Station Square was always quite at night. And tonight was no exception.
Cars drove by at a slow place, most going home or to the parking garage
underneath Beachside Hotel.
The Burgershop was always open, no one could tell when someone would
come in looking for food. An all night dinner had better business than
most thought it would. The place was empty except for two people, Joe,
who had worked there at a good salary for years, and the store's only current
customer, a pink hedgehog in a red dress on one of the turn seats.
She wasn't really looking at anything in spit of the fact her eyes
were open and looking straight in front of her. Staring into space, she
didn't look to good. Her eyes were red and her cheeks stained, it was oblivious
she had been crying a short time ago. Her name was Amy Thorn Rose, and
she had officially had the worst day of her life.
The contents of the empty drinks in front of her was building up in
her system, but no amount of alcohol could dull this pain. She keep rest
her head on the counter but sleep refused to come to her.
"You ok kid?" Said Joe at last. She looked like had been to hell and
back.
"I am not a kid!" Amy snarled putting both her hands on the table in
an attempt to come to eye level with the burger guy. Joe took a step back.
"Ok, ok, I'm sorry, it's just that you look like you - well, you don't
look your best."
Amy then burst into laugher that quickly turned in short lived sobs.
"Best? Best? I've never given them anything but my best. And what's
happened? Every project I've been on has been spat in the face." Sonic
CD, her premiere debut, considered a mediocre success, even though Metal
Sonic got his show in the same game and the opening and closing music were
hits among the fans.
Sonic R, R is for recycled, because that's what all the sounds are,
R is for regerggate because that's what the optimistic hop songs will make
you do. She had appeared in that game too, she hadn't even been a track
contestant, she had used her go cart, only Robotnic in his hover craft
also didn't go on foot in that game. The music had been good! Or at least
that's what Amy thought. And to top it off, since it wasn't officially
a Sonic Team game, it wasn't being revived with the rest of the series.
Sonic Adventure, her big break, everyone knew her name after that,
she ended up with only three stages, but she end up having some important
parts in that game. But next thing she knew, everyone was complaining that
there were too MANY characters in the game, and that her stages were stupid,
and they instantly linked them to her, she wasn't dumb it was just the
stages they gave her, she had to work with what she was given, why couldn't
people understand that? And now Sonic Team was saying that Sonic Adventure
was no good, no good, just like all the other projects she had worked on
with Sonic. Sonic . . . . She loved him. Why couldn't he love her back?
Amy realized she was crying again.
She hoped with Sonic Shuffle that she might get a chance at a big break,
but what happened? The game was a big flop. Amy wanted to jump off a cliff.
She almost suspected that they made that game just so she could live out
her contract so they wouldn't need to put her in the next game.
Sonic Adventure Two, Light Dark, Future Past, Yig Yang, Original Fake,
tenth anniversary special. Big got cut from the roster, Amy didn't think
anyone was surprised, Big had to be the least popular character in the
game. (she hoped she wasn't it) And fishing wasn't exactly in the style
of Sonic the Hedgehog. She thought a lot of people were sad that Gamma
bit the dust at the end of Sonic Adventure One, he came back as a secret
character in Sonic Shuffle, maybe they were living out his contract too.
Now Eggman was a playable character to replace Gamma, Amy though she
was going to throw up. Eggman as a player character made her head spin.
It wasn't right. And the Chao were coming back, but Tikal and Chaos were
nowhere in sight. Talk about just dumping them after you use them. She
wonder who would give hints in the next game? Or weather they wouldn't
be any hints. Or maybe Tikal would keep her old job but not have any part
in the story line. And Chaos, she wondered how they would explain the Chao.
And Tails was coming to the game at least, but most rumors said either
as Dark Sonic or as a by standard. No main role or player character part.
That sucked.
Dark Sonic, heh, Amy chuckled dementedly, she thought of all those
writer who had written out the positive negative forces of the emeralds
out of there fan fictions, and now it was the main plot piece of the second
game. Amy couldn't help but laugh at it. So an evil Sonic was a player
character too, Metalla must of been fuming by now. As for Silver, well,
who knew what he thought if anything.
Now she was gone, Sonic's maybe, maybe not love interest. She guessed
loved interfered with Sonic Team's idea of Sonic. Suddenly Amy shuddered.
She remembered Sonic X-Stream was suposity being revived, and that there
was new female hedgehog in it. One who had made Amy look liked a dead fish.
Amy felt so small, so helpless, so worthless.
It wasn't a girl they didn't want, it was her they didn't want. She
had heard Tails might of been getting a love interest in the form of a
bat name Nails, sure it was just a rumor, but it pretty much killed any
hope she had for a relationship with the fox kitesune.
Now here she was, blowing what few savings she had left drowning her
sorrows. Maybe she should back to her apartment, sleep a little. As if
it would make anything feel better.
She dug into her pocket and took out her debit card and handed it to
Joe who punched up her bill and handed it back to her.
She got up like a zombie, the alcohol and other junk food she had stuffed
into herself still not having the desired effect but actually added to
her pain. He walked out of the Burgershop not caring really which what
she went, she walk by the Burger Statue without a glance and sat down an
an park bench in an island in the middle of the asphalt sea in front of
City Hall. Tired, exhausted, hurt, depressed, and her body tempracure lower
than it should of been Amy fell into a fitful dreamless sleep.
