Chapter 2 – Unknown Relatives
A red hedgehog stopped in a clearing and looked around. He looked pretty normal apart from some strange blue marks on his quills and head and the fact that he carried a large pole with a blade on either end. A thinking look crossed his face as he grinned.
"So they think they can stop me with that? Don't think so." he said to himself.
Just then a low humm filled the air. The hedgehog looked up as a flight of fighters shot over head.
"Hmm! They never learn!" cried the hedgehog.
He suddenly swung the pole round, hooked it into the ground and threw himself into the air. He landed in a tree and sprung backwards, landing on a higher branch. He soon landed on the top branches of the tree and, although they were thin, they still managed to support his weight. He swung the pole around his head and then behind him. He bent his knees and took up a fighting position as the fighters wheeled round at him. As they came towards him he closed his eyes. A large triangular necklace hanging round his neck started to humm. A small streak of energy started to flash across it. The hedgehog slowly and blankly opened his eyes. His gaze seemed to be fixed on mid air as he aimlessly raised his left hand. Suddenly his gaze narrowed on the fighters and he swung his hand down to his right shoulder. As he did the energy on his necklace flashed and a huge rippling field of energy shot from it in all directions. As the fighters touched it there was shimmer and they vanished from view. The hedgehog's face returned to normal and he seemed to relax. He looked at his necklace.
"You are taking longer to charge now. If I use you too much more then I might drain you completely. That wouldn't be good. I need you for later." he said with a sigh, "It looks like I'm on my own for now."
The hedgehog stretched and was about to jump down the tree when there was a 'whoosh" sound and he collapsed, falling from the tree and hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
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T2 slowly left the cover of the Drood Henge ruins and looked up at the sky. Even during the time of Mobotropolis the Great Unknown had been cloudy but now it seemed even more so. During Robotnik's reign the Freedom Fighters had had some hope. Robotnik hadn't been all powerful. He could barely keep control of Robotropolis never mind the whole of Mobius. His reign had been simply a form of survival, but now. T2 looked back at the ground.
"Now it's more like a slow death." he said softly.
"Still sad T2?" said a voice.
T2 slowly turned to see Amy walking towards him. He sighed as she approached but didn't turn away. He had seen her sad before and he felt no embarrassment in her seeing him sad.
"Hello Amy." he answered.
Amy just nodded at him and stopped beside him. T2 sighed.
"You know me too well Amy." he said.
"I do and that's why we are such good friends." she replied, "As you were saying."
T2 couldn't help but smile. Amy always did this to him.
"I don't know. It just seems like before we had a chance of victory. But now, it doesn't even seem like we have that. The Earth Alliance is so strong and it already control virtually the entire planet. Couple this with the fact they can get replacement troops anytime they want. It just seems hopeless."
"Nothing is hopeless T2."
"This sure seems like it."
"T2 do not worry about her. She's ok."
T2 looked over at Amy.
"I know she is alive." he said harshly, "But is she just alive. The very spirit of her stone is gone. I can feel its presence but it's cold, heartless and distant. It's as if all I'm feeling is a carcass. It's tormenting me."
As he spoke, T2's eyes and fists closed tightly. He gulped and struggled to hold back a tear. Amy looked at him. She was worried about Tails and Lavender but she had a feeling they were alright. T2 on the other hand had had the Power Stone link with Petya virtually ever since they met. There love had been growing ever since then and she couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have this link severed. She could no longer feel the Time Stones but she knew it wasn't the same.
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Manic sighed heavily as he shifted through some of his stuff. He hadn't been able to recover much from Knotlake before they had fled. After the attack they had all decided that the village was too hot for them to stay there. They had quickly gathered as much stuff as possibly and fled here to Drood Henge. Manic's hut had been completely demolished in the attack but he had been able to recover his board and a few personal items like his medallion and a large photo album. At present the album was empty as the picture had been taken out and stuck to the walls of the small cave he had. Most of the pictures were of Sonia and Manic had spent the first few nights at Drood Henge awake in bed staring at them. Bed? More like a blanket on the ground. He was concerned for his sister but he also knew she was very capable.
"Yo Manic! You in there." came a voice.
"Yeah come on in." replied Manic.
