Chapter 5


(the Little tears, and the big smile Smile)



We join our heroes Xak, Shocram, Solar, and Lunar a week later after the town incident, as they travel onto the next town, and though the journey was long they final made it there to find it looking like a home for scum bags.
Xak and Shocram stopped in their steps to look at their destination in uncertainty; Xak had stepped on a rock and had to bitch about it, "OW! Son of a-,” Xak picked the rock he stepped on out of his aching foot, “I need some damn gear. I’ve been walking bare foot ever since I got lost in that desert!" Xak whined.
"uh.. Solar... Lunar, is this the right town?" Xak asked curiously and completely hoping that it wasn't it.
"Yep, welcome to Heather, guys! Beautiful name... ugly people..." Solar said as he continued marching forward with his brother behind him.
"Well, please tell me they have decent food here!" Shocram asked desperately.
“They have food--"
Lunar finished Solar’s answer, "But nobody said anything about it being good.."
"Uhg.. Can I die now?" Shocram said feeling like his life was over, his mind heavy on his hunger.
"Oh, stop you baby, i'm the one here that's got problem. I mean, you guys got problems. But I think we can all agree, whatever is going on with me… is worse... I'm sadly admitting." Xak said, sigh heavily feeling a little shamed.
"Well... okay so yeah, you randomly turn into a blood thirty beast... I’ll admit I don't have that going on..." Shocram said agreeing
"Yeah and you have weird dreams..." Solar said also agreeing
"I suppose you win that argument" Lunar also agreeing

