Can Never Replace You
Kero Guardian: You guys don't think it's boring? Wow! I'm not really sure how to change what I have before, but I'll try to add some scenes to balance out the story.
Rouge: Good luck.
Kero Guardian: means flashbacks.
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Chapter 3: So Many Scenes
"Mmm...?" Maria yawned, stretching her arms out and bumped into something furry. "Huh?!"
Charmy was not in his usual spot, and managed to wiggle his way into Maria's arms. His antennas twitched, tapped the dirty rug twice before opening his eyes with a large smile on his face. "Hiya!"
"Aaaggghhh!!!??" Maria shrieked, throwing the unsuspecting bee across the room and into his green friend, who was snoring in his seat.
"Whoooaaahh!!!" They crashed into one another, paper flying in different directions and onto the floor at a much slower rate than they.
"Um...um..." The frightened girl spluttered.
A soft chuckle came from behind her. Espio stepped silently over to her and handed a Japanese take-out box, with cheaply decorated rice and sweet vegetables as a side order. He gave her a half-smile, then proceeded to reorganize Vector's table.
"Arrgh...second time this year, Charmy." The scaly adult grumbled, rubbing his slightly injured stomach.
"Hey! Be glad that my stinger didn't stab you!! Besides it's not MY fault!" The six-year old thrust a finger towards Maria. "She just freaked and tossed me into you...like some kinda unwanted, stuffed animal!!"
The boy started to cry after his accusation, gaining a sigh from Vector, "all right...I'm sorry little guy."
"You should apologize too!!" Charmy pouted. "You...uh...girl...um, what's your name?"
Upon listening while stacking papers, Espio gave an annoyed cough. Words needn't express how he felt, just the stern glare was enough to shut the pouting child. "Her name is Maria."
"Oh...heh, heh, heh..." Charmy laughed nervously and flew behind Vector. "N-nice to meet you...M-miss...gulp."
For the first time, Maria gave him a tender look, making the chameleon look away. When he found the other reptile grinning at him, he huffed. "What?"
Crossing back to his table, Vector gestured to the girl, placing his feet on the top. "Have you seen the town yet?"
She blinked, "Urm...no. Not really, I've only been here for two days."
The large reptile stroked his jaw, picking up papers from his table and ran his eyes through. Tilting an eyebrow, the youngster fluttered impatiently over to his older companion and peered busily at the papers, then chirped, finding that they were maps of the city. "Hey! That's a diagram of Twinkle Park!!"
Finally after much consideration, he stood up again. "Well, I think you'll like it here. Espio..." He grinned again, receiving an icy scowl. "Why don't you show her around?"
A slow snarl breathed from the chameleon's mouth while his tail tightened.
Silence crept it's unwanted self in, as no one spoke. Maria wondered if she'd said something wrong, nervously twirling her golden locks with a delicate finger. But when her gaze met Charmy's, she could tell that the boy was also deeply disturbed, as he floated almost shaking from the tension that had grown from the other two.
Finally Espio exhaled, "fine.......wait a minute...why don't you take her?"
Vector heaved a frustrated sigh, marched over to the glowering teen and pulled him by the tail, "Me and you, Esp. OUTSIDE!!!"
He opened the poorly painted door and hurled Espio out onto the semi-wet grass. "We need a moment, little gal...but in the meantime, why don't you and Charmy get acquainted?"
{Kero Guardian: Does anyone have an idea of where the Chaotix team live??!!??}
Espio twisted himself so that his palm hit the ground, tossed his legs over to one side, and landed gracefully on his knees. "What is the matter with you? Why are you acting this way, Vector?!"
Vector crossed his arms and tilted a brow. "Look, Espio. You brought that lass here, so I think it would only be right if YOU find out exactly what she's after. Besides...it isn't normal to find someone so well dressed to be living out in the streets."
At first Espio wanted to protest, but then stopped. Knowing that his friend was much older than him, he could see from the small glint in Vector's eyes that if he were to refuse then he'd be lectured about responsibility. And Espio rather skip that part of the day.
"All right...it's my responsibility anyway." Not wanting to sound defeated, the teenager held back a sigh and stepped coolly back to the door.
When they opened it, they saw Charmy, stomach on the wooden floor, drawing, with crayons in his hands. He happily buzzed over and fingered out an image by Maria's knees. It was messy, but somewhat shaped like a black hedgehog with red eyes. "Take a look at that! It's pretty good..uh...art, ain't it?"
His eyes widening, mouth filled with air, "CHARMY!!! How many TIMES have I told you NOT to draw ON the ground?!??!?" Vector roared.
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Shadow paced back and forth on top of Radical Highway's bridge, still debating if he should go back to the mall. Finally feeling his legs grow tired, he sat himself down next to the bridge's rope, holding his head in his hands. "Why do I feel like this? What am I so afraid of...?"
