|OOC| PLANE CRASH INTO THE FOREST HELL YEAH, lolololol, yeah I'm going with Max and his amazing knack for trouble again-- you'll see a post up in this space fairly soon! Geeze, it's been so long since I played Max, might be a lil' rusty.

|IC|

A vast forest for miles upon miles was just another substandard background for the pilot of the S08 light freight airplane that soared high and above the seemingly endless forest. Whatever.

"Skies seem clear enough." came the voice of the pilot, a maroon-furred hedgehog who let out a yawn not too long afterward. The smell of tobacco and hops lined the cockpit as the hedgehog glanced upon a can of standardized beer that his left hand tossed in quick effect, as a result of it being empty. The hedgehog shook his head, he had finished all the bulk of the deliveries he needed to get dropped or settled and now all he had was himself and a shoddy lockbox that needed to be delivered. It was on the same run, but thinking proactively and a little dulled he had assumed going over a country he knew nil about outside of lackluster economics and prehistoric idealism-- as a shortcut was not a bad idea or anything. He groaned, not really thinking about the shortcut or anything but more along the lines that he hadn't any sodding beer anymore. That was what made the trip lackluster now, not the boring draw or the repetitive and easy piloting.... but quantities of alcohol.

"Probably will go crazy if I lose my smokes...." he muttered, a half-groan leaving his voice.

Little did the pilot, Max Stone; know of how quick his entire thought process would make a sharp turn within the next half hour...

       High above the atmosphere of the planet a hyperspace jet jolted out of a warp fold. It's onyx plating gleamed in the sunlight over the planet. Sitting in the cockpit was an armored fox, idly running over the instrumentation. He flipped on a com switch and began his decent. "We're here, Jade." spoke the fox to a girl who sat within an external seating attachment, "I wanted you to experience something beautiful at least once." He was silent for a moment. "Even though you can't see it..."

      "It's ok, Ramza." said the blind fox in the extra seat, "I'll be able to see it through your eyes." The ship dropped down, dropping it's heat shield as it passed through the atmosphere. It landed in a small clearing in the middle of a large forest, the grass coming up to the armored fox's heels as he stepped out of the craft. He removed his helmet, revealing his stern features, black fur, and long black hair. Upon flipping a switch on the side of the craft, the external seat was lowered to the ground and he helped Jade from her seat. Dressed in a white gown, the red fennec danced out into the field, her red and black hair blowing in the light wind. She faced her brother, despite the silk blindfold that covered her ruined eyes and motioned him over.

      The black fennec retrieved a basket and a blanket from the extra seat and waltzed toward his blind sister, a satisfied smile on his face.

OOC: How delightful. I'll certainly join... after work tomorrow. Long list of peoples' teeth to drill *dies*

Hope this is as much of a blast as FoF from a few years ago. Wow, time sure goes fast!

The falcon walked towards the edge of the cliff and surveyed the area around him. A small mountain nestled in a sea of trees in what he could only be sure was the biggest forest he'd ever seen, the falcon lifted his sunglasses and searched for anywhere that his target could be. Unfortunately, his mission was to no avail. Although he had the gift of flight and an incredible eyesight it wouldn't help him if his target was actually on the ground, blanketed by trees all around it.

"Darn, I thought I'd at least be able to hear something. I guess that tip was wrong," The falcon sighed, before flicking his wrist up and tapping the watch strapped to his wrist. A hollowfield illuminated into the sky, and the falcon began pressing against the air itself as he tapped away at the options that the hollowfield screen offered. It was a handy little device and for the falcon an almost neccessity.

He was scrolling through his messages that had been sent him, searching for the last one from his contact that offered him the information and desire to even arrive at this forest.

"Not that one, not that one, nope, don't tell me I deleted it... ah, there it is!" The falcon nodded. He enlarged the subject line to show the entire message. He skimmed through it all again, making sure that this was indeed, the right place. And it was, the right forest at least, but that was as specific as it gone, and this forest was hee-uge. It would take an awful long time to find exactly what he was searching for. "Ugh, if I wasn't needing the paycheck so much I'm pretty sure I'd have packed this job in a long time ago."

The falcon's name was Ace Heart, a reporter for the city news service GM in the city of Kuln on the planet Aeon. He had been given a tip for a particularly interesting newstory focusing on a shadowy corporation's involvements in this particular forest yet after his 2 day search already he was half wondering whether or not the tip was just a fake. Wouldn't be the first time and he was sure it wouldn't be the last, but at any rate he was certain he wouldn't give up until he'd checked out everything. But everything in a forest this magnitude would no doubt be a long time indeed.

He hiked up his backpack on his shoulders further. It included all the camping neccessities he would require for a week's visit, a timespan in which he hoped he'd at least find his story. He lowered his sunglasses and then lifted himself into the sky, flying over the tree canopy and hoping to hear the particular sound of evidence that he was searching for that indicated his story was definitely here.

He had no idea of the adventure that was forthcoming...

The harmonious nature of the forest continued to flow in synchronisation of all living and non-living elements. Birds sang, insects chirped and the wind would rustle the ancient branches of the overwhelmingly tall trees every so often in the stunning sunlight of the day.

“Tag you’re it!” a raccoon named Tye chanted as he pushed his twin brother through a thicket of leaves, which made his other half tumble over into a ball and roll down the pathway.

“That was SO unfair!” the tagged twin named Kian protested as he picked himself up and wiped the grit off his knees and red shirt “you didn’t give me no time to run!”

“Ya too slow!” a Toucan named Clio taunted who was also playing in on the tag game “you didn’t get them fast genes from pops didja now didja?! Ha!!!”

Kian lowered his black raccoon ears and scowled with defeat.

Without warning however, he suddenly jumped to his feet and leapt towards Clio. However, the Toucan caught on much earlier of his devious plan and she quickly accelerated in a vertical motion above the ground- leaving Kian to land open dust, pebble and twigs.

“Bah!” he shouted, as he spat grit that flew up into his mouth whilst Clio sniggered in flight above him.

“That aint fair! Tag is about runnin’ not flyin’!!” Kian shouted out agitated.

“Durhur! ! Tag is about runnin’ not flyin’!!” Tye mimicked his brother’s voice but in a much whinier tone.

“Yeah?!” Kian raged as he leapt towards his twin brother who taunted him from behind a shrub. As he made contact with him, the two raccoons found themselves knocked off balance and suddenly rapidly tumbling down a hill.

“Wargh!!! Woah...” Tye shouted.

“We’re out of controoooooooooool......” Kian bellowed as he found himself rolling more and more out down the slippery slope.

“Criminy, not again! Always me saving their forsaken tails!!” Clio chanted irritably, but with a sense of urgency as she tried to keep track of the tumbling tycoons in flight. Her eyes widened as she glimpsed at the horizon ahead- only to see the hill sloughed off to a ledge which pitted to a river.

“Guys! Stop! You’re gonna fall into a....!” Clio trailed off as she watched the furry ensemble fly high into the air at the end of the slope, and then suddenly dragged down rapidly by gravity into the water followed by a massive splash.

Clio shook her head and rolled her eyes, before grabbing a nearby vine that was hanging off a tree.

“Grab onto this and I’ll lead you back to shore,” the Toucan mumbled with her beak full as she swooped down and offered the vine to one of the twins. Tye she thought it was...

“Yeah thanks...” muttered Kian as his head bobbed up from beneath the water. Both raccoons grabbed a hold of the vine and were lead back to shore.

“Are boys always so competitive, or is it a sibling thing?!” Clio demanded unimpressed “either way, next time you might find your behinds don’t land in something as safe as water!”

“Hey it was Kian that done it!” Tye said defensively.

“Nu uh! You guys just don’t play fair and make me mad!” Kian argued back, before shaking his soaked fur and splashing Tye as a result.

“Whatever...” Clio said rolling her eyes “can we like.. GO now?? Man this part of the jungle is creepin’ me out!”

“S’not a jungle! Itsa Foooooorest!” Kian said toothily.

“Whatever,” Clio said, before turning around and walking off with Tye running to catch up with her.

Before Kian leapt up to join his two pals, he suddenly stopped. As still as stone and motionless he was rendered.

An unexplained chill ran down his spine.

Which caused him to slowly turn around and focus entirely on the lapping waves and flow of the river which was suddenly moving slowly. As if time was freezing it.

He gasped as he suddenly saw a muddied, wet hand splash through the surface water into the air from the murky depths and latch onto a rock!

His body shook uncontrollably with his pupils constricting as he kept his eyes on the mutant looking hand. It was cerulean in colour and looked as if it was straining to drag itself out from the water.

Before the trembling bloodied, muddied hand could drag move any further however, it suddenly let go and disappeared beneath the murky depths of the water. Vanishing. As if never seen in the first place.

“Wha...”

“ARGH!” Kian screamed.

“What the hell?!” Clio shouted “boy come on what are you waiting for?!? Festivity of the Forest?!”

“I....”

“Ugh!” Tye sneered, before grabbing his contemptible brother and dragging him away from the river scene.

“I think I see some people up ahead. And I thought I saw some funny space ship or sumthin’...” Clio said as she lead the twin raccoons towards an area where two foxes had touched down upon the earth.

"Spaceship? Ain't no such thing!" Tye chirped.

‘Oh... what was that? I saw sumthin’...’ Kian thought, with a mixture of confusion and sadness that no one was taking him seriously.

        Ramza spread the blanket over the ground, placing the basket at it's edge. "It's down now." he stated for his blind sister, "You can sit down now." He took Jade's hand and guided her to the soft surface. The two sat within the peaceful setting, their troubles no longer present here. The black fox produced two sandwiches from the basket and handed one to his sister.

        Jade looked about, as if trying to see everything. "So... what do you see?"

       Ramza stood up, taking his sister's hand and pointing it to his ship. "Over there is the vessel we came in. To the left, there, is a tree line. I think they're oak trees, like Earth used to have."

       "Are they pretty?" asked the young woman, a smile creeping across her face.

       "Beautiful." stated the black fox, drawing a giggle from Jade, "There are so many things around us. If only you could see them." Ramza let go of his sister's hand, a look of defeat slapped across his countenance. He blamed himself for her condition, for the fire that had taken their parents. He sat back down, staring at the red fennec that sat on the other side of the blanket. To have gone through so much, and yet still remain as innocent as a child. She was stronger than him in ways that she couldn't even comprehend, and he knew it.

In a cluster of nearby bushes, the twin raccoons and the toucan were whispering amongst one another as they observed the new arrival foxes.

One black and one red.

They appeared to be having a picnic on the grassland.

Clio observed how much guidance the red fennec needed just to sit down. Unless the black fox was simply being curteous and polite. Still, the toucan sensed an air of compromisation about the fennec. Not obvious, but something subtle that made her difference. She couldn't quite put a talon on it...

"Hey, what's dat they're eatin'?" Tye whispered as he pointed towards the sandwiches that were taken out the basket.

"I dunno, alien food? I think they're aliens," Kian responded, reflecting on that morbid hand he saw back at the riverside.

"Don't be silly!" Clio snapped "you boys have never left the forest, have ya? They're eatin' sandwiches! I've seen 'em back in the big city!"

"No such things as a big city... er, what's a big city? And what's a sandwich?" Tye asked, his confidence trailing to confusion as his tone dropped.

"Ugh. I'll explain later homeboys," Clio said.

The toucan realised she had had the privilege of flying around the world. Or at least she would travel to warmer climatic areas when the forest picked up a chill.

Still, she still found it hard to comprehend how little the twins had got out much.