About two hours later, she woke up again. A nearby clock struck one. Amy felt very dishelved, and the rudiments of a horrible hangover were forming in her foggy mind. She had to literally haul herself up from her position before she could even continue.
Her eyesight was blurred. Amy wasn't used to such high amounts of alcohol being in her system. She'd be surprised if she didn't get cirrosis when she got older. She wobbled noticably, and even through her alcoholic haze she felt the pain of falling flat onto the asphalt with a dull thud. A pool of light surrounded her limp yet living body.
"Amy? What're you doing out so late?"
She weakly turned her head in the direction of this voice. Her eyes settled upon the shakey shape of something thin and green...when orbs began to form, she recognized him as Vectorman.
"Oh...hey V."
"Have you been drinking? You look awful."
It was true, very much so. Her dress was stained both with alcohol and her own saliva. Her quills were bent into shapes that contradicted her natural style. Her body was nothing more than a damp dishrag, clumsily discarded after ages of use and abuse.
"I'm...I'm fine, thank you."
"You sure? You could be in a world of hurt...or worse. Please, let me help you."
"Uh...o-okay..."
Vectorman hoisted Amy up from the ground and half-guided, half-carried her with him. A fog was beginning to settle on Station Square, and it was obvious that Amy wasn't going to be able to function properly for much longer. He decided that it would be best to leave her at her apartment and leave a note for her to give him a call when she could.
He gave a synthesized sigh and looked up into the cloudy sky. The moon still jutted through the mist like a light in a sauna. It was nights like this that made Vectorman wish he were human, not some robot designed to haul trash.
That was why he liked going to Station Square. The world he knew was depressing, to say the least. Even after defeating Warhead twice, he still shuddered to think of the Earth he had known. But Station Square...here was someplace he could relax, and talk with some friends.
As he approached the apartment, he began to wonder why Amy was so sullen. Was it some sort of career change? Another social crisis? Whatever the reason, it had to have been serious. Amy wasn't the kind of girl who'd go out and get dead drunk over just any old problem.
He fumbled the keys he had to the apartment. He made it a point to have the keys to the apartments of his friends, in case of situations like these. Being a robot helped too, but he tried to downplay that.
After he entered Amy's room, he put Amy down on the floor. By now, she was barely awake, and snoring began to creep into her breathing. Vectorman took it upon himself to tuck her in. Even though he was a robot, the least he could do was act human. And so he put Amy in the bed, pulled the sheets up to her head, and quietly exited the room, turning off the lights as he left...
When Amy finnaly returned to coniousness it had to be the worest experince
in her conious since when was sun light so blinding? It went straight though
Amy's eyes and into her brain pircing. She shut them thight trying to sink
back into the oblivion she had momentary found. When coming to the painful
concusion she wasn't going back to sleep or going to die she tried to get
out of bed and her skull was struck down by some invisable hammer that
landed her straight back onto the billow, which felt about as soft as lead
at the moment.
She grond, she wondered what that reaking stench of booz was, only
to realize it was coming from her. What had see been doing last night?
Her memories from the previous evening were in a blur, she remember going
into the BurgerShop, and ordering a drink, then another, then another,
then things started to get confusing.
She had a faint impression of a green robot helping her. Zero? Zero
was dead, or blown to bit or whatever. No. It was V. Vectorman? She thought
Sega had cut him off, like Shinobo. Well, she couldn't get up, and she
couldn't go back to sleep, her only opion was to just stay were she was
and be missarble. Just great. Her face felt sore. She must of walked into
a street lamb or something.
Her aparment wasn't actully too bad looking, she prouded herself on
how good it look, currently unlike it's tendant. True, she hadn't vacummed
in a week and the dishes from the last two days were starting to pile up,
but she had been busy. Yea right. Being busy commiting slow scicide via
bottle. She just couldn't believe Sonic Team had just dumped her, and now
Sonic and Tails boths getting new lov intrests? Amy swam in the sea of
alhichol in her blood.
The sun light too bright, a spliting headach, and to top it off the
room seemed to be slightly tilted. At least it was better than last night
she vagly remember when it had been on it's side.
Ok, I'm going to do this from Metalla's view for the moment.
It had been several years since he'd been in a game, and now, once
again, they left him out. How dare them! I'm not that evil personally,
but at least I had brains, and swiftness to go with it. Every other robot
hedghog after him was a fool. They thought nothing but better ways to serve
Eggman. In fact, a "robot" like him was rare. He'd never experienced love
or joy, no, because of how he looked, people potrayed him as a dangerous
monster. Was it his fault that he had a personal grudge against that baka
hedgehog? Or was it his own personal jealousy? The only time he'd been
in a game was Sonic Adventure, and he was in a glass tube. Ever since Sonic
CD, he
'd only appeared in smaller games. Even ones where the fans actually
liked it, he knew it would never see the light of day in this country.
Damn Sega bakas. I can't speak my mind because I'm a "robot". In reality,
I'm just a red hedgehog with a "fancy" space suit, sorta like that girl
Samus Aran. It's so stupid. I'm gradually joining the likes of Bean, Bark,
Chaotix, and Amy. Is this what I want for myself? He clenched his teeth
in anger, floating along the street, only to see a drunk hedgehog girl.
