Search for the Hanging Gardens
(A/N: So Sonic Forces is coming out soon. Does this mean we can create Sonia and Manic as characters? Just a passing thought.)
Team Dark raced across the land, seeking the Hanging Gardens of Mobius. They had no clear direction, no idea where it was, but Shadow was fast enough that he could cover massive ground in a very short period. It was only a matter of time before they stumbled on it. Or so they told themselves. Realistically, they knew they would have to be incredibly lucky to even have a hope in heck of finding it without at least a general idea of the area to search. Rumor had it the gardens moved.
Elsewhere, Team Evil was gathered around a computer and watching, waiting, as Fiona hacked into databases and searched for any mention of the Hanging Gardens. "Where are they?" Scourge growled impatiently.
"As far as I can tell, they don't even exist," Fiona replied, mystified. "How can anything be hidden this well?"
"It may be hidden, but if it exists, there is mention of it somewhere," Dark Oak answered. "Perhaps electronic databases aren't what we should be looking at. It may exist only in writing. Hard copies. Legends or paper."
"Which means…" Scourge prompted.
"That either you run around aimlessly with us, searching for it, or we infiltrate the palace and scour the archives," Fiona dryly said, shaking her head bitterly. Both options were too much of a hassle for her liking.
"Or we go straight to the source," Scourge said, smirking.
"Meaning?" Fiona asked, smiling back at him. She knew that smirk. He had an idea. Most likely a devious one.
"Which means we hunt down Team Underground and their mommy and… 'interrogate' her," Scourge answered. "Or them, until she breaks."
"It occurs to me that Team Vile may know where they are, or have an idea," Dark Oak said to them.
"What makes you say that?" Scourge asked.
"They, or Sleet and Dingo at least, have been there before," Dark Oak answered, recalling vaguely a tale of something called the Velocitree that had to do with the hanging gardens.
"Maybe it's them we should 'interrogate'," Fiona said with a slightly dark chuckle.
"Then let's go find them," Scourge replied. Immediately he shot off with the other two in tow.
STH
"Snively's base is just through here," Fang declared, pointing ahead. The trip to this place had been disturbingly quiet. Sleet had been going through some serious emotional turmoil and was basically revaluating his entire life and existence as he knew it. Aleena had been privately sorting through a million thoughts herself. He, the triplets, and Dingo had kept their traps shut and gone over the last while in their minds over and over again. He was glad for the break in silence. Gladder he'd been the one to do it.
"About time, "Sonic answered. "It's awkward city up in here."
"No kidding," Fang wryly agreed. The drama and reunions and turmoil with the wolf pack, and Sleet finding his sibling and an old friend again—who had remained behind with said pack, joining himself to it—had all been a lot to deal with and process.
"I hope the others are having better luck than us," Manic said, pushing some bushes apart and looking through. "Whoa. That it, dudes?" he asked, pointing.
Nack looked. "Yep," he answered.
"Here's hoping Eggman and Snively haven't killed each other yet," Sonia dryly said.
"Here's hoping they have," Sleet remarked, catching up with them along with Aleena and Dingo. It was definitely no secret Sleet was far from Robotnick's biggest fan. He would probably have helped the process along had he been here. They'd be coming up to an empty hideaway then, bodies buried and Sleet alone and lingering about.
"Snively's got one hip pad," Manic said, smiling and heading towards it with Sonia and Sonic. Nack, Dingo, Sleet, and Aleena followed behind.
STH
Snively and Eggman sat across the table from each other glaring. Just glaring, coldly and accusingly. To the sides, the robots watched awkwardly, unsure what to do about it but hoping it didn't come to confrontation. It had been dead quiet here, say for the occasional talk that usually turned into accusations or arguments between uncle and nephew. "Now look here, Snively, we should at least try to be civil. We're in the same boat now, you and I," Eggman finally said after a long silence.
Snively started and his eyes narrowed. "No we aren't! I could throw you out of this boat and leave you to drown easy as cake! I'm helping you begrudgingly, as a favor. If your go-to man hadn't talked me into it, you'd be out on your head and I'd be sitting pretty."
