Chapter three, ready to roll!

First, let me just say that yes, Ember and Flame are evil. Also, coming up in either this chapter or another chapter, we'll learn exactly what has happened to the Dragon Worlds.

Akiro and Sabina walked through the dark tunnel. "Are you sure it's this way?" Sabina asked. "I mean, maybe there's a...less...scary...path to the swamp."

"We've tried every other direction." her brother reassured her. "Besides, this tunnel is starting to look very swamp-ish to me!" They turned a corner and saw the end of the passageway. Through it, they could see part of the swamp.

"Now we have to find where Hunter is meeting Spyro." Akiro whispered. "Keep your eyes open. The way those two were acting, they'll probably be in the best hiding spot around."

As they came out of the tunnel, they began looking around. "Um, Akiro?" Sabina pointed. "We don't need to look any further. There they are."

Akiro did a double take. Spyro and Hunter were talking in the clearest, most open area in the swamp! They weren't even bothering to disguise themselves or anything! Akiro shook his head. "Okay, maybe it's not that important." he said. They walked over to join the secret meeting. Spyro saw them coming and began acting cocky and important, like he had on the bridge.

"So, what's this meeting about?" Sabina whispered.

"Glad you came." said Hunter. Spyro briefly dropped his confident veneer. "Hunter!" he exclaimed as loudly as he could while still whispering. "You told them to meet us here!"

"Yeah."

"Why!"

"Because they're not from here." Hunter replied confidently. "They're from another world. You know what that means."

"Yes, I know that. But that also means that they can't be seen with us too often."

"Will either of you please tell us what's going on?" Akiro demanded. "And if this meeting is supposed to be so secret, then why are you out in the open."

Spyro groaned quietly. "Ah, well. You're already here. See, if we had decided to hide in some secret cave or room, someone could easily be standing outside listening to every word. Or they could barge right in and catch us breaking character." Akiro and Sabina listened intently. "Out here, we can easily see anyone coming towards us. Plus, because this space is so clear, there's nowhere for anyone to hide nearby and listen in."

"But couldn't your voice travel?" Sabina asked.

"Not very far." said Hunter. "We're whispering, aren't we?"

"Yeah. Now as for you two," Spyro turned to the twins. "Hunter and I have been making a few plans. But we need someone to get us a few items before we can start. That's where you guys come in."

"Uh-huh." Akiro muttered. "But why us?"

"You guys are from another world." Hunter repeated. "And that means that you don't have trackers stuck in your body."

"Huh?"

Spyro looked around before answering. "You don't, we do. All you need to do is get us a few things from the store. See, the trackers monitor where we go. So we can't go to certain places without being tailed. Also, Moneybags is paid to report whatever anyone from the Dragon Worlds buys."

Sabina scratched her head. "So, that's that bear's name I assume. But wouldn't he help you out if he knew how important this is?"

"That bear may be in the same fix as us, but as long as he gets gems he's happy." Hunter growled. "We'd go get the items ourselves, but like we've already told you, we can't."

"So will you do it?" Spyro asked. "Please?"

"Well...I guess we could." Akiro decided. "What do you need?"

"Thanks! We need a spool of copper wire, two D-size batteries, three pairs of mini alligator clips, a welding torch, and the designs for a static electricity generator."

Sabina blinked. "Wow. That's a lot of stuff. Could you write that down?" Spyro shook his head.

"Can't, that would leave evidence. Oh, and don't buy the designs. Copy them instead and sneak them out."

Spyro and Hunter started to leave in different directions. "Wait!" called Akiro. "Can you at least tell us why you need that stuff?"

"Maybe later. Right now, you'll have to accept 'what you don't know, can't hurt you' as an answer." Spyro replied.

"Where will you be?"

"Don't worry. We'll find you."

Akiro pushed his sister back through the window of Moneybags' store. "Think he noticed we were gone?" he asked as he climbed through too.

"Not a chance. Now, lets see... we need batteries, copper wire, a welding torch." Sabina muttered to herself, looking around the store for those items. "I'll find the stuff, you find the design thingy and copy it."

She and Akiro split up and searched around the building. Akiro hunted through a large shelf of various books and papers. "Geeze, he's got everything here. Old phone books, new phone books, maps, history books..."

Sabina had already found the batteries. "You're looking for blueprints of whatever it is , remember?" She picked up some alligator clips and a roll of copper wire. "Okay, what was that last thing we needed?"

"Welding torch." Akiro's voice echoed inside a barrel he was looking through. "Hey, I think I found the designs!" He pulled out a rolled up piece of paper and unfurled it. "Yep. These look like it. Now, to copy it. Where's a Xerox machine when you need one?"

"There's an old one over there." Sabina pointed. Akiro walked over to the machine and began making a copy of the plans. Unfortunately, the machine made a loud noise as it worked, catching the attention of Moneybags.

"Hey! Quit messing around with that copy machine unless you're going to buy it!"

"Dang! We need a cover!" Akiro exclaimed. Sabina, thinking quickly, pushed the paper off the glass, shoved Akiro's face down onto the glass, and pressed the start button several times. Now Xeroxes of Akiro's face were sliding into the paper tray, covering up the exposed schematics. Moneybags waddled in and glanced down at the papers.

"Huh! Kids. Now, what will you be buying today?"

"This junk." Sabina said bluntly, holding up the supplies she was holding. "And do you have a welding torch?"

"Why, yes! Right here!" the bear opened up a box and pulled out the torch. "Now, let's see...all those items plus those photocopies brings us up to the amount of...nine thousand seventy-five gems!"

"Um...we only have dollars. What's the exchange rate?"

"In that case, it's ninety-seven fifty."

"Ah..." Sabina paused. "Do you take checks?"

"Why, certainly!"

"Okay! Just a moment..." Sabina pulled out her checkbook and wrote out a check. Handing it to Moneybags, she and Akiro began walking to the door. The bear turned to head to his back room when he heard them snickering.

"Why are you laughing? Is this check going to bounce?"

"No! Of course not!" Sabina assured him. She turned to leave again and muttered under her breath, "Sucker."

"Why did you call me a sucker? Are you saying I'm gullible?" Moneybags demanded.

"No, of course you're not...look! Four thousand gems!"

"Where!" Moneybags turned around to look. Seeing nothing he turned back to the two. "I don't see..."

There was no one there.

"Now where did they go?"

Akiro and Sabina laughed to themselves as they wandered through the area. "Oh, man! That was a good one! 'Course, you'll be in trouble when that check bounces."

"Nah. I signed it as what's-her-name...that pink dragon..."

"Ember?"

"Yeah!"

They wandered around the world for a little while, until they found themselves inside another building. "This looks like a nursery." Akiro observed.

"Good! You got the stuff!" They turned around to see Spyro coming towards them, carrying a toolbox. "Hunter will be here in a minute, can both of you stand outside the doors and keep watch? We'll let you in on a little more when we're done building this."

"Sure!" Akiro and Sabina each stood outside a door.

"Let me know if anyone comes." the dragon instructed. "And especially tell me if it's Ember or Flame!"

In the next chapter, we'll learn a little more about what's going on, and maybe even who's behind it all!