Chapter 2: A Journey's Beginning
"This is it...the destination I've been searching for..." The black hedgehog kneeled on a tree's branch, staring downward at a short, yet long building. It had strong cement walls and was locked tight, with it's security cameras and alarms to back that up. He knew it'd be a challenge breaking in, but it didn't worry him a bit. All the while, his mind raced...
He was in an escape tube...safe from any harm, and sure to leave the space colony before it was taken over. But Maria...she was out there...in the open...where the bullets roamed and lives were taken.
She was running as fast as she could, but with a long skirt and high heels on her feet, running fast wasn't an option. One shot was all it took, and she was leaning on a machine covered with miscellaneous buttons, covering the spot in her chest where the bullet had struck. Hard as it was, she spoke loud and clear to her companion, her friend. "Shadow...do it for them...do it for the people...give them a chance...to be happy" Maria couldn't help but cough and pant after every few words, trying her best to ignore the pain that was urging her to hit the ground.
Shadow just stared with disbelief, hands and chest leaning furiously on the glass before him, as if trying to reach beyond their solid limits. "MARIA!" He yelled with rage, and started pounding at the glass barrier which held him separate from her.
"Shadow, I know you can do it, all you have to do is believe in yourself...just.....like...I taught you..." Maria started to lean on both her knees, still clutching the spot where her wound lay. "Goodbye....Shadow....the Hedgehog..." With that, Maria closed her eyes for the last time, and rested herself on the floor, where her last moments were spent peacefully.
Before he could react, the tube in which Shadow was safely contained launched for Earth, banishing her from his future, and carving her in his memory.
But before she fell, before she said her last words and saw her last view of the life she was forced to live, Shadow saw a man. A man with a weapon. He wore black pants with a blue, long sleeved shirt. He wore shining glasses, literally covering half of his face. But Shadow would never forget what he did see, and the face of the man with the weapon would be carved in his memory forever.
On the tree he stood, eyes closed, mind racing through the treturous flashback. Out of the blue, his eyes opened at the speed of light, revealing the redness and the anger within them. "I will avenge her!" Was all he said, and he leaped off the branch with an amazing velocity, landed on the roof of the so-called 'museum', and wasted no time to plan his mission, as he sped away in a skating motion.
In the woods, a blue blur passed by what seemed like a million trees, bushes, and even a few flowers, but the bright color of roses was rare in the depths of the Mystic Ruins.
"Man! And I thought Knux was a wuss! C'mon Tails! Keep movin'! We gotta find a Chaos Emerald!" "We've been moving for hours, I'm tired!" "Tails! I haven't been tired of anything since Robuttnik gave us that lecture about all that energy and stuff!" "That was two months ago!" "Yeah! And that's a heck of a long time for THIS hedgehog!"
Surprisingly to Tails, his blue enforcer stopped in his tracks. "Whoa, is it just me..." "Sonic looked at his watch. "Or is it chilidog time!?" "Sonic..." Tails interrupted. "We eat our dose of chili at three o'clock." "Exactly, and it's three!" Sonic practically shoved the watch in Tails' face. "See?" "Uh....Sonic?" Tails sweatdropped. "Yeah?" Sonic asked, still filled with excitement as his crave for a can of hot chili splattered on a hotdog and being shoved into his mouth and chewed frequently urged him to turn back to his usual stand. "That's the minute hand." Tails threw the painful, heart-breaking reality at his blue comrad. "It's twelve fifteen. It's only fifteen minutes passed lunch time." "Well I wanna chilidog anyway!" "Sonic! You just said we hadda find a Chaos Emerald, and my energy detector's readings say there's one several miles from here!" "So? If it's that close, we can come get it later!" Sonic crossed his arms. "I wanna chilidog and I want it NOW!" "But what about the Floating Island? We have to get that emerald as soon as possible."
"D'oh man, why can't a hedgehog just live in peace?" Sonic sat on a lumpy tree root. "I hate all this 'we HAVE to do this and we HAVE to do that' mumbo jumbo. I just wanna live in freedom, not a journey full of missions and things we HAVE to do. Sure, I like adventure, but I want adventure that has options." Tails felt Sonic's pain. He himself dreamed of a life full of adventures with no worries or hassles or things that have to be done under any circumstances.
Sonic and Tails weren't only just friends, they were partners, comrads, someone to go for help to if the other was in pain. Although Sonic would never admit his pains, Tails could sense when he was hurt or saddened. Tails, however, was different. Whenever he needed help or advice or just plain someone to talk to, he would go to Sonic. Although quite conceited and immature, Sonic would somehow always set him straight. They weren't just friends, they loved each other. Sonic would never admit it, but Tails was his whole life. He loved to watch him grow and become stronger and wiser.
If anything were to happen to him, Sonic would go ballistic. Maybe even cry. It wasn't like Sonic to cry. It didn't suit his personality in any way whatsoever. Even Tails couldn't think of a way to make Sonic cry, although he never thought about it. Tails felt the same way about Sonic. He looked up to him in every way. Tails wanted to be just like him. He didn't absolutely adore chilidogs like he always mentioned, he just ate them because it's what Sonic ate. Anything Sonic liked, Tails liked too. This is why Sonic looked at Tails as a little brother or cousin or son, because of their brother-like bond. A bond they couldn't break, a bond they didn't notice.
