AN: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Melbourne!
Chapter 7 - Gotta Be Tough in These New Lands
Melbourne, Australia, Noon Time
[Bite Me - G-Nat!on]
[0:00]
Australia was really far away from America, so it would take long to cross over to the other side of the world. Fortunately, the league's aircraft was much faster and even more stable to ensure a quick trip to the destination. However, it wasn't smooth sailing since flying in a futuristic Osprey V-22 was above the average speed of a regular plane. The Bad Guys wondered why the G-forces didn't rip their faces apart as they were pinned against their seats.
Thankfully, the aircraft reached a nearby military landing zone safely. The ambassadors of the military facility were more than happy to allow them to land without alerting any nearby civilians or forces.
Despite still sticking by their name, 'Bad Guys', the new Shadow Squad G stepped out from the landed aircraft and was met with the cool breeze of their new surroundings. Spring was still on its way. Sunlight was around, allowing some warmth during the windy day.
Wolf found himself smiling. At least he still enjoyed the Winter weather here. Coming back as the now-grown-up wolf he was, he felt new returning to his old home.
Literally. The piercings and the engagement ring were included, but his clothes were quite fresh. Still fancy, yet it would allow him to run around more. For starters, he adopted a black, collared shirt with long sleeves and one part of the shift tucked in, a blue tie wrapped around his neck and black trousers held up by a brown belt.
The new additions included blue fingerless gloves and black combat boots with blue soles and silver electronic straps. Lastly, a light purple leather vest rested over his body, decorated with pink stripes, blue stripes lining the ends of the vest and the armholes and an attached black belt around the waist.
A rather paranoid Mr. Snake felt uncomfortable when he felt the breeze. This wasn't the Los Angeles he called his home. He flicked his tongue, tasting the cold air of the environment.
Fittingly, he seemed prepared for war. He replaced his favorite bucket hat with a camouflage one in mint green, white and blue. Like his previous hat, it also contained a black stripe with a smiley white pin, only the two eyes replaced with 'x'.
He wore a little more than usual: a mint green military jacket with a white lapel and navy blue stripes and buttons, a black collared shirt underneath and a black belt with a mint green strap decorated in pouches. On his tail remained his engagement ring alongside green, white and blue gadgets disguised as accessories.
The others were more excited about their visit. While they couldn't remember if they visited Australia before, they didn't come close to Melbourne. Shark was grinning as he skipped out of the aircraft while a sleepy Webs rested on his head and a bouncing Piranha sat on his shoulder.
Naturally, Shark's outfit was quite heavy, embodying the cyberpunk theme of the league. It consisted of a purple jacket with a missing right sleeve, a golden version of his usual tooth necklace, a dark purple turtleneck with a black vest jumper over it, a black belt with a gold buckle, deep violet jeans and dark purple boots with several gold-buckled belts and white bottoms.
His right arm was covered in so many accessories: a black shoulder pad with golden lining, a golden ring wrapped around the muscle, a long black glove with his thumb poking out from it and three dark purple belts with golden buckles near his wrist. Finally, a dagger sheath was attached to his belt, decorated in white, yellow, purple and black.
Piranha wasn't able to choose properly, so he went with a mercenary armor jacket, loaded with mini weapons and ammo. His was similar to Wolf's color palette, but the colors took a neon look. He wore a black leather hooded combat jacket with pink, purple and blue accents, stripes, buttons, shoulder pads and gauntlets. A pink holographic spy tech earpiece hung over his invisible left ear.
Multicolored bullets decorated his jacket in pockets and straps near his shoulders. There were even holsters over his breasts to hold his guns. Finally, he wore a black belt with a pink buckle, black jeans with some armor pads decorating the sides and black boots with pink soles. He still wore his engagement ring despite wearing black gloves.
On the other hand, Webs didn't change that much, but it was enough to incite her role as the hacker. With her hair still tied in a braid ponytail on the right, she wore a black beanie with a golden chain on the front, black headphones with a dark purple band wrapped around the back of her head, a grey bandanna with '發' written on the front in purple, a black leather vest and a black hoodie with white stripes on her sleeves and purple blocks on the front. The hoodie itself looked like an alternative version of the original.
And Diane herself was still in her chosen ninja outfit, her headpiece hanging from her belt.
All members of Shadow Squad G made their way across the open loading zone, nearly unaware of the Australian flag behind them. If one took a slow-motion shot at them, it made them look like a superhero team getting ready for action.
Wolf was smirking, spinning around a gun with his finger.
Diane had her ruby katanas in each hand, looking around with a sober face.
Piranha was stretching his arms upwards, a big grin crossing his face.
Shark and Webs did a small fist bump, imitating an explosion between their fists.
Snake, well…
[0:36 - Pause]
"OK, OK!" he interrupted as they stopped by a large black truck. "Let's just stop! Don't act like the Avengers."
"Aww," whined Piranha. "But it's a cool shot!"
"Well, just because we're wearing these clothes does not mean we are at a literal fashion parade."
"Man…" said Shark. "But we get to wear what we want! Must make good use of it!"
"Too late now, sweetheart!" teased Wolf, pecking a kiss on Snake. "I think it makes you look more handsome."
Snake blushed, rolling his eyes. "G-Good for you. You got too sucked in with that bull's wardrobe."
"But it's exclusive," pointed out Shark, grinning. "You will feel fabulous when wearing something that best reflects you!"
"Maybe this feels like a bit too much," said Diane, looking down at the red and blue of her outfit. "I'm with Snake on this one."
