welcometotheshitshow

Once they recognize his approach, they leave their perch for the comfort of Gemerl’s prongs on the sides of his crest. The robot stands still for a moment as they hold them, his third eye switching between each chao and analyzing their body movement.

“Good morning.” His voice box murmurs warmly and he raises the fruit up to them, which they happily take. The chao caretaker allows them to continue holding onto his head while he closes the distance between himself and the graves, taking a moment of silence in the memory of his beloved family. It has been many months since any of Cream’s descendants have visited. Overtime, Gemerl has felt his importance to their lineage fade.

Although he can recall each member by name and misses them dearly, he cannot help but recognize the distance between them and him has widened. In some’s eyes, he is no more than a story or a family heirloom. There is a part of him that is saddened by the loosening of his family ties, but it will never deter him from fulfilling his promise to the greatest friend he ever made. To watch over all Chao, and be the guardian of all who would seek refuge within the walls of the Chao Garden.

Robotic hands grasp the handle of a watering can nearby. He passes the spout over the flowers growing on Cream and Vanilla’s grave. Their names have weathered with age, but he will never forget. He will not let himself forget, no matter who attempts to reprogram him from now until his eventual deactivation.

Suddenly, there is a change in the chaos’ behaviour throughout the garden. They all abandon their half-eaten fruits and activities to gather around the peep holes surrounding the main gate. Curiosity gets the better of the two chaos holding on to his head and they fly to a peephole, curious to see what the excitement is about. Gemerl watches as Cheese and Chocola start zipping around joyously, something they haven’t done in a long while. It is not uncommon for wastelanders to seek refuge within these walls for a night or two. However, no visitors have brought about this reaction from his family’s chaos, except…

Gemerl sets down the watering can, rushes to the gate, and climbs up the lookout located to the left of it. There, in the near distance walking towards the garden, are the shapes of two hedgehogs and a robot. Judging by their pace, they are not in any hurry, nor have they sustained any major injuries since their last visit. The little Chaos focus their buzzing excitement on the reborn gizoid below them, grabbing at his prongs and pulling him towards the gate all while babbling excitedly.

He swats them playfully and his exhaust fans whirr with amusement. “Be patient. They will arrive at the gate soon.”

Once they are less than 100 meters away from the garden, Gemerl opens the gate and gently uses his foot as a barricade from letting the other younger mischievous chaos escape. Only Cheese and Chocola are allowed to follow him out and they fly directly to their favorite hedgehog to pester him.

“Hey-” Silver is barely able to say a word to Gemerl as he’s bombarded by the two light chao who fly all around him excitedly. “Woah hey!” He laughs heartily and uses his telekineses to halt them in midair so he can give out proper hugs. “Good to see you guys too.”

Omega and Shadow both wave once in greeting as the distance is closed between the long lost allies at last.

“Shadow. Omega.” Gemerl greets them one at a time, then turns his head to the other hedgehog still playing around with his family’s chaos. “Silver.”

“Hello!” Silver waves and the two menaces finally let him be so he can talk properly. “It’s good to be back! I’m sorry it's been so long.”

“The Chao Garden is here for all who require its services from now until the end of time. What is it that you desire?”

“Rest.” Shadow simply states. “And a place to regroup.”

“The gates will open to those who seek refuge in these trying-”

“STOP WITH THE FANCY, PROPHETIC TALK.” Omega butts in, and moves to stand beside his old ally. Silver chuckles into his hand in the background. "YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE IT WITH US.”

The smaller robot lowers his head in embarrassment, then shakes it fondly as he leads them to the gate. “It is habitual.” He remarks with a hint of amusement, before allowing them access inside.

The chaos swarm the wastelanders upon entrance, climbing all over them and inspecting every little part of their items for food or other objects to play with. Although Silver gives out head pats to each one, Shadow and Omega remain calm, letting the chaos have their fun until they get bored with their inactivity. The two remaining members of team dark find a small unlit fire pit to settle around and unwind from their long journey.

