Big’s ears fell further when Vector caught him. He probably should have known better than to try to keep his stress a secret… He sighed to himself and let his tail show itself. “That obvious, huh?” He took the croc’s hand and gave it a shake.
He was hesitant at first, but Big began to explain. “I got into a nasty fight. Called itself the Biolizard. It wanted Froggy, so I got into a fight trying to stop it…” He glanced down at the ugly gash on his chest. It was healing, but the memory of how he got it stung almost like it had just happened.
“Things took an especially bad turn when it threatened the rest of my friends too… It got me angry enough with it to kill it.” Oh boy… He could feel the tears forming in his eyes. He managed to hold it together to finish though.
Gently holding his tail, he spoke again. “I… I was… so disgusted with myself… Even if it was a monster, I felt like I did wrong killing it. So…. So I did this to my tail… I hurt it myself.”
“I didn’t want to make my friends worry about me, so I’ve been really quiet. It’s hard to talk about still, too.”
Vector had to stop himself from shivering a bit. He had gotten into Eggman’s database a few times, no shocker there, and all over the place he had found references to something known as “Project Shadow”, and the offspring of its failed attempt; the Bio-Lizard. Big went up against that thing, and lived?! Color the croc impressed.
But there was no time to be impressed or congratulate Big, that much he could tell. Looks like the cat was taking it really hard, having to truly lash out and get angrier than ever. He even said he killed it! But that seemed to be what was crumbling the cookie for him; Big was of course known to be the most peaceful Mobian ever. Of course he would feel bad for killing something!
“... ‘Ey, Big. Look’it me.” he finally spoke up, gently, moving his hand over to pat Big on the shoulder. “I know it sucks, havin’ to do somethin’ yer absolutely against. Believe me, me an’ the boys have all done stuff we ain’ too proud of...” he’d sigh a bit. “But this ain’ about them. Big, I understand, y’don’t wanna kill stuff, an’ that’s perfectly fine! Heck, Mobius could use a lotta more people like you!”
“But wha’ do ya think tha’ monster would’a done if you hadn’t stepped up fer Froggy? For all o’ us, yer friends? I’m sure there could’a been a better way to do things, but thing is...” he’d draw in a deep breath, which turned to a sigh. “Th’ world ain’ so pretty as it seems t’be. In situations like tha’, it’s eitha’ kill or be kill’d. I should know...”
“... Point bein’, no one is gonna think yer a bad person fer steppin’ up and protectin’ what ya love, a’ight? I ain’t sure as hell gunna think bad of ya. I think you were brave as all hell. An’ I’m sure everyone else will think the same. We’ve jus’ been worried about ya ‘cause you’ve been so quiet. If it hurts to think ‘bout, don’t be afraid t’reach out to us. We’ll be here to talk to if ya need it.”
