AN: A brief thing I want to talk about. It's mainly about the setting. Keep in mind that this is a fictional depiction of the Queen Victoria Market of Melbourne. I highly suggest visiting there if you ever live close by. It's an amazing market! From the clothes to the food to the nice, cozy street restaurants where you can dine at. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 14 - Street Strolling Shenanigans
Queen Victoria Market
Wolf and Snake were nearly in disbelief that a couple of researchers would be walking around the open Queen Victoria Market…while carrying the Eden Apples along. They might be just resting in buildings, but walking around in an open-air market was not the ideal place due to the numerous people visiting there for special deals on this very day.
Right underneath the sun wasn't ideal for checking his tracker device. Usually, pulling out phones in the bright sunlight would be hard to see. But thankfully, the tablet was built to be advanced, so he could see the screen easily. He smirked as many red dots popped up on the map of the market. Doing a close-up on the map, he could see half of the red dots moving around. These were their main targets.
Snake provided a contrast to Wolf's signature sly smirk. While he could be playful, the reptile was more glum and serious. His frown pretty much gave him a sharper edge and cheek line than Wolf. Snake couldn't really hide his wariness since any of those researchers could get away in this large shopping crowd. That advantage was easy to attack.
[I Know What I Am - Band of Skulls]
[0:04]
Case in point, arriving at the opposite pavement on Peel Street, the morning shopping spree made the venues on display alike the glimpses of faces. The shelters that towered over them were still a view to watch. A temple Melbourne built from when it started. It contrasted with the modern and reflective buildings of the city. An old, charismatic place to get lost into and one for safe shelter.
Snake's head nearly pressed against Wolf's side as they neared the market area. They started on the pavement, searching around the market's boundaries. Many were caught in their shopping spree, not even bothering to bat an eye at the two Bad Guys.
The curious Wolf sniffed the air. His ears folded in overwhelming utopia at the smell of the morning roast. A couple accidentally bumped into Wolf. Little shaken but the canine took this smoothly and moved aside.
The couple jumped when they saw him. The surprise didn't last, immediately switching to nonchalance. The lady gave them a friendly smile. Her partner only rolled his eyes before he steered her away like Wolf was just a random stranger.
It was only a pass, but Snake felt his anxiety rising. "I'm already thinking again that they are scared of us."
"But Snake…" started Wolf.
Snake closed his eyes, forcibly shaking his head. "I know, I know. But…Diane's right. We made a mess last night."
Wolf hummed, flexing his hand to admire the new coat he applied. "No. They didn't recognize us. They would have called the police."
[0:22]
At the sight of Wolf's fur in a lighter shade, all in one color, Snake immediately felt calmer. He was right. They activated the disguise feature of their outfits. While they could nearly look like their original selves, Wolf appeared convincingly younger than his current age to the point he was unrecognized. All of his clothes even changed to fully white with the vest in a black color.
The reptile looked down at his clothes, wanting to make sure he was satisfied with his appearance. His disguise made his scales look more pinkish brown to hide the real brown and yellow scales. His outfit carried the red and yellow colors he loved wearing. And in place of the special bucket hat, he instead wore the bucket hat he bought from the zoo yesterday.
"Hopefully, they won't see past the paint," said Snake.
"We get away so easy with such foolproof disguises," joked Wolf.
"Say, it's…been a while ever since I was here," said Snake, staring at the huts and venues on display. They were only a fragment of his memory, but at least they were some of the good parts of this city. Leisure but tolerant for him. "Now…I don't have a good memory of this, but I kind of like this spot."
Wolf took the time to look around again. He didn't focus on the people. The market itself wasn't too flashy. He was more accommodated with the glamor and glitter of Los Angeles in his entire adult life. However, aside from the crowd, there was a sense of calm in the market.
He remembered walking through these huts, keeping his head down. His younger self took in the feeling of being in a barn. A getaway from the hustle of the school and urban life. Where he wouldn't need to worry about if he looked like a monster or not. The feeling of connecting to those who sold their products here without being in competition…
The elimination of flash made him feel a bit more humbler.
"Same here," said Wolf, a sad smile crossing his muzzle. "Not too many tryhards…guess that I worried a lot about my poor appearance."
"At least these people aren't looking for trouble," said Snake, noticing two venue vendors slapping each other on the back with a laugh. "Peachy them. Risky in sharing more than enough."
"That reminds me," said Wolf, checking his tracker device. "We currently have about seven targets inside this market. They're not trying to sell their gizmos away, are they?"
"Sunnyside Labs did fall apart, so they would be desperate for scraps."
Wolf frowned. "...in selling away baby toys and notes of having pets?"
"Beats me."
"At least they don't seem to be trying to run away for now," said Wolf, keeping away his tracker.
Knowing that their robberies on the Eden Apples were going to be slow today, the canine skipped towards one of the food venues.
[1:03]
"Wolf?" said Snake, slithering up to him. "What are you doing?"
"I'm getting us breakfast!" said Wolf, grinning.
"But we should be focusing on-!"
"What? Can't you relax and make it look like to the researchers that we aren't gonna pull a com?"
Snake licked his lips, miffed. "OK, I see what you are doing. You're just making that as an excuse to take your sweet time."
"I'm a fast eater. So are you!"
"You don't usually swallow up your food."
There was no line at this specific venue, but there was a horde of people waiting. It took a while until one of the workers in the venue marched back to the counter. He noticed the two Bad Guys, waving at them jovially.
"Morning, mate!" he said. "What would you like today?"
Wolf quickly scanned the menu above, picking the best-looking from the images. "We'll have two bacon and egg rolls please! And include two iced coffees for that!"
Fortunately, it didn't take long until their food arrived. Wiggling his ears, Wolf gingerly picked up the breakfast sandwiches wrapped neatly in paper. Snake picked up the ice coffee cups. His first thought was to drop them. They were really THAT cold. But mustering up enough willpower, he held them high and lifted one towards his mouth. One sip and it refreshed him. Snake smiled in sinful satisfaction.
"Been a while since we had this," said Snake, flickering his tongue at the tiny droplet from the straw. "But…it's not too hot here, is it?"
"Get it while it's still cool here," said Wolf, waving his sandwich around. "Besides, Australia has the best coffee, right?"
"I prefer LA decaf."
"Same here." Wanting to start munching on his own sandwich, Wolf tossed Snake his sandwich first. However, the reptile just opened his mouth and swallowed it whole.
"...you know that you can just chew on it, right?" pointed Wolf.
"Is this my breakfast or not?" deadpanned Snake.
