Chapter 10
Painted Sky
Two days after Sally and Bunnie left the sleepy village of Oak the villagers thought the worst was behind them and were beginning to go on with their daily lives. But they didn't know they were about to have a unexpected surprise.
It was mid noon and they were off doing their usual rounds of fixing their houses from leaks or hanging up their clothes. Then, the peace broke as a laser blast shot out of the woods blowing a hole through one of the parents of the village's head splattering chunks of brain and chips of bone all over his son he was playing with. They all screamed and went into their houses. Colin marched out with a disgruntled look on his face carrying a large rifle. Out from behind him a party of ten or so SWAT Bots followed. They were two feet taller than himself. Their faces were blank and ghoulish with a single visor stripe of dull red. A thick tube poked out of the back of their head that followed into their backs. They were draped in a long black trench coat making them look more threatening than ever.
" Ah, I had a feeling their was stragglers in this area " he said looking around.
Elias came out and immediately recognized him.
" Oh no! Not you! " he said horrified.
He pulled out his handgun tucked away in his pocket and pointed it at him. The SWAT Bots pointed their wrist lasers at the villagers. He pressed the gun against Elias' face and delivered a knee to his crotch. He gasped and collapsed to the grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head back hard.
" Go ahead, make a move " he dared, putting his gun aside.
" P-please...don't take us away...we have done nothing wrong! " he pleaded with tears leaking out of his eyes.
Colin let go and slapped him hard in the face leaving an imprint as blood dripped down from his lip. He was disgusted with his lack of a spine. " You aren't who I am looking for so I'll make you a deal because I am in a good mood today...I wont take you to Robotnik on one condition. "
" Anything... " he said in a shaky voice fondling his face.
" Tell me where these two went to " Colin said with a growl showing him a picture of Sally and Bunnie. His eyes widened.
" I..I..I really don't know... "
" Don't you dare lie to me! " he warned, his eyes becoming absolutely scary. " Lie to me and I'll fucking rip your nuts clean off and show em to you. Now tell me the truth! "
He shook as he pressed the gun barrel against his looked over at the scared children hiding behind their parents with looks of fear.
" Forgive me... "
" Well? " he said, growing impatient. His finger itching on the trigger.
" Alright, alright I'll tell. They left two days ago on foot headed north towards The Great Mountains. "
" Is that all of it? "
" Yes, yes! Please spare us! "
He gave him a long hard look and smiled knowing he was telling the truth.
" Good job. "
His face twisted into a terrifying look of evil and he suddenly grabbed a hold of his hair and lifted him up. Showing off his brutish strength, he slowly pressed against his skull with his iron fingers, his skull slowly cracking and his screams becoming hoarse until with one final crap his hands popped his skull wide open. Chunks of brains exploded out of his eye sockets and oozed out the edges of his destroyed face. They slopped out in heavy thick mounds making splats as they hit the ground like red meat pudding. He threw his corpse aside wiping blood off his hands. The villagers cried out in terror. His black eyes flashed bright red.
" I promised I wouldn't hand you over to Robotnik but I never said I'd let you all live. SWAT Bots! Burn them alive! "
Soon, all that was left of the village was a smoking pile of wood with a few bones poking out. He left with haste towards north.
Meanwhile Sally and Bunnie had reached the outskirts of the Black Forest. It had become alot colder and the tree's soon slipped away behind them. The road began to twist and turn gradually going up hill. The temperature that day dropped to -08 degrees Fahrenheit. They set up camp along the side of a cliff wall and waited it out. The next day the sun shined dimly out of the thick black clouds but it gave little warmth but it was bearable now.
" One thing ah like about being all nuts and bolts is ah can't get cold but it sure can stick your joints up. "
" Better than nothing, I suppose " said Sally through short breaths leaning on a stick she found along the way.
" So where does that sword of yours go exactly? It seems to just disappear. "
" Oh, Harvey is always with me. He just knows when to make himself known to others. "
Sally was about to comment on its rudeness when she saw a couple mountains beyond with devilish faces carved into the peaks. A open mouth with two great big tusks with eight eyes she counted from her view. She silently wondered why their were faces in the mountains she kept seeing off and on, and that thing she saw in the tree that one time.