As Gemerl secures the large gate behind them, he watches fondly as Silver becomes the Chao’s main object of interest. They play in his quills and hang off his wrists, begging him to throw them up in the air with his telekinetic powers. “It’s no use! There’s too many of them!” He jokes, then pretends to faint on the ground while the chaos stand on top of him and claim silly, victorious poses.

“Enough of the pestering.” Gemerl picks up a small sphere-like object from the ground nearby and waves it in the air, diverting their attention from Silver. The chaos’ heads swivel back and forth to match Gemerl’s hand, just until he throws it to the opposite end of the Chao Garden. They all run after it with excitement leaving the two robots and hedgehogs alone to converse.

“Do they do this to every wastelander who visits?” Silver accepts a hand that the caretaker extends out to him and brushes himself off once he is helped to his feet.

“Affirmative. I do my best to play with them, but their enthusiasm knows no bounds.” Silver and Gemerl continue to make small talk until they join Shadow and Omega around the fire pit which now has a fire going, courtesy of Omega. Just as they sit down, a black blob zooms out from a dark corner of a wall and into the arms of the black hedgehog. The blob bares its teeth, hissing and spitting at Shadow up until its anger fizzles out and big crocodile tears roll down the side of its cheeks. Shadow cradles it close, petting its version of his quills with a solemn look on his face while it sobs into his chest.

“Your chao misses you.” Gemerl confesses. “It is difficult to get it to eat when you are not around.”

“Such is the curse of families torn apart by war.” The black hedgehog pulls out an exotic Chao fruit of his own and Shadow Chao noms through its tears hungrily.

“You should take it with us then.” Silver proposes. “I can tell it’s not happy here and I don't mind having another traveling companion.”

“No.” Shadow responds abruptly. “Sage is planning a second ambush and food is scarce. It is safer here in the Chao Garden.” The chao stands on his lap and wraps what he can of his stubby arms around his chest.

“I agree with Shadow. The world is too dangerous for Chao to roam freely as they have in the past.” Gemerl nods to Silver, then turns his head to Shadow. “However, you should shorten your periods of absence. He requires more attention than you are currently providing.”

“Hmm…” Shadow looks down into the eyes of the Shadow Chao who is gripping at his chest fluff, refusing to be torn away from the hedgehog it longs to be close to.

“You can come back more often, Shadow. Omega and I are more than capable of holding the front lines.” Silver smiles at him.

“AGREED.” Omega is only half-listening to the boring conversation and poking at the fire with his claws to keep it burning.

“...maybe I will.” Shadow says after a minute of consideration. “If not to visit my Chao, then to provide reinforcements for this sanctuary.” Shadow stands up abruptly and rummages through one of the sacks that he carries. His sudden movement and ominous words capture Gemerl’s attention to a piece of paper folded up in the palm of the ultimate lifeform's hand.

The smaller robot receives it cautiously. “What is this?” Gemerl asks, unfolding and scanning the rather long index of names to his data banks.

“A list of prisoners, captured two nights ago by Sage’s forces.” Shadow sits back down and folds his arms, sharing a downcast expression with Silver.

There, somewhere close to the bottom of the piece of paper are two names Gemerl recognizes. “Tira and Angel Rabbit...” His voice box whispers their names out loud. The fingers holding the paper spasm for a moment as his processing unit internalizes the alarming news.

Silver frowns and puts a hand on Gemerl’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. “We thought you might wanna know. It didn’t feel right to not inform you since they’re your family.”

“Mhm.” Shadow nods.

“I see.” Gemerl stabilizes himself and refolds the paper up to give back to Shadow. A chance to save his family could give him the opportunity to get to know them better and rekindle friendships he thought he had lost. But if he left to help them, who would watch the sanctuary? “While I am grateful for the information and that you came all this way to deliver it, if I left to rescue my family it would leave the Chao Garden vulnerable to attack. I am afraid I cannot allow that.”