"Enough of this! Imma gonna go talk to the aliens and tell 'em ta git outta our forest!" Kian said defiantly.

With that, the bolshy raccoon pushed the twigs out of the way and stamped his feet as he walked towards the picniccing visitors.

He walked a few steps, before stopping about 10 feet from the foxes.

He folded his arms, before tightening them into fists hesitantly and throwing them down at either sides.

"Hey you guys! Yes you guys....!" Kian shouted to the foxes, trying to put on a bravado front "you're aliens! Know how I can tell? That... that... metal thing! And I saw your purple alien friend down at the river...!"

Kian wasn't sure whether the foxes had understood what he said, but he continued nonetheless.

"You aliens get on back ta space... now!" he demanded, pointing first at them, to the 'spaceship', and towards the sky respectively.

Ace had been flying for twenty minutes but still found nothing. The forest's expanse was huge, it was all he could for miles around towards the line of horizon. He was also amazed by the sheer size of the forest as well, the trees in particular were absolutely huge with some expanding to heights larger than the skyscrapers he knew on Aeon. In fact some of the trees were so large that further types of trees grew from its own branches, and the sheer varity of the types of trees was something to marvel at, as well. In all, the forest was a marvel, and one in which he wouldn't be afraid to research himself if he didn't already have a job.

A job which was going nowhere fast.

He spied a river through a clearing in the great forest expanse below. He nodded and dived down, hoping that the deep river below had at least fresh water. It took almost three full minutes just to fly down and land; such was the height of the forest.

He landed on the ground and almost slipped on the mud underneath his feet. As he collected himself he looked down at the ground, noticing it had been disturbed by a wet creature or two whom must have emerged from the river. How likely was that, though?

'Is there someone near here?' Ace wondered to himself as he knelt down and took a sip of the river, dehydrating himself. He paused, and looked closer towards the river. He almost thought, for a second, that he could see something in there, an awkward glow, but as soon as he blinked it vanished. 'Damn, must have been more tired than I thought?'

Ace backed away from the river and turned towards the tracks that led away from the river. He was no great tracker and certainly couldn't follow a creature's footprints through a forest such as this, but then again he didn't need to rely on natural talents like that. He lifted his arm up and punched a few buttons on the watch, bringing up an orange illuminated light into the sky, and tapped at the options the hollowfield presented. A rectangle light shone up, and turned in a 360 degree arc around him as his wrist device scanned the nearby surroundings. As it did so a number of illuminating facts about his surroundings appeared on the inside of his sunglasses, offering data only he could see.

"Yep... there's definitely someone's tracks here. From the looks of it, two or three.Now to log the prints and show me the path they followed..." Ace muttered to himself, and the ground before him that he could lit up with an orange set of footprints that dissapeared from the river and further onto into the forest.

"I wonder if any of these have anything to do with my lead. Only one way to find out..." Ace again muttered to himself, and began walking off in pursuit of the people who were here before him.

       Ramza cursed under his breath as he stood from the blanket. They had been discovered this early into their evening. But maybe he could play this off. "That's a jet." he responded, "What? You've never seen a jet before?" Of course, before he could even get an answer, Jade had worked her way to her feet and was now standing next to the black fennec. "Jade, you shouldn't be standing. Please sit-"

       She put up a finger to hush her older brother. "You shouldn't be so harsh with children." she reprimanded him, he face scrunched in a cute scowl, "I may be blind, but I can still hear, you know."

       "Ye... yes, Jade..." answered Ramza in a defeated tone.

       The red fennec woman then turned toward the boy and knelt down. "You there. Come here so I can see you." She smiled warmly and invited the boy over.

(OOC: this looks interesting! I'll have to think of something..but I have a headache right now. >.< I'll be back to this though)

OOC: Yay for another RPer... boo for headaches. Feel better soon and can’t wait to see your entry and such!

IC:

Forest

“A... a jet?” Kian repeated dumb folded. He had heard this coming from the black fox. He wasn’t sure what had left him so uncertain- either the concept of a ‘Jet’ which was the metallic foreign object he was referring to- or the fact that he had heard English back. He was SO certain they were aliens that he was expecting some foreign talk back.

He tilted his head as he observed the red fennec scolding the black one. The voices were kept down so much however he couldn’t really decipher what they were saying.

The red fennec woman then turned toward the boy and knelt down. "You there. Come here so I can see you." She smiled warmly and invited the boy over.

Kian looked hesitantly behind him, where he had left his twin brother and toucan friend behind.

He then turned around and cautiously walked towards the red fennec that had knelt down. Knelt down, she was about the same height as him. The equalisation in heights certainly made him feel a lot less threatened.

“Can ya see me nooow...” Kian hesitated as he noted a blindfold across the girl’s eyes. He wasn’t too sure what to make of it. The fennec appeared well kempt, friendly, caring and approachable even after merely just hearing her call him over. Something seemed wrong though. He wanted to ask but didn’t want to come across as rude. And he was also scared of the larger, stronger, armoured black fox that stood behind him. Kian looked over at the black fox momentarily, before looking at the red one.

“Mah name’s Kian. My brother and other friend are hidin’ over there,” he said pointing towards a shrub of hedges behind him, before turning back and looking at the delicate looking fennec with concern.

“Hey! Why didja give us away dummy?! And what’s this about a purple alien friend you was harpen’ on about earlier?!” Tye the raccoon twin said flailing his arms.

“Oh I do apologise for ma friends’ behaviour...” Clio said running out embaressed.

The two friends caught up with Kian and stood in front of the knelt down fennec.

“Hi, I’m Clio. I’m a toucan from South TropiCana. Beach warm place. This forest ain’t normally my digs,” she spoke busily.

“And I’m Tye! I’m his brother!” he announced, before pushing Kian out of the way.

Tye then saw that the red fennec had her eyes covered.

“Are your eyes ok? They look sore!” Tye spoke out without thinking.

      The child's comment nearly sent Ramza into a rage. "You ingrate!" He shouted before being interrupted by his sister. "Ramza! It wont do to scare them." she said, causing the large fox to relax a bit. Ramza had never been good with children. It wasn't that he didn't like children, or that he found them offensive in any way. Children had to be treated delicately, and delicate wasn't something that he was good at. The armored fox sat down on the blanket, crossing his arms and watching as his sister handled the three children.

      Jade touched her hand to the silk blindfold around her ruined eyes. A smile graced her face as she looked toward the children. "Well, you see kids, I'm blind. My eyes don't work like yours do anymore." The fact that she couldn't see didn't seem to bother her any, her expression calm and serene. "So... Since I can't see, I have to feel around. So in a way, I see by using my hands. Want to see?" she offered, in an almost playful way, like making it a game.

OOC: New characters and location subplot thingy. Huzzah.

Forest

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry," Clio spoke out, only beginning to imagine how insulting it must have been for the black fox to have heard that from a naive child.

More to the point, the toucan had hoped it hadn't hurt the female fennec too much. If at all.

"That must be real hard..." she said trailing off, quite saddened which was unlike her tough personna.

"So how do you see?" Tye and Kian both spoke out. They were really curious. When Jade had first mentioned she was blind, Kian was about to blurt out how horrible that must be. Especially since there was, perhaps a time when she could see. Especially since she mentioned her eyes don't work as well anymore as there's do.

She seemed really keen to show them so they waited with anticipation.

14 hours previously

Forest Mountain 03:43 AM

Towards the north of the great forest, lay the proud vast mountain tops. The tallest, sturdiest and most overwhelming mountain of them all was known as Mount. Raverwar. Other than its overpowering height, its snow capped peaks and valley-like troughs within one mountain which took off to within the clouds; it also had a great waterfalls which would branch off to more and more waterfalls on the way down and gradually slough to streams and rivers that would flow towards the forest.

It was dark around this particular hour at Mount. Raverwar. Normally the vast open sky would be lit up with scattered stars and planets given the openness of the horizon and lack of pollution in cities that normally compromised such intergalactic views.

However, tonight was sinisterly dark and a sense of cold atmosphere was suspended about the air. So faint and somehow so obvious, real and yet so delusional.

For unbeknown to the forest, its inhabitants both life and mineral, and the rest of the world- there was infact, a hidden base within the mountain. A base so hidden, secluded, out of reach and barricaded by its harsh climatic wintry conditions that anyone in the world could be forgiven it even existed.

Still, with the minds, expertise and cold-blooded ruthlessness of a creative mind- shadowy vicinities like this indeed could be fabricated.

For what purpose, that was still unknown...

Mount. Raverwar

Mountain Peak 97-Z interrogation base

The endless passage-way was dark and steel-floored. Monitors decorated the hallway which leant insight from the outside world. After all, this passageway as part of vicinity was within the mountain. Otherwise, the dark hallway was illuminated by faint red lights on the floor.

Wraith, an indigo coloured and frosty blue coloured, haphazardly spined hedgehog blinked morbidly as he found himself ruthlessly dragged by chains from the wrists and ankles by two fierce human guards.

“Come along now specimen freak... today’s the day you sit your appraisal!”

“Or to put it simply, see if Dr. Psychs’ is ready to see you leave! Had it my way I’d crush your brain with my boot... there’s no saving a sick runt like you! Our force does good with real men.”

The guards laughed between them whilst Wraith blinked coldly, his eyes feeling like salt grit on closure.

“Gentlemen, if you would kindly seat the subject at the desk and position yourselves outside the door as appropriate,” an eloquent voice with an edge of order spoke in an alto-bass like tone.

The chains dropped from Wraith’s wrists and ankles from a mere flick of the switch from the shadowy silhouette that had spoken from the darkness.

He was already seated in a large armchair opposite Wraith and the only features that penetrated from the darkness was his angular silhouette form, his deep red eyes and his elongated upper canine teeth.

His name, was, Julien.

Wraith took his seat, his wrist bands still on him which were normally where the chains were reattached to secure him given his current probation status. He rested his arms on the seat rests whilst staring directly at the red eyes in front of him- his ghost-blue eyes almost clashing with the reds’ opposition.

“How do you feel, about that person you used, to be.” Julien spoke, almost pausing subtly between each word as he carefully analysed the cerulean being in front of him- hunting for any reaction that may have been provoked.

There was a long pause.

“I feel terrible,” Wraith dropping his eyes to the table

“...but thanks to you, I’m doing better now.” He insisted looking back up.

Julien’s hand leaned his chin against his right hand and his elbow against the table whilst listening to this slow-coming explanation. He raised his eyebrows slightly, but waited for the specimen to continue.

“...and I’m... confident that when I leave... I will be able to take my place within the organisation.”

“And when do you think THAT will be?” Julien smirked, his purple form slowly emerging from the shadows as he leaned across the table interested now.

“Well.”

“Now.”

“Right away.”

Wraith spoke consecutively.

“...why do you say that?” Julien questioned with a blowing hint of condescension after a long pause. The sort of question that would leave one with hollow with disbelief.

Be as it may, that was Julien Summerfield. A ruthless psychiatric bastard who never let people escape his mind games.

It was over before it even began. The calm and negotiating composure disintegrated to ashes.

Discarding the mental facade, Wraith abruptly got up and slammed his fists against the desk.

“Nothing you can say will change the fact that I’m innocent!” Wraith shouted furiously, his aura sending a chill down the room.

An undeterred Julien narrowed his eyes as he continued to watch the feral hedgehog.

Without hesitating, he merely clicked his left fingers and the guards came swooping in before anyone had a chance to comprehend what was said.

“You’re becoming agitated.”

“You bet I’m agitated!!!” Wraith raged as he thrashed against the guards who were tackling him, pinning him to the desk and attempting to rechain him.

