Chapter 125

The Pure in Heart

She was alone. Having been so accustomed to the company of her family, her first adventure beyond the confines of her village introduced the fear that comes when one is left to their own devices. There is a freedom to be found in choosing what one does in life, but it is offset by an equal measure of danger and uncertainty. Cream had not lasted very long under these circumstances. Very soon after embarking on her quest she was taken captive. Though she resisted her chains, they brought along a certain comfort. The power of decision was taken from her at just the precise moment where she would have utterly despaired if left on her own.

The seeming destruction of her village tore Cream's heart in two. Yet the potency of the grief was changed by her lack of nearness to the subject. She had not seen her mother or fellow villagers die. They had not been near her, only veiled behind the plume of a destructive blast. That grief had been comparable to a hole. An emptiness swelled inside her that seemed destined to absorb every happy thought. Her memories would be permanently stained with darkness.

She would be alone. The loss of her former life would mean a future full of doubt, but for the present she was carried along by the whim of the Heavy King. Cream never had to face the cold emptiness of an empty world. She had found her village and her mother miraculously preserved from danger. This touch with grief had hardened Cream's resolve, but she had not anticipated another test of her courage coming so soon after.

The loss of Emerl affected her differently than the imagined death of her mother. Cream had been there, she had seen Emerl's metal body go cold. She had waited up those long hours of the night as Tails worked tirelessly to revive him. That grief had been visceral. Cream felt overwhelmed by the storm of her emotions, giving easily into fits of tears.

Her heart had not been mended by time so much as by urgency. Cream could not mourn Emerl forever. Tails was forced to leave her behind and Cream ended up tagging along with Knuckles on a separate journey. This adventure was different than the last. Though she was not a prisoner she had little solace in the company of the grim echidna. That time allowed Cream to put aside her lament of Emerl and focus on the future. She felt stronger for having reached the other side of what felt like an impassible valley. Cream had changed. She was no longer the naive girl who had left her village for the first time to find Miles Tails Prower not so long ago.

But in this pride of her newfound internal strength of character, Cream had harbored a serious ignorance. For she had never actually been alone. Throughout every second of her journey, in every trial, in every grief, in every danger, Cheese had been by her side. The constancy of her Chao companion was so great that Cream took its presence for granted. Cream and Cheese were always together, that was such a firmly established principle in her life it may as well have been carved in stone.

Now, for the first time, Cream was actually alone. This grief was not at all like the previous two. She felt an emptiness inside her that made her yearn for tears and the simple, unthinking bliss of numb grief. This was a deeper kind of sorrow, one that kept her permanently oppressed by the assaults of emotional distress. Cream felt frozen inside her body simultaneously assaulted by an obliterating sense of emptiness, and a heart palpitating flood of sadness.

She had no idea how much time had passed since the battle. The lights within her quarters remained dim. She lay in her bed and only left occasionally to pace around the room. Cream felt that she had no strength in her body and would feel exhausted after only a few minutes of walking. At that point she would lay down again and hope to sleep. Dreams did not frighten her. She no longer seemed capable of having them. Instead, she would simply drift into a current of gray darkness before awaking back in her room.

Tails tried to comfort her. He would visit her room every so often to bring food. At first, he would sit with her and the two of them would eat in silence. However, his presence started to annoy Cream, and it reached a point where even the very sight of him filled her with bitter rage. Eventually, Tails stopped eating with her. He would still bring her food, but much of it was wasted. Cream had no appetite anymore, and even the most delectable ice creams melted within their bowels.

She had no interest in the affairs of the world. Cream knew that the battle had not been a total victory. They had fled in a hurry, and though they had succeeded in destroying the military's super weapon, there had been no celebration. The fact that Cheese's sacrifice had probably been in vain, did not mean as much to Cream as she had expected it to. This spell of grief had taught Cream many lessons about herself, chief of which was that she was not as noble as they thought she was. A majority of her distress circled around her own loneliness. It was a selfish, self centered grief, and though Cream knew it to be such, she could not pull her mind away from fixating on her own pain.

This morning was passing like any other. Cream lay on her side facing the blank wall of her room. She had slept fitfully and felt more exhausted from the attempt. A faint pain issued from her stomach. She had skipped dinner the night before. Sheer hunger was starting to override her loss of appetite, however even the thought of eating made her feel nauseous. She wondered if she was getting sick. Cream placed a hand on her forehead and winced as she registered how hot her skin was.

