Chapter four: The Good The Bad and The Rin
Location: Mobius-zone-8, Faconicks, Meridona, South-Tropan, Mansion
Date: Wednesday, March 12th, Second-Line-2101
Time: 9:10 A.M.
“Officials still have no idea as to the reason for this event.” A news reporter informed through the television screen. “It is suspected to be a possible meteor, or earthquake that triggered the destruction of downtown-West-Tropan, but there are also suspicions that this could be the result of a terrorist strike! We’ll have more information later.”
Nick, Kal, and Jesse watched with both nervous and tired faces. What if the explosion was triggered by the same people who were after them? Only one person might of known. That only person was unfortunately having delusions now about meeting a legendary hero who had been dead for over three-hundred-thousand years, and was now sleeping on a rooftop, no doubt covered in droppings. Talon was about to turn away to go wake up and interrogate Rin, but then he heard the reporter say something else.
“Again we regret to inform that the extremists responsible for the death of three families, and multiple buildings in Hickville, Mas Sopain have not been caught, nor identified. It is however possible that three children might have survived the event. If anyo- *boop*” Talon reached over and quickly turned the screen off.
“Hey!” Jesse exclaimed. “What was that for?!”
Talon didn’t reply. He simply walked over to the front door, and leaned over it, with a melancholy expression.
“What’s wrong, Talon?” Kal asked.
“What’s wrong????” He replied in an annoyed tone. “MY PARENT’S GOT KILLED, MY HOME GONE, YOU’RE HOMES GONE, THE PEOPLE WHO DID IT ARE SEARCHING FOR US TO KILL US TOO, AND WE’RE RELAXING IN A MANSION, LIKE “Tomorrow’s the next day of the rest of our lives”!!!
He hit the wall next to the mansion’s front door with extreme anger. No one said anything. A few seconds later however, they heard a faint “wheeeeeeeeeeee” which grew louder and louder, which was followed by a large bang in the front yard. They looked out the window to see Rin laying in the grass outside the door.
“RIN!!!” They all cried out as they ran out to the front door. As they began to help the supposedly injured girl, Rin turned her creepy-looking face towards them, and gave an even creepier smile, her eyes glowing red, and her smile twisted and teethe. This caused the three of them to jerk back in surprise.
“HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAA! THE LOOKS ON YOUR FACE- G-GAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! PRICELESS!” She laughed herself half to death, while her three “rescuers” simply glared at her with un-amused faces.
“You just fell like… fifty feet!! How are you still… alive?” Kal asked. Rin stopped laughing, then turned to Kal and said simply “It’s a gift. Gooooooooooooooood morning!”
The creepy girl’s eyes faded to pale blue, then she rushed into the house and a very fast speed. They all followed her inside, and when they did they found that she was already half-way finished with making waffles and pancakes. “Today’s the first day of the rest of your lives!” She teased.
“Yeah right.” Talon scoffed. “Why should the rest of our lives be so special?”
“Because it’s a beautiful day!” She said.
“And what does that matter?!” Talon snapped. “People die every day! And I’m not in the mood for a ‘Glass is half full’ person at the moment…”
“Meh. Suit yourself.” Rin shrugged insensitively. “I’m not the one missing out on waffles.”
“Where were you when they were passing out sympathy?” Kal said angrily, in defense of Talon.
“Being hunted dead, not alive, by an entire planet who hated me, which included what you might call my family.” Rin said bluntly. The strange thing was that she did not seem upset when she said this, but still in her happy voice.
“I’m… I’m sorry…” Talon apologized sympathetically.
“Sorry?” Rin asked in complete confused. “Don’t be sorry. If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have met you guys. Just like if all the things that had happened to you didn’t happen, you wouldn’t of met each other. Now tell me, would you rather have it so your first families would live, but you would never remember meeting your new family? There’s an upside to everything, whether or not you want to see it. Like a flower. It dies, but because of it, whatever eats it lives longer, unless it’s poisoned of course, or its seeds grow, and become new flowers. Plant of life.”
“… I can’t tell if you’re wise or dumb.” Jesse teased.
“Heh. Never been called wise before.” Rin admitted. “So… anybody want some waffles???”
While it did not calm Talon’s mind, Rin’s little speech did makes sense to him. They agreed to have a waffley-breakfast, while Rin told them how she and three others went on a daring quest to an alternate universe, to battle an evil time-being.
“Wait… if you were helping save the universe, not that I believe this story,” Jesse noted, “why was the whole planet hunting you?”
“Because I wasn’- I’m not a good person.” She responded. “One good deed doesn’t make up for another, and so on.”
“Who told you that?” Talon inquired.
“The time-being.” She answered, shocking her listeners a bit.
“Okay so… what are you exactly?” Jesse asked insensitively. “A Banshee?”
“Uh…” Rin cleared her throat, then in a very loud and high-pitched scream she said “SURE!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY NOT!!!!!!!” which broke some of the glass cups in the room.
“Didn’t you say you were an alien?” Kal reminded.
“Yep!” Rin perkily replied.
“Then why do you have mobian structure?” She inquired.
“I’m from a mobian planet…” Rin said as if it was obvious, “Kinda though the Sonic the hedgehog thing would have clued you in about that. So… you guys gonna watch that file we stole from that big building?”
“Oh yeah… forgot about that.” Nick admitted. “Where is it?”
“I put it in a drawer in the hallway.” Talon pointed to the middle hallway, underneath the staircase. Jesse quickly ran over to get it but regrettably…
“Uh Nick… It’s not here.” Jesse informed. He looked in all the drawers, under the dresser, on top of the dresser, and around it, but the flash-drive was gone.
“That’s because it’s in Kal’s ear.” Rin said, pointing to Kal.
“What?!” Kal exclaimed in disbelief. “I don’t have i-“ Kal reached back to the inside of her outer ear, and found the file, sitting there, without being felt by her. “How did you do that?”
“I’m special.” Rin answered smirking. She gave a gesture with her hand and the file sprouted legs, then climbed over to her. She then tossed it to Talon and asked “So where’s the computer, and why aren’t the construct people here?”
“Day off.” Jesse answered. “We don’t have a computer… yet.”
“Lemme check!” Rin ran through the mansion, with the others following… but barely. When they found her again, she was in the family room, with a state-of-the-art Computer, already loading the program. Rin was spinning in the chair, smirking.
