Future Problems, Past Pains
Chapter One
Beginning of the End
I own Vinny, Ferrahgo'sScribe owns Maddie, Shadow the Hedgehog the Ultimate Lifeform (That's a mouthful...) owns Gahlik, and everyone else is owned by SEGA and Sonic Team. Except for those mentioned at the very end. I own one, and Sil owns the other. (Names protected because of the author's wishes...)
It was a cold, rainy night. In the Mystic Ruins, a small workshop was filled with life. Inside sat a black Echidna that had yellow stripes, a green hedgehog with a long black cloak, and a black hedgehog with black pants that had chains running down them, a black tank-top with skull and crossbones, and red and black gloves. An orange kitsune was about to show them his latest invention. He pulled off a fire engine red curtain to reveal a complex piece of machinery that had a main tube, a small control panel next to it, and tons of wires and tubes running between then.
"I bring to you...the Tails Time Traveler 3000!" Tails exclaimed. Tails smiled, waiting for a response.
"I can sense something's going to go wrong already..." Gahlik whispered to Vinny, who was on his right. Vinny nodded, and Maddie clapped.
"Yeah, this is cool!" Maddie exclaimed. Tails smiled at Maddie before turning to the control panel, his back to them. He started pressing buttons quickly, his tails waving. The inside of the main tube started glowing with an eerie yellow light.
"Who wants to try out my new machine?" Tails asked. Vinny froze, and the three of them backed up cautiously.
"Fine then, since none of you wanna do it, I will!" Tails exclaimed, and without a second thought, leaped into the tube. Gahlik lunged forward in an attempt to stop Tails, but it was no use. A flash of ruby light flashed through the tube, and he was gone.
Maddie went to the control panel in an attempt to abort the mission, but the control panel sizzled, and exploded.
"Tails..." Maddie whispered quietly.
Mystic Ruins...20 years later...
A flash of ruby light dashed through the air for an instant before disappearing, leaving behind Tails. Tails fell to the ground with an 'oomph.' Tails took a moment to right himself, before standing upright.
"That was one heck of a journey...here I am in the Mystic Ruins...20 years into the future!" Tails exclaimed. He looked around, and his excitement turned into horror. It looked like a sci-fi movie, where everything had gone wrong. Giant machines with the Eggman logo were flying through the air, air shooting out of their feet. Their turtle-shell green exterior made them gleam in the sunlight, and Tails gasped. Tails turned around to see that his old workshop was now a giant building that produced more Eggman mechs. The usually pine-scented air was now tainted with the smell of rotten eggs.
"Where am I? And what happened?" Tails asked in confusion. Bullets then struck the ground around him, and he scrambled forward towards the center of the big city that was now residing in the Mystic Ruins. Tall, silver buildings were everywhere, with rounded, spherical tops. More bullets shot, and one of them struck Tails in the leg. He then felt something gruff pick him up, and throw him over their shoulder. He knew he was in the air, because he could see the blue sky, and the Eggman mechs shooting at him. That was the last thing he saw before everything went black.
Tails woke up, a sharp pain in his leg. Tails looked around to find that he was lying on the floor of what appeared to be a cavern. Tails tried to get up, but fell right back down again. Nothing seemed to make any sense to him. He'd warped 20 years into the future alright, but seeing as his time machine was in the mech-producing building, he wouldn't be able to get home in a hurry. But now...somehow Eggman had taken over, and Tails knew that must mean Sonic was gone...no, it couldn't! Sonic was number one! He'd never die! Footsteps ripped Tails from his thoughts, and he looked up. Standing in front of him was a tall, black Echidna with yellow stripes. In his hand was a laser rifle, and a small, ghost-like chao was perched on his shoulder.
"G...G...Gahlik? What're you doing here? And where's Sonic and the others!" Tails asked. Gahlik's eyes shifted towards Tails, and Gahlik sighed.
"Look kid...I'm here with Vinny and Maddie...we're here because it's the perfect hideout...and well, Sonic's dead, now that we need the little jerk the most...and as for everyone else...well..." Gahlik started, but Tails cut him off.
"NO! Sonic's not dead! No way can Sonic die!" Tails exclaimed furiously. Gahlik sighed again, this time sitting down next to Tails. Gahlik wrapped a comforting arm around Tails.
"Sorry kid...but it's true. Sonic was given a public execution by Eggman." Gahlik said, recalling the incident.
Flashback...
Sonic opened his eyes to find himself chained to a brick wall. His arms and legs were tightly bound, and he couldn't get free. Oh, where was Tails when you needed him? Ever since he disappeared 15 years ago, things had gone from bad to worse! Sonic heard maniacal laughing, and knew it was Eggman. Sure enough, the fat man himself stepped in front of Sonic, a camera rolling and a huge crowd behind him.
