Chapter 7 - Shadow's Decision
Five days now….
The words echoed to each corner of my mind with a nauseating air, filtering past my most consuming preoccupations to remind me of what I'd never forgotten. My eyes, searching, burning, could see nothing else as I traversed the outskirts of Mobius' Mystic Jungle. The fleeting hiss of incinerating Chaos seemed to replay with every sweep of my skates over the tropical terrain.
It's been five days….
With a firm composure and a sharp sigh, I forced the vexing concept from the forefront of my mind as I reached the crooked expanse of steps leading up to my destination. It was time to address another matter now. Slowly I started up, one step at a time, then bounded in typical spinning fashion the rest of the way.
At the top, I paused as a girl's maniacal laughter emanated from the workshop. Her voice went on to taunt, "I'd really rather our family physician look after little Zu-Zu if you don't mind!" It quickly became clear from the unnatural blasts that followed and the accompanying musical score that the commotion was nothing more than an action-intense TV show. As loudly as it was blaring, I saw little point in knocking on the workshop's front door; I knew I wouldn't be heard. Instead I reached for the rust-mottled trapezoid handle and found, to my mild disgust, that there wasn't a single lock engaged.
The door swung open with little effort, and the TV's resounding warfare met me in a new, less muffled wave of decibel fury. The moment triggered a brief but similar memory within in my subconscious, an experience from my early past…one in which I'd just entered some other kind of door, into another workshop of sorts, where a small monitor emitted the signature echoes of Chaos with an intensity not unlike what I was now experiencing. A familiar old man, I recalled, sat with his back to me in a weary slouch, leaning his folded arms onto the desk before him as he kept a steadfast eye on the screen just inches away. I knew immediately that he was Gerald--the man primarily responsible for my existence. He was reviewing one of the many taped sessions of the Chaos experiments in which I'd participated. It was a scene I had encountered numerous times throughout those months on the ARK, simple and ultimately meaningless and yet fond in its aura. I remembered his often being so engrossed in the video that I'd have to walk over and wave my hand in front of his face to get his attention.
…Enough of that.
Lifting my eyes from the reflection, I proceeded down the corridor and entered a large room on my right, finding a much different scene from that glimpsed in my vision. Partially disassembled rocket engines and hydraulic steering mechanisms lay strewn across tables and the floor, in carefully organized piles. Tools of painstaking precision rested on Dymo-labeled shelves. Underneath the nose of a twin-passenger jet, reaching his arms into its massive rectangular nostril, was the individual I'd come to find. It seemed his attention was frequently torn between his work and the TV across the room.
I wasn't about to approach him as casually as I had Gerald; instead, I mimicked the animated characters on screen by producing a small streak of flames from my hand. Of course, mine was dark and harbored Chaotic essence, unlike real fire. It blazed across the room and instantly dissolved as it landed at Tails' feet.
"Wah!!" he yelped, jumping back, then quickly spotting me. "Shadow!" His breathless words broke into laughter, "Wow, man, you scared the daylights out of me! For a second there I thought that came from the TV!" He jogged to a table a few feet away and set down his pliers, which returned a dull thud on the surface's rubbery lining. At the same time his other hand retrieved a nearby DVD remote and mashed a button to pause his show. "So what can I do for you? Are you here about Cedar?" He reached back to replace the remote without another look and hurried to close the distance between us.
"No," I answered bluntly, lifting the hand that clutched the crinkly orange bag. Tails became somewhat more reserved in his approach but did not hesitate to accept the gift when I extended it toward him. "Someone asked me to give this to you," I promptly explained. A few moments of silence passed as he parted the fold of the attached card. It wasn't long before he jerked his head back up.
"Wh-who gave you this??" he stammered, looking more shaken now than when I shot fire at his feet.
"A tanuki who works at the mall." All I received in response to that was a rather blank stare, so I filled in the blank. "She asked me to get an answer."
He blinked. "Oh, uh, sure! Tell her thanks, and I'll be sure to give her a call."
Having accomplished my sideline mission, I nodded and exited the workshop the way I'd come in, hearing Tails' TV resume its firefight once I was back outside. Now, I mused to myself, it was time to focus on what I'd really come to do.
It's almost been a week after all….
The morning sun crept overhead as I traveled familiar paths, in the psychological as well as physical sense. Long-suppressed memories, and the emotions that haunted their tattered fragments, surfaced with the sights and sounds of the region. They twisted my disposition to match with morbid semblance the physique of the menacing oak that soon perched before me.
My line of sight followed the tree's protruding roots down the short but steep earthen wall through which they wove, until I took in an object that stood largely out of place at the bottom. Its door propped wide open and its shelves having been cleared out and wiped clean, the off-white vintage refrigerator served as a silent source of reassurance that my trip had not been in vain. I strode past it to the door of the home I'd once called my own. Forcing it open with a single stroke, I peered in down one side of the dividing wall, then the other. As expected, the dwelling had undergone many obvious signs of cleanup. Slowly, warily, I stepped forward across the living room into the kitchen, where I leaned to see around the corner. Finding no one, I made my way back to the front and proceeded to venture to the other half of the home. Now it was the silence that roared in my ears, disturbed only by my hollow footsteps and the floorboards that creaked beneath them. I continued into the bathroom, and then the bedroom, where the home's trademark musty stench hung especially thick. A sigh filtered out as I glanced over the neatly made bed. Whether it was more out of resolve or relief, I can't honestly say.
I returned to the kitchen at an increasing pace and jerked open a tight wooden drawer just below the counter by the sink. A pad of paper and several writing instruments slid forth, just as ugly as I remembered them. I plucked the pad and a pen out and brought them to the dining table. After scribbling loops across the bumblebee-bordered page until the ink began to show, I composed a message intended to do nothing more than urge a meeting, face to face. Written sentiments simply wouldn't be enough at this point…though one in particular nagged its warrant. It waited, now that my request was inscribed, to flow next from the pen's tip, but my hand refused to proceed. Several seconds passed in motionless silence, until my eyes wandered from the page onto the abyssal stain consuming nearly two feet of the floor. Then the words resounded in my mind, as if whispering to me from the dried blood itself….
……I'm sorry….
They reached me on a particularly deep and vivid level, as if I could…actually…hear…….
And I blinked and looked up, my grip on the pen having grown as stiff as my quills were at that moment. I swallowed and released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, and I took a step back from the table. That would do. The pen clattered down beside the pad in the wake of my exit.
Outside, my lungs gratefully took in their crippled fill of fresh air. I squinted as I peered skyward, noting the sun's shift off the eastern side. There wasn't much time left today. It'd be about five o'clock by the time I got home, which would leave at best an hour's rest before work. I scowled as I began the journey, beginning to question under the circumstances whether the point had been rendered moot.
Things made no sign of improving from there. Half of what would have been my spare time wound up spent at customs of the world portal, where officials of both ends struggled to correlate and correct the records in their systems that still listed me as either wanted or deceased. I was left with just over thirty minutes upon arriving home, but I don't suppose it mattered, considering my subconscious allowed me nothing more than a superficial guise of rest at this point. I drank a glass of water and sat brooding for about two minutes before I was back out the door.
My growing fatigue must have been apparent by the time I entered the Diamond Mill Mall security office, judging by the additional disgust in Nancee's expression. An older human woman best known for her sour demeanor and the taut bun that always topped her faded orange curls, she was the alleged receptionist of the security department who, for whatever reason, had clearly despised me since we'd first had the displeasure of meeting. As was typical, after making the face she resumed her work as if I wasn't there. That was fine with me. I continued past her desk in like regard, exhaling as I did so to avoid her overburnt cigarette stench.
As I passed through the second door into the muster area I glanced to my left to observe Randy, the security manager, pluck an oatmeal raisin cookie from a white cardboard box on the table before returning to his office. He was always easily identified amongst the rest of the staff because his daily work attire consisted of a long-sleeve buttoned up shirt, cotton tie, and dress slacks rather than the humans' security guard uniform. Far more telling, though, was the gleam of his stress-indicative bald spot. I could see the overhead sprinkler's reflection in it as I followed him into his office.
Randy exhaled with a middle-aged groan as he began to turn and ease into his oversized leather seat. He realized I was in the room with him about halfway down and paused in a startled flinch.
