"D-D-DENISE!" her mother embraced her only remaining daughter with the force of a bear about to maul an Eskimo.
Ms. Marmalade was the happiest woman on the planet when she opened the front door to find Denise standing their in her police uniform. Denise was almost a complete doppelganger of her mother whose only distinguishing features were her older age and hazel eyes. Ms. Marmalade resided in a small rural area outside Gold City where Denise had lived until the events that unfolded with Tron and the Gustaff. When Denise hadn't come home that night her mother contacted the Ryship Police Department who told her Denise was most likely running late because it was typical of her. Denise being fired was never mentioned. When Denise still hadn't come home she filed a missing person report but Denise called 4 days after she went missing to her mother's relief. Since that time she had called on a few other occasions but it wouldn't be until several months later when she finally returned to see her mother at her cottage home. The corn stalks were getting taller in the backyard.
"Hey mom" she tried to breathe.
"Denise! Oh my baby has come home! I missed you!" Ms. Marmalade wailed, tears streaming down her face.
"I missed you too mom" she still had trouble breathing within her mother's crushing hug.
"Why didn't you call me, Denise!?"
"What?! Mom! I called at least 5 times since I was gone!"
"You…oh wait you did…then why didn't you come home?!" she finally released her daughter.
"I'm staying with a few friends I know" Denise replied.
"Friends? I didn't know you had…"
"Mom! Not now!" she groaned, irritated.
Eventually both women went inside. Denise sat in a blue recliner in the family room while her mother went to fill up two cups with grape juice. Denise looked around on the white wall, looking at all of the family photographs. Everything from baby pictures to her high school graduation and graduating from the police academy; they were all there. Next to those were the photos of her older sister, Liz, also the same pattern. There was only one picture of her father, hanging over the fireplace. It was a family photograph taken when the Marmalade sisters were teens. Everyone was smiling except their father whose face was stern; eyes that read 'mess with me and you're dead.' He was a hardened police officer and the two sisters followed in their father's footsteps. Sadly, Mr. Marmalade and Liz both met their demise on duty. It was devastating for Denise and her mother but both remained strong and moved on. Denise's mother came back with the beverages and sat in an identical recliner just a few feet from Denise, giving one of the green cups to her daughter.
"It feels like it's been a decade, dear"
"It has been a while. Again, sorry for not coming home" Denise replied.
"So who are these friends you're staying with?"
Denise thought quickly. Revealing to her mother where she was actually staying might have given her a heart attack.
"Just people I know, mom" she said with a nervous smile.
Ms. Marmalade raised an eyebrow. It wasn't like Denise to hide anything. She was the better behaved one of the two sisters.
"If you don't want to reveal that then I guess it's alright. You were always a good girl, Denise"
Ms. Marmalade looked up at Liz's photographs, reminiscing her childhood.
"And of course with a good girl comes one that…well…just a bit different"
She let out a sigh then stayed silent for a moment, remembering Liz and Mr. Marmalade.
"I sure do miss them. At least they died honorably, doing what they loved to do" she said with a weak smile.
"I miss them too, mom. The only thing we can do now is enjoy each other's company as well as the time we have left"
Ms. Marmalade turned her head back towards her daughter.
"You're certainly right. You know, that's deep, even for you, Denise"
"Well, since I've been gone, I've been to a few places and in certain situations where I realize that time is short. There also seem to be no shortage of people who want to ruin that time for everyone else"
"Speaking of which, did you hear about that giant machine that was going to attack Ryship Island a few months ago…what was the name…I think the news called it the 'Colossus.' We're you around for that?"
"I…heard about that" Denise replied.
"Everyone here in the neighborhood went to the celebration that was held for the heroes that defeated that man, Lex Loathe. I stayed home and watched it on the news. Rumor has it though that those same heroes were the ones who raided Kattelox Island a few days ago"
That thought made Denise cringe a bit, rubbing her forehead.
"Those idiots!" she thought to herself.
"Is something bothering you, Denise?"
"Just had a flash headache, that's all" she said with eyes closed.
"Are you planning on staying here again?" her mother asked.
"Well, no offense to you mom but don't you think it's time I finally move out? I mean I'm 25, almost going to be 26 soon. I know you worry about me because I'm the only family you have left but don't worry. The people I'm staying with are taking great care of me and we get along great for the most part"
"Is it someone from the police, dear?"
