Fan Fiction / Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Marines Journey - The SHODAN crisis ❯ Chapter 9: Finding out true feelings and a day without magic? It’ll be easy! Won’t it? ( Chapter 10 )

The Marine's Journey

Chap. 9 - Finding out true feelings and a day without magic? It'll be easy! Won't it?

By: Piccard

Today I, the three-time holder of the `No Glancing' award, bring you chapter 9, I won't go into details, but I think you can guess what's going to happen by the title.

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Disclaimer: Must I say it again? I just own Piccard Arrowsmith, Anaetheron the Hell Knight, any other characters you don't recognise from anywhere, and a 5 pound off voucher for the charity shop.

Embrace the end? Well you're reading this fic!

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She came out a minute later in her nightclothes. "You have us by your side now, and I couldn't bear it if anything terrible happened to you again, earlier you had me in a panic! Just be more careful in future, for me." She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek before climbing into her own bed. Jon and Tom both turned to see a bright red Piccard, and they both started laughing. "Oh come on guys!" He shouted.

And so everyone was asleep now, Piccard was being teased all night by his spirit friends and Dark Piccard was stalking around looking for a place to stay, not only to be able to battle Piccard, but also to dodge the hellspawn out for his arrest. He had many different plans formed in his head, many of them he considered, and then he came up with one that caused him to stop and laugh. "How can I even consider that?" He walked down the street muttering, "I'm pretty sure that teaming with my Light side is the last thing either of us wants!" as he disappeared into the night.

The next morning, Amy awoke at nine to find the bed opposite her empty. She checked the bathroom and no one was there. She got dressed and checked the holodeck; again, he wasn't there. "Where's Piccard?" she said to herself as she went downstairs. She reached the kitchen door and she heard three voices behind it. She easily recognised them as Piccard, Anaetheron and the Doctor. Not to be discovered, she opened the door a crack and saw Piccard sitting in a blue armoured vest, with the door open she could hear everything they said.

"Yes Doc, I mean what I said, I DID have access to the spirit realm, and I DID speak to Tom and Jon!" Piccard was saying, for the Doctor was sceptical about this announcement, until Anaetheron chose to speak up. "It's nothing unusual Doctor, many spellcasters are alleged to have this ability. I often saw Arch-Vile's meditating and talking to themselves, we did an experiment to test this theory, we monitored them in their sleep using psionics." "Hang on!" Piccard interrupted. "I may have magics, but psionics are out of my league at the moment!"

The Doctor sat back and put his arms behind his head. "But this is not what I wanted to talk to you about." "Oh?" The Doctor looked at Piccard, "As you know I have trouble when it comes to expressing my feelings, you might say I'm the Spock of this century!" The Doctor chuckled at this, and Anaetheron merely gave the `I don't think I want to know' look. "And there's something I want you to explain to me." The Doctor was sitting forwards again. "It only happens when I'm around Amy, and I don't know what it is." The Doctor took out his tri-corder, "Is it an allergic reaction?" Anaetheron asked, "Hardly! I don't know why, but whenever she's around, I feel like my temperature rises, and my heart rate gets faster. Can you help?" The Doctor looked at Anaetheron, and folded his Tri-corder and put it away. "Well, the news is that there's nothing wrong with you, it's just that you're confused." "I know that, that's why I'm asking you." The Doctor sighed, "It's not an illness, it's, hmm, how can I explain this?" "Maybe you could just say it?" Piccard emphasised the word `say'. "It's simple." The Doctor smiled as he said his next line.

"Its love!"

Piccard's eyes went wide at hearing this. "A-a-are you s-sure?" He stuttered. "Yup! I haven't seen this much confusion since Seven and Chakotay!" Piccard stood up and promptly walked towards the door opposite the one Amy was behind. "Where are you going Piccard?" "To the holodeck Anaetheron, I need to think things over." Piccard promptly left, and Anaetheron and the Doctor began talking about why Sonic would have so much alcohol in his house if he were a world hero.

Amy however had left her hiding place and went back up to her room, as she turned the corner, she saw Piccard turning into the holodeck. "I'll give him a few minutes before I go in." She thought as she entered her room. She was wondering how to tell him her feelings. Piccard however was going through a dilemma with his mind. "Do I really love her? I mean, I do care deeply for her, but is that Love? I don't know, how can I tell her? And why would she love me anyway? She's a 14-year-old hedgehog with her whole life ahead of her; I'm a 17-year-old human marine who's been to hell and back with an 18th birthday approaching fast! I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to go inter-species! How would she react if I told her? Would she laugh? Would she walk away? Or would she feel the same?" Piccard's mind was a blur as he tapped in a program, "Might as well get some training in."

