Welcome back to chapter two of Chaos Arena. This one's gonna introduce the rest of the gang, so there's gonna be a lot of bouncing around. It's also gonna be rly intense, angsty, and will have a character death. Yeah, you read that right, mwahahaha! Also, I just wanna make it clear that the blaze in this story is not blaze 06, so she doesn't remember silver.
Also, I'd like to reply to my first reviewer, Assassin's Creed Master, who wrote a very helpful review. For those of you who don't know, I published this story before I was completely satisfied with it. Shortly after publishing it, I reread it and noticed there were some issues, especially with the characterization of a *cough cough* certain hedgehog. I removed the story temporarily to heavily edit it, and although it's a huge improvement, I still can't nail said hedgehog's personality. Darn you shadow ;) anyhoo lemme get to the reply.
Assassin's Creed Master: Yes, I knew that I didn't have to delete the story to make changes, but I knew it would take a few days to edit it and I didn't want people reading the unedited version when they could be reading the improved version so I deleted it instead. I'm still fairly new, so I'm still tryna figure out this wacky, yet wonderful site! Anyway, I think it's time to address the problematic shadow. Yeah, you're definitely right when you said I made him too hot-headed. He's arguably one of the most complex sonic characters, and he's been misrepresented for years. He has so many different personalities depending on the game, tv show, comic, etc. In Sonic Boom, he was a complete edgelord, empty of emotion. In Archie comics, he's more helpful and compassionate. In Sonic Prime, he's kinda hot-headed, just like how I portrayed him in chapter one. In Sonic X, he's cold, calculating, and smug. In the Japanese version of Sonic X, he's still cold and ruthless, but also patient and polite. And I don't even know where to begin when it comes to his characterization in his own game. So the question is...which portrayal of Shadow do I want? I rly like his portrayal in Sonic X, but I also like his portrayal in the older games (SA2, SA2: Battle, Sonic Heroes, heck even Sonic 06). That's the real Shadow (in my humble opinion) so that's who I'm going to try to portray. But you're totally right, the Shadow in chapter one was NOT the Shadow I was trying to portray, so I thank you for alerting me of that! Overall, thank you for taking the time to review! It was well-written and you brought up some great points! I'm not perfect, so any advice/criticism is valued.
Yikes, that was a rly long author's note. Sorry for holding you guys in suspense! Read on, all you angsty souls!
He was running.
He didn't know what he was running from, but he just knew that he had to get away. It was like an instinct, an urge that he couldn't explain, yet couldn't ignore. It whispered in the back of his brain, echoing into the hidden recesses of his troubled mind.
He batted a thorny branch away using the back of his hand, the harsh, needle-like prickers tearing at the threads of his gloves. He yelped as spiked burrs clung to his matted tails, twirling and swishing them in an attempt to knock the stubborn burrs free.
That only caused them to become further embedded into his golden fur, and he panted as he parted the thick cluster of bushes that towered over his vulnerable form, trampling out into a meadow framed by a ring of dense forests. A chilly breeze whistled through the meadow, ruffling his fur and making a chill run down his spine.
His tongue stuck to the roof of his sandpaper-dry mouth, and he paused to survey his surroundings, doubling over from a stitch in his side. He couldn't understand how Sonic could enjoy running. He felt like his stomach was about to hurl up everything inside him, he was freezing, and so thirsty!
As if some guardian angel was watching over him and providing him with the necessities to survive, he could distinctly hear the gentle babbling of a nearby brook. Energized by that blissful sound, his followed his acute hearing, which lead him to a creek that was conveniently located a few yards away, almost smack-dab in the middle of the meadow.
It seemed too convenient, but the exhausted fox kit wasn't about to deny the rush of water that would purge his dry mouth and parched throat. Stooping down on one knee, he cupped his palms and dunked them into the crystal-clear water, silky droplets escaping his interlocked hands as he brought them to his cracked lips.
He greedily slurped up the liquid, and then he choked, gagging and coughing as he spit it out. Crimson droplets splattered the scorched grass, the whole creek turning into a sluggish red tide that trickled lazily over stones, a salty and metallic stench stinging his nostrils.
Trying to rid his mouth of the telltale taste of blood, he dragged his glove across his tongue, certain that the taste would forever be imprinted on his taste buds. With a whimpering cry, he struggled to his feet, wiping off the sticky drops that dappled his muzzle.
"Stop running, Tails."
Tails blinked fearfully up at the sky, darting his gaze around the vast expanse. When he did manage to find his voice, he was embarrassed at how weak and fearful he sounded.
"Wh—who are you?"
The voice didn't reply to his feeble question. "You've got blood on your hands, Tails."
Tails knew that the phrase had a double-meaning to it, although he hadn't done anything to deserve such a grim statement. He was just an innocent kid! Where was Sonic? Or even Amy or Knuckles?
As if the voice could read his thoughts, it replied evenly, "The pathetic traitors that you call friends are gone. There is no one left to save you but yourself."
"Stop." The kit sniffed, wiping some snot that dribbled down his snout. "You're wrong."
"Time is ticking. Soon, everything that you love will be gone. You are destined to be abandoned and alone." The voice dropped in volume, nothing but a haunting whisper that Tails had to strain his ears to hear. "Look into the water, and unlock your potential."
Not wanting to obey the voice, but also slightly curious, Tails peeked out of the corner of his eye at the brook that had turned back into water. Was the blood just his imagination?
Sapphire eyes stared back up at him and he exhaled in relief at his own reflection, upset at himself for obeying the voice in the first place. Already, he had allowed the voice to plant seeds of doubt in his mind. What else had he been expecting to see anyways?
He was just about to turn back from the water when a black fog clouded up the water, poisoning it and turning it murky. Tails scooted back with a surprised cry, a very different reflection gazing up at him.
It was him, and it also wasn't. His reflection was radiant...to put it simply. Pale yellow fur that burned brighter than the sun, captivating sky-blue eyes that glittered with deadly intent, a small smirk that crawled across his lips, canines as sharp as steak-knives flashing in the ghastly moonlight.
Tails stiffened, his back going rigid and his tails frizzing from fright. He gaped at his radiant reflection, which regarded him with a mild curiosity and amusement.
"You see, Tails," the voice that had spoken to him before continued, but it wasn't coming from the stale air around him. Rather, it was coming from the mouth of his reflection, but the voice was warped, taking on a very familiar, child-like voice. It was his voice, but it sounded so wrong...so twisted and demented, full of spite.
"You have run from many things," His reflection spoke calmly, that lack of emotion making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight. "But let me know when you figure out how to run from yourself."
Tails awoke with a scream, panting as he grabbed a fistful of sweat-damp fur from his one tail that had been the substitution for a blanket, tugging on his fur so forcefully that he was sure he would be bald. His tail was fluffed and frizzy, but there were no spiky burrs or thorns decorating it.