He managed to headbutt one of them in the struggle, and duck away from beneath them.

Before he got any further, he was met with slamming metallic doors which sealed him shut from the outside corridor. This incarcerated him with Julien and the two guards that managed to get up and approach him with cuffs and chains. His previous struggle had left them unimpressed naturally.

“I can really help you, Count. I’m your most powerful trump...” Wraith explained narrowing his eyes.

“... but it’s just that.”

“You control my every move.”

“You tell me what to say.”

“What to think...”

“What to eat. What to say. What to think.”

“...and then when I show a GLIMMER of independent thought...”

“...you strap me down. Call it a treatment...” Wraith breathed exasperated and somewhat desperate as he tried to get a reign of his emotions.

“I MAY be surrounded by insanity but I am NOT insane!!!” Wraith declared, waving a trembling fist.

Silence followed. The next daunting incident hanging by the thread of Julien’s beckoning.

“You still have not learnt your place. Take him down.” The Count concluded with an emotion of stone.

_______________

The struggle was worthy but not enduring enough to ascertain Wraith’s freedom.

Once again he found his pitiful form carried down the corridor. This time his freedom was more restricted in that each guard carried and arm and lifted him up as they took him back to his solitary confinement.

The steps echoing down the corridor made it feel as if his head was constantly being slammed against a nailbed.

“Hey punk! Does it hurt knowing a cartridge of medazolam is more powerful than you?!” one of the guards said, chucking the empty sedative cartridge over his shoulder.

If he had the strength, Wraith would’ve rolled his eyes at that statement. He knew any creature of brawns and brains would fall subdued to that drug. That didn’t necessarily need brains either.

“You do know you are testing our patience punk?” the other guard said “the day our Count says the word, I’ll be there to ensure your death toll goes down in history. Heh.”

‘Sounding a little too sure of yourselves aintcha geezers?’ a cockney accent spoke out.

The guards both turned around. What they were faced with completely defied the cocky voice they had just heard.

It was a four-legged creature. A cerulean furred canine. A wolf. An experiment that was confirmed to have been shut down and the subject to have been executed. And yet the creature stood before them, defiant and feral looking.

‘You heard correctly,’ the creature said, a smirk running across his mussel despite the fact he never opened his mouth ‘how about we drop our spined friend and we can get this over with?’

“Wraith wolf... I thought they had slaughtered you back at the dog house!” one of the guards raged.

‘Well obviously they didn’t,’ Wraith wolf relayed back, the voice renouncing in everyone’s minds.

‘Now I won’t say this again gentlemen. Give me the hedgehog before I make an example of you as I did the pound geezers!’

“Cheeky runt! What are you, this fiend’s lapdog?!?” the guard said lifting up Wraith and shaking him.

“We’ll make sure you have your day dog!!!” the other guard said, as they both dropped Wraith on the floor and came towards the wolf with their arms out stretched.

That was all the wolf needed. Before the guards could get close enough, the wolf quickly jumped towards one of the sidewalls and head butted one of the guards, causing him to collide into the wall.

He used the momentum to jump on the head of the next guard, knocking him over.

The Wraith wolf then broke out into a run, in the meantime grabbing the chain around Wraith and swinging the hedgehog around his back with the cuffed hands locked around the wolf’s neck.

‘You don’t look too good Maestro. Too much time banged up doin’ time?’ Wraith wolf spoke through the hedgehog’s thoughts.

‘I don’t need your help Pooch. Kindly let go of the chain.’ Wraith relayed his thoughts back groggily.

‘Fat chance of that mate.’ Wraith wolf spoke through mind again, narrowing his eyes with disapproval.

As the wolf finally made it towards the exit doors, a strong wintery breeze howled in their ears as they made their way through the snow-caped mountain landscapes.

“There they are Count. They are getting away!” one of the guards from a tall tower spoke as he peered through a telescope, with Julien standing next to him “what should we do?”

“Kill them.”

With that, the guard steadied the trigger upon his rifle. Setting the target point blank on the wolf’s body, he fired a clean shot.

The Wraith wolf yelped in pain as blood splattered from his back leg. He felt himself thrown to one side and skidded against the snow- falling to unconsciousness.

As a consequence Wraith the hedgehog himself found he was flung off the wolf’s back and splashed into a nearby river with a strong current- dragging his unconscious form towards the waterfall along with other icey shards and stones...

(OOC: Ok hmm...time to use a character I haven't used in a while...if I can remember what she's like...also...no particular plan...just making it up as I go.)

IC:

She hated to admit it...but she was lost.  This WAS still the forest the old badger mystic had mentioned, wasn't it? But then...what PART of the forest was she in?  It was HUGE. The rose-grey winged tigerwolf folded her ashy-feathered wings against her striped back, where they assumed a rough appearance of a cloak...if one wasn't looking very hard.  Sashrya Mystery consulted the map the badger had given her and then scanned her surroundings.  None of this was on the map.  She WAS lost. Hopelessly. A breif gust of wind picked up some fallen leaves and swirled them about her as she sighed in defeat.  How was she ever going to find out what had happened to her parents if she couldn't find the hut of her next contact.  And...the way things were going now...the hermit would probably just refer her to somebody else.  But...it was all she had to go on, so she sighed and continued walking.

TBC

     "Ok, honey, hold still." asked Jade as she reached out for Kian. He felt around his face, brushing her fingers along fur, creases, and features, trying to get a feel for the boy's identity. "You're a raccoon. I'm going to guess you're 14!" she said, playfully embellishing what she 'saw'.

     Ramza sighed, content that his younger sister was enjoying herself. It was a load off of his mind that she could still find enjoyment without her sight. The large fox turned to the one who seemed to be the oldest of the three, the one who called herself Clio. "Where are you three from? I didn't see any settlements when we landed." he questioned, considering the possibility that they were runaways. Even sitting he was an intimidating figure, dressed in onyx armor and possessing enough stoicism and grit to be the villain in an old cartoon. Despite his appearance, he at least looked calm.

Ace reached the small clearing where the spaceship and its two occupants had landed. He hid himself behind the trees on the edge of the clearing, assessing each individual, mentally calculating who would be the biggest threat if push came to shove a fight broke out, as well as just assessing them in general. Although it wouldn't neccessarily be odd to have other people in this forest, he hadn't met anyone else before now. Not many people actually wandered into here.

And their appearances certainly didn't match up to the people he was searching for. But, then, appearances could be decieving. He knew, he had done enough pretending before in his lifetime; a neccessary evil of the job. Plus, at least some of them had landed by a spacecraft, and he knew for a fact that the individuals he was searching for were not native to this planet, which meant there was a possibility these people knew something at least.

Ace felt for his back trousers and fingered the hi-tech gun's handle, reassuring himself it there and ready to use at any time if things got ugly. Satisfied he pulled his shirt back down and covered it, hiding it away, and then walked out into the clearing to the surprise of the gathered group.

"Hey there," Ace spoke out, waving a friendly hand as his watch fed hidden data to his sunglasses on the species of the individuals before him; their heights, presumed age and the specs of the space craft behind. "My name is Ace. I don't suppose I could ask you people who you are and what you're doing here, could I?"

Forest

Kian’s large, juvenile but endearing green eyes lit as he carefully watched how Jade was, indeed, to illustrate how she found her way around the world without the sense of sight.

"Ok, honey, hold still." asked Jade as she reached out for Kian. He felt around his face, brushing her fingers along fur, creases, and features, trying to get a feel for the boy's identity. "You're a raccoon. I'm going to guess you're 14!" she said, playfully embellishing what she 'saw'.

“Woooooooow....!” he said, trailing off with disbelief before smiling again “that’s amaaaazing! And yeah, Ah AM 14!!!” he said ecstatically.

“Huh? Wait! Now it’s my turn!” Tye pushed his brother to one side “what do ya think I am...?” the twin raccoon asked, eagerly awaiting an answer.

“Well, I already told’s her you was my brother!” Kian said “so that’s dumb of you to ask...”

“Come on! Give her a chance... maybe I’m sumthin’ different for all she knows... hey, wait...” Tye said pondering with a finger to his mouth “what IS your name anyhow?”

Clio smiled, also taken aback by Jade’s gift of foresight. Things truly weren’t what they seemed, and she wondered so earnestly how much more there was to this gifted femme. As tragic as the revelation would’ve been furthermore, she wanted to know the story behind it. Especially since, Jade used to be able to see and why she couldn’t anymore.

However, she knew better than to approach these newcomers with inconsiderate questions, even though they would’ve been perceived as purely curious questions from the raccoon twins.

Before Clio could ask either of the newcomers her name, she suddenly noted the tall black warrior clad fox address her:

"Where are you three from? I didn't see any settlements when we landed." he questioned

“Oh, us? Well the twins are from down the forest...” she said motioning with one of her arm-like wings that had tufts of tropically coloured feathers “there’s village of trees within trees... if ya get me...”

Ramza simply stared as he awaited for Clio to articulate.

“Ya see, some trees are SO big, they are villages or some sorta settlements in themselves. So vast and so well hidden yanno! Kinda cool... Well that’s the twins’ cribs. Me? I be from beachlands. TropiCana down South bein’ the nearest and all that,” she explained.

Before she could go on any further however, she suddenly found she was interrupted.

"Hey there," a voice belonging to a falcon spoke out, waving a friendly hand as his watch fed hidden data to his sunglasses on the species of the individuals before him; their heights, presumed age and the specs of the space craft behind. "My name is Ace. I don't suppose I could ask you people who you are and what you're doing here, could I?"

Clio, Tye and Kian abruptly turned towards the newcomer. Both raccoons tilted their heads simualtaneously with confusion, whilst Clio frowned somewhat.

It was highly unusual to see a falcon around these parts of the forest.

What was more interesting was his dress code. He didn’t exactly look like some traveller wondering the woods. Nor did he seem like an enemy. Quite there was something rather inquisitive about his question and choice of words.

“It’s evenin’ boy, how comes you’re wearin’ sunglasses?” Clio asked suspiciously, as she raised an eyebrow.

“We’re just kids playing... Mr. Birdy sir,” Tye called out to the falcon, waving back “these are our new friends...” he said motioning to Ramza and Jade “but I dunno their names...”

“Are you a alien too? Like that purple hand I saw down at the river?” Kian asked infantly. All these newcomers and strange looking beings were intrigueging him.

It was an interesting day...

      Ramza stood from the blanket, a sort of large metal buckler attached to his left arm that hadn't been there before. He was suspicious of this newcomer, even more so with his sister present. But before he could even open his mouth to question the falcon, Jade jumped up in front of him and said, "Hi! My name is Jade Valentine, and this is Ramza Valentine!"

      Ramza's jaw nearly dropped at the sudden statement to an unidentified person. "Jade..." he started, but then shook the thoughts from his head. He placed his right hand on the young woman's shoulder, and moved her behind himself. If only he had still been wearing his helmet, he might have been able to ascertain whether or not the bird was a threat. For now, he would have to be on guard.

Ace nodded at the sibling's mention of their names, it was a good courtesy of them. Ace raised an inquisitive eyebrow when he saw Ramza motioning the woman behind him in a defensive position. Ace presumed that by the fact they had the same surname, and their actions here, they must have been family. Unless they were quite the exceptional liars, he had no reason to presume they could be anyone he was persuing. Still, they might have some information about it, and at the least, Ace was curious about what planet they came from.

