A/N: HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! HOORAY! Yep, it's been exactly one year since not only the first chapter of Sontails: Dreams Come True but also of Twotailedfox's ff account :) It feels like only yesterday I just started writing and now I can't believe how far I've come. 5 stories, over 80 chapters and according to my user stats, a whoping 434,253 words archived and published. That's insane and honestly I couldn't have done it without you guys. So, as a thanks, not only will I be releasing this chapter to celebrate the milestone but I'm also releasing chapter 9 tomorrow as a back-to-back! So please, enjoy this chapter :)
Oh, and FYI, I know I've switched between Vapians and Vaposians before but I have decided they are Vaposians from here on out. Why? Well, because of the pun of course. They are pronounced VAPE-OCEANS. So Vaposians it is :D
Chapter 8
Separation Anxiety
Sonic sat on the edge of the brick-layered street, his feet dipped in the cool refreshing waters of the canals. He looked off to the left, his gaze following the rippling water that lapped the edges. Following it down the main part of the city until it discharged out into the vast, mysterious Mobian ocean. Sonic shuddered, a chill running up his spine as his thoughts travelled back to the last time they were all at the mercy of that very ocean. Back when they still had some peace in their life. Back before the leviathan attacked.
"Hey, you alright?" A voice broke through Sonic's daydream, bringing him back to his senses as he looked up and saw a shadow cast by the burning sun.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just thinking is all," Sonic replied with a sigh. He waited as he felt the presence of somebody sit down next to him their legs dangling down off the edge too, but not quite being tall enough to touch the water with their foot.
"About Tails again?" Blaze asked sympathetically, her own thoughts casting back towards the red echidna she often thought about.
"No," Sonic replied, surprising Blaze. "Well, I mean yeah, I'm always thinking about him but-"
"I know what you mean," Blaze interrupted. "I couldn't sleep at all last night. I couldn't stop thinking of him, of them both, and what happened to them."
"Same here, I just don't know what to do. I miss him so much, y'know?"
"What I do know is that we will see them again. I know we will."
"How can you be so sure?" Sonic asked, his usual optimism leaking out of him like water through a crack.
"Because I have the most powerful emotion in me," she smiled at Sonic.
"Love?"
"More powerful. Hope," Blaze looked over at the horizon where the vast expanse of ocean met the skyline. "One can never truly be sad if they have hope. It's like the tiniest glint of light in a world full of darkness and shadow. And I know that out there, somewhere, Knuckles and Tails are thinking of us. Tails is smart, he'll have the same plan as us. I know they are heading to Mobius and that's where we will meet them again."
"How can you be so sure?" Sonic pondered, still not convinced, although adoring the notion.
"Hope." That was all Blaze said before they sat in silence. After a few minutes of bathing in the warming sun, Sonic spoke up.
That's not the only thing I was thinking about, though. I was just thinking, y'know the creature that attacked us, right?"
"How could I forget? That scaly face will haunt my dreams for months," the cat shuddered just thinking about it.
"Well remember what Abyss said? She called it Levi, like she knew it. What if…" Sonic trailed off as Blaze's eyes suddenly grew large.
"…it was Razor that set that thing to attack us so that we would cooperate with him. Maybe he planned all this…" Blaze finished his thought as the idea suddenly rang true in her mind. "But… but why us? What would he want with us? For all he knows we were just random Mobians on a raft. There is no way he could know that…" Blaze darted around, looking for any eavesdroppers before she whispered in a low voice. "…that your father is the one who started this war?"
"I have no idea, but I'm going to find out," Sonic clenched his fist as he stood and marched off towards the central dome with Blaze in tow behind him.
…
Vector sat on his throne, a small device in his hands. Suddenly, the almost transparent device began buzzing and the angry crocodile pushed the flashing red button in the center and threw it in front of him and it skidded to a halt in front of him. The light around the device began to falter and fluctuate before a figure began to grow from within, bathed in a blue light. There, standing in front of Vector, was the hologram of a figure, a man that Vector recognized.
"You rang?" Vector addressed the person in front of him.
