Entry 10
His World
''In this world! (His world!) (Gotta make your own way!) Where one is all! In this world! (His world!) (Life is just a game you play!) Never fear the fall! When you leap without a net, you'll find it won't be there all the time! So watch your step, now watch your step, don't fall!''
– His World by Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 (NateWantsToBattle Cover, Theme of Sonic)
xXxXxXx
-The Memories of The Past: Sonic & Lucas-
The blue streak of light flew through the woods, skillfully avoiding crashing into any of the trees. He liked the wind blowing through his quills, testing his awarness of his environment by dodging obstacles, then speeding up again, going at his top speed to clear the area in mere seconds. He exited the woods, running past cars and passersby, eventually running up a building before stopping right at the top of it.
''Phew, that was fun!'' Sonic the Hedgehog muttered under his breath, a wide smile spread across his expression. He was sitting on the edge of the building, his legs dangling down as he observed what was going on on the streets. His heart was racing and he was ready for another chase, wanting to test the limits of his abilities. ''Heh, being The Fastest Thing Alive really leaves me without a challenge. All I've been doing is running all of my life…'' Sonic paused, trying to remember his past, but the only memories he had were those of him running through forests and caves and open fields and hills, and learning that he wasn't a particularly good swimmer when he tried to run across water, but he couldn't remember anything before that.
He was aware that he was an entity known as an ARNav, an artificial intelligence that could navigate in AR Fields, but that was all he knew. ''But, that can't be all, right?'' Sonic placed his fingertips on his temples, trying to concentrate. ''There had to be something before this.'' He did his best to remember, to reach for any memory that might've been buried deep down in his consciousness, but all he recalled was the shadow of a person, followed by a sinister laughter. Sonic shook his head. ''You know what, never mind. It probably wasn't that important.''
He then got up, doing some stretches, feeling restless. ''I could do a little run around…'' Sonic trailed off, rising an eyebrow as he tried to remember the name of the city he had arrived at. It was plastered on the huge sign he ran past when took a detour to the highway. He then snapped his fingers. ''Ah, yes, Neos City!'' He placed his hands on his hips. ''It looks like a nice place to be at.'' He then tilted his head, tapping with his foot on the ground. There was something bothering him, but he couldn't quite figure out what exactly it was. His ears twitched when he heard a burst of laughter coming from a small group of ARNavs and humans down at the street below him, obviously enjoying themselves.
Sonic's ears were pinned backwards and he felt a sense of emptiness in his chest. ''Right, I've been running for all my life alone, being a free spirit and all that stuff. I don't mind being alone, but I wouldn't mind having some company either.'' Sonic scratched his head. ''At least I wouldn't have to constantly just talk to myself. Being all the time in a company of one is boring.''
Sonic did a few more stretches, then looked down the building and ran downwards, somehow breaking the laws of physics and not falling off as he ran onto the street and took off, startling several pedestrians; one of them being a teenage girl holding a hoverboard who took particular interest in the Blue Blur. She rose an eyebrow, but then followed Sonic using her hoverboard.
xXx
Sonic grinned as he made his way through Neos City, reaching Cross Layer Highway and avoiding the vehicles on it. Admittedly, while he had the time of his life, he was aware that the drivers weren't that happy with being startled by a blue light speeding between them. He then quickly leapt off the highway, running past all of the cars and back into the city, racing through the AR Fields. He tried to figure out where he would go next, only to feel a sudden shock wave surge through his body, knocking him down. He hit the ground hard, trying to get up.
''Wh-What happened?'' Sonic looked up, his vision blurry as he saw several ARNavs in uniforms approaching him.
''The Irregular is down! I repeat, the Irregular is down!
''No, he's getting up! Keep your distance!''
Sonic managed to get up, only to see a blast of energy being suddenly fired at him. He managed to dodge it, but he was hit by another blast to the back. He fell on his knees, his ears twitching when he heard someone approaching him from behind and then quickly curled into a ball, spin-dashing right into his attackers. They scattered, allowing Sonic to bounce of a building and face his attackers.
''I don't know what you want from me, but I'm not going to let you catch me,'' Sonic told them, speeding off. He knew that, when it came to chases, he had the advantage, but he was worried about what stopped him in the first place. Suddenly, he felt like his was hit by another shock wave, causing him to hit the wall of a building as he tried to stay on his feet.
