Chapter Nine – Titans
Dimension – 23691 – Getting To Know You
Unfortunately, as soon as Sukko hit the main timeline, again, he vanished. The King of Stealth doing what he did best, as no one could find him. But Frank was very stunned that Sukko had done something so incredibly public back at the Sol Empire, so he wasn't worried. They are all gathered in Tails' House, everyone had settled in, and Saffie was back in holographic form, but the Sorcerer was still missing. Suddenly, Frank asked Saffie, rather weirdly, if Sukko was answering to him, down the Psychic Link. Yes, he was, rather annoyingly, even in this mode, his mind outside of his body. But Frank smiled.
"Then leave him be. Sukko can teleport anywhere instantly. If we need him, he'll be here." He grinned. Suddenly, Saffie felt intense giggling at the back of his mind, as the Sorcerer responded. Sukko grinned.
{Thank you, Frank.} He smirked. Saffie blinked in utter astonishment. He gasped.
"He heard you?" He stammered, but Frank just laughed.
"Er, yeah, he can. Welcome to the Psychic Link. Back in my own dimension, Sukko would regularly disappear, and quite often the only way to find him, was through Sonikku. It's something your going to have to get used to." He explained, as Saffie nodded, and suddenly, giggled, Frank rounded on the Sapphire Dragon.
"Hey, Sukko, what you reading?" He asked, to confused. But Tails frowned.
"How does you know he's reading." He wondered. But Frank just smiled.
"He's vanished because he's sat somewhere, probably up a tree, behind his clock of invisibility, with a book. It's what he normally does, especially when he has some down time. Sukko really doesn't like crowds." He added, but the Sorcerer giggled again, in the back of Saffie's mind, as he answered the question. He smirked.
{The Winterburg Chainsaw Massacre.} He grinned. Saffie reported back, squirming. He didn't know the title, but it was enough to make him uncomfortable. In fact, everyone was. The book was well known, and was extremely gory, gothic horror, and unfortunately, an absolute favourite of Sukko's. Frank just rolled his eyes. He huffed.
"Saffie, can you tell your brother, to please, improve his taste in books." He pleaded. But Saffie smiled as Sukko answered straight down the Psychic Link. He smirked.
{No!} He spat, to much to the laughter of the Sapphire Dragon. But Saffie stared, going very quiet. There was something about the tone of which Frank said 'brother', made it sound like it was already excepted. But to Saffie, everything was still so new. He loved Manic, he was easy to bond with as a brotherhood, but Sukko was different. It was so much more intimate. The Sorcerer heaved, feeling the Sapphire Dragon's nervousness. He smiled.
{You alright?} He asked, in the back of his mind. Saffie nodded.
{Yeah. It's just I'm not used to this, it's making me wary. I didn't grow up with it, like your 'Sonic' did.} He admitted. But Sukko just smirked.
{But you are my Sonikku. A different dimension doesn't change anything.} He spat. That was true. The D.N.A. always remained the same, regardless of dimension. But Saffie just sniffed.
{But I have been through so much.} He whined. Sukko heaved, as he just beamed at Saffie.
{Do you wanna talk?}
For the rest of the day, Saffie wasn't really paying any attention to anything, as he just divulged his heart, soul and deepest inner thoughts to Sukko. Incredible personal things that Saffie had never told anyone before, but he knew his beautiful twin brother, Sukko, the mighty Sorcerer, wouldn't breathe of word of it to anyone. He could feel that down the Psychic Link, but as he spoke, he hadn't realised how much, the deep intense trauma the incredible brutality of everything that happened, had gotten to him.
Sukko was stunned. He knew it was bad. He seen it down the telepathy, but hadn't realised it was that bad, and gently, carefully, and very lovingly talked Saffie through it all. The Sorcerer was seriously impressed, that he was able to hide it so effectively, but not from him, as Sukko asked for everything, including access to him memories. Saffie squealed, but the Sorcerer insisted. In finally seeing them, Sukko was gobsmacked, utterly horrified but intensely proud at what this incredible version of his twin had achieved but was heartbroken at the sacrifices he'd been forced to make.
