming In, I Would Have Been Done For. Speaking Of, How Many Bullets Do You Have?" Rose Counted.

"I Have Ten Clips."

"So With Ten Per Clip, That's One Hundred. Should We Stock Up?"

"Yeah, I Think So. We Never Know What's Coming." They Stocked Up Again, Quickly. As They Came Back, An Evil Laugh Filled The Room. "That's Not Devious, Is It?"

"No, Rose." Hunter Replied, Darkly. "It's Something Worse..."

### Chapter 15: Challenge Of Xeba

A A Black Beam Of Darkness Beams Down From The Sky, With A Figure Laughing Heinously. The Two Hunters Stepped Back, Knowing Who It Was.

"Xeba! What Are You Doing Here?" Hunter Cried Out.

"What Am I Doing?" He Laughed. "You Should See What Your Lovely City Is Doing." He Pointed Out The Window.

"Oh, No..." Rose Looked Out, Only To See The Civilians With Black Eyes, Red Pupils, Black Fluid From The Eyes, Lifeless & Evil.

"What Have You Done To Them?" Hunter Snapped.

"Oh, Nothing." Xeba Twiddled His Thumbs. "Except Possessing Every Maverick Hunter City Citizen! You See, I'm The One Who Sent Those Dark Descendants To Rush You Guys In The First Place. All I Have Left Is You Two, And Then..." He Laughed Once More. "Then, I'll Be Taking Over This City, The World & Then The Universe!" Rose Stepped Back Even Further, In Fear. Hunter Stood There. "I'll Be Taking Her, Thank You."

"No Way! You'll Have To Get Through Me First!"

"Oh, My." Xeba Scowled. "How Foolish." He Shot A Ball Of Dark Energy At Hunter, Which He Tried To Repel. It Eventually Was Too Powerful, And Slammed Him To The Ground. "See? You're Simply A Target To Me. A Target Which I Will Succeed In Shooting." He Took Rose, Crying, And Flew Just Outside The Window. "I'll Let You Have A Chance. If You Can Get Past All My Guards Without Being Utterly Destroyed, I'll Think About Releasing Your Precious Someone. If Not, Then The World Is Dead To You. You Won't Have Any Help. All You Have Is Yourself. Good Luck! Nyahahahahahahaha!"

"Don't Give Up, Hunter." Rose's Last Words Were An Inspiration, Before She Was Whisked Away.

Hunter Teleported Away, Leaving A Trail Of Black Smoke. Hunter Was Crushed By Letting Her Be Kidnapped, Again. He Collapsed To The Ground. No. What Am I Doing? Hunter, Be Strong. You Can Fight Back! He Stood Up, Brandishing His Sword. He Jumped Out The Window, Landed On The Floor, And Began The Trek To Xeba's New Fortress Which Was Formerly The Htf Version Of Maverick Hunter Society, The Sky A Menacing Black. Lightning Flashed Grievously, Letting Him Know He Was In For The Fight Of His Life.

### Chapter 16: Courtyard Of Chaos

Rose Struggled Against The Ropes Binding Her To The Wall. What Was Formerly The Htf Version Of The Maverick Hunter Society Main Building Was In Ruin, The Paint Peeling Off The Walls. Xeba Paced The Room, Waiting For A Dark, Black Serum To Finish.

"You See Rose, I'm Going To Put You Under A Situation. A Simulation Of Some Kind. You'll Lose All The Memories You Have With Him, And You'll Think He's Your Enemy! Two Birds With One Stone, Huh?"

"Stop This! He's None Of Your Concern!"

"Oh, Please." Xeba Chuckled. "He's Everything Of My Concern, Mind You, Since You Guys Are The Only Two That Have Not Been Under My Control. And Blasted Hunter Just Can't Take It In! I've Tried Three Times, But It Looks Like He Isn't Affected!". He Screeched In Rage. "Well, Whatever!" The Serum Was Done, And Xeba Took Out A Needle. "I'll Put You Under The Strongest Dark Descendant Potion Possible. If He Can't Be Put Under My Control, Then Perhaps I'll Destroy Him This Way."

"You'll Never Take Him, You Hear Me?" Rose Screamed At Him, Shaking The Ropes. "Never!"

"Well, Even If That's True, I'll Certainly Be Taking You. Sweet Dreams, Rose." Xeba Chuckled Mischievously As He Poked Rose In The Arm With The Needle.

The Rain Was Coming Down In Sheets As Hunter Came Close To The Castle Door. Mhs Members Were Walking, Pacing The Courtyard As They Usually Did. Working For Xeba, Though, Changed The Mood Entirely.

Okay. I Know They Were Put Under A Spell Of Some Kind. Hunter Thought To Himself. Maybe If I Don't Kill Them, But Rather Injure Them, Then Maybe Talk Some Sense Into Them Believing It's All A Game... The Courtyard Was Also Broken, The Statues Replaced With Xeba's Statues. The Courtyard Guards Saw Hunter, And Rushed Toward Him Yelling. This Time, He Didn't Pull Out A Weapon Of Any Sort. Instead, He Swiftly Kicked Them In The Faces, Knocking Each Of Them To The Ground. Then He Walked Up By Them, And Calmly Told Them The Truth Of Their Evil Ways.

"Listen To Me, Guys. This Is All In Your Head. The Things You Guys Have Been Doing, It's All A Dream. Something Is Controlling You. Fight The Simulation. The Maverick Hunter City Is In Danger." Hunter Stepped Back, And Waited. After A Few Seconds, The Guards Slowly Regained Their Red And White Colors, And Opened Their Eyes.

"Wow. What Happened?" One Of The Guards Inquired. He Looked Around, A Grievous Expression On His Face. This Was Austin Carlson, The Main Man At Mhs "This Is Bad. We Have To Warn Molly, Guys!"

"No." Hunter Put A Hand On His Shoulder, Stopping Him. "Molly Is Of No Use To You." The Guard Swirled Around, Saw Hunter, And Jumped Back.

"Hunter? What Are You Doing Here? How Come You Aren't..." He Looked Around, And Struggled For The Right Word. "Zombified?"

