Ya know this is kinda sporadic but the class Im taking right now is a speech class (yay...) But even though it bores me at times its gotten me to look up some speeches and I got really inspired to just share probably one of my new favorite one.
Its a speech given by Robert F. Kennedy and its him telling people about the death of MLK literally less than 24hr after it happened. In Indianapolis in the 60's. Let me repeat
IN INDIANAPOLIS IN THE 60'S!
Now you might think why is this so important? Well as a hoosier myself let me say I'm not blind to how racist my loving state has been over the years. Hell the last lynching of a black man happened in this so ya know whoopie!
But let me tell why this matters because RFK gave this speech in front of a crowd of ,mainly, African Americans and was dropping the new to them that the man who was pushing for equal right died earlier that day. And its a white man who telling them this.
Could you not imagine how much anger and hatred would be let loose speaking those words. Hell it was such a scary predicament that his own people were trying to get him to avoid it all together. But this man said no were going to continue and he gave one of the strongest speeches I've heard.
He addressed what happened, he spoke of what this could mean for the country, and he didn't back down for saying how easily things could go wrong and how segregation could only get stronger.
But this man instead spoke from the heart as he asked these angry and scared hoosiers what it was MLK was fighting for and how can we continue his efforts. He wanted them to not give in to that hatred and anger but remember what legacy that they were fighting for. To know that they are not lone in feeling the pain of losing such a powerful and impactful leader but instead to keep embracing his ideals and keep that compassion for as a country we were going to need that same compassion I'm the up coming months.
And let it be known that only did they give him a round of applause but after it was over and he left Indianapolis was one of the few city's that didn't riot that night. Just take that into consideration for a sec. His speech that had everything stacked against it from being a success moved the hearts of a whole city. Now that's breathtaking.
Anyway that's my rant over. I'll leave a link to the video if anyone wants to check it out.
This is for @solerwolf21‘s story, where he was wondering if I’d let Lavinya have a cameo for it!
Here’s the scenario he gave me for my Sonic OC (Who is OP and basically Genie-like from Aladdin. Just a jester, comedy relief character to be honest, but as brilliant as Jack Sparrow’s accidental tomfoolery)
Our chat:
solerwolf21 : Alright if your down theres two the first is like an intro to the character if you want but basically shes doing some task around the base (leave that up you) and she's about to bite it in doing the task but Soler comes to help her and we learn that they know each other (this definitely isn't the first time he's helped her)
The second is later on Shay escapes and Soler, Shadow and Sally are late to get there but someone is distracting him turns out is its our girly (again you can go nuts with whatever it is shes doing) but before Shay could get in a hit Soler comes in for the save again and though he tries to scold her slightly she feels she's saved the day (which she sorta did lol)
cutegirlmayra : Lol sounds legit how Lavinya behaves lol My first idea is that he's trying to get past her and she slams her hand into the wall to block him and looks up like, "Hey, you're hot." and he's like really confused. "I didn't say that out loud." And he's like, "Are you an idiot?" and she goes, "Wow, but you said that out loud." lolololol
I wrote this immediately after:
First part:
It wasn’t long before the base was trying to recover, and work continued with only a minor set of hiccups…
“HYUK!” A red fox with strange blonde hair suddenly flung her back up from bending over to collect some files out of a cabinet. “Hyuk! Hyuk!” she seemed to have hiccups, and looked around for some water.
Not finding any, her tails suddenly shot her back and made her jolt towards what looked like a corner. “Ow! Hey!” the tail, as though having a mind of its own, felt around a moment before finding a cooler and began to pour a drink.
When it presented the drink to her, she sighed in relief, “HYUK!” she quickly took the cup and drank down the water, holding her breath to try and get rid of the hiccups while the tail seemed to ‘shake it’s head’ at her stupidity to even manage her own life.
“Office work…” she plugged her mouth to not hiccup, when nothing came out, she slowly opened the hand like a barn door… looked down to her mouth to wait… and then continued, “Isn’t really my forte…”
She was startled again when Soler walked by, seeming troubled and maybe focused on staying lost in his thoughts before his foot crinkled a piece of paper in his speedy walk.
“Huh?” He bent down and picked up the paper, amazed by it’s importance before examining the rest of the room. “Why are all these documents scattered everywhere?” He must have thought they were still being ransacked, so the Red fox girl quickly ran over to aid him.
“N-no-no! It’s just a light hurricane of hiccups.” She wagged her hands out in front of her as though to calm him, but he thought she was speaking metaphorically and sighed.
“Lavinya… why is it there’s always a hurricane of something when it comes to you?” He helped her picked up the papers, “You’re more suited for something where you can move around… maybe not something as delicate as… paperwork organizing.” he looked at the crinkled pieces of important papers and sighed again, ‘Who put her up to this anyway?’
“Hehe… yeah… well,... my portal hopping and poofing doesn’t exactly suit well with the princess…” She gulped, feeling her nicely cooled throat by the cold water as she did so. “They say I’m too dangerously unstable for a mission…. Since I could compromise things, and I’m not too good a messenger since I either forget or lose the message in the process. And last time, my brilliant tape recorder was almost stolen by Eggman’s forces too… soo…. I’m kinda here.” she looked around the office, showing her disdain but also sorrow at being so useless to everyone. “I can’t control my powers… so I can’t really follow directives.” she picked up another paper, and her tail swished to do the same, holding it up to her like a mouth of a creature.
She smiled sweetly and took it, “Anyway, that must be hard to understand, right?”
He looked down, thinking hard about what she said. “Actually? I completely understand.” he flopped the papers down on the desk and walked by her, patting her shoulder. “You’ll master your abilities in time. Keep at it. I know there’s a special word and symbol we can’t say or draw around you, but besides that, you’re kinda impossible to defeat, right?”
“Defeat?” She looked a little offended, “What am I? A monster to you!?”
“Well, you do say your tail is a evil mastermind.” he jokingly pointed to her tail, which at the time, was acting like a normal tail. “Who’s to say you aren’t just covering for your random tendencies to cause trouble?”
“I don’t mean too!” She slammed the papers on the desk and stormed after him. “Hey! Soler! Wait!”
“I’m leaving you in the hurricane.” he waved behind him, smiling slightly at how silly this crazy girl could get, but knew in his heart her circumstances weren’t so far off from his own… except, they were completely different, but the feelings and desires to be enough for others were the same.
----
Situation 2:
Shay flexed through the dust of his latest attack, brushing off the rubble and then cracking his individual fingers, “My poor neck…” He taunted, cracking it before rolling his shoulders as though just coming out of a leisurely spa-day. “Now… where is that charming brother of mine..?” he turned to what looked like an office, room with the wall crumbling away from it. “They don’t just kill themselves, now do they?” he continued to march with a purpose before seeing a blonde but red fox girl stick her head up, trembling, from below a desk.
He smirked, seeing the fear. He gestured for her to slowly withdraw back behind the desk, and her blue eyes just simply blinked at his gesture.
He held a finger up to his mouth as though she should remain silent, and continued towards the door.
However, before he could reach it, she slammed her hand into the wall just before the door, putting her elbow up to loop her hand behind her head, and pretended to seem like she was just chilling there.
She stuck up her lower lip and continued to play it cool… even seeing his eyes… slowly… narrow to a deadly, hostile glare of annoyance.
She thought fast, “You’re hot.” she slipped out, checking him out in a humorous way that was completely faked.
Confused, he just narrowed his eyes and slightly withdrew his neck back at her appalling display. “What did you just say?”
“Nothing out loud, I can assure you.” While her hand was behind her, she silently kept snapping it, waiting for something to randomly happen. A rubber duck poofed in behind her head and landed behind her. As it squeaked about hitting the ground, rolling till it’s head got in the way, he slowly turned to glance down at it, then raise an eyebrow.
“Eh heh, office decor. They say it’s like your home so…” she stopped herself from furthering that awkward sentence…
She kept snapping and many random items fell from behind her. A miniature rowboat, a toy snake, a slinky, a stuffed puppy, before Shay finally had enough of it.
“Are you an idiot?” he grabbed her hand that was--not so secretly--snapping and shoved her back against the door.
“Ow!” she flinched, her eye twitching slightly at the pain. “Well, you said that out loud.”
“I won’t say this again.” He leaned in and softly spoke out such harsh and cruel words, twisting his grip to really tighten and pain her arm further. “Get out of my way, witch.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
She flexed out her hand and fell back through a portal.
Out of surprise, he let her go, amazed as the vortex looked so incredibly pitch-black with other minor colors swirling around that he honestly thought she just did something magical. He felt around the space, unable to see anything, before the red fox girl’s head popped out from the ceiling.
“Yoohoo!” she called and he turned around to blast a Chaos beam at her, but she was already portaling to another spot in the office. She blew a raspberry as he suddenly was playing whack-a-mole with this strange fox girl.
“What kind of power is this!?” he stepped back and slid on the rubber ducky, causing him to fall on the rowboat which blasted a horn. He covered his ear and turned, but that triggered the toy snake which clomped on his nose. “AH!” he jumped up to his knees but the Red Fox girl grabbed the slinky by having her two arms stick out of the portals, making a pretty twisty bow as she locked his legs together.
He tried to get up but stumbled from the horrible knot and fell down again, unable to move much but he did struggle.
As he fell, she removed the soft puppy plushie as his head hit the ground hard, and then proceeded to look at the puppy as though not sure how this would help but started whacking him with it.
The door opened and seeing her friends, she held her hands up and swayed them over her face, “Hurricane~” she teased, knowing only Soler would get the reference.
She had stalled him just long enough, and that was honestly her goal.
“Lavinya…” Sally marveled, seeing him struggling to break the slinky and realizing that her power made it an unordinary slinky. “Did you do this?” she looked at her in awe.
Lavinya flexed like a strong man a few times, her tail joining her, “Well, ah-ha, yeah, I did~” she showed off, “But I was honestly going for a sword…” she deflated herself a bit and let her arms dangle down from her hunched back in front of her. Her head also seemed despondent.
“Hmph, maybe you’re not just a clown after all.” Shadow walked by her, rubbing her head as her entire character changed to sudden glee, and he went to finish the ‘rope-tying’ she had started.
“ENOUGH!” Shay blasted the room with a Chaos Blast that had each of them shoved up against a wall.
“Offph..! He hit the mole…” she joked, even while in pain, and slid to the ground. He was strong enough to finally break the strange alien slinky as the rest of Lavinya’s summoned objects suddenly poofed out of existence once she was hit and fell to the ground.
She gripped her head, and as he grabbed her tail--which mimicked biting him, as though it had regained it’s separate personality from her again--looked as though ready to rip her to shreds.
“I’m not very fond of games…”
“Lavinya!” Soler swung a punch to a--once again--distracted Shay and helped her up. “What did I say about trouble!?”
“Sally… S-Shadow…” Lavinya weakly pointed to them as Shay’s eyes shook.
“Oh no.”
-need more @solerwolf21? lol it was fun xD- (This is based on my commission I made for him as well.)
I JUST REALIZED THAT THE COOLER WOULD HAVE FLOODED AND THE RUBBER DUCKY SLIP AND FLOATING ALONG THE SLIPPERY FLOOR WOULD HAVE MADE SO MUCH SENSE AND BEEN SO MUCH MORE FUNNY LOLOLOL
Note: My spell check is the WORST on the planet, so if there’s some errors forgive me T-T
This is just some OC’s I made. I really just wanted to make powerful characters since I rarely do and focus on them growing as people. But I don’t think I’ll make this into any sorta story but I might write some events that happen to them and post em. I don’t really know yet but hope you enjoy the read never the less.
To be said least, a quiet and normal life was something most people dreamed of living. To have a nice little home of their own, maybe a family and some good friends. Simple living. Well, at least most people but in a world where people can turn into weapons, witches and monsters roam freely it was sometimes hard to have that simple life. At least for those that wanted it.
A small pub easily missable to most and should be highly avoided by tucked itself neatly within the borders of the Aokigahara forest in Japan. And within its confides, vile men and women alike filled it's seats all wearing devilish smiles and faces as they enjoyed the latest haul of their efforts. Fresh and untainted souls. A man plucked out one of the blue spheres his fanged teeth gleaming as saliva dripped down his chin,
“Nothing beats a fresh soul. I can almost hear their screams from earlier.” he said proudly to himself as he devoured his meal. He wasn’t the only one who was enjoying their fill as the other patrons were dining similarly. The dense forest around them was perfect harvesting souls from those who ventured to close or to make people disappear. Plus with who else was lying within the forest they were more than set in this place. No one would ever find them or try to stop them. So when the door to the place opened abruptly it drew the attention of everyone.
They watched as two people entered the building one taller than the other. The obvious male of the two wore a long overcoat and its black design was interrupted by the large white 'X' design on its back that cascaded to the front. But with it being open it showed his grey shirt that had a large number '4' that could be seen peeking from the side and finished with a longer shirttail than normal. His jeans fit his form though the pockets bulged along the legs and more of those white 'X's showed on them all the way down to his grey boots. His face wasn't visible since it was being covered by his hood but the silver of his necklace was noticeable as it hung from his neck with a small crown on the end.
Next to him standing just to his shoulder was a female figure also shrouded by her hood. Her jacket was a similar black as his and even had the same white 'X' that stretched from the back to the zipped up front. The jacket was a bit bigger than her form causing it to double as a dress as it trailed all the way under her waist. Leggings covered the rest of her lower half with their grey design. On her feet were a simple pair of sneakers that had their tongues popping out for flair. Her funnel hood blocked any look at her face.
The bar was silent as the residents all just stared at the two newcomers, both amazed and confused. Without a word did the two walk up to the counter and take seats on the stools. The barkeep eyed them warily as he approached them,
"Is there something I could help you with?" he questioned. At first, the male said nothing but the barkeep being the closest he could see his brown eyes as they analyzed him and it sent a slight chill down him but he didn't know why,
"Yeah I guess you could.' a teenage voice spoke out, "We were out this way and was just looking for some directions actually. We saw this place and figured what better place to get some." he replied. At hearing that everyone else seemed to relax, some of them even chuckling. Well besides the barkeep who's concern was only growing the longer these two were here. A bigger man got up from his booth. With a toothy and sinister smile on his face, he walked up to him and placed a heavy hand on the teenager's shoulder,
"You want directions? You came to the right place then. We'd be more than happy to help both of you out." he answered as he was eyeing both of them. The teen made no movement from the sudden hand on him but the girl seemed to almost flinch out of reflex. The bigger and obviously drunk man didn't notice but the barkeep sure did and he began to back up ever so slowly. The man's grip grew a bit tighter as he got closer to him,
"We got some maps that the two of you could use. If you just-" a quick and solid backhanded strike from the teen set the man toppling into the table and chairs behind them. The sudden strike made the room go silent once again as all eyes were glued onto the teen. Nonchalantly did he stand up and turn to the others,
"All of you have fallen so far that you've become kishin. If that wasn't pathetic enough you hang around a witch to try and thwart off any misters that try and get close. I will admit it, that you were clever enough to snatch people from multiple surrounding areas to keep the academy off your trail. That was pretty smart." The rest of the patrons all got up glaring at the teen murderous intent obviously, but he stood unphased. Sighing, he pulled down his hood to show his brown skin and short black hair. Then he held his hand out and the girl placed her hand in it delicately,
"So let Xion and I take care of your twisted ways. And those twisted souls." they watched as the girl turned to light. Then in his hand, the light bent and formed into the shape of a large sword that he gave one swing before he planted it into the ground. As the form settled in the light faded they gawked at the blade before them. The sword itself was rather thick and looked heavy but the crisp black of the steel gave it a haunting drawing effect that mixed with the white etched into it would make you wonder. But what made it all the more deadly was that from the base and running up half the blade were the teeth of a chain saw. With a twist of the handle did the chains rev up sending a shiver down their spines. With smirk did the teen look to them all with the eyes of a hunter,
"Time to reap." A few minutes later the teen sat on a table sword slung on his shoulder and a bored look on his face as he glanced around at the wrecked pub and several red kishin souls floating around him. He sighed as he flexed his shoulders getting out any last tightness,
“That couldn’t even have been considered a warmup.” he groaned,
"Yeah we did kind of destroy them." a feminine voice spoke. The weapon lit up again and it bounced out of his hand to the ground as it formed back into the girl from earlier. Her hood was down this time showing her fairer skin and her black hair that fell down to her upper back. Her dark eyes gleamed at the teen,
"But at least we got all their souls. Let's divide them up Jay!" she said as she went to go collect them. Jay smiled gently and shook his head,
"Just King will do and I thought you were done with this whole sharing souls thing. You're definitely not afraid to eat them even. Hell, you've even got a few witches souls in ya." he responded. A ting of pink popped up on her cheeks at the mention as she gave him a slight glare,
"I-I have but we've done this for so long it'd feel weird if we didn't. Besides you've consumed just as many souls as I have with no after-effects! I swear I think you were a weapon in a past life." she responded as she continued to gather them. That fact was still something he wondered about. He was able to consume souls and he would always be fine afterward. He even felt stronger with each kishin soul he consumed. And it was a major boost if it were a witches soul,
“But speaking of witches. We still need a direction to find ours don’t we?” he asked standing up. Xion thought on it briefly,
“We still do don’t we?” He nodded as he walked towards the bar,
"Yeah, and I think someone here could help us." in a flash did he yank up the barkeep who had been hiding. King smiled darkly at the sweating man, "You'll going to help us find her aren't ya?" he asked. The barkeep nodded quickly,
"Yes, yes I will just don't kill me!" he cried. Satisfied King eased up on the man,
"Good now out with it so we can be on our way." he demanded as he let the man go. Now free the barkeep did his best to straighten up his appearance,
"Right. The witch. She stays just north of here in the deeper part of the forest. It's at the location of were those suicide cases have happened over the years. You'll know because the energy that the place gives off is horrible. It'll drive you mad." he answered. King looked to Xion who had the souls and just shrugged. He then turned back to the keep,
“Are you saying that she’s been the cause of some of the suicides?” he asked. The barkeep nodded pitifully,
“Yes with how much negative energy she gives off most normal people can’t handle it. And the rumors and stories added on to it her powers have only grown. She’s practically untouchable in this place.” he admitted. King pondered on this for a moment,
"Hmm either way she needs to be taken down one way or another. Suicidal energy or not her soul will be ours tonight. Xion you ready to head out?" his attention went back to his partner and she had been quietly dinning into her share of the souls with a satisfied smile on her face. When she finally finished she patted her stomach and a cute little burp escaped her causing her blush slightly then giggled completely in her own world,
"Thanks for the meal." she quietly said to herself. The moment she was done she was met with Kings flat stare,
“W-What?” she stammered. He rolled his eyes as he moved over to her,
"I asked if you were ready to head out but now I see that you are." he replied. Xion chuckled bashfully,
"Uh yeah, I am. But you still need to eat your share. I know you're probably hungry." she answered back. He was about to reply but a quiet rumble came from his stomach. It easily silenced any argument he might have put up. Sighing he sat down across from her as she slid his share. Without wasting a moment he picked up one and bit down onto much like you would an apple. And unsurprisingly they had little to no taste but the way it felt going down was more than enough to satisfy. As he sat there and ate his fill the barkeep watched him with wide eyes,
'He really does eat souls? But he's a mister? They shouldn't be able to consume them.' it was in this moment he took in the appearance of the two coming to haunting realization. And the moment he did his fear of them grew,
"Y-Your that young witch hunter aren't you?" Both King and Xion looked over to him, "Yeah it's you! A white 'X' on your coat and silver chain with a crown at the end and your weapon is a greatsword with a revving chain. It's definitely you." he exclaimed. King looked back to Xion and again she gave a shrug,
"Yeah, I am a pal. Which is why I'm here to kill that witch now if you don't mind I kinda eating here." he replied and went back to his meal. As Xion watched him eat with a smile did the barkeep pass out from who it was that was in his bar.
