Together Again...

     {➹} – THE GIRL’S SPEED was nothing to take lightly. While from from perfect, evident by her occasional wobbling and slow downs, it was clear she had the makings of a natural. All for reasons Fleet would come to understand soon enough. While not particularly dense the forest around them was tricky if one didn’t know their way, fortunately that wasn’t the case for the pair zipping through the trees and underbrush. At the speed they were going it only took a few minutes for them to pass one particular tree line and to the front of a rustic-style house.

     “This is where I live!” One hand, and an entire arm, was swept towards the building in question after the girl fumbled to a stop there on the front yard, her excitement obvious as she looked at Fleet with anticipation. “Daddy should already be home, an’ Mommy should be here soon too but ya can talk t’ Daddy ‘fore then.”

    That said, she made one more motion for Fleet to follow her up the stairs and inside. 

Fleety was a little worried about the small one and her small unsteady legs carrying her so uneasily. She was young, and would learn better eventually! He was sure many a Sonic went through something similar as they came into their own. For now, he had to be careful not to cut through any trees by accident, following his little guide and serpentining until they got there, and when they did get there, oh wow. This house was so well hidden and nice! The super hadn’t seen anything like it before, ever!

He adjusted his eyes to the slight lighting change, eyes darting to Lyra as she gestured proudly to her residence. Fleet was a little shocked at what he felt. The chaotic mix of energy that seemed so familiar. Sonic was already here! The little girl’s father must have invited the blue speedster over! The super smiled and landed in the grass just so he could bounce excitedly after her. “Coming!!”

    {➹} – NOW THE GIRL was curious. If Fleet was looking for someone he deemed popular her father would have to know who they were, he knew everyone after all. Leaning in, two-toned eyes wide and waiting in anticipation Lyra broke into a positively excited smile when her newfound acquaintance spoke. There was a name she knew all too well.

     “Ya definitely need ta talk ta Daddy,” she said, practically bouncing where she stood. Oh, Fleet was going to be thrilled once he found out where he really was, who she really was. The excitement was almost too much and she let out a delighted laugh before making a motion with her hand. “C’mon, follow me!”

      There were still a few things the girl wasn’t quite good at. She was polite, smart to a fault, but sometimes lacked common courtesy. A great instance of that was at that very moment, when she zipped away in a streak of yellow without so much as looking back at Fleet, leaving a trail of wind in her wake there in the forest and nothing else. No directions, no indication of where she was going. She was simply there one second, then gone the next. Excitement had gotten the better of her. 

Hehehe, yes! Sonic was well known and beloved so of course this child’s father - and maybe the child herself - would at least know of him! The giggle must have meant she was a big fan too! An admirer! Fleety was more than happy to follow along, chiming “Following!” as he trailed behind her. 

     {➹} – OH, HE HAD heard wrong and the way the girl’s face seemed to scrunch in protest might have been a good indication of that. She may have still been young but she knew she was prone to making mistakes with certain things, namely because of the way she spoke, but she tried to correct Fleet before he got too far down the rabbit hole. 

    “’S just Lyra. My name’s Lyra.” It seemed to take quite the effort for her to say it clearly but she had and she hoped it was enough. Whether it was or not her attention had quickly gone else where, her bi-colored eyes widening, as her newfound acquaintance floated there right in front of her. It wasn’t anything like her father, it was even better than that and she couldn’t help but let out a small ‘wow’ at the sight, her face lighting up with a smile until it was replaced with curiosity.

     “Who are ya lookin’ for?” The girl’s head tilted curiously, a sudden realization coming to her a moment later as she looked up at Fleet excitedly. “If ‘s someone in the village or on South Island I bet my daddy can help ya! He knows everyone. He’s got friends all over the world!”

When the child scrunched her face, Fleet was instantly worried. Had he somehow mispronounced the name? Quickly enough though, his smile returned and he nodded, grateful for the correction. “Oh, ‘Lyra’! That is also a really pretty name!

