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I never thought I’d wanna come back.
I tried returning home, after escapin’ from prison… All I was faced with was a blank world, devoid of color and sound as everything slowly faded away.
Next, I tried goin’ to Mobius Prime, but… Somethin’ went wrong. I’m not exactly sure what, but…
I know one thing for sure. This isn’ the Mobius Prime I remember.
I’m not sure where I am, to be honest. All I know, or at least, all I think, is that I’m safe, for now.
Safety ain’t a luxury I had, back in The Yard. Back then, it was like a free-for-all. Every man, woman, and manchild for themselves. Power was weird, back in The Yard. Seemed like it was a life’s work, just to gain some respect to the boys back there, but, ironically, those at the top were often punished the worst out of any of us. I learned that the hard way.
But now… I’m free. Even saying that word, knowing it’s true, feels fake. Am I really supposed to believe I got out? That I’m free? Gaia, I have no idea how long I spent in there. Two months? Two years? Hell, someone coulda told me it was a decade, and I woulda believed ‘em.
And yet, despite not entirely believin’ it, I know it to be true. It has to be. Otherwise, I’d still be gettin’ bullied and called horrible shit on the daily. And, well, so far, that hasn’ really happened. As a matter o’ fact, not much of anything has been said at all.
This place, in a word, is quiet. Makes sense, too- Some random sage’s house in the middle of nowhere? Only natural it’d be silent as death ‘round here.
It is kinda nice, though… All this nature, no signs of neighbors or nothin’. It’s private- Another luxury The Yard would’ve laughed at you for dreamin’ of. Our cells were all barred by what essentially amounted to big windows. Cameras saw every moment of our lives, waking or otherwise. Bathroom trips, fist fights, arguments, and all the other terrible, invasive shit that they caught and recorded, but kept to themselves. No lawyers or courts to speak of- Once you got admitted to The Yard, you were there for life, unless you found a way out, like I did.
Heh… It’s weird, though. As I sit at a small table inside a quaint cabin, I can’t help but think I don’t deserve this.
After all, what the hell have I done to earn somethin’ so nice? ‘Course, I won’t say no to it, but it’s just… It’s odd, really. In times past, I woulda had to fight tooth and nail against a whole council or a board of human resources (which was, ironically, monstrous in their practices) to get somethin’ this nice, but… I’m here. No stipulations, no payments, no debts, no nothin’… I’m here.
It’s even weirder, too, because I know I’m not alone. I know there’s probably some old man livin’ here with a couple trainees, but, somehow, even knowing that, this place feels… Well, not like home, that place is gone, but… Comfortable.
I’ve been somewhere like this before. Maybe it’s the scent of pumpkin pie or the faint musk of sweat in the air? Then again, it could be the rickety rocking chair I’ve propped myself onto, not too close but also not overly far from the fireplace, which is currently a pathetically smoldering pile of sticks, barely hanging onto itself. It’s kinda sad, honestly. Reminds me of… Ugh. No. Not right now. Not again.
It’s the sound of creaking that first alerts me I’m not alone, quickly followed by a cane thumping on the carefully crafted wooden floors. Despite knowing for a fact I’m not alone anymore, I’m not nervous right now.
After all, clearly someone chose to give me this. I’m still not sure whether I should thank them or punch them in the face for being so nice to me. I don’t even know if they exist, but, for now, I’m going off the assumption that they do, because it’s easier to imagine than to be right, sometimes. And hell, who knows? I very well could be right. Wouldn’t be the strangest thing that’s happened to me.
A grey and white jackal hobbles into view, his walking stick clacking loudly against the floorboards as he heads towards the kitchen, shooting a furtive glance at me as he sighs.
“You’re awake, huh? About time.”
About time? How long have I been asleep? Did I miss something? As far as I know, I basically just got here. That’s not really my biggest problem right now, though. That would have to be…
“Who are you?”
The jackal pushes a button on a coffee machine, listening to its mechanical droning before turning to the mini-living room I’m sitting in, his heterochromatic eyes staring blankly at the fire.
“My name is Griffyn,” he says idly.
“You okay, dude? You seem tired.”
“I’m fine,” he says firmly, his eyes locking onto me. “I was simply lost in thought.”
…I’m not gonna push any further than this, but I’ve seen enough of that exact kind of stare from Miles to know it can’t mean anything good.
“So… Weird question, but why am I here?”
Griffyn chuckles heartily, turning back to the coffee machine as dark liquid begins pouring into a mug.
“You remind me of myself,” he says loudly over the machine’s droning. “Besides,” he continues more quietly as the last few drops drip into his cup. “What else was I supposed to do? Not take in a half-dead hedgehog, shaking in the rain?”
I don’t remember that… Did that happen? I suppose it must have, because of how he describes it, but… is that really how I got here? I thought I just… arrived. Then again, I supposedly haven’t been awake until now, so, what do I know? Still not much, apparently.
“Fair enough,” I say with a shrug. “Is there anyone else here?”
“There is,” he says with a nod. “Besides Mighty, though, neither of them get up this early.” He chuckles. “Speaking of, he should be back soon. He’s usually back before I get up, but then again we need a lot of logs for the fire.”
“When did you find me?”
The jackal sighs, taking a long sip of his coffee.
“I didn’t,” he says, setting his mug down. “Mighty did. He was late coming home during a storm two nights ago when I heard his emergency call. I ran over to see what was going on… And that’s when I saw you,” he says quietly. “You were shaking madly in a ditch, a strange aura infecting half your body. Thankfully, whatever that was seems to have gone away.”
“Well, that’s good,” I say hoarsely. “Could you tell where it came from?”
“Not really,” he says with a shrug. “It was nothing like the Phantom Ruby’s aura, so it can’t have come from that.”
I have no idea what the Phantom Ruby is, but, at this point, it’s best not to question it. Honestly, I’m more worried about whatever the hell that “infection” was, but, more than anything, I want to know who Mighty is.
I know I’ve heard the name before… I just can’t pinpoint where. Maybe if I just saw him, I’d know…
Both Griffyn and I perk up as a knock resounds through the cabin, the front door shaking as a firm fist pounds against it.
“Come in,” Griffyn shouts.
The cabin’s door creaks open, followed quickly by the red figure of a heavyset armadillo, whose footsteps thump loudly onto the floor as the door closes behind him.
“I’m here,” he says brightly, his rich voice resonating pleasantly through the cabin.
“Ah, welcome back,” Griffyn says, nodding as he takes another drink. “We were just talking about you. Did you get enough wood?”
“More than enough,” the armadillo says, wiping his brow. “It’s in the cart you gave me, so if you could help me-”
“I can help you,” I say firmly, standing up.
Griffyn scowls at me.
“You need to eat breakfast, boy.”
“And you’re walking with a cane, I don’t want to hear it,” I say pointedly. “I’ll do it.”