"That Is Of No Concern, Either. Listen." The Troop Of Ten Guards Consisting Of Austin, Alexander, Xavier, Ryan Dolbear, Alexis, Ryan Shafer, Trevor, Carina, Jordan, & Cheyenne Wilson Came In, Like A Huddle At A Football Game. "Xeba Has Returned Again. He Has Possessed Everyone In The Maverick Hunter City. I Want You Guys To Guard The Entrance To The Best Of Your Abilities. I'll Go Into Mhs Hq And See If We Can Stop This. Understand?"

"Yes, Sir!" The Hunters Answered, Resounding. Hunter Smiled At Them.

"Now, Go Show Them What You're Made Of!" They Ran To The Entrance, And Immediately Started To Shoot The Dark Descendants, Like A Shooting Gallery. Hunter Looked At Them For A Second. "Wait! Hold Your Fire!" The Hunters Stopped. "Which One Of You Is The Highest Ranking Officer Right Now?" The Toads Looked At Their Badges For A Second, Then The 1st Lieutenant, Xavier Barrington, Despite Having Nubs For Hands, Stepped Up.

"That Would Be Me, Captain."

"Then I Want You To Come With Me."

"Are You Sure, Sir?"

"I've Never Been More Certain. I Need An Accomplice."

"Then..." He Bowed To Hunter. "It's An Honor To Assist You." The Nine Hunters Continued With Their Shooting. They Both Turned And Started Into The Fiery Fortress

### Chapter 17: A Hunter's Peril

Molly Was Turning Into A Dark Descendant As She Was Possessed By Xeba. She Took Out Her Pistols, Two Of Them, And Stepped Out Into The Hallways, An Evil Smile On Her Face. The Two Hunters Didn't Know Of This As They Walked Down The Gilded Pathways, Not Sure What To Expect. Out Of Nowhere, A Flash Came From The Other Side. The Bang Was So Loud, It Hurt Their Ears. Hunter Shot, Blindly, To Where The Spark Came From. The Bullet Missed, And Shattered The Window Behind Her. Molly Shot Again, This Time From Both Of Her Firearms. One Bullet Slammed Into The Wall. The Other Hit Xavier In His Nub That He Was Using The Fire Shots.

"Gah!" Xavier Fell To The Ground, Blood Seeping From His Wound. His Pistol Clattered To The Floor. He Spoke, Wearily. "I Think That... Was Molly..."

"You Stay Here. Whatever You Do, Don't Get Up!" Hunter Tried To Be Reassuring, But All He Heard Was A Sense Of Arrogance In His Voice.

"Yes... Sir..." Hunter Ran Down The Hallway, Shooting From His Pistol. The Bullets All Failed To Hit His Target. He Put The Pistol Back, And Took Out His Blood Covered Blade Instead. Molly Fired The Bullet Right On Course With His Face. Hunter Held The Sword In Front Of Him, And The Blade Blocked The Round, Ricocheting Off It With A Soft Ping.

He Twirled The Sword In His Hand, And Slashed The Gun, Knocking It Out Of Her Hand. She Resorted To Melee, Throwing A Hook And Slamming Him In The Side Of His Face. Hunter Staggered Backwards, But Remained Standing. He Threw A Rising Elbow To Her Jaw, Hard. He Watched The Light Leave Her Eyes, And The Blow Threw Her Into The Wall. She Stood Up, Her Normal Colors Returning, And Blinked.

"What... Happened? And Why Am I Covered In..." She Looked Down At Her Dress, Now Covered In Her Own Blood. Then She Looked At Hunter, Her Eyes Wide. "You Did This To Me?"

"I Had To." Hunter Defended. "Else, You Would Have Never Woken Up From That Simulation."

"Wait A Minute." She Pieced It All Together. "I Was Fighting You?"

"Yep. And Xeba Has Risen Again. He's Possessed Everyone. He Possessed You, Molly."

"So That's Why... What About The Guards?"

"They Were, Too, Before I Got Rid Of Their Prison. They're Out There, Fighting. And, One Of Them Is Almost Dead Right Now, Thanks To Xeba." He Pointed Across The Hallway. "You Supposedly Shot Him." Molly Ran Over, Picking Xavier Up. His Eyes Were Closed, But His Chest Was Still Rising And Falling; He Was Still Breathing.

"Hunter..." He Said The Word, Weakly. Hunter Came Over. "Do Me A Favor... Ruin Him For Me." He Pointed Up To The Ceiling. Hunter Smiled At Him.

"Don't Worry. I Will. Trust Me." Hunter's Fists Clenched So Tightly, His Knuckles Turned White. "I'll Give Him A Beat Down He'll Never Forget!" Molly Smiled, And Put A Hand On His Shoulder.

"Now That's The Hunter I Know."

"Now, You Guys Stay Here. Molly, Keep An Eye On Him. I'll Go Further Up." He Rushed Out, Climbing Further Upwards.

"Good Luck!" Those Were The Last Words Heard By Him Before His Outline Faded Away.

### Chapter 18: Heroic Heist

From Hunter Prospective For The Next Three Chapters

The Wind And Rain Were In My Face As I Stepped Out Onto The Rooftop. Guards Were Everywhere, Glowing A Sickly Black. They Used To Be My Friends. Now They Were Just Targets. I Came Up To One From Behind, And Smacked Him In The Back Of The Head With My Pistol. He Slumped To The Ground, Unconscious. The Others, At Least Ten, Charged At Me. I Have Never Been Confronted By An Army Of This Many, Alone. My Combat Abilities Were Limited. As They Came To Me, I Hid Behind The Door And Slammed It Into Their Faces. This Took Out Two Of Them, Returning Them To Their Original State. I Ushered Them Behind The Door, And Came Out, Firing On All Cylinders.

The Rounds Hit Six Of Them In The Head, Knocking Them Down. There Were Just Four Left, But They Were The Most Experienced Out Of Them All. They All Fired In Different Directions. I Whipped My Sword Out And Barely Directed One Off Course, The Bullet Whizzing Millimeters From My Face. Then I Rolled Backward To Dodge The Other Three. The Rounds Plowed Into The Wall, Spraying Pieces Of Brick Everywhere. They Shouted, In A Language I Couldn't Understand, And Pinned Me To The Ground. One Stood Up, And Had Me At Gun Point. I Thought I Was Finished.

