-Chapter 296-
Down the Garden Path
Knothole
As the group sat around Freedom HQ, Sonic stumbled in, looking utterly exhausted as he removed his training weights.
"Ooooooooohhh maaan…" He shambled over to the couch.
"Rough day of training?" Chris asked.
"Uh-huuuuuh..." Sonic plopped on the couch, face-first. "I missed so many days that Longclaw basically had me make them up all at once. I'm dead, Chris. I couldn't take another step if the fate of the world depended on it."
"Guys!" Hope came running in.
Sonic's eyes went wide, his pupils shrinking. "Oh Aurora, no..."
"I just got an email from Cass!"
Sonic relaxed. "Oh thank goodness..."
"She's hosting a game tournament on her Let's Play channel to help raise money for the blizzard relief, and she wants us to join as celebrity contestants!"
"Sounds fun!" Chris exclaimed.
"When's it start?" Keith asked.
"About two weeks from now." Hope sent everyone the flier for it. "Here. Here's all the games they'll be playing."
"Oooh, nice!" Tangle declared.
"Are there any Tomatopotamus games?" Kat asked, scanning the flier.
"Uhh, Kat..." Hope pointed. Kat looked down at the flier. Tomatopotamus 2 was listed in big, red letters, making it impossible to miss.
"Oh..." She blushed. "Whoops."
"She's got a pretty solid line-up," Sonic mused.
"Yeah, tell her we'll be there," Tails said.
"Will do!" Hope gave a thumbs-up. "Oh yeah, she said feel free to bring everybody. Even if they're not playing, they still enjoy the show."
"Sounds great!" Tails remarked. "Cosmo will enjoy that when she gets back."
"Wait, gets back?" Sonic blinked. "Cosmo left?"
"Yeah, she said, she wanted to do some traveling, remember?"
Sonic thought for a moment, then perked. "I remember now! She left to travel before the Einherjar hit, wanting to see more of the world."
Flashback
Several Weeks Ago, Knothole
Cosmo finished packing her backpack. "Alright, that should be everything."
"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you, Cosmo?" Tails asked.
"It's pretty dangerous out there," Amy added. "I know you have your Mover Mode, but..."
"It's alright, Amy," Cosmo assured her. "I'm just going on a trip around South Island. I'll be back before you know it."
"Still, with all the crazy stuff going on, don't you think it'd be better if some of us came with you?" Tails questioned. "Better safe than sorry, you know?"
Cosmo shook her head. "And that is exactly why I want to go on my own. Everyone is busy with Robotnik. You need to stay focused in the event he tries something. And again, it's only South Island. It's one of the safest places in Mobius. I'll be fine."
"Well… alright," Tails said after a brief hesitation. "But, if something happens, call us right away, okay?"
"I will. Thank you for being concerned for me, Tails."
Tails turned red. "You're our friend. It's what we do.
Cosmo giggled. "Well, I'd best be off." She pulled out a Warp Ring. "I'll see you all in a week! Take care!"
"Bye Cosmo!" Amy called.
"Be careful!" Tails chimed in.
Cosmo waved as she headed through the portal.
Flashback Over
"With all the stuff going on with the Einherjar, it totally slipped my mind." Sonic suddenly froze. "Wait a minute… Cosmo left before the blizzard hit. And we haven't heard from her since. Have we?"
Tails perked. "No… We haven't… We should check on her."
Tails dialed Cosmo's number, but it didn't even ring.
"We're sorry, but the number you are trying to reach is not available. Please try again later."
"Okay, that's not good," Tangle remarked.
"No... it's not…" Sonic stood up. "Okay, let's not panic. Cosmo said she was sticking to South Island, right? She's gotta be in one of the Zones."
"Right…" Tails nodded. "We'll call the others, split up, and..."
The phone went off. Tails immediately answered it. "Cosmo?"
"Um... not quite," a girl's voice responded. "Is this the Freedom Fighters?"
"It is, yes."
"Oh, thank Aurora! I've been trying to get ahold of you all week! My name's Allie. Allie West, and my friend needs your help. You're on South Island, right? I'm in Sunset City, on the other side of the Bridge Zone. Please, I need you to come quickly! And bring Power Rings!"
"We're on our way." Tails hung up with a sigh. "Looks like Cosmo's gonna have to wait."
"Sorry, bud," Sonic told him. "We'll start looking as soon as we're done here."
Sunset City
The group arrived, taking in the sights of a large city located at the coast of a bay. The most noticeable characteristic part of the city was the Red Gate Bridge across the river that connected it to the Bridge Zone.
"Whoa…" Tangle let out. "This is Sunset City? It's fancy!"
"Sunset City is a major merchant hub," Sally explained. "A lot of food and the like for Mobotropolis comes from here."
"I know about it all too well," Hope remarked. "Rouge never shuts up about its jewel markets."
"It's also home to K-TBR 199.2 radio, hosted by Nite the Owl," Knuckles chimed in.
Sonic turned to him. "You listen to the radio?"
"No, but Charmy does. It's his favorite station."
"I like their country music weekends," Kat said.
"Hey! Over here!"
They turned, looking to see a human girl around Team Thorndyke's age with long red hair and green eyes, wearing a blue T-shirt and jeans with green sneakers, waving at them.
"Allie West, I assume?" Sonic asked as they approached.
"That's me," Allie confirmed. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Hedgehog."
"Just call me Sonic. Mr. Hedgehog is my dad. Now, where's this friend of yours?
"Follow me."
Allie led them to a flower shop on the corner of the street, a sign above it reading "The Garden Path," then led them to a greenhouse in the back.
"She's right this way," she explained. "I've tried everything to wake her up, but when the cold hit… she just got weaker and weaker. I've even tried planting her in my best soil."
"Planting her?" Sonic raised an eyebrow.
"It's easier to show than to tell."
They entered, jaws dropping to see who the friend was: Cosmo, unconscious and laid out on a bed of flowers under a heat lamp.
