Hello everyone!
How are you all? I know it has been a long time and I will be completely up front with you all now, I don't know how often I will be able to update due to the things I've been going through. I've already explained this on my profile just so you know. :)
Despite all of that, I've been (well, was) working on this for a while, struggling massively to come up with a story line. Even now, nothing is concrete, but at least I have some idea of where this would go.
I thought, with some wise words from a few friends of mine, that I would upload the first chapter and see what kind of response it would get. Test the waters, so to speak.
Anyway, I won't ramble on anymore and let you all read.
R&R's are welcome as well as constructive criticism.
As this is a sequel, I recommend that you read the previous story 'Welcome Home' first to get an idea of what is going on and who many of the OC's are.
Right then! Have fun and I will see you when I see you!
Arby xx
Disclaimer: None of the Sonic characters belong to me. They belong to SEGA. Any and all original characters in the story belong to me.
They say that one's past is like a boomerang; it will always come back. You can run, hide and fight, but none of it would matter.
Why would this be an exception?
The nearest star still focuses its gaze upon the solar system it rules over. One planet in particular, is being tormented by its over-powering rays.
Mobius.
A heat wave is in full swing as the year reaches its midway point. Sand is tossed about by the torturous breeze and the sky is clear of any clouds.
"-It is still going strong and people are advised to keep well-hydrated and stay indoors. That is all for now." Said a brown and white cat before the T.V. is abruptly switched off.
"Seems like this thing won't ever leave." A bee teen spoke as he lazed upon one of the couches.
"It's only been a week. I'm sure it'll ease off and besides, it won't be long before everyone is complainin' about the freaking cold again." A large, green crocodile spoke as he did paperwork at his desk.
"You have a point. The cold is far worse than any of this." The insect agreed. "I bet Sage and Zeus are loving it." The croc chuckled.
"Yeah, and I bet Dové and Jak are having the time of their lives.' He joked. Just then, a loud banging could be heard coming from underneath the house.
"Hey, Vec. You hear that, right?" The bee smirked. Vector sighed and nodded.
"Zeus! Get out from under there!" He yelled.
"How did you hear me?!" The snake shouted in response.
"You're hardly discreet. What are you doing?" Charmy asked.
"… Looking for stuff." He said after a few seconds of silence.
"Can you do it underneath your own house? I have work to get on with!" Vector told him.
"Alright, sorry." More banging was heard as he made his way out and returned to his home, which turned out to be across the street. The snake was very curious and would often need help because he had gotten himself stuck in some random hole.
"I'm genuinely scared that he's gonna hurt himself one day." Charmy spoke, voicing his concern.
"I wouldn't worry about it, Charms. Sage is always keepin' an eye on him." Vector reassured. "Anyway, I really do have paperwork to do."
"Alright, I got the hint the first time. I'll be in my room if you drop your pen or something." The bee chuckled at Vector's annoyed look as he went up the nicely polished, wooden staircase and into the last door of three; his room.
Once the door was closed behind him, Charmy sat on his bed and thought about what he could do to pass the time. Days like these came less often, but they were still frequent enough. The bee reached his arm under his bed and pulled out a small box. It was literally just a cardboard box with a variety of stickers upon each of its sides. He placed it on his bed next to him and crossed his legs as he opened it once again, putting the lid to the side.
A sigh escaped him as he held a picture frame of Vector, himself and one other. A glare was soon upon him as he looked at the former Chaotix member with hate; a fuchsia chameleon known as Espio. He was a member and friend for many years until an incident a decade ago. After that, the reptile vanished without a trace and to this day, has not been found or sighted.
"I wonder what she would think of you now." Charmy growled quietly under his breath. "Coward." His face saddened when he remembered back to Vector telling him. A lot of his childhood was blurred, but that moment was as clear as yesterday.
"Arby didn't make it, kiddo."
