Tloj: So yeah, still not feeling well... but I'm bored. Have another chapter! F&F, R&R, Wreck and Rule!
*Hero's POV*
I yawn and check my watch. Five on the dot.
Last night, I really didn't know what to do with the girls, so Antonio gave Millie his bed and he slept on the couch, and I gave my bed to Sarah and I slept on some blankets on the floor in my room. I'm amazed I slept at all.
I close my eyes and lay there for a second.
I love the moment between sleeping and waking... It feels like you're still sleeping, but you know you're awake, the warmness of your body and the blanket on top of you make you want to go back to sleep.
I yawn again and cuddle against my pillow. Huh... my pillow's rather warm- wait. I don't have a pillow. I'm on the floor.
I crack open my eyes, seeing something cute, warm, and may I repeat... not my pillow!
Fortunately, Sarah doesn't seem to mind too much, about as awake as I am at the moment.
I slowly extract myself from her so as not to disturb her further, and stand, walking into my bathroom and brushing my teeth. I fix my hair to resemble an echidna's dreadlocks, and stare at my tussled chest hair. She must have touched it a lot during the night. I can see my face turning red in the mirror, and I splash cold water on my face and wipe it off with a towel. I fan out my chest fur properly before walking back into my room and, making sure she was still asleep before I do so, change clothes. I put on a green T-shirt, white jeans, and steel-toed brown shoes, changing my white gloves for a more durable pair.
I find Millie downstairs waiting for me by the car.
"You're up early." I say, offering her my bowl of cereal as I turn on my car.
"I already ate," Millie says politely. "Besides, I might learn a few new moves from this."
"Alrighty. So, do I look like a proper echidna to you?" I take a bite of my cereal.
"Doesn't matter to me, but you look ready to bring some hurt so I suppose that will do."
"Good. Maybe I should add a final touch, for Mom." I take off my watch and put it into my hair, pulling out a locked box. I hand it to Millie. "Open that, would you?"
She nods, and opens it with a click.
Inside is a green device that looks like a watch, but without the time on the face. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I might as well start wearing it.
I put it on my left wrist, right where my old watch was. I study it for a second before nodding. "Thanks."
She nods, and puts it back into my quills while I finish my breakfast.
We stop in front of another part of the run down district, and I park in front of the address. We hop out, and I lock my car before looking around. "Spike? Reave?" I say in a normal tone.
Reave drops from a rooftop, landing nimbly. Spike drops too, but lands on his face.
"Quit trying to copy people, Spike. Leave it to professionals like Reave and I." I smirk.
"I'm a pro at killing people, and Dumpster Diving," Spike says. "What more do you want from me?"
Millie rolls her eyes, "So where's the dojo?"
"In the old spa just around the corner," Reave replies.
"Alright, Spike, you'll go in first." I say.
He nods, "Okay... I think I almost swallowed my tongue though..."
He steps inside, "Mommy I'm home!'
WHAM!
He goes flying out, into the building across the street. An Echidna woman in a black leather coat with dragons on the sleeves steps out. Her stomach shows, and she wears leather pants with flames on the legs. Her face is mostly hidden by a mask from the nose down, and a hat. Her ice blue eyes glare at Spike as she adjusts her black gloves.
"I thought I told you not to call me that," she says calmly.
"I take it you're Cinder?" I ask from a safe distance.
She eyes me up, and down, "Yes... hello Reave."
Reave make a Martial Artist's bow, "Hello Cinder, Smoke sends his regards."
"Apparently that's not all he sends," Cinder quips with crossed arms.
"Do you know why I'm here, or should I explain?"
"You may explain inside," she says. "But do not draw any weapons, or make threatening gestures. My warriors are trained to kill on a hair trigger."
Spike stumbles out to them, "Did somebody get the license plate off that taco? He'd better have insurance cuz that was a Hit 'n Run..."
"Hey Spike, you heard her, right? Don't draw any weapons, so keep your pants on." I quip, smirking.
"You jealous of my "sword"... punk?"
Reave helps Spike inside, and sits him on a couch. Around them are about a dozen Mobians of various species, but all wearing something red... and all female.
Cinder gestures for me to follow her, and goes down a hallway.
"Millie, help Reave keep Spike in check." I say, following Cinder.
Cinder leads me to an office with a desk on the other side. On the walls are every sort of weapon not using gunpowder, hanging like they're ready to be snatched up at a moment's notice.