"Umm…no. Just…"
Denise felt bad for hiding the truth. She didn't want her mother to think of her negatively. Not after she lost her husband and one of her daughters. She breathed deeply.
"Mom…"
"Yes Denise? Dear are you sure you're alright? You sound like something is wrong suddenly" she spoke with concern.
"What I'm about to tell you may be a bit hard to hear. Please don't think of me less"
Ms. Marmalade sat straight up in her chair, listening carefully.
"The day I disappeared, it was because of an attack. I was sent to apprehend someone who was part of an air pirate family; the very same ones that took down Lex Loathe. She defeated me and sent me into the sea"
Her mother jumped a bit out of her seat when she heard but she kept listening.
"Unknown to her, I survived and snuck my way into their base of operations. Enraged by my defeat and humiliating myself, I actually attempted to kill her. I'm not talking about hurting her. I tried taking her life. Never in my life had I ever had such a feeling. It scared me but at the same time it felt amazing. It was like unlocking a side of me I never knew I had"
To Denise's surprise her mother was calm and her facial expression had not hinted of any shock or disappointment.
"But she ended up kicking my butt. After everything that had happened, she felt bad for me especially for almost killing me on Ryship. So her family decided to allow me to stay"
"You've been living with air pirates?"
"…yes. I know it's hard to take in but...they're the nicest people I know mom. Even the officers at work never treated me with such respect. Most of the men on the force were a bunch of perverted…assholes! I couldn't stand being in the office with them. One even grabbed my butt! These air pirates…The Bonnes…I've never been so happy living outside this home. The oldest brother is such a gentleman and not once has he done anything perverted"
"It sounds like you have a thing for this pirate brother"
"Oh…uhh…no I'm just stating facts, mom"
Denise was not going to tell her the truth about Teisel; at least not yet. She looked down at the floor almost in shame.
"I'm sorry mom. I hope you're not too upset with me"
Her mother sat in her thoughts for a moment. This was the last thing she ever thought she would hear from Denise. A police woman living among the very people she was supposed to be sending to prison. Yet she couldn't find a reason to be upset.
"Dear…I'm happy for you"
"W-what? Really?"
"Yes. I can't really tell you how to live your life but from what you've told me you've done nothing wrong. You're happy, you're living life, you're supporting yourself, and you've found people who, according to your wording, have taken you into their family…even if they are air pirates. I'm not sure how your father or sister would feel about this but I'm not them. You've done well Denise. That and you're a hero. My own daughter saving Ryship Island from a megalomaniac loan shark; how can I be upset?"
Denise was speechless. Her mother just approved of the life she was living instead of condemning it. She felt as if a weight was lifted from her chest.
"M-Mom! I don't know what to say. This wasn't exactly what I expected"
Her mother just chuckled.
"Well, this isn't what I expected either but I'm quite pleased with the outcome of you being gone so long. I'm by no means upset and I think we should celebrate you coming home. In fact, I think lunch is ready!"
She got up to grab the meal from the kitchen. Denise watched curiously wondering what her mother made. She soon walked back with something yellow, steaming from a platter.
"I made your favorite…corn on the cob!"
Denise widened her gaze at the sight of the corn.
"Yeah…my favorite…" she mumbled but smiled.
The Trembling Islands; an archipelago of volcanically active islands stretching a few hundred miles located just outside the border of the UIF. The only sign of human existence was an abandoned military base on the only island without a volcano. After the Gesellschaft was repaired, Teisel discovered the base a few days later. Deciding that making a stationary home would be a good investment, Teisel used the remaining money he borrowed from Loathe to convert the base into their second home with the agreement of Tron, Bon Bonne, and Denise. It only took a week to turn a run down base, complete with foliage and abandoned vehicles, into a comfortable living environment complete with all typical home amenities plus an old submarine hangar which was converted into the Gesellschaft's maintenance facility. The base itself was more of a fortress. At all 4 corners of the 8 foot walls surrounding the base were watch towers that had been set with automatic defense guns for anyone uninvited to the base. Externally, the base appeared uninviting for curious onlookers but the inside told a much different story. This clever ruse was just what the Bonnes needed to finally have a getaway home set on an island chain that only people with sanity issues would dare tread. A few hundred yards from the fortress wall was a white sandy beach stretching for miles around the island. A purple canopy set up like a roof with the Bonne symbol on the top was set up near the water. On a beach towel laid out on the sand next to the canopy, Tron sunbathed in her black bikini. She wore black shades. This was the life. A nemesis defeated, a brand new home, and with so much stolen loot, the Bonnes could declare themselves millionaires. Next to Tron was a spike in the ground with a chain attached. The chain led into the canopy tent.
