Regret
[The scene opens with a shot of the night sky, a shooting star can be seen soaring across the cosmos as the scene pans down to the forest. All is silent apart from the occasional breeze and the rustling of leaves on the trees. It then cuts to the entrance of a cave where the sound of someone breathing heavily can be heard from inside, cutting to Geoffrey as he's asleep and shifting in bed]
[The visible distress on his face is accompanied by the flashes of previous events in his life; such as his first encounter with the Freedom Fighters, particularly Sally and him booking Sonic for her supposed death, followed by another flash to his return with his signature "luv" pose, to being put on trial for treason as Antoine lays the law on him, to Naugus possessing his body and his eyes flash while his mouth curves into a savage grin. It cuts back to reality as Geoffrey wakes up, panting as he clutches his chest]
Geoffrey: GAH! Haaaaa…haaaaaa…[sighs]...crikey…
[Geoffrey lies back down to his previous position, gazing up at the ceiling with a forlorn expression. He then glances at a picture frame resting on a rock beside him. Following his escape, Geoffrey sought refuge in one of the caves sheltered in the forest, and made the most of his time while in there. He reaches to pick up the picture, in its current state, bits of the frame was damaged following the attack on Warehouse #17, covering most of the people in the frame with splotches, all apart from one person in particular; Hershey. Geoffrey focuses on the tuxedo cat in particular and sighs]
Geoffrey: Has it really been that long…?
[Another flashback occurs that shows Geoffrey and Hershey fighting alongside each other, and then a shot of them sitting next to one another, with Geoffrey's hand placed on top of Hershey's. Once content with each other, dare say, even in love…that was of course until Geoffrey went rogue and Hershey seemingly disappeared from the picture…although here, we actually see what became of Hershey following the trial. The feline is shown clutching a locket with a picture of her and Geoffrey inside of it…she stands over a pier, opens the lockets, and takes out the picture…before tossing it over into the water as a silhouette of Geoffrey is seen going down on his knees and clutching his chest, right where his heart is…the scene cuts back to present Geoffrey as he is shown recreating the same position]
Geoffrey: I let you down…you didn't deserve me as I didn't deserve you…wherever you are, just…please…be safe…
[A small tear trickles down Geoffrey's cheek as the illusion of prison bars are formed in front of him. He looks up to see silhouettes of his former colleagues standing on the other side before they begin to walk away from him. Geoffrey is suddenly snapped out of his fantasy as he clutches his chest painfully]
Geoffrey: GUH!
[For a moment, Geoffrey's eyes flash as the skunk goes down on his knees before another voice that isn't his own speaks]
"Geoffrey": Hmmhmmhmm, taking a trip down memory lane, are we? How sentimental.
[Geoffrey coughs]
Geoffrey: Goddamnit, Naug-ACK!
"Geoffrey": Oh, now, now, don't be like that…why do you insist on acting as if you're alone…you still have me…
Geoffrey: I told you…stay out of my life!
"Geoffrey": But you see, I can't…you're bonded to me…which means, you have no free reign of your own…you should have known what you were getting yourself into…but yee of little sense pay thy consequences…
Geoffrey: GRH! Don't have to rub it in…
"Geoffrey": And…who's to say I can't…in fact…I can do it physically…
[Geoffrey's eyes flash as the whole room is covered in light, followed by the skunk plopping to the ground, panting heavily as a figure stands in front of him. A tall, broad goblin with a large horn sticking out the top of his head, a long white beard, and a dark blue cloak around him, stands over the skunk with a raspy voice; Ixis Naugus]
Naugus: Come now, don't look so surprised, you and I have been one and the same since…the incident…it's quite amusing, really…to spit in the face of those who opposed you…good riddance to the lot of them…
[Geoffrey doesn't look up to address Naugus, he keeps his head down. This doesn't go unnoticed by the wizard]
Naugus: Isn't that what you wanted, to show that you were better than them…why, you came to my defense of being the rightful ruler of Mobius, you spoke against the Acorns, you even tried to throw the rat into the pillory…would have been deserved if you asked me…
Geoffrey: Just…stop…I never asked for any of this…
Naugus: Tcktcktck…isn't that a shame…you want something and it doesn't turn out the way you expected…in your case, that speaks more for itself than anything.
Geoffrey: Excuse me…?
