Mechanical Monstrosity
Chapter 5: Deep Injuries
I am darkness. Absolute, pure midnight. I have only one function: the destruction of all inferior beings, to secure my place as the superior creation. My anger and fury serve as my weapons, and my rage can bend space and time to my will. The evil within me cannot be stopped. One cannot befriend my kind. I am cold unlife, an instrument of death and suffering, made for the sole purpose of the murder and conquest of all before me. Black is the only purity in this existence. Black absorbs all color and light. Black is darkness and death, war and despair. Black is the emptiness within my core. Black is the space where my heart does not exist. Black is anger and fear, rage and hate. Black is the mantle of my cloak, and black is the curse of all those who exist within the ultimate purity of the Chaos Wraith's black shadow.
The 'Wraith's Lament', removed from the mainframe of Mecha Sonic's 'Chaos Wraith' programming and transferred to the Temple of Shadows, on the Dark Templar home world of Shakuras.
*****
The scent was growing stronger... yes, something was definitely close! The lead Zergling leapt forward with a sudden outburst of speed, young and eager to attack the lone prey. That was its last thought, though, as a sudden blur of blue energy slashed it in half, even as it leaped towards the spiny blue head of its intended victim. Sonic immediately deactivated his warp blade, transferring the power to the shields that had been inserted to his golden armor, and rolled into a ball, becoming a spinning blue wheel of light.
"SONIC SPIN!" Sonic yelled out from the glowing sapphire sphere, and he blasted through the horde, sending a large number of the leaping monsters flying into the air, and just plowing a hole right through the larger populace. Chaos reigned among the smaller form of Zerg, but that was only the first phase. With a laugh of success, he thumbed a trigger on his arm-mounted blade. Following that move, a series of blue explosions rocked the clustered swarm, as several hidden scarab drones destabilized their powerful electromagnetic fields, sending gigantic waves of energy throughout the area.
*****
Deep in the aquatic ruins that he had recently plummeted into, Mecha Sonic slowly came back to consciousness, shaking his head in confusion and disorientation. "What. where. am. I." Holding his maimed arm, grimacing with pain, he began to kick up towards the surface, slowly making his way to the life-giving oxygen that would fuel his auxiliary core to power again. "Why. was. I. spared. release." The blue machination clumsily broke the water's roof, struggling to reach dry land and taking in precious air.
As the heavily-damaged cyber-warrior dragged up onto the shoreline, his eyes glowing with concentration, he began to recollect his recent memories. Right. the Chaos Wraith. my arm. the Emerald. I sent it away from this evil shell. he must still be weak from the attack. must finish it! With those thoughts, Mecha Sonic reached towards his unhurt wrist, grunting and wincing in agonizing pain as he forced his scrapped arm to make the small motions it would take to open his final release.
Slowly. just take it slowly. there! Mecha Sonic smiled, in spite of himself, as his bloodied hand contacted his shining wrist. Now. just work the fingers. carefully. The slender steel digits worked along the wrist plate, seeking and searching with the caution of experience. There. found it. now, just push and lift. The robot's wrist plate opened, revealing an array of buttons and warning signs. Now, if I can just. push... aaaggghhhhh!!
*****
With a grin of satisfaction, Sonic sped back through the decimated attackers, reaching the refugee Mobians in short time. Manic and Sonia, still gripping their own weapons uneasily, waved at their brother. Manic gave a high five as Sonic ground to a halt, and Sonia flipped a bang of pink hair from her attentive eyes. "Took care of 'em all!" Sonic quickly reported on his counterattack. Manic nodded, smiling with a sense of pride, and motioned for the surviving Mobians to get into the waiting Shuttles. With a shout of victory, they ran into the powered Transports.
"Hold on for just a bit, Tails!" Amy comforted the injured young fox that she loved. "We're almost home free, and you'll be fine!" Amy prepared to lift him up, when he quietly moaned, and picked himself slowly from the ground, smiling in spite of the pain. "TAILS!" Amy gasped and gently hugged him in relief and joy, and Tails feebly returned the favor, still a little dizzy from the loss of blood. "Are you able to walk?" Tails nodded and stood up, wrapping an arm around Amy's shoulder for support.
"Come on, you two. Much as I'm glad to see ya awake and all, lil bro, we can't linger here!" Amy nodded, and helped Tails towards the Shuttles. Sonic smiled, and wiped a tear from his eye, suddenly wondering once again where Sally could be.
*****
Sally Acorn locked the controls, as their descent was taking them into the area just 10 kilos east of Sonic's position. Then, with a yell, she ordered her crew to buckle up and brace for impact. Sandra Vixen, Sonar Spine, Rotor Walrus and Bunnie Rabbot all activated their plasma shields and held on tight to the specialized braces that had been set for crashes. Then, with a lurch and a shimmer of energy, the Observer craft slammed into Mobian soil, thankfully missing the trees and spending the bulk of its shields on the ground. It skidded along the ground for a while, eventually stopping with a sudden jolt. The rear hatch opened, and warning lights flared on.
Sally and Sonar were the first to spring out, pulling out their specialized rifles, each loaded with a fair quantity of photon charges. They gestured a 'clear' sign, and Rotor and Bunnie jumped out, armed with high-power A/M missile launchers. They began to move out, when Sonar yelled something. the others couldn't tell, as the crash noise had temporarily deafened them. Sally turned, and let out a gasp of horror. Sandra Vixen was slumped in her seat, her jet-black fur losing its brilliant luster. Blood trickled from a wound on the back of her head.
Before Sally could move in to help her, Sonar shouted out his grief, and sped forwards, suddenly going too fast for the others to notice. Sally, however, was too worried and concerned to be surprised, and rushed behind Sonar, pulling out the former marines even as the Observer was engulfed in the white-and-blue flames of Protoss energy. Sonar laid Sandra down on the soft bed of the Mobian grass, which had grown quite profusely in the soothing heat of the latent psionic energies that had spewed from the obliterated spacecraft.
Sally quietly uttered a prayer to her ancestors, as Sonar checked the stunned vixen's pulse rate. It was faint. the aspiring warrior was fading from the plane of mortal existence. Sonar wept openly, for the first time in his life, feeling helplessness and sorrow creep into his soul as Sandra Vixen's life force drained away. But suddenly, a mystical blue aura surrounded the dying peace-keeper, and with a sigh, a winged figure appeared above Sonar's fallen friend, an entity made of the same pure light that powered the Protoss' psionic machinery.
"I. remember now. so many years ago." Sandra's crushed form whispered. Sonar smiled and strained his ears, trying to hear her last words. "So long ago. before the time of Robotnik. before the Robot Wars. I was young and happy. me and my mate. we lived peacefully. no thoughts of war. of battle. of death." She grimaced and coughed, but continued on. "We had been blessed. a young cub. my only light. before a shadow fell. it attacked. death was everywhere." Her eyes began to dim, and Sonar began to worry again.
"Sandra. please, save your strength." Sonar pleaded, but Sandra smiled and shook her head, continuing her memories. Her strength didn't seem to fall, as if she was willing herself to finish this last tale.
