Chapter 14
Josh: Okay, so instead of having me freeze to death, I'm nearly beaten to death by Scourge.
JJ: Yep.
Josh: Woah, who are you?
JJ: I'm the author! Thanks to VioletAssasin for the new name! ;)
Josh: Stop flirting!
JJ: I'M NOT!
Josh: Hehehe, yes you are.
JJ: ...Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing and following the story! I hope you guys are liking it! And I'm not!
Josh: Are!
JJ: Not!
Josh: Are!
JJ: Not!
Hello again whoever's listening to this! This should be entry three at this point. Why am I even making this still? It's not like I'm stuck here forever. All I gotta do is find my set of Emeralds before Eggman and preferably before Jacob, then we use Chaos Control and go home. Easy-Peasy. ...I hope I don't jinx anything. Oh, right, back to the story.
So, last night, I had a rather unfortunate encounter with Scourge the Hedgehog. He decided to beat me up last night for reasons we're yet to figure out. The injuries have improved, but not by much...
I was pretty tender this morning. Getting out of my sleeping bag was a chore in itself. Luckly, Sonic woke up about the same time I did to help me up.
"How do I look?" I asked.
"...Meh." He replied, shrugging.
"I was afraid you would say that." I sighed.
"So, what do you want to do?" Sonic asked.
"Uh... try running with me, let's see what happens." Sonic nodded, took my wrist, and started running.
Oh.
My.
Goodness.
Gracious.
Gert.
"AAAAH! STOP! STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOO OOOP!" Sonic slowed down. "I'm just sore all over right now!"
"So do you just want to stay here and rest?" Sonic asked. I shook my head.
"I can walk." I said, taking more of a limp than a walk. "Somewhat anyways. I figure some progress is better than no progress at all."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, we need to beat my brother, not to mention Eggman." I said, heading in the direction of the Purple Emerald.
"Uh, Josh?" I turned to see Sonic pointing to a still sleeping Knuckles.
…...
"Is this really the only way?" Knuckles asked, sounding bored.
"I guess we could run." I said. "I'll just grin and bear it."
"No, you need to rest." Sonic cut in. "I'm still not happy with you walking, but I'll let it slide. But running? No way." Knuckles groaned.
"The kid said he's fine with it!" He whined.
"I didn't say that, I said I'd grin and bear it. I'd prefer not to." I shot back.
"Fine." Knuckles relented. "But once you get better, we're running again." I leaned over to Sonic.
"What's his deal? He seems grumpier than usual." I said quietly.
"He feels like someone's going to take the Master Emerald." He said back.
"...He volunteered to come. Didn't he think of that?"
"Knuckles is more of a 'act now, think later' kinda guy." Sonic rolled his eyes. I turned to Knuckles and sighed.
"I don't know if I can stand much more of this." I grumbled quietly.
"Excuse me for interrupting." A soft voice, the voice of the Green Spirit, said. "But I could check on my Master periodically to see how he is doing. Would that help alleviate some of your troubles?"
"Neither of you heard that, did you?" I asked Sonic and Knuckles.
"Once again, no." Knuckles growled.
"I promise Josh, Scourge isn't going to get you, not when you're with us." Sonic told me reassuringly.
"No, the Green Spirit was talking to me. I was just trying to see if you guys will ever hear her." I explained. "I'm thinking the answer is no." Then I spoke to the Spirit. "Yes, I think a quick check in every now and then would be nice. Let's say, every thirty minutes."
"As you wish." The Spirit went silent for a moment. "The Master is safe and secure."
"Knuckles, the Green Spirit just told me the Master Emerald is fine." I said. While it wasn't very drastic, there was a slight mood change in the echidna. I could have sworn he was feeling something close to calmness. "She'll update us every thirty minutes. Nothing is going to happen."
"Don't jinx anything." Knuckles said dryly. I rolled my eyes and continued walking.
"Man, how big is this forest?" I asked Sonic.
"We should be almost out." Sonic replied, scanning the clearing ahead of him. I looked forward.
"And by almost you mean what, three, maybe four weeks?" I teased.
"Just relax. We'll be out of here before it gets dark." He started to jab me in the rib, until he remembered my injuries.
"Ha, I've got immunity!" I said proudly, lifting my nose high in the air.
"Just wait. Once you're healed, I've got something in store for you." Sonic threatened jokingly.
"We'll see about that." I said mockingly.
…...
"See, I told you we'd get here before it gets dark!" Sonic said as we approached a big, flashy city. It looked odd in some places though. One building looked like a big pinball machine! I was pretty sure a couple of the rooftops were roulette wheels.
"Woah! What is this place?" I said in awe.
