Chapter 11: Welcome to Angels 4 Hell
Two hours has passed since Rose had last talked to Sonic, and so here he stood with his bags filled with his belongings, waiting for Rose and Amy. As if on cue Rose and Amy appeared, both looked as if they were running a marathon only Rose composed herself more then Amy. Rose walked over to Sonic and cleared her throat before she started to speak.
"Well"- she glanced over to see his bags besides him – "I see that you're already packed and ready." Sonic nodded then she continued. "I'll give you one last chance to return to your normal life." She paused "Do you wish to join us?" her voice serious but slightly soft.
"I would want to be recruited by someone as the lovely pink hedgehog besides you," as he referred to Amy, she immediately blushed and looked away before he noticed. But little did she knew that he was watching her the whole time, his dark sunglasses was concealing his watchful gaze that he had on her, but even though his eyes were on her, he continued. "Therefore I would be thrilled to join." He kept his sentences formal to stop either of them finding about his identity. And much to say the least was working brilliantly. Rose nodded her head when he had finished talking.
"Very well, "she walked over to him and Amy followed, she pressed a certain button on her watch and just like that, there were no longer in the alley but they were now in a hallway? He couldn't help but gaze around the corridor. Fascinated by the strange but interesting carvings along the walls, but he was snapped out of his dazed expression since Rose and Amy were carrying his bags to his room. Rose was carrying most of his bags, and was doing a good job of handling the heavy luggage, Amy on the other hand wasn't doing very well, Sonic noticed this and so he offered to help.
"Need some help?" he asked, holding out his hand so that Amy could give him the bags that was giving her a hard time. But she refused; she simply shook her head and hurried along the corridor to catch up with Rose. He catches up with her and walked to where Rose had stopped, Rose gave him a key card and also she reset the security system next to the door handle.
"All you need to do is to place your finger on the scanner and it'll register you to this room, then type in the security code of your choice, but you must type this code every time you want to enter to your chamber, so its pretty obvious that you must remember it and also to keep it secret. Is that understood?" Rose asked while she was through with explaining. He nodded, understanding what Rose had said, therefore Rose walked away presumably to her training, while Amy stayed with him. After an awkward silence Sonic finally spoke.
"Umm, shouldn't you be following Rose?" asked a nervous Sonic.
"Oh umm, I'm not her training partner anymore, now that I've recruited you, I have to train with you and perhaps go on missions with you." Amy said plainly. Sonic swallowed hard, 'she'll be with me basically everyday?!?!?' he thought, but remembering that he was in her presence he regained composure.
"I see, well I suppose you could help me move my stuff in." He said smiling at her, making her feel all fuzzy inside. But she pushed that feeling aside and followed Blackout inside his chamber when he got his security was all accounted for.
A couple of hours later
Even though he was the fastest thing alive, he couldn't seem to be any good at decorating his room. Leaving Amy to pick out the best places for everything, to which he didn't mind as long as he was spending some time with her he didn't mind not one bit. It was then that Amy looked at her watch; she gasped slightly which made Blackout look at her with a questioned expression. She had lost track of time and had totally forgot about meeting Rose at lunch so that she could talk to Blackout about the rules of Angels 4 Hell. She took his arm and practically dragged him from his chamber to Training Facility 7, lucky for Blackout that his room had an automatic close when there were no life forms detected in his room. So it was a good thing that his belongings were safe, especially the photograph that he treasured the day Amy had left.
Ignoring his protests, they finally reached Training Facility 7, she raised her hand to knock on the door but instead she froze, she heard Rose, as she could hear her screams of annoyance and frustration, but she also heard a male voice... laughing?? It was clear that Rose was sparring but with who exactly? She knew that Rose would never spar with anyone who was weaker then her, after all Rose wanted to get stronger and therefore she only fights with the worthy. It was then that a thought struck her. But no, she wouldn't... would she? She totally hates him, and yet she was willing to spar with him just to get stronger... Why? But she knew that it had something to do with Rose's past life, she will tell her because she'll find out either way. Regaining her composure she knocked on the door and sure enough her thoughts stood corrected as there stood in front of her was Vengeance, his body was glistening in sweat but he had a smirk on his face as though he found something amusing, but his smirk faded when he saw Amy by the door, he leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms.
"Is there something I can do for you?" he asked with his brow raised wondering why Amy had come over, surely she knew that since she recruited someone that would meant that she would have to train with that person, maybe he would have to remind her.
