Chapter 9
Miky stared out the window of Sonic's kitchen and sighed. It had been several days since her attempt to best Tails' RC Egg Fighter. She had been training hard and was improving but not fast enough for her taste.
A buzzing noise sounded behind Miky. She grabbed an oven mitt, opened the oven and pulled out a tray of cookies and set them on the counter. Sonic came into the kitchen, and took a deep sniff, "Mmm! Something smells good!"
Miky gestured half-heartedly to the tray, "Yeah, I just made some peanut butter cookies."
Sonic took a cookie and took a bite, "What's the matter? You seem down."
"I'm just a little frustrated. I'm still not where I want to be. How can you dodge so flawlessly like you do? Do I need to increase my reaction time?" shrugged Miky.
"I don't think it's that. Your reaction time is one of the fastest I've ever seen. Hmmm… Wait here, I'll be back." Sonic grabbed another cookie and left the kitchen. Miky turned and looked out the window once more. Then, without warning, "DUCK!"
"Wha-AH!" As Miky turned around, a throw pillow from the couch struck her in the face. She chucked it back at Sonic, "What was that for?"
Sonic caught it with ease and threw it over his shoulder, "I know what the problem is. You see, me, Tails, and Knuckles pretty much have our reflexes and things on a hair-trigger. We're in danger so much, we kinda have to. As soon as we hear the slightest noise that signals danger, WHOOSH! We're outta there!"
"So, my problem isn't how fast I react to danger, its detecting it. But how can I learn to detect danger better?"
"Maybe Tails can help. He can tweak the robot or something. Come on, let's go see him."
After explaining the problem over some of Miky's cookies, Tails said, "Well Sonic, your theory is extremely valid and I believe it's correct. But, as for your solution, I have to disagree."
"Why? The robot is a great training tool." replied Sonic
"Yes but, I don't think it will achieve the desired effect. Let me put it this way. A mama Flicky pushes her baby out of the nest so it will learn to fly. The baby learns out of necessity because it knows that if it doesn't fly, it will hit the ground. The principle is the same. If we use the robot, there's always the emergency stop button. Out in the field, there is no emergency stop. You do what needs doing or you're going to take a hit."
Miky nodded, "I see what you mean. I have to learn the same way you guys did, by experience. I'm game for it."
Sonic shook his head, "I just don't know if it's a good idea. I don't want see you get hurt."
"Sonic, you know as well as I do that in our line of work, you're going to take a few knocks." pointed out Tails.
"…Alright. Next time Eggman shows his ugly mug, you're gonna be there to help us send him packing Miky."
Miky grinned, "Sweet! I know it's bad when he shows up, but I can't wait for him to try something!" A small, but urgent, beeping sounded causing Tails to flip open his wrist communicator.
After a second of studying it, he flipped it closed, "Well Miky, I think you just got your wish! I'm picking up a huge surge of electrical and Chaos energy that's concentrated in a small area. Pockets like that are simply not natural. We should check it out."
With a quick call to Knuckles, the four set out to find the cause of energy signal. The signature led them into the heart of the forest. Knuckles took point position and led the group where his sense of Chaos Energy took him. He stopped in front of a ridge with rocks piled in front of it. The rocks looked overgrown with moss and grass as if it had been there a long time. "Here. The Chaos energy is radiating out of here."
"It looks like a collapsed cave entrance." said Tails as he studied the rocks.
Miky looked around as she laid a hand on the rock wall, "Hmmm…"
"Something up?" asked Sonic
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. So how are we going to get inside?"
Knuckles chuckled and cracked his namesake, "Leave that to me. RAH!" With one punch, the rocks shattered to dust and scattered about. The four entered the cave and began to look about. Knuckles knelt at a small fire pit in the middle of the cave floor, "Someone used to live here. But from the looks of things, that was years ago."
Sonic approached a bed of branches and moss that was dried up and brown, "This must have been where they slept, whoever they are."
Miky stood by the fire pit and turned a full circle, her eyes distant, "Guys… this place feels really… really…AH!" Miky dropped to her knees holding her head. Images began to flash through her mind and rush to the surface. Her head snapped up and she looked around with wide eyes.