"Maybe you don't want to know the truth."
"What?!" Startled, the Ultimate Life Form leapt back to his feet and searched cautiously. Turning around, his eyes quickly met with a furry cloaked in a lab coat and a little girl, who stuck her head out from behind the cat, a fearful look in her eyes.
"You...who are you?! And what do you mean by the truth?!!"
"Gerald Robotnik." After answering the man sprung onto the rope and slid rapidly away from the frustrated hedgehog. Shadow reacted swiftly, following afterwards, it came naturally, as he continued to shout at the man.
"Why aren't you answering me!"
Yet the scientist still didn't answer, not even bother to look back at him. He simply laughed under his breath, hands clutching something.
"Grr..." Building power with each ring he collected, Shadow raised a hand, "Disappear! Chaos Spear!!!"
His victim jumped off, running backwards, his front facing the enraged animal. Then flipped open the front of his jacket, to throw the item he gripped earlier. "Here, catch!"
Shadow caught it with ease, "What? These are the things I bought from yesterday?!"
"Catch me if you can." They both hopped from the star bouncers. The feline reacted slowly when he jumped over the roller, however the hedgehog somersaulted underneath, and Shadow found himself close enough to grab. He reached out, but then felt a thinner body latch onto him.
"Hey! Let go!!" Shadow exclaimed, as Florina yanked the ivory crucifix from her back and hooked it above her victim's body. Her hands released the sides of the cross then replaced over both his arms and the rood, pinning the hedgehog's body onto it.
They crashed to the ground.
Last thing that met his eyes was a bright light.
He saw himself standing on the bridge top again, but this time looking down at police cars, gathering at the bottom. Although Shadow had not moved his lips, he heard the mirror of himself speak.
"Maria, I still remember what I promised you...For the people of this planet...I promise you...REVENGE!!!"
"What was that?!" He found himself laying on the ground, then saw a umbra casting over him. It was Gerald, arms crossed, a somewhat soft smile on his bushy face. Shadow snarled, pushing himself up from the concrete, pieces of it broken, rolled off his shoulders.
He stumbled, finding the crucifix much heavier than it looked, and nearly crushing him, until the child grabbed it's edge and nimbly flung it back over her upper arm. "You okay, Ultima?" Her voice cheeped, gracing her diminutive fingers down his bruised back.
"How can you ask that after what you did to me?!!?" Shadow snapped, slapping her hand away, bringing her face into a shocked look.
"You-you-she doesn't love you anyway!!!" Florina screamed, running behind her comrade again. "Grr..."
Gerald rolled his eyes then sighed, "Shadow, mark my words, it would be better for you and everyone else if you didn't remember your past." And with that he took the angel's hand, flying away, leaving the confused hedgehog on the ground.
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At Station Square, a small rabbit pranced happily down the sidewalk on a beautiful day. Cheese flew by her side, but would stop and admire the various flowers before going on. Maybe even picking them up and handing them to his friend.
"Isn't it nice Cheese? Too bad Mr. Tails has to work...but he's trying to help Ms. Tikal, so it's okay!" She pressed the flower to her little nose and whiffed the sweet scent. (In Sonic X, Cream called Tails-Mister Tails, so I'm making her do that too, please?)
Cheese made a soft chao, and pointed at an elevator, decorated heavily to catch spectators' attention. Cream mused at the sign above it before skipping over to it. An advertisement indeed, and a deal for two for free. Obviously a couple attraction, but she had to admit that Twinkle Park did seem pleasing. "I wonder if Mr. Tails and I could..." And if it had not been a familiar yell from behind her, Cream would've fallen into a state of daydream.
"Cream!!" A noisy, pink hedgehog raced towards her furry friend, sparkle in eyes. "Have you seen Sonikku?! I've-hey! Omigosh!!! This deal!" She seized the poster and pressed it right in front of her eyes, as though she needed glasses. "Free for a couple! Ooooh, I've got to get Sonikku to take me!!! Just like our first date..."
"......" Cream stared at the older girl, who wrapped her hands on her face, "uh...Ms. Amy, why's your face turning red?"
"Huh?!" Amy wrenched her arms briskly behind her and giggled, "Opps! Looks like I've been spacing out again, huh? Urm..." To try to make up for an answer she suddenly blurted, "Hey Cream, why don't you and TAILS go to Twinkle Park together?"
Cream reacted the same way as Amy, "Uh-what?? No, no, no! Mr. Tails and I are just friends!!" But her hands fell to her lap, entwining and swinging from side to side, face burning.
"Oh, come on. I know you and him went on a date earlier, don't deny it."
"What?! No, Ms. Amy, I just watched him fix his airplane!" The rabbit nearly covered her face with her large ears, the embarrassment becoming overbearing.