"If Smoke sent you here then he must expect you to survive long enough to serve some sort of purpose?" She leans on a desk, eyes narrowed.
"He sent me here to convince you to help me convince the Guardian to help me get to my mom, who is Lien-Da of the Dark Egg Legion." I say in one breath, watching her expression.
Impressive, she didn't even flinch.
She sighs, "Quite the story, fortunately no one is capable of lying to me... How do you propose we convince the Guardian to help?"
"I was hoping you could tell me, because I'm actually a hedgehog-echidna hybrid who has spent the last eighteen years in town raised by a fox." I explain hopefully.
She taps an arm while looking at the floor thoughtfully. "...I was planning to make a pilgrimage to Angel Island soon. If you accompany me than I can speak on your behalf. I've never met him, but I hear Guardian Knuckles is reasonable."
"Okay. Should I leave any members of my team here, or take them all with me?"
"Leaving them here is a bad idea, except for the girl you brought. I could teach her a few things; she's obviously no stranger to conflict."
"Well, I mean I have two more members I left at home. Do I take them with me to the island?"
"We would be best to move as a whole to the island yes, but once there it would be smartest for only you, and I to set foot on Angel Island."
"Okay. I'll get them and meet you at Smoke's dive." I stand. "Thank you for hearing me out, and agreeing to come with us to see the Guardian."
"Smoke wouldn't have helped you unless he knew you had a good heart. Otherwise he would have sent you to me with a codeword for me to rip it out of you."
"Well, glad you didn't or my brother would be here instead of me." I walk back to Millie. "Hey Millie, Cinder is going to train you to defend yourself for a while. Is that okay?"
"You don't own me anymore, remember?"
Cinder raises an eyebrow at me, "You bought a slave, and freed her? Indeed you do have a good heart."
"I freed her and her sister, and thank you." To Millie, I say, "Look at Miss Cinder. Would you want to mess with her? That's what I wish for you too. Not as a master, but as a friend, I want you to be ready for anything ahead of us. I can't protect Sarah at all times, and Antonio is a scatterbrain most days, so it's up to you to protect her from guys like Spike, who right now could probably kill you if he wanted to."
Cinder actually laughs at that, "Who... who do you think taught him how to fight?"
"You. If you can train a scatterbrained numbnuts like him, Millie should be able to become better than him with your training, because she's smart." I say.
"Not particularly," she disagrees. "Everyone has a certain amount of potential they can reach in a lifetime. Some have great potential while some have none. That Millie I see has promise enough to best most of my warriors."
"Right now?" I look at Millie, impressed.
"No, but with very little training," Cinder clarifies. "With a week I could make her at Reave's level."
"Interesting... What level could you make her in... say, three hours?" I check my watch. "Because that's about as much time we have until I get the other two teammates over to Smoke's."
"I'm no miracle worker, Lien-Da's bitch," she says in a joking tone. "But I can give her ways to make herself stronger if she has the self-discipline."
"Oh, she's got enough discipline for both her and her sister." I chuckle. "When you go to Smoke's, take her with you." I turn to Millie. "Sorry if it feels like I'm forcing you... I just know that you can be better."
She punches me in the arm, "Nah, I appreciate it. Besides, I could still say no."
Cinder addresses her warriors, "Students, and Warriors, remember this man's face. I hereby give him permission to come, and go as he pleases so long as his intentions are wholesome."
They all nod.
"And Lucy, give him back his wallet."
A small six-year-old hedgehog with purple fur and a red headband offers Hero his wallet back.
"Why you little urchin." I smile and accept my wallet, putting it away. "C'mon Spike, Reave. You get to come over for breakfast and play video games."
Spike sits up, "Seriously?!"
Lucy looks happy he's not mad, "Come visit okay? I'm gonna be a ninja when I grow up!"
Millie whispers something to Cinder who nods. "May she accompany you? Millie says her sister will adore the chance to coddle her."
"As long as she doesn't take anything. I'm sure she and my little brother'll have a great time playing Hide-and-Seek. After all, he's essentially a ninja." I pick her up and walk to my car, placing her in the back seat. "Don't forget to put on your seat belt." I say to all three of them as I start the car.
She nods, and Cinder says, "Remember what we say about thieves Lucy!"
"Thieves are lower than beggars! Bye Sifu!"
