Disclaimer: I do not own the Brotherhood and the Dark Legion. However I do own Tressa-Ca and the plot.

WARNING: violence and abuse will appear in the next chapters. If you can't stand it, don't read – or put your hands over your eyes, which is about the same.

Hey, you're a riddle I say as I move aside
Like I really need your advice
But you won't leave it alone
Little men try but don't get a lot done
Living in sin don't move me either way
I get a feeling you're so vague
Like I said before
Little men come when anything goes


When the rain comes I sit home and pray
Make it all numb I wish it all away
All I really need is just somewhere to hide away
Kick him when he's down
Here alone I'll put up and fight
Kick him when he's down
Beat me all the way I'll take it all night
Kick him when he's down
Hey, don't worry, I'll get along home alright

Hey, everybody's supposed to be the same
So how come they're so lame?
It's like taking a fall
Keep on running back into that wall
Awake in a dream, get up and go to work
But I'm feeling like such a jerk
Like I said before
Little men come when everything goes

"Kick Him When He's Down," by The Offspring.

Black Fur, Pure Heart

Spectre the Echidna groggily woke up when his alarm clock went off. He turned the stupid thing off with a growl and lied back down on his bed. Why did I program this darn thing in the first place? he angrily thought, rolling onto his side to see if his wife had been awakened as well.

But no, Tressa-Ca was still asleep, even if she stirred a little. I'll have to remember to turn the volume down; Tressa isn't really in a good mood when woken up abruptly. Spectre chuckled quietly and was about to go back to sleep when a thought occurred to him: why had a planned to wake up so early? He couldn't put his finger on it, though the answer seemed to come closer… and closer… until suddenly-

"Good morning Dad!" Thunderhawk cheerfully shouted as he jumped on his parents' bed, right on top of Spectre who gasped. The six years old lavender echidna smiled broadly and looked down at his father with shimmering blue eyes. "It's time to get up! Haven't you heard your alarm clock? Yesterday you said we'd have to get up early in order to get ready for the picnic!"

Alarm clock? Picnic? Oh yeah, I remember now… Spectre sighed; he'd just told his son they would go on a picnic the day before. That had to be the biggest mistake in his life. The black echidna yawned and closed his eyes. "Maybe later, son. As in, tomorrow." Spectre heard a chuckle and realized Tressa was now awake and laughing at him.

From his position on the bed's covers, Thunderhawk slightly pouted and crossed his arms. "But you said we would go today!" he protested. "You promised!"

"You and your mother tricked me into this," Spectre replied sleepily. "Now be a good boy, listen to your father and let him sleep some more, will you."

"You still promised!"

Silence followed that sentence and the young one realized his father was ignoring him. "Dad, are you even listening to me? Dad? Hey, Dad, come on it's not funny! Dad!" Thunderhawk began calling his father over and over, proceeding to bounce on the black echidna's abdomen to emphasize each word.

Tressa rolled over to where she faced Spectre. "I think your son is calling for you, honey," she told him.

"What do you mean, my son?" Spectre sleepily asked. "He's mine as much as he's yours, you know. And on the other hand maybe he'll go away if I just keep on ignoring him."

"Too bad!" Thunderhawk said before plunging between his parents. "You know I don't give up that easily."

"Forgive me for forgetting a oh so important thing. Now, what is it you wanted already?" Spectre asked while rubbing his aching temples, trying to seem awake.

"You promised!"

"Oh yeah, that's right." A sigh. "Well, I guess we're going then."

"Really?" Thunderhawk said, grinning brightly and widened hopeful eyes.

"No." Spectre rolled over and faked sleep as his son fumed with exasperation. "Goodnight."

"It's not fair," the lavender little boy mumbled before getting off of the bed and out of the room. Tressa sighed; Spectre could be worse than a child at times. And after all, he did promise, there was no way he could back up now. The female echidna turned to face her sleeping husband and poked his shoulder.

"Can't a man have some rest?" the black echidna growled.

"Not when a man hasn't held his promise," she replied, pulling him towards her so he was lying on his back. "Not when a man has promised his son he would go on a picnic and decided against it at the very last minute."

Spectre sighed and began rubbing his sleepy eyes. "I don't see what you're talking about," he lied.

"Don't be childish, Spectre." Tressa grabbed Spectre's metallic hand still rubbing an eye and took it away from the dark echidna's face, which was hidden behind it. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Now, we're going on that picnic, whether you like it or not."