"There was a figure, surrounded in light. our elder, the wisest of us. I asked her to take my child. we were hunted down. the shadow found us. it killed everyone. a dark flame. I was thrown back. fiery pain in my head." Sandra screamed, as if a great pain had entered her head. "It was all black. I couldn't remember. I am Sandra Vixen. no. Sandra. Prower." That was her last breath. With a sigh, and a calm smile, Sandra Prower, mother of Miles 'Tails' Prower, spent her last life.
"Sonar, do not feel sad for me." A voice entered the sobbing hedgehog's head, and he looked up, seeing a beautiful vixen, clad in a flowing white dress, and hovering with wings of golden light. "You are my true friend, and I know you will honor my memories and dreams. Help Sally and Sonic defeat the darkness that threatens our home, and defend those who cannot protect themselves!" Sonar nodded, no longer crying, but solemnly nodding, and eventually smiling at the heavenly spirit.
"Sally. protect my son. keep Miles from the darkness, and guide him along the path of light. but also, give him something. a memory, which I hid many years ago. it is within your home, encrusted in the 'Star of Mobius'!" Sally nodded, bowing in silence to the soul of Sandra Prower as it prepared to leave. "My strength is with all of you! We are not diminished, but stronger and more determined! Defeat the darkness, for the fate of the universe!" And with those final words, the angel glowed with blue energy, then seemed to burst into supernatural light, fading away to a higher plane of existence.
*****
"AWWWW!!! Isn't that touching?" A dark voice leered in the caverns beneath the solemn survivors of the near-fatal crash landing. It laughed quietly for a bit, enjoying its own dark humor and feeling of power, until a second voice cut into its tirade, softer, and yet grievous and clear. "Sandra Prower. a dark flame. YOU SADISTIC MONSTER!!" A sudden, muffled shout rang out, as a hardened-steel shell impacted into the side of the darkened catacomb.
*****
Sally and Sonar stood alone for a while, in their minds swearing to honor their friend's spirit by fulfilling her wishes. However, the ground suddenly shook underneath them, and loud voices could be heard underneath the Mobian soil. One was unmistakenably evil, a purely tainted tone that seemed to radiate murder and power. The other was remarkably familiar, to the keen ears of Bunnie Rabbot, who bolted upwards silently and whispered to the others, with an excited, scared look in her eyes.
Sally's eyes widened with terror for a mere second, then she responded, quickly, coolly and with an urgent tone behind her quiet voice. "Sonar, Rotor, you two get Sandra. We aren't leaving her behind. Bunnie, run ahead and tell the others to get moving, and fast!" They all rushed to do their tasks, knowing that it was only a matter of time before their enemy would regain his balance.
*****
Underneath the feet of the retreating fighters, the battle raged on, as the figure smashed from surface to surface, not taking on any damage, but threatening to bring down the mountain itself. The sinister voice picked up again, suddenly apprehensive. "Heh, not that I'm worried or anything, but I think we're getting a little too rough." The other voice, which had a cocky ring to it, replied simply, with just a shadow of grim determination in its tone. "Aw, come on! What's a little fun to you? We'll bring the roof down, just you 'n me!" Another hit into the cavern wall sent a more violent tremor throughout the outside surface, from the thick, sturdy stone base, to the frost-smitten tip of the colossal peak.
Now the evil combatant's voice returned, with a more menacing undertone. "Really! I must insist that we stop. Don't YOU agree?" The formerly arrogant voice returned, but it was no longer as insolent as it had been. However, it became more determined, with little sign of the searing pain that was tearing through its mind, and still made light of the situation. "No pain, no gain, brother! But if it's the dark you're afraid of, I might be able to lend you a little night light." The dark speaker roared in anger, then screamed in pain as a massive explosion of blue energy blasted the catacombs, rocking it with the force of a nuclear warhead, and literally collapsing the entire mountain range down on them.
*****
Sonic's eyes darted over to the muffled blast, and watched in fascination and anxiety as the entire Hill Top region caved down to the ground. Huge seismic powers were unleashed, sending tremors throughout the Emerald Hills and the fabled Mystic Caves. The Knothole refugees were scared, just short of panicking, but Amy was quick to realize the situation. "EVERYONE!! Get to the shuttles, but stay calm! We don't want anyone to hurt themselves!" This galvanized the civilians into action, every one of them running for the safety of the Protoss Shuttles. All but two of them.
The former double agent Cyrus stayed behind, helping Amy lift Tails as the Mobian Resistance leaders began to move out themselves. "Just another quiet day in Knothole! We'll wait for you, Sonic!" Sonic waved off the true-hearted ally, and then acknowledged the other civilian. He was surprised, for once. it was Shadow the Hedgehog, one of his long-time enemies! Sonic walked over to him warily, feeling quite untrusting of his cunning and unpredictable rival, one who had formerly been a close cousin to him. Shadow saw this and shrugged, an arrogant grin working its way on his face.
"Well, cuz, looks like it's the end of Mobius again!" Shadow yelled to his former enemy, and Sonic was caught off guard. there was no sarcasm in his tone. Shadow laughed half-heartedly and crossed his arms, almost smiling. "This time, I'm not goin' out on the wrong side! Sign me up, cousin!" Sonic smiled himself, knowing that Shadow was sincere this time. slowly, their list of allies was growing.
"Right, you're in! You still got the speed?" Sonic asked his kin, more to annoy him than anything. Shadow laughed and held his hands up. On each finger was a shining golden ring, which gave off a warm white glow. Shadow's eyes shined with energy that hadn't been there before. Sonic grinned, flicking the crackling Chaos Emerald from hand to hand, feeling some anticipation as they both got ready for their ordeal. "Don't activate till he gets loose!" Shadow nodded and cracked his knuckles, anxious to start a good fight.
"You guys aren't thinking of starting the fight without us, are you?" A voice rang out in the distance. Sonic turned and waved to Sonar, who had just broken through the last of the dense emerald-green jungles. Then, a sudden realization broke in on Sonic, as the silver blur just missed the tip of his nose. He blurred after the practically-invisible Marine, slapping him a high five as he caught up with the shining streak of speed.
"Well, where're the others?" Sonic shouted to the speeding hedgehog. Sonar stopped and pointed to the jungle he had recently exited, then his mouth went dry with fear, as a black explosion ripped upwards. The blast tore through the ground behind the retreating Resistance members, throwing Sally and the rest forwards with a powerful secondary detonation. Sonic was there instantly, catching Sally and Sandra, and noticing with a grimace of regret that the vixen was beyond help.
"Hey, bro! We gotta get moving!" Manic called to his brother. Sonic handed the body of Sandra to Sonar, who quickly moved her to the transport. Shadow, Sonic and Sonar then tensed up, preparing themselves for their ordeal. It wasn't long in coming, as a pair of red eyes flashed in the crater caused by the attack. With a laugh that sounded more like a scream, the terrible, shadowy form of the Chaos Wraith landed before them, stretching in anticipation.
"Now then, here is the deal!" The mechanical monstrosity leered at the three hedgehogs, paying particular attention to Sonic. "You, my blue- haired adversary, have something that belongs to me. give it to me, and I'll consider letting the other two live." Shadow and Sonar scowled deeply, and Sonic grimaced, tightening his grip on the Emerald. "Of course, you could try to keep it from me, and then I will have the pleasure of prying it from your broken body." Chaos Wraith then smiled, a horribly sadistic chuckle emanating from the scion of evil.