"Cosmo!" Tails immediately ran over.
"Oh, you know her?" Allie asked.
"She's one of ours," Sonic explained. "She left to explore the island before the blizzard."
"No wonder she was so brave. She was one of you. I owe her so much."
"How'd this happen?" Tails asked.
"I can explain later. Do you have Power Rings?"
"I have something better." Tails pulled out a device, pressing a button. The device opened up, unfolding into a robot wearing a labcoat, a headlamp built into its head, a medical mask over its face, and Tails' two-tail insignia on its chest. It raised a hand in greeting.
"Hello," it greeted. "I am T-Med. Your personal healthcare companion."
"Whoa!" Sonic exclaimed. "Tails, isn't that your Medi-Bot?"
"Medi-Bot Mk II," Tails clarified. "I've been working on upgrades since the Summit. After what happened with Lupe and Knuckles, I thought it'd be good to have a dedicated healer onboard." He turned to the bot. "T-Med, Cosmo is the patient."
T-Med approached, scanning her.
"Subject scan complete," he concluded. "The patient shows no signs of serious injury or illness, but her brain activity and bodily functions are currently functioning at the bare minimum. She appears to be in a state of hibernation."
"Like a bear?" Sonic asked.
"More like a plant," Allie corrected. "When the weather gets cold, some species of plants enter a withered state to conserve energy until the weather gets warmer."
"But the Einherjar's blizzard has been over for weeks," Tangle pointed out. "Why hasn't she woken up?"
"I'm not sure..." Allie admitted. "I was hoping you would know."
"T-Med, activate Vita-Rays," Tails ordered.
"Roger. Activating Vita-Ray Lamps." T-Med's arms turned into UV lamp-like devices and began shining a gentle, green light onto Cosmo. All was quiet for several moments, before Cosmo's fingers twitched. She moaned and stirred before slowly sitting up, yawning and stretching.
"Oh my..." she managed.
"Cosmo?" Tails asked. "Are you okay?"
"Mmm? Tails?"
"Thank goodness, you're alive!" Allie sighed.
"Allie..." Cosmo opened her eyes, seeing the assembled Freedom Fighters. "You're all here? How long have I been out?"
"For a while..." Allie answered. "At least three weeks."
Cosmo's eyes widened in shock. "Three weeks!?"
"I'm so sorry, Cosmo," Tails lamented. "I should've checked in on you. But the blizzard hit, and things got so hectic."
Cosmo shook her head. "No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have gone off alone. It was stupid and reckless of me."
"What's done is done," Sonic cut in. "Hindsight is 20/20. The important thing is you're okay."
"Although, what exactly have you been doing?" Sally asked.
"That's a story best told over drinks," Allie decided.
-X-
In the living quarters above the shop, everyone sat down as Allie passed out cups of strawberry lemonade.
"I hope you like strawberry lemonade," she said. "That's all I have right now. I lost most of my harvest to the cold snap."
They took the glasses, sipping.
"So what happened after you left, Cosmo?" Amy asked.
"I went exploring the island, checking out the different Zones. I'd just arrived in Sunset City when it started to get chilly…"
Flashback
Sunset City, At the beginning of the blizzard
Cosmo walked through the city, shivering as the wind picked up, bringing a chill with it.
"My word… What in the world is going on? The weather was so warm yesterday… But now it feels like the middle of winter." Cosmo looked up, seeing it was snowing. "Snow?"
She shuddered, frantically looking around before seeing a flower shop with a greenhouse nearby. With a nod, she ducked inside. As soon as she entered, she took in the sight of flowers and various plants hanging all over the place. Behind the register was a teenage girl with red hair, who looked up at her entry.
"Um... hello," she greeted. "I'm sorry to intrude."
"Oh!" the girl perked. "I-It's perfectly fine! Welcome to the Garden Path. How may I help you?" It was then the girl got a good look at the plant girl. "What the..?"
"Oh…" Cosmo cleared her throat. "Please don't be frightened. I'm a Seedrian. Think of me as a... plant Mobian."
"Are you a flower fairy?
"I get that a lot, but no. I'm actually an alien. By Mobius' standards, anyway."
"An alien? No way..."
The girl slowly approached Cosmo, curiously before looking over her.
"Ohhh..." She looks over Cosmo's hair. "Your hair...it's made of leaves… And, are those flower buds?"
"Y-Yes..."
"Hmmm… Judging from the shape… I'd say… red rose. Maybe pink."
Cosmo nodded, impressed. "You know your flowers."
"I'm a florist. It comes with the territory." The girl perked. "Oh, am I making you uncomfortable? II tend to do that sometimes..." She smiled awkwardly as she scratched her cheek. "Oh, right! I skipped over the niceties. I'm Allie. Allie West. My mom runs this shop."
"My name is Cosmo," Cosmo curtsied. "I apologize for intruding. The weather has turned cold and I was ill-prepared."
Allie nodded. "I know, it's weird. The news said something happened at Station Square. Something about the Egg Army attacking."
Cosmo perked.
"Oh, no… My friends!" She pulled a phone from a fold in her dress. However, when she went to dial, she saw that she had no service. "Blast it. The line's dead."
"Crud, something must've killed communications there."
"Oh dear… What am I going to do?" she gasped, perking once more. "Ah! The Warp Rings!" She fumbled for her pouch, pulling one out. "I'll just head to Station Square myself and...!"
"Wait." Allie caught her arm, stopping her. "If you can't handle the cold out here, could you even survive in the heart of it?"
Cosmo stopped
"No…" she gritted her teeth. "Darn it! My friends are in trouble, and I can't even check on them in this cold! I never should have left home alone! So stupid!"
"Hey, hey," Allie soothed. "Don't say that. Honestly, it's probably for the best. You leaving likely ensured your survival. Also, there's no way you could have seen this coming. Nobody could. I mean, snow in the middle of June?"