Suddenly, Saffie's hologram deeply smiled, as he felt someone snuggle right up to his body, which he'd hidden in the nearby woods, happily curled up under a tree, sleeping. Suddenly, he felt the Sorcerer's Magic. It was warm, soothing and and incredible comforting, as Sukko filed away all of the sharp edges in his past. He couldn't heal them all, nor did Saffie want him to, and before the Sapphire Dragon knew it, for the very first time, and to the shock of everyone, Saffie's hologram had fallen fast asleep, on a sofa, in Tails' House, with Sukko curled up, asleep himself, right next to his body, under his wing.
From that day on, that was where they always found the Sorcerer. Fast sleep right next his twin, snuggled deeply under his wing. Sukko and Saffie worked together to combine Magic and machine, to finally allow Saffie the ability to cloak, at will, now able to hide himself anywhere, giving him his freedom back. Now he could fly, and sleep anywhere, without causing alarm to the locals, or notifying the Mobian Authorities of the his presence. Saffie was grateful to Sukko, and all the Sorcerer asked for, in return, was a place to sleep.
He was upset. Here in main timeline, there was no Robotropolis. It never existed in this dimension, and Sukko was struggling to settle somewhere. Tails' House was nice enough, but constantly far to busy for his liking. He deeply sniffed. Robotropolis was his life, no other city came close, and now he just felt so lost. Saffie smiled, as he grabbed the Sorcerer, held him close, took to the air, flew to a nearby tree. He wrapped his tail about a strong branch, hung upside down, to Sukko's surprise, and then wrapped his enormous wings around them both.
Sukko immediately relaxed. Oh wow, that was wonderful. Finally, he was home, and as Saffie activated his cloak, perfectly hiding them both, within minutes Sukko was fast asleep. Saffie smiled, as he stroked his sleeping twin, they newly formed bond extremely strong. It didn't take long for Sukko to get used to Saffie's nomadic lifestyle.
But Sukko smirked.
He knew why the Powers-That-Be had made the Titans his family. One, because his family was the strongest in the Multiverse and two, to keep him in line, and fight for them. He heaved. They weren't wrong. He'd do anything to protect his family, and that was the point, so he decided to humour the Powers-That-Be and bond with the other Titans. Shads was easy. Dragging him to his bed, got Sukko everything he needed from the Ultimate Lifeform. He loved them all, and them in return.
He gulped. That meant a lot, and Sukko just giggled every time Shads regularly showed up, with both the ghost and the axe ditched, the Sorcerer always knew exactly what he was after.
Saffie, on the other hand, was significantly harder then expected. Sukko had no idea he'd suffered and lost so much, and yet, he never showed on his face. Despite being a powerful telepath, he never been able to read 'Sonic's' mind. Any 'Sonic', including his own, Sonikku, the Psychic Link prevented it. The same was true going the other way. The twins were entirely dependent on what they told each other, and it was so easy to hide something. But Saffie didn't, and it broke Sukko's heart. He just cried, feeling for the mighty Sapphire Dragon, all the stories he'd heard about him true.
But if Saffie was difficult, Manic was going to be even harder. Sukko looked at the Earth Bender, and saw the tiny baby he'd raised, and yet this version of the Earth Bender, didn't even know him. That hit the Sorcerer and hard. Back in his dimension, he and Manikkos had been extremely close. The ones left behind, when Sonikku was off fighting the war against Eggman on the front line. The oldest and the youngest. He knew he'd never get that closeness again with his version of the Earth Bender. Knowing that Manikkos was alright, gave Sukko the confidence to approach the mighty Green Titan, when he was alone. It was the first real chance he had to talk to him. He smiled, as he had something extremely special on him, which was going to make this easier. As Sukko silently sidled up to Manic, he was delighted to see him rapping his drumsticks on a nearby rock. But from the beat, pace and fantastic rhythm, he definitely was a professional Drummer. Unfortunately, Sukko was seen, as Manic smirked.
"I've heard you were good, Mr. King of Stealth, but I felt your approach through the earth." He grinned, finally turning around to look at him. Sukko gulped. The same good and kind eyes, heart and soul was there. It was his Manikkos, but not. Sukko heaved, smirking back.
"That was impressive." He praised. "Not many people can spot me sneaking around." He added. But Manic just glared.
"So was you dealing with that planet disaster. I don't even know what you did, could even be done." He gasped. But Sukko just giggled.
"That's Magic, for you." He shrugged. But Manic just stared.
