Chapter 1 - Travel Plans
It was morning in the city of Mobotropolis, and work on the rebuilding effort had started up again. Most of the damage from the MADS' attacks had finally been removed, and the city was once again beginning to look like it once did.
Anthony, fully dressed and wearing his armor, left his house looking as if he was in a bad way. He was still somewhat haunted by the nightmare he had last night and was on his way to Vista Point to see if some meditation could help clear his mind. He walked slowly, head bowed almost in shame and not watching where he was going. As it turned out, he bumped into someone as a result.
"Sorry, about that..." Anthony said, and then noticed that the person he bumped into was someone he knew. "Oh...morning, Sonic."
"Morning, Anth..." Sonic said. It was then that both noticed the sadness in each other's voices. "Anth, you alright?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Anthony said. "But to answer your question...not really."
Sonic now began to worry. "Well...seeing as you're headed to Vista Point, why don't we go there to talk?"
"Alright," Anthony said. "You can even tell me what your problem is."
Sonic nodded, and the two walked up to the Point.
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At Vista Point, the two heroes looked down at the rebuild effort that was going on. They were silent for a few minutes until Sonic spoke up. "So...you wanna go first or shall I?"
"You first, Sonic," Anthony said. "Mine is a bit more complicated."
Sonic nodded in understanding, and then began to explain. "It's Shadow...I had a nightmare about him. Even though he probably wanted to die when he plummeted towards Mobius after defeating the Biolizard...part of me still thinks I could've saved him." Sonic sighed and then said, "Although it feels good seeing that Shadow was still alive on Ani-Earth, it still gets to me sometimes."
Anthony nodded in understanding, and then Sonic asked, "How about you, Anth?"
Anthony sighed and then said, "I'm tired, Sonic. After what happened with Lupe and those Workerbots at that factory we found, combined with what happened with Alec earlier...I can't do this anymore."
"Can't do what anymore, Anth?" Sonic asked.
"I can't be a hero..." Anthony said. "I can't stand to have to go into another battle...risk seeing more people get hurt, perhaps even killed. I've seen too many people suffer already..." He then rubbed his temple and said, "...and to make things worse I actually enjoyed this before. I played the games...read the comics and fanfiction...seen the cartoons...and enjoyed them. I enjoyed seeing the suffering of an entire people..."
"Anth...you didn't know this world was real then..." Sonic said.
"...and that's supposed to make it RIGHT?!?" Anthony snapped, and after seeing Sonic jump back in surprise then said, "I'm sorry..."
"It's alright, Anth," Sonic said, walking up and placing a paw on Anthony's shoulder. "I guess we're both still recovering from what Robotnik did..."
Anthony nodded and then said, "I just wish I could get away from all this..."
Sonic squeezed Anthony's shoulder to try to comfort him, and the two continued to watch the construction in silence, lost in their own thoughts.
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In the conference room in the palace of Mobotropolis, a large group was gathering. This group included Mario, Luigi, Peach, Link, Zelda, Megaman, Protoman, Bass, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Vegeta, Tenchi, Serena, Tai, Agumon, Spider-Man, and Gamemasters Jenna Larson, Lars Olson, and Amy Rose. Essentially, this was the entire contingent of the Heroes Council, with one member missing...
After the group had gotten settled, Sonic stood up and addressed them. "I suppose you are all wondering why I got you guys together."
"I canna guess it involves our missing member," Mario said, noting the absence of Anthony.
"It does," Sonic said. "Anth is feeling low. I think seeing that last batch of Workerbots we had to bury from that factory we shut down, combined with what happened to Alec, finally made Anth reach a breaking point."
"Can't say I blame him..." Zelda said, "but, to what extent are we talking that it required this meeting?"
"Guys..." Sonic said, looking more serious than he ever had in the past. "Anth wants out. He's sick of seeing people suffer and wants to find a way away from it."
Everyone present began to understand the situation, and Amy looked as if she was about to cry. Vegeta noticed her reaction. "Pinkie...stifle the tears!"
"YOU stifle it, Vegeta!" Jenna said. "Look...to Amy, Lars, and I, he's more than just an ally, he's family. So she has every right!" Jenna then took Amy in her arm to try and comfort her, causing Vegeta to roll his eyes.