Naugus: Aaaaaaah, you don't think I know? You're as transparent as glass…all that resentment, jealousy, insecurity, living a falsehood under the guise of perfection…you could never be satisfied, could you? That explains why you tended to be so…two-faced. One moment you're with them, the next, you're not…I imagine you got a kick out of it. Playing with them as if you had a set of cards, waiting to strike at the right moment…hmmhmmhmm, makes sense why you turned to me…
Geoffrey: You didn't really give a choice, did you? Besides, you knew I had seen the error in my judgment and-
Naugus: Ah-ah-ah, you're missing one important detail there. You see, taking you under my wing meant whatever I say goes. One would think you'd have realized it by then, but alas, I needed to reinforce that into your head…quite literally.
Geoffrey: [sighs] How much longer are you gonna keep this up? Why haven't you done the dirty work yourself? Why do you even need my body?
Naugus: Simple, two reasons; one; if anyone is going to cause destruction to this island, it's going to be me…not even Finitevus will order me around…two; say, you were to go back in person…I'm sure it would be quite a surprise to see an old face resurface and wreak havoc, not knowing what hit them…a delightful image, I'm sure…
Geoffrey: …You're off your nut, you know that?
Naugus: No, just power-hungry…I never understood your code of honor, it may appear grandiose, but in the end, it's just empty words…you and I are more aligned than you think…
Geoffrey: What are you…?
Naugus: Admit it, dear apprentice, you want to do onto them as they did to you…show them who's really worthless in the grand scheme of things, and get some justice for your name…you've already shown you can pull off a convincing disguise to throw people off, what's stopping you?
Geoffrey: It wasn't meant to deceive…well, not in the malicious sense, anyway.
Naugus: Hmph, what difference does it make in hindsight? Your name has already been dragged through the dirt, at that point, you might as well embrace it.
Geoffrey: It's…you wouldn't understand, and I told you, I'm not about that lifestyle anymore.
Naugus: Okay then, say you did go back…do you really think they'd welcome you with open arms? Especially your old group? I don't reckon they'd be too thrilled seeing a traitor return to their ranks, especially if you want to deal with the princess and her entourage again…and that's if you can even get someone else to take you in, so long as they're unaware of your…previous actions, to put it mildly.
Geoffrey: You'd be surprised from what I've heard…
Naugus: Well, in that case…go ahead, try and reintegrate yourself back into society…but heed my warning, once that all falls apart, you'll have no one to turn to…
Geoffrey: Wait, are you saying…you're going to desert me?
Naugus: You'll have to find that out for yourself, once we cross that bridge, of course…till then, my lips are sealed…
[With a wave of his scepter, Naugus vanishes into a beam of light before Geoffrey reels back, clutching his chest]
Geoffrey: [panting] Oh god…
[Geoffrey sits back down to calm himself, then thinks back to what he said…while he seemed confident at the time, the skunk's expression changes to one of concern, indicating that he might be setting himself up for disappointment]
Geoffrey: What do I even have left to lose…I already lost everything before, I just…[sighs as he puts his hands on his face]...I just want another chance…is that so hard to ask?
[The Australian looks out to the entrance of the cave, the moonlight shining from outside. He stands up and slowly walks outside, the sound of crickets chirping in the background and the light rustle of leaves can be heard in the background. Geoffrey looks up at the moon as it shines down, an owl hoots off-screen]
Geoffrey: If I do go back…what do I say…"g'day, mates, remember me, I'm the guy who kept playing double agent with you, and thought some crazy wizard was a better king than the princess' brother!" Yeeeeah, that'll go down well, init?
[Geoffrey sighs as he looks into the forest, it's otherwise very quiet and very lonely. For all the time he's been in solitude, Geoffrey had silently wished for someone to come around, anyone really…alas, no such luck was bestowed upon him]
Geoffrey: Really, what's the worst that could happen? Banishment? Feel like I've already done that to myself…might as well risk it…better make a plan first.
[The skunk heads back into the cave to start mapping out his plan for a return trip. Using a stick, Geoffrey uses it to calculate something, putting his fingers on either end as if to make measurements of a raft]
Geoffrey: Right…that'll suffice…and food, like I've done before, forage as much as I can for the journey…if I time it right, I'll float down along the current tooooooo Maple, yeah, Maple…at that point, I might be able to catch the train into town…actually, there's several towns to my knowledge in that area…perhaps it's best if I bunk there for the time being, unless they happen to be in there…uhhhh, either way, gonna have to cross that bridge eventually…[yawns]...gettin' tired now…I'll make the trip first thing in the morning…
[On that note, Geoffrey heads over to his makeshift bed of rock, and lays down on it, covering himself up with a blanket made of grass and moss. He slowly begins to drift off as his eyes become heavy, before sleep finally overtakes him]
[The next morning rolls around; however, if Geoffrey was planning for smooth sailing, he was sorely mistaken. As the skunk comes out from the cave, he looks up to see clouds looming over the horizon]
Geoffrey: Couldn't have picked a more convenient day, could I? Looks like there might be rain ahead…I'll bite the bullet if it means no longer staying in this slum.