Manic turned to see a red echidna entering the room. It was Knuckles of course. He looked just like he always had but he wasn't. Since the Chaos Emeralds had woken him up a week ago they still hadn't expelled themselves from his body. Knuckles now carried the seven Chaos Emeralds inside himself but still remained normal. They had found out that the chaos energy produced by the emeralds was what was keeping him conscious. During his three years in the Chaos Zone his body, once very sensitive to the chaos energy, had gradually changed so that it needed the energy to survive. Knuckles now carried the Master Emerald everywhere he went.
"Hi Knux." said Manic.
"Manic. Sonic and Sally want us outside in a few minutes. They got another mission planned." replied Knuckles.
"Another?" asked Manic, "How many more failures do they want in a week?"
"At least they don't give up."
"Yeah I suppose so."
"And neither will Sonia."
Manic stopped and turned to look at Knuckles.
"What?" he said.
"Sonic and Sally don't give up and neither will Sonia. She's got a character harder than her muffins and she could take anything this military can throw at her." replied Knuckles with a smile, "Just like Bunnie can. Worry won't get you anywhere. I know I'll see her again."
Manic nodded and smiled.
"You're right." he said getting up from his seat, "Well let's get going then!"
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"Sally?! SALLY?! Where'd you go now?!" cried Sonic.
He got no reply and growled.
"Sally, get your royal butt out here NOW!" he screamed, "We have a meeting in five minutes."
"I don't care!" came a reply.
Sonic only needed this to pinpoint Sally and moments later he was at her side. Sally was sat on the ground with her back to a rock staring at her knees.
"Sally." said Sonic softly.
Sally just sigh and continued to look at her knees. Sonic sighed too. He had found her like this several times since they had fled Knotlake. Sally had been acting strangely for the last week. She was snapping at everything, going off for no reason and bursting into tears on the spur of a moment. Sonic knew what was wrong. She was totally petrified about Miles and Alicia. Sonic was worried about them too but at the moment he was more concerned about Sally.
"Sally we have to go back to Drood Henge." he said.
"Why? What good is going to come of our attacks? We haven't succeeded once." replied Sally looking up.
Her face was totally dry as a bone and not a single tear could be seen in her eye. Sonic knew it was bad now, she couldn't even cry.
"Because we have to keep hoping. We have to try and get Miles and Al…."
"Miles and Alicia are probably DEAD!" cried Sally springing to her feet.
"SALLY! Don't ever say such things!" cried Sonic totally shocked to the core.
"Why not?! It's probably true! How else would they have found out where Knotlake was? They had to find out from someone! And what use would they have for them after they had the information?!"
Sonic grabbed Sally firmly by the shoulders and starred straight at her.
"Sally! They are NOT dead! You hear me! They are NOT DEAD!" he screamed his eyes wavering.
Sally suddenly burst into tears and collapsed on his shoulder. Sonic took a few shuddering breaths as he hugged her and ran a hand through her hair.
"It's ok Sally. I'm here for you." comforted Sonic.
"Oh Sonic! This is even worst that time with the Space Station and T2." whimpered Sally.
"Hush Sal. Just be quiet."
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It was a little while later when Sally had calmed down again that the six friends stood in a circle in the middle of Drood Henge. For a moment none of them spoke. They were all lost in thought, a practice becoming more and more common in recent days. The cold wind of the Great Unknown whistled around the quiet ruins. Sally sighed.
"Something up Sal?" asked Sonic.
"What else?" replied Sally.
"Sally it's not all that bad." encouraged Knuckles.
"Yeah, come on. It'll be alright in the end." stepped in Manic.
T2 just made a grunting sound and Amy remained silent. Sally raised her head and sighed again. She blinked and her expression changed.
"You're right guys. It's just…"
"Sally we know." said Amy, "For now there is nothing we can do. Let's just concentrate on what we can do."
"And on that point." burst in Sonic, "We got something new."
"Really? What?" asked T2.
"This." replied Sonic turning and walking off.
He returned a few seconds later holding a small black box with several shredded wires sticking out of it. The box looked fairly battered and was black because of its charring rather than its colour.
"What's that?" asked Knuckles.
"This, my friends, this is an Earth Alliance communication decoder." said Sonic proudly.
"A WHAT?!" cried Manic.