If only because there’s really nothing else for me to do. If I’m stuck here- which, frustratingly, it seems like I am, I might as well try and be useful. ‘Sides, it gives me a chance to put my experience from The Yard to use. Normally, I’d make the old man do it, but I’m way too curious who this is to not help. It’s not that I really want to… It’s just most convenient, right now.
“Thanks for coming out here with me,” he says idly, hefting a few logs into his arms. “I know Finn might not say it, but he appreciates this,” the armadillo strains.
“O-oh,” I say, shaking myself. “Right.”
“By the way,” he says as I siphon a couple logs into my arms. “This is a weird time to ask, but what’s your name? I found you so long ago, but, y’know…”
“Scourge,” I say with a hint of the devilish grin I used to have when saying it. The Yard may have tried, but it could never have taken the name away from me.
“I’m Mighty,” he says brightly.
I thought so. Still, even looking at him doesn’t really help. I know his name, and I know his face, but why?
Like, seriously, though, why? I can’t really fathom a good reason as I stump back into the cabin behind the armadillo in question. There was never a Mighty on Moebius, and yet, I feel like we’re old friends.
Old friends. Yeah, right. I remember who my friends were, and this guy’s way too soft to have been one of them. That’s kinda ironic, though, considering he’s, like, definitely way stronger than me. He kinda reminds me of Smalls, but if Smalls wasn’t a bully… Which kinda means they’re not remotely the same, but whatever.
Mighty… He’s not all that’s bothering me. I’ve had a strange feeling the moment I sat down in that rickety chair.
I feel like I’ve been here before. But… That’s impossible, right? I don’t really remember a place like this on Moebius, and I certainly never met a jackal quite like Griffyn, but it all feels familiar in a way that is… unsettling. I want to be comfortable here, because it doesn’t feel new, and yet, I’m a stranger. I don’t know these people.
But, just like Mighty, it feels like Griffyn’s an old friend. He fits the bill better- bitter, rough, but he’s also too soft to have been one of them. Damn it…
Why the hell do I know any of these people? Where even am I, really?
“Hey, Sonic?”
“Who told you that name?!”
I’m startled out of my stupor by a lanky, three-tailed brown fox with ring-shaped blue sunglasses and a red coat studded with gold-painted protrusions. I’ve seen this outfit before… I don’t know where, but that’s not nearly as important as the fox himself.
Out of everyone here, I’m most confident that I know him.
“M-my bad,” he stutters. It’s only just now that I’m focused on him that I notice his slightly wavering voice, an unsure tone that wants to be deep, but isn’t quite used to it. Heh… Little guy’s gettin’ up there, isn’t he? “I thought you were someone else,” he says, shaking himself. “Sorry about that. What is your name?”
I feel like I’m having deja vu. How the hell do I both recognize him, and he doesn’t know me? Damn it… This is so confusing. I need answers, but I got a funny feeling I won’t get them any time soon.
“Scourge,” I say slowly. “A-are you Miles?”
“Miles Prower,” he says with a nod. “Though,” he adds, scratching his head. “I’m also called Tails by… Some,” he says grumpily. “Honestly, I’m not sure how much I mind the name being basically retired, but that’s besides the point.”
Well… I was half right. It is Miles, but… Not the Miles I knew. Damn it… When will anything make sense?
…Maybe it won’t. Maybe I’ve just gotta accept that things are different. But still, I’ve got so many questions, and I can’t just not answer them. Ugh…
The Yard, more than anything, taught me to be patient, no matter how much I wanna die doing it in practice. I think, for the second time in my life, something is forcing me to be patient. Fine, then. I’ll bite. I’ll see where this goes, because I’m genuinely curious to know what sort of freakshow I’ve landed myself in this time, and because I want to prove that yes, Sonic the Hedgehog can be patient. If nothing else, I think my desire to prove Smalls wrong is what drives me right now. It’s kinda nice, honestly, to imagine that he knows, and that he’ll be furious. I can’t wait to go back to The Yard and rub that in his face. Assuming, y’know, The Yard still exists. Hopefully it does.
‘Sides, even all that said, even knowing that everything feels wrong, I can’t just screw off and keep to myself. That doesn’t sound like very much fun, as tempting as it is.
Ugh… This is so annoying. I really have no idea what I wanna do. I… I guess I can hang out with Mighty, see if I can find out some more stuff about him, but, other than that… I’ve got nothin’, at this point. Heh, seems fitting, doesn’t it? For me to be the king of the world, only to lose it all and be thrust into a world where I have nothing? Almost seems like karma, if I’m really to believe that’s real.
I can’t just give up and wallow in my misery, though. Being alive is fun, and if nothing else, I have people I can talk to. Hell, maybe I’ll go yell at Mighty in some neck of the woods for a while, and that’ll make me feel better. Fact is, I don’t know what I want.
What I do know, though, is that I can’t give up. My answers are out there somewhere, even if I don’t see them yet. So screw it. Even if I don’t want to, I’ll accept the team I’ve been given. If nothing else, we can work together to find my answers. Now that… That sounds fun.
“H-hey, are you okay? You seem-”
“I’m fine,” I interject, rolling my eyes. “Just thinkin’ about stuff, as always.”
Miles adjusts his glasses. Now that I think about it… Aren’t those Eggman’s? Hm. Wonder what happened to that old geezer.
“What kind of stuff?”
“None of your business,” I snap. “And, even if you think it is, it’s not important, anyways.”
Miles squints suspiciously.
“Really,” he says dryly.
“Yeah, really,” I say, crossing my arms.
Miles nods along, but he obviously doesn’t believe me. Frankly, though, I don’t care what he thinks. It’s not any of his business.
“If you say so,” he says plainly. He sighs softly, looking away from me. “This is… unrelated, but I figured you should know, since you’re here…” he picks a tablet out of his toolbelt, turning it to me as it displays a video feed of a golden orb decimating a city. “We saw this three days ago, on the news,” he says quietly, turning back to me with a hard stare. “It’s not the first time we’ve seen this, but it’s the first time it’s been recorded.” He scoffs, shaking his head as he puts the device away. “Griffyn was wondering if you knew anything,” he says flatly.
“Nothin’ more than you do,” I say frankly. “If I’m gonna be real? That kinda reminds me of a Super state, but I couldn’ tell you who that was.”
Miles nods.
“That’s what we were thinking, too, but Super states usually require the Chaos Emeralds. When we examined energy readings left behind by… whatever that is, we found traces of Chaos Energy, sure, but there’s a small issue,” he says slowly. “Being that that makes no sense,” he says, tapping his chest, where a yellow, diamond-shaped gem sat idly, powering what looked to be a support system for his back and torso. “I’m sure I don’t have to explain why this is a paradox,” he says.
