Chapter 9:
Mindgames
Snively sat up, and blew out a dizzy breath. He looked around. The villagers were lying on the ground. Sonic was standing, eyeing Sally with large confused eyes. The small human let his gaze travel to the squirrel as well.
She threw out her arms in a quick snapping motion. The air rippled in a steady glittering line, moving so fast towards Casssar that the ermine didn't have time to move.
Her breath rushed out in strangled sound, she flew backwards and sprawled motionless on the ground, her hands twitching slightly.
Sonic stared at Sally, eyes widening even further; Snively had a feeling the hedgehog didn't know about Cu Chulainne. All he saw was his girlfriend suddenly using magical powers. The small human smirked, yes, that would probably indeed be a shock. Then his eyes moved to Casssar, and his smirk faded.
She had pushed herself up to a sitting position, just barely holding herself up on shaky arms. Sally was scrunched in on herself again... and Snively knew Cu was gathering energy for another attack.
He scowled heavily. They'd been ready to leave, him and Casssar, and all these silly animals had to butt in. Along with Cu. And now the villagers were useless... he sighed heavily. Everything had to be so hard.
*But at least uncle is gone...*
He glanced over at the dead man, and his eyes caught the knife handle sticking up from next to the body where Sally had hurled it. He clambered to his feet, casually backing away to stand next to the body, his eyes on Sonic.
But the hedgehog seemed stunned, watching his girl's fur ripple in that unseen wind again, a slight glow emitting from her body.
The small human reached the body. He tried not to look. But his eyes were cruel, insisting on keeping this image. They traveled every inch of the maimed and bloody flesh, raced along every red slash in the skin. They finally halted on the eyes.
They were open, rolled back so he seemed to be staring up at his forehead. The red had faded to a dull dark color, just a few shades lighter than the black part of the eye. The mouth hung slightly open. That once proud mustache was a matted mess of hair and blood now, stuck upon the fat cheeks.
He groaned, feeling sick again. He drew in a quick gasping breath, struggling hard not to vomit. There was a strong acidic taste in his throat, but nothing came forth.
He dropped his gaze from his uncle's face quickly, but they focused on another horrid thing. The long open wound from where Sally had sliced him open. From it spilled body parts that were never supposed to be seen. A long red length of intestine. Other things, slimy and red, things he would've normally been able to identify. But his brain locked up, and he only saw blood-smeared meat.
The vomit shoved it way up his throat, and he doubled over. The foul mess splattered upon the bloody grass. He stepped back, wiping his chin, breathing raggedly. A few tears streaked his cheeks, and they were erased by a quick swipe of his sleeve.
He heard a scream, and quickly turned his attention away from the corpse. Casssar was slammed up against a tree, her legs off the ground and kicking at the air. There was no one there holding her up, but he saw Sally with her arm outstretched, glowing softly.
Casssar screamed and howled, her head thrown back, one hand clawing at her throat, the other at her chest.
Sonic was just staring in awe, his hands hanging loosely by his sides. He'd probably never stood still this long ever in his life...
A small hand gripped the handle of the knife, yanking it free from the ground. Snively crept, snarling angrily, towards the squirrel that hosted the wretched Cu Chulainne.
Casssar's screaming had died, turning to pitiful whimpers. Snively gripped the knife harder, eyes hard and cold. She was in pain. How dare they put her in pain.
His boots squished upon the wet ground as he took his careful steps forward. And when he was a few feet away, his legs thrust him forward fast, the knife raising... the squirrel's back his target...
"MA PRINCESS!! WATCH OUT!!"
The scream pierced the air. Halted everyone. Casssar went limp. Snively stopped with the knife raised back over his shoulder, about to drive forward and down into the young girl.
Antoine sat shivering, his arms clasped around the woman villager, his eyes wide. The echoes of his warning still lingered in the air.
Then time rushed forward again. A short growl rumbled in the human's throat and the knife hurtled forward. Sally whirled around, one strong arm shot out and caught his hand. The knife stopped, so close it brushed the cream-colored fur of her chest.
