The Realization of Hector Hedgehog
The Story of the Secret Life
Ch. 7
They're Coming to Take Me Away...
Hector silently threw water at his face as he stooped over the basin to wash off the powder. It felt so cool, and so refreshing, especially after the day he had.
"The souls of yourself and Sonic have become so in tune with one another, that you both now must share that body."
I can't believe it. I still can't believe what I did.
"One of you must willingly give up your freedom of being if you're to ever survive!"
"Now I know you're crazy!!" Hector threw open the front door. "Leave!"
I was such a jerk to him. Hector wiped his eye as he searched for his glasses. And now its all my fault if something happens to them. And...I just have the bad feeling something has happened already...
"Hector?"
"Yes, mother."
"I hope you can forgive Geoffrey." Hector's mother walked into the bathroom. "He just likes to be a consumate jokester. You did miss a lovely dinner, though."
"Mother..." Hector paused. "Are...you happy?"
"What do you mean? Of course I am."
"No no." Hector shook his head as he dried his face off. "I mean, are you happy with me?"
"With you? Of course I am. You're getting married. You have a wonderful career when most people your age are still in high school."
"Mother..." Hector quietly braced himself. "I sometimes don't think you are."
"What in...why do you think that?" What has gotten into him lately?
"Well...because...I just don't feel like I can trust you."
"Trust me?!?!" Hector's mother became indignant. "How could you say that to your own mother!! The one who raised you when you didn't have a father!"
"Mom!!!" That was not quite what I was trying to get at. "Mother, that's not what I meant."
Hector's mother stared at him. Her mouth slightly dropped. Without warning she took Hector's chin and thrust it to her face.
"Mom?!"
"Hector..." Hector's mother studied Hector's face, looking at it as if she were looking at a five-headed monster. "I thought..."
"Thought what?"
"....." Her eyes grew wide. "What...in God's name has happened to you?!?"
Hector's mother turned his face to the bathroom mirror. Hector stared at his reflection for a moment as his mother released her grip, going in closer to examine. His emerald green eyes stared right back at him.
My eyes...they're not brown anymore... Comprehension dawned. Oh my God. Knuckles was right. I am an IDIOT!!!!!!
"What's going on, Hector?!" His mother's tone was frightened and angered, though fright overtook the anger. "Why are your eyes green?! What happened to you?!" She stepped back. "Oh, God, you're not even my son, are you?!"
"Mom..."
"No! No! Hector never called me 'mom'." It was obvious that his mother was well on her way to a nervous breakdown. "I...I..."
"Mom!!"
Hector quickly grabbed his mother before she took off to call the police. With a strength that was clearly not his own, he hoisted his mother onto his arms, grabbed his glasses with his teeth and calmly carried her into his room, plopping her down on the chair next to his desk. He closed the door, locked it, and stood in front of it.
"I guess it's no use hiding it from you, then..."
"That you're not my son. Help!! Help!! Police!!!!
"Mom, no one can hear you." Hector put his glasses on. "The windows aren't open."
"Then I'll go open them!!"
"You can't."
"And why not!!!"
"Because they weren't designed to open. Now calm down!!"
"No!! I can't! You've killed my son!!"
"No I haven't. I am your son."
"Then what's happened to you?!?!?"
"First things first."
Hector calmly walked over to his closet, took out a box, and walked back, not once taking his eyes off his mother. He then walked over to the desk with the box and dropped it there. Hector's mother read the side of the box, which said "SONIC" in black paint.
"What..."
"I've got to show you." Hector looked at his mother. "First, I've got to let you see these. Then I will explain."
--------------
"So..." Simon turned to Parker. "The intruders tried to free the princess?"
"That's right sir." And they almost did, but I won't get into that. "However, we were able to stop them. The princess had been able to unbind herself without anyone's knowledge, and subd-"
"That's all I need to know about that," Simon interrupted. "But tell me...was he with them?"
"No sir." Parker shook his head. "He was nowhere to be found."
"Queer, very queer." Simon nodded. "I suppose that we should find him and get rid of him."
"I'll call for-"
"That won't be necessary." Simon cut Parker off before he could volunteer. "I shall do something, formulate my own plan, in my own time."
"Well...there is something else, sir."
"What is it?"
"We did attempt to locate the chip in the office building again last night, but we were chased away by the police." This was the bad news Parker didn't want to tell Simon. "The police might be onto us."