***
It was dark out not in the dense forest but the moon's light was keeping a bit of the world a glow. But a flashlight does help as well, for King and Xion trudged through the forest heading to their target. It was early night when they left the bar and it was well into it by how long they've walked. But with each step, King felt they were getting closer. Stepping over another log he shined his light around again to try and keep track of what they've passed. A second light behind him came up next as Xion kept pace while taking in the wilderness. The chirping bugs and the lively animals made her wonder how such a place could have such a horrible rumor over it,
"Hey, Jay why do you think this place has such an intense title as the 'Suicidal Forest' anyway? And I mean besides the witch being here." she asked. King moved over a leaf as he continued,
"I told you to call me King and second I don't know. When people come here to end things constantly then it'll grow a name like that. This place is so big and dense I can see why someone would see it as a place to end it. Besides I'm sure this witch has a bigger hand in those suicides than we think." he replied. Xion nodded as she kept on looking,
"Yeah, you're probably right. Also, why do you still refuse to go by your real name and by that nickname? I think your real name is far cuter." she said a bit giddy,
“Because of what we do. We hunt witches and all they know about me is some vague description and my name, King. If they all knew my full name was Jay Walker then it'd be a lot easier for them to find us.” he responded. She nodded again knowing he was right,
“But still even when it’s just the two of us you still want to go by King.” she whined. King smirked and shook his head,
"It's just a precaution in case anyone is listening. Who knows maybe someday I'll go by my real name. But until then it's King." he joked. Xion gave the cutest pout but he wasn't looking back to notice. They fell back into silence as they pressed on. They seemed to grow around them as they got deeper and deeper into the forest and with the progression did the air seem to change around them. Xion felt a slight chill course through her that wasn't there before. If that wasn't unsettling enough she no longer heard the sounds of nature anymore. The only sounds being their footsteps as they pressed on,
“Hey King do you think we're in the area?” she asked. She didn’t get a response besides King stopping in front of her suddenly. She almost ran into him,
"Why did you stop?" she fumed at him. When she got no response she looked to see he was staring intensely at something. Following his line a sight, her stomach dropped at the site. A noose was hanging from a tree in front of them. He said nothing as he eyed the rope able to see dark stains on it,
“Yeah I think we're getting close.” he responded evenly as he walked away from the tree. Xion gave the noose one last look and quickly followed behind him.
From that point forward the forest felt completely different. Even if you weren't a meister or weapon then you'd feel the force of it pushing down onto you. It felt like it was trying to drag down your thoughts and mindset and was gradually choking out your will. Your will to live. And as they continued it was getting worse with each step and they both could understand how this place had so many deaths attached to it. But this only fueled their desire to take down the witch that's been inhabiting this place. As the two continued on then noticed a large opening ahead of them with the moon's light shining. They turned off their lights as they made it to the clearing. They both gazed up to see that smiling moon looking down on them,
“On a different night that’d moon get a chuckle out of me.” Xion said absentmindedly. King didn’t respond as he was scanning the area. And even though he couldn’t see out into the darkness he could feel the presence of someone or something sinister,
“Xion get ready. We’re not alone.” she tensed up at that and she began to look around them as well. Everything was silent as the two sat and waited. And then out of darkness taking slow and methodical steps did the witch finally show herself,
“Xion!” with a nod did she turn into her weapon form. Landing into his hand did King rest her on his shoulder ready,
"So you must be the witch of this forest?" he questioned. The woman before him wore a simple black partly shredded dress and no shoes. Her brown hair went down in cascades and while he knew that some looked as they would from shows this one, in particular, looked rather young no older than her older thirties he guessed and was rather attractive. Her crimson eyes easily bore down onto him as she seemed to look through him. It was definitely nerve-wracking. A gentle smile graced her lips as she stopped at the edge of the clearing,
“Now... now there’s no need to call me such a name, little meister. I’m sure there are many other things you can call me.” She cooed to him. He didn’t react to the attempt on him and was eyeing her wearily,
"No, I think I'll stick to witch thank you. Tell me are you the one who's been using this forest to draw in people to their deaths?" he questioned. The laugh that rang out from her seemed to echo all throughout the area around. As if the forest itself was laughing with her,
"I'll admit the negative energy this forest gives off because of those stories does benefit me greatly. It draws in those foolish enough to try and find remains of those who have passed and give me more than enough souls to do with as I please. Even toying with a few of them makes it sweeter when I get my prize. As you can see it's done well on my complexion. I make 200 look good." she said as she flaunted her features. Xion gasped,
"See's 200 years old?" she exclaimed as her reflection could be seen in the blade,
"Well if she's using human souls then yeah." he replied as his grip grew just a bit tighter on the handle,
‘Age aside why can't it see it yet? Is she keeping it hidden from me?’ he pondered. The witch looked to him with hunger behind her eyes,
“I hope you both won’t mind if I take both of your souls as well? Claiming the life of the witch hunter would definitely raise my ranking in the council. And put me one step closer to taking what is mine.” King smirked,
“Let me guess you want to become the queen don’t you?” the witch smiled devilishly at that,
"Oh yes, I would. I'd finally have the position I deserve and be able to rule over those other fools. Epically that arrogant snake." King felt Xion's soul vibrate from that last line,
“Easy. We’ll deal with her later. For now-’ he swung the blade so it was pointed to her, “Witch of the forest. We're going to take your soul!” he declared. She smirked at that as he felt her magic rise,
"You're more than welcome to-" she paused as she gave him a sideways glance, "Witch of the Forest? Do-do you not know my name?" she questioned. Everything still as King stood there just staring ahead blankly as a small bead of sweat trailed down his face. Xion sighed from within the blade,
“I told you we should’ve done more research on her before jumping in.” she complained. King chuckled embarrassed,
“Well you know how I can get when it comes to slaying witches.” he replied. The witch just stared blankly at him for a long few moments she ticked with rage,
“My name is Silva! The witch ‘Silva’ is the one whos going to kill you two!” she screamed as she threw her arms forwards. King felt her magic puls through the ground as he jumped up before vines popped up from the ground,
'So she controls the forest around her.' he thought as he slashed away at the nearing vines. Silva held her hand open as a ball of magic formed. She waited until he neared the ground before she launched the attack at high speeds. He saw it coming and instead of blocking with Xion King jumped over and forward to close the gap on her. Revving up the blade he was prepared to slice into her but a set of vines shot up to protect her. He gritted his teeth as he tried to grind through the thin vines but it felt like he was trying to cut through steel. With a flick of her hand did the vine slap him away, but as he was pushed back did they shot out from the ground and wrap around his ankle. Then with ease did it repeatedly slam him into the ground before launching him into a tree knocking the wind out of him. When he hit the ground King grimaced as he got to one knee using Xion as support,
“Damn she’s tough. But why can’t I see her damn soul yet?” he complained. Xion's reflection looked worriedly at him,
“Are you ok?” she asked. With a huff did he get back to his feet breathing a bit heavier,
"Yeah, I'll be good. But I think we might need to turn up the heat to cut through those vines of hers. I get the feeling she's just playing around with us." he replied as he glared at Silva's who's smug face was looking back at him. Xion nodded as she looked to the witch,
"Do you want me to go into my other form?" she asked. King shook his head,
“Nah don’t want to burn down the forest. Heating up your blade should work fine. Now let's get serious.” he plunged Xion into the ground as he began to rev her up again. Then with a smirk did he speak a simple few words,
"Soul-protect off." and with that did Silva see his true souls power and she though she didn't show it she was rather impressed,
“For a child to not only know how to do soul protection but to be hiding such a powerful soul to boot, you really are the witch hunter. But that is a witches technique. Tell me how did you learn to use spells like us?” she questioned. King only smirked as Xion's blade began to heat up,
"Sorry can't let my few secrets out now can I?" he taunted. She merely shrugged,
"It doesn't matter. I'll find out after I take your soul." with a snap of her fingers did a cage of vines enclose around King. Yet he stood confident as she pulled Xion out of the ground. Just as the vines were about to close in on him with a circular swing of the blade did he burn and cut through them with ease. His taunting expression didn't leave as he placed Xion onto his shoulder,
“You were saying?” But he got no response as Silva was hunched over in pain. Both of them looked at her confused,
"Why is she in pain? We didn't even touch her?" Xion questioned. King wanted to say he knew but he was just as confused as her,
'Why did it harm her? It's not like her souls attached to-' he paused as his eyes widened. He looked to the night sky and it was then he finally noticed it. It was a little hard to tell at first but now that he was focusing he could make out the purple lining of a soul. And this one stretched across far beyond what he can see. It gave him a shiver as he finally realized,
"Her soul it encompasses this entire section of the forest." he finally responded. Xion looked shocked,
"This entire section of forest? No wonder those guys from earlier said she's practically untouchable." she commented. Silva breathed in to ease herself as she gave them both a death glare,
“You two are more of a pest than I thought. I guess playing with you is over!” as she shouted they felt the forest react to that given by the literal air vibrating. Not soon after did they hear a loud creaking noise,
"King above you!" Xion's shout drew his attention to behind him were a tree was swinging down its branch to attack him. He dipped out the way of the attack but another tree came to swing down on him forcing him to jump up to dodge. But as he hit the air he got bombarded by small sharp leaves that cut into King. But he slashed Xion's heated blade again to burn them away. The act caused slight pain to Silva again but she wasn't letting up her assault as she rose her hand up at him. The vines shot up at him again as he landed and he wasn't quick enough to cut them so he tried to jump back. But a swinging tree branch hit him from behind sending him back down. Yet the moment he did the vines wrapped around him arms and legs dragging and pinning him to ground. He tried to get out of their grip but it was too tight for him to move as they were pulling him down.
Silva licked her lips in satisfaction and she raised her hand again to form a fist. Behind her, the forest shifted to form a giant fist made out of rocks and dirt while being held together with vines. King watched as the fist raised high behind her and then in one motion did it come crashing down on top of him. She left the rocks full weight on him for a few moments before lifting it up and suspending him up by the vines. She giggled as his body lay limp before her,
“My, my all that bark but no bite. I wonder how some of my sisters had trouble defeating you.” she placed her hand under his chin to move his face for her to see. His eyes were closed and he had blood trailing from the side of his mouth. She only giggled more,
"You are cute when you aren't sprouting nonsense. Now before I finish you off how about I take that weapon from you first." she went to go and retrieve it but when she saw his grip on it was as tight as ever she looked confused,
"You really shouldn't underestimate me." her eyes widened as she looked back to see him slowly raising his head with a confident smirk. With a swing of Xion did he force Silva back in panic as she narrowly avoided the heated blade. When she moved back the vines loosened and he quickly freed himself. Once free King took a moment to ease as he felt the surge of healing,
“I thought you were dead for a second back there.” Xion said through the blade. He smirked and rolled his neck,
“Now you know it takes more than that to take me down. Especially if you're with me.” replied. She blushed a bit from his words but nodded,
"Yeah, we are a team after all."
“Damn right. And as a team how about we finish this fight? She’s becoming annoying.” he replied and gripped the blade with both hands. Xion looked on with determination,
“Yeah let's!” Silva watched in disbelief as their souls were being to resonate with the other,
“No there going to-”
"LET'S GO! SOUL RESONANCE!" King and Xion shouted in unison as they felt the sparking of their souls resonating until they combined. With a unified scream did Xion's blade glow red as the rest of it opened up to show the rest of the teeth of the chain. Then in one rev, it ignited with its clashing teeth and the red glow grew as it extended the length of the blade. Even though Silva was a bit away from them she could feel the hate resonating from the weapon and a sweat droplet rolled down her face. King placed Xion's empowered blade onto his shoulder as he gave Silva a cocky smile. That ticked her off,
"Don't get cocky with me you brat!" she shouted as she sent a barrage of vines towards him. He smirked and gripped Xion with both hands. He held her to the side, the teeth pointed outwards and with a smile, he charged straight at the witch. The vines came at him as fast as before but from his resonance with Xion, he was more than able to keep up with the speed. He dodged the first set that came in for him and sliced the next set with ease. Silva felt the pain and tried to send in the trees to stop him. But even with their massive swings did he dodge them. He was just a last sprint away and once he saw his range he moved in for the kill. With one final swing did he tore through whatever defenses she threw up with ablaze. And with her defenses being burned before her she was left open as he cut clean through her. With an anguished last scream did she dissipate until she compacted into a pulsing red soul.
The moment she died the forest around them seemed to settle back to what it used to be. Well at least it didn’t feel as dense with that despair as before and even the animals seemed to come back. King eased as Xion went out of her weapon form to stand next to him. She smiled at him as she patted his back,
"Great job as usual partner!" she exclaimed. He smirked and nodded,
“Right back at ya partner. Though I might have slacked off a bit back there.” he replied. She shook her head,
"I think you did fine. Now on to the soul! Who's it this time?" she asked as she went to retrieve it. King wiped the blood from his mouth before shrugging,
“I think it’s all yours this time.” Xion held the witches soul in her hands and she felt her mouth water,
“A-Are you sure you don’t want this one?” she politely asked. He chuckled as he walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder,
"I'm sure. Besides I doubt you could hold back and longer so it's all yours." no sooner as she got the confirmation did she dig into the soul with gusto. He was surprised to see it was gone in mere moments as she ended her feast with a satisfied sigh,
“Thanks for the meal.” she silently prayed. Done she looked to him with a smile, “I’m all set! So where to next?” she asked. King motioned for her to him and the two began to make their way back out the forest,
"Well, I've been thinking for a while. I think it's finally time I take you up on your request." he said. It took her a moment to think about what he meant but then her eyes lit up with excitement,
“You mean to enroll at the DWMA! But I thought you didn’t think we'd need to go there since we’ve done fine on our own?” she asked. He sighed,
"Yeah your right I do still think that but going there could have some benefits for us. One being able to do research for witches to hit would be quicker and second I think you'd benefit from going to the place and learning more. It's never a bad thing to learn more on kishin." He responded. Xion giggled,
“I think you mean for both of us to learn more about them. But I think your right. Being at a school-based around hunting witches would make our hunts faster. But I think it'll be a good place for us to finally have a home base. Being on the road constantly is kinda draining." she admitted,
"Yeah, I agree with you there. Having a stable and constant home would be beneficial plus Death City is as secure a place for meisters as any. Plus it's full of meisters and weapons." Xion beamed at the thought of getting to meet other weapons and meisters. It made her giddy,
"Oh, I can't wait to meet so many different students attending there! Well, we'll be students as well when we attend. Do you know how we'll be able to enroll?" she asked. King shrugged,
"I'm sure I can figure something out. Probably talk to Death himself and get something worked out." he responded. That only made Xion more hyped for the future,
“Alright! Let's head straight there Jay!” she exclaimed. He chuckled at her excitement,
“It’s King and sadly we got another place to head to before that.” she pouted at hearing that,
“What? Where do we have to go first?” she asked,
“Venice. I heard some rumors a while back about some demon sword thing. I want to see if it’s true or not and if it needs to be dealt with.” he responded. Xion sighed but nodded,
"Yeah, that does sound more important. Alright then lets head to Venice immediately! We got no time to waste." she replied excitedly as she picked up her pace. King chuckled again as he picked his pace to keep up and leave this forest behind them.