Sonic had rushed to help, but he halted again, resuming his awed stare at Sally.
Her attention distracted from the ermine, Cu made Sally's hand tighten on Snively's arm, and sent a dazzling bolt of pain through him. He shrieked, struggling to get away. The knife dropped, clattering to the ground next to Sally's blue boot.
Casssar slumped down, curling into a ball with her arms clasped to her chest. She touched her fingertips against herself, breathily mummering soothing words... heal, heal...
Sally's hands were once again around his throat, but this time Snively could breathe. Just barely. She held him steadily, their blue eyes locked together. He shivered at the touch of Cu Chulainne brushing against his mind.
"Stay out of my head!" he squeaked aloud, attempting to kick, but his body didn't want to obey.
He felt the presence of Cu, like warm fingers, lazily stroking over his mind, shifting through his memories. Those fingers touched upon his most recent acquisitions. The Source River. And more importantly, the remembrance of Knothole. How to reach it. Where it lay.
And then those fingers grabbed and began to rip it out of him.
He wanted to struggle. But couldn't. His mind grabbed ahold of the memory and tugged back. It was a tug-of-war of sorts, one that he was losing. His mind being dragged forward, tumbling against the myriad of other memories within. His mother laughing. His father's fist raised. Robotnik screaming about something or another.
He screamed, feeling dizzy, pain... no...his mother was dead, and pops just drank it off on the sofa... no... Robotnik was so angry that day and his fists drew blood and broke bones...
"NOOOOOOO!" he howled aloud.
---Let it go.--- The voice came, sudden and deep, shaking him to the core.
*NO, GET OUT OF MY MIND!!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE HERE!!!*
---Let it go. It will only bring harm. Hasn't there been enough pain?---
*YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PAIN! GET OUT!*
He crashed through another memory, struggling to keep ahold of Knothole's location. Ah yes. A rainy day when his sister had come home with a torn dress, babbling that her boyfriend had raped her. Pops had grabbed his shotgun, vowing to kill the 'son ofa bitch'. Snively could only sneer, no wonder, no wonder the way she dressed and rubbed herself against him, and never ever stood up when he raised his hand to her... didn't she deserve it? But now he felt sick and hurt, knowing he should've put his arms around her and tried to soothe her pain.
*LET GO!!* He mind-screamed again, starting to shiver. Tears ran down his cheeks. He wanted to curl up. He didn't want to see these memories. He didn't want to feel the sting of them again...
---Let go. You are only hurting yourself.---
*YOU CAN'T STEAL THIS FROM ME!* He couldn't lose Knothole's location. He couldn't.
There was a weird sensation, like Cu had sighed. Then his mind was slammed by a tremendous rushing force, ripping him away from his memory of Knothole. He hurtled backwards, his eyes fluttering, his body weak. His vision went black, and when sight returned again...
He had no idea where he was. Or how he'd gotten here. He could remember faintly, with a nauseas feeling in his stomach, that he'd been with Casssar, that Robotnik had been killed by his orders. He could remember everything, everything but where he was...
He moaned, going limp in Sally's grip.
*********
*Does he know where Knothole is?* Sally questioned.
---No. But it is up to you to decide what to do with him.---
*We should take him prisoner. I guess it doesn't matter if he knew or not...*
---I could help him. Take away his evil, his pain.---
*Why? With all he's done...* Her eyes traveled to the corpse of Robotnik and the small pile of dead villagers around him. *He deserves pain.*
---Do you truly believe that, Sally?---
*Yes.* Her mind voice was firm, unwavering. *I believe it. He only cares about hurting others. He needs to be on the receiving end for once.*
Cu sighed. If only Sally could see inside his mind like she had. The horrors there. He hadn't just killed his uncle for some sick pleasure. He'd been driven to do it, driven mad by agony and fear.
