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felinavondraco · 7 years ago

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Title: Elise's Decision

Series: Cloakn’Steel (Sonic the Hedgehog AU)

Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi/Apocalypse/Retropunk

Rating: T (Language/Mental Illness)

Background: A Flow Write from Cloakn’Steel. This happens near the mid-to-end of the fourth ‘book/series’ so there is a lot of information previously explained. To point out some things briefly: The surface is an apocalyptic wasteland overrun by beings called Mutants. The incident was brought on by ‘The Vaccine’. Its side effects vary from person to person but Elise suffers from depression (which I have made to mimic my own episodes). She is actually from a much distant past, she and others preserved in a sleep of which only she survived. Sonic works as a secret agent for the government.

As this is a Flow Write, be warned that it is unedited and things may change before its official release. Enjoy~

A shock through her heart and she was fully awake. Just like every night. Why? Even after all she had been through they still wouldn’t let her be. She slowed her breathing as the burning in her chest gradually dissipated back into nothingness. Despite the downy comforter pulled up to her shoulder, the young woman still shivered and curled into herself. Something hot and velvety brushed against the small of her back and she realized, for the moment, she had forgotten where she was. Elise swallowed and forced herself to relax as his arm came up and draped her hip, paw searching for her much smaller counterpart against her stomach. Then, his moist breath brushed the fine hairs between her shoulder blades as the hedgehog nuzzled into the nape of her neck. Sonic hummed softly, the only sound puncturing the darkness. “Don’t worry. I’ll chase away your demons for you. I promise.” Though muffled and slurred with slumber, still those words boomed in her ear. So much so that she nearly cried, wanting nothing more than to shrivel out of existence. I’m not worth this. I’m not. She stirred again only once the ginger rise of his chest against her back became steady and rhythmical. He had fallen back to sleep. The window ahead shown a dusty blue sky pock-marked with stars. No moon tonight. Ever so cautiously Elise shifted around, his arm now nothing but a warm weight. As she bore into the crook of his chin there was this sense of perfection. And in that perfection a pang of sadness slithered its way into her mind. This wasn’t hers to take, to keep. This wasn’t meant to be. Briefly Elise nuzzled into his neck, savoring the comfort found there. Her lips brushed his silky fur as she mumbled a sullen thank you. There was no possible way for him to hear her mournful words, for which she was grateful. Because, if he had, she knew he would stop her. Elise forced herself up and away, replacing her weight with the blanket once wrapped snuggly around them both. Hastily, buy silently, the human woman dressed and vanished into the darkness of the hall and down into the living room. From there she crept through the kitchen illuminated in the soft florescence of a baby-blue night light plugged beside the sink. Watching its unnatural flicker for some reason brought a thought to compose a note for him. That, though, was soon cast aside. No, a note would make it worse. A note might make her stay. From the kitchen, there was his garage and where he had stored her bike. There it was, standing in the center of a cluster of model robots and dust rags. Elise apologized before picking the omniband from the seat and attaching it to her temple. Eventually, she would somehow have to locate a new helmet and suit. For now, at least Stormy’s aeroshield would keep her from sustaining any monumental injuries, should they occur. The artificial Lode Tails had created was still inserted into her steed’s torso, giving off a faint buttery glow to the otherwise onyx carapace. Placing her palm to the stone elicited a reaction. From the epicenter, a spiderweb of insignia lit and grew. From its breast the machine let out a soft hum of life. The tires held by their standing clasps were released and set into their graviton tracks. Elise had never given much though to the hue her bike had always exhibited. With the amethyst Lode from before the glow had been purple. Now, with this new one, its pores gave a shade representing its new power source. This fact now saddened her even more. She had lost one of the few things from her time that held any meaning. You are such a heartless monster. Monster. Beast. Mutant thing! The woman growled and shook the voices from her head as if that would help. It only swayed them for so long. She mounted the motorcycle, feeling it dip slightly from her weight. At least she had this piece of