Chapter Two

Luna opened her eyes to dim light. Her vision was hazy, and she couldn't think straight.

What... what is this place?

She struggled to sit up on the cold metal floor.

...Metal?!

She heard footsteps, but they seemed far off in the distance.

Got to get... a grip...

"You are awake, bat?" someone demanded. Luna made out the figure of some animal, anthro like her. A girl. Maybe a hedgehog?

The stranger shook her head.

"I told 'em the tranquilizer was too strong." She paused, raising one eyebrow. "...Can you even hear me, bat?"

"Yeah... a bit," Luna said shakily.

The hedgehog chuckled.

"Ya want to be alone, bat?"

Why does she keep calling me bat?

"Yeah," she repeated. Now she felt a bit more like herself. She could see clearly, and her hearing was better. "And my name's Luna."

"That's nice, bat," she said with a smirk. "But numero uno, you ain't gonna be left alone, and nombre deux, I really don't care what your name is."

Great. Not only is she rude, she's tri-lingual. Figures.

"So where am I, anyway? And who are you? Oh, and one more thing... what did you do to my friends?!" she demanded, going from groggy curiosity to all-out venom.

"I didn't do anything!" the hedgehog exclaimed. She backed up hastily and added, "My name is Sky. And I'm afraid I'm not allowed to disclose the matter of your whereabouts."

"My what?"

She sighed, rolling her pale eyes.

"I'm not supposed to tell you where you are."

Then why didn't you just say so?

"Sky?" The hedgehog turned around, and Luna craned her neck to find the speaker. It was a man in a white lab coat, holding a clipboard. He gestured for Sky to join him. He whispered something in her ear, and Sky nodded thoughtfully. Luna made out the words "tell her" but that was it.

"Thank you, Sky," the man said, and ducked out the door.

"Well?" Luna asked, pretending she hadn't heard anything.

"Okay, bat," Sky began with a smile. "Playtime is over. Apparently they want you to know the truth."

---

"I can't believe you just ran away like that," Espin said.

Aaron grunted something, staring into his cereal intently and avoiding all eye contact.

Meadow took a sip of orange juice, staring at him from across the table. Then she leaned over to the purple hedgehog sitting next to her.

"Hey Violet," she murmured, still gazing at Aaron. "Do you think we should do another search party today?"

Violet shrugged.

"I dunno, Meadow... I think we need to do something more practical."

Aaron looked up.

"What's more practical than that? Calling the police?" he asked sarcastically.

"Well, yeah..." Violet replied. "Report her as missing or something. Offer a reward."

"Like our sanity?" Aaron muttered.

"Like money," Meadow retorted. "Look, we miss her too. But we've already searched everywhere for a whole night!"

Espin yawned as if on cue, forcing a nervous laugh through her lips.

"Sorry," the fox said, blushing.

Aaron's mouth formed a half-smile.

"Okay, whatever," he sighed. "It's just that I've known Luna my whole life. It's always been five of us, not six. I'm not used to her not being here. But if you think the police can help, then we'll try it."

Meadow grinned, exchanging a knowing glance with Violet.

---

Author's Note: Okay, now I feel like messing with the past. xD ...Pleeeease no flames. They make my computer get all warm and then my cat wants to sleep on top of it... kidding! Haha, but still, don't hate me.

Luna stared at Sky, her mind racing.

What truth? I'm just an ordinary bat, right? What do I have to do with anything?

"I can understand your confusion," Sky said. Luna's ear twitched. How had she known? "That's right, I can sense emotion," she continued. "Though the way you act, I hardly need any powers." Luna wasn't sure if she was being insulted or not, but she didn't say anything.

"Let's start with our location," she began. "Currently we are situated in the top secret facility of GUN headquarters."

"What?!" Luna screeched. "How is that possible?! What do you want with me?!"

"Chill, bat, chill," Sky laughed, holding up her hands. "First of all, do you know what GUN even stands for?"

"Uh, duh," Luna said, her voice still shaky. "Guard-" Sky cut her off.

"Lies," she spat. Luna looked at her in confusion.

"But..."

"But nothing," Sky interrupted. "I knew it'd be tough, and yet I always forget..." She trailed off and then locked eyes with Luna. "Look. I'm gonna say this once. There is no 'Guardian Units of Nations'"

Luna stared back skeptically.

"Right. What makes you think I'll believe you?"

Sky shrugged.

"It's Genetics and Unauthorized Neuroscience, if you must know."

"I highly doubt that," Luna replied, partly trying to convince herself.

"Your mother was Rouge," Sky murmured softly. "It figures she'd never tell her own daughter..."

"Mostly 'cause of the fact that she left me!" Luna intervened angrily.

"She never left you..." Sky whispered in an almost sympathetic voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she insisted.

"Never mind that. All I wanted to say, all that you have to know, is..." She paused and sighed. She always hated breaking news. "...You are one of the latest GUN projects, bat."