𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔'𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗩
"Eh eerht sgniht era... 1) On Ssarg , 2) Croc epor dna 3) Raeps hsad."
"The three things are 1. No Grass, 2. Croc rope and 3. Spear dash." I translated and looked at Sonic then back at the leader.
"Fi uoy taefed su ni lla eerht fo meht, neht uoy nac evah eht remmah." said the leader while raising his hand towards the hammer.
Sonic looked at me for translation.
I rubber my face and said, "If we defeat them in all three of them, then we can have the hammer."
Sonic nodded, determined, "Let's begin then."
I looked at the tribe leader again. He was definitely smirking under his mask.
"S'tel ees fi uoy nac niw neve eno ro ton."
"Lets see if we can win even one or not." I narrowed my eyes.
"Tsrif eht eert pmuj. S'tel nigeb." said the leader and clapped his hands twice as a signal.
Then the other tribe members nodded and we were taken outside.
"So, what is this 'No grass'?" asked Sonic.
"I don't know." I whispered and looked at the leader. "..tahw si 'On Ssarg'?"
"Ti si a emag fo deep, ytilibixelf, krowmaet. Uoy owt era gniog ot yalp sa a maet, ohw sehcaer eht hsinif enil tsirf sniw. Tub uoy owt ot etelpmoc eht ecar rehtegot."
"No grass is a game of speed, flexibilty, teamwork. We two are going to play as a team, and jump from one tree to another while dodging the obstacles. The team who reaches the finish line first wins. But we two have to complete the race together."
And he smirked. "And speed is our game.. "
He fist bumped me and.. it suddenly made me happy. I couldn't help but smile, forgetting the trail of flowers I let behind.
Focus, Sonica!
Okay, dear readers, let me describe what the game- I mean race looked like : There were two tracks separated with a river in the middle. Each team would be sitting at the starting line in each of the tracks. There were treets, animals and etc.
It looked quite easy but there were hidden traps and obstacles. And all we had to do was jump or swing from one tree to another.
And we can't race on the ground. I think that's why is it called "No Grass."
We can rest if we want to but we can't run on the grass.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻. . .
It was easy for me and Sonic as we have super speed but our competitors weren't that bad. I and Sonic jumped from one tree to another while dodging the obstacles. It got harder and harder, however we believed that we could do it.
We dodged a big group of bees, stones, water and some poisonous snakes as well. Sonic and I were now swinging from one branch to another branch like monkeys. Well, he was just a little ahead of me, anyways, we are a team. We had just completed a quarter of track. There was still a long way to go.
Then, we reached a tunnel.
"How is this even a fair race?" Sonic said while we struggled to find the branches.
That's when our competitors went ahead of us!
"Stay calm. Stay calm." I muttered while we slowly made our way out of the dark tunnel, without touching the grass.
There were hidden booby traps on the trees which we didn't bother to be trapped in. We kept jumping and swinging from one tree to another.
"We need to be faster-" Sonic said while grabbing my wrist as he began to increase his speed. But that didn't make it any easier for me to keep my balance.
And suddenly! I stepped on something!
"Sonic-" I called out and he stopped to turn to me. But as soon as I moved, I felt something crawl on my back. . .
No, it can't be..
"S.. Sonic.."
His eyes widened and he slowly reached his hand out. "Shh.. it's nothing.. It's nothing.."
But then the thing crawled on my shoulder and I began to stiffen. My body started to tremble as Sonic ended up pressing on another bobby trap.
"Sonica-" Before anything else could happen, he immediately pulled me in his arms and swatted the spider away. ".. Dammit.. there are booby traps everywhere.."
Just as he finished his sentence— a huge bucket of spiders was emptied over us. I gripped his arms while screaming and ran here and there, dragging him along. "GET THEM OFF! GET THEM OFF!!"
"SONICA! CALM DOWN!! SONICA!!" Sonic yelled back while running alongside me. The spiders couldn't stay on our bodies much longer due to intertia.
I immediately stopped running once all the spiders were off of me and I put my hands over my face while sniffling and hiccuping. "I am sorry- I am s-sorry.."
Achranophobia is my closest rival..
I literally began to cry.. My whole body felt uncomfortable..
"I am sorry.." I sniffled, wiping my cheeks and whimpering.
Someone hide me, please! I didn't mean to—
𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗖'𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗩
..Why does she always say she is sorry when she is sad..?
Without a second thought, I slowly pulled her in my arms and stroked her quills. "Shh.. it's okay.. You were just scared.. It's not your fault.. It's not.."
