Chapter Twelve – Renewal
Sally was left completely stunned, but was more concerned as to Sonic's disappearance. Where did he go? He may have been a hero but his mind was unbreakable. Had it cracked with the strain? Nobody knew as Uncle Chuck searched the R.I.N. for him. Sonic was definitely there, Uncle Chuck could feel him, but his nephew wasn't showing himself. He didn't blame him. Any act of self-sacrifice is emotionally draining for anyone, and Uncle Chuck knew that when Sonic was ready, he'd come home.
This was reassuring to Sally, but not very helpful. She wanted her Sonic back, holographic or otherwise. She just didn't care anymore. But weeks went by and nothing happened. He still hadn't come home.
Sally was now settled into the Mutant Movement. She and her people had been welcomed back with open arms and upon signing a peace treaty with the Mutant Movement, they were now full integrated. Bunnie Rabbot had done the same for herself and her people, the Robians, and Lupe, representing the people of the Catacombs. It turns out that Processing was not as bad as initially feared, and now with access to everything, life got significantly better. Now she was able to go wherever she wanted, and also buy whatever she wanted.
Which was strange, because she had automatically been given unlimited credits on the microchip in her hand and the V.I.P. suite to permanently stay it, neither of which she felt she deserved. She also got the impression that neither of them were her call, either. She smiled. This was purely Sonic's doing. He'd hacked into their system. Where ever he was, he was still looking after her. She also got the impression that Elise also knew this as he'd helped arrange her accommodation. It seems that the Mutant Movement wasn't going to argue with their beloved hero. If Sonic wanted the Mutant Movement to look after Sally, then they would see it done. That was how much he meant to them. Sally was extremely grateful, but missed him terribly.
Despite this, Sally wanted to travel. She had seen two of the three Floating Cities which were held all together in a triangular shape. She had never forgotten Sonic mentioning the third city, and considering it was where the Dragons lived, she was keen to see for herself. Now able to go wherever she wanted without an escort, she soon found the shuttle bus that would take her from Capital City, where she now lived, to Rainbow Falls. You can walk between the cities, but it was a very long way, and only fitness enthusiasts did it regularly. So the Mutant Movement ran shuttle buses, and not everyone here could fly between the cities. As she boarded, Sally found it quite refreshing that she was almost completely ignored. Only her own people acknowledged her. It meant that now she didn't have to be a Queen anymore and for the first time in her life, just be herself. She took her seat by the window of the shuttle bus, wondering where it was going to take her.
'Why was it called Rainbow Falls?' She thought as the shuttle bus sped down the corridor between the cities. Capital City was so called because it was the hub of the Mutant Movement. Tower City was well, a giant tower, so began to get excited as to what Rainbow Falls had to offer.
It didn't disappoint. As they go closer, Sally got a temporary birds-eye view of the third Floating City, and it couldn't have been more different. It was lush, and green and colourful. Oval in shape, it was quite small in size compared to the other two cities, there wasn't a hint of grey metal anywhere. It consisted of a enormous brown, snow caped mountain, with a large single cave opening on one side. This cave ran the entire length of the mountain and opened out at the bottom on to a lake which flowed to the edge of the city and over, creating a beautiful waterfall, the water evaporating into the clouds before hitting the ground. All around the edge of the mountain grew lush, green rainforest. Sally didn't know if that forest for real or not, but hell, from here, it looked good. Beneath the rainforest, there were large brown spherical pods, all joined together, all around the edge of the city, flowing down in a dozen or so lines, hanging over the edge. It was only later did Sally realise that these were accommodation pods. She was absolutely stunned at this, but to a society where most can fly, not really. As she arrived and disembarked the shuttle bus, into the fresh air of the sweet smelling city, she saw a Dragon fly over her head and towards the large cave in the side of the mountain. Her jaw dropped at the sheer beauty of the place. Someone came up behind her.
"You know." He smiled. "Everyone reacts the same way to this place." He grinned. Sally turned round. It was Charlie. As the only other Hedgehog in the Mutant Movement, he stood out, especially with only one eye. As Sonic's aid, he to had been left severely shaken by his master's sacrifice, but he didn't let that show was he presented Sally with a broad smile.