"Still..."
"Hmmm..." Allie perked, getting an idea, "Ooh, I know! Why don't you stay here until this storm blows over?"
"Are you sure? I don't want to impose."
"It's fine, really! My greenhouse is probably the best place for you. Plus, my mom would have me pushing daisies if I just left you out there to wilt."
"Well, okay," Cosmo smiled. "Thank you, Allie."
Flashback Over
"Take it from someone who was in the thick of it, Cosmo," Sonic told her. "You being here and away from Station Square was the best thing that could've happened to you."
"Seriously, what happened was..." Tails shook his head. "Insane."
"You don't know the half of it..." Tangle shuddered, recalling Glacia's boot camp.
At that moment, the door opened.
"Allie! I'm back!" A woman resembling an older Allie entered the room. "Sorry I'm late, honey, I had to check in with the police again and..." She trailed off as she saw the Freedom Fighters gathered around.
"Uhhh...hey!" Sonic waved awkwardly.
"Ohh..." The woman perked. "Oh my! Sonic the Hedgehog!"
"I called him and his friends to see if they could help Cosmo," Allie replied. "And get this, Mom; Cosmo's a Freedom Fighter too!"
"Is that so? That certainly explains a few things," Allie's mother smiled. "Well, I'm Amanda, the owner of the Garden Path. Any friends of Cosmo are welcome here. Especially after what she did."
Cosmo blushed. "I-It was nothing, really..."
Chris blinked. "What she did?"
"We were just getting into that story, actually," Allie told her mother as she took a seat.
"Okay, so while we were freezing our butts off in Artika and Station Square, what were you up to?" Amy asked.
Cosmo sipped her lemonade. "Allie and Amanda had opened their home to me. I saw it fitting to repay their hospitality by helping them manage their shop. And that's when I got roped into something big."
Flashback
A week into the Einherjar's blizzard found Cosmo tending to some of the flowers in the greenhouse.
"There you are." She watered the plants, gently holding the leaf of one as if it were a hand. "Poor little things… You were ill-prepared for the weather too, were you? Well, don't you worry. I'm sure Sonic, Tails, and the others are working on stopping this blizzard."
"Cosmo!" Allie called from the main shop. "We need some more bellflowers!"
"I'm on it!"
Cosmo filled up a cart with pots of bellflowers before heading off, making her way to the main part of the store. There, she watched as Amanda finished ringing up a customer.
"Alright, one bouquet of carnations and one of bellflowers… That will be twenty-one Mobiums, please." The customer pulled out some bills, getting some change in return. "Thank you again for walking down the Garden Path, ma'am."
"Thank you, Amanda." The customer smiled. "Your plants appear to be doing much better this week. What's your secret?"
"Just some extra help." Allie's mom gave Cosmo a small smile. "And a little bit of love. Same as always."
"Alright then, you have a wonderful day. Try to stay warm now." With that, the customer left.
"She's not wrong, Mom," Allie remarked. "The plants have been doing better since Cosmo started helping."
"That they have," Amanda agreed. "I wonder how she does it?"
Cosmo stepped forward at that. "My species has always had an affinity for plants. We can feel their life essence, and even sense how they feel."
"Whoa, for real?" Allie asked.
Cosmo nodded. "The plants in your care are very grateful, Mrs. West. You and Allie have been doing a wonderful job taking care of them."
Allie and her mom smiled, though the latter was a bit weaker.
"Thank you, Cosmo… That's nice of you to say."
"You're welcome." Cosmo then clapped, looking around. "So, is there anything else you need me to do?"
"Not that I can think of. Though, would you mind helping Allie do another check on the greenhouses? The weather is supposed to be picking up, and I want to make sure the plants are safe."
Cosmo nodded. "Leave it to me."
"Ain't no snow gonna get in there!" Allie declared as the two ran off.
"Alright, that should keep them busy." Amanda picked up the phone, dialing a number. "Hello, I'm here to speak to Madame Poppy..."
-X-
Meanwhile...
Cosmo and Allie entered the greenhouses.
"Alright, let's split up." Allie decided. "I'll take the left side, you take the right, and we meet in the middle. Sound good?"
"Let's do it."
They split up. As Cosmo ran off, she felt a low thrumming in her head.
"Huh?" She clutched her head as she felt it again. "My head... What...is that?"
Cosmo turned to see a greenhouse with several warning signs on it, as well as a big sign that reads, "Authorized Personnel Only".
"What...is this?"
"Cosmo!" Allie came running over, placing a hand on Cosmo's back. "You okay? You look like you have a headache."
"I-I'm fine..." Cosmo looked up. "Allie, what's in this greenhouse?"
Allie turned to the greenhouse, her brow furrowing.
"Oh...that? I'm...not sure, honestly. My mom had it set up a few months ago. She says it's where we keep our 'special plants'."
"Special...plants?"
"Yeah, really rare flowers and miniature trees."
"I see…" Slowly, the Seedrian tried to right herself. "What sort of rare flowers?"
"I...I don't know..." Allie admitted. "She doesn't let me in there. She insists only she's allowed inside, since the plants require special care."
"Well, when I passed by, I felt a strange pain in my head. I can't explain it, but something about the plants in there feels... off."
That gave Allie pause. "Maybe they're sick? Like the weather's not doing them any favors."
"No..." Cosmo shook her head. "The plants in the regular greenhouses are sick. These plants… Something is very wrong with them."
Cosmo perked, feeling something land on her shoulder.
"What?" She felt her shoulder, finding some kind of shiny dust on her fingers. "Glitter?"
"Glitter?" Allie gathered some of the dust on her finger, giving it a feel. "Oh crud… She's here."
"She?"
Allie ran off. "C'mon! "
"Allie, wait!" Cosmo cried as she followed.
-X-
Allie arrived back inside to find her mother speaking with somebody. She knelt out of sight, eavesdropping.