---You only see the surface of him, Sally. You cannot see the things within. He has been terribly wounded.---
Sally's mind-voice scoffed. *Gimme a break...* A scowl touched her face. *I don't want you to help him, Cu. I want him to suffer. He deserves it...*
---It is my duty to cleanse things that are tainted.---
*You're only supposed to cleanse the Source, Cu, don't give me that! I DON'T WANT YOU HELPING HIM!!*
---Sally, this is not like you. Where has your empathy gone? Your compassion? You have suddenly gone cold and hard, Sally. Perhaps you have been tainted as well?---
*No... you don't understand. All the things he and his uncle put us through. He wrecked my... he wrecked OUR lives. He destroyed parts of our world, pieces of our history, things that can never be brought back. He tore apart my people and their families. He's... he's killing our planet...*
---And I do not excuse him from that. But cleansing him of this pain and evil would make him a better person... he would be receptive to your ways then, Sally, I know he would.---
*SO?! You think I would accept him? Even if he was turned 'good'?! Never.*
There was a sort of mental sigh, and Sally felt a shiver, as if Cu had suddenly distanced itself from her... the usual warmth of the entity filling her mind was replaced by an empty chill. She thought at first Cu had left her.
---I am disappointed that you feel that way, Sally. It is not your nature to be so aloof to others pain. But I must do my duty. I must cleanse.---
Sally felt a surge of power go through her hands... Cu feeding energy into him. The little human jerked and let out a feeble moan, pale blues fluttering open to look at Sally's face; a look of weak accusation.
"Don't you dare...try to change me...Cu..."
Sally's mind echoed similar words. *NO, CU, DON'T HELP HIM. I DON'T WANT YOU TO.*
---It is out of your hands now.---
*You are using *MY* HANDS!!* She let out an angry shriek, struggling to regain control of her body. *I'm sick of people using my hands... he used them, now you are... STOP IT STOP IT!!! I WANT CONTROL OF MYSELF AGAIN!!*
---Please, Sally.---
"Let go..." Snively's voice came out in a rasping whisper. "Get out of my head..."
*He doesn't want you there, Cu.* Sally's thoughts snarled angrily. *I don't want you there... get out...*
---I must cleanse.---
"NO!" The cry burst out from both squirrel and human's mouths. Their eyes locked again, both a furious blue, and he tilted his head, his gaze sending a silent message...they would have to work together...
Cu seemed to understand their intentions... the entity felt them both draw back, as if powering themselves up to fight... --Please, Sally, let me cure him... he knows not what he wants... he is so corrupted...---
The 'no' burst from Sally, followed by one from the human, and then they made eye contact, a quick nod from Snively, and they both lashed out; Sally fighting to pull Cu's grasp away from him, Snively fighting to push the entity out of his mind. They panted for breath, teeth locked in twin snarls as they struggled.
Cu made almost a crying sound within their heads; it couldn't understand why they refused its help... it only meant to take away the taint that caused pain and sorrow...
Neither heeded Cu's cry, pulling, pushing with all the strength their minds possessed.
The entity struggled, and they fought, and no one else moved. Sonic stood watching him with that mouth opened as if he planned to catch every fly in the vicinity, Antoine still held the woman, the villagers still lay exhausted. Then a movement was made; a flash of black, as Casssar rose to her feet.
Things came together very quickly after that. Cu gave a sigh and started to slip...Casssar charged forth, moving past the unresisting villagers and hedgehog, to snatch the arm of her Castdecass, yanking him away from Sally's grip, which suddenly loosened.
Cu sank down in defeat in the depths of Sally's mind. The entity felt sad and disappointed in its beloved Sally... but knew flesh beings were very inconsistent and strange sometimes, and driven by basic emotions... how could Cu expect anything different... the girl hated the small human, and therefore had no empathy for his pain.
Cu knew what the difference between them was. Flesh creatures judged. They could not see things from the middle perspective; could not remain neutral. So the entity could not fault Sally on that... could it?
No. So Cu let go, let Sally do what she wanted, tucked itself into a corner of the squirrel's mind and was silent.
Casssar took off running, her bare feet smacking against the dirt walkways, then grass, and finally upon pine needles and leaves as she fled into the forest. Not knowing Cu was not fighting anymore. She just wanted away. Feeling the warmth and hearing the breathing of Castdecass, who was tucked firmly under her arm.
