Whoo! It's chapter two! Rejoice!
...anyway, this chapter was inspired by 'I'm hiding' by koRn. I suggest you listen to it. MUAHAHA!
Fliara, as usual, slept during the day, and woke up around dusk- at seven. Realizing that she had never taken her third tablet, quickly popped the bitter capsule in her mouth, and swallowed it quickly, putting the package in her pocket for the next sixteen hours. She took in a deep breath, and looked up at the tall buildings surrounding her. She sighed, and continued to breathe deeply. She did feel a little better. That medicine was helping. Again her gaze turned to the fading light of the artificial sun- now halfway below the fake oceanic horizon. There was a gate in the harbor, where the ships could get out- but all of the cargo and passengers were inspected carefully. She could not stow away on one of the ships. But, she remembered that at this time, she was usually up on the top of the radio tower- watching the ships sail in and out of the gate, and frowning up at the gorgeous- but fake- orange-tinted sky, laced with colors of the brightest ochre and darkest mahogany. Whoever had programmed the scenery for the sunsets and night had been quite an artist. But Fliara didn't care about that anymore.
She wondered- she felt much better. Could she fly? She took a deep breath and flapped her wings. She could probably fly a few miles, and about thrity- maybe thrty five meters high, but any more and she would just get sicker. She should probably just rest for today- being careful to move around every few hours so that they wouldn't catch her. She as about to curl back up in her corner- when her stomach grumbled obnoxiously. She sighed. She really should eat breakfast. She wondered where she would get it this time, now that she could fly. She knew just the place. A nice little fruit/meat market that closed at six. She had learned about all the security cameras in that place. She knew the blind spots, and she knew what was off limits- what people would miss, and what she couldn't take. She could take vitamins, but not milk. It would spoil; she had nowhere to keep it. She could take peaches, but not bananas- they weren't in the camera's blind spots.
Keeping this in mind, the dragon tested her wing strength, jumping up and down and fluttering a bit- then launched herself into the air, careful not to push herself too hard- and glided along the darkening sky.
Finally she came to her destination, and turned her body upright, slowing down as her wings fought against her momentum. She flapped to a stop above the roof- and snapped her wings against her body, causing her to fall against the concrete, her knees, stomach and large feet absorbing the blow. She walked over to a skylight, and gently pried open the glass, letting herself slip inside and fall onto the square of artificial moonlight. Her claws clicked noisily on the tiles- but she knew that the cameras did not detect sound, and was thusly not worried. She quietly slinked over to the peaches, and slipped two into her pocket. Any more and they would spoil because she hadn't eaten them fast enough. She sighed, knowing her diet did not contain enough protein or vegetables- but those were not in the blind spots. There were some hot dogs and granola bars she could reach, but she didn't want to push her luck today. She had already used up most of it. She noiselessly jumped back to the moonlit square, and fluttered back up to the roof, snapping the skylight shut as she left.
Our fiery friend walked happily along the darkened streets, careful to stay out of the light and the gaze of any passerby, and munching contentedly on one of her peaches. She liked the fruit, but it had grown a little monotonous. She would have to get some meat from the K-Mart down the street when it closed at eleven. She hadn't done that in so long.
It had been hard getting by without flying, but now that she had gotten the medicine, she could get the nutrients her body needed to get even stronger. She was on her way to being healthy again. She happily finished the last juicy bite, and popped the pit into her mouth, sucking the last few morsels of fruit off of it. When it was finally fruit-bare, she spit it out and threw it into one of the potted trees that lined the sidewalk. It was a part of the 'beautification' plan that Sonic had created five years before he died of old age. They could plant all the flowers they wanted, it wouldn't get the drugs and gangs and prostitutes to leave town.
You might be asking this question 'How could Fliara be alive when Sonic and the others had died of old age?' Well, she was a dragon. Dragons, or at least Fliara's species, could live to be very old- the estimate was 520- and right now, even though Fliara's age was 98, she, in body and mind, was not a day older than twenty-three. Interesting concept, though.
She continued walking through the now darkened streets, occasionally string up at the dome-produced images of galaxies and stars and sometimes fantastical things- planets big enough to see the rings of, bright, obvious constellations, every month or so a meteor shower. Every so often she would enjoy the beauty produced by the dome- but it was still a trap. A horror. And she would remember that, and start to hate it all over again.