“Do you control technology by any chance?” Jesse asked rhetorically.
“Something like that.” She responded. “File’s ready.” They looked over at the screen to see dozens of different folders. Mostly they were just business, but there were three that stood out. They were named “overview-analysis”, “evidence-analysis”, and “disposition-analysis”.
“Which one first?” Talon asked.
“I wanna try evidence!” Rin suggested, clicking on the folder. The information was composed of at least twelve different pictures; each with a word-document next to them with the same name. Rin opened up one of the pictures to reveal a tank that looked exactly like the ones that tried to kill Nick, Kal, and Jesse.
“That’s…”
“Keep going Rin.” Talon instructed. Rin closed the picture then went into the Overview file. It had video recordings.
In the first video was the same overlander. He was in a warehouse, and seemed to be hiding. “This is entry one of my investigation.” The man said. “My investigation into this ‘business’ that Mr. Steen spoke of has confirmed my suspicion. … someone’s coming.” The man quickly hid behind a pile of empty crates, and pointed the recorder at the men coming inside. There was an old white-haired skinny overlander, a short woman with her face completely covered by a black mask, and one other overlander. This one Talon and Kal recognized.
“That’s the army dude who came to my school!” They both said.
“I’m sure that you’ll find everything prepared.” The skinny overlander said to the woman.
“Convince me.” She replied in a young-sounding voice.
The skinny one walked over to a crate, and opened it. He then pulled out what appeared to be shards of gems. He handed a shard to the woman, and she began to glow, then handed it back to the man.
“I am convinced. But how did you manage ‘Mr. Steen’.?” She inquired.
“I have my ways. That is to say, construction workers in my debt.” Mr. Steen answered. “What are your orders for their transport?”
“I’ll keep some for myself.” She answered. “Power-ize the others. They might prove useful in other ways. Also, make sure that they are transported, to ALL stations. That is all.”
The general made a gesture and more overlanders came in, then began to move the crates. “I’ll try to get one of the gems if possible.” The man recording said.
The video closed, and moved on to the next, but Rin chose to close that one as well. “What are you doing?” Nick asked.
“I know where the warehouse is.” Rin said, getting up from the chair. “And I’m guessing you’ll find more answers there. Shall we go?”
The others eventually followed, and the four friends spent the next two hours driving. When they arrived they found the location to be guarded by six armed overlanders.
They exited the car, then hid behind some boulders that were scattered throughout the docks.
“Let’s get em!” Rin said attempting to charge at the guards. Kal used her scarf to grab Rin’s leg, and pull her back.
“You can’t just go barging into there!” Kal whispered.
“Why not?” Rin asked.
“The guards! Duh!” Kal scolded. “They see you, and not only will they attack, but their probably set off an alarm or something!”
“So?” Rin questioned. “We can take em.”
“We don’t need to!” Kal noted. “If we can sneak past them, we can investigate and get out without anyone even knowing we were there. I don’t think the other option will help as much.”
“Fine, fine.” Rin submitted. “So what’s your plan?”
“Hmm…” Kal raised her head upward in hopes of looking at the roof, but alas could not see it. “If I was a bit higher, I could see if there’s any windows on the roof.”
“Let me try.” Nick suggested, hoisting himself upward. Instead of stand up though, he flew up. He looked behind him, and saw that he had TWO long black wings. A guard was quickly approaching. He was sure to be seen. Talon tried to fly downward, but had no idea how. Rin quickly grabbed his leg, then pulled him back down with them.
“Since when can you fly?” Jesse asked.
“Uh… a few seconds ago?” Nick guessed.
“Did you see the roof?” Kal asked.
“Uh, yeah. There’s a window.” He answered. “How are we going to get up there without being seen?”
“Like this!” Rin announced, just before throwing all three of them onto the roof before the guard came around again. She waited for him to leave, then jumped up as well.
“Subtle Rin…” Kal groaned in sarcasm. “My rear is so grateful.”
“You’re welcome Sphinxy.” Rin said.
“Sphinxy?” Kal asked.
“Never mind.” Rin said teasingly. “Let’s go.”
Talon smoke-ported them inside, then they all began searching through the crates. There weren’t as many there as they thought, but there was still…
“I found gems!” Rin called to the others. She pulled out shards of the gems, and began to throw them on the floor, until the crate was empty. She then did the same to the others, going from crate to crate.
“Rin… what are you doing?” Talon asked in a concerned and confused tone.
“Looking for a gem.” She answered, still rack sacking the crates.
“But you just tossed them all on the floor.” Jesse noted.
“Those aren’t full ones. The full ones are better.” She answered.
“And why’s that?” Kal asked. Rin then pulled out a completely untouched gem. It shined brighter than any of the shards, and was a deep green color.
“Because this one is a full Chaos Emerald.!” Rin announced.
“Th-th-that’s a chaos emerald???” Jesse stammered. “C-can I touch it???”
“Easy there, Golem.” Rin said. “We should bring this back to the mansion first.” Rin jumped back through the ceiling and down onto the outside floor, leaving the others in the warehouse.
“Hey! Wait up!” Kal yelled. “Ugh!” Kal stretched her scarf from the floor to the roof, then climbed up, as did Jesse, while Talon simply smoke-ported.
“Where’d she go?” Jesse asked. They looked around the area, but didn’t see the hooded girl anywhere.
“She’s probably going to jump out of nowhere and scare us.” Kal supposed. “Hey… isn’t that the Chaos Emerald?” Kal pointed next to a truck, where an emerald lay, unnoticed by the two guards now driving away… quickly… right where Rin was.
“RIN!!!” Kal yelled. She jumped downward, using her scarf to brace her fall, with Talon and Jesse following. Jesse picked up the Emerald, and they began to give chase after the truck. It kept going faster and faster, and their stamina was running out. Finally Talon got the idea of saying “Jesse! Toss me the emerald!”
Jesse did as he was asked. Nick clutched the emerald tightly, then while concentrating deeply he said aloud “Chaos Control!” … But nothing happened. Not even a spark of light from the gem. The truck was out of sight, and they were all out of energy to chase it.
“Guess you can’t use Chaos Control.” Jesse guessed. “Let me try.” Kal, with his ego still recovering, handing the gem over to Jesse. Jesse concentrated and spoke the words as Nick did, but the same result followed. Eventually even Kal attempted to use the emerald, but it did not work for any of them.
