The Anti Thieving Duo
"Hello" - (Normal talking)
"What happened?" - (Thoughts)
"What do I do?" - (Flashback)
{"Hey, can you hear me?"} - (Communication)
":Now arriving at your destination:" - (Another Language)
"\Prepare for departure\" - (Radio and speakers)
Hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 18 - The Luchadora Tango Caper
(Outer Hebrides, Highlands of Scotland)
It was a rainy day, as waves crashed against some rocks, and on the beach near an abandoned castle….or thats what it looks like.
"Ah, Scotland, the gothic grandeur of its Highlands" Professor Maelstrom said with a smile, as the doors opened, as the Cleaners entered while dressed in Scottish clothing, with Boris playing the drums and Vlad playing the bagpipes, before they split and stood on either side of the doors, with the Faculty members entering behind them.
"The majestic bellow of its bagpipes. The tartan weave of its kilts" Gunnar said with a grin, as he looked around the castle, seeing the boxes and crates laid about with all their equipment and everything in them.
"The bitter sting of its cold" Countess Cleo said with a shiver, her arms crossed to try and keep herself warm. "How are they not freezing?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, as she looked at the Cleaners, before walking into the castle.
"It is unusually drafty in here" Dr Bellum said with her own shiver.
Maelstrom walked over to where their new high table was, with a large map of the world behind it. "Sure, our new headquarters could use some weatherproofing, but doesn't it just scream vile?" he asked them, as he turned around with a smirk on his face, while spreading his arms out, as VILE agents began setting things up.
"I'm gonna start screaming, if they don't quit the caterwauling!" Coach Brunt yelled at the Cleaners, causing them both to stop playing their instruments, before walking off. "Ugh, it's like strangling a goose" she said with a groan, as she stomped into the castle, and over to the high table.
"Gunnar, however are we expected to entice new students to the very edge of the earth?" Saira asked curiously.
Before anyone could answer, a beeping noise was heard, making them all look towards a large screen that came down from the ceiling, showing Roundabout on it.
{"Pshaw, Dr Bellum. The Outer Hebrides of Scotland are practically next door to London!"} Roundabout said with a wide smile.
"Well then, why don't you vacate your plush, heated office and pop over for a spot of tea, neighbour?" Cleo asked with a scowl, as she sat in her seat, after a VILE agent had placed it down for her, before they walked off.
"Now, now, Countess. Our esteemed colleague Roundabout pulled many strings to help us relocate VILE Academy in our hour of need" Gunnar said with a smirk, as another VILE agent put his chair down for him, allowing him to sit down, before they too walked away. "Completely under the radar, I might add."
Coach Brunt rolled her eyes at this, as a third VILE agent placed her chair for her, allowing her to sit, as they turned and walked away. "Way to go, new guy" she said, while looking at the screen.
{"Besides, I'm presently focused on monitoring all transmissions for Naruto Uzumaki and Carmen Sandiego, as there has been no sign of them all summer long, despite the globe-scouring efforts of our recent graduates"} Roundabout said with a smile and a raised eyebrow.
"Fiercest class ever. They'll tear 'em apart" Brunt said with a smirk and a clenched fist.
"If Shadowsan hasn't already done so, Coach Brunt" Professor Maelstrom said with his own smirk, as he leaned forward with his elbows on the table and his fingers pressed together. "The recent lack of Naruto Uzumaki and Carmen Sandiego suggests that our strategy of provoking a decisive falling out between our three traitors may have paid off. Naruto Uzumaki and Carmen Sandiego may already very well be no more" he said with an evil smirk.
0o0o0o0
(Buenos Aires, Argentina)
It was night time and two people were dancing as a group played some instruments outside a bank, while a security guard did a perimeter check inside.
Naruto and Carmen were both on the roof of the bank, as they carefully and silently put the sensors on a loop, before they opened up the window, then used some rope to rappel down into the bank.
Once they made sure that the cost was clear, they quickly ran off as they headed for the safe deposit vault.
"Player, we're in" Naruto said, as they stood before the vault's door.
"I gotta say, robbing our birth country's best known bank isn't what I want us to be remembered for" Carmen said with a raised eyebrow, as she looked at the control panel next to the door.
{"Your both each targeting a safety deposit box in a bank in Argentina linked to your late fathers, which, in theory, makes you both the rightful heirs to whatever might be inside those boxes"} Player said, as Carmen pulled off the cover to the panel, while Naruto put his pen flashdrive into the slot, as a light came on it, which allowed Player to hack into the doors controls.
The door soon opened which allowed them to enter the vault.
"Hopefully some clues to our mothers identities, since I doubt mine is called Tsunade Senju" Naruto said, as they both pulled out a flashlight, before turning them on.
"Yeah, and I doubt mine is called Vera Cruz," Carmen added with a smile, as they began using their flashlights to look at the deposit boxes, trying to find the ones that they were after.
{"Like the city in Mexico, which could be where she was born, or maybe where your dad was planning to start a new life with you guys after leaving VILE"} Player said.
"All good thoughts, Player. Let's see if we can't find out" Naruto said with a grin, as they both approached the back of the vault. "And if that was the case, I wonder if we'd have been neighbours to each other."
"Well, we'll never know," Carmen said, as they began looking for the deposit boxes they were after by running their fingers down the boxes.
After a while of looking, Carmen stopped her finger at box 1021, while Naruto stopped at the one next to it, box 1020.
They both took out a flathead screwdriver and used them to pull out the safety deposit boxes, before they opened them up, seeing a lot of different passports inside them.
They each grabbed one and opened them up, seeing the faces of their fathers for the first time.
"So that's Dexter Wolfe. I have his eyes" Carmen said with a small smile.
"And this is Minato Rana. I look like a miniature version of him" Naruto said with his own small smile.
"All these passports in both boxes must belong to them respectively" Carmen said.
"Agreed," Naruto said with a nod at this.
They were about to get up, before they both spotted something else in the deposit boxes. They pulled them out and saw that they were lockets, which they opened up, each showing a picture of them being held by their respective fathers as a baby, in what looked like a town or city.
"Player, take a look at these" Carmen said, as Naruto held onto her torch for her, as she pulled out her compact computer, as she took pictures of both photos, before sending them to Player.
"Okay, how cute were the two of you?" Player asked with a grin, as he looked at both the photos.
{"Very, but I think that Carmen meant a close look"} Naruto said.
