PROJECT: Nightmare
Chapter Five: The Meaning of Chaos
The south side of the city was in chaos. People were rushing to get out, afraid of the apocolypse. Sonic, Rouge, Amy, Tails, and Knuckles all stood pondering. Something had to be done.
"Well, maybe I could find it..." Rouge offered.
"Chances are that it's bound to a wall." Tails sighed.
Knuckles punched his fists together. "Then I can bust it loose by breaking the wall around it."
"But how would we deactivate it?" Amy wondered worriedly.
Another puzzle. Tails snapped his fingers. "Sonic, you rush it to my workshop. I'll meet you there. I think I have something that might be able to stop it."
"But what if it doesn't work?" Sonic questioned of the fox.
"Don't think about failure!" Tails pleaded. "This is our only chance!"
Sonic nodded. "Okay; let's go!" He, Rouge, and Knuckles ran into the library, while Tails started towards his workshop to get the device ready.
"What about me?" Amy asked.
Tails pointed to the train station, which was currently boarding. "Take the first train you can get on, no matter where it goes. Just get out of Station Square. One of us will come get you when it's safe."
"Okay..." Amy broke into a run. "Be careful, Tails. Good luck!" she yelled over her shoulder.
"Thanks..." he said to Amy's fading figure. "We'll need it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"It's gotta be close... AHA!" Rouge pushed aside a file cabinet to show the bomb. Time left: 3:38.
Knuckles stepped forward and smashed into four points around the bomb, knocking it out of the wall with a large chunk of the wall still attached. Time left: 3:27.
Rouge was worried. "Sonic, you'll never be able to run there in time!"
"I know..." he pulled out a yellow jewel. "That's why I don't intend to."
Rouge gasped. "The fake emerald!"
"Yep! I kept this for a reason. I just didn't know what reason until now." Sonic grinned. "See you on the flipside. Chaos Control!!"
In a flash of yellow and white, Sonic vanished from view and hurried towards the Mystic Ruins. Rouge gripped tightly onto Knuckles. "I hope he'll be alright..."
Knuckles held her close. "Me too, Rouge. Me too..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tails went on tinkering when he heard a strange beeping sound. In a flash of golden-white light, Sonic teleported in and landed on the ground. The bomb went flying.
"Ahhhh!!" Tails dove for the explosive, catching it. However, it was quite heavy for the little fox.
"Here, let me help." Sonic jumped up and grabbed on side of the wall chunk. Together they placed it on a black table underneath a type of scanner. "Hurry Tails. We've only got 3:12 left!"
"Alright, alright, hang on..." Tails unscrewed the back cover. "Okay, it's either the blue wire or the red wire that we need to cut."
"You don't know?!"
"Normally it would be the red wire, but Eggman might've reversed it. I'll have to scan it."
"Oh man..." Sonic tapped his foot rapidly. "We've got less than 3 minutes!"
"Plenty of time."
Sonic began pacing. He had never been so nervous.
"Maybe it's the white wire... that scan reads positive..."
*snip*
"AHHH! You just cut a minute off our time!"
"Will you shut up? I'm trying to concentrate!!"
"And I'm trying not to have a nervous breakdown!"
"We're not going to die, Sonic! However, the more you talk, the more I'm distracted from my work!" He set the scanner on again. "Red, or blue..."
"A minute fifteen!"
"Be quiet!"
"What are we going to do?"
"Blue scan... nearly complete..."
"1:05. Tails, are you sure?"
"Come on, come on!!"
"Scan... negative!"
"Well, what is---"
"RED ONE! IT'S THE RED ONE!"
"You sure?"
"You doubt me?!" Tails hunched over the tiny bomb.
*snip*
"Whew." And with 59 seconds left on the clock, Sonic and Tails were able to stop the bomb and take a moment to relax.
There was a shout from outside. "Guys, is everything okay?"
Knuckles. "Come on in, you two," Tails sighed. "It's safe."
Knuckles and Rouge walked inside to see Sonic and Tails sitting on the floor, sweating but smiling. "Well, I see this is a victory for you guys." Rouge smiled.
"Let's celebrate!" Sonic jumped up.
"Any excuse to party, eh Sonic?"
"That's it, Rouge."
Tails tilted his head. "Where are we going to go?"
"Tails, why don't you decide?" Knuckles suggested. "After all, it was your device that stopped the bomb."
"Yeah... but we all helped." He grinned. "If it's okay with everyone else, let's go for pizza!"
"I'm game." Sonic dashed out the door.
"Sonic, wait!"
"What, Tails?"
"We still have to go get Amy!"
