Sonic took my hand and started leading me to Knothole. I was having the time of it, Sonic could just tell what I was feeling and held my hand when I was nervous. I was actually nervous to follow them to Knothole. I don't know why, but it all seemed more familiar then it should have been and that was what was making me nervous.
"Come on, can we hurry up and get to the Dining Hut? I'm getting hungry!" Tails wined.
"Don't worry little buddy, we'll be there in just few minutes." Sonic said.
I sighed slightly, I was a little shaky and with an injured foot it was a little hard to walk but I did everything to keep myself from being in too much pain. I guess Sonic could see that because after a few minutes, he lifted me up into his arms. I was blushing brightly. I was NOT going to get used to that any time soon. I looked at Sally, who gave both Sonic and me a strange look but I had a feeling it had something to do with the fact that he was carrying me, and their break-up.
My heart had nearly stopped when that happened in the comic books but I knew both sides of the story and I hoped that they wouldn't bring me into it in any way. And if you ask me, it was strange for them to break-up because of how lovey-dovey they used to be sometimes. I wanted to say something but I couldn't get a thing out.
"Shelby," Tails asked, "what's you world like?"
"Well, it's sort of like your world but it's also different at the same time." I began. "It's hard to explain but there are all sorts of places that I wouldn't even know where to begin."
"That's okay." Tails smiled.
"It's finished." I heard Rotor say.
"What's finished?" Sonic asked.
"I've been working on a splint for Shelby's foot, that way she can get around better without having you to carry her." Rotor explained. "Let's see if it works."
Sonic gently placed me on the ground as Rotor started placing the splint around my ankle.
"So, Shelby, can you tell us how you got away from Egg-belly?" Sonic asked.
"Good question." Bunnie said. "Ah mean, it doesn't make sense. How could those ropes just falling off you when you're near the exit, it doesn't make any sense."
"That's easy to explain." I said. "I'm in martial arts and we learned an escape if you're being tied up: you just have to flex all of your muscles and when they're gone, you just relax what you had flexed and the ropes will drop because of the extra room."
"You know, that sounds like it might actually work." Sally said.
"I guess it does." I said shyly.
"Done!" Rotor said. "Let's see how well you can walk."
I slowly got up with Sonic's help. Other then a light acing it worked perfectly.
"Well what do you know? It works." Rotor said.
"Can we go now? I'm hungry!" Tails wined again.
"We're comin', we're comin'!" Sonic said.
I stayed near the back of the group. It was actually a little scary: I was on another planet with my hero and his friends and enemies, but what was getting to me was that the Great Forest was more familiar then it should have been.
My mind stopped wandering when my sight fell on Tails. He was dragging his namesakes on the ground he was so tired. I took pity on him in an instant and picked him up before he collapsed on himself. As I carried Tails, Sonic looked back at me and smiled.
"Finally, we're home!" Dulcy said.
I looked away from Sonic and to the sight ahead of me and gasped. I could see Knothole City, it was more beautiful then I could ever have imagined. It had a welcoming feeling to it. It was like something out of a fairytale. I could see several mobians walking around, coming and going as they pleased. But there was something else to it, something that reminded me of home. Maybe it was because my own hometown was small and had a friendly feeling to it, especially in the spring when the Cherry Blossoms were in bloom.
"Wow." I whispered.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Sonic said.
"Very cool." I agreed, placing Tails down.
"Can we get some dinner now?" Tails wined as he started pulling on my arms. It was clear he was more hungry then tired.
"You all go on ahead, I'll take Shelby to my place to get cleaned up a bit." Amy said.
"You sure?" Sally asked.
"Don't worry, Sally. You all go on ahead and we'll meet you at the Dining Hut." Amy said.
"Okay." Sally said.
"Come on then." Amy said, taking my hand.
I stayed close to Amy, I may have seen in a billion times before but I could never find my way around it in real life.
"There's my place." She said, pointing.
I nearly fell over in my grave because it looked like a hut version of my house even the garden was the same!
"Wow." I whispered.
"What is it?" Amy asked.
"It's just…your hut looks so much like my house." I said.
