Third Person POV
Espio quietly strapped the last of his shurikens into his glove holster, being careful not to make a sound as he adjusted the spiked strap securely around his wrist. It was late, far past the time he had told his friends that he was going to bed. Loud snores from beside his room and across the hall told him that the other two residents of the small home were fast asleep.
He slid on his dark gray vest, hiding most of his purple scales. It was just the right shade to blend in with the night backdrop without being too dark. He had learned years ago that even black could stand out at night, if enough light was still present. His species was gifted with the ability of camouflage, like his nonmobian relatives, but that required more concentration than he was willing to use when he had alternate methods of stealth. Having trained under the masters of the Shinobi Clan, his kin, he didn't have to rely so much on his power of invisibility anymore.
A light cough outside of his room snapped Espio out of his reverie and he hastily grabbed the metal staff leaning against his bed and gently slid open the only window in the room. He had only a few moments left. It was a clear night in the town, which meant he would have to be careful leaving. The chameleon lightly stepped on to the sill and took one last look at his bedroom before stepping out on to the fire escape and closing the window back. Then he vanished into the night...
Charmy yawned and sat up, sneezing loudly as he stretched. He hated having a cold. It made him feel miserable, and he couldn't have as much fun as he wanted to. Even though he was only five (and a half, he would argue), the junior detective knew he wouldn't be able to go back to bed until he could blow his nose. He grunted as he untangled himself out of the mess of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals littering his bed and promptly fell face-first on the floor.
Somewhere across the hall, Vector snorted in his sleep before snoring once again. Charmy rolled his eyes before they lit up with an idea. Espio always had some kind of tea he could drink whenever he was sick. He knew it would probably make the chameleon mad if he woke him up in the middle of the night, but he would just have to get over it. The quiet one of the group was the most understanding of the three anyways, so he probably wouldn't mind helping him. Without making too much racket, Charmy left his room and knocked on Espio's door. He had learned the hard way to never enter his room without knocking first.
"Espio?" he coughed, "Espio, can I come in?"
The little bee frowned when he received no response. He knew for a fact the ninja detective was a light sleeper, so why wasn't he answering? Deciding to push his luck, Charmy carefully slid open the door and walked inside.
"Espio?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly as he made his way over to the bed. He flapped his wings and hovered over the side and gasped. The bed was empty, and after flicking on the lights, he realized the rest of the room was empty too.
"Espio! Where are you!?" he panicked and searched all around the room, sometimes fanning his hands in the air in case he had turned invisible. When he still couldn't find him, he decided to call on the head of their agency for aid.
"VECTOR!" Charmy shouted as loud as his soar throat would allow, which was still enough to shake the house, as he swung open the croc's bedroom door. It was clear he didn't have the same respect for private space as he did for their missing partner. Vector yelled as he was suddenly woken up and fell out of the bed, much like Charmy had a few minutes ago, and he grumbled under his breath as he rubbed his head. He had been having a good dream too.
"CHARMY! WHAT ON EARTH WAS THAT FOR!?" he demanded loud enough to blow the bee back out of the room.
Charmy righted himself in the air and frowned at his boss. He would've liked to shout more, but his throat was too scratchy.
"Espio's missing. I went into his room to ask him to make me something for my cold, but he wasn't there!" he explained with a dejected whine only a child could accomplish.
Vector easily brushed off his friend's worries, "Ah, he probably went downstairs to sleep. You know how he says we snore too loud."
"I'm pretty sure he said it was you who snores too loud," the other giggled, earning an exhausted glare from the croc.
"I don't snore that loud," he mumbled, and the two trekked downstairs into their small living area. Vector turned on all the lights in the house as they searched, and he too became worried when he couldn't find any signs of his fellow reptile.
"Huh? Wonder where he wandered off to..."
"Maybe he left a note or something!" Charmy suggested and searched the house for anything with Espio's handwriting on it. In a house with two out of three guys with indecipherable penmanship, the chameleon's neat handwriting would easily standout.
"Any luck?" Vector asked, and Charmy shook his head. The older of two was beginning to wake up more and analyze the situation better, "Let's check his room, maybe he left it up there, if there even is a note." Knowing Espio, there was a high chance that he didn't think to let them know if he was leaving or why, unless...Maybe he doesn't want us to know. But why? What would he keep hidden from his best friends? Vector thought. The more he pondered on it, the more he realized he didn't even know that much about the chameleon, other than what he already learned about him since he joined the Chaotix.
The two detectives quickly climbed back up the stairwell and walked into Espio's room, which was messier than usual, thanks to Charmy's panicked search earlier. They quickly scanned the room, but there was no clue to indicate where their missing friend had disappeared to.
Vector suddenly slapped his forehead as an idea formed, "Hang on! Let me try callin' 'im."
Espio flinched, and his skin momentarily changed from purple to yellow as his communicator buzzed. He repositioned himself on the corner of the gas station roof, quickly shifting his scales to their original color. He didn't have to look to know who was calling him. He should've known that they would eventually catch him out of the house, but he couldn't answer. He lifted his scope back up to his golden eyes as his target came out of the small building below him. Time to move.
"Huh, he's not answerin'. I wonder what's up," Vector hummed to himself as the call went to voicemail for the third time. Now even he was becoming concerned.