".....We HAVE to?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Thank you very much, young miss!"
"Oh, it's no trouble, Mrs. Rodden." Amy waved to the elderly woman as she shut the door. "Wow... whoever would've thought that a completly random train would take me to the house of the person who had borrowed the book I as looking for?" Amy sighed happily at "Fires of Heat".
Getting it wasn't as hard as Amy thought, either. She had walked to the door and explained to the woman that she needed it for research purposes. Mrs. Rodden, as her name turned out to be, agreed to let Amy have the book, since she wasn't using it anyway. Under the condition that Amy take it back to the library for her, Mrs. Rodden would let her take it.
But, Amy thought, it didn't matter how she got it. The point was, she got it, and maybe now she could figure out that puzzle. She opened the first page. Just as she thought, another poem. " 'Creation Occurs Nightly To Renegade Outcasts' Lives'... hm, interesting." She glanced up.
The sun was setting. The trains were operational again, telling Amy that everything was calm again in Station Square. She bought a ticket and headed home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sonic tapped his foot. He was hungry; why did they have to wait for Amy? It's not like she helped any. "Tails, which train did she get on?"
"I'll tell you again Sonic; I DON'T KNOW. I just told her to take the first train, no matter where it went."
Rouge looked around. "I think she took the train that's pulling in now."
Sonic looked up to where Rouge was pointing. "Where did that was go?"
"Doesn't matter, because she's on it!"
"What? Oh, thank God she's okay." Sonic exhaled. One less thing for him to worry about.
Amy jumped off, looking ever cheerful and peppy. "Hi guys! Tails, I found it!"
"You did?" The excitement in the boy's voice was ever present.
"Uh huh. I found the fourth book!" Amy showed it to him for proof. "The train I was on took me to Sand Hill, which happened to be where Angela Rodden lived, the woman who borrowed my book! Neat, huh?"
"Yeah..." Tails gave it back. "That's great."
"Uh, we were just heading out for some pizza to celebrate." Sonic explained. "We were waiting for you."
"You were? Oh Sonic, you're so nice!" She gathered him up in a hug. "Are we going to Papi's?"
He pulled away and looked down at her. "I wouldn't go anywhere else."
Five happy and hungry faces walked down to steps of the train station, ready for a hearty meal out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In the parlour, they were seated Knuckles-Rouge-Amy on one side, with Amy near the window, and Sonic-Tails on the other. Sonic and Knuckles were hoping they could chat more about this Nightmare creature, but before any business could be laid on the table, they had to decide what toppings to lay on the pizza.
"Pepperoni!"
"No, extra cheese!"
"Just lay on the meat for me."
"Supreme, duh! There's no other way to have it!"
"APPLESAUCE!!"
All four turned to stare at Tails. "Applesauce?!"
Tails crossed his arms and glared. "Don't trash it 'till you try it."
"CHEESE!"
"C'mon, feed the carnivore!"
The waiter stood there, calmly holding his pad and pen while the five bickered. "...Perhaps I should give you a few more minutes." He walked away.
"I... want... cheese!" Amy was practically standing.
"Oh c'mon. The pizza is better when it's red, like me! PEPPERONI!" Knuckles shouted.
"Food tastes batter when it's pleasing to the eye." Rouge nodded. "The supreme style is full of color!"
Sonic stared at the wall dreamily. "Just load it with sausage and you'll have one happy hedgehog."
Tails shook his head. "You idiots. I'm telling you, applesauce is the way to go!"
"Sorry, sir fox," the waiter explained from a few tables over, "Applesauce is not on our topping menu."
"That's okay; I brought my own!" He happily pulled out a little jar.
The waiter, whose tag read "Bob", sighed. "May I make a suggestion?"
"YES!" Five voices shouted.
Bob cleared his throat. "Why not order a super-size plain cheese, and take a bowl of your personal toppings from the salad bar?"
They exchanged glances. Yeah, that would work. They placed the order and got up - except for Tails, of course. He had his own topping.
"So Tails, tell me..." Sonic asked as he slid back into the booth, "WHY do you carry around a jar of applesauce?"
Tails shrugged and picked up a spoon. "Even mechanics get the munchies."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After the warm, steamy meal had arrived and was eaten, they began their serious talk: their talk of their worst Nightmare.
"So..." Sonic asked of Knuckles, "You said he was headed for White Island?"
"That's the train I saw him get on."
"Hm. Then I've got to go there somehow, and stop whatever Buttnik might be up to."
"It won't be that easy."
Sonic looked up at Rouge. "What makes you say that?"
