Knuckles the Echidna copyright SEGA Enterprises LTD.
Delphine, Comet and related characters are copyright Delphine Kiminsu.
Jared Matte copyright himself.
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"One is the lonliest number you can do..."
--"One", Filter

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Running
Part 3: One Is the Lonliest Number
--Delphine Kiminsu

Delphine Kiminsu sat up. She was in a small bed, inside...
a what? an igloo? a cave?
And why was she still alive?
The room was bright. There was a fireplace in the corner, made up of red brick. There was a small cauldron hanging over the fire, and a bowl on top of the mantelpiece. Her clothes were dry and neatly folded up next to her bed...
CLOTHES! She quickly pulled the blanket up around herself. Now she was getting worried. And angry.
She looked herself over. Her hands were cold, bruised, and sore, and had severe cold burns on the backs of them. She was pale, and bruised in various places. Probably from frostbite.
cold burns? she thought to herself as she got dressed. I wonder who came up with THAT name... 
As she was finishing putting her clothes on, a large male white echidna stepped into the room. She stopped and looked at him.
"Oh, you're awake."
"Very good. You've got two seconds to start explaining before I get mad."
"You almost froze to death. I found you." He shrugged and walked over to the fireplace. After a doing a quick search of herself, Delphine discovered both her dagger and Medallion were missing.
"Where are my weapons?" The echidna pointed to a table. Delphine walked over, and picked up her dagger, Medallion, and her power-link. She hadn't even noticed that she hadn't had it. She walked back to the bed and sat down. She felt a little safer now, but she felt weak as well.
The echidna walked over and offered her a bowl of soup. She took it gratefully.
"How did you find me?" She asked a few minutes later, when she was halfway through with her soup.
"I tripped over you," he told her with a grim smile. She shivered. "What are you doing out here anyway? You don't look like you know anything about the 'cold life'," he said with a slight laugh.
"In a sense, I'm lost," she told him. "My fri-- did you find anyone else out there?" she asked suddenly, remembering Comet.
"No." Her face fell. "Were you with someone?"
"Yes," she whispered. He sighed and nodded.
"There is more soup on the fire." He walked out of the room. Delphine refilled her bowl, then wrapped herself in the blanket and sat on the bed. A single tear found its way down her cheek.
She finished her second bowl of soup, put it on the table, and looked around for her pack. She found it on a chair. She took out a mirror and hairbrush and absently fixed her hair.
messy hair is a pain she thought. She thought about what she knew.
After Comet had disapeared, she had wandered, desperatly looking for shelter. She had passed out in the snow. Apparently, her host had found her and brought her here.
how long have I been here? she thought suddenly. days? over a week? She sighed and sat in a chair. She knew Comet hadn't fallen into the snow... She believed Comet was alive, somewhere.
And she was determined to find out.

"You really shouldn't go out there. I won't be out there find you a second time."
"I know," Delphine said, "And I thank you; I owe you my life. But I have to find out what happened to my friend. Even if she did," she swallowed, "...freeze, I want to be sure."
"If your friend did freeze, she could be a mess. You might not want to see it."
"I've seen worse," Delphine murmered. The echidna sighed.
"If you're sure... at least let me supply you." He retrieved what he could spare and what she could carry: matches, flint in case the matches became wet, small sticks that could be used to create a small fire, food, water in a special thermos that would keep it liquid, a blanket, an ice pick, and rope. "Be very careful. There are dangerous... things out there."
"I will. Thank you." She took the supplies, put them in her pack, and left. The echidna watched her go.
"That is one brave young girl," he murmered to himself. Then he closed the door and disapeared inside.