Sonic had heard enough, though, and nodded to Sonar and Shadow. With a flash of blinding light, Sonic charged up, hovering in the air as his body suddenly became the target of multiple storms. Pure electricity crashed into the hedgehog's form, empowering him with the energies of the Emerald, and Sonic then became Super Sonic. Shadow's rings glinted, and an aura of white-and-gold power surrounded the darker kin of Sonic, the intense energy melting away the ground underneath him, as well as any rocks and debris surrounding him. Sonar picked up a pair of discarded Psionic Blade arm plates, charging them to full power and readying himself to strike.
Sonic went first, transforming into an orb of golden electricity and hurtling towards Chaos Wraith with all his speed. Chaos Wraith just laughed and fired a beam of dark energy, then cursed as the hedgehog cut through the attack. Then, the sadistic monster's eyes widened in surprise as the glowing sphere seemed to multiply, catching him off guard just long enough for Sonic to surge forward. The rapidly-rolling ball of thunder collided into the hellish machine's chest, causing him to double over in the air. Sonic swerved aside upon contact, barely dodging a furious swipe from the winded shadow's metal fist. As Sonic blurred in place, avoiding each disastrously-powerful punch the angered machine threw, Sonar came in from the right. With a shout of dismay, Chaos Wraith noticed the threat too late, and yelled out in pain as the silver hedgehog struck. A pair of blue flashes slammed into the armored head of the doomsday machine, causing it to lurch forward from the force. A trickle of fluid dripped from the thick forest of black spines, the only sign that the energy daggers had inflicted any sort of damage. Before Chaos Wraith could recover, Shadow came in from below, smashing head-first into his metal-plated chin.
The power of the blow sent Chaos Wraith speeding upwards, just in time to meet Sonic, who slammed his boot in a quick kick to the evil warrior's back. With a scream borne more of hatred than pain, the dark robot plunged down to Mobius, unable to pull out of the plummet. Just as he was about to impact, the three hedgehogs simultaneously fired themselves into his shoulders and back, driving him through a grand mountain before lurching to a stop. Acting quickly, Super Sonic grabbed his allies' arms and bolted out of the deep tunnel that their impact had created, and quickly deposited them upwards in the stratosphere. Then, with a quick movement, he aimed his hands towards the hole, and gathered energy for an attack.
*****
Chaos Wraith groaned and picked himself up, disoriented by the attack. Then, his sensors flared with alarms and klaxons. With a cry of surprise, he looked upwards to where the power was emanating, right above his head. "The hedgehog... HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? THAT POWER LEVEL. I can't defend against it!! I MUST ESCAPE!" Suddenly he was blasting through the underground, desperate to evade the more powerful warrior. Then, before he could suppress it, another voice cut into his thoughts.
"What's this? Running from an inferior being?" The voice leered. Chaos Wraith stoically blasted on, ignoring the goading tone of his counterpart's thoughts. "Well, I guess you aren't as powerful as you thought, brother!" This struck Chaos Wraith as if he had been punched across his iron face. He snarled out his own answer aloud, continuing his escape.
"Don't you worry, brother. I have other ways to even the odds." Suddenly, the machine halted, finding itself held in place. It became engulfed in white light, before finally transforming to a deep blue. Mecha Sonic then lost no time in backtracking through the specially-made catacombs, berating his alter ego the entire time.
"First, you go and invade my body, twisting my thoughts and actions to serve your sadistic purposes!" Mecha Sonic ground out the words between his mechanical transmitters, even as his personal sensors indicated that Sonic's energy had finished building up. "Then, you attempt to destroy my rival's friends, out of cowardice and spite." About that time, Mecha Sonic reached the bottom of the tunnel-like crater where he'd landed. "And now that you know how truly weak you are, you attempt to run away from a creature you swore to kill." The bitterness and mocking tone of the blue robot's voice stung his alter ego incredibly, and inside Mecha Sonic's steel shell, a dark shadow watched in terror as the mechanical warrior blazed upwards to meet the incoming blast.
Sonic saw the blue pulse coming upwards, and judged the time to be right. With a shout, he unleashed an incredible beam of golden energy, which thundered down towards the ascending machine. With a laugh of triumph, Mecha Sonic collided with the attack, and an explosion of tremendous power actually shook Mobius, causing the very planet to tremble and shudder. A glint of smoking steel dropped from the massive energy flux, and it suddenly became as hellish as a dark sun, radiating evil energy.
"Soon, dark one. that blast weakened us just enough for me to activate my self-destruct mechanism. Now we both die!" With a scream of rage and pain, the demonic war engine, already losing a massive amount of mechanical fluids and black blood, started to blink rapidly with energy, which seemed to strike at the very soul of the evil being. Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and a black, nightmarish shadow emerged from the iron shell, barely outrunning a series of blue explosions that emitted from the destructing warrior.
"Guess. I win. demon." With a sigh of satisfaction, the neon eyes glowed brightly, then faded to black, as the obliterated form of Mecha Sonic smashed hard into the ground, bouncing with terrible force off of the cliffside. Yet, despite the destructive impact of the wrecked machination, it didn't flinch, or even grunt in pain. it didn't even feel the hard stones collide with its body. it couldn't feel anything but peace.
*****
AAAGGHHHH!!! The Chaos Wraith screamed, bereft of physical form, now traveling through the skies as a shadow, desperately making ground between itself and the deadly warriors that had obliterated its means of existence. I must find another shell. but there are none with appropriate power or thoughts. Passing over colony after colony of Zerg yielded no results for the dark force, as the Zerg were a controlled race, built as a hive mentality without personality. This planet's individual evils have all been destroyed! Mobius is no longer safe or useful. time to leave! With a shrieking cry of rage, which howled through the wind as some disturbing elemental force, the being launched itself into space, making a beeline for the next galaxy.
*****
Sonar, Sonic and Shadow landed, powering down to their original selves. Sonar discarded the Psionic Blades and walked towards the metallic remains of their enemy's enemy. An respectful silence took reign over the three hedgehog fighters, and without a word, Sonic lifted the remarkably light figure of Mecha Sonic over his shoulder, and raced towards the Shuttles. Shadow and Sonar followed close behind, carrying several parts that had been littered around the scene. Behind them, a vast sea of Ultralisks thundered towards them, bone sickles clashing like lightning as they stampeded into the gorge.
Without effort, the three hedgehogs leapt into a launching Shuttle, skidding to halt in the canopy as the bay door closed behind them. With a nod to Sally, the Freedom Fighters were off, leaving behind a confused melee of gargantuan behemoths to fight each other.
***** Several hours later, Tails returned to his quarters on the Gantrithor, flexing his mended leg with satisfaction. It had taken mere minutes for the advanced healing technologies of the Protoss to heal the wounded Mobians, and Tails had received immediate treatment, thanks to a little authoritive backing by Fenix. He talked at length with Amy, asking about the battle and their plans.
"I don't know what Tassadar plans to do. but the battle was one to remember!" Amy smiled, remembering the thrill of the danger, the feeling of maturity that protecting the wounded and defenseless had bestowed upon her, and the sadness of lost friends and near-disastrous clashes. "Chaos Wraith's gone, at least for now, and the Zerg are unable to touch us out here." Tails nodded, feeling relief and cheer that the Mobian populace was, for the moment, safe from the threat of both the Zerg and Chaos Wraith.
