Espio lay staring at the ceiling, the dim light illuminating his now-sticky purple skin. His "customer" had already gone to sleep beside him, so now Espio was left alone with his thoughts...

How long had it been since he had started living like this? His memories were just a haze by now. Vector had said they needed money, and they needed money bad. Charmy was too young to ask, and Vector saw promise in Espio's slender, trained body...

"Do you have the rent?" Vector's scratchy voice asked over the phone. Espio had escaped to a corner.

"This should be enough," Espio said. "He tipped me extra."

"Good work, Espio. Now how about earning a little extra on the side?" Espio felt uncomfortable by Vector's tone, but he knew not to speak back too harshly. Even if they were speaking over the phone, he knew he would always be seeing Vector later.

"I thought I was only doing this for the rent."

"Don't be stupid. We can't live off rent alone. Don't you want Charmy to be able to eat every day?"

It was true... Espio had ninja training that meant he could go days without food if he needed to. But people like Charmy and Vector couldn't live under such harsh conditions.

"Okay. But please make sure to use the money to buy food. You can use the detective agency money for anything else."

"People don't need detectives anymore," Vector yelled. "Sex sells and that's that. Got it?" Vector hung up the phone angrily. This was Espio's reality now. He was no longer a proud ninja... He was a prostitute.

"Espio Espio, where have you been?" Charmy flew up in Espio's face when he got home, excited to see him. He didn't know, and Vector had promised to never tell him since he was too young to understand. And Espio didn't want someone like Charmy to have to worry.

"Shimatta," Espio cursed in Japanese so that Charmy couldn't understand him. "Uh, I was out training Charmy."

"You're always training. I guess you're a pretty great ninja!"

"Yeah..." Espio smiled sadly. At least Charmy's cheerful innocence was always there to cheer him up. But then his happiness was shattered when Vector slammed open the door.

"Oi Espio! There you are. Where's the money?"

"Rent isn't due until the end of the month..." This had happened before. Vector would take the money early, and just spend it on other things. And he wondered why Team Chaotix was so in debt?

Vector looked angry, but glanced over at Charmy, then back at Espio, giving him a knowing look. "I'll talk to you later then."

Charmy flew around as Vector left. "Vector sure looks angry all the time these days."

It was very depressing for Espio to think of what had become of the situation. When he first met Vector, he had been so nice and welcoming. Now, he was always angry and abusive ever since they started getting really far in debt. It didn't help at all that they were so poor no matter what. For some people it seemed like earning rings was as easy as walking down the street. Not for Team Chaotix.

Speaking of the devil... "Hey Espio, Sonic is going to be hanging out with us tomorrow."

"Sonic? Why?"

"He says that he wants to go gambling. Shadow and Silver will be coming too. So you're coming, right?"

"Charmy..." Espio frowned. "Didn't you just see that we have trouble with money?"

"It's no problem! If you just take one ring and you win, then you'll have lots and lots of rings! I've done it lots of times while you were out training."

Was Vector having Charmy go gambling while he was out walking the streets? Espio had to wonder if Vector was doing anything himself... He had to confront him.

When Espio went into Vector's room to look for him, the room was completely empty. Even Espio's ninja senses couldn't detect anyone there. "Hmmmm... that's funny." He returned to his own room. It was dark... almost darker than usual. Immediately after entering, he could sense someone on the bed. But he couldn't disappear before he was grabbed.

"I said I needed that money, Espio."

"Vector..." Espio's bright eyes widened in fear. If he couldn't get away in time, he knew Vector was more powerful than him. "I'll give you the rent money when the rent is due. You're just going to spend it again."

"Don't talk like that. Everyone needs money to live. I'll just take it for the rent so I know YOU don't spend it. You're going gambling tomorrow, huh?"

Espio looked away. "I won't gamble our money... Aren't you the one that's been sending Charmy out to do that?"

"What?" Vector looked surprised. Espio had meant to confront Vector, but it turns out that he had made a horrible mistake instead. Vector hadn't known about Charmy gambling until just now. "Charmy's gambling away our money too?"

"No-!" Espio struggled against Vector's strong grip. "You can hurt me all you want, but don't hurt Charmy!"

But Vector had already let Espio go and started walking away. Espio had to throw the money at Vector to stop him. "Vector! Take the money. You don't need to punish Charmy."

Vector stopped dead in his tracks, then picked up the money. "Fine... We'll see what happens. But if he does it again, he's definitely getting punished. And you too. Neither of you are going gambling tomorrow."

Espio nodded, resigned. But as Vector walked away, he didn't know that Espio had kept 5 rings hidden when he threw the rest at Vector...

Gambling was Espio and Charmy's only chance at freedom now. Espio held Charmy's hand as they went to Casinopolis with Sonic and Shadow and Silver.

"Wow you guys, you're really getting along!" Sonic said. He thought that maybe something was up, but Espio was only holding Charmy's hand because he didn't want anything to happen to him.

"I'm so excited! I know everything about gambling! Espio, are you coming with me then?"

"Yes Charmy. I want to see you wherever you go."

"Oooohhhhh..." Sonic and Silver looked at each other and Sonic winked. They couldn't guess at all the real reason that Espio was doing things. Espio tryed to play it cool and act like he was just casually going out with friends, and not risking his whole life on 5 rings.

"Charmy, do you have any rings?" Silver asked.

"I couldn't find any! Are you going to give me some?"

"I just came here to hang out, so I'll give you all of mine."

Espio watched as Silver suddenly handed Charmy fifty rings. Fifty for no reason! Charmy was practically rich! Silver and Charmy both looked confused.

"What's wrong, Espio?" Charmy asked, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Isn't it a good thing that he gave us some money?"

Espio realized... that Charmy had an addiction.

"Charmy, how often do you go gambling with these hedgehogs?"

"Ummmm, basically every week."

"And Silver, you just give him all your money?"

"Not every week!" Silver put his hands on his hips. "But he likes gambling so much more than me."

"What about you?" Espio turned to the others. "Sonic? Shadow?"

"I don't give him anything. Hmph..."

"I'm not going to give away my winnings that easily either," Sonic said. "Why don't you calm down? It's just for fun."

"Fine..." Espio withdrew. He didn't want his friends knowing how in trouble Chaotix was. "Charmy, let's go."

Charmy let go of his hand and already started flying towards the pinball machine. "Yaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy! Let's go! I'll win a lot!"

A/N Please R&r! This is my first fic here. What will happen to Team Chaotix...?