Author's Note: Hello, this fic has songs that go with the different scenes and chapters. This chapter's song is Bread & Water - Sheila Nicholls. For maximum emersion, listen as you read along.
Without further ado, enjoy C:
It was a crisp morning when the call came in. A young dancer was reported missing since last night. It hadn't been 24 hours so the police hadn't taken the case, the parents begged for Vector's help over the phone. That was all it took to get them out the door.
The club was located in the shadiest part of downtown Central City, the infamous Night Babylon. Home to the scum of Mobius and the place the police pretended didn't exist; its only saving grace was the part where Rouge stayed, her Club Rouge was the safest place in all of Night Babylon because of her reputation. Vector always appreciated that about her, even if she was a piece of work herself, she didn't allow her place of business to encourage criminal activity.
Too bad that wasn't the club the girl worked at. No, she hung her high-heels over at the Sweaty Martini. Classy, Vector thought. That place was basically a magnet for drug dealers, thugs, gangsters, and all the other jerkwads that party with those types. Poor kid probably couldn't afford to do any better.
It was a long walk through Night Babylon, the trio stuck together the entire trip, Vector had already filled Charmy in on the dangers of wandering off in that neighborhood and the boy opted to holding his hand once they entered the unsavory territory. Charmy looked all around at the high buildings with dead neon lights and their dark alleys, hiding cruel secrets not even he wanted to uncover.
He took note that it was darker here than anywhere else in the city, even though it was early in the morning, there was a smoky fog blanketing the sky directly above the area. He supposed that's why people called it "Night" Babylon.
"Hey Vector, why would a lady want to work in a dump like this place?" he asked, looking up at his boss.
"I'm sure she didn't wanna work here, Charmy", Vector replied, noticing a homeless man drinking out of a large bottle covered in a paper bag. He could smell him all the way from the other side of the street, the man was drunk at 8 in the morning.
"Sometimes, life doesn't give ya much of a choice..." he finished, quickening his pace past a dark alley.
"Whatever unfortunate series of events that have landed the young woman to work in an environment this distasteful are not our concern, little one. Our task is to find her as soon as possible" Espio said, side-stepping droplets of an unknown liquid from above them. Whatever it was it certainly wasn't rain.
"Espio's right, kid. We gotta stay focused on findin' the girl and the first step is findin' out what she was doin' the last place people saw her".
"That Sweaty Martin place?" Charmy asked, scrunching up his face at the name. Vector let out a deep chuckle at the sight and the boy realized it was the first time he smiled since they got the call.
"Yeah, dat scuzzhole. We're gonna ask management a few questions, see where the trail leads us".
"Okay, but are we almost there? The air here tastes like a sewer of sadness" the bee joked, hoping to get another smile out of Vector.
The croc didn't even smirk though. "Yeah, we're almost there, just a few blocks and then we turn left and it should be right in front of us". Huh. Wonder what's up with him? Charmy pondered silently.
"You wrote down the directions this time, Vector?" Espio asked, walking on his left.
"Nah, I just... remembered it, is all. I might'a been 'round here once when I was younger. I remember some'a these street names. The club's on 56th and Levett. We're on 56th, and Levett should be comin' up in a couple'a blocks" he explained.
Espio stared up at him quizzically, "You remember all of that, but you have not been able to remember the address of Tails' House? Or Amy's Apartment?"
Vector threw his free hand up and leaned back, " 'Ey, I'm just as confused as you, Esp" he chuckled. "Don't ask me how I know, I just... kinda got a feelin', I guess".
"Ugh okay, can we just hurry up?!" Charmy interrupted, yanking Vector's larger hand a bit.
"Sorry squirt. Runnin' around in a place like this would draw attention to us. And we ain't got time for dat sorta thing. Just keep steppin' lively and we'll get there", he instructed as he led his companions the rest of the way to their destination.
He looked around to confirm that no one was tailing them and he didn't show it, but he was relieved no one was paying attention to them. And just as he said, they arrived at The Sweaty Martini.
