Flower: Whew, I finally got back on an updating track. I haven't updated for ages. Ack! I grovel at your feet, faithful readers! (splat)
Chaos: Anyway, the Writer's Block is still looming, which is quite depressing and doesn't make updating seem like a very pleasant activity right now. I apologise. Anywho... review responses, same old, same old... hey, I've actually missed doing this. (grin)
(dramatic pause as fanfiction stats are checked)
Flower: ... OH MY GOD! I have over two hundred reviews? (collapses) I don't believe it! Oh, this adds a whole new level of update-or-else to this story. I... just... wow. Thankyou all so much! (huggles for all) Unfortunately... review responses are taking up more spaces than the story. So I'll only answer the ones with questions, or the like. If that's ok... please keep reviewing! I have a review problem. (shifty eyes)
N.Harmonik - Shadow genuinely laughing? God forbid! Heh. Anywho... (luffle) your story is just... whoooo. I like cyber Sonic best! (grin)
Kirbs - Sonic is safe? You really think that! Oh, you're gonna kill me after this chapter then... (hides)
Naaaaaam - Ok, so you didn't put a question in your review but... this is a good oppurtunity fooor... (tackle) attacking Nam! Get updating, slacker! I finally have, now it's your turn! (laugh)
Mitsuka - You mean you thought I wouldn't like the fanart? Are you crazy! No... wait... don't answer that. (giggle) And yesh... Mecha is gone. But ssh, don't tell anyone.
Kemious - Ok, have to interject here... you think I wouldn't know Sonic R because it's too old! Hmmph! It's on my shelf with all my other Sonic games! Though... it does like to mess up my comp, so I haven't played it much but... the point remains. I wouldn't consider myself a proper fan if I didn't know... all the past history and alter-universes... (twitch)
Ok, have to interject here... you think I wouldn't know Sonic R because it's too ! Hmmph! It's on my shelf with all my other Sonic games! Though... it does like to mess up my comp, so I haven't played it much but... the point remains. I wouldn't consider myself a proper fan if I didn't know... all the past history and alter-universes... (twitch)Riverwood - New reviewer! Yaaay! And thanks for such a lovely review! I'm glad there's people like you out there willing to keep up with my... shoddy updating... (shifty eyes)
New reviewer! Yaaay! And thanks for such a lovely review! glad there's people like you out there willing to keep up with my... shoddy updating... (shifty eyes)Sippy - I like that name. Heehee. And I think I see what you mean about not being a gripping story. It lost it's shine for me long ago... I only originally intended it as a little Sonic-gets-robotized-what-then? story and... it spiralled out of control! Anyway, I prefer Broken Dreams - the plot has more structure. Yaaaay.
Chibi - I wouldn't say that if I were you. (wink) I might get ideas! Anyway... I actually wrote this to say... why aren't you writing anything? You're as bad as Nam! (No offense there, Nam)
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Tails' eyelids were drooping, but the sting of the wind against his cuts kept him awake. They were homing in on the city, and its bright lights glared through the night.
He cast a look to the side, where Sonic was slumped in the bloody chair, and saw a green eye looking back at him. He nearly jumped out of his seat there and then, and the plane gave a sudden lurch in mid-air.
He steadied it, and looked at Sonic again. "Sonic! You're awake!" Sonic blinked slowly, mind sorting out the words, and eventually said,
"Tails... you're... hurt."
"No, no, I'm fine. We're going to the hospital now, and... shouldn't you be resting? You can go back to sleep."
"No... I'll... die."
Tails shuddered involuntarily at the word, and clenched his fists around the controls.
"We're nearly there." he said, glaring at the ever-distant city. With a few deft button presses, the plane became X-mode, and picked up speed, roaring ever faster towards the hospital. The fuel dial slid down into dark red.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Shadow smashed through the last robot, and dropped to a crouch, one hand on the floor to steady himself andthe laser shot on his side blazing painfully. He managed to catch his breath and looked around at the others.
