My first Sonic fic. I will do my best to make it a good one. So let's get into it. Oh and it takes place in the SatAm universe so it'll be following the SatAm characters. Mainly because it's my favorite setting in the Sonic franchise.
This story is rated T for scary moments and language.
Disclaimer: I do not Sonic or other characters from the franchise
"Snively! Is it ready yet? We've delayed this for far too long," came the voice that Snively dreaded the most.
It was the voice of his hated Uncle Julien or, as Julien himself preferred to be called, Dr. Robotnik. Snively was a rather small man that lived in the remains of the city of Mobotropolis and worked as Robotnik's assistant in the now renamed, Robotropolis. Assistant? Ha! More like his lackey. A slave that was nothing more than a punching bag to this dictator. Oh how Snively wanted to be the one in charge. The one to take power and then make his horrible uncle pay for all the misery he'd had to endure all these years. But all of that would come in time. For now he'd just bide his time and do exactly as the doctor ordered.
He was currently down in the testing chamber of what was once the palace of the royal Acorn family. Now it was nothing more then Robotnik's headquarters. A palace in his own eyes. It was home and it was where he worked.
Looking up from the clipboard and his notes and looking back at the portal device that the roboticized work bots were building, he turned back to the monitor that contained the good doctor's face and said, "Almost sir. We've still got a few more touches to put on then we're ready."
Snively was hoping that the doctor would accept this answer and allow them to continue without interruption. Instead the doctor just seethed some more and said, "I already told you Snively that we are already behind schedule as it is. QUIT STALLING AND HURRY UP AND FINISH THE DAMN THING!"
With that the screen went blank and Snively was granted a few minutes of peace. But not wanting to feel his uncle's wrath again, he ordered the bots to work faster. This did, however bother him a bit because if they were to accelerate the work, it could make the device unstable. If that were to happen, who knows what the end result could be? It could destroy everything around them or it could be worse. But knowing how evil Doctor Robotnik was, he knew the risks as well and was willing to take the chance. Snively shuddered at the possibilities.
It took another half an hour, but eventually the device was ready for testing. The device itself was similar in design to the original portal device that Robotnik had used to open up the Void in the past. The very location where the good King Acorn himself was currently occupying after Robotnik's coup. The difference though? The prototype that they had created was meant to be mobile. It's intention? To use on any freedom fighters that they encountered in Robotropolis or outside of it. Robotnik's frustrations with the freedom fighters was running so strong that he had decided that if he couldn't catch them for robotization, he'd banish them to the Void instead. An endless dimension where time is practically non-existent. The problem however is that the Void could only be opened in a few locations. And thus, the mobile portal was designed and built. It looked like the regular device they used to open the Void, except that this one had mechanical legs and claws attached so that it could walk anywhere. Along the ground or up walls, making access to buildings easier. All that was left was to test it.
Snively went over to a nearby monitor and rang for Doctor Robotnik.
Robotnik's face appeared on screen and with a scowl he said, "What is it Snively? And this had better be good news about the contraption."
Snively stammered for a moment and said, "S-sir the mobile Void device is finished and ready for testing."
Robotnik's scowl turned to an evil smile and he wrung his hands together in sinister delight.
"Excellent Snively. I'll be down in a moment. Power it up and have it ready for me by the time I arrive," Robotnik said with an evil cackle.
Snively sighed in exasperation and did exactly as he had been instructed. Pressing the buttons and dials and allowed the device to charge. The minutes ticked by and Snively waited and waited. When Robotnik finally did arrive, Snively tensed himself and was eagerly begging the machine to hurry up it's charge so that it could be used. If it wasn't ready, the doctor would not be happy. He always expected everything to be ready when he says. Even something as small as this could irritate him. And that meant more misery for Snively.
"Well Snively? Is it ready?" Robotnik said to the little man.
Snively gulped as the device was currently at a ninety percent charge and still increasing. Fast enough that it'll be there in just a couple of minutes, but not nearly soon enough for Robotnik. When he wanted something, he wanted it now.
"Well Snively?" Robotnik asked again.
Snively gulped and said, "A-almost there s-sir. We're at about n-ninety-two percent p-po-power now."
Whenever his nerves ran high, Snively would stutter and this event was no different.
Robotnik breathed a little bit and said, "I see. Snively I have a question for you. What did I ask of you over the monitor?"
Snively stammered some more and said, "T-t-to have the ma-machine ready before y-you arrived sir."
Robotnik chuckled a little bit and said, "Exactly. And when I say ready I mean one hundred percent ready. Not ninety-two percent ready."
Snively gulped as his uncle loomed over him. And grabbed him back the back of the shirt collar and lifted him to his eye level.
"Understood?" Robotnik asked with malice evident in his voice.
Snively nodded quickly and said, "Understood sir."
With an evil grin, Robotnik snickered before tossing Snively aside and approached his brand new machine. The device that he could use to finally put an end to the freedom fighters and their pesky little resistance. It was at the point where robotization was way too good for them. A more everlasting punishment was in order for them. Especially for the pesky hedgehog. Oh how he hated that hedgehog. The one that has always managed to get away, even when he had him in his grasp. And the princess was no better. He was a genius and the princess always seemed to have a plan ready to outsmart him. Every plan he concocted was always doomed to fail because of her brains and the hedgehog's speed. But that was all about to end with his newest creation. All it needed was a proper test run and they could begin the process.
He looked at the power gauge as it read ninety-eight percent. Excellent, all he had to was wait a few more moments and they would be ready. Snively was already back on his feet and standing near yet away from Robotnik. It took only a few more seconds for the gauge to read full.
"Excellent. First let's see how it moves," Robotnick said used a dial on the side of the machine to allow it to walk freely around the testing chamber.
It stood up on it's mechanical legs and began walking in a straight line towards the edge of the room. Robotnik laughed and brought it back towards him with a remote connection that Snively had created. He then allowed it to walk around in circles and then up the walls a little bit. Just a bit more practice and it'd be ready to use out in the field.
"Well that's the first test done. Now we just need to see how well it is at creating an opening. I just need a subject," Robotnik said and looked down at Snively.
Snively knew what that meant and tried to back away but was grabbed and tossed in front of the portal device.
Snively scrapped against the ground and turned around as he sat up and faced the machine again. A look of horror spread across his face.
"Just relax Snively. It'll be over in a second and then I'll bring you back," Robotnik said and prepared to start up the device.
"As best I can," Robotnik added under his breath not really giving a care.
Snively began to panic as his uncle pushed the main button on the system and then... nothing happened. Snively looked back up with a look of confusion. Robotnik looked confused as well and continued to push the button again as his confused look turned into a look of irritation. He pushed it again and again but nothing would happen.
"What is wrong with this thing? Snively what did you do? The portal is not opening," Robotnik sneered and threw the controller to the ground.
Snively tried to back away from the mad doctor as far as he could and away from the device which then began to spark and crackle as if it was coming to life. Robotnik was just about to grab Snively when he could hear popping from the machine as it practically glowed when turned back to it. If it wasn't shut down, it could destroy the entire lab complex or worse.
All of the planet.
He rushed over to the machine and as he grabbed at it, a surge of electricity rushed through his body and back into the device. A searing pain surged through his body as the power around him crackled. Eventually the energy sent him backwards and as he let go and collapsed to the ground, a beam shot out of the machine and created a small fissure in midair. Almost like a pulsating tear had formed. Both he and Snively watched as the tear glowed and seem to pulsate. After a moment, surges of energy popped out of the fissure and vanished almost instantly. A dozen times this happened and each surge sent out an orb of some unknown origin. Each orb that was ejected from the surges was brighter than the last and each glowed an ominous red color. Almost as if hellfire were being released.
After a couple of moments the tear fizzled and finally disappeared in one last surge of energy that eminated and rushed through them. Both Robotnik and Snively stood where they were in stunned silence at what they had just witnessed. Neither of them could explain what had just happened and had no idea what had come forth.
"Umm... was it supposed to do that?" Snively asked out loud.
Robotnik pulled himself back to his feet and said, "I don't even know what that was. Could have been a weak beam for the void or it could have been a dimensional rupture. Either way we don't have time to worry about this. We need to start our work again."
Robotnik walked back over to the elevator and looked back to his nephew.
"Get back to work and build it again. A set back is not a reason to get lazy," said and then the elevator doors closed.
Snively grumbled angrily to himself and grabbed his clipboard with the notes on them.
"Just you wait fatman. One way or another, I'll eventually be in charge and you'll be kissing my feet," he said as he reexamined his notes.
While Snively started work on the new machine again, the energy surge moved quickly over the planet's surface. It rushed across lakes, the badlands, and even forests and mountains. And before long it passed over a tiny village hidden away from the rest of the world. Huts dotted all over the ground and up in the trees as well. The residents were all sound asleep in their beds with the exception of one French coyote who was on lookout for that night. He had been nodding off when the energy wave passed over and could he could feel as it passed by.
(AN: I'm not good at writing accents so I'm sure you can imagine what it sounds like when he says it)
He was startled awake by a tingling sensation that ran over his entire body and yelled out, "What the? What was that?"
In another area of the village, stood a larger hut. Inside was a four post bed and lying in the bed, asleep, was a female chipmunk with auburn hair. Her breathing soft as she tried to get some much needed sleep. It had been a long day for her and several others as they had gotten a message earlier that day telling them that their nemesis, Doctor Robotnik, had been scheming and was possibly building something that could easily take them out if he was given the chance. Well she wasn't about to give him that chance. They had spied, but couldn't see anything. They'd have to plan things for another day.
Her name was Sally and she was once the princess of the planet Mobius and she lived in the city of Mobotropolis. Her father had been the king until the day that one Julien Kintobor took over and stripped the king of his crowning and then banishing him to another dimension while Sally and her friends escaped. Sally had found this out only weeks earlier when she and one of her friends, a hedgehog named Sonic, had gone inside and found him there. They managed to escape, but couldn't leave with him. No matter though. She knew he was alive and where to find him. She swore that no matter how long it took, she'd get him out.
She was snoring softly as she felt something tingle all over her. She shot up in bed and let out a gasp. She felt her heart racing at the sudden panic but looked herself over. She felt no pain and it didn't look like she was harmed in any way. So what did she feel?
She was about to lie back down and go back to sleep when she heard a startled shout come from the adjoining room.
"Tails?" Sally called out.
Hearing no answer, she called out again. Just like the first time there was no answer. Wanting to make sure he was okay, Sally pulled herself out of bed and pulled on a robe. She walked to his door and lightly tapped on it, calling out to him again. After no answer, she opened the door and walked inside.
Tails was a young brown fox with two tails, hence his name. No one in Knothole knew where he came from. Only that he was found abandoned in the woods eight years earlier and that since then, Sally had been his main caretaker. But all of her friends had played a role in taking care of him.
Tails right now however was sitting up in bed and feeling his face. His breathing was hard. Almost as if he had been awoken with a sudden jolt. Sally walked over to him and took a seat next to his bed. She placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him lightly.
"Tails? Are you okay?" she asked.
As soon as she uttered those words, Tails flinched and turned his attention to her.
"Aunt Sally? Did you feel that?" Tails asked innocently.
Sally shrugged and asked, "I don't know. What did it feel like?"
"It felt like I was suddenly hit with a small lightning bolt. Almost like when I get too close to one of Rotor's little projects," he answered her.
Sally laughed lightly, but it was a bittersweet laugh. She laughed at Tails innocent demeanor like always, but at the same time she was a little bothered. He had felt the same thing she felt and she wondered if anyone else did. It wasn't long before she got her answer.
Outside she could hear the other village residents stirring from sleep and actually wandering out into the night. Some voices questioning others about what they had just felt. Sally got up from her seat and moved over to the window. She looked outside and could see the other residents were up and about. Some looked frightened while others looked confused. So it hadn't just been her and Tails. Everyone in Knothole must have felt something.
"What's going on outside Aunt Sally?" Tails asked from behind her as he tried to look out the window as well.
Sally turned back towards him and met him at eye level.
"Nothing honey. It's late and you should get back to bed. We'll worry about this in the morning. Okay?" she said to him.
He was about to argue but then he saw the stern look in her eyes that she gave when she really meant something. He nodded and climbed back into bed. Sally tucked him back in and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she left. She dashed through her room and rushed outside to see that the crowd of residents had grown. When she had looked outside, only a few residents had been out. Now it seemed as if half of Knothole had poured outside. Each saying they had felt the same thing. A tingling sensation that had roused each of them from sleep.
"Yo Sal," said one voice as Sally wandered amongst the crowd.
She turned in the direction that the voice had come from and saw who she expected. If his blue quills weren't enough to give him away, his attitude certainly was. He dashed over to her and was by her side in a split second or as he liked to call it, a sonic second.
"Sonic? I take it you felt it too?" she asked already knowing what the answer was going to be.
Sonic nodded and said, "Yeah. Everyone in Knothole did. It was just so weird. One minute I'm asleep and the next it just feels like... like... I don't really know how to explain it."
Sally let out a sly smile and said, "Like a small lightning bolt?"
Sonic nodded and said, "Yeah. Thought it was just me until all the lights came on all over town. Any idea what that was about?"
Sally shrugged and said, "Your guess is as good as mine. I should get Nicole. See if she has picked anything up."
Sonic nodded and said, "Might be a good idea."
Sally nodded and rushed back to her hut, bobbing in and out of the crowd to get back. She dashed inside and went over to her desk. This where she normally kept her handheld computer that was known as Nicole. She had been given to Sally within a few months of their arrival in Knothole by her childhood nanny, an elderly woodchuck named Rosie. She was told that it was a gift from her father and that's all the both Rosie and Sally knew.
Sally had fond memories of her. She was still around in Knothole, or rather she was around once again. But she didn't have time to dwell on that right now. She walked back out and found Sonic waiting right outside for her.
"Took you long enough Sal. What does Nicole say?" Sonic asked eagerly.
Sally ignored the question and turned her attention directly to Nicole.
"Nicole did you sense anything a few minutes ago? Anything out of the ordinary?" she asked her computer as she typed on a few buttons.
Nicole buzzed to life and answered, "Hello Sally. I did detect an energy spike just a few minutes ago. It came and went at an accelerated pace that I unfortunatly could not pinpoint a location or a source."
Sally groaned in frustration and said, "At least that explains the tingling sensation. Is there anything you can do to help figure out what caused it?"
Nicole remained silent for a moment as she scanned.
"Negative Sally. It appears that all traces of the energy wave that passed by have diminished enough and cannot make a proper scan. A few smaller traces remain and but are harder to track. I'm sorry Sally," Nicole answered.
Sally sighed and said, "It's okay. Thanks anyway Nicole."
Sonic let out a sigh himself and said, "Great. So not even Nicole can figure out what's up. What do we do about this?"
"Well it doesn't look like we can do anything for now. We'll keep an eye on this and see if anything comes up. I hate when things like this happen and we can't do anything about it," Sally answered him.
As they spoke the crowd around them began to diminish and everyone started going back home and some managed to get back to bed. Others stayed up out of wonder and fear. Sally was a little relieved to see everyone returning to their homes. From the looks of things, no damage was done and everyone seemed to be in good health. There was no use dwelling on this tonight. Sally and Sonic bid each other a good night and then returned to their huts.
But as Sally walked into her hut, a bush nearby shook with a peculiar snarl and growl. Unlike a lot of the creatures they normally get in the village, this one did not sound friendly or benign. No, this was something different.
Not hearing the sounds, Sally closed the door and walked over to Tails' room. She gently opened the door and looked to see him asleep in bed. After confirming to herself that he was asleep, she closed the door and returned to her own bed. Slipping her robe back off, she climbed into bed and fell asleep once more. She didn't even hear the scratching and growling at the door. Almost as if something was trying to claw it's way in.
And that'll do for this chapter. Not much to say here other than Robotnik's actions have had unforseen and unintentional side effects. There's no telling what he did and what this all means. Keep tuned in if you want find out.
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