SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: SUPER SONIC Z
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE: THE THING ABOUT COSMO, PART II
Last time our heroes had saved the life of a monkey girl named Cosmo from a group of bounty hunters calling themselves the Serpentine Society. Muttski seemed to be awfully fond of her, while Tails was suspicious…
Cosmo joined our heroes as Muttski was seen making a fire and making a pot full of gumbo. Cosmo sniffed the air and found it to smell good. "That smells delicious." She complimented.
"It's Muttski's thing. You wanna be the first one to taste?" Muttski stated.
He poured some gumbo into a bowl and passed it to Cosmo. She red thick-soup like liquid looked as good as it smelled. But how did it taste? Cosmo put the bowl to her lips and drank a bit of it and smacked her lips. It took a second for the sensation to sink in, but she soon found herself experience flavors she hadn't before. "Whoa…this is amazing!" she said.
Cosmo then buried her face in the bowl as she happily devoured all of the gumbo, before removing it, licking the gumbo of her face and letting out a relieved sigh. She then makes a funny face, like she didn't feel right, and then let out a really loud belch. "Oops…sorry." She said blushing.
"Muttski thinks that was awesome." Muttski said happily.
"So Cosmo…what is being part of the Saru clan like?" Tails asked. Tails is normally very kind to strangers and gives them benefit of the doubt, but there was a feeling in his gut he couldn't shake off. He didn't mean to offend Cosmo, in case he would prove himself wrong, so he questions her in a subtle way, like he was interested in what for person she was.
"Oh…you know, the entire region of Chun-Nan at war, you need to be careful, always keep on your toes, to make sure no Raiju or Yagyu sneaks up to you from the shadows. The Ushi clan on the other hand are just brute force but no brain and while they can take more hits they are easier to take down due to their limited intelligence. We do however work with the Gossamer and Shinobi rather well. The Shinobi are so serious, but they are generally friendly. The Gossamer are more open, but between you and me I don't believe in that fortune telling stuff they specialize in." Cosmo explained.
"Cosmo has right to be. One should make his own future, not let tell any old geezers and their crystal ball what to do." Muttski said. Cosmo let out a giggle as she was amused the way Muttski said that, but then her smile vanished as it looks like she was in deep thought. "Cosmo?" Muttski asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry, just lost in thought…I just realized how close I must have been to death. I'm not defenseless, but I was outnumbered against those assa…bounty hunters." She replied.
"Cosmo shouldn't worry! Muttski said Muttski will protect Cosmo, and that's what's Muttski going to do. Muttski always keeps his promise." Muttski comforted her.
"You'd do that for me? A complete stranger?" Cosmo asked.
"It's what Muttski does. Muttski is the hero, and heroes always help those in need." Muttski answered.
"You know I can fend for myself." Cosmo stated.
"True, but no one can do everything, and when the time comes Cosmo can't do it alone, Cosmo can count on Muttski." Muttski answered.
"Lunch is over, shall we continue?" Sally said as she had finished her gumbo and pointed at the building supplies.
"I'll help. You saved me out there, so the least I can do is to return the kindness." Cosmo said. She picked up a box of supplies and used her monkey-like agility and climbing skills to carry it to the top of a building easily, without needing a ladder, and with four hands she could carry and climb at the same time.
"She'll be a great help with the rebuilding, that's for sure." Sonic said.
Later on, when the heroes were done working for the day, Cosmo had excused herself and told she was going to the toilet, and when she was there, she pulled out a pocket mirror. But in reality it was a communicator. "Cissnei, reporting to Lord Sidewinder." She said in the mirror.
The image of the same person the bounty hunters had called their boss has appeared in her mirror. "I trust you managed to infiltrate and win their trust?" the voice on the other side asked.
"Sure my lord. They don't suspect a thing." Cosmo replied, who really was called Cissnei.
"Good, but don't take too long to take them out. We have been paid to kill them, and we of the Serpentine Society always take out our targets." Sidewinder said.