And! If your...” He paused, an uncomfortable look on his face. The word itself didn’t bother him, it was the familial ties he’s never had the pleasure or misfortune of having or severing that bothered him. But despite his clear discomfort just uttering the nickname, he didn’t pause his speech for even a third of a second. “If your Daddy. Really does know everyone. Maybe he could help me find who I’m looking for. I think he is very popular. In fact I’m sure you’ve heard of him too!”

    {➹} – IT WAS SMALL, so brief it might have just been a trick of the light, but there was definitely a shift in the girl’s eyes. Familiarity, maybe. Whatever it was, it was enough for her to leave her hiding place a little more, enough that the two of them could properly see each other at least. Those two-toned eyes never left him, but there was something less cautious in them and something more curious.

     "’M Lyra…“ She at least returned the introduction with no qualm, and politely at that. If the other listened careful he might have even noticed a hint of pride to her voice, as much as a child her age could have that was, but she still smiled a little at the sound of it. Her parents had chosen her name for a reason, and she adored it. Still, that smile of her’s fell somewhat when the stranger, Fleety, stopped doing so himself and she nearly ducked behind the tree again when he looked toward her, not understanding the shift or what was going on in his head. 

     "I…dun need help, I know where home is,” she told him, and rather firmly at that because it was, frankly, the truth. She never got lost out there in the forest, not anymore. Yet, she paused, reconsidering his words before her snout crinkled somewhat. “…Can ya really fly, though? Or are ya just sayin’ that? I’ve never seen a hedgehog that can fly, ‘cept my daddy…kinda…”

“M’Lyra?” The super repeated the name under his breath with a tilt of his head, before righting himself with a smile and a nod of understanding. There was no way he heard her wrong! His hearing was impeccable! “That’s a really pretty name!

“And of course I can fly!” Fleet placed a hand over his heart as if to swear by it, the shock on his face communicating that he couldn’t believe he wasn’t believed! He grinned and lifted his legs out from under him, ‘resting’ them sideways like he was on an imaginary bed and supporting his head with the palm of a hand, gesticulating with the other. “It’s very easy for me.”

     {➹} – THE APOLOGY WAS UNDERSTOOD but the girl still retreated behind the tree again when the yellow one spoke, her only response a surprised squeak. She didn’t immediately recognize them, and she knew everyone in Green Hill. It was a close-knit community, a supportive one where there was never any trouble, but sometimes during the busy season strangers, tourist, got rowdy and she didn’t like that.

     Lyra didn’t know if the person floating in front of her was one of them or not, but she wasn’t going to take any chances just yet. She knew from the other’s words that hiding wasn’t going to work, they had already spotted her somehow, but she didn’t move for a few more seconds. It wasn’t everyday she ran into someone she didn’t know when her parents weren’t there and she didn’t entirely know what to do in that situation. 

     After hesitating, she peeked around the side of the tree, just enough to get a better look at the other but everything in her posture said she was ready to run at a moment’s notice. “Who are ya…?”

     Even as she asked it, voice quiet, her two-toned eyes were looking the other up and down, not sure what to make of them. She had never seen a yellow hedgehog before, and she had definitely never seen one that could float like that either. 

Ohhh he hated that question, and the super’s nerves forced his brow to furrow and a grin to spread. He didn’t like how embarrassed he was of his name, and looked away, biting his lips into his mouth as he debated with himself on why he hasn’t thought of something better. ‘Fleetway...’ His name was a piece of a treasured alternate and friend, but it wasn’t really his name.

“F... Fleety,” he eventually said with a grin. A better grin. One that looked like he was thinking of something or someone more pleasant. The nickname version seemed to fit him better, judging by his face lightening up and his posture relaxing. “I’m Fleety. And... you are...?” Fleet quirked a brow. That was a little rude, asking someone’s name before introducing yourself... but this was a small scared child! So he wouldn’t hold it against... her?

chaosworthy​:

     {➹} – THE HERO’S MORNING, oddly enough, had been wildly uneventful. Per usual he hadn’t sleep much the night before but he always felt, and looked, oddly awake despite that, which was part of the reason he thought Mina had stopped worried about his apparent insomnia so much lately. The couple had actually had a pleasant breakfast before the mongoose set off for the day, leaving the hero to wait until it was time to meet Fleet and their soon to be significant other.

