A/N: Oh, boy. Is everyone okay? Hopefully Pen and Sword haven't hurt anyone. Ooo, that's a nasty burn, sir. Don't worry. You're safe now.
Sword: Eat lead! *shoots a minigun at Pen outside*
Relatively speaking. So how about another chapter? Okay, first things first. Tails, Cream, and all related material belong to Sega. Snively belongs to Archie. Beauty and the Beast belongs to Disney and Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Sword, Pen, and the story belong to me and the story was requested by soul96961. Thank you and thank you to alienlover64, kingjohnson424, Lilly The Omega Wolf, TailsLovesCream, Mygrane, and DaddlerTheDalek for their reviews. Now please enjoy the story in this new fallout shelter we built for you. *puts on helmet and marches outside*
Chapter 14- Caught in the Blast
The laboratory was deserted, save for the Love Harness and the rubble from Tails' impact in the wall. Robotnik scanned the room, cocking an eyebrow, and snorted. "Where is he?" Cream shrugged and he ordered a drone to sweep the room. They entered the lab and he stayed in the middle, still with his gun against Cheese's head. Cream was thankful the little Chao was unconscious. He would've been terrified otherwise.
"Hm, what have we here?" Robotnik said, moving to the machine connected to the Love Harness and admiring the Chaos Emerald. It glowed green, highlighting his fat chin. Vector glanced sidelong at Cream, then at the drone guarding them, asking her opinion. If someone could distract the drone, two others could tackle Robotnik and get the gun.
However, Robotnik decided against messing with the Chaos Emerald and turned around before they had a plan hashed out. "I know you're in here," Robotnik said to the empty room. "Come out and I'll let your girlfriend go." No movement and the drone finished its sweep at one end, then started searching the Love Harness side of the room. "You have until ten. One." The drone on Cream warmed up its laser. "Two."
Please don't come out, she silently begged as she stared into the red center of the barrel.
"Ten."
"I'm here," Tails said, standing up from behind the machine with the Chaos Emerald. Robotnik directed him over to the group with his gun.
"So you're the infamous beast," he said, giving him a once over and chuckled. "This has certainly been one strange day."
"Please let them go," Tails said. "We'll all leave quietly. You can have the castle, but let everyone go."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Robotnik said. "See, I promised my people the head of the 'dangerous beast.' And I can't start my rule as king with a lie, now can I? Besides, a squatter like you must know all the ins and outs here. You'll come back for revenge when I least expect it."
From the stairway, Cream caught sight of a familiar chameleon hiding in the dark. Right behind him, her mom put her finger to her lips. Vector and Tails had noticed them too. But with Robotnik's position, he would see them out of the corner of his eye if they came down the stairs any further. "He's the rightful prince, not a squatter or a pretender like you," Cream said, standing tall and getting his attention.
"Even more reason to eliminate him," Robotnik said.
"You do that," she said, moving the group around Robotnik, "and his servants will come after you."
"Oh, I think my drones can handle some cheap furniture."
Now his back faced the stairs, but one of the drones could still spot Espio before he got close enough to Robotnik. They needed something more. Cream tried moving Tails and herself further from the stairs and stood in front of him. "If you want to get him, you'll have to go through me."
"And me," Vector joined in.
"And me," Charmy said, albeit more nervous and with his knees knocking like billiard balls. It wasn't enough to get the other drone to turn.
"Fine by me," Robotnik said. "Cut them down." A drone aimed at them and its laser charged.
At that moment, a yelp and a crash echoed down the stairs and a black orb rammed into the problematic drone, crashing into it and sending both slamming into the wall. "The Scout Master!" Cream said. "How?" On top of the shifting pile of robots, a small, rain-soaked body collapsed, groaning and flopping over. He rubbed his long, sharp nose and sat up, shaking his head.
"Snively!" Robotnik's voice thundered and his nephew rattled like Charmy.
"Sir," he said, gulping.
"What on Earth are you doing here?"
He brushed flecks of stone off his clothes and out of his frazzled hair strands. Then he scowled and straightened up. "I—"
"You incompetent fool!" Robotnik said, cutting him off. "First, you let these miscreants go and now you bungle—"
"Shut up!" Snively yelled, squeezing his eyes shut and stomping his foot. "I can't take this anymore! You've gone too far with this! We weren't supposed to kill people!" He marched up to Robotnik and stood on his tiptoes. "And I am not taking one more order from you, Sir."
