Chapter Two: Reunions
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
The day had arrived.
September 11th, 2002.
Various heroes among AniEarth had gathered at New York City's "Ground Zero", the area once known as the World Trade Center, to remember this day. The only reason the other Arcadians weren't there was because they had went to either the New York on Anthony's Earth or the Earth that the Mario Brothers originated. As a sign of respect, the heroes stayed on the rooftops, allowing the families of the victims stay on the streets.
"My god...look at how many people are here." Angel said. "So many..."
"It's not a surprise." Shadow said. "So many people worked here...so many people died here."
[2,801...2,801 too god damn many!] Metal Sonic said, his robotic eyes flaring up in anger.
"Metal Sonic, calm down." Crystallis said, placing her hand on his shoulder pad. "Getting angry won't help."
[I know, Maiden Crystallis] Metal said. [But, everytime I hear about this, it...it...]
"I know the feeling." Ryoko said.
"Ah-HA! Found him!" Sonic said, pointing outward.
"Found who?" Kiyone asked. Before she could get an answer, the space pirate and the two speedster hedgehogs dashed off across rooftops and joined a fellow hero, namely Spider-Man.
"Yo, webhead!" Sonic said, as they reached him.
"I was wondering if you three were going to show up..." Spidey said.
"Who. Wouldn't." Shadow said.
"So, many people here." Ryoko said. "People who's friends and family we failed to save..."
"Don't say that, ma'am." A voice said. The four turned to see someone familiar to both Shadow and Spidey. "You did your best, and that's all that counts."
"Well, if it isn't Captain America." Shadow said, smirking. "Not surprised to see you here..."
"...While I'm surprised at seeing you three." Captain America said.
"Couldn't help it." Sonic said. "We're connected to this place as is everyone else." The four looked out again at who came. Besides the victimized families, they reconized teams from all over AniEarth: The Justice Leauge, the Justice Society, Young Justice, three X-Teams, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Digidestined, the Z Warriors, the Sailor Scouts...so many there.
"Yeah, we all are." Captain America said. "What convinced you three to come to New York that day?"
"Our heroic instincts." Sonic said. "Couldn't just stand around and do nothing. We HAD to do something!"
"And it didn't matter the outcome..." Ryoko said. Captain America nodded at that.
"And you, Spider-Man?" Captain America asked.
"The same." Spidey said. "What other reason do I need?"
"True..." Captain America said.
"Hey, Cap. Do you mind if us four just hang around by ourselves?" Sonic asked.
"Sure. I don't mind." He replied, a small smile forming on his face. Out of resepct, the pirate and the hedgehogs saluted him off.
"You know, you didn't need to do that." Spidey said.
"We know. But we wanted to." Ryoko said. "There's one thing that had been bothering me. You know what we did that day. How about you?"
"You really want to know?" Spidey said. The three nodded. "Well...you see, I work as a teacher when I'm not fighting crime or putting up with Vegeta's whining at the Heroes Council meetings. Well, that day, school had started when the first tower was attacked. Well, I ignored it at first, thinking it was just a fluke...a random thing. When the second happened, I had to leave. Telling another teacher to watch over my class, I quickly made my way out, getting in my costume as I did, ditching my clothes in a closet. On my way there, I happened to see what appeared to be a flying island..."
"Angel Island...Knuckles and Tikal must have seen it!" Sonic said, surprised.
"Yeah." Spidey said. "I'm pretty sure you know what happened afterwards."
"What happened after we were forced to give up our search in the rubble?" Shadow asked.
"I went towards my Aunt May's home..." he said. That's all he said as he began to choke up. "She was so worried about me..."
"It's okay...let it go." Ryoko said.
"I'm fine...really." Spidey said, reaching under his mask to clear his tears.
"Don't worry...I'm sure everything'll turn out just great now. Bin Laden's dead..." Ryoko said. "...Jerrod and Jim took care of him."
"Yeah..." Spidey said. "You're right. Although it's funny that they're the ones to do it." Soon after he finished talking, they heard what appeared to be the beginning of the memorial.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
The day had arrived.