Did they even have medicine aboard the ship? Could Cream manage the effort of getting out of her bed and asking for some? She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. Back at her village, sick days were almost a cause for celebration. Her mother would cater to her every need and it seemed everyone in the village would come by the house to pay her a visit.

Her bed rocked side to side. The ship's turbulence had increased over the night. Cream wondered what part of the world they were in now. She tried to hold onto that thread of curiosity, but it soon sped away from her. Cream sighed and covered her face with her ears. A sudden onslaught of memories raced through her mind; dozens of games of peek-a-boo with Cheese when the two friends had been young children. The Chao had always pretended to not be able to see Cream whenever she hid her face behind her ears. Even when they got far too old for such antics the two of them had still played the game every now and again.

Cream's chest burned and it felt as if her heart was physically being squeezed. She knew that she would never possess such innocence again. Knock. Knock. Cream turned to the door. She made no answer, expecting that Tails would simply use a command override to enter. Knock. Knock. Frustrated, Cream threw her legs over her bed and stormed towards the door. She opened it and found Tails waiting without.

"Can I help you?" She said meekly.

"It's time for you to get up," Tails answered, his voice unusually firm.

"I've been awake for hours."

"I mean, it is time for you to leave your room. I want everyone in the bridge within the hour."

"Why do you need me?" Cream argued. "I don't care where we go, or what we do."

Tails shook his head. "That's not the point. I want you in the bridge."

"I don't care what you want!" Cream's voice echoed through the empty hallway. "Just leave me alone."

"I know you're upset-"

"You don't know anything!" Cream shoved Tails backward and he stumbled into the back wall. "Just leave me alone, I don't care what you have to say."

Tails looked at her, his eyes softening. Cream felt herself brimming with increased fury as Tails' expression turned to one of pity. "Cream…come on. There is something I want you to see."

"Just leave. Me. alone." Cream spun around, and slammed the door shut. She waited just beyond it, her heart suddenly racing. She expected Tails to come back to the door, but instead she heard his footsteps echo down the hallway. Good. She thought bitterly. But she did not feel that way. The confrontation stole what little energy she had. Cream collapsed onto her bed, her chest heaving with deep flooded down her cheeks. Cream felt as if her room was suddenly collapsing on her. Her grief was pushing outward, distorting the external world, turning it into a prison to better represent the current state of her mind.

Knock. Knock. These knocks were far softer than the ones before. Cream felt a sudden thrill rush down her back. She wiped away her tears and became very still. Knock. Knock. "Cream, are you in there?"

She knew that voice. Cream jerked up and felt her heart skip several beats. She stared at the door in disbelief. It couldn't be real, could it? "Honey, please let me in." Cream rose like a ghost. She moved rigidly forward and slipped open the door. Her mother stood outside, her hands cupped together. The two rabbits stared at each other. That one moment seemed to last several days. "Mo-"

Before she could finish, Vanilla rushed forward and enveloped her daughter in a fierce hug. Cream felt the air push out her lungs as she was raised off the floor. They were both crying by the time Vanilla let her go. Cream stared at her mother in complete bewilderment. "Mother? What are you doing here?"

Vanilla wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "Tails picked us up. We are all here, the entire village!"

Cream didn't understand. But that didn't matter right now. Vanilla took her hands and they sat down on the bed. "I heard what happened to Cheese." The two shared a knowing look. Cream could not express how thankful she felt towards her mother. No one would understand her pain quite like her. "My brave heroes…" Vanilla put a hand over Cream's head and brought her in for a hug. "I'm sorry my love."

They did not need to say anything anymore. Safe in her mother's arms, Cream could finally cry. She cried and cried until her eyes were red. Vanilla did not say anything. She simply held her daughter and waited for the grief to pass. After about an hour or so, Vanilla pushed Cream up. "You are running hot. Why don't we get you some medicine and something to eat?"

Together, they left Cream's room and went to the cafeteria. There, to Cream's immense delight, she found more of her fellow villagers including the chief elder, Strider. They ate together, and her friends were sensitive not to mention Cheese. To Cream's surprise she was welcomed almost like a folk hero. It seemed as if stories of her exploits had already passed through the ship, and everyone now thought of her as some kind of warrior.

Now that she was with her mother, Cream's appetite returned. Carrot, one of the village's best chiefs, had prepared one of Cream's favorite dishes. In a rush of food and conversation, Cream momentarily forgot her pain. As she ate, Cream felt the knot that had so tightly twisted her insides start to loosen. Steadily, the anxious pain in her gut faded back. Vanilla kept close eyes on her daughter and was quick to intercept any questions that might lead her back to thoughts of her recent loss.

