As of right now, I can honestly say that the characters that will be focused on in this chapter are Storm and Stream. That is all, and I can hear you all cheering for that. My parents are behaving VERY badly towards me, and if you read my DA journals, you'll know why. The abuse I've been through, the hitting and yelling. Thank you all for the concern, and BB will be finished. I'll just take my anger out on Storm...D

Characters (C) Respective Owners

Ch. 17: Cantarella

From behind us as we reached the next door, after what seemed like forever. For some strange reason, the stairs vanished after a while. We were all panting, me included because I had to carry Storm. Alot. Let me tell you something: He weighs alot. It's a fact, and I'm not lying. Even though I think it's pretty obvious.

Unlike the first door, this one was pink. Storm punched the door open after we managed to gather some strength. The inside of the room was a simple room with a simpler white rug that appeared to be embedded into the walls with staples.

On top of another flight of golden stairs was Stream. Her pink diamond was glowing in the white light above her. She wasn't wearing her normal outfit, but a black cloak with her four dredlocks flowing down by her knees, no longer in a ponytail.

"Seems that Bean failed," she murmured to no one in particular. She grinned. "No matter than, you'll all perish here."

"Why are you doing this, Stream?" Wave demanded, pulling out her wrench.

Stream yanked her hair up with a ring. "Why, revenge of course."

"What'd they ever do to you?" I snapped, glaring a the traitorious Rogue.

Pointing an accusing finger at Jet, she roared, "That little punk Jet stole Cannon's rightful spot as leader of the Babylon Rogues!"

Jet had surprise written all over his face. " Well, this is news to me. I won fair and square, and you know it! So does Cannon!"

"Oh, don't you ever try to talk your way out of this, brat." Stream leaped off the stairs and landed on her knees. Wincing, she brushed dirt off her knees. Oh, did I mention she's not wearing pants? Ew, I know, right?

Storm stepped in front of Wave, who was ready to attack. "Hold up, I'll take her."

The three of us froze, even Stream for a second before smirking evilly. Storm would fight his sister? He would actually hit a girl? Storm, unlike a certain hawk, had the chivalry to never hit a girl. Remember when he was chasing Amy? Yeah, couldn't do it, couldn't smack her. Even though he told me later that he wanted too.

Stream's beak morphed in a sick frown. "Well, big brother, I do so hope you are ready for this."

"That's my line, and you screwed it up!" he shouted back, charging at her.

Stream's pink diamond encrusted on her forehead glowed immensely enough to blind all of us. Suddenly a black sphere surronded Storm and Stream, leaving us with nothing. We couldn't see in, but Wave noticed that the door was left.

I paused as we reached the first step. "But what about Storm?"

Jet smirked down at me and rubbed my helmet. "Storm's Storm. He'll be fine. Don't worry about him because I know for a fact that Storm may not hit girls, but he's got this mondo big thing against his sister. So, stop worrying about him."

Nodding, I smiled. Storm is strong. He could definately defeat his sister, no matter what! In my head, I said a little pray for him, wishing and hoping for his safety.

In the sphere, Storm could hear us speaking. He grinned at Jet's words and cracked his knuckles. "Boss is right: I can and will beat you, Stream!"

Stream sighed and shook her head. She put up a fighting stance, motioning for a fight. She dashed at him with a spinning kick, which Storm blocked. Storm retalited with an open fist strike, but Stream dodged. Smirking to himself, he snatched her ponytail and swung her around and around until she felt ready to puke. Storm released her, and she went flying into the other side of the sphere.

Guilt started to come onto Storm as Stream struggled to her knees. He knew he was clearly stronger than her, but he didn't want to hurt her...well, not that badly. Maybe just a little to make her pay.

Stream growled to herself. She knew Storm was the latter in fighting, but she definately smarter. She knew that her brother was slow in the head, and he was easily tricked. Especially in tongue twisters, and she had alot of stories to tell about that, but, alas, that was for a different time. Stream grinned, rubbing the back of her head, which now had a bruise.

"Hey, big brother?"

Storm winced mentally at her name for him. "Big brother" was a name unfamiliar to him from another life, back in the Babylon village. "W-what is it?"

