*walks in, sees everything all dusty and such, few cobwebs here in there* ...sigh. Well, I've certainly been a bit busy, haven't I?

To be honest, yes, I've been INCREDIBLY busy. There's applying to universities, jobs, scholarships, getting high school stuff done (finals is coming up), managing my Youtube channel, playing games SO I can manage my Youtube account...yeah.

But never fear, I'm here with a story. Now, a lot of you may remember that I said last chapter I would be focusing this part of the story from Rouge's point of view...well, I've changed my mind. Remember how I said I was going to do a story with Shadow and Sonic that are both canon to this story? Well, I could always use that. Not to mention since Alot and Rouge will be focusing on the same story anyways, I might as well do this from Alot's point of view.

If you guys want to know Alot a bit more, I posted his full character sheet on my profile. Granted, it's subject to change, but I like how the sheet is to begin with. Anyways, the story so far? Silver's hospitalized from the Metal Sonic fight, and after meeting the mysterious Alot the Hedgehog, Rouge and Alot decide to find a fruit that will heal Silver's wounds within a day.

With that said...let's rock.

(ALOT'S POV)

Pleasant. I'm going back up the damn mountain. Of all the things to happen, the one time I meet someone to handle those godforsaken creatures, he just so happens to get mangled by a robot. Freaking lovely.

Alright, so me and...what's the broads' name? Rouge? We're supposed to find a cure for the guy, Silver. Well, the only way we'll be able to cure him within a day is by getting the All-cure fruit, at least that's what the residents of Grayley call it. Which is on top of Grayley Mountain. *sigh* This day, I tell you, it just aims to please.

You can probably tell I'm quite peeved. That's because I am. A certain someone lives on top of the mountain, and that's someone I want to dodge. Not to mention the mountain is one of the most difficult mountains to climb. So far, only two guys who can't fly have been able to climb the mountain and get back down without dying. That would be me and...him. There's one guy I need to avoid, and that's him. Fortunately, I'm quite stealthy.

"So this fruit, it's at the top of the mountain, right?" said Rouge. Yeah, it couldn't be near the middle, it had to be like any other miracle item and be incredibly difficult to get. What was it called? A plot MacGuffin? Meh, I can't remember.

"Yeah. Considering my quick movements and your flight, we should be able to get up there within an hour's time. Once we're done, you'll take the fruit and glide down to the hospital and give it to Silver. Then I'll climb down and we'll leave tomorrow. You're coming with us, right?" I asked.

"No, actually. I have to meet up with some friends of mine."

"I'm guessing one of them is that big, clunky robot of yours?"

"Yeah. E-123 Omega. He was created by Eggman, but got shut down, unlike all the other E-series robots. Ever since, Omega has had this one-track mind of destroying Eggman and anything he's built."

"Eggman. I've heard of him. He's the one that was responsible for almost destroying the entire planet a while ago."

"That's the one."

By this point, we were already climbing the mountain. And it looks like my prediction was right; we were making good time. We were already a quarter of the way up the mountain, which takes most people thirty minutes to climb. It only took us ten.
However, we were also nearing some creatures I'd rather not be near.

"Hey Rouge. I need you to do something for me." I said. She looked at me curiously. "Fly up and keep flying for about thirty minutes. Do not land. I'm going to hide for a bit, but I'll show up when thirty minutes pass."

"Why? What's the trouble?" Rouge asked. Oh that's nice. Off all the people to go up the mountain with me, I get one of the curious ones.

"Just...please. For your own safety, just-"

"I think I can hold my own against whatever you're scared of. Or maybe you can get over your fears and be my knight in shining armor?" ...flirting. She really wants to flirt. At a time like this.

"Rouge, PLEASE, just-"

"Come on, what's the worry, Mister Knight?" AUUUGGGHHH.

"We're going to end up seeing creatures. Dangerous, vicious creatures. They're called Puritans, and let me tell you, that robot you and Silver told me about earlier? He would be scrap metal twice over fighting just one of these things. Even one of their pups could hold their own against him." I wasn't lying. Puritans were savage, savage creatures. Not only were they cold-blooded killers, they're intelligent too. They can't speak our language, but they're just as smart, if not smarter, than most people I know.

"Well if that's the case..." Rouge said. I sighed. Finally, some actual decency- "I'll be able to see what you're made of, Sir Knight." ...what did I do to piss you off, God of Mobius?