Sonic and Sally met them at the door, a sad smile on their faces. Tails and Amy cheerfully waved to the leaders of the Mobian Resistance, and they returned the gesture half-heartedly. "Tails, there's something you need to know." Tails was almost frightened by the tone of Sally's voice, and the young fox walked over to the couple, feeling an ominous sense of foreboding. Amy looked in Sonic's eyes, and caught the repressed sadness within their deep black centers. Without a word, she left the three alone, deciding to check on their long-time rival's condition.
*****
"What's wrong?" Tails asked, as the three Freedom Fighter leaders slowly walked through the corridors of the Gantrithor. Sonic just nodded towards a door in the hall, labeled 'Chamber of Memories'. Tails' breath caught in his throat, and his heart skipped several beats. A deep knot of pain and fear gripped his soul, as he entered the chamber, where the fallen Mobians and Protoss had been entombed. Sally and Sonic waited at the door, teary eyes glancing at each other with deep sadness and grief.
The young fox looked at the Mobians, who had been encased within imperishable caskets of some foreign wood, inlaid with the beautiful, strong Protoss metal, and decorated with countless jewels. Each had a shining sheet of Khaydarin pressed to a stone plaque below the lost soul. Tails stopped at one such shrine, passing a hand gently over the glass-like roof. The muscular build and peaceful expression of Knuckles hadn't diminished, though it had been weeks after the fading of Knuckles' spirit. Even the bristly crimson fur, and ruby-coloured shock of hair, hadn't lost any of its brilliance or luster. Closing his eyes in respect, the fox cub nodded his gratitude to the fallen hero, before moving on.
Tails came upon the fallen Chaotix next, enshrined beside each other. A flicker of surprise lit Miles' face at seeing Mighty, who had sacrificed himself within the deep tunnels of an erupting volcano, resting peacefully in an eternal dream. Then, with a gasp of terror, he saw the preserved body of Espio, still suited in his modified Protoss flight suit. "You didn't deserve this, Espio. rest well." The saddened fox cub continued deeper into the Chamber of Memories, seeing a number of familiar faces: soldiers of the Freedom Fighters, as well as civilian Mobians, many of whom had been massacred by the ravenous Zerg forces.
When Tails reached the back of the room, he gulped in anxiety and fear. The final shrine was significantly larger than the others, more decorated, with a definitive beauty about it. With deliberate hesitation, the young fox cub gathered all his courage together and walked forward, fighting back tears as he approached the magnificently-crafted deathbed. Inside, preserved in all her natural beauty, was the jet-black Sandra. Tails could not hold back any longer: he slumped down on his knees, fevered tears staining the deep-tanned fur as he mourned for the vixen. A sudden glint of sapphire blue caught his attention: with a sniff, the fox cub wiped his moist eyes, and whispered to himself the memorial inscribed on the blazing sheet of Khaydarin crystal.
"In this memorial shrine rests The pure soul of Lady Sandra Prower, Who gave her life to protect the free Of Mobius in their darkest hour."
Tails couldn't speak. he couldn't feel the tears running down his cheek. Shaking with grief and sadness, his fingers brushed across the inscription. A scream of deep, agonizing emotion ripped through the trembling mouth of Miles, and suddenly he fell aside, surrounded by an enchanting blue aura, and his consciousness escaped into a dream.
*****
Sonic rushed towards Sandra's grave, and cried out in concern when he reached the shivering fox cub. "TAILS!!" With little effort, the worried hedgehog lifted Miles, who had become lighter than air, and carried him away from the Chamber of Memories, silently listening to the whispers of his unconscious friend. Sally met them halfway in, and looked into Sonic's eyes. Instantly, she knew what to do. With natural speed and agility, she raced off through the corridors, in search of Amy, while Sonic returned his weightless companion to his quarters.
*****
Amy, unaware of Tails' plight, was watching in fascination as the Protoss worked tiredlessly on Mecha Sonic. They hadn't been able to rebuild the body: the self-destruction of Mecha Sonic had been too powerful. However, the advanced technologies employed by the remarkable race of psionics enabled them to load the iron warrior's consciousness into one of their probes. It was a small machine, outfitted with a single optical sensor, and made mobile by a small anti-grav engine. The probe had also been modified with speech transistors, to Mecha Sonic's relief.
"Why did Sonic help me?" The machine enquired, still disoriented from his near-destruction. Being created for the sole purpose of Mobian conquest, and with his memory removed, Mecha Sonic had little knowledge of true emotions, and had trouble comprehending some actions and feelings. Amy smiled and replied, understanding the robot's confusion.
"Sonic may have been your rival, but that doesn't mean he hates you." The probe stayed silent for a short time, taking in the straightforward answer. He was beginning to understand his long-time enemy, and the mechanical warrior was taking it all in like a youngster, eager for information. Amy obliged willingly, feeling a certain kinship to the wrecked android. "In fact, Sonic respects you, as he respects any of the Freedom Fighters. What you did was brave. after the things you have been through."
Mecha Sonic laughed then, a polite chuckle. "Your words are kind, Amy Rose. I only wish." A hesitation of obvious regret took the disabled warrior before he finished. ".that I had not been such a coward earlier." Amy stayed quiet, expressing her respect and gratitude for the sacrifice the iron fighter. However, their conversation was cut short, as Fenix strode into the room, close behind Tassadar. "Indeed, Mecha Sonic. your actions were incredibly brave, and worthy of recognition among the greatest of time's warriors!" Tassadar performed the Protoss sign of respect, bowing his head slightly. Fenix dismissed the technicians, and held up their work. It was of Protoss height, covered in bristly, blue-as-night fur. Silver streaks ran down the center of a vast length of dark, spiky hair, which felt both silk-soft and razor-sharp at once, coming right down to knee-height of the figure. Deep emerald eyes glittered brightly, unmoving behind narrowed eyelids. Mecha Sonic was speechless with realization, and Amy looked at the slightly trembling probe.
"What's wrong, Mecha? Who is that?" The concerned Amy Rose asked the stricken robot. Fenix smiled and nodded to the probe, which turned to Amy slowly, its sensor never leaving the prone form on the steel technician's table. Deep inside her heart, Amy could sense that the once-malevolent machine was actually weeping. Mecha Sonic was sobbing in his soul, between amazement and awe as he answered her.
"It's. me."
END
After a planet-shaking struggle against Chaos Wraith, the hedgehog cousins Sonic and Shadow, with the hedgehog Marine Sonar, prove to the evil machine that evil cannot win. In an attempt to escape, Mecha Sonic suddenly takes over, and chooses to obliterate himself than to let Chaos Wraith abuse his powers further. Elsewhere, Sandra is killed during a forced landing, and is revealed to be the mother of Tails!
Back on the Protoss flagship, Mecha Sonic's consciousness is reactivated inside a modified probe, while technicians work on a new body. Elsewhere, Tails discovers the truth about Sandra, and loses consciousness. Will Tails be able to deal with the loss of his family? What connection does the mysterious new body have with Mecha Sonic? Will the Chaos Wraith regain his strength in another galaxy? Read on in Chapter 6: Origins!
