Chapter 9 - The Last Stand

Ekyt wandered around, the best his leg would allow. He eventually hit the Soleanna desert. “Solaris’ breath warms the sands…” Ekyt recited from the thick volume he had read about Soleanna. Legend, they said, but who could be sure? After having and losing two “girlfriends” in two days, Ekyt would have believed anything was possible. He looked out across the desert. It reminded him of a movie. Of course, ordinarily, it would have been some intrepid, cool, hero making his way across the desert to uncover some unknown artifact. Me, a hero? That’ll be the day.

“The desert? I barely survived that!” Silver exclaimed. “Good riddance.” Shadow muttered. “YOU barely survived Silver? WHOA, I guess we’d better worry then.” Linda shot back sarcastically. “What next, are you gonna hit the “Iblis Trigger” with your purse?” Silver looked taken aback. He probably was, for that matter. Elise laughed, though she had a worried expression on her face. “Don’t worry Elise. If things go wrong, I can help.” Sonic assured her. “But won’t that make him more upset?” Elise fretted. “I’d wager he’d rather be upset than dead.” Linda reasoned. “Couldn’t we have both?” Shadow muttered to Rouge. “Don’t be an @$$, for a change!” Linda and Rouge exchanged glances. “C’mon, let’s leave these guys to be macho by themselves. How about some girl talk Elise, Linda?” Rouge offered. “Oh, okay.” Elise was surprised to be included.

“So, Elise, is it fun to be a Princess?” Rouge asked. “Not all the time, but it’s very nice most of the time. The people you meet, having people look up to you…” Elise smiled slightly at the thought. “So…if you don’t mind my asking…what DID that fortune you keep talking about say?” Linda asked, curious despite herself. Elise told them. “…And it said that he’s going to find someone, but he’s going to have a lot of pain first…I’m worried, every part has come true so far…” Elise mentioned quietly. “No worries Elise, That little guy took a gunshot wound, he can handle anything that’s thrown at him, don’t you worry about that.” Rouge stated, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “You know Linda, if you weren’t so obviously smitten with him, I might go after the little jewel myself.” Rouge taunted. “Shut up!” Linda told her vehemently. “It was a hug, no big deal!” Elise looked worried. “You look like you’ve got a dirty little secret Elise.” Rouge taunted. “Huh? Well, I…kind of…kissed him? He was my first…” She said shyly, blushing. “That’s news to you Rouge?” Linda joked. “He told me first thing. I really admire his honesty.” “And his chest muscles.” Rouge added. “Yeah- wait, what?!” Rouge danced out of Linda’s reach. “Then you won’t mind if I give him a big ‘ol smackeroo then?” “O-Of course not!” Linda said defiantly, crossing her arms.

Ekyt climbed up onto the big marble pillar, looking out across the endless waves of sand. “Peaceful…creepy, but peaceful.” He stood with his arms crossed, as the sand angrily hit his coat. “Time to go…to Soleanna.” He had almost said home. Soleanna’s not my home. Transplant or not. Unfortunately, the hedgehog’s are watching my every move. I can’t outrun that blue one, Sonic, I can’t break that Silver one’s telkenesis, and that Shadow-whatever has got those freakin’ impossible powers. To top it all off, he still didn’t know what to think. Elise was cautiously treating him well, kind of like you would treat a bomb, gently, but with worry. Linda was acting like nothing had ever happened, and Rouge…man, she was hard to read? He guessed she was just the flirty, friendly type, but who the hell knew anymore? He jumped down, putting his staff into the sand to vault over a pool of quicksand.

Rouge, Linda, and Elise stood at the town gates, waiting for Ekyt. Elise seemed shyly amused, while Linda and Rouge had locked horns in a friendly manner. “You won’t do it!” Linda told Rouge confidently, wishing she FELT confident too. Just how DID she feel about that boy?

As Ekyt walked in Rouge fluttered up to him. “Watch and learn, you amateurs.” She muttered to Elise and Linda. “Hey big guy, you remember me right?” Rouge asked saucily. Linda snorted laughter at the look on Ekyt’s face. This wasn’t going Rouge’s way at all. “It’s…Rouge, right?” Ekyt said, a tad of uncertainty in his voice. “Why don’t I give you something to remember me by…” she said saucily, with some frustration dripping into her voice. She grinned at him, showing her fangs, guessing that he thought they were cool or something. As she leaned closer, Linda watched nervously. “Damn it! Forget it!” She yanked Rouge away. “She was about to kiss you! No love behind it! And you were going to go with it?” “What? Rouge was going to kiss me? She’s out of my league, not to mention taken! Hell, everyone here is out of my league!” The last part came out a little angry. “I do appreciate the thought Rouge.” He said, giving her a kind smile. “Anytime kiddo. It’s strange how violent Linda gets when she” “Rouge, I will de-fang you if you finish that sentence.” Ekyt looked at Elise, then at Linda. His mind was already on overdrive. Then these three showed up. “Well, pardon me. I’m going to get a drink. That desert is brutal.”

Ekyt wanted no part of Rouge. That would only bring trouble. Elise’s heart belonged to Sonic, and he understood that. Linda…he couldn’t figure out what was going through her head. Did she like him, didn’t she? He closed his eyes, letting his eyes get a break. He hated Soleanna, and wanted nothing more than to leave. But how could he? He was practically a prisoner here.

“I thought so! I knew it! You’re head over heals in love with him!” Linda slapped a hand across Rouge’s mouth, silencing her, though Rouge continued with muffled laughter from behind Linda’s hand. “OW! Don’t bite, you sadistic bat!” Linda yelled, still laughing. Elise smiled at Linda. “I’m happy for you. And for Ekyt. I was so worried what would happen. It seems the fortune has come true.” “Wait, what about the pain?” Linda asked. “Oh no…”

Ekyt was standing by a railing, looking at the water that ran through Soleanna, like veins. He looked at his reflection, and didn’t like what he saw. A miserable-looking baby-faced kid. He was furious with himself for feeling bad for himself, but felt bad for himself for being furious. It was a horrible cycle that was eating him alive. Suddenly, the beautiful, sunny day, was clouded. Ekyt looked up, seeing the source. Eggman’s aircraft. Good. Ekyt needed to blow off some steam. The robots fell in a circle around him. “I was hoping for the hedgehog…but you’ll do…” Eggman laughed. Ekyt looked around. Ten to one odds. Ekyt shrugged, a slightly maniacal grin spreading across his face. “Heck, I’m the underdog anyway!” He spun his staff around, breaking one robot, grabbing the gold it left and stuff it in his shoe.

With the speed burst, Ekyt bounced off two robots, then in between them, letting them shoot themselves. “You’re as dumb as your creator!” Ekyt laughed, jumping up to attack one more time. His graceful leap turned into a dive as the muzzle of a rifle swung around and struck him in the stomach. He hit the pavement hard, his head bouncing off. He rolled to the side when another muzzle swung and cracked him on the side of the head. He felt his vision go fuzzy as he wobbled on his feet. He could have sworn there were six robots left…now there were twelve? “Give me the princess! I know you can deliver her to me!” Eggman called. “Get bent!” Ekyt called back, slurring his words slightly.

Eggman looked furious. He took aim with a pistol as Ekyt jumped away. It struck his ankle, forcing Ekyt to do a stupid roll to stop himself from falling into the water. He had cut his face up on the concrete. His staff was long gone. Ekyt, figuring that this was his last fight, forced himself up to his feet. He held onto a guardrail for support, his eyes darting wildly around…

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