(DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of their characters and props. But I do own my OCs.)
Chapter 12 – Deja-Vu
"There! There's a chaos emerald!" Amy exclaimed from her command room chair.
Everyone except for Carrie and Chris were in command center. It was about 11am and it was storming outside. The raindrops that crashed onto the windshield made Tails' job rather difficult. The lightning and thunder caused the scanner to fizz a little bit but they were able to complete their task.
"Awesome! Where is it?" Sonic asked as he stood beside Amy. Amy expertly pushed random buttons as the screen before them rapidly found a specific location. After Amy was done, she intently read the scanner and got an answer.
"It seems to be located in a cave, on a mountain that is just a 50 miles ahead of us."
"Well," Rouge crossed her arms with a classy smirk. "It's kinda hard to see what's in front of us with that damn storm. And I'm not in the mood to crash into a large mountain, if you catch my drift."
"Rouge's right," Shadow hoarsely stated. "It's best to land somewhere and hike to the cave."
"Well, Tails made a mini-scanner yesterday." Amy informed. "Three of us should go while the rest stays."
"Me, Shadow and Tails will go," Sonic said and then turned to the red echidna. "Knuckles, you stay here and guard the ship."
"I have to babysit?" Knuckles groaned. "Why can't Tails stay and I go?"
"Because, you half-wit," Shadow responded roughly. "It's a mountain and Tails can fly."
"You two can't fly!" Knuckles growled in irritation. He began to march up to ebony hedgehog with fire burning in his eyes. "And I'm not a half-wit, you emo hedgehog!"
"BOYS!" Rouge intervened as she stepped in between the two. "As much as I like watching two men fight, I think we should get down to business."
"She's right," Tails nodded. "We have to get moving. Knuckles, you're strong enough to withstand intruders… it's best if you stay and protect the others."
"Fine," Knuckles moaned in annoyance. "I'll protect the others but I'm NOT protecting the BAT."
"It works for me," Sonic agreed. "Rouge can take care of herself. Now, enough stalling and let's get to that mountain."
"I'll make cookies for you guys!" Cream chirped joyously. "I'm sure you'll be hungry when you get back!"
"Chao, chao!" Cheese pounced with enthusiasm.
"King me," Chris said as he moved his checker piece across the board.
"Dammit," Carrie scowled. "I've never been good at this game."
Chris and Carrie were sitting at a coffee table in the lounge playing checkers. It was a tradition, when they were kids, to play checkers during a rainy day. The both of them were in their pajamas, just trying to have a chill out day and catch up some more.
"Well, you must be really rusty because I'm beating you by… a lot."
"It's not the rust, Chris," Carrie dead-panned. "I just suck at this game."
"Well," Chris shrugged. "The excuse was worth a shot."
"Appreciated."
"You're welcome." Chris said as he took another checker from Carrie.
Rolling rumble…Crack!
The siblings jumped at the sudden thunder bolt. But they jumped again when they felt the ship jolt, scattering their checkers game in the process. They exchanged glances and immediately got up to run to the door to see what was going on. But when they reached the exit, Knuckles walked in causing the two to halt.
"Hey, Knuckles," Chris greeted. "What's going on?"
"We're landing," Knuckles answered. "We found a chaos emerald located in the mountain. But the weather makes it hard to see where we're going so we're landing and hiking to get the emerald."
"Great! We'll go change!" Chris smiled as he was about to walk out.
"Oh no you don't!" Knuckles held out his paw and stopped him. "Sonic, Shadow and Tails are going. The rest of you are staying and I'm guarding. So, I want everyone in their rooms until they get back."
"Well, can me and Carrie chill in my room? Our checker game was kinda interrupted."
"That's fine," Knuckles nodded as he led the two out.
"Be careful, you guys!" Amy called out as the trio exited the Tornado Suite.
The suite landed a mile before the mountain which was surrounded by pine trees. They were able to find a clearing that was able to fit the Tornado Suite.