Sonic leaned against the wall, feeling wave after wave of pain as he tried to make his way through the street, only for the pain to pass when he entered another street, this one being on the suburban side of the city. He turned back, eyes widening in realization.
''The AR Field… It's what's slowed me down…'' Sonic muttered as he recoiled in pain. He knew that he had to remain on the move, not wanting to be found by those ARNavs, but whatever that AR Field did to him, it left him almost incapacitated. He eventually came across a fence, climbing across it and jumping into the yard, limping as he fell into the bushes behind the house.
xXx
Lucas Kinomoto was lying on the couch in the living room, reading an adventure book of a young boy travelling all over the world with his partner, a cute monster-like creature with incredible power. The way the book was written, Lucas could easily insert himself into the protagonists shoes and imagine himself going on all those adventures. However, in real life, this was something he wasn't keen on doing. He was the kind of person who kept to himself, stayed at home, went to school and visited his best friend, maybe went to the local library or grocery store, but he didn't want to really explore more than the places he was already familiar with.
If I want to see new places, I can easily find images of them online. Lucas sighed as he closed the book, looking up at the ceiling. Admittedly, he did catch flak from his classmates and even teachers whenever they would organize school trips, with them being annoyed at him for showing very little interest in participating in the trips. He felt bad about the fact that his lack of enthusiasm seemingly ruined their experience, but he couldn't force himself to enjoy something he couldn't enjoy. He simply preferred being in the comfort of his home, where he could do anything he wanted. Since his parents were absent due to work, he was living by himself and had no problems with leading a quiet life, staying out of everyone's business.
''Huh?'' Lucas was startled by a sudden sound coming from outside, some kind of heavy thud followed by rustling. He placed the book down and walked up to the nearby window, looking outside, but saw nothing. ''Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me.'' Lucas then lowered his head, crossing his arms. He could easily return back to his book, not caring about the strange sound he heard and move on with his day, but the other side of him, the one led by his sense of curiosity, started slowly taking over.
Even though Lucas preferred to stay out of whatever event was going on, if he got curious enough, he would get involved. Lingering for a moment in the living room, Lucas then walked towards the front door and peeked outside, before finally stepping into the front yard. He looked around curiously, searching for the origin of the sound he had heard earlier, eventually walking around the house and checking the bushes at the back.
To his shock, he found a beaten up anthropomorphic hedgehog the size of a small child lying on the ground, his blue fur scuffed and bruised. Lucas realized a moment later that he was staring at an ARNav, his first instinct being to crouch down and help him. ''Are you okay? What happened?''
The blue hedgehog lifted his head, looking slightly panicked and on the verge of passing out.
''They're after me. I need to leave.'' The blue hedgehog attempted to get up, with Lucas catching him after he almost collapsed.
''Wait, who is after you? What are you talking about?'' Lucas asked worriedly. The blue hedgehog didn't answer, clutching his side with a pained look on his expression, with Lucas just shaking his head and lifting him up bridal-style. He may have had no clue what was going on or what had happened to the ARNav, but he wasn't going to let him suffer. The blue hedgehog gave him a surprised look, with Lucas giving him a comforting smile. ''You can stay at my place and recover. If someone comes to search for you, I'll just tell them I have no idea what they're talking about.''
''Uh, thanks?'' The blue hedgehog was surprised, but smiled back.
''You're welcome,'' Lucas replied, adding, ''I'm Lucas Kinomoto.''
''The name is Sonic the Hedgehog. Nice to meet you,'' Sonic introduced himself, with Lucas nodding in acknowledgement. Admittedly, he already knew that this ARNav's name was Sonic, due to his character being a known video game mascot. However, he had to note that ARNavs based on video game characters were quite rare and it did surprise him that one would just appear behind his house, but he decided that this was a question for later.
Lucas then placed Sonic on the couch, with Sonic leaning his head against the pillow, sighing in relief. He then gave Lucas a thumbs up. ''Thanks, buddy. I was really in a pinch back there.''
''No problem,'' Lucas replied, only to raise an eyebrow. ''Although, there aren't any AR Fields at my place for you to recover properly. I know ARNavs can survive outside them for a while, but still…''
''Don't worry, I don't have to be inside an AR Field to survive,'' Sonic replied casually, only to wince at the sudden surge of pain passing through his body. ''As a matter of fact, I spent most of my life outside them.''
