Chapter 33
After getting all of their belongings packed, they climb into the vehicles that will move them to the new base. Knuckles sat in the back of a large truck with the Master Emerald still refusing to leave its side. Saya and TK were in one car under guard while Sophia, Brandy and Caroline were in the other. Both Saya and Sophia haven't said a word since they departed Freedom HQ.
"Saya?" TK tried to reach out feeling the tension coming off of her, but it was almost like she couldn't hear her, "Hey Saya," She lightly shook her as she snaps out of it,
"Huh? Oh sorry, I guess I dozed off…" She said,
"Are you okay? If this is about Spira…"
"Elias said we'd talk about it when we get there…" Saya said looking out the window again, TK could tell she was closing herself off. She had never seen Saya like this before and it was really starting to worry her. She texted Brandy asking how they were doing. She responds with, not great. Sophia was acting in a similar manner.
"Sophia?" Caroline was trying to get through to her just like TK was trying to talk to Saya. But She didn't respond, just looked out the window that same tension emanating off of her. Caroline and Brandy give one another looks. TK messaged them informing that Saya and Sophia started to argue after everyone went to the infirmary but none of them knew how to fix this.
It was late when they got to the new base, they climb out to see the entrance is an opening to a mountain side. The only signs that show anyone was here was the dirt road heading into the mountain and a metal fence with guards walking the perimeter. They follow Sally inside as she leads them to a large room full of cots.
"We're still setting things up, so you'll all have to bunk in here for the evening. We'll discuss what happened after you all rest." Sally said as she looks at Kolt who was still carrying the Master Emerald, "Can we at least put the Emerald in the Alter room?" She asked,
"Nope, Emerald stays with me." He said, seeing Eggman almost getting away with the Master Emerald brought back memories of the past having to force himself to shatter the Emerald just to keep it out of his hands.
"Alright, all of you try to get some sleep." Sally lets out a sigh closing the door behind them leaving the six of them alone. They all stay silent for a bit feeling the uncomfortable hostility in the room. They all take a cot and start getting ready for bed. Caroling gives TK a tap in the shoulder as they both look over at Sophia and Saya giving each other glances like they didn't know how to talk to one another.
"What should we do?" Caroline whispered to TK,
"This can't go on any longer." TK said, she stands up and grabs two pillows and throws them at Saya and Sophia,
"Hey!" Saya said getting thrown off guard.
"Both of you need to stop!" TK said as they look at her shocked, "I get that you had an argument, but this is not the time to be fighting."
"Wait, what argument?" Kolt asked looking at both of them confused. Saya and Sophia make eye contact then quickly look away from one another.
"They were fighting about Spira." TK said,
"What about her?" Kolt was still confused,
"About Saya jumping in front of Sophia's attack." TK clarified as he quiets down. Both Sophia and Saya look uncomfortable not sure how to start the conversation.
"Soph… I…" Saya turns to her, as Sophia puts up her hand gesturing her to stop.
"Don't… we were both heated… I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." Sophia said,
"I shouldn't have retaliated…" They both look at one another then look away feeling uncomfortable,
"Sorry…" They both said, there was a long pause as Saya takes a deep breath seeing her hands shaking.
"I… Can I tell you guys what happened?" Saya asked,
"Are you sure?" Brandy asked as Saya sits on her cot as they all move over next to her.
"You don't have to force yourself." Caroline said,
"Caroline's right, you've been through a lot." Kolt said,
"No… You all need to hear this. Maybe then you'll understand why I wanted to save Spira." She said as she began to tell them everything. From her time as Spira's prisoner when the ship was invaded by Eggman. Her being tortured then attempted escape resulting in her broken leg. The constant experiments, almost being robotisized…
"You commented that in the infirmary right before your…" Kolt stopped not wanting to make Saya feel uncomfortable.
"But he's right, what stopped him from Robotisizing you like he did Spira?" Sophia asked, Saya holds up her Chaos Emerald.
"The Emerald protected me."
