----- Over Troubled Waters

This has got to be a first.

First their client insists on traveling with them on their mission.

Now she was paying top dollar to make sure they've made it in style!

Since they didn't have ready access to planes like a certain blue hero they had to make it from place to place however they could, but Vanilla insisted on getting them on a liner when she heard they'd be taking a standard ferry otherwise. There was plenty on the ship to do, but Vector just wanted to look over the side at the city that was slowly fading from view. Station Square was the only real home that he ever remembered having, and there wasn't many mobians who lived there.

He did manage to spot a small family of alligators going back to their home in the pipe works under the city. Alligators, Crocodiles, Rats, they were all sewer dwelling mobians though no one knew why. Now of days they were rare because pollution from the humans above poisoned the waters in the sewers...

There were footsteps behind him, and he quickly snapped around to find Vanilla staring at him. " Don't sneak up on me, woman. " He muttered while leaning forward on the railing.

" Pardon me for being concerned. " There was a bit of flair in her voice that could be compared to a certain female bat, but he wasn't pointing any fingers. " Why are you down below eating with your friends? " She asked while leaning on the railing beside him.

Vector shrugged his shoulders. " Watching me eat isn't a pretty sight. Sides, rabid gorging it makes Ray throw up. He's so sensitive ya know. " He chuckled a bit and looked at her. " Vanilla? "

" Hmmm? "

There was one thing tearing at Vector since he got this case, so he decided to ask now." Is there ... any particular reason you wanted us to go on this trip wit 'cha an' not Sonic and them? " It seemed like a casual question. " It seems that they're more capable for this kinda thin' "

" I thought that you might want some answers for yourselves... " She said as in a matter of faculty. " You were victims of the Combi Chamber, so wouldn't you want to know what happened before then? "

Vector blinked. " What're ya sayin'? "

Vanilla gave him a firm look.. remaining in silence before she spoke softly. " It's a terrible feeling not knowing who you are, where you came from, or why you're here, isn't it? "

Now 'that' got his attention and he was now looking at her wide eyed.

She knew ... but how?

---

" Yummy! Yummy! "

Ray was physically ill, and it showed by the paleness that formed along his muzzle. Charmy was cramming whatever sugar filled gunk he could find from the buffet into his mouth and down his throat without chewing, stopping only to drown the rest in fruit punch. There was a dark, nasty, ring around his mouth from where he was eating that Ray begged him to clean between 'bites'.

Suddenly the poor squirrel had his head between his knees half buried in a paper bag, just waiting for his lunch to revisit his mouth.

" W-w-where's... "

" Miss Vanilla went up above to look for him. " Mighty said quickly, not wanting Ray to stress himself too much. " By time they get down for lunch we'd be long gone. "

" There isn't anywhere else to go on this tug boat! " Espio complained. Places like this made him nervous, because he's claustrophobic Vector told them once. They all witnessed it first hand when they were locked in a room at Hang Castle...

---- Flashback

" WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'RE STUCK!? " Espio screamed.

Charmy flew past him calmly. " It means we can't go any further, duh. "

Espio just smacked the bee out the air. " I KNOW what 'stuck' means! "

Charmy wasn't hurt much by the smack, so just looked up at Espio with a grin. " Then why'da ask? "

" Quiet! Both of you! " Vector was sitting calmly on one of the floating cages in the long circling hallway. " Point is we can't go nowheres until we figure out how to open that do-"

He was cut off when he heard the loud thumping of bone against metal that made him flinch. Looking around, he saw that Charmy and Espio had run off somewhere, and now Charmy was laughing. Jumping down, he'd run around to corner to find...

" OPEN DAMNIT! "

Vector was shocked. It was the first time he'd heard Espio mutter a swear, and now the Chameleon was panting, scratching at the metal door with his claws. Then he actually slammed his horn against the metal door, causing that same noise to echo through the hallway. He stumbled back a few steps stunned from the blow only to charge for the door again.

----- End Flashback

It was a shame they didn't get paid much for that case, the only payment coming from the rings they cashed in at the end. Espio had to be admitted to a hospital soon after for a minor fracture to the skull, and minor plastic surgery to get his horn bent back into shape. Mighty jokingly insisted that Espio get admitted after he and Ray got back for vacation.

Charmy suddenly stopped eating when his antennae twitched. " They're here! " He said cheerfully looking over his shoulder.

The kid had to have had some sixth sense working for him because moments later Vanilla walked down the stairs leading to the lido deck followed by Vector, who seemed a distant. He was thinking about something, Mighty had to guess.

" What's wrong with him? " Espio motioned with his head towards Vector, who didn't seem to notice.

Vanilla shrugged innocently. " He's just got a lot on his mind is all. " She kept a perfectly strait face as she said it, as if she did nothing wrong.

There was no arguing with that judgment, as the rest of the Chaotix began poking at the food in front of them. It was awkward silence between the large group, except Ray's whimpering and Charmy's chewing. They were expecting Vector to say something at least first. Instead he just looked up at the sky, noticing a large black shadow that looked like a...

Another passenger's scream came right before a large splash came within inches of the large boat. The who boat rocked violently as water was thrown aboard the right side of the boat, causing the passenger's to slide towards the opposite side.

The boat was almost on it's side when Vector bit down on a pole near where their table used to be. Shortly after he felt a lot of pain coming from his tail from where his friends where holding on. He grunted a bit and tried to grab onto the pole with his hand...

" Hahahahaha! "

It couldn't be...

-----

Station Square is a human city. Across the island is Emerald Town, where Mobians live.

I'd imagine that almost all the characters have small claws on the tip of each finger, but wouldn't show because of their gloves. They're kinda like cat's claws that only extend when they're angry.

The Lido deck is where the food is served (not in the formal dining room). It's usually near the top of the ship on or below the main deck.