Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Visions of Darkness, Dreams of Light ❯ Welcome to the Floating Island ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 22

"See ya, guys! We'll be back soon!" The hedgehog shouted. To Drake, he asked "Where's Mina?"

The human was looking worried. "I don't know. I kinda wanted to see her before we left. Maybe she didn't wake up."

Sally patted him on the back. "She'll be here. We can wait a few more minutes."

"Sally-girl's right, sugah. Ah'm sure she'll be here soon."

"Mom, he's leaving! We gotta hurry!"

"I know, I know. I think they're ready." She stated, pulling the cookies out of the oven. She quickly dropped them into a box, which they then put in a cooler. While Mina wasn't looking, she quickly slipped a note in beside the box. "Here. Run these out to him. Bye, Mina!"

"Bye momma. Be right back!"

Drake sighed. "Let's go. We can't be late."

"Drake! Wait!"

Drake smiled happily. "Hey Mina! I didn't think you'd make it."

"Here! Mom and I made these for you guys." She handed him the cooler. Drake opened it, seeing the box of cookies and a small note. He picked up the note curiously.

Young man, I hereby give you my permission to ask Mina to come with you.

YOU HAD BETTER BE GOOD.

Signed,

Mrs. Mongoose.

p.s. Take pictures.

p.p.s. I already have her things packed.

p.p.p.s. VERY, VERY GOOD!

Drake grinned. "Mina, do you want to come?" The mongoose gave a start.

"I…I need to ask momma, and pack, and…"

"Well, you have five minutes. You better hurry." The mongoose raced off. Drake laughed, and handed Sally the note. She smirked.

"Well, it looks like things are looking up for you today."

Minutes later, Mina ran up carrying a bag. She leaped into Drake's arms, giving him a quick kiss. "So, everyone ready?"

"I am now." He kissed her. "I was worried you weren't going to make it, earlier."

"I was wondering why you didn't ask earlier."

"I…thought you wouldn't be interested."

Mina poked him in the chest. "You're a terrible liar. Mom just told me that you asked earlier and she said 'no', but she changed her mind. That's why she gave you that note. What else did it say?"

"Be good, and take pictures." She rolled her eyes, pulling a camera out of the bag.

"I guess we could take a few."

"Ees everyone ready, Mis amis?" Antoine asked from the cockpit.

"Let's go, Ant! Everyone buckle up!"

The plane lifted into the air, soaring off.

"So…" Drake began, looking at the water below. "Where is this island, anyway?"

"Straight ahead."

Drake looked. He could just see the tops of several mountains over the horizon. "Wow. Looks nice." Suddenly the windows all pulled shut. "Hey! Ant!"

"Zorry. Eet ees for your own being-well."

"Huh?"

"He means well-being, sugah."

"Oh."

Several minutes later, the windows flew open. "May I be presenting…ze floating island."

Drake stared at the flying land mass in total shock. "Wow…It's in the sky. It's floating on air!"

Chapter 23

"So this is the floating island?"

"Yep. This is it."

"Why is it flying?"

"Trade secret. Echidnas are good at this sort of thing. Very good with technology."

"Wow. So this Knuckles guy can help me?"

"Maybe I can, and maybe not."

Everyone turned. "Hey Rad Red! What's shaking?"

"Not much. You missed the funeral."

Sally looked upset. "Oh, Knuckles, I'm sorry. Whose?"

"Mine, actually."

"Yours? But…"

"Long story. I'll explain, but it'll take a while." He looked guarded. "Who's the Overlander?"

"I'm a human. I'm Drake. Sally left that bit out, for some reason or other."

Knuckles motioned Sally forward. "You trust him?" He mouthed.

"As much as I trust you." She returned in the same fashion.

He looked skeptically at Drake, then shrugged. "Sorry man. Can't be too careful, after all. Hey, to make it up, I'll take you to the city. Wyn's making something for everyone, and we figured that everyone here could eat too. I don't know if everyone'll like it, but he made enough for more than ten people, so…"

"Free food? I'm there. Who all is going to be there? I won't cause trouble, will I?"

