Chapter 19
Cream pressed her face against the glass. The cake was as tall as she was and ringed with the ripest strawberries Cream had ever seen. Her mouth watered and her stomach grumbled so loud it caused a passerby to double check to make sure that the sound had indeed been the little rabbit and not a fully grown lion.
So…hungry….Cheese fluttered at her side, its little arms dragging and its tongue hanging out of its mouth. It had been almost a full day since the duo had eaten and a week since they had eaten enough. Adventures aren't what I thought they would be. Tracking down Tails had tested the limits of Cream's endurance but at least that time she had known where to go and had been given enough money to supplement her supplies when they ran out. This time she had left in such a rush she had not brought a single penny and her and Cheese had finished their supplies only three days after leaving the village.
Since then they had made due on what berries they could find in the wilds and what free samples they were giving out in the groceries of the cities. The human world had always thrilled Cream, but on an empty stomach she found the noisy and boisterous humans almost unbearable. No one wanted to hear Cream's desperate begging for scraps and even her food deprived tears could not stir anyones' heart to dish out a free meal.
We can't even make it home. She thought tragically. Her and Cheese were too far away to make it home, but nowhere close to achieving their goal. Red Mountain seemed like enough information to go off of when Cream first set out, but she had quickly discovered that she had absolutely no idea where that was. Geography and concepts such as different countries and continents had never meant much to a rabbit who had lived her whole life in a small village. Thrust into a world much larger and louder than Cream had ever known left her totally uprooted and desperate for something familiar.
Emerald City was the polar opposite of familiar. The bustling city was swollen with skyscrapers and absolutely filled with humans. Though Cream did see the occasional rabbit, hedgehog and cat, they dressed and acted so much like humans they were just as alien. "What are we going to do Cheese?" Cream pinned as she turned away from the cake display. The bakery was sure to send her away as had every other store they had wandered into.
"Chao," Cheese answered with a defeated sigh.
Together, they took to the sidewalk and Cream kept a look out for a potential friendly face. Catching someone's eyes was almost impossible as somehow the humans navigated the labyrinth-like streets while looking down at flashing tablets. Those that were not actively distracted by their technology had strange loops in their ears which they talked to as if they were friends.
Eventually Cream noticed a toad sitting in a corner strumming on a guitar. When he spotted Cream he smiled at her and changed his tune from melancholy to a more upbeat tempo. "Hello there little lady. You look like you could use a song."
Cream blushed and quickly tried to brush the collective grime of travel off her dress. "How do you mister?"
"Fine. Fine. Is there a song you'd like to hear? It doesn't cost much." The toad nudged the open guitar case by his foot. It was partially filled with spare change and crumbled up cash.
"O, I'm terribly sorry. I don't have any money. I need some help actually. My friend and I haven't eaten in days, and I need help finding a place called Red Mountain." Cream could not bear to look the toad in the eyes because she was so embarrassed. When she finally did risk turning back she was alarmed to see the toad glaring vengully at her.
"Another beggar eh? Pick another corner. I'm doing honest work over here. You want a handout then go to the soup kitchen, but do it fast you're blocking me off from my customers!" The toad shooed her away and Cream hastened to obey. Her cheeks were flushed and her heart felt like a ten pound stone pressing down inside her chest.
More to get as far away from the toad then actually having somewhere to go, Cream continued down the street. She felt more depressed and worn down than she had ever felt in her whole life. All the enthusiasm and reckless courage she had felt the night she left had been extinguished by hunger and disappointment.
"Chao. Chao!" Cheese zoomed around Cream's head but she ignored the Chao. Her legs felt shaky and Cream wasn't sure how much further she could go that day. "Chao! Chao!" Cheese landed on Cream's head and pulled at her ears.
"What?" Cream snapped. Cheese flew in front of her and covered its face. Cream reached out to hold the Chao. "I'm sorry. What is it?"
Cheese moved one hand and pointed to a building across the street. Cream looked up to see a poster of a ladle. Outside the building was a long table and people behind it were serving out food to a line of customers. Her gut rumbled and Cream ignored the traffic by flying over the street. When she got closer she noticed the state of the customers. Most of them were humans but they were unlike any she had ever met. They did not wear the business suits or clean dresses of the people with the flashing tablets. These people wore clothes that were worn to rags, stained and discolored by long use. Their hair was unkempt and their drawn eyes stared forward unseeingly into a gray abyss.