Dead silence stifled any noise in the room for several long moments. Then Robotnik cleared his throat and nodded to the other drone. "Oh, yes you will," he said as the other drone focused its laser. "I command you to die."
Espio sprang into action, flinging a handful of kunai at the hovering drone. It went down and then he leapt for Robotnik. The large man was already running fast to the other side of the room. Tails, Cream, Vector, and Charmy joined in the chase. "Fire!" Robotnik yelled.
The crashed drone on the ground rolled its barrel toward them, knocking off the broken Scout Master. Snively tried to push the barrel off to the side, but it was too late. The beam shot forth, aiming into the group, right at Charmy.
The boy's eyes dilated and the frozen fear etched on his face paralyzed him as the beam rapidly approached. In the blink of an eye, Espio jumped in front of him, taking the bee to the ground and the brunt of the blast as the laser traced a line upwards and over his back, and singed Charmy's wings. Two painful cries, then they tumbled to the ground, falling against the machine with the Chaos Emerald.
"Espio! Charmy!" Vector said. But there was no time. The drone kept firing, hitting the Love Harness. It crackled to life and the Chaos Emerald doused the room in a bright flash, blinding them all.
Robotnik grabbed Vanilla in the confusion and shoved her into the Love Harness. "No!" Vector shouted, chasing after her. The laser fired, hitting his shoulder and he slowed down. Robotnik whacked him from behind and forced him into the Love Harness too, slamming the tube shut.
Tails and Cream sought cover behind the Chaos Emerald's machine while Snively stomped on the drone. Vector beat on the glass, ramming his shoulder into it. "Get this thing open!" he said. Tails stood and fiddled with the machine, trying to repair the wiring, but it was going haywire, building up more and more power.
"Vector," Charmy said, whimpering on the floor.
Vector knelt to his level. "Hey, Charmy. Look at me. Look at me. It's okay."
"Vector," he said, gulping on his tears. "It hurts."
"I know, I know," he said, shushing him and patting the glass. "I know it does." He beat on the glass for Espio "Hey, Espio." The burn on his back had charred his skin black and he didn't respond. Cream tried to rouse him and nothing happened. "No."
Click! Ker-pow! Snively stopped kicking the drone and doubled over, clutching his chest. From the other side of the room, Robotnik raised his smoking gun and wore a satisfied grin. Snively fell behind the robot, gasping for air, his breaths becoming raspy.
"Anyone else?" Robotnik asked.
The drone faced Cream, Tails, and Charmy. Suddenly, they heard a crunching noise, followed by a string of curses. "Ow! Let go, you little monster!" Cheese had woken up and latched tight to Robotnik's finger by his teeth. The mayor swung him around, trying to shake him off to no avail. He tried firing at him, but Cheese jerked his little body this way and that, dodging the shots. "Shoot this thing!" he told the drone, then ducked under a beam. "Don't hit me, you scrap bin!"
Espio hissed for Cream. "Hey," he said, barely moving. He pushed his remaining kunai over to her, grimacing as he stretched his arm. "Take these. Get Charmy out."
"What about you?" she asked.
"Forget me. Save him."
"Espio." Charmy crawled over Cream and closer to his friend. "No. I won't leave you guys."
"You have to," Vector said, sitting on the floor of the Love Harness.
The machine was running at full power now. Tails plopped back onto the floor, shaking his head at Cream. Despite his best efforts, there was no shutting down the Love Harness. If under normal circumstances, it nearly killed the user, then going out of control would—
Vector already knew the answer, as did Vanilla. When Cream saw it in all three of their eyes, she joined Charmy.
"No," she said. "We can get you out. Tails could," then she remembered how injured he was. "Well, I could disable," but Tails knew the Love Harness better than her. "I won't leave you!"
"Honey, please," Vanilla said. "You have to leave before you're caught in the blast. Leave the castle. There's no telling how big it will be."
Tears pricked Cream's eyes and she hit the Love Harness. She spread out her hands, willing herself to phase through the glass and grab them both. "Please. Don't make me do this."
"You have to."
"No," she said, wracked with tears and pounding on the glass. Charmy dissolved into a blubbering mess and buried his face in Espio's back. Tails laid a hand on Cream's shoulder, but she shrugged him off, refusing to leave her mother and everyone alone to die. It wasn't fair. "I can't," she said, shaking her head. "I can't leave you."
