Late, late update, sorry! Blame Babylon Bee and volleyball everyday.

Characters (C) Sega

Ch.8: Enter Wave

So close. Storm had come so close, so freaking close, from telling Jet to truth, but she just had to intervene. Wave was always in the way for him. For as long as he could remember, Wave insulted, teased, and was generally cruel to him. Storm wanted to smack her upside the head for interuppting him nearly every day whenever he was speaking or following orders.

After Wave video-typed them, Storm had knocked her unconsious with a boom box and tied her up in a closet. He wrote a note on the door, saying that she was being a lecturing nuisance again. Storm smirked to himself as the evil deed was completed and glanced over his shoulder at the door. Giving off a short, devious laugh, Storm exited for Jet's office.

He found the hawk sneezing uncontrollably into a tissue. Jet had his head down on his desk and sighed, glancing up at Storm. Chucking the tissue away, he waved half-heartedly to him.

Storm recalled the fresh tears on his face when Sonic beat him in that race. "You feeling any better from yesterday, Boss?"

"Me? Oh, right, I'm fine," Jet replied quickly. Too quickly for Storm. "I just let Sonic go off too easily for my reputation. He may have won the battle, but the war is most certainly not over!"

Storm chuckled and grinned at Jet. "You were sneezing alot right now."

"Allergies." Jet wiped his nostrils on his shoulder. "Wave just faked threw some peanut jar at me head, and a peanut went directly down my throat. I'm allergic to peanuts, by the way. I just learned it today, but I don't throw up like other people."

"Guess you're just lucky," Storm commented, folding his arms and with a smirk on his face.

Jet tapped his finger on his wooden desk before heaving a sigh. "You remember how we met Wave?" He noticed the look of contempt of Storm's face. "Storm?"

Storm nodded, and through gritted teeth, growled. "Oh, how could I froget..."

Storm stared down at the petite, lavender swallow in front of him. The swallow had two short feathers in a wavy fashion in the back of her head while wearing a white attire. White shorts, a white tank top, and a white rag dressed over her head in a doo rag fashion. Her hands were on her hip with a bag strapped across his shoulder to her other hip.

"And why are you here?" Storm asked, cocking his head with a small grin.

"Is the Babylon Rogues' airship?" the girl asked in a snooty tone.

"Yeah, and you are?"

"My name is Wave the Swallow." Wave paused, noticing the amusement on Storm's face. "Be quiet! Don't insult my respected name. I've been chosen to join the Babylon Rogues."

Storm busted a gut right there. Wave flinched at his barbaric actions and glared at him. Reeling her fist back, she slammed it right into his beak. Hurtling against the floor, Storm groaned, rubbing his head. Placing her foot on his chest as a victory gesture, Wave smirked down at him while Storm glared.

"I hate you," she stated obviously. "To think that I could easily knock you down with one punch makes you weak."

"W-why you-!"

Jet appeared at the door, holding both of his hands. He thought an intruder had attacked, but was rather shocked to see at girl hovering over Storm at a stand-still. Removing her foot, Wave generously bowed to him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you at least, Jet," Wave greeted. Jet's eyes widened in response. "Acceleration has told me so much about you. I wonder if most of it were lies."

Growling, Storm snatched her leg when he was down, forcing her to the floor. Standing, he heaved Wave up by her leg. As she dangled upside down, Storm could only smirk at her misfortune.

"Alright, Storm, let her go," Jet ordered with authority thorough in his voice. Storm paused, but complied reluctantly. Jet stared down at the swallow, who was rubbing her head from being dropped on the floor, head first. "Who sent you? I just lost to a mangy, ground-cursed hedgehog yesterday, so I'm in a bad mood for jokes."

Wave grinned as she got to her feet. Rubbing Jet's head, she flinched when Jet suddenly smacked her hand away. "No need to be feisty, munchkin."

"Who're you callin' a munchkin?!"

Waving her hand at the hawk in defiance, Wave showed them her pink flamed wrists. "Your father enlisted me in your group because I, too, am a Babylonian." Ignoring the surprise in their faces, she continued. "I am an engineer, but my specialty is Extreme Gear."

Jet blinked for a second, comprehending what she stated. Before she could get to her longly rehearsed biography of achievements, Jet gave a sudden laugh of delight. "Extreme Gear, huh? Well, mine and Storm's Gears are pretty banged up at the moment. Perhaps you could find yourself a room on the airship and get to work on them. Oh, and I mean now."

Storm's beak dropped. Taking the liberty as he propped himself back to normal, he instantly protested. "B-but Jet, s-she just got her! How can we trust her?!"