"I kind of have to agree," said Webs. "Can't we just wear clothes that help us blend in the dark?"
"You're the only one looking like an edgelord," pointed out Piranha.
"...am I?"
"Nah, you're not one," said Shark, petting the tarantula. "I feel like we've all made the right choice!"
"Yep!" said Wolf, grinning. "'Cause we need style!"
Snake rolled his eyes, glancing back down at his clothes. "I only chose those colors since I thought it would help me blend in the green."
"Wait, do these glow in the dark?" asked Piranha.
"In fact, they do," said Diane, rubbing the back of her head.
Snake groaned. "Really?"
The fox chuckled sheepishly, her ears bending backwards. "Well…in case we need the light if night vision mode is off."
"Wait, there is night vision mode?" asked Wolf.
"Hold on. There's something I should let you know."
Diane placed the swords back into her belt sheaths and bent down to Piranha. She pressed a button on his suit and the little fish froze.
All of a sudden, his scales turned hot pink with light pink stripes crossing his face as if it was paint. The tips of his hair fins suddenly swayed with dark particles floating out from them. It nearly made his mohawk look like a living fire! The strangest thing was…Piranha barely felt all of this except for a chill in realization.
"Whoa…" said Piranha, his jaw slacked open at his waving mohawk. "W-What does this do?"
"That will have to work with covering up your real face if exposed," said Diane. "Remember, our suits can give us different abilities to match our strengths and abilities. This form gives some sort of thin shield that protects us. Only use in necessary situations."
Out of nowhere, another Osprey aircraft landed right near them.
Or at least tried landing.
It instead went spelunk on the road like a lazy garbage bag. Only one blade rotor was smoking, but the aircraft appeared alright.
Snake sighed. "Nothing's worse than having planes crashing around as if they don't know how to land."
The door kicked open and out came a coughing Fuchsia. The red-eyed piranha took a while for her lungs to function. When she looked down to see Shadow Squad G, she waved at them cheerily.
"I found something worse," grumbled Piranha.
"Wait a sec," said Diane. "How come SHE is coming along? I thought that we were not bringing along guests."
Wolf sighed. "One, Fuchsia still needs to have her eye on Piranha for the sake of her clingy parents. Two, we cannot find a quick way for her to stop following us. And three…"
Another person popped out of the aircraft right next to Fuchsia. A black-furred panther with a large afro. She wore golden earrings, a yellow jumpsuit with black stripes, a black belt with several pouches and yellow sneakers. She waved at Diane, smiling. However, she seemed to be shaking from the trip.
The fox couldn't help but wave back.
Wolf gave her a look. "You were saying about keeping 'guests' out of this?"
"Coincidentally, Kitty was planning to visit Doom at the Million Musical Hearts Awards Show," explained Diane. "The league is quite paranoid."
Piranha sighed. "I suppose so…"
The squad could only watch in stunned silence as Fuchsia and Kitty Kat dragged their bags from the aircraft. The Bad Guys were wondering if both of them were gonna have their own guest vehicles, but they were surprised that they were coming towards them.
"OK, what happened, chica?" asked Piranha.
"Some guy was trying to ask the plane attendant to throw away his lunch set," explained Fuchsia. "Though, he mixed it up with an iron hammer. It was only a second after he threw the hammer out of the window when I realized that he threw away the wrong thing."
The squad decided not to go into asking about this. Having a broken window while in the air was scary enough, but they already had ideas on why the blade rotor was smoking.
"OK, so that ride didn't go well," said Fuchsia. "But don't worry, we won't do anything stupid."
This elicited a glare from Kitty.
"You promise on that?" asked Snake.
"Let's give them a rest," said Webs. "They're just sightseeing."
"Yeah, but I wouldn't trust them staying close to whatever mission we're supposed to."
"I suggest that whenever we are out, you two stay out of trouble," informed Diane, holding Kitty's hand. "For your safety and the power vested in me, old friend."
Kitty smiled, entertaining the suggestion. "Alright then. May your work here go well."
Fuchsia rolled her eyes. "Sure, we can stay out of it. But what is it really about?"
"How about I give you a fair deal for this?" asked Diane, pulling out a suitcase from the truck.
Opening it, it revealed to be a massive pile of American money. A rich shade of green for all of them to admire. Of course, the Bad Guys appeared upset.
"You've been carrying all that cash the whole time?" pointed out Wolf.
"You have an offer for something more irreplaceable," said Diane before turning back to Kitty and Fuchsia. "Now, you can have this money to support your taxes if you don't say another word. Otherwise, you don't get the money and the league will decide what to do with you."
Both girls were stunned by this offer. Fuchsia's eyes were sparkling and so were Kitty. However, the panther quickly snapped out of it when she realized what this meant.
"Wait a minute," she said, placing her hand on her hip. "You're bribing us, aren't you-?"
"I'm in!" said Fuchsia cooly. "I need the money."
Diane smiled. "Deal close."
"Oh, thank goodness," said Snake in relief.
Kitty rubbed her chin. "Kind of expected, but is there anything I should be worried about? Like what may happen to you all?"
"Don't worry, babe," said Shark, rubbing her shoulders. "We'll be fine! We're professionals!"
The panther raised an eyebrow, glancing at the giant shark. She became good friends with him ever since they started talking about the fashion shows they watched. She could trust him. But she couldn't really trust the others since they weren't close.
Wolf and Piranha shared an earnest grin. Meanwhile, Snake and Webs gave a sarcastic and overconfident smirk. Diane grinned as well, but it appeared to be forced.