     Arrow had never minded meeting new people before, and today was going to be no different. After the talk he had with Fleet the hero was actually rather excited for the day ahead; well, lunch at least. He had no idea how long the pair would stick around or what they planned on doing after but that small mystery didn’t quell his anticipation. 

     In fact he had just stepped out onto the sidewalk, having just entered the main city, when a flash of light blocked his path. 

     While the accented hedgehog did blink at their rather sudden appearance, suddenly thankful there was no one else around at the moment, he still smiled at the sight of Fleet and his partner. He had been a tad worried that Fleet wouldn’t come for one reason or another but seeing them in front of him put that worry to ease. 

     “That you did. Good thing I’m not a hard person t’ find,” he said with a soft laugh, giving his friend a quick once over before looking at the other. New face or not there was nothing but kindness in his eyes and in the smile he directed at them. “You must be Wraith.”

As nervous as he was, Wraith was highly excited to meet his lover’s close friend and *Fleety’s future best man. There was just the slight issue of once Wraith saw those familiar blue quills and emerald eyes he froze in his tracks. Oh Arrow was a Sonic…..

He tried to keep smiling but be could feel it slip off his face as he forced himself to step forward from their sudden appearance just mentally thinking.

“A Sonic, of course he’s a Sonic it’s always a Sonic around here when *Fleety is involved” It wasn’t a bitter feeling just an odd aftertaste on his tongue.

It wasn’t that he hated the blue one but everytime he has met one he has gotten these awful headaches and a cold feeling deep in his chest. It chilled him to his core and he couldn’t stop a small shiver as he forced a new smile and a slight cough in his sleeve. Must be friendly after all there was no reason for him to be be rude even if for the moment he felt off, stepping forward he held his clawed hand out toward the new “Sonic” hoping he seemed friendly enough.

“Hello Arrow! It’s so nice to finally meet another one of *Fleety’s friends, I’ve heard nothing but good things about you” a slight twitch of his lip as he finished his words trying to keep calm with his insides already feeling clammy….it’s fine it’ll pass.

“I hope you enjoy sweets? We both have a bit of a sweet tooth so it’s easy to forget not everyone shares that trait, still I know we’ll be able to find something good for us all to eat on the menu”

Looking between the two, Fleetway had to stifle a giggle. He was so excited that he almost missed Wraith’s demeanor shifting from nerves to stress. Fleety’s excitement dwindled. Wraith was... lost. Not in the moment. If he had been, he wouldn’t have let his discomfort show so much. What could have been wrong? Did he forget something? Was it the energy of this world that was putting his fiancé at such unease? 

There was a slight pause as Wraith recollected himself, and Fleet was about to interject, but his platinum partner recovered on his own. PHEW. 

That teleport thing was something he’d never get used to. He’d understood that there was a technology called a warp ring that could do the same thing, but it also apparently malfunctioned commonly. That was why he didn’t dare bother with one. He’d run into enough trouble falling through a portal to the Sol Dimension a few years ago. And there were some people who could do it all themselves. He could access the power of a Chaos Emerald, but he couldn’t use it to teleport anywhere.

It increased his speed, and nothing else, really.

It was convenient, he’d give it that. The scenery was beautiful, and they hadn’t even walked on the trial yet. His hypersensitive nose picked up the fragrance of flowers. The  scent of trees, and grass. He loved that scent, ever since he’d first experienced it when he traveled to the southern regions of the planet. The grass on the tundra didn’t have a scent. Too frozen. Here, it was warm. Grass could flourish.

But it wasn’t too warm, so he was just fine.

He offers his hand to take. Who said close friends couldn’t hold hands while they walked? There’s a smile on his face, a rare occurrence for this bear. It took someone really special to get him to smile.

As Bark got settled in their new environment, Fleet let go of his friend’s hand and took a few seconds to himself, zipping around and up and down. Once he’d sufficiently surveyed the area, the gold glittering blur settled next to Bark again in the grass, seeming satisfied. 

