Sonic Adventure 2 adaptation- part 5.
"Jailhouse Rock"
By T. 'RockChick' Evans.
* * * *
Chapter 1
Location: Somewhere on Prison Island
1 Time: 30 minutes to detonation
2
3 Just outside the jungle, Shadow fixed the last charge of explosives to a large tree. He set the remote timer for half an hour.
In twelve different locations on the island, identical bombs received the signal, and their digital clocks started counting down. Each bomb was compact, small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, but detonated simultaneously they would have enough power to devastate the entire island. The jungle would be consumed in flames, and earthquakes caused by the explosion would destroy the military and prison buildings. And in the resulting bedlam, Shadow, Rouge and Robotnik would escape with the Chaos Emerald.
The black hedgehog braced himself, sensing another flashback coming- this time, the rush of memory was of the first time he had been brought to Prison Island, after his escape pod had been fished out of the sea. He had been allowed to talk briefly with Dr. Gerald, who was also imprisoned. That was when he had first learned of the Eclipse Cannon…
Recovering quickly, Shadow glared at the buildings of the military base, visible in the distance. He thought of the years he had spent trapped there in the cold darkness of cryogenic sleep, before pushing the memory away. He would be glad to see this cursed place destroyed.
But this act was nothing but a taste of things to come. A warning to the people of Mobius that Shadow would have his revenge…
"One more step towards reactivating the Eclipse Cannon…" He said quietly to himself. "And when that is achieved, Maria… you will be avenged."
Although the bombs were set to explode in a short time, Shadow felt no sense of urgency. He could be gone in an instant, if he wanted. However, Shadow suspected, that was not the case for the hedgehog he had chased into the forest. The biker was undoubtedly lost somewhere in the green void, and would be unable to escape in time…
Shadow's thoughts turned to the fox and the pink girl he had encountered a short time earlier. The girl had the same eyes as that blue impostor he'd met in the city… For a second, Shadow wondered if there was any connection. Then he dismissed the thought, because in half an hour it wouldn't matter.
Without giving the matter another thought, Shadow strode into the jungle and melted into the darkness like a phantom.
Those fools had no idea how short a time they had to live…
* * * *
Meanwhile…
Deep in the prison complex, a robot sentry hovered next to a dull metal door, which led to a dark corridor lined with jail cells. Only one of them was occupied at the moment. The robot was not the same model as the machines that guarded the military base and the higher levels of the prison complex- its weapons were just as deadly, but this robot was programmed for one task only. That task was to seek and destroy escapees from beyond the door that its staring sensors were fixed on.
The hovering sentry 'bot, therefore, did not register the large metal shape suddenly looming behind it. One laser bolt later, it was scrap metal.
"Got him!" Tails grinned. "I think that was the last one." Amy looked up at him from where she stood beside the blue and yellow walking machine. The pink hedgehog nodded briefly, before bending down next to the smoking wreckage.
"That rust bucket isn't like any Badnik I've seen before," She said, a little puzzled. "This place must be something to do with that human organisation, G.U.N…and have you seen any people here? I know I haven't."
"No…" Tails replied, thinking for a moment. "This place must be totally automated. It's typical of those humans to get robots to do their work for them." Amy looked a little doubtful.
"They're not all that bad, Tails. Just weird. Me and Tekno went to Earth once, remember?"
"So did Sonic," The fox replied, "And he said they were nothing but trouble."
"And since when did that crazy hog start making sense?" Amy grinned back.
"Ok, good point. Speaking of Sonic…" Tails hit the fire button, and the reinforced door disappeared in a cloud of metallic vapour.
* * * *
"It's about time," Sonic said impatiently, tapping his foot as Tails and Amy arrived outside his cell. He wasn't really annoyed, of course. Sonic was glad to see his friends, but he had a reputation to keep up.
He hated being rescued…
"Hey, nice ride, pixel brain," He said, before anyone could come out with a smart-alec comment about Sonic's predicament. "Where'd you get it?"
"Tekno, Porker and me built it," the young fox replied with pride. "It's my new plane." Sonic looked puzzled; a blue eyebrow raised a little.
"Plane?"
"It transforms," Tails clarified.
"Cool." The hedgehog grinned in reply.
Amy glanced at Sonic. Apart from a partly healed graze on one leg, he seemed fine. The blue hedgehog appeared to hum with impatience- it was clear that he wanted out.
"Sonic?" Amy asked. "You didn't steal the Chaos Emerald… did you?"
"No!" This struck a nerve, because Sonic began to pace back and forth angrily. "I was framed! It was that fake hedgehog, Shadow!"
"You mean that black hedgehog?" Asked Tails, Amy blushing a little with embarrassment as she remembered her earlier encounter with Shadow.
"You saw it? Where did it go?" Sonic demanded.
"He was with Robotnik," Amy told him. "They went into the jungle…" Sonic heard this and frowned.
"Great, I had a feeling Lard Belly would be in on this…" After thinking for a moment, Sonic stepped up to the bars. "We still have a chance to catch him. Are you gonna let me out, or what?"
"Um, Sonic?" Tails said hesitantly, not wanting to embarrass his friend. "Why didn't you get yourself out? I mean, those bars are pretty flimsy." Sonic sighed. He had hoped to avoid that subject…
"There's some kind of electromagnetic field," he admitted grudgingly. "I can't get through it. Now, can we cut the chat and bust this hedgehog out?!"
"Sure," Amy grinned mischievously, "If you agree to marry me…"
"NO WAY!!" Sonic yelled. Amy pretended to be upset.
"Aww, I thought I had you this time." Then she pulled out her crossbow from its holster, and blasted the locking mechanism on the door. It swung open as the electromagnetic force field fizzled out. "There you go, handsome…"
"I could barely move in there," Sonic said, striding out of the cell. "Hey, what're you two laughing at?" Tails and Amy were still sniggering at Amy's remark, as they followed Sonic back the way they had come.
Later, the three animals found themselves wandering around a maze of identical grey corridors.
"This way," Tails indicated as they reached another fork in the corridor.
"Couldn't you just have brought a ball of string?" Sonic interrupted. "This place is boring. And don't try telling me I'm not making sense…"
"Uh… You heard that?" Amy groaned.