"If Del came here," Jared muttered, "she won't stay long."
"Or she'll stay forever," Knuckles muttered back. They were huddled in front of a small fire, inside an ice cave.
"Don't be so pessimistic."
"I'm not; I'm being realistic."
"Did you take lessons on being annoying recently? Because you're REALLY starting to bug me." Knuckles glared at Jared.
"Maybe you'd like to survive out here on your own."
"What a kick in the pants for you it would be when you found out I made it." Knuckles leaped at Jared, grabbed the collar of his jacket, slammed him into the wall, and pinned him there. Jared blinked, trying to make sense of the world again.
"Maybe I should just knock you out and leave you here. 'Cause you're really starting to bug ME!"
"Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you? No more competition for your precious little girlfriend."
"SHUT UP!" Knuckles threw him across the cave and into the oposite wall. Jared slammed into the wall, then fell to the floor. He pushed himself up and held his head. Knuckles stood where he was, seething with anger.
Jared took his hand away from his head and looked at it. When he didn't find any blood he gave a small sigh of relief and sat against the wall, eyes closed. Knuckles glared at him when he figured out that that was it.
"Giving up?" Knuckles said with just the right amount of smugness to really piss Jared off.
Jared opened his eyes slowly and looked at Knuckles. Knuckles looked back with a tiny little smug smile.
"I never threw a punch. I never started, so I can't quit." Knuckles smug smile turned into an expression of hatred.
"I could kill you with my bare hands."
"Would you?"
"Yes." Jared stopped and focused on Knuckles expression. He wasn't kidding. Jared swallowed.
"Fine. Go ahead. I can't stop you." Knuckles glared suspisciously. Jared's face was blank. Whatever he was thinking, it didn't show. Knuckles slowly calmed down and started thinking. Did he really know what he was doing? No.
Knuckles sighed. "I--" He was interupted by a loud crack. Then the cave around them started shaking. Knuckles fell against the wall, and Jared pulled himself up.
"What the hell?!" Jared heard another crack and looked up. The ceiling was about to fall on them. "LOOK OUT!" The both dived, Knuckles going one way, Jared the other. The ceiling fell in on them.

Delphine whirled around and stared at the ground in front of her. It had fallen in underneath her, but she had caught herself and glided away from the hole. Snow and ice piled up to the top, leaving a few inches of space in left to see through. Delphine didn't dare walk over and look. She turned and kept walking.
In front of her was a large mountain; and if you looked at it the right way, it looked sort of like an ice castle. Something that strange deserved some exploring.
She made her way across the frozen terain to the mountain. She searched around, slipping and tripping, until she found an entrance. She walked into it, and instantly felt warmer, away from the slowly falling snow and chilling winds. She shook the snow out of her hair and off of her jacket, then moved on.
The inside was dark, which was quickly remedied by her flashlight. She looked around, realizing that she was underground. The brown earth was frozen, so it didn't crumble under her touch.
Delphine turned a corner and sat down. She shivered a little against the cold ground, and took out a sandwich. She ate slowly, thinking about what she would do.
She wiped her mouth and stood up, finished with her lunch. She set off again, looking for any signs of life.

Knuckles sat up, a hand to his head. He looked around. He was halfway under the rubble. Before digging himself out, he looked around. He was closed in on all four sides. He looked up. A tiny sliver of sunlight fell through. He dug himself out, then climbed up to the top of the rubble. He started digging, until he cretaed a hole big enough to get through. He wriggled out, then looked around. He didn't see anyone. 
He saw something in the snow, and stopped.
Footprints. Half covered in snow, but traceable.
He ran, following the footprints. He didn't know whose they were but they had to belong to someone going into shelter.
Or a dead body.

Jared stared at the wall of snow. He wondered if Knuckes was on the other side, or trapped underneath.
He dug into the snow, but all he found was his pack. He sighed and turned around. The ice cave stretched into miles and miles of catacombs. If he was going to find a way out, he'd have to hurry.
He started walking.

