Zero and Two spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out a plan to escape their predicament.

The crack in the cave was very high up. There were no footholds as the surface of the wall was smooth and slick. They even considered having Two blast a hole through that part of the wall, but that could cause another cave in which would result in their deaths.

Finally, exhausted and beaten down, they decided to recoup their energy and allow their injuries time to heal. They also needed to get back control of their breathing in the thin air.

Soon the light began to disappear as night time arrived(they assumed). So Two held his lit katana on the ground between them as a light source and a form of heat since the temperature was beginning to drop. Two naturally had a high body temperature so it was more for Zero than himself.

For a little while, they sat in silence as they became lost in their own thoughts.

Looks like my injuries from the cave in have healed, Two thought as he pulled the cloth wrap from around his head. The skin underneath was as good as new. Now, he thought looking up towards the crack in the wall above them, what do we do next?

Zero laid on his back since being upright caused more pain. He could tell that his back was already starting to feel better, but it still wasn't near 100%.

He turned his head to look at Two as he was busy looking up at the crack.

This is probably the most we've got along so far, Zero thought to himself. If only we didn't have to be in this impossible situation for it to finally happen. There has to be something I can do to get us out of this.

Several more minutes passed by as the gravity of their situation was starting to set in.

They were trapped in an unmapped underground cave system with currently no way out. Even if Haji found where the initial cave in happened, it would be impossible for him to reach where they currently were. Not to mention that they shook up the Reaper's nest so they're probably roaming around now within the tunnels.

Hope was starting to dwindle.

Zero could feel his eyes start to become heavy as the fatigue build up started to get to him. He shut his eyes and entered a world of darkness when Two's voice brought him back.

".....I don't blame you."

Zero opened his eyes a bit startled. After not talking for some time it was almost jolting to hear his voice suddenly call out. Zero got back into a sitting position as a bit of pain ran up his back.

"Excuse me?" Zero asked.

"I said I don't blame you." Two repeated.

"For what? Ending up down here?"

"No. That was your fault. What I meant was, I don't blame you for…" Two looked down at the ground as he tried to find the strength to say the words. "...I don't blame you for what happened to Zero. The first Zero."

Zero couldn't respond at first as he wasn't quite sure he heard him correctly. After all the cold shoulders and anger towards him, was he finally trying to make amends?

"Don't just sit there gawking like an idiot."

Zero didn't realize he had his mouth agape and quickly shut it.

"S-sorry. I just didn't expect…that."

Two kicked the ground absentmindedly with his foot as memories soared around him.

"Yeah. Never thought I would say it myself." He let out a sigh. "I just had so much anger and it just seemed easier to take it out on you. But…I know. We all know. All of us in midnight squad are cut from the same cloth and been through the same shit. It wasn't you that fought Zero."

Zero looked at the soft expression on Two's face. It was the first time he saw him lower his defenses like this. He was a completely different person right now.

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"Zero…he was strong." Zero said. "When I felt Azrael being pushed back for the first time ever, I even begged him to kill him. To kill us. I wanted it to all end so badly."

Two looked across to Zero and did something he thought was impossible.

He smiled. It was small and almost hard to distinguish in the light, but it was definitely a smile.

"Yeah. If nothing else, he was that."

Two stared up towards the ceiling as if he was trying to look at something beyond it.

"I hated him when he first joined. More than I thought I hated you. He was cocky and inexperienced. A terrible combination. In the beginning he was Six. His first mission was with myself and Five. Not the Five with us now, it was a different one. I was in charge and gave him an order to hang back when we came upon the enemy. Much like I told you. Except…he ended up getting himself hurt. The whole plan quickly went to shit. And Five sacrificed himself to save Zero's life."

Zero's eyes widened. This is exactly as his journal said, Zero thought.

"After Five died he went ballistic. Him and Five were rather close. I had never seen anything like it - he showed ability that I never thought possible of him, especially so soon. After that mission the higher ups promoted him to a brand new role - Zero. As well as took away my ace status and gave it to him. I was beyond livid. I stayed that way for a long time."