"I don't want to do it too quickly, they trust me now, but I'm the new girl, I need a few more days to fully gain their trust and when they think they have nothing to fear from me, wham!" she assured him.
"I guess that is the smartest way to do so, but don't stretch it out too far. Or you might get attached to these targets. You know an assassin isn't supposed to do that." Sidewinder reminded her.
"I know that, and I won't. They mean nothing to me." She said.
"I hope you will, this is your initiation test after all. If you don't pass, you don't have anywhere else to go. Sidewinder out!" the transmission was ended as Cosmo put back the mirror in her pocket.
"Getting close. Like I would do that. I've trained for this and…though that Muttski guy is very funny and sweet. No, don't get carried away, you have a job to do. But do they actually deserve this? It's not our problem, we do as we're told. But do I need to? Like Muttski said, one should make his own destiny. I don't have a destiny! I don't have anywhere to go. I can't stay with the freedom fighters because if I stay too long they'll find out what I am, and I can't have that. And if I leave the Society, I'm alone…is this actually worth it?" she muttered to herself.
As she left the toilet, she was greeted by Muttski. "Hey Cosmo, I was looking for you. Muttski thought that after being chased from Chun-Nan to here by the Society you should have some fun."
"Er…okay. What you have in mind?" Cosmo asked.
"For Muttski Thursday is DVD night! Muttski puts on his DVD's. You want to watch too?" Muttski asked.
"Er…actually I never watch television to be honest. Us Saru's spend all our free time on training and meditation." Cosmo said.
"Muttski thinks all work and no play is no good! Give it a try, Muttski assures you'll love it!" Muttski said as he grabbed Cosmo's hands as a friendly gesture.
Cosmo didn't know why, but Muttski's optimism somehow got through to her: "Well…I can give it a try I guess." She found herself saying.
"Good, come with Muttski!" he said as he dragged Cosmo along.
Muttski's room was full of posters of various anime and book shelves with manga, though there were also some novels like 'War and Peace', Sherlock Holmes tales…it's like a mish-mash of tastes. Muttski grabbed a DVD of the shelf. There were two big pillows on the floor for them to sit on as they'd watch the DVD "This one's Muttski's fave. The Alice in Wonderland anime, created by Toei!" Muttski said as he put the DVD in.
The anime was about a girl named Alice who travels to the Wonderland dimension to fight evil as a superhero that was a hybrid of Sailor Moon and the Super Sentai…yeah, Japanese animation was weird. It was the original version, but with English subtitles. "You know, what she says sounds weird in English, but sounds great in Japanese." Cosmo noted.
"It's silly, but Muttski is too. It is a enjoyable kind of silly that puts a smile on Muttski's face. And sometimes Muttski needs something to smile at, since in a time of war, there isn't much else for Muttski to smile at." Muttski explained.
"If you put it that way…it kind of makes sense…" Cosmo said, still a bit confused.
"Muttski is going to tell you a secret he hasn't told anyone before: Muttski doesn't remember his parents. Muttski was very young when they died. They died saving people from a burning building. But Muttski doesn't remember their faces. The only thing Muttski remembers is a single line from Muttski's mom, when Muttski was really sad: 'Smile all your troubles away and they'll vanish.' Muttski has taken it to heart to this day. In a time where people could use a little more joy, all they need is a smile, it brings hope for the future."
"You know Muttski…I also never knew my parents, and I also had an older sister but they're dead. They were killed by an assassin when I was younger, never knowing who it was or from which clan it came. I was raised by the Saru Clan. So, I know how you feel." That part of her façade wasn't a lie (minus the Saru clan part), her parents really were killed when she was young. But why did she open up to Muttski like that?
"You're a unique person Muttski. You're silly, but it makes you special." Cosmo said amused.
"It's all Muttski's got. Muttski isn't as smart as Sally or Tails, or as fast as Sonic, or as strong as Rotor and Bunnie. So Muttski needs his thing. And Muttski needs his silliness to stand out." Muttski admitted.
