The mood was somber for the small group heading back to Cassius' tent. No one was in a mood to talk after what happened to Zerinn. The silence stretched long and awkward. Gadget kept his uninjured arm draped lightly across Kaito's shoulders. The young jackal pup's eyes were red and puffy from crying so much. Fenrir, Hela, and Saber followed the small band having volunteered to escort Kaito back to their tent.
"We don't want those guys to get the jump on you again," Saber muttered. "Zerinn will be okay."
Ace walked on Kaito's right side. A small dagger was drawn the jackal's eyes darting about looking for any more signs of danger. The last thing that Kaito needed was anything else to happen. Gadget wondered if he was regretting living here in the campgrounds where the weak perished and the strong thrived. Gadget remembered the few letters his mother received from her sister in Sunset Heights.
His Aunt's letters made it sound like that Sunset Heights was a beautiful place to live, but his mother hadn't agreed with his Aunt's letters. Gadget recalled that his parents argued over it with his mother stubbornly refusing to move there since she claimed the education system wouldn't be suitable for Gadget's studies.
"I hate this place," Kaito said harshly. "I wish we didn't have to live here."
Gadget turned to face Kaito making a small 'o' of surprise with his mouth at Kaito's words. Kaito kept his ears down looking at his surroundings with disdain. It was clear that Kaito thought that the events which occurred tonight were his fault. The guilt ate away at Kaito's heart with the knowledge Zerinn lay in a hospital bed teetering on the verge of life and death. The young jackal fiddled with the edge of the green bandana tied around his ears in a gesture of nervousness.
"Gadget is Zerinn going to die?"
Gadget's breath hitched in his throat at the unexpected question. The thought of Zerinn dying crossed his mind. The jackal lay so still his breath coming out in short gasps the blood welling down from his face. Gadget looked at his naked hand. Without the protective white glove to protect it from the elements, it was cold. Gadget shuddered at the memory of the blood-soaked glove lying abandoned in the middle of the street.
"He'll be fine. I'm sure of it." Gadget replied uncertainly.
"What a night."
Gadget looked over to the speaker a young male jackal with his hands held behind his head. It seemed a little insensitive how this jackal could be so relaxed after what happened concerning Zerinn. Flint, on the other, looked around the area in case either Chad's group made another attempt to
"So you're Gadget. You're the new brother that Zerinn and Kaito have adopted," Flint held out his hand to shake. "I'm Flint and sorry we didn't get a chance to introduce ourselves to you earlier." Ace paused approaching Gadget with a relaxed expression on his face.
"Hey, I'm Ace, and unlike my nosy twin brother, I'm the more calm and level head of the two of us."
"It's nice to meet you both." Gadget replied. Perhaps he could be friends with these two. Nephthys and Quartz seemed to have taken a liking to him. Saber, on the other hand, was an enigma.
In the hopes that they would arrive back into the jackal family's area unnoticed faded in an instant upon hearing the sounds of an argument was spiraling out of control. Silently the small group ran into the jackal family's sleeping area just in time to see Cassius grabbing the hilt of the sword yanking it away yelling something at Dune who folded his ears back in submission.
"Do you think that I wouldn't have noticed that you snuck into my tent and stole our family heirloom?"
Dune trembled under the glare of his father. He saw Sera appear out of the doorway with Oasis her face set into a small frown.
"You're an incompetent old fool choosing Zerinn," Dune muttered moodily. "And I don't know where the hell Kaito and Gadget are." Dune protested as Gadget stepped into the shaft of light an arm around Kaito protecting him and acting as emotional support for what was about to come next.
"And where the hell is Zerinn?" Cassius growled. " I warned him that would be consequences if I caught him running out in the middle of the night."
The emotional strain was too much for Kaito who broke down in tears. "Zerinn's dying. He said that there was something wrong with his stomach and now he's going to die!"
