...
Sonic and Sash: Tides of Chaos 3
Phantom Forces
Act 4
Chapter 21: Metal Madness
The ruins of the bridge swayed ever so lightly in the wind as the sun was just beginning to come up over the horizon of the ocean, casting its morning glow across the island and ruined city. The droning of the bomb sirens would still be going on above the city as the smoke arose from the rubble, scraps of robots and blood splatters occasionally marring the terrain. Skidding around the corner, Cyclone would grip onto a broken light pole as she flung herself through a hole in the rubble, bursting through to the other side as she skid to a stop on top of an abandoned building, looking out over the ruined cityskape, the smoke rising as she looked out to the massive red steel bridge connecting between the two halves of the island.
Cyclone merely breathed. "Damn..." She spoke, looking out over the ruined city. "Not even a Scarf raid could cause this level of destruction..."
Classic would soon skid up next to the dragon, looking out over the cityskape with her before pointing to the bridge ahead, connecting the two halves of South Island and the route to the Mystic Ruins.
"Huh?" Cyclone spoke, looking out. "The bridge?"
Classic nodded, before Peeling Out towards the bridge, leaving Cyclone by herself. She sighed expaseratedly as the light smack of her hand hit her forehead.
"Damnit Classic..." She growled before she took off after the hedgehog with a Dragon Boost into the ruins below, skidding across the slanted streets and using the light poles to round the sharp turns to keep her pace. Keeping a light jog, she'd soon find herself running along an upper cliffside road, overlooking more of the ruined city below, along with several of the large corpses of Death Egg Sentinels. Soon skidding down a collapsed part, she'd loop through the inner hull on a Sentinel chest cavity before bursting through the open arm socket, rushing across a central plaza... where there had been a major scuffle with casualties of both Resistance members and Badniks, of which both sides had no survivors. Cyclone had a small bit of sympathy for those who lost their lives from this, but for now, she had to keep moving and get to the bridge before more Badniks could potentially arrive.
Skidding across the plaza and down the road towards the bridge, Cyclone would soon burst through debris as she soon reached a steel bridge overlooking the cliffs of the city. Classic would soon spin across the ground and catch up with Cyclone, soon the two catching up to the bridge as Amy came over the intercom.
"Keep your guards up you two!" Amy spoke. "The Metals are on the radar right now!"
"I have a negative on a visual." Cyclone spoke. "Are you sure they're here?"
"The radar has the Ruby signals live." Amy spoke. "Keep searching."
"Roger." Cyclone spoke, hanging up as the two kept their speed... before a massive ground drill slammed up, destroying the bridge in an instant and throwing Cyclone and Classic into the air. Cyclone would rerighten and grab Classic, soon landing on a much smaller ledge as they soon saw their instigator of the attack: a remaining Death Egg Sentinel.
"Well, looks like this guy was missed when the Resistance was here last time." Cyclone said, her tendrils tingling. "Let's scrap him now!"
Classic nodded as the two soon lept down from ledge just as the Sentinel slammed its drill fist right where they were just a second ago. Soon enough the two would be running up the massive frame of the Sentinel as the two had soon lept into the air above it and slammed spinning into the head of the mech, bursting through the other side and skidding down the newly opened corridor from the drill punch, landing down in what appeared to be a vehicle tunnel.
"Nice work." Cyclone said. "I owe ya one."
Classic flashed a thumbs up as he winked, before his ear twitched as he looked ahead. Cyclone looked over as well before the two ran ahead and ducked behind a set of debris, soon seeing what appeared to be the three Metals.
"You've done excellent work Metal Milla." Metal Sonic's voice spoke, crossing his arms. "Empire City has been fully converted. G.U.N. has fallen, and the Regime's outer rule has become perfect. You've certainly proven yourself more worthy than those pathetic copies of the kitsune and wildcat, that's for sure."
"Was there ever any doubt?" The metallic hound said. "My design was made to be flawless. Those two were not designed for combat; they're nothing more than mere lab assistants compared to my killing capabilities."
"I wouldn't get cocky." Metal Sash spoke. "We still need to preserve the fear in this world so that way Lord Robotnik may secure his win. Cutting off the supply bridge will be perfect to keep them down, as well as limit their access to the other side of the island."