Suddenly, Xavier From Earlier, The One That Almost Died, Ran In And Shot The Guards Pinning Me Down. I Scrambled To My Feet. The One That Had Me Down Fired As Well, But The Bullet Whiffed Harmlessly. I Elbowed Him In The Face, And Threw Him Over The Railing, Watching Him Until He Was Just A Speck. I Turned To Xavier, Grateful.

"I Seriously Owe You. Big Time."

"Nah." He Told Me, Nonchalantly. "I Have Bigger Things To Worry About. They're Coming!"

"What's Coming?" I Said, Just Before A Dark Descendant Broke Down The Door And Walked Toward Us. His Red Shirt And Brown Quills Looked Familiar, Eerily Familiar. He Did Not Hold Any Weapon, But He Looked Just As Intimidating, His Eyes Fixed On Me, Like He Wanted To Kill Me Instead Of My Accomplice. He Charged Up His Fireshot, The Flames Spiraling Out. I Braced For Impact. Then A Voice Spoke Up. Not One Of Us, But From Someone Else.

"Bro, Stop!"

I Looked On, Bewildered. Ailisa Grabbed Her Brother's Shoulder And Pulled Him Back. Possessed Jared Turned Around And Fired His Fireshot. It Landed On His Sister And Spread Out, Engulfing Them Both In The Flames. The Walls Caved In, Encasing Them In Rubble. We Were Looking Away After That. When The Smoke Finally Cleared, Jared Was Back To His Normal, Heroic Self. Ailisa Wasn't So Lucky. Her Attire Was Torn. Her Hair & Quills Were Partially Burned. She Was Tattered, And Slowly Managed To Get Up From The Crash.

"What Happened To Me, Sis?" Jared Asked Her.

"I Don't Know, But It Sure Wasn't Good. Xeba Is Back!"

While They Were Busy Talking, I Stood And Walked To The Spire.

"Where Are You Going?" Xavier Asked Me.

"With All Due Respect, Sir..." I Kneeled Down, So His Eyes Met Mine. "I'm Finishing This Fight."

### Chapter 19: Showdown Of Darkness

Rose Came Out Of The Spire's Control Room, And Walked Towards Me. I Shivered And Stepped Back. I Can't Fight Against Her. I Just Can't. The Thought Of It Sickened Me. It Was A Battle Of Equals. But Worst Of All, I Knew I Couldn't Beat Her. I Would Have To Destroy The Simulation Another Way.

"Drop Your Weapon." I Put My Sword And My Pistol Beside Me.

"Drop Your Weapon!" She Said, Louder.

"I Did." I Just Couldn't Bring Myself To Raise My Voice At Her. She Is In There Somewhere. Rose Started Towards Me, Her Strides Dangerous And Powerful. I Picked Up My Gun Again, And Held It At Her.

She Is In There Somewhere.

"Rose, It's Just A Simulation. You Can Do It." I Held The Firearm So Tight, It And Both My Arms Quivered. "See Me, Roae! Please!" I Was Pathetic, Pleading Now. She Came Up To Me And Tried To Punch Me, But I Stepped To The Side And Took Her Pistol, Too. I Tried To Clout Her With The Pistols, But She Grabbed My Arm And Slammed Me Into The Spire Itself. She Tried To Grab Both Of The Firearms. I Moved One Away, But She Got The Other One And Held It To My Chest. I Held Mine Against Her Head, Not Daring To Fire, But Just To Prevent Her From Shooting Me. We Were At Each Other's Throats. She Was There.

"Rose." I Said, Stronger This Time. "It's Just A Game. This Isn't You. You Can Break Out Of This. I Know You Can." I Reached Out To Her Chest, Warm And Soft. At Least Her Heartbeat Was Still Hers. I Remembered A Saying I Used In Training To Become A Castle Guard.

Sometimes, The Bravest Option Is The Only Option.

I Hesitated. We Stood There, In The Rain, For Minutes. Neither Of Us Moved, Our Eyes Were Fixed On Each Other. The Air Was Cool Against My Skin. Then, I Finally Decided. I Put My Pistol To The Ground. Shoot Me Instead. Rose Put The Barrel Against My Forehead, Cold And Clammy. My Hand Was Still On Her Chest. Her Heartbeat Was Half As Fast As Mine. Maybe This Was A Dream. Maybe The Bullet Would Fire, I Would Wake Up, And I Would Find Myself In Another World. I Was Never Going To Shoot Her, Anyway. The Bullet Clicked Into The Chamber. There Was A Flash In Her Eyes, A Twinkle.

Could I Be Forgiven For All I've Done, All The People I Killed To Get Here? I Don't Know. I Would Have To Let Her Decide.

### Chapter 20: Reunion

The Shot Doesn't Come. Why Doesn't She Shoot Me? She Stares At Me With The Same Ferocity, But Doesn't Move. She's Mine, And Mine Alone. She Can Fight This. I Still Feel Her Heartbeat Against My Hand. Is It Me, Or Is Her Heartbeat Getting Faster? The Gun Was Pulled Away, Then Dropped To The Ground. I Kicked It Aside, Almost Under The Railing. Her Eyes Twinkled Again. I Never Thought I Would See Them Twinkle Like That Again.

"Rose, It's Me." Her Eyes Returned To Normal And She Pressed Me To The Spire, The Rain On Her Face. For A Second, I Thought She Was Going To Destroy Me, In A Crueler Way.

"Hunter." She Said, And It's Her Again. She Giggled, The Same Giggle I Hear From Her Every Time We Meet, And Held Me Closer. I Was Astounded At Her Perseverance.

"How Did You Do It?"

"I Heard A Little Voice Calling Out To Me." She Chuckled Again. "So I Thought It Must Be You. Why Didn't You Shoot Me?"

"Is That Even A Question? That Would Have Been Like Shooting Myself."

"Aw, Hunter, You're So Sweet."

"Well, I Must Say... You're Pretty Smart For Such A Cute Little Thing." I Was Instantly Guilty For Saying That, And Tried To Take It Back, Starting To Pull Away. "But Seriously, Face It. I'm Not Tough. I'm Not Pretty. I-". Rose Was Giggling As She Pulled Me In.