Delphine stopped and looked around. She was standing on the edge of the path, looking down. A wide, circular place went down miles and miles into darkness. Delphine loked for a palce to climb down to a lower level.
Her jeans caught on something. She looked down and saw a small white creature that only came up to her knee. She shook her foot free and knelt down to look at it. It was furred, with large, extremely cute blue eyes. It's back feet were clawed, as well as it's front feet, which looked like they could be hands. But she wasn't sure. Delphine smiled and petted it. It chattered happily, then ran back into the caves. She furrowed her brow. 
"Strange," she murmered. She couldn't find a way down, so she glided down until she found some more ground. She looked around. She couldn't go any lower, she discovered, because there was no more ground to land on, until a few miles down, which looked like a frozen lake. But she didn't know how frozen. It might have only been iced over.
She shrugged and walked into more caves, searching. She turned a corner and stopped, staring. A city, dug into the dirt, lay in front of her. It's ocupants where the same as the creature that she had seen before; except most of them seemed to be taller, maybe up to her waist.
must have been a child she thought.
Somebody cleared their throat behind her. She turned to see who it was. One of the larger creatures(they WERE up to her waist, as she had thought) was looking at her, with an expression of confusion.
"What are you? What are you doing here?"
"I'm human... and I'm sort of lost."
"Human?!" The creature backed into the wall, eyes wide.
"I'm not that kinda human..." she sighed and shook her head. This wasn't going to be fun.
"Please, leave me alone. I don't have anything for you."
"I don't want anything from you. I'm just exploring." The creature stared at her.
"R-really?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Good." Delphine looked at it, confused. "We like visitors. As long as they're not hostile." Delphine grinned.
"I'm far from it." The creature smiled.
"Come, I'll show you around..."

Knuckles gasped and sat on the ground. He didn't have his pack, and he couldn't go any further without his flashlight. He sat on the cold floor. He was starting to get hungry. And tired. He looked around. He had no idea how to get food, but he could sleep in here... it WAS warmer.
He curled up and shivered. He wasn't sure if he was going to wake up, but sleeping in the cave had better odds than passing out in the snow. He closed his eyes and slept.
Jared shivered and pulled himself up. He had slipped and fallen, slamming his shoulder into the ground.
"I'm not going to make it out alive," he realized. He swallowed and leaned against the cave wall. His throat felt tight and his legs felt too frozen to walk any further...
What if he did make it out of the cave? What then? He still had nowhere to go, and nothing to make a fire with.
"I'm doomed," he said to himself, and half laughed, half sobbed.
He picked himself up and sighed. He was going to go on as long as he could. Maybe he'd find someone... or someone would find him...

Delphine was by herself, in yet another room. This one had nothing but a bed and a wooden chair, plus the fireplace, but the floor was carpeted. Delphine took her jacket off and sat in front of the fire, enjoying the heat.
"If I ever see snow again, it'll be too soon..."
"Miss?" Delphine looked up. One of the many creatures she had befriended was holding a tray with food and a cup on it. "Supper?"
"Yes, thank you." Delphine took the tray, and the creature left with a big grin on her face. Delphine shook her head and put the tray down, looking through the food they had brought. Vegtable soup, chocolate chip cookies, and tea. "These guys sure know how to treat a guest," Delphine said with a grin. "Let's see... soup for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, more soup and cookies for supper... I'd say I've eaten my fill today." She tested the soup. Delicious. She ate all of her soup, then got into the cookies and tea.
Later, another creature brought her hot chocolate-- with marshmellows. While she was drinking it, one of the younger ones shyly came in. She grinned at it and it played with her.
The creature's mother came in and spoke in a language Delphine didn't understand. The younger creature drooped, then walked over to her mother.
"I'm terribly sorry-- she's very curious."
"It's all right. She didn't do anything wrong." Delphine started to stand up, then decided against it. She didn't want to frighten them.
"Why..."
"Why what?" Delphine prompted.
"Why are you here? We haven't seen humans for years."
"I'm the last human left native to this planet." The creature's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Unless there are some in hiding. All the rest are dead. There are a few other humans I know of, but they're from a different planet." The creature looked more closely at her. 
"You look a lot like a human I met once... his hair was red, and his eyes were the same color. And he had that same sparkle."
"Was... was his name Darren?"
"Yes, yes, I think it was! Do you know him?"
"He's my father. He's... gone."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. That was many years ago." Delphine sighed.
"I should let you get some rest." The creatures left. Delphine closed the door and looked at the bed.
"Might as well," she said to herself. "I might not have another good nights sleep for weeks..." She laid in the bed and went to sleep.

Jared shivered and looked through his pack until he found something to eat. His hands were blue and numb, but he eventually found food.
With the ache in his stomach subsided, he started looking for some water that wasn't frozen. He didn't find any, but he did find a cave that was made of rock instead of ice. It was a little warmer, and he was so tired...
He put down his pack, used it as a pillow, and instantly fell asleep.

