The cell door finally creaked open.
Everyone looked up.
A group of tribe members stood outside, spears in hand.
"Finally," Amy muttered, getting to on her feet, "Am I getting my hammer back now?"
One of the tribe members gestured for them to follow.
Before Amy could complain, they were herded out of the cell and led into their village.
They were led past the wooden huts and deeper into the jungle, until they reached a large clearing surrounded by towering trees.
A crowd had already gathered.
Some were carrying drums. Others were holding wooden weapons, cheering and chanting in their language.
It looked vibrant.
Sonic looked around, "Okay... This is either a festival or we're about to be sacrificed."
"Don't say that!" Tails squeaked.
"I knew it!" Sticks jumped, glaring at the masked people.
Sonica looked around too.
The six were brought before the masked leader, who stood on a raised wooden platform.
Beside them was Amy's hammer.
Amy's eyes immediately lit up, "My hammer!"
The leader raised a hand, silencing the crowd.
"Ew od ton tnaw ot niur ruo lavitsef nosaes htiw ruoy gnireffus. Os ew evah dediced."
They stared blankly.
Z stepped forward.
"The Leader has made a decision."
Amy crossed her fingers with hopeful eyes, "Finally."
"The tribe has voted." Z continued.
Sonic raised an eyebrow, "Voted on what?"
Z pointed toward them, "You will participate in the festival games."
"..."
Amy's eye twitched. "...Excuse me?"
Z gestured toward the hammer.
"If you win, you get the heavenly gift aka your hammer back."
Amy immediately stepped forward, "Deal!"
Sonic blinked, "Amy, wait. You didn't even ask what the games are."
"It's my hammer, Sonic!"
"...Fair point."
The leader slammed their fist against the armrest, "A noitidnoc."
Z nodded and turned back towards the six.
"There is a condition. Only two of you will participate in each game."
Amy immediately stepped forward, "Then I'm in!"
"Count me in." Sonic stepped forward as well, cracking his knuckles then stretching his arms.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Out of the corner of his eye, Sonic noticed Sonica looking his way.
He flashed a smirk at her and dusted off his shoulder, "Watch how a hero saves the day."
𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩
Of course, they would be the perfect duo.
I don't want to involve myself in this mess.
I just sighed through my nose. Who knows if I wished them luck, it might turn bad.
As I waited for them to send the remaining four of us back to prison or hopefully the benches, the leader raised their hand.
"Tiaw."
Everyone's head snapped towards the leader.
Z paused, probably in confusion, "Yhw, redael¿ Neht ohw lliw¿"
The leader pointed toward Amy, then shook their head, "Eht knip eno lliw ton etapicitrap."
Z translated, sounding slightly confused.
"The leader says... you're not participating."
Amy's eyes widened, followed by an angry frown. "WHAT?!"
Why not?
The leader then pointed towards Sonic. Then towards me.
What?
I, who had been standing at the edge of the crowd, slowly looked up.
Oh no...
Everyone turned towards me.
Sonic looked between them, "Wait, you want her?!"
He gestured his hands up and down towards me.
"Why can't I participate?! It's my hammer!" Amy surged towards the throne, but was stopped by the guards who crossed their spears.
The leader slowly shook their head and gestured toward Sonic and me, "I ees a noisiv."
The crowd immediately started cheering.
Z's hands lowered to their sides, "The spirits showed a vision."
They sighed and turned towards us, "The leader believes that you two make a suitable pair for the game."
No, no, no. Amy and Sonic are the suitable pair. Not me!
Sonic blinked, "Suitable pair?"
He looked at me, then at Z.
"...As a team, right?"
Z exhaled a slow breath, "... Right."
"Right..." Sonic repeated as if to reassure himself, nodding slowing.
"You won't get the hammer if you don't comply." Z said with a shrug.
"Ughhh!!!" Amy groaned and stomped her foot on the ground. Then she slowly turned her head towards me.
That looked deadly-!
In the blink of an eye, she lunged at me and grabbed my shoulders.
"Sonica, I am counting on you! Please! Win my hammer back!" She cried, shaking me by my shoulders.