Though he had the details of the trek they had in front of them, he’d keep the spoilers to himself and let his friend decide their path. 

Fleet looked at the hand as it was held out to him again and took it happily! They could hold hands without question! They wouldn’t get separated, and! It was just nice. And warm.

Oh boy was he nervous! Why? His lover said everything would be fine all he had to do was meet his mate’s friend nothing scary about that, but the thought that this was so important to his lover is what made it scary the thought of what the other might think and if he’d approve or not, the thought of it not going well and his partner being left upset from the ordeal.

He tried to sleep peacefully that night but it seemed if it wasn’t his occasional nightmares it was his worry keeping him from getting some restful sleep, and at the end of it all he honestly could go without sleep and just spent his time going over the plan, the place, and what conversations they could have. It wasn’t long before his alarm gave a loud sharp buzz and he knew it was time to get up and get ready.

He made sure to make his love breakfast in bed before he himself got ready with his signature white button up, red tie, his black vest and favorite bright red suit jacket. Brushing it all down and making sure his buttons looked good he then put on his black dress up shoes as he slipped his engagement ring into his finger.

Grabbing his favorite cane he gave it a tap, he left to do a few errands in his office till it was nearly noon before floating out and looking over to his mate with a nervous smile on his face.

“Love~ I….I think I’m ready?”

He held his hand out and grinned at the sight of their rings, okay deep breaths this was all going to be fine.

“Lets go meet your good friend” e////v////e

After sleeping through Wraith’s alarm and being brought his breakfast, Fleety took his time getting ready. Hesitantly showering, cleaning up the kitchen, and preparing his shoulder bag. He had to bring his wallet and camera! He’d be taking his phone too but it just doesn’t produce the same results. With his engagement ring on, he went down to the foyer and had a seat by a window, waiting for his love to join him. 

Before he knew it, it was almost twelve noon, and Fleety looked up to his husband-to-be when he finally joined him. With an excited smile, Fleet took the hand offered to him and stood up, holding Wraith’s hand between two of his own.

“Yes! Let’s! I’ll take us to him! Since I don’t think you’d know how to find him.” The former super closed his eyes and focused on Arrow’s energy, and the memory of his face. Fleet might not have been as powerful, but he still knew how to manipulate Chaos Energy, well enough to take what he needed from the air and the super beside him. In a flash, they left Wraith’s mansion, and appeared about five feet away from wherever Arrow was. Fleet was just lucky they didn’t end up inside a wall.

Looking around for a few seconds, Fleety locked eyes with a familiar set of green. “Arrow!” He called gently, but his excitement raised his volume a bit. “We found you!”

Ears flicked back, laying down flat against his head as he tore his eyes away from the super, fingers clenching into fists. “Look…I wasn’t a good guy back then. Hell, I’m not a good guy now. An’ I highly doubt ya wanna hear my life’s story. I was a stupid kid. I took over my zone, then Prime Zone. The feds didn’t take kindly ta that. I mean, I wasn’t exactly a benevolent ruler. I ain’t gonna sugar coat it. I was a dick.” Arms crossed over his chest, a defensive and protective measure, his expression cold. “My girl and I were gonna rule both zones t’gether. But she…” A shuddered breath left him at the memory, bitterness filling his very core. “She betrayed me. Convinced me ta let go of my super form. The moment I did, she sided with the self proclaimed ‘heros’ an’ had me shipped of ta prison.” He didn’t want to get into the details of his prison experience. It was dark, it was depraved, and it was something he would rather not revisit if given the choice. 