"No…I don't think it's like that. You bring a smile on their faces with your antics, you keep them up-beat in times of darkness. You are the heart of the team Muttski." Cosmo assured him. "But why did you tell me that secret, while you haven't told anyone else?" Cosmo asked surprised.
"Because Muttski thought of all people Cosmo could use a smile." Muttski said as he moved his index fingers to the corners of Cosmo's mouth and made her smile. "And because Cosmo looks cute when she smiles." Muttski added.
Cosmo was tearing down on the inside. She hid everything on the outside, but on the inside she felt her heart break. Sidewinder's warning has come true…this wacky goofball, this Muttski fella, he has broken down the barriers she was trained to erect around her heart. She knew from the moment Muttski has caught her in his arms when she was blasted, that he was special. But she now knew how special. "Er…I need to go back to the bathroom, spicy food does that to my bladder, you wait for me here okay?" Cosmo said as she left the room.
"Okay, Muttski shall pause the DVD, Cosmo doesn't want to miss the fight with the Jabberwocky." Muttski said as Cosmo left the room.
Cosmo ran back the bathroom and locked herself in as she covered her eyes with her hands and cried her eyes out. "I can't do this. I can't do it. How can I kill the one who has shown me such kindness? But I can't stay. They'll find out who I am. Sidewinder will get suspicious…what do I need to do?" she asked herself. She looked in the mirror. "How pathetic I am. I can't be an assassin, I can't be a hero. I'll have to leave, I have to vanish of the planet. I have to lead Sidewinder away from the Freedom fighters so they can live the lives they deserve to leave. But I'll spend a few days with them first. And I'll make them count. I'll have the time of my life with Muttski, and I'll make sure his friends see the one Muttski saw in me…"
The next few days Cosmo decided to socialize with Muttski's friends. One of the first things she did was a friendly sparring match with Fiona. Fiona threw a few punches, which Cosmo dodged using her agility. She launched a few punches of her own, which Fiona dodged agilely as well. She tried launching a sweep kick, but Cosmo back flipped to dodged and landed on her hands, and started walking on them, as she caught Fiona's hands in her feet when she tried launching a punch.
Standing on one hand and with both of Fiona's hands in her feet she grabbed Fiona's leg with one of her hands and pulled Fiona to the ground, as she stood up again and had Fiona pinned down on the ground with her feet. Fiona tossed Cosmo up, who landed on her feet as they both struck a battle pose.
"You're good. That monkey kung fu thing you pull off is very effective." Fiona complimented.
"Thanks. Your improvised fighting style is good as well." Cosmo said back.
Later on, she joined all the girls when it's time for their girl talk. "And that's why Rotor is the true one for me. I can only feel like a real person when he's around." Dulcy said, the girls having talked about how great their guys were.
"Now tell us, four-hands, how's things between you and Muttski?" Fiona asked with a grin.
"Don't know what you're talking about…" Cosmo said as she blushed.
"Oh don't kid us, you have the hots for him. You and him have gotten friendly over the days. He invited you for his DVD night didn't he? He doesn't ask many people to do that." Lily stated.
"He's just a sweet guy…a really sweet guy." Cosmo said, pulling her bangs over her cheeks to hid how red they were.
"Oh come on, there's more between you, tell us all the juicy details…" Amy insisted.
"Ease up Amy-girl. Ya're emberrasin' her!" Bunnie stated.
"Yeah, please give her some space. She is in the denial phase of her relationship, she'll come to terms with it soon enough. Now have I told you about the time Sonic got a chilidog in his nose?" Sally said.
Down in the lab, where both Rotor and Tails were working on their newest gadgets, Cosmo was helping them by handing them their tools. "Wrench!" they both said as she used her right foot and her left hand to grab wrenches and hand them both one at the same time.
Cosmo and Sonic where later seen at lunch. Cosmo and Sonic had engaged in an eating contest, both chomping down on burgers Muttski had made. "Go Sonic/Cosmo!" they cheered as they were cheered on by their friends.