I rubbed the back of my neck, "Er..."
Though I hate working as a pair, a part of me felt excited.
It was a festival game after all.
And probably because I wanted to teach Sonic a lesson?
"Sonica, are you listening???" Amy sobbed against my shoulder without tears.
I stood there stiffly. "Yes. I heard you..."
With the flick of the leader's wrist, six people stepped forward and turned their spears towards the four (Amy, Tails, Knuckles and Sticks) and herded them away.
"I TRUST YOU BOTH!"
"You can do it!!!"
"Kick the bucket! Oh wait, that's the wrong idiom!"
"Break a leg! Break a leg!!!"
I facepalmed.
Sonic immediately turned to Z, "Wait, where are they being taken?"
"Back to the prison." Z replied and turned toward the jungle.
"Anyways, your first game is called..."
My heart skipped a beat.
They dramatically pointed toward the trees.
"THE CAMOUFLAGE RACE!"
The tribe roared with cheers and their traditional drum beat.
Sonic and I looked at each other then at Z.
"...That doesn't sound like a festival game."
"It is simple."
They pointed toward a narrow path disappearing into the jungle.
"You must reach the finish line before the others."
Sonic smirked, "Easy."
Right. 'Speed is your game.'
"But..." Z drawled, raising a finger.
"The tribe may attack you along the course."
Sonic's smile slowly disappeared, "...Oh."
Z continued,
"You may run. You may fight. Or you may hide and blend into the jungle, like a camouflage."
"Hence the name." Sonic muttered under his breath, looking at me.
I nodded slowly.
Camouflage. Got it.
"Whatever it takes! Get my hammer back!!!"
Amy's faint scream was heard from the distance.
The drums continued to pound.
ᗷOOᗰ-! ᗷOOᗰ-! ᗷOOᗰ-!
Misson Hammer.
---
Then began... the Camouflage Race.
Sonic and I stood at the starting line, staring down the narrow jungle path.
Across from them stood the two tribal competitors.
One was a tall, muscular warrior with a wooden club resting on his shoulder.
The other was smaller and leaner, carrying a pair of wooden daggers.
So not fair...
Both stared at us, eyes smug. They were probably grinning behind their wooden masks.
Sonic glanced between them, "So... those are our competitors?"
Z nodded, "Yes."
Sonic cracked his knuckles, "Good. This'll be fun."
He had this boyish spark in his eyes.
The thrill mixed with excitement and the determination to achieve something.
Even though all he has is his supersonic speed, he seemed complete and like an absolute hero.
Whereas I, who has elemental powers, can't even boast about how it took me hours to make a small fireball.
"Just focus on winning." I whisper to myself.
"Focus on winning?" He somehow heard my monologue and dramatically dashed closer.
"Don't worry, Ms. Edgy. We won't lose. It's just a race. Speed's in my blood."
'Speed's in my blood' yeah sure.
Then the leader raised a hand.
The crowd fell silent.
Then-
They blew the horns.
All four competitors took off.
Sonic immediately shot forward.
"SEE YA!"
He zipped past the others in a blue blur.
I immediately caught up to him, running alongside.
"See?" He said, looking at me, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. "They are so slow. It's an easy win."
I huffed and focused on the track. "If something feels too easy, there's something wrong."
And suddenly-
ᖴᗯIᑭ-!
A wooden spear flew past our faces.
We skidded to a stop.
"Woah, woah!"
Before we could react further- another spear came flying.
He ducked. I ducked.
Then another.
And another.
"HEY!"
Sonic sprinted forward again, dodging the barrage.
"Are they allowed to throw these?!"
"I don't know! It's their game!"
Behind us, the two tribal competitors ran completely unhindered.
One of them casually waved at the crowd!
The tribe cheered wildly!
Sonic's eye twitched, "Yeah. I see how it is."
"Less complaining, more running!" I said as I leaped over a fallen log.
"I know! But they- yikes!"
They threw crabs at us!
He dived into a bush and I hid behind a tree trunk, heart beating fast.
I looked at my side and he popped his head out of the bush with leaves on his head.
"Who throws crabs at people?!"
What kind of festival is this?!