The ring portal opened with a flash and swirl of wind. The golden iris stretched, showing another world beyond, a room with monitors and bright lights. It was nearly blinding in the dark of night, and Callie and Wade squinted against the brightness.
As they watched, two creatures walked through. More humanoid animals, but these were different than any of the ones they were familiar with. If Callie had to guess, she would have pegged them as skunks. One was shorter, about the same height as Knuckles maybe, with a teal-ish coat and a big, full tail. The other was taller, maybe her height, seemed to be albino and had a stubby tail stump, as though he'd lost it at some point.
The two stepped through and took up flanking positions on either side of the portal. Then a small machine came through, a drone of some sort, and hovered closer to the humans. Wade moved slightly in front of Callie, but she side stepped him to take position at his right.
She gave a quick glance behind them, and found Silver still in Wade's truck. He'd moved to the front seat and peeked over the dash, watching through the windshield. The boy's forehead fan was bristled tall and sharp, his eyes wide as saucers. She'd seen him afraid before, plenty of times, but this fear looked different. This wasn't the fear of something unknown. This was the fear of something familiar.
He knew these skunks.
"They're here for him," she muttered as she turned back to face front. Wade glanced her way and she flicked her eyes to his. "This could get ugly."
"Should I call Tom and have his boys come over?" Wade's voice was as low as hers as they watched the ring portal shrink and disappear. "Sonic and Knux could be here really fast."
"Something tells me these two wouldn't take too kindly to you whipping out your phone to call for help." The skunks in question pulled their lips up and snarled as the two whispered to each other. "I think we're on our own."
The drone beeped, and a smaller portal opened behind it, presumably to allow it to communicate with someone back wherever they all came from.
Wade pushed out a heavy sigh. "Great. So what do we do?"
Two long antennae extended from the drone's sides, and a holographic screen appeared between them. Another humanoid animal grinned at them, one with a bill and small round glasses. A duck?
"We handle it," Callie said, pushing a smile to her lips and taking a step forward. "Evening! To what do I owe the pleasure of the company of these fine gentlemen?"
The skunks exchanged a glance and snickered, as the drone hovered even closer. Callie didn't like the proximity, but kept the smile on her lips. She was sometimes pretty good at talking her way out of things—sometimes all it took to diffuse a tense situation is a polite attitude—so she was hoping her luck would hold out tonight.
"Good evening, madam," the duck said, and Callie detected the faintest hint of what would have been a British accent on Earth. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Starline the Platypus, and my brawny associates are Rough and Tumble the Skunks."
The skunks behind the drone smirked and tilted their heads at the mention of their names. Callie flicked her eyes back at them, but quickly refocused on the holographic image of the platypus. If asked, Callie didn't think 'associates' was likely the proper term for what the skunks were to this doctor. 'Henchmen' seemed more appropriate. 'Thugs' also came to mind.
"And who might I be speaking with?" the platypus asked, and there was a tone to his voice that Callie couldn't place. A slyness beneath the friendly facade. "After all, that is how proper introductions are done, is it not?"
The librarian clenched her jaw. In just these few interactions, she felt an instant dislike of Starline. He exuded an aura of arrogance that she detested, a smug confidence that he was smarter than she. Her stubbornness rose, and she gave him a smile that likely looked like more of a sneer.
Oh, it was going to be hard to hold her tongue.
"My apologizes, Dr. Starline," she said, and had to force herself to keep a polite, neutral tone, and not speak through gritted teeth. But she and Wade were at a disadvantage here. She needed to determine just how big a threat these three were before she let her snark get them all into bigger trouble. "I am Callie MacPherson, and this is Deputy Wade Whipple."
Wade gave a little wave when introduced, and she made sure to put extra emphasis on the "Deputy" part of his name. Maybe if Starline knew Wade was the authority here, he'd think twice about doing . . . whatever it was he was going to do.
"Ah, the local law enforcement," Starline said, and flicked his eyes up and down Wade as if assessing his threat level. Predictably, the platypus gave a little smirk when he seemed to determine that Wade wasn't much of one. "How advantageous. Perhaps you can help me."