Talon was sitting on the floor, utterly ashamed and upset at the defeat. “Maybe we could drive after them in the car!” Jesse suggested.
“We wouldn’t know which way to look at this point.” Kal informed. “Hang on…” Kal ran back to the warehouse, and up to one of the guards. She clutched one of her rings, then tore part of the metal door off, and wrapped it around the guard before he could fire his gun at her.
“Where’s that truck going?” She asked. He didn’t respond.
“What are you doing?!” Jesse asked, as he and Talon caught up.
“This guy can tell us where they’re taking Rin.” She said. “But he’s not talking.”
“I’ll take care of this.” Talon nominated. He walked up to the guard, placed his hand on the guard’s shoulder, then slowly began to use the acid-smoke on the shoulder.
Slowly it burned through the armor, then began to burn off the man’s skin. Finally the guard said “ALRIGHT!!!! ALRIGHT!!!!!!!”
“Good. Where is it?” Talon asked with a smirk on his face.
In another location.
Rin awoke to an almost completely black room. The only lit part was the lights underneath her. She was facing frontally with both hands in two separate giant cuffs, which were spread apart, as were her feet. She hung forward a bit, with the cuffs keeping her from moving.
Eventually the Admiral that was at Nick’s and Jesse’s school walked in with a file in his hands. “Ello G’vna.” She greeted in a fluent British accent.
“That was not very smart getting caught little girl.” The Admiral said, ignoring the greeting.
“Sue me.” Rin teased.
“Do you understand what this organization’s objective is?” The man asked.
“No, but where’s the fun in knowing?” Rin teased.
“We are-“
“Out to destroy or rule the universe, and blah blah blah.” Rin interrupted. “So, you gonna be the person that taunts me and insults me, and tortures me until I tell you everything I know about Perdy Eyes and the others?”
“Well if you’re so well versed, we can skip to the good part.” The Admiral walked over to a different part of the room, then pressed a button, which caused a horde of electric surges to charge into Rin’s body. He waited; expecting to hear a scream, but heard nothing.
Rin was motionless. She was like this for thirty seconds. The Admiral assumed she had passed out too quickly, and began to turn the power up higher, but still no reaction. He kept going higher and higher, but still she did nothing. Finally Rin raised her head.
Her once blue eye was now glowing dark red. It was twisted and stretched now, and she had a most creepy smile on her face. The Admiral stammered back in surprise, and said “You!”
“Me…” Rin responded. Her voice was followed by a large explosion, which revealed her location completely. She was in a base. It was big, black, and round. It was surrounded by a large desert area, with no other building for miles. Quickly approaching the base were Talon and company.
“What was that?!” Jesse said, motioning to the explosion coming from the base.
“You think I know?” Talon snapped. They arrived in front of the base, and quickly entered ready for anything. Dozens of overlanders, and mobians, were shocked to see their entrance, but weren’t for very long. Many of them pulled out guns, while those who didn’t ran for cover.
The armed ones began firing rapidly at the heroes, giving them not a moment to lose. Talon and Jesse jumped out of the way, but Kal didn’t move in time. She got twelve bullets longed into her leg and torso. She gave out a painful scream as she fell to the floor.
“KAL!!” Jesse and Talon yelled.
“I’ll be okay!” Kal called out to them, groaning in pain. “Find Rin!”
“Throw me.” Jesse ordered just as they ducked behind a desk.
“Why should I-“
“Just throw me!!!” He said again. In completely confusion, but lack of options, Talon hurled Jesse into the attackers. As the slate-blue hedgehog began to make contact with the bullets, a giant explosion of energy surged out of him; sending the attackers to the floor. He landed safely, then ran over to Kal, while Talon ran through the hallway in search of Rin.
“Are you okay? Of course you’re not okay! What am I thinking! Uh-“
“Jesse, it’s okay… really.” Kal assured. She clutched another part of her scarf, and slowly, the bullets left her leg, and the wounds they made began to heal. “Go after Talon. I’ll be alright.”
Jesse nodded then ran after his friend. Talon and Jesse met up and continued their search for Rin. They went through three different hallways, but still couldn’t find her… until another explosion shot them both through two sets of walls. They looked up to see Rin now battling five thirty-feet-robots, and she was winning.
Rin was now glowing red, with one hand in the shape of an axe, and the other as a giant claw. She charged into one of the robots; ripping through its chest, and sending it to the ground. Once her prey was down, she continued to fight the others.
“Um… I don’t think she needs our help…” Jesse noted. They both watched as Rin destroyed robot after robot. It seemed as if she had won, but then Talon noticed something. He looked over at the first robot that was destroyed and saw that it was rebuilding itself.
The robot quickly repaired itself, then rose up behind Rin. “Look out!” Jesse called out, but Rin was too late. The robot grabbed her by the legs, then drove her against the ground, until there was nothing above the torso left.
Talon and Jesse sat frozen on the destroyed building wall, shocked by the supposed death. Strangely though, Rin’s body began to regrow, just as the robot did. She was regenerating. Rin jumped upward, then sent a giant energy beam down into the robot, which she did to the other four as well.
Nick and Jesse rushed over to her, about to congratulate her, and have more freaking out, but then… she attacked them. Rin swung her razor claw at Talon. He quickly ducked under her, then kicked her back. “What are you doing?!!” He yelled.
“Fighting you.” She answered blankly. Talon looked at Rin and saw that he eye was not only red now, but twisted and stretched in a most creepy and strange way.
“Why!?” He asked, as he began to run from Rin.
“I’m bored.” She answered, just before firing her arm-canon at the confused hedgehog. Talon quickly stretched his claws out, blocking the shots. He readied himself for another attack, but Rin simply jumped back to the robots, and began fighting them instead.
“Whoa… go Rin!” Kal cheered on as she entered the area.
“Might want to re-think that, Kal!” Jesse hinted before charging at both Rin and the robots.
“Why- what are you doing?!” Kal exclaimed.
“Rin attacked us, Kal!” Talon informed.
“Then why is she fighting the robots?” Kal asked.
“Don’t know.” Talon answered, resting for the moment. “She was firing shots at me one second, then charging at them, the next.”
“I guess she was just trying to trick us into letting her in.” Kal suggested. “Then she could just tell these people where we were, and how to take us down.”