Is that Amy Rose? Imagine that. Guess love can be deadly. Should I save
her? She did nearly get me destroyed once. The metallic "robot" stood over
her body and watched, debates going on in his head.
Metalla then saw another robot coming the street. The robot hedghog
didn't recognize him at first. Then he saw the green orbes, smooth waking
style. Victorman. Hum. Another character sega had dumbed. Metal Sonic was
surprised he wasn't dead. Metalla looked at the drunk hedghog half out
of coniousness, and at Victor and decided to move on.
There was always the Radical City and Reactive Factory Race tracks,
though they hadn't been repaired in some time and not likly to be repaired
any time soon. Metalla knew they were better than nothing.
As Amy stumbled into her kitchen a frenzy of arguing caused her head
to pound even harder. She tried to make out the voices an what they were
saying but the searing fires burning inside her skull were too much.
She heard the last scream of the argument from outside: "AND STAY OUT!"
She staggered wearily to the front door and opened it.
Crumbled on the floor of the hall was a tall, skinny being wearing a
flashy purple, white, and yellow suit. His gentle sobs wracked his shoulers
as Amy watched him, trying to rub the sleep from her blurred eyes. Slowly,
but surely, she remembered her next door neighbor.
"N...Nights?" She asked, hoarsly. "'S that you, Nights?"
The once hopeful mascot cast his eyes up on Amy. "Amy? My God, are
you alright?!" Nights slowly stood to his feet and walked over to Amy.
"You look like hell!"
Amy groaned in response and leaned against the door frame. "C'mon in."
She said. "T-Tell me whu happened."
Nights accepted and grabbed a single duffle bag on the floor in front
of his apartment door, which now had a sign hanging from it which read:
EVICTED BY MANAGEMENT.
As AMy stumbled into the kitchen, Nights relayed his situation.
"I try and I try and it doesn't mean a damn thing!" He fumed, throwing
his duffle bag on the couch. "I had everything Sonic had! The Team, the
Artist, the fresh, innovative gameplay! I had it all! I even had a Christmas
special. God, I loved that red suit." He looked off for a minute into space
before continuing. "But those damn office people at Sega trashed the Saturn.
I thought, "It's alright, I'll get a shot at Dreamcast. They'll fit me
into a game that's got it all. I'll be the next Sonic. The next Mario.
Look, everyone, it's NIGHTS! THe purple moron!" Night cried, stabbing his
finger into the air.
"They cut me from Sonic Adventure 2." Amy slurred. Nights grimaced
and nodded. "I know, Amy, I know. They cut me from Sega. I tried to get
a job at the circuis, but that damn Dynamite Headdy had the spot I wanted.
Remember him? He could...I guess, SHOOT his head at people? What the hell
kinda trick is that? I can fly, for God's sake! He's their main event,
shooting flying balls out of the air with his head or something. What a
joke!"
"Well, finally my SEGA royalties finally ran out. I can't find work,
I can't pay my bills so...they evicted me."
Amy sighed. She really felt bad for Nights. Poor guy was destined to
be the next big mascot. Thanks to Sega, he was now a complete parody of
himself.
She waved her hand at him. "You ccan crash here for a little while,
if you want, Nights."
Nights' eyes lit up. "Amy, are you sure?"
She nodded wearily.
"Oh, God, Amy than kyou so much. I promise I won't impose long. I'll
get a job and help you with your bills. In fact, I'll go looking for a
job today." WIth that, Nights dug a copy of his resume out of his duffel
bag and walked out the door in search of work.
Amy, on the other hand, sagged on the couch hoping for her headache
to go away.
"You still have your gambling wins from the card games at Casinoplious
Nights. After all, they use your trade mark. The royailties on that can't
of run off already." Commented Amy.
"Amy, what happened to you last night?" Inquired the dream spirit.
"One too man drinks I guess."
"I've never known you to drink."
"I've never did until last night."
"I'm sorry."
"Thanks." Amy gronded again, why couldn't this headach go away, then
again, she guessed she deserved it.
She guessed a lot of has been game characters had started to move to
Station Sqaure after it was rebuilt after Perfect Chaos. She then noticed
a note on her table. She opened up the small peice of yellow paper read
it and threw in the trash. It was from Victorman, as if anything he could
do could help her, and she wasn't fond of robots except for Gamma.
She had heard Big was still in Mistic Ruins Jungle fishing and doing
nothing. Then again that's what he did before Sonic Adventure. 'Then again'
seemed to be her new catch phrase.
Ugh, stupid hang over, she doubted she would be able to walk in a straight
line for days.
"Who was the note from?" Asked Nights.
"Victorman."
"I thought he was dead."
"That's what everyone seems to be thinking right now."
Vectorman was across town from Amy, out near the industrial areas. A robot could tolerate the conditions, and he could find easy factory work. He also volunteered for the reconstruction efforts that were taking place to mend the damage of Perfect Chaos.
At the moment, he shared an apartment with two other people. Gamma was one of them, having done his fill during Sonic Shuffle. The other...it was someone from the Archie Comic. Lupe was her name, he just now remembered. It was surprising he could think at all, what with Sega's recent problems.
