I know that the first chapter was extremely confusing for most of you guys, so, under the advice of Yunno, I decided to re-write the first chapter, adding a little more detail on who the new character were and such. So, if you haven't read the new first chapter yet, please do! ^^
Chapter 1: "Touble's Brewing"
Cale ran from the kitchen as fast as her short legs could carry her and she tackled-hugged the first person she found, who was Tech. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Guess what???!! I found my powers! I did I did I did I did!!!" She yelped in joy.
Tech smiled widely, scooping her up into his arms. "That's great, Princess!" He chuckled, giving her a kiss on the forehead.
Cale giggled and jumped down from his arms. "Watch!" She took in a deep breath, then, exhaled. Small flames shot from her mouth as she exhaled.
Tech knelt down beside her. "Well, what do you know? My little Princess is really a fire-breathing dragon in disguise!"
Mairi ran up to Cale and hugged her, too. "Congratulations, Cale! I'm so stoked for ya!"
Cale hugged her aunt back. "Thank you, Aunty Mary!"
Just then, the HQ doors opened and Icy walked in. Icy, a white Arctic fox, was Tech and Rev's best freind since second grade. Upon joining the team, she and Cassidy almost immediately became best freinds, both sharing the same taste in music, and having very similar personalities, tomboy/hot-head. "Hey guys! I'm back and I brought stuff for tomorrow." She held out the grocery store bags to Tech, who took them to the kitchen.
Mairi bouced up to Icy and shoved a box of decorations at her. "Come on, we have to finish! Like, NOW!" She then wrapped a handful of tinsel around Icy's head and then skipped off.
Icy stared for a few seconds, then shrugged. She walked on, following Mairi. Suddenly, something got in the way of her feet and Icy tripped, falling to her knees. The ornaments in the box scattered all over the floor.
Duck laughed. "Gotcha, Cous!"
Icy glared at him. "You're lucky Cale's in the room!"
Rev zipped up to Icy. "Here, Icy, I'll help ya!" He said cheerfully.
Icy smiled at him. "Thanks, Rev." The two went to work at picking up the dropped decorations. Suddenly, they both felt something weird. Like someone was watching them from behind. They looked up and saw a peice of mistletoe hanging on a fishing rod.
They exchanged knowing looks and sighed. "Mairi"
Mairi smiled. "Come on you two! Kiss!"
Cale bounded up to Icy and Rev. "Here! I'll do it!" She stood on her tip-toes and gave both her aunt and uncle a kiss on the cheek. "Merry Christmas, Aunty Icy! Merry Christmas Uncle Rev!"
Both of them blushed and returned the little girl's sign of affection. "Merry Christmas, Cale!"
Tech and Cassidy had walked out of the kitchen in time to see this. They smiled at each other and Cassidy leaned against Tech.
DING DONG!
Lexi walked to the door and opened. "Uh, hello?" She glanced down to see a short, wolf/rabbit anthro looking up at her with bright blue eyes. There was a taller, older bunny anthro behind him.
Cale gave out a huge squeal. "ERIC!" She ran up to the little boy and tackled him.
"Hewo, Cale!" Eric replied.
Tech gave Cassidy a terrified look. "Did you know about this?"
Cassidy nodded. "Cale wanted Eric to sleep over tonight. I said yes."
Tech did a double take at this. "You.. invited... HIM.... to sleep over?"
"Tech, relax, Eric is a sweet, innocent little boy... It's his father I have problems with...."
Tech sighed. "Alright, but I've got my eyes on him."
Cassidy smiled and walked up to Lexi. "Lexi, this is Cale's freind, Eric. And his father, Shadow."
The taller bunny, known as Shadow, was not a freind of the team. The only reason he was there was because his six-year-old son, Eric, was freinds with Cale. Eric had been invited over for a sleep over, after Cale had found out that Eric's family doesn't like Christmas. Shadow glared at Cassidy. "Nice to see ya again, Mutt."
Cassidy gave him a forced smile. "Likewise."
Lexi looked at Cassidy. "So... what's going on?"
Eric looked up at Lexi. "I'm sweepin' ova!" He cheered, hugging Cale.
Tech cleared his throat, glaring at Eric.
Cassidy sighed. 'Maybe I should have warned him...'
"Guys! You have to come and see this!" Seth and Quick suddenly yelled from the living room.
Ace, Lexi, Tech, Cassidy, Duck, Mairi, Cale, Eric, and Shadow ran into the living room, most of them curious as to what was going on.
A commercial was playing on TV, one about a new restaurant that was opening that day.
Vanessa and AJ, Lexi and Ace's twins, were sitting on the other couch. "Daddy? That man looks like one of the bad guys you caught!" Vanessa yelped.
