An Underground Odyssey

(Gotta Go Fast!)

(Ayla's Theme song - KC Undercover Theme Song)

Note: one of my favorite episodes.

(Ayla's POV)

*Me, Shadow, Tails, Knuckles, & Cosmo were standing in a grassy plain on another planet with the Blue Typhoon behind us. We had detected another Chaos Emerald on this world. Tails was talking to Chris on his wristwatch*

Tails: My comlink's indicating there's a Chaos Emerald somewhere nearby, but it won't pinpoint where exactly.

Chris:*off-screen* Could be this one's buried way underground where it's hard to get to. Just means we're all gonna have to work a little harder to find it, that's all.

Knuckles: Well, let's not all stand here twiddling our thumbs, let's look for this thing!

Sonic:*off-screen* Yeah, move it down there, will ya?

*Me, Tails, & Knuckles looked up. The X Tornado flew over out heads. I could see Chris, at the controls, Cream & Cheese sitting inside, & Sonic standing on the wing of the plane*

Cream: Good luck, everybody! Be careful, okay?

*Me & Tails waved at them. I then looked at Cosmo, who seemed sad*

Ayla: Hey, you okay?

*She looked at me & tried to hide her sadness*

Cosmo: Oh, yes I'm fine

*I didn't really buy it*

*We made our way to a bunch of ruined building*

Tails: Why do I have a sneaky suspicion the Metarex have been here too? This place gives me the creeps.

Shadow: Yep. Just another sad lifeless planet.

*Cosmo looked up at the buildings. I could tell she was thinking hard about something. She then looked at Tails, who was pressing buttons on his wristwatch*

Cosmo: Sometimes I miss them so much.

*He looked up at her*

Tails: Huh? What was that?

Cosmo: Nothing.

Knuckles:*off-screen* Take a look at this, Tails! *we all ran towards Knuckles, who standing in front of a very deep trench**on-screen* This has to be at least a mile deep!

Tails:*looking at his wristwatch* This is it, you guys. The Chaos Emerald's down there somewhere.

*We all went into the trench. Tails held Cosmo's hands as he used his tails to go down. Knuckles climbed the wall. Shadow used his hover shoes & I was on my board*

Cosmo: Look, a cave!

*I looked & saw cave in one of the walls*

Knuckles: You guys go check it out!

Tails: We're on it!

*We made our way towards the cave ledge & went inside*

Cosmo: Be careful everyone, it's dark in here

*She used her hands to feel her way through. Suddenly she gasped*

Tails: What's the matter?

Cosmo: I'm not sure, it felt like some kind of -

*Suddenly, everything started to shake. The floor then began to crack open & stones fell from the ceiling*

Tails: Cosmo!

*He pushed her out of the way & Shadow grabbed onto me. Suddenly I could feel myself falling & everything went black*

Cosmo:*off-screen* Ayla? Ayla?

*I felt someone shaking me. I slowly opened my eyes to see Cosmo looking down at me*

Ayla: Cosmo?

Cosmo: Yes. Are you alright?

*I sat up & held my injured shoulder*

Ayla: A little sore, but I'll live.

Cosmo: That's good.

*She then ran over to Tails. I looked around & saw Shadow looking up at where we came in. I looked up & saw that we were at the bottom of the trench. I then went over to Shadow*

Ayla: Hey. You okay.

Shadow: I'm fine.

Ayla: Sorry, dumb question. You're always fine. *whispering & face-palming* Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

*I then looked at Cosmo who was standing over Tails. He was starting to wake up*

Cosmo: Please, Tails. Oh, please be okay . . .

*He sat up*

Tails: What happened?

*He then held his head in pain*

Cosmo: Careful, you're hurt.

Tails: I - I'm feeling kind of dizzy . . . Uh? *he looked up* Strange, I remember walking inside the cave, and then hearing this rumbling and I must've passed out.

Cosmo: It's my fault. If I hadn't touched that thing, then none of this would've happened.