"Ah, an image analysis. I'm on it" Player said with a smile and a raised eyebrow, as he began typing on his computer.
Naruto and Carmen then walked out of the vault with their respective lockets, as Player closed and locked it behind them, with Naruto grabbing his pen flashdrive out of the control panel, with Carmen putting the cover back on it.
"Ya know babe, you did look really cute as a baby" Carmen said with a smile, as they crept back to where the ropes were.
"Yeah, I think so too. But then again, you also looked quite cute yourself, sweetie" Naruto said with a nod, before he gave Carmen a smile of his own.
"True" Carmen said with her own nod, as they arrived at where the ropes were, before they climbed back out of the bank, and pulled the ropes up, then closed up the window and set the alarms back to normal.
They then used their grappling hooks to rappel down the side of the bank, before they changed into their civilian clothes, as they headed towards an area outside of the bank.
"Since we've finished our small vacation, VILE will be sure to notice our return," Naruto said with a frown.
Carmen nodded at this with a frown of her own. "True. But it was a good chance to unwind for a bit, and have some fun. Especially our private fun in the bedroom" she said with a grin, as she winked sexually at Naruto.
"On that we agree, my dear" Naruto said with a chuckle.
Meanwhile, outside the bank, Zack and Ivy were watching the couple continue to dance, while the group continued to play their instruments, with Ivy having a smile on her face, while Zack looked dumbfounded.
"Who knew that the Irish jig was such a big thing here in Buenos Aires?" Zack asked, as he rubbed the back of his neck, with a raised eyebrow.
Ivy gave him a scowl at this. "They're dancing the tango, bro, there's nothing Irish about it. Although, it does have a bit of a kicky thing going on" she said with a cocked eyebrow, along with Zack, as they continued to watch the dancers.
{"Zack, Ivy. We're heading your way,"} Naruto said from Ivy's phone, causing her to pick it up.
{"Did you guys turn anything up?"} Ivy asked curiously.
Naruto and Carmen both gave a sigh at this. "Only another link to our past," Carmen said, as they both looked down at the ground.
"May I have this dance, Senorita Sandiego?" a male voice asked, as they stopped walking and looked at who had spoken, seeing a male teen was wearing what looked like a karate outfit, and had brown spikey hair.
"And to whom do I have the pleasure of declining?" Carmen asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, cause she's with me, pal. So back off" Naruto said with a scowl on his face.
"Aw, thanks sweetie," Carmen said with a giggle, as she gave Naruto a peck on his cheek, while hugging his arm between her breasts.
"You can call me….Spinkick!" the guy said, before he threw out a kick to them, causing Naruto and Carmen to separate and jump back, as they got into a ready stance.
"Oh great, a new operative from VILE Academy," Naruto said with a sarcastic tone.
Spinkick then sent out another kick at them, as they dodged it, before they tried to punch him, which he dodged before sending out another kick at them, as they jumped back to dodge it, with Spinkick following after them.
"The codename's kinda on the nose, isn't it?" Carmen asked, as she and Naruto both smiled slightly, as they backed up.
"My foot, your noses!" Spinkick said with a smirk, as he sent a kick towards them, which they ducked under, before sending a kick of their own at him together, which sent him back.
After a few tense seconds of glaring at each other, Spinkick ran towards them, as he sent out multiple kicks at them, which Naruto and Carmen either dodged or blocked, before sending out attacks of their own, with Spinkick dodging or blocking them.
Spinkick sent out a kick to Carmen, sending her back towards Naruto, who caught her, as they both dodged his next kick, but not the second that sent them onto the road, where they had to dodge an oncoming car by jumping backwards, as Spinkick leapt after them.
Naruto and Carmen both spun in the air, before using their hands to spring back onto their feet, their backs pressed against a wall, while Spinkick came down to them with a yell, as he extended his leg out.
Naruto and Carmen both pulled out their grappling guns and pointed them in the air, before pulling the trigger, sending the hooks flying to a flagpole sticking out of the building near the roof. Once they were attached, they quickly pulled themselves up, just as Spinkick kicked the wall, causing it to crack, before he looked up with a scowl as he ran off to find a way to the roof.
Naruto and Carmen soon reached the flagpole and spun themselves round it a few times, before letting go while detaching their grappling hooks at the sametime, as they landed on the roof in a crouch, as they reeling in their grappling hooks while standing up.
Before they could do anything else, a bola wrapped around their wrists, tying them both to a chimney.
"What the hell?" Carmen asked in shock, before the two of them looked across the rooftop at where the bola had come from.
They saw a female teen walking towards them, who had blonde hair done up in two pigtails, as she wore a poncho over what looked like a hunting outfit, which had a few pouches.
"It takes two to tangle. Call me….Flytrap" the girl said as she tossed the poncho over her shoulder, making it look like a cape, as she grabbed another bola and spun it over her head.
"So, all the good codenames finally got taken?" Naruto asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, as he and Carmen worked to free themselves from the bola holding them to the chimney.
Carmen gave a snicker at this. "Good one babe," she said.
Spinkick leapt over the railing nearby and landed with a smirk, as he and Flytrap both began walking towards them.
"Coach assured us that you'd head to high ground" Flytrap said with a wide grin, as she continued to spin the bola over her head.
"VILE really made Catching Carmen Sandiego and Naruto Uzumaki 101 a required course?" Carmen asked, as she and Naruto both had a cocked eyebrow at this, as they kept on trying to get free of the bola.
"It was a tough class, but we aced it," Spinkick said with a cocky look and tone, as they neared the two of them.
"It's a shame that you were unable to take my class" a voice said behind them, making Spinkick and Flytrap widen their eyes, as they turned around and saw Shadowsan standing there, in a black overcoat with black sunglasses on. "But I can still teach you a valuable lesson" Shadowsan said with a glare.
Naruto and Carmen finally got the bola off their wrists, as they both stood at the ready, a smile on their faces, as Naruto dropped the bola at their feet.
Flytrap looked at Shadowsan, while Spinkick looked at Naruto and Carmen, before they looked at each other and nodded as they ran towards their opponents.
Shadowsan took off his glasses and put them in his coat pocket, as he got into a fighting stance, while Flytrap ran at him with a yell, spinning the bola over her head as she did, while Spinkick ran at Naruto and Carmen with a yell of his own, as he jumped in the air and punched at them.