“You don’t,” I confirm. “But I do have a question… How is that possible?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out,” he says. “I initially thought the beast might’ve gotten his power from the Master Emerald, but the problem with that is that Angel Island is gone. Not just the Emerald, not just the shrine, the whole damned island,” he says exasperatedly. “If I could find Knuckles, I could get some info on that, but I’ve used many radars… I’m convinced he doesn’t exist, which makes even less sense.”
“Could there be a way to store Chaos Energy?” I suggest.
“That’s my current running theory,” he says, pushing up his glasses. “It makes no sense, considering Chaos Energy is, y’know, infinite, but it’s better than just assuming the beast transformed without Chaos Energy, which would defy all known laws of the universe.”
“I got nothin’ else, little man,” I say with a shrug. “If you don’ mind, I think I’m going to be hangin’ with Mighty.”
“Not really, but I do wanna tell you this,” he says, ignoring my comment. “I measured another type of energy at the sites, the same type of energy I measured when Mighty found you. I don’t doubt it’s connected.”
“...And?”
Miles scoffs.
“Nothing. Just something to think about. If you were worried about it, I wasn’t planning on probing you or anything. You seem to be free of the energy, for now, though perhaps you may react to it oddly, having already been exposed. If you don’t mind, at some point in the future, could you indulge me by doing some tests? No pressure, of course.”
Ugh… I don’t have to, but at the same time, I can’t just ignore that smile. He may be getting into his teen years, and he’s… Not even the same one, but that smile. That damned smile… That’s Miles’ smile.
We may be a world away, at this point, probably never gonna see each other again, but nothin’ will ever stop me from recognizing my brother’s smile.
“Fine,” I say grumpily. “No guarantee that it’ll be soon, though, you got it?”
Miles nods hastily.
“Of course, of course. I completely understand. Thanks for being willing, though! This means a lot to me.”
“Sure thing, little man,” I say, somewhat dismissively. “I’ll see you around, Miles.”
“Seeya, Scourge!”
Ugh, damn it! This is not how it’s supposed to go!
I’m supposed to get what I need, and get the hell out of here!
But maybe…
No! No, I’m not even entertaining that. I’m the King, after all. One way or another, I will get that crown back. They’ll see. They’ll all see. Especially Smalls.
Heh… Take my home away from me, sure.
But they’ll never take my crown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shit…
I knew this was gonna happen. I fuckin’ knew it.
I mean, it makes sense, right?
You can only take so much beatin’, brusin’ and bashin’ before you start to not work right, right?
I guess I just figured that my aches while I was runnin’ from the Yard were a fluke, though. Guess I was wrong.
Well, now what? I’m not really in the mood to be a bum and sit in my bed all day… that just sounds kinda sad, but I prob’ly won’t be doin’ any intense stuff today.
…Of course, that does raise the question of what I’d do if I wasn’t in intense pain, and I gotta say I really don’t know. I don’t think I’d do very much then, either.
Y’know, it’s funny, but also kinda sad… Despite spending so much of my life conquering my planet and taking what was rightfully mine, I never really got much time to relax. There was always work to be done, always subjects to please, hedgehogs to fight, or some other nonsense, like buyin’ gifts for Fiona.
Fiona… I wonder where she is, now. She followed me through to this Mobius, but abandoned me soon after. Allegedly, I wasn’t “tough” enough for her, which, what the hell does that mean?? Just cause I got my shit rocked by the boys at the Yard, I wasn’t the toughest hedgehog from Moebius? I call bullshit, I think she was just fishin’ for an excuse, and y’know what, screw her!
Fiona may’ve been pretty– Way prettier than that girl Alicia– but damn she was hard to please! Always askin’ for some gift or another, like, girl, I get I’m king, but I didn’t have the money for all that!!
Ugh… Why is it that every time I think of one of my supposed friends, it’s somethin’ negative? Like, we were friends, for sure… right? Of course. I ain’t gotta question that. They loved me. Everyone does.
“You doing alright?”
It takes me a sec to look up at the speaker, which, for half a second, some fleeting and stupid moment, I thought mighta been Rotor… but it’s Mighty. Again. He’s got a tray with some snacks on his arm, which I hope are for me, otherwise I’m havin’ a strong word or ten with Griffyn.
“Not really,” I say honestly. “I’m achin’ like crazy today. I ‘spect it’s ‘cause of my time at the Yard.”
“You went to prison?”
“Somethin’ like that,” I say shortly. I don’ wanna have to talk about it too long, so hopefully my semi-dismissive tone gets my point across.
“I see. Well, if I can do anything for you, just let me know. I’m sure Griffyn won’t mind if I give you some assistance.”
That smile of his. That goddamn smile. I know it’s genuine, and that’s what gets to me. It reminds me of…
It reminds me of Sonic, more than anyone. That annoying, wide-mouthed grin. Sure it’s kind and sure he cares and all, but dude… I don’t need that sympathy. I’m the King, not a chump, and despite my current state, I’m gonna prove that.
“Who’s that snack tray for?”
“Oh, this?” He asks, gesturing to it with his free hand. Y’know, it’s only right now that I realize he probably hasn’t been wearing gloves this whole time. Guess it kinda makes sense, with how much labor he does. Gloves wouldn’t exactly help him carry stuff. “I’m actually not sure… Griffyn gave it to me this morning without explanation, so I guess for now it’s no one’s… Unless you wanted it?”
“I did,” I say ravenously.
“Sure thing,” he says, sidling over to the front of the bed, where he sets down the assorted tray of meats, vegetables I won’t eat, and fruits I somehow don’t recognize.
“Before you go, by the way,” I say as I inspect a piece of what’s… probably salami? Looks a lot nicer than I’m used to, so I can’t quite be sure. “What’s Griffyn’s deal?”
“Griffyn? He’s a veteran, I think,” Mighty says, scratching his arm. “I don’t know all that much about him, admittedly. I just know he allows us all to stay here, which is nice.”
“I guess so,” I say idly. “What about Miles?”
“I think he’s just here to be away from the big cities, which that anomaly thing seems to be targeting,” Mighty says.
Fair enough, I guess.
“Any more questions, or are you done now?” Mighty asks.
Now the grin is devilish, cocky, confident… Even more like Sonic.
“I think I’m done now,” I say grumpily. “Unless you wanted to talk to me about somethin’ else,” I suggest, “since, y’know, I don’ have anythin’ else to do today.”
“Hm…” Mighty hums, glancing towards the rest of the cabin, then back towards my pathetic, vunerable position on this very comfortable bed. “Y’know what, why not? I’ve got some time to kill.”
Oh, boy… I didn’t expect him to actually say yes. I guess this is what I asked for, just not quite what I wanted. That seems to happen to me a lot, actually.
“Go ahead, I guess,” I say flatly. “What did you wanna talk about?”