"I apologize for the delay, Madame," Amanda said. "With the sudden shift in weather, I'm afraid this is all I have."
Allie peeked to see some unusual-looking flowers in fancy baskets. They appeared to be a cross between tulips and dandelions, and their colors were extremely loud and oversaturated; colors that were definitely not natural.
"I know it isn't much, but..."
"It's not much? It's nothing!" The figure knocked the flowers onto the ground. "I gave you a second chance, Amanda, and this is all I get?!"
"What could I do?! This blizzard is making my business hard enough as it is!"
"Atututututututututut..." The figure wagged a finger. "Did I ask for excuses, dear?"
Amanda buttoned her lip, prompting the figure to nod in smug satisfaction.
"Mm-hmm… that's what I thought."
Allie scowled.
"Allie!"
Allie froze as Cosmo ran in, getting the figure's attention.
"Hmmm?"
"Cosmo, shhhh!" Allie hissed. "She'll hear you!"
"Who?" Cosmo asked worriedly.
"Oooooh! Hello there, Allison!"
Allie cringed. "Crud..."
The figure steps out from behind the counter. "So loverly to see you again, dearie. Have you been a good girl helping Mummy?"
The figure was a tall, peach-colored Mobian butterfly. She wore an orange dress with a fur collar, with a very large, purple hat with a pink band. Her wings were a wild assortment of orange, yellow, red, and white, and was carrying a large bellflower, holding it like a wine glass.
"Allie, what are you doing here?!" Amanda demanded.
"I-I was just..."
"Now, now, Amanda, no need to get cross with the girl," the butterfly cut in. "She's just a child. Children are curious. Speaking of..." She turned to Cosmo. "Whoooooo do we have here? A new employee?"
The butterfly stepped closer.
"She looks positively adorable. I could just eat her up."
As the butterfly loomed over her, Cosmo barely suppressed a shiver. The look on her face was almost predatory, the kind Sonic often had on his face whenever he saw a plate of chili dogs.
"My name is Cosmo," she said calmly. "Cosmo the Seedrian. And you are."
"Poppy Leone (1)," the butterfly replied. "Madame Poppy Leone. Socialite, financier… and connoisseur of fine flora."
A long, curling tongue slithered out of her mouth, going into the plant she was going and sucking the nectar out.
"Mmmmm! Heavenly… There's nothing quite like a bit of bellflower on a cold summer's day."
She turned back to Amanda. "Now, Amanda, darling, I'm a reasonable Mobian. I make an order, and I expect it to be filled to the letter. Nature has a certain order: I order the flowers, you plant and grow the flowers, and then I, the customer, buy the flowers. We do that for forty years, and then we die. Sounds like a pretty good deal, no?"
"Y-Yes, Madame."
"Now then, I'll be back next week. Try to have something better than...that by then, would you?" She motioned to the flowers she'd shoved onto the floor.
Amanda perked. "N-Next week!?"
"Did I stutter?"
"How am I supposed to grow that much by next week in this weather?!"
"That's your problem, not mine. Now, please have a better harvest by then, or else."
"Or... or else what?"
Poppy smiled smugly. "My boys will explain when the time comes. Ta-ta!"
And with that, Poppy was gone. Amanda sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"Ooh, I hate that prissy bug!" Allie shouted.
"These flowers she's demanding... would they be from the restricted greenhouse?" Cosmo asked, Amanda stiffening. "Just what is so special about them?"
Amanda hesitated for several moments, before collapsing in resignation. "Lemon Sundrop Dandelion. Their pollen, nectar, and oils are highly addictive."
Cosmo and Allie looked on in shock.
"Addictive!?" Cosmo exclaimed.
"Mom, you're growing drugs!?" Allie demanded shrilly.
"I know! It was a mistake! Madame Poppy forced me into it! With your father gone, we've barely been making enough to get by!"
"So you became the supplier for a drug dealer!?"
"I didn't find out until later, I swear! I thought they were just exotic flowers! That's how Poppy got me. By the time I found out, it was too late. Now, even if I go to the police… I'll be charged as an accomplice..."
Amanda slid to the ground, covering her face. "Oh, what am I going to do? There's no way I'll have an LSD harvest big enough to satisfy Poppy by next week! Not with this weather!"
Cosmo looked down at Amanda, her fists clenching. Without a word, she walked over to one of the broken plants.
"Cosmo?" Allie asked.
The Wests watched as Cosmo touched the leaves of the plant. She winced, doubling over.
"Cosmo!" Allie cried.
"Uuuuugh..." Cosmo groaned, clutching her head. "By the grace of Sylvanna..."
"Are you okay?" Allie questioned.
"No...this plant...it's in so much pain. Just like the others...in the greenhouse."
"Pain?" Allie repeated.
Cosmo nodded. "Somebody altered them... twisted them into something horrible… so that they would grow bigger...faster."
"Poppy supplies me with special seeds," Amanda mused. "She has me grow them in the greenhouse. She or one of her henchmen likely did that."
"Another thing to pay her back for." Cosmo rose to her feet, heading for the door.
"Cosmo, wait!" Allie cried. "Where are you going!?"
"To find Poppy."
Allie shook her head. "Cosmo, you can't. Not only is Poppy dangerous, but the weather is still too cold! You could freeze by the time you find her hideout!"
"And even if you didn't, Madame Poppy is a very powerful woman," Amanda added. "She could have you arrested, or... or killed!"
"I'll be fine, Mrs. West," Cosmo assured them. "Don't worry about me."
With that, she walked out.
"Cosmo..." Allie sighed.
-X-
Outside...
"Alright, where are you?" Cosmo closed her eyes, sensing before she felt that low thrumming sensation.
"There. You're there."
She ran off.
-X-
The Painted Lady's Night Club
The trail led Cosmo to a nightclub on the other side of town, garishly decorated with bright flowers and lights. Above the door was a butterfly decoration, holding a sign reading "The Painted Lady."
