Jump to content
Banner by ~ Ice Princess Silky

FoxyCryptid

User
 View Profile  See their content

  • Posts

    5,434

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by FoxyCryptid

  1. FoxyCryptid

    About the Wii Mini?

    By FoxyCryptid,

    So, I was doing some research and it seems like a horrible waste of money to me:
     
    *It has no Gamecube Backwards compatibility
     
    *It has no internet at all, so no WiiWare or VC, nor any online play
     
    *No SD card slot, so no memory expansion or modding
     
    *It seems it can't even display 480p anymore due to not supporting component(I mean composite, damn me always mixing those two up) cables, so you're stuck with 480i.
     
    All that, and it still costs $100, which I can get a older model Wii that's fully backwards compatible and moddable for half-of.
     
    What do you guys think?
  2. FoxyCryptid
    Okay, this is that same AU I've been posting and wanted to expand the scene from the first story where Melinda had to explain to Tails about her immorality.
    ______________________________________________________________
     
    “M-mom, please w-wake up.”
     
    Those were the first words Melinda heard as she regained consciousness and they sent her mind into a panic. It was the voice of her 5 year old adopted son, Miles, and that meant he had found her sometime after she crawled into the house and succumbed to blood-loss in the middle of the living room floor.
     
    The only thought on her mind was of him sobbing next to her, and how frightened he must have been to find her bleeding all over the floor and not breathing. She knew that she would have to explain to him what she was someday, but she never wanted it to happen like this and cursed herself for putting him through it. God, how long had be there next to her unresponsive body and pleading for her to answer?
     
    “M-Mom?” An undercurrent of hope entered his voice, he must have heard heard her heart start beating again, maybe heard her breathe.
     
    She forced open her eyes and saw him looking down her her with bloodshot eyes and tear-stains on his face. It hurt, the fear in his eyes hurt because she new it was her fault for not being more careful. No matter what it took, she would now have to make it right by explaining everything to him as best she could and calming his fears.
     
    A groan escaped her lips as the feeling finally came back to her body and she forced herself to sit up, Miles’ still clinging to her. She put her arm around him and he buried his face in her side as he began to sob.
     
    “It’s okay, honey. I’m okay now and I’m right here,” she rubbed his back and spoke gently
     
    “Y-you weren’t breathing and I c-couldn’t make you wake up. It was just like what happened to Snowy and I thought..” He continued to sob and he trailed off.
     
    Snowy, a wolf-dog she had long before she adopted him that had finally succumb to age and passed on, and that he was unfortunate enough to find. It was at that point she had to explain death to him and it made the timing of this that much worse.
     
    “I’m sorry it took so long for me to wake-up, but I’m fine now and you don’t have to worry anymore.” she did her best to sound happy and energetic.
     
    “No you’re not, t-there’s blood everywhere and you have those cuts on you,”
     
    “I know this looks bad, but I promise that I’m okay.” she pulled him even closer and noticed the blood staining his fur for the first time, her blood.
     
    “Y-you’re hurt bad, I saw it.” he sobbed, “why are you lying?”
    “MIles, I promise I’m not lying.” she said softly.
     
    “b-but,” he whined.
     
    “Honey, please look at me for a minute, “ she said.
     
    He merely whined and shook his head.
     
    “I know you’re scared, but no matter how scary I look it’s still me.” she said, “I can explain everything to you if you just look up for a minute.”
     
    She put on her best smile as he slowly opened his eyes and looked up, flinching as his eyes met hers. Did she really look that bad from the punch to the nose she took?.
     
    “Is this what you were talking about, here on my tummy?” she noticed him looking down at where she had taken a pretty deep slash to the stomach, “it’s already all gone, look.”
     
    Her fingers found the wound and she gently pulled apart the fabric of her t-shirt to show that the dried blood staining the white fur of her stomach was all that remained of the injury. Cautiously, Miles reached out with one hand and she give him a nod before he carefully ran his fingers over the stain. The look of disbelief on his face told her that this wasn’t going to be easy.
     
    “There was a really bad cut there, I saw it. How did it did go away?” he asked.
     
    “Miles, there’s something I need to explain you. I was going to wait until you were older but it looks like it can’t wait anymore, but you have to keep it a secret for now, okay?”
     
    “Okay,” Miles said softly.
     
    She took a deep breath and thought for a moment, desperately trying to find the words to explain it, “I guess I’ll start slow. Miles, you know how old I am, right?”
     
    “We just had your 26th birthday,” he answered.
     
    “That’s right, but I’ve sort of been lying about my birthday until I was ready to explain all this. Miles, how high can you count?”
     
    “I’m really good with numbers,” he smiled through the tears, “I can count to 100”
     
    At least he was calming down, but this was going to involve a math lesson.
     
    “Very good, do you at least sort of understand what comes after that? How you start counting again until it becomes 200, or even 300?” she asked.
     
    “Kind of, it’s tricky but I knew numbers go really high you can have more than one hundreds,” he said with a sniffle.
     
    “If I said 1100 to you, what you have some idea of how big that is?” she asked.
     
    “That’s like 11 100s, right? That’s really big.” he said, scrunching his face and trying to understand the large number.”
     
    “Yes, and it’s also how old I really am,” and how came he part where she’d fear she’d lose him.
     
    “but you don’t look old,” he said, confusion evident on his face.
     
    “I know, that’s because I don,’t,” she thought for a moment before choosing a better to explain it, “my body doesn’t get older like everyone else’s does. I don’t get wrinkles and my hair doesn’t turn grey or any of that other stuff that happens to old people. I’ll always look I do right now.”
     
    “Why’s that,” he asked.
     
    “I’m something called an Immortal, do you understand what that means?” she asked.
     
    “I think I’ve heard that word in fairy tales, doesn’t it just mean you’re really old, like you said?” he asked.
     
    “Kind of. but is also means that no-one can hurt me, at least permanently because I heal very fast, like you saw and even if something really bad like that happens to me, I’ll just come back ”
     
    “Does that mean you were de-” he once again buried his face on her side before he could finish the last word.
     
    “I’m afraid so, but if it helps you can just think of it like sleeping because I always wake-up,” she gently rubbed the back of his head.
     
    “but you told me it doesn’t happen like that and it sounds like a make-believe story. My head hurts and I’m confused,” he said, his voice still shaking.
     
    “Honey, you know I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this,” she said.
     
    “I know, but I’m scarred and I feel like I’m having a bad dream,” he said.
     
    “Come on, I need to show you something,” she carefully stood up into a crouch and put one arm around his legs and the other around his back, waiting for him to put his arm around her shoulder before lifting him off the floor and carrying him to the couch.
     
    “I need you to listen carefully,” she carefully set him down and sat next to him on the couch, “You’re going to have to trust me for a minute and try not to panic because this might be scary at first, okay?”
     
    “I trust you mama, I’m just scarred.”
     
    “Okay, just try to stay calm,” she felt around her back for her dagger and unsheathed it, making sure to slide it up and carefully grip it by the blade so it would be pointed at her as she showed it to him. It’s not like he had never seen it before, but was still an extra measure to keep from scaring him
     
    “What are you gonna do with your knife?” he asked, a look of concern on his face.
     
    “This is the part that might get a little scary, but I need you pay close attention, okay?” almost reflectively, she flipped it around in her hand and choked up on it, so her thumb was resting on the flat of the blade near the tip before placing the edge against the palm of her other hand, causing his eyes to grow wide.
     
    “Mom…” he choked out, “are you going to hurt yourself?”
     
    “It’s okay, just trust me,” she said softly before carefully slicing into her palm and holding it out to him , “watch”.
     
    A familiar tingling sensation quickly replaced the sting of the cut and she noticed his fear turn to curiosity and then amazement as it faintly glowed and gradually disappeared. He cautiously took her hand and she slowly worked her fingers and rubbed the fresh blood with the tips to show him it gone and she was unharmed.
     
    “Do you believe me now?” she asked softly.
     
    His eye’s lit up with excitement that overpowered his prior fear and she nearly fell off the couch as he tackled her with a hug and squealed with joy, causing her to instinctively toss the knife to the floor where he wouldn’t accidently bump into it and cut himself.
     
    “Hey kiddo, you okay?” she chuckled, “I guess you’re feeling better, huh?”
     
    “You were telling the truth about all if, weren’t you?” he asked excitedly
     
    “Of course,” she answered.
     
    “That makes you like some kind of super-hero, just like in my comics,” he squealed, hugging her even tighter, “what makes the magic work?.”
     
    “I’m glad you’re warming up to this,” she laughed, “It’s kinda hard to explain, but immortals have this thing called a quickening, that’s a sort of like, well. a kind of magic inside us. Not only does it heal us but it gives us almost perfect recall and let’s use sense each other,” she explained.
     
    “Perfect recall?” he asked?
     
    “It means I have a really good memory and I don’t forget things easily,” she laughed.
     
    “Does that mean you can tell me stories and stuff about all the cool things you’ve seen?” he asked excitedly
     
    “I don’t see why not, you just have to give me some time to remember some fun ones,” she said. “..but can you let me up”?
     
    “Is something wrong?” he asked with a worried expression.
     
    “No, I just need shower off and change real quick” she touched her nose to his, eliciting a laugh “and then I’m going to give you a bath and help you scrub all this off.”
     
    She’d likely need another shower later after that, but it would give him a chance to settle down before she tried bathing him and keep her from merely making the mess worse with the blood coating her own body and clothing.
     
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    “To think, I’d almost forgot how hard it is to get this stuff out,” she dumped more shampoo in her hand and worked it in the fur on his head before continuing the scrub at the stain.
     
    Miles didn’t seem to mind her efforts and just contentedly played with one of his toy boats as she fought with the now drying smears of blood and mused about how normal parents likely didn’t have to deal with their kids winding up covered in blood unless it involved 911.
     
    Absentmindedly glancing around the bathroom, she smiled when her eyes landed on a bottle of green bubble-bath with a cartoonish depiction of a knight fighting a fire-breathing dragon and decided a small story might distract her if nothing else.
     
    “You know, I knew a real knight once.” she said.
     
    “Really?” he looked up at her with curious eyes.
     
    “Yeah, he was another immortal like me and I was actually the one that had to teach him about it,” she grabbed a washcloth and began scrubbing a spot on his cheek after finally getting out all she could of the stubborn stain on his head.
     
    “He didn’t know?” Miles asked, looking confused.
     
    “Well, we know don’t about it until we get hurt bad enough that it sort of activates and we’re just like anyone else until that happens. If we’re lucky another immortal that’s nice finds us and becomes our friend and teacher, and then later we carry on that tradition when we meet others that need the same,” she explained.
     
    “So you were his teacher, then?” Miles asked.
     
    “That’s right, I wasn’t even 300 years old at the time and he wound up being my first student as well as a close friend,” she sighed as she noticed some dried blood caked behind his ear and started picking it.
     
    “What was he like?” Miles asked, “was he a good knight?”
     
    “The perfect example of one. He was fighting in a war that he thought was to protect his home, until he found out some of of the other knights we’re bad people that were bullying innocent people that had nothing to do with the fighting. He stood up to them and tried to stop it, but they attacked him and and left them in the church where I found him,” she worked her way down to a smeared fingerprint on his shoulder.
     
    “So he protected people?” Miles asked.
     
    “Yes, and he was so dedicated to it that he later created his own order of knights where each and every one promises to help protect people and to never fight unless it’s to protect themselves or someone else, “ she looked in the water behind him and signed when she caught sight of some splatters on one of his tails, “How did you get any on there?”
     
    “Hey, that tickles,” he laughed as she fished it out from under the water and began gently scrubbing it.
     
    “Does it tickle as much as this?” she laughed and playfully tickled one of his ears, causing him to giggle.
     
    “Mom!” he laughed, “you know my ears are sensitive!”
     
