Chapter 8

(Feeling Lucky?)

We join our Heroes now in the town of which they had been staying in on this journey for the past week. The name of it was "Holance" the town was cold and made of many towers and the streets were always filled with cars.

"Wow... Talk about your city folk?" Shocram said in amazement.
"Yeah this place is huge... how will we find our way around...?" Xak asked.
"No worries I and Lunar have been here enough times to know where we're going!" Solar confidently reassured the group.
"Alright, then you two are the leaders until we leave this place, so lead on..." Xak said. Solar and Lunar nodded, “Mia I want you to stay close with us okay! You don't go anywhere without at least one of use with you okay?" Xak said, holding Mia's hand looking down at her.
"Okay big Brother!" Mia happily said aloud with giggles.
Solar and Lunar lead the group around town for hours... though something wasn't right...


"Okay so where is the food? I’m freaking starving here!" Shocram went on complaining peevishly.
"I dont know. This place isn't as I remmeber it. What about you Lunar?" Solar asked, starting to regret opening his mouth.
"Hmph... this place has surely changed sense the last time we were here... but even still something isn't right... it's like we were guided here?" Lunar answered, looking around for some source or clue to his theory.
"Guided? Like what exactly?" his brother asked again.
"Lunar, do you know something?" Xak asked.
"It's a hunch... but this town is notorious for thieves... we might have walked into one's trap... I'd advise you stay on your guard..." Lunar said simply as he continued to walk down the streets.
"Okay... Mia stay clo--" Xak reached to grab her hand but didn't feel anything, he looked to find she had gone missing. He gasped, "CRAP! Where is Mia?" Xak shouted out her name in panic.
"Whoa wasn't she just there a second ago?" Solar asked.
"I saw her there... but I wasn't paying attention either." Shocram said just as confused as to where she could’ve went off to.
"As I thought... I was right... They’re baiting us... they took a hostage... next should be the notice..."Lunar said. The group had noticed that he was strangely knowledgeable of this situation going on.
"Lunar how do you know so much about this?" Solar asked.
"That's none of your business." Lunar said coldly.
"Look right now I don't care what Lunar knows or about this or not, I'm gonna find Mia and beat the crap out of who ever took her!" Xak said in anger as his black flames were summoned to his hands.
"whoa, whoa, whoa! Xak calm down we don't need a missing child and psycho breaking everything too...alright? We’ll find her just relax..." Shocram said placing a consulting hand on Xak's shoulder
"We’d better...." Xak said calming down realizing Shocram was right.

(Meanwhile)