"So that means that we're all safe from being robotisized." TK said sounding relieved,
"That and the Robotisizer exploded." Saya said. She continues telling her story explaining that after that Eggman drugged her and hypnotized her into transforming into Dark Sonic without even realizing it. Then being trapped someplace horrible and her constant fight with Dark Sonic trying to regain control. They all continued to listen, all feeling terrible for not being able to find her sooner. Sophia tries not to become enraged hearing Saya speak swearing internally that she'd make Robotnik pay for what he did to her. They all go to bed in silence after herstory finished, not sure how to respond.
Saya wakes up early in the morning and sneaks out of the room, she felt stressed after telling them everything. They all looked at her horrified as she told her story. She did leave out a small part, she still feared that Dark Sonic could take over any time she transforms. But she didn't want to burden them with that, she's the leader of the Freedom Fighters and she needed to keep up being the hero with a confident smile on her face. She sits outside the door knowing if she went too far from the room it would cause them all to panic.
"Tikal?" Saya called out as she appears in front of her,
"Good morning Sonic." She said sitting down next to her.
"Good morning." Saya said with a smile,
"Is everything alright? You look troubled." She asked looking concerned as she sits next to her.
"I wanted to ask if you were sure the Dark Chaos energy was gone for good…" Saya asked as Tikal frowned, "That's not the look I was hoping for…"
"Sonic, Dark Chaos is just like Chaos. It's infinite, one cannot live without the other. It was the cause of why Mobius was destroyed." Tikal said,
"Because the Dark overpowered the light?" Saya said as Tikal nods, "Next question, was the Dark Chaos Emerald really destroyed?"
"I'm sorry, I am unsure." Tikal said as Saya frowns,
"Are you one hundred percent positive that there's none left inside my Chaos Emerald?" Saya looked at Tikal hoping that she would be able to take at least one of her fears away.
"I can tell that you are afraid of the Dark Chaos Sonic, but I can assure you that it no longer has the ability that you fear could take over.
"But it's still there…" Saya said lowering her head,
"Dark and light live in all of us, light more so for you but there is Dark in there none the less, like I said…"
"One can't live without the other." Saya repeated,
"As for the Dark Chaos Emerald, I am certain that it exploded. However I am unsure if the Emerald was destroyed or simply fractured like how the Master Emerald was." Tikal said,
"That's not comforting…" Saya said with a loud sigh,
"Your friends will make sure that what happened to you won't happen again." Tikal tried to reassure Saya, but she could still tell she was worried,
"But there will always be that small chance that it could happen… I can feel it like a scar on my chest." Saya said putting her hand to her chest. "If the Dark Chaos Emerald still exists, we need to find all the pieces before they fall into the wrong hands and more people get hurt."
"Always the one to worry about others. Is this why you haven't voiced your concerns about Dark Sonic to the others?" She asked as Saya was surprised at how easily Tikal could read her soul.
"I don't want to worry them with ifs. Especially if it gets me benched from being a Freedom Fighter for good." Saya said, "I already feel trapped as it is." She looks around the hallway, still not a window in sight but that's to be expected with a base that's underneath a mountain.
"Just don't shoulder all of your burdens alone Sonic. Your friends are there to support you." She said as she pauses, "There's another question you wanted to ask me correct?"
"You're very perceptive tonight," Saya chuckles as Tikal smiles, "The last Freedom Fighter, do you know where she is?"
"How do you know that the seventh server is a she?" Tikal asked looking confused,
"Oh c'mon, you and I both know who the final server is. Everyone who was on the space colony ARC during the final battle so far has become a Freedom Fighter." Saya said rolling her eyes,
"So you pieced it all together have you?" Tikal said,
"Yeah, after my trip down memory lane." She chuckled,
"You are correct, Amy Rose is the last freedom fighter Sonic, however I am surprised that you think she would be the same. You yourself are not the same Sonic from the past." She said with a smile.
"True, I mean same goes for TK and Sophia…" Saya said thinking about it more clearly. What if Amy's reincarnation is a boy? What would he look like? "Hang on, why did we reincarnate this way? Caroline, Brandy and Kolt didn't change."
