Honesty is the Best Policy {Comic Edition}

Chapter 71: Scourge the Diplomat

"So... what do you wanna see Mephiles for?" Sonic asked as soon as they left the room.

Walking beside his mortal enemy was the worst punishment anyone could have wrought upon him. Scourge thought back to their first meeting in this story, way back in chapter two. How can one person be so outwardly disturbing and yet offer you an umbrella seconds later? Scourge still had that umbrella, and every time it rained and he was forced to use it, he was reminded of the overall hopelessness of his situation. Thanks a lot, Sonic.

Sonic tilted his head. "Is there a reason you're ignoring me?"

"'Is there a reason'?? What do you think, hedgehog? You're the last person in the world that I would want to be talking to right now," Scourge retorted, gritting his triangular teeth.

The blue pineapple just let out a short laugh as if this were somehow funny to him and crossed his arms. "I'll never understand people who hold grudges for seventeen years. Just let it go, buddy, and be free! We don't have to be enemies if you don't want us to be."

That's easy for  you to say.

"So what do you want to see Mephiles for, huh? It's my duty as the hero to know these things, otherwise you might be planning to destroy the world together, and that is not okay." Scourge glared at Sonic before answering.

"Do you... have any idea what happened yesterday?" Scourge asked.

"Oh yeah, you were sick yesterday," Sonic said, tapping his chin with a finger in thought. "Well, there wasn't a test, but we did have a worksheet kind of like the one we did today, so if Eggman says you have to do it, then you're welcome to look at mine-"

"No, like, I mean with Honest."

"Oh, yeah! Shadow told me about that!" Sonic exclaimed, squeezing his eyes shut in great pleasure. He put his arms behind his head. "Apparently, she defeated Infinite with a clever trap, isn't that cool?"

"C-Cool? Blue, that's not something you should be saying about mur-"

"Oh, we're here at the office," Sonic pointed out, stopping in the middle of the hallway. He walked right through the door like he owned the place. Scourge had no choice but to follow.

Blaze the Cat was sitting in one of the many comfy armchairs arranged in the front office, flipping through some sort of magazine. When she saw the two hedgehogs enter, she looked up. "Are you here to see Principal Mephiles?" They nodded. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Appoint-" Sonic started, but Scourge cut him off.

"Yes," Scourge lied. However, Sonic didn't know he hadn't set up an appointment beforehand, so he just went along.

Blaze looked back down at the magazine and shooed them away with a hand. "Alright, go on in, then."

When Scourge reached for the doorknob, the door was suddenly pulled away from him, and it took all his strength not to plummet to the floor nose-first. Memories of his nose bleed in chapter 47 came to mind. How come he was falling on his nose so much? Was he nose-heavy?

"Your Majesty! I was expecting you," Mephiles claimed, throwing open the door. His lifeless green eyes then fell on Sonic, seeing him there at last. "Oh, and you."

"I'm happy to see you, too, Meph," Sonic said, swiping a finger under his nose. "I'm here to observe, just in case."

"Just in case we're discussing your demise, is that correct?" Mephiles mused. "Don't worry. It isn't your demise we will be discussing."

As soon as the door drew closed behind them, shut by a tentacle, Scourge asked, "You weren't actually expecting me, were you?"

Mephiles didn't answer him right away and instead just silently glided over to the liquid darkness-splattered desk in the back of the room. Sonic was only slightly unnerved by the tentacles. He was too busy looking around at the slime-covered walls as if becoming lost in them.