Crystal Tamara Ferret - The Truth, A Sonic The Tyrant 2 Spin-off Options

[Tanman]

Authors Notes: This story takes place during the events of the RPG Sonic the Tyrant 2. Though it can be read as a stand-alone story, it is recommended for the full experience to read both Sonic the Tyrant and Sonic the Tyrant 2.

Chapter 1
The Story Of The Century

The night sky twinkled with such brilliance it was astounding, the white pinpricks of lights casting their glow against the desert dunes like a million spotlights. The moon was waning for those with an eye for detail, and a silent wind sent specks of sand into swirling mists of blue dust.

Yet amongst this beautiful scenery stood a rather out of place wooden shack, with a baked tin roof and a rickety old door. This dilapidated building’s most striking feature was that of the old sign nailed to the front, bold red painted with the word ‘Refreshments’ rather new in comparison to the old building.

It was rather odd that someone would find it entertaining to charge someone for a drink in the desert, but then again, that was capitalism. Who would be willing to buy drinks from a skunk with chipped and unsanitary glasses would have to be a strange person too – or really desperate. Maybe that was their sales pitch – to get people when they were dying of dehydration?

Either way though, that wasn’t the main point of this outpost, as you could easily work out should the hidden stairwell be discovered. Yes, this was the hidden entrance to the Jager HQ; one of the longest running and secure factions in this day and age. If one were able to notice the spy cameras lining the walls this thought would be even more firmly set.

Down, down, down; into the heart of ‘Lost Paradise’ as it was called. Our story doesn’t begin within the well kept streets or bustling market places. No, this tale takes place in the large building in the center of town, where two animaloids slowly made their way down the hall.

The first was female, on the shorter side, wearing a denim skirt and a light brown shirt. She wore a dark green vest that matched that of the beret on her head, and on her waist a satchel contained her camera and various other belongings. In her hands she held a small clipboard and a fuzzy pen, the top of the page reading ‘From the pen of journalist Tillmier Numbat’ which would obviously be a custom job. The word ‘journalist’ was underlined, so it was obviously there to make a point.

Yes she was a numbat, and her fur was a rich red-brown and darkened in all the right places. Her hair was neatly cut, with a few stylish beads hanging from the strands; matching the bracelets on her wrists. She was quite the popular reporter in Lost Paradise for various reasons, and the 18 year old was a regular party girl. Her aqua eyes were firmly set on the door at the end of the corridor, focused on the job.

Her tail told a different story by the way it was thrashing about.

Her partner was a giraffe – obviously on the taller side, and wearing one of those Hawaiian shirts with a pair of beige cargo shorts. He had a small pair of spectacles that were only of any real use when reading; but gave him a more sophisticated look all the same. He was much older then her, 27 or so years old; and his brown splotches on his yellow coat were only just starting to fade.

Stretch handled all the behind the scenes stuff that Tillmier couldn’t/wouldn’t handle, from budgeting, to janitorial work. Some nasty stuff had a habit of popping up in the toilet.

They were walking in time to Tillmier’s steps, the heels clicks making a rhythm on the polished floor. Other than that there was complete and utter silence, which was scaring both of them a little more by the second.

Finally, the Giraffe spoke.

“I don’t like it”

“Like what?”

“Why would he see to your request personally? Bawsunt would have better things to do then read a request from a journalist…”

“Maybe he found my story interesting…”

Stretch mumbled to himself rather loudly about his doubts, though Tillmier pretended not to hear. She knew she was onto something - it would be the biggest story of the century. That Crystal Ferret… She was dead as far as official records were concerned. Off the records though, she’d been spotted on numerous occasions, and rumor had it she ran her own business above ground.

How in the world was she alive? Some sort of miracle item like those that were frequently used in videogames? Cloning? Identity theft? Either way it’d be big. Big bucks big. If she was let above ground to find this scoop, it’d be an exclusive story like no other.

That was why she was here though – to request for her freedom to head above ground. Soldiers were free to come and go as they pleased, but Bawsunt put restraints on the civilians for their own ‘protection’. She never expected the big man to take all matters along those lines personally though.

“Just so long as you don’t blame me when you find out more than you wanted to know”

“I found that out when I did that story on the Oedipus complex”

[Turrican II]

It's very groovy.

[Xaiv]

I love your writing style, dude. I hope you keep on this one until you finish it. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Tanman]

Chapter 2
As The Sun Sets...

