Chapter 10 Frustration

The journey back was longer than the first one felt. Sonic hadn't realized he had ran so far away from Chaos Control and, as always, he was in a hurry to get back. He started feeling a need for speed and picked up the pace.

Sonic looked over his shoulder. She was still there, and she was still keeping up with him quite well. That was a relief, at least he didn't have to worry about Aurora slowing him done. Even still, he wasn't satisfied with their speed. They had to go faster!

With no warning Sonic stopped short.

With a scream Aurora stopped too and collided right into him.

"What are you doing?!" Sonic growled looking up at the hedgehog on top of him.

"What am I doing? You shouldn't have stopped short like that without warning me!"

Sonic knew he hadn't warned her but it slipped out so fast there was no time to take it back, "I did to!"

Aurora folded her arms, she didn't have time to fight with him, she was on a mission! And that mission included her trying to get close to him.

"So why did we stop?" she asked calmly.

Sonic hushed her and he listened. A faint sound of a high pitched screech rang through his ear, or was it a whistle?

Before he could determine what it was Aurora spoke up, "It's a train."

"Oh yeah! I remember passing tracks on the way here!"

"So?"
"So, Eggman has a station right near there, and it leads right to his base. Come on!"

They started off in a rush and ended up at two bridges, one for the trains and one for cars.

"Let's take the one for the cars, it's much safer."

Aurora began to walk toward it but Sonic grabbed her arm, "Aw, c'mon, where's the fun in that? Besides the train bridge is a quicker route to Eggman's base."

"It might be quicker," Aurora commented twitching her ear, "but the bridge is longer and a lot narrower than the other bridge."

"Whatever." Sonic shrugged, "I'm taking the train bridge," he bolted, "I'll see ya at Eggman's base in about three years! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Aurora started to growl. "I'm suppost to stay with him but he's making everything so difficult!" Without a second thought about it she followed after him.

As Aurora had said the bridge was narrow and the gaps in between were just a bit larger to them than it would be to a human. But it was no problem for Aurora. All she had to do was fly over it anyway, although she was a little concerned about Sonic. Naturaly, there wasn't any rails or anything that would keep him from falling and she still needed to bring him back to Dr. Eggman.

Sonic daringly jumped, cartwheeled and flipped on the bridge as he crossed it. Aurora wasn't worried about that, he was actually starting to impress her, but that changed when he tripped and almost fell off.

"Be carefull!"

"I am!"

"Oh suuuuure, that's why you almost fell off, right?"

"Easy for you to say! You can fly"

There he goes again! Aurora thought.

"Stop that jumping you're going to fall!"

"I'm not jumping!"

Sonic's words were true, he wasn't jumping. Something was making the bridge vibrate.

WOO WOO! The train whistle rang out in warning. They had been so busy fighting they didn't even notice the train sneeking up on them from the way they came.

"Run!" Aurora screamed flying to the other side.

Easier said than done. The space between each track almost made it impossible to run without falling. But, despite the risk, Sonic went for it.

The hedgehog peered over his shoulder to see how far behind the train was. Wow! he was doing pretty good!

"Ha! No train's gonna run me down!"

Spoke to soon, the next second his foot had fallen through the space between the tracks and he couldn't get it out. Now since Sonic had been so hardened by the last two fights he didn't bothering crying out to Aurora for help.

The train drew closer to him till it seemed it was no use.

In a flash Aurora had swooped down to save, unfortuntly her rescue didn't work as planned. When Aurora had gotten close enough she pushed Sonic's leg up so he would be free, the next part of her plan was to grab Sonic and fly out of the way. But while she was freeing Sonic's leg her wing brushed against the rusty steel tracks and was damaged in such a way she wasn't able to sustain flight. There was no possible way she could fly with only one wing so she fell.

Sonic snatched her hand just in time before she would have been out of reach.

Her eyes gazed up at his mercy in surprise. Did he just save me?

The hedgehogs braced themselves as the train roared over them.

Sonic sweated heavily, it was hard to keep a grip on the tracks despite the fact he was wearing gloves. The hedgehog held on the best he could until he couldn't hold on any longer. The screams rang out until they hit the water below.

The water was rough and ruthless not slowing down or letting up for anything.

Sonic despretly tried to surface as he choked on gallons of swampy water entering his lungs. His head was randomly swallowed under by the high waves crashing down on him. He could hardly breath and thanked every chance he got. He was starting to get tired of fighting for his life but he couldn't give up, he just couldn't! The familar game of the mind caught up to him and he found himself saying within, "I'll just rest a little while."

Sonic's head fell back as he sank. He reached the bottom with a thud that made him open his eyes halfway. He looked at his hand and remembered. The bottle of rings! Sonic popped the cap off of the small tube. In less than a second his rings were floating in front of him, save one that was still in the bottle. The hedgehog grabbed the bottle and a ring.

He could feel his adrenalin pumping as a extra boost of energy rushed through his body.

With his fist clenched before him he charged out of the water, tumbeling over as he hit dry ground.

He was safe! Safe at last.

Sonic stood in truimph, "Ha! I survived again! Nothing can beat me down!" Sonic turned to brag to Aurora, "Ya see I-"

She wasn't there!

"Aurora! Where are you?" he called.

Then the realality hit him, "She must still be in the water!"
For a moment the heroic rescue was all that came to his mind, but he stopped himself before he reached the water.

"I can't swim!" he reminded himself.

