"..Will you at least listen to me in the end?" - Lightning was already losing his patience, looking at Espio with irritation. And then the lynx simply blathered the following to the chameleon:

— The Chosen One of the Unsleeping Eye asked me to tell you: tomorrow so that you are ready for tomorrow’s battle against Sonic and New Mobotropolis. And yes, I asked for one more thing before...

— WH.. WHAT!? - the violet-lilac chameleon jumped up from his seat and shouted in a voice that was not his own:

— Where did you get THIS BLANKET??

— From the Chosen One, - Lightning answered him dryly, - so you will accept it, no?

— Give it here, - Espio abruptly extended his hand to take the thing, but then part of the roof gave way, and he fell waist-deep into a large hole.

"Aaaaarghh.. *** your mother.. damn..“- the chameleon cursed quietly to himself, but he immediately quickly began to fall into the hole, and suddenly an unbearable pain suddenly pierced his leg. Espio hissed quietly, but was barely trying to get out of here, when suddenly Lightning, who had previously been standing still and amazed looking at the former Chaotix ninja, ran up to the chameleon and quickly pulled him out of the hole in the roof of the dojo.

— Hold on, - the lynx-ninja continued to drag Espio more and more to the left to the middle of the roof gable, then carefully put him on his feet.

— I’m not going to help you out all the time, idiot!! Why the hell did you come here to the dojo? - Lightning growled angrily, looking straight into Espio's eyes with irritation.

— But I didn’t ask you for help. And I didn’t “come” here, but came, do you understand? - the chameleon answered him with the same tone, slowly getting up from his seat.

— Where are you going? - Lynx continued angrily, revealing his grin. In response, he only heard a painful hiss and a short groan that came from the injured Espio.

— Heheh. Serves you right, — Lightning decided mockingly as he looked at his weakened arch-enemy.

— Shut up, - Espio hissed again, looking with fury at the enemy he hated greatly. Still. Chameleon tried to rise again from his prone position as long as his right leg, damaged by rusty fittings the size of a large cane inside the dojo building, allowed him. When he did this, his brain seemed to be gradually disconnected from everything that was happening around him — so Espio was tired of feeling his desires, needs, emotions, worries for other people.. The chameleon slowly closed his eyes, still trembling slightly from the growing pain in his leg...

Suddenly, there was a sound of torn fabric, and Espio's right leg was immediately wrapped softly around a small ribbon from the blanket that Lightning Links carried with him to complete the errand.

— Can you still get up? - asked the lynx, having finished bandaging the unfortunate leg of the violet-lilac chameleon.

— No idea, - Espio answered him, - most likely not. The pain is simply unbearable.

— I see, - Lightning Links rose from his haunches and extended his hand, - get up. There, not far away, I saw one bench. We’ll get to it now, and then we’ll decide what we’ll do with you.

— T.. T-thank you..? - Saying the words with some surprise, Espio answered dumbfounded and also extended his hand to Lightning, so that both now tried a little to help themselves and the other animal. Next, the two rose from the roof and carefully descended from it through an old bamboo ladder that held any weight very well. As soon as they descended, Lightning immediately grabbed one of the ninja chameleon's hands around his neck, then he took him under the armpit of his other hand and walked along with Espio, trying to hold him carefully so that he would not trip and fall. Having reached one wooden bench with a small suspended roof, standing alone in the middle of the alley at the very beginning of the forest, the lynx carefully seated his old enemy there, and then he squatted down again to carefully examine the chameleon’s leg.

— N.. it’s not worth it... - Espio wheezed, with difficulty lifting his back from the bench.

— B****, - the lynx looked at the sky, from where the first snowflakes were gradually falling, - how did winter even manage to get?

For some reason, Espio smiled stupidly to himself, but in such a way that Lightning still noticed his smile.

— Why are you laughing? Is it fun for you, right, standing here in the snow with your * leg half-assed?

— Hahah..Ahaha..PAHAHAHA..!!..

Hmmm.. It seems that Espio’s nerves have finally given him away lately , and now he’s really laughing like crazy. Lynx watched this “masterpiece” laugh with skepticism, and then he, sadly shaking his head and doomfully rolling his blue eyes, began to examine the damaged limb of the chameleon. Espio, meanwhile, did not stop laughing, and then gradually calmed down, slowly lying down with his entire back on the bench and closing his eyes, breathing quietly and tiredly, as if he had gone through a hundred tests before achieving absolute peace...but who is he kidding.

Surely only himself, no other way...

..But the lynx, having completed his thorough examination, rose from his knees and examined Espio’s face for a long time, listening at the same time to the breathing of his enemy. Then he came to his senses, turned his back to Espio and, carefully unfolding the dark brown blanket, covered the chameleon with it. He flinched in surprise, and the confused Lightning had no choice but to instantly tell the chameleon his words of consolation:

— Sleep, Espio.. Just sleep.. I’m now running for help... just be patient, you’ll soon be at home...