Tails: The button, I remember now! Hey, don't feel too bad, Cosmo, this is a good thing. *he got out his wristwatch* We'll tell Chris where we are and then we'll start looking around.

Cosmo: What if the Metarex are in here?

Tails: Chris, Amy, do you read me? *all he got was static* No good, we must've lost our connection.

Cosmo: I'm sorry . . .

Tails: Don't worry, Cosmo, we'll make the most of it. *he pressed a button & blinking light appeared* We're still getting a reading, so the Emerald's gotta be down here somewhere. Let's go!

Cosmo: Wait, Tails!

*She tore off a piece of her dress*

Tails: Really, I feel just fine, Cosmo.

*She wrapped the piece of fabric around Tails' wound*

Cosmo: I don't care. It's better to be safe than sorry, I always say.

*I silently giggled when I saw Tails blushing. Looks like someone's getting a crush*

*Later, we were a walking down a long tunnel*

Tails: You know, I really gotta upgrade this thing when we get out of here. Like maybe add some type of software that allows you to cut through subterranean rock formations.

Cosmo:*whispering* Uh huh.

Tails: I mean, it sure would make it a lot easier to find hidden Chaos Emeralds. Plus we'd have the ability to send digitized contact signals to and from wherever we might be, even if we're underground or outer space in some secret high-tech laboratory somewhere . . . Yeah!

*I looked at Cosmo & saw she wasn't listening*

Cosmo: Mother would know what to do.

Ayla: Cosmo? You okay?

Cosmo: Uh huh, just daydreaming.

*Just then, tiny balls of light floated up from the ground*

Tails: Hey look, guys. Like some kind of fireflies or something!

*The lights flew towards an opening in the wall*

Cosmo: I wonder where they're going.

Shadow: Only one way to find out.

Tails: Yeah, let's follow them.

*We followed the light until we came to what looked like an underground factory. We went inside & saw snake-like Metarex patrolling the hallways*

Cosmo: This is a nightmare.

Ayla: I think we're all having the same bad dream.

*Tails got out his wristwatch*

Tails: The Chaos Emerald is located somewhere in this complex.

*We all nodded & ran down the hallway. Hiding from any passing Metarex. As we went down the hallway, I could feel my stomach twisting in knots & a headache staring to form. We then came to a room full of Emeralds*

Cosmo: A whole room full of Emeralds . . .

*I clutched my stomach in pain & fell to my knees*

Tails: Ayla!

Cosmo: Are you okay?

*Shadow helped me stand up & set me down near a wall outside the door*

Ayla: These Emeralds . . . Are all fake. Only one . . . Is real.

*Cosmo looked at the machines in the room*

Cosmo: It's some kind of . . . Manufacturing plant *she then looked at the white one in the center of the room* This must be the real one. They're feeding off it somehow.

Tails: So they'll all have the same kind of power. This explains the counterfeit one that Metarex had on Planet Breezy.

Cosmo: You're right. It looks so real, it fooled all of us. And now there's a whole factory full of them! Why would they be doing this?

Tails: I don't know. It's weird, but if I can hack into their computer system somehow, we just may be able to find an answer. *he went to a computer & started typing. a bunch of weird symbols appeared* Some kind of strange code . . . I can't decipher it.

Cosmo: It says here Operation Duplicate. With a list of key Chaos Emerald components. Let's see, stabilized energy, 93 percent compression rate, distillation of properties.

Shadow: You mean you can read this?

Cosmo: Only some . . . But I'm not all that familiar with a lot of the more technical data. Wish I could help more.

Tails: You helped a lot, Cosmo. Now let's download this information right away! *he plugged in a cord from his wristwatch* We'll look at the data when we get back to the Blue Typhoon. Will you help me translate?

Cosmo: Sure, I'd love too. It's the least I can do after this mess I've gotten us all into.

Tails: But Cosmo, we wouldn't have discovered all this if it weren't for you.

*I was about to try to stand up & join them, but suddenly one of the Snake Metarex came down the hallway & quickly grabbed me in it's tail, just before I could scream*

Snake Metarex: AAH, INTRUDERS!