Waving his hand at Storm when Wave started to walk towards a room to call her own, Jet said, "Because I'm testing her. If she fails to complete our Gears, I'll have her out of here in no time. Then it'll be you and me, buddy."

Face illuminating, Storm nodded eagerly. However, it didn't last long when a sudden shrill shriek struck the serenity of their chat. Wave came out with a large wrench and threw it at Storm: Direct hit. Cradling his forehead in pain, Storm wriggled along the ground, groaning.

Wave was holding both of their Extreme Gears with an exasperated look on her face. The Gears were in terrible shape: Rusted, some components were missing, and a few thrusters were gone. Wave dropped both, stomping over to Jet and grasping him by his throat.

Coughing for air, Jet managed to stutter, "W-what's w-wrong?!"

"These boards! They're in a condition that's even worse than when I was starting out in fixing Extreme Gear!" Wave snapped, bopping Jet over the head as she released him. Wave started to yak about how much their Gears basically sucked, and niether one could understand. It sounded like a long-winded rant that was sped up and tossed in a blender sent on high power.

Taking out a megaphone, Storm raised it by Wave's ear. Telling Jet to cover his ears, he screamed, "SHUT UP! NOBODY CARES!"

Wave flinched, her ears beginning to throb. Snatching the megaphone from him, Wave shouted back, "AT LEAST I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

"I-I DO SO KNOW WHAT I TALK ABOUT!" Storm bellowed, not even using the megaphone.

Chucking the megaphone away, Wave smirked back at him. Flipping her extravagant head feathers, Wave had the most devious look Storm had ever witnessed. "Well, at least I'm not a stuttermachine."

"I-I d-do not st-stutter!" Storm stammered back, unaware that he was stuttering.

Snapping her fingers, Wave exclaimed, "Check and point, Storm! I win." Taking the Extreme Gear, she went back to her room and glanced back over to Jet. "Oh, and Jet?"

Jet stared up at her, still regaining lost breath. "What is it?"

"I wonder how you could stand that incompetant, bumbling albatross for a whole year by yourself." Wave burst into laughter before walking into her room; laughter was echoing through the walls in howls. "Well, I'll be working on your Gears now. Give me two hours, and I'll be finished."

"I still hate her," Storm stated, folding his arms behind his head. Noticing Jet's confused face, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Jet placed his hands on the desk before him, overlooking Storm at the double doors of his office. "Do you really mean that?"

"Mean what? That I hate Wave?" Storm paused, noticing Jet's eagerly wide eyes. He couldn't help, but get lost in them for just a few seconds. Just like yesterday when he was about to reveal to Jet his feelings of love. Snapping back to reality by sighing, Storm closed his eyes. "Well, she bugs me. She's been teasing me ever since the day we met. You remember what happened after she fixed our Extreme Gear?"

Stifling a laugh, Jet managed, "How could I not?"

Wave called both bird boys into her room. Storm was shifty at first, but Jet just bounced right in and gave a gasp of pleasure and shock. Storm's eyes widened in surprisem at the sight of their refurnished Gears. Both boards appeared to be brand new with the added shine effect. A new paint job, re-engineered parts, and even new names.

"I present to you the Type-J and Type-S," Wave explained, gesturing to the newly created airboards. "Please, give them a try."

Jet instantly snatched the green board, the Type-J. It hovered off the few ground a few inches as Jet stared at it in awe. Gently, Jet placed his feet on it, wobbling slightly. Jet moved forward and out the hall at a speed he couldn't obtain with his regular, old board. Chuckling, he zoomed back inside the room.

"It's perfect, Wave!" he jeered. "You definately are staying."

Storm's heart skipped several beats as he stared horrified at Jet and than to Wave. Wave was grinning girlishly while she and Jet shook hands. Storm hesitated when Wave held her hand out ot him.

"I hope we can put our previous bickerments behind us Storm and move on to a bright future, Storm," Wave said, moving her hand closer in annoyance.

"Um, fine!" Storm gave in, snatching her hand. A sudden tingle ensued in his hand before it became a shock. Yelping rather unmanly, Storm yanked his hand away and inspected his hand. Nothing, but his pride falling. He glared at her, seeing the joy buzzer on her hand. "Wh-what was that for?!"

Wave patted his shoulder, a grin blooming on her face. "We'll have fun, Stormy, we'll have fun."