We wave goodbye as I drive away.
We arrive at my house and I check my watch. "Okay, as far as I know, only my brother is up at this time, so if at all possible, it would help if Spike doesn't make any loud sounds on accident." I say, letting us in.
"Who me?" Spike rolls his eyes, and frowns. "...Hey, where did the kid go?"
Lucy waves from the front door.
"She's a soon to be ninja, where do you think she'd be?" I snicker, locking the car behind us. I close the door behind us and whisper, "Hey Antonio, we have guests."
Antonio peeks in from the living room. "Sup?"
Lucy climbs over the back of the couch, "Hi, are you a ninja?"
Sarah pokes her head out of the kitchen, and walks over to give me a hug, "Welcome home!"
"You're up early, it's seven." I say, checking my watch.
"Better, I'm like Batman." Antonio says happily.
"I'm not used to getting much sleep," Sarah replies. "You know how it is out there."
Lucy hops into Antonio's lap, and hugs him, "YAY! New friends!"
"I do. So are you making breakfast, or am I?"
"Wanna see my superhero stuff?" Antonio offers.
Sarah watches Antonio take Lucy off to the Batcave, "I am, freshly made banana, and chocolate-chip pancakes."
"CHOCOLATE?!" Spike perks up with wide eyes.
"Not for you," Reave says firmly.
"Do you need help?" I ignore Spike.
She shakes her head, "I've got it, the batter is done so I'll have it ready in a few minutes. I'll be sure not to put chocolate chips in Spike's."
Spike pouts in a corner while Reave pats his back.
"Well then, I'll set up the table." I brush past her and grab some plates, setting them on the table.
A few minutes later there's a puff of smoke, and Lucy appears with Antonio. "I told you I knew Ninja Vanish!"
"I never learned it. Instead, I got Batman Vanish. Right, Hero?"
I nod. "And I hate it every single time you-" He was already gone. "...Do it."
"That was so cool!" Lucy hops up and down in joy.
Sarah giggles, and starts dishing out pancakes.
I place them on the table, saying just loud enough for Sarah to hear, "Say Sarah? Can I ask you something?"
She nods, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.
"How did you end up next to me this morning?" I grab some butter and syrup from the fridge.
"I was next to you this morning?" She blushes, "I'm sorry... I guess I'm just used to sleeping with Millie."
"Don't take it the wrong way, I'm just telling you you're moving around in your sleep." I say.
I don't mind if she wants to sleep with me, just nothing extracurricular...
She blushes deeper, obviously trying to put the whole mess behind her as we finish prepping breakfast.
"Breakfast is ready!" I call just loud enough to make sure everyone but Mom hear.
Antonio is already in his chair.
Lucy hops in next to him, obviously attached. Spike, and Reave take their seats, and we all dig in.
Spike purrs, "Haven't eaten like this since..."
Reave thinks, "I think the last time we had a warm meal was when we did that job running interference for the Babylon Rouges."
Spike snaps his fingers, "Oh yeah! Damn, Wave knows her way around a kitchen about as well as she does an Extreme Gear shop!"
"Meh, she sucks at nanotech, though." Antonio states.
"But she makes a mean muffin," Spike sighs happily.
Reave nods with a smile, "I would give my tail for the recipe."
"How do you even know people these two know?" I ask Antonio.
"Tails Doll is known for his nanotechnology, and I'm the Tails Doll." He shrugs.
"That... explains nothing." I state.
"I often choose not to try to decipher ramblings," Reave advises me.
"It's what helped me understand my geology instructor." I quip.
He laughs, and Lucy licks her lips. "Ninja Pancakes!"
Sarah looks confused, "Ninja Pancakes...?"
Lucy nods, "Pancakes that vanish quickly without trace."
"Like that?" Antonio's pancakes are gone.
"Yup," she laughs.
"I think I'll Batman myself more pancakes. Look again!" His plate has pancakes again.
Reave clears his throat as Lucy claps. "So when are we moving out?"
"When Sarah and Antonio are prepared to go." I say.
Antonio's pancakes disappear before he stands, saying, "I'll grab my stuff."
"I've already packed," Sarah says.
"Great. I'll put it in my hair, and we'll go."
She raises her eyebrows, "Sorry?"
"Where's your bag or bags?" I ask. "You don't have one?"
She nods, and trots off. When she comes back down she has her shopping bags in her hand.
