[Argine River]
[South island, Mobius]
[Year 31∆∆]
[Argentum has been resting as expected. His wounds have been healed and his energy should be back to stable levels.]
[He expressed curiosity in me and my past. He knows of where I was once in. There is no more he needs to know.]
[The threat of Enigma is still looming. Today we must head back to our timeline. Perhaps the City won't be as broken as it was before.]
[Until then,]
[Μόλυβδος]
Finally waking up from his deep sleep, the white hedgehog rubbed his eyes as he stepped out of the tent. He looked to the sky that was once a dark grey, and now a pleasant blue. It's been quite a while since he felt the sun on his face. It felt warm and inviting.
Speaking of inviting, his acquaintance Moly didn't return after she left the other day. Usually he wouldn't pay any mind to it and be on his way, but he developed a connection to the person. She's been following him around constantly and saved him, so he owed her one.
He cautiously looked around, taking a few steps around the forest. Around the decayed trees and burnt grass, Moly was nowhere to be found. Feeling a little anxious to be all alone once more, Silver let out a silent sigh. He wished he could sense her or call out to her. It's so strange how the simple knowledge of someone following you can make you hyper-aware of your own loneliness.
Stop thinking so much about that! She saved your life! What if she didn't come back because she's in trouble? C'mon Silver, you can't let those negative thoughts bring you down!
Shaking his head and clenching his fists in determination, his teal aura swirled around his body and began to levitate. Surprised by his own restored energy, he observed the aura around his hands. Chuckling to himself, he dashed off into the forest. Looking high and low for Moly. She was with him for this long and saved him before. Now it was his turn.
Upon seeing a bright indigo glow ahead, he slowly lowered himself down behind some leafless trees. He found her finally! Maybe if she was in trouble, then he could help her! Maybe he could pay her back for her kindness! After all, that was the right thing to do. Peering through the trees, the boy finally saw his acquaintance. She was... meditating? Over the river?
...and I thank those of the departed who allow us to walk this land. May you find peace in the heavens above.
He didn't mean to eavesdrop, quite the opposite. But the voice was like a telepathic chiming in his mind that he couldn't tune out. He was filled with an embrace similar to that of a hug. Was she broadcasting something or...?
I ask you Axiom for your guidance as Argentum continues to purge these pasts of this evil. Please watch over us and those of the past, present, and future that require assistance. Thank you for listening.
The indigo aura around the fox shrunk back to outline her body as the barrier disintegrated. She jumped back onto the bank of the river, looking back once she was on solid ground.
Feeling afraid that he was caught, the hedgehog hid behind the tree. His ears twitched as the fox gave a gentle laugh.
"It's okay everyone, I'm finished." The fox smiled, kneeling down and reaching into her knapsack. "This is all I have for you right now friends. Please, share among each other."
He heard gentle little cries of... Chao. Wait, Chao?! He swiftly turned to watch the fox interact with the childlike beings. There were four of them: a rich blue one, a vibrant red one, a shimmering green one and a sparkling yellow one. She was... feeding the chao? But... that was impossible. Chao haven't existed in decades, how was-
"Silver."
Finally caught, the boy yelped from his name and tried to hide behind the tree once more but to no avail.
"I know you're there. Come out."
Ashamed of himself, he stepped out and gave a nervous laugh.
"S-Sorry! I didn't mean to just... listen in."
The fox stared at him, a sly grin on their face as they pet the chao's heads. "Then what were you doing?"
Defensively, the hedgehog held his hands in front of himself and stammered, "N-Nothing! I swear! I-I was just trying to find you! I-I thought that since you didn't come back, I thought you..." His anxiety turned to slight irritation as the fox giggled to herself, amused by his stammering.
"You thought I was in trouble. Right?" She shook her head, watching as the chao eat and chattered among themselves. "I'm not. I tend to have some space for myself in the morning. As well as take care of these little guys."
The chao nervously watched the hedgehog as he approached closer, Red and Blue cowering slightly before going back to eating as instructed. The Green and Yellow chao watched Silver with curiosity. They observed him before going back to munching on their fruit happily.
Silver took a careful step towards the riverbank, doing his best not to upset the chao as they ate their breakfast. "How...? I mean, you know as well as I that chao are-"
Moly put her hand over Silver's mouth, giving him a saddened expression. She shook her head as she lowered her hand, picking up one of the chao and held it close to her. She shut her eyes as the tiny red chao hugged her back. Silver gave her a worried expression, reaching out to her but stopping as he heard that same chiming voice in his head.
Before they went extinct, before The Disaster happened, I found these four while I was following you. They were all alone and... deathly ill. I couldn't leave them behind to die, so I took them home with me when you- we escaped.
Moly opened her slightly glowing violet eyes, smiling at Silver who looked troubled by the story.
These little guys don't know they're extinct back in our time. They still hold hope that they'll find their own kind eventually. Please don't take that away from them.
Silver gave her an encouraging smile, putting his hand on her shoulder and nodding. She nodded in understanding and shut her eyes once more.
"Chao!"
Surprised by the sudden outcry, the two watched as the other three jumped on Silver, playing with his quills and hair as he laughed.
"C-C'mon guys! Stop! That tickles!"
