Hero and Villain
Robotnik was sitting in his 'throne' in the main computer room. It looked incredibly high tech in there. A large screen with three smaller ones atop of it dominated the wall in front of the throne numbers and other odd symbols popping up on the screen at random, a grand keyboard stretched out with innumerable keys on it. To the left of the throne the double doors were almost completely covering the wall. The other two walls were nothing special.
Robotnik looked over to the Black Emerald contained in an anti Chaos glass chamber on the left armrest of his seat, wondering how the robots were doing and how long it would take for them to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds. He looked up to his monitor, easily able to decipher the numbers and symbols appearing on the screen. As he sat there, thinking of the many places that he had conquered whilst becoming the leader of the world, he realised how glad he was to be blessed with such a high IQ. Getting bored he decided to switch on the radio and attempt to lock onto another freedom fighters broadcast.
After fifteen minutes of twiddling through millions of different signals with his radio, he got bored of trying to crack what the freedom fighters new frequency was. Robotnik pressed a few buttons on his keyboard and a large list of videos popped up onto the screen. Almost everyone containing the words "Death" and/or "Freedom Fighters" in. Robotnik started scrolling down the list of the videos. "Oh, what to watch today? I have a bit of killing freedom fighters here. Some more killing freedom fighters there, and oh, yes this one will do." He clicked on a small box with a picture of a camera on labelled 'Cell three.'
An image popped up on the screen of Tails in a cell. "Ahh, live footage of newly captured victims is so much better." Robotnik looked at Tails a little closer, examining Tails he saw that he was in fact missing a tail. Rendering his nickname pretty useless, but that was not all, his back was covered in scars, bruises and newly scabbed cuts, some very deep ones. Then Tails turned round.
Eggman laughed, for much to his pleasure, Tails was missing an eye. "Ho ho, that's what you get for fighting against the Robotic Empire!" Robotnik pressed a button to turn on the speaker that sent sound into Tails' cell. "Hello Tails, hope you're enjoying your comfortable cell. Us at Robotic Empires are hoping you have an enjoyable stay." Robotnik spoke sarcastically, with much glee in his voice.
"Eggman? You'll pay for this! The freedom fighters will get you and Sonic will come back and avenge me!" Tails shouted, spinning round looking for a camera. He located it and stared right into it.
"So you think Tails. Now onto more pressing matters. Where is the base of the mobile freedom fighters?" Robotnik exclaimed. He full well knew that Tails wouldn't reveal it but it was worth asking anyway.
"As if I would tell you that! You're not going to find out and I will not tell you." Tails said defiantly. A look of pure determination upon his face. "No one you capture ever shall!"
"Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot know bastard!" Robotnik shouted, enraged by Tails' statement. He quickly soothed his voice and calmed down. "Fine. If you refuse to tell me, then we'll just have to do it the hard way." Robotnik flicked a couple of switches. "Send in the interrogation droid..." Robotnik said quietly, the joy in his voice obvious.
The door opened and Tails' eye widened, but all that walked in was a small black robot shaped like a human child. "Hahaha, what's that small thing going to do?" Tails laughed, pointing at the tiny thing.
"Laugh all you want Tails, we'll see what happens..." Eggman sat on his throne smugly. Waiting in anticipation.
The robot moved up to Tails moving slowly it put its hand in front of Tails' head. "What're you doi-" The robot flicked tails in the head mid speech... Tails went flying back into the wall behind him. "Wow." Tails tried to stand up clutching his head, bleeding. "Who knew a small robot like that could pack such a punch?" Tails said in a disbelieving voice.
"Well Tails, are you willing to give up the location of the secret base? Or does my robot need to give you a true beating?" Eggman asked maliciously.
"I'll never tell you the location! Even if you try to kill me I will not tell you! I'll take this secret to the grave!" Tails exclaimed, putting on a very brave front as the robot approached him again.
"I may well kill you, you insolent bastard; but until I find an answer out of you I doubt I'll let you go so easily!" He shouted down the microphone. He flicked a switch to make it so that only the robot could hear him. "Robot, record the entire thing and make sure that you record any confessions he makes; apart from that, do not kill him unless he's told you the location of the freedom fighters base. Have fun..." The robot hit Tails again as Robotnik chuckled.
Robotnik switched off the microphone and its video output. He went to lay back in his throne. "Oh it's great to be me!" He looked up to his screens again, trying to decide what to do while he was waiting for his two important tasks to finish. He looked at the time, and thought it was getting to be quite long for the cyborg team, the Metals and Mechas to be getting back to him.
