Author's Note and Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own StarWolf or
StarFox or anything related to StarFox except for this fic and plot. And
the character Chamille is different from the other one, so in other words,
this Chamille is MINE! This fic is rated R for a number of reasons,
violence, blood, gore, language, some sexual content, blah blah blah, ya
get the picture. I was thinking of making it PG-13 so I can attract more
readers, but then again, it'd lose some of the originality of the fic (plus
some of the rated R stuff is essential for the story). Tell you what,
readers... if you think this story should get more attention, I can make a
PG-13 version of this fic, editing the language, violence, torture, and
sexual content to a moderate level, but I will still keep the R version up
as the original.
The full genre of this fic is Angst/Drama/Humor/Romance. See if you can guess the pairing I've made for this ficcy, and if you can figure it out, then good for you! ^_^; Please review after reading! Thank you.
~~Imagen~~
~~~~~~~~~ ***~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 5: "What Do You Know?"
Days passed. The StarWolf Team and Chamille have already arrived back in the city and into their underground base. Leon was placed on his bed, and Pigma turned on the heater so he could awaken. Still, he did not even stir... Wolf checked on him once in a while, at least three to four times a day, examining his heart and breathing rate. They were still slow, but at least he is still alive. Pigma suggested to just let time pass. Leon will wake up sooner or later.
***
"I'M HUNGRY!!! WHAT'S TO EAT??!!!"
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL IT OUT ON TOP OF YOUR LUNGS, MONKEYBUTT!!!"
Chamille chuckled at Wolf's remark at Andrew's yelling. She was sewing up Wolf's tattered coat, carefully putting together the tears and loose threads. Some of the material was missing, and she sighed when she realized she couldn't fix it any further.
Wolf entered his bedroom and jumped. It was there where Chamille was fixing his coat. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
Chamille gasped and hid the thread and needle behind her back and stood up, for she was sitting on his bed. She left the coat, fixed but still a bit torn up. Wolf quirked an eyebrow when he noticed it patched up. "You were fixing it...?"
"I'm sorry... some of the material is missing... I tried to fix it as best as I could, but-"
"Phht! Don't worry about it," the lupine said as he snatched the coat and threw it in his trash bin. "I have plenty of more where I got it..."
"Really?"
"Yes. Andross made plenty for us."
"So I see....."
Wolf huffed as he opened his coat closet. Inside were four overcoats of the same kind that he wore before, all his size since his Team was very different in theirs. Aside from them were two red sports jackets and a black trench coat.
The woman opened her mouth in awe of the trench coat. "That black coat there is really nice!"
"Thanks..." Wolf muttered dryly.
"Why don't you wear it? I'll bet it looks great on you!"
"I don't like it."
Chamille walked towards the closet to have a closer look. "It looks comfortable..."
"It is, actually. Leather."
"Oooooooh! Leather!"
"Hmph."
The lizard turned to the wolf. "I take it you don't like leather?"
"I do like leather. I like it a lot. Makes me look sharp."
"Well, then, why don't you like that coat?"
Wolf snarled, hinting that she was starting to irritate him. Chamille shuddered and shut her mouth then bowed her head, as if in submission. "I'm sorry, Wolf..."
"Forget about apologizing. Just don't question me with what I refuse to answer." Chamille sighed. Wolf continued, pointing out the door, "Now scram! I'm going to take a bath and I don't want you around this part of the base!"
"Yes, sir."
Wolf watched her go as he started unbuckling his belt. He shut the door behind her and locked it, then headed to his bed to take off his pants. He then slipped off his shirt and threw it in the laundry. As he undressed himself further, he glanced back at the trash bin where he threw away his tattered coat. Wearing nothing but his boxers he walked to the bin and slowly took out the coat. The bin was just newly emptied and the bag was just replaced, so the coat remained the same way it was. It was not cleaned, but it wasn't dirtied either. Wolf recalled the last time it was washed, which was a few hours before he left for the Dragon's Scourge Bar. Technically it was still clean.
The lupine took a nearby chair and sat down while still holding the coat. His eye was fixed on it, for some reason... he just stared. He thought, though, while holding it before his eye. He remembered when he first ran into the chameleon girl... if it wasn't for him, she would have been gang raped. After he knocked out the men, he placed the coat over her to cover her exposed body, naked but unharmed. He took her to his base while she wore it... and then next day, he wore again when they headed to Amarok City. He gave it to her again during the storm, then was returned back to him... Only a few days, yet it feels like...
Wolf's fingers trembled as he fumbled with the material. Even though it was still torn up, it was fixed. 'She's a really good at sewing... if there were any material for her to replace what's lost, then this jacket would become good as new,' he thought, his thumbs and index fingers lightly rubbing the sleeves. Seeing the torn fabric, he thought about what the lady said when she was being sheltered in his now destroyed Wolfen... a heart and soul torn asunder? What does that mean? A heart and soul torn by what? Wolf thought about the possibilities of how a heart and soul can be torn apart... he thought of a breakup between two lovers. That could be it. It could also be that of someone losing a loved one to death. That, too, can tear up a heart and soul to pieces. Failure... Wolf is familiar with failure, and that did its share of tearing as well. A great deal of disappointment can do that as well. Lost hope...... Wolf remembered the time he was about to give up in getting his revenge from Fox and how much it was ripping him to itty, bitty pieces. Torment, too, can do much tearing... physical, emotional, mental... even spiritual pain can tear a heart and soul to pieces, even do so much damage that healing may be impossible. It all, however, narrowed down to this... Wolf realized it... It all narrowed down to one thing:
Pain.
"A heart and soul torn asunder..." Wolf whispered to himself. He recalled what Chamille said about her and her brother... when the chameleon woman mentioned how a heart can still remain after being ripped to pieces, was she talking about the sadistic demon of torture, Leon? As Wolf thought about it, he recalled those times of torment Leon's victims go through every day... what pain? Is what Chamille talking about Leon going through pain? WHAT pain?! Does Leon even know what pain is? As far as Wolf sees it, Leon doesn't feel pain... he can't... he won't... he doesn't even know what pain is. Pain? All that chameleon knows about pain is what his victims go through as he inflicts ache and anguish by either sticking a red hot poker into somewhere rather unpleasant, twisting a limb off by spinning a heavy wheel attached to it at full speed, skinning a victim alive with potato peeler and pouring salt and alcohol all over the exposed flesh, etc. And even as he shed blood, that cold frown never seemed to leave his face, as if he was numbed. He can't even feel any pain, no matter what happens to him. Throw an insult, go ahead... he'll just scoff it off. Slug him in the face... he'll feel your hand touch his face, but that's it, and the only thing one will gain will be facing his wrath. Yank his tail, slam the door shut on his hand... he won't yelp in pain. Stab him, break him, snap him in two... it'll be nothing to him. Even defeat from StarFox didn't seem to faze him... in fact, it was he who suggested revenge towards their mortal rivals.
