CHAPTER 2

A SAD LITTLE BEE

At the Chaotix, Charmy came through the door crying. He ran to Vector and cried on him, "Vector, she's dead! She's dead!"

Vector made Charmy face him, "Who's dead?"

"Michelle. She died", he cried harder.

Vector felt really bad about this. Michelle was his last and only real family member. He hugged him, "I'm so sorry, Charmy."

Tonya was leaning against her desk, "Poor Charmy."

Espio had his arms crossed looking at Charmy crying his eyes out, "I feel sorry for him too."

Charmy looked away from the rest of them. He didn't want them to see him cry anymore.

Rouge kneeled down at him, took off his helmet and stroked through his yellow and black hair, "There, there Charmy, it happens to all of us."

"But she was the only one who ever listened to me. I loved her."

Rouge held him close to her and hugged him, "Everyone loses someone they loved dearly. It's just the way things are."

"Come on Charmy, you knew that she was going to die sooner or later. She was way too sick. Even you knew that", Shadow said.

Charmy looked at Shadow in sadness, "Maybe you're right."

Rouge walked up to Shadow with anger, "Stop making things worse!"

"How am I making things worse!"

Charmy didn't want to hear their arguing. Not today. He just left the building without saying a word.

Later in the Syherin Desert, Hao was in his base repairing his robots. He just finished repairing the last one. He sat down in his chair looking at the Chaotix flyer. He glared at it and then ripped the paper up into bits. "Damn those bastards. They're always one step ahead of me. I can still remember the last time they beat me. They destroyed all my robots. I just finished upgrading their weapon systems and it only took me two weeks to repair one million robots." He sighed, "I'm never going to beat them at this rate. Not when Shadow is on their side. He's the strongest." He tried to think of a new strategy but he couldn't think of a good plan. "I guess I'll have to launch another attack on the city as usual. At least their weapons are a lot stronger than they once were."

Later at Vector's house, Charmy was in his room sitting on the bed with his helmet off staring at the bracelet he made fo Michelle. Every time he looked at it, it made him sad. He held it in his fist tightly. He began to cry quietly, "Why did you have to go?" He was interrupted when a light green crocodile with a pink bow on her head came into the room. She looked like she wanted to comfort him, "Charmy, you came back early?"

Charmy nodded with tears still dripping from his face and onto the floor.

She sat on the bed with him and put her hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

He showed her the bracelet that was held in his hand.

"How pretty. Did you make it?"

Charmy nodded, "It was for Michelle."

"Aren't you going to give it to her."

"I would, but she's...dead."

The crocodile couldn't believe it, "She's dead?"

Charmy's silent crying was now loud and clear.

The crocodile held him close to her, "She just couldn't live that way anymore."

"I miss her."

"I know you do. We'll all miss her. She was a sweet girl."

He looked up at her, "Margaret?"

"Yes?"

"You're right she was nice wasn't she?"

The crocodile nodded, "She was. Are you feeling a little better?"

"A little."

She smiled, "Good to hear. Vector should be home any minute. To ease the pain, for dinner I'll make us some honey sandwiches. A loaf of bread with a load of honey on it. You know that's your favorite."

Charmy tried to smile, "Sounds good."

Margaret smiled and walked out of the room.

When she left Charmy's fake smile disappeared.