Rouge sighed, a serious expression on her face. "There's no way to prove that Robotnik has any play in this. Nightmare - as least from what I could tell - was working by his own will when we fought. There was no mention of a doctor, or an Eggman..."
"You... fought him?"
She nodded. "I thought it was Shadow. He then accused me of being crazy, and did this... attack..."
"Chaos Spear?"
"No... it was something different. Stronger. I... I don't remember what he said..." She held her head.
"Oh..." Sonic knew not to push Rouge any further. "Well thanks. I'll remember that."
"Now what?" Tails wanted to know. "What's our next move going to be?"
"That's easy," Sonic decided. "I'm going after Nightmare. Whether he's with Eggman or not, he's still a threat."
"But Sonic..." Amy whined, "What about my books?"
"What about them?"
"I went through all this trouble to look for them, and I want to study them."
"Fine. You go study; we'll plan our next move."
"But I want to help you guys!!"
Knuckles reached across the table and placed his hand on Sonic's arm. "Let's look at them, Sonic. I'm curious to check them out myself."
Sonic sighed. "Alright. We'll spend a little time over your books, but then our main focus is taking care of Nightmare."
"Yay! Arigato, Sonikku!!"
Sonic could only sigh again. While the nickname "Sonikku" did irk him to no end... for some reason, he suddenly found it kinda cute. Shrugging it off, he stood up to let Tails out. "Let's get going, guys."
They started on the walk towards Amy's apartment. Rouge and Knuckles lagged behind a bit, arm-im-arm, chatting between themselves. "So Knux," Rouge had to wonder, "Why do you want to see Amy's books?"
"I just want to see something."
"Like what?"
"Well... there are tales of Four Elemental Scrolls existing in this world, and they're suppossed to reveal a guide to the origin of my destiny. You know, why I was chosen to be Guardian, and whatnot."
"I see... and you think that these books might be the Scrolls?"
"It's an exciting thought, but I'm not trying to get my hopes up. I just want to see."
"Hm..."
For a few moments, they walked on in silence, straying a few feet behind the rest of the group. In an attempt to start another conversation, Knuckles cleared his throat and asked, "So Rouge, did you learn anything interesting today?" (Oh my God, what a stupid question!)
Rouge, to his surprise, smiled. "Actually, yes. I learned that there are three meanings to chaos. There's chaos as in the Emeralds, chaos as in panic, and chaos as in ordering pizza with friends."
Chapter Five: The Meaning of Chaos
The south side of the city was in chaos. People were rushing to get out, afraid of the apocolypse. Sonic, Rouge, Amy, Tails, and Knuckles all stood pondering. Something had to be done.
"Well, maybe I could find it..." Rouge offered.
"Chances are that it's bound to a wall." Tails sighed.
Knuckles punched his fists together. "Then I can bust it loose by breaking the wall around it."
"But how would we deactivate it?" Amy wondered worriedly.
Another puzzle. Tails snapped his fingers. "Sonic, you rush it to my workshop. I'll meet you there. I think I have something that might be able to stop it."
"But what if it doesn't work?" Sonic questioned of the fox.
"Don't think about failure!" Tails pleaded. "This is our only chance!"
Sonic nodded. "Okay; let's go!" He, Rouge, and Knuckles ran into the library, while Tails started towards his workshop to get the device ready.
"What about me?" Amy asked.
Tails pointed to the train station, which was currently boarding. "Take the first train you can get on, no matter where it goes. Just get out of Station Square. One of us will come get you when it's safe."
"Okay..." Amy broke into a run. "Be careful, Tails. Good luck!" she yelled over her shoulder.
"Thanks..." he said to Amy's fading figure. "We'll need it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"It's gotta be close... AHA!" Rouge pushed aside a file cabinet to show the bomb. Time left: 3:38.
Knuckles stepped forward and smashed into four points around the bomb, knocking it out of the wall with a large chunk of the wall still attached. Time left: 3:27.
Rouge was worried. "Sonic, you'll never be able to run there in time!"
"I know..." he pulled out a yellow jewel. "That's why I don't intend to."
Rouge gasped. "The fake emerald!"
"Yep! I kept this for a reason. I just didn't know what reason until now." Sonic grinned. "See you on the flipside. Chaos Control!!"
In a flash of yellow and white, Sonic vanished from view and hurried towards the Mystic Ruins. Rouge gripped tightly onto Knuckles. "I hope he'll be alright..."
Knuckles held her close. "Me too, Rouge. Me too..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tails went on tinkering when he heard a strange beeping sound. In a flash of golden-white light, Sonic teleported in and landed on the ground. The bomb went flying.
"Ahhhh!!" Tails dove for the explosive, catching it. However, it was quite heavy for the little fox.