Espio knocked on the door of the establishment politely. But there was no answer. Before he could try again, Vector's massive fist punched the door down revealing the entryway of the club. Espio whipped around to berate his leader, but Vector strode through the doorway. Charmy immediately followed behind him, shaking the moisture off his body like he was feral.
"Ain't got time for pleasantries, Esp", he said while looking around the large room before them.
No windows, that was the first thing that grabbed his attention. The poles hanging from the ceiling were next though, the elevated catwalk the scanty rods were stationed in were lit with their own lights. Stools were seated all around the stage, while cushioned booths were along the perimeter of the walls. Multicolored spotlights were thankfully turned off, allowing the basic fluorescent lights to illuminate the wide room.
It was a typical strip joint, nothing strange about it... But Vector couldn't help the feeling of anxiety creeping up his tail. This place was not good, he could feel it. Something bad happened to that girl.
There was someone at the bar, an island in the center of this display, who was drinking a dark liquor before Vector's entrance. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?! Who the hell are you?!" the man shouted as he stomped from behind the bar toward the detectives. The man was a pig, short and portly, but he rocked a bleach-blond mohawk and a black leather jacket, shining in the lights similar to Vector and Espio's scalene hide.
And his eyes were hidden by dark, sharp sunglasses. Why he was wearing sunglasses inside of a building with no windows was beyond Vector. But his feelings of anxiety only increased when the striking pig stood before him. It wasn't as if he was afraid of the pig, absolutely not, it was just... peculiar to see the man. He was sure they'd never met before but... there was a familiar air about all of this. He didn't like it.
"I said, who the hell are you jack-offs?! Do you have any idea who I work for?! I'm connected, you morons and when my bosses find out you broke in here, they're gonna come after—!"
Espio appeared behind the pig, took the glock hidden in his jacket and threw it across the room before the pig could fully grasp the handle.
"Please forgive the intrusion", the pig yelped in surprise at the ninja's sudden appearance, "We are not here to hurt you or your business. But my colleague is rather impatient today", the shinobi motioned to Vector.
"Yeah, mister!" Charmy chimed in. "A lady that works here got kidnapped by some bad guys! We gotta find her quick!" he explained, grabbing the pig by the collar and shaking him a bit.
"Feh!" the sunglasses pig swatted his jacket free of Charmy's grip. "You guys're with dat bimbo's parents dat called last night? I already told 'em, I dunno know where she went! After her shift, she left with da other girls like she always does, go bother them!" he finished, adjusting his collar. Vector walked up to the pig and leaned down to his eye level.
"Don't call her outta her name again, understand?" he threatened, his sharp eyes slicing right through the pig's tough guy facade.
The stout man gulped down a nervous laugh and backed away from Vector a bit. "Right, sorry. She's not a bim—uh, I mean—she's a sweet kid! Hope ya find her".
"We will once you tell us exactly what you saw last night, right before she disappeared" Vector demanded, glare unwavering.
"It's like I told ya: she came to work, did her job, left with da rest'a dem. That's all I know, I swear".
"What are the other girls' names?"
"I got a list in my office. I can go grab it, if ya leave after. Deal?"
"How 'bout we all go and grab it together, pal?" Vector smiled sinisterly, Espio and Charmy back at his side. None of them really gave the pig a choice in the matter.
With a disgruntled sigh, he made his way to the office, the Chaotix right behind him.
As he made his way across the club, the older pig mumbled under his breath, "Kids nowadays, no respect for da decent hardworkin' people of da previous generation. Big, green gator or not, ya should have better manners".
Instantly, Vector froze, causing Charmy to lightly bump into the back of his head. Like a statue, Vector stood in place, his mouth open and his eyes wide. Espio walked a few paces before he noticed his leader stuck in place.
"Vector?" he asked.
"You okay, boss?" Charmy asked, floating in front of the trembling crocodile.
The boy scanned Vector's face, trying to figure out what happened to him. Charmy's countenance fell as he studied his usually boisterous boss, he couldn't tell what was wrong with him. His eyes were looking at Charmy... but it felt like Vector couldn't see him. Like he was looking through him at something else. Something far away... and horrible...