"The feeling is stronger here," she mused. "This must be Madame Poppy's hideout."
She looked to see a pair of tall, muscular Mobian butterflies - one blue, the other purple - standing guard outside as bouncers.
"Okay, my first step is getting past those guys. But how…?" She shuddered as the window blew harder. "I'd better come up with something quickly."
She heard a throat clearing, yelping to see the butterfly goons looming over her menacingly.
"Are you lost, little girl?" one asked.
"Uhhhhh..." Cosmo tried to think of something. "Something like that."
The goons looked at each other, then grinned.
"Well, you really shouldn't be out here." one said.
"Yeah, it's freakin' freezing out." the other added. "Why don't you come inside and we'll let you use the phone."
Cosmo thought, realizing this was the opportunity she needed.
"Oh! Th-Thank you very much, sirs!"
"Not a problem."
"Right this way, miss."
The goons escorted Cosmo inside. As they entered, they turned to each other and grinned.
-X-
Inside, Cosmo found the club was a high class lounge, with various Mobian insects, mostly butterflies, bees, and other pollinating species, mingling and drinking nectar from large flowers similar to the one Poppy had at Amanda's shop. The sight had Cosmo cringe, beginning to feel like a mouse in a snake pit.
"Oh my..."
"Right this way, miss.'
"The phone is in Madame Poppy's office."
"Y-Yes, thank you."
They escorted Cosmo to the elevator. As they did, she took a look at some of the guests. A few of them looked drugged out of their minds. That was all she could see before the elevator closed and began to ascend
-X-
Meanwhile, in Poppy's office, the Madame was on the phone with somebody.
"Look, I told you, we don't have the shipment!" she snapped. "This damned blizzard is crippling our suppliers!" She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Damn Robotnik and his fugging weather gadget…"
She paused as the one on the other end said something. "Don't you get snippy with me, you long-eared galoot! Remember that I'm over half of your entire economy, and I can easily find someone else to sell to! Someone smart enough not to get caught selling fake Chao Berries! …Yes, as you should."
A knock sounded on the door.
"Madame Poppy?" the bouncers said in unison.
"Hold on a moment..." She turned to the door. "I asked not to be disturbed!"
"We're sorry, Madame, but it's important..." one of the bouncers said.
"Oh for the love of..."
Setting the phone down, Poppy angrily stomped toward the door and slammed it open, causing the two butterfly bouncers to yelp in surprise as she prepared to tear into them…
"What do you idiots waaaaaaaa…"
…only to stop as soon as she saw Cosmo.
"H-Hello, Madame Poppy," the Seedrian greeted. Poppy just stood there, mouth ajar as she stared at her young guest. A few seconds later, she shut the door and rushed over to the phone.
"I'll call you back."
With that, she hung up, then ran back to the door and opened it.
"Well, helloooo!" Poppy greeted, her mood the complete opposite of what it was earlier. "Aren't you the new employee at Amanda's?"
Cosmo nodded. "I am."
"What are you doing all the way out here?" Poppy asked. "Did you walk all this way?"
"Yes, I did." Cosmo twiddled her fingers nervously. "I was wondering if I could use your phone to call my friends. They're in Station Square and I want to make sure they're alright."
Poppy gasped, putting her hand to her mouth in concern.
"Oh my! They're stuck in the middle of that horrible blizzard!?" She tilted her head back and raised her arm dramatically. "Oh, how dreadful!"
"Yes…" Cosmo said, giving an aside glance. "So, may I use your phone?"
"Oh…" Poppy winced. "I'm terribly sorry, dear, but I fear the phone isn't working at the moment."
Cosmo raised an eyebrow. "But, I just heard you talking to someone."
Poppy stiffened. "Oh, that?" She cleared her throat. "W-Well, the connection dropped right in the middle of the call. Likely due to this awful weather! Ohhh, isn't technology grand?"
Poppy laughed loudly, earning her strange looks from Cosmo and the bouncers. Sensing their stares, she opened her eyes and glared at her employees, who began laughing as well.
"Anyway…" Poppy said as she settled down. "I'm terribly sorry you came all this way for nothing, dearie."
She thought for a moment, then clapped her hands in inspiration.
"I've got it! How would you like a tour of our private conservatory? I imagine an aspiring, young botanist like yourself would enjoy that, no?"
"Umm…sure!" Cosmo replied. "That sounds lovely."
"Of course it is!" Poppy turned to her bouncers. "Ragwort, Yarrow, show our young guest to the conservatory, would you?"
The two bouncers paused, looking confused, eliciting an exasperated sigh from their employer.
"The flower room," she clarified. "You twits."
"Ohhh…why didn't you just say that?" Ragwort (the blue one) replied.
"But Boss," Yarrow cut in. "I thought we weren't allowed to let anyone in the flower room?"
"I'm making an exception!" Poppy snapped, before calming down. "Now, run along. Don't keep our guest waiting."
"Yes, ma'am!" they declared as they escorted Cosmo away.
As they left, Poppy shut the door, slouching forward in annoyance.
"I'm surrounded by morons…" she groused, making her way toward a potted flower on her desk and sipped some nectar from it. "Ahhh…much better."
Her nerves calmed, she picked up her phone and made a call.
"It's me," she said. "Good news! I believe I've found a…suitable replacement for the missing shipment."
-X-
Meanwhile...Ragwort and Yarrow escorted Cosmo back to the elevator.
"The flower room is on the third floor," Yarrow told her. "It's where Madame Poppy keeps all her...refreshments."
Cosmo nodded. "I see..."
She watched as Yarrow pressed the up button, prompting the doors to open.
"Right this way," he said, allowing his companions to enter. Once everyone was inside, the doors closed behind them.
Ragwort and Yarrow stood silently, Cosmo standing between them, trying not to disturb them. The two didn't pay her much mind. She was just a little girl. Little did they realize, Cosmo was taking advantage of their lack of attention to examine them.