Sonic smiled broadly and chuckled.
"A decoder for top secret military communication." replied Sally, "Sonic found it during his last mission."
"Well not found Sal. I stole it from a downed fighter, that I took out." put in Sonic.
"Uh huh, sure you did. After I blew its port wing of with a rocket launcher!" laughed Sally.
"Oooh I hate it when you do that." said Sonic running his hand down his face.
The rest of the group laughed. It was the first time most of them had laughed since they had left Knotlake. The general feeling of the group seemed to brighten.
"It's good to hear laughter again." said Amy.
"Yes it is." replied Knuckles with a chuckle.
"Anyway about this decoder." said T2.
"Right." said Sonic, "Well we managed to get it working again after the crash."
"Doesn't look like." said Manic.
"It overloaded a few hours after we switched it on." said Sally with a sigh.
"Well that's good." said Knuckles sarcastically.
"But…" said Sonic slowly, "…we did get something."
"Really?!" asked T2.
"Yes. The decoder was working for a couple of hours and during that time we were able to decode a number of communications. It seems that the Earth Alliance is transferring prisoners to Robotropolis and from there onto Earth." said Sally quickly.
"What?!" cried Amy totally shocked, "W…WHY?!"
"It seems that they are curious about us and want to find out as much as possible." replied Sonic.
Everyone but Sonic and Sally looked totally shocked.
"We have to do something." said T2.
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A gentle moan filled the air and a red hedgehog stirred. Slowly he propped himself up on his arms and rubbed the side of his head.
"Oh my head." he moaned.
"Haha. Why hello." said a voice.
As if his headache had been washed away, the hedgehog was on his feet in a second and glaring at the large figure in front of him. It was then that he noticed that he was in a cell with no way out.
"Who are you?" demanded the hedgehog.
The person cracked his fingers and laughed again.
"You are in no position to make demand but on this occasion I will grant it. My name is Morgan Jake. Commander of Mobius occupational forces." replied the man.
The hedgehog looked him over. Military uniform, human and a way bad aura.
"So you're Morgan then." said the hedgehog with a sneer.
"Yes. And now I finally have you caught. I was surprised when I heard it was only you who was causing me so much trouble. At least the projects at Never Lake can continue now."
"I wouldn't count on it."
Morgan grunted at the hedgehog.
"But I do. And now you are going on a little trip to my world. Once we get you there we will have a fun time with you. And that necklace of yours will prove interesting too."
The hedgehog's face suddenly changed. A flash of rage and fear shot across it.
"You dare even touch the Time Star and I'll KILL YOU!" he screamed.
"So that's what it is. Interesting." replied Morgan.
The hedgehog growled loudly and bared his teeth.
"Oh please." retorted Morgan, "Like you can do anything from in there. Even with your precious Time Star we still captured you."
"You won't get me so easily next time." replied the hedgehog.
"Really. What makes you think you will get out anyway?"
"Oh I have my ways."
The hedgehog turned and walked to the back of his cell. When he turned round Morgan was gone.
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Morgan walked into the main control room fuming.
"I will enjoy watching him dissected!" he growled.
"Sir we have a report from the Lake." said a soldier coming up and saluting.
"And?"
"Drilling has resumed and so far nothing has happened sir."
"So it was him then. Interesting. Has any progress been made on that necklace he had?"
"No sir. In fact we are having trouble approaching it. We sent in several drones to scan it and when they got within several feet they vanished."
"Vanished?"
"Yes sir…just like everything else."
"It appears that that necklace has the power to erase things. What did he call it? The Time Star. Yes....keep working. I want all the data possible on it and I want it soon."
"Yes sir."
The soldier saluted and walked off. Morgan turned to the screens.
"Have we been able to track those intruders yet?" he said.
"No sir. We are still searching."
"Well search faster! They took out six fighters and I want them caught!"
"Yes sir we will do our best."
"You'd better." growled Morgan.
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"Here Sonia drink this." said Chalk slowly.
Sonia slowly reached out and took hold of the mug Chalk handed her. She slowly took a sip and spluttered. The wound on her side stretched and she screamed. Chalk quickly took the mug from her and laid her down again.
"I've just made things worst again." she muttered to herself.