" 'Ey, you want dis list'a girls or not, jolly green?" the pig commented after he realized the three intruders weren't right behind him anymore. Espio shot a look at the sunglasses pig, making the man clamp his mouth shut.
He quickly turned back to his friend, "Vector, what troubles you?" he asked, hoping to get an answer this time.
Vector slowly closed his mouth and stood up straight, though his eyes were still unfocused. Silence flittered through the group of detectives as Vector tentatively resumed movement.
"I been here b'fore..." he breathed, so quiet Charmy could barely hear it. Espio's trained senses helped him to detect the short, implicating phrase.
"Really? What were ya doin' here?" Charmy asked, confusion and worry written on his face.
Vector's attention finally came back and he saw Charmy, who was basically laying on his snout now. That was only an instant of relief; for Vector's eyes zeroed in on the club owner in the and his focus shifted on him.
"You..." he said in a low gravelly voice, more powerful than any shout.
Charmy instinctually moved away from Vector and the crocodile was making a B-line to the pig. Espio heard the malice of his friend's tone and found himself unsure of what was to come.
"... me what?" the owner asked, clueless. Without warning, massive hands slammed the pudgy man against the wall. "Ugh!" he grunted, pain echoing through his body as Vector used his incredible strength to pin the pig to his eye level. And the pig wished he hadn't.
Vector's gaze was piercing and merciless, knives that stabbed into his shoulders and injected paralysis through his entire being. It was the glare of a predator.
"You were there..." Vector growled, daring the pig to refute. His harsh voice was the only thing that made the man find his words again.
"Augh, get offa—!" Vector's hefty arm pressed the pig deeper into the wall, cracking the surface.
"Six years ago!" he shouted an inch away from the owner's face. "You hired us, paid us in cash backstage!"
"Vector what's—?!" Espio tried.
"Six years ag—I don't know what you're talkin'—" More pressure was applied to the pig's chest, squeezing his ribcage to a frightening degree. "AUGH! You're hurting me—!"
"Where is she?" the brutal detective asked, interrupting the cries of his victim.
"I told ya alread-!"
"What're you—?!" Charmy tried, finally caught up on the events unfolding before him. The sheer speed of this radical shift had him floored for a long moment.
"You told me dat same exact line: 'Big, green gator or not, ya should have better manners'! You said dat right after ya said ya wanted to stay in touch, with her! Now answer! The! QUESTION!" Vector screamed, clearly loosing whatever sliver of patience he had left as he gripped the man's arm. Tighter than a steel press.
"GWAAAH!" the man screeched in response. He could feel his bones bending under the immense pressure.
"What is happening?!" Charmy asked Espio, hoping he would have the answer. But the chameleon was in the exact same position as him; completely clueless.
"Vector, what are you doing?!" Espio shouted, a hint of fear in his voice.
Unfortunately, Vector couldn't hear him. He couldn't hear anything but the sound of a pathetic scumbag who hadn't given him what he wanted to hear.
"WHERE IS SHE?!" he shouted furiously, spit spraying out of his massive jaws like venom.
"I don't know what you're talkin' abo—"
"LIE TO ME AGAIN AND I'LL BREAK EVERY BONE IN YOUR DISGUSTIN' BODY!" Vector threatened, his voice booming across the club.
"Vector, you must calm dow—!" Espio started as he ran towards them.
"Can somebody explain what's happen—?!" Charmy started, whipping his head around trying to piece together why this insane thing was happening.
But Vector was deaf to them.
"WHERE IS SHE?!"
"Please man, I don't know who she is—!"
Crack!
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" the pig howled.
His arm shattered and mangled in Vector's unrelenting grip.
Charmy's voice shriveled up in his throat as his tiny hands slowly enveloped his mouth. Espio's eyes shot wide open at the sound, his heart pounding fiercely in his sunken chest. The horrifying crack stopped him in his tracks from pure shock.