"I told you, it's best to look like we're minding our business instead of looking…" Wolf was about to open his sandwich wrapper when his tracker device beeped. "Oh! There's one now!"
[1:26]
Right in front of them was a man wearing a white jacket. His casual sweater and pants couldn't hide the fact that he looked like a scientist. He was on one knee, his hands together as if in prayer as he spoke dramatically to an awestruck woman.
"Now, Bethany," he said with an arousing, rich, guttural voice. "It's a sweet delight being with you for the past 7 years. And I think I understand how we should continue for our next journey. While I know my work has been costing, I still want you to be a part of it. So, Bethany Robinson, will-?"
He yelped when he was tipped over by a 'clumsy' Wolf bumping into him. He dropped his sandwich on the impression of not looking where he was going. As the woman stood back awkwardly, the canine picked the former researcher up, wiping his jacket.
"Oh dear!" said Wolf cheekily. "I'm so sorry!"
The former researcher took a deep breath to calm himself. "Not a problem, sir."
Wolf smirked to himself as he walked away from the couple. Snake caught up to him, noticing the objects he was holding. The canine chuckled as he revealed he had snatched two navy blue boxes.
"See?" said Wolf. "That's why you should pretend instead of being too obvious."
He opened the first box, revealing a golden ring with a diamond on it.
His snout drooped.
Wolf and Snake looked behind.
The former researcher continued his confession and dug into his pants pocket. He was about to say 'Will you marry me?' when he noticed he had only got his keys out. His smile dropped before he let out a huge gasp. The former researcher patted all over his body, trying to find the marriage ring box.
"Where is it?!" he said. "Where is it?!"
"Where's what?" asked his girlfriend innocently.
"Quick! Shake me upside down!"
[1:46]
She immediately did, suddenly grabbing the former researcher with superhuman strength and spinning him upside down. She began shaking him around like he was a can of beans. The only things that fell out of his pockets were his wallet, a random whistleblower and some kind of cologne bottle. He let out a huge wail when the bottle smashed on the ground.
Wolf grinned sheepishly, turning around. "Oops…"
Snake was nonchalant about it, taking the ring. "Oh well. Finders keepers."
"No, no, no," said Wolf, snatching it back. "We're not heartbreakers!" He threw the ring behind, hopefully near the couple. Hopefully. "Now, this should be what we're after."
He opened the box that he needed and it revealed an Eden Apple. They nearly mistook it for a gem when they caught its glow and shine. The marble in their palms could resemble a plastic ball. It still fitted the image of what they were shown in their briefing.
"Whoa!" said Snake. He flicked his tongue out, trying to taste the smell floating around the Eden Apple. "This is…smaller than I thought."
"This should be the one," said Wolf. "Looks like we're on track."
"We have six more to go, right?" said Snake. "Where are they at?"
"They're all currently inside the market," said Wolf, keeping the Eden Apple in his vest pocket.
"Guess we have to keep moving in," said Snake. "It might become more busy inside."
"Got it then," said Wolf. "Now, remember, don't look too obvious…"
He trailed off, trying not to drool. He was already opening the wrapper of his sandwich.
Wolf couldn't help sticking his tongue out at the sight of the delicious contents of the sandwich. Between two slices of golden bread, gooey cheese that could turn into sauce in the rising sun, thick bacon with a hint of caramel and the egg. Even better, the runny yolk was running out, begging Wolf to bite into it.
His stomach growled, encouraging him to pant. His tail wagged at his excitement. He opened his mouth and closed his eyes to take the first bite…
[2:12 - End of Song]
SCREEEE!
Snake quickly slapped Wolf's face when a police car braked nearly in front of his feet. Or at least tried to. It crashed into one of the cars on the sideline and a cop came out.
"FREEZE!" yelled Gumbo, holding up a taser gun. "This is the Victorian Police! You're under arrest, Mr. Wolf and Mr. Snake!"
That was quicker than they expected.
And normally, the cops they ran into would fall for their disguise.
Snake only dared to take another sip of his ice coffee.
"SNACK ATTACK!" exclaimed Wolf, throwing his sandwich at Gumbo's eyes.
[HIP (With Vocals or Instrumental) - MAMAMOO]
[0:11 (Instrumental)]
The young crocodile shrieked, blinded by the slimy pieces of the breakfast sandwich. It didn't help that he wasn't wearing his glasses. He tried wiping the pieces off his eyelids, the leaky yolk and cheese sipping into his eyes. By the time he could see properly, even if his eyes were hurting, Wolf and Snake were running into the market indignantly.
"Are you kidding me?!" yelled Gumbo.
Huffing in embarrassment, he chased after the two Bad Guys. Being a much larger animal, it wouldn't be possible for him to catch up to the more skinnier animals. Wolf knew that, grabbing Snake to turn around the corner. Unfortunately, when he looked behind, Gumbo skidded on the floor with his feet and turned around the corner with such agility.
"STOP!" yelled the crocodile. "STOP RIGHT THERE, BLOODY BAD GUYS!"
This only encouraged them to keep running. After all, the Bad Guys usually run away from the cops. As they went further into the market hut, they noticed the kinds of products each venue was selling. This one sold colorful merchandise and clothes: none of them held the obvious richness and plainness of malls, but they were rich in detail.
Ironically, the bright, pretty colors kept their spirits high despite being chased.
And not even at least ten stalls in the large hut when Wolf suddenly stopped.
[0:27 (Instrumental)]
A reflective baseball cap made from holographic fabric coated in silver, blue and pink.
This would make a nice gift for Diane, he thought. His grin drank in all the hats on display. To his surprise, nearly all of the sticks on the wall holding up the hats were longer than one another, probably due to some larger hats being deeper. He looked to the right to see the charging and yelling Gumbo.
Wolf turned his eyes back to the attractive baseball cap, pretending to observe it like an artist.
"What are you doing, Wolf?!" hissed Snake.
"Oh, just wondering if this is worth a steal," said Wolf casually.
Snake rolled his eyes. "Buddy, it's time we get out right now-"
"Shush, sweetheart. You can't rush admiring art."
Snake groaned, hearing Gumbo's yelling getting closer. "Why do you even need the shine of something that white!"
"I don't know," said Wolf, scratching his chin. "But I'm a guy who loves all kinds of fashion!"
With the speeding Gumbo about to crash into him, Wolf spun around, grabbed the baseball cap and pulled Snake out of the way.
"And some action!"