He absently reached his other gloved hand back, stroking his other tail that was serving as his pillow. Sure enough, that tail was not battered and torn from his flight through that cursed forest.
The workshop was dark except for a dimly-lit nightlight, and the dying rays from it revealed his clean gloves. He did not drink blood. He was not being chased through the woods. That reflection...
It was just another nightmare.
He shouldn't be surprised. He had been having them every night for almost a week, and they had grown intense enough to the point where Tails dreaded the mere idea of sleep. He was often a night-owl anyway, staying up late to tinker, much to the chagrin of Amy, who insisted upon him getting enough sleep, especially since he was still a child in her eyes.
True, he was eight, but someone who had as much brains as he did knew their limitations. Six hours was enough sleep, and if he was ever tired, what else was coffee for? True, it was disgusting, but it kept him awake, and if he sweetened it with mint creamer and sugar packets, it was tolerable. He had begun drinking mugs upon mugs of it to keep himself awake, and although it was a losing battle, he had managed to squeeze by with three or four hours of sleep.
Sonic and Amy had tried everything to get him to get enough sleep at night. Amy had warmed up some milk in hopes of forcing his eyelids closed. She had tried reading him a bedtime story and even sang him an off-key lullaby, which only succeeded in making him more awake than before due to her terrible singing. She had started playing soothing classical music and sometimes even stood by his side, swinging her hammer idly as if threatening him of the consequences he would receive if he didn't close his eyelids and enter dreamland.
Sonic was more subtle, but Tails knew his older brother was growing alarmed at the constant nightmares that the kit experienced. Sonic often spent the nights sleeping outside in nature, as long as the weather was nice. When the weather was nasty, he would often crash on the couch in front of the TV, much to the pleasure of Amy, who would stalk him and watch him sleep.
And then, Tails had told Sonic about Amy's fascination with watching him sleep, and they had dragged a bed frame with a thin mattress into the workshop for Sonic to sleep on when the weather was inclement and he didn't want to deal with Amy.
For a week, Sonic had passed up the freedom of sleeping outside, and instead chose to sleep in the workshop with him, ever since those stupid nightmares had kept waking him up. His screams would always wake Sonic, and the blue blur would leap out of bed and come running to his side, whispering and calming him down. He would place his hands under Tails' chin, angling his head up to look at his emerald eyes as he soothed, "Just relax, buddy. It's all in your head."
Tails longed to hear that soothing voice of his older brother right now, but Sonic had not come running to his side after his scream. Perhaps the cerulean male had chosen to sleep outside tonight. Tails couldn't blame him for wanting to get a good night's sleep.
Tails rolled over on his side, his hammock swinging from the sudden motion. This was terrible time management! He should be working on blueprints for the Tornado II or testing out that new laser-saber weapon he had been experimenting with. He wasn't going back to sleep after that nightmare and he wasn't going to waste hours staring up at the ceiling. He would rather suffer Amy's wrath.
He knew as soon as his foot touched down on the squeaky wooden workshop floor, Amy would wake up from her slumber and storm into the workshop, lecturing him on the importance of sleep, especially for one who was still going through puberty. It was enough to make Tails gag.
Maybe he could fly over to his desk, and hope the sound of his propelling tails didn't alert Amy. It didn't matter if she was awake or asleep; she had the uncanny ability to sleep through the loudest things but wake up from the slightest movements.
Tails couldn't understand why the sound of his drilling tool didn't wake her up, but whenever he sneaked out of the workshop to rummage around for a snack, she was always lurking in the hallway, hammer in her hand. She guarded those baked goods carefully, insisting that she had made them only for Sonic.
Tails fearfully popped his head up from his hammock, his blood still frozen from the nightmare. He could hear the TV in the living room droning in the background, testifying to the fact that Amy was awake, or she was passed out on the couch. She was probably watching one of those romance shows again.
He swiveled his head towards the unmade bed that was located across the workshop, thin sheets falling halfway off the bed to brush the splintered ground.
Sure enough, Sonic was gone. But what made the fox curious was the fact that an amethyst chaos emerald sat on the bedside table. He recognized the emerald as the one that Sonic had found a few weeks ago, and the speedster hadn't parted with it since. So why was it sitting on his bedside table?
Tails settled back into his hammock with a sigh. Sonic had probably gone out for a midnight run or decided to sleep outside. Maybe he had forgotten the emerald in his haste to leave. He was always a bit irresponsible when it came to such things. Unless...
No, it couldn't be. It would be the perfect explanation, but Tails wasn't willing to believe it. Sonic wouldn't ditch him at a time like this! He wouldn't run off to perform a mission or heist without him! Not Sonic!
Sighing in defeat, he carefully swung his legs over the side of the hammock, balancing carefully before spinning his tails as slowly as he could so he wouldn't wake Amy. He flew across the length of his workshop, wood shavings scattering from the wind that his tails created as he lowered himself to the uninhabited bed, checking for clues.
Other than the abandoned emerald that twinkled and glimmered the closer he got to it, everything else seemed normal. But something wasn't adding up. Why would Sonic leave a chaos emerald here? He had always carried it with him.
If Sonic was on a mission, and he was afraid that he might not make it back, it would make sense for him to leave a chaos emerald behind. That way, if he did get apprehended, the chaos emerald wouldn't fall into the wrong hands.
Tails swung his gaze frantically over to the rough, shabby desk that was glued to the farthest wall from his hammock and Sonic's bed. Blueprints were scattered across the desk's surface, bolts and screws sprinkling it. And sitting innocently in the center of the mess was a watch-like device, meant to fasten around the user's wrist. It was a wrist communicator, built by Tails himself. And said wrist communicator belonged to a certain footloose hedgehog, who was going to get himself into deep trouble.
Sonic always wore the wrist communicator, even when he wasn't on dangerous missions where he had to stay in constant contact with Tails. The wrist communicator was complete with a location system, allowing Tails to track Sonic's whereabouts. Unfortunately, Sonic had known that and he had purposefully left it behind.
Did Amy know about this? Had she agreed to babysit him while Sonic ran off on adventures...without him? Why would Sonic do that? How could Sonic do that?
A piercing purple glow snapped him from his anxious thoughts, and he shielded his sensitive eyes that were still trying to get adjusted to the harsh light. The chaos emerald that was on the bedside table was glowing violently, pulsing with energy.
It shouldn't be glowing like that.
Tails crept forwards, reaching his hands out to closely inspect the emerald. He hadn't even touched it, and some invisible force threw him off his feet, a warning jolt stinging his hand that had just briefly brushed the emerald before he had fallen to his knees.
He gasped weakly, his eyes as round as dinner plates as he struggled to his feet, his legs as weak as toothpicks. Something was definitely wrong. He was going to distance himself from that emerald until Sonic could check on it, since he was more familiar with chaos energy than he was.
