Someone up there hates me. My Computer has been a real pain. The computer I normally work on has a problem with the power supply. My Dad brought in a similar computer and I my eyes lit up with possibilities. I have upgraded my RAM to 192MB (128MB + 64MB), My Processor is 50mhz faster (500mhz, yeah I know crap) and I have two hard drives totalling around 22GB's.

Though because of this Microsoft office is being a pain and so I've downloaded Openoffice as a temporary solution.

It all means I'm using an unfamiliar imitator of the real thing to finish this, and Summer is almost over.

Well time to get writing.

All copyright info in first chapter

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Chapter 8 – Walking on Steel Clouds

Big followed the Robot into a transporter and quickly hid behind a block. He was in a massive ship of some kind with the signs of the evil Doctor Robotnik everywhere. Big suddenly realised what he had done and the danger he was in.

Then he remembered Froggy was the reason he came here and spotted the Robot again. He had handed Froggy over to Dr. Robotnik, who gave it to another Robot. Sticking to the Shadows Big followed the second Robot into a massive water tank The area he was in was really hot. It was as if he was right in the engine of something.

The Robot left the area and Big knew what he had to do. He grabbed his Fishing Rod for hopefully the last time and cast his line

ACTION STAGE: HOT SHELTER (BIG)

Once again Big caught Froggyand cheered in celebration. Now he had to get off this thing and back to the Mystic Ruins.

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Gamma walked into the Prison Halls set on achieving his new objective. He reached the final cell and found a pink female hedgehog cradling a small bird. Just like the Doctor said. He needed to get the bird.

"Hand over the bird", said Gamma.

"NO!" said the Hedgehog

"Hand over the bird", said Gamma aiming his gun

"NO, first you tell me why you want it!" said the Hedgehog

"Doctor Robotnik has ordered me to retrieve it. Hand over the bird", said Gamma

"Why does Eggman want it? It's just a bird", said the Hedgehog

Gamma did not respond

"Give me the Bird", said Gamma.

The Hedgehog's face turned from pure rage into a sympthatic state.

"You don't even know do you? So why do you follow him?" asked the Hedgehog

"Does not compute. Doctor Robotnik created me thus is my master. I must follow him", said Gamma.

"But why? Don't you have thoughts and feelings of your own? You don't need to answer to anyone but yourself", said the Hedgehog

"Does not compute", said Gamma, "DOES NOT COMPUTE"

Then surprisingly the bird left the Hedgehog's arms and flew into Gamma's face. Something inside him awoke. He started to feel love for this little bird. An image of three flickies appeared in front of his face. It only lasted a few seconds but it was enough to question himself.

The Hedgehog was right. Why did he follow Doctor Robotnik so blindly? This wasn't right. A hidden part of him awoke, a part that told him to help the bird escape safely.

Gamma struggled to break his program long enough to free the Hedgehog and the bird.

"Go. Escape pods are found at the front of the ship", said Gamma.

"Hey you're not all bad. Let's be friends OK!" said the Hedgehog, "My name is Amy Rose"

"GO! Escaping the Egg Carrier will not be easy. You will need to be quick", said Gamma.

"I understand. Thanks, friend", said Amy.

Amy ran out of the prison halls and Gamma computed what he had done. Was that a system error? A Virus? Something took control of him, something he didn't understand.

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Thanks to the Robot Amy and her Bird Friend reached the end of the Prison Halls. Only one door left and she would be in the heart of the Egg Carrier.

"ARGH! HOW DID YOU ESCAPE?" screamed Eggman over the tannoy in pure rage, "Heh! Doesn't matter you will never make it out of this room alive. The Door is sealed shut now. Only I can open it"

"Leave us alone Eggman. I don't know what you want with this bird but I promise I will protect it with all my strength. When Sonic get's here...", said Amy.

"Sonic is already here. Him and that pesky fox friend of his. But it doesn't matter he won't survive the Sky Deck. In the meantime I have a little game for you to play. Destroy enough of the Sonic dolls and maybe the door will open. You'll have to beat my High Score for that though", said Eggman.

"A game huh? Well this could be fun I guess", said Amy.

MINI GAME: HEDGEHOG HAMMER (AMY)

Amy smashed as many of the Sonic and Super Sonic shaped dolls with her hammer as she could, ignoring the fact it looked like Sonic. After a few attempts she finally managed to beat the top score and ran out of the room and headed towards the main deck.

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Knuckles had searched every inch of the Egg Carrier, however even though he could sense them he couldn't narrow them down. They seemed to point to the bottom of Eggman's swimming pool. There was some sort of shutter there but he fond no way of opening it.

"The last shards must be behind that shutter", said Knuckles, "But I must have to drain that pool or something"

Suddenly the ship began to shake as he ventured onto the main deck. The Egg Carrier seemed to transform in front of him. Perhaps that was a sign. He raced back to the swimming pool and found the shutter had opened. Knuckles ventured into the area hanging underneath the battleship to find the last remaining shards.

ACTION STAGE: SKY DECK (SONIC / TAILS / KNUCKLES)

Meanwhile Sonic and Tails were racing through the Sky Deck area underneath the Egg Carrier. They had more ground to cover and had to avoid cannon fire and ships taking off. Missing a platform or being blown off meant a long fall to the ground beneath them. That was not an option.

They raced on until the reached a fin like section. Knuckles had just entered this area and found a lever in front of him.

"Hmm, I wonder what this does", said Knuckles.

Knuckles played with the lever a bit and discovered the fin like section moved with that lever. Of course Sonic and Tails found this out the hard way and had to quickly grab onto something to void falling into the abyss below.

"What the hell?" asked Sonic.