“But she’s attacking them too.” Talon noted. “Maybe she’s self-employed. Though… when I tried to ask her, she just said that she was bored.”
“ERK!” Jesse groaned as he hit the floor in front of them. “She must be really bored.”
“Maybe if we all fight at the same time, we can over-power her.” Talon suggested.
“I would say no, but we don’t seem to have many other options.” Kal agreed. Let’s do it.
“Jesse, you distract her, while Kal uses her scarf to wrap around her, or something.” Talon discussed. “I’ll try to weaken her with my acid-smoke.”
“What about the robots?” Jesse reminded.
“We’ll get them once we’ve taken care of Rin.” Talon answered. “Let’s go.”
Just as they planned out, Jesse distracted Rin by charging into her, then using kinetic-reaction-abilities to keep her down, while Kal tried to trap her in the scarf. Before the scarf was on however, Rin caused herself to shrink, then jumped behind them, and attempted to stab them in their backsides. Talon intervened.
The grey hedgehog quickly cut through Rin’s hand with his acid-smoke, then stabbed through the back, before throwing her away from the others. “Did you have to kill her?” Jesse asked.
“She’s not dead, Jesse. She regenerates.” Talon informed, before smoke-porting back to Rin. The others began to join him, but the giant robots blocked their path.
“Rin! You don’t have to do this!” Talon yelled as he pinned the hooded girl to the ground.
“You’re right. I don’t. But it doesn’t mean I can’t. Not like anyone would help me, anyway.” Rin raised her regenerated claw up to Talon’s face, struggling to cut him, but Talon grabbed her arm, before she made contact. She rammed him in the face with her head, then shoved him aside.
From there Rin stood up, and began to observe the area, until her eyes found both Jesse and Kal laying on the ground; beaten by the giant robots. She was about to go attack one, when she heard a lazer blast from behind, and someone screaming… and it sounded like Talon.
Rin quickly turned around to see Talon shielding her from two lazer beams, and being burned in the process. He fell to the ground; unconscious. “Aw… he risked his life for yours… how touching.” The Admiral teased, after finally waking up from the previous explosion. “Kill her.”
The robots sent another blast at Rin, which blew her into the ground. She charged up, then changed her arms into giant connected blades. While still in mid-air, Rin began spinning with incredible speed, then flew down chopping the robots into pieces.
The hooded girl landed on the ground with a smirk on her face. She walked over to the robots, and tried to absorb them… but it didn’t work. “You can’t absorb my robots.” The Admiral informed. “They are made from a non-metal Nanite-element. A rare one, but potent none the less.”
The robot pieces regrouped, then reformed themselves together. Rin charged up a red energy in her hands, then sent an energy beam into the robots, melting them to pieces. They fell down a second time, but arose, and regenerated a second time also.
A robot came up from behind, and shoved Rin deep into the ground. The hooded girl rammed into its circuitry, and imploded herself from within. Still the robots came back.
She battled the metallic giants for well over an hour, without a sweat on her face, but the Admiral could tell that she was getting tired. Eventually the robots overpowered her, and sent her deep into the planet’s crust. After a few minutes they released themselves out of the whole, then charged their arm cannons; awaiting Rin to come back out.
Nothing moved for minutes. There was just the sound of the building crumbling, the Admiral coughing here and there, and the wind. Talon awoke slowly. He raised his newly-colored red-burned face, stressing to see what was happening. “Let’s be thorough.” The Admiral said. “Fire.”
Talon watched as the robots continued to blast away at the giant hole. They did this for quite some time until finally ending, then turned to go after Jesse and Kal. The hedgehog teenager tried to crawl over to them but he was too weak to do anything, even smoke-portal. Then he noticed the chaos emerald… two feet from him.
After a great deal of stress and pain, Talon reached over and picked up the gem. “C-chaos… control…” he wheezed, but nothing happened. He said it again, and again; each time more angry than the last, but still nothing. He collapsed his face to the ground. He was now facing the hole that he assumed Rin was in (Which she was).
He gave a glance to the right, and saw the robots beginning to aim their arm cannons at Jesse and Kal. “NO!!!!” He screamed in his mind. “C’MON EMERALD… WORK!!!” Even then the emerald did nothing. Nick gave a large sigh, then thrusted the gem into the hole that held Rin.
It was silent. The robots were ten seconds from firing. One was at the brink, but instead of firing, he began to malfunction, and stammered back a bit, with little sparks coming from him. Talon looked back to the hole, and saw small amounts of yellow and red energy begin to flow out of it. He then heard a faint chuckle coming from the hole, then… the earth shook.
A giant, but nano-second-long, quake shifted the robots to the ground, then continued in smaller rations. The hole was now breathing out this strange energy, then out of it came a giant red energy wave, which was followed by a giant yellow one coming going upward from the hole.
The robots turned to the energy and began firing with everything they had, but it did nothing. A golden female figure, rushed outward; spinning in immensely large circles, which instantly created an energy cyclone, which in turn, caused the robots to get up inside of it. The figure rammed the robot into the air, then burned them with her hands, until they were completely gone, then landed triumphantly on the ground. It was Super Rin.
Talon slowly raised himself upward, and got into a poor fighting stance. When Rin saw him, her eyes widened for a moment, then she gave out a large chuckle. The chaos being raised her hand, which caused Talon to raise up and float in front of her.
“Rin! Stop!” He pleaded. “You don’t have to do this!”
“You’re right! I don’t! But I’m gonna.” She answered smirking. Talon gave a large cringe, thinking “this is the end” but to his surprise it was not.
A giant light filled the area, and when it left, he was in full health, as were Kal and Jesse. He smiled for a bit, then gave a confused look and said “Why did you help us?”
“You sacrificed yourself for me.” She answered. “Not many people have done that to someone like me. You’ve earned my loyalty in that way.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” He asked in disbelief.
“I hereby promise to never betray you in any way, shape, or form.” Rin vowed. “I never break a promise. Never have, and never will. Been that way for three-million years.” Rin powered down to her normal hooded form, just as Jesse and Kal walked up.
“What just happened…?” Jesse weakly asked, swaying from back to forth.
“Nothing.” Rin answered.
“What are we doing here?” Kal asked.
“You were saving me from my kidnappers.” Rin answered. “Thanks!”
Rin hopped off from her little mound, then ran over to the car, and got in. The others simply stared at her with confused faces at first, but then just shook their heads and followed.
