Before Note: ZOMG THIS MUST BE THE QUICKEST UPDATE IV'E MADE! :O
Anyways, this is weird. I mean, when I take long to update I usually have nothing to do; now that I have many projects and a lot of homework I update faster. .-. I have to memorize the Gettysburg Address for a speech contest, gah.
I'd like to thank all my reviewers and people who are following me or my story or both. ^w^ I luv you all, thank you for your support, its the only thing that keeps me from ditching this story. I am amazed that YOU haven't ditched this story since I take so long to update. I luv you all, I hope you stay with me for the chapters to come. :'D
Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its characters, they all rightfully belong to SEGA and/or Sonic Team.
It has been two days since Tails' first meeting with Shadow. The kit has been anxious for the hedgehog to come back. Well, the only reason he hasn't been worrying is because food has been left for him during the night, with strict written instructions on the napkins to dispose of all trash so no one will find out about the midnight snacks. However, Bombini had seen and taken the napkins and note the day of the meeting.
Now it seemed odd to the fox, who sat patiently in his cage, that although Ivo had surely suspected that something is up, he has not done anything concerning the matter. The last two days have been uncommonly normal. Nothing new. No new acts. Tails is now used to it all.
And that was a scary thought. Then again, the child has had even scarier thoughts.
The sun was now just starting to set. The sky gave a golden glow to the towering trees and the smell of fried foods from the snack stands soon became stronger. The sounds of early customers socializing was dimly heard, along with the laughs of children who were most likely running around with balloon animals or cotton candy in hand.
Oh, how Tails longed to be free like them, with absolutely no worries for the day to come.
The sky darkened, signaling that the sun had set completely, and the rainbow lights of the carnival were turned on, glowing like the light at the end of the tunnel.
Show time.
As expected, the kit was taken out of his cage and sent to the main tent. By the time he arrived there, unfortunately, he was up next. The twin-tailed fox was rushed onto the stage.
Once the bright lights ceased from blinding his eyes, Tails then realized that today's show wouldn't be a normal show.
He gulped, and hoped that whoever was going to throw those knives had had plenty of practice.
If Tails said that the last new performance, where he had been flying with the trapeze artists and dropped into a pool, had scared him, he now would take it all back and say it was nothing.
This performance has absolutely, without a doubt outdone the other one.
The child screamed as he was spun as wild as a tornado after being tied from wrists and ankles to the rotating target where the knives would make their way to. An announcement was made, but Tails paid no attention as he was stopped after a few seconds, everything a blur as the world seemed to tilt.
He felt queasy.
Once his vision settled down he looked at the crowd, who held their breaths in anticipation. He caught a glimpse of something by the entrance and focused his sight on it.
It was Shadow! A feeling of joy made Tails want to jump in joy, however, he hid his excitement. The hedgehog leaned against the supporting pole as usual, but there was something different.
There was someone else with him. This figure also wore a coat that hid most of his body, but instead he wore a hood that hid his face. Both figures had their gaze fixed on the ground, hiding their identities. Who is that other person?
A shout made him notice a man a few yards in front of him polishing the already-gleaming knives with a rag. The band played a drum roll of suspense as the man took position with a knife in hand, showing it to the crowd. Blue eyes widened, realizing what would happen next. He struggled against the bindings on his limbs but it was no use, they were painstakingly tight.
A hard pound on the drum outdid all the other beats, and the knife was thrown right above the child's head. The only thing Tails could sense from the throw was a sharp whizzing sound that only his large, sensitive fox ears could catch. He shut his eyes tight as he felt three more knives hit right next to his head and in between his legs.
What really made the fox want to scream was when the man aimed shots as he was being spun. Surprisingly though, Tails felt no pain as the rush of wind filled his ears and realized that none of the shots hit him. The man was an expert at this.
Thank god.
As the target slowed to a stop, Tails ended upside down and he finally took notice of the cheering audience who screamed and applauded as if their lives depended on it. The kit still felt nauseated but this time he could handle it better.
Being the last act of the day, the audience soon left after a final announcement, leaving all the performers to clean up and call it a day. This being said, one of the clowns came up and untied the kit to take him to his cage. Today's show seemed to go by quick, or was it just him?