Wade exchanged a quick glance with Callie, before looking back to the drone. "With what?"
"I seem to have lost something that belongs to me. A child that had run off, and gotten loose on your world." He steepled his fingers before him, a sly expression narrowing his eyes. "I would like him back."
"And how do you know he's here?" Callie said, grabbing Wade's wrist to quiet him. "I'm not sure where you're from, but it's a big universe out there. How do you know he came here? To my house, specifically?"
Starline flicked his eyes to her, and the smirk that had curled his bill faded into a more annoyed expression. "This child gives off a very distinct energy signature, and leaves behind nothing but destruction." He reached off-screen and a small light flared to life along the drone's side, illuminating the damage done to her house. "I detected a strong energy spike not long ago, and this damage is consistent with the destruction he's wrought on our world."
Callie narrowed her eyes, pulling her lips into a tight line. "Funny how you detected that from wherever you are. Almost like you knew where he was and were keeping tabs on him. Through another of these little toys of yours, maybe?"
The doctor gave her a little smile. "It is my business to know these things. The boy represents a great deal of research and study. You'd be wise to turn him back over to me."
"Is that so?"
"This is just a small hint of the damage this boy can do. He has hurt people. By harboring him, you are opening yourself up to even more danger, and more destruction."
Despite her dislike of this platypus, what he said hit a nerve. Callie turned to look at the damage Silver caused. Damage that she would now have to pay for. Thousands of dollars' worth of destruction. All from one child who'd had a panic attack.
Her mind drifted back to the store, when he'd lost control in the shoe department. He'd injured people then. Not badly, and even her injury wasn't that bad, all things considered. But if he'd done all that without meaning to, what could he do if he put his mind to it? If he got angry?
Still. Silver was a little boy. Every intuition and instinct in Callie told her this platypus wanted him for reasons that weren't exactly on the up and up.
"He's not here," she said as she looked back to the drone, and she hoped her voice sounded stronger than it did to her own ears. "He ran off."
Starline tilted his head, one eyebrow ridge cocking in tandem. "Really, now. It's unbecoming of a lady to lie. You're not trying to hide something from me, are you? Because that may end very badly for you."
The tone and phrasing made Callie's breath catch in her throat. The emotions and memories she kept firmly locked away in her mental vault stirred.
No, stop it. That was a long time ago. Stop it.
As if sensing her momentary lapse in determined protection, Starline continued.
"He's not your responsibility. You owe him nothing. Protecting him is only going to bring you more trouble. Don't let your emotions get in the way of doing what's in your best interests."
Her heart pounded like a bird trying to escape her rib cage, and she stared at Starline, eyes wide. Her grip on Wade's wrist tightened.
Oh God. This was so familiar. Too familiar.
~X~X~X~
Wade flinched when Callie clamped down on his wrist, and he turned to tell her to ease up when he saw the look on her face.
She'd gone white as a sheet, eyes wide.
He'd never seen her like that. She looked afraid. Terrified, even. No matter what had happened since Silver arrived, she'd always kept her cool. Always seemed on top of things. But now, she looked as though she'd seen a ghost.
Starline was still talking, and Wade pried the librarian's fingers from around his wrist as he listened to the platypus monologue.
"The boy is dangerous. I have been working with him to help him learn to control his powers, to be less of a threat. If properly contained, he could be the key to ending suffering on our world. To making things better for everyone."
Wade managed to remove Callie's hand from his wrist as he gave a little eye roll. He'd seen enough movies to know that when someone said something like that, it meant something more sinister. Starline likely wasn't trying to help Silver, he was using Silver for his own selfish purposes. Hurting Silver, too, if those marks around the boy's wrists and ankles were any indication.
"What about Silver?" the deputy asked as he turned back to face Starline. He held Callie's hand in his own, and felt the slight tremor in it. "Did he ask for your help with his power?"
Starline's brow furrowed, and his eyes narrowed. "He's a child. He doesn't know what he wants or needs."
"Well, considering he ran away from you and escaped to a whole different planet, I kinda think he does."
The anger in Starline's face intensified. "He is my property. I will get him back, by any means necessary."
