January 14th, 2012
Dear journal,
Heading for Majyk. There's not much time to write. Nova is directing me to where to go. We're going to fight the Metarex there.
..Miles Tails Prower
Tails slipped his notebook away and rested his hand on the controls. He had already put in the coordinates that Nova had given, but the Blue Typhoon always needed some fine-tuning as far as directions. With the Master Emerald powering the ship, sometimes the power liked to pull them elsewhere.
Not to mention they'd only have a split second to react if the Metarex appeared from the black.
Tails stared forward into the dark expanse of space, predictably nothing to see. Tails glanced at Nova who was standing nearby. "Am I still on course?" Tails asked. He was starting to doubt it.
Nova held out her hand and a translucent diagram appeared. Tails couldn't make sense of its lines and markers. It looked nothing like a map, whether digestable by mortal or machine, but Nova seemed to read it in an instant. "Yeah. Majyk shouldn't be too far away now."
Tails heard a door hiss open, and he turned to see Sonic stroll through, taking a bite out of an apple as he went. "How much longer 'til we get there?" he asked.
"Soon," Nova said simply.
Sonic smirked. He came to a stop next to Amy and leaned against her station. "How about now?"
Nova rolled her eyes and didn't honor Sonic's comment with a response. Tails turned back to look out the Blue Typhoon's window, and he at last saw a speck in the distance. "I think we've found what we're looking for!" he announced.
Out the window in the distance, Tails could see a small shape emerging from the darkness of space. Nova looked out the window and smiled. "May I welcome you to Majyk!"
-(-)-
Tails stepped out on to the Blue Typhoon's runway and closed his eyes for a moment. The fresh air felt so good even after only a few days of space travel. He tasted the iciness of winter in the wind, but it refreshed rather than froze him. But Tails opened his eyes again sooner than he had wanted to. This was war, not a vacation.
Tails glanced back over his shoulder for Nova. When his eyes finally sought her out, she nodded. "Follow me," she directed and leaped off the runway.
Sonic gathered Amy in his arms and jumped off the ship as well. Tails walked up to Cosmo and offered her his hands. She smiled, she blushed, and Tails's heart melted in the best way. Tails spun his twin tails quickly and rose above the ground, pulling Cosmo with him, before slowly descending to the ground the Blue Typhoon was resting on.
After they and the remainder of their crew made it to the ground, Nova led the way down the runway. To one side, the side they were walking toward, stood several pieces of what looked like amusement park turnstiles. There seemed to be no other way to leave the runway, short of getting back in their craft. "Um…what is that?" Tails asked.
"A kind of security," Nova explained. "Here, let me show you."
Nova stepped forward into one of the turnstiles and a thin bar went down on either side of her. "Name," it prompted in a faintly female voice.
"Princess Nova of Majyk," Nova recited.
"Planet of Origin."
"Majyk."
"Age."
"Nineteen."
"Species."
"Fairy."
The machine pinged, and a bright green light shone from the equipment. "Clear," the machine responded, and Nova walked through to the other side.
"What happens if you just jump that bar without answering all the stuff it asks?" Sonic asked.
"You can't. Magic reinforces the machine and creates what's basically an impassable wall of air," Nova explained.
There were several turnstiles available, and the crew spread out between them. Tails entered one, and it instantly came to life. "Name."
"Um…" Tails frowned. After a beat, he said, "Miles Prower; known as Tails." He looked at the roof above his head, as if to ask if that was the answer the machine was looking for. Nova, who was standing directly in front of Tails, raised her eyebrows, and Tails realized she probably hadn't known his real name wasn't Tails.
"Planet of origin."
"Mobius."
"Age."
"Fourteen."
"Species."
"Fox."
The machine pinged, and Tails was bathed in the green light. "Clear," it reported, and Tails walked through.
Everyone walked through at about the same time…except for Cosmo. Tails looked a couple machines over where she stood. She stared at the ceiling above her. Shaking. "Cosmo?" he whispered.