Tails sat next to Sonic. "Yeah, I kinda feel the same way too. But I thought you loved all the action? The chases, and dodging, the loops and courses and timed fates only the fastest, bluest and coolest of them all can handle without a problem?" Tails comforted him, using Sonic's own self- opinion's for him. "Yeah, I do. But I do all that stuff 'cause I choose to, and there always seem to be innocent hostages depending on me. If life was my way, there would be no bullets flying at me at all, just the wind pushin' while my feet move like sticks on a drum." Sonic looked upward while saying this, with his arms bent upward and his fists clenched, pointing upward to the tree's branches. But after realizing that what he said was just a fantasy, his hands were once again resting on his knees, and his head was facing down with his eyes closed tight. "Man, I'd like that more than anything in the world...even more than a chilidog..."
"Hey, c'mon Sonic! Where's that blue loud-mouth hedgehog I grew up with!? It's not like you to look so down! You didn't have to take the task in the first place! Knuckles gave you another option! And that option was to do whatever you want! To roam freely as you want and do whatever you want!" Sonic looked at Tails, realizing where he was going with this. "Sonic, you CHOSE this path. You never HAD to do anything. Now, for all we know Knuckles might already have fallen off some mountain or drown in some lake. But if he didn't, and is still searching for his emerald, he's depending on you, along with the Floating Island, to get him that Chaos Emerald. If I know you, you wouldn't let him down for a chilidog and a half! C'mon Sonic! We need to get busy!"
Sonic stood up. Tails made his point loud and clear. "Y'know what, T- 2? I like your attitude!" Sonic grabbed Tails' wrist. "Hold on to your socks, Tails! This hedgehog's hittin' warp seven!" With that, Sonic did what he did best, and was soon a mile away or more.
Deep, in the depths of an unknown desert, lied a pyramid. A pyramid with frightening designs, and walls of black. Within the sand-made shelter, metal containers and machines roamed about. Lasers and cameras were hidden within every corner. And robots, designed to guard and fight, circled the area without question. Nothing more was visible, but a hidden stairway, protected by a revolving door and a security device, lied at the far end of the shelter. Down and down they went, past the ground's limits, where air was barely accessible without air vents. At the end of the flight was an electric door, made of metal that split in two when opened, then joined together once more when closed. Behind this door, evil was but one brain.
"We interrupt this program for a very important news flash" The reporter on the screen said, cutting out the program which was previously playing. The viewer caressed his mustache. "Hmmm, this better be good, or I'll have that imbossil transformed into a robotic TOILET!" He yelled as he pounded on the side of his revolving chair, releasing a clanging sound that would cause one's eyes to close tightly. Robotnik grabbed the remote, ready to shut the screen off, but put it back down and rubbed his chin at the sight before him.
"Just this evening," The reporter went on with a southern accent. "the National Museum of Historical Wonders went through a disturbing tragedy. A dark figure with somewhat jet-propelled footwear broke into the building, took the guards down with ease, and proceeded throughout the museum. Luckily, the only item stolen was an antique fairly known as a 'Chaos Emerald'. Fast as he was, a skilled camera man managed to catch a glimpse of the thief on video. The robber was identified as the world renouned hero, Sonic the Hedgehog. Once he left the museum, the suspect was greeted by six armed policemen and three vehicles. The suspect wasted no time to think, and took the six men out in no time at all. Now the question spreads. Is this hero with us, or against us?"
As the reporter talked, scenes of the crime flashed throughout the screen. One particular section of the report featured a black hedgehog with red stripes throughout his spines. The figure looked at the screen, turned his back to it, and was long gone in the blink of an eye. Robotnik looked pleased in no way.
"Ahhh, that self-centered bafoon is still alive. My theory was correct! He was still in his super form when he fell down to Earth. With the power of all seven Chaos Emeralds, a mere fall would practically tickle him like a feather. Perhaps my grandfather DID create the ultimate form of life. That MA-AD scientist!" The sinister doctor chuckled at the thought. He pushed a button on the main computer. "GUARDS! Inform the repair squad that I want the Egg Carrier fixed by tomorrow!"
Robotnik sat down once again, and clenched his fist in rage. "That discrimination for a project will suffer in the palm of my hand! I, will make sure of it."
"Sonic! There it is!" "Where!?" "Over there! Behind all that mud!" Tails pointed past a horrendous slosh of dirt and water. Sonic wasted no time, took a giant leap over the pool-sized puddle, and swiped the emerald in no time at all. He examined it carefully and felt it's energy surging through his arm. "Yep, this is it allright! Where'd that redheaded chum say he was headed for again?" "The Dry Lagoon. It's miles from here. It might take us two hours to get there." Tails calculated. "Not if THIS hedgehog can help it! Hold on, Tails! This hedgehog's gonna JAM!" Sonic grabbed his arm and sped off in what must have been a quarter of a second.
"Hey Tails! What's the quickest route to the Lagoon place!?" Sonic yelled over the passing wind. "Right past Mete'or and six minutes passed the road leading out of it!" Tails answered, also yelling at the top of his lungs. "Six minutes!? I'll get there in three! Six is WAY too long for THIS hedgehog!" With that, Sonic increased his speed by seven percent, and disappeared into the forest.
The sun was blazing onto the plain, causing the dry, hardened dirt to shine with an orange glow. Knuckles wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Ugh, this is pretty rough..." He mumbled as his own sweat mystified the back of his wrist. He walked for hours, carefully sensing the motions of the Master Emerald. He sensed it was close. A few miles at least. On and on he walked, drawing more sweat every step of the way.
His throat ached from thirst, and his muscles hurt and pleaded rest, while his bones and joints refused to move as he forced himself to keep going. The air around him was motionless, warm to no end. Not one breeze crossed his path, eliminating his gliding ability to lift him into the air. The salty sweat terminated his eyes, blurring his sight and causing them to squint with agony. His lungs also screamed in pain, suffering the heat of the humid air that Knuckles was being forced to breathe. Exhausting as it was, he kept on moving, determined without question. To find the emerald was his task. Any obstacles, painful, exhausting, or dangerous as they may be, he would cross at any cost.