He now realized that the Dilbert Principle had far reaching effects. Acephalous management techniques must have wormed their way into Sega's corporate structure. And, consequently, into the structures of all of the companies it worked with.
Things were much harder for him ever since the Genesis went under. Now they were hardly being sold. It made him retch and cry at the same time. He could only hope and pray that he could get a Dreamcast revival before he faded into digital obscurity.
He sighed. No such luck, he supposed. He had two games, and that was that. No need for a third, the suits reasoned.
As he entered the apartment, he was greeted by the familiar sight of electronics lying all over the place. It was hard to get replacement parts nowadays, what with the tight job market and all. He found Lupe, toying with what appeared to be some kind of inducement coil.
"Lupe?"
"Wha...oh, it's only you. Hello, V."
"What're you working on?"
"Just a little pet project. Gamma went down to the scrapyard and found this little deal. Old Wizard 340XG Plasma Coil, I think."
"Oh, well, that's...nice, I guess..."
Lupe noticed Vectorman's somewhat sullen attitude and wondered what was going on. V was usually somewhat brighter.
"What's wrong?"
"Well...I'm worried about Amy."
"Amy Thorn Rose?"
"Yeah, that Amy. Gamma might want to look into this."
"Why are you so worried? She isn't your concern, she's Gamma's concern."
"Only because he worked with her during Sonic Adventure. Speaking of which, I heard she got cut out of the sequel."
"Hard times for us, these are...it's amazing we don't just sink into obscurity just as soon as the games flop."
Vectorman sighed and gazed off into space.
"She was dead drunk last night."
Lupe suddenly stopped fiddling with the coil. She slowly raised her head to look at Vectorman.
"What?"
"I found her last night 'round 1:30. She looked like somebody had raped her and thrown her into a dumpster."
"Boy, she must take these things seriously."
"I haven't managed to get every detail, but I'm guessing it had to do with all of those financial decisions."
"Well...even Uncle Yuji can't solve all our problems."
Uncle Yuji. It was a pet name for the big guy in Sega, the man who had created Sonic the Hedgehog. Yuji Naka was always the creative type, but it seemed he never could regain control over his creations once the corporate bureaucrats got hold of them.
"Y'think she should go see him?"
"No...Gamma would understand better. He's been through it before."
"Maybe I'd better tell him about Amy when he gets back. He would want to know..."
"I hope so. Otherwise...Amy might tempt death."
Vectorman didn't quite get the jist of Lupe's phrase, but after a few moments he discovered the meaning. Tempting death...no, she wouldn't as far as that...would she?
"Sonic . . . . " Amy wishpered to herself forgetting Nights was there
and therfore listening to her.
"Amy." Said Nights. "I don't mean to be rude but, maybe you should
just quite casing after him. After all your what? 13 and he's 16?"
Amy blushed.
"Actully, he's 24. And I'm 17."
"What?!"
"He was 15 when Sonic 1 was done. And I wsa 10 when Sonic CD came out
in 1993. Tails is one year older than me."
While Amy continued talking to Nights, Vectorman checks Amy's apartment...
Vectorman: Ah, good. No suicidal devices, and Amy's still alive. But I better take the knives from the kitchen...
Vectorman goes into the kitchen, only to see Tails with a knife at his neck...
Vectorman (extending his arm to take the knife away): Tails, what do you think you're doing?
Tails: Ending my miserable life! Sonic Team has yet to put me in SA2, and neither Sega or anyone else can make up their minds! I'm in constant torture!
Vectorman: Tails, calm down! You should be thankful you have been in two games for Dreamcast! I haven't been used since the Genesis!
Tails: Sure, but I've never been able to turn Super since the Genesis.
Vectorman: These are bad times, my friend.
As Vectorman opened the case he had brought along, Tails sat down on one of the chairs nearby.
"What're you doin' here, anyway?"
"I'm checking on Amy. Gamma couldn't come, he had some sort of meeting to attend."
"Strange...I was thinking about doing that myself. But when I got inside I found a discarded paper..."
Tails produced the paper, and Vectorman looked at it. What was on the note took him by surprise.
"'Tails not to be in SA2: Merely a Rumor, or a Sad Precursor of SEGA's Situation?' You mean..."
"Why do you think I had that knife?"
Vectorman sighed. It seemed things were getting worse and worse. Was SEGA being eaten alive? Why was it making these irrational decisions? And what could be done?
"Maybe you should go talk to Amy, Tails...she'd probably want to hear from you. She was dead drunk last night...I just hope she doesn't want to take it a step further..."
Vectorman then decided to head back to the industrial area and see if Gamma was any more inclined than before to talk with Amy. If one of them fell, the rest would follow.
*By the Maker...it's amazing we can survive at all...now we're scraping the bottom, fending for ourselves...why?*
Sonic finnished getting out of the shower. The beached house was at
a nice location, and he had to admit, it was nice to be away from everything.
He was taking a break from shooting scean from Sonic Adventure Two, and
was enjoying the few days off.
He couldn't of wait to tell Tails he was on the pay roll for Sonic
Adventure Two. They hadn't said yet if he was playing another part or was
going to be a player character. But it was nice to know his best friend
was still on the team. Last he heard Kncukles was benching wieghts. As
for Amy, well, bad things happened. But since when did that girl have those
sorts of problems? After all. She always only needed a visit to an amusment
park to get her back in the right mood.
She didn't know how to be depressed. Scard, sad, not depressed.
When Sonic had finished drying himself off, the phone down the hall rang. He dashed to get it, but failed to realize that an end table was in his path.
After brushing himself off, he limped over to the phone, wincing in pain. He got the phone and tried to apply pressure to one foot. It helped little, and he decided not to try running about the house like that again.
"Hello, *agh* Sonic here."
"Sonic? It's Vectorman. You're not gonna like what you're gonna hear..."
"Whadya mean, V? If it's about Amy, just *ow* take her to an amusement park."
"Well, uh..."
"Thought so. Ciao!"
He hung up the phone, then called 911. The suits weren't going to be pleased that he had broken a leg while on break. He started muttering about insurance premiums as the dial tone bleeped away.
On the other end of the now ended conversation, Vectorman merely stood, both miffed and shocked.
*How could Sonic reject her like that? Take her to an amusement park? What good would that do, especially when she's considering suicide?*
Vectorman sighed and sat down, still clutching the phone. There was one overriding thought in his mind...
*What is wrong with this picture?*
Vectorman looked into space, at the apartment to be specific. Gamma was there now, and he'd recommended to try calling Sonic first. He wasn't sure why Gamma had said that, but he tried anyway.
But it only allied his suspicions that something...he didn't know what...but SOMETHING was dreadfully wrong.
"Gamma?"
The robot turned toward him, with a strangely human expression on his face?
"Yes?"
"You...you'd better go see Amy yourself. Sonic isn't helping."
"What did he say?"
"He recommended I take her to an amusement park."
"But has that not been proven to work?"
"Well, no, but..."
"Then take his suggestion. We all have our own concerns...why not get all the help you can?"
Now Vectorman KNEW something was wrong. Gamma never acted like that about Amy. It was as if he was intentionally dodging the issue...like he was denying her existence.
Vectorman turned toward Lupe, who had been sitting there, listening idly the whole time. He indicated Gamma, and she gave a sympathetic nod. Even if they were robots, sometimes they were more human than anyone else.
Vectorman began wondering how Amy was taking all of the sudden events forced on her...and was inwardly relieved he had taken the knives before...
Victor rediel Sonic's number at once. Got the busy tone, and tired again
and got though.
"Hello?" Said Sonic over the phone.
"Sonic, it's me again. Listen you didn't let me finnish. Yes it is
about Amy. But listen for one second. Being choped off Sonic Advetnure
Two is killing her. I found her last night with more booze in her blood
than blood!"
Sonic yell of surprise and shock damaged Vectorman's audio cencors.
Tails sighed and looked out the window in Amy's apartment while Gamma and Vectorman were fussing over Sonic's brashness.
"Sonic never changes," Tails muttered. "He's always gotta hog the spotlight. I mean, I've only starred in two games, and they both sucked...then again, I could be stuck in Luigi's shoes, he's only had ONE crappy game. But even then, nobody knows what it's like to be in MY shoes. Luigi has a large fan-following, like I used to have. Then that pushy echidna, knuckles, came around, and stole my place. If I were as insane as Amy right now, I'd probably go kill them both...but that wouldn't work, would it? Hmmm..."
Tails sighed again. "This is a cruel, cruel world. I'm supposed to be Sonic's best bud!! And I'm still not even sure if I'm in SA2 yet."
"Go easy, you kitsune fool," Amy choked. "At least you have a CHANCE, unlike me..."
Tails turned to face Amy with disgust. "Don't give me that. You're famous for SOMETHING, at least--Sonic's constantly on-again, off-again girl. Me, i can't be in one of those on-off spots. I'm stuck where I am, lucky me."
Amy broke down into hard sobs again, and instantly Vectorman and Gamma were with her, trying to comfort her.
"What did you do that for?" Knights demanded of Tails.
"I think you all know," Tails said, throwing open the window. He wound his twin tails together, and took off out the window to have a few choice words with Sonic...
Why was he doing this? Sonic thought. This reminded him of that death
match where he beat Mario Mario, but the script writer had it so all the
Nintendo character rushed to defend him and then all the Sega and Playstation
character ran off. Seach! Who was the ideot that thought Sony and Sega
would were cospiring against Nintendo? Oh yea, the writer's name was Metal
Mario. He wonder if anyone want his e-mail adress.
Now here he was broken, had told the parametic to never mind, (he knew
he was going to get into trouble over THAT one) and now was going with
an unset broken leg to Amy's aparment. If someone called Sonic stupid right
now, he wouldn't argue the point. Besides Amy was just a friend. Wasn't
she?
"Wow. Now that's just COLD."
Vectorman's comment pretty much summed up the attitude of everyone there. Amy wasn't JUST Sonic's annoying antagonistic girlfriend. She was much more, everyone knew that. But to be put down so harshly...now that was no way to talk to her.
"Gamma?"
"What is it, Vectorman?"
"I was kinda surprised that you were coming. I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly after NiGHTS gave you that call..."
"Amy is someone I feel a special bond with. I may have acted indifferent to her earlier, but this is different."