I’ve really gotten myself into a pickle now… practically paralyzed by pain, occupied by eating admittedly pretty good cold cuts on the nicest bed of my life, forced to have a conversation with a stranger, which is my fault? I can’t decide whether this or going to jail is worse…
“Gosh, I’ve never been in this situation before, um…” Mighty trails off awkwardly. “I guess, um, I should start by asking where you’re from? ‘Cause Ray and I, we’re from South Island, and we’re always looking for places to visit, hah.”
“I’m from another dimension, called Moebius,” I say. “Not a place you go on a family vacation to, and I’m not really sure it even exists, anymore.”
“It was destroyed? How?”
“No clue,” I say with a shrug. “I just know when I tried to go there after escapin’ the yard, I found nothin’.”
“That’s a shame… What was it like before that?”
“Well, it was lame as hell, for a while,” I explain, “Cause old king Acorn had it in his head he could just sit back and twiddle his thumbs and the planet would work itself out.”
“That sounds bad.”
“It was. Moebius entered a sort of stagnation, unlike anything I’ve ever seen, so I decided hell, why not take matters into my own hands?!” Now I can feel that same grin spreading on my face, but since I got, like, fangs and shit, it’s not the same. It’s sexier, for sure.
“How’d you do that?”
“I took over, of course,” I say proudly. “Crowned myself king of the world, and from that day on, the people of Moebius learned to fear my name!”
Or at least they did, up until that stupid Kintobor starting fighting back… But he doesn’t need to know all that.
“So… you were a tyrant.”
I don’t like the way he said that. That wasn’t a question. Why did he say it like that? Does he possibly disapprove? Is he not cool, like I thought?
“Some called me that,” I say with an air of casualty. “But the people– my people– saw me as what I was– a savior.”
Mighty’s gaze ever so slightly narrows, in a way I’ve seen from Sonic many, many times. I think, just maybe, he might not approve, which would suck.
“Right… so what are you doing now, exactly, without the crown?”
…I shoulda seen that coming. I did see that coming, but I wasn’t ready for it. Damn it…
“I don’t know,” I say plainly. “Ever since I got the hell outta the Yard I haven’t had a goddamn clue. I sorta thought about takin’ that crown again, but, shit, if that… that thing’s on the loose, then what’s the point?” I didn’t really wanna admit it before now, but if I want anything to go like it used to, I need to get that thing out of the way as soon as possible. “After all, no point in rulin’ when there’s nothin’ left to rule.”
“I’m sure we’ll find a way to stop that thing soon enough,” Mighty says simply. “We’ve faced threats far greater to the planet than some Chaos Energy monster, I’m sure we’ll be just fine.”
“So I can rule the world again?”
“…If you really want to, I can see what we can do,” Mighty says with a half-smile.
He’s lying to me, the bastard, I know he is. He’s way too nice to let someone, especially me, rule the entire planet.
“Tell me the truth,” I demand.
“W-what? I am telling you the truth, Scourge,” he says firmly.
“No, you’re not, dude, don’t lie to me. I can sniff your bullshit from here, what’s the deal? Why are you just goin’ along?”
Mighty blinks.
“Can you answer me something, first?”
“I mean, I guess.”
“What’s the point?”
“S-so I can be king again?? What the hell else would I want it for?”
“No no no. What’s the point?”
“Brother, I’m Scourge the Hedgehog. If I’m not on top, I’m not me. You wouldn’t get it.”
Mighty takes a steadying breath, the kind I’ve really only heard comin’ from Miles before… And it never meant anything good.
“You know what, maybe you’re right,” he says calmly. “But I can understand it’s what’s important to you, and I’m not one to deprive someone of what’s important to them.”
There’s that damned smile again. He’s still lying to me… But why? What’s all this smug aura about? Does he really think he’s, like, above me, or somethin’? ‘Cause he’s not, I know that much.
But you know, now that he mentions it… I wanna bite. I wanna see just how far he’ll go.
What kinda pers– no, what kinda freak are you, Mighty? What will you do, if you’re supposedly adamant about “pleasing” me? I know you’re probably lying, but let’s put that to the test!
“Yeah, you know what?” I say with a nasty smile. “I do have things I’d like from you, now that you mention it. If you’d be so kind, could you take this tray back to where it came from?
Mighty’s face scrunches for a moment, almost like he’s reconsidering what he said, but to my surprise, he obliges, rushing out of the room with the half-empty tray, leaving me alone with my thoughts… for now.
So, now that I’m here…
What the FUCK is going on?!
Like, seriously, what the hell?? This is so weird. The way Mighty’s acting almost feels… Patronizing, in a way? And if there’s one thing I hate more than feeling weak like I am now, it’s being patronized. I don’t care how old or wise he is, he’s not my parent, so why the hell’s he acting like one? Gaia, this is pissing me off…
“I’m back. Do you want me to leave you alone, now?”
That was faster than I expected, but I guess this cabin really isn’t that big, all things considered.
Heh… And what he’s just said is perfect, ‘cause now I can really test him.
“No,” I say firmly, looking him dead-on. “You’re locked in here with me now, understand?”
Mighty shrugs, reaching over to lock the door before advancing in front of me.
“Alright, then.”
I don’t know what he thinks he’s doing, and I don’t really care. If he’s so willing to indulge me, I might as well have some fun with that.
“I think it’s a lot more fun when no one’s watching, don’t you?”
“Sure. If you say so.”
Oh, hell yeah. This is going even better than I had hoped.
…Ugh. Am I really about to do this, though? Do I really want to prove Smalls and his gang right?
There was a certain word Small’s gang used, when they were around me. I don’ know what it meant, but of all the things they said to me, that word, in particular, always had a particular sting to it. ‘Cause when it was just the usual degenerate shit they’d pull on me, they’d call me the usual– hedgehog, greenie, animal, the works. I heard ‘em all enough that they didn’t mean anythin’, at some point. But that word, that stupid word, it was special. They’d always shout it in some kinda sick chant when I was working out, and it felt like it never ended.
Suffice to say, I learned to look for hiding spots from the first week on, ‘cause I never wanted to hear that word again. I didn’t care what it meant, but it made me feel weak. I’m Scourge, after all. A king, a prince, an idol, not whatever the hell that word means.
Damn it!! Just when I was feelin’ all nice, the stupid time at the Yard had to go and ruin it again.
“You doing okay?”
It’s the same question he asked me when he first came in here, not even that long ago, but somehow, despite him sayin’ it the same, it feels different. Sure, our positions have changed, a little, but it feels less like a formality and more like genuine concern, which… why?? Why would he care about me?? What have I done to deserve that? By all accounts, he should hate me– or at the very least disapprove of me, with how he seems. But that damn tone says otherwise.
“I’m fine,” I lie, blinking myself back into reality.
“I can leave, if you need me to,” Mighty says.
“No, no,” I insist. “You’re locked in here. Remember?”