"Sitting, maybe," Eggman muttered.
"What was that?" Snively asked icily.
"Nothing, my boy," Eggman answered, grinning blamelessly.
"Don't call me your boy!" Snively snapped.
"Dr. Robotnick, Dr. Kintobar, we're back. We've found Sleet!" Nack called out.
"And four bonuses," Dingo added, entering behind the royal hedgehogs.
"Queen Aleena!" Robotnick exclaimed. "And the Sonic Underground. Well this is my lucky day. Well done, Team Vile."
"Don't get too sure of yourself, Eggman. We're here by choice," Manic said.
"You can't afford to turn on us now. Definitely not after Team Apocalypse turned on you," Sonia agreed. "Ugh, the décor here is so tacky."
"Looked better from the outside, huh sis," Sonic taunted his sister. "Here is just so tres passé.'
"Go ahead, mock me. You wouldn't know style if it socked you in the nose," Sonia testily said to him.
"Quiet," Sleet snipped at them. They glared at him and folded their arms sulkily. "Unfortunately, the hedgehogs are right. We need them. For now."
Eggman growled then sighed. "Very well," he relented. "Let's get cracking. Snively, we need your help tracking down the Hanging Gardens of Mobius. Can you do it?"
"We'll soon find out," Snively replied, going to a station and starting to hack databases. When they yielded nothing, he began scanning for signals. "Where are you?" he muttered.
Aleena approached him and typed something into the computer. Immediately it flipped to another area of the planet entirely. "Search around here. It will not be more than 10 miles outward."
"You realize the info you've given me just now?" Snively muttered.
"Not only do you not know the command I input, even if you had seen it I trust you to keep quiet. If only in honor of your half-sister, Hope," Aleena replied. Snively froze and visibly tensed, expression a moment saddened. Soon he started searching again.
"There you are," he finally murmured.
"Where?" Eggman demanded.
"None of your business," Snively bit, shutting the window down before Eggman could see. "The location was sent to Teams Underground and Vile. Leave it to them, uncle. You're better off hiding here for now."
"What?! Why you little…" Eggman began.
"Dr. Robotnick, don't you trust us? Don't worry. We will have this done before tomorrow's sunset," Sleet assured, tone laced with false honesty.
Eggman growled, but at this point he had little choice. "Very well," he grumbled. Team Vile bowed and turned, heading out. The Sonic Underground and Aleena followed, Aleena nodding a thanks to Snively, who nodded back.
STH
Team Dark, meanwhile, was still searching. Suddenly Shadow came to an abrupt halt. "Shadow, what is it?" Rouge questioned.
"I sense something," he answered.
"Sensors indicate Teams Underground, Vile, and Queen Aleena have passed this way recently. Sensors indicate approach of Team Evil. They are hunting the royal family and Team Vile," Omega rattled off.
"Good senses, Shads," Rouge remarked, smiling. "You beat a robot to the punch."
"Don't call me Shads," Shadow deadpanned.
"So, what do we do?" Rouge questioned.
Shadow looked in the direction of the royals then towards the path Team Evil would soon come by. "We wait for Team Evil. And when they come, we do not allow them to pass under any circumstances. Team Underground will deal with the Hanging Gardens, but in turn we prevent Team Evil from reaching them," he answered.
"Affirmative. Arrival of Team Evil imminent. T-minus 10-9-8-7…" Omega began.
"Oh, this should be fun," Rouge said, smirking. Shadow was silent.
"6-5-4…" Omega was saying.
"Get ready," Shadow murmured.
"3-2-1," Omega said. Just then a sonic boom echoed. Shadow shot forward. There was a cry of pain as Scourge and Shadow collided and Scourge, taken off guard, flew back, just barely managing a backwards roll to come to a stop on his feet, bracing with one hand. He looked sharply up, shocked.
"You go no further," Shadow stated evenly.
"Shadow, Rouge, Omega!" Fiona exclaimed in shock.
"Team Dark, get out of our way," Dark Oak threatened.
