Chapter 41 - Divarication
During drive back to the Stratpolis airport, Dr. Robotnik, observed the automated city again. Given the short time that had passed, there was more organic life out and about. Seeing humans was a mixed feeling for him. Other than the members of the war council during the Mobius War and faction groups, overall public opinion of them grew negative overtime. Even after the exodus event when the war concluded, remaining people shunned anyone associated with the war efforts.
"..." he frowned seeing individuals conduct their morning routine. "He has descended from his prime and accepted these...fable patrons as his citizens. If what he stated is true back in his lab...then those pests reside here as well if they have the funds to pay."
"Disappointing comrade," Ivo muttered. Turning away from the side window, he saw that the airport was coming up. Feeling the vehicle turn close to the curb and slow to a stop, the car door opened by itself.
[Watch your step when exiting Dr. Robotnik] the computer spoke. Feeling the scientist step out, it asked its final question.
[There anything else I can assist you with before departure?]
"No. You may leave," he answered without looking back.
Walking towards the entrance of the airport, he didn't hear the car door close. Stopping and glancing back, the transporter had moved down the street. It was now speaking to a human couple that came from another entrance of the aerodrome. Looking back forward and walking, he entered the facility. Approaching one of the service desks, he asked to be taken to his personal aircraft to the automaton.
[Of course Dr. Robotnik...your craft will be brought to you on gate A2. Please head there and speak with the service attendant at Gate A]
Departing from the counter and traveling to the indicated location, he surveyed the interior. A combined mixture of human and robotic staff, they seemed to serve the complex in a maintained order. Visitors with their own aircraft were positioned on the opposite side of the compound. Travelers by other planes and military came and went on the other side. Seeing the ones with their own personal shuttles gave a sense of being part of an elite class.
'The fools don't even know what's brewing in this mech metropolis,' Ivo told himself mentally. Smirking to no one, he continued toward is designated port.
Reaching Gate A2 and speaking with the service desk, the humanoid bot indicated his craft was ready outside. After stating this, a bipedal robot exited from the closed off room behind the desk. Approaching and halting in front of the scientist, it instructed him that he is his escort. Nodding and replying he will follow, the two exited the gate through auto sliding glass doors. Seeing his spherical ship undamaged and in the same condition he left it, the man felt less edgy.
[Will you need further assistance sir?]
"No robot. You may leave," he answered. Hearing the machine walk away, Robotnik got into his ship. Turning it on and hearing the engines come to life, a hailing communication was triggered.
[This the CRG airspace traffic control. Please wait until we verify you are clear to take off] an automated voice chimed. After waiting a few seconds, it spoke again.
[Airspace is accessible...you are clear for takeoff]
Engaging the thrusters and pulling up a little on the joystick, he began to take flight. Doing a gradual ascend and turning to head back to his base, the scientist programmed the shuttle's computer to do auto pilot mode. Letting go of the controls, he leaned back in his chair. Reaching into his inner jacket pocket, he pulled out the data storage device he received in exchange. Smirking, he plugged the thumb stick into a opening port on his cockpit console.
"Computer."
[Yes Dr. Robotnik?]
"Transfer files in this storage device to the base's data vault. Run cross reference scans over existing files of Ameliorates listed in this storage device to the data vault. I want a full report of the results when I return to base."
[...transferring data now...implementation of cross reference scans will be conducted after transfer completion]
"Good. Inform me when the tasks are complete and when we are nearing the base. That is all."
[...processing...will remind when tasks are completed Dr. Robotnik]
"Excellent," Ivo spoke with a large smirk. Crossing his arms over his chest, he began to stroke his mustache.
'With the implementing of Dr. Swvedstin's blueprints to my S.W.A.T. units...I can finally instill fear in those barbaric pests and make them scatter. With the whole landmass of them in panic...the S.W.A.T. sweeps will be easier.'
"Bwahahaha," Dr. Robotnik laughed out loud. "Soon...the beginnings of this land conquest will be mine. And I as the rightful ruler."