"Shadow!" He came down a bit faster, bobbing as he landed on its spring-loaded shock absorption, then quickly rolled forward and set his hands flat on his desk. "What can I do for you?"
"I…" A couple of seconds ticked by on his wall clock as I considered my words, then finished, "…I need the rest of this week off." It was what I'd decided en route would be the best course of action.
His tone shifted at that, in what I assume was meant to resemble an air of concern. "You do? Is everything okay? There some kind of emergency?"
Not yet, my mind answered, though at this rate it's only a matter of-
"No," I cut off the thought. "There's something I need to take care of."
Randy brought his elbows up until they were propped before him and clasped his hands apologetically. "I hate to turn you down, Shadow, but I can't just grant you personal leave like that when you've only been here a few weeks. You have to earn it over time and then put in for it in advance so I can schedule someone to fill in for you." About this point Nancee barged in and headed to the filing cabinets in the corner, where she proceeded to stuff some manila folders into an already overcrowded drawer. I cursed myself for not having had the presence of mind to close the door, but Randy was unfazed, continuing, "But I'll tell you what; if you can find another officer who's willing to swap hours with you, I can accommodate you that way if it'd be any help."
"Switching the hours to the other half of the day isn't going to make any difference," I remarked. He merely shrugged his thumbs.
"I'm sorry, but unless you've got some leave time accumulated to use, that's about all I can do for you." He'd barely finished the sentence when I walked out of the office. No sense continuing to discuss matters when he obviously wasn't going to cooperate. I clocked myself in and started heading for my locker when I overheard Nancee's tinny voice, hushed but still easily discernable.
"He's got a lot of nerve wanting time off when he hasn't even been here a month. And then when you try to offer an alternative that might help, which you didn't have to do, he starts getting an attitude, like that's not good enough. He thinks he's so special, like he's supposed to get to do whatever he wants, just because he's one of those animal people. Makes me sick."
"Well, y'know," Randy replied, a bit harder for me to make out, "he does a good job and all, but he's gonna have to learn that that's not how we do things around here."
Think what you want, Hag Hair.
I opened my locker and retrieved a cloth band bearing the security emblem: my uniform. Obviously there were some differences in how I was treated compared to the other officers, but it was never due to any demand on my part. My scowl deepened at the notion that the individual with the most wretched attitude of the entire staff was complaining about mine. After taking a moment to wrap the band around my left arm and mash down its Velcro end, I shoved the locker shut and headed out into the mall.
In order to maintain a constant "presence" throughout the premises, security department procedures required officers to relieve one another at certain designated locations near areas with the highest patron traffic, called hotspots. My hotspot was typically referred to as Subway, after the restaurant of the same name that defined the mall's southwest corner. I almost always relieved an older man named Oscar, tall and boney with thinning bluish-gray hair and bags under his eyes, who would stand jangling the coins in his pocket while waiting for me to show. He didn't have to wait long today.
"Wuuh-aah!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up and bracing for potential impact as I skidded to a rather ungraceful halt before him. I wasn't in the mood for much else. Regaining his composure quickly enough, Oscar played down his reaction with a tense joke. "You trying to kill me?!"
I gazed past him toward the rest of the food court. "If I were you'd be dead." Maria had always said I needed to learn how to take a joke.
"Why you in such a hurry? Something wrong or you just feelin' hyper?"
"Nothing that concerns you." Everyone was getting on my nerves today.
"Okay, just askin'; no need to be short," Oscar muttered, his dentures starting to slip. I blinked and directed my eyes his way as he nudged the slimy plates back into place. Rather than dwell on irrelevant details, I got down to business.
"Have you got anything for me?"
"Ahh, nothin' really. There was a kid who was lost this morning, but his parents came and got him after a couple minutes." He didn't notice my jaw tighten as he went on, "I think I've been playing janitor more than anything today. Heh, I oughta do that when I retire." A few seconds of silence passed while he was probably waiting for me to say something, but by then I was back to treading my own sea of thoughts. "So, uh, you all good to go here?" he finally asked.
"…Yeah." I set the communication device on my wrist to security department frequency. Oscar waited for me to finish, then nodded.
"Okay, well, I'm gonna head on back to the office, then. You take care." With that he left, knowing better than to expect anything more from me. I likewise departed in the opposite direction, straight into the hungry heart of the food court.
The dinner crowd had mostly cleared out by this point. I glanced over the tables and each restaurant's counter as I strode by, realizing as the intermingling aromas met me that I hadn't eaten since I last got off work. My blood was crawling like a legion of ants, as if angry at its lack of nourishment. I had long since past mistakes made a point of ensuring my body catered to my will, however, not the other way around. Continuing on, I peered into Chick-Fil-A, then Milky Way Treats, then El Gyro, managing the last with just the horrid timing to make eye contact with that irritating muskrat Serrah, one of its employees who wanted to chat every single time she saw me. I immediately looked away, but it was too late.
"Hey, Shadow!" she called, even though I was several feet away and she had a customer. I kept walking, returning no acknowledgement. "Shaaaaaaadoooow!" The baying soon faded into the collective racket of the area as I left it behind me. Similarly, the enticing odors gave way to one far more prominent as I turned the corner, bringing to mind the morning's secondary mission—and another annoying girl.
It had been a while since she asked. I'd had every intention of completing the task, but I was so caught up in my own cares that it didn't have much of a priority. Now that I was finally approaching The Nut House with something to report, Trixie was no longer watching for me. She'd exchanged her silly, scatterbrained expression for the usual look of boredom, apparently having already given up on ever seeing the request fulfilled. Part of me found that a bit insulting, but at the same time, I couldn't entirely blame her.
She was wrestling with dishes in a tiny steel sink when I approached the counter, so I spoke loudly enough to ensure she'd hear me over them. "He said yeah." At that point she looked up, her face particularly blank.
"Say wha?"
So much for being loud enough. "He said yeah."
"Who said yeah?"
"Tails the fox," I clarified, impatience building in my voice. He was all she ever talked about since see saw him, yet she couldn't figure out who I meant? Since she was obviously on the wrong wavelength, I spelled it out for her. "He answered your note."
That certainly did the trick. The moment those words had left my mouth, she was already at the counter, soapy water dripping from her hands.
"Really?!" In a frenzy she whisked off her apron and began wiping it in curly Qs across the counter. "W-what else did he say??"
I brushed a speck of soap suds from my arm before answering. "..He asked me to thank you and said that he'll be in touch."
"That's it?"
"That's more than sufficient."
She bit her lip to stifle a sheepish laugh. "I know, just…! Hee hee! I'm so excited!! Thank you so much!"
The next thing I knew she was on my side of the counter, enclosing me in a tight embrace. I had to bend my neck at an unnatural angle to keep her fur from going up my nose. Unpleasant as it was, it was still the most encouraging part of my day.
About time you did something right.
When she finished she hopped back over the counter and looked around the shop. "Augh, I'm too excited to stay in here! I've gotta close up and go home!"
"Suit yourself," I mumbled, having already turned away to continue my rounds.
The rest of the night dragged horrendously, despite my having far too much on my mind. By five o' clock I was overspent, more so than I care to admit. It wasn't as though I hadn't gone longer without rest; it was dragging the weight of my conscience that was wearing me down. As much as I hated to do so, upon leaving work I had to do it. I had to sleep.
The apartment was completely dark when I arrived, and I kept it that way. In silence I wandered over to the living room couch, raking video games and DVDs off with a few blind strokes before taking a seat.
Being here is better…just in case….
In the next instant another memory began to play through my mind, of three-year-old Mercury scampering to my side in oblivious glee as I lay on Amy's couch, near death. It hadn't been but five years ago, and it still devoured me like entwined augers. I'd caused him immeasurable pain with my rash decisions, and now……….
I came down hard on my side, grinding my face into a throw pillow and forcing the thoughts from my mind. It had been a long day, followed by a long night, and this was the last thing I needed. Now it was time to rest, and to wait. If nothing came of the day, at least I'd be in better condition for work. In all likelihood, though, I'd be receiving some kind of contact.
And, as it turned out, I did receive contact that day. It just wasn't who I expected.
