Chapter 2: Jack and Vivi arrested
Espio had snuck into the kitchen earlier using his natural camouflage powers and had caught Charmy trying to steal the candy in the cupboard. Vector had cried tears of joy, and was tying Charmy up as Espio left by the back door to go get them some groceries, his gloves were on.
***
June bounced around crazily as if she had had caffeine. "Could you stop that? You're making me vairy dizzy ye ken?" Said Vice, groaning and clutching his head. June stopped, but still had a slight spring to her step, "Sorry Vice. I'm just so excited! If the chameleon is who we think he is it will be the first time Serena and I have seen him in years!"
"Who's Espio?" Asked Dave, still sulking. Slade shrugged, "Some guy they both dream about." "You mean a boyfriend?" Asked Dave, jealousy creeping into his voice. "No, more like a relative." Dave sighed with satisfaction, good, this Espio guy wasn't a threat to his claim on June, he didn't care if Serena was interested in Espio..... as long as June wasn't, and now there was absolutely no chance of that.
"Ahem, I don't think you want June to find out about that." Said Michael, "Find out about what?" Asked Alex, "Dave's thoughts." "Which are what?" Asked a komodo dragon, his name was Darien, he was the member who sought out employers for them. "Any employers this time Darien?" "Only one, but he didn't offer enough, and it would have been too dangerous."
Dave's daring streak flared up, "Oh? And what is it?" "Attack the Central Bank and steal the three chaos emeralds in there, and any other valuables we can get. That place has too much security for us to get in there." But Dave was on a roll. "How much did he offer?" Darien was starting to get slightly uneasy, shown by how rapidly his tongue was flickering in and out, "900 Mobiums." "We'll take it, go inform the guy that we'll do the job, right after we visit these.... Chaotix.... people."
Darien nodded, unhappily, but he headed off to do Dave's bidding. Dave smiled inwardly, he'd show June not to like Jack, Jack might get accidentally captured by the police.......... she wouldn't be able to be his girlfriend if he was in jail now would she? And he knew who she'd turn to.
***
Vector finished tying Charmy up, it was harder than it sounded, when someone knocked on the door. He opened it, at first he almost thought it was the Deck Demons, but then he noticed that there was a hawk with them, a hawk wasn't a member of their team.
"Hello, what can I do for you?" "Are you a member of Team Chaotix?" "Yes, I'm Vector." "There are three members right?" "Yeah." "Okay can we..... who is that bee?" Serena interrupted herself when she saw Charmy bound and gagged on the sofa. Vector rubbed the back of his head, "The youngest member." "Why is he tied up?"
"Because he was stealing from the kitchen...... not much of a reason I know but....... I don't know if you understand or not." "Oh ah do. Ah used to go into the kitchen and steal the cookies me granny was making.......... got tied up and locked in my room for half an hour. I know what you mean lad." Vector smiled at Vice. "Well thank you." "So that's Charmy, you're Vector, and the third member of your team, a chameleon. Where is he?" Asked June, serious and with a no nonsense look on her face.
"His name's Espio, he's out at the moment." "Does he have any sisters?" Asked Serena, she held her breath unconsciously, June stiffened, hopeful. "None that I know of. I'll ask Charmy if he knows anything." Vector took the gag out of Charmy's mouth. "I don't think Espio has siblings....... said he doesn't remember anything before he met this guy he calls Sensei............. what does that mean anyway?"
Michael smiled at the bee, "I think it means teacher." "Oh okay...." "But didn't he have any parents?" Asked June, Dave looked at her suspiciously, why so interested? He started to fear he had been wrong.
At that precise moment, Espio came through the door. June and Serena gazed at him in shock, he was like their brother, but..... something was different, he didn't have a playful gleam in his eye, he was more muscular, more careworn.
Vector didn't notice a single thing wrong. "Hey Espio! These two young ladies were making enquiries about you." "Why did you let them in Vector? They might have been here to kidnap you two, did you check them for weapons at all?"
"No. Espio can't you calm down?" But Espio looked fierce, the grocery bags fell to the floor with a slam and cracking was heard. "VECTOR!" Bellowed Espio, "Did you think about the safety of you and Charmy? NO! They could have killed you if that was what they were here for!" Then he turned to the rather shocked guests, "I'm sorry but you'll have to leave right now, please come back another time." "We can't, the Glory Hill will be leaving soon." Espio sighed, "Then we'll see you LATER. Call us or something."
Then he quickly showed them out the door, when he saw June and Serena a fierce roar rose up in his chest from the thing that had tugged him to the harbor. But he showed no emotion, simply inclining his head as they passed, he heard the white one whisper, "No... we were wrong again, it isn't Espio." His first impulse was to show alarm, were these the two girls from his dream? But had to stop himself as the hawk came, "We'll see you at the Cronca cafe later, deal?" Espio only nodded before showing Vice, who was smiling, out the door and shutting it.
Vector was livid. "How could you have just tossed them out Espio? That was potential business!" "What were they doing here again?" Asked Espio, ignoring Vector's rage. "Making enquiries about you. Why?" But Espio didn't hear him, he picked up the grocery bags and went to the kitchen, frowning slightly, lost on a pathway of thought he hadn't gone to for a long time.
***
"But we have to meet them in twenty minutes!" Protested Serena. Dave ignored her, only speeding up. "What is wrong with you Dave?" Asked June grabbing his shoulder and wrenching her around.