    “Why do you think I did that?” she grinned, “I think we’re almost done, so just make sure your personal places are clean and then you can get out, okay? I’ll watch a movie with you so can relax a little before bed.”
     
    “Okay,” she felt him fidget around in the water as scrubbed the last of a spot off his back, “can we watch my favorite movie?”
     
    “Of course,” she chuckled, “I had guessed that you’d want to!”
     
    “I’m all clean now!” he held his arms and she lifted him out, wrapping a towel around him.
     
    “Do you need me to help you dry off?” she asked as she set him down.
     
    “Just my back,” he answered as he awkwardly tried to wring-out one of his tails.
     
    “Turn around,” he complied and she carefully worked the water out of his fur.
     
    “What his name?” Miles asked.
     
    “Who?” she replied, a bit confused.
     
    “Your friend, the knight.” he said, “what’s his name?”
     
    “His name was Jericho,” she smiled “maybe you’ll get to meet him someday”.
     
    “Hey Mom?” MIles asked, “how did you get hurt so bad?”
     
    “Here we go,” she thought to herself, “I was fighting with someone.”
     
    “Was it because they did something bad?” he asked.
     
    “Yes, they attacked me first,” she motioned for him to turn around where she could see his face, “You have to understand there’s bad immortals just like anyone else can be a bad person, and sometimes we fight each other because of that.”
     
    “So the good guys like you have to stop the bad guys?” he innocently asked, “is that why hide your powers sort of like superheroes do?”
     
    “Naivety and innocence, there’s nothing quite as inspiring as the idealism that comes with it. If he can’t conceive of me as anything but the hero of this story, is that a sign I’ve been a good mother?’ She smiled, “Yes, sometimes I have to fight because someone attacks me first, or because I have to protect someone. Keeping it a secret makes it harder for those people to find me and keeps us both safer,” she reached up and helped him dry his head off.
     
    “I think I understand, “he smiled, but she could the disappointment on his face “I promise not to tell anyone, then.”
     
    “Hey, I’m sure someday will make some friends we can really trust and let them on the secret,” she pulled him into a hug and kissed his forehead, “That way I won’t have to pretend to be your sister around them when you get older.”
     
    “Okay,” he laughed.
     
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    Things had finally started to calm down and Melinda yawned as she struggled to pay attention to the cartoon playing on the TV, and to Miles talking about various things on the screen like the plane the hero was flying.
     
    The kit was curled up next to her on the couch with his head resting against her side and she had covered him with her coat, which by some small miracle had escaped getting any blood on it. He was clearly struggling to stay awake and finish his movie, but let out a yawn as he tried to huddle up even closer to her.
     
    “Getting sleepy?” she gently stroked one of his ears, “I can carry you upstairs if you want.”
     
    “but I wanna stay with you,” he said.
     
    “Still a little nervous?” she smiled.
     
    “Yes, I just wanna be with you right now”
     
    “If you want, we can just sleep here on the couch for tonight.” she said softly, “would you like that?”
     
    “Can I just go to sleep snuggled up next to you like this? It makes me feel all warm and safe.” he said.
     
    “Of course, honey,” she wrapped her arm around him.
     
    “I love you, mom,” he said with a yawn as he closed his eyes.
    “I love you to, Miles. Goodnight, kiddo.” she shifted her head into a comfortable position, an uneasy task with current arrangement, and let sleep take her as wel
  3. FoxyCryptid
    It was amusing at first in a stupid sort of way, but now it seems like the "catch all" slur where people just tack anything and everything they don't like on to it:
     
    Feminists apply it to MRAs
    MRAs(or anyone that doesn't like feminism) apply it to male feminists
    Christians tact it on anti-theists
    Tumblr anti-Christians apply it to Christians(I know this makes no sense but I've seen it happen)
    Everyone throws at bronies
    Some people through it at Gamers and Anime fans
    People outside of 4Chan and Reddit apply it to them
    People inside 4Chan apply it to everyone outside.
    People that hate weapons apply it to anyone that like guns or knives, or carries either, or is in the NRA(which the NRA does kind of suck now)
    People with liberal viewpoints apply it to bigoted and sexist conservatives
    People with conservative viewpoints apply it to liberals
    Fandoms apply it to hipsiters
    hipsters apply it to fandoms
     
    It's like it's now internet code for "someone I don't like" and all of us are fedorks now regaurdless if we even wear the damn things.
  4. FoxyCryptid
    I normally wouldn't pay this for one game game(or game-pack, in this case) but I'm a shameless Metal Gear fanboy. Just trust me on that, I can fanboy over it with child-like glee to the extent it makes out obsessions with ponies look tame in comparison. Everytime someone mentions it I have to resist the urge drop what I'm doing and go play one.
     

     
    -----------------------------------------------------
     
    shameless plug of my gamer card so I can show off my cred:
     

  5. FoxyCryptid
    Hey, my name is Miles Prower but most of my friends call me Tails on account of my two tails. Some of you might know me as one of Mobius’ famous heroes because Sonic the Hedgehog is like my big bro and despite only being eight years old I still help him save the world from that bully Eggman along with our other friends like Amy and Knuckles.
     
    This story isn’t really about just me though, but I guess I should start but explaining my life up to this point.
     
    I was adopted as a baby and raised by my awesome mother and my Uncle Kai. I guess that’s not an unusual family situation and a lot of kids are adopted and raised my single parents and their parents friends. The unusual part is who, or rather what they are.
     
    You see, my mom was born over 1100 years ago and my Uncle Kai nearly 250 years ago (243 to be exact). Both of them are these things called immortals that don’t even know themselves how or why they exist because all immortals are orphans found under mysterious circumstances, and don’t even know what they are until they die their first death and don’t stay dead.
     
    It’s at that point they stop getting older and gain the ability to rapidly heal from any non-fatal injury like some kind of superhero (if they actually die, they just don’t stay dead). It’s why my mom barely looks older than a teenager and why Uncle Kai looks old enough to be my Dad despite being raised by her (so he’s really more like my brother, but I called him Uncle before I knew about all this and the name stuck)
     
    Ever since we let our close friends in on the secret they’ve been helping in the first against Eggman, but that’s not the only bad guy we have to deal with.
     
    The hard truth is that not all immortals are good people like them and so they both often have to fight others like themselves to protect people and protect themselves. It’s not like the mortal legal system could handle them, after all. Sometimes it makes me worried about them.
     
    It’s not all bad though, I love them both and it’s awesome having such a cool family that loves me back. Not every kid get’s to have something like a comic-book hero as a mom and I wouldn’t trade her or my Uncle Kai for anything.
    This is the story of our family, the good, the bad, the adventures, and even just our everyday lives to trying to live as normally as we can.
  6. FoxyCryptid
    So, I looked at the submission rules, my take on each one:
     

    Pornography: We don't accept pornography or offensive depictions of graphic sexual acts.(Ca
    Offensive Content: We don’t accept offensive content, including but not limited to racial slurs, excessively graphic or violent material, or excessive use of foul language.(Tackling both these at once, it looks like a good idea on paper to establish these rules, but what about works that the source material contains these things? Especially the later for horror works. Does that mean people can't have things lopped off in a Highlander fic, despite that happening in even the prime-time Tv Show?)

    Illegal and Infringing Content: We take violations of laws and proprietary rights very seriously. It is the authors' responsibility to ensure that their content doesn't violate laws or copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other rights.(I really have no idea what this means when the fanfic does that by nature)

    Poor Customer Experience: We don't accept books that provide a poor customer experience. Examples include poorly formatted books and books with misleading titles, cover art, or product descriptions. We reserve the right to determine whether content provides a poor customer experience.(Nice rule, I agree)

    Excessive Use of Brands: We don’t accept the excessive use of brand names or the inclusion of brand names for paid advertising or promotion.(Define Excessive?)

    Crossover: No crossovers from other Worlds are permitted, meaning your work may not include elements of any copyright-protected book, movie, or other property outside of the elements of this World.(So, you're alienating about have of all fanfic, then)?

    It also says:
     
    when you submit your story in a World, you are granting Amazon Publishing an exclusive license to the story and all the original elements you include in that story. This means that your story and all the new elements must stay within the applicable World. We will allow Kindle Worlds authors to build on each other's ideas and elements. We will also give the World Licensor a license to use your new elements and incorporate them into other works without further compensation to you.
     
    and:
     
    World Licensors have provided Content Guidelines for each World, and your work must follow these Content Guidelines. We strongly encourage you to read the Content Guidelines before you commit the time and effort to write.
     
     
     
    So, yeah, the fine print amounts to "we're going giving you so many limitations it will make your head spin and give you the shaft as far as author's rights" You can't even use your OCs or OC elements outside the platform once you've published a fic with them in it on it.
  7. FoxyCryptid
    “This is the first time I’ve ever put myself in the morgue, I guess there really is a first time for everything.”
     
    Melinda finished pulling off her jeans and stuffed them in a plastic bag. Now dressed in only her panties, she pulled open the drawer next to the one she had woken up in not long ago and climbed in. Placing her clothes carefully hidden between her legs, she laid down and pulled the sheet over her head.
     
    “This is still cold,” she complained to herself as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself and aid in remaining still, “I hope they get down here soon.”
     
    As if on cue, the door creaked open and she heard a male voice complaining, “I’m telling you, she’s just gone and I swear on my grave she walked out herself.”
     
    “Must resist urge to sit up and ask for brains or fresh blood,” Melinda thought to herself as she fought to remain still and not start laughing.
     
    “I’m pretty sure people don’t just come back from the dead,” Miles replied.
     
    “He’s correct,” Kai added, “and don’t you think she would of found us if there was a mistake?”
     
    “In the 10 years I’ve done this job, we’ve never buried anyone alive, either,” Daniel added, “false-positives like that just don’t happen in modern medicine unless drugs that slow down someone’s life-signs are involved.”
     
    “I’m just telling you what I saw,” the man nearly shouted.
     
    Footsteps approached Melinda and Daniel spoke up from next to her drawer, “Who's this, a new arrival?”
     
    “I don’t know, I’m not sure they were even here this morning and I haven’t heard of any in-hospital deaths or DoAs,”
     
    “I wonder?” Daniel asked.
     
    Melinda felt the sheet being gently being pulled to uncover her face and willed herself even harder to not so much as flinch.
     
    The man she now assumed was a doctor gasped, “I swear, she was gone and that’s noy even the same drawer I put her in.”
     
    “It appears you might have just misplaced her, is it possible you might have put her in this drawer and thought you placed her in another?” Kai asked.
     
    “No, I don’t make stupid mistakes like that,” The doctor huffed.
     
    “It would be a simple one to make late at night and here she is,” Kai said.
     
    “Yeah, I mean: this is definitely her, isn’t Miles?” Daniel asked
     
    “Yeah, this is my mom,” Miles said calmly.
     
    “So if you would find us a gurney to move her I’ll take it from here,” Daniel said.
     
    “I know you people are up to something, and I WILL figure it out.
     
    Angry footsteps echoed across the room and the door slammed shut.
     
    Melinda finally let out a chuckle as sighs of relief filled the room. There was still the matter of getting her out out of the building but they were home free as far as she was concerned.
     
    “You doin’ okay, mom?” Miles asked.
     
    “This drawer is cold, but I’m fine,” Melinda sat up a little and held the sheet over her chest, “I’m glad I kept my panties on or I’d have an even colder butt than I already do.
     
    “Melessa, did this plan require taking your clothes off?” Kai asked, rubbing his eyes.
     
    “Yeah, Mom,” Miles added
     
    “I was naked when I woke up, remember? Who’s going to come down here and put clothes on one of the bodies?” Melinda asked, “Also, I’m wearing panties so I’m not technically naked.”
     
    “Well, I guess she has a point,” Daniel said, “It’s still awkward, but she has a point.”
     
