Disclaimer: People, read my lips: They. Are. Not. Mine. Get a clue and find something better to hassle people with. Sheesh!
Okay, BIG announcement guys, I goofed up a little and jumped ahead of myself. I had planned for chapter five to be a flashback, but I messed up and posted the Rouge chase instead -.0 How embarrassing. I've just been really rushed lately, and I haven't paid much attention to most things I'm doing, besides band. And now I've got Ms. Hooks all school year, so I'll be dying from work override. -.- Don't mind me. However there's something nice about all this: I'm putting up the first chapter of Beyond Blue Skies soon. It won't be regularly updated, but it's something I had to write. I love that character. :)
Shadow: ...more than me?
Um...no, not really, you're still my favorite Shadow.
Shadow: Should I be comforted or concerned....?
Sonic: You should be running....
And I also relisted the 'Coming Soon' list on my bio, so to see what the hell I'm working on over here that's got me so worked up, go look. Yaaay me! Now, read, I haven't got all day, even if you do. XP
Chapter Eight - When Darkness Meets Light
You deny the pain
That overcomes deep inside
You've kept it there too long
Grayest skies
Answers bleeding through
Sunlight
Cast its shadows over all
- Greenmill's 'Disappear'
Sonic leaned back against the co-pilot's seat, arms taking their reknown place when he was pouting, crossed over his chest. He propped up his feet up against the head pilot seat, earning a quick, annoyed glance from Miles, who was strained as it was, keeping the Tornado aloft. The many dials, blinking lights, and switches were enough to confuse anyone, but the two-tailed fox had practically grown up in this plane.
Then again, that didn't really matter to Sonic. He was too busy being overly sore about giving up his spot on the wing, his ideal way of travelling on the Tornado. Normally, he'd rather have been running on the ground, but the route they were taking went over a number of bodies of water, mostly rivers that were too wide and deep for him to go across without sinking. And the more rondabout route, which stuck mostly to dry land, would've taken far too long.
Even though the plane seat still basically had the same veiw, and the wind still whipped his sapphire quills about in the same overly wild way, Sonic couldn't help but feel that he was missing out on a multitude of air.
"I still don't know how the hell I let you talk me into this, Mighty..."
The red and black armidillo grinned at Sonic from his place on the plane's wing, clutching the edge of the wing in his large hands, but no voiced answer came. Instead, Mighty turned his face to look into the wind and closed his eyes, the smile lingering on his muzzle.
"I mean, I had it all! Nice house, big pool, girls everywhere..."
The sapphire hero began to rant vigorously, waving his arms about in signals that gave visual effects to the rubbish he was spouting. Mighty kept his face forward, watching the forest tree-tops glide by beneath them. It was odd how being up so high was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. But then again, most dangerous things, like fighting and such, usually were scary and enjoyable simultaneously. He shrugged away the thought and returned to listening to Sonic's ranting.
"....a great car, a yearly pension from the government..."
"Sonic..." Mighty raised an eyebrow and turned his head back toward him in order to speak. "You were about to go broke..."
"Yeeeeeeep." Sonic replied, putting emphasis on the 'pah' sound at the end of the word.
"You were bored out of your mind...."
"Yeeeeeeep."
"And if I hadn't come and told you what happened to to Tikal, you would've come after me in my sleep."
"Yeeeeeep."
Mighty grinned, shook his head. "However, not a single one of these reasons is going to stop you from griping this entire trip, is it?"
Sonic glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before grinning evilly. "Noooope."
The debate now 'over'--not really so, since Sonic contiued on with his ramblings like he'd never been interupted--Mighty settled down to amuse himself with staring down at the scenery, hoping it would remain this nice and sunny for what was bound to be a very long trip.
Miles rolled his eyes upward as he fiddled with the steering of the Tornado, and made sure to keep the plane level, something he didn't have to do with Sonic, but Mighty wasn't as accustomed to riding on the wing of the plane, all the while wondering how he'd ever gotten involved with these crazy people.
-0-
Tikal let her eyes open rather reluctantly, then groaned and closed them, putting a hand to her forehead. She had the startings of a seriously splitting headache, one that would probably be with her for at least another hour or more. Grumbling inwardly, she forced her other hand to support her, pushing herself up into a slightly slouched sitting position. Her head nearly exploded with pain, and a grimace found its way onto her face while her eyes squinted shut in pain. Was this what Knuckles felt whenever he got one of those hangovers he complained so much about? She didn't feel quesy, at least, not too much so, and hangovers only came from excessive drinking to her knowledge. Perhaps this was the gaseous equivalent.
"So, you're awake then...?"
She winced as the dark voice found its way to her ear, literally feeling her skull protest against the noise, soft as it was. She felt the stirrings of memory in the back of her mind, but thinking hurt too much for her to fully focus on what the memory was of. She furrowed her brow and grumbled, curling into a tighter fetal position than before. She was jerked awake though, when a stranger's hand placed itself on her shoulder and shook her, not gently of course, but in a rough, insistent manner.