What he didn't expect was some random guy charging in and trying to swing his baseball bat blindly. The blunt side of the bat crashed into Gumbo's face, causing him to spin around and slip over. Forwards.
The attacker was unlucky when the bigger crocodile flopped onto him. Not only was he big enough to squish the guy, but his taser gun fired the prongs.
[0:41 (Instrumental)]
Wolf and Snake stepped back in surprise as the random guy and Gumbo were electrocuted. A thousand volts ran through their bodies, just enough to make them dark and show the skeletons underneath. Wolf narrowed his eyes, recognizing the random guy.
"Lucky Jim?" he said, keeping the baseball cap in his vest. "Is that you?"
"Now's not the time!" said Snake, dragging Wolf away.
Gumbo quickly pushed Lucky Jim off, still twitching. Despite the electricity wearing off, he couldn't stop shivering. Gritting his teeth, he restrained another yell and continued his chase. Too bad his twitching legs slowed him down.
"Man, that cop is tough!" said Snake, surprised by Gumbo's determination.
"I didn't know there was a dinosaur stronger than Luggins!" remarked Wolf.
"Wait, you think HE'S a DINOSAUR?"
"He looks like one!"
"I thought he's an alligator!"
"Alligators don't have yellowish scales!"
"God, you've been seeing too many greens from Piranha lately!"
[0:54 (Instrumental)]
Out of the blue, Wolf and Snake were suddenly showered by heavy golden bars. Wolf kicked one leg up upon impact but realized it didn't hurt. It was heavy, yes, but not enough to cause a headache. Snake just took shelter underneath Wolf's arm, eyes darting at the bars crashing around them. Looking upwards, they could see a lizard's head peeping from a hole in the roof.
Upon being found, the lizard blew a raspberry and picked up what looked like an anvil.
"Oh, it's Betty Bonnie!" said Snake casually.
"You know him before?" asked Wolf.
"Yeah. I cheated in a gambling match against him. I got him to roll snake eyes."
BANG!
Two high-pitched screams echoed through the market when the anvil landed between them. It thankfully didn't crush their feet or tail, but it left cracks in the ground. Betty Bonnie started throwing lighter objects from above, but Wolf and Snake rushed out just in time.
Gumbo arrived a little late and saw them running around a corner.
He lifted a foot upwards…
CRASH!
…and he slowly looked up upon feeling a coffee mug smashing into his head. It wasn't enough to pierce through his thick skin. Betty Bonnie's eyes widened when he met the angered eyes of Gumbo. He immediately went for a chainsaw.
In response, the crocodile threw his taser gun right at the lizard's chin.
Wolf and Snake were about to use the clearest exit right before them. This place was more crowded than before, so getting through that many busy customers wasn't easy. That being said, their exit was blocked off by a slow truck.
If you thought that the Bad Guys had so many chasers, you would wonder how many people they wronged in the past.
Snake's eyes could nearly pop out of their sockets in absolute horror.
[1:09 (Instrumental)]
Inside that truck was a woman with broken glasses. The cracks added to her bloodshot, bulging eyes, matching Snake's current ones. She snarled. Like LITERALLY. Her teeth gnashing added to her gripping tightly on her steering wheel, cutting into its wrinkly cover. There was murder spelled in her eyes.
Snake gulped. "Kelly Kai Kai…"
"Who's that?" asked Wolf.
"You know I went into mail frauds on dating before!" shouted Snake, pulling Wolf away.
Kelly uttered a banshee scream as she summoned a cheese grater on a stick shaped like a weapon. She burst through the truck's front window and charged after the two Bad Guys, swinging the cheese grater around. It would be scary if it weren't for her waving the weapon like a flag. Snake must have done a lot to break her.
This was compared to Gumbo from the other side, looking more exhausted than at the start. The panting crocodile had to bend down, placing his hands on his knees. He was nearly out of breath from all the running.
He didn't notice Kelly running past him.
"Damnit…" grumbled Gumbo through labored breaths. "Why…are they…so persistent?!" He shook his head and his tail. His tail, in particular, was wagging like mad. "First thing I'll do is shove that snake in his little wolf's clothing and then rip their jaws out together as a sandwich!"
Nearly out of options, Wolf and Snake resorted to hiding around the many venues that provided many high walls for them to hide behind. They decided to go with sliding underneath a table, pulling the table sheet back into place. Every inch of their body and tail covered.
Right on time, they could hear Kelly's banshee scream passing them.
[Repeat 1:23 - 1:37 (Instrumental)]
Wolf was nearly inclined to come out but only stopped when a peek through the cloth revealed the panting Gumbo, bending down again. He remained watching, grinning in excitement. He couldn't unsee Gumbo trembling in anger. The crocodile was gonna throw a tantrum for sure, judging by his shaking fists.
He didn't want to tempt, but seeing him punch into a table would be entertaining.
However, the crocodile froze, lifting his hands to his chest. Nearly looked like over his heart. Wolf couldn't tell. But he could see the long, spiked tail wrapping around the legs. Gumbo took a few deep breaths, his eyes shut to get himself in a clear mindset.
"OK, Milton," he muttered to himself. "You know this place better than them. No more screw-ups."
With these quiet reassurances, the crocodile ran off and Wolf sighed in disappointment. It just made him feel sad.
"Why do I miss Chief Luggins now?" he grumbled.
"Something doesn't make sense here," said Snake. "We only got one cop, but now we're chased by criminals?! How did they follow us right here?!"
Wolf groaned, hanging his head. "We're idiots. We're…we're so dead! They know we're here."
Snake rolled his eyes, not understanding immediately. "What confuses me is why that police cop is on his own. Well, maybe his police departure is a bit lost, but…"
"And because of that, everyone in LA would know they wouldn't ambush us quickly. They know we're easy to catch before the police take serious action."
The reptile blinked a few times. "I'm guessing that the cops aren't familiar with us yet. That's why our rivals are taking this opportunity."
His head slammed to the floor when he felt someone grabbing him by the tail. Wolf tried to grab him, but he was pulled upwards and back into the light. Another hand grabbed him by the cheeks, turning him around face-to-face with the venue vendor.
"Mmm!" hummed the vendor, impressed. "Squishy!"
He squeezed Snake's cheeks like he was a toy.
Immediately, Snake leapt upwards and roared in the vendor's face. The vendor himself screamed at a high pitch, tripped over and scurried away, crying.
"I have had it with these people!" snarled Snake.
"Wait," said Wolf. He checked his tracker device and it was beeping louder. "I think there is…"
The two Bad Guys realized what this could mean. Snake found a light blue box coated in dark blue stripes. He pressed the button on top of it and it opened to reveal an Eden Apple. The orb glowing intensely in its glory.