Naruto and Carmen each blocked a punch from him, as they winced in pain slightly, before they threw an uppercut each at him, hitting him in the chin, which sent him reeling back from the blows as they dashed at him, working together to attack him, while he was still stunned from the double hits.
Shadowsan was dodging each of Flytrap's attacks, while making sure that she didn't use the bola to catch him. He then ducked under a punch that she threw at him, before he got behind her and put her in a hold as he disarmed her of the bola, before he threw her towards Spinkick.
Naruto and Carmen saw Flytrap heading towards them, and kicked Spinkick towards her, just as Shadowsan used the bola he took from Flytrap to wrap around their chests, while Naruto used the one she used on him and Carmen to wrap around their legs, causing them to fall over.
"Now what do we do with them?" Naruto asked, as they walked over to them.
Shadowsan grabbed the back of their outfits and pulled them to the roof's edge, as he looked down at the flagpole coming out of the building. "I have an idea," he said, as Naruto and Carmen also walked over to look at the flagpole.
"I like it already," Carmen said, as she and Naruto grinned.
Naruto and Carmen pulled out some bolas from Flytraps pouches, while Shadowsan used some rope to lower the tied up VILE operatives to the flagpole, with the other end tied to the railing, before Naruto and Carmen used the bolas to keep them tied to it, as Shadowsan abseiled down the rope to untie it from the two VILE operatives, then used it to climb back up then untied it from the railing.
"Come on, let's get outta here," Naruto said.
"Agreed" Shadowsan said with a nod, as they left the rooftop, leaving Flytrap and Spinkick tied to the flagpole.
"That went well," Flytrap said with a dry tone.
"Sandiego and Uzumaki won't get very far" Spinkick said with a frown.
0o0o0o0
(Outside a restaurant)
Naruto and Carmen were sitting at a table opposite Zack and Ivy, with their bags at their feet, while Shadowsan was looking the two of them over, before he pulled down their hoods, showing that they each had a tracking device on them.
"It would seem that VILE Academy is still teaching the fundamentals" Shadowsan said with a raised eyebrow, as he removed the trackers from their hoodies, before he sat down.
"Pursuing any leads will prove that much more difficult with VILE's newest class here breathing down our necks," Carmen said, as she and Naruto both frowned at this.
{"Not sure that you guys need to stick around in Buenos Aires any longer"} Player said into their comms.
"What'd you find out, Player?" Naruto asked him curiously.
"That shape in the background of your photos is a church bell tower" Player said, as he typed on his computer, as he zoomed in on the pictures and enhanced the large building in the background, before he cross referenced it. "And I was able to find a match," he said with a smile.
"Where?" Naruto and Carmen asked him together, both curious.
{"Where else? Veracruz, Mexico"} Player said, making Naruto and Carmen raise an eyebrow each at this.
"Okay, so we know where to go. So let's get there" Zack said with a smile.
Only for his smile to turn into a frown, when Ivy slapped him on the back of his head. "We can't, doofus. The moment we head there, the two VILE agents will be after us, which will complicate things" she said to him.
"Ivy's right, Zack. We need to get them somewhere else, where they won't be able to interfere" Carmen said with a nod.
"I have an idea" Shadowsan said, getting everyone to look at him curiously. "I'll take both the trackers and fly off somewhere else, while you head to Veracruz in Mexico. Where you'll hopefully find the answers that you seek" he said.
Naruto and Carmen both frowned a little at this, before they nodded in agreement. "Okay, that sounds like a good plan, but be careful," Naruto said.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine" Shadowsan said with a smile, as he stood up and walked off. He got to the street and hailed down a taxi, where he climbed in it, before it drove off.
"Come on, let's head to the airport, and get the next flight to Mexico" Carmen said, as she and Naruto picked up their bags, as the group stood up and walked to a nearby bus stop, as they climbed on it, before it drove off.
0o0o0o0
(VILE's new headquarters)
Spinkick and Flytrap were on the big screen, and they'd just told the VILE Faculty what had just happened.
"You were able to track down Carmen Sandiego and Naruto Uzumaki to Buenos Aires, Argentina? With Shadowsan?" Coach Brunt yelled out with her fists clenched tightly, before she slammed one on the table, causing it to break through the table, while Maelstrom gave a side-long look at this.
{"They were battling side by side, Coach"} Spinkick said with a frown, his arms crossed over his chest.
{"They were in perfect sync, like tango partners"} Flytrap said with her own frown.
This took the other three by surprise. "That cannot be. Naruto and Carmen should despise Shadowsan after what they've just learned" Professor Maelstrom said with a scowl.
"Outstanding plan, Maelstrom. Really diabolical" Brunt said sarcastically with a cocked eyebrow.
{"I was able to pop a tracker on them"} Spinkick said, as he picked up his phone, and synced it with the large screen, as their video was moved to a bottom corner, showing a map of the world, and a blinking plane icon moving along. {"They're currently flying east, toward the southern tip of Africa."}
"Do try not to lose them again, please!" Gunnar said with a frown, as he looked at the plane icon.
0o0o0o0
(On board the plane)
Shadowsan was sitting in his seat, holding both of the VILE trackers that were on Naruto and Carmen.
"Naruto and Carmen's path may prove difficult. If they do manage to complete their quest, they could learn that their mothers are civilians or thieves" Shadowsan said with a raised eyebrow, as he held his phone, showing that he was in a video chat with Ivy.
{"We're here for them, promise"} Ivy said with a determined look on her face.
Shadowsan gave a nod at this along with a smile, as he hung up and settled back, as the plane flew through the air.
0o0o0o0
(Back in the Outer Hebrides)
After Spinkick and Flytrap had disappeared off the screen, Roundabout then appeared moments later.
{"Comrades, my intelligence reports that Naruto Uzumaki and Carmen Sandiego both only moments ago, chartered a jet from Buenos Aires, to Veracruz Mexico"} Roundabout said with a frown, which took the four Faculty members by surprise.
"Ain't that a fur-piece from the southern tip of Africa?" Brunt asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"Bait and switch" Maelstrom growled out with a scowl as he clenched his hands, while the other three Faculty members looked at him.
Coach Brunt gave a groan of annoyance at this, as she stood up, and glared at Gunnar. "I had both of them dead to rights on that train in Botswana, and you made me let 'em both walk!" she said with a growl, as she leaned in close to him, pointing her finger at him as she did.
Professor Maelstrom said nothing but narrowed his eyes, as Brunt walked round the table. "Sherlock, get me a flight to Mexico, pronto!" she yelled out to Roundabout, as she headed for the front door.
