To: Jim the monkey From: Sophie the cat Subject: Ding Dong
Well, the witch may not be dead, but at least she's going somewhere else.
Sophie
To: Sophie the cat From: Jim the funky monkey Subject: Ding Dong
We'd better watch our backs, especially Amy. I'm sure that witch has some powerful hexes and spells and such. And the fact that she's a neurotic control freak is pretty dangerous.
Look to the western skies,
Jim
To: Sonic the hedgehog From: Miles Tails Prower Subject: What do you think?
I need your opinion on something. Just yesterday, I bought this necklace for Cream. It's kind of a joke because it has three carrots on it, get it? Three carrots! Okay, so maybe it isn't that funny…but I thought it was nice.
Maybe she won't even pick up on the corny joke, but she always appreciates a gift. That's what's so great about her.
So tell me honestly, is this a dumb idea? Should I just exchange it for something else? Or maybe I can give her the gift receipt and she can pick out what she wants. I don't know.
The technical lover,
Tails
To: Miles Tails Prower From: Sonic the hedgehog Subject: What I think
You sure you want to know? Don't worry...I'm just messing with you.
I guess it's clever. Just don't try and surprise me with a present like that. Or if you do, that joke better make me cry rivers that it's so funny. But anyway, I think Cream would like it.
Sonic
To: Sonic the hedgehog From: Miles Tails Prower Subject: Thanks
That's all I needed to know.
Tails
Talentedgrl321: So she won't talk at all?
SonicSweetheart: Nope
Talentedgrl321: I can't imagine what that's like
SonicSweetheart: I know
SonicSweetheart: but the lights are on and someone's up there, they're just not answering
Talentedgrl321: How can you tell if no one's tried knocking?
SonicSweetheart: Idk, but you can just see it in her eyes
Talentedgrl321: whatever you say
SonicSweetheart: good, so u agree then
Talentedgrl321: sure
Talentedgrl321: You know, one of my friend's friends once knew this kid who was a selective mute
SonicSweetheart: Selective mute? What's that?
Talentedgrl321: I'm not sure exactly, but the kid will only talk to people are his age or younger
SonicSweetheart: I wonder why
Talentedgrl321: it must be like an anxiety thing
SonicSweetheart: I'd say that's a legitimate theory
Talentedgrl321: Right? But that is like, really weird
SonicSweetheard: just got a new email—ttyl
Talentedgrl321: byes
SonicSweetheart has just signed off.
Talentedgrl321 has just signed off.
To: Amy Rose From: Peter J. Wilkinson Subject: A modest request
Good afternoon Miss Rose,
I have a small favor to ask of you regarding my niece Katie. Would you by any chance be able to take the girl to this Sylvia?
Her parents are unable to provide transportation due to their inconvenient working schedules. I would offer to escort her myself, but unfortunately I am due to attend a business seminar in Forest Hills. To bring focus on the point, we need a chaperone to take Katie to this psychiatrist whom you so highly recommend. I think I know that Katie would be most grateful, and you have all of our dearest thanks.
P. Wilkinson
To: Peter J. Wilkinson From: Amy Rose Subject: Of course
I'd be happy to bring her. Did you want me to pick her up or something, and what time?
I'm so glad your brother has decided not to give up on Katie just yet. She has so much potential and I would hate to see that potential go to waste. I will consider this favor a personal obligation.
Maybe one day I can tell Katie how lucky she really is.
Sincerely,
Amy Rose
To: Amy Rose From: Peter J. Wilkinson Subject: Thank you again
I will be leaving the girl in your care at the conclusion of your work shift this evening. If you have further questions for me or discrepancies of any kind, please contact my secretary Dorris Charmin.
Thank you once again for your assistance,
P. Wilkinson
Tails' Pov:
Hmm…that's weird, no answer. I'll try again.
KNOCK. KNOCK. "Hello?"
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. "Anybody home?" Wait, I think I hear something. The doorknob turning, or is it just my imagination, a cruel mirage? Well, it's not because the door opens, but the wrong rabbit comes out.
