Chap 12- The poison of the scorpion

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"You could avoid that belch competition." Sharon said brushing her hair, the white towel wrapped around her body. The lady mouse looked at herself at the mirror of the bathroom and then glanced at the brush that was fixing her white hair. Modo's answer was a chuckle "This is not funny!" Sharon exclaimed turning towards her husband who was doing his best to don't burst into laughter.

The thing had started by Vincent that after had drunk a big glass of Root Beer (that Charley had taken from Chicago) he let out a big belch and dragged with him Ronald too. So between the laughs of the guys and the complains of Sharon, it started a competition that no one had won.

Modo succeeded to calm the attack of laughter before it could explode and then he breathed deeply to take again the control on himself "Come on Darlin'! Sometimes is good doing some nonsense!" he exclaimed catching his wife and hugging her from the back.

Sharon maintained her usual severe expression "It's childish. You children!" she crossed the arms refusing to return the demonstration of affection of the guy.

The grey mouse was exasperated and at the end, without knowing what do, he went to choose his pajamas "What competition tomorrow?" he asked undecided between the pajamas with the black shirt or the tank top.

"If I remember well it will be my turn with Ronald and Vin, you know, the Relay with the glass of water." she answered chuckling amused. The training with Ronald and Vinnie had been very funny "By the way, the competition of today was full of suspense." she said then thinking about the day.

"You can say that! I feared that they could lose!" Modo commented, he had chosen the black shirt "Unh.. do you spend so much time for a shower?" he went back in the bathroom and glanced at the girl sat on the little chair.

Sharon squeezed herself in the towel "Do you expect that the fur became soft by itself?" she asked with an ironic smile "And then it's healthy. Massaging the fur helps the circulation." she added then with haughty tone.

The grey mouse shook the head slowly "You vain girl!" he exclaimed with a grin receiving a grimace "Eh? Don't do the grimaces!" he pretended to tell her off.

"Ah no?" she answered defiantly and then she made another grimace, she jumped on the feet in the moment in which her husband had made a step ahead with menacing face "Ops." she chuckled pretending to be afraid and tried to escape on the side but the grey mouse was faster and blocked her surrounding her waist with his strong arms and lifting her "Not fair!" she exclaimed receiving a kiss on her neck.

Modo smiled wickedly "So the next time you won't do free grimaces to me!" he said back "A miss can't do similar things." he leaned her back against the wall, his forehead on the her.

Sharon wrapped her arms around his neck "I'm not a miss. I'm a scientist!" she answered softly receiving a kiss on the lips that she returned willingly. Because of the trainings they hadn't the time to stay together, even in the night because the tiredness prevented them to stay awake. For this reason Sharon didn't stop her husband when he had removed the white towel whispering a "I want make love with you.". She answered rubbing her nose against the his and let him to carry her and take her in the bedroom.

The following morning it was Sharon that woke up suddenly believing that it was late, effectively the sun seemed raised by a little. She looked around worried and shook his grey furred husband "Hei, woke up! I think we have to go!" she exclaimed until Modo didn't open his eyes whimpering bothered, he wanted to sleep a little more. Seeing it was useless, the girl puffed the cheeks vexed and pushed the grey mouse out of the bed on the cold floor with a dull thud "Are you awake now?" she asked.

The contact with the floor made him jerk. Modo had found himself with the back on the floor and the legs flexed on the bed but his eyes were still full of sleep. He spent a while to make his brain work again and remember what day it was. He shook the head to woke up and glanced at his wife "You cold hurt me!" he exclaimed searching with the hands for his underwear and the pants.

Sharon arched the eyebrows, amused "Are you sure? After all the beatings you have received in these years, a falling of some centimeters could really kill you?" she asked sarcastic and then she smiled jumping on him without giving the time to get up. After spent some minutes of cuddles, finally Sharon let him go "We must hurry! We slept more time than expected!"

"And I have sleep." Modo commented yawning "And you can't push me out from the bed as if nothing was! You're rude and violent! And then you assault me! That's bad. A lot!"