"I was wondering if I could talk to Rose for a moment." Her voice sounded irritated as if she had already grown tired of the conversation at hand. Vengeance grunted and let Rose pass through to meet Amy. Rose was badly losing the sparring match as her training clothes were almost ripped apart, to be honest she looked like she had spend her time with a lion rather then with Vengeance although a lion may not be such a bad thing compared to Vengeance.
"Rose, have you completely lost your mind?!!" she nearly yelled if Vengeance wasn't in the training facility that is. Rose looked at Amy then at Blackout. When she spoke her voice was calm but had a hint of annoyance from the match with Vengeance.
"Is there a point to this conversation?" she asked. Amy looked at her for a moment then replied.
"Could you go over the rules of Angels 4 Hell?" she asked sweetly putting on her innocent look. Rose's eyes narrowed.
"Why can't you do it? You know all the rules... well most of them... but you already know the basics, you go over with them." And with that she shut the door in her face, Amy huffed and walked towards Blackout who was watching the whole thing, but then she smiled at him, the same smile she used to show him before she left.
"Don't worry Blackout, it'll be dinner soon, she'll go over the rules with you mainly because she remembers most of them." She giggled at her own joke and walked over to the Diner, Blackout followed, they got their food and sat down at a table, even though it was just them two in the Diner, a couple of minutes later and it would be full of hungry people. And sure enough it was. At that moment Rose came into the room followed by Vengeance, they then went different ways, Rose had changed her clothes when Amy had last seen her and changed into something 'decent'. She walked over to a table in the corner, she was clutching her arm and wincing when she sat on the chair, Amy noticed this and anger began to rise inside of her. She knew that Rose training with Vengeance was a bad idea and I guess she was now paying the price.
"Is it okay if I go and talk to Rose?" she asked Blackout who was eating his sandwich, he nodded, remembering not to speak with his mouth full since it would be bad manners. He watched her go and talks to Rose, even though he didn't know what they were saying since the chatter of everyone around him was very loud, he could tell that Amy was mad over something, Rose on the other hand was staying quiet as Amy was shouting at her, occasionally her face was in pain every now and then but only for a second as she always regained composure. He felt someone sitting besides him as he saw a tray of food in the corner of his eye. He turned his head and saw a blue hedgehog with red stripes on his quills. The same hedgehog that Amy had a brief conversation with, the hedgehog was also eating a sandwich; he also had an apple on his tray of food and a packet of crisps.
"Your name's Blackout right?" the sound of Vengeance talking to him made him snap out of his trail of thought.
"Huh?" he said not knowing what his question was.
"Your name's Blackout right??" he repeated his question. In reply to his question he nodded. "So, you're the recruit joining us, well nice to meet you. Name's Vengeance." He held out a hand for him to shake, and so he did. "I bet you saw me talking to Amy right?" Blackout nodded, he wasn't really sure if he should be friends with someone that Amy didn't like so he'll stay safe for now. "I know you saw that I and she don't get along well but I assure you that I'm not that bad, honest." He raised his hands up defensively, Blackout couldn't help but chuckle. Then Vengeance's ear twitch, he grimaced, Blackout listened, and if he listened carefully he would be able to hear Rose slightly screaming at the pain of her arm.
"Why did you do that to her arm?" he found himself asking Vengeance that specific question, even though he didn't knew Rose well, she was a friend of Amy's and a friend of Amy's was a friend of his. Vengeance face fell to his normal frown; he folded his arms and looked away already annoyed of the conversation at hand.
"I didn't do anything! It's not my fault if she was a little slow!!!" He growled, not liking what he had done to her arm, it was an accident, a mere sparring session injury, but he still felt bad about it, especially since he made that promise to her. He began to mumble something but from where Blackout was sitting, it didn't sound very pleasant. "I'm guessing that Rose or Amy hadn't told you the rules yet have they?" he said after an awkward silence obviously changing the subject. Blackout looked at him strangely before answering.
"Well... They didn't get a chance to do so." He found himself trailing off and looking at Amy who had deep concern for Rose.
"I'm sure they don't mind if I fill you in then, you shouldn't worry about Rose, she was always a quick healer," he said when he saw Blackout's eyes going over to Amy and Rose but even though she was a quick healer he still didn't feel any better since that ping of guilt was still there. "It usually takes her 2 days to heal anything, bruises, and cuts ...Even a coma." He whispered that last part to himself although Blackout had heard this. "Anyway, like I said the basic rules, there are only 3 basic rules. 1: Never trust an outsider. 2: Keep focused. And 3: Keep hidden, that's basically it. They are more rules but those are the basic ones." He grinned at him; just wait till he has to go over everything about missions!
