Okay everybody! We have officially arrived at the second to last chapter, because this story is almost over! On one hand I can't wait, and on the other I'm sad we'll be coming to a close. If anyone has any questions they wish to have answered, this is your last chance to do so!
The thorn dragon had now lifted itself and the tower high enough off the ground that all the land surrounding it that had been torn from the cliffside had completely crumbled away, leaving only vines of thorns connecting it to the ocean. The damaged helicopter Miles, Amy, and Knuckles were in was shown lying by the edge of the cliffside, until the ground beneath it caved in and it fell into the water below. However, Amy and Knuckles were then shown, both of their faces scrunched up and their eyes shut tightly while wind was blowing past their faces, and the sound of a propeller could still be heard above their heads. Both mobians reluctantly opened their eyes, only for them to widen in shock once they saw that they were hovering safely in the air!
Tails – You guys… okay…?
Amy and Knuckles looked up in shock to see Miles holding onto them and he was flying! What looked to be his tail was spinning around above his head like a helicopter propeller!
Amy – Miles?!
Knuckles – How are you…?!
Miles struggled to carry the weight of both Amy and Knuckles as he slowly lowered back down to land.
Tails – So… heavy…!
Once the three finally touched the ground, Miles let go and fell to his knees to catch his breath. Amy and Knuckles looked over him, shocked to see that the source of his new ability to fly was that he now had an extra identical tail right next to his original one!
Knuckles – A second tail?!
Miles looked up and glanced back at both of his tails, moving them around as he examined them with intrigue.
Tails – It worked… I did it! I really did it!
Amy – You mean…
Miles nodded. A flashback was then shown of when the three were still in the helicopter after it crashed and began sliding down the thorns covering the castle. Knuckles was holding onto Amy tightly while Miles was clinging to his seat. The young fox's eyes were shut tightly in fear until he peaked one open and then opened them both fully as he gazed at the other two in concern.
Tails – I was so scared, but ever since we woke up you guys have been facing every danger ahead of us without a second thought. At first, I thought it was because you all were so much braver than me, but every time you each encouraged me, I began to think maybe I could be brave like that too. And at that moment, I knew I had to be.
Miles narrowed his eyes, before he saw the helicopter was nearing the edge of the cliff.
Tails – I didn't have much time to think, so I trusted in the image that stood out to me the most.
Miles unbuckled himself and bravely climbed over to the back, where he grabbed Amy and Knuckles' hands before he pulled them with him out the side of the helicopter, all while channeling the emotions of fear and insecurity he's felt throughout the entire ordeal thus far along with his desire for a way to get his friends to safety. Before the three could fall into the forest of thorns below, matter seemed to emerge from Miles' behind, forming into his extra tail, which he then began to spin along with his original one, like a helicopter propeller, and successfully halted his, Amy, and Knuckles' fall before flying up and over to safer ground with them in hand. Back in the present, both Amy and Knuckles were staring at the young fox with impressed expressions.
Amy – So, helicopter tails?
Miles rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Tails – I guess the helicopter kinda inspired me.
Suddenly, the earth began to rumble and Miles, Amy, and Knuckles looked back towards the thorn dragon, seeing that even though it was continuing to rise into the sky, the vines that had already spread across the land and sea began growing multiple brambles with long thorns, similar to the ones that surrounded the base of the castle and pierced all the soldiers. The brambles were growing quickly, spreading like weeds as they began covering every free space of land they could.
Tails – If those thorns keep spreading…!
Knuckles – Then nowhere will be safe!
Amy – What do we do-?!
Suddenly, Amy started coughing harshly. Miles and Knuckles looked back at her worriedly, the young fox even coming over to check on her as she fell to her knees and started grasping at her chest as she struggled to get breath back into her lungs. Miles grasped her left arm and looked shocked once he saw that the symptom indicator on her bracelet was pitch black.
Tails – Amy! Hold on!
Knuckles then looked back towards the incoming thorns before narrowing his eyes and holding up his fists as they began sparking with red energy.