"Really, now that's a surprise." She laughed. "C'mon,"
I quickly followed Amy through the front door, a little nervous about being on my own. The inside, surprisingly enough, looked more like my grandmother's house. A warm safe little place with a wonderful feeling surging through it, however, my grandmother's house had that feeling probably because of all the angel statues everywhere.
"Nice place." I smiled.
"Thanks, just go on ahead into my bedroom, just let me know when you're done.
I quickly walked into Amy's bedroom, glad that I was allowed some privacy. Amy's bedroom sort of reminded me of my own somehow, but hers was much nicer looking. I took notice upon a full-view mirror, ad decided to see how I now looked.
To my surprise when I looked in, I was staring straight into the eyes of a blue female hedgehog that looked like Sonic in many ways, not a normal teenage girl with brown hair. Just about everything about my body was the same other then my eyes. They were blue since I was now totally blue. My eyes, which I inherited from my mother, changed color with what I was wearing. Since my school uniform had a green shirt, my eyes were usually green when they're supposed to be blue. My eyelashes were also very long now and flapped slightly when I blinked. I was grateful that my clothes had also changed along with me. They had shrunk so they fit perfectly. My long sleeved sky-blue shirt was still its same slightly baggy self, the same for my blue jeans ad my red and white sneakers.
I sighed. It would take me some time to get used to this new look. But either way, I started fixing my fur a little. I smoothed it out, and dusted off some of the dirt that had gotten on me while I was escaping from the base.
After a few minutes, Amy knocked on the door as I was tying my shoes.
"Come in." I said.
Amy walked in with her usual sweet smile.
"You almost done in here?" She asked.
"Yeah, just let me finish tying my shoes." I said, finishing when I said that.
"Let's hurry, they might run out knowing how hungry some of us get." Amy said.
"I'm coming!" I called and followed suit.
Amy led me to the Dining Hut, it was rather large but I didn't really mind.
"Most of us come here because we don't have food at our huts." Amy explained.
I simply nodded my head, understanding.
"You go on ahead and get us some dinner, I'll meet you and the others at the table." She smiled.
"Okay." I said, nodding my head.
I walked quietly through the isles of tables and mobians, but all the while, I could see clear as day that they were watching me. Even as I passed them by, the scooted forwards a little. I didn't really understand why though, I looked just like one of them, but I remembered what was once said in Sonic Underground: "Suspicion is good when you're on the run." Manic's voice echoed in my head.
I guess they were would act that way towards a stranger either way. At least I was a hedgehog now, and not getting the 'overlander welcome' that they might have given me.
That's when I finally spotted Sonic and the others. I quickly walked up to them, glad I didn't have to walk too far. As I got closer, Sonic patted the seat next to him. I could actually feel my cheeks become warm. That was the first time in my life somebody offered me a seat. I quickly sat down next to Sonic, glad that he was too busy chowing down on his chilidogs to notice my red cheeks.
Tails was sitting across from us, eating just as much, just as fast. I couldn't help but giggle at the sight of his face covered with spices and chili he looked so cute. He quickly licked his lips, obviously still hungry. Sally, who was sitting right next to him, started tapping her foot, telling him to stop but Sonic encouraged him to continue. That's when the one thing I hoped wouldn't happen, had happened.
They turned to me for help against the other.
I didn't want part of this at all. As the two stared at me, I looked at Tails with pleading eyes, begging him to help me out.
"What are you guys doing?" I heard Amy's voice ask.
'Trying to play tug-o-war with me.' I thought quickly.
"I'll stop, Aunt Sally." Tails said in a sort of wine.
"That'll do, Tails." She said, looking away from me.
I let out my breath. I hated being in the middle of a fight. Amy placed a plate with pasta on it in front of me. I carefully took my fork and used all of my best manners. I wanted to make a good first impression, especially with Sally. I did NOT want to be in her most hated books. I could tell she was having trouble trusting me, because she wouldn't take her eyes off of me. I sighed slightly in my mind, if I couldn't make good impression with Sally I might end up back in Robotropolis.
I finished my meal quickly, listening to what the others had to say.
"So, I go super sonic speed and the thing crashes right into the bridge I went under!" Sonic laughed.
"Ouch!" Tails laughed, who was finished as well. "Sally, can I go and play now?"
"I don't know, sweetie." She said. "That mountain lion thing is still lurking out there."
"What mountain lion?" I asked.