"Reincarnation is entirely random; You all could have been born as Mobians for all we know." Tikal said,
"So it just kinda happened huh?" Saya shrugs. "You didn't answer my question, do you know where Amy is?" she asked again,
"It's faint and I cannot pinpoint their exact location, ever since you've come back and the six of you have been together the connection to Amy's Emerald has slowly become stronger since the Emeralds are drawn to one another. I know that the location is somewhere on the South Side of Station Square but at the moment that's the best I can give you." She explained,
"So the longer we're together the faster we find Amy?" Tikal nods, "Sweet, thanks for the talk I really appreciate it,"
"Please feel free to talk to me anytime you need to Sonic. I am always here for you." She said disappearing as Saya lets out another sigh. Now she had more questions about the Dark Chaos and why it felt as if it's presence was standing behind her, like a shadow she couldn't see. She hears panicked noises from the room as the door bursts open,
"I'll go look for her!" Kolt said as he turns his head making eye contact with her, "Never mind I found her." He calls out,
"Yo!" She said with a smile waving her hand as she stands up walking over to him. She looks at her phone, she didn't realize she had been out of the room for so long.
"You doing alright? Telling us all of that must have been rough and… well…" Kolt looks away not knowing how to react.
"Whoa, don't start getting mushy on me now Muscles." Saya joked as his expression changed to becoming flushed,
"Y…you don't have to tease me!" He said looking away as the others burst through the door.
"Saya! You scared us!" TK said,
"Sorry little dude, wanted to just chill for a bit and I lost track of time." Saya said with a chuckle,
"Still you should have told one of us!" TK said with a huff,
"What, do I have to get permission to go places now even on base?" Saya teased,
"Yes," Sophia said seriously crossing her arms,
"Yeesh! You all are no fun." Saya said pouting as they all smile halfheartedly; she could see the half glances they gave one another. They were all worried about her… she starts to second guess if she should have told them…
"We understand that everyone needs their alone time Saya, but you could still have told us where you were going… Or that you left in the first place." Brandy said, "Then TK wouldn't have woken us all up in a panic seeing you missing."
"Excuse me for not wanting to wake you all." Saya said crossing her arms starting to pout,
"And yet, here we are." Sophia glared for a second then let out a sigh, "I'm going back to bed." She walks back inside the room.
"Me too." Brandy said with a yawn,
"I'm up so I'm going to go see if they need help getting the electronics up and running." TK said running off.
"I'm going to get breakfast ready… I hope the kitchen is stocked…" Caroline walked away until it was just Saya and Kolt standing in the hallway. They stood there in silence for a moment, Saya half expecting for him to say he was going to guard the Master Emerald. But he just kept standing there glancing over towards her every few moments.
"They left you to keep an eye on me, didn't they?" Saya said as he looks at her shocked,
"How did you figure it out?" Kolt said as Saya can only chuckle at how alike he is from Knuckles.
"It was written all over your face," Saya smirked as he grabs his phone and starts using it as a mirror, "Not actually written you goof." She chuckles as he turns away feeling embarrassed.
"I knew that…"
"Sure you did," she said shaking her head, "Once a knuckle head always a knuckle head."
"Hey!" Kolt protested as she chuckles walking towards the exit, "W… Where are you going?" He asked following after her,
"Outside to run, don't know where there's a track and being inside with no windows is not fun for me," Saya said,
"Running again?" He looks ill just thinking about running,
"You don't have to run with me," She teasingly grinned as his expression changes to determination. "Besides don't you have a precious Emerald to protect?"
"Sophia and Brandy are there and I'm not leaving your side!" Kolt said,
"Whatever," She rolls her eyes as they get outside, "Try to keep up," She smirks at him as she runs ahead.
"Damnit Saya I can't run that fast!" Kolt yelled at her as she ran ahead, leaving him in the dust.
