Chapter 11: The Damn First Chaos Emerald
Alicia slowly opened her eyes, finding herself in bed after falling conscious from the sight of Cream the Rabbit only a few hours earlier. What she didn't expect to find was not only the same bunny peering down at her from the side of the bed, but several other anthropomorphic aliens surrounding her sleeping quarters as well.
"Ahhhhh!" She screamed before nearly passing out again.
"Wait!" Chuck exclaimed as he dove to her side. "Just stay calm and take a deep breath." Collecting herself, Alicia followed her father-in-law's advice, closing her eyes and sighing heavily before glancing around the bedroom. She studied the blue hedgehog leaning on the closed door with his arms behind his head, the red echidna doing much the same in the opposite corner, and the fox and rabbit on either side of the mattress, watching her with concern written on their faces.
"How are you feeling, Ms. Alicia?" Cream asked as she rocked her pet chao in her arms.
"I'm...fine, I think?" she replied, adjusting her glasses as she pulled herself up.
"I suppose we owe ya an explanation," Doug offered as he slipped his hands into his pocket.
"...yeah," she slowly nodded as she grabbed a glass of water on the bedside table, "for starters, who are you? I take it you're not some expert furry cosplayers?"
"Why do we keep getting confused for humans in costumes?" Tails asked his friends, who simultaneously shrugged their shoulders. Facing Alicia once more, he fluttered his namesakes as he prepared his formal introduction. "My name is Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails," he gestured toward the blue hedgehog. "This is Sonic the Hedgehog, hero extraordinaire and the best big bro around!"
"Nah," Sonic scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Your smarts and flying skills have saved me more times than I can count! We're both heroes!" Tails chuckled in response, blushing through his muzzle as he took his turn to scratch the back of his head. Collecting himself, he turned to the red echidna. "This is Knuckles the Echidna, another one of my friends."
"Hey," Knuckles greeted simply as he nodded his head before folding his arms against his chest.
"You've already met Cream and Cheese," Tails continued.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Cream greeted, bowing politely as Cheese flew from her arms and landed between her ears.
"Chao, chao!"
"Last but not least," Tails gestured his arm toward the door as the pink hedgehog walked into the room with a freshly baked apple pie, "is Amy Rose!"
"Nice to meet ya," Amy greeted with a wink as she held the pie in oven mitts a bit too small for her Mobian hands. "Glad to see you're okay."
"Thanks," Alicia began as she slowly made her way out of bed, "To tell you the truth, I don't see how I could be afraid of such polite guests. Are these your friends, Helen?"
"Yeah!" Helen replied enthusiastically as she gently slammed her fists against the armrests of her wheelchair. "And you're not going to believe this, but…they're aliens."
"Really? How could you tell?" Alicia replied sarcastically, earning a laugh from the merry gathering of humans and Mobians, only interrupted by the ringing doorbell.
"Pizza's here!" Cream cheered.
"Chao, chao!"
"Oh man, I'm starving," Sonic declared as he rubbed his belly.
The party left the bedroom single-file, making their way to the table in the kitchen as Doug picked up the pizza from the delivery person and brought the half-dozen boxes to the counter. Laying them out in a neat row, the smell of the delectable, cheesy goodness filled the room, causing nearly all the Mobians, save for Knuckles and Amy, to drool.
After everyone picked out their pizza slices of preference, they all took their seats, the Mobians in the living room and the humans at the small table in the adjoining kitchen.
"What's this one called, Helen?" Cream asked as she brought a slice closer to her muzzle, staring at it intently.
"Ohh, that one's my favorite!" the human girl replied. "Pineapple pizza's the best."
"Waaait just a second," Sonic interjected with a mouthful of pizza. "Pineapple…on pizza? That sounds mundo nasty."
"It may sound gross," Amy replied as she chewed her own slice, "but the sweet flavor of the pineapple paired with the savory sauce go surprisingly well together. Here…" The pink hedgehog, who was already sitting next to him on the sofa, lifted her slice near his face. "Take a bite before the cheese starts slipping off."