This seemed to be an unspoken signal to the skunks, as they stepped forward, cracking their knuckles.
Wade reached for his service pistol, only finding an empty holster at his hip. That's right. He turned his gun in at the end of his shift. It technically wasn't a requirement, but his mother didn't like the firearm in the house, and he'd never had a reason to need it off-duty. Green Hills wasn't exactly a hotbed of crime.
But now he mentally kicked himself for being defenseless. He wasn't exactly good at physical confrontation—the last fist fight he'd been in was back in 2nd grade with the class bully, and he'd lost pretty badly, then. And that was with someone his own age and relative strength. These animal aliens all seemed tougher than humans, and these two in particular looked especially formidable. Especially the taller skunk.
He wished Knuckles were here.
Callie still seemed out of it, and Wade pulled her behind him. If these skunks wanted to hurt her, they'd have to get through him. Which, admittedly, wouldn't take long, but hey, it was the thought that counted, right?
He curled his hands into fists, and watched the skunks come closer.
~X~X~X~
This was a nightmare. And seemed all too familiar to Silver.
He watched from the truck, eyes wide and heart pounding, as Callie and Wade spoke with the doctor. He couldn't hear everything they were saying, but he could imagine the gist of the conversation.
The doctor wanted him back. Judging by the way Callie and Wade were standing, they were trying to protect him. A small smile curled his lips. Maybe he'd finally found a place where he could be safe. Maybe he'd finally found people who would protect him. Who would stand up to that horrible doctor, and—
His thought stopped dead when he saw Callie's body language change. Something the doctor had said froze her solid, and she seemed scared.
Wade spoke up then, and the doctor didn't seem to like what he had to say. Rough and Tumble started to walk forward, and Silver's heart dropped into his stomach.
No. No, no, no. He couldn't let his new friends get hurt.
The little gray hedgehog threw the truck door open and hurried forward.
"Stop!"
They all turned to watch him approach, the drone flying a little sideways to allow the doctor the opportunity to see him. He stopped slightly behind and to the left of Wade and Callie, his hands pulled up in tight fists against his chest.
"Don't hurt them! I'll go with you."
Wade's eyes went wide and he turned to face Silver more fully. "No, Silver, you don't have to—"
"Let the boy speak, Deputy," the doctor said, maneuvering his drone closer. "You'll come quietly? Willingly?"
Silver flicked his amber eyes to Callie, who stared at him. She wore an expression he couldn't place, but didn't say anything to stop him. His heart gave a lurch, and he lifted his left hand to his muzzle.
"Yes." His voice was hardly above a whisper.
The doctor grinned, his attention returning to the humans. "It would seem the boy has made his decision." The drone began to back toward the skunks, who looked a combination of annoyed and confused.
"So there ain't gonna be a fight?" Tumble asked his brother, a hand going to rub the back of his neck.
Rough shrugged, pulling his arms to cross over his chest. His tail flicked in annoyance. "Don't look like it."
"Aw, man. That sucks."
Silver stood where he was for a moment, his fingers playing with the fabric of the hoodie. He reached down and pulled it over his head, walking slowly to Callie as he held it out.
"Thanks for helping me," he said, the tears apparent in his voice. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I was so much trouble."
Callie reached down, her movement slow, as if she were in a dream. She stared at him, hand trembling as she took the hoodie back. Silver locked eyes with her, his pleading for her not to hate him. He hadn't meant to cause such damage, to hurt her, or destroy her home. But he just couldn't help it. Pain and destruction seemed to follow him.
"C'mon brat," Rough called, his lip curled to reveal fang. "We ain't got all night."
Silver blinked, breaking eye contact. He turned back toward the skunks, his forehead fan still bristled. A short nod, and he began to walk forward.
If this trip had taught him anything, it was that escaping wasn't worth it. He'd likely be punished more severely than ever once they got back.
He'd never try to escape again. He would let the doctor do whatever he pleased to him.
No one wanted him. And he was too dangerous to be allowed free.