Cassius' eyes widened in shock. He quickly walked over, grabbing Kaito by the wrist, making sure to slap him hard across the side of the head.
"Stop sniveling," Cassius growled."I've told you that its weak behavior and I would not have it in this household."
Cassius turned to Hela walking towards him the tense frown was on her face. The younger jackal held her ground defiantly staring at Cassius.
"Kaito is telling the truth," Flint said, explaining the situation to Cassius who tightened his jaw. His eyes widened in slight horror shooting a proud look at Dune who hung his head his mangled ear hanging downwards.
"Well, look at that. You took this sword and scarred someone in your first fight with it," Cassius smiled. "Maybe you do have what it takes to be a leader after all." Cassius paused looking around at his audience.
"Perhaps you do have what it takes to become the next leader of the Jackal Squad."
Dune looked up shock flashing across his features, his brain struggling to process his father's words. For the first time, he saw pride in his father's eyes. There was a crestfallen expression on Kaito's face. Gadget looked up as the three other jackal pups glared at Dune.
"Gadget and Kaito. We'll go to visit Zerinn if he's not dead yet," Cassius said coldly. "Oh for Chaos' sake Kaito stop crying!"
Cassius walked by slapping Kaito on the back of his head for the second time prompting a whimper.
Cassius walked away not even looking back at Kaito. Gadget gave Kaito a gentle squeeze on the shoulder in comfort. In response, the jackal quietly rested his head on Gadget's shoulder; his eyes were half open with exhaustion stifling a yawn. Gadget was exhausted. With Zerinn in the medical center, he felt like it was his responsibility to keep Kaito safe in Zerinn's place.
"Gadget Dune can't be the leader of the Jackal Squad," Kaito whispered. "He cares for no one, but himself."
Gadget nodded in agreement. The wolf saw the dark expression of glee appearing on the young jackal's face when his father named him the leader of the Jackal Squad. He looked back to see Dune grinning shooting a triumphant look at the sad expressions on Saber, Hela's and Fenrir's face. Oasis raced over to congratulate her brother by throwing her arms around him hugging him close.
"He's a bully, and he could endanger the whole Squad one day." Gadget whispered to Kaito keeping an eye on Cassius' back. The older jackal gave no sign of having heard them. The walk through the near-vacant streets was in silence. Cassius led them to the eastern sector of Saharais where the only children's hospital in town was.
An hour later the trio arrived at the sizeable makeshift hospital on the outskirts of the campgrounds. The smell of the anesthetic was heavy in the air. The floors were pristine white. Behind the receptionist's desk, a coyote nurse sat behind it with her nose buried in the newspaper. On the front page, an image of Sonic and Tails stood in front of the Tornado. Sonic flashed a surefire smile an arm draped around a smiling Tails.
Eggman eludes capture! Authorities baffled at mad scientist's disappearance. The headlines blared out as the coyote turned a page of her newspaper seemingly uninterested in her surroundings.
World famous hero Sonic vows to bring Eggman to justice. Sonic announced that he and Miles Tails Prower are heading off to investigate rumors of a mysterious floating island in the sky tomorrow.
"Excuse me!"
The coyote nurse jumped up in alarm at the sound of Cassius's voice. She noticed the irate jackal glaring at her displeased with her lack of attention. The doors opened as a slightly plump magenta wolf came through the doors her eyes were trained on the scarred jackal making eye contact. She straightened her back locking eyes with Cassius showing that she wasn't afraid of the battle-scarred jackal.
"Oh Mr. Cassius, your son will live," The nurse with a name tag that read Lilac said flatly. "I'll admit it was touch and go for a while, but I will say
Kaito let out a cry of happiness. Gadget sighed in relief. Zerinn was going to be okay. His brother would live. Cassius grunted in annoyance.
"What about the large scar on the right side of his face?"
