They were cornered. The creatures were closing in, venomous saliva dripping from their jaws. Espio muscled himself back up, taking his sword at hand. His body was met by a claw swipe.

"GARRGHH!" He yelped in pain. He knelt down on all fours, grasping his sides.

"RRrrarrghhhhh!" It roared at him.

"Can't…fail…now..." He tried throwing shuriken stars at the monsters. They simply caught them in their mouths and crunched them away.

The pair's bones rattled with each crunch they heard. Espio backed away, shielding Charmy from them.

"Charmy! Charmy, you have to run!" Espio shouted.

Charmy was frozen with fear. He quivered, breathing rapidly.

"CHARMY!" Espio yelled out. He darted his head back as one of the monsters leapt for them.

Nothing. Espio slowly opened his eyes. He heard a low, heavy rumbling sound. As he panned his gaze upwards he saw the monsters, that had viciously hunted them, now struggling in the grasp of an even bigger creature. They could not see this figure clearly as it stood under the cover of darkness, but it was BIG; its large, glowing, yellow eyes were almost eight feet above the floor. They saw enormous claws gripped almost halfway around each of the creatures' torsos. The grumbling turned into a loud growl. Charmy and Espio looked up in astonishment.

Both creatures were then driven into the floor, denting the concrete surface below them. The two creatures then exploded into piles of black dust.

"Wha-?" The great behemoth before them gasped.

Charmy shuddered "Is he gonna eat us now?"

"I didn't even hit them into the floor that hard – how'd I bump 'em off so easily?" The monster stepped into full view; an enormous, green Crocodile.

He was an immense specimen; large shoulders, great bumps and ridges along the sides of his back, huge orange triangular spikes protruding from his back and massive hands sporting lethal claws. Espio and Charmy were worried – was he gonna attack them now?

"Wha-gee! How am I gonna explain this to the cops?" He scratched his head.

As they looked at him for longer, he didn't appear as scary as he did at first. His great, glowing yellow eyes had faded back to white with light orange irises, in the light. He wore a gold, metal chain around his neck and sported big DJ-esque headphones on his head. Espio decided to approach him, Charmy clinging onto his head crest nervously.

"Do not worry" Espio consoled the crocodile "You didn't kill anyone, but you…" He started to feel a little hazy "…you have saved our…lives...and for that we are…" Espio then passed out on the floor.

"Espio!" Charmy called out.

The crocodile scratched his head. He then leant down and checked the Chameleon.

"Hmmm. He seems to have collapsed from exhaustion." He deducted. "I don't think all those injuries helped him much either."

"Could you help him Mr Alligator guy?" Charmy pleaded with wide eyes.

"It's Crocodile actually. But, y'know, whatever – it's a common mistake." He said waving his hands. "Now I don't usually do this…" He placed Espio over his shoulder. "Perhaps I can help you guys out and let you and Ninja-boy here rest up at my place." He then picked up Espio onto his shoulder. "Walk this way."

As the crocodile walked away, Charmy zipped on behind him with childish glee and energy. "I'm Charmy. What's your name?"

"Vector."

"Vector the Alligator?"

"Its crocodile..." He grumbled.

They walked off into the misty night.

Espio roused. His eyes opened slowly, groggily. All that he could see was down the back of a green Crocodile and the tail swaying from side to side as it walked.

"W-Where am I? What's going on?" He stirred.

Charmy rushed in front of his face, startling him. "He's awake, he's awake!" He shouted.

Vector stopped and place Espio on the floor. Rubbing his head, he looked around to see where he was.

"Where...where are we?" He asked.

It was dark and damp. It looked like a tunnel but with a river system next to them.

"We're in the sewers!" Charmy cheered with excessive enthusiasm. "Isn't that awesome?"

"Please tell me, there's an off button for him." Exclaimed the crocodile as he placed a hand on his snout in irritation.

"Sewers?!" Espio was shocked. "Urgh. Uh...what happened?"

"You passed out from your injuries." Vector Commented.

"And then Mr Alligator-Guy carried you here!" Charmy cheered.

"Oh for the tenth time, its crocodile!" Vector roared.

"Whatever." Charmy sniggered.

Espio was grateful. "Thank you sir, for your assistance today." He bowed. "It is good to meet a new friend in such a noble warrior." Espio then motioned one eye back towards Charmy "And also appears to be old enough to actually know his alphabet…"

The crocodile was pleasantly surprised by Espio's respectful display. He blushed and waved his great hands. "Ah – stop, it was nothing at all. Y'know, us warm-blooded reptiles gotta stick together and all."

Charmy was somewhat offended by Espio's last comment. "HEY!" He buzzed angrily. "I can read Espio – just watch!" He turned to the nearest sign he could find. "The sign says 'Warning. Danger of debt'." He folded his arms proudly. "See! See! I told you I can read." He stuck his tongue out at him.

Espio palmed his face. "Charmy, that says 'Warning. Danger of death'."

Charmy darted his head back in shock. "Oh…Well…I couldn't see the 'H' so I thought it was just a fancy way of spelling 'debt'…"

Vector sighed. "Well speaking of debts and things, here we are." He pointed to a large shack-like building.

The trio approached the building. It was wooden, damp and battered up and appeared to have holes in the walls.

"Home sweet…yeah…" Vector said.

"You live here?" Espio asked.

Charmy attempted to say 'I think this place should be knocked down' but Espio stopped him, by covering his mouth in a headlock position, before he could finish.

"You live in the sewers sir?" Espio repeated.

"Yeah. What'd ya think we were down here for?" He replied.

"Honestly? I thought we were just hiding from them."

"What, those things? I think we both know you won't need to worry about them again." He chuckled before unlocking the door and entering, followed closely by Charmy.