"And you probably know about ze katana, since zey are made in your country. But zis one is a Ninjaken, zese look like katana's but zey are straight, not curved and zey are actually a Hollywood invention for ze movies." Antoine said as he showed off his sword collection to Cosmo.
Cosmo looked admiring at the Eurashian weaponry. "Yes, I'm familiar with the katana's, I've learned how to fight with most weapons of Eurashian origin. And I must say you have the most impressive set of blade weapons I've seen." Cosmo complimented.
"In a temps of guns and fire, one still can rely on ze might sabre." Antoine stated.
Last but not least she could mostly be seen in Muttski's presence. At first she had insisted to make the evenings that followed DVD night. Normally Muttski only did this on Thursdays, but he agreed since he thought Cosmo needed to catch up, while it was actually Cosmo wanting to spend watching these silly series while resting her head on Muttski's shoulder while she could.
They also went on a picnic once, and she surprised Muttski by having made several sandwiches for him. Though she wasn't a cook like Muttski, Muttski liked the banana and peanutbutter sandwiches she had made.
The last scene was the two at the lake, watching the sunset. How they watched the sun going down and the blue sky slowly turned in a pleasant shade of orange and red gave them both a great moment of satisfaction.
But soon the time came that Cosmo knew Sidewinder would lose his patience with her. That's why she had to leave soon. So after this evening she would leave. But not before letting Muttski know one thing. "Muttski…I need to tell you something. We've only known each other for a few days, but this time together was…amazing. I've never felt so good in my life."
"Muttski is glad Cosmo is happy." Muttski said to her.
"Muttski…I…I love you!" she said, trying to keep the stuttering and the padding at a minimum. Muttski looked surprised at her. Cosmo was afraid that Muttski didn't return her feelings due to the pause.
"I…love you too, Cosmo." He replied. He didn't refer himself in the third person, he didn't joke, he didn't talk in high-pitch, he just said it flat out, in a normal voice.
The two leaned over to one another and kissed. Cosmo knew that was her first kiss, but also the only one she'll get, but she'll make it last, as the two wouldn't break apart for a long time…
Tails was dialing away on his computer like mad, as Fiona came in. "Tailsy, aren't you coming to bed? What is so important that you're this late on the computer? Any idea for the new city can wait until tomorrow."
"I'm not working on that. I am doing some research. I managed to deduce the backgrounds of most of those creeps." He explained. He clicked on a button and several profiles appeared.
"Proctor Osiris Speckle, aka Specs, former well known professor at a high prestige university that lost his sight in an explosion. Turned out he worked in secret on a dangerous weapon and was kicked out of the university. He had replaced his eyes with implants to restore his sight and even improve it.
Gilligan P. Goodfrey, aka Grimer. Scientist extraordinaire, expert in chemical warfare and robotics. Kidnapped innocents for his twisted experiments. He clearly has experimented on himself as well.
Balthazar Hazzar, aka Bio-Hazard former worker at a nuclear plant who was believed to have died during a nuclear fallout.
Fry Stromwell, aka Mr. Fry, used to be part of a circus called Bob Beaky's Circus of Delight, a fire breather and the muscle of the circus, thought the circus was a cover for criminal operations.
What they all have in common they vanished of the planet ages ago, right after their criminal plots were exploited. They must have kept in the shadows for ages. But why appear now, and why take out a random Saru. If she's a Saru at all." Tails elaborated.
"She has to be, she's a monkey, 'Saru' means monkey, and she's a martial arts expert. And she also knows a lot about the war in Chun-Nan." Fiona replied.
"Info one also could learn of the internet. I have consulted an acquaintance of mine. He calls himself Nimbus Thunderrod and I met him on the online RPG 'Superhero World Online'. He's part of the Saru and he says he knows no 'Cosmo' and didn't recognize the picture of her I showed him. She's not who she says she is." Tails stated.
"Then who is she?" Fiona asked worried.
"I don't know, unlike the bounty hunters I find no info on her at all. It's like someone erased all info on her, and all the info from those creeps after they vanished. But why? But I'll find out." Tails said.