He stopped, staring for a long time into her eyes. "Nothing." "Serena and I want to be at that cafe when they arrive, and you're dragging us away on a mission? There isn't any need for us to be there!" Dave suddenly saw a window of opportunity. "No, there isn't, you go, I'll take Jack and Vivi with me. We should be enough."
June smiled at him for the second time since they'd met. "Thank you Dave. This is important to us." They ran off in the direction of the cafe, Darien at the back, Michael carrying Serena so she wouldn't trip, Alex beside June, and Vice in the lead. Dave smiled wickedly inside. Good, soon I'll be rid of Jack, and Vivi shall just be an added bonus.
***
In it's lair deep bellow Station Square a creature that had not been seen for centuries raised it's head, hissing with satisfaction. The small creatures who saw it ran away in fear as soon as they sensed it's presence.
It had finally located a way to pay back those who had stolen it's freedom. The black hedgehog with thoughts of betrayal would do nicely.
***
Dave left Vivi outside to guard, even though she argued he persisted until she relented, then he took Jack with him. He got the vault open and quickly grabbed the items there mission required. He stuffed them in the bag and turned at the sound of guns. Vivi ran up the stairs, holding off the police so they could escape. Thinking quickly, Dave grabbed Jack and hurled him at Vivi. With shouts of surprise, shock, and dismay, they both fell into the ranks of police.
Dave laughed hysterically and yelled, "You'll never get June now will you Jack? I have won!" Then he vaulted out the window and used his powers of ice to block it and conceal him in an alley until the search disappeared. He could hear the angry shouts of his former team mates. "Dave! How could you?" "You'll pay one day! With my hands around your neck!" Dave's blood ran cold for a moment when he heard Vivi's threat, then he shrugged it off, she was going to jail, the one they'd lock her and Jack up in would never allow them to get out. There was no way it would be possible.
He chuckled, then his chuckle turned to a strangled sob of fear. But before he could run a warm claw wrapped around his body, pining his arms to his sides, hot breath caressed the back of his neck when a voice said, "I am not here to hurt you, this is just a manifestation of myself. I once ruled this world, in a time the Mobians chose to forget. If you help me I will get you the girl you want, I will make her fall for you, plead to be your wife. Does this sound acceptable to you?"
Dave stopped trembling when the creature spoke, the visions of this made him want to fight back. But the poison the creature had injected with just it's voice twisted him, making him relish the images, while what little of him was untainted cried out in anger, but was not heard or heeded.
"Yes." Dave said, his voice having gained a slight hiss, just like the creatures. "Good. Do you want to know what you will do if you want me to do this for you?" Dave nodded, "Yes." "You must find me a body that will carry my power for long enough for my body to be freed so I can once again rule the world, with you at my side." Images of conquest and burning plains assaulted Dave's mind. What little of his true self remained struggled feebly, but the twisted self gloried in it, in all the pain and misery.
"Yes, I will help you. You will remember your side of the bargain won't you?" He hissed anxiously, the creature chuckled, "I won't. I always keep my word."
***
June and Serena were waiting rather impatiently, they had hardly noticed when Vice ordered them hot chocolates. It had started raining, instead of a light summer drizzle it was a heavy downpour. "Do you think they'll come?" Asked Serena anxiously. June sat in silence, face stony, hands tense.
Her thoughts, unlike Serena's, were not only on Team Chaotix, she was also worried about Jack. Dave had looked different, something about his look had unsettled her. She shook that aside when she heard Vice say, "There they are!"
Team Chaotix came through the door, Espio looked dry, Charmy was soaked, and Vector was closing an umbrella. "Hello." Said Vector, grinning his toothy grin. Serena smiled at him, June didn't acknowledge his presence. Her eyes were riveted on Espio with flaming intensity. Espio felt slightly uncomfortable under this gaze, but did not show it.
He sat down calmly and quickly scanned the menu." Vector sat down beside him, Serena was on his other side. Espio didn't know their names, but something about them seemed familiar. "Choose whatever you want." Said Alex, "We'll pay for it." Said Vice smiling. Charmy perked up at this, "Really? Cool!" He immediately ordered a hot chocolate with whipped cream, caramel sauce, and sprinkles. Vector groaned, "He's going to have a sugar rush."
Vice chuckled, "Ah had those all the time when Ah was his age. It won't do him no harm you ken." "Ken?" "He means you know." Said Michael. Serena smiled at him and leaned against her boyfriend. The thing in Espio growled when it saw that, immediately making him feel protective, who was this guy, was he trustworthy? Espio was bewildered, why in the world was he feeling like this?
June was still staring at him, Espio was still ignoring her. Charmy finally said, after looking at them for awhile, "Isn't it supposed to be rude to stare?" Vector glared at him. June looked at him, "Yes, yes it is. But I'm staring at him with good reason." "What? You've given up on Jack now?" "No. He looks like me brother..... and at the same time doesn't look like my brother." Espio's head shot up. "What?"
June and Serena looked at him, "We had a brother once, his name was Espio." "Yes, let us tell you about him. The place we grew up was hidden deep in a forest. We played in the fields with the wind around us, the element we controlled." Espio and the others listened with interest which soon became fascination as the two chameleon girls related their tale.
Authoress note: The next chapter is the tale of their childhood. :) I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I was quite surprised when I got my first review all in capitals from inudemon, apparently, this story is very good. I had this story idea for ages and this is my third version of it, with quite a few drastic changes, I'm using some ideas from the first two versions to combine them. :) I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.