The four hogs walked through the town. And among the many shops lining the street, a certain products in store’s window caught Xak's eye. It was some gear that appealed to him, a pair of black leather spiked braces for ankles and wrists, Black cotton open finger gloves, and black convas shoes with white toe tips.
"Wow! Now that is some neat gear!" Xak said with his face pressed against the glass "I need those...." his eyes got big and begging.
"We are in a town that… is total crap, and people steal here all the time.... so when in Rome I guess." Solar insinuated, smiling at Xak.
"What!?... no, I-I can't steal.. I’m not like that!--"
"Don’t you worry, if you can't steal I'll do it for you!” Shocram exclaimed from Xak’s side, “You need some gear right?" Shocram posing thumbs up to Xak with a smile and a wink.
"But.. Shocram.... I’ll get in trouble..." Xak said cautiously.
"Hey I'm Shocram! nothing can catch me, guaranteed!" Shocram said proudly, and with that Shocram Blitz’d in through the shop door, the gust behind him tearing up the joint and he was moving incredibly too fast for the shop owner to see or comprehend on what was going on as a distraction. When he left the stop (in shambles) he had swiped the gear at the last second and grabbed Xak, Solar, and Lunar and blitz down the road away from the store.
They stopped in a dark alley as Shocram handed the gear to Xak safely, "Here you go pal! On the house hehe." He said jokingly.
"Wow... Thanks Shocram... but don't do that again... last thing we need is to be arrested, and pay for damages... I maybe a prince.. But i'm not exactly.. Rolling in it..." Xak said as a warning to Shocram.
In that second, the four heard a noise in the ally way with them, they all quickly turned around and on their guards ready for whatever is there. I could be anything, better to be on guard than not and get their asses kicked.
"What was that…?” Shocram whispered.
"I don't know." Xak whispered back, as they heard the noise again.
They stood even tighter on guard ready and raring for a fight to happen as the sound got even closer to them.
"Wait... Hey! Who’s there?" Solar bravely demanded.
"Hehe!” a tiny giggle was heard, “Oh nobody!" the little voice said giggling in the darkness of the ally way echoing her words.
"Don’t play games! Who are you and what do you want?" Lunar replied, peeved.
"Aww but don't you guys like to play games?" the little voice asked as the voice’s owner stepped out from behind a tall trash can, holding in little hands a bag. It was a small black Bat girl with pig tails and big wide eyes, her face was dirt and her clothes were covered in filth looking like a homeless type.
"It’s just little girl guys and you were all freaked out... HA! Babies!" Shocram said.
Everybody glared at Shocram with a look, 'who are you kidding dude!'
"HEY! i'm not just a little girl, i'm actually in charge of these streets!.. and I suggest you get out! Now before I get rough with you!" The little bat said, obviously bluffing. 
"pfft.. yeah right, like we're gonna do what some punk kid says..." Shocram called her bluff. 
She panicked a little but helps her stare and composure and continued with her bluff, “I'm warning you!" She cried out.
"C’mon, Shocram let's just go, there is no point arguing with a kid...." Xak said as he put the new gear on comfortably and started to walk away out of the ally, as Solar and Lunar followed.
"Aww what? Are you guys serious? You guys are gonna do what some Punk kid tells you--"
"SHOCRAM! Let’s go!" Xak said with no stutter in his tone as he continued to walk without Shocram.
"You better go Dummy!" the little bat said with her hands on her hips, mocking Shocram.
"Grrr... this ain't over brat!" Shocram growled, walking away giving her the 'I've got my eyes on you' gesture with a cranky frown and walks off.
"Hmm!" She huffed, sticking her tongue out as he walked away. She turned from them and unraveled the bag she was holding, and pulled out some leftover, half-eaten soggy food from some restaurant trash can. "eww..." she sighed and dropped the bag and left it on the ground and drop to her knees as she started to cry.
Not too far away Xak lifted his ears and heard the little pitiful cries of the girl, "Hold on guys...” He stopped in his tracks, “this isn’t right...."
"Hm? What’s not right?" Shocram asked. Lunar and Solar looked to Xak in the silently shared question.
"The little girl… Did you guys notice anything odd about her?" Xak inquired.
"Not really, besides the fact she was a brat." Shocram replied watching Xak turned around and marched back to the dark alley where they last saw the little bat, “What are you doing?" Shocram asked, "we need to keep moving, we can't just feel bad for every little--"
"Can it Shocram... I may not be a prince anymore.. But damnit, I was once.. And I'm not gonna stop caring about my People, just because my title, and kingdom are gone... we're going back... no more arguing," Xak interrupted Shocram, with a firm tone like a prince should have.
"yeah, yeah.. alright, we'll go back for the brat.." Shocram sighed, submitting.
"We’re following you two.. so lead the way." Solar said, as Lunar nodded his head in agreement.
The four walked back to the dark alley to find the girl still there, crying pathetically with her little hands to her eyes pouring tear waterfalls. Xak frowned; feeling her depressed as he approached her and kneeled on his knees next to her
"Hey.. what’s wrong kid?" Xak asked, putting his hand on her back to console her.
"What do you guys want.. to make fun of me...?" she said in between her crying.
"no... C'mon let's get out of this dark place, and we'll hang out on the town, alright?" Xak offered, smiling brightly at her in hopes to raise her spirits. 
She looked up with eyes drowned in tears as she saw his bright smile through the thick tears, "oh...okay...” She got off the dirty ground and wiped her tears braving a smile on her face that clearly showed pain.
"C'mon lets go, you can hang with us alright?" Xak reached his hand out to her. She took it and they walked hand in hand out of the dark alley with his friends. She smiled brightly.
“THEM RIGHT THERE! THEY'RE THE ONES WHO STOLE FROM MY STORE!" said loud, deep voice roared out. They looked to their left from where it came from. They saw the fat store owner from that morning, along with two robot cops standing next to him.