"This place isn't sound proofed, you know." Sonic tapped the metal wall with a knuckle- unlike his cell, the wall wasn't very thick and clanged hollowly. Then he grinned wickedly, a familiar but worrying 'I'm-gonna-do- something-reckless' expression spreading rapidly over his features.
"It ain't Sonic proof, either!" Sonic sprinted a short distance down the corridor to build up speed, then leaped into the air and spun sideways into the wall. When the sparks stopped flying, Tails and Amy heard Sonic's voice from inside the large, round hole.
"C'mon guys- We're taking a short cut!"
Chapter 2
Location- Prison Island, military base
4 Time- 15 minutes to detonation
"Why did G.U.N have to find another emerald?" Rouge thought with annoyance. Why did they have to start using this old military base? Rouge was deep in the underground levels of said base. Still, it hadn't been difficult to sneak in, not for someone with her…talents.
Sneak thief, jewel hunter, treasure seeker. Rouge had done it all.
But she had never had a mission like this one before. It was, in essence, completely new and different, but combined a little of all three 'professions'- here, Rouge was in her element. That was why she had been chosen for this little 'job'.
Because she was the best…
Rouge smiled at the thought, before turning back to the matter at hand. Which was: the Chaos Emerald. Of course, the emerald was nothing but a piece in the puzzle, part of the bigger picture. As was Robotnik.
Rouge's real mission was far more important and dangerous… and in her mind, that simply meant 'far more well-paid'.
Rouge came to an intersection in the corridor. She stopped, green eyes scanning for danger. Nothing yet. Her breath made puffs of steam in the cold air- you don't need central heating in a base manned by robots- as she checked her treasure scope.
The translucent green lens slid into place over the bat's right eye, lighting up with a stream of text. Then it locked on to the emerald's energy.
An arrow appeared: it indicated left. Rouge pushed a button on her headpiece and the lens retracted, then she started off down the left passageway.
Seconds later, she stopped, her foot poised in mid air. A thin red line of light shimmered just above floor level, stretching from one wall to the other; similar beams were visible every few feet down the corridor. She had nearly broken this one. But not quite.
"Laser-activated alarms?!" She exclaimed. "Is that all?" Rouge unfurled her black wings, and flapped easily to the ceiling. "What do they take me for, an amateur?"
Rouge fluttered down the corridor, safely above the crimson beams. From her viewpoint, they looked like angry red slashes… red, like blood. Like…Knuckles.
Why was she thinking about him, now? Rouge banished the errant thought from her mind, and floated deeper into the base. She mentally congratulated herself that she had spotted this hazard in time.
A lesser person would probably have 'put his foot in it'…
* * * *
"Sonic, you really put your foot in it this time!!" Amy yelled, as the three Mobians dodged another fighter plane. "You could try to look where you're going, for once!" They'd made it out of the prison, only to face an army of G.U.N 'bots…
"How was I supposed to know this place was alarmed?" Sonic yelled indignantly. He was running up front, carrying Amy. "Tails, can't you make that thing go any faster??" Sonic shouted over his shoulder. Tails swung the cumbersome Cyclone around, aiming his main cannon at another aerial combatant. The first shot went wide, the second nailed the machine in the cockpit. It exploded in a bright flare.
Smiling at the display, Sonic dived behind a stack of iron crates to avoid another missile. He spotted a small shed behind him, a smirk forming as he spotted the rusted warning sign on the open door:
CAUTION: LIVE AMMUNITION
"Tails! Follow me!" Sonic called, shooting towards the ammo shed. Spotting the sign, Amy's eyes widened.
If one of the enemy's shots hit that building, it would explode.
And Sonic was heading straight for it.
"Sonic! What're you doing?!" She shrieked. "You're crazy!"
Sonic's eyes gleamed. He had 'that' look on his face again…
"I know…" He grinned. Tails hesitated a second. He looked at the swarm of jet robots blocking out the sun. The fox calculated the odds in his mind, didn't like the answer, and followed Sonic.
The Cyclone walker barely fit through the door, which Sonic slammed as soon as the fox was through.
"Okay, now what?" Tails said.
"Well…" Sonic said, peering through the grimy window. "If these things aren't as stupid as your basic badnik, we're safe."
"And if they are?" Amy asked grimly. Sonic gazed around the inside of the shed. His emerald eyes drifted over stacked crates, labelled T.N.T.
"Ka-boom," Sonic replied, equally grim.
The three animals waited in growing suspense. Outside, the swarm of robots came closer… and stopped. They milled around uncertainly. "See? What did I tell you?" Sonic pointed out the window. "If those flying scrapheaps send a missile in here, they'll take out the whole complex as well as us. And they know it." The hedgehog grinned. It had worked!
But the last thing he expected was a punch in the head from Amy…
"Oww!!" Sonic yelled, grabbing his face.
"Amy, what—" Tails gasped.
"Sonic, that was totally stupid!" the female hedgehog snapped angrily. "You could've got us all killed because you had a dumb hunch!" She stood with her fists clenched, a picture of fury. Sonic briefly lost his composure, and found himself backing off.
She was right.
He had put his friends in danger yet again. Sonic had been acting on instinct, acting like a kid again, and he hadn't even stopped to think about what might happen…
Acting like that had got Johnny killed.
"Amy… you're right. I… I'm sorry…" Sonic said, turning away.
Seeing his look of utter misery, Amy's fury at Sonic drained away. Now she was angry at herself. A few years ago, he would never have reacted that way, but Johnny's death had changed him…
Sonic was still healing, she realised, and Amy had come close to destroying his fragile confidence.
"I can't stay angry at you," she said gently, knowing she had to put things right. "Besides, that was a cool idea."
"Yeah… it was, wasn't it?" Sonic replied, brightening a little. Tails, catching on, also chimed in.
"I don't think anyone else could have come up with a plan that cool."
Flattery, with Sonic, could get you anywhere.