"Megaman! What's taking that lemonade so long?!" she barked still lying down with eyes closed.
Out from the tent, Megaman Volnutt, wearing a spiked collar with the chain attached to it, nervously walked out with Tron's lemonade. Since the parade, Tron had taken him into the Bonne home only to be used as another servebot or so she claims. He wore blue swimtrunks.
"Sorry, Tron" he replied.
"That's Miss Tron to you! Now hurry, up with that drink!"
"Why are you doing this to me? I'm a person, not a servebot" he pleaded.
"Because…I…you have no authority to ask questions! Drink now!"
Since Tron never had any experience with the opposite sex prior to Megaman, she believed that binding him in chains and making him her servebot was a way of expressing her liking towards him.
"About time! Now go back in the tent until I need you again!" she ordered.
Taking a sip of her drink she placed herself back on the beach towel, taking in the sun. A smile slowly crept on her face as she listened to the sound of the waves. Ah, bliss. For the next half hour she relaxed, alternating sides every couple of minutes to prevent sunburn. Nothing could ruin this moment…except the sound of an approaching jet engine. The waves mixed with the sound so Tron hadn't noticed yet until the sound was almost overhead. Opening her eyes, she looked through her shades, watching a hovering yellow craft up above.
"Who the hell is that?" she covered her eyes a bit as the jet blast blew sand in all directions.
The craft landed several yards away. Megaman looked out, recognizing the vehicle immediately and to his relief.
With the engines still on, a door opened and a young girl with an enormous red baseball cap jumped down.
"Roll!" Megaman called out.
The blonde girl didn't reply at first but locked eyes with Tron's. If looks could kill, Tron would be dead a thousand times over. She slowly made her way towards Tron.
"Excuse me!? What are you doing on our island!? This is private property and you just ruined my sunbathing!"
Without making a single response she casually walked ever closer to Tron.
"Oh what? Cat have your tongue? Say something!"
Still no response from the blonde girl on a mission.
"Grrr…FINE! You wanna throw down?! I've got one cop under my belt already so a common bitch like yourself won't even stand a chance against me!"
She finally stopped 3 feet in front of Tron, both hands on her hips. They both stayed silent in this standoff. Megaman watched, wondering why the blonde girl hadn't said anything.
"Any last words before I beat your ass into the sand!?" Tron asked as she cracked her knuckles.
Those would be Tron's last words before the morning was over. She froze as a large metal object was now pressed into her hairdo. The kinetic transfer from a massive wrench that appeared from an unknown bodily orifice from the blonde girl found its mark right on Tron's noggin. Tron's eyes stayed open for a few more seconds then rolled into the back of her head. Taking the wrench off of her head, the blonde smiled as she watched Tron fall face first into the sand.
"R-Roll?" Megaman was shocked that the girl went to such measures to rescue him.
"Megaman, what did that crazy slut do to you?!" Roll sounded like she was being chased by a lion as she ran to unbind Megaman.
"She made me her servant, but why did you do that, Roll? You didn't have to be that harsh on Tron" he waited to be untied.
"Megaman, she made you a servant against your will and then to add insult to injury she made you wear this spiky collar like you were some animal! If that's not demoralizing and downright humiliating then I don't know what is!" she finally took the collar off.
Megaman was freed.
"Now let's get back to the Flutter and get out of here before she wakes up. I have a feeling that her anger will be similar to that of the most violent storm when she discovers that you're gone" Roll said.
Megaman looked back at Tron, knocked out and face down in the sand. He felt bad but at the same time he was glad he was free again. Wasting no time, Roll piloted the Flutter upwards then back towards the direction of Kattelox Island.
At the capital building, Chairman Drop met with two of his defense ministers. After much debating and reasoning, Arik began to lean more towards improving the UIF's current defenses and even adding to them.
"How long until we can have them?" he asked.
"On your orders we can have everything done within a week or less. Though the other project might take longer, sir"
Arik thought hard. Adding to the defense could stir up concern as it would not go unnoticed by the citizens of the UIF. Pressure was mounting and a decision had to be made.
"Why is there so much animosity between UIF and Sedaris Island?" the Chairman pondered out loud.
