Part 5: The Search for Zerka
Chrissy: (groans) Well, what do you know, I finally got around to this!
Knuckles: You shouldn't blame yourself, Chrissy. You've been busy. What with the Fanfics…
Sonic: … The Novel your writing…
Shadow: …The D&D campaign…
Amy: …The lack of sleep-
Chrissy: ALRIGHT! I get it, I'm busy… (grumbles)
Knuckles: …Not to mention school's going to be starting soon…
Chrissy: (growls) Don't remind me… PLEASE…
Shadow: Yes, you don't want to get her royal highness PO'd about that…
Chrissy: You should be worrying about that, Shadow.
Shadow: (scoffs) And why is that?
Chrissy: Because Shayla gave me a good idea for torturing you…
Shadow: (stares) (runs to hid under bed)
Chrissy: (evil grin) Anyway, I suppose I should post this damned thing before I have to make you wait anymore.
Knuckles: R&R!
Part 5: The Search for Zerka
"The signal from my homing beacon says he's at these coordinates." Chrissy said, pointing to the location onscreen. "But it'll take us at least three days to get there, even if we take the most direct route."
They had taken off just hours before, and were discussing their plan of action.
Tails mused over the new information. "It's our best bet." He said finally. "We'll just have to go with it." The kitsune nodded.
Chrissy sighed, and finally nodded. "I don't know what kind of armies he has at his disposal." She added. "We should proceed with caution." She let this last, grim note hang in the air, before turning and walking away in the direction of her quarters.
A lot was running through Chrissy's mind at the moment. Not only did she have in her heart the anger and determination to capture Zerka and bring to him the justice he deserved, but thoughts about her new friends as well. She hadn't gotten to know much about them (albeit she had only known them a short time), but that was what she had wanted. At least, it had been at the beginning. Now she wasn't so sure it was.
Her new friends were so interesting, and every one of them was kind; merciful. They were good people. Chrissy felt her need to distance herself from them ebbing. She smiled to herself. Perhaps getting to know them won't be such a bad idea… She mused.
Chrissy was so deep in her thoughts that she walked right into someone and fell backwards onto her butt. Cursing under her breath, she looked up into the eyes of Rouge.
"I-I'm sorry… I need to watch where I'm going…" Chrissy stammered. As much as she respected the bat, she wanted to speak with her as little as possible. Something about her made Chrissy uneasy, though for the life of her she didn't know why.
Rouge blinked for a moment before smiling and helping Chrissy to her feet. "Think nothing of it." She said simply. The pair stood there, caught in an awkward silence.
"So… what's your story?" Chrissy blurted.
"My story?"
"You know… why you're with the gang. How you met them all." Chrissy shuffled her feet nervously. If she was going to get to know them, this was a good place to start, no matter how oogy it made her feel.
Rouge glanced at her suspiciously, but then smiled. "To be honest, it started when I was trying to swipe the Master Emerald from Knuckles."
Chrissy raised an eyebrow. There was a long and complicated story under that simple sentence, and she didn't really care to know that story. Nodding at Rouge, she continued down the hall to her room and walked inside.
It was a simple dwelling, all it had was a bed and a dresser by the bed, but it was more than enough for Chrissy. She had made herself comfortable, placing a picture of her family on the dresser next to her diary. She walked into the room and flopped down on the bed.
Chrissy wasn't physically tired, not in the least, but her heart and head were weary from constant stress and having to plan this whole escapade. She decided to do what always made her feel better when stress consumed her: Sing.
Chrissy was a fairly good singer, but she never really admitted it; she was much too modest. Instantly, a lullaby that her mother always used to sing came to her mind and the lyrics came spilling forth before she could stop them.
Hush yourself
Little one
Night has come
Day is done
Close your eyes
Drift to sleep
No more tears
Shall you weep
Dreams will come
Dreams will pass
Days will come
Days will last
Worry not
What lay ahead
Just dream your dreams
Instead
Chrissy looked up after finishing the final lines of the song. The necklace grew hot on her chest, meaning the other necklace was nearby. She stood up and walked to the door. It opened, and Knuckles stood on the other side.
Chrissy blinked. "Can I help you?" she asked apprehensively.
Knuckles blinked, and simply stared a Chrissy for a long moment, before finally jarring himself into action. "I was… I mean… I came to… Tails says he wants to see you." The red echidna stammered out the words, bewildered.
Chrissy smiled, and walked out of the room. In a matter of moments, she was back in the control room. One looked at the screen told her why she had been summoned, but Tails spoke anyway.
"I checked the homing beacon that you left me and I saw what's on screen." he said, a touch of nervousness and uncertainty in his voice. Chrissy knew all too well what it meant.
Zerka was moving. He had altered his course.
He was headed straight toward them.
Knuckles: (groans) I HATE cliff-hangers…
Chrissy: Hey, it keeps the readers reading. (shrugs)
Tails: No new reviews…
Chrissy: NONE? (sobs)
Sonic: Maybe if you torture Shadow, people will review… (snickers)
Shadow: No, they just don't like you.
Chrissy: (growls) Keep it up and I will torture you.
Shadow: (yelps)
Knuckles: Well, in any case, maybe Shayla will review soon.
Chrissy: I hope so! (grins)
Tails: And as for the rest of you… R&R!