"I'm sorry Tails, Cream isn't home right now. She went with Cheese to buy some strawberries. They're in season you know." I shouldn't frown, that wouldn't be polite, but it's hard not to. "Oh…really? That's too bad. I'll have to remember about the strawberries next time I go grocery shopping."
I turn to leave, but Vanilla touches my shoulder, a nonverbal request for my attention. I answer her by pivoting my feet back in her direction. All of a sudden she has a nervous twitch in her eyes. By looking at them I can tell something is amiss, but they are not specific as to what. I ask, "What's wrong?"
Her hands clasp together, "Tails, would you mind going to check on my little honey bun? She doesn't usually take this long and I'm getting worried." Now I start to get goose bumps, the texture of my arms is rough like sandpaper. If anything happened to Cream…
"I'll find her." My eyes narrow with authority, these were not empty words. Vanilla nods, her composure slightly calmer. She has confidence, and she should because I won't stop to sit down until I know Cream is safe. Really, I know she's safe; it's just a matter of confirming this fact. There is a satisfactory feeling in the proof that this is true.
"Thank you Tails."
I don't bother to respond back, and I turn once again and break into a run. Not a sprint though, I don't have as much stamina as Sonic does.
The air is damp and saturated with moisture. Relative humidity is high and air pressure is decreasing. There is a good chance of rain. A warm front must be passing through, but storms hopefully won't last too long. My eyelids press together and I spin my tails like a pinwheel to hasten my pace. Maybe I can get to Cream before it starts to rain. The sidewalk I'm running on seems to keep going on and on like in those cartoons where the characters look as if they're moving, but really are idle in the same position, with only the background of scenery altered.
Finally I see a tall sign, tall like a goal post in a football field. Its illuminated lettering reads Bob's Market with a fork and spoon emblem. I run inside the automatic doors and halt at the entrance. My hand parallel to the ground, up to my forehead as if to block out sunlight, or I guess in this case, the blinding ceiling lights. I move my head left and right…nothing. I'm afraid to venture too far into the market's maze of aisles. It's not that I would get lost, it's the fact that I'm likely to miss her if I'm down one aisle and she's strolling silently down another. She couldn't have left on my way here because our paths would have at some point intersected. She has to be here somewhere.
Minutes are passing now and I'm beginning to feel discouraged. No sign of her yet, I've stood at the entrance now for about fifteen minutes. I decide to check outside; maybe she was buying strawberries from some vendor out there. Left…right…nothing. I walk a few meters farther from the outer façade. Still no trace of her or Cheese.
Hold on…I see some people down the block, outside of the strip mall. Could that be her over there? No, it's probably someone else. I glimpse through the transparent doors of the entrance. I wait there another two minutes, and then finally I decide to walk over toward the series of stores just south of the supermarket. (try saying that five times fast)
There aren't that many financially stable stores over here, most of them are on the verge of bankruptcy with signs reading, "Everything must go!" It seems to be a constant, almost predictable cycle, the coming and going of these ambitious entrepreneurs.
Scanning through the crowd, at first no one appears familiar, except for one person whom I recognize as my neighbor. He doesn't see me as he enters his car and presses his foot on the gas petal. I stop in my brisk walk to watch the vehicle depart down the long narrow highway, until it is out of eye's reach. After it's over the horizon, I resume my search for the velveteen rabbit and her smerf like blue companion.
Another few minutes pass, and my focus starts to drift away. I begin listening to the humming cicadas and the chirping crickets in their combined orchestra. I shake my head to shrug off the distractions. I back up a few steps and as I look to glance behind my shoulder, I catch a glimpse of a small, shy looking, very friendly and familiar looking rabbit. Cheese is quietly hovering behind her, like a shadow. "Cream?" I ask almost hesitantly, as if second guessing myself that it's really her. Luckily it is.
"Tails? Um…he, hello…wa, wa, what are you doing here?" Analyzing her questions, I notice her voice is a bit shaky, like she's somewhere she's not supposed to be. Her hands are hiding something behind her back, and although I'm achingly curious to know what it is, I don't want to be too pushy. After all, I'm not an investigator solving a crime; I'm just out looking for a girl who's worried her mother.