"Chao?" the chao asked as they tilted their head in confusion.
"Oh, not you, Cheese," Amy clarified, "Cheese, as in, the food."
"Ch-chao, chao!" they cheered before grabbing a small chunk Cream cut for them. They plopped it into their mouth and cheered even louder, ecstatic over the pizza's deliciousness.
"So, you gonna take a bite or what?" Amy asked, bringing her slice closer to Sonic's muzzle.
"Ummmm, okay, sure, why not?" Opening his mouth wide, the pink hedgehog fed him a generous bite. Sonic's face lit up almost immediately. "Oh man, you're absolutely right, Amy! Pineapple pizza is the best!"
"See, I told you, Sonic!" Amy replied as she nestled herself in closer to her blue boyfriend as she continued eating her slice.
"So…" The party turned their attention to Alicia, who was sitting cross-legged at the table. "Can someone fill me in on what's going on?"
"Yeah, I think I need a refresher, too," Doug replied as he scratched the back of his head. "I only remember bits n' pieces of what you explained earlier, Tails."
"All right, then," Tails said with a mouthful of pepperoni pizza. Standing up, he took a long swig of his bottle of Mountain Dew Baja Blast and cleared his throat.
"As you guessed, Alicia, we are not from around here. We're from a planet called Mobius, and through an extraordinary phenomenon, we were transported to Earth. Based on me and Chuck's analysis, we've concluded our worlds are parallel to each other, existing in alternative dimensions."
"Okay, I think I'm following you," Alicia replied, nodding her head to signal the orange kitsune to continue his story.
"You see," he continued after taking another bite of pizza, "we were battling Dr. Eggman, an evil scientist who regularly threatens our peaceful existence back on Mobius, when the Chaos Emeralds, gems imbued with mystical powers, caused a reaction which brought all of us, including Eggman, to your world." Tails turned on the television by pressing the power button with his namesakes, his hands occupied with his pizza and soda. "We'll let the news tell the rest."
"…we're live at the scene of what was an epic battle in the heart of Station Square," said Scarlet Garcia, holding a microphone to her face as she gave the audience a tour of the dilapidated city block where Eggman and Sonic skirmished. "Earlier today, a man by the name of Dr. Eggman tore through the city with a large robot under his control. The police department was unable to stop Eggman, but a pack of otherworldly aliens managed to confront and subdue him before he could cause more damage." The live feed of the scene transitioned to footage of Sonic's battle with Eggman on top of the building. "The anthropomorphic hedgehog who refers to himself as Sonic worked together with his friends to defeat Eggman."
The report transitioned to some pre-recorded interview segments with pedestrians who were at the scene as the fight unfolded.
"The battle was epoc!" said an excited kid. "They were all like pew pew, and Sonic was all like AAAAAAAAAAAAA, n' Eggman was all like I CAN'T BELIEEEVE THIS!"
"I was scared for my life," said an adult woman onlooker through the window of her car. "I saw another car get flipped over with people inside! Thankfully Sonic and his friends got them out, but man, I'm glad to have made it out alive."
The report cut back to Garcia at the scene.
"Moments earlier, I had a chance to speak with the Station Square chief of police."
The report cut to the interview.
"While we…ummm…appreciate Sonic's help," the chief said, choosing his words carefully, "we want to remind the people of Station Square to let the police handle these sorts of confrontations. Vigilante justice can put yourself and others in harm's way."
"But would you say if not for Sonic and his friends, Eggman would've only caused more damage?" Garcia asked.
"Well…" The chief scratched the back of his head. "That's certainly one of many possible outcomes, but we were ready to call in the National Guard. I'm sure their artillery would've taken down that mech no problem."
The report cut back to Garcia's live feed.
"Regardless," she continued, "the identity of Sonic's friends remains a mystery. We have set up a special tip line for any information regarding these visitors." The number flashed at the bottom of the screen. "This is Scarlett Garcia, signing ou—"
"Waaait!"
The reporter stepped back in surprise to find a young boy taking up the shot, waving his arms frantically.