— No.. Don't.. Lynx.. don't do this... You don't need to take care of me s-s-so..

The lynx ninja stopped in place and turned around, raising one eyebrow up questioningly. Only then did he realize that the chameleon was now shivering from the cold, but he could not do anything about it. Only he can help him. Help out Espio. The one he himself despised so much. And he hated it. Until tonight.

— Everything will be fine, Espio.. I’ll be back soon.. I can’t leave you to certain death. You will live, Espio, - the lynx repeated feverishly, - you will live for sure..

Some really strange, painfully painful feeling of warmth and anxiety that Lightning had never experienced in his life. It is likely that he is also delusional, so now the ninja of the Raiju clan will simply quickly run for help, and then everything will go by itself, as usual - then there will be struggle, battles, action and the like. Enmity and hatred. Everything is as usual. Without embellishment. Usual life...

***

No. No, no and no...

No...

Lightning.. Lightning Lynx was still defeated. In a duel with him. With Sonic. But what did he do? Now Lynx has simply lost the trust of his leader now.

— Rrr... - one could hear Storm the Conqueror leaning back in disappointment on the back of the throne, and before that she had been watching the duel itself with rapture. - Lightning was just pathetic. From now on, he is no longer a Raiju. Again..

Again.. it again..

..Again that same stigma of shame..

..brand of dishonor...

What has he done, Lightning himself? He was simply called to a fight, without even asking whether the lynx himself wanted this fight or not. Why did this happen today? Why is he losing his beloved now?..

Ahh. No. It is not her that he loses so painfully. No. Not hers... for su

re...

Lightning stood up silently, feeling some kind of numbness in his legs. The eyes were a little covered with a dark veil due to the lack of oxygen in the head, but everything returned to normal again, although the whole body ached from the recent battle. He didn't cry. Barely and just now the lynx realized that he had lost his fight. Lost the chance to be a member of the Raiju clan. Now he will not be able to be a mediator for the entire Dragon Kingdom. Never in my life. It's already passed. Just like today the term of stay in the clan.

— Lightning!! - The voice of the strict leader Raiju sharply responded to the ninja from his dreams. He turned in her direction.

— I'm here.

— Do you have anything to say in your defense? - she asked, squinting her eyes, the color of bright fire, disapprovingly.

— No, - Lightning said, turning away from Storm. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, but he sharply added:

— And I don’t want to hear about it. Farewell, Conqueror Storm..

— Stop!! - his voices responded.

So familiar. Until it hurts.. ..Oh yes, because his teammates are here. Well... he definitely won't disappoint them.

— I’m with you, - Lightning nodded to Simian, Frog and Predator, and then came closer to them. Behind them, Fiona smiled pleasantly, anticipating the future release of her boyfriend named Scourge from the Forbidden Zone...

***

...So, well, here is the scene of the lynx ninja prisoner sitting in his cell. Soon the Flying Frog was supposed to come for him, with whom Lightning was supposed to free everyone, including his future leader of his team Destructix — Scourge the hedgehog..

***

...Soon Links himself receives his task to blow up the eastern generator, which protects the tower and its sublevels from external negative consequences from any enemies. He blows it up, then reports to Fiona about the completion of the mission, reminding him along the way about the Frog and warning about him to his friend, the hawk Predator...

***

..All.

Now a sample has even finally been obtained from the sublevels of the tower, containing some kind of dark purple substance in the form of a small, living “worm”. Lightning didn’t know why exactly the “worm”, but he had such an association.

Alas. Not in vain. Plaid. It has patterns of fire dragons on it. Espio. His leg, damaged by rusty fittings inside the dojo building. Snowflakes. Nervous laughter. Help. And finally. Feeling. Safety...

“Espio.. Espio, only now I understand that I did everything right. Now you are okay. And you are again.. safe. Together with your comrades...” Lightning smiled hopelessly to himself, remembering.

That simplest moment with this chameleon. He didn't hate him now. Only then did Lightning understand why Espio was so afraid of help. He was afraid only... of hatred. And deception. And. Sadism on the part of Links... The ninjas themselves hated each other for a long time. They competed, they competed, they fought. But when the lynx found out how grateful the Chaotix team ninja was to him for his help, for some reason he himself still felt that same feeling.. A feeling of.. Gratitude.. a feeling for everything that was done thanks to good deeds.. kind words... actions and unexpected responsibility for their true comrades and colleagues... Even if they were sworn enemies.

Forever...

***

Here's what Lightning would like to tell many of you:

“We are not always ready to accept turning points in our lives. Sometimes we actually do all this thoughtlessly, frivolously.. but is it always wrong? Hmm.. Usually I was not always interested in knowing about everything that is connected with my damned enemies. However, this is a separate topic. I have already talked about it. Here and.. now.."