I glanced up as the clouds and thunder began to roar. Weather had been real strange lately.
"It's okay.." I continued to stroke her quills till she calmed down.
I had never seen someone being so scared of spiders.. She looked as much scared as I am with water.
She then pulled away while sniffling and stood up. "Ugh, this is all because of me."
I stood up after her, my hand still on her back. "No, it's not-"
"I won't let you lose because of me.." She immediately grabbed my wrist and pulled me back onto the tree.
"W-whoa-" i barely managed to balance myself on the branch.
"I won't let Amy lose her hammer because of me.."
With that said, she began to jump and skip over thr branches so fast that for a second I thought I was floating!
All I could think was 'Whoa!'
"Sonic, hold on there!" She shouted while swinging me over to the farthest tree and I quickly hung on the branch with one hand, using my other hand to grab her's.
"We can't lose, Sonic! We can't!" She said while I pulled her up to balance on the branch.
I opened my mouth to speak but then she grabbed my arm again and began to drag me along.
I noticed her quills were.. giving off yellowish sparks?
How is that possibl-
Then all of a sudden- the trees bent over?!
N-No way!
"Sonica! Are you seeing this?!" I shouted while we were now running over the bent tree trunks that made formed like a bridge for us.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" she yelled back while pulling me by my wrist as we ran.
WAS I HALLUCINATING?!
"Almost there, Sonic!" I heard her yell and I looked to my side, only to find our competitors swinging by the branches while we were running over straight tree trunks?!
"Sonica, I am-"
"Come on, run faster!" She gritted her teeth and pulled me along for a jump in order to avoid the arrows that were set in the booby trap.
But then the lightning bolt on her forehead flickered and suddenly—
We went *ᘔ O O ᗰ ! ! !*
Then we crossed the finish line in the blink of an eye! It felt like we teleported!
She then let go of my wrist and kneeled down on the grass, panting. "Finally.."
Wait- I quickly turned around to look at the trees again but they were back to normal..
I was definitely hallucinating..
Just then, the leader arrived.
"Uoy now eht tsrif eno. Won owt erom tfel."
Sonica nodded at the leader while panting. I looked at her and just blinked.
She wiped her cheek, trying to control her breathing, "He said that we won the first one. Now two more left.."
"Yes! You are amazing!!" I immediately lifted her, hugging her tightly.
She chuckled and patted my shoulder. "We did it together. Now put me down."
So amazing!
𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔'𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗩
The best song to match this situation would be 'I survived by the skin of my teeth'
Because we INDEED put our heart and soul into this race!
And hard work always pays off, sooner or later!
And the fact that I made Sonic believe he was hallucinating is definitely not by choice.
We wouldn't have fun in another way.
And.. let's NOT talk about the way I cried like a baby, haha..
Arachnophobia isn't a joke.
Now the sun was beginning to set..
And the leader said that the next challenge will be tomorrow and he hopes we won't run away.
Well, that was out last option if we failed the challenges.
Then we were sent inside the prison where the others were, and one of the tribe members did not forget to lock the door from outside.
Immediately! Any hugged Sonic tight, saying, "Sonic! Did you win?!"
I rubbed by arm while leaning against the wall. Remembering our earlier moments made me happy and fuzzy inside. The feeling beat the feeling of jealousy.
Then they separated from the hug and Sonic said, "Yeah, we won the first game. Now two more left and soon you will get your hammer back, Amy."
"I hope so." Amy sighed.
"So, what happened there? We couldn't see anything 'cause we were here." Tails looked at Sonic expectedly.
"Well-" Sonic got cut off as a tribe member came in with some bowls of soup and placed it down before leaving in silence.
"I forgot I was hungry." Sticks said while walking to the bowl. "We are suffering here because of your hammer."
"Wait! We don't know if its safe-" before Tails could finish his sentence, Sticks already drank the soup and wiped her chin, "Delicious! This soup is better than Amy has ever made!"
"Excuse me!?" Amy glared at Sticks but Sticks acted as if she didn't notice and continued to drink her soup.
Then Knuckles, Amy, Tails, Sonic and I also took a bowl for ourselves.
After we were done Tails leaned against the wall, seated on the ground, "So, tell us what and how you two won today?"
Sonic looked at me and I just nodded.
Then we began to tell every detail like a grandparent storytelling their grandkids.
That thought made me chuckle, internally of course.
