The story so far: Robotnik's airship has been sunk, and Knuckles has used the fake emeralds to move the Floating Island.
"You mean to tell me that you managed to spend three days trekking across half the planet, blowing up my biplane, landed in the scrap brain zone, got kidnapped by a lifeless robot, then escorted an echidna to an airship in an aeroplane owned by one Sonic the Hedgehog, to an airship owned by Robotnik, before being stranded on it as it made a collision coarse with the already ablaze Westside Island, having been miraculously teleported to another airship where you found your partner tied up in an insane experiment by Robotnik, which caused him to turn into his evil version of himself, and then saved the day along with Sonic, and only just got back now?"
Bark nodded, as his boss repeated a paraphrased story of the one Bark had just told him. Bark had left Sonic, Tails and Knuckles in the Star Light Zone, a highly urbanised area of South Island. Bark and Bean had wandered through the city, towards Bark's bosses' office, to tell his boss directly why they'd taken so long.
"Are you mad sir?" Bark asked, his feet shuffling slightly.
"I find that story hard to swallow. Are you bluffing to me? I can tell a liar when I see one." His boss commented. Bark felt uneasy as his eyes met with his bosses. He looked to the floor hastily.
"Answer me!" His boss yelled, slamming his fist on the desk.
"No sir. The only evidence I have though is this shard of a fake chaos emerald I got from the Floating Island, and uhh," Bark paused, searching frantically, "this set of blue prints to Robotnik's second airship."
Bark let go of the papers as his boss grabbed them hastily. Bark watched his boss skim through them, nodding and murmuring slightly as he read through these documents with approval.
"It's not what I was after when I sent you out, and you certainly took longer getting a result than I would've liked, but you've managed to find something much better than what I sent you out for."
Bark breathed a sigh of relief hearing this. For one this would mean he'd get paid for his work, "you're welcome sir." Bark said, glad to be off the hook for his expense account.
"Tell me one thing though. If what you're saying is true, then that duck you work with is one of the seven. You say he has a split personality, is it possible to control this?" Bark's boss smirked, learning back in his chair.
"You leave Bean out of this!" Bark yelled angrily, "He has no reason to be involved with this."
"Pity," came the reply, "if I could harness his ability as a server, then I would be able to do great things. Might've even shortened the terms of your agreement."
"I don't care if I have to be involved with you for the rest of my life. Bean doesn't need to be involved with your kind, and I'm not going to allow it." Bark said angrily.
"Then we have nothing left to discuss. Payment will be made to your account in the usual way. Now get out of my sight until I have another job for you Bark. For now you're free, but never forget you have an allegiance to us."
Bark walked out of the office angry. His anger quickly turned to amusement as he looked to Bean. To keep him busy while he talked to his boss, Bark had given Bean a finger trap, a piece of stretchy fabric that held fingers tighter the more they pulled apart from one another. Bark had no idea how Bean had managed it, but not only was Bean's left index finger stuck in the trap, but so was his right foot, and his beak. Bark watched Bean roll about on the floor for several seconds before he pushed Bean together, freeing him of the trap.
"We done here?" Bean asked eagerly.
"Yes Bean, we're done. We can finally go home," Bark answered, relieved to be able to get some rest.
"So what'd he say?"
"Nothing important," Bark lied, "just the usual stuff." Bark had no intention of telling Bean anything which had been discussed with his boss. Bark wandered out the building. He checked with his new wrist communicator that his boss had handed him, it still needed the time setting, but according to it they were three blocks away from there home. Bark walked slowly, wanting to walk faster, but his legs disagreeing with him. Bark's boss had taken the escape pod, intending to put it to his own use. Bark didn't ask what that was, he didn't care. Bark just did what he was told, and never asked an unnecessary question.
"Do you think we could get something to eat? I'm starving." Bean asked, clutching his stomach slightly.
Bark's stomach grumbled in agreement, "What do you fancy?"
"Well, we just saved the day, so we should have something that suit's a hero. I say we have Chilli Dogs, on account of Sonic eating them, and being a hero like us." Bean reasoned.
Bark was too tired to question how Bean knew that Sonic ate Chilli Dog's, and just walked into the nearest fast food outlet. Sitting down at one of the tables the pair ordered six Chilli Dogs. Bark was sure the pair of them could eat more than that, but that was all he could afford with the change in his pocket.
Bean tore off half a Chilli Dog eagerly. Lacking teeth he had to tear his food into small pieces, and gulp it down whole. Bark on the other hand took a large bite of his first Chilli Dog. He gulped it down hungrily, before clutching his throat and slamming the table fiercely. Barks face slowly turned clue as he choked. Bean grabbed Bark from behind and tightly wrapped his arms arm Bark. Squeezing firmly, the duck managed to make the polar bear shoot out a large piece of poorly chewed food.
"Thanks Bean," Bark said after gasping for air.
"Think nothing of it," the duck answered, "I was merely performing CPR."
The polar bear glared at the duck briefly, "Bean, you're an idiot," Bark said, before adding, "but I wouldn't have you any other way."
Just what is Bark's boss upto? What does he want with Bean? There's only one way to find out, keep reading.
