The Goribes wasted no time in launching their ambush. Three of the smaller squirrels rushed Espio with various types of blades, none of them being any larger than his knives. Espio abruptly somersaulted forward and out of his opponent's line of fire while Charmy began flying around hysterically. Standing upright again, Espio leaned back to a near ninety degree angle just before two small blades soared past where his upper body had been. He subsequently threw one of his knives toward one of his opponents' legs, hitting just above the knee. The Goribe let out a high pitched screech of pain, followed by an immediate burst of enraged energy from her comrades. This surge of anger was characterized by a large increase in Espio's advancing attackers and a hoard of booming war cries.
Despite the Goribes' seemingly tribal and primitive social behaviour, their fighting style was agile, highly skilled, and anything but simple. Flipping, ducking, kicking and blocking himself out of harm's way, Espio could feel a rush of adrenaline as he tried to think of a way for him and Charmy to escape. That is, until he saw how effortlessly Charmy was evading the Goribes' ranged attacks.
"Come on, that the best you can do?" Charmy laughed, egging the squirrels on while showcasing his rear end. Momentarily distracted, Espio again turned his attention to his own opponents only to see two of the Goribes bring down their upraised blades in a silver blur. Finding himself unable to react in time, Espio was then pushed aside roughly and landed on all fours a few feet away. His immediate surroundings fell silent thereafter, causing the chameleon to whip his head around at where he had formerly stood.
The two owners of the blades were both looking downwards in surprise at a wincing and bleeding figured sprawled out on the ground between them. Espio's eyes widened as he quickly realized what had happened.
"Stop!" one of the Goribes' voices close to Espio came rushing in his ears. The others ceased their assault on Charmy and looked over with irritated and confused looks. The soldier who spoke knelt down beside Dilek, examining the two large slash-like wounds on her back. He then motioned for a few of the troops to pick her up and turned to face Espio.
"You are not of these lands, stranger," he stated with hostility while gritting two rows of very badly cracked teeth. " I have never seen a being of your…appearance," he finished in a low voice while surveying Espio.
"So that's a cause to jab us with pointy, sharp things?" Charmy exclaimed, who had now stopped hovering and had landed beside Espio. His arms were crossed and he carried a sour expression on his face as only he could. "Why does everyone here seem to want to kill us on sight?"
"We had no intention of killing, just salvaging you to our ruler," the Goribe squirrel acidly answered, sounding even more annoyed before. "But you're with a Mearynite, and now you're going to tell us exactly what you're doing with one in our territory, or we'll have to make the assumption that you're spies. And our kind does not take kindly to spies." Espio breathed in deeply while feeling the Goribes' piercing stares.
"You're right when you say we're not from here," Espio said darkly. "We are not even from this world." He went on to explain Eggman's presence in Mearyn and Dilek's subsequent exile. When he had finished, the Goribe commander ordered for them to be taken into custody.
"Hey, we're not your enemies here!" Charmy protested.
"You will need to be brought before our ruler so that the proper decision can be made," the commander stated authoritatively. "If you really are no threat to us, you will have no need to worry."
"Charmy, just do as they say," Espio whispered to him. "There's too many to make an escape, and Dilek is in need of medical attention," his eyed motioned toward the Echidna who, despite looking like she was in a large amount of pain, was strikingly silent while being picked up by two of the Goribe soldiers.
Most of the journey to the core of the Goribe's territory was relatively uneventful. They travelled inwards toward the mountains, albeit in a different direction than the way Espio, Charmy and Dilek had come before. After what seemed like only an hour or so, the group stopped in front of a large waterfall on a steep mountain cliff. It was dropping into an aqua-blue pool which appeared to be quite deep. Espio looked on as one of the squirrels dove head first into the pool like a torpedo. He did not resurface, and a few more shortly followed. The commander then roughly pushed Espio toward the edge and motioned for him to jump. The chameleon looked back to give a comforting gaze at Charmy, who had a fearful look in his eyes. His eyes then moved to Dilek, who now appeared to be slipping in and out of consciousness while still being carried by the two soldiers, sparking Espio's concern with regards to her condition. Turning around, he breathed in deeply and plunged in.
As soon as Espio submerged, he instantly felt himself being pulled under and backwards, away from where the waterfall had been. The water hadn't been stingingly cold as it had appeared, but felt soft and refreshing as he let the current carry him hastily underneath the mountain. After no more than a minute, the current came to a standstill, and Espio instinctively swam up to the surface. As soon as his upper body was no longer in the water, he felt a rope being lassoed around his chest and was subsequently pulled toward the shore of the underground lake he was now in.