"Here, let me help." Sonic jumped up and grabbed on side of the wall chunk. Together they placed it on a black table underneath a type of scanner. "Hurry Tails. We've only got 3:12 left!"
"Alright, alright, hang on..." Tails unscrewed the back cover. "Okay, it's either the blue wire or the red wire that we need to cut."
"You don't know?!"
"Normally it would be the red wire, but Eggman might've reversed it. I'll have to scan it."
"Oh man..." Sonic tapped his foot rapidly. "We've got less than 3 minutes!"
"Plenty of time."
Sonic began pacing. He had never been so nervous.
"Maybe it's the white wire... that scan reads positive..."
*snip*
"AHHH! You just cut a minute off our time!"
"Will you shut up? I'm trying to concentrate!!"
"And I'm trying not to have a nervous breakdown!"
"We're not going to die, Sonic! However, the more you talk, the more I'm distracted from my work!" He set the scanner on again. "Red, or blue..."
"A minute fifteen!"
"Be quiet!"
"What are we going to do?"
"Blue scan... nearly complete..."
"1:05. Tails, are you sure?"
"Come on, come on!!"
"Scan... negative!"
"Well, what is---"
"RED ONE! IT'S THE RED ONE!"
"You sure?"
"You doubt me?!" Tails hunched over the tiny bomb.
*snip*
"Whew." And with 59 seconds left on the clock, Sonic and Tails were able to stop the bomb and take a moment to relax.
There was a shout from outside. "Guys, is everything okay?"
Knuckles. "Come on in, you two," Tails sighed. "It's safe."
Knuckles and Rouge walked inside to see Sonic and Tails sitting on the floor, sweating but smiling. "Well, I see this is a victory for you guys." Rouge smiled.
"Let's celebrate!" Sonic jumped up.
"Any excuse to party, eh Sonic?"
"That's it, Rouge."
Tails tilted his head. "Where are we going to go?"
"Tails, why don't you decide?" Knuckles suggested. "After all, it was your device that stopped the bomb."
"Yeah... but we all helped." He grinned. "If it's okay with everyone else, let's go for pizza!"
"I'm game." Sonic dashed out the door.
"Sonic, wait!"
"What, Tails?"
"We still have to go get Amy!"
".....We HAVE to?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Thank you very much, young miss!"
"Oh, it's no trouble, Mrs. Rodden." Amy waved to the elderly woman as she shut the door. "Wow... whoever would've thought that a completly random train would take me to the house of the person who had borrowed the book I as looking for?" Amy sighed happily at "Fires of Heat".
Getting it wasn't as hard as Amy thought, either. She had walked to the door and explained to the woman that she needed it for research purposes. Mrs. Rodden, as her name turned out to be, agreed to let Amy have the book, since she wasn't using it anyway. Under the condition that Amy take it back to the library for her, Mrs. Rodden would let her take it.
But, Amy thought, it didn't matter how she got it. The point was, she got it, and maybe now she could figure out that puzzle. She opened the first page. Just as she thought, another poem. " 'Creation Occurs Nightly To Renegade Outcasts' Lives'... hm, interesting." She glanced up.
The sun was setting. The trains were operational again, telling Amy that everything was calm again in Station Square. She bought a ticket and headed home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sonic tapped his foot. He was hungry; why did they have to wait for Amy? It's not like she helped any. "Tails, which train did she get on?"
"I'll tell you again Sonic; I DON'T KNOW. I just told her to take the first train, no matter where it went."
Rouge looked around. "I think she took the train that's pulling in now."
Sonic looked up to where Rouge was pointing. "Where did that was go?"
"Doesn't matter, because she's on it!"
"What? Oh, thank God she's okay." Sonic exhaled. One less thing for him to worry about.
Amy jumped off, looking ever cheerful and peppy. "Hi guys! Tails, I found it!"
"You did?" The excitement in the boy's voice was ever present.
"Uh huh. I found the fourth book!" Amy showed it to him for proof. "The train I was on took me to Sand Hill, which happened to be where Angela Rodden lived, the woman who borrowed my book! Neat, huh?"
"Yeah..." Tails gave it back. "That's great."
"Uh, we were just heading out for some pizza to celebrate." Sonic explained. "We were waiting for you."
"You were? Oh Sonic, you're so nice!" She gathered him up in a hug. "Are we going to Papi's?"
He pulled away and looked down at her. "I wouldn't go anywhere else."
Five happy and hungry faces walked down to steps of the train station, ready for a hearty meal out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In the parlour, they were seated Knuckles-Rouge-Amy on one side, with Amy near the window, and Sonic-Tails on the other. Sonic and Knuckles were hoping they could chat more about this Nightmare creature, but before any business could be laid on the table, they had to decide what toppings to lay on the pizza.
"Pepperoni!"
"No, extra cheese!"
"Just lay on the meat for me."
"Supreme, duh! There's no other way to have it!"
"APPLESAUCE!!"
All four turned to stare at Tails. "Applesauce?!"
Tails crossed his arms and glared. "Don't trash it 'till you try it."
"CHEESE!"
"C'mon, feed the carnivore!"
The waiter stood there, calmly holding his pad and pen while the five bickered. "...Perhaps I should give you a few more minutes." He walked away.
"I... want... cheese!" Amy was practically standing.
"Oh c'mon. The pizza is better when it's red, like me! PEPPERONI!" Knuckles shouted.
"Food tastes batter when it's pleasing to the eye." Rouge nodded. "The supreme style is full of color!"
Sonic stared at the wall dreamily. "Just load it with sausage and you'll have one happy hedgehog."
Tails shook his head. "You idiots. I'm telling you, applesauce is the way to go!"
"Sorry, sir fox," the waiter explained from a few tables over, "Applesauce is not on our topping menu."
"That's okay; I brought my own!" He happily pulled out a little jar.
The waiter, whose tag read "Bob", sighed. "May I make a suggestion?"
"YES!" Five voices shouted.
Bob cleared his throat. "Why not order a super-size plain cheese, and take a bowl of your personal toppings from the salad bar?"
They exchanged glances. Yeah, that would work. They placed the order and got up - except for Tails, of course. He had his own topping.
"So Tails, tell me..." Sonic asked as he slid back into the booth, "WHY do you carry around a jar of applesauce?"
Tails shrugged and picked up a spoon. "Even mechanics get the munchies."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After the warm, steamy meal had arrived and was eaten, they began their serious talk: their talk of their worst Nightmare.
"So..." Sonic asked of Knuckles, "You said he was headed for White Island?"
"That's the train I saw him get on."
"Hm. Then I've got to go there somehow, and stop whatever Buttnik might be up to."
"It won't be that easy."
Sonic looked up at Rouge. "What makes you say that?"
Rouge sighed, a serious expression on her face. "There's no way to prove that Robotnik has any play in this. Nightmare - as least from what I could tell - was working by his own will when we fought. There was no mention of a doctor, or an Eggman..."
"You... fought him?"
She nodded. "I thought it was Shadow. He then accused me of being crazy, and did this... attack..."
"Chaos Spear?"
"No... it was something different. Stronger. I... I don't remember what he said..." She held her head.
"Oh..." Sonic knew not to push Rouge any further. "Well thanks. I'll remember that."
"Now what?" Tails wanted to know. "What's our next move going to be?"
"That's easy," Sonic decided. "I'm going after Nightmare. Whether he's with Eggman or not, he's still a threat."
"But Sonic..." Amy whined, "What about my books?"
"What about them?"
"I went through all this trouble to look for them, and I want to study them."
"Fine. You go study; we'll plan our next move."
"But I want to help you guys!!"
Knuckles reached across the table and placed his hand on Sonic's arm. "Let's look at them, Sonic. I'm curious to check them out myself."
Sonic sighed. "Alright. We'll spend a little time over your books, but then our main focus is taking care of Nightmare."
"Yay! Arigato, Sonikku!!"
Sonic could only sigh again. While the nickname "Sonikku" did irk him to no end... for some reason, he suddenly found it kinda cute. Shrugging it off, he stood up to let Tails out. "Let's get going, guys."
They started on the walk towards Amy's apartment. Rouge and Knuckles lagged behind a bit, arm-im-arm, chatting between themselves. "So Knux," Rouge had to wonder, "Why do you want to see Amy's books?"
"I just want to see something."
"Like what?"
"Well... there are tales of Four Elemental Scrolls existing in this world, and they're suppossed to reveal a guide to the origin of my destiny. You know, why I was chosen to be Guardian, and whatnot."
"I see... and you think that these books might be the Scrolls?"
"It's an exciting thought, but I'm not trying to get my hopes up. I just want to see."
"Hm..."
For a few moments, they walked on in silence, straying a few feet behind the rest of the group. In an attempt to start another conversation, Knuckles cleared his throat and asked, "So Rouge, did you learn anything interesting today?" (Oh my God, what a stupid question!)
Rouge, to his surprise, smiled. "Actually, yes. I learned that there are three meanings to chaos. There's chaos as in the Emeralds, chaos as in panic, and chaos as in ordering pizza with friends."