Vector covered the squealing man's mouth as he snarled. "Ya think this is a game!? Ya think I won't SNAP YOU, INTO A THOUSAND PIECES, 'TIL YOU TELL ME DA TRUTH?!"
"VECTOR! ENOUGH!" Espio commanded, quickening his frantic pace.
Charmy discovered his voice upon hearing Espio, "HOLY CRAP, VECTOR DID YOU ACTUALLY BREAK HIS—!"
"WHERE DA HELL IS SHE, PUNK?! WHERE?!" Vector pressed on, seemingly unaware of everyone's pleas.
"AAAAAAAUUUUGHHH!" the pig's weakened screams still echoed off of the walls and haunted Charmy's soul.
Espio managed to grab onto Vector's hand, still squeezing the pig's crushed arm. The amount of blood oozing from the mangled limb was enough for Espio's nose to catch a whiff of the putrid scent. But his familiarity with such odors helped him to power through the viscera of it all and focus on stopping this horrific scene.
"VECTOR! LET HIM GO, NOW!" he demanded defiantly, his grip strong and unwavering.
Violent irises shifted to assault the chameleon. The harsh bloodlust behind Vector's gaze stunned Espio, he had never seen such an expression on his friend's face before. Not in all the years they'd known each other. The snarl in his breath, the teeth that were unsheathed like daggers, the pulsating heat radiating off of Vector's entire body.
This... this wasn't Vector. It just wasn't. It couldn't be.
Could it?
The world suddenly went sideways for Espio, as his body was flung across the room. Vector had broken Espio's grip and tossed him away. He had been careless. His body slammed into the wall, nearly breaking through it. He had been careless and Vector wasn't holding back.
"ESPIO!" Charmy screamed, horrified tears escaping out of his eyes.
"STAY OUTTA DIS, ESPIO!" Vector shouted over his shoulder before turning back to face the pig; moaning, with blood pooling under his shattered arm. "WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?!" he barked, making the injured man flinch miserably.
Wham! Vector punched the already cracked wall right next to the pig, creating a huge dent the size of the man's head.
"WHERE?!" Vector bellowed, reaching his enormous fist back and launching it forward again.
Wham!
"WHERE?!"
Wham!
"WHERE?!"
The world went sideways on Vector, suddenly he found himself twisting through the air, until he smashed on top of the bar. As he untangled himself from the floor, he noticed Espio standing where he once was, his arms returning to his side after the judo flip he just used on him.
"STAND! DOWN! VECTOR!" the ninja warrior warned, getting into one of his most powerful fighting stances.
Charmy recognized Espio's change in stance and looked between him and the fuming crocodile rising to his feet preparing to fight.
"Why're you guys fightin'...?" he breathed, a trail of tears flowing down his cheeks and watering his shuddering gloves.
He couldn't believe what was happening before him, let alone why it was happening. Vector just went crazy, Espio was about to fight him—seriously fight him—a guy was slumped on the ground crying bitter tears as his broken bones splintered through his flesh. Charmy cringed at the sight of that, turning his face away from the grizzly image.
This was too much. This whole thing went from 0 to 100 in a split second and it was all about to get worse.
"Ohhhh Gaia", the whimper cut through Charmy's spiraling thoughts. "I need a hospitaaaaal..." the pig begged through the tears and blood, forcing Charmy to look back once again at a sight he'd rather not have seen.
The boy didn't understand how this happened, didn't understand why this happened... and couldn't find a way to stop it. He wanted to help the guy, there was absolutely no satisfaction in seeing him completely destroyed and begging for his life. It was horrifying, the most horrifying thing Charmy had ever witnessed in his life. He was used to seeing some form of blood and broken bones on tv, but... it wasn't like this. It was never like this. This was... terrifying.
He immediately went to call for Vector and Espio to get them to help him, tell him what to do to focus him, to keep him from completely freezing like he was. But he remembered, with a start, the situation they were locked in. His friends were more concerned with tearing each other apart than stopping a guy from dying. And all Charmy could do was watch, paralyzed with fear.
