The Chameleon Chronicles

Chapter 11 - Reason Captured

The transport was definitely faring the same as the base had, Zoin thought.
The transport was slowly losing its power, and Vector said he could land it safely. Zoin doubted that, as the transport was resisting Vector's attempts to keep it upright. It was also making odd noises and every once in a while seemed to drop a few feet more than the transports descent allowed.
Swinging the transport around seemed to make it lose all of its power, and it dropped like a stone. A bump made Zoin realise that they couldn't have been that far from the ground. Slightly dazed, everyone walked out of the transport. Espio walked off into the distance, and Zoin could just make out the outline of the hotel that the Chao Garden was a part of through the darkness.
"Well..." Vector said, examining the transport. "It would have been good to have kept it."
Zoin spotted Espio running back with the manager of the hotel, and they informed the group that more people were coming to help. About ten others joined them shortly after these words were spoken, and all of them carried the containers into the hotel.
Inside, many other workers were awake, and ready to offload the chao and give them check-ups. The energy from chaos drives were slowly being fed to the chao, while some were having wings or arms patched up. Zoin watched this activity with a smile, knowing that they had done their bit. The smile turned to a frown as he thought of Oreah and how she would have found this a delight. She was the one who always had the most fun when they came here, playing with all the chao, and was reminded of someone else who loved chao just as much.
"Where's Cream?" he asked, turning around to try and spot either her or a member of the Chaotix.
The manager heard and looked at him. "The rabbit the fox brought in? She's resting in another room with her chao. She's certainly been through enough." The manager looked around at all the chao. "I suppose they all have. Good thing you was able to save them."
"Thanks," Zoin quietly said.
"Is... Um- Is someone missing?" the manager tentatively asked.
"We're still awaiting two others to return," was all Zoin could say.
"Oh," the manager said, looking around. "I'm sure they'll make it."
"They will." Zoin perked up, with a renewed smile on his face. "I'm sure they will."

Krona had been wondering around, helping out the staff to get the chao healthy once more. After they had eaten enough energy from the chaos drives, the staff said that rest would help. From what he overheard, Krona could tell the staff were hesitant to allow the chao back outside, and the lobby wasn't safe to allow the chao to sleep. One of the staff said a few rooms were vacant, so the group began moving the chao to those rooms.
Krona heard Vector mention a meeting to the other members of the Chaotix, but felt he was much happier helping the chao. The rooms were comfortable enough, and in one of them Cream was asleep, holding her chao in a cuddle as though it was a favourite teddy. That was probably true, Krona thought. He then remembered the last time he and his family had been here. How Oreah had acted almost the same as Cream was.
The chao are good friends, Krona said to himself. I wish Oreah was here. She could use a good friend after what she's been through. It then hit him. She wouldn't need a friend if she had brothers she could rely on.
Heading back to the lobby, Zoin met him halfway. "Espio sent me to get you," Zoin informed. "Despite not being Chaotix members, they want us there too."
Krona looked back at the chao, sighed, and told one of the passing staff members where he was going. After the assurance that the chao would be alright, Krona followed his brother back to the lobby, across it and along another corridor. The two turned into a meeting room on the right, where the five members of the Chaotix were seated on stools around a table. The discussion had already started.

Zoin and Krona had taken seats and listened in. The meeting was more a discussion of what had happened over the last few days – a debriefing of sorts. The two brothers had a few questions asked of them, and Zoin answered as best as he could. The only part that was still confusing anyone was why Oreah would have took Tails' place as robot controller. The only thing they could think of was that Eggman's chao had had a change of heart and perhaps Sonic would take the bait of the island where Tails had been as the proper base. It still didn't account as a full answer though.
Light was starting to filter into the room when a bang told them Krona had fallen asleep. Zoin picked him up, still keeping an ear to the discussion, and took him to the sofa by the window. Looking out of the window, he saw Cream walking outside with her chao. Both looked happy. They started playing a joyful game, and with a sorrowful look hated to think how long they had been separated. It must have been even longer than he and Krona had been separated from Oreah.
Looking skyward, he saw the golden rays of the sun twinkling. A part of that gold seemed to be oddly shaped, and looked as though it was getting bigger. There were also hints of yellow within the gold. And also pink. It took a second before he realised what that meant.
"Sonic's back!" he shouted.