"Pigma-san!" Wolf heard Chamille cry outside his door. She must be still around.
Wolf rushed off his chair then raced outside. Chamille was just outside the hall, and quickly the wolf rushed to her. "Chamille!"
Chamille turned as soon as she heard his voice... then widened her eyes. O_O;
"What?"
"HELLOOOOOOOOO, WOLF!!!!" Pigma squealed. Wolf looked down to realize he's facing a woman while wearing absolutely nothing but his underwear. Wolf blushed furiously then blindly wrapped the coat around his waist, then his legs, then his chest. He put it on, but the he growled when he realized how much of an @$$ he's been unconsciously acting. He removed the coat and held it close to Chamille, who was covering her bulbous eyes. Her skin tone was a mixture of yellow and tan for anxiety as well as nervousness.
"What is it?" she muttered anxiously.
Wolf managed a slight smile. "The coat... it's.... yours."
Chamille opened her fingers. "What did you just say?"
"I'm giving away the coat. You can keep it."
"Why? I thought-"
"There is enough material left to fit your size. You can cut off any access fabric and sew it all together.... that is, if you want."
Chamille placed her hands down, her eyes focusing partially on Wolf's face and his boxers. She couldn't help stare at the blue polka dots. "But why are you giving it to me? Aren't you going to throw it away?"
"Can't I do anything without you questioning me?! Just take it! Besides, you don't have any other clothes of your own other than that torn polyester jacket!"
"Oh........" Chamille shyly held out her hand. Wolf placed the jacket, and the lizard woman slowly held it close to her. "Th-thank you...."
"Your welcome."
Both Wolf and Pigma watched the young lady run off, her blushing face covered with the jacket. Wolf smirked then turned to Pigma, who frowned. The swine even smacked his lupine leader on the abdomen. Wolf yipped, "What?!"
"Put on some pants, gawddamit!"
"At least I'm covered...."
"BUT RUNNING AROUND IN YOUR BOXERS IN THE PRESENCE OF A FEMALE???!!! Next time we know it, you'll be running around completely naked and showing off your pe-!"
"Leon did that, not me.... by mistake. And I ran out of my bedroom in my boxers by mistake too... I guess I wasn't thinking."
"Just put on something, idiot!"
Wolf shook his head and turned to walk back to his room when Pigma smacked him on the back, lighter, though. "I just thought of something..."
"What now?"
"When Chamille first came here, she was wearing your coat, the same one you just gave her."
"So?"
"A polyester jacket.... was that what she wore before she was..."
"Yeah."
"What else?"
"..........................................................." Wolf thought back at the time when he first bumped into Chamille. When he pressed her on the wall, he remembered the jacket. When he struck her down, he remembered the same one, but nothing else. "Hey...." he muttered to himself. "Now that I thought about it.... her legs were bare when I struck her down in the rain, and when I saved her I saw no other torn clothing....... was she wearing ANYTHING underneath that jacket?"
The pig paused. His eye twitched for a second, then his eyebrows buried deep down in the center of in between his eyes. He quirked one up, squinted, and looked to his side, nodding as he placed his hoof on his chin. It was Wolf's turn to smack him. "And you say I'M sick!"
"I didn't say that!"
***
Andrew was on his way to the kitchen when he passed by Chamille and her new coat. He turned to look at her and took a second glance at the coat. "Hey...."
Chamille looked up to him. "What is it?"
"Isn't that Wolf's coat?"
"Yes........ he just gave it to me."
"Why?"
"Well, he just wanted me to have it.... mostly because I don't have any other clothing on my own."
'I'll bet what he's REALLY doing is flirting with her.....' Andrew thought as he clenched a fist.
Chamille widened her eyes when the monkey flinched because of his growling stomach. "Are you hungry?"
"Very."
"Why don't I fix you something?" she said as she turned to head to the kitchen herself. "I'm a bit hungry myself.... what would you like me to fix you?"
"It doesn't really matter, as long as I eat............"
Both of them reached the kitchen at the same time. Andrew took a seat on a stool at the countertop as Chamille placed the coat on it. She headed to the refrigerator and opened it; the first, and actually, the only thing she saw, were leftovers.... smelly, stinky, rotting leftovers. Chamille could almost swear she could see the beef grazing on the lettuce.
"Chamille?"
"Do you ever get fresh food around here?" the chameleon asked as she held up a slab of cheese with fungus growing all over it.... and not just mold, but there was literally mushrooms on it (how it got there is beyond anyone's knowledge).
"Well, we haven't had a job ever since Andross's defeat..... now we're just living off of what we have left."
"And how much is that?"
"About a few hundred dollars..... but Leon keeps saying we should save that money for only emergencies!"
"That's my brother......"
"What?"
"Hey.......... is that an arrowhead in the guacamole?!"
Andrew shook his head and stood up and walked by Chamille's side, looking in the fridge. "Hmmm.... hardly anything good in here."
"I'll say........... why does that chicken look like Daffy Duke?"
"I think you mean Leghorn," Andrew decided to play along. "Here, lemme look...." As he leaned over, he slowly and carefully began to finger Chamille's back, subtly placing his hand around her waist. The chameleon noticed this as soon as he touched her back, but she didn't bother to take the hand off her waist. Instead, she let it remain there, becoming nervous again and shivering.
Andrew looked at her. "What's wrong? Cold?"
"Uh............."
Before either would know it, Chamille was pulled back and the fridge door slammed on the monkey's head. The lady looked back to see Wolf, dripping wet and wearing only a towel. She gasped and backed a bit, staring up to him as Andrew, his head in the fridge, screamed as if a papaya was just lodged into somewhere unpleasant.
Andrew fingered for the fridge door and swung it open. He gasped for air and wiped the purple banana peel off his face as he glared at the canine. "Wolf!"
"What the f#cking hell are you doing?!"
"I was just getting Chamille and me some food!"
"And just what are you trying to indulge in?! Her @$$???!!!"
"What are you trying to say here?!"
"Okay! Okay! Stop!" Chamille yelled as she stepped in between the fighting canine and primate. Wolf and Andrew both stepped aside.
The lizard took a deep breath before she would begin. She examined the wolf that stood before her, whose fur was completely soaked and having a towel wrapped around his waist. "Are you taking a bath?"
"I just finished."
"Why did you slam the refrigerator door on Andrew's head?"
"Why else?! He was groping you!"
"Moi?!" Andrew gasped as he placed his hand on his own chest. Wolf held a fist up towards the monkey's face, making him duck as if already hit.
"Look, Wolf," Chamille said as she held her palms up before another fight would ensue. "I appreciate you looking after me, but....... slamming the door on Andrew's head.......... and wearing only a towel?"
"You're lucky I came straight here before I went to my bedroom to dress up."
"Can't you at least wear a robe?"
"Robe's in the wash. I forgot to take it from the laundry room."