"You mean professionals at being hurricanes?" snarked Kitty.
"It could count," said Shark proudly.
The panther sighed, cringing. "Don't get too cocky, please."
"Speaking of cocky," said Diane. "We'll be going into Melbourne pretty soon, which IS a location the Bad Guys never been before. I don't think we'll get immediately used to crime gangs running around there. So, we'll need you all to be on your best behavior."
Neither of the five Bad Guys appeared pleased by this.
"I thought we could do anything as agents," grumbled Snake.
"That's debatable," said Diane. "Despite this, there are a few things you should consider first. It can easily give us away, you know."
"I agree with her," said Fuchsia, impressed. "This isn't America anymore."
"Ouch," said Wolf, clicking his tongue. "Don't need to say which competition is easy."
"Maybe this should be a good habit you can enforce," said Diane, pulling another suitcase out from the truck.
Opening it, the Bad Guys were presented with plush toys. All five plushies representing each of their species. Snake slowly picked up one. It was supposed to be a snake, but it looked like a hybrid between a lizard and a hot dog.
"These are stress toys," said Diane as the Bad Guys picked one each. "You can squeeze on them whenever you feel the urge to cause chaos."
"Awww!" cooed Shark, hugging his shark stress toy. "This is so cute!"
"I know, right, hermano?" said Piranha, hugging his as well.
Fuchsia could only watch enviously as Piranha played around with his toy. The little fish was already tossing it up like a stuffed toy. It didn't take long for him to love it when he grabbed it in his mouth and shook it around like a dog…
"It's been a while since I got to play with a teddy bear," said Fuchsia quietly.
Kitty chuckled, patting the red-eyed piranha. "It's never too late to get one back. Even if you're too old for it."
"No. It's just that the last time I had one, I used it to practice head-chopping."
The panther nodded…only to quickly look back at Fuchsia dumbfoundedly.
Wolf could only laugh in amusement, squeaking on his wolf stress toy. "Whatever you say, Miss Foxington. We'll be good boys!"
"I'm not sure if this is necessary," said Webs, holding up a tarantula stress toy that was her size. "I think I should just give mine to Hornet."
Snake held onto his the longest…and squeezed onto it the hardest. He only blankly stared at Diane, the toy suffering in his grip. Only a few seconds, its head popped and it flopped onto the floor pathetically. The fox could only stare with a nervous grin.
"OK…with that settled!" said Diane. "Let's try to familiarize ourselves with the city, shall we?"
Wolf nodded. "Fair enough, fellows. Another tour won't hurt."
"Hopefully it will go well," said Snake. The energy he put into murdering his stress toy wasn't enough to kill his growing anxiety.
Hopping right into the truck, Diane and Wolf took the front seats, with Wolf being trusted to take the wheel. In case of anything since Diane was more of a bike rider. Snake was able to squeeze right onto Wolf's seat, sitting next to him (and creating a barrier for Diane). Shark and Piranha took the middle seats, which was easy enough for Webs since she just needed to stay on top of Shark. At the seats far behind, Kitty and Fuchsia sat there with the latter placing the suitcase filled with cash next to her.
"Where we're heading to, boys?" asked Wolf, revving the engine.
"Now, this is a private truck," said Diane firmly. "Let's be respectful to it. One, the radio isn't meant for music-"
"Let's play some tunes!" piped up Kitty, already wanting to be in a good mood. "Time to get this party started!"
"Webs!" instructed Wolf. "Hit it."
[Resume at 0:36]
The tarantula already hopped onto the radio and switched it on. She didn't need to choose. An electronic Eurodance song began playing. Obviously pop, but no one minded, bopping their heads up and down to the beat.
Diane, on the other hand, was miffed.
"Fine," she groaned.
The journey was quite enjoyable. With the radio on, the crew on board were singing loudly, enjoying themselves. Even if they might be restricted, that didn't mean they would take everything seriously. Diane found herself singing with them as they drove through the new road. Aside from the fact that they had to drive on the left and ended up being lost in the rural areas, it was still an intriguing experience since it was a new territory.
A few minutes later, they were stuck in some heavy traffic. It didn't stop them from enjoying the spectacle of the shiny and lively city from the bridge they were on. A variety of gray, white, black and blue apartments and skyscrapers cover the land. Billboards on the sides to welcome any newcomers. Most of them advertised things they didn't know before. It wasn't like sunny Los Angeles, but it gave a classy look.
"I can't believe you left this place a long time ago, you two," said Webs, staring out the window.
Wolf chuckled sadly. "Yeah. It's a bit hard looking back. Though, I don't remember this place looking this nice."
Snake nodded. He found himself not enjoying the view. He tried to try to admire what his old home city provided. Still, it didn't calm him down from the thoughts of facing old enemies.
"Thought that this place would be prosperous," said Fuchsia, taking several pictures. "Oh well! At least it's not too flashy."
"I thought it would be chaotic," said Kitty. "Maybe they just want to look good with those tall buildings."
An excited Piranha already got his face pressed against the window like a child waiting for a toy they wanted in the toy store. His tongue nearly poked out, but his mouth was curled in a nice, large smile. With bright, open yellow eyes in childlike wonder at the marvelous city before him…
Next to the truck, a young boy in a car only saw Piranha's face smooshed against the window like a tacky window car accessory.
"Erm…ma!" he said nervously. "I think there's a mutant sardine staring at me."
And Piranha heard that. "Sardine? SARDINE?! What did you call me?!"