"How are things progressing on your end?" The hologram asked, face purposely hidden behind a mask to avoid being seen by anybody else who could possibly be lurking in the room with Vector. Vector snorted at the idea of his accomplice always being so cautious, but little did the crocodile realize that one of his trusted generals happened to be walking by the throne room at that moment.
"Like I told you last week, perfectly fine. The serum is undergoing the transformation and will be ready in a weeks' time," Vector growled.
"Perfect. Oh, and there is one thing I need to tell you about. My sources found out some information about somebody you have been enquiring about," the hologram began.
"Yes!" Vector replied hastily. "What about them?"
"What in Chaos' name is that?!" A voice shrieked from the open doorway. There, standing in the entrance was a petrified pink hedgehog, her eyes glued to the hologram in the center of the room.
"I told you that you could never be too careful. Deal with this," the hologram barked in an angry and frustrated tone before immediately shutting off his signal.
"Amy, what have I told you about barging in?!" Vector hissed.
"W-w-was that a…"
"It was a hologram, yes."
"B-but how? How did you do that? There is no way we have the technology to create that," Amy babbled, unable to believe her eyes.
"Never you mind that. I'm actually glad you're here, however. I've received word from Mighty that Shadow has almost succeeded in securing Aves capital but I need you to go assist him in commanding the troops in the front line to make absolute certain. Controlling the center of the continent is necessary, understood?"
"Y-Yes," Amy mumbled, still at awe with what she saw. She quickly shook her head and hastened out of the room, knowing far too well that she shouldn't stay to question Vector's orders.
"Why did I give those kids so much power," Vector pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily.
…
Sonic and Blaze knocked on the large doors that acted as the barrier between Razor's private room and the rest of the castle-like structure that was concealed inside of the glass dome.
"What now Abyss?" A voice from inside barked. Sonic wasted no time in pushing open the door and striding into the room, crossing the small bridge. "Oh, Sonic, what is the meaning of this… pleasurable encounter," his voice suddenly changed, uplifting in tone and demeaner.
"Cut the crap," Sonic dared, staring deep into Razor's eyes almost as if challenging the shark.
"Har, har, I like yer spunk," Razor chortled as he narrowed his eyes. "But don't think that means yer allowed to talk to me like that. Now out with it boy."
"What do you want with us?" Sonic stated bluntly, causing Razor to falter slightly.
"What do ya mean?"
"Well you sent Levi on us, then rescued us, then partitioned us into your army to help you invade Zuncon with only your word that we will go take down Vector," Sonic growled, surprising even himself with the amount of malice that he could produce to accompany his voice.
"Whoa, take it easy there, son," Razor eased his way into an explanation. "I didn't set the Leviathan loose on ya. I had no idea who ya were until ya told me yer story yesterday. Here I was helping ya out from the bottom of my heart and yer taking advantage of my kindness."
"No, sir, honest, it's not like that," Blaze tried to sedate the situation but Sonic wasn't done. The hedgehog had worked himself up to a point where he needed an explanation for that creatures existence.
"Well why on Mobius did you ever release that… that thing?!" Sonic almost exploded, his heavy, shallow breaths flared out of his nostrils.
"Levi is not a thing, she is a she," Razor hissed back.
"Why on Mobius did you ever release her?"
"I don't like yer tone but ya know what? Fine, I'll explain. If yer gonna help me take out Earthia, we need to build a relationship on trust first," Razor sat back trying to accommodate for the annoying hedgehog's insistence. He didn't know why he was letting this Mobian address him like that but there was something about Sonic's attitude that Razor liked.
"It all started back during great war one hundred years ago…" Razor began, thinking back to the beginning of the hate. "Our land was in disarray. Our troops, our families dying to Large's forces. Aves and Macton had already allied together in a plan to fend of Large's barbaric attack and the Zuncons and us Vaposians had set a meeting. We wanted to join this alliance but not everything occurred as planned," Razor's voice lowered, hints of pain still in his voice.
