Painful Memories
(A/N: Last one for today. Way more than I usually dare to put up. It's really weird. Anyway reviews from those who have reviewed or will review are very much appreciated. Enjoy.)
Team Vile Meets Team Rose
Marine, Charmy, Cream, and now Tails since Cream had dragged him from his workshop into the yard, were playing a game of tag with each other. Vector and Vanilla watched. Shade, Knuckles, and Tikal were practicing fighting and talking of the Master Emerald. Sonia, Manic, and Sonic were in the city fully realizing that they were all together again. Espio and Silver were on the roof sparring. Big and Storm fished in a creek nearby. Wave, Blaze, and Rouge were working, or rather watching Wave work, on some Extreme Gear. Jet and Shadow were sitting inside watching television. Omega was still recharging. Amy would have been with the girls, but she decided to watch the kids' game instead.
As the children raced around Vanilla looked over at Vector. He seemed tired, not at all like how the Crocodile was supposed to act. She saw him watching Charmy protectively. Suddenly realization came to her eyes. A realization that made her iris' light up curiously and her mouth open in disbelief. She grinned affectionately at him. Just then he noticed. He pulled back. Why was this broad looking at him like that? He blushed, then asked, "V-Vanilla, what is it? Why are you looking at me like that? Do I smell?"
She laughed. He blushed more. She finally replied, playing on a hunch, "No, not at all. I just find it sweet how you've taken it upon yourself to be a father figure to Charmy as well as his best friend. You love him like a son, or so it seems to me. I mean you carried him all the way back here when he was hurt and watched my every move as I was fixing him. You let him nap curled up to you, and you haven't taken your eyes off of him, especially since he still is shaken. It's so charming."
"Really? I mean you think I'm sweet?" Vector asked. He heard Charmy cry out and sharply turned. The bee had tripped. Marine raced to him to help him up. Seeing he was all right Vector felt himself relax. Whoa, he realized. Vanilla had a point. He'd never actually seen Charmy as a son, more a friend or brother, but looking back he saw what she meant. They would fight and argue, but when it was all said and done he did treat that annoying little bee like his own. He did, dare he admit it,ugh, love him. A son? The revelation was startling, unnerving, but he liked it. The feeling it awakened made him feel warm inside. He looked at Vanilla's approving gaze. That served to make the feeling grow. He felt pleased with himself then leaned back putting his arm around her back. She didn't seem to mind at all. In fact she leaned into him.
Vanilla looked at her watch then said, "Oh my goodness I almost forgot my appointment! I have to rush off Vector. Watch those kids." She leapt up like a bullet then ran towards the front yard. Appointment? Vector wondered. Bah, women and their appointments. He leaned back on the bench and promptly fell asleep.
Vanilla came around the front of the house humming. Suddenly, though, a hand from behind clamped over her mouth and she was lifted from the ground! She tried to scream and fight, but before she could comprehend the situation she found herself in the air. It was then that she saw her attackers. She managed to pry the big hand off of her mouth and look back in terror. She screamed in fear. Dingo grinned icily at her. She looked to the front and saw Fang smirking, but the one who held her attention was the wolf behind Dingo. "You!" she cried in alarm. His cruel smile fell to a scowl.
Cream heard the scream. She gasped then turned exclaiming, "Mother?"
Amy was the only one who heard. She looked up at the rabbit frowning. "Cream, what is it?" she asked.
Just then Shade came out drinking water. Seeing Amy and Cream's curious looks she said simply, "Knuckles finally got too worried about the master emerald. He couldn't focus, so Tikal and I dismissed him to go check on it." It was then she noticed Cream's worried expression and Amy's suspicious gaze on the little bunny girl. "Care to fill me in?" she questioned.
Cream looked up at them saying, "I thought I heard mommy scream."
Amy and Shade gasped then looked at each other. "We'd better check it out," Shade said.
"I heard her mention an appointment, then she went to the front," Amy said standing up. "Come on girls, time to step in."
Cream looked at the bow fearfully. "I wasn't hearing things! Mom's gone! Someone took her! Amy, Shade, we have to do something!"
"Three guesses as to who's behind this!" Shade angrily said.
"Sleet, Dingo, and Nack," Amy angrily agreed as she picked up a flower from the ground. "Hmm, this is only found in the jungle. Looks like we know where they might be going. Come on." Team Rose instantly took off for the jungle.
Vector snorted awake to someone shaking him. "Whazzat… who's there… come on I'll take you all on!" he exclaimed jolting awake. "Who, what, when, where, why, how?" he stammered; then he saw Charmy. "Charmy, what's the big idea!" Vector angrily demanded. The anger faded, though, when he saw Charmy's worried expression.
"Vector, sis, I mean Cream, left with Team Rose just now. I think something's happened to Ms. Vanilla because they kept mentioning her. I heard because I did what you always taught me and shadowed them because they looked worried! Anyway now I'm worried, and Tails is worried, and Marine's worried, and everyone! I think we should go after them before we lose them!" he said almost too fast for the Crocodile to catch. He did hear, however, the words: Vanilla, you always taught me, shadowed, something happened, worried, everyone, and follow.