“I escaped from prison four years later. By myself. Took down half their compound. Set the inmates free, killed anyone there that hurt me or others that couldn’t fight back. An’ then I ran.” Char finally allowed himself to glance back up at the super before him, fangs grit tightly. “I was still a prick, don’t get me wrong. But over time, after speakin’ with the right kind o’ people, bein’ reunited with my adopted brother an’ blood bro, things fell inta perspective. I made a life fer myself. I had a home, a cat. I worked at a bar. I was actually happy fer once. I gardened on my day’s off, worked on home improvement, invited friends over. It was the first time I’d ever had the taste of what most consider a normal life. But…about seven months ago, I ran inta one of the officers from the No Zone that I blew apart. Since then, they’ve been relentlessly comin’ after me. The shoot first, an’ ask questions later. Anyone that’s near me is a target in their eyes. Guilty by association. They…torched my house. Made sure I didn’t have a place ta go back to. An’ I can’t go ta my friends, because then they’d be in danger too. But…I can’t go back ta prison. That place…it would drive anyone insane. The things that go on behind closed doors there…it’s incomprehensible. They claim ta have the interests of the multiverse in their hearts, but Chaos forbid yer a criminal. Ta them, yer less than dirt. They don’t follow protocol, an’ they sure as hell don’t care when people die from the fights that break out.” And that was only on a good day. The depraved and disgusting things that happened behind those compound walls would put anyone to shame. 

“So yes, when they come after me, I kill em. They deserve no better. An’ soon, I’m gonna find a way ta wipe that compound from the existence of this universe. If they wanted a ‘Scourge’, they’re sure as hell gonna get one.” His birth name. The name his father had given him to spite his very life. He would willingly embrace that name again if it meant tearing the corrupt facility from it’s foundations, never to function again.

Ignoring the stuff about a ‘Prime Zone’ and having a cat roommate, this was turning into quite the moral dilemma. Sure, Scourge might have been trying to become a better person, but he still hurt so many people...! Killed so many! ... But he WAS trying to be better. But he still kills those officers! But he’s only fighting for his freedom! Fleet chewed on his claws as he thought things through, going back and forth in his head. As much as he would have liked to keep thinking about these matters in a black and white way, now that he was friends with someone who was on the wrong side for so long, everything was looking very grey and blurry. 

No no no no no! Fleet shook his head in sad disbelief. “No no no! No one deserves to die!” That much he knew to be true. That much he would stand by. After blurting that out however, he extended his statement. “An-And, those officers are no better!” He wanted to believe if someone did something, or a lot of somethings, horrible enough to warrant punishment, then that punishment should be seen through! Like a child being sent to the corner with no toys, to think about the bad thing they did and why they shouldn’t do it anymore. 

If that were true and the right way to go about things, surely Scourge had BEEN punished enough though, right?

“High enough. To see the sunset.”

If there was one thing he loved about the southern regions, it was the sunrise, and sunset. All those brilliant colors in the sky, you didn’t get that in the arctic. The sun was up for six months, and the sun was down for six months, you didn’t really get a sunset. You got a period of sunlight, and a period of darkness, not that it was ever really dark with the stars illuminating everything. In the arctic, there was no light pollution.

He was pleased to hold Fleet’s hand. A mercenary didn’t have many friends. But the little guy had stuck by him for years now, he could trust him.

“I’d love a hike.”

His voice was even softer than it normally was. And it was normally pretty soft. Something about this guy just relaxed him, something about his cheerful disposition. That smile was worth more than a billion in currency. And the idea of watching a sunset from the mountain appealed to him, nature always would. The city was interesting sometimes, but nothing would ever beat the natural world to him.

Maybe because he’d grown up all on his own, in nature.

“I’m ready to go. It’ll be. A perfect evening.”

When Bark answered, Fleet smiled even bigger and let out an excited hum, one that sounded like he was saying ‘wheeee’ with his mouth closed. He swung Bark’s arm, not scared to show his giddiness. As far as the super knew, Bark didn’t like to talk, so to hear him answer with words must have meant the bear was already really excited for their short trip!

Fleet nodded at the comment about the perfection in the simplicity of their plan. Breathe in some fresh forest-y air, walk along a path (or maybe a not-path just for fun and challenge), then watch the sky change colour, all with a good friend at his side. 

“It will be! Let’s go!”