"Oh yeah?" Spectre smirked. "Think you could beat me in a fight?"

"I most than certainly am sure I don't need a fight to convince you." Spectre raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly as he felt lips on his neck. He growled low in his chest; he knew he would agree to go on this picnic, he just wanted to know how long his wife's "convincing" would last. "Do I?"

"Hmm, depends…" Spectre muttered while his flesh hand half-absently caressed Tressa's soft fur. The light lavender female smiled, knowing or at least thinking she was getting through him as she pulled him to her and kissed him full on the lips. Spectre found himself kissing back, both of his arms around Tressa now and one of hers around his neck.

Tressa pulled back. "And what about now?"

"Maybe, I'll have to think about it," Spectre faked. His wife chuckled and laid her head on his scarred chest, running her hand through the dark fur there. Spectre's breath caught in his throat as she brushed some sensible spots near his surgery scars; Tressa knew he was a bit ticklish there, and so caressed the fur till he laughed a little. "All right, all right, you've won! We're going, now stop this!"

Tressa grinned and kissed Spectre soundly on the cheek. "You're an angel!" She then sat up and called out: "Thunderhawk! Your father changed his mind, we're going picnicking!"

A delighted cry of joy was heard, and two seconds later the young lavender boy bolted in the room and threw himself in his mother's arms. "Yes! Thank you Mom!" Thunderhawk kissed his mother on her cheek and hugged her tightly. Tressa laughed; her son had known she would "convince" Spectre to agree.

While mother and son hugged, Spectre had gotten up and had put on his pants and shirt, as well as his helmet. He was still reluctant about walking around uncovered, revealing his cybernetic limbs and spineless head, even in his own home. He buckled his belt as he rolled his red eyes. "Would you look at that. 'Thank you Mom'. I stink or what?" He humped and crossed his arms, grinning inwardly.

Thunderhawk laughed and walked towards his father, who picked him up. "Thank you too, Dad," the lavender boy said before pecking Spectre on the cheek. The dark echidna smiled and put his young son on the ground.

"Well, we better get ready then. Come on, we've got a picnic on our to-do list!" Spectre joked while ruffling Thunderhawk's hair. "So, where do you want to go?"

"Come on, you're too slow!" Thunderhawk shouted over his shoulder for about the tenth time in half an hour. He sighed and turned around – and sure enough here were his parents, walking side by side calmly and slowly, even a bit too slowly for his taste. At this rate they wouldn't reach the lake before lunchtime. "Come on!"

"Calm down, Thunderhawk," Spectre replied patiently. "It's not as if we were on a schedule anyway. Take it easy, son."

The boy walked over to his parents, sighing dramatically. "But Dad-" he began.

"No buts Dad. You should learn to enjoy the peace and quiet once in awhile. Come here." Spectre bent down and picked his young son up, putting him on his shoulders. Thunderhawk sat and held onto his father's helmet, putting his chin on it. "Now, is it better?"

"A little higher, but still as slow as earlier."

"Can you stop whining, for a change?"

"Nope, Dad." Spectre sighed. That had to be foreseen, like father like son. Thunderhawk had to be at least as stubborn as the black echidna, if not more. The little lavender boy could be a handful at times. "Speed up, Dad, or we won't reach the lake before lunchtime."

Spectre shifted the bag he carried on his back and put his arm around Tressa's waist. "Well, son, now that you're stuck up there, we're the only ones leading the way. I guess you'll have to wait." Spectre chuckled when he heard Thunderhawk growl. "And stop groaning, for once."

Soon – well, not soon enough for Thunderhawk – they were by the lake. The young boy jumped on the ground and took off towards the waters. He'd been told there were beautiful fishes in this lake; they said because of the Master Emerald being near, the fishes were strangely colored. Thunderhawk kneeled and literally put his head underwater to try and see some fishes.

From where they stood, his parents chuckled. Spectre put the picnic bag down on the ground and stretched out his limbs. It had done him a world of good to move around a bit, and judging by the cracks his bones made he had needed this desperately. He took a big breath and looked at the bright blue sky. Not a cloud was to be seen anywhere.

"I think this is a great day, don't you?" Spectre asked Tressa, sitting on the ground.

"Of course it is, a chance you agreed so willingly to go on a picnic," Tressa smirked.