Nova cursed under her breath. "Of course. Cosmo's from Greengate." She called to her, "Give me thirty seconds. I'll take care of that."
Cosmo nodded but looked no less worried. Her jaw shook. Tails tried to step forward to reach her but the impassible wall of air Nova mentioned apparently really was a thing, and it kept Tails a few feet back. Nova stepped into the station previously vacated by Tails. "Override nine-two-three," she said before the machine could begin its interrogation.
"Override personnel?" the machine prompted.
"Name: Princess Nova of Majyk. Command: Allow Cosmo of Greengate at terminal eight delta to pass."
"Cleared," the machine said.
Nova exited the station, and the bars around Cosmo lifted, allowing her to pass through. She'd barely passed through before Tails held out a hand, which she took, and pulled her away. "Sorry," Nova apologized. "The Metarex were from Greengate so our machines won't let those from Greengate through."
Cosmo gave a small nod, but she didn't say a word. And though the group continued on, Tails didn't make to follow them right away. Instead, he looked back at Cosmo. Before he said anything, she whispered, "I have a feeling I'm not wanted here.
Tails's breath caught in his throat. He tried to swallow it back down, but his heart beat chaotically around inside his chest so there wasn't room for anything as trivial as oxygen. He squeezed her hand and said, "It's not you; it's the Metarex."
Cosmo allowed a small smile, but it was a sad smile. Tails didn't blame her; he didn't even believe himself. She said, "Whether or not I am a Metarex, I am from Greengate. That makes me unwanted here."
-(-)-
They walked through the streets of what Nova had called Light Shale City, the capital of the planet. Tall skyscrapers reflected the early morning sun down at them so that the buildings seem to hold their own power within their windows and walls. As the group passed through the streets, all pedestrian eyes seemed to fall to them. Though Tails couldn't begin to guess whether it was because of seeing the princess of the planet or a group of creatures clearly foreign to the planet. Probably some combo of the two.
I feel like I'm on Earth all over again, Tails thought.
"Are we almost to wherever we're supposed to be going?" Knuckles snapped.
"You'll know it when you see it," Nova replied shortly.
But in spite of experiencing something so amazing, the shining city, the new culture, a place where Tails wasn't constantly glancing over his shoulder to confirm there wasn't a Metarex about to descend, Tails's stomach still twisted with discomfort. Because instead of looking for a nonexistent Metarex, he kept glancing at Cosmo.
He couldn't get the scene from earlier out of his head. A security system specifically to prevent anyone from Greengate getting on the planet. Obviously, the plan wasn't foolproof. It would only stop those entering the planet legitimately. Clearly the Metarex invading was still a problem, if that's what the crew of the Blue Typhoon was here to stop.
And that was the problem, wasn't it? It wasn't security at all.
It was discrimination.
The fact tainted everything Tails saw. It made him look at Nova with suspicion, in case she believed the same thing. He remembered what she'd said back on Mobius, though, when they'd fought Green Fichus. She apologized for the actions of her parents that resulted in the creation of the Metarex. And she certainly didn't look at Cosmo with fear. She had immediately overridden the machine.
But it still made his muscles tight.
They rounded another corner in the city and suddenly, the skyscrapers fell away. The distance between the smaller building lengthened until that distance became the length of an expansive greenspace. And then the greenspace…that gave way to a castle.
It wasn't a castle like Tails had seen in the movies. It wasn't a castle like he'd seen on Earth, even, during the film Chris's mom had been acting in. This wasn't stone and torches and stained glass, and history. Or maybe it was history; just not a history Tails understood. And though Tails wasn't an architect—a pilot, an engineer, sure, but not an architect—he knew that the building was a feat.
It's swooping roof was impossible. It arched over itself so it looked like the sun had melted it until it fell across the front. It seemed like a large piece of the building had been carved out on the other side, leaving the building exposed to the elements until someone had the idea to install a massive picture window. And it was massive.
"You're not about to tell us that's where you live, are you?" Amy exclaimed, eyes wide and wild with disbelief.
