Hey there everybody!
I'm alive! Isn't that great? After hearing numerous requests, I have decided to update my story. Life's been a drag, but what the heck, it's always like that.
As usual, have a happy read! We're back in the real timeline. Thank you, faithful readers, and good night!(It's 23:05)
Oh, there are a few songs I used in this chappie. I'll mention them later on. Have fun!
Chapter Nineteen
"Here are your prescriptions. It's most likely not to happen, but if there are any strange after-effects, do inform the nearest hospital or us. Have a nice recovery."
The friendly smile of a hospital secretary was the first step into cheering up my day. I took the white plastic bag of pills, bandages and ointment from the smooth hands of the mid-twenties brunette, who looked at me attentively through her glasses.
"Thank you very much, I will."
I winked at her, hoping she'd understand how grateful I was of her kindness, and walked through the shifting doors of the hospital. I carefully descended the broad steps to the hospital's pathway, gazing at my surroundings. The white-tiled floors were spread across a wide terrain, bordered by the city street far up ahead. This terrain was fused into a park, with a huge fountain to my right and a small playground for the kids around here. A chilly wind swayed the leaves from the ground and blew into my face, and for one moment, I considered that Sonic was already here. But he wasn't. What could I expect? I had been in the hospital for nearly three hours, and knowing Sonic, I was convinced he was doing something to kill of the time.
I wasn't that appalled to discover that I had busted two of my fingers. Its purple taint spread along the bones of both fingers was enough to tell that they were broken. The doctor told me that the burn on my arm was fortunately not severe, but the wound stung a lot when he would take off the bandages and put some ointment on it. So as you can tell, it wasn't very pleasant.
There was also a time when Mom called after discovering that I was in the hospital. It wasn't my idea to call her, because I would've preferred keeping her in the dark concerning that little incident. The doctor, however, was obliged to, because he needed to know about the medical insurance, and other information that was vital for me. When Mom found it all out, she had one of those major panic-attacks that really shouldn't be remembered. Yells, incessant crying, argues… I had to pull the phone away from my ear to avoid becoming deaf. But in the end, knowing for whom I had done that, she told me that I made her very proud.
The doctor allowed me to take a shower after the talk I had with Mom. He said I needed it, and he was right. Other than being the third time I got that same remark (the first two being from Sonic and Mike), I was still covered with a bit of dust from debris and ash. Plus, I stank, sweat and smoke, but the doctor was kind enough to omit those details. He only told me to be careful about my fingers and to come back to put some plaster to keep the fingers immobile.
Done and clean, with bandaged arm and plastered fingers, I decided to see how little Benny was doing before leaving the hospital. I knocked on the room's door, and walked in. When I had entered the room, I saw his mother, weeping at his side. I was really frightened, my body stiffening. Mike the firefighter chief was at her side, looking down at the boy, and when he noticed my presence, he walked up to me. He gave me a smile and assured me that the boy was in a fine condition, but he hadn't woken up yet. The mother was now at his side, her head covered in bandages, and she thanked me countless times for me saving her son.
"As long as he's doing fine, it'll be thanks enough." I had said earlier. Really, I didn't know what else to say. It seemed surreal that I risked my life to save that boy, and in the position I was in (Mike called me repeatedly "a brave hero"), I was slightly embarrassed. It gave me nonetheless a proud, wonderful feeling to see how appreciated one can be. The mother, Maylee, told me she would pay me back someday. I left with a smile, and hoped for the mother to deliver the message I had left for her son.
Get well.
When exiting the room, I saw a man rushing towards me. He was a black, bald man in a business suit, a golden ring on his right earlobe. He asked me if Benny, his son, was in that room. I nodded, dumb-founded, and watched him run into the room, softly calling his name and mentioning the names of the people present in that room. And then I heard Mike saying his name. That guy was Sherah of the Leatherheads. At that moment, I remembered what Mike had told me.
"We all had become very close; some of us had become even closer, but you'll see what I mean when you visit Benjamin at the hospital."
