A/N: Goodness! Reviews! Real reviews! I'm so happy! Keep those coming, it makes me write better and faster. I love you all, wonderful reviewers! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter.
DISCLAIMER: Sega owns them! Not me! Sega! Yes! That's right. Sega, not me. Keep telling yourself that. Chant it until the harsh, bitter reality grinds your teeth and sinks in. Works with me, most of the time.
Sonic Stars by StarSparklez
Chapter three: An extra Nights?
-
"Relax, faker. The answer to all your questions is right behind you."
Sonic only turned when he heard Rouge speak behind him to someone,
"Oh, so you're awake now?"
Sonic's jaw dropped as he saw and recognized the cat girl who walked into the room, rubbing her eyes.
She yawned, stretched, then looked around the room through half-closed lids, the drowsiest expression on her face. Next, she collapsed against Rouge with a snore.
"Sleepwalking again, aren't you?" breathed Rouge as she caught her, "Silly girl. Help me set her on the couch."
She didn't sound like she were addressing anyone in particular so Shadow and Espio made no move to show they'd heard her. Sonic and Charmy, however, moved forwards to get a closer look, as Vector took her from Rouge' arms and set her small sleeping form on the sofa, next to the unconscious Amy.
"I never thought I'd meet her here," Sonic mused out loud.
"Yes, the crossing between our worlds must have been a much more major one than last time," deduced Vector, "This proves to be even more serious then I'd previously thought. "
"Yeah. Even Knuckles' Angel Island is now floating somewhere above the Pacific—"
"She's pretty," remarked Charmy interrupting Sonic as he hovered over the settee. Sonic said nothing.
"Poor thing was exhausted when I found her roaming about alongside the beach," said Rouge, "There's so few of us from our world here. I decided I'd invite her to stay with me."
"You weren't so charitable a few weeks back from now," observed Vector.
Rouge sneered,
"Well, that's because, a few weeks ago 'Sir Detective', I still hadn't regained full trust from the government in this world," she said matter-of-factly,
" We're in a totally different time from when we last were here, Vector. They had to go over what little files concerning me were left in their archives before providing me with what I now have: a place of my own and my old job as a government spy. Believe me, convincing them I was the actual, same Rouge from 50 years ago was not simple."
Then, in a dangerously sweeter voice she continued,
"Then again, with all of those glorious previous achievements of mine on the record, they hardly could have refused offering me anything I requested."
"Yes, but did you have to make it the exact, same replica of Club Rouge in Babylon?" reprimanded Vector.
"Anything that can help this place feel like home is worth a try," she stated with a nonchalant shrug.
But Rouge did not exactly look pleased and she still held the phone in her hand. Shadow noticed this. However she spoke again, though in a rather drained voice,
"You guys all look a little tired. Might as well rest it tonight, since things seem unstable outside."
Sonic raised an eyebrow apprehensively,
"You want us to stay here for the night?"
"Inviting us! Rouge?" exclaimed Vector.
The bat's grip tightened on her phone as she turned to face them with a 'slighted' glare. Charmy was pretty sure it was the scariest she'd displayed so far.
She started murderously,
"If you guys can think of anywhere else you—" but Sonic's bright voice immediately disrupted her. He shook his hands in front of her.
"No, it's not like that, Rouge. We quite appreciate the offer, actually. Thanks. Really, you just surprised us, that's all."
Sonic thought he'd heard her sight before she gave a humph,
"Never underestimate a female's ability to surprise you, Sonic. You just might regret it. Or not." She laughed saying this before she left the room.
Sonic let out a small sight of relief, reassured to have heard that last remark which had sounded a lot more like Rouge's old self. Her behavior tonight did feel rather odd.
However, Rouge was right: it had been a long day for everyone. And he certainly couldn't just leave, at least not until Amy awoke. That, and he was curious about this processing fusion of the worlds in this dimension. He knew it was bound to be unfavorable for everyone, save maybe for Eggman should he decide on a crazy plan to take over the two worlds at once. And it was still unclear to him what Blaze, in her third world, had to do with any of it.
Basically, staying at New Club Rouge for the night did not sound like such a bad idea. Besides, when you thought about it, the company wasn't all that bad.
" Well then…
"Time to play cards!" shouted Vector as he raised a deck in his hand for everyone to see.
"Yeah!" Charmy cheered.
Even Espio grinned as he nodded.
So, yeah. This could turn out to be fun after all.
Shadow, however, declined Vector's invitation to join the game saying coolly,
"I prefer taking my rest and be ready for whatever it is that G.U.N might throw at us tomorrow. The agitation you saw in the streets today wasn't coincidental, for certain."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Might as well have a little fun while you still can," said Sonic lightly. Shadow uncrossed his arm and shook his head 'no'.
"I have better to do," was the last the black hedgehog said before exiting the room, leaving the trio alone 'to mess with their time as they pleased'.
Sonic shrugged as he turned to the Chaotix,
"His loss. So what game are we playing?"
Vector and the two other conscious ones gave him a 'look',
"What do you think?" said the green one.