"Targets found, initiating, capture mode, Capture mode Confirmed, grab hedgehogs, and bat.” The strange robots crackled out in unison.
“‘Never get got' you said 'Guaranteed' you said..." Xak growled, giving Shocram as look. Shocram offered a smile contrite smile before the gang took off running down the street as the Robocops sped after them from the store owner’s side and were hot on their tails.
"Who or what are these things?" Xak called out.
"They are called eggbots, they are robots made by some weird scientist named Eggman..." Solar answered him, dodging the robot's extension grapples almost casually.
"Actually Brother, he is named Robotnik..." Lunar corrected as he too was casually dodging grappling attempts made but the robots were failing.
"Who cares who made ‘em, we gotta loose 'em!" Shocram said, "You guys go on ahead, I’ll short shoot these scrap nuts!" 
"How are you gonna do that?" Xak replied holding the girl tight on his shoulders.
"Hehe remember, I'm the lightning Lord!" Shocram laughed, stopping instantly.
He turned summoning electricity to his fingertips in the fluid movement shooting a blitz straight through the two bots racing, around their metal bodies at incredible speed as he barely touched them and short circuited their motherboards, sending them to sleep for good.
"Hehe... Nothing catches Shocram, Lightning Lord and don't you forget it!" Shocram praised himself as he quickly turned and blitz back to the group, slowing down his speed as he caught up, "hehe not even a cinch," Shocram said giving a thumbs up and smile.
"Well I'll be damned Shocram, looks like your title actually perceives you." Xak said as they all slowed down as they were safe for now. Xak set the girl down on the ground and he sat down relaxing, "Oh by the way, what’s you name little girl?" Xak asked.
“... um My name is Mia..." She said nervously.
"Mia, huh? That’s a cute name, where are you parents Mia?" Xak continued to ask as he suddenly noticed her eyes filling with tears again as he brought that question up.
She started to cry as she dropped to her knees balling her eyes out, " waaah... I dun have... a..any *sniff*.. Parents!!!" She cried out as she curled up into a ball crying her heart out.
"oh... w..what happened?" Solar asked.
"My mom was caught in a fire in my home... and.. my daddy got me out.. But my mommy was trapped.. and he.. he.. he went back in to save her.. but.. the house broke and crushed them... I've been living all by myself for months!" she said settling her voice to talk as she screamed out in tears again.
Xak stood up and clinched his fists tightly having his head hung down gritting his teeth holding back tears of his own, " you know Mia... My Parents died too... a year ago..." Xak said, braving a smiling for her.
"r-really?... what happened?" she said, crying still but looked at Xak.
"well.. my family was murdered in front of me... as I.. Was to powerless to stop the killer.. he... he just laughed at me, and took my Girlfriend... and destroyed my home... and when I think about that day, my heart hurts... and I start crying... just like you are now.." xak said as he lifted his head with tears dropping from his eyes, but still braving a smile for her to help cheer her up, " but... you know... Mia... no matter what.. you have to Brave a smile.. and keep walking... and even though the pain... hurts like hell... you have to keep walking... because if you stop... you lose... you see?" Xak said hoping to encourage her even though he himself was listening to himself, as he still felt sheer pain as he clearly was holding back tears to making her smile
Shocram and Solar, and Lunar hung their hands as they themselves tried to hold back tears.
"my Brother was Murdered...." Shocram finally said, entering the conversation, "a couple of Months ago... after we heard word of that the Kingdom had fallen... out town went into chaos.. Deciding who shall be leader since there is no King... you know like a mayor deal..." Shocram said as he hold back tears and continued, " a month after the chaos happened the town split into two sides.. And was on the brink of a civil war, they were at each other’s throats just to decide a leader... silly huh... well it's not.. it's not silly when you're one and only family dies because of some dumb rule... the town broke out into fire, and gun shots, and fist fights in every corner and ally of the entire town..." Shocram said clinching his fists while Mia, Xak, Solar, and Lunar listened, "My Older brother was trying to escape the violence... the chaos, escaping to save me.. and him so we could live in happiness.. but as he were about to leave... only a few short steps away from leaving the town... a strange looking spear shoot my brother in the back.. and killed him.. and as I looked back from where the spear came from... all I saw was... glowing Purple eyes... in the shadows of the dark alley... before I could even get a second glance the eyes vanished.. And I was stuck there watching my brother suffer till his final breath..." Shocram dropped his head into his hands trying not to cry as he found it hard to do.
"Man... you guys got it rough,” Solar says, “the worse me and Lunar have.. is that we never know our father.. or fathers..."
"Indeed we only know of our Mother.. but she died of Illness, not of some fire, or violent act..." Lunar said.
Mia looked up at Xak and rushed to him to hug him tightly, "Please don't leave me Big brother." she cried out hugging him tight as she Xak smiled and put his hands on her head
"Wouldn't dream of it Mia... and my name is Xak.." Xak said, informing her.
She smiled and suddenly the tears went away and she hugs him tighter, "Mm big brother Xak..." she said as she suddenly fell asleep.
"Aww hehe Xak got himself a girlfriend..." Shocram said, wiping his own tears and said jokingly.
"cut it out Shocram... let's set up camp, for the night guys... i'm pretty tired after that wild robo chase and all this emotion stuff." Xak said, sitting back down and holding Mia's head on his lap.
Shocram started the fire, to which the group circled around, as the sun went down turning the bright day sky to pitch black night.

