Bad Kids

Chapter 45

Eyes fluttered open as Rouge looked around at her surroundings. She had been out for a while. But she didn't know how long. Looking towards the window, she was met with a bright blue sky. Shocked she sat up thinking that it was a dream. She hadn't seen a sky this clear since before all the tragedy began.

Her head was still throbbing with pain so Rouge was careful to get up. But the minute she tried to get out of her bed, she was held back by something. Looking down, her wrist was cuffed to the side preventing her from leaving. Groaning, Rouge decided to stretch out her wings. That's when she realized they wouldn't budge. Her wings were bound together by some device preventing her from flying anywhere. Not that she had the strength to. The door to her room opened up.

Knuckles stepped in with guards at his sides. Annoyed, Rouge rolled her eyes and laid back in bed avoiding his view. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." Knuckles reassured the guards. They nodded and left the room. Seeing they were gone, Knuckles carefully walked over to the moon-white bat who refused to look at him. "For a guy who knocked me out cold, you act like you need security." Rouge remarked. "I... I didn't mean to hit you that hard... You surprised me and it was a quick reaction..." he replied regretfully.

Moving her head to look at him, she glared. "You brought me to your town. Why?" she asked annoyed. "Because you and your friends were doing something dangerous that could've destroyed both our towns."

"No, you interrupted a healing spell that was going to finally give us a real home. You and your friends intruded assuming the worst, as usual, and decided to bring us back here. It makes you look like a hero to everyone else here. Now you're here obviously needing something from me and probably the others. Am I wrong?"

Stunned by her reaction, Knuckles blushed and glimpsed away embarrassed and ashamed. "No... I am here to ask you something. But... I also wanted to be sure you were okay." he said. Rouge's ears lowered, angered by his advances. "After everything you and your friends have done, only when you hit me so hard on the head, you want to know if I'm okay?" she asked angrily. "Well- yeah! I felt bad you know!" he snapped, defensive of himself. "Tsk. Right. I don't believe you echidna."

Frustrated with her, Knuckles hit the small table right next to him.

"Always taking your frustrations on everything or everyone else still I see." she sighed. Knuckles recoiled seeing what he had just done and he relaxed. "I'm still trying to control it."

"I'm assuming we're not allowed to go home any time soon?"

"No... not for a while..."

"Can I at least see my daughter?"

Instantly, Knuckles bit his lip trying to stay silent. Rouge noticed how silent he was being and suddenly she became worried. "Where is she? She's here, isn't she? You didn't hurt her did you?!" Forgetting she was cuffed to her bed, Rouge pulled hard against it, trying to get to Knuckles which wasn't working. "No no! She's fine but... your daughter, Diamond... is still in your town..."

Hearing this, Rouge was infuriated "Don't tell me she's there all alone! Someone's there with her right?!"

"Calm down! The other teens are still there... But if you're talking about adults... almost all of them are now here."

Rage fueled Rouge. She yanked hard against the cuff holding her back. "YOU LEFT THEM THERE ALL ALONE?! HOW COULD YOU!!" Rouge now was pulling hard against the cuff harder than before. "Hey, Rouge, relax! You're still recovering from a concussion! We'll get your daughter! Lay down! I don't want you to harm yourself!" he urged, forcing her down on the bed. Rouge tried fighting back but quickly tired out feeling her head and body weaken from fighting back too much.

"I won't hurt you! I promise you that!" he promised, holding her down still. Rouge smacked him across the cheek defensively which made Knuckles back up concerned. "Leave me alone. I don't want to see you!" she snapped. Getting the hint, Knuckles nodded his head and looked away saddened. "I'll be back later to check on you... Rest Rouge... I'm sorry..." he said. He dipped his hat to her before walking out the door. Rouge then cried silently, knowing she would be lonely in this town.

...

Mephiles sat on his bed in the cell drawing in a journal that one of the guards gave him to keep him busy. He was forced to wear a collar around his neck to neutralize his powers so he couldn't sink into the darkness. All he could think about was Smoke. How lonely his son must be without him being there to guide him. He was just as lonely as when Smoke was gone for so long. So when his cell buzzed to announce that someone was coming in, he didn't look up. He didn't care who it was.

"Hey, prisoner, look up at the Council of Mobius!" the guard ordered. Mephiles ignored them and continued to draw. "Prisoner!" they shouted once more. "It's fine. We'll manage." Silver said calmly. Espio, Vector, and Charmy exchanged looks seeing their friend walk towards the Dark Entity who didn't show much facial expression. "So... you guys are back at it?" Silver asked annoyed. Mephiles still said nothing.

"Aren't you going to say something?!" Vector gruffed impatiently. Mephiles paused briefly and glanced at them with his cold stare. "I want to see my son." he said before returning to drawing. "Not a chance. We're here because we need answers." Espio answered.

No answer from him. "Mephiles, I don't have time for this! Just talk to us already and stop drawing for two seconds!" Silver said as he began storming over. Mephiles somehow managed to stop Silver with his powers by stopping him in his tracks with his weakened shadows. "I thought they stopped him from using his powers." Charmy whispered.

"They took away my ability to disappear and escape. No matter what, you can't take everything away from me. Maybe my freedom but you can't get anything else from there." he declared gravely. All four were stunned seeing him like that. "You're wasting your time. I'm not helping you. I'm not telling you what you want to hear. I'm done doing anything for you. I'm done letting you break me. I've suffered for years because of you guys. At this point, there's nothing you've done that hasn't already hurt me." he said.

Silver was finally released and he could finally move. Espio sighed and nodded to the guard to get ready to lock the door. Vector and Charmy walked out ready to move on. Espio glanced one more time before he walked out himself. Just as Silver was about to walk out the door, Mephiles looked in his direction. "I feel bad for your son and Shadow's daughter." he said briefly. Silver stopped briefly and looked behind him.

"His daughter was betrayed by the one guy she believed loved her. And for your son, well... he must hate you for life. You forced him to choose. And who did he choose? The one he calls his father. The father who's supposed to be a hero. What. A. Joke. Good luck hedgehog. No one's going to bow down to you from Dark Side. There's only King and ruler in my eyes. And his name is Shadow the Hedgehog. We used to be one whole home Silver. We just wanted our children to have the same lives as your own. But no. Evil is shown in its purest form. When you're ready to apologize for your mistakes, we'll talk. Until then, don't think that you'll get anything out of me."

With that, he returned to sketching. Silver felt something inside of him break. He wasn't sure what it was. All he knew is that it wasn't a nice feeling. "Then you better get used to staying here. 'Cause, you're surely not returning home." he replied before heading out. The cell buzzed leaving Mephiles all alone. Once again, he was surrounded by his own feelings.