While back at the Babylon Rogues' studio…
Jet threw his guitar across the room. Wave attempted to stop him. He shook her off. "See what happens when you invite a newbie in? She's not even good enough to go on stage yet!" The green hawk spat while he talked. Wave slapped her forehead. She closed her eyes to soothe her forming headache. Jet went on to saying Sky was just looks and the only thing she sells was her body. The purple swallow heaved a huge sigh.
"Jet, you need to calm down, we are just doing what our boss wants us to do, and he wanted to make Sky popular." Wave tried to calm Jet down.
"If Shadow wants to make her popular, then why not set up a concert with only that wretched chinchilla in it?" Jet retorted. The other bird just blew the fuse, and he got slapped across the face. Only then did he quiet down. Emotions of shock was plastered on his face, Jet's eyes were wide with confusion. It felt like a freezing cold bucket of water just got dumped all over him.
"Jet, shut up, won't you? We're not finished with them yet, we still got five Annuals. This time was just a fluke that Underground's got us." Wave's voice was as cool as an ice cube. After saying that, she left her band leader standing there. She was very angry about losing to Sonic Underground as well. Wave and Sonia had been rivals since the first time they met on stage. She had so much pride in her keyboarding that she could not stand another keyboarder just as good as she is.
In the meanwhile, in the back alley, Sky sat in the corner, crying. Storm was sitting there with her, trying to cheer her up. He held her in his oversized arms, shielding her from the rain. The alleyway was dark and damp the only thing heat source was Storm's giant body. Mysterious shadows were everywhere, random mice could be seen running around, stealing from the garbage bins.
"It's all my fault! It didn't want to do it; he forced me into signing the contract." The white chinchilla wept, as the albatross cuddled her. "I know I wasn't good enough, my voice could not match Cream's." She cried.
"Don't say that, Sky, you already did your best, it was all bad luck, that's all. Bad luck." Storm said soothingly. "There's one thing Cream didn't beat you at." That statement halted the sobbing. The chinchilla looked up at Storm's face with watering eyes. "Cream's dancing is lousy." He said with a giggle. "I could picture her falling down the stage cuz of those clumsy ears of hers." He laughed. Sky smiled…
"Thank you... Storm…" She whispered, and the faint smile now disappeared. She got up from Storm's lap and walked away. The albatross could only smile at her leaving figure. Soon, Sky paused. Out in the rain, she started to sing.
At
this narcissist reflection
I
told myself
You
would love me
The
mirror shattered
Glass
shards blinded me
In
the darkness
I
wished for a glint of hope
end
Sky repeated the song several times. The depressing balled continued for eternality. Storm looked at Sky in awe, as her voice completely transformed from a high and kiddy pitch to a mature and almost angelic tone. As he was admiring Sky's song, Wave walked in.
"Storm, what are you doing-"
"Shh!" Storm covered Wave's mouth. She then realized that Sky was lamenting. Wave was amazed at the sight. Sky's voice made the rain seemed like a light shower. The swallow allowed herself to sit down to watch the performance.
"She seemed sad, those lyrics, it's very depressing…" Wave commented. Storm nodded. "I wonder what could have made her so sad." Storm explained everything to her. "Yeah, I know, but it's not that, I could tell. It just sounded like she has lost someone important." Wave sounded concerned. The singing has stopped.
Sky looked around. She bowed with apology. Wave called her over.
"That was a great performance! The only thing lacking is emotion." She started. The word "emotion" made the chinchilla look uncomfortable. The fidgety look on her face was caught by Wave. "So, what happened?" Gosh! She could not be more straight forward.
For some reason, Sky felt as if she could trust the two birds. She dragged out a long sigh. "One of the Sonic Underground…" She began. "It was when I was thirteen; he left me and our memories." Storm pulled Sky onto his lap, so she could sit. "We were childhood friends." She ended her story.
"Which one?" Storm asked.
"Manic." Sky answered.
"He must be a real jerk to do that to you." Storm muttered. Wave elbowed him.
"Storm!" Wave snapped. The chinchilla shook her head.
"It's alright. The Angels took him away; his feelings and his memories of me." Sky explained, as she walked away from Storm once more. Wave held her back.
"We know one person who could help you." What that, she brought Sky to a huge mansion. It was quite small compared to the Coliseum. Never the less, it did not lose in the appearance compartment. The mansion's gothic windows were finely crafted; the roof was composed of black marble tiles; the walls were covered with grove vines, lastly, the entrance gate and Celtic fences were at least twenty feet tall.
Wave rang the bell, which sounded like creepy church bells. Sky looked uneasy. Storm's smile reassured her. The large gates opened to welcome them in. Aimlessly following the two birds, Sky soon found herself in office. It looked like any typical office, laptops were scattered around the room, and documents piled up high on the main desk. Several computers buzzed quietly, while the HD Hologram Display screens cast eerie lights. It felt like a dream to Sky.
Someone finally made an appearance.
"Long time no see, Rouge.' Wave greeted.
"Same to you." Rouge agreed. She looked like a seductress, with clothes that barely covered any skin with heavy lavender eye shadow and cherry red lipstick. Sky began to have doubts about this whole thing.
Wave dropped a sack in front of the bat lady. Rouge helped herself to the loot. "Wow, who would of known the Babylon Rogues could collect so many jewels. Wow! Some of these are ultra rare species of precious rock!" She gleamed. "Okay, what's the deal?" Rouge's voice turned business like.
"We need a Mental Mediator." Wave's voice was corporate, as well. "The most top notched one that you know." She added. Rouge laughed.
"Jet finally broke apart?" She giggled through her words.
"No, someone needs a refresh of memories." The swallow looked annoyed.
"Storm, then, perhaps?" She giggled. Storm shifted around, seemingly irritated.
"We need to get Manic back his memories." Wave finally said, as she gestured to Sky. "Our friend here is a piece of that lost memory." Sky wanted to get out of the office and run. She held her long white tail tightly in her hands, silently fidgeting. As Rouge looked into her eyes, the chinchilla had a sunken feeling. It felt like rock just dropped into her stomach. Knots started to twist in her throat as Wave explained the situation to the bat lady.
"Looks like the Dimension Explosion really ripped all of us apart." Rouge sighed. "Alrgihty, I'll have you go to Blaze, she's the most skilled Mediator there is. Here's the plan…"
