I'm really sorry for the wait, but my Junior year of high school was a killer. I was really stressed all year and had way too much going on. Even my art suffered at points. Thankfully though, its summer and I have a little extra time here and there. Yes I will be working, yes I will be baby sitting my sister, yes I will be applying for colleges, so yes updates won't be rapid one after the other on time. Education, family and income all come before this.
Thank you to all my reviewers, I'd love to respond to you all, but unfortunately that won't happen. It would take up too much room hehehe.
Well enjoy this chapter, and I've even started on the next one so have no fear!
:Sonic's asleep at the concession stand:
Well I see someone has had a nice year long nap ;)
Well so much for the party at Knothole. Sally had insisted that this mission was top priority and any "trivial parties" would have to wait.
Shortly after the briefing, I found myself standing in the inside of the Robotropolis' water filtration plant, ducking behind the large vats of water and following the Freedom Fighters as they weaved through the various machines. Rotor had explained in great detail (great LONG detail, I might add) why it would be easier and safer to cut through the plant instead of chancing it out on the streets. Sally agreed and Sonic just went along with it saying as long as it got us to the laboratory building. Plus Rotor had figured as long as we were cutting through; why not mess with Buttnik's water supply while we're at it? Sort of a 'kill two birds with one stone' kind of deal.
We stopped and leaned against what looked like a generator or something. Meh…I was never good with machines. It made a noise and it smelled like gas, thus making it a machine. They all look the same if you ask me. Sonic slid off his backpack and opened it, reveling a few explosives. After Sally counted and double-checked them Sonic closed up the pack and slung it on his shoulder.
"Ok Sonic, you know what you're doing?"
"No problemo. I juice around and toss these babies here and there then meet up with you girls at the exit," Sonic stated.
"Just be careful ok? And radio in if you see anything." Sally pointed to the walkie-talkie clipped onto her inside vest pocket.
"I'm always careful," he muttered in annoyance.
"Of course you are…" Sally rolled her eyes.
"Better get a move on, Suga Hog. I'm shore April's dyin' to get back home," Bunnie said as she placed her robotic hand on my shoulder. I looked over at her and blinked a few times. Go Home? Was that really what I was dying for?
"You alright suga?" Bunnie asked. I blinked myself out of my trance. I must have been staring blankly at her for a few seconds there.
"Oh yeah I'm fine…" I looked down at the ground and sighed. I glanced up to see the Freedom Fighters staring at me, concerned looks on all three of their faces. I quickly pulled myself together and started to walk in the direction Sally had said we were going. "C'mon, lets get going before someone spots us."
"Sure thing," Sonic nodded. "Do it to it, guys?" he asked as he held out his fist. I turned around when I heard those words. I watched as Sally and Bunnie bumped their own fists against his. The Freedom Fighter handshake. I smiled and watched them continue through to the pinky lock and end with a thumbs up. Sonic must have seen me watching because he was now smiling at me. "Want me to teach you?"
I was surprised by the offer but ended up laughing. Sonic gave me a funny look and I answered him by extending my fist. He smiled and took the hint, bumping mine with his. I amazed him and the other two by copying the hand and finger moves perfectly.
Sonic smirked. "Figures."
"I've watched you guys enough to memorize more than the handshake," I laughed.
"Well," Sally said. "Ready guys?"
"Ah'm ready!"
"Lets juice!"
"All set!" I followed Bunnie as she started off.
"Good luck. Please be careful?"
I turned to watch as Sally approached Sonic. Sonic wouldn't make eye contact with her and muttered a quick "I will…". Sally reached forward to hug him, but the hedgehog took a step back away from her. We watched as Sonic revved up his feet and blasted into the darkness of the plant. Sally's pointed ears bent back and she hung her head slightly in disappointment. Bunnie placed her hand on her best friend's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. Sally simply sighed and started off in the direction she had pointed out for us before. Bunnie and I shot looks at one another. My stomach churned uncomfortably. I felt so guilty about Sonic and Sally's situation.
As Sally, Bunnie and I crept around the various machines, I noticed Bunnie seemed to be stopping every now and then. I glanced back at her the third time she did it. The rabbot would pause, peer around the darkness a few times, twitch her tiny nose, perk up her long ears, and then start walking again. I finally decided to confront her about it.