~X~X~X~
Wade wasn't sure what to do. He knew Silver didn't really want to go with this platypus, but he wasn't exactly in a position to stop him, was he? Those skunks looked like bad news, and it was two against one. Hardly a fair fight, even if he could fight in the first place.
He watched as Silver handed Callie the hoodie, that blank, unreadable expression still on the redhead's face. He expected her to say something, to get tough and stubborn and brave and try to stop Silver from going. But she didn't. She just took the hoodie, and said nothing.
That surprised him. As protective as she'd been over the hedgehog these past not-quite-two days, she was just going to let the boy go back to a place that had treated him badly?
"Come along, child," Starline said as the drone opened a new ring portal. "You've been a naughty boy, and need a reminder of where you belong."
The boy flinched, but kept walking forward.
"No, wait—"
That's as far as Wade got before Callie was moving. She ran into the house, sprinting through the shattered kitchen door as broken glass crunched beneath her feet. Silver paused, and everyone turned to stare after her. The two skunks exchanged a glance, and the shorter one shrugged.
A few seconds later and the librarian returned, a cast iron skillet in one hand, and a baseball bat in the other. She thrust the bat into Wade's hands, and positioned herself between Silver and the three who had come to claim him.
"He's not going anywhere," she said, assuming a battle stance and brandishing the skillet in both hands like some strange kitchen-themed samurai. "You're not gonna touch him. You're gonna take your asses back through that portal and stay off this planet."
A shiver ran up Wade's spine. Her voice was low, firm, and full of a rage he'd never heard from her before. He clutched the bat tighter.
Starline's drone hovered back to come face-to-hologram with her. "You are making a grave mistake, madam. I will be taking the boy back. By force if that is your wish."
"My wish is for you to call your goons back and get the hell off my property. But if you insist on being arrogant and stupid, sure, we can do this the hard way."
The insults did not seem to sit well with Starline, and he threw her a little snarl before pulling the drone back slightly. "Rough. Tumble. Retrieve the boy."
The skunks shared identical grins.
"With pleasure, Boss."
Callie gave Silver a little hand gesture—move back—as she threw Wade a glance. The anger was still in her eyes, but there was something else behind it. Worry. Fear.
Wade took a deep breath, pushing down the anxiety that threatened to tighten his chest. He couldn't let himself be consumed with fear and panic. Callie needed him. Silver needed him. It was his job to protect and serve the people of Green Hills against threats.
And that's exactly what he meant to do.
~X~X~X~
Callie had officially lost her mind.
That's pretty much what she figured when her shock and fear finally snapped, and she bolted straight into the house to grab the closest things to weapons she owned. She dropped Silver's hoodie—because, let's face it, it was officially his hoodie now—on the island and snatched the cast iron skillet off the stove, and the bat from its place by the now shattered kitchen door. She carried the latter with her if she took the trash out at night, to dissuade any passing predatory animals from eating her face.
She was acting on pure instinct now. Her shock had dissipated, and now all she felt was anger. Anger at this presumptuous platypus for thinking he could just waltz onto her property and take this boy back to mistreat, anger at those skunks for going along with this damn platypus and coming after a child, anger at herself for . . . well, she wasn't entirely sure why she was angry at herself, but was certain she'd figure it out once they got rid of these uninvited guests.
When Starline gave the order, the skunks moved forward. Callie gestured for Silver to get back and cast a quick glance at Wade, praying he wasn't falling into a panic attack at this very inopportune moment. He took a breath, and that's all she could allow herself to see before the taller skunk came at her.
The skunk, she thought this one was Tumble, took a swing at her, and she jerked back, narrowly avoiding catching his fist in her cheek. She brought the skillet up in a swing, which he equally avoided.
"I don't normally hit girls," he said, giving Callie an open-handed smack that sent her stumbling back. "But I got a job to do."
Callie shook her head to try and regain her senses. "Well, aren't you a gentleman? I'll bet all the lady skunks are falling all over themselves to get your attention."
She brought the skillet up in a quick motion, catching him off-guard and clocking him upside the head. Tumble staggered back, holding a hand to his face as a smile surfaced.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun."
Callie uttered a soft groan.
"Oh, crap."