Knuckles woke up and looked outside. It was dark, but the snow had stopped.
He walked out of the cave, picked a direction, and started running. Hopefully he would find shelter, or food, or water, or at least a warmer climate.

Jared sat up. He had hardly gotten any sleep, and he was still tired. But regardless, he got up and set off again.
Hours later, he was still wandering. And he was freezing alive. He kept walking, though, hoping he would find something...
He heard a crack. He froze and looked around. He was ankle deep in snow (his feet were FREEZING!), but it didn't feel like hard ground underneath...
Another crack. He slowly started walking back the way he came...
Before he knew what was happening, he was under freezing cold water. He accidenly tried to gasp and sucked in ice cold water. He struggled to the surface, spit out water, and sucked in air. He tried to climb onto the edge, but the ice kept crumbling under his weight. If he kept on life this he might...
Finally he found solid ground.. or ice. He was too frozen and numb to care. He started running, hoping to get away from anymore frozen lakes, and to get a little warmer.
"AHHH!" He found himself sliding down the side of a hole. He slammed into the ground and screamed again from the pain, and stayed there, on his stomach.
He tried to climb up the sides, but no matter where he tried, it was too slippery and he kept falling back. He leaned against the wall. He was shivering uncontrollably, soaking wet. No... wait... good news. He wasn't soaking wet. The water was freezing to his clothes and skin.
Should he call for help? Would anyone hear him? He had to try. 

His cries went unanswered. He shivered and sunk down into the snow. I'm going to die he thought morbidly. He thought about attempting to climb back up the sides, but decided it would be useless.
Several times he imagined he heard footsteps. Each time he called out for help, but never an answer came.
Jared sat against the side of his hole and felt despair take over. He tried to make himself warmer, but nothing he did or tried worked.
Still shivering uncontrollably, he took food and a flashlight out of his pack, then threw it up to the top of the hole. Maybe somebody would see it...
And find him.

Several hours later, Delphine blinked, woke up, and stretched.
She walked out of her room and walked around a while, thinking.
One of the smaller creatures shyly walked up to her. She smiled.
"Hi."
"Hi. I... can I show you the caves?"
"Sure," Delphine said. The creature grinned.
"C'mon!" It ran off, and Delphine hurried after it, chuckling.

Knuckles tripped and sank into the snow. He pushed himself up with one hand. He was tired, hungry, thirsty, sore, cold, and almost ready to give in to the snow.
He was sinking back into the snow, too tired to get back up, when he felt a hand grab his arm and pull him up. He wearily looked at whoever it was, and saw a large male white echidna. Knuckles felt confused, but decided not to think about it at the moment.
"You look like you could use some help," the other said, sounding slightly amused. Knuckles nodded. The echidna helped Knuckles into his house, and Knuckles fell asleep as soon as he fell into the bed.

The creature ran along ahead, stopping every once in a while to show Delphine a particular group of icicles or other thing. they walked along for over an hour, exploring and discovering.
Delphine was about to suggest that they go back, since she was freezing, but she stopped. She saw something brown, half buried in snow. She ran until she was up to it, and knelt next to it. It was someone's pack, but it wasn't burried. It had been thrown or dropped.
She stood up and looked around. There was nothing...
She stopped. She had almost missed it. A small hole in the ice, that could have gone down quite a few feet... She walked to the edge and looked down. A close look showed that there was someone trapped in the hole. They could have been unconscious or dead. Delphine wasn't sure.
"Hey!" No answer. The creature ran up.
"What do you see?"
"There's someone down there." Delphine looked around, and tied her rope to a large pointed rock, which looked like there was no way to pull it out. Then she climbed down into the hole. She could have flown, but she didn't want the creatures to know about her ability. For some reason she didn't think it would be a very good idea.
She reached the bottom and ran over to the person. She looked at his face. And froze.
"JARED!!" He was pale, blueish-purpleish in some places. Ice was frozen to his clothes and skin. She shook him, trying to wake him up. "JARED WAKE UP!" He moaned, then blinked.
Jared slowly regained consciousness. He felt very cold, and very near death. Everything was very blurry, and nothing made sense. He wondered how he had awoken.
"Jared?" Someone's voice said softly. But it still sent a ringing through his ears, and caused an aweful lot of pain.
"Ow." He slowly brought his hands up to his head. He hurt all over. He was freezing. Where was he...
"Jared, it's Del," The voice whispered. Jared blinked and looked at the person.
"Del?"
"What happened?!"
"I... I... fell..." His eyes closed and the blackness returned...
"DON'T PASS OUT AGAIN!" But it was no use. Delphine sighed and stood up. She tied the rope around Jared's waist, then climbed up. She looked aound for the creature. It was standing on the rock, watching Delphine. Delphine pulled on the rope, pulling Jared up. She reached down and grabbed his collar when she could, then yanked him up. She untied the rope and put it away, then picked Jared up. He was very limp. "He's going to die if I don't bring him back," she said to the creature.
"Okay." The headed back to the city.