Sitting at his desk, reading over the file one last time; sat the leader of the Jager Faction, a tall and rather gruff male badger, holding a permanently stern demeanor as he returned the paper to the desk. Decisive action was one of his greatest qualities, but the need for cautiousness with such a delicate situation had led to a rather awkward response.

The subject of Crystal was always one that was met with immediate action – silencing those who dared to even make a comment about that particular Ferret. However, things were a lot more difficult this time around, as the removal of a public figure could result in an uprising that couldn’t be contained. Things needed to be dealt with in such a way that they’d be ‘eliminated’ but the blame could be pinned on someone else - most preferably the UN or Animaloid Insurgency.

“Sir, Miss Numbat and her company have arrived”

“Good. Send them in.”

As the two entered, there was an awkward silence as they looked at their surroundings, taking in the decor and generally trying to avoid eye-contact with the General. After a moment of standing there, it became apparent that their wasn’t actually any seat for them to occupy. Standing was going to be uncomfortable if this would take a while.

“You wished to see us Baw- Sir!” Tillmier quickly corrected herself after a kick from Stretch, and straightened her posture into that of a salute.

“Please, there’s no need for formality I-“

“That’s a relie-ow!” Once again, a sharp blow to the shin interrupted Tillmier, allowing the General to continue speaking.

“As I was saying, I just wished to speak with you personally on the matter. Someone such as yourself is in no way prepared to head out of the shelter here, but I have decided to grant your request on one condition…”

Stretch stepped forward, assuming control of the negotiations from the already ecstatic Tillmier. Adjusting his spectacles, his words showed great care – almost pre-planned in order to disguise his wariness to the General. Tillmier may have been clueless, but he was well aware that a lot of things happened behind the scenes…

“Of course there would be some restraints, but I’d rather hear them first before agreeing to the terms…”

Bawsunt smiled, leaning forward in his seat; acting almost so casually that it seemed he could have just been a good friend of the giraffe. The image was shattered by his dominating uniform.

“It’s quite simple really; I’m sending two bodyguards with you for protection”

With a snap, the door behind them snapped closed, revealing the two guards who had been hidden all along. It was a classical opposites situation, an overly tall and muscular Gorilla, and a short and thin rat. As unnerving as their presence was, only Stretch seemed to notice the hostile air in the room.

A few minutes later the group walked purposefully through the streets, the number of times they met with stares, only to have the look hurriedly turned away was countless. Most knew it was best not to get involved with other people’s business. Though on the exterior there were plenty of happy faces, deep down no-one really had any freedom. Everyone had traded safety for liberty.

Tillmier hummed pleasantly to herself as they climbed the steps, skipping every second step and dancing all over the place, while Stretch took every one slowly and heavily, almost as if he was dreading leaving the bunker. Meanwhile, the two soldiers behind them exchanged a few words…

“I can’t believe it! Real sunshine!” Running out of the shed, and into the desert, Tillmier laughed happily and ignored the stunned Skunk behind her. Picking up the sand and playing with it between her fingers, she couldn’t believe she was finally free from it – this was her first time above ground.

As the guards emerged from the hole they nodded to the Skunk, who merely shook his head and slouched back into his seat, pulling up the newspaper. For Stretch he was only given a brief time to view the shed before being escorted away, noticing the strange urgency in the soldiers pushing.

Something wasn’t right…

“Hey, how amazing is this Stretch?” The Numbat gestured out to the horizon, showing the slowly setting sun in the distance. It was strange how alert they both were – but their never was any real sense of time in Lost Paradise. That whole city must have slept during the day.

Nodding, Stretch kept walking until they were level, taking off his glasses to look at the sun.

“It’s beautiful…”

“Yep, and they’ll be plenty more where that came from, right?”

Tillmier closed her eyes as she smiled, dreaming of all the exciting things they’d see in the coming days.

Opening them once more, she managed to catch the opportunity to see Stretch’s blood covered face as he collapsed to the ground – dead.

[Xaiv]

Oooo! I can't wait, dude! Keep up the good work!

[Tanman]

Chapter 3
A Life Lost – An Ally Gained

Everything from that point seemed to move in slow motion, and in the ages that went by Tillmier knew that she’d remember every piece of horrific detail for the rest of her life. His eyes glazed over and hollow, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips as the blood ran down his face; and the point of the knife that protruded from his head.