Sally watched her go. She didn't stop her. Her eyes traveled her companions and she walked over to Sonic and hugged him.
---I will free the rest of the villagers.---
Cu's usually powerful voice was soft and hushed.
Sally weakly nodded, burying her face into the hedgehog's shoulder. He seemed to jerk out of his trance and his arms returned the embrace.
"Sally, you ok?" His voice was slightly frightened.
"Yeah," she mumbled, although she wasn't...
He clutched her tighter, not caring what she'd done earlier, he was just glad she was all right and warm in his arms.
"Hold me Sonic, please...don't go..."
He had no intentions of doing so... "I won't Sally..."
Her legs felt weak and she sagged, but his arms held her up. The sound of his heartbeat was soothing and for a moment that's all she knew; the warm thumping from his chest and his arms about her. Then another sound finally broke through, the clomping of footsteps down the worn steps of the meeting hall.
Sonic turned to the sound, still holding her. One of her blue-booted feet dragged across the ground as they swung about. Her half-lidded eyes, weary, shone in a sort of tired relief.
Bunnie, King Acorn, Geoffrey, and the other villagers were exiting the meeting hall, grimacing and rubbing their heads. Free from the ermine's spell, they looked about in confusion; they hadn't known what was happening.
The other villagers were regaining their strength. Antoine and the woman he'd cradled were standing, brushing themselves off.
Bunnie was the first to say anything.
"What the hoo-haw?" It dropped from her lips in a stunned whisper, as her robotic feet were smeared red from the grass as she approached the fallen one. She went nearer and nearer, almost touching, wide green eyes staring down.
Antoine came to her side, too shocked to even tremble, and stood beside her.
The other villagers followed suit, until they all stood there, a silent staring circle, ringed around the body of the one who'd once been mighty, who'd once been their tormenter, and now was only a hunk of bloodied flesh.
They stood and just gazed, not even thinking at this point, not even daring to imagine how different things would be.
Knothole Village was cloaked in strange silence. The silence stretched for five minutes. And then an hour. And then another...
Mindgames
Snively sat up, and blew out a dizzy breath. He looked around. The villagers were lying on the ground. Sonic was standing, eyeing Sally with large confused eyes. The small human let his gaze travel to the squirrel as well.
She threw out her arms in a quick snapping motion. The air rippled in a steady glittering line, moving so fast towards Casssar that the ermine didn't have time to move.
Her breath rushed out in strangled sound, she flew backwards and sprawled motionless on the ground, her hands twitching slightly.
Sonic stared at Sally, eyes widening even further; Snively had a feeling the hedgehog didn't know about Cu Chulainne. All he saw was his girlfriend suddenly using magical powers. The small human smirked, yes, that would probably indeed be a shock. Then his eyes moved to Casssar, and his smirk faded.
She had pushed herself up to a sitting position, just barely holding herself up on shaky arms. Sally was scrunched in on herself again... and Snively knew Cu was gathering energy for another attack.
He scowled heavily. They'd been ready to leave, him and Casssar, and all these silly animals had to butt in. Along with Cu. And now the villagers were useless... he sighed heavily. Everything had to be so hard.
*But at least uncle is gone...*
He glanced over at the dead man, and his eyes caught the knife handle sticking up from next to the body where Sally had hurled it. He clambered to his feet, casually backing away to stand next to the body, his eyes on Sonic.
But the hedgehog seemed stunned, watching his girl's fur ripple in that unseen wind again, a slight glow emitting from her body.
The small human reached the body. He tried not to look. But his eyes were cruel, insisting on keeping this image. They traveled every inch of the maimed and bloody flesh, raced along every red slash in the skin. They finally halted on the eyes.
They were open, rolled back so he seemed to be staring up at his forehead. The red had faded to a dull dark color, just a few shades lighter than the black part of the eye. The mouth hung slightly open. That once proud mustache was a matted mess of hair and blood now, stuck upon the fat cheeks.
He groaned, feeling sick again. He drew in a quick gasping breath, struggling hard not to vomit. There was a strong acidic taste in his throat, but nothing came forth.