" Uh, Bunnie whats that? " she asked pointing over to it.
" Not sure but ah wouldn't trust going inside that thing. Gives me the creeps. "
" Lots of things in this world seem to do for me " she said under her breath.
As they trekked on they noticed skulls from odd creatures lying around and writing carved into the holes and tattered remains of unidentifiable things littered the path. ' If I had Nicole with me I could translate this ' , she thought to herself.
" Mmm, so where we going again, sugah? " Bunnie asked.
"Well, north I guess till we find someone we can ask about Antoine. "
" Tell me again...why are we looking for him?"
Sally decided perhaps now was the time to tell Bunnie. The more she held off from telling her the more she was distancing herself. She stopped walking and Bunnie turned around and looked at her funny.
" You ok, Sally girl? "
" Bunnie...I'm not sure I am from this world " she spoke slowly, in a cryptic tone of absolute.
She looked at her stunned and then with great confusion. Before she could speak Sally continued. " It feels so long ago now...everything was different. I was back at Knothole Village with my friends. It was warm that day. So warm...but...I don't know what happened after that. I woke up the next day and I was not in my own world anymore. I tried to think rational that this was all just some dream I have yet to wake up from but I think maybe I was sent here. "
Bunnie gave her a stern look and looked into her eyes listening.
" We were a team then. The heroic Sonic always going in headfirst and little Tails...Tails... "
She began to remember his slaughter back at the camp but she felt Bunnie's warm touch to her shoulder and then she calmed. She hesitantly looked into her big eyes.
" Go on. "
Her hand slid down and grasped her hand. She squeezed back and then smiled. " We also had Rotor. He was a real nice guy and liked to fix things. Then we had...Antoine. He was always trying to prove to use that he could be as heroic as Sonic even though he was always scared of something. " She giggled. " And...then their was you, Bunnie. "
Her eyes widened with surprise. Sally suddenly hugged her, tearing up. " Please don't find me crazy! You were my best friend back at Knothole. We shared everything with each other. I know you don't remember and I hate this but please believe me! "
Bunnie just stood there awestruck on what Sally had told her. She wrapped herself tighter around her and began to cry. She looked into her metallic heart and knew that from this short time being with her she was a good person and would not lie to her.
" Ah admit sugah, this is..alot to take in. But yah seem rather sure that it was real and not a dream. Don't quite understand it all mahself, but perhaps we can figure this out together. "
Sally looked up at her. She brushed the hair aside and gave her a kiss. " Don't worry. Ah believe you. "
Sally was overwhelmed with relief. But, that relief was soon cut short by a ear splitting roar. Sally's heart skipped a beat and she looked around frantically.
" What was that! "
The unholy roar was heard again and this time it was closer. The mountainside shook and rocks and sediment crumbled boulders and chunks rained down on them, threatening to knock them right off the mountainside. They looked around for a place to take cover but no luck. They had very little room to maneuver. A great boulder came crashing down which they barely missed.
" Ah! shit. Ah can't fight whatever's doing this with no room! " Bunnie said.
She took a chance and pounded away on the mountainside busting away at the rock hoping to hit a hollow pocket to duck into or make a hole big enough to hide into. But then, Sally noticed the sky changed color. It turned dark red and suddenly blood began to rain down from the sky. They stopped and listened and their was something else. A sound of many shouting in a language not their own and the clashing of steel.
" Ugh.. " Sally groaned. This ugly rain was making a mess out of her hair.
The noise continued with the sounds of more explosions but it fell silent, with only the sound of rain falling.
" What you suppose that was? "
" We should check it out. "
They continued the path upward towards the top of the mountain. The red rain poured harder,drenching them in a coat of crimson. By this time they were completely drenched. When they reached the top of the mountain they found the top to be a perfectly smooth plateau. All around them was bodies and pieces of armor ripped apart and swords and spears cast aside.