I grab one and place it into my hair as Antonio walks back in wearing a green and blue karate outfit. He grabs the rest of her bags and puts them in his tail before it wraps around his waist like a belt.
Sarah picks Lucy up, and we head out to the car.
Antonio waves and says, "I'll meet you there!" He fades out.
"How does he know where the dive is? He's never been there..." I drive us back to Cinder's school to drop off Lucy.
Lucy looks sad to see us go, and Millie looks flushed in her smiling face as she loads up with us.
"How are you feeling, Millie?" I ask, pulling out as I wave to Lucy.
"Like a million bucks," Millie says happily. "I got a few tips, and actually wiped the floor with this one warrior named Lilith. She had this Naginata, and..."
She gives us the juicy details as we make our way to the Dive. We find Cinder already there waiting for us, no wonder she wasn't at the dojo. She has a single duffle bag resting by her foot, and waves as I park the car.
"All right, where do we go?" I ask when we're all inside.
Smoke hands me a sheet of paper, "There's a tourist train headed for the Mystic Ruins, that's where Angel Island likes to go a lot. I have a friend in an exploration party there who will help you get close. After that I can't help you anymore."
"Very well. Thanks for all your help." I offer my hand to shake.
He shakes it, and shocking me gives both Cinder, and Spike a quick hug.
"Don't wait up," he quips. "I got some chores to runs in Soleanna."
Spike snaps him a two fingered salute as Smoke picks up his own suitcase. Cinder nods as we make our way back outside...
...
The ride to the Mystic Ruins is two-hours long, but we all make it safely.
"Wow, that fresh air is nice." I breathe deeply. I turn to Cinder. "Ready to meet the Guardian?"
She nods, and heads down the stairs from the station. "Smoke said a man from an exploration team would be coming..."
"Okay, good." I say as we follow her.
Soon we spot three or four guys dressed for a safari, and one of them waves as he comes over.
"Are you the one Smoke told us about?" I ask.
He nods, "Yes, I'm Stewart, and I think I might be able to help. Earlier in the week part of the mountain collapsed, and we found a wind tunnel leading to the top. Angel Island is also above us as we speak."
"Sweet. Just to make sure, no one's wearing a skirt, right?" I check Millie and Sarah.
Sarah looks down at hers guiltily.
"All right. Antonio, Millie, stay with her here at the station. If we need you, Antonio'll know." I look at Stewart. "Let's get going then."
He nods, and Cinder follows as he approaches a large pile of boulders. We climb them to a tunnel, and Cinder eyes strange writing on the walls. "This is the right place, this is ancient Echidna script."
"Can you read it?" I glance back at Spike and Reave, and note that Spike is poking a weird trophy. "Hey Spike, where'd you find that?"
"On the hill back there," he says. It looks like a jade egg standing on a square of stone.
Cinder eyes it, and then at the words which are carved in jade plague. "These are not in any language I know, though I recognize the letters. They're an incantation."
Reave frowns, "Magic?"
Cinder nods, "Most clans have no need of technology due to their Mages, and Shamans. I've heard tell that those in the northern Tundra are the best."
"That's cool..." I attempt to say the odd language using New Mobian, but there are too many symbols that make no sense.
Cinder follows the plague downwards, and pulls away a patch of moss growing over a square hole.
"Spike, bring me that totem," Cinder holds out her hand.
"The what now?" Spike tilts his head.
"The trophy." I sigh, pointing to the statue.
"Oh," he hands it to her, and she sets it in the hole. The base of the statue, and the plague glow green as the sound of wind picks up in the tunnel. Cinder, and I follow it to the very back where we see a tornado going up the middle of the mountain.
Cinder looks it over, and jumps in, going up like an express elevator.
I jump in as well, doing a backflip with a whoop.
It's maybe a minute of this, and then the winds deposit us almost gently at the mouth of another tunnel. Cinder leads me down it, and we pass another magic lock like the one before. Fortunately this one seems just to lock a door of ice, and does nothing to hinder our path.
"We're getting close." I murmur, checking the map.
She nods, and then we step into the sunlight. Off a ways we see a plank bridge leading to, I can't believe my eyes, a small island floating in the air with a green pulsing glow in the center.
"Wow... That's a lot smaller than I thought it would be." I blink.
"That is just the shrine," Cinder clarifies. "Illustrations I saw as a puggle suggest that the moment we left the whirlwind we were on Angel Island." She turns her head, apparently looking for something.
