It was very populated and crowded. People were trying their d*mndest to try and get of the island. It was a scary time. Roboticized citizens were spreading further and further. Sliat was taking it rather coolly, but Nic was sort of panicking on the inside. He had never been in a situation like this. Had Sliat? Couldn't have, could she? Well, there was the Emerald Epidemic, but Emerald Hill City was completely wiped off the map when they nuked it. There were no survivors.
They waited for their flight to Casino City in a cafe. Casino City was a place for- well- casinos. Those who lived there were huge business moguls. It wasn't a place your usual neighborhood hedgehog actually lived.

Nic ordered for the two of them. For himself, a caramel machiatto. For her, a cuppa joe. He delivered the hot coffee to her and sat his down. He walked off to get some sugar and a stirrer. Behind him, he overheard an argument. He turned around to see who it was. There was a female fox and a male wolf.

"Why did you do that?" the girl was close to crying, and her voice was shaking. "God, I hate you so much." she glared at the boy.

"It was for your own good!" the leopard said angrily. Then, the fox began to silently cry. His brows furrowed and loosened. He held out a hand to console her, and massaged her cheek. She turned to him, and he smiled cheekily. She sighed.

"You're an idiot." she groaned. He gave her a peck.

"But I'm your idiot." he laughed.

Nic squinted and walked back to the table. He sat down and sipped on his machiatto frustratedly. He looked at Sliat's newspaper-which she must have grabbed while he was gone-whilst pouring the sugar in his machiatto.
Sliat folded her newspaper briskly, startling him. She crumpled it up and left it on the table. Nic made a large slurp sound as Sliat stuck a straw in his machiatto and sipped it while looking away.

"Dude. 'ave you seen how small that cuppa joe is?" Sliat snickered and looked into his eyes from the corner of hers.

*wolf lol

"Yeah but-" he spluttered, moving his hands away from the table. "GERMS!"

Sliat threw her head back and laughed. Nic flushed scarlet red. He sipped on the machiatto quickly.

"We know nothing about each other so... Where would you like to start?" she asked. "If we're going to be survivors of the end, we need to know what we're getting into."

"'course." he thought for a moment. "What did you want to do for a living. Boxer?"

She shook her head. "No. I just wanted to travel."

Nic's eyes lit up. "Me too." he smiled toothily. He fiddled with his straw. "I wanted to go to places like Holoska. Apotos. South Island..."

"South Island? Me too! I've seen pictures and I think I'd like to live in Green Hill Village. It seems nice."

"Same! Maybe we'll be neighbors."
"Like I'd want to be neighbors with you." Sliat laughed. Nic smiled toothily.

Sliat looked out the window and stared at Nic with her mouth open. "Get down!" she whispered harshly. He did as told. A robot walked by.

Nic recognized the guy roboticized immediately. It was Peter Parkour, Cam's boyfriend. That meant Cam was nearby. That turned out to be true... Along with a whole slew of robots.

"We have to go out there." Nic whispered, raising back up.
"Let the guards handle it." Sliat replied.

Nic laid back in his chair and watched chaos ensue. He furrowed his brow as he watched a fennec fox with a camera around her neck get terrorized by a cat robot. He slammed his palms on the table and stood from his seat. He began to walk out when Sliat grabbed his arm with a strong grip he couldn't break free from.

"You're not going out." she growled. He looked in her red eyes with his green and knew it was probably for the best.

She rose from her seat, grabbing the cuppa joe and leaving the drunken machiatto, leading Nic towards the back of the shop.

She flipped up a painting to reveal a big red button. Under the button, it said "Emerald Hill Zone". She pressed it.

Revealed was a secret, undergound passage. She led Nic into it and the door closed behind them as the cafe exploded into panic. At the end of the tunnel was a private jet so big, someone could live in it. And someone did. A jackalope.
"Whaddup, Jack?" Sliat greeted her cousin.

*End of chapter