her soul back, all thanks to Sonic. Elise let the thought subside and guided the machine towards the garage door. The sensor on the floor triggered, raising the escape like the maw of some primordial beast. It clunked softly with a smooth groan that told her he kept it well maintained. It would be his fault then, if he didn’t hear her. Into the night she road, pass his neighborhood and into the lights of Seaborne City. Even at this hour, so early in the morning, everything shown bright with a kind of festivity akin to the joys of youth. He had been right. As she passed on her way most of the individuals she saw were nocturnals: coyotes, raccoons, owls, and cats. There were some humans, too. Even so far in the future they were adaptable like that. One thing she had never told him had been how the humans and anthropes of her time never coexisted so seamlessly. There had never been couplings, very few friendships. Humans mostly stayed within their grand cities, and the anthropes to their forests. To see those around her so content together was a small joy. It made it far too apparent that she did not belong here. From the highway she drifted off an exit that lead to Dawner Park. It was mostly vacant at this time, thankfully. It was still far too dark to watch the sunrise so any who were awake would have no real reason to be here. Even so, she still chose a spot long forgotten by passerbys. That way she could leave without anyone being the wiser. The edges of the Sky Isles were outlined in invisible fencing. They prevented anyone from falling off while still providing the breathtaking scenery of the starlit atmosphere beyond. Even so, there was a mechanism in place. If someone did scale the wall, or break through, an alarm would sound. Elise wondered off-handedly if any of her questions pertaining to the perimeter peeked Sonic’s concern. Probably. It wouldn’t take much for him to put two-and-two together. The barrier would go off. There was no way around that. She slowed to a gentle stop, admiring the seemingly infinite beyond. With little other than a thin sweater, a brief gust of night bit deeper than it should. Despite this, the stoic girl remained stiff as a statue, eyes tuned to the clouds that clustered about the island’s rim like an ocean of foam. She wondered if some ever thought of the world below, obscured from sight. Why would they when everything was so perfect above? A mortal-made heaven. Her thoughts were always muddled like this. That was just her existence. Even before she was institutionalized in White Garden, she would get lost in the realm of her own mind, a spiraling rabbit hole of loathing and doubt where reality mingled with fantasy. That was why she needed to go. Sonic and his friends couldn't be exposed to who she truly was. But, she would miss them, all of them. She would miss hanging out at Mama Moro’s Cafe with Maria. She would miss cooking with Sonia and shopping with Amy. Most of all, she would miss her nightly routines with Sonic. How had they become a thing? Why did she let it become a thing? Why did she have to fall in love with him? How did he even fall in love with her? He doesn’t love you. He pities you. How could he possibly love a freak like you? No one wants to love you. No one ever did. What about Willow? That meant nothing and you know it. She was scared. Your sick mind twisted her words. That’s why you have to leave. It’d be better for everyone. I don’t want to leave. It doesn’t matter what YOU want. What matters is what’s best for everyone. Elise gripped her ears and hissed, “shut up!” Hopefully, no one was close enough to hear. No, she was alone. Alone safe her thoughts, which had quieted for the time being. So she returned to stargazing, putting off the inevitable. Her palms shot to Stormy’s reigns and she revved his motor. Just do it, you idiot. I don’t want to. I’m happy, sometimes… They make me happy. He makes me happy. So? That doesn’t fucking matter! There is no happiness. Not for you. It’s a damn temporary high and you know it. Sure, you’re happy for, maybe, a day. Then, what comes after? Back to your old self, being tormented by their forced smiles. How much can they possibly care for you? Do you really think any of their lives will change if you leave? No, they’d just go back to the way they were before you showed up. Yeah… Elise forced her eyes shut, hoping to prevent the inevitable. She had made sure to never let anyone see her cry. That was all she needed, to have someone openly pity her. That was what was so strange with her interactions with Sonic. He never… Somehow, he never seemed like he did. Out of all the stories he had somehow pried from her lips, he remained stoic and obliging rather than apologetic. “I hate you,” she whispered sullenly to the sky above. There was only one person that line had ever been spoken for.