"Bunnie, is something wrong?" I asked. Bunnie didn't answer me right away, instead she stared as if I was speaking nonsense. She couldn't hold the fake confused look very long and ended up spilling her reasons.
"It's nothin' really. Ah just have this weird feelin' we're bein' followed or somethin'…." she admitted.
Sally and me looked at each other then back at Bunnie. "It's ok Bunnie, we'll keep an eye out." Sally smiled reassuringly and walked over to give her a hug.
"Yeah! S'ok! I get those feelings all the time, hon. Besides Buttnik doesn't even know we're--" I cut my sentence short. My eyes grew wide and my mouth hung open as I stared at the SWATbot standing a few feet behind Sally and Bunnie.
The two anthro girls stared at me in confusion. "Suga, now it's Mah turn to ask if ya'll are alright," Bunnie put her hands on her hips. I started to point madly behind them, not being able to find my voice. Sally and Bunnie slowly turned around, gasping loudly at what they saw.
"RUN!" I finally screamed as I grabbed Bunnie's wrist and yanked her in the opposite direction. I had reached back for Sally but she must have started running before us. I pulled Bunnie blindly through the dark plant, trying to locate the exit, her metallic feet clanging loudly while my sneakers stayed silent. Where was the exit! Where was Sally! Wasn't she right behind us! Why did this have to happen NOW!
I looked back to find that the SWATbot wasn't following us, but neither was Sally. I skidded to a halt causing Bunnie to crash into me. We toppled to the floor with a loud thud. Bunnie quickly pulled herself off me and helped me up.
"Why'd….we…stop…?" Bunnie huffed as she tried to catch her breath.
"Where's Sal?" I asked as soon as I could breathe properly again. Bunnie glanced behind us then looked back at me.
"Ya'll mean we left her! Ah thought she was right behind us!" Bunnie said in shock.
I grabbed the rabbot's wrist again and pulled her back in the direction we came. "C'mon! We've gotta go back and get her!"
Bunnie, of course, made no protest and quickly started running next to me. When we got back to the spot where we had encountered the SWAT, Sally was nowhere to be found. We both glanced around for any signs or clues to where she was. The loud shrill scream that came next was all we needed though. I ran in the direction of the cry for help, making sure Bunnie was right behind me at all times. I turned a corner to see Sally running from the SWATbot across the room.
The squirrel dashed over to a metal ladder, thinking she'd be able to lose the bot that way. She climbed up and onto a catwalk that ran across three large vats of water waiting to be filtered. Sally quickly started to run down the metal walk way, grabbing the railing with one hand to steady herself. Once she was close to the middle she turned around, assuming the bot was still on the ground. To her dismay and utter horror the robot was only a few feet away, advancing at a steady pace. It raised its laser, aiming at her center. Sally gasped and backed up slowly, holding her hands up in a defense pose.
Bunnie and I were making our way as quickly as possible over to the ladder. Bunnie was obviously winded and Sally was running out of room. "I'M COMING SALLY!" I screamed as I raced to the ladder as fast as my legs would carry me, leaving Bunnie back at the center of the room. I shot up the ladder in record time but as I pulled myself up onto the catwalk I stopped when I noticed something that Sally obviously had not. There was a gap in the catwalk about two/three feet long. Sally continued to back up, unaware of the break.
"SALLY! LOOK OUT!" I screamed up to her.
"I KNOW!" Sally shrieked back, thinking I meant the robot in front of her. She continued to back up, now only a step away from the gap.
"NO! I MEAN TURN AROUND!"
By the time I finished my sentence Sally had taken that last step. It took her only seconds to realize there was no catwalk supporting her heel. She panicked and that was all it took to make her lose her balance and fall back. The princess twisted her body out of reflex, trying to put her hands out in front of her to break her fall. Big mistake.
Bunnie and I watched in terror as Sally's forehead collided with the other end of the gap, cutting open a sizeable gash. The SWATbot made a grab for her, but missed, causing the princess's limp body to plunge into one of the vats of water.
In the time it took the terrified scream to leave Bunnie's mouth I had bolted into action. It was like my mind was frozen from shock, but my body knew exactly what it wanted to do. I ran to the edge of the walk and pulled myself up onto the railing. Without hesitation I leapt off the railing and dove into the icy water in a streamline dive.
