"Sonic." Sally's voice called.
Sonic awoke.
His head throbbing and his body bruised from the brutal beating. Metal Sonic had reared his ugly head and as a result caught the hedgehog off guard.
"Sally!" Sonic exclaimed leaping to his feet and touching his ear. The ear bud from before had become Sally's last beacon of hope. Sonic was on his feet worried and angered he let Metal get away with this.
"Sonic I don't know if I'll have a lot of time to get you here but I'll try my best. I'm in Robotropolis. Somewhere near the Oil Ocean past the former Hill Top Zone. I'm strapped down to a column next to a set of monitors on some sort of platform. That's all I can see."
"Sal I'm on my way, just hang tight."
"Sonic I love you so much!"
"I'm coming to get you Sal, stay with me."
Sonic blasted away through the electric gates of Robotropolis tripping alarms and alerting swat bots of his entry. He didn't care. The love of his life was in danger and the only way he knew to rescue her was to become his name and speed off. Sonic Wind gave him the boost he needed making short work of this long trek. In the past, Sonic leisurely ran through these zones but now with his woman at stake things were going to need a swifter approach. Sonic skipped the entrance of the Mystic Cave Zone simply because of what was built before him.
"Stardust Speedway..." Sonic read, "Remix?"
On top of the Mystic Cave Zone was a huge slick track filled with boosts, loops, spirals, and straight-aways. Sonic knew exactly what this was; it was Metals full purpose, the underlying theme of the robots existence.
To prove he was faster than the real thing.
Sonic looked to the top of the sign where Metal Sonic just watched him. Lightning struck behind him with the menacing red eyes staring at Sonic. Metal simply dropped to the ground and walked right next to the blue hog. Punching this thing would have no effect and spurring him on with insults would be useless. Sonic hated this guy but the goal was clear and it was the former princess.
"What do you want with Sally?"
Metal Sonic just tapped his ear.
"Sonic!" Sally chimed in again. "There's something on the monitors... it's a... message to you."
"Sal? Sal!"
Sally sighed. "It says... you will be racing for my life. If you lose I die..."
"Sal!"
"If anyone else interferes, I die. If you cheat, I die. If you win Sonic, then you will die."
Sonic glared at Metal Sonic and slammed his body. Metal just stood solidly and threw the hedgehog off him. Sonic planted his stance again as Sally calmly accepted the results.
"Sonic, no!" Sally stated. "Don't win this thing just for me... You have a lot more to offer than I do..."
"I don't believe that Sally, you gave me everything I have and so much more. I'd rather see you free than to live a life without you."
"Sonic!"
"Sally, I love you, take care of my children, be the great woman you've always been. You're the Hero of Knothole now."
Sonic took out his ear bud and tossed it to the ground.
"Alright you hunk of junk, you got your wish! I'll race you! My life for hers!"
Metal Sonic simply nodded figuring his ultimate speed would finally be recognized. Stardust Speedway sprang to life, with the flood lights above activating and ominous music pumping through the speakers. The lights on the side of the road lit up and moved forward like lights on the side of a marquee. Metal directed Sonic to follow and they approached the starting area - a large bunker with a digital screen as a floor. Sonic began to run in place, stretch both his legs, do a few squats, and then tapped his toes on the ground. Metal just started to whir his engines as he hugged the starting line. There were two Tulsa towers streaming electricity across the starting line as the countdown began. Once the numbers counted to the zero, presumably, the electric gate would release and the two racers would be off. Sonic nodded and stepped back. The clock read twenty seconds and then started counting down. This race would not only prove Metal's mettle but also Sonic's will to strive for victory. Sally's life was on the line and the only way to keep his promise and keep her safe was to make a sacrifice. The clock read ten seconds and Sonic crouched down. Metal Sonic's engines whirred louder as Sonic placed his arms on the ground. A green bar rushed underneath him on the digital screen. The timer was in the form of the bar and Sonic realized this. All he had to do was time it. Five seconds left and Sonic built up a decent running speed, just enough to project him into high velocity. Three seconds left and Sonic neared the gate. One second left and Metal Sonic passed through the electricity officially marking him as a cheater. At exactly zero seconds the horn sounded and only one participant was off. Sonic screeched trying to halt himself but slammed right into the electricity. His speed powered him through the jarring shock but he was down again. It occurred to him just like last time that Metal Sonic would do anything to win. Three seconds later the electricity stopped and the green light came on. Metal Sonic had a huge five-second window of relaxation and in this race for life and death, it would be the difference maker.