" A battle! "
As they searched they found all the bodies had been put into a great heap and burned. The rain had put out the fire and their was nothing left to identify what was fighting. They quickly heard footsteps approach from behind. They backed up ready to spring into action. As the figure came closer their eyes widened. He looked like a man. He was around 6' 0, weight approximately 160 pounds. His hair was white and was very coarse looking. His skin matched his hair which was equally pale and his face was badly scarred with deep canyons from a blade. His ears were twisted and pointed upwards like an elf. He wore black heavy armor filled with spikes dipped in a potent toxin that stunk to even go near. He carried around a very heavy sword sheathed at his side. It had saw teeth meant to shred and tear rather than cut. He looked at them with wonder and mesmerization. For a long moment they stared until he spoke softly showing two long fangs.
" Who are you? " he asked, his jaw hanging crookedly.
" Names Bunnie, sugah and if ya'll wanna fight you better - "
" - Please, please, forgive my hostile appearance. I do not wish to harm you two. I can tell you are not part of them " he said trailing off.
" Them? " Sally asked.
" Never mind. My name is Topec XII. I was sent by my lord to scout when I came across you two. "
He seemed friendly enough but Sally was not going to trust him for a second. Those eyes of his were as red as the ground was. She gave him a dirty look. "Thanks but we'll be on our way now " she said coldly.
" Wait a sec! We don't get outsiders very often. You would be welcome to stay at my peoples kingdom! You would have the best of care. "
For some reason that smile made Bunnie and Sally's stomachs churn.
" She said no! " shouted Bunnie.
Startled, he stepped back. " I see. You seem rather protective of her...Bunnie. "
" Darn tooting. No way am I gonna let her get dragged off by some sleaze ball like you. "
He growled and tighten his fists with the popping sounds of his bones tightening. " You are being very rude. I have done nothing wrong here. "
" You don't get it do ya? We don't want your hospitality! Now leave us alone" said Bunnie flipping him off aggravated.
His eye twitched with anger he was holding back. Sally could read his thoughts that he was tempted to reach for that sword of his. Things were starting to get dangerous.
" Well...maybe one day wouldn't be so bad " Sally said putting on a smile for him.
He calmed and smiled followed by a laugh. " Ah, I knew such a pretty one like you had some intelligence. Come, I will show you our great land! "
Bunnie looked at Sally questionably. " Sorry Bunnie, but if we don't act nice these guys might get dangerous. I'd rather we just get through this without fighting for once. Part of being a princess is negotiations, afterall. Best to play along for now! "
She sighed deeply and then nodded in agreement. The rain stopped shortly after that. As they walked he sung songs in his language and tossing rocks into the air. After a half an hours walk Sally and Bunnie found themselves walking along a narrow path beside a bloody river.
" Ugh, why is everything blood around here? " complained Bunnie.
" Why, don't you know where you are ? This is the Blood Country. Richest place in all of Mobius! "
Finally Sally blurted out a question that had been etching her mind for some time. " Just what on Mobius are you! "
He paused and turned and looked at her. " We are called many things. Blood Jackels, Inshinas but I think the most commonly known term to call is Vampire. It was coined by the Overlanders, that one! "
Sally froze. Her eyes went huge. He eyed her strangely.
" Are you ill? " he asked.
" Your a...vampire? " she asked with a small voice completely shocked and stunned.
" Of course. What else would I be? "
Sally was about to make a break for it but three other of his kin were coming around the bend behind to greet them.
" Ah, I thought I smelled the blood of a female " said one of them giving Sally hungry eyes. Topec frowned.
" You will not harm these two. They are guests! "
" Guests!? At a time like this? Are you crazy Topec? They could be spies for all we know " one blurted out.
" I took that into consideration Daal, but they are merely outsiders. Nothing more. "
" Hmph. We'll see " he said.
Soon, they were escorted across a great draw bridge made up of heavy iron and inside the mountain walls. Then, as the gates shut behind them a feeling of dread came across them.
" Welcome to Hirachi. "