"And then...when all those damn insects have been converted...Robotropolis will be born," he said in a greedy tone. Grinning, he began to rub his hands together. Unable to contain himself, he started cackling as his personal ship jetted through the air back to the home base.
Not realizing how hungry they were, the consumption of the food was quick by everyone. While eating, Chiara's mind began to notice things. The stark contrast from being in that nightmarish prison atmosphere to now being on the static mountain platform was vast. Air was cleaner, fresher, and didn't make her feel sick. Going from the constant of stress and fear to tranquil made her blink several times to see if she was dreaming or not. Shaking her head and taking a swig of her soda bottle, the taste of the bubbly sugar drink contrasted with the bloody rot air in the previous location.
'Crazy how he just...dashed out and knew where to go in the dark,' she thought wiping her mouth a little. Feeling her ears flicker a little from the sounds around her, the female stoat broke her train of thought. Holding the bottle with one hand and using the other to lean on a little, she observed the company she was with. Looking to her left, she saw the blue hedgehog and the canine.
'So the kid was fine...and was being watched by that rail thin prisoner,' she began and blinked. Watching them, the woman seemed to appear more awake and less stressed. Looking at the child next to her, she smiled and began talking to him. Seeing Sonic respond back with a small smile made her feel a bit better.
'Seems they are hitting it off fine. I bet he will be a social draw for others when he gets older.'
'Which leaves one person left...' she continued.
Turning her head a little to look forward, she stopped. Moving her eyes to the right, she looked at the person from the corner of her eyes. The remaining member of S.O.S. sat by herself without any food in her injured hands. Oddly, the vibe that she was giving off seemed too different from her normal dominating and intimidating one. Everything was flagging in her mind that something dramatically happened after the roof top scene earlier.
'...he couldn't have done anything since then,' Chiara mused with a blink. '...he dragged me down to that shit can...which actual was a part of...'
"Hey you," the stoat called out to her. Seeing the bat woman not move nor stop staring at the ground, she only closed and open her eyes slowly.
"If ya gonna ignore me, rather hear you say it then that shitty silent game that psycho plays."
"..." Malaria gave an annoyed sigh then lifted her head up. Staring at her, she gave a belittling expression.
"What do you want?"
'Definitely some switch got flipped,' she observed then shook her head internally.
"Speed stumbled on an old underground prison that was connected to ya terror dungeon," Chiara stated then paused. Waiting to see a reaction, the black skinned individual just stared and blinked. No emotion. No domineering act. No sick smile like before. After a couple of seconds of awkward silence and staring, the woman continued.
"Other than being dragged down there by him...all those prisoners in there...locked in cells and cages...are still living."
"The only prisoners that were kept at one time was in that underground dungeon," Salvaria corrected with indifference. "If there was an adjacent underground passage...I wouldn't have known."
"...huh?" Chiara reacted with a confused start. Her face reset itself and gave a disgust look.
"What kind of bullshit is this? You think anybody here would believe you?"
"...stop..." a voice responded behind her.
Causing the stoat to jump and lunge roll forward, she turned around and produced her claws. Triselle and Sonic stared with surprise from his materialization. Malaria felt more awake from seeing him materialize instantly behind the woman. Seeing Speed, his appearance changed. There was very little blood on him; however, he still had a gritty and cold stoic aura that put everyone on guard a little. His augmentation and synthetic eye never failed to give an off-putting impression.
"...picking...a fight..."
"Was it really necessary to do that you asshole!?" she barked back looking a little unhinged.
At the same time, she was calming down a little. Seeing him place down a soda bottle that was in his hand, it was hers that she let go of. Watching him turn to one of the food containers, he went to one and fingered it open with one hand. Struggling a little to grab the food, it took him extra steps to put the lid back on. Going to an area to sit down, he wolfed down the chili dog. Hearing a loud grunt, the female stoat walked in front of him. By the time he sat on the ground with his legs out, she kicked the bottom of his right boot hard.
"...to answer your...previous question Chiara," he began and looked up at her. Seeing her annoyed face, the other three individuals were staring in their direction.
"...Malaria...only monitored lost souls...she selected."
