A field of green wheat-like grass is all a young white male mouse can see, besides two trees on his right and an odd number more on his far left.
"I'll get you Sis!", yells the mouse as he sees the sister he's been searching for run from behind one of the trees on his left. At five years old, he and his sister are almost identical, with both wearing blue jeans and matching black T-shirts with the sleeves torn off. Against their mother's wishes they had gone outside barefoot.
"Only if you can fly 'Bro'!", replies the boy's sister, only to trip on a rock. Her brother, finally catching her, jumps on her back, pinning her down, and grinds a mud ball onto the back of her head. He laughs at the fact that the mud is the same shade of medium brown as his sister's hair, which was cut short on her head.
"Get off me, or so help me, Vinnie, I'll bust your nose wide open!"
Believing his sister's threat, Vinnie quickly gets off her back, only to have her smack him on the nose and start running. As Vinnie chases his sister, the field changes into a dark, gray corridor of some ship. He stops running and slips into a shadow as two Plutarkian guards walk past where Vinnie is hiding.
"Where is she?", grumbles one of the guards.
"How am I supposed to know?", snaps his companion.
Vinnie tries to sneak away behind them, but accidentally knocks over some tools on a counter.
"There!", yells the first guard, while the second pulls out a metal object. He pushes a yellow button and pain rushes through Vinnie's body.

********************************************************

Vinnie wakes up screaming in his hammock with his fur wet with sweat. Sitting up, he tries to calm his breathing. He looks over at his bros. Relieved to find that they are still asleep, Vinnie turns so his back is facing them.
"Bike," he whispers, "what day is it, Martian time?"
Vinnie really doesn't need to ask. He only has that dream once a year, the same day every time. His bike responds by rolling over to Vinnie and displaying the date on it's computer screen. Vinnie lets his head fall onto his pillow and looks up at the ceiling.
"Happy Birthday, Victoria."

*******************************************************

A female white mouse, waking up from her own clockwork nightmare, runs her fingers through her long, medium brown hair. She looks out of the porthole of her cell, which gives her a perfect view of Earth's moon.
"Happy Birthday, Vincent."

*******************************************************

Sunlight, streaming through the kitchen window, makes a pool of light at Charley's feet. She is standing there, making waffles and hoping that having them ready will keep the Biker Mice from asking for hot dogs. The sounds of motors mark the arrival of the Biker Mice. Charley turns to greet them, but stops when she notices the looks on their faces. All of the guys look depressed, and Vinnie's near tears.
"Hey Vin, why so bummed?"
Vinnie just looks at her and goes outside. "What I say?", asks Charley, obviously worried she had hurt Vinnie's feelings.
"Just a bad day for him," answers Modo, getting worse by the minute.
"For all of us really," adds Throttle. At that Modo seems not able to take it anymore and leaves as well.
"I'm not getting this. What's going on here?" From the look on Charley's face Throttle knew he'd better explain.
"You see it's Vinnie"s birthday today."
"What's so bad about that, he find a gray hair...er...fur?", Charley jokes, trying to lighten the mood.
"What's so bad is that Vinnie has," Throttle saddens and sighs, "or had a twin sister. She was, "he looks at the door, "captured by the Plutarkians about six years ago. We were all pretty close to her, so when their birthday comes around, it gets to be pretty rough for us."
'Boy do I feel like kicking myself, 'thinks Charley. "What was her name? What was she like?" Throttle thinks for a moment, then replies, "Well, her name was Victoria, but she was such a 'tomboy' that we all called her Vick. She looked a lot like Vinnie, only she has....medium brown hair cut real short on her head. She loves bikes, just like Vin. She's a good mechanic too." Throttle rubs his chin. "Vick has a mean left hook too, and...." He realizes he was talking like she was still around.
"I...I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget and..."
"It's O.K. I understand." Charley slowly starts to smile and then starts laughing.
"Hey, what's so funny?" The embarrassed look on Throttle's face makes Charley laugh even harder.
"I was just thinking...ummm...that you might need to go and paint a bull's eye on the scoreboard. Every time one of you talks like that, somebody crashes into it!", Charley answers still laughing. Now Throttle start laughing, but to himself says, 'I hope so.'
At that moment Vinnie and Modo come in to see what's going on. All Modo can say at the sight of Throttle and Charley practically rolling on the floor laughing is, "Charley mam, your waffles are burning."
"Oh no!", exclaims Charley. She turns to see the waffle iron glued closed by the batter. The look on her face makes Throttle laugh even harder. Modo stars laughing as well, and even Vinnie has to chuckle when Charley turns back around, face red, and sighs, "I guess you guys get hot dogs after all."

*******************************************************

"Limburger!"
Limburger, choking on slime worms at the sound of Camembert's voice, utters, "Your Oderessness, what a...retching surprise. I wasn't exp..."
"Cut out the pleasantries and start this meeting right." Lord Camembert orders while turning his back to the screen.
"You don't mean..."
"Limburger! Now!"
"Boss! Boss! The doc's got sumtin' ta tell ya!", yells Greasepit as he runs into Limburger's office. As he does, he slips on a puddle of his own grease and barrels into Limburger.
"Greasepit!" Limburger yells then, seeing that Camembert hadn't turned back around, whispers, "Greasepit go up to that screen now!"
"Yeah, boss. O.K."
After Greasepit finishes the greeting, Limburger steps in. "Yes my liege?"
"Limburger, your scrap metal shipment is two months late."
Limburger, fingers his tie nervously, and interrupts when he sees Karbunkle come in.
"My Lord, excuse me one moment. Karbunkle, what have you got for me?"
Karbunkle wheezes meekly, "Sir, the scrap metal shipment is almost complete. We only need one metric ton more."
Camembert, getting very impatient, "So? What is keeping you from finishing the shipment, Limburger?"
Scornfully, "Those adrenaline addicts with tails." "Hmmm, about those mice. The Plutarkian Slave Games will be held soon and those particular Martian Mice would be great...entertainment." Camembert grins, maniacally.
"Brilliant, Lord Camembert. Just one problem. How do you suppose we get them there?"
"I was getting to that, you sniveling salmon! Now listen carefully..."

