Sorry for taking so long to upload this next chapter, but you know life. I would like to thank the user TheControlledChaosAlchemist for inspiring the name for this chapter. Alright, now on with the next chapter of...
The Sonic Underground Finale!
From the room, Knuckles and Sonic emerge; everyone approaches the duo, wondering how the conversation went, but wondering even more if Knuckles is OK enough to do the task.
Before entering the room, he told Knuckles about what they needed to do, and Knuckles listened closely, making affirmation noises as Sonic explained. In addition, Sonic asked him to not mention what Robotnik did; emphasizing that Sonia would not take it well at all. Knuckles understands, and plays along accordingly.
When he walks out into the room with Sonic by his side, he acts so excited to see everyone, but he doesn't have to act too much, because he actually is excited to see everyone. Knuckles waves and smiles to the room, but he is somewhat stunned when he sees that Aleena is also there.
"Q-Queen Aleena! I-I- uh..." Knuckles bows and starts to apologize, "I'm sorry we have to meet for the second time like this..." Queen Aleena just smiles and rubs his head, the part not covered with metallic spines.
"Oh come now, I know I don't look that bad..." Aleena quips. Knuckles does not get the joke, which causes the siblings to laugh.
"Great to have you back man! You gave us a real scare back there you know?" Manic says while giving Knuckles a gleeful grin. Knuckles is also glad to see Manic, missing his quirky yet placid personality.
"Manic, aw man dude, I missed you too." Knuckles says, reaching forward to give Manic a hug. Manic hugs him back tightly, then they release and high five each other in a gesture of companionship. But the fun can only last for so long, they do have a mission to complete, and they must be hasty about it. But as we all know, hastiness runs in the Hedgehog family's bloodline.
"Alright," Aleena says, "Knuckles, am I to assume that Sonic had told you about what we need to do?" Knuckles nods his head and Aleena continues. "Then we must hurry to the island." Manic runs over to the command room, and he prepares the computer to boot up a current map of the island. As this is happening, Sonia moves to confront Knuckles for their first real exchange of words. As Knuckles sees Sonia approaching, he is nearly overwhelmed by the many emotions that rush over him, but he manages to keep his cool, from the outside at least.
"Hey Knuckles." Sonia says sweetly.
"...H-hi Sonia." Knuckles rubs the back of his head with his hands, making an audible clanking sound as he did so. Sonia comes closer to Knuckles and he steps back, leaving Sonia slightly confused. She is going to ask what is wrong, but she pretty much knows the answer to that question. Instead, she says what's on her mind.
"I missed you." Sonia says, breaking the silence between the two. Knuckles looks up at her and lowers his hand from his head. He is unsmiling, yet holds his steady gaze for a few intense moments. Sonia, unnerved by Knuckles's lack of emotion, turns her head away from him and stares at the floor; she cannot help but feel guilty for him being the way he is, and as much as she tries to shake it, she is unable. Unexpectedly, Knuckles speaks to her kindly.
"I missed you too." His voice is a little shaky, but other than that, he looks sound. Suddenly, Manic walks into the room, with a very concerned expression on his face, and a high tech holographic map rolled up in is fist.
"Guys, we got a serious problem." Manic opens up the map and a holographic image of the island appears in front of our heroes, with so many red marks that it would have taken an hour just to count.
"Robotnik's wired his island with all the goodies this time; Swatbots, Swat vehicles, scouter droids, camera-bots, those weird animal robots, audio-detecting equipment, and even speed detectors are all covering the island like wrapping paper. Getting on this island will not be a walk in the park; it might actually be easier to walk through a volcano. This place is sealed tighter than a drum; I don't think that a stealthy approach is still part of the possibility. Let alone being able to get to where we need to be." Manic says, shortly after, he is responded to by Aleena.
"But son," she starts, "we don't have time to go on the offensive, and we cannot let him know our reason for invading."
"I think that ship has passed mom. "Sonic says, "If Robotnik spent so many resources protecting his super base, he must have known we were going to be coming back." Knuckles cuts in.
"So does that mean that he knows about the plan?" He says concerned.
"Not necessarily, "Sonic continues, "Robotnik may know that we got a Chaos Emerald, but I betcha a dozen chili dogs he doesn't know what we're planning' to do with em'. I'll throw in some mustard waging that he doesn't know that we have seven of em' either." He says with a smirk.
"Maybe so." Sonia cuts in, "but that doesn't change the fact that the island is completely sealed off because he knows about us. If we can't break in, and we can't sneak in, what are we gonna do?"
"Your right Sonia," Manic interrupts, "The only way we could get in is if we were completely undetectable; that, or if we could somehow teleport, which is not possible!"
Knuckles jumps backward from the hologram and everyone is startled from their previously pensive mindsets. Suddenly, Knuckles starts laughing uncontrollably and starts pacing around the room. He gets far from the hologram then runs up to Manic, hoisting him up by his shoulders. Everyone gets prepared to defend him, but they are left frazzled when Knuckles starts to talk as if he's had some sort of revelation.
"Manic you little bugger! You're a genius!" Knuckles sets Manic down and puts one of his oversized hands on his head, still laughing with animated glee. Of course, Sonic gets curious as to Knuckles's ecstasy and starts to question him cautiously; he looks like he's lost his mind.
"Knuckles what are you doing? Have you lost your mind man?" Sonic asks, decreasing Knuckles whole hearted laugh into an excited giggle. He then turns to the whole of the group and points to the hologram, near the center.
