Ch 10: The Nightmare is Just Starting

Up in the stratosphere, on the last remaining safe haven for people. Angel Island to be exact. It is currently floating over the Amazon jungle, nearing a big lake. It really is the last safe place for anyone to hide on.

Rouge has been contacting G.U.N. for information. So far 32 countries have been either conquered, destroyed, or have surrendered to the Eggman Empire. Rouge has also convinced Knuckles to help rescue more people. They would tell G.U.N. to lead a bunch of refugees to a safe spot (usually a wilderness of some sort) and then they fly them up to the floating island in a helicopter. They are doing one of those missions now.

"Ok, please form groups of fifteen, not counting children, there can be up to 2 children per adult, or 2 Anthros per adult human. Please stay calm and quiet. You will all be airlifted to a floating island covered in mist." A soldier of G.U.N. stated with his loud voice. After about a minute a huge mass of mist approached above a lake near there. They are all in the jungle just outside the underground Headquarters of G.U.N. The three helicopters started up. It was quiet because of the stealth capabilities of the choppers. The first three groups went in a few seconds. After fifteen minutes they were on the last bunch of survivors. Then out of the sky appeared a blue biplane. It flew right into the mist instantly. Nobody really noticed it at all.

"This is Amy Rose, somebody please pick up." She sounded a little sad when she said this.

"AMY! You better explain yourself!" Rouge screamed over the radio.

"Rouge...I'm sorry...for taking off without asking...please..." She faked crying. Loudly like she used to.

"I Don't Care If your SORRY! I swear I'll-"

"-It's ok Rouge. Hey Ames...how are ya." It was Knuckles' voice.

"I'm ok I guess...I just needed time for myself. I'm sorry for the trouble..." Finally Amy lands the plane on an open field. "I have landed now. Over and out." She hops out of the Tornado 2.5 and runs towards knuckles' house. It is nothing much, it is built like a tropical hut with a hay roof. Huge leaves are on top of that to prevent water from leaking in. Amy knocks on the door. Knuckles lets her in.

"Are you sure your ok Amy, you look so...what's the word...Distant. Maybe we should talk about it." Rouge was about to protest, but Knuckles glared at her. Rouge just left quietly. "So, whats the matter?"

"Well, It's just so hard to let him go..."

"Sonic...right. I know it's hard, even though we fought all the time, he was my best friend. Even when I was tricked by Eggman, he'd make me figure out that I was fooled." Knuckles closed his eyes in prayer. He said something in an unknown language.

"Even if I try to forget him...I just can't stop hearing his voice. Am I going insane?"

"Hmm...maybe they are still alive? But I highly doubt it. They would have escaped by now. If Eggman tricked us, he couldn't keep them prisoner this long, without killing them. Tails is too smart to be a prisoner." Amy just sits there in a blank stare.

"Hey knuckles? Can we have a toast to Sonic and Tails?"

"Um...ok I guess. I'll get the wine that Rouge got for us." In a minute Knuckles brings back two glasses of wine on a plate. "Here you go."

"Um...I need a tissue." Amy said as she started tearing up. Knux instantly got up and left. As soon as he was out of sight Amy pulls out a pill from her glove. 'Im sorry knuckles, but it's time for your nap.' She breaks the pill over his glass, and all the powder falls into the liquid. The red wine turns green for a second and changes back.

"Ok Amy, here's your tissue." Knuckles hands it to her. "Ok...Here's to the Heroes. Sonic the Hedgehog, and Miles Prower." They both drink the glass down. In seconds he is fast asleep and falls over.

"This is too perfect...now to take him." She tries lifting him, but he is far too heavy. Suddenly the door opens.

"Oh MY GOD! What happened!" Rouge looks very worried.

"I-I-I don't know, he just suddenly collapsed...he might need medical attention!"

"But there isn't a hospital here. I know...take him to the G.U.N. Headquarters. I'll go with you in the Tornado." They quickly take Knuckles to the plane and put him in the back seat. Rouge rides on the tail of the plane. After they take flight something follows them from afar. It catches up very fast. It is now flying under the plane.

"Is it much farther? Actually, it doesn't matter. NOW!" Suddenly a metal hedgehog appears from behind and strikes Rouge in the head, knocking her out instantly. "You did that perfectly MS00034...return to base. Come in Doctor Eggman...I've succeeded perfectly. I have Knuckles...and Rouge as well sir."

Just then a huge hovering craft appears in front of the Tornado. A large door opens on the rear of the craft. Then a metal beam slides out from the ceiling of the craft. A metal claw then slides down the beam and closes over the body of the Tornado. Amy cuts the engine and lets the claw bring in the plane.

"Grab the Echidna and the Bat." Said a robotic voice. Two Metal Hedgehogs came and took them. Knuckles and Rouge are now in separate holding cells on the space colony.

"Muahahaa...Excellent work, Amy. Now as promised...METAL SONIC!" Suddenly a capsule came from the ceiling. In it was Metal Sonic. The capsule opened and he stepped out. "Ahem...Ok here he is. He gives Amy a kind of gadget. It looks like a small videogame system. "Metal Sonic...from now on you obey only Amy Rose. Now get out of here, I have business to take care of." Amy left and Metal follows her.

