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Post by Leedzie on Apr 5, 2007 18:22:19 GMT -5
"OOF!!!" The chameleon crashed and rolled into the lush and plush carpet, gasping for air as the wind was knocked from his lungs. He hadn't had such a great time recently; it was bad enough that he was stuck on the archery range all afternoon just because he accidentally struck a match which just happened to incidentally by happenstance set fire to one of the lodges. Or three. Okay ten. But then on top of that, he apparently tripped and took a fall that knocked him for a loop. Although the sight of flying fish wasn't that unusual, really. Espio sat up, beginning to breath normally again, and looked around. It was at that moment that he finally realized that something very strange was going on. ...Since when are there still any houses like this? Still in this condition? I mean geez, this place looks like it's in working shape and full of--His eyes widened. He was actually in a real live palace? One that was still working?? Without Rob around to tell him not to touch anything?! Taking no pause to wonder how he'd even gotten there, Espio bolted down the hallway at top speed. "THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!"
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Post by Stoney on Apr 5, 2007 19:06:23 GMT -5
Harper was up in his study at that moment, taking potshots at seagulls outside his bay windows. It was one of his favorite pastimes lately now that life was flowing back into Emerald Coast once again. "PULL!" BLAM. Another hapless bird fell lifelssly into the waters as the colonel gave a crazed grin and cackled. He prepared to load a couple more bullets into the rifle's chamber. BEEEEEEP. A security alarm went off behind him and to his right, at the computer workstation where he monitored the mansion via closed-circuit cameras. Surprised, Harper glanced up at the disturbance. He paused. Then he looked back at his half-loaded rifle. Pause. Another glance at the computer. Pause. Glance back at the rifle. Harper grimaced, feeling torn for several moments, but finally common sense triumphed and he set his gun aside to stride over to the workstation. Canceling the alarm, he began cycling through all the camera veiws, wondering with annoyance which idiot had decided it would be such jolly good fun to interrupt him like this. His eyes widened as a familiar purple streak zipped past one camera. While screaming its head off. .......Frown. Harper turned and picked up a walkie-talkie from the desk beside the computer. He turned it on with a hiss of static. "Jeeves, you there?" Kssht. "Yes sir, Master Harper. Is there something you need?" Click. "Did you or any of the others let any guests into the mansion without notifying me?" There was a long pause, while the butler and chief of staff likely contacted the other staff members under his command. Finally a reply came through: "No sir, there have been no persons coming in or out of the entrances since you arrived back at the manor at ten o' clock this morning." Harper arched an eyebrow. "Really now. Then why is Espio on my security cameras running around the dining area of the left wing screaming like I stole his shuriken again?" Kssht. "I...do not quite know, sir. Perhaps he snuck in?" Pause. "...Heh, yeah, I wouldn't put it past him." Harper chuckled. "Hey, you're in that area right now, aren't you? Find him and ask him what the hell he's doing, would you please?" Kssht. "Of course, sir. I'm on my way over there right now." Harper set the walkie-talkie aside, but didn't turn it off -- Jeeves knew him well enough to know he'd want periodic updates. He continued watching the speedy chameleon through his cameras, switching to another one whenever the lizard left the previous one's view. He shook his head in bewilderment. What did that kid want now? It wasn't like he had any missions lined up for the Chaotix agency or anything at the moment. Maybe he'd come over to chat and play children's card games? It was a possibility, but Harper doubted he'd be so... excited...if that were the case. Harper switched to the next camera and quirked his mouth to one side. Espio had now entered the kitchen; though large, it was an enclosed area with only one entrance which doubled as its only exit. He was now effectively "trapped", so to speak. Ah, and here comes Jeeves. Harper smiled at the impeccable timing of his employee, watching in silence as the events onscreen unfolded. "Excuse me, Mister Espio," The butler announced politely as he entered through the swinging doors of the kitchen, "But Master Harper wishes to request why you have suddenly dropped in without an appointment." His voice, tinged with traces of a British accent, was polite yet stern and matched both his expression and aura at that moment.