Meanwhile, Dark Piccard was walking down a street, people who recognised him from the mall kept well back, and those who didn't stayed back for he looked the sinister type. But if they could see under his helmet, he would appear totally different. `Yes Light side, you got the magic, and I got the psionics. But I'm surprised that you didn't realise your love for this girl, man, if I knew your feelings were causing you more pain than I did, I wouldn't have bothered in the first place. I only wish I wasn't the dark killer I appeared to be, then I might be able to get close enough to help without you trying to blast me into the middle of next week.' And unbeknownst to anyone, he shed a tear under his helmet, before regaining his composure and walking down the street.

Amy meanwhile, had just finished preparing herself for what was about to happen, not only emotionally, but mentally as well. As she left her room, she saw the Doctor coming out of the holodeck. "I just told Piccard that I don't want him using magic for the rest of the day. But he seemed like his mind was on something else." The Doctor said as he walked past Amy, `No need to cover up Doc, I heard you talking.' Amy thought to herself as she went to the holodeck controls. She looked it over and pressed a few buttons, the doors opened and she went in.

What she saw was the complete opposite of the engineering core, or the Poledes port. She saw grassy fields as far as the eye could see, and in the distance, a forest in front of a mountain. She was standing in the middle of a tiled area, she could see archery targets at one end, and judging by the number that hadn't even hit the target, she could tell that this whole thing was really getting to Piccard. She heard a quiet noise coming from behind a small tree just to her left. As she walked over, she saw the blue armoured vest and a bow with a set of arrows in a quiver on the ground, and Piccard sitting with his back to the tree, playing a small instrument. He was wearing a light blue shirt and black jeans and had his eyes shut while playing. Amy silently sat down close to him and listened to him play. Piccard was not even aware that anyone else was there.

The Doctor however was just entering the main room where everyone else was sitting, some of them not happy with being dragged from bed at half nine in the morning. "What's all this about?" Knuckles raged as Anaetheron was restraining him from bashing the Doctor's emitter, for said Doctor had barged into his room and called him and Rogue down immediately, while they were doing something where they would have preferred not to be disturbed. "Quiet, I have something I want to show you!" The Doctor ordered as he turned on the T.V. There for all to see were Piccard and Amy, Piccard was still playing. "What's Zis?" "This, Antoine, is a way for you to see what's going on in the holodeck without needing to go there, and seeing whose in there, it should be an interesting watch!" The Doctor proudly stated as he sat down on the floor by the couch. "Nice song." Sally said, everyone agreed with this.

Piccard was just coming to the end of his song when he heard clapping coming from his right. He dropped his instrument and turned to see, "A-A-Amy?" He stuttered again, "Nice song, Piccard, very peaceful. What instrument is that?" He picked up the light red instrument "It's called an Ocarina, I wanted a hobby where I didn't have to rely on magic to be good." He said as he put it down on the grass next to him. It was obvious to her he was uncomfortable with all this, and remembering his reaction in the kitchen, she decided it would be better if she spoke first. "Piccard." "Hmm?" She looked into his eyes, and didn't see a 17 year old any more; she could see someone with the innocence and fear of an 11 year old, a child that never had the chance to grow up, if you will. "There's something I need to talk to you about Piccard, and I've been meaning to say it for a while." `A while, we only met a few days ago, and. Wait, is she gonna say what I think she's gonna say?' Ran through Piccard's mind. "Go on." "I didn't really notice it until after Tails told us you were unconscious after you jumped into the power core. I knew you'd recover, but it still scared me. It wasn't until after your battle with your dark side that I finally noticed it." `So, The Doctor told them Dark's origin's ay? I should be mad, but he saved me the job!' "After that fight, and I saw all your injuries I thought you would die. Even after what you told me, I still thought." She stopped at that point and started to cry. "I still thought you would die on me!" She grabbed Piccard in a bear hug again, but instead of prising her off with his sword, he just hugged her back. "Please don't cry. I hate to see cute girls upset!" He spoke to her as he held her, while thinking `Please god, even if she doesn't feel that way, at least let this moment last!' Fate wasn't on his side as Amy let go. "What I'm trying to say is that I, I, I." She was stuttering worse than Piccard was, but the onlookers were going mad, and it wasn't just the lot in the front room.