Location: Mobius-zone-8, Faconicks, Meridona, South-Tropan, Mansion
Date: Wednesday, March 12th, Second-Line-2101
Time: 9:10 A.M.
“Officials still have no idea as to the reason for this event.” A news reporter informed through the television screen. “It is suspected to be a possible meteor, or earthquake that triggered the destruction of downtown-West-Tropan, but there are also suspicions that this could be the result of a terrorist strike! We’ll have more information later.”
Nick, Kal, and Jesse watched with both nervous and tired faces. What if the explosion was triggered by the same people who were after them? Only one person might of known. That only person was unfortunately having delusions now about meeting a legendary hero who had been dead for over three-hundred-thousand years, and was now sleeping on a rooftop, no doubt covered in droppings. Talon was about to turn away to go wake up and interrogate Rin, but then he heard the reporter say something else.
“Again we regret to inform that the extremists responsible for the death of three families, and multiple buildings in Hickville, Mas Sopain have not been caught, nor identified. It is however possible that three children might have survived the event. If anyo- *boop*” Talon reached over and quickly turned the screen off.
“Hey!” Jesse exclaimed. “What was that for?!”
Talon didn’t reply. He simply walked over to the front door, and leaned over it, with a melancholy expression.
“What’s wrong, Talon?” Kal asked.
“What’s wrong????” He replied in an annoyed tone. “MY PARENT’S GOT KILLED, MY HOME GONE, YOU’RE HOMES GONE, THE PEOPLE WHO DID IT ARE SEARCHING FOR US TO KILL US TOO, AND WE’RE RELAXING IN A MANSION, LIKE “Tomorrow’s the next day of the rest of our lives”!!!
He hit the wall next to the mansion’s front door with extreme anger. No one said anything. A few seconds later however, they heard a faint “wheeeeeeeeeeee” which grew louder and louder, which was followed by a large bang in the front yard. They looked out the window to see Rin laying in the grass outside the door.
“RIN!!!” They all cried out as they ran out to the front door. As they began to help the supposedly injured girl, Rin turned her creepy-looking face towards them, and gave an even creepier smile, her eyes glowing red, and her smile twisted and teethe. This caused the three of them to jerk back in surprise.
“HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAA! THE LOOKS ON YOUR FACE- G-GAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! PRICELESS!” She laughed herself half to death, while her three “rescuers” simply glared at her with un-amused faces.
“You just fell like… fifty feet!! How are you still… alive?” Kal asked. Rin stopped laughing, then turned to Kal and said simply “It’s a gift. Gooooooooooooooood morning!”
The creepy girl’s eyes faded to pale blue, then she rushed into the house and a very fast speed. They all followed her inside, and when they did they found that she was already half-way finished with making waffles and pancakes. “Today’s the first day of the rest of your lives!” She teased.
“Yeah right.” Talon scoffed. “Why should the rest of our lives be so special?”
“Because it’s a beautiful day!” She said.
“And what does that matter?!” Talon snapped. “People die every day! And I’m not in the mood for a ‘Glass is half full’ person at the moment…”
“Meh. Suit yourself.” Rin shrugged insensitively. “I’m not the one missing out on waffles.”
“Where were you when they were passing out sympathy?” Kal said angrily, in defense of Talon.
“Being hunted dead, not alive, by an entire planet who hated me, which included what you might call my family.” Rin said bluntly. The strange thing was that she did not seem upset when she said this, but still in her happy voice.
“I’m… I’m sorry…” Talon apologized sympathetically.
“Sorry?” Rin asked in complete confused. “Don’t be sorry. If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have met you guys. Just like if all the things that had happened to you didn’t happen, you wouldn’t of met each other. Now tell me, would you rather have it so your first families would live, but you would never remember meeting your new family? There’s an upside to everything, whether or not you want to see it. Like a flower. It dies, but because of it, whatever eats it lives longer, unless it’s poisoned of course, or its seeds grow, and become new flowers. Plant of life.”
“… I can’t tell if you’re wise or dumb.” Jesse teased.
“Heh. Never been called wise before.” Rin admitted. “So… anybody want some waffles???”
While it did not calm Talon’s mind, Rin’s little speech did makes sense to him. They agreed to have a waffley-breakfast, while Rin told them how she and three others went on a daring quest to an alternate universe, to battle an evil time-being.
“Wait… if you were helping save the universe, not that I believe this story,” Jesse noted, “why was the whole planet hunting you?”
“Because I wasn’- I’m not a good person.” She responded. “One good deed doesn’t make up for another, and so on.”
“Who told you that?” Talon inquired.
“The time-being.” She answered, shocking her listeners a bit.
“Okay so… what are you exactly?” Jesse asked insensitively. “A Banshee?”
“Uh…” Rin cleared her throat, then in a very loud and high-pitched scream she said “SURE!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY NOT!!!!!!!” which broke some of the glass cups in the room.
“Didn’t you say you were an alien?” Kal reminded.
“Yep!” Rin perkily replied.
“Then why do you have mobian structure?” She inquired.
“I’m from a mobian planet…” Rin said as if it was obvious, “Kinda though the Sonic the hedgehog thing would have clued you in about that. So… you guys gonna watch that file we stole from that big building?”
“Oh yeah… forgot about that.” Nick admitted. “Where is it?”
“I put it in a drawer in the hallway.” Talon pointed to the middle hallway, underneath the staircase. Jesse quickly ran over to get it but regrettably…
“Uh Nick… It’s not here.” Jesse informed. He looked in all the drawers, under the dresser, on top of the dresser, and around it, but the flash-drive was gone.
“That’s because it’s in Kal’s ear.” Rin said, pointing to Kal.
“What?!” Kal exclaimed in disbelief. “I don’t have i-“ Kal reached back to the inside of her outer ear, and found the file, sitting there, without being felt by her. “How did you do that?”
“I’m special.” Rin answered smirking. She gave a gesture with her hand and the file sprouted legs, then climbed over to her. She then tossed it to Talon and asked “So where’s the computer, and why aren’t the construct people here?”
“Day off.” Jesse answered. “We don’t have a computer… yet.”
“Lemme check!” Rin ran through the mansion, with the others following… but barely. When they found her again, she was in the family room, with a state-of-the-art Computer, already loading the program. Rin was spinning in the chair, smirking.