Storm glared at her before shoving her to the floor. Wave cried out as he hovered over her with her wrench in his hand. Suddenly before Storm could actually do some damage to her, Jet snatched the wrench straight out of his large hand. Flinching when Jet lightly smacked him over the head, Storm mumbled his apology at Jet's disapproving look.

With Jet's help, Wave pushed herself off the ground. Glaring at Storm, she huffed and threw his board to him. "I'll accept that mediocore apology, but don't expect me to be so legitmate next time."

Glaring at the swallow, Storm hmphed and stalked away. What Wave did at that moment struck the fuse for a life-long trial of what people that didn't knew them called "innocent fights". He didn't care what others thought, but whenever that ignorant swallow decided to mock him, he'd charge right back with a retort that probably wasn't as clever, but effective enough for someone to laugh. And Storm only wanted to make Jet laugh.

Jet was pointing and laughing at the fuming older albatross. "Joy buzzer! Priceless! Price-freaking-less!"

Blushing at the horrendous memory, Storm retorted, "Sh-shut up! I-it wasn't fair!"

"Aw, c'mon, Storm. Lighten up!" Jet commanded with a laugh. "What Wave pulled on you was a harmless joke."

"Harmless, he says," Storm drawled, rolling his eyes. "Wave yoinked you with tricks too, Boss, so I wouldn't be telling me about "harmless jokes"."

Giving off a humored look to his life-long companion, Jet smirked wryly. Storm shifted in his seat at his leader's confident gaze; he always wondered what give Jet those superior, brave anti-hero teal eyes. Glancing down at his feet, he noticed that the hawk's eyes suddenly averted to the door.

A tied-up Wave came crashing in before falling to the floor. Her cobalt eyes were the epitome of rage as they locked onto a quivering Storm. Storm leaped over Jet's desk, hiding behind his boss' back as Wave tore threw her bonds. She was about to lunge at Storm with her wrench when Jet suddenly blocked the assualt with his fans.

"Okay, what the heck is going on?!" the hawk demanded, noticing Storm's large hand clutching his shoulder tightly. So tightly, in fact, it was like he didn't want to let go. "Um, Storm? You mind?"

"Oh, uh, s-sorry Boss." Instantly, Storm drove his hand away behind his back, face flushed.

"You jerk!" Wave snapped at Storm, waving her wrench over her head in a wild manner. Storm squealed, hiding behind Jet once more. "How dare you knock me up and tie me up in a closet!"

"You...what?" Jet repeated in astonishment, lowering his fans as he stared at Storm with wide eyes. "You locked her up in a closet? Man, Storm, I had no idea."

Storm cocked his head at him. "No idea?"

Jet smirked and leaned closer to Storm's face. "You like Wave, don't ya?" he whispered in a seductive voice, one that Storm wouldn't mind being spoken to all the time.

Storm looked horrified while Wave demanded to know what nonsense Jet had spouted. Eye twitching, he pointed a finger at her, saying, "Her? No way, Boss!"

"What did you say, Jet?!" Wave quipped, clenching her wrench tightly in both hands. Her knuckles turned white under her gloves, and a vien appeared vividly in her forehead.

Jet shrugged his shoulders with a grin plastered on his beak. "Eh, nothing worth worrying about." Facing Storm, he asked, "So, why'd you lock her in a closet?"

A coy grin appeared on Storm's face like he had won the lottery. "Just some revenge."

"Revenge? For the joybuzzer?" Jet asked.

Mentally slapping himself at Jet's stupidity, Storm narrowed his eyes down on the smirking swallow. "For that little spying stunt Wave pulled, I just thought that it was time for some payback."

"Oh? You thought that you could pull one over on poor, defenseless Wave?" she drawled with false sincerity and pain in her voice. Storm glared at her, but she continued with a smile in her cobalt orbs. "Storm, you'll have to do so much better."

"I-I got you tied up and into the closet!" Storm retorted, somewhat surprised that she would even dare to remark.

"Only because I was unconsious by your insane actions." Wave gave a shrug of her shoulder as she rested her wrench gently onto it. Turning away, she bounced away, carefully shutting the door with a petite click.

He thought he finally won. That he beat her at her own game of trickery, but no. It was only caused by a blunder she made, and he took advantage of it. Sighing, Storm was ready to exit his boss' office, when Jet suddenly snatched one of his dredlocks. Crying out on contact, the albatross moaned in pain and glazed over to his leader.

Jet smirked, teeth gleaming broadly. "You want some revenge right or are you going to be a pansy and let Wave shove you around?"

"Well, I don't want to let her get away with anything anymore, so..." Storm smirked, eyes narrowing at her tracks. "I'm in."