Taking it, the reptile observed the venue in skepticism. Toys flaunted the shelves around him, even on the table.
"This is a choking and stomach hazard," grumbled Snake, quickly crawling back into his hiding space. "Who will the parents blame when their child's stomach explodes on the plate?"
"OK," said Wolf. "I think we probably know what to do now."
They paused when they heard Kelly running by, still screaming.
"The activity caused by the cop and our fellow criminals will alert our targets," explained Wolf. "We'll have to speed things up now since our disguises don't work on them. We split up to get the Eden Apples currently."
"Are you sure about that, Wolf?" asked Snake. "It's not easy doing this kind of job quickly."
"I'll be fine, sweetheart. You also can pickpocket and you are faster than me. You have a tracker, so we can find the Eden Apples on our own."
"Got it," confirmed Snake with an extra rasp. His growing confidence in a hectic robbery probably added it. The raspiness even brought back traces of his Australian accent, knowing when to get dangerous. "You better meet me back at Therry Street, mate."
"Let's bounce!" Wolf barked with a similar regain in his accent, holding up his fist. "Go bad…"
"Or go home!" said Snake, head-bumping his fist.
[Pause at 1:37 (Instrumental)]
Kelly ran past them. Again. Still screaming.
"...is she running in circles?" asked Snake.
They didn't bother answering that, rolling out of their hiding spot. Right on time to be faced with a sledgehammer-wielding Betty Bonnie. The lizard tried swinging his sledgehammer around, but Snake managed to duck just in time before slithering away.
Meanwhile, the more flexible Wolf snatched the sledgehammer and swung it around to crash into Betty Bonnie's stomach. The lizard was sent flying, knocked out silly on the floor.
Already confident in his own fur, he dropped the fake disguise color. Breathing in the familiar dark brown colors, he rushed off and turned around another corner. That was when he stopped in time to see Gumbo pouring out from the crowd. He pulled out his tracker device, checking for nearby coordinates. There was an Eden Apple close by, but it must be from the crowded area behind Gumbo.
Once close enough to be in hearing distance, Gumbo uttered despite his heavy panting. "You…got a lot of nerve…coming here, Mr. Wolf."
"And you got a lot of nerve chasing us," snarked Wolf. "You know that I can't satisfy every tall, dark and wimpy cop."
"Look, mate," said the crocodile, his heavy boots taking a step by step. Slowly. And if there wasn't a crowd around, you could hear the thumps of these boots asserting his larger, imposing size. That was a contrast to his more merciful offer. "I don't want any trouble… and…if you don't trouble, I suggest you walk to me peacefully."
Wolf raised an eyebrow, taking his word a bit too seriously. "Good thing these boots are just made for walking."
[Resume at 1:23 (With Vocals)]
Clicking his black boots together, the soles glowed a cyan color.
Gumbo immediately noticed what they might mean, placing a foot a bit further away at the back. With both legs spread out in a ready pose, his tail curled upwards to give him space to run and his baton out, the crocodile gritted his teeth and waited for the first blow.
Wolf just sprinted forward, right on time when the crocodile had a direct hit. However, as soon as he swung his baton, Wolf slid right underneath his legs, rolled out before he could crash into the tail and jumped onto his back. Once planted his feet near Gumbo's meaty neck, he bounced off him. The boots gave him an extra boost, soaring through the air like a circus performer.
Gumbo could only watch in bewilderment.
Wolf winked back at him. At the same time, his grin was wide, a childlike wonder of flying.
The tracking device beeped louder and in the sea of humans, he spotted one guy on the phone. Wearing a white jacket.
[1:38 (With Vocals)]
Wolf landed on top of two people, but thanks to his new boots, the soles removed any pressure and weight he might have applied on the heads.
Hopping on them, he bounced upwards like a beachball. He was merely a feather brushing over their heads.
He sighed in relief that those he stepped on weren't hurt, only looking around in confusion. And soon enough, it was just like bouncing over clueless marshmallows. These heads were safe trampolines and the boots allowed Wolf to jump higher than the average.
He even did a spin in the air, refreshed by the action.
As he got closer to the Sunnyside researcher in white, he let out a deep chuckle and gave a look to the readers watching.
"Follow the white jackets, am I right?" he scoffed.
As a result, he accidentally slipped on a hat one person was wearing. Cue him tumbling over the crowd like how he accidentally stepped over several police cops at the Gala of Goodness. He spun around clumsily above the squeaking noises of confusion and pain. Eventually, his boot missed a girl's head and he fell forward.
The young girl, oblivious to her head being stepped on, gazed at the stranger in confusion. The still-running Wolf got back up and flashed an apologetic smile. The ice cream cone was stuck to his forehead, making him look like a unicorn. Pulling the cone off, he eventually resorted to just running on the ground. He was close to the Sunnyside researcher anyway.
Speaking of which, his target was too busy arguing with the person he was calling to realize that Wolf was coming.
"What?! No!" he said. "I'm not gonna come back home! It's too dangerous! Weirdos with heterochromia will slit my throat!"
He didn't notice Wolf rolling on the floor and snatching several things from his pockets.
"No, they aren't friendly people. You know how these bikers are like before!"
Oblivious to the fact that Wolf had just targeted him.
Wolf searched through the small items he collected, still running, using the crowd as his cover. A small navy blue box stood out from them. Opening it revealed the Eden Apple. The canine laughed, keeping this in his pocket.
In the distance, a shocked Gumbo watched on, unable to get through the crowd.
[1:50 (With Vocals)]
Snake found himself in hot water with Lucky Jim on the other side of the market hut.
Snake was trying to run, but the rogue was relentless, trying to land a kick at the reptile. Many grabs, but Snake was able to dodge them. The human even tried grabbing the tail, but Snake managed to pull it away before he could take it. Too bad it only slowed Snake down as he tried to keep moving.
Snake felt his tracking device vibrating more intensely. That would mean he was close to the next Eden Apple! And he might know which venue it came from.
He saw one guy with a similar white jacket presenting an invention venue.
OK, to clarify things, it looked like the vendor wasn't trying to sell inventions. It was more of a convention booth due to all the complicated machines and weapons hanging around him. He didn't have a clear space for people to enter the venue room due to the tables not allowing any freedom to move around. He was doing all of this for show.
And right on the counter table was a box presenting an Eden Apple.
Strangely colored in purple texter.
Snake snorted. "That's not even helping!"