"I heard a rumour that you were visiting Rainbow Falls today. I live and work here. Would you like a guide?" He asked excitedly. Sally raised an eyebrow. A rumour? She didn't believe that for a minute. Sonic told Charlie that she was coming. She sighed, but was eager to find out what Sonic had said, she hadn't heard anything in weeks.
"How is he?" She asked. Charlie goes very pale and bit his lip, knowing instantly who Sally meant. He seemed frightened. She comforts him.
"It's alright, you can tell me." She smiles. After a pause, Charlie nodded. He sighed.
"Broken." He said, honestly. "Still severely shaken. All he can think about is you." He paused. "He just wants the best of everything for you." He added, quietly. Sally nodded but rolled her eyes. She wasn't Queen anymore, let her do the work for a change. But then Charlie shifted very uncomfortably, there was something else. Sally rounded on him.
"Charlie!" She spat. "What else did he say?" She asked. Charlie now went complete white and cried.
"But he made me promise not to tell you!" He wailed. Sally gritted her teeth. This was her Sonic. If he was in trouble then she had the right to know. Time to pull her foot down and use a tone of voice that comes with being a leader and former Queen.
"Charlie!" She grilled. Charlie cracked, he was far too upset to fight back.
"Sonic been spending a lot of time at Tower City." He sniffed. Sally wasn't surprised at that. She did go looking for him there. She failed to find him and hated every minute of it. The memories of what happened to Sonic there were still far too raw. Charlie continued. "As a hologram, you are somewhat limited as to where you can go." He paused. "Anyway." He added. "I was really surprised when he told me that his body didn't completely die." He shifts. Sally jaw drops.
"What!" She exclaims. Charlie calms her.
"It is kept alive by Uncle Chuck using a temporary replacement mechanical heart." He explains. Sally's heart lifts.
"Are you saying that they can fix him?" She asks excitedly. Charlie's face fell.
"No." He said, shaking his head. "His body has been left a vegetable. It gave zero response when Sonic tried to use it." He sighed. Sally's heart plummets. She cries. Tears fell. Charlie tired desperately to comfort her. She looks up at him. It wasn't his fault.
"I take it there no point going there because..." She asks, but Charlie cuts across her.
"He's not there." He agrees. "No." He sighed. Sally was frustrated. Where was he? Looking out for her, of course. She looks up at the beautiful city of Rainbow Falls as another Dragon flies overhead and in the sunlight, a stunning rainbow appears over the waterfall. A city well named as far as Sally was concerned. She sighed. There was absolutely nothing that she or Charlie could do for Sonic, so they may as well do as he had asked. She smiled.
"You know your offer of a guide?" She asked. "I'd like to accept." She grinned. Right now, with the bad news she had just received, be really wanted some company. She was delighted when Charlie agreed. He, obviously thinking the same thing. His heart lifted, and immediately takes her hand and guided her towards the mountain. They walked through the beautiful city, along the paths set throughout, around the mountain and lake and towards the accommodation pods at the back. As they exploded, Sally noticed that the city wasn't actually a real mountain and forest, but entirely made of metal, just like the rest of the Floating Cities in the Mutant Movement, but it was just exquistly painted to look very realistic. It was seriously impressive. Stood by the lake, she was confused, why go to such an extent. She asked Charlie. He giggled.
"The Dragons." He said, indicating the large cave in the mountain. "That is Dragon Cove. It is where they rest and sleep. Dragons are incredibly particular about their surroundings. When they joined the the Mutant Movement, they wanted their protection but also wanted the comforts of home. So Rainbow Falls was created to keep the them happy. But it has taken years though." He sighed. "Only recently have we been getting eggs." He grinned. Sally was stunned.
"Your got the Dragons to successfully breed here." She gasped. Dragons were notoriously difficult to breed, the females being very, very picky about their surroundings, and would only lay if they were one hundred percent comfortable. Charlie excitedly nodded.
