A slight warning: this is more of a plot based chapter instead of a romantic one, though I tried to throw in a few snippets of romance. If you think about it, though, with in the Sonic Universe, they are constantly doing missions and battles as heroes so any romance will have to come in that context realistically. So that's why I try and add that adventure side to my stories.
Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 8: Thunder and Lightning
Tails headed towards the garage that held his plane, the X-Tornado, musing over everything that had happened.
These things he held as facts:
1. There was a tear in the space-time continuum that needed to be repaired before the two dimensions collapsed or time stopped.
2. Silver and Blaze would be two valuble additions to the team.
3. The Sol Emeralds and Chaos Emeralds were somehow connected, since they attracted each other.
4. They would have to track down both sets of Emeralds in order to repair the tear and get everything back to normal.
Chances were, Eggman was a part of this somehow, so a visit to his now-flying base certainly made sense. He probably had at least one of either the Chaos or Sol Emeralds.
Tails pushed the button that opened the garage door which led to the runway, and was dismayed to see that the hard rain had started back up again. This did not bode well for the coming trip. He'd flown in a thunderstorm before, but it wasn't exactly what you'd call safe. Especially if Sonic and Knuckles would be riding on the wings.
The fox bit his lip nervously and drummed his fingers against the side of the X-Tornado, caught in indecision. Would they really have time to wait out this storm? If the weird weather patterns were caused by the dimensional tear, then it was likely to get worse, not better. They only had a limited amount of time anyway.
But on the other hand, there was a very good chance that the they would be hit by lightning. Was that worth the risk?
"Tails, what's wrong?" Cream's sugary sweet voice broke his thoughts.
He turned to the rabbit. It certainly wasn't safe to bring Cream along. The girl was brave, but she wasn't wasn't quite old enough to go on these highly dangerous missions just yet.
"Uh," Tails said, "I was just thinking...it might be a good idea if you stayed behind, Cream."
The rabbit tilted her head and studied him quizzically. "Why?"
"Chao?" Cheese added.
"It's very dangerous to fly in a thunderstorm," Tails said matter-of-factly. "And it won't exactly be safe in Eggman's base, either."
Cream studied him for a minute. Tails looked so serious. "You really think so, Tails?"
He nodded. In fact, he was sure of it.
"Alright," the girl said and smiled. "Good luck to all of you, then."
Tails couldn't help but smile back. Cream was such a nice, polite girl. She never failed to cheer anybody up.
"Tails, what's the hold up?"
He turned away from Cream's chocolately brown eyes to Amy's expectant green ones. She had her hands on her hips.
Tails sighed. "I think we may have a problem."
Amy raised an eyebrow. "Problem?"
Tails nodded. "I'll explain when everyone gets here."
********
Meanwhile, the newcomers were standing detached, waiting for everyone else to get out and processing their own thoughts and observations.
Silver looked at Blaze. "Well, what do you think?" he asked her.
Blaze turned her eyes from Amy, Tails, and Cream, and two pairs of hazel eyes met. "They're all so different. They seem to balance each other out well. But it can also cause internal fighting."
"You're right," Silver acknowledged. "But they seem to be on the side of justice."
Blaze huffed. How could he trust people so easily? She just wanted her Sol Emeralds and to get back to their world.
"I'll suspend all further judgment until I see how this mission goes," was all she said.
"Blaze-" Silver said, and then noticed he took her hand without realizing it. Blaze didn't pull away.
"Don't be so upset. I know that we've always fought just us two before...But I think we can trust these guys." Silver continued.
"Silver-"
"Don't call me naive," Silver said firmly. "What bad can come from working alongside them? I mean, they already gave you the Sol Emerald they found."
This was true. Blaze nodded. Maybe Silver was right. It wouldn't be the first time.
"Hey, we're not that bad, are we?" An unfamiliar voice cut through their conversation.
Blaze and Silver turned. Sonic was standing there, leaning against the wall, wearing an odd grin.
Does this guy always smile? Blaze wondered.
Silver suddenly became very conscious of the fact that he was holding Blaze's hand. He let go a little reluctantly, but the warmth stayed on his hand.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Sonic continued. "But-"
"Hey Sonic, where are Knuckles and Rouge?" Tails interrupted.
