Warning:I'm not calling anyone stupid, but just incase you missed it in the summary, this story is the sequel to my fic 'Darkest After Dusk'.
And, OC haters, general dislikers, or even likers, she is going to be a very much smaller part of the story this time around. This focuses mostly on Vanilla and Rouge.
Act I, Scene I
Listen Up
Time and time again I awake and draw the blinds open. Heavy sunlight floods the room, much to the annoyance of the hedgehog in the bed behind me, "Close the curtain!" he jeers, turning over and disappearing in a swaddle of sheet and blanket. All I do is giggle at that, before hopping over to the closet.
"Sorry Shadow, " I began, throwing on a random shirt, ", but you knew we would be getting up early today. You shouldn't have stayed up all night watching softcore porn on HBO."
The black hedgie immediately sprang up, "That's not what I was doing!!!" he roared, seething with anger. I just laughed again as I threw on some jeans.
"Calm down. You're so uptight." I said, masking the pity in my voice as I turned to the mirror, "I know it's strange that the Commander would actually be throwing the soldiers a party, but it would be rude not to go."
Throwing his legs over the side, Shadow muttered, "What's rude is making us get up at the ass crack of dawn just for some stupid party." the hedgehog stood and snapped all his joints back into place before heading over to the closet, "Can't he just give us some fake medals or something? When I'm on vacation, I usually like to stew in my bed for a few hours before getting up completely." he groaned, grabbing a most likely not-clean tee-shirt.
I giggled again, "Yes, sleeping in is fun, but you know what that one guy said, 'early to bed, early to rise, makes a man more eligible for a promotion!'"
"That's not what he said." Shadow grumbled.
"Well, going to this party will do just that, so like it or not, you're going!" I said sternly, grabbing a brush and running it through my hair, "Our Commander is throwing us a party in celebration of all our hard work!"
Shadow scoffed, "Oh please. The only reason he's even throwing this party is because you helped in a fake capture."
The memories came flooding back, "Yes, it seems unethical that this is all for something that's not even real, but if we don't want to get caught, we'll just have to play along." I sighed, putting the brush down and buttoning the last button on my shirt.
"Easy for you to say, " Shadow grumbled, ", when you're getting up this early while that little wolf just keeps herself glued to our couch." Even in light of something good that has happened, Shadow remains as stotic as ever.
What he said was no lie however. Though she might not always be on our couch, it's safe to say that Dusk has pretty much taken up residence at our humble abode. Shadow didn't take that too lightly, feeling that the wolf was freeloading. My opinion differed. She worked off her stay, willing to do anything we told her. If we told her to clean the apartment, it would be spotless within the hour. I enjoyed that. A lot.
I spied said wolf asleep on the couch as we headed for the door, "She's got our number if anything goes wrong."
As we walked out, Shadow mumbled again, "If someone discovers she's here, we're both screwed, you know that don't you?"
I laughed, "Oh, Shadow, that's what makes it exciting!" and shut the door...
-------------------------------------------
It was a short drive to G.U.N. HQ, and a silent one as well. I didn't really have too much to say, and Shadow was already back asleep by the time I pulled out of the parking lot. I shook him awake once we arrived, "C'mon, it's just for a few hours. You can pass out as soon as we get back home."
Shadow got out and shut his door, "You'd better be able to keep that promise..." We headed inside.
An overly cheerful voice greeted us before we were even five feet inside, "Rouge! Shadow! You made it!" a brown haired woman came running up to us, donned in her uniform and badge, "I'm suprised you two are actually here this early. The party doesn't start until noon."
I could practically feel the heat from Shadow's anger from behind me, to which I laughed a bit to myself, "Well, we thought we could help set everything up. Every thing needs to be perfect!"
Topaz pulled us into the mess hall, "Oh, don't you two worry about that. Everything's set up and ready." the room was littered with decorations and party supplies, "Seems Commander really went all out. That must've been one hell of a capture Rouge." I slowly nodded as I took notice of the banner that read, 'CONGRADULATIONS OFFICER ROUGE', showcasing praise for my capture of Dusk. I couldn't help but smile at that.
"Seems a bit much for one criminal, don't ya think?" I asked, waltzing in to check out more of the colorful decorations.
Topaz laughed and put a hand on my shoulder, "Don't be so modest Rouge. You aided in the capture of one of our most wanted murderers, you should be proud of yourself!" we were both silent for a while, before Topaz flashed a sad smile, "Vanilla did a lot of this for you. She's really greatful that you got that wolf...well...killed. She deserved it for hurting her daughter."