I am darkness. Absolute, pure midnight. I have only one function: the destruction of all inferior beings, to secure my place as the superior creation. My anger and fury serve as my weapons, and my rage can bend space and time to my will. The evil within me cannot be stopped. One cannot befriend my kind. I am cold unlife, an instrument of death and suffering, made for the sole purpose of the murder and conquest of all before me. Black is the only purity in this existence. Black absorbs all color and light. Black is darkness and death, war and despair. Black is the emptiness within my core. Black is the space where my heart does not exist. Black is anger and fear, rage and hate. Black is the mantle of my cloak, and black is the curse of all those who exist within the ultimate purity of the Chaos Wraith's black shadow.
The 'Wraith's Lament', removed from the mainframe of Mecha Sonic's 'Chaos Wraith' programming and transferred to the Temple of Shadows, on the Dark Templar home world of Shakuras.
*****
The scent was growing stronger... yes, something was definitely close! The lead Zergling leapt forward with a sudden outburst of speed, young and eager to attack the lone prey. That was its last thought, though, as a sudden blur of blue energy slashed it in half, even as it leaped towards the spiny blue head of its intended victim. Sonic immediately deactivated his warp blade, transferring the power to the shields that had been inserted to his golden armor, and rolled into a ball, becoming a spinning blue wheel of light.
"SONIC SPIN!" Sonic yelled out from the glowing sapphire sphere, and he blasted through the horde, sending a large number of the leaping monsters flying into the air, and just plowing a hole right through the larger populace. Chaos reigned among the smaller form of Zerg, but that was only the first phase. With a laugh of success, he thumbed a trigger on his arm-mounted blade. Following that move, a series of blue explosions rocked the clustered swarm, as several hidden scarab drones destabilized their powerful electromagnetic fields, sending gigantic waves of energy throughout the area.
*****
Deep in the aquatic ruins that he had recently plummeted into, Mecha Sonic slowly came back to consciousness, shaking his head in confusion and disorientation. "What. where. am. I." Holding his maimed arm, grimacing with pain, he began to kick up towards the surface, slowly making his way to the life-giving oxygen that would fuel his auxiliary core to power again. "Why. was. I. spared. release." The blue machination clumsily broke the water's roof, struggling to reach dry land and taking in precious air.
As the heavily-damaged cyber-warrior dragged up onto the shoreline, his eyes glowing with concentration, he began to recollect his recent memories. Right. the Chaos Wraith. my arm. the Emerald. I sent it away from this evil shell. he must still be weak from the attack. must finish it! With those thoughts, Mecha Sonic reached towards his unhurt wrist, grunting and wincing in agonizing pain as he forced his scrapped arm to make the small motions it would take to open his final release.
Slowly. just take it slowly. there! Mecha Sonic smiled, in spite of himself, as his bloodied hand contacted his shining wrist. Now. just work the fingers. carefully. The slender steel digits worked along the wrist plate, seeking and searching with the caution of experience. There. found it. now, just push and lift. The robot's wrist plate opened, revealing an array of buttons and warning signs. Now, if I can just. push... aaaggghhhhh!!
*****
With a grin of satisfaction, Sonic sped back through the decimated attackers, reaching the refugee Mobians in short time. Manic and Sonia, still gripping their own weapons uneasily, waved at their brother. Manic gave a high five as Sonic ground to a halt, and Sonia flipped a bang of pink hair from her attentive eyes. "Took care of 'em all!" Sonic quickly reported on his counterattack. Manic nodded, smiling with a sense of pride, and motioned for the surviving Mobians to get into the waiting Shuttles. With a shout of victory, they ran into the powered Transports.
"Hold on for just a bit, Tails!" Amy comforted the injured young fox that she loved. "We're almost home free, and you'll be fine!" Amy prepared to lift him up, when he quietly moaned, and picked himself slowly from the ground, smiling in spite of the pain. "TAILS!" Amy gasped and gently hugged him in relief and joy, and Tails feebly returned the favor, still a little dizzy from the loss of blood. "Are you able to walk?" Tails nodded and stood up, wrapping an arm around Amy's shoulder for support.
"Come on, you two. Much as I'm glad to see ya awake and all, lil bro, we can't linger here!" Amy nodded, and helped Tails towards the Shuttles. Sonic smiled, and wiped a tear from his eye, suddenly wondering once again where Sally could be.
*****
Sally Acorn locked the controls, as their descent was taking them into the area just 10 kilos east of Sonic's position. Then, with a yell, she ordered her crew to buckle up and brace for impact. Sandra Vixen, Sonar Spine, Rotor Walrus and Bunnie Rabbot all activated their plasma shields and held on tight to the specialized braces that had been set for crashes. Then, with a lurch and a shimmer of energy, the Observer craft slammed into Mobian soil, thankfully missing the trees and spending the bulk of its shields on the ground. It skidded along the ground for a while, eventually stopping with a sudden jolt. The rear hatch opened, and warning lights flared on.
Sally and Sonar were the first to spring out, pulling out their specialized rifles, each loaded with a fair quantity of photon charges. They gestured a 'clear' sign, and Rotor and Bunnie jumped out, armed with high-power A/M missile launchers. They began to move out, when Sonar yelled something. the others couldn't tell, as the crash noise had temporarily deafened them. Sally turned, and let out a gasp of horror. Sandra Vixen was slumped in her seat, her jet-black fur losing its brilliant luster. Blood trickled from a wound on the back of her head.
Before Sally could move in to help her, Sonar shouted out his grief, and sped forwards, suddenly going too fast for the others to notice. Sally, however, was too worried and concerned to be surprised, and rushed behind Sonar, pulling out the former marines even as the Observer was engulfed in the white-and-blue flames of Protoss energy. Sonar laid Sandra down on the soft bed of the Mobian grass, which had grown quite profusely in the soothing heat of the latent psionic energies that had spewed from the obliterated spacecraft.
Sally quietly uttered a prayer to her ancestors, as Sonar checked the stunned vixen's pulse rate. It was faint. the aspiring warrior was fading from the plane of mortal existence. Sonar wept openly, for the first time in his life, feeling helplessness and sorrow creep into his soul as Sandra Vixen's life force drained away. But suddenly, a mystical blue aura surrounded the dying peace-keeper, and with a sigh, a winged figure appeared above Sonar's fallen friend, an entity made of the same pure light that powered the Protoss' psionic machinery.
"I. remember now. so many years ago." Sandra's crushed form whispered. Sonar smiled and strained his ears, trying to hear her last words. "So long ago. before the time of Robotnik. before the Robot Wars. I was young and happy. me and my mate. we lived peacefully. no thoughts of war. of battle. of death." She grimaced and coughed, but continued on. "We had been blessed. a young cub. my only light. before a shadow fell. it attacked. death was everywhere." Her eyes began to dim, and Sonar began to worry again.
"Sandra. please, save your strength." Sonar pleaded, but Sandra smiled and shook her head, continuing her memories. Her strength didn't seem to fall, as if she was willing herself to finish this last tale.
