Digging
The sky turned an array of orange and red as the sun set—a delightful sight, which added to the pleasure of Cream's, already pleasurable, tea party. Sitting on the red checkered pattern blanket, she reached for the teapot. Then offering Chocola more tea, which was actually warm milk, she poured a small amount into the little choa's cup.
"Chocola," Chocola chirped, thanking her for the tea before gulping it down. Cream scolded him for his poor manners.
"We must sip. See," she said. Demonstrating, she raised her pinking high in the air and took a sip. "Now you try." Unfortunately there was no tea left for Chocola to try with. "Oh, so sorry Chocola."
Chocola did not despair. He would simply fly to the kitchen to receive more tea from Ella. Flapping his wings, he flew towards Cream. He snatched the teapot from her hands and passed her, flying over well trimmed bushes.
"Chocola. Wait," she shouted. Rising from the blanket, she ran after him; however, she was unable to catch up and before she knew it, she was lost. After all, the Thorndyke's garden was so large and Cream was so small. Ella told Cream to stay on the gardens path, but there was such a pretty spot further off. Now, she wished she'd listened because the sun was sinking further and the sky was growing darker.
Cream feared the dark. Amy often told her of the monsters lurking in the darkness. Monsters especially liked to devour the flesh of little bunnies—that's what Amy told her, and she believed Amy. As she walked, searching for the dirt path which led back to the mansion, Cream sensed them: the monsters. They were in every tree and behind every bush.
Frantic with fear, her walking turned to running. "Chocola! Mommy!" The monsters, they were behind her. The sun would soon leave no trace of light in the sky, and her last source of defense would be gone. She must hurry!
Lost in her fright, she tripped over a rock which sent her rolling down a small hill. For what felt like a moment her world went black, and when she awoke, Cream saw a shadowy figure behind green shrubs. It was a monster. It must be.
She rose to her feet, and making sure to be especially quiet, so the monster would not hear, Cream took a step. A twig snapped beneath the sole of her shoe and the shadowy figure turned. Falling back in fear, she screamed, "Monster!"
The Thorndyke's living room coffee table was surrounded by the Chaotix and Chris, who were beginning their investigation. Vector, sitting across from Chris, asked, "Did you make the list?"
Chris nodded. It had been a difficult task, compiling a list of ten people who had something—anything—against Sonic; however, Chris had done it. He slid the folded paper filled with the vile names of possible suspects.
Large green hands took and unfolded the paper, eager to start investigating whoever was on this list. Vector's eyes read the first name: Eggman. An obvious suspect, but perhaps too obvious. His eyes went to the second name: Eggman. His eyes went to the third: Eggman. Slamming the paper on the table, Vector—beyond annoyed—shouted, "Is this all you could come up with!"
Chris lowered his head and muttered, "I'm not the detective am I?"
"What was that," Vector snapped. Charmy flew to Vector's side, trying to calm his reptilian friend down.
"Let's move on," Charmy suggested. "When did you last see Sonic?" At this, Chris brightened. Ah! How remembering, when last they met, filled him with immense happiness—the purest happiness.
"I was heading to my room, when I saw him." Chris began, smiling from ear to ear. The Chaotix listened intently, hoping to hear anything that could serve as a clue. "He was walking towards me and then…"Chris paused, cherishing their last moment together. He didn't want this memory to end, but it must, so he continued. "Then he walked passed and I watched him leave me behind. Forever!" Chris buried his face in his arms, which rested on the table's surface.
Vector's eye twitched with frustration. "You are completely useless."
Charmy gently patted Chris on the back. "I know this is hard, but did you see anything strange?" Chris shook his head, no. "Are you sure?" Chris nodded.
Vector snorted. "Don't waste your time, Charmy. It's like I said, he's completely usele—"
Ella's bellowing voiced drowned out the gator. "Where have you two been? And look at the pair of you! You're a mess from head to toe!"
Chris sprang to his feet. Could it be Sonic? Was he finally back? And wait, Ella said two. Was it Amy?
