Chapter 10

The Experiment

...Glad that fiasco is over, well it was my fault anyway, hehehe.

Roka: Good morning Slippy!

Slippy: Oh, Hi Roka. You're up early aren't you?

Roka: Slippy, I have this great idea for a new invention!

Slippy: Does it invlove me?

Roka: No, I'm not going to poke you with needles. I just need your help constructing it.

Slippy: Ok, what is it?

Roka: A plan for a physical peformance enhancer.

Slippy: This sounds like a practical joke... a dirty one.

Roka: NO-NO-NO-NO! It is a device that can increase one's overall abilities. Look, this is the paperwork I have been working on. (pulls out some blueprints that are a little scratchy) The fuel cells we use to power the arwings generate electricity. The nervous system uses electric impulses and a fuel cell harnessed properly could increase its capabilities ten-fold.

Slippy: And if it doesn't work?

Roka: It will be like taking a shower Slip...

Slippy: Oh, yeah, ummmm... I get ya'.

That morning, Slippy and Roka began work on their experiment. They used a round steel plate contoured to the shape of Roka's chest and it had little little arms that held a fuel cell over the heart. The plate had variable resisitors and a small knob under the cell for adjusting power. Then from the resistors came the wiring ports that ran up and down his spine. A bunch of little wired needles were pushed into his back. "that felt great". Then came the time to activate it. The fuel cell was clamped on to Roka's chest and Slippy turned the knob ever so slightly. Roka got a weird look in his eye and he shakingly said "S-s-slippy, L-l-leave the r-r-room now... NOW!" Slippy ran out of his small tinkering room as Roka let out a blood curdling scream. It was heard throughout the whole of the Great Fox. The screaming eventually stopped and by this time the whole team ran to see what had happened.

Krystal: Slippy? What's going on?

Fox: What was that horrible scream?

Falco: And why at twelve-thirty? I was asleep.

Peppy: What is goin' on in there?

Slippy hesistantly opened the door and saw Roka on his knees breathing heavily and clenching his fists. He had a strange blue glow about him and his expression was that of a derranged serial killer. He was still in pain, only he was keeping his cool. He let out a yell and punched the floor. There was a huge dent after wards. And the ground shook.

Roka: Slippy? Guess what? It worked!

Slippy: (nervously) Is that so? ehehe...he...he.

Fox: What did you guys do? What is that?!

Roka: C'mon, you know what a fuel cell is dont you? I thought you were smarter than that Fox.

Krystal noticed that there was something different about Roka. She tried to enter his mind.

Krystal: What are you?!

Fox: Krys? What's the matter?

Krystal: It's Roka, his power is far greater than my own. I tried to enter his mind but he grabbed my very soul and put it back into my body.

Team: What!?

Roka: Sorry Krystal, I don't know hw that happened, it's so weird, my mind feels so different. I don't know what came over me.

Peppy: Come with me Roka, I want to give some tests to see what is goin' on in that head of yours.

Roka and Peppy along with the rest of the team went to the lab and tests were conducted on Roka. Peppy was astonished. He had never seen power like this before. It was greater than Andross himself. Roka was using eighty-five percent of his brain capacity. The record held by Andross was thirty. This was a dangerous power that he had tapped in to.

Peppy: Roka, I would advise that you should take that thing off, it could kill you at any minute!

Roka: (with big pathetic eyes?) What? Oh no! Hehehe, I know your every thought. You old fool! You can't trick me like that.

Krystal: Roka, will you please take off that device!

Roka: Funny!

Fox: Have some respect you punk!

Krystal: Roka, Please! Take that device off! Please! Stop!

Roka: So I'm a punk now?

Roka lifted his hand and Fox began to choke.

Peppy: Slippy! Do something!

Out of confusion and shock Slippy grabbed the nearest fire extinguisher and smashed it on Roka's back, Roka turned to Slippy, eyes bleeding and hand opened, Slippy struck him again in the temple. Roka then got a confused look on his face.

Roka: Oh, Hi slippy! Wow, I don't feel so good, why is everything red? (splat)

Roka fell on the floor stone cold.

-the next day-

Krystal: Fox? Roka's mind has gone back to normal. But the things that went on I can't even describe. They have been burnt into my mind and these vision will never leave me. He had the power to take lives without lifting a finger, it was horrible!

Fox: Yeah, I know. -- Said Fox with an angered tone.

When Roka finally woke up he was his old self again. The cheerful little trouble-maker.

Peppy: What are you doin' up so early Roka?

Roka: How long was I out?

Peppy: A day.

Roka: Dang. So, was the experiment a success?