"No Chalk…ah….you are trying. Thank you." moaned Sonia.
Chalk nodded and made a small affirmative moan. After running from Knotlake, Chalk had carried Sonia for a few miles. They both sat under the shade of a small forest next to a stream. The only sounds were the bubbling of the water, the songs of birds in the trees and the occasional rustle of leaves. Chalk looked down at the mug she had taken from Sonia. Without any of their supplies, Chalk had been forced to make Sonia a drink with spring water and some dried tea leaves she had in a packet in her pocket. To say the least it probably hadn't tasted good. Her gaze wandered to Sonia. The bandages around her side and leg were so covered in blood they were virtually useless. The one round her middle was now getting redder as blood from Sonia's opened would flowed out again. Sonia had her eyes closed and was breathing in slow deep breaths. She put a hand on Sonia's.
"It'll be ok Sonia." she said slowly.
Sonia slowly opened her eyes and smiled.
"Uh huh." she replied taking a few more breaths, "I hope we find them soon."
"Me too Sonia, me too."
"But we don't even know where they are."
"We'll find them. We have to."
"But where would they go?"
"We'll just have to search Sonia. We will check out everywhere we can think of. Let's start with Never Lake. It's no more than a day's walk away."
"But you'd have to carry me there."
"I could carry you and still make it in a day. We'll leave as soon as you are feeling up to it."
"I'm ready now….ah…..one second thoughts lets give it an hour."
"Ok. One hour."
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It wasn't a normal thing for Amy to be carrying but then again she had become used to it in recent days. Mounted on her shoulder was a portable multi launch explosive rocket launcher. They had managed to steal this nice piece of hardware from a military transport that they had found. The shuttle had been abandoned but everything was still in it. Both Sally and Amy had taken a liking to this huge piece of weaponry. The others had been surprised at their choice but it had proved useful. Currently the six friends stood on a small rise a short distance from Robotropolis. Sally was looking through a set of binoculars at the city.
"Looks like the security is as tight as ever." she said.
"Tell us something we don't know." said Knuckles.
"But we have to get in. We can't let them take anyone off world. We'd never get them back." replied Amy.
"I know Aimes." answered Sonic, "We just have to get in long enough to bust everyone out."
"Easier said than done Sonic." said T2.
"Yeah but we have to try." said Sally, "Remember Amy, when we give the signal…"
"Let rip. I know the plan." interrupted Amy.
"Good lets go." ordered Sonic.
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It was a while later and Amy sat against a rock staring at the city. As she looked at the city she started to feel an odd feeling in her mind. It almost freaked her out. A sudden drowsy feeling swept over her and before she could stop herself she fell asleep. She felt herself falling. Why was this so familiar? This had happened before. Amy slowly relaxed. A moment later there was a blur and she was standing in a flower filled meadow. Amy looked around. She knew she had been here before now. She was in her mind again. It was here that she had met her parents for the first time. She glanced over to look at the part of the field her parents had been standing in. Maybe they were there again? They weren't but in their place stood a red hedgehog. As she watched, he slowly turned and walked towards her. He stopped a few feet away. There was something about this hedgehog, something different. The hedgehog bowed at her and then spoke.
"Greetings." he said.
"Hello." said Amy a bit unsure, "What's going on?"
"I know that you know this place."
"Yes I've been here before. But what are you doing in my mind?"
"I cannot explain here. It takes effort to even speak but I will say this. I need your help."
"Why?"
"I don't have time. I can feel it slipping away. Please help me. Please."
Amy watched in partial horror as the hedgehog slowly disappeared before her eyes. As he did she felt herself going up until…
Amy sat up sharply. She was back on the hill above Robotropolis. She glanced around to see that everything was just as it had been before. But something was different. Something was nagging at her mind. She quickly stood up, grabbing the rocket launcher as she went, and ran down the hill towards the city.
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"Hold up Sonic." said Sally grabbing his arm.
"What is it Sal?" he asked.
"Motion sensors. Scan please Nicole, lowest possible energy levels." replied Sally.
Nicole, Sally's hand held computer, made a few beeps. Nicole had never really been used much in the past but Sally had found her invaluable in the last week.
"Scan complete Sally." stated Nicole, "Motion sensors confirmed. Radius twenty one point six meters."