"Oh? Taking her side now? Feeling sorry for your torturer?" she questioned narrowing her eyes at him. "Bet all ya have Survival ID Sickness."
"...um...well," Triselle interjected out of reaction. Feeling caught and seeing the accusing stare from the brash female, she swallowed before continuing.
"M-Malaria...unlike the other sisters...did not take her prisoners to her chamber. We were left in the hanging cells...most of the time."
"...great...you two are a pair," the stoat sneered a little. Turning around and looking at the former torturer, she crossed her arms and frowned at her.
"Well...are they full of shit or did you hang your victims in those cages?"
"..." Malaria blinked and stared.
Glancing at Vermilion, he suddenly seemed exhausted. Ignoring them, he was rubbing his closed right eye lethargically. His slumped figure caught the eye of the small hedgehog. Watching Sonic get up and move over to him, he began to talk to him. Unable to hear what they were saying, the other women moved their ears a little.
"My chamber was much smaller than the other two," she answered looking back at Chiara. "It only held 3...compared to what could be crammed in the other rooms."
"Oh, so you did take prisoners to your personal torture room."
"...only certain ones..." the bat woman countered with a frown. "At the time...I did not want my...dwelling to be tainted."
"Ooo...can't imagine what those personal slaves did to be in your room," the female stoat mocked with a tight smirk.
"..." Malaria frowned and stared at her with annoyance.
Seeing movement, Triselle had turned her head to stare at the two hedgehogs talking. Looking at them, the child seemed excited with his hands closed into fists. His face looked invigorated with eyes of enthusiasm and desire. It was a stark contrast to the older male who looked weathered and deformed. Seeing him talking in short bursts, the child sat down and listened intently. Seeing him inch closer and closer to the amputee, she moved her pointy ears to their direction to hear better.
"...it will take...time...if you can...endure the daily...monotonous...routine," Speed spoke glancing at the child. Not flinching or veering away, the blue hedgehog's face was next to his. Full of excitement, energy, wonder, and the looks of fulfilling his wish radiated from the small individual. The beaming expression being pointed at him was odd to see.
"How long do think it will be until I get as fast as you Speed?" Sonic asked with quiet vigor. Feeling spiked with energy, he began moving his fists up and down a little. It gave the impression of him running in place. As if he was barely able to contain himself.
"..." Vermilion gave a slow blink with his right eye. Staring at the boy, flashbacks of previous individuals came to his mind. All had the opposite behavior or deflective neutral behavior to what he was seeing in front of him. Giving a small smirk, he let out a shallow snort.
"Time...will judge...that answer."
"Aw come on Speed!" the boy commented. Grabbing the older hedgehog's left shoulder, he started mildly shaking it.
"How long did it take you to go super-fast!?"
"..." he answered with staring. Not stopping the shaking, the odd excited behavior of the kid seemed to make him want to push past his exhaustion. Closing his right eye, the smirk grew a little more.
"...it took...a long time..."
"Weeks?" Sonic asked then saw the older hedgehog shake his head.
"Months?" he asked again. Stopping his shaking, the adult male's left eye unblinking stared at him. Instead of moving his head, the crimson eye slowly moved back and forth side-to-side. It seemed to make the child veer back a little and cringe a little.
"Not years!?"
"...heh heh heeeeeehhhh..." Speed chuckled and little. Opening his left eye and giving a wide grin with teeth showing, he looked at the smaller hedgehog with dark humor.
"...what...do...you...think?"
"..." the three females stared. The sight of him giving a wicked smile gave the image of a lunatic. Thinking the kid would back down, he moved his other hand to grab the undamaged portion of the gray ash individual's right shoulder.
"Isn't there a faster way Speed!? Come on, come on! Tell me there is!" Sonic spoke with worry and began shaking his shoulders again.
"..." Vermilion closed his mouth.
Pressing his lips together, he felt his expression relaxing followed by an emotion. Turning his head to the right, he began snickering unable to keep it silent. Though the scene brought mild humor to Chiara and Triselle, Malaria felt foreign to the display. Not remembering a time of seeing a back and forth between an older and younger figure, it made her feel isolated and misplaced. As if something was stolen from her due to not recalling a time in the past of something similar.