Fortunately, the traffic cleared and the truck drove on, ensuring that nobody would see Piranha trying break into an innocent car.
[0:54]
The rest was uneventful. Diane decided to get everyone checked out at a small hotel for the next few nights. The Bad Guys didn't find it that interesting despite getting a few separate rooms of their own, so they were all more than happy to stretch their legs around the city, close and personal.
Though, they had to change into their casual clothes first since they couldn't just wander around the city in their uniforms. And Diane insisted that her business outfit was normal enough to walk around.
Light shows from the signs and lit monitors highlight every corner of the city. The street alleys they passed by were littered with colorful graffiti, mixed in different styles and cultural references. These paintings appeared similar to what they saw in Los Angeles, but some were more detailed with a cartoonish appearance. Most of the nearby diners and restaurants blended with the street style, various in different cuisines.
At one point, they decided to stop right at the Flinders Street Station. Known as a 'hulking beauty' for its attractiveness of a train station. The usual busy and shopping spree crowd covered every inch of the station. Either picking up snacks from food stores or trying to get to their next train. A mad dash for getting the things they wanted here.
And just on the other side was the Federation Square. A neat arrangement of black cube buildings together. To the newcomers, it would be a mystery what they offer inside. The huge monitor was visible, presenting a tennis match. However, the people crowding the area made it hard to see any potential attractions on display.
Most of the Bad Guys wanted to pause their stroll, wanting to wait until the crowd grew less in number. They managed to sit by on the front stairs, thankfully not packed. Kitty and Fuchsia already wandered off, so they might as well wait here.
Diane took a step back to observe the tall clock-like building before them. A signifier of the London inspiration to the city. Old school.
[1:16]
"That thing looks like Big Ben," she commented. "You know. The windows could resemble the clock."
"We are not in England," commented Wolf.
"Well, Australia IS founded by European Settlers."
"Welcome to Australia, people," said Snake. "It might make you feel like you're in London, mate."
Shark was briefly taken aback when he swore he heard a new accept in Snake's raspy voice. He took one look at the reptile, but he didn't look different. Shrugging, the giant shark gave his thought.
"It does look like London," he said, gazing around. "Perhaps references to the 1800s England architecture."
Webs was more focused on the modern buildings in front of them. "It likes some kind of mix between the old fashion and newstyle."
Compared to the glamorous and golden lifestyle of Los Angeles, Melbourne was more of a melting pot with a noir England look. The slightly damp weather helped as well. However, the civilians walking around wore various clothes, not conforming to a specific fashion. A growing community based on the old foundations. It wasn't something the modern Bad Guys were used to seeing.
"The people around here seem tough," said Piranha, spotting a family nonchalantly passing by him. "They don't seem to mind us."
Piranha was right about that. Since they were in a new city, all six expected people to freeze and run away when found. To their surprise, most of these strollers left them alone. A couple of anthropomorphic animals also walked by, adding to the diversity. In fact, the humans acted as if they barely registered the Bad Guys, lost in their world. Eyes only adjust to their path instead of the paths of others.
There were a few reactions, if not many. Those climbing down the same stairs glanced at them, but they didn't bother. When Wolf looked up to see a man walking by, he only politely smiled at the canine before moving on. However, the smile only appeared random than true.
One family in the distance was staring at Shark with wide eyes. He turned to them, suddenly feeling exposed. He could only meekly wave at them, trying to form a friendly grin. Unsurprisingly, the father held his son protectively with a firm glare. The mother, however, waved a little, albeit nervously.
Immediately, Shark looked away in hopes of not scaring them further.
Webs sighed, patting Shark on the shoulder. "Don't take this too personally, buddy. You know that we've all been through this."
"I-I know," said Shark, trying to straighten himself. "But you know. We're still 'Bad Guys' of this world."
Diane winced a little, knowing that might be true. It might not be easy for the others since there were still people who feared predator animals. Even if this country appeared casual with having animals around. However, for her, it might not be likely. One lady walking by gave her a dirty look. A sign that foxes weren't exactly welcomed here.
Wolf noticed the discomfort on the fox's face. He wouldn't lie; he was anxious as well. He was glad that his family came along. That calmed his nerves. But he felt that this city had unfinished business with him. To remind him that this place wasn't where wolves belonged to. He gulped, hoping he wouldn't hear things again, but he was already dreading the forthcoming feeling.
However, his attention shifted when he noticed another fox strolling through the crowd. This one reminded him of Diane except for the longer snout and visible black markings and ears. His looks were more sharper, probably due to being masculine. His adventurous eyes scanned the crowd and laid upon Diane.
In turn, Diane noticed his gaze.
Realizing his mistake, the fox looked away bashfully. His lips moved with some curses under his breath. The crowd hid him so well, but not enough to cover him tripping over two times.
Wolf couldn't help chuckling, happy. At least there were some foxes. Maybe even other predator animals living in Melbourne. He noticed that Diane's tail was wagging a little. The canine was jealous, but this was the first time he saw a reaction from Diane seeing another fox.
"I see that you found your new soulmate?" he teased.
Diane whipped towards him angrily, her face turning bright red. "No!"
Webs whistled. "Looks like someone is gonna have a new hot boyfriend."
"Good thing, I say," said Snake, trying to curl himself up on the stairs. "Little Miss Perfect might be able to find a fox here."
Before he could talk more, his hat fluttered away by the wind. The camouflage hat he decided to wear. A yelp escaped his lips upon feeling the cold wind picking it up away and into the crowd at the bottom of the stairs. The reptile nearly crawled down to grab it until a random female human nabbed it out of the air.