"This is Casino Park!" Sonic grandly gestured to the place.
"...Cute." Knuckles said, looking at Sonic annoyed.
"Wait, I think I remember this! You had to go through here with Knuckles and Tails. And by yourself too I think..." I said, thinking back.
"I never came here by myself, but I did come with Knucklehead and Tails." Sonic said,
"HEY!" Knuckles lunged at Sonic, who quickly stepped out of the way. As Knuckles tried to make another lunge, I stood between the two.
"Okay, let's get going before someone loses an eye." I said awkwardly. Knuckles growled at Sonic before storming off into the city. Sonic snickered and followed. I sighed. "Am I gonna have to babysit these two the whole time?" I asked tiredly.
…...
"Oh come on Sonic! Just one game, I promise!" I begged flailing to get out of Sonic's firm grasp on my arm.
"Josh, I don't care if you can gamble here, you will get addicted and waste all of you money." Sonic said as he dragged me away. I have a small weakness for gambling games. I've only played with fake money, but when I heard that the Park had no minimum age you had to be, I jumped at the chance.
"I'm already addicted! I know what I'm doing! I won't stay in for too long! Pleeeeeease!" I begged, giving him my best little kid eyes.
"'No' means 'no' Josh!" Sonic said firmly. "I don't want you going in there. You're dealing with real money here, not fake money."
"Knuckles is in there." I said pointing towards the crowded casino.
"That's because he's an idiot. Look, you'll blow all of your money, and there are some people in there you really don't want to meet, or even see for that matter." Sonic let go of my arm and set me down on a bench. "Look at the streets. How many people do you see?" I looked around. The streets were practically empty.
"No one." I said.
"That's because they're all in the casinos. They're tourist traps, where people lose every ring they ever earned." Sonic said. "That's why I personally never go in them. You never know when those rings you saved might come in handy. You understand?" I nodded. He had a point. Who knows how long I would have stayed in the casino. I almost forgot about the task at hand: finding the Emeralds. I held my arm out in the direction of the Purple Emerald. Not much closer than we were before.
"We've still got a ways to go." I sighed.
"Are you absolutely sure that it's the closest Emerald?" Sonic asked. I checked once more.
Light Blue: Faint.
Red: Faint.
White: Faint.
Yellow: Very strong.
Dark Blue: Fai- wait what? I quickly swung my hand back in the direction of the Yellow Emerald. It was much closer than it was the morning before.
"How is that possible?" I said. "It was the furthest one just a few days ago!
"Look, it's getting closer!" Sonic said, pointing to my ring. We quickly got up and walked into the street.
"It's coming from... there!" I said, putting my arm down. I looked to see a very large and colorful truck coming down the street, carrying a large trailer that was playing loud, fun music. Me and Sonic quickly got back onto the sidewalk as we let the vehicle pass us. I read the trailer's side as it passed us.
"Blitz's Nighttime Traveling Circus." As the truck rumbled past, I held up my ring to it. "It's definitely in there." I said, watching the yellow glow dim ever so slightly as the truck got further and further.
"Looks like we're going to see a circus." Sonic said. I nodded, and we both walked off in pursuit of the truck.
…...
When we arrived, the carnival workers were already almost set up. The giant white and blue circus tent was gently flapping in the breeze as the last stakes were being tied down. Performers of all kinds were practicing their acts. Everything was just chaotic, with last minute preparations being made to everything. Sonic whistled.
"These guys keep busy." He said.
"Have you heard of them?" I asked him.
"Nope." He said, shaking his head. "I'm interested to see what they do though."
"While I am too, just remember, we're on a mission." I said, reminding him of our task.
"That's not what I heard when you wanted to go gamble." He said, giving me a sidelong glance. I hung my head a bit. I hoped he would have forgotten that. I mean, yeah, it was like, five minutes ago, but whatever.
"Gentlemen!" A voice called out from behind us. We turned around to see one of the most extravagantly dressed people I had ever seen. "What brings you to my humble circus?"
"Are you Blitz?" Sonic asked.
"Blitz the Bat if you feel formal." He replied, taking off his top hat and bowing. He wasn't like any bat I had seen. For one, his fur was yellow. He wore a small red vest over a purple shirt, with a red bow tie to top the look off. He wore black pants, and polished black shoes. His personality was charming, and he had a smooth, friendly voice to match. He straightened himself up and put a hand in his pocket.
"A pleasure." I said, not sure how to respond to his formal bow. I simply stuck my hand out, hoping he would shake it and not consider me rude. He smiled and took my hand. And not to shake it. He actually grabbed my hand and turned it so that he could see my palm.