“Do you control technology by any chance?” Jesse asked rhetorically.
“Something like that.” She responded. “File’s ready.” They looked over at the screen to see dozens of different folders. Mostly they were just business, but there were three that stood out. They were named “overview-analysis”, “evidence-analysis”, and “disposition-analysis”.
“Which one first?” Talon asked.
“I wanna try evidence!” Rin suggested, clicking on the folder. The information was composed of at least twelve different pictures; each with a word-document next to them with the same name. Rin opened up one of the pictures to reveal a tank that looked exactly like the ones that tried to kill Nick, Kal, and Jesse.
“That’s…”
“Keep going Rin.” Talon instructed. Rin closed the picture then went into the Overview file. It had video recordings.
In the first video was the same overlander. He was in a warehouse, and seemed to be hiding. “This is entry one of my investigation.” The man said. “My investigation into this ‘business’ that Mr. Steen spoke of has confirmed my suspicion. … someone’s coming.” The man quickly hid behind a pile of empty crates, and pointed the recorder at the men coming inside. There was an old white-haired skinny overlander, a short woman with her face completely covered by a black mask, and one other overlander. This one Talon and Kal recognized.
“That’s the army dude who came to my school!” They both said.
“I’m sure that you’ll find everything prepared.” The skinny overlander said to the woman.
“Convince me.” She replied in a young-sounding voice.
The skinny one walked over to a crate, and opened it. He then pulled out what appeared to be shards of gems. He handed a shard to the woman, and she began to glow, then handed it back to the man.
“I am convinced. But how did you manage ‘Mr. Steen’.?” She inquired.
“I have my ways. That is to say, construction workers in my debt.” Mr. Steen answered. “What are your orders for their transport?”
“I’ll keep some for myself.” She answered. “Power-ize the others. They might prove useful in other ways. Also, make sure that they are transported, to ALL stations. That is all.”
The general made a gesture and more overlanders came in, then began to move the crates. “I’ll try to get one of the gems if possible.” The man recording said.
The video closed, and moved on to the next, but Rin chose to close that one as well. “What are you doing?” Nick asked.
“I know where the warehouse is.” Rin said, getting up from the chair. “And I’m guessing you’ll find more answers there. Shall we go?”
The others eventually followed, and the four friends spent the next two hours driving. When they arrived they found the location to be guarded by six armed overlanders.
They exited the car, then hid behind some boulders that were scattered throughout the docks.
“Let’s get em!” Rin said attempting to charge at the guards. Kal used her scarf to grab Rin’s leg, and pull her back.
“You can’t just go barging into there!” Kal whispered.
“Why not?” Rin asked.
“The guards! Duh!” Kal scolded. “They see you, and not only will they attack, but their probably set off an alarm or something!”
“So?” Rin questioned. “We can take em.”
“We don’t need to!” Kal noted. “If we can sneak past them, we can investigate and get out without anyone even knowing we were there. I don’t think the other option will help as much.”
“Fine, fine.” Rin submitted. “So what’s your plan?”
“Hmm…” Kal raised her head upward in hopes of looking at the roof, but alas could not see it. “If I was a bit higher, I could see if there’s any windows on the roof.”
“Let me try.” Nick suggested, hoisting himself upward. Instead of stand up though, he flew up. He looked behind him, and saw that he had TWO long black wings. A guard was quickly approaching. He was sure to be seen. Talon tried to fly downward, but had no idea how. Rin quickly grabbed his leg, then pulled him back down with them.
“Since when can you fly?” Jesse asked.
“Uh… a few seconds ago?” Nick guessed.
“Did you see the roof?” Kal asked.
“Uh, yeah. There’s a window.” He answered. “How are we going to get up there without being seen?”
“Like this!” Rin announced, just before throwing all three of them onto the roof before the guard came around again. She waited for him to leave, then jumped up as well.
“Subtle Rin…” Kal groaned in sarcasm. “My rear is so grateful.”
“You’re welcome Sphinxy.” Rin said.
“Sphinxy?” Kal asked.
“Never mind.” Rin said teasingly. “Let’s go.”
Talon smoke-ported them inside, then they all began searching through the crates. There weren’t as many there as they thought, but there was still…
“I found gems!” Rin called to the others. She pulled out shards of the gems, and began to throw them on the floor, until the crate was empty. She then did the same to the others, going from crate to crate.
“Rin… what are you doing?” Talon asked in a concerned and confused tone.
“Looking for a gem.” She answered, still rack sacking the crates.
“But you just tossed them all on the floor.” Jesse noted.
“Those aren’t full ones. The full ones are better.” She answered.
“And why’s that?” Kal asked. Rin then pulled out a completely untouched gem. It shined brighter than any of the shards, and was a deep green color.
“Because this one is a full Chaos Emerald.!” Rin announced.
“Th-th-that’s a chaos emerald???” Jesse stammered. “C-can I touch it???”
“Easy there, Golem.” Rin said. “We should bring this back to the mansion first.” Rin jumped back through the ceiling and down onto the outside floor, leaving the others in the warehouse.
“Hey! Wait up!” Kal yelled. “Ugh!” Kal stretched her scarf from the floor to the roof, then climbed up, as did Jesse, while Talon simply smoke-ported.
“Where’d she go?” Jesse asked. They looked around the area, but didn’t see the hooded girl anywhere.
“She’s probably going to jump out of nowhere and scare us.” Kal supposed. “Hey… isn’t that the Chaos Emerald?” Kal pointed next to a truck, where an emerald lay, unnoticed by the two guards now driving away… quickly… right where Rin was.
“RIN!!!” Kal yelled. She jumped downward, using her scarf to brace her fall, with Talon and Jesse following. Jesse picked up the Emerald, and they began to give chase after the truck. It kept going faster and faster, and their stamina was running out. Finally Talon got the idea of saying “Jesse! Toss me the emerald!”
Jesse did as he was asked. Nick clutched the emerald tightly, then while concentrating deeply he said aloud “Chaos Control!” … But nothing happened. Not even a spark of light from the gem. The truck was out of sight, and they were all out of energy to chase it.
“Guess you can’t use Chaos Control.” Jesse guessed. “Let me try.” Kal, with his ego still recovering, handing the gem over to Jesse. Jesse concentrated and spoke the words as Nick did, but the same result followed. Eventually even Kal attempted to use the emerald, but it did not work for any of them.