"Because they want our refractor enrichment facilities. They are unique to the UIF only"
"So allow them to use our ideas! I didn't become leader to horde everything for our nation only! If we can help others then by all means we're going to!" the Chairman was getting upset.
"You don't understand sir! Look at their history! War after war after war! If Sedaris Island gets a hold of any plans for our enrichment facilities they can easily use that to create weapons then use them against us! We cannot allow the technology outside of UIF borders!" the defense minister advised.
Arik closed his eyes. He was always willing to help other nations in need but Sedaris Island had been a threat to UIF even before it became a nation.
"Ok. I give you my permission. I want all aircraft carriers deployed but distribute them evenly around the border areas incase anyone tries to make a sneak attack. What about Project Juno?"
"We think we may have found the ruin containing the artifact. Once we have it, we can defend ourselves without the use for our current naval and air fleet"
"What?! What the hell kind of weapon are we talking about!?" Arik shouted.
Both defense ministers looked at each other then one spoke.
"Reinitialization, sir"
"…are you out of your minds?! That will wipe out millions of people! Do you think I want that much bloodshed on my hands because one island is giving us shit for not sharing a few blueprints?!" he kept slamming his fists into the table.
"It's either that or they have agents take it right from underneath us and next thing you know we're under attack. Project Juno is a last ditch effort incase they fire on us. We use it as a warning, helping them dissuade from using our own work against us and if that doesn't work…they have to go"
Arik was almost growling. He hated the idea entirely. The glass cup in his hands was suddenly crushed from the pressure of him holding too tightly from his anger.
"Sir, we know you don't like the idea but we have to protect our people. This is politics and…."
"This isn't politics…THIS IS FUCKING GENOCIDE! Project Juno is to be discontinued immediately! Anyone who attempts otherwise will be executed by me personally! Now get the hell out! Both of you!" he pointed his finger at the door.
Both men sneered at him then stood up and left. Once the door closed it was quiet. Arik was breathing heavily from being upset. He closed his eyes again and rubbed his hands through his black hair a few times.
"Sir?" a voice uttered from another door to his right, grabbing his attention.
"Oh, hi Robert"
"Are you okay? I heard you yelling"
He grunted thinking about the proposition a few minutes ago.
"No I'm not okay. Have a seat, Robert" he gestured to a black leather office chair to his right.
Robert sat down and listened, a bit nervous.
"It's okay Robert. It's nothing you did. Those two men that were here earlier wanted me to authorize a weapon that could kill many innocent people. I'm a bit crazy but I'm by no means a tyrant. I cannot allow for something like that to be built, let alone used by our own country when we're trying to be a peaceful nation"
"What happens now? They were right in stating that Sedaris Island is a looming threat" Robert said.
"Believe me I'm not overlooking that but right now the best thing to do is to flex our military muscle and hope we can kill the flame that is the animosity between us and Sedaris Island. I really don't want to have to deploy our fighters but if they were to attack I would have no choice. I tried putting my guns down a while ago, Robert but over and over I'm finding myself always having to defuse a situation with violence. I've killed many people and I never thought I would regret it. It's the worse feeling of all. Working under Jethro, I realized that the government he wanted to create would put too much power over the people. Before he died, he wanted me to continue what he started but I decided to take the better path and create the nation you see today. If he was in power he would use Reinitialization as an offensive weapon to take over this planet. Man should never have access to that much power. I want you to understand that. One day when you're Chairman, I want you to continue the type of government I'm running. Never let power get to your head and always make decisions that help both the people in your nation and the ones outside of it"
"Yes sir" Robert replied.
"It's getting a bit late in the day and after that meeting I'm in no mood to spar with you for your self defense lessons. I'm afraid I might hurt you seriously. Take the rest of the day off, Mr. Light. I hope I didn't frighten you after that meeting. I'm afraid I have a short fuse"
"It's okay, Chairman. You were doing what you had to do. Sometimes anger is the best way to get the message across. I mean they kept insisting until you broke your glass cup right in your hand. Then they knew you were serious. And by the way, how are you not bleeding from your hand?"
Arik now looked at his hand which hurt slightly but was not cut.
"I'm…not sure. I guess I'm lucky. And speaking of lucky, I have a wife waiting for me at home so get out of here, kiddo"
"Heh, okay sir. Have a good rest of the day"
"You too, Robert"
In one of the several living rooms in the fortress, Teisel read the newspaper which he picked up on the way home from making a refractor exchange. The headlines read "Heroes of Ryship are Rumored to be Pirates."