As the lock clicked close and the nightly breeze blew by, all the events of the day fell into a big blur in the child's mind. He curled up on the floor, wrapping his tails around him, but he still trembled. Although the quarter moon shone brightly against the dark sky, the place still darkened around Tails as all the carnival lights were shut down. It all became deadly silent then, but the kit could not sleep. He sat up thinking about Shadow, and that other person. Hope started building up inside of him, and he realized that back there, when the knives were being thrown, he had felt fear, but not the type of fear he felt when he was afraid he was going to lose his life. No, he wasn't afraid of dying back there.
Leaves rustled behind him as if blown by a gust of wind and the child looked over his shoulder.
He gasped in sudden shock.
"Hey kid."
How does he do that? He just appears and disappears out of nowhere…
"Shadow!" Tails sprang up on his feet and leaped toward his friend, his tails swishing back and forth.
"Nice to see you too. And before I forget, I brought someone that I want you to meet." The hedgehog smiled and stepped to the side to let the second figure walk up.
"How can you possibly forget about me?" A new voice said, sounding playful and daring. Tails leaned in great curiosity to meet this new person.
The figure removed his hood revealing to be another hedgehog. He was easily compared to the dark one, but he was blue in color and had bright emerald eyes which shone in childlike amusement and demonstrated a great hunger for action. As soon as he locked gaze with curious sky blue eyes, his mouth curved into a playful grin.
"Hey kid, call me Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog!" The newly introduced Sonic then proceeded to run laps around the child's cage in seconds, so fast that he was only a blue blur. The kit's eyes opened as wide as saucers.
"Wow! You run fast Sonic!"
"Showoff," Shadow muttered under his breath.
Sonic rushed to a stop right in front of his partner, and made a face of despair. "Shadow! That hurts right here, right here!" He pounded his chest, right over where his heart would be. "Why must you be so mean?" The cobalt one hid his face in pretend shame; the kit giggled at his antics. Shadow eventually gave in and smiled in amusement. He turned his attention to the child.
"I suppose you're hungry?"
Tails nodded immediately.
"Alright then. Sonic, stop dying over there and give the kid his food." Sonic glared and pouted, but digged into his pockets either way. He pulled out a few napkins and something wrapped in tin foil and gave it to the twin tailed fox. Tails gladly took it and thanked Sonic, who looked satisfied that the child was enjoying his choice in food.
"See? I told you he would like it." Sonic told the dark hedgehog, raising a brow.
"I don't know how those things are even edible," Shadow sighed in disgust.
"Hey, you insult the chilidog, you insult me. Got it?" Sonic glared once again. Shadow only rolled his eyes. Tails looked at one hedgehog to the other, not wanting to interfere in their…bickering? Although it was pretty amusing; the child had a hard time trying to hide his giggles.
Once the hedgehogs settled down and the kit had finished eating (Shadow took care of the trash), Tails mustered up the courage to ask them what he had been wondering since the day he received the pretzels as a midnight snack.
"Are you going to get me out of here?"
Shadow and Sonic looked at each other with a serious look. Finally, after a few moments, Shadow spoke up.
"Yes, our objective is to get you away from this place," he said slowly.
"That's right, but we can't just get you out of this hellhole as easy as it sounds, especially now since 'Egghead' knew something's up once he got a hold of the napkins," the blue speedster cut in, trailing off at the end.
Egghead? Must be Bombini….
How does he know about that?
Tails was once again perplexed, but he didn't ask. Whatever these two were planning they seemed like they knew what they were doing.
"Alright," the kit said in a faint whisper, focusing on the ground. He felt a hand lay on his shoulder and he looked up. Sonic met his gaze with eyes full of concern and a gentle smile.
"We will get you out. I know that it is hard having to suffer through the torture you have to put up with here, but can you try put up with it a little longer? Can you do that?" The hedgehog's eyes hardened in determination, while Shadow kept his eyes closed and arms crossed, but the fox could tell that he would be saying the same thing. The kit knew that he, they, were speaking the truth. They will get him out of this hell.
Tails nodded, tears dripping from his cheeks. He jumped up and pulled on both of the hedgehogs' arms.
The metal bars keeping him captive didn't stop him from holding his new friends in a tight embrace.
After Note: First Shadow and now Sonic! Wee! I don't frequently write Sonic's character so much, a few tips might be helpful :D Ok so I've been writing this chapter in a period of about two-three days, I hope my effort was worth it :)
I don't know why but I feel really happy! :DDD Can you notice? :O
Reviews and comments are always welcome!