Chapter 4: the survivor
It had now been exactly six months since Tails' disappearance and Sonic had not recovered from it. The loss of Tails had been an emotional blow to him and everyday he was reminded of the promise he failed to keep to his best pal. Eggman's forces had taken over almost everything in their world leaving several of the resistance injured or dead.
"Seriously?!" Knuckles the red echidna pounded his fists on the table startling a napping blue hedgehog.
"What's wrong Knuckles?" Amy asked.
"Everything is wrong! Our forces are getting knocked out left and right, some new enemy shows up out of seemingly nowhere and starts eradicating everyone and everything, and our only hope is currently resting his head on the table acting like a lazy bump on a log."
Sonic with his eyes half open glared at Knuckles. "lay off."
"Take it easy Knuckles, this has been hard on all of us these past six months." Amy stated grabbing a blanket and throwing it over Sonic as he started dozing off in his chair.
"Thanks Amy." Sonic muttered half asleep. Amy just smiled politely and patted Sonic on the back a few times before walking off.
"Don't worry so much, the others should be back any time now. You need to calm down. It won't do any good if our commander is hotheaded and irrational." Amy explained.
Knuckles took a deep breath to calm himself.
"It's just been hard to keep the peace since Tails-
Amy gave Knuckles a stern look and slowly shook her head side to side in a "no" motion. She looked back at Sonic concerned this might open up six month old wounds.
Sonic looked at Knuckles with a slightly angry face.
"Since what Knuckles? Since Tails died? Go on and say it if it will make you feel better."
Knuckles closed his mouth and muttered "Sorry"
Not even a moment later the door opened and Silver walked in.
"That was crazy! There were so many robots I wasn't sure I'd get back anytime soon." Silver rubbed his arm.
"Silver! Are you hurt?" Amy ran over to Silver.
"It's no big deal just a scratch."
Amy grabbed the first aid from a nearby shelf and scurried over. She disinfected the wound on his right arm and dressed it with a bandage.
"Thanks Amy but you didn't have to."
"I did. What if it got infected?" Amy scolded the Silver hedgehog placing her hands on her hips.
"Right…sorry." Silver scratched his cheek with a finger.
Amy was sort of the over protective big sister to everyone despite her being one of the younger of the group. She fretted over every small injury no matter how insignificant. Everyone could only guess that it was probably because of what had happened to Tails.
Though Amy would never admit it out loud, she was hurt deeply at the loss of Tails who she had cared about like a little brother. Though most of the time Tails' mechanical jargon threw her for a loop she still cared for the little yellow fox with a knack for tinkering.
" Vector, Espio and Charmy should be coming soon. I contacted them just before arriving."
"That's good." Amy breathed a sigh of relief.
"Speak of the devil." Knuckles stated crossing his arms.
Vector, Espio and Charmy walked in.
"It's madness out there." Vector grunted. Espio walked behind him followed by Charmy who was buzzing around in circles.
"Vector, were you able to get the info we needed?" Knuckles asked.
"Unfortunately Commander, we were ambushed before we were even able to make it to the computer room in Chemical Plant Zone."
"Is everyone okay?" Amy asked.
"For the most part." Espio stated. The purple chameleon Mobian closed his eyes
"We can't say much for those who acted as decoys though." Vector finished.
"That's terrible." Amy squealed.
"We tried to help but there were too many bots." Charmy chimed in.
"Unfortunately, we can't worry about that right now. We need to figure out our next plan of attack. Our biggest problem right now is this new enemy that has appeared." Silver stated.
"Speaking of which, my spy has some intel to share with us. She should be here any minute." Knuckles stated.
"She?" Silver questioned.
"Hello boys" a seductive feminine voice echoed throughout the room.
"Miss Rouge!" Amy stated.
Rouge just smirked as she made her way to the table where Sonic was slightly sleeping.
"Hey Big Blue, sleeping well?" Rouge looked over at the exhausted hedgehog.
"uhhhhuuuh…" Sonic groaned.
"Well I got some news that might get you out of your slump." Rouge patted Sonic's shoulder.
She headed over to one side of the table and pressed a button. A computer screen popped out of the table. She pulled out a disk and popped it in.
The bigger screen started to display pictures.
"Eggman has recreated the Death Egg." Rouge explained.
"Death Egg?!" everyone exclaimed in unison.
"It's Eggman's main power source for his weapons."
"So if we take that out, then we can immobilize Eggman's forces?" Silver asked.
"You're making it sound like it'll be a walk in the park." Vector stated crossing his arms. "It's in space."
"Can I continue?" Rouge asked.
"Please do." Knuckles urged.
Rouge picked up a remote and flipped to the next set of pictures. That's when Sonic's eyes widened.
"Wait, is that-?" Silver spoke.
Sonic's head rose up.