"It's only a rumor and it makes it on the front page? Don't these clowns have anything better to do?" he talked to himself.
The red capped servebot, number 23, found Teisel and walked to him.
"Hello Master Teisel"
"Hey 23. Did you need something?"
"Have you seen Miss Tron?"
"Umm…no actually. Last I heard she was taking her…new servebot as she called him to the beach. I don't think she quite understands the concept of how to properly treat someone you like"
"Shouldn't you have said something?"
"Well, sometimes it's best for her to figure things out on her own"
"FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU….!" a loud female swear came from the main entrance.
Teisel and Servebot 23 both looked at each other, shaking a bit.
"…like right now" Teisel finished.
"I have a feeling this has to do with her new servebot" number 23 said.
"That makes two of us. I really need to monitor the games she plays and television she watches. Her swearing is starting to irritate me!" Teisel moped.
The door to the living section of the fortress was slammed shut so hard the walls shook inside the family room. Heavy footsteps shook the ground as a certain female air pirate raged her way to the living room. She wasn't even wearing shoes. Tron was fuming mad to the point where any moisture that came in contact with her skin would evaporate instantly. Still in her bikini she stood next to Teisel. Servebot 23 cowered in fear behind loveseat, waiting for what Tron had to say. Teisel was worried deep down inside but showed no fear.
"We have a new enemy!" Tron said.
"And that is?" Teisel asked.
"Some dumb blonde bitch WHO STOLE MY SERVEBOT! UGH!" she fumed then was pulling at her hair.
"Tron calm down! There's no need for this type of anger! Besides you had him in chains and a spiky collar! I felt bad for the kid!" he explained.
"That's what you're supposed to do isn't it?!"
"What?! Ok, Tron, where are you learning how to deal with the opposite sex?" Teisel had to ask.
"Just…stuff I've seen on the television" was Tron's response.
Teisel slammed both of his hands into his face. Needless to say, he didn't like that reply.
"The television!? Tron, only a fool would believe anything they see from the television! Their job is to show people what they think they want and in the end all they get is a paycheck! They don't care what happens to you!"
"Then…I don't know what to do!" she grunted.
"First off, go put on some clothes. Then come back here and we'll have a little sibling talk. 23, go somewhere else for a while"
"Yes, Master Teisel"
With her hair in a ponytail, which was rare, Tron returned in her usual attire. She brought her a can of soda and took her seat next to her brother who was still reading the paper.
"Ok, now what did you want to talk about?" she started tapping her fingers on the table.
He closed the paper and crossed his arms, readying himself for a brother to sister talk.
"Tron, why did you even bring that…blue boy…back here?"
"Wha…I don't know! I thought he was cute so I kidnapped him"
"You're not supposed to kidnap people, Tron. I mean we may be pirates but even I wouldn't stoop that low"
"Then what should I have done?" she asked.
"Well, when you meet someone you like you talk for a while, maybe even get a phone number. Can you take a guess as to what you should do afterwards?"
"Umm…use the Bonne Bitch Slap on them so you can knock them out then make them your servebot?"
"NO! Tron! You almost killed Denise with that! Why would you use that on anyone else?"
"Because Denise was dumb enough to be standing next to a cliff. If you stay away from drop-offs in excess of 100 feet or more I think you'll be fine!"
"Tron, no hitting anyone! No pain inflicting, no kidnapping, nothing like that at all!"
"Fine. What then?"
"You just need to approach it normally"
"Normally? How? I never grew up with mom and dad so how do you expect me to be normal?"
"…good point"
"Teisel, I'm beginning to get the feeling that maybe I'm just doomed to being a lone loser for a long time…maybe forever" she sounded a bit depressed.
"Now Tron, that kind of though process will end up making you alone. You need to be patient. Eventually the right person comes along when you least expect it. I mean take Denise and I for example…it all started when…"
"HEY! WHAT DO YOU MEAN DENISE AND YOU!?" Tron shouted.
"Uhh…"
"Teisel, what did she do to you!?"
"Tron, she didn't do anything…I thought you knew that…"
"If she lays one finger on you I'll…well truth be told I don't think I'll do much of anything…but I'll be really pissed off!"
"Now wait just a minute, Tron! What's the problem here?"