No. Way. Sherah, who threatened Maylee with a knife, was her husband? Him, of all Leatherheads?
… How? Why? When? It didn't make sense! How could she fall in love with the one guy who held a knife at her face? He'd have to be the last guy…!
I had walked down the hallway, my mind deep in thought, and moments later I noticed that I had been smiling. It was just too ironic.
And so here I was, outside the hospital, waiting for the hedgehog to appear out of the blue. I looked at the big fountain to my right. Young children were playing over there, giggling as their parents played with them. The temperature was warm enough, despite the sun nearing the horizon and skies promising thunder and rain with its creeping, dark clouds. All that mattered to the kids was the present moment, enjoying all the fun they could have. One of them was being grabbed and lifted high above a father's head, laughing at the sight of his kid squealing in joy and giggling uncontrollably.
Watching them made me understand that this was the appropriate moment to reflect upon Mike's testimony while Sonic was gone. There was a lot to think about. Mike's story was very moving, if not incredible: Sonic's appearance literally changed his life. I couldn't rid myself of that thought. The surprising thing about this whole story is that he was there, back in the early nineties.
How old is Sonic?
It was a stunning question, and it was bugging me. Mike right now was about in his thirties, and he met Sonic when he was a teenager, nearly fifteen years ago. The first Sonic game was invented in 1991, that's a fact. Supposedly, at that time, Sonic was twenty years old. In the present time, he should be at least forty. But he looks too young to be old. How can this even be?
I tapped my forehead with my unhurt fingers, surrendering at the stupid attempt of finding an answer. Yeah, you heard me right; it was stupid trying to figure out how old a videogame character was. If science or logic couldn't explain how a hedgehog, let alone a blue, talking one, could run faster than sonic boom, then there was no point in asking further questions. But I was curious.
An odd sound suddenly silenced the laughter of children splashing at the fountain. It was a booming sound combined with music, and there was something strangely familiar about it. The noise loomed and grew louder, and a man that sang lyrics made my heart skip a beat.
"…man, I've got the master plan!"
When I recognized the tune, it had become dark too quickly. A shadow had been cast over me, and it belonged to something big. I quickly turned around, and saw an object hovering overhead. Large engines roared and spewed blue flames in order to keep this over-twenty-meters machine hovering in the air. It had multiple arms dangling and swinging around, accompanied by that music which I had been desperately hoping it wasn't what I thought it was.
"I must play this game by my rules,
I will conquer the world with my tools.
All my machines are made for destruction,
I will build my empire!
I will succeed and you will see
With my machines, there is no retreat!"
Nearly on cue, I made a run for it. There was no question about it. I had to get as far away as possible. Nearly after a few leaps, I caught in the grip of a metal wire that snaked around my waist. I screamed, still trying to make a few steps forward, but it did no good when I was lifted above ground. I kicked around, wriggled, cried further, gripped at the cord to pull it off. Freedom was no longer mine. I was now helpless.
I looked up, leaning my arms against the thick cord as it elevated me. The vehicle had a whole different aspect as I went higher. I was in the grip of a purple-colored wire, controlled by a body that resembled much an octopus.
"I am the enemy, I will succeed,
My missions, yeah, I must complete.
My name is Eggman, don't forget my name.
If you ask me again I will show you same!"
As I reached the head, fears were realized. Past the Plexiglas of the cockpit, Eggman was in the ship's seat, bobbing his head in the rhythm of the song's beat.
He stopped and raised his brows in delight, as if surprised to see me here. "Oh, hello there, Christine!" He said, "Long time no see. I hope you've been enjoying vacation."
I was still trying to slip my way out of the cable's grip, unwilling to give up. "No, I can't believe it... Not again! Let go of me!" I cried.
As if ignoring my plea, he turned his head to the controls. From there, I could see on a screen bars rising at the music. An equalizer, I realized.