"What do you expect, pixel brain?" he said, smiling, "I'm Sonic the hedgehog, and cool is my business!" Sonic seemed back to his old self. Amy and Tails shot a triumphant glance at each other. They would have to remember to be more careful with Sonic from now on…
"Yup, you're a genius," Amy said. "And even better, you're a cute genius!" She unexpectedly hugged him, and Sonic protested loudly until she let go. "Don't struggle, you're too flipping sharp…" Amy complained.
"What didya expect, feathers?"
"Okay, genius-" Tails said, casting a worried glance outside. "What's the plan now?"
"Hmmm…" Sonic examined Tails' walker. "Could this contraption out-fly those tin can outside?"
"Yeah… probably," Tails said hesitantly. "It's a bit slow in walk mode, but in plane mode it can outrun just about anything." Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Er, except you of course," Tails added quickly.
"Good…" Sonic nodded. "I'll make a distraction, while you guys get out of here. Got it?"
"But, Sonic!" Amy gasped. "We came to rescue you, if you think we're gonna leave without you…"
"Amy, shut up." Sonic interrupted. "I've got some business to take care of first. Namely, the Chaos Emerald. And I've got a spin attack with Shadow's name on it…"
"Chaos Emerald?" Tails asked, puzzled.
"I'll explain later!" Sonic said, on his way to the door. There was no stopping him now.
Within seconds, several robots were chasing a blue hedgehog towards the jungle- where they stopped, unable to follow.
At the same moment, a blue and yellow plane ploughed through the wall of an ammo shed, and soared unimpeded into the blue sky…
Chapter 3
Location: Prison Island military base
Time: 10 minutes to detonation
"Now what?" Rouge thought to herself, as she hung upside down from the ceiling. She'd made it into the room where the Chaos Emerald was being kept. The only problem was, it was surrounded by humanoid guard robots…
"And I thought I was lucky I didn't meet any of those guys earlier." Rouge mentally kicked herself for not thinking of it sooner. All the robots were guarding the emerald, of course…
Out of sight, Rouge carefully made her way over to the centre of the room, using joints and rivets in the metal ceiling for handholds. She was a bat, so this came naturally to her. Soon she was directly above the Chaos Emerald, which glowed a savage orange colour. The robots all faced away from the emerald, forming a perfect circle… their sensors covering every direction except up.
"Stupid robots," Thought Rouge. "But not as stupid as the ones who programmed them. Those humans only think in terms of their own kind…" with that, Rouge dropped into the centre of the circle, grabbing the emerald in both hands and flapping away above the robots' heads. Glowing mechanical eyes swivelled in her direction- but the machines had not expected an attack from above, and it took a few moments for them to charge their weapons.
By then, Rouge was out of there.
Pursued by robots, the bat girl flew swiftly through the corridors with the emerald clutched tightly in her arms. She was just as thrilled by its beauty as she had been when she had first seen the other emeralds- especially that big green one. Rouge liked the way they glowed unlike any other jewel, and seemed to vibrate with a strange energy- an energy that felt a little like static electricity when she touched them.
Her thoughts were suddenly shattered by a loud, screaming siren. The base had been alerted to her presence.
As automatic defences activated, doors everywhere began to slide shut.
"Uh oh!" Reacting quickly, the bat dived through the nearest entrance. The thick, steel door slammed shut behind her, missing the tips of her wings by inches. It was dark here, but Rouge's kind were nocturnal and her eyes adjusted quickly to the dim light. With the emerald tucked under one arm, Rouge landed on the cool metal floor- looking around she saw she was in a small room. It was bare, and the air smelled a little musty.
"Oh, no." Rouge groaned, as she realised her mistake. "How did I end up in the broom cupboard?!" Feeling uneasy, Rouge pushed back her lilac and white glove. The numbers on her communicator watch glowed a soft green.
07: 59….58….57…56….
Rouge shook her head. Her eyes flitted around the small chamber, and she hoped she could get out in time.
* * * *
Meanwhile, somewhere in the jungle…
Sonic irritably brushed a fern away from his face, and strode deeper into the green forest. There was a fine, misty drizzle in the air, and small beads of water clung to his short blue fur. He was rapidly going from 'damp' to 'soaked', and it annoyed him to no end.
Sonic had left the G.U.N robots behind. Safe in the jungle, he had heard Tails' plane leave, and now faced a long trek to where the Chaos Emerald was. The trees were far too dense to make running an option, as Sonic would have no room to manoeuvre. The hedgehog sighed.
"No one ever said this was gonna be easy."
Suddenly, Sonic stopped in his tracks and looked sharply to the left. For a second, his eyes took on a far-away look, then his features settled into a frown of determination.
"Shadow," he growled. He would know that energy trace anywhere.
Sonic turned and headed in that direction. Unexpectedly, he emerged into an open space- a huge tree had once stood there, but had fallen and left a large clearing in its place. The carcass of the tree stretched off into the jungle, its trunk over four metres wide, its roots and branches pointing at the sky.
Perched on the tree trunk was Shadow the hedgehog. From his superior vantage point, he glared down at Sonic.
"That blue hedgehog again…" he muttered, "Here, of all places."
"Fancy seeing you here, faker…" Sonic retorted. Shadow replied with a look of utter contempt.
"Faker? I think you're the fake hedgehog around here. In fact…" he looked at Sonic as if judging him. "…You're not even good enough to be my fake."
Sonic was outraged. No-one talked down to him like that. Shadow had dismissed him as if he was nothing… and that was something Sonic would not and could not put up with. Especially since Shadow had already got the better of him, twice.
"I'll make you eat those words," he snarled. Shadow regarded him with a bored kind of curiosity. He checked his watch. That enraged Sonic even more- it was as if the black hedgehog was saying- you're not worth my time.
In one fluid movement, Shadow leaped down from the tree and landed lightly on his feet, a couple of metres away from Sonic.
"Is that," he said softly, "A challenge?"
"You bet it is," Sonic replied dangerously, infuriated at how calm Shadow seemed. He was… toying with him.
On that count, Sonic was correct. Shadow could escape at any time… seconds before the explosion, if that was what he wanted. Sonic could not.
Shadow allowed the blue hedgehog to make the first move.
Sonic, angered by the black hedgehog's strange confidence, launched a powerful spin attack in Shadow's direction.