To answer her question, "Actually, I was looking for you. Your mother is worried that you haven't come home yet." Cream's facial expression depresses, "Oh…I suppose I should have called. Well, here I am." Her face is cheerful once again as if it's a mood ring and now is back to blue. Only, her face is yellow. I attempt to unleash a subtle interrogation to figure out what it is she doesn't want me to see. "So…what brings you over here?" There is a minute of silence before she prepares to answer, "I was…just browsing." I can't picture Cream walking around these cheap stores just to browse, there must be some missing detail that she isn't telling me. Why is she hiding? She should know she can tell me anything.
Maybe if I give Cream a kind of secret of my own, she'll feel she can trust me with her secrets. "Hey Cream, I got you present." Her cat like curious eyes suddenly beam at me, "Wow Tails, you didn't have to get me anything. It isn't even my birthday." I pull out a small box from the fur in my tails, a convenient pocket, and place it in Cream's awaiting hands.
As she fingers the lid to open it I precaution, "You're probably going to think this is silly, but I hope you like it." Cream pauses, "I don't think getting me a present is silly, it's very nice of you." She proceeds to open it and she gapes at the necklace's glistening luminosity. "Oh Tails! It's beautiful!" Cream gives me a kiss on the cheek which makes my eyes shrink and my nose wiggle. My tails are spinning like a helicopter trying to stabilize, out of control, in erratic flight patterns. They spin like that ride, Enterprise I think it's called. Maybe the centripetal force will make me stumble over, I better be careful when we walk back home.
I decide not to tell her about the joke.
Right now, the dark is just beginning to descend on the dwindling daylight. The moon is absent from the sky tonight, beginning anew in its sequence of phases. I'm the one who is forced to break the prolonged silence,"We should head back. Vanilla must be a worried wreck by now." Cream nods an ok and whispers, "Um…Tails…"
I turn to look at her, "Yeah?" She pulls out the object which had been obscured behind her back, "This is for you." A strange, awkward breath escapes me as I realize what it is. A toolbox, not just any, the newest, latest one that I haven't yet been able to afford. It's small, smaller than a usual toolbox, almost like a lunchbox. The metal chrome is cold against my gloves, but I don't mind it. "You bought this for me?"
Cream nods modestly, her chin toward the ground, her toe digging into the pavement. "Do you like it?"
Well, maybe her gifts aren't as crafty as mine, but that doesn't undermine my gratitude the least bit. "Are you kidding? This is awesome…thanks a lot Cream!" She blushes, "Your welcome...I was worried that it wasn't the right one, there were so many different ones in the store." My eyes fall back on the metallic luster of the toolbox, my hands are trembling slightly. "You did good Cream, really well."
Finally, we embark on our way home…or Cream's home anyway. Cream and I amble slowly in the shoulder of the road, Cheese still floating wearily behind, straggling. I'd hold her hand if it weren't for a little extra baggage. Cream doesn't mind, and right now no touch of affection is necessary...it's all spelled out in our synchronized steps.
3rd person Pov:
Amy turns off the computer and springs from her seat. She walks casually over toward Mr. Wilkinson's office, or actually his secretary's office, to pick up Katie. His secretary Dorris is busy writing something and doesn't notice Amy enter. The mouse's fur is a gentle lilac, her ears resemble the mice in Cinderella. Amy's voice is quiet, "Dorris Charmin?" Without looking up Dorris responds, "Please no toilet paper jokes."
Amy assured, "No, no, I'm here for Katie. Mr. Wilkinson asked me to—"
Before Amy can complete her sentence, Dorris is on her feet and pulls Katie out from underneath her desk. She shouts triumphantly, "Sweet relief!" Katie squirms free and attempts to duck beneath the desk once again, but Dorris intercepts and grabs the collar of her corduroy dress. Dorris places her down directly in front of Amy. "Good luck," she says closing the door. Amy looks down at Katie who is banging on the door furiously, grunting and moaning as if the command will open it, like open sesame.
"This could be tougher than I thought."
A/N: Sorry it took a little longer than normal. I had a few difficulties with document manager. Happy Summer everybody!