"What! This can't be good. Espio, get down here!" Vector shouted. Espio looked down from battling Silver. "We have a mission!" Vector continued. Espio raised a curious eyebrow but climbed down nonetheless.
Shade lead the way, cutting through thick foliage and boulders blocking their way. Amy looked cautiously around. Cream looked terrified. After a time Shade finally stopped, Amy then Cream running into her. She scowled back at them. "Why did you stop?" Amy asked. Shade put a finger to her lips then pointed. Amy and Cream instantly leaned in to check.
Cream gasped then said, "That must be where they're keeping mother!"
"Keep quiet, maybe we can sneak up on them," Amy said.
"I've got it covered," Shade smiled. "Follow my lead, again." She slid on her helmet then stealthily made her way towards the hidden hideaway. They reached a window. Shade looked inside. Her eyes widened on finding Cream's mother bound to a chair sleeping fitfully. She silently slid up the window then swiftly entered, Amy and Cream right behind her.
Cream gasped on seeing Vanilla. "Mommy!" she exclaimed.
Shade covered her mouth hissing, "Shh, they could be anywhere!"
"Or they could be everywhere," A voice spoke from behind. The girls gasped then whirled to see thirty images, ten Sleet's, ten Nack's, and ten Dingo's! The clones spread instantly out. Vanilla woke up just then. On seeing her daughter she tried to scream through the gag, but they barely heard.
They turned hopefully to her, but the hope was dashed when Fang said, "We've used the clone routine already Sleet, come on. Let's go traditional fighting on this one."
"Yeah Sleet, come on, Team Vile can take Team Rose," Dingo said as he suddenly grabbed Shade from behind lifting her from the ground. "I've got one already."
"No you don't!" Shade shouted as she viciously struggled.
"Oh why not?" Sleet replied to Nack. He pressed a button and all clones instantly disappeared.
"Sleet, I'm losin' her!" Dingo exclaimed.
"I'll say you are!" Amy shot. She suddenly drew her hammer and swung it at Dingo knocking him back and releasing Shade.
"How amateur," Nack taunted. With that he hopped on his bike and roared at Cream. Cream cried out as Fang scooped her up then slammed her into the wall! Vanilla screamed through her gag for her daughter, tears of worry in her eyes, then desperately struggled with her bonds to try and get free.
Sleet lunged at Amy and Shade. Shade prepared to face him head on with Amy. They charged at him, but just as they reached him he jumped over their heads, rolled, then spin kicked tripping them both. Dingo pounced on Shade then slammed her viciously into a rock making her cry out in pain. He pulled her away then smashed her onto the ground. This time she lay still.
Amy desperately leaped up to face Sleet. She swung her hammer but he easily countered it with his wicked looking blade. He then kicked her violently sending her flying into a wall. Amy staggered weakly up to try again. "Hmm, you're a tough one," Sleet said. "No matter." Suddenly he pulled out a laser gun and shot at the roof as Amy ran at him. She looked up in terror and tried the escape, but it fell on top of her. She lay motionless on the ground.
Vanilla looked on in terror, especially for her fallen daughter. "Now that that's taken care of we can focus on the prophecy," Sleet said, dropping the bait.
"You mean like what the oracle said, about how 'tomorrow night, when the moon is full, the Council of Four will reunite in the midst of their enemies and be victorious' etcetera, etcetera?" Nack asked, taking it up.
"What other message did he give?" Dingo asked, genuinely confused. Nack and Sleet looked at him in disbelief then face palmed themselves.
"Team Vile, you're going down!" a voice suddenly called, furious. They whirled around only to see Team Chaotix standing there!
"About time! I was wondering when you'd show up!" Sleet barked. "Vile, retreat!" he ordered. With that he, Fang, and Dingo scampered for Nack's bike then took off before the Chaotix could try anything.
"Vanilla!" Vector exclaimed, rushing to her. He quickly untied and ungagged her.
"Vector, Cream's hurt!" Vanilla exclaimed through tears as she leapt up racing by him.
"What!" Vector roared in outrage. He followed quickly with Charmy.
Espio shook his head then raced over to Shade. He gently shook her saying, "Shade, Shade, come on, wake up." Shade's eyes fluttered open.
"Espio?" she weakly said. He helped her sit up. She cringed adding, "Amy…" Espio gasped on seeing the hedgehog girl's arm sticking out from under a section of roof!
"Amy!" he exclaimed. He raced over to her and moved the debris as quickly and safely as he could. He reached in and dragged Amy out. He lay her down then said, "Amy, Amy, get up!"
Amy's eyes fluttered open. "Espio… Team Vile…"
"They're gone. We're going to help you," Espio reassured. She fell back into unconsciousness.