'So he does have some compassion left in him,' Triselle observed feeling less guarded. 'I thought from his time in S.O.S. and out in the wild...he was just a savage survivalist...but seeing this...makes me feel better for the boy.'
"..." Chiara watched seeing a different side of the former muted amputee. Only remembering one or two times of seeing him smile, the rest of his face and body were covered in his hoodie cloak at that time. Not feeling odd from the sight, a small ping in her head went off. The thought that went through her made her close her eyes and shake her head. Opening her eyes and looking back at the two, her facial expression lessened a bit.
"H-Hey! What's so funny?" the boy asked. Before he could move, he felt a flick on his forehead. Blinking and letting go of the man's shoulders, he put his right hand over the spot that got hit.
"...calm down..." Speed stated. Slowly getting up and patting the mild dust off of him, he stood looking down at the smaller hedgehog.
"...fortunate for you...you don't have to...figure out...from scratch...on how to...train."
"Oh?...you mean like...running heats and sprints?" the boy asked. Seeing only his right eye narrow, his mouth went back to an amused grin that looked unfriendly.
"...until we start...you brainstorm...methods on how to train..."
"Oh...o-okay. Hmm," Sonic responded with a blink and a nod. Instead of being fazed by the older person's expression, he crossed his arms over his chest. Looking down at the ground, he began to mouth words to himself. As if the child was having an internal conversation that was leaking out. His eyes would shift as his mind was visualizing things only he could see.
'How strange...to feel this way,' the amputee thought to himself. 'His zeal for his dream...is influential...guess that means this child is...an exception.'
"...now then..." Speed spoke and broke his eye contact with Sonic. Looking at each one of the females, he gave them stoic stares. Stopping at Malaria who stared back with an equal expression, he blinked.
"...what will...you three choose," he began. Turning back to Chiara and Triselle, he spoke again.
"...to do...now?"
"..." all three spoke staring back at him. After a couple of seconds of silence, one of them gave him a frown.
"Whatcha mean what we will do now?" Chiara asked putting on hand on her hip. "In case ya forgot, you still owe me."
"...owe you..." Vermilion began then looked at her. "...what exactly?"
"You shittin' me?" she asked narrowing her eyes at him.
"...owe...you..." he repeated slower. Instead of a neutral face, he grinned and narrowed his right eye.
"...what...exactly...?"
"What you did to my eye you asshole," the female stated annoyed. Jerking her hand with her thumb out, she pointed it to her right eye.
"I'm not livin' my days seein' freakin' ghosts everywhere."
"Heh heh," Salvaria let out a couple of chuckles. "He fixed your eye and you damn him...how petty of you."
"You're one to talk you damned brainwashed fool," Chiara shot back glaring at her. "What happen to you on the rooftop? Suddenly realized your "religion" was nothing but a shitty psycho cannibalistic cult."
"..." Malaria bored at her with instant anger. So much so that she uncoiled herself and stood up with hands into fists. Before she could open her mouth, the female stoat cut her off.
"I don't give a crap what you say or think. You were down in that hell hole killin' people. Not givin' a rat's ass about anyone. And with the insane ape shit black market your "sisters" were doing...what the hell did ya do?"
"..." the bat woman replied with clenching her teeth together.
"I'll tell ya what you freakin' did...nothin'" she continued while giving a cruel smirk. "Choose to be ignorant of what was happening. If ya telling me you suddenly come to light of the evil shit you did, you're a fuckin' liar. Nobody goes years straight of torturing and hacking folks up then suddenly have a change of heart because of this guy!" Chiara emphasized pointing at the older hedgehog.
"..." Malaria reacted with feeling two festering emotions. Her old self wanted to strangle her as all her muscles tensed up. However with her mind unclouded, shame and guilt ravenous her insides. The two factors combated fiercely and made her stay in place. Frustrated from feeling this way, she continued to stare down the furry woman.
"...Chiara..." Speed spoke while walking towards her. She instantly turned her head to him and changed her pointing hand into a tight fist.