Charmy's body shuddered. She had given her life to save Espio, Vector and Kyousuke way back then, just for him to flee? Anger swiftly returned.
"You bastard!" He yelled, forgetting momentarily that Vector was downstairs. Right on cue, the croc knocked on his door and poked his head inside.
"Are you alright, Charms?" He looked worried and his voice sounded the same.
"I'm just remembering it all again. No need to worry, Vec." The larger reptilian sighed and knelt down next to his bed. He also looked at the picture and let out a short sigh.
"I know it's rough, pal." Vector began, but Charmy was quick to speak again.
"Just, why? She died for that asshole and what does he do? Run away without so much as a fucking goodbye?! I get that Arby's death hit him hard, but it's not as if we weren't affected either! We could've helped each other, but hey, I guess he doesn't give a shit about us." Charmy vented angrily. Vector felt a tad uncomfortable by his outburst and tried to calm him down.
"Come on, Charms. There's no need to be this upset. I'm sure Espio will come back some day and when he does, I'm sure he'll have a good explanation as to why he left." Charmy looked at him with a concerned expression.
"I feel bad for you, Vector." He stated.
"Huh? Why?" The croc questioned.
"Even after all this time, you still have as much faith in him as you did ten years ago. Haven't you stopped to think that if he cared for you the same way, he would've stayed? He didn't just leave me, he left you as well. I feel bad because I don't think you've realised that yet." Charmy explained.
"Realised what?" Vector questioned further.
"That your friendship may have been one-sided." The younger bee's words definitely hit the reptile where he didn't expect. An uncomfortable lump suddenly formed in his throat as his mind repeated Charmy's last comment.
"One-sided?" He thought with worry. Charmy could tell simply by his friend's face that those words hit a nerve in him.
"I'm sorry, but it's something that you need to think about." The bee spoke to try and bring the croc from his thoughts. "Also, who said that Espio was coming back?"
"Uh, well…" Vector tried to respond, but it was as if Charmy's words had halted him from doing anything. The bee could clearly see that his friend couldn't handle the thought too well, so quickly acted to take his mind off it.
"Anyway!" He shouted, nearly giving his boss a heart attack. "I think I'm going to go out and appreciate the sunshine. Are you still gonna do paperwork?" The teen asked. His plan seemed to work as Vector thought about what he could do on a day such as this.
"Yeah, but a walk sounds like a good idea. I'll go later once I've gotten the bulk of it sorted." They both smiled, moving on from the prior topic.
"Sounds good, Vec! I'm gonna head out. I'll see you later, yeah?" He said as he, placed the box and its contents back beneath his bed, got up and headed towards the door.
"You got it, Charms. Stay safe out there, okay?" The bee nodded before swiftly heading downstairs and out the door. The croc let out a heavy sigh as he returned to his desk. Various files and pictures of people were scattered across it. One large hand rubbed his head as no connections could be made.
"There has to be something." He thought as he glanced at each of the thirteen photos he had. "But there isn't." Another sigh escaped him, something which he had been doing a lot more of since the case began.
Over the past month, people had been going missing. The Chaotix would go to every crime scene, but to their surprise, it would be completely clean of any evidence and any leads.
"Maybe that walk would do me some good. Staring at it ain't gonna solve anything." With that, Vector left his desk and headed out of the Chaotix to a hidden haven behind the house.
There was a faint pathway beneath the grass that led to a small, open area. It was covered in flowers of varying colours. This place was very special to both Vector and Charmy. It used to be Espio's meditating spot, but now it is the resting place for a former Chaotix member.
"How's it goin', Arb?" He spoke as softly as he could as he knelt down next to the tombstone. "I thought I'd come and say hi. The weather's real good today, just like the past week, but still, can't complain." Vector smiled as he spoke. There was a sense of peace whenever he came here. Charmy often felt the same. "I kinda need some advice. Ya see, people keep goin' missin', but there's no trace. Even the cops can't find a single thing. It's freaking bizarre!" The Chaotix leader began to vent, despite knowing that he wouldn't get a direct answer. Nonetheless, it still made him feel better. "You wouldn't happen to know what the hell is going on, would ya?"