Had Chris forgotten all about her? Impossible. How could he forget Amy? She's so loud and painfully energetic. The mansion was always filled with her shrieking. Now everything was so quiet. At first he thought nothing of it; but Chris started to wonder if he should he be worried?
Hopefully not. Maybe she'd been out searching for Sonic. Did Amy succeed? Had she found Sonic? Determined to know the answers, he ran out of the living room and sped to the front door entrance. His heart raced with anticipation. Please, he prayed, let it be him.
Arriving at the entrance, Ella's plump form blocked the two she scolded. Dare he hope? "Ella, move. Please." As she turned to him, Chris was overwhelmed by swelling disappointment. "Cream. Tails." No Sonic. No Amy. He slumped to the floor.
"Are you alright Master Chris," Ella asked, alarmed, rushing to his side. "I told you not to go rushing about the place, but do you listen to Ella? No." It never ceased to amaze him, how Ella could be worried one moment and nagging the next.
"I'm fine," Chris said. "Don't worry." Ella frowned unconvinced, but before she could further probe him, the Chaotix (Charmy, Vector, and Espio) appeared.
"What happened," Vector asked.
"Just kids being kids," Ella said turning to go. However, she looked over her shoulder to Tails and Cream. "Bathe. Then come down for supper." With her last order ordered, she left.
"Somebody tell me what's going on. Now," Vector demanded.
"I'll tell you," Cream said skipping up to him. "I was having a picnic with Chocola, when we ran out of tea. And Chocola went to get some more and I ran after him, but I got lost. Then it got dark and monsters started chasing me and they pushed me down a hill. Then I thought I saw a monster, but it was really Tails. And Tails was digging—."
Tails spoke over her, saying, "Digging for fossils."
"You didn't see Sonic or Amy," Chris asked, still clinging to hope.
Tails body slightly shook and his eyes darted to Chris' eyes. "No. And if you know what's good for you, you'll stop asking questions." Chris liked asking questions. In fact he was about to ask another, but Tails walked passed him before he could utter a word. He grabbed Cream as well, tugging her along down the hall towards the staircase.
"Someone's a bit touchy," Vector noted.
"Of course he's touchy," Chris exclaimed. "Sonic is gone, and now Amy's disappeared as well."
"Well, you only paid us to find one," Vector said.
Charmy angrily puffed his cheeks. Vector could be such a penny pincher, he thought. But Charmy believed in justice and duty. "I promise you, we'll find both of them."
"No we won't," Vector said. Chris could see where this was going.
"Guy's can we not do this," Chris pleaded. Unfortunately, his pleads fell on deaf ears.
As Vector and Charmy began their battle of yes we will and no we won't, Espio's thoughts were on a two tailed fox. "He's hiding something," he said aloud, more to himself then the others; however, hearing him, they stopped their bickering and faced him.
"Who's hiding something," Charmy and Vector asked.
"The fox," Espio said.
"So what if he is," Vector said. "We're not being paid to find out a dumb kid's secret."
"Is money all you care about," Charmy shouted.
"Yes," Vector replied.
Once again they began bickering. Espio sighed. He would get no help from these two. Walking up to Chris he asked him, "The last time you saw Sonic was anyone with him."
Chris traced over the blissful memory once more. He remembered Sonic passing him in the hall and a blur. There was a blur next to him. It was small and orange. So familiar, but he couldn't make it out. "I'm not sure."
"That's all right, Chris," Espio said, walking passed him.
"Where are you going" Chris asked.
"To do my job," Espio called back. Then camouflaging himself, he disappeared before Chris' eyes.
Tails pulled Cream up the staircase. When they reached the top, he spun her around and knelt down so their eyes met. "Remember Cream if I catch you talking to the Chaotix or Chris, you'll never see Chocola again."Cream nodded as she shook with fear and worry.
"Will I get to see Chocola soon," she asked.
"As soon as their gone," he said. Then smiling sweetly he added, "I promise you, you'll be joining Chocola soon."