"There was a figure, surrounded in light. our elder, the wisest of us. I asked her to take my child. we were hunted down. the shadow found us. it killed everyone. a dark flame. I was thrown back. fiery pain in my head." Sandra screamed, as if a great pain had entered her head. "It was all black. I couldn't remember. I am Sandra Vixen. no. Sandra. Prower." That was her last breath. With a sigh, and a calm smile, Sandra Prower, mother of Miles 'Tails' Prower, spent her last life.
"Sonar, do not feel sad for me." A voice entered the sobbing hedgehog's head, and he looked up, seeing a beautiful vixen, clad in a flowing white dress, and hovering with wings of golden light. "You are my true friend, and I know you will honor my memories and dreams. Help Sally and Sonic defeat the darkness that threatens our home, and defend those who cannot protect themselves!" Sonar nodded, no longer crying, but solemnly nodding, and eventually smiling at the heavenly spirit.
"Sally. protect my son. keep Miles from the darkness, and guide him along the path of light. but also, give him something. a memory, which I hid many years ago. it is within your home, encrusted in the 'Star of Mobius'!" Sally nodded, bowing in silence to the soul of Sandra Prower as it prepared to leave. "My strength is with all of you! We are not diminished, but stronger and more determined! Defeat the darkness, for the fate of the universe!" And with those final words, the angel glowed with blue energy, then seemed to burst into supernatural light, fading away to a higher plane of existence.
*****
"AWWWW!!! Isn't that touching?" A dark voice leered in the caverns beneath the solemn survivors of the near-fatal crash landing. It laughed quietly for a bit, enjoying its own dark humor and feeling of power, until a second voice cut into its tirade, softer, and yet grievous and clear. "Sandra Prower. a dark flame. YOU SADISTIC MONSTER!!" A sudden, muffled shout rang out, as a hardened-steel shell impacted into the side of the darkened catacomb.
*****
Sally and Sonar stood alone for a while, in their minds swearing to honor their friend's spirit by fulfilling her wishes. However, the ground suddenly shook underneath them, and loud voices could be heard underneath the Mobian soil. One was unmistakenably evil, a purely tainted tone that seemed to radiate murder and power. The other was remarkably familiar, to the keen ears of Bunnie Rabbot, who bolted upwards silently and whispered to the others, with an excited, scared look in her eyes.
Sally's eyes widened with terror for a mere second, then she responded, quickly, coolly and with an urgent tone behind her quiet voice. "Sonar, Rotor, you two get Sandra. We aren't leaving her behind. Bunnie, run ahead and tell the others to get moving, and fast!" They all rushed to do their tasks, knowing that it was only a matter of time before their enemy would regain his balance.
*****
Underneath the feet of the retreating fighters, the battle raged on, as the figure smashed from surface to surface, not taking on any damage, but threatening to bring down the mountain itself. The sinister voice picked up again, suddenly apprehensive. "Heh, not that I'm worried or anything, but I think we're getting a little too rough." The other voice, which had a cocky ring to it, replied simply, with just a shadow of grim determination in its tone. "Aw, come on! What's a little fun to you? We'll bring the roof down, just you 'n me!" Another hit into the cavern wall sent a more violent tremor throughout the outside surface, from the thick, sturdy stone base, to the frost-smitten tip of the colossal peak.
Now the evil combatant's voice returned, with a more menacing undertone. "Really! I must insist that we stop. Don't YOU agree?" The formerly arrogant voice returned, but it was no longer as insolent as it had been. However, it became more determined, with little sign of the searing pain that was tearing through its mind, and still made light of the situation. "No pain, no gain, brother! But if it's the dark you're afraid of, I might be able to lend you a little night light." The dark speaker roared in anger, then screamed in pain as a massive explosion of blue energy blasted the catacombs, rocking it with the force of a nuclear warhead, and literally collapsing the entire mountain range down on them.
*****
Sonic's eyes darted over to the muffled blast, and watched in fascination and anxiety as the entire Hill Top region caved down to the ground. Huge seismic powers were unleashed, sending tremors throughout the Emerald Hills and the fabled Mystic Caves. The Knothole refugees were scared, just short of panicking, but Amy was quick to realize the situation. "EVERYONE!! Get to the shuttles, but stay calm! We don't want anyone to hurt themselves!" This galvanized the civilians into action, every one of them running for the safety of the Protoss Shuttles. All but two of them.
The former double agent Cyrus stayed behind, helping Amy lift Tails as the Mobian Resistance leaders began to move out themselves. "Just another quiet day in Knothole! We'll wait for you, Sonic!" Sonic waved off the true-hearted ally, and then acknowledged the other civilian. He was surprised, for once. it was Shadow the Hedgehog, one of his long-time enemies! Sonic walked over to him warily, feeling quite untrusting of his cunning and unpredictable rival, one who had formerly been a close cousin to him. Shadow saw this and shrugged, an arrogant grin working its way on his face.
"Well, cuz, looks like it's the end of Mobius again!" Shadow yelled to his former enemy, and Sonic was caught off guard. there was no sarcasm in his tone. Shadow laughed half-heartedly and crossed his arms, almost smiling. "This time, I'm not goin' out on the wrong side! Sign me up, cousin!" Sonic smiled himself, knowing that Shadow was sincere this time. slowly, their list of allies was growing.
"Right, you're in! You still got the speed?" Sonic asked his kin, more to annoy him than anything. Shadow laughed and held his hands up. On each finger was a shining golden ring, which gave off a warm white glow. Shadow's eyes shined with energy that hadn't been there before. Sonic grinned, flicking the crackling Chaos Emerald from hand to hand, feeling some anticipation as they both got ready for their ordeal. "Don't activate till he gets loose!" Shadow nodded and cracked his knuckles, anxious to start a good fight.
"You guys aren't thinking of starting the fight without us, are you?" A voice rang out in the distance. Sonic turned and waved to Sonar, who had just broken through the last of the dense emerald-green jungles. Then, a sudden realization broke in on Sonic, as the silver blur just missed the tip of his nose. He blurred after the practically-invisible Marine, slapping him a high five as he caught up with the shining streak of speed.
"Well, where're the others?" Sonic shouted to the speeding hedgehog. Sonar stopped and pointed to the jungle he had recently exited, then his mouth went dry with fear, as a black explosion ripped upwards. The blast tore through the ground behind the retreating Resistance members, throwing Sally and the rest forwards with a powerful secondary detonation. Sonic was there instantly, catching Sally and Sandra, and noticing with a grimace of regret that the vixen was beyond help.
"Hey, bro! We gotta get moving!" Manic called to his brother. Sonic handed the body of Sandra to Sonar, who quickly moved her to the transport. Shadow, Sonic and Sonar then tensed up, preparing themselves for their ordeal. It wasn't long in coming, as a pair of red eyes flashed in the crater caused by the attack. With a laugh that sounded more like a scream, the terrible, shadowy form of the Chaos Wraith landed before them, stretching in anticipation.
"Now then, here is the deal!" The mechanical monstrosity leered at the three hedgehogs, paying particular attention to Sonic. "You, my blue- haired adversary, have something that belongs to me. give it to me, and I'll consider letting the other two live." Shadow and Sonar scowled deeply, and Sonic grimaced, tightening his grip on the Emerald. "Of course, you could try to keep it from me, and then I will have the pleasure of prying it from your broken body." Chaos Wraith then smiled, a horribly sadistic chuckle emanating from the scion of evil.