"Obviously, I wasn't alive at the time of the war but my father was and his mother, Queen Coral of Vapos. She ruled over us and lead us during the great war. She arranged a meeting with the leader of the Zuncons, and Earthia's father, Dark Oak. However, when Coral, accompanied by my father who was still a teenager, Dark Oak acted. It was a trap. As my grandmother tried to talk about piece, he removed a concealed dagger from its sheath and murdered Coral, right in front of my father, Striker. That monster murdered my grandmother right in front of my father's young eyes. As Oak gloated, my father took his opportunity and struck down Dark Oak. However, it wasn't enough and Striker went mad with grief. He released Levi unto the waters, sending her towards the Zuncon territory. She attacked a boat with Dark Oak's bride and devoured her. Ever since Earthia has hated us, and us her and all the Zuncons. All we learnt from this is never to trust a Zuncon. Ever."
"Hang on a minute," Sonic interjected. "How can that be true. We were always taught that all four nations banded together to defeat Large and only with all forces combined everyone was forced to agree to a peace treaty as they still weren't strong enough. If you and the Zuncons didn't fight, there is no way Aves and Macton could have defeated Large alone."
"Aye my boy, that's true. But I never said they didn't fight, did I? There was much resentment, but Vapos was allies with Macton, just as Zuncon was allies with Aves. It was through Aves and Macton's alliance that a planned attack at all fronts was successful and lead to peace. Vapos and Zuncon never had to interact and since then, no diplomatic relations were ever forged between the two lands and that's the way it has been and will remain."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Blaze managed to squeak after a few moments of awkward silence.
"So ya believe me now? Ya believe that this wasn't just a trick to use you, even though that would make no sense. Yer just a boy anyway," Razor chuckled.
"Yeah," Sonic laughed, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I was wondering how you could have figured out that Vector was my fa-" Sonic stopped immediately, eyes widening as he realized what he just said. He turned to Blaze with an equally worried look on her face as they both turned to face Razor. He was silent, staring at the two.
"Vector… that monster is… yer father?"
"Razor, sir, please it isn't what you think. Please don't kill us!" Blaze suddenly piped up, not wanting Sonic to open his big mouth any further. Razor continued to just stare at them before he let out another surprising, hearty laugh.
"That's why ya and yer little boyfriend ended up starting this big war. 'Cuz yer father is Vector. It makes so much more sense now," he chuckled.
"You… you think that's funny?" Sonic stammered, bewildered.
"It is hilarious my boy. It also means that you will be a much more powerful ally than I thought," he grinned, showing rows of sharp teeth. Sonic and Blaze exchanged relieved glances before sighing in content. "Well, get some rest you two. My troops are readying up and we leave tomorrow at first light to march on Zuncon. I assume yer both still going to help?"
"Certainly," Blaze and Sonic both nodded before turning and scurrying out of the dome, still unable to believe what they had just heard. They returned to the small room that they had been granted to stay and discussed what Razor had told them. During all history classes back at school, neither one had ever heard anything about the drama between the other nations. All they were ever really taught was how Large conquered everybody and agreed to peace in his mighty wisdom to end the suffering like a saint. Shortly tiredness began to affect them as the tantalizing talons of sleep gripped their shoulders, dragging them down into the sand man's layer. The moon illuminated the Vapos shoreline as owl's hooting and crickets sung out in the night while Sonic and Blaze drifted off to sleep, both thinking of their respected lost loves.
…
The sun streamed through the closed curtains, shining it's bright, early morning light onto the sapphire hedgehog's eyelids. He squinted, his lashes slowly fluttering open as he sat up and yawned, rubbing the crust out of the corners of his eyes. He looked over at the time, noting that it was almost seven in the morning.
"So, you're finally awake?" A voice called out through the dim light.
"Blaze, why are you up so early?" Sonic asked, sticking a finger into his ear and twisting to remove the buildup of wax that accumulated over the night. He pulled his finger out, cringing at the excess amount and quickly wiped it away on the bedsheets.
"You're disgusting," Blaze remarked.
"What?" Sonic replied defensively. "It's not like we are staying here another night."
"I guess…" Blaze sighed.
"Still thinking of him?"