Tails couldn't open the door to his workshop quick enough, scampering into the carpeted hallway that led to the living room. He slammed the door to his workshop closed, not wanting Amy to wander in.
At this point, he didn't care about being stealthy. Even an annoyed Amy was better than spending a night in the workshop with a spooky emerald and an empty bed.
As he trampled down the corridor noisily, he passed by the bathroom, the roar of the shower and the steam that trickled under the gap in the door letting him know that the coast was clear. He wasn't sure why Amy was showering at midnight, but he wasn't about to ask.
He wandered into the living room, shutting out the distraction that the TV offered him. He was going to grab a quick snack to help restore his energy, and then, he was going to find Sonic. He paced into the kitchen, a tray of mini muffins covered over with saran-wrap sitting on the counter. He never ate too much, or else Amy would realize in the mornings that there was a snack-snatcher on the loose.
But she wouldn't notice if one tiny muffin was missing.
He unpeeled the clear wrapper from the tray, tails wagging as he grabbed a muffin and stuffed it down his gullet, swallowing the crimped wrapper that winded around the base of the muffin in his haste. Spitting up the wrapper and coughing it into his palm, he threw it in the garbage can and marched into the living room and towards the front door.
Black spots began floating in his vision, and he squeezed his eyes shut as the world tilted upside-down, a wave of dizziness slamming into him. He tried to lean against the door frame or grip the couch for support. but his knees buckled, exhaustion making his eyelids droop. He could feel the carpet scrape against his face, knowing that he would be sporting a carpet-burn when he woke up.
He could form only one word as tiredness pulled him under.
Amy—
Amy Rose massaged the warm scented shampoo of vanilla bean and shea butter into her rosy hair, inhaling blissfully and rotating in a circle to allow the jets of scalding water to beat her knotted back and shoulder muscles. She had been in the shower for over half-an-hour, and she had no intention of getting out any time soon.
She had been taking full-advantage of the fact that her future husband wasn't here right now. She hadn't had time for herself when she was always fretting and obsessing herself over him, and she had to admit that it was almost nice to have enough time to take a hot shower without Sonic losing his mind over her dawdling.
He was always on the move, and his showers lasted a whopping thirty seconds. True, she had to shave and condition her hair, but still, was there something that the famous Sonic couldn't do?
He was probably on his way back right now, victoriously claiming another chaos emerald. She had been disappointed when he had asked her to stay back to keep an eye on Tails rather than joining him on his mission.
Nonetheless, Amy had agreed to, not because she wanted to watch from the sidelines rather than being involved in the action, but because she knew that Tails absolutely could not attend the mission.
That fox was having nightmares. Everyone had them, but he had been having them every night for the past week, and they must have been intense because the fox often couldn't speak afterwards because he was so frightened. The last thing Sonic needed to worry about was his sidekick having a panic attack during a mission.
She could tell that her idol was deeply concerned about Tails, so she had decided to take matters into her own hands. Just a few minutes ago, she had heard footsteps pattering down the hallway, no attempt to hush them whatsoever.
That had been strange, since Tails was normally quite skilled at masking his footsteps when he wanted to steal a snack. Amy had simply smiled to herself. If he wanted a snack so badly, then she would give him one that he would remember.
She ran her fingers through her short hair, rinsing off the lathered shampoo. She had been in the shower for a while, and all she had managed to do was shampoo her hair and spin around in circles.
She should probably condition her hair and shave, but curiosity won out and she hastily scrubbed a bar of soap across her body.
She was just about to rinse off when a determined, forceful knock sounded. Amy stiffened, the bar of soap slipping out of her hands to tumble to the shower floor. A few beats passed, and the knock rapped again, louder this time.
"If it's you, Sonic, then you can come in." Amy batted her eyelashes dreamily, before her expression hardened. "If you're not Sonic, then get out of here, you disgusting pervert!" She flipped the knob to the water off, the shower sputtering and stopping.
She snatched a towel, drying off her soapy body that she didn't have the time to rinse off. Maybe that knock was coming from the front door, and not the bathroom door, like she had previously thought.
Maybe Sonic was back! Maybe he didn't want to climb through an open window and wanted her to open the door for him. How romantic!
That last phrase bounced around in her mind as she stared back at her reflection in the steamed sink mirror. She hadn't rinsed the soap from her body and her bangs dripped down into her eyes. Her hair was knotted from the lack of conditioner and she didn't have time to blow-dry it or style it. She hadn't even shaved!
She combed her fingers through her tangled locks, pinching the towel between her hair to squeeze out the water. When it was obvious it wasn't getting any drier, she slid her red headband across her scalp and scanned her scarlet dress that she had thrown on the ground before her shower. The shower curtain must have been partly open because her dress was now swimming in a puddle of water.
Groaning, she wrapped the towel around her torso, but it was too short and left her bare legs exposed. She darted her gaze over to a blue, fuzzy robe that hung on the bathroom door hanger, sighing as she grabbed it and draped it around her, tying the drawstring so it wouldn't become undone.
It was Sonic's robe, and Amy really hoped that Sonic wasn't at the door right now. He would be so freaked out once he saw her wearing his bathrobe. True, it wasn't like he could be any more creeped out, since Tails had tattle-taled on her about her hobby of watching Sonic sleep.
His robe smelled like sweat and dust, and a few pebbles and chunks of rubble sprinkled it, but Amy didn't care. She brought the robe sleeve to her nose, inhaling and muttering, "I think I'm in Heaven."
She pushed the bathroom door open, steam pouring out behind her heels as she pranced down the hallway and into the living room. She paused as she caught sight of a golden bundle of fur passed out on the ground, a few feet away from the front door.
Looks like I finally outfoxed you, Tails, Amy thought, punching the air joyfully with her fists in celebration. She knew the fox often wandered around at night in search of a midnight snack, and she had often scolded him for stealing her baked goods when she had made them for Sonic.
But since Tails had been having nightmares and wasn't getting enough sleep at night, she had finally decided to slip some sleep medicine in with the baked goods. Tails would never hesitate to eat them since he knew Sonic ate them as well.
But Amy had baked those muffins especially for Tails, and her plan had worked! She would just have to make sure Sonic didn't eat any...or she could pretend that there wasn't anything special about the deceitful muffins and then she could watch Sonic sleep, just like old times!
She reached for the door handle, smoothing down her robe before she froze. If Sonic was behind the door, what could she say? Explain to him that she was wearing his robe because her clothes had taken a swim? Lamely try to explain why Tails was passed out on the living room ground? Sonic would not approve if he found out she drugged him.
A thousand explanations that all sounded suspicious floated through her mind as she yanked the door open, a gust of wind blowing the robe back. The wind was chilly against her bare legs and she blushed, dropping her hands to block them. "Don't stare! I forgot to shave, okay?"
Silence only met her, and she blinked at the empty doorstep. "Hello? Is someone there?"