To start off, I'd made the mistaken assumption that Trixie would be out of my quills for a while, only to be approached by her again first thing that evening. She evidently failed to notice that I was busy assessing the tension between two groups of human adolescents that were trolling through the food court. Leaning into my field of vision, she blurted out something in Russian or Chinese and started prattling about a gift basket or the like. I was trying to tune her out, so I'm not quite sure what she said. But I didn't ignore her.
"…Hmph," I breathed in response. That was my personal language, which translates into 'Shut the hell up and get out of the way.' Out of the countless dialects she seemed to know, however, mine obviously wasn't among them.
"I've been doing some thinking," she went on, "and I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out with my sister sometime. She's a single parent just like you, and her daughter is the same age as your son. I'll introduce you to her next time she's here, 'kay? I think you'd get along good; she's kinda emo like you too…no offense!"
I was semi-listening at that point, having heard mention of my son. Just as I'd shifted enough attention to make eye contact, another familiar voice detoured the conversation.
"Well! Long time no see!"
I knew who it was well before I turned around. Nevertheless, my eyes flared at the sight I took in. It was Rouge, all right, but she…she looked deplorable. It was the worst I'd ever seen her--not that she appeared physically harmed or anything of that nature, but an unmistakable streak of distress tainted her otherwise confident demeanor. Something was wrong.
"Got a minute to spare?" she asked, her tone decidedly frivolous, but again I was denied the chance to respond.
"Um, excuse me," Trixie addressed her, "we were talking." In the brief silence that followed I could feel myself begin to tense; Rouge wasn't one to tolerate any kind of interference once she had her mind set on something, and Trixie struck me as packing just the unstable edge that could set her off. I was prepared to quell any violence that might erupt, but Rouge opted for a more passive-aggressive route.
"Shouldn't you be getting back to The Nuthouse?" she quipped, at the same time taking hold of my arm and giving it a light tug. Considering the potentially urgent nature of her visit, I didn't resist.
Trixie stared quietly as I glanced back and told her, simply, "I'll be back." At least she had enough sense to keep her peace, though I could feel her eyes on us as we ventured back toward the food court.
And then there was Serrah. I'd managed to elude her on my way through earlier, but this time she spotted me and, like clockwork, leaned eagerly under a plastic sign that read PICK UP hanging over the right side of the El Gyro counter.
"Hey, Sha-!!" she trailed off abruptly, blinking with wide eyes as she caught sight of Rouge. I never looked her way directly but could make out her gape in my peripheral vision, which was not unlike Trixie's just moments ago. I wasn't going to be hearing the end of this anytime soon.
Between The Nuthouse, El Gyro, and the rowdy teenagers, there weren't many locations suitable for a private conversation. Silently I urged Rouge to head for the northwest corner, known as the newsstand hotspot. It would have to do. Crossing my arms and backing myself against the nearest wall, I hoped she'd cut right to the chase.
"I have a favor to ask of you," she began. Well cut. "I need a Mobian to accompany me on a surveillance mission next week, and I'd like you to come."
I cast a wary gaze upon her face, which still embodied the turbulent snarl of emotions beneath its flirty front. "Why me?"
"I need someone who's sharp, perceptive, ready to take on the worst case scenario. Who's a better fit than the ultimate life form?"
Whatever she stood to gain, she wanted it badly.
"When?" I pressed on.
"It's flexible; any day next week should do, but it needs to go down at dusk."
My conscience was quick to interject an important question: Isn't there something else you should be tending to? Suddenly I felt crowded in that corner. I was under no obligation to her, but I did have a job to do. If she wanted my help, she was going to have to proceed on my terms.
"I don't want this becoming a habit," I stated, forcing past her to continue my rounds. Wisely, she took no issue with trailing after me.
"It won't," she insisted, "but will you help me out this once? I'll be sure to make it worth your while…."
What could she possibly do to make it worth….
I came to a halt as another concept then appealed to me. She could return the favor, I realized, by serving as my eyes and ears, by being there when I could not. However, if circumstances were to change in the near future, these arrangements could prove counterproductive. I needed to wait and see.
My answer aimed to buy some more time. "I'll be in touch." Rouge seemed satisfied enough.
"I knew I could count on you," she chirped in a laudatory farewell, allowing me to continue on alone. After several steps and a brief glance behind me to ensure she had really gone, I returned my attention to my duties at hand.
This time around, she finally noticed me. I was nearing Kay Jewelers, my eyes skimming along the rows of tidy glass counters, when I observed Raye sliding one of them closed, just before she straightened up and met my gaze. Immediately she greeted me--not with an obnoxious shout or imposing request, but with a warm, inviting smile. I returned a single nod, then broke eye contact and continued on my way. It wasn't as if anything more could come of it…but it brightened an otherwise bleak night nonetheless.
For a second or two, at least.
"Was that girl your ex?" Trixie asked, suddenly pacing beside me.
"No!" I snapped, daring her with a seething glare to even consider starting up rumors. All she did was laugh.
"I was about to say! No wonder you broke up!"
Mounting fury ground between my teeth as I beheld her in that moment, half inclined to inquire just what the hell that was supposed to mean. This time I caught myself, taming the urge with my underlying determination to avoid fueling such behavior. Instead I mimicked Rouge's approach.
"Don't you ever watch your store?" I remarked with an indifferent face forward. The once energetic tanuki visibly shrank away.
"Meh. Not like it's going anywhere…."
"Your merchandise might be," I mashed the button deeper.
Her tone then assumed a cheerier, almost patronizing pitch. "With you on the job, I ain' got nothin' to worry about!" Then, unexpectedly, she pranced away, back to her shop. I found myself somewhat taken aback that the tactic had not only worked but worked so well. In fact, she hardly said another word to me the rest of the week. Good riddance…I had issues of actual importance to think about.
Unfortunately, merely thinking was doing little to improve matters. After another few days had passed with no new developments, I traveled back to Maple's farm. All was exactly as I had left it—not a good sign. I followed up with Rouge that evening.
One of the accessories I had received from the Guardian Unit of Nations during my participation in its Soleanna-vicinity rescue mission was a communications device, about the size of a wristwatch and worn like one. Its specialized frequency could travel via any cel phone tower or military relay station to contact another agent anywhere in the world, at government expense.
Rouge's surprise sputtered across the unit's pinhole speaker as she answered my call. "Shadow?? Y-you mean you still have your comms band?!"
My brow shifted. "They never asked for it back."
"Well that would've been nice to know when I was looking for you earlier! I went through a lot of trouble for nothing!"
"…Did you still need a partner for your assignment?"
She sighed sharply. "Yes, but something else has come up, so now the only day I can go on that mission is Saturday. Will Saturday work for you?"
"Yes."
"Good. Meet me at the world portal at five thirty, and I'll show you the way from there."
"Five thirty."
"Right. See you then! And…Shadow?" There was an unusual pause on her end as I waited with my finger hovering over the button I was about to press to end the call. Then she asked, "Are you there?"
"What is it?" Everyone was trying my patience lately.
"I just wanted to say…thanks, for being there and everything."
I blinked, having been caught a bit off guard. "…I'm sure you'd have done the same." She returned a delicate laugh.
"Well, see you Saturday. Stay out of trouble!" A crimp of static shortly after marked the connection's close.
I looked up from where I'd been pacing through my living room, my gaze inevitably trailing to the shattered plaster along the wall where the media center once stood.
How many days has it been now? Nine? Ten?
The remnants of the casing and possessions in it had long since been cleared out, but a subtle glare from the carpet caught my eye, a tiny fragment I'd missed. I stared in contemplative silence for a while before approaching to retrieve it, and as I stooped and reached I paused again, finding it to be another piece of the purplish-black glass that had riddled the entire mess. It was peculiar because I didn't recall owning anything of that color, and yet, it seemed somehow familiar.
Worried about something the size of a pinhead, while something enormous gets neglected….
Of course, my mind prodded about more than the physical damage. At the time, however, I felt I had no other viable option but to wait. No matter how much I loathed it, I couldn't afford to be rash.
The wall, on the other hand, got spackled, sanded, and painted that week. The final off-white coat was still drying Friday afternoon when there was a knock at my door. I flinched back from the open refrigerator, unsure for a moment whether I'd really heard it. The sound was unmistakable, though. My breaths ran shallow as I ventured from the kitchen.
Just what is it you're afraid of?
The door's peephole was too high for me to use without something to stand on, so, in typical fashion, I simply swung it open.