But it was enough to convince Amy, "Oh...well, that does sound too boring to be a date...hmm...well, you're off the hook this time, but I-"
"Look Ms. Amy!!! Isn't that Mr. Espio?!?"
"Ohmigosh!! Ohmigosh!!!" Amy squealed. "Espio the Chameleon WITH a GIRL?!!???"
Indeed, the usually lonely Espio was now walking adjacent to a young blond girl, his hand catching her arm each time she stumbled. What surprised the two girls wasn't the fact that he was with her, but that small, slightly hidden smile he displayed.
"Who is that?" The now excited hedgehog tittered.
Cream gave a delighted look also, "Mr. Espio's finally opened up to other people! We should ask him who his new friend is, Ms. Amy!"
The little bunny was about to call out, but Amy yanked her into the bushes with her before she had the chance. After getting a shush from the older girl, Cream frowned. "Ms. Amy! Don't tell me you're thinking about spying on them!"
"And why not?" Her friend pouted, placing her hands on her hips. "This should be fun! Besides! If we show up then it'd ruin it for those two love birds!"
She gave another giggle and leapt out from the leaves to chase the two, when Cream blinked twice before crying out, "What do you mean by lovebirds, Ms. Amy?!?"
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Tails was counting the money at the cash register, when Shadow walked through the door and placed a hand upon the table. "Hey, Shadow! Tikal wasn't really feeling well so I'm substituting, what's up?"
"......" The disturbed hedgehog placed a pan on the check out counter. "This is for Omega."
A small gasp of realization came from the fox, but when Shadow looked at him curiously, he hesitated to answer.
"What is it?"
"I...where do I start..." His voice trailed, eyes blinking at Chaos, who was carefully stacking the dishes at an isle near them. It seemed the blue monster was better, but the tip of his brain seemed singed.
"Sigh. Shadow, Tikal told me that a twosome came earlier...you see when you left, you dropped something and she picked it up to give it to you. But those took it from her and attacked-"
Shadow held out the bag, frowning. The kid perked up, "Oh! They gave it to you? ...hey you look kinda beat up, did you fall off a cliff in Sky Rail or something?"
He stopped questioning shortly when he saw the troubled stare his friend gave to the ground. His expression seemed so dismal and disconcerted, that someone ought to have given him a hug. The wounds didn't help much either. "...Shadow, what is it that you want? What's bothering you, huh?"
"......I'm not really sure." His eyes slid slowly to a close. "I feel so messed up right now and I'm......"
Tails titled his head to the side, waiting for an answer. The jet/crimson hedgehog narrowed his eyes to express his mind. "I'm afraid right now."
"Huh? Heh, heh...you're kidding right? The all-confident Ultimate Life Form scared of something? Ur...you're not joking...what is it? It isn't Eggman is it???"
"Hmm?" Shadow's ear twitched at the sound of that name, then he slammed a fist on the counter, causing the dishes to fall over and crash to the ground. "That's it!"
"HUH???"
"Shoot!" He snapped his fingers, and snarled, "Tails, what is Eggman's original name?"
Tails stuttered, glanced at the angry Chaos, who was now trying to soak the pieces of broken plates into himself. Then back to Shadow, who stared so intensely-it was enough to burn a hole through the poor boy's eyes. "Ro-ro-robotnik?"
"Why hadn't I realized it earlier? Thanks Tails!" Stepping away from the counter, he drew a green Chaos Emerald and shouted, "CHAOS CONTROL!!!"
It was the first time Tails had seen the technique and boy wasn't he astonished. After the bright flare, he bowed his head down, only to find that dust was left. And he scratched behind his ears, pondering, "hmm?"
"Ack?!" The genius recognized that voice, and his suspicions were correct when his eyes met with the ancient echidna. "What on-...what happened here? And Chaos, what are you doing?!"
Chaos bubbled in a frustrated tone, with the dish particles floating inside him. Tails spazed for a long moment, then just fainted.
She stepped beside him, fanning her hand over his young face. "Okay..." Tikal started, later slapped her forehead and sighed, "Why couldn't I convince Knuckles to help me open an Antiques shop instead?"
Chaos gave a boring look, 'That hedgehog forgot his pan again.'
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Kero Guardian: Hmm...Maybe it's just the storyline that I wanted to change, can anyone give me any suggestions on how to make this fanfic better, because it's a lot like the old one! (Sob!!) That's not what I wanted it to be like...
Knuckles: Fanfics aren't that easy to write.
Sonic: I should be in it more!!
Kero Guardian: There are too many fanfics that display you and Shadow too much, so I want to give characters like the Chaotix more of a chance!! And explore the personality of Gerald!!! (Frustrate.) But I really need some advice...