@solerwolf21 once again returned to have a part 1′er of the next chapter, it was very fun to work on and I’m glad I got the opportunity to have his Sonic OC Soler shine again!
Time: After a brief discussion about what story elements he wanted and what plot points were to be addressed in this chapter, I began work and development on the story. It took only a day to write out a basic plot which he requested to see and approved. Then it took a few months for the completion and editing.
Review: @solerwolf21 - First, yes I have read it and not gonna lie there were at least two to three times I was scared for (how) things were going (to) go lol. I was too scared for Soler and Sally’s relationship and Shay was terrifying and his mom was wonderous and pops is cold. I also enjoyed the hints of depth behind certain actions or things said like Sally stopping Soler from making a promise, or Shadow’s lack of insight on familial ties, really good touches. Overall great work! Also I love love love the characterization! The contrast of thought of how Soler handles situations compared to Sally, Shadow, and his retrospective on Soler. Heck their whole relationship as a whole and its evolution. I just loved Shadow in this so so much.
Paid amount: After deciding on a price, I was surprised to find that he actually paid for more in the end! I was really touched, and at first, worried he may have overspent and contacted him to alert him of the situation. He told me he put in more and so I gave him more, it was around 50$, and I’m very grateful that he enjoyed the story! It was fun to write for him again!
With permission from the customer, here is the rough draft of the finished product for your viewing pleasures:
Soler's Sequel: Chaos Panic.
Ch. 2
A story for Solerwolf21!
By: Cutegirlmayra
New Mobotroplis was centered with a bright, yellowish castle for the Acorn's to rule in peace, but nowadays, it is a military fortress for the headquarters of the Freedom Fighters.
It's princess, Sally Acorn, continued to lead the Freedom Fighters time and again against the Eggman Empire, who threatened to destroy all organic things into robotic slaves for his mad ambitions of power and control.
However, Eggman's forces began to grow and increase in unspeakable ways... a new ally had aligned themselves to Eggman, choosing to be on the power-hungry side that seemed to be winning, instead of freedom-bound heroes. These heroes wouldn't cease in doing good, fighting for those who couldn't, and protecting all Mobians from certain peril and robotization.
Sally carefully counted inside the freedom force's food storage warehouse facility, tapping her pen in the air as she went through each box and marked to check off each category on her clipboard. "There!" she giddily swiped the last check mark onto it's corresponding box. "After this hostage rescue, we should have enough supplies to keep them well fed for a few months or so. At least until our next harvest and supply run." She nodded to herself until she heard an alarm go off. "Huh?"
Turning to see Rotor waving for her outside, she felt her anxiety spike and quickly ran back out as the large, almost barn-like doors began to automatically close behind her.
"What's going on?" She inquired, her voice sounding serious and her eyes showing the leadership fixed in them like a fire lit on the spot.
"Nothing." Rotor calmed her, letting her know it wasn't that serious. Still, it put Sally on edge, and she had to calm herself into a gentler state of mind again.
"Go on." After a short breath, she straightened out and loosened up a bit. Though, the tension in her muscles seemed to be unending... such was the life of a benevolent ruler in times of war.
"Soler set off another security alarm again," Rotor chuckled, noticing her demeanor had returned to being somewhat normal, for now. "He's training with his power again... he used to go so far out of our radar that he'd be gone for a few days or so, training remotely. Now? He doesn't mind just blasting his power all over the place without a single thought!" Rotor lifted up his arms and shook them about, but the action only made Sally smile.
It was true that Soler had a hard time training within New Mobotroplis. He was constantly in panic that he'd do something wrong, or hurt someone... It took a lot of time for him to trust himself, but Sally was glad to hold his hand through it all.
She was happy he was comfortable around everyone now, but still worried about their alarms...
"He's just so used to controlling them now, he's not as afraid to use them as he was before." Sally was still mostly glad, he was showing some confidence, and that meant that everyone's efforts for him to feel included within the Freedom Fighters had not failed in fail. He was slowly coming out more, being more lively and talkative. He was still somewhat lazy, but at least he was lazy with others now... Though, she was upset that he was triggering off their alarms so frequently. Poor Nicole...
"I'll go talk to him."
"You know, he hangs around a lot more because of you." Rotor gave her a sly look and put his hands on his hips, "I'll get back to my equipment inspections but,... Something tells me there's more going on between you two then just causal dating..."
Her face turned a little brighter, but she batted his prying away, "Dating is dating, don't make unnecessary assumptions!" she didn't like her values being questioned, but it was true that Soler had been hanging around a lot closer to base lately...
She had just never supposed it could have been because... because of how close they had gotten to one another.
"I wasn't saying that, but it's interesting that that's what you thought. I wouldn't dream of it!" Rotor shook his hands out with a goofy grin on his face, teasing her. "I just meant... maybe you two are more committed than you think?"
"Alright, enough teasing." Sally pushed her finger against his nose to move his face out from trying to read her own. "I'll go check on him. Which way?"
"The little chaos engine is southward." he pointed behind him. "Turn just a little west, and good luck!" He laughed, clutching his belly and swinging his leg up a moment to really give his teasing a good kick into Sally's pride. "He's letting all the new recruit's legends and stories about him get to his head!"
"L-legends?" A bead of sweat trailed down from her forehead, but she wiped it off, trying not to worry. "I'll see what the fuss is all about."
"Just his popularity, that's all." Rotor waved her off, moving on and placing a leisurely hand by his tool belt. "Try and stay calm, Sal. It's better for your health!"
"Not in these times..."
As she made her way towards where Soler usually trained nowadays, she stopped in a jolt. "Oh, wait!"
She remembered something and quickly turned to Rotor, seeing he had already moved quite a bit aways from her. "Really, quick!" she ran back and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, grabbing his attention again as he turned to look at her curiously. "For the night operation... the village is covered in dense fog, correct?"
"Very much so." Rotor confirmed. "Make sure your operation is covert. We can't have anyone disappearing on us. If the village is being rounded up for roboticization, then we don't have a huge window for error. We can't lose anyone again, Sally..." He looked distraught, and Sally comforted him with a few pats on his back. "Shard and Sonic are off on reconnaissance. Espio, Rouge, and Shadow are spying on different Eggman fleets. Bunny is still with Anton... I'm afraid all we have is a handful of us left." She shrugged, showing that they were worn pretty thin at the moment when it came to available, capable hands. "Soler and Nicole are all we got so far. Maybe Tails will be willing to come. His twin tails could push some of the fog away?" she seemed to be stretching it, squinting her eyes and shrinking down a bit, as though embarrassed to have to question her own tactics.
"Eh, it's a team. I'll see what I can do on my end, too." Rotor nodded, patting her shoulder, "Hey, Sal. You're doing good." He encouraged her, giving her some much needed confidence in her abilities too. "Go and get'em back safe."
"Will do." Sally nodded, taking his advice in. She felt a sense of pride then, telling her that she could do this, but hoping to not have a cost. One life meant so much to Sally, saving so many would be wonderful, but... losing even one Freedom Fighter... Sally didn't want to think about it anymore, or have to live through the consequences of one wrong move. She placed her hand to her chest and took three breaths, telling herself it was in the past and she could do this. "I'll talk to Soler, see if he has any ideas..." She began to head off again, pushing back the sorrow she had learned some hard lessons from.
Soler was powering up as much chaos energy as he could, having it jet through his power and manifest as white aura all around him. He let it course through his veins and rise in large quantities throughout his whole body, spiking his power range up and trying for a Chaos Break, hoping to hold it for a longer period of time than he was used too.
If he could somewhat master retaining chaos energy in his body, instead of always having to expel it because of the limits on his physical form... he could do a lot of good for a set of minutes.
And more good, meant more people saved.
A few recruits were watching, interested in what he was doing as he tried to concentrate. He moved his hands, almost as though practicing martial arts, but kept his eyes closed. The aura moved like misty clouds around his hands and body, seeming to spin like steam as he rotated it around him. A small dust devil formed at his center as he took deep, calming, focused breaths to try and lessen the pain of holding onto to chaos energy and trying to store it in and not let it out all at once either. Making chaos energy out of nothing would have a severe toll on his body, but with little measurements of success like this, he could maybe one day hold a massive amount, and finally give Eggman's army what's coming to them.
One of the on-lookers was a young girl, she swung her legs as she sat on some wooden crates, watching the strange sight in excitement and curiosity. "Is that him? The guy who rose in rank in just one month?"
"Yeah! They say that Shadow trained him!" Another dude piped up, moving up on the crates to answer her and share in the amazement. He gripped the edge of her crate and wagged his tail, seeming to be a fan of the stories about Soler's missions and adventures.
"Shadow?" Someone else turned to the boy, a young boy having a ponytail for his long, extensive hair. It seemed they were all fairly new recruits, still in intensive training. "But I thought he's scary!"
"He's just anti-social. That must speak volumes for this guy! If he had to have Shadow train him, he must be powerful!" A girl threw her arms up, as though showing her support for Soler as she watched to see what he'd do next for his training. She wore pigtails that spun as she admired the powerful energy surge around Soler's dust-devil effect.
"Wow..." the original recruit that spoke up stopped dangling her legs and watched him more closely, amazed by what she was hearing. "So what will he do now?"
Soler took a controlled section of chaos and forwarded it to his hand,... gliding his hand down, he felt the physical pressure of the moment, and grunted slightly as he felt more and more exhausted from just trying to force the chaos energy to one part of his body. He took a deep breath, and began hitting the air with rapid fast reflexes, jumping into a back-flip and spinning into a kick. The misty clouds shot forward, as though wind being propelled. He was training his memory, making sure his body knew what to do, and all the while channeling chaos energy throughout his movements. It was much more fluid and easier to move than before, and chaos energy wasn't so frightening to him, mostly because he knew he wouldn't hurt any curious gawkers like the kids on the crates. He could feel their energy, but it wasn't anything like chaos.
After a few more acrobatic fleets of strength, precision, and mastery over his chaos energy in Chaos Break, the effects wore off and he fell to a knee, panting strongly from it's toll on his body.
Sweat dripped from his forehead, his muscles ached and waned to keep him up on one knee. He even felt his body tremor a few times, unused to having to hold that much chaos before.
Still, training was training, he'd have to build the stamina for it, one day at a time...
"You keep that up, and you won't have any chaos energy stored up for the mission tonight." Sally stepped up and placed her hands on her hips, proud to see him showing off for the younger recruits.
He smiled, eyes still closed and hunched over, gripping his knee before pulling himself back up like he had a pair of wings, beating fiercely to look impressive. Though it was all in his head, he felt like a hero rising from the ground, and acted as much. "I'll be ready." he turned to look over his shoulder at her, another smoldering look of affection that let her know—without words—what she meant to him. "You doing alright?"
She couldn't help it, moving quickly over to him, she gave him a warm, tight hug as he returned the gesture with as much gratitude as she had. "Look at you, you've grown so much since then..." she remembered with a slight hint of teasing, tightening the hug a moment in gratitude. "You haven't had a bad dream in a while, or a walking one... for that matter." her arms wrapped around his neck before slowly loosening to let him go.
But as if not wanting her to release him, he held her at the same intensity, before pulling his head back and staring into her deep blue eyes...
"I recall a sweet moment where you used to say you'd never let me slip out of your embrace... what happened to those days?" He was amusing himself with these games, and she pushed him away from her, unable to hide her blushing grin.
"Maybe someone should move forward at a pace I can keep up with." She was acting a little shy, but he found that adorable. She folded her arms, then fiddled a moment with her muddy, scarlet hair. "Your powers... they're easier for you now?"
"Much easier to handle." Soler confirmed, dusting off his chest a moment from all the dirt he had kicked up onto himself during his workout. "Though I'm trying to figure out how to grow them stronger." he gripped his fists together, looking each over with every turn of his head, examining them. "I feel I've got the hang of it,... but I also feel there's so much more there that I haven't quite tapped into... I'm not sure how to go into the next level, as Sonic calls it, you know?"
She turned around and pointed straight at him, "Ha! You're nervous!" she laughed, "You know?" She teased, and walked back over to take his balled up hands and delicately place her own over them. "Listen, Soler... Things take time. Even using your power more strains you, right? I know you probably feel nervous about what's buried deeper inside you... but we'll worry about that together." she saw him move his hands and rub his wrists, not hiding the fact that it was a lot on him, but he was just glad he had gotten the hang of it this far.
"Thanks, Sally... but strength is strength. I'm making progress!" he flexed his arms up, "Aren't ya proud of me?" He joked. "I bet Shadow won't even recognize me when he gets back!" Striking a Hercules pose, it was clear he was only trying to impress her and the watching recruits. They all gave him an awestruck reaction, and Sally just rolled her eyes to it.
She giggled, "Immensely," and wrapped her arm around his own, "But let's not praise that 'can-do' spirit too much... might go to your stubborn head." she laughed at her own joke, but that wrinkle in her nose always made him fall deeper in love with her. She wanted to get him away from influencing the younger recruits too much... wouldn't want them setting off alarms, either...
"I love the way you laugh..." he sighed, catching her off-guard as she let his arm go and scooted back slightly. Her original plan seemed to falter as now, he was the one holding the reins.
"You're just saying that." she smiled to the ground, but he came a little closer, not wanting the distance between them to break so much.
"No, I mean it. I may be headstrong, but I'm also headfirst in love with you, Sally." His words were tender, but they were overwhelming her as she touched her redden cheeks.
"I-... I-I told you Sonic wasn't much for showing his emotions, and Monkey Khan, well... I-I'm just not used to your forwardness, sometimes." she fidgeted with her feet and then stroked her hair down over one eye, "B-b-but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it." she humbly looked back up into his eyes...
"Well, it's hard for me not to compliment... something that strikes me as beautiful." He took on the heroic persona once more, leaning back and mimicking Sonic as he put his hand to his hip, trying to look down into her gaze to hopefully have her swoon again.
Then a recruit whistled.
Soler pulled Sally to him, instinctively, seeing their encouragements. He knew Sally would get more embarrassed though, so he held up a hand to the recruit, "Chaooosss-!" he threatened a blast.
The recruits all ran in terror but Sally just covered her face. It was a humorous scene, as they all toppled over one another and flipped over the crates to escape.
Soler put down his hand and turned back to Sally, "Sorry, I'll try and save those moments and comments for when we're alone." He lightly kissed her forehead.
"I highly doubt that." She peeked up through her fingers at him, and all at once, his heart melted again.
"Aww... you're right, you're just too cute not to say anything... I can't wait till we're alone, it's too long a time!" he hoisted her up into the air and held her swinging with his arms, around and around she went in glee.
"Ahh-! Soler-! Wooah, haha!" she clung to him, a kind gesture that put her at ease. With the audience gone, she relaxed a little bit more too. Slowly, he slipped her back down into his embrace, "I can't seem to get enough of you. There's too much to take in." She looked just as lovesick as he was, and his muzzle showed his joy at accomplishing his mission.
"There it is." He chuckled lightly, "I'll not not to say how... how that smile makes me feel... all the time." He nuzzled her nose very lightly.
"Heh," She tried to remain still, but he knew he shouldn't push his luck just yet. She needed time to adjust to... well, to how out of control he was when it came to how madly in love he was with her.
He ducked his head down, "Y-you're right. I should take it easy..." He gently, though retreating his arms to do so, let her go unwillingly. "I'm just... really happy we're together more, Sally." He scratched behind his head, mentally scolding himself and saying he should cool the engines a bit.
Sally also ducked her head, then took some courage, and lightly placed her nose to his again. "Me too..." She liked the compliments and affection, but just wasn't used to it. To not set him off, she dashed away, hoping that the subtle return of affection would be enough to show her reciprocated love. Still, she was too shy to do anything more, "I'll-! I'll see you as we head out! Please remember to be stealthy!" she called back behind her. "The mission is launching out tonight!"