Sharon was preparing herself and when finally she was ready, she glanced at her husband that made the same and answered "Tsk, attacking peoples is funny!" she chuckled. They didn't make breakfast because Sharon reassured that there was something to eat at the gazebo.

So they left with Lil'Hoss and arrived to the Great lake. Effectively the clan was almost complete and Modo recognized that his wife was right also this time. The Red Team welcomed them "Sleepyheads!" Vinnie exclaimed "We feared to replace you!" he turned to Sharon.

The lady black mouse sighed, this time Vinnie was right "Next time I'll pay more attention." she simply answered "I'll eat something after the competition, I think is better. I don't like moving after eaten."

Bruce was just arrived and joined the group "The evening of yesterday was awesome!" he exclaimed happy "Solana did a good job with the girls." the clan leader was fascinated by the choreographies that the lady red mouse had taught to the dancers and the rhymed songs were perfect for the Games "I think I'll ask to her for some help for the next event, she does it very well." then he glanced at Stella and Rimfire "Grats for yesterday and..." his nose sniffed the air "I think that someone have celebrated too much..." his eyes searched for someone and found him "Sharon you..."

"Let's start this race!" Vinnie exclaimed interrupting the clan leader "And we'll surely win because I'm here!" he tried to wrap his arm around Bruce's neck but he didn't succeeded, the black mouse was too tall for him and it provoked the laughter in the group.

"Do you want a stool, Vin?" Ronald asked ironically "Or do you prefer a pair of wedges?"

"Doesn't Solana come?" asked Sharon noticing the absence of the red mouse.

Bruce thought "I think she'll come later. You know, she gave a hand when we finished and she came back home late. I suppose that the lazy girl is still sleeping." he giggled amused "Ah no, here!" he announced pointing with the index finger the girl that was running towards them and then she stopped. The clan leader shook the head "It would be better sleeping a little more, don't you think?"

Still panting, Solana shook the head "I didn't want lose this competition!" she glanced at Sharon and smiled "Do your best, ok?"

The lady black mouse smiled her back and nodded when a roar of bikes echoed in the dale. There were some screams of jubilation and a group of motorcycles with the silver helmets and biker suits rushed towards the Red Team. The biker with the striped helmet stretched the arm on the side and, without hesitation, he grabbed Solana by the waist and took her away. Meanwhile the nine companions created havoc in the camp.

The Gladiators were taken in surprise and because of the tiredness of the previous day they spent some time to realize what was going on. It was Bruce that launched the alarm and called his bike whistling "I go to take Solana back, you look after the others. They're few and they can't give you problems. No, Sharon stay here."

His daughter frowned "No way!"

"Oh yes!" answered her father peremptory.

"But why? I don't want be useless!" she pressed.

"Because you're p..." and explosion covered the words of the clan leader, the situation was getting worse "I go. Stay here, this is an order." it revealed a real attack, but why? Mice that attacked other mice?

Sharon tried to answer but the black mouse was gone. Around there was chaos. Vice took the situation in his hands and obliged the clan to recover the calm. So the Gladiators divided in two groups: some of them would protect the woman and the children, the others would look after the bikers that meanwhile divided in two groups. The first group went with the kidnapper, the other stood at the camp. Sharon was dragged by some guys in the protected group despite she tried to oppose "But I want fight!" she said, but every time that she tried to sneak, the guys had stopped her. Neither his father nor the others allowed her to go in the battlefield and the explosion didn't let her to listen what the clan leader had said.

Meanwhile Bruce followed the mouse that had kidnapped Solana. The lady red mouse stopped to scream but she didn't keep away the eyes from the black bike of the clan leader and murmured a "Help me". The situation became strange when the rest of the group surrounded Bruce. They had the intention to do something but the circle was destroyed by a laser, It was Modo who had followed the black mouse to help him.

"At good hour!" Bruce exclaimed relieved.

"I had some problems. Sorry." the grey mouse answered smirking and he glanced at the kidnapper that sped up taking a clear vantage on them "Oh man..."