"Drat!" cursed Sally quietly under her breath, "We'll have to go round."
"But Sal! This is the only way in! We have to go this way." said Sonic.
"Sally right Sonic. We have to find another way round." said T2.
"Look you guys. I know this area well. This is the ONLY way in. I know it." insisted Sonic.
"So what do you propose?" asked Manic.
"I'm going in. Sal hand me that power shorter." said Sonic.
Sally slowly handed him a long pole like object.
"Be really careful Sonic. If those sensors detect you might not be able to get out." she said.
"Hey if I set them off call in plan B." he replied.
"Be careful." said T2.
Sonic just winked. He gripped the bar in his hand and took off around the corner. A huge metal door stood in front of him. As he approached it he noticed two small orbs stuck on a wall above the door. The sensors! He raised the bar, pressed a button on it and threw it towards the door. The sensors saw it and him and started to glow. There was a small whine and suddenly the bar suddenly erupted into life. A huge pulse of energy shot from it creating a static field that swamped both sensors. They crackled and exploded as the electronic door lock shattered and the door slid open. Sonic screeched to a halt and seconds later the rest of the group was at his side. Sonic surveyed his work.
"Not bad." he said.
"A bit slow. A couple of seconds later and those sensors would have set of every alarm and defense system in the city." said Sally.
"Hey so I'm getting a bit slow in my old age." protested Sonic.
"A bit?" asked Knuckles.
"Can it knuckle head." replied Sonic flatly.
"Ok everyone lets move. We got to get to those prisoners." said T2 leaping off into the open doorway.
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Amy raised the rocket launcher and fired. As the trigger depressed several bright sparks erupted from the rear of the launcher. A millisecond later two streaks of jet smoke were shooting away from her as two of the four rockets in the launcher shot towards their target. They hit the wall they had been fired at and blew a huge hole in it. Amy swung the launcher into a position where she could carry it and charged through the hole. She had just entered the main control building in Robotropolis. The feeling in her head had drawn her here. Alarms were going off all over now but she didn't care. She was almost there. She was almost at the centre point of the feeling. A metal door barred her way but another shot from the launcher turned it into a pile of smoking metal. Only one shot remained in the launcher now but Amy didn't seem to care. Amy raced through the door and stopped. She was in a small room with a fairly high ceiling. The room was pretty bare and looked more like a store room. It was then that she noticed the cells in the room. There weren't many of them but each cell had more defense measure than anything she had seen. Electric bars, force fields, cameras and various other security measures covered the three cells in the room. As Amy entered she could see the first two cells were empty. As she neared the last cell the feeling began to throb in her head. She slowly turned to look into the cell. Sitting on the floor was a red hedgehog.
"I was afraid you weren't going to come." he said standing up.
"Who are you?" asked Amy.
"Right now that is not important. They are coming."
Just then Amy heard voices down the corridor and the patter of boots on metal. She panicked.
"What do we do?! I can't get you out of there! What do we do?!" she cried.
"Hush child. All is in hand." replied the hedgehog.
Just then the hedgehog raised his hands and they glowed. He waved them in front of himself and a small field of energy rippled from them. As the field touched the electric bars fizzled and collapsed. Amy looked shocked.
"How?" she said.
"No time to explain. I need to get the Time Star back. Does that have anything left in it?" said the hedgehog pointing at the rocket launcher.
"Y…yes but…"
"No buts! Aim….THERE!" said the hedgehog pointing at a spot on the wall.
Amy didn't argue. She scooped the launcher up off the floor and spun at the wall. A white streak shot from it and seconds later the far wall exploded in a massive explosion. They both coughed slightly before the hedgehog grabbed Amy by the arm and pulled her through the hole. On the far side was another room filled with various pieces of scientific equipment. Several people in white lab coats lay around the floor, obviously knocked out by the explosion. On a bench top sat a small glowing triangular necklace and next to it laid a long double bladed staff. The hedgehog rushed over to them and quickly grabbed them. Fastening the necklace round his neck, he used the staff to catapult himself over Amy and into the large squad of men who had run into the room through the hole in the wall. Amy was totally stunned as she quickly took cover behind a bench.