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 5, 2007 19:45:03 GMT -5
Exploring, in and of itself, was always entertaining, but in this case it was especially elating. Most of the environments that Espio found himself in were incredibly cramped, and this building was so... spacious. He could actually RUN from one side of the hall to the other! And the rooms were practically the sizes of buildings themselves! Espio found himself cackling hysterically as he zipped from one corridor to the next. "THIS IS AWESOME!!" Bursting through one door, the chameleon faultered for a moment at how starkly different it was. The sheer size of the place kept him from realizing for a moment that he was in the kitchen. A kitchen the size of a restaurant. Which probably had a lot of food that he'd been unable to come by since living in Meadowood. It wasn't long before Espio was climbing on the counters and rooting around in the pantries, a trail of open or emptied packages trailing after him. "Excuse me, Mister Espio."The chameleon froze in his tracks, and slowly turned to look at the butler with wide eyes. Somehow the idea of getting caught had never managed to cross his mind. He didn't hear much of Jeeves' question because his mind was racing over the fact that SCARY MAN IN A UNIFORM was probably going to get him into a heap of trouble. He didn't seem to notice that the guy had addressed him by name. "OHGODSORRYIDIDN'TDOITPLEASEDON'TKILLME!!!" Espio instantly camouflaged himself and bolted for the door. [dice=6][rand=464117977204373873795297566407157541793676731314774584916168927]
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Post by Stoney on Apr 5, 2007 20:28:30 GMT -5
[dice=6] "I beg your pard--" And suddenly the chameleon was gone. Jeeves felt a quick breeze to his left and spun in that direction, to see invisible chameleon feet coated in flour sprinting away at high speed. He promptly gave chase. Harper rolled his eyes. Leave it to Espio to be difficult. Some of the cameras didn't have microphones, and the kitchen camera was one of them...he wondered what Espio had said, and furthermore, why the heck he'd been rooting through Harper's food like some kind of homeless bum. Oh well, he'd probably find out later when he asked the chameleon about it. He turned on the walkie-talkie. "Jeeves, I'm gonna activate the security in the northern corridor. Fall back for a bit." Kssht. "Yes sir, Master Harper." The colonel accessed the security programs on his computer and began typing at a rapid pace. If his timing was accurate, the chameleon should wind up trapped under a steel cage falling from the ceiling. The enclosed space should pacify him somewhat. [dice=6][rand=09213285438874352989943128621138360568138167865166330587336893297]
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 5, 2007 20:41:34 GMT -5
[dice=6] Just when he seemed to be leaving that freaky fat-faced footman in the dust, BOOM! Espio ran straight into the bars that had suddenly slammed down in front of him. The chameleon shook his head, a little woozy, but otherwise unharmed. He actually did have the presence of mind at first to keep quiet and invisible, in the hopes that his captors could possibly think that they'd missed him, but upon realizing that he'd been trailing flour all that time, the plan quickly became useless. "Hey!! HEY!!!" Espio rattled the bars of the little cage, so small that he could easily grab the bars on either side at the same time. "C'MON, LEMME OUT!! I didn't do anything despite what Rob might've told you!!" After a bit more struggling against his enclosure, the chameleon huffed defeatedly and flopped onto the floor, leaning backwards against the bars and waiting for someone to come get him. He only idly wondered about whether or not this was Itzal's doing and if he'd be roboticized.[rand=38890275099191995739834944127880135961770880569693934857076132956]
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Post by Stoney on Apr 5, 2007 20:52:52 GMT -5
". . . . . . ." Harper stared at the camera, wondering if someone had tampered with his live feed. Because the chameleon's reaction to his predicament was quite impossible according to Harper's current knowledge...unless he was dealing with a different Espio, but that was impossible too. He picked up the radio. "Jeeves, I'm coming down there. Guard him until I arrive." He switched the device off before his butler could reply, standing up from the chair and exiting the room at a pace a bit faster than what would be casual. Something was seriously not right here, and he intended to determine precisely what it was. Jeeves nodded to himself upon recieving the order. Walking over to where the trapped chameleon lay, he halted a few feet away and folded his arms. "Master Harper is coming to meet you personally," He announced. "I should like to think that he'll be rather cross after the mess you made in his kitchen."
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 5, 2007 21:00:08 GMT -5
"Oh, that?" Espio laughed nervously, scratching his head and sitting cross-legged in front of the bars nearest Jeeves. "That was, um.... I was just INSPECTING the kitchen, right, and in order to do that effectively I had to go through everything... And, er, sample some things..." He was beginning to talk himself into a corner. The chameleon quickly puffed up his chest to try to look more confident. "I have to compliment you guys on how immaculate your kitchen is!... Was.... used to be..." Time to stop talking. Well, should've been anyway. Instead Espio stood on his knees and leaned up against the bars. "Hey, can I bribe you to let me out of here? "
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Post by Stoney on Apr 5, 2007 21:29:50 GMT -5
The butler's eyes lowered to half-mast as an unimpressed expression took over hs face. "Good sir, I daresay your attempts at underhanded dealings are most ill-advised and poorly-timed." Indeed they were, for Harper stepped out of a concealed doorway in the wall at that moment, having used an express elevator near his study and the myriad shortcuts throughout the mansion to get there in record time. "My ears are burning. What's this I hear about you trying to steal away my employees?" He arched an eyebrow and smiled crookedly, nodding to his butler as he passed Jeeves by. Espio was acting extremely strange, and he was beginning to wonder if perhaps the chameleon had stumbled upon powerful drugs of some sort to alter his behavior. But for the moment he chose to act casual, halting in front of the cage with his hands clasped behind his back. "I don't recall asking you boys to carry out any missions for quite some time now. And yet here I find you trying to perform an impression of Rouge the Bat on me." He pointed at the cage. "Furthermore, that thing should most certainly be small enough to have gotten some sort of reaction from you by now. Yet you aren't currently having some sort of seizure on the floor, which makes no sense whatsoever. Care to explain yourself, Espio?"