He wasn't there anymore.
"Chaos Control! I forgot-" Sonic thought belatedly, as Shadow's fist connected with his back…
The blow, which impacted between the two spikes that emerged at his shoulder blades, would have knocked Sonic to the ground. If the punch to the head hadn't done so first.
"Ughh… he's so damn fast…" Sonic groaned, painfully picking himself up. Pain exploded in his head, and for a moment he saw double. After a few moments, his head cleared- leaving a throbbing headache and a sharp ache in his back.
Shadow stood casually on the other side of the clearing. He nodded his head almost imperceptibly: bring it on.
Sonic did so. As he sped across the leaf litter, his mind raced in time with his legs. He should treat this fight like he would a fight with Metallix…
"Get him from behind or the side… no use attacking from a distance, he's too fast—" Sonic ran various tactics through his mind, trying to find something…anything… that would work-
At the last second, Shadow leaped into the air and tried to hit Sonic with a spin attack, but the blue hedgehog dodged and the two adversaries found themselves running side by side. Sonic tried to observe how Shadow moved. Like he was ice skating…. "His energy level increases when he does that," Sonic noticed. "He must be using Chaos energy to help him… how can he control it like that?!" Sonic thought morbidly that this wasn't like fighting Metallix at all. It was more like battling Super Sonic… Sonic frowned. He had to admit it- Shadow's method of moving was more efficient than his own. That meant he would tire less quickly…
They had reached the dead tree, now. Sonic wrenched himself to the right to avoid a collision. Shadow ran up the tree trunk, and flipped over to land on his feet back in the clearing. Both hedgehogs then came to a halt.
"Good," Sonic thought. "That weird way of running may be more efficient-" -Sonic wouldn't admit to 'faster', although he suspected it- "But it isn't as good on corners. That's some advantage at least." It hadn't stopped Shadow from pounding him though, Sonic thought, as a new wave of pain assailed his head. And the black hedgehog didn't have a scratch on him.
Sonic decided to do something about that.
This time, Shadow was on the offensive. He came at Sonic like a dark bullet, while the blue hedgehog managed to get out of the way. Shadow whirled, fists raised. Sonic swung a punch of his own, and missed as Shadow ducked. Sonic managed to keep his balance, and decided on a new tactic. He lifted a fist again, but this time it was only a feint.
Years of fighting badniks had given Sonic a strong punch. His real power, however, was in his legs…
Expecting a blow to the head, Shadow didn't see the kick coming. Sonic's foot lashed out and made a solid thud against Shadow's chest, knocking him back and causing him to grunt and double over. Sonic got out of the way, not quite knowing what to expect next.
From opposite ends of the clearing, the two opponents stared at each other.
End of round one. The result: a draw.
Shadow straightened, his eyes glinting ominously. He coughed once, before quickly recovering.
"Not bad, blue hedgehog," He said, slightly breathless. Sonic grinned, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand; a small streak of crimson stained the white glove.
"Not bad yourself," Sonic replied. His heart hammered, while his headache pounded its own rhythm. "But admit it, Stripe. You're no match for me."
"We'll see," Shadow shot back. This was… interesting. At last, a challenge.
Sonic dropped back into his fighting stance. Shadow did likewise, but the two were interrupted by some commotion in the trees to their left.
There was a flash of chrome. An old fashioned motorbike hurtled into the clearing, the complex machinery at the back marking it as something unusual. It came to a stop between the two hedgehogs. Moments later, a green Chao emerged from the foliage.
"What're you doing??" The rider exclaimed. He was a hedgehog, slightly odd-looking, with shades and a denim jacket. "There's no time for this!" The fact that Shadow knew him was obvious.
"You again?"
"Friend of yours, Stripe?" Sonic eyed the biker with suspicion. Something about him just wasn't right. He was… familiar somehow, and Sonic's instincts told him not to trust the guy.
Before anyone could say anything more, there was a loud static crackle from Shadow's direction. He glanced at the device Sonic had thought was a watch. A tinny voice came from it.
The voice was Robotnik's.
"Shadow, Rouge! Get back to base, now! The island is going to blow up with you on it! You've got one minute!"
"Blow up?!" Sonic exclaimed. Beside him, the strange biker rolled his eyes.
"That's what I was trying to tell you…" He said, exasperated. Then another voice came from the communicator.
"I have… a small problem," it said. The voice was female, and Sonic didn't recognise it. "I'm trapped in a room with a Chaos Emerald… can't get out in time." A look of displeasure crossed Shadow's face. Then he was gone into the trees, faster than lightning.
* * * *
Shadow tapped into his reserve of Chaos Energy, about to teleport himself to ARK. It was too bad about Rouge, she could have been useful… even if she had been up to something. Shadow assumed that the Chaos Emerald would survive the explosion, even if she did not. He could always go back and retrieve it later.
Suddenly, however, something stopped him. Something in Rouge's voice. Something that reminded him of… Maria.
Shadow had not been able to save her. He had escaped, while she had died alone, abandoned….
Shadow was once again assailed by memories, and leaned against a tree for support. He would not let it happen again!
Never again…
The black hedgehog felt a strange emotion, one he hadn't felt in a very long time. Fear. He quickly checked his communicator watch- ten seconds left!
There was no time! He didn't even know where Rouge was. He couldn't use Chaos Control if he didn't know the destination…
"The Chaos Emerald!" He exclaimed suddenly. His sharp senses homed in on its energy, and he disappeared- knowing how dangerous it could be to warp out without preparation. He might not reappear. But Shadow wasn't thinking clearly…
Meanwhile, in the military base, Rouge was resigned to her fate. Suddenly, however, a green glow appeared in the corner of the room. Rouge had barely enough time to exclaim "Wha-?" before a black and red missile knocked her off her feet. Within a quarter of a second, Rouge, Shadow and the Chaos Emerald were gone, as if they had never been there at all.
The timer read 0:00…
To be continued….
Next: Did Shade Phoenix and Sonic get off the island in time?
If not, who will stop Robotnik when he proclaims his new empire?
