Draco: Okay…well…I got a little bit of support here, including my usual support system. *huggles Scar* So I suppose I should continue.
Nuke: She says this as if she would stop just because no one was reviewing.
Draco: Shush. Anyway…here goes…
^_^
Nuke stared for a moment at the slightly shaken newcomers before pulling himself out of the amazement and into the real world. Awesome or not, this event had no effect on their current danger except maybe to increase it. This in mind, he grabbed Atom and dove for the floor where the four creatures were slowly standing. They stared at him in confusion until he pointed to the hole in the ceiling that led to the vents, which seemed to make them understand. It was dangerous here, and it was time to leave.
So, without a single thought as to how they would follow, Nuke clicked his heels and flew full speed into the system, zooming along the passageways with Atom clinging to his back. Moments later, the blue hedgehog was beside him and the others were close behind. Below them sounded shouts and storming boots, effectively drowning their own noise out. Now for where to go. He could always follow blind senses like he had before. The voices in his head seemed trustworthy enough. Then they were outside.
* * *
*door opens, boots click*
Assistant: They're both gone, sir.
*a fist is slammed down on a desk*
* * *
They stopped a ways into the trees, collapsing onto the ground in something close to a circle. Atom curled up into a ball, her head in Nuke's lap, as the other four stared at one another. Nuke knew he would need to explain all of this. Now if only he knew how.
"Who are you," the blue hedgehog sighed, "and where are we?"
Nuke stared at him for a moment, then answered. "My name's Nuke, this is Atom, and this is Earth Colony 8090. Who are you?"
The confusion seemed to grow, a hint of what seemed like panic sparking amongst the four strangers, before the blue one answered. "I'm Sonic."
"Tails," a little, two-tailed fox squeaked.
Following suite, a red echidna raised a hand. "Knuckles."
Then a black and red hedgehog spoke up. "Shadow" was the name he added to the list, watching Nuke with what appeared to be suspicion. At this point, the green fox expected that.
"How," Sonic broke into the falling silence, "did we get here?"
Almost relieved, Nuke shrugged. "I don't know. Atom was playing with the controls of some sort of machine and then you seemingly materialized from thin air."
"Atom wanted friends," a little voice suddenly piped in. "Atom got friends."
They all stared in disbelief at the little girl, her big, green eyes staring back at them. She curled up tight against Nuke's side, tucking herself under his arm. Was it possible that this tiny child could have actually done all of this on purpose? It was nearly impossible to believe such a thing could be true. Then again, Nuke thought, their very existence, hers and his own, were nearly impossible to believe if he weren't currently living it.
* * *
*there are clicks and taps like someone on a computer*
1: So what exactly happened? What did they do?
2: I'm not sure. It looks as if they somehow got this stupid old machine to work, but now it's dead again.
*more tapping and someone walking*
1: You mean whatever they did may have been a once in a lifetime possibility?
2: Exactly.
1: Damn.
2: Exactly. I can't even figure out how they did it. It should've been impossible to so much as start this thing. I mean…look…it's not even plugged in. How the hell did they get power for this thing when it's not even plugged in?
1: Damn.
*continued tapping*
* * *
Sonic broke the silence once again. "So, is there any way to get us back home?"
"How should I know?" Nuke shrugged. "I haven't got a clue as to how she got you here in the first place. Getting you back is a lost cause to me."
Knuckles sighed, leaning back against a tree. "Great. So we're stuck, is that it?"
"Maybe not," Tails put in quietly. "Maybe, if I could get back to that machine, I could figure it out, but it would mean getting back in there and having time to look everything over, not to mention the time it'd take to work with it."
Nuke shook his head. "You've gotta be kidding. Getting back to that room would be hard enough, but keeping the people out of it…that's just plain impossible." He stroked Atom's ear absently and the little girl slowly drifted off to sleep. "I mean…they'll have that place sealed up so tight the wind can't get through. I just got out. I'm not risking my life to get back in right away."
It was quiet then, no one knowing what to say or do next. They would get nowhere by turning this into a war between home and freedom, and Sonic's crew would just be wasting time in there without Nuke to guide them. So what was their next move? The question turned over and over in each of their individual minds as darkness gradually descended upon them. Then, without a word, Nuke collected little Atom into his arms and got to his feet, his tiny burden not so much as whimpering in response. Eyes followed him in a hush until it became apparent that he would say nothing unless someone else spoke first.
"Where are you going?" Sonic asked, standing as well.
Nuke hefted the blue kit, meeting his new companion's gaze. "I'm going to find somewhere safer to hide, somewhere they're less likely to accidentally come across us in our sleep. Not to mention somewhere with some sort of protection from the elements."
Then the green fox started on his way, wandering through the trees. He had no idea if they would follow, though part of him hoped they would. Leaving them out there alone in a world they were new to made him feel slightly guilty, but what they wanted of him was just too much. Of course, there was very little knowledge of this world in his own muddled brain, but he was sure that whatever lay ahead of him was better than what lay behind. Even if he were still alone it would be better out here. Alone, however, was not what he would be it seemed, for he had little Atom and four new companions following close behind.