I didn't feel too well at that point, remembering how Dusk had attacked Cream, "Y-yeah...How is she doing by the way? I haven't seen her in a while..."
The woman sighed and sat down, "It's hard to say for sure. She's been feeling a bit better lately, but something tells me she isn't completely over this just yet. I hear that Cream is still in that coma." Topaz's tone was noticably weighed down with grief over the rabbits, "The docters said she would be alright, but they had no idea when she'll wake up...if she does..."
After another brief silence, she stood, "But, this day is about you Rouge!" she cheered, immediately switching attitudes, "So cheer up! We've got a party to...party to!"
The woman's incurable optimism began to infect me. It wasn't long before I did the exact same turn around, leaping out of my seat and throwing a fist into the air. I grabbed the woman's hands, and we bounced happily, all while cheering, "Yeah! Let's party!!!"
The room was silent for a while, before Shadow said from the corner, "...you two look like fools."
...Couldn't really blame him for that one...
---------------------------------
The party was rather un-eventful. As happy as I was everyone wished to celebrate my efforts, I wasn't much for parties. Half the soldiers were either drunk or dancing like idiots. It just wasn't my scene, so I just stayed back over at the drink table. I'm suprised our Commander even let beer into the party, and I'm even more suprised that Topaz was still level-headed, "Some party, eh?" she asked me.
I could practically taste the sarcasm dripping from her voice, "Not by my standards, hm hm hm." I poured some coke into my glass, "What's Vanilla doing?"
One glace at the rabbit was enough to tell me. Vanilla was at the table, a few empty cups surrounding her. The glazed, drunken look in her eyes was striking. Depression loomed arounder like thick smog. With a hateful groan, she guzzled down another cup, "She hasn't been feeling too well lately." Topaz turned to me, "I heard that she never got to speak with her daughter's attacker. Apparently, that wolf escaped and killed herself before we could capture her again. Vanilla had hoped she could confront her, but now that she can't, she's been feeling pretty depressed."
I reminicesed the entire situation Topaz mentioned, bringing up memories of when I helped Dusk escape. After seeing Vanilla like this, I would've gladly let the two talk to each other, but I was worried Vanilla would rip her heart out, "I've never seen her like this. Of all people, I never guessed Vanilla would resort to drinking. I thought she would be smarter than that..."
The woman placed a hand on my shoulder, "You should go talk to her, maybe you can cheer her up?" I nodded at her and carefully made my way over to said rabbit.
I was terrified at the way she looked at me. Her eyes were so full of hatred and rage towards nothing, staring straight through me. I could practically feel heat radiating off of her as I sat down, "Um...h-hi Vanilla...enjoying the party?" I asked, a bit hesitant.
Another draw on her beverage was the only response I got.
A sigh escaped my lips, "Vanilla, I know you won't get to talk to Dusk, but think about it..." I took her hand and forced a smile, "If you had, it wouldn't have helped Cream. Plus, if she's dead, that means she won't hurt anyone else. I thought you would be happy about that?" Rudely scoffing, she turned away, keeping her head hung low.
"Bet you wouldn't think that if your Shadow was hurt..." she quickly snapped back, with enough silent hate to make me gasp. Another sigh, and I walked around to her side.
"Vanilla...you seem to be forgetting that Cream isn't dead."
This one statement set her off like a match next to a gas tank, "She might as well be!!!" Vanilla roared, slamming the table with her fist before breaking down sobbing. Shocked by her reaction, I crept back a bit, "I can't take this again! Having Mint die was already too much! I can't lose Cream too!" I'd never seen the woman so broken. Every time I faced her, although that wasn't much, she always seemed happy, even in the most horrendous situations. It seemed as though Cream was her drive, and now that she had lost that, she was a shattered soul of a woman. This whole ordeal was her doom. Having your daughter attacked by a smooth criminal...
It's just enough to break a girl...
------------
Vanilla needed an escape from the party, if she was to calm down. I led her outside to a nearby bench, where her sobs slowed to mournful whimpers. I threw arm around her, "I know what you're going through is hard, but I know, that Cream will wake up someday, and someday soon." she looked up at me, tears still streaming down her cheeks, "And you had better be by her bedside, smiling, not like this."
The rabbit couldn't help but smile at that, "...Yes...And when she does, I'll quit this Chaos-Forsaken military job of mine..."