The nurse shot Cassius a glare. She'd heard rumors about the leader of the Jackal Squad. For sure Cassius was a competent fighter. He made his living as a mercenary, but she heard through the grapevine that he was way too hard on his kids and two of his sons were known to brawl in the streets often leaving small wounds on each other. She'd been horrified when she had seen the bleeding gash inflicted on Zerinn.
"I'm going to be blunt, he's going to have a scar there for the rest of his life," Lilac replied sadly. "He also lost a lot of blood, so we had to give him a blood transfusion."
The nurse's words hit Gadget hard. Zerinn would bear the scar on the right side of his face for the rest of his life. He could only imagine how the young jackal would feel about his new facial wound. Zerinn was already insecure about his heterochromia, and the scar would be one more new thing for the residents to gawk at him even more.
"Can we see him?" Gadget blurted out blushing in embarrassment.
"I'm afraid, not just yet," The nurse replied kindly with a small smile. "He is awake, but he's kind of cranky at the moment."
"Which room is he in?"
The nurse blinked once in surprise, realizing that Cassius was talking to her. His left hand was resting on the hilt of the short crimson sword. The coyote nurse's eyes darted to the sword swallowing nervously.
"You can't bring that weapon into this medical tent. You'll have to leave it behind the desk."
Cassius growled stalking over the desk, seeing the nurse tremble before he removed his blade slipping it off his shoulders handing it over to the coyote who took it with shaking hands trying hard not to stare at the dried blood and tufts of black fur stuck on it.
"Room 17 in the children's ward on the first floor," The Nurse said. "Cassius, your son, isn't well enough to have visitors at this time."
Cassius chose to ignore her. He ushered both Kaito and Gadget in front of him. Lilac attempted to step in front of him; her arms were held out in a full arc blocking their progress a look of defiance on her face.
"Cassius I don't care if you're the leader of the Jackal Squad," Lilac snarled. "I will repeat myself if I have to; your son is not well enough to have visitors at this time."
A small alarm went off at the nurses' desk. The coyote nurse leaned forward pressing a finger down on top of the button. "It's our little patient in room 17. He's trying to do a runner."
Lilac muttered something underneath her breath breaking into a run. A dingo nurse followed her with Cassius, Kaito and Gadget bringing up the rear. The nurses led them to room seventeen throwing open the door. Zerinn yanked the two pair of tubes out his arm. His body turned sideways attempting to slip out of bed; his shoeless feet touched the soft carpeted floor.
Bandages covered the right side of his face. The sight made both Gadget and Kaito stop and stared seeing their adoptive brother struggling to maintain his balance his legs shaking from the effort to stand up after having his injury treated.
"You need to stay in bed young man!"
The nurses darted forward, grabbing Zerinn around his shoulders and legs, carefully picking him up. The ignored the kicks Zerinn dealt out before he was wrestled back into the bed the tubes were reinserted leaving Zerinn in a huff his arms folded across his chest.
"Your family members and friend are here to see you," Lilac said shooting them a stern look. "Five minutes. He does need to rest."
Lilac stayed with them. Kaito was the first one to race over to Zerinn wagging his tail in happiness settling in the small wooden chair next to the bed taking Zerinn's hand in his own.
I'm sorry," Kaito muttered lifting his head showing his red puffy eyes. "I should've been more alert."
"Don't worry about it Kaito," Zerinn mumbled. "It was all Dune's fault. Can you stay strong for me and don't quit?"
"I promise big bro," Kaito nodded his head eagerly. "I will stay strong for you."
Kaito smiled seeing his half brother's gloveless hand reach out to him gently squeezing his hand in a gesture of comfort. The gesture seemed to reassure Kaito. The two jackal brothers sat together in silence for a couple of minutes before Cassius cleared his throat in impatience. Kaito slid off the seat shooting a sad look.
Cassius sat down on the seat hearing it creak slightly under his father's weight. Gadget watched father and son. The tension in the room grew tenfold with both jackals glaring at each other. Cassius saw Zerinn's fist clench slightly.