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 5, 2007 21:38:47 GMT -5
"PFFFTT!" Espio snorted with a cackle. "Like Rouge would ever lighten up enough to check out a place this cool! She'd just hole up in her room and mope and play her harp like she always does!" Suddenly the chameleon blinked, and looked up at the overlander on the other side of the bars. "Wait, you know Rouge?" He blinked again, and twisted into an aghast pout. "ROUGE HAS A RICH FRIEND BUT LEAVES US LIVING IN THE BOONIES?! What the crap, I want air conditioning too!" He seemed to realize that he'd digressed onto a tangent, and brought himself back to the beaten path. ... For a second. "Hey, do you own this place? That means you're rich, right? How much money do you have on you right now?" Espio again rattled the bars of his cage. "And how about letting me out of this thing? I'm a chameleon, not a canary." And a moment later, he seemed to come to yet another realization. "Wait, how do you guys know my name?"
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Post by Stoney on Apr 5, 2007 22:05:00 GMT -5
"......................................." Harper's eyebrow had arched so high that it seemed to extend off his forehead and touch the ceiling. "...Espio, did Charmy give you some of his paint flakes to eat for breakfast this morning?" He scoffed. "Rouge the Bat does not own a harp, unless it's made out of pure diamond and she stole it from some poor unlucky bastard. And my current intel has her living hundreds of miles away from you. Furthermore, if Chaotix HQ doesn't have air conditioning then your agency is much, much worse off than I thought." He leaned towards the cage. "And then there's the fact that you and I have had numerous business dealings in the past and I'm damn sure you should know who I am by now, because otherwise I can say with certainty that you have the memory of a gnat." Harper had heard quite enough to convince him that the chameleon was suffering some sort of malady and needed help. He stood back upright and turned to Jeeves. "I'm calling a paramedic, he's obviously delusional. Stay here and monitor him." Then he turned to exit through his hidden door without another word.
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 5, 2007 22:15:34 GMT -5
"Your intel must suck terrapod balls," the chameleon retorted with a roll of his eyes. "Rouge plays that harp you say she doesn't have all the freakin' time. Do you have any idea what it's like to have to listen to crystal-grippin' hippie music all day and all night?!" Espio turned then to Jeeves, cupping one hand around his mouth to whisper, "Psst! What's a 'chaotix'?"
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Post by Stoney on Apr 5, 2007 22:32:09 GMT -5
Harper merely rolled his eyes as he departed through the door, not even giving Espio's inane comments the honor of a reply. The butler sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well, I suppose that went better than I'd anticipated," He muttered to himself. He cast an annoyed glare in Espio's direction. "You, sir, would do quite well to calm down and cease your silly questions post-haste." And he said nothing more about it.
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 5, 2007 22:35:35 GMT -5
Espio let out a long groan and flopped back against the bars on the opposite side of his cage. "Oh come ooooooooooon, will you PLEASE let me out of here?! I'm boooooooooooooooored!!" He idly kicked the bars nearest his feet in half-assed protest of their existance. "Even the archery range is better than THIS!"
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Post by Stoney on Apr 6, 2007 4:53:57 GMT -5
Harper strode back into his study, shaking his head in bewildered irritation. Of all the messes he had to deal with, why this? He wasn't even going to try figuring out how Espio had managed to sneak into the manor in his current condition. It was almost like amnesia, except that the chameleon still had memories -- they just appeared to be the wrong ones. Harper had to fight down a smile as he recalled the chameleon's wild claims. Honestly. Him, living together with Rouge the Bat? No male alive could possibly be that lucky. And her having a penchant for the HARP, of all things? Such a pastime was so out of sync with the thief's personality profile as to make Harper fear for Espio's sanity. The colonel sighed as he stood next to his phone, punching in a particular number he'd memorized after frequent use. He was definitely going to call for medical help, yes, but there were a couple people he needed to inform of this problem first. He finished dialing and held the phone up to his ear, waiting for the raspy growl of one Vector T. Crocodile on the other end (or worse, the annoying high-pitched whine of Charmy Bee).