It wasn't who I anticipated. It was worse.
It was Amy.
"Hi, Shadow," she spoke softly. "Mind if I come in for a second?" She waited as I stepped back from the door and pulled it wide with a stiff arm before she proceeded to enter. "I tried to call earlier, but you never answered your phone, as usual," she added, turning to face me with a teasing half-smile. Then she sniffed the air. "It smells like paint in here. You doing some remodeling?"
"Something like that," I replied, inwardly relieved at her lighthearted demeanor and the ignorance it conveyed.
"Ah, that's nice." She stepped into the living room and glanced around while I shut the door. "Where's Mercury?"
I froze for a moment with my hand still on the knob. My back remained to her as I answered as plainly as I could manage, "He's out." She deserved to know…just not yet.
"Oh. Well, I just stopped by to ask you about something really quick." She stood smoothing a hand over a stray wrinkle on the form-fitting contour of her dress, seemingly deep in thought. Rather than join her, I walked opposite the living room back into the kitchen, opening the fridge again. I was hungry.
"Go ahead," I relayed over my shoulder. When I turned back to her with yesterday's leftover dinner in hand, she was seated at the island bar that divided the two rooms.
"I was wondering," she approached her matter meekly, hesitating to continue, "if you happened to see Rouge the bat at the mall recently."
I had just set my bowl on the island and peeled the plastic cover off, and now my hands hovered over it, crumpling the wrap slowly as I studied her face. The last time she'd brought up Rouge in a conversation, it was because Rouge had attempted to sabotage her relationships with both me and Sonic. Hearing Amy mention her again did nothing to settle the unease in my stomach. I drew a steady breath as anxious eyes jumped up to mine, awaiting an answer.
"She came and spoke with me there, yes."
Her hands unfolded, brushing an idle crumb off the counter, and before she began to speak again my attention directed suddenly to the diamond-laden band on her finger. "What'd she say?" her inquiry beckoned me back on track. "I mean, did she say anything about me…or Sonic?"
"She didn't mention you at all." I couldn't blame her for being paranoid. Even upon hearing this, however, there was little relief in her sigh.
"…I'm asking because I ran into her yesterday, and she…said some weird stuff…."
My brow cocked sharply. "Like what?"
"Like…well, she saw Sonic out at the mall and thought that he was cheating on me with some girl who works out there is basically what happened. I went out there today to talk to the girl and, you know, check it out for myself, and, of course, he wasn't really cheating, but I found out that Rouge had been talking to you too, so I just thought I'd…check with you on that…." A new trace of worry crossed her features as she glanced back up and noted my deepening frown. "But she didn't tell you anything related to that, right?"
"No…." My hands lay flat on the counter while the details turned over in my mind. The more I thought about it, the less the situation made sense, and I found myself questioning again just how emotionally distraught Rouge had been that day. In the past I'd seen her make irrational decisions when she was upset, but even in that frame of mind, she wasn't the type to simply go around making up accusations or doing people favors. "It's not like her," I eventually muttered aloud.
"What's not like her?"
"To jump to conclusions. She's normally a stickler for details."
Amy's expression faltered. "You mean…you think Sonic really was…."
"Not necessarily," I cut her off. "It all comes down to Rouge's motive, how she intends to benefit from what she's told you. She wants something out of this."
"But…it's not like I have anything she…wait!" Bringing up her hands, Amy grasped at the one bearing the ring as if it needed extra support to sustain the weight. "My ring! Sonic was buying me a wedding ring for our anniversary when she saw him! You think she could be after that?"
I glanced its seven stones over and shook my head. "I don't think she would expect to acquire it if you were to divorce."
"Hm, that's true." She sank back against the high-top backing of the stool. "I don't know what else she'd possibly want from me, though."
We were both silent for a moment, pondering possible ulterior motives over the odor of chilled sweet and sour shrimp. My hands moved together behind the dish, turning inward until my fingertips touched.
"Do you know of any reason she might have cause to hold a grudge against you or Sonic?" I inquired finally. "Is she angry with anyone you know?" Amy's breath stilled in reflection.
"…Not…really…except maybe Knuckles…but I don't see what that'd have to do with us. It's not like we encouraged him to break up with her."
"Knuckles broke up with her?"
"That's what they told me at the mall."
My eyes flared. "Who?"
"That girl I went to talk to, her tanuki friend told me." I was probably almost gaping as she went on, "She'd gone on a date with Tails, and he's the one who told her." She managed an airy laugh. "Small world, huh?"
If nothing else, it certainly explained what had had Rouge so unsettled. My brow cinched with all the directions my thoughts spiraled from that information. Not even I knew Rouge well enough to deem those notions any more than speculation, though. There was really no telling what she was up to at this point.
Not that Amy seemed too concerned anymore. "Gosh, I'd better get home before I start getting texts from Iris about not having anything to eat!" She slid off her seat and backed toward the door a bit. "Thanks for talking with me about this, Shadow. You'll let me know if you find out anything, won't you?"
I granted a nod. "I will."
"Thanks. And tell Mercury hi and to come visit soon, okay?" By now she was at the door, reaching up to give her quills a quick contour before proceeding on. "Bye! Don't be a stranger!" She'd pulled the door open for only a second before she suddenly slammed it back shut, spinning about to face me with wide eyes. "I just saw Rouge!!"
I sprang over in an instant. "Where?" When she pulled the door open this time, we both peered out.
"She's gone now," Amy noted. "She was looking down this way from up there!" I followed the direction of her finger toward the roof of a neighboring building in the complex, my teeth clenched under a deep-set scowl.
"..You're sure it was her?"
"Yeah, definitely! You think she's following me??"
"If you see her again," I instructed, "I want you to ignore her. Don't acknowledge her presence in the slightest. I'll take care of it." Amy nodded quickly.
"O-okay…."
With that I saw her off, casting one more wary glance to the rooftop before shutting the door. "I've just about had it with your games," I warned under my breath.
Work that night was quieter than usual for a Friday; it seemed everyone could sense from the intensity of my glower that it would not be wise to press my buttons. That countenance had barely improved by the next afternoon, as I stood on the MRT boarding platform in the world gateway station. I coupled it with a disdainful snort when Rouge showed.
She tilted her head and offered a tight-lipped smile as she approached. "Hi," her voice lifted in carefree couth. "I see you're eager to get started."
"Actually I am," I professed as I turned toward the tracks.
"Mmm, that's what I like to hear."
The next train thundered in the closing distance, and with Rouge standing there beside me I felt, for a split second, an ominous sense of dé jà vu. I was quick to blink it off.
"Where are we heading from here?"
"There's an outdoor plaza near Angel Island where I've made dinner reservations. I'll explain the rest once we get there." The train then coasted to a halt before us, and we headed for the last set of open doors. "Hope you're hungry."
About thirty minutes later, few passengers got off at our stop. We exited the train straight into the heart of the plaza, where I couldn't help but notice something in particular about the bustling crowd: Almost everyone here was an echidna. Countless eyes followed us as Rouge hooked my arm and led me in a confident route down the cobblestone walkway.
"I take it you come here with Knuckles a lot," I remarked, feigning casual ignorance. Rouge didn't respond right away, but a half-smile crept up her lips.
"I used to. He's got his high and mighty guardianship to attend to, though, so he'd rather be around that Master Emerald than me. --Of course, if I had to choose between him and the emerald, I'd choose the emerald too!" She let out a weak laugh, moments after which her face darkened considerably.
Along the eastern side of the plaza, we arrived at an eatery that boasted an ancient jungle theme. All of the seating was outside among tall stakes bearing tiki torches, which were being lit for the night as we were shown to our table. Angel Island loomed a relatively short distance away; I was certain that the restaurant, if not the entire plaza, had to be in full view of anyone who happened to be up there.
The host, a dark gray echidna, clasped his hands after issuing our menus. "Your waiter will be with you in just a moment," he stated in a formal air, excusing himself with a partial bow. Rouge glanced over her shoulder, as well as toward the floating island.