"This song is ingenious!" he exclaimed excitingly, "It is such a fitting song for a brilliant villain like me!" He glanced at me with a devious, toothy grin on his lips. "I have to thank you for mentioning this exquisite tune. I would love to show you my appreciation. How about coming back and staying with me?"
"No way, Eggman! I'm NOT going back with you! Now let go of me!"
"But I insist!" he declared, "You've been gone too long. There are a lot of things that we need to catch up."
"No!" I screamed further. I didn't know what else to say. Eggman wasn't easy to be convinced when he had his goal set in his mind. The uncomfortable grasp gave me more reasons to struggle.
Eggman huffed and tut-tutted as he shook his head. "Christine, this is pitiful. Do you really think that you can free yourself like this?"
"You sure like asking questions." I grunted, "Well, it's always worth a try, as long as I'm not coming with you!"
"You're very stubborn for a girl who knows that there's no escape."
"Think what you want, but I refuse to leave! Now put me back down!"
I gave one piercing cry. The ship had violently jerked sideways, as if something had knocked it aside. I barely saw Eggman thrown out of his seat when the cable jerked as well aside, whipping through the air. You know what it's like to be thrown in one direction and pulled back so suddenly? Not pleasant. First the wind whipped in my face, forcing tears out of my eyes, and when it jerked back, I felt my stomach lurch. Did I also mention how painful it was when my fractured arm banged against the tentacle?
As I was back in front of the Doctor's windshield, I had to use all the strength I had to prevent myself from heaving. I nearly blacked out, too, as my head spun and weighed too much for my neck to support. Once the sick feeling faded away, I watched through the Plexiglas the mad scientist looking eagerly and irritably in all directions.
"That's not a nice way to treat a lady."
The voice that elucidated so clearly came from nearby. It took me no less than a second to find Sonic perching from a building.
"But it's nice to see you again, Eggman." He smirked.
I was in a dreamy pose. It should be a habit, but when Sonic pulls off a stunt like that, he looked unbelievably cool and it gets to me every time. He was just standing there on top of that building, one hand hanging loosely and the other balled into a fist above his hip, wearing his proud and playful smile on his face. He couldn't hide his excitement; he was ready to unleash it.
"You again! Blasted hedgehog! You can never leave me to my ambitions, can you?"
"Where would be the fun in that?" he stated, swiftly caressing once the temple of his nose animatingly, "Come on, show me what you got, Eggman!"
"Oh, there's plenty of things for you to see!" he bellowed, "Behold, the Egg Octopus, my latest creation! Let's see how you can handle him!"
I watched the machine raising its tentacles high in the sky, pointing at the hedgehog. Suddenly, fumes burst out of its end, and from the toxic mist came a large missile, buzzing like a bee and rocketing at full power.
"Sonic! Be careful!" I clamored. I was more concerned of his safety than his victory, which I knew was going to come sooner or later. For some insane reason, he stood still, a look of challenge embedded in his eyes as he awaited the projectile.
"Life is filled with fears. Face them all, and you can do anything."
He was expecting the missile. He was waiting for it to strike first. He was ready to face this danger.
The rocket struck at the building, and Sonic was engulfed in an instant by flames and smoke. Not a sound was heard, until the loud cackle erupted from Eggman's throat.
"Ha! That'll teach you to mess with my plans!" he stated, "You shouldn't have been so cocky about yourself!"
I waited impatiently for the smoke to dissipate. The building had its roof completely blown off, bits scattered all around the area, but there was no sign of the hedgehog.
Eggman, who noticed the missing mammal, caressed his chin. "This was too easy… But I'm not going to get too overconfident."
The doctor's hands just swayed over the keyboard, anxiously pressing on buttons and giving out written commands. I peeled my ears open, listening to the series of clicks and flicks resonated. What was Doctor Eggman's next move?
"Computer, locate the hedgehog." He demanded.
There were some beeps, whirs and a female, robotic voice elucidating from the speakers, but I was too busy looking all around for Sonic. I stopped. A surprised grin was carved onto my lips.
"Animal detected."