"It's evenin' boy, how come you're wearin' sunglasses?" came a suspicious question from the female toucan. Ace glanced towards her, and gave her a curious glance. He didn't like her tone of voice or the way she called him boy, or even the way she looked at him, but then again he couldn't deny any of the assembled's weariness towards him. He just popped out of the blue and introduced himself so of course it was odd. All the same, Ace was quite grateful for the blind fox's welcome and the two raccoon's twins innocent and childish replies.

"Er, these aren't your typical sunglasses, ma'am," Ace replied. This inspired an interested albeit confused response. Ace didn't really want to get bogged down in the details of his glasses; they were a useful tool but all the same they weren't that important. No, he was more intriqued by the raccoon child said shortly afterwards.

“Are you a alien too? Like that purple hand I saw down at the river?” Kian asked infantly. Ace glanced at the child, wondering what on earth he could be talking about.

"Purple hand? By that river?" Ace replied, pointing towards the river he had come from. "You saw a hand... what? In the river?"

Ace wasn't sure if that could have anything to do with what he was searching for, but needless to say it sounded suspicious.

IC:

Sashrya was so absorbed in scrutinizing her map, that she wasn't really watching where she was going.  Her ears told her there were voices nearby, but she only vaugely registered that fact.  'I don't reckognize ANY of this...." She mumbled.  Suddenly she tripped over a root and, flailing, stumbled into a clearing, her wings automatically extending in order to try to steady her.

When she had regained her ballence, the first thing she saw was the map.  She hadn't dropped it, which was a relief...as she needed it to find her contact, but...She gave a little exclamation of dismay.  She had managed to tear it.  Not as bad as losing it...but still bad.  Then she looked up.  "Oh." She seemed to have stumbled onto a picnic.  The people there were staring. "... I'm so sorry to disturb you.  I'll be leaving now."  Quickly she refolded her wings, hoping no one had seen them, and started backing out of the clearing.

TBC

Forest

“Ain’t no typical sunglasses huh?” Clio enquired dubiously “’kay then. Whatever...” she muttered.

She didn’t press the subject any further. At least he didn’t disguise the fact they were atypical. However, he did not explain why they were special either. So, to conclude, she was wary but not suspicious enough to interrogate the falcon and give him a hard time.

Clio faced Kian with a new marked sense of confusion. Amongst the bustle of meeting 2 new arrivals from a hi-tech air vehicle and the new arrival himself pitching randomly, she had a vague recollection of him consistently talking about ‘a purple alien’.

‘What’s he harpen’ on about?’ she thought ‘and why would this ‘Ace’ character believe such a contrived childish story?’

“Purple alien?” Tye eventually asked confused “I didn’t see nuthin’.”

“Well that’s cuz y’all left me alone by the river!” Kian retorted.

“Kian, are ya sure ya didn’t just dream this up?!” Clio asked unconvinced.

“Nah! Why would I?!” he exclaimed, frustrated by his twin brother and friend. He then turned to Ace, relieved that someone showed some sign of acknowledging what he was saying. Granted it was nice to meet Jade and Ramza before Jade had announced their names. However, the revelation at the river had still somewhat haunted him and having spoken to someone who wasn’t instantly dismissing it gave him some motivation to elaborate.

“Yeah... Ace birdy...” he said, pointing exactly where Ace had pointed “we was playing tag, me and Tye fell in the river, then Clio helped us out. Then when Tye and Clio walked away, I looked behind me and sumthin’ weren’t right. I stood still and then I saw a purple hand covered in blood and scratches grab onto a rock. I think he wanted’ ta drag himself out... and then he let go... then... that was it...” he trailed off.

There was a long pause.

“Could’ve been anythin’ huh?” Tye said “besides why do ya wanna know Ace? You scared of monsters or sumthin’?” the raccoon giggled.

Before an answer could be ascertained, someone suddenly tripped over a root and, flailing, stumbled into a clearing, her wings automatically extending in order to try to steady her.

"Oh.... I'm so sorry to disturb you. I'll be leaving now." Quickly she refolded her wings, hoping no one had seen them, and started backing out of the clearing.

The raccoon twins and taccoon didn’t know about anyone else, but all they could do was stop and stared. She appeared to be a mystical looking badger creature... with wings?

"Wait... come back..." Tye said "you look lost, can we help? Do you know a purple alien?"

Ashari beach

The continuous river, whose source started from the proud space-seemingly mountains, continued to flow through the forest in many peripheries. Some rivers lead to lakes in smaller valleys branched out from the forest inlands. Others went towards the beach. The main beach receiving most of the river water was Ashari beach.

Ashari beach was a tranquil, luxurious and tropical looking beach with its main inhabitant population consisting of an Echidna species known as the ‘Spectral tribe’.

The Spectrals were a particular proud, lean, athletic and distinctly tropically coloured tribe of echidnas with distinct features such as intense grey eyes and long dread locks. They lived to serve their leader and protect their one sacred artefact from harm. What that artefact was, was a mystery to anyone who was not a part of the tribe.

As Thunder-Bolt, a tall beige Echidna with keen grey eyes went about collecting resources from the beach with some other tribe members to bring back home to their village further down the coast, he suddenly stopped as he saw a faint glow towards some rocks within a flowing river.

“Something caught your eye Thunder?” a pale pink male Echidna asked with blue tribal markings.

“Perhaps...” he said, squinting his eyes “that glow... over there... do you see it Rhinestone?”

Rhinestone looked over to where he was pointing.

Nodding to each other, they decided to wander over and investigate.

OOC: Sorry I couldn't think of a more original sort of NPC species or something.

Ace folded his wings across his chest, looking surprised at the new arrival's appearance, and wondered if the others had surely felt this way when he turned up. He wasn't sure what the deal was with this newcomer, but even without talking to them he was pretty sure they weren't a member of the group he was searching for. Of course he wouldn't dismiss the idea entirely but he was sure he could put off speaking to them for a while. He was still interested in this mysterious hand that one of the raccoon children had spoke about, and he was intending to ask him to lead him exactly to the spot where he witnessed this creature, but for now it seemed as though they were interested in speaking to the new arrival.

'Fair enough,' Ace thought. 'I'm more interested in these other guys.'

Ace walked towards Ramza and Jade, nodded politely towards them and then looked up and down their craft. He gave a loud whistle in admiration of he craft.

"Nice ship. Where abouts do you guys hail from?" Ace asked, lifting his glasses up as he looked it all around. "I myself come from Kuln city on Aeon. I'm a... private detective."

       Ramza didn't speak, eying Ace suspiciously. Jade moved to step toward the front, but the black fennec held her back. Not finding a way to get past her older brother, she simply blurted out, "We're from Asteral on Sylph!" She giggled and Ramza brought his hand up to his forehead. He was beginning to wonder if bringing her here was such a good idea. What his sister had said wasn't completely accurate, and he doubted that the falcon would have any knowledge of the forest moon, but regardless, they were violating galactic law be simply being here.

       The black fox almost instinctively reached up to his neck, to a small pressure switch, He caught himself before he completed the motion, but it had probably looked odd. "You're quite interested in us, but we know so little about you." stated the fox, beginning to raise the arm that the shield had appeared on.

Ace raised an inquisitive brow at the black fox's actions and question, and he took a step backwards at the fox's reach and the arm's raising.

"Well I guess it's true you know little about me, but then again I'm sure you don't want my life story," Ace's hand were in front of him in a sort of blocking manner, a passive motion hopefully trying to put the fox in a less agravated state. "And I'm pretty sure that I've said more about me then you have about yourselves. I mentioned I'm a detective, didn't I?"

Ace sighed, then sat down on an outjutting boulder. "Listen, I didn't come here to cause any trouble with you or your sister, nor these other folks, but I'm gonna have t warn you that if you want to try and cause trouble with me, you'd better be prepared for the consquences."

Ramza did not like the tone of the bird's reply.

"Anyway, if you really must know," Ace continued, before Ramza could get a chance to reply to the antagonising response. "I'm here because I'm investigating something. I'm actually searching for something and I was given a tip that led me to believe it's somewhere in this forest. Although considering the sheer size of this place, finding it is better said than done. Y'know there's not really much in the way of maps of this place, huh?"

"What are you looking for?" Jade asked.

Ace sighed, wondering how best to phrase his answer. Although he doubted that the pair, or the other natives he found were actually members of the group he was searching for, he couldn't ignore the possibility that they were and that instead they were impeccable liars. Moreso than that, he wasn't sure if he actually wanted to endanger them by telling them of the group's existence. It was a sinister organisation to be sure, and those who knew of its existence tended not to be long lasting in this life. How should he tell them...?

"I'm looking for something unusual and out of place from this forest. Well, something unusual that isn't you people." Ace pointed at the foxes, and smiled politely. "I'm sure I'll know it when I see it. Anyway, that's why I'm interested in the hand that the little kid saw. It's unusual and certainly out of place for this forest if his description's accurate. And I'm fairly hopeful it might provide me a clue at the least to what I'm looking for."

Ace kicked back, folding his arms across his chest and relaxing somewhat as he turned towards Jade and smiled again, even if she couldn't see it. "I hope you don't mind if I ask what you guys are doing here? This planet's a bit of backwards one on the edge of the Frontier, I'm sure you guys aren't... what, tourists?"

(OOC:
Badger? Actually she’s a tiger-wolf hybred. 
XD  The badger mentioned in my
first post was referring to an NPC she had met before the present RP time.  But I suppose the kids could mistake her for
one…what with the stripes and all. So either way. XP)

IC: Sasha
quickly folded her wings after regaining her balance…although there was nothing
to be done to hide them now.  The others
had doubtless already seen them.  She
didn’t know why she was so embarrassed by them, but…Maybe it was because…even
though she was a hybred of tiger and wolf…the presence of wings still didn’t
make any sense.  Maybe once she found her
parents they’d be able to explain…IF she found them.  She didn’t even know if they were alive or
not.

"Wait... come back..." Tye said "you look
lost, can we help? Do you know a purple alien?"

She stopped and tilted her head slightly.  “Um…”  They
actually wanted her to stay?  This was
new.  Most people either laughed at her
because of her wings or ignored her completely…as if embarrassed to be around
something that constantly drew stares. “Yeah…I…kinda am lost.  This area’s not on my map…wait…purple alien?”  That last bit was more than a little
confusing to the tiger-wolf.

TBC

        The fox didn't respond immediately, backing toward the cockpit of his craft. He reached into the opening and produced a sort of cube with open faces. Within the cube was a small holographic display of the galaxy. "Where is Aeon on this map?" interrogated the fennec, his eyes narrowing. He had lowered his arm to his side, the shield there now gone from view once more.

        Jade stared at the two with her blind eyes, following the sounds of their voices. "What's the matter, 'big two-tails'?" she asked, chuckling lightly. Ramza cringed at the mention of his departed second tail. He could feel the nub from where it had been. He shook away the memory, knowing that Jade didn't know about the loss of his tail, seeing as she was blind and he hadn't told her.

Taffy Tanner placed one of her gloved hands against the smooth glass of the capsule that stood in place before her.  She felt the intense cold even through the insulation of her gloves and the fur of her hands.  But even moreso, she felt the pinprick of eyes staring at the back of her head, watching her every movement.  Her blue eyes blinked behind the protective plastic lenses of her safety goggles, and she tried to keep the hair on her raccoon tail from standing on end.  She was only fortunate that her long raven locks on her head itself were not prone to that instinctual response.

"You are certain this is what we were looking for?" asked the business-suited rabbit behind her.  His almost unnaturally-deep voice resonated within the rocky grotto's walls.

Taffy swallowed hard before turning around to face the man's beady black eyes.  "I've never been so certain in my life," she said carefully as she nervously played with her single long braid, a braid that was long enough to reach the small of her back.  "It's exactly what J-...Dr. Foster described."