Roundabout said nothing, as he disconnected his video feed, causing the screen to go blank, before it went back into the ceiling.
Cleo shuddered at this, with her arms crossed over her chest. "Warm. Jealous" she said with a raised eyebrow.
"Coach Brunt, you are aware that as a member of VILE's faculty, entering the field presents risks which could threaten to expose all of us" Gunnar said with narrowed eyes.
Brunt stopped walking at this. "Mama Bear needs one last shot at dragging little Black Sheep and Dark Fox back here by their hair. Just one" she said determinedly with a raised eyebrow, before she left the castle, a scowl on her face.
0o0o0o0
(With Naruto)
After Naruto and the others had got through the airport, they climbed aboard the private jet, which soon took off.
Once they were high enough, and the seatbelt sign was turned off, they all crowded around Naruto's laptop.
{"Okay, gang, you're leaving Buenos Aires, which is known as the Paris of South America due to its European-influenced architecture, and travelling out of what's commonly known as the Southern Cone up to the city of Veracruz"} Player said. {"It's the oldest Spanish settlement in what is now Mexico. Oh, and get this, the state of Veracruz has a coat of arms which features a red cross."}
"Whoa! So Argentina's coat of arms had a red cap, it's like, all roads connect to Naruto and Carmen!" Zack exclaimed with wide eyes.
{"There are many similarities and differences between Argentina and Mexico, Zack. For example, both are predominantly Spanish-speaking countries, but musically speaking, you're more likely to bump into mariachi bands in Mexico than tango dancers"} Player said with a grin.
"Well, what about the grub? I already miss Argentina's juicy steaks, slathered in chimichurri sauce" Zack said with a smile, as he licked his lips slightly.
"Bro, you're starting to drool" Ivy said with a deadpan look and tone at this.
Naruto and Carmen both laughed at this, while Zack wiped his mouth with a sheepish expression.
Player gave a grin at this. {"Well, where you're heading, the signature dish is Red Snapper Veracruz"} he said.
"Hey, another red!" Zack said with a smile, before he realised what Player said. "Whoa. Wait, yuck! That's fish! Oh, why? Why?" he said with a groan.
"Cheer up Zack" Naruto said, as he patted him on the shoulder with a smile.
"Yeah, I'm sure that there'll be other options to eat there," Carmen said with a nod, a smile of her own.
Zack gave a small nod at this, as he walked over to another couch, before he fell on it, his face buried in the cushion.
"Well, it's a few hours before we arrive in Mexico. So let's play a few games to pass the time" Ivy said with a grin, as she walked over to the TV, and turned it on before she opened the cupboard under the TV, looking for a good game to play first.
Naruto gave a nod at this "Sure, I'm down for a good game. What consoles do they have?" he asked curiously.
"They have the Playstation 5, the Xbox Series X, the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox Series S" Ivy said, as she looked at the consoles in the cupboard under the TV.
"Why don't we start with the Playstation 5, then play on the others if we have time?" Carmen asked with a smile.
"That works for me," Ivy said with a nod, before she turned on the Playstation 5.
"What about you, Zack? Are you in?" Naruto asked, as he nudged Zack slightly.
Zack gave a mumbled reply, his face still in the cushion.
"Well, looks like we'll have to rotate who'll play Rocket League then" Ivy said with a smile, as she put the game in, before handing controllers to Naruto and Carmen, while taking one for herself as she sat down.
Zack instantly sat up at this, a wide grin on his face. "Pass me a controller, sis. Time for the master to show you all how it's done" he said.
"Okay then Master Zack, show us what you've got" Carmen said with a chuckle, as Ivy tossed Zack a controller.
They played Rocket League for quite a while. First it was free for all, then in teams (first boys vs girls then lovers vs siblings). Then they did one on one, with the winners facing off against each other, before the losers did the same thing.
After playing on the Playstation 5, they played Fortnite on the Xbox Series X, with it being a free for all game, before playing Diablo III on the Nintendo Switch, and then they finished it off by playing Minecraft on the Xbox Series S.
0o0o0o0
(Veracruz, Mexico)
After the plane had landed, the group went through customs, before they hired a car to take them to where the photos in Naruto and Carmen's lockets were taken.
Thanks to some help from Player, they soon arrived at a house, before Naruto and Carmen opened their lockets, and held them up to compare them with the scenery.
"This is definitely the spot," Naruto said, as he and Carmen put their lockets down, seeing the church bell tower in the distance.
"Our mothers had to be the ones who took the photos," Carmen said, a look of slight surprise on both hers and Naruto's faces.
"Do you think maybe that's where they live?" Ivy asked curiously, as she pointed at the house causing Zack, Carmen and Naruto to look at it.
"Carlotta? It cannot be!" a voice said behind them, before they could enter the house.
Carmen's eyes widened at this, as she and Naruto turned around, seeing an elderly man running towards them. "Oh, how foolish. You are much too young to be Carlotta Valdez. Although the resemblance is striking, you must be a relation?" the man asked curiously.
"I must be, though she and I have never met before," Carmen said with a sad look.
The man then looked at Naruto. "And you, young man, you look a little like Kushina Namikaze. Which means that you're a relation to her, no?" he asked with a smile.
Naruto gave a shrug at this. "Maybe, although we've never seen each other," he said.
"What can you tell us about them?" Carmen asked the man, a hopeful look on her face.
The man gave them both a smile, as he told them what he could about Kushina and Carlotta.
0o0o0o0
(At an ACME base)
"Carmen Sandiego and Naruto Uzumaki, this is your unlucky day" Chase said with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow, as he came round a corner and pointed a finger gun at a large mirror, while wearing an ACME suit and glasses.
He then turned and round while taking his glasses off. "Carmen Sandiego and Naruto Uzumaki, the both of you are toast" he said over his shoulder, as he turned around and put the glasses back on, before making another finger gun at the mirror. "Um….and I eat thieves like you for breakfast."
Chase once more spun round, taking his glasses off as he did. "Carmen Sandiego and Naruto Uzumaki, you are -" he was saying as he faced the mirror once more, with his eyes narrowed while holding his glasses, before he was cut off.
"Agent Devineaux, must you?" Julia asked, as she typed on her laptop at a table nearby.