"I told you this might get you out of your slump." Rouge smiled. She pressed a button and zoomed in on a specific image. It was a little blurred but Sonic could not mistake that color from anyone else. In the image was a small yellow fox standing in a cell.
"No way, it can't be…" Knuckles' eyes widened.
"Yep." Rouge stated. "Tails is alive."
"That's great!" Amy clasped her hands together.
"You mean to tell me that the reason no one could find Tails was because he was in a prison in space?" Silver stated.
"That's insane!" Vector exclaimed.
Sonic just sat with his eyes glued to the screen.
"I wish I could share in your joy but this is where things get bad." Rouge continued.
She flipped through several more images. In one she showed an image where she had caught an image of Tails wearing black gloves and black shoes following Eggman to a shuttle. And the last one caused everyone's jaw to drop.
"You have got to be kidding!" Vector yelled. "Are we absolutely sure it's the same person?"
"Certainly looks like it." Charmy tilted his head as if looking at it from a different angle would somehow clear up the confusion.
Sonic burned the image into his mind. The yellow fox in one picture wearing the black gloves and shoes had in a way transformed in another. From a beautiful bright vibrant yellow to a dark sinister black. Not only that but Tails two tails were gone in the next photo.
"You mean to tell me that the mysterious enemy that appeared out of nowhere destroying all our forces is…Tails?" Silver asked.
"Seems that way." Rouge stated. "My guess is that Eggman has brainwashed him somehow."
"So what do we do?" Amy's eyes drooped and looked at Sonic.
"We need to stop Eggman. If we stop him then maybe we can save Tails." Knuckles declared.
Beep Beep!
Knuckles looked down at his communicator. He pushed a button and a voice came on.
"Sir our forces in Green Hill Zone are suffering severely! The mysterious enemy has broken through our lines of defense and has made his way into the city eradicating all our brethren. We need help!"
"On it!" Knuckles replied.
Knuckles looked around at the group.
"I hate to ask this since most of you just got back but I need someone to go into the city and lend assistance."
"I'll do it!" Sonic stood up so fast that his chair rocked like it would fall over at any second. His blanket floated to the floor from the quick movement.
Sonic looked tired and worn out but somehow a bit of his former spark was beginning to peek through. He looked hopeful.
Knuckles looked reluctant the reason being was that he didn't want to get his blue hedgehog companion's hope up that their missing friend really was alive only to have that hope taken by a false lead. He knew however that there would be no arguing with Sonic. If he wanted to go bad enough then there was no stopping him, so in order to prevent an unnecessary, long, drawn out debate he agreed to send Sonic.
"You do realize that you might end up having to fight him right?" Silver looked at Sonic. Silver too looked concerned since he had remembered how Sonic had looked hopeful every time they had a lead to Tails whereabouts and then how defeated he looked when the lead led to a dead end. It had happened so many times over the months that Silver as well as everyone else had to be careful about mentioning the "T-word" around Sonic out of fear that they might break him emotionally, more so than he already was.
Sonic knew the reason for Silver's look of concern; in fact more than once Silver had voiced his thoughts to Sonic. Sonic also knew that this lead could be what breaks him.
if the enemy that was seen in the photo, and attacking the city wasn't Tails he would be back to square one, but if not and this enemy in fact really did turn out to be Tails that had somehow been influenced to fight by Eggman, then there was a strong possibility that he would likely have to fight his best friend. The idea sickened Sonic. What kind of sick game was Eggman playing?
"If its Tails I'll bring him back." Sonic said trying to sound confident. In actuality though he was fearful. He had failed once so this did not give him confidence that it would not happen again.
"Alright Sonic, I'm giving official orders as the commander, go investigate this new enemy and save as many civilians as you can." Knuckles stated.
"Please be careful Sonic." Amy pleaded. She clasped her hands together in worry.
Sonic just shook his head yes and then speeded off in a blue blur.
"Are you sure about this, Knuckles?" Amy asked.
"We just have to have faith." Silver stated.
"Alright then everyone we need a new strategy." Knuckles began as he and the group got to work to on their next plan of attack."
Meanwhile in the City
"Run!"
Frightened Mobians ran frantically avoiding the falling debris and fires engulfing the city.
"Feel the ultimate power!" Infinite yelled as he lay waste to the entire city in just seconds.
"Everyone attack!" Some brave Mobian soldiers stood up against the enemy shooting their weapons at this intruder.
"Pathetic weaklings!" Infinite held out his hand and destroyed them all. He felt power surging throughout his body powering him up like a battery with endless energy.
"Oh look one of the weaklings survived; I can sense your fear." Infinite chortled
One Mobian had managed to survive the onslaught by cowering behind a piece of rubble but at the cost of watching her fellow Mobians perish right before her eyes. Shakily she picked up a weapon that had dropped by her foot from one of the soldiers and held it up trying to muster up the strength to fire the weapon.