She realized with sinking dread that she had forgotten her hammer in the bathroom, and she was about to slam the door shut and lock it when three glistening capsules caught the light and winked up at her, all placed carefully on the doorstep.
Curiosity winning over, she gathered the three capsules into her arms and used her foot to close the door, pacing over to the couch and plopping down with a heavy sigh. She eyed the three capsules, each marked with a different color name tag. Her eyes landed on the one with Sonic's name scrawled on it, and she reached towards it, wondering if he would mind if she took a peek.
She was distracted by the second capsule, this one with her name written in glittery, pink ink in a loopy, cursive font. Her interest peaked, and she turned her full-attention to hers, unscrewing the lid and shaking a curled-up paper into her palm.
She unraveled it, squinting at the tiny words that flooded across the paper. Her lips moved silently as she read, and when she was finished, she lowered the paper, chewing absently at her fingernails through her gloves. How would Sonic respond to this?
She was just about to unscrew the lid of Sonic's capsule to read his message when an explosion crashed through the night, the ground rumbling from the aftershock. Startled, the glass capsule slipped from her hands and shattered, shards of splintered glass lodging in her exposed skin.
"S—sonic?" Amy whimpered, wincing as she gingerly stood up from the couch, carefully and painfully brushing off what she could of the glass that littered her lap. Explosions were fairly common, but they were small ones, like when robots exploded. But this explosion was different because it made the whole ground tremble, and Amy had a nagging feeling that something terrible had happened.
"Naptime's over!" Amy slung an arm around the drugged Tails, snatching his scuff and dragging his limp form out the front door and towards a blueish-purple biplane that sat by the workshop, the signature twin tails emblem emblazed on the plane's tail.
He always leaves a mess behind, Amy groaned to herself, tripping over wires snaking out from underneath the plane's underbelly. She bent down, still holding a snoozing Tails, and began yanking the wires out, discarding them into a tangled heap. With one hand wrapped around the plane's wing, Amy hoisted herself up, gently laying Tails down into the backseat and strapping herself into the pilot's seat.
She had never flown the Tornado II before, but she had observed Tails piloting it many times, and if he could do it, then why couldn't she?
This looks promising. Amy pressed the auto-pilot button, the engine sputtering to life and the propeller sluggishly slicing through the air as the plane inched forwards, gradually gaining momentum as it raced across the grassy terrain.
She felt her heart drop as the plane rattled as it finally obtained enough speed to lift off, the landing gear automatically snapping back into place. The small windshield did little to protect her face from the buffeting wind that dried her damp hair and brushed her bubblegum bangs back. Plains upon plains of green loomed beneath her, the plane's shadow casting an eagled silhouette against the lush grass.
It felt invigorating, like even gravity didn't have any control over her. Was this why Tails enjoyed flying so much or why Sonic refused to stay cooped up inside? Because the mere thought of freedom was so captivating, that living without it felt like a lie?
She had flown with Tails many times, but sitting in the pilot's seat in the cockpit held a greater value than being stuffed into the backseat. All the controls were at her fingertips, begging for her to steer them into uncharted lands. She reached for the controls, about to press the button to disable auto-pilot.
"A—my?" A voice groggily croaked from the backseat, freezing her motion. "Wh—ere are we?"
"Oh, hi Tails!" Amy sang innocently, never dropping the enthusiastic ring from her voice. "Nice view from up here, isn't it?"
She turned around to grin at Tails, but the kit's fear-glazed expression stopped her short, and the grin came off lopsided.
"We're flying?!" Tails craned his head down to observe the ground beneath them. "Are you crazy? Keep your eye on the sky!" He motioned wildly back towards the front, and Amy shooed him away with a dismissive wave.
"Don't be silly," she giggled. "I set it on auto-pilot."
"That's the problem! The auto-pilot feature is malfunctioning and the location system and the fuel gauge is going haywire!" Tails leaned forwards, his eyes looking ready to bulge out of his skull. "Deactivate the auto-pilot before we crash!"
"No need to be so dramatic!" Amy rolled her eyes, her finger jabbing the blinking auto-pilot button, extinguishing the lit control. "Happy now?"
An awkward beat passed, and Amy wondered what the fox was thinking of her right now. He was probably fuming that she had drugged him and was now piloting his prized aircraft without his permission.
"Look, Tails, I'm sorry if I—" she was halted mid-sentence when the kit interrupted her, his expression drained of color.
"No, you need to look." Tails pointed shakily towards the horizon, and Amy's eyes zeroed in on the grim situation. Grass was being ripped from the ground, flowers and trees were melting, and the whole sky was getting eaten alive, exploding into pixeled boxes.
"Sonic?" Amy whispered, clearing her throat and stating with finality, "We need to find Sonic."
"I know," Tails agreed with a nod. "But first, we need to get away from whatever that thing is. Switch seats with me."
Amy bit her lower lip, hoping her future husband was far away from that explosion she had heard earlier. She had a feeling that the explosion had something to do with the force that was eating up her world. Sighing in defeat, she slid her arm down to unbuckle the harness that strapped her into place.
She pressed the release button, but the harness was still locked firmly around her frame. She grit her teeth and yanked, the stubborn safety belt refusing to budge.
"Tails, I'm stuck!" she yelled over the digital roar that advanced upon them. It was a wave of destruction, everything exploding and fading away into nothingness as it crashed over the valleys, heading straight towards them.
"Hang on, I'm coming!" Tails unstrapped himself from his harness, twin tails propelling him towards her. He landed on the side wing, leaning over and grabbing her harness with both hands. He scrunched his eyes up, jerking wildly. "It's jammed!"
Amy began hyperventilating, a sheet of sweat coating her forehead. Over Tails' panicked, occupied face and her wheezed breathing, she could hear the static growl of the destructive wave as it sucked up everything, leaving only darkness and emptiness in it's wake.
"Sonic!" Amy sobbed into her hands, saline stinging her eyes. "Where is he? That thing is almost here." Tears dripped down her face, and she snatched Tails' arm, his shocked expression drifting up to meet her frenzied gaze. "Save yourself!"
"No!" Tails cried, desperation twisting his features up into an ugly grimace. "Sonic will save us!"
Tails opened his mouth to say something else, but the darkness stole away his precious words, drowning them out in it's demonic snarl. Amy could feel pressure pressing on both sides of her, threatening to crush her. She couldn't breathe, her world turning upside-down.
The plane performed a loopy corkscrew, the controls going haywire. Warnings flashed across the display, but Amy couldn't see through the wet film of tears that blurred her vision. She could feel her stomach plummet as the plane nosedived.
She screamed, but she couldn't hear herself over the rushing in her ears and the pounding in her chest. She could only stare blankly back at Tails, and in that moment, both of them knew the truth. Sonic wasn't coming to save them.
And then they fell.