"Really...?" I look off the edge. "That's a long way down... How does he make an island float on a floating island?"
"He doesn't, it's the Master Emerald," she points at the pulsing green glow. "A source of great power, and the very heart of our civilization. It is said that is where the monster known as Chaos is sealed."
"Well, yeah. But how does the Master Emerald make this larger island float if the only thing connecting it to the larger island is four ropes and about thirty planks of wood?"
"Because Princess Tikal wills it so," Cinder says, making a fist over her heart, and bowing her head at the name. "Each of the Three has a symbol of their power. The Master Emerald belongs to Tikal the Light."
"...Actually, it floats because it's a trap for megalomaniacs."
I turn to this new voice, and blink.
Huh, the Guardian's a lot younger than I thought he would be. He's a red hue with purple eyes and a white crescent-shaped chest fur mark.
"You're younger than I thought you'd be." I go to one knee and bow, keeping my eyes on his huge spiked gloves.
"Yeah, I get that a lot." He says, unamused.
Cinder bows her head, and puts a fist on her heart as she also goes to one knee. "Honored Guardian Knuckles, I and Cinder of the Sea Clan, and I have come to make pilgrimage with the son of Princess Lien-Da."
"Son... of Lien-Da?" He stares at me.
"Yes sir. Does that bother you?" I ask slowly.
"Well... Kind of. You seem... well, a bit grown up. If Lien-Da was to have a child, I didn't think she would've kept it a secret. She likes showing off. Do you... have any proof?" He tilts his head.
I look at my wrist device. "Just this device, Guardian. It has been with me as long as I remember."
"Stand, both of you."
We do, and Cinder steps to the side so she's not standing between us. "More likely Guardian she sought to keep him secret, having her bloodline mixed by that of any other than an Echidna would be disgraceful, like my clan was for joining the modern world."
"Other than an echidna?" He looks at me strangely. "That explains why I can see his ears, at least..."
Crap, I forgot about those...
"Please, let me see your device." He holds a hand up.
I quickly take it off and hand it to him.
He flips it over and looks at the back, studying it.
"Sea Clan, huh? Why now do you decide to come? Why not earlier?" He glances at Cinder.
"I..." Cinder looks away, "I... I had others who rely on me, Guardian Knuckles. I teach the Warrior's Way, as my grandsire taught me."
"Very noble of you." Knuckles flips the device over and nods. "Do you know what this device is, kid?"
"Not at all, sir." I answer honestly.
"Odd. Didn't you activate the holo-journal?" He points to two buttons. "Press these two at the same time to access it."
He tosses it back to me, and I put it back on, pressing the two buttons as he ordered.
The face lit up, and two holograms came up. One was Lien-Da, and the other was of a base white hedgehog wearing a cloak with a hood, but the hood flipped back.
"Son, if this message gets to you, then you have become an adult and unlocked the box, congratulations." Lien-Da says seriously.
"You are the only one who can make this device work, so make sure you don't lose it or give it away." The hedgehog adds.
"We are your parents. I am Lien-Da, and he is Warrior. Unfortunately, you are in great danger, and that is why you weren't raised by us." Lien-Da continues.
Knuckles watches this exchange, silently thinking.
Cinder is probably how the Echidna top dog knows so much about technology, but doesn't dare interrupt this.
I'm marveling at this newest development, and wondering what danger they could be warning me about.
"The artifact you now wear is called a Copy Essence Amplifier, or C.E.A. for short. Basically, it's an item that only you and I can access." Warrior raises his left arm, revealing a blue version. "At least, at the time of this recording. I'm not entirely sure that you gained my powers, but if you did, then this item will help you greatly. It stores and reproduces abilities you yourself can copy, for much longer than you can without it. With time, you will learn and master how to use it, but now is not that time. I assume that only recently you opened the box and found this message, and I must tell you now: Watch yourself! There are those out there that want that device, and somehow make it usable by everyone. The world is not ready for that kind of power, Son. If it falls into the wrong hands, then no one will be able to stop them. You must guard it with your life, even if you think it isn't worth it."
Lien-Da and Warrior embrace each other, staring at me still. "We love you son, and if we're still alive when you find this message, then we hope to see the man that you have become. Please, look for us. I am the princess of the Amazon tribe, Lien-Da."