"Will do." he lightly touched his nose with two fingers, then grinned from ear to ear, feeling the slight hurt on his cheeks from how happy he was. "Smiling never hurt this much... not like before." He looked out towards the sun. "...I hope this never changes..." and with that sad reminder of the doubts that filled his fate, he continued onward, preparing for the stakes that tonight would bring.
Taking on a serious demeanor, he decided to meditate, giving his body a chance to renew his chaos energy supply.
Later that night...
Eggman robots were stationed right outside the perimeter of the village's main townhouse. Their lights remained dormant of life, but vibrant in the quiet of the night. They held their forms like soldiers, grasping their metallic, flat fingers on their other arm's machine gun. Sinister sentinels, protecting nothing but serving all evils...
Shadows moved swiftly around the stagnant metal husks as the Freedom Fighters made their way to the roof of the where they guarded. Moving like silent ninjas in the night, they got to a secure wall and using ropes and jumping from a partner's hands laid together and palm facing up, they were able to make it well onto the top without being detected. However, before they did so, a figure flew up and dropped a small device that sparked as it fell to the roof. The sparks fizzled out any detection system, and finally... the shadows landed one at a time upon the roof.
A few cameras also were sparked... but they remained unaffected, slowly turning to hide their glares but watch the crew closely...
The shadows all landed one after another, before one removed his black scarf around his mouth, revealing white tuff protruding by his cheeks.
Tails's beaming face looked pretty pumped his device had worked, "Looks like there were trip wires and security detection measures on." He whispered to Sally, who also removed her black scarf from around her mouth.
"Good work, Tails. I'm glad we have you this time around." She lovingly ruffled his hair, still unable to help the feeling like he was a cute kid. "Okay, let's go with Plan B now."
But as Sally turned around to instruct the rest of the crew, Soler was out of sight. Panicky, she looked around and then peeked down the roof, seeing him moving behind one of the Eggman robots.
She let out a quiet groan of disapproval, this wasn't the first time this had happened. But still, he knew the costs, why would he act so recklessly!? In the past, he would follow orders simply because he was worried his power could act up if he didn't watch himself. But now... he was more cocky than ever! Even Sonic would sneer with pride. She turned to the others, knowing she needed to be a leader, and not risking the rest of them. She gestured the plan, using code signs to let them know what was going on, and started quietly taking the roof apart to make a small opening... hoping with all her heart that Soler wasn't going to be rash and do something to jeopardize the whole of the mission.
'He wouldn't risk innocent lives like that.' she told herself, 'I have to start trusting his instincts. I have to.' she repeated to herself as she carried on and dared not to look back. 'Be careful, Soler... Please.' her silent prayer was mingled with her frustrated clamp of her teeth, gritting through the stress of trying to keep the tools from making noises as they performed their incision on the roof.
Soler sneaked up behind one of the guarding robots, his red shoes with black X's lightly whipped up the loose dust upon the ground with each careful footstep. Using his expert knock-out techniques he had learned form Shadow, he dug the side of his hand into their little slit around the round, bulbous head's gap that made their neck. He was careful to observe some broken Eggman robots on his last missions, and studying their mechanize, it seemed that some essential wires were just under the head. Protected by both the chrome dome of their head and the heavy plating around their body. 'Too bad Eggman never gave them any bulky shoulders, this will be easy to penetrate!' Soler had already won in his mink, smirking in the dark. Summoning the chaos energy to his hand, he caught a quickly formed, sharp Chaos Spear and struck it precisely into the gap he had found in his studying. Rotor and Tails were helpful in teaching him about robotics, but it was all worth it when he could single-handedly take one out. It short-circuited and collapsed on itself, looking like an egg that fell in on it's pegged stand. Wires flickered a moment like a sparkler, but with no power left, the eyes blipped and then were out like a car's blinker.
Feeling pretty good about his technique, he continued to do the same with the others, but none were reacting to him. He'd jump, stab, and roll back into the shadows, and like dominoes, they all soon collapsed on themselves. It was like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland, but instead of folding cards, its crushed Eggbots. "Huh?" he noticed they were all strangely still... no alarms, nothing.
It was too quiet...
The night had no sound, so with all the robots downed, he walked just a little bit out of the shadows, holding his Chaos Spear in hand, having to surround it in chaos energy so it didn't burn his hand.
'A trap?' he quickly looked back up at the roof. 'Could it be..? Why else were they all... Oh no...'
His eyes widened in fear, "Sally..." he uttered, and took off to climb back up the townhouse.
Soler was used to thinking fast, over-complicating things was sadly a knack of his. His mind raced with rescue strategies in case this really was a bait, but people needed him... and he hadn't forgotten his main objective: Protect those who can't.
He raced up the wall, clawing it just enough to not make too much sound but still scale it efficiently. His reflexes helped him leap over some cameras and then kick them out. 'Cameras..? There's only two of them...' he shot the chaos spear still in his hand at the second one, watching it fizzle out and shoot out like a blown firecracker. "Not my friends you don't." he bit on his teeth, glaring, and moved towards the hole in the roof.
He stuck his head down into the gap his team had made, and looked frantically around to make sure they weren't in danger. So far, so good. He saw them rounding up the villagers, before a hand grabbed the tuff of his chest and spooked him out of his cautious observations.
Sally pulled him to her, making him wobble a second like a swung clock part.
"What do you think you're doing?" Sally had his face right up in front of her own, clearly showing him she was in warrior princess mode, and he wasn't doing as he was told...
He weakly smiled, knowing he was going to get pretty harshly scolded, "M-making sure you're all alright?" his voice shook in his delivery.
Conflicted, Sally let him go, swinging him back as his legs wiggled a moment and then he flipped them down to land.
"I'm glad you want to help at all costs, but going AWOL on a covert mission is highly hazardous!" she looked about ready to whack him, but held it back. Her whispering reprimand made it sound like she was hissing at him, and he rubbed his head apologetically, ducking his head down as she kept coming at him. "I'm worried you don't take orders well. We've done countless missions! You always aren't cautious enough!"
Ironic, he was coming back because he was being cautious...
Still, he knew she was right. He just wanted to make sure their exit plan went out without a hitch.
Unknown to them... cameras moved from the rafters to look at where Soler and Sally were talking to one another from... They bent like mechanical arms, hiding themselves, and not stationary like the well-hidden roof ones that Soler had taken out previously... The cameras on the outside, also undetected by the others, carefully watched through the windows. They rotated themselves and zoomed in on Sally and Soler... then turned to the sparking robots and the jammed chaos spears wedged into their openings by their non-existent necks. The spears flashed and the robots further exploded as Soler clutched his fist to release his control over them while Sally scolded him, distracting him from keeping the chaos hidden and silent. The robots loose wires flailed around before all light disappeared from the area.
The cameras turned back to the inside of the house... all but one... who mechanically moved to zoom in on the evidence of Soler's power...
"It'll be alright, it always is, in the end." He winked to her, trying to calm her racing nerves. "I prom-" his words were cut off as Sally clasped her hand over his mouth, pulling herself over to him and getting up on her toes to look him dead in the eye.
"Don't ever say that to me." She stated, fiercely. "Don't ever make a promise you aren't sure you can keep."
His eyes bent, seeing the pain in her eyes at saying those words. The moonlight extenuated the gloss in her eyes... Something painful had happened with a promise left unkempt, and he wouldn't pry further into it tonight.
Everyone worked well and efficiently, those tension was still lingering in Soler at the solitary guardbots all remaining motionless in the far too quiet dark, he decided to let it go since the villagers were eager to get away anyway. Gathering each mobian and placing them in a pulley system, they hoisted them up through the hole and then raced them off into the forest. Once again, Soler reflected on the easy rescue... it didn't sit right with him, and he knew from Sally's expression that she was on-guard about it too.
Why was the night so still..?
However, there was still some celebration to be had. Everyone was rescue without a single scratch or skirmish.
But then again...
The camera's feedback blitzed in a frizzy light upon a screen in an extremely dark room... scratchy static finally visualized the figure of Soler, moving in blocky images upon the frame. Many eyes reflected the light of this secluded viewing... The camera showed Soler summoning a Chaos Spear, grabbing it before it shot out of his hand, and stabbing the Robot from behind.
"It doesn't seem possible, boss." One spoke, much older in years it seemed. "But it's definitely a chaos energy attack." The man had his arms folded, a deep husky voice. He then turned to bow down to the leader. "We hoped to stage this hostage situation to learn more about the FF's tactics of rescue... but I find this a lot more alarming..."
Two figures suddenly approached the light of the screen, and one seemed to smile in wicked fascination of the image. "So, it's not just me out there, is it, Dad?"
"Quiet." The father spoke, glaring at the image. "This is an anomaly. Eggman won't be pleased if we don't perfectly execute this attack. We need to know what they have..."
"Ah, come on! We can go in, guns-a-blazin', and handle whatever their little acorn-hole can throw at us!" the son seemed pumped but the father punched his side.
"When I say quiet... I mean it." He removed his fist, "I thought I had taught you that by now." He moved his cloak to the side, covering his arm that he used to thrust his fist into his son earlier. "Assemble some more intelligence. I want to look over this footage carefully... I don't like... the blue in his quills..." The father glared heavily at the frozen image of Soler, still blurred out on the screen. "...It looks too familiar..." he almost growled in a lowered tone, and then proceeded to storm away.
The son, barely hunched over, straightened up and still held a frightening smile, "Ow... Daddy seems amiss." He turned in a joking manner to a woman who had just entered with a pitcher of water, pouring it in a cup and the leftovers onto a plant. She turned to address the boy calling her, her face hidden in her raggedy brown cloak before spilling the pitcher at the image she glanced at on the screen. Her eyes shook, as if she'd seen a ghost, recognizing the blue in his quills...
The past... had finally returned. But should it be a return?
"Oh? Still so concerned for me after all these years, dear mother?" The son moved over to her, holding some of her quills in his hand. He must have thought her reaction was from the previous punch, since he was still holding his side... "Such useless compassion..." He let it go and walked on.
She held her panting to a minimum, not wanting to raise any alarms as she pulled her ragged cloak around her more. 'Better now than never... I have to do this... for the sake of so many, and for once... myself.' she whispered, her eyes narrowing in resolve but watery with fear. It was her compassion that would never leave her, even after all these years of servitude and self-pity. Her voice came out almost like opening a creaky, dusty wardrobe. It was as though she hadn't spoken in years, "It was compassion... that poured the tea, my son." her voice seemed dry and starved for life. She took the cup she had just poured, drank as much as she could, and began to cover herself as she made her way through another corridor...
He watched her exit, but said nothing. Simply moved on, as though he was simply speaking to a memory.
Watching some guards patrol by, she then took her chance and grabbed a decorated, golden, steel conduct opening and began to tug it out. It creaked loudly at her attempts, and she looked around frantically to make sure no one was watching or coming to investigate.
She was lucky, she had studied there ways for so long, hoping for a moment to escape.
Finally, after years of tugging on it behind her husband's back, it rusted enough to come out.
She had poured water and other corroding materials onto it in hopes of breaking free and now was her chance, so she crawled through the square pipe and shut the steel behind her.
Men turned the corner, as was their routine, but paid no mind to the steel lid. She peeked through its gaped design, and then slowly... backed into the drain...
-Back at New Mobotropolis-
"Nicole," Soler typed in some things, "What would make an Eggman fleet malfunction?" He was still concerned about the stillness of the robots he had encountered...
Nicole materialized and gave a kind bow to him, "If there function was disrupted, but... why do you ask?" she seemed curious, "There are many ways to malfunction a robot."
"No, I mean... without-" He held his tongue, "Nevermind." he shook the feeling off, "We made it all back safe and that's what matters." He loosened up and smiled to Nicole. "Did you scan the villagers?"
"All are healthy and well. A few sick here and there, but nothing more than a common cold." She happily relayed. "It seems the townhouse was a great shelter for them in the end, they were there for a couple of hours..." She informed, and then hovered over by him, her pixels lighting up his fur. "Soler... everyone is waiting for you in the celebration hall... are you not dining this evening?"
"O-oh, I forgot! Y-yeah, I'll be there. Can't miss my own celebratory party, now can I, ya know?" he seemed nervous... but quickly straightened himself up and went out, trying to look more cheery. He was jittery, mostly because he now had a reputation to maintain, but that didn't make his uneasiness any less apparent...
Nicole watched him intently, before shrugging it off as a human strangeness and continuing on her way back into her computer.
"There's the man!" a few fighters hoisted Soler up the second he walked in, letting him be thrown up on their arms as they cheered, "Oh, he's a jolly good fellow!"
He felt awkward at the praise, but did like the confidence boost. "W-what's this all about? Why just me?"
Tails covered his mouth a moment, chuckling. "We saw the Eggman robots you single-handedly took out! It was so impressive, we decided to toast to you!" Tails picked up a drink and handed it to Soler.
Soler tried to lean over and reach for it, but with all the commotion,... someone threw him up again and Tails toppled over, having the drink slip through his gloved fingers and begin to fly through the air. As though making it look easy, Sally miraculously caught it, her hand moving in a precise and skilled fashion to do so. To add to the sensational catch, she swirled the water with her pinkie out, and then walked over to Tails.
"Be more careful with the cups, Tails." She lovingly instructed, helping him up. "What were you doing?"
"Trying to hand it to Soler, but..." He smiled to her and then awkwardly looked back to Soler, who was being hoisted away.
"H-hey!" he tried to protest a bit, seeing Sally and wanting to join her.
Her face fell a little flat as though not in the spirit of things, thinking it ridiculous to give Soler so much credit when it was clearly a 'team' effort. "They're lifting him up into the air for being reckless?"
"That's a bit cruel, Sally." Tails's ears lowered, "He made sure we'd all get through successfully. Nothing was left to stop us!" Tails cheered, "Why don't you praise him too? He's being kinda humble about it all, isn't that worth praising? Just a tiny... bit..?" He withdrew from her after seeing her harsh features on her face, and pulled back from continuing the peer pressure.
"...I don't think it's something that should be praised." she sighed, moving away from the scene. "It's good that nothing bad happened, but with how we set things up, he shouldn't have acted on his own like that. It wasn't necessary and could have jeopardized the mission, the villagers, and us all. What if it didn't work out, Tails? Then what?" She sat down and lowered the glass down gently. "I can't help but feel like this is all going to go to his head more..." He had only just began mastering what he could of his powers, and Sally didn't feel it right to give him such an ego boost when she knew he needed more time to adjust.
Tails sat down by her, worried, before he saw Soler speed his way over to her quickly, panting. "Whoo! What a rush!" he laughed, sitting down beside her. He had gripped the table, feeling the slippery floor and trying to not let his lightheaded feeling get the better of his balance. "I finally convinced them to put me down!" he reached over for the drink in her hand and took it after a moment of skimming her hand. Knowing she wasn't used to him yet, he tried to be gentle and subtle about it, before chugging the water down and laughing that it was milk. "Now that's something." he chuckled to himself, banging the glass down. "Still, I'll take another!"
Sally rolled her eyes, "Half the recruits here are underage, you really think we'd serve anything more than this?" She raised her hand and a man rolled down the glass of milk to her. "Besides, it'd get unruly. I'd rather have my friends with sharp minds than a bunch of half-there, half-not hooligans."
It did sound a bit harsh, and Tails just gave Soler a look like she wasn't in a good mood.
Sally did see the gesture of his hand though, and not watching their subtle, muted conversation... she moved her hands around her own glass and rubbed her fingers lightly, biting her tongue. She was about to scold him, but stopped herself, deciding there would be a better time soon, anyway...
"You haven't slept yet." Sally decided to go with concern, watching as the waiter brought a few more drinks over, and passed one to Tails.
"Nah, been too much fun." Soler calmly responded, taking the drink and giving it a light twist with his fingers in a corkscrew way on the ground, not drinking it yet as he noticed Sally's hesitancy about something. "Something troubling you?" he finally did a sip, and she tried to compose herself.
"You know how I felt about you disobeying orders." She took a small sip as well, mostly to calm herself down. She didn't like the situation, but she wanted to be a good role model to Tails too... she couldn't favor anyone over the other, and she needed to be strict about Soler coming on missions. It was almost like a role reversal, now that Shadow wasn't acting as his mentor much anymore, Sally seemed to inherit disciplining Soler in a new skill he was unfamiliar with. Controlling himself in high risk situations... he had power over his chaos energy, but what about his headstrong behavior? "Jeopardizing the mission shouldn't be praised for the results turning out alright, it should be from the execution of the assignment."
"You sound like my teacher." he smirked, winking to her as he referenced Shadow. Seemed he was catching on to her inner-monologue...
She touched her face, was it that obvious?