Sonic groaned and rolled over, stretching out like a canine beneath the thin sheets sticking to his velvety fur. He paused, something wasn’t right. One paw began feeling around till it found the edge of the mattress. The hedgehog was still pretty groggy from last night so it took a moment before he realized something should be there but wasn’t. If it had been someone else he wouldn’t have paid much mind but not her. Suddenly shot awake with fear, Sonic lifted himself and grabbed a handful of sheets, revealing the entirety of his mattress in one swift motion. He wasn’t crazy. She was gone. He hopped out of bed and into a spare set of shorts on the floor. He began bounding down the stairs when a peculiar smell caught his nostrils. It was familiar but unfamiliar in this setting. He slowed his pace and in turn his frantic heart. As he drew closer and closer to the first floor the smell became more pungent. It wasn’t until he finally turned into the kitchen that he settled down. Elise shifted when she heard him clamoring to the main floor. “Morning,” she greeted with just the hit of a smile. “Morning.” He grinned wide enough for both of them. She was still here. She stayed. She hadn’t done anything he couldn’t have prevented. In that moment all his anxiety melted away. Maybe, in some ways, he had helped her. So enthralled by this musing, he had yet to comprehend exactly what she was doing. She stood over the sink with a frying pan, having just rinsed it and in the process of transferring it into the drying board. He followed his nose to the kitchen table. Upon it laid a pair of plates, one to each side. Upon them rose a tall stack of buttery-looking pancakes. Once his examination was done, heart fluttering, he took his seat while returning his eyes to the girl and intently taking in every move she made. With pan removed. She strolled over to his coffee maker set at the edge of the counter and retrieved a pair of mugs, filling them with the ebony liquid before walking back over to take her seat opposite him. She then presented one to him and kept the other for herself. Sonic couldn’t contain his heart from its uplifted rhythm. Nor could he divert his eyes from her even upon taking her offer. So intense was his gaze that Elise’s cheeks flushed furiously after a bit and turned away. “I… Molly used to make these for me in the morning when I stayed with her.” Only then did he realize what he was doing and finally readjusted his focus to the buttery decadence placed before him. “I’m surprised I had everything you needed. I’ve never been much of a cook, myself. Can’t even think of the last time I ate a homemade meal.” Her smile retained its usual shyness. “The recipe is pretty simple and it’s easy to readjust for what you have on-hand.” As Sonic began to shove spoonfuls of sugar into his brew, a soft binging caught his ears. Elise rose and he paused, unable to help keeping an eye on her. She wandered to his microwave and produced yet another mug, using a bundle of paper towels to ensure she wasn’t burned. As she grew close in returning the fragrant syrup she must have been heating assaulted his nose and made his mouth water. He was serious in saying he hadn’t had homemade anything in forever. Just the gesture in itself made his heart swell, regardless of what they would eventually taste like. Considering everything his sister had told him, he doubted they would be anything other than delicious. When she finally sat for, what would hopefully be, the last time she set the maple syrup between them. She then focused on her own coffee adding much less sugar and a bit of cream that she must have retrieved some time ago and place on the table beforehand. Sonic went for the maple syrup and drizzled a heavy stream over the stack. The amber liquid mixed with the creamy butter and cascaded down each tier like a miniature waterfall. Deciding that was enough, he held it for her to take. “Thanks, by-the-way. You didn’t have to go through all this trouble.” “You don’t have to thank me.” Please don’t thank me. “It wasn’t troublesome, honest. Besides, I though it… I wanted to do something for you.” Sonic chuckled gently, a sound far sweater than the decadence before them. “For what?” As she began stirring her steaming drink her gaze fell down to the swirls of off-white, distant and almost forlorn. “Nothing. I don’t know.” Unfortunately, the hedgehog knew that look well and had also began to sense the drastic, sinking shift in her aura whenever she began spiraling back into herself. He couldn’t have that anymore, wouldn’t have that anymore. “So, how’d you make these anyway?” He retrieved the fork that had been intently placed atop a folded paper towel next to his plate. Her chin lifted and the darkness surrounding her gradually dissipated into the soft morning light. That was much better. And so, the pair chatted while they ate. The concoction was as perfect as he had suspected. The flapjacks were light and only vaguely sweet. Creamy inside with a caramel crust, they gathered most of their flavor from the syrup and butter. Too bad he hadn’t picked up any fruits or berries. The added tartness would have added a nice compliment to the dish. But, the coffee did the trick, sipping a little after a few mouthfuls to help everything down. As they neared the bottom Elise quieted. Before he could revert her back on track her gaze gave him an uncommon intensity. It generated not hate or sadness or joy but