[Geoffrey walks down the path that leads to the river, passing through the trees and bushes, stopping at the edge of the river and looking for any bits of wood to tie together]
Geoffrey: Right then, are there any logs around these parts…I hope I don't have to make an axe, I don't wanna afford any delays…
[He spots three logs resting on the side of the river, and then finds some vines scattered around the weeds. The skunk puts the logs together before tying them up with the vines, and then pushes the raft into the water to test its buoyancy. It seems secure enough]
Geoffrey: M'kay then, the current is flowin' north, so I should be on course…let's get a move on then…
[Geoffrey hops onboard the raft and begins to set sail down the river. As the skunk watches the water flowing underneath him, he muses a little tune]
Geoffrey: Weeeeee'll meet agaaaain, don't know whereeeee, don't know wheeeeen…
But I knooooow we'll meet again some sunny daaaaay…
Keeeeep smiling throooough, just like yooooou always doooooo
Till the blue skies chase those dark clouds far awaaaaaay…
[As Geoffrey continues to sing, the camera pans up to the sky as a light rumbling can be heard. Some time later, as an overhead shot of the skunk and his raft is shown, a drop of water falls from the sky. It plops down behind the skunk, but he doesn't seem to notice at first. That is until a drop falls on the top of his head and he looks up]
Geoffrey: Aaaaaaaand there it is…
[The rain begins to pour down as it trickles into the river, visible by the plopping droplets around the water]
Geoffrey: [sighs] Shoulda made myself a cover, at least then I wouldn't be soaking wet…
[A little while later, out of the corner of his eye, the skunk suddenly notices smoke coming from a distance away]
Geoffrey: What on Earth is that…?
[The smoke looks so out of place from his perspective that he can't help but be curious about it]
Geoffrey: Hold on, unless it's a fire, that could mean someone else is about…I think I might have just turned me luck around then…
[Geoffrey pushes the raft towards the shore and docks it on the grass where the current isn't as strong. Tying the raft to a rock, he sets out in the direction of the smoke. To his surprise, there's a cabin right in the middle of the woods, the smoke coming out from the chimney, even through the rain]
Geoffrey: How ironic, someone made a hut in the middle of nowhere while I've been spending my time in a cave…might as well see who's inside.
[Geoffrey walks up the steps to the door and knocks three times on it. After a few seconds, footsteps can be heard on the other end before Guntiver opens the door]
Guntiver: Huh, oh, hey there, stranger. You caught in the rain?
Geoffrey: Ain't it obvious, mate?
[Geoffrey notices Guntiver looking him over inquisitively]
Geoffrey: Um…?
Guntiver: Strange…you look a lot like someone I heard mentioned many years back…can't say who though…?
Geoffrey: Uhhhhhh, riiiiiiight…so, ahem, you gonna let me in?
Guntiver: Huh? OH, of course, of course, come right this way.
[Guntiver stands out of the way to let Geoffrey inside]
Geoffrey: Huh, nice place ya' g-!
[Geoffrey freezes in place as standing nearby the fireplace is Drago, with Sleuth sitting a few feet away by the table]
Guntiver: Uh, you okay there?
Geoffrey: I du-Drago?!
[Drago looks in the skunk's direction and almost chokes on the drink of water in his hand]
Drago: Geoffrey?!
Sleuth: Geoffrey?
Guntiver: Sooooooo, you guys know each other?
Drago: Oh, right…riiiiiight…yeeeeah, it's a bit complicated to explain…
Guntiver: Really now? What's the context?
Geoffrey: AHEM, let's just say that we worked together at one point…things went under and we sorta…split apart from our original group…
Sleuth: Where've you been? Disappeared without a trace last time we saw you.
Geoffrey: TCK, that's easy to explain; essentially been livin' as a hermit out in the forest.
Sleuth: Hmph, so have we.
Guntiver: Riiiiiight…so, uh, Geoffrey, was it? You passing by or need a place?
Geoffrey: I mean, if you're not too crowded, seeing as you've got company…
Guntiver: Oh, no, I'm sure we've got room for one more…I will say, we get any more people in this house, it'll turn into a bed and breakfast, and I'm not that equipped. Uh, right, let's see what we've got to work with…
[As Guntiver checks around the cabin for open space, Geoffrey sits on a chair and slumps down on it]
Drago: Well, never thought I'd see your pretty lil face again.