Talon was sitting on the floor, utterly ashamed and upset at the defeat. “Maybe we could drive after them in the car!” Jesse suggested.
“We wouldn’t know which way to look at this point.” Kal informed. “Hang on…” Kal ran back to the warehouse, and up to one of the guards. She clutched one of her rings, then tore part of the metal door off, and wrapped it around the guard before he could fire his gun at her.
“Where’s that truck going?” She asked. He didn’t respond.
“What are you doing?!” Jesse asked, as he and Talon caught up.
“This guy can tell us where they’re taking Rin.” She said. “But he’s not talking.”
“I’ll take care of this.” Talon nominated. He walked up to the guard, placed his hand on the guard’s shoulder, then slowly began to use the acid-smoke on the shoulder.
Slowly it burned through the armor, then began to burn off the man’s skin. Finally the guard said “ALRIGHT!!!! ALRIGHT!!!!!!!”
“Good. Where is it?” Talon asked with a smirk on his face.
In another location.
Rin awoke to an almost completely black room. The only lit part was the lights underneath her. She was facing frontally with both hands in two separate giant cuffs, which were spread apart, as were her feet. She hung forward a bit, with the cuffs keeping her from moving.
Eventually the Admiral that was at Nick’s and Jesse’s school walked in with a file in his hands. “Ello G’vna.” She greeted in a fluent British accent.
“That was not very smart getting caught little girl.” The Admiral said, ignoring the greeting.
“Sue me.” Rin teased.
“Do you understand what this organization’s objective is?” The man asked.
“No, but where’s the fun in knowing?” Rin teased.
“We are-“
“Out to destroy or rule the universe, and blah blah blah.” Rin interrupted. “So, you gonna be the person that taunts me and insults me, and tortures me until I tell you everything I know about Perdy Eyes and the others?”
“Well if you’re so well versed, we can skip to the good part.” The Admiral walked over to a different part of the room, then pressed a button, which caused a horde of electric surges to charge into Rin’s body. He waited; expecting to hear a scream, but heard nothing.
Rin was motionless. She was like this for thirty seconds. The Admiral assumed she had passed out too quickly, and began to turn the power up higher, but still no reaction. He kept going higher and higher, but still she did nothing. Finally Rin raised her head.
Her once blue eye was now glowing dark red. It was twisted and stretched now, and she had a most creepy smile on her face. The Admiral stammered back in surprise, and said “You!”
“Me…” Rin responded. Her voice was followed by a large explosion, which revealed her location completely. She was in a base. It was big, black, and round. It was surrounded by a large desert area, with no other building for miles. Quickly approaching the base were Talon and company.
“What was that?!” Jesse said, motioning to the explosion coming from the base.
“You think I know?” Talon snapped. They arrived in front of the base, and quickly entered ready for anything. Dozens of overlanders, and mobians, were shocked to see their entrance, but weren’t for very long. Many of them pulled out guns, while those who didn’t ran for cover.
The armed ones began firing rapidly at the heroes, giving them not a moment to lose. Talon and Jesse jumped out of the way, but Kal didn’t move in time. She got twelve bullets longed into her leg and torso. She gave out a painful scream as she fell to the floor.
“KAL!!” Jesse and Talon yelled.
“I’ll be okay!” Kal called out to them, groaning in pain. “Find Rin!”
“Throw me.” Jesse ordered just as they ducked behind a desk.
“Why should I-“
“Just throw me!!!” He said again. In completely confusion, but lack of options, Talon hurled Jesse into the attackers. As the slate-blue hedgehog began to make contact with the bullets, a giant explosion of energy surged out of him; sending the attackers to the floor. He landed safely, then ran over to Kal, while Talon ran through the hallway in search of Rin.
“Are you okay? Of course you’re not okay! What am I thinking! Uh-“
“Jesse, it’s okay… really.” Kal assured. She clutched another part of her scarf, and slowly, the bullets left her leg, and the wounds they made began to heal. “Go after Talon. I’ll be alright.”
Jesse nodded then ran after his friend. Talon and Jesse met up and continued their search for Rin. They went through three different hallways, but still couldn’t find her… until another explosion shot them both through two sets of walls. They looked up to see Rin now battling five thirty-feet-robots, and she was winning.
Rin was now glowing red, with one hand in the shape of an axe, and the other as a giant claw. She charged into one of the robots; ripping through its chest, and sending it to the ground. Once her prey was down, she continued to fight the others.
“Um… I don’t think she needs our help…” Jesse noted. They both watched as Rin destroyed robot after robot. It seemed as if she had won, but then Talon noticed something. He looked over at the first robot that was destroyed and saw that it was rebuilding itself.
The robot quickly repaired itself, then rose up behind Rin. “Look out!” Jesse called out, but Rin was too late. The robot grabbed her by the legs, then drove her against the ground, until there was nothing above the torso left.
Talon and Jesse sat frozen on the destroyed building wall, shocked by the supposed death. Strangely though, Rin’s body began to regrow, just as the robot did. She was regenerating. Rin jumped upward, then sent a giant energy beam down into the robot, which she did to the other four as well.
Nick and Jesse rushed over to her, about to congratulate her, and have more freaking out, but then… she attacked them. Rin swung her razor claw at Talon. He quickly ducked under her, then kicked her back. “What are you doing?!!” He yelled.
“Fighting you.” She answered blankly. Talon looked at Rin and saw that he eye was not only red now, but twisted and stretched in a most creepy and strange way.
“Why!?” He asked, as he began to run from Rin.
“I’m bored.” She answered, just before firing her arm-canon at the confused hedgehog. Talon quickly stretched his claws out, blocking the shots. He readied himself for another attack, but Rin simply jumped back to the robots, and began fighting them instead.
“Whoa… go Rin!” Kal cheered on as she entered the area.
“Might want to re-think that, Kal!” Jesse hinted before charging at both Rin and the robots.
“Why- what are you doing?!” Kal exclaimed.
“Rin attacked us, Kal!” Talon informed.
“Then why is she fighting the robots?” Kal asked.
“Don’t know.” Talon answered, resting for the moment. “She was firing shots at me one second, then charging at them, the next.”
“I guess she was just trying to trick us into letting her in.” Kal suggested. “Then she could just tell these people where we were, and how to take us down.”