Eggman frowned at the screen on his desk. I'm betting the map displayed the location of his enemy, because when he looked at it, he was mildly surprised and bitterly angered. He slowly tilted his head up. Just like I did, he found Sonic standing on the spherical Plexiglas, waving down at the Doctor.
"Hi, Eggman. Looking for me?"
"Wise guy…" he fumed, "Still think this is all a game?"
"Yeah, the usual roll. I could stop if you let Christine go."
"Hold it right there!" the doctor interrupted furiously, "You have been my longest foe, not to mention my most annoying and persistent obstacle. This rivalry ends today, hedgehog! Whether you like it or not, your adventure ends right now!"
The speedster pulled an annoyed, almost frustrated look. "Well, could you hurry up with it already? You're as slow as usual."
A pair of tentacles slinked their way up to the cockpit, slithering along the smooth surface of the machine's body.
"Physically, I may be slow, hedgehog…"
Metal pincers surged from the tips of the tentacles, and they rose to the sky, their presence unnoticed. They charged at the hedgehog, their pincers open wide.
"…but you're no match for my intelligence."
It was at that instant that Sonic noticed the eel-shaped wires, if he didn't already. I guess it's needless to say that it was an easy miss, scathing the surface of the cockpit's window instead of capturing the target. To the scientist's luck, the glass didn't break. It was a strong, resisting shield, but the impact surprised and/or scared Eggman. I searched for the hedgehog, who had apparently jumped high into the sky and was just floating momentarily. His spikes fluttered as the wind roared into his face when gravity was getting a hold of him. Compared to him, however, the tentacles didn't take a rest. No second was wasted as they rocketed upward impulsively to nab the hedgehog. My members were shaking in pure tension. He was falling right into their wide-open, metal teeth.
But in the last fracture of time, he swished aside and kicked the first pincers away with his red sneakers. The second came right at him, sharply striking with its teeth, but the hedgehog pulled his legs to his stomach and made one quick roll, his hands touching the head of the pincers. He bounced from its head and landed on the wired body. He instantly glided along the snaky wire, constantly agitating in wavy moves. As you might have guessed, the tentacle led to the main body, and that was where he was heading to, as confident as always.
But danger was near, and I saw it. "Sonic! Watch out!"
I knew he heard my call when he glanced at me. He understood my warning: the remaining five tentacles were coming after him. One of them bit at the cord to cut off the way. Sonic had to leap in the air again, but it proved to be a challenge when the remaining four were charging at him. He kicked, he bounced, but in one snap he was caught.
"Oh no, Sonic!"
"Oh yes!" Eggman clamored, enjoying his successful capture of the hedgehog, "Let's see what you make of this!"
The tentacle that held struggling Sonic swayed and swung around, and finally flung him into a building. I turned my head aside before he collided into it, shutting my eyes and cringing at the thought of being thrown into a concrete building. I couldn't watch. He was my friend, but I refused seeing the damage inflicted upon the hedgehog. I didn't want to see the pain that Sonic had to bear. And how hard I tried to suppress it, but I flinched at every cracking, treading, pounding and thundering sound. I didn't want to count how many walls he burst through.
Silence came after the calamity. I didn't want to open my eyes to face the devastation this battle had wrought, but the feel of the wind caressing my face convinced me otherwise.
Trust me.
Mist of dust splayed at my surroundings. The building was barely visible, but I could define the extent of the damage. On top of the building where Sonic had been thrown into, especially the area of impact, part of the roof had broken down. I coughed, my lungs filling with both air and dust. I was under shock. No movement, no sign of Sonic. Anxious, I tried finding him, following every trace that lead me to Sonic's whereabouts, but with the fog of dust still around, it was hard to see. I feared for the worst, because there was a great chance that he was buried under large rubble.
Then, a movement caught my eye. Beyond the dissipating mist, carried away by gusts, at the building and staggering out of the shadows came a lone figure. It was Sonic. He walked in unbalanced steps towards the edge of the room, towards the open where the building's wall was once standing. He held his head with his one hand, but with a depicted smile on his face, it was clear that he was okay.