''I see…'' Lucas muttered, feeling that something was wrong. It was a well-known fact that ARNavs could survive only outside AR Fields for a limited amount of time, so what Sonic told him made no sense. He shook it off, deciding to get more information from Sonic on what had happened. ''So, how come you had crashed in my backyard? You said someone was after you.''
''Yeah, I've been chased by other ARNavs, and while I managed to shake them off, they still got me,'' Sonic replied, pointing at the bruises. He scratched his head. ''I have no idea why they went after me, though. Sure, I broke the traffic laws by running over the speed limit, but I hadn't done anything that would endanger other people.''
''You said you were chased by ARNavs…'' Lucas trailed off, rising an eyebrow.
''That's correct,'' Sonic replied, trying to sit up. Admittedly, his body still ached, but he could manage the pain. One of the perks of being an ARNav was that recovery was usually faster. ''I think that one of them called me an Irregular.'' Sonic was a little puzzled when he saw the wide-eyed gaze on Lucas' expression, the latter staring at him in pure shock, even taking a step back as if afraid of the blue hedgehog. ''Uh, did I say something wrong? Lucas?''
''You-'' Lucas snapped out of his stunned state. ''You said that they called you an Irregular?''
''Yeah,'' Sonic nodded, still confused. ''Is something wrong with that?''
''Well, yeah, it is!'' Lucas responded, genuinely baffled that Sonic had no idea he was an Irregular. ''Irregulars are incredibly aggressive and dangerous, and they have sent several people to the hospital, and even to their grave, by just absorbing their BioEnergy. Those ARNavs you had encountered were Irregular Hunters.''
''I-I had no clue,'' Sonic replied in an honest tone, shaking his head.
He looked up at Lucas who, despite the revelation, was surprisingly calm, even though he was clearly wary of him. Sonic figured that this was probably because he himself didn't show any sign of aggression or had shown any intent of trying to harm Lucas. He then got off the couch, wincing as he felt a wave of pain shooting through his arm and clutched his shoulder. Still, he remained standing.
''If I make you feel uncomfortable, I will leave right away,'' Sonic said, with Lucas staring at him, completely stunned. ''I had been running all my life, so I don't think it matters if I continue doing the same.'' He smiled weakly. ''Still, I'm glad that I met you.''
''Sonic, wait.'' Sonic was about to leave when he suddenly heard Lucas calling for him and turned around, surprised to see that whatever apprehension Lucas had shown a moment earlier was now replaced with concern. ''I never told you that you should leave.''
''I know, but I had figured that if I'm indeed one of those Irregulars, then I shouldn't stay around or else I might put you in danger,'' Sonic told him.
''Except, you're not,'' Lucas pointed out. ''I saw from a distance how Irregulars behave around humans and what they're capable of, and you're not acting like them at all.''
''I guess I never got the memo,'' Sonic said in a deadpan tone, his jokester nature prevailing. ''I hope I didn't disappoint you too much.''
Lucas rose an eyebrow, his lips curving into a smile. While he remained cautious, he felt the tension leaving him. His more rational side prevailed as he thought about the whole situation, crossing his arms. ''Admittedly, it is also possible that the Hunters were wrong and that you aren't an Irregular, which makes this whole situation kind of ridiculous.''
''Since you're the expert on Irregulars, could you explain me what is the main difference between an ARNav and an Irregular?'' Sonic asked, returning back to the couch and sitting down on it.
''From what I know, the main difference is that Irregulars have the ability to drain humans of their BioEnergy,'' Lucas explained, tilting his head. ''You know what BioEnergy is, right?''
''Of course I do,'' Sonic replied. Admittedly, at the beginning of his own journey, he had no idea what BioEnergy was until he overheard other ARNavs talk about it during one of his runs. ''So, if I try to drain your BioEnergy, that would confirm that I am an Irregular?''
''Yeah,'' Lucas replied, with the two staring at each other in complete silence, the implications lingering in the air. Then, it was broken by a growl coming from Sonic, who looked slightly flustered as he placed one hand over his stomach and rubbed his head with his other hand.
''Heheh, I guess I'm hungry,'' Sonic said sheepishly. Lucas gave him a look of surprise, knowing well that ARNavs normally weren't even able to consume human food. They could ran out of energy if they spent too much time outside the AR Field, but all they needed to recharge was to return to the AR Field and they would be fine.
