"Honey Hive Heist" REVISED

Written by: Toni the Mink

A/N: This is a rewrite of the original fic with the same title. While a personal favorite of mine (as well as others) it needed some rework...

At the urging of a fanboy of mine, I've finally decided to get around to putting more of a backbone to the story and a history behind it. I also decided to drop a couple fancharacters (in favor of making them original characters to my own novel)

So enjoy! And at the risk of sounding like a n00b writer... DO leave a review! I'd love to know what you think and how to improve.

*bang* *bang* *bang*

"rrrRrrrr… Get the door…" Vector sleepily rolled over in his bed and smacked his hand on the figure sleeping in the bed next to his. The figure gave a mighty snore and turned away, falling back to sleep.

*bang!* * bang!* *bang!*

The banging to the front door downstairs was louder and more frantic. Vector groaned. All he wanted was to sleep. He didn't want to deal with clients in the middle of the rainy night. Fortunately, being team leader meant he didn't have to do the tough things. Especially if he had young lackeys to do it for him.

"Rookie, answer the door!"

The rookie in question, laying in a cot on the other side of Vector's bed, stirred slightly. "Why don't you get it..?" he moaned.

"Because I'm the leader and I give the orders," Vector replied, "If ya wanna stay in the Chaotix, kid, you listen to what I tell you. Got it?"

"What am I getting myself into?" the preteen chameleon slowly climbed out of bed and sluggishly made his way down the steps and to the front door of the little cottage that the team was currently occupying.

"Yes?" he yawned as he opened the door to face the potential client. But nobody was there. Only the heavy rainfall and a wail from the infant.

Who in the right mind would play Ding Dong Ditch at two in the morning? And in this downpour? The chameleon wondered this to himself as he shut the door and headed back up the stairs to his awaiting cot.

…

Wait, the wail from an infant?!

The preteen whipped back around and swung the front door wide open, looking down to the stoop. There in a hive-shaped basket laid a little baby honeybee, crying in the heavy rain. Quickly, the chameleon picked up the basket, brought it inside out of the rain, and then looked back outside for any trace of the sender. "Hello?" he cried out, "Anyone there?"

No answer. Judging the time between the last knock and when he had answered the door, the person must have been long gone by now.

The baby was more important at the moment. So he closed the door and turned his attention to the baby bee, picking him up, changing his wet blanket to a warm, dry one, and coddling him. "There there," he soothed, "Don't cry, little one…"

"Espio, what's all the hub-bub down here?" a voice boomed from upstairs. Down came a tired teen crocodile. "How long does it take to answer a door? "Didn't you tell that person to bug off?"

"That's not very good for business, Vector," replied Espio, "Besides, I think we have our very first case. Look!" He turned sideways to show Vector the infant insect in his arms.

"The sleepiness in Vector's eyes went away as they went wide at the sight. "A baby?"

"Someone left him here," said Espio, "I couldn't find anybody."

"What kind of deadbeat, irresponsible parent leaves their baby at some stranger's doorstep?" Vecto growled.

"I don't know," said Espio, "That's why we need to get to the bottom of this, right?"

"Right!" said Vector, glaring down at the wailing baby, "And the sooner the baby. We ain't babysitters for hire, y'know…"

"We can't just leave him to fend for himself, Vector," said Espio, "He's just an infant. We should take care of him until we do find whoever left him on our doorstep."

"The question is, why would they leave him on our doorstep?" Vector rubbed his chin, "I mean, other than because of his loud crying, obviously…"

"Really, Vector," Espio rolled his eyes, "He's just a baby…"

"An' like I said, we ain't babysitters!" Vector snapped, "Now make like a good detective and find some clues!"

Espio sighed, and looked the baby over, opening the blankets and getting a closer look at his orange coverall. "Wait, here's something…" He plucked what looked like a small, bee-shaped golden charm. "I didn't notice this before… It looks like a charm."

"Lemme see!" Vector snatched it from the chameleon's fingers and examined it closely. "Hmmm…"

"Well?"

"It's gold… Maybe we can pawn it!"

"Vector!"

"What?! We clearly need to be paid somehow for this case…"

"It belongs to the baby! And besides, it might be our only clue as to who he is."

"All right, all right, lemme take another look…" Vector took a closer look at the charm. "Well, it's gold… it's the shape of a bee… and… oh wait, here's something! It says 'charmy' on the back."

"Charmy?" asked Espio, "What does that mean? Is it his name?"

"That or the brand of charms it's made of," Vector carefully placed the charm back into the sobbing bee's blanket. "Sheesh, won't that thing stop crying?"

"It's not a thing, it's a baby," Espio said sharply.

"Then make that baby stop crying. The sooner the better," the crocodile headed back up the stairs to his bed, "We've got a long day ahead of us if we're gonna find his folks. Man, I can't stand babies…"

Espio gave a low sigh and cradled the baby some more. "Welcome to the group. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into… Charmy."