Sonic had heard enough, though, and nodded to Sonar and Shadow. With a flash of blinding light, Sonic charged up, hovering in the air as his body suddenly became the target of multiple storms. Pure electricity crashed into the hedgehog's form, empowering him with the energies of the Emerald, and Sonic then became Super Sonic. Shadow's rings glinted, and an aura of white-and-gold power surrounded the darker kin of Sonic, the intense energy melting away the ground underneath him, as well as any rocks and debris surrounding him. Sonar picked up a pair of discarded Psionic Blade arm plates, charging them to full power and readying himself to strike.
Sonic went first, transforming into an orb of golden electricity and hurtling towards Chaos Wraith with all his speed. Chaos Wraith just laughed and fired a beam of dark energy, then cursed as the hedgehog cut through the attack. Then, the sadistic monster's eyes widened in surprise as the glowing sphere seemed to multiply, catching him off guard just long enough for Sonic to surge forward. The rapidly-rolling ball of thunder collided into the hellish machine's chest, causing him to double over in the air. Sonic swerved aside upon contact, barely dodging a furious swipe from the winded shadow's metal fist. As Sonic blurred in place, avoiding each disastrously-powerful punch the angered machine threw, Sonar came in from the right. With a shout of dismay, Chaos Wraith noticed the threat too late, and yelled out in pain as the silver hedgehog struck. A pair of blue flashes slammed into the armored head of the doomsday machine, causing it to lurch forward from the force. A trickle of fluid dripped from the thick forest of black spines, the only sign that the energy daggers had inflicted any sort of damage. Before Chaos Wraith could recover, Shadow came in from below, smashing head-first into his metal-plated chin.
The power of the blow sent Chaos Wraith speeding upwards, just in time to meet Sonic, who slammed his boot in a quick kick to the evil warrior's back. With a scream borne more of hatred than pain, the dark robot plunged down to Mobius, unable to pull out of the plummet. Just as he was about to impact, the three hedgehogs simultaneously fired themselves into his shoulders and back, driving him through a grand mountain before lurching to a stop. Acting quickly, Super Sonic grabbed his allies' arms and bolted out of the deep tunnel that their impact had created, and quickly deposited them upwards in the stratosphere. Then, with a quick movement, he aimed his hands towards the hole, and gathered energy for an attack.
*****
Chaos Wraith groaned and picked himself up, disoriented by the attack. Then, his sensors flared with alarms and klaxons. With a cry of surprise, he looked upwards to where the power was emanating, right above his head. "The hedgehog... HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? THAT POWER LEVEL. I can't defend against it!! I MUST ESCAPE!" Suddenly he was blasting through the underground, desperate to evade the more powerful warrior. Then, before he could suppress it, another voice cut into his thoughts.
"What's this? Running from an inferior being?" The voice leered. Chaos Wraith stoically blasted on, ignoring the goading tone of his counterpart's thoughts. "Well, I guess you aren't as powerful as you thought, brother!" This struck Chaos Wraith as if he had been punched across his iron face. He snarled out his own answer aloud, continuing his escape.
"Don't you worry, brother. I have other ways to even the odds." Suddenly, the machine halted, finding itself held in place. It became engulfed in white light, before finally transforming to a deep blue. Mecha Sonic then lost no time in backtracking through the specially-made catacombs, berating his alter ego the entire time.
"First, you go and invade my body, twisting my thoughts and actions to serve your sadistic purposes!" Mecha Sonic ground out the words between his mechanical transmitters, even as his personal sensors indicated that Sonic's energy had finished building up. "Then, you attempt to destroy my rival's friends, out of cowardice and spite." About that time, Mecha Sonic reached the bottom of the tunnel-like crater where he'd landed. "And now that you know how truly weak you are, you attempt to run away from a creature you swore to kill." The bitterness and mocking tone of the blue robot's voice stung his alter ego incredibly, and inside Mecha Sonic's steel shell, a dark shadow watched in terror as the mechanical warrior blazed upwards to meet the incoming blast.
Sonic saw the blue pulse coming upwards, and judged the time to be right. With a shout, he unleashed an incredible beam of golden energy, which thundered down towards the ascending machine. With a laugh of triumph, Mecha Sonic collided with the attack, and an explosion of tremendous power actually shook Mobius, causing the very planet to tremble and shudder. A glint of smoking steel dropped from the massive energy flux, and it suddenly became as hellish as a dark sun, radiating evil energy.
"Soon, dark one. that blast weakened us just enough for me to activate my self-destruct mechanism. Now we both die!" With a scream of rage and pain, the demonic war engine, already losing a massive amount of mechanical fluids and black blood, started to blink rapidly with energy, which seemed to strike at the very soul of the evil being. Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and a black, nightmarish shadow emerged from the iron shell, barely outrunning a series of blue explosions that emitted from the destructing warrior.
"Guess. I win. demon." With a sigh of satisfaction, the neon eyes glowed brightly, then faded to black, as the obliterated form of Mecha Sonic smashed hard into the ground, bouncing with terrible force off of the cliffside. Yet, despite the destructive impact of the wrecked machination, it didn't flinch, or even grunt in pain. it didn't even feel the hard stones collide with its body. it couldn't feel anything but peace.
*****
AAAGGHHHH!!! The Chaos Wraith screamed, bereft of physical form, now traveling through the skies as a shadow, desperately making ground between itself and the deadly warriors that had obliterated its means of existence. I must find another shell. but there are none with appropriate power or thoughts. Passing over colony after colony of Zerg yielded no results for the dark force, as the Zerg were a controlled race, built as a hive mentality without personality. This planet's individual evils have all been destroyed! Mobius is no longer safe or useful. time to leave! With a shrieking cry of rage, which howled through the wind as some disturbing elemental force, the being launched itself into space, making a beeline for the next galaxy.
*****
Sonar, Sonic and Shadow landed, powering down to their original selves. Sonar discarded the Psionic Blades and walked towards the metallic remains of their enemy's enemy. An respectful silence took reign over the three hedgehog fighters, and without a word, Sonic lifted the remarkably light figure of Mecha Sonic over his shoulder, and raced towards the Shuttles. Shadow and Sonar followed close behind, carrying several parts that had been littered around the scene. Behind them, a vast sea of Ultralisks thundered towards them, bone sickles clashing like lightning as they stampeded into the gorge.
Without effort, the three hedgehogs leapt into a launching Shuttle, skidding to halt in the canopy as the bay door closed behind them. With a nod to Sally, the Freedom Fighters were off, leaving behind a confused melee of gargantuan behemoths to fight each other.
***** Several hours later, Tails returned to his quarters on the Gantrithor, flexing his mended leg with satisfaction. It had taken mere minutes for the advanced healing technologies of the Protoss to heal the wounded Mobians, and Tails had received immediate treatment, thanks to a little authoritive backing by Fenix. He talked at length with Amy, asking about the battle and their plans.
"I don't know what Tassadar plans to do. but the battle was one to remember!" Amy smiled, remembering the thrill of the danger, the feeling of maturity that protecting the wounded and defenseless had bestowed upon her, and the sadness of lost friends and near-disastrous clashes. "Chaos Wraith's gone, at least for now, and the Zerg are unable to touch us out here." Tails nodded, feeling relief and cheer that the Mobian populace was, for the moment, safe from the threat of both the Zerg and Chaos Wraith.