Geoffrey: [sighs] Shut up, Drago, I'm not in the mood…
Drago: Hmph, someone's a bit defensive, aren't they? What's bitten your ass?
Geoffrey: Memories, the past, the whole nine, I'm sure the feeling's come to you more than once.
Drago: Huh, whatever you just saw, I hope it's not contagious.
Geoffrey: I'm serious, mate. You ever think about what happened…and don't tell me you haven't cuz I can tell when you're lying.
Drago: What are you, some kinda mind reader? And what's brought this on, anyway?
Sleuth: If anything, you'd think he saw a ghost.
Geoffrey: …I'm goin' back.
Drago and Sleuth: What?!
Guntiver: Huh?
Geoffrey: I said I'm goin' back. I'm goin' where they are, and I'm gonna settle this once and for all.
Sleuth: You're outta your mind, they're gonna serve your ass for dinner.
Geoffrey: I know the risk, but I gotta take the chance. I can't keep hiding forever, not like you two.
Drago: Excuse me?
Geoffrey: I've at least got an alibi, not so sure about you lot.
Drago: Your "alibi" means as much as your loyalty to that group…and if my memory serves correct, you've thrown it away more times than I can count.
Geoffrey: That's as may be, but I'm at least trying to start fresh, what about you, still thinking with your mirror than your brain?
[Drago stands up from where he's sitting in a threatening manner]
Drago: Watch it, Skunky. I'm not gonna take your slander when I know you ain't talkin'.
Guntiver: Heyheyhey, calm down, no need to fight here.
Sleuth: Shh, it's gettin' good now.
Geoffrey: At least I can show that I've changed, you sacrificed your whole body for naught!
Drago: Yeah, well, at least I didn't play back and forth as a double agent before sticking a knife in their backs!
Geoffrey: At least I don't abuse people in my relationships!
Drago: At least I didn't betray someone I got married to!
[There is a long pause…Geoffrey looks coldly at Drago as the white wolf glares back at him, Guntiver watches with a look of befuddlement while Sleuth takes in the melodrama…before the former's expression falters]
Geoffrey: …Yeah…she didn't deserve that…nor me…
Drago: Yeah, no shit.
Geoffrey: You hurt her too, just a reminder.
Drago: Yeah, I didn't forget.
Geoffrey: Is that all you have to say…? Don't you remember what you did, what we did?
Drago: Hey, Hershey was a fling at best.
Geoffrey: She trusted you, and you tried to screw her over for your own selfish worth.
Drago: And you didn't? You're not a picture of morality, you've not only tried to get in between relationships, but also fucked over the ones you had!
Geoffrey: I…!
Drago: Face it, St. John, you're no less of a scoundrel than I am…I know those bitches aren't gonna take me back for a sack of meat, and they'll damn well do the same with you.
Geoffrey: …You think I don't know that? At least I want to change…have you learned nothing in all this time?!
Drago: Why do you care?
Geoffrey: Actually…yeah…why do I care…you don't care about anyone…so why should anyone care about you…?
[Geoffrey and Drago stare at each other for a few seconds…before the latter makes a snarl and turns away with his arms crossed…the cabin is awfully silent]
Sleuth: [murmuring] Well, that was quite a show…
[Guntiver looks between the skunk and white wolf, now facing away from one another…he quietly approaches Geoffrey]
Guntiver: …You can take the bed if you wish.
Geoffrey: …Thanks.
[The scene cuts to night as the rain is still pouring, cutting back to the inside of the cabin as Geoffrey is seen lying on Guntiver's bed, to his right shines a candlelight. Sleuth is nestled in the pile of straw as before, only this time, Drago isn't alone on the couch. Guntiver has made some room for himself underneath, some straw nestled on the floor for comfort]
[Geoffrey looks over at the two wolves and wonders if he should say something, but for some reason, it didn't feel right…he casts a solemn look at the two before turning around…his eyes flash briefly]
"Goodnight…"
[No one replies…not another word is said…]
Character Guide:
Geoffrey St. John, Ixis Naugus, Drago Wolf, Guntiver the Arctic Wolf, Sleuth Dawg, Hershey the Cat, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sally Acorn, Antoine D'Coolette, Bunnie Rabbot, Rotor Walrus, Tails the Fox, Dr. Finitevus - Sonic the Hedgehog