Last time on Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic reunites with Sally, though not on the nicest of terms. But after calming down, the duo caught each other up on the recent events leading up to where they are now. After theorizing on how the Chaos Emeralds worked, Sonic finally demanded to hear Jenni's story. Which is where the story continues…
A long time ago, in a high school in Central City, a class on fighting was underway. A red haired girl with a ponytail was in the ring with a tank top and sweat shorts. In front of her was a blonde, short haired girl in a similar outfit, bouncing up and down in a ready stance. The bell rang as the two threw punches at each other. The red haired girl dodges a right hook before retaliating with a left jab to the gut, followed by a kick to the side. The blonde girl grabbed the kick after it connected and tossed her opponent to the floor of the ring, getting on top of her and bending her leg. The red haired girl growled before reaching back and grabbing the blonde girl by the shoulders and flipping her off of her. Standing back up, the girls got back at it. The two kept exchanging punches before the red haired girl gets kicked in the face, causing her mouthpiece to fly out of her mouth and she collapsed to the floor. Too tired to get up, the blonde girl is declared the winner of the End of the Year Street Fighting Tourney.
After cleaning up, the red haired girl, Jennifer, drinks a bottle of water she grabs from her gym locker as the blonde girl approaches her.
Blonde Girl: "Yo, Jenni. You did pretty good out there."
Jennifer: "Tch. Don't act like I was that much of a match. I just knew how to throw a punch; that's all, Topaz."
Topaz: "Aw, don't be like that. You gave me a hell of a flip back there. Seriously, it's no wonder you're a gymnastics specialist."
Jennifer: "Pfft. Shut up, I'm not good at physical activity at all. Anyway, I gotta cut this conversation short. Doctor's visit and all."
Topaz: "Ah right. That whole thing. Do you want me to drive you? It's our last year here and I'd like to share our time together before we go our separate ways."
Jennifer: "Ah, right. You wanted to be a police officer, right?"
Topaz: "And join the military. But I gotta keep a clean record and go through college and all that. So far, I've accomplished one of those."
Jennifer closes her locker before putting on her glasses and grabbing her bags. She then smiled at her friend before taking her up on the offer. With a high five, the two leave the gymnasium to the parking lot outside.
At a local clinic, Jennifer was meeting an old doctor that she's been visiting during her high school time. A kindly gentleman somewhere in his late forties who wore the usual doctor attire. He was looking at the latest scan from his patient as Jennifer looked at him.
Jennifer: "Hopefully I didn't break too much this time. I've never been one for physical education, but I did need to do it for at least one year. And hey, today was a great way to end it off."
Doctor: "Yes… I'm sure it did. But… I must be blunt, Jennifer… We discovered something in your body. Something that's developing that may cause… unwanted effects…"
Jennifer's upbeat and casual attitude dropped as her eyes started showing concern. She looked at her doctor with a look of confusion and worry.
Doctor: "Jennifer… Be honest with me… Have you been experiencing any abnormalities recently?"
Jennifer: "None that I can recall… Well… No, the other day, my younger brother, Ivo, said I suddenly fainted from grabbing a soda from the fridge… I didn't think any of it since I had been studying for exams…"
Doctor: "I see… Jennifer… You have NIDS…"
Jennifer: "...N-NIDS…? Neuro-Immunity Deficiency Syndrome?"
Doctor: "Yes… I'm… sure I needn't say more…"
Jennifer looked down with widened eyes, tears welling up in her eyes as she had her hands on her knees, taking in the news. She then scowled at the doctor, glaring at him.
Jennifer: "How long…? How long do I have…?"
Doctor: "...That's not an easy answer, Jennifer… But if I had to say, you are still in the early stages of NIDS… You have a few years at best…"
A few years… Jennifer let those words ring in her ears before she silently grabbed her things and stood up. A look of utter defeat on her face as she walked by Topaz who was waiting in the lobby. When Topaz was told of the news, all feeling of happiness the two felt just… vanished.
As Jennifer returned home, she was greeted by a smell she enjoyed all too often - fried eggs. A much skinnier, not yet baldy Ivo stood in the kitchen with an apron, singing away as he cooked.
Ivo: "Welcome back, Jen! I'm cooking your favorite as a 'Congrats for Graduation' meal!"
Jennifer: "Ivo…"
Ivo turned to Jennifer, noticing the tears streaming out of her eyes as she looked as pale as a ghost. Turning off the oven, he runs over to sit Jennifer down on a chair. He is then told the same news.
Ivo: "Only a few years!?"
Jennifer: "...Everything I've been working hard toward… All the effort I put into making it this far… And now life sees fit to strip it all away from me… Heh… It's so tragic that I can't help but laugh…"
Ivo: "Jen… I'm so sorry… I wish there was something I could do to help, but…"
Jennifer: "It's fine, Ivo… I mean… What's a few years, right? What's one person to a million others? We're just specks of sand in a large desert. Nobody's gonna miss a grain…"
Ivo: "I will!"
Jennifer looks up at Ivo as he shouts this, raising an eyebrow. But he had a genuine look of determination on his face, one that said he would help no matter what. She sits up more before crossing her right leg over her left one while crossing her arms.