The scarlet guardian sat with his back resting against the ancient stone stairs, not caring that the edges of the crumbling steps were pressing harshly into his spine. His violet eyes were gently closed, and although it would appear that he was snoozing on the job, anyone who knew him would know that the faithful sentry was always watchful and vigil.
Even if drowsiness won over, he was a light sleeper, and the snap of a branch or a single footstep would rouse him. Even the flapping of a batty thief who often paid him visits, much to his chagrin.
Knuckles yawned, rubbing his eyes with a fist as he settled further back against the steps, exhaling slowly. Unlike Sonic, Knuckles appreciated and thrived in the solitude, whereas Sonic was always on the move, not having enough patience or discipline to be content.
Green light pierced through his eyelids, and he eased them open tiredly, on the brink of falling asleep. It had to be about midnight, and he had been awake all day. It had been an uneventful day, but he wasn't complaining about it. But why did a problem have to occur just when he was about to fall asleep?
Growling under his breath, Knuckles swiveled his head around to gaze at the Master Emerald that sat on top of it's dais, it's luster much more vibrant and violent then Knuckles had ever seen it. It shouldn't be glowing like this...not this brightly.
Energized by the predicament, Knuckles leaped to his feet, his legs wobbly from the amount of sitting he had done because of the uneventful day. He climbed up the stairs, two at a time, and approached the altar.
The Master Emerald was pulsing with energy, but it's color was washed of warmth, turning a sickly lime color. Knuckles placed a spiked mitt against it, peering into the many facets as he studied it.
He was jerked from his studying when he heard a distant whooshing sound, like a flood of water that was rushing towards him. But it sounded wrong, all warped and distorted. He didn't have to observe his surroundings for long before he witnessed jagged mountains in the distance dissolve into pebbles, trees get uprooted only to fade away in the blink of an eye.
Knuckles tightened his guarding stance, his fists clenching at his sides. Whatever was going on, he wasn't going to let it touch the Master Emerald. It would have to get past him first! He flared his nostrils in fury, spinning back towards the Master Emerald. Maybe it had the answer to this chaotic wave.
"Master Emerald," Knuckles began, easing his eyes closed to help him concentrate as he once again laid a fist against the massive emerald, taking a shaky breath to quiet his mind so he could listen to the Master Emerald's response. "Show me what is the cause of this disturbance."
The sickly emerald flashed sluggishly, trying to communicate with him but not having quite enough energy. Finally, a single image fleetingly glanced across one of the emerald's edges, and then it was gone, completely extinguished as the Master Emerald clouded over.
Knuckles frantically clawed at the Master Emerald, pleading under his breath and trying to scrape away the disgusting fog that stifled it. As he clawed and snarled, the image burned through his mind, and it was an image he knew well.
An azure hedgehog, with that cheesy smile and that foolish, arrogant ego that was bigger than the planet. That irresponsible, careless moron was responsible for this mess that had damaged the Master Emerald! Maybe he was even responsible for the wave that was advancing on him now, crushing life at it roared towards him.
Knuckles braced himself and planted his feet firmly into the ground. And yelled over the roar of the static wave.
"SONIC!"
Shadows danced across the letter, cast by the dim, eerie glow of a single candle that spat wax on the dented, oak desk. Behind the desk sat a jade crocodile, his eyes narrowing in suspicion and greed as he skimmed the invitation addressed to him. For weeks, there had been no work, and no work meant no pay.
No messages from clients had been left on the answering machine and there was no tower of paperwork on the brink of toppling over perched on the desk. He was becoming restless, and every hour that passed without the landlord paying him a visit was a gift.
Vector sighed, lacing his fingers behind his leathery head as he stared up at the ceiling, wishing that the ceiling fan was functioning. It was old and squeaky, and when the highest setting allowed it to rotate fast enough to move the stale air, it would rock back and forth, giving the impression that it was about to fly off the ceiling and hit someone.
He didn't have the funds to pay the electric bill, so he had to strain his eyes and opt out for using a cobwebbed candle that smelled like rotting flowers. The electric bill wasn't the only tax that didn't get paid, and now the youngest teammate was celebrating by blowing a kazoo, which was a lose-lose situation.
"Charmy!" Vector hollered, massaging his temples from the oncoming headache. "Quiet down before I decide to make ya! You've been blowin' that pathetic excuse of an instrument for over an hour!"
"In his defense, his lung capacity is impressive." A soft-spoken voice wafted from the right side of the room, the suddenness making Vector leap out of his office chair from surprise.
"Gah!" Vector rotated his startled gaze towards the water dispenser, the hazy candlelight revealing the rigid form of his calm teammate that sat beside it, his amber eyes blinking back at Vector in the dim lighting. "How long were ya watching me?"
"That's irrelevant." Espio uncrossed his legs, climbing to his feet effortlessly and pacing over to Vector's side, weaving to avoid the creaky spots in the floor. "Have we received work?"
"Naw, not exactly." The detective rubbed his snout sheepishly. "But it could help out with the rent."
"NO! DON'T PAY THE RENT!" A young bumblebee yelled, pausing his kazoo playing to wrap both of his hands around Espio's waist. "I LIKE IT LIKE THIS!"
"Use ya indoor voice, kid," Vector growled through clenched teeth. "The only reason you like it is 'cause ya don't hafta take a bath since I ain't got cash to pay the water bill!"
"Yeah!" Charmy nodded enthusiastically as Espio gently pried the youngster's hands away from his waist. "That's why I'm celebrating!" He rose the kazoo to his lips, puffing as an ear-bleeding squeal shrieked from the cheap instrument, if it could even be called that.
"Vector, what were you saying before we were interrupted?" Espio continued, not batting an eye as Charmy tackled into the couch headfirst, stuffing and lint showering his face from the various rips in the upholstery.
"Well, we were invited to some sorta arena battle. The winner gets a chaos emerald," Vector paused, the ninja's stoic expression making his spirits sink. He had to get Espio on board with this idea. "And we could sell the emerald and get cash to pay off our rent and taxes."
Espio raised an eye ridge in a patient challenge. "I thought you would offer to relinquish the emerald to Sonic and his companions."
Vector inwardly groaned. "Sure, I would if I could, but we've got rent to pay!" He slammed a fist down on the desk in frustration. "We gotta start thinking about ourselves too, Esp."
"VECTOR! ESPIO!" Charmy's excited voice called from the couch. "I HEARD A FIREWORK!"
Vector didn't reply, surveying Espio's reaction in order to get an idea of the chameleon's feelings and thoughts on the matter. A ghost of a frown etched itself across Espio's face, but he didn't deny Vector's statement, his gaze staring at some blank point in space, completely cutting himself off from the conversation. Vector sighed, ashamed at his outburst.
Espio's body language made it obvious that he wanted the topic of conversation to cease, so Vector allowed it to drop for the moment, not wanting to agitate the magenta chameleon. He would bring up the topic again in the morning, when both of them had been well-rested and had time to think and reflect on the proposal.