Time passes to a little after ten in the morning as Saya takes a break while watching Kolt try to breathe like he just coughed up a lung. "You going to live?" She joked,
"This… is… fine…" He said. She hands him a bottle of water as he sits next to her chucking the bottle.
"Sips," She puts her hand on the bottle lowering it, "Or you'll just end up throwing up." he suddenly stops drinking and slows down.
"TK told me you were obsessed with running before this all started." Kolt said,
"Ever since I was a kid I've loved to run; it feels so freeing like the faster I ran the less I felt tied down." She said feeling the cool morning breeze against her face,
"Do you feel tied down now?" Kolt asked, She pauses before answering wanting to make sure to word it without worrying him more.
"Sometimes… I'm not sure if it's cuz of all that happened recently or if it's just my nature." She said with a stretch.
"You've always been one to go with the wind," He chuckles,
"Yeah… sometimes I miss just running until I got somewhere new… It was always a thrill not knowing where'd I'd end up." Saya said looking up at the sky. Kolt realized that for a moment, it felt like he was talking to Sonic.
"Sadly, the world we live in isn't as safe as Mobius," Kolt said,
"Whoa, whoa, wait! When was Mobius ever safe?" She asked,
"Was plenty safe on my Island," He said crossing his arms as they both chuckle,
"Sonic…" She heard Tikal in her head, "I found them!" Saya stands up quickly,
"Hey, everything okay?" Kolt asked standing up alarmed,
"Tikal just found the Seventh Server!" Saya said running back inside,
"Wait! Please no more running." He cried out as he ran after her, but she was already back inside running into the room taking Sophia and Brandy off guard as they were putting away the cots.
"Where are they?" Saya asked looking towards the Master Emerald as they both look at her confused,
"Saya? You okay?" Brandy asked as Tikal appears,
"They are at South Side High," Tikal said as TK and Caroline burst into the room,
"What the hell is going on? Sophia asked looking annoyed at all of the commotion,
"Eggman's been spotted in Station Square again," TK said,
"Now?" Saya turned to them, "Where?" she already began to fear the worst,
"South Side High School." Caroline said as Saya's face turns white just as Kolt finally gets to the room.
"I thought you were supposed to stay with Saya," TK asked Kolt,
"She's… so fast…" Kolt said trying to catch his breath,
"Wait that's the same name Tikal just said," Brandy said,
"Eggman's going after the Seventh Server…" Saya said,
"What?" Sophia said, "We need to tell Elias," They all head to the new infirmary, It was a little larger and there was more equipment none of them really knew were for.
"Elias!" Saya yelled as they all burst into the room, "I need to be cleared for battle." Saya said,
"What? Absolutely not!" Elias said,
"I don't think that's a good idea…" Dr. Q said already noticing that Saya looked panicked, "You we're in an awfully close battle yesterday."
"We don't have a choice; I have to go. Eggman is after the Seventh Server and I need to be there to help them awaken." She said,
"Are you sure?" Elias asked,
"Tikal!" Saya called out getting impatient as she appears,
"Sonic is right Elias… She must be there to help awaken the final Server." She said,
"Amy?" Kolt asked,
"Amy…" TK responded.
"Yeah, yeah you two can joke later." Saya said as they give each other a look, "You can bench me after if it makes you feel better, but we can't let Eggman get to them." Elias lets out a sigh as he looks at Sophia,
"You make sure they all get back here safe," He said as she nods,
"Thanks Elias," Saya said as they run to the new hangar bay. They all transform and climb into the Tornado as the doors open and they fly out of the side of the mountain,
"The base is definitely better hidden," Blaze said,
"Eggman will have a hard time finding us now." Knuckles said, Shadow places her hand on Sonic's shoulder to get her attention.
"I'll keep Spira at bay, while you help awaken Amy." She said as Sonic looks at her shocked surprised to hear her say that,
"Thanks Shadow," She said with a smile as she gives her a nod. "Now, let's do it to it!" She cheered as they all head towards South Side High to stop Eggman before he gets his hands on the seventh server.