Ch. 5: Preparation for a date
Sonic had arrived in the Great Forest after purchasing the ring. Eleven months' worth of salary were now this exceptionally fine-crafted ring in a silk box. Gold, with a sizeable diamond set in the midst of two smaller ones. The jeweler had even offered to imprint Sally's name on the ring's inner curve.
Back in his hut, he stored the ring under the floorboards with his cash box. Then he sped off once more. Those around the village had seen him dash here not two minutes ago, and now he was gone as if something was chasing him. They shrugged, and went back to their individual concerns.
The Lake of Rings was still producing Power Rings faithfully once per day. Sonic or Tails had always arrived on time all these years to grab the ring as it broke the surface. The Lake had been given a very capable guardian by the name of Lazer The Hedgehog. He was very capable at his job due to five red Chaos Emeralds whose power had been absorbed within him many years ago. How this vast power had become his is another story. He was a red-furred hedgehog with orange skin, and a peculiar V-shaped patch of fur on his forehead. He wore spiked shoes and the spines on his head were over two feet long.
Lazer was a forced refugee from his now obliterated country of Xadra, far across the sea. Robotnik had gone to war with the country of red hedgehogs, around four years ago. After one year of ceaseless fighting, he concluded that the country could not be overthrown. Defeated, Robotnik used his massive Death Egg to nuke Adrax, the capital of Xadra, with a nuclear mega bomb. The bomb wiped out all trace of life within ten thousand square kilometers, and Robotnik had escaped in the same Death Egg, leaving behind the wasteland remains of a once advanced civilization.
Lazer had witnessed the tremendous destruction of his country. He found his father, and, before dying, his father implored him never to take a life for a life. After his father died, the destruction of Lazer's life was complete. His family and friends were now dust blown in the wind. He could not kill Robotnik, and could not die because he had to take revenge. The Emeralds had granted immortality (but not invulnerability) and powers beyond comparison, but he still could not kill his sworn enemy for destroying his life. He had been heartbroken at his father's love for life, in comparison to his own bloodthirsty thoughts, at that point. He vowed to respect his father's wish, but to also carry out justice. So, Lazer had flown (he could fly, by the way) to the Great Forest and joined the Freedom Fighters, for one single purpose: overthrow the overlord, Robotnik, at all costs.
Four years had passed since. He and the other Fighters had managed to prevent Robotnik from overthrowing Mobius. For the time being, he was satisfied that peace had settled and the fighting had calmed, but he wanted to see the day when Robotnik died. He would never, ever cease his hatred for Robotnik until either one of them died. Being immortal, he could wait, for a very long time, for the day when Robotnik would depart this life. On that day, he would personally tear down Robotropolis.
Lazer, as you now understand, would gladly want Robotnik to suffer horribly, or at least help thwart his plans. He spent his days by the Lake and his own hut, guarding both with the combined might of five Chaos emeralds. He would only help the Freedom Fighters if called upon, and he proved to be very helpful indeed.
The red hedgehog was now staring out over the Lake. He often did this, along with meditation, to help him think about other things besides revenge. That was when his solitude was intruded upon.
"Lazer!"
"Sonic. What're you doing here?" He turned to the younger hedgehog. Sonic halted on the other side of the Lake.
"Uh, Lazer, this may sound weird, but I need your advice on somethin'…"
Lazer smiled bemusedly. When Sonic asked for help, it was usually in a time of crises.
"What do you want to know?"
"Uh, um, it's kinda personal…"
Lazer was surprised. Sonic was the finest example of the independent youth. Now he needing advice on something personal? How curious.
"Well, ask away."
Sonic shuffled his feet and looked at the trees around him. What was he doing here? Can't I do this on my own, he wondered? He knew that he could not. Looking at the lake and not directly at Lazer, he spoke.
"Uh… I want to- to take Sally out on a date."
"A date?" Lazer raised his eyebrows.
"Well, it's not going to be just any sort of date. I… I'm gonna ask her to…uh…"
"Marry you?"
Sonic looked up, startled.
"Ye- yes. How did you know?"
"The last time I heard you acted nervous like that, you were helping Sally decide which swimsuit she should wear to the beach."
"How'd you know about that!?!" Sonic yelled suddenly, furiously glaring at the other hedgehog. Birds flew off trees at the sudden disturbance. Lazer rolled his eyes at the display of anger.
"A reliable source. Anyway, when is the engagement going to take place?"
Sonic frowned deeply. Lazer was the only one who he could turn to without news being spread about the village in less than two seconds. The red hedgehog had isolated himself from the rest of the village. He also acted so indifferent at times that Sonic wished he had been killed in that mega-thermonuclear blast. He sighed.
"I'm taking her to Cliff Dome."
"Woah, Sonic, you can't afford it. You also need some pretty powerful connections to even come within two hundred metres of the place."
"Says who?"
He triumphantly displayed the VIP passes. Lazer raised his eyebrows again.
"Did you steal those?" he asked solemnly.
"No, I saved the owner of the place from a car crash today, and he gave them to me."
"Oh."
Sonic glared at him.
"Don't you even care?"
"Sonic, why do you need my advice?"
Sonic glowered at him again. He was losing patience very quickly.
"I'm taking her tomorrow night. I… don't know how to act in such a classy place."
"What makes you think that I do?"
Sonic growled in his throat.
"Damn it, Lazer! If you don't want to help me, say so!"
More birds flew off the trees. Lazer turned his attention to the quietly rippling waters of the lake.
"I will. Just ask."
Sonic was at the edge of his patience.
"I need to know how to act properly so I don't go and make a fool of myself," he muttered reluctantly. The other hedgehog looked up.
"Finally! You asked me. All right, listen and watch carefully."
For two hours, he taught his new student the way he should hold himself when walking, how to speak correctly to others, and possible areas of conversation he could have. He also advised him on what to wear. By spending most of his life in a highly advanced city, those matters were common knowledge to Lazer.
"Are you ready for the big night?" he finally asked.
"Wait! I don't know table manners that well either…"
"I can't tutor you all day. But, there is someone who can do a better job of that."
"Who?"
"The esteemed guard, Antoine."
"WHAT!?" he protested, reeling at the thought.
"Sorry, Sonic, but he knows that stuff better than I do. I'll admit that I was not the favourite at the dinner table… One more thing! Warn Sally about this date early tomorrow morning so that she'll have time to prepare herself. Well, good luck, and congratulations on having made up your mind about this."
"Yeah, thanks… I appreciate it, you know."
As Sonic's footsteps trailed off, he thought, "Crazy
kid. I hope he doesn't mess things up for Sally."
That thought also reminded him of his girl. His thoughts went back to the past. He had known her for four years, and she had become the love of his life: one of the few people who always made him smile. Then the war had started, and she had disappeared about a week before the nuke dropped. He had spent three days searching for her after the explosion, and was sure he had covered every square inch of the obliterated city, but her body had never been found. At least, he thought, there was a chance that Rebecca was still alive, somewhere, a refugee like himself in another country. It was one of those thoughts that kept him sane.
He stood there, watching the Lake, fists clenched at his sides.
Sonic, while he ran toward Knothole, groaned at the thought of asking that snobbish guard for help. He would be forced to grovel before Antoine even lifted a finger.
Well, he thought, I'm not going through with this just for me, or just for Sally. I'm doing this for the both of us.