"Hey, my name is Mr. Thorndyke, the heir of the Thorndyke estate." Before Garcia could respond, the rude boy grabbed her microphone and faced the camera. "I'm here to correct the false information espoused by this so-called reporter." He made air quotes with his free hand. "She claims the hedgehog thing fighting that one dude is named Sonic, but as the one who risked his life to save it from drowning in one of my two large pools at my large mansion, I have the sole right to officially name it whatever I choose. If this reporter actually did her job, she would've known I named it Thorndyke Hedgehog, after me, of course."
"Anyway," he concluded, as he dropped the microphone, "I have a spa appointment I can't miss. Tootles."
Tails turned off the television.
"I swear," Sonic said as he folded his arms and shook his head, "Chris ought to be the most spoiled rotten kid I've ever seen. I don't care if he technically saved me from drowning; he only did it for the fame n' glory."
The entire group nodded in agreement.
"So, Alicia, Doug…" Tails faced Helen's parents as he clasped his hands behind his back, his namesakes fluttering from behind. "Do you have any questions?"
"Ummm…I don't think so?" Alicia questioned as she started to slice the cooled apple pie, placing each piece on small plates. "To be honest," Alicia brought the first plate to Cream, who smiled in delight yet didn't want to thank her for fear of rudely interrupting, "if you all weren't so polite, I would be inclined to call the police right now out of safety for my baby girl." She cracked a small smile as she peered over at Helen, who smiled back at her. "But you all are Helen's friends, and you did just save us from that nasty man, so we'll let you stay."
"Hurray!" The Mobians and Helen cheered.
"Is that okay with you, Doug?" Alicia asked as she handed a slice to her husband.
"Of course!" he replied after a quick swig of his bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon. "A friend of Helen's is a friend of mine!"
"Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad!" Helen replied with a brilliant smile on her face as she became teary-eyed.
"What's wrong, Helen?" Cream asked, darting to her side at the slightest hint of trouble.
"There's nothing wrong, Cream" she replied as she wiped away the tears. "I'm just…so happy. So happy we can help you all out, ya know?"
"You bet!" Tails said with a thumbs up as the rest of the party provided supportive nods.
"There's just one more thing to settle," Alicia said as she gave the final pieces of the pie to Knuckles and Chuck. "We need to figure out sleeping arrangements."
"Ohh, that'll be easy," Amy replied as she hopped off the sofa. "Sonic and I can share a bed or a sleeping mattress."
"Whaaaaat?" Sonic asked nervously, trying his hardest to hide his blush.
"There aren't enough beds for everyone, silly," Amy replied as she placed her hands on her hips, "So I kinda figured we could share. Seems fair, right?"
"Ummmm, well…" Sonic ran a gloved hand through his quills.
"Just what is the nature of your relationship with Sonic?" Alicia asked as she raised a hand to her chin.
"I'm glad you asked!" Amy replied with sparkles in her eyes.
"Ah geez, here we go again," Sonic groaned.
"You see, Sonic is my boyfriend. He may be the fastest thing alive, but everybody knows that no matter where he goes, I'm hardly a step behind him. Sonic has the speed of sound, but I have the speed of love, right, Sonic?" She turned to her blue boyfriend as she fluttered her eyelids.
"Well, I…ummm…" Staring at the crowd watching him, he jumped to his feet. "Well, would ya look at the time, I almost missed my evening run. Gotta go, bye!" With a flash, the blue hedgehog ran out the front door, leaving the entrance wide open.
"Hey Amy," Doug asked as they all stared at the door, "are you sure Sonic's your boyfriend?"
"Oh, he is," the pink hedgehog replied with a smile. "He just has a hard time expressing his feelings. He's quite the shy guy. All the more adorable!" She clasped her hands together as she stared out the window, sparkles in her eyes as she sighed deeply. "But one day, Sonic will want to settle down and start dating for real, and when he's ready, I'll be ready."
"That's all fine and good, dear," Alicia replied as she returned her smile with her own, "but I don't think you two should share a bed."
"Why not?" Amy asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Well, it's just that…" The human woman racked her brain for a good excuse as she ran her hand through her blond hair. "Because…wouldn't Cream get lonely?"