"WHADDAYA THINK YOU'RE DOIN' ESPIO!?" Vector bellowed, crazed with rage, as he swiped the glass counters behind the bar. The high-pitched crashes pierced Charmy's ears in a crescendo of chaos.
"You must master yourself, Vector! This man has done nothing to deserve this!"
"Guys, please stop—" Charmy squeaked.
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHIN'!" he cried, before sending a chunk of counter blasting toward Espio. Swift hands picked up the tortured pig and disappeared before the flying rubble had a chance to touch either of him. They materialized in front of Charmy, where Espio plopped the squealing, bleeding pig in his arms.
"Take care of him", he instructed quickly, then immediately bolted back in the fray. Charmy could do nothing but stammer, eyes wide as dinner plates, as he struggled to keep up with everything that was unfolding before him.
Vector inhaled sharply before opening his jaws and shooting a massive blast of fire, swirling and twisting toward his friend. Espio leapt to the ceiling and sprinted on the surface, the flames failing to connect with him. Vector clamped his jaws shut, inhaled sharply once more and shot out a blast of concussive sound waves, decimating the ceiling's surface and sending Espio hurtling back toward the floor.
The second his feet touched the ground, Vector was within arm's length. He swung wide, massively thick arms swiped wildly at the smaller reptile. But Espio dodged, skillfully weaving through the rush of attacks.
Espio sent a kick to Vector's stomach followed by a palm strike to the bottom of his jaw, clamping it shut with a loud thwack. Normally, that would have been enough to stun Vector, just for a few microseconds. But thanks to the unyielding rage burning inside of him, Vector powered through the blows and headbutted Espio to the ground.
The chameleon was caught off-guard, receiving the blow and rebounding off the floor like a basketball. Once he bounced back up, Vector's large fist crashed into Espio, launching him through the air and breaking through several entertainment poles on his way to a booth across the room.
Charmy's breath was hitched in his throat the entire time. He couldn't believe what was happening, he couldn't figure out what to do, what to say, not even what to think. He was lost in a sea of fear.
Until Vector's oppressive gaze centered on him. That shocked him into breathing again. It came back with a vengeance, the boy was hyperventilating under the bloodthirsty eyes of his beloved boss. A boss he barely recognized now.
Heavy, imposing steps hastened toward Charmy and the whimpering, panicking lump wearing sunglasses in his lap. He could do nothing but stammer and stare as the ferocious creature posing as Vector plucked the traumatized man out of his possession. Like an apple from a branch, destined to be devoured.
"You got exactly 5 seconds to tell me where she is or I'll rip your goddamn head off", Vector threatened disturbingly calm.
His hand enveloped the pig's entire torso while the other moved for his head, parting the mohawk the man sported.
The pig wailed uncouthly and started talking. "I GAVE HER TO THE DINGO BROTHERS LAST NIGHT! THEY TOOK HER TO SOME PLACE IN RADICAL HIGHWAY TERRITORY. THEY DIDN'T TELL ME WHERE! THAT'S ALL I KNOW, I SWEA—"
"One..." the crocodile interrupted, shutting the pig up.
Charmy's breathing hadn't slowed down at all, he wasn't sure but he thought he was having a panic attack. The pig was telling the truth, there was no way the man still had the gaul to lie in this situation, he had just got done weeping and drooling in Charmy's arms. Didn't Vector realize that? Why wasn't he stopping? What was happening? And why couldn't Charmy stop breathing so quickly?
"Two..."
"STOP THIS, VECTOR!" Espio cried desperately from across the room, struggling to his feet before a pink bubble shot at him and expanded across his body. Espio struggled against the sticky trap, but he couldn't get himself free. Not in time to stop Vector from doing something he couldn't take back. And with the look on the crocodile's face as he turned back to his prey told Espio the horrifying truth.
Vector knew what he was about to commit to. And he didn't want to be stopped.
"I just told you everything I know about the girl!" the pig whimpered weakly, bringing Vector's attention back toward the pig.
"You KNOW who I'm REALLY askin' about, DON'T play games with me!" The fury that had driven him through this entire ordeal spiked at the man's insipid pleading. "Three!" he continued, placing his hefty fingers on the pig's head.