With Amy and Rose
Amy was inspecting Rose's arm, it was quite a nasty injury. But Rose didn't complain instead she kept reassuring Amy that it was her own fault not Vengeance's. If only she was a little faster. She hissed as Amy probed her arm in a different place then last time.
"Careful, that hurt." She couldn't help but say that, the pain was incredible; it was as if her whole arm was on fire, but then again she had worse. She had pain which had inflicted her emotionally. You know when they say that you'll heal in time? Well what if you don't heal after all that time and still feel that same pain tormenting you over and over... they never tell you that bit, do they? Once again Amy saw that look in her eyes, sadness, pain, anger, and confusion. Rose growled realising that she was growing soft, her eyes hardened once again, she stood up quickly, and ignoring the pain she walked out of the Diner and into Training facility 7 where she continued her intense training once more, leaving a confused hedgehog behind her. Amy watched her friend go, even though Rose didn't say where she was going she had a feeling that she was heading back into her favourite training facility but surely she couldn't continue training with an injured arm could she? That look she saw in her eyes, she was certain that it had something to do with her past, only god knows what she went through, but still, she can't dwell on that now, Anger began to rise inside of her again; this was all his doing, her head snapped to Vengeance direction. Amy figured that she was going to give Vengeance a piece of her mind; she walked towards him, clear anger in her eyes. Blackout was about to greet Amy, but that was when he saw visible anger in her eyes, he followed her gaze only to see that she was angry about Vengeance. He shrunk in his seat between Amy and Vengeance not wanting to get involved in the obvious fight that was about to erupt.
"Vengeance," her voice dripping with venom when she said his name, Vengeance looked up noticing how she said his name and glared at her, he also stood up so he could talk to her face to face. He was about 2 inches taller that she was, she couldn't help but feel smaller when she was face to face with him but still, that didn't mean that her anger will go away, not that easily. "How could you do that to Rose?!?!" her voice now penetrating the air between her and Vengeance.
"It wasn't my fault if the female can't fight properly." He sneered. That was the last draw, Amy lashed out on Vengeance, she jumped on him and was about to punch him when Vengeance stopped her attack by holding both of her arms. He placed both of her hands behind her back, not enough that it would hurt but enough so that she couldn't move. Blackout took over from there; he grabbed hold of Amy's waist before she would do something that she would regret later.
"Amy! Please calm down!!" Blackout said as he tried to hold back the screaming, kicking Amy from ripping Vengeance apart.
"Just give me five minutes with him!!!! I'll rip him to pieces!!!" She was about to get free as she noticed Blackout's grip slipping, she continued to struggle, almost there. But then Starlight just happened to caught her before she went loose.
"As if you could do that to me, Amy" Vengeance threw his head back in a mock laughter. Amy was about to explode if it weren't for Starlight holding her back.
"Amy listen to me, he's not worth it trust me." Starlight watched as Vengeance walked out of the room mocking Amy as he continued to laugh. She saw Amy relax a little when he went out of the room, figuring that she wouldn't be a threat to anyone except Vengeance, she let her go. Amy growled.
"I don't understand how she can put up with him!!" she threw her hands up in the air. Starlight gave her a quizzical look.
"Who?" she asked simply.
"Rose of course, I mean she even trained with him!! Honestly, I can't understand how she can deal with him for 5 minutes let alone 5 hours!!!!!" she growled once more, Starlight nodded understanding Amy's point.
"True, I agree to your point I don't think anyone can stand him unless they're insane." She heard Amy giggle at her remark. "But you got to remember that all Rose wants is to get stronger, why? I don't know..." She trailed off, and then she looked at Amy as if she was expecting a question from her but when she didn't ask her anything she might as well tell her now. "You see it don't you?" she asked but only getting a question look as a response. "That look in her eye," she sat down before continuing. "Normally when you look at Rose's eyes, all you see is well... nothing...But you rarely see those same emotions, pain, misery, and sadness. You only see them from the corner of your eye and so you dismiss what you saw because if you ask her about it she would think that you were crazy and therefore you would think that you were imagining it and that it was all in your head, but deep down you know that that is not true." She stopped explaining when she saw that Amy was beginning to understand.
"But why?" she asked Starlight but only found herself answering her own question. "Her past..." Starlight nodded.
"It's obvious that something happened but what? Did she tell you?" Amy shook her head, Starlight shrugged. "I suppose that she wouldn't give up that easy, but I really want to know."
"You're not the only one." Amy said looking at the ground as if she was trying to figure it out but couldn't. Just then Rose came into the room still clutching her arm.