Sonic got to his feet and started a jog. He passed a jog and got to a run easily besting three-hundred miles an hour. Sonic dug in and expended an 'extra life' giving him the energy to press on which obviously showed. Sonic was at five-hundred miles an hour - cruising speed - when the track became clear to him. This was going to lead them to the heart of Robotropolis most likely where Sally is. Sonic entered a large loop and slowed to three-fifty to get up the gravity-defying construct. Then the loop spiraled and aimed straight down into the mystic caves. Sonic curled into a ball instantly getting up to six-hundred and smashing into a heavy-duty springboard. Sonic darted through the air and the landed on a jump pad - the first of six. Sonic bounded from the stationed pads on sturdy stalagmites. Then he landed on the thin track of the Mystic Caves and darted ahead. The track was like a dragon's back with its hills and dips with a sharp left turn. Sonic took the curve and spiraled down like water in a drain. Sonic passed through an already broken away wall which Metal Sonic had passed through into a huge underground cavern. The Mystic Caves were nothing compared to this Hidden Palace Zone. Sonic didn't have time to gawk and explore, he had a woman to save. Sonic sped at an even five-hundred when he came across a huge chasm with glowing crystals at the bottom. Sonic jumped and landed on a floating platform and leapt up to the top of the precipice. Sonic gripped the edge and quickly put himself over. He curled into a ball and spun while reeling in huge amounts of air. The Gale Spin Dash would help him close the gap between he and Metal. Sonic blinked away, the sound barrier ripping to shreds behind him leaving just silence in his own ears. Sonic skipped past many obstacles and other chasms until his gale wore off and he closed in on the massive palace. Sonic was growing tired already but the thought of Metal laying a hand on Sally sickened him.
Sonic dug in and got back up to six-hundred entering the palace at high speed. The palace track was tightly wound, with sharp turns, hard angles, and acute turns. Sonic had to stop and angle every time to get a good angle to blast. Luckily, Metal Sonic was having the same problem. Moving at such speed had its disadvantages but Sonic never complained. Sonic zeroed in Metal's high screech engines and determined he was but a few miles away. Sonic was in the process of climbing the tower while racing the track and staying on Metal Sonic's tail. Soon as Sonic reached the highest tower of the Hidden Palace, the track turned from hard angles to smooth upward spirals. High up in the spiral Metal Sonic was just exiting the pinnacle onto the next series. Sonic clinched his hands and built up more wind around him. The smooth spirals were going to be cake with a Sonic Wind aiding him along. Sonic jettisoned his body up to the top with immense speed - the sound barrier again was in shambles behind him. From the highest tower there was a straight incline up through the Mystic Caves. Keeping feet on the track was very difficult especially when it started to curve against Sonic's favor. Sonic could finally keep an eye on Metal Sonic who was hovering over the track barely touching the surface. The two were upside down now, running along the roof of the caves dodging the spikes of the caves roof. Then the track started to twist as the mouth of the Mystic Caves was revealed. Metal and Sonic were in a constant twist from the spiral of the track. Sonic veered left to right with each dip building up huge amounts of momentum that Metal simply could not. Then the track shot up going into a multi-spiral loop over the Oil Ocean Zone. Sonic tied up with Metal just as the spirals - working in the blurs favor - gave out. It was a straight course now with Metal and Sonic side by side.
"Why take Sally? Why make her involved? Why come after me through all this time?"
Metal faced Sonic and started hovering backwards. Then SWATbots started to swarm from the sides. Sonic jumped to dodge a laser fire and lost speed in the process. Metal Sonic returned to his forward position and powered through the slick course of the pollution.
Sonic gritted his teeth and smashed all of them with super speed Homing Attack. The scraps of the robots fell to the wayside as Sonic pushed himself to his current limit, seven-hundred twenty miles an hour. Sonic approached the rounded steps of the course with abundant speed and eventually passed Metal Sonic with a flurry of whipping wind. Metal Sonic was thrown off balance, shaking amid the wind resistance and finally tanking into the guardrails. Metal slammed his hand onto the ground and pulled himself up. After prolonged speed, Metal Sonic did not accelerate well. Initial Bursts were great but drained his power cell. He would need the rest of his power for the long stretch at the end of Oil Ocean. Metal Sonic finally approached one-hundred miles an hour with a little bit to go until gear twelve kicked in - thirty-eight more to go before top speed.
Sonic took a winding loop and then a vertical path into a tunnel deep into the oily depths. The lights on the side were all that Sonic could rely on as they quickly spiraled. Sonic felt the rush of adrenaline and traveled past his top speed. Anxious to have this over and done with. The track finally leveled again and then berthed into a wide clearing with three tunnel mouths. Sonic acted quickly and took the right grazing his shoulder against the sidewall and nearly spinning out. Sonic dropped to a good three-hundred when he darted to maintain an even five. Metal Sonic got into the three-mouth tunnel and chose left. Since he designed this course he knew the short cuts - and the right tunnel was definitely the long way. Metal stuck to the short cut with hopes of finally fending off the so-called fastest hedgehog.