“Right, right…”
Damn it!!! Why the hell is my brain like this?? I swear, if I hadn’t been through what I did during my stint at the Yard, this wouldn’t be a problem. It’s be simple as- just see how far he’d go to make me happy. A test of loyalty, the kinda thing I pulled all the time on my subjects. But that stupid gang’s words have my gut in a twist. I should be stronger than this. I’m Scourge, I don’t bow down or give up just because of some words I heard, I do it anyway, because I don’t follow any rules except my own! I’ve done it with plenty of guys before, no reason he should be any different.
Then again, who’s to say he even would? What if he’s just waiting for me to ask so he can prove a point and embarrass me? The way he’s been actin’, lookin’, talkin’… It’s like he knows what I want, and he just wants me to say it, with his smug-ass smile and weird attitude. It doesn’t feel right, not even one bit. Sure, he seems genuinely nice, but again, what reason does he have to just… go along? I don’t trust it!! He’s gotta by lying, still. I just know it.
Damn it… Why can’t this be simple?? I wish I were with Fiona right now, we’d just do the test and that’d be the end of the story, no ifs or buts. But the fact remains that I don’t know Mighty, and that’s making this a thousand times worse.
“You look uncomfortable. Should I get some painkillers?”
“I don’t need those,” I growl. “I’ve felt way worse, this is nothin’.”
“I thought you said you had trouble moving.”
“T-that’s true…”
“Listen, Scourge, I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t have all day. Griffyn’s gonna be back in a few hours, and he’ll almost definitely need my help with lunch. So whatever is it you want from me… Make it fast, okay?”
Shit. Now what?? I wasn’t planning for this… Damn it. If anytime is the shoot my shot, I guess it would be now.
“I need your help.”
I… I didn’t mean to say it like that. Why did I say it like that? That makes it sound weird. Weirder than it would’ve, anyway. Gaia… and now he’s gonna ask what with, and that’s gonna be a whole thing… Damn it!!
…No. You know what? I can do this, damn it. I mean, I already said it, right? I’m Scourge the Hedeghog. If I back down now, I’d just end up doin’ what Smalls woulda wanted. I’m a strong and independant king, not some weakling who backs down at the first sigh of trouble.
More than anything, though, I don’t care. I don’t care what they said, I don’t care that every last fiber of my body wants me to stop, curl up and spindsash away from this. I’m gonna do this, because I can’t give up. After all, if I wanna get anywhere in this mess of a cabin, I gotta at least try to make some friends, right? And if that means playing nice guy for a minute or two, then so be it. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve suckered up to get somebody.
And so what if he’s just playing along? Maybe I don’t care about that, either. If he’s willing to entertain me, even a little, I’ll let it ride until it crashes, because why the hell not?
My body might be roughed up, and those chants might still echo, but I’m still Scourge, damn it. I promised myself I’d never let them take that from me, and I’m about to prove it!
“Getting out of bed, or something else?”
I wasn’t thinking of an answer before, but y’know, it feels almost natural now…
“I wanna test you, Mighty.”
…My crown might be long gone, along with a lot of my strength, my home, friends, and a whole bunch of other stuff, but y’know what? Fuck you, Smalls, I’m still me!
“Test me,” he repeats dryly. I can tell his little facade from earlier is slipping from his tone, but I’m way too deep now to quit. I do wanna know just what kinda freak he’ll turn out to be.
“Yeah, test you,” I say, scooting up slightly. “I did it all the time to my subjects, I wanna do it to you. You said you’d do stuff for me, right? I wanna test that theory, Mighty.”
Mighty huffs, his gaze remaining fixed not on my face, but on my chest, my arms, everywhere else. He doesn’t wanna look at me, ‘cause he knows I’m wearing that same devilish smile he used on me. He’s also clearly trying not to flinch… but why?
“That was a joke, Scourge,” Mighty snaps, his azure eyes locking with mine. “I thought you’d realize that.”
“You committed pretty hard, for a joke,” I point out.
“I didn’t think it’d be anything,” Mighty says, throwing his hands in the air. “I thought you were joking, too, Scourge.”
“Oh, hell nah,” I insist. “I’m dead serious.”
”Look, as much as I appreciate your help yesterday, but I’m not doing your test.”
“So you won’t help me be king?!”
“No! Of course not! No one should have that much power, but especially not some rude stranger like you. Finn said I should get to know you, but I don’t like you, Scourge.”
“T-that’s right,” I say quickly. “You love me, ain’t that right?”
“Is that what I said?” He demands.
“Nah, I just got the vibe,” I say casually. Truth be told, I’m completely lying right now, but I can’t just let him get away like this. If nothing else, I need to figure out why he’s so familiar to me. I don’t really give a shit if he hates me, at this point, he wouldn’t be the first, I just need him to talk.
Mighty takes a shaky breath, the hand that had been slowly drifting towards my door falling to his side as he mutters something to himself.
“I help Griffyn because he needs my assistance, at his age,” Mighty says carefully. “I’ve known him for quite some time, and our relationship ends there. If he’s having trouble moving, I usually get Ray to assist, and that’s that. I don’t know you like him.”
Damn it, that’s a good point, and I hate it. That’s a really good point. And y’know, now that I think about it… he never directly said he’d help me, did he? He just kinda said vaguely something about assisting in the future, or something like that, so I think I just made the whole helping part up…
Shit. Now what?? I’m on square zero, practically speaking, laying in pain in the same room as a guy that admitted he hates me, no closer to getting to the truth. I gotta say, of all the shitshows I’ve landed myself in, this one is the worst by far. At least with the Yard, there was always a break or a way out, but I’m pretty much stuck here unless I wanna find somethin’ else, which I’m not particularly in the mood for.
Though, somethin’ does strike me as odd… Mighty’s strong, right? Like he lifted most of those logs yesterday by himself, and I wouldn’t be all that surprised if that was light work for him. Why, then, would he feel the need to get Ray to help when the old man’s havin’ trouble?
I don’t know anything about Ray, but I have a feeling… a feeling I know what this is about. I may not always catch on to stuff, but damn it if I’m not good at smelling fear, I don’t know what I’ll do.
Sure, Mighty is strong. Prob’ly stronger than Smalls and his gang combined, if I had to guess. But there’s a reason you don’t box outside of your weight class, and that’s ‘cause it’s dangerous. Your opponent could end up injured, concussed, and maybe even dead.
I don’ really know much about him, he may or may not be a boxer, but I know enough to suspect what’s goin’ on here. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m diggin’ in the wrong places or somethin’, but I think he’s afraid of hurting the jackal.
On some level, I get it, y’know? With all that strength and muscle, you could easily pull something out, break somethin’… or worse. And if Griffyn’s walkin’ with a cane, that means his body ain’t workin’ so great anymore, so it only makes sense he’d be paranoid. Still, though, with how nice he is, I couldn’t see him doin’ somethin’ like that, somehow. He’s the type of guy Smalls mighta been, in another life: a whole lotta mass, but gentle as a butterfly.