"Rouge, I...I can't fight these things. They...they just..." I couldn't say it. I started choking up the minute I thought about it. Goddamn it Alot, you're a full grown HEDGEHOG. ACT like one.

But then I heard the growling. The snarling. "N-no...it couldn't be..." They were here.

The Puritans found us. They found us and they were ready to strike. Their red and white matted and messy fur, their jet black eyes, and their teeth fully exposed, sharp enough to go straight through metal with no issue. I gulped. How the HELL could I fight these things? I couldn't beat one, and chances are, neither has Rouge. After all, she's still alive.

"Alright, there are four of them here. Is there a pack leader?" Rouge asked.

"No...they don't need one. They're smart enough to come up with working strategies on their own." I said, shaking. I pulled out my usual kunai, which I call Striking Wind. My hand was shaking so much holding it was a challenge of its own.

"These guys don't look that tough. We can take them! Come on, Knight, it's you and me!" Rouge said. If we live through this, I'm putting her through an educational course of how my name is Alot.

The first Puritan ran straight towards me. Smart move. It could easily see my fear from my shaking. However, it got knocked away.
Wait, it got knocked away? In its place was Rouge, not shaking, breathing easy. "These guys have tougher skin than I thought. That kind of kick can dent armor." Rouge said. Well, that's a confidence booster. After that statement, I smiled and turned around. My smile faded as I saw another Puritan run towards me. It leaped, about to make me its new one-of-a-kind special. Not today.

I rolled straight under it, then backflipped onto the Puritan. Once I got onto its back, I repeatedly punched its head several times over while it tried to shake me off. I would've used my kunai, but seeing as how their skin is so tough, chances are, I would've only damaged it. I refuse to damage Striking Wind. Another Puritan ran towards me, and Rouge was busy fighting the other two. I waited for the right moment to strike. Once it was close enough, I jumped off the Puritan I was riding on, and let the charging Puritan jump over it. Once that happened, I kicked the leaping Puritan down to the other Puritan, making them collide with each other. It. Was. Awesome.
I landed on the Puritans, checking the top one's pulse. Damn, still beating. I don't dare to check the other one, as there's a good chance that the top one can chop my head clean off. I went to go help Rouge with her two Puritans, seeing as how she was struggling against them.

Rouge was fighting pretty hard. She was flying, but since the area was covered in trees, the Puritans simply climbed them and leaped towards her, with Rouge just barely dodging. I decided to use her flying to her advantage. Running up to a Puritan, I got ready to jump again. The Puritan, having noticed me, also ran towards me, with its claws outstretched and ready to strike. Once the moment came, I leaped over its claws, onto its head, and over to Rouge. Rouge, noticing my hands outstretched, grabbed me and swung me over to the other Puritan, which was leaping towards Rouge. Once we got close, I spun and kicked the Puritan on the bottom right of the jaw, sending it down to the ground. I stopped myself on the side of the tree, and got back on the ground beside Rouge. We were both exhausted from the fight, and the Puritans, while damaged, weren't down. In fact, they had already surrounded us. You know the words, so say it with me. There was no escape.

"So...how was your life?" I asked. Hey, ours was about to end, and I figured that her life flashed before her eyes like mine was about to.

"I have to say...it was quite...the experience." said Rouge. Good. All lives should have some sort of excitement. I closed my eyes, heard the final bark, and got ready to accept my fate.

Then I heard something. I heard the drawing of a sword, some quick stabs, and some bodies falling to the floor. More surprising, I wasn't dead...er, fate? You there? Hello?

That's when I saw someone. The one person I had wanted to dodge the entire time I was here. My old mentor and adoptive father: Takama.

"It's not safe for either of you to be here." he said as he put his sword in his sheathe. He looked towards the top of the mountain. "I can take you back to my place, but you have to stay in the shadows. Become darkness. Do you understand?" He was pretty firm. And I didn't blame him. He only stabbed a pack, a small pack at that. Coming from the looks of it, we weren't fighting pups, but not full grown Puritans either. I simply nodded, while Rouge did the same. We followed him back to his place, which was a quick journey. Takama always knew everything about the mountain. After all, he lived on it.

When we reached his place, I noticed Rouge's surprise. It wasn't a giant mansion, nor was it a pathetic wooden hut. It was a simple, ordinary house, with a regular window, doors, the works. Sure, it didn't get electricity, but it wasn't inhospitable. He went into the kitchen and lit the stove with a lighter. I guess he was making some hot chocolate. I remember questioning him when I was young why he didn't drink tea like all other old guys who live away from everyone else teaching kids martial arts. I expected something wise, like how tea disturbs the mind and chi or something. He said he didn't like how it tasted. Naturally, I was disappointed.