He didn't know why he had this job, or why it was his fate. Having many chances to flee from his duty, Knuckles' heart seeked to stay. Something about the Master Emerald kept his mind wondering, seeking glorious words and explanations. Years before his time as guardian, the red echidna would gaze at the emerald, praising all it's beauty and vowing to protect it by any means necessary. In his heart, he wished to live freely, not having to worry about his fate or destiny. He wished to have no worries, doing only what he liked to do, whenever he wanted to do it. His dream however, didn't seem to be coming true, and his vow to protect his island remained in his heart and mind forever.
Refusing to do so, Knuckles dropped on one knee, panting heavily from thirst and exhaustion. The skin on his knee burnt on the ground below, drastically giving him reason to release it from the heat's grip. But the red echidna was too tired, even to save his knee from getting burned 'till it bleeds. His mouth was drier than a hedgehog's spines, and his skin and fur were soaked in the salty depths of his heat-releasing sweat. Gathering what little energy he received from resting, Knuckles released his knee from it's burning grounds, barely managed to balance himself on his feet, and slowly started to pace away.
Wiping the sweat from his eyes, he managed to take a glimpse at where he was going. The land seemed to meet the sky, and no sign of water was in sight. Soon before he could make an opinion, the salty ways of sweat filled his eyes once more, causing them to squint helplessly. He had no choice, but to move on.
Mile after mile, Sonic and Tails covered over sixty-two feet per second, flashing trails of brilliant blue and dazzling orange as they sailed through the forest green. Tails, barely able to keep up with the air- strong hedgehog ahead of him, couldn't help but think of Knuckles and his quest. "Hey Sonic..." The young Kitsune started. "Do ya think Knuckles found his Master Emerald yet?" "I hope not!" Sonic yelled back as he picked up the pace. "Man, just imagine, me bein' out here for nothin'! That red- headed echidnerd better make use of this thing!" He held out the Chaos Emerald as he spoke, trying his best to make his point clear. "Or I'm gonna have some lockes to cut!"
Sonic seemed in no way happy about his mission to the forest. He wished he was at the beach, lying down on his beach chair as he admired the pretty girls that crossed his path. He wished he was in the big city, wear the cars roamed and the horns honked. Wear the streets were black and the sidewalks a pale-ish peach. Or even at the park, where the benches lie and the grass was clear. He wished he was doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted to do it. He wished he was....free....
It wasn't long before the familiar sights and sounds of the busy city of Mete'or surrounded the duo's senses. Sonic looked around, unsure of the quickest route to the Dry Lagoon.
It all happened too quickly, and Sonic's mind wasn't able to keep up. Just as he was about to run off, he heard a loud man's voice. "Freeze!" It yelled, and two policemen raised their weapons behind him. They were quite a distance away, giving their hedgehog target a chance to react. "Are they talking to us?" Tails asked, confounded as of why they were being targeted. One of the men spoke into a walky-talky, and before they knew it, Sonic and Tails were being surrounded by policemen, one of them which held a microphone.
"Don't move!" He spoke into it, sure enough that the hedgehog target could hear him. "Slowly and carefully place the emerald onto the ground, then take three steps back and raise your hands into the air!" The policeman spoke threateningly, ready to release a bullet at any moment. Sonic ignored him, and watched as the squad closed in on him. One of them grabbed his arm and squeezed it tight. "Hey! What gives!?" Sonic yelled out, talking to no one in general. Before he knew it, three or four cops were pulling him to the ground. "Sonic! Do something!" Tails yelled, desperately trying to fight the overwhelming men off of him. As he saw his hero disappear in the pile, he couldn't help but think it was over.
Sonic, engulfed with rage, decided there was no other way. He grasped the emerald, absorbed it's power, and erected his spines. With a powerful leap, he managed to break free, cutting and brutally stabbing the policemen on top of him. He flipped in the air, ran around the pile of men around Tails and sent them soaring through the air. In the blink of an eye, he grabbed Tails' arm and sped off into the city.
"Man!" Sonic yelled above the wind. "Ya'd think they'd at least salute me!" "Why do ya think they're chasing us, Sonic?" "I dunno, keed...but it has somethin' ta do with this emerald!" The hedgehog's eyes were fixed on the emerald. It shone its bright red color effectively, and gave his spotless glove a shimmering glow. "But why?" The young fox wondered. "Half the civilization on the planet don't even know what a Chaos Emerald is! Why would the cops be on top of us all of a sudden?" "Look Tails, as much as I'd like ta be all Sherlock Holmes-y and stuff, WE GOT SOME COPS TA DEAL WITH!" With his patience worn out and the young kid quiet, Sonic hit top speed, feet blurry and mind racing, unsure as to whether the blue and white vehicles were still at his heels.
Sonic looked back. The cars were well behind him. Just a few more miles and he'll have lost them. But this wasn't the first time he was pursued by police forces. They knew he was fast, even for their motorized machines. They knew that simply chasing him would get them nowhere. He had escaped them before, and only because he was distracted by another life were they able to capture him. This time, however, they came prepared.
Out of what seemed like nowhere, three more police cars came racing toward the duo in their path. Sonic timed his jump and made an enormous leap, turned himself into what looked like a rolling ball of spines, then unrolled himself just before he hit the ground, clearly passing over them and landing without a scratch. The three cars struggled to turn around, crashing into one another and causing a road block in the process. The previous cars had to circle them, giving Sonic an even better chance of getting away.