Their appearance was so alarming that Cream stopped and hesitated to join the back of the queue. Among the humans, Cream also spotted an otter. Its hair was falling out in clumps and it walked with a heavy limp. A weasel figdited incessantly and kept looking over its shoulder and talking to somebody that no one else seemed to see.
Cream felt fear and a strange kind of disgusted pity swell inside her. She wanted to reach out to them, while at the same time she wanted to turn around and pretend she had never seen them. "Come here deary, don't be shy." Cream shuddered as she turned to see an old woman waving her over. Some deformity or injury to her back caused the woman to bend almost horizontal and when she smiled she displayed no teeth under her chapped lips. Despite this, her smile was warm and disarming.
Cream took a cautious step forward. "Can I…can I get some food here?"
"Of course, that is what we are all doing here, isn't that right Jerry?" The old woman nudged the man in front of her. He was so covered in hair it took Cream a moment to even register that he was a human and not a bear. His face would have been frightening with his smoldering white eyes and mane of tangled black beard if it wasn't for his polite and soothing voice.
"Course it is. You look like you've missed a meal or two."
Cream twisted her feet anxiously. "I don't have any money."
"No worries. You've come to the right place then. Come take a spot beside me." The woman shifted to allow Cream to enter the line with her. "I'm Penny and this is Jerry."
Cream curtsied. "I am pleased to meet you. My name is Cream and this is Cheese." For the next hour Cream waited in line with Penny and Jerry. Since these were the first humans Cream had ever really spoken to, she found them far different than all the ways her mother and other villagers had described humans. Neither Jenny nor Penny seemed aware of Cream's village and neither had considered taking over any portions of the green world in order to build more human land.
Penny described herself as a dancer who had supported her dream by driving other people around. One day she had been so worn out from all her dance work that she had made a mistake while driving and crashed. Due to mistakes with something called insurance, Penny had been forced to give up her dancing and spend every waking moment furiously working to pay back everything she owed. Eventually, unhealed injuries from the crash combined with long durations of sitting had worn out her back so much that Penny couldn't stand up straight anymore and eventually she couldn't even drive. She lost everything and had to live in housing supplied by something called taxes.
Despite her story, Cream found Penny very optimistic and warm. Jerry was much the same. He had injured his eye while working in a factory and a man called "the boss" decided it would be cheaper just to shell out something called a severance package instead of helping Jerry manage his injury. When the money ran out, Jerry was left without a means of supporting himself but had been barred from the houses Penny lived in because he kept failing a kind of strange test. He slept right on the street which explained his extreme smell.
Cream told them both about her quest to find Red Mountain but neither could help her very much when it came to directions. "Sonic and Tails saved my village before, but I think it's important that one of us does it this time," She explained cheerfully.
"Sonic?" Penny asked. "Sonic the Hedgehog, like the Sonic the Hedgehog."
"Of course." Cream quickly turned into an instant sensation as she explained her meeting with Sonic. Everyone in the line turned to hear her story and the very mention of Sonic's name brought light into the eyes of even the sourest person.
Fatigued but very kind volunteers greeted Cream when she finally reached the end of the line and gave her a bowl of hot broth, a small sandwich and a cup of cold water. They even made sure to give Cheese a full helping. The food had no taste but Cream could not remember ever having a better meal. Conscientious as always, Cream ignored the continued grumbling in her stomach and stored the sandwich in her bag for later. The hot broth warmed and rejuvenated Cream with fresh energy to continue with her quest.
Cream returned to the volunteers and asked them directions to Red Mountain. "That's quite a ways from here. You'll want to head north until you reach the Ruby Isle. It's a kind of oasis in the midst of the desert. Beyond that you will reach the borders of the mountain range. If you go to the city square at the far end of town you should find a map that will lead you straight there. But why would a little thing like you want to go there? Red Mountain is a nasty place. There is an abandoned prison there and lately there's been rumors of even worse things."
She shrugged off their warnings and thanked them for their kindness, bowing in turn to each and every one of the red shirted volunteers.
"Thank you for helping us."
Penny and Jerry accepted Cream's gratitude with humble nods. "You look for us if you ever return to the city, deary," Penny said.