Lucky Jim reached in, nearly close to grabbing Snake's tail. To his surprise, Snake moved back and his tail curled around his wrist. The reptile then squeezed through the hole of his sleeve, wrapping his whole body around his arms. Since he was a giant snake, it was nearly hard for him to hide underneath Lucky Jim's clothes.
With Snake inside, Lucky Jim's arm looked like it was bloated after being stung by a bee.
In position, Snake forced the arms to pull forward, causing Lucky Jim to lurch towards the Sunnyside researcher's venue.
"Ah!" said the researcher cheerfully. "Welcome to my lab! What would you like to see?"
"Um…" The controlled Lucky Jim couldn't say another word when Snake jerked his arms to grab one of the inventions on the table.
The researcher didn't have time to react when the butt of the invention slammed into his face. Leaving a rectangular faceprint hole in his face. Followed by his entire table being shoved right at him, showing him more of his fragile inventions. Broken machine pieces scattered everywhere.
Including the Eden Apple.
Turquoise sparks flew from the orb upon impact from bouncing on the floor.
Snake quickly popped right out through Lucky Jim's shirt through the neck hole and spun him around before slamming his tail into his eyes. The criminal dropped to the floor. With two enemies down, Snake grabbed the Eden Apple and slithered away, laughing to himself.
[2:18 (With Vocals) to 1:23 (Instrumental)]
Back with Wolf, he was already far away from Gumbo. Enough time to find the next Eden Apple before he ran into the cop again. The canine didn't have to look for long since his tracker device began beeping again. He sniffed, wanting to use his instincts to pick up his target's scent.
His wiggling nose only smelled barbeque.
He was close to some of the food venues exclusive in this hut. The one he detected was a hot dog venue where a Sunnyside researcher with a long beard that was too long for cooking safety proudly made hot dogs. Over a small barbecue charcoal griller, cooking the sizzling sausages away.
The flames were more of a turquoise color than the regular orange color.
Wolf looked back at his tracker device. This should be where his target was at. And maybe he might have used the Eden Apple for the griller…
"That's convenient," he said to himself. His stomach growled, eliciting a wince from him. "I haven't eaten breakfast yet…damn it."
He was in the middle of trying to form a plan when he decided to approach the vendor kindly first.
"Hello there, mate," said Wolf with a coy smirk. "Just came here for some sausages."
"Ah! Nice!" said the former researcher. "How many do you want?"
"Well-"
Before he could answer, Kelly suddenly dropped by. She swung her cheese grater weapon right into the table, splitting it in half as if it were nothing. Her strength matched the psychotic grin. Her bloodshot eyes were enough to make Wolf shiver in his fur coat.
Never thought Wolf would be meeting the girl Snake tricked into giving her money for an easy con. Or any of the criminals he and the other Bad Guys wronged in the past. He would want to make amends, but many criminals were best to stay away from. Especially if they weren't on talking terms.
[Pause at 1:37 (Instrumental)]
In contrast to the canine's surprisingly calm reaction, the former researcher let out a girly scream before taking out a spray bottle.
Spray. Spray. Spray.
To Wolf's surprise, she screamed in agony. Her weapon dropped to the side as she tried to protect her eyes from the spray.
"What the hell was that?!" screamed Kelly.
"It's oil spray!" answered the researcher before running off.
[Resume at 1:23 (Instrumental)]
Kelly growled, whipping towards Wolf. Her eyes were more redder, a grotesque appearance that Wolf couldn't stand looking at them. "No matter. I got you where I wanted you to be, Mr. Wolf!"
"Kelly?" said Wolf, holding his hands up. "Can we talk about this?"
"Never. No one cons me and gets away with it." Kelly smirked. "And no one is going to stop me! Not even-!"
"Uh-uh-uh!" said Wolf as her hands nearly came close. "If you kill me, then you'll be drenched in blood, the morning cop will see you and then you lose!"
Kelly seemed convinced. "Oh, right…"
And then, she pulled her cheese grater weapon back up.
"BUT I DON'T CARE! MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!"
Wolf yelped, ducking before the weapon could crash into his face. Right on time when a charging Gumbo came by and his face took the hit.
With the crocodile knocked down once again, Wolf jumped a few steps backwards and grabbed a chain of sausages, spinning them around like nun-chucks. He nearly cringed at the wet feeling, but at least he knew how to use such weapons before. He quickly took a few hits on Kelly's face, distracting her. Then, he wrapped them around her cheese grater, ripping it off from the stick.
Things got crazy when the groaning Gumbo had his tail whipping around in agitation. It led to hitting the leg of the barbeque griller, falling into pieces. The burning, turquoise charcoal spilled out, adding to the still-cooking sausages. With the combined sausages and the lava-like temperature of the charcoal, the pile produced a smoking, menacing campfire.
[Pause at 1:37 (Instrumental)]
Kelly's face changed tone when she smelled the intense smoke.
"Why did the place change?" she said quietly. "Who sent their presence here?! What is God doing?!" In mere seconds, she hopped around frantically with a horrified look. "What changed?! WHAT CHANGED?! WHAT REALLY CHANGED?! AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA…!"
Just like that, she ran away.
Wolf hummed to himself. "I knew it was a bad idea to advocate Piranha's idea of putting firecrackers in letters."
With Gumbo struggling to use his sore arms to pick himself back up, Wolf activated the thin shield and his hands were fully coated in blue. Protected from burning, he tore open the griller easily. Right inside, in place of where the gas bottle should be, was the Eden Apple. Powering the now-useless griller. Wolf tore it out and it was piping hot!
He chuckled, placing it into his jacket pocket.
Speaking of piping hot, what remained of the table included leftover hot dogs. Licking his lips, Wolf grabbed a couple of sausages, stuffed them in his mouth and ran off.
"HEY!" yelled Gumbo. "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"
"Too late!" exclaimed Wolf through a mouthful of salty meat.
The addition of theft to sausages angered Gumbo enough to pick up speed. Wolf swallowed hard at the sight. Better have his thighs pumping.
[Resume and repeat 1:23 - 1:37 (Instrumental)]
To Snake's surprise, his tracking device led him to a large clothes venue. He couldn't spot where the former researcher might be, they might be hidden well amongst the vendors, but his tracker found their location.
That could mean they stored the Eden Apple somewhere around.
Once close, he was greeted by the venue shaped like a makeshift maze. Several clothes were hanging outside on display. There was no one around to greet him. Without needing to wait for a person to guide him, Snake activated his disguise ability on his outfit and his whole body took on a new illusion.