"Your Sukko, the Sorcerer, Saffie spoke of. My brother?" He gulped. "Whoa, wait. I knew you looked similar to Sonic, your twin, at a distance, but I didn't realise you're actually identical?" He gasped, seeing the incredible likeness, up close. Between the Sorcerer and every version of the Blue Blur out there. He knew of the Sorcerer's existence, as everyone in the family, in every dimension, did, but not of his special trait. But Sukko stopped him, he knew exactly where this was going. He smiled.
"Our brother?" He asked. Manic nodded. But Sukko knelt down and held out a hand, cupping it upwards. Suddenly streams of, very familiar, silvery hue, poured down Sukko's arm, as his eyes temporally glowed silver. Forming in the hand was a beautiful, bright, silvery ball in his hand. Manic back off initially, but when he saw who it was, his eyes filled with tears. But Sukko smiled. "He's here. Yes, he came straight to me, and to be honest, to find a 'Sonic' casting Magic just absolutely stunned me. Every Blue Blur is born with Chaos Sorcery. We are Twin Sorcerers, but unless that version of 'Sonic' stays opposite myself, his Magic just fades away to nothing. He was never meant to cast with it, the Magic changing when you start using it. My Sonikku can't cast and I'm guessing that's why the Powers-That-Be wanted it back, that change triggering their coming.
I can cast through my Sonikku, borrowing his Chaos Sorcery but that doesn't change it. That will only happen if he, himself, started casting with it. His one cast of Teleport, we thought was Chaos Sorcery, but realising the rules, that's not the case. It's Chaos Control without a Chaos Emerald, and very powerful too. He could expand it to carry anyone or anything, and used my own Magic to boost it. Nowadays, it has inter-dimensional travelling potential, but it's definitely not Magic." He explained, but he then heaved. "Your Sonikku refused to give up the Magic, when he was asked." He wondered. Manic nodded, crying his heart out, as Sukko grabbed him with his free hand. "This is his essence. The Magic he processed is gone. I've already absorbed it, I'm afraid. I'm sorry, but it was automatic, I didn't have a choice. But here." He added, opening Manic's hand and placing the beautiful essence into it. "Take him with you. It's where he wants to go." He finished, as suddenly, the silver ball of light exploded sending streams of bright silvery down Manic's arm and straight into his heart.
He was so used to Magic, that he didn't even fear it. A stark contract to Manikkos's intense fear of it, and suddenly his eyes of the Earth Bender glowed silver, for a split second, as he felt Sonic there, permanently with him, for now and always. Suddenly, he just exploded in pure and utter delight. Immediately, he grabbed Sukko and pulled him in for an almighty hug. He cried his heart out, again.
"Thank you." He sniffed. But Sukko smirked, snuggling into the hug and hard. Suddenly, he spoke with mind. He wasn't really thinking, he just did it.
{Just doing my job. Protecting the family.}
Suddenly, Manic immediately backed off, staring hard at the Sorcerer. He gulped.
"Whoa!" He stammered. But Sukko frowned. This Manic, like all Earth Benders, the Sorcerer couldn't mind read. Being Chi, he was largely blocked. He could read Sol Energy, but that and Chaos Energy were quite similar. Chi was very different and significantly more stubborn. Sukko blinked, gulping hard.
"You heard that?" He gasped. Manic nodded. Sukko stared. That was new. His version of Manic definitely never heard speak him with his mind, ever. Suddenly, Sukko realised he had to watch what he said with his mind. Now both Saffie and Manic could hear him. Growling in his mind, Sukko swore.
Suddenly, Manic stared at him, and then howled with laughter. Yes, he could definitely hear him. But only him. Not Saffie down the Psychic Link, or could he answer back. But Sukko did get emotions back from the Earth Bender, which fascinated him, but he largely ignored them. He could perfectly read the Earth Bender anyway. But regardless, Sukko took it as an opportunity to be a total comedian, and make the Earth Bender laugh as much as possible, which got vulgar and rather rude, very quickly.
Regardless, it significantly broke the ice, between the brothers, as they formed a their own bond of brotherhood. It was very different to what Sukko had with Manikkos. They had a lifetime together, but even though the Titan was similar, he was different enough to make the change. Also, Sukko didn't want it to be exactly the same. This Manic had a completely different upbringing. He was significantly more streetwise, if that was possible and even though their powers were identical, both the versions of the Earth Bender had used them in entirely separate ways.
