Foray – a Sonic the Hedgehog/Sonic Underground crossover
11 - Intermezzo
Notes: I kickflip through your window and spike this chapter into your lap. "Time is an irrelevant construct," I call as I skateboard away.
WARNINGS: My writing style's changed a lot in the last year?
Dedicated to Katiemonz for kicking me to finally write this (my leg, she still throbs), my friend Yamiii for brainstorming with me into the wee hours of the morning, and the rest of the SSS Chat for the fantastic fun we've been having. (Now, we get back to hipster AU.)
Forward march!
...:Intermezzo:...
They didn't find the book, but Manic wasn't very forthcoming about what he was looking for. At the end of it all, all they got out of him was that it had a cover and pages and words and was probably written by someone. It was all very secret, this book of his, but Sonic didn't exactly have the right to call someone out on their secret keeping considering the fact that he had been dead for a few years to his family... Yeah, he was just gonna let this one go and let Manic figure it out.
Still, his brother seemed really bummed as they walked back to the palace. It was getting dark, the sun painting in the sky in thick brushstrokes of orange and pink, and only one of the moons was visible on the horizon, just at that level of darkness before the streetlights came on: dark enough that it was hard to make out fine details, but Sonic could still see the disappointment on Manic's face as he tried not to look downtrodden. His brother kicked at the ground as he walked but answered Tails's gentle prods as the fox buzzed around him.
"I can look it up online if you know what it's called." Tails was trying to be helpful. He looked exhausted from the day's nonstop flying, but he was sending Manic's looks that said that his gently-forming hero-complex (to match Sonic's own) needed to fix this small problem. He probably wouldn't give up until he found the damn book and had it droned in.
Manic shook his head and scuffed his foot along a crack in sidewalk. "It's rare. I've only seen it once in my life. Hell, Mom's library doesn't have it, and you've seen how many books she has!"
Tails cast a look at Sonic, one of those we have to do something looks that usually ended with Sonic doing fundraising for some poor Girl Scout or crawling under someone's sink to play plumber. The kid had a bleeding heart that always landed Sonic right into the middle of things that were not his business.
Okay, but this was his business wasn't it? Manic was his brother and if he was this bothered by the book, he'd find it for him. Being the Hero of Mobius meant he had incredible reach after all. All he had to do was get in contact with a few people and—
"Don't worry about it," Manic cut in. "I don't need it that bad. It was mainly curiosity. It can wait."
Tails relaxed at that—Sonic saw his shoulders slump, that was how tense he was. "You sure?"
Manic nodded firmly. "Absolutely. We should focus on other things."
Tails smiled, a bright thing that made Sonic feel a bit better even as Manic looked back at his feet. "If you say so bro..."
They walked on in silence, Tails casting looks between Sonic and Manic so maybe he wasn't as fooled as he made it seem. Sonic, for his part, held his head up and smiled at the the people they passed, trying to act as normal as a risen prince, his two-tailed, helicopter sidekick, and depressed brother could seem.
o0o
*Modulation:*:Roll*
Okay, so Manic lied. Big time, pants on fire lying. He found the book within the first fifteen minutes of searching. It was in one of the unsorted piles, probably because where would you even begin to file a book like this on a shelf, and he pulled it right out. He's not happy about it, but he panicked and straight up stole it after that. Stashed it right in a hidden pocket in his vest. Luckily it was a smallish book so it didn't bulge.
Deed thus done, he then had to pretend to continue to look, all the while his inner thief was singing with the thrill of it and the book was bashing against his chest as he moved. One of the little kids started giving him the eye, as if they knew what he had done and he'd been forced to avoid him. Then, of course, he lost track of which twin it was, so he had to avoid them both. It was nerve-racking, especially because Tails kept asking him probing questions like who wrote the thing and what was it called. Granted, it was stuff he knew, but it wasn't stuff he wanted them to know. Why oh why did they have to be in the shop when he walked in? He wants to know more about Sonic, but he doesn't want Sonic to know he's doing it—at least not until Manic has something to show for it.
Maybe it's because he's still conditioned to the Sonic of before, but he really can't stand the thought of Sonic finding out about his prying like this. Chaos seems to be something both he and Tails keep close to their chests, and if they don't want to talk, it must be important considering how much they blabber on about everything else. Plus, Sonic used to be a shark when it came to his secrets. Tug at them at your own risk; you might get the teeth.
Or, maybe it's just the Sonic of now. Something about his welcoming, warm personality makes Manic want to prove something to him. Hell, even Tails does it. The fox practically preens when Sonic compliments him as if it's some big accomplishment. Sonic just has that effect on people. Please him and you'll be rewarded with that smile, the one that makes you feel like flying.