"It's really packed here tonight," she marveled of the other diners as she flipped open her menu. I remained silent, watching as she skimmed through the appetizers for several seconds before she noticed. "Oh, you're probably wondering what our objective is here." Her expression was slightly sheepish as she looked past me, appearing to search for someone. "There," her voice hushed, and she gestured to my right with a quick nod. "That waiter is the man we're here to watch. He's suspected of selling stolen government property to certain regulars who come after sunset." The waiter she spoke of was another echidna, forest green with thin, stiff quills. I raised an eyebrow at her.
"And you don't think we stand out here?"
She shrugged. "Sure we do, but what's the matter with a couple of tourists? May as well enjoy ourselves while we're at it!"
She was still grinning to herself when the waiter she'd singled out visited our table.
"Welcome to Deep Marjimba," he said. "My name's Marx, and I'll be serving you this evening. Can I start you two off with a couple of our exclusive durian cocktails?"
Rouge spoke up first. "Actually, I think I'd like a cherry daiquiri." Marx jotted it down on his pad.
"All right, and you, sir?"
"Just some water," I answered, scanning the area behind him for Rouge's real target.
"Very well. I'll have those right out for you," he recited with a genial nod. Once he'd made his brisk departure for the kitchen, Rouge leaned in.
"This is going on the business tab. You sure you don't want something else to drink?"
Rather than look up, I simply leered at the list of entrees while I continued to review it. "If I'd wanted something else I would have ordered it."
"Okay, just making sure," she uttered somewhat defensively. "What about appetizers, you up for any of those?" My eyes jumped to the opposite side of the fold.
"…Maybe the pepper-stuffed mushrooms."
"I've tried those before, and they're a little too spicy for me. How about the black and blue corn chips with spinach artichoke dip?"
"Fine."
We sat primarily commenting and deciding on food in a similar manner until Marx returned with the drinks and we placed our orders. After that there was a stretch of silence while Rouge glanced attentively about and I withdrew into long-receded memories. I seemed to be triggering a number of those lately.
Once, years ago, I took Mercury to a restaurant called Rainforest Café, which in certain ways resembled the place I was at now, only with the addition of mechanically controlled animals and thunderstorms. He was only two at the time, and the dramatic displays proved too much for him. Whenever the elephants would start to bellow or imitation thunder crashed overhead, he'd be under the table, clinging to my leg as if his life depended on it. By the time I'd have him coaxed back out it'd start up again.
He trusted in me back then, to protect him. And now….
And now Rouge was staring at me. "So," she forced an awkward new conversation, "how's the kid?"
"Actually…" I somewhat sighed, "…I was hoping you could tell me."
"What do you mean?"
I considered my words. "He hasn't been home in almost two weeks now…and seeing that my own efforts are being hindered by the demands of my job, I could use a hand tracking him down."
"But," she struggled to understand, "he's about the right age to be getting out on his own, isn't he? Why do you feel the need to find him?"
"I have my reasons."
There was a hint of hesitation in her eyes, but she soon nodded. "All right. I'll use my resources to help you find your son, and we'll consider it a favor repaid."
"Right." I leaned back and took a lingering sip of water, feeling a bit more peace of mind. I began to consider telling her more, possibly even seeking an opinion, but in my silverware's reflection I could see Marx nearing with a tray in hand. Rouge, too, had noticed and altered her conduct accordingly.
"Okay," the harried echidna panted, setting the tray at the end of our table and placing the appetizer between us, "who had the spinach ravioli?"
"That'd be me," Rouge answered in a much more engaging tone. "And while you're here, I'd like to order another drink."
"Sure, what would you like?"
"Mmm," she pondered with a fingertip to her lips, "would you happen to have tequila?"
"As a matter of fact, we just started serving that last month," his eyes fought to remain on the dishes as he spoke until he'd safely transferred both. "Our version is just like the Earth kind, only ours has more worms."
She grinned wide enough to expose both fangs. "Sounds great."
"Very well. Is there anything else I can get you two?" With no further requests for him, he nodded and slipped the tray under his arm. "I'll be right back."
Once he was out of sight, Rouge directed her smile at me. "Can't leave him with too much free time, now can we?" Her straw slurped the last of her daiquiri as I glanced up from my pineapple salmon.
"What do you intend to do if you get what you came for?" I inquired between bites.
"Milk it for all it's worth, of course." One would think she was talking about a coconut, as sweet as her voice sounded at that moment. In contrast, her fork raked like beastly claws across her green pasta. "That's why I love my job. There are lots of restrictions, but the benefits far outweigh them," she assumed a more passionate edge. It seemed the alcohol was already having an impact.
She was still making suggestive comments when Marx returned with the tequila, and as she downed it throughout the meal they progressed from comments into half her life's story. Keeping track of the waiter appeared the furthest from her mind as she rambled thought to thought. "…But it's the impression people get, and I can see how they'd get that impression, that makes them end up treating me that way, and I know I'm not really like that, and you know I'm not like that, but they don't know until I show them, but then why should I have to show them, right? I'm not obligated to prove myself!" Her voice was noticeably louder than it needed to be, earning her occasional glances from surrounding diners. I'd stopped replying long ago; even when I had managed to fit the words in edgewise she'd either respond on the completely wrong page or as though she hadn't heard me at all. Instead I simply listened in relatively detached silence. "But I don't really care about all that," she carried on, "because people are gonna say and think whatever they want. I don't really care what people think, because it's what I think that matters in the end. But, what really gets to me, what really is just a slap in my face…" her volume suddenly tapered off, so low that I found myself leaning in with renewed interest, "…is when everything is good and, you know how it is when you think you have something a certain way," and she leaned in as well, shaking a rigid finger at me, "and then somebody comes along and just screws it up for you, takes it away, just because they can. That is just the biggest, dirtiest, most rotten, underhanded…." she trailed off huffing through tightly interlocked enamel, straining even in her borderline inebriation to contain the rage that threatened to burst out.
"Who's done this to you?" I ventured.
She snorted a laugh. "Why, you wanna go settle the score? Beat 'em up?" She didn't wait for me to answer before she slouched into more giggles. "That's what I've always liked about you, Shadow. The world craps all over you and you still fight for justice. And you're not afraid to make your own justice. You're a truly special guy, and I for one think you deserve better." Stuffing a piece of ravioli in her mouth, she fell silent for a minute, and I watched her amusement melt solemn as she chewed. "You know," she began again, barely audible, "I don't know if I'll be able to fix my own life, but I think that if we work together we can fix yours. Amy never would have left you if it hadn't been for Sonic's meddling, but we can help her see that you're the one who truly deserves her." She leaned closer and cupped a gentle hand to my cheek as I sat speechless. "And I truly believe you do."
I could only stare back at her the next few seconds, too stunned to say anything. Part of me wondered just how much the alcohol was doing the talking, but it was clear that she hadn't made it up. In the next breath something caught my eye; it felt as though everything was reduced to slow motion as I lunged backward, just in time to evade a massive fist that burst through the table where my face had been. Nearby diners scrambled for safety, and as I leapt out of my seat Rouge clutched the hand that had also narrowly escaped harm, screaming the assailant's name. "Knuckles!!"
"You keep away from my girl!" he shouted above the commotion. The table thrashed violently as he struggled to free his hand, refusing to give way until he propped his foot on top and tore it out with a growling heave. He was certainly strong, but I wasn't about to be intimidated.
Chaos flared about my fists. "You dare to challenge me?" The reason was irrelevant. I waited to allow him the next move; either he would back down now or face my full wrath. That was when Rouge stepped between us--looking awfully amused.
"Hold it, settle down, boys! There's no reason to fight!" Her head turned to face Knuckles. "You did break up with me, after all, so I do believe I'm free to date whoever I feel like!"
My ear crooked. Date?
And Knuckles stood huffing. "Wha-! B-but it wasn't because I wanted to!" Rouge returned a pouty shrug.
"Obviously you weren't that concerned about it!"
"How can you say that?!"
As the two continued their exchange, a spiteful fury began to well up within me as the realization sank in that I'd been used for her self-centered purposes. That, and what she'd said about Amy—the way everyone was nothing more than a pawn for her manipulation—triggered that propensity to make my own justice she'd praised me for moments ago. I took a step, grinding the shattered fragments of my platter into the earth, then thrust off several feet into the air. Knuckles gasped mid-sentence, barely able to bring up a fist in his defense before I slammed into him with a full-force homing attack. His body flew back from the impact, tumbling multiple times and toppling more chairs and tables before coming to rest face down, while Rouge shrieked in renewed terror. A fast growing crowd of echidnas gathered around Deep Marjimba, some shouting and some recording the action with their cel phones, but none dared interfere.