She turned a corner, and was shocked to find hundreds of people, police and lights- gathered around the side of a tall skyscraper. Fliara gasped and drew back around the corner. They hadn't seen her. Thank goodness. But what were they looking at?
Fliara carefully sneaked around, and looked back at the large crowd in front of the building... they were all looking up, to the top of the building. Fliara, curious, took another step around the corner and looked up.
It was hard to see because the spotlights kept moving around- but someone was standing on top of the building, on the edge. Fliara was a little surprised. He was going to jump!
The dragon sighed. Why did people do that? Surely their lives weren't' as bad as this hell-hole she called 'her life'. They didn't know how she would give anything to be them. And she probably didn't know how much they would give anything to be her. She laughed. Someone want to be her? That was some kind of a joke- no, it wasn't a joke, because it wasn't even funny. Who would want to live off thievery and be chased like a convict for crimes she had never committed? Who would want to live off of scraps and dumpsters because they were sick and couldn't fly? Who would want to be sick for months because if they went to a doctor, they would get caught? No, no one would want to be like her.
She again looked up at the jumper, and sighed, shaking her head. He thought his life was bad? She scoffed. He had no idea.
Suddenly, the screams and shouts of pedestrians stirred her from her thoughts, and her eyes snapped up to the falling form of the jumper as he plummeted. For a split second, she had time to think. Her thoughts ran through her head, not making much sense.
You're not a killer. They're wrong. The jumpers always regret it halfway down. What was your dream, so long ago?
For some reason, a single message ran from her head to the entire rest of her body, and, without a moment to do otherwise, she sprung into flight, and shot towards the falling civilian. She preparred to catch him, trying to find out a way to do so that wouldn't break every bone in his body. At first she flapped her wings, trying to get elevation to meet the jumper. It didn't work, and she missed, the jumper falling. She plummeted down, propelling herself with her wings, and caught him while heading downwards. Then, she pulled up sharply, barely missing the pathement and news reporters, and struggling for altitude while carrying the... he appeared to be a hedgehog.
It took her a few minutes to realize what she had done. And when she did realize...
"Shit!" She shouted. She had just jumped out in front of thousands of people! She had just jumped out in front of news cameras and reporters and lights and Them! And besides, what was she thinking, pulling a stunt like that in her health! Her wings and lungs ached, and she could barely stay airborne. Meanwhile the hedgehog was struggling and screaming at her, fighting to get out of her arms. She ignored him completely, and continued to glide, although it was difficult with so much excess weight. "Damn, Damn, Damn!" She exclaimed, forcing her self into higher altitude and landing on a building roof. Now They would be right on her tail! She had to hide- and fast! She dropped the black and silver hedgehog, completely ignoring his shouts, and dove beneath and air vent, just in time as jet-packed officers flew over head. Fliara waited a moment, until the hum of their noisy packs disappeared, and wriggled out from the tight space. She breathed in heavily, and sighed. She then turned to look behind her, at the black and gray hedgehog, which was on his hands and knees, and apparently sobbing. She was a little taken back, but was too angry to have pity for him.
She had been so stupid! Why couldn't she have controlled her wings, let him fall, left, and not be in this mess? She glared at the hedgehog. This was all his fault. If he hadn't jumped, she wouldn't be here; and she wouldn't have Them so intent on her trail.
She walked up to the hedgehog, and reached down to pull him from his knees, but when she touched him, He spun around and punched her in the face, sending her flying. Fliara recoiled in mid air, spun, and landed on her feet, giving a shout of aggravation as she held a claw to her face. The hedgehog in question gasped, and backed away.
"What the hell was that for? I saved your life, you miserable-"
"H-how did you do that?" He demanded, a shaky hand flying to his side, and whipping out a gun, pointing it at her. Fliara froze.
"...Oh shit."
-
Maybe, I'm insane... walking on a wire... maybe I'm the same... nothing can take me higher...
"How did you do that?" He asked again, stammering, and waving the gun threateningly. Fliara paused. He was a mess, now that she got a good look at him. His rich, black fur was in disarray, and the soft gray streaks that went up his arms, legs and through his quills were dotted with dirt, stains and blood. Two streaks that went on the top of his quills, which bent up sharply in two separate splits, came to his forehead. And a third streak cam from the quill on top of his head, which curved up, and filled with a smaller, spikier black streak, (The silver streak, not the quill. Oh this is so hard... WHY DID I HAVE TO PICTURE HIM SO COMPLICATED!)? She couldn't see much more of him, other that he had a large tuff of silver fur on his chest, which covered most of his belly.