"That's home," Nova agreed, but her voice sounded far heavier than what Tails would have expected. "So I guess it's time we request an audience with my mom."
-(-)-
"She needs to request an audience with her own mother?" Knuckles snapped. Clearly, he was still focussed on that little detail rather than the fact that they were standing in a literal throne room while waiting for Nova to return. It wasn't a huge room, but one wall was made of windows and everything else in the room was dripping of magic—whether it be glitter floating from nothing or the exotic flowers hanging from the ceiling despite the fact that they weren't growing in anything. Leave it to Knuckles to ignore the glitz and get to the point.
"I don't think that's how she normally talks to her mom," Chris said, grinning. "It's probably just on our behalf."
"These politics are a waste of time," Knuckles grunted. "So we have to play nice with the queen while the Metarex are slaughtering the galaxy? Remind me why this is worth our time again?"
"She asked for our help," Cream said firmly. She stared Knuckles dead in the eye, daring him to disagree.
Knuckles paled. Tails smiled at the sight, once he was sure Cream couldn't see him do it. He was sure Knuckles had plenty more arguments ready to go, but none of them dared defy that little girl.
Sonic leaned against the wall of windows, actually letting his eyes fall closed. He looked almost at peace, and not like he was faking that peace either, like he looked to be doing every other moment of the day. Amy scoffed at his side, "We're not exactly the best group at first impressions, are we?"
Sonic chuckled. "Only half of planet Earth tried to shoot me when we showed up."
The door at the back of the room opened, cutting off their conversation. Nova passed through first, nodding at them all without smiling, followed by a woman who looked very much like her. But…softer.
Her hair bore the same soft blonde curls as Nova and she dressed in as vibrant of colors, but her dress was a long gown with a floral pattern and her face wasn't narrowed eyes but gentle smile.
Nova gestured toward to the woman. "May I present to you my mother, the Queen of Majyk."
Sonic smiled in her direction. "We heard you're having a bit of a Metarex problem."
Nova choked from behind her mother, and Tails flushed. This woman was royalty—shouldn't they be bowing or something? But they'd never done that with Nova. And Sonic certainly didn't seem to care. But the woman's expression remained warm. "Yes, we do," she agreed. "Though first of all, I must thank you for the help you've provided my daughter in the past. She's told me great things about your abilities."
"What she's seen is nothing compared to what we can really do," Sonic said with a wink.
"What he means," Amy said quickly, brushing off her jeans as she shot Sonic a look Tails couldn't quite read, "is that we're sure we can help you."
The queen asked, "And you are all from Mobius?"
Sonic shook his head. "Not all of us. Currently, we all live on Mobius, but Chris comes from Earth and Cosmo comes from Greengate."
Cosmo stiffened beside Tails, and Tails took her hand once more. Cosmo doesn't deserve this, Tails thought. She isn't one of them. She isn't a Metarex.
"I'd like to speak on Cosmo's behalf," Nova said quickly.
Tails's eyes snapped to Nova in a second. Nova stood up a little straighter, held her chin higher. She looked so different from the girl they'd gotten to know. Here, now, she looked regal, devoted to tradition, not the decisive and aggressive fighter they'd seen in their battle together against Green Fichus. It made Tails wonder which was the truth, because it seemed possible to be both.
But the fact that she was standing up to the queen of an entire planet, even if that queen was her mother, to defend Cosmo, did strengthen Tails's heart somewhat.
"Mother," Nova said, "Cosmo is from Greengate, that much is true. But Cosmo is not among the Metarex; she is what they were before. And she is fighting them."
Nova's mother turned to Cosmo. "Is that true?"
Cosmo glanced at Tails out of the corner of her eye before she nodded. "The Seedrians who did not believe in the sustaining of the transformation left Greengate. I was born into the colony of them. The Metarex, they—" Cosmo choked for a second. "—they destroyed my colony."
The queen closed her eyes. Her forehead creased as if she was in physical pain. "Your people…" she breathed. Then she took another deep breath and opened her eyes. "Your people have suffered more than all of us at the hands of the Metarex. Due to my planet's arrogance. Please know you are always welcome among us."
