Prologue: The Recurring Dream

"Ryce!" a familiar voice called. I turned and smiled at the small brunette as I stopped my scythe training, giving the dismantled dummy a break. Iris bound up, put her hands behind her back as she titled to the right a tiny bit and smiled brightly. "Hey, Iris, what're you doing here?" I asked, a small frown on my face. Iris was usually with her brother at the Repliforce Earth base, and it was unusual to see her without her brother near by, or even Zero for that fact. She giggled. "Brother told me that he wanted to talk to you!" she chirped cheerfully. I smiled, but I could just feel the confusion wash over me.

"Really? What about?"

"Of you becoming a member of Repliforce!"

I froze over slightly as I stared at the tiny brunette, uncertainty probably clear in my eyes. Leave the hunters? Preposterous! Who would want to leave the hunters? I had friends here, a life.

Yet I also had friends at Repliforce too, friends I could start a new life with; such as Iris, the General, and Iris's brother, the Colonel. Plus, Repliforce had better pay too, because you were less likely to come back from your missions when you were sent out. All in all, the deal was tempting. But something didn't add up...

"Iris, how'd you find me? Much less get into HQ?" I asked curiously. She turned her gaze to look behind her with a fond smile, and there I met the gaze of my Commander, Zero. He sent me a small smirk as he raised a hand-in a way of recognition for me. I sent him a little wave back. Huh, so I guess Iris was with Zero. "You approve this request, Commander? Or did Iris sucker you into agreeing with a kiss?" I asked with a slightly raised eyebrow. My red-clad Commander blushed as red as his armor as Iris yelped out a, "R-Ryce! I wouldn't do such a thing!" causing me to bark out with a laugh and place a hand on Iris's head. "Kidding, kidding. Jeez, you two can be so funny sometimes..." I stated, trailing off as another familiar hunter strode passed the Training Room. Dear Lord, this must of been my karma.

Zero followed my gaze, along with Iris, causing him to break out laughing, startling the other rookies and hunters in the same room with his echoing laughs. "Oh, that's Commander X, is it not? He's your cru-" I cut her off by placing a hand over her mouth and shushing her. "IRIS!" I cried in slight alarm. Some knowing hunters (meaning Zero) chuckled again as Iris pouted slightly under my hand.

"No finishing that sentence, do you hear me?" I asked, just to be cautious. She nodded mutely (not that I gave her a choice) and I took my hand off to find her smiling. "Nothing?" I asked for confirmation. "Nothing," she agreed. I sighed and relaxed, the turned to my commander. "So you're seriously thinking of shipping me off to Repliforce?" I asked him. "No offense," I added to Iris, who shook her head and smiled at me. He shrugged.

"It's your decision. X thought it'd be a great idea to send you over there, though I digress. It's up to you, after all," he answered. I flinched. Did X really want me gone that badly? Sure; I'd accidentally reprogrammed his door to open to my password and voice (I'd thought it had been my room when I'd been a newbie) a few months back, and sure; I'd accidentally almost sliced his hand off during training. But I'd apologized and said I was clumsy (which was no lie there-I'm still surprised I haven't killed any hunters by beheading with hand-coordination as bad as mine) by nature. He hadn't talked to me since and I've been all doom and gloom since too.

"Am I really that bad?" I asked quietly. Commander Zero glanced at me and shrugged. "Depends on which mood I'm in," he answered, causing Iris and I to giggle. Everything depends on Zero's mood; from hunger, to Maverick-slicing, to eating. He was just a big ball of emotion, more so than X sometimes.

"You really are someone, Commander."

"I'm in a good mood, so I'm taking that as a compliment."

"Is it because Iris is here?"

"Shut it, Ryce."

I giggled again as I glanced at Iris and shrugged. "I'm sorry, Iris. But I really have no idea on what to choose. After all, I'm a hunter. I can't just 'become' part of Repliforce-just like that. I'll have to do what I did here over-again, and that'll kind of be a pain," I answered truthfully. She nodded. "I expected as much," she replied, surprising me. "Besides, you're waiting for X to realize your feelings for him."

"IRIS!"

"Go. You're not wanted here with the hunters."

"But sir-"

"No buts, leave before I raise my voice. I don't want the other rookies getting a bad idea."

"Says the one who's firing me!"

"Ryce! Leave Hunter HQ and don't ever come back!"

"I..."

"I said leave."

"I HATE YOU!"

I woke up to a cold sweat and wiped my brow, trying to suppress the rising sob. Every night is was the same dream. It had been for the past eight years. Eight years: what a depressing thought. What was even more depressing was the fact that I'd been right: I did hate X.

But not as much as I loved him.

I held my shoulders tightly as the sobs hit me, causing me to shudder as I tried to keep together what little sanity I had left at that moment. Why? Why, god damnit?! Why Zero? Why did you let him? Damn you Dynamo... I thought bitterly as I sniffled. It's not fair-whoever gave me the ability to cry was sick. I just had to be special, didn't I? I used to hear rumors of him being able to cry. Or, used to be able to, anyways. I knew for a fact that his tears had long since dried up.

I grabbed my pillow and held it tightly as I sobbed into it. My body shook violently as I did so, and as much as I hated it, I couldn't-didn't-stop. An eight-year-long habit wasn't going to stop in a matter of moments. And don't go thinking I hadn't tried to stop. I did, almost every time, but I could never find the heart to stop and just accept the act the person I loved hated me. Was this how Zero felt when Iris died? I flinched as I gazed out the window, to find the birds starting to sing and the sun rising. Today was a new day.

Today was my birthday.