Just then, a shadow loomed over the croc. His head snapped behind him, only to see no one there. Movement caught his attention above him. He soon realised that it was just the canopy of the trees moving in the warm wind.
"You actually made me jump. Ya gettin' better, Arb." He chuckled.
"I didn't think that you, of all people, could be scared of a shadow." A feminine voice spoke as she approached. Vector turned again, casually this time, to see Amy with three flowers in her hand. She sat next to Vector and placed them in front of the tombstone. One was red, the second was purple and the third was green.
"Her favourite colours. Nice touch." The croc praised.
"Thanks! I thought I'd stop by to see how things were. I didn't expect to find you up here though or to see you frightened." She giggled as she remembered seeing the croc jump just moments ago.
"Come on, Amy!" The croc complained. "Arb's just messin' with me."
"So I see, and she got you good too." Amy giggled again.
"I'll get her back one day." He joked with a playful grin.
"So, how are things? The whole reason I came up here was to see if you and Charmy were okay after all." The pink hedgehog explained. She had matured well. He quills had naturally gotten longer and now hung down to her shoulders. She still kept it short enough so that it was manageable. Her red dress was now a pink and white tank top and blue jeans that were tucked into her boots, which she had kept the same since they held a resemblance to Sonic's sneakers. Many were baffled as to how she still fit in them.
"Well, I'm gettin' nowhere with this missing persons case. That's my biggest concern right now." Vector told her.
"Oh yeah, that's everywhere. It's like they just vanish into thin air. Those poor people." The croc began to think about it again. He zoned out as his eyes watched the moving shadow of the canopy.
"Into thin air…" A thought came to him, a dark one, which he had to inform the others about.
"Uh, I have to go!" He said suddenly as he rushed back to the Chaotix, nearly tripping over as he did so.
"Vector, wait!" Amy shouted, but the croc was not letting this opportunity pass him by.
Twenty minutes later, and the entirety of the Chaotix were sat in the main living room, minus Charmy who was still out and Kyousuke who had recently gone on vacation.
Jak, Sage, Dové and Angel were sat on the couches, while Zeus was curled up comfortably within the conical lampshade of the ceiling light.
"How did you get up there?" Sage asked. "And how is it holding your weight?"
"I don't think about that stuff. I just sit wherever." Zeus announced as his head dangled down.
"Moving on, what's this huge thing that you needed to tell us?" Dové spoke very seriously, which was understandable. The wolf had been just as stressed out as Vector. Being a father, he was terrified that the being behind the disappearances would take Angel. However, Nocturne's Reign was still firmly in the back of his mind. He may have kept it quiet, but it had affected him badly.
"Alright look, all these disappearances have one thing in common: there is no evidence, right?" Everyone nodded. "Think about it, they're vanishing 'into thin air', as Amy put it. Who do you know that can go from one place to another without leaving a trace?" The five of them glanced at one another, but couldn't think of anyone.
"We have no idea, Vector." Jak stated bluntly. The croc rolled his eyes.
"Shadow!" He shouted a little too loudly.
"What?!" They all gasped in unison.
"Please tell me you're kidding?" Zeus asked with nervousness clear in his voice.
"Vector, I can see why you'd point the finger at him, but he hasn't been seen since… you know." Jak's voice lowered. He could feel Dové's eyes burning into the back of his head.
"I get that it's a long shot, but it makes sense, doesn't it?" A few of them shrugged, but they all said nothing. Vector continued. "Think about it, he can just Chaos Control wherever he pleases! He would simply Chaos Control in, grab his unsuspecting victim, and then Chaos Control out! He would only be there for a second and no one would have a clue!"