"Got it!" she called. "OK, whose hat is this?"
Snake was already too close. "I…think that's mine?"
She looked to the side and her eyes widened at the sight of a sentient snake. She took a moment to look around, wondering if he was talking to her or not. Her face read more of 'Why is there a snake doing HERE in a busy train station where he could be stomped on?' While bewildered, she quickly recovered and gave him back his hat.
"Oh, apologies for freezing," said the human sincerely. "Hope that it isn't trouble."
Snake didn't know what to say, stunned at this remark. A few seconds were all he needed before he continued. "Well, it was nothing, mate."
The woman just smiled before she skipped away. She glanced at the rest of the Bad Guys before looking away. No double takes or anything else.
Piranha grinned. "Huh. So it seems that not everyone here relies on stereotypes!"
Wolf and Snake glanced at each other, unable to believe THAT happened. They hadn't proven to this city for a long time and someone went up to them trying to be nice. The latter, in particular, expected a nasty look, but this human gave him back his hat. He had to wonder how much this city changed ever since they were gone.
It was still a weird thing for Snake that there were people generous to him.
"Right…right," he muttered.
"Sounds good to me!" said Shark, wiping his forehead.
"It's a diverse city right here," said Diane, feeling hopeful.
"Or maybe it's the toughness," said Piranha. "They appear more tougher than they look. Didn't Snake mention that they grown used to the wildlife and the fauna?"
Snake cracked a smile. "Nah, kiddo. Honestly, not these people."
"And yet I'm out here," pointed out Webs, noticing one nosy tourist taking a picture of her. "They don't fear us that much."
"That might be due to being used to wild animals," said Piranha. "I'm seeing more animals here. There can be also dingoes, crocodiles, drop bears, kan-"
Wolf laughed, holding a hand up. In his laughter, an Australian accent was slowly returning. "No, no, no, mate. There is no such thing as drop bears! That's just a fairy tale-"
As if on cue, a gray small bear landed right on his face.
"AAAAAAAHHH! THERE'S A DROP BEAR ON MY FACE! THERE'S A DROP BEAR ON MY FACE! GET IT OFF ME!"
Everybody leaned back as Wolf jumped around the stairs, nearly clumsily as well given he could fall over easily. He tried to dislodge the sticky bear from his face to no avail. Random strangers watched the whole thing on the station staircase, one even taking out her camera to record the madman. It even reminded the rest of the Bad Guys a lot when Moe first landed on him in a not-so-graceful way.
This time, however, the creature in question didn't go berserk.
"Oh, sorry, mate!" said the bear, dropping down from Wolf. "Just finished fixing the electrical wires above."
The canine froze in his panic, not realizing who this 'drop bear' was. "Huh?"
It was actually an anthropomorphic koala about Piranha's height. He was wearing a construction outfit, complete with a bright orange vest and a white construction hat. He stood up and patted Wolf on the boot reassuringly.
"Sorry if I scared you," said the koala sheepishly. "Not always good with hanging up in high places."
With that, the koala ran away to get back to his job. Wolf felt his face heating up, acknowledging that he fell for the notorious myth. He slowly turned around to find satisfied grins from his friends. Snake was laughing loudly, glancing back at the koala. Meanwhile, Piranha was nodding with a mocking look of seriousness.
"Don't you dare tell anyone about this," growled Wolf, not noticing the one person recording him behind.
"...wait, is that the drop bear?" asked Webs, a little belatedly.
[End of Song]
Los Angeles, America, Hornet's Detective Agency Building
Mira was grateful that she was allowed some time off. Even though she should have been out there to collect the daily drama, the journalist was told that the city was short of new gossip. Or any activity picked off from other criminals in the city. It didn't come to mind since she was happy to accompany Hornet for the rest of the day.
While waiting by Hornet's office, she wondered what was taking him so long. It was already passed noon and Hornet was usually an early bird. On rough days, he would come a little later. Or perhaps hanging out with the Bad Guys. It would be more likely the former, given what happened last night.
The journalist sighed, feeling bad about their previous conversation. She felt sore, but she didn't know what it was for, however. Was she upset with herself for upsetting Hornet the other day? It didn't feel like the case. There was something that she felt she didn't know yet. Something rooted. But for now, she wondered what could be the best approach to ask properly.
[Fresh - JAXSON GAMBLE]
[0:00]
She straightened her composure when the front door opened. Her eyebrow raised in surprise by the little bug's new outfit.
Hornet adopted a look of a biker with loud colors: an orange leather jacket decorated in black and yellow stripes and a belt wrapped around the waist. Underneath was a black shirt with pink swirls and a blue lightning bolt, similar to his original shirt. On top of his head was a pair of black goggles with gold accents, though that was probably for show.
"Whoa!" said Mira, grinning. "Never knew that you're gonna go that strong."
Hornet shrugged, smiling a little. "I want to try a change for this week. Perhaps it would make me feel a little brighter. Is it alright?"
"You look nice, I have to say! It fits for you."
Hornet smiled. "Why, thank you, Mira."
"You're…still feeling upset, Hornet?"
The little bug sniffed, rubbing his other arm. "A little bit, but I'm starting to feel a little better. Moe was some good company."
As if noticing his presence, Mira looked down to see the cat tapping her feet, meowing curiously. She feared the worst, but Hornet must have taken the time to recollect his thoughts. The journalist giggled and picked Moe up, feeling the cat's ears wiggling underneath her chin.