Glass cracked and crunched under my feet as I stalked after Knuckles at an almost casual pace, challenging him even as he struggled to lift his bloodied head. "Is that all you've got?" The tone of my voice spurred him to hasten his recovery efforts, but they weren't fast enough. Grabbing one of his quills in each hand, I slammed his face back into the ground, then yanked him overhead and hurled him another ten feet, where he devastated a second row of tables.
"Shadow!!" Rouge cried out. "Shadow, wait!" Sprinting over the mess to my side, she took hold of my arm in a desperate grip. "Don't hurt him! It was just a misunderstanding!" I turned to her with my most ferocious leer, causing her to snatch her hand away.
"He's interfering with our mission," I snarled, then marched forth to finish what I'd started.
Knuckles, meanwhile, had managed to get to his feet, spitting out a gob of blood before stumbling forward to meet me. Dense as he was, apparently he'd considered beforehand that it might come to this, and he was as prepared as I was to see it through. I stopped as he neared, awaiting his next move. After heaving a few bracing breaths, he lunged at me in a triple-punch combination that barely fell short of my evasive jump. From the air I launched another homing attack, but he was ready this time, repelling me with a forceful blow. I landed on my feet over a yard away. Instead of finding him waiting for me, though, all I saw now was a large hole in the ground. It wasn't long before I could feel the earth trembling beneath my feet; I leaped away as Knuckles came rocketing out, swinging wildly with those pointed fists. I attacked again when the shower of dirt cleared, and again he deflected me. When I landed this time he dove and burrowed a new hole—and I waited. I crouched with one hand spread on the ground before me, discerning his position from the vibrations as they quickly closed in. With only moments to spare, I held my position.
Hold it…hold it…and…NOW.
I sprang up at the exact moment he emerged, taking aim with an open hand as I summoned a torrent of Chaos. It discharged and struck its target at virtually point-blank range. Seconds later, Knuckles' body struck the ground with a single heavy thud, where it remained quivering in paralysis. I followed up with another fierce homing attack, and the whole crowd flinched as he was sent airborne once more. An old lady fainted.
As I approached him again, he coughed and stirred, and a broken arm crept out from his now heavily bleeding form. Impressive. Had I done that to Sonic, he more than likely would have been killed. The arm lifted, shaking hard, until his hand blocked my gaze from his sight. The final act of defiance.
Now Rouge rushed onto the scene again, this time throwing herself on top of the battered echidna. "Stop it!!" It seemed the stakes of her little game had dawned on her at last. She turned her face toward me, streaked with tears and smeared with Knuckles' blood. "Please stop! There is no mission; I just brought you out here to make him jealous!"
"And now he knows exactly for which gesture of selfishness and dishonesty he has paid the consequences," I stated in a hostile calm. "I warned you to stay out of my business once before. This time had better be the last." My eyes seared into her widened gaze a moment longer.
And then I left.
Unsurprisingly, my head was beginning to throb by the time I arrived home. I headed straight into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of pain killers from the cabinet. As I set it down and began with a weary yawn to fumble with the ridiculously difficult to open cap, a blinking blue light on the nearby answering machine stretched across my bleary vision. Normally I bothered with that device only about once a week, but since I was still awaiting contact from Mercury, I promptly reached over and depressed the PLAY button.
Amy's voice scratched from the economy speakers, "Hi, Shadow. Sorry to bother you again, but, uh, could you have Mercury give me a call when he can, please? I thought he was gonna come by the house today, but he never did. Please make sure he calls as soon as possible, okay? Thanks!"
I stood motionless, my head down and my fingers still curled around the cap of the bottle. My time had run out, as I knew it would. Now, even if I said nothing, she was going to know something was wrong. Rest was no longer an option. I had to find Mercury now.
Draped in the Mobius moon's silvery spillover, I swept along dirt trails through hay bale-dotted hillsides on what would be my third visit to Maple's farm since Mercury fled home. It was nearing midnight at this point, and the strong, cool breeze at my back did little to ease my weariness. I had only a few more miles to go when I glanced up to the sight of dark clouds brushing past the moon--just what I needed to make this miserable night complete. By the time the telltale oak came into view they'd grown so thick that they crowded half the sky. And then came a gut wrenching realization.
I wasn't looking at clouds.
Maple's home had been destroyed. Smoke oozed out where the door had been torn from its hinges, as well as from a gaping hole in the overhead garden where the ground had caved in, creating an eerie backdrop for the charred skeleton that remained of the once proud oak. Taking in the scene, I could only think of one thing.
"Mercury," clung to a frantic breath as I dashed to the fractured door and jerked it completely free, allowing more smoke to escape. It was still too thick to head in, so I ascended the ledge to check topside. But it was no use; I couldn't even see the floor for the smoke. My attention turned to the corroded cylindrical reservoir a few feet away that had housed the water supply to all of the home's faucets. Taking a couple of steps back, I jumped and executed a homing dash into the bottom edge of the basin. The impact left a leaky dimple in the metal. It did still have water. I smashed into it again, this time puncturing the surface enough that the liquid emerged in a slimy, putrid rush. I barely threw myself out in time to avoid flowing down into the house with it.
Within seconds it was over. Traces of smoke still rose from within, but I wasn't going to wait any longer. I plunged into the expanded opening, landing in a muddy stench with nothing but moonlight to see by. My hands felt my surroundings, mainly remnants of metal and blistered glass. From room to room, I stomached the foul odors permeating every inch in search of the one I feared most—but Mercury's scent was not among them. He had not perished in the blaze. I exited the former home coughing so intensely that tears fell from my stinging eyes.
What now? Had he even been responsible for this? As I stepped farther away from the door, I kept feeling a lump under my right skate. I turned the sole to face me and discovered a piece of glass wedged between the propulsion nozzles. It had the same consistency and pattern of purplish-black swirls as the fragments that had been in the apartment. Peering back toward the door, I noted a few more shards on the ground, shining brightly now that the moon was no longer hidden by smoke. This time I didn't have to think about it to know where they'd come from. They were proof of what I'd feared all along: Mercury was in growing danger. With no further leads, though, and Rouge unlikely to offer continued support, my only remaining option was to inform Amy of the circumstances.
I could still smell the smoke in my quills and tracked crumbs of dried mud across the carpet back at the apartment, but I didn't care. I was too tired and had too much on my mind for that. Slumping into the sofa and retrieving my cel phone from the end table beside it, I wiped the dust off onto my chest and flipped it open.
It was almost four-thirty in the morning. Amy was in all likelihood still asleep. If I called to tell her now, it'd be sure to send her into a panic…and that was the last thing anyone needed. On the other hand, it occurred, every hour might count at this point. Waiting until sunrise could prove to be a terrible mistake. As I sat there weighing the pros and cons of each decision, my body ended up making one for me. I passed out.
A warm sensation along the right side of my face eventually roused me from my slumber. As with every other time I woke since that day, my body immediately tensed and one thought flooded my mind: Where's Mercury? It didn't take long for the lingering odor of smoke to remind me of everything that had transpired the day before--and what I was supposed to be doing. I began to glance around and under me for my phone until I noticed it on the floor, glaring in the sun. The sun?! I snatched it up and checked the time. Nine fourteen. Freaking A.
Amy's number wasn't even listed in my contacts; I'd never gotten around to entering it. She was one of very few who ever called me, however, so it was easy enough picking her number out of the call history. Before pressing TALK, I paused to contemplate how much I should tell her, and how to word it. A few minutes had passed when I shook my head. At this rate, I was just going to fall back asleep. I proceeded to activate speaker mode and initiate the call, resigned to play it by ear. But it never rang.
A pre-recorded message blared, "Hi, this is Amy Rose! Sorry I missed your call, but if you leave me a message, I'll be sure to get back with you as soon as I can! Thanks!"
My thumb mashed the END button, and I sat in silence, troubled. Amy rarely shut her phone off. Had something else happened--or was I becoming far too paranoid? Had I been paranoid in checking Maple's farm? On that notion, the next course of action was obvious. I tossed the phone aside, ignoring it on my way out as it bounced off the couch to the floor.