Was the answer to that really so obvious, that Sonic should have known?
Cliffy! NO! No, kidding! Just Kidding! :ducks as a refrigerator is thrown for her head:
Okay! Okay! Here, go on and read ahead!
In Tails' workshop…
-
The two-tailed fox was busy fidgeting throughout bits and pieces scattered all over the floor for one particular, minuscule item. It had been this way for nearly the past half-hour and so, needless to say, Tails was getting quite aggravated in his search.
It had been exactly twenty-six minutes since he'd dropped the box that had contained all these pieces. The reason for which that happened he did not like to recall. Stupid Rouge and her stupid way of suggesting things that were just 'not like that'.
Making stupid calls.
He picked an object and examined it. It was not what he was looking for so he casually chucked it back in the box. He'd bother putting it all back in order later, when he found what he needed.
Twenty-seven minutes of searching…
Aha! Found something. A small key. He recalled how he'd been looking all over for it back a few weeks ago. He held it for a few seconds, then tossed it in the box with the rest.
Twenty-eight minutes now.
Somehow, he just knew he'd eventually end up needing that very same small key sometime soon. And also knew that, when that happened, he'd just be forced to go rummaging through the box for it again. It was just the kind of annoying things that never failed to happen: 'things disappeared just when you needed them'(much like some friends, sometimes). But the truth was, right this instant, he did not care. All that mattered now was that he found that 'stupid, stupid piece of junk'.
Twenty-nine fruitlessly wasted minutes.
It fit enough to say that this was the end of the 'countdown' (or was it more like a 'count-up'?) to which Tails finally exploded.
"Aaarrgh!" He cried, "That's it! I'm giving up!"
"On what?"
Tails literally jumped up from his position on all four on the floor and turned around abruptly to face the owner of that sweet voice.
"Hi Cream," he breathed in surprise.
"Hi Tails."
"Chao! Tails!"
"Hi to you too, Cheese. What's up?"
"We were in town with Mama. We found these delicious pies at the market and decided we'd bring you and Mr.Sonic some to try."
"Yeah?" Tails couldn't help a little curiosity, his stomach had been obstinately generating sound of complaints since before Sonic's depart.
"Yup!" Chirped Cream happily, beam reaching her ears. "So come on, let's go back to the garden and eat. Mama is going to make us some tea."
"I was in the garden, Cream," told her Tails, "It's just that I'm looking for this stup—this small piece to finish my machine and, among all this stuff…" he gestured to the muddle on the floor, "It's just hard," he finished and then added, voice full of grudge, "And annoying."
Cream looked about the floor silently, as Tails glared at it as if reproaching the ground for not making the object of his long search jump into view.
Then,
"Can I help you find it? What does it look like?"
Tails sighed. He was happy Cream was always so willing to help but he was, still, a bit irritated. However, when it came to Cream, he never allowed himself to manifest such emotions. She'd never treated him with anything but kindness and deserved as much in return.
"Yeah, sure." Who could resist those eyes anyway, sparkling with innocent hope? "It looks like a very small plane and is colored in red and purple.
Cream was already bent down, inspecting the ground when she nodded her comprehension. It was only a matter of seconds before she pointed at a spot besides Tails' shoe.
"It is that one?" she asked.
Tails looked down,
"Where? I don't see it."
"Here, silly," she giggled.
She picked it and, still crouched down, handed the tiny item to him. Tails took and inspected it, his face a mixed expression of surprise and relief. He looked down at the little Cream, still kneeling in front of him, her expression uncertain and maybe a little expectant. There was an awkward, short moment of silence as Cheese floated over them both.
Who'd ever said anything about Hero Chaos or angels hovering over embarrassedly at such moments?
Finally Cream broke the silence by asking reluctantly,
"Isn't this the one?"
That's when Tails snapped out of it, shaking his head and smiling reassuringly,
"Oh, no! That's precisely what I was looking for. Thanks, Cream."
She smiled happily as she took the hand he offered her and helped her stand.
"You're welcome."
"Chao!"
Tails turned to the clock in small curiosity.
Precisely thirty minutes had passed since he'd dropped that container.
Odd butamazing still, how time can pass, sometimes.
'The cheeriness in those two is really contagious', thought Tails as he raised the fist that held the finally-found object in the air, shouting lively,
"Eureka! Now we can go finish my work on the Tornado!"
"Yey!"cried Cheese and Cream imitating him.
"Let's go eat some pie!"
All seemed perfect as they were making their way out, until Cream asked,
"Do you think Cosmo would like to join us?"
Tail's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name.
Sweet, kind, caring, gentle, loving and selfless Cosmo.
He turned to where Cream was looking at the beautiful green plant that stood alone on a table in the middle Tails' workshop. The light that passed through the window right above of it shone on her like it did on no other plant on earth. 'Or in the in the entire universe', thought Tails.
"Well, I really don't know," he started in a worried tone that sounded nothing like the usual Tails, "I'm not too sure but, I thought she felt a little frailer then usual after last time I left her outside. So, maybe not today."