"Was it hard taking care of Moe? Especially with your size and his?" she asked.
"He can be too curious," said Hornet as he flew to his desk. "Nearly made a mess at my place. Though, he was on good behavior. Besides, I won't let my size let me down."
"That's good to know. I was worried that he might make messes around here."
"I think he's just too fixated on certain objects. You remembered that he was trying to scratch a loose carpet string."
"Hopefully, the toys that I have for him won't be pulled apart."
Placing Moe gently on the table, Mira pulled out another bell toy and threw it forwards. The orange cat meowed in awe before pouncing onto it. Hornet chuckled, landing nearby. He prayed that Moe wouldn't accidentally roll over and knock down the piles of papers he left behind.
"I'll give this one a good solid 10 minutes," he joked. "Anyway, any news you want to tell me?"
"Not that much at my day job," explained Mira, taking a seat. "It was surprisingly…uneventful. That was why I was here earlier."
"Wait, I thought you just finished writing your newspapers."
"Eh, there wasn't much reported last night and this morning. There was an event about some kind of prison break, but another journalist already handled it and it wasn't too significant. That would sound weird, but they handled the chaos well. The city, on the other hand, is really quiet."
Hornet hummed. "You don't think it's due to…the Bad Guys already in…another country?"
"I don't think so. We already had a few times where things were peaceful."
Hornet nodded, rubbing his chin. It would be rare for a day when no crime happened. It could be unnatural. Most criminals often went out to do annoyances, but with no offenses going on, it nearly felt like they were scheming something. Nevertheless, he shrugged it off. It wasn't that big of a problem.
"I guess that's a good thing then," he said with a smile. "No cases for today."
"Actually, there is a client who…" Mira trailed off, noticing something poking from Moe's collar. "Is that a toy from Moe?"
The orange cat was still playing with the bell toy but oblivious to a tiny object tucked into his collar. Hornet noticed as well before flying over to grab it. It was about his size for him to carry, but upon closer look, it was surprisingly sculptured in complex detail: a thin sniper gun decked in black and orange colors. It didn't even look like it was made from plastic!
Mira gasped, leaning close. "What kind of weapon is this?"
"This is a custom paintball gun I bought!" said Hornet, grinning like a child. "You should google it."
"But I don't know where to look. Was it from the black market or that store where they sell ineffective paintball guns?"
"Oh, please! Don't get too scared. It doesn't work. Yet." He brandished it around. "It doesn't work yet! Let me just give this thing a test drive!"
He turned backward, aiming at a newspaper hanging from the wall. With one eye closed, he aimed and pressed the trigger. A small paintball in the shape of a bullet came flying out…and sniped right through the nearby glass window instead.
[1:05 - End of Song]
Moe yelped and roared loudly, frightened by the sound of glass shattering.
And oh, it eventually shot right into a black robot drone flying in. It appeared to be carrying a plastic bag. To Mira's surprise, the paintball's impact was enough to create a hole through the drone. She watched mournfully as the now-smoking drone dropped to the ground outside.
"...I was meant to shoot that," said Hornet sheepishly.
"That was the lunch I ordered today," said Mira quietly.
"...OK, I was aiming for the newspaper on the wall."
Moe gave Hornet a judgy look.
"Don't give me that look."
"Is this your first time using a gun?" asked Mira.
Hornet sighed. "It had been a while since I ever used any gun. It's not my type. However, I bought this in case of emergencies. But…I'll get a hang of it! I'm the lookout! I have excellent eye vision!"
Mira tapped her chin with a pen. "Hmm, I think it's more how you move it around. Though, I'm not a master marksman myself."
Hornet pouted. "Fair point. Anyway, you said something about a new client. Sorry for interrupting."
"Oh yes," said Mira. "Their name is Alex Paste. 19 years old, already graduated from high school. They're filing a missing person case."
Hornet nodded, resting the sniper gun on his shoulder to practice again. "Send them in."
"Got it."
But right after Mira turned the sniper gun away when Hornet pointed it to her by mistake. With a smile, she opened the door and called through the hallway. It didn't take long until their new client entered the office.
Their client could be considered a misfit themself; a human with olive skin and long turquoise hair tied in a ponytail, tipped in lavender. Alex's brightly colored hair contrasted significantly with their dark outfit: a black denim coat only buttoned by the first top button, a black top, black fingerless gloves, a black belt with a silver buckle and silver chains, black jeans and black shoes. Entering the office, their eyes scanned around in wariness.
"Oh…um…hello there?" said Alex shyly. "Well…OK, this is not what I have in mind."
Hornet let them shuffle around the office room for a while. The little bug frowned, anticipating some fearful reactions. What could they do to get here? And judging by the look on Alex's face, they were surprised they themselves even got here, in a room with a criminal.
"So, you're from the Bad Guys, right?" asked Alex, chuckling nervously. "Cause I…never really got to meet one of you before. I-I mean, I met some 'bad guys' before. Everyone said I tend to hang out more with the wilder dogs." Their eyes widened upon realizing what they had said. "I-I wasn't supposed to say that part! I mean, I was…damn it."
"Is there anything I can provide for you, Paste?" said Mira generously. "Perhaps a cup of coffee or tea?"