Sonic Adventure 2 adaptation- part 6:
"An Eclipse of the Moon"
"Jailhouse Rock"
By T. 'RockChick' Evans.
* * * *
Chapter 1
Location: Somewhere on Prison Island
1 Time: 30 minutes to detonation
2
3 Just outside the jungle, Shadow fixed the last charge of explosives to a large tree. He set the remote timer for half an hour.
In twelve different locations on the island, identical bombs received the signal, and their digital clocks started counting down. Each bomb was compact, small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, but detonated simultaneously they would have enough power to devastate the entire island. The jungle would be consumed in flames, and earthquakes caused by the explosion would destroy the military and prison buildings. And in the resulting bedlam, Shadow, Rouge and Robotnik would escape with the Chaos Emerald.
The black hedgehog braced himself, sensing another flashback coming- this time, the rush of memory was of the first time he had been brought to Prison Island, after his escape pod had been fished out of the sea. He had been allowed to talk briefly with Dr. Gerald, who was also imprisoned. That was when he had first learned of the Eclipse Cannon…
Recovering quickly, Shadow glared at the buildings of the military base, visible in the distance. He thought of the years he had spent trapped there in the cold darkness of cryogenic sleep, before pushing the memory away. He would be glad to see this cursed place destroyed.
But this act was nothing but a taste of things to come. A warning to the people of Mobius that Shadow would have his revenge…
"One more step towards reactivating the Eclipse Cannon…" He said quietly to himself. "And when that is achieved, Maria… you will be avenged."
Although the bombs were set to explode in a short time, Shadow felt no sense of urgency. He could be gone in an instant, if he wanted. However, Shadow suspected, that was not the case for the hedgehog he had chased into the forest. The biker was undoubtedly lost somewhere in the green void, and would be unable to escape in time…
Shadow's thoughts turned to the fox and the pink girl he had encountered a short time earlier. The girl had the same eyes as that blue impostor he'd met in the city… For a second, Shadow wondered if there was any connection. Then he dismissed the thought, because in half an hour it wouldn't matter.
Without giving the matter another thought, Shadow strode into the jungle and melted into the darkness like a phantom.
Those fools had no idea how short a time they had to live…
* * * *
Meanwhile…
Deep in the prison complex, a robot sentry hovered next to a dull metal door, which led to a dark corridor lined with jail cells. Only one of them was occupied at the moment. The robot was not the same model as the machines that guarded the military base and the higher levels of the prison complex- its weapons were just as deadly, but this robot was programmed for one task only. That task was to seek and destroy escapees from beyond the door that its staring sensors were fixed on.
The hovering sentry 'bot, therefore, did not register the large metal shape suddenly looming behind it. One laser bolt later, it was scrap metal.
"Got him!" Tails grinned. "I think that was the last one." Amy looked up at him from where she stood beside the blue and yellow walking machine. The pink hedgehog nodded briefly, before bending down next to the smoking wreckage.
"That rust bucket isn't like any Badnik I've seen before," She said, a little puzzled. "This place must be something to do with that human organisation, G.U.N…and have you seen any people here? I know I haven't."
"No…" Tails replied, thinking for a moment. "This place must be totally automated. It's typical of those humans to get robots to do their work for them." Amy looked a little doubtful.
"They're not all that bad, Tails. Just weird. Me and Tekno went to Earth once, remember?"
"So did Sonic," The fox replied, "And he said they were nothing but trouble."
"And since when did that crazy hog start making sense?" Amy grinned back.
"Ok, good point. Speaking of Sonic…" Tails hit the fire button, and the reinforced door disappeared in a cloud of metallic vapour.
* * * *
"It's about time," Sonic said impatiently, tapping his foot as Tails and Amy arrived outside his cell. He wasn't really annoyed, of course. Sonic was glad to see his friends, but he had a reputation to keep up.
He hated being rescued…
"Hey, nice ride, pixel brain," He said, before anyone could come out with a smart-alec comment about Sonic's predicament. "Where'd you get it?"
"Tekno, Porker and me built it," the young fox replied with pride. "It's my new plane." Sonic looked puzzled; a blue eyebrow raised a little.
"Plane?"
"It transforms," Tails clarified.
"Cool." The hedgehog grinned in reply.
Amy glanced at Sonic. Apart from a partly healed graze on one leg, he seemed fine. The blue hedgehog appeared to hum with impatience- it was clear that he wanted out.
"Sonic?" Amy asked. "You didn't steal the Chaos Emerald… did you?"
"No!" This struck a nerve, because Sonic began to pace back and forth angrily. "I was framed! It was that fake hedgehog, Shadow!"
"You mean that black hedgehog?" Asked Tails, Amy blushing a little with embarrassment as she remembered her earlier encounter with Shadow.
"You saw it? Where did it go?" Sonic demanded.
"He was with Robotnik," Amy told him. "They went into the jungle…" Sonic heard this and frowned.
"Great, I had a feeling Lard Belly would be in on this…" After thinking for a moment, Sonic stepped up to the bars. "We still have a chance to catch him. Are you gonna let me out, or what?"
"Um, Sonic?" Tails said hesitantly, not wanting to embarrass his friend. "Why didn't you get yourself out? I mean, those bars are pretty flimsy." Sonic sighed. He had hoped to avoid that subject…
"There's some kind of electromagnetic field," he admitted grudgingly. "I can't get through it. Now, can we cut the chat and bust this hedgehog out?!"
"Sure," Amy grinned mischievously, "If you agree to marry me…"
"NO WAY!!" Sonic yelled. Amy pretended to be upset.
"Aww, I thought I had you this time." Then she pulled out her crossbow from its holster, and blasted the locking mechanism on the door. It swung open as the electromagnetic force field fizzled out. "There you go, handsome…"
"I could barely move in there," Sonic said, striding out of the cell. "Hey, what're you two laughing at?" Tails and Amy were still sniggering at Amy's remark, as they followed Sonic back the way they had come.
Later, the three animals found themselves wandering around a maze of identical grey corridors.
"This way," Tails indicated as they reached another fork in the corridor.
"Couldn't you just have brought a ball of string?" Sonic interrupted. "This place is boring. And don't try telling me I'm not making sense…"
"Uh… You heard that?" Amy groaned.