Amy's house, I soon saw, was fine, but upon my arrival no one was home. Where could the entire family have gone on a Sunday morning? Oh, right. She'd invited me to go to church with her in the past, but I'd never felt comfortable enough to do so. Something about sitting on a bench singing songs and listening to a man talk about God seemed…unnatural. Not that my life ever quite fit the definition of normalcy.
I began pacing about the yard, lost in my thoughts, when a small shuttle bus pulled over across from the house and the hedgehogs I awaited stepped out. I could hear Misty's voice whining over the engine's chortle.
"How come we can't go to McDonald's?"
"I'm making chicken pot pie for lunch," Amy explained.
"But I want McDonald's!!"
"We'll go a little later, Pumpkin," Sonic assured her, like an obedient lackey. About that time he glanced up and noticed me in the yard. "..What's Shadow doing here?" he asked Amy, who quickly peered my way.
"I don't know; I wasn't expecting him," she mumbled back. "Hey, Shadow!"
He complemented her greeting with an amiable nod. "What's up?"
I met them at the front porch. "There's something important I need to tell you about." My eyes fell on Misty, who had suddenly ducked behind her father.
"He stinks!" she whispered a little too loudly. Judging by the look on Sonic's face, she wasn't the only one thinking that.
"Must be a pretty big deal if you came all the way out here at this hour," he reasoned as he received the key from Amy to unlock the front door. "Come on in and we'll get the cards on the table."
"Cards?" I echoed, taking on a dubious scowl. He chuckled.
"It's an expression. It means you share what's on your mind, and we'll do the same."
Once inside, Amy squeezed past us into the kitchen. "How come you didn't call, Shadow? Oh wait, I forgot to turn my phone back on! Duh!" She emerged after a few seconds with startup music playing in her hands. "So what'd you want to talk to us about?"
"Yeah, what's goin' on?" Sonic prodded, taking a seat on his recliner.
I stood in the midst of the living room, wishing this moment had never come. It felt surreal to hear the words coming out of my mouth.
"It's about Mercury."
Amy froze, her eyes fixed on me, and she spoke in a voice comparably stiff. "What about Mercury?"
I inhaled slowly. "…He hasn't been home in almost two weeks now." I could almost read the ten thousand questions racing through her mind. Sonic, on the other hand, appeared blank, as if awaiting further input, and Misty could be heard eating chips in the kitchen.
"W-what do you mean?" Amy stammered. "Where did he go?"
"I don't know. We got into an argument one day and I haven't seen or heard from him since." I decided to withhold the exact details of the incident. "I've been searching for him on my own, but I think it's time to step up the efforts."
"Wait a minute," Sonic spoke up, "doncha think you're kinda overreacting here? I mean, the kid is old enough to take care of himself now. Maybe he just decided it was time to strike out on his own. And besides, Amy, didn't you say he stopped by your store just the other day?"
My eyes flared at Amy, who quickly nodded.
"Yeah! Yeah, he did!" she confirmed. "He was looking for me, but I was out at the time, and that's why I thought for sure he'd stop by here yesterday, but he didn't call or anything! I knew that wasn't like him, but…now I'm scared…." She frowned at her phone for a second before flipping it open. "I'm gonna call Lydia and find out exactly what he said to her at the store!"
While she did that, I turned to Sonic. "Regardless of his intentions, it's important that I find him quickly." Before saying any more, I glanced aside to see Misty quietly retreating to her room and Amy tending to her own conversation. I then continued at a reduced tone, "I think he may be in danger."
Sonic squinted and whispered, "Why?" But the snap of Amy shutting her phone signaled the end of that subject.
"Okay," she breathed, "I talked to Lydia, and she said that Mercury just asked if I was there, didn't really say much, but that he didn't seem like himself. She's concerned about him too, and she said she'd be happy to come help look for him if we need help. You think I should ask her to come?"
"It would allow us to cover a wider area in less time, yes," I responded. Sonic nodded agreement, his expression notably more serious.
"Yeah, might be a good idea to track him down, just to be on the safe side. I can give Tails a call and see if he can help out too. We can cover all kinds of ground in his plane!"
I returned a nod. "Good." At last, I would have the eyes and resources necessary to make finding Mercury more promising than a shot in the dark. I just hoped it wouldn't be too late.
Lydia arrived at the residence a short while later, and while Sonic waited with Misty for Tails to show, Amy, Lydia, and I split up to check some key areas downtown. I'd checked them all myself over the past several days, of course, but at this point I knew he could be anywhere. After an hour we returned to the house, where a highly customized fighter jet perched in the driveway.
"Find anything?" Sonic asked as he opened the door, and I shook my head. "Well, Tails is here now, so we're just waiting on Amy to get back." In the living room, Lydia sat talking with the fox, as well as with a mouse whom I'd never seen before. As soon as he saw me he sprang anxiously to his feet.
"Hey, Shadow," he greeted, "uh, this is Cedar, the girl I told you about. She's come to help with the search." I glanced in her direction as she granted a shy wave.
Lydia addressed me next, "Mistuh Shadow, may I ask you a question about your son?" I approached quietly, and she went on, "On deh day dhat you last saw your son, what was it dhat you an' him were fighding about?"
"He--" I hung on the word briefly, "was angry because he thought I was ignoring him. I told him I was simply trying to go over the bills."
"An' dhen what?"
My fists tightened. "…He blew up after that." I turned from them and crossed my arms as I began to pace the room. "But that's besides the point now. All that matters now is that we find him."
She nodded, frowning, then resumed discussing search arrangements with the others. I wandered off toward the kitchen, from which I overheard Sonic consoling his daughter.
"I know I told you that, Pumpkin, but something's come up. We're gonna have to go a little later."
"That's what you said last time!" she huffed. "How long's it gonna be now?"
"I'm sure it won't take long. Who knows, maybe we'll be able to stop along the way!"
She stamped her foot. "We better!"
I rolled my eyes and turned just in time to see Amy come in the front door.
"Sorry I'm late getting back," she called on her way up the stairs. She shuffled into the living room and promptly seated herself beside Lydia. "I'm guessing nobody found anything, huh?" Then she noticed Cedar. "Oh, hello."
Tails got to his feet again. "Amy, this is Cedar the mouse; Cedar, Amy the hedgehog." His tails twisted together like two-tone string cheese as Cedar bid hello and Amy blinked at her somewhat blankly.
"Cedar…? --!!" All at once her jaw dropped as she snapped her bulging eyes back to Tails.
"She was with me when Sonic called and offered to come help," he added quickly.
Amy's mouth started to move, but for a few seconds only faint squeaks came out. "Uh…hh…th-thanks, it's nice of you to help people you've never met," she finally managed.
Cedar smiled. "Well, I did meet Mercury once." Amy's eyes flew wide again, and Tails gasped. Even I flinched.
"When? Where?" I demanded, striding quickly back into the living room.
"Er, about a week or two ago, at my half-sister's house," she informed us, suddenly unsettled. "He showed up while I was there and helped me clean up the place."
Tails cast a nervous glance to Amy, who seemed a bit relieved, but I was left with even more questions. A tense silence ensued until Lydia moved to speak.
"It seems dhat we all have run intuh him somewhere."
Enough talk. "Fond as I am of this little tea party," I addressed the group, "I'd say it's about time to get started."
Things unfolded somewhat rapidly from there. For our localized search, we all split up and combed designated sectors of the city, with Tails conducting an overhead sweep. Hours of systematic wandering passed, and after completing my sector I stood at the bottom of Russian Hill, our chosen checkpoint. It wasn't long before Sonic came literally rolling down the famed switchbacks of Lombard Street, with Misty close behind. The two launched themselves from the last turn and landed like cannonballs in the shrubbery nearby. I sneered at their trivial approach.
"Well," Sonic chuckled as he hopped out onto the street, "if Merc's still in Station Square, he's got a heck of a hidin' place!"
"We haven't heard from the others yet," I remarked.
"Actually, I already talked to 'em, and they haven't found anything either. You're the only one who didn't have your phone."
I flashed a subtle leer before turning away. "He's probably returned to Mobius."
"Ugh," Misty coughed as she trailed out of the bushes, brushing off her dress. "NOW can we go to McDonald's??" Sonic rubbed his chin.