"Look...don't get me wrong," Vegeta said. "I do understand the situation, and know how important the Accountantmaster is to you all and to Arcadia...but crying over it won't help! He needs to get a grip...and that's something we cannot help with!"
"I hate to admit it," Bass said, "but I think Veggie's right!"
"Save in one respect," Sonic said. "I think I know one way to help."
"How so?" Serena asked.
"I was thinking of taking Anth on a vacation...to Station Square in the South Islands region," Sonic said. "It's the one place on Mobius that Robotnik didn't try to take over due to the Overlander population there. Um...for the humans present, Overlander is still a term we use for humans native to Mobius."
"It's was also the place where Sonic's father set up a Freedom Fighter base," Knuckles explained. "The Overlanders there, knowing Robotnik wouldn't attack his own kind, also helped with the resistance without him knowing."
"Nice setup..." Spider-Man remarked. "So...what has Station Square become now?"
"Just THE best vacation spot on Mobius!" Sonic said. "Perfect for getting Anth out of his gloom and doom attitude."
"Do you really think it will work though?" Tenchi said. "I mean...Anthony will still see reminders of what happened to Mobius when he returns..."
"True...but at least he'll see that not all is bad on this world," Peach said. "Maybe even give him some hope..."
"Ugh...I think I'm going to be ill..." Vegeta said, disgusted.
"Yeah, that DID sound kinda Afterschool Specialy, Peach," Lars said.
"So...what do you think?" Sonic said.
"Sounds a like a plan, Sonic," Luigi said. "So...who else is a going?"
"Just myself, Anth, and Sal so far," Sonic said, then turned to Tails and Amy. "You kids want to come? I know you have friends down there..."
"Sure!" Tails and Amy said, enthusiastically.
"I think the rest of us should pass," Tai said. "Someone needs to keep an eye on Arcadia."
The rest nodded in agreement, and then Sonic said, "Alright...then I'd better get packing."
"I'll go tell Anthony, Sonic," Amy said as the group began to file out, and then ran out of the room to find Anthony.
It was morning in the city of Mobotropolis, and work on the rebuilding effort had started up again. Most of the damage from the MADS' attacks had finally been removed, and the city was once again beginning to look like it once did.
Anthony, fully dressed and wearing his armor, left his house looking as if he was in a bad way. He was still somewhat haunted by the nightmare he had last night and was on his way to Vista Point to see if some meditation could help clear his mind. He walked slowly, head bowed almost in shame and not watching where he was going. As it turned out, he bumped into someone as a result.
"Sorry, about that..." Anthony said, and then noticed that the person he bumped into was someone he knew. "Oh...morning, Sonic."
"Morning, Anth..." Sonic said. It was then that both noticed the sadness in each other's voices. "Anth, you alright?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Anthony said. "But to answer your question...not really."
Sonic now began to worry. "Well...seeing as you're headed to Vista Point, why don't we go there to talk?"
"Alright," Anthony said. "You can even tell me what your problem is."
Sonic nodded, and the two walked up to the Point.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At Vista Point, the two heroes looked down at the rebuild effort that was going on. They were silent for a few minutes until Sonic spoke up. "So...you wanna go first or shall I?"
"You first, Sonic," Anthony said. "Mine is a bit more complicated."
Sonic nodded in understanding, and then began to explain. "It's Shadow...I had a nightmare about him. Even though he probably wanted to die when he plummeted towards Mobius after defeating the Biolizard...part of me still thinks I could've saved him." Sonic sighed and then said, "Although it feels good seeing that Shadow was still alive on Ani-Earth, it still gets to me sometimes."
Anthony nodded in understanding, and then Sonic asked, "How about you, Anth?"
Anthony sighed and then said, "I'm tired, Sonic. After what happened with Lupe and those Workerbots at that factory we found, combined with what happened with Alec earlier...I can't do this anymore."
"Can't do what anymore, Anth?" Sonic asked.