"Oh, that's right!" Amy turned to face the young bunny. "We can have a slumber party together! We've been meaning to do that."
"I'm so excited!" Cream replied as she waived her arms. "We can paint each other's nails, watch movies, make macaroni art…it will be great, right Cheese?"
"Chao, chao!" they replied, flying around the room for several seconds before returning to their designated spot between Cream's ears.
"I'm sure Sonic won't mind either," Amy concluded.
"Phew…" Alicia wiped the sweat from her brow, thankful she didn't need to explain her reasoning.
"You two can share my bed if you want," Helen offered.
"Now, now," Alicia interjected. "I know you mean well, but your bed isn't that big, and with your condition, they can't really sleep on the mattress while you're using it."
"Ohhh…" Helen's face turned downcast as she peered at her lap.
"Don't be sad, Helen," Cream replied as she grabbed hold of the human girl's hand. "Amy and I can sleep on the floor in your room. Is that okay, Amy?"
"Of course!" the pink hedgehog replied. "It'll be a girls only slumber party!" The three of them giggled in delight.
"So that just leaves Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles," Doug said. "Well, we have the spare bedroom, and we just so happen to have the bunk bed from my childhood in there for guests…"
"Say no more," Sonic replied, speedily returning to his seat after a several mile run, wind blowing into the house seconds after the blue hedgehog arrived inside. "Tails and I were meant to be bunk buddies, right Tails?"
"Heck yeah!" Tails replied with a chuckle, his namesakes fluttering from behind once more. "I'm surprised we don't have a bunk bed at home." The orange kitsune pulled out his Miles Electric. "Note to self…build…bunk bed…when we…arrive home."
"That just leaves you, Knuckles," Alicia said as the red echidna headed for the door.
"Wait, where are you going?" Helen asked concernedly.
"Thanks for the offer, but it's a bit too stuffy in here. Besides, I'd rather be in good ol' mother nature."
"Just be careful out there," Cream advised.
"Don't worry about that," Knuckles replied, returning the bunny's look of concern with a reassuring smile. "I always leave my guard up."
"Later, Knux!" Sonic waved, prompting the rest of the party to wave as well.
"Later. I'll let you know if I find out more about the Chaos Emeralds." The red echidna waved as he walked away, venturing from the quiet suburb to a nearby forest.
With that, Alicia and Doug got to work making the necessary bedtime preparations. They got some sleeping bags out from the closet and neatly laid them across the floor in Helen's bedroom. The parents then prepared the guest bedroom, fluffing the pillows and dusting the comforters, having not been used in quite some time. Finally, they dug through some of Helen's old clothing to find pajamas for the Mobians.
Sonic and Tails got dressed in the guest bedroom as Amy and Cream went to Helen's room to try out their own PJs.
"Isn't it strange," Sonic pondered as he pulled a polka dotted shirt over his head, "how we wear clothes when we go to sleep but don't wear anything at all when we're awake?"
"You know," Tails replied as he slipped on his pajama shirt before cutting a hole in his pants for his twin namesakes, "I haven't really thought about it. I guess it's just comfy to wear, ya know?" The orange fox slipped on his matching nightcap.
"I suppose," Sonic said as he put on his pajama pants. Tails did the same moments later, neatly fitting his tails into the fresh hole in the fabric.
"Welp," Sonic yawned and crawled into the lower bunk, "time for bed, lil' guy?"
"Yeah," Tails replied, nodding his head before flying up to the top bunk. "It's been a long day, hasn't it?"
"You bet," he said. "We've only been on Earth for, what, two days? It's felt like forever…"
"Yeah," Tails chuckled. "You got imprisoned, drugged, and shot, and that was before escaping a military base, fighting Eggman, and saving Station Square. I'm just glad we rescued you when we did."
"Same here!" Sonic replied with a chuckle of his own. "I would've been a goner if you guys didn't save me from that Liam guy. I'm just sorry I was too conked out to see you wail on 'im." Sonic punched the air.