For that instant he though there was nothing he could do. After all he had barely survived just trying to to save himself.! He couldn't risk it again!

The hedgehog turned with all means to just walk away, but he couldn't

With a deep breath Sonic dove.

The merky waters stung Sonic's eyes and made it very hard to see.

Where was she?

After a few minutes he spotted her. She had already hit the bottom and she didn't look good at all!

The blue hedgehog swam to her.

Sonic wrapped his arms around her waist but jumped back at the sudden shock she gave him. 'Did she just shock me?' Sonic thought. The hedgehog didn't understand the situation but he didn't care! He had one ring left and this was the time to use it!

The hedgehog took out his last ring and took hold of Aurora. Sonic endured the stinging jolts randomly going through his body. The pain increased until it fored Sonic to scream. Finally he blazed head on out of the water and back to safety once again.

Sonic sat up and started to cough up water relentlessy as he fell to all fours.

When he felt a little better his eyes glanced in Aurora's direction. She wasn't moveing!

Sonic rushed over,"Aurora! Wake up!" he shouted shaking her.

As he shook her a small metal object fell out of her ear.

Sonic curiously picked it up but when he did it shocked him and he threw it.

Aurora didn't look any better.

Sonic looked around then took a deep breath and started to preform CPR until she coughed the water up.

"What happened?" she asked in a drowzy voice.

"We fell off the bridge." Sonic replied.

She sat up, "Where are we?"

Sonic looked around not really sure himself, "I think we're in a forest or somethin'"

"A forest?" she repeated looking around.

Sonic got down on one knee, "Are you all right?"

"I think so," she replied standing"
Sonic helped her up.

"Let's get out of here."

Sonic let Aurora lean on him as they walked some ways into the forest. She felt a little better after awhile and started to walk by herself.

Sonic felt lost. They had been walking for quite some time now and they didn't seem to be getting anywhere.

"What forest is this?" Aurora asked.

"Frog Forest. I think.."

Aurora stopped when she noticed something.

"Didn't we pass that tree stump?" she pointed out.

Sonic shrugged, "How would I know? All stumps look the same."

"But I'm sure we've been here."she pondered."

"Are you "stumped" Aurora?" Sonic snickered.

Even though it's a pretty simple joke Aurora almost laughed but she held it back.

"This isn't a joke Sonic! We could be lost in here forever!"

Sonic smiled, "Promise?"
Aurora growled.

"Never mind," she said looking up, " I'll just fly up there and see if I can find a way out of here."

Aurora gave an attempt to fly but her one wing wouldn't cooperate

Sonic looked it over, "You hurt it pretty bad. I don't think you'll be able to fly for while."

Suddenly Sonic heard a voice, a familer one.

"I'll be right back." Sonic said to Aurora.

Sonic followed the sound until it led him to the source.

"This is where Chaos Control took me after I fell from ARK and saved the world from total destruction. And yet they still think I'll bring total destruction to their world. I'm a fugitive but," Shadow looked up, "it doesn't matter I'll keep fighting for you.

I promised.

Even if in the process I am destroyed.

I will never break it"

"Oh, Shadow." said a girly voice,"I knew you wouldn't let me down!"

Shadow jumped, "Who's there!"

"It's me Maria." it said again.

Shadow looked around until he spotted something, "You don't sound anything like Maria, SONIC!"

Sonic came out of his hiding place laughing hard.

"What are you doing here?" Shadow questioned.

"Don't mind me," he grinned, "I just came for the soap opra."
"Hmmph."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"I," Shadow paused, "I fell off a bridge."

"What a coincedence, so did we!"

Shadow blinked, "We?"

Sonic suddenly embarresed, "Uh me! I meant me," Sonic changed the subject, "so GUN's still at it huh? They still can't tell the difference between us. They locked me up!"

"Well, I'm surprised you escaped. They upgraded things there since my last visit."

"Hey! What can I say? Nothing can bring me down!"

"I see, so I believe you have a another reason for being here."

"Not really, I'm just trying to find a way out of here."

Shadow stood, "I know the way, I'll take you out, but after that your on your own."

Not really.. Sonic thought.

"Sure."

"Let's go." Shadow started to skate away.

"Wait!"

Shadow stopped, "What?"

"I uh forgot something."

Shadow tilted his head, "You forgot something?!"

"No, I uh, I'll be right back."

Sonic shot off. Oh man what is Shadow going to think when he sees Aurora? And with me!

"Aurora!"

Aurora turned.

Sonic grabbed her wrist, "C'mon I know a way out!"

"You do?" she asked surprised.
"Yeah! let's go!"

Sonic and Aurora rushed back to the place where Shadow was waiting.

"Hey Shadow!" Sonic shouted.

Shadow didn't answer he just glanced at Aurora.

"Look what I found."

Aurora pulled loose from Sonics' grasp, "FOUND!"

Shoot!

Shadow let out a laugh, "You are one pathetic creature." Shadow skated away with Aurora and Sonic following him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Eggman was furious.

"Why won't it work?!" he raged slamming his fist down on the computer keys.

"What's the matter Doc?" Rouge asked.

"I can't communicate with Aurora anymore! She's still under my control but I can't communicate or find out where her location is!"

"Maybe Sonic did something to sabitoge the communication devise." the bat girl offered.

"That would be like him wouldn't it," Dr. Eggman glanced over his shoulder, "go fetch Bokkun, I have a little job for him."