"Acknowledged.  We will proceed with extraction immediately."  The rabbit didn't even turn so much as his head; instead, the tip of his ear seemed to vibrate ever so slightly, and suddenly the other men with him entered the cave with two large metal-sided halves of a container of some sort.  They were all similarly dressed, black business suits and dark eyeglasses.  They were of different apparent species, but they didn't talk or show any expression as they worked; it was like watching mannequins moving on their own, precisely, with very efficient movement.

It frightened Taffy, for some reason she couldn't entirely explain.

"Mr. Roberts, it may not be safe to move the capsule," said Taffy as she faced the rabbit who stood watching the process.  "You'll risk waking the-"

"Negative," interrupted Roberts.  "Containment is underway.  It is not your concern."

Taffy watched as well as the tubes and pipes that connected to the capsule were removed from the wall, centuries-old dust dropping in waves to the floor as the men continued to work, not caring if their suits got mussed.  Though more astonishingly, they were handling this equipment with their bare hands without so much as a wince, even though some of it was so utterly frigid that it should have given them frostbite instantly.

"Why did you take me?" blurted Taffy as she turned back onto Roberts in a sudden burst of frustration.  "It won't be long before someone calls the police, and then they'll have search teams looking for me.  You'll be caught, and-"

She choked as Roberts' gray-furred fingers gripped her throat.  Taffy hardly even saw Roberts move, and yet here he was, lifting her up off the ground with one hand.  "Your expertise in the ancient advanced civilizations of this world are necessary for this task," said Roberts, his eyes swiveling up to meet hers as she struggled and grabbed his wrist.  "You will not be harmed if you cooperate.  But if you resist..."

Roberts shoved and released Taffy, and she slammed against the wall and fell to the floor in a fit of coughing for air.  "Then the consequences will be dire," finished Roberts.

Taffy glanced back up at the containment unit as the two halves were pushed together.  She thought, for a moment, that she saw a brief pinkish glow from several small components within the capsule, but then the halves were shoved together and locked with a heavy framework of metal bars and chains, all supported by a platform that hovered inches off of the ground.

"We will even compensate you for your work," continued Roberts as he pulled Taffy up by one hand and set her back on her feet.  "But only after we recover all of the pertinent artifacts."

Taffy brushed the cave dust from her labcoat, blue jeans and red buttoned shirt - and wished that she hadn't left her cell phone in her backpack back in the lab.  I'm not sure how, but I'm going to stop this man, she thought, her temper brewing behind her facade as she followed the men out of the cave into a large gully in the forest.  She had to block the sun with her hand and squint; the cave had been so dark, and now they were out in the forest.  If she had been free, this would have been such an excellent place for a hike with...him...

Under the cover of the pine trees sat a boxy ship coated in a dull black metal, with two sloping square wings.  Like the hovering platform, it too had no visible means of staying up off the ground, but it must have had engines, for something hummed inside the ship.  Without another word, the men began to load the capsule into the ship, the interior of which was mechanical, gray, utterly Spartan in design and function.

Maybe...I could make a break for it...no, he's too fast for that.  But if I could just get off a signal, let someone else know I was here...

The roar of an airplane engine overhead made her ears prick up, and she glanced upward to see what looked like an old cargo plane buzzing overhead.  There!  Someone who'll see this!  Maybe they're even part of a search team alre-

One of the men hefted a long tube-shaped weapon over his shoulder and aimed upward.  "Eliminating witness," he said, then pulled the trigger.  The tube fired a rocket in a burst of smoke and flame, and it flew up toward the unsuspecting plane with ferocious speed.

"WATCH OUT!" shouted the horrified raccoon girl, realizing that there was no way the pilot could hear her from that distance...

OOC:

Oopsy, sorry. Note to self, don’t RP on less than 4 hours sleep a night for 6 days a week.

Well well, Tergonaut has joined. Greetings old friend. Nice to see you here.

Gathering near river

Kian gnawed his lower lip. In spite appearing like the feistier twin of the raccoons, he was quite introvert at heart. That is to say when other people have things to say, he tended to stop and listen and wait for them to finish, before saying his piece.

He turned towards the Tiger-wolf hybrid that prompted his interest once again.

“I saw a purple alien hand and...”

“Woah woah hold your horses boi! And a slap ban on alien hands and all thangs way out weeeeeird!!” Cleo said pacing around, waving her wing life arms irate.

“Show some consideration’ boi,” Cleo said, motioning towards Sasha “we have ourselves here someone’s who’s lost... ain’t that so?” she turned to Sasha and smiled lightly.

“Well yeah, I guess...” Sasha agree awkwardly.

“Well then! Stick with us hun... we’ll help ya find where ya wanna go,” Cleo offered before frowning “that is... where do ya wanna go anyways?” she asked the Tiger-fox Hybrid.

Ashari Beach

As Thunder and Rhynestone had arrived to the aura illuminated accumulation of rocks following a light sprint, they slowed down as they carefully observed the area with wary glances and slumping their shoulders.

They kept their composure as their eyes fell upon something they hadn’t quite expected.

It was a broken and dishevelled looking spined creature. His cerulean fur colour almost synthetic looking.

Just looking at his unconscious forms, all the wounds and the burden laden chains from his wrists and ankles appeared to tell a story of pain and sorrow. Yet there was also a sinister air about his presence, in spite of being ‘out cold’, as it were.

“Not one of the six sapphirecal torcs I see...” Rhynestone said, folding his arms with disappointment.

The six sapphirecal torcs was folklore where it was believed that if any one person were to retrieve these mythological artefacts, that they would gain all the power their hearts desired. Of course this was all ancient legend and if it did exist, it certainly hadn’t ever surfaced during the present generation of the Spectral Echidna tribe.

“No...” Thunder said lifting his head overruling as he still eyed the fallen and unconscious being “but it’s part of our circle to help one another..” he said bending down to retrieve the dishevelled, spined cerulean creature.

“Wait brother!” Rhynestone pulled his shoulder with abrupt caution “your words indeed reflect the ethic of our tribe... but he does not look like an Echidna. He is not a part of us. What risks do we take bringing one that is not one of our kind?” he posed.

“True brother...” Thunder replied, considering his words as his intense grey eyes stared at nothing in particular “at the same time I have to pose the question... what right do we have to judge an unconscious being? Possibly thousands of miles away from his own people... his own kind... his own family? A support network of any calibre...”

Rhynestone stared back at Thunder, somewhat emotionless as the orange hue of the evening sunset illuminated his dusk shadowed form.

“If we leave him here... what comes if one of us were to find ourselves lost and forlorn with no one to turn to but one of another kind, possibly from another land? We must honour our ethical code and give this creature a chance to survive. If he is meant to live, he will live... if not... then the gods shall surely decide,” Thunder deliberated, before heaving the unconscious hedgehog and began to carry him back to the camp.

Rhynestone sighed with doubt, before turning 180 and following Thunder back to the village homeland down the coast.

Mt. Raverwar

The gunshot wounded wolf couldn’t help but curl in agony, in a pool of blood that transfused across the snowy patch he had fallen upon.

The snow continued to fall and fall endlessly, almost in a twisted attempt to bury him in his own snowy grave whilst the wind almost howled a funeral-like death toll.

An eye suddenly shot open- a constricted pupil within a icey iris arena as if it was staring back at some headlights. The glacial eye swerved instinctively upwards and took in the vision of an intimidating shadowy figure staring back down on him. A tall angular, and vampiric form with red eyes of ember that flared with diabolism.

‘Sun’s coming out soon count,’ the wolf smiled, despite his pain ‘better turn yourself into bed before your mascara starts to run...’

“You best shut your snout dog!” Julien snarled caustically, kicking the wolf in the chest fiercely and causing him to give off a suppressed howl “I would expect better whit from you, even in your dying hours.”

‘The art, of breaking apart...’ the wolf spoke through thought, the words even agonised in his own mind.

“Yes, how poetic,” Julien agreed with a wry smile, as he turned to look at the scenery whilst reflecting on the words which amused him.

The Wraith wolf continued to lie there, suppressing his thoughts as he awaited what Julien really wanted. Perhaps he planned to end his life there and then. Which was fine. He figured his fate was sealed either way.

“You’re a stupid dog,” Julien said reprimanding the canine in such a low manner that could almost induce a physical ache “but I have use for you yet...”

With that, Julien snapped his fingers.

At that instant, a K9 vehicle sped to a halt and a frolly of armoured men instantly rolled out and carried the injured dog to within the vehicle’s solitary confinement.

OOC: Hey Terg, nice to see you again and a pleasure to have you join this rp. It's been too long since we rped together. =D

IC:

Forest Clearing

Ace gave the fennec fox a peculiar look as he caught the holographic map of the galaxy. "You don't know? Or you think I'm lying about something?" Ace asked. He shrugged his shoulder and then using his index finger began to point across the holographic display, enlarging the display to find the particular planet he called home. He found Aeon, pointed on the planet itself which zoomed to show the planet fully with a small number of miscellaneous facts across the outsides of the planet. He then threw the cube back to Ramza. "I would ask you to show me where on that map Sylph is but as it happens I already know..."

Ace looked towards the other group, where the twins and their guardian Clio seemed to be talking to the other newcomer, Sasha. He wasn't against them talking and helping another stranger, but he had to admit he was curious about that strange hand in the river, and he wanted Kian to show him where exactly in the river he saw the hand. It was probably nothing, after all he was just a kid and kids loved their imaginations but he wasn't willing to ignore any lead or clue.

KABOOM

Ace's ears picked up and he looked to the sky. It was an unusual sound in the usually quiet and serene forest, one that automatically snapped him to attention and looking around. It was fairly distant but there was no doubt that everyone at the gathering had heard it. The unmistakable sound of an explosion.

Ace looked puzzingly towards Ramza, his expression silently asking the fox if he knew what the origin of that noise was. He shook his head in a negative response, looking both curious and concerned, less for whoever's safety may have been at stake in the explosion, but moreso for what it could mean for his blind sister, Jade.

"I'm going to find out what that is," Ace said. "If you guys want to follow, then be my guests, but don't slow me down," Ace spoke, looking towards Clio and Sasha, before pushing off into flight, soaring upwards vertically and above the treeline.

Once he was high enough within the air to be able to look all around the surrounding canopy of trees, his eyes spotted and fixed on a freefalling plane that was at one second, still in the sky, the next crashing through the distant trees and dissapearing from sight, leaving only the billowing black clouds of smoke into the sky. Information automatically fed itself into Ace's sunglasses, judging the distance and direction of the plane's crash.

"Now this," Ace said aloud, "This could finally be the lead I'm looking for."

With that Ace made a beeline towards the crashsight, pumping his wings as hard as he could to try and find any survivors.

       Ramza looked up at the treeline, his brow furrowing with concern. He turned to his sister, who was looking up into the air with a look of curiosity, unable to see what was going on. "Jade..." he started, catching her attention, "Please stay here with those children. I need to check something out." Jade's face turned into a frown, the thought of her brother leaving her there unpleasant to her.

       "Will you be back soon?" she asked, the tone of her voice signaling that she would rather that he stayed with her.

       Ramza stepped toward her, running his hand through her hair and kissing her forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can." With that said, he climbed into his jet and detached the extra seat. The seal closed over the cockpit and the air was vacuumed out and replaced by fresh air. Ramza's armor linked up with the systems of his suit and the craft lifted off the ground. In seconds, he was in the air and on his way to where the other aircraft had crashed.