"I'll go check on Leon," Chamille sighed as she covered her eyes with a hand and walked away.
Wolf sighed and frowned as he watched her leave. Andrew leaned close to the lupine's shoulder. "What's your deal with Chamille, eh, Wolf? First the ice chunk, now the fridge! And the fact you just gave your coat to her-"
"What are you trying to say here?"
"I see what's going on here....................." Andrew began as he placed his index finger and thumb on his chin.
Wolf's ears twitched, and his eye widened. "Um......."
"YOU LIKE HER!!!"
"WHAT???!!!"
Andrew began hopping around the kitchen, clapping his hands and singing like a schoolgirl. "Woooolf and Chamiiiiiille, sitting on a tree! F-U-C-"
"HEY!!!! It's nothing like that!"
"Are you sure?"
"Look....... it doesn't matter if it's Chamille or any girl...... I don't want you groping around, you hear?!"
"Whatever."
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Both Wolf and Andrew jumped at Chamille's screaming. Wolf momentarily dropped his towel, but he snapped it back on before he ran to where he heard her, which was in Leon's room. Andrew ran by his side. "CHAMILLE???!!!!"
"It's Leon! He's gone!"
"What?!"
***
Several blocks away, an old gorilla in a trench coat and fedora was walking by when he was suddenly grabbed by a scaly, clawed hand and pulled into a dark alley. He was dragged a few feet, his hat falling off and coat scraping on the pavement. He was then pulled up in the darkest, deepest end of the alley, his neck clutched and feet dangling a few inches off the ground.
The gorilla whimpered, "Whatever it is........ I'll give you anything!"
"I don't need anything, old sir," a deep, cold, and harsh male voice said as he clamped the neck closer, a glistening knife held close to it. "Just your muffled scream." The dark stranger then slit the gorilla's throat and threw him down. The slit wasn't deep enough to kill him, but it was enough to draw blood. The stranger then punched the old man in the face and stuffed a rag in his mouth. He then kneaded down on his stomach with his knee, making blood gush out like a fountain or a water sprinkler. The crimson flew everywhere, staining the gorilla's neck, rag, face, and the pavement beneath him, his screams echoing and gurgling in his slit, drowning throat. But no one heard him....... not even after he gurgled his last scream.
The stranger sighed as he began stepping out to the light, wiping his knife before anyone would see him. It was the dark, harsh and cruel chameleon, Leon Powalski, who stepped out to the daylight. Strangers who did not recognize him just drove or walked by..... the lizard was glad no one heard the scream.
"Leon!" a familiar voice called out to him. Leon turned to his left, seeing Wolf, Pigma, and Andrew running to him..... and Chamille running behind them. The male lizard groaned at the sight of her.
"So there you...... and looking healthy!" Pigma said as they approached the lizard. "Can't you at least say 'Thank you' before you leave?!"
"I'm quite sorry, Dengar-san," Leon said slowly, his deep voice speaking softly. "I was just.... having an urge to take a walk; I just had to leave without letting anyone of you know...."
Andrew noticed a few blood specks on the chameleon's shirt. "Are you sure a walk all that you craved?"
"Well, of course, I'm aiming for something else."
"Leon!" Chamille cried as she ran to the male and embraced him. "Oh, Leon, we were so worried about you! First you nearly froze to death in that river, then you were unconscious for about three or four days, and then you just leave and-"
"I know what happened, woman!" Leon barked as he snapped the young lady's arms off around him, pushing her away. "And do you realize that it all happened because of you?!"
Chamille's eyes began to tear as she slowly began to shrink back.
Wolf stepped in front of Chamille and faced the male chameleon. "Look, Leon, can't you give your sister some slack?! It's not like she intended for you to be near death!"
"It doesn't matter if she was around or not............ and she's NOT my sister!"
"Here we go again..." Andrew muttered as he placed his hands on Chamille's shoulders.
Wolf turned back to have a look. "Hey! Get your filthy hands off her!"
"Grrrr..." Andrew reluctantly yet obediently placed his hands off the young woman's shoulders.
Leon shook his head. "I don't understand why you're defending her..... if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have been stuck in that blizzard!"
Wolf huffed and barked at Leon's face. "But if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have gotten out of it!"
"What has she done to save our lives?!" Leon barked back. "HUH???!!!!"
"She......... uh........." Wolf hesitated. What HAS Chamille done to save their lives? All he could remember is saving her on top of the hill and giving her shelter as the rest of the Team searched. Then their ships went down, and then that lady showed up.......... who was that woman? Perhaps it was HER that saved their lives, not Chamille..... but... if it wasn't for Chamille, then how would....
"She... cheered us on!" Andrew piped
Chamille looked up to him. "Andrew....."
"She..... uh....... kept telling us that we can endure the storm..... she was encouraging us to keep trying to survive while we search... for... you......"
'Oh...' Wolf thought. 'I never thought of that....'
"....................................... Whatever," was all Leon would say to Andrew's comment before he turned to walk off.
Wolf clamped his hand on the lizard's shoulder. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?!"
"No where. I'm just going to walk."
"Leon-"
"Alone! Now go away! I can take care of myself! It's not like I'd fall into another river or something!"
Wolf, Pigma, and Andrew all sighed in frustration and in unison. Chamille turned to her right, looking at the dark alleys. She could see a small river of blood flowing. Curious, she started to slip in unseen from her companions.
"That....... ungrateful......... GRAAAAAAH!!!" Pigma yelled in anger, throwing his arms up in the air. He accidentally smacked Wolf and Andrew in the faces as he did.
"OW!!!"
"Sorry....."
Andrew rubbed his face as he too turned to the alley as Wolf began yelling at Pigma. He thought he just noticed the coiled tail of a chameleon slip in. "Chamille?" he said as he too stepped in. It was very dark, not to mention cold.... little non-anthro rats scampered across the pavement, and the smell of garbage filled the alley air.... and something else. It was the smell of blood.
"Sir?" Chamille's voice spoke softly. Andrew's eyes widened to see the chameleon lady kneeling next to the dying gorilla. She just removed the rag from his mouth, using it to wipe the blood all over his blanched face and neck.
"C-Cora......."
"Cora?"
"T-Today.... is my g-grand-d-daughter's b-birthday..... I... was going.... to see her again.... after t-twelve years............. she's t-turning eighteen t-today...."
Chamille gazed at the old gorilla with sympathy and pity. She placed a finger on the old man's lips and said softly, "Mortimer Nottingham........ have no fear... you'll see your dear Cora again.... and you will always watch over her from above."
Mortimer Nottingham's aged eyes widened then cried their last tears. "You're.... you're an...." Before he would finish, Chamille already gently placed her lips on his, softly kissing him. The old man shivered then sighed contently, slowly closing his eyes. When the chameleon rose, the gorilla was stiff.... he laid dead.