"Yes, only three eggs up to now. Unfortunately, I can't take you to see them. Only the most trusted of Dragon Cove staff can tend to them." He sighed. Sally thought that was fair enough. She didn't want to push her luck, Queen or otherwise. The looked at the large cave.
"Can we go to Dragon Cove?" She asked. Charlie nodded excitedly, again.
"Sure." He giggled. "The Dragons don't mind visitors, so long as we don't stay for to long, or stray too far inside." He added. Sally raised an eyebrow. The rules around the Dragons were really strict but they had breeding females in there. They had to be so careful, otherwise the Dragons would leave and never return, potiential putting the entire species at risk. Without the protection of the Mutant Movement, all of the Dragons would be hunted down and killed. Adult dragons used to lay their eggs in Dragon's Nest. A tower-like structure set in a canyon. Unfortunately, it was largely destroyed in the war against Snively, and the females needed a new nesting site. But was the price for dragon-hide increased for luxery items, since the war ended, plunged their species, along with the robotisation drive during wars, into near exstinction. If the Mutant Movement hadn't intervened, the dragons would have died out. The war with Robotnik had decimated the Dragon population and those that survived now had to contend with the fact that Dragon parts and hide were now worth a forture on the black market. Poaching was a major problem.
Here they were safe, and now successfully breeding, the Dragon population looked set to finally recover.
Sally and Charlie slowly walking around the edge of the beautiful clear lake, towards the mouth of the cave, when Sally noticed a familiar face, just inside Dragon Cove.
"Rotor?" She squealed. The Walrus turned rounded. Sally hadn't seen him in months. He had stayed in the Mutant Movement, and didn't return to Mobotropolis. He was wearing the dark leaf green uniform. It said, 'Dragon Cove Staff' on one side of his shirt, and 'Engineer' on the other. Charlie was delighted.
"Oh, thank you. We have been desperate for an engineer here at Dragon Cove for years. Congratulations on getting the job." He giggled. Rotor too was delighted.
"Thank you." He grinned. "I have only just started, and I have been really busy. There is loads to do, and it's really well paid." He paused, looking at Charlie. "But you got to be so careful around the Dragons." He added. Charlie agreed.
"Yes, but don't worry about that. Once they get used to you, and realise that your not a threat, things will get easier. I promise. I've been working here for years, tending his Lordship, so they largely ignore me now." He shrugged.
Sally and Rotor looked at each other, Sally congratulating him. She was extremely pleased that he had settled in so well, now doing a job she knew he'd love. But Charlie had mentioned 'his Lordship' which meant only one person. Sonic. Rotor was about the ask Sally when Charlie distracted them.
He had wandered past both of them into Dragon Cove itself. Inside the large exspance, it was perfectly designed for Dragons. Going from floor to ceiling was a large single tree, with beautiful white bark, with multiple branches and no leaves. The tree was obviously not real, as all of the branches had been reenforced. Dragons like to sleep hanging upside from a tree branch, via their tails, with their wings wrapped around them, and this tree was large enough to accommodate at least two dozen Dragons. Several Dragons were in and sleeping at the moment, including one that Sally recognised. Dulsy. She was fast asleep, so Sally decided to leave her be, but was glad to see that she was doing well.
As Sally looked up the tree, she noticed that the top most branch was by far the smallest but the most heavily reenforced, designed for someone, smaller then average but a lot heavier. So that was where Sonic slept. He slept hanging upside down just like any other Dragon, but he was smaller then a Dragon but larger then a normal person, and being so heavily robotised, he was also very weighty. Seeing the branch empty, upset Sally, and she wasn't the only one. It got to Charlie too.
The mighty Sapphire Dragon should be here. This was his home. Not stuck as a vegetable in Uncle Chuck's workshop. It wasn't fair, if anyone deserved his freedom, it was Sonic. Sally couldn't bring herself to tell Rotor when he finally asked after their hero. She said that that Sonic was safe and well on the R.I.N. and would come home when he was ready, whenever that would be.