"It's Denise! She's a police officer and still my rival! You two didn't do anything did you?"
Teisel stared blankly at his sister. He was irritated and surprised at the same time that Tron still hadn't caught on to his relationship with Denise.
"Tron…we're seeing each other…as in dating" he said nonchalantly.
"WHAT!? TEISEL!"
"I don't know why it hasn't registered to you Tron but we've been in a relationship for a little while now"
Tron's anger was boiling hotter. Her face started to shake.
"Tron I'm warning you now. Nothing you say or do is gonna change my mind. I still don't understand your anger towards Denise"
She tried calming herself down.
"Teisel…why? Why her?"
"Why not?"
"What kind of a reply is that? I asked first! Why her?"
"We just clicked. I can't really explain it. The best part about it was I didn't like her in the beginning. A cop who tried to kill my sister then became part of our family against my own will. Tron I will say, the Bonne Bitch Slap may have been the best idea you've come up with ever" he said with a smile.
Tron's face started to soften up.
"It's hard to argue with someone with a smile as big as yours right now. I can't say I'm not upset still but I see your happiness and because of that I guess it's okay for you two to see each other"
"You guess?"
"Yes, guess. I'm still gonna give you two crap about this so watch out" she replied smugly.
"Fantastic. But seriously Tron, I thought that you knew about us already"
"I thought that night I found you two on the couch was just because she was really tired and fell asleep in your arms"
"That's exactly what happened actually"
"This is kind of confusing. Perhaps a sign I still have some growing up to do"
"Like I said, be patient. That's about the best advice I can give you, Tron"
"Thanks…and I'll be watching you…both of you" she stood up.
"Never a dull moment in this house. Try not to vex us too much okay, Tron?"
"And one other thing. If she does anything to hurt you so help me I'm gonna finish what I started on Ryship Island!" she shook her fist in the air.
"Tron, that's okay! I don't think she's one of the common type"
"She better not be!" she replied walking away.
"Even though I told you to leave, you can come out now, 23" Teisel said.
"Well that's good right? Miss Tron approves of Denise, Master Teisel?"
"I'm not sure that 'approve' is the correct term. But this is still better than Tron showing contempt for our relationship. I wonder what the conversation at dinner tonight is going to be like."
After spending several hours with her mother, Denise returned to the fortress. A small hangar door opened from a rooftop as she carefully guided the Drache down safely into a vacant spot. Unknown to her, Tron was waiting, leaning against the entrance with her arms crossed. With a smile Denise hopped out, very pleased with the outcome of her day. Her smile went away when Tron was a few feet in front of her.
"Oh...is something wrong, Tron?"
"I know about you and Teisel" she said rather quietly.
Denise looked around confused.
"Tron, I thought you already knew"
"That's what Teisel said. It was a misunderstanding when I saw you two that of the celebration"
"Okay, so why don't you like the idea of us together?"
"I didn't like it because you and I are still rivals. I didn't think that allowing you to stay would ever lead to this. I'll admit I was pretty pissed when Teisel broke the news but he convinced me otherwise for the most part"
"That's…good" Denise replied.
"Well since I asked him, now I'll ask you...why him?"
"Why him?" Denise smiled as she began thinking.
"Do you have several hours, Tron?"
"Several…what? It's just Teisel!"
"Just Teisel? You have no idea! But that's probably a good thing"
Tron squinted her eyes a bit, unsure about what Denise meant by that.
"Wait a second…where's your 'new' servebot?" Denise noticed that Megaman wasn't tied up next to Tron.
"We're not talking about it. All I'm going to say is that he's gone"
"I would have loved to have heard about that but if you don't want to talk about it then that's fine" Denise said.
"You smell like corn" Tron said as she sniffed the air.
"Yeah, that's my mom. Corn everything. But after not having it for a few months it wasn't bad today"
Both girls began walking deeper into the fort.
"If I may ask, how did the topic of Teisel and I come up?"
"Well Teisel wanted to talk to me about dating because apparently what I was doing Megaman wasn't the preferred method. That led into him slipping out information about you both and I retorted rather quickly, wondering what on Terra he was doing with you"
"It's not like we're dealing drugs, Tron. Besides, I don't think I could have found a better guy. When one of your male co-workers grabs your ass while you're trying to pick up your paperwork that fell off your desk but a pirate, of all people, won't even touch…he wouldn't even think about touching me like that…that really says something. And he does it out of his good heart. A pirate with a good heart! You can get upset that I'm dating your goofball brother but know this: he's a rare find in this crappy world of ours and I'm not about to give that up"
At that moment Tron had a complete change of heart.