He dropped his gaze from his uncle's face quickly, but they focused on another horrid thing. The long open wound from where Sally had sliced him open. From it spilled body parts that were never supposed to be seen. A long red length of intestine. Other things, slimy and red, things he would've normally been able to identify. But his brain locked up, and he only saw blood-smeared meat.
The vomit shoved it way up his throat, and he doubled over. The foul mess splattered upon the bloody grass. He stepped back, wiping his chin, breathing raggedly. A few tears streaked his cheeks, and they were erased by a quick swipe of his sleeve.
He heard a scream, and quickly turned his attention away from the corpse. Casssar was slammed up against a tree, her legs off the ground and kicking at the air. There was no one there holding her up, but he saw Sally with her arm outstretched, glowing softly.
Casssar screamed and howled, her head thrown back, one hand clawing at her throat, the other at her chest.
Sonic was just staring in awe, his hands hanging loosely by his sides. He'd probably never stood still this long ever in his life...
A small hand gripped the handle of the knife, yanking it free from the ground. Snively crept, snarling angrily, towards the squirrel that hosted the wretched Cu Chulainne.
Casssar's screaming had died, turning to pitiful whimpers. Snively gripped the knife harder, eyes hard and cold. She was in pain. How dare they put her in pain.
His boots squished upon the wet ground as he took his careful steps forward. And when he was a few feet away, his legs thrust him forward fast, the knife raising... the squirrel's back his target...
"MA PRINCESS!! WATCH OUT!!"
The scream pierced the air. Halted everyone. Casssar went limp. Snively stopped with the knife raised back over his shoulder, about to drive forward and down into the young girl.
Antoine sat shivering, his arms clasped around the woman villager, his eyes wide. The echoes of his warning still lingered in the air.
Then time rushed forward again. A short growl rumbled in the human's throat and the knife hurtled forward. Sally whirled around, one strong arm shot out and caught his hand. The knife stopped, so close it brushed the cream-colored fur of her chest.
Sonic had rushed to help, but he halted again, resuming his awed stare at Sally.
Her attention distracted from the ermine, Cu made Sally's hand tighten on Snively's arm, and sent a dazzling bolt of pain through him. He shrieked, struggling to get away. The knife dropped, clattering to the ground next to Sally's blue boot.
Casssar slumped down, curling into a ball with her arms clasped to her chest. She touched her fingertips against herself, breathily mummering soothing words... heal, heal...
Sally's hands were once again around his throat, but this time Snively could breathe. Just barely. She held him steadily, their blue eyes locked together. He shivered at the touch of Cu Chulainne brushing against his mind.
"Stay out of my head!" he squeaked aloud, attempting to kick, but his body didn't want to obey.
He felt the presence of Cu, like warm fingers, lazily stroking over his mind, shifting through his memories. Those fingers touched upon his most recent acquisitions. The Source River. And more importantly, the remembrance of Knothole. How to reach it. Where it lay.
And then those fingers grabbed and began to rip it out of him.
He wanted to struggle. But couldn't. His mind grabbed ahold of the memory and tugged back. It was a tug-of-war of sorts, one that he was losing. His mind being dragged forward, tumbling against the myriad of other memories within. His mother laughing. His father's fist raised. Robotnik screaming about something or another.
He screamed, feeling dizzy, pain... no...his mother was dead, and pops just drank it off on the sofa... no... Robotnik was so angry that day and his fists drew blood and broke bones...
"NOOOOOOO!" he howled aloud.
---Let it go.--- The voice came, sudden and deep, shaking him to the core.
*NO, GET OUT OF MY MIND!!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE HERE!!!*
---Let it go. It will only bring harm. Hasn't there been enough pain?---
*YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PAIN! GET OUT!*
He crashed through another memory, struggling to keep ahold of Knothole's location. Ah yes. A rainy day when his sister had come home with a torn dress, babbling that her boyfriend had raped her. Pops had grabbed his shotgun, vowing to kill the 'son ofa bitch'. Snively could only sneer, no wonder, no wonder the way she dressed and rubbed herself against him, and never ever stood up when he raised his hand to her... didn't she deserve it? But now he felt sick and hurt, knowing he should've put his arms around her and tried to soothe her pain.