Rotor seems happy with that, at least they had heard from him, and went back to work, and Charlie was glad that Sally hadn't divulged the gory details. She looked around and saw that the around the base of the cave there rooms cut straight into mountain. Staff, in green uniforms, constantly moved in and out of these rooms. They were tending to the Dragons, collecting food and water, cleaning and maintenance. Sally was extremely impressed at the level of care given to the Dragons and wasn't surprised that it had successfully resulted in eggs. She noticed that they were being kept on one of the side rooms, where only a select few were allowed to tend.
It was very warm and comforting here, but Sally was getting the impression that she was beginning to outstay her welcome. Time to move on. Sally was happy too. As she turned to leave, she noticed a strange-looking grey metal device on a table by the entrance. It looked very out-of-place, against the natural looking cave. Charlie came to join her. She asks him what it was.
"It was Portable Holographic Generator." He answered. "We use it to talk to Uncle Chuck. But there no word from anyone for weeks." He added, looking somber. Sally stared at it. She couldn't help but get the feeling that if she was alone, with a means to talk to Sonic, he would come to her. She looked up at Charlie.
"Can I borrow it?" She asked. Charlie frowned and then realises why she had asked. He smiled.
"Sure." He said. "And if you go out of Dragon Cove and turn right, you'll find a path that will lead you a staircase. The stairs will take you up the mountain to an observation platform at the top, with some of the most stunning views in the Mutant Movement. I don't believe there's anyone up there at the moment." He winked. Rainbow Falls was very busy city. Sally stared. Now she understood why Sonic trusted him so much, plus it seemed to be a thing about Hedgehogs that they always knew the right thing to do.
"Thank you." She sniffed. Charlie smiled.
"It's alright." He smiled. "I have to get back to work, so I hope you enjoyed your tour. I split by time between here and the Sky Patrol at Tower City, so I'm very busy." He signed. "I'll see you later." He added and disappeared deep into Dragon Cove.
Sally watched him go and taking the Portable Holographic Generator, and moving out of Dragon Cove, down the path and up the stairs. There were a lot of stairs and despite it being a beautiful day, it was still hard work, getting up there. It was a full-sized mountain and after an hour, she finally reached the observation platform. She smiled. Charlie had been right, it was deserted. She was alone. The views too were indeed stunning, as she had a pararamic view of the entire Mutant Movement, with Capital City on one corner and Tower City on the other. Only now did truly understand the sheer scale of the Mutant Movement, and how their ingenious use of technology has made them so powerful. She was just glad that they were peaceful, not intent on starting wars.
Sally sat the Portable Holographic Generator on one of the seat's in the observation platform and sat next to it. She felt very stupid. What should she say? Was Sonic even listening. Was it switched on? Sally did check and yes, it was. She rolls her eyes, her nerves getting the better of her. She sat there unable to say anything, until someone else broke the silence.
"Bad day, Sally?" He asked. Sonic's voice rang out from the Portable Holographic Generator, making her seriously jump. Breathing heavily, she calmed herself before answering. She was right. He did come.
"No, no." She panted. That was the truth, she had very much enjoyed today. "It's just I didn't know what to say." She heaved, and then she frowned down at the device. "Hey." She spat. "How did you know where I was?" She hissed. There was a long silence before Sonic answered.
"I'm sorry, Sal." He shifted. "I put a marker in your microchip. The one in your hand. It meant that I could track you anywhere." There was another pause. Sally was unimpressed. Sonic gulped. "Only me, by the way." He added. For Sally, that was a little reassuring, but she was still very annoyed at him.
"Where have you been?" She spat. He didn't answer as there was yet another silence, then the Portable Holographic Generator began to whirr and a blue light appeared, then suddenly Sonic hologram appeared standing in front of her. His hologram looked like it always did, except for his eyes, which showed extreme suffering and trauma, a mind on the verge of cracking. To die once was bad enough, to die twice was just too much, and Sally could see him visible shaking. He had his arms folded, desperately trying not to show it. Sally's anger broke at the sight of him, and immediately didn't blame him for staying away. Coming home would have meant dealing with enormous hoards of people. He was famous, he was the hero, and quite simply, he just wasn't ready for it. He needed time to recover. Time to get used to his new life now on the R.I.N. It was incredibly tough though.