"Oh no! What if he got kidnapped!? Or ran away? Or can't become visible again? What if something really bad happened to him?!" Charmy yelled as he buzzed in frantic circles around the room, coughing every few seconds.
"CHILL OUT!" the croc demanded and the younger of the two slowed down to a hover. Vector pinched the skinned between his eyes as he tried to think of what they should do next. The bee was close to tearing up, and he really didn't want to deal with that on top of the ninja's disappearance.
"Come on, Charmy, let's go look for him. He probably went out to get some fresh air or somethin'."
Espio noiselessly shadowed the weasel carrying a black duffle bag under his arm, keeping himself a few paces behind his target to prevent being spotted. The purple chameleon glanced at the trio of throwing daggers inside his glove and then at the bo staff in his hand. He needed information first, what happened after would be sorted when the time came. The dark gray weasel ducked into an alleyway, and Espio ran to catch up. Now he could stop hiding and act. He scaled up the wall lining one of the ends of the alley, uncharacteristically smirking when his target reached the dead end.
"Gah, must've taken a wrong turn," the weasel grumbled and went to turn around, unaware of the ninja literally crawling the side of the building above him.
"Oh no, you are right on time," his calm voice echoed, making the mobian jump and flash out his pocket knife.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!" he ordered while spinning all directions.
"I am right behind you, in plain sight," Espio's voice replied, and the weasel turned around to find no one there.
"A'ight, quit pulling ma tail! Who are ya, and where you hiding!?"
"As I said," the ninja stated, his voice closer to the other than before, "I'm directly in front of you."
His target sneered and swiped his knife in front of him and was shocked when a long metal rod materialized out thin air and slapped it away, sending the weapon flying out of his hand. Espio finally made himself visible as he rammed his opponent into the wall, using his staff to hold the weasel down. The mobian's eyes widened as gold orbs flickered darkly.
"Now that I have your attention," Espio said, "Tell me where it is."
"I don't have any idea what yer talking about, man," he choked as the rod was pressed firmly against his throat and arms.
"Don't play the fool with me, Ronny, I know you have it. Now where is it!?" he snapped, losing an inch of his well-renowned patience.
"H-How do you know my name?" Ron the Weasel, aka Ronny, stuttered.
"Do not be distracted by such petty details. Tell me. Where is the blade?" he demanded once more, emphasizing his question by glaring so fiercely it could have killed the mobian had he not been needed alive.
"The blade? What on earth are you--?" Ronny questioned before he started laughing, even in his compromised position. He had just realized who had ambushed him in the alley, "You're part of that freaky ninja chameleon club or whatever, right? Gee, that little piece of display jewelry must mean a lot to you then. But I thought all of you cowardly lizards were still hiding in your cave with your 'oh-so-precious' Mother of the Shinobi Clan. Ah well, should've known one of you would eventually a spine."
Espio rammed his target into the wall furiously, giving the weasel a minor concussion. How did a common thief know so much about his people? Regardless, he did not like the insults flung his way, particularly about the Mother, whose title meant more to him personally than he was allowed to admit. Ronny revealed a crooked a smirk.
"Oo, touch a soft spot, scales?"
The staff fell to the ground, and the cold, sharp steel of a shuriken poised directly at his neck, silencing him.
"You seem to have underestimated my people, filth. There are no cowards in our clan, and you will return the blade to me, or I shall slit your throat and continue my investigations elsewhere. As curious as your knowledge is, it is not enough to save your worthless life."
Ronny's victorious face dropped as he realized the trouble he was in, and like all true cowards, he gave in without any more incentive, "Okay okay! I sold your precious little sword to a guy."
"Name, description, and location."
"All I know is that he goes by the name 'Ronan' or somethin' like that. He's a green wolf with a black mask. I sold it to him on the end of Oaken Street. That's all I know, man! Please don't kill me!"
"Thank you for your cooperation," Espio replied in a deceptively calm tone, "That will be all...for now," he finished and hit a pressure point, knocking him out instantly. The chameleon sighed and reached down to search the abandoned duffle bag for any more clues, only for a bright flash light to illuminate his figure.
"Esp! What are ya doin'?" a familiar voice shouted.
"Please, calm down, Vector. This isn't what it looks like," he stated, his calm voice never changing, though he was mentally yelling at himself for how criminal he appeared to be, and how he had yet another trail to follow up on.
"I hope you've got a good reason. I can't believe I had to wake up at 2 o'clock in the mornin' to go out looking for ya."
"Espio! You're okay! We was really worried," Charmy exclaimed and glomped his friend in a tight hug, sneezing loudly after a few seconds.
"I promise, all will be explained, but first we need to get back to the agency where I can properly take care of Charmy's cold. I am surprised you let him join you in wandering the city," Espio complied reluctantly, distracting them for a few minutes with the subject change.
"He wouldn't stop whining if I didn't," Vector retorted, and the odd trio exited the alleyway. All of them were unaware of the weasel already beginning to stir.
"Espio...," he mumbled before falling back in unconsciousness, "I'll remember that name..."
The End...For Now...
Author's Note: I tried to add some Archie bits here and there with Espio's past. I read parts of it from a comic once a long time ago. Please tell me what you think!