He gave us cups of hot chocolate, then asked us to sit down. "So," Takama asked, "What exactly are you two doing here? You especially. Last I checked, I was one of the last people on the planet you would've wanted to see." Damn, he's dead on.
Rouge spoke up. "My friend got injured in a fight with a frightful robot. We were hoping to find something to help heal him faster." Takama asked why this was, so Rouge proceeded to tell her side of the story. "I see." Takama said. He went back into the kitchen, and came back out with the All-Cure fruit. It was a small, easy to chew orange fruit with a yellow stripe circling the center. It pulsated with a red glow in the middle of it. "Give this to your friend. This will cure him in a days' time. Until then, make sure he gets plenty of rest, as this will make him quite sore." Rouge thanked him, and then looked at me. "I really have to thank you, kid. Without you, Silver would be stuck here, probably forever. Hopefully we'll see each other again, hmm?" She winked at me and give a sly smile. How cute.
"Yeah, it's no problem. Just give the fruit to Silver and go find Omega. And try not to fight any Puritans along the way, alright?" I said. I didn't make many friends, so I wanted her to be as careful as she could.
"Got it." She said. With that, she took off, fruit in hand. Once she was out of sight, I looked back at Takama, who was looking at me questionably. "You wouldn't help him out for no reason, that's not like you. What exactly was the point of you doing this, Alot?" Damn, he's REALLY dead on.
"Sensei, there's something about him. He can get me out of here, and help me see the world. I can be free from this city, free of the Puritans." I said.

"I told you a thousand times son, you're far too rash for the world."

"And how do you know this? How do you know if you won't let me into the world to begin with?!"

"The way you fought the Puritans was still to risky. Had you been even less careful than you already were, you would've died in the blink of an eye. Hell, you would've died even IF I hadn't come to save you."

"The world isn't full of Puritans, sensei. I can handle everything else perfectly fine."

"Have you fought everything else?"

We both looked at each other. It was clear that this argument would go without end. Our counter arguments just kept going and going. Eventually, Takama spoke up.

"You know, your parents...they wanted to see you grow up to be an adventurer. They wanted you to explore the world, taste new foods, meet new people." Takama said. "I suppose...maybe you're right." ...what? I'm...right? "Perhaps...perhaps you ARE ready. It's just...those Puritans...they frighten me as much as they do you. They killed your parents and were seconds from killing you. I don't want to see the same happen to you." Takama then gave me a stern look. "Explore the world. Do not come back here unless you have hours, days worth of stories to tell me. Explore with Silver, and help him get home. And whatever you do..." He grabbed my shoulder, and his eyes looked misty. "Don't die. Don't you dare die."

At this point, my eyes started getting misty too. This guy was the closest thing, no, he WAS my father. He took care of me, ever since I was just 2, and now, he's letting me go. "I promise you, sensei...I'll come back. I'll have more stories than your mind could possibly handle. And the first one will start with me bringing home a Puritans' coat." I smiled.

"Good. Now...perhaps you would want to take the catapult down? It WOULD be the quickest way down the mountain." Takama said. The catapult?

"Um...the catapult?" He then grabbed me and put me on a wooden platform.
"Don't worry! You'll land on something soft, hopefully!" Takama said. Before I could say "What?" I was launched out of the house and towards the city. I screamed all the way there. Thankfully, I landed safely in a cart full of pillows. Did I die? Surprisingly, no. Did I get injured? Very much, yes.

After getting out of the pillow cart, I stumbled my way towards the hospital. "Looks like my adventure...is finally about to begin." I slept by there, waiting for the morning to come.

FREAKING FINALLY. Wow, this chapter took a while. But I wanted to get the entire thing with Alot done in one go so I could go straight back to Silver. He IS the focus of the entire story, after all.

Anyways, I actually really like how things turned out. I explained Alot well, and I think I did a good job with Takama's character. I'll be posting a character sheet for him soon, and I'll also try to update more frequently.
The next chapter will be from Silver's point of view again. Alot will also not be the only OC you see from me either. Only problem is I need to make up another one.
See, Alot was one I had in my head for years, and was someone I wanted to pull off for quite sometime. Now that he's pulled off, I'm incredibly satisfied.

See ya next chapter. Read & Review, please. I REALLY love feedback.