Whether it was imagined or real, Tillmier could swear he was speaking as he fell to the ground, whispering her an apology. Then, with a sickening thud, he hit the ground, and time lurched forward once more.

“Stre-MMPH!” Firm hands clasped over her mouth, cutting off everything but her muffled sobs. Tears streaked down her face, matting the fur on her cheeks and muzzle as she tasted the salty liquid. How could she not notice the plans against her? Stretch had been trying to tell her all along but she… she…

“It’s nothing personal lady, just carrying out orders…”

The rat sneered, holding firmly to her mouth and hands; while the large ape took a place sitting in the sands. The silence sat there for a moment, as slowly Tillmier began to become rational once more. Why hadn’t they killed her yet?

As if reading the young Numbat’s thoughts, the Rat spoke once more.

“…But the boss didn’t say we couldn’t have some fun before we did you in…”

Tillmier’s eyes widened, her heart rate sped up once more, and pure adrenaline and instinct plowed into her like a freight train. She knew what she had to do.

“YOW! She bit me! The lousy ***** bit me!”

In the moment of confusion Tillmier ran, sprinting across the sand with nothing but fear to drive her panicked legs. With frenzied breaths she spat out the blood she hadn’t swallowed when she’d bitten into the creep, leaving a red stain on the sand while she fled.

Her two assailants ran on after her, yelling and screaming about all the nasty stuff they’d do to her - even the things that were physically impossible. Behind them they left the decaying body of Stretch; completely lifeless as it lay there. In the peaceful silence the corpse was the only sign that it had ever took place. As the wind blew and the sand covered the body; it was as if it never had.


“You can’t run forever you little slut!”

The slang terms for ‘mean lady’ and various other words of profanity continued to spill from the rat’s mouth – but either way he was right. Even though the rush was still fresh within her blood, she couldn’t keep this up. Already her legs were wobbly and tired, and each breath was becoming harsh and painful.

At last, her body gave out, and she collapsed to the sands in a heap. This was it – she’d die right here and now, and in some sort of irony, the tale of her life and adventure would never be told.

As the sunlight was blocked from her sight, she knew it was the end… or at least, she thought she did, until there was that eerie period of waiting with nothing happening. When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she opened her eyes.

Standing no more than a meter away from her, stood an animaloid covered in rags, and another foot from him a bruised rat was now being lifted back to his feet by the gorilla. Tillmier sat there in a state of confusion, staring at the newcomer as if it would help her identify him.

Whoever he was – he sure was cute.



Who is the mysterious stranger?
Will someone other than Xaiver comment?
Why have I decided to add These questions now?

Find the answer to the first question in the next chapter of CTF!

[Xaiv]

Hm. Mysterious stranger guy. Who knows? Well, you probably know... But still... Hm. It looks like the answer to the second question is no... But who knows? Maybe people will actually start to comment on it. Oh! Oh! I know this one! You put the questions up because you're curious. =P

D'aw... The first one only gets answered. It's just like LOST but with more unanswered questions! Well... No... LOST has more than two unanswered questions... So... It's not like LOST.

*Head asplodes*

[Turrican II]

I can at least answer the second question. Yes. Totally, yes.

I'm interested to see how this develops further. Got a bit of a running trend with your female characters, haven't you, Thief?

[Tanman]

((Quiet Turri... You're ruining the illusion...))

Chapter 4
Cool? Cruel? Or just a fool?

Smiling as his audience finally came to notice him, the stranger prepared to continue his dramatic entrance, turning to face Tillmier. From what she could see, he appeared to be a Red Panda, though she could never really tell the difference between that or a raccoon with red fur…

The darker patches were a deep brown, while the eclipse around the eyes was a fluffy white – though from the amount of grime it seemed to have a slight yellow tinge. His garments were tattered and messy, what could have once been a jacket was now some sort of unzippable vest, and the shorts had been torn just that little bit too high if they were intended to properly cover his lower half.

Though it was hard to see from beneath the bandana and messy tuft of hair, his eyes were a bright green, and quite vivid – almost making him seem like a small child. The fact that he wore knuckle dusters however, effectively retained his masculinity. With the way they fitted, it would have to be custom made.

“Just who exactly is this guy?”

As if on cue, her savior decided to answer her.

“I am the scavenger of the sands… The warrior of the winds… The bandit of the badlands… I’m-“

“Oh SHUT UP you little punk! You’re that little **** who got kicked out of training! Maid wasn’t it?”