In the front room, were various cries of "Say it!" "Come on!" and "Tell him already!" along with the slightly muffled "Please state the nature of the medical emergency!" which the Doctor only said to annoy everyone.

Dark Piccard was also watching, and was nearly having a fit. "Come on Light side, just interrupt and tell her yourself, you can do it!" He was saying to himself repeatedly as he was sitting on a bench in the park.

In the spiritual realm, Jon and Tom were also watching the two in the holodeck. "They have to do this!" Jon said while getting Tom and himself a drink. "If not for us, at least do it for your own happiness Piccard!" Tom was shouting at the screen. "Never knew you had it in you." Jon said as he bought the drink over.

"Amy, I also have something I want to tell you, but I don't know how to phrase it myself. I just hope it's also what you're trying to say." Piccard told her. "Piccard, I." He held her left hand. "It's okay, take a deep breath, and speak while your breathing out." As she was breathing in, Piccard's nerves started playing up, his demeanour was starting to slip and his nerves were starting to become visible to all watching. As she breathed out, she finally managed to say it.

"Piccard, I love you."

Piccard was at a loss for words, that was the last thing that he had expected her to say, and all earlier doubts that he had in his head as he was entering the holodeck, while he was practicing his archery, and while he was playing his ocarina had now been thrown out of the window. His face started to go red after hearing this and he found it easier to speak now.

"Amy, I love you too."

They were both a bright red as they hugged each other in a tight embrace. The expression on Piccard's face had changed from a totally scared and unsure to a look of pride and invulnerability. He put his thumb under her chin and lifted her head to make eye contact. "You have no idea how much this has put my mind at ease." She merely smiled. `I have a vague idea.' Their heads were now getting closer, and closer until after what felt like an eternity, their lips locked.

The onlookers generally all had the same reaction.

Those in the front room were cheering, clapping and whatever else you can think of. While they were doing this, Anaetheron got up and walked to the cabinet. "How about we celebrate." "Erm, if you remember, you drank all the wine, and I ain't touching that synthetic crap." Anaetheron raised his eyes and opened the cabinet. "Calm down Sonic." He said as he pulled out the synthetic bottles. "I left six at the back. The original plan was that I drank six and then put the empty bottles behind the full ones, which I'd put at the front, but I did not account for falling unconscious!"

Dark Piccard nearly had a heart attack at what he saw. He let out a loud "YES!!!" and then noticed the number of people giving him weird looks. He dismissed them off by saying, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you!" He hated to admit it so easily, but he felt happy for his light side. `Am I going soft?' he thought as he walked off.

In the spiritual realm however. Tom and Jon were ecstatic. They high-fived and Tom started giving orders, "Get the champagne out, we'll give him a party when he gets here tonight." Jon raised an eyebrow. "Remember, he told us he doesn't drink alcohol, and I'm sure he won't now!" "I have a way, and don't worry, I'm sure they'll like it!" "They'll?" "Of course, I'll transfer Amy's spirit here as well tonight."

Meanwhile, the two in the holodeck were enjoying the feelings that were surging through them. As their tongues probed each other's mouths, Piccard was starting to regret not understanding his feelings earlier. They broke their kiss and Piccard looked at his watch. "It's half 12!" "Time flies when you're having fun!" Piccard laughed at this before speaking again. "Won't we be expected at lunch?" "I'm sure they won't mind if we tell them after." Amy said as she closed her eyes and lay across Piccard's chest. He smiled at the sight of this, and leaned against the tree and closed his own eyes. Meanwhile, everyone downstairs was just starting to calm down. "Hey it is lunch time." Tails reminded them. "I'm cooking!" Rogue shouted, "Oh boy!" Everyone else groaned. "Looks like the Doctor's the lucky one, he doesn't have to eat it!" Anaetheron said, "And is it really as bad as you make it sound?" "Anaetheron mate, you'll have to wait and see." Geoffrey told him.

"I won't do it!" the Cyberdemon yelled from his chair as his boss was ordering him to attack now. "You will, or you'll die!" "Fine, I'm not on duty, but I'll see what I can throw together, but it won't be much." He turned to his com panel. "I want two Revenants and an Arachnotron to be beamed down to the co-ordinates of Station square." After he gave his orders, he noticed energy patterns waiver as the three were beamed down.