Forest gathering

Clio gritted her teeth as the huge bang shook the ground, and caused the twins to scuttle about on the spot in fear at the foreign sound.

“The sky’s falling...!” Tye shouted, running around thrashing his arms.

“Calm down... calm down boi... ain’t nuthin’ wrong with the sky...” Clio said, grabbing him by the shoulders and reassuring him “I’m sure it’s nuthin’...” she said trying to calm him down.

“Well then WHAT is it? A alien invasion?” Kian asked.

“Whut...?! NO!” Clio shouted exasperated, before calming down and realised she wished she was more patient “not an alien invasion hun...”

Clio suddenly hesitated, seeing a blindedfolded Jade, the raccoon twins and the hybrid Sasha all confused and fearful. And she had to be elsewhere as well.

“Stay put everyone... for just 2 seconds... m’kay? I am just litter- rally gonna fly up from hear a few meters to check from tha sky yo!” Clio said, before taking off a few meters above the gathering.

When she felt she was high enough away from hearing reach, she took out an intercom from her pocket that had been ringing. Certainly an object that the twins would’ve never have recognised in a million years.

“Yeah whut?! Now’s a bad time to call!” she hissed in a whisper through the device.

“Convenience on your part is none of your concern agent Beta,” the voice snapped irritably “we want a report now. I’m putting you through to our meeting...”

“...oh, and drop the afro-caribbean accent. It sounds so unprofessional! I’d hate the organisation to think I wasted funds on your elocution lessons.” The voice on the other end grumbled.

Mount. Raverwar

Synthetic Eden Organisation (SEO) grand hall

It was commonly the proud, dark, royal hall lined with a grand black marbled table and 100 leather seats where the great leaders of the secret organisation held their meetings.

A suspension of tense feeling and awkward array filled the air as a tall, broad shouldered and suited Chairman, Julien Summerfield fixed his eyes upon the bilateral linear gathering of organisation members at the table. His red eyes falling like a shroud of dark presence upon everyone in the room.

“Members of the SEO, welcome to this evening’s meeting. We will be prompt and cover the following topics,” Julien stated in a business like voice as shone a red beam pointer towards a power-point presentation which was playing on the big screen “Resources and development, the great forest and financial maintenance, Specimen 156, Alpha-Tier 156 and other suspicious findings...” the purple vampiric hedgehog then nodded towards one of the members sat down. Presumably the speaker.

Julien himself picked up a rubix solved rubix cube, and began to scramble the code.

A moody, brooded-eyed young dog with a bandana and mohwaked hairstyle stood up and began to talk.

“The finances of our organisation is growing a t a steady rate, given our classified ownership of this terrority from the outside world and sale of fossil foils in the form of oil and gas that we have been able to sell in bulk to Company X, who have thus resold to the bigger developing cities who are thriving off the resources has managed to net us massive profits...” Zach paused as he deliberated the topic he was talking on “however, I feel we’d benefit from competitors so that Company X would feel obliged to buy our resources at higher prices. Perhaps some people feel like trekking to the big cities and ‘subtly’ promoting our locum...?”

At that statement, 5 dark suited individuals stood up.

“Fantastic. Some pro-activity? That’s what I like to see,” Julien smiled, before signalling them to sit down with a single nod of his head “your names and faces have been noted.”

‘Even in this dark room?’ somebody in the room thought, feeling irked.

“As for the great Forest,” Zach the dog continued to talk as he noted the slides drifted to the next topic “you know, big trees... miles tall? Seemingly goes on forever until you enter Ashari beach. Doesn’t actually seem to have a name...”

Silence simply remained as if everyone was simply waiting for the speaker to hurry up and press on.

“To the point huh?” he asked stoically with bored looking eyes “ok then, well its existence is proving to be a financial drain more than anything else. Firstly access to the big cities is compromised because it’s simply impractical to get through with conventional ground transport. Secondly, in many ways we’re paying for its existence.”

“How do you mean, paying for its existence?” a woman in the meeting asked.

“Well, it’s becoming more common for animals to migrate to the big cities and now that the cities have caught wind of more and more creatures of all kinds wanting the urban way of life, we’re all paying tax to accommodate the increasing population. Even on the tax that comes off the resources we sell... it’s annoying.”

Zach sat down, concluding his piece and looking towards Julien with dreary eyes.

“How gracious Zacharias,” Julien commented amused “however, not everyone has had the privilege to be educated- like you. And a lot of living beings are perfectly content with the simple way of life. As for the simple bodies being a drain on us, well, in the end we’re all parasites in one way or another...” Julien continued to explain before pausing.

He picked up his rubix cube and flicked a few turns as he contemplated what to say next.

“As a way of not arousing suspicion from the outside world, I say we continue to indirectly uphold the forest’s existence. Continue with our non-conventional air and underground transport and pay our taxes,” he said as he fixed his eyes on the rubix cube “when our suites gain enough power, we’ll then reconsider what ‘to do’ with or about the Forest...”

Julien suddenly rolled his eyes and slammed down the rubix cube upon the table slate with a cold echo as he saw the next topic materialise on screen.

“I am obliged to inform you, syndicates of Eden, that an incident occurred approximately 14 hours ago where our probation serving Specimen 156 had attempted to escape the organisation with Alpha-Tier 156,” Julien explained as he recalled the events vividly in his mind “the subject was tranquilised and restrained. However, Alpha-Tier 156 managed to attain him and attempt in evading the premises. Although we managed to arrest the escape and take Alpha-Tier 156 into custody, Specimen 156 was thrown into the river and adverse water flow has rendered him irretrievable.”

The gathering was stunned, though they did not demonstrate this with any sound or expression. The atmosphere simply said it all.

“Dr. Summerfield, the river is undoubtedly cold in these high altitudes. In addition to the fact he was tranquilised and restrained with chains, and the endless waterfalls ahead... what is the chances he will have survived.”

Julien lowered his ears and narrowed his eyes with a grunt, before picking up his rubix cube with a single hand. He stared at it with hard eyes, before he began to turn the grid fragments endlessly with his other hand with a speed no one could keep up with.

The chairman stopped after he left the cube in an assemblage mass of random colours.

“Second to none,” Julien replied simply “but I don’t take chances. He must be sought out. But I shall take of that...”

Julien smiled more peacefully, before nodding to a decorated kitsune figure who stood up to talk.

“Suspicious findings,” a tall beige-battered kitsune by the name of Seipher O’shea with air force badges on his blazer began began to talk “I’ll leave that to my employee agent beta...”

With that, the kitsune flicked the remote control, which connected through to a webcam of a toucan’s frowny face.

“Kindly report agent Beta,” Seipher said sternly.

“Well, basically...” Clio hesitated on the other end, irked that they could see her but she couldn’t see them “basically several things out of the ordinary. Firstly, Master Kian reported sighting of a purple hand in a river not too far from here.”

Julien’s ears perked up and shifted his beastly eyes from the rubix cube to the screen in front.

“Well, did you press him about it?” Seipher demanded, sensing the chairman’s interest from the corner of his eye.

“Well no...”

“Well WHY not?!”

“There was inappropriate company around maaa...n...”

“Accent...” Seipher corrected with an irate smile, averting his eyes to the table to calm himself down.

“Right. I would’ve given away my role in front of the children in FRONT of new company...”

“And they are... who? Agent Beta?” Julien asked, a new voice to the agent’s ears that she had never heard before.

“Uh... well two fennec foxes who appear to be from another world. They arrived with a spacecraft. Definately a model I ain’t... I mean... I’ve NEVER seen before...” she explained “they’re related. One black, and one red who is visually impaired and donnes a blindfold. She disclosed their names as Ramza Valentine and Jade Valentine respectively and that they came from Asteral on Sylph...”

“Interesting,” Julien mused, as he trained his eyes back on the rubix cube and began twisting it about with gnawing clicks “what of the OTHER company? Assuming there were others...”

“Right...” Clio said, regathering her thoughts “well two others. One by the name of Ace who presented as a falcon with some technological glasses of some sort and reported he was a private detective from Kuln city on the planet of Aeon...”

“You heard of that planet? And the other one... Asteral on Sylph...” a human interrupted from amidst the meeting table.

“I’ll investigate the matter. I’m an astronomer...” a human in a white labcoat offered.

“What were his motives?” Seipher asked, more concerned about the role he had announced and the description of his attire- especially the glasses.

“Uhm, he said something unusual and out of place in the forest,” Clio shrugged “he showed some minor interest in what one of the raccoon twins saw. The purple hand in the river...”

“Wait, could that have been Specimen 156?” Seipher asked out loud with eyes drifted in thought, though it was intended as a rhetorical question in his own mind.

“Catch on fast maestro...” Zach muttered sarcastically “I deduced that possibility right from the start.”

“Anyone else?” Julien asked slightly impatient.

“Yeah... I mean YES! A hybrid tiger-wolf creature named Sasha who presented as a lost creature with a map. Probably the most normal of the subjects actually...” the toucan explained, scratching her head.

The members muttered in conversation, leaving Clio to momentarily frown on the big screen.

“So I also wanted to mention that an explosion has just erupted a few miles from here... private detective Ace from Aeon and Ramza Valentine have just departed the scene and left me to supervise Jade Valentine, Sasha, and Tye and Kian the raccoon twins...”

“As much as I am curious to know of the explosion’s origins, I think it would be wise for you to resume the role of the responsible elder teenager and continue to cater for the vulnerable. Any detour of any kind will either quell their trust in you or arouse suspicion,” Julien said promptly “many thanks for the report agent Beta. We will be in touch shortly.”

With that Seipher switched off the intercom, and Julien stood up, holding the decoded rubix cube as it had presented at the beginning of the meeting.

“Interesting revelations don’t you think?” he grinned maliciously “here is my action plan...”

Everyone fell silent, intent on listening to what the vampiric beast had to say.

IC:

The tigerwolf gave a start, her wings immediately half-unfurling at the explosion that rocked the forest. What was that? I hope it didn't involve my parents...wherever they are... She refolded her wings. Don't be silly, Sasha...it's nothing having to do with your parents... She told herself. But still...the worry was there.

However...she didn't want to reveal what her mission was...since the fact that her parents were missing in the first place was under mysterious circumstances...and she didn't want to arouse suspicion...especially with a reporter around...speaking of which...it looked like he was off to determine the cause of that explosion...along with the armor-wearing off-world fox person...She decided to stay where she was. Chances were, she would just get lost again if she ran off into the forest...

She watched the two birds take to the skies...trying to hide a look of longing. She had wings...quite large ones...but...She couldn't actually use them to fly. She had never learned how to fly; most of the time, her wings just got in the way.

Ace had reached the scene of the crash in next to no time at all. He stood still in the sky, using his wings to keep him aloft as he looked directly below himself and to the smoking wreckage that was there. He frowned, as data streamed up into his glasses pertaining to the structual integrity of the plane, the extent of the damage and more importantly, searching for any life signs. After a second or two, he turned to notice Ramza's craft approaching them. He nodded towards Ramza, then dived downwards to the ground far below.

Landing a a safe distance away from the plane on the ground, he continued to inspect the plane. So far he couldn't find any lifesigns emanating from the ship at all. He also looked over the wreckage of the plane and eyeing the scattered remains of what he was sure must have been a cargo plane. He wasn't sure that this looked like a plane that would belong to the organisation he was searching for, but at the same time, he had to question just why a cargo plane would even be flying across this great expanse of seemingly neverending forest.

