FSE

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"By the Aurora! This is what Outlanders call music?" Frostfire gazed in awe at the fifty-something bodies standing before her that were dancing to the beat of the concert's music. Shot stood next to her, totally oblivious to what she said.

"I like the blue one..." The Squid said with a dazed voice and her eyes were glued to the Hedgehog that was playing the guitar. Frostfire squinted over at her friend with a raised eyebrow.

"Huh?" The Snow Leopard finally said, matching her gaze with Shot's to the guitarist, who was currently doing a solo. Frostfire observed Sonic for a minute, examining his motions and peered back at Shot with a smirk. "Ah, yes. I can understand your fascination with him."

The two of them moved a bit closer towards the stage where the Sonic Underground dominated with their ever-growing passionate music. Frostfire stood side by side with Shot, admiring the speedster.

"He definitely has... charm." Frostfire added, cocking her head slightly.

Shot turned her head quickly and narrowed her eyes at the Snow Leopard. "I saw him first..." She grumbled.

Frostfire's face adorned slight fear and worry. She sensed the fury that only appeared dormant in the Squid. Frostfire knew her friend long enough to know she could easily chop her up with her words if she wanted to. "I-I was just stating an opinion! D-Don't think anything of it!"

Shot's scowl shifted into a bright smile. "Okay!" She returned her attention back to the stage. Frostfire's apprehension evaporated and her body relaxed. She huffed a chuckled to herself at how quickly her friend could change her emotions. She beamed at the thought of her spontaneity and how it made life more interesting.

Frostfire studied the other faces she could see on the stage from where she stood. There were a number of individuals on the side of the stage, including a Bat, black and red Hedgehog, a Pink Hedgehog, an Echidna, and a Fox. The Tlavian concluded these were the band's closest friends. Their cheering confirmed this for her. She looked back at the trio of jamming hedgehogs. It was only at that moment Frostfire could visibly see the green Hedgehog.

She gaped at him unmovingly as the sweat from her brow slowly rolled down her face. The Snow Leopard's heart sprinted and soared as he continued being the Underground's harmonious pulsation. She hadn't felt these feelings since the first day she noticed Snejok. Seeing the Husky was as if she was a fly on the wall or that she didn't even exist. Even after he acknowledged her existence, it was like a dream. It was happening all over again.

The raw emotion she felt was as if her feet left the ground when all the while, she was close to becoming one with it. Frostfire's stupefied countenance dulled to a mere enamored expression.

"I, uh..." Frostfire chuckled nervously. "I admire the green one's rhythm. He's very..." Her normally white-gray fur gained a tinge of red. "He's inekonartok." She bit her lip a little, uncontrollably twitching her tail a couple of times.

"Say what?" The Snow Leopard's puzzled expression matched Shot's bewilderment. Fifteen long seconds tumbled within the silence between both girls before Frostfire gathered what was meant.

"O-Oh!" The feline's already flushed face now worsened with embarrassment. "Apologies, my friend! Uh..." She gently scratched her cheek with her claw. "It's a Tlavian word tha-that means, um... h-handsome." Frostfire's eyes drifted downward.

Shot's eyes glinted. "Ohhh, I get ya." She winked at Frostfire, making her blush even more.

Frostfire hadn't the foggiest idea as to how to deal with this newfound infatuation. She looked over at the Hedgehog, drumming away and sighed deeply.

"It's just a fascination, nothing more..." Frostfire replied somberly. She may not be in the tundra anymore but that didn't stop her from believing that life could truly go on or even be the same. Everything has changed. She's but a Snow Leopard in a snowless land, an outsider where ever she roams. Water, the very thing she fears, is home to her only friend. Her former only friend has been captured and probably Roboticized by now. And now here she is standing amidst many people, unable to comprehend the possibility of gaining feelings, let alone a crush, on an individual she will never see but once. Too much has changed and all she wanted to do was go back in time. However, time was not on her side... "Perhaps we should leave, Shot..." Frostfire said, already having turned around to do as suggested, not realizing her body was leading where her mind hadn't yet caught up.