"I don't see what you mean," the dark echidna said in a singsong voice before lying on the ground and putting his arms behind his head. He vaguely heard some splashing sound and assumed either Thunderhawk fell in the lake, or he was trying to catch fishes. Spectre even began dozing off, when a shadow passed over him. I don't remember seeing any cloud… what could it be? He opened one eye – and then widened both as he saw what was going on.

A black shuttle was landing in the lake, which explained the splashing sounds. Frightened, Thunderhawk had run back with his parents and was eyeing the ship very carefully. Spectre found himself frowning; had the Brotherhood decided to take him to Haven? He'd seen that sort of shuttle in there once, that could be it. Sighing, the black echidna got up and walked towards the ship, firmly determined to give his ancestors a piece of his mind. But when the lateral door opened, it wasn't his ancestors who got out…

Dozens of black-robed silhouettes ran out of the shuttle, laser guns in hand, and circled the Guardian family. Spectre snarled as he identified them immediately: Dark Legionnaires, soldiers from the demented and insane Enerjak. The dark echidna's fur stood on end as he firmly planted his feet in front of his wife and son, ready to protect them no matter what. "What do you want?" he growled dangerously.

Suddenly a Legionnaire raised his hand. "Capture him!"

Spectre widened his eyes as the soldiers threw themselves towards him. He fended them off with his fists and feet, doing his best to keep them a fair distance from his family. He was doing rather well, since he was outnumbered, when the same Legionnaire as earlier shouted an order and they began firing at him. Summoning his Chaos powers, he sent blasts of energy to destroy their lasers. "What in the Hells do you want from me?" he yelled, furious.

Between two energy blasts, Spectre risked a glance at Tressa and Thunderhawk, who stood behind him. This second of inattention was all the Legionnaires needed; he was hit square on the chest, and his breath caught as blood poured out and on his shirt. As he fought to breathe again, he felt a chain being thrown around his neck and someone tugged on it. Spectre stumbled, but did not fall over as the Legionnaire wished he would. Two seconds later, others chains caught his right arm and left leg; he had no choice but topple over.

As he landed on his side on the ground, Spectre saw Legionnaires gathering around him and beginning to chain him up. He struggled to break free, but one of his enemies kicked his face and sent blood flying out of his nose. The Guardian felt handcuffs being clasped around his wrists. There's no way they're getting away with this! Spectre summoned his Emerald powers, but nothing happened as he tried to form a blast. It was as if it had been blocked somehow – and that's when Spectre realized the handcuffs weren't only restraining his movements, but his powers as well. He was now as helpless as his son the day he was born.

Still the black echidna wouldn't give up without a fight. He trashed around, trying to kick some Legionnaires, but one of them punched his face and he abruptly lost consciousness. Spectre was knocked out cold, and he still didn't know why they'd attacked him.

The squadron leader relaxed when the Guardian lost consciousness and his men began to chain him up. Finally, this feisty bastard was taken care of. Now they better head back, and fast, or Master Kragok would think something was up.

The male saw a soldier approaching. "The Guardian is hobbled, Sergeant."

The sergeant nodded. "Carry him in the ship and be ready to take off anytime."

"What about the others, sir?" The sergeant frowned and turned to look at the light purple female and the lavender kid being held by his soldiers. Though the female was well imprisoned, the kid had managed to escape a soldier, and was now struggling to get rid of another. Feisty kid, the sergeant thought, smirking. Maybe we could have him become a Legionnaire, I'm sure he has guts enough.

"Take the kid," he ordered. "We're leaving."

Soft. His head was resting on something soft and warm. He couldn't make out what it was; was it a pillow? Was he lying on a bed? No, he surely wasn't: all under him was cold and hard as metal. Why was he here? And why was his head pounding so hard it seemed like his brain would explode? Spawn of Dimitri, what happened?

Spectre then felt something – a hand by the feel of things – gently caress his forehead. The black echidna gritted his teeth as his injured flesh screamed in protest, but was somehow soothed by the gentle touch. He smelled blood, freshly shed blood that he could even taste on his lips. But when he tried to bring a hand up to his face, he found himself unable to do so. His hands were chained together. Who did this to me? he seethed inwardly. And where the hell am I?

"Spectre?" a voice called. It was soft, as the thing he was lying on and the hand caressing his head. "Can you hear me?"