"Requiescat en Pace," she muttered softly as she laid the rag over his face. But as she did, Andrew's eyes couldn't help but stare. He was in speechless awe, frozen completely like a statue. A chill was running down his spine.... this was nothing like he has ever seen before. Yes, it could be just a lady kissing a dying guy........ but there was something else besides that.... What was it? He can feel it..... it's as if something ominous yet marvelous just happened at the same time. What was IT?!
"What............ just happened....?" he muttered.
Chamille noticed the petrified Andrew. "Oh......... Andrew......"
"Chamille...."
"I just found this dead guy here......."
"Yeah..... Mortimer Nottingham, right?"
The lizard widened her eyes. "You know him?"
'Wait...' Andrew thought instead of speaking. 'Then how do YOU know?...'
***
Car passed by noisily as Leon continued his stroll down the street. The exhaust would escape the pipes, the horns would honk, and people would speed, yell, and even stick up the most unpopular finger at each other. The lizard just observed the drivers as they speed by, going on through life. Speeding by like life itself.
"Hmmm..." he mumbled when he noticed a teenage mallard girl run to her gander boyfriend. As the gander wrapped his snowy white wings around the spotted maiden, the duck preened her beau's feathers as if kissing. Leon shuddered at the sight. "Blech... what the hell are they doing? Sick......." Deciding to walk along the alleys, he slipped by a building and walked by it.
There was no dead end; the alleys continued on with other buildings by the one that Leon passed by. Just like the one where he tormented the old gorilla, the alleys were dark, cold, and smelly. Non-anthropomorphic rats scampered across this one too. Garbage cans were filled with rotting trash, flies buzzing all over. Puddles of mud from a previous rain made the air smell filthy. Even the sun cannot shine its light in the alleys... the height of the building blocked the warm rays from hitting the shadowy alleys. The perfect place for someone as dark and harsh as Leon.
Leon felt something on his shoe. Looking down, a rat was nibbling on his toe. "Revolting," he said with disgust, lifting his foot then kicking the rat away- hard. It was enough to send the rat flying into a wall, bashing its head and causing blood to fly from its skull and nose. With only a kick and a bounce off the wall, the rat was dead.
"That poor rat... she has been real sick ever since she gave birth to babies," a voice spoke out in echoes. Leon gasped at the sudden voice and looked in all directions. He stopped when he noticed a small figure sitting atop of one of the trash cans, right on garbage and ignoring the flies that buzzed around him. The lizard had to step closer to allow his slender eyes to see who it was clearly.
It was the chameleon boy he met days ago, the same day he when he got lost in the blizzard. "You...."
"It's sad, really.... those babies don't have a mother anymore."
"Why do you care?"
"Why don't you?"
"Excuse me?"
The boy slid off the garbage can and stood in front of it. "Long time ago.... you would take care of the sick rats. You'd feed them, give them a shelter and warmth, and even protect them from stray non-anthro cats and dogs that'd pass by. And you protected them too!"
"Wait, wait..... are you telling me that I've been taking care of sick, worthless animals?!"
"Yes! Exactly!"
"Don't make me laugh..."
"Can you laugh?"
Leon was silenced.
The boy tilted his head. "Let me rephrase that..... are you capable of laughing."
".............."
The child began pacing around. "There was this one time you did laugh....... I recall it was when you met Falco about a year ago here in Fortuna. You two fought, but you won. As you flew off in your ship, you taunted him, 'Close, but no cigar!' Then you faked a laugh. Wait... it's fake..."
The grown chameleon's eyes widened. "How did you know about my fight with that bird?!"
The child smiled. "I know everything about you, Leon."
"Heh............. do you?" Leon looked around, as if thinking. He turned back to the boy, "All right........ what's my favorite color?"
"Crimson. It's the color of blood."
"Nice...... my favorite food?"
"Terms in food only chameleons eat, you enjoy the goliath beetle. More filling, but expensive to get in Fortuna. Human food? You like Tempura. But you're not a picky person, so it doesn't really matter what you eat."
"You're good.... My choice of clothing?"
"You're a bit of a neat-nick... when you're not wearing your uniform, you prefer collared shirts and slacks, even if it's just 'casual' clothing. You seldom wear a T-shirt and jeans or whatever your comrades, Wolf, Pigma, and Andrew, normally wear."
"You do know a lot.... What do I fly?"
"Wolfen I in your first two missions in the Lylat Wars, Wolfen II in your last in Venom. You currently fly the Wolfen I, since the Wolfen II requires more work, not to mention money, to maintain."
"Dammit...." Leon looked around again. An idea popped in his head, making him snap his fingers. He pointed to the boy, "Where was I born? Where did I grow up? What are the names of my parents? Where did I attend school? Who were my friends? What were my dreams? Can you answer that?!"
"I'm afraid I cannot answer those, Leon."
"Heh.... you DON'T know everything about me...."
"Neither do you."
"....." Leon hesitated.
"I didn't say I don't know the answer, Leon," the boy continued, pacing around the alleys. "I just said that I cannot answer them."
"And why not?"
"Because you have to find out yourself."
"What?"
"You don't know your own past, Leon. That's how much I know about you."
Leon began backing up to the wall, the back of his head, shoulders, and palms pressing against the brick wall.
The boy smiled. "You don't know where you're born... you don't know where you grew up. You don't even know who your parents are, and you don't know if you even attended a school! You don't even know if you had any friends......"
"............... and my dreams......."
"They disappeared, Leon. In the back of your head, they disappeared. But it's still there...... your dreams are still locked deep inside your heart.... that same heart was ripped, broken, and torn asunder so long ago...."
"What.... are you talking about?......" Leon stammered as he slid down, sitting.
The boy grinned as he placed his arms behind himself and began walking towards the grown lizard. Leon gasped and began to press his back on the wall harder, clawing the wall as the child came closer. By the time he was close enough to be touched, the boy held out a hand. In it was a threadbare rag doll. The body itself was made of old, green rags, stuffed with what felt like old paper material. The arms, legs, and a coiled tail was sewn together poorly with red thread, and the doll's clothing, a simple sleeveless dress, was made of patches. The head....... there is no head. It's just a headless doll.
Leon held it up. "What's this?"
"It's Kama!"
"Kama?"
"The doll you made your sister! Well, making, actually...... you never finished it. As you can see, you never sewn on a head. It was cut off by some bandits that came by. You never gave to your sister....."
"I don't have a sister."
"We'll see about that........." the boy smirked as he turned to leave.
Leon looked down at the doll, ignoring the boy as he walked off. He examined it carefully, scanning the stitches and choice of rags. "This....... looks like..... it was done by a child......... a child in the streets! The sewing...... it was child's work....... and the rags, you can only find these in garbage cans in the alleys...... YOU made this, didn't you-"
The boy was already gone.
"Okay........ fine. Go away. See if I care," Leon muttered as he stood up. He took one glance at the doll, looking at the tail. "Green skin... a coiled tail..... the name 'Kama'? Was this supposed to be a chameleon doll?" Leon frowned in disgust and tossed the doll into the garbage cans as he walked out. "What use is that piece of junk? I don't HAVE a sister!"