Shot was so enthralled with Sonic and his guitar that she almost didn't see Frostfire walking away. "Huh?" She looked over at her. "W-Wait, Frost!" She grabbed Frostfire's arm. "Don't you wanna hear them finish?" Frostfire turned her head and was met with fake sad tears. She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Fine..." She turned around, folding her arms, looking at the stage in irritation. "But I do not see any good that will come from this..."

Shot scoffed at her response. "C'mon now, I know you like the drummer." She nudged Frostfire's arm and winked at her again.

Frostfire's face yet again reddened. She knew hiding it would of no use but habits die hard. Before she could defend her feelings, her prior emotions bounced back. "Even so, they are merely musicians, possibly traveling from one location to the next. What should it concern us?"

"Cuz... They're hot..." Shot replied.

"I do not see how being attractive constitutes as a reason to linger around those you've no chance on Mobius to speak to..." Frostfire grimaced, watching the drummer with longing eyes.

"Well, cuz it's fun..." Shot's face grew a bit more agitated with her refusal to stick around. Although, she was surprised that anyone could resist such attractive individuals.

"Wouldn't you rather just meet them than simply watching them play and watching them leave?" Frostfire continued to watch the green Hedgehog perform a couple of elaborate paradiddles, she fidgeted a little.

"There's a chance we can meet them when they're done if you really want to..." Shot smiled.

Frostfire froze at her friend's statement. "Th...There is?" Her eyes widened with hope gleaming in them. Though her heart raced, her throat had suddenly become dry.

The Squid smirked. "Well yeah. There's only, like, fifty people in this whole concert. And it wouldn't hurt to give it a go."

The Snow Leopard exhaled slowly. "V-Very well. We can make an attempt but... where would we go?" Frostfire looked around nervously.

"Just wait till they're finished, alright?" Shot smiled and looked back at the guitar-playing Hedgehog.

Frostfire nodded and continued gazing at the vigorously playing band. She had never seen drums displayed in such a manner. She was used to seeing one drum, specifically a djembe*1, per individual in her homeland. The drumset the drummer owned riveted her curious feline mind. Frostfire angled her large ears to listen exclusively to the sounds the kit gave off. The more she listened, the more curious she became. Any qualms about the situation completely dissipated.

The crowd over the course of the concert withered as the day drug on. Frostfire could visibly see the entire band without much issue now. The poise she gained oozed its way to the bottom of her feet, rendering her entirely withdrawn.

"I... I would like to say something Shot, b-but I am..." Frostfire had no words to even describe her emotions. All she could do was gawk at him; awkwardly and stupidly gawk.

"Go ahead and do it!" Shot smiled. "Just say whatever you feel like saying!"

Shivers traveled through Frostfire's spine like racecars around a track. "I-I-I have nothing useful to say, only words filled with sentimental garbage that could never be reciprocated by him. I... I cannot tell him how attractive he is has that will sound very immature and I..." Frostfire trailed off, shaking irrepressibly, zoning out on the three Hedgehogs conversing to themselves.

"Awww, c'mon!" Shot pushed Frostfire towards them. "I'll be right there with you!"

A squeal of terror fled Frostfire's lip almost as a brief scream. Fortunately, no one else heard it but the chuckling Squid. As she let her friend push her towards the Sonic Underground, she became frozen with fear. It was at a few feet away that she stood upright, flapping her arms at Shot. "Enough! F-fine, I'll... mutter something to him..." She cleared her throat and looked up at the three of them, shaking even more.

While the guitarist, Sonic, and the drummer, Manic, were busy play-fighting as brothers typically do when enjoying themselves, the keyboardist, Sonia, was the only one of the three that actually noticed the two girls approaching the stage. Both Shot and Frostfire stood silently and patiently before Sonia decided to intervene between to two male hedgehogs.