"Then it's high time we cause some destruction." Metal Sonic spoke, soon becoming cloaked in a magenta glow. "Move. Now."
The other two would become cloaked as they followed behind the metal hedgehog across the long bridge, right as soon Classic and Cyclone came out from behind the rubble cover they were hiding behind. Gritting her teeth, Cyclone would rush out onto the bridge after the three as Classic soon came out after her.
"Hey! Bolt-Brains!" Cyclone yelled as the two son came up behind the three flying across the bridge. Metal Sonic would clearly look back, visibly angry at the dragon's existence.
"Well then, you rats decided to show up?" Metal Sonic growled. "Hmph. No matter, you'll die soon enough." At that point the prototype Ruby inside him resonated before grew larger in size, soon towering over the two as he sped off ahead while Metal Sash and Metal Milla soon created a wall of Ruby cubes behind the two, blocking their way back and forcing them to move forward into the fight. Metal Sonic would soon become a swirling electric vortex as he charged ahead at the two. Cyclone motioned to Classic as the two dodged to the side, Metal Sonic barrelling right past them before rematerializing right in front of the two, several electric orbs soon materializing in an orbit around him as be floated backwards away from the two, before firing off the orbs one by one at the two. Classic motioned at Cyclone as she nodded and activated her chargers as time seemed to slow down around her entirely as Classic was curled in a ball in front of her. With her time slowed down around her, she soon connected a kick straight and hard into the spinning ball. Classic would rocket forward hard and slam straight into the giant Metal Sonic, sending the robot sprawling. Rerightening, Metal Sonic would shoot past them again in a sparking cyclone as soon he rushed past the two, soon taking the place of Metal Sash as she soon took front and center as their opponent.
Metal Sash wasted no time as she soon activated the prototype's power, her movements becoming a blur as she became a shredding top heading straight for Classic. The hedgehog would soon dodge clear to the right as soon Metal Sash had slammed into the back of Cyclone, slamming her forward into another rubble pile and sprawling across the bridge as the run continued. Metal Sash soon started warping to several points around the two, leaving behind glowing orbs only growing larger and larger in size before she rematerialized one last time, soon sicking all the orbs straight onto the two. Cyclone grit her teeth as she dodged hard right, just barely missing the two as Classic was thrown into the air. Cyclone acted fast and ran up the support side, slamming another kick into Classic as he rocketed towards and slammed into Metal Sash, sprawling her backwards.
"So that's how you want to play, is it?" Metal Sash growled. "Metal Milla, show them how we really do things then."
"With PLEASURE!" The metallic hound barked as she took Metal Sash's place, soon activating her own Ruby prototype. Soon enough she'd start to summon several dozen Ruby cubes around her frame as she soon fired them off into the road, sending blasting pillars into the air to block the roadway. Soon enough the duo would try to weave between the several pillars of the road before Metal Milla threw several Cubes straight for the two, intending for a kill. Cyclone dodged to a side before Classic grabbed her arm, nodding as he soon spun and launched her as she slammed full force into Metal Milla with a hard Dragon Boost. Growling, Metal Milla sent the Ruby prototype into overclock mode, soon opening several ruby portals and sending cube blasts onto the bridge, rocking its foundation as she soon charged straight for Classic. The hedgehog prepared as he soon slammed right into the metal hound with a Spin Dash, knocking her back as she growled again. She'd soon roar in anger as she dashed ahead and slammed through the bridge floor, soon blasting up through it and bringing Classic and Cyclone down to the lower level. Her optics glowed angrily as she soon fired off more and more Phantom Orbs straight for the duo. Cyclone dodged hard to the left before Classic spun into a ball again, Cyclone activating her charger bullet-time again as she delivered a slam kick again and rocket Classic straight into the robot hound.
That hit her limit; Metal Milla was PISSED. "ENOUGH!" She roared, soon diving behind to Metal Sonic and Metal Sash. "JUST DIE!" She roared, soon preparing a gigantic blast of Ruby energy to level the entire bridge and the two on it. Cyclone tensed up as she motioned to Classic one final time, the hedgehog nodding in response as he lept to her and grabbed her arm, spinning at top speed before sending Cyclone flying in a true Dragon Boost, slamming straight through the metallic hound.
