Chapter 21 - Daddy...

As time passed by, everyone forgot about that news bulletin about Robotnik being assassinated, and many years have passed by since. And of course, it was inevitable that a civil war was breaking out, due to all sorts of politic bullcrap. We didn’t know what was happening there, and task forces were dispatched to the north of the continent, providing protection, restore order and all that. The humans had a corrupt government ever since Robotnik got assassinated. Eight years later though, they still didn’t know who was behind the hit. And in the mean time, all sorts of little “wars” broke out among humans as all the other countries send task forces to contain the situations. Most of them had success, as they tried with a lot of effort to form a new democratic government and all that. The humans had it pretty rough over the past 8 years but luckily, we didn’t get affected by it. We lived thousands of miles away from it…



Eight years passed by since the assassination on Robotnik. Eight years with nothing but happiness. Each day was like I was living on the edge again, like I used to. Some times during the summers I just ran through the forests, or hopping was more like it. I’ve seen the forests many times but each time I ran through them again was like seeing them for the very first time. I really wish there was a way to describe everything I was seeing, but there isn’t a way to describe it that even gets near of what I’m trying to tell. You just gotta see it with your own eyes. During the autumns, winters and spring, Blain and I made walks through the forests and the beach. We always did the same thing together yet it never got boring. And of course there were others things we did, like going to town, watching movies together and with the guys and all that… Sometimes even had fun at night… Hehehe…



We missed Knuckles a lot though, but being here for so many years made everyone growing even closer then we already were. Blain turned 25… I turned 26… Tails turned 23… Rouge turned 29… Shadow even turned 60… Sonic and Amy turned 25 as well... And Cody…? Well… He was 22 years old, the youngest of the bunch… But that didn’t mean we treated him like we used to. Like a little kid. You saw everyone changing psychically and that… Well… Was just normal to see. Sometimes we had nights that we just looked at pictures of when we were younger and just laughed at our appearances and shared all sorts of stories. But I guess time is not standing still, and you’ll grow older and wiser, whether you liked it or not… All of the guys used to run around naked, and Blain was the first one to actually wear clothes after I insisted for a long time. I guess everyone picked up that idea, and the first time the guys wore clothes, it was something I really had to get used to. But that didn’t mean they changed on the inside. Everyone remained the same personality they had…



But Blain did change a lot… Even more when I first kissed him… Ever since the day he threw those cases in the lake, he changed even more. He’s much more laid back and relaxing, and even swears way less then he used to. This one time, I came home and noticed a box of chocolates on my bed with a note… It said: “I’m looking for a word… But not just any word… I’m looking for a word that no one knows… I’m looking for a single word that can express my feelings towards you… Sadly, no such word exists so I’m gonna think of one… You’ll have to do it with the chocolates in the mean time… Blain…”



…



I love chocolate…



Then without warning, Knuckles came back one day along with Vector and Mighty. But there were two new ones as well. Some pink female echidna with some metal dreadlock or something, and a little echidna girl with glasses. She was red like Knuckles and was very shy. The first time we saw her, she hid behind Knuckles clamping on his leg… We haven’t seen him in a very long time, so everyone greeted them with a lot of enthusiastic, maybe a lil’ overreacted, cheers and hellos. As soon as Sonic asked who the little twerp was, Knuckles replied it was his daughter.



Tails: You’re what?!!
Knuckles: … My daughter. This is Lara-Su.
Sonic: … You?! Being a dad?!
Knuckles: Yeah… Aint it great?
Amy: Who’s the mother…?
Julie-Su: … Hello guys…
Sonic: Julie-Su?!
Julie-Su: Hey Sonic…
Sonic: Oh man, this is rich! How you been?!
Julie-Su: Well you know… Can’t complain really…
Knuckles: What? What’s the big deal?
Sonic: I never imagined you with kids…
Rouge: We never thought you’d be the first one with a kid…

And as Lara-Su hid behind Knuckles, looking around at everyone and even turned her head away every time someone was looking at her, I decided to kneel down next to her.



Nicole: Hello! I’m Nicole!