"You won't be seeing me next to her as king." Warrior smirks. "Echidna traditions, and all that jazz. Check out a few library books before you come over."
That's where the transmission ends.
We are silent for a long time, and then Cinder breaks it. "I would never have believed this if I had not seen it. Lien-Da has a reputation as a ruthless monarch you even treats Echidnas outside her own clan with disdain... And yet again Smoke proves himself a source of reliable information."
"..." I'm still speechless from the recording.
The Guardian clears his throat. "Well... She's been lying about her age then, for starters. She told me that she was my age... but you're closer to my age than she is. I assume you want my help seeing her?"
I slowly nod.
"If you were to visit them then they would not dare attack," Cinder reasons.
"I know. Very well, I will come, but I have rules and conditions." He says firmly. "First off, my name is Knuckles, not Guardian. It makes me feel old. Second, You will listen to me. I don't care if you're the son of Enerjak himself, I know what I'm doing and you don't. Third-" He cuts himself off, whirling around and growling, "Others have come onto the island!"
Cinder drops her pack, "Please Guar- Knuckles, allow me to assist."
"No need to offer. They're headed for us." Knuckles faces the way we came.
I blink and focus, turning the way he did and getting into a defensive stance.
Cinder growls, "Apologies... It appears to be the rest of our company. No doubt Spike strayed a bit too close to the wind tunnel."
A few laser blasts hit the ground in front of the exit, and Reave dodges easily, landing next to us. "How many echidnas are on this island with you?!" He growls.
"These two." Knuckles points to me and Cinder.
"Then we've got company."
Fifty hooded echidnas run from the tunnel and surround us. Knuckles raises his fists as I adjust my stance.
"It's a kung-fu fiesta, ARIBA-SAN!" Spike whirls around with his sword in hand, blocking lasers while Sarah holds tightly to his back. It impresses me how he barely even notices her weight as he moves with the precision of a surgeon. Reave covers Millie as they back towards us.
Antonio lands and takes a stance. "Sorry for coming, but they tried taking the girls hostage so we had to come here."
"These guys are with you?" Knuckles asks.
"Yes. The mongoose doesn't know how to defend herself, so we have to protect her." I say.
"There doesn't have to be any violence. Just surrender the C.E.A. device, and we'll leave quietly." One of the hoods commands.
"You dare make demands on my island?" Knuckles growls, his namesakes cracking.
"We have no quarrel with you, Guardian. Give to us the boy hedgehog, and we will leave."
"Okay." He grabs Spike by the forehead.
"Waitwaitwait! I'm not the one they're-" Spike didn't get to finish his sentence, as Knuckles threw him at the leader before everyone charges except for me and Sarah, who I shield from conflict.
Cinder smirks, "Spike, do it!"
He looks at her, and nods. He flips to his feet, and holds his sword so it represents a symmetrical line down his face. Cinder mimics the motion with flat hands, and together they say, "Reaper's Wind!"
For two seconds they blur out of sight, and the cloaked figures freeze. When our friends appear again the soldiers explode in a bloody mess one by one... except one. He looks thoroughly beaten though, screaming in agony as his limbs twist in several unnatural angles.
Cinder takes off her mask with a smile, "Those who smell the Poisoned Rose..."
Spike slings the blood off his sword, "...Will know only suffering."
Four charge at me, and I quickly push Sarah out of the way. I smirk and glance at Antonio before running at them. One throws a punch at me, and I dodge it, jabbing him quickly in the gut before uppercutting him, deflecting a kick before returning it. I then wind up, and do a double punch. I freeze when they catch it.
Wait... where's Antonio's power? WHY DON'T I HAVE HIS POWERS?!
They laugh and kick me in the gut and face at the same time, blasting me back a few feet onto my back, dazed.
I see Reave blur into the space above me, unsheathing a Hidden Blade as he jams it into one of their throats.
"A Nightshade!" one of them shouts, and Reave quickly cuts him down.
I look myself over, and look back at Antonio, studying his technique. I stand and face another cloaker, sidestepping and attempting to take him out with a punch to the face. He stumbles back, but doesn't fly. "Okay, not cool!" I growl, unleashing a combination of punches and kicks that renders him unconscious.
"EVERYONE FREEZE!"
I turn and freeze.
The leader held Sarah in a headlock, pointing a gun to her head. "Give me the device, or she dies." He growls. He adds, "And don't even try anything funny. I can pull this trigger faster than anyone here can move, I promise."