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 6, 2007 13:19:21 GMT -5
But the colonel received neither. Instead the Espio of the Chaos dimension was startled from his meditation by the incessant ringing of the phone. He waited for three rings for one of his room mates to answer it, and when no one did, the chameleon dropped from the ceiling with a huff. Apparently Vector had taken Charmy out again without mentioning it. Which really wasn't necessarily a bad thing, in the ninja's opinion. Grabbing for the phone, Espio distractedly mumbled, "Chaotix Detective Agency."
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Post by Stoney on Apr 6, 2007 14:56:51 GMT -5
Harper froze for a second, eyes widening. That voice...no, it couldn't be. "...This is Colonel Harper. Whom am I speaking to?"
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 6, 2007 14:59:29 GMT -5
Espio rolled his eyes and plopped into the chair. "Has the post traumatic stress disorder started to affect your memory? It's Espio, who do you think?"
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Post by Stoney on Apr 6, 2007 15:12:58 GMT -5
". . . . . ." A headache began pounding at Harper's skull; it felt like the world's largest convention of bathtubs had begun dancing the do-se-do inside his head. He lowered the wireless reciever from his face and pinched the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb. " I am not having a good day today," He mumbled. He lifted the phone again. "If this really is Espio and not someone trying to pull a ridiculously unfunny joke, then hold on a second." Still holding the phone, he turned and left the room. Five minutes later, he emerged in front of Jeeves and Espio from the hidden doorway again. The butler looked up in startlement at his employer. "Master Harper, is there something else you needed?" The colonel was staring directly at the chameleon still within the cage. His headache pounded mightily. "Yeah," He muttered, his eyes narrowing. "There is." Lifting the phone, he spoke into it, never removing his eyes from the caged chameleon's yellow ones. "Espio? There's someone I want you to talk to." He then walked up to the cage and handed the trapped chameleon the phone through the bars, rubbing at his temples with his free hand.
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 6, 2007 19:43:07 GMT -5
Though he was still louging boredly against the bars, the young chameleon's expression became worried when he saw the overlander return looking upset and with a phone in hand. Uh oh... I bet he's tracked down Rob to come yell at me. Espio smacked himself in the face with a defeated groan. I'm going to be LIVING on the archery range after this!When the colonel passed the phone through the bars, the chameleon was reluctant to take it, but took it nonetheless. Raising it to his ear, he uncertainly greeted, "Hello?..." On the other end of the line, Espio blinked, pausing to look at the receiver as if it held some hidden clue. What are you trying to pull over on me, old man? "Er, hi. Who is this?" "I'm Espio," he replied, sitting up and recrossing his legs. " You're not some friend of Rob's, are you? Because if you are, I DIDN'T DO IT!!" The ninja's motions froze, until finally his expression flattened. "...Wut." "I swear, it was an accident!...ish. Oh come on, don't tell Rob! I'll be good this time!! It's not my fault if the old man can't take a joke!!" Espio blinked, and then laughed sheepishly when he saw Harper and Jeeves staring venomously down at him. " I meant Rob, not you," he explained with a nervous laugh. The other chameleon meanwhile was already groaning and running a hand over his face. " Oh great, not again... Let me guess: You were going about your normal life out in the woods when suddenly you fell and saw a lot of weird colours and the next thing you knew you were there where you are and you can't explain how it happened?" The younger Espio's features lit up with excitement. "Wow, yeah, that's exactly right!! Are you a psychic? Can you guess what I'm thinking RIGHT NOW? No wait, don't guess that, let me think of something specific. You don't want to just go wandering into my head without a map. It's freaky in there. Okay lemme think..." Espio's teeth ground. "Are you AWARE that you're still talking? Just... shut up for a second." The ninja paused and rubbed his eyes with a sigh. No wonder Rob was so snippy with me when we first met. This guy's almost as big of a headache as Charmy. And my luck I'm going to have to go get him and bring him to G.U.N. ... "Okay, so... You're at Harper's right now, then? Are you hurt at all?" "Nah, just really bored. This place was GREAT for exploring earlier, but then the grumpy guy ran me down and I got stuck in this cage. This thing SUCKS! It's so small I can't even lay down without bumping my head and fee--" Espio blinked, and looked up at Harper like a hurt puppy. "He hung up on me!"