"So little girl, how much do you think you're worth?" A voice said to Mia tied up in a dark abandoned building.
"I...I don't know..." Mia cried.
"I’d say... about... maybe a hundred... At the very least..." the voice said.
"HEY!" another voice said aloud but this voice didn't sound scary, "What the hell are you doing? Kidnaping kids now, have you guys sunk this low?" the voice stated above Mia crying her eyes out watching the two people argue.
"We need money! And you haven't even been helping us that much!" the first voice shouted back.
"That's because I don't support your choice of "work" I left one band of thieves not to join another I thought you guys were better than this!" the second soothing voice says.
"Whatever! Fine leave, but we're getting money for this kid and that's final!" the first voice said pulling out a gun.
"So you want it like that? Buddy you don't know who you're messin' with..." suddenly the owner of the soothing voice launched a kick that sent other body bursting through the wall "hehehe buddy you just pushed your luck."
The owner of the voice rushed to Mia and untied her and hugged her to calm her down so she'd stop crying, “Hey kid, don't cry. I’m gonna help you. Sheesh, I don't care how desperate you get you never endanger a child's life..." she said to herself untying Mia "by the way kid my name is Marytha... But you can call me Mary. Sound good?"
Mia looked at Marytha in tears and nodded yes smiling a little, thankful her luck was turning.
"Alright and what's your name?" Marytha asked
"m-my name is Mia" she said wiping her tears away when suddenly the bad guy rose from the rubble of the broken wall.
"Well... you just had to turn your back on us huh? That kid more important than your friends?" the mean Voice shouted.
"Okay! First of all... you the one who attempted to shoot me... and second I don't believe in putting kids in Danger! Just to save your own life you low life lower!" Marytha said
"Oh really? Then let me make things interesting!" the voice said as he lifted his arm with the gun in his hand and aimed it at Mia, "How is this 'putting a child life in Danger now?'..." the bad guy said as Marytha quickly jumped in front of Mia guarding her.
"Okay now you're seriously pushing your luck!" Marytha said
"Oh shut up with you and your dumb lucky jokes... you're so damn annoying!" he said as he pulled the trigger when suddenly the bullet stopped in midair, everyone looked at the still bullet as it just hovered in place... when suddenly a silver hedgehog walked through door to the room.
"Well, well, well, Gatz... looks like I finally found you... you're in big trouble, and don't try running this time... it's no use!" the silver hedgehog said, Marytha looked at the silver hedgehog.
"Um? who are you?" Marytha said.
"I’m Silver... Silver the hedgehog, and I've been looking for this criminal for weeks now, he's in trouble for a lot of crimes and now he gets to add kidnapping to the list!" Silver said as he let go of the bullet and it dropped to the floor harming nobody.
"Um and what are you the police or something?" Marytha asked.
"No... But somebody has to clean up this town, so it might as well be me!" Silver said confidently.
"Whatever! Silver you won't catch me this time! "Gatz said as he bolted out for the room through the hole in the wall when suddenly Silver stopped him in his tracks with his telekinesis.
"What did I say? It’s no use!" Silver said as he slammed Gatz against the wall pinning him down so he can't move.
"Wow! You’re like a super hero Mister Silver!" Mia said in amazement as she rushed to Silver’s side and hugged him you remind me of my big brother! He’s always the hero!" Mia said again. Silver blushed as he lost concentration for a moment as Gatz took the moment of diverse to bust free of the hold and jumped out the nearest window
"NO!" Silver said rushing to the window as he was too late Gatz vanished into thin air with no trace.
"Darn! I had him," Silver said hitting the wall, dejectedly.
"I’m sorry Mr. Silver...” Mia said almost in tears
He sighed, “... it's alright kid, i'll find him again... this hero thing would be so much easier if... she was still with me..." Silver said looking gloom and walked out of the room.
"Hey! Let us help you!" Marytha offered.
"No it's too dangerous I couldn't let you get hurt..." Silver said.
"Look I got a personal vendetta with that creep...” Marytha interrupted him, “and I plan to resolve it now i'm helping and you're not gonna say anything different!" Marytha said as she walked out of the room before looking over Silver with a look of prowess.
"Umm... alright?" Silver forcefully agreed.
"What about me? I need to get back to my big brother Xak!” Mia asked quickly, “He's probably worried sick about me…" She said almost in tears again.
"Oh right... um I guess--"
"I'll help you find your big brother, and Silver you go find Gatz." Marytha said as she walked back to Mia and took her hand.
"Right!" Silver said as he started to rush out of the building.
"Okay now Mia, what does your Big brother look like so I know who to find." Marytha said looking at Mia calmly.
"Well he’s about this tall" She lifted her hand above her head as high as she could stretch out, "and he’s very hairy! Oh and he's a black hedge!" Mia said so innocently.
"You mean Hedgehog?" Marytha corrected her.
"Yeah that!" She said giggling
"Alright let’s go find him, Mia" Marytha took Mia's hand walked out of the building
"Okay!" Mia said with cheerful spirit


(Meanwhile)
"MIA!" Xak shouted out
"Hey brat where are you!" Shocram also shouted as Xak looked back at Shocram with a look of disapproval, "What? I always call her Brat?" was Shocram's excuse.
"Say her name, Shocram!” Xak said as she then continued to call out, “MIA!" 
Lunar had started searching the area for clues of where Mia might have gone as he was gliding on his black orb in the shape of a hover board, "where could have that kid gone?"
Solar who also conducted his search in the air with his Orb in the shape of a wing "Man these thieves don't kid around... wow I think I made a joke just then... focus Solar!" Solar said talking to himself.
The group re-gathered as their results did not come out to good on either side of the search.
"Solar; Lunar any luck on your side?" Xak asked.
"No... You guys?" Solar said and replied with same question.
"No... Damn where could she have gone!" Xak shouted out.
"Big brother!" suddenly a voice said aloud.
Xak turned around to find Mia with a rabbit girl, as his smiled turned to a growl as he rushed to the rabbits face with his black flames raring to make a BBQ, "Why did you take MIA!" Xak demanded, shouting in the rabbit girl's face.
"Okay, first of all I didn't take her I saved her, second don't push your luck with me I don't Gamble with lives... so I’d like to avoid a fight if you will" Marytha said calmly looking at Xak not even threatened.
"No, big brother she telling the truth she helped me and so did Mr. Silver!" Mia said looking up at Xak.
"She did? fine I won’t fight you then, instead I'll apologize and thank you for save Mia..” he said, the asked, “And who's mister Silver?" 
"He this super shiny hedge that can use his brain to freeze people! He's super awesome!" Mia said
"Huh... well if I ever get to meet him I'll have to thank him too." Xak said.
"Yeah well glad this taken care of, by the way i'm Marytha, but just call me Mary, and also the guy who kidnaped Mia was a thug named Gatz, he's a notorious criminal, I sadly worked for him for a few years... but I fired him as my boss and saved Mia." Marytha said to Xak with a smile.
"Wait, so you worked for this guy? Whatever… you saved her I won't bother with that." xak said, "Well how about me and my group help you find this criminal?" Xak offered "it's the least we could do for saving Mia.”
"Well I guess having more hands onboard will raise the luck, alright let’s get going then!" Marytha said as he ran down the street with the group following behind her