…I could be way off, realistically. Maybe my sense is way off, and maybe I’m just dumb. But another part of me knows I’m not entirely lost, either. I’m onto somethin’ here, and y’know what? I’m gonna press it. I wanna know if I’ve still got it, I wanna know if I really am still the Scourge that my people knew me as, heh.
“Y’know… I think you’re right, really,” I begin calmly. “We don’t know each other, but honestly, I think it’s a bit of a shame, ‘cause I at least wanted to try to know you, Mighty. Seems like we differ in that, though, ‘cause you’re pretending you don’t even like me.”
“I don’t like you, Scourge,” Mighty says, crossing his arms. “I’m not pretending.”
And yet you twitched when you said that? Yeah, sure, buddy, we’ll see about that.
“And hey,” I say, putting my hands up. “That’s fine, alright? Just stop pretendin’ you really wanna help Finn, ‘kay?”
Mighty rolls his eyes.
“I feel no need to repeat myself. I do what I can for him, it’s that simple.”
“But it’s not, is it? You get Ray to help you, when he’s havin’ trouble. You told me yourself, he’s a war vet’ran, and I saw that cane of his. He’s in bad shape, and despite being perfectly capable of helping him along, you get someone else to do it,” I say, relishing in the casual, yet pointed tone I’ve taken on. I really did miss getting to do this, it’s a bunch of fun.
Mighty nearly audibly flinches… I’m definitely onto something here.
“Ray’s closer to his height,” Mighty says quickly, “so he’s a much better guide, anyway.”
Pfft. That’s gotta be the worst excuse I’ve ever heard. Does this guy want to make it easy for me, or what?
“You’re telling me that he’s always done it in your place, though, always? And don’t try to slip past me, I noticed you were uncomfortable when I asked for help, earlier.”
“Becuase I don’t know you!”
“You’re avoiding my question,” I say in a practiced, perfectly bossy tone. This is going exactly how I thought it would.
“I don’t really remember, honestly,” Mighty admits. “We’ve lived with him a long time.”
“Well, what would be your guess, Red?”
“I dunno, maybe!” He says loudly. “Is that what you want?”
“Somethin’ like that,” I say, inspecting my claws.
Mighty scoffs.
“Unbelievable… have you done this often?”
“Just to you,” I lie boldly. “I got the suggestion from Fiona, and I gotta say, she was right. This is a lotta fun. I got you dancin’ around, lyin’ left and right ‘cause you’re scared.”
“Scared?! Of what?”
“Hurting people,” I say simply. I don’t say it loud, or even with a whole lot of finality, I just say it. “You got all that strength, enough to lift a huge boulder or somethin’, but when people need it, you run away. That’s the kinda guy you are, I bet.”
There’s still a part of me that isn’t entirely confident, but hey, it’s been workin’ so far, so why not just roll with it?
Mighty… just stares at me. He doesn’t even say anything, he’s just got his jaw slack, like he’s been hit by a mallet, or something. At least this kinda confirms my suspicions, heh…
“It was about… three years ago, I’d guess,” he finally says. “I was still training under Griffyn, when we both smelled some smoke. Forest fires were nothing new, they often started when thunderstorms came rolling around, but this was different, because the yells clearly told us someone was in danger.”
I think I know where this is going…
“Well, of course, I had to run and help, I couldn’t just do nothing,” he continues hoarsely. “I… I don’t even know how long I was running, it felt like hours… and then I saw it. I saw a tiny little tent in brilliant flames.”
I really didn’t expect him to tell me all this, if he supposedly hates me. Somethin’ still feels off.
“I tried as hard as I could,” he says desperately. “I ripped it apart, endured the flames, tried to get them out, but I was too late. Just like the Shattered World, I had failed, and their death was all my fault.”
My fault. I’ve heard those words more than enough times to know what’s goin’ on here. Ugh… Damn it. I gotta admit, I didn’t expect him to say all that, and now that he has… I’ve already seen a way to maybe get him on my side, but it’s prob’ly gonna involve being a little lame about it. Why does it always end up like this?
“Yeah, just like I’m sure that Small’s gang beating me to hell and back for existing was totally on me. Do you hear yourself, dude? Obviously I wasn’t there, but to me it sounds like there’s nothin’ you could’ve done. And, at least to me, there’s no reason to beat yourself up for somethin’ like that.”
…Y’know, I think I’m actually starting to get a little better at that, as disgusting as that is. Though, if I’m gonna be real, that didn’t feel nearly as bad as it usually does.
“But I could’ve. If I was just fast enough, or a little stronger, I would’ve–”
“If I were the world’s strongest man, I never woulda went to jail, I never woulda lost my whole fucking world, and I wouldn’t be here, but I am, and you don’t see me mopin’ around,” I say pointedly. “That shit was outta my control, dude, and while I could dream about what woulda happened, if things hadn’t turned out this way, the fact is that for any of that to happen, I’d have to be somebody I’m not: an angel.”
Mighty looks up at me with the same kinda look you sometimes get from begging dogs, and other times from prisoners at the Yard… and, damn it, I can’t lie, it’s kinda workin’.
“The way I see it, nobody’s really an angel,” I explain with a shrug. “Sure, we can sit here and pretend someone like Sonic’s some great hero or whatever other bullshit you wanna attach to his precious name, but he’s still no angel. My existence alone proves that much,” I say bitterly. "Given a bad day, I ‘magine he’d be a whole lot different, just like I’d probably be different, were my parents and good for anything and my world not a hellhole. But that’s not how it ended up, did it?” I shake my head, chuckling humorlessly. “Of course not. Blue got the luck of the draw. Good parents, good world, loyal friends, the whole shebang, while I got fuckin’ nothin’. I don’ really know if it was destiny or just luck, and at this point, I don’t really care. I’m tired of pretendin’ everybody he knew was an angel.”
I’d noticed he twitched before, but it seems like now, Mighty’s shaking. I wonder why…?
“I mean, I’ve literally seen what happens when you give people the wrong bag,” I continue, ignoring his movement. “They go to prison, they’re labeled as devils, monsters, and scum. In the end, that was my fate. Just ‘cause I got a little unlucky, ‘cause I wasn’t some angel, ‘cause I came from somethin’ rough, they threw me in the worst hell of my life. Sure, I mighta been planning to take over Mobius, but even Sonic knew I wouldn’t succeed. He just wanted to get rid of me. He didn’t even wanna think about me. He was afraid, I think, of what would happen if Mobius knew we were the same. If they saw what would happen if Sonic the Hedgehog wasn’t the hero, or whatever he was to them.”
He’s looking at me, as in, my general direction, but he’s still avoiding me. Now I’m really curious. Is it something I said?