The meal felt like a daydream in the midst of a long nightmare. The cramped loneliness of her days in solitude hardly seemed like parts of the same life. However, part of Cream knew that she could not hold onto this moment before. As time passed, she felt an irresistible pull back into her own head, back into the melancholy that had so consumed her. Her mother noticed the slight change in her daughter's mood. She took Cream by the hand and gently excused them from the feast.

Together they walked down the halls of the Egg Carrier. "Will you stay with me?" Cream asked faintly. She could not endure having to return to her quarters on her own.

"Of course." However, they did not return to Cream's room. Instead, they headed towards the bridge. This part of the ship had windows and Cream saw that it was dusk outside. She saw a world of calm ocean beyond the window. Once they reached the bridge, Vanilla stopped and cupped Cream's hands.

"Listen honey, there is something I want you to do. Tails is in there, and I think you should talk to him."

Cream frowned. "I don't want to talk to him."

"He's been very worried about you," Vanilla persisted. "He came all the way to our village to pick us up, to ensure that we were safe, but I could tell right away that he really did it for you."

"What does it matter?" Cream asked bitterly. "He owes me."

"That isn't so. I heard what happened. That young man saved the entire planet."

"He almost died! I saw him. If it hadn't have been for Cheese-"

"Stop it." Vanilla took hold of Cream and held her shoulders firmly. "Cheese did what it thought to be best. Don't hold what happened against Tails." Vanilla gently steered Cream towards the door. "You are only angry at him, because you are angry at yourself. It is time to forgive." Vanilla activated the door and pushed Cream forward, before jumping back and closing it again.

Cream cupped her hands over her heart and walked forward slowly. Tails stood in front of the main viewscreen with his arms behind his back. He turned as Cream approached. There was an almost fearful expression on his face. Immediately, Cream felt herself brimming with agitation. If Tails tried to apologize one more time, she thought she might hit him.

"I need your help."

This change was so unexpected, Cream took a moment to collect herself. "You need…my help?"

Tails nodded. "Yesterday, Knuckles started sensing something within the Chaos Emeralds. He said it is like nothing he's felt before, almost like some kind of signal. I've run dozens of tests and there definitely seems to be some kind of frequency, but I can't isolate it. Neither of us can tell whether it has something to do with Eggman coming back to earth, or something else." Tails walked over to her. "I wonder if somehow the emeralds were changed when Cheese powered them back up. The emeralds were nearly drained of all their power once before by a creature called Chaos, but once they were back to normal they never gave off any strange signals."

"What are you asking?"

"Well…did what happen make any sense to you? Were you aware that Cheese had that kind of power?"

Cream hung her head. Unbidden, flashes of that fateful scene returned to her mind. She saw Cheese glowing within a ball of ethereal light. The Chao's body had turned white with a halo floating above its head. "No," Cream managed. "I...I had never seen anything like that before."

"Would anyone else know?" Tails ventured.

"Strider might. He is the village elder. He was the one that found Cheese's egg. I…" But Cream stopped talking. She raised her head and titled it to one side. "Hey…is this the real reason you rescued my village?"

Tails did not look away. "Yes. It is essential that we know what is going on with the Chaos Emeralds. Knuckles thinks that the signal is the Chaos Emeralds' way of registering another great power, some kind of weapon that Eggman has brought to earth. Either that, or they are reacting to Eggman's attempts to locate them. If Eggman can track us using the Chaos Emeralds, that is something we have to know."

Cream ignored everything. Her eyes were bursting with tears. "So you didn't care if they lived or not?"

"Of course I did," Tails returned. "But I couldn't risk the rest of us getting captured unless the risk was worth it."

"Worth it?" Cream balled her hands into fists. "That is my family…it's all I have left."

"Then you should be thanking me!" Tails met her intensity with his own. Cream had never seen Tails get upset before, and she was temporarily cowed. "I am sorry about what happened, I really am, but you aren't the only one making sacrifices. The whole world is at stake and it's all fallen on my shoulders. I don't want to be the one making these decisions, and I…I" Tails flung up his arms in frustration. His anger vanished in an instant, and Cream saw that he was just a kid, not much older than she was.