"Honey," Vanilla said, bending down. She traced her fingers along the glass, lifting Cream's chin up. "You're a strong, capable woman, moreso than I am, and I'm very proud of you for that. I need you to be strong for me one last time." She smiled, the same warmth and love emanating from her that Cream had always taken comfort in. That had strengthened her from childhood. "Please, be strong and live for us. Can you do that?"
Cream couldn't look at her any longer, the knowing between them that that smile would soon be destroyed forever. She bowed her head and nodded against the glass. "I love you," Cream said, her voice cracking.
"I love you too," she said, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Now go."
"You got this," Vector said, crossing her arms and offering a heartfelt smile.
Cream wiped her eyes and hoisted Charmy into her arms. Tails spared one last look at Vanilla and Vector. "They'll be safe."
"Thank you," she said, then she turned to Vector and he wrapped his arms around her.
Cream fingered the kunai, watching the drone. She considered asking Charmy to throw some, but he was too far gone, so she handed half of the kunai to Tails. "Ready when you are," he said. She lifted hers and threw them as hard as possible. Tails followed suit as the drone finished charging another beam.
Plink, plink, tink, bap, bap! Most missed their mark, but a couple found the drone's center and embedded in it. It fizzled, the laser still glowing hot, then the barrel exploded, showering everyone in bits of flaming metal.
"No!" Robotnik yelled and finally flung Cheese off. Cream and Tails dashed out of cover, the latter snatching up Cheese, and they fled up the stairs. Robotnik gave chase, firing at them nonstop.
In the foyer, Cream and Tails traded their loads and ran smack into the middle of the three guard drones blocking the front doors. The drones swiveled to face them, forgetting the mass of servants. That was all it took. Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy led the attack on the drones, clobbering them.
"Everyone! Get out of here! The place is going to explode!" Tails yelled. A gunshot sailed over his head and Robotnik stood between them and the fight with the drones, cutting off their escape. Tails and Cream hurried up the stairs and to her tower. "Get out now!"
Robotnik followed close behind, shooting any servant brave enough to stand in his way to pieces. He rescued one drone from the battle and together, they chased after Tails and Cream.
Tails stopped two-thirds of the way up the tower and smashed open a door, leading to the slick roof's paths. "Come on!" he yelled, dragging Cream along. The parapets lining the wall did little so stop the pouring rain. He dragged her to one of the other towers and to a closed door. "Get in," he said, punching a hole through the door. "I'll hold him off." He set down Charmy, who stood leaning against the stone, and stuck his hand in, searching for the lock.
"I'm not going to leave you!" Cream shouted.
A laser cut between them, blasting through the door. Tails quickly flung it open, threw Charmy inside, and stood in front of Cream. Two shadowy, misshapen figures appeared in the rain and slowly took form. Robotnik wiped his face and held his pistol straight, aiming for Tails' heart, and the drone backed him up.
"I must say, you two are quite the nuisances," he said. "All the better for me. They'll speak about my cunning and ingenuity. How I single-handedly took down a ferocious beast and his castle."
"You're a murderer," Cream said.
"Name me one future king who hasn't gotten his hands dirty," Robotnik said. "And not your boyfriend there. He's a pitiful dog is all he is. I gave you all fair warning about defending him."
"Run," Tails whispered as Robotnik's finger eased on the trigger.
"No," she said. "I'm not leaving you alone."
"Any last words?" Robotnik asked.
A wrathful scream broke out behind Cream and Charmy burst through the pair, bowling her and Tails over. He beat his battered wings, flying right into Robotnik and the drone, knocking them both over and Robotnik's gun out of his hand.
"Not very articulate," Tails said.
"Works for me," Cream said. "Tails, get the drone!" She dashed for the gun, leaping and snatching it as Robotnik's finger wrapped around it.
They stood, both struggling for the gun. Robotnik easily overpowered Cream, twisting her fingers backwards, so she followed with a kick below the belt. "You'll pay for that," he said, gritting his teeth and whipping her this way and that.
Tails grabbed the drone on its recovery and snapped its barrel off. He lifted it high and slammed it onto one of the parapet's pointy ends, driving it through the shell and killing the drone instantly.
Robotnik spun Cream around harshly, finally breaking her grip. She stumbled backwards, yet stabilized herself and ran for Robotnik. She focused on Robotnik, ready to stop his madness and keep him from hurting anyone else. Therefore, Tails saw the gun level before she did. However, she felt the bullet before he yelled, "No!"