Cosmo silently snuck out of Muttski's bed (they only had cuddled, no worries) while the dog boy himself was sleeping deeply, snoring. Cosmo had a sad look on her face. But she smiled and pecked the sleeping Muttski on his cheek as she put her pocket mirror communicator next to him. It now had a recorded message on it for him. She packed her stuff and left.
"I'm sorry Muttski, but I don't want the Serpentine Society to finish what I couldn't…I need to make sure I'm their new target, so that you can be safe. I'm sorry!" she said as she snuck out quietly.
A few hours later, Muttski had woken up when he didn't feel Cosmo next to him. He found the compact mirror and opened it, the message in it playing: "Hi Muttski, if you see this, I'm far gone. Listen, I haven't been completely honest with you. The bounty hunters, you finding me…it was all part of a scheme! I was trained to be an assassin, and my first kill was going to be you and your friends. But I couldn't do it. You know why? I fell in love! I fell in love with you.
I can't go further down this path, but I couldn't stay with you either. The Serpentine Society will be after me now, and I'll lead them away from you. Don't come after me, I don't deserve to be saved. Nice guys like you don't need girls like me. But I thank you for giving my life another meaning then the one I was trained for. I'll forever love you Muttski, goodbye!" the message then ended.
Muttski looked out surprised in front of him for a few minutes, before he finally closed up the compact mirror, and then got up, put on his boots and left with a determined look on his face.
He later had shown the message Cosmo had left to the others. "I knew it, I knew there was something wrong about her! She's an assassin, a murderer, a killer, a femme fatale!" Tails stated.
"Cosmo was not. Cosmo hasn't even killed before. Cosmo wasn't a full-fledged assassin yet." Muttski argued.
"So what are we going to do now with his knowledge?" Sally asked, unsure of it all.
"Isn't it obvious? Muttski and Freedom Fighters are going to find Cosmo!" Muttski said.
"She lied to us, she betrayed our trust, she was sent to kill us and now you want to save her butt?" Tails asked.
"Cosmo said she was sorry. Cosmo really loved Muttski, she told Muttski so." Muttski denied.
"She lied to you. How do you know anything she said or did wasn't part of a scheme. What if she doesn't really love you?" Tails asked.
"IT WAS NO LIE!" Muttski growled, having dropped his wacky voice and speech pattern again, his voice growling and loud. "Whatever was between Cosmo was no lie! I saw the true her, and she wasn't this evil bitch you think she is. She was misguided, she made the right decision by turning away from the assassins in the end. I know she really loved me. And I'm going to save her, even if you guys don't want to! And if you try to stop me, I'll fight you, I mean it!" Muttski growled as he bared his fangs and growled like a vicious Feral watchdog.
The heroes looked at one another in surprise. "She could have taken us out any time she wanted, but she didn't. That counts for something I guess." Sonic said.
"Ah don't think that bubbly cheerful gal we had spend the last few days with can be bad. Nobody can act that well, can they?" Bunnie wondered.
"The first day she seemed a bit off…but after spending that DVD night with Muttski, she acted more natural. I think she might be indeed on the verge of redemption." Sally stated.
"Besides, I used to be close to become a killer once too, Tailsy. Can you give her benefit of the doubt, like you gave me?" Fiona asked.
Tails sighed. "I guess I can. I didn't trust her, but I can trust the judgment of my friends. Okay then, we should help Muttski save Cosmo, where ever she may be." Tails agreed.
"Muttski still remembers her scent. Muttski can track her down. Muttski is a dog after all." Muttski stated, sounding a bit happier now.
"What if she covered her tracks? Your nose isn't infallible." Tails stated.
"Muttski knows…but what the nose can't find, the heart will." Muttski said.
"You put a tracker on her didn't you?" Sally stated.
"Muttski wanted to keep track of her in case the assassins would return." Muttski stated.
"Okay, then let's start a rescue mission." Sonic said, punching his fist in his palm.
"And Muttski won't rest until she's safe!"
TO BE CONTINUED
