Dynamiteboom12345: It always looks bad.

Chapter 23: Terrible Deep

"We've got to get the hell out of here!" cried Fang, unloading blast after blast form his Chaos Phantoms. Each shot not only not breaking down the door that blocked their only exit, but wasn't even making a scratch.

"Fang, wasting your ammo isn't gonna get us out of here." Fiona told him in a calm in her voice. She was just as scared as Fang, but this wasn't the first time she was in a tight spot like this. When your a treasure hunter, it sort of happens to you. But if there is one thing that treasure hunting her prepared you for, its to have the ability to escape these traps-just takes some observation and critical thinking.

And that's when she saw their ticket out.

"Fang, aim a shot up there." Fiona instructed, pointing to the far left wall, her finger following to the upper portion of the wall.

"What? The hell for?"

"One of the stones there are off center. A good shot could break it off and there could be a passage way behind it!" It was a theory, but it was better then shooting the wall with no chance of it breaking. Fang nodded as he aligned his sights at the stones of the wall, browsing from rock after rock until seeing the stone Fiona was talking about. Once in his sights, he fired two shots-one from each pistol-at the stone, blowing it and part of the wall off as what appeared to be a tunnel opened up to the Hooligans.

"Yes!" smirked Fiona, "Lets hurry and scale that-"

"No time." Fang had snatched Fiona's arm, "Grab on." Fiona didn't get much time to react as Fang crouched down so that his tail was touching the ground before rocketing upward, his tail acting as a bouncy spring as the weasel and fox made it to the hole in the wall, Fang thrusting Fiona forward to get her going before the duo got crawling.

"Nice work, Fiona." nodded Fang as they kept digging through the small tunnel.

"Don't thank me yet, Nacky." Fiona told him, "We still gotta get out of here."

"Hey! What did I tell you about-" the banter between the mercenaries suddenly stopped as a creaking noise was heard. "...Did you do that?" asked Fang.

"...No." Fiona answered as the creaking noise happened again.

"Aw nertz."

Water suddenly crashed on top of the Hooligans as their lungs and small space were filled with water, both feeling as though they were forced into a water slide neither would forget. Or want to remember.

(My head...it hurts...)

(Is this...death?)

(My...chest. This sharp pain...)

(I'm...not dead. I'M DROWNING!)

Fiona suddenly snapped her eyes open as she realized that there was no air. In fact, she was underwater, the entire floor of the labyrinth submerged as she frantically looked around for...anything! Her observation beared fruit as she saw a crack in the floor. This crack was just big enough to let in, (Air bubbled!). Thinking with whatever air was left in her brain, she paddled for her as she approached the bubbles. Her eyes shifting when she saw-

(Fang!) The Weasel was floating, apparently unconscious! He was gonna die! (Sorry Nack, but it's the quick or the dead...) she thought as she kept swimming for air.

Yet...something didn't feel right. There was this odd feeling in her chest-and not from the lack of air.

(What's wrong with me?! I want to live! I have to live! I...I have to...)

"Not much to it, really. I work with them cause I know them. I ain't trusting some no good snake who'll stab my back." growled Fang.

"So...why trust me?" Fiona asked as she sensed themselves getting closer to the Emerald. Really close.

"Bean vouched for ya." Fang said bluntly, "And that was good enough."

(...Damn it. I have to save him.) Fiona quickly paddled over to Fang's body as she held onto his torso, (I won't make it to the air bubble with him slowing me down...) Fiona quickly grabbed one of his pistols and aimed it at the crack on the ground, (So I hope I'm right!) she suddenly fired a shot at the ground, the chaos infused bullet traveling through the water before exploding onto the cracked flooring, the water beginning to flood out of the room. (Yes! I was right! Only this floor is being flooded by the sudden water! The bottom floor will act like a drainer!)

As the water drained from the room, Fiona soon found herself on the floor, coughing harshly as her lungs filled with rich oxygen, coughing out the water in her lungs as she looked around and saw Fang, on his back and still unconscious.

"Fang!" Fiona quickly scurried over to the unconscious weasel as she shook him violently, "Wake up! Damn it, Fang! Wake the hell up!"

No answer.

Fiona panicked lightly as she thrusted her hands on her comrade's chest, "Damn it, Fang! Don't die on me! I won't let you fucking die yet!" She took in some air before forcing Fang's mouth open and exhaling air into him, the air traveling down his throat as she repeated the action again.

Fang began to cough violently, coughing up water that was sucked down his throat and into his lungs before shooting upward, hand on his chest as he inhaled violently and unevenly, coughing every now and again. Fiona was relieved.

"You *cough* saved my life..." mumbled Fang.

"Yeah, well...you guys saved mine..." mumbled Fiona as she helped Fang onto his feet, "Besides, we're teammates." Fiona and Fang looked at each other before Fiona looked away, her red face a bit redder, "N-now lets get out of here." she said as she helped him walk.

"Hey, are you alright?" Fang asked.

"Y-yeah, why wouldn't I?" Fiona asked back.

"Your face is red...er...redder."

Fiona just blushed further, "I-it's from the lack of air. Lets get hurry up!"