Chapter 16 - Indirect Acquaintance
The four scouts heard a low and deep rumble coming from the cave. It was followed up by an echoing sound blast of what seemed to be like an earthquake. Not moving from their spot and watching, they could barely see the appearance of a massive cave-in inside the large mound of rock. Lasting for a few minutes, the mild quaking from the ground seized. Hearing distant cracking of earth in the background, stillness occupied the surrounding environment outside. Not even the bugs were making sounds anywhere near their position.
"Looks like the cave-in has stopped," the birdman commented.
"Yes," the antelope lead scout agreed feeling ambivalent.
"Now that has been taken care of, we can just try to salvage any remains," the panther remarked. It caused the others to look at him with a frown.
"I thought your original aspect was just to trap it in there...not to collapse the cave entirely," the dog man questioned with a firm tone. He saw the feline shug his shoulders.
"Better that thing be dead than potentially alive," he stated. Putting his torch forward and walking, he headed back to the opening at the bottom of the hill.
"What do we do now?" the hound scout asked out loud. It was not directed toward the other two.
"...as much as I do not approve of his action," the captain answered. He lifted his torch and began to follow.
"Let's see how much of the cave has collapsed. If there is anything to recover...it will be evidence. If not, then we will have to head back to the village and rethink where and how to search."
"..." the other two patrollers responded.
Raising their fire sticks, they began walking in the same direction. Once they reached the cave and shined their light in, the four could see how much bedrock had fallen. Both tunnel entrances were completely blocked by rubble and dropped boulders from the ceiling. Using their portable electrical lights to shine the underroof, there were fissures seen. In the pan of light, there was a constant dust flow seen coming in from the various sediment lacerations. However, there was no openings to see outside.
"Well," the panther man began. His voiced echoed and bounced off the walls a little.
"Not only did it seal off the monster, it prevents us from finding out anything else."
"..." the other three commented with just frowning at him again. Seeing him turn around, he did not have a smug look on his face.
"You guys have something to say, then say it."
"You prevented the killer from coming out...but now we don't know if the kid is in there or not," the birdman stated with a disappointed tone.
"That rascal was asking for it from all the daredevil stunts he did," the feline remarked then pointed his finger at him. "Don't forget, instead of running after us after getting knocked off the transport to Zorn's village. He ran away than follow our path."
"He is just a boy...not even a teenager," the canine stated through clenched teeth. "It is unrealistic to expect him to think rationally when freaking lasers and missiles were being fired at us by those machines."
"If you forget...scout...everyone gets trained on how to escape and find their way to take cover," the black cat countered and narrowed his eyes. "All ages are expected to follow survival guidelines set by the village."
"You heartless bastard," the aerial animal stated with a frown.
"Survival...only occurs in the fittest...remember that the next time you hear a bloody roar of a killer and turn tail to run away," he stated back with a peeved expression.
"Why you-"
"Enough!" the antelope interjected and got between the two. "Both of you made your point. Since we are at a roadblock and cannot confirm, we will return to the village. Understand?"
"..." both responded with silence.
About to repeat himself, the feathered male turned around and started heading out of the cave. The hound scout did not say anything as he followed his colleague. The captain turned to the remaining team member in which he went to a neutral expression. Keeping his mouth close and putting his hands behind his head, he began walking. Proceeding after the team, the antelope took a small glance back. Shaking his head, he looked forward and started trekking back to their village.
"..." Speed commented from hearing the faint voices of the scouts arguing. Hearing rubble being moved and someone climbing to him, he turned around. Seeing the young hedgehog follow him, he looked very tired.
"How...do you have...so much...energy Speed?" Sonic asked breathing heavily. Bending and putting his hands on his knees, he tried focusing on getting more air into his lungs.
"...it is just...endurance..." he explained. Turning his head, he saw the men begin to leave the cave.
"What are you...looking at?"
"...villagers...that made the explosion..." the amputee answered. Hearing the child move next to him while still heaving for air, four flames were seen hurrying away from hill.
"...I couldn't tell who they were...maybe they were from Zorn's village," the orphan commented then looked at the opening to the cave. "Can we...still get into the cave?"
"...with the cave-in...would be not wise...to venture inside," the adult hedgehog informed. Turning toward the downslope of the hill they were on, he began walking down it.
