"So…how are we going to get back to the city? I can't carry both of you the entire way!" Rouge glanced out at the rolling hills of sand that surrounded the explosion site.
"Yeah. We've also got to be careful with Nack. He's got some pretty bad injuries." Nic nodded and knelt down beside her brother.
"Relax, sis! I can handle myself fine!" Fang attempted to stand up, which sent a searing pain through his body like a spreading brushfire. He winced, and collapsed into the sand. "At least, I thought I could." The weasel gave a weak chuckle.
Nic turned to Rouge. "You said you can't carry BOTH of us, but what about just him? There's no way Nack can walk the distance back to Station Square!"
"Ugh, why do I have to be the one to carry everyone around? I'm not your personal airplane." Rouge moaned. She was about to refuse Nic's offer until she locked eyes with her worried stare. The bat tossed her complaints aside, and strode over to Fang. She held out her hand and pulled the weasel up off the ground.
Fang was a complete wreck. His fur was a charcoal black from the intense flames of the blast he had endured instead of its normal purple color. The red of his eyes had lost some of its luster, and he was having trouble keeping himself from falling down again. M.F. had broken his leg, which was the cause of his limping, and he still had the wound from the bullet that had clipped his side.
Rouge was about to fly off with Fang until she came upon a realization. "Wait, how are you going to get back, Nicolette? I can't leave you here, y'know."
"I'm going to follow you two on foot. I'll try to keep up and meet you to rest in the forest later tonight." Nic watched as Rouge started to hover off of the ground with Fang in her arms.
"Sounds like a plan, Suzanne!" Rouge winked, and darted off into the horizon.
"…Suzanne?" Nic cocked her head in confusion before running after her.
---
It took a night and a day to get back to the apartment. Though, Fang was not at the apartment very long; the extent of his injuries were too much for Nic to handle, so she sent him to the hospital (much to his displeasure).
Fang peered out the hospital window from his bed. It was a fine day with clear skies, pedestrians bustling down the sidewalks, and birds flying away in the slight breeze.
He sighed. If only he could go out and enjoy the fresh air. But nooooo, Nic HAD to be so paranoid. Typical.
Just then, a knock sounded from the door. "Come in." Fang droned, keeping his eyes on the window.
The door opened, and Rouge stepped into the room. A small wooden box was nestled in her arms. She walked over to Fang's bedside and sat down on the crisp white sheets. "What'cha looking at out there?"
"Watching life pass by. It's the only entertainment I have, since there's no TV in here. I'm bored to tears." Fang yawned. "I wish I could go outside, but that would be pretty hard with these." He lifted up the sheet to reveal a heavy bandage across his middle and a cast around his right leg.
"Well, how much longer do you have here?" Rouge asked, setting the box down on the bed.
"Three weeks, not counting how long I have to wear the cast."
"Ouch." The bat frowned. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Here, I got you a little something." She motioned toward the box.
"Really?" Fang turned around to face Rouge. He grabbed the box, and spent a few moments looking at the engravings on the front. They were intricate designs of emeralds, seven in all. Each one was a different color, and they had some strange writing in another language written beside them. Fang instantly recognized them as the seven Chaos Emeralds.
"Go on, open it! I can see the anticipation in your eyes." Rouge grinned.
Fang carefully lifted the lid, and stared in awe at what lay before him. In the box was a bullet made of solid gold, just like the ones he had seen at Bean's shop. "How…how did you get this?!?"
"Heh, I always get what I want." Rouge smirked. "Anyway, I thought I might give it to you because I'm leaving town. There's more gems elsewhere, and I've already pretty much picked this town clean."
"You're leaving? But you can't, I mean…"
Rouge interrupted Fang's outburst. "I know you don't want me to leave, but it's not my choice. I've gotta head where jewels are, and there aren't many here anymore." She shrugged and stood up. "I might not ever see you again, so enjoy that." The bat started for the door.
"You have to come back someday! What'll I do without-" The weasel tried to convince Rouge, but she had already gotten through the doorway. She turned around and gave Fang a small wave, and quietly closed the door.
Rouge…she's so mysterious, yet so captivating… Fang thought as he fingered the gold bullet. When he turned it to its side, he noticed there was writing carved into the golden shell. He had to squint to read it, but it finally became clear:
'I love you.'
---
Meanwhile, back at the lab…
"Here, Luffy! I made you a hat to go with your little ship!" Josh placed a miniature straw hat on top of the rat's head, and smiled. "There we go! Now you look like a true pirate!"
Luffy seemed to like the hat, so he ran around in circles.
"You know, Luffy, that was some crazy mess I got myself into. Jane's dead, The Hunter's dead…I'm glad that the weasel didn't kill me! He was thinking about it, but I just ran away as fast as I could. Then I…."
Please spare me. Luffy thought as Joshua blathered on about his adventure.