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The small group slowly made their way along a corridor. So far they had encountered hardly any resistance apart from a few security cameras and sensors. It was stating to make Sally nervous. Surely they would have noticed them break in? What was going on? It all seemed….
"Too easy." said T2 slowly.
"You read my mind T2." replied Sally.
"It is a bit." put in Sonic.
"I have a funny feeling about this." said Knuckles almost to himself.
"Hey guys lighten up. Maybe we are just too good?" laughed Manic quietly.
"Possibly." replied Sally, "But I don't like it."
"Shh!" hissed T2.
Everyone shut up. They had stopped by a large metal door which T2 was now pressed firmly against listening. Everyone else waited.
"I can't hear anything on the other side." he said finally.
"Then it's safe to go in." said Manic.
"Not totally, remember the security measure." said Sally.
"Yeah Manic. Be a little more careful." agreed Sonic, "Knux if you would."
"My pleasure." replied the echidna.
Knuckles strode forwards and effortlessly drove his claws into the door. With a sharp tug he pulled the door upwards, breaking the lock as he did. He pulled his claws out and slowly raised the door a bit more. Sonic and T2 looked under the door.
"Looks clear." said T2.
"Got it." replied Knuckles as he pulled the door fully upwards and jammed it open.
The group walked out into the room slowly. They had to walk down a small corridor before the room opened up before them. They all stopped dead. They had made it! The room they were in was the cell block and filling the cells were at least a hundred Mobian citizens. As the group entered a number of them noticed.
"Oh my god!" cried a wolf.
"For lord sake get us out of here!" screamed a fox.
Soon the air was filled with a multitude of cries for help. The group didn't move.
"How are we going to get all of these people out of here?!" asked Sally spinning to Sonic.
"I have no idea Sal." replied Sonic.
"Simple." said Manic walking over to the nearest cell, "We just pull the levers!"
"Manic wait a second!" cried T2.
As T2 spoke Manic made a grab for the nearest cells release. As he did it gave a shimmer and his hand passed straight through it.
"Huh?!" he said.
Just them the cries of the prisoners stopped and the whole room shimmered. Suddenly there was a flash and the whole room faded from view to reveal a ring of soldiers around them. The group was so stunned they couldn't move. Even if they had moved it wouldn't have accomplished anything as two huge metal doors slammed shut over the entrance they had come in from.
"Ok freeze!" cried on of the soldiers.
"Not a chance!" screamed T2 as he raised his hand.
The power stone gave a bright pulse and a large ball of energy started to form around it. Suddenly a whine filled the air and the ball of energy in T2's hand turned black. The ball shattered and T2 was suddenly enveloped in a black light. He howled in agony as he collapsed to the floor. The others starred at T2 in horror and then glanced around again.
"Hands up….NOW!" said the soldier.
Slowly the rest of the group raised there hands.
"Sonic, plan B." whispered Sally.
"Right Sal." replied Sonic as he pressed a small button on his wrist comm whilst raising his hands.
"Inform the commander that we now have them in custody." said the same soldier again, "And you lot move it."
He motioned with his gun for them to move. Slowly the group moved off as two guards picked up T2.
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Amy slowly ducked out from behind her hiding place to see the room in chaos. Charred remains of various pieces of equipment lay around and laser blasts marked the walls. In the middle of the room stood the hedgehog surrounded by squad of guard that had entered the room. All the guards were out cold. The hedgehog turned and walked over to Amy.
"Come on we have to get out of here. More will be coming." he said taking Amy hand.
He started to pull but Amy resisted, pulling her hand away. The hedgehog turned and looked at her.
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me who you are." she said.
"I see you have not let your personality fade like your powers."
"What do you mean?! Who are you?!"
The hedgehog sighed.
"Very well, I will tell you. I am your…"
Just then a small bleeping filled the room. The hedgehog was alert in a second as he held his staff out in front of himself. Amy looked at her wrist.
"It's ok. It's just my comm unit." she said looking at her wrist.
Moments later her face went white and she gasped.
"Oh no!" she said.
"What?" asked the hedgehog.
"My friends have been capture! They are calling for me!" said Amy glancing at the empty rocket launcher on the floor.
Her eyes went wide and she clenched her fists.
"It's empty! There's no way I can do anything now!" she said slightly panicked.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that." replied the hedgehog.