"Sorry, big boy. We can't let you get in the way of the royals and Vile," Rouge answered.
"Prepare for annihilation," Omega rattled.
Scourge blinked, still a little stunned, then smirked wickedly. "It's like that, huh? Fine. Let's play!"
"Yes, let's," a new voice said. Sharply Teams Evil and Dark looked over. Their eyes widened on seeing who was there.
"Team Apocalypse!" Rouge exclaimed. Sure enough, approaching them were Mephiles, Ix, and Drago!
STH
"It seems we aren't the only ones bound for the Hanging Gardens of Mobius," Ix remarked.
"Tell us where the gardens are and no one dies. Get maimed, maybe, imprisoned, yes, enslaved, most definitely, but not die," Drago darkly sneered, grinning wolfishly. Not in a Sleet way either.
"Dream on, wannabes," Scourge sang.
Mephiles eyed him dangerously. "You choose death then. Good. I much prefer it," he answered Scourge.
Scourge turned to Shadow. "I hate to say this, but seems you win the race to the gardens. Go on ahead. Alert the royals. I'd rather see you or Sonic get it than this joker," he said.
"You can't take them alone!" Rouge exclaimed.
"Heh, try us," Scourge replied. He looked back at Mephiles. "He's to me what Shadow is to Sonic. Let's do this, wannabe!" Immediately Scourge closed the distance between them and tackled Mephiles to the ground. Mephiles cried out in pain. Immediately Ix went for Lucas and Drago went for Fiona, murder in his eyes.
"What are their odds, Omega?" Shadow questioned.
"Odds of victory slim. Odds of loss slim. Odds of stalemate 96.75%. Odds they will fight all eternity if capable, 100%. Scourge and Mephiles if not others," Omega answered.
"A stalemate is out of the question. Too risky," Rouge said.
"Then we go after the royals, contact Sonic, and get their help," Shadow stated.
"Lead on. I'll follow you to eternity," Rouge softly said to him. He looked over at her and blinked. After a moment, he nodded and dashed away. Rouge and Omega followed quickly.
STH
As they ran, Shadow said. "Omega, establish communication with the Sonic Underground!"
"Communication establishing. Searching. Connection made. Speak," Omega said, handing Shadow a device he ejected from one of the many compartments on his person. Shadow snatched it.
"Sonic. Come in Sonic!" the black hedgehog demanded.
"Shadow? What's happening?" Sonic replied after a moment.
"Something's come up. Team Apocalypse is on their way to the Hanging Gardens! They ran afoul of us and Team Evil. Team Evil's stayed behind to hold them off and try to drive them away. Odds of a stalemate are near 100%, but a stalemate isn't something we can afford. They need help immediately. Team Dark was designated to go on ahead to the gardens. We're on our way," Shadow said.
"We're there," Sonic replied, sliding to a stop. The others stopped as well, turning gravely to him. "Sonia, Manic, juice and jam time," he said to his siblings. Their eyes narrowed determinedly and they nodded. Sonic looked to Aleena. "Mom, are you going to be okay getting there alone?"
"I will," she confirmed. "Especially if Team Dark is on their way," she said.
"Right. Then we're going back," Sonic said.
"Nack, Dingo, go with them to help," Sleet ordered, turning to his allies.
"What? But boss…" Nack began.
"Sleet, are you sure mate?" Dingo worriedly asked, cutting Nack off.
"I'm beyond sure. Team Apocalypse must be stopped at all costs! Or at least delayed," Sleet answered. "Now get moving, you degenerates!"
"If you say so, Sleet," Nack uneasily replied.
"Be careful out there, mate," Dingo worriedly agreed. Turning, they ran to join Sonic and his siblings, and soon enough all of them had raced off leaving only Sleet and Aleena.
"This will not end well," Aleena worriedly said.
"You're too quick in calling outcomes, my Queen," Sleet replied. "Let's move." Aleena nodded and quickly they turned, continuing onward determinedly. Aleena prayed to the Ancient Walkers that her children would be alright…
