Part 2: The Storm

Chrissy walked with Cream in silence for some time before they came upon a strange site. There was a white hedgehog and a cat sitting next to a fire. Parked next to there was a truck with a trailer hitched to the back. What on earth…? Chrissy thought to herself. This was strange.

"Miss Chrissy…" said Cream nervously. "I don't recognize them…"

"It's alright, I'll go talk to them." said Chrissy. She knew the little rabbit didn't do well around strangers, but it was fine; Chrissy could compensate.

Walking over to the pair, Chrissy smiled warmly. "Greetings!" she said kindly. "I don't recognize you folks. You aren't from around here, are you?"

The hedgehog looked up and smiled. "No we aren't. Allow me to introduce myself… Oh, but I don't need to do that, you could just read my trailer!" he said, laughing.

Chrissy turned around. Sure enough, there was writing on the large trailer. "The Amazing Silver: Mind Reader and Fortune Teller Extraordinaire?" Chrissy read aloud.

"Yes ma'am!" Silver replied cheerfully. "Pleased to make your acquaintance! Oh, and this is my fiancé, Blaze."

"Fiancé?" Cream asked politely. "Does that mean you're getting married, Mr. Silver?"

"Indeed it does, little lady!" Silver replied with a grin. "And who are you?"

"Oh, my name is Cream, sir. And this is my friend, Chrissy…"

Chrissy would've answered, but her mind (and her stomach) were elsewhere. Her eyes had wandered to the pile of hot dogs that the pair had been roasting, and suddenly she realized that she hadn't eaten for quite some time. She licked her lips, the huntress in her beginning to take over, when Cream slapped her upside the head.

"OW!" Chrissy yelped.

Cream gave her a stern look. "We haven't been invited!" she scolded in a motherly tone.

Silver and Blaze both laughed. "It's alright." Blaze said kindly. "Feel free to join us!"

Cream and Chrissy sat down and were offered two hot dogs each. Chrissy wolfed hers down hungrily, but, not wanting to seem like a glutton, didn't ask for more. Cream ate her daintily, and only ate one, giving the other one back.

Chrissy broke the silence first. "So, you say you're a mind reader?"

"And a fortune teller!" said Silver proudly.

"Hmmm…." Chrissy mused. "I've always been told that all fortune tellers are fakes…"

Silver pretended to look hurt. "You cut me to the quick!" he said solemnly.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm going to need proof." Chrissy pointed out honestly.

Silver sighed. "I suppose you're right. Tell me, what brings you out here? No, wait let me guess… You're running away because you had a fight with someone you love?"

Chrissy's eyes widened, but she cleared her throat and said, "Lucky guess..."

Silver smirked. "Well, if you need further proof, Ms. Skepical, you could step into my office and I could tell your future free of charge!"

Chrissy looked up. "Well… If it's free…" she said, smiling and standing up.

Silver smiled and stood as well, and the pair of them walked to the trailer and stepped inside. They both sat down near the crystal ball sitting on a table that looked very cliché, but Chrissy said nothing, not wanting to sound rude.

"Now…" began Silver, placing a tacky looking purple turban on his head. "Let's see what the crystal has to show us about you little lady… Let's see… I see something… I see… A red echidna… He has a white crescent on his chest, and is wearing white gloves with spikes coming out of them, as well as a white necklace in the shape of a tiger… It looks like it goes with yours, my dear… Ring any bells?"

Chrissy looked dumbstruck. "That's… That's Knuckles! That's him to a T! You really are Psychic!" she exclaimed, shocked.

Silver smiled. "Now, this, 'Knuckles'… He's sitting in a chair, in a room… It looks like… Well, he's not quite crying… But he looks very sad… Like he's done something, and he's sorry… But also like he's been hurt…"

Chrissy felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She looked down.

Silver frowned. "That can't be good…"

Chrissy looked up, her eyes frantic with worry. "What is it? Please, tell me!" She begged.

"Well…" Sliver screwed up his face in concentration. "The wall of the building has just been bashed in and a figure stands in the gaping hole… A grey rat…"

Chrissy's eyes widened with fear. "Zerka…" she whispered, terrified.

"The rat is charging at Knuckles and…" Silver trailed off.

Chrissy was highly shaken by this point. "AND WHAT? AND WHAT?" she tried to scream, but her voice came out as a high pitched squeak.

Silver shook his head. "The crystals gone dark. I can't see anymore."

Chrissy stood up and rushed out. "Cream! We have to go! NOW!" she said anxiously. She rushed over, grabbed the rabbit's hand and started running.

Cream, being dragged against her will, called out, "Thank you for the foooooooood!" behind her.

Silver came out and Blaze chuckled. "What did you tell her you saw?" the cat shook her head. "Never mind, I don't need to know…"

Silver looked at the sky. "That's one heck of a storm. Better hole up for the duration."

Blaze looked at the road Chrissy and Cream had sped down. "Poor kids…" she said to herself. "I hope they'll be alright…"

Little did Chrissy know, Zerka was nowhere to be found. The only threat facing Knuckles was the approaching tornado that was whipping up. Knuckles and the others were locking themselves in the basement, but Knuckles wasn't in just yet.

"Knuckles!" called out Sonic. "Get in here! We need to close the doors!"

Knuckles shook his head. "Not without Chrissy!" he roared over the storm.

Sonic came out and grabbed the echidna's arm. "She'll be fine! We both know it!" he yelled.

Knuckles looked out over the plains one last time, trying to spot the black dog. He walked over to the shelter with Sonic. "I hope so…" he said, to where no one but himself could hear it.

Chrissy and Cream made it back to the house and pounded frantically on the basement door. "Knuckles! Sonic! Let us in!" Chrissy called out, but to no avail. The winds of the twister whipped and whistled and cried too frantically for them to be heard.

Grabbing Cream, Chrissy battled her way into her bedroom, and huddled with the rabbit on her bed. Suddenly, the window blew in and hit Chrissy square in the head, knocking her out cold.

"Chrissy!" Cream screamed, but the dog couldn't hear her. She was unconscious…