"You don't have to yell." Angel spoke. "But why would Shadow come back just to kidnap people?"
"Maybe he's lost his mind?" Sage suggested, earning himself several weird looks. "I don't know, a lot can happen in ten years."
"It's a possibility." Zeus added. "He may have been the 'grand master of the living' or whatever it was, but he's just as likely to deteriorate as the rest of us, if not, more so because of everything he's been through."
"I think the term is 'Ultimate Lifeform'." Jak corrected the snake hanging from the ceiling.
"Really? Well, I was close enough." Zeus concluded.
"So, what do you think?" Vector spoke, stopping the others from getting distracted.
"I mean, it's the only 'lead' we have." Angel told them.
"But even if it is him…" Dové began to question. "… How on Mobius are we going to find him?" Everyone went quiet. The wolf male had a good point. Shadow, even on a good day, was painfully difficult to find. If he is the culprit, how were they going to locate him when he's hiding from the law?
"Let's start small. If we all search the city, each of us covering different areas, then we may find something." Jak suggested. The others agreed. It wasn't much to go on, but with nothing else, it was all they had.
"Sitting on our asses ain't an option!" Vector spoke confidently. "Let's get out there and do what we do best!"
"You got it, boss." Angel finished until her father intervened.
"Hey, who said you were going anywhere?"
"Dad, I know you worry, but would you really want me home alone while you're all out searching? Besides, we're all at an equal risk no matter where we are." The younger wolf told him.
"The kid's smart." Sage commented, earning a quick glare from Dové. Regardless, his expression softened and he reluctantly agreed.
"Alright, but you're staying with me. Do you understand?" His daughter nodded before she looked back to Vector.
"So, when are we going?" She asked.
"We could leave this evening, which gives us the rest of the day to get ready. I also need to explain things to Charmy when he gets back." The croc told them.
"Alright, give us a shout when you're all set. We'll be ready." Jak announced.
The Husky was the first to leave with the others following him, leaving Vector alone to plan for the search.
Meanwhile at the Rabbit residents, Charmy had his face buried into a pillow while Cream was lying on the bed next to him. A window was to the left of the bed, which allowed the sun to shine brightly through, keeping the entire room comfortably warm.
Cream was 16 now, just as Charmy was and had also matured well. She now wore a pale blue t-shirt with black jeans and white sneakers. Cheese, who was currently asleep in his little bed in the corner, had also changed in appearance with his blue now leaning towards white.
"So, what would you do?" The rabbit teen asked. "If he were to just show up again at Chaotix, what would you honestly do?" A groan escaped the bee before he turned himself over and stared at the ceiling.
"To tell you the truth, I'd do everything in my power to make him suffer." Charmy answered. His response was certainly darker than what Cream was expecting. His hatred towards the chameleon must have been far stronger that she had ever thought.
"What? You mean, kill him?" She questioned.
"He doesn't deserve that." Cream smiled, but then bit her lip with worry at Charmy's next comment. "He deserves to live through the pain that I will throw at him. He deserves to know the pain he abandoned us with. I'll make damn sure he knows about it."
"Ch-Charmy…" Cream stuttered, snapping the bee from his violent thoughts.
"Sorry, I tend to get a bit carried away. I didn't mean to scare you." He reassured with a smile.
"It's okay. The only thing I don't get is these dreams you've been telling me about."
"I came to the conclusion that it must be a phase. I've been hearing his name a lot recently, it makes sense that he'd pop up while I'm sleeping." The bee tossed the thought aside, but Cream wasn't so sure.
"Really?" She asked simply.
"I'm not just going to jump to conclusions. If they continue, then I'll pay more attention to them, but for now, they mean nothing." He finished before placing his hands behind his head and closing his eyes.
"Okay, but if you do have more, you'll tell me, right?" Charmy slowly turned his head and gave her a puzzled expression.
"You used to be innocent." He said.
"So did you." She replied with a smirk.