The rat was now back to his feet and reaching for his dagger, his other hand limp from the already shattered bone. Tough guy, though he clearly wasn’t fit enough to do battle.

“First off, the name’s Raid. Secondly, I choose not to associate myself with that lame excuse for a faction – my skills are way beyond your comprehension…” Flicking his wrist on his right hand, it quickly became apparent that the brass knuckles were custom made – The spiky blades that flipped out with his name engraved were sign enough.

Intimidation aside though, rat-boy wasn’t backing down, going into what could vaguely be described as a fighting stance through the awkward swaggering and squinting. They had one of those awkward stare down situations, before rat-boy cracked first and charge forward for the assault.

Of course, he wasn’t clueless to the fact he couldn’t win – No, all he had to do was keep the attention away from the girl, and his partner King Kong would be able to finish her off before the kid even knew what happened.

As the aforementioned strike finally closed in on it’s target, Raid quickly side-stepped, leaving the blade to swipe harmlessly through the air. With that, a deep thrust from the rat was met with a similar response; before the overhead swing was caught cleanly between the blades on Raid’s knuckles.

Tillmier watched all this in a state of awe and fear, before her other sense warned her of an approach. Tearing herself away from the battle, the second of her two ‘guards’ was making a steady approach, and her legs still refused to move as she was locked by terror. Seeing that he had plenty of time and a clear line of shot, the gorilla made a few mime shots before neck was penetrated with such speed that the any human eye would have difficulty tracking.

That’d be the gorilla’s neck, not Tillmier’s.

Everyone stood in a state of shock, Tillmier tracing the line of the throw back to her male rescuer, with even Raid himself looking surprised as he looked behind him. From what Tillmier could see, he had the rat pinned to the ground and had raised his arm for a finishing blow, only to throw away one of his weapons to save her life. How cool was that?!

“How the hell did you do that?!” The rat was now seething with rage and practically shrieking at his misfortune, still completely unable to move from his position.

Raid smiled, before giving the most truthful response that he had.

“That? That was an accident.”

And with that, his left fist killed his adversary instantly.

((Yes, I am fully aware I suck at fight scenes...))

[Xaiv]

Naw, man, that was pretty awesome! Can't wait for more!

[Tanman]

Chapter 5
Karma

“You ok?”

Tillmier looked at the hand extended towards her, still reeling from the past events. It was a friendly gesture from her rescuer, but it was more disturbing then helpful as she stared at the still fresh blood running down the palm. She really didn’t feel like getting her hands dirty.

After squatting there for a moment, Raid gave up, shrugging as he walked over to the gorilla, steadying the body with is foot as he yanked out his weapon and slipped it over his knuckles. Inspecting it for any damage, he then moved on to frisking the bodies, pulling out the occasional bit of money and slipping it into his tattered clothes.

“You’re pretty lucky I came by here, you’d definitely be dead by now if it wasn’t for me…”

Tillmier swallowed the lump that had been sitting in her throat and nodded, slowly making her way back to her feet as he made his way over to her.

“…That being said, I’d like you to hand over anything you’ve got on you as payment, y’know?”

With the open hand in front of her, the small hope that this guy had been some Miles the Hedgehog wannabe was dashed quickly, but all the same he did deserve something for going out of his way to save her. Thing was that she didn’t actually have anything of value…

“Hey c’mon now! No need to be shy; just hand it over”

Another long pause, all the while Tillmier shuffled uncomfortably and let her eyes drift everywhere but to that of the Red Panda. The wind blew, and Raid slowly lowered his hand.

“Let me guess… You don’t have anything do you?”

She nodded.

“Oh GOD damn it! I risk my neck and what do I get in return? Zip, zilch and NADA! Karma my foot…”

Yelling, stomping, fuming and all the remaining words ending in ‘ing’ that could be used to describe angry could describe Raid as he paced in circles on the sand, throwing his hands up at every dramatic line.

When he’d finally managed to stop, he still seemed a little peeved, but at least rationally thinking again.

“Fine, whatever, I’m outta here. Good luck lady”

Giving nothing more than a casual wave, it took Tillmier a moment to process what he was actually saying. Since she didn’t have any money he was just going to leave her out here to die? He was so selfish!

“Hey! You’re just going to leave me out here?!”

The anger that the man had sparked was enough to override her earlier shock, but still came across more like desperation then fury.

