CHAPTER 13
Vector carried Espio back to the tent. Once inside he set the unconcious chameleon on the bed. He and Ayame sat on the floor.
"Ayame, is it true? Did Espio actually steal that sword?" he asked.
Ayame nodded slowly. "Yes, he did."
"Why didn't he ever tell me?"
"I don't know. Maybe he thought if he did you wouldn't hire him or something." She closed her eyes. "From what I learned from him he was a thief until he enrolled in ninja school. That's where he met me. When we were students there he never told me anything about his past. I'd tell him all about mine but when I'd ask him about his, he'd clam up or change the subject."
"How'd he do that?"
"Well, he liked my music," she said self conciously. "He'd ask me to play a song he liked or sing to him. Since I was always encouraged to sing, and since I like music I didn't ask questions."
"What kind of music did you play to him?'
"Soft music, like lalabys. Nothing fast or rocky. Just gentle like the flow of a stream's water."
"Could I hear one?"
Ayame nodded. She pulled out her ocarina and began to play a Christmas song called 'The Cherry Tree Carol'.
As Vector listened he snuck a glance at Espio. The chameleon had grown more relaxed and Vector could tell he was sleeping more peacefully.
That's good, the crocodile thought leaning his head against the side of the bed. Man, that is pretty. No wonder Espio likes it.
He began to doze off.
Then the music stopped. Vector opened one eye questioningly. Why did she stop playing? That was nice.
Ayame had her hands rested in her lap. Her dark purple eyes were rested on Espio. The crocodile thought he caught a glint of worry in them, but didn't bother asking what was wrong.
Instead he glanced back up at Espio. The chameleon was still sound asleep, his breathing regular. He couldn't see anything wrong.
Ayame sighed.
"What's wrong?" he finally asked.
The female chameleon looked at him. "I'm just worried," she said. "Espio's behavior may have something to do with what's going on with Sherikan and not just the sword."
"You mean Yuria don't you?"
She nodded. "The sword is evil. If someone with a heart full of guilt or the lust for power weilds it they become possessed."
Vector was shocked. "Maybe that's why Espio acts the way he does."
"Could be," she agreed. "But it could just be in his actual personality. I don't think the sword can change that."
Vector didn't agrue with that.
"Whether is does or not it still is one thing. The sword is evil and we can't let it fall into the wrong hands."
"Then the only way to get rid of it is to get rid of that insane psychopath that looks like Espio."
Ayame nodded. "I know, but how?"
"Maybe Espio will have some ideas," the crocodile suggested.
"Maybe but we can't ask him now. Let's wait until he wakes up."
Vector looked up at the chameleon ninja. He was still fast asleep. "That could take awhile."
"Good. That will give us some time to figure out where they are holding your friend Charmy."
"Oh yeah, Charmy, I almost forgot about him."
"Have any ideas where he might be?"
"Not a single one. He could be anywhere. I haven't seen him since we got into this mess. For all I know he could be dead."
"I'm sorry."
At that moment Sherikan burst into the tent. Ayame and Vector jumped to their feet and blocked the Espio look alikes path.
The chameleon stopped in his tracks. His face held a confident expression. It seemed to say. I can handle the both of you without any help. "Well, hello," he said. "It looks like I was right. I knew you'd return to save you lover, Rioko, and I assume you brought the sword as well."
Vector glanced at the female chameleon. "Lover? What's he talkin' about?"
Ayame gritted her teeth as she fought to control her temper. How dare he! "He doesn't know what he's talking about," she seethed.
"I believe I do," Sherikan said grinning that his little stab had hurt. "Now that you're here why don't you hand over what doesn't belong to you."
Ayame gripped Yurai tightly. "No," she said. "This sword doesn't belong to you either! If you take it you'll be just as much a thief as Espio was."
"How dare you compare me with that bastard," Sherikan roared. "I'm not a thief. Espio has done things ten times worse then I have!"
Vector was getting angry. "Don't talk about Espio that way!" he shouted.
