Hello! This is the last, uh, used to be short, chapter. Now, before you start throwing things-

Ow! Who threw that? Was it you? Yes, you! I'll get you for that…

*ahem* ANYWAY, though this is the last chapter for THIS fic, I will be writing more Exo-Fics in the not-so-distant future. Enjoy!

Only Hope

A sigh escaped the aged lips of the Exo-Force founder and sensei. What was it he had said? "I expect you to work as a team"?

Maybe he should have set more realistic expectations…

Keiken was beginning to have second thoughts. He had held onto his hope for as long as he could, his belief that they could set aside their differences and fulfil their full potential as an elite team. He almost scoffed. Team. Their stubborn intolerance of one another both frustrated and saddened the old man. He had seen so much in this life, done so much, not all of it particularly pride-inspiring, and to witness the foolhardy quarrels of young men at war only further wearied him.

He thought back to when he was still training each of them individually, and remembered how he had thought of them, their qualities and abilities.

Hikaru was an amazing pilot, skilled, logical and efficient at planning with a tactical mind and objective mindset.

Takeshi was a superb warrior, courageous, strong and innovative in battle, driven and passionate.

Ha-Ya-To was a breathtaking flyer, with remarkable speed and agility, as well as an eye for opportunity.

Ryo was a genius, a technical whiz, with a mind as fast as it was brilliant and a body to match, not to mention sheer determination.

Sensei Keiken let loose another sigh. He had been a fool. So joyous had he been at finding these wonderful soldiers, he had thought he could put them together as an all-round team within Exo-Force, but he had not been thinking clearly. He knew that now.

As was the same with any machine, it only worked if the components within did. And some components, though seemingly a stroke of genius to combine, had negative side-effects or cancelled one another out.

Hikaru was cold and solitary, objecting to the intrusion of other people in his activities.

Takeshi was stubborn, impulsive and hot-headed, easily riled and liable to lash out at those around him in anger.

Ha-Ya-To could not seem to take others seriously, his constant antics only further straining the tension between them all.

Ryo…

His thoughts were broken when an unusual sound reached his ears, and at first he wondered if it was his age getting to him. The first thing to go is said to be the mind, after all.

He walked over to the offending door, standing tall despite his age, thick wooden cane clacking against the metal floor. He listened carefully, and his curiosity (and sheer disbelief) got the better of him for the first time in a good few years.

As the door slid open, he was greeted by the most bizarre and heart-warming sight he had witnessed since founding Exo-Force.

Ha-Ya-To and Ryo were sitting to one side, exuberantly encouraging the pair currently playing a rather intense-looking game of what appeared to be three-dimensional chess. Hikaru suddenly made his move and sat up straight, folding his arms and smirking. "Check."

Takeshi growled and pounding his fist against his leg, before sneaking a glance at the audience and grinning. In a spectacular move pulled off so fast the experienced eyes of their Sensei could barely follow it, Takeshi countered the smug motions of his opponent. "Checkmate."

Hikaru and Ha-Ya-To both gaped in shock, whilst Ryo burst out laughing.

Keiken smiled and closed the door again, continuing down the corridor. It seemed that all was not lost. One last component to balance out the properties of the others. One last, marvellous piece of machinery to kick start the whole operation, to balance it all out and hold it all together, to make everything work as he always did.

One last hope for humanity.