    “I’m wearing a sheet,” Melinda interjected, “I’m covered,”
     
    “Yes, and I’m sure Miles is just as thankful for that as myself,” Kai said
     
    “Yes,” Miles agreed
     
    “You know, you guys are always talking about me doing things to embarrass the both of you but I’m the one that changed both your diapers and-”
     
    Melinda was cut off by the sound of footsteps and squeaky wheels outside, “hold that thought,” she quickly laid back down, her head hitting the metal drawer with a painful thump and closed her eyes.
     
    “Shit, that kind of hurt” she whispered as the door creaked open.
     
    “Here, now just do what you have to do and get this body out of my hair before she get’s up and walks out again,” the doctor stormed back out of the room and slammed the door.
     
    Melinda quickly sat back up and rubbed her head with one free hand and cringed, “that was stupid.”
     
    “Melissa?” Kai asked
     
    “What?” she continued to rub her head
     
    “May I request you at least but your shirt back on before we wheel you out?” Kai asked.
     
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    “Oh, man, I would’ve killed to see the look on that Doctor’s face,” Melinda struggled to pull on her jeans in the back of the hearse.
     
    “Yeah, I think he was pretty mad,” Miles laughed from the front seat.
     
    “You sound like you’re in a good mood,” Melinda finally managed to get them on and zipped them up.
     
    “Yeah, it was a little weird back there, but looking back that was all pretty funny,” Miles said.
     
    “I guess I can at least say that immortal life will never get boring with you by my side,” Kai added.
     
    “I have to find some way to entertain myself after nearly 12 centuries, don’t I?” Melinda laid back down and signed a breath of relief, “it’s a little cramped back here.”
     
    “Sorry, but my passengers usually don’t need much elbow room,” Daniel said
     
    “I guess you make a good point, still cramped though,” Melinda attempted to stretch her arms.
     
    The three rode in silence for several moments, Melinda relaxing as best she could and savoring in her small victory, as well as the possible fun the doctor’s snooping around could lead to before MIles finally spoke up again.
     
    “Hey mom?” he said.
     
    “Yeah, kiddo?”
     
    “I know it’s weird to say, but as nervous as I am I’ve still had today just spending all this time with you and doing all this crazy stuff,” Miles said.
     
    “Maybe I should die in public more often,” Melinda chuckled, “I’m enjoying spending time with you just as much.”
     
    “Thanks, Mom,” Miles laughed, “but maybe that’s going a bit far.”
     
    “You’re welcome, honey.”
     
    Before the conversation could continue the sound of music filled the hearse, “Who wants to live forever?” a voice asked as the music crescendoed.
     
    “Hold on, that’s my phone,” Melinda dug her phone out of the plastic bag where she had left some of her things and looked at a picture of Amy on the screen.
     
    “Hey, Amy. What’s up?” she spoke into the phone after swiping her finger across the screen and raising it to her ear.
     
    “Why did I just see Kai and Tails in the front seat of a hearse?” Amy asked
     
    “because I’m in the back in of it,” Melinda answered.
     
    “WHAT!?” Amy exclaimed
     
    “Yeah, I had to go help collect myself from the morgue,” Melinda said, “Well, Miles and Kai did anyway, I just sort of laid there.”
     
    “Did something happen!?” Amy asked, a bit quieter this time
     
    “Nah, just getting ready for the funeral,” Melinda flinched as the hearse hit a speed bump, “CRAP!”
     
    “Funeral?” Amy asked
     
    “Yeah, my funeral, and you’re invited by the way,” Melinda rubbed her head
     
    “Oh, OH. I forgot you were dead since people usually don’t recover from that,” Amy laughed
     
    “You’ll get used to if you hang around me and Kai long enough, well, hopefully not the funeral part because dying in public is a bad habit,” Melinda thought for a moment, “not to mention a little bit rude.”
     
    “Hey, is that Amy?” Miles asked, “Tell her I said hi.”
     
    “MIles says hi,” Melinda spoke into the phone
     
    “Tell him I said hello,” Amy said.
     
    “Amy also says hi,” Melinda said
     
    “So, are you guys doing okay?” Amy asked
     
    “We had a rough night like you’d expect, but we’re doing fine,” Melinda said
     
    “Good to hear, Cream is also fine so far save for a nightmare. I think it might help if you spent some time with her,” Amy said.
     
    “I had an idea about that, I thought maybe she could sleep over the day before the funeral so I can explain to her and we can all get ready together, whenever that is,” Melinda said
     
    “Uh, is the day after tomorrow okay? There’s not much I have to do but submit the stuff to the paper and set up,” Daniel interjected.
     
    “I guess we’re doing it the day after tomorrow, so she can come over tomorrow morning if it’s okay with Miles,” Melinda said.
     
    “I’m cool with it,” Miles interjected
     
    “Okay, then I guess I’ll call Val,” Melinda said.
     
    “Great, I’m sure she’ll love it,” Amy went silent for a moment, “You want me to invite Sonic to the thing or do you people want to?”
    “Allow me, I want to see the look on his face when I invite him to my own funeral,” Melinda said with a sly grin.
  9. FoxyCryptid
    The two foxes stood nervously outside of the small cottage. It was a homey place in the country not unlike a two-story farmhouse painted in pastel shades of pink and white to match the lovingly tended to beds of flowers out front. Melinda had to admit that it reminded her of someplace that could be in the Scottish countryside
     
    “Well, here we are and Amy should already be waiting,” MIles said.
     
    “Do we just knock?” Melinda asked.
     
    “I can go in first and talk to them, Amy can come get you and follow me back in when I give the cue,” Miles said.
     
    Melinda nodded and stepped to one side as he approached the door and knocked. The door quickly opened and Amy stepped outside.
     
    “It’s just Tails,” she yelled back inside.
     
    “Come on in, dear,” Vanilla answered.
     
    “I have to take care of something, but I’ll send him in,” Amy shouted back.
     
    “I guess we come on your cue?” Amy said to Miles.
     
    “Right, I’ll say there’s something I need to tell her and you both come in,” Miles said.
     
    -----------------------------------------------------------
     
    The small kitchen was just as brightly colored to match the rest of the house and a kitty-cat clock swished its tail up on the wall, counting down the seconds with every tick. The place was an obvious mess of pots and pans where Amy had been helping out to cook something. Vanilla quickly turned off the water and turned around as MIles entered.
     
    “Are you okay, dear? I’m sorry about what happened,” He flinched a little as she leaned down and hugged him.
     
    “Yeah, I’m doing fine,” Miles said.
     
    “It must horrible losing your mom like that, I know Cream was also fond of her and took it hard. I’m sure she’ll be glad to see you.” Vanilla said.
     
    “Yeah, there’s something I needed to tell you about.” He raised his voice slightly, giving giving the cue.
     
    “Hey, I’m back.” Amy said nervously as she walked into the kitchen with Melinda trailing behind her.
     
    “Oh, did you get what you ne-” Vanilla trailed off as she stood up.
     
    Melinda gave a nervous smile as Vanilla just stared at her, seemingly in shock and blinked a couple times.
     
    “Hello, Val,” Melinda said.
     
    Vanilla promptly rolled her eyes back and fainted almost as soon as the words were spoken.
     
    “Well Amy, looks like you we’re right,” Melinda said with a nervous laugh.
     
    “Is she gonna be okay?” MIles questioned.
     
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    Melinda laid Vanilla down on the couch and felt for a pulse.
     
    “She’s seems fine, “ Melinda said.
     
    “I’m kind of impressed you carried her bridal-style across the house to the living room, she’s almost as tall as you,” Amy said.
     
    “That’s nothing, you should’ve seen her when I dropped a spare wing on my leg,” Miles said.
     
    “Amy, what’s wrong with mother and who-”
     
    Melinda instinctively dived over the couch and landed with a thud behind it as she heard the young voice, not wanting to risk scaring the crap out of the kid before someone could explain.
     
    “Who just hid behind the couch?” Cream innocently asked.
     
    “You’re mom just got over-heated passed out, she’ll be fine.” Amy said.
     
    “Amy, it’s the middle of fall,” Tails whispered
     
    “Just play along,” Amy said.
     
    “Okay, miss Amy, but who's behind the couch?” Cream asked.
    “About that, there’s something very important we need to talk about as soon as your mom wakes up,” Amy said.
     
    “Okay,” Cream said as she turned to Miles, “I’m sorry about happened to Aunt Mel, I miss her, to”
     
    She ran up and gave Tails a hug, much to his obvious embarrassment.
     
    “Uh, thanks, Cream.” He replied, turning red.
     
    “You can stay with us for a little while, if you want.” Cream said.
     
    Melinda listened intently from behind the couch, resisting the urge to jump out and show the poor child that she was okay. She wanted to hug her and tell her that it going to be fine because she could hear in her voice that she had been crying. She wanted to just go out there and tell her that her Aunt Mel was here to stay and that she didn’t have to miss her anymore.
     
    “God give me strength,” she whispered to herself.
     
    Vanilla moaned and began to stir, attracting everyone’s attention. She opened her eyes and rubbed her head as she started to sit up.
     
    “Mother, are you okay?” Cream questioned as she ran and placed a hand on her shoulder.
     
    “I’m fine dear, but I had the strangest dream.” Vanila said, rubbing her head,
     
    This was meant by nervous smiles and forced laughter from both Amy and Miles. Melinda could tell from behind the couch that they were both trying to figure out how to proceed.
     
    “Imagine that,” Amy said with a chuckle
     
    “Yes, I could’ve sworn Melinda was behind you. I guess it must be the stress.” Vanila said.
     
    “Listen, there’s something we really need to talk to about,” Amy said.
     
    “What is it, dear?” Vanilla said as she sat up and straightened her clothes.
     
    “Tails?” Amy turned to Miles, why don’t you explain while Cream helps me check on something in the kitchen?”
     
    Amy quickly rushed the child through the door and let it close behind her with a thud.
     
    “Just pass it off on me,” he muttered under his breath, “You know, it’s kind of a funny story and I’m sure we’ll all laugh about this later, but that wasn’t a dream. Crazy, huh?”
     
    “I don’t understand, dear.” Vanilla said.
     
    “My mom is sorta, not dead.” Miles nervously fiddled with one of his tails.
     
    “Tails, you have to accept this. I know you’re in shock but we’re all here for you and I’m sure she’s in a better place now.” Vanilla places a hand on his shoulder.
     
    “No, she’s hiding behind the couch right now.” MIles pointed at the couch.
     
    “Are you running a fever,” Vanilla placed a hand in his forehead.
     
    Melinda carefully stood into a crouch position and took a deep breath, readying herself. She figured she better intervene for Miles sake before someone thought he was going crazy.
     
    “I know it’s hard, but she’s gone now and-” Vanilla was cut off.
     
    “I’m right here, actually,” Melinda said as she poked her head around the couch.
     
    The two once again stared at each other and Vanilla blinked before opening her mouth and trying to form words.
     
    “Stay with me, Val, don’t go fainting again.” Melinda placed her hands on the other women’s shoulders.
     
    “Tails, dear?” Vanilla said.
     
    “Yes?” He carefully answered.
     
    “Your Mom is really standing here, isn’t she?” Vanilla asked.
     
    Miles shook his head yes.
     
    “So I’m just just going into shock with you?” Vanilla asked.
     
    MIles shook his head no.
     
    Vanilla looked at Melinda, and then once again at Miles and then back forth a few more times before smiling.
     
    “I have no idea what’s going on here, but it’s good to see you and I’m sure Cream will overjoyed. She was so upset we could barely console her,” Vanilla said.
     
    “Good to see you, to, Val,” Melinda put an arm around her and gave her quick hug.
     
    “I just hope you two find the time to explain all this,” Vanilla said.
     
    “It’s a long story, but I’ll do my best to explain everything I can once we all get settled down,” Melinda said.
     
    “Of course, you should talk with Cream first. Like I said, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see again.” Vanilla said.
     
    “You don’t think I’ll scare her?” Melinda asked.
     