"Look up there. Knuckles! If he got in here that must be the exit!" said Tails.

"Ok then let's just, hey...What is he doing?" asked Sonic.

Knuckles blissfully moved the lever to move the fin in a way that benefitted him. He collected all the remaining shards while Sonic and Tails had to make their way to the exit despite Knuckles' carefree use of the lever.

When Knuckles collected all the Shards he was consumed by a bright Red light.

Sonic and Tails reached the exit to find Knuckles moving slowly in some kind of trance.

"What's up with him?" asked Sonic.

"Maybe Doctor Robotnik got to him", said Tails

"Hmm, no time to help him. I'm sure he'll be OK. Come on let's get ol' Egghead and tear a new one", said Sonic.

"A new what?" asked Tails.

"Er...Never mind that just let's go", said Sonic.

Sonic and Tails landed in the main room area.

"Bleurgh! Is this it? How ugly", said Sonic, "And far too easy to get here. Knuckles caused us more problems"

"Hey look, an elevator. Maybe that leads to the Bridge", said Tails.

"Well spotted. Worth a shot I suppose. Come on then", said Sonic leading Tails to the elevator.

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When the bright light faded Knuckles was in a strangely familiar setting. The Emerald shards he had collected had disappeared but he was more concerned with the Echidna's in front of him.

"Oh my god. Real Echidna's!" said Knuckles.

Knuckles took a closer look at the shrine behind him

"No but that's impossible. That's the Master Emerald shrine but it's like new. Where's the smashed pillars?" asked Knuckles.

"NO FATHER! I WILL NOT LET YOU PASSED", said a young orange echidna girl

Her defiant shouts broke the peaceful night surroundings Knuckles found himself in. Something told Knuckles that this wasn't real, more a projection of something he needed to know. Knuckles moved in to get a closer look.

"Tikal we need the seven Emeralds for power. We must use them to protect our civilisation and take our rightful place as the dominant species on the planet. Move out the way of my men will run through you", said an older, bigger, darker skinned Echidna.

"The Emeralds were never meant to be used this way. It will be the end of us all", said Tikal surrounded by Chao.

"Enough. Men charge forward for the Emeralds", said the darker Echidna.

"Understood Chief Parachamac", said one of the Echidna soldiers.

The soldiers charged forwards. Knocking over Tikal and the Chao in their way. Knuckles heard the sound of a large drop of water dropping into a puddle. With each fallen child there was a sound that seemed to be a roar of anger.

Knuckles ran forward to investigate. He saw the soldier echidna's reach the fully restored Master Emerald before being stopped by Chaos.

"Hey it's you", said Knuckles.

"ARGH! It's the Emerald Guardian", said one of the soldiers.

"I guess we have to take it out then", said another.

A bright light stopped them as the Seven Chaos Emeralds began to swirl around Chaos.

"NO! HE HAS ALL SEVEN CHAOS EMERALDS! WHAT HAVE WE DONE!" screamed a soldier.

Knuckles watched as the Chaos Emeralds became one with Chaos and the beast morphed into a massive creature. He saw sharp water tentacles penetrate the chest of the soldiers and heard one last roar before the red light consumed him again.

Knuckles awoke on the main deck of the Egg Carrier.

"It all makes sense. He did it, He killed them all. Chaos killed my race because of our greed. He's the reason I'm the only one left!" Screamed Knuckles as a tear rolled down his cheek, "He will pay for this!"

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Oh dear. I suspected telling Knuckles the truth about Chaos would've had that effect. Perhaps it's the Hedgehog I should be putting my hopes on. He seems to have the most righteous heart.

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Amy ran onto the Main Deck and ran straight into Eggman. Amy fell onto her backside and could only watch as the evil doctor grabbed the bird.

"Finally. You left before I could take this!" said Eggman.

Eggman reached into the birds locket and took out a Chaos Emerald.

"Oh no. He's got another Emerald", said Tails.

"And Amy!" shouted Sonic.

Sonic and Tails had just entered the main deck from the elevator. Sonic raced over to Amy and made sure she was OK.

"Oh Sonic! You do care about me", said Amy.

"Get back all of you. This is all I really need. Just to get the last Emerald from that Frog", said Eggman.

"Stand back. This should just take a second", said Sonic.

"Come Gamma. Exterminate this pests", said Eggman.

Suddenly the sound of the elevator rising could be heard. On top was the Robot that had helped Amy escape.

"E-102 Gamma reporting for duty. Scanning Targets. Priority One Sonic the Hedgehog, Priority two Miles Tails Prower. Third target Amy Rose...", said Gamma, "Exterminate"

"Another one of your robots Eggman. Don't worry this will meet the fate of all your other ones", said Sonic.

Eggman retreated as Sonic, Tails and Gamma took fighting stances.

CHARACTER FIGHT: SONIC & TAILS VS GAMMA

Tails tended to distract Gamma while Sonic attacked the Robot. Gamma however was tougher than he looked and smashed Sonic across the face a couple of times with his gun when Sonic got close.

Gamma shot a searchlight behind Tails which brought the fox tumbling to the ground in shock. Tails covered his head to protect himself from the falling glass. Sonic angrily charged towards Gamma and grabbed his circuits unaware that Gamma had his gun pointed directly at his forehead.

"I have your circuits Robot. All I have to do is run and you're scrap metal", said Sonic.

"All I have to do is shoot and I will achieve what no other weapon of Robotnik's design has done. Kill Sonic the Hedgehog. My life means nothing, you however...", said Gamma.

They had reached a stalemate. If Sonic ran with the circuits, the Sparking Gamma would shoot and both would die. However Gamma was ready to die for the cause, Sonic was still needed.

"Goodbye, Sonic the Hedgehog"