"There have been a bunch of reports about a mountain lion like creature in Great Forest. Some of them were actually attacked by it." Sonic explained.
"Whoa." I whispered.
"We've got guards everywhere but we just can't seem to find it." Rotor said.
"And none of our traps have worked!" Bunnie added.
I nodded my head. I remembered something I had once heard in History Class. It was about two mane-less male lions that were attacking a railroad camp, which was going across Africa. There may have only been two, but they killed more then 210 people when they were alive. They killed one person every night as their meal, but no matter what the men did to protect themselves the lions never missed a meal, even with a fence that was more then five feet high. Nothing worked. But then, the man in charge of the project, Patterson, managed to shoot and kill one of them. They soon learned how they were able to jump the five feet high fence: they were nine long from head to tail and three and a half feet high! That was a record! Most male lions rarely grow to be more then eight feet long and three feet high, and it took nine men to carry the one Patterson had shot back to camp. The mean celebrated the death of the first lion but there was still one more. The other, Patterson shot and killed about a week later.
I wondered if this mountain lion was anything like those two. And if it was, we were in trouble.
"Don't worry, Sally, if I see it, I'll just fly away." Tails insisted.
"I wouldn't risk it." I said.
"Why not?" Tails asked.
I told them about the two lions and how they killed and even the safety precautions the men took. I could see that they were surprised by all of this.
"But I wouldn't worry." I said. "You're mountain lion hasn't killed anyone yet, and they were the only lions who ever grew to be that big that's been recorded."
"Well, that's some relief." Sally said.
"Please, Aunt Sally?" Tails asked.
"I still don't you should risk it, Tails." I said. "I've read that mountain lions attack fully grown women and children in stead of men because they're smaller targets and easier to take down, you'd be an morsel compared to it."
"I would?" Tails asked, in a scared voice.
"Well, I've never seen a mountain lion up close before but I know they're big." I said.
"How big?"
"I'm not entirely sure but they are dangerous."
"In that case, we'll have to strengthen security around here." Sally said.
I continued to watch them quietly, wondering if there was anything I could do to help them.
"Aunt Sally, can I go back home?" Tails asked after a while.
"I'm not too sure you should go back without somebody there with you." Sally said.
"I could go with him." I said.
Sally looked at me. I guess she was still babying Tails.
"Please, Aunt Sally?" Tails asked, giving him one of the cutest puppy dog pouts I've ever seen.
"Oh fine." She groaned.
"Yay!" Tails cheered.
"But only go home!" Sally said.
"Okay, Aunt Sally." Tails said. "C'mon Shelby!"
Hearing Tails say my name was like trying to understand a saying from another planet entirely for me but I got up and ran after him anyways.
I let Tails run ahead a bit because I wasn't all too sure as to where 'home' was. But as we went, I couldn't help but feel like we were being watched. With the stares I was getting before, I was probably the one being watched, not Tails. But that still didn't stop me from looking over my shoulder constantly. However, Tails slowly came back to my side.
"Shelby, I think we're being watched." He whispered, grabbing hold of my hand.
"Yeah, I know what you mean." I told him. "Listen, which place is closer? Home or the Dining Hut?"
"The Dining Hut." Tails answered.
"Then you run ahead there, I'll meet you there." I told him.
"What about you?" He asked.
"I can handle myself, if there is something watching us, I'll be able to fight it off, and tell the others to get everyone to safety." I told him.
"Okay, Shelby." Tails said in a worried tone and flew away.
I wished I hadn't had to tell such a vicious lie. You see, the truth is, I had never really used my martial arts on anyone other then Robotnik and his followers but those were only more simple moves on easy to beat enemies but this time the enemy had the advantage, I couldn't see them and on top of it all, it was now dark, I could barely see a thing. I gulped, wishing that Sonic were here. That's when I heard an unearthly growl.
"Tails? Is that you?" I asked.
Another growl answered my question.
"Okay guys, now this isn't funny." I said, slowly walking backwards.
Another growl. By this time I was chewing my lower lip. I was really scared now.
"Stop it right now guys, I'm seriously scared." I said, still going backwards.