She grew shy and embarrassed, losing her leader-like apparence as Tails also chuckled into his hand, looking to Soler. He had flipped the scene in a matter of moments, just being his charming self again.
"All about the process, he says." Speaking of Shadow, he took another sip of the non-alcoholic beverage, having gestured for the drink to the man passing them around.
"...I'm not happy about this, Soler." she finally stated, and then looked to Tails. "Tails..."
He got the message, nodding and bouncing up from his seat. He could tell Sally was holding herself to a standard, and appeased her by flying off, "See you Sally, Soler!" he waved. Sally was someone everyone looked up too, so he respected that she didn't want to appear too kind to Soler... though it was obvious she and him weren't so formal.
She nodded to Tails's sympathetic kindness and turned back to Soler, a serious expression of weariness on her face, "I understand how you must feel. You were a hero today, but a true hero thinks of everyone, even the rescuers' safety."
"Do we have to confront this now?" Soler knew what she was saying, but wasn't in the mood to be reprimanded. "Can't we just enjoy the morning..? Maybe we do need sleep." he pulled her stool closer to his, making her wobble and grip her hands to the table. He put a loving arm around her and then his head to her shoulder, "Suddenly... I'm so sleepy..." he cooed, teasing playfully as he went limp.
"Oh, you." she did find that cute, but tried to get him off. "This isn't the time for that... and besides, we're in public..." Her eyes shifted around nervously. Was she like Sonic? Worried about images all of a sudden..?
"Emm... So comfy..." he continued the act and she finally giggled as he rubbed his nose under her cheek.
She'd have to get used to it. He loved her too much to not tease, and with all the tension she was carrying, he had to do something to put her at ease.
"That's not fair! You know I'm ticklish! This isn't going to get you out of- ah-! Ahahaa!" she laughed when he tickled her stomach and she tried to weakly push him away.
"You advise me all the time, it's about time I advise you to relax." he teased, but then a harsh wind opened the doors of the hall as a woman in muddy rags coughed and stumbled against the side of it, looking around frantically to get her bearings straight.
A few people were rushing after her, but stopped when they saw she had opened many different buildings, seeming to be searching for something...
Everyone remained still a moment, not sure where this had come from.
A rescued person suddenly got up, "Weren't you... the one that was with those abductors?"
The Freedom Fighter's all turned around, surprised to hear this, to say the least.
"Abductors?" Rotor immediately stomped forward, "Okay, lady. Who are you and what are you doing here?" he took out his taser wrench, but watched as she fell to her knees and just didn't have the heart to look intimidating. "Woah! Lady!" he threw the weapon back and used his free hand to reach out to her.
She continued to breathe hard, "I'm... not with them... I was forced to be with them... but I'm not." she explained through heavy, soggy breaths.
"She's lying!" another rescued member stood up, slamming his hands to the table, "I personally saw them from my village!"
"Your village?" Another Freedom Fighter turned to the individual, "You mean... You're not from the village we just saved?"
"N-no..." A village boy seemed timid, but wanted to help out with the misunderstanding. "Not all of us. My Ma and Pa were taken from the city..."
Another rescuer got stepped forward, one of the pursuers, "We chased her from the walls, she used her bare hands to climb it, this is no ordinary woman!"
An elder rose then, ignoring the woman and commotion to speak truth as well. He stomped his walking stick to the ground, making himself known, "I was taken from several miles away from their village. I haven't stepped foot in that village before then! the abductions are happening more and more frequently, but I never thought they'd come to the monastery's shelter!"
"They're taking everyone!"
"They're ruining our lives!"
"She's with those monsters!"
"I-I... had to reach him..." The woman in rags coughed, trying to spit out the dirt from her mouth. "I had to... I must..." her arms trembled as she tried to upright herself. Her old knees wobbled, malnourished and like old sticks, but somehow, they kept her going.
"It's not just here?" Sally's eyes shrank and shook with the horror of what she was hearing. "Why hasn't anyone spoken up about this before? And this woman... she's apart of it? But how is that possible, she's not a robot..." she slowly got up to examine the woman, but stopped a few steps away as someone else spoke up. Soler remained by Sally's side, standing behind her and keeping a hand in her own.
"It's not just where you're Freedom Fighters' are stationed! There are hostages all over the different bases!" another woman, holding a child stated in a cry that could only mean she was desperate to have them understand their plight.
"We..." Sally found herself compromised, unable to hold back the terror in her tears, realizing she hadn't truly saved anyone. "We have to alert the other zones! Contact them through Nicole, she can travel faster. If hostages are being moved around then that has to be a trap!" she quickly took charge, turning off her emotions as quickly as they had come and harshly ripping her hand out of Soler's.
This left him worried about her, the vacancy in his hand making him feel like he was being left behind. 'No... Sally.' he wanted to be by her side, wanted to fight with her. Did she not trust him? Was his actions today too reckless for her to include him now? 'Don't do this alone, let me help you.' he kept trying to keep up with her, but the woman had crawled her way over to Soler and grabbed his now freed hand.
"H-huh?" He looked down, shocked she would take it as she pulled her hoodie back, and stared at him in wonder.
The first thing he noticed... was the blue streaks in her quills... and the gentle fall back they had. Then the pristine, porcelain white that was dirtied and matted with clots of earth... leaves... icky green grass stains...
What had happened to this poor woman?
His heart was immediately softened, but caution and the unknown swarmed quickly into his judgement like a pipe being turned on and filling up his thoughts.
"They must know where we are." Sally started up, pulling Soler's mind away from the desperate woman, but she began to speak just after her, guiding Soler back to her longing, anxious gaze.
"Your defenses are too much for them to take on, without the proper information, they won't know how to storm New Mobotroplis... you're all in grave danger... but safe, for a very small window of time." she had caught herself, brought some form of power into her voice that gave envy to Sally and admiration in Soler. She slowly moved up from her knees, looking Soler over and then deeply into his eyes, as though moved by a painting. Her hands wavered slightly by his face, but dared not touch.
"What did you say..?" Sally spun around, before seeing the strangeness of her behavior towards Soler.
Not wanting to be rude, Soler allowed her to cling to him, remaining still. However, it was extremely awkward... before he noticed the similar colors and style of her quills compared to his own again, and marveled at the oddity of it all. 'Do all hedgehogs have some common genes?' he wondered, knowing Sonic was blue and Shadow had red streaks in his quills, but shook off the thought since Shadow was bio-engineered, and Sonic... was just blue.
His eyes made a squint of confusion, and he suddenly realized this woman was examining the same things as he was in his appearance. '"A-ah..." he moved his other hand up, trying to stop her from looking at his features so much...
It was a very peculiar, having someone judge your appearance this obviously...
"I'm glad you kept this blue..." she smiled as though relieved, looking to the stripes of blue in his quills and gesturing up towards the ceiling, but the movement was unknown to Soler and so he got a little creeped out. "...Ha... I hope there's more of me in you, that it's a sign of good things." Her eyes sparkled with hope and pride as she looked down and gripped her raggedy brown tarp over her more, "Finally... the Mercenaries will at last meet their match... and Conor will realize he's created his own doom... in me." she glared suddenly in great hurt.
She turned to Sally, "They're setting up for intelligence scans, trying to read your strategies. They'll ambush you after their tactical assessment is complete. But with my escape, it may be now or never." she turned back to Soler, "Only you can defeat a Stratus," she cupped her hands gently by his face, "My... Son."
His whole body felt a surge of electrical, chaos-like lightning at her touch, freezing him before he felt a shard of static explode at his chest, making it hard to breathe.
There was a quiet as Sally's face configured into a deeper seeded confusion, but her protectiveness kicked in and she moved over to Soler, pulling him lightly away from the woman. "I'm sorry... but until we get this situation figured out-"
"She has no shame!" A rescued woman called out, pointing accusingly to her from the door. "She's part of them! A spy! Come to infiltrate the only safe place we have now!"
"Hear, hear!" another man stepped forward, this time from within the once giddy hall, shaking his fist.
While the argument commenced intensely throughout the room, Soler felt an abrupt presence wash over him like a mountainous wave, sucking him under as thoughts of the orphanage and the caretakers returned to him... He was abandoned, unwanted, and left on the steps of their humble institution. Before, he had always thought of Luna's village but now... Memories just gushed over his senses, leaving him in a darkened place with his mind. He felt strangely null here, and that was comforting for the time being.
The caretakers always assured him he was meant for big things, wonderful and amazing things that were left to be uncovered when he was older. The younger kids hid behind him from the older, more ruthless children and he would take beatings on their behalf, then get scolded for the fighting by the caretakers. Still... he never once questioned it. While the other children sobbed over the loss of parents, or the missing of family, he never had such emotions... but he was always curious. 'Maybe someday, I'll find them.' he thought to himself, countless times before his powers started to turn dangerous, and he left the orphanage with one goal in mind: To master them.
He explored and helped people when he could as a nomad until Luna's village... a real home. The only thing that consumed his thoughts beforehand,... before Sally saved him from himself.
But with this woman's appearance, nothing but the orphanage's memories came to mind. All those young souls praying for their mothers and fathers to return... while Soler feared the powers he was beginning to manifest.
"Well, this party was a bust." A sarcastic voice rang through the hall as everyone turned to the familiar silhouette of three, spiked quills off to the side... "Come on! Where's the merriment?"
Sonic The Hedgehog had finally returned, and with him, many of the Freedom Fighters. Shard looked cautiously around him, then dashed over to stop people who had started brawling in their wild emotions.
"We come back to celebrate and tell of our spoils, and look! Others are spoiling it for us!" Shard kid, separating the fighting individuals by flying halfway across the room with his jetpack-like engine.
Sally was still unsure of where to even begin to describe to Sonic and Shard what had occurred, and looking at Soler's expression... she definitely knew he was in no state to respond.
"We'll continue this later." She instructed, looking to others behind her. "Get everyone to bed. Nicole will run a scan on the woman. We'll investigate her later, as well. Make sure everyone has what they need today."
"Woah, so serious." Sonic raised an eyebrow, cocking his head to the side. "You getting enough R&R lately, Sal?" He looked to Soler, as if accusing him of something.
"Sonic," Sally scolded, placing a foot forward as he smiled and held up his hands in a fake surrender.
"Right, right. Take care of things." He winked in a friendly manner, but nothing that would be seen as romantic. That ship had long left the harbor and sank, "Knuckles?"
Knuckles nodded, pointing swiftly to Rotor and Tails. To Rotor, he gestured to Shard trying to calm down the brawling, and to Tails, the woman clinging as though in a dream to Soler.
They nodded, then split up into teams as Tails calmly gestured for the woman in rags to come with him.
"N-no, I must speak with you more." She resisted, struggling a bit and moving back towards Sally and Soler. Sally flinched back, but noticed as she tried to move Soler, that he was like frozen stone... His feet planted firmly to the ground.
"This isn't the time." Sally stood in front of him, hoping this wasn't another trigger moment like with Luna... "You stated a warning to us, for that, we'll give you the benefit of the doubt." She looked to Tails, "For now." she nodded to him.
There was something awful about how this made her feel. When, at last, she thought Soler's only troubles were his natural tendency to go solo when he needed to stay with the team, but now...
Tails heard the urgency and command in her tone, so he nodded back and continued to help the woman begin to move away and out the doors. Slightly dragging her, she wouldn't remove her eyes from Soler... so much emotion in those eyes... like marbles with galaxies of knowledge hidden inside of them... they held Soler suspended.
"You don't understand!" She once again fought, but Tails was soon helped by more of her pursuers, wanting justice for not catching her in the first place. She had many arms grabbing and looping around her, and in a mournful cry, she reached for Soler. "They could track you through your transmissions!"
Soler immediately reached out, so quickly in fact, that only Sonic could see his reflex was powered by chaos energy. He sparked the ground just lightly and Sonic watched with a little bit of surprise.
"...Well, that's interesting." Sonic narrowed his eyes on it as it was all done in a blink of an eye. He wondered how Soler was able to do such a fleet so fast, "Almost looked involuntary for the guy..." he pondered out loud, "Friction? Perhaps?" but followed up by walking over to Sally. "Lots of things I should know about?" He actually was resisting the urge to try and make static with his own feet moving that fast, but held it in. Time for fun later, right now, the Freedom Fighters needed him.
"Most definitely." she sighed, "Soler-" trying to get him back on their side, she began to move towards him like the leader of the Freedom Fighters, not a girlfriend.
She touched his arm, "Whatever this woman is or isn't... we need to discuss the matter more fully later." she squeezed lightly on his arm.
She lightly moved her hand down to then grasp his trembling hand, feeling a little electrical zap from it, but figured it was from her fingers gliding over his fur.
However, Soler's hand felt the woman's, her fingers curling around his own and then clinging as though for life to his own, outstretched mercy. In that moment, he knew... he knew with certainty that she was someone in need. Someone he needed to help.
"Set off the alarms." he finally spoke, but it was more like a breathy whisper.
"What?" Sally gently moved closer, leaning her ear towards him, but keeping her eyes on his ghostly white countenance.
Two different forces of pressure. One gentle, in one hand... the other in great need, unable to loosen their powerful grip, not even by one bit. Was all hope truly lost for this woman? Was she that desperate for him..?
"...We've been breached." he finally admitted to himself, not just about New Mobotroplis, but within his own being as well.
Suddenly, Sally's eyes widened, realizing that if this older woman could get in so easily then...
Why hadn't the alarms gone off?
She looked to the woman, "How did you get in here without setting off the defenses?"
The woman's eyes began to tear up, blinking fast as she gritted her teeth and kept her hold on Soler, not responding to anything. Her mouth trembled in her quiet crying...
Sally immediately held herself up, a princess with a job to do, and headed straight out the door. Picking up Nicole's computer, she flipped it open, just like the old days. It was an ancient device at this point, but a good communicator, nonetheless. "Nicole, this is Sally. We've been breached!"
It wasn't long until Sally was able to set up an interview with the woman, claiming to be Sophia Stratus. The interrogation room was mostly a one-way mirror like in any police station, but this time, the room was more like a small living space than just a empty feel with one table and two chairs.
"So let me get this straight..." Sally rubbed her hands through her silk-thin hair, having it flow by her shoulders in her exhaustion from pulling an all-nighter and now working into the afternoon. She was mostly slouched on the table, trying to get answers but too exhausted to record them. Instead, Soler was in charge of writing what she said down, and it was some pretty disturbing stuff about the mercenaries. Still,... why wasn't Sally asking the real question that she knew he wanted to know?
Sally had some paper with notes scribbled onto it, seeing that indeed, Nicole had run a few blood sample tests and the woman did appear to be Soler's mother. She purposefully didn't question that, and continued to avoid the topic. "You're an arranged marriage that went horribly wrong, and now you're trying to make things right?" she seemed incredulous at that statement. "Why now? Why not run away beforehand if this is all really true?"
She hadn't told Soler... that this was, in fact, his mother.
How could she? This woman may use that as leverage for something.
How would the mercenaries know about Soler and even accurately identify his mother? Besides the looks and blood tests, it's unlikely they'd go to that extreme.
But she was keeping it an option, nonetheless, for Soler's sake. She'd seen crazier anomalies in the past...
But this one was highly unexpected.
"You seem more than a friend." Sophia pointed out, "But I'm glad he has someone to guide him..."
She saw the look of tenderness in the mother's eyes, but also of hurt, and shook off the spooky feeling. She knew Soler was listening, and didn't want to give him any more reason to freeze up. He didn't deserve this, who did? Finding out your family is some-kind of sick breeding nest for evil? She kept her thoughts to herself, maybe she was losing grip of her true nature due to her fatigue?
She couldn't be affected by this woman, no matter what she said or did, for Soler's sake... Everything she was doing was for Soler and for New Mobotroplis.
"You warned us before that it isn't safe here? Could you elaborate on that." She knew they were being recorded too, and adjusted the mic towards her. Soler wrote some more notes down but soon tossed the paper to the side and intently listened in, growing more and more frustrated that Sally wasn't asking her directly about her statement claiming to be his mother. His hands spread out on the table as his nose was inches away from the viewing, one-way mirror.
'Sal...' he bit on his teeth, grinding them slightly. 'Why are you avoiding it..?'
"We're just trying to learn the truth." Sally put her hands together, seeing the woman look off from her and stare at a painting of the sky, brimming with green rolling hills littered with feathered, hair-like grass and ferns beneath it.
"I'd only risk death by fleeing if it meant keeping my hidden son safe." Her voice seemed older now, as though aging rapidly now that she was finally out of that abusive situation. She finally looked to Sally, acknowledging her hesitancy in not asking about it beforehand. "If you don't mind, I'd like to tell my child personally... why his life has been the way it has."
Sally looked down at the paper, flipping it over to cover it's specific details of truth and shook her head. "I don't think that's best." There was already enough on their plates as was. It may seem crucial now, but everyone's safety was greater than that.
She blew out from her mouth after stating that, leaning up a bit to carry on with her conversation, trying to fight the her weariness.
