Chapter 4: Ceaira

Vector popped his head up. "Charmy, get Knuckles something to drink! Coming Espio!" And he ran out of the kitchen. Charmy was quick to take his place. I nodded politely to the bee as he poured, and spilled a glass of water. I couldn't help but laugh. By the time I got the glass of water, there way hardly a mouthful left. Charmy smiled and shrugged, his face growing red with embarrassment as he began cleaning the spilt water. I was wondering why he was keeping so quiet. I knew he had a way of not talking when you really wanted him to and other times you couldn't get him to stop talking. My guess is that the yelling in the kitchen a few minutes earlier had halted his appetite for small talk. I took the swing in the glass. From the kitchen, I could hear voices in the doorway. It sounded as if a female had stumbled upon this quaint office, house, thing, but I couldn't be sure. They were speaking in hushed tones, until finally, I heard the door close and the voices became muffled greatly. Charmy had come to sit beside me, staring at me as if I were a stranger. I sighed. I can't be sure how old he was when I left Team Chaotix, but I thought for sure he would remember me, considering it couldn't have been that long ago. Long enough for Espio to hate you, a voice hissed in my head. I pushed it away and leaned back, wishing Charmy had saved some water in that glass. The soft drone of voices on the porch became louder. Someone was getting hot out there. I shook my head and tried in vain to make out the voices. This was getting uncomfortable. I wished Charmy would say something. I wasn't a client, I was an old friend asking for help.

"Stop it!" I finally said, just to break the silence in the kitchen. Charmy quickly turned his head away from me. I could have hit myself again. How was I suppose to expect these people to help me if I yelled at their youngest member. "So. . . How's it been?" I asked.

Charmy looked at me. His face showed that he wasn't in any mood to speak to me. My, how this kid changed. When I was on Team Chaotix, I couldn't get the brat to shut up, now I can't get one word out of him. "Want some more water?" He asked in a hushed tone. I shook my head, knowing it was a lie. Of course I wanted water, but I could get it myself. What's taking them so long? I thought. By the look on Charmy's face, he was wondering the exact some thing.

After sometime, very uncomfortable time, we heard the door open. Espio was ranting about something. Vector called after him and then spoke something softer to who ever was with them. Espio came into the kitchen. "Charmy, go find my Ninja star!" He snapped.

"But, it's in your room," Charmy answered, still staring at me. I stuck my tongue out at him. Espio snorted.

"Well, then, go get it!" He barked. Charmy was about to protest again, but Espio was giving him the worst look I've ever seen and the bee quickly flew out without another word.

I was fighting the urge to ask who was a t the door. It was non of my business, but I didn't have to ask. "Knuckles, would you come in the office area, please?" I looked at Espio, who had retreated to the refrigerator. He didn't look up, so I snuck out to answer Vector's call.

Vector was sitting at his desk. He was grinning ear to ear. "Well," I said to the croc, "it looks as if you got yourself a job, so I'll take my leave, thanks for considering."

"Non sense! There someone here to see you," Vector said, still grinning. I cocked my head in confusion.

"Who would come here to see me?"

"I would."

I spun around and standing there behind me was another Echidna. My heart lurched. She was deep hunter green with black bands on her dread locks. She had on a plain, slightly baggy royal blue T-shirt and black pants. Her gloves were black, which shocked me for a second, considering I've only seen white gloves, excluding Big, of course. My mouth felt dry. Why didn't I accept the water from Charmy? The silence was awkward, very awkward. I couldn't say I liked her at that moment, but I was feeling weak at the knees because for almost my entire life, I had thought I would never see another Echidna, not counting Tikal, but she was from the past. "Say something," Vector whispered in me ear.

I smiled and held out my hand. She shook it firmly. "Hi, my name is Knuckles," I said, surprised I had found my voice at all.

"My name is Ceaira, nice to meet you, Knuckles." She replied.

"Ceaira here was looking for the inhabitants of the Floating Island," Vector explained. "I told her you were the only one and that you were here right now." I nodded, but didn't speak. Another Echidna! I never in my entire life thought I would stand face-to-face with another one.

"I wanted to see who lived up there because I figured it had to be an Echidna. I never thought. . ."

"Me neither," I whispered, knowing what she was going to say.

"Sadly, Ceaira, you have come at a bad time. You see, our pal Knuckles here has been having some problems with a critter and he asked us to help him get rid of it," Vector explained again. I nodded, confirming his words.

"Well, I could help!" She said with a smile. I was taken aback by this, and by the looks of it, so was Vector.

"NO!"

I looked up to see Espio in the door way. His eyes were narrowed on the green echidna. "No," he repeated.

"I have to agree with Espio, sweetie, we can't have a client in on personal business," Vector said, standing up. I looked at Vector, my eyes pleading. I longed to fight side-by-side with another of my previously dead race. Vector sighed. "Alright, you can come, if you want."

"WHAT! Vector, first you agree to help this no good dirty rotten traitor to our team and now you expect me to team up with someone whom I've never met! You're crazy! I don't even trust this girl!"

That made my blood boil. "What? Are all Echidnas bad in your eyes? Listen pal, I have had it up to here with your smart mouth just because I chose to guard the Master Emerald over staying with your Team! Why do you have to constantly remind me that we could have been friend if I would have just stayed with Team Chaotix! For your information, Ninja, I didn't want to stay with Team Chaotix anyway! I'll do this on my own!"

"GOOD! Get out of here, Echidna-Boy, and take your other Echidna with you!"

"I WILL! And you won't see my face around here ever again!"

"GOOD! I'm glad! Your face was starting to scare my anyway!"

"Well that's because you are afraid of the dark! And anything else! You are the jumpiest trained ninja I've ever seen!"

"Well, you are a stupid, idiotic moron who, no matter how many times you get tricked, you still think Eggman will help you!"

"Well, your stupid Team can't get money for anything no and days, can you!"

"Just get out, you. . ."

"ENOUGH!" Espio and I stopped and stared at Vector, who looked very angry with us. "Knuckles, we will help you. Ceaira, you may come with us, just try to stay out of the way. As for you, Espio. . ."

"Forget it, Vector! I'm going to bed!" And with that, he turned invisible and ran up stair. I watched the stair. Espio ran strait into Charmy, yelled some choice words at the bee and then we heard his door slam. Charmy flew into his locker and shut the door to it.

Vector stared at me and Ceaira. "I'm going to bed also. There are some couches in the living room. You'll find blankets in the closet. Don't stay up all night."

In truth, we did stay up all night. We talked forever. I loved the sound of her voice. I couldn't believe Espio didn't trust her. We talked about how the Echidna race could thrive again. We talked about our pasts. I told her proudly about the Master Emerald. I told her about Tails, Sonic, shadow, Rouge, Eggman and the rest of them. I told her about team Chaotix and we ranted for a bit on how big of a jerk Espio was! She told me about her parents, her life and everything about it. We didn't sleep at all that night. I looked out the window. The sun was rising.