“But she’s attacking them too.” Talon noted. “Maybe she’s self-employed. Though… when I tried to ask her, she just said that she was bored.”
“ERK!” Jesse groaned as he hit the floor in front of them. “She must be really bored.”
“Maybe if we all fight at the same time, we can over-power her.” Talon suggested.
“I would say no, but we don’t seem to have many other options.” Kal agreed. Let’s do it.
“Jesse, you distract her, while Kal uses her scarf to wrap around her, or something.” Talon discussed. “I’ll try to weaken her with my acid-smoke.”
“What about the robots?” Jesse reminded.
“We’ll get them once we’ve taken care of Rin.” Talon answered. “Let’s go.”
Just as they planned out, Jesse distracted Rin by charging into her, then using kinetic-reaction-abilities to keep her down, while Kal tried to trap her in the scarf. Before the scarf was on however, Rin caused herself to shrink, then jumped behind them, and attempted to stab them in their backsides. Talon intervened.
The grey hedgehog quickly cut through Rin’s hand with his acid-smoke, then stabbed through the back, before throwing her away from the others. “Did you have to kill her?” Jesse asked.
“She’s not dead, Jesse. She regenerates.” Talon informed, before smoke-porting back to Rin. The others began to join him, but the giant robots blocked their path.
“Rin! You don’t have to do this!” Talon yelled as he pinned the hooded girl to the ground.
“You’re right. I don’t. But it doesn’t mean I can’t. Not like anyone would help me, anyway.” Rin raised her regenerated claw up to Talon’s face, struggling to cut him, but Talon grabbed her arm, before she made contact. She rammed him in the face with her head, then shoved him aside.
From there Rin stood up, and began to observe the area, until her eyes found both Jesse and Kal laying on the ground; beaten by the giant robots. She was about to go attack one, when she heard a lazer blast from behind, and someone screaming… and it sounded like Talon.
Rin quickly turned around to see Talon shielding her from two lazer beams, and being burned in the process. He fell to the ground; unconscious. “Aw… he risked his life for yours… how touching.” The Admiral teased, after finally waking up from the previous explosion. “Kill her.”
The robots sent another blast at Rin, which blew her into the ground. She charged up, then changed her arms into giant connected blades. While still in mid-air, Rin began spinning with incredible speed, then flew down chopping the robots into pieces.
The hooded girl landed on the ground with a smirk on her face. She walked over to the robots, and tried to absorb them… but it didn’t work. “You can’t absorb my robots.” The Admiral informed. “They are made from a non-metal Nanite-element. A rare one, but potent none the less.”
The robot pieces regrouped, then reformed themselves together. Rin charged up a red energy in her hands, then sent an energy beam into the robots, melting them to pieces. They fell down a second time, but arose, and regenerated a second time also.
A robot came up from behind, and shoved Rin deep into the ground. The hooded girl rammed into its circuitry, and imploded herself from within. Still the robots came back.
She battled the metallic giants for well over an hour, without a sweat on her face, but the Admiral could tell that she was getting tired. Eventually the robots overpowered her, and sent her deep into the planet’s crust. After a few minutes they released themselves out of the whole, then charged their arm cannons; awaiting Rin to come back out.
Nothing moved for minutes. There was just the sound of the building crumbling, the Admiral coughing here and there, and the wind. Talon awoke slowly. He raised his newly-colored red-burned face, stressing to see what was happening. “Let’s be thorough.” The Admiral said. “Fire.”
Talon watched as the robots continued to blast away at the giant hole. They did this for quite some time until finally ending, then turned to go after Jesse and Kal. The hedgehog teenager tried to crawl over to them but he was too weak to do anything, even smoke-portal. Then he noticed the chaos emerald… two feet from him.
After a great deal of stress and pain, Talon reached over and picked up the gem. “C-chaos… control…” he wheezed, but nothing happened. He said it again, and again; each time more angry than the last, but still nothing. He collapsed his face to the ground. He was now facing the hole that he assumed Rin was in (Which she was).
He gave a glance to the right, and saw the robots beginning to aim their arm cannons at Jesse and Kal. “NO!!!!” He screamed in his mind. “C’MON EMERALD… WORK!!!” Even then the emerald did nothing. Nick gave a large sigh, then thrusted the gem into the hole that held Rin.
It was silent. The robots were ten seconds from firing. One was at the brink, but instead of firing, he began to malfunction, and stammered back a bit, with little sparks coming from him. Talon looked back to the hole, and saw small amounts of yellow and red energy begin to flow out of it. He then heard a faint chuckle coming from the hole, then… the earth shook.
A giant, but nano-second-long, quake shifted the robots to the ground, then continued in smaller rations. The hole was now breathing out this strange energy, then out of it came a giant red energy wave, which was followed by a giant yellow one coming going upward from the hole.
The robots turned to the energy and began firing with everything they had, but it did nothing. A golden female figure, rushed outward; spinning in immensely large circles, which instantly created an energy cyclone, which in turn, caused the robots to get up inside of it. The figure rammed the robot into the air, then burned them with her hands, until they were completely gone, then landed triumphantly on the ground. It was Super Rin.
Talon slowly raised himself upward, and got into a poor fighting stance. When Rin saw him, her eyes widened for a moment, then she gave out a large chuckle. The chaos being raised her hand, which caused Talon to raise up and float in front of her.
“Rin! Stop!” He pleaded. “You don’t have to do this!”
“You’re right! I don’t! But I’m gonna.” She answered smirking. Talon gave a large cringe, thinking “this is the end” but to his surprise it was not.
A giant light filled the area, and when it left, he was in full health, as were Kal and Jesse. He smiled for a bit, then gave a confused look and said “Why did you help us?”
“You sacrificed yourself for me.” She answered. “Not many people have done that to someone like me. You’ve earned my loyalty in that way.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” He asked in disbelief.
“I hereby promise to never betray you in any way, shape, or form.” Rin vowed. “I never break a promise. Never have, and never will. Been that way for three-million years.” Rin powered down to her normal hooded form, just as Jesse and Kal walked up.
“What just happened…?” Jesse weakly asked, swaying from back to forth.
“Nothing.” Rin answered.
“What are we doing here?” Kal asked.
“You were saving me from my kidnappers.” Rin answered. “Thanks!”
Rin hopped off from her little mound, then ran over to the car, and got in. The others simply stared at her with confused faces at first, but then just shook their heads and followed.