"Okay, these two look to be very strong...what's more, they're both armed." She eyed the guns they had on their belts. "I might be able to take them out using my Mover Mode… But, I've never encountered Mobian butterflies before. They could have a dangerously powerful Mo-Bility. For now, play it smart. Wait for the right moment."
Just then, the elevator dinged, signaling their arrival.
"Here we are!" the duo declared as the doors opened.
"Oh my!"
Cosmo found herself in what looked like a cross between a penthouse garden with a glass roof, and a wine cellar. Large, exotic-looking flowers line the area. All of a variety of unnatural colors and patterns, and giving off strange aromas just like ones Poppy and her customers had been drinking from.
"This is where we keep the good stuff," Yarrow explained.
"Here, we'll show you around," Ragwort offered.
The trio exited the elevator, Cosmo trailing behind slightly.
"By the sacred green..." the poor Seedrian uttered. "This is..."
She clutched her head as her mind bore the full brunt of the horrible sensation she got from the greenhouse. Wordless cries of anguish bombarded her psyche as a sickening feeling grew in her stomach and rose up in her throat as another slid down her spine.
"Hey, you alright?"
Cosmo let out a yelp as she snapped out of her trance. Looking up, she saw Ragwort and Yarrow looking at her with seemingly genuine concern.
"Uhh…M-My apologies, gentlemen," Cosmo said, backing away toward the elevator. "But, I fear I've changed my mind. I think I'd better leave now. Thank you again for all your help!"
Before Cosmo could step through the elevator doors, though, they closed, trapping her alone with the two butterfly bouncers.
"Leaving already?" Ragwort asked, a nasty grin creeping over his and Yarrow's faces.
"We were just about to have snacks." Yarrow grinned as he and his partner reached for their guns. "Fresh-baked lead cakes!"
The two opened fire at Cosmo, who dove to the side, scrambling deeper into the conservatory for cover.
"Get her!" Ragwort called out as he and Yarrow took to the air.
Cosmo ran as fast as she could, weaving to the left and right to avoid aerial gunfire from her winged assailants.
"This is bad," she whispered. "I need a place to hide!"
It was then that she noticed a small shed marked "Gardening Supplies".
"Perfect!"
Without a second thought, she opened up the door, hopped into the shed, and slammed it shut.
"She's in the shed!" Ragwort called out.
"Perfect!" Yarrow declared.
The two butterflies landed near the shed, taking a moment to reload as they made their way to the door.
"No use running, girlie!" Ragwort taunted as Yarrow prepared to open the door.
"You're all alone, outnumbered, outmatched, and a sitting…"
As soon as Yarrow put his hand on the door handle, Cosmo burst out of the shed in Mover Mode, letting out a primeval shriek as she tackled him to the ground.
"What the fugg!?" Yarrow shouted. "Is that…Is that a fugging Velociraptor!?"
"Actually Yarrow, I think that's a Deinonychus," Ragwort corrected.
"I think it's trying to tear my throat out! Shoot it! Shoot it!"
Ragwort fumbled for his gun, aiming it at Cosmo as Yarrow continued to struggle with her.
"C'mon Rag, what are you waiting for!?"
"Yarrow, I can't get a clear shot without hitting you!"
"Then do something! I can't hold her off forever!"
"Okay, uhhh…"
Ragwort frantically looked around, trying to find something he could use. It was then that he noticed several of the gardening tools had fallen out of the shed and got an idea.
"I got it!"
Thinking quickly, he grabbed a weed-killer pack and gun and put it on.
"Eat this, lizard lips!"
He sprayed the herbicide all over Cosmo, causing her to screech in pain. She hopped off of Yarrow and fled back into the maze of shelves and flowers, allowing the purple bouncer to regain his bearings.
"Whew!" he let out. "Thanks."
"No prob," his blue companion replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"
Ragwort flew into the air and began searching for Cosmo.
"Alright, where'd you go?" he whispered.
Meanwhile, Cosmo was hiding behind one of the shelves, trying to collect herself and deal with the stinging pain of the weed killer.
"Blast it all," she whispered. "What was I thinking? I never should've gone in alone."
She curled in on herself, feeling small and helpless. "Tails… Amy… Sonic… I wish you were here…I need you."
She thought about her friends. About how much she wanted to see them again. How they were back in Station Square, fighting the Egg Army in the middle of a blizzard. Trapped and alone…just like she was. She wondered, what would they do in this situation? And as soon as she did, she had her answer.
"They would find a way to win," she said. "I set out alone because I didn't want to be a burden on them while they were fighting the Empire. Because I wanted to do something on my own for once. This is my chance to do that!"
She winced as she clutched her face, still sore and burning from the spray.
"But I need to be careful. If I get hit by that weed killer spray again, I…"
Then, inspiration struck.
"Wait… weed-killer…"
Ragwort continued fluttering above the garden, searching for Cosmo while Yarrow searched below.
"Any sign of her, Rag?" Yarrow called on his comm.
"Not yet," Ragwort replied. "You?"
"Nada. Seriously, she's just a little girl. How can she be so…"
Just then, a rustling noise caught Ragwort's ear.
"Hold on…" he said.
He looked around, hands on the weed killer gun and ready to fire as he searched for his target. Just then, a flash of green and white caught his eye. It was Cosmo, looking right at him as she let out a soft roar.
"There!" Ragwort shouted, firing his gun. Unfortunately, his shout alerted Cosmo, who bolted off avoiding the strike, which instead hit one of the flowers, causing it to blacken and wither with a steaming hiss.
"Dammit, where'd she go!?"
Another roar greeted his ears, prompting him to spin around and fire in its general direction, only to watch as Cosmo just barely got away in time, dating back into the flowers.
"Make a fool outta me, will you!?"