September 11th, 2002.
Various heroes among AniEarth had gathered at New York City's "Ground Zero", the area once known as the World Trade Center, to remember this day. The only reason the other Arcadians weren't there was because they had went to either the New York on Anthony's Earth or the Earth that the Mario Brothers originated. As a sign of respect, the heroes stayed on the rooftops, allowing the families of the victims stay on the streets.
"My god...look at how many people are here." Angel said. "So many..."
"It's not a surprise." Shadow said. "So many people worked here...so many people died here."
[2,801...2,801 too god damn many!] Metal Sonic said, his robotic eyes flaring up in anger.
"Metal Sonic, calm down." Crystallis said, placing her hand on his shoulder pad. "Getting angry won't help."
[I know, Maiden Crystallis] Metal said. [But, everytime I hear about this, it...it...]
"I know the feeling." Ryoko said.
"Ah-HA! Found him!" Sonic said, pointing outward.
"Found who?" Kiyone asked. Before she could get an answer, the space pirate and the two speedster hedgehogs dashed off across rooftops and joined a fellow hero, namely Spider-Man.
"Yo, webhead!" Sonic said, as they reached him.
"I was wondering if you three were going to show up..." Spidey said.
"Who. Wouldn't." Shadow said.
"So, many people here." Ryoko said. "People who's friends and family we failed to save..."
"Don't say that, ma'am." A voice said. The four turned to see someone familiar to both Shadow and Spidey. "You did your best, and that's all that counts."
"Well, if it isn't Captain America." Shadow said, smirking. "Not surprised to see you here..."
"...While I'm surprised at seeing you three." Captain America said.
"Couldn't help it." Sonic said. "We're connected to this place as is everyone else." The four looked out again at who came. Besides the victimized families, they reconized teams from all over AniEarth: The Justice Leauge, the Justice Society, Young Justice, three X-Teams, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Digidestined, the Z Warriors, the Sailor Scouts...so many there.
"Yeah, we all are." Captain America said. "What convinced you three to come to New York that day?"
"Our heroic instincts." Sonic said. "Couldn't just stand around and do nothing. We HAD to do something!"
"And it didn't matter the outcome..." Ryoko said. Captain America nodded at that.
"And you, Spider-Man?" Captain America asked.
"The same." Spidey said. "What other reason do I need?"
"True..." Captain America said.
"Hey, Cap. Do you mind if us four just hang around by ourselves?" Sonic asked.
"Sure. I don't mind." He replied, a small smile forming on his face. Out of resepct, the pirate and the hedgehogs saluted him off.
"You know, you didn't need to do that." Spidey said.
"We know. But we wanted to." Ryoko said. "There's one thing that had been bothering me. You know what we did that day. How about you?"
"You really want to know?" Spidey said. The three nodded. "Well...you see, I work as a teacher when I'm not fighting crime or putting up with Vegeta's whining at the Heroes Council meetings. Well, that day, school had started when the first tower was attacked. Well, I ignored it at first, thinking it was just a fluke...a random thing. When the second happened, I had to leave. Telling another teacher to watch over my class, I quickly made my way out, getting in my costume as I did, ditching my clothes in a closet. On my way there, I happened to see what appeared to be a flying island..."
"Angel Island...Knuckles and Tikal must have seen it!" Sonic said, surprised.
"Yeah." Spidey said. "I'm pretty sure you know what happened afterwards."
"What happened after we were forced to give up our search in the rubble?" Shadow asked.
"I went towards my Aunt May's home..." he said. That's all he said as he began to choke up. "She was so worried about me..."
"It's okay...let it go." Ryoko said.
"I'm fine...really." Spidey said, reaching under his mask to clear his tears.
"Don't worry...I'm sure everything'll turn out just great now. Bin Laden's dead..." Ryoko said. "...Jerrod and Jim took care of him."
"Yeah..." Spidey said. "You're right. Although it's funny that they're the ones to do it." Soon after he finished talking, they heard what appeared to be the beginning of the memorial.