Metal Milla froze up, her optics widening as she looked down at the massive hole in her chasis. Her actions halted immediately as she soon lost her auxillary power, shutting down and collapsing... and dropping the massive orb straight on the other Metals, soon detonating violently as the prototypes were thrown up into the air above the bridge. Classic went wide-eyed as he soon charged a Peel-Out and ran like hell to grab the falling prototypes before they hit the ground and potentially shattered. Cyclone skidded to a halt on the other side of the bridge, panting as she soon caught one of the prototypes, soon seeing Classic had caught the other two. She sighed in relief.
"At the very least we've got the prototypes Tails wanted." Cyclone sighed. "You okay over there Classic?"
Classic would put one of the rubies in his other hand to flash her a thumbs up... but soon noticed the two Rubies were pulsating. He jumped back in shock as the two fell to the ground on the opposite side of the bridge of where Cyclone was.
"What the..." Cyclone breathed as she soon saw the two Rubies merging together, forming a slightly larger Ruby. Soon enough the gem started pulsating on its own as it soon pulled Cyclone's Ruby out of her hand, absorbing it too and growing bigger. Soon there was a bright flash of magenta red light that blinded the two...
Cyclone soon moved her arms from her face, getting a bearing of her surroundings... only to see herself back in Green Hill?
No... no. Something was very off this time, even moreso than the choked out Green Hill with Desert Ruins. This Green Hill had the feel of the original... but the vegetation looked as if it was dying; flowers wilted, each in a disturbing and odd way, certain totems having these almost twisted and distorted faces of screaming or pain, several of the lush palm trees now wilted or missing leaves altogether. The grass was now a dull, dead yellow-brown, the rocks a cracked and lifeless charcoal grey and black. The sky overhead was overcast grey, not even a speck of any sort of sunlight peaking through, and the water was a dull, dirty grey, as if it was polluted by something.
This definitely wasn't the Green Hill they were at before...
"Did..." Cyclone breathed, looking at her surroundings. "Did the Ruby do this?" It seemed like an impossibility at this point; did the Ruby prototype somehow throw her into some sort of twisted alternate dimension of South Island? That should have been impossible though if Tails' evaluations were anything to go by...
Cyclone shook her head. Now wasn't the time for trying to overthink; she needed to find Classic and she needed to do it fast!
Steeling her nerves, she took off into what she could only describe as 'Silent Hill'.
Classic's head was pounding as he sat up from where he was, shaking his head. Opening his eyes, he'd soon look around to try and find out where he was... only to be met with similar sights Cyclone had.
Only he was deep in the underground caverns of Green Hill.
Getting to his feet, he'd look around the area before feeling himself... and he froze in a panic. The Ruby prototypes! They were gone!
Classic stomped his foot in anger; he didn't realize he had lost track of the prototypes until now, and who knows where they were by this point?! Angry and befuddled, Classic one of the many dull grey rocks on the grass, before immediately stubbing his toe on it and launching himself backwards, rings popping out of him in the process.
Silently sighing to himself, he'd sit down and think things over a bit before he got up, soon charging up a Peel-Out and making a break across the terrain underground. Surely there had to be an exit out of here... right?
Classic hoped to himself that as he kept moving through the area...
Cyclone hadn't gotten too far before she encountered a first sign of resistance; Badniks, much like Eggman's... but she noted something was seriously off with their optics. They looked much more... malicious. As if they actively knew something she didn't know. Gritting her teeth, she'd soon throw a kick at an approaching Motobug, throwing it back.
It wasn't destroyed.
Hell, it didn't even flinch.
It just kept trudging along as if nothing was wrong in the slightest.
That started to creep Cyclone out as she backed out of the way, letting the Motobug go by. Her nerves seemed to flare up as she saw the emotionless Motobug go by her, it's optics full of malice.
Something was definitely wrong here... what... or more accurately... where was this almost hellish incarnation of Green Hill in the first place? Cyclone shook her head as she kept running, taking care to keep out of the way of the now invincible Badniks and skidding across the dead grass, soon looking for her to find a way to get into the underground caverns of the place; maybe there would be something down there?