Knuckles slowly sat up and looked around. He knew where he was, but he hadn't gotten a good look at the room before.
He stood up and walked out of the room. The other echidna was sitting in a chair, reading something. Knuckles cleared his throat, and the echidna looked up.
"Ah. You're going to need supplies."
"Supplies?"
"I don't suppose you plan on staying."
"No. I need to find someone."
"Hm. You're not the only one." The echidna went around collecting things.
"...What do you mean?"
"There was a girl here earlier today, looking for her friend."
"A girl? A... human girl?" Knuckles didn't think it possible, but...
"Yes. The echidna looked at him. "You know her?"
"Unless there's another human girl wandering around here."
"Which I highly doubt."
"Did she say where she was going?"
"No, nothing. Just that she was going to look for her friend. Female, if I remember correctly." Knuckles sighed. There was no way he was going to find Delphine now...
Half an hour later, he was all packed and ready to leave. He thanked his host, then ran towards the east, where the other echidna said the climate became warmer.

He very slowly, very painfully sat up. He was instantly colder. He lay back down again and pulled the covers around him, then stared at the ceiling.
where am I? Jared turned onto his side and looked around the room. A fireplace in the wall, with something cooking. Smelled like soup. A pack by his bed, and a set of clothes by the bed.
He slowly realized that his clothes were on the FLOOR and not on HIM, and again wondered where the hell he was.
The door swung open, and Jared pretended he was asleep.
Delphine walked into the room (lacking her jacket) and closed the door behind her. She glanced at Jared. Still asleep. She sighed and walked over to the fire. The soup was done. She pulled it out and let it sit there, not in the fire but close to it. She was about to leave when she heard... something behind her. She turned and looked. Jared had shifted in his sleep...
Delphine grinned and walked over. "Jared, wake uuuup. I know you're awake. It's Del." Still nothing. She grinned, reached under the blankets, and tickled his ribs. He laughed and opened his eyes with a gasp.
"OKAY!" Delphine laughed and backed up a step.
"I knew you were awake."
"Obviously." She grinned, then picked up his clothes and handed them to him.
"I'll be back in a minute. Be so kind and put these on."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"Well..."
"DON'T answer." Jared grinned, and Delphine left the room. She took a walk around the city, talking to various creatures and playing with the children. She stopped by the public kitchen and picked up a couple of bowls and spoons, then headed back to the apartments. She entered the rom. Jared was fully clothed, his shoes on the floor and his jacket on the bedpost. "I don't suppose you're hungry."
"I suppose I am." Delphine filled one of the bowls with soup, left a bowl and spoon on the mantlepiece, then gave the bowl of soup and a spoon to Jared. He took it and pratcially devoured it.
"Don't eat so fast! You'll make your self sick."
"I don't care," he said between spoonfulls. Delphine rolled her eyes, then pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed.
"Jared... what in blazes made you come here! You were pratically dead!"
"I... was looking for you." Delphine started to say something, then what he said sunk in.
"WHY?!"
"Because... I... we need you."
"Sonic doesn't," Delphine said with bitter resentment.
"So? That doesn't mean you have to run away." Delphine sighed.
"I wasn't just running away from him." Jared stopped.
"What?"
"I... I just don't want to be a Freedom Fighter anymore, that's all." Jared sighed.
"Like hell you don't." Delphine rubbed her arm.
"I just..." She looked away. "I thought I'd seen everything. Nothing could faze me."
"And then Sal was killed."
"Right. And I discovered I COULDN'T handle it." She sighed. "I'm not good enough. I thought I was, but I'm not."
"Del..." He stared at her. "What do you mean, you're not good enough?! You're the best!"
"No, I'm not." Jared sighed.
"Don't tell me I came all the way out here, chased after you for weeks, almost DIED, and you won't even listen to me?!" Delphine looked away. "I guess so." He picked up his sneakers and started putting them on.
"What are you doing?"
"Leaving."
"What? You can't leave!"
"Why not? I have no reason to stay." He stood up and put on his jacket.
"Jared! You're still sick."
"I'll live."
"You might not!"
"What is it to you?"
"PLEASE! Don't go out there ang get yourself killed!"
"I don't care. So why should you?" He walked out the door.
"JARED! DON'T GO!" She went to the doorway and looked out. Jared was quickly walking away. "You don't know the way out!"
"I'll find it!" She stopped. She couldn't make him stay.
"FINE! I DON'T CARE!" She slammed the door, leaned against it, and slid to the floor. "Yes I do," she whispered. "I care a lot. Jared, come back..."