He was completely brown. Appearing naked.
Like a skin rug.
"...I'm uncomfortable!" he hissed.
He quickly added a random shirt over his body.
Perfect.
Once the coast was clear, Snake slithered inside the venue and got into acting as an inactive prop.
He had to thank Shark for teaching him how to look dead. Just open your mouth without caring where your tongue might be resting and have your eyes wide as pie plates. He only shifted his eyes around to check whether moving was safe. The workers were deep in conversation, not concentrating on him. And every time he got too close to moving feet, he froze, looking like a dead skin rug.
At one point, he quickly rolled over to hide behind a huge clothes shelf. The thick rack of colorful shirts could have been enough to hide the Eden Apple. This made him wonder if the researcher was dumb enough to hide it right here.
And what do you know? The reptile pulled some clothes away from his sight and found the same light blue box inside a tropical shirt pocket.
The footsteps of one of the vendors grew louder. The reptile shrunk backwards, apprehensive. He might not be able to get out of there in time. Remaining hidden behind the clothes, the navy blue box remained in his mouth. He didn't dare to swallow it whole. It couldn't fit his entire mouth, but he always managed to stuff in the worst.
To his surprise, it slipped right through his tongue and throat easily.
By the time he managed to swallow it, the vendor came in, checking on the clothes.
Snake made sure to keep his head as low as possible.
However, the thrill of stealing in here and hiding away from any authority figure made him feel wild. Just like the good old days when he was feared. The excitement that he missed.
"None of you will have to worry, isn't that right, you sweet apple?" he said playfully, shaking his body. "Oh yes, you are! Oh yes, you are!"
Inside his stomach, the box was squeezed in between the meaty, wet walls, unable to move around. But the Eden Apple itself fell from the tiny legs holding it, bouncing off the walls of the box. One would have noticed it sparkling up, looking dangerously close to imploding.
Yes, Snake, it's a stomach hazard.
As fast as they could, Wolf and Snake rushed over to Therry Street. And right on time as well, since with only a few minutes to shave off, they lost their chasers in the crowd. When reunited, they were relieved. Wolf broke into a smile, pecking a kiss on the reptile's cheek. The blushing Snake rolled his eyes playfully, keeping the back of his head close to the wall in anticipation of hiding.
"How many did you get?" asked Wolf.
"I found two Eden Apples," said Snake.
The reptile suddenly burped and vomited out the box he had stolen earlier. It popped open, revealing the saliva-covered Eden Apple.
"...here!" he said, keeping it in his jacket.
"I found two as well," said Wolf matter-of-factly.
"That means there is just one more hidden in this area. I think we managed to lose our pursuers for now."
"Then what are we waiting for?" said Wolf. "Let's go!"
[1:37 (With Vocals)]
Gumbo arrived on time but only a little late. The Bad Guys already ran straight into the meat and fish hall. The tall building that was more sheltered and blocked by walls in comparison to the open-air huts. The crocodile grunted in frustration, kicking the floor. At the same time, his tail flicked upwards, sharing his growing frustration.
As he brooded, he found a group of people trying to push a large wooden cart of cheese. It appeared heavy, given that the wheels were refusing to budge. Must be for the Daily Produce Hall.
That gave the crocodile an idea.
He didn't need to run as the group had trouble. But once he reached it, he was quick to offer.
"Need an extra push with this ride, lads?" he asked.
Inside, Wolf and Snake sprinted across the hall, using their tracking device to find their last target. They wondered why this Sunnyside researcher would stick around in a place that mostly sold frozen meat and dairy. After what they saw, it would be absurd to imagine what one would want to use the Eden Apple here for.
It could be from the whirring machines, but doing it in a building would be too much of a risk.
As they rushed through, the smell of cold, salty meat filled their nostrils. The sweetness and nuttiness of cheese followed. The crowding people around the counters, blabbing about the free samples, was overwhelming. A clear path in the middle yet the two Bad Guys knew their target could be anywhere. There was no time to stop, creating their own rush in the shopping spree.
Unfortunately, their path was blocked when a large cheese cart nearly ran into them. And riding on it was Gumbo. The sneering crocodile hopped off the cart. Without the crowd, you could hear the heavy thump of his boots when he landed. His taller figure and bulky build blocked the two Bad Guys from escaping through the other side. A stand in for the police cops trained to bury them in the ground.
[1:50 (With Vocals)]
"You're really making this hard for me, aren't you?" grumbled the crocodile. In contrast to his tense composure, his face said otherwise. A weariness to the chaos that occurred before.
Wolf groaned, rubbing his ears sheepishly. "Look, I like to chat and hang around. Maybe a coffee later on. But we have something important to do!"
Gumbo clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "If so 'important', why don't you just spill the beans now, mate?"
"Confidential, mate," deadpanned Snake, his narrowed eyes glaring daggers into the crocodile. "I thought cops don't need to hear the full story."
Gumbo briefly glanced at Snake. The reptile looked like a grumpy cat. It actually frightened the taller crocodile, his eyes widening in alarm. The grumpy Mr. Snake who could be easily set off like a lazy clawed kitten. It didn't stop him from pointing his baton at the two of them.
"Cut that out," said Gumbo, keeping his voice emotionless. "I suggest that you reconsider your choice right now. You cannot keep running."
Charging forward towards the crocodile might not be a good idea since they would be directly attacking a cop. That would never end well, especially when assaulting an international cop.
Backing away further might not be a good idea. Sandwiched between the cheese cart and the crowd growing in numbers, there was no easy way through.
Wolf looked around wildly for something before snatching something from a shop counter.
"Go get it, boy!" he yelled.
[Pause at 2:04 (With Vocals)]
Gumbo remained still as a piece of raw meat flew over his head. He stared at Wolf with a flat look, hearing the meat splattering on the ground in a puddle.
"What was that?" he asked robotically.
"...oh, I thought you were gonna get it," said Wolf.
"I'm NOT a dog. I thought you would."
"Oh yeah," said Wolf, nodding his head in agreement. "I passed the 'catch the stick' phase a long time ago."
An awkward period of silence before Snake whipped out a random gadget and aimed it at one of the wheels of the cheese cart.
[Resume at 2:04 (With Vocals)]
The wooden cart lost its balance and upon slumping on one of its corners, the wooden walls gave way. A couple of cheese wheels crashed into the back of Gumbo. The crocodile yelped, stumbling over. But while he was able to break his fall this time, Wolf and Snake already scurried by, using the cart to jump over the curious shoppers surrounding it.