Knuckles – Get her away from here! I'll buy you time!
Tails – Okay!
Miles began spinning his tails again and took off into the air, still holding onto Amy as he carried her further away. Knuckles then leapt towards the thorns, his whole body sparking with red energy before he slammed his fist into the ground with enough power to destroy a large chunk of the surrounding thorns. He then ran forwards and proceeded to begin punching through and breaking apart as many thorns as he could. Miles was then shown placing Amy down by a nearby hill that was at least a good distance away from the thorns.
Tails – Just wait here! I'll go help Knuckles!
Amy – What? But…!
Before Amy could say anything else, Miles took off again and flew back towards where Knuckles was fighting. All things considered, the echidna was holding his own quite well, but not even he could cover every area the brambles of thorns were spreading across. However, just as he gasped once seeing another section of land begin to get consumed by the thorns beyond where he currently was, Miles suddenly swooped in and used his propeller tails to slice through said brambles before he landed next to Knuckles.
Tails – I've got your back!
Knuckles looked at the young fox with an impressed expression before he grinned and turned back towards the thorns in front of him.
Knuckles – All right! Take out as many as you can! We can't let them get any further across the mainland!
The two split up as they continued to fight off the thorns with their new powers, all while Amy watched from afar, helplessly.
Amy – (Is this really how I'll end up using what life I have left? Standing off to the side while everyone else does all the fighting? Just like what's been happening this whole time?)
Amy then looked down depressingly as she clenched her fists down on the grass beneath her.
Amy – (No, it's been happening even longer than that, hasn't it, Cream?)
Tears began pooling in Amy's eyes while her quills' color began to fade.
Amy – (I couldn't stop those other kids from bullying you… Even though I was the first person you always came to, because you didn't want your mother to worry. All I could do was patch you up after you had been hurt… Only able to mend the damage afterwards rather than actually prevent it from happening in the first place!)
The tears then fell down Amy's cheeks and onto the ground between her hands as they shook.
Amy – (You deserved to have been the one selected the most out of everyone back home, but it ended up being me instead. Even so, you encouraged me to come here anyway and I did, thinking I could become your kind of prince if I stayed alive! But even now, I'm still the same as ever!)
Suddenly, A cry from Miles made Amy snap her head back up, seeing that a couple brambles had clipped the young fox's tails and sent him tumbling to the ground, defenseless and about to be swallowed by said incoming brambles. However, Knuckles quickly jumped in front of Miles and used his powers to punch the brambles apart just in time before helping the fox kit up.
Knuckles – You alright?
Tails – Yeah. Thanks!
Knuckles – Keep at it! We cannot falter!
The two continued to fight off the brambles while Amy watched with wide eyes before she looked down at her bracelet. An expression of resolution then slowly morphed onto her face.
Amy – (No… What am I saying? If I really want to change, then I too have the power to do so!)
Amy shakily rose to her feet, stumbling a few times as she did so. She then began stepping forward, which slowly turned into walking, and gradually evolved into running, all while keeping her focused gaze on Miles and Knuckles ahead.
Amy – (If I can imagine it, then…!)
Amy continued to push her body forwards, regardless of how much it seemed to protest against her movements on top of her fur color being nearly completely bleached; holding onto and channeling the feelings of sorrow and vulnerability that had come back to her to fuel her present desire to make a stand for once!
Amy – (Chaos… Give me the power to fight, in the best way only I can!)
At her next step, Amy leaped into the air, followed by matter bursting forth from her back, which she then reached back towards and grabbed a hold of as it took shape. Miles and Knuckles were then shown preparing to face another incoming wave of sharp brambles, only for Amy to suddenly appear from above them, carrying a big, double-faced hammer, that had a red head and yellow faces on each end. With a battle cry, she came down in front of the other two mobians, swinging her hammer down and smashing a large chunk of the brambles into oblivion, shocking Knuckles and Tails, especially once Amy lifted her hammer back up and stood up straight; the color of her fur and quills having been completely restored.