"Kid, it is past ya bedtime!" Vector darted his gaze over towards the tattered couch, alarmed at the absence of racket. Charmy was gaping out the window, the kazoo tip slick with saliva hanging halfway out of his mouth. "Ya can watch those fireworks some other time."
"It was just one firework anyway," Charmy pouted. "They stopped the firework's since the storm."
"There's no storm, kid." Vector placed his palms against the desk to haul himself to his feet, sauntering over towards the couch to scoop up Charmy, who wiggled and protested loudly in his arms, wailing and kicking.
"Silence!" Espio demanded, his interest shifting from some interesting floorboard towards the window. "I hear something."
"It's the thunder! See Vector, I told you it was storming! I—hey!" Charmy yelled as Vector clamped a gloved hand over his mouth, stifling his babbling. The bee bit his hand, but Vector was too absorbed in watching his surroundings unfurl that he didn't even register the pain.
"Espio?" Vector began, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I think paying the rent is gonna hafta wait."
Moonlight glinted off the sleek ocean waters, the jet-ski slicing cleanly through the waves like a heated knife slashing through butter. The breeze swept across the surface of the sea, billowing like a cyclone around her.
She shivered, goosebumps springing to her arms that were still loosely wrapped around the tangerine-colored raccoon that piloted the watercraft. It felt strange to be on the ocean in the dead of night, and she couldn't help but feel like she was sneaking out of her kingdom.
"...but it wasn't my fault that someone put that sandbar right in my path. And so my ship was destroyed, so I had to drag the SS Super Marine back out. But it ain't too shabby," the raccoon was explaining, patting her invention lovingly.
Blaze nodded absently, training herself to pay attention to her friend's words rather that allow herself to get lost in her own thoughts. The only reason she had agreed to a midnight ride was so she could catch up with Marine. Granted, the raccoon was welcomed into the palace, but Marine had made it obvious that she did not enjoy the life of royalty, but thirsted for adventure instead.
Blaze had seen less and less of her, and now was one of the few times where both of them could be themselves, without ruining their reputation or having eyes watching their every move. Blaze didn't mind life in the palace, but there was something about adventuring that calmed her. She knew this couldn't become a normal thing, since she had responsibilities to fulfill. But for tonight, it provided a welcome distraction from her duties.
Blaze hadn't realized that Marine had stopped talking until she asked a direct question. "Hello? Sol Dimension to Blaze?"
"My apologies." Blaze frowned, disappointed at herself for her failure to stay attentive. "I just have a lot on my mind right now."
"Excuses, excuses!" Marine stuck her tongue out, and Blaze wasn't sure if it was in a teasing manner or if the raccoon was simply concentrating on piloting. "I was just telling you that I brought along some food so we could camp out on that island I recently discovered and have a picnic. Unless you're still abiding by that silly palace rule about no eating after midnight."
"That sounds...fun." Blaze couldn't remember the last time she had fun. She wasn't even sure if she should be having fun, considering all the duties that she had. She was the princess of the Sol Empire and guardian of the Sol Emeralds. She shouldn't be away from the castle and she shouldn't be pursuing this wild adventure for the sake of having...fun.
"Yeah, I thought you would say that," Marine replied. "You're a woman of many words."
That remark didn't earn a reply, the aloof cat trying to figure out if she should be offended by the sure statement. The jet-ski bounced over choppy, white-capped waves, forcing Blaze to tighten her hold around Marine's waist. The lavender feline wondered if Marine was smugly smirking, knowing how much Blaze disliked physical contact.
The jet-ski seat was small, not enough room to fit two people comfortably on it. Forced to accommodate, Marine was hunched forwards over the handles so Blaze could squeeze in behind her.
As if it wasn't tight enough, a backpack stashed with treasure maps and snacks was strapped to Marine's back, the bag taking up almost half of the seat room. Blaze was sitting stiffly on the edge of the seat, and if they hit a big wave, she was sure she would go sailing off the end.
Off in the distance, a swirling vortex suddenly split open the sky, spitting out a lone figure that pitched towards the sea, the vortex vanishing just as quickly as it had appeared. Blaze stiffened, feeling Marine's muscles bunch up in excitement.
"That was a crazy trust fall!" Marine squealed, gunning the engine as she did a two-fingered salute. "Cleanup crew reporting for duty!"
Blaze dug her fingernails into Marine's waist as they caught some air on a swelling wave, Blaze crashing back down to the rock-hard seat with a thump. Marine's pigtails were streaming back, scratching her face. But she didn't dare release her grip from Marine's torso to protect her face.
Blaze sighed in relief when the jet-ski began to slow, waves sluggishly lapping at the sides of the watercraft as Marine braked, the engine purring as they halted beside a distressed-looking ivory hedgehog, who was bobbing up and down in the water.
"Ahoy! Need a hand?" Marine greeted, dropping her voice as she whispered over her shoulder to Blaze, "I hope he needs mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."
The stranger must have had acute hearing, because he sputtered, coughing up water and shaking his hands as if trying to fend her off. "Um...hi?" He dropped his hands from the defensive position, using them to keep him afloat.
"The name's Marine," the eager raccoon continued on. "And this is my water bike and jet-ski combo, known as the SS Super Marine. Ain't she a beauty?" Marine paused to suck in a breath of air, realizing that she had forgotten to introduce someone. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. And last, but not least, this is Blaze!" Marine lowered her voice, as if sharing a dark secret. "She's a princess!"
"Oh, uh...that's nice." The hedgehog flapped his arms wildly, although it was obvious he wasn't sinking.
"And what's your name?" Marine questioned, looking disappointed that the mysterious hedgehog did not share in her enthusiasm.
"Right, yeah." He nodded his head slowly. "My name is Silver."
"Very fitting," Marine quipped, flicking her ringed tail. "You certainly are a strange fella. Your head looks like a maple leaf."
"Marine," Blaze warned. "Remember your manners."
"Huh?" Silver cocked his head to the side, looking very much like a naive, confused child.
"Never mind that." Blaze cleared her throat after an awkward beat passed. "You are in the Sol Dimension. May I inquire how you entered this domain?"
"Oh, it's kind of hard to explain." Silver rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish and dismayed. "I'm not from around here."
"Clearly," Marine chimed in.
Silver shot her a hurt expression, and Blaze almost felt bad for the hedgehog. He seemed to be disoriented and confused, but she couldn't let her guard down. It could be a trap.
"You'll think I'm crazy if I tell you this, but I promise it's the truth," Silver began, puffing air into his cheeks and letting it out slowly, as if unloading a heavy burden. "I'm not from around here because I'm from the future. I protect it and make sure nothing goes wrong. But today, something went horribly wrong, and suddenly, the future was blotted out, as if it didn't exist. I was sucked from the future and a portal opened up to throw me into your world."