"Ah well, send an attack in on one of the places suspected of being the hide out for a freedom fighters mobile army." Robotnik instructed the computer in a dull monotone voice. "And make sure you kill everyone in sight of the place." He added before the computer confirmed.
He sat and watched his robotic troops closing in on the suspected area; it was a place reasonably close to where Tails was captured. He sat there and watched the screen. Suddenly gun fire started, someone was shooting his precious robots! About one hundred of the robots turned to go and attack the culprits of the resistance. The robots started blazing their laser shooters at the many freedom fighters that were scattered across the hard rocky ground.
Not one of them survived.
"Hahaha! No one should mess with me!" Upon commanding his camera robot to do so, the robot moved in closer and looked at the scenes of gore and horror. Blood had stained the grass and already ruined flowers. "This is not war! This is sport!" Robotnik exclaimed maliciously. "If those bastard animals want to fight me then fine; everyone loves a big hunt!" Robotnik shouted, clearly pleased with himself.
The robots drew closer to the presumed location of the temporary base. Robotnik sat there in anticipation, awaiting whether this was the correct place or not, when suddenly, his robots began to power down. Waves upon waves of robots, suddenly powering down and falling from the sky; going in a pattern that cascaded from the front, rapidly going backwards, suddenly the camera robot, which was near the back, went out.
"What? Since when did the freedom force have an EMP generator!" Robotnik exclaimed just as his camera robot went out. "Looks like those fools are doing better than I though... However, I'm going to have to resort to heavy measures." Eggman said with an evil grin. He lifted his hand in preparation of pressing a button, when suddenly the ground shook. Robotnik looked round mystified, unable to ascertain what had just occurred when suddenly an alarm went off. "What now?" He exclaimed. Clearly irritated at the sudden interruption of the alarm going off.
Amy screamed as Sonic's body fell to the floor. Slayde quickly used Chaos Control to teleport next to Sonic, back turned to Amy and Metal Sonic, catching Sonic's limp body as he fell forwards. Slayde warped back next to Amy, carefully placing Sonic's body on the floor next time him. Slayde stayed kneeled next to him, completely silent. Suddenly a metallic laughter filled the air. "Finally, I've done it! I've proven I'm the true Sonic!" Metal Sonic managed out through his dark laughter. "Now I sh-"
"Shut the fuck up!" Slayde bellowed, still looking down at Sonic's body, voice distorted slightly with rage, it was slightly deeper. More evil. Metal Sonic's laughter had stopped completely as a momentary look of fear appeared on his metallic face. Slayde was shaking slightly as if he was trying to keep his anger in.
There was silence from everyone as the wind blew slightly, creating a slight whistling noise and rustling some leaves far off in the distance, Shadow could be seen making his way to the scene in the background alerted by Slayde's shout. Metal Sonic started to laugh again. "I can do anything now! I have won over my greatest enemy!"
"How dare you." It was barely a whisper, but everyone heard it clear as day, a whisper that sounded like it was the wind itself. Slayde's quills rustled slightly despite the wind having stopped. Metal Sonic was silent again, not expecting to hear such a low whisper, especially over his laughter. "You? A mere cheap enhanced clone the true Sonic? We both know that's bollocks. Don't you dare say that again." Slayde was still speaking in a whisper, yet the sound carried like he was screaming at the top of his lungs. So much darkness and hatred could be heard within the whisper. Sending chills up the spines of everyone there, even the robots could feel the chills.
"You just worship that 'hero' and may well say that, but who just won?" Metal Sonic scoffed. Pushing off the odd instinct that Slayde was putting in him, an instinct that robots shouldn't have so he didn't know what it was.
The instinct to run.
Slayde chuckled darkly, sending shivers up everyone's spines again.
"Worship? Yeah right I hated him for that way he claimed all that glory. The way he saved the world and seemed to do it just for the attention, I thought he was scum." Slayde finally tore his vision away from Sonic's body. One of his eyes was a deep blood red, yet the other one was purple. "But y'know what? Meeting the guy, seeing the way he talked and the way he acted, I could see he wasn't in it for the glory. He held the weight of the world on his shoulders and just took it without a complaint. He did it for no real reason. Simply to help. That is a hero."
"Bu-" Metal Sonic started adamantly to get his point across. Suddenly having Slayde in front of him slightly to his right, a sonic boom sounded as, an arm heading towards his neck to use some form of "Coat hanger" move. There was no flash of light indicting Chaos control, yet no one saw him move, or at least it didn't look like anyone did. Slayde's arm collided with Metal Sonic's neck as Metal Sonic went flying backwards causing a sonic boom. Slayde had a simple effortless look on his face but right beneath the simpleness of it was darkness and rage. It was like when Sonic changed into dark super Sonic. His body was shimmering slightly as if he was in super form or dark super form, yet for some reason there was no visible chance to his fur colour.