Cream noticed the sun sinking slowly over the distant skyscrapers and hastily waved farewell. "We will!" Cream took Cheese by the hand and took off running down the street.
Haste swiftly proved a fickle friend and the beleaguered duo got lost trying to find the city square. As the night darkened Cream got increasingly more uncomfortable. The humans who walked the streets at day were distracted and oblivious, those that stalked the roads at night were far more vigilant. Their eyes darted away from their flashing tablets to intently watch Cream and Cheese. Every time this happened, Cream could feel a cold shudder run down her back but she could not explain why she suddenly felt so frightened.
One man lingered by a street light. He was watching Cream the entire way as she approached him. Cream felt the chill and a tingle ran down her arm when she heard him start to move just as she passed him. Cheese tucked itself in Cream's dress pocket and looked over her shoulder. "Chao…"
Cream could already hear the man's pace increase. Perhaps he is also lost. However, an instinct deep within her urged her to walk faster. The man's pace quickened and Cream considered taking to the skies. Flying would burn a lot of energy and Cream wanted to spare as much as she could for the long road ahead. Her discomfort grew until Cream took a chance and turned abruptly down a side street. As soon as she was in the cover of the alley she flew up and hid in the shadows of the nearby buildings. The man turned but stopped when he lost sight of Cream. He waited silently for a few seconds. Cream could not see his face as it was covered by a tangled mess of long dirty hair. Eventually he shrugged and walked away. Cream descended and could feel her heart racing in her chest.
BANG! Cream whirled around to see a back door fling open. Two men in white aprons hurled a dark figure into the wall of the alley. "Come back with the rest or that will be the end of you!" They warned as they slammed the door shut.
Cream raced forward as the thrown figure groaned and struggled to turn himself over. "Are you alright?" Cream squealed as she came over. She offered out her hand but drew it back when she recognized the toad from earlier that day.
"Out of the way," He croaked as he pushed himself back to his feet. The toad limped to the door he had just been thrown out of. He slammed his webbed hand against it. "Oi! How am I supposed to pay you back without my piece?"
A few seconds later the door opened. The toad just managed to jump back before his guitar case was flung outside. It landed with a clatter and popped open. "Hey!" He protested as he hopped over to inspect his instrument. The toad took out the guitar and inspected it as if it was his beloved baby.
Cream tried to look inside the building but the door closed swiftly. "Are…are you okay?" She asked gently.
The toad brushed some debris off his instrument and gave it a strum. "Ah…it's all off key, those idiots."
Cream stood on her tiptoes to peek inside the case. All the money she had seen earlier was gone. CROAK. The toad put a hand on his stomach and leaned against the alley wall. His skin looked flushed and he closed his eyes in pain.
"Mister?"
The toad waved her off. "Nothing it's nothing." He opened one eye and examined Cream. "It's you again. The one who wanted me to play for free."
"Why did those men hurt you?"
"They can't hurt me," The toad said defiantly before spitting onto the ground. CROAK. Cream realized the sound wasn't coming from the toad, it was his stomach. He leaned further onto the wall and clenched as if in pain.
"Mr, you don't look well."
"You a doctor or something?" CROAK. The man grabbed his stomach and seized up.
"Are you hungry?" It was not easy for Cream to force herself to do it but she reached into her bag and drew out the uneaten sandwich.
The toad noticed the offer and could not prevent his eyes from expanding. "I…I couldn't…I couldn't take it."
"You're not taking it. I'm offering it to you."
"A hand out then?" The toad snapped with undue venom. "Not my business. That's not how I do things."
"I really don't mind, mister. Just take it."
The toad stared at her sandwich but the expression on his face made it clear that he was fighting a very intense internal war. "Could…Could I play for it? Never let it be said that Raymond the Toad ever took something without earning it." He looked truly desperate and on the verge of fainting.
Cream held the sandwich closer to him. "Mister please I really don't need anything, just eat."
The toad recoiled from her words as if she was berating him with a fiery torch. "That's the problem nowadays. Nobody wants to work for anything. I've worked my whole life. Come sun or rain I was there, never late, no sick days, it wasn't glamorous but it was work. I've always done all that I can. It wasn't my fault…I had to make a deal. A man has to be willing to do anything for his family. You wouldn't understand. The young never do."