So he stole the book. He's not proud of it, but he did it. Now, at least, he can try to begin to figure this out. He wants to get to the bottom of these headaches—even if they've gone away for the time being, he has a sick feeling in his gut that they'll be back—and he wants to make Sonic proud more than anything. At his core, he's still Sonic's desperate younger brother. For all his slacker joking, he really has always worked hard to make Sonic proud. Now that he's back, Manic can feel that urge resurfacing and it makes him feel good, driven, like he has a purpose.
The walk back was tumultuous because he was probably laying it on a bit thick. Tails seemed genuinely concerned as if Manic was going to fall into a depressive spell right in front of him, but he was trying to convince them that he was upset about not finding the book. They clearly bought it, even if they kept glancing at him sideways. That was probably because he was acting too upset. Well hell, he wasn't an actor. What do you want from him?
He peels off from them as soon as they get to the palace, citing a headache—not a lie. All this subterfuge (against two people who were far better at it and good at seeing through him too) really was making his head hurt.
He practically bolts to his chambers when they're out of sight, blowing past servants as he goes. He slams the door behind him, heart hammering, because finally, after all this time, he has it. The cover is purple, etched with unfamiliar runes, and the title is written in small, flowing, gold script. Blessed, Touched, and Siphon, the Forgotten Chaos Classes by Edward Grant.
He can feel his heartbeat in his fingertips as he reaches to open it. This is it. This is it.
He throws the cover back, flips a few blank pages, catches sight of the table of contents, and his heart sinks. A few more page flips to random pages reveals much of the same.
Gently, slowly, with the presence of mind of a man heading to the electric chair, he closes the book and sets it down. Then, he throws himself onto his bed, buries his face in the sheets, and groans.
Of course. Of course it's written in a language he doesn't recognize! Of course!
He groans again, closes his eyes, and has to bite his lip to keep from crying out of pure frustration.
o0o
...Maestro...
The next day, Sonic was finally confronted with the dreaded etiquette class. After everything, he'd honestly forgotten, and now with Manic sadly moving around because of some book he claimed was cursory reading, he doesn't want anything to do with it. He'd much rather be helping Tails look for the thing using every avenue possible, including hitting up every single library on the planet. But first, they have to find out which damn book it was didn't they? And Manic wasn't talking.
Until then, Sonic had to pretend things were as normal as they could be, and that included the asinine schooling he was "required" to take.
The thing about the etiquette class was that Sonic had every intention of showing up for the first class. Granted, he was going to show up late—around hour three of the five-hour ordeal—but he was planning on being there. He owed his mother that much after all she had done for him. (Plus, he wanted to make her happy, as much as he hated to admit it.)
The problem was that Torin Cleary kept changing the damn day and time on him. One second it was next Tuesday at one in the afternoon, the next it was shifted to Wednesday at nine in the morning (which was illegal proceedings in Sonic's mind; his mom clearly said etiquette was a Tuesday affair). He was always parsed some gentle reminder that Mr. Cleary is a busy man, Sonic, with responsibilities, which was always met with a snarkedthey're still using you as a messenger, aren't they Scott?
Finally, finally, they agreed on Friday at ten in the morning with a break for lunch. Ha, perfect. He could saunter right in after a meal with the fam.
What he didn't count on, of course, was Torin Cleary's absolutely short patience. He wasn't at lunch and the look the queen passed Sonic was one that would probably send a weaker child running for cover. As it was, Sonic was quaking in his boots. Er, sneakers.
"Torin is attending to more important business, Sonic, seeing as you couldn't be bothered to show up," she informed him shortly, though Sonic could just see her smile behind her glass as she took a drink. "But, there is someone else who would like to meet with you, if you wouldn't mind going to the atrium."
He acquiesced easily because he's already caused enough trouble. (This was new for him, the no trouble thing. It was really putting a damper on his chill with the breeze attitude, this worry and awareness of how his actions were received.) The queen seemed pleased and she turned to question Manic about his moping, now a whole day strong, but Sonic's brother was mum about the whole book thing. Sonic and Tails stood in solidarity with him and didn't say a word either.
So, after the eating was finished, Sonic zipped right to the atrium as requested after dropping Tails off in his new workshop (really, it was nothing more than a cast off room in the west wing a few halls over from the bedroom they had claimed, but for Sonic's sanity Tails had agreed to move all of the very loud drills and hammers and the dangerous machinery there until further notice), and it was only while he was pushing the very large doors open that it occurred to him to wonder just who would want to meet with him—the black sheep, self-exiled ex-prince.