Tails: Cosmo, get the Emerald!

*Cosmo ran to where the real Emerald was being kept*

Snake Metarex: I WILL TEACH YOU NOT TO TRESPASS. YOUR NOT WANTED HERE. STAY AWAY FROM THERE!

*She opened the hatch & grabbed it. Shadow then jumped up & untangled me from it's tail. Tails then pulled a big wire & threw it at the Metarex, electrocuting him. We all ran out of the room, Shadow holding onto my wrist. We made back into the tunnel & hide behind a rock. Cosmo looked & saw Metarex in the river very close to where we were*

Cosmo: I hate to say it, guys, but I think the Emerald is leading them right to us!

Tails: I've got a plan. *he opened his hands & a bunch of the little balls of light came out* I knew there was something funny about these fireflies!

Cosmo: What do you mean?

Tails: They're tiny robots powered by the energy of Chaos Emeralds! Same components and everything!

*Immediately, we all caught on to his plan*

Cosmo: Tails, your a genius!

Ayla:*thumbs up* Way to go!

*Shadow nodded in approval. Tails just blushed, embarrassed. We walked through the tunnel, Cosmo holding onto the Chaos Emerald*

Tails: We'll be safe now that we threw off the Metarex! And we'll be out of here in no time!

Cosmo: Sure, we'll be okay. *she looked at the Emerald in her hands* The light, it reminds me of how Mother made me feel. Like nothing bad could happen. It's just so bright . . . And warm . . . And loving

Ayla: I guess Chaos Emeralds can have that effect on people.

Tails: You know, it's kind of interesting. You could be in the worst kind of danger, but once you hold a Chaos Emerald, in your hand, you feel a lot safer.

Cosmo: When I was a young girl, my older sister Galaxina used to tell me the legend of the Chaos Emeralds, and I . . . I used to dream that one day, I would hold one in my hand and feel all of its magical power.

Shadow: A power can that be used for great good or great evil.

Cosmo: I don't understand.

Ayla: What Shadow means is that the Chaos Emerald's power depends on who uses it. Like me and Sonic. We use it to do good, so only good can come of it.

Tails: But then there are those like the Metarex or Dr. Eggman who use it for purposes of evil. That's when the power changes into something dark and destructive. *Cosmo stopped walking* What's the matter?

Cosmo: Oh Tails, Ayla, Shadow, I'm not worthy to be touching the Chaos Emerald! *she pushed the Emerald towards him* Please, one of you take it away from me!

*He took it*

Tails: Why, Cosmo?

Cosmo: Because my soul is filled up with nothing but sadness and hatred . . . Hatred for those monsters who destroyed my planet . . . And to claim my family, and my friends, and everything else that was precious and left me all alone . . .

Ayla: Wait, Cosmo . . . That's . . .

Cosmo: There is no way any good comes from me. I will only bring you evil and disaster!

Tails: Cosmo . . . *suddenly, a tail knocked me, Shadow, & Tails away, making him drop the Emerald & his wristwatch. the tail belonged to a Metarex, who picked up the Emerald* Give that back!

Snake Metarex: I'M AFRAID THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE.

Cosmo: Forget it, guys! We have to get out of here, now! *all three of us just stood up* I'm begging you!

Snake Metarex:*laughing* PERHAPS YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO YOUR LITTLE FRIEND.

*More snakes came out from behind the rocks & surrounded us. I got out my Ring Blades*

Tails: Okay, I guess all you Meta-mutants think you're pretty tough, don'tcha? Well, we're pretty tough too! And we've got good on our side, which is more than you can say!

Cosmo: Tails, don't do it!

Tails: There's nothing to be afraid of, I'll be okay *he jumped in the air & activated his tails, flying into the Metarex & knocking the Emerald out of his claws* Now!

*Cosmo ran to grab the Emerald while me & Shadow kept the Metarex away from her*

Snake Metarex: STAY AWAY FROM THAT EMERALD!

*Tails came back around but was grabbed by the leader's tail. For a split second, me & Shadow dropped our guard & were grabbed by two of the other snakes*

Tails: Let go of me, let go!