"Ahh, what the heck. It'll prob'ly be another hour before the others show up anyway. Wanna come grab a bite to eat with us, Shadow?"
I didn't answer right away; another train of thought had crossed my mind.
"Shadow?"
I turned to them suddenly. "There's something I need to take care of. Give the others my report and tell them I'll meet them back at your place." Then, without waiting for a reply, I departed as fast as my skates would allow.
I paused to catch my breath at the eastern entrance of the Diamond Mill Mall, but with the entire place closing down for the evening, I couldn't afford to take more than a few seconds. Vacuums roared and flexible metal gates rattled closed all around as I hastened to the entrance of the security office. Nancee was gone already, of course, but Oscar sat in the muster room, rummaging through his locker. I peered past him to Randy's office, finding the door closed. He'd left already too.
Plucking a pen from Nancee's desk, I scratched a note on a piece of paper fished from the recycling bin, then folded it twice. When I stuffed the pen into a nearby canister the entire thing tipped over, spilling several writing instruments across the desk. Tsk. I proceeded on to Randy's door and, in a single motion, slipped the note underneath.
"Well hello there, Shadow," Oscar greeted, raising the possessions in his hand in substitution for a wave. "What're you up to at this hour?"
"I'm quitting," I replied bluntly.
"Is that right? Well then that makes two of us, 'cause I just retired. Movin' on to that janitorial position next week."
I snorted and returned a half smile. "Good luck with that."
"Thanks, Shadow. Good luck to you too!"
My smile spread to a devious peak as I passed through the reception area to the outer door.
And good luck with scheduling, Hag Hair.
My only order of business out of the way, I was heading for the mall exit when another familiar voice called my name.
"Hey, Shadow, wait up!"
I turned wearily, in no mood for the nosey tanuki. Knowing this was likely to be the last time I'd have to see her, I opened my mouth to snap some manner of repelling comment when I looked up and discovered that Raye was accompanying her. I ended up just standing there with my mouth hanging open.
At least Trixie didn't waste time on formalities. "There's something I gotta ask you about."
"If you're not busy," Raye appended on her friend's behalf.
"Actually," I finally found words, "I am." Trixie sighed and started fidgeting with her earrings.
"Guess it'll have to be tomorrow, then."
"Yes," Raye chimed in, "we'll see you tomorrow, Shadow." Even her apologetic smile glowed, leaving me feeling too guilty to walk away letting them believe I'd be back.
"No you won't," I confessed. "I just quit my job."
Both girls gasped.
"Why, what happened?!" Trixie demanded. Raye elbowed her in the side but followed with a question of her own.
"Is everything all right?"
At this point I was too exhausted to endure everything it would take in order not to tell them. "My son has gone missing, and I need to find him."
Raye popped a hand over her mouth while Trixie's voice shrank to a near whisper. "Oh my gosh…."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" the words were soft but sincere.
"Hey, yeah, how 'bout we come help look? We were just gonna go to the park but that can totally wait!"
My eyes jumped from one girl to the other. "You want to help search?" I asked, though it sounded more like a statement. Both eagerly confirmed, and I hesitated only for a moment, well remembering that this task was going to call for all the help I could get. "…Come with me."
The trip back to Amy's house took longer than anticipated; Raye always wore high heels to work, which were not too forgiving as running shoes. She bent over rubbing one aching foot, then the other, once we reached the front of the driveway. Trixie had been texting on her cel phone nearly the entire time, only looking up to see why we'd stopped.
"Whoa!" she exclaimed at the sight of the jet. "Is Tails here?"
"Yes," I replied, "there's a search party assembled inside."
"Oh good, then it's not just us."
Far from it. Counting the three of us, there were now nine individuals involved. The living room was much too crowded, so everyone gathered downstairs to further coordinate the search.
Sonic's face lit up as we stepped into the room. "Hey, Raye!" he projected over the noise, chuckling at his elite poetry skills. Suddenly all eyes were on us. Amy recycled the shocked face she'd worn when meeting Cedar.
Trixie merely blinked back at the crowd, but Raye instantly put on that dazzling smile. "Hello! We heard Shadow's son was missing so we came to help with the search." It seemed like everyone began talking at once after that. I lingered near the door while the girls mingled and became acquainted with the other guests. ..Hell, I'm talking like it was cocktail party instead of a search party, but that's what it almost felt like. We were just beginning to organize the breakdown of Mobius into sectors when a distinctive chime filled the room.
Sonic turned to Amy. "You expectin' someone else?"
"Oh," Trixie blurted out, plowing past everyone, "that's probably my sister! I'll get it!" She disappeared up the steps, as did Sonic. Seconds later, he breezed back into the room. Trixie soon followed, accompanied by not one but two more tanukis, the latter appearing about Mercury's age. Both were brought straight to me. "Here he is," Trixie told her sister, practically shoving her nose to mine. "This is Shadow the hedgehog, the security guard from the mall. Well, not anymore, since he just quit, but, you know. And, uh, Shadow, this is…uh…um…."
"Cocoa!" her sister supplied with an irked leer. Trixie broke into a sheepish laugh.
"Yeah, Cocoa! Sorry, I'm all worked up!" She fanned herself briefly with both hands, then mildly gripped the other tanuki's shoulders. "And this is Cinnamon, my niece. I told them what was going on, and they volunteered to help out too."
I had just nodded and thanked them when Raye's voice carried over the other conversations, "Cocoa, hi!" She waved to the tanukis, and they joined her on the far side of the room. I was thinking of squeezing into the crowd as well, primarily to assist with planning, when I felt an elbow jab my ribs. It was Sonic, flashing a conniving grin.
"When this is all over with," he buzzed, "I'm gonna set you up on a nice, cozy date with Raye so you two can get to know each other better!"
My eyes flew wide. "What?!"
"C'mon, don't tell me you don't think she's hot!"
"She's taken!" I hissed through my teeth.
"Not anymore; she split with that dirtbag mole! The coast is clear!"
I could only stare back after that, unsure what else to say. Finally I shook my head.
"I'm not here to discuss this!" I moved toward the table set up in the center of the room and attempted to view the map over Tails' shoulder. Sonic followed. "It's not like she'd take an interest in someone like me anyway," I found myself including.
"Psch! Sure she would!" He turned and tapped Tails on the shoulder, who jumped in his seat. "Hey, Tails! Don't ya think Raye would be a good match for Shadow?"
Tails blinked. "Raye? But…I…uhh…." His eyes darted to me, then he leaned in and mentioned to Sonic, "Remember what I said about Cedar?"
"Dude, does she even like him?"
Tails was quiet for a second, his cheek twitching. "…Maybe!" Sonic snorted at that.
"Well let's settle this right now!" He moseyed around the table to the sienna mouse while Tails waved his hands in a panic.
"N-no! Sonic!!"
"Excuse me," Sonic engaged Cedar, "I was just wondering, you think you'd like to go out with Shadow if he asked you out?"
By then I had turned away lest she know I was listening. I could hear the embarrassment in her stammering hesitation.
"Uh, w-well…I don't know…I don't really know that much about him…."
Trixie, who until now had been listening to another conversation, suddenly aired her two cents. "Shadow's not asking anyone out because he's slated to hook up with my sister!"
"Trixie!!" Cocoa shrieked, obviously mortified.
Sonic scoffed. "Why would he wanna go out with a tanuki when he has someone his own species?" he challenged Trixie, obviously referring to Raye.
"W-what?" Raye nearly choked.
A tense hush fell over the entire crowd, but the collective embarrassment was deafening. Sonic backed up a couple of steps to take in the entire horde of prospects.
"Man! This ain't a search party! It's a friggin' harem!!"
I couldn't remember the last time I'd wanted to kick his ass so badly.
"Has it occurred to anyone," I broke in, "that I might not even want another mate, or that I might want to make my own choices about whom I do and do not see?" All remained silent as I stormed to the door with only one more thing to say. "Whoever's actually here to help me find my son, come with me, and be prepared to move fast."
There was a lot of ground to cover, after all.
Author's Note: No, the story's not over yet! XD We're just now getting to the good stuff! Hope you've enjoyed the chaos (No pun intended!) so far; if you have any questions, comments, thoughts, and/or predictions, any at all, I'd totally love to hear 'em! Thanks again for all your patience and support, and happy new year to all!