"Why?!" cried Amy.
"I might be able to help. Step closer."
Nervously Amy stepped slightly closer to the strange hedgehog. The necklace round his neck suddenly started to glow. Amy made a move to step back but the hedgehog caught hold of her.
"No don't move." he said quickly, "You might get hurt. Relax."
"What do you meaaaaaargh!" said Amy as the necklace gave a final pulse.
The pair was suddenly enveloped in a huge swirling tunnel of light that went upwards towards the ceiling. The tunnel contracted together and trailed off leaving no trace of Amy or the hedgehog.
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Morgan feelings were somewhat mixed. For one he knew that somehow the hedgehog they had captured at Never Lake had escaped. How no-one knew, he seemed to have just disappeared. However on the other hand he had got himself some new prisoners now. At the moment he stood outside a large cell containing the five trespassers. Maybe it wasn't too bad.
"I knew that false information would bring you here." he said.
Knuckles growled at him.
"So this was all a setup eh!" he said.
"Yes. We knew that the decoder from the fighter was still active. They are all linked together via a central computer so we could track it easily. Circulating that information was bound to make you panic. It did by the look of things."
"You'll never get away with this!" cried Sonic.
"I very much think I will." replied Morgan looking over at Sally.
Sally was running her hand through T2's hair. He was still out cold on the floor. Sally looked up at Morgan and narrowed her eyes.
"What have you done to him?!" she asked coldly.
"Nothing much. He will not be harmed, that's the last thing I would want. I now have both sides of the coin you see." replied Morgan.
Sonic suddenly spun and starred at Sonic.
"So you do have Petya!" he cried as his rage built, "I ought to knock you out right now!"
"You wouldn't get near me. And yes I do your highness."
Everyone suddenly looked at Morgan in shock.
"Yes I know who you are. Your children have been very co-operative." continued Morgan.
"DAAAAARH!" cried Sally as she spun from T2 and flung herself at the bars.
It was a futile attack as Morgan was well out of range. She fell short, slid down the bars and started to cry. Sonic knelt down beside her and put and arm around her shoulder. Sally buried deep into his shoulder and started to sob.
"You'll never get away with this!" cried Manic snarling at Morgan.
"Oh and I suppose some power is going to stop me?" retorted Morgan with a laugh.
"Correct!" came a voice.
Suddenly there was a flash in the middle of the room and a huge tunnel of light erupted into life. All the guards nearby were flung to the sides as the tunnel disappeared to reveal Amy and a red hedgehog. The hedgehog raised a staff in front of him and spoke.
"I think you know me, yes?" he said.
"You!" cried Morgan, "Open fire!"
Morgan's call was too late as the hedgehog sprung forwards and swung his staff in a huge arc. The staff, which was about two meters long, made contact with virtually all the guards and knocked them out. As the remaining few opened fire, Morgan started to back away and Amy ran to the bars.
"We're busting you out of here." she said with a smile.
The group wasn't listening to her though. They were all glued on the hedgehog who was effortlessly dodging attacks and knocking out more soldiers. Amy was frantically trying to break the cells lock but to no avail.
"I can't break the lock!" she cried.
"Here take this." shouted the hedgehog as he spun his staff and let go off it.
The staff sailed across the room and to Amy's surprise she caught it. She looked at the staff for a moment and then back at the hedgehog.
"I don't know what to do with this!" she cried.
"Yes you do! Hurry I can't keep these guys occupied forever!" he called back.
Amy looked at the staff and then at the bars. As she did she gripped the staff harder. Without thinking she swung the staff downwards in a diagonal cut, swung the other end round and repeated the same slice in the other direction forming a large X on the bars. There was a moments silence and the cut bars fell away forming two large triangular holes in the bars. Amy looked stunned for a moment but quickly shrugged it off as the laser fire, previously aimed at the dodging hedgehog, turned towards them. Amy flattened herself to the deck as the others scrambled out of the cell. There were only about five guards left in the room now but the laser fire from them was substantial. As Sally cleared the cell she looked back to see T2 still out on the floor. Without a thought she dived back into the cell and grabbed him. As she grabbed him a crippling pain shot down her back. She screamed loudly as she fell over on top of T2, a large laser shot mark on her back.