All those swim meets, all that training in the High School swimming pool, and all that extra effort were paying off. Rules and form didn't matter now. Screw form, I needed speed! I was a fast breaststroker and my pull was the strongest part, but I needed more than that. I started to flutter kick like mad, propelling myself through the water in a made up stroke, a mix of breaststroke and freestyle. I focused my attention to Sally who was sinking to the bottom of the vat just as quickly as I was swimming. I was starting to wish I hadn't worn contacts.
I ignored my stinging eyes and pushed myself harder. Before I knew it I was close enough to Sally, who was inches from hitting the bottom. I locked my arm across her chest and under her arm like I was taught that summer I had volunteered as a lifeguard at the public pool. I pushed off the bottom of the vat and kicked my way to the surface, my only thoughts on precious, precious air! As soon as I broke the surface and gulped in a good amount of oxygen, I made sure to keep Sally's head above the water. I looked down at her forehead and winced at the sight of the crimson blood spilling out from the gash and into the water.
"April!" I heard Bunnie and Sonic's voices call to me. I looked up onto the catwalk as I treaded water trying to keep Sally and me buoyant. The SWATbot was in pieces and Bunnie was holding Sonic's ankles as he reached down to me. I swallowed some air and swam under Sally so that I was able to push her out of the water just enough for Sonic to grab hold of her. When I surfaced again Sonic was gently laying the squirrel down beside him and then went through the same routine to reach down for me.
As my hero pulled me out of the water and into his arms I started to realize the seriousness of what I had just done. It hadn't hit me until now that I had actually risked my life to save another. I would have passed out right then and there but something else hit me; this wasn't over yet.
Sonic set my shivering form down on the walk. Bunnie was leaning over Sally in tears, her organic hand applying pressure to Sally's wound. She looked up at Sonic, the fear of losing her best friend showing in her eyes.
"Sonic! She's not breathin'! Ah'll crush her lungs if Ah even try!" Bunnie cried. She was right though; if she even attempted CPR with her extreme strength she could just end up adding to Sally's injuries.
Sonic dropped to his knees next to Sally as Bunnie tilted her head back. Sonic pinched her nose shut and covered her mouth with his, breathing into her twice. I watched Sally's chest rise and fall with each of Sonic's two-second breaths. Sonic pulled back after the two breaths and placed the heel of his palms in the center of Sally's chest and started compression.
"1…2…3…4…"
I listened to Sonic count each compression and watched him work nervously. I could see the tears building up in the corners of his eyes, the fear plastered all over his face. It didn't stop him though.
"SALLY! C'MON!" Sonic screamed and stopped pressing after he had counted to fifteen. He then repeated the rescue breathing procedure.
I looked over to Bunnie at the sound of her frightened whimpers. Blood stained her trembling flesh hand. The blood flow hadn't stopped yet. I reached down to my shirt and pulled the bottom up to my mouth. I was known for chewing holes in my clothes when I was little. I ground my canine teeth together across the fabric, nibbling a small hole in the mesh of the cotton threading. I stopped chewing and tried my hardest to rip my shirt, straining to get a good chuck of it.
In a few minutes, I managed to tear off the bottom layer of my shirt. I knelt down and gently removed Bunnie's shaking hand from Sally's forehead. I pressed the cloth to the wound, applying as much pressure as I could manage with my own shivering hands.
Sonic pulled back from breathing for Sally for the third time. He too was starting to tremble. As he made a move to start compressions again, Sally started to cough up water. She gasped for air as the water spilled over the sides of her mouth.
"Sally!" Sonic choked out through his tears as he gently pulled her into a sitting position to help her breathe. I followed the motion and kept the cloth on her wound. I could tell Bunnie was fighting back the urge to hug her friend just yet.
As Sally's breathing started to even out, and after we had helped Sonic gather her up into his arms, we quickly made our way off the catwalk. All four of us, though completely shook up and disorientated in every way imaginable, knew this mission would have to be abandoned. Sally needed more help and she wasn't getting it here. I for one was not only glad to get out of that filtration plant, but also relieved that I wasn't any closer to going home.
A/N: So am I rusty or what? Again guys, I'm really sorry, but life ain't easy when you're a teenager! XD Reviewers rock! I :heart: you all!