Chapter Three: Let It Begin

Outside, Jerick was prepared to leave until the girls appeared. "JERICK!!" They shouted, "WAIT!!" The two went inside then he stepped on the gas pedal then the car went fast. As he was driving, he's a bit pissed. "What the fuck does Alisiya…no…May want from us?!" He shouted. "My senses said that she wants to gather enough being in one big area so she could take over this city and the world, just like Dr. Eggman, but in a different level." Sonika answered. "SHIT!!" He said, "That thing's got my family involved…! She's gonna pay…" "Let's hurry!!" Kaz announced. "Just hang in there…" He said, "I'm comin' for you…" He stepped harder then sped to SS Central Park.

At the entrance gate to SS Central Park, he shouted their names. "LISA!! DANNY!! ALYSSA!!" He shouted. He only heard his echo. He was about to enter until Sonika stopped him. "Jerick stop!" She yelled. "My family is in trouble Jenita!" He shouted. As he was about to enter, his body began to ignite. "Whoa!" He said. Kaz was shocked when she saw him. He stepped back about seven inches then the fire stopped. Kaz approached to him. "You'd better look before you leap silly." She said, "Something tells me that she's trying to stop anyone who'll interfere her work." Sonika approached the entrance then dashed off. "Sonika what are you doing?!" She asked, "You know you'll burn to death." "It's alright Kaz," He said, "Her mitochondria are somehow mutated. She can handle this. Trust me on this."

At the pathway, Sonika saw mitochondria snakes. She quickly dodged them then shot them one at a time. She headed to a little zoo at central park. She went inside. As she was exploring, she noticed that every cage where the animals are placed is completely deserted. "All animals have vanished." She said to herself, "I wonder why." She suddenly remembered the snakes earlier. "May…" She said as she clutched her right fist, "what have you done with the animals?" She went to the office then entered. She saw a burned body. She got startled for a while then took deep breaths to calm down. She looked at the drawers to see anything useful. She only collected ammo, but when she opened the drawer by the desk, she saw the zoo key. "This could be useful." She said. She picked it up then placed it on her pocket. She got out of the office then headed to the outside exit of the zoo. She saw the exit gate then headed to it. She looked back at the deserted zoo. "Why would May do to these animals?" She said. She used the zoo key then it opened then went outside.

Outside, she saw the amphitheater a few miles away. "I must be close…" She said. She started to run then head to the amphitheater. When she was close, she went to the entrance.

Inside, she saw May on stage. "The holiday season brings joy to us all…" May announced, "And this night before Christmas will be the most special of all…"

"Special because I will no longer be under control of a host," She continued, "as I have a dawn of time. Every being is weak-mitochondrion can self-evolve. Mitochondria must now take over the nucleus."

She started to sing her song from last night. A man started to melt followed by a bunch. Everything is now a stream of mitochondria. The stream started to make a cluster then headed to the stage where May is.

Sonika was shocked about this. "I have to get backstage and stop her." She said. She headed outside the amphitheater then saw the girl. "It's you again." She said. As she followed her, she started to fade away. She opened the door to backstage. She approached May then pointed her gun. "May!?" She shouted, "Why?! Why are you doing this?! Tell me!?" "You again…" May said, "But you're too late. You will not ruin my plans as you did last night at the opera." She drifted away from her distance. "STOP!!" She shouted. She followed her out of the amphitheater.

Away from the amphitheater, she saw the girl again. She saw her ran off. She followed her. She headed through the arches then saw her running. She kept on following her. Every time she follows her, she disappears then reappears. As she was following her, she suddenly felt May's presence. "May's got to be close." She said.

She was almost near to her until mitochondria worms started to appeared then shoot spike-like darts at her. She dodged them then hit them. One of them started to shrivel up then form into a bigger one. It shot her gun away from her distance. She went near a group of trees then tried to get away as it approached slowly to her distance. She suddenly feels frightened then started to whimper in fear. "Please…" She whimpered, "STAY AWAY!!!" She closed her eyes then stretched her arm to the worm then fireballs came out then hit it. It started to shriek then it was burned. She opened her eyes slowly then saw the worm melting away. "Did I do this?" She asked to herself. She got her gun then saw May from a distance then run to her.

She saw her then pointed her gun. "Your genes are stronger than I thought." May said, "Come Sonika, let's go for a ride." She slowly lowered her gun the approached the sleigh. As she got in, the horse neighed then was ignited all of a sudden. It started to gallop out of control. As it started, Sonika knew it was a trap then raised her gun at her. May wonders about her. "Why?" She asked, "Why are you sided with the beings?" "Why not…" Sonika answered, "I'm a hedgehog!"

"Why are you going with them and not with me dear Sonika?"

"Huh…?"