Hours later, Jared was out in the middle of a snowstorm. He was just outside a cave that exited the city. He could easily find his way back, but he didn't want to swallow his pride. He couldn't even get her to CONSIDER coming back.
"Knux would've been able to..." Something brushed against him. Somethig warm. Maybe one of those things that inhabited the city?
He was pushed over. The snow softened his fall, and he quickly sat up. He saw nothing.
"Who's there?" No answer. "What the hell's going on?!" Still no answer. He stood up and slowly walked back towards the cave -- until he realized he couldn't see it.

Delphine had been watching Jared from the cave since she had found him. She knew he was cold, but she wasn't going to call to him, because she didn't want him to go any farther. When the snowstorm had started, she had started having trouble seeing him. Now it was impossible to see him, and he was shouting at someone.
what the hell? She still didn't call to him. He probably knew his way back to the cave.
But then...
...she felt...
...that something...
...was...
...not...
...right...
...at...
...all.
"Jared? Are you out here?" No answer. She stood up straight and walked to the edge of the cave.

Jared heard Delphine call his name, and turned towards it. The cave must be over there.
He didn't want to call back... but...
Something wrapped around his neck. He gasped and tried to pull it away. A rope was around his neck... and he couldn't breath. Whoever was holding the rope was stronger than him. He hoped he could pull it away long to call out to Del...

