Chapter 6 The Second Trial

"Where are we going?" Sonic asked for the hundreth time.

"Be quiet you annoying little pest!" the creature hissed, "you'll find out when we get there!"

Sonic was sure that he already knew where he was going anyway.The hedghog would be taken to Eggman and that would be the end of it.

Sonic was worried, but not about seeing Dr. Eggman. Tails had been at the hospital a long time now and Sonic had no idea if he was all right. Besides; Tails, Sonic had other things crossing his mind. Would the millitary come after him again? What if they found Tails and took him into custidy? Even though these things were important

to the hedgehog he couldn't help but wonder, what did Dr. Eggman want? He probably just wants to kill me like he usualy does, Sonic thought thinking it was no big deal. Sonic was positive that just as soon as he would enter Chaos Control he would leave it. Ha! That fat old fart couldn't hold me! the hedgehog assuredhimself.

Curiousity also struck him about this creature. What was she anyway? He was pre-near positive she wasn't a robot. Maybe she was part of a dangerious mutant species that Dr. Eggman would use to take over the world!

"Yeah! That's why he wants me! He wants to blab about his big plans to me before fullfilling them!" Sonic gasped under his breath.

Then again even though he claimed to be a "scientist" he never really developed anything out of the robot league.

The hedghog's thoughts and worrys left when he saw the boundries of Chaos Control dead ahead.

"Next time tell the Doc to send me an invitation," Sonic said sarcasticly,"and a limo too."

"Be quiet hedgehog!" the winged hedgehog roared giving him a scratch on the nose.

The blue hedgeog wiped the blood from his face.

"Geez! What did you do that for!"

"Because your annoying me," she answered plainly.

The creature flew close to the front window of the control

center and tapped on it lightly

Dr. Eggman whirled around in his chair, "Aurora! It's about time! Bring in that blue hedghog right now!"

Sonic looked at the winged hedgehog questionably,"What did he just call you?"

Aurora ignored the question and flew to a side door, opened it and glided in.

"Welcome Sonic! I hope you had a pleasent welcoming," Dr. Eggman grinned.

The hedgehog wiped blood from under his nose letting Eggman know he had a poor greeting.

"Ah, I see, so Aurora had to do a little perswading for you to come."

"What do you want Eggman!" Sonic growled.

"My, my aren't we anxious,"

"Well I think I have the right to be after that fight in the graveyard!"

Dr. Eggman looked at Aurora then Sonic, "So you had a fight did you? Well I'm assuming you didn't win."

His words made Sonic's temper rise, he tried to lunge at him, but Aurora held him back.

"So I take it that you know why you're here."

Sonic rolled his eyes, "You want to kill me,"

"Yes, but that isn't the reason I had Aurora bring you here."

Aurora. The name was said again which made Sonic curious and a little un-easy. The tomb stone at the grave had said Aurora too, was it just a meer coincidence?

"What is she?"

"That isn't important!" Dr. Eggman snapped, "I have brought you here to make a truce."

Sonic blinked. A truce? Dr. Eggman never makes a truce. What was he up to?

"Sure," Sonic shrugged, "if you think you could stop being the bad guy."

"Not that!" Eggman said quickly, "I mean you join me!"

The hedgehog looked at the scientist in discust. Fat chance! Sonic thought to himself.

"No way!"

"I see, I didn't exspect it to be that easy to make you change your ways," Dr. Eggman folded his arms, "I guess I'll just have to be a little more perswasive."

Sonic put on a cocky smile, "You think you can break me? I'll be out of here before sunrise!"

"Is that so? This coming from the worlds fastiest hedgehog that was beaten by a girl. So tell me Sonic, how will you take on such a tremendus task after failing such a simple one?"

Sonic lowered his head, but didn't answer.

"That's what I thought," Eggman said looking down at him in triumph, "take him in the back I will join you shortly."

Aurora jerked then grabbed the hedgehog's arms and led him out of the room.

After they walked a few seconds Sonic finally broke the silence.

"So, Aurora, are you working for Eggman willingly?"

The winged hedgehog walked on not acknowledging his question in any way. What's her problem? She acts like she's a robot. Sonic thought.

Aurora and Sonic walked down the hall a little more then she turned, opened a door and threw him in.

Sonic stood to his feet shaking his head.

As he looked around he became confused, "What the heck?"

The area around him was sealed off at each side in a circle pattern with Eggmans grinning head logo in the middle of it.

"What is this some kind of arena?" the hedgehog inquired.

"That would be correct," confirmed a voice from above.

Sonic looked up seeing Dr. Eggman towering above him.

"Eggman."

"I hope you had enough time to rest on your way here because your going to need it."

"What's this all about?" the hedgehog questioned.

"How about making another deal?"

Sonic put his fists on his hips, "What kind of a deal?"

"What would you say to a little test of strenghth?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, a little match. If you win you may leave in peace, but

if you loose," Dr. Eggmans glasses reflected light, "you will join me."

Sonic crossed his arms and closed his eyes deep in thought. If I win I can just walk out of here, but if I loose... Sonic couldn't bare the thought of working with Eggman against his friends. He would spread the injustice that he despised and would do anything to prevent. Dr. Eggman did seem confident for some reason. Would this robot be ten times as worse as the others? Then again even in the tighiest squeazes when it seemed

Sonic was in a jam and there was no way out he would always find a way. Besides, if Sonic refused he would have to fight something anyways.

The hedgehog let out a confident laugh, "Bring it on!"

"First, let me introduce you to your competitor,"

Sonic watched as something amurged from the shadows. The light blue peirced his eyes as light shown behind it making Sonic sheild his eyes. One eye opened to see what it was. To the hedgehogs surprize it wasn't a robot. It was..Aurora?

"Hey! What's the big idea!" Sonic demanded.

"Oh I see, since you couldn't beat her before you don't think you can beat her now." Dr. Eggman tempted.

"I can't fight her!"

"Why not?"

"Sh-she's a girl."

"If your afraid of hurting her then you have no idea how powerful Aurora truly is."

Sonic looked back at her. Aurora stood neither confident nor unconfident. A blank expression crossed her face, but that soon changed to a sly smile as she pulled a black wip out from behind herself. She snapped it violently in front of herself. After whiping it a little more she let it wrap around her self as she turned in a circle.

Looking over her shoulder she said, "You wanna play?"

Sonic still wasn't sure. He could remember ever fighting a girl, would it be a challenge or a defeat that would scar him the rest of his life.

Finally concluding the matter in his mind he took a fighting pose.

"I'm ready!" he announced.

Sonic charged at Aurora with his fist ready to slam her, but Aurora was unexspectingly fast. One minute she was in front of him the next she was behind him, it almost looked like she teleported. Now it was Auroras turn, Aurora thrashed her wip about slowly walking toward Sonic.Then without warning she dashed. Sonic tried to keep his eyes fastened on her, but she was moving so quikly it made his head spin. The winged hedgehog lashed the wip at Sonic making a red blood line on his back. She raised it for a second strike, but Sonic grabbed it. The two hedgehogs pulled hard both trying to retrieve it. When Sonic pulled even harder Aurora released it making him fall backwards. The light blue hedgehog lunged at Sonic jumping on top of him. The scruffeld on the ground trying

to be the one on top. When Sonic had the upper hand he went for her throat trying to choke the life out of her. She gasped for air trying to loosen his grip.

Sonic's mind began to race looking down at the helpless female face below him. This isn't like me. I can't kill her, especialy not like this. Unfortunatly he had no choice someone had to die in this match and it wasn't going to be him!

While he thought his hold around her neck was looser leting her breath and fight a little easier. She rolled out from underneath the hedgehog and stood up. She seemed a little less of a threat to Sonic, now that he had her wip. Aurora closed her eyes lighting her hands up like she had done before in the graveyard. Sonic jumped back as Aurora pounded her glowing fists at him. The winged hedgehog thrusted her fist at Sonic just barely missing him. When she attempted to do it again he dodge rolled out of the way then spun his leg under her feet tripping her.

"Get him Aurora!" Eggman roared getting impatient.

As he watched the two rough house some more he became even more annoyed.

"STOP!" he demanded.

The two hedgehogs froze looking up at him. Dr. Eggman walked from their view then returned with large gray handeld sword. He threw it down to them then sat down to watch the fun.

Sonic was sweating now. He had to get the sword before she did! The two raced to the middle of the arena both exstending their hand to grab it.

Sonic grabbed for it. Ha! He got it! He had the wrong side, but he had it! Aurora gasped as Sonic carefully grabbed the sharp end and spun the sword at her. She flew back hitting the wall and sliding down it. She was only hit with the handel but the force was way too much for her. Sonic flipped the sword in the air catching it by the handel.

Sonic slowly walked up to the winged hedgehog. He raised his sword ready to end the battle when something stopped him. Looking at the winged hedgehog his memory flashed back to flames and a familer voice calling his name. At the third flash he could see a light blue hedgehog in a green habbit coughing and crying out for him. It was the same light blue hedgehog that had appeared in his dream as a monster and the same winged hedgehog

he was fighting, only without the winges.

Why was he having flashes about this hedgehog? He had never seen her before in his life! Or at least he couldn't remember seeing her.

The moment of hesitation was all Aurora needed. Without warning she swiped the sword from Sonic and hit him to the ground. He ooked up at her with one eye closed groaning in pain. Aurora pressed the point of the sword lightly against his neck.

A few seconds later Dr. Eggman walked into the arena and stood next to Aurora.

"Out of here by sunrise" eh?" Dr. Eggman tempted, "be my friend Sonic the hedgehog. Let's put the past behind us."

Sonic breathed harder as the sword was pressed down a little more against his neck. He could feel the cold, sharp, blade percing his skin.

Sonic didn't want to die! But he didn't want to join Dr. Eggman eather! The hedgehog had made up his mind. He wasn't going to join Dr. Eggman even if he had to die for the cause.

"I'll never join you!"