~X~X~X~
Wade moved forward to intercept Rough before he could get to Silver. The shorter skunk shot the deputy an appraising look, before uttering a sharp laugh.
"Dude, you don't stand a chance."
"Doesn't mean I'm just gonna let you take him," Wade said, and surprised himself when his voice came out stronger than he expected. "Kidnapping is against the law, you know. I could arrest you."
Rough made a mock look of shock and fear. "Oh no! I'm so scared!" The look dropped back to one of smug confidence. "Did you actually think that would stop me?"
"Not really, no. Worth a try, though."
"Yeah, I guess."
Then Rough was on the move, launching himself at Wade and hitting him in the belly with a shoulder, sending them both to the ground. Wade managed to keep hold of the bat, and swung it to knock the skunk off him as he rolled away to get back on his feet.
He swung a few times, but Rough was more agile that he looked, and dodged each one with ease. The skunk leapt forward, and caught Wade in the cheek, sending the deputy staggering back as stars bloomed in his vision.
"Just give us the kid," Rough said with a tone of annoyance. "What is he to you? Why get yourself beat to a pulp for him? Is he really worth it?"
Wade gave his head a shake to clear his vision. A quick glance behind him and he saw Silver standing further back, hugging himself as he watched the fighting with wide eyes. Movement out of the corner of his eye and he turned to see the drone moving straight for the little hedgehog.
"Callie, the drone!"
The librarian turned at his call, and ducked as Tumble took another swing. She saw the drone heading for Silver and took off, catching the machine flat-out with the skillet, knocking it out of the sky. It clattered to the ground, throwing off sparks, and she finished it off with a downward swing of her makeshift weapon. The drone shattered, cutting off the feed of the holographic viewscreen.
Rough brought his fist against Wade's side while the deputy's attention was otherwise occupied, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Hey! That was a sucker punch!" he cried as he pushed himself back to his feet. He stood bent over as Rough came closer, placing a hand to his side as though he were more injured.
"The best kinda punch!" the skunk cried as he pulled back for another blow.
Wade watched him out of the corner of his eye, waiting for the right moment. Once Rough was close enough, the deputy brought the bat in a roundhouse swing, connecting solidly with his jaw The skunk cried out, and went flying backwards, landing in a heap near the still-open portal.
"Batter up, butthead."
~X~X~X~
Callie had her hands full with her own skunk attacker.
Tumble wasn't fast or agile like his brother, but he was big and strong. It took everything Callie had to keep away from those fists, and she occasionally caught one as it glanced off her. She was going to be very bruised and sore tomorrow.
Assuming she survived this, that is.
Drone pieces crunched under her feet as she moved to keep ahead of Tumble's swings. She used the skillet as a makeshift shield, helping redirect Tumble's fists away from her as best she could. Sometimes it worked, and she got a good kick in, making him stumble. Sometimes it didn't, and he'd follow the blocked punch with another.
Tendrils of panic began to worm their way into Callie's mind. She was in okay shape, physically speaking, give or take a few extra pounds and a more sedentary lifestyle than what was probably healthy. But she wasn't exactly a kid anymore, or a well-trained fighter. Tumble was relentless in his attacks, and despite the adrenaline surging through her, she was getting tired.
"Just stand still and I'll end it quick," he said, a little smirk on his lips. "I'll knock ya out and we'll be done with all this."
"Hey, that's funny," she said, ducking under his fist, "I was gonna say the same thing!"
A moment later and Callie zigged when she should have zagged, catching Tumble's fist in her side. She cried out, stumbling back as pain flared, making her gasp.
Another cry caught her attention, and both she and Tumble turned to see Rough land hard near the portal. Tumble gasped, eyes wide.
"Rough!"
That was the opening she needed. Callie put every ounce of strength she had into that swing, and nearly spun herself in a 360 arc to build up enough power behind it. When the skillet connected to Tumble's cheek, the skunk went flying, landing not far from his brother.
Wade hurried over to Callie, who dropped the pan and wrapped an arm around her side with a grunt.
"Are you okay?" he asked, keeping hold of the bat in one hand while he supported her with the other.
"Peachy," she said through gritted teeth. "Where's Silver?"