Char had just finished beating down another officer when he felt the grip to his arm, twisting to face the super with a look of bewilderment and confusion. The look he received was confusing to say the least, his ears lowering. And then they were gone, the slightest of disorientation filling him at the sudden departure, appearing somewhere he wasn’t familiar with. Char staggered, his gaze tearing from Fleetways to briefly scan their surroundings, the deafening sound of gunshots completely gone. When he rested his aqua hues on the glowing hedgehog before him, he flinched at the question directed at him. 

It was hard to focus when his heart was still pounding frantically, his adrenaline still running high. “I…what? Where are we?” Shaking his head, he stepped back from the super and grimaced. “What did it look like? I wasn’t gonna just let em take me back! Those fuckers…have been comin’ after me fer months now.” Too late he remembered Fleet’s aversion to cursing and grit his fangs, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. “Look, nothin’ I can say will make it better. They’re feds. Cops. They have beef with me, an’ I ain’t too happy of the prospect of bein’ taken back ta prison fer a mistake I made over eleven years ago.” And their prison was a lot more depraved than most. Char would rather be struck dead where he stood than be dragged back there. 

The subtle breeze was a welcome one, the cooling tendrils soothing his battered form the tiniest bit. “They…found me where I’d settled down. They claim what they do is in the best interest of the multiverse. But I haven’t been a threat since I broke out of their compound. I only fight when my freedoms in jeopardy.”

Well, eleven years ago? Fleet’s angry confusion softened to pity and understanding, thinking 11 years should have been enough time for whomever Scourge had wronged to think about things and forgive him! But the more he thought, the less sense it made. If he had to go to jail, it must have been something awful, right? If it was awful enough that Scourge would be arrested... then that means that Scourge must have stolen something in a best case scenario... or killed someone in the worst.

Knowing as little as he did about Scourge’s past, Fleet was left to gather his own conclusions, and they weren’t fun thoughts to have. He didn’t regret rescuing his friend, but he was questioning the legitimacy of their friendship now. 

As hyped as he was to have made those lunch plans, in the days leading up to it, Fleet had become veeeery nervous. He was so certain that Wraith and Arrow would get along! So what was stopping him from smiling today...?

Wraith is such a lovable version of himself. A little overzealous when it came to his gifts, sometimes admitting to wanting to spoil the blue hedgehog rotten, but Fleety couldn’t blame his powerful fiancé for being in love! If Fleet had the money, he’d want to give his partner the world too!

Then there’s Arrow. Fleet never thought he’d be okay with thinking of Arrow as an older brother, but that’s what it had come to! They got along better than the siblings Fleet had seen in media and even around him in the real world, but they were family now! As scary as it had been to see him again, truly, nothing much had changed between them! Their chemistry was still so effortless...

And now, these two that mean so much to the former super were going to meet! That should be so exciting! Fleet had calmed Wraith on that night he came back and suggested a light lunch with his friend with similar words. ‘My two favourite people...!’ ‘He’s not some judgmental overprotective big brother...!’ ‘You don’t need to bring a gift!’ 

when i first started rping, fleetway and i had N O  I D E A  what we were doing. he was scaring people left and right, and my writing was atrocious. he didn’t even know what his name should be! there were a lot of things we had to learn. while he was figuring out how to make friends and keep them, i was figuring out how to write smoothly and in an engaging way. 

.......... still learning o uo;;;

something else we’re still learning is how to teleport people without freaking them out. fleet used to just spirit people away with no warning. once he figured out how upsetting it could be, he tried suggesting it, and awaiting a response. this, however, made me have to leave the gap for someone else’s reply very small. the only thing any rp partner in a thread would be able to do after that is let their character say yes or no. i feel like i inadvertently either made them feel like they had to make their reply very small, or made them feel like that was all they could do ;;; i don’t know how to say it;;; looking back, i feel like i made it difficult in that way;;; i still think about it, and i’m sorry ; u;

but now! i let him suggest another place. if the person says yes and takes his hand, he says he’s gonna do it, pauses for the other character to brace themselves, THEN spirits them away. i feel like this moves the plot along (if we even decided on a plot beforehand :p) while also leaving lots of room for the other person he’s interacting with to... react! except maybe in emergency situations, he’ll always wait for a yes or no