Aria: Yikes! How long did I wait to update! Ack! I'm sorry! Gomen nasai! Mea culpa! Lo siento! …I dunno any other ways to say "I'm sorry"…
Twister: -rolls eyes- She's spazzing out again…
Aria: I won't dignify that with a comment.
Twister: Suit yourself. -walks away, with tail held high-
Aria: Anyway, thank you to Miss Inadequante, Crystalstorm, and Spawn of Eighty-Four. Again, I'm very sorry for not updating in so long, but I just had a bad writer's block for a very long time and wasn't interested in much.
Twister: -pokes his head in- Except for video games.
Aria: -sighs- Always has to put his two cents' worth in… Anyway, hope y'all like Part Ten! Let's get this party started! -snaps fingers-
(Disclaimer: Aria Zephyr does not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any related material)
Aria Zephyr Proudly Presents…
A Matter of Life or Speed:
An Archie Sonic Fanfiction
Part Ten: Not Out of the Woods Yet
"ATTENTION! FIVE MINUTES UNTIL CORE SELF-DESTRUCTION! ATTENTION! FIVE MINUTES UNTIL CORE SELF-DESTRUCTION!" the speakers wailed. The clinical halls of the dying building were now much different from what they had been before. Alarms were constantly blaring, compared to the almost stifling silence from before; the bright, scientific fluorescent lights were replaced with flashing red beams; the building shook dangerously, contrasting to the rock-sturdy air the building had once had; and the robots that had once patrolled the halls were milling about in confusion.
One such group of robots was running around directly in Sonic, Sally, and Tails's path. "Comin' through! Make way!" Sonic yelled, as he began to smash his way through the confused robots. Sally and Tails followed and dealt with robots that got in their way as well. As they passed the group and turned a corner, Sally and Tails caught up with Sonic.
"I don't get it," Sally panted as they ran. "Don't get what, Sal?" Sonic asked. "Why didn't those SWAT bots attack us when we came into view, or even when we started destroying them? It doesn't make sense," she said. "Actually, it makes perfect sense," Sonic replied. "How?" Tails asked, flying up behind Sonic's right shoulder.
"The core controls them, right?" Sonic said. "Well, my guess is that because the core is about to self-destruct, the commands it's giving out are messing up the SWAT bots' programs. Either that, or it's not giving out any commands at all, and the SWAT bots can't think for themselves, after all," he said. Sally smiled. "You're right. That's probably it," she said, her boots squeaking as they rounded another corner sharply.
Suddenly, Sally noticed something and stopped. Sonic skidded to a halt and Tails hovered backwards before turning around. "Sal? Something wrong?" Sonic asked. "Yes," she replied, looking around her. "This isn't the way we came in." Sonic grinned. "I know. We'd never get far enough away if we went out the way we went in. We're going a different route," he said.
Before Sally could respond, Sonic scooped her up in his arms and took off down the hall. Tails bobbed in the air behind him, riding the wind current Sonic made as he gained speed.
"Sonic, I demand to know how you plan on getting us out of here!" Sally yelled over the wind whistling in her ears. "Stop squirming, Sal. I doubt you want me to drop you," Sonic said. Sally stilled herself and asked her question again. "We're going out the quickest way possible: out the front," Sonic replied. Sally looked at him as if he'd gone insane. "Just trust me," Sonic said.
As they ran down the halls, the halls gradually became larger and more ornate and the number of robots in them increased, further hindering progress. The alarms wailed more and more frighteningly. The red warning lights flashed brighter and more frantically. Despite these growing problems, Sonic charged on doggedly, Tails following patiently behind.
Abruptly, what was nearly a sea of SWAT bots appeared as the trio rounded a corner. Sonic and Tails barely stopped before they crashed headlong into them. Looking ahead, they saw the reason for such a huge number of SWAT bots: the main entrance to the building.
"What are we going to do now?" Sally wondered aloud. "ATTENTION! TWO MINUTES UNTIL CORE SELF-DESTRUCTION! ATTENTION! TWO MINUTES UNTIL CORE SELF-DESTRUCTION!" the now-familiar warning bellowed. "Somebody really needs to shoot that thing," Tails grumbled. "Maybe later," Sonic said. He put Sally on her feet and turned to Tails.
"Tails, you fly Sally over the SWAT bots," he said. "Sonic, what are you doing?" Tails asked. "Don't worry about it, lil' bro. I'm just gonna take care of the door," Sonic replied. Tails nodded. "Sonic?" Sally asked. "Yeah?" he replied. "Be careful," she said. Sonic grinned at her. Tails grabbed Sally's wrists and lifted her over the robots.
Sonic faced the SWAT bots. Taking a running start, he charged into the crowd and began to break a way through. Some of the robots, though malfunctioning, attacked the blue hedgehog in reflex to his attempts. Sonic threw his attackers back and destroyed them. Finally, Sonic reached the great doors. He looked up and saw Tails and Sally hovering above. Sonic backed up a considerable space and paused. Taking a deep breath, Sonic broke into a run and slammed into the doors at top speed.