"Epic!" Marine pumped her fists, nudging Blaze with an elbow. "Ain't it, Blaze?"
"Indeed," Blaze replied, eyeing the ivory stranger with a mixture of curiosity and distrust. Trust was something that had to be earned, and right now, Blaze was having a difficult time believing the hedgehog's claim. He was from the future? Why, of all places, would the portal decide to bring him here?
Other than the splashing of the so-called time traveler battling to stay above the water, a hush fell over the trio. As they quieted, Blaze could hear a roaring, crashing sound, like the rushing of water. Her ears perked, suspicion making her eyes narrow. The moonlight did little to reveal the source of the noise.
"Blaze?" Marine flashed a toothy grin. "You should shed a little light. Haha, get it?"
"Very humorous," Blaze muttered. It would certainly help her see what was causing the strange noise and it might scare away the suspicious stranger, so Blaze snapped her fingers, flames dancing in her palms.
"Watch the pigtails!" Marine brushed her pigtails to the side before they got singed, and Blaze aimed her hands towards the direction of the noise, shooting a burst of fire that curled across the night before slamming into the water with a sizzle.
It hadn't illuminated much, but it had been enough. And Blaze was suddenly reminded of why she didn't often travel on the sea. There must have been an earthquake, because there was a tsunami headed straight for them!
"Brace for impact!" Marine hollered joyfully as if this was a fun game, leaning over to grab hold of Silver's wrists and yanking him towards the jet-ski. "Just hold on. Monster wave approaching!"
Silver opened his mouth, but Blaze couldn't tell if he was too terrified to say anything or if the roaring of water was drowning out his words. She felt so powerless, but she couldn't fight water with fire. They couldn't outrun the wave on the jet-ski, and there was no land to flee to, so they would just have to brave it instead.
The water frothed around the jet-ski, all three of them craning their heads up so the tidal wave wouldn't catch them by surprise. And then, the monster wave roared into view, the single flashlight strapped to the jet-ski illuminating it. And Blaze couldn't even see the crest of the wave from it's sheer height.
They were sitting ducks.
"Hang on!" Blaze furiously pummeled the wave with a flurry of frenzied fireballs, all of them sizzling and spitting harmlessly into the wave, which seemed to gain momentum as it surged towards them. It hissed at them, as if it was mocking them or laughing at their misfortune.
"Crikey!" Marine cried, and that was the last thing Blaze heard before disaster reared it's deadly head and struck.
It hit them, and all of the oxygen left Blaze's lungs as she was thrown off the jet-ski like a ragdoll and pitched downwards into the freezing waters, the sea hungrily sucking her down. She didn't fight it immediately, her senses still reeling from the blow.
Her limbs felt like lead, and her heart sank as she dove further and further into the depths, the pressure making her head pound. Unconsciousness was beginning to creep in, the lack of air making her lightheaded. But just as she was about to kick her way back up to the surface, a flash of orange and brown caught her eye.
About a hundred feet below her was Marine, her cheeks puffed up and her eyes wide with terror. She was clawing the water, uselessly kicking her feet, which should have propelled her towards the surface. Rather, the raccoon was dead-weight, and continued to fall further and further towards the sea floor.
Blaze channeled her energy away from the surface and towards her friend, her legs kicking frantically and her arms outstretched. It didn't feel like she was making any progress and her calves were beginning to cramp, but Blaze fought against the current, her jaw clenched in determination.
Blaze had rarely seen Marine look terrified, and Blaze hoped this was the last time where she would see the outgoing, adventurous raccoon scared. It was a ghastly expression, and Blaze's pulse quickened every time precious bubbles streamed past Marine's lips.
I'm coming. You'll be fine. Just don't give up. Blaze wished she could open her mouth and tell that to Marine. I promise.
They were a few feet away, and Blaze used up all her energy and launched herself towards the falling raccoon, fingers springing out to snatch the raccoon up and never let her go. Their fingertips briefly brushed, but Blaze could find no purchase, and she dipped forwards, stretching her arm even further for a second attempt.
Marine's face was ghostly-white, her eyelids drooping over her fear-glazed eyes. Their eyes locked, and Blaze could see the defeat in her eyes. Blaze shook her head furiously, fighting against the water that held her friend hostage.
A powerful current coiled around Marine's vulnerable body, the riptide wrenching her away and pitching her downwards and off to the right. Marine slammed both hands over her eyes, unscrewing her mouth to utter a gurgling cry.
"Blaze!"
"Marine!" Panic blurred her vision, unconsciousness creeping in and turning the corners of her vision black. She was starved of oxygen, and the fight drained from her, allowing the current to suck her down to a watery grave, following in her friend's footsteps.
But rather than sinking, she felt a strange sensation pull at her, invisible fingers curling around her ribs and tugging her upwards. Her slack body immediately tensed up as the silvery moon grew in size as she neared the surface. When her head broke the silky surface, she gasped, coughing and spitting up water.
She flailed her limbs as the sensation locked around her torso faded, wheezing as she stared down into the depths of the unforgiving sea.
Marine...
She was supposed to save her! What kind of princess and guardian was she if she couldn't even protect her best friend? Blaze panted, sucking in a shaky breath as she prepared to dive back under to rescue her friend.
"It's no use," Silver's voice stated, but the direction of his voice wasn't coming from beside her, but rather from above her. Craning her head, Blaze gaped at the hedgehog that was levitating above her, turquoise ringlets of energy bunched around him. "It's too late."
Blaze shook her head mournfully, dazed and in denial. It couldn't be true! This was just some nightmare that she would wake up from. There was no tsunami. There was no time traveler named Silver. Marine didn't drown!
"I tried to use my psychokinesis to save her too, but she was too far away," Silver was saying, but it sounded a thousand miles away, negative thoughts worming through Blaze's mind. "I'm sorry."
Blaze didn't reply, wetness trickling down her face. Her whole body shook, and it wasn't from fright or the cold. Angry tears burned trails down her face, and she angrily wiped them away. She couldn't remember the last time she had cried, since she hated showing emotion because it made her vulnerable.
But now, nothing else mattered, only that she had failed to save her.
She clenched her fists, flames flicking to life as she glared up at Silver. Why would he come here unless it was to bring chaos along with him? As soon as he showed up, destruction had struck. She was about to snarl and aim a fireball at him, but he had shifted his attention from her and towards their surroundings.
A curtain of darkness, that was impossibly darker than the night sky, was descending upon them, the water drying up and getting sucked into nothingness. A static growl, charged with venom, echoed around them. Blaze was past caring, her eyes drifting downwards towards the sea floor, prepared to make another suicidal dive after Marine.
But as much as she hated to admit it, the logical side of her knew that Silver was right. She was too late.
Above her, Silver exhaled shakily, his fists uncurling from their defensive stance, as if he had already lost hope as he stared down the static darkness that ensnared them.