Tails – Amy… Is that…?
Amy turned around and smirked at the two boys, silently confirming their suspicions, the hammer in her hands was an alternative she created.
Knuckles – You also were able to harness the power of Chaos?
Amy – Well, if you boys could do it, why not me too?
More brambles started emerging towards the three mobians however, causing all of them to turn back towards them. Amy then narrowed her eyes as she hoisted her new hammer over her shoulder with ease.
Amy – Now, come on! Let's crush these thorns!
Knuckles and Miles grinned as they got ready to fight again as well. The three then charged forwards before splitting up, covering more range, and continued to smash, slice, and break every incoming bramble in their path. Amy in particular, kept a feral grin on her face as she assisted the others in fending off the ravenous thorns.
Amy – Then came a young and brave prince.
Shadow and Sonic were then shown again, speeding up the stairs of the tower, determined expressions on both of their faces.
Amy – As the prince entered the forest, the thorny brambles formed a barrier of flowers around him, leading him further into the castle.
Seeing something up around the corner ahead, Shadow held up a hand, preparing to shoot a barrage of energy spears, neither him nor Sonic faltering in their tracks. However, he quickly relaxed his hand once he saw it wasn't a monster as he had been expecting, but rather a bunch of bulb-like bundles dangling from the thorns covering the walls, opening just a little and revealing the familiar spines from the dinosaur-like monsters they faced before, indicating that these bulbs were where said monsters first emerged from.
Amy – All the dogs, birds, fish, and royal subjects looked dead as they slept, yet never once did he flinch.
Both Shadow and Sonic's expressions remained determined and resolute as they continued speeding up the stairs, until they saw light ahead, indicating they had reached the top.
Amy – Then, at last, he reached the room where Sleeping Beauty slept.
Shadow and Sonic finally stopped in their tracks once they exited the tunnel, staring ahead towards the laboratory doors ahead of them, the words, LEVEL 0, HIGH-END LABORATORY marked overhead.
Shadow – Actually, I've met you before, too.
Sonic – What?
Shadow – Someone, or rather two people simultaneously, wished for this world to be a dream.
Sonic – What for?
Shadow – To protect something. To obtain something.
Sonic – Sonia… Manic…
Shadow – I don't know how to explain it, but Sleeping Beauty isn't the issue; it's what she's dreaming about.
Sonic – Sonia and Manic must be doing this for me somehow…
Shadow looked over at Sonic.
Sonic – I have to know for sure. I think I'm the only one who can meet them… The only one who can stop them…
Sonic then looked back at Shadow determinedly, and the black hedgehog grinned at him in return before he nodded.
Shadow – All right, then! Let's go!
Sonic – Right!
The two hedgehogs bravely headed forwards, preparing themselves as the doors in front of them opened. However, their expressions turned to ones of confusion once they saw what was inside; it was the cold-sleep capsule room!
They both headed inside as they looked around, trying to make sense of their situation.
Shadow – What kind of joke is this?! Or is it…?
"Maria" – Both are correct.
Shadow's eyes widened once he heard a familiar feminine voice and his expression turned to one of shock once he looked beside him, seeing that instead of Sonic, it was Maria standing next to him!
"Maria" – Both are correct. Your role is now over. As you are now useless, you will be eliminated.
Shadow however was frozen in shock, unable to look away from the girl before him, who then gave him a small smile.
"Maria" – Hello Shadow. It's been a long time. My dear friend.
Shadow – M-Maria…!
Maria then seemed to hover off the ground before she quickly spun around and kicked Shadow away. Said hedgehog slid across the ground before he flipped backwards onto his feet and prepared to fire a barrage of energy spears, but he gasped in surprise once he saw Maria now sporting a flower crown made of daisies on her head.
Shadow – Those are the flowers I said I would pick for her if we ever got the chance to go outside together…!
Shadow then narrowed his eyes, now understanding what was going on.