Cream dropped her head and stared at her feet as a bucket of cold shame fell over her. "I'm…sorry…" Her hands twisted around the hem of her dress. She twisted the fabric until it started to tear.

"Hey-" Tails took Cream by the hands and lifted her chin. "I might not know exactly how you feel, but ever since Sonic left I've felt like I've been left all on my own. So much of who I was was wrapped up on who we were together. I've haven't ever felt the same since he left."

Cream let her tears flow freely down her cheek. For a moment, she had a clear glimpse of their situation. It was as if she were looking at them from far away. They looked so strange and out of place inside an advanced battleship designed for war and conquest. Two innocents who were barely at the age to start figuring out their own lives were suddenly thrust in a peril beyond even the most battle hardened adult. The injustice of their situation was matched only by the stakes. Yet for Tails, the burden was far greater. No one was relying on Cream to save the world.

"I'll talk to Strider," Cream managed. "I don't know if he will be able to help, but it is worth a shot."

Tails squeezed Cream's hand. "Thanks."

Cream turned aside, but before she could leave, stopped short. Her body trembled as the question she had been dying to ask for three days escaped from her lips. "Are we going to die? Eggman…he's going to kill us, isn't he?"

Tails did not answer right away. He stared out at the dark window. "I think…I think he's changed. If he gets a chance he won't hesitate." The young fox's expression hardened. His blue eyes turned into shards of ice. "That's why we won't give him one. We have to hold out. I know that Sonic is out there somewhere, and I believe he will come back."

Cream's heart lightened slightly. It was a slim hope, but it was better than nothing.

"The Chaos Emeralds are sending off some kind of signal?" Strider leaned back and placed a hand over his rotund stomach. "And Tails thinks it might have something to do with Cheese?"

Cream sat on the little stool beside the old elder's bed. Her mother stood across from them with her hands clasped tightly over her heart. "Tails thinks so," Cream explained. "But we need to know for sure. He says that it's possible Eggman is tracking the Chaos Emeralds."

Strider scratched at his chin. "Well I wouldn't know too much about that. I mean, I hadn't seen a Chaos Emerald until that boy brought one to the village."

"But you were the one that found Cheese's egg," Cream insisted. "Wasn't there anything else?"

"I didn't find the egg, I was led there." Strider rose out of his chair and started ruffling through the rucksack he had brought aboard. After a minute of searching, he withdrew a bronze medallion. The circular pendant had an impression of a swirling cloud set in its center. Foreign characters were also inscribed along the edges. "This is the Kinto-un." He handed it over to Cream.

She was surprised by how heavy the medallion was, and by the faint warmth that emanated from the seemingly tarnished metal. "This led you to Cream's egg?"

"In a manner of speaking. That medallion is far older than our village. It comes from a very ancient time where our ancestors lived in great temples far to the north. For centuries it has been the ceremonial possession of the village elder. I received it from Elder Draven when I first took my post."

Cream held up the medallion to her eye, suddenly far more interested. "So is it like, magic or something?"

"I'm not sure what you mean by that," Strider chuckled. "The medallion has a deep connection to our past. Those of us who wish to become elders go on pilgrimage to the old temples. The way is extremely treacherous and difficult to find. Only with the use of the medallion can one navigate the labyrinth." Strider leaned back, his eyes suddenly glossed as he fell back into old memories. "When I had the medallion around my neck, I could suddenly sense where to go. I was led deep into the temple, to a place that had been long lost to time. It was there that I found the Chao egg."

"It might be related to the same kind of power that Cheese had!" Cream said excitedly.

"It might," Strider agreed.

"So, can you use it?" She handed the medallion back over to Strider. "Maybe if you put it on by the Chaos Emeralds you'll find out what the signal means?"

A pained expression flashed across Strider's face. "I cannot," He said sadly. "Only the pure in heart can access the power of the medallion. It is how our people ensured that our leaders would not be corrupt."

Cream didn't understand. "But…you're still pure of heart, I mean you-"

Strider shook his head. "I was once. When I did my trial I was young and full of hope. Now I am old, and too broken down by grief to test myself. I know that I would fail." Strider's wrinkled face looked more old and worn down than Cream had ever seen it before. "I see now that the true purpose of the test was to humble us."

Cream deflated. They had seemed so close to a revelation, that she had temporarily forgotten her grief. Now it returned in full force. She dropped her head and sighed deeply. "But…couldn't Cream do it?" Her mother's voice cracked slightly when she spoke. Cream's head jerked up and she spun around to face her mother. Strider sat up.