"Okay, You're Not Pretty. So? I Like How You Look. You're Smart. You're Brave. And You're The One Who Saved Me, Here. What's Not To Like About You?" I Was Astonished That She Said That About Me. No One Compliments Me Very Much At All, Really.

"Well, Everything." I Motioned To The City Beneath Us. "As Far As They're Concerned."

"But I Don't Really Care About Their Opinions, Hunter. All I Care About Is Your Opinion Of Me."

"Exactly. And, Let Me Tell You, My Opinion Is The Polar Opposite Of What Those Silly Neener Heads Think. One Day, Reason Is Going To Come Up And Slap Them In The Faces."

"Maybe They Were Cut Out For Devious, Hunter, Because They're Terrible Liars." I Don't Care That Maybe Someone Is Looking On, I Don't Care That Xeba Could Break This Up, I Don't Care, I Don't Care, I Don't Care. Rose Put Her Hands Beneath My Vest, Clutching The Fabric And Pulling It Upwards. I Could Sense What She Was About To Do. I Felt Myself Pushing Her Out Again.

"No." I Told Her. "Not Yet. Not Like This." I Straightened My Coat To Its Original Position. She Smiled At Me. "We Can Do All That Later."

"I Knew You Would Say That, You Little Rascal!" She Pinned Me Down. "Come Here, You!" Just Like That, We Were Kids Again, Rolling On The Floor, Laughing And Playing. Eventually, I Stood Up.

"I Hate To Say This, But We Still Have Some Business To Take Care Of."

"Right." She Brandished Her Sword. "We Don't Need Guns Anymore, Do We?"

"Nope. Like Xeba Said, All We Have Is Ourselves. And That Could Be The Most Helpful Restriction Ever." I Held My Sword Tightly, In The Hopes Of Giving It More Power, Like It Did When The Dark Descendants Came. Then I Felt Myself Dropping It, Running Towards Her, And Kissing Her On The Forehead. I Wasn't Blushing This Time. She Turned Us Around And Kissed Me On The Lips. This Was Better Than Happy Tree Hill Already. I Don't Know Why. It Just Was! She Pulled Away After A Full Thirty Seconds.

"That Was Fun."

"You Think? Most Girls Would Have Fun Being In Close Quarters With A Guy Every Once In A While." We Both Laughed At This. "Now-" I Picked Up My Sword Again, And Brandished It To The Sky. "Time To Give This Little Villain What For!"

Suddenly, I Heard Cheering. Wait, Cheering? How Is That Possible? They're Dark Descendants, Right? Well, I Was Proved Wrong, As I Looked Down And Saw The Citizens Return To Normal, Hearing Shouts Of Approval Being Sent Up To The Top. I Waved To Them, Fueling Their Enthusiasm. I Turned To Her. "We Must Have Broken The Simulation Somehow." Rose Smiled At Me, And Led Me To The Control Room. There, Banks Of Computers Lined The Walls, With A Black Fire In The Middle Of It All. I Pointed My Sword At Him.

"Xeba." He Turned Around, Saw Rose Back To Normal, And Screeched In Disbelief.

"What The- Impossible! This Is Madness! Oh, Fine! No Matter." He Flew Up. "It's Time To End This! Be Prepared To Lose!"

"Come At Me!" Rose Put A Hand On My Shoulder, And Corrected Me. "Come At Us."

### Chapter 21: The Final Fight To The Finish

Their Swords Were Glowing Again As The Two Hunters And Xeba Rose To The Sky. There, A Square Battlefield, Plain Blue With Walls On All Sides, Floated In Midair. When They Landed, Xeba Instantly Fired An Energy Sphere. Rose Rolled Out Of The Way, Causing The Sphere To Slam Into The Wall. The Villain Fired More Spheres, But They All Were Met With The Same Fate. The Hunters Were Just Too Fast.

"Hmm. So You Guys Are Worthy Of Dueling Me. Then I'll Be All The More Satisfied When I Defeat You!" He Grabbed Hunter And Tried To Throw Him Over The Edge, But He Grabbed The Railing And Pulled Himself Back. Rose Took Out Her Sword And Started Slicing Xeba. The Sword Was Now Glowing A Steady White. Light Pierced Into The Spirit, Blinding Him Momentarily. Toad Rushed In And Joined Her. But Xeba Wasn't Going Down. He Shot An Energy Wave, And It Spread Out, Knocking Them Both Back. Then He Fired Some Lasers At The Ground, Cutting A Circular Hole In The Battlefield. Hunter Leapt Over It And Stabbed Xeba In The Head. He Withdrew In Pain.

"Gah! Okay. You've Had Your Fun! Now Face My Wrath! Nyahahahahaha!"

His Hue Changed From Brown To A Grisly Black, And He Now Had Spikes Jutting Out Of His Spiritual Arms. He Slammed Hunter Into The Wall With One Of Them. He Did The Same With Rose. They Both Were Next To Each Other, Tired.

"See? No One Commands Xeba! No One! Prepare To Meet Your Fate!" He Set To Work Charging Up A Dark Laser To Envelop Them. As It Grew Bigger, Hunter Turned To Rose And Put His Sword Up, In A Gesture Of Heroism. Rose Did The Same, And All Of A Sudden, The Intersection Of Their Swords Started Shining Intensely. Their Own Attack Was Forming. Xeba Sputtered.

"Inconceivable! How Did You Manage To Get Your Hands On The Swords Of Seven Angels? They Would Never Choose You As Their Wielders! You Two Aren't The Heroes!"

"That's What Happens When You Put Us In Close Range Of Each Other, Xeba. Maybe You Should Go Back To School And Study Up." Rose Spit Back. The Lasers Were Charged And Ready. "On Three, Okay?"

"Okay." Hunter Agreed With Her, And They Stood Up. "One..." Xeba Supplied The Next Number.

"Two..."

"Three!" They All Said It Together, Resonating Throughout The Entire Battlefield. The Lasers Fired And Hit Each Other, Fighting With Each Other. This Was A Battle Of Whose Willpower Was Stronger; The Force Of Peace Or Evil. They All Let Out Their Respective Battle Cries, Straining To Force The Other Into Submission.