"I wouldn't be too sure…" Espio muttered before following inside.

Vector turned on the light. A pull-chain attached to a single bulb on the ceiling.

"I must apologise to you sir – I had never had a chance to introduce myself." Espio bowed apologetically. "I am Espio the Chameleon – Ninja of the Acrodon Clan." He suddenly slapped himself in the face, mumbling "Which was supposed to be a secret…"

Charmy laughed at the chameleon's hopelessness.

Espio gestured to Charmy "This, enthusiastic, fellow; whom I believe has already introduced himself by know, is Charmy."

The great green crocodile smiled. "Name's Vector – Vector the Crocodile. I'm a journalist for the Daily Metropolis Newspaper." He exclaimed.

"Newspaper? Wait – you work for the newspaper company of this city?"

"I think that's what I just said, yeah."

"So you know your way around this place?"

Vector grew suspicious. "…Yeah, why…?"

"Please, would you be able to show us the way to a specialist doctor?"

Vector staggered back. "What? Is it contagious?"

"What? No – we just need to see the laboratory and…"

"Oh. Hmph." Vector snorted, sitting down on his torn couch. "Sorry Esp, but I don't do tour guides."

"Please…Please, it's very important that I see a DNA specialist."

"Sorry Pal, no-can-do. I'm a very busy crocodile – I have to come up with good stories from the city every week or my tail gets dumped out here on the streets."

"Please. I'll do anything – my mother is the leader of my clan; she'll happily pay you."

If Vector had visible ears; he would've pricked them up at that moment. Espio was speaking his language.

"How much are we talking about here?" Vector enquired.

"More than enough to get you out of these sewers at least."

"You promise?"

"Of course. You have given us so much; it is only fair that I repay you in full." Espio smiled back, thrusting out his hand.

Vector rubbed his fingers along his snout in thought, before finally thrusting out his enormous hands to shake Espio's. "It's a deal. But tonight, we catch some shut-eye."

Charmy sat comfortably next to Vector, his attention focused on a large whole in the ceiling that led into the bedroom upstairs. "Uh, Vector? Why is there a big hole there?"

Vector looked up and smiled. "AH!" He said. "Now that was last year's new year party." He started laughing "That's what happens when you get thirty people's worth of beer and only five of your guest list shows up! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Charmy laughed out too. "HAHA! I don't get it…"

Espio looked over to Vector. "Forgive my rudeness Vector, but it's been a very long day with the jet lag and running for my life…where should I go to rest?"

"Oh, you can take the bed upstairs. I'll set up the futon here for Charmy and I'll sleep on a mattress in the basement."

"I'm more than happy to sleep there instead of-"

"No, no – I insist. Besides, what's one more night of this gonna do anyway eh?" Vector smiled.

"Oh, thank you." He bowed, before climbing up the stair to the room. "Oyasumi!"

"What?!" The bee and Crocodile exclaimed.

"Oh! I mean 'Good Night'." Espio corrected and closed the door.

Vector began folding out the couch into a bed for Charmy.

"Hey Vector."

"What up Charmy?" He continued to unfold the bed.

"How old are you?"

"Huh?" What a weird question to ask out of the blue like that. "Why do you ask?"

"You live on your own – no parents or anything! When do you get to that?"

"Me? I'm twenty-one, but not having the aid of your parents isn't all the glory you probably think it is though…"

"Wow…you're ancient!"

Vector steamed, pushing his snout into Charmy's face. "You're not paying me anything. So remember, I can just throw you outside and let ya sleep in the sewer sludge ya know!" He snapped.

Espio sat down on the bed. The room was much more nicely kept than the rest of the house; albeit with a few minor holes through the roof still.

He checked the contents of his bag – it was battered and damp, but the contents were fine; although the photograph of his parents was slightly cracked on the glass. He gave out a sigh of relief. "Well, with all I've been through today, I'm glad that's all that has happened o them." He muttered to himself.

Lying in the bed, he began thinking about the life that he left behind. What had become of the village? What did everyone think of him now – was there anyone left on his side? He could already hear what everyone had to say of him:

He heard young Liz's voice "That's not true! It can't be! Espio would never do something so bad…"

Aya's "Espio used to be our friend. Looks like he's been lying to us about everything all along…"

Chancellor Katsumi's "What can we expect from a spoiled young prince dropped into a world of 'commoners'…?"

Even his own mother's distraught voice echoed in his head "How could I ever look at him again? He has shamed his entire family with his actions…"

They probably already disowned him from the clan. There was no point in doing this – there was no point in any of this!

"URGH!" He stood back up and threw his bag into the wall.

He should just stay here – start a new life; forget the people he left behind as they had forgotten him.

"Mariko…"

Mariko, the one person he cared for the most, wanted to kill him. But…the remorse in her eyes…a part of her still believed he was innocent – she believed in him!

Shiro. He was his brother – his best friend. Shiro was giving up so much to prove Espio's innocence. Shiro believed in Espio from the very start, if he quit now, all his efforts would've been for nothing. For all Espio knew, Shiro could've been caught and put in his own cell – he would've failed him if he quit.

Master Shen. His real killer was still out there, and Master deserved every bit of justice he could get.

Espio pulled out the photograph of his father. Masao Takemura was just, he never quit and did any and everything he could to protect the ones he loved. His parents had wanted him to become a great warrior like his father – so that's exactly what he was going to do!

He was not going to quit. He was not going to do anything. Espio Takemura was going to become every bit the warrior his father was – he was going to avenge his master.

"I will serve justice to my clan, or die trying!"

"Uh, Espio?" Charmy called from downstairs. "Could you keep it down please?"

Espio smiled and lay back in his bed. Today may have been the worst and longest day of his life, but tomorrow was going to be different. Tomorrow is another day.