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Post by Stoney on Apr 6, 2007 22:27:13 GMT -5
"I'm not surprised," Harper replied as he snatched the phone away and re-dialed the Chaotix Detective Agency's phone number. "He -- or rather, YOU -- are claustrophobic. Or are supposed to be, anyway." Again the headache manifested itself. Harper paused his dialing and groaned softly, cradling his head with one hand. This situation was entirely too surreal for him. Jeeves looked concerned. "Sir, are you all right? Should I fetch some aspirin?" Harper waved him off. "No, no, that's okay. I'll be fine as soon as someone starts explaining to me just what the hell is going on here." "Sir...? What--" "Someone claiming to be Espio answered when I called the Chaotix agency." Harper allowed that statement to hang in the air for a few moments before continuing. "Now, Espio..." He turned to the caged chameleon. "We both know that you can't be in two places at once. I don't care how good of a ninja you are, that's impossible." His expression grew vexed. "So. I'm left wondering whether I'm having an oddly realistic nightmare or being played for a fool." He glanced down at the phone with a scowl as he punched in the last few digits and lifted it to his ear. "If this is Charmy's idea of a joke, then I swear to God I'm sending an exterminator over there tomorrow."
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 6, 2007 22:42:22 GMT -5
"Ninja?" For once the rambunctious chameleon looked annoyed, and grabbed at the bars of his enclosure. "Do I LOOK like some uptight fruity ninja to you, old man?! Rob teaches me archery! Got that?! ARCHERY!!" Espio banged frustratedly against the bars for the umpteenth time. Being stuck in one place with nothing to do for such a long time was really beginning to wear on his nerves. Leaning his chin in one hand, he idly began pulling up at the immaculate material of the carpeting. The phone was ringing, but the ninja debated whether or not to answer it. It could be Harper, it could be that other version of himself. Either way he wasn't really interested in the conversation. And either way he'd probably have to go over to the mansion to retreive his doppleganger. Dammit, Espio bitterly thought to himself, pacing around the office as the phone continued to beg for attention, I'm going to have to make a point of getting Rouge's cell phone number. SHE'S the one that's supposed to be rounding these people up, not me!!He stopped and looked at the phone as it rang for the seventh time, and sighed with a shake of his head. "Dammit!!" Letting out a low groan he lowly answered with a sterile, "What?" At that moment, the younger chameleon had turned again toward Jeeves. " Um, I have to pee..."
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Post by Stoney on Apr 6, 2007 23:04:30 GMT -5
The colonel did not reply to Espio. However, he DID give him such a venomous glare as to ensure he was immediately silenced. Then someone finally picked up the phone on the other end of the line...and that same voice from earlier answered. A vein pulsed visibly in Harper's forehead. "WHO IS THIS?!" He demanded loudly, just short of shouting. His temper had finally revealed itself -- he was no longer merely irritated; no, now he was just flat-out angry. " I am not a man you should trifle with," He hissed in a low tone. "If someone does not start explaining to me just exactly what is going on in the next five seconds, I will make ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that neither you nor your family will live past this week. Start talking." The butler stepped back in alarm at the colonel's outburst. " Oh dear," He gulped. "It seems the Master has finally snapped..." The colonel's eyes snapped to Jeeves, and he silently mouthed out the words "you have no idea". He looked positively ferocious. Jeeves cringed. It wasn't often he saw the colonel get so angry, but he knew from experience that the man's temper was a force to be reckoned with when aroused. " For your own sake, I advise you to be silent for now," He whispered back at Espio, sending another worried glance in Harper's direction.
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 6, 2007 23:19:07 GMT -5
"Uuuuggghhhh," Espio sighed as he sank back into the chair behind the desk. "Harper, calm down. I don't get paid enough to listen to your belly aching, and you're not even paying me this time. "The chameleon in your custody..." He paused, searching for the best words to explain with. "Okay, let me backtrack. You know those portals that lead to the Sol dimension? Apparently there are new portals acting the same way, but this time leading to somewhere other than Sol. It's called Mobius, and from what I understand, it's.... kind of an alternate version of our own world." The ninja tipped backwards in his chair. "So the guy with you is Espio the Chameleon... but not me. He's from the other world. I myself have already crossed paths with copies of Rouge the Bat, Fang the Sniper, and a street urchin named Manic the Hedgehog." Meanwhile, the other Espio was indeed staying quiet. But that was because he'd found something to do during his confinement. RRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPP.The chameleon tumbled backwards and thumped his noggin on the bars as the section of carpet he'd been pulling on finally gave in to his will. Painfully rubbing the back of his head, Espio inspected the plush weaving carefully. It'd been a long time since he'd experienced carpetting. "Maybe I can take some of this home and make a rug for my lodge!!" With that, he went to work ripping up the rest of the carpeting from within the cage.