Ace neared the cockpit of the ship, hoping to find any survivors. Data streamed into his glasses, he had detected a life sign! Ace reached towards his back and fingered the gun's grip, he didn't want to have to use it but on the same hand he had no idea just who or what was in the plane. He glanced inside...

He was shot down, all for a shortcut. If Max had known or somehow had a small psychic connection to the raccoon, perhaps then it would not of been such a fuming experience to the hedgehog. But in all reality, any conflict on relative to him minding his own business would of set him off. With a cigarette in mouth and the lockbox he had left next to him, he was trying to let this all.... settle. It wasn't pirates this time, or weather, or engine issues. He could deal with those. Someone had fired an explosive at his plane when he wasn't paying no mind to anything. He just wanted to his location fast. The hedgehog inhaled the smoke from his cigarette as he took in the fact of all of this. He wasn't injured or disoriented; the hedgehog had been in enough crashes and tight aircraft situations where it wasn't a thing to him.

"Damn it." the hedgehog muttered, as he went to his thoughts. Perhaps his brother and everyone were right with the whole 'shortcuts are bad, mkay' train of thought, but he was too stubborn to give them such humility on his part. Max was the best goddamn pilot in the region-- no, the world and he wasn't going to admit any fault on his part. As the hedgehog only fumed on his frustrations and thoughts as his ears twitched-- even through all the smoke and shot electronics and the hedgehog only narrowed his eyes when he saw the figure of somebody? Was this the frickin' tool of an asshole who shot him down? Maybe. Probably not, but it still let Max out into a minor rage.

"HEY I KNOW YOU'AN BEIN' OUT THERE YOU BASTARD!"

Max pointed out his revolver and fired a round out into the enviroment, taking no mind to whoever the hell it was; that didn't matter, it was their fault anyway.

"Ahh! Geez, damnit, ah!" Ace cried out as he fell over backwards, shielding his face. He was lucky enough that the wayward shot came nowhere near him, but it still scared the life out of him. Ace quickly got back up on his feet and pointed his gun towards the cockpit.

"Hey, buddy, calm down, I saw your plane crash and I just came to help you," Ace called out. "My name is Ace. Are you hurt? Put down your gun and if you can, come out so we can talk this over?"

"Yeah?! So what!" the hedgehog retorted annoyingly and well... quite brash. "Damned forest.... damned shortcut." he muttered, following his shouting. He was fine, but who was it to this other guy of his business? Brown-nosers. The hedgehog removed his cigarette from his mouth and took a heavy breath. "Yeah, fine whatever!"

He was tempted to blast the guy as soon as he poked his head again, but he restrained himself for the time.

        Ramza dropped out of his jet, the air rushing past him, he slammed into the dirt, creating a small crater. Something in his boots made a grinding sound, as if grunting from the sheer force of the fall. His jet sped away, guided by it's own remote system. The shield that had been on his arm earlier was there once more, as was his helmet upon his head.

        Lifting the arm bearing the shield, he stepped out of the indent in the earth that he had made as if nothing had happened. He didn't say anything, simply standing to the side of the two and watching them, suspiciously.

"Problem?" Ramza asked as he walked up towards Ace, looking at the falcon who had his gun pointed towards the cockpit where the crashed pilot laid.

"Honestly? I'm still trying to work that one out," Ace replied. He turned once more towards the cockpit, not willing to risk peering inside again for fear of a more carefully placed shot towards his face. "Hey buddy, if you can come out and we can talk this face to face, that'd be much easier. We're just here to help, try to find out what went on here."

"Lord knows I don't want any trouble." Ace sighed.

"I got blasted outta the goddamn sky, that's what happened!" Max spat as he snatched up his cigarette and placed it back in his mouth. "But I ain't gonna shoot you if you don't cross me and I ain't movin' til I get my paces." the hedgehog added, although loud enough so the newcomer could hear him. The hedgehog was still noticeably irritated, but there was something about his tone that didn't seem overly hostile; but how was Ace supposed to know he wasn't just lying so he could get a more clear shot out?

"Frickin' hell." the hedgehog muttered as he leaned back in his chair.

...damned forest.

What the hedgehog had just mentioned intriqued Ace immeasurably. He had presumed that the plane had crashed due to a potential engine failure, but to think he got 'blasted out of the sky'? In a forest such as this that would normally be an impossibility, and if Ace was a native or a tourist he would probably question what the hedgehog could possibly mean by that, but then again Ace wasn't a local and he was here for a reason. And it wasn't hard for him to connect the dots and see that what happened to Max was probably the same reason why he was even here in the first place.

Ramza however was still more than a little sceptical.

"Okay, buddy, look, I can tell you're more than a little pissed off," Ace started. "I know I would be if I just got shot out of the sky."

Ace was still weary about whether or not the hedgehog had even been telling the truth, but it was a lead and it did seem like a pretty good one. The hand in the river would just have to wait.

"Tell me, how badly do you want to find the people who did this to you and get some answers?" Ace asked, as he lowered his gun to his side. "Because I've definitely got an interest in finding out what happened to you, and finding the source of your accident seems like the best way to go about that."

The hedgehog raised a brow, "What, you a reporter of 'somethin?" the hedgehog retorted quizzically, although still with his emotions rattling around like a irritated wasp. Ace took a moment to respond to the agitated hedgehog, but at this point he couldn't blame him in all reality. "Er... something like that. Detective, actually."

"Well, isn't that convenient." the hedgehog nodded, but added to the comment. "Yeah, sure; I'd like to make the folks into swiss cheese." the hedgehog straightened his jacket and got to his feet, grabbing the lockbox and attaching it to his belt. With this in mind he holstered his firearm before exiting the cockpit through... well where the front of the cockpit used to be.

"Frickin' hell." he muttered.

He was good to go; between the lockbox, his canteen and his firearm-- it was all he needed to get away from the plane.

Ace nodded towards the hedgehog, breathing a sigh of relief that he had managed to calm the situation down and refrained from being shot at. He holstered his own weapon, and looked the hedgehog up and down. He was a bit curious about the lockbox, but considered asking him about it to be rude. After all he had just survived a rather unexpected plane crash and Ace was sure that any more prying questions would simply tick the agitated hedgehog off even more.

"I don't suppose you know which direction you were blasted from?" Ace asked, looking around the three and the location they were in. Forest was so huge it'd be hard to know where to start unless Max already had an idea.

Before Max could answer, Ace remembered to turn to Ramza and asked for his input. "What are you planning on doing? I mean if this guy's right then who knows what else is in this forest. You'll probably want to protect your sister, right?" Ace then mused it over some more. "Then again, just saying it could be dangerous to even try flying back. I mean his plane was shot down for whatever reason, they could probably try to do the same to your ship."

        The fox mulled over the implications of what had happened to the hedgehog's plane. He was confident in his flying and ability to pilot his way through a hot zone, but with his sister present, he couldn't risk it. He nodded toward the falcon, knowing that he would be required to submit to the laws of this world for a time, until he could move his sister to a safer place. "This situation must be addressed." he stated, calmly, "Whoever shot this craft out of the sky is likely still around, and obviously well armed. I suggest we begin our search."

        With that said, the fox strode for the remains of the downed plane. He would look for any form of clue that the wreckage might give, maybe some form of blast residue, or something of the sort.

The forest was under his protection. A native of the forest, he considered the vast expanse of trees and the beauties within to be under his watchful eye. He was its guardian. His name was Alex.

A cream coloured rabbit, the cloaked figure dashed throughout the forest, bouncing from one giant treebranch to the next in an effortless run throughout the green and browns that blurred beside him. He knew almost all of the forest as if it was the back of his hand; he was born and had lived his entire life here, being taught to watch over this place. This place was one of utmost importance, holding a hidden power that few were truly aware of, and whilst he himself wasn't exactly sure of the nature of that power, he knew that it fell within his duty; his destiny to protect this place.

And for a good while it had been peaceful. The last few weeks and months had been uneventful and quiet, and that was a blessing for Alex. No action was good news, but today, and only a few hours ago at that all seemed to have been upset.

He had spied a strange looking vehicle descending from the very sky earlier on, and when he had arrived to investigate he had discovered a gathering of varied and strange individuals. He recognised two of them, the raccoon twins who also called the forest their home mingling with the others, and whilst Alex hadn't directly encountered and interacted with the group, he had been watching, observing, like a silent leaf, looking to discover the strangers' intents and whether or not they would threaten or bring harm to his home.

He didn't have time to make a decision before a great rumbling and loud sound had shook the forest and brought the bird and the armoured fox to leave the gathering in search of the sound's origin. Whilst Alex wasn't sure what exactly it could have been, he felt the forest sing to him that it was in danger and trouble, and he felt the very trees, the grass and the flowers themselves speak to Alex, to alert him of the danger they were in. And they told him where it was to find the source of that trouble.

And so it was. Ten minutes later, Alex reached the source of the commotion at the top of a dazzling gully within the forest. He couldn't spot the falcon or fox from before, but he did discover a more intriquing, and definitely more discouraging scene before him. A group of individuals all suspiciously dressed in black bar one female raccoon and a bunch of strange foreign metal objects he had no idea what to call. And although he didn't know who these people were, he recognised what they were doing, and this made Alex angry.

They were stealing one of the forest's great treasures. Alex didn't know for what reasons these people would do so, but he knew it would most likely be for some nefarious reason, and at any rate the forest would suffer for the treasure's loss. A loss that Alex could not afford to allow.

He pulled the bow that was strapped from his back and loaded one of the arrows from the quiver. He pulled the bow string taut and aimed it at one of the black dressed figures near the cave below. Without any verbal warning he fired, hitting the individual square in the chest.

He would do what must be done to stop the forest from crying anymore.

Taffy's shock persisted as the men continued loading away the containment unit as if nothing had happened.  There had been no emotion, no sense of regret or care in any of these suits - they had just shot a plane down, but it was as if someone had sneezed.  Not even that...it was like swatting a fly, or less than one.

"Why did you do that?!" she cried as she reached for the sleeve of the nearest suit, distraught.  "You didn't tell me you were going to hurt anyone!  I won't help you anymore if you-"

The man, a ferret, clocked her in the head with his forearm.  Taffy definitely felt the clang of her skull against...metal?  Was he wearing armor under that suit?  Not that she had time to make sense of it as she hit the ground, the ferret standing over her.  "Interference with operation is unacceptable," said the ferret, and he reached into his suit and pulled out some kind of futuristic smooth-lined gun.  "You will cease interference or be annihi-"

THWOK!

The ferret's sunglasses fell off his face as an arrow embedded itself into his chest.  Roberts and all of the other men immediately whirled to face the direction from which the arrow shot, and with blinding speed whipped out several more weapons.  With a twitch from Roberts's ear, the group began firing hot, pulsing red laser beams into the trees above the gully.

Taffy had only barely caught a glimpse of someone - maybe with tan, no it was cream colored fur, and wearing a robe of some kind - dash behind the cover of the trees before the harsh beams of killing light burned holes throughout the greenery.  Roberts stepped calmly over to Taffy and yanked her back up to her feet.  "Interloper is armed with primitive weapons," remarked Roberts as he dragged Taffy toward the ship.  "We should continue to remove the artifact."

The ferret with the arrow through his chest fell to one knee, and Taffy saw black liquid pooling across his shirt.  "Wait...I can help him," Taffy breathed, "he needs medical help."

"That will be unnecessary," Roberts said.  "Self-repair routines will ensure full operation shortly, given enough time and the lack of further damage."

The ferret stood back up, his eyes glowing red, and he reached up to the arrow and plucked it out of his chest.  Black fluid covered the shaft, which the ferret snapped in his bare hand, and he joined the others as they began spreading out from the gully, climbing the edges toward where the attacker had first been.

