Tikal was sitting at the Lovare Cule Café, just trying to distract herself from… just, everything, with a nice, warm cup of tea, when she felt a yellow glow behind her, followed by a thud and an “OOF!”
Jolting, she spun around, and what she saw made her instantly freeze up.
Behind her was Surge on her knees, wincing and rubbing the side of her head.
“Well, fuck me then… when was the last time one of those opened up on me?” she grumbled, getting herself up and on her feet. “Or anyone else, for that matter…?”
It should have been so simple. Just get out of here before the tenrec saw her. Besides, she had made it very clear she wanted nothing to do with Tikal. Yet the echidna couldn’t find it in herself to move. The best she could do was tremble in fear… and guilt.
And naturally, Surge spotted her. Raising an eyebrow, she took a step forward.
“Yo, do you know where thi-”
“I-I know! I’m sorry!” Tikal blurted out waving her hands. “You d-don’t want t-to be near me! I g-get it!”
The fuck is she talking about? Not only that, but she’s stuttering almost as hard as Scaly usually does.
Deciding to try again, Surge cleared her throat and stepped closer again.
“Look, I just need to kn-”
Tikal grabbed her cup of tea and backed away in a panic, tears starting to well up in her eyes. “I was j-just taking my leave anyway! I-I-I’ll make it so that y-you never have to see m-me again, I p-promise!”
After saying that, Tikal braced herself for the worst. Whether that be another lashing out, or Surge getting physical like she after she used her as a-
“Woman, are you okay?” Surge asked, completely befuddled. “I have never met you a day in my life.”
…now that, Tikal was not expecting.
"Do I have to spell it out? I. Do not. Know you," Surge emphasized.
"B-But...you're...Surge," Tikal gestured at her, "Don't you...? Aren't you...?"
"No. Whatever you're tryna say, the answer's no. I have never met you in my world."
"Your world?" Tikal made a face before realizing, "Oh! Did you fall through a wormhole?"
"Yes! God damn! Thank you!" Surge threw her arms up in the air.
"O-Oh, I-I'm so sorry," Tikal frantically waved her hands, "I-I assumed- You see, I-"
"Whatever! I don't care!" Surge hissed, "Just stop apologizing to me and tell me where I am!"
Tikal flinched, nearly spilling her tea as she clutched her chest.
"U-Um...well, y-you are in Floral Forest Village. I-In it's very nice Lovare Cule Café."
"Never heard of the place," Surge shrugged.
"Uhh...the Café o-or the town?"
"Uh, th-this is where Cream and Vanilla live."
"I ain't too familiar with them in my world."
"But I guess that answer's my question anyway," Surge looked around idly, "Guess I'll just wait until another portal pops in."
To Tikal's shock, the tenrec pulled out the chair opposite of her's, and sat down in it. She looked up at Tikal, expectantly.
"Well don't just stand there, take a seat!" Surge gestured at the other chair.
Tikal gulped, but obliged, stiffly sitting back down. The duo stared at each other for a long time, in agonizing silence. Tikal's tea was beginning to run cold, but she didn't acknowledge it.
"...Look," Surge began, "I'm not usually one to be nosey in other people's business. 'Specially not when they aren't even from my world. But...any reason you seem to think I wanna flatten you?"
Tikal's eyes widened. Then, with a sigh, she slouched and looked down.
"It's...It's a bit of a long story."
"I ain't got nowhere to go. At least not until one of these bullshit portals lets me leave. Go on."
Tikal looked back up at Surge, and nodded. She took a deep breath, and began.
"W-Well...in short, I...I've very much wronged the Surge of this world."
"Yeah, I kinda figured that."
"Y-Yes, but...e-even now that things have been fixed, I-I still feel like she detests me."
"Sounds like me, to be honest."
"...It all started when we recieved a mysterious letter talking about a gem known as the Beautiful Benitoite. It was said to hold an ancient curse, one that would bring nothing but destruction...and that it could only be destroyed with the seven Chaos Emeralds and the purest soul we could find."
"Yes...a-and we were already rattled by a crisis with another powerful stone, the Amnestic Amythest, that warped the minds of every living being and turned all of our friends into posh, rich jerks."
"Oh shit, that was this place?" Surge gawked, "Shit, me and Sonic saw those pricks when they were like that. Good to know that got fixed."
Tikal smiled, "I-I'm proud to say that I was paramount in returning everything to normal...a-and as such, I had all of the Chaos Emeralds in my possesion...so, I...I foolishly gave them away...t-to Amy Rose...and..."
"...We were tricked. The gem was cursed, but because it was encasing the soul of a despicable ancient queen. Using Amy's positive energy in tandem with the Chaos Emeralds, she fused with them and became a nearly unstoppable powerhouse...And things only got worse when she later fused with her own castle, and started rampaging across the mainland as a gigantic monster."
"...Huh...Y'know, I think I remember hearing about that too. I think the Amy from my world had a run in with her. Might've been with her girlfriend too."
"...Well...my Amy's girlfriends were furious with me...a-and that only worsened when I...W-We led the monster to Angel Island, and with the power of the Master Emerald, I-I was able to defeat it. But...Amy was, presumed dead...and I felt awful about it. E-Even after her partner Trip tried to get me back on my feet, a-and Honey lifted my spirits after a...confrontation at their house."
"Wait wait wait, hold on. You said 'girlfriends'? Plural?"
"Ahhh, now it all makes sense. This is the thot me's universe! Heh, you're scared of her? Come on, girl."
Tikal didn't react. Surge stared for another moment before clearing her throat.
"So, uh...what happened next? You said Amy was 'presumed dead' so I assume she's actually fine."
"Y-Yes. Apparently she washed ashore far away, and was found by a resident of Spiral Hill. She took Amy in, and helped nurse her back to health. W-When Amy recollected her memories as the Crystal Beauty, she came to the village and found me, a-and from there I brought her back to her girlfriends."
"Well then why the hell would thot me still be mad at you? If you didn't body her girlfriend, it's all good, right?"
Tikal winced, "I mean...would...you be so quick to forgive someone after that?"
Tikal sighed, and looked down at her reflection in her ice cold tea.
"And there's...more to it, as well..."
"...D-During the Amnestic Amythest crisis, m-me and the other concious survivors were trying to think of any way we could restore our friends to their rightful minds. A-And we came up with the idea to use the Chaos Emeralds to revert the effects of the Amythest. But...we...had to choose someone to test our theory on..."
Surge slowly sat up in her chair, a scowl slowly forming on her brow.
"...We...We chose Surge...o-our Surge, and we...I...I overestimated how powerful all seven Emeralds would be..."
Surge said nothing, still glaring.
"...S-Surge...died, m-m-momentarily...a-and when she came to, she..."
Tikal looked up at the other Surge, giving her a very familiar look.
"...Do you know...why she would be so mad at being a...g-guinea pig?"
"...Ho boy, let me tell you-"
But before she could say another word, a wormhole opened up behind her. The back legs of her chair fell down, and Surge screamed as she fell backwards and through the portal.
Tikal stood up from her chair, only able to see the portal spit the chair back up, and close. She stared solemly at the spot Surge once sat, then slunk back into her chair, and took a sip of tea.