Chase gave a scowl at this, as he put his glasses back on before walking over to Julia. "What? I wish to be prepared for our moment of victory, the Scarlet Superthief and her partner the Blonde Superthief cannot outrun us forever!" he said with determination, as he clenched his hand into a tight fist.
Julia stopped typing and looked up at him. "But yet, it seems that they can, as we have not heard nor seen any sign of them for weeks" she said, before she returned to typing on her laptop.
Chase gave her a small frown at this, before he groaned. "What else am I supposed to do while we wait, Agent Argent? Unlike yourself, I have no interest in learning dull facts about boring things" he said, as he pushed the laptop's lid down with narrowed eyes, before walking off.
"Each to his or her own, I suppose" Julia said with an unhappy look on her face, as she lifted the laptop's lid back up, showing that she was reading about Egypt, before she resumed typing.
Chase began pacing about slightly, a frown on his face. "Just my luck. Chief brings me back into the field, I finally get my suit, then ACME's most wanted go on a holiday" he said with a cocked eyebrow and a wave of his hand.
Before he could continue his ranting, an alarm began beeping from his suit.
Julia stopped what she was doing as she closed her laptop's lid and walked over, as Devineaux pulled out his ACME pen and clicked it before dropping it to the floor, as it stood straight and allowed a hologram of Chief to appear.
{"Red alert, team, and I do mean red. We finally have a fresh Carmen Sandiego and Naruto Uzumaki sighting in Mexico"} Chief said with a frown.
Devineaux gave a laugh of triumph at this, slamming his fist into his hand, while Julia gave a sigh, as she looked off to the side.
0o0o0o0
(With Naruto)
{"Thanks to your mothers old neighbour, we now know that they only lived in Veracruz for a year. Both single women, with no other known family, before they both vanished without a trace"} Player said.
"Well, Carlotta Valdez and Kushina Namikaze are exactly unusual names," Naruto said, as he and the others were walking down a street.
"And that's if they're even their real names" Carmen said with a blank look. "We may as well throw darts at a map, since our mothers could be anywhere in the world."
Naruto gave a sigh at this, as he nodded in agreement.
"But you have to start somewhere, so why not start with the Carlotta Veldez who fits the age profile and lives close to Veracruz" Player said with a shrug.
"And what about Kushina Namikaze?" Naruto asked curiously, as they stopped outside a two story house, with Zack and Ivy looking at Carmen.
{"I'm still working on that"} Player said, as they could hear him typing on his computer.
"Well, here goes nothing," Carmen said with a sigh, as they walked up to the house, before Carmen knocked on the front door.
They waited for a few moments, before Carmen turned around and leaned herself against the door, as she slid down to the ground. "I guess we wait" she said, as she folded her arms on her knees.
"I guess we do," Naruto said, as he leaned against a wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I'm sorry, but did you not attend a school for thieves?" Player asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"She could be my mother! That would be a way to make a first impression. 'Hey! Sorry that I broke into your house, but I'm your long lost daughter.' I don't want her to hate me from the start, after all" Carmen said with a frown, as she looked off to the side.
"But if this Carlotta Valdez isn't your mom, then finding evidence to that would spare you from having one super awkward conversation" Player said.
Carmen gave a groan at this, before she stood back up while taking out her lock picking tools.
"Well, here's hoping that if this is your mother, that she'd understand," Naruto said, trying to look on the positive side.
Carmen said nothing, as she picked the lock of the door, before it opened, allowing them to enter.
Once they entered the house, they entered a hallway before looking around, while Zack picked up a colourful looking armadillo ornament.
"Don't touch anything," Carmen said, as she and Naruto walked further into the house.
Ivy walked up to Zack, with a cross look on her face and her arms crossed over her chest, causing Zack to gain a nervous look, as he placed the ornament back down, before Ivy walked off to look around.
As Naruto and Carmen walked through the hallway, they soon both had a look of surprise, as they entered what looked like a living room area, as they saw display heads on shelves, each having what looked like masks on them, and what looked like a belt in a display case.
"Whoa. Your maybe mommy is really into masks, babe" Naruto said, as he and Carmen approached the shelves, looking at all the different masks.
{"As in Halloween? Or burglar?"} Player asked curiously.
Before they could reply, they heard a short scuffle behind them, before someone gave out a triumphant laugh, causing them both to turn around, to see a masked woman carrying Zack and Ivy under her arms.
"Hey!" Ivy yelled out, as she squirmed in her grasp.
"Hey! Would you…." Zack said, as he too wiggled in her grip.
"Hola! Shall I snap your amigos in half, or would you explain what you are doing here in mi casa?" the woman asked with a glare.
"Don't tell her anything, guys!" Ivy said with a firm look at her friends, as she had one arm wrapped around the woman's leg, while punching her with the other.
"Yeah! We can take her" Zack said, as he was doing the same as his sister, glaring up at the woman as he did.
"Do you always wear a mask in your own house?" Carmen asked with a cocked eyebrow.
The woman gave them both a curious look at this. "You are not here to steal my trophies, are you?" she asked with a tilt of her head at a shelf of trophies behind her.
Naruto and Carmen looked at the trophies for a moment, before looking back at the woman. "We're looking for Carlotta Valdez," Naruto said.
The woman looked surprised at this for a moment, before she dropped Zack and Ivy, causing them both to groan upon hitting the floor. "I do not go by that name anymore. I am Lupe Peligro" she said with a wide grin, as she placed her fists on her hips.
"Cool name," Zack said with a grin, as he and Ivy got up off the floor.
":Gracias:" Lupe said with a smile, as she nodded at him, before looking at Naruto and Carmen. "Why are you looking for me?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Is there somewhere that we can talk in private?" Carmen asked her.
Lupe nodded at this, as she led them back outside, before she sat on a bench with Naruto and Carmen sitting next to her.
"Now, what can I help you two with?" Lupe asked curiously.
"We're both looking for our mothers. Mine is called Kushina Namikaze" Naruto said, as he handed her his locket, which Lupe opened, looking at the photo.
"Lo sientoI, but I have not heard of this woman, or seen this man before" Lupe said with a shake of her head, as she closed the locket and handed it back to Naruto.
"And I was wondering if you were mine, since she is called Carlotta Valdez," Carmen said, as she handed her locket over to Lupe.
Lupe took Carmen's locket and opened it, seeing the photo of baby Carmen and Wolfe, which she looked at before closing it back up. "I have never seen the man in the photograph, nor have I ever had any children. I have been married only to my calling as a luchadora. Though I have been known to make men tremble….in fear" she said with a grin and a wink, as she handed Carmen back her locket.