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Post by Stoney on Apr 6, 2007 23:56:20 GMT -5
The twin barrels of Harper's rifle were suddenly shoved between the bars of the cage to lightly graze the area between Espio's eyes. Simultaneously, the mechanical click of a gun's hammer being cocked back into firing position seemed to echo loudly in the room. "Do that again and I will pay for a replacement carpet with the proceeds gained from your hide," The colonel snarled. He lifted the phone back up to his mouth. Though calmer now that someone was making an attempt to ease his bewildered outrage, he was still quite irked, and it showed in his voice as he spoke into the reciever. "I find your explanation fantastical to the point of absurdity. If I wasn't already well aware of the existence of alternate dimensions due to seeing the results of the Sol crossover with my own eyes, assassins would be kicking your door in right now." Harper paused and clenched his eyes shut, composing himself. He took a deep breath and let it out again. As ridiculous as the explanation sounded, it made a daunting amount of sense, too much to disregard out-of-hand. "Espio, get your scaley purple ass over here. NOW. Before I kill your equivalent with two bullets to the forebrain." He clicked the button on the reciever to end the call, and gave the chameleon in front of him a look full of steel. The butler peeked out cautiously from a large leafy fern he'd hidden himself behind, seeking to avoid a potential explosion or worse, witnessing a murder. When it finally occured to him that neither of these things would be happening, or at least not for the moment anyway, he sighed in relief and stepped out from hiding completely. "I do say, Master Harper, your restraint in this matter is most admirable." The colonel gave no reply other than a noncommital grunt, still giving the apparently otherdimensional Espio a glare that could kill Chao at a hundred yards.
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 7, 2007 0:28:50 GMT -5
Espio rolled his eyes. That was probably his karma for hanging up abruptly earlier. "Guess it's time for yet another train ride..." Grumbling softly to himself, Espio left another note on the bulletin board and headed off for the station. To be perfectly fair, the young chameleon rarely actually intended to cause trouble, and this case was no exception. It would also be fair to state that he could keep focused rather easily so long as he had something to focus on. And in this instance, Harper definitely provided something for him to focus on: namely, the view down the barrels of a shotgun. Espio plastered himself against the opposite wall of his enclosure, gasping with shock and unable to supress a light tremble that overtook his scaley body. "H-HEY, WAIT, DON'T SHOOT ME!! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!!" The chameleon gulped and stared unblinkingly at the weapon pressing ever so gently against his head. Struggling to keep himself calm, he took to repeatedly whispering, " Please don't kill me please don't kill me please don't kill me please don't kill me..." And since he had to pee in the first place, he weed all over the torn-up carpet.
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Post by Stoney on Apr 11, 2007 18:42:41 GMT -5
The Colonel paused for several seconds, as if mentally debating whether it would be worth it to pull the trigger. "...Hmph." He retracted the gun and lifted it up to point at the ceiling, a disgruntled look on his face. "I'm not gonna kill you... yet." He stressed this last part very emphatically. "First of all, I have no idea what the implications would be if I did. Second of all, the guy I just called would probably be pissed off at me afterwards. Third of all, chameleon brains stain like hell on this fabric." His mouth quirked up into a slight smile before abruptly dipping into a frown. "Still, you're really pushing your luck at the moment by tearing up my house with no consideration for how I feel about it. 'Didn't do anything'? The hell you didn't. You realize how much it'll cost me to fix what damage you've already done?" His eyes were like twin chips of ice as he bored a hole into Espio's forehead with his stare. "At this moment, consider yourself alive merely due to my hospitality and good graces. Abuse them again and so help me Chaos, I will shoot you, common sense be damned." He locked in the safety on the gun, but kept it out in open view; a reminder of the dangerous situation Espio had gotten himself into. Lifting it, he rested it against his right shoulder in an oddly military-esque position before speaking again. "Had you been less reckless and more polite, I would've gone more lenient on you and let you roam free around here. But I think you've aptly demonstrated a need to be kept under constant guard so you don't steal, break, touch, mess up, or look strangely at anything. " He pointed with the gun. "So. You, sir, will remain in that cage until it is time for you to leave. I don't care if you have to go to the bathroom; I don't care if you're about to vomit. You will stay there, and will pay for any damage you do to that carpet underneath you in some way or another." His expression clouded and grew menacing. "You do NOT want to be in my debt. I have learned a few tricks about finances from an old tanooki friend of mine that will make you wish you'd never been born." He turned to leave, but paused with his back to the cage. "There is already someone on their way over here to pick you up, so I advise you reflect on your inconsiderate actions in the meantime." And he began walking away, over to where his butler still stood. "Jeeves, I'm gonna call security and have them come guard him," He muttered in a voice too low for Espio to hear. "When that happens you'll be free to return to your duties." "I...I understand, Master Harper. Will there be anything else you'll need?" He shook his head. "No, that'll be it. Sorry for keeping you like this, but I don't think I can trust him to behave for a minute by himself." He rolled his eyes. The butler decided to take the chance to voice his internal questions before the colonel left. "Um, if I may be so bold as to inquire, Master Harper...what was that phone call about?" Harper suddenly smirked. "You'll see in a little bit when that kid's "ride" arrives. Don't worry about it so much in