"Gotta hand it to ya, Eggman, that's one machine ya got there." He stated as he lowered his hand, shaking his head, and began jogging in place.
"Hmph, you haven't seen the half of it yet. Feeling tired?"
"Are you kidding? This is getting exciting! Let's get on with it!"
He disappeared from the building in a snap. Only through the dust-trail that appeared seconds later could I tell where Sonic was and where he was headed. He zoomed towards another skyscraper nearest to us and ran his way up against the wall, before catapulting himself towards Eggman and I.
"Hey, Christine! I'm gonna tick the ol' Eggman off until I can rescue you."
When he soared over me, our eyes met. He gave me that smirk of his again and winked at me. "Just hang in there, all right?"
I should have been appalled by his reply, but I didn't know what to say. I wish I could have protested and told him to rescue me at that moment, but he didn't give me that chance, for he was already gone. But I wasn't silent.
"SONIC!"
I should have known. Always having fun before anything else. He loved his little own gaming world, after all.
A faint hiss was heard, and I spun my head to my back. A blue blur glided on one of the tentacles, and in instant charges the other whammed themselves on the arm. His speed had slowed down, so I was able to perceive the actions he took. Those tentacles swayed along that arm to smack the hedgehog off, but he hopped and somersaulted high over them at each time, avoiding all tentacles with minor air moves and instead performing incredible tricks, such as backflips, sideflips, you name it.
Reaching the body of the Egg Octopus, he jumped high over it, looking down at the cockpit, from where the doctor gazed at his foe in awe. Sonic smirked at him. He then pulled his legs to his chest, and reeled like a razor-sharp disc towards the machine's cockpit.
This is it. The battle is over! I thought to myself, hopeful and excited at seeing the doctor scream in defeat. That was the odd part. As I looked over to Eggman, he was sitting at ease and calmly in his chair. I couldn't understand, and I was getting suspicious. He would go into a fit of panic if he was about to be beat, unless…
"Sonic, stop!" I cried when the thought hit me. Alas, his speed would not stop at the sound of my voice until it was too late.
Just before the hedgehog collided against the Plexiglas, a blue aura fizzed around the Egg Octopus and shaped it as an oval shield. It caught Sonic in a momentarily, but brutally painful web of sparks clutching at him. He entered a violent seizure, grimacing and grunting, until he recoiled back, spinning uncontrollably backwards. I held my breath.
Sonic made a backflip to regain his control and landed against a rooftop, his feet smoothly scuffing the ground, and used his hand to steady himself. He shook his head, clearing his head of the dizziness from the machine's new shield defenses. From his recoiled pose, he stood up and raised his head to the approaching robot-monster. I was again amazed, because despite the powerful attack, he allowed himself a grin and gave a swift rub on his nose with his thumb.
He took his position, ready to fight on once more, but waited instead of striking. He wasn't silent, though.
"Not bad with that force-shield, but I was expecting more of a competition coming from you, Eggman. I'm beginning to believe that you've lost your touch."
The doctor frowned, lips trembling at his own rage. "You've never been a bright creature, hedgehog. You mock my creation, you make me look like a fool, and now you dare tell me that I have lost my touch?"
"Yeah, that's pretty much it."
"Then see here, hedgehog!" he fumed in livid anger, "This is your end!"
From where I was, dangling in the grips of the evil machinery, hisses erupted from behind me and I watched many missiles zooming above me, tracing the sky with irregular traits of smoke, targeting their objective. The hedgehog gasped idly in wonder, and whistled as he placed his hand on his forehead, astounded by the mass of rockets targeting him.
"Now that's a real treat." He mused, "I'd like to see you keep up with that kind of attack."
I'll never understand how I can easily grow fond of a character that praises his enemy's impressive assault.
The hedgehog dashed from his position and leaped off from one roof to another, and sprinted into the air when he was nearer to us. The missiles approached their target at an excessive speed, but Sonic didn't think twice of turning tail. I was able to witness the fierce escape, until an enormous explosion ensued after hitting a target. I held my breath. Did they get him?