For whatever reason, Vector's words cut through Charmy's panicked thoughts and he held onto them like a life line.
The girl he's really asking about? Charmy thought, as his breathing finally returned to normal. Was he not looking for the girl who was kidnapped last night?
"I don't wanna die, man, please", the pig tried appealing to any sense of reason. "I'm not lyin', I swear on my mother's grave. I don't have a clue who you're talki—"
"Four!" But reason was the furthest thing from Vector's mind.
"DON'T DO IT, VECTOR! YOU MUST STOP!" the struggling Espio commanded, hopelessly reaching out to Vector in a futile attempt to stop him. To keep him from becoming a cold blooded murderer. But all he could do was struggle against the unholy mess of bubble gum keeping him locked in place. And watch in abject horror at what he was powerless to prevent.
"Please just let me gooooo—!" the pig hollered pathetically.
But his pleading fell on deaf ears.
"FIV—!"
"NOOOO!" a young voice cut through the torrent of emotion, as Charmy lifted Vector's fingers off the pig's head, stopping the crocodile's dark intentions.
Charmy floated between the bleeding mess of a man and Vector's furious glare. His tiny hand pushed Vector's up, releasing the hold he had on the pig's head. The boy's other hand was stretched out on the tip of Vector's snout, open and pleading for his boss to refrain.
Charmy's face was distorted, crinkled in a sorrowful expression, tears flowing delicately down his red cheeks. Vector was frozen, all the fury, all the anger, the burning heat of hatred... died down the moment his eyes met Charmy's. He hadn't even realized his breath was taken away by the boy's selfless action, the shock of it gave him the strength to resist pushing the brave kid out of his way.
"Vector... please... stop..." Charmy whispered in a fragile voice.
And the sound of it sapped the rage Vector felt. Charmy's wide, crying eyes were draining all the violent desire from his heart and he had no way to stop deflating. Charmy stayed still, focused solely on getting his lovable boss back to his old self with all of his might.
Stunned, Vector lost the strength in his hand and dropped the pig to the ground in a painful heap. Charmy breathed calming breaths before he opened his mouth to speak again. The tears didn't stop flowing.
"Vector... you're so mad and... and I dunno know why", the boy looked over at Espio, who had finally freed himself and started limping over. "You hurt Espio and I... I don't know why", he turned away to take in the broken mess of a man on the floor, currently bleeding out.
"You're about to kill this guy and I don't know why!" Charmy yelled, shutting his eyes tight at the brutal damage the pig had been dealt.
Charmy looked right into Vector's eyes. "It's like you're a different person... and that person is..." the somber boy turned his head and put his hand over his mouth to keep his sobs from breaking his control. "That person's just..."
"He's scary..." Charmy whispered, in the most gentle voice Vector had ever heard. And it absolutely broke him. "I'm scared, Vector... I'm so scared..." and just like that, he shattered again.
His shoulders slumped, without him even realizing they were raised before. All the energy in his muscles drained, every fiber of his being softened at the sound of the small powerful voice.
Charmy wrapped his arms around himself, trying to physically hold himself together. Vector could feel his chest tightening, like his heart had suddenly acquired a hole in it. A hole that was getting bigger with every word Charmy uttered.
"Please... please just stop..." the boy croaked before sobbing quietly, composure completely lost as he dropped to the ground, weeping. Whatever strength that kept him airborne was exhausted under the crushing weight of this sudden ordeal.
Vector remained silent, all words had left him as soon as Charmy admitted his fear. Of him. That wasn't... what he wanted. Vector stared miserably at the sobbing boy before him, this boy he had come to think of as his own. This boy that meant more to him than he'll ever know. This boy that surprised him with his bravery, optimism, and light in the most bleak of circumstances.
That was the same boy collapsed on the ground, tears pouring down his face where only smiles were meant to be. It was wrong. Utterly wrong. And... he was solely to blame.