*******************************************************

Charley, taking a break from cleaning up breakfast, goes out on to the back steps; only to find Vinnie sitting on the steps looking out into nowhere.
"You wanna talk about it?"
Not realizing that she had come outside, Vinnie, startled, sniffs and replys, "About what, Sweetheart?"
Vinnie's nervous laugh and the thin lines of wet fur on his cheeks tells Charley it was still hard for him.
"Throttle told me about your sister." "Yeah. Well, did he tell ya I'M the reason she's gone?" Vinnie shouts, blinking back tears.
"WHAT!?"
"Stoker had sent us on a scouting mission, all four of us. We were scouting Keystone Canyon. We found a Plutarkian warbase. It...it looked deserted, so no one called in for back-up. We went in slowly. Next thing we knew, we were surrounded. Throttle and Modo went left, while me and Vick went right."
Tears are falling off Vinnie's chin but he doesn't notice.
"Vinnie?"
Vinnie doesn't hear Charley, he's back at that warbase. "There was an explosion. Me and Vick got separated. A fire had started. I look over to where Throttle and Modo were. Throttle had gotten knocked out. I yelled to fall back and start towards Modo. Then Vick yells, 'Bro duck'. I ducked as a laser blast went past my head. Vick screamed. I knew she was hurt. I had to get to Vick! I had to! I got up to find her, but I got shot in my leg, but I still tried to get to her. I dragged my leg along. All of a sudden, Modo grabbed me and put me on my bike. He started to guide my bike out. I tried to get my bike to turn around when I heard Vick scream my name. There was a bright light, then the whole place came down."
"Vinnie, her dying wasn't your fault. She knew..."
"Vick ain't dead! Those fish heads just captured her. If Vick was dead I'd know it. We...have this link, a tele...telepathic bond. We can share thoughts, feelings with our mind. She's not dead! I know she's not!"
"Vinnie! Calm down! You're hurting me!" Vinnie, realizing he was standing and squeezing Charley's arms with his hands. He lets go, and looks at her with guilty eyes. "I...I'm sorry. I..."
Vinnie stops as Modo interrupts.
"Vin, we got to get going if we're going to get back to the scoreboard before the game starts. Charley mam, do you wanna come?"
"Na. I have to finish cleaning up the waffle fiasco and the hot dog leftovers. Besides, watching with you guys is about as dangerous as being in the game."
Vinnie, forcing a laugh goes in to get his bike. "Doesn't anything cheer him up?"
Modo looks at the door and sighs. "Not today, Charley," and with a single tear adds, "Not today."
Charley notices the tear.
"What about you? How are you doing?" Mentally shaking himself, "Hmmm...uh...what?" "How about you telling me something about...uh...Vick."
Modo scratches his head and tries to keep from looking embarrassed. "Well, there was the time she saved my life." Modo can't help but grin at Charley's surprised look. "You see, Vick spent most of her free time in the base's infirmary. One day, I got hit in the head by something. If she hadn't of known how to sew up a wound, I wouldn't be standing here." Modo chuckles and smiles. Charley notices the smile looks like it comes from more than a memory of 'just' a good friend, but before she can ask about it, Throttle pokes his head out the door.
"Modo. Come on."
"Oh. Sorry." Modo nods goodbye to Charley and leaves. Charley shakes her head, sighs, and starts in to tackle 'clean up duty'.

*******************************************************

Hours later, the Biker Mice are heading back to the 'Last Chance' for their usual after game meal. As they ride past some condemned buildings, Throttle suddenly stops. Vinnie, who had found temporary peace during the game, nearly runs into him. "Throttle! What's the..."
"Shhh." Throttle points to the shadow of an alleyway, where they see Greasepit coming from the alley. He doesn't seem to notice the mice, and starts talking into a communicator.
"Yeah, boss. Da bombs is ready to blow, buts I don't see them meces anywheres."
"Think again!", yells Throttle as the guys start blasting. Goon's swarm around them from every side. While the mice and the goon's proceed to pummel each other, Greasepit ducks and into the communicator. "Boss! Boss! Them meces is here! Uh...what's I supposed ta do agin?"
"Greasepit, you lubricated lummox! Get the Transporter Blaster Karbunkle created, and blast those mice!", shouts Limburger's voice through the communicator.
"Oh, yeah! O.K. boss!" Greasepit, grabbing the Blaster, jumps up. "Hey you miserable meces!" The Blaster slips out of Greasepit's hands. "UH-OH."
Modo looks up from the goon he was about to punch. The goon takes the advantage and runs. Modo fires his arm Blaster at Greasepit, but misses. At this time, Throttle and Vinnie have done away with the rest of the goon's. All three mice start towards Greasepit. Greasepit, grabbing the Blaster, slips, which causes the Blaster to fire. By pure luck, the shot hits and they disappear.
"Hey, uh...boss.", Greasepit utters, and with a disbelieving look on his face, "Them meces is gone."