"...Do what?" Asked Fliara apprehensively, still rubbing her sore jaw. She saw how shaken up he was, and knew he was in no position to kill someone. She could relax for now.
"Th-that flip, when I punched you, a-and flying!" He demanded. "I only knew one person who could fly and she's dead!" The black hedgehog shouted, his voice quavering. Fliara groaned, knowing if she didn't get out of here, he would recognize who she was, and then she would be in trouble.
Tell me where to start... I think I'm at the end...
right now, feeling pain, make it go away...
"Look, I got to get out of here, and-" Fliara said, turning to leave.
"Tell me!" He shouted, his tone hardening. Fliara turned, and glared. She could afford it, he could only see her in the dark as well as she could see him. And she couldn't see him very well. But he was getting a hold of himself again. He might actually shoot her now. She sighed, and stretched out her large, demonic wings, and stepping a little closer so that she was easier to see. At first there was a look of disappointment on the hedgehog's face, then pure shock.
"You're-" he was about to say, lowering his gun slightly. Fliara's eyes widened, she saw her chance, and pounced upon the hedgehog, ripping the gun from his hands and clamping a clawed hand over his mouth. TO her surprise, the hedgehog jumped and rolled, sending her flying towards the ground back first. She turned, and landed on her feet and hands, staring up at the hedgehog while he fell to his feet. She sprung upright, and threw off her baggy trench coat.
Maybe I'm insane; maybe I'm a liar...
"So we're going to do this the hard way." She stated, flexing her claws and wings. In reality, she was nervous about this. She was still sick, this was no time to fight, and it looked like he knew what he was doing. Not only that, if she hung around here long enough They would find her! She waited not wanting to make any sudden movements, and then let her shoulders droop in disbelief as the hedgehog took a metal rod from his pocket and spun it, at which it tripled in length, becoming a lethal weapon. "This must be my lucky day." She moaned, jumping feet first at him, trying to land a kick to his throat. He held up the pole in front of him, and she grabbed it with her long, dexterous toe-claws, falling to the ground in the process.
Maybe we're the same... Nothing can top the fire...
"You're that dragon. You're a murderer." He growled, spinning the pole and flipping Fliara over in the process. Big mistake. The flat of Her tail spade lashed out and smacked him in the knee as her feet let go of the pole and she rolled foreword in a summer-salt, launching herself upright with a sharp movement of her arms. In the air, she spun to face the mysterious black hedgehog, and landed expertly on her clawed toes. She had practiced that move a lot.
She ran at her foe, dodging as he swiped the end of the staff through the air, and grabbing the staff, using it as leverage to kick him in the chest, wrenching the metal pole from his hands.
I can't feel my heart, but I feel the shame...
Nothing left to say; soon I'll fade away...
"Don't believe everything you hear!" She snarled, throwing the metal pole to the side and forming a battle stance. "Besides, it looks like you were ready to kill me a few minutes back!" The black hedgehog snarled, stood up and took another metal rod out of his pocket.
These places- all I ever think about is lost in time!
These faces taunting me- I'm looking back, and they are mine!
"That's because you deserve it! I know who you are!" He accused, running at her and swiping the metal pole at her. Fliara moved to dodge, as expected, but instead of following through with his attack, he swung the end of the staff to the ground and used his momentum to land a kick into her chest. Fliara cried out and was sent flying back, crashing into a wall of cement and nearly reducing it to rubble. She staggered upright, when her chest ached and burned. She tried not to cough, knowing it would give away her weakness, and then she was doomed. But her lungs were burning in agony, from having to breathe so heavily and the kick to the collarbone. The hedgehog charged at her, and attempted to bring the metal pole down upon her. Fliara sidestepped, and spun around, landing a powerful kick into the back of his knee. He cried out and fell, but rolled, and swung the other end of the pole around in a surprising counter, which landed a blow into her thigh. The dragon responded by kicking the metal pole out of his hands, catching it, and throwing it aside.
I'm hiding from the things they say, beaten back and lead astray,
All I think is about yesterday.