"I can't hear anything," Vector said, craning his ear. Not that he could hear much before over the machine anyway. Pieces kept bursting off of it, exposing crackling wires and showering the floor in sparks. He turned to Vanilla and sat beside her. "I'm sure they made it out."
She smiled. "I know." Her lips quivered and Vector pulled her into him, hiding her tears as they stained his chest. "Sorry," she said, drying her eyes and blinking rapidly.
"Nothing to be sorry for," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Espio grunted and dragged himself over to the Love Harness, his face twisted and contorted in pain. He flopped against the base, hissing as his burns touched the cold metal. "If I had another kunai, maybe you could pry that open," he said.
Vector looked at their prison. "Something tells me it's sturdier than that."
Clink, dink, dink! A kunai clattered to Espio's feet and everyone turned to the destroyed drone. Snively lay draped over it, half-conscious, but alive for the moment. "There you go," he said, wheezing and short of breath.
"Thank you." Espio picked up the kunai and wedged it in the crack of the capsule's glass, trying to force it to Vector. It wouldn't budge and he gave up. "Worth a try." He shielded his eyes as more sparks burst out of the machine's openings, making the shell jump.
"I'm sorry," Snively said. "About all of this. If I had known my unc—the mayor was going to do this, I wouldn't have helped him. I'm sorry."
"You didn't do this," Vanilla said. "This was all Robotnik. You helped save my daughter and Charmy. For that, we're very grateful." Snively's jaw dropped and he slowly buried his nose in the crook of his arms, sighing to himself.
Vector scratched his snout and watched the machine blow off another panel that struck the capsule. Vanilla yelped, then settled down and shivered against Vector. "Not long now," he said, looking at her. There was an itch scraping at his heart that wouldn't leave him alone when he studied her beautiful eyes. But anxiety and nerves held him back. Yet their ropes were snapping, setting him free as the machine neared its breaking point.
Not like it'll matter one way or the other in a few minutes. May as well do it. He took a deep breath, puffing his chest. "Vanilla," he said, "there's something I've been meaning to tell you." Espio raised his head in surprise. "I had hoped to tell you under different circumstances, but if I don't say it now, I'll never live to regret it." He chuckled, then bowed his head. "Sorry, bad joke."
"It's okay. What is it?"
She listened with rapt attention and he couldn't bear to stare straight at her, so he faced ahead. "You and Cream mean the world to me and I care about you two deeply." Stop stalling. Just say it. "And ever since we met, I've always felt this way. But as I've gotten to know you more and more, it's grown and, well, Vanilla, I," he banged the back of his head against the glass, "the way I feel—what I mean to say is—you and I—"
She held a finger to his lips and kissed them softly. Sparks exploded all around and inside of them. Vector cupped her cheek and when they parted, she leaned into his hand, then held it in her own, smaller ones. "I love you too," she said. "You're adorable, clumsy, but you always have your heart in the right place and you're so kind. You're a strong, wonderful man." She reached up and brushed his snout and he exhaled, enjoying the warmth.
"And you are an amazing woman," he said. A bold idea took hold and as the capsule rocked to the shocking blasts, he grabbed her hand. "I wonder if you might have done me the honor of being my wife?" Her eyes widened and his heart sank, piercing a hole in his stomach. No, no, no. You ruined it! Backpedal, backpedal! "What I mean is—"
"Yes," she said, her eyes swelling with tears. "If you would do me the honor of being my husband and a father to Cream."
He kissed her again. "Nothing would make me happier." A large portion of the machine's shell fell against the capsule and the Chaos Emerald glowed brighter. "I just wish this wasn't the end."
"Not really a bad end," she said. "I'm lucky to be surrounded by family and friends at the end," she said, looking to Espio, then Snively in turn. The little man seemed as shocked as his hairs were. "Yes, you too. You're just as much a part of us."
He sniffed and wiped his nose. "Thank you," he said. "I'm happy to be so."
"See?" she said as the emerald blinded the room is a white-green hue. "Not such a bad end."
"We can make it better," he said, leaning in for one last kiss as everything went white.
"We did it!" Knuckles shouted above the crowd as the last drone went down. The servants cheered and raised their heads high. They had survived the onslaught and come out on top. The battle was theirs. "Settle down. Everyone, please leave the castle as the prince said. Please, you're still in danger."