She still tried to keep a level head as she soon rounded one of the loops of the dead Green Hill, the rocks collapsing behind her into rubble as she soon rounded around another cliffside as she soon saw... Classic? No... it only looked like him? The fur was a much darker blue, almost metallic... Metal?
"Enjoying the taste of the Ruby's power?" The figure spoke, without even turning to her. Cyclone froze; she was silent on seeing him! How had he known she was there?
"Who are you?" Cyclone growled, her muscles tense as she got ready for whatever this... thing... threw at her. The figure merely chuckled before turning to Cyclone.
"You should already know." It spoke, showing that it was some sort of disturbing cyborg-ish mashup between Classic and Metal Sonic; the black metal eyes with red pupils, a red viscous liquid dripping down the muzzle from the eyes. "This is all thanks to the Ruby. This perfect world... and a trap you can't escape from."
Cyclone grit her teeth, gripping her fists tightly as she stared down the faker. "Bullshit. I will escape."
"Oh, you will?" The fake Sonic said, his face contoring into a twisted grin. "I'd like to see you try." He then started laughing; a deep sadistic laughing before he disappeared in a distortion, much like anything projected from the Ruby prototypes.
Cyclone grit her teeth; now she knew Classic would be in trouble. She took off as fast as she could, hoping to find her spiny little friend before that thing got to him...
Classic skid around a dead grassy corner before he launched off several totem poles and skidded across a wooden bridge, narrowly dodging shots from a Buzzbomber as he dashed into a low-hanging cave, the Buzzbomber crashing into the overhang above. Classic skidded to a halt, panting heavily as he looked back, still hearing the Buzzbomber's wings still were flitting as if it was trying to move.
Classic shuddered as he ran onwards and soon found his way back into the outer areas of the dead Green Hill. The sky had become darkened and much, much redder, things looking worse and worse. Classic started to frantically look around; where was Cyclone? And why was Green Hill now decaying into this almost hell-like landscape? Classic started running as he skidded down the slopes, he needed to find Cyclone...
And then he heard the laugh. That sadistic laugh.
Without looking back Classic picked up the pace, soon skidding around the corner and dashing down the steep slope as he soon looked behind him for a moment.
It was the figure Sash saw, chasing after him now in a sprint.
Classic could only guess that bad things would happen if that thing caught him, so he kept his mettle and kept running across the plains and down the spinning tunnels... but the figure seemed to be following him through the walls, almost like some sort of phantom. He'd keep up the pace as best as he could...
...and then a surprise red Spring sent him careening straight into the phantom chasing him. The phantom dissipated the instant it touched Classic... but what came in its place was excruciating, burning pain coursing through his body. Classic silently screamed as he collapsed to the ground, nearly immobilized by the pain coursing through him...
"And this is supposed to be the hero?" The figure's voice spoke, coming from almost everywhere at once. "Sad. Just sad. The Ruby's power will be more than enough to kill you off..."
Classic grit his teeth as he pulled a Peel-Out and took off across the plains, ignoring the coursing pain inside him as he barreled through tunnels, soon seeing that same damn figure chasing after him again. Classic grit his teeth as he soon spun through a collapsible wall, running across another wooden bridge as he soon burst into another cave section, his feet moving faster than he ever thought as he barreled across the underground plains, the figure hot on his heels. Gritting his teeth, he'd skid around the corner to soon see something that got his hopes up.
A Giant Ring! Not even noticing it was an off-color red or the fact it was glitching, or just frankly not even caring, his legs huffed it as hard as he could towards that Ring.
"NOOOOOO!" The figure bellowed as he took off into a flight after the hedgehog. "YOU WON'T ESCAPE THE RUBY'S POWER!"
Classic paid no attention as he barreled straight into the Ring as it disappeared in a shower of sparks.
"Damnit..." The figure growled as it warped away... "He won't get so lucky next time..."
Cyclone collapsed to her knees, panting hard as her eyes frantically darted around the area, seeing how the area twisted into a hellscape so fast. Things weren't that bad nearly a minute ago, what the hell was going on?! Was... was this the Ruby's doing?