"I'm gonna beat the livin' shit out of you if you are taking her..." she gravely said then trailed off. Seeing him stop outside of her personal space, he had a lit cigarette in his hand. The aspect that he stole one from her jacket or got one without her knowing made her edgy. The others just blinked and wondered where and when did he do something so quickly.
'...how much power...is he really hiding?' the bat woman wondered feeling a level of agitation get removed.
'He has to be one of the war legends...nobody can move that fast even when being stared at,' Triselle told herself internally. Though the aspect was both eerie and amazing, she didn't feel the need to worry that he was going to hurt or maim her.
"Whoa! How did you do that?" Sonic question with astonishment. "I didn't even see you move at all."
"...suffering...from withdraws...are we?" the amputee asked with a stoic face. Extending his hand out like a knife, the cig was held perpendicular between to his fore and middle finger.
"..." Chiara looked down at the smoke and stared. Her eye twitched a little as her other hand began to fidget. Thinking about how she was feeling and the horror experience she went through, she was surprised she forgot about smoking to calm her nerves. Looking back at him and frowning, she gingerly grabbed the cigarette.
"...shut up..." she spoke then put the smoke between her lips.
Taking an inhale and feeling the fumes go into her lungs, she breathed out. Feeling the nicotine slowly course through her, it felt like a weighted blanket was getting eased off her nerves. Not backing away and taking another hit, she watched him go to the former prisoner. Seeing the canine slowly stand up with a bit of concern, he stopped before getting too close.
"...you spoke...of finding other...war fallen...is your need...to bond with them...a necessity?" Speed asked in a neutral voice.
"..." she blinked and stared at him. Telling herself that he was not going to hurt her, his blank expression triggered something. His previous appearance of being covered in blood flashed in her mind's eye. His brutality and ferociousness hiding behind the augmented face made her fur stand up.
"W-Well...y-yes," Triselle spoke quietly. Clearing her throat to get rid of the lump that formed inside, her nerves felt on edge. He never changed his expression as he stared at her.
"That was...what I wanted to do...after the war had stopped."
"...that path...ended you up...in S.O.S...you seek it...again?"
"N-No!" she denied with a bit more volume. "I...I made poor choices...spoke to the wrong people...I...just want to try it again. But, with a different approach. Instead of looking for veterans by myself...I would join an established outreach group."
"There is...not one here...on this landmass," he informed only closing and opening his right eye.
"...y-yes," Triselle agreed and mildly held her arms in cautiousness. "I...found that out...the wrong way."
"B-But there is one across the water to the north. On another continent."
"..." Malaria stared at the dog woman. Blinking and looking down, her mind began to recall the visions of the past. Both wartime and in the dungeon came quickly making her frown a little.
"...there..." she talked out loud. Hearing movement, she looked up to see the others watching her.
"There was war fallen in the past in S.O.S...a couple perished...a couple converted...the rest were taken by the sisters."
"Bet some of them were in that shitty prison," Chiara commented.
Her tone was calmer and had more of a relaxed expression on her face. The bat woman watched as the stoat took another hit from the lit cig. A couple of flashbacks came from a battlefield where individuals did smoke to calm themselves. Some went through a whole pack in one day. Others bartered packs and bullets over actual money for anything. Blinking and shaking her head, she continued.
"After you and Vermilion left the rooftop...memories came to me...images of battlefields...soldiers of mixed races dying...fighting...surviving...the environment there was different than what is here on this land."
"There were also recollections of being imprisoned somewhere...a large facility that held captured soldiers," she explained shifting her weight from center to her right foot. "Only our variety of races were seen imprisoned...the capturers were taller and large...almost seemed like humans."
"That kind of seems like that large facility we went to not too long-ago Speed," Sonic mentioned out loud and looked at him. Seeing the older man turn to him, he gave a small nod. Both didn't see the three people staring at them with surprise.
"But it had more metal heads," the boy spoke then put his arms down to his sides. "I don't remember seeing a human...what do they look like?"
"...humans are...a different race...of people," Speed answered not moving or blinking. "...there are...books that have...pictures of them."