Manic got fascinated about his counterpart, wanting to know everything about him. So Sukko told him their story. Everything. From growing up on the run, to fighting and taking out Lazarus. Manic heaved, as he looked at his hands. He too could do all of those things, if he just thought laterally enough. Manic returned the favour, by telling his and Sonic the Sorcerer's story. Sukko was intrigued, but Manic immediately spotted something. He frowned.
"Your significantly more powerful in Magic, then Sonic ever was. How high can you go?" He wondered. Sukko gulped, heaving hard.
"Very." He admitted. "But listen, I'm not perfect. Never have been, despite what everyone thinks. No matter how powerful I am, I don't have the gift of foresight. I don't see the consequences of my Magic, down the line, into the future. I just do the best I can, with what I have, at the time. The disaster on my planet. I caused that." He stammered, his eyes streaming with tears. "But I swear, I didn't mean to." He sniffed, crying hard. That had been seriously getting to Sukko, for some time, and now, he was finally letting it out.
Manic was shocked, but seeing how remorseful the Sorcerer really was, he just grabbed him, and hugged him. Manic smiled.
"Hey, Bro, easy. Everyone makes mistakes." He shrugged. "Including you, and it's what you do about it afterwards, in the end, that matters. Your the most powerful of all the Titans, I can see it in your eyes, and yet, from what I've heard, your complete and utter selfless willingness to give everything for, not only your family, but those close to you, had left a lot of loyal people eager to follow you anywhere, including us." He added, indicating himself, as well as Saffie, Shadow and Kee Kee chatting in the distance. "Yeah, I've been asking around. This whole situation had taken some getting used to, so I just talked to people. Find out as much as I could about what's going on. Everyone here admires you. Apparently your some kind of God, and yet no one seen your true power, unlike Shads, who constantly flaunts that fact. Yeah, well, I believe a Demi-God, is only half what you are." He added, to a now extremely humble, bright red Sorcerer. Hearing Manic call him 'Bro', at that moment, meant the world to him. Sukko squealed, in embarrassment.
"Manic." He stammered, but the Earth Bender giggled.
"But Bro, don't change. You constant disappearing acts, stupid antics, and persistent wind-ups keep this place interesting. I've seen the local Sonic and Tails fight Eggman, and apparently we're not allowed to." He huffed, not happy. But Sukko nodded.
"Yes, unfortunately, that's the rules. We are only allowed to intervene when we are officially asked. That's why Saffie goes on missions around the Multiverse, to end the Human's torment, but only when summoned. Here, we rest, recuperate and plan, but don't get involved with the affairs of this dimension." He agreed. But Manic growled.
"You know, I could so take on that Human." He hissed, but Sukko hissed.
"Oh, I can easily believe that. I suspect you could outright destroy Eggman to the point of permanent surrender. Any of the Titans could. That's why we're Titans." He Heaved. But Manic growled.
"Then why don't we?" He snarled, but Sukko smiled, calming the mighty Earth Bender.
"Because it's not out place to. This dimension, it's the main timeline. The original that was here first, that all versions of Mobius, in the entire Multiverse, are copies of. I have no idea what happened here, to cause that, but that's the way it is. But we have to extremely careful here, because we can't get careless, and do something stupid. Like intervening where we're not supposed to, it could ricochet around the Multiverse, and de-stabilise the whole system, more then it already is, costing lives." He spat. "Believe me, Manic, it's not worth it." He added, as heaving hard, the Earth Bender eventually and rather reluctantly agreed.
Sukko heaved, finally relaxing around the mighty Earth Bender. Then with his mind drifting slightly, it began to sing through it, a perfect reflection of his voice. Beautiful and clear, the most stunning singing voice Manic had ever heard. Deep and melodious. It was in absolutely pitch perfect, and superbly in tune, the operatic aria being sung, was done flawlessly. Manic, hearing it in his mind, just gasped.
"Bro, whoa. You have a beautiful voice." He praised. Sukko, snapping back to reality, suddenly going very red. He shifted.
"Er, yeah, but I've never use it. It would mean singing in front of a crowd, and I don't like large groups of people." He admitted. Suddenly, Manic frowned, looking back again at Saffie, who was still in the distance.