Suddenly Spike's sword is piercing the man's sword, and his head right along with it, not an inch from Sarah's face.
"Wanna bet?" Spike laughs as the man falls dead into the grass, and Sarah collapses to her knees, shivering like a leaf in autumn.
"Yes." A sword cuts through Spike's tail, and an echidna caught the sword. He was a lavender hue with yellow highlights, his hood torn and useless. He smirks. "Although, I do applaud the attempt." He aims a pistol at Sarah, and all of his subordinates do the same.
Damn, how'd he escape that?!
"On my mark. Ready?!"
I quickly run at Sarah, shouting, "Move!"
She doesn't, frozen with fear.
"Aim!"
"Dammit, RUN!" I scream.
She looks at me, but my words don't register. A tear rolls down her cheeks, and I cry out, "SARAH!"
FIRE!
I close my eyes and hear the gunshots. A second later, I hear the ping of shells and slugs hitting the ground. I slowly open one eye, then the other, and my jaw drops.
I was inches from her, and we were both covered by a fiery shield.
"What-" I notice red fur out of the corner of my eye, and I turn to face it, finding nothing. I look down, and say, surprised, "What the-"
My fur is a blood red, and my highlights are snow white. My clothes and hair move as if wind is hitting them, but there is no breeze.
"...Hot damn," I Spike whispers.
I look at my C.E.A., and on the face is a fire emblem.
Fire Hero... Like Fire Mario. Heh, I get it!
I wave my hand, the fire shield disappearing. The wind effect stops happening as I turn to Sarah. "Hey Sarah, not to be mean... But next time, move, alright?" I ask, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
"Y-y-yes Master..." She's obviously shaken up.
Reave narrows his eyes, "I know those uniforms, you all hail from the Dark Egg Legion. State the name of your Grandmaster now, and we can end this bloodshed."
"Our Grandmaster is not affiliated with us." The echidna states with a malevolent grin. "However, if you want to end all of this quickly, I'd highly suggest you get my brothers over there to hand over the C.E.A. device." He points at Antonio and I.
"What?! You're not our brother!" Antonio growls, indignant. He jumps back in surprise when lasers scorch the ground in front of him.
"Oh, but I am." The echidna smirks, his eyes smoking. "I'm related to you by blood, Antonio. Don't make your older brother Robert Knox come over and punish you!"
I've NEVER seen Antonio stunned before. I'd better heat things up.
I raise a hand, and a fireball forms in my palm. "If you value your soldiers' lives, I'd highly suggest you fall back." I state.
Robert's smirk lessens, and he says, "Not giving up? Fine, soldiers, fall back. Father's waited eighteen years to get that device, I doubt he'd mind a few more."
"Wait, Dad's still-" Antonio starts, but the soldiers all vanish with a flash of light.
"Fear sends his regards!" Robert calls with a mock salute, disappearing.
I press a button on the C.E.A., and I turn back to normal with a sigh.
Spike is the first to break the silence, "Raise your hand if you've seen weirder shit than that."
Antonio immediately raises his hand. Knuckles is a split second behind him.
Cinder stares at me, "I will not pretend to know what happened... but why does that girl call you "Master?" I thought you said you freed both your slaves."
Millie comes to my rescue, "He did, he freed me, but Sarah wants to serve him, don't ask me why."
"Yes. She calls me that because she wants to, not because I am." I give her a slight grin. "I doubt a master would risk his life so freely to save a slave."
"Depends on the slave I would imagine," Cinder says a little sourly, and then watches as Sarah clings tightly to me.
"I have no desire to be anyone's master, because that would mean I am better than them. I am no better than you, or anyone else here." I say honestly, hugging Sarah with one arm.
Reave steps in, "Forgive me if I'm blunt, but we have more pressing matters to deal with."
Spike nods, "Yeah, like who were the dudes dressed for Halloween?!"
"The Dark Egg Legion." Knuckles says thoughtfully. "But what they say is off. The entire Legion is loyal to Lien-Da, and Eggman. It will be something to discuss with her when we get there."
"Definitely." I say firmly, clenching a fist.
Cinder raises a hand, "Forgive me, but what if what they said is false? The princess may have ordered them to lie so to avoid blame. Perhaps she wants to destroy the message so none learn of her illegitimate son."