"You dumb broad!"
The two turned to see the skunks getting to their feet, looks of murder on their faces.
"We're gonna get that brat, and we're gonna take him back to the boss!" Tumble picked up his brother, who curled into a tight ball. "STINK BOMBER!"
Tumble threw his brother at the two, just as Wade pushed Callie to the ground and covered her with himself. They closed their eyes tightly, waiting for the impending impact.
~X~X~X~
Silver stood back and watched the fight, his heart hammering in his chest.
They were fighting for him. Fighting to keep the doctor from taking him back. Even though the skunks were stronger, and Callie and Wade were probably scared, they were standing up to keep Silver safe.
He almost cheered when Callie took out the drone, and had laughed a little when Wade sent Rough flying. It was nice to see the skunks get beaten for a change!
But then Callie got hit, and Silver pressed his hands against his mouth. He'd been on the receiving end of one of Tumble's punches. The tall skunk was strong and it hurt. But then she got a good hit on Tumble, and both skunks were down. It was amazing to see.
He was about to move forward and see if Callie was okay, when the skunks were back on their feet. Rough curled into a ball and fear spread through Silver. He knew what that meant. He'd seen them do that move—they would hit their opponents with a smell so bad it would incapacitate them, leaving them open for a full-on assault by the brothers.
"No!"
Silver reacted out of reflex. He caught Rough in his telekinesis, trapping both the skunk and the stink he was releasing in his power. With a grunt he threw him back toward Tumble, releasing his hold on Rough just as the smaller skunk hit. They were both caught in the eye-watering stink attack, and coughed and hacked as they stumbled back through the portal.
The portal closed, leaving the three in darkness.
~X~X~X~
The only sound to be heard was the heavy breathing of the humans.
Callie grunted, and gave Wade a little shove to get him off her. Although his intent to protect her was a noble one, he was heavy and she had at least a few bruised ribs from Tumble's punch.
"Are you okay?" he asked again, helping her back to her feet. His voice was shaky, as his own adrenaline was coursing through him. "Do you need a doctor?"
"I'm fine," she said, giving him a dismissive wave. She moved wrong and hissed in a breath as she pressed a hand against her side. "A bit bruised but in one piece. Are you okay?"
He nodded, mimicking her movements on his own side. "Same, I guess. That was . . ."
"Not something I wish to repeat," she finished for him. She turned to scan the yard. "Silver?"
"I'm here," the little hedgehog said as he moved closer. "You guys were . . . wow. I've never seen anyone stand up to Rough and Tumble like that."
"Yeah, I can see why," Wade said, bending down to pick up Callie's discarded skillet. "Was it always like that for you on your world?"
Silver nodded, pulling his shoulders up. "They always came after me when I ran away."
"That must have been so scary."
The boy nodded, bringing a head spike around to squeeze gently.
Callie listened to this back-and-forth with growing annoyance. Well, annoyance maybe wasn't the most accurate term. But she was a little miffed, if she were honest with herself. Things suddenly got a whole lot more complicated surrounding Silver's escape to this world.
Before, she thought he was simply a little boy on his own who had somehow managed to come here to be safe. But now it seemed as though there was a lot of information she had been missing. Information Silver himself had kept from her. Intentionally.
"We need to talk, little man," she said, and her voice was even and firm. She limped back toward the house, giving the drone pieces a kick for good measure. "Right now."
Silver's ears flattened against his head, his forehead fan bristling.
"Yes, ma'am."
~X~X~X~
It took a few minutes, but they got the living room back in some semblance of order. The couch seemed in okay shape, once they'd carefully brushed off all the broken glass, and the coffee table wobbled a little but still stood. Callie dug out a few candles and set them up on the table, allowing some light in the darkness of the house.
She handed Wade a pack of frozen broccoli and he accepted it with a smile as he pressed it against his side. She did the same with a bag of frozen peas, as the three settled down on the couch. Silver sat between them, his hands worrying at his spike, ears pinned backwards, eyes cast to his shoes.
This had become such a mess. He hadn't expected the doctor to actually come here after him. He thought being on a different planet would have been safer. But it just put other people in danger, too.
