YAY!!! So close! :-) Heh… This turned out to become harder than I thought it would… recreating this plot from memory, I mean… ;-)

Now may I present to all of you: Chapter 8: The Cosmic Interstate

And please people, tell me what you think!!!
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Location: Hero Base, Dallas, TX.
Time: 10:00 AM

*Razor sighed as he sat on his skateboard outside of the base, leaning on one of its exterior walls. He tried to piece what the military agent had given him together.*

Razor *thinking*: Cosmic interstate. Hedgehogs. Speed and agility. No bullets. Me suspicious to him.

*Razor punched the wall behind him in a slight amount of frustration.*

Razor *thinking*: That doesn't make a lick of damn sense! Unless... Him... No... Not him, not him free... The last time I visited he seemed to be a supporting role... a defender... a perimeter security officer. Not a henchman. Besides, if he was out, that military man would have surely arrested me... whether or not that lie detector was on. *sigh* Great... *looking up, out loud* You know what? Why not? I get a sweet, sweet gig… and… of course… why not? I get to balance this nice, respectable career, and on top of that, I get to play Atlas… *frustrated sigh* How nice! God, just tell me! Tell me when this chain of horribly inconvenient coincidences will cease! Wait, wait, I know… the day I die!

*Razor lashed out at the wall again, and sat, head in knees, about ready to scream… yes, he had already yelled, but he just… he just wanted to scream. Just open his mouth, and go "AHHHHHHH!" Razor pulled out the emerald, his family heirloom, and looked at it, eventually closing his eyes as memories of his parents filtered their way into his mind. Nobody but him knew it, but that was the thing he used the emerald for most; to simply remind himself of his parents. And it wasn't anything that required magic, and just a few moments later, Razor was in tears, and he soon found himself looking back up at the sky.*

Razor: Why?

*And, like a freight train, Razor was struck with the image of Shadow, and Razor suddenly felt his blood set ablaze by the image. So hot was Razor in a matter of seconds, he could swear that if he looked in a mirror, the whites of his eyes would be red. Even though he knew that wasn't something that really happens, and soon after he heard a voice right in front of him. One he recognized instantly…*

Sonic: Razor? What's wrong?
Razor *thinking, shaking his head*: The same old shit, Sonic, what else?

*Razor suddenly remembered the Cosmic Interstate, and he looked at Sonic, making his voice as composed as anybody.*

Razor: Sonic… Have you seen yourself lately?
Sonic: What?
Razor: I mean… have you seen someone recently that looks… exactly like you, except for maybe their taste in clothing?

*Razor chuckled as he saw the look on Sonic's face. He looked at Razor like he was absolutely insane… if not only for a moment.*

Sonic: Whaaat?
Razor: Nevermind…

*Razor brought himself to his feet, and started to look for a way into the Cosmic Interstate. He had to know. He had to get a little bit of starting-up on himself. He had to find a little background information. And he shuddered as he realized where he was going to have to go to get that background information. Razor suddenly found himself facing a portal, conveniently located near the base. Razor heaved a sigh, and walked through the portal, board in one hand, emerald in the other, backpack on his back.*

Location: Cosmic Interstate
Time: ???

*Razor walked up a small slope, leading him to pavement as he got to the top. Razor hopped on his board, and skated off over surreal landscapes, with all sorts of colors littering the sky and ground. The sky's colors swirled around quite avidly, and Razor often wondered if the lava-lamp sky was what those high on acid experienced in what was referred to in the Cosmic Interstate as the "Quantum Universe." The real world in Razor's eyes, if there was such a thing. Razor skated down the pavement, looking for a slope down into the dimension Polaris. Razor knew that it was straight ahead, more or less, it simply sat a good deal lower than the Quantum Universe, making the slope down a little longer, and if Razor's memory served him right, it even spiraled down a little. Razor saw the sign on the interstate, and it always made him chuckle how much the place was like an actual interstate. Exit 500, Rinesinia Dimension, one sign read, and Razor focused his attention forward just in time to see a sharp turn. Razor knew that he was headed on the correct direction, and there was a road continuing below him. Razor took a breath, and ollied over the barricade, falling down about 25 feet onto the other road. After Razor rode a little ways, he saw the road turn sharply right, and he followed it, not having another option at that time. Razor saw a slope up, that turned 180 degrees, and he rode up it, and chuckled bitterly as he soon found himself on the exact same road about 100 feet further down. The road apparently doubled on itself almost instantly. Razor turned right onto the road, continuing his journey to Polaris. As he got near, he suddenly remembered something, and concentrated on his emerald, his form soon becoming that of a 6' Bengal Tiger. Razor smiled at the extra muscle, and then concentrated on his emerald again, deepening his voice to a point that it sounds ominous.*

Razor *thinking*: Great, I'll fit right in... at least HE won't recognize me.

