Disclaimer- I do not own G.I. Renegades.

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Mimic's (Kaycie's POV)

The shot rang in my ears. I watched in horror as Chrissie's little body was pushed into the ground by the force of the shot. At first I was numb, time had seemed to stop. Then I became angry, no enraged! My head fogged with a black cloud and my vision turned into a red haze.

"YOU BASTARD!"

I tackled him to the ground and knocked the gun out of his hand. I grabbed it pointed the weapon at his head. I considered spreading his brain all over the forest floor, but then decide against it. A quick death was to good for him.

I threw the gun to the side and then just started to punch him in the face.

'This is for calling me all those horrid names.'
'This is for taking Chrissie'
'This is for calling Chrissie all those horrid names'
'This is for having a gun.'
'This is for mistreating Chrissie'
'This is for being an ass.'
'This is for sending those dogs after me.'
'This is for following me.'
'This is for shooting Chrissie.'
'This is for your horrible wife'
'And this is for my own enjoyment!'

Someone grabbed my grabbed my arm and tried to haul me away. I slipped out of their grasp, though, and continued punching Errol. I only got to get in two more punches before the person grabbed me by both of my arms and dragged me away.

The person let me go, it was the ninja. The information and recognition finally computed in my head and the numb feeling returned. The red haze went away and the black cloud lifted a little. The renegade Nikki and the others were looking at Errol. I looked at his face, it was black, blue, swollen, and it looked like his nose was broken, as it looked flat and blood was streaming out of it.

I looked over to where Chrissie lay. Like I was in a trance I walked over to her. I fell to my knees and gathered her up and just held her. No tears feel as I rocked her back and forth, murmuring "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." over and over. Sidearms, Raider, Feather, and some of the others burst out of the bushes and saw the scene. They raised their weapons at the renegades and looked at me, I shook my head and they relaxed a little. I heard Feather gasp and she rushed to my side. She took one look at my limp bundle and she collapsed and hugged us both. She had tears running down her face, but she didn't make a sound.

"Mommy, you and Aunty are squeezing me too hard. Why are you crying?" A faint voice said.

I looked up in surprise and Chrissie was looking up at me.

"H...how did you?"

"The nice blond man gave me a really big vest. But then the cool ninja man cut it with his sword and he gave it to me, look!"

She lifted up her shirt a little and underneath there was a modified vest... A modified bullet proof vest.

"Why where you laying so still? I thought you were dead!" I shouted

"It hurt a lot when he shot the gun. I hit my head on the floor too."

I was going to ask her more when I suddenly heard sirens.

"Who-?" Feather started to ask, but she was cut off by a voice somewhere far off in the forest.

"Duke, we know you're in there. Come out of the forest with your hands in the air. Don't make us come on there after you!"

"Flint." Duke said.

Feather looked at me and then Chrissie.

We both looked to Sidearms. "We have to take them."

Sidearms showed no sign of emotion while the others around him stiffened a little. They considered the idea for a moment, then nodded grudgingly.

I tried to stand up, but couldn't. My leg and arm had gone stiff. Sidearms helped me up and supported me.

"Come on." I said to the renegades. "Let's get you out of here."

Before they could say anything, the six people Sidearms had brought with him had morphed into their forms and were standing patiently in front of them. Sidearms had chosen his companions well. All the people he had brought with him were horses. Even a Clydesdale for Mervin.

Thankfully they didn't really ask questions, they just looked extremely surprised, but they hopped onto the horses, except Mervin.

"I can't leave the Coyote." He said.

"I'll get it." Sidearms said. "Just get out of here."

Mervin looked concerned, but then nodded and hopped onto the lowered back of the horse. Feather helped me onto one of the horses. She then morphed into her own form. I helped Chrissie onto the back of the horse. Then we were off like a bullet. The steady beat of hooves almost lulled me to sleep, but I made myself stay awake. On the back of the horse it didn't take that long to get to the Treehouse. Watcher was quick to lower the rope ladder. The horses morphed back into their human forms and jumped into the ladder and started climbing. The renegades went up next then Feather, Raider, Chrissie, and I. I couldn't climb as well as the others so Watcher ended up having to haul the ladder up and pulling me onto the platform. Raider supported me and nodded to the others.

"Take them to any of the available safe homes." She said.

Two of the team stepped forward and motioned for the renegades to follow them. They looked on edge and concerned.

"Don't worry." I said. "We won't turn you in."

They nodded their gratitude and followed the two members. I heard a rustling in the trees. I looked up and saw the ninja.