"Where do we go now?" Sonic questioned following.
"...now...find shelter...sleep"
"Have you...lost your home...a lot?"
"Yes."
"Are you..." Sonic began then became cautious. "...angry?"
"...angry...?" Speed repeated neutrally. Focusing on taking firm footsteps while going down, he reached flatland. Stopping and looking around, he began to survey the area around him that he could see.
"...no...only somewhat...annoyed."
"..." the blue boy responded with blinking. Stopping next to him and seeing him look around themselves, exhaustion and sleepiness started to eat away at him. Shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, it only provided temporary feeling of being awake. Yawning, he could feel his body not wanting to do what his mind was telling it to do.
"..." the one-armed man said looking at the child only with his eyes. Seeing him struggle to stay awake, there didn't seem to be any threats around them. Going back to watching the smaller anthropomorphic being, his blinking appeared to get heavy and lethargic.
"Where...where will we...find shelter?" the orphan asked. His tone started to sound sleepily as if his body was slowly succumbing to all the events that happened today. His ears perked a little from hearing the man walk forward.
"...we will have to...travel through the forest...may be short or long..." he informed. Stopping next to a tree and large rocks that were the same height as the boy, he turned his head. Watching the child follow him, he couldn't walk in a straight line. Reaching to where he was standing, he bumped into a rock and stumbled on it.
"...I'm...I'm so tired...and sle...e...p...y...zzz...zzz," Sonic muttered then fell into his subconscious.
"..." Speed responded with just blinking.
Waiting for a couple of minutes to see if the boy would jolt awake, he continued to rest on the rock. Tuning his head 60 degrees to his left, he stared into the darkness of the vegetation. Unable to see anything in the background, he could make out all the outlines of trees and plants in front of him. Thinking about where to find shelter that would be safe and provide warmth, Oatisal Harbor came to mind. Knowing that he could find a place in the vegetation to stay out of sight, he was not confident that the boy would fair through the night in his current condition.
"...mmmm..." he commented in mild irritation.
Turning to the boy and curling his left hand into a loose fist, his crimson eye bore down on the child. Feeling the cool breeze pass through, the coldness of it stung like ice on his scabbed over injuries. Shaking his head a little, he picked up the small hedgehog. Putting him over his left shoulder for a fireman carry, he moved to be in the previous direction he was looking. Going into a fast-walking pace, he slowly increased his speed.
Moving at the velocity of a cruising vehicle, Speed avoided colliding with any greenery. When there was a drop or a dip in the landscape with a shadowed bottom, he jumped over them. Wondering if the sluggish movement and his carrying method would wake the orphan, the young one stayed asleep. Surprisingly, the child was not coughing or breathing harder for air from being held over the shoulder. Continuing in the direction he was going, he never looked in his peripheral when seeing distant small flames of the village scouts.
After roughly heading in the same direction for some minutes, he began to see faint light reflections up ahead. Getting closer and closer, a large body of water was slowly occupying the horizon through the trees. Upon reaching the end of the forestry and entering open land, the sea was ahead of him. Seeing a bit better from the openness and not in the thick of bushes and trees, there was nothing out in the water. Doing a gradual turn to the right to be next to the sand, he continued running.
'I wonder why,' Speed wondered as he trekked alongside the coastline. 'That human on the loudspeaker...sounded familiar.'
'I can assume that I was experimented on...I just don't remember how I lost the right arm or the top fin.'
'...let alone how the eye got changed out,' he thought rushing toward an unseen destination in the dark night.
'Was it...my own species that did this? The robots? Or the humans?'
'Based on what was stocked in that underground base, the latter two seemed to hold more weight...at least that is my assumption based on who was there.'
"..." the amputee spoke with a small frown.
Shaking his head a little, he focused on moving toward the coastal town. Given that there were no objects, trees, or vegetation that blocked his path, he went faster. Going at a small fraction of his top speed, he made sure that he didn't jostle the boy around too much. After a few minutes, distant lights were seen. Continuing to follow the snaking sand coast, Oatisal Harbor was getting closer and closer. Slowing down to the point of getting to the outside boundary of the metropolis, he stopped.
"...haaaa...haaa...haaaaa..." the ash gray hedgehog breathed harshly for air.