"Rubbish! This country hasn't got the brain cells to even scratch the surface of Group B." Simon lit up a cigar. "Just leave it all to me. I will destroy that hedgehog and get the chip!"/i
-------------
Hector didn't take the train to work the next day. He didn't even take a taxi. He woke up at 4:30, got dressed and walked all the way to work. His mind was still reeling from his actions last night, as well as everything that had happened the day before.
"Mom...I'm sorry..."
"Don't you see, mom?!" Hector showed his mother the pictures from his comic. "I can't explain it, but I'm turning into Sonic, the creature in my comics! Only he isn't just a comic book character, he's real!!"
"No!!! NO!!!!!" Hector's mother jumped up reproachfully. "I will not sit and think for one minute that this craziness is true!"
"Mom, that's what I thought. But it's true!!"
"Stop it!! Stop it!!!!!" Hector's mother ran to the door. "Stop this nonsense now!! I don't ever want to hear such craziness ever again!!!! I'm leaving!!!!!!!!"
Without speaking, Hector slowly opened the door. Hysterical, his mother ran out of the room.
With a sigh, Hector took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. I don't know if it's just me, but my head hurts, right in between my eyes. My eyes hurt too…
"Well, well!!!!"
From behind Hector came a car, beeping. In the driver's seat was Geoffrey, and in the passenger's seat was Kintobar.
"Incompetence!!" Kintobar angrily roared. "Those mechanics don't know what they're talking about!!!"
"Heck, old boy!" Geoffrey smiled. "I suppose you enjoyed my present last night."
"Oh, yeah, I loved it," Hector replied sarcastically.
"Time's wasting. Hop on in and we'll take you to work."
Hector turned his head away from them. As he did, his eye caught a glimpse of what was behind him.
"Heck?!? You call Hedgehog Heck?!" Kintobar laughed. "Now that's hilarious!!!"
Hector stared at the brick wall behind him. An intricate gate also stood next to him. This…looks familiar…
"Come on, Heck, what are you waiting for?"
Something in Hector's brain snapped. He turned to look at Geoffrey.
"Nothing."
The look that Hector gave him startled him somewhat, but it was nothing compared to what he did next. Without warning, Hector ran over to the gate and threw himself at them.
"HECK!!!!!!" Geoffrey screamed as he tried to unfasten his seatbelt. "WHAT ARE YOU-STOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The gates gave way on the third try. Hector ran into the garden, running as fast as he could, however slow that running was.
I know this place. Hector's thoughts came from an unexplainable origin. Concentrating on the scenes he saw in his mind - running from a cellar, falling into a garden - he pressed on. They're here. I've got to save them. I will save them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"HECK!!!!!!!!" Geoffrey jumped out of the car to follow. "LOOK OUT!!!! STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
WAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hector's triumphant thoughts were violently yanked from him as he smashed into a wall. His eyes crossed, he fell flat on his back unconscious.
"IDIOT!!!!!" Geoffrey pulled at his hair as he jumped down. "IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"What in God's name is this all about?!?!?!?!?" Kintobar huffed as he stooped down. "I should fire this fool for sure!!! Trespassing on other's properties…"
"Excuse me."
The two turned around to see a black-smocked dalmation with sunglasses on.
------------------
"So he simply jumped into my tulips and ran into the wall." The ferret turned to face the dalmation. "How utterly odd."
"Yes." The dalmation resisted the urge to simply kill the unconscious boy on the sofa. Wouldn't want his friends to arrest us.
"Y-you'll have to forgive him!!!" Kintobar jumped up and plopped himself on the desk. "He's a little out of it right now, getting married and such. I…do apologize, mister…?"
"Necron. Simon Necron."
"Right. Riight!!!" Kintobar laughed. "I…see that he also damaged your gardens outside.
"Yes, yes, I have been cultivating those tulips for quite some time." And once again your friend has somehow managed to trample through them. Good job, fatty.
"Nnnngh…"
Hector's eyes slowly opened. He looked at his surrounding and gasped when his eyes laid on Simon's.
"YOU!!!!!!!!!"
"Yes, me." Simon looked amused.
"BASTARD!!!!"
Hector jumped up to try to get at Simon. However, Geoffrey's arms beat Hector's feet, and Hector was yanked back.
"Back!! Back!!!" Geoffrey found a surprising struggle to keep Hector off of Simon. "What is your problem, hedgehog!!!"
"Geoffrey!!!" Hector broke away. "You've got to listen. This man is a homicidal maniac!"
"What!?!" Geoffrey laughed. "Where did you get that idea from?!"
