STH © SEGA

Sarah belongs to me, BlackPetals23. Alicia belongs to aliciathewolf45.

Enjoy!

Chapter Fourteen:

Scourge the Hero

Amy had gobbled down her breakfast just as fast as Sonic could run the globe. She had her clothes already on and tennis shoes—ready to rock and roll. Running out the door, she again left the girls in the dust.

"Amy! Wait up!" Rouge called.

The girls ran quickly after her and made the rose hedgehog slow down to a walking pace. The sun was starting to show past the small clouds that were the only thing that hid the sky—which was a bright blue this morning and showing for the girls to easily determine the horizon.

"Where are we going to start?" Cream put her hands on her hips. "Scourge still isn't back yet."

"Maybe that's a good sign," Fiona reassured her.

Sarah nodded in agreement with the female before saying, "I think we should split up."

"What?" Blaze stammered. "But what if we become lost like the guys?"

"They're probably all together," Amy stated in the front of the pack. "I vote we-"

~~~.~~~

"-never split up again," Shadow said with Knuckles and Sonic beside him.

Tails flew overhead. "How do we lose a silver hedgehog in all this….green?"

"There's still snow," Knuckles stated.

"Yeah, further up the mountain," Sonic said sarcastically. "Let's face it, Silver's a moron."

"I told him not to leave without us," Shadow talked to himself as his friends continued their conversation in the back.

Sonic snorted. "He just up and left us! Who does that?"

"We're in the middle of nowhere and he didn't listen to me," Shadow murmured.

Tails nodded with his best friend. "Yeah! Especially him. He's the scaredy cat and now he got himself lost!"

"I'll be amazed if he lives," Knuckles said.

"He couldn't just sit there and not wander off, could he?" Shadow continued his own little talk by himself.

Sonic cocked his head to the side at the ebony hedgehog, "Shadow? You okay?"

"I think he's losing it," Tails said.

"Should we ditch him?" Knuckles shrugged at the leader of the group.

Shadow twisted around sharply and first glared at Knuckles. "If you leave me you'll lose your best navigator," he turned to Tails. "I'm not losing it!" His head swiveled to Sonic. "YES! I'm fine! Perfectly fine!"

He leaned against a tree and made it look like he wasn't lost and alone with a group of Mobians would probably couldn't find the North star as well as he could.

"Best day of my life, actually!" he finished sarcastically.

"Knuckles could navigate just as well as you," Tails stated. "I fly all over the place and Sonic-"

"Has no life so he runs around the world and probably remembers all the places he's been to!" Knuckles but his hands up after he saw the fist coming.

Sonic punched his shoulder and glared. Shadow stared as the two fought—wait, no, three now.

Please…Let me live, God. I'm worthy. They're not.

Shadow turned on his heel and walked through the trees and bushes; he heard scampering deer run from the intruders and squirrels racing up trees. Birds flapped and sang in the branches while the group walked in silence.

"Shadow, what are we going to do? Where are we going to go?"

Tails shrugged at Sonic. "I'm sure we're still at the base of the mountain and if we just keep going down then we'll be good. We might find Silver while we're at it."

"Unfortunately," Knuckles mumbled.

"Hey, Silver was a…good guy," Sonic seemed to have to think about it.

Knuckles snorted. "He's -"

~~~.~~~

"-my life. My soul mate. My dream. My-"

"We get it," Fiona cut off Blaze's lecture. "You like Silver."

"A lot," Amy added.

Blaze and Fiona were with Amy while Sarah and Rouge were with Cream. Sonia stayed back at the cabin just in case Scourge came there or Alicia.

These three walked up the creek, not literally, but on a dirt trail that was surrounded by nothing but more dirt. The trees were only near the creek were nearly twenty feet away from them. Amy was in the lead again only with her head down.

They had walked on and on that morning; asking different Mobians in their cabins or outside in the creek but none had found either the runaways or the rescue team. Not even Scourge or Alicia or someone who looked like back-ups.

"We're doomed!" Blaze yelled.

"Don't say that," Amy said to her. "We'll be fine."

"You're right," Fiona rolled her eyes and said, "The guys are doomed!"