The shouting had roused Espio. He had just gotten totally relaxed and begun to drift into a deeper sleep when he'd gotten the rude awakening.
He opened his eyes and sat up. He turned to Vector to yell at him for waking him up when he stopped. His yellow eyes locked on his look alike.
The hatred began to burn again. I will not let him cause anymore trouble, he thought. I will stop him now!
The chameleon ninja shot out of bed and pushed past his friends. He got right into Sherikan's face.
"Sherikan, if you want that sword you're going to have to fight me to get it!" Espio growled.
"Fight you?" Sherikan laughed in scorn. "I bet you don't even know how to fight."
Fire suddenly shot up the other chameleon's arm. Espio cried out and grabbed it to stop the bleeding.
"Espio!" Ayame exclaimed.
Espio glared with hate filled eyes at Sherikan. "You're way too slow," he look alike taunted.
In a flash Espio's fisted planted itself in Sherikan's face.
Sherikan stared at him in shock as he rubbed his injured face. (Sherikan's not Espio's). "I won't let you hurt anyone else," Espio said, his fists shaking in surpressed anger. "If I have to I will kill you!"
Sherikan backed away. "It is unlikely that you will kill me," he said with a sneer. "If anything it will be the other way around."
Espio came at the older chameleon.
Vector and Ayame grabbed his arms and held him back. "Espio calm down, please," Ayame ordered.
Espio struggled. He so wanted to rip off Sherikan's mocking face.
Sherikan looked just a bit scared. "What's wrong with him?" he asked.
"Don't you see?" Ayame demanded, holding the struggling chameleon back.. "This is what happens when someone, anyone, touches Yurai. They become possessed."
Sherikan didn't hear the answer. He'd turned and fled.
"GET BACK HERE!" Espio shouted struggling.
"Calm DOWN!" his friends ordered.
The next thing they knew they were on the floor. Espio grabbed Yurai. "Just stay out of this," he said unshiething the sword. "I need to finish this, now."
He dashed after Sherikan.
"Espio, wait!" Ayame shouted.
Vector helped her up. "C'mon we have to go after him!"
They ran after their half crazed friend.
Espio kept Sherikan in his sights. He knew he had to kill Sherikan or at least defeat him. The chameleon felt it was the only way to end everything.
He jumped onto the roof of a tent then jumped high into the air.
Sherikan saw him coming. "Guards!" he shouted.
Espio landed in the middle of a circle of chameleon ninjas.
"Get him!" Sherikan ordered. "And make sure you get Yurai while you're at it."
The chameleons attacked.
Espio swung Yurai like a pro. Most fell to the blade.
The others came at him all at once, ignoring the carnage he created out of their comrades. The next thing he knew, he was under them all.
Two big burly ninjas pulled him up. They made him face Sherikan.
Sherikan stood in front of Esio, his hands on his hips (Sherikan's not Espio's). "Well it looks like your little moment of anger didn't help you one bit," he gloated.
He reached for the sword. "I'll be taking this."
His hand rested on the handle.
He found himself lying flat on his back on the ground.
"I don't think so," Espio said angrily. "There is no way you're getting Yurai!"
"You shouldn't have done that," his look alike said. "Now you are in even bigger trouble."
He turned to his followers. "Kill him," he ordered.
Suddenly all the chameleons were on the ground. "Who did that?" Sherikan demanded looking around.
He spotted Ayame, Vector, and now Charmy standing just behind the ninjas they'd flattened. "We did," Ayame said pulling out her own sword.
"Get them!" Sherikan shouted.
The ninjas who had been standing behind him ran at the three.
Ayame, Vector, and Charmy went into battle stances.
Espio stood up.
He saw his friends fighting the ninjas. He rushed to help but then noticed Sherikan trying to get away.
"Espio, go after Sherikan!" Ayame shouted as she fought with a fat ninja. "We can take care of these guys ourselves."
Espio needed no further prompting. He turned and ran after the one responsible for ruining his and many others lives.