“Fraid so”

Not having even stopped to answer her question Tillmier pouted, but chased after him, keeping a rather large gap between the two as they trudged on. After a while of follow the leader, Raid spoke in what seemed to be annoyance.

“What are you doing?”

“What’s it look like?!” Tillmier retorted, finally managing to get him to stop and face her. Sure it was a slightly scary look, but at least she’d finally gotten his attention.

“I’d say you’re tailing me, and you’d best find another direction; cause I ain’t baby sitting”

“There’s nothing stopping me from heading in this direction, it’s just a coincidence, that’s all…”

“Just like it’d be coincidence if I punched you in the face?”

“You wouldn’t do that…”

“Wanna bet?”

Ignoring the hostility that this guy was giving off, Tillmier strode up to him, until she was standing no more than centimeters from Raid, staring him in the face.

“Can’t be much worse than dieing of dehydration”

Raid smiled, which caught her off guard. The kid had a point, and he didn’t really have it in him to hit a girl that couldn’t fight back. As morally wrong as it was to steal, he wasn’t going to cross that boundary.

“Fine, you can come along. I’ve got a friend who might be able to help you out. Once we get there though, you’re on your own”

Tillmier could hardly retain her relief.

[Xaiv]

Yeah, I read this chapter a while ago and forgot to comment... So...

[generic reply]Good job, dude! Keep up the fine work![/generic reply]

[Tanman]

Chapter 6
Introductions and more

“So what’s your name anyway?”

“Who? Me?”

“No, I was talking to my imaginary friend – He says his name is Bob and he finds you very stupid”

“Oh shut up!”

They’d been walking for a while now, and this was the first time Raid had tried starting a conversation. Everything Tillmier had said up until this point had been ignored, ranging from the more personal ‘Why are you an outlaw?’ To petty small talk about the weather.

Ignoring the waves of sarcasm that Raid was sending, the Numbat answered his initial question without spite.

“Tillmier. Tillmier Penny Numbat. My friends call me Tilly.”

“Silly Tilly!”

“Shut up!”

Smothering his laughter, Raid slapped a hand round Tillmier’s back as he guided her to the left. It sure was interesting meeting someone knew to play with. Made a change from those stiffs at the HQ. The guys were probably gonna have his head for bringing someone back, but she seemed genuine enough. Just a little more probing to make sure.

“So, what are you in for Tilly?”

“I don’t think I’m obliged to answer considering you refuse to do the same” Tillmier replied coolly, hiding her frustration that he was using the exact same method she used to attempt a conversation. There was just something about him that she found annoying, whether it be his smug attitude, or his overall rude nature.

“Fine, fine. If you must know I flunked out of the training to be one of Jager’s flunkies; gotta say it’s their loss though…”

Folding his arms like a kid dragged away from the toy store; it was easy to see the grumpy face was just a way to hide his embarrassment. Still, despite how much she loathed Raid, Tillmier didn’t press on the matter.

“I think they wanted me… ‘Taken care of’ because I was getting close to something they didn’t want me to know…” Tillmier rubbed her chin thoughtfully, still unsure of the details herself. Why DID they want her out of the picture? The answer had to lie with that girl…


“Crystal Tamara Ferret…” She mumbled to herself, before noticing Raid looking around carefully before kneeling down in front of a scrub. Tapping the sands a couple of times until he was satisfied, he dusted away the thin covering to reveal the latch, pulling the handle and lifting the door wide open.

“Ladies first”

Nodding politely, she led the way, letting only the sound of Raid’s steps inform her of his presence. Unlike the hidden entrance to Jager, she could see that this base was far more primitive. No security systems, ancient rock, and a slow gathering of sand falling from the ceiling that would eventually trap those inside.

It was a few steps down that the ground seemed to level out, and the distinct smell of smoke made it’s way to Tillmier’s nose, along with a hum that ringed continuously in her ears. Slowly, blue light started to encroach into the corridor, and as she rounded the corner; the source of all these things became apparent.

A large screen at the end of the room, along with a large device connected to it seemed to be the reason behind the hum and light, Tilly unable to make out any of the information on screen from her distance. In the seat in front on the monitor, though just barely visible behind the oversized chair, sat a scruffy looking dog, cigarette in mouth as he speedily typed away at the computer, hardly paying any attention to anything around him.

The same couldn’t be said for the 5 monstrously large bodyguards that swiveled to greet her, guns in hand and aimed within seconds.