"We will!" Sonic reassured as he, Shadow and Tails ushered through the rain. They were all wearing green ponchos (with the protest of Shadow) so they wouldn't get sick on their hike. They trudged through the mud and bushes as the rain clashed down on them. They carried on like this for a few minutes until they reached the base of the mountain.
"I say we zoom up that bad boy and get this done and over with," Sonic said as he examined the tall mountain.
"Agreed," Shadow nodded as he turned to Tails. "Where's the emerald?"
Tails pulled out his scanner while blocking it from the freezing rain. "If we go straight up from here, we'll run into the cave."
"Alright, lil bro!" Sonic smiled mischievously. "Let's go!"
With that, Shadow and Sonic dashed up the mountain while Tails flew quickly behind them.
"Cookies, cookies, we love cookies!" Cream sang happily as she, Cheese, and Amy were in the kitchen. Amy was sitting at the table with a troubled face while Cream innocently mixed ingredients together. Cheese played in lose flour as Cream continue to sing. "Cookies, cookies, we love cookies!"
"What's going on in here?" Rouge asked casually as she entered.
"We're making chocolate chip cookies for Sonic, Shadow and Tails!" Cream answered brightly as she continued to mix in the chocolate chips.
"Chao!" Cheese agreed as he continued to roll around in flour. Amy just sighed in response.
Rouge quickly turned her attention to the pink hedgehog. She walked over and sat next to her with her arms crossed. "Sonic problems?" she guessed knowingly.
Amy looked at her with a slightly surprised face. "How did you know?"
"Well, everybody knows you have a huge thing for the blue-blur," Rouge stated as she leaned back into her chair while putting her hands behind her head. "And with this 'true love' thing with Carrie and Sonic… I can only imagine how much it eats away at you."
"It is eating me away," Amy stated sadly as she looked down again. "If Sonic and Carrie are meant for each other, then what happens to me? Who am I meant for?"
"You're young, kid… you got all the time in the world to find a hunk." Rouge smirked.
"Yeah, but I always wanted Sonic… I mean, I love him."
"You sure you love him?" Rouge asked. "Or is it an infatuation? Trust me, girl… there's a difference."
"How do you know the difference?" Amy asked as she looked up at the white bat.
"That's something you have to find out on your own."
"How do I find out?"
"I don't know," Rouge shrugged but then got an idea. "Why don't you date some other guys? You know, see what's out there besides Sonic."
"That's sounds like a realistic plan." Amy nodded in agreement. "I would have to look hard to find a decent guy."
"Never look too hard, hun," Rouge winked. "That's how you over look and miss opportunities."
"Thanks," Amy smiled and then smirked. "So, you hang out with Knuckles often?"
"I know where this is leading," Rouge perched her lips in annoyance. "We're rivals and rivals only."
"Sure, that's what they all say," Amy leaned back while crossing her arms with a knowing smirk.
"Well," Rouge got up and started walking away. "You're obviously feeling better so I'm going to head out."
"To see Knuckles? Gotcha," Amy winked. Rouge huffed as she walked out of the kitchen.
"Oh yeah," Amy smirked again. "I hear the church bells already."
"We love cookies!..."
"It's pretty dark in here," Tails commented in fear. They reached the cave that was located halfway up the mountain. It was a cold and dreary tunnel that led to darkness. Icy rocks surrounded
them as they walked through, the only light source they had was the scanner and the entrance of the cave.
"Keep your eyes open," Shadow warned. "Because if you get captured, I'm not saving your sorry asses."
"Aw, chucks!" Sonic snapped his fingers. "I was hoping to be your damsel, Shaddy!"
"Don't make me kill you."
"Guys!!" Tails bellowed with an echo. He regretted that action when he heard a low growl from ahead of them. Tails covered his mouth as the other two stood in their fighting stance.