"This place isn't sound proofed, you know." Sonic tapped the metal wall with a knuckle- unlike his cell, the wall wasn't very thick and clanged hollowly. Then he grinned wickedly, a familiar but worrying 'I'm-gonna-do- something-reckless' expression spreading rapidly over his features.
"It ain't Sonic proof, either!" Sonic sprinted a short distance down the corridor to build up speed, then leaped into the air and spun sideways into the wall. When the sparks stopped flying, Tails and Amy heard Sonic's voice from inside the large, round hole.
"C'mon guys- We're taking a short cut!"
Chapter 2
Location- Prison Island, military base
4 Time- 15 minutes to detonation
"Why did G.U.N have to find another emerald?" Rouge thought with annoyance. Why did they have to start using this old military base? Rouge was deep in the underground levels of said base. Still, it hadn't been difficult to sneak in, not for someone with her…talents.
Sneak thief, jewel hunter, treasure seeker. Rouge had done it all.
But she had never had a mission like this one before. It was, in essence, completely new and different, but combined a little of all three 'professions'- here, Rouge was in her element. That was why she had been chosen for this little 'job'.
Because she was the best…
Rouge smiled at the thought, before turning back to the matter at hand. Which was: the Chaos Emerald. Of course, the emerald was nothing but a piece in the puzzle, part of the bigger picture. As was Robotnik.
Rouge's real mission was far more important and dangerous… and in her mind, that simply meant 'far more well-paid'.
Rouge came to an intersection in the corridor. She stopped, green eyes scanning for danger. Nothing yet. Her breath made puffs of steam in the cold air- you don't need central heating in a base manned by robots- as she checked her treasure scope.
The translucent green lens slid into place over the bat's right eye, lighting up with a stream of text. Then it locked on to the emerald's energy.
An arrow appeared: it indicated left. Rouge pushed a button on her headpiece and the lens retracted, then she started off down the left passageway.
Seconds later, she stopped, her foot poised in mid air. A thin red line of light shimmered just above floor level, stretching from one wall to the other; similar beams were visible every few feet down the corridor. She had nearly broken this one. But not quite.
"Laser-activated alarms?!" She exclaimed. "Is that all?" Rouge unfurled her black wings, and flapped easily to the ceiling. "What do they take me for, an amateur?"
Rouge fluttered down the corridor, safely above the crimson beams. From her viewpoint, they looked like angry red slashes… red, like blood. Like…Knuckles.
Why was she thinking about him, now? Rouge banished the errant thought from her mind, and floated deeper into the base. She mentally congratulated herself that she had spotted this hazard in time.
A lesser person would probably have 'put his foot in it'…
* * * *
"Sonic, you really put your foot in it this time!!" Amy yelled, as the three Mobians dodged another fighter plane. "You could try to look where you're going, for once!" They'd made it out of the prison, only to face an army of G.U.N 'bots…
"How was I supposed to know this place was alarmed?" Sonic yelled indignantly. He was running up front, carrying Amy. "Tails, can't you make that thing go any faster??" Sonic shouted over his shoulder. Tails swung the cumbersome Cyclone around, aiming his main cannon at another aerial combatant. The first shot went wide, the second nailed the machine in the cockpit. It exploded in a bright flare.
Smiling at the display, Sonic dived behind a stack of iron crates to avoid another missile. He spotted a small shed behind him, a smirk forming as he spotted the rusted warning sign on the open door:
CAUTION: LIVE AMMUNITION
"Tails! Follow me!" Sonic called, shooting towards the ammo shed. Spotting the sign, Amy's eyes widened.
If one of the enemy's shots hit that building, it would explode.
And Sonic was heading straight for it.
"Sonic! What're you doing?!" She shrieked. "You're crazy!"
Sonic's eyes gleamed. He had 'that' look on his face again…
"I know…" He grinned. Tails hesitated a second. He looked at the swarm of jet robots blocking out the sun. The fox calculated the odds in his mind, didn't like the answer, and followed Sonic.
The Cyclone walker barely fit through the door, which Sonic slammed as soon as the fox was through.
"Okay, now what?" Tails said.
"Well…" Sonic said, peering through the grimy window. "If these things aren't as stupid as your basic badnik, we're safe."
"And if they are?" Amy asked grimly. Sonic gazed around the inside of the shed. His emerald eyes drifted over stacked crates, labelled T.N.T.
"Ka-boom," Sonic replied, equally grim.
The three animals waited in growing suspense. Outside, the swarm of robots came closer… and stopped. They milled around uncertainly. "See? What did I tell you?" Sonic pointed out the window. "If those flying scrapheaps send a missile in here, they'll take out the whole complex as well as us. And they know it." The hedgehog grinned. It had worked!
But the last thing he expected was a punch in the head from Amy…
"Oww!!" Sonic yelled, grabbing his face.
"Amy, what—" Tails gasped.
"Sonic, that was totally stupid!" the female hedgehog snapped angrily. "You could've got us all killed because you had a dumb hunch!" She stood with her fists clenched, a picture of fury. Sonic briefly lost his composure, and found himself backing off.
She was right.
He had put his friends in danger yet again. Sonic had been acting on instinct, acting like a kid again, and he hadn't even stopped to think about what might happen…
Acting like that had got Johnny killed.
"Amy… you're right. I… I'm sorry…" Sonic said, turning away.
Seeing his look of utter misery, Amy's fury at Sonic drained away. Now she was angry at herself. A few years ago, he would never have reacted that way, but Johnny's death had changed him…
Sonic was still healing, she realised, and Amy had come close to destroying his fragile confidence.
"I can't stay angry at you," she said gently, knowing she had to put things right. "Besides, that was a cool idea."
"Yeah… it was, wasn't it?" Sonic replied, brightening a little. Tails, catching on, also chimed in.
"I don't think anyone else could have come up with a plan that cool."
Flattery, with Sonic, could get you anywhere.