Espio quickly made his way over and kneeled down to tend to Charmy, the toddler's arms shooting around his torso as he buried his face right under Espio's chin. The chameleon tried to soothe him, rubbing reassuring circles on his back and whispering comforting words to him, promising that everything was going to be alright. Vector impulsively reached out to them, wanting to fix what he'd done to them. What he didn't at all mean to happen to them.
Then, golden eyes flicked up, piercing through him. Unspoken threats and violent intents flowing out of them like a rushing waterfall. The intensity of the ninja's deadly expression had Vector reeling backward, a painful sting in his own eyes as his stomach dropped. This wasn't what he wanted...
"please don't kill me..." a weak voice pleaded, before coughing up blood right after. "I don't know anything else... please for the love of Gaia, don't hurt me anymore..." the pig whimpered as his sobs blended in with Charmy's.
Vector took in the pig, his sunglasses missing from his face, tears streaming across his cheeks with trails of blood accompanying them. It was as if he was seeing the damage he caused for the first time, it disturbed him. Disgusted him. It really was like another person did that to him.
He averted his gaze from one horror only to notice another, as he looked around the strip-club, damaged beyond what he remembered causing. Glass was everywhere, scorch marks like brush strokes painted all over the ceiling and walls, a massive crater sitting in one wall.
And blood. Good God, the blood... it was trailing all along the floor. How did all of that come outta one guy's arm? The bar was gone, just a pile of debris now, half of the counter was embedded in the wall, which crumbled and collapsed at some point, revealing the small office the pig was going to take them to. It was like an earthquake hit the place. An angry, crazy earthquake.
He felt a wet, cool sensation on his hand and immediately looked down. Only to be greeted with gloves stained in the club owner's blood, the source of the wet sensation. Chips of the pig's humerus and radius bones were caught in the filthy fabric. Vector audibly gagged.
"Hohhhh—" he held back the nausea rushing from his stomach up his throat. Heavy frantic footsteps moved him away from his friends, away from his victims. His eyes shifted between the entire scene, all the damage he'd done... and who he'd done it to.
"Espio... I... I'm...", he shuddered out of his trembling mouth as he continued creeping backwards. "I-I-I'm..."
"Vector, what is going on?" Espio asked, his earlier hostility hidden behind genuine concern. Charmy's face still buried in the crook of his neck.
"I'm..." Vector breathed, slowly shaking his head as he stared at the chaos he'd brought down on this place.
"Vector?" Espio tried again as Charmy lifted his tear soaked face off of Espio to look at the crocodile. And that was the last straw.
"I'm s-s-sorry—I gotta..." he stammered, his voice shaky as his back hit the door. "I'm—I'm so sorry..." he huffed out as his voice cracked. He rushed out the door without looking back.
"Vector, wait!" Charmy called, letting Espio go to chase after him.
But Espio's grip didn't loosen. Before Charmy could protest, the ninja had already taken out a cell phone—it had to be the pig's considering Espio didn't own one—and gave it to the boy.
"Call 911 and stay with the pig. Do NOT tell them who did this", he instructed calmly as he held Charmy's cheeks in his palms.
"I-I—Agh! Okay, but hurry!" he begrudgingly agreed, taking the phone and dialing.
Espio got to his feet and was out of the door in under a second. The ninja ran up the side of the building looking across the rooftops to see where Vector fled to. He noticed a green figure ducking into an alley just a few blocks away and set a course.
Chains wrapped around a telephone pole, sending Espio swinging through the air toward the alley. In one swing, he landed right in front of the frantic crocodile.
"Vector..." he started, not really knowing what to say.
And judging by Vector turning away from him, he didn't know where to start either.
"I know you do not want to talk about it, but we... we have to"
Vector remained silent, tilting his head up towards the sky. Espio gave him ample opportunity to speak, but silence was all he was getting.
"That was..." he shuddered unintentionally, then cleared his throat. "That was not you back there".
"... How do you know?" Vector finally replied, voice gravelly and low.
"What—?"
"How do you know if it was me or not, Espio?" Vector challenged as he looked to the side.
Espio waited a moment to answer. "Because I know you".