"Okay," Callie said, and her voice wasn't quite as sharp as it had been outside. "I think it's time you told us what happened on your world."
Silver ducked his head. "Everything?"
"Everything." She reached over to flatten his forehead fan. "I can't keep you safe if I don't know what to expect. Had a known there was a possibility of you being hunted down by some prissy platypus and a couple of muscle-headed skunks, I could have prepared for it."
"We just want to keep you safe, Silver," Wade added, a gentle smile on his lips. "And we need to know all the facts before we can do that. To know what we're up against."
Silver bit his lip. They were right. He'd hidden things from them, lied by omission. The doctor's appearance was a surprise, but it wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility, was it? Especially since he'd been confronted by that little drone earlier today. He knew the doctor knew where he was. That's what had made him blow earlier. Made him cause all this damage. Cause all this trouble.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know he'd come here. I never wanted him to hurt you . . ."
"I know you didn't, and we're not mad about that." Callie uttered a tired sigh. "We just need you to tell us what happened, Silver. Starline doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who's just gonna give up. There's a good chance he'll come after you again, and I . . . we need to know all the details so we can have the best chance at keeping you away from him."
Silence settled over the trio, and Silver gave a slight nod. She was right. They needed to know.
And with a deep breath, Silver told them everything.
He told them about his world. The roaming gangs and bandits and burned out cities. The wasteland. How he kept himself hidden and alive when he was on his own as he grew up.
Swallowing hard, Silver told them about his mama.
He told them how much she loved him, and how much he loved her. How she would sing to him at night, to try and drown out the scary noises. How she would nuzzle against him when he was scared. How she thought his power was so special, a gift from the gods, something to be proud of and use to help others. How she did whatever she could to keep him safe, and remind him how loved he was.
Tears ran down his muzzle as he talked, and he absently wiped them away.
He told them how she died.
How she had protected him. Told him to run, to hide, to get away as the two gangs surrounded them. And when she was hurt, he got upset, his power getting away from him. Growing, reaching, destroying. He'd tried to stop it, tried to get to her. To protect her. But it was too late. He couldn't protect her, because in the end, she needed protection from him.
"It wasn't your fault," Callie said immediately, her voice soft, and a knuckle running down his muzzle. "You were just a little boy, you didn't mean to do it. It was a horrible accident. She wanted to protect you."
"Why would she do that, though?" Silver's voice was soft and strained. "Why would she let herself be hurt just for me?"
A smile curled one side of Callie's lips, and her eyes seemed far away. "Because that's what a mother does."
He quieted as he considered that. A mother sacrifices herself for her child. Puts herself in harms way to keep them safe. But when his mother did it, it backfired.
"I killed her," he sniffed, rubbing at the tears with the heels of his hands. "She tried to protect me, and I killed her. If I hadn't gotten upset—"
"Don't think about that." Callie's voice was firm as she took his chin in her hand and turned his face to hers. "Don't. What ifs aren't productive, they just keep the doubts and guilt running over in your mind until you go mad. Trust me."
Silver sniffed. "But—"
"Tell me about Starline," she said, running her thumb down his muzzle to wipe away his tears. "Tell me about how he treated you, what he did. Who is this self-important platypus?"
He sat silent for a moment, trying to push his mother's face from his mind. Now that he'd thought about her, remembered her, he felt like breaking down and never getting back up.
But he slowly began to talk. About how Starline had approached him not long after his mama died. How he claimed to want to help Silver control his power. How he wanted to take care of the boy. And Silver had gone with him, not knowing that the smile the platypus wore was false, that the kindness he showed was fabricated. Because it wasn't long after that the experiments started. The pain.
He described the things the doctor did, as well as he could remember. The shocks. The injections. The tests. Sometimes he'd be forced to stay awake for days at a time, and other times the doctor kept him in a sleepy state for a long time. Food was a reward, and a punishment. Water was sparse, only enough to keep him from falling too badly into dehydration.
Silver absently rubbed at his wrists as he spoke, at the spots where the fur had been worn thin.