"You are welcome to stay as well." Feather said. The ninja nodded and hopped down form the tree and followed his friends.

Feather turned to me. "We have to fix and stitch you up."

I groaned. I was tired and just wanted to sleep. I was lead to the infirmary and then they cleaned me up. I was al muddy and wet from jumping in the pool and running through the woods. After Feather got out a tube of painkiller and put a dab on a q-tip and outlined the bullet wounds. She carefully sewed the holes on my shoulder shut. It hurt a little, but not as much as getting shot. When it came time to pull the bullet out of my leg. She had to move me to a table where she could tie me down. She had to make sure I wouldn't move. Raider even blind folded me and stuck a metal rod in between my teeth. I heard tools rattling around, someone opening a bottle, then a long stinging pain.

I bit down on the rod and held my breath. What the hell were they doing? Setting my leg on fire!? I whined a little.
"Hang on it's almost out." Feather comforted.

After a few more seconds of agonizing pain, it stopped. The blind fold was taken off and I spit the rod out. Feather got some rubbing alcohol and filled a bowl with it. She put the rod in the bowl and let it soak. She put the bullet on an tray and filled another bowl with rubbing alcohol and put the tweezers in there. She dabbed a cotton ball with even more rubbing alcohol.

"What's that f-" I was cut of because I had to clench my teeth together. Feather had pressed the cotton ball to the stitches on my shoulder then to my leg. This was repeated several more times. When it was all over, I was finally allowed to get into some comfortable clothes and go to sleep.

Raider's POV

Mimic was finally able to go to sleep. I found some relief in the fact that we weren't digging around under her skin. We had her sleep in the infirmary to recover. I honestly don't think she even had enough energy to walk to her house, even if she was being supported. I said my good-byes to Feather and Chrissie and headed out. I walked back to my house, the night air was much nicer in the forest than it had ever been in "civilization". I snorted, civilization. Having have lived two different lives, I saw how cruel the world was. When we lived normal lives, we were accepted into society. Nobody hurt us, nobody looked twice.

When we left the Cobra facility, nobody had been kind. They struck out at us, called us freaks, killed us, exiled us. Were we really that much different than them though? Other than heightened senses, different appendages, and having been living under different conditions, were we really that much different? I shook my head and cleared my thoughts. That was in the past. We had the Treehouse, good lives, and each other. As long as we had this we would be fine. Even if one of us wasn't perfect, even when we fought, we were still accepted by each other.

I got to my house. I stepped inside and yawned widely. I unhooked my weapons and equipment, walked to my bedroom, flopped onto my bed, and promptly fell asleep.

...

The twittering birds woke me up. They were always twittering. Normally it could be ignored, but couldn't they see that yesterday had been a crazy day and I needed the extra sleep? My eyes snapped open. Yesterday, the renegades! I hopped out of bed and pulled on my boots. Then I looked down. I was still wearing my fatigues. I took off my boots and I quickly changed into a t-shirt and some loose jeans. I pulled on my boots again and ran out the door.

I must have woken up late, the sun was moderately high, but there was nobody out. I swiveled my ears behind me. Nothing. Where was everyone? I started moving and adjusting my ears in all directions. Then I heard someone.

"We must get rid of them! They will only bring others down upon us! They will be our deaths!"

It sounded like it was coming from the meeting square. That little speech didn't sound to promising either. I ran to the square. In the center, the renegades had been tied up and gags over their mouths. Even the ninja was there, only he didn't have a rag over where his mouth would be.

"Ah, Raider you are here!" Someone said.

I looked to my left. It was Leafscale . She was a snake, an adder to be precise. Her brother, Blackscale, another adder, was there with her.

"Come, come join us. We were telling the good people we should be rid of these renegades." Leafscale said the word 'renegades' as if spitting. "We want your support on this matter. It will help sway the peoples decision, and get to more pressing matters, like how we should...eliminate them."

I stared wide-eyed. I looked to the renegades. They stared back at me. There was little fear in their eyes, but there was surprise and fight. The wasn't even a scent of fear coming from them.

"Well? What say you?" Blackfeather asked impatiently.

"Why the hell are they here, and tied up?!" Release them at once Leafscale."
I said aloud.

"They are a menace to our society. They are the renegades! They will bring the entire military down on us! Once they find us then what? We get found out and dragged off by Cobra! We get dragged back to the cells we all know so well, we will spend another five long years in that prison! Why not end that risk? We end them and had their bodies on the outskirts of the forest, we are saved and no trouble will befall us. Think about it Raider and think about it hard."

