Pain and Love

She was dead, she was dead and it was all her fault. Cassia lay there, stiff and unmoving and wide-eyed. The cybernetics had locked-up trapping her forever and there was nothing Clove could do about it. They had failed once too often and Cassia was punished for Clove's mistakes by having the failsafe in her cybernetic activated. The she heard it, that laugh, that sickening twisted laugh, Eggman's laugh.

The laugh seemed to come from everywhere; it surrounded her and pierced her soul with its repugnant cacophony. Clove did her best to block it out but it burrowed into her ears and refused to go away. It was her fault, all her fault, all her fault that this happened. As the laugh grew louder Clove began to cry waterfalls openly, the dam of pain and sadness that she had tried to build broke under the strain.

The Clove awoke with a silent hysterical scream. Clove attempted to clam herself down, taking deep breaths and wiping the sweat of her brow. After regaining her senses Clove took stock of the situation and her environment. She was in her room at her base, the officer's quarters obviously. The room was sparse having only her bed, two lamps, and a desk. It was Spartan, just as Clove was used to, just as Clove liked it.

Clove sighed heavily; it had only been a dream, a horrid one but a dream nonetheless. Her sister was safe things were fine. No that was a lie; things were most certainly NOT fine. They were here, part of the Egg Army, still Doctor Eggman's slaves in all but name. This was here fault it had been her idea to go to Eggman for help, she should have known what he would do, she had heard the stories, and she should have been smarter.

But she was desperate, Cassia needed help sooner rather then later and it felt like Eggman was their only option. Well now they were both stuck, and it was all Clove's fault. She knew if she screwed-up too much then Eggman would take it out on Cassia, and it would not be pretty. Clove sighed again, a little lighter this time; this was such a horrible situation.

Clove decided to get out of bed and go check on Cassia. She had to know, had to be sure she was safe. As Clove walked down the hall of the Northermer Egg Army Base she took great care not to be noticed by those on night duty. Thankfully Clove was used to sneaking around and got by them without much trouble and as she neared Cassia's room she picked-up the pace a bit, the adrenaline heightening her anxiety.

She opened the door quietly and was very thankful Cassia was a heavy sleeper. She looked at Cassia, young innocent exuberant Cassia, and frowned. The metal parts were visible even in the soft light showing every inch of what had been done to her. Clove knew how people looked at her and knew that she would be judged for her new looks for the rest of her life.

Clove then decided to leave, Cassia was fine, Cassia was safe, but for how long? As Clove walked back to her room as the sadness grew in her gut again. This was her fault, all her fault, and Clove knew that fact intimately. But she was an Egg Boss and had a duty to perform and she needed her rest. As she returned to her room and got unclear the covers she hoped she would have no more nightmares, for the sake of her sister and Clove's sanity.

But the nightmares retuned and before Clove knew it Cassia was shaking her awake. When clove had asked what Cassia was doing in her room Cassia said that she had come to check on her and heard her screaming in her sleep. Cassia then asked if something was wrong and Clove simply hugged her. Cassia was slightly surprised but still hugged Clove back. As this feeling of sisterly love and warmth flooded Clove's senses she thought that maybe, just maybe, things would turn out alright for them. Or if not them both at least for Cassia, Clove could live with that.