"Oh my, you've been in quite the fight, haven't you?" Blitz asked, looking at my injuries. "Don't tell me, let me figure it out. Let's see..." Blitz said, studying my palm. "Your name is Josh..." He said tracing one of the lines on my palm. "You are not from here... well, obviously." He said, looking me up and down. He stopped tracing one of the lines. "...I can't seem to see any parents." He said, looking at me again, his large bat ears slightly drooping. "Is this true?" I nodded. He gave me a sympathetic smile before continuing on. "And you have two siblings, two brothers if I'm not mistaken. But one of them is not your blood brother..."
"How did you know all of that?" I asked in awe as I lowered my hand.
"Just a little practice, that's all." Blitz replied.
"He has a Chaos Emerald." The Green Spirit suddenly spoke up. "He gains his knowledge, as well as his odd coloration, from my brother." I looked the bat up and down for any place he could be hiding an Emerald.
"Is it on him?" I asked the Green Spirit.
"It must be. We cannot communicate with a person unless they are directly touching the Emerald. That is why only you can hear me, and no one else."
"But I'm not seeing any Chaos Emerald shaped lump-" I stopped short as I looked at Blitz's hand. The one that was in his pocket.
"Hey, we're sorry to bother you, but we're looking for a Chaos Emerald." Sonic told Blitz. "It's about the size of your fist, it's yellow, looks like a large diamond."
"Hmmm... Can't say I've seen it." Blitz said, shrugging.
"It's in your pocket." I said, eying the bat.
"What? There is nothing in my pocket." Blitz said defensively, pulling his hand out of his pocket.
"Prove it." I said back.
"Don't you trust me?" Blitz asked, tilting his head to the side.
"The way you're acting sure isn't helping my suspicions." I said, crossing my arms. "Empty your pockets." Blitz sighed.
"Suit yourself." He said. He reached both hands into his pockets and turned them inside out. Nothing was in them. He opened his hands to reveal that they weren't hiding anything. "Satisfied?" He asked, sounding somewhat offended.
"...Sorry. I guess I'm just a little paranoid." I stared at the ground sheepishly.
"Well, I can't blame you for that." Blitz replied, cheerfully. "You do need those things to find your brother, don't you?"
"Yeah, how'd you know that?" Sonic asked, wide eyed.
"I dabble in mind reading." Blitz said. "Hey, I was a bit difficult too. I shouldn't have been so defensive. Here." He reached into his vest and pulled out two tickets. "I'd give one to your echidna friend too, but I get the feeling he doesn't like circuses." He started walking away. "The show starts at 9:00, tonight!" He called back, waving goodbye. Me and Sonic waved back before walking off.
"He has the Emerald, doesn't he." Sonic said quietly.
"I don't think so." I said just as quietly. I turned around and checked to see where Blitz was. I saw his figure slip into the Circus tent. "Yes, he has it." I whispered.
"What? But you just said he-"
"Bat's have great hearing." I whispered. "He would have heard us. I had to wait for him to get out of earshot."
"Well where is it?" Sonic whispered back.
"It's on him. It was in his pocket, I know that for sure. I don't know how he made it disappear, but it has to be on him."
"Could it be on a piece of jewelry? Like how the Green Emerald is on your ring?"
"Spirit?" I asked in my head.
"No. This ring is special. It allows you to be in contact with all of the Emeralds once you get them. It will prove useful as we begin to pool our knowledge together." The Green Spirit answered. I looked at Sonic and shook my head.
"Well, what do you suggest we do?" Sonic stopped in front of the casino Knuckles was in and put a hand on his hip.
"I say we go see a circus." I said, getting slightly distracted by the flashing lights and sounds.
"You stay here." Sonic said, grabbing my arm just as I was about to walk in.
Josh: Yes, I am addicted. Don't judge me.
JJ: It's okay, I'm a little addicted too. I really like slot machines especially.
Josh: The one armed bandits? Man, if you're gonna gamble, play a game that's fair. Craps is a good example.
JJ: Anywho, here we are at the end of another chapter. Blitz is my character. Any similarities to events, whether they be fictional or non-fictional, is completely coincidental. I promise, I am not purposely trying to rip off someone's story. I had a little trouble when someone said my story had some similarities to some of hers. All of these ideas, whether they be original or not, are from me, no one else.
Josh: Yeah, so be nice!
JJ: Speaking of, why are you being so nice to me?
Josh: VioletAssasin said she would hurt me if I was mean to you.
JJ: Oh yeah! Thanks Vi! And don't forget to Review if you guys wanna complain or point out something. And if Blitz the Bat is taken by someone else... I will cry. I thought I was being original. ...Er, anyway, thanks for all of the support guys!