    “Of course not, I’m sure that with Amy and Tails here she’ll be just fine. She’ll know it’s okay if her friends say so,” Vanillia said.
     
    “Yeah, I’m sure Amy will bring her in once she’s sure of how to handle it,” MIles said.
     
    “I hope so, I don’t want to upset the poor girl anymore,” Melinda took a seat on the couch next to Vanilla.
     
    Melinda sat in silence and watched Miles pacing back and forth just on the other side of the coffee table. The poor kid had only slept a for a couple hours shortly before dawn at her insistence, and though he’d never admit to it to anyone but her she was pretty sure the fact she promised to camp out in one of the nearby chairs while he laid down on the couch played a factor. She could tell that the near-lack of sleep was starting to have an effect on his nerves.
     
    The creak of the kitchen door pulled her from her thoughts and she looked over to see Amy sticking her head out, looking for some sort of signal.
     
    “Amy, dear, are you girls almost finished? We have a guest.” Vanilla said.
     
    Melinda was always somewhat close to her, and thus knew she could be more clever than she often let on. She had noticed Amy and given the perfect subtle signal for her to bring Cream out. She noticed MIles take a deep breath to match her own as they prepared.
     
    A few more sounds of rattling dishes and Amy emerged with a tea tray and Cream in toe. The little girl looked at the couch and froze for a few seconds before hiding behind Amy.
     
    “Hi, Cream,” Melinda gave her best smile and watched patiently as she peeked out from behind Amy.
    “Cream, it’s okay,” Amy struggled to balance the tray while glancing behind her.
     
    “No need to be scarred dear, it’s just your Aunt Mel,” Vanilla motioned for her to come over, “Why don’t you come over and sit with us, I know you’re probably happy to see her.”
     
    “I thought…” Cream trailed off and gave Miles a nervous glance.
     
    “Cream, honey,” Melinda carefully leaned forward and the rubber soles of her boots squeaked on the floor, “I know this is hard to understand but I was born with a special gift, so that when I…” She trailed off, looking for words the little girl would understand.
     
    “When you go to heaven?” The little girl spoke up.
     
    Melinda looked up.
     
    “That’s how momma explained it to me, that when someone dies their soul goes to heaven,” Cream said.
     
    “I guess that’s a really nice way of putting it,” Melinda said, “When I go to heaven, I get to come back because of my gift.”
     
    Melinda noticed Cream’s eyes tear up and she slowly came out from behind Amy and cautiously made her way to the couch. The girl climbed up next to her and cautiously held out a hand, to which she held up hers. The two pressed their palms together and Cream carefully felt the leather of her glove.
     
    “See, I’m real,” Melinda smiled.
     
    In an instant tears began to flow down the young girl’s face and she threw her arms around Melinda, burying her face in the fabric of coat.
     
    “I missed you,” Cream choked out through the tears, “I thought I’d never you see again.”
     
    “I know honey, but I’m here now and I promise I won’t leave you,” Melinda gently rubbed the girl’s back. She thought back at how much this reminded of her the first time Miles had seen her die and how she held him for seemed like hours trying to get him to calm down and understand.
     
    Melinda looked over to see a look of relief washing over Miles’ face, and then over at Amy to see her almost in tears.
     
    “Amy, is something wrong, dear?” Vanilla asked before anyone else could speak.
     
    “It’s just so touching, I think I’m going to start crying now,” Amy said.
     
    “Come on, kiddo,” Melinda held out a free arm to motion Amy over, who quickly sat down the tray hugged her. Vanilla merely placed a hand on Melinda’s shoulder.
     
    Everyone save for Cream looked up at Miles, who appeared to be attempting to bite his nails through his glove.
     
    “Group hug?” Melinda grinned at her son.
     
    “Maybe later,” Miles said nervously.
     
    “Ah, come on. I don’t want to leave you out,” She said, inciting a giggle from Cream, who had now calmed down considerable.
     
    Miles stood still for a moment before giving up and approaching, squeezing through to put his arms around his Mom’s neck while Amy put a free arm around his back. Melinda could tell he was happy to be in this strange pile-up of family and friendship, even if he wouldn’t admit it.
     
    Of course, the quiet “I love you” he whispered in her ear might have been somewhat of an admission, anyway.
  10. FoxyCryptid
    I was cleaning out a basement and brought home a old slide projector thinking it would be broken and only good for making something out of the parts, turns out it somehow still works after being down there in the crud for 35 years:
     
     



     

  16. FoxyCryptid
    This is the best brony song I've ever heard, it actually gives me chills listening to it. It's also sad though because the guy that made it seems to have dropped off the face of the earth(even though this was supposed to be the first entry in a whole FOE music project)
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXGLHBacYbo
  18. FoxyCryptid
    Okay, so I wound up writing Sonic/Highlander fanfic where Tails has an adoptive mom as an immortal, and that lead to me writing this sad fanfic exploring one of the hellish things about being immortal when I was in a bit of a depressed mood.
     

    -------------------------------
    A gentle rain falls like tears onto the fresh dirt as a orange-furred hand traces the name etched into the stone. Her hand wanders over every letter and over the familiar logo of two intertwined tails that had become a fixture in her life over the last 70-odd years.
     
    They say that a mother should never outlive her children, that no parent should ever have to endure that pain, but It’s a feeling I’ve become all too familiar with and something that never gets any easier.
     
    That’s why even though I knew this day would come like it it always does, I can’t believe you’re really gone. I knew from the minute I found you, just a crying baby abandoned in a forgotten cabin on the edge of the woodlands that I would someday watch you drift away just like all the others I’ve raised, while I was destined to keep on living.
     
    Of course, I’m barren just like all of my kind, but that did not matter before and and didn’t matter with you. You were my son, even if not by blood and nothing could ever change that or make me regret one minute of the time I spent by your side.
     
    I watched you grow, and watched your natural gift as an engineer bloom. Even from a young age you were brilliant and had a way with machines of all shapes and sizes. I still remember you tearing down and reassembling every appliance in the house in your pursuit of knowledge and curiosity to know how everything worked.
     
    I also remember your other unique gift well, your twin tails. I almost panicked when you were young and somehow figured out you could use them to fly. You kind of floated around the house for weeks and regularly almost gave me heart-attacks until you got bored and started making a little less use of that ability.
     
    I did my best to protect you from those that always seemed to find pleasure in bullying you and I was your shoulder to cry on when they had teased you or broke your inventions. I remember too many nights when it was all I could to do calm you down as you shook in my arms. They called you mutant, freak, and all manner of other names so vile that it was all I could do keep from losing my temper and putting the fear of God into them myself when you told me.
     
    I tried to keep reminding you not to be ashamed of how you were born, no matter what they said. I reminded you that these gifts were something for you be proud of and that they were all just ignorant of that. Reassuring you that you weren’t alone, that you had me and that someday you’d find people that understood and make friends.
     
    It was something I understood all too well, and I remember the night I had to finally explain my gift to you.
     
    I had… There was a fight and though I survived I was severely wounded and barely managed to crawl home and through the door before collapsing in the middle of the floor, and succumbing to my wounds. I had lost so much blood that they couldn’t heal before the shock to my system stopped my heart. From a biological standpoint I was dead and you returned home before I could re-awaken and clean myself up.
     
    You must have found me that way, not breathing and looking like a bloody mess. The first thing I remember as I came to was you on the floor next to me, curled up against me and begging me to wake up. My first thought was how scarred and upset you must have been, and I cursed myself for letting you find me like this and that this was how you hand to find out.
     
    You must’ve heard me start to breathe because I remember you calling for me,
     
    “M-mom?”
     
    You clung to my side as I forced myself to sit up and took a deep breath. I gently put my around you, pulled you closer.
     
    “Miles, it’s okay.”
     
    “Y-you wouldn’t wake up, and you’re hurt, there’s blood everywhere. You weren’t even breathing. I-I thought.” He stopped there, once again breaking down in a fit of sobs.
     
    At that point I noticed the red staining your fur, it must have happened when you curled up next to me. How could I have been so stupid?
     
    I tried my best to calm you down and show you that I was okay, “Honey, I’m fine. I know this looks bad but I’m I promise that I’m okay.”
     
    “Mom, t-there’s blood everywhere and you look like you’ve been cut.”
     
    “Miles, I need you open your eyes and look at me for a minute, okay?”
     
    You flinched through the tears as you looked up. I guess even if I was fully conscious and alert, I wasn’t a pretty sight and it must have been hard for you to see me like that.
     
    “See honey, I’m fine. There’s not even a scratch.” I gently pulled aside the fabric of my shirt where a wound had once been across my stomach, and where a good deal of the blood likely came from. The white of my stomach fur was still caked with drying blood, but the cut had obviously healed. You reached over, unsure and I nodded. I could feel you relax as you felt the spot for yourself and realized that I was telling the truth.
     
    You were still shaken up, but you seemed calmer, “If you’re not hurt, where did the blood come from and why weren’t you moving?”
     
    I explained it all. I told you all about immortals and our healing factor. I told you how some immortals are bad and that the good guys like me sometimes have to fight them to protect people. I even explained how I was over a thousand years old and how we keep it a secret to protect ourselves and those around us.
     
    You listened intently and I smiled when your eyes started to light-up, in your eyes it must have been like your mom was some super-hero like the ones in your comics. I was just relieved to see you smiling, despite the fact we both looked like something from a crime-scene.
     
    We both managed to get cleaned up (you, with my help) and managed to find an old rug to cover up the stain on the carpet until it could be replaced. I remember you curling up next to me on the couch until you passed out, you must have still been worried despite everything being sorted out.
     
    Things weren’t always a mess though, I remember when Sonic came along and I was thrilled that you had started to make friends, and started to grow into a hero. As much as he could get on my nerves, I think I considered him a son just as much you considered him a brother. God, I imagine I’d never hear the end of it if he was here to hear me say that but it’s truth.
     
    I still remember the day I first spoke to him and told him that I’d strangle him if anything happened to you, but I think he knew I was just happy you made a friend and was just being a mother.
     
    Not long after that Knuckles came along and despite butting heads, he became a member of the team and just as loyal a friend to both of you as you were to each other. I think I shocked him the first we met and I spoke to him the old language, something he didn’t expect from an outsider because it was considered dead to everyone but his bloodline. I had to cover that for the time being with a claim that I had spent time studying ancient languages in university. He believed it, to my shock.
     
    I still remember the day I let both of them in on my secret. There had been an accident and they both thought I was dead, and went looking for you out of worry when you disappeared for a few hours. I guess they assumed the shock made you wonder off. Of course, you had come to meet me on Angel Island so we could plan what to do next. had asked you meet at the shrine because I knew they might turn up there and it was time to tell them. They found us talking around nightfall and Sonic’s reaction was not expected, but understandable.
     
    “SWEET MOBIUS, IT’S A GHOST” He had already climbed one of the pillars that surrounded the central altar, Knuckles had just fainted the minute he saw me.
     
    You had convinced Sonic that I WASN’T any sort of walking undead or vengeful spirit by the time Knuckles had come to, but explanations had to wait because he promptly saw me and fainted again.
    It was a fun time.
     
    You made other friends like Amy and Cream, the later of which become your wife years much later on.. Can’t say I was surprised by that as much I was surprised that Sonic finally fell for Amy.
     
    I think I spent most of your wedding day alternating between crying and jumping with joy because you had come so far and were finally finding happiness of some kind. I do apologize if it was embarrassing having me and your then-future mother-in-law clinging to each other and crying in the front row. That always happens to me at weddings.
     
    The years flew by after that until you and her had your first child, who of course called me Aunt Mel until she was old enough to understand that I was her grandma. Her brother followed. You did a little better Sonic, who managed to forget Amy when rushing to the hospital the day he became a father. I still never thought that was actually possibly until he proved me wrong, and I told all about how in over a millennium of living I had never seen someone actually do that.
     