The mouse with the striped helmet raised the free arm and swirled the hand in the air, then he whistled and from the dunes appeared other motorcycles with the same silver helmet. Bruce and Modo looked around, during the pursuit they didn't noticed that they were in the desert and had triggered a trap. The two exchanged a worried look and then something pricked them on the trapezius muscle. Bruce's hand ran automatically on the pricked point and took the bullet that seemed full or... sedative, he studied the needle still dripping. In the moment in which he realized it, his view became blurred and he started to have the dizziness risking to fall from his bike. Modo had the same reaction and, like the black mouse, he fell down in a few time.

The group of bikers stopped when the two mice where KO. The kidnapper gave Solana to another member of the group and put off the helmet showing his red fur, blond hair and light blue eyes. Solana jerked but didn't tried to speak, she feared to scream if she would open the mouth, her heart was pounding. She looked at the blond mouse that radioed his companions "Come back. Today we are lucky. We have two of them." then his eyes moved on the girl and sneered "We did well to wait. Revenge is a plate that must be enjoyed." then he turned to the other companions "Ignores their bikes, we need only them. Put them on the four wheels and come back to the base."

Meanwhile on the Big Lake, the departure of the motorcycles let the Gladiators to estimate the damages and the wounded. Luckily there weren't wounded mice and the only damaged things were the gazebos. Leila looked around searching for her husband, her sons were close to her holding the fabric of her long skirt, the younger son was in her arms "Oh, you there! Vice!" she exclaimed walking faster and caught the dark furred mouse.

Vice was speaking with Sharon, his sister was sitting on a bench, the elbows on the legs and the forehead on the palms of the hands, she shook the head whimpering. Ronald had his arm around Daisy's shoulder and the little Rocky was sitting on his free forearm "Who are they?"

Vice shook the head, he was squatted on the legs to stay at the same height of Sharon. It had been passed some time and Bruce and Modo weren't back. Then when the two bikes were discovered without their owners, Sharon didn't hold on. The girl cried silently but she didn't hide her concern and so she had let herself fall on the bench.

"We'll find them." her older brother said "We'll find them."

"I have some doubts about it." it was the firm voice of Cloud that made everyone turn to him. The old mouse stood on the feet, his hand on his walking stick and the resigned expression.

Vinnie and Throttle didn't liked his comment but they didn't speak. Vice forbade them to say everything that could be improper and so they waited for an answer. It was Sharon who asked "What do you mean? Who are those peoples? If I would be..."

Vice let out an exasperate sigh "It wouldn't change anything." he said "Above all in your conditions."

Sharon was going to retort but their grandfather interrupted them "I have to speak with all you three. Come with me and don't waste time. Probably they could free Modo but I have serious doubts about your father." he said and walked to the opposite side, he wanted to speak with them and alone.

Meanwhile the three brothers went with their grandfather, Throttle was in a bad situation: Clair, Prime and Rimfire didn't know about Modo, not yet. Claire and Prime where with Stella, Rimfire was with Roy's and Arthan's group to control the rest of the damages "How can we tell him about what happened?" wondered the mouse with the specs, he scratched his head looking around. Carbine, luckily, was the minor problem. The general had been protected by the Gladiators and so Throttle could think on what say. Vincent seemed of the same thought and for the first time he was speechless, he feared to say something of stupid.


He heard some voices but he wasn't able to understand to who they belonged. He recognized only one of them, it was female and worried, Solana was speaking and a male voice answered quickly with arrogance. The two voices argued and for the first time, he ascertained, the lady red mouse was getting angry, he had never heard her speaking like that.

He wanted to open his eyes but he couldn't. He wanted to move his head but it persisted to stay still, it dangled ahead. He felt the chains wrapped around his wrists but he couldn't move the hands to test their resistance. He only could think but not act. Little by little his mind was getting free from the fog, the sounds became clearer and the words more distinct. Bruce listened, he couldn't help.

Solana spoke, she was worried and afraid "Free them! They haven't done anything to you!"

"Don't you understand, sister?" asked the other, the red furred mouse "These... are the trash of the worst species! They're a danger not only for us but also for all the planet!"