"Sweet chaos."
The cream-colored rabbit stirred the bowl of chicken broth absently, her cinnamon-brown eyes flicking over to her pet chao that hovered a few inches above her head, a second can of broth clutched in it's paws. She stared out the window wistfully, balancing carefully on the step-stool as she hopped down, the broth lapping up the sides of the bowl and threatening to spill over.
"I hope mother likes this." Cream sniffed the broth, the scent of savory meat and crisp celery stinging her nostrils. "It's not homemade, but I hope it makes her feel better." She craned her neck to direct her attention to her pet chao. "What do you think, Cheese?"
"Chao!" Cheese bounced up and down joyously.
"You're right, Cheese. It's the thought that counts." Cream sighed, gingerly pacing from the kitchen and towards the living room. Normally the Chaotix visited and attempted to cook home meals for her mother. Cream wasn't sure why, but the Chaotix hadn't shown up yet, and it was getting late so she couldn't wait for them any longer.
She had rummaged through the bare cupboards and had found two cans of broth. It wasn't much, but she had heated the broth up to a simmer and found a half-package of stale crackers to accompany it. She hadn't eaten yet, but she would serve her mother first and if there was any leftovers, then she would eat that.
She paused at the entrance to the living room, suddenly nervous. As much as she loved seeing her mother, the sickly sight of her terrified her. Often, Vector or Espio would hold her hand as they led her towards her mother, telling her how much her mother was improving.
It seemed like every day, her mother looked worse and worse, but she trusted Vector and Espio, so they must be right. She couldn't remember what sickness her mother had; it was too long and complicated for her to remember.
Cheese whimpered softly, laying a paw comfortingly against her shoulder, gently pushing her forwards. That gesture made Cream crack a small smile, and she stepped forwards before she could back out of it.
Her mother was sprawled out on the couch, her complexion drained of color. Her fur color was faded, almost pale enough for her to blend in with the white linen sheets that covered her skeletal frame.
"Mother?" A lump rose in Cream's throat, and she swallowed thickly. "I brought you some broth."
A nose twitched, and then Vanilla opened her eyes, an empty film of blankness coating them. She blinked tiredly, pawing at her eyes. And then, she looked at Cream, and gave her a lopsided smile. "Thank you, Cream."
"Don't thank me." Cream sat on the corner of the couch, stirring the broth with a plastic spoon. She lifted a spoonful of the broth to her mother's cracked, parted lips, and her mother sluggishly slurped up the broth, swallowing painfully.
Cream's lower lip quivered, and she drifted her gaze down to the bowl of broth, not wanting to make her mother feel any more uncomfortable. She had seen Vector and Espio feed her before, so why was it so difficult for her to do it?
A swollen eye, road-mapped with angry-red veins, drifted over towards Cream. "Sweetie, are you okay?"
Cream nodded, knowing her voice would betray her. It hurt so much to see her compassionate mother like this. She twirled the spoon around in her hand, hovering it inches away from Vanilla's mouth. There were blisters and oozing sores crusting around her bloated lips, and Cream's hand trembled, spilling broth down her mother's chin and onto the sheets.
"I'm sorry, mother," Cream whispered, tears stinging her eyes. "I'll wash your sheets. You can use mine for tonight."
Vanilla didn't say anything, a gloved hand reaching out towards her daughter. Cream blinked, wondering why her mother was exerting her strength. She could barely feed herself, but she would waste her energy on raising a hand to comfort her?
Vanilla's hand brushed against Cream's cheek, and Cream's face burned with shame when her mother's hand came away wet with tears. "It's okay, sweetheart." Vanilla smiled tightly, and her fragile lips split open, blood pouring from the crack. "My strong girl."
Cream wanted to scream and sob at the same time. She wasn't strong. She couldn't even see her mother without breaking down into a sobbing, hysterical mess. Instead of replying, Cream grasped her mother's arm, lowering it back to her chest.
"I have to go." Cream brushed away tears angrily with the back of her hand, standing up and marching towards the exit to the living room. She couldn't look over her shoulder. She would only see the disappointed stare of her mother, and that was something she couldn't deal with right now.
She waited until she was out of eyesight, and then she ran into the kitchen, stuffing a dishcloth over her mouth to stifle her sobs. She sank to her knees in a hiccuping mess, ignoring Cheese as he tried to tug her back to her feet.
She had never felt so helpless in her whole life. Why would this happen to her compassionate mother, who always put others first? There were so many people who were evil but did they ever get terribly sick? Of course they didn't! Dr. Eggman was perfectly healthy, and he deserved this more than her mother did. It wasn't fair!
She wasn't sure how long she stayed plastered to the ground, but something clinked against the window above the sink, rousing her from her sobbing. Placing her hand on top of the counter, Cream pulled herself to her feet, stumbling over towards the window. Sliding the window and the screen open, she cocked her head in confusion as she surveyed a glass capsule sitting on the window's ledge.
Gripping the capsule in one hand and sliding the window shut with the other hand, she sat cross-legged on the cold tile ground, unscrewing the lid and allowing a slip of paper to slide out. She unrolled it, her features screwing up in bafflement as she began to read the loopy handwriting, Cheese looking at it from over her shoulder.
She should have been watching what was unfolding outside, but she was too absorbed in her reading. When she finished reading it, she allowed the letter to flutter to the ground, raking her fingers across her scalp and tugging on her ears.
Could she really accept his offer? He was untrustworthy and he was everything that Mr. Sonic and his friends fought against. But if he really had what he claimed he had, then if she won, she could save her mother. She could sell the emerald and sell it, earning enough money to buy some medicine to heal her mother.
She didn't form any more thoughts on the matter, because she couldn't. In the blink of an eye, the whole house began crumbling, debris raining down on her. Rather than fleeing or rushing to check up on her mother, she clutched the letter from the ground and crushed it against her chest protectively, the words of promise burning into her mind as her world collapsed.
Dearest Cream,
I have written you this letter simply because I am offering you a rare opportunity. I have spent many hours working on this plan, so I hope you will accept my proposal. I have developed a simulated arena, and I am in need of some contestants. The rules of the arena are quite simple...don't die. If you survive, I have a chaos emerald that I will gift to the victor. If you accept, follow the coordinates located at the bottom of the page to locate the arena. This is the beginning of the end. Welcome to Chaos Arena.
(Stamp of Eggman Empire)
Ack this chappie was a whopping 12k words. I try to avoid making chapters extremely long but I figured it was important to introduce the rest of the cast. I rly wanted to add mighty and ray and maybe the babylon rogues, but the character cast is already large enough and hopefully you have a character that you're rooting for. Cream and blaze need hugs, tails needs therapy, and marine needs a casket. These first two chapters might be a bit bland, but they're setting the stage. The next chapter will be different and that'll set the pace for the rest of the story. Follows/favs and reviews are appreciated! Catch ya later!