"Maybe I shouldn't get upset. Teisel raised Bon Bonne and I once my parents passed away. He's always fought and still fights to make sure we live comfortably and he's never given less than 100 percent in everything he's done for us so it makes perfect sense that you would choose someone like him…you know what Denise…I'm happy for you…both of you"
"That's the second time today someone has said that to me and both times have meant the world to me. Thanks, Tron" Denise said giving a hug to her rival.
"Uhh…you're welcome…no touching" Tron said looking a bit weirded out.
Denise let go.
"Whatever" she still smiled.
"So, are you sure you don't want to talk about how you lost Megaman?"
"Denise, drop it!" Tron replied as they both disappeared behind a blast door.
Night had come to Kattelox Island. Most of the businesses were now closed and the neighborhoods uttered not one sound in their serenity. On a tall hill was a television station that had just closed for the night once the evening news was recorded for later that evening. A 75 foot red and white antenna stood next to the station. Halfway up, a figure covered in a blue digger's suit was hanging on to the side, observing the island like a pirate scanning the horizon from the crow's nest of a ship. His face was covered by a bandana…only the eyes were revealed. On his head was another bandana with a frowning face. He looked in all directions. A light breeze started to blow.
"Man, this place is still boring after all these years" he said to himself.
"On top of that, after all these years one would think that I would be a better pirate. Where the hell did I go wrong?"
Down below something moved. It was reddish-orange and resembled a street cone…actually….
"Bleh!" it said.
"Coney! Dammit, what the hell took you so long? Is it really that hard to steal some fried chicken?" he yelled from up above.
"Bleh, bleh"
"No, if I wanted it done faster…wait…maybe you're right…WHOA!"
He lost his grip, falling about 15 feet before catching another part of the antenna.
"Bleh bleh!"
"I'm not a dumbass, although that was pretty stupid of me to lose my grip. Okay, I'm coming down. That food better be hot!"
An hour went by. Every wall on the television station was now tagged with red spray-paint.
"If this place still wasn't so boring I wouldn't have to tag random places to make it livelier" the digger said.
"Bleh bleh bleh!"
"Echelon Electronics has that? I think you just named our first store to visit. Of course this time try to make a larger escape hole this time, okay Coney?"
"Bleh"
"Hey, I'm not fat! This digger suit just makes me a bit bulky, that's all"
Sky Pirate Dash was quite the headache for many police officers on various islands. A petty theft who couldn't be caught; a testament to the competency of the men and women of the force. Or maybe he was just that good. Truthfully if one were to ask he would tell you it was mostly luck. If Dash had actually held on to most of what he stole, early retirement may have already happened. But the story reveals a pirate who was almost as inept as the police trying to catch him. Then there was his assistant. No one on that planet could ever explain a living street cone. Dash didn't quite understand it either but he went along with it as it proved to be quite beneficial to have Coney around. His vocabulary was about as stark as the Nakai Desert but it was really all he needed. One word: "bleh" and Dash understood immediately was he was saying. It was uncertain if anyone else could understand the cone but since Dash and Coney never stuck around long enough to find out the enigma remained. The duo soon arrived outside the electronic store at a side door with a small window on it.
"Okay, Coney, let's go over the checklist: flashlights?"
"Bleh"
"Glass cutters?"
"Bleh"
"Fiber wire to remove those annoying security devices on higher priced electronics?"
"Bleh"
"Donuts?"
"B-Bleh bleh?"
"Not for us, retard. For incase the pigs make the scene"
"…bleh" he rolled his eyes.
"Uzis?"
"Bleh bleh bleh" Coney kind of chuckled nervously.
"You only brought one?! Give it to me! You already have a cannon of your own!"
Coney handed Dash the Uzi which he checked to make sure it was loaded. In a separate pouch he carried a few more magazines.
"Ok, find the gearbox and cut the power. Make sure the silent alarms are deactivated as well"
Coney disappeared behind the corner while Dash waited a few minutes, watching the interior lights. Then they shut off. Coney returned.
"Let's get in and get out!" Dash kicked in the door.
No alarms went off. So far the robbery was going without a hitch. Dash was walking fast, looking around for anything expensive. Coney tried to keep up.