Who's there? Spectre was now confused. Who was this person, a female by the sounds of it, who knew his name? What was she doing here too? All of these questions, he was about to ask them out loud when a second voice, this one belonging to a young child, made itself known. "Mom, is Dad all right?"

"Don't worry Thunderhawk, he is a bit shaken that's all."

All came back to him. The female calling him and the young boy were Tressa-Ca and Thunderhawk, his wife and his son. They'd been on a picnic when the Dark Legion attacked them… and chained him up. He could remember nothing else after that. Spectre shakily opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a bare grey ceiling. I must be lying on the ground.

His wife's face got in his field of vision, and she smiled. "Hello Spectre. How are you feeling?" He noticed his head was resting in her lap before fully registering her question. She asked him how he felt when he was chained up, bleeding and his head was throbbing as if the entire Brotherhood had run over it. He couldn't help a few chuckles that hurt his throat.

"You know," he whispered weakly. "This had to be the silliest question I've ever heard."

"If you're joking then you must be all right," Tressa smiled back.

"Dad, you scared me!" Thunderhawk squeaked from his position in Tressa's embrace, kneeling by his father. The young boy bent forwards and hugged Spectre's upper arm. "I thought you would never wake up!"

"It takes more than that to take your old father down, my boy," Spectre said, trying to joke although he was in intense pain. The black echidna then regained a serious tone as he asked: "Where are we?"

"In the shuttle they came with. You've been out all along the journey to who knows where, and we've landed about ten minutes ago. I wonder what they are waiting for." Spectre nodded half-absently, deep in thoughts. She's right, what are they waiting for? Surely they didn't capture us for fun, there has to be something behind this. But why is the true question.

The dark chained up echidna was about to tell he had no clue about that when the lateral door slid open with a hiss, and in came a tall brown-furred echidna, wearing the typical Legionnaire black robe. His left eye was cybernetic, and metal covered his cheek and his forehead. One of his spines had been cut off, probably in battle, and the others were cybernetic. On his head were some strands of dark brown hair; in all he wasn't looking friendly.

Thunderhawk backed up against his father, slightly trembling from fright. "D-dad, I'm scared," the young one whispered.

The newcomer fixed his eyes, his cybernetic one the same shade of icy blue as his natural one, on Thunderhawk. "You find me scary? You've never looked at your father closely, boy," he said in a deep menacing voice.

Spectre stiffened, because of the allusion but also because he recognized that voice. The same voice that had been giving orders during the attack. So, this is their leader, he thought. Good. Now I know who I've got to deal with.

The Legionnaire frowned upon seeing Tressa, and turned to a young soldier who was standing beside him. "Why did you take the female?" he asked dangerously low.

The soldier, although scared to death, managed to keep a calm tone of voice. "We thought you might have use of her and-"

"You fool!" the leader growled. "I didn't order you to take the female! I don't like it when my orders aren't followed! And you know what happens to those who don't follow my orders?" He didn't let the soldier time to respond and whipped out a gun, aiming for the head and firing. Blood splashed on the metallic wall and ground as the laser hit the young echidna. Tressa gasped and took Thunderhawk, who had cried out, in her arms protectively. Spectre could just stare, taken aback, as the leader casually put his gun back in his holster. The Legionnaire then spat on the steaming carcass of the former soldier echidna. "That's what happens when my orders aren't followed," he snorted.

Smirking, the leader turned to the Guardian family. "But after all it's not so bad. I mean, we could find you some use." Spectre growled low in his chest; he knew exactly what use this male was talking about. "Great idea in fact. Too bad I killed him, eh?"

Spectre was utterly and completely revolted. So, that was what life was like in the Legion. Killing without any second thought, on impulse, even if the being was somehow right or even innocent – after all, maybe this soldier had done nothing at all. He was jerked out of his disgusted thoughts as the leader spoke once again. "Get up. Master Kragok is waiting for you."

Spectre was walking at normal pace as he was led in the dark corridors. He had been freed, but the powers-blocking handcuffs had been left in place. So, they're afraid after all, he thought as he observed the two guards walking on either side of him, holding his upper arms. They're afraid that if I tried to pull something, I couldn't be stopped. Such cowards. Spectre earned himself two suspicious glances as he chuckled darkly.