Slayde was suddenly behind where Metal Sonic was heading, another sonic boom from Slayde was heard, as Metal Sonic tried to slow himself down. As Metal Sonic approached him, still moving at an incredible speed, Slayde jumped into the air, and what seemed to be in slow motion, kicked Metal Sonic in the side sending him to Slayde's left, much like a football player would volley a ball in the goal. Another sonic boom was heard as Metal Sonic was sent flying to the side, Slayde already waiting for him a mile away, this time consumed by a yellow flash of Chaos Control. Almost five seconds later Slayde was kicking Metal into the air, sending him upwards at over three hundred and forty meters per second, causing another sonic boom. Slayde just stood there looking up for almost half a minute. Suddenly disappearing to go where Metal Sonic was, they were both so far into the air that they couldn't really be seen, yet Shadow was keeping track of them. They must have been more than 5 kilometres in the air.
Slayde reappeared next to Amy, Rage and the now standing there Shadow. Standing about 3 meters from Sonic body, he stood there looking away from the group, his eyes closed and breathing deeply in a calming manner. Ten seconds later a speck could be seen falling down at an incredible rate. Another four and it hit the ground, followed immediately by a sonic boom. The impact made the earth shake and left a crater in the earth in the distance. Metal Sonic was moving at a speed close to four hundred and eighty meters per second, surpassing the speed of sound by more than a hundred, as he smashed into the ground.
Everyone looked at Slayde with looks of confusion. Amy also looked at Slayde with fear. The only person to have ever been known by them having a dark super form was Sonic. The Chaos Emeralds suddenly appeared round Slayde and suddenly flew off as he stumbled. The Chaos Emeralds had once again scattered from being used.
Shadow was the first one to snap out of it, being the most hardy as he was an ultimate life form, and he walked up to Sonic, kneeling next to him. "Erm guys?" Shadow spoke with confusion. Everyone looked at him but Slayde who was still trying to calm down. "I'm pretty sure that's a pulse." Shadow said, finger pressed onto Sonic's neck, Slayde head snapped up and dual coloured eyes looked at Shadow, one red and one purple, but just then suddenly alarms started going off.
"Computer! Tell me what's going on!" Robotnik bellowed at his computer. The computer was showing error messages, but Robotnik couldn't understand why. "Computer! What's happening! I demand you tell me this instant!" He carried on shouting at his computer.
"Error 5071. Severe damage to infrastructure has taken place. Warning. Warning." The computer read out systematically. A large three dimensional map appeared on the screen showing a multi layer large underground complex. Almost half of it was covered in red and the rest was white. Robotnik's eyes widened. What could have done this? Only a large bomb would be capable for doing that much damage to his base! Or perhaps a large meteor. "Warning. Warning. Freedom fighter defence 338 and 1B activated." Robotnik paused for a second, before realising what 1B was. Quickly grabbing the Black Emerald off the left side of his throne as he opened a cover on his right. Tucking his arms in he pressed the red button inside. He shot down a tube with just the base of his seat and bit of floor in front, knowing full well a replacement piece would cover his escape route.
He landed in a corridor with a small open door in front of it, a large room behind it, the alarm could be heard here too. The room was pitch black and nothing could be seen inside. "The way 'He' likes it." Robotnik thought, peering inside of the large room he knew contained everything someone would want in their life time. Yet there was not a movement inside. 'He' preferred to just sit still and think in the dark. "Defence system 1B has activated. The countdown went off as soon as the alarm was tripped. The base is going to explode in approximately thirty seconds."
Movement was now heard on the other side of the door, Robotnik standing just in front of the door in anticipation. "I need your help to take me to one of my other bases, preferably one quite far away from here." This scuffling stopped on the other side of the door as one blood red eye could be seen, no other part of the body was visible in the darkness. "Is that a yes then?" Robotnik questioned. A red gloved hand was extended, the arm covered in some kind of black clothing leaving no skin or fur visible. Robotnik took the extended hand in his right hand, his left protecting and holding the only truly worthwhile thing in the base, well, besides 'Him' of course.
Robotnik and the arm disappeared in a swirl of black 'light'. A few seconds later a loud explosion could be heard within the base, completely consuming the place that the two were standing just moments before with flames.