''Well, if you're hungry…'' Lucas trailed off as he searched through the fridge for the leftovers from his lunch and grabbing the fruit that was in the basket on the table, then returned to Sonic. ''It's not much, since I had planned to go to the grocery store today, but I guess that should be enough for now.''
''Thank you!'' Sonic replied, grabbing an apple from the pile of food Lucas placed in front of him. Lucas just observed him in silence, still trying to process the situation.
''I thought ARNavs couldn't eat human food,'' Lucas said, completely stunned.
''I don't know about other ARNavs, but I do eat food when I'm hungry,'' Sonic explained, shrugging. ''This is normal for me.''
''I see,'' Lucas muttered, looking at Sonic with interest. Regardless of whether he was an Irregular or not, there was something fascinating about this hedgehog ARNav and Lucas wanted to learn more about him. ''If you don't mind, I have a few questions for you.''
''Go ahead, I'm listening,'' Sonic replied, grabbing a banana.
''So, first of all, if we go by the assumption that you're an Irregular, you should be able to affect my BioEnergy,'' Lucas said. Yes, he knew that this was a bad idea and he knew that his cautious self was screaming at him to shut up and not trying anything, but Lucas doubted that it mattered. He let Sonic stay, after all, meaning he'd be also taking responsibility of him. Sonic gave him a curious look.
''Now that you mention it, there is this strange sensation I feel whenever I'm around you,'' Sonic explained. ''It is as if I can see some kind of… I guess you could call it an aura.''
''Yeah, that would be my BioEnergy,'' Lucas said, unsure how to feel that this basically confirmed that Sonic was indeed an Irregular.
''However, I don't want to mess with it any way, shape or form,'' Sonic quickly added.
''Thank you for the assurance,'' Lucas said, smiling in response. ''So, where do you come from?''
''Huh?'' Sonic gave him a confused look, lowering the slice of pizza he was about to eat.
''I mean, I would like to know more about your origins. All ARNavs have a creator, and I'm curious about who's yours,'' Lucas explained.
''Honestly, I have no clue,'' Sonic replied, shrugging and placing a hand under his chin. ''I never really thought about where I come from. All I remember is waking up one day in the middle of a forest, only knowing my name, my power and what I want to do. I later on figured that I was an ARNav, but I had no idea that I was an Irregular.''
''I see,'' Lucas muttered, leaning against the couch. ''So, do you want to learn more about where you came from or…?''
''Not really,'' Sonic replied, leaning against the pillow. ''I don't mind that I don't remember anything since I'm already living my life the way I want. If I don't need to, I don't look back, and there is still so much I want to do.''
''Let me guess; so you just keep running around and going on adventures, being a free spirit who lives his life in the moment, completely unrestrained'' Lucas added. ''Whether you're wrong or right, you just do your own thing.''
''You nailed it,'' Sonic said joyfully, then gave Lucas a curious look. ''What about you?''
''I actually prefer to stay at home,'' Lucas admitted, surprising Sonic.
''Really? You don't get bored at all?'' he asked.
''No, because I basically have what I need here,'' Lucas replied, glancing at a picture frame on the wall above the TV, showing a photo of his younger self and his parents. ''I guess this desire for adventure skipped a generation.''
''What do you mean?'' Sonic asked, following Lucas' gaze.
''My parents are archeologists and they absolutely love to travel all around the world, which is why they're absent most of the time. However, I'm not a big fan of travelling or adventuring,'' Lucas explained. ''That doesn't mean that I don't get curious about things outside my home, although people would usually have to drag me outside.''
''You know, after what you had told me, allowing me to stay here was a bold move on your part,'' Sonic noted.
''Even if we ignore the part of you being an Irregular, I don't feel like it was a big deal. When I saw you beaten up like that, all I knew was that I wanted to help you,'' Lucas explained, getting up. ''In any case, I also need to go grocery shopping to fill up the fridge.''
''I guess this might be a lot of me to ask, but could you buy ingredients to make chili dogs?'' Sonic asked, giving Lucas a sheepish grin. ''I'm still hungry.''
''Hey, don't worry, I'll get you whatever you want as long as it's not too expensive,'' Lucas told him, only to fall silent for a moment as he thought about something. ''Say, Sonic, do you want to come along?''
''Seriously? I mean, I'd be happy to accompany you, but what about the Hunters?'' Sonic asked, jumping off the couch.