“But y’know,” I press on, pushing that aside, too. “I’m tired of that. I learned a few things, in the Yard. Nobody there was an angel, but there wasn’t anybody that was a devil, either. Sure, we never liked each other, and sure, Smalls and his gang beat the shit out of me, but I saw something in them I hadn’t seen in Sonic. I saw me. Not the current me, but the me that was trapped with my shitty dad in a shitty house with a shitty community. I saw people struggling to survive, and I tried to gather ‘em up so we could escape. It took a while, really, to convince anyone of what I was saying, and I was half-convinced I’d gone mad. But eventually, I did get a band of my own, and y’know what? They weren’t half-bad.”
He’s stopped moving, and he’s definitely staring at me, not my direction.
“I guess what I’m trying to say,” I say, meeting his gaze. “Is don’t feel down just ‘cause you’re not some Angel, Mighty. I dunno what that’ll really mean, to you, but just… don’t be so serious, ‘kay? Life’s no fun if you take it too serious. I learned a long time ago that not following the rules is more fun.”
And I suppose in way, that’s what I still wanna do, now… but I’m really not sure what that means.
There’s still a part of thinkin’ like I was thinkin’, back in the Yard. I suspect that won’t go away for a long damn time, prob’ly.
Another part is confused, though. Who the hell even am I, without my crown, my friends, or Sonic?
I didn’t bother questioning it before, mostly ‘cause, well, isn’t it obvious? I’m Scourge, but now that I’m here, that name, its meaning… really don’t hold much weight anymore.
Heh, it’s kinda sad, really. In trying so hard to get him on my side, telling my story, everything, really… I accidentally found my own fear, too.
That despite surviving, despite all my effort to escape, there’s really nothin’ to do that’ll make me “Scourge” again. I tried so hard to reclaim it, and the glory, power that came with it, just to be shot down, dragged along, and shackled up, over and over again.
And now I’m left here, sitting like a dumbass in silence, only just realizin’ now that I’ve got no damn clue, even if I do eventually figure out what the hell’s goin’ on here and get friendly with everybody, what I’m actually gonna do.
Well, I do know what I don’t wanna do, at least. I don’t wanna keep sitting here awkwardly, and I’m also not really in the mood to try to take over Mobius again. Maybe it’s ‘cause my body’s not as strong as it used to be, but also, I just don’t really see the point if everything’s already goin’ just fine. Back on my world, I took the throne and crown because I had to, but here? I don’t even know if there is a throne and crown, and even if there is, what would I get from taking it? A fancy title? A few subjects? Sounds lame, to me.
Something about the Yard fucked with me in a way I don’ fully get, other than knowing that it did. See, at the yard, it was a grind every day to train up, so that when the beatings came, you’d either be ready to stave off the worst, or fight back and do it yourself. It was a long, ugly process that prisoners sometimes lost their life over, and at some point or another… I wondered why I cared.
After all, it was kind of a paradox. They always told you you had to toughen up to survive, but the toughter you got, the more you became a target. Sure, if you were new, you’d always be picked on, no questions asked, but if you played your cards right? They’d forget you in a couple weeks. I saw it over and over, yet my dumbass took forever to actually learn from it.
It was almost like somehow, I never realized that Smalls and his gang’s scars weren’t, like, just things they had to look cool, they had them ‘cause they were dogpiled every week, usually more than once by ten, sometimes fifteen guys at once.
It took a long, long time for me to realize that it wasn’t “get tough,” ‘cause the tougher you got, the more you’d be beaten, and the weaker you’d end up being in the long run. That’s what I noticed, about Smalls and his gang. Despite acting so mean and rough, it didn’t take much to break them… And I very nearly slipped into the same damn thing.
It was kinda sad, really. It was like watching a tv show where at the end, when the villain is captured, he just sobs instead of having a satisfying defeat. Somehow, somehow, despite my own sobs, which I did a lot of, it took me a long while to get that in my thick head.
…Fuck. All this time thinkin’, and we’re still sittin’ in silence. I… I dunno if I should break it, or be okay with it, but damn it…
I think I know what was wrong, earlier, when I was strugglin’. I was still trying to be that tough guy, that “Scourge” from the Yard. But I’m not that Scourge, nor am I the Scourge that took over Moebius.
If I’m gonna be honest, I dunno what Scourge I am, or if I am. More than anything I feel like a time bomb, counting the days ‘till my injuries kill me.
“Tch…”
I don’t entirely want to, but I can’t help but laugh right now. Nothing’s really funny, at all, I’m more just… laughin’ at how stupid this all is. What the hell… Who woulda thought the mighty Scourge would end up like this, no crown, no home, no friends, no identity, in pain in a bed just waiting to die?
Hahaha… I guess it’s only fitting, really. I’m not meant to be here, so the world’s tryin’ to kick me out. But y’know what? Screw that. I don’t care. About any of it. Fuck it all. I dunno know if I really know anything, anymore, but I do know I’m gonna live, because living, despite the pain I’m feeling now, is pretty fun. And I don’t wanna let that go any time soon.
“Can you believe it, Mighty?” I ask, still chuckling. “Look at me now. The Sonic the world rejected, sitting in a bed like an asshole. What a place to be, hah hah hah…”
“You’re no angel,” Mighty says suddenly. “But you’re not a devil, either. Your words, not mine.”
“Good one! Glad you were paying attention, hah hah.”
“I’m serious,” Mighty says firmly. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you now, but I know that you’re right, Scourge. I… Honestly can’t believe I’m about to say this, but what you said, just now? That’s what I needed to hear.”
“Really, dude?” I ask, my laughter stopping entirely. “I… You’re welcome?”
Mighty snorts.
“Yeah, sure. Thanks, Scourge.”
“And now you’re annoyed again,” I say in disbelief. “Do you hate me or not? It can’t go both ways, Mighty.”
“You’re… Not what I expected, when I saved you,” Mighty says, avoiding my presumably piercing gaze. “I’m not sure what I expected, but not someone so… so abraisive.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I say, fully knowing that it isn’t.
“Don’t get me wrong, Scourge, I still don’t like you,” Mighty says sharply. “You’re an utter and complete bastard, but I’m not so keen to just kick you out of here, anymore, because what you said, about the Yard… You’re not so bad when you’re being genuine, Scourge.”
And there’s that smile again, but… I don’t really mind it as much, this time. Despite all we’ve said (which, admittedly, isn’t all that much), this smile feels different. Kinder than the others, for one, but also just… more caring.
Sure, I can hear what he’s saying perfectly fine, but I’m not stupid. I know there’s at least some difference in what he says and what he really means, even if I can’t identify it.
“Heh… I knew it, Red,” I say cockily. “You do love me!”
Mighty rolls his eyes.
“I should’ve seen that coming.”