*LET GO!!* He mind-screamed again, starting to shiver. Tears ran down his cheeks. He wanted to curl up. He didn't want to see these memories. He didn't want to feel the sting of them again...
---Let go. You are only hurting yourself.---
*YOU CAN'T STEAL THIS FROM ME!* He couldn't lose Knothole's location. He couldn't.
There was a weird sensation, like Cu had sighed. Then his mind was slammed by a tremendous rushing force, ripping him away from his memory of Knothole. He hurtled backwards, his eyes fluttering, his body weak. His vision went black, and when sight returned again...
He had no idea where he was. Or how he'd gotten here. He could remember faintly, with a nauseas feeling in his stomach, that he'd been with Casssar, that Robotnik had been killed by his orders. He could remember everything, everything but where he was...
He moaned, going limp in Sally's grip.
*********
*Does he know where Knothole is?* Sally questioned.
---No. But it is up to you to decide what to do with him.---
*We should take him prisoner. I guess it doesn't matter if he knew or not...*
---I could help him. Take away his evil, his pain.---
*Why? With all he's done...* Her eyes traveled to the corpse of Robotnik and the small pile of dead villagers around him. *He deserves pain.*
---Do you truly believe that, Sally?---
*Yes.* Her mind voice was firm, unwavering. *I believe it. He only cares about hurting others. He needs to be on the receiving end for once.*
Cu sighed. If only Sally could see inside his mind like she had. The horrors there. He hadn't just killed his uncle for some sick pleasure. He'd been driven to do it, driven mad by agony and fear.
---You only see the surface of him, Sally. You cannot see the things within. He has been terribly wounded.---
Sally's mind-voice scoffed. *Gimme a break...* A scowl touched her face. *I don't want you to help him, Cu. I want him to suffer. He deserves it...*
---It is my duty to cleanse things that are tainted.---
*You're only supposed to cleanse the Source, Cu, don't give me that! I DON'T WANT YOU HELPING HIM!!*
---Sally, this is not like you. Where has your empathy gone? Your compassion? You have suddenly gone cold and hard, Sally. Perhaps you have been tainted as well?---
*No... you don't understand. All the things he and his uncle put us through. He wrecked my... he wrecked OUR lives. He destroyed parts of our world, pieces of our history, things that can never be brought back. He tore apart my people and their families. He's... he's killing our planet...*
---And I do not excuse him from that. But cleansing him of this pain and evil would make him a better person... he would be receptive to your ways then, Sally, I know he would.---
*SO?! You think I would accept him? Even if he was turned 'good'?! Never.*
There was a sort of mental sigh, and Sally felt a shiver, as if Cu had suddenly distanced itself from her... the usual warmth of the entity filling her mind was replaced by an empty chill. She thought at first Cu had left her.
---I am disappointed that you feel that way, Sally. It is not your nature to be so aloof to others pain. But I must do my duty. I must cleanse.---
Sally felt a surge of power go through her hands... Cu feeding energy into him. The little human jerked and let out a feeble moan, pale blues fluttering open to look at Sally's face; a look of weak accusation.
"Don't you dare...try to change me...Cu..."
Sally's mind echoed similar words. *NO, CU, DON'T HELP HIM. I DON'T WANT YOU TO.*
---It is out of your hands now.---
*You are using *MY* HANDS!!* She let out an angry shriek, struggling to regain control of her body. *I'm sick of people using my hands... he used them, now you are... STOP IT STOP IT!!! I WANT CONTROL OF MYSELF AGAIN!!*
---Please, Sally.---
"Let go..." Snively's voice came out in a rasping whisper. "Get out of my head..."
*He doesn't want you there, Cu.* Sally's thoughts snarled angrily. *I don't want you there... get out...*
---I must cleanse.---
"NO!" The cry burst out from both squirrel and human's mouths. Their eyes locked again, both a furious blue, and he tilted his head, his gaze sending a silent message...they would have to work together...
