Tangle vs. Whisper: Out of Control

Chapter 3: Loss

"Wakey-wakey, Tangle!"

The lemur groaned as she opened her eyes in darkness. She shuddered at her surroundings: it hadn't been a nightmare. She was still here, in an enclosed space, tied up with her own tail. She must have passed out again, and now that she was awake, she could feel the sweat caked to her fur.

"I'm back from leaving a note for Whisper," explained Tangle's mysterious captor. "I waited a bit to do that, you know. I was taking pleasure in seeing you panic yourself into unconsciousness."

"You're sick!," Tangle exclaimed. "What do you want me and Whisper for, anyway?"

"I want revenge on the Diamond Cutters," explained the voice. "Those left of them, anyway."

"Why?," Tangle asked, getting more scared by the moment. "What did they do to you?"

"All will become clear in time," the voice explained, "once I pit you against Whisper."

"You want me to fight Whisper?," Tangle inquired. "You're crazy! She's my friend! I would never-"

The mysterious captor simply laughed, the sound of sticky footsteps indicating she was approaching Tangle.

"You don't have a choice in the matter," she calmly explained.

Tangle gasped in horror as the figure stepped close enough for the lemur to see her in the dark. Before Tangle could react, the figure reached out a slimy hand and thrusted it at the lemur's face. She tried to scream, only to be muffled out by the hand being shoved into her mouth. Tangle convulsed as slime dripped down her throat, her fear of asphyxiation kicking in. After what seemed like an eternity, the hand was ripped from her mouth, and she gasped for breath.

"Do you feel it yet?," asked Tangle's captor, rubbing her hands together.

"What are you-"

In that moment, Tangle's world faded out. She faintly felt the cold, slimy hands grab her tail, untie it from around her body, and leave it on the ground. It was then that true horror kicked in. Her stretched-out tail retracted by itself, and she stood up. She wasn't doing this, the figure was making her!

What have you done to me?

Her words were only thoughts.

"What is your command?"

Her captor was making her talk, saying things she didn't mean.

The lemur had never truly been mind-controlled before. When she was transformed into a Zombot during the Metal Virus, it had been like falling asleep. One moment she was fighting Zombots in Spiral Hill, the next she woke up on Angel Island, cured. But now, having ingested that slime, she was trapped in her own head, aware of the actions she was being made to do but powerless to stop them.

"Come to the mouth of the cave," explained the voice. "Whisper has been notified. When she comes, you'll be waiting."

Tangle wished she could warn Whisper, who was bound to be coming to save her, but there was nothing she could do.

Whisper, you're in more danger than me. You have to stay back. Don't come!

-

As Whisper headed for the gate out of Spiral Hill, she was suddenly stopped.

"Whisper, wait..." Whisper recognized the voice as Amy's. "Cling has something to tell you."

"Hm?" Whisper turned to face the young hedgehog and the mother lemur. "I'll listen this time..."

"I want to tell you a story from the Metal Virus," Cling explained. "When the Restoration shuttle arrived in Spiral Hill, Carole and I were among the first ones rescued. Tangle had to head out to look for more survivors, but we didn't want to lose her. We had already lost her big sister, Melody, to the outbreak in Sunset City. We had Tangle hold my hand with her tail as she went out, and agreed that if anything happened to her, she would let go. Of course, you know what happened..."

"She let go," Whisper solemnly affirmed.

"Losing both of our daughters," Cling continued, "left a void in my heart. For the rest of the virus, I just didn't have a reason to go on."

"I know what it's like to lose someone you love," Whisper replied. "Not just Tangle during the virus. Tangle's told you about the Diamond Cutters, Smithy, Slinger and Claire, right?"

"Yes," Cling confirmed.

"They were all like family to me, but Claire... was my girlfriend. And I witnessed her death, unable to do anything about it."

Tears appeared at the corners of Cling's eyes.

"Come here," the sifaka moaned, her arms stretching out like Tangle's tail and embracing Whisper in a bear-hug.

Well, that explains Tangle's tail, Whisper casually thought, interrupting the sorrow.

"I..." Amy started. "I know it too. Back when I had a crush on Sonic, when he was launched off the Space Colony ARK, I thought he was really gone. I had a void in my heart too."

"GET IN HERE!," Cling cried, stretching out one arm and pulling Amy into the hug.

After a few moments, the three separated, Whisper dusting herself off and preparing to leave for real.

Carole and Tails joined Cling and Amy to wish Whisper safe travels.

"Good luck, Whisper," Tails stated matter-of-factly.

"Please," Carole pleaded. "Bring back our daughter."

"I will," Whisper nodded, and turned her back on the group, heading out through the gate's doors.