As soon as the lizard stepped out of the alleys, he noticed the sky. It was dark blue, with stars speckled across. "What the.... night time already?"
((to be continued...))
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What do ya think? Please review!
The full genre of this fic is Angst/Drama/Humor/Romance. See if you can guess the pairing I've made for this ficcy, and if you can figure it out, then good for you! ^_^; Please review after reading! Thank you.
~~Imagen~~
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Chapter 5: "What Do You Know?"
Days passed. The StarWolf Team and Chamille have already arrived back in the city and into their underground base. Leon was placed on his bed, and Pigma turned on the heater so he could awaken. Still, he did not even stir... Wolf checked on him once in a while, at least three to four times a day, examining his heart and breathing rate. They were still slow, but at least he is still alive. Pigma suggested to just let time pass. Leon will wake up sooner or later.
***
"I'M HUNGRY!!! WHAT'S TO EAT??!!!"
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL IT OUT ON TOP OF YOUR LUNGS, MONKEYBUTT!!!"
Chamille chuckled at Wolf's remark at Andrew's yelling. She was sewing up Wolf's tattered coat, carefully putting together the tears and loose threads. Some of the material was missing, and she sighed when she realized she couldn't fix it any further.
Wolf entered his bedroom and jumped. It was there where Chamille was fixing his coat. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
Chamille gasped and hid the thread and needle behind her back and stood up, for she was sitting on his bed. She left the coat, fixed but still a bit torn up. Wolf quirked an eyebrow when he noticed it patched up. "You were fixing it...?"
"I'm sorry... some of the material is missing... I tried to fix it as best as I could, but-"
"Phht! Don't worry about it," the lupine said as he snatched the coat and threw it in his trash bin. "I have plenty of more where I got it..."
"Really?"
"Yes. Andross made plenty for us."
"So I see....."
Wolf huffed as he opened his coat closet. Inside were four overcoats of the same kind that he wore before, all his size since his Team was very different in theirs. Aside from them were two red sports jackets and a black trench coat.
The woman opened her mouth in awe of the trench coat. "That black coat there is really nice!"
"Thanks..." Wolf muttered dryly.
"Why don't you wear it? I'll bet it looks great on you!"
"I don't like it."
Chamille walked towards the closet to have a closer look. "It looks comfortable..."
"It is, actually. Leather."
"Oooooooh! Leather!"
"Hmph."
The lizard turned to the wolf. "I take it you don't like leather?"
"I do like leather. I like it a lot. Makes me look sharp."
"Well, then, why don't you like that coat?"
Wolf snarled, hinting that she was starting to irritate him. Chamille shuddered and shut her mouth then bowed her head, as if in submission. "I'm sorry, Wolf..."
"Forget about apologizing. Just don't question me with what I refuse to answer." Chamille sighed. Wolf continued, pointing out the door, "Now scram! I'm going to take a bath and I don't want you around this part of the base!"
"Yes, sir."
Wolf watched her go as he started unbuckling his belt. He shut the door behind her and locked it, then headed to his bed to take off his pants. He then slipped off his shirt and threw it in the laundry. As he undressed himself further, he glanced back at the trash bin where he threw away his tattered coat. Wearing nothing but his boxers he walked to the bin and slowly took out the coat. The bin was just newly emptied and the bag was just replaced, so the coat remained the same way it was. It was not cleaned, but it wasn't dirtied either. Wolf recalled the last time it was washed, which was a few hours before he left for the Dragon's Scourge Bar. Technically it was still clean.
The lupine took a nearby chair and sat down while still holding the coat. His eye was fixed on it, for some reason... he just stared. He thought, though, while holding it before his eye. He remembered when he first ran into the chameleon girl... if it wasn't for him, she would have been gang raped. After he knocked out the men, he placed the coat over her to cover her exposed body, naked but unharmed. He took her to his base while she wore it... and then next day, he wore again when they headed to Amarok City. He gave it to her again during the storm, then was returned back to him... Only a few days, yet it feels like...
Wolf's fingers trembled as he fumbled with the material. Even though it was still torn up, it was fixed. 'She's a really good at sewing... if there were any material for her to replace what's lost, then this jacket would become good as new,' he thought, his thumbs and index fingers lightly rubbing the sleeves. Seeing the torn fabric, he thought about what the lady said when she was being sheltered in his now destroyed Wolfen... a heart and soul torn asunder? What does that mean? A heart and soul torn by what? Wolf thought about the possibilities of how a heart and soul can be torn apart... he thought of a breakup between two lovers. That could be it. It could also be that of someone losing a loved one to death. That, too, can tear up a heart and soul to pieces. Failure... Wolf is familiar with failure, and that did its share of tearing as well. A great deal of disappointment can do that as well. Lost hope...... Wolf remembered the time he was about to give up in getting his revenge from Fox and how much it was ripping him to itty, bitty pieces. Torment, too, can do much tearing... physical, emotional, mental... even spiritual pain can tear a heart and soul to pieces, even do so much damage that healing may be impossible. It all, however, narrowed down to this... Wolf realized it... It all narrowed down to one thing:
Pain.
"A heart and soul torn asunder..." Wolf whispered to himself. He recalled what Chamille said about her and her brother... when the chameleon woman mentioned how a heart can still remain after being ripped to pieces, was she talking about the sadistic demon of torture, Leon? As Wolf thought about it, he recalled those times of torment Leon's victims go through every day... what pain? Is what Chamille talking about Leon going through pain? WHAT pain?! Does Leon even know what pain is? As far as Wolf sees it, Leon doesn't feel pain... he can't... he won't... he doesn't even know what pain is. Pain? All that chameleon knows about pain is what his victims go through as he inflicts ache and anguish by either sticking a red hot poker into somewhere rather unpleasant, twisting a limb off by spinning a heavy wheel attached to it at full speed, skinning a victim alive with potato peeler and pouring salt and alcohol all over the exposed flesh, etc. And even as he shed blood, that cold frown never seemed to leave his face, as if he was numbed. He can't even feel any pain, no matter what happens to him. Throw an insult, go ahead... he'll just scoff it off. Slug him in the face... he'll feel your hand touch his face, but that's it, and the only thing one will gain will be facing his wrath. Yank his tail, slam the door shut on his hand... he won't yelp in pain. Stab him, break him, snap him in two... it'll be nothing to him. Even defeat from StarFox didn't seem to faze him... in fact, it was he who suggested revenge towards their mortal rivals.
"Pigma-san!" Wolf heard Chamille cry outside his door. She must be still around.
Wolf rushed off his chair then raced outside. Chamille was just outside the hall, and quickly the wolf rushed to her. "Chamille!"
Chamille turned as soon as she heard his voice... then widened her eyes. O_O;
"What?"
