The Creatures Neon

Chapter 3

Meanwhile back in Switzerland Amy was still desperately grappling with the Basswood enigma. The once neat villa was a mess, boxes had been upturned, documents were splayed out on every flat surface, and loud music pumped through the house, rattling the window frames. Amy sat in the middle of it all, a wild glint in her eye. While Knuckles had been enjoying a cigar and some fine whiskey, she had been throwing herself at the Basswood conundrum non-stop, and it was beginning to take its toll.

She lay down in the middle of the living room and lifted her phone. She had had enough. She was going to call Storm and bloody well force his location out of him. Then it happened. The music changed and the name of the song popped up on her phone as she brought it to her ear.

AFTERMATH SUGAR BLUES – Basswood Ft. Kawaii-chanxxx420

She lay there dumbfounded. Of course. Of course! The memories flooded back now, how could she have forgotten? On a mission in Tahiti, Sonic Team had run into the Babylon Rogues who were holidaying after a job in Russia. They teamed up to destroy a Robotnik factory a few miles off the coast and that night had partied together until the break of dawn. On a run to get drinks for the table, Amy and Storm got onto the topic of music, and he had told her that his favourite band was Basswood!

Actually, as Amy remembered the story it became more and more reasonable TO have forgotten, how on Earth had Storm ever expected her to remember that?! She made a note to give him a hard time when they met up. She swiftly Googled Basswood and found that they were performing in Ibiza in 12 hours. Within moments she had everything packed and ready to go. Her gut was telling her that Storm would be there. She rolled her eyes. This was just like him.

Moments later the Phantom was on the road, a serious car for serious business. As the exit for Geneva came up it made no indication to turn and instead continued up the valley. There was something Amy had to do first.

It wasn't long before the luxury vehicle pulled into the gravel driveway of the clinic. Amy made her way through the gardens, and up the path to the willow tree. A pang of grief speared her as she spied Sonic, so small and defeated, sitting there motionless, gazing out at the world. She approached.

"Sonic?" her voice sounded so far away, as if it were coming from another person.

Sonic didn't turn to look at her.

"Amy. I was wondering when you would come to visit me."

Amy's vision swam as she looked at him. A wave of nausea and vertigo washed over her. The sensation grew in intensity as she grabbed hold of the willow tree for support, yet she couldn't avert her eyes. At last, after what seemed like an eternity, she forced them shut and inhaled shakily. How else was she to react after seeing, for the first time, the empty space where Sonic's legs had been?

If Sonic noticed Amy's distress, he did not show it. Instead he watched as a series of clouds sailed across the sky.

"Why are we not all dead Amy?"

Amy was still clutching the willow tree, she had far from gained her composure, and couldn't hope to respond to Sonic. he continued.

"Why has the sky not darkened? Why do the birds still sing? The world hasn't changed. We failed and the world is still here. What were we ever fighting for?"

Amy breathed laboriously, and managed to whisper a hoarse reply.

"We didn't fail. Not yet. Robotnik will pay for what he did."

"Oh, but we did fail," Sonic now fixed her with his bloody, hollow stare, "My friend is dead and I might as well be. The world belongs to Robotnik, and yet, I feel nothing. Nothing has changed. So, what did it matter?" he gestured to the mountains and the valley, "What does any of this matter? What's the point of fighting if the only outcome is a loss? What's the point of loving if it always ends with a broken heart? What's the point of joy if it's only temporary?"