"You don't understand!" Hector turned and pointed to Simon. "This man is the leader of a special foreign terrorist group who wants to destroy the rebellion faction in his country with the help of a fascist ruler by obtaining a special chip!!"
"Rebellion? Chip?" Simon gave a little ha-ha laugh. "My boy, that bump on your head must have addled your brain slightly. I have no comprehension of what you are saying."
"Yes you DO!!!" Hector turned to Kintobar. "There is a very beautiful woman being held captive here!! A princess!! You've got to believe me!!"
"Rubbish!!" Kintobar glared. "This sounds an awful lot like your little comic, you know, Hedgehog!!"
Comic? Parker's ears perked up slightly. IHm…if he has a comic that can chrionicle who we are…
"It's not in the comic, It's real, it's all real!!!"
"HEDGEHOG!!!" Kintobar roared. "How dare you!! This man offered to take you in and help you with your injury which, I might add, is your fault. What do you do?!? You sputter some comic plot in order to get rid of the blame!!!!!" He turned to Simon, eyes apologetic. "I promise to pay every single cent to compensate what my employee has done."
"You don't owe him anything, Kintobar!!!" Hector felt his anger rise.
"Shut up!!" Geoffrey hissed. "Haven't you caused enough trouble?!"
"On the contrary, Mr. Kintobar." An idea formed in Simon's head. "Tulips can be replaced easily. Mental health is far more precocious."
"Huh?!" Hector's anger gave way to confusion What…
"I think that your friend is quite stressed out." This is going to be beautiful. So beautiful. "It's obviously done something to his brain. May I suggest…a psychoanalysis?"
"WHAT?!?!?!" Hector's anger gave way to utter shock and fight. "B-b-b-b-b-but I'm not crazy!!!!"
"You may think you are, my young friend," Simon smiled. "But in truth, you are in great danger of losing your mind completely."
"Hmmm…" Kintobar thought aloud. "The boy has been acting strange lately…"
"And that could be a sign of terrible things." Simon finished. "Therefore, I believe sending him to a psychiatrist is in order."
"WHAT?!?!?!?!" No, no no!!! I'm not crazy!!!! "But everything I have said is true!! Why can't you see that!!?!?!?!?!?!"
"Yes, I am quite concerned." Simon relished in his plan. "In fact, I shall pay for the visit. It will be of no cost to you if you accept, my friend." Heh heh. How wonderful!!!
"Well…" Kintobar's face lit up. "Why, thank you!! I'll take it!!!"
"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!" Hector felt his world crumbling. "Don't listen to him!!!"
"We'd need his mother's permission, of course. She'll have to present when we register him." Everyone was ignoring him. "Geoffrey, you have her number, correct?"
"Naturally." Geoffrey gave Hector a smile as he led Kintobar into another room. "The number is 496…"
"Wait!!!!" Hector, realizing that his battle was lost, tried once more to get their attention. "Hold on…"
As Hector left to protest, Simon quietly took out a phone from his desk. He nodded to Porter, who promptly walked out of the room. He dialed a number and quietly waited for several moments before someone picked up.
"Yes, I have the address where the package can be sent…"
----------------
"Well, it's about time, too" Geoffrey turned to Hector's mother. "No offense, Mrs. Irme, but your son has been acting strange."
Hector's mother didn't reply. She simply stared at Hector, whose head was buried into the palms of his hands. With a shrug, Geoffrey went back to his magazine.
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Hector's eyes were bloodshot through his fingers. This is not happening. I cannot believe that this is happening. God only knows if Knuckles or Sally is even alive anymore…I hate this. I really do. No matter how hard I try, I can't get an idea of where they are…
"Hedgehog?" The receptionist nodded. "The doctor will see you now."
I'm going to die. I'm going to be committed. I…am…I…Ugh!!!!!!!!!
Hector tried to quietly vanquish thoughts of the straitjacket as he was prodded through some double doors into the office of the psychiatrist.
"Hello, young man." An ugly old man sat behind the desk. "You must be Hector."
------------
"Well, if you ask me," Kintobar commented as he walked out, "Some good mental help is going to be of some good use in the long run. No more silliness!!"
"Maybe he'll start concentrating on his job, and not on some crazy stories. A man who's getting married in two days' time shouldn't be like that." Geoffrey waved to Hector's mother. "See you at dinner tonight, Ms. Irme!!"
"Yes, I shall see you."
As the car drove off, Hector's mother quietly sat on the steps of the psychiatrist's office and cried.
-------------
"It did go well." Hector poked at his soup. "He's a nice guy."