"I can't be a hero..." Anthony said. "I can't stand to have to go into another battle...risk seeing more people get hurt, perhaps even killed. I've seen too many people suffer already..." He then rubbed his temple and said, "...and to make things worse I actually enjoyed this before. I played the games...read the comics and fanfiction...seen the cartoons...and enjoyed them. I enjoyed seeing the suffering of an entire people..."
"Anth...you didn't know this world was real then..." Sonic said.
"...and that's supposed to make it RIGHT?!?" Anthony snapped, and after seeing Sonic jump back in surprise then said, "I'm sorry..."
"It's alright, Anth," Sonic said, walking up and placing a paw on Anthony's shoulder. "I guess we're both still recovering from what Robotnik did..."
Anthony nodded and then said, "I just wish I could get away from all this..."
Sonic squeezed Anthony's shoulder to try to comfort him, and the two continued to watch the construction in silence, lost in their own thoughts.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the conference room in the palace of Mobotropolis, a large group was gathering. This group included Mario, Luigi, Peach, Link, Zelda, Megaman, Protoman, Bass, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Vegeta, Tenchi, Serena, Tai, Agumon, Spider-Man, and Gamemasters Jenna Larson, Lars Olson, and Amy Rose. Essentially, this was the entire contingent of the Heroes Council, with one member missing...
After the group had gotten settled, Sonic stood up and addressed them. "I suppose you are all wondering why I got you guys together."
"I canna guess it involves our missing member," Mario said, noting the absence of Anthony.
"It does," Sonic said. "Anth is feeling low. I think seeing that last batch of Workerbots we had to bury from that factory we shut down, combined with what happened to Alec, finally made Anth reach a breaking point."
"Can't say I blame him..." Zelda said, "but, to what extent are we talking that it required this meeting?"
"Guys..." Sonic said, looking more serious than he ever had in the past. "Anth wants out. He's sick of seeing people suffer and wants to find a way away from it."
Everyone present began to understand the situation, and Amy looked as if she was about to cry. Vegeta noticed her reaction. "Pinkie...stifle the tears!"
"YOU stifle it, Vegeta!" Jenna said. "Look...to Amy, Lars, and I, he's more than just an ally, he's family. So she has every right!" Jenna then took Amy in her arm to try and comfort her, causing Vegeta to roll his eyes.
"Look...don't get me wrong," Vegeta said. "I do understand the situation, and know how important the Accountantmaster is to you all and to Arcadia...but crying over it won't help! He needs to get a grip...and that's something we cannot help with!"
"I hate to admit it," Bass said, "but I think Veggie's right!"
"Save in one respect," Sonic said. "I think I know one way to help."
"How so?" Serena asked.
"I was thinking of taking Anth on a vacation...to Station Square in the South Islands region," Sonic said. "It's the one place on Mobius that Robotnik didn't try to take over due to the Overlander population there. Um...for the humans present, Overlander is still a term we use for humans native to Mobius."
"It's was also the place where Sonic's father set up a Freedom Fighter base," Knuckles explained. "The Overlanders there, knowing Robotnik wouldn't attack his own kind, also helped with the resistance without him knowing."
"Nice setup..." Spider-Man remarked. "So...what has Station Square become now?"
"Just THE best vacation spot on Mobius!" Sonic said. "Perfect for getting Anth out of his gloom and doom attitude."
"Do you really think it will work though?" Tenchi said. "I mean...Anthony will still see reminders of what happened to Mobius when he returns..."
"True...but at least he'll see that not all is bad on this world," Peach said. "Maybe even give him some hope..."
"Ugh...I think I'm going to be ill..." Vegeta said, disgusted.
"Yeah, that DID sound kinda Afterschool Specialy, Peach," Lars said.
"So...what do you think?" Sonic said.
"Sounds a like a plan, Sonic," Luigi said. "So...who else is a going?"
"Just myself, Anth, and Sal so far," Sonic said, then turned to Tails and Amy. "You kids want to come? I know you have friends down there..."
"Sure!" Tails and Amy said, enthusiastically.
"I think the rest of us should pass," Tai said. "Someone needs to keep an eye on Arcadia."
The rest nodded in agreement, and then Sonic said, "Alright...then I'd better get packing."
"I'll go tell Anthony, Sonic," Amy said as the group began to file out, and then ran out of the room to find Anthony.