Tails watched Cosmo dip her head. He wished he could take her away from here. Away from all questions regarding her past. Even if Nova's mother seemed accepting of the truth.
"And how long have you all been involved in this war?" the queen continued.
Sonic said slowly, "We've been involved in this war in some way since it started."
Every member of the Blue Typhoon's crew glanced his way.
"In what ways have you been involved?" Nova's mom asked.
This time, when Tails squeezed Cosmo's hand, it was for his own support and for her strength to be imparted on him. Sonic was silent.
Out of the corner of his eye, Tails saw Amy step forward. "For the most part, we've been trying to end Metarex missions to destroy things on our planet. Recently, we infiltrated a Metarex base with the help of an ally."
But then Amy took a deep breath. She looked at Sonic. Not just a quick glance but her eyes lingered on his face. Her voice softened. "Sonic was missing for about five years of this second war. He got captured and controlled by the Metarex. We only saved him recently."
The queen watched Amy without saying a word. Her expression went from a soft smile to almost impassive, appraising, and Tails held his breath. He gripped Cosmo's hand tighter, telling himself it was to comfort her even though he knew that wasn't entirely true.
Nova's mom turned to her daughter. "Do you have anything to say on their behalf?"
Nova pressed her lips together thoughtfully as she looked at all of them. Then, she slowly said, "They are truly against the Metarex. As you know, I was with them when we together defeated the Metarex Green Fichus. In addition, Sonic and Cosmo did receive my Fairy's Cry when I approached their planet. So they not only understand war, but they understand the power necessary to overcome it. They are the rebels that this planet needs."
Nova's mom turned back toward them. "What power have you been touched by, Sonic and Cosmo?" the queen asked.
Is that what caused Sonic and Cosmo to sense Nova's coming? Was our guess really right? Tails wondered.
"Chaos Emeralds," Sonic said immediately.
Cosmo narrowed her eyes in thought. "I am…not sure," she said. "I've been touched by several, I guess."
"What are those?" Nova's mom said.
"The power of the Planet Egg." Cosmo stiffened as soon as the words left her mouth. The Metarex also used Planet Eggs—or took advantage of them—and Cosmo likely feared Nova's mother making the same connection. "In order to save us," she ammended after a moment. "My protection amulet as well, when it shattered. And Chaos Emeralds when Sonic and Shadow preformed Chaos Regeneration to save me."
The queen's eyes widened for a split second before she again seemed to get ahold of her emotions. "All of you have been so involved in this war against the Metarex, far more involved than our planet has been in many years," she said softly. "And to be so young, to forced to be touched by war so young…" Her voice broke and it revealed her. She glanced at her daughter. Nova's mouth fell open, like she thought about saying something, but the queen looked away and continued, "If you are willing to fight with us, then we will of course accept your gracious offer with much humility."
Tails released a breath that had been trapped in his lungs longer than he'd known. The world shook just slightly, as he realized only now that he hadn't been breathing.
The queen turned to her daughter once more. "Nova, the strategy meeting will begin in several hours to begin our move against the gathering Metarex. Please show our guests to their rooms and escort them when the time comes."
"Of course," Nova agreed, a warmer expression finally making its way onto her face.
As they followed Nova from the room, it was only then that it began to dawn on Tails what they had agreed to. This wouldn't be anything like how they normally battled the Metarex: in quick but frequently decisive bouts that were more adapting to ever-worsening circumstances than anything else. This would be an actual war.
Nevermind that this had always been war.
Here, they wouldn't be rebels. They would be soldiers. Which meant no running away.
Had they completely forgotten that the Metarex had successfully ground out any opposition against them? Had successfully kidnapped and tortured Sonic? Were actively searching for Tails?
Usually, their options were fight or run. But as long as they were here, they would be fight or die.
Tails squeezed Cosmo's hand a little tighter, but when he saw her glance at him out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze.