Sonic ShinSekai

Chapter 7: Going Once, Going Twice, Sold!



From their cages, the soon-to-be slaves could hear cheering and music from the auction. Two people had already been sold. As time passed, Amy's hope that Sonic would come and save her began to fade. Now, she was trying to come up with a plan to escape. But with the explosive collar around her neck, the options were slim. 

A guard came in and took another prisoner. The man begged for mercy while the guards laughed in his face. Amy watched him go. The only thing she could do right now—and she hated it—was wait. Her fists clenched. She wanted to scream, to hit something.

"So. Your guy still coming?" Van asked, turning his head slightly toward her. Amy ignored him.

"And no, not for me. I don't know if you've been keeping count, but you're number six. And number three just got taken."

"I know," Amy said, irritated. "There's still time. Let me think of something."

"Sure, maybe for you. But I don't know about her. She's number four."

Amy's heart sank. Her eyes widened as she quickly turned toward Lucia. *No.* A voice screamed within her. She wanted to save her. She had to save her. Desperately, Amy tried to remove the shackles. It wouldn't work—but she needed to try. To at least feel like she had done something. Was that enough? Was that really what she wanted? She wanted Lucia to be free and safe. But trying something hopeless—was that truly the right thing? What else could she do?

"And we've got a buyer!" the auctioneer shouted, followed by cheers and applause. Amy knew what it meant.

*No, it can't be,* she thought. Lucia was sobbing, shaking uncontrollably.

"It's…" Amy began. *Going to be okay*, she finished silently. She knew it wasn't. But clinging to the idea of a miracle was better than facing the reality.

"The next prize is something special everyone has been waiting for! Something we spent years searching for in the wild… Bring out the mermaid!"

Guards stormed in and opened the cage. Lucia let out desperate screams.

"LEAVE HER ALONE, YOU JERKS! YOU BETTER NOT TAKE HER!" Amy's words had no effect. "Please, leave her alone!"

Lucia's screams were heartbreaking. Van looked away, not wanting to see. Even if his face didn't show it, his heart was broken. Lucia was placed in a small aquarium and dragged out of the room. She banged her fists on the glass, screaming bubbles.

"NOO! PLEASE NO!"

Tears fell from Amy's eyes. The door closed. Moments later, she heard the crowd cheering as they saw Lucia on stage. She cried her heart out.

Van knew Amy had been wrong to place false hope in herself and Lucia. Now that little girl might resent her—or worse, Amy might resent herself. But he also knew this wasn't the time to say it. He just glanced at her and waited for his turn, because he was next.

The bidding for the young mermaid reached 850,000 berries. The auctioneer waited for a higher offer. Nothing. A man named Ben Roy bought her. Amy's hope vanished. She was alone, in a foreign world, about to be sold into slavery.

Guards stormed in again and took Van. Before leaving, he gave Amy one last message: "Lift your head up." He smiled, and then he was gone. Cheers erupted again when the crowd saw him.

The bidding for Van skyrocketed. People were very interested in having him. Amy hadn't thought someone like him would be that valuable—not because he was worthless, but because she assumed Wolfmen were common. The bidding ended, and Van was sold too.

Amy's sobs echoed in the big, empty room.

The door opened.

She wiped her tears and stared straight into the guard's eyes as they dragged her to the stage.

The bright lights blinded her for a second. The crowd cheered louder than ever.

The auctioneer took the microphone. "Days ago, Kiro the Great found this mink wandering in the forest. She's beautiful, young, and has the strength of five men!"

Cheers erupted. Guards brought out her hammer, struggling to lift it.

"This hammer weighs hundreds of pounds! Look at these pathetic men trying to lift it! Now look at her lift it!"

He smiled at Amy. She was confused. *Did they really just give me the hammer? For free?*

Amy slowly approached her weapon. She grabbed it and lifted it above her shoulder.

The crowd roared.

"See? She's an absolute powerhouse—"

Amy swung it at the man—but was instantly electrocuted.

"Of course, we wouldn't give it back without some precautions," the auctioneer said, grinning.

The crowd laughed. Guards took the hammer away.

"Now, let's start the bidding!"

"She's strong," a bulky man in a wrestling outfit said in the crowd.

"Do you think that's why he wants her?"

"Not sure," replied another man wearing glasses with a crosshair. "I don't think it's her strength. He has other intentions."

"Like what?"

"I don't know."

"Should we just snatch her?"

"Let's try buying her like everyone else."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Relax. If things go south, I've got it covered," he said, patting his sniper rifle.

The bidding started at 650,000 berries. Ben Roy raised it to 700,000.

"Oh! Mr. Roy's got another target!"

"730,000!" said the man with the glasses.

"Interesting! 730,000 in the back! Any higher?"

"830,000!"

"Mr. Roy with a bomb! Anyone dare to go higher?"

"870,000!"

"A rivalry! Let's go!"

"970,000!"

The crowd went wild.

"Can we go higher?" asked the wrestler.

"The boss said 'by any means necessary.' If this keeps up, we change tactics."

"1,040,000!"

"1,040,000?! Incredible! Will Mr. Roy continue?"

He started to raise his hand, but a barrel touched the back of his head. The man with the glasses smiled. Roy's hand dropped.

"No! Mr. Roy will not continue!"

The crowd cheered.

"This rare mink goes to Mister…?"

"Augur."

"To Mister Augur!"

Flashes blinded Amy, but she still managed to glare at the man who had bought her.

At the end of the auction, the prisoners were dragged toward their owners' ships. Her explosive collar was gone—only shackles remained. From afar, she saw Lucia placed aboard a massive, golden ship. Ben Roy, short and old, smoked a cigar as he boarded. The ship had a bubble over it.

The bulky man picked Amy up like a sack and carried her to a much smaller ship.

"Put me down, you ugly brute!"

The man laughed. "Not risking you running away."

"How can I with these shackles, you idiot?"

Augur walked beside them, sniper on his shoulder. Their Jolly Roger had three skulls.

*Pirates,* Amy thought.

"You know, there's a man who'll be really happy to see you," the wrestler said.

*Sonic?* Her heart lit up—but he wouldn't send men like these. He'd come himself.

"I don't know anyone here," she replied.

"He seems to know you. Even had a picture."

*A picture?* She stopped struggling.

"Don't say too much, Burgees," Augur said.

"Sorry," the wrestler chuckled.

An explosion echoed in the air. It wasn't a bomb—it sounded like the air snapping.

Augur stopped, looking around.

At sea, a blue trail approached fast.

"What's that?" Burgees asked.

"I don't know," Augur answered, aiming.

Through the scope, he saw a small, blue hedgehog radiating energy. Even moving straight, his speed made him hard to track.

"It looks like a blue hedgehog running straight at us."

Amy's heart skipped a beat.

"HELP ME, SONIC!" she screamed.

The blue streak accelerated. A gust of wind flew past the pirates. Water splashed. Augur looked at his accomplice—and she was gone.

Burgees jumped. Behind them, Sonic held Amy in his arms. Her eyes sparkled.

He gently set her down, then turned to face them.

"So… which one of you is responsible for this?"

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.