"How foolish, you really think that you can defeat me with that little toy?" Infinite shot a beam of energy next to her and she lost her balance and fell backward on her rump.
The Mobian couldn't help shaking in fear; she had never had to experience anything like this in her life. She was not easily frightened and right now this fear made her feel humiliated and ashamed. "Stop trembling legs!" She mentally screamed. Was this it for her? Was she living her last moments of life? She felt like the fear was eating away at her.
Any moment the enemy could power up and turn her to ashes.
No she wouldn't stand for this! If she was going to be taken out so easily then she would be taken out by doing something heroic.
Mustering up the strength in her shaking legs she grabbed her weapon but that was when she noticed a hole burned through it. Oh come on! She wanted to yell out in frustration. Was it too much to give her a weapon that wasn't busted?! The Mobian tossed the weapon aside and held up her fists ready to fight.
"Looks like you haven't learned your lesson yet." Infinite sighed crossing his arms.
"Tails! Stop it!" Sonic ran in front of the Mobian to protect her.
"You must be Sonic. I wasn't expecting you here but I could always kill two birds with one stone." Infinite held out a hand as it charged up with energy.
"Tails! You don't want to do this!" Sonic pleaded. "You're not a killer!"
"I don't know who you are talking to my name is Infinite and the two of you will perish here and now at my hands." Infinite stated fixing his mask.
Infinite held out his hand ready to attack but soon found himself lowering his arm.
"What? What is going on?!" Infinite seemed to be confused to his own actions.
"Don't do this!"
Infinite heard a soft voice in his head speak to him.
"Shut up! Stay away!" Infinite yelled back. He gripped his head with both hands and shook his head wildly. "Go away!" he continued to yell.
Sonic watched the events unfolding in front of him.
Infinite seemed to lose control of his body for a moment and it was almost as if another had taken his place. His body went limp in the air for awhile and then he gripped his mask with both hands and partially pulled it up so that only his mouth was visible and smiled slightly.
"Never a dull moment huh."
Sonic was shocked. "Tails?"
There it was, for only a split second but it was there. The proof that Sonic needed that told him this wasn't just another wild goose chase. This confirmed it. Tails is alive! That saying was something that only Sonic and Tails used back and forth between the two when they were in a situation that was beyond their control.
"Stop it! Stop it!" Infinite argued back at himself. He readjusted his mask and flew off in a fit of confusion and anger.
"Tails! Come back!" Sonic shouted reaching a hand out to him. He knew he couldn't reach him.
"Was that really Tails?"
Sonic seemed surprised and turned around.
" You know Tails?"
The Mobian brushed herself off.
"Of course, we are fellow mech friends. My name is Eve by the way."
"I see." Sonic stated not at all surprised after hearing mech friends in that sentence.
"I can't believe what just happened." Eve, the brown rabbit Mobian stated looking up at the sky filled with smoke. "It seems surreal."
"I'll say." Sonic stood in silence
The two looked on in utter amazement. "I can't believe Tails did this." Sonic stated. The city was engulfed in flames.
"He didn't do it on his own. He's not capable of it."
"Huh?" Sonic hadn't quite caught what she was talking about.
"That thing that was on his chest, it looked like a big red stone. I wonder if it's what's controlling him and giving him his unlimited power." Eve explained
"I'm impressed you've got a knack for details, I didn't even notice."
"It feels like a curse at times but it comes in handy." The rabbit scratched the back of her head embarrassed. "I wonder if anyone else survived."
"I managed to rescue a few when I got here but it looks like Tai- I mean Infinite took out everyone else."
The two looked at the devastation.
"Six months." Eve began. "For six months I beat myself up thinking that if only I could have stopped him from fighting that robot then he'd still be alive, and now…"
Sonic looked over at Eve who drooped her ears in shame.
"I wish I hadn't got my leg injured that day I could have stopped him or at least lent him a hand." She stated sadly.
Sonic had not heard this story before and he had to admit he was a little intrigued.
"He saved my life though. I could've been crushed."
The blue hedgehog walked over and patted Eve on the shoulder. "He saved mine too."
Eve smiled a bit.
"We should get to HQ where it'll be safer for you." Sonic stated. "We have to tell everyone what just happened."
As they began walking Eve stated with confidence "No matter what I will repay that kindness he showed me. Sonic, please let me fight alongside you, I want to save Tails also."
Sonic stopped then gave a thumbs up
"You betcha!"
Eve smiled.
It was the first time in months that Sonic had started to get his former enthusiasm and life force back. Just knowing that Tails was alive was a relief but he knew that now was not the time for celebration. Tails was trapped and it was up to him and his new ally to bring Tails back.
Unbeknownst to Sonic, Shadow had been watching from the sidelines.
Duhduhduh!
Hope you enjoyed. This was kinda another difficult chapter but I did what I could to make this one as detailed as possible so tell me what you think. I might try to write another chapter tomorrow.