"That's how we're going to do it! We're going to teleport!" He notices that they are all staring at him quizzically, and then he gains his composure just enough to explain himself, using his hands to emphasize expression. "My grandfather Athair taught me all kinds of techniques that Chaos energy could be manipulated to use; most of the techniques were simple and easy, but a few more of the powerful ones required multiple chaos emeralds to implement. One of those techniques is called CHAOS CONTROL!" Knuckles says this excitedly, but the others are still confused.
"Wait," Aleena starts, "I don't get it young man, what is Chaos Control?" Knuckles happily answers.
"Chaos Control can only be done with seven of the Chaos emeralds, but it's completely worth it. The effects vary, but its uses include stopping time and teleporting! It's not going to be easy, but if I do it... do you know what that means?" Knuckles proclaims.
"Wait!" Sonia exclaimed, "Does that mean that...?" Sonic breaks in with a bold and expressive smile on his face.
"We can literally whiz our way right past Buttnik's defenses! Knuckles, that's amazing!" Sonic is about to give him a high five, but clenches his fist when he remembers Knuckles's current state. Instead, he just lets out an enthusiastic snicker. But even though the plan is thought, Knuckles still has more to say.
"Alright guys, I know it sounds flawless, but there's a few holes you guys need to know about." Everyone leans into the circle and listens. "Number One, "Knuckles starts, "This is the first time I'm going to be doing this, and I don't know if I even..." Sonia places her hand into Knuckles's and speaks.
"I know you can Knuckles, we all believe in you." She says with a kind seriousness. He nods and continues explaining, Sonia's hand still in his own.
"Number Two, and it's a Biggy, but I can't teleport us directly into the main chamber with the eighth emerald; the reaction of all the emeralds instantly reacting with one another could...let's just say that it's not good." Everyone understands, but don't speak up because Knuckles is not finished explaining. "In other words, I have to teleport us to the mouth of the cave in order for the emeralds to gradually become accustomed to the appearance of the eighth. There could be robots in the cave, but I'm confident that I can lead us all to the emerald's location before I... you know." Everyone indeed knows, and nobody bothers to trudge it up; Sonia squeezes his hand harder.
"Number Three is that Robotnik might have sensors that can pick up on the emerald's energy signature when we teleport there, if that's the case, then we have to reach the chamber quickly before Robotnik has time to react." Sonic chuckles and Aleena speaks up.
"Oh trust us Knuckles, getting there quickly will not be an issue. Not with my little darlings." The children blush and giggle, making everyone smile except for Knuckles, who still as a serious expression on his face. The next number troubles him, and Manic can tell.
"And the last one?" Manic probes, to which Knuckles responds reluctantly. "And Number Four might be the one that throws this plan into disarray completely; I assume that Athair had warned you about the power of the emeralds?" The royal family nods and Knuckles continues. "He told me that one person could not contain the raw energy of all of them, and it may just be paranoia, but if he's right...then..." Knuckles breathes deeply and Sonia looks at him concerned. "If I tried Chaos control, I could be destroyed."
This causes the room to go deathly silent. It's not just that they can't lose Knuckles because of the mission, it's because they're asking him to risk his life for a plan that already has a very slim chance of being accomplished; they're asking him to sacrifice even more of himself for the world, and that they have to. There is no other choice.
But Knuckles wants to risk it, he feels as if his life has already gone downhill from the moment he was roboticized to the time he found out his island was destroyed. He's alone, and is always going to be, and there's nothing that can change that. This is what goes through his mind... but then Sonia speaks up.
"Knuckles. Listen to me." Sonia turns him around and stares into his eyes. "You are not going to go in alone, do you hear me? There's no way we're going to let you risk your life alone, we care about you Knuckles...I care about you." Sonia lifts up his heavy metal hand and puts hers into his, her gaze not once faltering. "I'm not letting go Knuckles, if you do this, I'm going to be doing it with you."
Sonic walks up and grabs Knuckles's other hand. "Me too man," he says, "We're in this together."
"Us too." Manic and Aleena say simultaneously while approaching the trio of friends. "As a family." Knuckles holds back the urge to cry; he is frustrated because of their insistence to put their lives on the line, but it is also something else. Now he wants to live, which might not even happen. It's all so confusing, but still, he knows that it's his duty to go through with the mission; only this time, with his newfound family.
...
Manic opens the last lead box and places it down on the floor, completing the circle of all seven. He runs back into the middle of the circle where Aleena is attaching something to Knuckles's wrist. She just finishes snapping it in and sets the timer to fifty minutes.
"What is it Queen Aleena?" Knuckles asks.
"It's a timer Knuckles, it will start to go off when the time is half done, when there's five minutes left, and then when the time is up. As soon as the time is up, we will need to zap you with the energy of the medallions so you can retain control of your mind. "
"Can't you play it safe and zap again me before the time is up?" Knuckles asks.
"Sorry, but if we tried that, then they would work just like their regular weapons. Heh, and that wouldn't be very good; now would it young man?" Aleena explains. Knuckles chuckles nervously and looks at the timer ticking down the minutes before he goes insane.
With the emeralds in place and everyone gathered around, Knuckles takes a deep breath and looks around at his companions, knowing very well that it might be the last time he sees them. He extends his hands, Sonia takes his right and Manic takes his left. Sonic takes Manic's hand and Aleena takes Sonia's. Then they all brace for what might come next. Afraid, but confident.
"You guys ready?" Knuckles asks with a bold smile on his face.
"Aren't we always?" Sonic responds with bravery. Knuckles begins the chant.
"Chaos..." Everyone's grips tighten they view the radiant emeralds with resolute gazes.
"CONTROL!" His voice explodes through the room, and a bright green flash overtakes it instantaneously. When it cleared, everyone had disappeared.