The Island of Fear (complete)

45) False Friendships

KateSeleneMelody3OCS

Eelean's POV: We went slower than we would have liked, mostly because of Christian's wound. I was really worried about the Octonauts, but even more so about Tunip. I hoped he was alright!

"Don't worry, Eelean. We'll find them. We'll help them," Christian assured me for the hundredth time. It was good to hear, even if I didn't quite believe it. I don't think he was quite certain either.

Then I heard some voices ahead chattering in Vegimalese. Excitement and worry filled my thoughts, and I raced ahead. I ended up crashing straight into Barrot! Embarrassed, I got off of the orange Vegimal.

"Eelean! Christian!" Grouber shouted.

"Lupo, Damien, and Fiona have the Octonauts!" Barrot cried.

I nodded. "We know. You don't want to know what we saw on the monitors..." I whispered. "Where's Tunip?" I questioned, looking around nervously as though he might be hiding.

Barrot and Grouber exchanged a glance. "Back at their... hideout. He thought we could get a god layout of the place. He kinda has a connection with all of the Octonauts." Barrot explained, but it was clear he was worried.

My eyes widened. "What?! No!"

Christian hugged me. "It'll be alright, Eelean. I'll make sure of it." He whispered.

isobeljones2000

Tweak's POV: I was semi conscious and failing fast. After Cera had dragged me in here I had barely registered her clicking lighter shackles around my wrists and ankles, that were attached to thin chains trailing off the wall. I had about half a metre of space to move in - if I could move. After that Cera had injected me with an adrenaline patch that instantly made me more alert. Not healed, but just more aware of what was going on. Exactly how Cera wanted me to be, I suspected.

I cried out as Cera kicked me with a spinning kick that hit my wound accurately. She had a deadly aim. She followed up that shot with a jab at my side and shoved me down. I fell awkwardly, screaming in agony as the venom continued to work its way through my system.

"C'mon, Tweak. Get up. Or are you a failure?" Cera hissed menacingly. The words I couldn't take. The words that she knew would make me keep fighting.

I got up to my feet and Cera threw a punch fast as lightning, which I barely managed to deflect. She was very well trained and knew my weak points easily.

"Why- don't you just - kill - me?" I gasped, lying on my good side and trying to breathe in air.

"Kill you? Oh Tweak, I prefer to have you fighting. It makes it fun. I could break your wrist again. Remember?"

I did remember. Black spots swum once again across my vision but the leftover adrenaline from the drug kept me awake - even though that was the last thing I wanted right now.

KateSeleneMelody3OCS

Captain Barnacles' POV: I was shocked when Dashi pulled out the knife, and very confused when she claimed she lived in the slums. It was as if false memories were returning to her. I watched with horror as she sawed through. I glanced at Selene, who was staring at the dachshund, thouroghly shocked. "I hope it's only temporary..." She whispered.

I nodded, unable to say much more.

Soon, Dashi was free. She dropped to the floor, and rolled away from where she had previously been. She smiled coldly. "Having a knife with you is useful, eh, Captain?" she said softly, her voice cold and menacing. She was gripping the handle of the knife quite hard and her body was tensed. She was obviously ready to run out of there as soon as possible.

"Geez, Dashi, what happened to you?" a familiar voice asked.

I turned toward the barred door, and smiled slightly at the sight of the familiar orange tabby standing there at the entrance, holding the key that had been resting in the lock the other side of the door.

"Kwazii!"

isobeljones2000

Dashi's POV: I stared at the cat that was standing in the doorway, still holding my knife in one hand. He seemed to know me as well. But I didn't know any of these people. And I could already tell that they wanted a different Dashi, they thought they knew someone different. From the polar bear and wolf's conversations before it sounded like they thought I was 'kind' and 'compassionate'. Ha! Compassion got you nowhere in this world.

The cat was grinning but his eyes were haunted and wide. After a moment the grin left his face - just slipped away like butter off a hot knife - and a harder grimmer look replaced it. I realised he was waiting for me to speak and the fact that I had not had put a confused, almost hurt look on his face.

"It doesn't matter," Selene said quickly. "Kwazii, can you get us out of here?"

"They're electronic locks. There isn't a key, I think there must be some kind of device that controls it," the cat - Kwazii - said. He spoke in a pirate voice and he had an eyepatch over one eye. There was also a small nick in his ear. His eyes were still looking at me curiously and I automatically dropped into a defensive stance, a little lower than I was already standing.

"Dashi?" he asked again, his voice very confused now.

I said nothing, just gazed at him coldly. What did I say to a guy who thought I was someone else?

"It's a long story..." the polar bear amended. "And we need to get out of here before Lupo or one of the others gets back."

That aroused my attention and I spun around, glaring at him.

"Lupo is not evil. My cousin is a good person. Whoever you think he is - whoever you think I am - we're not. Now get off my back."

Kwazii's eyes were wide. "You're Lupo's cousin!"

"Yes. So what if I am?" I asked defensively.

Kwazii suddenly started whispering, his eyes widening. "I remember what Lupo said to me before. 'I know, I invented a time changing machine. And by using it on my dear cousin, I changed the past. She now believes me to be a kind loving friend, albeit a bit psycho. But a good person'."

I stared at him. We were still metres away from each other.

"That was Lupo. And if you're his cousin..." The cat whispered, his voice full of dread. He was unable to finish.

Losing my temper completely, I stormed up to him and held the knife close to his stomach.

"Lupo - is my - friend. And I am not Dashi. Not the one you seem to think you know, anyway."

"Dashi! He may have changed your memories, but somewhere in there you're still Dashi. Our Dashi."

"No. She's not," said Selene quietly behind me. "He changed the past too. She has never experienced all her Octonaut memories, all the things that made her kind and loving and sweet. Now she's not had that, she's had to adapt to the real world."

"That never happened!" I snarl. "I am Dashi and I have lived the life I remember! Why should I trust you, a bunch of strangers?"

"We're not strangers! We've known you since you were twenty one. That's seven years, Dashi. Please remember." The cat was shocked and begging me. All I could feel was cold. And a strong, strong new hate.

"Well," I said quietly and ominously. "Even if your lies were true and you're not trying to trick me, which you are, that stops now. We are strangers. I have never met you. Any of you. I am Dashi and Lupo is my friend. Not you."