"I was wondering on why you even work for that annoying hawk."

Muscles tightening, Storm growled, "One thing! Boss ain't annoying!"

"You are avoiding the question: Why do you work for him?"

"Jet's a great leader, and I really admire him. He could, no, he is the best leader of the Babylon Rogues ever." Storm had a grin on his face as he spoke highly on his leader. He knew it, I knew it. Heck, even Kiba knew it, and that by itself was really strange.

Stream seemed ticked by this answer. No luck in confusing his mind, or making him doubt Jet. Wait, doubt Jet? Now that could work with a simpleton like himself. Storm was so used in trusting someone else's judgement; never his own.

Stream was like that when she was younger. She would look up to her older brother for guidance, but he was always obeying Jet's or his father's or Jet's father's orders. She felt somewhat ashamed for Storm as a child, even with three year age difference, she felt that her bother was sad with himself. On the day where the leader of the Babylon Rogues was too be decided, she asked Storm if he thought that he was approving of Jet. Storm had hesistated, but with a shy grin, he simply nodded his head.

Stream took a step forward and sighed like a drama queen. "I really feel for you, brother."

"And why is that?" Storm asked, cocking his head to the side slightly as if he was interested in what his sister had to say.

"Don't you find it somewhat terrible that Jet always yells at you? Whenever you're a second late, he will just bark and yelp at you. If you fail a mission, he will sigh in disgrace. Wave'll laugh, while Charmy and Kiba will look sympathetic for you. Know why? They pity you because they think that you're worthless!"

Storm paused, not replying. The thought never struck him before. Jet, well, Jet was like that right? Jet had the shortest temper, next to Knuckles and Wave. Jet had always yelled at him. Each time he failed, but there was an exception for when he was possessed by the Ark of the Cosmos. But all those other times, where he really screwed up...Jet wouldn't let Storm's excuses fly because he expected nothing, but victory and success.

And Wave. Wave always made fun of him! It was fair that Jet always perferred her company instead of his. They were dating, after all. Storm just stared at his feet, letting a feeling of dread sink in. He closed his eyes and bit his tongue, making it swell a bit. Did they even care about him? Was he even needed anymore? Jet was speed, Wave was flight, Kiba was power, and Charmy was the guy that balanced everything out. So, where did that leave him?

Stream noticed the utter distraught on his face, and she grinned. She advanced to him, placing a comforting hand at the side of his beak. Gasping when she noticed that Storm had actually allowed a tear to fall from his eye, she felt terrible.

"B-big brother, listen to me." Storm's head went up. They stared at each other, eye to eye. Cobalt blue on jade green. "You never needed those guys. Please, join us. Rodrigo plans to make us, you, me, possibly Bean, and Cannon his Babylon Rogues."

Storm paused. He was actually pending on the offer. He thought it over carefully, well, as carefully as he could. He stared at his greyish black flamed wrists, and he remembered his father looking proud. Storm's father, Thunder (My version from scrapped fics.), telling him to never betray Jet. And how loyality was the most valued part of a person. Storm was loyal to Jet, bound to Jet until the end of time. He knew Jet, and even Wave, had many redeeming qualities that bounced back at the awful attributes. Storm knew they would never betray them, and was the same for them.

Wiping away the tears in his eyes, Storm grinned toothily. "Sorry, Streamy, but that's an offer I'll have to decline."

Stream's beak flew open. Stammering to herself, she took a few steps backwards. "Th-this isn't right!"

"Huh?"

"Y-you were suppose to fall for that!"

Storm grinned. "I guess Dad never told you that loyalty was the most important part of a person."

"Loyalty? Ha! What good is loyalty if it doesn't bring you anything in return?"

"Aren't you loyal to Cannon and Rodrigo?" He paused and then glared at her. "H-hey! I can't believe that I have to remind you that he murdered our parents!"

Stream kept her beak shut at that and lowered her head to her chest. Storm sighed, scratching his head. It was a delicate subject for either to even be speaking about, and to each other, they didn't even want to hear what the other had to say.

Finally, after an eternity of silence, Stream lifted her head, eyes closed. Suddenly, she starts to chuckle. The chuckle turns into full-burst laughter as Stream points at Storm, whom retalites with a huh? face.