"Would you two cut it out?" Sonia barked, nudging both of her siblings. "I think these girls want to meet you." She continued smile toward the girls.

Both hedgehogs took a gander at their fans.

"Sup, girls?" Sonic flashed his usual charming smile.

Shot stood there frozen as a statue.

Sonic's brother rolled his eyes and smirked. "Aren't we desperate for the ladies..."

It was Frostfire's turn to freeze up. Her heart just about bolted into her esophagus when it skipped a beat at the sound of the drummer's voice.

Sonic looked at Manic. "Hey, get off my case!" The Speedster might have added more to this but, as fate would have it, he could say no more.

Frostfire desperately wanted to speak something, ANYTHING, to the drummer. But thoughts were fleeting; they dispersed as soon as they were formed.

"So what did you guys want?" Sonia friendly smile beamed.

Shot glanced at Frostfire. Apparently that was her cue to say something...

"Uh, w-well..." The feline's scattered brain could think of nothing worth saying. Instead, her lips would fumble and trip over words like a disabled person with a broken leg. "W-We really enjoyed the sounds coming out of y-your instruments..." Realizing how ridiculous she sounded, Frostfire swallowed a large pocket of air.

Shot could tell Frost was nervous so she stepped in. "She really liked the drums, a-and I liked the guitar--" Blushing a bit, she changed subjects and looked to Sonia. "And your keyboard playing is really elegant!"

Sonic looked directly at Shot. "Yeah? Heh, I was probably the reason why our small crowd was on their feet." Sonic dusted himself off, proudly grinning.

Shot laughed a little too hard. "Y-yeah..." Now she was as nervous as Frostfire.

"Please, it wouldn't be a song without a beat." Manic scoffed.

"Would you two STOP arguing?!" Sonia growled.

Both hedgehogs rubbed the back of their heads. "S-sorry, sis..."

Frostfire watched Manic intently. She HAD to say something. "S-So how long have you been playing your instruments?"

"Since we were kids." Manic replied. "But I was the only one who never needed practice." He smirked smugly.

"I-Is that so?" Frostfire's heart raced a bit.

"Manic Hedgehog, you wipe that look off your face!" Sonia barked. Her brother literally wiped his face to taunt her.

"Nice, bro!" Sonic laughed, going for a high five. Manic high-fived Sonic back with a hearty laugh.

"You two are so annoying!" Sonia groaned.

"Right back at ya, sis!" Sonic laughed just as heartily.

"Psst! Hey, um... we need to think of something useful to say..." Frostfire whispered to Shot as the two brothers were doing what they do best.

"U-Um... Maybe we should just go, they're really getting her angry." Shot said, feeling very nervous.

"Nah, this is what siblings do, Shot!" Frostfire smiled. She continued looking at the drummer. "D-Dude... I almost want to tell him my feelings for him, but..." She paused, biting her lip and forgetting words.

"But what? Go ahead!" Shot gave a friendly smile.

"WHAT?! No, I-I-I can't say anything!" Frostfire yelled then brought down her voice. "I could get rejected..."

The feline glanced at Manic for a good long while. It was now or never. Coincidentally, it was he that approached her.

"Hey, I didn't catch your name." The green hedgehog replied, tilting his head a bit and causing his earring to make little clinking sounds. Frostfire resisted the urge to squeal and turned to Shot for some well needed back up. A nervous look made it's way upon her face when she suddenly realized her friend was far too enamored with the blue guitarist to notice her uncomfortable predicament.

Frostfire turned back to the drummer, trying to look anywhere but is his face so she wouldn't mess up her words. "Iluq-Ikkuma." She quickly replied.

The green hedgehog's face bore a very surprised look, as if he did not expect that. The male bit his lip as he contemplated her name for a second. "Nice to meet you... uh... ilaqkoma?" His suave posture was lost as his cheeks were suddenly burdened with a red complexion.