"N-N-No, thank you! I am alright. Just gonna…sit down now and…" They fumbled with grabbing the visitor's chair, only for it to topple over. "Oh dear! I'm so sorry! Sorry…sorry…"
Hornet and Moe were a little baffled by this. Then again, it wasn't the typical behavior Hornet saw from past clients. While Alex was nervous about being in a criminal environment, they seemed to keep stumbling over their words in the presence of anyone. Even Mira's presence was treated no differently. In a way, it made Hornet feel a little better that his new client wasn't really afraid of him.
Alex was probably just shy.
"So, Alex Paste," said Hornet, clearing his throat. "Let's just cut to the chase here. You came here to report a missing…person?"
That seemed to click in Alex's mind as they chose to stand, taking the situation seriously. However, they kept fidgeting their fingers, trying to calm their nerves.
"Yeah…" said Alex. "I should have done this like…a long time ago. And it could have been easier to find out. But I'm looking for what happened to my sister Susan."
"How long was she missing?" asked Hornet. "Where was she last seen?"
"Two years ago." Alex's tone was growing quieter. "Last time I heard from her, she told me she would be at…Centralway Mall."
"Centralway Mall?" repeated Mira, surprised. "Wasn't that where there was an explosion last week?"
Alex's lips curled. "Yeah, that one."
"And you said she disappeared there two years ago," said Hornet. "So, it's still ongoing?"
Alex opened their mouth, but they hesitated. One look from them and it came to Hornet that this might not have been an easy investigation during the period of Susan's disappearance. When Alex finally got the confidence to speak again, what they said surprised Hornet.
"I know that I'm doing again with calling a case when a person's already dead," muttered Alex, trying not to look at the ground. "I was going around in circles, but then every time I got an idea, it went poof and like that." They motioned with their hands weakly. "You know. Might be useless."
Hornet hummed gently. "No, no, no. Perhaps I can help? I just need to hear more first."
Alex hesitated at first. "Well…it's just that recently…I looked into my sister's room for the first time in years and…I found this letter in her drawer. The police said nothing about it when I showed them."
They pulled out a stained envelope from their coat pocket and placed it on the table. One look and Hornet gasped when he saw the words 'SUNNYSIDE LABS'.
He immediately tore it open and pulled out the letter. The message acted like an invitation, complete with Susan's name included. It told her that the facility confirmed that she would be helping the organization for a specific experiment and to keep it confidential…
A headache banged against his forehead. The little bug squeezed his eyes close. The first thing that came to his mind was the file he kept in his office. The one that presented his information from Sunnyside Labs. The second thing that came to mind was being in a laboratory, waking up with his muscles sore, looking down to find…
He shook his head, forcing himself to return to reality before Alex or Mira could notice. Opening his eyes, he clenched his teeth and tried to form words together. He felt exposed. He felt threatened. He couldn't stop shaking.
"This…this disappearance happened two years ago?" he asked. "W-When did it exactly happen?"
Alex tried to recall, but their memories were blurred due to previous emotions interfering with remembering specific details. "I-I think it was…during or around the middle of July?"
"Wait, that time was when Sunnyside Labs started to collapse. The time when the Bad Guys freed the guinea pigs there. They couldn't have possibly picked up test subjects around that time."
Alex rubbed their arm nervously, but the tone in their voice indicated that they sounded sure this time. "It seems like they did. Could it be…a last-ditch attempt for…something? Before they shut it down once Professor Marmalade was in jail?"
Hornet looked back at the letter. "This got to be some trick. Wouldn't there be records from the former staff about your sister's current coordinates? Maybe even transferred files?"
"But…that letter is the only thing I can find."
"T-There's got to be something, right?" Hornet could already feel his good antenna twitching. "Surely we don't have to face Sunnyside Labs again, right? Right?"
Mira noticed the way Hornet's voice was cracking. "Hornet? Is everything alright?"
Hornet laughed nervously. "Yeah! It's alright! It should be! Why shouldn't it be not? They shut down the labs long ago."
Alex sighed. "But they did not tell me where my sister went. That's why they didn't 'shut down'."
"In what way?" said Hornet, trying to maintain a calm tone. "They could be taking time to document all of this. Perhaps slowly!"
The young biker's face was grim. "When I tried asking the police, they told me that she's gone. Nothing else. They never told what happened to her for two years. I was never told she had anything to do with Sunnyside Labs until I got this letter."
That struck a chord in Hornet. "What?"
Alex sighed, feeling heavy in their chest. "Been checking in monthly. Somewhat. Checking with the police, kept hearing their promise to investigate. But they never told me if they made progress. They only said they couldn't find anything."
They pointed to the letter once again, flinching when they touched the sharp bit.
"When I told them about this, they refused immediately. All because of…" Alex narrowed their eyes, confused. "...not allowed to interfere with the shutdown of Sunnyside Labs. Like, why wouldn't they? Have any of you heard about the 'likely' disappearances connected to Sunnyside?"
Mira was only able to answer that. "I did hear about it. But they were rumors."
Alex shook their head. "They're not rumors. I-I know that no one has evidence. I mean, how come they don't have any kind of files? Don't you find it weird of this connection to those disappearances? Is it a coincidence that there're current disappearancs of those who used to work for Sunnyside Labs? Why families and friends were left in the dark for so long?"
Hornet's vision became less dark, able to understand. It came to him that it was relating to a much bigger case than he thought. "Who else weren't informed of these disappearances?"
Alex's lips trembled. "A couple. Some…moved on. Some…already died. It was…hard trying to connect with them. They barely talked again. They don't want to come out."
The room already went quiet and almost nothing could help alleviate the chilling sensation. Hornet and Mira glanced at each other, frightened. It was bad enough that Sunnyside Labs did atrocious experiments, but the fact that none of the disappearances of associated workers were reported to their loved ones?