"J-just what's so funny?" Storm demanded angrily.

"What you just said! That our parents died from Rodrigo. It was all their stupid fault for letting their guard down!"

Break. Storm had a vein ventaliting from his forehead, making Stream cringe. "How dare you say that!" He charged at her, gripping her throat and slamming her into the black wall of energy behind her. She grunted on impact, trying to pry his hands from her jugular. "Mom and Dad fought hard for their lives for the sake and history of the Babylon Rogues! I will not have you disregard them or my friends in any bad manner!"

Stream gasped for breathe as Storm released her. The younger sibling panted for air while Storm glared down at her. She held onto her throat, appearing to be in shock. Storm's head flickered up, noticing that the energy box they were in vanished entirely. Not wanting anymore part in her devious ways, Storm marched by her and towards the golden doors. Punching them open, he took a step, but than noticed that the entrance was pitch black and there were no other stairs to climb. He paused, absolutely unsure of what to do.

Glancing back over his shoulder, he saw Stream getting to her feet. Slight guilt started to come over him, and he came down to her. "Hey, uh, Stream?"

Stream glared at her brother coldly. "What do you want?"

"Just what made you want to even work for Rodrigo?"

Stream had a tiny grin on her face. "Because...Cannon works with him, and I...I love Cannon."

Open beak. Close beak. Open beak and stutter incomprehensibly. "I-i-i-i-i-in love?! W-w-with Cannon?!" Storm's left eye twitched, and he bit his tongue, making it swell even more. He was tempted to say even more, but something held him back.

Stream crossed her arms, aggrivated by her brother. "What? What's so wrong with being in love with Cannon?"

"He's crazy!" Storm shrieked, eye bulging.

Furrowing her brow, the diamond implanted on her glowed darkly, even though it was pink. "I can love whomever I want! Be it Cannon or even Bean! And I hate Bean for feeling me up." She shuddered at the perverted act. "Cannon saved my life so many times, but when...when he went to Rodrigo, he just changed suddenly! I think Cannon could be possessed by Rodrigo."

"Really?"

She nodded. "And-"

"And you just crossed the line."

From the opened doors came Cannon. Cannon slowly descended the steps and glared down at her. Stream quivered from his burning gaze and hid behind Storm. Storm raised his fists, demanding why he had arrived.

"Stream here has bad-mouthed not only myself, but Lord Rodrigo," Cannon replied as if it was simple as humming. The falcon glanced over behind him to Stream and smiled cheerfully. "I've just came to ask why you aren't defeated yet."

Stream took a step by her brother, feeling as though one of her fainting spells were about to take over. "I-I was g-going to, but-but..." She rushed to Cannon and hugged him tightly, and she began to sob.

Cannon thought his back was going to break, and he patted her head before shoving her away. He yanked his four head feathers back into a ponytail to match the one under it. He glared over to her and than to her brother.

"Ya know, you're starting to make me angry by," Storm sneered, glaring down at Cannon. "shoving my sister like that."

He sighed. The opal on his forehead glowed, and he vanished. Storm gasped, completely surprised until a kick was delivered to the back of his head. Lurching foreward, Storm met the unforgiving rug which turned out to be very scratchy. Groaning, Storm got to his feet and was ready to kick some falcon booty.

"I was listening the entire time." Cannon pulled out a pair of...fans? Yes, a pair of orange fans with a strange purple liquid dropping at the tips. The fans appeared to be replicas of Jet's. "I deserve to be the leader, not that putrid hawk."

"I dunno what 'putrid' means, but you don't have the guts to be a leader because you hid behind Rodrigo!" Storm shouted, charging at Cannon.

"Oh, great, you're an idiot too, like Bean."

He started with a left straight, until to be dodged, Cannon teleported behind Storm, but was caught off guard by Storm's backfist. Cannon grunted and landed on the ground. He rolled over when Storm tried to smack him in the face while down. Dragging himself to his feet, Cannon swung his fans, barely nicking Storm's chest. The liquid flew onto his burly chest, making Cannon grin.

