A week had passed and everyone in Cortex Castle had been waiting, wanting to know if the cloning was a success. Villains, henchmen, and minions were all gathering outside of the lab in anticipation...until they all felt a presence behind them. Tiny was the first one to notice and lashed out at the newcomer, grabbing them.
The newcomer was a familiar blood-red furred female bandicoot with light brownish-blonde hair that was currently worn down to it's full length to her waist and ice blue eyes that would send chills through the fiercest of opppnents. Instead of her usual sleeveless blue jacket, ripped jeans, and tanktop, she had on a black corset, tight black jeans, black combat boots, and a black hooded jacket that resembled a cloak crossed with a trenchcoat.
"What doing here?" Tiny growled, holding Cassidy off the floor by her throat due to the difference in height between the two.
"I need to see Master Cortex." she replied, not seeming bothered by the fact that it was a bit hard for her to breathe.
"I thought you left us?" Nina said, stepping into the situation.
"That's why I'm here..." Cassidy sighed, a bit of a saddened look on her face. "...I made a mistake by leaving..."
"Let her go." came the voice of Neo Cortex himself as he came out of the lab.
Cassidy was dropped to the floor and she landed on her feet, the tail of her coat fluttering and pooling around her like a shadow. She bowed to the scientist before standing. "I've returned, Master..."
"Walk with me, Cassidy."
There were murmers, mumbles, and whispers among the group as the two walked down the hall.
"I thought you were gone for good." Dr Cortex said as they walked. "Change of heart?"
"Broken heart." Cassidy corrected him.
"Which one did it?"
"I'd rather not mention his name..." her voice was a near hiss of anger.
"So you left because you thought you were in love, now you're back because your heart was practically ripped out of your chest?"
Cassidy nodded, pulling her hood up so the dark material hid most of her face.
"Well, it's good to have you back. We need all the help we can get now."
"May I ask why everyone was gathered outside of the lab?"
"I'll show you later, right now I'll let you get settled in. Your old room is still in the same place it was before, it should be finished by now."
"Thank you, Master." Cassidy nodded as the two seperated and she went to her old room.
After making sure she wasn't followed, Cassidy tossed her coat onto the bed and looked herself over in the old mirror on the wall. The look of herself made her shiver, she didn't really like wearing all black but she did it for this mission.
What mission? She volunteered to spy on Cortex and the others for a while because she could tell he was up to something. She would have to find out what was going on and report back to the others without any of the villains knowig. But for now, she decided to rest until Cortex was ready to reveal his big plan.
(Moments Later)
"Cassidy, are you awake?" Cortex asked as he stepped into the bedroom.
Cassidy looked over at her Master, a bit annoyed. She had been meditating the whole time, trying to calm herself and focus on keeping up the villain act. She slipped her coat back on and pulled her hood up again as she spoke. "Yes, sir."
"Come with me, then."
The two walked to the main lab, silence between them deafening as the only sound was the contact between Cassidy's boots and the floor. Upon entering the lab, dim lights filled the room and Cassidy's eyes landed on three large containment units that resembled fish tanks...and there was something inside them.
"Master, what's going on? What are these things?"
"These, my dear, are clones of the other three bandicoots that you have been living with. These three clones will serve me and lead my army, they will be more loyal than the originals. They're not ready yet, but here in a few hours they should be ready to be trained...and that's where you come in."
"You want ME to train them?"
"Your skills combined with a few of the others will help make these clones into the perfect weapons."
"I see..." Cassidy said, thoughtfulness written on her hidden face. She would have to add this into the report when she slipped back home. "I won't fail you, Master."
"I hope not, Cassidy. You were and still are one of my greatest weapons." Cortex said as he glanced at Cassidy. "It would be a shame if I were to lose you again..."
"You don't have to worry, Master. Now, if you don't mind, I would actually like to get some sleep."
Cortex nodded and began typing on the lab's computer, checking on the developement of the clones.
Cassidy turned and left the lab, going back to her room. Once safely inside, she locked the door behind her and threw her coat on the bed again. She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out one of her smoke pellets, breaking it in half and watching as smoke creeped out of the capsule. The smoke surrounded her, then her fur began to fade to match the smoke's color. Cassidy walked over to her bedroom window and pushed it open. She looked behind her to double check the lock on her door. The breeze coming through the window whipped her smokey fur around, then, with a simple turn of her head, she was gone.
(A Short While Later)
The sun was setting, casting a glow over the Bandicoot home on the beach. The three were worried about Cassidy, they knew she could handle herself in case of an emergency but it was her slipping and blowing her cover that would make things go bad.
As they prepared to go inside for the night, a streak of silverish smoke dashed towards them, then a familiar figure fell face first into the sand.
(Cassidy's POV)
I pushed myself up and spit out a mouthful of sand, shaking my head to get some sand out of my hair. I stood and began brushing sand off my clothes and out of my fur.
"I need to learn to control that..." I said to myself, then turned to face the others. "...we have a BIG problem..."
I lead them all inside before I continued to explain more. "Cortex has cloned the three of you. I don't know how, but he's done it and the clones will be ready to train tonight, probably by the time that I get back...he wants me to train them, so I have to do what I can to keep my cover and try to convince the clones to switch sides. I can't stay long or they'll get suspicious..."
I went back outside and reached into my pocket for another smoke pellet when I felt someone wrap their arms around me from behind.
"I have to go..." I sighed.
"I know...can't you stay for just a few minutes? For me?"
"You know we can't do anything...but since I'll be gone for a while, I guess this once wouldn't hurt..." I said, a slight grin on my face. After making sure nobody else came outside, we slipped off to a place where we could be alone.
...
We walked back about half an hour later, but parted ways halfway across the beach. I sadly stared at my home, then broke open a smoke pellet. My eyes closed as I became part of the smoke that suurrounded me, then I turned to run as I turned into a streak of silver smoke and dashed back to Cortex Castle. I re-appeared back in my old room at the newly rebuilt castle, falling on my bed as my body became solid again and wrapped my arms around myself protectively.
"I better get some sleep..." I yawned.
As my eyes were closing, I swear I heard an alarm coming from the lab down the hallway...