That was actually a red flag. Never before not telling the truth would allow family and friends of the unfortunate victims to…give up.
Alex placed two hands on the table. They didn't mean to appear intimidating due to already trembling, but in their subconscious, they were frustrated with how long they were blinded.
"Susan…always wanted to help out," said Alex slowly. "I told her that she was too helpful. She insisted since she even wanted me to branch out. But if something did happen to her, then…I want to know. I want to know what led to this. She deserves a proper burial as well." They paused momentarily, nearly tempted to lift a hand to their teary eyes. "I deserve it."
If it were up to anyone, Hornet would make the decision. He didn't want to remember Sunnyside Labs again, but this was someone else. It wasn't him. It was one of many wanting to know what happened to their relative who…voluntarily became a test subject.
No, scratch that, Alex would want to know what happened to all of those who disappeared from seemingly given a bad hand of Sunnyside Labs.
What experiments did they do on Susan and others? At the same time, Hornet found himself feeling angry.
Angry that their likely deaths weren't shared properly. Leaving their family and friends distressed or dead from the lack of reassurance. It didn't help that Sunnyside Labs was already closed. With the police seemingly unwilling to cooperate, Alex took the risk to come all the way here for answers, even if they might be picked off.
They needed someone who could think like a criminal. Someone who would know how to uncover secrets like this.
Taking a deep breath, he puffed up his chest and flew upwards.
"I guess that…we can look further into it?" he said. "Where should we start?"
"I think we should check out Centralway Mall," said Mira, stepping into the conversation. "It's the place where Susan went missing, right?"
"Yes," said Alex, stepping back away from the desk. "But it's already under investigation due to the explosion. And I'm not sure if that was where she was last seen."
"We have to look through there," said Hornet. "If not, they might already clean up any traces of your sister's appearance."
"Do you think the explosion is…somehow related to this?" wondered Alex. "We didn't know what bomb caused it."
"It might be just a coincidence," said Mira.
"I say that we go over there now," suggested Hornet. "Before the cops come back there. It would take too long to get from here to there."
Alex raised their hand. "I…think that I…have a way."
All eyes were on them.
"I-I mean…sort of," chuckled Alex anxiously. "But…not sure if I can fit in all and I…don't have a spare helmet. I-I got here by motorcycle, so…perhaps I can share?"
Mira thought about it. "Sure. Why not?"
"You're sure about this?" asked Hornet. "I don't remember you riding a motorcycle."
"It should be like riding a bicycle. Besides, better than needing to scrap a car."
AN: Boy, this is a lot to take in. Well now, time to explain hopefully in a short amount of time.
The new outfits are probably some of my favorites from all the outfits I gave to the characters. There are a couple of references and interestingly, their outfits are in the colors of various pride flags; it's in this AU that shows what they identify themselves as in the LGBTQ+ community. I wasn't sure if this would be considered 'pandering' though drawing them out, they stand out authentically like they came from their own genre.
1) Wolf's outfit is based on the bisexual flag (a common fanon due to his behavior in the film) and actually a reference to Wolf O' Donnell's outfit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
2) Snake's outfit is based on the modern gay flag. The one in green, white and blue. The outfit reference is more subtle; referencing the Fox Squad Leader in Sonic Forces.
3) Shark's outfit is based on the non-binary flag which would play a part in what he identifies himself as. The outfit itself is a reference to the early beta appearance of Derek Lucks of Meta Runner.
4) Webs' outfit is based on the asexual flag and the beanie itself is a reference to a coach for 'DDU-DU DDU-DU' in Just Dance 2019.
5) Hornet's outfit, while retaining his signature orange color, is based on the pansexual flag and references Harley Quinn's Injustice and The Suicide Squad outfits.
6) Piranha's outfit feels more like it was copied than improvised. His is also based on the bisexual flag (a nod to Rally's headcanon) and a full reference to Blackguard's outfit in The Suicide Squad.
7) And finally, Diane's outfit is a more traditional ninja outfit with a faithful design to her book counterpart. Her outfit is based on the polyamory flag, hence the yellow 'pi' symbol.
We got two more characters to introduce; the cast is growing bigger and bigger! Welcome back, Kitty Kat! She first appeared in 'No Decision Goes Unpunished'! While she has a more minor role, she has some significance with her relationship with Diane. Her personality is a little different, being more willing to be silly. I imagine that Nathasha Rothwell as her potential VA.
Alex Paste is a new original character in the story, inspired by Raine Whispers (The Owl House) and Kate Bishop (MCU). They do not have an extensive background of their own, however, but play a role in Hornet's and Mira's arc as the reader's perspective. To clear up any confusion, Alex is non-binary, hence their they/them pronouns. They would be potentially voiced by Blu del Barrio.
In case you didn't notice, there are a couple of references all around in this chapter. Snake popping a stress toy is a reference to The Owl House. Hornet brandishing a sniper gun is a reference to the pilot of Murder Drones with a lot of practice needed. The drop bear joke was actually when I recalled back to Middle School: Escape to Australia. I can guarantee there's no such thing as drop bears or koalas tearing off people's faces. :3
With the chapter setting the tone for the rest of the story, what are your thoughts with the established setting of Melbourne and the new mystery happening on Hornet's side? Thank you for reading this chapter! If you enjoy this story so far, be sure to favorite or follow. Constructive criticism is appreciated, but if any flames, then it's down the drain.
Until next time, keep on rocking!