“Neither would we.” Shadow agrees.

“Which is why we came up with a plan if you did decide you wanted to go save your family!” Silver balls a fist up with determination. “Right Omega?”

“AFFIRMATIVE.” Omega turns his full attention to Gemerl, taking his hand out of the fire in the process. “I WILL BECOME THE TEMPORARY CARETAKER IN YOUR PLACE.”

Gemerl stares in disbelief at his ally. Despite Omega’s brash nature, he knew he could trust the E-100 unit with the safety of the garden, but could he trust him with the well-being of the chaos? “You would forsake your part in the action to guard this sanctuary? Why? What do you have to gain by doing this?”

“IT IS NOT ABOUT WHAT I COULD GAIN. I HAVE ALREADY CLAIMED MY REVENGE.” Omega spins to his left to show off some withered moustache fibers encased in resin. A trophy he had embedded into his chassis after he took Eggman’s life. “NOW YOU WILL CLAIM YOURS.” Revenge. Revenge against Sage for kidnapping his family. Gemerl bows his head, heavily considering his old friends’ proposition.

“Your skillset would prove useful.” Shadow continues, hoping to persuade him. “If you interfaced with Sage’s machines it would be easier for us to slip past unnoticed.”

“Right.” Silver agrees. “This rescue mission is stealth-related, so Omega would be benched for it anyways.”

“THIS UNIT HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED ITS RAGE AT SEVERAL INFERIOR MODELS. THE CHAO GARDEN WILL BE SAFE FROM MY RAMPAGE UNTIL YOUR RETURN.” Gemerl squints at him suspiciously.

“It is not just safety that is required for the position of caretaker. The chaos follow a rigorous schedule. You will need to feed and play with them at certain times. Query: Can you assure me you will stick to it?”

Omega is silent for a moment and takes a moment to spin his torso in a circle, possibly scanning the perimeter of the garden. “AFFIRMATIVE.”

Gemerl taps his fingers against his legs, as he thinks. It has been years since he stepped foot outside of the garden. It would be an unfamiliar environment, but he has been given the opportunity to see his family again. Even if they weren’t the same family he knew and loved from years ago, there would undoubtedly be things he could recognize in their quirks and habits. Maybe after they were free, they would allow him to show them the Chao Garden their ancestors loved very much. After a few more seconds of mulling it over, he nods his head and makes his final decision. “Very well. For the sake of my family, I will accompany you in your endeavor to release the prisoners. Then I will return.”

“Yes!” Silver pumps his fist and Shadow nods his head in satisfaction. “I can't wait to fight side by side with you! Just like old times!”

“We will rest and replenish our supplies tonight. Then be ready to head out by morning.” The Shadow Chao that has previously been standing on his lap had moved to his shoulder and began to whimper. One of Shadow’s hands moves to pet it. “I will come back with Gemerl this time. I apologize for leaving you for so long.”

“I am certain he is happy to hear that.” Gemerl nods.

Morning comes all too quickly for Gemerl. He would rather go over the schedule with Omega for at least another hour, but time would not permit it, and Omega had become annoyed at Gemerl’s pestering. Once the sun peaked over the Eggdome in the distance, Gemerl gives each of the chaos a fond goodbye, allowing Cheese and Chocola to cling onto him for a little bit longer than the rest of them. Then, the reborn gizoid leaves the confines of his sanctuary for the first time in over fifty years with Silver and Shadow on either side of him. They wave goodbye to the E-100 unit and start on their journey out into the wastelands.

Once they were a ways out, Silver confesses something to the Chao caretaker. “So we didn't tell you this in front of Omega because he would’ve thrown a fit and gotten defensive, but there’s another reason he had offered to guard the Chao Garden.” Silver chuckles behind his hand as they leave the gate in the distance.

“What reason is that?” Gemerl asks quizzically, still checking behind him periodically to make sure that Omega had locked the gate.

“He wants a Chao.” Shadow comments, trying to hide a smile from creeping up his face.