"SALLY!" cried Sonic as she saw Sally fall.
Amy was totally distraught. That didn't just happen! It couldn't happen! She wouldn't allow it! She sprung to her feet and ran towards the guard. Why was she doing this? What would it accomplish? What would…she stopped her thoughts. They weren't important. As she neared the guards from the side she raised her right hand behind her head. As she did she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. A shimmer crossed her mind and is it did she felt a presence in her raised hand. As she got within a few feet of the first guard she swung her hand down. A flurry of energy passed over her as a bright red and yellow mallet made contact with the guards head. A new sense of understanding filled her and she spun, taking out the next guard, and then jumped into the air. The remaining three guards had noticed her now but so had the hedgehog. With a clean swipe of his recovered staff the hedgehog struck all three of the remaining guards and knocked them out. They looked at each other for a second and Amy blinked. Just then the feeling in her hand fell away. She looked down to see the mallet in her hand fading from view. She would have questioned it more but something was far more pressing now. She glanced around the room. All the guards were still out for the count but she couldn't see Morgan anywhere. She looked back at the cell to see Sonic and Manic pulling the limp form of Sally out of the cell. Amy's heart sunk as she raced over. Knuckles was carrying T2 out of the cell with a sad look on his face. When she arrived Sonic was weeping over Sally. Amy knelt down next to him.
"Sally?" she said slowly.
Slowly Sally's eyes opened. She looked at Sonic and then at Amy. She started to speak but it was labored and barely auditable.
"Ah….A…Amy….thank….you for….coming to…..rescue…us." she wheezed.
"Sally!" cried Sonic sadly.
Sally looked at him her eyes closing slightly.
"Sonic…don't…be sad. Find our…children….find them."
"Sally no!" cried Sonic as Sally's eyes shut completely, "No Sally! SALLY WAKE UP! SALLY!"
Sonic suddenly collapsed over on top of Sally and started to sob quietly. As he did a steady crackle filled the air.
"Hahaha. Do not worry your highness. You will join her shortly." came Morgan's voice over the tanoy system.
Everyone looked up at the speaker. Just then several holes opened in the ceiling and a number of large laser guns lowered from them. Seconds later they armed and aimed at the group.
"As you see I have the final move here. I was going to just keep you prisoner, but now you will just die!"
The guns suddenly started to charge, a ball of energy forming on their tip. The red hedgehog suddenly stood up and his necklace glowed.
"Like hell you have the final move! By the power of the Acolytes I will not allow you to win!" he screamed.
Amy stared at him.
"The….Acolytes!" she said to herself.
The charge on the guns continued to build the point now glowing deep red. At the same time the necklace round the hedgehog's neck glowed brighter. Both items continued to build, a large vortex of light springing up around the group.
"The Acolytes will NEVER DIE!" screamed the hedgehog as the necklace finished its charge.
The light vortex around them flashed just as the guns opened fire. The vortex flashed just as the area erupted into a huge fireball.
-----------------------------------------
On a rise far outside of Robotropolis a huge white flash filled the air. A huge tunnel of light hit the ground and faded away. There stood a small group of figures. They all took a moment to register where they were.
"What the?!" cried Manic.
"What just happened?" asked Knuckles.
The red hedgehog turned and looked at Sonic still slumped over Sally and then at T2.
"First thing is first. Stand back your majesty." he said.
Sonic looked up as the hedgehogs hands started to glow. Two balls of white light formed in his hands. Suddenly he flung one hand upwards, throwing the energy ball upwards. As it came back down he swung his hand round, hitting the ball. The energy stopped, flashed, formed into a beam and shot towards Sally. As the streak hit her, she suddenly gasped deeply and her eyes flew open. Sonic was so shocked he sat for a moment completely still before throwing his arms around Sally.
"My god Sally! I thought you were dead!" he cried.
"One more to go." said the hedgehog as he threw another streak at T2.
The twin tailed fox suddenly sprang to his feet as the Power Stone erupted into a bright yellow glow.
"What the hell is going on!" he said.
"His gaze fixed on the red hedgehog and he looked puzzled.
"Who are you?" he asked slowly.
"Good question T2." said Manic.
The five of them all looked at the hedgehog. He didn't speak, he just stood and smiled.