The Second Victim

Veejay hopped from tree to tree. Jayden swung from vines making some ungodly howling noise as she swung.

"For fuck's sake kid, would you be quiet?! People are going to know I'm here from miles away if you keep that up!" Veejay shouted.

"Okay! I'll stop!"

Veejay jumped and spun around, Jayden was behind her somehow,"You are SERIOUSLY scary, kid, you know that?! Are you a leprecaun or something?!"

Jayden giggled and lifted her arms and wiggled her fingers,"Rawr! I'm a chupacabra!"

Veejay thought about shoving her out of the tree for a second but shook the thought away,"Okay...let's just...humor you a moment, say I believe you're from the future and not a lunatic-"

"Uhhhh huh?" Jayden said gleefully.

"HOW on Mobius do I keep up with you?"

"You used to take me out and get me lots of candy then bring me back home before the sugar rush set in."

Veejay grinned, imagining Base chasing a four year old around the house who was somehow going faster than he was,"Yeah, that sounds like me."

Jayden pulled a set of wireless headphones from her hood and smiled, it had a small device plugged into it,"You got me this for my birthday this year! Er...that year!"

Veejay pinched her nose,"Listen kid, are you sure you should be telling me all this? And how the hell did I afford something like that?"

Jayden blinked,"...Afford?"

"Y'know, like...buy?"

Jayden blinked again, a clueless stare,"You mean you actually buy stuff auntie?"

Veejay facepalmed,"You know way too much about me."

Jayden smiled and put the headphones back,"And its okay if I tell you stuff. Who're you going to tell, and who's going to believe you, anyhow?"

Veejay looked at the girl, was that a bit of sinister she just heard in her?

"Okay...why me then?"

Jayden looked hurt, her eyes big and glossy,"Cause you're my favorite auntie!"

Jayden threw her arms around Veejay and gave her another rib crushing bear hug, Veejay almost considered shouting for help.

"LEMME GO!"

Jayden dropped her back on the tree top they were on,"Okay!"

Veejay stood up,"Alright, my rounds are over, I certainly can't handle this shit right now, especially not with you whispering notions of future insanity in my ear...and giving me ideas how to torture your supposed father, whom, may I add I don't even think has been KISSED in his lifetime let alone had se-"

Jayden had put her fingers in her ears,"Do...not...go there. The very LAST thought about my parents I want is that!"

Veejay rubbed her head,"Listen...let's just head back to the village, and you can explain to me who your mother is then too, alright?"

Jayden shook her head,"Uh-uh! No way. I tell you who she is and you'll start trying to play matchmaker and that might backfire."

Veejay shook her head,"No I wouldn't!"

Jayden pointed at Veejay,"Yes you would!"

Veejay sighed,"Fine, I'll figure it out myself in time anyhow, right?"

Jayden nodded,"Right."

Veejay started climbing down the tree,"Let's just head to the village."

Veejay hit the ground feet first and turned around and saw Jayden,"HOW THE FUCK DO YOU DO THAT?!"

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"You need to stop leaping at folks and hugging them, got it? Before something happens and someone else knows who you are...well claiming you are."

"You still don't believe me?" Jayden pouted.

Veejay shook her head,"It's more like I'm scared to believe it. Not the idea that I become an aunt, mind you-"

"Cause you're already a mom."

"Right...stop that!"

Jayden giggled,"Sorry!"

"Moreover, the idea that the war against Robotnik ever ends is the scarier thing...I've been fighting and struggling and expecting one day to end up on a slab so long the idea I make it out is...it feels odd."

"Aww....auntie-!" Jayden opened her arms.

Veejay jumped back,"No!"

Jayden looked crestfallen,"No?"

"My God kid, why do you keep trying to hug me?"

"Momma says I'm so full of love it keeps trying to escape."

"Yeah, I'll bet." Veejay said clearing a plant and walking into the village,"There's Ant, maybe he'll have some advice on this subject."

Before Veejay could shout out to Antony, Jayden had rushed over and bearhugged him,"GRAMPIE!"

Veejay cringed in horror as Ant started shouting that he thought his spine was going to snap.