Finally, I heard it: an unearthly roar. Something jumped down from a near by tree. I could just make out the form of a mountain lion. It stared me down for about ten seconds before it slowly moved in. I puffed out my chest and tried to make myself look bigger then I actually was. Problem was that I was the size of a mobian hedgehog and this thing was the size of a normal earth mountain lion, so in short, I was MUCH smaller then it now! It wasn't, fazed at all by me so I did the next best thing I could think of: I ran.
---
Tails stopped flying when he heard the roar.
"I hope Shelby is alright." I mumbled. "I have to get the others." And he continued flying.
---
"What was that?" Sonic cried when he heard the roar.
"Y-Y-You d-d-don't think it was that mountain lion, d-d-do you?" Ray asked.
"I'm not sure." Sally said.
"Wait, didn't she say that the lions roared and that the roars died down when the lions were about to kill?" Knuckles asked.
"I hope Tails and Shelby are alright." Amy said.
"That makes two of us." Mighty said.
"SONIC! SALLY!"
They saw Tails come tearing into the Dining Hut, looking like he had just seen a ghost.
"Tails, where's Shelby?" Sonic asked.
"We both thought that there was something watching us and she sent me here, she said to get everyone to safety." Tails said.
"And you left her there?" Jullie-Su asked, a little shocked.
"She said she could handle herself." Tails said.
"Well, if she's not here, then where the heck is she?" Bunnie asked.
There was another unearthly roar, followed by a scream. They knew where she was
---
I didn't know as to where I was running and I didn't care. I looked over my shoulder and sure enough, the mountain was chasing me! I ran as fast as I could through Knothole, or what I thought was Knothole. I had been so busy trying to get away that I failed to realize that I had run straight into the Great Forest. I was barely paying attention as to where I was going at all I just kept on running. I was able to pay enough to attention to grab onto branches and let go so they could hit the lion, slowing it down a bit.
I had jumped a log and had made it to a clearing when I heard the mountain lion's roar again. By this time I was so scared I could barely think. Suddenly, the lion pounced! It jumped right over me, turned around sharply and pinned me to the ground with such speed he could have rivaled Sonic. I didn't even realize what was happening until it was too late.
I was terrified. Simply terrified. The mountain lion, for some reason, was completely dark I could just make out a shape and its glowing yellow eyes it might as well have been a panther. I could feel its claws digging into my arms, slowly yet surely, drawing blood. I cried out in pain but the lion didn't care. It was enjoying my pain. I knew that by now most mountain lions would have taken down their prey but this one was taking its time. It let out a roar, sending a jolt to my heart. I knew those in Knothole would have a panic attack if they could hear it. Oh how I wished that I hadn't told them about the mane-less lions. Sonic and the others would know that it had me because they wouldn't be able to find me. Then I wonder if they would even risk trying to come looking for me. If they did, it would probably be too late. They would come in time to see the lion tearing me apart. I let a single tear run down my cheek, I knew it was all over.
Then, it raised its head before launching its open mouth at my face. I closed my eyes and let out a cry. There was a sudden breeze blowing over my head and the lion's claws violently tear away from my arms, making the wounds worse. I heard a thud and a shot. A gunshot! The lion growled and it seemed to be fighting whomever it was that saved me. I didn't dare open my eyes. I was trying to fight the pain in my arms, but mostly, I was too scared t even make a sound, fearing the lion would finish what it started. I then heard a spark and another gunshot, soon followed by several gunshots. Then, silence. I could hear only one thing: panting. The panting of the victor of the fight, I didn't know if it was the lion or the person who saved me. I was too scared to look.
"Hey…it's okay, now. You can open your eyes." A low male's voice said. He sounded close. I assumed he was kneeling beside me. I was still too scared to even open my eyes.
"It's alright, the lion is dead. You're safe now." His voice was gentle and calm, something about it made me trust him. I slowly opened my eyes, and saw a familiar black and red hedgehog.
"Shadow?" I breathed and then closed my eyes again, pain surging through me.
"Shh…you probably don't want to talk after that attack…it looks like you got some pretty nasty cuts." Shadow said, examining my wounds, gently massaging some of them. I opened my eyes. When I did, I saw a gun in the grass, that was when I knew how he stopped the lion.
"But…why did-" More pain, it was unbearable. I had to let out a cry.
"Shh…I'll explain later, right now, it looks like you might need a doctor,"
"SHELBY!"