Looking in the distance Slayde could see where the alarms were coming from, as multitudes of robots had suddenly sprung up coming to attack them. Slayde assumed it was his attack earlier that caused it. He looked back to Shadow. Crouching down he whispered into Shadows ear "Get Amy to heal him, I'll try to fend off the robots with my remaining Chaos from the Emeralds." His voice still sounded tinted with darkness, but it was no longer as strong.
"But I can do it?" Shadow put up in protest. Looking at Slayde as he walked past the whole group going to face the robots heading their way.
"No." Slayde spoke assertively. "It's not something just anyone can do, you know this. Just do as I say." He stood there in a position fully ready to use his strength. Rage started to move up to the front too. "No. Stay there." Slayde said without looking at him.
Shadow was just about to throw up a protest, but Amy kneeled down on the other side of Sonic's body. "What was all that about?" She said, speaking concerned.
"It's nothing." Shadow replied. "You need to try and heal Sonic, it's the only way we can save him." Shadow told Amy. Amy looked at him puzzled, obviously wondering why Shadow couldn't just do it. "Only you can do it." He said through gritted teeth bitterly.
Amy bent over Sonic hands on either end of the large gash going from his left hip to his right shoulder. She closed her eyes as Slayde was heard clicking his fingers, a small white 'flame' of Chaos energy glowing on his forefinger. Slayde slowly started to draw a symbol with his finger, the energy leaving a trail behind. "Chaos Heal!" Amy spoke loudly, acting like the power was based on how loudly she said it. The robots were getting ever closer as Slayde finished his symbol.
Suddenly there was a bright flash of light coming from the area the robots came from as the ground beneath the robots started to crack. Everyone looked panicked but Slayde just calmly placed his hand on the symbol he wrote, the symbol rippled slightly as Slayde touched it. "Chaos..." Slayde announced in little more than a whisper. The explosion creeping up towards them as Slayde breathed in, it now mere tens of meters away. "Shield!" Slayde half shouted as the symbol glowed and put up a spherical pale white, see-through barrier round his whole team. The explosion flying past them obliterating everything like an atomic bomb, even the ground nearby them. Slayde remained standing at the symbol, holding the barrier up as flames licked its edges.
After what felt like several minutes from within the spherical shield the flames finally stopped, revealing the scene round them. There was basically nothing left except for burnt rock and scattered bits of metal left. Though the room was still intact just a little blackened. The ground had caved in, there being a 5 meter drop beneath the piece of rock they we standing on that was caught within the sphere of the shield. Slayde undid the shield slowly, allowing the rock they were standing on that had been caught within the shield to slowly descend to the scene of devastation and desolation beneath.
The rock carefully hit the ground as the shield was completely removed, Slayde started to fall backwards. Completely exhausted at the energy he just spent in total. He wasn't used to it right now. Rage caught him, preventing him from damaging any part of his body and laid him down carefully. He now owed his life to Slayde. Robotnik would have killed him without warning at any time. He now knew that and fully seized the free will that, out of the four cyborgs, he alone was powerful enough to take.
Rage looked back towards Amy to see her panting in exhaustion. "That's all I can manage." She panted. Sonic looked barely any different, it looked like she had merely scabbed the cut over. "I've healed his internal organs and placed them correctly, stopping the internal bleeding." Her eyelids drooped. Shadow put his hand on her shoulder.
"Well done, you've done enough. He should be able to pull through that himself quite easily. It'll just take him a while to regain his energy. Something that can't be healed." Shadow told her reassuringly. She smiled at him softly.
"Thank you Shadow." She spoke happily and now reassured she dropped off to sleep from the exhaustion of healing Sonic. Shadow looked up at Rage, realising that he was the only one left conscious besides himself. They stared each other down. Then suddenly Shadow noticed something.
"Since when were your eyes green?" Shadow looked at him, his eyes had changed from their original red colour to an emerald green colour. Rage stayed silent for a second then decided to ignore Shadow and proceeded to ripping off the metal glove covering his right hand. Revealing an average hedgehogs hand; fur on top, black, and a peachy brownish colour on the underneath, much like Sonic's belly. Rage continued to rip off all the armour he had covering both his arms, working from the hand up. "I asked you a question."
"You sure are nosey." Rage replied, looking at Shadow carefully. Rage drew his sword. "If you must know it was probably when I deactivated some of the mechanical parts attached to my body. I need to get them out quickly. Luckily Robotnik hasn't replaced anything I desperately need. Compared to the others he didn't do much, besides coating my bones with metal and putting armour on me that's almost impossible to remove." He stabbed the sword into his wrist, leaving a large slash in it. Dropping the sword he immediately stuck his forefinger and thumb into the self inflicted wound. He fished his fingers round slightly as blood seeped out, pulling a small chip out of his arm. "This is a tracking system for my unit." Rage explained. "I'd rather not be followed." He threw away the chip and looked back at his arm. It had already scabbed over and was no longer bleeding, likely to be healed within an hour, a healing speed akin to Shadow's.
Rage grabbed the helmet on his head, and pulled it off with a mighty rip of metal. Detaching it from the armour on his body. Pulling it off face first he revealed a face that looked like Shadow, but with Sonic's eyes. He twitched his nose a couple times, pulling the helmet off his quills. Revealing them to be similar to Sonic's but two of them were more like Shadow's.
Shadow looked down at the three bodies on the ground, Slayde, Sonic and then lingering on Amy, them all resting nicely. "I don't trust you at all. Just so you know. If it wasn't for the fact I saw you save Rose out the corner of my eye, I would have destroyed you by now." Rage just stayed quiet, carefully pealing the metal armour off his body. He grabbed his sword and cut his chest armour down the left hand side. Dropping the sword again he grasped either side of the armour and gave it a mighty pull, tearing it in two and finally revealing him fully. He looked like Sonic in physical shape, but his body was mainly black with blue stripes. Rage also had a tuft of white fur on his chest like Shadow. His eyes that Emerald green that Shadow could see beforehand.
"I know you don't." Rage finally spoke. He was completely naked but luckily Mobian males, and certain females, could get away with that. "But I'll try to give you reason to eventually." Shadow stood there with a doubtful look on his face. Arms crossed.
"Can you sense Chaos energies?" Shadow asked Rage. Looking into his eyes as the hedgehog checked himself for wounds with his hands. Rage nodded at Shadow. "Good, we need to try and find the largest mass of Chaos Energy coming from multiple people we can. It'll probably be a group of freedom fighters." Rage closed his eyes to concentrate as did Shadow. Rage opened his eyes again, looking at Shadow as he continued to search, unsure as to whether to say something or not.
"Do you feel that?" Rage asks Shadow. Shadow looked at him.
"You mean that weak signal beneath where we're standing?" Shadow questioned the question. Rage nods. "Yeah I do. I wonder what it is to be honest. It'll probably just be the Doctor or something." Rage looked at Shadow with piercing eyes. Shadow looks back with his. "Want to check it out?" Shadow questioned.
"Okay. I'll be back in a few." Rage disappeared in a flash of a light yellow light. Taking Shadow by surprise. Shadow really did not expect him to be able to use Chaos powers. Closing his eyes again, he went back to searching.
A few minutes later a sudden burst of light came through his eyelids. Shadow opened his eyes again to see Rage carrying a familiar fox. "Look what I found. Robotnik never told me he managed to capture this one." Shadow inspected the fox closely. It was hard to tell from all the burns, cuts and scars the fox had but it was fairly easy to ascertain that his fur was yellow. It was Tails missing a tail. Both eyes were closed but one eyelid had a scar running across it, making Shadow certain that the eye wasn't useful anymore. "We should probably bring him, he looks like he's on deaths door."
"I agree. Now try and find the point I did, it's about a thousand kilometres to the North West West." Rage closed his eyes for a few seconds then nodded. Able to find the point quite easily because Shadow had pointed it out. "Okay, grab that ex-human, and take him and the fox to the location. You do have enough energy stored for that right?" Rage nodded. Shadow quickly took his restrictor rings off his arms. Shadow knew he wouldn't be able to make it that far unless he used most his remaining energy. "This is the furthest I've ever teleported without an Emerald." He said, pocketing his restrictors as he put his arm round Amy's waist and rested his other hand on Sonic's head.
Rage carefully put Slayde over his shoulder and kept Tails under his arm pit in his left arm. "On the count of three right?" Shadow nodded. "One, two... Three!"
They both shouted in unison. "Chaos control!" Disappearing in a large green/yellow flash.
Robotnik was stood outside a small door with a large dark room behind, red glove touching his hand. It was as if he hadn't moved at all but he knew he had. He created his bases to have this area identical, just for 'Him'. The arm dropped, this area was darker than the last one as the inside couldn't be seen at all, the figure in there was completely hidden from sight. "Thank you." Robotnik told 'Him'. 'He' just walked back into the room, slight scuffling could be heard as 'He' went deeper inside the room.
Robotnik walked towards a couple of double doors that lead to the room and exited, taking one last glance at the room before the doors closed. Two robots stood guard outside the doors and were about to stop Robotnik from going past until they realised who he was. "Good day Robotnik!" They both exclaimed as Robotnik walked past. He just continued walking down the corridor. Trying to work out what had gone wrong.
"How could they have beaten the robots? They were all designed to be stronger than their organic counterparts." Robotnik spoke aloud to no one in particular. "Only one of three things could have happened. The long exposure to the Emeralds made them stronger, one of them betrayed me or the freedom fighters mysteriously timed there attack perfectly. Considering the damage done to the base it must have been the freedom fighters but how did they time it so well?" Robotnik finally came to the end of the long corridor.
Robotnik went through the double doors leading to a computer room almost identical to the other one. He sat down on his chair, it being the only difference between the two rooms. A random official looking robot came into the room. "We heard about the explosion at the base you were previously located at. I assume you're okay?" News travels fast.
"I am fine. Which is more than I can say for anyone at the base. The combination of robots to distract them while the base self destructs is a perfect defence mechanism when the base seems irreparable or is completely done for." Robotnik laughed to himself. Doubting the pesky hedgehogs had survived such a blast. Something special he had cooked up that produced a blast the strength of an atomic bomb but without the radiation in case he found a way to reclaim the territory. "I need to create more of those clones, but they take 5 years to grow to that age. Time isn't something I have." Robotnik looked frustrated. "At least I have a new series of robots I've been working on." He grinned evilly.
He pushed a few buttons on the keyboard, trying to search for any of the signals of his clones that were still active. He found one of the chips still responding. "Hoho! He truly is the strongest of those four. Now just to check where it is..." He pressed a few more button, the screen read off some co-ordinates. "That's odd, he's still at the base. Maybe he's unconscious. I doubt he would have stayed there if he wasn't." Robotnik pressed a few more buttons and connected to another base nearby the one he just lost. "Hello, this is Robotnik. I would like you to check base 1A. Thank you base 1C." He thought about his clever numbering system. Bases were numbered on the country they were in and lettered in order of being built within the country. He was in base 7E. Almost on the complete other side of the globe.
"Now then, I need to work on some programming to improve my robots efficiency." Robotnik cracked his fingers when he got to work, fingers moving so fast it was like they were one with the keyboard.
Rage appeared just outside of a large metal gate with a guard tower on either side and a wall surrounding the perimeter of a city, the wall being so big that it looked straight to the eye even though it was round, it was raining heavily and the area nearby was quite barren. Rage knew where this was. It was the only stationary freedom fighter base that Robotnik has been unable to take through force, the last remaining city. A split second later Shadow appeared next to him in a green flash. Still knelt from touching Sonic and Amy on the ground. "Seems they have a shield." Shadow said simply. Pointing at the force field that looked like it went straight up but was in fact a sphere that seemed to cover the city from atop the walls. It was black and impossible to see behind. Rage had to agree. He had never been able to teleport inside when Robotnik wasn't paying attention to him. He had always kept his Chaos abilities a secret from his 'master'.
Suddenly shouting was heard from atop one of the towers. "Oi. Who goes there!" Rage and Shadow looked at each other, then turned back round to the guard. "I've been instructed not to let anyone in, they could be a spy besides, gates are always closed during rain!"
"Well that's you fucked then." Shadow muttered to Rage. Rage glowered at him.
"Shut up dick." Rage muttered back. "We are just five weary Hedgehogs and one Fox looking for a for place to seek refuge from Eggman!" Rage shouted up at the guard.
The guard could be seen mumbling something, but Shadow's ears could pick it up. "Send someone down to check their eyes. Eggman's known to love red eyes in his subordinates." The other guard nodded in agreement, disappearing down ladder and out of view.
"Looks like you're the one who's fucked." Rage muttered back at Shadow. Shadow looked at Rage in shock that he had heard too, then annoyance.
"Shut up." He mumbled back just as the guard opened the lower door. The guard started walking up to the two, he was a purple Echidna with green eyes wearing a raincoat over some form of protective gear. The mud squelched beneath his feet as he approached them.
He looked at Rage's eyes and muttered "Green." Heading to towards Shadow he didn't look at his eyes but instead knelt and opened the eyelids of both Amy and Sonic. "Both green" He then looked up at Shadows eyes. "Hmm." He went back towards Rage and looked at Slayde's eyes "Blue, nice." The guard mumbled slightly louder. He then went over to Tails. The rain had washed off all the soot and black from the explosion now. "Oh god." The guard half shouted, shocked. "Steve!" He shouted up to his fellow guard slightly panicked.