"This Is For Maverick Hunter City!". Hunter Put His Foot Back, And Put All His Power Into The Charge. The White Laser Slowly Overcame The Purple One, And Xeba Was Trying To Hold On. Hunter Came Up, Leapt To His Face, And Started Slashing Him Over And Over And Over. Xeba's Colors Slowly Faded With Every Hit, Turning From A Deadly Black To Blue. When The Blue Spirit Faced Hunter, He Stopped Slicing And Let Antasma Fall To The Floor.

"If You Don't Want To Die," He Said, Coldly, "Then Leave. Leave And Never Return To This Land Again!"

"Never!"

"Fine, Then." Hunter Put His Sword Up, Ready To Deliver The Final Blow. "Have It Your Way. You've Been Defeated By The Power Of Love, Xeba." He Grimaced. "How Embarrassing." The Sword Glowed In The Darkness, And He Threw The Blade Into The Spirit. A Roar Of Anguish Escaped Xeb As He Was Defeated Once Again. The Black Fire Vanished, And The Clouds, Once Black, Returned To A Silky White. The Sky Turned Blue Again, And They Could Hear The Distant, But Audible, Celebrations.

### Chapter 22: Returner's Remorse

The Battlefield Slowly Lowered To The Ground, The Shouts Getting Louder As It Went. Everyone They Knew Was There: Zoe, Molly, Alisia, Even The Famed Hero, Jared. And They All Were Applauding. They're Clapping For Us. Hunter Thought. They Think We're Heroes. When The Platform Was Fully Lowered, The Crowd Moved Towards Them, Shouting In Approval, Congratulating Them. They Were Lifted Up Off Their Feet, And Carried Down To The Main Floor Of The Castle. Fireworks Were Lighting Up The Sky. When They Were At The Courtyard, Hunter Wore A Somber Expression. He Thrust His Sword Up Into The Air.

"This Was A War." Everyone Fell Silent. "A War Well Fought. Xeba Bombarded Us With His Biggest Force Yet. But We Managed To Pull It Off. We Managed To Banish Him From This Land." Everyone Erupted In Applause. "However!" More Silence. "This Victory Is Not Without A Cost. That Cost Was Hundreds Of Civilians, All Taken From Our Fair City And Thrust Into The Land Of Death. These Lives Shall Not Go Without Respite. Funerals Are In Order. So, If You Want To Pay Your Respects To These Fair Citizens, Meet At The Graveyard At Midnight. That Is All." He Walked Away, To No Applause This Time. Rose Walked After Him, Watching His Head Hang Down.

"Hunter, What's Wrong?"

"I Just..." He Sat Down, In The Middle Of The Hallway. "I'm Just Mad At Myself. For All The People I've Killed."

"You Shouldn't Be. You Did It For The Right Reasons."

"Yeah, But Knowing That Those Innocent People Have To Have Their Lives Taken By Xeba, And Then Shot By Me... I've Never Killed This Many People At Once, Rose, Let Alone This Many Civilians. If You Were In My Shoes, You Would Know. It's A Case Of Remorse." He Sighed.

"Hey, Hunter." Toad Looked Back, To See Jared Walking Over. "What's The Matter?" He Explained The Details. "Yeah, I Get It. Sometimes Being The Hero Isn't All It's Cracked Up To Be. I've Been Through This Many Times Before. I Mean, This Isn't Your First Rodeo Being In My Place. You Can Either Risk Everything, Or Stand Down And Surrender. Risk Versus Reward. That's How Things Work These Days.". He Looked Up. "And, Trust Me, I've Chosen The Wrong Path Dozens Of Times, And I Wasn't Happy About It. I Felt Like I Shouldn't Have Killed The People That I Did, Like I Wasn't A Good Hero. But, In Times Like This, You Just Have To Take It Like A Man. Let Go Of The Weights On Your Shoulders. Who Was Possessing The People That You Killed, Hunter?"

"Xeba Was."

"Right. So, Basically, It Was Him That Killed The Civilians, Not You. It's Not Your Fault, Hunter. The Problem Is Only As Difficult As You Make It. You're A Soldier, Hunter. A Soldier Worth The Wait. You've Really Taken Your Time To Reveal Yourself. And That's Good. I Took My Time, Too. I Was Scared Of My First Journey To Wridewright's Castle. Did You Know That?"

"No, I Didn't. And There Were Times When I Felt Like I Wasn't Going To Make It. Like My Fight With Her." He Pointed To Rose. "I Mean, I Put Myself At Gunpoint. How Is That Not Scary?"

"You Put Yourself At Gunpoint?" Jared Repeated, Bewildered. "Stop Being Silly!"

"It's True." Rose Chimed In. "Really, I Put The Pistol In His Face, But He's The One Who Gave It To Me."

"That's Unbelievable." Jared Put A Hand On His Lap. "I Would Never Do That At Your Age. That's Very Brave Of You."

"Why, Thank You, Jared. But You Know The Old Saying, A Hunter's Power Doesn't Grow Out Of Trees, It Takes Time To Make It Yours. And Besides, Your Girlfriend Molly It's A Little Too Much For You!" Hunter Laughed At His Own Joke, And Pretty Soon, Everyone Was Laughing. "But, Seriously, Thanks."

"I Have No Need To Be Thanked. You're The One To Be Thanked. You Saved Us, Hunter. You Saved Us All.". And With That, Jared Walked Up To The Balcony And Jumped Off. Rose Turned To Hunter, Smiling.

"I Knew There Was A Reason For Our Friendship, Hunter.". He Smiled Back.

"Come On. Let's Go Home. I Want To Get Away From All This."

### Chapter 23: Through The Fire And Flames, We Carry On

Hunter Led Rose Into His House, Now Fixed. It Was Now Dark Out, And The Two Decided They Should Call It A Day. It Had Been Very Tiring, But The Celebrations Had Lifted Their Spirits.

"I Seriously Don't Know What Just Happened."

"We Were Dubbed Heroes, That's What Happened." Rose Smiled At Him.

"Well, Too Bad It'll All Be Sullied At Midnight Tomorrow." Hunter Walked To His Bed, With A Sense Of Melancholy. "I Feel Bad For Those Poor People Still."

"Oh, Don't Worry About It! It's Not Your Fault!"