I looked over to the renegades. They still glared at me. I walked over to them.

"I am going to ask you three simple questions. They will be either yes or no, I want you all to answer truthfully. Is this understood?

They all nodded.

"All right. Question one: Any day before today, did you know anything about us?" I pointed to my ears.

They all shook their head.

"Question two: Have you killed any innocents?"

They shook their heads.

"Last question: Are you-"

"Are you a real ninja?" A voice said behind me.

I turned around. It was Chrissie.

The ninja nodded, his companions seemed to lighten up at the presence of the little girl. Even I couldn't help grinning.

"Alright the real question: Are you enemies of Cobra?"

They nodded yes rapidly.

I turned to Leafscale. "I have come to a decision."

Leafscale perked up.

"I choose 'pongu wem' a group fight. The elders must be present,of course, but the original rules of 'pongu wem' stand. The point? To the victor, the spoils." I gestured to the renegades.

Leafscale grinned. "And who will be supporting you in your group, Raider?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, "I'll take on whoever you get by myself if I have to."

Leafscale's grin broadend. "At noon then."

I nodded. "At noon."

Everyone left the center and walked to their houses. Preparing to watch the fight. Once everyone had gone, I walked back to the renegades and undid their gags.

"Sorry, can't do more than that." I apologized.

"Who are you all?" The renegade Shana asked me.

"We are the failed experiments of Cobra." I said.

"Failed experiments? I thought when Cobra failed something they, you know, eliminated it." Nikki said.

I nodded." They did. Or they tried at least. We were kept in one of their prisons, the people you see here today, is probably maybe a quarter of how many of us there where before."

"Where are the others?" Shana asked me.

"Most died. Others formed their own groups and took a different direction. I think this groups was the largest out of the others though."

Shana look frustrated. "Why did you tell others about the experiments why didn't yo-"

"We have tried. But as you saw at the supermarket and Errol's house, we can't exactly walk into town and start spreading the word."

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." Shana said.

"S'all right. Anyway, I think I'm going to need your names. We can't just keep calling you 'the renegades'." I said.

"Scarlet."

"Friends call me Duke."

"Tunnel Rat."

"Roadblock."

The ninja didn't say anything.

"That's Snake-eyes."

I opened my mouth to say so thing only to be interrupted yet again.

"That's so cool." Came a whisper.

I turned around.

"What is it?" Scarlett asked me.

I looked up at the tree tops. "I heard that. Come on down."

Three figures climbed down from the tree. Two of the figures were lemur twins. They had an uncanny ability of being able to climb almost anything. Their long fingers could support their weight, no matter how small the ledge they were holding onto. They called themselves tree jumpers, but their names were really Tooth and Nail. Tooth on the account that when he fought, he used his teeth and his brother used his nails. The third figure was their younger sister, Leap. Out of the three Leap could climb better, faster, and jump farther.

"How much have you heard?" I asked.

"All the names." Tooth answered.

"The ninja's name is the best though. No one has that name here, and some of us actually do have snake eyes." Nails said.

Leap just nodded in agreement with her older brothers.

"So...what are you three?" Tunnel Rat asked the kids.

Tooth pulled his brother closer to him. Nails had dragged Leap along with them.
"We are the tree jumpers." Tooth and Nail said in unison. Leap just smiled.

Duke looked at the smiling kids. "What are your names?"

Tooth smirked. "I'm Tooth."

"I'm Nail."

Leap motioned with her fingers *I am Leap.* Tooth translated.

"Tooth, Nail and Leap, huh."

The trio nodded.

"Who gave you those names?" Roadblock asked.

"We get it from our reputations." Tooth answered simply. "I fight with my teeth. My brother fights,with his nails and my sister.. Oh there she goes."

Leap didn't wait for her brothers explanation, she turned around and started to run.

"Where exactly is she goin'? Tunnel Rat questioned.

I had already folded my arms and was watching.

Leap was building speed. She ran to the edge of the meeting square and without skipping a beat, she jumped onto the side railing. Her legs folded underneath her and then pushed out, causing her to leap as if on a spring board. She sailed to a tree branch and once she had landed on it, she was poised like a little lemur. She grinned and leaped back to the meeting square platform.

"And that is why she's called 'Leap'" Nail said.

"Hey, do you guys know where Chrissie is?" I asked them.

"Yeah, she's with her mom, she wanted to see Mimic." Tooth said.

"Thanks." I turned to the renegades, "I guess you guys have to follow me. Unless you want to just stay here all by your lonesomes for an hour."

