Vision Quest: Painful Partings

by Ed Becerra
_____________________________

   Kickaha woke slowly and painfully.  He wasn't sure where he was at first.
It didn't look like his lodge.  He turned his head.  Big mistake.

   "Ahhhwoooooo!"  The howl brought Sasha and Suni to the side of his bed.
At least he thought they were Sasha and Suni.  It would've helped if the
room had stopped spinning.

   "Oh, Fortuna!  Everything hurtsss!  Wha' happened?  Wha's goin' on?"

   "A stupid coyote pushed himself too hard and made himself ill.  That's
what happened."  Sasha was irked.  How could she cure her patients if they
insisted on overdoing things, before they had a chance to heal?

   "She's right, Kickaha.  I don't know what you did there in cyberspace
with Davey, but you've been asleep for over a day and a half.  When you
didn't wake up after eight hours, we brought you to the infirmary.  What on
Mobius did you do to yourself?"  Suni frowned at him.  This coyote was
almost as stubborn as her boyfriend.

   Kickaha looked uncomfortable.  "Ahh... Let's just say I overdid it.
There are a few things I... really shouldn't talk about, outside my tribe.
Please?  It's important."

   "All right.  But don't do it again, or we're going to keep you here for a
week!  Now, lay back and let us work on you."

   "No!  You mustn't!  It's dangerous for you!"  Kickaha gasped.  He
flinched and tried to squirm away from Sasha's glowing hands, falling from
the bed.  "toH!  'oy'vetlh net jay'!  mevqu'!  Qo'!"

   The two healers looked at him, confused.  They couldn't understand a word
he was saying.

   "Qo'...  I mean, stop!  I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I should have warned you.
Davey told me about the psionic backlash that happened when you touched his
shoulder, the day after he arrived.  I don't want to hurt you that way.
Please!" Kickaha was moaning from the pain of the fall, yet he kept trying
to edge away from Sasha.

   "All right, all right, we won't!  Just calm down, Kickaha.  Let's get you
back into bed.  I promise that we won't try anything psionic on you, if you
don't want us to." Suni helped him up.  "But you've got to promise _us_,
that you'll do what we tell you to until you're better."

   "I promise.  va', 'oy'vetlh.  ghay'cha'!"  The two healers got Kickaha
back into bed.  Sasha looked a little puzzled.

   "What was that you said, Kickaha?  It didn't _sound_ like Mobian."

   "Oh."  He looked embarrased.  "I'm sorry.  I guess I started thinking in
tlhIngan.  It's what we speak at home.  I guess no one here understands it."
He blushed.  "Uhh... I was a little scared, and said some things I shouldn't
have."

   "Well, we won't mention it, if you don't.  But you're going to promise us
to stay in this bed for at least two days.  And you are _not_ going to over
do it until you're completely healed!"

   "lu' Qel... err... yes, Doctor.  Whatever you say."

**********************************

   Two days later...
   
   Kickaha was celebrating his first day out of the infirmary in Antoine's
coffee shop.  He was mildly suprised that Antoine knew what chickory was,
and had some.  He ordered a large cup, and sat down.  Kain, an albino fox
from another planet, who'd crash-landed here a few weeks back, joined him.

   "Hi, Jedi!  How are you?"

   "Pretty good.  Hey Kickster, you know where Ryan went?"
   
   "I dunno, best guess says that he's over in the woods with Sandra."
   
   "Doing what, pray tell?"
   
   "I don't wanna know... " He muttered to himself "you better not join
in, Old Coyote."

   "Hey, there's Davey!  Hey, Dave!"  Kain waved at David.
   
   Kickaha looked that way.  "Dave?  What's the matter?" *Fortuna!  If he
looked any lower, he could play handball on the curb!  Talk about
depression!*

   "Hi.  I'm okay.  It's just that... "
   
   Sonia walked up behind David at that point.  From the look of her aura,
Kickaha guessed she was doing the telepathic thing again.  When Davey
suddenly turned around to look at her, he was certain.  He put a paw on
Kain's shoulder.

   "Let's leave them be.  She's the medicine he needs right now.  We'd just
be in the way."