Moly set the red chao down to join in the fun before standing up and stretching. They watched the sky as the clouds began to slowly drift around. This time was cleared of any threat and it was time to move on.
"Silver, little ones," Moly began as they turned to the tiny creatures and their friend. "We must be getting back to our time."
Silver sat up, gently setting the yellow critter down into his lap. "Right, it is time we get going. Hopefully I did the future a favor."
"You always do." Moly assured him as she got on her knees in front of the chao. "Okay fellas, come on." She opened her knapsack to them and smiled as they all hopped into the bag obediently.
The two began their walk towards the campsite again, silence between them until Silver finally spoke up.
"So, how come I didn't see them yesterday?"
"Shyness. They're afraid of strangers, so when they saw a new face in my campsite, they all hid near the riverbank."
"Awww they don't need to be shy around me!"
"True, but they also haven't seen another face like mine in decades."
The boy looked down at the decayed grass beneath them as they continued their walk. Seems like he couldn't start a conversation without it getting awkward lately. Maybe he was better off keeping his mouth shut. Of course that would never happen. His optimistic attitude made him super chatty when he wanted to be. Plus, at least one of them had to talk seeing as Moly was the silent type.
"So uh... what are you gonna do when we get back to Onyx Island?"
"Go home."
"Would uh..."
Moly looked over in his direction, seeing the boy's unreadable expression.
"Yes...?"
"Ah... would you like to stay with me? I-I don't have a house but-"
"You're homeless?"
"I-I didn't say that!"
Before he could reply, Moly stepped in front of him and smiled kindly.
"I know how hard it is in the city. To live in it under the omnipresent eyes of The Council. It gets hard to stay hidden out there, doesn't it?"
Silver looked down, seeming to agree with what the fox was saying. He blinked at her as she walked ahead of him.
"I know a safe place for us to go to. Away from their eyes." Moly said as she continued her stride.
The boy watched as the fox began packing up her belongings, the chao assisting as they spoke in their little language. He helped out as well, the two nodding at each other as all was now put away. Moly gently urged the chao back into her knapsack, smiling as they all obliged and closed the loose cover over them.
"Ready?"
"Yeah."
Silver took a few steps ahead of where they stood and shut his eyes. He exhaled and held his hands out. The symbols began to brightly glow, the teal and cyan fading around himself as he focused on opening a Rift portal. He struggled, but managed to open the hole in spacetime, gesturing Moly through it as he followed behind.
As Moly landed on the other side, she watched as Silver forced the portal shut and landed besides her. He took a minute to get his bearings before looking around.
"Well... home sweet home?" He gave a nervous shrug, looking over at Moly.
"Prison. Nothing sweet about it." She replied coldly, making the hedgehog hide his hands behind his back and idly kick the dirt on the ground.
A hyper-tech science-centered 'utopia' was what awaited ahead of them, but they had no intentions of heading there any time soon. The outskirts of Onyx Island were less than hospitable, probably less than the City itself. It was pretty sad when the residents would rather risk death in the outskirts than live under constant watch and surveillance.
In addition, the city wasn't as in ruins as it was before they went to the past. It was back to the normal... "normal" future they were more familiar with. No doubt that the bots are onto their frequent disappearances.
The Fox scoffed, clenching her fists as she turned away from the city in front of them.
"H-Hey! Wait for me, Moly!" Silver called out as he turned to follow her.
There was a tense silence as the fox was now speed walking away from the city. The boy had to practically run to keep up with her.
"Moly! Where are we going?" He called out, watching as the girl's indigo aura enveloped her body and she began to fly away. "Hold on a second!" His own psychical energy empowering his body as he caught up with her.
Moly slowed her speed, now idly floating over the outskirts. "Please... leave me."
"No way! You just expect me to leave you when you're acting all weird and stuff? Well sorry, but that just isn't who I am." He approached her with a concerned look. "What's wrong?"
Her tough expression melted into somber, her gaze turning down at the harsh ground beneath them, lost in her own thoughts. She shut her eyes for a moment, then looked at him with small sad grin.
"Follow me."
"Ah! You didn't answer my question!" He barely had any time to react as the fox flew off in a different direction. Struggling to keep up with her, he followed close behind.
After what seemed like forever, the two landed on the entrance to a cave? It seems? The fox landed, unaffected by the long trip as she waited for her friend. Silver landed, panting as he leaned against the cliff-side next to the entrance.
"Great, so we're at a cave?" He took a deep breath, looking around and trying to ignore the throbbing headache he had. "What's here? Why are we here?"
"Home."
Silver raised a brow, completely confused by what she was insinuating. He followed her as she walked inside of the cave. They came across a glowing mushroom. Then two. Then four. Six. Eight. He stopped, wide eyed at what was ahead of them.
"Silver," Moly began as she took a step forward, shooting a violet energy projectile to the ceiling.
The room illuminated, showing off damp limestone walls of rock, growing and glowing bioluminescent life around said walls and naturally growing clear quartz crystals. The amount of psychic energy in this place was... astonishing. Incredible, even. Something he has never felt like ever before. No this wasn't touched by anyone. Not the Council, not the city, no one.
"Welcome to Beryllium cove."