"Bleh?"
"Umm…find me a music player with the largest amount of storage space. I'll be over in video games and flat screen televisions"
Unknown to Dash, Coney was actually illiterate and couldn't distinguish numbers either. So when he got to the music players he just placed all of them into a canvas bag. Dash could sort them out later. In the same fashion, Dash placed as many video games as he could into a bag and somehow was able to fit in a 52 inch television screen as well. It only took 5 minutes but both crooks filled their bags completely. Then something caught Dash's eye. In the very center of the store a dome glass case covered something. With a flashlight in hand he took a closer look. It was a strange looking gun, not like one he had seen before. The price tag revealed a number so large it was most likely worth more than the entire building was worth. Dash hit the jackpot. Opening the case, he threw it to the side where it shattered on impact. He picked up the gun by placing his right hand into a slot like a doctor giving a prostate exam. It enveloped his entire forearm and had to of weighed at least 25 pounds. It resembled a portal gun from a certain computer game.
"Hey Coney, come check his bad boy out!" Dash called to his somewhat sidekick.
Struggling to drag the bag, he eventually made it over to Dash who pulled the trigger, thinking it was empty. A long white flame shot out the front, almost touching the ceiling. The entire store was illuminated by the brilliant light. Coney glared at Dash.
"What? This thing is so cool! I might not even sell it!" he finally let go of the trigger.
"Stop right there!" a voice said coming in from the same entrance as the duo.
Dash dropped everything except the flamethrower aiming it at the newcomer wearing a darker blue digger's suit. There was something familiar about him.
"Who the hell are you?" Dash asked, with finger on the trigger.
"Stop this now and I'll let you two at least get away" Megaman said.
"That's very nice of you but I didn't come here to leave empty handed. You're in the way. I suggest you move over before you get fried"
Megaman readied his blaster.
"Oh by the way, do you like…DONUTS!" Dash threw a jelly filled pastry at Megaman but he only followed it with his eyes as it hit him in the chest.
"Sorry but jelly filled pastries aren't my thing…now get out of here"
"Looks like were gonna have to get serious here. How about a BEAR CLAW!?" he shouted throwing something sharp.
It found its mark right in Megaman's neck, almost entering his jugular. He quickly put both of his hands on the new wound and fell to the floor.
"What the hell?! Coney! I said bear claws like the pastry, not an actual bear claw!" Dash yelled.
Megaman started convulsing a bit on the floor, sounding like he was choking. It wasn't a good week for the blue bomber. First he was in captivity for more than a month and now he took a fingernail of a bear to the neck.
"Shit shit shit! We have to do something, Coney…wait"
Dash pulled out a red package with a white cross on it and tossed it next to Megaman who slowly grabbed on to it.
"Use that medical kit, kid. There are bandages and antiseptic inside. You're on your own now. Let's get the hell out of here Coney!"
Dragging their loot, both thieves made their getaway on foot until they found a delivery van, hotwired it, then drove into the night towards an unknown destination.
"I'm just glad that didn't turn into an actual fire fight. Hand to hand I could have taken him but that blaster of his looked vicious" Dash spoke to Coney who sat in the passenger seat.
"Bleh"
"You're right. For once we actually got away with most of the loot! Most of that will sell for a decent price. Still not sure about that gun though. It's worth more than all the loot combined yet we can use a flamethrower in our small arsenal. But next time, Coney, get bear claws like the edible ones! The last thing I need is a murder record! We're just crooks who steal to survive, not assassins! I hope that kid will be okay. It looks like I barely missed his jugular vein so he'll be fine"
Soon the van reached a stretch of highway in the middle of nowhere. Out in the distance the city lights painted the sky orange as Dash and Coney drove closer. They would reach the outskirts 30 minutes later.
"Bleh bleh?"
"First we'll find some place to crash for the night, then in the morning we'll sell our loot, get paid, then do it all again. Hopefully without interference next time"
Just outside the city limits was a small inn. The van pulled in to the parking lot then stopped behind some shrubs to hide it from plain sight incase someone reported the stolen vehicle. From behind the inn, Dash scouted the windows until he came across a few that were slightly opened. One of them was vacant. Propping open the window, he climbed in to the vacant room where he would stay the night. Coney remained in the van as a security device. Thus the night ended for the strange duo of Dash and Coney. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. One that a few people never expected.