the meantime." He patted Jeeves' shoulder and strode past the middle-aged butler to the hidden doorway, entering it for the last time and closing it behind himself. Around a couple hours later, Jeeves was alerted via radio to a guest at the front gate requesting permission to enter. The butler had been supervising the cleanup of the kitchen at that moment, so he left a subordinate in charge and strode outside the room to where it was quieter before answering. "Who did he say he was?" A few seconds later, the reply came: "His name is Espio Chameleon. He's--" "I'm sorry, what was that?" Jeeves interrupted, furrowing his brows in confusion. "Espio Chameleon, sir. He says he's with the Chaotix Detective Agency and that Mr. Harper asked him to come. Should I turn him away?" Jeeves froze, blinking rapidly with wide eyes. He wasn't surprised or shocked so much as merely astounded that the realization had not occured to him before. Suddenly, Espio's strange behavior, Harper's phone call...all of it began to make sense. After a few seconds of composing himself, he said, "No, no, send him in. I'll greet him personally and inform the Master of his arrival." "Understood. I'm opening the gate now." Jeeves switched to another channel, speaking dryly and with a slight sarcastic tint. "Master Harper, this is Jeeves. Your three o' clock is here." He could practically hear the grin in Harper's voice as he replied that he would be down momentarily to greet the guest. Jeeves strode off to the entrance hall, muttering to himself about his employer's odd sense of humor.
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 11, 2007 22:44:01 GMT -5
As the colonel pounded him with lectures and threats, Espio took to huddling timidly in the corner of his enclosure. The chameleon hugged his knees and tried his best not to shake, but not even Rob or Itzal had ever given him such a fright before; Rob's scoldings had always made him feel guilty to be sure, but had never made him fear for his safety. As for Itzal, Espio had actually never been captured on any of his missions, and therefore had never had to experience being a prisoner. So when Harper had trapped the young chameleon in a space where he could not run and could not hide, and pointed a deadly weapon in his face while making no secret of the fact that he was more than fine with ending his life, Espio felt a fear he'd never known, even in all of his years of war. Too intimidated to so much as defend that he hadn't meant any harm or apologize, the boy instead cowered beneath Harper's treacherous glare, his breathing gradually escalating. Suddenly Rob's grumpy face seemed like an extremely welcome sight for the terrified chameleon. Some time later, the Espio of the Chaos dimension had arrived at the estate, and was just making his way into the mansion when the familiar butler arrived to greet him. "Hey, Jeeves," the ninja called out neutrally. "Harper called me over; it's apparently up to me to collect his headache."
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Post by Stoney on Apr 12, 2007 12:18:08 GMT -5
"I'm glad you've arrived," Jeeves declared with a serious look, even as he shook his head at the disturbing reality that there were now two Espios in the manor. "Master Harper is on his way down to meet you right now, so please wait here for the meantime." He paused, uneasily glancing about for a bit, before walking up close to Espio and whispering in a worried voice: "I should inform you of what happened prior to meeting him. Before your arrival, your, ah, 'other self' made quite the mess of things within the manor's kitchen, not to mention destroyed a priceless antique rug by ripping it from its flooring. Luckily, we were able to trap him fairly quickly before he did too much damage." He hesitated visibly before continuing. "The Master...does not like being decieved, Mister Chameleon. After he terminated his phone call with you, he became a bit...oh, how should I put this...he was a bit rough with your other self. I cannot fault him for his aggrivation, but now we are unable to get the other Espio to calm down." He looked sympathetic. "The lad appears younger than either of us anticipated. Please get him away from here with all due haste." Before Espio had so much as a chance to reply, Harper appeared in the doorway at the far end of the room. "Damn, Espio. I knew you were messed up, but even I don't have split personality disorder this bad." He began to laugh as if he'd just told the funniest joke in the world. He seemed to be in a better mood than before, smiling wryly as he strode forward. As he neared Espio, he greeted the chameleon with a hearty slap on the back -- probably winding him in the process -- and began to guide him forward to the other end of the entrance hall. "Come on then, I'll show you where we're currently keeping your charge at. I'm glad as all hell you're here, because he's honestly shaping up to be another Charmy, and one experience like that is quite enough to last me a lifetime." He cast a glance over his shoulder at the butler. "Thanks for greeting him Jeeves. You can get back to what you were doing before now." He bowed. "I understand, Master Harper. Please enjoy yourself during your stay, Mister Chameleon." Casting one last worried glance Espio's way, he turned and left through one of the other doorways in the hall. Harper nodded as he saw his employee leave, and turned back to his scaley guest. "Now then. It's a bit of a walk from here to where the other you is being held in the north side of the mansion, so why don't we talk a bit while we walk? I'm still in dire need of more info about this whole situation, anyway." He removed his hand from Espio's back and stepped a bit away, giving the chameleon some space to breathe. His look turned serious as he asked, "First of all, you said you crossed paths with a number of other people from this "Mobius Dimension". What got my attention was that you named Rouge the Bat as one of them." He jerked his thumb forward to point in the direction they were headed. "Our fine captive claims he knows Rouge, that they live together, and most amusing of all, that she's a fanatic for the harp and 'crystal-grippin' hippie music', as he put it." He clasped his hands behind his back. "So I must ask where and when you encountered those other people you mentioned. Are they still in this dimension?"