"Tails! We gotta split! It's our only chance of gettin' away!" "Roger that, Sonic!" "I'll meet ya at the highway! Later!" Sonic released his grasp on Tails' wrist, and made a sharp turn at the nearest corner.
Ten full minutes had passed. Two police cars remained at his heels, and Sonic was running out of corners. Sooner or later, a dead end would come, and only luck could guide him from there. He ran with all his might, feet blurring and sneakers burning, both in the same red lush. He made another turn, and frantically searched for ideas. He passed numerous places. The beauty salon.... pizzeria..... mall.... supermarket.... but so far there was nothing. Slick as he was, something struck his head. Swiftly as a cobra's bite, his neck turned and his eyes tilted to the side, practically demanding a sight worth seeing in all their green's glory. A familiar metal carrier with four wheels invaded their line of sight, and the running hedgehog made a quick, but gracious U-Turn...
"This is Twenty-Nine to Headquarters. Target has been lost and still remains hidden, over." "What's the status?" "Target is full of energy and shows no signs of exhaustion, over." "Continue to search. Don't stop 'till every road in the city's been checked. Over and out." The policeman dropped his radio and regained control of the wheel.
"COMMISIONER!" The policeman yelled into his radio, demanding contact with his commanding officer. "We've located the hedgehog! And he seems to be riding on a...a SHOPPING CART!?"
Sonic didn't bother looking back. The sight of a blue hedgehog grinding across the street on a shopping cart was sure to amaze the cops in astonishment, and the thought of their maliculant faces caused a grin to slash upon the side of his face. He found maneuvering quite simple, left foot on the handle, putting all his body weight on that leg, while his right was stretched out onto the end, giving him a perfect position for riding. He stretched out his arms and twisted his body, hands merely open and elbows slightly bent, giving him a Trademark position and a whole new way of showing off.
Unfortunately, to his horror, a traffic light several feet ahead of him went from green to red, and a small blue beetle stopped in it's tracks. Sonic soon saw this as an opportunity, and decided to once again, pull off a stunt and defy the laws of gravity. He pushed down on the cart with all his weight, and when the time was right, leaped into the air with the shopping cart beneath his feet. It landed on the beetle, caused a major dent in it's trunk, and used it's body as a ramp. Without warning, Sonic found himself soaring through the air, beneath all roofs but above all heads, and for some reason, to him and all who watched him fly, time seemed to slow down. He grinned with attitude, turned his hip, and span sideways in the air, shopping cart simply following his body's lead. Everything went perfect, and nobody, not even Sonic himself, could have thought of a better way to swear.
The sun's rays added gloriously to the effect, shining on his body with a tint of yellow-ish wonder, bouncing off his blue and peach and enlightening his spines from base to tip. The green in his eyes blended in well, and the redness in his soap shoes never looked more inspiring. His spines looked brilliant, scattered across his back in an orderly fashion and claiming their places like a bunch of fleas. They remained erect, showing off their tips and glistening in the sun's light. The form his body was in represented style, and on the side of his face, a simple, cheek- splitting grin preceeded the laws of the cool and symbolized his electric attitude. There was no other way of putting it. He was just beautiful.
Slowly, yet quickly at the same time, Sonic felt himself descending. He watched closely as the ground grew near, positioning his body and readying himself for the clash of steel and concrete. There was a loud screech, a quick bounce from the rubber wheels of the cart, and a soft, steady landing, and before the crowd could realize, the blue blur was off once again.
Fast and glorious as he was, the police car behind him was also moving at a descent speed, tailing the blue hedgehog no matter where he turned. The police officer at the passenger seat viewed an opportunity, and lowered his window to take a shot. He leaned his head out slightly, took aim at the victim's hand, and released a bullet from his trigger's nozzle. Sonic felt a hard strike on his wrist, and the pain in his throbbing hand caused him to release the emerald that was in his grasp. The shock caused him to lose his balance, and with a loud, agonizing scream, both he and his metallic ride fell to their backs and sides.
He winced hard, got on all fours, eyed the emerald, and sought to grab it. But it was too late, the chasing car was too close, and he had no choice but to run off without it. Sonic hated himself for failing his mission, but he had bigger things to worry about. Like Tails...
He made one sharp turn after the other, trying his hardest to lose the cars. Once he even found himself scaling across a red brick wall, and even running through one.
Sonic's ears started to quiver, there was a sound invading their drums from up above. His neck sprang back and his face looked up, causing a chopper to invade the sight his eyes provided him. Realizing it was tailing him, he faced forward once again to watch his progress, and made a quick turn, and then another. Using gut instinct, he stopped short, for there was a wall of steel blocking his path. He looked back on instinct, and at the same moment, six to seven cars blocked his entrance to the alley. He got into position and was ready to charge, but then one more thing caught his eye...
Behind the bars behind the first car's glass, an orange, fluffy face with blue eyes stared helplessly at his own. Six men slowly made their way around him, and their sudden spring to attack him caused the blue hero to leap upward on pure instinct, having them land in a pile of men. He descended on the small hill's top left-foot first, then made at spinning leap away from them. It seemed he had it planned. He would just grab Tails and run! But even HE wasn't fast enough to outrun the drawing of a weapon...
Two to three guns were pointing at his comrads face, and Tails' eyes signed of pure terror. This caused Sonic to think twice, and do something even the greatest of all his enemies' punches couldn't do...make him surrender. He slowly stood up straight and lifted his arms, allowing the now standing policemen behind him to grab his arms and cuff his hands together. He glared at the men with the guns evilly, and sighed in sorrow as he let the cops take control of him.