"Oh, they're still in there," he said casually, indicating Tails' house.
"Wait, you left Knuckles and Rouge alone in there?" Amy said, and her face bloomed into a grin.
The blue hedgehog shrugged. "I didn't leave them, they just stayed behind."
"Whose staying behind?" Knuckles' gruff voice echoed through the garage. The echidna walked in, his hand wrapped around Rouge's.
"We all are," Tails said before anyone else could.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Sonic asked.
Tails lifted a gloved hand and pointed outside the garage. Everyone's gaze followed his gesture. "Look. The rain's started back up. And there's thunder and lightning. Not ideal flying weather. There's a good chance that we may get hit by lightning. Now, the X-Tornado has some lightning reflectors on it but they don't always work, and with Sonic and Knuckles riding on the wings it's even more dangerous."
"We'll just wait out the storm, then," Amy said. It certainly wasn't worth the risk.
"No, we don't have time to wait," Sonic said. "Tails, you've flown in storms before, right?"
Tails frowned. Great. Sonic was gung-ho, as usual. "Yes, but not when I can avoid it."
"Well, we can't avoid it now," Knuckles said. "You said yourself there wasn't much time."
"No, Knuckles, this isn't worth it," Amy said. "Do you want to get hit by lightning?"
"He won't," Cream said. "I'm not coming, so he can take my seat."
Amy looked at the rabbit. That was all well and good, but..."What about Sonic?"
Sonic shook his head. "Don't worry about me!"
"Sonic, you can outrun thunder, not lightning!" Amy insisted.
"Argh!" Knuckles grumbled, and rammed his fist against the wall. "It's not even raining that hard. Get over it. Danger has never stopped us before!"
"Hey, calm down, guys," Sonic said. "Silver, Blaze, Rouge?"
Rouge just didn't see the urgency of the mission, and suggested they wait. Blaze and Silver though, were willing to take their chances. Which made it 4 against 3 in favor of going.
"Then it's settled," Sonic said, and jumped onto the right wing of the X-Tornado, trying to make a point. He looked at Amy, not surprised at the worry etched on her face. He winked at her.
"Alright then," Tails said reluctantly. "Everybody climb in."
Knuckles and Rouge took the second set of seats, Silver and Blaze jumped into the third section, and Amy reluctantly climbed in behind Tails.
Why did it always have to be Sonic doing the most dangerous part of the mission? Amy thought.
Tails started up his plane and took off. The X-Tornado jetted down the runway before eventually catching air and taking off.
The passengers were all musing their own thoughts. Even though Amy was terribly worried about him, she couldn't help but admire how hott Sonic looked soaking wet, his arms crossed and quills ruffled by the wind. Rouge was wondering when she'd get that jewel Knuckles promised her. Blaze was trying not to focus on the fact that she was over a hundred feet off the ground. Knuckles' and Silver's thoughts were actually on the coming mission. Sonic was just hoping he wasn't about to get hit by lightning.
And Tails? He was realizing that problems seemed to come in threes: the dimension tear, flying during a thunderstorm, and...well, the last one wasn't he wasn't quite sure about, and it wasn't really a problem, but Tails thought maybe, just maybe...he might have feelings for Cream.
Ah, but he couldn't let himself go down that road again. He'd already loved and lost before. Tails was much too logical to make that same mistake twice.
Maybe that was why you really wanted her to stay behind? Because you couldn't stand to put another girl in danger?
What, so just because I wanted to protect her it means I like her? I don't think so.
For some reason at that moment, Tails recalled Sonic telling him that exact same thing awhile ago. About Amy.
Tails shook off the thought. Here the rest of them were, flying through the middle of a thunderstorm, and it was his job right now to get them all to Eggman's ship safely. And Sonic was even flying on the outside of the plane. He'd even insisted on it. The hedgehog's bravery was simply unmatched. Or maybe just his ego.
"Tails, we have company," Amy's strained voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
The fox looked up and saw a bunch of ships heading for them. Great. Just what they needed right now.
"O-kay," Tails said, and started to reach for his laser weapons. "Hold on everybody."
***********