Looking back in irritation, Espio's expression promptly changed into one of surprise and slight awe. Beyond the shores of the lake was a city built entirely within an enormous cavern. Most the buildings were a pearl-marble sort of color and were also several tens of feet high. Many of them were connected by stone boardwalks at varying heights and angles. The echoes of the city's inhabitants as they went about their business could faintly be heard rebounding off the cave walls. There was also what appeared to be some sort of translucent barrier beyond where the soldiers with the rope were standing.
Two of the soldiers immediately grabbed Espio by the arms as soon as he was completely out of the water, an action which was repeated when Charmy arrived shortly thereafter. Dilek arrived with the last two remaining soldiers, who were holding her up as they swam to the shore. Seeing her look more dazed than ever, Espio had to restrain himself from asking exactly what was wrong with her for the time being. Turning his attention back to the city, he saw the Goribe commander was standing just inches away from the barrier with one arm raised.
"Ish ka maquine, vorte pras due!" the commander let out in a crisp, loud voice. Not surprisingly, a hole formed in the barrier in front of the commander. The commander turned around and motioned for the rest of the group to follow.
Making their way through the Goribe's city, Espio was a bit shocked to see that no one on the gravel cemented ground level streets paid them any mind. Soon enough, they reached the centre of the city and a wide stone estate which was three stories high, a stark contrast to the tall and narrow structures surrounding it.
"This is the royal house of Eatroc, the heart of the Goribe territory," the commander informed them. "Your circumstances will be presented in front of his highness Prince Gabbro, who will then decide the most appropriate action. This one," he pointed to Dilek, "will be looked after in the infirmary. The two of you are to be held in the upper dormitories until further notice." Charmy made a gulping noise, while Espio just nodded, knowing that at his point they really had no choice but to agree.
"You've really lost it this time, haven't you?" Charmy pressed. "I knew all those hours of meditation and mind journeys and whatever else you ninjas do would make you go nuts one day!"
"Meditating is the one thing that prevents me from going nuts with you and Vector around," Espio replied simply. He and Charmy had been confined to a rather finely furnished dormitory consisting two large beds draped with silk-like material, a small living area and a study. Charmy was pacing the room nervously while Espio sat on of the beds while resting his arm on one knee.
"Yeah, well, you'll probably never have to worry about anybody bothering you again if we stay in this place any longer," Charmy declared in a worried tone, and then made a slitting noise while running his forefinger across his neck.
"I don't think they see us as a threat," Espio said thoughtfully. "They're just distrustful, much like Dilek is." Charmy stopped pacing for a moment and looked toward the door.
"I hope she's ok…I don't know what they slashed her with, but it wasn't any ordinary sword that's for sure. Maybe we should-"
Charmy was interrupted by the door swinging open and the Goribe commander striding in followed by a slightly smaller squirrel with silver-grey fur. He had folds of skin underneath both of his arms, and Espio guessed that he was a breed that had the ability to glide. He had a determined, strong will about the way his face looked, and seemed like he wasn't one for pretense. He also looked younger tan most of the Goribes that Espio and Charmy had encountered thus far, about the same age as Rouge. The commander stood aside and the grey squirrel stepped in front, surveying the duo with calculating, icy blue eyes. The silent moment was broken when the commander spoke.
"His royal highness, Gabbro, Prince of the Goribes," he presented before making a slight bow.
"That will be all. Leave us," Gabbro instructed coldly. The commander turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him without question. By now, both Espio and Charmy were standing side by side and both were also entirely unsure of what to do next.
"I am told that you are newcomers to this plane," Gabbro said, his voice still regal. "And that you are traveling to Mearyn to collect reunite with a friend of yours, who is also from your world. Is that correct?" His eyes bore into the two of them, and although Espio had never planned on lying to him, the stare made him feel uneasy nonetheless. After confirming what the prince had said, he again spoke.
"There is great corruption in the Mearyn council. Although our two societies have never seen eye to eye, one can see that they are now divided not only against us, but also amongst themselves. If your friend is there-"
"Friends," Charmy corrected. Gabbro glared at him, and the bee immediately fell silent and looked at the floor.
"If your friends are there," he continued, "They are in danger. You will not be able to rescue them by yourselves."