"HELLOOOOOOOOO, WOLF!!!!" Pigma squealed. Wolf looked down to realize he's facing a woman while wearing absolutely nothing but his underwear. Wolf blushed furiously then blindly wrapped the coat around his waist, then his legs, then his chest. He put it on, but the he growled when he realized how much of an @$$ he's been unconsciously acting. He removed the coat and held it close to Chamille, who was covering her bulbous eyes. Her skin tone was a mixture of yellow and tan for anxiety as well as nervousness.
"What is it?" she muttered anxiously.
Wolf managed a slight smile. "The coat... it's.... yours."
Chamille opened her fingers. "What did you just say?"
"I'm giving away the coat. You can keep it."
"Why? I thought-"
"There is enough material left to fit your size. You can cut off any access fabric and sew it all together.... that is, if you want."
Chamille placed her hands down, her eyes focusing partially on Wolf's face and his boxers. She couldn't help stare at the blue polka dots. "But why are you giving it to me? Aren't you going to throw it away?"
"Can't I do anything without you questioning me?! Just take it! Besides, you don't have any other clothes of your own other than that torn polyester jacket!"
"Oh........" Chamille shyly held out her hand. Wolf placed the jacket, and the lizard woman slowly held it close to her. "Th-thank you...."
"Your welcome."
Both Wolf and Pigma watched the young lady run off, her blushing face covered with the jacket. Wolf smirked then turned to Pigma, who frowned. The swine even smacked his lupine leader on the abdomen. Wolf yipped, "What?!"
"Put on some pants, gawddamit!"
"At least I'm covered...."
"BUT RUNNING AROUND IN YOUR BOXERS IN THE PRESENCE OF A FEMALE???!!! Next time we know it, you'll be running around completely naked and showing off your pe-!"
"Leon did that, not me.... by mistake. And I ran out of my bedroom in my boxers by mistake too... I guess I wasn't thinking."
"Just put on something, idiot!"
Wolf shook his head and turned to walk back to his room when Pigma smacked him on the back, lighter, though. "I just thought of something..."
"What now?"
"When Chamille first came here, she was wearing your coat, the same one you just gave her."
"So?"
"A polyester jacket.... was that what she wore before she was..."
"Yeah."
"What else?"
"..........................................................." Wolf thought back at the time when he first bumped into Chamille. When he pressed her on the wall, he remembered the jacket. When he struck her down, he remembered the same one, but nothing else. "Hey...." he muttered to himself. "Now that I thought about it.... her legs were bare when I struck her down in the rain, and when I saved her I saw no other torn clothing....... was she wearing ANYTHING underneath that jacket?"
The pig paused. His eye twitched for a second, then his eyebrows buried deep down in the center of in between his eyes. He quirked one up, squinted, and looked to his side, nodding as he placed his hoof on his chin. It was Wolf's turn to smack him. "And you say I'M sick!"
"I didn't say that!"
***
Andrew was on his way to the kitchen when he passed by Chamille and her new coat. He turned to look at her and took a second glance at the coat. "Hey...."
Chamille looked up to him. "What is it?"
"Isn't that Wolf's coat?"
"Yes........ he just gave it to me."
"Why?"
"Well, he just wanted me to have it.... mostly because I don't have any other clothing on my own."
'I'll bet what he's REALLY doing is flirting with her.....' Andrew thought as he clenched a fist.
Chamille widened her eyes when the monkey flinched because of his growling stomach. "Are you hungry?"
"Very."
"Why don't I fix you something?" she said as she turned to head to the kitchen herself. "I'm a bit hungry myself.... what would you like me to fix you?"
"It doesn't really matter, as long as I eat............"
Both of them reached the kitchen at the same time. Andrew took a seat on a stool at the countertop as Chamille placed the coat on it. She headed to the refrigerator and opened it; the first, and actually, the only thing she saw, were leftovers.... smelly, stinky, rotting leftovers. Chamille could almost swear she could see the beef grazing on the lettuce.
"Chamille?"
"Do you ever get fresh food around here?" the chameleon asked as she held up a slab of cheese with fungus growing all over it.... and not just mold, but there was literally mushrooms on it (how it got there is beyond anyone's knowledge).
"Well, we haven't had a job ever since Andross's defeat..... now we're just living off of what we have left."
"And how much is that?"
"About a few hundred dollars..... but Leon keeps saying we should save that money for only emergencies!"
"That's my brother......"
"What?"
"Hey.......... is that an arrowhead in the guacamole?!"
Andrew shook his head and stood up and walked by Chamille's side, looking in the fridge. "Hmmm.... hardly anything good in here."
"I'll say........... why does that chicken look like Daffy Duke?"
"I think you mean Leghorn," Andrew decided to play along. "Here, lemme look...." As he leaned over, he slowly and carefully began to finger Chamille's back, subtly placing his hand around her waist. The chameleon noticed this as soon as he touched her back, but she didn't bother to take the hand off her waist. Instead, she let it remain there, becoming nervous again and shivering.
Andrew looked at her. "What's wrong? Cold?"
"Uh............."
Before either would know it, Chamille was pulled back and the fridge door slammed on the monkey's head. The lady looked back to see Wolf, dripping wet and wearing only a towel. She gasped and backed a bit, staring up to him as Andrew, his head in the fridge, screamed as if a papaya was just lodged into somewhere unpleasant.
Andrew fingered for the fridge door and swung it open. He gasped for air and wiped the purple banana peel off his face as he glared at the canine. "Wolf!"
"What the f#cking hell are you doing?!"
"I was just getting Chamille and me some food!"
"And just what are you trying to indulge in?! Her @$$???!!!"
"What are you trying to say here?!"
"Okay! Okay! Stop!" Chamille yelled as she stepped in between the fighting canine and primate. Wolf and Andrew both stepped aside.
The lizard took a deep breath before she would begin. She examined the wolf that stood before her, whose fur was completely soaked and having a towel wrapped around his waist. "Are you taking a bath?"
"I just finished."
"Why did you slam the refrigerator door on Andrew's head?"
"Why else?! He was groping you!"
"Moi?!" Andrew gasped as he placed his hand on his own chest. Wolf held a fist up towards the monkey's face, making him duck as if already hit.
"Look, Wolf," Chamille said as she held her palms up before another fight would ensue. "I appreciate you looking after me, but....... slamming the door on Andrew's head.......... and wearing only a towel?"
"You're lucky I came straight here before I went to my bedroom to dress up."
"Can't you at least wear a robe?"
"Robe's in the wash. I forgot to take it from the laundry room."
"I'll go check on Leon," Chamille sighed as she covered her eyes with a hand and walked away.
Wolf sighed and frowned as he watched her leave. Andrew leaned close to the lupine's shoulder. "What's your deal with Chamille, eh, Wolf? First the ice chunk, now the fridge! And the fact you just gave your coat to her-"
"What are you trying to say here?"
