An Unlikely Happening

Prologue

The locals were friendly to the newcomer that walked through their streets. They were curious about where he was from. It wasn't every day that they got new arrivals, but none of them dared ask due to politeness.

Right when Slinger had walked through the entrance of Spiral Hill Village, he could feel the whole town watching him. He first thought it hostile, but his tension quickly subsided when he received many smiles, waves, and kind greetings from everyone.

Man, the people here are really nice! Slinger thought. If they're as helpful as they are welcoming, I should be able to find Tangle in no time.

Slinger walked to a food cart and bought a chili dog from the vendor. He asked the owner if he knew Tangle, and to his surprise he did.

"Know her!?" the dark blue rabbit laughed. "Of course I know her! She's crashed into my cart too many times to count! Everyone knows Tangle."

Wow! Who would have thought that the first person I asked would know Tangle!? This really is a small town.

"Can you tell me where she lives?"

"Sure. Just walk down five blocks, make a left on Chandalar, then take the next right. You'll know her place when you see it!" he laughed again. "You can't miss it!"

"Got it. Thanks for your help!" Slinger said as he sped off down the street.

"My pleasure!"

A few minutes later, Slinger arrived at Tangle's house. As the rabbit said, you couldn't miss it. Tangle lived in a two-story tree house, complete with a rope ladder, wrap-around deck, and hammock. It was a strange sight, but cute in its own way. A radio inside the house blared music, and a voice could be heard singing along.

"It's been fun, but now I've got-to-go! Life is just too short to take-it-slow! Bu-but before I go and hit-the- roooaad!..."

Slinger climbed up the ladder and hoisted himself onto the deck. He smiled to himself as he heard the off-key voice and knocked on the door.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Tangle didn't hear him knocking the first few times. Only after the fifth series of knocks and pulling on the bell rope, she realized she had a visitor. "Be there in a second!" Tangle yelled over the music.

After calling down to her guest, she turned off the radio and slid down the stair railing. Tangle danced to the door, singing the last part of the song before opening it.

"When-Can-I-See-You-Again?!"

She wasn't expecting to see Whisper's long dead comrade waiting when she opened the door.

"EEEPPP!" Tangle squealed as she fell backwards onto the floor.

Slinger was slightly startled.

"Umm... hi. My name is..."

"Slinger?! B..but you're dead!" Tangle exclaimed.

"How do you know my name?" Slinger asked as Tangle got up.

"Whisper told me about you. How did you get here!? I mean, how are you even... well, you know, ALIVE!?"

Slinger smiled and said, "It's a long story; you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Tangle took a step back in shock.

"Wow, this is just... just crazy!! I have sooooo many questions! Come inside!" she exclaimed as she opened the door wider, allowing Slinger to walk inside.

"Thank you," he sighed with relief as he entered. "You don't know how long I've been..."

Without warning, Tangle shot her tail into Slinger's back, sending him halfway across the room, landing on his stomach.

"Ohhh... my chili dog.." Slinger groaned.

He turned over to see Tangle standing over him. The seemingly nice, bubbly girl from before had disappeared, replaced by a hot-blooded fighter.

"Alright, what's your game, Mimic!?"

"What?!"

"Don't play dumb with me!" she yelled accusingly. "You're not going to trick me this time!"

Slinger did a sweeping kick at Tangle's leg and she fell over. He leapt up and moved behind a couch to keep a barrier between himself and Tangle, who had recovered and was beginning to circle the couch.

"If you drop your lies now Mimic, I'll go easy on you!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Slinger protested.

She lunged forward and threw a punch at him, but he ducked and dodged out of the way. Slinger didn't want to hurt Tangle and tried to reason with her.

"Wait! Listen to me! I'm NOT Mimic! Ufff!"

Tangle punched him in the stomach with her tail and pinned him to the wall.

"I don't believe you! Prove it!"

Slinger struggled as he tried to loosen Tangle's grip on his chest.

"Well?! Start talking or I'll throw you out of this tree!" she threatened, squeezing him tightly.

"Mimic can't copy eye color," he said quickly. "When he shapeshifts his eyes are brown."

"You could be wearing contacts."

"W-what about my hands?!" he held them up for Tangle to see. "Mimic's suction cups show when he morphs!"

Tangle still wasn't convinced. "You could be wearing gloves."

Slinger was now a little more than annoyed. This girl was stubbornly suspicious of him!

"If I was Mimic, I wouldn't be telling you my weaknesses! I knew Mimic longer than the others, that's how I know these things!"

Tangle thought about this for a moment.

"You do have a point," she said at length, loosening her grip slightly. "But how did you escape the Shadow Androids?" she asked.

"I didn't. A human girl named Salkia found me in a ditch outside the base and took me back to her home."

"Salkia?"

"She used to be a top agent for GUN. Just ask Rouge! She knows her! You have to believe me!"

Tangle glared at him. "You know somethin'? I don't believe you!"

"See for yourself." Slinger pulled a picture out of his vest and held it out to her.

Tangle took it. It was a group photo of a teenage girl posing with Slinger, a porcupine, a fennec, and a mole. The lemur thought for a moment and then released her grip on Slinger, much to his relief.

"Okay, I'll hear you out. But no funny business, or...!"

"You have my word!" he said quickly. "There won't be!" Slinger paused and touched his chest with one hand. "Trust me, I'd rather not be suffocated by your tail again."

He sat in a wooden chair a few feet from where Tangle stood watching him with her arms crossed.

Slinger sighed. "Perhaps you'll believe me more if I tell you the whole story."
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Artist: 🎨
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