"But what about the prince?" one servant said. "We need to find him and Cream! Make sure they made it out!"
"And Robotnik!" another added.
"I can handle that," Knuckles said. But the servants refused to leave and stood fast "We can't have everyone running around and getting lost. You people need to get to safety. The prince would want that."
"Either we all leave, or none of us do," someone said. The crowd agreed and nodded their sentiment.
"Looks like you're outvoted," Sonic said from the front of the crowd.
With a heavy sigh, Knuckles conceded. "Fine. Where did they go? Up the stairs? Let's get them. Meet back here in five minutes. If we haven't found them by then, we'll assume they made it out. I'm pretty sure the prince is capable of finding a way out of his own castle. Agreed?" He split off the group into sections and directed them to different areas, leaving one group behind to tend to the wounded and take them outside.
Knuckles led his own charge upstairs while Sonic hung back, sporting a busted wheel. "We'll catch up," Amy said, staying behind with him. When they were alone, she opened her oven door for him. "Alright, let's see it."
"Amy, it's fine."
"Uh-huh, sure. I saw you limping earlier. How did it happen?"
He bounced onto her open door, then onto the burners. "I got a little reckless is all," he said, showing the cracked wheel. "I'll be fine."
"Please get Tails to look at it as soon as possible."
They locked eyes for several moments, both of them noticing how quiet and deserted the foyer was. "So, still need to burn off some steam?"
"Nah, I think I'm tapped out," she said.
"Good. Because I plan to make good on our date," he said, nuzzling into her knobs.
"Sonic," she said, drawing his name out in a whine and giggling. "That tickles."
"I know," he said.
"You promise you won't forget this time?"
"Promise," he said, pecking her. "Sealed with a kiss."
She returned a kiss. "A sneak peek of what's to come?"
"Of course," he said, going in for her puckering lips. As he did, a flash erupted from the stairwell to the laboratory and Sonic shielded her face as a colorless rushing wave washed over them.
"Sonic!"
"Amy!"
A warm sensation mixed with a surprising chill crept into Cream's chest. Her breath grew short and she collapsed, fighting hard to breathe. The rain pounded her eyes and she blinked, barely able to see anything. She did hear a lot. Heard her heartbeat go into overtime. A ringing in her ears. Footsteps splashing in small puddles. And insults and guttural, beastly roars intermingled between punches, slams into a wall, painful-sounding bone snaps, and tortured shrieks. "You monster," Robotnik said, amidst agonizing strings of moans. "I'll kill you. Ooo, ow, ow, agh, I'll kill you all."
Finally, a heavy load collapsed into a pool of rainwater beside her and two large, gentle arms propped her up. She looked up at Tails, the anguish and tears lost in the rain matching hers. Cheese settled near her, his own glassy eyes welling up.
"Just hold on," Tails said, pressing his hand into her chest. He peeked at the wound and his face fell further, telling Cream all she needed to know. "Hold on. We can get help."
"Tails," she said, reaching for him. He stooped low, letting her touch his cheek. "Thank you. Please protect the others."
He shook his head, crying harder. "No, I won't leave you." He scooped her up closer so their noses brushed one another. "I love you too much," he whispered, holding her tight.
"I love you too," she said, smiling.
He hiccupped, a short joyful laugh escaping and they kissed, his lips molding into hers, forming a natural shape that she preserved as long as possible, pouring the rest of herself into. Her fingers wormed through the soaked fur, grabbing handfuls to support herself. She inhaled sharply, her final breath, as they pressed harder for one final burst of passion, then parted. The last thing she saw were Tails' parted lips, frowning and breaking down as she faded, and a host of servants led by Knuckles who stopped short from them.
All pain and her consciousness drifted away on the puddles pouring over the side of the ramparts. And the rain, the splashing puddles, and Cheese's squeaky weeping were drowned out by Tails howling a rage-fueled roar at the stormy clouds.
A/N:
Sword: *stops fighting with Pen* How could you write something like that?! You're evil!...Wait a minute! *tugs at the author's face* You're Robotnik is disguise! No one could be that evil except him!
Ow! Stop it! You're pulling my face off!
Sword: More like your mask, villain!
Pen: *sighs* I forgot why we're even fighting. I'm done. If you enjoyed the chapter- or not. I don't care- let the author know with a review. I'm sure he and Sword hope you enjoyed it and wish to thank you…Go on. Get out of here.