Miraculously none were badly hurt. The Chaotix, minus Espio, were bunched together, still in battle formation and looking almost surprised. Knuckles and Rouge were sitting by one wall, though Rouge seemed to be crying.
Knuckles, who had awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder, caught Shadow's eye and shrugged helplessly. Amy trotted across the room to Shadow, looking around dazedly at the debris, and said, "We did it!"
Shadow stood, and was about to reply when a grinding sound caught his ears. He froze and looked towards the far wall. Espio and Cream, who had just walked through the entrance, stopped talking and followed his gaze.
A much larger door was opening. It reached up to the roof, obviously for aircraft carriaging or similar, and was sliding upwards quite fast. Two heavy metal feet came into view and Shadow groaned to himself, knowing what was coming.
Robotnik always had to make a big entrance.
When the door slid up completely, the giant mech stomped out surprisingly quickly for something so large, and its arms unfolded to hang by its sides with a quiet swish. Shadow found himself taking an insticntivestep back, out of range, when Robotnik's voice echoed from a speaker upon the surface.
"You fools! Submit to being robotized and I won't injure you too much!" One of the arms outstretched and the mechanics inside folded out into an old-fashioned ball-and-chain swinging weapon.
Vector snorted and yelled back, "Can't you ever be original, Eggbutt? We'll destroy that tin can in seconds!" The robot roared angrily, and swung the mace. Shadow ducked, Amy following suit, and the spiked ball swung harmlessly over their heads with a low drone.
The Chaotix burst out laughing and the infuriated machine charged. The mech's gigantic feet smashed the crushed robot remains into pancakes, and the floor shook with every step.
The fighters split up and around the robot, which swung the ball-and-chain round in a circle, making them all duck.
It was a deadly game of jump rope.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The late-night traffic was slowly crawling along the packed streets of Central City, Station Square, most drivers too tired to even press their horns. It was almost relaxing, and far quieter than during the day.
It was a result of this silence that a whining could be heard. A few walkers paused and looked around in puzzlement, and the drivers with open windows craned their heads around to locate the source.
Then someone looked up and screamed, as the whine became a deafening squeal. A plane was hurtling down towards the street, out of control and engines spluttering. People began yelling and stampeding out of the way, calm silence broken.
Several drivers slammed on the brakes and leapt out of their cars, and the traffic became a jam of bright lights. Then the plane smashed down and into the side of a large bank with a deafening crash, and a loud security alarm added to the tumult.
People rushed over to the wreckage of the plane to see who had crash-landed so suddenly in the middle of the city, though some had already recognised the plane as the Tornado 2.
It was in X-mode, the two lower wings smashed against the street, the nose twisted against the remains of the wall like a crumpled piece of paper. A man leant over the side, wrenching open the mangled door, and cried,
"It's Tails and some dead animal!" Other people crowded around, and the other door was forced open. Tails looked up dizzily, the world spinning, and tightened his grip on the controls. The fuel dial read empty, a small crack across its glass surface.
"Are we there yet?" he moaned, a large bump starting to appear on his forehead. Somebody was lifting him up out of the seat, and he struggled fearfully, crying,
"No! I have to get to the hospital!" A voice interrupted him with,
"Yeah, you look pretty beat up. We'll get you to the hospital, don't worry."
"No, no! I need to get Sonic to the hospital!" The small crowd murmured quietly to each other, and one woman said,
"Must have concussion... haven't seen Sonic in ages... let's get him to the hospital quick!" Tails thrashed weakly, but the man holding him didn't release him.
"Come on, kid. We'll get help." Tails was getting dizzier, his thoughts going astray.
"Help for Sonic?"
The man paused, and then said, "Yes, help for Sonic." Tails relaxed and let himself get carried away.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Chaos: Yes, I'm mean. Anyway - twentieth chapter next time, so it'll be a long one. Don't kill me in the meantime! (waves white flag)