   Kain looked at the two of them.  He smirked, "Yeah.  You're right,
Kicker.  She's just what the doctor ordered."

   "Ooooh...  That's _MY_ line, Kix!  I'm supposed to be the guy with all
the bad jokes around here.  It's in my contract!" Kickaha groaned.

   They turned back to their drinks, carefully _not_ paying any attention to
the couple in the back of the coffee shop.

***********************************

   Late that night, Kickaha took a short walk to enjoy the night air.  He
saw the two lovers standing by the shore of the Ring Lake.  He watched as
the Power Ring appeared and they shared it.  He smiled as they kissed.

   *He'll be okay.  He's got a girl who loves him.  And that's all anyone
really needs.  Someone who loves you, and who you can love back.  Fortuna
bless and keep the both of you, children.*

   He turned towards the trail to his lodge and sighed.

   *A hedgehog and a fox.  Who'd have thought it possible?  Not my people.
That's for certain.  Maybe that's the surprise that Old Man promised me.
Maybe _I'll_ get a second chance.  I lost her once.  Perhaps....*

   And he headed home, to get some sleep.

***********************************

   The next morning Princess Sally stopped by Kickaha's lodge.  "You've got
a message waiting for you at Minoc Grove, Kickaha.  And some packages."

   "That's odd.  I didn't think that anyone knew I was here at Knothole."
Kickaha looked puzzled.

   "Well, since Davey's busy, I'd planned on going there myself, to do some
shopping.  Would you like to come along?"

   "Yes, I think I'd like that.  Thank you, Princess."

                                   * * *

   When they arrived, Kickaha followed Sally around, carrying her packages
for her.  She told him he didn't have to, but he insisted.  He waited until
after she was done shopping to head over to the post office.

   There were two large parcels the size of trunks waiting there for him,
and a third the size of a shoe box.  After scratching his head for a bit, he
decided to pick up the packages on the way back to Knothole.

   He loaded the transport with Sally's purchases and the mysterious
packages and they headed back to Knothole.

                                   * * *

   When they arrived at Knothole, Sally asked Kickaha about the packages.

   "I don't know, Princess.  I guess I'd better open them and find out."

   The two larger packages turned out to be Kickaha's belongings, from his
lodge out on the High Prairie.  At the sight of the contents, his eyes
tightened.  Sally noticed that he approached the smallest package slowly, as
though he were expecting bad news.

   He opened the small package and looked inside.  Suni, who was standing
nearby, saw him tense.  The box fell from his hands, spilling the contents 
to the ground.  Sally and Suni looked at them.  A broken flint knife with a
horn grip, and what looked like a long white scarf.

   Kickaha stared down at them.

   He reached for them.  He placed the scarf over his shoulder.  Then he
took the stone knife in his right hand, and before either Sally or Suni
could stop him, he drew the blade across his left palm, cutting deeply,
drawing blood.

   He stood there for a long moment, the blood soaking his fur, trickling
down his arm to the earth at his feet.  Then he clenched his fist until the
blood oozed between his fingers.  He pressed his palm onto the scarf,
leaving a bloody handprint on the cloth.  He carefully took it from his
shoulder with his good hand and replaced it in the box.  The knife he put
in a vest pocket.

   Then he bent and scooped up a small handful of the bloody soil, placing
it in the box with the cloth.  He turned to Sally and Suni.

   "Princess, I have to send this package back to the Wild Pack.  Could
someone give me a ride back to Minoc Grove later?  Suni, I seem to have
cut myself.  Can you take me to the infirmary?  I need to get this healed.
I don't want to miss my first mission with you and Davey."  Kickaha spoke
calmly.  Sally and Suni were stunned.  He acted as if nothing had happened.
Then Sally took a closer look.  Kickaha's eyes were... empty.  And there
was a tone in his voice, one that sounded colder than the Arctic sea.  She
took charge, as she always had.

   "I can take care of that for you, Kickaha.  And Suni will see to your
hand."

   "Thank you, Princess.  I wouldn't want to miss a chance to blow away some
of Snively's scum-bots." He handed her the box.  "Just send it back to the
address it came from.  It will reach the right people.  They made certain of
that."