Peppy: Roka, when you tried that thing on you began to go into convulsions and and you passed out. (good he doesn't remeber)

Roka got a sad expression on his face.

Roka: I guess I can't seem to get anything right. Guess I'll think of something else.

Peppy: Yeah you'd better...

Roka shook his head a little out of tiredness and his head began to bleed.

Roka: Owww! What happened yesterday?

Peppy: Well, when you activated that invention of yours, like I said before you broke into convulsions and as you fell your head smashed into a table.

Roka: Wow, I think I'll give up on that project.

Peppy: It's for the best.

Peppy left Roka's room. A minute later Roka tried to get up. Walking was never so hard, not even with a cruch. He walked to the lounge and saw Krystal sitting on the couch. She was deep in thought.

Roka: Hi Krystal. You look troubled, what's the matter? I'm willing to listen.

Krystal: uhh, I guess you've been wandering what had happened yesterday.

Roka: Yeah, Peppy is a horrible liar. Hehe.

Krystal: Yesterday when you used that thing... You began to act strange. You weren't your old self, you were different. Uhhhhh. You tried to kill Fox.

Roka: What?! I did that? How? What was I doing? Is he okay?!

Krystal: He's fine, but he's in a bit of a bad mood.

Roka: So he's really sore with me? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause trouble.

Krystal: I know you didn't but you tried to hurt somebody, sometimes "sorry" doesn't cut it!

Even Krystal seemed pretty upset with Roka, but he couldn't figure out why he did those things and why he couldn't remember. He decided to walk to Fox's room and apologize.

Roka: Fox? Are you there?

Fox: What do you want?

Roka: Krystal says that I tried to hurt you yesterday. What happened?

Fox: You went all psycho and levitated me off the ground.

Roka: Huh?

Fox: You tried to kill me you brat, and then you act like you don't remember!

Roka: Fox listen! I don't know what happened! Please try to believe me!

Fox stood up from his desk and smacked Roka in the face... really hard. His head began to bleed again. By now his face and white under-shirt was covered in blood. Without raising his voice and with a tear in his eye, he simply apologized and walked away.

Roka: I'm sorry. Well, now what do I do? I'm some kind of freak and everyone is against me. I wish Mike was here. That old black panther always knows what to say.

Roka avoided everybody all day. He kept himself hidden. Even thought it hurt to move he kept on his feet anyway. He was sitting in the hanger

struck by confusion and guilt when Fox walked in and found him. Fox noticed that his shirt was no longer white.

Fox: What? Your going to let that bleed all day?

Roka got a scared look on his face and took a few steps back.

Fox: I'm not going to hit you, I just wanted to talk. I over reacted earlier today and I wanted to apologize. I've been looking for you everywhere.

Roka didn't answer, he just drooped his tail and ears.

Fox: Look, I'm sorry OK? I didn't mean to hurt you I was just angry.

Roka: Oh no, it's not that. I... am, sorry for what happened yesterday. Whatever happened, I'm sorry and I wont let it happen again. I' not angry at you in any way. I just want your forgivness.

Fox: I forgive you. Now lets get you cleaned up! ou look terrible.

Roka: Not as bad as you. --he said with a little smile.

Roka was about to step in the shower but he said. "This thing ain't hot is it?" "No Roka. Hahaha!"

Roka cleaned up and Fox helped him get his head bandaged up. They went to the lounge together and the team was there discussing Roka's problem.

Krystal: You have no idea what he was capable of! That boy tried to kill Fox.

Falco: And how did he do that when he was ten feet away?

Krystal: That horrible invention of his made his mind far greater than any telepath. He had the ability to levitate, and for that matter, crush lives.

Slippy: I hold myslef partly responsible, I never should have agreed to build that P.P.E (Physical Performance Enhancer).

Peppy: Now that we know what that thing is capable of, it must be destroyed.

Falco: Yeah, lets throw away for good!

Fox and Roka walked in. The team gave him an unpleasent expression. Roka put his hands behind his backk and his ears drooped.

Fox: I had a good talk with Roka, there's nothing to worry about. What happened yesterday was an accient. I want you all to know that.

Team: Fine.

Slippy: Roka, I wanna apologize for hitting you yesterday.

Roka: For whatever reason, I forgive you.

Falco: And I want to apologize for stealing your CD's

Roka: What did you say? I thought you were too grown for childish pranks.

Falco: I lied! HAHAHA!

Roka: Come back here! Where are my precious Swing CD's!?

Falco: You'll have to find them.

Roka: I'm gonna smash you good! Yearrrrggghhh!

-End of Chapter 10