“Relax guys, she’s cool.” Quickly following from the shadows, Raid held his hands up in a sign of piece, though they still didn’t lower their guard.

“Pete, tell the gorillas to back off okay?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, sure, sure.”

Smirking to Tillmier. He gestured for her to take a seat, while doing the same himself.

“Hacker-boy’s a busy man, we’d best wait till he’s done before asking for help…” He trailed off, which was awkward for him. After a period of silence, he finally decided to follow up.

“You see, I’m also very interested in a certain Ferret...”


Why is Raid also after Crystal?
What is Jager hiding?
And how can Pete assist in this situation?

Stay tuned and you'll hopefully find out!

[Xaiv]

Yes. Hopefully we will find out... Soon.

>__> <__< >__<

[Rising_Phoenix]

Awesome work there Thief!

Can't wait to see more.

[Tanman]

Chapter 7
A lead

“You know her?” Tillmier asked, visibly leaning forward in the blue glow. She’d thought Raid wouldn’t even have a clue who that ferret was considering what a ruffian he was, but apparently he knew her personally. Oh wait, he was shaking his head.

“I wouldn’t say that exactly – I know a bit OF her and her actions, but other that she’s a mystery. My mate Pete here is trying to track her down in the UF’s computers, though things are a bit tricky” He stared so intently at the ground, it was hard to resist the urge to look and see if he was actually staring at something. The only reason Tillmier didn’t do so was because she was in thoughts of her own.

After seeing Stretch… … After that she hadn’t really given following up on the story any thought. She’d seen enough to keep her scared for the rest of her life, but now, at this moment; she had been given the opportunity to find the truth. What was so important as to kill a man trying to find it out? Stretch died in the process of uncovering that truth, she’d honor that death and continue her search.

It was decided.

“But what DO you know about her? All I’ve managed to read is that worthless piece of promotion The Rise and Fall of Sonic the Tyrant. Second Edition I mean.” Tillmier leaned forward once more, moving ever closer to Raid, pen and paper on hand as she paid special attention to each word.

Raid stared at her, looked back to that spot on the ground, and then came to his conclusion.

“I know she was a heroine that helped defeat the Tyrant, more so then that book ever told. She had connections to Jager – more so then they’d like people to know, and she also had a sister who’s dead according to the records… I know that that Crystal girl is alive. No questioning that.”

“You mean you’ve seen her yourself?”

”No, nothing like that. I know someone who’s met her though.”

“And that person woul-“

“GOT IT!” Pete called out in triumph, Raid sitting up and coming over, ruling out any chance that Tillmier had of getting an answer. Packing her stuff away, she came over to see what he’d managed to find out.

“See that Raid? I got myself a lead. I’ve managed to locate a copy of one very special book…”

“You mean the Rise and Fall of Sonic The Tyrant?” Raid asked excitedly, though Tillmier was hardly impressed.

“Didn’t I tell you that thing was a piece of junk?”

Both turned to look at her and simultaneously answered with ‘First Edition’ before turning back to the screen, not even hearing her response as all sorts of files that the dog had dug up came onscreen.

“So where’d you find it?” Tillmier asked, Pete tapping his nose and smiling to himself as a piece of paper made it’s way from the printer and into Raid’s hands.

“Station Sq. Public Library. Alright, thanks buddy! I’ll make sure you receive your pay in the mail.” Pete merely chuckled at Raid’s enthusiasm, watching him run up the stairs with that new girl chasing after him. He would go along, but he had found a possible job that could be very lucrative. Seems that there were some files that the UF were keeping VERY secret, so obviously it’d be something the AI would be interested in. He’d head down there personally and look into it – he needed better equipment then this.


“Hey, wait up! Raid, hold on!” Tillmier stumbled over each step as she tried to keep up with the speedy mammal, coming out into the sunlight much too quickly as she squinted in pain. Slowly, as they adjusted, she noticed him standing there, doing some checks on a hoverbike she could only assume he got from inside.

“What you want? I’m heading off now so I don’t have time to answer any more questions”

“I want to come with you – Obviously this is a lead I can’t ignore, and I’m not staying with that bunch of smelly, ugly idiots” Tillmier replied, gesturing back towards the hole they’d come from.

“The smelly, ugly idiots would be half-way to Mystic Ruins by now, which is where you should be. If you must you can come, and this way I can keep an eye on you till you pay me back for saving your life”

Tillmier just nodded gleefully, climbing on the back and grabbing hold of his waist as they rocketed off. She could see he was uncomfortable with it, and she didn’t exactly find it the most interesting thing to do. Of course it was all for safety reasons, no other underlying purpose.