"Our companion is from Mearyn," Espio urged. "She claims to know the way to infiltrate-"
"Exactly why I have placed her under the best care this kingdom can offer. I am unsure of her nature but in my experience, Mearynites are not to be trusted. Our kind's relationship with them has been damaged almost beyond repair, and though this particular Mearynite has been exiled by her own kind, I would not trust her within an inch of my life." His voice was filled with bitterness, leaving Espio was uncertain whether to take his words with seriousness or not.
"She put herself in harm's way to keep me out of it," Espio informed him. "You may not want to trust her, but I owe her mine." After pausing for a few seconds with no reaction from Gabbro, the chameleon decided to be blunt with him. "What is it exactly that you want?"
"To join you on your mission," Gabbro stated. It was now Espio who surveyed him suspiciously.
"So you'll just help us purely out of the goodness of your heart to a couple of complete strangers? Spill, why do you really wanna join us?" Charmy demanded, having regained his boldness once more.
"That information is not a part of my terms," Gabbro answered defensively. "Which are as follows: Either you allow me to come with you, or you stay here in confinement." Charmy made a buzzing noise in irritation, while Espio sighed heavily.
"I suppose we don't really have a choice do we?" he half-asked. Gabbro raised his head in approval.
"A good choice," he said, his manner still remaining quite rigid and commanding. "When your companion is fully healed, we will depart." He whisked around in an agile way toward the door when Espio called after him.
"Wait! I wondered if we could at least check up on her?" he asked hopefully. Gabrro stood with his back to them for a few seconds before answering.
"The infirmary she is in is on this floor, on the east face. You may go anywhere on this floor unsupervised for the time being, but one at a time. The other must remain in here until we are to leave. The guards will be informed within the hour," he asserted. When Gabbro talked, Espio noticed, it was as if he were laying rules down to be followed with absolute precision, and although that was a good quality for a leader to have, he was unsure how much he liked the prince because of it.
"Thank you," Espio said, bowing his head respectfully. With that, Gabbro swept out the door and disappeared down the outside corridor.
A short time later, Espio decided one of them should see how Dilek was progressing. Since Charmy was beginning to look a bit tired and worn out, and because Dilek had gotten injured in an attempt to keep him safe, Espio found himself in front of the infirmary doors. Two guards were on watch on both sides, and neither paid him any attention as he silently opened the door and closed it again.
The infirmary was about 4 times the size of the dormitory and was also deserted, save for one bed near the other end of the room. Dilek was sitting cross-legged in the center of the mattress with her arms on her knees and her eyes closed. When Espio closed the door a little louder than he had intended, she shot her gaze toward him, appearing as if she had been knocked out of some sort of trance.
"Espio" she said in a factual sort of way.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Espio apologized, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Its ok," she reassured him. "I was beginning to wear myself out anyway." He walked over to the edge of the bed and sat opposite the echidna.
"I'm surprised you had the focus to calm your mind like that," he said. "You were looking pretty delirious when I last you."
"Yeah, mindleweed toxin," Dilek explained begrudgingly. "It causes fever-like symptoms and disorientation, until the body eliminates it from the bloodstream. I guess they laced their weapons with it."
"Plant toxins that powerful usually take days to run their course…so how-?" Espio finished midsentence, waiting for an explaination.
"How am I much more healed than I should be?" Dilek asked, and for the first time since Espio had seen her, she smiled, albeit mischievously. "You remember how I told you how echidnas in our world can be born with distinctive supernatural abilities?" Espio nodded in response. "Well, I have one of those abilities. I can heal myself from bodily injuries at an accelerated rate. It just takes a great deal of mental discipline to use it."
"That's…that's really incredible," Espio responded, not really knowing what else to say.
"It definitely comes in handy sometimes. But as I said, it just takes a lot of strength. Something I don't exactly have a lot of at the moment," Dilek sighed, causing Espio to immediately feel a bit guilty for breaking her concentration.
"Sorry, I should probably leave you alone for now-" he started.
"No, it really is fine," Dilek stopped him. "To be honest, I would prefer if you stayed for a little while. You seem fairly calm all the time and…well, your presence is actually quite soothing. That's the type of focus I need."
"It's a bit sad that you're the first one I've met that really understands that," Espio said, grinning slightly. "You think it would help?"
"A lot, actually," Dilek admitted, smiling weakly.
Straightening himself into a meditating position again opposite Dilek, he took her hands in his own, both of them soon entering a state of mind where there was no plotting, chaos, or deception. A state where utter tranquility was reached and all emotions merged as one.
AN: Whew! Been quite a while. I hadn't felt inspired to get back into writing this for a while and so it went un-updated for quite some time. This chapter is definitely the longest one so far, so don't be shy and tell me what you think!