Ragwort gave chase, spraying the weed-killer frantically as Cosmo darted and dodged around. Eventually, he had her cornered.
"Nowhere left to hide!"
Cosmo smirked. "Exactly my plan."
She pointed with a claw. Ragwort turned around, his face paling to see every flower in the conservatory rapidly wilting due to his spraying spree.
"Oh shit…"
"Ragwort, you IDIOT!" Yarrow shrieked. "Look what you did!"
"I-I… The Mobosaur… It..." Ragwort scowled. "You stupid lizard! Now look what you made me do!"
He threw down the weed killer and drew his gun, firing at her. She darted around the bullet before spinning around, slamming her tail into his face with all her might and launching him into the air and into a shelf of dead plants, knocking it over.
"Rag!" Yarrow shouted before spinning on Cosmo. "That's it!"
He opened fire at the transformed Seedrian, but Cosmo dodged the bullets just as easily as she did Ragwort's. Once she was close enough, she lept at him, pinning him to the ground. She let out a feral hiss as she looked the butterfly right in the eyes.
"Go on!" Yarrow yelled. "I hope you choke on me, you ugly mother-!" He was cut off as Cosmo reeled her head back and rammed her forehead into his nose (or whatever passed as his nose), breaking it and knocking him out cold.
Cosmo snarled in satisfaction, then changed back.
"Goodness..." she let out as she clutched her head. "I thought butterflies were supposed to be cute."
Just then, Cosmo heard a buzzing noise from one of the goons' comms.
"Ragwort! Yarrow!" Poppy's voice shouted. "Ragwort! Yarrow! Respond! Have you secured the flower child?"
Cosmo picked up the com.
"I'm afraid your goons are taking a nice, long nap, Madame," she greeted politely.
"What!? You!?"
"If you expected me to be a helpless victim, you're sorely mistaken. I'm a member of the Acorn Kingdom Freedom Fighters…" Her expression turned grave. "And I'm coming for you next."
She tossed the com to the side before turning back to the elevator, sparing a glance at the dead plants. Her expression softened.
"Your suffering is at an end," she said solemnly before entering the elevator.
-X-
Poppy's Office
"What the hell!? Ragwort! Yarrow! Get up! What the hell is going on up there!? Answer me, you two!"
When there was no response, Poppy growled in anger.
"Alright, calm down. She's just one little girl. I have plenty of other henchmen. I'll buzz one of them and soon the little flower fairy will be mine. Ohhhh...the verdant secrets that lie in her body… The possibilities are endless!"
Suddenly, there was a screech outside her office. Poppy hid under her desk.
"What in the world...?"
There was a rattling noise. Poppy looked up from her desk to see the shadowy figure of a Mobosaur prowling about outside her door. Her blood ran cold as the rattling noise returned, and she looked down, her pupils shrinking in terror to see the doorknob jiggling. There was a click, and the door slowly opened with an ominous creak, revealing Cosmo in Mover Mode. The plant Mobosaur slowly stalked in, hissing at her, before opening her mouth.
"Madame Poppy, we need to have a talk."
Poppy's eyes widened in shock. "Y-you're the-!"
"I'm talking. You're shutting up and listening," Cosmo prowled before her like a lion. "I came here on behalf of Amanda West and her daughter. You're going to leave them alone, and never come near the Garden Path again. Got it?"
"Y-You... Do you have any idea who you're messing with!?"
"Do you? I told you, I'm a member of the Kingdom of Acorn's Freedom Fighter sect. Do you really want to risk ticking off Princess Sally? Or King Max? Or Sonic the Hedgehog?"
Poppy swallowed nervously at that.
"I didn't think so," Cosmo replied. "Now, I won't tell you again, Madame. Leave the Wests alone, and get your drug fix somewhere else." Her eyes glowed ominously. "Unless you want to answer to the House of Acorn… or me."
"A-Alright!" Poppy stammered. "You win! Amanda and Allison will be left alone! You have my word!"
"Good," Cosmo suddenly pounced on her. "Because if I found out you came near their shop again…"
She opened her mouth wide, making as if to bite Poppy's head off. As the butterfly screamed, Cosmo withdrew, causing her to faint.
"Goodness..." Cosmo mused as she turned to leave. "Those movie nights with Vector are really paying off."
-X-
The Garden Path
"I'm back!"
Amanda and Allie looked up to see Cosmo enter.
"Cosmo!" Allie cried as they ran over to her.
"It's done," Cosmo assured. "Poppy and her thugs won't be coming back here any time soon."
Amanda blinked. "Y-you actually beat them? By yourself?"
"Let's just say I'm a lot stronger than I look." Cosmo giggled, when she started to feel light-headed. "Oh dear..."
"Cosmo?" Allie asked as the plant girl swayed back and forth on her feet.
"I feel... really sleepy all of a sudden," Cosmo mumbled. "I think I need to lie down…"
She dropped like a sack of potatoes, out cold before she hit the ground.
"COSMO!" Allie screamed in horror.
Flashback Over
"And that was that," Allie concluded. "The blizzard ended about a day or two later."
"Between using the Mover Mode, the weed killer, and the cold, I'd completely burned myself out," Cosmo recalled. "Good thing I had enough energy to get back to the shop before I went into hibernation."
"My word..." Sally let out.
Sonic whistled, impressed. "Daaaang Cosmo, you've been busy!"
"Sonic!"
"What? She busted a drug ring on her own! That's awesome!"
"Still!"
"Well, I wanted to help," Cosmo said. "I didn't want to be a burden on anyone and this was my chance to prove to myself that I could. Allie and Amanda opened their home to me and gave me shelter. It was the least I could do."
"And it worked perfectly," Amanda chimed in. "Poppy hasn't come around to the shop since and, hopefully, we should be able to have her business shut down for real and have her arrested."
"You weren't really gonna bite her head off though, were you?" Amy asked nervously.
"Of course not. I just took cues from how Kat keeps bullies off Hope's back at school. The important thing is she thinks I will."