Of course not. Moments later, a cheery blue hedgehog shot out from the explosion's large puff of grey smoke, steering a missile like a skateboard. Just when I thought I didn't need to worry anymore, missiles rushed out of the smoke, having survived the blast, and they persisted on pursuing and hitting their target.
The mammal knew that he was dangerously and closely followed, even before having a quick glance behind him. I just couldn't believe how playful he was in that situation. He actually amused himself by performing loop-de-loops as if the main goal was to make as many air-stunts as possible instead of evading explosive rockets and defeating the main boss.
You can't imagine how hyped up I was when watching this battle unfurl before me. You can't understand how gripping it was; seeing in action the fastest thing alive to go beyond his limits when every outcome seemed grim inspired me to do the same.
I wanted to break myself free of this snaky, just like Sonic would do it. He made it look so easy. I flinched when I moved my arm. The only result I got from trying to liberate myself was the pain of those broken fingers.
What a pitiful attempt. There was a major difference between us. I'm just me, your daily average girl who spends her time doing music if not going to school or playing video games. He's Sonic, the Hedgehog, the hero who seeks out danger and runs faster than Sonic boom. I was powerless compared to him. Useless. I can't rely on myself without depending on the help of Sonic. Was I bound to the fate of an eternal damsel in distress?
"Sonic! You can do it!" I called. As pitiful as it was, there was nothing else I could do. Other than cheering him, what else was there to be done when I was sitting ducks and he was leading on this fervent battle?
"Of course I can!" he replied back after making his final loop, and veered towards the Egg Octopus. The machine's arms swung around to swipe the hedgehog from the air, but by clinging on the rocket, he veered it to the sides, dodging every possible hit. He suddenly jumped, and a lashing tentacle destroyed his little ride. The nearest missile zoomed towards him, and when you thought he was about to be hit, the hedgehog made a backflip. That missile passed right underneath him, and from what I could tell, he had enough time to hitch another ride.
"Way to go, Sonic!"
It was stronger than me. I could no longer restrain this excitement while watching this adrenaline-packed combat. The suspense was killing me, but breath-taking. I was unwilling to blink anymore, for I didn't want to miss a thing.
Don't close your eyes… Don't close your eyes… This is your life…
He hovered the missile and directed it to the head of the Egg Octopus. Eggman had foreseen this attack, since he immediately activated the shield once more, protecting himself in a blue-rayed force field.
"This is stupid, hedgehog. Do you think a mere missile can penetrate this barrier?"
Sonic could only crease his lips into a smugger grin. "No. But who said I needed a mere missile to bring your machine down?"
I'm sure this warning had given Eggman the benefit of doubt, but he could never mention anything else. Sonic had already vaulted off before the missile impacted the shield. The barrier fizzed for a very short moment, clouded by the missile's smoke, but Eggman had to burst out laughing. "Futile attempt, Sonic. Nothing can-"
He would have gone babbling about his superiority, if the remaining missiles hadn't zoomed through the thick cloud, and he would have cursed if he were given enough time. The rockets struck at the shield, one by one, and the whole fleeting machine rocked, and Eggman had unceasingly been thrown around in his cockpit from all uncontrollable tremor, unable to cling onto anything. I wasn't spared, either. The tentacle holding me captive swayed about, stopping harshly at certain moments that made my stomach lurch forward. I was fortunate to see the effects brought by those impacts, since a fizzing sound had grown more distinct after every hit. When I gave a moment to look at the shield around me, the blue aura released a spark so intense that it disappeared and left a wide-open target for whatever rockets were left.
Those projectiles attacked at the Egg Octopus' head, engulfing the cockpit in flames and smoke, so I couldn't tell how severe the hit was there. I could only describe what I had predicted. The monster machine was knocked so hard that it toppled its way headfirst to the ground.