She just stared at me through those glasses, wondering if I was sane. She was adorable though, but for some reason, I had a feeling I could read her mind. Like she was wondering why in the hell I act so retarded…



Nicole: How old are you?!
Lara-Su: I’- I’m four years old…
Sonic: Whoa, she really does look a lot like you guys…

Then Lara-Su just smiled, and let go of her dad’s leg. For some reason, she seemed less nervous and started to look around with a smile…



Sonic: So… You’re gonna stay now or…?
Julie-Su: Well, we want to if that’s not too much of a hassle.
Amy: No of course not!
Sonic: Yeah.

As Sonic and Knuckles continued talking, I noticed Vector, Blain, Tails and Mighty arguing… Blain and Mighty stayed out of it though, except Tails and Vector really turned up the heat as their arguments got louder and louder…



Tails: How can you think something stupid like that?!! You don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about!!

Vector: Yeah says you!! You think Polypeptide is a motherfrackin’ toothpaste!!
Tails: What the hell does that have to do with the planet Pluto?!!

Vector: Man how the hell can you call Pluto a planet? No motherfracking planet has an elliptical orbit!! This shoot don't make no sense!!

Blain: This isn’t even an argument anymore…
Vector: Hey stay outta this you freakish furball.
Blain: What, you’re starting on me now?!
Vector: Yeah!! That’s right!! I still remember you shot me back then!!
Blain: I didn’t even fracking hit you!!
Vector: It still hurts!! I oughtta whoop your pricky blue @$$!!
Blain: What?!! Step over here, I’ll rebuild you’re face!!

And well, Blain has that uncontrollable explosion of anger. He really should follow some anger management course or something… Vector just provoked it even more by taking a step closer to him. Then Blain just exploded and jumped up punching him in the face. Vector didn’t really seem to be impressed when Blain punched him with his right hand, but he was when Blain punched him with his left hand… Then Vector just picked him up by his neckscruff. Blain was dangling two meters above ground, and with his size, that was really high. He gave up punching Vector knowing it wouldn’t make any difference. Instead, he just looked at Vector really pissed as Vector was still holding him by his neckscruff. Blain knew all too well he can’t take on everyone. And come to think of it, it was actually kind of funny seeing him dangling above the ground as he couldn’t do anything… In the mean time, Tails and Mighty just stared at each other and at them. I wasn’t actually surprised. I’m familiar with his anger thing. Except he never acted like this when I was around. And as soon as he noticed I was watching, he quickly changed mood… Vector didn’t though… As I turned around to see if anyone else saw, no one was there… I guess they moved on or something.

Mighty: Come on guys!! Can’t we just settle this over a pint?!
Nicole: NOOO!!!!


Then they all stared at me with big eyes…



Nicole: I mean, no… Heh.

Then Vector looked at Blain.



Vector: You still got those pieces?
Blain: … Pieces?
Vector: Yeah?
Blain: Pieces of what?
Vector: No no no, blat blat.
Blain: …
Vector: A nine!
Blain: What the hell are you talking about?!
Vector: Guns dude!! I’m talking about guns!
Blain: Oh… Yeah I got ‘em.
Vector: You’re a fed?
Blain: … No.
Vector: … Some guard?
Blain: … No.
Vector: Well you oughtta be something! It’s hard to be getting yo hand’s on weapons these days! I should know. My arms dealer got whacked a long time ago man!!

Mighty: Dude, you’re talking about Reno?
Vector: Yeah?
Mighty: He’s not dead…
Vector: What?!
Mighty: Yeah! Reno moved away a long time ago!!
Vector: Motherfracker!! He snitched me!!

Mighty: … He didn’t SELL any weapons Vector. He just happened to be an ordinary guy!! Of course he moves away after you gave him all of your savings for something he doesn’t do! I told you, but you wouldn’t believe me…

Vector: Yeah whotever. So what be you?
Blain: Ex-RRTS.

At that point, Vector eyes widens and dropped Blain all of a sudden. And he just stared at him with disbelieve. As soon Vector looked at me, I nodded, and so does Tails… Then he stayed all silent and looked around with an uneasy look.