"Speak of the devil" Starlight muttered under her breath. Rose walked over to Amy, wincing slightly when she felt pain but only for a moment. She glanced at Amy and Blackout. (Forgot about him didn't you?)
"The boss wants to see us, you better hurry up." She glanced at Starlight. "Sorry Starlight but it seems he wants to see me, Amy, Blackout and Vengeance." Amy growled when she said his name. Starlight nodded knowing the situation, and so she walked out, by now the Diner was empty, leaving the remaining 3 hedgehogs. "Come on." She said as she walked out of the room followed by Blackout and Amy. She walked down a number of corridors, occasionally turning left and right, it was by now that Blackout realised how huge this place is, it seemed that Amy didn't know where Rose was going either as she kept looking around while following Rose. After a while Rose stopped at a red fabric covered door, she opened it and walked inside, Amy walked in after her while Blackout was still unsure about this, but figuring that it Amy was in this situation he had no choice after all he was here to look after her wasn't he? He stepped inside noticing that Vengeance was already inside, looking at the huge screen on the wall in front of him while there was little screens around it, and the floor had the same red fabric as the door it seemed that the whole room was red but only in different material. It was then that the screen switched on by itself and there shown was a brown cat? He was wearing dark sunglasses like Blackout and so it concealed the cat's identity, presuming that he was the Boss he wondered if he should say something to gain his trust but before he could say anything, Rose began to speak.
"Sir, I have brought Amy and Blackout just like you ask." She stated clearly.
"Ah, well done Rose, I must say it is a long time since the last time I saw you and you too Vengeance." He said switching his attention from Rose and Vengeance. "Now to business, as you know since I have called both my favourite yet talented members of this organization, that this mission is not one for the others. There is an Island south east from here, apparently there are sightings of some strange creatures, creatures that defy nature, also it seems that there is a cult group involved, they call themselves The Illusionados they are apparently linked to the development of these creatures. But what sparks my interest is that there are being controlled by some signal. This signal is able to be heard by the creatures, although you cannot hear such a thing it sends out sonic waves that these creatures are able to pick up, I suppose the same purpose is used in dog whistles. There is a special specimen that I want you four to pick up for me, this specimen is needed to find out about this signal and also how it is used to control these creatures. Once you have obtained it a chopper will come and pick you up, then you will give this specimen to our scientists in the west end of this building. Understand?" Rose and Vengeance nodded although Amy and Blackout looked with a questioned expression.
"But, I don't understand one thing. Why does Amy and Blackout have to come with us? They aren't ready for a regular mission let only this kind of mission." Rose folded her arms. "And also one more thing, why does that idiot have to come with us." She jerked her head to Vengeance's direction. Vengeance snorted.
"Although why do I have to put up with you everyday, I do not know..." Rose turned her body so that she was facing him.
"You got some nerve saying that when I have to put up with your ignorant and arrogant ass every time I face you." She looked back at the Boss who was arching an eyebrow, wondering where this verbal fight is going. Meanwhile both Amy and Blackout was watching the two trade insults. Amy giggled.
"What's funny Amy?" Blackout asked, not realising how close they were to each other.
"Oh nothing, want to help me with my plan?" she asked turning her body so that she faced him completely. Now it was Blackout's turn to arch an eyebrow.
"With what exactly?" he asked her who was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"How about you helping me fix Rose and Vengeance together?" her voice had turned into a whisper that only he could hear. As soon as she said this Blackout gagged.
"Them?" his voice was also to a whisper level as hers as he pointed at the two hedgehogs that were still insulting each other but was still keeping their cool. "You can't be serious? They would rip each others heads off if you leave them alone in a room together." By now he was folding his arms, but he couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. Hearing he chuckle she asked him again.
"Well? Yes or no?" she looked at him with those big beautiful eyes she used to show him back when she was persuading him to go a date with her, all the more reason to stay with her for now and to eventually apologise for the things he had done to her. Snapping his mind out of his little daydream he answered Amy's question.
"I suppose it would be a laugh," he chuckled "Sure, why not?" he grinned at her before turning his attention back to Rose and Vengeance, who were still arguing.
"Hmph, I would be surprised if those creatures don't attack you since you're that hideous." Vengeance simply said. Rose frowned before replying.
"I would laugh if you make it out of this mission on your own two feet instead of depending on your insults." Rose said coolly, resisting herself not to strangle him right there. Before Vengeance could reply the Boss interrupted.