"Thanks For Trying To Cheer Me Up, Rose.". He Smiled Back. "In Fact, I Think You Already Have." They Did Their Nightly Routine, And Got Out Of The Restrooms At The Same Time. Hunter Was Wearing All Green With A Little Bit Of Blue, And Rose All Orange, With A Little Rose. Then, Out Of Nowhere, Rose Asked Him Something.

"Can I Sleep With You Today? Like, Next To You?" Hunter Hesitated To Answer.

"Why Do You Ask?"

"Oh, I Don't Know. You'll Probably Say No, Anyway."

"That's Not True! You Certainly Can!"

"Yay!" Rose Danced Around. "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!" She Tackled Hunter Down To The Mattress.

"Hey! Get Off Of Me!" Hunter Cried Out, Laughing All The While. He Pushed Her Off. "No, Seriously, We Really Should Get To Bed. We Have Quite The Day For Us Tomorrow."

"Yeah. Good Thing I'll Be With You This Time!" She Climbed Onto The Bed With Hunter, And They Both Shuffled Under The Covers At The Same Time. "I've Always Wanted To Do This."

"Many People Have."

"I Was Worried You'd Reject Me, Thinking I Was Trying To... Oh, You Know."

"Nope." Hunter Pretended To Put On Some Make-Believe Sunglasses. "We're Too Cool For That. We're On Top Of The Hill, Not Over It." Rose Laughed At This, And Turned Off The Lights. Only The Streetlights Remained, Faintly Illuminating Them And Their Immediate Surroundings. Rose Imitated Some Skrillex, As She Said The Words.

"Killing The Lights. Like Skrillex.". She Attempted To Say The Next Part Quietly. "Call 911, Now!"

"Yeah, We Have Some Hunter's On Fire Over Here!" They Both Laughed At Each Other's Antics. Rose Couldn't Stop Blinking. "Thinking This Is All A Dream Again, Huh?"

"Yep." She Moved In Closer. "But We Know It Isn't. I Still Remember The Locket. You Know, From Happy Tree Hill."

"Yeah. I Still Don't Regret Giving That To You."

"And I Don't Regret Kissing You Afterwards. That Was The Moment, Right There."

"Well, I'll Make You A New One. Right Here." He Was Fast, Very Fast, As He Pinned Rose To The Bed Frame And Kissed Her Again, His Heart Racing. She Wrapped Her Arms Around Him, And The Space Between Them Disappeared. They Stayed Like That, The Pressure Fierce And Passionate. Rose Held Him Tighter Than Ever, Cooing In Pleasure. In The Midst Of It All, Hunter Noticed His Zippered Nightshirt Coming Undone. He Tried To Ignore It, But It Kept Coming Up, Nagging Him. Eventually, He Started Zipping It Down Entirely. Toadette Stopped Him And Zipped It Back Up. Wait, She's Stopping Me, Now? What Is Going On?

"Don't Be Silly, Hunter." She Came Up And Kissed His Hand. "You Don't Need To Reveal Anything. I Like You Like This."

"Well, That's A First." They Chuckled Once More. Rose's Hands Clutched His Arms, Then His Shoulders.

"I'm Surprised You Aren't Pulling Away By Now."

"Why? Do You Think I'd Be Pulling Away, Ever?" Hunter Held Her Closer, Their Warmth Clear. "Are You..." Toad Said This Quietly. "Are You Afraid Of Me?"

"I'm Not Afraid Of You. I'm Afraid Of Being With You, With Anyone. Well, I Was." Rose Lay Down, Pulling Him With Her. "But Now... I Don't Think I'm Afraid Anymore."

"That's Good." The Heat Was Getting To Him, But He Didn't Dare To Leave. "Sure It's Warm In Here."

"Well, It Should Be. If You Can't Stand The Heat, Then Too Bad." She Said This Playfully. Her Voice Lowered, Almost To A Whisper. "Because, Like You Said..."

"We're The Hunters, On Fire." Hunter Finished For Her. They Pulled Each Other In, And There They Lay, The Wind Cool And Brisk On Their Smiling Faces. Their Happiness Was Radiant, Multiplying By The Minute. The Stars Were Shining Down On Them. They Had Each Other Memorized.

### Chapter 24: Flanders Fields

"Are You Still Awake?" Hunter Ruffled The Sheets In The Hopes Of Getting Rose To Answer.

"Yeah."

"Did You Like It? Me Sleeping With You, I Mean."

"Loved It... Hunter..."

"Good." He Kissed Her Cheek. "I Hate To Say It, But It's Time To Go. The Funeral Will Begin Any Minute."

"Okay. Let's Go." They Didn't Change Their Clothes; They Knew That The Townspeople Wouldn't Bother, Either. They Came To The Graveyard, Where A Few City Folk Were Waiting. "Sure Is Quiet. Maybe People Don't Want To Get Up At Midnight For This."

"I Don't Mind, Though. At Least I'm Here, And Some People Do Care About These Soldiers." The Clock Struck Twelve, The Strokes Booming Throughout The City. As Soon As The Twelfth Stroke Sounded, Hunter Kneeled Down And Began Singing A Poem.

In Flanders Fields

The Poppies Grow

Between The Crosses,

Row On Row

To Mark Our Place,

And In The Sky,

The Larks, Still Bravely Singing, Fly.

Tears Began Streaking Down His Face, Almost Invisible In The Starlight. Rose Just Stared. She Had Never Seen Him Cry Before, Let Alone In Front Of This Many People.

Scarce Heard Amid

The Guns Below

We Are The Dead,

Short Days Ago

We Lived, Felt Dawn,

Saw Sunset Glow,

Loved And Were Loved

And Now We Lie.

In Flanders Fields,

In Flanders Fields

And Now, We Lie

In Flanders Fields.

The Candles Were Burning Now, And The Townsfolk Started Singing Along With Him.

Take Up Your Quarrel

With The Foe,

To You, From Failing

Hands, We Throw

The Torch; Be Yours

To Hold It High

If You Break Faith

With Us Who Die.

We Shall Not Sleep

For Poppies Grow

In Flanders Fields,

In Flanders Fields.