"I kinda got a bit out of control there," Tails admitted as he wrapped his namesakes around his chest.
"You did it to save your family," Sonic replied in a reassuring voice. "I know you don't like violence, but sometimes it can't be helped."
"Yeah, I know…I'm just glad you're okay."
There was a moment of silence.
"…hey Tails?"
"Yeah, Sonic?"
"You're the best lil' bro a guy could ask for."
"Thanks, Sonic," Tails allowed a single tear to roll down his muzzle as he closed his eyes.
"Night, Tails."
"Goodnight, Sonic."
And with that, Sonic and Tails enjoyed a peaceful sleep, recharging their batteries for the adventures that lay ahead in the morrow.
The moonlight guided Rouge as she made her way across the ocean, following the coordinates Eggman sent to her wristwatch communicator. Eggman's base on a small, remote island wasn't too far away from the shores of Station Square, so the flight was a breeze for the flying bat. She grinned as the unmistakable, albeit flimsy building hastily put back together by the doctor's henchmen came into view.
All right…let's see what Eggy has cooked up for me.
Gently planting her feet on the small, sandy beach within several yards of the entrance of Eggman's headquarters, the bat was greeted by Decoe and Bocoe.
"Welcome, Rouge," Decoe said as he gestured his arms toward the door.
"Right this way," Bocoe added. "The doctor's been expecting you."
Rouge followed Eggman's robotic henchmen inside, leading her through a hallway as they made their way to Robotnik's command center. Stepping through the automatic sliding doors, she was greeted by the mischievous face of the evil doctor. Bokkun the messenger robot was too busy eating an apple pie slice near the corner to pay much attention to the guest.
"Ahh, if it isn't Rouge the jewel thief! Just the person I need." Robotnik cracked an evil grin.
"Yeah, yeah," she replied nonchalantly. "You know, I don't know why you'd trust me after what happened back on Mobius." She was referring to her alliance with Sonic as they fought for the Chaos Emeralds.
"Oh, don't play silly with me, Rouge," Eggman replied. "We all know your allegiances are only temporary, forged by the highest bidder! I know you aren't traveling with Sonic and his friends, and I'm willing to bet the humans are not so keen on allowing someone without any sort of Earthian identification to check into a hotel, even if you've stolen enough money to pay for the finest suite."
"Not far off, Eggy," Rouge replied with a grin of her own as she placed her hands on her hips. "So, what is your job, anyway?"
"I'm glad you asked!" Eggman replied as he massaged his moustache. "You see, my Chaos Emerald detector no longer works because this world lacks a Master Emerald."
"So you'll need to make like Sonic and run through zones the old fashion way?" Rouge sarcastically asked. "Or are you going to steal them from him once he gathers all seven, as per usual?"
"Not quite," Eggman replied, "for you see, even though my radar isn't functional, I can still hack into the primitive human network rather easily and recover some valuable information."
"Oh really?" Rouge replied, stepping closer as Eggman spun his chair around and started typing into a keyboard.
"Really," Eggman nodded as he gestured to his monitor. "Get a load of this."
"Hmmm…" The bat's eyes scanned the secret government document. "Let's see…mysterious gem found in Lake Michigan…now in custody of the United States military…" She froze as she observed the image of a green emerald. Her eyes glistened at the beautiful sight.
"That's not all," Eggman continued. "The Chaos Emerald is being housed at the Eisenhower Military Research Facility just outside Station Square. It is heavily guarded by around-the-clock personnel."
"Pshhh," Rouge waved her arms nonchalantly. "If I can get through your security systems without breaking a sweat, I'm sure getting through these humans will be a piece of cake."
"So what do you say?" Eggman stood up and reached out his hand. "You steal the emerald for me, and I provide you with lodging, food, and the tools to hack into whatever human database piques your fancy. Do we have a deal?"
"What do you plan on using the Chaos Emeralds for anyway?' Rouge asked as she stared at Eggman's gloved hand. "We're only here thanks to your last ingenious scheme."