"I see what's going on here....................." Andrew began as he placed his index finger and thumb on his chin.
Wolf's ears twitched, and his eye widened. "Um......."
"YOU LIKE HER!!!"
"WHAT???!!!"
Andrew began hopping around the kitchen, clapping his hands and singing like a schoolgirl. "Woooolf and Chamiiiiiille, sitting on a tree! F-U-C-"
"HEY!!!! It's nothing like that!"
"Are you sure?"
"Look....... it doesn't matter if it's Chamille or any girl...... I don't want you groping around, you hear?!"
"Whatever."
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Both Wolf and Andrew jumped at Chamille's screaming. Wolf momentarily dropped his towel, but he snapped it back on before he ran to where he heard her, which was in Leon's room. Andrew ran by his side. "CHAMILLE???!!!!"
"It's Leon! He's gone!"
"What?!"
***
Several blocks away, an old gorilla in a trench coat and fedora was walking by when he was suddenly grabbed by a scaly, clawed hand and pulled into a dark alley. He was dragged a few feet, his hat falling off and coat scraping on the pavement. He was then pulled up in the darkest, deepest end of the alley, his neck clutched and feet dangling a few inches off the ground.
The gorilla whimpered, "Whatever it is........ I'll give you anything!"
"I don't need anything, old sir," a deep, cold, and harsh male voice said as he clamped the neck closer, a glistening knife held close to it. "Just your muffled scream." The dark stranger then slit the gorilla's throat and threw him down. The slit wasn't deep enough to kill him, but it was enough to draw blood. The stranger then punched the old man in the face and stuffed a rag in his mouth. He then kneaded down on his stomach with his knee, making blood gush out like a fountain or a water sprinkler. The crimson flew everywhere, staining the gorilla's neck, rag, face, and the pavement beneath him, his screams echoing and gurgling in his slit, drowning throat. But no one heard him....... not even after he gurgled his last scream.
The stranger sighed as he began stepping out to the light, wiping his knife before anyone would see him. It was the dark, harsh and cruel chameleon, Leon Powalski, who stepped out to the daylight. Strangers who did not recognize him just drove or walked by..... the lizard was glad no one heard the scream.
"Leon!" a familiar voice called out to him. Leon turned to his left, seeing Wolf, Pigma, and Andrew running to him..... and Chamille running behind them. The male lizard groaned at the sight of her.
"So there you...... and looking healthy!" Pigma said as they approached the lizard. "Can't you at least say 'Thank you' before you leave?!"
"I'm quite sorry, Dengar-san," Leon said slowly, his deep voice speaking softly. "I was just.... having an urge to take a walk; I just had to leave without letting anyone of you know...."
Andrew noticed a few blood specks on the chameleon's shirt. "Are you sure a walk all that you craved?"
"Well, of course, I'm aiming for something else."
"Leon!" Chamille cried as she ran to the male and embraced him. "Oh, Leon, we were so worried about you! First you nearly froze to death in that river, then you were unconscious for about three or four days, and then you just leave and-"
"I know what happened, woman!" Leon barked as he snapped the young lady's arms off around him, pushing her away. "And do you realize that it all happened because of you?!"
Chamille's eyes began to tear as she slowly began to shrink back.
Wolf stepped in front of Chamille and faced the male chameleon. "Look, Leon, can't you give your sister some slack?! It's not like she intended for you to be near death!"
"It doesn't matter if she was around or not............ and she's NOT my sister!"
"Here we go again..." Andrew muttered as he placed his hands on Chamille's shoulders.
Wolf turned back to have a look. "Hey! Get your filthy hands off her!"
"Grrrr..." Andrew reluctantly yet obediently placed his hands off the young woman's shoulders.
Leon shook his head. "I don't understand why you're defending her..... if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have been stuck in that blizzard!"
Wolf huffed and barked at Leon's face. "But if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have gotten out of it!"
"What has she done to save our lives?!" Leon barked back. "HUH???!!!!"
"She......... uh........." Wolf hesitated. What HAS Chamille done to save their lives? All he could remember is saving her on top of the hill and giving her shelter as the rest of the Team searched. Then their ships went down, and then that lady showed up.......... who was that woman? Perhaps it was HER that saved their lives, not Chamille..... but... if it wasn't for Chamille, then how would....
"She... cheered us on!" Andrew piped
Chamille looked up to him. "Andrew....."
"She..... uh....... kept telling us that we can endure the storm..... she was encouraging us to keep trying to survive while we search... for... you......"
'Oh...' Wolf thought. 'I never thought of that....'
"....................................... Whatever," was all Leon would say to Andrew's comment before he turned to walk off.
Wolf clamped his hand on the lizard's shoulder. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?!"
"No where. I'm just going to walk."
"Leon-"
"Alone! Now go away! I can take care of myself! It's not like I'd fall into another river or something!"
Wolf, Pigma, and Andrew all sighed in frustration and in unison. Chamille turned to her right, looking at the dark alleys. She could see a small river of blood flowing. Curious, she started to slip in unseen from her companions.
"That....... ungrateful......... GRAAAAAAH!!!" Pigma yelled in anger, throwing his arms up in the air. He accidentally smacked Wolf and Andrew in the faces as he did.
"OW!!!"
"Sorry....."
Andrew rubbed his face as he too turned to the alley as Wolf began yelling at Pigma. He thought he just noticed the coiled tail of a chameleon slip in. "Chamille?" he said as he too stepped in. It was very dark, not to mention cold.... little non-anthro rats scampered across the pavement, and the smell of garbage filled the alley air.... and something else. It was the smell of blood.
"Sir?" Chamille's voice spoke softly. Andrew's eyes widened to see the chameleon lady kneeling next to the dying gorilla. She just removed the rag from his mouth, using it to wipe the blood all over his blanched face and neck.
"C-Cora......."
"Cora?"
"T-Today.... is my g-grand-d-daughter's b-birthday..... I... was going.... to see her again.... after t-twelve years............. she's t-turning eighteen t-today...."
Chamille gazed at the old gorilla with sympathy and pity. She placed a finger on the old man's lips and said softly, "Mortimer Nottingham........ have no fear... you'll see your dear Cora again.... and you will always watch over her from above."
Mortimer Nottingham's aged eyes widened then cried their last tears. "You're.... you're an...." Before he would finish, Chamille already gently placed her lips on his, softly kissing him. The old man shivered then sighed contently, slowly closing his eyes. When the chameleon rose, the gorilla was stiff.... he laid dead.
"Requiescat en Pace," she muttered softly as she laid the rag over his face. But as she did, Andrew's eyes couldn't help but stare. He was in speechless awe, frozen completely like a statue. A chill was running down his spine.... this was nothing like he has ever seen before. Yes, it could be just a lady kissing a dying guy........ but there was something else besides that.... What was it? He can feel it..... it's as if something ominous yet marvelous just happened at the same time. What was IT?!
"What............ just happened....?" he muttered.