Stream gasped, covering her beak in horror. Storm noticed her sudden facial change and wondered what the purple liquid on his fans were. Some went onto his beak, and he licked it. The taste was like grapes with a mix of something sweet,-maybe wine?-but he had no clue. His eyes widen in fear as he started to cough rapidly. He hacked, getting down onto his knees as he held his throat. Storm felt his lungs pound in his throat as he sputtered. Storm weakenly stopped, feeling something cool run down the side of his beak.

Blood. It was his blood. Storm froze, staring at the liquid on his chest. The liquid slowly embedded itself onto Storm's body as he frantically tried to remove it. Storm felt blood started to rush up his throat, and he coughed it out. Weakly, he glanced up at Cannon, whom appeared to be in a case of pleasure and minor guilt. Cannon grimaced when Storm got to his feet.

"Wh...what have...y-you done to...m-me?" he managed before coughing more blood.

"It's poison: Cantarella," Cannon replied solemnly. "It's a sweet poison that nurtures one to death. Once on you, you can't get it out physically with hands. It goes straight into your pours and kills you from the inside. Poison is a rather tragic way to end, is it not?"

Storm squeezed his eyes shut. "This-this can't be happening..."

"It is. Please, just die already so I can show Jet." Cannon held out a camera, poised to snap a shot.

"You-you...!" Storm flopped to his knees and than to his stomach. Hands clutching at his necklace, his poncho fell off in one fell swoop. Storm struggled to still awake, to see.

Cannon faced Stream and snatched her hand. "It's time to go."

Stream hesistated, staring at the dying form of her brother. "B-but-"

"Is something wrong? The second you pledged that you'd devote your life and death to me..." Cannon glanced over at her, green eyes flaring. "Was that a lie?"

Flustered, Stream shook her head rapidly. "N-no! Of-of course not!"

He smiled, activating his jewel. A small vortex opened, and inside Storm could make out Bean. Bean was quivering in a small room, and it looked so much like the Dynamite Headquarters. Storm wondered what he did wrong, and than pondered on where Kiba was.

Storm was still surprised that he was even alive. He had heard of Cantarella from books. Cesare Borgia of Italy, son of Pope Alexander Sixth, was a master of poisons, especially Cantarella. Wave explained to him when they were still Rogues-In-Training that he was a beautiful man that was devious, manipulative and cruel, and Storm thought, at the time, that Cannon was the reincarnation of Cesare Borgia: Kind on the outside, a monster on the inside.

Storm's body suddenly twitched vengefully. He bit his beak as he coughed up blood. Faintness was overcoming him, glazing his eyes and clouding his thoughts. Suddenly, his friends and family flashed before him in a rather strange grey light: Thunder, his mother River, Stream, Jet, Wave, Kiba, and I. The fights, the Ex World Grand Prixs, Knuckles, Sonic, the Babylon Guardian, Shadow Jet, ABIS, Cannon, and finally Rodrigo. He felt his eyes closing, and Jet appeared in his mind one final time with that smirk and wink, before sinking his mind into fallen darkness.

Back to us, I felt a chill run up my spine. Jet and Wave had the same one as we stared back at the long-gone door. I placed me feet on the stairs. For some reason, the new steps appeared before us, while the ones behind us vanished. We figured it was to prevent others from following.

"D-did you guys just feel that?" I asked, rubbing my arms.

Jet nodded. "Something happened to Storm..."

"You're the one that said he could handle it!" Wave snapped, pointing a finger at Jet.

Feeling that his honor was at risk, Jet snarled at her. "He said he could do it himself first!"

"Guys, guys! Stop fighting! I'm sure Storm's alright." I fluttered up with my wings. "Let's go. Storm would want that."

Wave noticed that Jet was looking rather skeptical. "Come on, Jet. Storm can handle himself."

Jet nodded and started to run up the stairs with us. But from the corner of my eye and the tip of my attenae, I heard Jet whisper, "Please be okay, Storm."

Cannon grinned and snapped his camera, taking the picture of Storm lying in a tiny splatter of blood. "Perfect! It's just grand! I will finally be able to take my rein as leader of the Babylon Rogues, and Jet will crumble!" He glanced over his shoulder. "All thanks to you, Lord Rodrigo."