''I believe that if we pretend that you're a normal ARNav and my partner, the Hunters won't try checking on you,'' Lucas suggested. ''From what I know, they usually go after the partnerless ARNavs.''
''Really? Even after the show I had put on by running through the city?'' Sonic asked.
''Considering how ARNavs who look the same also exist, we can just say that you are a different blue hedgehog with super speed and that they mistook you for your twin,'' Lucas suggested, with Sonic giving him an amused look. ''Okay, I will admit that I don't want to get myself into trouble as well, but since you're so different from any other Irregular I've seen or heard of, I'm willing to take the risk.''
''Now, that's the spirit,'' Sonic said approvingly.
xXx
Lucas had to admit to himself that he did not expect that the trip to the grocery store would be this… exciting. He would usually drag his feet, but the moment Sonic entered the grocery store, he started zipping from one aisle to another, just grabbing whatever caught his attention and dropping it into the shopping cart just as Lucas entered the aisle closest to the entrance. The teenager rose an eyebrow when he saw that the food mostly consisted of candy and snacks.
''You know, we could have a party with this!'' Sonic said, grinning as he dropped a pack of gummy bears into the cart and vanished in a flash of blue light before Lucas could even say anything. He then reappeared, holding a couple bottles of soda, looking at Lucas. ''Hey, could you help me grab those chips from the shelf? This place isn't exactly hedgehog-sized.''
''Sonic, could you please wait a second?'' Lucas asked, with Sonic perking up, his ears twitching.
''What is it, Lucas?'' he responded.
''Sonic, we will have to return all of this back to the shelves,'' Lucas explained, with Sonic's ears pinning down and the hedgehog looking dispirited. ''When I said that we'd have to make a trip to the grocery store for food, I meant that we'd have to buy stuff like bread or milk.''
''Oh, right,'' Sonic replied, giving Lucas a sheepish look. ''I'm sorry.''
Lucas then shook his head, smiling. ''Hey, once we get all that we need, you can pick whatever snack or drink you want.''
''Really?'' Sonic quickly perked up, startling Lucas when he suddenly returned all of the candy and snacks to the shelves, then came back with a loaf of sliced bread and a carton of milk. ''Is this what you usually buy?''
''Yeah,'' Lucas replied, having to admit that it was quite entertaining to see Sonic use his super speed for something mundane. The hedgehog, on the other hand, appeared to be just happy that he could help out his new friend.
They were done much sooner than expected, eventually walking back home, with Lucas carrying the bag with the food. Sonic did offer him to bring it back home and then return to Lucas, but the teenager pointed out that the food might fly out of the bag or it might tear if exposed to the hedgehog's super speed. So, they opted to walk back at normal speed.
''Something I had forgotten to ask you; do you really plan on staying at Neos City?'' Lucas rose his voice, catching Sonic's attention. ''I mean, you strike me more as someone who'd just go from place to place rather than permanently stay at one location.''
''While you are right about me preferring to go from place to place, I don't mind staying at Neos City, at least for now,'' Sonic replied. ''I still haven't explored all of the place and I'm really enjoying myself.''
''I'm glad to hear that,'' Lucas replied, only to look up and see a teenage girl staring at him and Sonic, holding a hoverboard under her arm. ''Um, hello?''
''I guess this goes without saying, but I don't think it is very smart of you to just walk around with an Irregular, especially when the Hunters are still on alert,'' the girl told them. Lucas and Sonic's eyes widened in shock, with Lucas quickly looking around to make sure nobody was paying attention to them.
''H-How do you know?!'' Lucas walked up to the girl, keeping his voice low. He felt his heart racing, worried that Hunters would appear and go after Sonic. The hedgehog was also on alert, giving the teenage girl a cautious look.
''You just confirmed it by asking me that,'' she told Lucas, who was flustered by the answer. She then looked at both of them. ''Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone. I just got curious after I saw Sonic running around the city.''
''Who are you?'' Sonic asked.
''The name is Touka Kageura,'' Touka replied, tilting her head. ''I suggest to you both to be careful.''
''I'm Lucas Kinomoto and… thanks for the warning, I guess?'' Lucas replied, feeling confused. Ignoring the fact that he now acted as the partner to an Irregular, this girl appeared out of blue to drop some cryptic knowledge and warnings. This was not how he had expected his day would go. Touka then turned around, about to leave, only to stop when Lucas addressed her again. ''Why are you telling us that?''