   As he headed to the infirmary with Suni, Sally got a couple of volunteers
to take the trunks to Kickaha's lodge.  Then she looked inside the box
again.  She shook her head.  A long white cloth with a bloody handprint, and
a small handful of blood-soaked earth.  What did it all mean?

   *Well, time will tell,* she thought.  *Time always tells us everything.*

   *Eventually.*

***********************************

   After the mission to the power station had ended, Kickaha was relaxing in
his lodge, installing some new software that Rotor and Bookshire had given
him.  He whistled tunelessly.  Sally's mission had gone well, and on the way
back, the group Kickaha was with had rescued Lucella and Sammi Hedgehog, two
of Sonic and Suni's relatives.  On top of that, they'd saved a squirrel
called `MechTail' from some sort of living costume.

   *Damn, I hate Windoze 95!  Maybe I should go spirit walking and have a
talk with my soul-kin.  There has to be a copy of the Amiga OS out there
somewhere.  Or Unix.  Too bad Davey can't roboticize Bill Gates.  That'd
take care of the problem!*

   Suddenly, young Kopter ran in, crying.  At first, he couldn't understand
what she was saying.

   "Calmly, youngling, calmly.  What's the trouble?"

   "Oh, Mr. Kickaha, Uncle Davey's hurt!  Real bad.  Miss Sammi heard that
he was Ro-Butt-Nik's son, and she... she... " and the little vixen started
crying again.

   He picked the young fox up and hugged her until she stopped weeping for
the moment.  "She did what, child?"

   "She spin dashed right on top of Uncle Davey!  He's all torn open!"  And
the crying began anew.

   *Oh, Fortuna!* he thought, as he rocked the sobbing kit.  *No good deed
goes unpunished.  Father Sky, how could she?  Oh, David, my friend.  Will
the pain never end for you?*

   "Listen to me, young one.  Do you want to help David?"

   "y..y..yes, Mr. Kickaha."

   "Good.  You're too young to give him any blood, and I'm the wrong race.
Coyote and fox aren't compatable."

   "...com..compat.."  The little fox stumbled over the word.

   "They won't mix right.  But there is something we CAN do.  And I'll need
your help."

   "o.. o.. okay, Mr. Kickaha."
   
   "Now you sit right there.  I've got to get something ready, first." He
spun through his lodge with the speed of a prairie twister.  It seemed hard
to believe that a month ago he'd been crippled by arthritis.  In a moment,
water was boiling on the stove, and he'd thrown a handful of leaves, berries
and herbs into the small pot.

   A few minutes later, it was ready.

   "All right, then.  Kopter, pay attention.  I'm going to drink what's in
the pot, here.  It will help me to help Davey.  But I won't be able to move.
I won't be able to take care of myself.  I'll need some one to watch over me
and keep me safe.  Can you do that?"

   "Yes, sir."

   "Don't call me sir; I worked for a living."  He smiled at her.  "That's a
joke, little one.  Now you take good care of my body while I'm gone, ok?"

   "Okay, Mr. Kickaha.  But where are you going?"

   "To get somebody who _can_ help David.  Old Man Coyote."

   As he drank the now cool liquid, he thought, *First the summoning, and
now using this stuff.  Coyote's gonna be furious at me!*

                                   * * *

   While Kickaha sat by the fire, Kopter looked around his lodge.  She'd
never seen anything like it before.  A dream catcher hung from the doorway.
A table with a glass top held a sand painting.  Some small totems and a
medicine bundle sat on a shelf near the kitchen.  An odd looking sword,
shaped like a cresent moon, hung on hooks next to a bookcase.  The shotgun
he'd captured from the swat rested along side of it, together with a
recurved bow and a quiver full of arrows.  On a small table near his bed lay
a painting, face down.  She turned it over, curious.

   A much younger Kickaha stared back at her, a proud and fierce look in his
eyes.  He had his arm around the waist of a beautiful female bat, who looked
back at him with love.  Her ebony fur was blacker than the night around
them, and glittered with silver flecks that resembled tiny stars.  They
stood together under the starry sky, silhouetted by the rising moon.  Kopter
noticed some writing in the corner.