She soon didn't relax for long as a buzzsaw burst from under her, attempting to cut her clean in half. Luckily she had reacted fast enough and moved out of the way, her tanktop being the only casualty as it now was cut clean in half from the sawblade. Cyclone didn't even notice or react as she soon moved like hell through the hill, soon more mechanical deathtraps popping through and trying to kill her. It was almost as if the reality was bending under its own stress, conforming itself to its own goals...
To kill Cyclone.
The dragon wasn't about to let this happen anytime soon as she skidded across the dead grass, the force soon starting to show more and more metallic surface as the buzzsaws and traps kept emerging from the ground. Totem poles split open as they soon revealed electric tesla coils, soon zapping across the path Cyclone was fleeing down. Tensing her muscles, she soon pulled an Axel Flip over the three-foot high barrier, landing on the other side in a roll and continuing onwards. More and more of the terrain would be collapsing away, revealing metallic rusted ground and more mechanical traps. Soon enough the sky flashed in bursts of static, soon white noise taking over nearly the entire sky... before it collapsed away, revealing the mechanical workings as everything came collapsing down, save for the pieces of foreground.
Cyclone grit her teeth, barreling ahead. Where was Classic?
Classic was flailing wildly as he soon faceplanted onto the metal ground, hitting it hard and remaining motionless for a bit. After a few seconds, he got back up, shaking his head in pain as he looked around, looking at his surroundings...
He appeared to be in some kind of metallic arena. Definitely not in Green Hill anymore.
He started to try and look for some sort of way to bust through the walls... before he soon heard something that sounded like thumping. Looking up, he'd soon see what look like a figure bursting through one of the upper walls, starting to fall into the arena.
It was Cyclone.
Soon enough spikes would sprout up from the arena floor, looking to impale Cyclone as she fell. Classic reacted fast; the spikes had come up in a way that he was okay, so soon enough he had curled into a Spindash and started slicing in a circular motion, slicing straight through the spikes and knucking them aside before he scampered and caught Cyclone before she hit the ground.
Cyclone's eyes snapped open as they frantically darted around the area in a panic, looking at her surroundings... before realizing she was in Classic's arms.
She hugged the hedgehog tightly without a second thought, almost breaking out into tears.
"Oh my god, Classic..." She breathed. "Thank ancestors you're still alive! I couldn't find you anywhere! I thought you... you..."
Classic said nothing as he hugged the dragon, thankful she was still alive.
That was, until their reunion was interrupted by the sound of sarcastic clapping.
"Oh boo hoo hoo, the two little lovebirds get their reunion right before their inevitable end." The familiar voice said as both Classic and Cyclone looked over to see none other than the abomination Metal Sonic, slowly clapping his hands as he stared at the two. "Such a sad sight, really. No one's going to ever find out what's happened to you once I am through with you."
Cyclone got to her feet as both she and Classic took up defensive positions. "It doesn't matter what you throw at us! We'll keep pushing through no matter what sort of dirty mind tricks you try to pull on us!"
The figure merely laughed. "You really think that you could stand up to something as powerful as me?"
"You're no deity!" Cyclone growled, while Classic stuck his tongue out at the figure. "What the hell do you think you are?!"
The figure's red pupils dilated, becoming mere specks among the sea of black scalera in his eyes.
"I-"
The metal claws grew sharper.
"AM-"
A sadistic grin grew on his face, showing the crooked toothy cheshire-cat-like grin.
"GOD."
And with that all hell broke loose.
"Where are they?! Where are they?!" Amy cried out, frantically checking over every single area of South Island from the radar. She was thrown into a state of panic ever since Classic and Cyclone's life signals went missing, and now she couldn't find them anywhere!
"Oh nononononono..." Amy panicked, still scanning all across the islands and even the several continents that made up Mobius.
Were they thrown to Westside Island?
Nope.
Angel Island?
Not there either.
Chun-Nan?
No sign of them. None whatsoever, from anywhere.
Amy was starting to get severely worried. It should have been impossible to just... disappear like this! What if...
Oh no...