Frostfire started to giggle at his adorable face. The giggle quickly turned into a nervous laugh as she suddenly realized she didn't go by that name anymore. "Sorry! I meant, Frostfire! I go by Frostfire!"

It was obvious the hedgehog was holding back a laugh. "Good because I was afraid I'd have to keep referring to you as 'That cute girl'." Frostfire's cheeks started to heat up. "Name's Manic." He held out his hand.

Before she even realized it, Frostfire's hand was in his. The two appendages stayed like that until Manic started awkwardly shaking her hand. She could feel her pride leaving her body as she went on. "Exquisite drumming, Manic. I've never seen such a sight before."

"You're kidding?" Manic seemed shocked by her answer. Frostfire nervously shrugged, afraid she had upset him. His lips curved into a grin as he pulled her onto the stage and towards the odd set of drums.

"What are we doing?" Frostfire's heart skipped a beat at the word "we". Manic didn't answer her as he handed her an odd looking stick. She realized he had been using a similar set of sticks during the concert.

"What are you doing, Manic?" The magenta hedgehog called out to her brother. She had an annoyed look on her face. Clearly she was still upset.

"Frosty here says she hasn't seen a drum set before. I'm gonna teach her how to use them."

"W-Well, I have seen a group of djembe drums together but they were not quite as ornate as this..." Frostfire said clearing her throat. "They were primitive compared to this marvelous contraption... A-And I only played a simple paradiddle, nothing fancy... it was for a celebration that my people embrace."

Manic looked utterly clueless. "Um... okay... I have no idea what you just said..."

"Manic!" The pink hedgehog cried, throwing one of Manic's drumsticks at him. Luckily he caught it just in time. "Don't be so rude!"

"What?"

"D-Don't worry about it," Frostfire said dismissing her banter. "I just end up talking nonsense when I am nervous..." It was silent for a moment. "Oh crap!" She thought. "That was unbelievably obvious!" Taking a deep breath, she continued, "W-What I mean is, I'm not use to meeting musicians in this fashion..."

"We can fix that. Take a seat, pretty lady." Manic said, pulling out a stool and patting on it. He watched her stroll over to it. When Frostfire was seated, he grasped the edges of the stool and lifted it along with its occupation. He set her in front of the drum set and handed her another drumstick.

The sheer panic on her face made Frostfire's heart go insanely fast. Trying not to look nervous as she seemed, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Remembering the simple yet graceful rhythm of the song of her people, her arms instinctively synced to what was playing inside her head. It was as if no one existed; just she and the snare and they were was one.

The look on Manic's face was priceless and Sonia happily leaned on her brother's shoulder. "I believe you have just been played, dear brother." She wore a cocky grin that looked highly unnatural on her. Manic just rolled his eyes and pushed her off of him.

Frostfire eventually lost sight of herself and skipped a beat, losing grip of a now falling drumstick. "Anak!"*2 Frostfire cursed in her Native tongue. "I-I am so sorry...* She said, getting up to pick it up. "I-I am so clumsy..."

"It wasn't your fault! We distracted you! You were awesome!" Manic cried, swinging his arm around her in a friendly manner. "Are ya sure you haven't seen a drum set before?"

The Snow Leopard didn't know how to take this gesture, not even Snejok displayed such things to her when they were engaged.

"Y-Yes, I'm sure." She darted her eyes away from him nervously. "Never seen one before in my life."

"Really? Because it sure sounded like I should be taking lessons from you."

Frostfire sat there stunned.

Manic noticed Frostfire's dazed look and said, "What's the matter, Frosty? Don't believe you're that good?" He gave her a large grin before racing over to a microphone. He began to speak into the mic, catching the crowds' attention. "Hey, guys. That girl over there," Manic pointed to Frostfire, "Doesn't believe she can rock the drums. I thought, instead of taking my word for it, she should here what all of you have to say."