"Sorry about this interruption but I have things to do and so you don't mind if I leave you to pack for your things, do you? By the way you are expected to leave for this mission tomorrow morning where a chopper will meet you at the extraction point. Good luck to all of you, let us hope you will learn and also get some enjoyment from this." And with that the screen shut itself off, Rose was the first to head for the door, her hand was on the door handle when Vengeance happened to speak.
"I suppose you want me to help you with your things?" he asked politely already the conversation before hand forgotten. Rose turned around her body facing him once again, her fists clenched tightly by her sides, her face with her usual frown and her eyes once again so cold.
"I don't need anyone," she said coldly, remembering that her words were exactly the same from when she refused Shadow's help. She hissed at the pain in her arm once again, she thought that the pain was over, looks like she was wrong. She glanced at her injured arm and saw the blood flowing freely from her wound, seeing this Amy gasped, she didn't like seeing even the tiniest drop of blood and at the sight of it she froze. Rose growled, she just got it to stop bleeding, she looked at her clothing and sighed, this was her favourite top and it looks like she going to have to tear a piece of cloth just to stop the bleeding. She gripped the shoulder part of the top; she was just about to tear it off when she heard a ripping sound. Her eyes followed the noise and found Vengeance ripping a piece of his own clothing and before she could blink, he was by her side wrapping the wound with the cloth. Rose was stunned, mainly because someone was actually helping her but not anyone, Vengeance! The one person she hated, the one person she didn't get along with and he was helping her! Her! Of all people, maybe he had a kind side to him? It was then that she was beginning to feel something, something she hadn't felt in a while, was it happiness? Joy? Her mental defences began to kick in again as she frown, not liking this at all as she definitely knew was growing soft again. She looked at Vengeance who was wrapping the cloth around her arm pretty tight, but at least it stops the blood from flowing anymore. "Thanks" was all she said when he was done as she walked out of the door, hearing Vengeance grunt in response as to say 'your welcome' she continued to walk down the way she had came. Following her, Vengeance, Amy and Blackout walked down the same way, all the way to their chambers they didn't say a word to each other although Blackout could see Amy watching him from the corner of her eyes, although she thought he didn't notice, he knew that Amy was in deep thought and he was sure that it had something to do with him. When both Rose and Vengeance had parted to their chambers, it was only Amy and Blackout left as they walked down the familiar corridor.
"So umm... Do you need help with packing anything?" Blackout asked after a long silence.
"Umm not really... But I'm sure that you will, if you have trouble unpacking your things imagine what you will have to pack for this mission." They both chuckled at that. "Don't worry; I'll be at your chamber in a few minutes okay?" He immediately nodded his head not wanting this opportunity to be with her pass by. She giggled at his response and entered her security code that she needed to enter her room. Once the door opened, she stepped inside and gave a quick wave to Blackout before the door automatically closed. He couldn't help but grin to himself. He was going on a mission with Amy, even though Rose and Vengeance was coming as well, he was sure that the two would be to involved with their verbal fights rather then to notice him and Amy. Keeping that thought, he walked to his chamber and punched in his security code, while inside he looked at his surroundings, wondering which things to bring for this upcoming mission. Rose on the other hand was already packed, she always have her things packed, why? Just in case she would have to leave like she did in her past life. She looked at the wall in front of her, since she was lying in her bed she thought she might do some shadow creatures just to past the time. Using the light she lifted her hands and putted then together, after a few different hand positions she glanced at the shadow it had created, and sure enough there was a dog's head shadow on the wall. She chuckled, she remembered someone showing her how to do these ridiculous yet amusing things, who showed her? I bet your asking yourselves that right now but what your guessing would be wrong, no it wasn't a black hedgehog, (as if he was capable with such ridiculous things) not her mother or father, they were all to busy with their jobs. But someone else, someone she would rather forget, who knew that the person who you trust the most ends up breaking your heart. Oh how her past life was very complicated, too many faces in very little time, she would try to remember but figured it was best to forget, yet she never does. She looked again at the wall in front of her; she could train with her shadow creatures while she was waiting for morning to come. She raised her hand and faced it at the wall; she then mumbled some words, after a few seconds a black hole appeared on the wall, she whistled and out came a black wolf? The wolf stopped at his master's feet and sat obediently like he was trained to do. His master patted him on his head, and chuckled when he jumped into her lap. How did she have this power? Good question, it happened in her past life, to be honest someone taught her it, who? I'll leave you to guess. Right now, all she has to worry about was a certain blue hedgehog with red highlights, and the upcoming mission, after all since when did anything go smoothly?
Well there's Chapter 11, hope you guys like it! Remember review!!! Or no 12th chapter...