"If you go back to sleep now, you will not wake again, I assure you."
Tikal grudgingly rolled over onto her back and forced herself upright, ready to burn a hole through her wake-up-call with the most vicious glare she could muster, which was quite scary if you were on the recieving end of it. However, when she turned around, she gasped and backpeddled on her palms until she stuck the cold wall behind her, having moved maybe two feet at most. The figure stood, eyes widened in surprise, but no where near as large Tikal's were.
Even though he looked strange, she couldn't think of anyone else it could be. One couldn't change so much in six months, but concerning one such as him him, there really was no telling. He always had progessed faster than everyone else. The quills, stance, and general aura about him was so different, much more cold and strange, and his eyes were all wrong, far to deep and filled with anger and sadness. But there was a presence of confidence and true power about him that she'd only known him and the others to posess...
"Sonic....?"
-0-
Vector sighed and leaned himself back against the wall near the doorway of Amy Rose's living room, effectively worn from the trip. Five and a half hours on a train, coupled with horrible food and Charmy's hyper attitude was enough to make anyone tired. In fact, if Vector hadn't known the prince to be a teenager, he'd have sworn the little guy was no more than a little kid. For all his politeness and royal lineage, he sure acted the part of a six-year-old at times, make no mistake.
Still, the little guy had some really good persuasive skills.
"I already told you Charmy, I can't." The pink hedgehog came out of her kitchen, a newly potted plant clutched deftly in her hands. She was almost immediately followed by the young royal, who was protesting ernestly. It was obvious how hard she was trying to ignore him.
"Amy, you and the others are the only ones who've faced down with GUN, and won! We need all of you, the more help we have, the better!"
"Charmy, I told you, I did NOTHING while we were there! The best help I was was when I convinced Shadow not to destroy the planet! A few tears and a lot of begging! That was all I ever had to do! I'm not a hero, or a fighter, Charmy! I can't help you! And besides, I have to look after Cream!" She set the plant on the coffee table and turned around to face the insect standing behind her, probably having given up on the thought that if she didn't pay him mind he'd go away.
"I mean, it's not like I can take her with me, ya'know? She's only six, and I've been put in charge of her while her mom is gone! Peaches won't be back for weeks, and I can't find another babysitter on this kind short notice!"
Charmy fumed, his arms crossed and eyes narrowed. First his wing, now this! He should've gone with Mighty to find Sonic and Tails, at least then he might've been able to sit on the Tornado's wing and pretend he was flying.
"Amy..." The six year-old bunny spoke up, for the first time since answering the door. She was perched on the couch near Vector, her pet Chao sitting in her lap. "I don't mind coming along with you, even if it is dangerous. We have to at least try to help them..."
"Out of the question, Cream!" Amy put her hands on her hips, frowning. Cream couldn't understand the real dangers of facing GUN, she was only six! Amy herself didn't fully comprehend it all, but she knew that it was different from when Cream tagged along against Robotnik. He was someone who didn't build up from where he left off, he was predictable. She wouldn't have been so worried if it was just the Doctor. GUN, however, was a different story. Heck, it was in it's own library!
"But Amy, they need our help! At least send Gamma along...?" The robot, whom was positioned near the door, turned its 'head' to look as its name was mentioned.
"We both know he's running low on power, Cream. Tails still has to make an alternate energy source for him! Car batteries only last so long, even with the whole rewiring job!" Amy shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, Charmy...Vector....but, I can't risk Cream and Gamma going into battle. I can't leave Gamma with Cream, because not only can he not take care of her, she can't do the same for him. I have to be here...." She sighed, and let her shoulders slump.
"I know it's a disappointment, but I'm sure that with Sonic and Tails along, you'll have all the firepower you need..." She smiled, grimly. "After all, Chaos almost destroyed the city on his own, I don't see why you need us..." She struggled hard to keep her resolution established and not question herself.
"But...Amy...?"
"No, Charmy...I'm sorry..."
Okie dokie! Chapter Eight and still flying! Yeah baby! Oh, and a quickie: I know that Cream's mom's actual is Vanilla and all, but to be frank, I like the name Peaches ten times better. It just kinda flows better than Vanilla. Let me tell you, although the ice cream flavor rocks, it kinda sucks as a name.
Shadow: And Peaches is better? O.o
Yeah! Peaches and Cream, Cream Cheese? Get my drift?
Sonic: Vanilla Ice Cream works....
Where's the 'Ice' come from though, huh? Can you tell me THAT?
Sonic: ......um......
Daxter: Maybe the mom has like a Chaos Light Chao named Ice?
.............actually....that makes sense....
Morte: You can tell we have no lives since we sit here and discuss absolutely nothing all day.
Please remember to review, guys! I love feedback you know! :P