He Buried His Face In His Hands, Crying For All The Lives Lost. The People Went Away, To Leave Him In Peace. Only Rose Remained, Trying To Console Him, But It Was Useless.

"Hunter, Don't Cry. I'm Telling You, This Is All Xeba's Fault, Not Yours."

"I Know. But Those Innocent Civilians..." He Shook From Despair, Almost Breaking Out Into Hysteria. "They Didn't Do Anything, Rose! And Now, They're Dead! It's Just Unforgivable!"

"Don't Worry About Them. There's Nothing They Could've Done." Rose Skimmed The Grass With Her Fingertips. "And, Besides..." She Placed Her Hand On His Lap. "At Least We Still Have Each Other, Right?"

"Yeah. I Guess That's More Important Than Anything Else." Hunter Stood Up. "You're Brilliant, You Know That? You Always Find A Way To Cheer Me Up."

"The Same Could Be Said For You." Rose Replied, Laughing. They Walked Out To Their Home Again, Taking The Long Way Around. It Was Very Late When They Got There, But They Didn't Care. Hunter Let Her In Again, They Went Upstairs Again, And Shuffled Under The Covers Again.

"I Guess That Midnight Memory Wasn't So Bad After All."

"See? I Knew It Wasn't As Bad As You Thought It Was." She Came Closer, Almost Touching Him. "Sometimes You Just Have To Take It. It's Not That I Don't Like You Being Honest, Hunter, But-"

"I Know. I Don't Know What I Was Thinking Back There. You Mean More To Me Than Anyone Else. And I Should Take That Into Consideration More Often." Hunter Put His Hand Behind Her Head, Like A Pillow. Rose Did The Same. "And I Do Like Being Honest About Everything, To Tell The Truth Even If It's Bad, But You Aren't Giving Me That Look Of Yours. Like I'm A Traitor Or Something."

"Well," Rose Put Her Hand Back, And Touched His Heart With It Instead. "You're Not." She Slipped It Around His Back, Her Hand Caressing The Soft Fabric, Then Held Him As Close As She Possibly Could. "I Don't Know If I Should Admit This, Hunter."

"Don't Be Silly." He Leaned Back, And Fell Down Onto The Mattress, Taking Her With Him. "I Feel Like You Already Have. I Love You, Rose." She Smiled, Put Her Head On The Pillow, And Kissed Him Again. This Time, It Felt Familiar. He Pulled Her In, Almost Lying On Top Of Her. "Good Night, My Darling."

"Good Night. And, Hunter?"

"What?"

"I Love You, Too." She Kissed Him Good Night, And They Closed Their Eyes, Cherishing Every Moment Together.

### Chapter 25: Star-Crossed Hunters

Several Long Hours Passed, The Two Hunters Lying Side By Side. Then An Envelope Was Slipped Under The Door By An Anonymous Benefactor, Without Them Knowing. Soon After, The Alarm Started To Go Off, Familiar As Ever. Rose Was The One To Get Up This Time, And Turned It Off Again. Hunter Followed.

"Good Morning!"

"Good Morning, Hunter!" They Did Their Routine, And Went Downstairs To Head Out The Door. Something Caught Hunter's Eye, Though. He Went To The Door And Picked It Up.

"A Letter. It's From Maverick Hunter Society. Must Be Important." He Ripped It Open And Read It. Then He Almost Dropped It. "Oh, My Goodness."

"What?" Rose Looked Over His Shoulder And Read It Herself. The Letter Read:

Hunter And Rose,

I Want You Both At Mhs. It's Something Very Important. Hunter, Bring Your Military Coat Today. The Entire Militia Will Be There.

Molly T

"I Don't Know, But I Feel Like I'm Getting Promoted Today."

"Seems Like It. But If You Are, Then What Do They Want Me For?"

"I Guess We'll See. Now, Let Me Get My Military Coat. I'll Be Right Back." Several Minutes Passed, And Rose Could Hear Humming Coming From Upstairs. Toad Came Back Down. Nothing Had Changed Except That His Coat Was Now Different Shades Of Blue, In A Camo Pattern, And A Silver Pentagon With A Star Inside Was Branded On The Right Side, The Insingia For The Captain Rank. Rose Executed A Cat-Call Whistle, And They Both Started Laughing.

"Rose, Did You Seriously Have To Do That?"

"As A Matter Of Fact, Yes, I Did." They Chuckled Again. Hunter Opened The Door, Armed The House, And They Rode Off, On Their Racing Bikes This Time.

"Sure Feels Like I'm Racing In Maverick Hunter City!" Hunter Hollered Over The Wind In Their Faces. Rose Smirked, And Sped Up. "Hey, Wait!" Hunter Followed, Racing After Her. "Stop!"

"You'll Have To Catch Me First!" Rose Sped Up Again, Easily Going Over Seventy Miles Per Hour. Then It Turned Into A Game Of Who Could Get To The Society Building First. They Both Dodged And Darted Between Oncoming Traffic. Rose, However, Slowed Down When She Did This, While Hunter Didn't. Eventually, He Started To Pull Ahead. When He Got To The Society Building's Walkway, He Stopped And Waited A Full Ten Seconds. Rose Pulled Up And Sighed. "I Guess You Win Again. You Really Are The Racing Master!"

"Hey, You're Getting Better." They Walked Up Together, And Spoke Over The Intercom.

"Who Is This?" This Was Molly.

"Hunter And Rose." They Said This In Unison.

"Oh, If It Isn't Our Heroes! Come In, Come In!" The Society Doors Opened, And They Stepped Inside. Molly Led Them To A Room With A Table, A Velvet Stage, And The Ranks Of The Military Branded Above It. It Was A Big Room, Probably For An Assembly Of Some Kind, Because Almost The Entire Population Was There. Rose Tried To Step Back, But Hunter Didn't Let Her.

"Hey, We're Already Here. Just... Roll With It." They Stepped Up To The Stage, And Molly Walked Up To The Podium.

"Thank You, Thank You! Hello All, And Welcome. This Assembly Has Come Together To Honor Our Two Brave Heroes, Hunter And Rose! Give Them A Round Of Applause!" The Audience Erupted Into Cheers. The Hunters Just Smiled And Waved To Them, Which Stirred Up Even More Applause. "And Our Two Heroes Will Certainly Be Rewarded. The Military Has Come To Give Them That Reward!" The Entire Military Forces Walked Out, And The Applause Became Louder. The Field Marshal, Who Happened To Be Jared, Stepped Up. All Was Silent Again.