"Well, while I don't approve of you going off into enemy territory on your own, you did the right thing, Cosmo, and an amazing job at that," Sally said with a smile.
"Still, next time, call one of us!" Tails cut in. "I-I know we couldn't get in touch, but… Those guys sounded like they were really dangerous, and…"
The fox blushed as he twiddled his thumbs, looking away bashfully.
"A-And I couldn't bear it if something bad happened to you…"
This time it was Cosmo's turn to blush.
"Waaaait..." Tangle said as she looked at the two. "Are you…? Mmph!"
"So, Mrs. West!" Amy cut in as she clamped a hand over Tangle's mouth. "Since the blizzard hurt your business, do you have some kind of plan to fall back on?"
"Oh..." Amanda's expression faltered. "Well… Unfortunately… I really don't… As much as I hated working for Poppy, her drugs were the only thing keeping the lights on. Now that the weather's back to normal, we should be able to grow more flowers again. But, that'll take time..."
Cosmo thought for a moment, then got another idea.
"Well, I'd be more than happy to help with that," she said, turning to the others. "Chris, how badly was your family's garden hurt by the blizzard?"
She gave the team's first human members a knowing look.
"Oh! Yeah, it was iced over pretty bad," Chris replied.
"A lot of Aunt Lindsay's favorite topiaries were ruined," Keith continued. "Along with the garden we usually have big social gatherings at."
"And our usual groundskeeper's fighting the flu." Kat elbowed Chris. "I mean, he's recently retiring. It sure would help if we knew some more florists to help fix it."
"Who knows? Maybe it could become a more permanent position," Keith concluded, giving an exaggerated wink.
Getting their intent, Allie smiled.
"Well, looks like it's time for you to walk the Garden Path!"
"A-Allie!"
"Mom, you have a chance to work on the grounds of Thorndyke Manor! Even if it's just for one job, the word of mouth alone…"
She shook her head excitedly as she tried to focus.
"Can you imagine the publicity working on the Thorndykes' garden would rake in? We'd never want for money again!"
"Ma'am," Kat cut in. "As perhaps the poster child of Thorndyke charity cases, take it. You won't regret it."
Amanda put a hand to her chin as she thought it over. A few moments later, she had her response.
"Well, after hearing that, how could I say no?"
"Thank you, Mrs. West," Chris said.
"I should be thanking all of you. I never imagined one simple act of kindness would have such a huge impact..."
"A little kindness goes a long way." Sally remarked.
"Oh, one last thing!"
Cosmo pulled out a notepad and grabbed a pen off the table. After jotting something down, she handed it to Allie.
"Here's my number, Allie," she said. "If Poppy or anyone else gives you any more trouble, you know who to call."
The redhead took the paper, looking it over as she processed just how much had happened, all because she decided to help out a stranger.
"That, I do," she said with a smile as she pocketed the note. "That I do…"
The Painted Lady
Poppy growled as she looked over her mostly repaired, but still largely empty conservatory.
"Damn that miserable, little weed-wench! Damn her to hell! Hundreds of Mobiums down the drain! I'm ruined!"
"I-It's not all bad, Madame," Ragwort piped up.
"We can just set up shop someplace else," Yarrow offered.
"Oh?" Poppy flew right in their faces. "And how, pray tell, would we go about doing that? Have you forgotten that we're on an island? A moving island? In the middle of the Central Sea!?"
Ragwort and Yarrow flinched at her shouting.
"Y-Yeah, that is a problem," Ragwort conceded.
Poppy turned, clenching her fists. "If that little plant-bitch thinks I'm gonna take this lying down, she can think again! Nobody messes with Poppy Leone! Nobody!"
"Ma'am, with all due respect, she's a member of the Knothole Freedom Fighters," Yarrow pointed out. "Under the protection of the Kingdom of Acorn."
"And Sonic!" Ragwort chimed in. "I don't know about you, but the last thing I wanna do is anything that'll get us on Sonic's radar."
"Yes, you're right," Poppy reluctantly conceded. She then turned to her two goons, looking them over carefully…an insidious glint twinkling in her eye as her mouth curved into an equally sinister grin.
"In that case, we'll need to make sure we can handle things when we do."
Poppy pulled out a smartphone and began making a call.
"Madame, who are you calling?" Ragwort asked.
"Oh, someone who can help you two twits fight off the Freedom Fighters."
"I highly doubt Ebony or any of the others have that kind of power," Yarrow pointed out.
"Ha! Ebony? Please." Poppy pressed the call button and waited for an answer, which she got.
"Hello, is this the Robotnik Empire Recruitment Hotline?"
Author's Note:
(1): Pronounced Lee-OWN.
And now you know where Cosmo was during the Einherjar shit-storm. Allie and Amanda West are my OCs, while Poppy, Ragwort, and Yarrow are creations of WindstarOsprey.
Sunset City is the name for the city from Sonic Forces, which Ian Flynn uses in IDW. I made it part of South Island for Tales since, judging by the beginning of the game, it's within Sonic-running distance of Green Hill. As for Lemon Sundrop Dandelion, that was featured in Archie, in a three-issue arc
Voice cast for this chapter:
* Poppy - Susanne Blakeslee (Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, the Evil Queen, and Lady Tremaine in Disney, Wanda and Mrs. Turner in The Fairly OddParents!, Gaia in God of War III)
* Allie - Briana White (Aerith Gainsborough in Final Fantasy VII Remake)
* Amanda - Tasia Valenza (Poison Ivy in Batman: Arkham, Sniper Wolf in Metal Gear Solid)
* Ragwort - Joe Hernandez (Pesci in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5, Boucheron in Fire Emblem Engage)
* Yarrow - David Vincent (Grimmjow in Bleach, Chester Burklight in Tales of Phantasia, Robin in Fire Emblem Awakening)
Please R&R. Until next time!