"Are they...really bad people?" the child continued.
When he finished, he felt the atmosphere around him get cold and tense. Looking at the others, he saw two out of the three females staring at him with hollow looks in their eyes. Unsettled, he slowly and quietly moved to be closer to the amputee. Even Chiara shifted a little from seeing both Triselle and Malaria have shifting auras. One was of despair while the other was vengeful.
Glancing at the taller hedgehog, his cybernetic eye shifted towards the bat woman. His right eye continued to look at where Sonic last stood. Feeling that all three were triggered in some way, Chiara did not have any opinion of the mentioned species. The former habitant where she grew up never talked about humans. When she got to Oatisal Harbor, discussions of and about the race was limited. Not that she had an interest to know about them either.
'I know they were part of the World War and stuff...but they make it seem like they were monsters or something,' the female stoat stated in her mind. Seeing movement, it was the one-armed man.
"...depends on...the person," he informed then moved his head towards the smaller hedgehog. "The individual...controlling the large facility...is a human..."
"...it is the...same person the commands...the robots that...you saw at your...village."
"...the one that...ordered your village...to be destroyed...and to capture...survivors."
"...!?" the boy reacted with shock. "...s-so...the s-stories the grownups told...about the war and stuff...and what the humans did...were all true?"
"..." everyone stared back at the child as he looked at them. Each adult had thoughts swimming in their heads. Each female tried to think of something that wouldn't make a cruel statement regarding about the subject. Hearing a soft laugh from Speed, it was not a friendly tone.
"...you will...have to meet one...to find out...Sonic," he stated. Lifting his left hand and arm, he gestured to the rest of the group.
"...each of us...has an opinion...you on the...other hand," the man continued. Moving his hand, he pointed at him and gave a crude smile.
"...must seek...your own...observations and...opinions."
"..." the boy replied with a blink. Rubbing his right hand over his left arm, his ears drooped down a little.
"...I think...I don't want to meet one."
"..." Vermilion gave a soft snort and lowered his arm. Turning his head, he looked at Malaria. Seeing her eyes shift towards him, they stared at each other in silence.
"...have you decided...what fate you...will consume?"
"..." she gave a half frown. "...no...I need...time to think."
"..." Speed turned his head and started at the smoker.
"..." Chiara exhaled from taking another hit. With half the cigarette gone, she flicked some of the ashes off. Watching him, she crossed one arm over her chest. Placing her free hand under the armpit of the other, the remaining arm hanged.
"If you are goin' to ask, it ain't followin' you. I'm still doin' that shitty job because I need money to live," she clarified then pointed at him. "You fix my eye, then what you owe is done."
"...and what if I...don't re-fix your eye...will you pursue me?" the amputee asked giving a small smile. The expression along with his semi-lifeless stare was off-putting. Seeing that as a bluff, she didn't back down.
"I will find you and beat the livin' shit out of you."
"...but what if I...ran to another...continent," he continued then tilted his head to the right. Hearing what he stated sounded not in his character to run away. However given what capabilities they have seen from him, it was possible that he could do such a feat without a boat.
"You runnin' away from what you did? Ha! You don't have the honor to do that."
"...honor..." he voiced in a stoic tone. Feeling something fester in his mind, it caused various flashbacks. None were pleasant or something worthwhile to want to remember. Losing his expression and moving his head back straight, he seemed to lose any amusement.
"Ooo...did I struck a nerve?" the stoat woman asked with a hint of mockery. At the same time, her body became tense seeing his unwavering staring. Unable to determine what he was going to do, his right eye blinked slowly.
"...if I didn't...have any honor," the hedgehog stated in an even tone. "...I would have...murdered and eaten...all of you...already."
"..." the others stiffened a little from his statement. Watching him turn around, he began walking in the direction to the coastal city.
"...a supply ship...is docked in port...right now," he spoke and glanced at Triselle. "...if you are seeking...transportation across the water."
"..." everyone watched as Vermilion turned around and walked away. Going in the direction of the coastal city, he began to descend down the mountain's shallow decline slope.