Sonic and Sally met them at the door, a sad smile on their faces. Tails and Amy cheerfully waved to the leaders of the Mobian Resistance, and they returned the gesture half-heartedly. "Tails, there's something you need to know." Tails was almost frightened by the tone of Sally's voice, and the young fox walked over to the couple, feeling an ominous sense of foreboding. Amy looked in Sonic's eyes, and caught the repressed sadness within their deep black centers. Without a word, she left the three alone, deciding to check on their long-time rival's condition.
*****
"What's wrong?" Tails asked, as the three Freedom Fighter leaders slowly walked through the corridors of the Gantrithor. Sonic just nodded towards a door in the hall, labeled 'Chamber of Memories'. Tails' breath caught in his throat, and his heart skipped several beats. A deep knot of pain and fear gripped his soul, as he entered the chamber, where the fallen Mobians and Protoss had been entombed. Sally and Sonic waited at the door, teary eyes glancing at each other with deep sadness and grief.
The young fox looked at the Mobians, who had been encased within imperishable caskets of some foreign wood, inlaid with the beautiful, strong Protoss metal, and decorated with countless jewels. Each had a shining sheet of Khaydarin pressed to a stone plaque below the lost soul. Tails stopped at one such shrine, passing a hand gently over the glass-like roof. The muscular build and peaceful expression of Knuckles hadn't diminished, though it had been weeks after the fading of Knuckles' spirit. Even the bristly crimson fur, and ruby-coloured shock of hair, hadn't lost any of its brilliance or luster. Closing his eyes in respect, the fox cub nodded his gratitude to the fallen hero, before moving on.
Tails came upon the fallen Chaotix next, enshrined beside each other. A flicker of surprise lit Miles' face at seeing Mighty, who had sacrificed himself within the deep tunnels of an erupting volcano, resting peacefully in an eternal dream. Then, with a gasp of terror, he saw the preserved body of Espio, still suited in his modified Protoss flight suit. "You didn't deserve this, Espio. rest well." The saddened fox cub continued deeper into the Chamber of Memories, seeing a number of familiar faces: soldiers of the Freedom Fighters, as well as civilian Mobians, many of whom had been massacred by the ravenous Zerg forces.
When Tails reached the back of the room, he gulped in anxiety and fear. The final shrine was significantly larger than the others, more decorated, with a definitive beauty about it. With deliberate hesitation, the young fox cub gathered all his courage together and walked forward, fighting back tears as he approached the magnificently-crafted deathbed. Inside, preserved in all her natural beauty, was the jet-black Sandra. Tails could not hold back any longer: he slumped down on his knees, fevered tears staining the deep-tanned fur as he mourned for the vixen. A sudden glint of sapphire blue caught his attention: with a sniff, the fox cub wiped his moist eyes, and whispered to himself the memorial inscribed on the blazing sheet of Khaydarin crystal.
"In this memorial shrine rests The pure soul of Lady Sandra Prower, Who gave her life to protect the free Of Mobius in their darkest hour."
Tails couldn't speak. he couldn't feel the tears running down his cheek. Shaking with grief and sadness, his fingers brushed across the inscription. A scream of deep, agonizing emotion ripped through the trembling mouth of Miles, and suddenly he fell aside, surrounded by an enchanting blue aura, and his consciousness escaped into a dream.
*****
Sonic rushed towards Sandra's grave, and cried out in concern when he reached the shivering fox cub. "TAILS!!" With little effort, the worried hedgehog lifted Miles, who had become lighter than air, and carried him away from the Chamber of Memories, silently listening to the whispers of his unconscious friend. Sally met them halfway in, and looked into Sonic's eyes. Instantly, she knew what to do. With natural speed and agility, she raced off through the corridors, in search of Amy, while Sonic returned his weightless companion to his quarters.
*****
Amy, unaware of Tails' plight, was watching in fascination as the Protoss worked tiredlessly on Mecha Sonic. They hadn't been able to rebuild the body: the self-destruction of Mecha Sonic had been too powerful. However, the advanced technologies employed by the remarkable race of psionics enabled them to load the iron warrior's consciousness into one of their probes. It was a small machine, outfitted with a single optical sensor, and made mobile by a small anti-grav engine. The probe had also been modified with speech transistors, to Mecha Sonic's relief.
"Why did Sonic help me?" The machine enquired, still disoriented from his near-destruction. Being created for the sole purpose of Mobian conquest, and with his memory removed, Mecha Sonic had little knowledge of true emotions, and had trouble comprehending some actions and feelings. Amy smiled and replied, understanding the robot's confusion.
"Sonic may have been your rival, but that doesn't mean he hates you." The probe stayed silent for a short time, taking in the straightforward answer. He was beginning to understand his long-time enemy, and the mechanical warrior was taking it all in like a youngster, eager for information. Amy obliged willingly, feeling a certain kinship to the wrecked android. "In fact, Sonic respects you, as he respects any of the Freedom Fighters. What you did was brave. after the things you have been through."
Mecha Sonic laughed then, a polite chuckle. "Your words are kind, Amy Rose. I only wish." A hesitation of obvious regret took the disabled warrior before he finished. ".that I had not been such a coward earlier." Amy stayed quiet, expressing her respect and gratitude for the sacrifice the iron fighter. However, their conversation was cut short, as Fenix strode into the room, close behind Tassadar. "Indeed, Mecha Sonic. your actions were incredibly brave, and worthy of recognition among the greatest of time's warriors!" Tassadar performed the Protoss sign of respect, bowing his head slightly. Fenix dismissed the technicians, and held up their work. It was of Protoss height, covered in bristly, blue-as-night fur. Silver streaks ran down the center of a vast length of dark, spiky hair, which felt both silk-soft and razor-sharp at once, coming right down to knee-height of the figure. Deep emerald eyes glittered brightly, unmoving behind narrowed eyelids. Mecha Sonic was speechless with realization, and Amy looked at the slightly trembling probe.
"What's wrong, Mecha? Who is that?" The concerned Amy Rose asked the stricken robot. Fenix smiled and nodded to the probe, which turned to Amy slowly, its sensor never leaving the prone form on the steel technician's table. Deep inside her heart, Amy could sense that the once-malevolent machine was actually weeping. Mecha Sonic was sobbing in his soul, between amazement and awe as he answered her.
"It's. me."
END
After a planet-shaking struggle against Chaos Wraith, the hedgehog cousins Sonic and Shadow, with the hedgehog Marine Sonar, prove to the evil machine that evil cannot win. In an attempt to escape, Mecha Sonic suddenly takes over, and chooses to obliterate himself than to let Chaos Wraith abuse his powers further. Elsewhere, Sandra is killed during a forced landing, and is revealed to be the mother of Tails!
Back on the Protoss flagship, Mecha Sonic's consciousness is reactivated inside a modified probe, while technicians work on a new body. Elsewhere, Tails discovers the truth about Sandra, and loses consciousness. Will Tails be able to deal with the loss of his family? What connection does the mysterious new body have with Mecha Sonic? Will the Chaos Wraith regain his strength in another galaxy? Read on in Chapter 6: Origins!