Vector scoffed, like he was spitting out something distasteful. "No, ya don't. Not the real me..." he turned his head back forward, away from Espio. Tracing the splinters of bone still caught in his bloodstained glove.
"I care not about the 'real' you or the 'fake' you. Whoever did that back there is a part of my comrade. And I demand to know what is wrong with him".
Vector went silent again, looking down at his dirty palm.
"I will not permit you to leave until you answer me".
"I... I hit you..." he breathed, regret thick in his voice. "Real hard..."
"Yes. It was unpleasant", Espio responded, slowly walking toward Vector. "But I've taken worse". He reached out carefully and put a hand on Vector's arm, hoping he'd understand how important it was to talk about whatever the problem was.
"... I'm so sorry" Vector whispered, looking at Espio from the corner of his eye. The first time he looked at him since he ran out of the club.
"There is no need to apologize... just tell me what is ailing you..."
Vector took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "... No".
Espio's brows curled at the answer. "No?"
"It... It doesn't..." Vector stopped, took a shaky breath, then sighed. "The guy didn't remember anything. I knew it the whole time".
"You... knew?" Espio asked, recoiling his hand from Vector's arm.
His friend said nothing.
"But you..." Espio stammered to himself as he stared hopelessly at his hands. "Vector, you shattered the man's arm. He may never be able to use it again".
Still, his leader was silent.
"Why on Mobius would you hurt the man if you knew he had no information?!" the ninja asked, much louder than intended.
"I told ya. Ya don't know me" Vector responded, his voice cold. Espio stepped back at the sheer audacity of the comment.
"... Do you seriously believe that is an appropriate response to all of this?!"
Vector remained mute. The silence was deafening.
"Vector, ple—"
"Espio, just..." Vector interrupted. "Just drop this, okay?"
Espio steeled his face at the request. "... You know I can't. Not after all of that..."
Vector let out a tired breath. "... Yeah. I know", and started walking past Espio.
The ninja clutched his comrade's arm as he passed. "No, you aren't goin—!"
"ESPIO!" Vector shouted, jolting Espio and waking up everyone in a 10 block radius. Vector turned his head back and faced at the chameleon fully. And immediately Espio relented.
Vector's face was pained, a single bitter tear dripped down his cheek as his brows furrowed in regret. His eyes were transfixed in the distance. Hopeless, broken, and ashamed. Espio had never seen such an expression on Vector's face before. He honestly looked like a different person altogether.
"He said I scared him, Esp... how do I live with dat?" he whispered, almost as softly as the sound of Espio's heart breaking.
His grip on his companion's large arm loosened, his strength left him as he took in the distressed look on Vector's face. It was too much. All of this, it was so sudden and... it was just too much. Vector resumed walking away from Espio and further into the dark alley.
"... Where are you going?" he asked sadly.
"There's a girl still missin'. I'm gonna get her back home to her parents. And I'm gonna do it alone, before ya ask. I can't let the guy in there..." Vector stopped, slowly raising his fist to his face. "I can't let all that be for nothin'... I'll meet ya back home".
Ambulance sirens were wailing in the distance, which Espio was somewhat glad to hear, while Vector stopped in his tracks.
"Tell the kid..." Vector sighed before continuing. "Tell him I'm real sorry 'bout all dis..."
Espio cleared his throat. "You will tell him when you return this afternoon".
Vector stood there for a moment longer before he continued on his way toward Radical Highway territory. His shoulders slumped and his steps incredibly heavy.
Espio wished to follow after him, but he knew it wouldn't be right. Whatever Vector was going through, whatever made him hurt that man so ferociously, he needed to do this job alone. So he just watched the disappearing back of his companion until Vector faded into the smog of the dingy city district. Espio walked back to the strip-club, EMS already carrying the pig on a stretcher out of the club, Charmy was trying his best to formulate a story without Vector in it to explain the injuries.
And as the chameleon came to assist his the boy, his mind wandered to the one question he wanted answered more than anything: If Vector wasn't questioning the injured pig about their client...
Then who exactly was he looking for?