"Hey, did you know if, Bro, still plays the guitar?" He wondered. Sukko looked up, confused.
"What? Saffie?" He asked. Manic nodded. But Sukko heaved. "Sonikku did tell me that he played the electric guitar, as a child, but hasn't picked it up in over a decade. Not since he, one, defeated Eggman and two, got transformed into the Sapphire Dragon." He reported. But Manic stared.
"Ten years?" He gulped. But Saffie nodded.
"Yes. If been over a hundred years for Shads and Kee Kee. It's Cosmic Acceleration. The changes in time around the Multiverse and how it's experienced." He added. But Manic frowned. It meant that Saffie was significantly older then he looked, but regardless, the Earth Bender still wanted to have some fun. He rounded on Sukko.
"Hey, can you make stuff with your Magic?" He asked. The Sorcerer blinked, giving the Earth Bender a strong side eye.
"Yes?" He asked, desperately wondering where this was going. But Manic just downright giggled.
"Then make him a electric guitar please. I'm getting the band back together. The Underground, especially with your voice." He squealed and with that he quickly ran off. Sukko when white.
The band?
"Oh no!" He squealed, as he very promptly vanished. The last thing he wanted to do, right now, was sing.
But Manic's utter determination to succeed at this caused utter havoc, and Saffie wasn't helping, especially when he realised he could actually still play electric guitar, extremely well. It wasn't until the Earth Bender mentioned music, Sukko realised why Saffie had felt so lost. Because for the brothers, music was everything, certainly back in his own dimension. Sonic and Manic were the Underground, even though they never were an official band there, but they constantly played together, whenever they could, in every bar and club that would have them. Sukko enjoyed those gigs, and now rather missed them.
Music had been missing from Saffie's life for more then a decade. Sukko smirked, time to change that, and doing exactly as he was asked, he conjured up a beautiful, extra large, flying V electric guitar. Red and white, perfectly in tune, running on Magic, working without an amp. The size was spot on for the enormous Sapphire Dragon. Sukko smirked, as in also threw in an acoustic guitar as well for good measures, in pale blue. He left them both out for the Sapphire Dragon to find with a simple note that said.
'Saffie, please find what you once lost.'
Sukko's heart exploded as he watched the look of pure and utter joy on the Sapphire Dragon's face, as he found then explored the two beautiful musical instruments. He played one. Unfortunately, he sounded rusty and bumpy as hell, but gut determined, like all 'Sonics', he didn't give up and quickly he found his musical heart, and soon the playing smoothed out and became flawless. Manic quickly joined him, drumming up anything, including the very planet. He could literally turn rocks into his very own musical instrument.
But seeing Saffie so happy, thrilled Sukko. He suffered enough over the years, and even though the fight was still continuing and the inter-dimensional travelling wasn't over, he wasn't alone anymore, as Manic now always went with him. That Earth Bender could literally survive anything, and could easily match the Sapphire Dragon. The Sorcerer smiled. Seeing them together, so close, was how it should be. But the whole thing amused Shads greatly but Sonic and Tails were at their wits end. The Titans were becoming, with time, more of a horrendous handful to keep entertained. The Fox heaved.
"The sooner we them get off the planet, the better." He admitted. But Sonic had no ideas, but it was Sukko who finally came to the rescue.
The Sorcerer, when alone, meditated a lot. He was desperately trying to tune in his mind, as much as possible, into the Multiverse and Greater Cosmos, from the main timeline. Due to it's unique location, he could see everything for there. He wanted to be able to constantly see what was out there. He hadn't forgotten about the shifting Multiverse, and the tears in space time, it occasionally created. Now, he could almost borderline feel them. The tears themselves heal naturally over time, if left alone, so he didn't always have to repair them, and as for monsters, none had come through since the Grimcreep.
But as Sukko knew, it was only a matter of time.
He was right.
Gentle reading alone, on a late summer's afternoon, suddenly, he felt a sheering pain go straight across his brain. He screamed, which immediately caused the Sapphire Dragon to come running. He panicked.
{Sukko! Sukko? Are you alright?} He desperately asked. But Sukko wasn't paying any attention to that. That pain was directly from tear in the Multiverse again, and it was a big one, hence why it was so painful, and suddenly, he heard the deep, rumbling roar, of a now familiar monster.
The Grimcreeps was back.