May flew up to the skies then tries to shoot her. She suddenly dodged it then started shooting her. She suddenly went near her then tried to scratch her. She scratched her by the arm. "Ahh!" She shouted. She laughed as she got hurt. She grew a bit angry then stretched her arms to her then fireballs came then shot her. She stopped then went back to the seat. "It seems you still don't know who I am." She proclaimed, "Well, if you don't know, your mitochondria will…That's why you were drawn at the opera last night." "That's not true!?" She shouted, "Chris and Maria Thorndyke gave me and my husband those tickets because they're busy!" "You still need to learn my dear Sonika…" She announced. "What are you talking about May?!" She asked. "Here," She answered, "let me explain…directly…" She was about to placed her hand on her head until she tries to get out from her grasp. "Stop that!!" She shouted. She sat near the edge of the sleigh. "If we join forces," She declared, "all the other mitochondria in the world will…" "STOP!!" She yelled. The horse started to wriggle out to stop itself from burning, but it ended by being upside down then got out. The sleigh went berserk then started to spin uncontrollably. She held on to it then it hit the concrete fence. She looked at the sleigh where she was in then drifted away.

A sudden flashback started.

It was first empty.

Then a girl was at the left side of the bed.

Then a man was there.

Then the girl was placed on the right.

She was suddenly knocked unconscious.

At the entrance of the park, Kaz and Jerick are worried about her. "Sonika!!" Jerick shouted. "Sonika! Answer us!" Kaz shouted. The two kids ran to the two hedgehogs. "Daddy!" Shouted the two. They went near to them. "Danny, Alyssa, weren't you two going to the concert with mom?" He asked. "We did come with mom, daddy." Danny answered. "But mommy suddenly went weird then we left." Alyssa added. "What do you mean?" He asked. "We came with mom so the four of us will be together…" Danny answered. "So that's why you came to get me…" He answered. "Mom went to stage, but was then freaked out." Alyssa added.

"What do you mean 'mom freaked out?'"

"We got near to the stage then we suddenly felt sick." Alyssa answered.

"We wanna go home daddy." Danny announced, "Mommy wasn't herself…she left and everyone also."

"Lisa…"

"So these are your kids Jerick?" Kaz asked. He turned around to her. "Call me 'Jer' if ya like. The oldest is Danny and the youngest is Alyssa." He answered. He turned to his kids again. "Kids, I'd like you to meet Kaz, she Sonika's friend." He introduced. "Nice to meet you Kaz." Said the kids. Jerick suddenly felt worried about Sonika. "We'd better get back to SSPD," He announced, "maybe someone found her then returned her there." "Alright." Kaz answered. "C'mon kids," He said as he turned to his kids, "let's go." They followed him then went to the car.

At SSPD, in Vincent's office, Vincent was talking. "Casualties were much worse this time." He announced, "We can NOT put the lives of citizens in jeopardy any longer. We have orders to evacuate everyone out of Station Square. Fortunately, most of everyone is out of the city for Christmas Eve. "What do we do sir?" Asked Richard. "We will all stay and assist in neutralizing May." He answered. "Shouldn't we leave it to the army or the agents from GUN?" Nick suggested. "WE'RE the ones that are supposed to protect the city." He answered. "Is Sonika here?" Jerick asked as he banged the door. He went near the three. They didn't say anything. He knew that she wasn't here. "Shit! Where could she be?!" He said. "Jerick," Vincent said, "I need you to help evacuate the citizens." "She's our only hope against this thing now!" He shouted, "I'm going to look for her!" He ran outside the office. "Shouldn't we stop him sir?" Nick asked. "He lost his wife…" He answered, "He'll find Sonika. You just help with the evacuation."

Downstairs, almost near to the weapons department, Kaz and the kids are there. The three saw him then went near. "Daddy!!" Shouted the kids. "Danny, Alyssa," He said, "I must find Sonika." "Where'd she go…?" Alyssa asked. "I dunno," He answered, "but she's the only one that can fight the thing that hurt mommy." He turned to Kaz. "Kaz, can you please look after the two?" He asked. "Sure thing Jer." She answered. He went upstairs. She turned to them. "Hey kids," She said, "let's go to my friend's house. Don't worry, he's not that scary." "Alright." Said the two. She got the Chaos Emerald from her spikes then raised it up. "You ready?" She asked. The kids nodded. "Alright, let's go." She said, "CHAOS…CONTROL!!!" The three were suddenly transported.

At Thorndyke Estate, the three are inside. Maria heard something then went to the entrance. "Hi Kaz." She said. "Hi Maria." She said. She turned to the two. "Danny, Alyssa, this is Maria." She said. "Hi Maria." They said. "Is Chris fine as always?" She asked. "He's always fine," She answered, "but he seems to be in the lab this morning." "Oh…" She said, "Can we see Shadow?" "Sorry Kaz," She answered, "Shadow seems to be a bit funny since from last night. Also Sonic and his friends. Why don't you play with their kids or Shadow's little nephew Clumsy?" "Sure Maria." She said. "Great." She said, "He's at the den. Please don't disturb Sonic and Shadow, they're inside and they're reading." "Alright," She said, "c'mon kids." They followed her to the den.

Outside, everyone is evacuating out of Station Square by order of the agents of GUN and the SSPD. Everything went smoothly. Now the place is deserted except everyone in Thorndyke Estate.