The entire building shook violently at the impact. The heavy doors groaned as Sonic pushed, using his speed to his him the force he needed. Yet, even as smoke was rising from the floor beneath his feet, not a single glimmer of light gave hope to the doors moving apart. Setting his jaw tightly, Sonic increased his pace, to past what he had ever done. Involuntarily, Sally gasped as sparks flew up in the smoke Sonic was kicking up. Finally, slowly, agonizingly, the doors screeched as a thin line of light appeared between them. Suddenly, and without warning, the doors flew back and a flood of sunshine poured into the room. All in the room cried out as the brightness blinded them. All but Sonic, who, caught in his own momentum, charged into the radiance.
Skidding to a stop, Sonic saw the swamp not far away. Turning around, he could see the building shaking vehemently. "TAILS! SALLY! HURRY!" he cried. The speakers, which had blared for so long, boomed out a new and more terrifying call: "ONE MINUTE UNTIL CORE SELF-DESTRUCTION! ONE MINUTE UNTIL CORE SELF-DESTRUCTION! BEGINNING COUNTDOWN! BEGINNING COUNTDOWN!"
Sonic called again, and this time, he saw Tails and Sally coming out of the dust of the building. He ran to them just as Tails released Sally's wrists, looking exhausted. Without any words, Sonic scooped Sally into his arms and signaled to Tails. The fatigued fox-boy dropped down in the air and clung to Sonic's back. Sally wrapped her arms around Sonic's neck and Tail's back, anchoring them all together. Sonic glanced at her and gave her a confident grin. He pulled out the golden power ring he had brought.
"THIRTY-FIVE! THIRTY-FOUR! THIRTY-THREE! THIRTY-TWO! THIRTY-ONE! THIRTY!" the alarms blared, counting down the precious seconds left.
Sonic shot forward, reaching the swamp in only a step. He zigzagged through the bewildering network of roots and muck, not pausing for anything.
In the distance, faint, but still calling, the alarms wailed.
"FINAL COUNTDOWN INITIATED! TEN!"
He was going so fast, Sonic's feet virtually floated over the thick muck as he ran.
"NINE!"
Sonic finally reached the outer ring of the swamp, the thick undergrowth and harder ground.
"EIGHT!"
Jumping into the air, Sonic ran on the heavy brushwood as if it were ground, not caring about how cruelly the sharp thorns and branches of the plants scratched him.
"SEVEN!"
Leaping from one clump of bushes to the next, Sonic could see the edge of the unbroken ground in the distance.
"SIX!"
The ground shook and cracked, causing trees to fall and block Sonic's way. Ducking and dodging the missiles caused by the core's dying, Sonic strove to reach the plains and the Great Forest.
"FIVE!"
Bursting out of the last heavy clump of thorny bushes, Sonic broke out of the undergrowth and ran over the vast plains.
"FOUR!"
The wind whistled as the grass was barely touched or crushed by Sonic's fleet footsteps.
"THREE!"
Sonic spied a dark line appearing fast over the horizon: the Great Forest.
"TWO!"
Sonic tore desperately towards the trees that encircled his home.
"ONE!"
Just as a massive crash and brilliant flash deafened and blinded everything for miles and a huge mushroom cloud went up, Sonic flung himself, Sally, and Tails into the safe reaches of the Great Forest.
They all lay frozen for a few moments, as if disbelieving that they still lived. But soon, Sonic looked up and smiled. "Sally…look…" he panted, pointing to western horizon, to the mushroom cloud. Sally lifted her head slowly and gazed in the direction he indicated. A twinkle came to her eyes and she looked at Sonic. "We did it…" she whispered. "We destroyed the energy core." She shook her head. "I can't believe we got out of that with our lives!" she said. Sonic took hold of her chin with one hand and looked into her eyes. "Well, we did. So believe it, Sal," he said merrily. Sally laughed and pulled him close, into a kiss. Sonic wrapped his arms around her tenderly and held her.
"Ewwwwwww…mushy stuff!" Tails yelled. Laughing, the two broke apart and looked at the fox-boy. "I wouldn't say anything if I were you, lil' bro," Sonic chided. "Why?" Tails asked stubbornly. "Because, sooner or later, you'll like mushy stuff too!" Sonic said, getting to his feet. Tails yelped and took off into the air, flying away with Sonic in pursuit. Watching them, Sally rolled her eyes and got to her feet. "Boys!" she called. The pair stopped and turned around to look at her. "What?" Sonic asked innocently. "We were just playing." She shook her head and said, "Don't you think it's about time we went home?" Sonic smiled and walked back to her. Putting an arm around her shoulders, he said, "Yeah, it is, Sal." He looked into the forest. "Let's go home."
Quotes from Part Eleven: Home Sweet Home
"So…what happened to you two when the coup took place?"
"Do you remember the roboticized fox you fought in the core?"
"Thank you so much, for everything!"
Aria: If you haven't already guessed, Part Eleven is the end! The last chapter! The grand finale!
Twister: Are you always this dramatic?
Aria: Shaddap.
Twister: Whatcha gonna do to me?
Aria: -tosses a ball of yarn across the floor-
Twister: YARN! -chases after it-
Aria: I hope everyone hasn't so forgotten this thing that they'll be around for the end. At any rate, I think it'll be satisfactory.
Twister: -tangled with yarn-
Aria: That's everything for now! Please read and review, one and all! See ya! -vanishes with hog-tied muse into whirlwinds-