She hoped Soler felt the same... And that he'd do the right thing.
But then, a large bashing crashed through the room as the door was swung open, and Soler stepped inside the interrogation room.
"Soler-!" Sally's chair scooted back, seeing him barge in and not even look at her, but fold his arms. He held himself higher, as though trying to desperately seem alright, and moved by her to the woman. "You can't just-!" Sally continued to protest but he simply didn't listen.
"I'm here. So, go on." Soler stated quite forwardly, as though not leaving room for Sally to object any further.
Heartbroken by him once again disobeying direct orders, she sighed and sat down. He was already here, but his emotions were rampant. She didn't know if she could trust him to think of everyone's safety over his own curiosity, but she also knew it must be challenging. She did know it was his mother... so maybe that instinctual knowledge was driving him to behave this way... even though she knew that he was aware of how much she wanted him to remain in control over himself.
It just wasn't possible for a situation like this...
There was a moment of thought between everyone, as though silence in the world was like a cacophony of words left in the mind.
After a moment, Sophia finally had the strength to speak up, and took each word carefully, speaking slowly.
"What is the earliest memory you can recall?" Sophia Stratus stated, "I would like a decent starting point."
"Nothing you would know." He coldly stated, and Sally placed a gentle hand on his arm. He took a deep breath, "First, let's see if you know where you left me."
"The Sun-Side Orphanage. Though it's name changed after the war." She explained without hesitation. "You left, like I hoped you would. But I had prayed you'd see better days... away from this mess." She looked solemnly down to the ground, "I had to leave you... Could you imagine what would have happened if he made you like-" she cut herself off, as though being cut physically with a knife, and turned away. "I'm sorry..."
As she collected herself, she closed her eyes, "My first son... Shay Stratus... was such a sweet boy." she began, "But when his chaos abilities began to formulate into wonderful displays of art and beauty,... my husband tortured him, beat him down until Shay turned his gift into a monstrous weapon..." she could see the shadow of her son rise in her eyes, and burning flames conquering up the rest of the spaces in her mind... "He can no longer go back... to gentle tea time moments with his mother..."
She took a deep breath, opening her eyes to see Sally and Soler looking entranced at her words, "...I couldn't let that same fate... no matter how hard I tried to preserve my first son... befall my secret blessing." she once again covered her eyes in the darkness behind her eyelids, as though transporting to another place in reality.
"I ran in the night..." A young woman's eyes opened, a seamless transition that burst through the curtains of her eyes, as though a memory lost long ago. A hidden tragedy... but that lead to such hope.
"I held you tightly in my arms... and hoped the ever-free skies would connect us again, linking us through the never-ending circle that created the orb upon which we reside..." The younger Sophia, showing now that she was once beautiful, and her colors radiant... placed the baby in a hurried haste down on the porch, before about to take off. "But then I noticed... how similarly our quills were." The wind blew harshly, and as she covered her face, the bundle of cloth that swaddled the baby suddenly blew off, revealing his crying face. "I had been so distressed... since last feeding you, I had barely checked to truly see what you looked like... worried I would find his face in yours... I was brought to my knees at the sight... of those ever-free blue streaks of sky still reigning in your appearance... and that your blood may one day defeat the sinister, underling devil of the blood you were mixed with." Seeing the boy's face, the mother fell to her knees and wept silently, about to grab the boy. "But it was not meant to be..." She paused and flinched at the click of a door, staring wide-eyed as someone was coming out. "Fate would not let me turn back on my decision... and for that, I am grateful. For my temptation, at first seeing you, my son... was too great a trial to have gone uninterrupted."
The woman fled into the snow, hiding as best she could as she dug herself into the cold. Soler was picked up by some nurses and monks, who looked around to see who had left the baby there.
"We've got another one, Misses!" A man cried out, smiling gleefully at the little boy. "A munchkin, indeed, he is! He's as white as the winter that brought him, and as blue streaked like the tears that forged him!" He billowed a laugh, as though so used to this scenario that it wasn't sad anymore. "Oh? Lookie 'ere. Soler... What a name! A fine name! Think we'll keep this one?" He turned back to enter the door, "Soler... yeah, let's keep it. It's got a destiny to it, me finks." the man disappeared through the door as the women all crowded to see the new arrival, and as the child's cries shredded through the blistering cold, the door was finally shut to everything now...
But awakened one last hope in the young woman's bawling, brokenhearted eyes.
Sophia opened her now stained, red eyes as though feeling that cold alive again. Those harsh, but true words resounded in every bone, forcing those fading cries through the night into a great sense of empathy.
And thusly, Soler and Sally too had glossy eyes, feeling each hit that her words gave them, and remaining in reverent, sorrowful silence.
"Shay is stronger, due to his years of experience over you, my son." It was the sentence that broke the tension, but there was still a thick mist of deception around Sally. Could she really believe this story? It struck her heart, but what if it was fabricated by the mercenaries? Blood doesn't lie... but still. She wouldn't falter her resolve to learn everything first, then provide the trust later. However,... her true nature wanted to comfort the woman... "But if even a little of that power resides in you, you must use it to defend mobian lives... that shade of blue you wear." Sophia gestured to her own, looking finally into Soler's eyes, but weakly so, as if the emotions were too great to bear again. "Is what will stop the Stratus's from their murders and secret combinations of the infernal pit!" she pat out the words, as though hatred had singed her motherly love into burnt coal. "Stratus... that accursed word... meaning to send a continuous streak of horizontal grey against the ever-free skies... blocking out freedom. The blue color that symbolizes the blood of a free man, and the value upon which good, harmony, and peace live upon... the air is free, the clouds steal from the seas... the skies are open, but the clouds are clever blankets of pure white that shield such a view... making it seem an illusion that there is something greater beyond them... that it's somehow out of reach." She opened her hands up, "When really... we are all apart of the sky... it only ends at the ground." she took a deep breath, as if sucking in more freedom to remain courageous and steadfast in telling them the information. To her, it was vital to keep going, though it was like watching a woman tear herself apart trying to speak such hidden truths she had kept silent for so many years...
Sally finally turned to Soler, and noticed the ghostly expression, as though his soul was hovering on every word, and his mind carried in her visions she described.
"That freedom has always been a value of mine... and I'm glad to see it carried in you." She nodded to him, but he was already so deep in her world, he felt like he was transported and hovering upon the skies she described... "Until it was compromised... when I learned that Conor Stratus was no man of value or worth, but one of deception and ruthlessness... Now my skies have been grey, with never-ending... torturous memories of snow... and the rainstorms your father has kept me trapped in... for so... so long."
She looked truly weighed down by her life's sorrows, but a strong, subtle strength remained present in her nobility too. "It broke me to leave you there... but I vowed to never let my values be compromised again. Nor will I allow him to find you. That was the strength that drove me to finally take my leave, and risk everything, Miss Acorn. The strength that pulled me out of my wet self-pity, and into the sun of a brighter morning to come." She wiped her tears and stood up, which in return, made Sally stand up with her... almost as if a reflex of her princess-training years... this woman... was acting like a dethroned queen.
"You are not Conor's son." she boldly stated, as though giving Soler a knightly honor to uphold. She ignored Sally a moment, who refused to leave the situation, and kept watching Soler as he seemed strangely influenced immensely by her words. Sally had already come to her senses, her suspicions reactivated again as she saw the hypnotizing trance this woman had on Soler, and looked to her with narrowed eyes now... "You are mine,... and as such, I beg of you to uphold your truth! Save them all, please... and blow harshly against the grey lining of the clouds that dare to blur the skyward eyes... that search for a world without tyranny... or malice!" she hissed the last words out, and then felt herself overwhelmed as she sat back down, clutching her heart.
Nicole's voice immediately set in as the woman gripped the desk and fell over, "Sally! Her heart-! She's-! It's a heart attack!"
Almost stuck in spot, Sally's sudden feeling of being tricked dissipated in disbelief of what Nicole had stated. Was it jealousy? But rapidly now, Sally's compassion flooded her senses and she wanted to believe what was really happening, but did that mean those emotions from before that she bore were that great? How could that be? Could her want to protect Soler cloud her tenderness for poor, elderly woman?
Soler fell to his knees, grabbing the woman and pulling her to him. That value had been instilled in him at such a young age... he never thought he could actually be born with that. That he could have inherited it... from his... "Mother..?" he breathed out, unable to form the words due to their unnatural tendency to be spoken.
His mother was breathing with great gasps, her face looking pulled back as though being tugged by an invisible force as she shook slightly and struggled to remain in the moment, "I.. thought I'd... never see you again... I didn't know.. I still had... tears... left to sh-e-e-e-ed." The attack began to make her shake more violently than before, her eyes rolling.
Soler looked to Sally with tears, and she knew he believed her... but she still hesitated.
"Nicole, send in medical aid!" she called out, before turning to him. Bending down to his level, she went to reach a hand to his shoulder. "Soler..." but he scooped Sophia up in his arms and moved passed her, seeing her not move in time to help her and instead, reach for him. It was impulsive anger that spiked in him. He'd have to ask her later, why she was being so distant from a woman who clearly was in need.
"Help! I need a medic!" he cried out, as Sally reached and stroked a bit of his back and quills as he bulldozed out of the room. Longing to explain herself... knowing... he saw her lose this battle...
She looked at the paper on the table.
"But maybe not the war." she knew there was only one other person that could confirm such a tale and prove that Sally's suspicions were justified to some degree, and one who knew Soler's silent tears beyond her own knowledge. "I need a Shadow in the snow..."
Thinking it a possible ruse, though knowing the blood-test was still accurate, Sally still couldn't throw off the feeling of a planted spy or disrupter. "Am I being silly? Overthinking it all?" She bit her nails, speaking to Shadow through Nicole's signals. She was worried about what Sophia said before, in fact, everything she had said. But the part about the mercenaries possibly tracking their calls? She couldn't take the risk...
Still, a part of her wanted to believe her. However, she had to be absolutely certain that Soler's mother was on their side, like her words and story suggested...
"...You're doing this behind Soler's back?" Shadow seemed to be amused at that. "Then yes, you're too dead set on this being his evil mother who's come to finish the job and thereby somehow disrupting his purpose in life. You need to stop his possible father and brother from needlessly destroying freedom for gain, that's the ultimate takeaway from all this. It doesn't matter whether he believes it's his missing link to his family or not... all that should matter to you, right now, is the safety of your people and stopping Eggman's forces from staging another attack on New Mobotroplis."
His words made sense, but she didn't think it right to just abandon the dilemma now.
"It... It is his family." she finally admitted, both to Shadow and to herself, "But he's already so far gone... he doesn't follow orders and I'm worried that if his mother asks him to do something, he would..." Would his loyalty so quickly change?
"Then this is about control?" Shadow's voice seemed to rise in accusation against Sally. "They're apart of the abductions. I've found out where they are... and they're moving quickly like a swarm of ants... I think this activity could be directly from this Sophia's escape... If that helps you to trust her, maybe it's enough to take her at face-value... for now." Shadow warned.
Sally felt the sting of his words but nodded, "Maybe it is my pride." she tried to confess, "But I'm also just so worried about him being manipulated..."
"Soler has always felt two values in his life... protecting those who can't, and mastering his abilities to defeat those that have wronged him. He has already completed the latter... but he'll never fully be satisfied with the first. If this mother-figure is triggering his first and foremost value, then it's possible she could control him over you."
"So then I'm not crazy and an overly protective girlfriend?" Sally seemed to be showing her feminine anxiety, and Shadow sighed loudly into the mic at it. It was like a funny reminder for her to stay—professionally—the Princess. "Right, sorry. I'll try and... not power-struggle too much with her. I just want Soler to be alright." she turned tender towards the end, and Shadow conceded that that was enough.
"You have every right to be worried about him... after all, you were the one that helped his fears in resolving his second value... you helping him through this... this behavior of yours is very much what I'd expect of you. If you love him as much as you seem too." He gave her a slight pick-me-up and she smiled fondly in recognition of it.
"Thank you, Shadow..." she lightly stated.
"It's not wrong of you to concern yourself in his life, but perhaps making him apart of his own life's concerns with you wouldn't be a bad idea, either... this isn't just your battle to fight. Soler is emotionally reckless..." he seemed to say that last line with the same disappointment a loving mentor would, "But that is exactly why he needs you to stabilize him. Don't call again." With that usual 'anti-social' and 'anti-hero' persona that Sally has come to love in Shadow, he hung up on her and she knew he was done talking about emotions for one day.
"Guess I'm not on my own after all." She held the phone, knowing she needed to tell Soler the truth. With a heavy heart, she texted him the truth, and said she needed to attend defenses since the mercenaries were moving and they needed to save the other hostages...
When Soler received the text, he was laying in his room, having been told to take a day off; which he found hard to enjoy. After reading it, he felt his soul quake with a slight bit of anger that Sally didn't speak with him personally.
'Why didn't she tell me herself!? I know she's busy, but...' he got up and rubbed his eyes from having stared at the ceiling in thought for so many hours... Now, the woman he had met really was his mother, and Sally had texted the document of their DNA test to prove it. Nicole had even stated some interesting facts about his mother's blood, but he wasn't going to pour through it yet. He wasn't ready, though acceptance was coming...
"Sally..." He smushed his fingers around his face, just disgruntled. "Saallllyyy..!" he fell back onto his firm bed, tossing a bit as he just wanted to see her, talk to her about all this.
It was hard... but he knew what everyone was trying to do, and it was less about him than those suffering people who desperately needed help.
The Freedom Fighters weren't going to stand for Eggman and his mercenary recruits, no one was going to be robotized today.
However...
Why did she hesitate to help Sophia? She would only call her Mrs. Stratus too... Why did she want to be so unemotional towards her?
That part did bother him... how overly cautious Sally seemed to be around her.
He sighed, turning over in his bed to slightly curl up, putting his hands behind his head as he did so, "Whatever..." he was too tired to do anything about it now. He was also emotionally drained, though it seemed Sophia would make it, she was also in recovery.
He would have to wait till later to resolve this matter... and get more intel on what his mother wanted him to do about his... father and misguided brother.
Like a line in a slave-train, the prisoners marched. Mercenaries were covered in shadows from the clouds that blocked out the sun and the lightning that slashed the sky in a sound like the whips on the prisoners backs. They drove them on, before each one was thrown or forced with a heavy push into Eggman's machines that robotized them and put them headfirst into the army.
The landscape was barren and like the dunes of nothingness. Lead into steel domes and then hauled through contraption that would close rapidly and zap a few times, then rise up to reveal the new Eggman Empire robot solider.
"Quite a loyal regiment." Shay smirked, seeing the process unfold. "You'd never need to recruit again, father." He looked beside him, a very broad shouldered man who glared with little emotion down at the screaming and terrified hostages.
"Is this all of them?" Conor stated, bluntly.
"Ouch, you make it sound like it's easy to pluck ants from the ground." Shay pinched his fingers together to demonstrate. "We're getting there."
"We should have been there." Conor began to walk on, and blowing a raspberry behind him was a frustrated Shay.
"I do this for no pay, and now, no respect too?" he complained.
His father growled over his shoulder, "Watch your tongue."
"And bite it till it bleeds?" Shay grinned, teasingly. "Honestly, you make it sound like I'm not even trying to please you."
"Because you're not. You're sadistic. You purposefully take no pay because you know you'll inherit the clan the moment you turn the appropriate age." Conor looked on, "If I had a few more sons like you, I wouldn't even need to take jobs like this..." he put his hands in his large cloak's pockets. "But for some reason... your mother..." he then stopped a moment and looked around.
"...Where is your mother?"
"Already hungry for something you've been dry of for years?" Shay mocked.
"...No, she turned dry." Without so much as remorse, he said that as though she was useless to him now. "But where is she?" he tried to mentally remember the last time he saw her. "Something's not right..." he walked bristly towards the camera room, looking at the plant. He touched the leafs... no one had watered it for a while...
"Dry..." he hissed out, "Your mother has finally signed her death wish." he took a bit of a breath, as though knowing this would happen, but not thinking she'd have the guts to actually go through with it. "You have a new job now,... Son."
"Pfft, so depressing." Shay stretched out, "I'll bring her back."
"No..." Conor closed his eyes, before walking back over to the cameras, "This seems to be more than that..."
Shay looked confused for a moment, before his eyes widened and he looked surprised towards his father. "Really? You think the wells done for?"
"I don't need a well." He typed in the last thing she must have saw before deciding to flee, and then... saw Soler. "Ah... I knew that blue looked familiar..." He zoomed in, "It looks just like her..."
"How... can that be?" Shay pulled on his own quills, "He looks different than me..."
"Not by much. He's the splitting image of your mother." Conor smiled, "She's led us straight to him..."
"Straight to..?" Shay still seemed on a different page, but Conor just turned his massive form towards him.