"This is it...the destination I've been searching for..." The black hedgehog kneeled on a tree's branch, staring downward at a short, yet long building. It had strong cement walls and was locked tight, with it's security cameras and alarms to back that up. He knew it'd be a challenge breaking in, but it didn't worry him a bit. All the while, his mind raced...
He was in an escape tube...safe from any harm, and sure to leave the space colony before it was taken over. But Maria...she was out there...in the open...where the bullets roamed and lives were taken.
She was running as fast as she could, but with a long skirt and high heels on her feet, running fast wasn't an option. One shot was all it took, and she was leaning on a machine covered with miscellaneous buttons, covering the spot in her chest where the bullet had struck. Hard as it was, she spoke loud and clear to her companion, her friend. "Shadow...do it for them...do it for the people...give them a chance...to be happy" Maria couldn't help but cough and pant after every few words, trying her best to ignore the pain that was urging her to hit the ground.
Shadow just stared with disbelief, hands and chest leaning furiously on the glass before him, as if trying to reach beyond their solid limits. "MARIA!" He yelled with rage, and started pounding at the glass barrier which held him separate from her.
"Shadow, I know you can do it, all you have to do is believe in yourself...just.....like...I taught you..." Maria started to lean on both her knees, still clutching the spot where her wound lay. "Goodbye....Shadow....the Hedgehog..." With that, Maria closed her eyes for the last time, and rested herself on the floor, where her last moments were spent peacefully.
Before he could react, the tube in which Shadow was safely contained launched for Earth, banishing her from his future, and carving her in his memory.
But before she fell, before she said her last words and saw her last view of the life she was forced to live, Shadow saw a man. A man with a weapon. He wore black pants with a blue, long sleeved shirt. He wore shining glasses, literally covering half of his face. But Shadow would never forget what he did see, and the face of the man with the weapon would be carved in his memory forever.
On the tree he stood, eyes closed, mind racing through the treturous flashback. Out of the blue, his eyes opened at the speed of light, revealing the redness and the anger within them. "I will avenge her!" Was all he said, and he leaped off the branch with an amazing velocity, landed on the roof of the so-called 'museum', and wasted no time to plan his mission, as he sped away in a skating motion.
In the woods, a blue blur passed by what seemed like a million trees, bushes, and even a few flowers, but the bright color of roses was rare in the depths of the Mystic Ruins.
"Man! And I thought Knux was a wuss! C'mon Tails! Keep movin'! We gotta find a Chaos Emerald!" "We've been moving for hours, I'm tired!" "Tails! I haven't been tired of anything since Robuttnik gave us that lecture about all that energy and stuff!" "That was two months ago!" "Yeah! And that's a heck of a long time for THIS hedgehog!"
Surprisingly to Tails, his blue enforcer stopped in his tracks. "Whoa, is it just me..." "Sonic looked at his watch. "Or is it chilidog time!?" "Sonic..." Tails interrupted. "We eat our dose of chili at three o'clock." "Exactly, and it's three!" Sonic practically shoved the watch in Tails' face. "See?" "Uh....Sonic?" Tails sweatdropped. "Yeah?" Sonic asked, still filled with excitement as his crave for a can of hot chili splattered on a hotdog and being shoved into his mouth and chewed frequently urged him to turn back to his usual stand. "That's the minute hand." Tails threw the painful, heart-breaking reality at his blue comrad. "It's twelve fifteen. It's only fifteen minutes passed lunch time." "Well I wanna chilidog anyway!" "Sonic! You just said we hadda find a Chaos Emerald, and my energy detector's readings say there's one several miles from here!" "So? If it's that close, we can come get it later!" Sonic crossed his arms. "I wanna chilidog and I want it NOW!" "But what about the Floating Island? We have to get that emerald as soon as possible."
"D'oh man, why can't a hedgehog just live in peace?" Sonic sat on a lumpy tree root. "I hate all this 'we HAVE to do this and we HAVE to do that' mumbo jumbo. I just wanna live in freedom, not a journey full of missions and things we HAVE to do. Sure, I like adventure, but I want adventure that has options." Tails felt Sonic's pain. He himself dreamed of a life full of adventures with no worries or hassles or things that have to be done under any circumstances.
Sonic and Tails weren't only just friends, they were partners, comrads, someone to go for help to if the other was in pain. Although Sonic would never admit his pains, Tails could sense when he was hurt or saddened. Tails, however, was different. Whenever he needed help or advice or just plain someone to talk to, he would go to Sonic. Although quite conceited and immature, Sonic would somehow always set him straight. They weren't just friends, they loved each other. Sonic would never admit it, but Tails was his whole life. He loved to watch him grow and become stronger and wiser.
If anything were to happen to him, Sonic would go ballistic. Maybe even cry. It wasn't like Sonic to cry. It didn't suit his personality in any way whatsoever. Even Tails couldn't think of a way to make Sonic cry, although he never thought about it. Tails felt the same way about Sonic. He looked up to him in every way. Tails wanted to be just like him. He didn't absolutely adore chilidogs like he always mentioned, he just ate them because it's what Sonic ate. Anything Sonic liked, Tails liked too. This is why Sonic looked at Tails as a little brother or cousin or son, because of their brother-like bond. A bond they couldn't break, a bond they didn't notice.