And while she sat there for a few minutes Sonic eyed Shot standing alone and went to her.

"Sounds like your friend is distracted..." He said with a grin.

Shot's heart stopped momentarily at the sound of Sonic's voice. "H-Huh?" She looked up at him. "Yeah, I guess so..." Her face burned like that of a pan on a stove.

Sonic leaned again the wall, standing inches from her. "Mind if I distract you, too?"

Shot stared at him, totally mortified and indecisive. "What do you mean by that?"

The hedgehog laughed, already having summoned his guitar to play a few chords. "Clearly you don't know when you're being flirted with..."

Shot widened her eyes. "F-Flirted with? What? You? Yeah right...." She awkwardly laughed.

"What, you think my brother is the only one who can spot a pretty girl?" He responded playing another set of chords.

Shot tried to pretend to be chill despite her demeanor betraying her calm composure. "To whom are you referring?"

Sonic's grin grew. "I think you know very well to whom I'm referring to." Sonic locked his eyes on hers. "Don't play coy with me, gorgeous."

Shot looked around apprehensively as sweat slowly trickled down her face. "I-I'm not "koi," and certainly not gorgeous.

Sonic laughed. "You're almost as bad with puns as I am. But alright, suit yourself." He said with a wink.

The crowd let out some chants grabbing the rest of the Sonic Underground's attention. Sonic stopped flirting with Shot for a second to look over his shoulder. Sonia facepalmed.

"You can do it, Frost!" Shouted an excited looking Shot.

"Oh Aurora, what have I got myself into..." Frostfire trembled as she reimagined what she had done before.

Loud cheers can be heard from the crowd as Frostfire began to play. Manic started smirking as he started to dance a little, just to show Frostfire how awesome she is. Frostfire let the music of her people run through her like threads weaving together as one. All at once, her movements were fluid and the audience loved it. Seeing Manic dance made her heart soar higher than her wings could take her. She felt the rhythm flow and before she knew it, the sound of the contraption bellowed in vibrational reverberations through the ground. She paused for a second and, to her surprise, the shakings did not pause with her.

Watching the late afternoon sun disintegrate behind an enormous black figure, Frostfire looked to the horizon. The frantic and fearful screams of the scattered crowd alerted Frostfire and the others.

"Egghead!" Sonic gritted his teeth and stood in fighting stance.

"Oh no..." Manic added.

"Sonic, he could be Robotnik, not Eggman!"

"Does it matter which Personality will get a severe beating?"

"I'm just saying be careful. We don't know if he's more dangerous than usual."

"I'll know how easy he will be to beat if he starts laughing that silly laugh of his..."

Sonia began to fume. "And if that laugh is maniacal, what then?"

Sonic beat his palm with his fist. "I'll blast him to kingdom come, whether it's Egghead or Butnik!" The blue hedgehog immediately sped over to the massive mech standing in front of the sun.

"Sonic Hedgehog!" Sonia shouted at her brother. "Just once, I wish you'd think before you speed off into danger!"

"Let him go, sis. Once he's started running, you know there's no stopping him."

"You're right... Come on, let's go fight whichever personality that mad man is!"

As both hedgehogs ran after their brother, Frostfire marveled at the metallic giant and looked to Shot.

"Do we help them?"

"I-I can't do anything..." Shot backed up some, a little uneasy. "But you could...

"I'll go if you really want me to but I'd hate to leave you behind!" Frostfire's feet burned in her yearning to take action.

"Don't worry about me, just go!"

Frostfire wanted to say 'Okay but keep your head down' but instead, she nodded to her friend then took flight towards this stranger, the man in red. "If this villain is a victim of split personality, I better be on my guard." Frostfire thought to herself as she stood toe to mammoth toe from the evil scientist's mechanical horror.

~ ~ ~

*1 This is a djembe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djembe

*2 Anak is Inuit for shit.