Feeling muscles tightening, he eased the boy down to the ground. Feeling the weight off his shoulder, breathing became easier. Resting for a bit to get his bearings, he looked around them. Behind to where the forest stood, there were no red beady eyes staring at them. Looking toward outer parts of the establishment, there were no scavengers around. Narrowing his eyes seeing if anything stood out in the immediate building walls, no shifty people were standing around.
Thinking about the map of the small city and recalling certain places, where he wanted to go was on the West side closer to the water. Looking back at the child, he kneeled to the ground. Instead of putting Sonic over his left shoulder again, he sat the child over his shoulders. Feeling the legs dangle next to his head, he leaned the boy's body forward to be on the opposite side of his forehead. Seeing arms in his peripheral vision, the amputee stood up.
'...must have spent himself today...' Speed thought given how the child hadn't woke up once. Seeing that the orphan hadn't fallen off, he lifted his left arm. Putting his hand on the smaller hedgehog's back, it felt secure.
Turning around and heading into the town, Speed focused on staying in the shadows and avoiding public contact. There were a few close calls where he was still able to avoid an encounter. However, he saw pairs of colored eyes in other places of shadows. While most of them kept their distance, a couple were a bit more persistent and aggressive in wanting to catch up. By the time the pursuers got to a cornered alleyway, they saw that the two hedgehogs vanished.
"W-Where in da blazes did thos two hedges go!?" one scoundrel asked surprised.
"It'sa like da vanished in thin air," another stated looking around then in the small dumpster in the alleyway.
"Naaah. Ain't nobod dat fast. The big one had one arm!" the first one continued and began walking to the end of the alleyway.
"And he carry a youngin too," the second remarked.
"..." the amputee spoke.
Watching the two search the dead-end passageway from a 2nd floor patio area, he blinked. Holding Sonic's wrists with one hand, he sprinted quickly. Getting on the building's wall and running on it, he curved down to get to the ground. Reaching it and hopping off, he did a controlled squat to dampen the momentum impact. Hearing the boy mumble a little, he didn't wake up. Focusing back forward, he proceeded onward seeing his destination two blocks away.
In one of many multiple story buildings, most of them were for apartments. The ones that did a combination of being residential and trade shop had more probability of staying afloat and being successful. Others that were just one or the other, did not fare as much. In one of those apartment buildings, the aspect of success was not present. Looking worn down and ghetto, it still attracted business despite who were the clientele. In a poorly lit small office, the manager sat at her desk.
"Yea...mmm-hmm," a light brown female stout anthropomorphic being spoke. Having a phone in her ear, she was listening while filing a sharp nail.
"You do realize the place you are staying in...right?" she stated shifting her focus off her hand. Producing small claws, she held up a used newspaper in her other hand. Slashing at it, it made tears in the crumply illustrations. Hearing more of complaining from the other end, she sighed out loud.
"Listen chum...for the low rent, that's what we got..."
"Kay...be more like Zanderful's place?" she repeated then got irritated. "Then why the hell did you come here then?...oh wait...let me guess...cheap room rent."
"Talk to my manager?...are you freaking shitting me right now?...do you want me to come to your room and tell you the same damn shit I just explained over the phone?" the stoat stated in a stern controlled voice. Getting up from feeling more than annoyed, she patted her desk. Finding her pack and getting a smoke, she brought it to her mouth. Placing it in the left corner and holding it with her lips, she tried looking for a match.
"I am the freaking manager of this place-you know what, fine. I'll be there to FULLY listen to your COMPLAINT in person," the woman responded tensely. Firmly placing the phone back in its cradle, it made a loud clang sound.
"Damn tenants," she muttered. Continuing with her search, she heard her stomach growl.
"You shut up down there. I have to deal with one shit first before you."
"Where are the damn matches?" she stated in frustration. Giving up, she kept the cig in her mouth and left the room. Opening and closing the door, it rattled from the amount of force she swung it closed. Walking down a short hallway, it turned left to continue. Passing doors on either side, she stopped at the elevator.
'Hope that snot up there is ready,' the stoat thought pressing the call button. Hearing the bell sound and doors opening, she stepped inside.
'If he is all bark and no bite, I'm ripping him a new one,' she thought bitterly.