"What the Hell was that?" Sonic whispered as another growl was heard. All three of them stood still as they watched a big figure move through the dark. The ground slightly shook after every step, a wretched smell of dead animal corpses seeped through the air. They could barely see the creature approach them as the stench deepened in their nostrils. Their breaths got caught in their throats when two beady, yellow eyes shot open.
The creature was only 10 feet away from them when they decided to take action. When the thing roared dangerously, Shadow and Sonic ran around it in opposite directions while Tails stood where he was. Tails shook in tremendous fear as the monster inched closer toward the light of his scanner. The staticy light hit the creature's features; it had a body and head of a bear but 8 legs like a spider. Its bristly fur stood up on end as it eyed its new prey. It moved its bear-face down to Tails nose as he realized how big it really was (really fucking big). It snarled its blood-stained, rotten teeth as it pulled back to pounce on the small fox.
But before it got a chance, Shadow and Sonic kicked it on both sides of its neck. The monster plopped to the ground after hearing a sickening crack. It laid there motionlessly with no breathing.
"Well," Sonic leaned on one leg and crossed his arms. "That was easy."
"Easy for you!" Tails glared. "That thing was going to make me its lunch! Couldn't you two move a little faster?"
"You're not lunch," Shadow looked around the creature for the emerald. "So, stop complaining. Now, where's the chaos emerald?"
"Um," Tails checked his scanner. "It should be with the creature."
"Well, it's nowhere to be seen."
"The scanner is detecting an emerald on the creature!"
"I sure as hell don't see it," Shadow crossed his arms.
All of a sudden, the monster's eyes snapped opened and growled. It roared as it swung its clawed leg at Shadow. Shadow was able to dodge but he wasn't quick enough as the claw scratched deeply against his left arm. As the leg roughly brushed past him, it stabbed itself in its own torso. Then the creature officially died.
"Wow!" Sonic eyes widened at Shadow's new wound. "You alright there, Shadow?"
"Yeah," Shadow moaned but his eyes caught something. As he held his wound, he stumbled toward the dead monster. He pulled the claw out of its body and dug his own hand into the puncture.
"Ew," Tails recoiled. "Shadow, don't touch it!"
"I have to if we want this," he stated as he pulled out a yellow chaos emerald. It oozed in a slimy, orange substance that was assumed to be the monster's blood.
"Awesome!" Sonic smirked.
"Yeah," Shadow dropped the emerald and stumbled back weakly. "Awesome."
"Shadow, you ok?"
"I don't feel good."
Tails quickly rushed to the dark hedgehog's side and examined his wound. Shadow's cut wasn't only gushing blood, but it was bubbling green.
"Oh man," Tails muttered. "I think that thing had venom in its claw."
"What are you saying?" Shadow could barely keep his eyes open.
"I'm saying we should get you to the Suite fast."
Sonic had Shadow's arm over his shoulder as he dragged him toward the Suite. Tails was holding their new chaos emerald as he followed closely behind.
"Stay with us, Shadow," Sonic said as heaved the dizzy hedgehog. "We're here."
"And something else is wrong," Tails mouth was agape as he saw Amy and Rouge standing outside of the entrance of the Tornado Suite. They all looked worried and exhausted as they walked up to the trio.
"What happened to you?" Rouge cocked her head as she stared at Shadow.
"We think he's been poisoned," Tails answered. "Why are you guys out here? Where are the others?"
The two looked down in despair. Rouge stepped forward. "Knuckles and Chris are in the medical lab… Knuckles was hit on the head pretty hard, he's out cold. And Chris… Chris was shot in the arm. Cream and Cheese are watching them as we speak."
"What!?" Sonic and Tails eyes practically bulged out.
"Are they ok?" Tails asked worriedly.
"Yeah," Amy still had her head down. "They'll be fine."
"Wait," Sonic head snapped in Rouge's direction. "Where's Carrie?"
"They took her, Sonic," Amy's eyes welled up with tears. "Eggman and some guy took her."