"A heed of warning... I believe your mother hasn't always been dry... perhaps I had mistakenly taken my eye off of her for too long..." He fiddled with a knife by his side. "Take care of it. Retrieve your... 'beloved' mother." Conor took the knife out and stabbed the screen where the son he never knew he had resided... Then tossed it to Shay, who let it drop on the ground, staring at it with a bit of a narrowed look. "That chaos energy should have been mine..." he hit the control panel with all his brute strength, his fangs crunching against his other teeth in his anger.
"...I have a little brother?" Shay began to connect the dots, looking at the Chaos Spears and then Soler's white and blue quills... He then looked to the knife, in curiosity... putting new points together... "All... apart of the dirty work... I suppose." He looked down, as though feeling betrayed as well, and turned towards the door. "But what if she's told the Freedom Fighters? She's already 'increased' their odds..." he gripped his hand before having a flourishing flick of it, acting more sinister in what he was about to do.
The father said nothing, and Shay just pulled on his gloves, making sure they were tight in their resolve. An order is an order... after all. He tsk'ed, "Just another day then, eh, dad?"
Conor slammed his fists to the control panel again, denting it , clearly wanting to have another unit with chaos energy with him.
Shay rolled his eyes, "Never enough for you, is it?" and began to walk on out... laughing as his evil grew...
Rouge watched from above, then signaled to Espio, who quickly moved to alert Shadow... moving invisibly, he only appeared to whisper into Shadow's ear, who was wearing a garb to keep the dusty dirt that flew in the barren wind out of his face.
They were a while away from the camp, but Shadow's eyes widened in distress, and quickly pulled out Nicole. "Alert them. There going to move, and fast."
Back in New Mobotroplis
Shadow had finally returned to the Freedom Fighter's Headquarters, upset by the distressful scene he, Espio, and Rouge had all witnessed. They didn't wait for backup, and did save a few hundred people or so before arriving back in New Mobotroplis... but to reverse the effects of robotization was still a feat that everyone was working on.
Sally, exhausted from not getting any sleep, moved over to Shadow like a zombie as she placed her hand on his shoulder, her eyes barely open. "Good work out there, Shadow... I should check on Soler... could you lead the research community for now?"
"Have you not slept since-!?" He was bewildered by her state, and with everything happening, he wasn't in the mood to loosen-up on her. He took a breath and lowered his angled arms which had been raised in his aggressive state, "No excuses. You should rest. Let him stay close to the action." he folded his arms, as though not willing to hear her fight back on this one.
"B-but-" she began, looking like she could collapse forward any minute as he helped her steady herself.
"What did I just-?" he sighed, "Trust that Soler is smarter than that." Whatever her concern was, he already knew.
She nodded, chuckling lightly, "You really believe that he won't... be manipulated? She's his mother, Shadow... I'm just constantly worried. We don't know her. I've only seen two sides of her, scared and... strangely regal." she stood straight again as Shadow seemed to ignore the fluff of the information and turn her towards the living spaces where the rooms were located.
"I hope I do." he stated, "And no matter who she is... he's known us the longest. You have to trust your heart over your blood, sometimes." Shadow seemed to be speaking from his own experiences, and watched her begin to move towards the living quarters. He wouldn't take his sights off of her until he knew she was safely inside, in case she got any ideas. She did turn around to look over her shoulder at him, but he just folded his arms and glared heavily towards her in a deep, authoritative frown. She now knew what Soler must have felt...
Squinting at the light, Sally finally gave in and opened the door to the building.
"...Honestly, you worry me more." Shadow watched her a second longer before turning to the rescued hostages and helping pass out water and collect further information. It was difficult, they all asked about family and friends, describing them as Shadow fought hard to not remember any particular faces or features. He simply passed out the water, and didn't say any comforting words. Rouge and Espio were slightly different in their approach though, but looked to Shadow in understanding.
Everyone knew he felt the most about it, but would be the last to say anything. To Shadow, actions spoke louder than words... and they only were able to save the few lucky ones they smuggled out or rescued along the way.
Sally was comforted... having someone admit she needed to rest made it more easier for her to accept having to go to sleep, so it wasn't surprising when she dropped on the couch by the entrance and fell into a light sleep. As she did so, Soler was dreaming himself, recalling a moment in the orphanage where the children were bullying one another.
In his sleep, he tossed, "No... leave them alone..." He turned again, "Stop it... You..." as he flinched, he suddenly rose up from the bed in a shaken state, "I won't see them fall!" he breathed heavily, unsure why he was sweating so much, but moved the bed-sheets and rubbed his face again.
"Ugh... a night terror? Haven't had those in a while..." He wasn't used to such vivid dreaming for quite some time, remembering getting beaten-down and standing right back up again, so the older kids didn't bully the younger, more weaker ones. "Bad dream..." he shook his head,... having seen the younger children all fall to the ground by the cruel, unfeeling punches of those who had no other means to vent their uncontrolled and uncomforted emotions. But then... he remembered the last thing he was thinking about before falling asleep.
"Sally... Soph-" he stopped himself, "My... mother?" He looked back at the communication device, feeling strange again, and looking downhearted.
"No, I have to see her." He made his decision, and got up. Fixing his shoes on tightly, he adjusted his quills into place from the bed-hair with all the tossing and turning he had done and headed out the door.
Walking to the living space, he immediately saw Sally's red hair and froze, amazed to see her so quickly. "Sal?" He walked quietly over and noticed her sound asleep.
Her eyes blinked a moment, and he remained still.
She slowly... fell back asleep, and he gently stroked her cheek and lowered himself down to her. "How long... have you been here?"
She blinked her eyes lazily open, weak with fatigue, and he narrowed his eyes.
He picked her up without another word, taking her back to an opened room and set her down, tucking her in, and kissing her forehead. Closing the door, he knew he must have missed a lot that was going on. He had so many questions for her... so much he wasn't aware of. But that would have to wait.
Still, he knew there was one woman who would have some answers...
More than he bargained for...
Heading to Sophia Stratus's interrogation room with purpose, he didn't even noticed Shadow hide himself and begin to watch him... closely...
For Sally's concerns and Soler's well-being, he just wanted to observe how their relationship really was developing. Was Sally's concerns justified? He had no reason to believe they weren't, but wondered if Soler was truly being aware of the influence this woman was supposedly having on him.
'I taught him better than that,' Shadow gritted his teeth, 'He better not disappoint me... or the princess.'
Sopia was sitting on the couch, having eaten only a little bit of the nicely made food provided for her. She wished there was a window... but instead, fixed her sights on the painting's lush colors and vivid depiction of a meadow and brilliant sky, feasting on the feeling it gave to her. It had been so long since she had seen the real sky, but even looking at it through a painting was somewhat comforting. Still, she knew she wasn't safe, and wouldn't be until Conor and her son's mercenaries were finally put to an end. Eggman already was a lot to take for the world, and now them?
When Soler opened the door after the green light turned red, showing that the door was unlocked, she took another cleansing breath and sat up straighter.
'No going back,' she told herself, 'You must address this. Head-on. He may dislike it, but he must know the significance of defeating his father... and possibly saving his brother...' she looked down, as though in her heart she worried her eldest son was now beyond saving...
Soler had always felt like his nature started in the orphanage... but seeing the look of fear and love in her eyes... he was conflicted now.
"I... wanted to talk to you." He slowly moved himself to the table, sitting down.
As he put his hands together, trying to do something hard, Sophia patted the couch a little ways away from her, as though encouraging him to come closer. She scooted over to make him more comfortable, giving him some space.
He looked at the space a moment, but conceded to the notion.
So many thoughts raced through his head, as though he was trying to form a script of all the questions he wanted to ask her, but they were coming off too direct in his mind, and he wanted to be gentler.
It was so hard. This was hard.
He felt like his whole body had bricks and weights on him. Every time he moved closer to her, every step was like a crumbling bit off the stone. Jagged in his movements, he was awkward as he tried to be formal and polite, but clearly was holding back every bit of him that wanted to know more, to be sure.
He cleared his throat and sat down, taking a glance at her and noticing once again the similar features, and then looked away again. "In the orphanage... I mean, I should start with, I had a dream about the orphanage." He seemed nervous, "You know," His famous tell came out, and she tilted her head to listen intently. "I was always sticking up for the weaker kids, I didn't care if I got beaten up for them. I grew tough, and I never regretted the orphanage, just how awful people can be to each other." He spoke a lot with his hands, maybe trying to lessen the nerves as his whole being tremored like earthquakes at random intervals.
She saw his shaky hands and looked away, trying to figure out how to break the awkward tension in the air.
He didn't need to ask her for proof, or tell her he knew she was telling the truth. It wasn't relevant. She already knew that and he didn't want to come off making her believe that he doubted her. Even if everyone seemed to... he just was incredulous at the shock of it all. He hadn't made a decision, per-say... but now it was official.
What would she do? What would she want of him? Of anybody?
Maybe this was the same feeling Sally had, and he had to accept that her caution was out of love, too.
Sophia listened gently, before looking off with another soft sigh. "As a young girl, far into my youth, I would stand up for my sisters constantly." she looked back at the painting. "Many offers for their hands came through the pipeline to my father, but he was a very political man... only certain suitors could qualify. Sadly, these suitors were not anything we could have desired." She removed some of her raggedy brown cloak, bunched at her neck, to reveal some awful scars. "I couldn't watch them suffer." she admitted, then covered herself up again. "I haven't had that strength to stand up to others in years... but when I saw you, I had life again, and..." She turned towards him, but worried she was coming off too strong, she adjusted herself away again. "Sorry..."
She had stood up for Shay countless times while he was still young, but after getting beaten down so many times, she couldn't fight anymore. The little boy willingly went after a time, and he never shed further tears for her. He had become harden and stiff, and she feared to ever admit that she had lost her darling eldest son. But she didn't want that for Soler, and knew in her heart that she could still prevent this tragedy.
It gave her strength to keep going, to keep having this conversation.
Soler immediately got up and embraced her. "I said the same thing." he admitted, and though it took all his emotional strength to do so, he also couldn't bare to hear that she suffered.
Although Soler was uncomfortable, giving her this bit of reassurance that she wouldn't be abused anymore was still apart of him. He could feel it... His origin's pieces, half of them lied with her, and he wanted more than anything to learn more and also accept the good that he gained from her.
But what of his other blood..? His powers... what did he truly inherit from his mother? And what... was the rest?
He had always wondered about his unknown abilities and powers, looking at his hands from behind her back, peering over her shoulder. Was he really... the horrible monster he always thought could possibly be there? Or was he the angel of the ever-free skies..? Was it possible that he could choose?
The closeness was soon interrupted, lightly returned by the mother, but didn't feel right when Sally suddenly burst through the door. Her hair a mess, her eyes blackened underneath, and clearly distressed.
She scanned a moment and slowly softened her accusing eyes, looking full of betrayal to now one of understanding. She sighed, trying to lighten her fears, "What did she tell you?" she asked, looking exhausted still.
It was clear she was upset that Soler had disregarded her fears, but as he moved away from his mother, looking towards her, he also wanted to comfort her. "S-Sal..."
He was finding himself torn between a mother figure and a companion...
He looked between the two girls, and Sally was hurt by the struggle it seemed to be. She felt she was his family,... maybe Shadow was right?
Shadow had seen Soler speak with his mother in secret, and went to find Sally. He felt the closeness wasn't a bad thing, but maybe not alone in case the woman really was affiliated still with the cold-hearted mercenaries. His prejudice did him in, and he ended up leaving halfway through observing them to retrieve Sally, siding slightly with her fears. He also didn't understand fully the dynamic of what it must feel like to have a parent, especially being on one's own for so long, so partially his was his ignorance to that emotional pull that also moved him to act as he did. He had only had Maria... and that was that.
Shadow wouldn't put it passed the mercenaries to scheme up something like this, even if it was Soler's biological mother. He had seen where half his blood came from and rejected it's evil, and now it seemed, Soler would have to do the same. Soler could have been a planted pawn this whole time... though it seemed unlikely, Shadow worried the mother could be conditioning him to be as such.
Soler looked beyond Sally, seeing some curious eyes peek in of other Freedom Fighters, having seen Sally and Shadow talking before her bolting towards the interrogation facility. Not liking how everyone was so against her, he narrowed his eyes in authority, "Hey!" they all jumped except Sally at the door. "Get my mother some food and water." he then got up briskly and took Sally's arm, tugging her out with him, "We need to talk." he gave her a serious expression, and humbly realizing her error, she nodded and submitted to his anger.
"You have every right to be upset." she began, "But I do too." she pulled the arm away from him as he remained facing away from her.
He bundled his fists, "She's my mother... why didn't you tell me in person?"
She opened her mouth to speak but withdrew instead, holding back what she really wanted to explain, but felt it was pitiful.
Sophia stayed in her new trap, a lot nicer than where she used to live. She placed her hands elegantly to her lap and sighed. She knew she wasn't trusted, and seeing a figure in the shadows with red eyes... she also knew she was being carefully watched.
She was in the right, so she had nothing to fear from these people... but it was those who did wrong that truly terrified her.
What if they come for them..? Hurry their preparations knowing she would tell their enemies everything?
She remained still and silent, her breath catching on the fear of that irreversible travesty.
Sally's hand clung to her arm in defeat, "Shadow agrees with me... that sometimes, you let your emotions cloud your judgement."
Soler turned around, "Does she seem like a ruthless killer to you!?"
The door was slightly shut, but not locked. Sophia looked to it, slightly listening in on the muffled conversation, but unable to make most of the words out.
"How do you know that she's not just pretending!? Using this to lure the Freedom Fighter's into an elaborate trap!?" She swung her once held back arm out towards where Sophia's interrogation room was. "Is her name even Sophia!? Was she bought out to lie about this?! We can always put it passed Eggman to come up with something like this, but mercenaries are an enigma. We know they'll take innocent lives to Eggman's robotization machines for power and greed, what makes you think they wouldn't devise something like this!?"
"It's too-" Soler began,
"Unethical?" She had a point, "Soler, it may be complexed, but so are our lives!"
"I just... I can't see that in her." He looked away, "I can't see her not being my mother, in both heart and blood."
Sally looked concerned.
Sensing that, he spoke up again to reassure her, "Look..." He put his hands on her arms, gently bringing her closer. "Nothing will replace what I have here, with you, in the Freedom Fighters. But I can see the missing puzzle pieces in her, Sally. I can see where I got some of me from."
"But you develop on your own course, Soler." She placed her hands up by his shoulders, wanting desperately to embrace him and not fight anymore, but as a leader... she needed to be fierce. "You can't grow too close to her... not until we gain more information and learn to trust that what she says and demonstrates to us is factual and true."
He sighed, disappointed, but knew in his mind that was the right thing to do. His heart ached, but he nodded to her logic. "Okay... I'll try and not see her without supervision."
She smiled, "Thank you. Just be-"
"More cautious?" He smirked, trying to lighten the mood.
"You really do have a wonderful smile." she giggled, and he took that as an invite to hug her.
They held one another for a good, long, solid minute. There was so much healing in that embrace as Sally whispered 'Sorry' a few more times, and Soler gently stroked her back and also admitted he was in the wrong too.
"I won't act on my own again... not without you." All his tender love poured out into that sweet sentence, taking her in and not wanting to let her go. He wanted her apart of this, not against it, but knew now that it was out of love. He had felt her doubt, even in himself, he just chose to accept it... which may take more convincing for Sally, but it was all with good intent.
"You can, but... maybe talk it over with me, once in a while." She was in a much better mood, hearing him say such kind things. Considering it wasn't just him going through this odd, new experience... She wanted to be there for him too. "I want to be apart of your troubles... Soler."
"But you're already apart of my happiness," Soler moved his head a little aways to look directly in her eyes, their foreheads touching in a longing moment. "Those two don't always collide..."
"You saying I take your troubles away?" She stated, amused, but he lightly touched his nose to hers and closed his eyes.
"That's exactly what I'm saying..." his voice turned into a breathy confession, and she moved slowly up to kiss him... but then a large alarm sounded out and Nicole's voice echoed in terror over the speakers.
"Fighters! Enemy has infiltrated the city walls! It's heading straight for us!"
Screams and cries from frightened civilians and rescued victims sounded out in an array of chaos.
Looking to each other and then racing out, the two forgot to lock Sophia's door...
It swung slightly, and Sophia watched it with real intent.
Now was her moment... to try one last time.
Chaos energy shot up the walls of a building like lighting embedded into it's structure before the entire thing burst once it reached the top. Shay walked through their defenses like a battering ram, though he seemed to have barely made a sweat.
"Oh, mother?" he spoke very casually, then flicked his hand towards another building. "Are you hiding in here..?" the lightning chaos effect traveled up the building, and as he crushed his fist, it exploded once again and he moved on. "Well, we were hoping to knock a little later... but seeing as things are, you playing hide and seek with my mother and all, now seems to be as good a time as any!" he called out with a cruel glee, creepy in how his satisfaction seemed to skyrocket once seeing Sally and Soler rush out into the open before him.