"I 'spose. Well, who can we call that can comfort Amy any?"
None of them could think of anyone at the moment. At first they thought maybe they could call Bobbin Threadbare, but since Bobbin was Lucasart property, it would have been near impossible for them to get him to come.
Besides, he was stuck in the 2D format, while many of the others had gone 3D. Even Guybrush Threepwood went 3D, for Naka's sake! So Bobbin was out.
"Hmmm...who else could we get?"
Nothing came out from anyone else's mouth. Vectorman was beginning to have to search through every archival file he could...
Then came the loadest profanity Vectorman had ever heard, but it was
a scream in pain rather than in anger. And it seemed to be coming just
outside the door.
The robot looked though the peak hole, then then swung the door open,
it was Sonic. And the first thing on everyone's mind when they saw him
was that legs wern't soppost to bend that way.
"Sweet jeezus..."
"My visual sensors indicate that the severity of the wound could cause Sonic to lapse into a coma due to blood lose. I doubt that he will be able to stand up much longer."
And Gamma was quite right. Sonic tumbled to the floor, his eyes starting to roll through his head.
"I wondered why I heard muffled moans over the line..."
NiGHTs turned to Amy, who was stunned. Her eyes remained fixated on Sonic's limp form, even as Gamma and Vectorman began to administer first aid.
"Erm...feel better about yourself, Amy?"
She turned toward him with an empty gaze. It struck NiGHTs like a cold wind howling through the tree, or something out of a nightmare. She left the room soon after.
"NiGHTS! You'd better call the hospital. Just how long has he been walking?!"
"My scans indicate at least two hours. It is possible that the sheer exertion of this task alone triggered this."
"Sonic, why'd you have to do this?!"
Amy was wondering the same thing herself right about now. She suddenly realized what everyone was trying to tell her: she was a special person, no matter what the critics said.
Tails was still flying when he heard the curse, Sonic had used his lungs
to their fullest so a good half of Station Square resedental distrect had
heard it, including Tails who was on his way TO Sonic's house, only to
hear him screaming in the other direction. Tails did an instant u-turn
and flew straight back to Amy's aparment, which was becoming a regular
bunk house for retired Archie and Sega characters.
Putting his body to a test he hadn't since that do or die race with
Robotnic to that missle had lauched into Station Square during Sonic Adventure,
Tails landed his name sakes feeling like lead and a stich in his side.
That was when he saw Sonic, and one of his legs bending the wrong way.
Tails felt his head spin at the sight.
"What happened?" He asked sucking wind though it stabbed his lungs
to breath.
"Nice to see you back." Said Vector. "Can you air lift Sonic to Station
Square hospital?"
NiGHTS took a good look at Sonic and Tails.
"With True Blue's leg not even set or casted and with Rad Orange (nothing
rymths with orange so sue me) your only going to make it worse. I better
get that 911 call."
NiGHTS was surprise that the guy he connected to commented on how Sonic
had called the very same operator that day and had then a short time later
said 'never mind' and was planning on report him for abuse of the phone
and emergency treatment service.
"You can if he servives, now how about that abulance?" Spate NiGHTS.
"Got it." Was the operator's reply. "Just stay on the line and well
send one right over." NiGHTS took a look at look at Sonic and winced, and
tought it was a good thing Sonic was unconious. What was he saying?! He
heard that someone with a major injuiy being unconious could be the possibly
worse thing for them. He was a dream spirit. But what could he do?
Amy's phone rang. In the middle of chaos, the most simple of things
occured.
Amy picked it up out of habbit listened, and slammed the receiver down.
He muttered a few unlady like things under her breath.
"Who was it?" Tails asked.
"Nintendoland.com." Amy replied. "They said they wern't doing anymore
Sega verus Nintendo death matchs. I guess that thought that having Sonic
win and have him be humilated anyway wasenough for them. Did you know that
they got Knuckles color wrong and though he was orange? I e-mailed them
about it. They thought I was in the first grade! @$*. First grade!?" (note
based on real life occurence)
This was not the time Tails thought he would get a phone call. How they
knew where he was he didn't know. But he heard what the Sega top brass
had to say. His blue eyes dilated, his face lost all expression. He dropped
the phone as if it didn't matter.
He walked into Amy Kittchen, Vector followed him.
He was just able to move fast enough. Though he had taken all the knifes
out of the kittechen, he had not removed the limited glass wear Amy had.
Tails had broken one and was in the process of cutting his wrist, Vector
stopped him barly in time.
"Let me go! I want to do this!"
"NO you don't!"
"Yes I do!"
"What happend?!"
"Naga called me up. He said I wasn't in SA2 or SA3!!! He said I was
scraped at last! He said I was offical terminated!!!!" Tails screamed.
"Now let me die! And let Amy die while your at it. We have no home! No
place! Where dead already to the world!"
"You can't believe that." Said Vector. After all this time, he had
servived. In spit of everything, he had servived. He was worried Tails
and Amy would not be able to.
"Tails...you're lucky to have what you've got."
"WHAT?!"
"Tails, I'm telling you: you've got it better off than I do. I just got a two-game deal, no more. Nothing, zip, zilch, nada. Hell, I don't even have a fan-base!"
"But...I've been..."