purpose. “I want to tell you something.” Sonic was taken aback by the bluntness of the statement. “Of course. What is it?” Those eye, icy at times, continued their evaluation of him. “I want to tell you how I ended up at White Garden.” An alertness to his spine replaced the once lax atmosphere. “You really don’t have to, honestly. If it’s going to-” “I want to.” That stare finally softened and curled into the more commonplace melancholy. “Maybe, if I tell you it’ll help me heal.” The girl turned away again, spindly fingers clawing at her empty mug as if digging for any remaining warmth. “You’ve been really good at that, you know.” In those words their was weight, though not of ill. There was purpose in them. It would seem most anything she said and did had purpose. Sonic realized early on, when they had begun hanging out, that she was not one for small talk, preferring to keep to herself and letting others be. She was one of those individuals who was more than content to sit on the sidelines and watch the world and those in it, rather than be a part of it. The amount of effort it had taken to get her to blossom for him he would never regret. This trust the otherwise lonely girl had afforded him over time was precious. For her to openly admit this was a testament to that. So, instead of protesting, he offered her a tentative smile. Each night they walked together gave him new insights into who she was as a person. As she became accustomed to his presence those stories had deepened in both length and personal significance. Slowly but surly, Sonic began to love her and loathe the beast she viewed herself as. Now, here she was, willing to share with him her darkest secret, one of which he was curious of but contented himself in not knowing should she never confide in him the tale. Elise remained transfixed on the dregs in her cup as she began. “Most of the people in the Facilities were willing participants, high risk individuals, or those whose blood proved beneficial. I didn’t go there as one of those. I was an exception.” A pause. A breath. “I was fourteen. I had come home from school. I was happy because we were going to my aunt’s for the weekend for Gran’s birthday. Everything was fine till I got home. Mom and Dad were fighting, as usual, so I just made myself invisible and blocked them out. I…” her eyes darkened, falling deep into the memory, “didn’t know what triggered her at the time. When I got about halfway up the stairs everything got awfully quiet, like funerary quiet. It was like this weight was in the air or it was really humid without being hot. I only stopped and turned around when I heard my parents scream.” In her mind they were still screaming, though with time she had become accustomed to the sound. “My mom had Broken and she began to mutate. My father shattered a display case and got out one of his hunting rifles.” Elise briefly faded back into reality. “How did he kill her? They’re not supposed to die so easily.” Then she closed her eyes and it took her again. Behind those lids she still recalled the flashing of the barrel as each bullet bit deep into the flesh of their target. The dark blood splattered family photos as her mother’s monstrous form flailed in torment. “I was screaming too but I don’t think he heard me at first. He only noticed me once Mom stopped moving.” Those steely irises opened again and the way she bore into him actually sent a pickle down his spike like a sudden numbness. Actually, that was exactly what he saw. Comprehension finally dawned on him. That’s why her gaze sometimes scared him irrationally. Beyond there depths he could discern nothing other than numbness. “He turned on me with the same horror. He raised his gun and I closed me eyes and cried and waited for the inevitable. Instead I felt his cold grip on my arm as he dragged me upstairs and threw me into my room. I didn’t know what to do. All I wanted was to hide, become so small so no one would find me. So they wouldn’t find me.” For a moment the only sound came from her nails cautiously scraping against the well-worn ceramic. “Maybe I was in there for a couple of minutes or maybe hours. Who knows? For some reason the thought to run away never occurred. I just wanted to disappear. I wanted to forget. I wanted to die.” “Elise…” With that otherwise soft-spoken word, the woman’s spirit returned to her rigid body. Their eyes connected briefly and to her surprise she couldn’t discern any pity within his. Instead, there was such a fire burning in that it made her heart skip a beat. There was also something else, something hiding within that stare she couldn't yet identify. For some reason, it didn’t scare her. It’s intensity was reminiscent of everything that had transpired between them the night before. “Th-They came.” She stuttered in continuing. “The next thing I knew there were some people in suits who came into my room and tried to coax me out. I didn’t fight them. I came quietly. In White Garden I was placed into quarantine. Something happened to me, as I was left along in that room, in the quite and the dark.” Her voice began to hush. She couldn’t take that intensity anymore. “Again, I don’t know how long they kept me there. I suspect it may have been an abnormal amount of time. Percy was the main psychologist who evaluated me. I knew she was afraid of me just by the way she looked at me whenever I responded to her questions. Even she couldn’t understand why I was