Naruto and Carmen both smiled at this. "Well, I don't think that you need to try it on me," Naruto said jokingly.
Lupe gave a chuckle at this, as she held her fist out to Naruto, who gave her a fistbump.
"The masked wrestler, Lupe Peligro, Lupe Danger" Carmen said with a smile, as she looked at a photo of Lupe in the ring, wearing what looked like her wrestling costume, with the referee holding her arm up.
":Muy bien, mi amiga:" Lupe said with a smile.
"Thanks. Our Spanish has improved during our recent travels" Naruto said with a grin.
"I wish that I could tell you otherwise, but I am not your madre," Lupe said with a look of sadness on her face, causing Carmen to look down with her sad look, as Naruto gave her a side hug to comfort her.
Ivy came over and sat down on the other side of Lupe at this. "We should just have a little peek to see if there's any resemblance. You know, for peace of mind" she said with a smile and a shrug, as she reached for Lupe's mask with a cocked eyebrow.
But Lupe leaned back at this, a scowl on her face as she did. "Uh-uh-uh. You would need to pry this from my skin" she told Ivy, who had a look of surprise, as she stood up and backed away with a nervous grin. "My mask is my identity, both inside and outside the ring. To be unmasked, would be to lose my honour."
"What'd I tell you, Ivy? Wrestlings not fake!" Zack said with a grin at Ivy, who had a deadpan look on her face. "Oh, I bet that you're wicked awesome at that flying grab and flip manoeuvre!"
"Ah, the Chicali Backcracker. Would you like to see it?" Lupe asked with a grin.
"Would we?" Zack and Ivy both asked in excitement. "Try it out on her/him" they both then said, as they pointed at each other.
Lupe chuckled at this, as she stood up. "You're in luck. There is a match tonight, and I would be pleased to have you all as my guests" she said with a smile at them.
Zack and Ivy both grinned widely at this, as they gave each other a high five.
"It could lift your spirits," Lupe said with a grin and a cocked eyebrow at Naruto and Carmen.
Naruto and Carmen looked at each for a moment, before they turned back to Lupe. "We would be honoured" Carmen said with Naruto nodding in agreement, both smiling at her.
Lupe gave a wide smile at this. "Excelente. For now, you may stay here until the match" she said to them.
"Sweet!" Zack said with a happy tone, as he gave a fist pump, making everyone else chuckle at this, as they all chatted and played a few games.
0o0o0o0
(At the airport)
Chase and Julia had both got off an ACME plane, with Chase strutting about with a smug look on his face, as they headed for a hanger, which was opening up to reveal an ACME car.
"Ah, right where Chief said it would be," Chase said with a grin, his arms spread out wide.
"Um, maybe I should drive?" Julia asked with a nervous tone, as Chase confidently walked towards the driver's side of the car.
Chase shook his finger at her at this. "Do not be concerned about my past minor mishaps involving vehicles, Agent Argent" he said with a smile, as Julia walked to the passenger side with a raised eyebrow. "You are gazing upon the new and improved Chase Devineaux! Besides, Chief required me to take a defensive driving course" he said with a frown.
Julia gave a sigh at this with a roll of her eyes, as they both climbed into the car, before Chase started it up and revved the engine, as they left the airport.
0o0o0o0
(In the city)
Brunt was sitting in the back of a taxi, which drove through the city, an unhappy look on her face, with Chase and Julia doing the same, as Julia used the screen in the car to see that Naruto, Carmen, Zack and Ivy were about to cross a street, which Brunt was also looking at on her phone.
The gang then walked to the stadium, with Naruto carrying a large bunch of roses, as they all looked around with smiles on their faces, while Chase drove around the city as Julia looked out her window before they parked outside the stadium, while the taxi Brunt was in went round the corner.
Inside the stadium, everyone was heading for their seats, while a group of people played some instruments on a stage, as Zack and Ivy sat down.
In her dressing room, Lupe was using a brush to sort out her eyelashes, before she heard a knock on her door. "Uh huh?" she asked with a grin, as she stopped what she was doing.
The door then opened, showing Naruto and Carmen. ":Espero que ganes esta noche:" Naruto said with a smile, as they entered before walking towards her.
"Of course, I will win tonight, mi amigo. It is scripted that way" Lupe said with a grin, before she went back to sorting out her eyelashes. "Just don't tell Zack, I would hate to spoil the magic for him" she said with a grin.
Naruto and Carmen chuckled at this. "Here, we brought these for you," Naruto said, as he held out the roses for Lupe.
"Gracias. Put them on the table over there" Lupe said, pointing over her shoulder, as Naruto walked over and placed them on the table.
0o0o0o0
(Outside in the hallway)
Coach Brunt opened the exit door and entered the building, as she looked around, before a door next to her opened, catching her by surprise.
"Can I help you?" a masked female wrestler asked curiously.
"I just need to borrow that, por favor" Brunt said with a smirk, as she walked towards her, causing the woman to back up into the dressing room, as Coach Brunt closed the door behind her, just as Carmen opened the door to Lupe's dressing room and closed it, as she and Naruto walked off.
They soon arrived at a large red curtain, which they pulled aside to look through, as they smiled at the crowd for the match, slightly bobbing their heads to the music, before their smiles turned into looks of shock upon seeing Chase and Julia at the entrance into the wrestling area.
"Zack, Ivy, decoy time!" Carmen said with a frown into her ear piece.
{"Oh, now?"} Zack asked with a groan.
{"We're on it!"} Ivy said.
"Don't worry Zack, I'm sure that you'll be able to watch it on TV" Naruto said with a chuckle.
Meanwhile, Chase and Julia were looking around at the entrance into the wrestling area.
"I cannot fathom what Naruto Uzumaki and Carmen Sandiego might be doing at a wrestling event, when there is nothing of value to steal from here" Julia said with a curious look and tone, as she looked around.
Chase had a look of disbelief on his face at this. "Eh? What about these?" he said, as he gestured at the golden trophies in the display cases, before a bell chimed as a light shone on the wrestling ring.
"\And now, for the main event\" the referee said into his microphone, as the musicians stopped playing their instruments. "\To know her is to fear all 300 pounds of her! Presenting...El Monstruo Gigante!" he yelled, as he gestured at the red curtains, as the spotlight moved towards it, causing Naruto and Carmen to back away from it….right into Coach Brunt, who was wearing the mask she took from the female wrestler she met earlier, causing them both to gasp.