I could fly...
Fliara jumped away.
I'm trying to find a better way, but I'm trapped- can't get away...
All I think is about yesterday. I could fly...
"If I'm the murderer, why did I save you?" She asked, preparing for the worst. She sighed, as it appeared that he had no more of those obnoxious metal poles.
"That's good question. Why did you save me?" He asked, running towards her and trying to land a punch. She jumped, grabbed his shoulder, used it to flip over him and threw him to the ground. She almost cried out as a sharp pain stabbed through her weakened lungs and muscles, faltering slightly and fighting back the urge to cough. Fighting back pain, she stared down at the hedgehog, who had tumbled back upright.
"I'll tell you that when you tell me why you jumped!" She growled, not really having an answer. She attempted a kick to his side, but he blocked it, and countered with a punch, which she blocked with her still-raised foot.
"That is none of your business!"
Maybe I'm insane, walking on a wire, maybe I'm the same, nothing can take me higher.
I can't feel my heart, but I feel the shame. Nothing left to say; soon I'll fade away.
These places- all I ever think about is lost in time!
These faces, taunting me... I'm looking back, and they are mine!
"Then it's none of your business why I saved you!" Fliara snapped, taking a step back and performing a powerful backwards kick into the side of his head- or what would have been his head, had he not dodged and taken out Fliara's feet, causing her to fall over. Fliara promptly swore. This sickness was slowing her down! She couldn't win! She had to get out of here! She rolled out of the way as the hedgehog's boot came crashing down where her skull use to be, and tried to make a run for the edge of the building. She would have made it, had she not collapsed into a coughing fit and fell to her knees.
I'm hiding from the things they say, beaten back and led astray,
All I think about is yesterday. I could fly...
I'm trying to find a better way,
But I'm trapped, can't get away...
All I think about is yesterday.
I could fly.
"No! Not now!" Fliara moaned, trying to fight back the coughs that were so easily overtaking her. At first her obsidian opponent still charged at her, but when he heard her fits of coughing, he knew that through the entire battle she had been at an unfair advantage. He slowed to a stop, and took a few steps back, confused. "Just (Cough.) go away!" she spat. He looked down at her.
"Y- you're sick!" He stammered, as if he didn't believe it. Fliara rolled her eyes.
"Thanks, (cough) captain state the (cough) obvious. Any thing (cough) else?" Fliara wheezed half-heartedly. She was caught. This was it. All of those years of fighting and running- were for this. She was caught. He would contact Them, and they would catch her. She tried to steady her breathing, but it was no use as she continued to cough up various green sludge-like substances. She had just pushed herself too hard.
"...Why did you save me?" He asked again. Fliara sighed, and turned a mean gaze towards the hedgehog.
"You just don't give up, do ya, kid?" The dragon's eyes glances around, searching for some way to escape. She really had to get out of here before he reported Them.
"Tell me!" He demanded. Fliara sighed, and rolled onto her back, looking him in the eye.
"To tell the truth, I don't know. After all, you were about to blast my head open." She groaned. "Real smart Fliara, go rescue... what's your name?"
"Yang."
"...Eh? What kind of name is that...? ...Rescue someone, they'll magically become your friend and solve all your problems!" She chirped sarcasticly, immediately reduced to coughing afterwards. "Maybe it has something to do with a repressed event in my turmoil-ridden childhood." She continued to scoff, when he interrupted her.
"I-I wouldn't have killed you."
"Like I'm supposed to believe that? ...I know that I wouldn't have killed you. If I killed a single thing it would mean Sonic was right." She muttered, sitting up, but coughed immediately as it caused great pain. She found that her cough had subsided slightly. "But I'm sure you've heard the whole story. How I 'viciously attacked Sonic in his sleep.' and 'murderously went on a rampage of crime' and 'voodoo cursed the city' and all that crap Sonic fed to the media." She snarled, resting her arms on her knees.
She looked up, and saw the angry and confused glance the hedgehog was giving her. She laughed, and shook her head, looking at her feet.