(Meanwhile)
"Grr damn it Silver how did you find me already?" Gatz said trapped in a dark alley with no way out.
"I told you it's no use, no give up!" Silver said in battle stance when suddenly the group ran past silver and Gatz, they backed up and rushed to Silver's side.
"Silver I'm back and I found help!" Marytha said aloud.
"Well then... it looks like you're trapped and outnumbered Gatz... looks like surrounding is starting to look a lot better now huh?" Silver said cockily.
"Grr..." suddenly Gatz grinned evilly, he suddenly pulled out a machine gun that and fired at will, but every single bullet was caught by Silver, and launched back at Gatz as the bullets only out lined his body scaring him as he dropped his gun and surrendered finally.
"Okay... I give up... just take me away already...." Gatz groaned in shame.
"Haha! See! I told you it was no use!" Silver said boastfully.
"So you're the Silver guy Mia told me about?" Xak asked.
"Yup Silver's my name!" he answered.
"Well I wanted to thank you for saving Mia for me" Xak said with gratitude.
"No problem! Now if you excuse me I got a criminal to imprison--" Silver turned around to find Gatz had disappeared yet again, "What! How!? There was no way out!" Silver complained in confusion.
"Hmph... I see still as clumsy as always Silver..." a voice reached out of nowhere.
"Wait that voice... is that?" Silver said assuming he knew.
"Yes Silver it's me," the owner's voice turned the corner as it was Shadow the hedgehog.
"Shadow? What are you doing here?" Silver asked and Xak looked at Shadow as he remembers him from months ago in the town of Walice from their little street scrap.
"So Shadow's his name?" Xak whispered to himself.
"I’m here looking for something... and what about you? I thought you went back to the future to stop Ibis?" Shadow said.
"I did... but at the cost of losing Blaze...so I figured I'd come back to the past and be of better use, to maybe fix the world before ibis have made a mess so I could get Blaze back." Silver answered him with grief.
"I see... and who are these people?" Shadow asks.
"Um hey i'm Solar!" Solar answered.
"Hmph... I'm Lunar... “Lunar said introducing himself.
"I’m Mia!" Mia said aloud with cheer looking at Shadow as Shadow merely looked back at Mia with no reflect of emotion causing Mia to hide behind Xak.
"I’m Shocram! The lightning Lord!" Shocram said with his bravado.
"I’m Marytha, just call me Mary" Marytha said.
"And I'm Xak... the blakPhyre Phenomenon...” Xak said as the two black hedgehogs had a stare down.
"You seem familiar Xak... have we met before?" Shadow curiously.
"Yeah... actually we have... backed in Walice a few months ago... I was the punk kid you beat up in the street..."
"Hmmm... now I remember... I almost didn't recognize you." Shadow said 
"HEY shadow! Where’s you go?" a kid voice shouted out.
"Shadow, where are you?" an older voice shouted as well.
"I'm over here you two..." Shadow said calmly, the two voices turned the corner to find Shadow with a big group of people.
"Whoa! Shadow who are your neat friends?" the kid voice said as the voice belonged to a small grey hedgehog.
"Some people I just met... and Silver..." Shadow said in his low tone as usual.
"Just met huh? Well might as well introduce ourselves huh, Spark?" The second voice said, belonging to a black fox who body was half machine, and half organic.
"Yeah! I’m Spark the super Genius! nobody is smarter them me!" Spark said in childish confidence.
"And I'm Cyrus... but I go by Cyborg these days... it's nice to meet you" Cyborg said.
"Wow Xak, this crowed sure got thick huh?" Shocram whispered to Xak.
"Yeah... it's kinda of weird" Xak replied. "Hey look guys a fun as this was, meeting everyone, we need to get going... I've got some things to get to..." Xak said walking away a little distraught.
"What’s wrong? Xak?" Solar asked
"... We just need to go-"