"Me, you guys, the chaotix, mom. I wasn't sure how many people were coming with you, so we just guessed. C'mon." He pulled Drake aside. "You pull anything, I kick you off the island without a parachute. Hurt the chaotix or my family, I break your legs first. Hurt Julie-su, and you die slow. Clear?"

"Understood. You know what? I like you. That's about what I'd say to someone about Mina."

"Glad to here it. Wait a minute. You…and the mongoose? But you…you're almost two feet taller than her. And…"

"Hey! Yeah, I'll admit it's weird, but I feel how I feel."

"Huh. Ok, maybe we'll get along better than I thought. Word of advice though; don't underestimate Julie, and don't ask what Vector is listening to."

"O...kay…why?

"Truuust me."

"This is the place." Knuckles knocked at the door. Lara-le quickly opened it.

"Hello everyone. Knuckles told me you would be stopping in. How are all…" She saw Drake, standing there calmly. "Of…you?" She pulled her son in the door whispering. "I don't think we made enough! He won't get enough to eat for sure! We can't seem rude! I..."

"Woah lady! He didn't know I was coming! Sal just said someone needed his help. Besides, I don't eat much, really."

She frowned. "I didn't think anyone else could hear that."

"I have excellent hearing. Part of what I need help with, actually. Most of my senses are enhanced. I can even smell what you're making in there."

She blinked. "Really? That doesn't seem like a problem to me."

"I'll explain later. It's not something to talk about before dinner."

"Man, I'm stuffed." Drake managed. "How could anyone possibly eat any more?"

"My parents were both chefs. If I learned anything, it's that leftovers are worth their weight in gold." Wynnmacher said with a chuckle.

"Uh…If you say so." Drake's stomach suddenly rumbled. He winced and lookd at a very hurt echidna.

"If you didn't like it…"

"Uh…it's not that, I just…"

"No, that's ok. I just…"

"Let me finish, dammit! I can't just eat regular food. I'd rather not go into it here!" He snarled, his eyes glowing.

"Holy shit!" Knuckles lept to his feet. "What the?"

"Hey, guys. Watch your language at the table. Bad manners." Vector stated, putting his headphones back on. Knuckles stared at him. "You knew they needed your help for something." Julie-su stared at Vector, mumbling something about him calling the kettle black.

"But he…just…" The guardian took a breath. "Sorry everyone. What was that you just did?"

"I... don't think I should say here."

"Spill it. We ain't going anywhere for a while anyway. It's about to rain."

Drake swallowed. He looked at the chaotix and the echidnas. "I'm a vampire."

They looked at each other. Julie-su snickered, and they all started laughing.

Drake snarled, eyes flashing violently. He opened his mouth, feeling his fangs sharpen and extend. The laughter died instantly. Knuckles' mom's eyes glazed and she raced off. "Oh man, I didn't really want to scare anyone. I'm so sor…" She returned with a pen and paper.

"Details, please." She scribbled a little on the paper. Wyn grimaced.

"She has been working on a 'heroic vampire' story. She was having trouble deciding what characteristics such a vampire would have. You might say you are a pretty good set of instructions."

"But…a heroic vampire?"

"Yes." She stated. "I reasoned they wouldn't all be evil. I mean, you just drink blood, right. Nothing horrible about it, right?"

"That's pretty bad in itself."

She frowned and started scribbling. "So you don't like drinking blood? Bad taste?"

"Depends. Fresh blood is delicious, especially from intelligent prey. I can drink from other things, but…it isn't that good. I can drink from a blood bag, but it's usually cold, so it needs warmed."

"Fresh blood. How do you…?"

"The fangs. I pierce the skin, then I suck from the holes. The fangs aren't actually hollow, so the wound is a little bigger than it needs to be. For animals, I try not to touch my lips to them. Small things, mice and such, I tear apart. It's not pleasant. Mina doesn't like to watch."

"Wow. So…what about powers?"

"Strong, fast, and I heal. That's about it. The healing is…incredible. No roboticization, no getting sick. That's cool."