"That's so good that you're doing something for your health, Heck!!" Mina slurped her soup. "Oh, Ms. Irme, this soup is delicious!!"
"Thank you, Mina." This tastes like wood. Did I not put enough cloves in??
` "Well," Geoffrey looked at Mina. "You do realize that this psychiatrist insisted upon a visit every other day for the next two weeks."
"Oh!!!" Mina gasped. "But then that means he has an appointment on our wedding day!!!!!"
"Well, yes," Hector's mother laughed, or at least gave a good attempt to. "But they'll schedule it early so that he doesn't have to worry about missing the wedding. Don't worry, he'll have time to get his tuxedo on."
"Speaking of weddings," Mina's mother looked at her daughter. "Unfortunately, this will be Mina's last dinner over here until after the wedding."
"Ooooh, mother!!!"
"It's a sin for your husband to see you after tonight," Mina's mother insisted. "Do you really want to put your marriage into Lucifer's hands??"
"That would be a shame, Ms. Gertrude." Me and Mina, six six six. Sounds like a fitting idea to me! "I mean, I know I'm the groom and all-"
"Of course you have a right to be concerned!" Mina's mother looked at Hector's mother. " We really do have to go. It was a beautiful soup you made us."
"Thank you."
"See you around, Heck." Geoffrey gave a little smirk. "Now, you're sure you don't want me to change the pink tux order to include a straitjacket?"
"Go, go, go, Geoffrey!!!" Hector's mother scolded. "Don't play my son like that."
"O…ok."
After a few seconds of surprised silence, Geoffrey, Mina and Mina's mother left the house. Hector's mother looked at him and slouched down into a chair. Hector, rubbing his head at the temple, sat down across from her.
"You still don't believe me, do you?"
"What I believe is my choice…" Hector's mother looked away from him. "To think that you're going insane, I don't wish to believe that!"
"Mom…" Hector rubbed his eyes. Ugh. My head. It's been worse since I went into that doctor's office. "Look, you know I wouldn't have said anything about it…if I didn't think it was really happening. Please, mom."
Hector's mother replied by getting up and walking out of the room. Hector's hands clenched as he heard her bedroom door slam.
This has got to stop. My mom's just faking her happiness. Hector looked out the window. And my friends are in danger…
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The first reaction of Hector's was to jump under the couch and hide. For approximately ten seconds, that is precisely what he did. However, after regrouping his courage, he bolted into his mom's room, where she, dressed only in her panties, was throwing makeup bottles out of her window.
"That will teach you to look into my window, you perverted ruffians!!!!!" She screamed.
As Hector's mother took aim again, Hector ran in front of her to look out the window. In the distance, he could see a shadow, with a long thin tail, running down the street. In the figure's hand was a familiar object, though it was too small for him to see.
"Get out of the way!!!" A mirror compact hit Hector in the shoulder. His mother, seething with rage attempted to throw him out of the way to no avail. "Get out and let me handle them, or I swear I'll call the cops on you!!"
"Mom!!!!"
"Who was that…Who?!?!" Hector's mother this time picked up a glass bottle of perfume and aimed it at him. "One of those comic book characters of yours?!? A spy?!? TELL ME!!!!! OR I'LL SMASH YOUR FACE IN!!!!"
"MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The two stared at each other, braced, as the cold wind blew in. Hector's mother was ready to throw glass at him, and Hector was ready to duck. After a few moments, Hector's mother finally dropped the bottle and crumbled to the floor, crying.
"Oh, God, oh God…" She bawled and sniffed as she shivered from the wind. "Why did this happen to me?!? All I wanted was...a child…whom I could…send off…to be a lawyer…!!!!! Now…now…OHOHOHOHOHOOHOHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!…I have a child who's….turning into….a piece of paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Hector, looking down at his mother, shook his head sadly. He closed the windows and took a blanket off of her bed, covering her with it. This time, she didn't refuse.
--------------
The doctor's office loomed in front of Hector as he walked to it. With a shudder, he looked down to the ground, adjusting his glasses as he did. The ground was slightly hazy though them.
Good Lord!! Hector took off his glasses in disgust. After a few minutes, his eyes and head felt much better. This is getting annoying. I really should talk to someone about this…
He paused as he thought that, and he rubbed his chin.
Maybe all that hitting Knuckles did to me is starting to take its toll, he thought as he finally entered the waiting room. Then again, my sight doesn't seem to be getting worse. I just can't wear my glasses or it hurts my head.
"The doctor will see you now, Mr. Hedgehog." The receptionist looked at him. "You know, you look an awful lot like a cartoon character."