"HEY!" yelled Gumbo. But he could do nothing as the cheese wheels flooded around him.
Eventually, the two Bad Guys ended up in the food court of the building. Their tracking devices were beeping louder, which meant that their target was around.
They spotted the Sunnyside researcher, dining at a table. Happily having lunch while watching a video on her computer. She was holding a hot dog in one hand…and an Eden Apple in the other, cockily rolling it around her fingers.
Both Wolf and Snake chuckled, sharing the same sentiment.
[2:18 (With Vocals)]
But the second they took a single step inside the food court area, Lucky Jim appeared right behind them. They whipped around. They couldn't go past him without throwing a couple of punches. Another exit was blocked by the panting Kelly. She was now wielding the sledgehammer Betty Bonnie brandished before.
Trapped in the same room with two criminals wanting to kill them.
There were too many innocent people in this court. They might be eating away without a care in the world, but it was no use getting into a big fight.
"This is bad, this is bad!" said Snake. "Is this a good time to take out our weapons?"
"That would only scare the researcher off!" said Wolf.
[2:32 to 3:00 (With Vocals)]
Before they could plan properly, Lucky Jim grabbed Wolf by the collar of his vest. As if on instinct, Wolf quickly pulled his arms out of the vest and twirled it around the human's arm. He then spun Lucky Jim around, playing with his ballerina marionette. With one big pull, he sent the spinning Lucky Jim charging towards the researcher.
She felt someone crashing into her, spinning her around. And then, Lucky Jim was in her arms.
The flustered researcher stuttered. "What-what the…?"
Lucky Jim grinned underneath his mask. "What's popping?"
Before he could savor the moment, the researcher simply dropped him to the ground. Unaware that Snake had snatched the Eden Apple out of her hands.
However, Kelly was aware.
Not on time, as when she tried smashing Snake, she smashed the table instead. The researcher's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as she watched her beautiful computer and lunch turn into a saucy pile.
Looking right up, she was face-to-face with the grease-covered Kelly.
Wolf and Snake immediately bolted out of the room as the researcher gave Kelly an earful, not bothering to see Kelly screeching in agony of her ear being pulled.
[End of Song - 3:15]
But the danger was STILL not over when they got outside. Another anvil crashed between them.
Wolf and Snake jumped back, suddenly running in different directions. And when they were too far from each other, Gumbo came from behind and tackled the canine to the ground. However, his injuries weakened him that he didn't hear Snake receiving the same treatment miles away, tackled by the falling Betty Bonnie.
Wolf expected something rough, but Gumbo lifted his body around, using his knees and hands to support his weight. His left hand then pinned Wolf's shoulder to the ground. While the grip wasn't tight, the pressure applied wasn't.
And up this close, the crocodile's expression made his intimidating build hilariously uncanny.
"I think…ah…this is why…ah…you were always…chased by bloody cops!" huffed the panting Gumbo, his eyes drooping with a thoroughly fed-up tone in his voice. "What's next? Helicopters raining on you?"
The canine could only grin sheepishly. The intimidating crocodile's larger body was enough to send fear into him, knowing he could be smothered. And maybe it was a little hot for him. Wolf took a moment to open up his collar, airing his fur neck. He had to wonder if he could get out of this since Gumbo pretty much had the same build as Chief Luggins.
The crocodile grimaced in disgust at Wolf's cheeky grin.
But when he looked up to hear the squeak of a strangled Snake, his eyes of concern and anger towards his slowness could have been directed to Wolf kicking him in the ribs lightly. The crocodile stumbled backwards and Wolf finished it by striking him underneath his chin. With Gumbo's head thrown upwards, Wolf rose on his knees and curled his hands into fists.
Dazed, hurried and panicking, the crocodile swung a fist at Wolf, but the more experienced canine leaned back to avoid being punched.
Remembering back to how the Crimson Paw fought against guards, Wolf grabbed onto Gumbo's left arm and swung his entire body in the air until he latched against the crocodile's back. Once his legs were wrapped around the crocodile's thick neck, Wolf leaned back and slammed his head against the floor.
Wolf tumbled over as well, his eyes shaking and fearful that he might accidentally kill Gumbo. But the groaning from the crocodile indicated he was still breathing.
In this state of panic, Wolf thouthgtlessly ran across the busy street, jumping over cars. And he thought Snake would be able to follow along.
Snake DID manage to grab the upper hand. Despite Bonnie squeezing his hands around his throat hardly to the point it could snap his windpipes into halves, the poor reptile managed to use his tail to grab Bonnie's tail. Using all the strength he could muster, he swung the lizard around and threw him away, right into Gumbo AGAIN when he just got back up.
Thinking that Wolf was still around, Snake immediately hid underneath a table.
But it was at this momenet their eyes met, realizing how far they were. Wolf was on the other side of the market, close to the everyday buildings and a dark alley. The canine gasped when he noticed his friend still near Gumbo, the crocodile slowly waking up again.
Before he could run back, a pair of furry hands grabbed him by the mouth. The next thing he knew, he was pulled into the dark alley, pinned against a garbage dumpster.
It felt cold and safe, but his friend was still out there!
"Don't fight it," said a deep voice. "They'll see you."
The voice strangely calmed him down. Wolf peeked over the dumpster, his ears lowered. He watched in worry as the dizzy Gumbo got up.
Snake slowly edged towards the other end of the table, nearly thinking of running away.
Fortunately, the young crocodile was beaten up so badly that his vision was impaired. He blinked a couple of times, blindly gazing around like he didn't know his surroundings.
Once he couldn't see Wolf or Snake anywhere, he hung his head and let out a loud groan. The grumpy crocodile looked like he could collapse again. Tired, he seemed to lost hope and grabbed the unconscious Bett Bonnie nearby.
Putting the lizard over his shoulder, Gumbo trudged off, his tail dragging behind him.
Snake sighed in relief, glad it was over.
So did Wolf as well. But he was still fearful that it was another foe.
"Oh, thank goodness," he said. "Listen to me now. I don't mean to…"
He trailed off when the person in front of him didn't match the criteria of a rival criminal.
It was another wolf. One who nearly resembled Wolf except he was slightly taller, his shoulders were broader and his fur was gray. And he appeared much older due to the visible greying white fur coating his muzzle and cheek fur. The fur growing on his chin supported this idea.
Instead of the youthful curl on the top, the fur between his curved ears was combed to the side to give a sideswept appearance. Meanwhile, his attire appeared much dirtier: a dirty dark brown jacket buttoned to the top, a necklace with golden spikes, ripped black jeans and dark brown boots. To Wolf, this looked like the kind of businessman who stayed rough as he could be.