All he could see in front of him was the sergeant's back, whose owner was striding forward effortlessly. He apparently knew where he was going, and Spectre would be worried if he wasn't angry. This man had killed in cold blood a young innocent. Legionnaire, yes, but innocent nevertheless. On top of that he was planning to harm Spectre's wife and son, who were actually being taken to a cell by a different path.

They finally stopped in front of a black-wooded door, engraved with symbols and words written in a language unknown to Spectre. The sergeant grabbed him by the handcuffs, opened the door and pulled him inside as the two soldiers stayed outside.

Spectre was thrown on his knees in front of a high-backed chair, in which a black-robed figure was sitting. The black Guardian couldn't help but growl, which earned him a whack upside the head from the sergeant. At that the figure's head raised. "Rykor, stop being rude to our guest."

Sergeant Rykor growled, but obeyed and stood back. "We captured the Guardian and brought him to you as you ordered, Master Kragok," he said. "We also captured his wife and son, who are actually in a cell."

Kragok stood up slowly and advanced towards Spectre, who growled louder with each step the heir of Dimitri took. Kragok then fell on a knee and grabbed Spectre's chin, forcing him to look up and in his eyes.

Kragok was a red-furred echidna with a cybernetic left eye, such as Rykor's, but his was red instead of blue. He carefully observed Spectre's hateful face, and held his left arm up. To the Guardian's surprise, it wasn't an arm, but a cybernetic implant with three claws on end. Then Kragok took the dark echidna's left arm, and rolled the sleeve up to reveal his mechanical limb. "You see, Guardian, we're pretty similar. And you're at least as evil as I am."

Spectre yanked his arm back to him and growled. "What do you want?"

"Good question. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever ask it. Well, Guardian, better go straight to the point: we want you to tell us where your base, Haven, is so we can attack. You better tell me now and be done with it."

"You might as well kill me right now, I won't tell anything."

"Stubborn and feisty. You could be a fine Legionnaire, too bad you aren't. Seriously now, Spectre is that it? I can wait two days or two months, but either way you'll tell me. So make the job easier and do it by yourself, like a good boy, so we won't have to make you."

"Go to hell," Spectre spat hatefully.

"First things first, boy, and I'm afraid this will have to wait a little longer." Kragok smirked darkly from under his hood. "But if you choose the hard way, then so be it. Rykor, take him to the cell his family is in. While you do that I'll go find Lien-Da; I'm sure my sister can find a way to make you spill the beans, Spectre."

Spectre had to wonder what he was up to. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

Tressa-Ca looked up just as the sergeant pushed her husband in the cell and departed quickly. "Spectre!" she exclaimed as he caught his balance before tripping. "What happened? What did they do to you?"

"Nothing, Tressa. They did nothing to me." Spectre sat beside his wife on the cold metal floor, and immediately Thunderhawk jumped in his lap and hugged him, sobbing. "Hey, what is the matter, son?"

"He's been like that ever since that man killed a soldier," Tressa sighed, reaching out to caress Thunderhawk's hair. "I guess he doesn't understand what happened to the young one, but he somehow knows that he'll never wake up. And he was afraid they would do the same thing to you."

Spectre nodded and wrapped his arms around his son's small body. "It's all right, Thunderhawk, I'm here. They didn't do anything to me, calm down." The dark one began running his hand up and down Thunderhawk's back soothingly, and soon enough the boy's crying was reduced to the occasional sniffle now and then. Spectre smiled weakly as Thunderhawk buried his head in his father's shirt and stayed still, curled in a ball.

"What did they want?" Tressa asked Spectre quietly as to not disturb their son.

"They want me to tell them where Haven is. But I'll burn in Hell before I let them know."

"But what will you do if they-"

"I won't tell them anything, you hear me?" he snapped. "They can rip my limbs off and tear my eyes out, they won't know a thing!" Tressa backed up a little, and Thunderhawk whimpered quietly. Spectre winced at his own words; how cold and uncaring he had sounded. It had been so uncalled for. "I'm sorry, I just don't know what's wrong with me, I-" He tried to think of an excuse, but when he found none he sighed and opened one arm. "Come here."

Tressa moved towards him and leaned against his shoulder, sliding her arms around him as he wrapped his around her waist. Spectre sighed and squeezed his wife and son for all he was worth. "It'll be all right," he whispered softly to them. "I'll find a way out of this. It'll be all right."