“I think you did, you just wanted an excuse to hear me say it,” I say airily. Y’know, in all my time, I don’t think I’ve ever done romantic teasing like this with a guy, but it’s kinda fun. Fiona was right.
“Oh, please, you think I’d love a green bastard like you?” Mighty finally unlocks the door as he turns away from me. “Besides, didn’t I just say I don’t like you?”
“You said I’m not so bad, sometimes,” I say with a toothy grin. I know that’s not exactly what he said, but it’s more fun this way. “That’s not the same thing, and you're not tricking me to think it is.”
Mighty groans, looking directly at me.
“You’re unbelievable. You know that?”
“I didn’t, but thanks,” I say proudly. “I think it comes with being a Sonic.”
Mighty leans forward purposefully, though I can’t quite tell whether he’s doing it to taunt me or flirt back.
“I knew it,” he mutters. “I should’ve known you were a counterpart. As soon as you said Moebius, I should’ve known. Damn it, Scourge!”
“What, all the other hints weren’t enough? How thick are you?”
Mighty curses under his breath as he reenters the room. It’s working!!
“I thought it was a joke, Scourge, but now that I take a look at you, it’s obvious.”
“You didn’t get a good look at me before?” I ask incredulously.
“Well, I did, but I didn’t really pay attention to the details.”
“Well, feel free to look as long as you want, I really don’t mind,” I say without hesitation. “I mean, c’mon, even Fiona knew I was sexier than Sonic, that’s why she dumped his ass for me.”
“I swear to Gaia…” Mighty says frustratedly. “Can I tell you something?”
“Go ahead,” I say eagerly.
“I knew. I knew the moment I found you you’d be a pain in my side, Scourge,” he begins. “Sonic was, too, and it was very annoying. For years, when this cabin was still owned by Moss, he would tell me to at least try, with Sonic.”
“And?”
Mighty sighs dreamily as he wanders over to beside where I’m laying, plopping himself down right in front of me.
“…It felt fucking amazing,” Mighty admits. “Gaia, kissing him felt so good…”
“So, just what are you saying, then?” I ask, knowing exactly what he’s implying. I don’t have to do this, I just wanna hear him say it.
“I thought you’d be different. I thought it’d just be temporary, and really, shouldn’t I get to know you first? But then… Then we’ve been talking, and the entire time, you’ve reminded me of him, and just how annoying that blue bastard was, and now…” he looks directly in my eyes. “Now I’m sitting here.”
“Uh-huh. So what happened, then? Did you change your mind on hating me?”
Mighty scoffs.
“No, I didn’t. I still hate you, Scourge, even more than I hated Sonic.”
“Awww, that’s nice,” I say brightly. “Good to know I’m doing something better than Blue.”
“You really never stop, do you?”
“Eh, it depends,” I say with a shrug. “Maybe you can shut me up in other ways.”
Mighty laughs a sort of taunting, disbelieving laugh, one that I’ve heard, like, a thousand times from Miles.
“I gotta say,” he says with a slack smile. “You’re bold.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say, batting my eyes.
“Then again, I guess it’s warranted,” he comments. “I mean, I’ve basically admitted it, right?”
“Admitted what?” I ask purposefully. We both know the answer, and we both know that the other knows it, too, but damn it, this is too much fun. I gotta say, while I’ve felt on top of the world while doing this before, I never expected it to feel this exciting with a guy.
Maybe Smalls and his gang were right, but, y’know what…
Maybe I don’t fucking care.
Mighty was already partially embracing me, but I decide to go in and shoot my shot.
“Mighty…?”
“Mhm?”
“Can I…?”
“Go right ahead.”
Fully ignoring the pain, I practically fall into his strong, firm arms… and onto his lips.
And for just a moment, it feels like I’m back home with Fiona again, ruling the world that I built, before a whiff of strong musk knocks me back to reality and I realize…
Holy shit, he’s good at this.
“Mighty…” I sputter between kisses.
“Y-yeah, Scourge? What’s up?”
“You… you’re good…”
Fuck… I can’t believe I just said that, but it’s true… Mighty’s embrace is unlike anything I’ve gotten from any of the girls I’ve dated before. Somehow, it’s like he’s both a really, really soft pillow that I can sink into, yet at the same time, he’s a strong, compressing blanket, enveloping me in its warmth. Damn…
I can’t lie to myself anymore. I promised myself that when I started gatherin’ some allies…
Maybe I have lost who “scourge” was, but that doesn’t mean I’m not “Scourge” now. Yeah, it might mean somethin’ a little different, but… maybe that’s alright.
‘Cause if this is really serious, and we’re really doin’ this, then, shit…
I dunno if I’ll be anything like the old Scourge, after this. But, maybe that’s the point, y’know? A lot of what I grew up with and learned in the Yard has fucked me up for a long time. Maybe it won’t be today, and maybe it won’t be tomorrow, but if I can help it, one day will be the day that those Scourges die. I don’t really care how long it takes, honestly.
Maybe I haven’t figured out what I wanna do, just yet. Wouldn’t be the first time. But y’know what? I ain’t gonna let that world win. I refuse to be that devil my whole life. I can still be a prince, and a ruler, even a Scourge without that shit in my life. I guess on one hand, I’m still the same rebel I always have been, but on the other, this is a rebellion I’m finally fucking proud of.
“Ugh,” Mighty says as we finally break apart, wiping his muzzle. “You’re disgusting, you know that?”
“I’ve been told before,” I say innocently.
Mighty scratches his forehead, groaning.
“I gotta admit, though… That wasn’t half-bad.”
“You’re an amazing kisser,” I say quietly. “Who do you practice with?”
“Tch,” Mighty scoffs, blushing furiously. “I was practicing with Sonic, but… then he vanished.”
I didn’t expect a real answer, but I also don’t know why I was half-expecting that if he did answer, he wouldn’t say something like that.
“Sounds about right. You still hate me, by the way?”
Mighty snorts.
“Oh, absolutely. You’re the worst.”
“Hah, that’s a relief to hear,” I say weakly. “Good to know that “Scourge” still has a meaning to somebody.”
Mighty smiles gently.
“Just give it some time,” he says earnestly. “You’ll find that it means a whole lot to everyone here.”
“Yeah,” I say sarcastically, “and then I’ll be angel, right?”
“Nobody’s an angel, Scourge,” Mighty echoes. “But then again, nobody’s really a devil, either.”
“Screw you,” I say flatly.
Mighty’s smile widens.
“Y’know though,” he says slowly. “I do have to admit something. I kinda lied, earlier. I don’t really know Griffyn that well. I mean, like, I know him, but in terms of our relationship, we’re practically still strangers.”
“So are we,” I say pointedly.
“Yeah, that’s true… But you’re different, you know.”
“Why’s that?”
“I thought you’d already know that, Scourge,” Mighty says gently. “You’re my favorite stranger.”