Chamille noticed the petrified Andrew. "Oh......... Andrew......"
"Chamille...."
"I just found this dead guy here......."
"Yeah..... Mortimer Nottingham, right?"
The lizard widened her eyes. "You know him?"
'Wait...' Andrew thought instead of speaking. 'Then how do YOU know?...'
***
Car passed by noisily as Leon continued his stroll down the street. The exhaust would escape the pipes, the horns would honk, and people would speed, yell, and even stick up the most unpopular finger at each other. The lizard just observed the drivers as they speed by, going on through life. Speeding by like life itself.
"Hmmm..." he mumbled when he noticed a teenage mallard girl run to her gander boyfriend. As the gander wrapped his snowy white wings around the spotted maiden, the duck preened her beau's feathers as if kissing. Leon shuddered at the sight. "Blech... what the hell are they doing? Sick......." Deciding to walk along the alleys, he slipped by a building and walked by it.
There was no dead end; the alleys continued on with other buildings by the one that Leon passed by. Just like the one where he tormented the old gorilla, the alleys were dark, cold, and smelly. Non-anthropomorphic rats scampered across this one too. Garbage cans were filled with rotting trash, flies buzzing all over. Puddles of mud from a previous rain made the air smell filthy. Even the sun cannot shine its light in the alleys... the height of the building blocked the warm rays from hitting the shadowy alleys. The perfect place for someone as dark and harsh as Leon.
Leon felt something on his shoe. Looking down, a rat was nibbling on his toe. "Revolting," he said with disgust, lifting his foot then kicking the rat away- hard. It was enough to send the rat flying into a wall, bashing its head and causing blood to fly from its skull and nose. With only a kick and a bounce off the wall, the rat was dead.
"That poor rat... she has been real sick ever since she gave birth to babies," a voice spoke out in echoes. Leon gasped at the sudden voice and looked in all directions. He stopped when he noticed a small figure sitting atop of one of the trash cans, right on garbage and ignoring the flies that buzzed around him. The lizard had to step closer to allow his slender eyes to see who it was clearly.
It was the chameleon boy he met days ago, the same day he when he got lost in the blizzard. "You...."
"It's sad, really.... those babies don't have a mother anymore."
"Why do you care?"
"Why don't you?"
"Excuse me?"
The boy slid off the garbage can and stood in front of it. "Long time ago.... you would take care of the sick rats. You'd feed them, give them a shelter and warmth, and even protect them from stray non-anthro cats and dogs that'd pass by. And you protected them too!"
"Wait, wait..... are you telling me that I've been taking care of sick, worthless animals?!"
"Yes! Exactly!"
"Don't make me laugh..."
"Can you laugh?"
Leon was silenced.
The boy tilted his head. "Let me rephrase that..... are you capable of laughing."
".............."
The child began pacing around. "There was this one time you did laugh....... I recall it was when you met Falco about a year ago here in Fortuna. You two fought, but you won. As you flew off in your ship, you taunted him, 'Close, but no cigar!' Then you faked a laugh. Wait... it's fake..."
The grown chameleon's eyes widened. "How did you know about my fight with that bird?!"
The child smiled. "I know everything about you, Leon."
"Heh............. do you?" Leon looked around, as if thinking. He turned back to the boy, "All right........ what's my favorite color?"
"Crimson. It's the color of blood."
"Nice...... my favorite food?"
"Terms in food only chameleons eat, you enjoy the goliath beetle. More filling, but expensive to get in Fortuna. Human food? You like Tempura. But you're not a picky person, so it doesn't really matter what you eat."
"You're good.... My choice of clothing?"
"You're a bit of a neat-nick... when you're not wearing your uniform, you prefer collared shirts and slacks, even if it's just 'casual' clothing. You seldom wear a T-shirt and jeans or whatever your comrades, Wolf, Pigma, and Andrew, normally wear."
"You do know a lot.... What do I fly?"
"Wolfen I in your first two missions in the Lylat Wars, Wolfen II in your last in Venom. You currently fly the Wolfen I, since the Wolfen II requires more work, not to mention money, to maintain."
"Dammit...." Leon looked around again. An idea popped in his head, making him snap his fingers. He pointed to the boy, "Where was I born? Where did I grow up? What are the names of my parents? Where did I attend school? Who were my friends? What were my dreams? Can you answer that?!"
"I'm afraid I cannot answer those, Leon."
"Heh.... you DON'T know everything about me...."
"Neither do you."
"....." Leon hesitated.
"I didn't say I don't know the answer, Leon," the boy continued, pacing around the alleys. "I just said that I cannot answer them."
"And why not?"
"Because you have to find out yourself."
"What?"
"You don't know your own past, Leon. That's how much I know about you."
Leon began backing up to the wall, the back of his head, shoulders, and palms pressing against the brick wall.
The boy smiled. "You don't know where you're born... you don't know where you grew up. You don't even know who your parents are, and you don't know if you even attended a school! You don't even know if you had any friends......"
"............... and my dreams......."
"They disappeared, Leon. In the back of your head, they disappeared. But it's still there...... your dreams are still locked deep inside your heart.... that same heart was ripped, broken, and torn asunder so long ago...."
"What.... are you talking about?......" Leon stammered as he slid down, sitting.
The boy grinned as he placed his arms behind himself and began walking towards the grown lizard. Leon gasped and began to press his back on the wall harder, clawing the wall as the child came closer. By the time he was close enough to be touched, the boy held out a hand. In it was a threadbare rag doll. The body itself was made of old, green rags, stuffed with what felt like old paper material. The arms, legs, and a coiled tail was sewn together poorly with red thread, and the doll's clothing, a simple sleeveless dress, was made of patches. The head....... there is no head. It's just a headless doll.
Leon held it up. "What's this?"
"It's Kama!"
"Kama?"
"The doll you made your sister! Well, making, actually...... you never finished it. As you can see, you never sewn on a head. It was cut off by some bandits that came by. You never gave to your sister....."
"I don't have a sister."
"We'll see about that........." the boy smirked as he turned to leave.
Leon looked down at the doll, ignoring the boy as he walked off. He examined it carefully, scanning the stitches and choice of rags. "This....... looks like..... it was done by a child......... a child in the streets! The sewing...... it was child's work....... and the rags, you can only find these in garbage cans in the alleys...... YOU made this, didn't you-"
The boy was already gone.
"Okay........ fine. Go away. See if I care," Leon muttered as he stood up. He took one glance at the doll, looking at the tail. "Green skin... a coiled tail..... the name 'Kama'? Was this supposed to be a chameleon doll?" Leon frowned in disgust and tossed the doll into the garbage cans as he walked out. "What use is that piece of junk? I don't HAVE a sister!"
As soon as the lizard stepped out of the alleys, he noticed the sky. It was dark blue, with stars speckled across. "What the.... night time already?"
((to be continued...))
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What do ya think? Please review!