"Bah. Look at me. You'd never believe me anyway. What with that lovely reputation Sonic had built up for himself. He could have had someone murdered and gotten away with it" She spat sarcastically. "So go ahead, kill me, report me to the police, sign me up for a life behind bars or the chair if I'm lucky. Support your local law-enforcement and all that crap." She exclaimed, rolling her eyes for added effect. "They'll probably give you a nice tax deduction or something." She sighed, her tone dropping from angry and sarcastic to sad and accepting. She again coughed, only to shout out as it sent a flurry of pain through her chest.
The hedgehog seemed at a loss for words. Thoughts ran though his head. If she was evil, why did she save him? He brushed that thought aside- probably some twisted mind-game that those dragons were so famous for. ... But then why had she bothered- if she was so sick! That stunt could have killed her! ...He shook his head, and took a step back. He had no reason to believe her, like she said.
...And yet he did.
He looked down at the pitiful, sickly dragon before him, who was trying to keep some scrap of her dignity- and failing miserably.
"...I- ...you shouldn't have saved me... "
"You got that right."
Yang had to laugh- but then he remembered why he was on this building in the first place, and became immediately solemn.
"...Maybe I could-"
"Please, don't get my hopes up." She groaned. He glared.
"I'm not going to. I'm just going to hear you out." He objected.
"You're not gonna believe me, kid." She snapped, "but I assume you won't let me go unless I tell you?" The dragon struggled to her feet, only to collapse as her chest burned in attempt to move. She lay on her back again, trying to rest. "...Help me up, would you?" She requested, holding up a claw. The hedgehog hesitated, but eventually reached out a gloved hand and helped the dragon to her feet. Fliara wobbled slightly, but soon got her balance, almost falling over once. She coughed, but shook it off, and turned to look the hedgehog in the eye.
"...Well, it all started when- ...hey, look over there!" Fliara exclaimed, pointing behind the hedgehog. Yang, startled, turned to look behind him, and Fliara immediately took off running to the edge of the building. Yang, realizing he had been tricked, ran after her, catching her left arm before she could jump off and fly away. She shouted in rage, swiping a hand backwards and hitting Yang across the face.
"Damn it! You really don't know when to give up!" She yelled, ripping her claw form his grasp. "Are you so intent on making my life even worse? Is it your hobby to send people to their deaths or something?" She shouted. "I wouldn't be in such a fix if it weren't for you! And I'm getting out of here! And next time you jump off a building- don't expect me to be there!" She argued, turning to leave. She stepped up to the edge of the building, but hesitated when she heard silence from behind her. She had expected some form of protest. She had expected the hedgehog to stand up for himself. Curious, she turned around, shocked at what she saw.
The hedgehog, (who was now clearly seen in a dark gray robe and rather fancy gloves-, which I will describe later) was nearly crying his eyes out where he stood. He made a few odd sniffling sounds, and then collapsed to his knees, sobbing.
Fliara sagged in disbelief, and shook her head. She stared down at the hedgehog, confused and uncomfortable, and uncertainly stepped towards him, nervously poking him in the shoulder.
"Umm uh- ...hey, I- ...Whatever I said- I ... I didn't mean it... umm... are you-...?"
"It's not you. It's me. It's always me." He sobbed, his words choked by tears. Fliara silently cursed under her breath. She should have just left when she had the chance. "I'll always cause nothing but suffering!"
Fliara felt like crying herself. Here she was, standing in plain sight on a rooftop with an emotional hedgehog and no clue what to do. She paced back and forth, kicking around an empty can she found, until- and even though she hated the idea- she knew what had to be done. Groaning and smacking herself in the forehead with disbelief, she walked towards the hedgehog, picked him up, and slung him over her shoulder. The hedgehog's sobs came to a halt, but he immediately replaced it with something far more aggravating...
"H-hey! W-what are you d-doing? P-put me down!" He argued, struggling. The dragon ignored him, went and picked up her trench coat, and started flying off to her old, broken-down hide-away. At first Yang struggled and shouted, but once he saw how high off the ground he was, he immediately shut up, and- to Fliara's relief- apparently passed out due to a combination of confusion, shock and the stress that had driven him to the rooftop in the first place. The dragon sighed.
"You're some piece of work, kid."
Yep. It's chapter two! And I hate to make yang look a little wimpy- He's not, trust me, it's that he's jsut a little shaken up from his recent attempt at SUICIDE! Don't you think you'd be a little emotional?
Try and guess the song for next chapter... ha! Good luck! I don't even know the song for next chapter!
...please suggest one.