"Really?" Thanks for reminding me.
"Oh yes." The receptionist laughed. "Of course, he doesn't wear what we wear, but even so, you could pass for him."
"Thanks." Now I'm not sure if I'm supposed to curse Sonic's existence or my existence. Once again, thanks for reminding me.
As Hector walked through the double doors, he absentmindedly checked his pockets and found that his wallet was nowhere to be seen.
Dammit!!! I left it at home!!! Now how will I pay…
"Good morning, Hector!!!" The old man smiled as he looked up from his book. "So, today is your wedding day. Many congratulations."
"Thank you."
"I was wondering," the old man commented as he closed both sets of doors, "whether or not I could take the liberty of testing a new type of psychotherapy out on you."
"Uh, what do you mean?" Hector rubbed his head.
"Well, well, it is not really new, but there have been great advances made in using it for mental patients." The old man smiled again. "Would you like me to use it on you?"
"Ok, I guess."
Just as long as it doesn't involve you hacking my limbs off, that's perfectly all right, Hector thought as he lay down on the couch. Or disemboweling me. Wouldn't want to mess up your office, buddy.
"Very well." The old man took out a watch. "Now, just look at the watch…as it swings…"
"Hypnotism?" Hector couldn't help but chuckle as his eyes followed. "I've seen it done before, Doc, and it doesn't work."
"On the contrary," The watch slowly went back and forth, "I have already done it on several patients. I believe it is the perfect tool…"
Indeed, several minutes began to pass, and Hector's eyelids felt heavy. He tried to force his eyelids to keep open, but the watch bored into him.
Hmmm…this is relaxing…at least my head doesn't hurt…Hector!!! Don't give in!!!!!
Sonic…?!?
The revelation that Sonic had spontaneously reappeared in his subconscious after a whole week of not being there came too late for Hector. He was out cold on the couch.
"Getting…sleepy….good." The old man gave a chuckle. "Just stay right there, my boy…"
With quick, quiet maneuvering, the old man quickly closed all of the shutters and quietly opened the closet door, producing a very large box with holes in it. He then maneuvered towards the desk and took out a box, placing it on the table, before returning to Hector.
"I don't know if you should know this, boy," The old man scratched his neck. "But this will turn out to be a very bad decision for you."
With that, the old man cut open a small bit of his neck and ripped it off, revealing fur. The old man calmly peeled off the rest of his skin, revealing that he was in fact a cat. Scratching the rest of the mask off, he gave the box a small kick.
Some muffled sounds came from the box. With a quick motion of his foot, the cat kicked the box open. In it were two figures, wrapped up in tight ropes with gauze in their mouth.
"At least you two are still alive to watch." Ingo snickered. "Boss wants to make this look as legit as possible. There'll be no more mess-ups this time, not with this master of hypnosis. Now," he coughed, using his fake accent, "Hector, you shall obey me and only me. These are my instructions. First, to test your willingness, open your eyes and bark once, like a cocker spaniel."
"Arooooo!!"
To the letter, Hector opened his eyes, which were clouded with sleep, and his mouth, letting out a little dog yelp. Ha! Ingo folded his arms. Always a good sign.
"Now, bark like a dying cocker spaniel."
"Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooo…" It was a pitiful death that the dog was going through.
"Perfect." Ingo gave a clap. "Now, when you hear me clap once, you shall come over to this table," at this he took out a knife and placed it on the table, "and you will take this knife. When I clap twice, you shall walk over to this box. Three times, and you will," at this he went over to the box and looked over Reese before making a decision, "plunge the knife as hard as you can into the large green figure. Four times, you shall do the same with the red figure." Ingo closed his eyes at the thought. "Then, when I snap one hand, you shall return to the chair, and tell me where you've hidden the chip.. When I snap with two hands, you will awaken. Nod if you understand."
The hedgehog nodded. Quick as lightning, Ingo clapped, and Hector went obediently and picked up the knife. Knuckles, who had wiggled around to watch what was going on, as Reese was unconscious, watched in horror as Hector obeyed the two claps.
No!!!!!!!! Stop!!!!!!!
"M-mmmmmmph!!!!!!!!"
Knuckles tried to scream through to gauze, but found that his voice was impaired. Giving another chuckle, Ingo took out his camera and took a picture of the image before him. The hedgehog, the enemy who has cost us so much, will finally get a taste of his own medicine. He shall know the feeling of losing his friends.
"It's no use, echidna." Hector hovered over the box, the knife ready for use. "You lose."