"First of all," Eggman retorted, pointing a finger at the bat, "if Sonic didn't meddle in my affairs, I would be peacefully subjugating everyone on Mobius instead of us being stuck on this rock. Secondly," Eggman spun around and peered out the window, observing the moonlit ocean beyond, "my plan is to use the Chaos Emeralds to return us all to Mobius. Don't you want to get home, too?"
"Oh yeah?" Rouge asked, placing her hands on her hips. "If your primary objective was getting home, why did you attack the capitol and fight Sonic?"
"Easy," Eggman replied as he massaged his moustache once more, "I was merely testing the capabilities of these technologically backward humans! I've concluded that ruling over them would be boring, unfulfilling, and a waste of my valuable time."
"And what if I just steal the gem for myself?" Rouge countered, staring up at Eggman with one eyebrow raised.
"Then you don't get food, shelter, or access to my high-tech espionage equipment," Eggman replied. "I know you must be dying to gather intel on the most priceless gems this world has to offer."
The jewel thief gave this some thought. "Okay, Eggy, we have a deal." They shook hands, solidifying their agreement.
"Very good," Eggman turned back to his computer and rapidly typed on his keyboard, "I just sent you the coordinates. You can be in and out before they even realize their secret files were compromised."
"They won't even know what hit them," Rouge replied with a chuckle as she turned to the exit.
When the jewel thief departed, Eggman started laughing maniacally.
"What's so funny?" Decoe asked.
"Did Rouge tell you a joke?" Bocoe followed.
"The only joke around here is you two," Eggman replied harshly, "but once Rouge plays my little game, the joke will be on her! I don't rightly care which world I dominate, and with all seven Chaos Emeralds, I'll develop a way to easily travel between Earth and Mobius no sweat. I can rule both worlds simultaneously! Wooahhooohoohooo!"
"Is Rouge not a bit of a wildcard, though?" Decoe asked.
"Think of it this way," Eggman replied as he headed for the command center's exit, "either she fulfills her mission and brings me the gem, or she double-crosses me and hoards the Chaos Emerald for herself. It would be much easier to steal the gem from Rouge than from Sonic and his band of miscreants.
Finished explaining his plan, the evil doctor returned to his sleeping quarters, leaving the three robots behind.
"Does he really know Rouge well enough to come to that conclusion?" Bocoe asked.
"Apparently," Decoe replied, "but given the unusual circumstances we are in, Rouge may deliver the Chaos Emerald to Sonic instead of keeping it for herself or handing it into Eggman. What do you think, Bokkun?" The two robots turned to their younger brother, who was asleep in the corner with apple pie across his face and his hands on his belly, snoring peacefully.
"At least Bokkun has the right idea," Bocoe noted.
"I'll say," Decoe agreed.
Crossing the ocean once more, and stealthily making her way through the suburbs of Station Square, Rouge eventually found herself on the outskirts of town.
"If Eggy's coordinates are correct," she said to herself as she stared at her watch, peering down through the slits between her ski mask, "then I shouldn't be too far away." After walking through a stretch of forest, she came across a dirt road leading to a fenced in complex. Three humans holding machine guns were patrolling the entrance, and several more guards were stationed at various watchtowers across the perimeter.
"I could get through them blindfolded if I wanted too," she opined as she crept toward one of the watchtowers and climbed up. Reaching the top, she jumped off and started gliding with her wings, reaching the inside of the perimeter moments before a wandering spotlight would've otherwise detected her.
The bat's next target was a Humvee parked next to some men smoking cigarettes. Rouge eyed the Gatling gun stationed at the top of the military truck partially covered in a metal shell. Grinning to herself, she slipped in shortly before the soldiers stomped out their cigarette butts and returned to the truck, taking off toward the compound and parking inside its underground garage.
Rouge stayed for a few minutes after the men left, looking around to make her next move. Spotting an air duct, she carefully removed its vent before slipping in.
You'd think they would make these things smaller…
The jewel thief smirked as she crawled through the ductwork, studying the various winding metal paths in case she needed to make a quick getaway.
Crawling up several stories, Rouge stopped to eavesdrop on a conversation between two soldiers.