"I've decided that Dune is more suited to the position of leader for the future of the Jackal Squad."
Zerinn said nothing expect he flattened his ears in submission. The jackal dug his claws into the sheets. Gadget saw the look of disappointment in the jackal's eyes — the single tear slipping down Zerinn's face. Gadget's heart went out to Zerinn. The news crushed the young jackal emotionally.
"You'll still be in the squad, but you will have to learn to be a follower," Cassius said finality in his voice. "You're a weak disgrace in my eyes."
Cassius pushed back the chair. The jackal briefly nodded at the nurse walking out of the room without even a backward glance at his son. Gadget took it as his chance to slip into the chair. Kaito came back to stand at his brother's bedside placing a hand on his shoulder in comfort.
"You're not weak," Gadget said fiercely. "Don't listen to your dad. You're one of the strongest jackals, I know."
Zerinn allowed a small smile to appear wiping away the tears on his face. He looked over at Kaito and Gadget. His younger half-brother was staring at him the smile he reached forward for his half brother's ungloved hand rubbing small circles of comfort the smooth short fur.
The red wolf placed a hand on Kaito's shoulder, squeezing it in comfort.
Is this the same wolf that I met at Green Hill Zone?
"I'll look after Kaito until you get out of the hospital, I promise." Gadget said his decision made."I think that we're friends."
Zerinn shifted on the bed moving his right hand out from underneath the sheets holding it out in the shape of a fist bump.
"We are friends," Zerinn said, smiling."This gesture is a symbol of greeting within the Jackal Squad."
Gadget smiled, returning the fist bump along with Kaito. There were smiles on their faces when Lilac informed them that they had to leave the room so Zerinn could rest.
Cassius was already waiting outside the medical center having reclaimed his sword from the shaking coyote nurse. He stalked ahead of Kaito and Gadget. Kaito was half awake now leaning on Gadget the two of them had smiles on their faces. Kaito looked up at the pre-dawn skies suddenly letting out a gasp pointing upwards with his finger towards the sky.
"Gadget look up! That star up, there's so brighter than the others!"
Gadget followed Kaito's pointing finger. Right there, nestled amongst the deepening blue skies, he saw the brightest star shining down. It was like a pure white beacon of hope against the sky. Gadget smiled. It had taken a while, but it appeared that the star finally decided to hear his wish giving him a friend in the form of Zerinn. The wolf's heart swelled with happiness.
"Thank you," Gadget whispered. "Thank you for giving me a friend."
The two of them heard Cassius' impatient call telling them both to keep. Gadget obeyed hurrying on ahead with Kaito at his side. High in the sky, the brightest star continued to glow.
When they arrived home Kaito and Gadget flopped on their makeshift beds were worn out from the night's events. Both of them finally fell into a restful slumber content with the knowledge that their friend and brother was safe and would be back home amongst his friend and the only family member who cared for him.
Author's note There we go the moment where Gadget and Zerinn finally become friends. After the events of the last chapter, it was always my intention to end this chapter on a feel-good note, and I haven't forgotten about Mikhail. He'll have a role to play soon.
I hope that people enjoyed this chapter. It was a lot of fun to write. I wanted to have a nod to Sonic 3 and Knuckles. With Sonic and Tails planning to set off for Angel Island. I do have plans for Sonic and Tails to make an appearance later on in the story.
Sol and Luna are the names of Gadget's parents since I wasn't going to go on and not give them names. They are Latin for sun and moon.
Cassius may be the leader of the Jackal Squad which is a pretty high station of power within Saharais, so he's like one of the towns' leaders. Cassius uses that status to throw his weight around which is the main reason that Dune wants to be the leader of the Jackal Squad so badly so he can do the same thing.
This story isn't going to be as long as the Illusionary Resistance is since I don't see it being longer than twenty- four chapters.
As per usual thoughts/suggestions/ Reviews are welcome and appreciated. I will be back to talk to you guys soon with the next chapter.