The sound broke Krona out of his sleep. Krona groggily looked around and found he had been placed on a sofa. Then he saw Zoin stood with his back to him, facing the Chaotix.
"Sonic's back," Zoin repeated.
The Chaotix members looked out of the window. Krona shifted so he could too. Sure enough, it was Sonic, still with the golden glow, and carrying a familiar person.
Krona moved so quickly he was sure he had accidentally butted his brother out of his way. He tore through the hotel with only one thought. His sister was back.
Outside, he stood and looked up as Sonic slowly fell to the ground. He heard the others come to a halt behind him as Sonic touched down. The emeralds seemed to pop out of Sonic, returning him to his natural blue. The emeralds continued spinning around him, before tightening up and circling above Oreah. Each emitted a burst of energy onto Oreah before all seven of them dispersed.
Oreah stirred, and Krona relieved Sonic of her. Krona sank to the floor, hugging his sister tightly. He heard Sonic say the base and creature were destroyed. He heard Espio give a brief description of events his side of the story. He wasn't paying much attention. He was glad his sister was back and in good shape. A lull in voices had Krona look up. Sonic was looking at him. It was then that Krona spoke, hardly able to get any words out from emotion.
"Thank- Thank you! You- You saved her. I- I- I'm completely grateful. I-" He found himself just saying thank you over and over, until Zoin interrupted him with his own thank you.
Cream came running onto the scene and hugged Sonic. She was also saying thank you over and over.
"Well," Sonic said from over her shoulder. He pulled her back to look her in the eyes. "I promised I would find Cheese, and I did."
"The dark chao fooled me," she wailed. "It overpowered me and took me to that base. It's- I'm- I am ever so pleased to be away from that place."
"That dark chao fooled us all," Sonic told the group at large. "I don't think it will be able to do so again, but Eggman is the larger threat now he is back. I'll make sure he isn't able to succeed in any more of his plans."
A cheer rose from everyone at these words. Everyone had survived the day. Now it was time for rest.

Back inside the hotel, which had now seemingly become a Chaotix base, Oreah was resting. Sonic and Tails had agreed to stay and fill the Chaotix in on what had happened to them. The bigger picture was emerging of the events. Mighty had gone off on an errand of some sort, and Knuckles had also disappeared. Krona was also asleep, and so Zoin found himself checking on both.
In one of the larger rooms the hotel provided, he was sat on the middle bed, with both brother and sister either side of him on other beds. He was thankful that Oreah had not been harmed, and that all she needed was rest. He couldn't bare to think what could have happened had events taken a different path, but the question still lingered. Why her?
He heard the door open and looked over to see Espio looking in on them. Seeing that Zoin was awake, he walked in and closed the door. A serious expression on his face told Zoin that the talk he had not wanted to face was coming.
"It must have been an adventure for you," he said, "but the time has come for you to return to your village."
"I- don't know what will happen," Zoin confessed. "When we return."
"I will be with you, and so will the Chaotix. If need be, we will explain the situation, and I hope no serious action follows."
"But... what if we are banished..?" Zoin ventured slowly.
"I will make sure that doesn't happen. I'm not sure how much power I will have to overrule such actions, but I will make sure it won't come to that."
Zoin was feeling reassured when a cough alerted him. He looked round to see Oreah awake. He scrambled off the bed and gave her a hug, asking how she was feeling.
"Fine," she answered in a small voice. "There's... There's something I should have told you."
Zoin looked at her with a tilted head. "Is it something to do with..."
"Yes. They captured me because they knew what you did not. That I've secretly been training to become a mechanic."
These words gave Zoin pause, and a hundred questions launched into his head. He didn't quickly ask them all, but asked the one that would most help them with the missing link of the puzzle.
"How did they find out?"
Oreah sat up a little straighter and shifted nervously before speaking. "I've only been to the city once. Dad took me there for a week. It was during that time that I'd met a professor. He was interested to know what I liked. I said that I was learning to build things, and he gave me some parts. It was machinery that we don't have in the village. He told me to build something. I did. He took an interest in what I built, and said I had a natural talent. The week was over and I returned back home with dad. That professor came to visit occasionally, bringing me various parts. I'd been building for a while, and had managed to make some gadgets. When I showed them to the professor, he was impressed. I never saw him again. His next meeting with me was meant to be the day of the party. He didn't show. But that hoverpod did."
"Hold on," Zoin asked. "Is that also a reason you followed us home instead of going back to a friends?"
"I didn't have much heart left for continuing the celebrations when he didn't show. He said he was going to introduce me to some interesting materials. When he didn't show, I thought of just heading home and having a bit of a play with what I had. Then I was captured.
"I was taken to that base, and told to work on finishing the robot and that portal. When I refused, that dark chao placed something on me. After that, I can't remember anything. I must have done the work though! Because of what happened!"
And she broke down into tears, sobbing hard onto Zoin's shoulder.
"It's okay," Zoin reassured her, placing an arm around her. "You're safe. The machines have been destroyed, and what has happened proves you are strong."