"Yeah, I just feel so lonely sometimes," Blaze reflected.
"Well don't you worry. I'm still here for you and I've always got your back. I'll never leave you Blaze, just like I know you'll never leave me," Sonic flashed his signature grin. Blaze suddenly felt a pang of guilt in her heart, shaking her head. However, this action didn't go unnoticed by the curious hedgehog. "What was that?"
"It was nothing. You're probably seeing things."
"No tell me," Sonic persisted like he so often stubbornly did.
"Well… that's not entirely true," Blaze admitted, taking a long, deep breath to steel herself. She wasn't sure if admitting this to Sonic was the smartest thing to do but the decision her and Knuckles had made earlier continually weighed on her conscience and whether Sonic reacted positively or not, she knew it would just be a relief to speak the truth.
"What do you mean?"
"Well… Sonic… the thing is… Don't get me wrong. You and Tails are my two best friends and I know Knuckles agrees but, um, well, we were talking… back on the island," she continued to mumble but made sure to finish her thought. "I know it's not true but we both can't help but feel it."
"Just say it, I promise I won't be mad."
"Okay… Knuckles and I, especially after the storm, kinda sorta blame you and Tails for everything that has happened to us and, well, you kind of ruined our lives and, well, we were going to leave both of you and were in the process of leaving when Tikal suddenly showed up…" The air suddenly grew tight as it was filled with tension. Sonic just stared back at the feline, unable to construct a logical thought. He just couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"We didn't ask you to help us," Sonic said quietly.
"I know."
"It was your choice. His too. We didn't ask you to drop your lives to help us. We would have fled just us either way so you can't pin this on us."
"I know," Blaze repeated.
"So how the fuck can you blame us for everything!" Sonic exploded, emotions and pent up anger from the frustration of losing Tails pouring out of him.
"Sonic, calm down. I know these thoughts are wrong but they aren't misguided. I don't like them but they aren't completely false. When I found out about your secret neither of you really gave me an option, did you?"
"That's because that's what friends do. They keep secrets. We didn't ask you to run away with us to the island thought!"
"Yeah well don't get so mad at me. You seemed pretty buddy, buddy with Tikal who was the one who fucking ousted you to everybody," Blaze couldn't take it anymore. The usually quiet, composed feline gave into her primal emotions. She never swore, but suddenly couldn't help herself. "You fucking forgave her quicker than you cum! Yeah, that's right. Knuckles and I both heard you all those nights. Our beds were right next to yours. You didn't even have the bloody decency to go outside when you wanted to fuck Tails!"
"Blaze, what the actual fuck! No, you know what?!"
"What do I know? C'mon, lay it on me. Chaos knows I've put up with so much stress because of the secrets so let's just let it all out. No more fucking secrets!" Sonic's face grew redder by the second, as did Blaze's but just before Sonic could say another word or open his mouth, the door to their room burst open and in strode a grinning shark.
"That's the spirit kids," he laughed. "I like the enthusiasm. Now let's go. We have a long day of walking ahead of us and all the troops are ready. Now shake a leg, let's go." Sonic and Blaze stared at each other, furrowing their brows as they glared daggers. However, they both reluctantly got up, grabbed the packs that Razor had supplied with them and left to join the rest of the Vaposians, not saying another word to each other.
"Here we go, time to go kill Earthia!" Razor shouted victoriously as him, Blaze, Sonic, Abyss and the rest of the Vaposian troops began their march across the desert towards the lush jungle and mangroves of Zuncon territory.
A/N: So what did you think? Some of you might be dissapointed saying 'Hey twotail... if this is the one year anniversary of your most popular story and also your account, then why did you release a chapter that had no Tails in it?! Well, next chapter, which will come out tomorrow, has all Tails and no Sonic. THe point of releasing both is to show the two sides and to exeplify the feeling of separation that both are feeling. But anyway, that's for tomorrow, what did you think about this chapter. Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, what you think is coming or to just yell at me to say I'm slacking off. All feedback is appreciated and, as always, have a nice day :)
Next time on Sontails: War of Faith - Chapter 9: Marching towards Destruction