Vector: I’m sorry man, I’m sorry. I really am man.
Blain: … My ego…
Vector: We’re cool right? I mean, we’re homies!
Blain: Yeah, yeah, yeah…
Vector: Aight! An RRTS member is my homie! Not many people can say that!
Blain: Because their all dead. Now shut the hell up about that RRTS thing.
Vector: Aight is cool. I’m sorry.
Blain: Just drop it…
Vector: We’re still homies right?
Blain: …
Vector: Aight, I get it. I got yo back. Whoever messes with you, messes with me.
Blain: Vector?
Vector: Yeah holmes?
Blain: Is it possible for you to shut the hell up for 10 seconds?
Vector: Fo sho dawg…

Everything seemed so harmless, except I noticed a huge difference. I mean, as soon as Vector heard Blain was ex-RRTS, he immediately changed the way he acted against him. Maybe it’s just me, but I find it a little hypocrite. And judging by the way Blain looked; I noticed he thought the same. Once anyone know something about you, why would they change the way they act towards you and pretend like their being best buddies? I don’t get it. Vector wasn’t afraid of Blain at first, and now he is. Well, maybe a little. I don’t know, I think it’s just weird… But then again, I acted like that too when I first met Blain…



That afternoon, Blain and I took a walk through the forest like we always do. And every time we took a walk again, we noticed something new we haven’t seen before. After hours of walking through the forest, I felt like I had to run… So I did. Blain followed me, but not long after, he loses it from me. As I got back to the village, I sat down, as Blain arrived 10 minutes later panting his lungs out… After a while, he recovered again and wiped the sweat off his forehead…



Blain: How come you can run so fast?

Nicole: … Well, I’m a kangaroo… That should explain a lot…
Blain: … Not to me…

Now, you see, everyone acted like retards every once in a while, and it was always fun to see someone getting pranked. Like, Shadow placing a spider on Amy’s head, or Tails pushing Sonic in the lake. I couldn’t help but to notice that Blain never got pranked. Sure, he laughed about all the stuff everyone else got into, but he never really joined the madness. So that afternoon, I decided to pull a little prank on him…



Nicole: You wanna know the secret?
Blain: Yup…
Nicole: Ok… See what I did this afternoon?
Blain: You hopped?
Nicole: Yup, that’s the secret.
Blain: …Hopping is the secret?
Nicole: Uh-huh. You take a run up, then sprint your legs out of your butt and then jump, and hop from there on. Give it a try.

Blain: You sure?
Nicole: Yeah! Come on!

So he took a run up, sprinted, jumped and hopped… It didn’t really go that fast. I had trouble not to laugh while I saw him hopping… He kept on hopping for a while…



Blain: It’s not working!
Nicole: Don’t give up! I had to learn it too you know! It wasn’t like I could run that fast as a kid!

Well actually, I could, but that’s something he doesn’t need to know… So Blain kept on hopping, I tried to keep my laughter in… After a while, the others watched Blain hopping as well…



Rouge: Why the hell is Blain hopping around like some moron…?
Nicole: I told him the secret on how to run just as fast as me.
Rouge: But… You’re a kangaroo…
Nicole: I know. But he seems to forget.

Blain: It’s still not working!!
Nicole: Ok, watch this… You gotta say something along it Blain!! It helps to keep the rhythm in!!

Blain: Like what?!
Nicole: Something like, “hop, hop, hop”!!

Everyone started to snicker as soon as I said that. We all stared at him hopping around and saying “hop, hop, hop!!” and at some point, everyone saw it. Sonic, Shadow, Rouge, Knuckles, Amy, Tails, Cody, Mighty, Vector, Julie-Su and Lara-Su… everyone. At some point, we couldn’t hold our laughter anymore and everyone fell down on the ground laughing at him…



Blain: What?!
Sonic: She’s a kangaroo, stupid! You can’t run like her! *keeps on laughing*

And as soon as everyone saw the look on Blain’s face, they laughed even harder. Blain realized he just made an @$$ of himself…



Blain: I hate you, I fracking hate all of you…

Then we laughed even louder as he walked away… I followed him… I got the feeling he was really pissed…



Nicole: Aw come on, it’s just a harmless joke, Blain.
Blain: I know. I’m just too embarrassed to stick around...
Nicole: You made an @$$ of yourself before!
Blain: Yeah but not of this magnitude…
Nicole: Hehehe…
Blain: You got me though… Still…
Nicole: Hm?
Blain: I wish I could run as fast you…
Nicole: Daww…