Jennifer: "Okay, answer me this, Ivo… What can you do that a bunch of scientists, our grandfather included, could not? NIDS is something that has been studied but no cure has ever been developed."
Ivo: "Ah, but you and I are prodigies! Yes, our grandfather was a genius, but so are we! We can succeed where he failed!"
Jennifer: "Aren't still in early high school though?"
Ivo: "We're on vacation now. Jen! I will not sit by and watch you mope! We shall create a cure or die trying!"
Jennifer just gives a glare to Ivo when he says 'die' since she was dying already. Ivo clears his throat awkwardly and continues.
Ivo: "A-Anyway… We can work together to create a cure. You and I… Brother and sister… Developing something that could not only save you, but mankind as a whole!"
Jennifer looked at her brother, then at her own hand. She gave it some thought; what did she have to lose? She was going to die regardless… With a sigh, she nods, extending a hand.
Jennifer: "Very well. Let's try our best, you and I."
Ivo accepts the hand and the two shake on it. The two smiled as they got to work immediately on making a cure for NIDS.
Two years passed and Jennifer was now in college. Her studies, while important, make it difficult for her to continue her research on the cure she and Ivo were trying to make. There were times where during classes she'd collapse on the floor, cough blood, or even have short bursts of her heart stopping. She knew her condition was worsening, but pressed on. When she could, Topaz would visit and help her friend, but this did very little. One summer day, as Jennifer was researching in a park on medical advances, a teal blue hedgehog walked up, a red mustache on his face.
Hedgehog: "Excuse me, young lady. Are you feeling okay?"
Jennifer: "Whatever it is you want, old man, I'm sorry but I have no time for you."
Hedgehog: "Ah. Sorry, but… You do need to see a doctor."
Jennifer lowers her book and faces the hedgehog, sizing him up.
Hedgehog: "My name is Charles. I'm a new doctor and mechanic who got called into Central City for my research on various new medical tools. I admit, compared to my old place, this place makes me quite dizzy…"
Jennifer: "...Do you know anything about NIDS?"
Charles: "A bit. I know that it is an incredibly difficult disease to cure. …Do you have it?"
Jennifer said nothing, her silence answering for her. Charles nods before looking at the book she held. Putting two and two together, he gathered that she was researching a cure. With a throat clear, he decided to ask just what all Jennifer knew. She explained everything to him, partially out of desperation, and what all effects she's feeling. Charles could only worry as he knew she was already starting to develop the final stages of NIDS…
Charles: "Well… That is fascinating what all you researched. But at the rate you are going, it may not be enough…"
Jennifer: "I KNOW THAT! I'm on borrowed time!"
Charles: "But… I think I can help. Do you trust me?"
Jennifer: "At this point, I'll take any help I can get… Really…"
Charles nods before Jennifer stood up and walked him to her car, driving him to her home.
Jennifer's home could only be described as a mess. Scattered documents, books on the floor, unfinished meals on the table on the living room. She clearly stopped caring about cleanliness since she was coming closer to Death's Door. As Charles picked up a few documents, he found a few with mathematical equations for some kind of potion.
Charles: "What's this, Jennifer?"
Jennifer: "A proposed idea my brother made. A serum that could cure NIDS. Honestly, it sounds fine but the ingredients wouldn't be easy to get."
Charles examines the document and nods. He studies the formula further before making a few changes to it. Before long, he went right to work, using a few common household items as ingredients. As Jennifer watched, she saw the look on the older hedgehog's face - he was determined. Maybe even a bit excited. He continues to work on it before finishing the serum.
Charles: "It is finished. Now… I must warn you, if my theory is correct, this will only hold off the NIDS' effects. It won't eliminate it completely. It is only a temporary solution until a permanent one is made."
Jennifer: "Will it… prolong my life?"
Charles: "Yes. That I guarantee."
Without hesitation, the girl just snatched it and gulped down the serum in one gulp. She tried hard not to choke it back up her throat from how awful it tasted. The sheer taste alone was like drinking raw sewage if it mixed with human sweat and salt water. Charles held her stomach, easing it a bit as she fought against every one of her five senses to not expel the serum back out. Once she calmed down, she just muttered to Charles softly.
Jennifer: "Next time… You drink it…"
Before she finally passed out, the taste too strong for her. Charles sighs before nodding, helping the poor girl to bed.
The next day, as the sun's beam beats on her face, she wakes up feeling absolutely groggy. She checks her phone to see several text messages that she missed, a few being from Ivo and another few from Topaz. Rubbing her head, she gets up from bed before glancing at her mirror, noticing that she looked… healthy. Much healthier. Her grogginess turned into excitement as she jumped for joy. She was going to live a bit longer! She immediately ran down her stairs, feeling more energized than ever as she reached her countertop, which had the formula Charles used. She pockets it, deciding to save it for when she felt sick again. She then saw something else…
Jennifer: "Hm? 'You have been invited to join the team of medical experts. Together we can better the world. I hope you'll consider it. - Charles de Hedgehog'..."
She looks at the invitation for a bit, smiling as she pockets it away. Feeling energetic for what felt like a long time, she sends a quick text to Topaz, grabs a shower, and leaves her home, heading off to a brand new day for herself… Of course, this was only the beginning for young Jennifer… And not all good things last…
To be continued…