Tails sat next to Sonic. "Yeah, I kinda feel the same way too. But I thought you loved all the action? The chases, and dodging, the loops and courses and timed fates only the fastest, bluest and coolest of them all can handle without a problem?" Tails comforted him, using Sonic's own self- opinion's for him. "Yeah, I do. But I do all that stuff 'cause I choose to, and there always seem to be innocent hostages depending on me. If life was my way, there would be no bullets flying at me at all, just the wind pushin' while my feet move like sticks on a drum." Sonic looked upward while saying this, with his arms bent upward and his fists clenched, pointing upward to the tree's branches. But after realizing that what he said was just a fantasy, his hands were once again resting on his knees, and his head was facing down with his eyes closed tight. "Man, I'd like that more than anything in the world...even more than a chilidog..."
"Hey, c'mon Sonic! Where's that blue loud-mouth hedgehog I grew up with!? It's not like you to look so down! You didn't have to take the task in the first place! Knuckles gave you another option! And that option was to do whatever you want! To roam freely as you want and do whatever you want!" Sonic looked at Tails, realizing where he was going with this. "Sonic, you CHOSE this path. You never HAD to do anything. Now, for all we know Knuckles might already have fallen off some mountain or drown in some lake. But if he didn't, and is still searching for his emerald, he's depending on you, along with the Floating Island, to get him that Chaos Emerald. If I know you, you wouldn't let him down for a chilidog and a half! C'mon Sonic! We need to get busy!"
Sonic stood up. Tails made his point loud and clear. "Y'know what, T- 2? I like your attitude!" Sonic grabbed Tails' wrist. "Hold on to your socks, Tails! This hedgehog's hittin' warp seven!" With that, Sonic did what he did best, and was soon a mile away or more.
Deep, in the depths of an unknown desert, lied a pyramid. A pyramid with frightening designs, and walls of black. Within the sand-made shelter, metal containers and machines roamed about. Lasers and cameras were hidden within every corner. And robots, designed to guard and fight, circled the area without question. Nothing more was visible, but a hidden stairway, protected by a revolving door and a security device, lied at the far end of the shelter. Down and down they went, past the ground's limits, where air was barely accessible without air vents. At the end of the flight was an electric door, made of metal that split in two when opened, then joined together once more when closed. Behind this door, evil was but one brain.
"We interrupt this program for a very important news flash" The reporter on the screen said, cutting out the program which was previously playing. The viewer caressed his mustache. "Hmmm, this better be good, or I'll have that imbossil transformed into a robotic TOILET!" He yelled as he pounded on the side of his revolving chair, releasing a clanging sound that would cause one's eyes to close tightly. Robotnik grabbed the remote, ready to shut the screen off, but put it back down and rubbed his chin at the sight before him.
"Just this evening," The reporter went on with a southern accent. "the National Museum of Historical Wonders went through a disturbing tragedy. A dark figure with somewhat jet-propelled footwear broke into the building, took the guards down with ease, and proceeded throughout the museum. Luckily, the only item stolen was an antique fairly known as a 'Chaos Emerald'. Fast as he was, a skilled camera man managed to catch a glimpse of the thief on video. The robber was identified as the world renouned hero, Sonic the Hedgehog. Once he left the museum, the suspect was greeted by six armed policemen and three vehicles. The suspect wasted no time to think, and took the six men out in no time at all. Now the question spreads. Is this hero with us, or against us?"
As the reporter talked, scenes of the crime flashed throughout the screen. One particular section of the report featured a black hedgehog with red stripes throughout his spines. The figure looked at the screen, turned his back to it, and was long gone in the blink of an eye. Robotnik looked pleased in no way.
"Ahhh, that self-centered bafoon is still alive. My theory was correct! He was still in his super form when he fell down to Earth. With the power of all seven Chaos Emeralds, a mere fall would practically tickle him like a feather. Perhaps my grandfather DID create the ultimate form of life. That MA-AD scientist!" The sinister doctor chuckled at the thought. He pushed a button on the main computer. "GUARDS! Inform the repair squad that I want the Egg Carrier fixed by tomorrow!"
Robotnik sat down once again, and clenched his fist in rage. "That discrimination for a project will suffer in the palm of my hand! I, will make sure of it."
"Sonic! There it is!" "Where!?" "Over there! Behind all that mud!" Tails pointed past a horrendous slosh of dirt and water. Sonic wasted no time, took a giant leap over the pool-sized puddle, and swiped the emerald in no time at all. He examined it carefully and felt it's energy surging through his arm. "Yep, this is it allright! Where'd that redheaded chum say he was headed for again?" "The Dry Lagoon. It's miles from here. It might take us two hours to get there." Tails calculated. "Not if THIS hedgehog can help it! Hold on, Tails! This hedgehog's gonna JAM!" Sonic grabbed his arm and sped off in what must have been a quarter of a second.
"Hey Tails! What's the quickest route to the Lagoon place!?" Sonic yelled over the passing wind. "Right past Mete'or and six minutes passed the road leading out of it!" Tails answered, also yelling at the top of his lungs. "Six minutes!? I'll get there in three! Six is WAY too long for THIS hedgehog!" With that, Sonic increased his speed by seven percent, and disappeared into the forest.
The sun was blazing onto the plain, causing the dry, hardened dirt to shine with an orange glow. Knuckles wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Ugh, this is pretty rough..." He mumbled as his own sweat mystified the back of his wrist. He walked for hours, carefully sensing the motions of the Master Emerald. He sensed it was close. A few miles at least. On and on he walked, drawing more sweat every step of the way.
His throat ached from thirst, and his muscles hurt and pleaded rest, while his bones and joints refused to move as he forced himself to keep going. The air around him was motionless, warm to no end. Not one breeze crossed his path, eliminating his gliding ability to lift him into the air. The salty sweat terminated his eyes, blurring his sight and causing them to squint with agony. His lungs also screamed in pain, suffering the heat of the humid air that Knuckles was being forced to breathe. Exhausting as it was, he kept on moving, determined without question. To find the emerald was his task. Any obstacles, painful, exhausting, or dangerous as they may be, he would cross at any cost.