"Wait. You can't be roboticized? Can you heal other people?" Julie-su asked, becoming interested.

"It's possible. Hard, but possible. I deroboticized Mina and her mother, but I need Robotnik to trigger it by trying to roboticize me. Otherwise, nothing. Other healing I can do. It just takes some blood."

"So if you feed, you can heal someone."

"No. I put my blood in the wound. It heals itself then. I think a lot might convert someone."

"Yuck." Julie-su muttered with a grimace.

Lara-le gave her a look. "Try to stay objective. He didn't choose his powers, after all."

"Well, I can, after a fashion. Mina or Sonic's blood makes me faster, Sally's seems to last longer. I think it has something to do with qualities of the person. I'm not sure."

"What would mine do? I can glide." Knuckles asked.

"I don't know. Probably make me lighter or something. I really can't tell, and short of biting you, I can't find out."

"We did offer a meal."

"Not funny. I might take you up on that offer."

"I'd be interested." Lara-le stated. Everyone stared. "What? I need to know what a bite would feel like. Some of the stories say it feels…" She blushed.

"Erotic. I enjoy it." Mina smiled, her eyes glazing. "I feel safe, but at the same time, like I don't have a chance of stopping him. I want to, I don't, I can't, and I have to. It's weird. It feels different depending on his mood. He tries to be gentle and let me enjoy it, and I do. But if he's not in control…it hurts, but I guess it still felt good. It's a lot scarier then, though. Lately, though…" She blushed. Drake had been blushing since she started.

"I didn't enjoy it that much, but he was more worried about me surviving." Sally stated quickly.

"I'm still interested."

"You're odd." Drake stated.

"Bah. Anyway…what about immortality? Sunlight, churches?"

He snorted. "I doubt the immortality. It'd be hard to imagine not aging at all. Sunlight does nothing, and religious things are the same way. As for garlic, I love it."

"Sounds like you are immortal. You heal, and don't have weaknesses."

"Hardly. Impalement works. If something is lodged in, the healing is slowed or even stopped. Even small things like bullets. Burns heal slowly, too. And if it would be immediately fatal, I'm probably going to die. And it burns blood to heal. After I get weak from hunger, I get some of my strength back, but I'm…different. I exist to feed. I don't see you as friend or foe. I see prey. No predators, just prey. It's the ultimate hunter. Fast, strong, and efficient. I pity anyone who tries to fight me when I'm gone, because they just signed their own death warrant."

"Well…I can't see you killing. You seem a gentle young man. And I think someone could get away."

"As I said before, my senses are enhanced. I could track you for miles by scent alone. Assuming you managed to get away. I can hear your footsteps easily if I try, so it's hard to sneak away. You're pretty screwed if I give chase. Sonic or Mina could get away, but I'm stronger, and I can track them. And I only need to catch you once." He finished dryly.

She shivered. "Very true."

"What about croc blood?" Vector asked.

"What about it?"

"Can you drink it?"

Everyone looked at the crocodile. "I don't see why not.'

"I just wanted to know if it mattered if we're cold-blooded."

Drake looked surprised. "It might. I'd have to test it."

"I'll make you a deal. If my man Knux here gets you home for a visit or whatever, you bring me some new tunes. In return, I give you some crimson. Deal?"

"Deal. But…"

"Knux got healing powers, too. I ain't lettin' you near my neck, cause this croc don't swing that way."

"Too bad. Yer kind of cute." The croc's eyes bulged. "It's a joke, man. Chill."

He extended his wrist. Drake quickly bit. He drew back almost instantly and started wretching. He ran towards the bathroom. The other could hear substances entering the toilet. Drake stepped out. "Guys…I lost a lot of blood right then. I need to feed. Pretty soon, too. I guess gator blood ain't good for me." He looked over to a worried Vector. "Don't worry. Not your fault. And you still get your tunes."

"Looks like we get to try feeding him." Lara-le quipped.

"Mom! This is serious."

Julie-su nodded. "I have an idea." She grabbed Knuckles, and whispered some instructions. Knuckles nodded, and leaped out the window, gliding.