"you guys sit tight i'm gonna go get some more fire wood." Shocram said, walking off into the woods they camped nearby, and shortly as he walked through the brush, he used his lightning to light up his vision to which he could see, giving everything a blue glow. Far in the distance, something caught Shocram eyes, he tilted his head a little to angle better through the trees. He felt a horrible feeling as his sight lined on two glowing purple eyes in the darkness ahead of him, instantly giving him a flash back of the day he first saw those same eyes.
"H-hey! Who are you?" Shocram called out, as he rushed after the eyes in the darkness but they only grew further away the closer he got. He picked up more speed, but finding it hard as trees and terrain got thicker and seemed to pull him back, slowed him down, soon the eyes vanished as he stopped running.
When suddenly he heard a nasty voice, "Little hog, little hog.. Let’s go and play... one day, one day, we'll get to play a game ...Wuuaaahahahhhaaaaa!" the taunting voice sung, echoing in Shocram’s head like a nails on a chalk board.
"Uh...” he shuddered, “Show yourself coward! Where are you, don't play games with me!!!" Shocram shouted at the top of his lunges as he dropped to his knees and cried.

An hour later Shocram returned to the camp empty handed as before.
"Hey I thought you were gonna go get some fire wood?" Solar said.
"Yeah well I didn't find any... so get off my case" Shocram snapped back.
"It’s just been a long day guys.. Let’s just get some sleep, we'll feel better in the morning," Xak said as he laid back with Mia hugging onto him still sleeping, “poor kid... but don't worry.. You and me are gonna be best friends... and I won’t let anything happen to you" Xak whispered into Mia's big bat ears as she suddenly smiled and blushed in her sleep, and soon the group went to sleep...


Mean while
"Where were you!?" a mysterious voice shouted out in impatience and anger.
"I was just out, taking a stroll is all, no big deal…" another voice said, lethargic.
"Calm down you two... we have a guest don't you remember? We should show her some respect hmhmmm." the third voice said calmly.
"... w-whoa?...." a girl’s voice was heard the voice sound weak, and dry, and filled with sorrow.
"Wake up. Sleeping beauty, we gotz a meal for ya!" the second voice said with a sarcastic tone.
"Can’t you take this seriously, we need to act on our next move..." the first voice said, sounding even more impatient.
"Relax... everything will be fine... after all as long as we have her... everything will go all according to plan..." the third voice confident and calmly answered.
"But can you be so sure brother?... after all it's only a matter of time before he finally awakens his power, and if we don't get lord m--"
"Relax I said...everything will be just fine, hmhmhmmm" the third voice said interrupting the first voice.
" h'yea yeah, relax Bro... we only just started this party, why not just chill and enjoy the fun!" the second voice said
"you..” the girl’s voice muttered, “ you’re all monsters and when x-..."
"Oh don't worry he'll come.. that’s what we're counting on..." the third voice said
"hmhmhmuuuwwwaaahahahahahahahahaaa!!!" the tree voices laughed in sync..


(to be continued)