He didn't know why he had this job, or why it was his fate. Having many chances to flee from his duty, Knuckles' heart seeked to stay. Something about the Master Emerald kept his mind wondering, seeking glorious words and explanations. Years before his time as guardian, the red echidna would gaze at the emerald, praising all it's beauty and vowing to protect it by any means necessary. In his heart, he wished to live freely, not having to worry about his fate or destiny. He wished to have no worries, doing only what he liked to do, whenever he wanted to do it. His dream however, didn't seem to be coming true, and his vow to protect his island remained in his heart and mind forever.
Refusing to do so, Knuckles dropped on one knee, panting heavily from thirst and exhaustion. The skin on his knee burnt on the ground below, drastically giving him reason to release it from the heat's grip. But the red echidna was too tired, even to save his knee from getting burned 'till it bleeds. His mouth was drier than a hedgehog's spines, and his skin and fur were soaked in the salty depths of his heat-releasing sweat. Gathering what little energy he received from resting, Knuckles released his knee from it's burning grounds, barely managed to balance himself on his feet, and slowly started to pace away.
Wiping the sweat from his eyes, he managed to take a glimpse at where he was going. The land seemed to meet the sky, and no sign of water was in sight. Soon before he could make an opinion, the salty ways of sweat filled his eyes once more, causing them to squint helplessly. He had no choice, but to move on.
Mile after mile, Sonic and Tails covered over sixty-two feet per second, flashing trails of brilliant blue and dazzling orange as they sailed through the forest green. Tails, barely able to keep up with the air- strong hedgehog ahead of him, couldn't help but think of Knuckles and his quest. "Hey Sonic..." The young Kitsune started. "Do ya think Knuckles found his Master Emerald yet?" "I hope not!" Sonic yelled back as he picked up the pace. "Man, just imagine, me bein' out here for nothin'! That red- headed echidnerd better make use of this thing!" He held out the Chaos Emerald as he spoke, trying his best to make his point clear. "Or I'm gonna have some lockes to cut!"
Sonic seemed in no way happy about his mission to the forest. He wished he was at the beach, lying down on his beach chair as he admired the pretty girls that crossed his path. He wished he was in the big city, wear the cars roamed and the horns honked. Wear the streets were black and the sidewalks a pale-ish peach. Or even at the park, where the benches lie and the grass was clear. He wished he was doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted to do it. He wished he was....free....
It wasn't long before the familiar sights and sounds of the busy city of Mete'or surrounded the duo's senses. Sonic looked around, unsure of the quickest route to the Dry Lagoon.
It all happened too quickly, and Sonic's mind wasn't able to keep up. Just as he was about to run off, he heard a loud man's voice. "Freeze!" It yelled, and two policemen raised their weapons behind him. They were quite a distance away, giving their hedgehog target a chance to react. "Are they talking to us?" Tails asked, confounded as of why they were being targeted. One of the men spoke into a walky-talky, and before they knew it, Sonic and Tails were being surrounded by policemen, one of them which held a microphone.
"Don't move!" He spoke into it, sure enough that the hedgehog target could hear him. "Slowly and carefully place the emerald onto the ground, then take three steps back and raise your hands into the air!" The policeman spoke threateningly, ready to release a bullet at any moment. Sonic ignored him, and watched as the squad closed in on him. One of them grabbed his arm and squeezed it tight. "Hey! What gives!?" Sonic yelled out, talking to no one in general. Before he knew it, three or four cops were pulling him to the ground. "Sonic! Do something!" Tails yelled, desperately trying to fight the overwhelming men off of him. As he saw his hero disappear in the pile, he couldn't help but think it was over.
Sonic, engulfed with rage, decided there was no other way. He grasped the emerald, absorbed it's power, and erected his spines. With a powerful leap, he managed to break free, cutting and brutally stabbing the policemen on top of him. He flipped in the air, ran around the pile of men around Tails and sent them soaring through the air. In the blink of an eye, he grabbed Tails' arm and sped off into the city.
"Man!" Sonic yelled above the wind. "Ya'd think they'd at least salute me!" "Why do ya think they're chasing us, Sonic?" "I dunno, keed...but it has somethin' ta do with this emerald!" The hedgehog's eyes were fixed on the emerald. It shone its bright red color effectively, and gave his spotless glove a shimmering glow. "But why?" The young fox wondered. "Half the civilization on the planet don't even know what a Chaos Emerald is! Why would the cops be on top of us all of a sudden?" "Look Tails, as much as I'd like ta be all Sherlock Holmes-y and stuff, WE GOT SOME COPS TA DEAL WITH!" With his patience worn out and the young kid quiet, Sonic hit top speed, feet blurry and mind racing, unsure as to whether the blue and white vehicles were still at his heels.
Sonic looked back. The cars were well behind him. Just a few more miles and he'll have lost them. But this wasn't the first time he was pursued by police forces. They knew he was fast, even for their motorized machines. They knew that simply chasing him would get them nowhere. He had escaped them before, and only because he was distracted by another life were they able to capture him. This time, however, they came prepared.
Out of what seemed like nowhere, three more police cars came racing toward the duo in their path. Sonic timed his jump and made an enormous leap, turned himself into what looked like a rolling ball of spines, then unrolled himself just before he hit the ground, clearly passing over them and landing without a scratch. The three cars struggled to turn around, crashing into one another and causing a road block in the process. The previous cars had to circle them, giving Sonic an even better chance of getting away.