"Why?" Callie's voice was soft. Strained. "Why would he do that to you?"
"He never really told me anything," Silver said with a shrug. "Something about making a better world."
"On the shoulders of an abused child."
Silver shrugged again. He honestly never really thought about it. It was just his life. Wondering 'why' wasn't something he did. It was just the way it was.
"How did you escape?" Wade asked. "That last time, you said you were running away from being recaptured. How did you escape that time? And how did you come here?"
Another shrug. "I was so hurt and tired, I really, really wanted to be away from him. So I focused as hard as I could and broke my restraining cuffs. It was really hard. But I did it and managed to get out of the lab. I'd been hiding and running for a while and Rough and Tumble were just about to catch me again when . . . I wished to be somewhere safe. A portal opened, and I came here."
He looked back and forth between Wade and Callie, who were staring at him before they exchanged a glance.
"You wished to be somewhere safe, and it happened?" she asked, brow furrowed. "You can create portals?"
"I . . . I dunno." Silver's brows furrowed as he thought. He hadn't actually given much consideration to how he'd gotten here, now that he thought about it. The portal happened back on his world, and he took the chance to go through it. That was the extent of his thought process. "It just kinda . . . happened."
"That's weird," Wade said with a hum. "None of the other boys can create their own portals, I don't think."
"Is that bad?" Silver asked, looking between the two again. "Is it bad that I did that?"
"No, I don't think so," Wade said, shaking his head. "It's just . . . weird."
Callie gave the man a little slap, shooting him a warning look. "It's not weird, it's just . . . different. You wanted to be safe, so you were led here."
"Kinda like the universe knew exactly where to put you." Wade's voice was soft, and he was looking at Callie. "Like it took you to just the right place, just the right person to keep you safe."
A look passed over Callie's face that Silver couldn't identify. She didn't look angry, per se, but maybe contemplative. Thoughtful. She didn't respond to Wade's theory, and absently reached down to drag her fingers through Silver's quills.
It was soothing, the feeling of her nails on his scalp. The tension in his body began to ease, his shoulders dropping and relaxing the longer she did it.
"It's okay if you want me to go," he said, his voice quiet. "I've caused so much trouble. I don't want you to be hurt. I'll go if you want me to."
Callie flicked her eyes down to his, that expression still on her face. After a moment she smiled, a tired smile but a smile nonetheless, and gave a soft sigh.
"You're not going anywhere, Bug," she said, and he smiled as she used the nickname she'd given him for the first time since this mess happened. "You wanted to be somewhere safe, and for whatever reason you ended up here. Now that I know what we're up against, I can figure out better ways of keeping you out of that platypus' hands."
Silver swallowed hard. He didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to believe she would still want him around. Still want to take care of him and let him stay with her. "Really?"
Her smile widened slightly. "Really really."
He stared up at her for a moment, a smile stretching across his lips. Without pause, he threw himself at her, wrapping his arms around her middle.
"Thank you," he whispered, fresh tears trickling down his cheeks as he nuzzled into her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you so, so much!"
She didn't respond, but her fingers kept raking through his quills. The tightness in his chest eased, and he gave a long, slow exhale as he settled against her.
He could stay. She wanted him to stay. She was going to take care of him, protect him, and keep him safe and away from that horrible doctor. This was what he'd always dreamed of. A home. Family. He'd given up on it back on his world, but now, now he felt hope bloom in his chest.
He suddenly felt very tired after the long day, and his confessions dragged on his emotions.
~X~X~X~
Callie held Silver against her, her mind a hurricane of emotions and thoughts. The vault was still firmly closed, but the memories behind it stirred and writhed like snakes. She stared, eyes unfocused, as she continued to comb her fingers through the hedgehog's quills.
Familiar. Everything about this was feeling familiar, and it scared her, worried her. Was taking this boy in an even worse idea than she thought?
Her home was severely damaged. She and Wade had been battered and bruised in a fight with anthropomorphic skunks. And now some platypus doctor from another planet had his sights on her, all because she chose to take care of this little boy.
With one hand on Silver, Callie brought her other to flick her braid around front. She curled her fist around it, and gave a slow tug.