    I watched them grow as I did you. I saw them through school and college, and then finally through their own weddings and the birth of their children, your grandchildren and I’ll never regret that I could be there to see it.
     
    Time isn’t always kind though, I watched you and your friends grow older the whole time and watched…
     
    I watched time and time again as the moment I fear most about my relationships with mortals came, and every single one was called home, one by one.
     
    I-I just. I know this is how it has to happen, that’s how it always happens, but I always feel so helpless. I would’ve protected you from anything, but with all my strength and all my skills with a blade, it was the one thing I couldn’t protect you from that took you from me. The one enemy I couldn’t fight and will never be able to.
     
    I guess that is my price to pay for being immortal. I held you in my arms as a baby, not long after you entered this world and breathed your first and I held you again as time finally took you and you breathed your last. The fact I was able to be there for you until the end is one of the few solaces I have, that you didn’t have to die alone.
     
    You went last, and so I can take another in the hope that wherever you are, your friends were waiting for you and welcomed you home. I know the man you considered a brother went nearly ten years before and your wife went five. I know how much you missed them both dearly and now you’ll all be re-united. As much as it hurt me to see you go and as much as I damn myself, a part of me of me knows that you had nothing to fear from being called home.
    I don’t remember everything from the first time I crossed over and was sent back, but I remember I was in a place that I did not fear and I remember it was a kind voice that told me it wasn’t my time and it belonged to someone that hadn’t forsaken me, but instead had granted me a gift and intended that I have a purpose. I remember telling you that and describing the glimpse of paradise I saw as you began to fade and grew scarred.
     
    In that moment you we’re a child that needed his mother, just as you we’re when you came into this world.
     
    I just want to know that even now with me heart breaking, I don’t regret any of it and I’d live every second with you again, even if it meant suffering this pain again.
     
    Goodbye, Miles, and know that I will always love you. You may be a hero to Mobius, but to me you’ll always be my son.
  19. FoxyCryptid
    It was a clear night with the stars and mooning showing brightly against the deep black sky, and their light reflecting off the Master Emerald. The two sat upon a rock high up on the hill overlooking the shrine.
     
    Melinda glanced over at Miles, who was sitting with his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt, looking up at the stars.
     
    “So, are you going to tell me what’s been bothering you? I mean, outside of the fact I died tonight.” Melinda asked.
     
    “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to come home,” Miles answered.
     
    “MIles, you know I’d never leave you behind, right?” She placed a hand on his shoulder.
     
    “I know, but I just didn’t know what to do because everyone saw you die and it’s not like they’ll just forget. I didn’t know what was going to happen or what we were going to do,” he began to nervously ramble.
     
    “Calm down, we’ll figure this out,” She gently pulled him a little closer.
     
    “Will we have to move away or something?” Miles gave her worried look.
     
    “No, of course not. We’re staying right here,” She smiled down at him.
     
    “How? Everyone thinks you’re dead.” Miles questioned, she could tell that he wasn’t convinced this was going to work.
     
    “I’m still working on that part. but listen: We’ve both made some of the best friends we could ever hope for here and I’m not going to run away from that, nor am I going to make you run away from it and leave them behind,” She spoke firmly, but gently.
     
    “So, we’re going to tell them? Do you think they’ll believe us?” He asked.
     
    “Well, I assume Sonic was with you when you identified the body, right?” She said.
    “Yeah, don’t remind me.” He shuddered.
     
    “Then we have one person that already that saw me clearly dead, and yet here I am.” She waved her free arm in a motion not unlike a model presenting her new outfit.
     
    “I guess, but is anyone going to believe the part where that’s because you’re like 1,000 years old and immortal?” He asked, still obviously confused at how all this was going to work?”
     
    “Remember the first time I explained to you, after you found me lying dead in the living room?”
     
    “Yeah, I was little at the time and I had almost cried myself to sleep next you by the time you woke up. I thought you were dead because I kept begging you to wake up, but you wouldn’t.” He closed his eyes and shook his head.
     
    Her eyes widened and she considered slapping herself for a moment. “Miles? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to remind of you of that right now. You’re probably already stressed as it is”
     
    “No, it’s okay. It’s not really a bad memory anymore because it was also the night you told me all about immortals, and started telling me stories about all the things you’ve seen and done.” He managed a weak smile.
     
    “You didn’t really believe at first though, did you?” She once again relaxed, relieved that she hadn’t upset him.
     
    “I didn’t really know what to believe, until you showed me” She watched the look of realization spread across his face as he spoke.
     
    “So you remember how I showed you?” She asked with a knowing smile.
     
    “I remember you said you wanted to show me something, and told me I had to trust you. You took out that knife you keep hidden on the back of your belt and started to slice the palm of your hand open. I was scared because i didn’t know why you we’re hurting yourself, but then you held out your hand and showed me. The cut kind of glowed and sealed up, there wasn’t even a scar.”
     
    “It was then I explained to you about an immortal's quickening, our life-force. I explained how it gave us the ability heal our wounds like that, sense each other, and even gifted us with perfect memories.” She finished the story.
     
    “I actually remember getting a little excited because it was like something from a comic book, I remember thinking about how you were like a real-life superhero.” He said
     
    “You we’re somewhere between to scared and too excited to sleep, so we watched cartoons until you passed out. I remember you clinging to me on the couch.” She softly laughed as the pleasant memory played back in her mind.
     
    “So you really thing we can make this work?” Tails asked as he looked up at the stars.
     
    Before she could answer they both heard familiar voices nearby and approaching foot steps.
     
    “What makes you think he’s out here?” The first voice was unmistakably Knuckles.
     
    “I remember him saying they used to come here together.” The second was without a doubt, Sonic.
     
    “ I guess we’re about the find out, I hope it won’t come down to putting on a demonstration like that, but I’m prepared it does ” Melinda leaned in close and whispered to Miles.
     
    “Uh-oh,” Miles quickly turned around to face the pair, “Hey guys, what’s up,”
     
    “Sonic, am I going crazy or is that…” Knuckles trailed off mid-sentence.
     
    “Depends, are we looking at Tails sitting next to a vixen who has her back to us, and also happens to have long black hair, and who happens to be wearing a tan trenchcoat?” Sonic answered.
     
    “Yes,” Knuckles spoke carefully, “and did you just describe who I think you did?”
     
    “Melinda?” Sonic gulped.
     
    “That’s what i was afraid of,” Knuckles said
     
    “Guys, I know what you’re thinking and I can explain everything.” Miles said, “You see there’s these people, and mobians that are sort of, well, they-” He stopped mid-sentence as Melinda gently placed a hand in his shoulder without turning around.
     
    “Honey, why don’t you let me try to explain? You’ve done plenty for me today,” She slowly turned around and crossed her legs atop the stone, looking directly at Sonic and Knuckles,
     
    “What are you, some kind of robot sent after him?” Knuckles dropped into a fighting stance and raised his fists.
     
    “Guys, calm down! It’s really my Mom.” Miles frantically tried to call them down.
     
    “Miles, it’s okay. They have every right to be suspicious and I’m sure we can get this straightened out,” she gently pulled him back.
     
    “Lady, I don’t what you are but there’s no way you can be Melinda and I think you need to stop taking advantage of my little bro’s grief like this” Sonic shouted
     
    Melinda closed her eyes for a moment and smiled, it brought a certain warmth to her heart seeing first hand like this how much Mile’s friends truly cared about him, and hearing out of his own mouth that Sonic considered him as a brother.
     
    “What are you smiling about,” Sonic cautiously stepped forward.
     
    “He was alone for so long, and I spent so many years watching him bullied and forsaken. I have to thank you for truly being the first friends he ever had and the best he could ever hope for.” Melinda answered.
     
    Knuckles began to lower his guard and Sonic followed suit.
     
    ‘I remember the day you helped him home after one of those little punks gave a particularly bad beating, of course you didn’t look much better. He began to idolize you after that and the day came that he learned to keep up and followed you to that old rust-bucket of a plane and fixed it up.” She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to look at Sonic.
     
    “Is, is that that really you? How?” Sonic stepped forward, his anger obviously subsiding.
     
    “It’s a long story, I’d recommend you both take a seat.” She said.
     
    “I’ll stand,” Knuckles said
     
    Sonic simply shrugged and sat down in the grass, not taking his eyes off her.
     
    “I was born a long time ago, in what you now know as Scotland, in a place that’s now known as the home of the MacLeod clan. My tribe didn’t exactly keep calendars but the first season I actually saw the date written out based on the modern calendar was in the mid-10th century, and I was already about 100 years old by my best estimate,” She paused, anticipating the obvious question.
     
    “You’re over 1100 years old? How is that even possible when you barely look older than Rouge?” Knuckles questioned.
     
    “20,” She said.
     
    “What?” Knuckles asked
     
    “I’m physically around 20 years old by my best count because that’s when I became like this, when I died for the first time.” She answered.
     
    “Wait, how is that possible? No One can just come back from the dead,” Sonic questioned.
     
    “Yet, here I am in one piece and just as healthy as you are,” She said
     
    “Hold on, what’s your real name?” all eyes suddenly turned to Knuckles as he spoke.
     
    “Melinda, well, sort of. I took this name during my time in modern Scotland because it was derived in part from Melissa, my actual given name and sounded a bit more local.” She answered.
     
    “No, your last name,” Knuckles clarified.
     
    Melinda just laughed as Miles and Sonic looked back and forth in confusion.
     
    “Does someone want to fill me in?” Sonic asked.
     
    “Prower can’t be her real surname.” Knuckles answered.
     
    “Knuckles, what are you talking about?” Miles asked.
     
    “Well, your name and always struck me as odd because it’s not even really a name. It’s just a French word for “Archaic”. It also couldn’t be any kind of given name because if she was telling the truth, she was like 800 years old when it entered common usage,” Knuckles explained.
     
    Melinda gave him a sly grin while Sonic and Miles just looked on in shock. He may have been gullible and sheltered, but he definitely wasn’t stupid considering the little language lesson he just gave his friends.
     
    “Uh, Mom?” Miles looked up at her with questioning eyes, his confusion obvious to her.
     
    “You’re friend is smarter than either of you assume, probably due to how much reading time he has on his hands down there,” Melinda caught Knuckles tensing up out of the corner of her eye as she put an arm around Miles and pulled him closer. She wondered if he still thought though her a threat, “I was born before anyone really had last names, and the last one i took before I found you was way too suspicious to most anyone alive now, and definitely to other immortals”
     
    “Wait, so you adopted me with a fake identity?” Miles asked
     
    “Yes, I choose the name because I liked the irony in having a name that literally means archaic, I am a walking relic of the past, after all.” She answered, wiping a tear from her eye.
     
    “What was it?” She noticed he looked almost hurt.
     
    “If you’re afraid I’ve hidden something from you, I haven’t. You already know.” She could still see the two out of the corner of her eye as she spoke to Miles, Knuckles seemed to legitimately be getting nervous and Sonic simply watched intently, she could feel his gaze as he looked right at her.
     
    “I don’t quite understand,” Miles said.
     
    “Don’t you remember when I told you about how I fought in the Scottish Rebellion, and who I fought along side? How I was made an honorary member of their clan?” Melinda said.
     
    “Wait, you mean you were really a MacLeod?” Miles asked.
     
    “So your name was Melissa MacLeod as of something like 200 years ago?” Knuckles questioned before she could answer.”
     
    “Knuckles, are you going to fill the rest of us in on what’s going in that thick skull of yours?” Sonic asked.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    “She was the most beautiful women I had ever seen and everything from her firely orange fur to that the flowing raven hair that nearly reached her hips captivated me, but that beauty concealed sharp steel and the heart of a true warrior. Yet even then, she had a certain vulnerability and a vast capacity for kindness. I could see it all reflected in those breathtaking emerald eyes that somehow reflected both boundless compassion and an unbreakable will.
     