Pressing the 3rd floor, she moved the cigarette to the other corner of her mouth. Putting one hand in her jacket pocket, the other reached for her face. Going to the right eye, she adjusted the eye patch and gently pressed her fingers. Feeling that the organ was still there, it gave a mild sting from the pressure. Cringing a little and letting go, her hand dropped to her side.
Getting the motion of the lift slowing down, it sounded then opened. Blinking and stepping through, she turned to the left. Walking down the hallway, the room she was heading to was around the corner. The closer she got, she began to focus and stare at the door. Getting to it and preparing herself, her tail began to sway a little as if an indication to onlookers that she was ready.
"..." the female manager said knocking on the door. Hearing soft footsteps and the door opening, it showed an oversized male feline. Suppressing a frown, she proceeded with a neutral tone and face.
"You called earlier?"
"...!?" the renter reacted with a surprise and pointed. "You the manager?"
"I did say that over the phone."
"..." he responded with looking her up and down. Her getup was of an unzipped gray hoodie sweater with a white thin tank top. Sporting a black knife platted skirt that stopped mid thighs, there were no stockings on her legs. Black, untied boots covered her feet. Looking back up to her face, her dark colored iris of her eye stared back at him.
"You don't look like the manager."
"..." she responded with a frown. "You have an issue or just going to check me out?"
"You won't retain any business acting and dressing that way," he pointed out. Seeing her not drop the frown, she placed one hand on her left hip. Shifting her weight to her left leg, she began to slowly tap the floor with her right foot.
"You should take my advice," the male cat stated with mocking face and gave a shooing gesture with his hand. "Go and get me the actual manager of this establishment. I will take my complaint up with him."
'You piece of shit,' she thought getting angry. About to open up her mouth and unload venom at the overweight man, his attention seemed to go passed her. Seeing his expression change rapidly from being smug to apprehensive, he closed the door suddenly.
'Damnit...a crackhead,' the stoat woman said in her head.
Clenching her teeth and getting her hand out of her pocket, she outstretched her hands. Producing her claws, she quickly turned around. Getting into an aggressive stance to attack, she froze. Seeing a black silhouette in front of the stairwell door entrance, she couldn't identify who it was from it being in an unlit area. Looking rather large, its single eye was a third way down from the top of its head.
Immediately thinking it was a metal head due to the haunting crimson ring, there was only one. Oddly, she could almost detect that it had a normal eye on its right side. Staring in silence, her nerves tensed up more. Its spiked head seemed to be slowly rising and falling with shallow breathing. Hearing it walk towards her, its figure got more detailed.
"That's far enough," she stated firmly. Seeing that it was a male hedgehog breed, there was one of a child sleeping on his shoulders and head. Seeing that the eerie eye was a cybernetic implant, the other eye was hazel with more gold color. Though something about this person seemed familiar, he wasn't at the same time.
"..." he said without blinking. Stopping where he stood, he continued staring at her.
"Who are you and what do you want?" the woman asked not getting out of her stance.
"...evening..." his raspy voice came. He observed that she became more defensive from how it sounded. Willing himself to hold off from frowning, he continued.
"...Chiara..."
"How...the hell do you know my name?" she demanded stiffening more. The amputee's unflinching and unyielding gaze got on her already strained nerves.
"...have stayed...here before..."
"...okay...ain't the first time I forgot a face...but," the woman began then trailed off. Seeing his missing right arm, the crude stump gave a tingling sensation in her stiff arms.
"I would remember you given your injuries and replacement implant."
"...wore cloak...in times here...never removed...it..." Speed explained in a neutral tone.
Bending down to the ground, he carefully removed Sonic off his shoulders. Placing him on the floor, he moved a little and gave a face. He looked cold and a little less comfortable. Standing back up and facing the renting manager, she had not gotten out of her attack position. Seeing what was in her mouth, he pointed two fingers at her with his ungloved left hand.
"...?" Chiara said seeing him not moving.
Focusing on him and not blinking, his image vibrated quickly till it vanished. Blinking in surprise and feeling a shallow force of wind in the hallway, he re-appeared. Still in the pointing position and staring at her, the hedgehog had something between his two fingers. Closer to the knuckles was a matchbook. Between the digits' tips, was a lit match.
"...!?" she reacted with a start.