*Razor soon found an exit sign. Exit 657, Polaris Dimension. Razor went through the exit, ollieing through the portal, appearing in Polaris.*

Location: Polaris Dimension
Time: About noontime on Polaris.

*As Razor landed, he looked around, shuddering at the sight that laid before him, though he had seen it many times before. It was the scene of anarchy, with buildings burning to the ground, for there is no fire department, only organized arsonist groups. Though it was noontime, the sky was an ominous gray, as if ready to rain and thunder. Razor shook his head and did a crooked on a bench, just to look natural on his board. As he landed, he was nearly knocked off his board by something, but as he held his ground, it fell. As he looked back as he skated off, he saw a white hedgehog with blue streaks, fur mussed, wearing sunglasses. Razor thought quickly, trying to cover up the surprise he felt in coming across his double so soon.*

Razor: Watch where you're goin', kook!

*Razor knew that it wasn't his nature to say such things, that it really wasn't right… but he also knew that if he acted like he normally did he would have trouble getting out of the place alive, since they would then see right through his… nearly perfect disguise. Razor continued through Polaris, trying to find something else… anything else… that might explain some things. He knew one thing for certain; he did not want to have to deal with Evil Sonic… at least not yet. He skated through the distraught neighborhood, and eventually found himself grinding down a long staircase, only to go up another slope, and head back where he came. There was nothing. No sort of lead as to what was going on that made that fellow Halkon so suspicious. Nothing at all… Razor sighed, and slowly headed back to where he had come in. He knew one thing for sure… he was not going to stick around and wait for evidence. Razor sighed, exasperated, and returned to the area in which he came in from, finding the portal and skating through it.*

Location: The Cosmic Interstate
Time: ???

*Razor quickly found himself back on the road, down the path that would eventually lead him back to the Quantum Universe. He knew that, eventually, this military agent would need help. The problem was that Razor didn't know what kind of help he would need. Razor only guessed Polaris, thinking that if big problems were to happen, they'd happen from there, since the other 'low' dimensions usually stayed away from Quantum. Razor sighed, and hopped off his board, picking it up as he saw the military agent. He saw the two were facing away from him, and he snuck up to get a closer look at the hedgehog floating beside Halkon. As Razor got close, he restrained a gasp as he saw Nagisoki, inside some sort of holding chamber, unconscious. Razor suddenly smiled.*

Razor *with a slight chuckle*: I guess it really is the quiet ones…
Halkon *chuckling, turning around*: Guess so…

*Razor decided to try and get a little more information out of the agent.*

Razor: Do you know of any others?
Halkon *with slight effort*: Ummmm… there was a blue hedge—
Razor *interrupting*: When you say blue, do you mean… navy blue, sky blue, or just 'blue' blue?
Halkon *curious*: A kind of deep blue, why?
Razor *softly, to self*: Shit, Evil Sonic...
Halkon: Excuse me?
Razor *shaking head*: Long story, and I don't have the time… Luck with you, sir…

*Razor skated off, leaving Halkon more than a little confused. Razor continued on, back into the Quantum Universe, heading through a portal that ended up sticking him right back where he came from; Dallas. It was late when he got there… probably past Midnight. Razor collapsed onto his bed, wondering how Sparks was doing, when he suddenly heard Sparks' voice behind him.*

Sparks: Maaaaan… what was that!? Where were you all day, man?
Razor: What? How did you… how did you… you followed me? But how?
Sparks: I saw this white flash and hopped through, and here I am…

*Razor shook it off, and started back to sleep.*

Sparks: Where were you?
Razor: Polaris… don't ask… I'm too tired…

*And with those words, Razor went to sleep.*