"What do you expect, pixel brain?" he said, smiling, "I'm Sonic the hedgehog, and cool is my business!" Sonic seemed back to his old self. Amy and Tails shot a triumphant glance at each other. They would have to remember to be more careful with Sonic from now on…
"Yup, you're a genius," Amy said. "And even better, you're a cute genius!" She unexpectedly hugged him, and Sonic protested loudly until she let go. "Don't struggle, you're too flipping sharp…" Amy complained.
"What didya expect, feathers?"
"Okay, genius-" Tails said, casting a worried glance outside. "What's the plan now?"
"Hmmm…" Sonic examined Tails' walker. "Could this contraption out-fly those tin can outside?"
"Yeah… probably," Tails said hesitantly. "It's a bit slow in walk mode, but in plane mode it can outrun just about anything." Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Er, except you of course," Tails added quickly.
"Good…" Sonic nodded. "I'll make a distraction, while you guys get out of here. Got it?"
"But, Sonic!" Amy gasped. "We came to rescue you, if you think we're gonna leave without you…"
"Amy, shut up." Sonic interrupted. "I've got some business to take care of first. Namely, the Chaos Emerald. And I've got a spin attack with Shadow's name on it…"
"Chaos Emerald?" Tails asked, puzzled.
"I'll explain later!" Sonic said, on his way to the door. There was no stopping him now.
Within seconds, several robots were chasing a blue hedgehog towards the jungle- where they stopped, unable to follow.
At the same moment, a blue and yellow plane ploughed through the wall of an ammo shed, and soared unimpeded into the blue sky…
Chapter 3
Location: Prison Island military base
Time: 10 minutes to detonation
"Now what?" Rouge thought to herself, as she hung upside down from the ceiling. She'd made it into the room where the Chaos Emerald was being kept. The only problem was, it was surrounded by humanoid guard robots…
"And I thought I was lucky I didn't meet any of those guys earlier." Rouge mentally kicked herself for not thinking of it sooner. All the robots were guarding the emerald, of course…
Out of sight, Rouge carefully made her way over to the centre of the room, using joints and rivets in the metal ceiling for handholds. She was a bat, so this came naturally to her. Soon she was directly above the Chaos Emerald, which glowed a savage orange colour. The robots all faced away from the emerald, forming a perfect circle… their sensors covering every direction except up.
"Stupid robots," Thought Rouge. "But not as stupid as the ones who programmed them. Those humans only think in terms of their own kind…" with that, Rouge dropped into the centre of the circle, grabbing the emerald in both hands and flapping away above the robots' heads. Glowing mechanical eyes swivelled in her direction- but the machines had not expected an attack from above, and it took a few moments for them to charge their weapons.
By then, Rouge was out of there.
Pursued by robots, the bat girl flew swiftly through the corridors with the emerald clutched tightly in her arms. She was just as thrilled by its beauty as she had been when she had first seen the other emeralds- especially that big green one. Rouge liked the way they glowed unlike any other jewel, and seemed to vibrate with a strange energy- an energy that felt a little like static electricity when she touched them.
Her thoughts were suddenly shattered by a loud, screaming siren. The base had been alerted to her presence.
As automatic defences activated, doors everywhere began to slide shut.
"Uh oh!" Reacting quickly, the bat dived through the nearest entrance. The thick, steel door slammed shut behind her, missing the tips of her wings by inches. It was dark here, but Rouge's kind were nocturnal and her eyes adjusted quickly to the dim light. With the emerald tucked under one arm, Rouge landed on the cool metal floor- looking around she saw she was in a small room. It was bare, and the air smelled a little musty.
"Oh, no." Rouge groaned, as she realised her mistake. "How did I end up in the broom cupboard?!" Feeling uneasy, Rouge pushed back her lilac and white glove. The numbers on her communicator watch glowed a soft green.
07: 59….58….57…56….
Rouge shook her head. Her eyes flitted around the small chamber, and she hoped she could get out in time.
* * * *
Meanwhile, somewhere in the jungle…
Sonic irritably brushed a fern away from his face, and strode deeper into the green forest. There was a fine, misty drizzle in the air, and small beads of water clung to his short blue fur. He was rapidly going from 'damp' to 'soaked', and it annoyed him to no end.
Sonic had left the G.U.N robots behind. Safe in the jungle, he had heard Tails' plane leave, and now faced a long trek to where the Chaos Emerald was. The trees were far too dense to make running an option, as Sonic would have no room to manoeuvre. The hedgehog sighed.
"No one ever said this was gonna be easy."
Suddenly, Sonic stopped in his tracks and looked sharply to the left. For a second, his eyes took on a far-away look, then his features settled into a frown of determination.
"Shadow," he growled. He would know that energy trace anywhere.
Sonic turned and headed in that direction. Unexpectedly, he emerged into an open space- a huge tree had once stood there, but had fallen and left a large clearing in its place. The carcass of the tree stretched off into the jungle, its trunk over four metres wide, its roots and branches pointing at the sky.
Perched on the tree trunk was Shadow the hedgehog. From his superior vantage point, he glared down at Sonic.
"That blue hedgehog again…" he muttered, "Here, of all places."
"Fancy seeing you here, faker…" Sonic retorted. Shadow replied with a look of utter contempt.
"Faker? I think you're the fake hedgehog around here. In fact…" he looked at Sonic as if judging him. "…You're not even good enough to be my fake."
Sonic was outraged. No-one talked down to him like that. Shadow had dismissed him as if he was nothing… and that was something Sonic would not and could not put up with. Especially since Shadow had already got the better of him, twice.
"I'll make you eat those words," he snarled. Shadow regarded him with a bored kind of curiosity. He checked his watch. That enraged Sonic even more- it was as if the black hedgehog was saying- you're not worth my time.
In one fluid movement, Shadow leaped down from the tree and landed lightly on his feet, a couple of metres away from Sonic.
"Is that," he said softly, "A challenge?"
"You bet it is," Sonic replied dangerously, infuriated at how calm Shadow seemed. He was… toying with him.
On that count, Sonic was correct. Shadow could escape at any time… seconds before the explosion, if that was what he wanted. Sonic could not.
Shadow allowed the blue hedgehog to make the first move.
Sonic, angered by the black hedgehog's strange confidence, launched a powerful spin attack in Shadow's direction.