"Tails! We gotta split! It's our only chance of gettin' away!" "Roger that, Sonic!" "I'll meet ya at the highway! Later!" Sonic released his grasp on Tails' wrist, and made a sharp turn at the nearest corner.
Ten full minutes had passed. Two police cars remained at his heels, and Sonic was running out of corners. Sooner or later, a dead end would come, and only luck could guide him from there. He ran with all his might, feet blurring and sneakers burning, both in the same red lush. He made another turn, and frantically searched for ideas. He passed numerous places. The beauty salon.... pizzeria..... mall.... supermarket.... but so far there was nothing. Slick as he was, something struck his head. Swiftly as a cobra's bite, his neck turned and his eyes tilted to the side, practically demanding a sight worth seeing in all their green's glory. A familiar metal carrier with four wheels invaded their line of sight, and the running hedgehog made a quick, but gracious U-Turn...
"This is Twenty-Nine to Headquarters. Target has been lost and still remains hidden, over." "What's the status?" "Target is full of energy and shows no signs of exhaustion, over." "Continue to search. Don't stop 'till every road in the city's been checked. Over and out." The policeman dropped his radio and regained control of the wheel.
"COMMISIONER!" The policeman yelled into his radio, demanding contact with his commanding officer. "We've located the hedgehog! And he seems to be riding on a...a SHOPPING CART!?"
Sonic didn't bother looking back. The sight of a blue hedgehog grinding across the street on a shopping cart was sure to amaze the cops in astonishment, and the thought of their maliculant faces caused a grin to slash upon the side of his face. He found maneuvering quite simple, left foot on the handle, putting all his body weight on that leg, while his right was stretched out onto the end, giving him a perfect position for riding. He stretched out his arms and twisted his body, hands merely open and elbows slightly bent, giving him a Trademark position and a whole new way of showing off.
Unfortunately, to his horror, a traffic light several feet ahead of him went from green to red, and a small blue beetle stopped in it's tracks. Sonic soon saw this as an opportunity, and decided to once again, pull off a stunt and defy the laws of gravity. He pushed down on the cart with all his weight, and when the time was right, leaped into the air with the shopping cart beneath his feet. It landed on the beetle, caused a major dent in it's trunk, and used it's body as a ramp. Without warning, Sonic found himself soaring through the air, beneath all roofs but above all heads, and for some reason, to him and all who watched him fly, time seemed to slow down. He grinned with attitude, turned his hip, and span sideways in the air, shopping cart simply following his body's lead. Everything went perfect, and nobody, not even Sonic himself, could have thought of a better way to swear.
The sun's rays added gloriously to the effect, shining on his body with a tint of yellow-ish wonder, bouncing off his blue and peach and enlightening his spines from base to tip. The green in his eyes blended in well, and the redness in his soap shoes never looked more inspiring. His spines looked brilliant, scattered across his back in an orderly fashion and claiming their places like a bunch of fleas. They remained erect, showing off their tips and glistening in the sun's light. The form his body was in represented style, and on the side of his face, a simple, cheek- splitting grin preceeded the laws of the cool and symbolized his electric attitude. There was no other way of putting it. He was just beautiful.
Slowly, yet quickly at the same time, Sonic felt himself descending. He watched closely as the ground grew near, positioning his body and readying himself for the clash of steel and concrete. There was a loud screech, a quick bounce from the rubber wheels of the cart, and a soft, steady landing, and before the crowd could realize, the blue blur was off once again.
Fast and glorious as he was, the police car behind him was also moving at a descent speed, tailing the blue hedgehog no matter where he turned. The police officer at the passenger seat viewed an opportunity, and lowered his window to take a shot. He leaned his head out slightly, took aim at the victim's hand, and released a bullet from his trigger's nozzle. Sonic felt a hard strike on his wrist, and the pain in his throbbing hand caused him to release the emerald that was in his grasp. The shock caused him to lose his balance, and with a loud, agonizing scream, both he and his metallic ride fell to their backs and sides.
He winced hard, got on all fours, eyed the emerald, and sought to grab it. But it was too late, the chasing car was too close, and he had no choice but to run off without it. Sonic hated himself for failing his mission, but he had bigger things to worry about. Like Tails...
He made one sharp turn after the other, trying his hardest to lose the cars. Once he even found himself scaling across a red brick wall, and even running through one.
Sonic's ears started to quiver, there was a sound invading their drums from up above. His neck sprang back and his face looked up, causing a chopper to invade the sight his eyes provided him. Realizing it was tailing him, he faced forward once again to watch his progress, and made a quick turn, and then another. Using gut instinct, he stopped short, for there was a wall of steel blocking his path. He looked back on instinct, and at the same moment, six to seven cars blocked his entrance to the alley. He got into position and was ready to charge, but then one more thing caught his eye...
Behind the bars behind the first car's glass, an orange, fluffy face with blue eyes stared helplessly at his own. Six men slowly made their way around him, and their sudden spring to attack him caused the blue hero to leap upward on pure instinct, having them land in a pile of men. He descended on the small hill's top left-foot first, then made at spinning leap away from them. It seemed he had it planned. He would just grab Tails and run! But even HE wasn't fast enough to outrun the drawing of a weapon...
Two to three guns were pointing at his comrads face, and Tails' eyes signed of pure terror. This caused Sonic to think twice, and do something even the greatest of all his enemies' punches couldn't do...make him surrender. He slowly stood up straight and lifted his arms, allowing the now standing policemen behind him to grab his arms and cuff his hands together. He glared at the men with the guns evilly, and sighed in sorrow as he let the cops take control of him.