And to my disgrace, all tentacles followed suit, and I hollered when it dragged me along. My hair whooshed back, and waved in every sense as the tentacles were dragged down. The situation worsened as the grip of the tentacle was weakening, and in desperate needs I wrapped my arms around it. I had to suppress the agony my fingers forced me into when I tried clinging onto the tentacle. But even so, my hands were sweaty from all the excitement, and I was slipping away, no matter how hard I tried to avoid that from happening. Either ways, if I held on or let go, the result was the same, as I would end up as a flat pancake.
Then a white-gloved hand caught mine, and I gazed above me. Sonic had knelt down and held onto the tentacle. Without any further waste of time, he pulled me up and held me in that same old grasp. And then came the grinding.
His shoes sparked as they slid down the tentacle. Most likely better than a roller-coaster (if you like them), we slid down those eel-like wires, and when his feet hit the plating of the robot's body, he ran briefly across it and propelled us away from the machine. He landed though a bit roughly on the ground, but he continued running further away from the crashing site, and when he finally halted, we both turned around and watched the infamous Egg Octopus booming its way down on the large area in front of the hospital.
The chattering of astonished people increased in volume, and we became surrounded by bystanders who witnessed the defeat of Doctor Eggman. The whole monstrous machine smashed onto the ground, awakening an earthquake that brought several witnesses to their knees. If the rumble wasn't enough, a devastating explosion cast a wave of bluster so powerful; it made people roll back until they hit a wall or unless they were far enough to being blown further away. Sonic, however still held me in his arms, neither succumbing to the tremble nor taking steps back from the powerful gusts. He only clasped tighter onto my legs and arms, and by the look of his determined eyes that I could vaguely see, he never thought of letting me go.
When the cataclysms had slowly come to an end, like a song finishing in a pianissimo, Sonic straightened his posture and set me down. We glanced then at the machine, whose entire form was sprawled all over the asphalt as if it was a carcass. Unmoving, lively flames crept from under to the top, devouring the evil that had been created.
"That sure was something." Sonic commented, breaking the silence, "Well, at least we know that Eggman's not going to bug you for some time…"
"Do you think he survived all this?" I asked solemnly, gazing at the bristling fire with an absent stare.
"Knowing Eggman, no doubt about it. He's a sore loser, but also a survivor. He'll be back."
I felt relieved hearing that, for I too had my doubts of Eggman's survival. But something awkward overtook me: like a flow draining all my strength. Every passing moment, my head weighed more, pumping the blood in my body as intensively as it could, and as an immediate response, I slumped to the floor.
Sonic was quick to kneel by my side. "Everything all right, Christine?"
I held up my hand, head sunken low. "I'm fine. I just need a minute."
Every member of my body shook uncontrollably, but not as fiercely as all the other times. I was succumbed into spasms from all the adrenaline, the excitement and the danger, but it was something I slowly started getting used to. I've always wished to embark on a great adventure, no matter how I would end up after, but this wasn't what I was expecting. And what's funny is that I liked the way I was feeling despite my current state.
I lifted my head once I had myself composed, and connected with Sonic's tense stare. For all I know, he was wondering how I was really feeling. "No worries, Sonic. I'm trying to get used to all the action, but I think I've still got a long way to go…"
I chuckled briefly at my own remark. What made me laugh was that I was puzzled at the moment, knowing that after all I've been through that I'm still here, free and alive.
I noticed the dark clouds from earlier that now prevented the sun from shining down on us. A small thunder resounded, and I could see some lightening embedding the skies. It was bound to rain any moment.
"Oh, I almost forgot…" Sonic voice interrupted my thoughts, and I watched him turn his back on me, "Wait here."
It took me longer than expected to realize that he had gone, and not too soon had he already come back. He held onto something, which I couldn't identify until his palm opened to reveal an item.
It appeared to be a hairclip, shaped by three turquoise stones placed in marginal, but silver cups of their size, each of them largely bulging out of their seats. The largest one was placed in the middle and encircled by many other turquoise-colored, tiny gems. Bracketing the main gem were two other stones, each on an opposing side, but they were smaller than the stone in the middle and of a different texture. While the main one was of a consistent and filling color, the other two gleamed as a result of their transparent, but metallic effects.