Amy gave her a warning stare but the fox ignored it as she usually would.

After the cabin that read '74' on the door, Amy gave up all hope.

"They aren't here anymore."

"We've lost them," Blaze sat down on a nearby boulder with Amy.

Fiona stood up, folded her arms and leaned on her right leg as she watched the two sulk. She rolled her eyes and grunted, saying, "I can't believe you guys."

"What?" Amy glanced up shakily.

"You guys are the ones that are supposed to be the heroes. You know, ones that aren't afraid to, oh, I don't know, find their lost boyfriends?"

"We've gone everywhere!" The two wailed simultaneously.

Fiona shook her head. "Wrong. You've only searched around the area of seventy-four cabins. You left the last twenty-six cabins and that area unsearched. Not to mention there are other places. Maybe they went home. Maybe they're playing cat and mouse now. You have to be the cat this time though and prove you love them enough after sabotaging those cabins!"

"Keep it down," Amy hissed, glimpsing around promptly.

"Whatever," Fiona rolled her eyes again. "You guys know they aren't in this area. What confirms they aren't in the mountains? Or at home? Or in Center Mobius by now?"

"We get it-"

"No, you don't. If you did you wouldn't be sitting on that rock. You'd be out there," Fiona waved her arms around to the scenery behind her. "You'd be hunting Shadow and Silver down! You wouldn't give up! How many times do you need this lecture?"

"It's like a missing child," Amy started. "Usually, the cops don't find them."

Fiona shook her head in disagreement. "Yet it's also completely different. These are grownups. They're grown men who can go out in the woods with just a pocket knife and a Q-tip and go build a shopping mall!"

Amy and Blaze stared at her before the hedgehog spoke, "You got that off of Six Days and Seven Nights, didn't you?"

"So?" Fiona held her arms out in questioning. "Is that a problem? I mean, it's true isn't it? They could do it."

Blaze nodded and stood up. "Come on," She yanked Amy up off her feet. "No reason in quitting now."

Fiona clapped her hands together. "Good! Let's go!" she marched down the dirt trail with some pride in her eyes.

Amy and Blaze glanced at each other before Blaze cleared her throat. "What is with humans in our movies?"