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 12, 2007 14:07:13 GMT -5
"I'd be surprised if he didn't know her," Espio replied, folding his arms. "The first person from Mobius I encountered -- a hedgehog named Rob -- mistook me for the Espio of his world, and Rouge appears to be his girlfriend. If this Espio knows Rob, I can't imagine he wouldn't also know that world's Rouge." The chameleon paused and reflected on the events of the previous day. "I feel pretty bad for them; they all seem to be completely out of their element here. I don't know a lot about their world, but I do know that they live in the woods. Just walking down the street looked like it was going to give Rob a stroke. They all seem to be pretty well culture shocked." His eyes rose up to Harper's. "It's probably the reason this version of me got so out of control when he arrived here; this was somewhere new, something he'd never experience before. Based on the way Rob reacted to me when we met, my guess is that the other me is mischievous enough on his own, let alone with a reason to be excited." After a short pause, he added, "Besides, Jeeves mentioned that he's young. I doubt he's learned much restraint yet." Espio fell quiet at that moment, thinking back to his interactions with Rob and Rouge, and at length Manic. "They're good people. Very polite, very well-mannered. And for the most part, quiet. I get the sense that things aren't quite right at home; they're all harboring stress. It's the most evident in the Mobius version of Rouge. She's got an essence about her that's disheartening." The ninja snorted. "Although even with it, I still like her a lot more than ours. Who, by the way, is the one that's supposed to be rounding up these transplants, not me. "As to their arrivals and stays, I can't give you a ton of information. They seem to appear here at random; Rob dropped from thin air into my office, for example. But the people I've met are staying at G.U.N.'s base in Central City. They're working on a portal that can send them home, and all they can do is cool their heels until then."
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Post by Stoney on Apr 12, 2007 21:30:02 GMT -5
"I see." Harper brooded on this information silently for a moment, gazing at the flooring ahead of them before speaking up again. "I now wish I'd known this beforehand. I wasn't able to connect the dots like you due to not meeting anyone else from Mobius; in all honesty, I remained unconvinced of its existence all the way up until I saw you standing there with Jeeves just now." Pause. "Truthfully, your other self didn't gain my friendship with his actions, nor his attitude -- I can tell you right now that he is neither well-mannered nor polite, but pretty much the polar opposite -- yet even still, it's pretty clear to me by now that he is younger than I first thought." his head bowed slightly. "I...doubt an apology would help at this point." There was a heavy silence for a couple more seconds before Harper lifted his head again to glance at Espio out of the corner of his eye. "So now I just want to wash my hands of the whole matter. Your counterpart and I would both deeply appreciate getting him out of here as quickly as possible. I'd offer you some transportation, but if you're headed to G.U.N., then I don't want to put my drivers and vehicles at risk. Best I can do is provide for your expenses." His eyelids lowered halfway. "And knowing this other Espio, there will be many. I swear, if he met our Charmy and Vector then the world as we know it would end." They'd finally arrived. Harper halted in front of a door leading to the hall where Espio still sat in his cage. "He's in here. I called off my guards a few minutes ago when I heard you'd arrived, so hopefully you'll be able to calm him down some." He began walking away. "I'll go wait at the controls for the cage he's being held in; after you make sure he doesn't try fleeing the moment we release him, I'll open it." He waved a hand in farewell. "After that I'll let Jeeves escort you out, since he doesn't seem to like me very much. Until next time!" Turning a corner, the colonel vanished from view.
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