"While you were at the hospital, I thought of getting you a little souvenir." He said as moved his hand to me, "Go on. Take it."
I obeyed, and picked the barrette from his palm. I held it on the tips of my fingers from both hands to take a closer look at it, and I was stunned by how beautifully crafted it was. I never wore a hairclip, even when my mother asked me to, because I never wanted to. I think I didn't like the idea of pulling my hair back, and the hair clippings never appealed to my tastes. This one, however, was the first exception.
"Sonic… I don't know what to say…"
"You like it?" he asked.
"Like it? I just love it! It's just that… It doesn't seem right to me."
He stared at me in disbelief. "Is something wrong with it?"
"Oh, no, not at all! I love it, I really do. I just… I didn't expect it. Ever since the begin of this adventure, we've had a lot of fun and great times, but I've also put you in so much trouble …"
The hedgehog sighed. "Christine. Trouble will always come up, no matter how hard you try to avoid it. None of this is your fault, even if it is what you think. I think you deserve it. Take it as a gift from a friend."
He took a short break, recollecting his thoughts as he looked aside and scratched his quills. "Being with you has been a new thing to me, an adventure I've never had before. I don't ever mind facing trouble, because that's the way I live. There's nothing wrong about it. But for once, I'm facing those difficulties with someone who sees me in action and shares the excitement. Besides, you've given me this necklace. I'm giving you this so that whenever we part, we'll never forget the time we had together in this adventure."
I stared down at it, my lips pressing to form a smile. A tear dropped onto the left stone of the hairclip, and I realized that my eyes were swelled, brimming the border with tears as they trickled down my cheeks. They instantly betrayed me, and alerted Sonic.
"Hey, hey, don't cry. You-"
But I cut him off before he could add more. "I know I'm such a crybaby, Sonic." I blurted out, "And I know that I can be difficult at times. But knowing that you support me despite all that makes me happy." My smile became broader, all the while more tears flowed out of my eyes, "I'm really happy. And I'm grateful, because you saved me so many times. Thank you…"
All of a sudden, a roar of thunder erupted from above, and a lightning parted the sky into two. A shimmering sound filled the air, and all people cast their glances first to the heavens, and stared off to the fire that had been extinguished. We all saw it coming, but we weren't fast enough to react when tears of sky dropped on us gently, and then showered us ceaselessly. The people around took on different reactions: Women shrieked as they were soaked, children joined in amusement, and men groaned. Sonic and I, however, remained still and looked up above us. None of us complained, nor did we want to.
"Christine?" he asked, keeping a vivid stare at the sky.
"Yeah?" I answered, caught up in bliss.
I was the first to lower my head, and I watched Sonic continuously gazing above him as the rain covered his body in droplets, glossing his bluish skin.
"I mentioned that a smile is a source of my strength, and it's the truth. But your tears revealed something more than just sadness or joy. They show how important I am to you, and I can't be any happier knowing that."
He shut his emerald eyes, breathing in as deeply as he could, and opened them up once more. He lowered his head, and we locked our gazes.
"Thank you, Christine."
"You're welcome." I smiled. I don't think I've ever felt so much happiness when talking to someone. And I can't say that I ever will, but we let the rain fall on us, soak us in, and I let the water mingle with the tears that I shed.
If heaven had a different aspect, then I'd say it would be this place at this very moment.
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears
Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun
A new day has come
A new day has…
Come…
Oh, what a happy way to end a chapter. I'm just hoping you readers aren't getting the wrong idea.
Songs used: E.G.G.M.A.N. from Sonic Advenutre 2, This is your life by Switchfoot, and of course, A new Day by Celine Dion
So, what's gonna happen next? Gotta wait and be patient again. Sorry, but thanks for reading. Reviews, such as constructive critisism, are welcomed!