"We'll go." Duke answered.

Tooth, Nail, Leap, and I helped the team up; they weren't used to getting up with their hands tied behind their backs. We all headed to the infirmary. Tooth, Nail, and Leap, however, had to leave half way. Of course they started showing off by jumping of the nearest edge and swinging and leaping from branch to branch.

"So all of you are here and nobody knows it." Scarlet stated.

"So far, yes. They know we are in the woods, but they don't know we are up here. You would be surprised how often they have hunted for us. They've passed by this place a hundred times and not once have they looked up. It's always; right, left, forward, backward, and down, never up."

"So what's your name? All of you have tribe names." Tunnel Rat asked.

"You can just call me Raider." I answered. "The little girl you guys saved is Chrissie, and the wolf you knocked out is Mimic."

Duke looked a bit confused "So the wolf was a person?"

"Yes." I answered simply.

"Even after seeing what happened last night, I still can't wrap my head around it." Duke answered.

I smiled and nodded and continued walking to the infirmary with the team in tow.

Once we got there I ushered the team inside.

Mimic's POV
The door to the infirmary opened, I wasn't in the room, but I could hear some of the kids gasping in surprise. Then all at once they started whispering to the person nearest to them.

"Is this normal?" A voice asked.

"No, but when you are a team of renegades who has a ninja on their side...yeah, it's pretty normal." I recognized this voice to be Raider's.

I motioned Chrissie to go under the bed. She smiled and complied immediately. There were footsteps nearing my room. I sifted to the sitting position and pretended sleep.

Raider opened the door and she walked inside. Several more pairs of feet shuffled across the floor.

"This is Mimic." Raider introduced.

"She's asleep." A voice said.

"Then don't talk so loud Tunnel Rat." A female voice said.

Raider took a step forward toward the bed. "You know, you don't have to stand so far, she's not going to bite."

The people all took a step forward. I shifted, gently tapping the side of the bed. Chrissie shot out from under the bed, tripping one of the renegades. I shot forward and grabbed the person who almost fell. It was the renegade Nikki.

"But I will play a joke." I said.

Chrissie giggled from her spot in the corner. "Aunty and I got you!"

I righted Nikki. "Yeah you did." He admitted.

I noticed that the team was tied up.

"Hey, why are you guys tied up."

"Leafscale and her brother decided that they weren't trustworthy." Raider answered.

"Well, I think their trustworthy enough. Cut 'em loose will ya?" Raider took out a knife and cut their bindings. Chrissie helped as well.

"Anyway, how you feelin' Mimic?"

"Like I got shot...twice." I sassed.

"Okay fine don't answer. Anyway this is Roadblock, Tunnel Rat, Scarrlet, Duke, and Snake Eyes."

I nodded to them all. "I never really got the chance to thank you guys for giving Chrissie the vest. It saved her life."

"You're welcome." Duke said.

"Mimic." Raider said seriously. "All things aside. We have a small problem."

"What?"

"I got myself into a pongu wem."

"With whom?" I asked.

"The adders."

"Wow."

"Yep."

I thought a moment. "Are all the rules."

"Yep."

"You have a tea-"

"Nope."

"Wow"

"Yeah."

There was an awkward pause.

"What exactly is a pongu wem?" Roadblock asked.

This time Chrissie answered the question. "It's a group fight. When two people have a disagreement, the fight it out. Whoever wins gets to decide what happens with whatever they are fighting over. This only applies to a few things though. Mostly we have debates and a sort of court."

"There are rules though," Chrissie continued. "You can use weapons, but to wound, not to kill or severely injure. Just little nicks to show where you hit them. Anyone can join the fight, even after it has begun. You just have to tell the announcers your name and team you are fighting with."

I nodded. "The adders are one of the best pongu wem fighters. We've supported in a couple, but never the starters of one. Anyway Raider, if your in I'm in too." I got out of the bed and padded toward the door. I put my hand on the handle, but it was opened before I turned the knob. A hand shot out and grabbed my ear.

"Oh, no you don't. You are staying here and staying in bed so you don't tear the stitches!"

"Ah, come on Feather!" I was pulled by the ear and pushed back into the bed. "Stay." Was all my sister said before leaving and closing the door behind her.

All eyes were on me.

"Well, not one of my prouder moments." I sighed. "Anyway you need to come up with a battle strategy. If you're going to be fighting."

"Yeah, and we have about an hour to do so." Raider said.

I waved my hand nonchalantly "Plenty of time, plenty of time."


Here we are, the third chapter. Hope you guys liked it. Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!