"Well, well…." Brunt said, as she grabbed them by the front of their shirts, before lifting them up into the air, causing them both to grunt at this. "Que pasa….Lambkins and Whiskers?" she said with a glare, causing Naruto and Carmen to both gain looks of worry.
Meanwhile, the crowd was booing at not seeing the female wrestler making an appearance, as the spotlight moved back to the referee, who looked nervous. "\El Monstruo Gigante!\" he yelled again, as the spotlight moved back to the red curtains.
Naruto and Carmen squirmed in Coach Brunt's grip, trying to get free.
"Now, are the two of you gonna come back home with Mama Bear, or do I need to bust you both open like a pinata?" Brunt asked with a growl, as their feet kicked about.
"El Monstruo, have you gone loca?" Lupe asked with wide eyes of shock, as she appeared with a cape on her back, causing the VILE female to look over her shoulder at her, as Naruto and Carmen looked at her too.
"Vamoose, El Masko. This is a family matter" Brunt said with narrowed eyes.
Lupe gave a gasp at this. "An imposter?" she exclaimed with a scowl.
"This isn't your fight," Carmen said with a hard tone.
Lupe grabbed hold of her cape on her wrestling outfit and tossed it to the ground. "Mi casa, my fight" she yelled, before she charged at Coach Brunt, wrapping her arms around her, causing her to grunt as they flew through the red curtains, as Brunt dropped Naruto and Carmen.
The crowd cheered upon seeing the two wrestlers appearing, as Lupe flipped to her feet, while Coach Brunt climbed to hers after hitting the ground.
"That does not look fake," Julia said with wide eyes, a finger on her chin.
"Of course, it is fake, you can easily tell by the -" Chase was saying with a smile, before he gasped. "La Femme Rouge!" he shouted, as he spotted what looked like someone wearing Carmen's coat and hat hopping over the railing of the stairs. "She is heading for the exit! Circle around back! Maybe she'll be meeting with her partner, L'homme blond" he said to Julia, as he chased after the figure, while Julia ran off.
Meanwhile, Brunt had climbed back to her feet, as she glared at Lupe, before she charged at her, as she tried to hit her with a punch. But Lupe dodged the punch, as she grabbed hold of Coach Brunt, causing her to skid back slightly, before she gave a yell as she threw Brunt into the ring, causing the VILE Faculty woman to grunt in pain.
"Ole!" the crowd yelled, as Lupe jumped into the ring.
Chase stopped running, as he looked around for the figure he saw, before he spotted Naruto and Carmen looking through the pulled aside curtains, looks of concern on their faces. "Ah! It would seem wrestling is not the only thing around here that is fake" he said with a wide grin, as he looked over his glasses, as he made his way towards them.
Meanwhile, Brunt had got to her feet in the wrestling ring, as she flexed her fingers causing them to crack, as she and Lupe glared at each other, while the crowd cheered around them. The referee looked around in surprise for a moment, before he smiled as he held the microphone to his mouth. "\And the battle is on!\"
As soon as the bell dinged, the two women charged at each other, as they grabbed each other's hands, and began pushing against each other, trying to overcome the other, glaring at each other as they did.
"You do not know who you are dealing with!" Coach Brunt said with narrowed eyes, before she head butted Lupe, causing her to groan in pain as she was sent back, while the crowd oohed at this.
Naruto and Carmen began running towards the ring at this, to help Lupe out, before they heard some clicks, causing them to stop running, as they noticed what looked like threeway handcuffs on their wrists, along with Chase's wrist.
"Carmen Sandiego and Naruto Uzumaki, the both of you are toast" Chase said with a grin.
"Devineaux, really, not a good time" Naruto said, as he and Carmen both scowled at this.
Chase lowered his glasses slightly, as he looked over them with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "My sincerest apologies for the incon -" he was saying, before he gave a yell, as Naruto and Carmen pulled him towards the ring.
In the ring, things weren't going well for Lupe, as Brunt held her high in the air, before she tossed her to the ground, as the crowd gasped at this.
Coach Brunt then walked over before she grabbed Lupe's head, as she lifted her up slightly before putting her in a choke hold, chuckling slightly while Lupe tried to get free.
"Oi Brunt, leave her alone!" Carmen said with a scowl, as she and Naruto stood in the ring, with Chase trying to get himself untangled from the ring's rope.
"I see that you brought your handsome police pal," Brunt said.
Devineaux had finally got himself untangled from the wrestling ring's rope, as he stood up. "Handsome?" he asked with a wide smile and a raised eyebrow, as he smoothed his hair back, while Naruto and Carmen simply gave him a deadpan look.
Coach Brunt then threw Lupe at them, causing her to hit Chase, who gave a grunt of pain as he hit the floor, dragging Naruto and Carmen with him, as the crowd all gasped at this.
Brunt walked to one the corners and climbed up, as she balanced herself on the top, as Naruto and Carmen felt about in Chase's pockets for a way to get the cuffs off, before Naruto pulled out a small remote control.
Coach Brunt then narrowed her eyes at the four of them. "Four little birds, and one great big stone! Yee-haw!" she yelled out, as she jumped in the air.
Naruto quickly pointed the remote at the cuffs on his and Carmen's wrists, before pushing the button, causing the cuffs to come off, as he quickly pushed Lupe off Chase, while he and Carmen rolled out of the way, just as Brunt landed on Devineaux, the crowd all giving winces of pain at this.
Coach Brunt then stood up showing that Chase was whimpering in pain, as some of his limbs were bent at odd angles, barely conscious.
"Now who wants some -" Brunt was saying, as she looked at Lupe before turning around, right into the spin kicks that Naruto and Carmen gave her, sending her backwards, as Lupe put her in a nelson hold.
"What the?" Coach Brunt said in surprise, as the crowd cheered at this, while she tried to get out of the hold.
"Come on, Devineaux" Naruto said with an annoyed tone, as he and Carmen dragged the now unconscious man to the edge of the ring.
Lupe stepped back as she leaned against the rope of the ring, before she went forward while letting go of Brunt, sending her flying towards Naruto and Carmen, just as they pushed Chase through the rope, putting him on the floor.
The two of them rolled out of Coach Brunt's way as she ran towards them, before she leaned back against the rope and ran towards them again with a chuckle.
