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His eyes ached. The laptop’s brightness seared into his retinas. It showed him a map of the world dyed in scarlet, proof of Eggman’s domination. Mountains, rivers, capitals, towns, they all belonged to the mad doctor, and as Silver clicked on location after location, the sight of Eggman’s robotic masses greeted him.
He snorted and raked his fingers through his quills. No matter how many people he saved, Eggman devastated hundreds more. The world balanced precariously on a thin beam, threatening to topple into Eggman’s grasp if the Resistance’s losing streak continued. Without Sonic assisting them, Silver feared the worst outcome. If the Resistance failed, then the repercussions would spread on to his future two centuries beyond their time.
An endless, robotic dystopia awaited him. The survivors obeyed and worshipped Eggman like a god. Robots reigned supreme, disallowing any sign of fauna or foliage. Gray, muted landscapes, skies blotted out by smoke and flames, and the maniacal cackling of a madman lingered in his ears, booming through loudspeakers spread across the globe, they all waited for Silver’s return.
He rubbed his eyes and sighed. The laptop Tails had left them couldn’t find any sign of the Chaos Emeralds. The treacherous thought that Eggman had collected them crossed his mind, but he dispelled it with a shake of his head. Eggman’s newest power supply seemed more prominent than the Chaos Emeralds, but still, if they somehow secured them, then he could tap into his super form and perhaps deal a deadly blow to Eggman’s forces.
“Mr. Silver?”
The meek voice cut through his plotting. Silver’s shoulders hitched, and a quiet gasp escaped him. He spun around on his stool, catching the edge of the laminate countertop to steady himself.
His gaze fell on none other than Cream, the youngest member of the Resistance. Although her mother forbade her from attending missions, which was a sentiment agreed with by many soldiers, Cream was a valuable resource for morale. The positive attitude she brought with her shined in the Resistance. Even the surliest of men couldn’t resist cracking a smile when she skipped through the infirmary with freshly baked sugar cookies she had made with her mother.
Silver cleared his throat. “Oh, hi, Cream,” he said with a short wave. He grinned at Cheese, who floated behind her head. “And you, too, Cheese. How are you?”
“We’re fine, Mr. Silver.” She fiddled with the ribbon in front of her dress. “I’m sorry to bother you. I know you’re very busy, but is it alright if I ask you a question?”
“Of course. Beats staring at a computer screen for hours,” he joked, earning a giggle in return from the rabbit.
She rocked on her heels, wrapping her arms behind her back. “I was thinking about this for some time now. I know you’re from the future, so my question is about that,” she explained, and she glanced at Cheese, who gently clung to one of her long ears. “Mr. Silver, do Chao exist in your future?”
Silver’s smile froze on his face. The air stalled in his chest, causing his lungs to ache. He stared at her with wide, unfocused eyes. Her beige and soft orange colors blended, blurring Cream’s visage as she waited patiently for an answer, but his tongue was tied, and his heart leaped into his throat, blocking what he wanted to say.
The truth would have crushed her, but he didn’t know how to create a suitable lie. He raised his finger, heaving out a haggard breath. Cream continued gazing at him with eyes that sparkled much too brightly under the dim, fluorescent lighting, and a profound sensation of loss washed over him.
“Well, you see, uh, Cream-” Silver gestured vaguely with his hands, flapping them almost like a bird’s wings. “-sometimes, yeah, they are, I think.”
She tilted her head, her ears swaying to the side. “‘Sometimes?’”
“Yes, um, when things are good in the future, there is an abundance of Chao. They have gardens kind of like the one in Station Square and that other one in the Mystic Ruins.” He grimaced as Cream’s face fell, somberness etching into her features. “Uh, we’ll get them back, by the way! Saving those places is on our to-do list. We just need some time to plan, and um, we’ll-”
He heard someone cough behind him. He quickly twisted his head over his shoulder, relief embracing him as Amy narrowed her eyes on him. The corner of his mouth raised as he quickly greeted her, and he scooted off the stool to let Amy return to her seat.
Amy glanced at Silver out of the corner of her eye, humming loudly behind pursed lips. He knew she had overheard him rambling, and embarrassment colored his face cherry red. She pressed her hands on her knees and leaned towards Cream, her irritation swapping for kindness in a heartbeat. “What Silver is trying to say is that when we beat Eggman, then the Chao will return in his future, and they’ll be okay,” she said, and Silver sighed, wiping sweat off his brow.
Cream brightened, Cheese chirping above her head in delight. She raised her fists to her chin, leaning forward on the tips of her toes to Silver. “Is that right, Mr. Silver?” she exclaimed, and Amy shot Silver a pointed look.
“Yes!” he blurted, nodding like a bobblehead. “That’s exactly right. The Chao will come back after we defeat Eggman in the present. Classic time travel stuff, y’know?”
“That’s wonderful!” She clapped her hands together. “I hope we can end this terrible war soon, and then, you can play with the Chao again.”
Silver grinned and thanked Cream. He watched her prance over to her mother when she called her from the corridor. As the double doors shut behind Cream, Silver sighed and leaned into the counter, quietly dragging his hand down his face.
Amy patted his shoulder, a sympathetic smile spreading on her lips. “Let me guess. The truth isn’t exactly like that, is it?”
“Depends on what we do here,” Silver muttered, keeping his eyes glued to the cracks in the floor. “If we win, they return. If we lose, well, you know the drill by now, Amy.”
Amy rubbed his back, the humming of the laptop filling the silence between them. He leaned into her touch, grateful for her, but as he ruminated, he realized he couldn’t remember the last time he had seen a Chao in his world.