I just gave him a big hug and a little kiss as he still looked embarrassed…



Sometimes when you think you left something and closed down a chapter of your life, the past comes knocking at the door… And I wasn’t really prepared for it…

That evening, I heard talking outside… I thought I heard a very familiar voice… I heard Blain, but also someone else I haven’t seen in a very long time… As soon as I looked outside the window, I saw a guy with a large black trench coat and as soon as he looked up and faced me,, I saw it was my dad… He looked awful… His face was all pale, had wrinkles around his eyes and all… But I saw it was him. He gave a weak smile as he set his eyes upon me, but as I stared back, I couldn’t see a spark of life… I couldn’t actually believe it was him, yet it was him… Then like a reflex or something, my legs took me to the door and I opened it, as I couldn’t realize it really was him…


Nicole: Dad…?
???: Nicole…

Blain looked up and down with his eyes, like he was checking him out to see if he could be trusted or something… My dad was taller then Blain…



Nicole: Dad this is… Uh… Blain… Blain, this is my dad…
???: I’m Jayce.
Blain: Blain.

They shook each others hand, but Blain kept staring at him with a distrusting look…



Jayce: We have a lot to talk about.
Nicole: Blain, could you leave us for a sec…?
Blain: Sure thing.

And as Blain left, he kept staring at my dad… Then we went into my house…



Jayce: Strange ‘lil fella aint he…?
Nicole: Sometimes…
Jayce: You… You got a nice home…
Nicole: What are you doing here?
Jayce: … I wanted to see you… Before…
Nicole: Before what…?

He sighed and got out a tissue to wipe his forehead…



Jayce: Could you get me a glass of water please…?

So I got him a glass of water… As I came back, I noticed he leaned on the table, still wiping his forehead…



Jayce: Thank you…

He takes a tiny box from under his coat and opened it. It contained all sorts of pills. He puts one in his mouth and poured the glass of water after it…



Nicole: What is that?
Jayce: Painkillers…
Nicole: For what?

Jayce: I… I got a disease… The doctors don’t know what it is… They gave up on me… It’s immanent… I’m a dieing man Nicole… It could be over in just a few weeks… Every day, I feel myself getting weaker and weaker… It’s a struggle to do the simplest things… These… Pills I got only extend it by a few days… I… I wanted to see you before I go…

Nicole: Why…? Why now?
Jayce: It wasn’t been easy for me…
Nicole: Did you ever give a thought about us…?
Jayce: All the time…
Nicole: Then how come you look for us now…? All these years…
Jayce: *sighs* Is there a place we can talk…? Alone…?

Nicole: Come on…

So we went outside again… The others were looking at us as we walked passed them, but no questions were asked. I guess everyone wondered who he was, and even I asked myself the same thing… But… As soon as we reached the lake with no one else in sight, I sat down in the grass… And he sat next to me… And as I looked him in the eyes, I could see a small spark of life… But that little something reminded me of how he used to be, and it took me back to my childhood… All the things we did together… He took me for walks on the beaches, through the forests… Taught me all sorts of things… The comforting feeling he gave me when I was scared… All sorts of things a father and daughter would do… And then one day, it all stopped… And I just didn’t know why… And maybe that’s why I wanted to give him a second chance…



Nicole: Does Cody know that you’re here…?
Jayce: Yeah… He didn’t want to see me… Which… Pains me… That’s why I’m glad you’re willing to talk and listen to what I have to say…

Nicole: … Go on…
Jayce: I know I’ve not been a good father to you or Cody… And… Not everything what I’m about to say is exactly pleasant… But… Losing everything I ever had wasn’t the only thing I lost… I was losing my mind as well… Except… That turned to be a fatal move… I did four years prison… I was desperate… Each and every day I thought of you and Cody and how it all could turn out like this… And… Not long after that, I was diagnosed with a terminal illness…

He looked down and it stayed quiet for a while… I just plucked nervously some gr@$$ haulms and wiggled my toes in the cool grass… For some reason, I just couldn’t keep still… It’s all just very weird right now… And what he just told me just didn’t get through to me… Dark clouds were stacking up and in the distance, you could hear thunder…



Nicole: How’s mom…?
Jayce: She…
Nicole: Hm…?
Jayce: *sighs* I don’t know… I haven’t heard from her… I tried looking for her as well but… I couldn’t find her…

Nicole: Maybe… Maybe she’s trying to find us as well…
Jayce: I wouldn’t know…

Nicole: You know dad…
Jayce: What…?

