"So, it's basically a virus?" Peaches asked, gaining a nod from the yellow fox. "What's it doing to him?"
"Well, for one, we know it's affecting his brain. It's messing up the part of his brain that controls hunger, which as you know has spiked to unimaginable levels. It's also sending signals telling his cores to increase the temperature."
"So, basically, if it sin't stopped, he'll be burned from the inside out?"
"It'll take time though." Tails said, nodding. "His bodily tissues are quite thick around that area. That's why he's been able to take the heat without damage."
Peaches gazed over at Sonic who was was indistinctly yelling something at Manic. From where she stood, it seemed that the two were having a brother spat, and indeed, perhaps they were.
"Can it be cured?" She asked. Tails scratches behind his ear and averted his gaze.
"Well, I'd have to do more research to determine that." His eyes once again met Peaches'. "When I know, I'll let you know."
"Thank you, Tails." Peaches hugged Tails tight. "I appreciate it."
Peaches approached Sonic, Manic, and Sonia to find that there was an argument in progress.
"Could you tone it down Manic?!" Sonic yelled. "You're killing my ears!"
"Dude," Manic replied, "It's not my fault that my drums are so loud!"
"I can't even hear what you're saying; my ears hurt so bad!"
"Both of you stop it right now!" Sonia interjected. Sonic's ears were pinned against his head, signaling that he agreed with Sonia and very much wanted the argument to end.
"Manic," Sonic said, "I'm sorry, it's just. . ."
"I know." Manic replied. The two brothers embraced each other. Sonic then turned to Peaches.
"Sorry you had to see that." He took her hands in his and kissed her cheek. Sonic's quills bristled for a moment and he froze. Why did her cheek taste as appetizing as her neck? Sonic slowly pulled away from her.
"Sonic?" Peaches asked, caressing his face. "Are you feeling alright?" Sonic seemed distant and far away, but he nodded. He turned back to his siblings.
"Okay, guys, let's take a little break."
Manic and Sonia left the room as Sonic wrapped an arm around Peaches. He nervously scratched the back of his head before making a request. "D'ya mind if we get something to eat? I'm. . ." He blushed and nervously placed his hand on the side of his neck, rubbing it.
"You're what?" Peaches replied, unsettled by the way his voice had trailed.
"Well. . ." Sonic uneasily began, ". . .what feels like dying of hunger." Sonic grimaced as his stomach growled. "Ugh. . .I was trying to stop that from happening." Sonic had said that more to himself than anyone else. Peaches shifted uncomfortably, want to touch him, but aware that he would notice if she tried. Sonic placed his hand at the side of his head. He looked at Peaches. "What was my question again?"
Peaches blinked, shocked. How could he forget? He had only asked moments ago. Peaches shrugged it off and replied, "You wanted to know if I minded getting something to eat." Sonic flinched. The sudden movement startled Peaches, but Sonic didn't seem to notice.
"Oh yeah. May we?" Sonic was looking into her eyes, his emerald eyes pleading.
"Of course," Peaches softly replied and leaned in to kiss him. Her lips were appetizing to Sonic. He wanted to lick them, but refrained from it, knowing Peaches would hate it. Sonic almost whimped when the kiss ended. "Where would you like to go?"
"Oh God," Sonic replied, "i don't care, just somewhere we can eat." Peaches rubbed his shoulders. He seemed very stressed and on edge.
"It's okay, Sonic." She said, trying to help. "How does ice cream sound?"
"It sounds fine. Just get me there before this headache kills me."
Peaches gently grabbed his hand and led him to the ice cream parlor. They walked in, ordered, then sat at a random booth. Peaches was trying to have a conversation with Sonic, but he was getting side-tracked by his headache and hunger.
His eyes were tightly closed, his ears flat against his skull, and he was whining from the pain. He folded his arms on the table and put his head down. Peaches attempted to reach out and massage his head, but it was then that their orders arrived. Sonic raised his head and took a bite. he snapped up, forgetting about his headache and finished his sundae in a matter of seconds. Sonic went and ordered a second sundae. Peaches continued eating as she watched him scarf down the second sundae as if it were nothing. She had finally finished eating her sundae by the time he was half-way through his third sundae.
"Feeling better?" Peaches asked him just as he finished.
"Well," Sonic said, leaning back, "at least my headache's gone." He sighed and finally acknowledged that he'd been asked a yes or no question. "Yes. I feel fine." Peaches could tell that Sonic was far from fine. His gaze was sailing all over the place, watching the servers and those being served. He was looking anywhere but at her.
"Sonic?" Peaches caught his attention. "What's wrong?" His burning emerald eyes gazed at her. Peaches was frozen for a moment. Never before had she seen a gaze so beautiful, yet so frightening. His eyes truly did look ablaze and seemed to say; "You know well what's wrong." Peaches took a deep breath. "Sonic." he blinked and the terrifying look in his eyes vanished without a trace.
"Sorry," he quickly apologized without giving her the chance to speak. Peaches heard his stomach rumbling. She blushed and looked away. If she tried anything, Sonic would notice. It seemed like Sonic knew what she was thinking because he blushed until his face turned bright red and looked in the other direction. He got up from the table and grabbed Peaches' hand.
"We should get outta here. NOW."