"Okay. Let Me Just Say This." He Turned To The Two Hunters. "Congratulations, Both Of You." The Cheering Resumed. "I Could Never Have Done Something Quite Like This When I First Started Saving The World. You Guys Really Took The Time To Let These People Know Who You Really Are. And I'm Proud Of That. Now, For Your Reward. Hunter, Come Here." He Did. An Officer, A Captain Himself, Brought A Plastic Package. Inside It Was Another Vest. Hunter Kneeled Down.

"By The Trust And Power Invested In Me, I Hereby Promote Hunter To The Brigadier General Of The 17th Unit Military Of Maverick Hunter Society, To Wear And Hold The Same. Assah!" At The Last Word, He Ripped The Package Open, And The Audience Erupted Into Applause Again. He Handed Hunter The Coat. The Changes Were Striking. There Were Now The Words, 'brigadier Hunter', Embroidered On The Left Side. On The Right, There Was A New Insignia, Of A Golden Star With Silver Wings. The Symbol For The Brigadier General. Hunter Held His Vest High In The Air, And The Cheering Grew. He Bowed To The Audience, And Walked Off, Putting On His New Uniform.

"Of Course, There Is A Reward For The Lady, As Well." Rose Stepped Up. "Since You're Not In The Military, We Didn't Know What To Give You. But Hunter Supplied The Answer." He Gestured To Him, And Hunter Received Another Vest, Encased In Plastic Wrap. The Vest Was Orange, Instead Of Green. Rose Gasped In Shock.

"A Military Uniform? For Me?" Hunter Nodded, And Walked Towards Her. He Gave Her The Vest. It Was The Same, But There Was A Different Insignia, Of A Golden Diamond Surrounded By Another Diamond Outline. Also, There Were The Words, 'commander Rose' Branded On The Left Instead.

"I'll Let You Do The Honors." Hunter Winked. "Commander Rose." She Ripped It Open, And The Audience Applauded Louder Than Ever. They Embraced Each Other, And The Audience Reacted With A Sign Of Affection. They Pulled Away.

"Was That Too Much To Give Away?" Rose Asked.

"You Know," Replied Hunter, "I Really Don't Care." They Kissed Again, And The Audience Reacted With Smiles, Applause, And Shouts Of "Yay, Hunter!". He Took Her Hand, And Thrust It Up Into The Air. The Gesture Signified That They Were The Bravest Of All The Hunters, That They Had Just Opened The Door To New Lives, New Horizons. But Most Of All, It Showed That Their Legacy As Star-Crossed Hunters Would Never Be Forgotten. They Were The Ones Who Mediated A War For Their Nation. They Were Soldiers. They Were Heroes.

### Ending Of The Episode

Jared Closes The Book, And Says "Well, That's All For Now, I Have A Important Meeting To Attend Involving A Certain Thing I'm Going To Give To My Girlfriend At A Certain Location Downtown, And I'm Going To Head There Right Now, See ya" Brandon Then Says "Okay Have Fun And Be Careful" And then he thinks to himself "Wait, He Said He Has A Important Meeting To Attend Involving A Certain Thing I'm Going To Give To Molly, Does That Mean He's Actually... Going To... Nah, That's Too Big Of An Exaggeration, (As He Turns To The Audience) Or Is It?!" As The Episode Ends With A Cuts To Black With The To Be Concluded Next Episode Text Signifying The End Of Part 2.

### Moral

"Darkness Rises again?, I Don't Think So"

## Deaths

1. a generic tree friend was shot by Hunter
2. 250 generic tree friends were killed by Hunter and Rose
3. Xeba Was vanquished by Hunter

## Injuries

1. Xavier was shot in his nubby Arm by Molly Thorn

## Survival rate

* Amount of total main characters **44** (Not Counting The 251 Generic Tree Friends That Were Killed By Hunter And Rose)
* Amount of surviving main characters: **20**
* Amount of dead main characters: **1** (Not Counting The 251 Generic Tree Friends That Were Killed By Hunter And Rose)
* Total rate: **2%**

## Trivia

1. This Is Exactly Based Off Of The Original True Love Never Dies True Statements Episode 2 And Matt1251's Fanfiction.net Story Toad And Toadette Epic Adventures: The Statement, In Fact The List Of Characters And The People They Sub For In The Matt1251 Story Is As Follows
	* Hunter Replaces Toad/Brandon Germain
	* Rose Replaces Toadette/Cheyenne Miller
	* Lumpy Replaces Principal O' Shawnessy/Principal Bailer
	* Molly Thorn Replaces Princess Peach/Zoe Hainley
	* Jared Germain Replaces Mario/Xavier Barrington
	* Ryan Zerbinos Replaces Mailtoad/Ethan Graf
	* Flippy Replaces Donkey Kong/Paul Lineman (Gym Teacher)
	* Xeba Replaces Antasma/Nightmare Gate Weinfield (Gate From Megaman X6)
	* Austin Carlson, Alexander Sisera, Xavier Barrington, Ryan Dolbear, Alexis Dillingham, Ryan Shafer, Trevor Hughes, Carina Carvey, Jordan Cole, & Cheyenne Wilson Replaces Castle Guards/Themselves (Xavier Barrington Replaces 1st Lieutenant/Ryan Zerbinos)
	* Alisia Germain Replaces Luigi/Dylan Germain
2. This Entire Story Is Completely Based Off Of A Fanfiction, And In The End, It Might Tie Up The Relationship Between Hunter And Rose Before GX03 Has A Chance To Do That
3. Quartz's Line Of "Yeah, That Makes Sense" Is One Of The Lines The Announcer Says In Street fighter 3 3rd Strike
4. During Chapters 16 & 17 Action Parts, The Song Soft Smoke By The Pink Spiders From NASCAR 07 Was Playing (Also Played In The BGSN Interactive 2022 Season Preview)
5. During Chapter 19 Action Parts The Song Click Click Boom By Saliva Was Playing (Also Played In The MMC 2021 Mid Year Preview)