"You know, it's an AU thing," Amy nodded before they linked arms, smiling slightly, and followed Fiona.

~~~.~~~

"Where are they!?" Cream yelled.

"They're obviously NOT HERE!" Rouge yelled the last part.

Sarah followed at the back of her two friends. "Can you girls stop yelling?"

But they kept at it. This was how it went. Cream would get bored, yell out and then Rouge would answer by yelling back at her. Then they went all out on their fight. Sarah had to stop Cream from biting Rouge's arm and Rouge from smacking Cream upside the head.

Man, whatever Fiona and Scourge put in Cream's drink must've made her different….or this whole vacation has turned her into something else.

It was true. Rouge wasn't different. Sonia, Amy, and she weren't different. Blaze wasn't different, either. Fiona turned nice all of a sudden, which was the only thing that baffled Sarah. But Cream was the big issue. She'd once been a nice, mannered young lady that was smart as Tails now—but ever since the whole camping trip she'd seem different to the girls. Her rebel-like attitude and always willing to fight instead of willing to stop the fight was making Sarah cautious of where the next trip would be.

Sarah scratched her head. She just didn't understand rabbits, she decided.

Please, God. Let me live. Let me live, God! This annoying, irritating, infuriating, little beast is trying to kill me, I swear! I don't deserve to die just yet! I'm not worthy, I need to fulfill my destiny of partying and hanging out while being unemployed.

Scourge the Hedgehog. Well, this is the story in the story that shows how he literally lost his self-esteem yet gained it back in a mere, yet hazardous, task.

He had a reputation to accomplish as a badass like Shadow (though that hedgehog has a girlfriend that jeopardizes his rep every day…to Scourge's mind at least). His gang back home would surely ditch him now when they saw him being talked down.

Miserable.

Weakened.

Defeated.

Ugh! How he loathed that last word! Yet he had to live with it.

His broad eyes followed the scenery; the road, the trees, the creek and from time to time: Alicia. She was skipping around him in a circle. Normally, Scourge would've been able to brush off what she did like squishing an ant on a sidewalk. It was that day that Scourge remained just a guy. He couldn't do anything about her.

Alicia had glared at him when he woke her up that early in the morning. She'd then tie him to the roof, let him slide off the roof, hit a tree, be splattered by paint and glue—where he then got stuck on the damn tree—for an hour and ten minutes while she got some more sleep. Now, she was talking nonstop.

I knew I should've read that magazine Fiona gave me, telling me it would help with my social issues when it came to girls. Social issues are not the problem; I can get any girl I want just by sitting down on a chair and looking like the Casanova that I am…occasionally. Fine—daily, whatever.

Or maybe, she meant the issue I have of keeping a girl for more than a week. Sure, Fiona's been like a girlfriend but she isn't…my girlfriend.

Scourge scratched his head. What the hell was he talking about? Well, it's simple. Fiona and him were an on and off relationship as she called it but to him it was just another hook-up….a constant hook-up at that.

There's nothing wrong with the girl. She's fun, outgoing, sexy, dangerous and even comforting at times. What is a guy supposed to do when that badass figure gets tiring and he wants to settle down?

Scourge stopped dead in his tracks and thought for a moment.

Did I just say that?

Did I just say that?

Settle down? No. I'm a bachelor. I'm a badass bachelor. I don't need a wife or kids or a house or a job or a….a family.

Scourge growled and frowned at a tiny rock. I don't want that. I don't want that. I don't want THAT!

Alicia looked back at him and tilted her head to the left, "What'cha doin'?"

Scourge wouldn't answer her but she already knew the answer. He was muttering to himself again. It was on and off, sorta like his relationship. He'd stop, then mutter, walk in a small circle, glare at someone or something passing by and then walk back in a straight line after Alicia.

She shook her head.

Men. I don't get them.

She walked backwards and waited for him to catch up. He stopped to glance up and run after her.

"You were talking to yourself again."

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were. Trust me, Scourge, you did it five times already."

"Hmph," Scourge looked past her. "Let's talk to those kids, see if they've seen Manic or the Chaotix."

"Sounds good to me," Alicia walked forward and stopped at the group of kids.

There were only four, a small group. One was a small hedgehog with black fur and bright yellow eyes; she had to be the youngest at about four. Her long quills were tugged back in two braids that rested along her back. The second youngest was about seven, the four-year-old's brother probably; he had dark brown fur but the same yellow eyes. His two friends were two male foxes. One was red with teal eyes and the other was more golden-yellow with green eyes. The red was the oldest at about ten years-old and the yellow at about eight-years-old.

Scourge stopped beside Alicia while the kids stopped playing with a ball in the weeds in the dirt. Alicia smiled at them. "Hello. We were wondering if you guys saw a green hedgehog with a crocodile, a bee and a chameleon."

The kids blinked at them before the dark brown hedgehog shook his head. "No."

The red fox nudged him. "My Mom says you're not supposed to talk to strangers."

"We're not strangers," Scourge leaned down on a bent knee. "Think of us as…far away neighbors."

The foxes stared at each other before shaking their heads and scooting back. The little girl held the ball before throwing it up in the air. It landed in the middle of the dirt road.