      "I don't believe in the Stars or the Planets,
       Or Angels watching from above.
       But I believe there's a Ghost of a Chance,
       We can find someone to love...

           And make it last."

        Forever, my love.  And farewell.


   It was signed, "Nightsky".
   
   That's when Bookshire came looking for her and saw the painting in her
hands.  She handed it to him, and explained what Kickaha had asked her to
do.  He read the words, and sighed.  *Another broken heart to mend.  I'm
sorry, my friend.  And I wish you well.*

   "Well, Kopter, since Kickaha needs your help, you can stay here till
you're done.  But then you must come right back to Knothole.  Understand?"

   "Okay, Mr. Bookshire."
   
                                   * * *

   In the spirit world...

   *He needs help, Grandfather.  Let me give of my strength to him.*
   
   #You aren't even fully recovered yourself, Grandson.  It would be
dangerous.#

   *He is my _friend_, Grandfather.  I _must_ do this, or betray all that I
am.*

   #As you will.  You are loyal to a fault, child.  You make me proud that
you are one of mine.#

   *I could do no less, and remain true to myself.  Let this be done.*
   
   #So be it.#

                                   * * *

   Kickaha let out a sudden gasp, scaring Kopter.  Then he slumped to the
floor.

   "Child, can you lend a hand?  I think I'll need some help getting to
bed."  His voice was very tired, but satisfied.

   "Yes, Mr. Kickaha!  Is Coyote gonna help Davey?"

   "Yes, Kopter.  He'll help.  Now let me lean on you, for a moment."  As
she steadied him, he noticed that the painting had been moved.  "Did you
look at that, youngling?"

   "Uh-huh.  Did I do something wrong?"

   "No, little one.  I should have put that away.  If Sally asks about it,
tell her.  But no one else.  Ok?"

   "Mr. Bookshire's already seen it." she told him.

   He sighed.  "I understand.  Just... try not to talk about it.  Can you do
that for me?"

   "All right, Mr. Kickaha.  Do you want to lie down, now?"

   "Yes.  And then I want you to go home.  I'll be fine.  Sally's probably
worried about you right now."

   "Ok.  Thank you, sir."

   "Don't call me sir."  He smiled.  "Run along, Kopter.  And tell Suni...
tell her I hope Davey gets better."

   He sat quietly as the young fox ran out the door and down the trail to
Knothole.  *Was I ever that young?  I hope she can hold on to her innocence.
I lost mine long ago.  Fortuna bless you, child, you cheered me up.  Now, if
Davey can just recover, perhaps things will return to normal.*

   He picked up the painting, looking at it with sad eyes.  

   *Where are you now, my love?  Riding the prairie winds with the mate your
tribe chose for you?  Or have you been exiled, as well?  For your sake, I
hope it's the former.  I couldn't bear to think of you roaming the plains
alone, banished by the Tribes of the Night.  I'd rather be parted from you
forever, than see you hurt for my sake.  Be safe, my dear one.  Remember
Midian.  And forget me.*

   He set the painting on the nightstand and turned it to face the wall.
   
   *Forever, beloved Windrider.  And farewell.*
   

   It was said that the warriors of the Wild Pack never cried.  That wasn't
always true.

                                   * * *

     "I don't believe in Destiny,
      Or the Guiding hand of fate.
      I don't believe in Forever,
      Or love as a mystical state.

      I don't believe in the Stars or the Planets,
      Or Angels watching from above.
      But I believe there's a Ghost of a Chance,
      We can find someone to love.


           And make it last."

                                   * * *

-----------------------------------

Now for the legal stuff.

Sonic the Hedgehog, Princess Sally, Knothole, 
et cetera, by Sega of America
Blood and Metal, Davey Crockett, and The Wild Pack
by David Gonterman
Kickaha and Nightsky Windrider by Edward Becerra
Sonia Hedgehog and Kopter by Emily Smith
Bookshire Draftwood by David Pistone
Kix by Brandon Stewart
Sasha Prower by RottinKid

Coyote is a spirit of the native peoples of the Americas.
Please respect him as you would your own beliefs.