"They have you working overtime, too?" asked the blond woman before taking a sip of coffee.
"Yep," the shorter man replied. "Apparently there's a new government secret or somethin' on the fourth floor I need to help guard."
"Oh yeah, we were briefed about that," she replied. "Of course, if you actually read the reports, you'd know instead of needing to rely on gossip."
"Hey, I read the reports!" the man protested. "They just don't sink in all the time is all."
"Yeah, suuuure." The woman chuckled before taking another sip.
So, the Chaos Emerald is on the fourth floor?
Rouge continued her trek until she got close to her destination, kicking down a vent and dropping to the floor. Wandering the halls, she came across two scientists entering a passcode into a thick metal door.
There's my chance!
Just as the second employee stepped through the door, and just before it closed shut, the athletic, quiet bat slipped in right behind him, keeping as quiet as a mouse as the two men proceeded onward to a separate room. The bat noticed a green glow emanating through the door before it was closed shut.
Peering around the hallway, the bat relied once more on the building's duct system to make her way inside, spying on the half dozen scientists as they studied the mystical gem, half of them staring into their computer monitors as the other three poked and prodded the emerald with a fancy-looking machine.
Geez, it's 10 PM and they're working this late into the night?
The bat sighed as she tried her best not to fall asleep while waiting for the scientists to finally head home for the evening. Just as her eyelids started drooping at the 11th hour, five of the six scientists started packing their things.
"Hey man, you need to get some sleep," one of the colleagues said to the other still glued to his monitor.
"I can make it up later," he replied as he took a bite of a donut. "It's not like we stumble across a specimen as magnificent as this every day. We've already been studying it for hours, and we still can't make heads or tails of it. Why is it glowing? Why does it mess with our electrical equipment? Why does it make one feel happy and full of life just by being around it?"
"I don't know, man," the impatient colleague replied, "but you're gonna need to sleep sooner or later. You sure you're not clockin' out for the night?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll be out soon." He waved his hand backward as he continued staring into his screen. "I'll lock up."
"Okay then, night." The five scientists left in a group, leaving the sixth behind. Watching from above, Rouge waited another 15 minutes to see if he'd wrap up for the night, but when it was apparent he was in it for the long haul, she took the initiative. The scientist didn't hear the vent fall to the ground, as he was too engrossed in his work.
Grinning to herself, Rouge dropped from the air duct, bending her knees to absorb the fall. She studied the mystical gem, completely covered in a glass casing, before making her way to the scientist, tapping his shoulder. He bolted upright in fright, but before he had the chance to turn around to see who was disturbing his work, he suffered a chop from the devastating hand of the jewel thief, falling unconscious.
"So far, so good," Rouge said to herself as she dusted off her hands before typing into the keyboard. Clicking around, she disengaged the glass casing, allowing the jewel thief to snag the mystical gem. "Gotcha!"
With a snicker, the bat crept out of the lab and back through the main hallways until she reached the stairs leading to the underground parking garage. Miraculously, the military Humvee she previously rode in was unlocked, and the keys were in the ignition.
"These humans are so careless!" Rouge opined as she started up the engine. The vehicle wasn't developed for Mobians in mind, though, so she had to awkwardly reach her foot down to the pedal, barely able to see through and above the steering wheel. Nevertheless, she persisted, driving through the parking garage until she was nearly home free.
Except when she arrived at the exit, she found several dozen soldiers swarming the Humvee, all of whom carrying machine guns save for one lone woman at the helm, a pistol in one hand and a pair of handcuffs in the other.
I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter of A Bridge Between Worlds! Uploads have slowed a bit, mainly because the house my spouse and I are having built is approaching its final stages. Nevertheless, I'll try to write the next chapter soon.
In the meantime, feel free to check out the Sonic Fanfiction Discord server I manage. We post story snippets, sneak peeks, ideas, and recommendations, and we currently have 68 members! You can find the Discord link by Googling the r/SonicFanFiction subreddit.
Anyway, so long for now! If you have any thoughts, comments, or critiques about this chapter, feel free to share, and I'll see ya for the next one!