Naruto and Carmen stood confidently at this, before they leaned down, as Lupe was running at them, before she jumped off their backs at the exact same time as when they stood up, as Lupe sent a double kick at Brunt, causing her to let out a groan from the hit, as she was sent flying through the air.
This also caused her VILE phone to fall out of pocket and fly through the air with her, and turn itself on once she and it hit the floor, causing Coach Brunt's eyes to widen at this as she saw the other Faculty members sat at the high table, before Lupe grabbed hold of the mask from behind her as she wrapped her other arm around her neck.
0o0o0o0
(At VILE Castle)
The other three Faculty members were looking at the large screen, with Gunnar and Cleo having curious looks while Saira was smiling widely.
"Coach Brunt?" Maelstrom asked with a cocked eyebrow.
Dr Bellum cackled at this. "Oh, pocket dial," she said, before laughing some more, as they could hear the crowd in the background chanting Lupe's name.
{"Now let us see the true face of this imposter"} Lupe said, as she began trying to take the mask off Brunt's face.
{"No! No!"} Coach Brunt said, as her mouth was revealed, before she grabbed her phone, causing her to hang up.
"Coach Brunt!" Professor Maelstrom yelled out, as he stood up.
0o0o0o0
(Back in the ring)
Brunt elbowed Lupe in the chest, forcing her back with Naruto and Carmen catching her before they glared after the VILE member, as she pulled the mask down over her face, before she ran out of the ring, with some of the crowd booing as she did, while the rest chanted Lupe's name.
Naruto and Carmen both smiled and nodded at Lupe, who smiled back at them, before they ran out of the ring themselves.
"And the winner, Lupe Peligro!" the referee yelled out, as he grabbed Lupe's arm and raised it into the air, as the crowd cheered loudly at this as some took photos, while the bell went off, saying that the match was over.
Naruto and Carmen both grinned at this, as they ran towards Devineaux, before they picked him up and carried him away.
Coach Brunt ran through the red curtains, panting and groaning for breath as she stopped for a moment, before she looked up and widened her eyes, as she saw the wrestler that she took the mask from, as she was walking towards her, while leaning on an attendant.
The woman then looked up, and glared when she saw Brunt as she tightened her fist.
Brunt looked around for a moment, before she spotted some stairs going up, and ran up them.
Meanwhile, Julia was outside the building, as she looked around with a hard look, before she lifted her ACME pen to her mouth. "Agent Devineaux, can you hear me? If Naruto Uzumaki and Carmen Sandiego were here, they both vanished without a trace" she said, as she walked around the building some more.
Meanwhile, inside the building, Naruto and Carmen had placed Chase in a seat as they heard Julia speaking through his pen, before they ran off just as Devineaux gave a groan as he woke up, and saw them running out of the exit.
"They're escaping!" Chase yelled, as he stood up and ran after them.
Chase stumbled out of the building as he pushed the door open, before he looked around for them. "No, no, no, no. Not again!" he yelled angrily, as he stomped his foot upon seeing that they weren't there.
"Agent Devineaux, what happened to you?" Julia asked with wide eyes, as she ran over to him.
"Never mind that!" Chase said firmly with a grumpy look on his face, as he pulled out a remote before pressing a button on it, causing the ACME car to drive over and park next to him. "I may look like a wreck, just be happy that the vehicle is in one piece" he said with a smile, as he gestured at the intact car….which was soon crushed as Brunt landed on it in a crouch, as she looked at them for a moment before she ran off.
Chase looked at the car as he gave a whimper, while Julia stood next to him, her mouth covered with her eyes wide in shock.
0o0o0o0
(The next day)
Naruto, Carmen, Zack and Ivy were back at Lupe's house, as Naruto and Carmen were finishing telling Lupe about Coach Brunt, with Zack and Ivy sitting on the fence.
"And that's why she was out to get us, why they're all still out to get us" Carmen said, as she gave a sigh, with Naruto nodding in agreement.
"You don't need to worry, I can keep a secret" Lupe said with a grin, as she pointed at her mask, before a look of concern appeared on her face. "But tell me, Naruto and Carmen, would you continue your search for your real mothers?"
They both looked off to the side at this as they sighed sharply, before looking back at Lupe. "Even though we lucked out this time, maybe next time we'll get lucky" Naruto said with a shrug.
"And the next Carlotta Valdez may not be as capable of defending herself as the great Lupe Danger" Carmen said, as they both smiled at her.
{"Guys, sorry to interrupt. But I just came across a news item regarding a recent string of museum thefts. I thought you might be interested, since they happened close by in Mexico City"} Player said over the comms.
"Copy that, Player" they both said, before they stood up, with Lupe doing the same as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"For the moment, we may need to get back to fighting the good fight," Naruto said with a grin, as he and Carmen waved at her as they walked away.
"Viajes seguros, Carmen Sandiego and Naruto Uzumaki. Safe travels" Lupe said with a smile. "And know this, if I had a son and daughter, I would want them to be just like you."
Naruto and Carmen smiled widely at this, as they walked off, with Zack and Ivy following them.
0o0o0o0
(VILE Castle)
Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled while the wind blew fiercely, as the sea crashed against the rocks, while Coach Brunt stood before the rest of VILE Faculty.
"Not one single soul saw my face. Honest" she said with a frown.
"How very fortunate, since it is imperative that VILE operate from the shadows, from behind masks" Gunnar said, as he was stood up with a scowl.
He then sat down as he gave a smile, before he pulled out a pumpkin from under the table. "Shall we get into the spirit, then? Halloween is nearly upon us, after all" he said, as he held the pumpkin up to his face, as the power went out in the castle, causing the light from the pumpkin to cast his face in an eerie glow.
0o0o0o0
Authors Note: To those who want me to lemon/sex scenes in every chapter or so, I can't as I need to find the right time/moment to do them. Such as, on their plane, in a hotel room or in a train's sleeping carriage. So please, stop asking me to keep adding them, as I'll do them when I please.
Hope that everyone enjoyed the chapter, and that you're doing what you can to avoid getting this COVID by following the rules, while any and all flames are no longer welcome. Also, for some reason, if I get a PM from anyone, it wouldn't show me the number(s) on fanfiction (so if you send me a PM, and I reply to it late, that's the reason why). Let's hope that now the vaccines are all done, we can rest a bit easier.
I have also posted a few story ideas on my home page, and if any of you want to use them please, PM me and let me know.