Peaches was frightened by the tone of voice he had used on the last word. Because of this fear, she stood up and allowed him to lead her away from the parlor and to a meadow outside of town. Sonic took Peaches in his arms and sat down at the base of the willow tree in the middle. He put his head on her shoulder.
"Sorry about dragging you out here. I just couldn't stand being around all that ice cream." His stomach growled again and he absently let his hand run across the area for a moment. Sonic pulled away from her and leaned against the trunk, closing his eyes serenely. Peaches looked at his tummy and reached toward it. She froze when Sonic spoke again. "See something you like?" He opened one eye.
"You look cute when you're relaxing." Peaches replied quickly while blushing." Sonic raised an eyebrow an smirked.
"Mhm."
Peaches laid her head on his chest to get away from the conversation. Sonic gently ran his fingers through her hair before falling silent. After a minute or two, Peaches realized he wasn't moving either. She pressed her ear onto his chest and heard him breathing. Peaches sighed with relief. He was only sleeping.
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Sonic awoke to a burning sensation he was becoming familiar with. He looked down at his belly and pressed a hand against it. Then, he realized Peaches was gone.
"Peaches?!" He called as he jumped to his feet. "Where are you?!" He frantically looked around, panicking.
"I'm up here!" A voice called. Sonic looked up to see Peaches in the branches of the tree. She jumped from the branch, executed a perfect flip and landed in front of Sonic. "I thought you'd be hungry when you woke up, so I gathered some fruit." Sonic's tummy growled at the mention of fruit. Peaches laughed. Sonic slid down the trunk of the tree and drew his knees to his chest, embarrassed and frustrated. Peaches offered him an apple.
"I'm not hungry." Sonic growled. Peaches got on her knees and replied, "Are you sure? Because your stomach says otherwise." Sonic looked up at her, his eyes lit up like before when the two were at the ice cream parlor.
"Why do you have to taunt me like that?!" He yelled at her. "My stomach's none of your beeswax! It's gonna growl no matter what I say because I'm hungry all the goddamn time, and it never stops!" Tears were cascading down Sonic's cheeks and his reaction to her teasing shocked her. She reached out to him.
"Oh, Sonic, Honey. I didn't meant to hurt you."
"Leave me alone!" Sonic shouted as her hand came closer to his face.
"Sonic, please," Peaches begged, "I'm sorry. That wasn't fair to you. I'm truly sorry." When Sonic didn't move, or even look at her, she sighed and got up. "Well, I guess I'll go home now. Just understand that I am sorry. . .about everything. I have never wanted to hurt you."
Once Peaches was far enough away, the floodgates opened. Sonic cried until his throat hurt and he lost his voice, but he still cried and continued until he fainted.
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Sonic came to, noticing it was dark. He looked around and gazed into the sky, seeing the stars and moon had already risen. He glared at the round, golden moon and growled.
"I wish I were as full as you." He sighed, defeated. He felt disgusted by his own jealousy of an inanimate object. His belly gave a low and angry growl, catching Sonic's full attention. Sonic was startled for a moment, but then recognized the sound and recalled his situation.
"Oh yeah. . .that's right." He said as he tilted his head back and gazed at the moon, his hand over his growling stomach. He could feel the beating of his heart there, and he could feel the flesh pulsating alongside the beating. Sonic swallowed the urge to cry again and focused on getting something to eat. He didn't know if he would be able to wait until he got home, besides, he was sure he would faint again if he tried to go too far on an empty tank.
Sonic closed his eyes and opened his nose to his surroundings. Sonic's black nose darted back and forth, then stopped. He smelled something. . .something alive. Judging by smell, it was only about a foot from where he was standing. Sonic crouched low to the ground and prowled like a panther. And when he was close enough, he pounced.
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Sonic reached the house and lingered at the door. He was horrified by what he had done and could still feel the paranoia flooding his body. What would Peaches think if she knew? Sonic didn't want to know. He prayed that she wouldn't find out and that this was a one time thing. Sonic took a deep breath and entered the house.
"Peachy-Babe?" Sonic curiously called, expecting her to answer. When he didn't get a response, he began to worry. "Peaches?" Sonic wandered through the dark house. Sonic finally found Peaches asleep in bed. He was about to wake her when he looked at the clock.
"Midnight," Sonic whispered. He was shocked by how long he had been unconscious. Sonic growled in frustration. This was all his stupid hunger's fault. The fight with Peaches, the fainting, and the never ending pain. He just wanted things to be how they used to be. But Sonic knew things may never be the same again.
Sonic, getting a slight headache from thinking too hard and not wanting it to get worse, crawled in bed with Peaches and tried to get some much needed sleep.
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Peaches woke up to find Sonic sleeping beside her. She was relieved to find him there, safe and sound. He was out so late, she had begun to fear that something horrible had happened to him. His tummy growled, which began to wake him. He slowly opened his eyes and gazed over at Peaches.
"Good morning, Sonic." She said, gently rubbing his ears.
"Good morning, Babe." Sonic replied, a half-sleepy smile on his face. He then remembered their fight. "Uh, Babe," he spoke as she rose from the bed, "there's something I need to tell you." She turned to him, prompting him to continue. "I'm sorry about yelling at your yesterday. I was upset and embarrassed, but it was still wrong of me to have reacted the way I did. I'm sorry."
Peaches gave Sonic as kiss. "Apology accepted."