Those words struck me like an assasin's dagger, "V-Vanilla..." I stammered, "This is the Military...you--you can't leave!"
Vanilla sighed disdainfully, "I should've known you'd feel that way." the woman stood, and glared at me with as much hate as she had before, "Rouge, the military is the entire reason I've had to raise Cream myself for the past six years. All those untrained idiots took him before his time." her fist shook as she turned away from me again, "You know I only took this job so I could find out what happened to Cream. That's already done. I'm just waiting for the day she wakes up, so I can forget this awful place and go back to being her mother...I don't care if all I can do is pack up my things and run. We'll find another place."
This sudden change began to worry me a bit, "Vanilla, that's desertion! They'll hunt you down and throw you in prison! What will happen to Cream then, huh?" I paused, trying to calm myself, "Besides, the Commander himself has given you status as one of our best soldiers! Your cedentials are almost as good as mine! You can't just throw that all away, can you?"
"I don't care what you say Rouge!" she retorted, "I can't stand this place a minute longer. Every day I put on this act just to please that big-wig commander. Where has that gotten me? A branding as one of the military's attack dogs, ready to be ripped from her home called into battle at a moment's notice!"
"Vanilla..." I said softly, "You're over-reacting..."
She scoffed at me and turned her nose up, "You know that whole mess with Shadow and the Black Arms? What about that, huh? An example of everything I'm trying to say to you!"
I was puzzled, "What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about having to hunt down people the military tells you are bad!" she hissed, throwing words at me like they were here weapons, "They jumped to conclusions and tried to have him killed for no good reason! Then, what does he do? He saves the planet, and we're just supposed to pretend everything is okay?!"
I had nothing more to say. Vanilla's words were the truth. The hard, bitter, terribly cold truth, "Vanilla..."
She stormed off, "Think about it Rouge...someday...you'll wake up realizing the horrors you've contributed to...lord knows I have..."
---------------
My walk home was long and rather uncomfortable. Vanilla's words buzzed around my mind at a million miles a second, and I would most likely end up repeating them to Shadow once I got home. He had left to, 'go get some pretzels' and never came back. Right now, I almost wish I had done the same. At least I would still have my pride.
A faint click granted me enterance to my home, to which I was greeted by a suprisingly cheerful Dusk, "Welcome home !"
I had explained this to her a million times before, "Dusk, no need to be so formal."
"Yes m'am!" she saluted, to which I rolled my eyes and smiled. It seems the little wolf has had a major change in her out look on life. Dusk has become quite the optimist since she's been at my apartment, "Did you have fun at that party that the selfish hedgie Shadow left?"
I laughed again as I threw myself onto the couch, "Oh, it was alright. Some of the soldiers got drunk, so that was pretty funny. I guess the day went pretty well."
Dusk looked as if she couldn't contain herself, "Well, it's about go get even better!" I raised one brow, "In honor if your efforts, I'm making dinner for you guys tonight!"
Before I could say another word, she sped off into the kitchen, leaving Shadow to make his way in. He looked at me disapprovingly, "You know better than to lie Rouge, what really happened? I saw you talking to Vanilla." he said, sitting down beside me.
I released another sigh, "She's broken Shadow...It's not the Vanilla I know. Nearly losing Cream has struck her at the core. She couldn't even force a smile when she saw me..." I thought long and hard about what she had said to me, trying to decide weather I should've told him or not...
I did.
"We should quit." I uttered under my breath.
Shadow seemed a bit startled, "What was that?"
My eyes were firmly locked on the ground, "Vanilla...she told me some very convincing things. I've never really thought too much about it before. I only joined G.U.N. for the money, but...now that I think about it...G.U.N. has really done some terrible things...things that we've been a part of."
The ebony hedgehog scoffed and folded his arms, "You're over-reacting."
"That's what I said." I instantly came back with, getting to my feet, "We don't even think about what we're doing in our cases! We just blindly follow whatever the higher ups tell us to do! We're like their attack dogs!"
Shadow looked at me furiously, "Rouge! You are making no sense!" he roared, "What are you talking about, 'blindlly following whatever we're told'?! If you had done that, Dusk wouldn't even be in our house right now! You're letting what Vanilla said get to you!"
"Shadow! I am--"
A single voice broke the eruption of words spewing from us, "Dinner's ready!" Dusk called cheerfully from the kitchen.
Shadow and I exchanged glances, silently telling ourselves we would finish this argument later. With that, we headed into the kitchen, and ate dinner without another word...
end chapter one.