Dr. Eggman growled angrily at his choice, "DAMN IT SONIC! Why can't you just do as you're told! Take this pathetic hedgehog out of my sight!"

Holding the sword's point behind his back Aurora led him away once more.

Sonic was taken to a cell down below, and forced inside.

After the winged hedgehog left Sonic ran to the cell door and shook the bars as hard as he could.

But it was no use, "Shoot! I guess Eggman's smarter than I thought."

The hedgehog sat on the floor trying to figure out the question swimming in his head.

"Who is that hedgehog?" Sonic thought out loud, "and why do I keep having flashbacks about her?"

The hedgehog was very confused. Were his flashbacks even real? Could these thoughts and memorys be of real past events? Maybe this hedgehog was an old friend or relative of his. Whatever she was he had no memory of her. Could something have happened to Sonic that made him forget her or was he just making up these ideas in his head. The hedgehog tried as hard as he could to remember her in any way, but nothing came to him. Sonic's thoughts of the light blue hedgehog immediatly stopped when he saw Dr. Eggman coming through the door.

"Good evening Sonic," the evil genuis smiled.

"Good night," Sonic scoffed rolling over on his side facing the wall.

"Now you listen here Sonic-"

"No!" the hedgehog jumped to his feet and ran to the cell door, "You listen Eggman! You think you can win me over by empty threats and pretty faces you're barking up the wrong tree! I'll never join you no matter what! If you want to kill me go ahead! You can't make me one of you mindless minions and that's tears it!"

Sonic quickly turned away then sat indian style on the floor resting his chin in his hands.

"Now you listen to me Sonic," Dr. Eggman growled, "no matter what you do I'm always going to be on your back. You may try to shake me off, but even if you do I'll just keep coming. You may think your strong enough to survive, but believe me Sonic one day you will fall under the pressure." Dr. Eggman grinned, "You think I'm an evil dishonest man, but you can't even keep your word."

Sonics head spun around he glared at Eggman with a violent look in his eyes.

"You will fall Sonic," Dr. Eggman grinned, "you will fall.."

Dr. Eggman left the room leaving the hedgehog alone.

The Evil genuis walked up the stairs and down the corridors of Chaos Control mumbling bitterly to himself. He was furious! How could that hedgehog be so unbreakable? He was positve that his words to Sonic seemed to be very cruel and breaking, but it didn't seem to even sting Sonic's soul! Whatever Eggman said that blasted hedgehog would either get harder or become more confident.

"There must be some way I can get to that hedgehog," the mad scientist pondered making his fingers into a gun and resting his chin between the space.

Entering the control room he sat on his chair trying to come up with another sceam.

"Did it work?" questioned Rouge the bat as she entered the room.

Rouge could tell by the deep inclines on Dr. Eggmans face caused by his anger, that he wasn't pleased.

"It didn't work?" Rouge asked with a little expectance in her voice.

"No," he grumbled glaring at her.

"Don't blame me, I did my part," the bat said closing her eyes and resting the tips of her fingers on her chest.

Dr. Eggman was to angry and upset argue about wether or not Rouge had done her part or not, infact, he was to upset to talk at all.

"Sooo, about my Emeralds.." Rouge brought up. Eggman rolled his eyes, he knew what she was going to say, "What about my Emeralds? When do I get them?" he didn't want to talk about a promise he probably wouldn't keep at least, not now."

His voice became deeper and echoed in a scratchy whisper as he spoke, "Go away,"

Now Rouge was upset. She wanted her jewels! Even though she wasn't a patient bat she let it go and let him alone.

Even though Sonic didn't have a guard like he did in his cell at GUN headquarters his task of escaping wasn't any easier. It looked like there was not way out! Sonic had tried to bend the bars to his cell, but all he acomplished was getting red rusty hands, then he tried to smash the the door down by curling up into a ball and smashing into it, but that just gave him a headache. His next idea was to squeeze through the bars and sneek out, for a moment it seemed to be working, he was able to squeeze right in the gap! The hedgehog joy didn't last long when he got stuck and couldn't squeaze out or back in. Lucky for him Rouge came down to check

on him and after she finished laughing she pushed him in. Sonic couldn't break down the door, bend the bars, or squeeze his way out, he couldn't even dig out! He began to loose hope as his escape plans failed, one after another.

Sonic decided to settle down and rest a little. But the hedgehog soon found that resting was his biggest mistake of all. Sonic leaned against the wall arms folded and eyes closed. He wasn't sleeping, but he wasn't plotting either. Sleep seemed pointless and he was pretty much through with plotting for one night. As he sat alone in the dark his eyes mind and ears began to play tricks on him. Sonic could hear a faint sound of laughter echoing in the the room. The sound made him jump as fear clutched his heart. Strange lights flashed in front of him when he blinked and stiff objects moved before his eyes. And sometimes he could feel a hand on his shoulder. The hedgehog tried to convince himself that these things wern't real that they were only his imagination, but sometimes imagination can get away with you. Trying to contain trickery he made up he closed his eyes, not in sleep, but in protection of his spirit.