Chp. 4: Support
Many people say that water was supposed to make people feel at ease. However, it seemed to be working the opposite way for Ben. He was trying to hold back the tears he was feeling after seeing his one and only master he saw as a friend murdered.
"Why?" Ben asked, clenching his fists. "Why would somebody truly want to kill Master Espio? Even the few members of the Shinobi who…." he let his voice trail off as he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He turned around to see a gold-ish yellow hedgehog with azure blue eyes that complimented the red, white, and blue dress she was wearing.
"You okay?" she asked, obvious concern in her voice.
Ben didn't answer her right then, but he asked, "And who are you?"
The hedgehog girl ran a hand through her fur. "Oh, whoops. Forgot to introduce myself, didn't I?" she chuckled slightly, as if that was a habit she had her entire life. "The name's Alice. Pleased to meet you, chameleon-guy-who's-name-I-don't-know." (Alice is a FC I'm currently working on along with another one I haven't thought a name for yet.)
"Alice, is it?" Ben asked, feeling like he could get used to her. She didn't strike him as being obnoxious or anything like that.
She nodded. "That's me. Alice Reisin the Hedgehog. And I don't think you ever told me your name."
Ben let out a quick sigh. "Ben. Ben the Chameleon."
Alice seemed to suddenly remember something. "Ben Chameleon….Weren't you that chameleon guy's apprentice or something of that nature?"
He let out another sigh that seemed to last about half-a-minute before answering. "Yes, I was. And his name was Master Espio. At least, that's….what he…..told me to call him."
"I heard the news. Practically every news caster people are delving into this story, all trying to see who can stretch the truth of this beyond its limitations." Alice responded, flipping one loose strand of fur out of her eyes. She then returned to putting her hand on his shoulder. "I'll try this again. Are you okay?"
"Technically, yes and no." Ben answered. He then took another look at Alice, only to see she had her free hand rooting around in this backpack-looking thing she was carrying.
"Now, where is it?" the chameleon heard Alice mumble to herself as a few loose papers were being shuffled around. "I know I had it when I left home this morning."
"Had what?" Ben asked.
Alice didn't reply to that. "Come on, Alice. You can't go suddenly losing the most important Shinobi historical document your granddad gave you."
The only word Ben managed to catch out of that was Shinobi. He then tried to take a closer look at what Alice had in that thing.
"Where is it? I put it in there this morning. It can't have suddenly gained two legs and walked off on its own."
"What ya lookin' for?" Ben asked.
Alice looked up from her search. "A document."
"What kind?"
"Something historical. I'm sorry, but I can't divulge more information about it at the present time." She then went back to the backpack-like object. "Don't tell me it got stolen when I wasn't paying attention. That's just…bleh." Alice said, unable to think of anything to say for the last part.
"Good luck trying to find that paper, Alice." Espio's killer said coldly as she watched the orange chameleon and the gold-ish yellow hedgehog.
"You'll never be able to find it again. You know why? I'm about to destroy it once and for all. When it's destroyed beyond recognition, maybe I'll send it back."
She then took a stick of gum out from her pocket and started chewing on it.
"Or maybe I'll send back just one or two pieces that don't have writing on them just to make it trickier." she mumbled as she took a look at the watch she had on for the day. "Oh…whoops, I'm running late. Say your last prayers, Charmy. Because it's your turn to feel what that pitiful chameleon excuse for a ninja went through."