"Are you alright?" asked Sonic as he, Tails, and Knuckles gathered around. Miky turned to the fire pit and began to remove the old logs and cinders. After Miky had removed the fire remains and started to dig in the dirt below. After a few minutes, she tossed out a small diary-looking book. After digging a little deeper, she pulled out a gleaming white Chaos Emerald and held it out to Knuckles.
Knuckles took the Emerald, "Ah ha! That's where it was!"
"How did you know it was there?" asked Tails
Miky replied, "Being in this place, it made me remember a few things."
Sonic's ears went up, "Really? Like what?"
"Well, it's not much, just bit and pieces. One thing I know for sure is that for a time I lived here. I don't know for how long or for why though. I certainly don't know why I buried a Chaos Emerald here or how I got it in the first place."
"Maybe this little book has some answers?" said Sonic as he handed Miky the worn book.
Before she could open it, Tails shouted, "WHOA, the electric signal I was picking up just went off the charts! Whatever it is, it's moving toward us!"
"We're sitting ducks in this cave. The minute we step out, we're easy targets!" growled Knuckles.
"Wait a minute!" Miky ran to the make-shift bed and kicked it aside revealing a hole. "Down here! I don't remember where it goes, but I think it's an exit of sorts." Miky jumped down the hole and Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, jumped after her. The hole went straight down for about four feet. Then it went straight like a tunnel into the darkness. Everyone looked to Miky who looked back confused, "What?"
"You took us down here! Where do we go?" asked Knuckles with exasperation
Miky shrugged and shouted with equal frustration, "I don't know! I can't remember!"
Looking at his wrist device, Tails cried, "Guys, whatever is up there is getting closer!" Above their heads, they could hear loud thuds and the whirring of hydraulics. The noises stopped and all went quiet. Suddenly, a series of bangs and crashes sounded and rubble fell through the hole as whatever was up top tore into the cave.
"GO, GO, GO! RUN! RUN!" ordered Sonic, gesturing down the tunnel. The four bolted down the dark tunnel as the sounds became louder. They ran for several feet before finding a dead end. Looking up, it appeared there was no trapdoor of any sort. Miky jumped up and pushed on the ceiling but only succeeded in bumping her head. Tails looked back the way they had come. A flickering blue light shone through the hole. Tails eyes widened as a the sound of crackling electricity and a twirling blue thing that looked a writhing lightning bolt came down the hole. He blinked and both were gone.
Nervous, he said, "We need to get out of here now."
"I'll handle this! HYA!" Knuckles jumped up and dug into the ceiling. When he reached the surface he called down, "Come on!" Sonic, Tails, and Miky jumped out. They had come up behind the ridge so whatever had broken into the cave was hidden from view.
Sonic took a step forward, "Now let's see what's causing all the ruckus!"
"Sonic, whatever that thing is giving off a huge electrical signal! It's extremely dangerous, I would feel a lot better if we came back prepared." urged Tails.
"…Alright. Let's bail."
The four fled the scene, doubled back, and returned to Tails' house. Once safe, Knuckles said irritably, "Miky, I thought you said that tunnel was an exit."
"I'm sorry. I thought it was. I couldn't really remember…"
"The important thing is that we're safe. But the real question is just what was that thing?!" pointed out Sonic.
Tails replied, "Whatever it was, it was looking for the Chaos Emerald. Speaking of which, Knuckles?"
Knuckles held up the white gem, "Safe and sound."
"Good. If I examine the electrical signature of that thing, I should be able to make an EMP that would knock it out. With the amount of power that thing was putting out, it must have a shield that would be nigh impenetrable." With that Tails went to his lab and got to work. Knuckles settled down on the couch to nap.
Sonic turned to Miky, "Hey, do you still have that book?"
Miky took it from a pocket in her skirt, "Yeah. I wonder if this will give some answers about why I was in that cave."
"Let's sit down in the kitchen and take a look."
Author's Note: Hello! It seems like forever since I've posted! Busy, busy, busy! Oh yeah! Me and Werehog20 are whipping up a holiday caper with the most dysfunctional family on Mobius making a comeback for Christmas! If you thought things were crazy before, it's gonna get crazier. Please read, review, and most of all, enjoy.