"What Eric?!" The other guard called Steve replied. Shadow and Rage started wondering what was going on. Panicking inside slightly.
"They have Tails with them! He's badly injured! Quickly, open the gate!" Eric shouted up.
"Oh shit!" The guard on the top of the tower shouted. "Open the gates!" He shouted down to the other side. The large metal gates started to shift, a small gap appeared allowing them to see inside slightly. There was a magnificent city on the other side. As the gates opened further the city could only be described as 'spectacular' there was so much greenery round the edges and yet also so many magnificent buildings jutting high into the air a few miles away from the edges. There was a road leading up to the city. The city seemed to go on forever and the other side was impossible to see. Eric told them to follow him so they did. Shadow grabbed Amy and put her carefully over his shoulder in a caring way before carefully picking up Sonic to make sure his wound didn't re-open.
As soon as they made it past the gates with Eric leading them the gates started to close. Rage looked towards the left, seeing the small hut that seemed to be the control mechanism for the gate. It was strangely bright inside the walls and he noticed he was no longer getting wet, as he heard the gates come to a close he looked up at the sky to see a beautiful sun in the sky. It was the first time he had ever seen the sun and he looked at it in wonder. "Impressive isn't it?" Eric asked him. "Using the fake Chaos Emerald that Tails built we've been gifted with virtually limitless power. It has the same energy's as a Chaos Emerald but in reverse. Tails easily came up with an adapter and even made another fake Emerald by basing it off the first. Though that took him years without a real Emerald to absorb from." Eric said happily. Happy with his safe haven being so impenetrable. "It's a good thing that he created these walls and shield generator as a side project just in case Eggman was ever lucky."
"But how does that happen?" Rage pointed at the sun in the sky. Still fascinated with it.
"It's simply a by product of the shield. Thanks to the Chaos energy we can control the weather in any part of the city at any time. We can also create holes in it if we so wish. We do this to send out planes and jets on missions against Eggman. The wall and the gates are the only permanent spots that wont destroy anything electrical. The barrier is spherical and extends beneath the city too. Blocking underground attacks. And last but not least, the wall repels any and all Chaos attacks, and the barrier absorbs them, sending them into the electrical system of the city."
"Why are you telling us this so openly?" Shadow asked, finally deciding to speak up. "We could very well be spies!"
The guard paused for a moment. Then inhaled deeply before sighing. "Two reasons, this first is you brought Tails here. Why would you do that if Eggman wants him so badly? Secondly, because none of you are truly evil." He pointed at Sonic and Amy at the same time. "They have never been evil." He pointed at Rage. "You have been smothered in evil since your birth but never gave into it." He pointed at Slayde. "He has evil, but it is only anger and rage. His goodness swells above it and controls it. Making him more than worthy in my opinion and you." He finally pointed at Shadow. "You were born to be evil but became good due to your raising. You almost lost yourself to evil in grief, but you have never truly been evil, more so... Anti social."
"Hmpf." Shadow went, looking away from him and towards the city they were approaching. Eric smirked at him, his prediction perfect.
"How do you know all that?" Rage asked, completely gob smacked.
"I simply have a rare ability, even amongst the most powerful of Chaos users. I can read the goodness and the evil in people and their lives. I even on the rare occasion predict what someone will become, seeing what changes them. I have never been able to prevent it though, no matter how hard I've tried." He looked slightly disappointed in himself. Wishing he could have made a difference in at least one person's life. Rage's ears then picked up something that sounded somewhat like three vehicles. Looking up he could see two ambulance and a Jeep heading in their direction. Eric held up an odd device that slightly resembled a mobile phone. "I sent for two ambulances and a ride for the rest of us. I assume those two aren't suffering from anything? They don't seem injured." He pointed at Slayde and Amy.
"No, just exhaustion." Rage replied. Shadow still in an irritated mood about what Eric had said a few moments ago.
"Ah good." Eric said as the vehicles got to them. Paramedics shot out of the ambulance with two stretchers, one from each ambulance. "Those two." Said Eric, pointing at Sonic and Tails. The paramedics picking up Tails looked happy and surprised as Rage lowered him onto the stretcher. The two picking up Sonic didn't seem to recognise him at all, a lot can happen in five years I suppose, and just stood there silently as Shadow dropped Sonic onto the stretcher they were carrying. Each one rushing to their respective ambulances they took them inside and placed them down on a bit in the middle. Before quickly shutting the door and driving off at a fast pace down the road. "Shall we?" Eric indicated the Jeep that had a fair large back. Eric went in first, followed by Shadow carrying Amy, then by Rage carrying Slayde. Inside of the back of the Jeep was quite large, allowing six people in the back, three on each side. Eric had already sat on the left as Rage entered and Shadow was busy fastening the seatbelt of Amy as Rage sat down next to Eric, placing Slayde next to him and fastening Slayde's seatbelt. Rage then fastened his own as the Jeep started moving.
The Jeep moved at a slower pace than the ambulance, but still headed down the same road. Rage glanced outside the Jeep. Outside he could now see people on the green land before the main city. It looked like they were all working the land; 'Farming' as Rage had read about, all of his knowledge about the world further than a few months ago was all from books. The areas seemed to vary greatly, going from small forests to cornfields. The city under a shield had its very own ecosystem. No wonder Robotnik could do nothing to break in, there were virtually no ways in, they didn't even need to transport goods in. "Where are we headed?" Rage broke the minutes of silence with a simple question.
"Well that depends on you guys. You can head straight to the hospital, or we can go to a hotel where you may stay, free of charge. To wait for your friends as they recover." Eric answered. "I'm going to be your guide until you get to either, to make sure you're all okay."
Rage looked at Shadow. "Hotel?" Rage said simply. Shadow nodded, they needed a good rest. Sonic and especially Tails would probably not heal for a few days anyway. "Hotel." Rage confirmed, Eric nodded, undid his seatbelt and went to talk to the driver. They were now on the outskirts of the city and Rage could finally appreciate just how high these buildings were, he could barely see the tops. Even at his running speed of about 420 meters per second he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to overcome gravity and climb them. Which, by his estimation, would make them over nine kilometres tall. "Just how tall is this shield?" Muttered Rage in awe. Eric had just returned and, obviously hearing him, concentrated trying to remember something.
"About sixteen kilometres tall. The radius and diameter of the spherical shield is consistent throughout. Making the wall about 100 kilometres in circumference." Eric grinned, happy to show off his knowledge about the city. "About six kilometres from the wall to the city is dominated by greenery, forest, farms, etc. From that there's about three kilometres of Suburban area, before you get to the fully dense urban area of seven kilometres to the centre, with those four connected skyscrapers you see. You may not be able to see it but they are connected in a square about five kilometres up to allow for easy building change. Just imagine having to go from the top floor on one to the top floor of another! Within these walls we probably have at least half the population of Mobius, before we were attacked that is, so this city has about two billion people, though it could probably support twice as many. This city has thirty skyscrapers that are at least three kilometres tall, including those four that are nine naturally. Fifteen of them are residential including one of the four nine kilometre ones. The suburban area is completely residential and before the war started would have been classed as 'urban' but compared to the size of the inner city, this isn't very much. Most the skyscrapers have oxygen pumped into them due to how high they go, but thanks to the shield it does not get cold up there." Eric looked very pleased with himself.
"Wow." Rage whispered. Completely and utterly in awe by it all. Even Shadow looked impressed. "You managed this much in so little time under so much pressure. Incredible." Rage said slowly. Suddenly a groan was heard from the side of Rage as Slayde turned in his seat.
"Five more minutes." He mumbled to himself. The two hedgehogs that were awake started sniggering. Eric joined in. After the quiet laughter had stopped Eric spoke up again.
"Us Echidnas aren't as weak as humans. We can dig and place mighty foundation with our bare hands in days. Building support pillars isn't exactly hard either when you have a metal that is virtually indestructible and only shapes to those who know who to use their Chaos powers in a certain way. It's a metal Echidnas have been using for centuries; it's what the wall is made of. By using this metal we can create massive buildings that may never tumble down in all of time as we have yet to see the metal erode. It has been dubbed at "Chaosanium" by the residents of the city. We never gave it a name before but it seems suitable." Eric told them, green eyes glowing with thoughts. "Only Echidnas have ever managed to manipulate this metal. We would like it to stay that way."
Slayde suddenly sat up in his chair fully alert. "Wow that really was five minutes!" Rage exclaimed as everyone looked at Slayde oddly.
"Feels like someone's smashing my head with a mallet." Slayde muttered. Clutching his head and closing his eyes. "Ouch..."
"We're just entering the main part of the city guys. Expect it to be a slow drive, there are no roads in the main city area just massive paths and subways, the paths are normally only used as roads when the military is needed outside." The Jeep slowed down dramatically, coming to a practical crawl as it picked its way through the mass of citizens. All of them darting about on their daily business. "Welcome to the city where it's always day and there's always something going on..."
"Welcome to Aragot." Eric announced dramatically.