Rodrigo appeared through the vortex, Bean and Sarge the Wolf by his side. Bean had a new gem, a purple pearl, implanted to his forehead "Excellent. Now that Storm is dead, the Babylon Rogues will falter." Rodrigo looked over to Bean and Stream. "You two, go and get more of my demons. Release them on those supposed "heroes" down on the entrance. They're just in the way."

"As you wish, O Creepy One!" Bean jeered. Cannon and Rodrigo glared at him. "Uh, sorry?"

Stream sighed and cringed at the sight of her brother. "Yes, let's go. They will be taken care of soon, Sir." Stream grabbed Bean's arm and leaped back through the small vortex Cannon made.

Rodrigo faced Sarge. "Your floor is next, correct Sarge?"

"Yeah, so?" The extraordinarily ripped wolf cocked his head.

"Well, go guard it!"

Sarge held his hands up in defense. "Alright, alright! Go blow an egg from your ass."

"What did you say?!"

Before Rodrigo could personally strangle him, Sarge leaped back through the vortex and up another step of stairs to his floor. Rodrigo ventalited for a few moments before noticing Cannon's camera. He glanced over to Storm's body and smirked. He gave it a good kick to the side.

"Good riddance." He spat onto Storm's head.

"Lord Rodrigo, I do not believe that it is a good idea to make a dead person impure," Cannon suggested, raising a finger and his camera. "For I have already captured this moment on film. See?"

Rodrigo sighed dramatically and patted Cannon's head. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just get back to the floors I assigned ourselves too."

Cannon smiled and followed Rodrigo back through the vortex he created. Once he entered, the vortex dissapeared, and Cannon knew one thing: Jet was going to die, no matter what it took. Jet will die.

LOL, AUTHOR HOURS: Storm and the Correctional Place at Kiba's. (Continued from SuperGamerGreg79's Sonic Riders Tournament, chapter 15.)

After the little episode where Jet sends Storm to Kiba Sniper's home, Storm wakes up in a small, dim room in a chair. The room has a computer, television and a stack of papers in manilla folders. The albatross cocks his head, asking aloud in anyone is present. He tries to stand, but is catupalted back into his seat. He realizes that he is completely strapped into the seat.

The television turns on by itself. Storm glaces over to it, paying little mind. It's static, from what Storm can tell, until it changes to a well with an eerie blueish grey background. He blinks in confusion.

"Oh, God, it's Sadako!" he screams in terror, trying to pry out of his chair. "I don't want my face to be all distorted and look like a bad version of Rouge with facelifts!"

"Oh, shut up!" Kiba Sniper shouts, crawling out from the television from the well. She stomps over to Storm, and, not like Sadako, she isn't dripping wet. Her eye is twitching, and she has a frown. "Nobody's payin' me to do this, Stormy, but since my parents are tards, I get to take my absolute rage and teenage angst out on you! Besides, I get to be a freshman starting on the second when I go back to school."

Storm flinches, trying to wriggle out of the chair futilely. "Uh, w-what are you gonna do?"

Kiba struts to the manilla folders, muttering to herself as she reads the labels. "StormAmy, StormEspio, blah, blah, ah ha!" Storm twitches when he hears his name with another person's, especially guys. "StormJet and StormKnuckles!"

Storm's beak flaps wide open. "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOIN' WITH THOSE?!"

Kiba grabs a chair and drags it to Storm so that they are sitting a yard away from each other. Storm starts to shake while Kiba just grins with joy. Cocking her head sideways, her grin grows broader. "Simple! I plan to read to you all the failed StormKnuckles and StormJet stories until I'm done with each file!"

He stares at the file, which are two feet in length, making the folders spread open. He feels faint, and the color drains from his face as Kiba starts to read the first StormJet story...

Even though the stories were ten to twenty minutes each, Storm felt like he was going to die because there were more, and more, and more, and more, and more. It took Kiba four hours to finish the StormJet ones, making Storm sigh in relief.

"What?" he asks, making a confused face to Kiba's giggles.

"I still have Storuckles stories."

"OH, GOD, LET ME OUTTA HERE!"

LOL AUTHOR HOURS END.