PaperplateGoober

Still not fully sure how it would go but the basic concept goes like this

Vector is hired to investigate incidents of repeated dumpster diving, however, when he gets there and is shown the security footage, he finds out the suspect is “a ghost”

The owner of the corner store, a kind (but also kinda crazy) old man, shows him blurry footage of something fushia coming into frame and disappearing, which to him is proof that ghosts are stealing his trash.

Vector is asked to do a stakeout in which he finds this “ghost” stealing the unsold food from the dumpster, and takes them into custody. (hence vector picking espio up by the ankle, also bc its funny) and while being detained, this ghost drops a kunai, which vector snatches up before it can be used against him.

Upon further inspection, its a roughed up kid, screaming at him in a foreign language while clawing at his hand. Vector cant help but feel bad for the kid, so he takes them back to the newly-moved-into chaotix detective agency, offering him food and a place to stay (or atleast crash for the night.)

This kid, ‘Espio’, as he learned while attempting to converse with him despite his limited vocabulary, slept on the couch. and in the very early morning left a note, and went back into the outside world, as in back to a dumpster.

Beside this random dumpster were boxes, lots of em, but one of them was open, and whatever was inside was moving. Cautiously espio looks inside, only to find a baby bee, maybe a couple months to a year old.

Terrified, he wonders how he could help, taking the box with him as he wanders around for looking his parents. Before he realizes, hes back at the agency.

He didnt want to go back there, he felt he already overstayed his welcome, but vector was nice, he would help find the kids parents, right? And he still had his kunai sooo…

Espio knocks on the door and vector brings him inside, chatting about how he wasnt able to read the note because he couldnt read japanese, stopping suddenly when he noticed the box.

Vector is like “um what is that” and as espio holds it out to show him he bursts into tears, crying about not knowing what to do and how he was scared, in very broken english, of course.

Vector calms him down and they both look for the kids parents, calling anyone and everyone who might know, and they cant find SHIT so vector just decides that its his baby now.

Hes also worried about espio, who clearly had nowhere to go, but also clearly didnt want to be a burden, so he hires him to work as a detective, living with him is just part of the job dont worry.

Anyway thats the pretty rough outline, im not 100% on it yet bc the ages make this rlly hard, like why would charmy be a year old and THEN get thrown away? but also if he was any younger vector would be 14, and ik its unrealistic to have a detective agency at 20, but like, 14?? Really?? Not that 15 is much better but yknow.

also im not sure why espio would be a runaway, lots of people say that he left bc his clan was mean as hell, but then why would he want to continue being a ninja? I suppose it could be like “u said id never be a good ninja but look at me now MOM” but idk if espio holds grudges like that?? Ok trauma is more than a grudge but yknow what i mean.