— TIᗰᗴ - ՏKIᑭ —
"If I had a key then I would surely be free from here!" Amy said while looking outside the window.
And I remembered Key.. whom hadn't seen Key since 2 days..
I hope Key got enough water, no weeds disturbed and-
"Guys, I am time sleepy..." Tails yawned, stretching his arms.
"We have to sleep on the ground?" asked Amy and Sticks nodded.
"Okay.. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Everyone marked their territory and lied on their respective portions.
Knuckles and I were the breads of the sandwich. Sonic, Amy, Tails and Sticks were the cheese, tomatoes, onions, meat, etc in-between.
Wow, my mind is wandering a lot..
Sonic was lying down beside me and Amy was beside him. And I was facing the corner of the wall.
Soon, I heard snorings..
But I was just thinking about Key..
I hope Key is okay..
I sighed and lied on my back, looking at the roof, my arms folded behind my head.
"You're still awake?"
I looked at Sonic and looked back at the roof. "I thought you were asleep."
"Yeah...well, I wasn't that sleepy so..." Sonic cleared his throat, looking away.
I sighed and turned to face the wall.
"Can I ask something?"
"No." I replied.
"Well...h ow come you are so afraid of spiders? I mean you used to be emotionless before and I thought that you weren't afraid of anything. But..today what I saw confused me." Sonic whispered, looking at the roof.
"I said no questio- Oh." I paused for a second and turned to face him, "well... I have Arachnophobia, you know.. the...fear of spiders...."
Sonic whispered again, looking into my eyes. "But how did you get this Aracho- or whatever phobia? Is it since birth?"
I sighed, "I don't think it's since birth. I don't remember clearly but...when I was a small baby... I was playing in the cradle but just then so many spiders jumped on me out of no where. I cried and cried very hard. I think I even choked.. then a shadowy figure saved me and picked me up from the cradle and hugged me while I was sobbing."
There was silence between us..
"Well...to be honest... I... may have Acqua phobia...I can't swim." Sonic chuckled nervously.
"Was that a secret?"
"Uh... well...it was for me but my friends already found that out... so..."
I just hummed in response, closing my eyes as I began to get sleepy. He was warm.. Wait, don't go there.
"Sonica! A spider on the wall!"
My eyes widened and I quickly moved away from the wall, curling up into a ball. "Shoo it away!"
But then he chuckled and I realized he lied. . .
So I slowly uncurled and pounced on him with a growl! "If you ever do that again, I swear I am going to kill you, hedgehog!"
He chuckled and suddenly flipped me over, swapping the positions, "Oh really now?"
Oh boy..
"..get. off." I muttered, looking to the side. My heart was beating faster.
Oh no- a rose bloomed on my side! But I shifted a bit to squeeze the rose under my back.
Then he bit his bottom lip and said, "Sonica.. I want to tell you something."
Thank god he didn't notice, but-
"I don't want to hear! Just get off!" I snapped, unable to face my true feelings.
Sonic opened his mouth to speak but then Knuckles yawned, still asleep.
I took the opportunity and quickly pushed him off of me. Without wasting a second, I faced the wall, my heart pounding and face heated up. "Go to sleep, Sonic!"
I didn't say anything more and slightly curled up, still facing the wall.
Calm down, Sonica. Calm down. Calm down.
But then he had to whisper and I facepalmed again.
Dear fate, why?!
"Sonica"
I grumbled, burying my face in my hands. "What?"
"..is there anyone you like?"
I paused then looked at the wall as a flower bloomed on my hand, mumbling. "..maybe. So what?"
He quickly sat up in surprise and looked down at me. "Really? Who?"
As if I will tell you!
"It's a secret. Go to sleep now!"
He rolled his eyes and lied back down, whispering from behind. "..fine. But let me ask you something."
".. what is it?" I mumbled, staring at the wall.
He cleared his throat amd whispered even more quietly. "..do we.. have a chance?"
I curled my hands into tight fists while my eyes went wide. Thank god, I was facing the wall!
"do we have a chance?!" I I don't know- Maybe yes?
"I mean.. like.. in tomorrow's challenges.. Do you think we can win against them?"
Oh..
"You were talking about that..?" I felt.. disappointed. But then I looked at the rose in my hand that turned into ashes, and I shifted closer to the wall, "Yeah, we have a chance to win every challenge tomorrow.. After all.. Amy will be heartbroken if we lose, won't she?"
"..yea." He yawned and folded his arms behind his head. "We have to win.. one way ot another."
"Yeah.."
You are really lucky, Amy..