He wasn't there anymore.
"Chaos Control! I forgot-" Sonic thought belatedly, as Shadow's fist connected with his back…
The blow, which impacted between the two spikes that emerged at his shoulder blades, would have knocked Sonic to the ground. If the punch to the head hadn't done so first.
"Ughh… he's so damn fast…" Sonic groaned, painfully picking himself up. Pain exploded in his head, and for a moment he saw double. After a few moments, his head cleared- leaving a throbbing headache and a sharp ache in his back.
Shadow stood casually on the other side of the clearing. He nodded his head almost imperceptibly: bring it on.
Sonic did so. As he sped across the leaf litter, his mind raced in time with his legs. He should treat this fight like he would a fight with Metallix…
"Get him from behind or the side… no use attacking from a distance, he's too fast—" Sonic ran various tactics through his mind, trying to find something…anything… that would work-
At the last second, Shadow leaped into the air and tried to hit Sonic with a spin attack, but the blue hedgehog dodged and the two adversaries found themselves running side by side. Sonic tried to observe how Shadow moved. Like he was ice skating…. "His energy level increases when he does that," Sonic noticed. "He must be using Chaos energy to help him… how can he control it like that?!" Sonic thought morbidly that this wasn't like fighting Metallix at all. It was more like battling Super Sonic… Sonic frowned. He had to admit it- Shadow's method of moving was more efficient than his own. That meant he would tire less quickly…
They had reached the dead tree, now. Sonic wrenched himself to the right to avoid a collision. Shadow ran up the tree trunk, and flipped over to land on his feet back in the clearing. Both hedgehogs then came to a halt.
"Good," Sonic thought. "That weird way of running may be more efficient-" -Sonic wouldn't admit to 'faster', although he suspected it- "But it isn't as good on corners. That's some advantage at least." It hadn't stopped Shadow from pounding him though, Sonic thought, as a new wave of pain assailed his head. And the black hedgehog didn't have a scratch on him.
Sonic decided to do something about that.
This time, Shadow was on the offensive. He came at Sonic like a dark bullet, while the blue hedgehog managed to get out of the way. Shadow whirled, fists raised. Sonic swung a punch of his own, and missed as Shadow ducked. Sonic managed to keep his balance, and decided on a new tactic. He lifted a fist again, but this time it was only a feint.
Years of fighting badniks had given Sonic a strong punch. His real power, however, was in his legs…
Expecting a blow to the head, Shadow didn't see the kick coming. Sonic's foot lashed out and made a solid thud against Shadow's chest, knocking him back and causing him to grunt and double over. Sonic got out of the way, not quite knowing what to expect next.
From opposite ends of the clearing, the two opponents stared at each other.
End of round one. The result: a draw.
Shadow straightened, his eyes glinting ominously. He coughed once, before quickly recovering.
"Not bad, blue hedgehog," He said, slightly breathless. Sonic grinned, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand; a small streak of crimson stained the white glove.
"Not bad yourself," Sonic replied. His heart hammered, while his headache pounded its own rhythm. "But admit it, Stripe. You're no match for me."
"We'll see," Shadow shot back. This was… interesting. At last, a challenge.
Sonic dropped back into his fighting stance. Shadow did likewise, but the two were interrupted by some commotion in the trees to their left.
There was a flash of chrome. An old fashioned motorbike hurtled into the clearing, the complex machinery at the back marking it as something unusual. It came to a stop between the two hedgehogs. Moments later, a green Chao emerged from the foliage.
"What're you doing??" The rider exclaimed. He was a hedgehog, slightly odd-looking, with shades and a denim jacket. "There's no time for this!" The fact that Shadow knew him was obvious.
"You again?"
"Friend of yours, Stripe?" Sonic eyed the biker with suspicion. Something about him just wasn't right. He was… familiar somehow, and Sonic's instincts told him not to trust the guy.
Before anyone could say anything more, there was a loud static crackle from Shadow's direction. He glanced at the device Sonic had thought was a watch. A tinny voice came from it.
The voice was Robotnik's.
"Shadow, Rouge! Get back to base, now! The island is going to blow up with you on it! You've got one minute!"
"Blow up?!" Sonic exclaimed. Beside him, the strange biker rolled his eyes.
"That's what I was trying to tell you…" He said, exasperated. Then another voice came from the communicator.
"I have… a small problem," it said. The voice was female, and Sonic didn't recognise it. "I'm trapped in a room with a Chaos Emerald… can't get out in time." A look of displeasure crossed Shadow's face. Then he was gone into the trees, faster than lightning.
* * * *
Shadow tapped into his reserve of Chaos Energy, about to teleport himself to ARK. It was too bad about Rouge, she could have been useful… even if she had been up to something. Shadow assumed that the Chaos Emerald would survive the explosion, even if she did not. He could always go back and retrieve it later.
Suddenly, however, something stopped him. Something in Rouge's voice. Something that reminded him of… Maria.
Shadow had not been able to save her. He had escaped, while she had died alone, abandoned….
Shadow was once again assailed by memories, and leaned against a tree for support. He would not let it happen again!
Never again…
The black hedgehog felt a strange emotion, one he hadn't felt in a very long time. Fear. He quickly checked his communicator watch- ten seconds left!
There was no time! He didn't even know where Rouge was. He couldn't use Chaos Control if he didn't know the destination…
"The Chaos Emerald!" He exclaimed suddenly. His sharp senses homed in on its energy, and he disappeared- knowing how dangerous it could be to warp out without preparation. He might not reappear. But Shadow wasn't thinking clearly…
Meanwhile, in the military base, Rouge was resigned to her fate. Suddenly, however, a green glow appeared in the corner of the room. Rouge had barely enough time to exclaim "Wha-?" before a black and red missile knocked her off her feet. Within a quarter of a second, Rouge, Shadow and the Chaos Emerald were gone, as if they had never been there at all.
The timer read 0:00…
To be continued….
Next: Did Shade Phoenix and Sonic get off the island in time?
If not, who will stop Robotnik when he proclaims his new empire?
Sonic Adventure 2 adaptation- part 6:
"An Eclipse of the Moon"