"Scrapped? Your fans won't care. They won't talk about why you're NOT in SA2 or SA3...at least, not if they want to be positive. They'll still remember fondly your previous works. And you've still got the fanfiction and the fan base. Me, I've got nothing."
"So why aren't you depressed?"
"Tails...when you're a robot, you're built so that you can take that kind of punishment on the chin."
By now Tails had set down the broken glass and was sitting on a stool, ignoring the paramedics who had just arrived.
"I...I didn't know you had it so bad off. You were the main character even!"
"Being the main character doesn't guarantee star status. Take the example of Bobbin Threadbare..."
"Who?"
"You've never heard of him?"
"Well...no."
"He was the lead character of the game Loom. Y'know, the magical adventure game? Made around the same time as Secret of Monkey Island. Even had voices...and what happened? He only made one game, and nothing. He didn't have a fan base, and no way of continuing the story. It just ended. To add insult to injury, Secret of Monkey Island became even more successful than Loom ever was, and it's now going into, what, the fourth installment? Sometimes you get a winner, sometimes you don't."
Vectorman looked at Tails, who was now a slight bit confused, but no longer quite as depressed. Vectorman was unsure of what to do next. Eventually, he decided on the only thing he could do.
"Why don't you talk to Amy again. I have to bring Lupe over here...she might have a better time sorting this out."
As Vectorman exited, Tails went into the living room with Amy. There she was, staring into space. Just minutes earlier she'd been in her room, crying...or had she been talking with Nintendoland? It didn't matter.
Tails seated himself down next to Amy. She didn't seem to notice. Gamma was also in the room, although he was merely trying to sort everything out. NiGHTS had gone into Amy's guest room to check in.
Tails was suddenly stricken with a bit of panic. What was he going to say? He anxiously cleared his throat, drawing Amy's attention. Still unsure on what to do, he said what was off the top of his head.
"I've been scrapped."
Amy gaped at him, shocked.
"What?"
"I said, I've been scrapped. Don't make me say it again." Tails muttered, turning his head away. he put his elbow on the arm of the sofa, and rested his chin in his hand.
"But why--"
"They decided the new triple threat was better off with Eggman instead of me...Eggman, ha! He's been the bad guy since day one, and now he's the third of three."
There was an odd silence between the two.
"I guess when you've got a blue hedgehog that can run real fast, a super-strong echidna, and a fat demented scientist human, there's Kitsune muyo. No need for a flyin' fox." Tails spat a curse. "I've been with Sonic from almost the start, and now look at me. I'm a freak, a twin-tailed, flying FREAK..."
Knuckles never knew where he had come from. Though some fan fic writers
and Archie had come up with some ideas. Why was he alive? And his entire
race dead? He could ask the same of the Chao that were slaughtered by his
race just before the seeds of their actions were reaped.
The lastest theroy on Chao serviving was hidding egg away from the
shirne. That made some sense, after all, Chao egg didn't hatch unless actully
nutured.
Chaow, K-O, what diffence did the pronoucation really make?
The point was that Edcidna were also egg layers, had he been a hidden
egg? Somehow kept in supended animation by the power of the master emerald?
Until it felt the need for a protector?
Of course Archie had given him a good origen, but here, in the prime
universe, segasonic, Knuckles wondered. He had nothing against Archie,
in fact, his comic were better than Sonic's, maybe because they didn't
try to fit in as many game elements. But then his comic got cancelled.
So be it.
Julie-Su. His true reason for his attration to the Archie verse, she
had orginally been a character in her own comic series, that never made
first issue because, believe it or not, Julie-Su was considered to have
too much sex apeal. Knuckles couldn't argue there. For him though it was
a potivtive thing.
"Knuckles." Of course, SegaSonic HAD to drop a bomb shell in his lab
with someone new to have intrest in. Even though she was 'dead'.
"Tikal." The edcidna replied looking at the sky unpon Angel Island.
He could still remember a short time ago when everyone thought Floating
Island was the name of the flying hunk of rock.
"I guess you heard. They decided on a Chao being the hint giver in
SA2 instead of me."
"Tikal you know I have no athority in that sort of thing. Besides you
still have work behind the sceans taking care of all the Chao their using."
"I know but," The ghost started, "I just feel that I've lost something
if I can't be their on screen with them. Knuckles, I was a pure story line
character, and now I've been dumped."
"How's Chaos?"
"His tail's 'in a knote' and he keep brooding over not having any parts
to play this time around."
"As long as he doesn't go smashing any buildings."
"They put the emeralds back in the specical zone remember? He can't
evolve anymore."
"Oh yea."
"Wherever I go, people stare at me. Kids laugh at me and pull my tails. It gloriously sucks. You're lucky...you have some sence of normalcy." Tails muttered with finality.
"Tails, I--I didn't know you felt that way..." Amy gasped.
"Well, now you do. I dunno what the hell Vecty was sayin', telling me to talk to you. I just dumped alla my own problems on you. I really suck at this whole emotion thing."
"Tails..." Amy scooted closer to the kitsune. "We all have to go through some kind of trial-by-fire at some point in our lives. This is ours."
"Feh."
Suddenly, Gamma stood up straight, drawing the two anthromorphic's attention to him. They watched him silently, and he at last said, "Tails. I have news..."