'That was Tails.' I thought.
"SHELBY, WHERE ARE YOU?"
'Rotor?'
"SHELBY!"
'Sally?'
"KID, C'MON, ANSWER!"
'Knuckles.'
"SHELBY!"
"Sonic!"
I was about to open my mouth to reply but Shadow placed his hand over my mouth and shook his head.
"WE'RE IN THE CLEARING!!" He called. I was stunned. He was helping me. This was something new.
"SHELBY?" Sonic yelled.
"IN THE CLEARING!" The ebony hedgehog yelled again.
"SHELBY!"
That time it sounded close. It was Sonic! The blue hedgehog had found the clearing and immediately ran over, but froze when he saw who was with me.
"Shadow." Sonic breathed.
The others soon arrived. Amy was next to see the hedgehog.
"Shadow, what are you doing here?" She asked.
"I should be asking you the same question." He said.
"Shelby was walking me home when that thing spotted us. She sent me back for help but when I got there, there was a roar and we figured out that it had Shelby when she screamed." Tails explained.
"That's not important, what is important is getting Shelby back to Knothole and having her wounds taken care of." Sally said.
"Are you alright?" Hershley asked, kneeling beside me.
I nodded my head as Sonic, Tails, Rotor, Knuckles, and Shadow went to examine the lion.
"Can ya get up?" Bunnie asked, placing her robotic hand on my head.
I didn't know but I could at least try, I didn't like sitting around and waiting. I took a jagged breath and spoke, "I don't know."
"I wouldn't try it, dear."
That's when I saw Rosie. I was glad she was there she was a nurse.
"Usually I wouldn't want to move you but the supplies are back at Knothole, we'll take you there to get taken care of."
"I could run and get them." Sonic offered.
The elderly chipmunk shook her head.
"No, it would be better if we took care of it somewhere she could be more comfortable."
"How do we get here there if she can't even get up?" Amy asked.
"I'll take her."
I snapped my head and looked at Shadow. He was helping me, even after taking me to my cell at Robotnik's base.
'Wait,' I thought 'If were Shadow, then who was in the cell next to me? If it was Shadow, how did he get well so fast?'
I totally puzzled.
"Whoa." Rotor said.
"What is?" Sally asked.
"This lion…it's not really a lion at all…it's a robot built by Dr. Robotnik."
Another jolt was launched at my heart.
"What?" Sally asked.
"He's desperate." I said and the others looked at me. "He wants me to tell me everything and he's willing to go all out to do so."
"The others just looked at me. I knew what I just said sounded very deep but I knew it was true, very word of it.
"I'm sorry." I said.
"Sorry, for what?" Tails asked.
"If it weren't for me, he might have gotten you instead, and try to kill you."
"It's not your fault." Sally said. "Robotnik would have tried to get you to talk but you didn't, that's what's important."
Sally pulled my upper body up right and tried to comfort me but it was pointless.
"Let's get her to Knothole." Rosie said.
The others simply nodded. I shivered in pain as Shadow carefully picked me up. He made sure my arms were comfortable before he even started walking. I had half expected him to pick me up roughly and not be gentle in the least. However, I couldn't help but notice something about him. There was no body heat coming from him, he was freezing cold, like a robot. I remembered what the person in the cell next to me had said, if he was right, was this Shadow a robot? I'd have to keep my eye on him.
I closed my eyes and struggled to holdback my tears, tears of pain and fear, fear for Shadow, but mostly, out of guilt. I knew the lion attacked Knothole because I was there and that put everyone in danger. I had already caused so much trouble for everyone and I hadn't even been there for a single day, someone could have died.
As we got closer to Knothole, Sonic came closer to my head, and ruffled my head. I looked at him in surprise. He just gave me his famous wink and thumbs up.
"You did good today, Shell." Sonic said. "Most people would have run deeper into Knothole but you didn't. If you had gone into town, things could have been a whole lot worse."
I tilt my head to the side. He was right, I did get the thing away from everyone.
"And sending Tails back to us gave us enough time to get everyone to safety." Sonic continued.
I guess I did send Tails in a hurry, so I might have saved a lot of lives, maybe even one of my heroes. I couldn't help but blush. Sonic smiled at me and I just had to smile back.