The three tunnels were all actually huge banking turns to the left – the left tunnel being the shortest one and the right being the longest. Metal sprang out in front of Sonic a mile away headed up another vertical rise. Sonic couldn't determine if he was going to make this one or not. Safe or sorry he expended his 'extra life' and felt the results immediately. The vertical rise and the natural gravity still played against the grounded hog as Metal Sonic hovered his stretch way out. Sonic looked ahead and saw Metal high up in the sky.
Did the track run out?
Sonic blasted himself up after Metal. The two soared high into the smog of Robotropolis. They could see the ravaged ocean of motor oil and transmission fluid amid the machinery and technology Robotropolis provided. Metal Sonic swung a kick but Sonic predicted it and grabbed the machine. Sonic spun and threw the bot behind him, plunging for the vertical track below. Sonic aimed for the large ramp he would land on and readied himself. Metal Sonic's engine whirred and then he blasted himself on the right path. Metal landed on the track first with Sonic right behind him. Sonic and Metal kept an even pace for a good five miles when Metal started to slow down. That last Initial Burst cost him the power to make it across the finish in time. Metal started to beep when spikes emerged from the track. Sonic screeched to veer left and right, he wasn't expecting a full on needle barrage. Still he jumped over the spikes and was happy he did because another set was just in landing distance. Metal Sonic just increased his altitude and hovered perfectly over the traps. Sonic was still playing it safe at four-hundred while Metal cruised at five-hundred and dropping. Sonic could tell he was close to the end when he saw the density of the pollution grow thicker. The center of Robotropolis was getting closer and so was Sally.
Sonic stopped.
He was among the fresh white spikes searching his Chaos Energy. "There's only one thing faster than raw speed and even though I hate to admit it, I'm going to use a trick from my true faker, Shadow."
Sonic revealed the two Chaos Emeralds and held them in both hands. He put his own energy into the emeralds and searched out a destination. Sonic could feel the emeralds vibrating and coming to life in his palms.
"Chaos Control!" Sonic disappeared.
Metal Sonic was just a mile away from the finish line barely over two-hundred but trudging along. The spike assault was the perfect thing to slow down that hog and Metal Sonic would finally prove himself as the only fastest thing alive. Metal Sonic's Chaos Energy readings went haywire from a massive source traveling past him at insane speed.
Sonic the Hedgehog, holding two Chaos Emeralds in each hand, appeared just before the finish line. Sonic immediately crossed the line fell to his knees, feeling the effects of Hyper Sonic and Chaos Reentry at the same time. Sonic voided his stomach as Metal Sonic stood over him.
His menacing red eyes just watched this blue hedgehog with programmed spite and malice.
Sonic wiped his mouth and stood up to face his enemy. His eyes were extremely blurry and it felt like he'd been through a washing machine. There was a sound in the back calling for him while Metal Sonic walked around the Hero of Knothole and the winner of the race.
"Sonic!" Sally yelled.
The hedgehog finally got a grip and turned around. Sally was blurry but he could see she was tied up against her will. Metal Sonic stood next to her flaring his claws. Sonic pitifully ran to Metal Sonic to try and stop him. Sonic fell before Metal's feet and the robot just stopped.
Moments passed.
Sally was silent throughout hoping not to make the situation more intense. Behind them the track started to shut down, lights went out, the music stopped, as it all started to collapse. The track itself was a digital projection of the side guards, which became solid to be able to walk upon and produce the spikes. Sally started to speak when Metal turned her way. The evil robot ripped Sally from the chains and threw her on the ground. Sally rolled to a stop when she looked back and saw Metal Sonic chaining Sonic up to his position. Monitors slid up from the ground with Sonic's face blinking and the word winner along with it. The robot slapped Sonic across the face officially waking him up. The robot stepped back and made sure he was seen. Metal Sonic clinched his fists but turned his back on the blue hog and focused on Sally.
"You may have won Sonic, but you lose it all here." Metal Sonic approached Sally. "Your friendship with the fox, your sense of duty, your girlfriend. All shambles in mere seconds. The Hero of Knothole will witness it all fall down."
"Sally!" Sonic struggled within the tight grip of the chains.
Metal grabbed her hair and threw her down to the ground. Metal Sonic started to assault defenseless Sally. The hits were light in comparison to the tougher ones Metal started to disperse once he was assured Sally wasn't going to get up. Metal reeled back and slammed Sally again in her chest. The former princess rolled across the ground, helpless from the beating.
Metal Sonic just looked at his counterpart.
"Sally!" Sonic struggled. "I'm going to rip you apart! Metal!"
Sonic struggled in the chains again. Metal approached Sonic again and slapped him harder than last time. Metal shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the princess. Sally was holding her chest, tears falling from her eyes, the pain insurmountable and the final promise broken. Sally was fighting for her life ever since Metal Sonic appeared. The robot kicked Sally down and bludgeoned her with his fists.