Cream nodded in understanding,
"Okay. You're right, the weather is still unpredictable outside these days anyway. Maybe it's safer she stays inside."
She offered him a smile and then turned to Cosmo, crying enthusiastically,
"We'll be right back for you Cosmo. Don't worry. You take care now."
"Chao! Cosmo."
Then Cream ran for the stairs, followed by Cheese,
"Come on, let's not keep Mama waiting, Tails."
And just before disappearing from view, he heard her final recommendation to the plant,
"Don't go anywhere while we're gone, Cosmo."
Tails chuckled at that, unheard by Cream as she'd already exited the room, and there was a tint of bitterness to that sound. That bitterness, he knew, couldn't be helped, but nevertheless, Tails still managed a small smile in the new Cosmo's direction as he left to join Lady Vanilla and the others in the garden.
"See you."
Back to Club Rouge…
-
Amy Rose's eyes fluttered open and she slowly raised her head to look around. She was lying on an unfamiliar yet unbelievably comfortable red settee. It really felt like it was made of velvet, or silk.
She rose to a sitting position and immediately regretted it, because as soon as she did, her head started spinning and fell back on the couch with a thud. A thud, that awoke the other occupant on the couch.
"Hunh?" was the first sound the female cat uttered before opening her eyes fully and taking a good look at her surrounding. When she noticed Amy lying before her, she moved over to stand right above her on the sofa and spoke in a concerned and curious voice.
"Hi. You okay?"
Amy reopened her eyes and looked up at her, not moving an extra muscle. In normal circumstances, she would probably have jumped in surprise but it seemed she was too drained, even for that. Her answer was very quiet,
"Yeah. I'll be alright." Then, after examining the cat girl who stood over her beaming for a few minutes, she finally asked in turn,
"Who are you?"
The cat girl looked surprised. She questioned her back,
"Don't you know me? Really?"
Amy tried standing again, very slowly this time,
"Well, you do look…very familiar. You resemble someone I know. I think."
The cat girl now sat next to Amy, allowing her to kneel on her side for support. Once balance regained and after a few more moment of observing though, Amy gently shook her head twice and cocked it on one side.
"Actually, on second thought, no. You don't. Not at all. You look nothing like her." She'd noticed the lack of a 'red pearl' on the brow and the black tiger-like stretches.
The cat girl laughed good-naturedly,
"Who's she, anyway?"(1)
Amy would have answered that had it not been for the interrupting shout that, apparently, came from the side room, right next to them.
"Espio! That's a 5th Nights joker you just dropped!" That had sounded just like Vector.
"I just picked it from Charmy!" spoke Espio defensively.
"Is that true, flyboy?" Ah! Now that was a voice Amy could recognize anywhere!
"Sonikku?" He'd stayed to see her off safely? Aww! She 'always knew he cared'.
Now feeling distinctively better, Amy gestured for her new 'acquaintance' to accompany her towards the source of the voices just as Charmy answered Sonic cheerfully,
"Yep, that's right! Got plenty more where that came from too!"
…
…
Sonic and the Chaotix where still in the middle of those dangerously awkward silences that usually preceded catastrophic storms, when Amy and her companion entered the room.
While such a quiet situation made all of Sonic, Amy and the Cat girl sweatdrop or a couple of nerves pop on both Vector and Espio's temples, it also left Charmy blissfully and completely oblivious.
"Charmy, …" slowly started Vector in a calm but very clearly implying tone.
"Huh?" Only in that very instant did Charmy really seem to notice the disproportionate twitching of Vector's eyebrows. He'd probably have seen the same thing on Espio had the latter not 'vanished' dangerously.
Oops.
"Oopsie." Sudden awareness could be so cruel.
Charmy seriously hoped 'Oopsie' was not going to be the last sound he'd utter in his yet too short existence.
But thankfully for the little bee, authors usually are merciful when it comes to children characters.( No use showing them too much violence when they're still underage. We prefer doing that in fics where we make them older. :evil chuckle:)
"Uh, guys?" hesitated Sonic, trying to lighten the general mood.
"Sonic!" did not hesitate Amy, shouting and succeeding in breaking the thick atmosphere. All heads turned in her direction. Including Espio's invisible one.
"Little miss! And other little miss! You're both better, already!" exclaimed Vector pleasantly, the change in voice from his last sentence fairly surprising and quite impressive.
Little Charmy breathed out a 'phew' as Sonic held his breath instead, foreseeing the coming, squashing hug.
"Oh, hi Amy. You're feeling better? I mean—huh, are you not tired anymore?" he almost sounded hopeful.
"I can never be too tired when you're around, silly!"
And she ran towards him, arms outstretched…
-
To be continued…
A/N:
:Ducks as various heavy weapons are mercilessly shot her way:
1- He heh! adjusts protective metal helmet on her head Bet practically ALL of you fell for it! You thought I was gonna have Blaze bash in so easily? ;P Worry not however Blaze fans, your time will come. I promise.
Next chapter: Knuckles finally makes his entrance so look out for it!
Ja Ne.