But another arrow shot at the ferret from the rear, with the same amazing power and force as the first - this time completely stabbing the shaft directly through where the heart of a regular person would have been, although by now, Taffy knew that these were not regular people.  The ferret screeched and sparked, and Roberts suddenly covered Taffy with his own body from the explosion that followed.

When Roberts moved out of her vision, Taffy saw only pieces of smoldering metal and various smoking bits of robot parts.

"Interloper's threat level has been raised," said Roberts.  "Disperse and track down the interloper."

The rest of the men resumed their climb out of the gully, though Taffy hoped dearly that this mysterious attacker was able to get away.  The brief hope came to her mind that she could be rescued, but as Roberts shoved her onto the aircraft, she realized that would be such utter folly.  After all, arrows against...robot men with laser guns?  Just how absurd was this situation going to become?

         Jade stood quietly in the clearing, waiting patiently for her older brother to return. Suddenly, a sharp sensation was thrust into her mind. She screamed, a bright white light shining out from where he eyes would have been. Bright pink tendrils worked their way out of the ground, wrapping around her in a spherical shape. The orb pulsed with electricity, forming ripples where the bolts struck. She hovered a couple of feet off of the ground as her mind was filled with vague images and short phrases.

         She saw several men of steel, all standing in row upon row. A second later, bloody tears filled their eyes and the opened their mouths in a silent scream, before dissolving in a wisp of brackish smoke. The smoke wrapped around her, reforming into her brother's shape. He was hugging her. But he suddenly fell away, several arrows in his back, shaped of bone and wrapped in silk. He spoke one word. "Dawn" And then the vision faded, Jade falling to the ground, unable to let loose the tears from her ruined eyes. She cradled herself, shaking from the sight that had been forced into her mind.

Forest gathering

Tye and Kian stood around, somewhat agitated as they eagerly waited for Clio to fly back down.

“She’s been up there so long...” Tye said “why she ain’t comin’ down??”

“I dunno!” Kian said, waving his arms.

If the raccoon twins had not been so used to depending on the toucan for help, who they looked up to like an elder sister, they would’ve turned to Sasha for help instead.

The raccoons’ ears suddenly shot up as they heard a distressed scream. As they turned around simultaneously, they’re green juvenile panda-like eyes looked on with concern as they saw a sobbing and vulnerable looking Jade.

“Oh no. Jade!” Tye said, sprinting with his brother towards the female fennec.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong Jade?” Kian asked frantically “dun’ cry. Please dun’ cry. I don’t wanna see ya cry. Why are ya crying?”

“Stop talkin’ so fast!” Tye scolded him, before looking back at the blindfolded fennec “it’s ok, we are here. With Sasha too. Is it cos your brother Ramza has gone? He will be back. He promised... didn’t he?”

Mount Raverwar, the Tower

“Hey, geekazoid how’s the search... the hack... the illegitimate plots going on?” a young voice with a bolshie undertone spoke as silhouette entered a completely green illuminated room which was decorated with computers.

A wary human figure in an oversized labcoat momentarily looked away from his computer screen. He sighed with irritation at the random trespasser, before turning his attention back to the computer. As he typed away furiously, the computer bleeped and displayed a serious of running numbers, demographic figures, and gridded maps and spheres.

“Not too bad Zacharias. Course, I could’ve been there a fraction faster had you not interrupted my fine work,” Pearson, one of the astronomers reported.

“Aw really?” Zach said blandly as he watched the computer screen with glazed eyes “well how inconsiderate of me. Guess I suck.”

“Listen,” Pearson instructed “I’ve been searching and searching the galaxies. And I think I may have possibly have come up with some leads...” Pearson said, picking up a pen and clicking it as he began to point towards the screen.

“If my coordinates and process of elimination are correct... I would say that Sylph is here and that Aeon...” Pearson began to drag the cursor across the screen to indicate the schematics he was to speak of “is there...”

“How can you be so sure?” Zach asked dubiously “what may be planet Earth to us, may be planet... I dunno... planet Zircon to an extra-terrestrial.”

Zach span around and quickly peered through a massive telescope. Looking out into the galaxies.

“I’m judging from what agent beta said. These are the nearest planets firstly. I am picking up advanced beta, gamma and alpha rays and wave spectrums from this planet, Aeon X,” Pearson theorised “as for Sylph Y, if the beings from there really are fennecs, then there’s a strong possibility that Sylph Y is indeed Sylph. We have a theory it is a homeland to a substantial kitsune population.”

“Kitsune?” Zach asked, looking away from the telescope. He wondered if it was worth asking Seipher about the matter. If it did strike any chords though he figured the cranky extrovert would’ve said something out loud at the meeting on the mention of the planets.

“You’re not going to find the planets with that telescope...” Pearson commented as he glanced at the dog viewing through the fine monument “they’re out of range. We need to upgrade one of the magnifiers. It’s on order.”

Zacharias walked away from the telescope and turned his attention back to Pearson and his computer research.

“What are you going to do now then?” Zach asked, folding his arms.

“First, I’m going to set up a communication line to Aeon and see if they respond...”

“Don’t!!” Zach practically leapt between Pearson and the computer as if to block him “I mean... wait man. Think about it. If they are as advanced as you are making them out to be, then MAYBE it would be best if we didn’t talk to them. Or at least make them aware we exist...”

Zach stepped back and calmed down, gazing at the screen with consideration.

“After all, that bird character is a private detective? Is that what we recall hearing at the meeting?” Zach asked rhetorically, which earned a nod from Pearson “well then. That is one incentive to keep the hell away from this guy. Or at least not take him on or talk to his outside party until there’s an appropriate opportunity without our base being exposed. He comes from another planet for crying out loud. Whatever his motives are of being here must be a pretty big deal.”

“And Sylph?”

“Again, two extra-terrestrials with a high-tech vehicle and unknown motives?” Zach questioned referring to Ramza and Jade Valentine “it’s a no. “

“I can’t progress much further with this Zacharias without at least invading some of their systems and telecommunication networks,” Pearson argued “what do you want me to do?”

“Further research in a non-invasive manner. Be absolutely sure those planets are the ones we are enquiring about- AND if there are any other suspicious findings. I’ll update you as well in the interim...”

“Oh? Why, what are you up to?”

“It’s funny you should mention that because I am about to embark on a journey with Wing Commander Seipher, Alpha-Tier 156 and our new subject, Mecha Tier 157 to that great forest.”

“Interesting company...” Pearson remarked, turning his attention back to the computer screen “going out for a picnic or something?”

“Hahahahaha... no,” Zach paused after his sarcastic laugh “wing Commander Seipher and I will be taking our snuff wolves, Alpha Tier 156 and Mecha Tier 157 to sought out these ETs and finding out what their game is. Except Alpha tier, or Wraith wolf, we’ll drop to poach on Specimen 156 and anyone that gets in his way. As for Mecha Tier, we want to test drive our half mechanical canine subject. It might make us consider whether to make our K9 force entirely biologically synthesized, or mechanically hybrid, or pure mechanical.”

“Oh, really?” Pearson asked “well what an intervention. Have fun.”

“Trust me it’s more fun than being a geekazoid stuck in a lab all day!” Zach laughed for the first time with a menacing smile, before turning around 180 on his sneakers and departing the scene.

Max's downed plane:
Ace looked at Ramza as he began inspecting the ruined cargo plane for any signs of where they should head to next. Max meanwhile was still getting his bearings somewhat, fuming mad and taking a long drag of his cigarette. Ace's own glasses were scanning the surroundings for any hints on where they should go next, when all of a sudden...

FSHAAMM. FSHAAMM.

The sounds of an otherworldly and unnatural whine sounded from a near enough direction. "You guys here that?" Ace asked as his glasses automatically began to detect readings on the direction and approximate distance the sounds were coming from. Both Ramza and Max both nodded back towards Ace, and all three shook somewhat at the sound of one of the large trees collapsing to the ground.

"Well, I guess there's no doubt where our mystery men are..." Ace said, turning and beginning to run in the direction of the noise, lifting his gun up high in a ready stance. He turned back to Ramza and Max. "Let's go, and be careful." Ramza nodded, following quickly behind, his armour and helmet automatically energising into place. Max took another long drag, before throwing the cigarette to the floor and stamping it out, running in pursuit of the other two. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming..."

Forest Gully:

Alex stopped behind one of the great trees, wincing in pain momentarily, his hands clutching his arms as the great tree behind him, a giant of a tree that was at least 500 years old splintered into several pieces from the barrage of red laser blasts from the attacking interlopers. Alex could feel every cry of pain from the forest around him, and as much as it hurt him as he shared the nature's pain, it also made him more and more angry. More determined to make sure it was put to an end.

Alex's internal thoughts came crashing to a halt as his eyes suddenly opened to alertness. He turned around, narrowly avoiding a streaming blast of laser fire. As he span around in midair, he took quick aim at the nearby black suited interloper and without a moment's hesitation fired at the attacker. In a flash the arrow had imbedded itself in the interloper's neck. The wound poured forth sparks and a strange black fluid, followed by an odd ear piercing screech from the machine. Alex ran forwards, towards the machine, and before it could react further, Alex jumped up and over the robot, grabbing its head, twisting it and rending the machine's head off its neck.

Alex landed on the floor, looking at the strange contraption in his hands, and smiling somewhat at his success. He was angry at the situation but even he had to admit at feeling an elation at avoiding the machine's attack thanks to the forest's warning, and being able to defeat this opponent. He briefly had time to inspect the strange metal man and realise it was not natural, before another burst of red hot lasers shot out towards him.

Dropping the head, Alex turned to run towards a more advantageous position to fight. For as strong as he was, he was still hopelessly outmatched and overpowered by these invaders, but that would not deter him from fighting. However, even if the interloper's shots didn't manage to hit Alex, they still dealt him pain. The destruction of the forest was all but too clearly felt by Alex, and a sharp pain stabbed his mind. He cried out in pain, and it was then that a stray blast scraped his side. He collapsed to the ground, panting for breath.

Alex turned to face his pursuers, three more of the interlopers were closing in on him with more still. One of the three walked closer towards Alex, and placed his weapon against Alex's head. "Quarantining Interloperrrrrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkk!!"

The black suited machine man was thrown backwards in a spasming fit, his body riddled with weapon fire and the odd revolver bullet. Both Alex and the strange men turned their attention to face the source of the intervention, and found three newcomers walking out from the foliage. The falcon, Ace had his gun raised up, smoke pouring from the cooling weapon, with Max's own gun raised up as well. Ramza stood to their side, his shield raised high and ready for any action.

"Well," Ace began. "This is turning out to be quite the day, huh?"

          Ramza rushed in, jumping upon the nearest of the mechanical men, slamming his shield into it's face. The was a roar as he pulled the trigger, blasting the drone's head into shards. Riding the remains to the ground, he summoned his sword into his hand, throwing it into the next man's chest, the blade digging itself in further as it vibrated in a chainsaw motion.

          He ducked down, avoiding a metallic fist that had come his way, delivering a kick, up into the man's chest. The creature, stunned, was disemboweled as Ramza thrust his shield arm through the creature, blasting away at the one behind it.

____________________________________________________________________

          Jade stood, shaken, trying to compose herself. "I'm sorry you had to see that, young ones." she said, solemnly, her blindfold slipping slightly, revealing a small portion of the burn scar over her eyes. "I didn't want you to see that, so please... forget about it. You're both to sweet to be troubled by such things." She knelt down, rubbing both of their heads, smiling weakly.