In a panic she called to Tangle and Whisper, who came over within a second, trying to calm down the pink hedgehog.
"We'll head out and find 'em Ames, just calm down before you stroke out!" Tangle said, trying to calm the hedgehog down.
"It's impossible for them to die." Whisper spoke. "Timeline would come unwound if that were to happen."
Amy tried to straighten her breathing, sitting down and clutching a hand to her chest, slowing her rapid heart rate down. "S-sorry..." She sighed, putting her hands in her head. "Here I am supposed to be a Resistance leader and yet I'm having an unnatural mental breakdown over this..."
"Don't worry." Tangle said. "We'll head out and make sure the kids are alright."
"A-alright..." Amy sighed in relief as Tangle and Whisper exited the Resistance Base...
The metal abomination came charging right for Classic, metallic claws outstretched to administer heavy pain. An angry screech erupted from the throat of the figure as he charged straight for Classic, intending for a kill. Classic would barely managed to stumble out of the way as Cyclone attempted to counter with a Dragon Cyclone of her own, but then the figure warped away before making a charge straight for her instead. Cyclone tensed up as she waited for the figure to get closer... then reacted fast as she performed a dodge-counter shoulder throw takedown, flipping the figure over her with enough force that could potentially break the opponent's arm.
The figure merely smirked as the sickening sound of bone crunching and metal rending rang through his arm... then proceeded to use it as if nothing had happened to it in the first place.
"Wh-what?!" Cyclone said, backing up.
"Foolish, foolish little girl..." The abomination Metal spoke, soon making another charge for her. "Don't you realize? There's nowhere for you to run..."
Cyclone threw another fist at the figure, who vanished before it made contact and rushed from a different angle.
"You can't hide."
A roundhouse thrown. Vanished again.
"You can't even fight."
A tendril slash. Yet another whiff.
"Why continue to prolong the inevitable?"
Cyclone grew angrier, still trying to search for the creature trying to fight her, before she felt a sharp slash across her back, knocking her to the ground. Gritting her teeth, she felt her tendrils grabbed and she was thrown straight into the wall. Cyclone growled in pain as she tried to get to her feet as she felt the metal claws were wrapped around her throat, lifting her off the ground.
"Now do everyone a favor, and die." The figure growled, raising a hand to slash into her face... before being slammed to the side by a Spindash from Classic, dropping Cyclone and colliding with the metal wall.
Cyclone choked out her breath as the air re-entered her lungs. "I owe y-ya one..." She said, gripping her fists and staring down the figure. Classic did so as well, ready for a bristling fight.
"Hmmm... interesting..." The figure said, chuckling darkly. "So this will be an amusing fight indeed."
"It doesn't matter what you throw! You're not phasing me with your mind games!" Cyclone growled, her tendrils twitching as she soon rushed forward, the two getting ready to continue their fight. Classic launched a Spindash as Cyclone slammed it right at the figure. The abomination merely grinned that disturbing toothy smile as he extended his arms, stopping Classic's oncoming spinning ball before revolving and sending it straight back to Cyclone, slamming her dead-center and throwing her back against the wall. She growled, getting back up and charging up a Dragon Boost before rocketing forward hard, slamming straight into the abomination Metal. The half-blood-half-metal hedgehog growled, gripping into her as he skid across the ground, the force of the Dragon Boost clearly acting more powerful than his own friction...
Then Cyclone pushed it further, activating her Boost in a drill-like motion as she slammed the figure hard into the wall, sending him spinning like hell. Growling angrily, the Metal would grab Cyclone and throw her against the opposite wall, impacting it hard and leaving a noticeable size dent in the rusted steel. The abomination would then rush forward, screeching like a banshee to try and kill Cyclone, only to be met when a hard-charged Spindash slammed him away into another wall.
"Nnnngghh..." The figure growled, soon turning to the air. "You have nerve."
"It's not nerve, it's resolve!" Cyclone yelled, soon grabbing Classic's arm and whirling in a top-like motion before launching him right for the Metal. Classic slammed hard into the Metal before it teleported away again, re-materializing above the arena with a deathly glare in its eyes. It's jaw cracked open at an unnatural angle, soon firing out a deadly red blast of a blood salvo piercing through the ground, making its way at the two. Cyclone grit her teeth as she dodged to the hard right, soon Classic dodging to the left and Spindashing up the wall, soon launching himself above the Metal.