A little smoke was coming from something to the left of her mouth and saw it was her cig. Looking back at the amputee, he blew out the flame on the little wooden stick. Going to one of many ash tin posts, he put the spent fire starter in small collection of bunted cigarettes. Hating the feeling of being surprised and startled, she took a hit of her smoke. Breathing it out of her lungs and seeing the grey cloud, her nerves began to calm down.
"Alright," the stoat woman began. Getting out of her aggression stance, she stood neutrally and took the cig out of her mouth.
"You impressed me...there was only one other bloke that did that trick, but I haven't seen him in a while."
"...time has passed...since being here..." he agreed and turned back to her.
"But that guy was mute," she continued and took another smoke. "...find out the hard way."
"...I did not...appreciate you doing that...then."
"Oh yeah? Tell me how I found out then."
"...A knife...to the throat..." the hedgehog answered then frowned at her. "...then demanded blood stew...as part of...rent."
"...holy shit..." Chiara reacted again with surprise. Instead of staying where she was, she headed toward him and got to his personal space.
"It is you...what the hell happened to you?" the woman asked. Seeing the two noticeable damaged areas, she reached out and touched his right shoulder stump.
"When did this get ripped off?"
"...do not remember...clearly when or how," he replied and suppressed the urge to smack her hand away.
"Same thing for your top blade?" she continued. Moving her hand and touching the damaged quill, it felt scabbed over and rough on her fingers.
"...yes..." he answered then saw her look at his face. He didn't veer away when she moved her face closer to his. The smell of smoke just made him blink.
"Shit...both look hella painful," the stoat commented then moved back a little. Taking another hit from her smoke, she blew it out from the side of her mouth. Crossing her arms over her chest, the stoat continued.
"You got a transplant for your tongue?"
"...yes..."
"Damn...must have paid a hefty bill for it."
"...overall...it was painful in more ways than one," he agreed and blinked.
"When did you get both transplants? I been trying to schedule to get this thing fixed after getting it slashed at by a crackhead," she stated using her thumb to point at her right eye. "But every time I find someone willing to do it, their shop looks like a place at the butchers."
"...the eye...do not remember...the tongue...was done today."
"Today? Did you just wake up from resting?" Chiara responded with surprise.
"...No...have been awake for most of the day...and during the operation," Speed explained with a stoic expression. Seeing her cringe, she shivered.
"You are a damn freaking psycho," she stated then breathed in more of her cigarette. Exhaling and feeling a little bit better than before, she looked down at the floor to her right.
"Who's the kid?"
"...orphan from Oberi village...was destroyed during...machine pillage."
"And you picked him up?"
"...he traded himself...to save his villagers...as part of an...exchange."
"..." Chiara questioned looking at him. An awkward silence passed by as both stared at each other and did not blink.
"You going to clarify that stupid lead in statement you made or what?" she asked firmly.
"...are you a pedophile?" he asked calmly back.
"I'm asking you."
"What do you think...Chiara?"
"A question is your answer?"
"..." Speed responded with narrowing his eyes at her. "...the boy...is not a plaything."
"To take this long to answer is not convincing."
"...are you...done yet?" the amputee asked not changing his expression. "...or you going to...continue being hangry?"
"Shut up," the female animal responded with a frown. Moving her hand, she pointed at the floor. It was directly toward her feet, but she motioned her hand to point repetitively at the ground.
"You haven't pissed me off like the other people here. You won't be on my shit list tonight if you follow me to the kitchen area."
"...fine..." the hedgehog said then gestured to the orphan. "...carry him...if you are concerned."
"Hah!" she commented letting out what seemed like a relieved outburst. Giving a tight smirk, she walked toward the stairwell door behind him. Getting next to him, she clapped him on his chest.
"I'm just freaking pulling your chain...but you already knew that."
"...wondered if so...many times before," he muttered and looked at her at the corner of his right eye.
"I heard that," the stoat stated. Doing a mild kick to his backside, she kept the tight smirk seeing the amputee's deadpan expression.
"Don't make me wait," she spoke putting the cig back in her mouth.
