Chapter 8
The next morning everyone woke up on time, except Rouge and Ralda. They were up at noon and were very green. “ Look’s like we can’t go today…” Emerald muttered sadly. Blaze was bored now and Knuckles shrugged and went back to sleep.
“Hhh…. Need…..aspirin…” Ralda muttered who was just feeling the early effects of a powerful hangover. “ Just as well anyway,” Blaze said talking to Emerald. “ We need someone who can sneak past the guards….no one in here can do that…” Emerald though for a moment and knew just who she could recruit….though it may be a challenge…
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“ So, let me get this straight…” Ruby the cat muttered. “ You want me to help you guys sneak into the emperor’s base and help you steal this emerald?” Emerald nodded.
Ruby had been her friend for as long as she could remember and knew she would accept, but she was fickle. She is a cat after all. She was a very strong fighter and had a keen sense of sight and smell. She would be a huge help.
Ruby flashed her claws and scratched her chin. “ I suppose I will help…You are my pal….” Emerald smiled. She knew that Ruby’s claws were sharp enough to cut through the robot’s steel and she also knew that she was quiet enough to fool Blaze, as you will see later.
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When Ruby and Emerald arrived at Ralda’s house, Everyone was watching TV. Ruby sighed and sat next to Blaze. “ So,” Blaze said without turning his head from the TV “ You are the huge help eh?” Ruby smiled and nodded. “ I must be popular already….”
“ Don’t get cocky..” He said dully “It will be a little tougher then you can imagine…”
“ Tougher Eh?” Emerald interrupted “ You obviously have not heard of the infamous Ruby then have you?” Blaze looked over to Ruby who flashed her claws. “ I may not look it, but I can take you down.”
“Bite me..” Blaze muttered returning to the TV. Ruby slashed the side of his face and small trickles of blood fell. He wiped them away with a scowl. “ I don’t bite….” She said while she laughed. Everyone joined in. “I scratch…”
She did not get anymore lip from Blaze even though he kept looking at her and growled. She would only smile and give a fake meow, that only made him look away. “OH!” Ralda said when she saw Blaze’s face. She had immediately scooped him up and pushed him into the bathroom to be doctored.
Emerald stood by the door watching as Blaze screamed in pain from the peroxide. “ HEY!” He protested, kicking like a little boy. “ I don’t need your help.” Emerald looked at Ralda’s eyes.
She knew her sister well enough to know what she was thinking of. She looked at him with interest and concern. To win her concern or interest was no easy task. When she finally let him return to the living room she sighed and leaned against the door with her arms crossed.
“ Hey Ralda!” Emerald shouted from behind her. Ralda lost her posture and nearly fell over. “ Whoa! Don’t ever surprise me like that!” Emerald grabbed her arm and lead her into her bed room. “ What is this all about?” Ralda asked as Emerald closed and locked the door.
“ You like him….don’t you?” Ralda blushed a little and looked away. “ Oh my God! You do don’t you?!” “ What’s it to you? Don’t you think your big sister can take care of herself?” Emerald shook her head.
“ You know that I know that. I just know that he is not interested in such things…”
Ralda stood up. “ Well, you have to admit, he is kind of… what’s the word?…Cute.”
Emerald blushed. She never had these kinds of talks. She felt tears fall down her cheeks and she looked her sister in the eyes. “ You are all I have left…I just don’t want you to get hurt…” Ralda wrapped her little sister in an embrace and spoke softly now.
“ I won’t let him hurt me… I can handle him..” Emerald sniffled. “ I love you sis’.” Ralda gave her a small squeeze. “ I love you too kid.” They stood in that position and did not move for a long time
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“Come in!” Robotnik said as Shadow entered the room. “ You are just in time
to see the fools arrive!”
Shadow stood next to Robotnik and smiled. “ So, you stole their emerald….but
tell me…what is this ‘miracle’ that is supposed to happen when you have
gathered all of the chaos emeralds?”
Robotnik smiled. He anticipated this
question. “Well, when all of the emeralds are united, they combine their
energy. As you already know, the emeralds rotate around an object with a
larger mass. So, if all the emeralds are rotating around you, they fuse you
with their power… it makes the being powerful and nearly invincible. Sonic
calls it….” He sneered as if he smelled something awful. “ ‘Super’.”
Shadow sneered even more then Robotnik. “ ‘Super’ Eh? Obviously a pun…heh
super sonic…. Yes an obvious pun…” Shadow found himself a clean spot on the
floor and sat cross-legged. “ So….when will they arrive?”
Robotnik chuckled and turned to the security screen. “ All in good time
Shadow, all in good time.”
---
Ruby stretched lazily on the couch. It would be a good long time until they were going to leave…she knew she could take a rest. Blaze felt the bandages where the two slashes had been and scowled. “ You know how much this hurts?” He asked her in anger. Ruby shrugged. “I don’t know…never been scratched before…”
Knuckles stirred. He had finally awaken. “ Whoa! How long was I
out?” Blaze looked at the clock and sighed. “About three hours..” Knuckles
looked around franticly. “Where is Emerald?” Not five seconds after he said
this Emerald and Ralda emerged. Emerald sat next to Knuckles and gave him a
playful shove. “So, are you finally up you big goof?” Knuckles smiled
sheepishly. “It is hard to protect the emerald for so long without taking a
break…”
They continued talking as Ralda sat next to Blaze who looked away. “ Thank
you….for everything…” He murmured. Ralda grinned. “ So, there is a sensitive
side to you after all…”
“ I know how you feel…” He said so quietly that she had to lean forward just
to hear him.
“ I am going to tell you now, before it gets too complicated. I don’t care
for you the way you feel for me…I know this is hard for you to understand….I
have many problems these days and I don’t need such a heavy burden….I am
sorry.”
Blaze swallowed hard and continued. “I do not want to take care of you and
myself….I do not want you killed over me. I hope you understand” Ralda
nodded and kept quiet. She had a lump in her throat and she felt like crying
inside, but she swallowed it down and spoke. “I know you feel like everyone
hates you…I know you also feel like I will give up on you just because you
told me to. I am fickle and hard headed. I will love you until the end of
days if need be. Just because you do not care for me does not mean that it
is over. I will care for you and help you in every which way I can
regardless of the results. That, Blaze, is what love is all about.”
Blaze felt like crying now. He hung his head and covered it with the dark hood. Ralda understood and went to her room. Ruby sighed and stepped onto the front porch and looked at the stars. “ Poor creature.” She said. She had cat ears and heard the entire conversation. “ I hate what Blaze is doing to her…” She murmured. The rest of the night was filled with depression and dread as it dragged on to the big day.
Onward to... Chapter 9
Retreat to... Chapter
7
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