Meanwhile, everyone was suffering from Rogue's cooking except for The Doctor and Rogue herself. Just as he was starting to scan them, they heard a scream from outside. "Not now!" The Doctor looked out of the window, followed by Rogue, They saw an Arachnotron, similar to the one before, and two skeletal creatures coming towards the mansion. "Anaetheron, Two skeletal creatures in shoulder armour and launchers on their shoulders, what are they." "Revenants, be careful, they might be able to home in with those missiles, depends on their model!" was all he could manage before he passed out. "Looks like it's just us then." Rogue said to the doctor, "Hang on, without the sword, I can't fight like this." The Doctor started pressing buttons on his emitter. "What are you doing?" "Watch this! Emitter, Activate E.C.H!" The Doctor's uniform's blue trim changed to red and four gold pips appeared on his left lapel. "Now I can fight!" He shouted to Rogue while running out.

The Doctor (Even though he's the command hologram now, I'll still call him The Doctor) looked them over, none of the were taller than he was. "How can we beat them without weapons?" Rogue shouted to the Doctor. "Maybe we won't have to." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Sabreclaw blades Piccard gave him yesterday. "Use these, try not to break them!" He said, throwing one to Rogue, "You take care of the Revenants, I'll take care of the Arachnotron!" She nodded and ran towards the skeletals.

Watching from a street corner was Dark Piccard, "She won't survive, and she'll need help!" He said to himself as he primed and aimed his rocket launcher. She delivered a drop kick to the first one causing it to reel and lose its bearings. She turned to the second one and managed to cut off one of it's arms, causing it to scream, she then kicked it square in the pelvis (There's no way to tell if they're male or female!) and kicked it in the side of the head, causing it to smash into a wall and shatter. While she was doing this, the first one got up, and roared. She turned to see it charging a rocket, and she didn't have enough time to get out of range. Just then, she noticed something flying towards it. It was a rocket, and it exploded on contact. The Revenant turned and fired, Rogue wondered what at, but the she saw Dark Piccard running from his corner and firing rocket after rocket. The Revenant called to the Arachnotron, which turned and fired plasma bolts to neutralise the rockets, which it succedded to do. The Doctor saw this as his moment of opportunity and jumped high, plunging the blade through the Arachnotrons glass shield, causing pieces to fall and shred the brain. The Doctor winced when he saw all the blood and bits of brain spurting out. "Oh dear, um, perhaps, you'd like an analgesic cream?" He turned to see the other Revenant fall, with Rogue looking at something down the street. Dark Piccard looked up from reloading his rocket launcher to see Rogue and the Doctor watching him. He saluted them and ran down a side street.

The Cyberdemon was watching the events while sweatdropping, for he had to listen to his boss's anger. "You should have sent more than that." "I could have if I was on duty!" The boss's voice was now practically screeching, "Dark Piccard turned on us! Now don't let this happen again! I hate to be beaten by a hologram and a bat whore!" She stopped the transmission at this point and just missed the Cyberdemon's glare and him roaring "God damn it Woman! Do you have no sense of ethnics at all? I wish I never volunteered to help you!" He calmed down and sat back down.

In the holodeck, Piccard and Amy woke up. "Nice sleep Piccard?" "Of course, dear!" She giggled at this and then looked at Piccard's watch, "We missed dinner as well, it's gone 7:30!" Piccard looked down at his watch. "Oh Bloody Hell!" was all he managed. "What say we just go down for something to drink and then tell the other?" she agreed and they both left the Holodeck after Piccard put on his armour, picked up his ocarina and his bow and quiver, and after disabling the program, picked up the arrows from the floor where the target had been.

After putting the bow, quiver, ocarina and armour back in his room, he and Amy walked down to the kitchen, and on their way, noticed The Doctor, who was still in his command outfit, treating the injured. "E.C.H, what happened here?" Piccard asked as he walked up. "Just the Doctor will be fine when I'm in my command form. Besides, they were all infected by an unidentified creation." "Which was?" Anaetheron sat up, being the fastest to recover. "Rogue's cooking!" Said Rogue then whacked Anaetheron with a frying pan, knocking the Hell Knight out. "I know my cooking's not excellent, but it has been worse." Piccard refrained from commenting further when he saw the look on the bat girls face, as he kneeled and helped the Doctor with the `Patients'.

This has to be the weirdest chapter you have ever read in any story on Fanfiction.net, come on admit it! Anyway, how was it, Good, Bad, looks like David Blunket wrote it? Please review.

Piccard, ending chapter, finally happy!