((Here is a new story I devised because I had this idea for awhile. Sorry for branching off, but the other one's getting boring. Whatever, onto the story)))

Sonic: WHAT? NO CHARACTER COMMENTS?

Knux: yeah, just what kind of operation are you running here? And grapes.

A: shut up. I'm not in the mood -.-.

Sn: she's been like that lately. I think it's time for a vacation. RUN AWAY WITH ME, AEYVI! Let's go to the Bahamas and get wasted on rumrunners!

A: that sounds FABULOUS! But I have work u.u.

Sn: -kidnaps author and sails away on a cruise ship to Nassau.-

A: aww, screw work. Rumrunners it is! -they tap their glasses together-

& if I owned Sonic in any way shape or form, I wouldn't be an author on ffnet, now, would I? &

Chapter 1- Nothing's for Certain Save Death... and Taxes

I was still a little bit hung over from the night previous (the activities of which I was still trying to recall) but I managed to get myself out of bed and into my clothes. Surely, assassins should always be clearheaded on the job, right? This left me as no exception.

His petname for us was the Unholy Trinity. There were three of us then, myself included. A raven known only as "Poe", and a red panda named Aka Takai. Well, she looked more like a raccoon than a bear of any sort I'd seen, but she was good at her work.

She originated from China but had been raised and trained in Japan, hence her Japanese nickname. They said it meant "red death" and going by the story of similar name, it was fitting. Royalty and the filthy rich who tried to shut out the danger and destruction of their lowly subjects could never hide from the wrath of the red death. She always exacted the most meticulous revenge on our employer's adversaries. What with her skill at the blade, she made quick albeit often messy work of the wealthy and corrupt.

Poe, as we called her, excelled at all things in the element of surprise. She was an excellent sniper, perfect shot every time! I was beginning to wonder when she'd miss! Well, about her name, we called her that since she wouldn't give us her real one. (We all went by aliases or code names when on-the-job. All save me, that is.) So, I thought raven, I thought immediately of our dear late Edgar! Poetic isn't it? Haha! Poetic indeed! Quoth the raven: nevermore. And that's the way work went with Poe.

There isn't much to say of myself at the current time. I go by my given first name- Kaimera. It's quite fitting, I'd say. Mum always said it was bushman for "she who vanquishes." Others state that I'm actually named for the mythical monster, the chimera, which might also be fitting. Being that my kind are among the basilisk lizard variety, you have to find some irony in my being named after TWO monsters at once. It's true. I 'can' be the little monster, heh heh. But this story isn't all about me. It's about us three, the toils and triumphs we endured and celebrated. It's about the business of death, and the life that we lived in it.

In looking at that familiar reflection in the motel mirror, I had to wonder exactly what herd of water buffalo had stampled across my face in my sleep. My head ached painfully from the drinking of the night before. But hell, I could never turn down the opportunity to drink some arrogant yank under the table. Ah, it reminded me of home... I had two, mind you. I was born and -for the most part- raised down in Australia, hence my inescapable accent. But South Africa had treated me well in my young and vibrant years. Mind you, this doesn't mean I'm not young and vibrant today, but those four years in which I transgressed into womanhood were by far my favorites.

Yes, that was before they taught me to drink... I thought this to myself as I neglected my makeup and simply splashed my face with cool water before slinging my rifle case over my shoulder and grabbing my nap sack. In opening the door cautiously, I made doubly sure there were no sounds out of the ordinary. This always helped me in even everyday situations. You just never know.

I swished my long tail in relief at the sound and sight of safety, making my way out and down the stairwell. I was met at the bottom by my accomplice Aka, who was at that moment sharpening one of her many throwing knives whilst leaning against the large company SUV.

"You're late again, lizard." She remarked without looking up. Have I forgotten to describe her appearance? Yes, I believe I have. She was a sort of burgundy, save the cream-colored rings around her long, fluffy tail and around her eyes and ears. Betwixt her chocolate brown eyes there was a black streak, spanning also at the edges of her face very much like a raccoon. She was very slender, almost enviously so, and she had the most curious tuft of tan-colored fur at the center of her collarbone. Before I'd met Aka, I'd never seen such an animal as her in my life. She was very curious indeed. I guess they considered her kind alike to the panda, though I know not in what way. I believe I'd mentioned that... Oh well. She was wearing her favorite skintight stealth suit, almost glowing in its clean whiteness in the morning sunlight.

"You know I dislike it when you call me that." I opened the door to the car, tossing in my effects and closing it again.

"Where's Poe?"

"Scouting."

Poe was perfect for that, by the way. I looked skyward, almost expecting to see her dark form silhouetted against the cloudless sky. Of course, she was nowhere near there at the time.

"So, are we off?"

"Yes. She'll probably be waiting. Are you going to be wearing that?" she looked at me somewhat distastefully.

I looked down at my dark purple buttondown short-sleeved shirt, my weathered brown leather jacket, and my torn and faded denim jeans. Ah, yes, all bore recent memories of home sweet home down under. But, she was right... I was forgetting something.

"Me 'at! I almost bloody forgot me 'at!" and with that, I raced back up the stairs to retrieve my prized slouch hat. I could hear Aka sigh heavily from below.

I always considered the work of the assassin to be of noble intention. I know that may sound unreasonable, perhaps absurd, but it was for me. The exception was... I'm serious about my job. She... well, I could never tell.

I must have found it strange being called "Aka" after my thorough training had been completed. But, it was then that I had left my past, my childhood, and my birthname behind. I shall remain nameless otherwise. Aka it is then. Japanese being for the most part my first language, it sounded odd, people calling me by my color. I suppose I don't know that many people anyway, therefore this probably matters little to else but me.

My kitanas and my various knives were my most prized possessions. It's true I had my sterling silver pistol, but only if need arose. The gun remains unfired, but keeps its place on my belt. Who has need for such primitive weapons when one has skill as I had learned? I must keep reminding myself that skill comes in many, many colors...

Of course, I drove. Kai has to be the most immature and irresponsible of the trio. I don't think I would ever trust her behind the wheel of an expensive car such as this; after hearing about what happened to her humvee in the "outback." Right off a nice steep cliff, I think it was. She said she never laughed as hard in her life! How she could ever be considered a skilled assassin is far beyond me.

But, alas, there she was sitting shotgun, holding that god-forsaken elephant rifle in her lap as if it were as precious as a small child. Australians must be very strange that way. Or it could just be her... I glanced at her again as we sped through the sparse town, her ever-grinning face, those ghastly green scales of hers, the winglike flaps that draped about her shoulders in their relaxed form. Disgusting. What were they for, anyway? It seemed they only flared when she got excited or enraged, making her look terrifying or silly depending on her mood. They looked rather dull at the moment, but fully opened, they were actually quite becoming in their speckled gradient of purple, red, orange and gold. That had to be the only beautiful thing about her. Otherwise, she was just a lizard.

"So, what was the name of it again? Knothead?" She asked aloud in that sordid Aussie accent of hers.

"Are you insulting me? I only told you last night. Knothole."

"What kind of princess lives in a place called Knothole?"

I sighed. She was really trying my patience today. "The chipmunk kind. This should be a quick and simple job..." I looked at her, frowning seriously. "So don't do anything stupid this time."

"Do I eveh?" she smiled back, tilting her head and flaring her "ears" innocently.

I just wanted to slap her, but I had to keep my hands on the wheel.

(((OKAAY! This started out well, as most stories of mine do. If not a tad wordy, neh. Ok, so tell me what you think and don't hate me for temporarily abandoning my other fics! Chao!)))