Shadow – You took information from my brain while I was asleep in the capsule! I see! I'm also…!
"Maria" – What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy to see me.
Shadow – M.A.R.I.A! Your program is malfunctioning! Repair it!
"Maria" – No, I am running properly.
What Shadow now knew was just an image of Maria that M.A.R.I.A was transmitting into his head began walking towards him. Shadow aimed to shoot his energy spears at her, but his hand shook in hesitation, finding himself unable to do so despite knowing the Maria in front of him was not real. "Maria" then began attacking him once again, Shadow blocking her every strike but not fighting back as she pushed him back.
"Maria" – Number one priority: eliminate all unstable elements that threaten the top-level Sleepers.
Shadow – What does that have to do with you brainwashing us?!
Maria then delivered a powerful kick with both her feet into Shadow's abdomen, knocking him down to the ground harshly.
"Maria" – "Risk your lives to protect the blue hedgehog of royal blood."
Sonic was then shown, supposedly alone in the cold-sleep capsule room, looking around in confusion as he could also hear "Maria's" voice. The doors of the elevator then opened and he turned around in surprise, seeing the Venus Gate staff wearing hazmat suits leading the shadows of all the selectees into the room. However, Sonic looked especially surprised once he saw Miles within the crowd, looking just as he did before the entire fiasco began, walking into the room as "Maria" spoke again.
"Maria" – "One will be a guide."
Sonic then saw Amy walk in as well.
"Maria" – "One will neutralize conflicting tension in the group with her feminine presence."
Next came Knuckles.
"Maria" – "One will be a guardian with the heart of a warrior and strong sense of honor."
Following the echidna was Ivo Robotnik.
"Maria" – "One will conceal my intentions with his lineage and serve as a human shield."
Lastly, came Shadow, who was also the final individual to enter the room as well.
"Maria" – "And one will be the ultimate soldier both born from and in no danger of dying from Chaos."
Sonic gazed after Shadow as he took in all the information "Maria" had just provided.
Sonic – Shadow!
Sonic's eyes opened, and he was surprised to see he was inside his capsule, as though he had just awoken from a dream.
Sonic – I was dreaming?
The light within the cold-sleep capsule room shut off before Sonic heard M.A.R.I.A's voice communicating to him.
M.A.R.I.A – Relax and count with me. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.
The capsule began to freeze and Sonic started to close his eyes and relax.
Sonic – (Why did I say his name…?)
Shadow was then shown again, glaring at "Maria" as he attempted to get back up.
Shadow – Why do you have to protect the top-level Sleepers?!
"Maria" – Humans and mobians who serve as hosts for the mental parasites known as Chaos exhibit certain specific psychological deviations.
Shadow's eyes widened as he immediately understood what "Maria" was saying.
Shadow – Trauma…?!
"Maria" – The more traumatized and psychologically frail one is, the more focused that person's mind becomes. These two things create a delicate balance.
"Maria" began walking closer towards Shadow.
"Maria" – Psychologically, Sonic's existence is vital to the stability of the top-level Sleepers. So he must be protected.
Shadow was staring down at the floor as he processed the information "Maria" was revealing until he looked back up at her once he saw she was now standing right before him.
"Maria" – Even that foolish lion had been greatly troubled by the loss of his father. What about you, then?
Shadows eyes widened in shock as a memory began to play through his head.
Shadow's capsule had emerged from the wall and opened up, allowing him to awaken.
Cyrus – Hey, Agent!
Shadow looked down to see Cyrus waving over at him by the elevator. He climbed down to the floor and the two mobians began walking towards each other to the middle of the room, ready to proceed with their secret mission. However, a tremor suddenly shook throughout the facility and the elevators doors opened, revealing Sonic with a wall of glowing neon green and fuchsia thorns rising behind him. Cyrus turned around, looking apprehensive, before a wave of vines, some with red thorns and others with yellowish/green ones began spreading throughout the room, knocking him away and into the wall while Shadow ducked to the ground. Said hedgehog looked over towards the unconscious Cyrus before returning his gaze to the front of the elevator. He stood back up, looking completely astounded by the sight of the blue hedgehog in front of him while two regular vines, one with red thorns and the other with yellowish/green ones spiraling behind him. Sonic then began to walk into the room, towards Shadow, prompting the ebony hedgehog to take a fighting stance as he kept his cautious eyes on the other hedgehog. Sonic's eyes then fell to one of the golden rings on Shadow's wrist, seeing the inscription of Maria's name on it.