"Jared! Answer me damnit!" She sighed angrily and turned to go.
"DE--" Delphine turned on her heel and looked around nervously. Someone had tried to call out to her. She suddenly had a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She took a step away from the cave, and heard sounds of struggling over the storm. Someone whose voice she didn't recognize started talking, and she froze.
"She can't hear you, or see you. She's gone. Give it up, I'm stronger than you." Ther was no reply. Delphine took another step out into the storm, and saw Jared struggling againt a... human?! 
what the hell?! "JARED! HANG ON!" Delphine slammed into the man who had the rope around Jared's neck. The man let go and fell into the snow. Jared fell to his knees, gasping and coughing. Delphine grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the cave. He stood up and they ran to the cave. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Delphine screamed at him. He gasped and shook his head.
"I don't know!" They walked away from the cave entrance and closer to the city. Jared stopped and Delphine kept going. She glanced back at him, sighed, then looked ahead, not stopping. Jared didn't follow.
She paused a moment. "Still leaving?"
"Soon as the storm lets up." She shrugged and walked on. Jared watched her, and with a sigh, called out to her. But she didn't answer.
She was staring ahead. One of the creatures had a gun in its hand, and it seemed to be looking for someone. It hadn't seen her yet. She hid behind a boulder and looked over it at the creature. It saw Jared, ran closer to him, past Delphine, and hid behind a rock. Jared had turned around, so he wasn't watching. Delphine slowly slid around to the other side of the boulder and watched the creature. It raised its weapon and aimed for Jared. Delphine realized what was going on.
"Jared! Move!" Jared turned around and looked at her. The laser hit him right in the chest. He screamed and fell to the ground. Delphine jumped out, ran up to the creature, and grabbed it. "What are you doing!"
"Lemme go!"
"YOU SHOT HIM!"
"He'll be okay! Put me down!"
"I'M GONNA..."
"PUT ME DOWN!" Delphine blinked, then set the creature down.
"Why did you do that?!"
"I thought he was someone else. I'm sorry. I shot just before I saw his face." Delphine remebered the man outside.
"He'd better not be dead or your explanation will mean shit." She walked over to Jared and took his pulse. Seemed normal.
"It was only on stun."
"...where did you get that thing? It's hard enough for us to get ahold of one..."
"I bought it from a trader. A weasel."
"Probably Nack. And he's not a trader, he's a jerk. And a con-artist." She turned and looked at the creature. "Who are you afraid of?"
"A man. A human man. He's been causing trouble. Stealing children and food. My son..." Delphine stared.
"I..."
"Not everyone is like you two." The creature turned and walked away. Delphine furrowed her brow.
"So. You are human." Delphine jumped a little and looked over her shoulder.
"You! You're the guy who..."
"Yes." He pulled a weapon out of his inside coat pocket. Delphine studied it. It was like a gun... only it wasn't. "Have you ever been shot with one thousand volts of electricity?" Delphine swallowed and took a nervous step back.
"What do you want?"
"I'm bored." He yawned, then chuckled. Delphine took another nervous step back. Then she suddenly remembered her Medallion.
Jared gave a slight groan and opened his eyes. Delphine glanced at him, then shook her head slowly, once left, once right, back to the middle, and stopped. He didn't move, but tried to see what she was all worked up about...
The guy who had tried to strangle him. He closed his eyes and stopped breathing.
"Well? Go ahead. Shoot me." Delphine tensed, waiting for it.
"Hey, no way. You're ready for it. I'll wait 'till you're not." He turned and walked over to a rock, then sat. Delphine stared at him. Then she slowly knelt next to Jared, keeping her eyes on the other guy the whole time. She gently shook Jared, and he opened his eyes and let out a breath.
"Is he gone?" he murmered. Delphine shook her head slightly, then stood up.
"Is 'e dead? 'Cause that would be a loss. It seems that killing him would be fun."
A lot of people seem to think that lately Jared thought with a sigh. Delphine said nothing.
"Not going to tell me? Well, I'll just have to confirm it..." He raised the gun and aimed for Jared. Delphine threw an energy blast at him. He was knocked into the wall and then knocked out. Delphine sighed, and Jared stood up.
"I don't see why you didn't do that earlier."
"Wasn't in the mood." He gave her an odd look, then stood. Delphine walked over to the man, took his weapon, and a small pack that was around his waist. Jared gave her a questioning look. "Souvenir," she said to the unanswered question. He shrugged, and the two walked back to the village.

"Fine then, I'll come with you."
"I don't want you to get hurt anymore than you already have been."
"Impossible. I think for a moment I was actually dead..." He was talking about how she had told him off earlier, because she wasn't going to go back, but he didn't say that.
Delphine picked up her jacket and put it on, then tossed Jared's to him. He caught it and put it on.
"Do you have any idea where you're going?"
"No." She sighed. "I need to find Comet." She glanced at Jared. "Out of curiousity... how come you never asked about her?" He sighed.
"I figured something had happened... and I didn't want to make things worse." Delphine smiled.
"Thanks." Suddenly, she embraced him. After a second, he hugged her back.
"Wha--?" She put a finger to his lips.
"Sh." They picked up their packs, and left.

Knuckles stood on the grassy hill and looked over the land. It was still a bit cold, but not life-threatening. He hoped her could find someone whom could help him.
He walked down the hill.

Comet awoke with a start, and for a moment thought she was in a dream. Then the pain hit. Her head, back, legs, tail,everything hurt. It was hell.
The room she was in was made of black, moss covered moldy stone. The ground was damp and cold. Her legs were chained to the floor, and the chains were so short she almost couldn't stand. The moment she did, though, a wave of nausea almost choked her, and she lay down again.
One question burned through her mind.
"Where am I?" 

To be continued...