"I, Pierre, invite you to join me on the opening day of my new restaurant! 'Le Restaurant DeCoeur!"
Ace glared at the TV screen. "So, Pierre's back, huh? Tech, Cassidy, what does the name mean?"
"The Restaurant of Heart." The coyotes replied.
"Ace, you don't know if he's planning anything evil.... All he's doing is setting up a restaurant. Maybe the time in jail changed him." Lexi shrugged.
"After what he and those other villains did to the kids... I'm not about to trust him, Lex."
DING DONG!
Cale ran around the couch and to the door. "I'll get it!" She shouted. When she opened the door, however, she immediately ran back to her parents, holding on to their legs tightly.
"Cale!" Cassidy sighed. "Is that any way to-" She cut herself off when she saw who the visitor was.
"Pierre Le Pew." Ace folded his arms across his chest.
"Sorry for dizturbing you today, but I wanted to stop by and wish you a Merry Christmas!" The white and black-haired man smiled at them.
Vanessa stood up from the couch. AJ followed, but hid behind his big sister.
Ace raised his eyebrow at Pierre disbelievingly.
Mairi hid behind Duck. Or, at least, tried to hide behind him.
"I understand your hesitance and mistrust, but, you must believe me! The time I spent in jail since we last met has changed me. But, of course, you helped...."
"Okay, how?" Icy questioned, thoroughly confused.
"I watched you when you were reunited. You were happy, loving..... It made such an impression on me..." He smiled. "And, in an attempt to prove to you that I am speaking the truth, I invite you all to the grand opening of my new restaurant!"
"Thanks for the offer, Pierre, but we're kinda busy tonight. Maybe some other time..." Ace replied.
"Yes, perhaps another time." Pierre agreed. "Well, I must be on my way now, Happy Holidays!" And with that, he left.
Cale looked up at Tech and Cassidy, whose legs she was still clinging to. "Mommy? Daddy? I think he was telling the truth..."
"Well, I don't think so, Squirt!" Ace said, still wearing a threatening glare on his face.
"Ace, maybe Lexi's right...." Cassidy faced the leader. "He did seem very sincere..."
Ace looked the young coyote straight in the eye. "Had this have been five years ago and that had been Andrew that walked in here, you would be on my side." He spoke firmly.
Cassidy's jaw fell open. "Ace... that's not fair....Andrew.... He killed my father and tried to do the same to Maria!!"
"But you're forgetting something... Pierre was with Andrew and Optimatus and the other villains when they took the kids from us! Don't you remember that!" He hissed at her.
Cassidy looked at the floor, silent. Then she glanced back up at Ace. "Okay..... So, what's the plan?"
Tech gave Ace a look. He did not like it when Ace brought up the past, especially to convince Cassidy he was right. Friction only happened between Cassidy and Ace when he did that.
"Why don't we go?"
Everyone turned to look at Quick, who was the one who spoke.
"Why don't we go to his restaurant opening?" She repeated herself.
"I think that's a great idea!" Icy, Cassidy, and Lexi agreed.
Ace was thinking. "Well..... you know what? That just might be the only way to keep an eye on him.... Let's do it"
"Grabulaga kids?" Slam asked.
"Yeah, a couple of us are going to have to stay behind and watch the kids." Seth agreed.
"I WILL! I WILL!" Mairi shouted, raising her hand in the air, not only did she enjoy babysitting, she's a childcare worker.
Cale, Vanessa, AJ, and Quinton cheered excited.
Tech shook his head. He was typing away on his palm computer. "Cheif.... By the looks of this website dedicated to Pierre's restaurant, we'll want to go in pairs."
"What do ya mean, Tech?"
"The restaurant specializes in couples seats. It'll look more innocent and less suspicious if we go in pairs." Cassidy added.
"Alright.... " Ace looked around at everyone. "Duck, you've got a choice to make."
Duck had not been paying attention. "What?"
"You have to choose between a date with Mairi, or babysitting with Mairi..."
Duck pouted. "To Mairi, babysitting together IS a date."
Mairi looked at Ace, jaw open. "But, I wanna stay here and babysit!"
Icy pushed Mairi towards Duck. "You go, I'll stay here."
"And miss out on your misson-thingy?" Mairi asked her.
"And miss out on a date with my cousin." Icy corrected her. "I think you'd enjoy it more than me."
Mairi looked at Duck, then at Icy, then at the kids, then at Duck again. Finally, she looked down at Icy. "Okay!"
Duck's eyes widened. "I thought I was the one who was making the decision!!!"
(END CHAPTER)