''That is none of your business,'' Touka replied in a rather cold tone, getting on her hoverboard and leaving. Lucas and Sonic exchanged glances, still stunned due to the encounter.
''This was not something I had expected,'' Sonic said. ''Do you think that we can trust her?''
''I… I'm not sure,'' Lucas shook his head. ''Let's just hope that she will keep her promise and not tell anyone what she knows. The last thing we need is the Hunters to show up at our doorstep.''
''Heh, you really don't want me to leave?'' Sonic asked, grinning. Lucas smirked.
''If you don't want to leave, you don't have to leave,'' he explained. ''I'm leaving this decision up to you, partner.''
Sonic lifted his hand, his fist clenched, with Lucas understanding the gesture and fist bumping.
''Then, I guess I'll be staying here for a while longer, partner,'' Sonic responded happily.
xXx
After they had returned home, Sonic helped Lucas put away the groceries, ate the snacks Lucas bought for him and then just crashed on the couch, falling asleep almost immediately. It appeared that, despite his seemingly endless energy, he would eventually burn out and need some rest. Lucas went to his room to grab a blanket and put it over Sonic, still processing the whole day. He basically found a non-aggressive Irregular ARNav who had the appearance of a video game character and this Irregular was not restrained to staying inside an AR Field, could eat normal food and had the need to sleep. This kind of behavior obviously wasn't normal for an ARNav, leaving Lucas speculating that Sonic probably acted like this because he was an Irregular.
He had to admit that he was curious. If Sonic was a non-aggressive Irregular, maybe there were more of them. It was quite intriguing, but at the same time, he wondered if he should even investigate this. He wasn't really someone who wanted to go on an adventure or get himself into trouble, especially since he would also be dealing with Irregular Hunters, now that Sonic is his partner. However, he also doubted that Sonic would be content with just staying at Lucas' home. He was also worried that the Irregular Hunters would target Sonic once again.
Maybe I should contact Warren and ask him for help, Lucas thought. Maybe he has an answer to this conundrum. He looked back at Sonic, then smiled. Despite everything, I don't regret helping him.
xXx
-Present Day-
''Ahh, home sweet home!'' Sonic stretched his arms as he flopped down on the couch, placing his hands behind his head, crossing his legs and looking at Lucas. ''Okay, maybe it was a good idea to go home and get some rest.''
''I'm surprised you didn't go for one more evening run to burn off whatever remaining energy you had before you go to sleep,'' Lucas said. Sonic snorted.
''Heh, I'm surprised that you are eager to continue with this adventure,'' he commented. ''You told me that you're not the type who'd jump into action.''
''I'm not,'' Lucas replied, adding, ''This is just part of the initial investigation regarding the Irregulars. Nothing more, nothing less.''
''Right, and I'm a hedgehog with green fur and a bad attitude,'' Sonic responded sarcastically, giving Lucas a knowing look. ''I've seen you constantly taking charge of a situation whenever there's a crisis.''
''Well, someone had to,'' Lucas replied, not really sounding convinced by his own words. He had to admit that Sonic had a point. During the past days, especially when dealing with Metal Sonic and Shadow, he would jump into action just to make sure that no one gets hurt. He had no idea why, but he simply felt that he needed to take responsibility. Lucas sighed. ''Okay, maybe you're right.''
''Maybe?'' Sonic rose an eyebrow. ''I'm sure that this hedgehog is 100% correct.''
''Okay, maybe you are 100% correct. It is still a lot to take in, though,'' Lucas replied, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on. ''Any ideas what we'll eat for dinner?''
''Are there any leftover chili dogs?'' Sonic asked, sitting up.
''No, I don't think so,'' Lucas responded. Sonic's ears were pinned down, only for him to perk up a moment later.
''What about pizza?'' Sonic asked hopefully. ''Any snacks?''
''I'll have to check,'' Lucas replied, only for him and Sonic to get distracted by the evening news.
''My name is Midorikawa…''
''…and I'm Kero!''
''We're here reporting the latest updates regarding the mysterious explosion that occured in the early evening above Infinity Forest,'' Midorikawa continued, standing at the CyExLabs alongside her frog-like ARNav partner Kero. ''The explosion had resulted in the deactivation of many of the AR Fields all across Neos City, as well as the shut down of major online activities and devices. Fortunately, the experts at the CyExLabs have managed to restore most of the AR Fields and have guaranteed a 100% recovery by tomorrow morning.''