"We should go," the two brothers said before scurrying off.

Scourge stood up with a groan before staring down at the boy. "You sure you haven't seen anyone that looks like them?"

The boy shook his head. "Nope. Sorry, mister. C'mon Lusa! We gotta go!"

"I gotta get," the little girl took time for a breath as she ran over to the ball, "the ball!"

"Well, hurry up! Mom'll be back from fishing with Dad soon and we can't be this far from the cabin, remember?!"

Scourge's ears listened to the growing rumble. His head shot up in panic at the truck that moseyed on down the road. The driver was talking to their wife, he was an old hedgehog, but he didn't even think to look at the road—neither did his spouse.

Lusa was only feet away from them now. Scourge and Alicia yelled at the truck but the old man didn't hear. Alicia glanced to the side at the four-wheelers, carrying one hedgehog per machine. The two seemed to point and then yell, getting off and running over as quick as possible. Alicia glanced back and everything was a blur.

She watched as Scourge yelled, jumping over a bush and yanking the little girl over his shoulder. He didn't have time to move as the truck hit his hip but he did put a pretty nasty dent in the hood with only his fist.

"HEY!" Scourge hollered as the truck braked so hard.

The old hedgehog looked surprised and concerned as he saw the little girl in Scourge's grasp. He and his wife climbed out, she was sobbing and screaming at Scourge that she was sorry. The two hedgehogs took off their helmets and were then beside Alicia before the female ran to the boy and started kissing, yelling and hugging him to death.

'Their parents,' Alicia thought with a slight smile.

Everything went back in its normal state and time was ordinary once more. She stepped forward to Scourge who was trying to untangle Lusa but the little girl was crying and wailing, hugging his neck as if it were the end of the world, which for her was almost true.

The father tried taking her but she screamed more and sobbed into Scourge's shoulder. He was already uncomfortable. The old hedgehog then got a good lecture by the father, who yelled and cursed. Alicia watched as Scourge joined him.

"Are you two deaf or something?" Scourge calmly stated while Lusa's father was fuming.

The old hedgehog stuttered. "I-I'm sorry, really. I couldn't think of how I could live with myself if s-something bad happened to her."

"Really? Because if I were you, I'd already be asking myself how I could live with myself when I can't even look at the road!" Scourge's voice grew.

"I'm truly, dearly, sorry, young man."

"That's all anyone could say," Scourge tightened his grip on Lusa who accept it greatly. "No matter how many apologies you give anyone, it won't make a damn difference. Living things like you shouldn't drive."

"Now, wait a minute-"

"I ain't done yet!" Scourge cut the old hedgehog off. "If the children were just here then you would've still been saying sorry and it wouldn't make a difference—it'd only cause more problems! Next time you think about driving on any road, make sure you forget about your wife rattling beside you!"

His wife put her hands on her hips. "Excuse me?"

Scourge glanced at her. "Did I stutter? No. It's your dumbass of a husband who's stuttering! Get out of here and don't ever do this again."

"It's not like we hit her!" the old hedgehog replied.

"Get out," Lusa's father joined in, his voice now only a deep, threatening growl.

Lusa turned to her father as soon as the truck left. She reached out for him and he took her from Scourge. Scourge winced at turning around but looked at the family of four. Alicia smiled at them while they spoke to Scourge.

"Scourge?" Alicia asked, waving a head in front of his face. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Scourge muttered, getting out of his trance on nothing but the family.

The hedgehog family smiled gratefully and for once, Scourge hadn't asked for anything in return. Instead, he waved them off and told them to go. After they left on their four-wheelers, Alicia stood beside Scourge.

"Well, well. Scourge the Hero. You're changing just as much as Cream."

"What do you mean?" Scourge glanced down at Alicia.

"You held two little girls on this trip so far, saved one from being dead, and countless other things that we mentioned before. You really are soft like Shadow."

"Like Shadow? Shadow's not soft; it was Amy who made him soft."

"That's where you're wrong. Everyone has a weakness. Shadow's just happened to be love. Amy didn't make him do anything; they just love each other now. Yours is something different though. It's still love but that's nothing new."

"Right," Scourge turned around and started limping his way with Alicia who supported him whenever he fell. "So are you telling me I'm weak now?"

"Love doesn't have to make you weak," Alicia stated. "You only think that. But passion and love are great and powerful things, Scourge. To be truly happy in life, you need those things—plus a job and a few other things," she teased.

He chuckled. "I guess I should look up that workshop business with Tails and Shadow."

Alicia nodded. "You never know. Maybe you'll find something you're good at and that you enjoy. Not just being a jerk."

"A jerk? No, no. I'm a badass," Scourge chuckled. "Not a jerk."

Alicia shrugged. "On the inside you might think that, but on the outside, you are a jerk. A jackass if any ass, hero," she addressed to him with a slight smirk.

A helicopter roared above them. Alicia's hair flew back as she raised her gaze up to the sky with her companion.

"What's that!?" she hollered above its noise.

They watched it head towards the mountains. Scourge leaned against her again with a smirk.

"My reinforcements."