"What changed?" Zero asked.

"Well. I started to see past the anger that clouded my eyes. Zero was a lot of things. Cocky. Immature. Pompous. A woman chaser. But…he was also someone who let his actions do the talking when it counted. In the 3 years he was with this team, he refused to let anyone die on the battlefield if he was on it. We only lost one person in three years. And Zero beat himself up for a long time over it even though he wasn't even on the mission when it happened. He put this team on his back and always pushed himself to new heights so that he could do whatever was needed of him. He never held his tongue in the face of injustice towards the team or even those afraid to stick up for themselves. He truly showed us all what an ace SHOULD be."

He looked back to Zero.

"I lost my hate and started to really look up to him. We trained together. Helped each other become stronger. Soon I couldn't understand how I could ever hate him in the first place. He….was my best friend. And then he was gone. Just like that." Two hung his head to hide his face.

"I'm so sorry, Two. I wish things had turned out differently."

Two brought up a sleeve to his face and looked back at Zero. "These things happen. It can happen to any of us at any time. All we can do is fight for each other as long as we can and hope that those who come after us carry that torch. No one else is going to risk anything for us other than the people beside you in this squad."

*BOOM*

They both looked at each other as a loud sound echoed throughout the chamber they were in.

*BOOM*

The sound was coming from the collapsed tunnel.

They stood up and looked towards the tunnel. Two held the katana out towards the blocked off entrance as the sound continued to echo within all the rubble.

"There's no way one of them is still alive in there, right?" Zero said, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

Two had hoped that was the case, but if anything was still moving in there…it had to be that one.

"It's the one that was in front. You saw it right? The large one with the spiny protrusions around its fist?"

Zero had seen it very clearly.

"....rrrrrrRRRRAAAHHHHHH!!"

The scream confirmed their fears as it bellowed out.

It was trying to tunnel its way out to their side.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Zero yelled out. He turned towards the crack high up in the wall and moved towards it. Moonlight had started to spill through so that it could easily be seen.

"We don't have a choice, Two! We'll have to risk blowing a hole through the wall up there if we're going…to…make it out…" Zero's sentence trailed off as he had turned to Two and saw that he hadn't moved an inch.

He stayed facing the tunnel.

"Two?"

Two removed his jacket and threw it to the side. He then fiddled with the gauntlet on his right hand that was still intact but without ammo.

"What are you doing…Two?"

"Even without the canisters, I can use the heated knuckles."

Zero paused for a moment at Two's words. "Wait, you can't possibly mean-"

"I do, Zero."

*BOOM* Spurts of water started to shoot out through the cracks now.

"We can't fight that thing! You can't fire off any shots and I can't pack enough of a punch to take it down!"

"Then I guess we'll have to improvise."

Zero was at a loss. Has he gone crazy?? He thought. That thing was not just huge - it looked like it could take a bunch of damage and still stay standing. We can't fight something like that with just the two of us!

"Zero."

He looked to Two who still had his back to him.

*BOOOOOOM* The rocks blocking the threshold were beginning to crack.

"I haven't been very good with your training, have I?"

"My…training?"

"Sadiki told me that it was my job to make sure you knew how to fulfill the role of the ace when your time came. I've done a shitty job of that so far and I'm sorry. But, that changes now."

The air began to wrinkle around Two. A light orange glow began to emit from his body.

Zero stared at his back which seemed to have grown much larger in his mind. He couldn't help but be reminded of him.

Of the former Zero in his last stand.

*BOOOOOM!!!* The rocks were starting to split and give way. Water began gushing around the edges of the rocks.

"It's when it's do or die that the ace steps up to the plate. Remember that."

Two looked over his shoulder at Zero with a hardened look that gave him shivers. His eyes seemed like there was a controlled fury behind them.

"Watch, Zero. This will be your first lesson."