(Also, Hero of Mobius. But only on weekends these days)
"Ah, it's been a long time Sonic." The voice was old and familiar. So familiar in fact that it hadn't changed in all the years that Sonic had known it's owner. "All comes in time, however."
The Oracle of Delphius was seated on one of the settees, the sunlight highlighting the strange shadows caused by the folds of his skin. He waved one claw in Sonic's direction to draw him in, and the hedgehog tentatively moved toward him, walking as if he was painfully aware of his feet.
He stopped a good yard away. "Nice to see ya, Orc." He placed his hands on his hips as he faced him fully. "Been a while. You haven't aged a day."
The Oracle laughed. "And you are as cocky as ever. It's nice to see you alive, after Seeing you for so long."
Sonic, who had had a good many run-ins with the Oracle, knew exactly what he meant, even through his strange phrasing. (That, and having to translate Tails's technobabble for years had given him a sixth sense when it came to context clues.) "Hm, well, I guess I should thank you for not telling my family. Too bad about your prophecy though."
The Oracle tensed, just there, in the hunch of his back. "Yes..." He hummed. "Well, it may well come to pass. I have come too late to stop you from giving up the crown, but I must beseech you, Sonic. Remain with your family."
It was Sonic's turn to tense. "No offense Orc, but if you Saw all the stuff that I did while I was gone, you'd know that I can't do that."
"I know of your heroics, yes, but I have come to warn you. Please... If you leave, a great misfortune will befall them."
Sonic had never really believed in any of that prophecy nonsense. It was a bit too screwy for him, a bit too up to the interpretation of the seer. He was a very much a worldly, sensory person—didn't believe anything unless he could see it with his own eyes. Still, his mom seemed to believe in this stuff, so maybe he should give the Oracle a chance. "Care to elaborate?" he managed, trying to be maintain the pleasantry the royalty expected. This man had been a friend of his family's for a long time, after all.
"I cannot say. It will not become clear until you make your decision—"
"Orc, until you started talkin' to me, there wasn't a decision. This was never a permanent thing. You should have no problems Seeing anything."
The look the Oracle sent him could have curled milk and Sonic took a few metaphoric steps back. Right, right, probably shouldn't tell the seer how to... seer. Especially because he was like a thousand years old. Really, he should be good at this by now, if he was that old.
"I assure you, Sonic, there is a choice to be made. The same way you had to choose between using the seven Chaos Emeralds in your first large battle with Dr. Robotnik on South Island. Great power comes at a cost, does it not? Knowledge is the same. If I give you too much, it will cloud your judgement."
That struck Sonic right between the eyes. Seven...
His mind whirled with it. Seven. Seven. Seven. South Island had only seen six Emeralds and the tantalizing possibility of Super Sonic hadn't existed. Of course, every retrospective news article done about him after the events on Westside Island had included Super Sonic—or the lack thereof—often toting some great denial narrative. Sonic the Hedgehog Tempted by Chaos Emeralds, Refuses Their Song. But, there hadn't been a choice then.
He shook his head and deliberately looked the Oracle right in the eye. "I guess you're right," he said slowly, numbly, feeling the consonants with his teeth. "We wouldn't want my decision making to be swayed by too much information."
The Oracle looked pleased. Sonic felt his headache tumble out of its hibernation and blink into the light. A gentle throb began at the base of his skull.
"Excellent," the Oracle clasped his claws in front of him as he stood. "I hope that Fate will guide you to the right decision."
"Yeah..." Sonic's head was lightly beating the bass drum, but the rest of the kit was to come. He looked up to focus. "You too, Oracle."
The Oracle chuckled low in his throat. "I assure you, Fate and I are good friends."
Then, he teleported away in a flash of light that left Sonic seeing spots. He groaned and put a hand against his head, right over the epicenter of the percussion concert. "Man, what the hell..."
Intermezzo: short movement or interlude connecting the main parts of the composition.
In the past year, I have graduated from college with a Bachelor's Degree in English, applied to and gotten into a Master of Fine Arts program for creative writing, written 250k words of practice, and gotten a job. Grad school is destroying my free time, but I am still alive.
If you're interested in what I've been up to creatively, please don't hesitate to go check out Sylvania School of Magic, a Sonic-at-Hogwarts AU that Katiemonz, Yamiii, and I are working on. (There aren't any Harry Potter characters and we've changed the world a lot. It's more like a Sonic world has magic and a magic school AU.) The link is on my blog. Please come by and say hi! We've been working really hard on it and would love some feedback!
Thanks for hanging on with me for so long. Hopefully, we'll see each other before 2018.
(If I owe you a PM reply, I'm getting there. I'm about 3 months behind.)
Reviews are cherished, as always.