so… indifferent. I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to forget, to be forgotten. I wanted everyone and everything to just go away. “When I was finally released into the common lobby I had gone so far into myself that I just felt like a zombie. There was nothing left inside. I had nothing left to give, no one to give it to and no one who would take it. There was nothing inside of me, nothing of any worth. Nothing.” With her voice trailing into silence Sonic found having to restrain himself far more difficult than he would have imagined. His nails bit into the wood of the table as he spectated her inner turmoil. He wanted to leap up and tackle her, kiss her eyelids and scream at her all at once. She was not nothing, damn it! But he knew doing so would only cause her to bolt away like a skittish hare. So, he forced down a dry swallow and remained where he sat. “Maybe days or weeks went by. Time became really fuzzy for me. No one talked to me and I never made an effort to talk with anyone else. I didn’t want to. I wanted to be left alone. Willow…” a grin, so small no one would have noticed unless enthralled as he was, “she was the one. She came up to me one day in the cafeteria and started talking to me. She wouldn’t leave me alone.” The tone to her voice was beginning to pick up. “Even though I was quiet and tried to slip away, she was persistent. Somehow, she was still so happy and carefree. Pushy, she never stopped grinning, or talking.” Elise choked out a brief chuckle. Then she finally met his eyes and in hers he saw light, like a pair of blazing stars. “She reopened my heart. It wasn’t all at once but she helped me start to gradually feel again. She had a nice little group of friends already and she made me feel welcome, like I belonged. And I… never…” Just as quickly she was slipping away again. “I never…” Elise shook her head, ember locks dancing against her moist eyes. She brought up the heel of her palm and massaged one absently. “I just wish I could have told her that.” Those words came out slightly muffled by the sleeve of her ivory sweater. “I think she knew.” She stopped her fussing and turned to him quizzically. His smile was far brighter than the morning sun shining through the window at his shoulder. “Yeah, trust me. She knew.” “Thank you.” And she presented him a meek one in return. He… In some ways he was just like Willow. They were even, amusingly, the same height. That had been one of the things she had already admitted to him so many nights ago. Maybe, that was why she had become so attached to him. No, that was exactly why. That must have been what made him so confident in that statement. He pulled out his chair and stretched his arms high above his quills, joints popping into place. “Well, I don’t know about you but I feel a nice morning run is in order.” Elise squinted at him cautiously. “You don’t have work today?” “Nope.” He began rolling his shoulders one at a time. “Actually took a couple weeks off after the reckon we did in sector CC-089, where we found your bike.” “Wait,” the pieces of time he had given her wasn’t adding up. “That… You said you found my bike a week ago and Tails just finished his testing yesterday.” “Yeah?” He leaned, cross-armed and unfazed, against the back of his chair upon realizing where this particular conversation was headed. “That would mean you weren’t working and you specifically went out to see me?” “Course, why wouldn’t I?” “Why didn’t you tell me?” Most nights they were out nearly till four in the morning. “Because I knew you’d get upset and you’d tell me to stop or you’d make an effort to try and hide from me. Elise, I really love those stupid walks, you know? It became sort of like our routine.” And he wanted to make sure he was near her those nights. “We could never hang out during the day so instead that was our time together.” “But, sometimes I actually did get sleep. Did you really go out looking for me?” Sonic shrugged, holding his chin in his palm as he studied her uncharacteristic bewilderment. “Yeah, well, you know. If I couldn’t find you at one of our usual spots I just headed back home, no biggie.” A sigh. “I’m sorry you felt you had to do that.” She was falling again. “Elise,” he spoke her name in a gentle yet upbeat tone. “I loved our walks. I love spending time with you. Trust me, It’s not something I feel like I have to do. I wanted to do it. I love you.” Her creamy cheeks suddenly flushed with heat. Sadly, she didn’t, as yet, believe him. But to her those words still gave her hope, albeit minuscule as it was. Again, happiness wasn’t something she was accustomed to. The majority of her still couldn’t accept his sincerity. She wasn’t worth his time or concern. But, what if this was real? What if he meant what he said and she wasn’t just a salvageable fling? Only time would tell. Was it worth the risk? “Come on. I’ll get dressed and we’ll take your bike out and have a race around the city. Whaddaya say?” If only he knew she had already been out and about with it. In the end she gave in to his charisma. So, while he ran back upstairs she set her self to cleaning up. He told her to wait a moment so he could help but she dissuaded him, stating that it would keep her busy while he freshened up.

#flow write #writing #fanfiction #kathryn christine starcrafter #sonic the hedgehog #STH #Princess Elise #Sonelise #Sonise #Cloakn'Steel

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