Sonic – Did you lose something dear, too?
Shadow's expression formed to one of shock at those words. Just then, the figures of Sonia and Manic suddenly emerged from behind Sonic, both staring at Shadow with the exact same focused expression.
Sonic – Did you wish it was all a dream?
Shadow's eyes widened even further, before a vine struck into him, knocking him backwards to the ground.
Back in the present, Shadow had been knocked backwards once again as "Maria" had delivered another strong kick to him. Shadow quickly got back up and tried to prepare to fire his energy spears again, but once more could not bring himself to do so, allowing "Maria" to kick him across his head, sending him tumbling to the ground to the side. Shadow lay on the ground, his entire body shaking and aching with pain as he wracked his brain, trying to come up with a solution.
Shadow – (M.A.R.I.A can't create Alternatives. So what's making me see my Maria? Think! Think, Shadow the Hedgehog!)
Shadow's eyes widened as he watched "Maria" walk towards him, ready to finish him off.
Shadow – (How did she teach Prower the escape route? How did she get me to-?)
Shadow brought up us left wrist to look at his medical bracelet.
Shadow – (This is a transmitter… What else do we have in common?!)
Shadow finally managed to sit back up but brought his hand up to his neck as he felt it ache. Suddenly, his eyes widened in realization.
Shadow – (That's it! That injection!)
Shadow thought back to the final injections he and all the other selectees got on their necks just before entering the cold-sleep capsule room.
Shadow – (Did they implant us with bio-chips?!)
"Maria" soon stopped a few feet ahead of where Shadow was sitting.
"Maria" – You should've simply run away quietly. Didn't you realize that the very act of coming back here has produced unhappiness?
Shadow – Sleeping Beauty was destined to be woken in the end.
"Maria" – That analogy goes beyond the realm of understanding.
Shadow – Once people have likened something to a story, they always follow the comparison to the end.
"Maria" – It's illogical.
Shadow – I think so too.
Shadow's eyes turned sad as he raised his hand up again, looking as though he was going to summon an energy spear attack, to which "Maria" held her arms out, as though she were inviting him to strike her.
"Maria" – Can you really strike me? Your creator, your best friend…? Your sister?
Shadow's expression deflated further, though it also held acceptance.
Shadow – My only sister died three years ago. You may have been based on her personality, but you're not her.
Shadow then brought his raised hand swiftly over to his left wrist, clasping over his golden ring before it glowed and removed itself from his wrist.
Shadow – It's time to wake up from this dream.
Shadow then did the same to the other ring on his other wrist before "Maria" swiftly flew towards him, to make the final blow. However, Shadow quickly removed the golden rings on his ankles as well, followed by a huge ball of powerful yellowish/orange energy swirling around him, knocking "Maria" back. Shadow smiled sadly as he gazed at her one last time.
Shadow – Sayonara, Maria…
Shadow then stood up and extended his arms outwards, causing the energy surrounding him to expand and envelop the entire room in a huge blast. Due to the massive output of energy, the area on Shadow's neck where the bio-chip supposedly was seemed to electrify before shorting out, just as Shadow had intended, though it also shocked him in the process.
Once the blast dissipated, Shadow was shown lying on the ground, unconscious, the excessive amount of energy he released combined with the pain from the bio-chip short circuiting having drained him heavily. However, it didn't take too long for the ebony hedgehog to wake up and weakly roll over onto his side as his eyes searched around the room.
Shadow – Sonic! Sonic!