Ayla: Get off us, you overgrown worms!

Cosmo: Oh no, Tails, Ayla, Shadow!

Snake Metarex: I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR FOOLISHNESS.

*The rest of the snakes surrounded Cosmo. Suddenly, Tails' wristwatch started beeping*

Chris:*off-screen* Tails, Cosmo, Ayla, Shadow, do you read me?

Tails: Hurry, they've got us!

Sonic:*off-screen* Not for long, buddy!

*Suddenly, my brother came crashing through the ceiling in spin dash mode. He landed on the lead Metarex's head & began bouncing off the rest, making the ones holding us let go*

Snake Metarex: WHO DARES HELP THE ENEMY!?

Amy: I dare!

*Amy then appeared & knocked a Metarex away with her hammer & got trapped under a pile of rocks. Tails landed in front of Cosmo*

Tails: Cosmo, are you okay?

Cosmo: Sure, I'm fine.

*Chris then came in with Cream & Cheese*

Chris: Man, that was close. Hey, you guys.

Cheese: Chao-Chao.

Tails: You really are lifesavers, you know that?

Amy: Well, yeah.

Cream: Thank goodness you're safe! Now the mean monsters are gone, we can all go home!

Cosmo: That's right, Cream.

*Suddenly, the Snake Metarex came out the pile of rocks*

Snake Metarex: NOT SO FAST! DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!

*More Metarex came at us*

Amy: Bring it on!

Ayla: We're ready for you!

Sonic: You want some more of this, huh!?

*He knocked one away with a spin dash. Amy & I were back to back & knocking away any Metarex. Cheese curled up in a ball & Cream threw him. He knocked out three Metarex*

Cheese: Chao!

*Chris then hit two Metarex with a stun gun & knocked them out*

Shadow: Chaos Spear!

*He let loose a shower of Chaos Spears on the snakes*

Tails: See, Cosmo? Nothing but good can come when you help your friends.

Cosmo: Right.

Tails: Let's go.

*Cosmo nodded, determined*

Snake Metarex: SONIC, AYLA, SHADOW, I WILL DESTROY ALL THREE OF YOU!

Sonic: Just try!

Ayla: Bring it, Snakey!

*Shadow just got into a fighting pose*

Tails:*off-screen* Wait!

*We looked up & saw Tails flying towards us, holding Cosmo*

Cosmo: Up here, Sonic, catch!

*She threw Sonic the Chaos Emerald. He caught it with one hand*

Sonic: Got it!

*Shadow & I put our hands on the Emerald & all three of us activated Chaos Control*

Ayla:*laughing* Bye bye, bad guy!

*I could hear the Metarex screaming as we all teleported away. Soon, we were all outside the Blue Typhoon*

Chris: You know, I have a feeling whatever's on here might help us put an end to their Planet Egg plot once and for all.

Cream: Maybe the com will tell us where all the Planet Eggs are hidden and we can save the galaxy

Cheese: Chao-Chao!

Amy: That's right. Good thing we have a brilliant translator with us.

Cosmo: Well . . . Thanks, Amy, but . . . I feel like I put you all in danger today.

Tails: That's silly. Plus, we're used to dangerous situations by now.

Cream: Danger is our middle name.

Cheese: Chao-Chao!

Ayla: Our lives are never boring.

Shadow: You get used to it.

*Tails winked at Cosmo*

Chris: Let's get going, you guys.

Amy: We still got plenty of Metarex to mangle!

Tails: That's right, and thanks to our friend Cosmo, this time we'll be way ahead of them! Right gang?

All (except Shadow): Yeah!

*Just then, Knuckles' poked his head out of the ground*

Knuckles: Finally. They must be around here somewhere. *he noticed us* Huh? Hey, where did you guys come from? *all of us (except Shadow) burst out laughing* What's so funny?! Think you can stop chuckling long enough to get me out of here?! Hey, come on! I mean it! Get me out of here, guys!

Ayla: Ok, ok. Just hold still.