"SALLY!" Sonic erupted from the chains.
Metal didn't have any time to look before his head was completely lopped off. Sonic came around again and this time the body was split in half then fourths then sixteenths. The arms just blasted into powder as Sonic ceased his blink-of-an-eye rampage. The hedgehog's temper had finally surfaced, the whole situation finally surmounting to the fore - his broken friendship with Tails, his failure to protect Knothole, the frustration of memory loss, the deception in his own home, his parents roboticizing, the loss of so many innocents, the love of his life...
Dark Sonic stood over the ash remains of what was Metal Sonic two milliseconds ago. The head of the doppelganger robot finally hit the ground and rolled for a bit.
Purple energy surrounded the Navy blue hedgehog as his eyes were deepened to a forest green. His stomach and arms were yellow-orange than peach and the sinister smile he wore made it all come together. Sally opened her eyes briefly and watched from her position on the ground.
"...Shadow?" she whispered, barely able to stay audible. A moment later, she realized it was Sonic. He was heading down a path of anger and resentment, things he had been holding back for over six months now. Sally started to understand things on a deeper level. Hyper Sonic was the gateway to his real emotions and if he wasn't true to himself or others then the result would be Dark Sonic.
Dark Sonic faced her way and stood over her.
"You are not the boss of me Princess!" Dark Sonic's deeper voice called.
"Sonic, I know that's not you!" Sally calmly stated amid her injuries.
"I'm tired of you thinking you're smarter than me! I've put up with your know-it-all attitude for so long and I think it's time we put it to rest."
Sally was not wavering, she mustered up the strength and courage to sit upright, get to her knees, and finally to her feet. She stumbled a bit but ultimately stood among Dark Sonic's hateful lust.
"Sonic." Sally approached him slowly.
"I'll kill you!" Dark Sonic spat.
Sally exhaled and stepped in to hug him. "No you won't. You said you would keep your promise. And you still have."
Dark Sonic blinked away. The purple aura vanished and the navy discoloration lifted back to true blue. Sally held Sonic tightly making sure every bit of the incarnation was gone. Sally exhaled again letting a tear fall from her eye. Her man was back, the Hero of Knothole had returned to normal.
Sonic fell to his knees, groaning in the process. "Ugh my head." Sonic felt his nose. "Blood?"
"Dark Sonic..." Sally shook her head.
"Are you okay?" Sonic grabbed her arm. "I didn't hurt you did I? Sal I'm so sorry."
"It's okay Sonic, I'm fine. I'm better than you think."
Sonic sighed. "I'm glad. Never again will I let my emotions come out of me like that. Metal Sonic and everything else was enough to push me that far into darkness, and I almost lost you because of it."
"Sonic, I'm fine... I took care of things." Sally helped Sonic up. "I think it's good that you let your emotions out Sonic. Look what happened when you bottled them up. Anyway, we need to get out of here. I tried to radio the others but long distance communication doesn't work that well here."
"Sally." Sonic called. "I love you."
The former princess turned his way when he kissed her. The platform Sonic and Sally stood on protruded gates all around the sides. The two were locked in a passionate kiss until they felt a moment of rising. Sonic didn't have the energy to speed off and Sally was worn out as well. The platform lifted to the polluted sky and headed directly for the central control of Robotropolis, the Egg Dome. Sally and Sonic shared a look as they swiftly approached the landing platform of the high ellipsis building. The platform smoothly landed and the guarding sank down into the sides. Lightning snapped beyond them as they shared another ominous look.
"It's been a long time..." a voice called. "Rodent."
Sonic's eyes widened.
He immediately expended an extra life and left Sally in the dust. The room ahead was dark as Sally peered into the blinded quarters. Then a buzzing sound occurred and the lights started to return. From the back to the front, Sally watched as the silhouettes got more detailed with each flash of the lights.
Click!
The final light activated, giving extreme detail to the picturesque moment before Sally's eyes.
"Doctor Robotnik..." Sally barely voiced. Her fur tingled and her mouth became dry. It was like seeing a ghost and her complexion paled because of it. Sonic, however, was right in front of the luster of a true gem of beauty.
A Chaos Emerald.
A real one.
"Stand down, rodent." the evil despot spat. "Your girlfriend dies if you don't follow action."
Sonic finally noticed the huge laser rifle pointed at the former princess. Sonic stepped back, protecting his future wife from any other harm.
"Yo Sal," Sonic gritted his teeth.
"Yea?"
"I think I finally remember who this guy is." Sonic tightened his fists.
Dr. Robotnik stood up from his chair and graced the floor with his presence – the gleaming brilliance of a Chaos Emerald in one hand and the savage artillery of a laser rifle in the next.
What evil had the doctor concocted after so long?