Nicole: I don’t really know what to say… It’s…
Jayce: You don’t have to say anything Nicole… I’m here to apologize and… Although it might not mean anything to you, it does for me… I can’t go without seeing you’re face again…

Nicole: Heh…

Jayce: I’m so proud of you Nicole… You’ve grown…
Nicole: Yeah…

Then it stayed silent again… For some reason, I didn’t really wanna talk with him… As I looked at my dad, I could see he had regrets and that he was sad… And that made me realize he was truly sorry for everything… Yet I didn’t wanna believe he was…



Nicole: How did it all turn out to be like this…?
Jayce: … Other things played a part…
Nicole: Oh…?
Jayce: Yeah… And… I think it’s best for you not to know…

That was a bit of a weird answer…



Nicole: Ten years… For ten years I wanna know what really happened… I still didn’t get any answers and I wanna know why… Why…?

Jayce: You know Nicole… Some times it’s best to leave things in the dark… Ignorance is bliss, as they say…

Nicole: You come here all the way for what…? You think you’d come here and everything was fine and dandy…? To catch up like old times?!

Jayce: No…
Nicole: Then what is it?!! Why don’t you just tell me?!!
Jayce: … I… I don’t know…


Nicole: If you don’t even know yourself, why’d you come here in the first place…?
Jayce: I…
Nicole: Why did you come here in the first place if you don’t even know the answer yourself?!!

And at that point, he slapped me in the face… I fell on the ground…



Jayce: I wasn’t the one that fracked off to some unknown place, away from his children!!! So stop blaming me!!

He didn’t really slap me that hard, but… Still… As I got up, he stared at me and reached for his heart and gasped. He’s in pain…



Jayce: There are lots of things you can blame me for… But not this… I don’t see your mother here to visit you…

I rubbed my cheek as I coldly stared in his eyes… And now that I see them again, there wasn’t a spark of life no more… Just cold eyes… I could feel the first raindrops falling down as the thunder grew closer…


Jayce: I’m… I’m sorry… It’s…
Nicole: You think you’re the only who had it rough…?
Jayce: You… You wanna talk about it…?
Nicole: No.
Jayce: … I see…
Nicole: You and mom abandoned us when we needed you the most. Before we got here, we went through all sorts of shootty things and even after we got here, we went through shootty things. I almost died 8 years ago. THOSE things that happened changed me. NOT because of the things you put us through. But you know what? I conquered everything. On my own. I did it all by myself. I managed to break through and stand above it. Unlike you… I’m not weak as you are…

He closed his eyes and nodded slowly…



Jayce: Is that really what you think…?
Nicole: … I know it…
Jayce: Then… I guess I have no purpose here then…
Nicole: I think so too…

Then he got up with a lot of effort and looked at me…



Jayce: Nicole… Keep in mind I tried… I failed, but I tried… I thought I could do it… To tell you everything so that you won’t have to wander in the dark no more…

Nicole: I know…
Jayce: … Goodbye… Daughter…
Nicole: Goodbye… Jayce…

After that, he walked away as the rain got heavier… I noticed he got out something from under his coat and rips it in pieces as he walked away in the pouring rain… The wind blew the pieces of paper towards me, and as I grabbed and looked at one of them, I noticed it was a picture of Cody and me… Then all of a sudden, the rain didn’t pour on me anymore, yet I still heard it… Then I noticed Blain with an umbrella standing next to me…



Blain: Thought you could use one…
Nicole: Heh…
Blain: You ok…?
Nicole: Yeah… I’m- I’m fine…
Blain: Come on, let’s go…

I took a last peek at the man in the trench coat before he disappeared in the darkness… And that was the last time I saw my dad…



I know a whole lot more from where I am now… It makes much more sense now than it was then… I finally found out what really happened… And I understand why my dad didn’t want me to know back then… I’m actually grateful he didn’t tell me… I wish I’ve made a different decision back then… I wish he stayed with us… I wish I said different things to him… But the past cant be undone… My father died five weeks after that… Only five weeks… While I kept on living like nothing ever happened… I had regrets and so did he… He tried… He really tried…

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