    I could see her strength when she spared with the others at the barracks, fighting with a savage grace that was unmatched by any man there. She fought with speed and skill that seemed almost inhuman and mirrored that of the best masters I had ever seen despite her young age.
     
    Her compassion was revealed to me as she played with the village children and I watched her comforting a young girl that had fallen and hurt her ankle. As she held this child and quietly whispered comforting words I realized that she would make a brilliant mother and wondered if maybe she had grew up with a younger sibling and developed these instincts helping care for them.
     
    I saw both together as one the day some thug decided beating up little boys was a good idea and she knocked several of his teeth out without a second thought. I don’t even think she noticed all the people staring at the aftermath because her full attention with was on trying to stop the poor kid’s broken nose from bleeding.
     
    The same bastard took it out on another kid later that night, but this time he tried his luck with a knife. When some of us found the three of them he was beaten unconscious and she was sitting in the dirt, cradling the child and sobbing. He had died in her arms before she could even lift him off the ground and it tore her apart worse than any wound could.”
     
    “What the heck was that?” Sonic asked.
     
    “It’s an old journal page I found in the ruins, the date was smudged but I could make out that it was in the 1800s. another torn scrap I found mentioned the name Melissa MacLeod,” Knuckles said.
     
    Melinda grew silent as the memory came to front of her mind, and she instinctively wrapped Miles in a tighter hug.
     
    “Are you okay?” Miles asked as he returned the gesture.
     
    “I’ll be okay, honey. I just had a bit of a moment when i remembered that night.” Melinda took a deep breath and relaxed her arms without completely letting go.
     
    “I thought that place had been abandoned for centuries, except for the guardians.” Miles said.
     
    “They have, they wiped themselves out long before my time. The things on that page happened in a small settlement miles from here.that was mostly made up of natives from a neighboring clan. I’m still not entirely sure what happened to them but I guess the man that wrote that journal made good on his plan to travel, and he must have lost those pages there.” Melinda said as she rubbed her eyes.
     
    “Wait, so that story Knuckles just told was really about you?” Sonic asked.
     
    “Yes.” Melinda answered.
     
    Sonic seemed to be sizing her up, she could tell that he was deep in thought and debating if he should believe any of this or not. A smile eventually spread across his face.
     
    “I don’t know about Knucklehead back there, but I think I’ve heard enough to roll with this, and everything he just said tells me you’re a good person, no matter what you are. You’re also my best friend’s mom and so I guess I can trust his judgement call that you’re still cool. Sonic said.
     

    “Wait, so if THAT’S what he knew about her, why is Knuckles so nervous?” Miles asked.  
    “Yeah, Knuckles, why so skittish?” Sonic added.
     
    “How was I supposed to react when I thought she was dead?” Knuckles questioned.
     
    “Wait a minute, were you afraid?” Sonic teased.
     
    “Of course, I was trying to protect-” Knuckles stammered
     
    “What’s the matter, thought she was a ghost?” Sonic said with a smirk.
     
    “Of course not, why would I ever believe such superstitious nonsense-” Knuckles tan cheeks started to turn as red as the rest of his face.
     
    “I can’t believe it, the great guardian of the shrine is afraid of ghosts,’ Sonic broke down laughing.
     
    “How can I be afraid of something I don’t believe in?” Knuckles stammered
     
    Sonic simply answered with continued laughter.
     
    “Well, I guess things are almost back to normal,” Miles said with a smile as he and Melinda watched the two argue.
  20. FoxyCryptid
    “I’m here, you son of a bitch.” Melinda spat the words as she stepped out of the shadows.
     
    “I’d say I was worried, but I knew you care to much about the worthless mortals you surrounded yourself with. Especially the mutant brat you consider a son,” Isa didn’t bother standing up from the crate he sat on.
     
    “Watch yourself, Isa,” She didn’t bother hold back her anger and her voice dripped with venom.
     
    “Or what? I know you won’t attack and risk endangering those two brats,” Isa looked up and gave a wicked smile, and call me Frost. I’ve grown to like that name far more.
     
    “If you’ve hurt him, I swear to God…” she clenched her fist until her knuckles ached.
     
    “They’re fine, I assure you,” He finally stood up, “I figured I’d wait until you got here before starting the party.”
     
    The rage continued to build away inside her as she watched him lean down and reach for something next to him. Her eyes were drawn to what at first appeared to be a pile of random junk covered by a cloth.
     
    The realization of what it really was hit her as she saw something moving under it and she ripped it off the reveal MIles and Cream tied up, blindfolded, and gagged under it.
     
    Miles was closest to him and he reached down and ripped the duct tape off his mouth.
     
    “Mom, is that you?” His said, confused.
     
    “Yes, I’m right here and I’m going to get you both out of here, somehow. Just hold in there.”
     
    “You seem optimistic,” Frost finally stood up and stepped around behind them, ripping the tape from the girl’s mouth.
     
    “Aunt Mel?” Her voice shook.
     
    In one fluid movement he reached down and jerked the blindfolds off both of them, “Won’t be needing these anymore. I wouldn’t want to miss out on the show.”
     
    Melinda locked eyes with the two children. Cream was obviously on the verge of tears and she could tell by MIles bloodshot eyes and uneasy expression that he had been crying as well, even if he tried to hide it.
     
    “Let them go,” she stepped forward, only to have Frost quickly circle around and block her path.
     
    “Ah, but I thought we could have a little fun first?” He beamed, “I just have so many ideas that I don’t even know where to start.”
     
    A looked of realization spread over his face and he reached under his coat, drawing his sword. Melinda flinched as he approached her and placed the blade’s tip to her throat.
     
    “I could start with you and make them watch,” he lifted his foot to step closer, but then backed off and turned around while rubbing the side of his neck, “I’m not giving you chance to try that trick again.”
     
    With one fluid motion he spun around and sliced across her stomach, sending her to her knees gripping the wound, “maybe if you’re a good girl and let me have my fun, I’ll let them go.”
     
    “Mom!” Miles shouted.
     
    Cream merely held her eyes shut and sobbed.
     
    Before Melinda could speak, Frost once again pressed the point to her throat and used it to force her to look up at him.
     
    “You really do have such beautiful eyes. I know they say an eye for an eye, but I can’t bring myself to starting cutting on them,” He smirked and lowered his weapon.
     
    “I swear, someone will come after you if you kill me. Especially if you hurt either of them,” blooded dripped from her mouth.
     
    “Like they have a chance,” Frost kicked her square in the stomach, sending her sprawling on her side, “Besides, it just means I get to have more fun.”
     
    Without warning he brought the sword down on one of her now out-stretched hands, impaling it.
     
    “Damn you,” she hissed as he ripped it out.
     
    “I’m sure that happened a long time ago,” He grabbed her hair and pulled her to her knees.
     

    She felt the cold edge of the blade against the neck and fought back a tear as the realization of her fate hit her. The revelation that it would happen not 20 feet from Miles and Cream, and that they would be left to his mercy with her gone because the chances of him keeping his word were slim, yet he would also kill them if she fought back
     
    She had failed them and played right into his hands.
     
    “Please,” she almost whispered.
     
    “What’s that, are you begging?” He laughed and and stepped aside where both her and the children could see each other.
     
    “At least let them go and let me say goodbye,” tears began to stream down her face.
     
    “Why should I, keeping you apart only makes it more fun. No last hug from mommy or auntie Mel to remember her by. Watching you dye as you beg me for mercy will the way they remember you” he pressed the blade closer, “although, these displays of emotion amuse me enough I guess I can let you live long enough to say goodbye from right here, so long you keep entertaining me.”
     
    She looked up and noticed Miles barely holding it together while Cream buried her face in her hands and wept. Tears streamed down her face, but she forced a smile and spoke clearly despite the pain.
     
    “Miles, I need you to listen carefully.” She said.
     
    “Okay,” His voice shook.
     
    “First I need you look up at me, please, Miles.” She hoped Frost was enjoying this enough to let her finish.
     
    He looked up at her, and she locked eyes with him.
     
    “I know it’s hard, but please give me a smile. It would mean the world to me if that’s the last thing I saw,” she spoke with a soothing voice.
     
    “I’m scared,” he barely spoke above a whisper.
     
    “So am I, that’s why I need you do this for me.,” she took a uneasy breath, “Do it for me, okay?”
     
    “I love you, mom,” A smile forced it’s way across his face.
     
    It hurt her, it hurt her bad knowing this was the last time she’d ever see it. The last time she’d hear him say those words. She only prayed someone would show mercy on her and allow her soul to go free, so she could at least watch over him from the next world instead of being trapped inside this monster like some kind of sick prize.
     
    “Miles I love you to. I love you more than anything and I always will. That’s why I want you to close your eyes, and remember me like this no matter happens, let me smiling at you right now and only crying because I love you so much be your final memory of me, just like I’m going to close mine and let your smile be my last memory of anything,” she watched for a moment for him to close his eyes tight, before closing her own and letting her head hang as the blade pulled away, “Goodbye, kiddo. Tell Cream goodbye for me and that her Aunt Mel loves her.”
     
    She braced herself, but the strike never came and instead she heard pacing footsteps, causing to her open her eyes.
     
    “Damn it, I can’t do it. My pride won’t let me,” Frost was visibly frustrated, “I need to know I can beat you.”
     
    Melinda took a deep breath and let the relief wash over her before speaking, “I’ll only fight you if you let me turn them loose and send them to safety,” she said.
     
    Frost barely held back the frustration in his voice. “fine, do as you want and meet meet in the hangar next door and we’ll finish this.”
     
    She watched him leave and waited for the slam of the side-door before approaching the kids.
     
    “Can I open my eyes?” Miles said, his voice still shaking.
     
    “It’s clear, for now,” She crouched down and drew her knife, thankful Frost wasn’t smart enough to take her stuff, “hold still a minute.”
     
    Being careful as to not cut him, she set to work cutting his hands and feet free of their bindings and then moved on to Cream.
     
    “Aunt Mel,” she said quietly, tears still streaming down her face.
     
    “I’m right here, honey,” she finished cutting the ropes and Cream quickly threw her arms around her.
     
    “Why did he want to hurt you like that?” she sobbed, “Why do you have to fight him?”
    Melinda fell silent and just sat there rubbing the girl’s back for a moment before finding the words to speak, “a long time ago I caught him hurting someone, a kid not much older than you named Max, and I fought with him over it because he wouldn’t stop”
     
    “So you were trying to protect Max?” Cream sniffed. “Just like Mr Sonic and Tails protect people from Eggman and it makes him angry.”
     
    “Yes, just like that.” she answered.
     
    “So you have to stop from hurting anyone else, now?” Cream looked up at her.
     
    “I have to try my best,” Melinda pulled away and patted her on the shoulder before turning to Miles and holding out her arm, “Come here a minute.”
     
    MIles complied and scooted over her to give her a hug. She held him tightly and took a moment to breathe and enjoy the moment, like the calm in the eye of a passing storm.
     
    “Oh God, I thought you were done for,” he finally said, breathing heavily.
     
    “Don’t get too comfortable, you still have to get her out of here and somewhere safe,” Melinda said, rubbing his back.
     
    “But I don’t want to leave you here,” he said.
     
    “I know, and I know you’re scared but Kai’s waiting for you to at the church and she’s gonna need your help getting there,” Melinda said, “Holy Ground, remember?”
     
    “Immortals can’t hurt anyone, there.” Miles’ answered.
     
    “Right,” she nodded, “there’s also one last thing.”
     
    Melinda carefully removed one of her arms from around MIles and reached out for Cream, coaxing her into the hug as well. Once again, she fell silent and just held them both for a few seconds before finding the words.
     
    “No matter what happens, I want you both to know I love you, okay?” Melinda teared up a little as she spoke, “Miles, you know the drill in case..”
     
    Melinda trailed off at the last sentence, the thought to painful for her finish. Even then, she could tell by his arm tightening around that he understood.
     