He looked around Rainbow Falls from the observation platform and tears fell. It was obvious that he loved it here, and he now realised that he'd never be able to enjoy it again like he used to. Sally got up and stood next to him. She would have hugged him if she could. They looked at each other, now broken apart by technology, Sonic desperately wanted to be with her, but how could he as a hologram? At least he could see her, take care of her as best he could.
But there was something on his mind. Burning. He knew that Sally would want to know what happened. Sonic put his hand on his head and ran it through his quills. Then he began talking. But Sally tried to stop him.
"Sally," He said. "Please don't. I want to do this. Get it off my chest." She nodded. She was keen to hear the story from Sonic's point of view and if allowing him to talk, helped, then so be it. He continued. "Robotnik trapped me on the R.I.N. after I destroyed the final battleship and if Uncle Chuck hadn't pulled my out, I would have died in there. But by pulling my out, he triggered the Power Rock to corrupt. I knew if I turned, I would destroy the world, which couldn't happened at any cost but I also knew that Robotnik desperately wanted my old body back again. He'd enjoyed the taste it too much. Seems like my powers had gone straight to his head. They only way to stop it was to destroy that body and the only person who could do that was me! Only I had the power and strength to do it. Uncle Chuck hadn't pulled my Direct-Neuro Interface out of the back of my head, so I knew if I timed it right, I could lure Robotnik into my body, pull the Power Rock and get out." He signed, tears running down his face, again.
He spoke extremely quickly, and Sally saw that some of his pain did ease. But she was seriously impressed, though, with the feat of sheer audacity. There was a high likelihood it wouldn't have worked. But failure wasn't an option and Sally understood that now. She sighed.
"So what to we do now?" She asked, having genuinely no idea. She knew that Sonic would eventually recover but what then? The Hedgehog was about to answer, when all of a sudden he was doubled in pain, screamed. Looking up at Sally, extremely confused, and then to his and Sally's total horror, he completely vanished, disappearing from view.
"Sonic!" She bellowed to a silent reply. The Portable Holographic Generator was still working, so what happened? She began to panic, but then she suddenly heard the enormous explosion, one of the loudest she'd ever heard come straight from Tower City. From the observation Platform, she looked it that direction to see smoke raising and something travelling extremely fast towards her, nothing more then a blur. She immediately ducks for cover as it landed extremely hard straight into the side of the mountain, just below her. The impact caused the entire city the violently shake like an earthquake. The Portable Holographic Generator whirred again.
"Sonic? Sonic!" A voice sounded. It was Uncle Chuck this time. Sally frowned, extremely confused. What was going on? She stumbled over to the device, grabbed it and answered.
"Uncle Chuck?" She stammered. Uncle Chuck sounded delighted.
"Sally?" He answered. "Oh, thank goodness, where's Sonic?" He asked, hurriedly. Sally frowned. "What are you talking about?" She spat. Uncle Chuck sounded impatient.
"Sonic?" He grilled. "Where is he? I've just fully revived his body. I found an alternative power source. When he awoke he had a enormous explosion of energy and disappeared. Where did he land?" He panted.
Sally was speechless. Sonic revived! She couldn't believed it, but then was horrified when she realised that was what just hit the mountain. Without another word, and grabbed the Portable Holographic Generator and ran down the stairs as fast as she could. Not that easy, as the city was still shaking. At the bottom, she took the path around the side that lead to beneath the observation platform, to where a crowd had gathered. Whatever had hit the mountain, had slide all the way down. It had hit the ground at the bottom and into the dense jungle. Sally fought her way through the crowd, just as he come out, being held up by several people. Brusied, battered, but alive, the Sapphire Dragon heaved as he fell to his knees. He was shirtless with an enormous, extremely deep scar now running the length of his chest. Uncle Chuck had done it.
Sonic was back.