What answers will the book uncover?
What will Pete's research reveal?
And just when will Crystal show up?

Stick to this story and we'll see if we find out!

[Turrican II]

The plot thickens. I can't wait to see what happens next. Excellent write, Thief.

[Tanman]

Chapter 8
Entering the Timeframe

“Slow down!”

“What?!”

“I SAID SLOW DOWN!”

“Can’t hear ya! Tell me when we get there!”

“I HATE YOU!”

Rocketing across the dunes, kicking up dust all over the place and burying a small lizard crossing the desert, this was where we found our two protagonists as they sped from the harsh sands to the lush, green, forest.

Surprisingly the trip hadn’t taken as long as Tillmier had been expecting, though whether that was due to Raid’s complete and total lack of attention to speed limits or simply due to the location of the base she wasn’t sure. Probably both she decided as they narrowly missed a tree.

As fast as they were going, the Numbat couldn’t help but look at the forest in awe, having never left the confines of the Jager HQ. There were plenty of artificial trees and gardens down there, but nothing quite as spectacular as this. So this was what it was like to be outside… She couldn’t believe she hadn’t craved freedom – but up until this point she’d never had a taste.

A high-pitched scream of joy could then be heard throughout the forest, Tillmier unable to contain her excitement any longer. Original she’d been scared of the danger involved with such speed, but now the exhilaration seemed to have entered every part of her body. Raid just looked at her like she was crazy until remembering the road in front of him, in which case he made a sharp right turn as they entered a much less natural and a much more man-made path.

“Station Square should be just up ahead!”

****************************************************

“Central City should be just up ahead!”

Pete yelled into the back of the truck, the grunts muttering words of relief as they’d be free from their cramped position in a moment. It probably was illegal for the dog to be typing away at his laptop and driving at the same time – but hacking was probably illegal in the first place, so his any arguments his morals may have had were void.

He mumbled to himself as he worked, saying something about extensions and video files and lots of other techno mumble that most wouldn’t understand. His last word was probably recognizable by most, but due to its controversial content it shall be changed.
“FUGG!”

Pete began hammering the keyboard furiously, attempting to back out and avoid detection. It wasn’t enough though, as could be seen from the glowing red UF symbol on the screen. With a crack the laptop smacked against the road at high speed, the truck coming back in reverse and crushing it beneath a wheel. Hopefully he did it in time to avoid tracking by the UF, but just to be safe he decided to find some better protection and a place to stay.

Pulling out a second Laptop, he began browsing for any mercenaries that may be willing to house him and his crew…

********************************************************

“So is this it?”

“Looks like it.”

The Station Sq. Library was huge. Bigger then the biggest big thing. Well, maybe not that big, but impressive all the same. Chaining the extreme gear to the bike stand, they entered through the sliding doors, immediately heading over to the librarian.

“Hi, my friend and I were interested in an old book – The Rise and Fall of Sonic the Tyrant, First Edition?”

The librarian, who was a Human female, looked up from the book she was reading, smiling sweetly.

“Everyone loves that one, though I’m afraid it’s our only copy so it might be out. I’ll just check to see where it’s at”

Raid nodded, and turned back to Tillmier, giving thumbs up, who merely shrugged it off, before noticing something that would be very beneficial to them.

“Here we are! The Rise and Fall of Sonic the Tyrant, First Edition, Donated by one Skyler T. Hedgehog. You’re in luck! Should be just in the public area over there”

Raid nodded again, thanking the lady before turning round to see Till-

“Tilly? Hey, where’d that girl go?”

Looking around, he finally spotted the green beret that betrayed her location, and the book she had in hand as she pointed towards…

“Clever girl” Raid smiled to himself.


What is it that Tillmier has found?
Am I just trying to make said found thing seem more important via cliffhanger?
And Is Pete being tracked?

You know the answer to one (Maybe two for the REALLY clever people =P), so find the answer to the other two in the next chapter of CTF!

[Turrican II]

Yeah, I think I remember what happens next. Great chapter, Thief.

[Xaiv]

Exellent chapter, man. Can't wait for the next one!

[Tanman]

Chapter 9
Subtitle No. 9

“So what’s so great about this book anyway?”

