Silver followed the signs that eventually led him to the Station Square train station. At least this time he didn't have to smuggle in Tails with luggage found in a dumpster. He entered the train and took a seat near the front. Take a left and take the rail cart. It sounded simple, but what about afterwards?
After a brief boarding time the train took off from the station. Silver let his guard down and leaned his head back.
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"Heading to Mystic Ruins?" An extremely deep and slow voice asked out of curiosity, yet stared straight ahead.
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Silver tilted his head back up to an upright position. "Yeah-" He looked over to the person who said it.
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"Me too." He stroked the frog on his lap. "I need to take a nap."
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"Okay-?" Silver looked at the frog and then back up into the eyes of that...cat? He wasn't sure but he decided to not bother him. He readjusted in his seat and leaned his head back again.
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"Where are you headed in Mystic Ruins?" The beady eyes shot at Silver with intense focus. He couldn't see it, but his yellow eyes were decorated by an infinite shield of tiny red veins.
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"Angel Island. I need to talk to Knuckles." Silver didn't move his head but he averted his gaze into the cat's eyes. It disturbed him slightly, but cleared his throat as he looked away.
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"Oh, I know where he is! I can show you." He yawned lowly. "After we pass by my hut, it's only a few paths away."
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His hut? "You live in the forest?" He raised his head in question. He avoided his beady eyes, he may be a helpful pedestrian but there was something..eerie, about the cat.
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"Yup. I live with Froggy." His hand grazed over the frog's smooth back once more. "I need to take a break from fishing. So do the fish."
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Silver glanced down at the frog in his hands. He looked around to see if any of the other passengers was seeing this weird sight, but no one paid much attention to his presence. "Uh-yeah." He looked out the window and could already see the ocean. "Could you show me where to go?"
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"Yup. Just follow me when the train stops. I know the path like the back of my hand." He stared at the back of his tan rubber glove that covered his purple flesh.
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"Thanks. What is your name?" He looked back over to him. Silver figured he was nice enough to travel with, but the uneasy feeling lingered.
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"I'm Big." He turned his head back to Silver. He could almost hear a creak as it moved. "What's your name?"
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"Silver," he replied. He shifted uncomfortably on the bench trying to avoid his striking stare. The rest of the ride to the Mystic Ruins felt much longer than his previous trip. Silver had dozed off a couple times before finally jerking awake when the train stopped. He followed Big out onto the platform.
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Big waddled down the steps, up a slope near a pool of water and a small waterfall. He looked at the rail cart which he could barely fit into himself. He looked at Silver. "...I think you should go first."
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Silver looked over the cart and then at Big. He understood and sat on the edge and swung his legs over the edge and into the rusty bucket. Silver didn't see a lever on the inside, he looked over to the cat. "How- does this work, exactly?" He had never used this form of travel before.
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Big slammed the side door of the cart shut and it immediately began to move forward. Just as it seemed it was going to collide with the gates, they pushed open as the cart moved forward.
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Silver felt the cart jolt forward and he flinched as the gates opened. He leaned back and let the track take him to his destination. He would be glad to reach Knuckles soon, but he hadn't put much thought into what he was going to say once he reached him. He didn't dare look back in fear of Big's eyes staring back at him.
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Big waited until the cart's slow return, signaling that Silver reached the cliff and was probably looking over the entire load of treetops below. The cart's side door descended, and he carefully put one foot at a time, then shut the door. He snuggled into the compartment as it started to move again and held onto Froggy tightly.
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Silver stood on the edge of the cliff and put his hands on waist. It was a spectacular view, he thought. After some waiting he looked behind him and saw the cat squeeze out of the cart with, 'Froggy,' safe in his hands.
"So, uh- Where did you find Froggy?" He started to follow him down the path.
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Oh, someone had finally asked. He placed the frog on his head and stepped down the ladder. He took a breath, ready to reveal the secret that no other had bothered to ask for before. No soul had dared to question the beginnings of his eternal friendship with Froggy. When he reached the ground with Silver, he simply stated, "I fished him out of a river."
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Silver's face deadpanned behind his back. Of course that was the story, he withheld an annoyed sigh. "Fascinating." He sarcastically quipped. Silver made sure to make mental notes of things around him so he could retrace his steps later.
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Big aimlessly walked through the right side of the forest, stepping into the river water and tracking up mud without a care. They eventually reached his little hut kept alive by a lit lantern in his leafy setup. He placed Froggy on the ground, who soon hopped up onto the mossy bed.
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Silver stepped around the river and muddy patches that Big left in his trail. He eventually looked up from the ground and saw the makeshift bed. That can't be very comfortable to sit on, much less sleep on. He watched as the frog started to croak. "How much further?"
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He had one knee on his bed before he stopped. "...Oh. You wanted to see Knuckles?" He was so focused on initiating his nap. He turned around. "Okay, I'll guide you quickly." He waddled forward through the forest, taking paths he had previously memorised to reach the other side. He ignored the various adventurers along the way.
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Silver followed Big as he led him through the thick forest. The temperature was rising and he could feel the beads of sweat on his muzzle. He didn't care for this climate of dense humidity, he would rather endure dry heat any day. They hiked until the reached a clearing. Silver looked out on to Angel Island and the bridge that connected it. "Thanks, Big."
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"Mhm. It was nice to meet you, Silver." He disappeared into the forest, his tail trailing behind.