The bigger, older wolf leaned forward, his cyan-blue eyes widening in familiarity. Wolf didn't know how to feel by this stranger, raising an eyebrow. But when the older wolf took a step back in disbelief, Wolf felt a strange throbbing feeling in his chest.
And it could only happen when Wolf was under the influence of hallucinations.
"O-Oliver?" said the older wolf.
Wolf's heart skipped a beat.
All of a sudden, the world grew cold.
"...Dad?" Wolf whispered.
It was his father.
His father.
He remembered.
His gray fur. His cyan eyes.
Wolf didn't expect his guilt to reach a new high.
"What about your father? Is that why you came back here to claim him?!"
He suddenly couldn't breathe.
He couldn't think.
He suddenly felt something cold pressed against him.
Just seeing his father's face distorted Wolf's vision. White lines glitched over his father's face, drawing a savage, crude drawing over him. A memory flashed through Wolf's eyes, showing his mother dragging him back into the house. Another memory flashed by from the perspective of hiding under a table in the dark house, hearing a gun shooting.
And in between these old memories pouring in was when Wolf, as a teen, got into an argument with his father.
"We cannot stay here for longer! What if someone comes back?!"
"What about Mum? What will she think of leaving this land?"
His breathing was becoming shallow. It was hard to breathe. Too hard to breathe. Everything was beginning to turn dark and red. It built up the pain in his chest like an avalanche. His thought pattern was near-incoherent. Wolf could barely hear anything except for what he saw.
"She isn't here! She made the wrong choice coming here!"
"We cannot leave until I get enough to help us!"
All of the faces of the people in his memories flashed over his eyes. Wolf could feel himself backing away, but his feet weren't moving. With the strength that he had, he looked around hopelessly. There was nowhere to run. His shaky shoulders rose to try to appear intimidating.
That didn't go the same for the numerous faces of children appearing right in his face. Wearing the identical bloodstained grins and demonic horns.
"Help us with what?! Do you even plan when to get help?!"
"Oliver, I'm trying my best here!"
The pain in his chest intensified. Wolf clutched his head, blinking several times. White scribbles continued to animate unholy things. One of the demonic faces barked over him several times. It looked like his father. Wolf whimpered, wanting to cower down into a pathetic heap.
"Then explain why these people are still attacking us! Explain why these people hate us!"
"Oliver! I'm telling you, there's a reason for everything. Now I don't know! Be patient for once!"
Fingers were pointing at him. All in accusation and mockery. But he knew them accusing him wasn't wrong. He could feel someone holding onto his shoulders from behind. Cold hands sent a chill down his spine. His breathing became shallow, quiet. Fearful of who was behind him. And he was forced to look at the words 'big bad wolf' like bullets shooting him.
"I'm tired of waiting! How about you tell me why Mum died?! Don't mock over me that there wasn't a reason why she died. You know it too!"
"I SAID I DON'T KNOW! DO YOU HEAR ME?! I DON'T KNOW!"
And then, he could see himself with red eyes. Punching his father. Blood was shot out from his nose.
"OLIVER!" screamed his father's voice, echoing.
This voice was unlike the haunting voices. This one was real, unfiltered.
The hallucinations stopped and Wolf's first response was to throw a punch. His father stepped back, his face arguably matching his. The sauve Wolf was gone, replaced by Oliver dissolving into his madness. The younger wolf tried stepping back, whimpers escaping his lips. His yellow eyes were glassy, shifting left and right as if considering trying to escape.
He was about to run out of the alley when turning around greeted him with the shocked Snake watching the entire scene unfold.
The reptile was shocked. It wasn't just from seeing his friend undergoing another mental breakdown, but seeing another wolf that was apparently his FATHER.
Snake's body lowered, trembling in guilt. But there was also fear in his eyes. He was more afraid of the person behind Wolf. He bit his lip before retracting the sharp teeth. Regret nearly sank in. Glancing back at the father one more time, the reptile clenched his sharp teeth, closed his watery eyes and slithered away. There was no point engaging in this for him.
"And us…your lifelong friends…we're just holding you back?"
Wolf felt alone. He didn't understand at first why Snake ran off immediately.
He slowly lifted a finger towards his cheeks. They were wet. He retracted his finger, dismayed by the wet spot on the fur of his finger. He was exposed again.
Slowly turning back, he saw his anxious father. The older wolf didn't come closer, raising his hands up to show he didn't mean harm. Seeing him being this gentle, this kind, this careful of him…reminded Wolf of how much his father cared for him despite giving the reaction of him looking like a damn freak.
Whispers entered his head, telling him it was all his fault.
Keeping his eyes on the floor, Wolf slowly straightened himself and waddled to his father.
"Oliver?" asked his father, his quiet voice filled with fatherly worry. "Are you OK-?"
He didn't expect his lost-long son to hug him. He could feel his hands, his adult hands, wrapped around his back before tightening in fists. They weren't little anymore. He barely recognized the grown-up cub hugging him. It had been…so long since they saw each other.
His father was in shock. This felt surreal. But after feeling his son trembling, it confirmed his son was real. Really here. He could only wrap his arms around the younger wolf. It might not be enough, but he wanted to make it up to Wolf.
AN: You didn't expect to see this mood whiplash, did you? I think it was handled much better here.
The entire chase madness was inspired by 'Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey'. This will not go unnoticed. Just because the Bad Guys handled things on their own finely didn't mean they were off the radar of potential threats. I had a lot of fun blending action and comedy for such a chase and a robbery. There were a lot of creative choices for finding their targets and writing the wacky criminals bringing their pounds of meat onto them.
Lucky Jim returns for this glorious story, only to fall into the arms of the Sunnyside researcher. Betty Bonnie got his arse arrested. Kelly Kai Kai is probably screaming for the demons to leave her. More rival criminals will appear with a certain boar coming soon.
In case you didn't notice, Wolf's and Snake's initial disguises of their fur and scale colors are inspired by their concept art designs that initially had them in different colors. These colors were much lighter and made them look younger. Let's be honest; they still look the same and that's how Gumbo saw through it without surprise.
I'll explain in another chapter regarding Wolf's father. This is where the tables turn. It's vital to the character study of the Bad Guys. There's a lot of background that will be explored for the titular crew. For now, I can only say that his father in this AU is quite different from his book counterpart.
What do you think of the intense market chase and the sudden appearance of Wolf's father? Let me know in the reviews. 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!