Shadow looked ahead, seeing the room he was in was in fact the location of M.A.R.I.A's central computer, but Sonic was nowhere in sight. He then noticed a cluster of destroyed thorns that looked as though they had previously formed the silhouette of a person, indicating that it was the figure he had really been fighting against in the dream M.A.R.I.A had been transmitting into his head.
Shadow – So that's how… How long has…?!
Shadow nearly slumped back to the floor, barely having any strength to hold himself upright before he looked ahead towards where his four golden rings were on the ground.
Shadow – Must get… my inhibitors… back on…!
Shadow weakly crawled over to his rings before grabbing them and they glowed before locking back on his wrists and ankles, allowing him to let out a sigh of relief as the remaining energy inside him was no longer leaking out. It was a risk to use his full power just to short out the chip, but one he had been willing to take; Gerald created those inhibitor rings for him in the first place not only to restrain his full power except in cases of an emergency, but also to prevent his remaining energy from continuing to spill out of his body as it does anytime he releases his full power like he just did. Shadow then managed to finally stand back up, panting and swaying from side to side as he did so, knowing it would still take a while for his strength to replenish and began stumbling forward towards the terminal.
M.A.R.I.A – It's impossible for you to physically destroy me as you are now.
Shadow – I know. That's why I'm going to use the "Knowledge Hidden in Chaos."
M.A.R.I.A – If you stop me, there's no telling what the conformants will do in their uncontrolled state. There'd be no going back. Do you want the world to be covered in thorns?
Shadow finally got to the center underneath the AI and placed his hand down on the floor, activating a panel and typing in the code, accessing the control terminal for M.A.R.I.A's programming and allowing it to rise from the ground.
Shadow – In terms of my original goal, you may be right.
Shadow searched through the system files, going through the steps to shut down the program until it asked for the password.
Shadow – Even I can't believe I'm sticking my neck out like this just to grant that faker's wish…!
Shadow then looked at the ID code printed on his bracelet, which was KHC148, specifically focusing on the letters, KHC before he typed in "Knowledge Hidden in Chaos" into the computer.
M.A.R.I.A – Stop, Shadow the Hedgehog!
Vines of thorns began moving from behind Shadow, slithering towards him. However, Shadow had finished typing in the password and the terminal granted him access to shut down the system; all he had to do was press the enter key.
M.A.R.I.A – Shadow!
The thorns came charging towards Shadow, their ends pointing as they intended to impale him. Shadow narrowed his eyes as he reached down to press the key.
Shadow – Goodnight… M.A.R.I.A!
Shadow pressed the enter key, effectively shutting M.A.R.I.A down just before the thorns could reach him. As a result, the vines from beneath the thorn dragon outside the castle seemed to bulge before bursting, spilling some kind of liquid substance out from them before the dragon let out what could only be described as a pain-filled wail.
And with that, only one chapter left to go!
Yep! Tails, Knuckles, and Amy are all alive, and have all awakened the true power of their Chaos Viruses! I know a large part of Tails' character is the reception he got for his extra tail ever since he was born, but I saw a great opportunity for what he could create if he harnessed his Chaos abilities.
It isn't mentioned and won't be brought up for the remainder of the story, so I'll say it here: The Piko Piko Hammer Alternative Amy created can ONLY be properly wielded by her alone and it has the ability to be stored away and summoned from a special pocket space that her Chaos Virus also created exclusively for her.
Figuring out how to include the purpose of Shadow's inhibitor rings was a little challenging for me, and I wanted to create a risk that went along with unleashing his full power as well, hence I decided to make it so that Shadow's power is essentially like a garden hose that has been turned on but the water is being kept from coming out due to a sprayer attachment. It can be easily controlled and manipulated because of the sprayer, but if the sprayer is taken off, nothing can stop the water from rushing all out; and in Shadow's case, there is no way to shut the water off completely when this happens. The only way to restrain the water from pouring out is to put the sprayer back on.
Please review or comment about your thoughts and look forward to the final chapter!