"Wait! I’ll come with you!" Marytha shouted, "I’ve had enough of the crime life, I want to be a hero... and you guys just scream heroes." Marytha continued to say.
"Hey I'll help too anything that helps save my future is worth my time!" Silver said.
"Whoa! Heroes? Like Shadow? Can we help too Cyborg? Can we, can we, can we?" Spark said getting excited.
"STOP!" Xak shouted, "where we're going is to dangerous, the more people we have the more dangerous it's gets besides... these monsters we're up against aren’t just some kind of play time toy.. They are serious... one already destroyed my home, murdered my family and kidnaped my girlfriend..." Xak said with a hollow tone.
"I’m so sorry to hear that…" Marytha said.
"And if that wasn't bad enough that bastard cursed me with these black flames..." Xak continued, summoning the flames to his hands... "I won’t have so many people hurt..."
"Xak you're full of bull crap... if you were so afraid of anyone getting hurt you wouldn't have let us tag along with you this whole time.. Face it you need all the help you can get... after the fight is Myral... it's clearly obvious we're not strong enough..." Shocram said.
"Yeah he's right we all saw Myral, and from what you said about Mischef, you know you need the help." Solar said.
"And don't forget there is a third one... I think you said his name was... Mephiles--"
"Mephiles!" Shadow interrupted "He's still alive! But I... I... I defeated him, a year ago!" Shadow shouted rarely.
"Are you sure his name was--"
"Yes... I met all three... Mephiles... Mischef... and Myral... they call themselves Voidians... and they're seriously powerful... i'm sure it's probably the same Mephiles..." Xak said confirming shadows rage fit.
"Then this is more serious than I thought," Shadow said "count me in! I have some apparently unfinished business with Mephiles." Shadow growled.
"If Mephiles is involved then you can definitely counts me in!" Silver said.
Xak stood there with his back turned and his head lowered. This is not what he wanted.
"Xak... we're not useless, we can fight and I think we've more the proven that to you... this isn't just your fight now apparently... let us help!" Shocram said.
"Fine... but promise me these guys..." Xak said with his back still turned towards them.
"Yes anything, Xak..." Shocram said.
"Yeah!" Mia said.
"I'll promise anything whatever it takes." Solar said.
"I’ll Promise too." Lunar said.
"I just met you but I will Promise as well!" Marytha said.
"I promise!" Spark said.
"Me too, I promise anything." Cyborg said.
"I promise," Silver said,
"I as well...now what are we promising?" Shadow asked
Xak turned around facing them with tears in his eyes"... Promise me... that we'll win!" Xak said raising his hand with black flames summoned and fire in his eyes.
"We Promise!" everyone said in sync.

"You know what... with this big of a group we should have a name!" Shocram suggested.
"Like what Shocram?" solar asked, turning to him.
“Well I say since we're following Xak... and he’s the strongest one of us all... I say we name this group after him." Shocram continued to say.
"Yeah team Phenoblada!" Mia said as she giggled.
" yeah.. Team Phenomenon! We’re team Phenomenon!" Shocram said.
"Team Phenomenon... I like it..." Xak agreed as did everyone else.

(Meanwhile)
"This is starting to look bad." Mischef says.
"Yes, now I am getting a little worried." Mephiles said.
"I don't see why... I mean... they're all still just a bunch of weaklings..." Myral added.
"Yes but in a group they can prove to be a problem--"
"Nope... not when I'm done with them... remember the plan I mentioned yesterday?" Myral said.
"Yeah…" both Mischef and Mephiles said.
“i’m ready to commence.." Myral said with a devious tone in his voice.
"Are you going to tell us--?"
"No... It’s a surprise... trust me its full proof Muwaahahahahaa!" Myral laughed deviously..
Both Mephiles and Mischef looked at each other in confusing from Myral and shrugged...


(to be continued)