''Investigators are still on the case, and there are speculations whether this was an act of terrorism or the explosion had a more natural cause,'' Kero continued. ''There is also a possibility that it may have been of an Irregular attack, but so far, there is no evidence for any of the current theories.''
Sonic and Lucas exchanged glances, their eyes wide. They were too occupied with what happened in the Codex Research Facility to think whether the explosion had affected the rest of Neos City. When they returned from Infinity Forest, everything appeared to be normal, meaning that the AR Fields were reactivated during their trip back to the city, so they didn't really pay any thought to it.
''Uhhh, how about not mentioning any of this to Shadow or Touka?'' Sonic suggested, with a nervous look on his expression.
''I think that would be for the best. They have already enough on their plate,'' Lucas quickly responded, nodding in agreement. ''Also, maybe we should try figure out how to draw less attention to ourselves.''
''I absolutely agree,'' Sonic replied. As much as he didn't mind living in the moment and facing any kind of challenge, this incident might put his friends into danger, or at least on the radar of the Irregular Hunters. He then saw Lucas falling silent for a moment, thinking about something. ''I assume you're not done yet.''
''I've just been thinking about how we still have a lot to do and wondering whether our friends would want to join us in this investigation,'' Lucas said. ''I know that Warren and Tails would agree.''
''I think that Knuckles, Lily, Amy, Minami, Silver and Makoto would also go along with whatever you're planning to do,'' Sonic said. ''I'm not completely sure about Shadow and Touka, though.''
''I think that the only solution to this is to ask everyone whether they'd meet up tomorrow and discuss this,'' Lucas replied.
xXx
The street lights had already turned on, night having fallen while Shadow was still following Touka back to her home using his air shoes to keep up with her speed as she was on her hoverboard. They were silent for the most part, with Shadow being genuinely curious to where Touka was leading him. After recovering from the whole chaos that was the Codex Research Facility, he felt that he was finally allowed to breathe and just process all of the information he had learned in the past couple days, and even before that, he had to deal with the lies he was told about Touka's demise. For now, he had decided to accept the situation as it was, but he still had questions. He glanced at the Touka.
''How long did it take you to learn to use a hoverboard without crashing into anything?'' he asked, a slight smirk on his expression. Touka flinched at the question, a very sudden memory appearing in her mind; one of her speeding down a corridor while wearing heelys and losing control, crashing into a wall and scrapping the skin off her knees, leaving her bleeding. Shadow saw her reaction, still smirking. ''Heh, so you do remember that particular incident.''
''First of all, I'm way better at riding a hoverboard than heelys,'' Touka replied in a defensive tone, unsure whether she was relieved that she remembered more stuff from her past or was embarrassed by that particular memory. She then pouted. ''It only took me a day to figure out how to properly ride it. Unlike heelys, hoverboards also have a calibration that allows automatic balance as long as you stand on them.'' Touka then crossed her arms, feeling the tension leave her. ''Also, I never crashed into anything.''
''I have a bit of hard time believing that,'' Shadow responded. Touka gave him a knowing look.
''I also remember that you weren't exactly an expert at using your air shoes either,'' she said, grinning smugly as she watched the smirk disappear from Shadow's expression.
''I assume that you have regained all of your memories,'' he said, continuing the conversation.
''Not all of them, but I remember enough,'' Touka replied, slowing down her hoverboard and coming to a halt in front of a house, with Shadow following her lead. ''There is one more thing we have to do before we can call it a day.'' She turned to Shadow. ''Do you remember Dr. Kisaki Kageura?''
''Of course I do,'' Shadow replied, giving her a curious look. ''Why are you asking me that?''
''Because I now live with her,'' Touka replied, getting off her hoverboard and picking it up. ''As a matter of fact, she was the one who adopted me.''
''You say she adopted you, yet she never told you anything about your past?'' Shadow asked, folding his arms across his chest.
''I don't know why, but we are going to get the answers we're owed,'' Touka replied, walking into the house, with Shadow following her right behind. She led him to the open space that was the living room and kitchen, with Kisaki having already returned from work.
''Oh, hey, Touka, I just made dinner…'' Kisaki trailed off when she suddenly turned around, her jaw dropping when she saw Touka, her eyes widening in shock when she saw Shadow right next to her.
''Kisaki, Shadow and I need to talk to you,'' Touka said.
