Inventor

Chapter 9: Blood Brother

Chapter 9

Blood Brother

The once noisy, busy streets and kiosks that were filled with Marmolians, was now reduced to empty trinkets and lost memories. Sonic, Amy and Chris lead the team to the pink palace, followed by Rouge, Éleos, Tails, Cream and Cheese, followed by Knuckles, Vector, Espio and Charmy. They passed tables filled with cards, carts with foot ointments and all manner of charms. They were a flamboyant species. It was rare to see a color repeat itself. The palace wasn't too far now.

The pink hedgehog held Sonic close to her,"Um Sonic? You don't think something happened to them do you?" She did not look at him for she was busy looking at the now decrepit sight that once was Marmolim.

"There's only one way to find out."

The middle group stopped,"Why don't we split up? We'll cover more ground that way." It was Rouge.

"Good Idea." Éleos backed up. The group stopped momentarily and Sonic addressed them,"Alright if you think so. We'll meet back here in an hour or so." Everyone agreed, team Sonic entered the palace, team Rouge stayed at the kiosks, and team Chaotix followed on and found some small houses.

"Look." Rouge pointed out, "It's a ship." She was pointing at an old ship, it made up part of a kiosk where apparently they sold love charms. The ship was bigger and it seemed to go in deeper through a large crack on its bottom. As Rouge entered she looked back at the rest,"Aren't you kids coming?" She laughed and went in. The rest followed, what they saw they probably expected, it was a torn ship that had three different levels. It was turned on its side which made it queer to walk through. Éleos went on after Rouge while Cream reached for Tails' arm. He accommodated and they both went together.

"Do you think they are alright Tails?" Followed by a quiet,"Chao, chao."

"I'm sure they are Cream." Tails winced, he felt his scar opening, but when he looked down it was nothing. Tails looked at the wall, and what was hanging there was a poorly drawn figure of two Marmolians and a smaller one. "A family used to live here." Tails said unhappily. He did not want to believe that the Metarex had gotten there too, or even their new enemies.

Up ahead Rouge searched for any personal belongings in a drawer next to a bed. "C'mon work with me here." The bat rummaged through more belongings making a mess. "Ah, here we are. Hello beautiful." She pulled out a string with a single, shiny, white rock attached to it. "These Marmolians sure have, well some taste in jewelry." Rouge pulled the object closer to her, admiring only the rock and her sneaky ways.

"That doesn't belong to you."

"Waa?" Rouge turned around, "Oh it's only you. What can I say? It's mine now." Éleos was not amused.

"You don't know if they will be back, plus it probably has some importance to these good people."

"Finders keepers' darlin'."

"Put it down Rouge."

This the bat did hear and turned over to the minted hedgehog. "Listen here bub, I don't have to listen to you. Who are you anyway? Coming on our ship? Telling us what to do. Hm!"

"One could say the same to you. I refuse to fight with you over something so subservient such as this." He extended his hand. Rouge looked over the threshold. The other two had just walked in, and probably heard the whole thing.

"Fine take it. It was in poor taste anyway." The white bat stormed off, pushing Éleos while doing so. Éleos sighed, with the rock he set it gently in its place. Cream and Tails both noticed the kind act. The hedgehog did not turn around to see them both, "I hope they are safe." He clenched his smooth, red, stone in his hand. It began to pulsate from red to white.