"News? What kind?"
"Depends on how you look at it." Gamma said, shrugging his robotic shoulders. "Good news is that Naka might NOT have cut you from the team after all. The bad news is, we're back to being unsure of your position in SA2."
"Jee-sus," Amy whistled. "Look at that, Tails--you still have a shining hope!"
Tails' expression brightened for a second, and then went hollow again quickly.
"What's wrong?" Both Gamma and Amy asked.
"Don't you see? It's all rumors." Tails spat. "It won't happen."
Tails pushed up from the sofa, and went to the door of Amy's apartment.
"Where are you going, Tails?" Amy asked, getting off the sofa as well.
"I have to go talk with a friend," was all Tails said before leaving the apartment, and it's many visitors.
Tails went into Station Square Central, to take the train back to the Mystic Ruins. It was a boring, uneventful ride, but it gave Tails time to think.
The train came to a stop at last, and Tails got off, and flew over to his workshop. Once in his room on the top floor (That door's gotta lead to SOMETHING), he took the phone of the reciever and punched in a number.
The phone rang a few times, and at last, somebody picked up.
"Yeah, what is it?" a watery voice snapped.
"Chaos, it's me, Miles."
"Huh? oh, hi, Tails," the watery voice on the other end, belonging to Chaos, said, softening. "What can I do you for?"
"Is Tikal there?" Tails asked.
"No, she went out a while ago, but I'll try to help if you want me too..."
"Chaos...how do you adapt?"
"Huh? Well...usually, I adjust my body's properties to become a solid or gas..."
"No, not to the weather, to life. Like...how do you deal with not being in SA2?"
"I think," Chaos replied darkly. "That's all I can do, I have no power in this. Tikal, she's all bright and cheery about everything, but far be it from me to take that away from her. She has something that we all have, but she shows it."
"What is that thing?" Tails asked, desperate for the answer.
"Hope."
There was an akward silence between the two, which was broken by Tails, who thanked Chaos, said goodbye, and hung up.
"Hope..." Tails said quietly, looking out a window. Twilight was upon them now, the sky splattered with pink, purple and orange.
NiGHTS certainly knew of Tails' conflicting status reports on the Sonic Adventure 2 project. But, in slumber, nothing can trouble you...especially if you've had experience in such a world, as NiGHTS had. But the only thing that can trouble the world of slumber, and that's a dream.
NiGHTS appeared in a world of pilots, and beautiful skies. NiGHTS gazed up with eyes, not even half awake, and noticed the speed of the planes in the air. Very fast, just like a certain hedgehog he knew. But then, the planes crashed in mid-air, and the sky turned black within minutes. NiGHTS realized that there were shrilled voices in the background, Despite their low volume, they were quite powerful in the way they talked.
They said..."Giest."
"Giest Force." uttered a voice from beyond.
"Who are you?"
"NiGHTS...hi. I think you remember me..." The dark figure appeared into a slight light from the moon. It was Bug.
"Bug? Bug! My old friend!"
"NiGHTS...I'm sure you know of the troubles with Amy, and Tails...there were some shockers here and there while you were asleep, but it's alright and steady now."
"...I'm awake now?"
"Not exactly, but you're quite aware, more than you usually are in dreams. NiGHTS, I'm here as an example for you. Amy and Tails need help...please remind them of people like me, and even the unborn ones, like the pilots of Giest Force."
"Giest Force...yeah, the Dreamcast game that was canceled. It was something I was looking forward to."
"NiGHTS...even though almost NO ONE knows who I am, and I am forgotten...I'm alive; in the hearts of fans of the Sega Saturn. NiGHTS, no matter what happens to characters like us, we'll LIVE. And as long as we exist, it will be alright. We just need to sleep in catacombs for awhile, but that's alright. Characters like us can do so much more than real people can. Don't you...pity them?"
"...Yes. I do...sometimes I wish I knew other people who could fly with me. They can in their imaginations, but they can't for real..."
"But we are what makes an imagination. It's a cycle that...works, NiGHTS. Farewell, my friend. I will arrive to others that need my help..."
"Thank you, Bug. I appreciate it...you're like a brother to me." Nights started to tear a bit...
"NiGHTS...it's best you think about people like you, people like me, and people like the Geist Force. And be sure to tell that to Tails and Amy too, okay? I don't know if I can make it to them in time...bye." And then, Bug faded away...
NiGHTS found a rock to sit on, in this dark world that is the grave of Giest Force.
Deep within the bowels of the sewers beneath Amy's apartment, a troop of camoflauged men walked in silence. Unknown to anyone except a select few, these men crept through the dimly-lit chasms and catacombs of the sewers.
They were sent by an unlikely source...the executives at SEGA. They were getting rid of "excess" material. And they were starting at the top...
Their objective: capture and execute Amy Rose before she grew revolutionary.
Twelve men had gone into the sewers, and twelve men would leave...with a thirteenth in a body bag.
The twelve men sneaked into the upper areas of the apartment, waiting for the SEGA characters to leave. Then they headed upstairs, looking for their primary target.
Nights headed out of the grave of Geist Force and headed back to Amy's
apartment.
" I wonder how she's doing." he said to himself
Little did he know the battle that would occur.
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End Page One of Four
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