"This is why no one shall resist...the Eggman Empire! Bow to your new leader...and watch as your hero, Sonic the Hedgehog, gets the first ever televised execution!" Eggman exclaimed. Gahlik was in the crowd, and saw in horror Sonic's head get chopped off by a katana clutched firmly in Eggman's hands. The katana's blade was now a crimson red, and Sonic's neck was a mere stump. Sonic the Hedgehog was no more...
End Flashback...
"It was a good thing you didn't see it..." Gahlik said, shaking his head.
"No! You're lying! Vinny'll tell me the truth, I know he will!" Tails exclaimed. Tails tried to get up, but fell over again. A tall green hedgehog walked in, with a beaten black cloak, and worn-out pink and green shoes that had chips in the paint. His sapphire eyes, usually filled with calmness and happiness, now showed anger and strength.
"Yeah, it's true, Tails. Sonic's dead." Vinny said, his voice a little deeper, and lacking it's usual carefree tone. Tears welled up in Tails' eyes, and Vinny rolled his eyes.
"Great, here comes the waterworks." Vinny said, slight distaste in his voice.
"Vinny! Just because Eggman took over doesn't mean that you have to be so insensitive!" Gahlik exclaimed. Vinny looked at him through cold eyes.
"No, it means that I have to grow up!" Vinny exclaimed. Gahlik glared at Vinny, and it looked like the two of them were about to fight when Maddie leaped between them.
"Not now guys!" Maddie exclaimed. Vinny scowled and crossed his arms. A red and black light started flashing repeatedly throughout the cavern.
"An Eggman attack! We gotta go now!" Gahlik exclaimed, a small hologram projector revealing the whereabouts of the attack.
"He's attacking Central City...that's where we believe the final Chaos Emerald is!" Maddie exclaimed. Vinny's eyes widened.
"If he gets the last Chaos Emerald, the world is done for!" Vinny exclaimed. Gahlik, Vinny, and Maddie ran off through the cavern, Tails trailing behind. They stopped in what appeared to be a small equipment room. Maddie took a crimson and jet black hoverboard from the wall, as well as hand grenades. Gahlik grabbed protective armour, and a jet black and vermillion hoverboard. Vinny nabbed a emerald and pink hoverboard, and a laser sword the length of Tails' arm.
"Here, kid. You can ride with me." Gahlik said. Tails nodded unsurely, and Gahlik laid down the board.
"Everyone ready? Let's go!" Maddie exclaimed, as she took off on her hoverboard. Vinny took off right behind her, and Gahlik and Tails a few seconds after that. Soon, they were flying in mid-air pretty high up above the Mystic Ruins. It would take a few hours to get to mainland, but it would be worth it.
"Wait a second...why is it that you're the only ones here? What about Shadow, and Knuckles?" Tails asked. Gahlik stopped abruptly in mid-air, nearly causing Tails to fall off.
"Tails! You are to never mention them again, got that?" Gahlik asked gruffly. Tails nodded hesitantly.
"Look, this may be hard, but after Sonic's death, everyone but the three of us and Shadow joined Eggman. Shadow...he was killed in our last mission...it was a direct attack on the Empire itself...if it succeeded, we would have won...but it didn't. He overlooked one fatal thing: Cream the Rabbit." Gahlik said. Tails nearly fell off the board laughing.
"Cream? Ha! What can she do?" Tails asked, choking with laughter.
"She was the strongest member in Eggman's army, that's what! She's powerful enough to kill us all! Fighting her is a suicidal mission!" Gahlik exclaimed, now trying to catch up to the others. Tails froze, his sapphire eyes widening in astonishment. A huge shift in the air rocked the hoverboards, tossing them like a feather.
"We're getting close!" Vinny exclaimed, keeping his feet steady. Now, they saw a small explosion hit near the center of Central City. A look of sheer determination was on Maddie's face, and she sped up drastically.
"Maddie, slow down, they're going to detect you on ra-" Tails started, but he was cut off my lasers slashing furiously at Maddie. Suddenly, Tails fell to the hoverboard's top, clutching his head. Visions flashed before his eyes...
Kai, being sliced to bits with lasers...
Shadow being shot from behind with a shotgun by Cream...
Jayln being turned into one of Eggman's mechs...
Ghost the Chao being electrocuted...
Sonic, a katana about to slice through him...
"ARG!" Tails exclaimed, the visions overwhelming him. Tails fell off of the hoverboard, and started the long fall towards Earth.
Sorry about the visions...and no, I don't have anything against Chao...nor Jayln and Kai...but seeing as they're in most of my stories...if not all...I had to put them somewhere...teh laterness! (Ugh...that was a lame witty banter...)
Pyro Hedgehog4ever