"Why do you want to own me. I kidnapped you once." Metal stated.

"You'll see soon enough...Now follow me." They go to her quarters. Eggman had made it with great accommodations. The room has a bed, a large wall computer, and a robot docking bay for the computer. The bed is pink with red pillows. "Ok...time to put my computer classes to good use. Tails, wherever you are, thank you. Metal...please connect to the computer." He obediently did as she commanded. She begun to type. She is trying to access him. 'Hmm...it needs a password.' Amy turned on the gadget that Eggman had given her. It had a bunch of different passwords for Metal Sonic. Each one is for access to his different functions. 'Ok...this'll take me all night to finish. I better get started.'

"Are you finished yet? I need to recharge." Metal Sonic said in a slightly worried tone.

"I'm almost done." She just finished the last of her "Adjustments" to him. "You really have a ton of power inside you. I would have thought you could actually beat Sonic, but Eggy locked your powers away. I put them on a timer. 3 months exactly. You'll get your transformation power back...plus some things I put into you. You will be able to use your body as a lightning rod and use it against people. You can also absorb data from anything, living and non-living things. Your mind will be free of Eggman, If I fail to kill him by then. It will be your duty...no your destiny to rule over all lifeforms...as an overlord." Amy pushed a button and Metal Sonic went into sleep mode. Suddenly there is an alarm going off in the whole colony. "Wha-whats going on?"

"What?" Eggman yells.

"Doctor Eggman, there appears to be something attacking us. I don't know what it is." The main screen shows a huge mass approaching the Ark. "Activating Earth Barrier."

Many things have changed in the space around the Earth. There are seven Death Eggs floating around the equator, along with the Ark. They are perfectly spaced from one another. Between each one is an electrical energy line that flows a constant bond. Each Death Egg has one Super Emerald powering it. Right now something strange is happening to the energy outside. It suddenly breaks and the eyes of the Death Eggs start to glow green. Then they move and face away from the Earth. Then the eyes fire a laser out into space for a mile.

"Barrier almost complete." The lasers outside spread and an electrical barrier surrounds the entire planet. It glows in a multitude of colors. Just like if Sonic would in his hyper form. "Barrier at 100 power."

"Good...boy that was too close for comfort. That thing can't get us now...Hahahaa."

Back on the Foxstar. "Ok...since you swore not to hurt anyone, we'll let you walk around freely." Tails opened Cilia's room door and let her go. "But, don't go in the engine room, or the cockpit. The engine room can be dangerous, and the cockpit is very delicate. It's not that I don't trust you. Sonic has your rules too, Hehe."

"Thank you...I'm very sorry for what I did to you guys...the island got destroyed because of me. Those were my orders though." She bowed.

"Damn. Are you still apologizing for that. We already said we forgive you." Shadow just walked by, with a towel around his waist. His fur is dripping wet. Cilia stared at him for a moment, and blushed. She quickly realized she did and pretended to slip on the water on the floor.

"Oops...clumsy me." She got up and blushed more, from her fall this time. 'You Idiot, what were you thinking, you don't like him, you like Xero, and only Xero!'

"Ok...um, you might want a change of clothes from your tech-cloth. Go talk to Maria for some, since your both hedgehogs." Tails went to the couch to play a game against Sonic.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you asking for a CHALLENGE!" Sonic shouts this.

"Yes, I want to duel you in...Samurai Showdown!" Tails said in a fake Japanese accent. They are acting like goofs and Cilia sighs and walks away. After a moment she found Maria's room. She knocked lightly.

"Yes? Oh...hello. What a nice surprise seeing you here." Maria just smiled warmly.

"Uh..um...I need to borrow some clothing." Cilia blushed a little.

"No need to be embarrassed, were both girls here, I'd be glad to give you some. I just finished putting them all in the closet." Maria pointed to a grey door across from her bed. "Its big enough to change in." Cilia enters the closet. She comes out in a very small tank top and a red mini-skirt.

"Uh...I don't think so." She goes back in. This time she is wearing a blue hoody with grey baggy pants. "I liked the skirt." She went back in again. After about a minute she comes out. Cilia is now wearing a black t-shirt with a sad smiley face on it, the face is red line art. She has the pink skirt on too. On her head is a dark red headband. "This should do well. What do you think Maria?"

"Wow, your really cute." Maria jumps up and hugs her. She suddenly has a scared feeling in her. All the terrible images that Cilia sees in her dreams are flowing in Maria's head. She drops to her knees and lets go of Cilia. Maria has tears flowing down her cheeks. "Wha-what am I seeing...Cilia. H-how terrible...I understand now." Maria gets up and hugs Cilia tightly.

"Um...what are you doing...M-Maria." Maria is just holding Cilia.

"You have experienced such terrible things. Just stand still." Maria puts her forehead on Cilia's. Then a bright light engulfs the entire room. 'I'm gonna save you from your nightmares.'