"It's definitely a good point. But she had all of eighteen years to kill him, so I doubt she could've sent them." Antonio says. "I don't believe that guy's backstory one bit, but it's all we've got so far. We should make plans for just in case they come for us again."
Cinder rubs her chin, "Perhaps if we allied ourselves with one of the other princesses we could have a force to counter the Dark Egg Legion... Princess Julie-Su would be all too willing to butt heads with Lien-Da so there's too much risk there."
Reave sighs, "Which leaves Princess Shade... and Enerjak."
Knuckles states, "That's why you guys came to me, isn't it? All the same, I'd better let them know we're coming. Stay here. Cinder, you're in charge, alright?"
She bows, "Yes... Knuckles. And if you would, allow me to complete my Pilgrimage before we depart."
"Ah yes, of course." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a green gem that fits in the palm if his hand. "Place your hand on the Master Emerald, and pray to Chaos."
She pauses, and then kneels, putting one hand on the emerald. She mutters in some language I don't recognize, but obviously it's important. The shard, and the Master Emerald glow in response to her words, making even Knuckles raise his eyebrows.
I listen to the language closely. I may hear it later, so maybe I can understand it a touch now.
After a minute the glowing fades, and Cinder stands. "That was... magical." She smiles, and puts her mask back on. "I never truly expected to be heard."
"I didn't expect the Master Emerald to respond." Knuckles blinks. "Here." He places the miniature in her hands. "Using this, you can feel who is on the island. If any more soldiers come, say Island Defense Procedure in Old Mobian."
She nods, "So... you would have me remain here?"
"Yes. You are alone for the most part, like me. No society wishes to deal with us, but all of them respect us." He says, turning and walking away.
She stares down at the shard, and then clutches it. She looks at me, "Have Stewart below tell Smoke to alert the dojo of this situation. Lilith is to watch in my absence."
"Got it." I look at Sarah. "Wanna come with me?"
She nods, and takes my hand.
"I will not fail you Knuckles," Cinder says loud enough for him to hear.
"You'd better not. I'm only going to be gone for, like, five minutes." He smirks at her before jumping and gliding into a jungle.
Sarah and I walk back the way we came, and I look at my C.E.A. I press a button, and the face pops up, showing the fire symbol. I slam the face back down.
FIRE!
I invert colors again, and wrap my arms around her. "Hang on." I smile.
She "eeps" as she clutches to me. I spot Millie on Reave's back as he fearlessly leaps into a freefall towards the forests below.
I fall off the edge backwards, and shoot fire from my feet, correcting before shooting up. "I've wanted to show you this feeling for a while." I say over the wind.
She has her eyes squeezed to slits, but dares to look around us as we fly.
I look around for Stewart, spotting him and flying overhead before descending and landing.
He looks startled to say the least as I set Sarah down.
"Hey Stewart, could you let Smoke know to let Lilith know that she's in charge for a bit?" I ask.
"Uh..." he nods, and starts dialing on his phone.
"Thanks!" I hug Sarah and shoot off into the sky again.
We land and walk back to the fake shrine.
Cider sits at the steps of the shrine, and looks up, "That was quick."
"He wasn't that hard to find." I set Sarah down.
Cinder nods, "Why have you returned then? All but Antonio has returned to the surface."
"Because Knuckles never specified WHERE we were to meet him, and I doubt he knows where any of us live." I respond.
"I had assumed you were all meeting at the train station."
"That would be a good assumption." I hug Sarah again and shoot away.
We meet the others waiting for the next train back to Station Square.
"Knuckles should be here any minute now." I say.
"That's correct." Knuckles lands next to us.
"Where's Cinder?" Antonio asks.
"She's staying behind and watching the Island for me. We're going to a friend of mine's place for a bit, hope you guys don't mind." Knuckles says.
"Not at all." I say.
We step on the train, and it pulls us away to wherever our next stop is.
Sarah lays her head in my lap as she tries to sleep on the seat. That misadventure must have left her tuckered out.
I place my hand on her forehead and smile. "I'll protect you." I murmur. "I promise."
Tloj: So for future references, how Hero chooses his powers is like when you play Kirby: Super Star Ultra and use the Copy Essence Deluxe and select a power. But since he only has one, he can only choose Fire.
I'm pretty sure no one new has been introduced except for Robert Knox. He is owned by Legsboy Team. Everyone else is owned by who owns them.