"Hey…that just might work."

"Me?" Cream squeaked.

"I can't think of anyone better. If there is anyone alive who is pure in heart, then it must be you."

Cream looked from her mother back to Strider. Both of them were beaming at her. "No…i…I can't."

"It would be a severe trial," Strider warned. "If the medallion senses any evil in your heart, the necklace constricts." Strider made the point obvious by tightening the string. Cream felt a momentary tightening around her neck.

Vanilla shrieked. "Wait…it would kill her?"

"Only if it senses evil in her heart. But there is almost no chance of that." Strider turned to Cream. There was a wholesome light brimming in his glance. "I think you are the perfect one. Your heart is pure, if there ever was one."

Cream jumped to her feet and retreated to the door. "No…I…" She turned to her mother, searching for help.

"We can't risk that," Vanilla said sharply. "There has to be another way."

"I don't have a pure heart," Cream said softly. This admission was surprisingly difficult for her to make. "I'm angry…and I…"

Strider approached her cautiously. "It is not about perfection. If you only knew how unique it is to only feel rage when your friends are threatened, for your only grief in life to be loss. I think in some way…you were meant for this." Strider held out the medallion. "It brought me to the egg, and now it has come to you."

The ceiling lights flashed across the bronze surface, and for a second, Cream saw her reflection. It had been awhile since she had last seen herself. Her face had changed. It was slimmer than before and slightly gaunt. Her eyes appeared larger as a result and they were both red from recent fits of tears. She could not say that she was prettier than before. However, the face she saw filled her with a strange sense of courage.

She took the medallion and the heat of the metal flushed up into her arms. "Cream honey, you don't need to do this." Vanilla rushed to her daughter's side and took her by the shoulders. "There is no need to act rashly."

"I…I think I can do this." Cream looked to Strider. The wizened old elder inclined his head.

Against her mother's wishes, Cream took the medallion and returned to the bridge. She found Tails and told him about her plan. He was as hesitant as Vanilla was, but upon seeing the determination in Cream's eyes, he agreed to give her plan a shot. Together, they all went to the engine room. Emerl's power suit along with the Chaos Emeralds powered the stealth capabilities that kept their ship invisible.

Tails opened up the suit, revealing the five shimmering Chaos Emeralds. Cream stood in front of them with her heart skipping. She could almost feel a strange energy emanating from the gems. Vanilla squeezed Cream's shoulders. Tails watched while wringing his hands nervously.

"Just place the medallion over your neck," Strider told Cream.

Before fear or caution could overrule her, Cream lifted up the necklace and placed it over her neck. The medallion swung down and tapped her gently on the chest. There was a moment of stillness, and then the bronze pendant began to glow. Vanilla let out a frightened shriek and jumped back. Cream felt a huge gust of hot air blow beneath her. Her dress lifted up as did her ears. A white light burst in front of her eyes, and Cream felt herself lifted into the air.

The string of the medallion constricted and Cream winced as it dug into her shoulders. The metal started to burn and the heat scorched through the fabric of her dress. Cream cried out, fearing that the medallion had rejected her. However, just before the string could fully wrap itself around her neck, it paused. The white light dimmed. Everything around her faded into a blur except for the five Chaos Emeralds. They glowed brighter than ever, the colorful illumination blocking out every other sense.

Cream lifted her hand and offered it to the light. The energy from the emeralds solidified, pooling out of each gem until it formed a semi-solid colored shard. Cream touched the substance and felt herself ripped forward. She left the Egg Carrier completely and zoomed across the planet. Dark clouds parted and Cream had a brief glimpse of an island. Before she could understand what she was seeing, Cream was pulled back. She landed in front of the Chaos Emeralds, and the light started to fade. Just before the world returned to normal. Cream saw something emerge out of the Chaos Emeralds. Cheese was all white, as it had been before it had faded away. It hovered in the air with angelic wings and sang in soft low voice. The music seemed to enter Cream's very soul. It filled her with warmth, and tears of inexpressible joy streaked down her cheeks.

A moment later, the vision passed. Cream had collapsed onto her knees and woke in a daze. Both of her hands were wrapped tightly around the medallion. "What's happened to her?" Vanilla shouted.

"She's alright." Strider lurched down and heaved Cream up to her feet. She staggered faintly, but Tails rushed forward to catch her.

"Are you alright?"

"Bring me something to write with. Hurry. I know where to go."