Tillmier leant on the photocopy machine, having been shoved aside as Raid took over the process of turning the pages for each reprint. Not that she minded, looked pretty monotonous from where she was standing. She was getting bored just watching.

“Unlike that other piece of junk, this one goes into REAL detail about each of the heroes – Including that girl we’re trying to track down. Might be good filler for your article too”

Tillmier gave a yawn. It wasn’t she was disinterested in that information; but it’d be a while before she got her hands on it. Stretching, she slid down the machine onto the floor, deciding she would rest a bit considering how late it was. She fell asleep to the pleasant warmth and green light of the photocopier.

*******************************************

“Man, this is one heck of a coincidence…” Pete mumbled to himself, watching the cheesy animation for the Ice Skating rink on screen. He probably wouldn’t have even considered the place had it not been for his previous request; after all, he’d barely managed to find the small tidbit of information revealing them as mercenaries.

Still, the name of the place and its owner was enough to peak his interest, even if it was a little bit out of the way. Taking a turn down the winding back roads towards the Crystal Ice Skating Rink, with a thunk, the truck fell straight into a ditch on the unmaintained road, leaving Pete, and his body guards forced to walk the rest of the way.

Picking his way through the brush, it was a much more direct route to the place; though Pete was hardly looking at the positives as he lost his second laptop of the day. Sure the airbag had cushioned his head, but it didn’t do anything to save his notebook. Next time he got a car he’d have to get a seatbelt for his laptop or something…

Pete didn’t really talk during the walk to the rink, mainly because the muscled freaks behind him weren’t strong conversationalists. On a secondary level there were the incessant bug-attacks that left the dog more than a little frustrated. Memories of the time he had fleas made an annoying comparison.

The sun slowly began to creep down as the building came into sight – much larger than Pete had expected. Technically the place was closed going by the trading hours he looked up, so common courtesy meant he should probably call. On a side note, she might even turn them down, which wouldn’t be pleasant for both parties involved. Flipping out his phone, and lifting the voice changer in-between it and his mouth, he began his call…

*******************************************

“Excuse me, Madam? Sir? I’m afraid we’re closing now…”

Tilly awoke from her sleep groggily, yawning and attempting to clear her eye-sight. The library was now completely empty, and a stack of paper now lay next to her, bundled together by string. Raid lay slumped across the copy machine, having finished the job and collapsed from exhaustion.

Apologizing to the library lady, Tillmier managed to rouse Raid from his sleep, carrying the unofficial reprint of the book under one arm, and the other guiding the half-asleep Red Panda outside. It was later than she thought, but for the moment they didn’t have anywhere to stay. She didn’t have any money on herself, and from the look of things, neither did Raid.

Dun ne ne ne ne ne nun, dun de de de dun ne ne ne-un dun…

The sound nearly scared Tillmier to death as she stared at Raid’s pocket, the ruffling of the clothing showing a vibration. Being the snoopy investigator she was, she picked the phone out of his pocket, taking a moment to figure out how to use it before noticing the ‘message’ symbol.

Hey, Raid; buddy, you’re not going to believe this but I found that girl you’re looking for. We’re just outside of Mystic Ruins, some Ice Skating Rink. Get down soon, I expect big pay for this find - Pete


Will there be action next chapter?
Can you guess the tune on Raid's Mobile?
And when will the next chapter come out?

I can't even be bothered adding closure on this one, so, until next time on CTF! (Which is closure in itself)

EDIT: Mobile tune updated in an attempt to make it more interpretable...

[Xaiv]

Great stuff, man! Can't wait for the next chapter!

And I have no idea what that jingle is. I've been thinking about it all day and I'm coming up blank. XP

[arch]

Wow, I love where this story's going.... Perhaps because I just want to know more about this ferret of yours. :P

I was actually thinking of the themsong on Mario's Mailbox SP on Paper Mario 2.... But I guess not, after reading it a second time. I can only guess at the answer to the third question; and it'd probably still be wrong, so I'll just be the patient little fox I am and wait until it comes.~

[Xaiv]

ZOMG, is Raid's ringtone that one Crazy Frog song? I just heard it, I think it's called 'Axel F' or something? Sounds similar to me...

Or am I just thinking a bit too hard on this? =P

[Tanman]

Definately thinking too much, Not to mention my horrible ability to convey tunes into words =P, The answer shall come in the next chapter... If I remember...

And someone is actually interested by my story? *Throws confetti bomb and runs*