Watching him go to the boy and pick him up, Sonic unconsciously mumbled something inaudible. Carefully putting over his left shoulder, he turned around and walked toward the woman. Seeing an almost amused expression on her face, she exhaled the smoke from her lungs. Turning around, she opened the door. Following her, both headed back to the 1st floor. While going down the stairs, Chiara would look behind her and up multiple times.
"You walk too damn quiet," she mentioned continuing down.
"...thanks..."
"Wasn't a compliment."
"...noted..." he countered with a plain monotone.
"Heh...you should have gotten that tongue transplant first."
"...why...?"
"I can vent at you with your wisecracks," she explained looking back.
"...did not stop you...venting before."
"No, but now...it's premium entertainment in this hellhole."
"...you are...so welcome..."
"..." Chiara responded with a snort. "Dripping with sarcasm...you trying to make me like you?"
"...you desperate?" he asked nonchalantly. Stopping from seeing her stop, she walked up to be nose to nose with him.
"You think I am? What wisecrack are you going to use to get out of that comment?" she asked giving a shark smile.
"...you are being...open and forward...not your usual...manners," he answered not afraid of her.
"Hmm...fair enough," the stoat remarked and went back to a tight smirk.
Putting the smoke back in her mouth, she turned around. Continuing down the stairs, Speed followed her. Reaching the 1st floor and going into the main hallway, they headed back to her office area. Passing that and going into another room, the space was a blend of many rooms condensed into one. Going to the two-seater Otterman that was against one wall, it had seen a fair amount of usage.
Placing Sonic on it, the boy seemed to look more comfortable. Hearing noises at the left corner of the room, the manager had gone to the micro kitchen section. Occupying a narrow profile of the wall, it was next to the refrigerator unit. Seeing her get stuff out, the amputee went to the stove. Turning on one of the burners, he opened the cabinet above and started getting cookware out.
'...' he thought staring at the frying pan and saucepan. Seeing the items being placed on the small counter next to him, the woman's tail was slowly swaying back and forth. Sighing through his nose, he turned on two burners. Grabbing the container of oil and pouring it in both pans, muscle memory began to take over.
'...depending on how hungry she is...I will not get any sleep...'
"So cloakman," Chiara began. After getting the last ingredients out and placing them to the table, she stood to his left. Taking another hit, she leaned against the wall. Seeing him look at her with narrowed eyes, she smirked.
"You never said you had a name...cloakman sounds fitting."
"...if mutes were categorized...on appearances...sure."
"So you actually have a name?" she asked tapping her cig a couple of times.
"...if I did..." Speed began then turned to stove. "...I don't remember it..."
"Amnesia huh," the stoat remarked then took a hit. "Explains why I get so many druggies here."
"...when was the last time..." he asked. Turning to the large onion, he grabbed the knife. Moving fast that blurred his movements, the bulb vegetable was peeled and minced within a few seconds.
"...you ate?"
"A meal? You think I have money to spend running this place?" she stated. Looking at her, she was staring at him with less of a stiff face.
"...I take you never...got a fill recently..." the hedgehog spoke. Putting the knife down, he tossed a small amount of onion in both pot and pan. Hearing it beginning to sizzle, his movements blurred again. As if conducting two motions at once, Chiara saw segmented split images of him putting the cut vegetable in both cook wares.
"Heh heh...I forgot how much I enjoyed your fast psychedelic movement to just cook something."
"...good to hear...the show was entertaining..."
"Tell you what," she began.
Dropping the smoke on the floor and stepping on it, she grabbed a nearby stool. Setting to where she was standing, she sat down. Leaning it back to be against the wall, she moved her hands behind her head. Without beating an eye, she pulled her right leg up. Bending at the knee and putting her foot on the chair's edge, the other leg remained extended down.
"You tell me what ja been up to and I may have...some vacancy here."
"..." Speed commented glancing at her. Giving a small snort, he turned to grab a utensil to stir.
"...what an open...invitation," he said going back to the stove and began with the pot. "...is your view part...of the bundle?"
"Maybe...you going to make a pass?" the woman asked with a shark smile.
"...no...I rather keep...my head attached."
"..." Chiara snorted loud then chuckled out loud.
"..." Speed said blinking at her reaction.
'...seems the amount on her chest...is larger than she wants to show,' he pondered. Focusing back on cooking with her laughter dying down, he sighed through his nose.
'...at this rate...only the kid will get sleep.'