    “Don’t think that way, Mom!,” He said frantically, “I know you’ll win, because you have to. You’re too strong to lose to someone like him.”
     
    “There’s always a risk, and I just want to make sure you know that you can depend on your friends and that Kai will be there,” Melinda said.
     
    “That doesn’t matter right now, though. It doesn’t matter because you’re gonna win and come back for us,” Miles said.
     
    “Yeah, Aunt Mel, please promise us that you won’t..” Cream barely choked out even that much.
     
    “I can’t lie to either to you and say I’m not in any danger, but I can promise you both that I’m going to give it my all and fight as hard as I can,” Melinda said, hugging them both tighter.
     
    “Okay,” Miles said, taking a deep breath, “I love you, Mom. Just please try to your best to come home safe.”
     
    “Just try to stay calm, okay? It doesn’t do any good to worry about what might happen, just to be prepared,” Melinda directed her attention to Cream, “Cream, are you listening?”
     
    “Yes,” Cream squeaked and hugged her tighter, “and I love, you.”
     
    “You know Kai, right?” Melinda asked.
     
    “Yes, he’s a friend of my mother. He’s really nice,” Cream answered.
     
    “He’s also one of my friends, an immortal like me,” Melinda said.
     
    “Is that why he’s so smart?” Cream asked.
     
    “Something like that,” Melinda chuckled, “Miles is going to take you to the old church, he’s already there and he’ll protect both of you.”
     
    “I’m scared, but I trust you and I trust Tails so I’m be okay,” Cream said, “I also know that Mr Kai is a good a person.”
     
    Melinda held onto them for a while longer before finally loosening her grip, “You both ready?” Melinda asked.
     
    “Yes,:” they both said almost in unison.
     
    The three broke apart and Melinda suddenly had an idea as she noticed Miles’ still worried expression and remembered something he told her about the night of the car wreck. She shrugged off her coat and haphazardly folded it up.
     
    “Here, hold onto this for me,” she handed the coat to Miles, who held it close to his chest, and leaned into to whisper in his ear, “Don’t be embarrassed to hug that thing like a teddy bear if that’s what it takes to stay calm. Your mental state is more important than your pride and Kai is the last person that would judge you.”
     
    The coat was something she knew symbolized her to him because it was the one thing thing that always stayed the same no matter how much she radically changed her dress or appearance. It was the same coat she used to let him cuddle up under on the coach when he was little and they watched TV, and always remained a part of her because it was not only a way to conceal her weapon, but just as much of a security blanket to her because of those memories attached to it.
     
    “Thanks,” he whispered back.
     
    “Now come on, Mr. Hero, it’s time to go escort the girl the safety,” Melinda smiled and ruffled his head fur.
     
    “Okay,” he smiled and began to help Cream up with his free hand, “Come on, Cream. I’ll hold your hand, would you like that?”
     
    Melinda continued to smile as she watched them make their way to main door. Even on foot the church was only about 30 minutes away so she assumed they’d be fine.
     
    The night was over for them, but she still had one last thing to finish before she could follow, and she prayed silently that whatever guardian angel watched over immortals would see her through the rest of the storm and deem her fight just.
     
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    “I’m here, let’s finish this,”
     
    Melinda held her sword so tightly her hand ached and rubbed against the wood beneath the leather wrappings of the handle. She stood strong despite the fear gripping her, all doubt was erased from her mind and she silently promised that it would end here.
     
    “You’re afraid, aren’t you? I can taste it in the air,” Frost took a step forward and drew a deep breath.
     
    “Are you going to fight, or stand around talking all day?” She readied herself, spreading apart her feet and holding her sword in front of her body, ready to either strike or defend.
     
    “I just want to savor it for a moment, enjoy the anticipation before I come in for the kill. Let the feeling build up to that final climax and surge of power,” he closed his eyes and spoke the words almost like they were a twisted form of poetry.
     
    “You’re sick, you know that?” Melinda spat
     
    “You still love to pretend you’re so different from me, I guess the little talk we had the other day fell on deaf ears, and I was so hoping you’d come around see things my way. Set yourself free like I have,” He said.
     
    “Are going to shut up and attack me, or are you enjoying the sound of your own voice a little too much?” Melinda smirked.
     
    “So eager to die, I wonder if a part of you enjoys your pain as much as I do,” he stepped forward and closed the distance.
     
    “Who said anything about me being the one dying tonight?” She said.
     
    In one fluid motion she stepped forward and struck for his good leg, but he dodged the blow with a quick jump back and countered by lunging forward and swinging his blade down, an attempt she easily blocked and and deflected by catching the blow against the flat of her own sword and and forcing it away.
     
    An attempt to run him through easily side-stepped and and countered with a swing from the side towards her mid-section, which she easily flicked her blade up up to block once again before before twisted around behind him.
     
    She followed up with a swing towards the back of his exposed shoulder, but he managed to shift his stance enough to reach up with his cybernetic arm and grab her blade.
     
    “You know, these things aren’t for show and I guess I really should thank you for putting me on the waiting list. I never dreamed that someday we’d have this amazing technology that let me get replacements for the old ones that were better than the real thing,” He turned to face her and forced her back where he could stand right up against her and hold his sword to her neck, “losing your edge? Getting soft?”
     
    “No, but you’re getting stupider to giving me this opening,” In one violent movement she drove her knee straight into his groin with all the force she could muster, sending him sprawling backwards and clutching himself.
     
    “Son of a bitch,” he groaned in pain and attempted to straighten himself, “you sure fight dirty for someone that likes to play little miss guardian angel”
     
    “I may try my best to play the hero, but I’m no saint and I have no delusions about honor being of any use against butchers and cowards like you. Honor is only for for friends and real warriors.” she lunged forward and and sliced him across the stomach before he could guard and sent him to the floor.
     
    “You’re so much like me, maybe you’d be less bitter if you stopped denying it” He spat out the blood collecting his his mouth.
     
    “I’m nothing like you,” Melinda swung for the kill, but he implanted his cybernetic foot into her stomach lifted her over his head, sending her flying with a powerful kick of his leg.
     
    She caught herself and quickly rolled back onto her feet just as he jumped back up.
     
    “You keep saying that, but you haven’t been able to give me one good reason to believe it,” he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and idly examined the blood staining the white fabric, “there’s something romantic about the way blood so quickly corrupts and stains the color white, don’t you think? It say’s something so poetic about how fragile and useless purity is.”
     
    “Give me a break,” Melinda groaned.
     
    “It’s true, it’s such a useless measure that’s changed so much from era to era, that’s I’m glad I stopped caring about petty human morality. I mean, isn’t so tiring watching the very concepts of good and evil change right before your eyes? Shifting so easily from saint to sinner in the eyes of this world?” Frost said, “It’s so much simpler just to live by your own rules and live for your own pleasure.”
     
    “I’ve learned to find it quite inspiring, the mortals find a way to keep growing and learning right from wrong, bettering themselves with each passing generation as I grow alongside them. It’s comforting to see all the evils that were once encouraged by mankind's ignorance fading into distant memory,” Melinda stepped forward, ready to strike, “I also don’t deny my sins anymore than you do, but the first difference between us is that I’m ready to answer for them.”
     
    “Like I give a damn, anyway. Keep holding on to your self-righteous delusions,” Frost lunged forward and threw a punch with his cybernetic arm, which she dodged and let narrowly slip by her head where she pinned his arm without letting go of her sword.
     
    “You’re the only delusional one here, too blind to see that you’ve done nothing more than poisoned yourself with hate and sadistic self-indulgence” she drew her dagger and stabbed it into his stomach before twisting it and bringing her muzzle to his ear, “Which brings us to the second thing that what really separates us, I have a son that I love dearly, and friends that I love just as much. That means unlike you, I fight for love and that’s a kind of strength you could never understand.”
     
    “Go to hell,” he spat as he fell to the ground.
     
    “I hope I don’t, I have too many people waiting for me upstairs, and that’s what I pray to be forgiven for what I have to do,” she raised her sword over her shoulder and swung with closed eyes, landing the final the blow and listening as his body hit the ground with a thud.
     
    A white mist drifted up from his remains and enveloped her as the static began to build in the air like the tension before a storm erupts, “I’m not afraid, you can’t consume me when I have so much giving me strength. No amount of darkness can snuff out love’s light.”
     
    All at once the the room erupted with energy and she fell to her knees as the storm tore the room apart and her world with it. Light fixtures shattered into a rain of sparks and wooden crates splintered into flames as if consumed by hellfire.
     
    “I won’t give in,” despite the lifetime of twisted memories rushing their her head she forced herself think of Miles, and to think of all her friends. Her memories fought to burn through his and she struggled her hardest to concentrate on them and the voices drowned out his hateful screams.
     
    “Mom!, this is my favorite part of the movie!.”
     
    “Aunt Mel! I finally baked something all by myself today!”
     
    “Come on grandma, age before beauty,”
     
    “Wow mom, you’re just like a real-life superhero!”
     
    “Happy 29th birthday!”
     
    “I guess now that we’re alone I should say happy 1100-and-something since we’re not sure on the whole year thing. I love you, mom.”
     
    The conflict within her heart reached it’s peak as the sprinkler system finally cut loose and soaked her, like the apex before a storm ends and one final and recent memory floated the surface, one symbolizing the true extent of her love, his smiling face showing through the tears when she was using what she thought her last moments to comfort him.
     
    “I love you, mom.”
     
    “Miles I love you to. I love you more than anything and I always will. Goodbye, kiddo”
     
    Just like that, it was over and and the world once again went silent save for the hissing of a few remaining fires being quenched. She just sat and thought about how oddly soothing the cold water was, almost like some kind of baptism washing away the last of her doubts.
    It was finally over.
  21. FoxyCryptid
    Melinda stared up at the brilliant rainbow of colors filtering through the stained glass windows. It bathed the inside of the darkened church in subdued color that only enhanced her sombre mood, yet somehow relaxed her when coupled with the promise of safety that holy ground provided. It was a strange kind of solace that almost cleared her troubled mind and made her forget everything.
     
    She didn’t even stir when she felt the familiar buzz, the almost charge in the air warning of another immortal and then heard the familiar sound of bare foot-paws on the carpeted aisle.
     
    “I’m starting to see why you moved here, Kai, even though I have no idea how you don’t stick out like a sore thumb hanging around this place while looking like that,” she said.
     
    Kai was a grey wolf, a member of a long thinned out tribe commonly known to history as the Wolf Pack. A man appearing to be around 30 with long and thick white hair pulled into a braid that Amy had once told her made her sincerely envious. He wore blue jeans held up with a silver buckle that was inlaid with tortoise stones and a brown leather jacket over a white t-shirt.
     
    “I manage,” he sat down on the pew next to her, “Besides, it’s worth it for the built-in security system that living on holy ground includes.”
     
    “I can’t really argue, it would be wonderful if I wasn’t perpetually afraid the church would collapse on me,” she chuckled.
     
    “The building’s insured, so you’re fine,” Kai leaned his head back into his hands and crossed one leg over the other.
     
    “Gee, that’s real reassuring,” she teased.
     
    They sat in silence for a moment before Kai spoke again, causing her to let out a sigh of relief that she didn’t have to be the one to bring it up.
     
    “You seem troubled, anything you want to talk about?” He asked.
     
    “You remember Maxwell, right?” She asked.
     
    “How could I forget him? I still remember the night you adopted him,” Kai answered.
     
    “Yeah, it was quite a night,” Melinda drifted off into her own memories.
     
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    “Just try to relax, okay? You’re safe now.” Melinda threw a second bloodied rag into the bowl of water and began to wet a fresh one.
     
    Max now sat in the hotel bed, his back leaning against the pillows and the blanket over his legs. She had started to clean his wounds, most of which luckily seemed to be superficial and just in need of bandages. The only major wound she had found was his eye, and she was still trying to work out how she was going to treat it.
     