Cu seemed to understand their intentions... the entity felt them both draw back, as if powering themselves up to fight... --Please, Sally, let me cure him... he knows not what he wants... he is so corrupted...---
The 'no' burst from Sally, followed by one from the human, and then they made eye contact, a quick nod from Snively, and they both lashed out; Sally fighting to pull Cu's grasp away from him, Snively fighting to push the entity out of his mind. They panted for breath, teeth locked in twin snarls as they struggled.
Cu made almost a crying sound within their heads; it couldn't understand why they refused its help... it only meant to take away the taint that caused pain and sorrow...
Neither heeded Cu's cry, pulling, pushing with all the strength their minds possessed.
The entity struggled, and they fought, and no one else moved. Sonic stood watching him with that mouth opened as if he planned to catch every fly in the vicinity, Antoine still held the woman, the villagers still lay exhausted. Then a movement was made; a flash of black, as Casssar rose to her feet.
Things came together very quickly after that. Cu gave a sigh and started to slip...Casssar charged forth, moving past the unresisting villagers and hedgehog, to snatch the arm of her Castdecass, yanking him away from Sally's grip, which suddenly loosened.
Cu sank down in defeat in the depths of Sally's mind. The entity felt sad and disappointed in its beloved Sally... but knew flesh beings were very inconsistent and strange sometimes, and driven by basic emotions... how could Cu expect anything different... the girl hated the small human, and therefore had no empathy for his pain.
Cu knew what the difference between them was. Flesh creatures judged. They could not see things from the middle perspective; could not remain neutral. So the entity could not fault Sally on that... could it?
No. So Cu let go, let Sally do what she wanted, tucked itself into a corner of the squirrel's mind and was silent.
Casssar took off running, her bare feet smacking against the dirt walkways, then grass, and finally upon pine needles and leaves as she fled into the forest. Not knowing Cu was not fighting anymore. She just wanted away. Feeling the warmth and hearing the breathing of Castdecass, who was tucked firmly under her arm.
Sally watched her go. She didn't stop her. Her eyes traveled her companions and she walked over to Sonic and hugged him.
---I will free the rest of the villagers.---
Cu's usually powerful voice was soft and hushed.
Sally weakly nodded, burying her face into the hedgehog's shoulder. He seemed to jerk out of his trance and his arms returned the embrace.
"Sally, you ok?" His voice was slightly frightened.
"Yeah," she mumbled, although she wasn't...
He clutched her tighter, not caring what she'd done earlier, he was just glad she was all right and warm in his arms.
"Hold me Sonic, please...don't go..."
He had no intentions of doing so... "I won't Sally..."
Her legs felt weak and she sagged, but his arms held her up. The sound of his heartbeat was soothing and for a moment that's all she knew; the warm thumping from his chest and his arms about her. Then another sound finally broke through, the clomping of footsteps down the worn steps of the meeting hall.
Sonic turned to the sound, still holding her. One of her blue-booted feet dragged across the ground as they swung about. Her half-lidded eyes, weary, shone in a sort of tired relief.
Bunnie, King Acorn, Geoffrey, and the other villagers were exiting the meeting hall, grimacing and rubbing their heads. Free from the ermine's spell, they looked about in confusion; they hadn't known what was happening.
The other villagers were regaining their strength. Antoine and the woman he'd cradled were standing, brushing themselves off.
Bunnie was the first to say anything.
"What the hoo-haw?" It dropped from her lips in a stunned whisper, as her robotic feet were smeared red from the grass as she approached the fallen one. She went nearer and nearer, almost touching, wide green eyes staring down.
Antoine came to her side, too shocked to even tremble, and stood beside her.
The other villagers followed suit, until they all stood there, a silent staring circle, ringed around the body of the one who'd once been mighty, who'd once been their tormenter, and now was only a hunk of bloodied flesh.
They stood and just gazed, not even thinking at this point, not even daring to imagine how different things would be.
Knothole Village was cloaked in strange silence. The silence stretched for five minutes. And then an hour. And then another...