Sister? Solana was the sister of who had kidnapped her? So why kidnap the own sister? Bruce couldn't divert the attention from what it was saying, he couldn't in any case. His body was inactive but his mind continued to work.

"I don't understand you. We don't see from years and now that we found you, aren't you happy to be at home?" the boy asked.

Solana glanced at her brother coldly "I am, but you must free them." she answered moving her look to Bruce and Modo. Both were tied with the hands under the back and were sat on a chair. The girl jerked when Modo moved an ear, sign that he was awaking "Raphael... they haven't done anything to you... don't bring up the past... what happened is to point to those had provoked it at that time."

The mouse called Raphael frowned "We have inherited the same wrongs suffered by our ancestors and we can't allow that this people remain unpunished." he pointed Bruce with the finger.

"You're full of anger..." Solana said with compassionate gaze, she shook her head slowly and went close to Modo who had opened the eyes and was looking around dazed "Is everything ok?" she asked.

Modo nodded "What... where am I?" he murmured with husky voice, he tried to get free from the chains but they were too strong and his bionic arm was tied very well "Solana.. what..."

Raphael looked with attention at the grey mouse and moved the gaze in an undefined angle of the chamber "Why did he got up?" he asked "Wouldn't the serum stun him, Loto?"

From the dark angle appeared a mouse with a strange colored fur. His face was literally divided in two by the double colored fur. At right the fur was red with the light blue eye, at left the fur was white and the eye was yellow. The rest of his body had the red fur with white spots.A fuzz of blond hair was between the antennas like a tuft, he was tall and good looking. He wore a white coat and a pair of latex gloves "I suppose that he isn't a Gladiator of birth. Right Solana?" he asked looking at the girl.

Solana nodded "He's the husband of his daughter." she pointed Bruce with the look, the black mouse was still motionless "What have you done to him?" she asked.

Loto looked at Modo with absorbed expression "If he woke up it means that it works like a simple sedative. It confirm what we had supposed for years: there's an element that can render a Gladiator harmless, interesting." he came close to the grey mouse and studied him "He seems to be good."

"Will you let him go?" Solana asked with obstinacy.

Raphael snorted, the arms folded "Maybe. But how can he be the husband of the daughter of... Vice?"

Both Modo and Solana opened the eyes wide, surprised. The girl let out an amused whimper "He's Bruce. Not Vice. Vice is his son. He's the clan leader."

The red furred guy glanced at his sister and then at Bruce "He's Bruce?" he asked "THAT Bruce?" he heard that he was dead, then how it was possible that he was here and fresh as a just bloomed daisy? He came close to the face of the black mouse and studied it with attention: it seemed perfectly normal a part the scar at his right temple. That he would find a system to remain young? "Impossible..." Raphael murmured still upset "That means that we have a big piece in our hands."

Solana pushed away her brother from Bruce and then she interposed between the two "I don't let you hurt him. He can't protect himself in these conditions."

Raphael sneered "And it was what we wanted." he answered "The Gladiators are dangerous. They must be wiped out once and forever. Bruce will be a good cavy and finally we'll can find something that..."

"And I won't let you do it!" the red furred girl repeated. Her arms were outstretched and she used her body like a shield, sure of herself.

Raphael wrinkled the nose and glanced at his sister "Solana you..." he didn't believe that he was going to say that "You... love him..." it wasn't a question, it was an affirmation.

Solana looked down for some seconds but didn't answer, even she knew what she felt and she had never had the time to make it clearer. However she felt her cheek and ears getting warm, she didn't know if it was love or something of weaker, the only think that she knew is prevent them from hurting him.

It was Modo that interrupted the tense atmosphere "What have the Gladiators done to provoke so much hate?" he asked sliding his look on Loto, Raphael and Solana, He wanted explanations.

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Oh yeah! Chapter finished and I have to say that the site of the story is done. Oh well, the sections aren't ready. I need some time to write them and I hope to do it soon. You can go to the site trough the link in my profile :3 You can leave also a message on the shoutbox If you want. See you at the next chapter! (And the rewriting of the first FF is going ahead!)