    The child gave her a worried glance as someone knocked on the door and calmly called inside.
     
    “Melissa, are you there?” The voice said.
     
    “It’s okay Max, it’s just my friend,” she said, “You can come in, Kai!”
     
    The door creaked open and Kai slipped inside, “I saw you running back inside from my window, were being pursued?”
     
    “No, I just had to get him back here before someone saw,” she said, watching as Kai followed her gaze to Max,
     
    “Melissa, what happened here?” Kai quickly rushed over where he could get a better look.
     
    “He was attacked, but I took care of it. He’s an orphan, so I brought him back here to treat his wounds because I doubt any hospital would care about him,” she crouched back down and went to work cleaning another of the cuts.
     
    “His eye…” Kai trailed off.
     
    “I know, I’m not even sure how I’m going to deal with that so I’m concentrating on getting him cleaned up.” Melissa felt Max grab one of her arms, “What’s wrong?”
     
    “Melissa, are my eyes going to stop working?” Max asked.
     
    “Honey, I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do for the one that’s already hurt, but your other eye is going to be fine,” she wrapped an arm around him, “it’s just going to be a little tough to get used to at first.”
     
    “So I’m going to be okay?” Max asked.
     
    “You’re going to be fine, all you need to do now is relax so I can finish taking care of you.” she said, “I just to need my friend here to find some supplies since we don’t happen to have any.”
     
    “You were the one that said it would be pointless to carry such things around,” Kai said.
     
    “Well, now I’m saying we obviously do need them.” she said.
     
    “Just finish up here first so I know what we need,” Kai sat down on the end of the bed, “I’ll have to figure something out down at the general store.”
     
    She merely laughed and turned back to Max, “I know it still hurts, but I need to gte your face cleaned up so I can see better, okay?”
     
    He shook his head and she gently tilted his face back before dabbing at the wound on his cheek, “I might just get your eye covered for tonight so you can get some rest, it looks like the bleeding has stopped, anyway,”
     
    “Melissa?”
     
    “Yes, Max?” she answered.
     
    “Who's gonna take care of me when you have to leave?” Max asked.
     
    “I’ve actually been thinking about that, and I had an idea,” she said, “How would you like to come with us?”
     
    “Can I really?” Max’s eyes lit up.
     
    “I don’t see why not, I’m sure Kai doesn’t mind.” she gently patted Max on the head.
     
    “I’m merely the student, so I couldn’t stop you bringing him even I wanted to,” Kai grinned.
     
    “It’s settled then, as soon as you’re feeling better you’ll be on that boat out with us,” she said.
     
    “Thank you,” Max hugged her, catching her off guard for a moment before she
    came around and hugged him back
     
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    “You told me later that it was one of us who did that to him, an arctic fox named Isa,” Kai’s voice brought her back to reality, “That eye never did heal as as well I would hope but he learned to cope with it.”
     
    “Kai, Isa’s back.” Melinda’s voice was barely above a whisper, “He’s working with Eggman.”
     
    “So I’m guessing he found a way around the arm and leg you took from him?” he asked.
     
    “Cybernetics of some kind, no clue how he survived that long without them because that’s recent tech,” she said, staring down at her feet.
     
    “Did he challenge you?” Kai asked.
     
    “No, but…” she tailed off, not wanting to say the word out loud.
     
    “What’s wrong, Melissa?” Kai shifted in his seat and leaned down to see her face.
     
    “The bastard threatened Miles, and Cream,” she struggled to remain calm, “He also mentioned Amy but I think that was a bluff because he’s not even that arrogant to think she’s an easy target.”
     
    “There’s something else, isn’t there?” Kai placed a hand on her shoulder.
     
    “I’m afraid I won’t be able to protect him, or protect anybody because I won’t be able to face that monster,” she shook with a combination of anger and fear.
     
    “You won’t fail them, and neither will I,” Kai said softly.
     
    “You didn’t even give me a chance to ask,” she cracked a small smile.
     
    “You don’t have to. I’ll always stand by you, and that includes keeping that promise I made to you that I would help watch out for Miles. The promise that also extends to the admittedly strange circle of friends you to seem to be attracting.” Kai grinned, “who I guess are are my strange friends as well, the way things are going.”
     
    “It’s not that strange, Kai.”
     
    “A vixen, her adopted kit, two hedgehogs, an echidna, a rabbit and her daughter…” Kai trailed off.
     
    “Okay, maybe a little strange..” Melinda chuckled, beginning to calm down.
     
    “Friendship is a funny thing, it often knows no boundaries,” Kai said with a gentle laugh.
     
    “Thank, Kai. It’s good to know you have my back in this,” Melinda said.
     
    “Glad I can help,” he said.
     
    The room fell silent until Melinda worked up the courage to ask her final question, it was something that was painful for her to even think about, but something she had to know, none-the-less.
     
    “Kai, there’s one more thing I need. Something serious that I need to know and hear straight from you to ease my mind,” she said.
     
    “What is it?” He asked.
     
    “I know Miles has Sonic and they’re like brothers, so he wouldn’t be alone, but if something ever happens to me, can you help look after him?” she once again hid her face.
     
    “Of course, I’ve made that promise to all your children and it still stands. Whether you’re here or not I’ll be there for him,” he put an arm around her shoulders, to which she didn’t protest.
     
    “Thank you, Kai. I don’t like to think about it but I know he’d be lost without me and having you there would help him pull through,” her eyes began to tear up.
     
    “Just do me one favor and try not to call on that promise, no matter how I much need to spend more time with him, there’s ways that don’t involve a funeral.” Kai said.
     
    “Don’t worry, I’ll try to hold out a few more centuries,” she couldn’t help but laugh, “I’ll also make sure we make some plans.”
     
    “Maybe once this is all settled,” Kai’s face expression grew serious, “Now, do you want to just wait it out, or make the first move?”
     
    The sudden shift in conversation, as well Kai’s forwardness shocked her because she had always seen him as someone to take a defensive stance and never seek conflict. Had Isa’s threats combined with the wolf’s own first-hand knowledge of what he was capable of proved to be a breaking point just like it was for her?
     
    “Kai, I…” she made no effort to hide her shock.
     
    “Bloodshed may not be an outcome to strive for, but sometimes conflict is the lesser of two evils if it means stopping innocent blood from being spilled,” he gently removed his arm from around her.
     
    “So you’re saying you wouldn’t try to stop me if I decided to hunt him down?” she asked.
     
    “No, because I know you’d be fighting for the right reasons.” Kai said.
     
    “I think you have more faith in me than I do myself,” she said.
     
    “Melissa, you lived with my pack and helped raise me. Do you think I could see anything other than good in the woman that tucked me in on so many cold winter nights and held me when I had nightmares?” he asked.
     
    “I guess not,” it was all she said aloud, but she mentally finished the statement, “how can I expect someone who might as well be one of my own children to see my flaws?”
     
    There was yet another long silence before Kai finally spoke again, alleviating the awkwardness and easing the tension that had slowly began to fill the air between them.
     
    “Whatever you decide, we need a plan to keep everyone safe,” he said.
     
    “Sonic was there, so he already knows about the threats and I could talk to him about keeping an extra eye on Miles, even though he’s a smart kid that can take care of himself if he has to. You’re Vanilla’s friend so you could keep an eye on her and Cream,” Melinda said.
     
    “It might also be wise to figure out WHY and he’s working with Eggman,” Kai said, “knowledge is often a valuable weapon.”
     
    “I’d say two maniacs causing trouble, but I’d be lying if I said it made sense for someone with a calculated purpose like Eggman to be working together with someone as unpredictable and hedonistic as Isa seems to be, there’s also one other troubling factor…” she trailed off.
     
    “What?” Kai asked
     
    “That robot was programmed to target me, the only reason it stopped is because Eggman’s usual obsession compelled him to include an emergency over-ride that made Sonic a target of opportunity,” Melinda said.
     
    “Could Isa have informed him about you?” Kai leaned back in the pew.
     
    “That wouldn’t make me a priority, even Miles is a bigger threat to him than me when he has his gadgets and plane at his disposal.” Melinda sighed in frustration and leaned back in defeat, “Now that I think about it, none of it makes any sense. Has he finally just gone off the deep end?”
     
    “That might explain their alliance, but it doesn’t give in any insight into how they crossed paths for it to happen,” Kai said.
     
    “Yeah, I highly doubt they belong to the same social circles,” Melinda rubbed her eyes and ran a hand a through her hair, “normally I wouldn’t care why that whackjob does anything because he’d not known for picking good friends, but this is extreme even for him and it bothers me that I’m suddenly on his hit list.”
     
    “Could you get any information out of Rouge?” Kai asked, “she’s often well-informed.
     
    “The thief? How do I know I could even trust her when she’d worked for Eggman herself?” Melinda said, shock evident in her voice.
     
    “She may be a thief and not above working for him if it means a shot at the emeralds or a chance to rip off GUN, but she’s no monster and no murderer,” Kai answered.
     
    “You mean might side with us if she understands what kind of bastard Isa is?” Melinda asked.
     
    “That’s a colorful way of putting it, but yes. I’ve seen her interactions with everyone and she doesn’t strike as someone that would ever actually bring someone unjust harm like that,” Kai said.
     
    “True, but I’m afraid enlisting her help might entail telling her more than I feel comfortable with, that is if she hasn’t already somehow found out,” Melinda stared up at the stained-glass, “of course, even knowing I’m alive would tip her-off that something’s up.”
     
    “She’ll find out about us sooner or later, it’s not like she’s someone we can keep it a secret from,” Kai joined followed her gaze to the window, “beautiful, aren’t they? To think of the amount of work that went into creating them.”
     
    “Yes, and they also remind me of someone,” Melinda almost lost herself in another memory before snapping back to reality. There was no more time for reminiscing, “but that’s not important right now. We have a plan and we have to start moving before Isa makes another play.”
     
    “Doesn’t Rouge own a Casino around here? We could check in with her before we part ways,” Kai stood and headed down the aisle towards the door.
     
    “Are you offering back-up, or offering to keep from throttling someone if things don’t go as planned?” Melinda teased as she caught up with him.
    “A little of both,” he grinned.
  23. FoxyCryptid
    This class should be renamed "3.0 credit hours a day of kissing Bill Gates Ass" because that's what is feels like. It's like being in some weird tech-head church that worships Microsoft as God.
     
    The good news is, the Anti-Bronies on Tumblr are getting so annoying they're getting almost as high on some people's shit-list as us and some sites that used to be anti-brony are switching sides out of spite and disgust at how bad the hate is getting.
     
    "He who fights monsters", huh?
  24. FoxyCryptid

    Tumblr is Scary

    By FoxyCryptid,

    http://www.reddit.com/r/TumblrInAction/comments/20cvaj/anon_nails_why_sjws_are_harmful/
     
     
    This little thread on Reddit(I was linked to it earlier) paints a terrifying picture and gives me some understanding of what's been going on with the fandom lately. The story in the picture mirrors what many of the SJWish people have done with the fandom perfectly. They've re-wrote the story in their minds to remove everything good about bronies and enhances the bad to insane levels to justify hate.
     
    It makes me pity these people and feel almost sad for a lot of them now because I know they're just more victims.
  25. FoxyCryptid
    Decided to grab some PS3 stuff around town to go with my new PS3(I mainly concentrated on getting the exclusives that look interesting, I'm really happy about MGS4 because I've been wanting to play it for years). All are CIB, Heavy Rain was $10, Resident Evil 5 Gold was $7, MGS4 was $7, and Killzone 2 was $7) I just grabbed the PS1 games because they were at one of the pawnshops for $2.50 each.
     

     
    I also couldn't resist these for $3 each because I remember getting some as a kid:
     

     
     
    And this was from a friend that found out I got a PS3 for Christmas and couldn't bear to see someone with a PS3 and no GoW games.
     
     

×
×
  • Create New...