"Princess Vespa!"

The tall, darkly-dressed, female hornet turned with a nasty look on her face. "General Poyse!" she snarled, "I told you it's Queen Vespa! Since Father disowned me, and I now rule over Honey Hive, I am rightfully a queen!"

The tall male hornet bent down to a knee and bowed. "Forgive me, my queen… I forgot."

Vespa huffed. "What do you want, anyway?"

"I have returned with good news," Poyse raised his head, "I promised I wouldn't come back empty-handed, and I have kept my word." He snapped his fingers, and in response, another male hornet, this one much larger and "rounder" per say, marched in, holding a smaller, female honeybee by her arms, and tossed her to the ground.

"Easy on her, Luctua!" Poyse snapped, "You don't want to shatter her before the queen gets the chance."

"But she's so fun to toss around like a defenseless little puppy," Luctua protested.

Poyse bared his teeth. "You fat, lard of-"

"Enough!" Vespa shouted, "Luctua can treat her however he wants. She is not worthy of care."

Luctua grinned maliciously at Poyse, who glared in response.

Vespa wickedly strutted up to the downed bee. "Well, well," she sneered, "If it isn't Queen Bea herself."

The bee glanced up in shock. "Vespa!"

"Why did you even bother running?" Vespa said, "The hornets have taken over Honey Hive and enslaved your people. I know rule over your castle. You have nothing left."

Bea shuddered, but gave an angry glower. "I still have my family… My husband will save me."

Vespa burst into laughter. "Your precious king is not coming for you anytime soon."

"He will!" Bea cried, "You wait and see!"

"It will be quite the thing to see then," Vespa licked her lips, "Because you may not be aware of this, but your husband is dead."

Bea's eyes widened. "What..?"

"I tried to spare him, really I did," said Vespa, "I offered him a chance to live by becoming MY king. But alas, he would not. His love for you was too strong. And he said he'd rather die than betray you." The hornet queen shrugged, "So I pushed him off to my father's vizer." She gave Bea a sadistic glare, "He ordered the king murdered by axe, daggers, and then thrown in front of a exploding train. Doesn't that such sound entertaining?

Bea's whole body shook, as her eyes fell to the ground. "No…" she hucked.

"I disagree," Vespa shrugged, "It sounds lovely after he shot me down. But now you realize your colony belongs to me." She stooped over the bee queen, "Step down and give me your crown."

Bea shuddered harder. "… Never…"

"I said step down!"

"No!"

Vespa slapped her hand across Bea's cheek. "The next hit will string much worse!" she hissed, "Step down or else! You have nothing left after all."

"I still have my pride…" Bea muttered, "And my duty to stand up for my colony…"

From under Vespa's dress, a long, sharp stinger protruded. On the tip, a small, green substance. "Are you willing to die for them, Bea?"

Bea closed her eyes, still shaking. "Yes… You can kill me, but my son lives on!"

Vespa raised her eyebrows. "Son…? You mean…" She whipped around to the hornet general . "Poyse! I ordered you to chase them both down!"

Poyse stepped back defensively. "My orders were to track down the queen bee!" he said, "There was no mention of a child!"

"You idiot!" the hornet queen spat, "The child was traveling with the queen! When I said chase the queen, you should assume I meant the queen AND her baby!"

"With all due respect, I am not a mind reader," said Poyse.

"You'd need a mind to that," mumbled Luctua.

Poyse snapped his head over at the fat hornet. "Shut your mouth, lardass! Don't forget I am your commanding general!"

"And I am the queen, so SHUT IT! Both of you!" Vespa hissed, then turning her attention to queen bee, "Where's the boy?!"

"I'll never tell…" Bea said softly.

"WHERE IS HE?!" Vespa screeched.

"I gave him away to save him!" Bea cried.

Poyse grabbed the hilt of his sword, preparing to slide it out of its sheath. "Perhaps I can convince this woman to speak."

"No," Vespa held out her hand, "You leave her to me. She'll spill eventually." She gave a wicked smirk, "I have my ways."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then she's in for a world of hurt," Vespa chuckled, "But let's play it safe. Gather a troop of soldiers and hunt down that baby. I don't care how long it takes, find him, and bring him back so that I may destroy him."

Poyse bowed once more and stepped out of the room. "Come along, Luctua…"

Luctua frowned. "Aw, but I want to see what Vespa does!"

"You'll have your own chance," Vespa smirked, "Now leave us be."

Luctua bowed and reluctantly left himself. Now that they were alone, Vespa turned and glared viciously at Bea. "I've been wanting to do all sorts of harm to you for the longest time," she mused, "Now's my chance..!"

All official Sonic characters (c) SEGA, Sonic Team

Queen Bea, Queen Vespa, General Poyse (c) Toni the Mink

Luctua (c) Jerichards2