Splendid stared, mouth falling open as Brian hummed "Boss? you ok? seriously! You haven't said a word since we got here! Geeze! Talk about appreciation!"

Splendid shook his head and blinked, He must be dead. They wouldn't have come back for him, Fox was way too stubborn!

Splendont snarled and Splendid turned in awe as Fox floated in the air, arms crossed, posture calm and eyes fixed on the enemy.

But then again so was he...

Splendid was completely shocked by her demeanor, partly because she came back but mostly because she was so focused. He had always saw her as a second in command, never to be leader only their partner but seeing her before him as she silently floated before a very powerful opponent he couldn't help but be impressed.

She seemed so relaxed, like she expected this to be an easy fight. the fire in her eyes died slightly to reveal her boredom with the whole situation. Splendid was a little angered by this but saw her plan when Splendont growled at her and attacked. Splendid sat forward quickly, her name dangling at the end of his lips when she merely glided to the side, missing him easily- she was taunting him. Something Splendid never did. He never really thought about it but it was brilliant. Splendont, as quiet as he is, didn't like to be mocked. Splendid wondered why she never gave him the idea.

Then again he never really asked, or listened for that matter. He actually can't remember her fighting at all. Not because she sat back, no, but because he never paid attention. He never gave her the chance to be leader, to prove herself, and now he was the fool who didn't believe in her. He stood up on shaky legs, his right leg giving out, but he caught himself quickly.

Splendont stopped growling and Splendid didn't have to look up to see that the team was looking at him, that Fox was looking at him, pleading with him to stay down for his own protection and so that she could finally show him what she was made of. But he rose off the ground and towards the team, the fire in her eyes dimming and disappointment blooming. He floated behind her to her left and she blinked looking at him in confusion and shock.

"What do we do, Fox?" He asked in a hoarse voice offering a small smile at her wide eyes that flooded with relief, that fire...

and happiness, like sparks they lit her eyes up and fueled the fire that made her eyes glow.

He had never seen Fox truly happy, to be honest he never thought much about her happiness but seeing it now he made a vow.

It didn't matter what happened in this battle now. It didn't matter if he got badly injured or died. He wanted to see those sparks more, he wanted her to be happy.

"Alright Team!" She barked turning back to Splendont with a smirk "Let's show him what we do to those who hurt our friend!"

…

"LIFTY!" The hat wearing raccoon called, panic seething into his mind as his brothers screams drifted down the halls. "LIFTY!"

His feet hurt, the hard floors were coated in glass but he couldn't stop or find a fast way around them so they wedged their way into his feet and with each step they were forced in deeper. But he didn't care. His baby brother was in trouble, they had their fights but Shifty was not going to let someone hurt his brother!

The screams grew louder until Shifty came face to face with a door, his head hurt for some reason, and the tips of his fingers tingled. His heart beated in against his ear drums as if it was trying to escape him, which he didn't blame it for if it was, he didn't deserve a heart. Quickly, he pushed the door open and the door slammed against the wall on the other side, it's bang echoed in Shiftys head and he closed his eyes as his head began to hurt.

A small whimper caused his eyes to fly open and the sight before him made him want to vomit.

Lifty was on the General's desk, his legs flailing wildly even though no one was moving. His left arm was pinned under the General's weight as the large cat sat on it and the other was leaking blood from the pen stabbing into his palm, nailing him to the polished desk, his ring finger twitched every second or two. He was crying, obviously from the pain and fear he was experiencing but his left eye was producing a mixture of blood and tears as the General clutched the silver spoon in his eye.

"Shifty, what do you want?" The General asked in an almost annoyed tone, as if Shifty was the bad guy in this situation as the cat twisted the spoon around Lifty's eye, barely cutting the eye but causing enough pain for Lifty to be screaming and making incoherent pleas.

"Stop." it was a simple command but the General didn't seem to understand it as he continued to twist and twist.

"Huh?"

"I Said STOP!" Shifty yelled, the gun he clenched in his hand shook and the General seemed amused.

"Are you going to kill me Shifty?"
Shifty didn't reply.

"Why are you going to kill me?"

Again he didn't reply only raised the gun to point at the man torturing his baby brother.

"But didn't you try to kill him as well?" The General asked, making up Shifty's answers in his head.

Shifty froze. Yes, he did but it was only a distraction. Or so he thought... was it even? Did they trick him? Would they? What if Lifty was killed? How could they have known Evil could have saved him... and why need the distraction when they wanted to fight Evil...?

Were they using him?

"Shifty!" Lifty gasped and Shifty's eyes snapped back into focus, but he seemed light headed, blinking he saw the General yank the spoon out of Lifty's eye and turn to him.

"You seem to have lost... quite a lot of blood" he chuckled and Shifty's knees twitched, threatening to give out. "Maybe walking on the glass in your bare feet wasn't the best idea"

…

Flippy trembled in Evil's hold as the bear's sharp teeth grazed his neck, he felt his eyes sting but he couldn't fight back, not like this, he was weak and tired. He just wanted to sleep and Evil was confusing him so much his head hurt. He hadn't eaten or slept in so long, he felt that if he blinked he'd collapse. but he was so confused he questioned if he should just close his eyes but then would he be able to open them again? Evil could kill him in seconds and the barrier wasn't around here so he would be gone for sure.

"Hey Flip?" Evil's breath blew against his fur and the good bear shuddered.

"What?" Flippy's voice was steady, calm but he wasn't sure if it was because he trusted Evil or because he finally gave up.

""Guess what?" He asked as he pulled the good bear into his arms bridal style "We're going to have a look at the stars one last time, together." Flippy could hear the grin in Evil's voice but was too tired to care, his head dropped against the evil bears shoulder and his eyes dropped halfway.

He didn't even realise he was outside until the cold air bit at his open wounds, the sharp, sudden pain enough the wake him.

The sky was so colourful for some reason, like a bunch of shooting stars zooming around in the one place and the rest of the sky was black, only a few stars placed in random points as if isolated from the stars, left out from their game. Evil set Flippy on the ground carefully and kneeled down beside him.

Flippy felt his eyes grow heavy again and this time he could accept it. He was going to die. He was going to leave this all behind.

"Hey Flip, guess what?" Evil whispered in his ear, his warm breath providing some comfort.

"What?" Flippy whispered back in a weak voice, ready for Evil to finish him off.

"I love you" And with that Flippy's eyes widened but they began to close once more, the tortures he had endured finally taking its toll. He had no strength to hold them open, no strength to speak,

No strength to stop Evil from walking away.