His pain was making the toad talk nonsense. He wasn't looking at Cream anymore and seemed to be talking to the air. Cream shared a concerned look with Cheese. She could not understand how someone would let themselves experience this kind of pain for something as trivial as pride.
"I'd love to hear you play mister. I'm not sure I can afford a song with just a simple sandwich but that's all I have."
Raymond shuddered and placed both hands on the wall to steady himself. "Can't pay eh? That's all right. I'll make an exception for today. Just the sandwich then." His hands shook as he retrieved his guitar and readied to play. Despite his obvious pain and shakiness, when the toad started to play his fingers were as delicate and adept as ever. The melody was slow and sad and the tune transported Cream to a quiet night out in some starlit swamp.
"By light of moon or star or fly
you are the apple of my eye.
On grassy sward or murky pad; in lush gardens or damp caverns
In the midst of storms or in the peace that follows
with you, all places feel hallowed
By night my dreams return to the center of the Fairies Ring
You awaited me and lifted your voice to bid me home
All day you called and the rains returned and the mushrooms grew in size
When I tarried still you did not leave but continued to wait and hope
Gale and tempest barred my way and each night I despaired of ever finding you
Yet in the darkness I heard your call, faint but strong and ever hoping.
Keep singing my love and I will keep seeking."
When he was finished Raymond slumped against his instrument. Cream brushed the tears out of her eyes and offered out the sandwich. The toad took it and instantly swallowed the entire thing whole.
"That was beautiful,"
"Thank you miss. Time was an entire mob would empty their pockets just to hear me play. Now I get a sandwich." Cream smiled apologetically as the toad stored away his guitar. "You have somewhere to go tonight?" He asked.
"I'm trying to leave the city actually. I just need to find the square that has a map to Red Mountain."
The toad scratched his head. "Well I suppose one good turn deserves another. I gave you a discounted show so I may as well give you directions as well." More than that the toad offered to escort Cream to the square.
All of Cream's previous fears and anxieties melted away as he walked with Raymond. No one gave her a passing look and the toad kept her entertained with his various opinions on the state of things today. "In my day people knew the value of respect and hard work. Now it's all shortcuts and laziness. Hard times molded a strong generation and ease gave way to comfort and sloth I suppose."
Cream did not know what to say to this. She had no way of evaluating the generations of people outside of her village. All she knew was that the village elders were always to be respected, but she was accustomed to that respect flowing both ways. Yet the more Raymond spoke the more she figured that his disdain for the young had nothing to do with any individual young person but of past regrets and current sorrows.
Though he had grumbled and complained the whole time and made several comments about how young people don't know how to get around anymore, when they finally reached the city square Raymond hesitated to leave Cream behind. "I suppose you have everything you need," He said while shifting his feet and staring at the pavement.
"Yes sir, thank you so much."
Raymond looked at her and Cream could have sworn she saw a slight glisten in his eyes that may have been tears. "Thank you," He said stiffly. The words were fighting through his proud and constricted throat. "It was nice to talk to someone. It's been a while since anybody's really listened to me. Sometimes I…I feel like a ghost." When he could bear the embarrassment no longer, Raymond turned away and started to shuffle in the opposite direction.
Cream stood frozen, unsure of how to respond. Cheese pulled at her hand and urged her onward. She took a steadying breath and rushed forward. Cream put her hand on Raymond's shoulder and he turned around slowly. "It was my pleasure to meet you sir. I am sorry you feel alone. When I feel that way I close my eyes and remember all the people that know me and are wishing me well."
Raymond couldn't meet her gaze. "But nobody knows me."
"We know you! Raymond the Toad. He pays for everything and doesn't take any handouts from anyone!" That made him smile and he did not try to conceal the tears that fell from his eyes. Cream took his hands in hers and squeezed them. "Don't let loneliness make you bitter. It will only make things worse. Try to see the best in people. The people who you hate so much for not working, they may not be who you think they are. You have so much more to lose by not being kind."
Raymond had no answer for her but Cream did not expect him to say released his hands and gave him one final wave goodbye.
Cream went to the center of the square and found the map that showed her the surrounding area. Twenty miles north of Emerald City was the outskirts of the Red Desert and beyond that was Red Mountain. Cream stiffened her resolve against the coming waves of doubt. It's so far away. But I can't turn back. Sonic and Tails wouldn't give up, and neither will I.