Time seemed to slow as Classic started thinking fast about his options of attack; merely landing on top of this crazed metallic abomination wouldn't work, and an Insta-Shield would just throw himself backwards instead...
Then an idea struck gold.
Against all odds, Classic soon spun into a ball and began performing a Spindash in midair, soon slamming into the Metal from above in a fast-spinning ball. Not only was Classic spinning at a high rpm already, but the force from the collision with the Metal with the rotation sent the abomination flying into a wall as Classic hit the ground spinning and took off the instant he touched it. Cyclone looked dumbfounded at what Classic had just pulled, but soon turned her attention back to the figure as it was getting up from the wall. She knew there wasn't much time before it'd try to unleash hell again, so she reacted in the fasted and bluntest route possible.
She rushed hard to the figure and sliced its head clean off before it got the chance to react or even try to counter.
The head went flying as it clanked against the wall, the body falling to the ground limp as a mixture of blood and oil poured out of the stub of a nonexistant neck onto the metallic ground. Cyclone panted hard as Classic soon rushed over to her, checking to see if she was okay.
"I-I'm fine..." Cyclone said, looking to the laid-out headless body of the Metal that had attacked them. "Though I get the feeling the Ruby prototypes we're missing is inside that thing, given his strength and teleportation affinities."
Classic signed to her asking how they were gonna get the Ruby out of it.
"Well, I never said it was gonna be pleasant..." Cyclone said, walking over and hoisting the dead body of the half-flesh Metal so that it was in an upright position.
Classic's eyes widened as he shook his head, clearly not liking where this was going...
"There's no other way we're gonna get in out Classic." Cyclone said, stretching the fingers of her right hand.
Classic shielded her eyes as Cyclone plunged her hand into the stump of a neck, blood and oil gushing up from it a bit as she writhed her fingers inside it, trying to get a feel for the Ruby...
"Trust me, this isn't the first time I had to do something like this, and it sure as hell ain't gonna be the last." Cyclone said, soon feeling something hard in her grasp. "Ah, and I think I have it here... either that or a trachea..." With a hard pull she'd yank her hand our of the headless body... and the blood and oil soaked Ruby along with it.
"Ah, excellent. A little washing and sanitization oughta get this thing back to looking normal." Cyclone spoke, looking to Classic as she discarded the body. "...you can open your eyes now."
Classic would move his hands, only to see her right hand and forearm drenched in a blood and oil mixture, along with the Ruby.
He looked like he was about to hurl as he covered his mouth.
"Oh come on, it's not that bad." Cyclone said as the Ruby started to glow brightly, blinding them both...
When the light finally died down, Cyclone and Classic would soon find themselves back on the bridge connecting the two halves of South Island. Judging from the sun's positioning that Cyclone could make out, it had been at least an hour or two ever since they were pulled into that Ruby hell...
"Were we really gone for that long?" Cyclone asked herself, looking at the sun's positioning. "It couldn't have been..."
"HEY!" A voice yelled, the two looking over to see it was Tangle waving from a nearby cliffside, Whisper next to her. "Amy's been worried sick about you two! Are you guys alright?!"
"Y-yeah! We're okay!" Cyclone yelled. "And we got the Ruby!"
"Alright! Now c'mon and let's get back to base!" Tangle yelled. "The longer we're out here the higher the chance ol' Muttski's gonna find out we made off with more of his prototypes!"
Cyclone nodded, looking to Classic. "You ready to go?"
Classic nodded in response.
"Then let's report back." The dragon said as the two took back off for the base... before an Eggrobo dropped in, just out of view of the group.
"Well... the doctor's not gonna be pleased about this news..."
With a hellish and hard-earned victory under the belt of the two small ones, things are definitely starting to turn around as the Resistance procures another large Ruby prototype. However, what of the Chaos Emeralds they still need? And more of their allies? Find out next time in Chapter 22: "Rockin' this Guardian Prison"...