"Ah, my unknown brother... and the Princess? Isn't this charming... a real family and enemy reunion." he bowed slightly, in a showy fashion that would have mimicked Scourge in an awful sense. "Does dear mother love you more than me? Is that why she left me to come see you?"
"Brother?" Soler shook off the comment, "You're hurting people! That's enough for me to take you on!" He was about to step forward.
"No!" Sophia quickly dashed out, spreading her arms to stop him and hold him back. Her eyes were glossy with tears, she knew this would happen. She looked up at the sky, hoping to avoid this day as much as possible, and taking in the beautiful outdoors again.
Freedom... she had freedom for a split second, and she wanted to make the most of it... do the right thing with it... since a long, long time.
Soler and Sally were amazed to see her out of her room, but Shay only gleefully exclaimed a loud cry of surprise and relief, but it sounded completely faked.
Looking back down at the ground, Sophia had to tighten the resolve around her heart, and without looking to them, she spoke in a much more lowered and solemn tone. "I'm glad you've found someone to be there for you, son... He's lucky to have you, Princess." she blinked her eyes to push back the tears and turned in her noble way towards Shay.
"Shay..." she spoke as though pleading for his humanity.
"Dearest mother..." he spread his arms out, as if welcoming her back...
But his smirk showed his true motive, and Sophia had to be brave... "I won't stand to see you make them suffer."
Something once again triggered in Soler, he felt his whole being resound with that.
"I won't let them fall to your chaotic rampage. You find solace in other's suffering simply because there was no one to protect you from it... no matter how hard I tried." She looked truly pained to admit her weakness.
He rolled his eyes, "Still living in the past, mother?"
"The ever-free skies still cover the earth with a never-ending blue!" she pointed to the sky, "I wear that color in my blood and upon me! It will forever be woven in my DNA, and it is apart of you too, Shay..." she gestured to her blue streaks, then to him, "You can still change, Shay... you can choose to be something you truly are! Not what your father has made of you!"
He watched her a moment, a still look but his smirk dampened to a smile... and his arms lowered to his side.
He shook his head, "Shame," He seemed to have thought about it, but not very much. He flicked his head back to crack his neck, as though relaxing from that declaration... which he took as her breaking ties with their mercenaries pack. "Why would I disinherit all that father has left me? Such a pity... I did enjoy our little tea parties..." he then fired out a chaos attack that Soler had never seen before. The lightning that shot from his hands looked like randomly zig-zagging Chaos Spears but with trails of visible light and power shooting behind them.
Sophia stood her ground, for if she moved, Soler and Sally would be in the line of fire from the spider-webbing chaos attack.
The lightning chaos power suddenly pierced around her, upon the ground, flashing out of existence... Did he purposefully not hit her? Miss and just do it to threaten?
All at once, there was a momentary lull as he held his hand up, seeming to pause only for a second. Then, he closed his fist and the ground beneath her blasted and shot her up into the air.
Soler watched the particles of earth spray up around her as she was flung up, her back arching, her air coming out in a large exhale. "Haooh...!"
She fell hard back to the ground with the earth crumbling over her after her...
"Nooo..!" Soler dashed towards her, it was all so fast, he barely saw the attack.
Shay swayed his hand down, massaging it, "Ohh... I actually wanted to disintegrate the ground, but I figured... saving my power to destroy my secret brother... your precious son, would be more rewarding." he gripped his fists again, his smile like a devious demon as he waited to see if Soler would retaliate. "What's wrong, little brother? What did she call you anyway..?"
Soler held Sophia up to his shoulder, but it was clear she was knocked out pretty badly...
Besides maybe some broken bones, she did still appear to be breathing...
Sally turned to the others, "We can't fight a power like that without the Chaos Emeralds... Where's Sonic, Shadow, and Silver?" She saw Shadow appear, but couldn't find Sonic, no matter how many times she looked around. Seeing Shadow's face then, focusing on it, she knew what that meant... "Don't tell me..."
"He's gone off with Tails and Knuckles again... I hear they're going to rescue the others." He shook his head. "Sorry, while you were busy, a lot happened..." he glared at Shay Stratus, "I've seen him and his father, during the spy operations. He's a murderer as much as his father!" he took off one of his limiters, twisting it to click with light but Soler held up his hand behind him.
"No!" He got up, gently placing his mother down and looking slightly over his shoulder, "Shadow,... Sally... get my mother somewhere safe."
"Pfft! Arrogant child!" Shay bent down, as though readying to attack again, his hands crackling with lightning spears... "She's my mother!"
"Soler, don't! He's too powerful!" Sally had noticed the buildings, the unusual use of chaos power... "We don't know what we're up against! Especially you!"
"He's tiers above you, Soler! He's the mercenary leader's second in command and heir. Of course he'd want you dead!" Shadow made an outstanding point, but Soler was too far into his emotions to care.
With Soler out of the picture, it would be Shay that inherited the ruthless clan... perhaps that's why Shay didn't seem to be after killing his mother, but mostly, in getting rid of unnecessary competition...
"You hurt her... how does that make you more entitled to call her mother than me?" He lowered his head, his anger growing. "I just got her... and I don't know her very well,... but that doesn't mean I can't cherish her as a mother!" his whole being rose into the first level of Chaos Break. "She cared about freedom just as much as I do... maybe you never realized... but she was protecting you in her own way as well! When she failed... that's why she turned to extreme measures for me. She had already bonded and loved you... she couldn't bare to part with you, but she could with me!" Soler spiked his power, hunching down, concentrating his power to his hands and feeling the swarm of infinity fill his bones. Something new broke out just then, a secondary power he barely even recognized, something inbetween that was fueling him to the next level... Chaos Surge. "I don't know her like you do..! But I feel like I've been apart of her my whole life!" His eyes were white, as though becoming animalistic for a moment, his hands pierced like claws more than hands in gesture and movement within his speech. "I won't let you destroy the family I've found, either! And that now includes her, too!" he felt himself reach an ultimate, risky limit... Chaos Synergy... he hadn't felt this way in a long time...
"Heh, pathetic." Shay swished out his wrist again, and was suddenly already at Chaos Syngery levels, and Soler could feel it.
His eyes widened and shrank, shaking in disbelief. "Wha... T-that's not possible..." He was struggling so hard to keep this form, but this-... no, his older brother, was able to just flick his hand and reach it instantly without so much as a build up.
"How did you do that?"
Shay laughed, looking up to the skies his mother once pointed at and holding a finger up to it. "You weren't planning on trying to use something I haven't seen before, were you? There's really no way anyone on this planet can defeat me." a spike of lightning rained down upon his finger, and he slowly lifted his other hand towards Soler.
Everyone was in a panic, never having seen such powers before, and rushing to escape the battle.
The Lightning randomly would strike the ground, causing havoc as buildings burst into flames, people were thrown in the impacts, and many couldn't find a suitable shelter.
"Stop it!" Soler channeled everything he had... "I may not have your power... but mine is my own! It's the power... no, the judgement of the ever-free skies!" he held his palm up to the sky as Shay's cocky attitude suddenly turned serious.
His eyes showed the aura that was forming around Soler, "Is that... Dad's..?" he wondered, but then his eyes looked a little more surprised. "It can't be..."
"CHAOOOSSSS PUNISHMENT!" Soler threw his hand down, and from Shay's hand the lightning disappeared and shot like woven designs around the suddenly bright and white sky.
"AHHHH!" Soler's whole body seemed to spark with chaos power as Shadow pulled Sally back, his whole being losing some control over himself as he became pretty instinctual.
"Get down!" Shadow warned, guarding her as he had never seen Soler at this level before.
From the skies, bolts of Chaos Speared Lightning shot down, similar to Shay's attack but on a whole another level, overwhelming the area as Shay looked around at the randomly spiking spears of lightning.
He dodged pretty well, but was actually forced to pay attention now. 'He stole my own chaos force and sucked it into the sky... how was he able to control it?! Even Chaos Synergy can't handle that much chaos!' Shay looked a little unnerved, but not by much. 'I was born with a limit... but what if mother's ability..?' he looked back to see Soler had sped through the rain of lightning, and his whole body looked engulfed with an array of bolts sparking out of him.
"...You are my brother..." Shay admitted, as Soler slammed a fist into his chest.
Shay was shot back by thousands upon thousands of chaos lightning spikes, but what he wasn't expecting was that the sky took it's whole reservoir of chaos power and converged their many different lines of lightning all to slowly move and bundle together into one giant lightning bolt. He was flung outside the city walls... With a cascade of blazing white chaos energy.
It slowly dwindled and the clouds began to disperse, as though a lull after a storm...
Soler breathed heavily, skidding to stop his super speed, giving Sally and Shadow a thumbs up, before he suddenly collapsed.
Shay tossed ash and fallen trees off of himself, getting up and panting as his fur seemed a little singed, but he was fine. He dusted himself off, "That's... not very good." He brushed his quills back. "Ha... I can't let dad know his potential. I'll talk him off as a lesser chaos wielder. Wouldn't want him taking my reign from me." He beamed as though the war had just began. "Still, I can't come back empty-handed..." He looked to see people fleeing the city, and smirked. "How about a present for Eggman..? A bigger army..."
He walked, menacingly, towards the fleeing citizens...
He knew he dealt with his mother, she wouldn't recover from that for a while... so why not have some fun and let the little brother think he'd actually done something..? Then he'll be surprised when he comes back...
Not holding back...
Soler woke up with a blink that hurt his eyes. The lights were right upon him, and the hospital didn't seem to smell all that great either.
He slowly got up, feeling the wear and tear on his body before moving the covers and rubbing his face again, "I... Did I win?" He didn't think it would be over that quickly, but he also felt like he was about to throw up.
He fled to the bathroom and vomited, his body unable to handle so much pressure.
He knew he threw himself into the fray, even taking his brother's power at one point, but it was too much to handle and he couldn't concentrate it all into an epicenter at his opponent till much later.
He had shot chaos out of him to make room to harness so much, but it still pained him. He had thought he had learned everything about his powers and abilities,... but there was clearly steps only the adversary knew...
His family... his enemies...
he shook his head, "They're not..." He held in another ill feeling, "family..." he tried to get up, cleaning himself up before remembering his mother.
"Where..?" suddenly his mind raced to Luna... then to the village... "No..." He thought of the people screaming, the fires... then the lightning shooting up the buildings, blasting his mother, what had happened...
"Sally..!" he tried to get his feet under him and move as quickly as possible, dodging and forcing himself to ram against walls since he couldn't jump over the gurneys or other medical supplies the nurses and doctors were pulling down the halls.
Many cried out when they saw him, some mistaking his speed for Sonic's or Shadow's, before faltering as he came up to the desk, gripping it to stay upright.
On the way to it, he stumbled and saw Bunny for a quick moment beside Anton, but continued on.
He felt like a child, trying to keep himself balanced enough to remain straight, "So... Sophia... Sally... Where?"
"P-Princess Sally is unharmed, she isn't here." The poor secretary stood straight up upon seeing him, "S-sir, you need to go back to your room..."
"Not without... ugh... seeing my mother." Soler was struggling, sinking down and falling from the desk, gripping it with his last strength by his fingers.
He was about to lose hope, about to slip off the counter and probably be wheeled away again when a pair of familiar hands grabbed his.
"He's with me." Shadow hoisted his arm over his shoulder, helping him to stand.
"T-...Thank you, Shadow..." Soler weakly stated, as Shadow shook his head.
"By this time, you've thanked me more than I care to keep track of." He headed towards Sophia's room, "Sally's already here, she just came in."
"She is..?" It was surprising to hear, but walking into the room, he saw Sally holding Sophia's hand by the hospital bed, and then looking over to smile gently to Soler.
"She wanted to see her." Shadow whispered quietly as an aside, but didn't move his head to Soler, hoping he heard without Sally picking up on their conversation.
"She'll be in critical recovery for a while... she's malnourished and clearly weak, but she's got a high likelihood of making it." Sally gave him that hope, that was enough to sustain him for now. She probably didn't hear Shadow, but that was the least of his worries right now.
"And... umm..." He couldn't remember the other man's name, "What about my brother?"
"Shay Stratus," Shadow began, "Which... is your last name, apparently."
"I don't think I'll take it." Soler pushed off of Shadow's arm lightly, trying to get his barrings and reaching for Sally. She got up instinctively and helped him to sit next to her, gently placing him to rest and get on the bed to sit in front of her and beside his mother.
"You don't have to worry about your brother." Shadow showed his wrist, his limiters off. "I've dealt with him. He was still alive and well, kicking back by trying to capture some fleeing citizens. We've detained him... but..." Shadow revealed that his back had been scarred and torn up. "He's a lot to handle, I think you drained most of him..."
Soler gasped slightly, "But... your healing abilities..."
"Aren't kicking in like they should." Shadow admitted, then took a deep breath, "I was trying to get out when I saw you barely able to stand at the counter," He folded his arms, "Sally apparently had me stationed here." He glared at her, and she just shook her head, defiantly.
"You were injured. Both of you need to learn to rest more."
"...Conor... w-won't... rest."
The three all suddenly turned to Sophia, who was weakly coming too.
She reached her hand out, patting it gently by the bed as Soler took it.
"S-Shay..?" Her eyes looked hazy, as though she couldn't really see through them at the moment.
"...Still bad." Soler stated, "But at least we've... somewhat, got him." Soler looked to Shadow, but Shadow would be fine, showing that by rotating his shoulders back and standing up straighter. "Just worried about you, is all."
She smiled weakly, breathing irregularly as Sally got up and adjusted the medication. "She really needs rest..." Sally urged, trying to have Soler understand that he needed to coax her back into sleep.
"I knew... this day... would come." She weakly spoke, barely lifting her eyes as she tried to breathe better.
"This isn't the day you die." Sally comforted, then looked to Soler with narrowed eyes, as though encouraging him to give her some hope to keep fighting.
Soler nodded, bending down by his mother's side and placing both hands around her own, frail one. "I just met you... but I feel I've always known you... because a huge part of you... is also in me, too." Soler finally felt comfortable with this, and continued, "I vow, mother... On the ever-free skies... on your behalf... I'll make sure to never forget the fight for freedom. That it's within liberty of the all-encompassing, continuous stretch of blue that gives everyone that right. I will fight against the grey cloud of tyranny, whether that be by the Eggman Empire or through my father and brother..." He looked down, squinting his eyes as he wondered if his father was the one possessed with chaos energy, and if so, he was certainly going to be a hard fight... "I won't let you down."
Slowly blinking her eyes, it was clear the medicine was kicking in for Sophia Stratus. She nodded twice, and then her head fell back and she was out like a light.
"...Mom?" Soler leaned forward, but Sally placed a hand on his shoulder, comforting him that she was alright.
"See that?" She pointed to the heart monitor, "She's a strong woman, though she doesn't appear to be so now, she's a lot like you." Sally grinned at the thought, but Shadow only tsk'd.
"Stubborn and full of emotions." Shadow shook his head, but Soler only smiled to his mentor.
"I thought that stubbornness was from you, good to know it's more than that." he joked, "More so hereditary."
"It's still me." Shadow returned the humor, which surprised Sally and Soler, who suddenly lightly shared a moment of laughter.
Even Shadow... smiled.
Within prison though, Sonic seemed to badger and hound on Shay...
He walked with a playful bounce in his step, "Looks who's on the other end now, eh?" He had previously just freed many held hostages, and was in the mood to pick a fight. He lifted his leg and put his hands on his hips, swinging the leg to the side and bouncing again, "Sucks when your freedom is taking away, ain't it?"
Shay just sat in the back, his head down and covered in shadows, leisurely sitting with that creepy smile of his.
He began to slowly laugh, and wouldn't respond right away.
"Bring me my dear brother... and my mother, if she's still alive." He tilted his head up, showing his eyes full of chaos energy, blinding the room in light before it faded from his eyes... his aura spiked increasingly and Sonic stopped joking... watching in all seriousness. "I'll be happy to chat, but under those conditions... This cell is rather lonely, might as well have some entertainment to pass the time." He laughed manically and held up his hand, having stored chaos energy after Shadow's fight with him and lightning shot from his hands, forcing Sonic to back away as the bars got charged with it's powers.
The room exploded as Sonic took off to avoid the explosion, "He doesn't like playing nice or fairly, but that doesn't mean he needs to act all high and mighty about it." He sped back, mostly talking to himself, and noticed the cell still remained.
"Tsk," Shay grimaced, seeming disappointed. "You have the means to stop chaos?"
"We have this room super-juiced with Chaos Emeralds," He adjusted his gloves, and kicked away some rubble. "You're not leaving that cell..."
"Chaos... Emeralds?" Shay's eyes widened, as though knowing something...
Sonic didn't know...
"Interesting... hahaha!"
Sonic just watched... frowning and narrowing his eyes. His frown carried to the side of his muzzle, and he rolled his eyes, "Why do I always end up with the weirdos who are losing their minds?"
He walked out as Shay continued to laugh and store chaos within himself... now having an idea...
