Notes: and the next level is…

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic 2 & Sonic Chaos

Ch. 7: Living in the city, and running through a construction zone

Sonic and Tails pressed onward as the sun set. Soon it was night, and that's when they arrived at large, almost futuristic city. It had tall skyscrapers, and dozens of roads, but all the people had already evacuated.

"What is this place, Sonic?"

"Welcome to Gigalopolis. It's catchy, but admittedly it sounds funny."

Instead of cars, all they saw were Badnik stag beetles called Dokabuton patrolling the roads on their treads. Overhead, more Beeton Badniks circled the area.

"These Badniks have no offensive capabilities," Tails said.

"Eggman's either being really cheap or lazy. Did he just come up with this plan off the top of his head or what?"

Sonic and Tails explored most of the city, but apart from the Badniks, it seemed untouched. As they sped through a tunnel, Tails spoke up.

"Almost got one hundred rings, Sonic?"

"Now that you mention it…"

Special

Sonic was in a grassy area. There was nothing to the left or right, so he looked up. Sure enough, there were platforms in the air.

"Only one way to go."

He quickly jumped from one platform to another, occasionally finding a spring to launch higher. At the very top, he found the yellow Chaos Emerald.

"Did you get it?"

"Of course, pal."

"You know, Sonic, you told me Eggman once used a Chaos Emerald as a power source. These things are so mysterious and legendary. I wonder if their power could be harnessed properly."

"If you really want something, fox boy, you take it!"

"Hey, do we eavesdrop on your conversations, Eggman?" Sonic replied, "Of course when you're so high on yourself you announce to the world what you're planning to do, I guess that doesn't apply."

"Oh, you're a comic genius. Say hello to my Dangerous Ball Tower, also known as the Bead Bug."

It looked like a centipede. It consisted of four large "beads" attached to each other, with the top bead being its head. It launched the three beads that made up its body at the duo. They scurried out of the way, and noticed that it was now only a head on the ground.

"That's a pretty stupid design," Sonic said, "It just makes it easier to hit."

Which is exactly what Sonic did to the robot. Suddenly, the launched segments returned to the robot, making it tower over the heroes again.

"Well that was a pretty clever way of solving that problem."

"Tails, don't encourage the mad scientist."

"Sorry, Sonic."

After a few more hits, this robot was no more. Sonic and Tails continued their quest.

"You know, Sonic, after what you told me about Eggman, I get the feeling that he's holding back."

"While I agree that some things are a bit off, why would he do that?"

"I dunno…maybe he's plotting something else."

"After we stop this scheme of his, I'll have beaten his sorry butt four times. I don't see how he could be up to anything else."

"It was just a theory. Sonic, I know we're in a hurry, but can we please rest a bit? It is nighttime after all."

"You've got a point, Tails. The island is sinking incredibly slowly. So what harm could there be?"

They stopped by a tree and sat down.

"You rest, Tails. I'll keep watch for a bit. Just in case."

"Thanks, Sonic."

Later

"It's morning. Let's get going, buddy."

"That seemed to go by fast."

"It always does."

The two went on until they come upon a construction site.

"This must be fairly new, Sonic."

"Looks like they're not finished, but there's no one here."

As they kept going, Sonic then saw some erected walls. They all had a portrait of Dr. Robotnik carved into them.

"Careful, buddy, this lot is Eggman's doing."

"Really? I'm not even sure what it's supposed to be."

"Nor am I, fox boy."

"Where are you, Eggman?"

"You should know that I'm not actually here, Sonic. I'm far too busy with my research. I simply wished to let you know that you've stepped into my territory. I always make sure to have cameras wherever I build something. I began construction on this site, but I was a bit preoccupied, so I'm still not sure exactly what to build. However, I still thought of a clever name: Sleeping Egg."

"After a long-winded speech like that, I could be the one sleeping."

"Joke all you like. I don't really care if you make it through here or not. I'd prefer eliminating you myself. Enjoy!"

Sonic rolled his eyes as he and Tails continued. Grass still grew amidst the metal of the site. A lot of the walls were weak and unfinished, and thus breakable.

"It pays to clear a path."

"Right, Sonic."

Sonic stopped as he saw a spring up ahead. It looked slightly different from the average spring.

"This spring looks off a bit. I wonder, what's the deal?"

Sonic stepped on the spring.

*BOING*

The spring acted as a pogo stick, launching him up to higher landings. Tails had to fly to keep up. Sonic was enjoying himself, but then the Badniks appeared. One was called Frogger, a frog Badnik with a spring for legs. The other was…confusing to say the least.

"What the heck is that thing?"

"It looks a bit like an onion to me, Sonic."

This onion Badnik, Tsuno-tsuno, had two tiny arms and, apart from slowly advancing, it did little else. Sonic shook his head as he destroyed all the Badniks. It was then that he found his one hundredth ring.

"Be back, buddy."

Special

Sonic found himself underwater.

"This has got to be some cruel joke," he thought to himself.

He looked around for air bubbles, but to his surprise, there were none. He started to get a little worried, but that's when he saw the invincibility sparkle. With his fears gone, he pressed on. Just ahead was a tube network like he had seen back in Scrambled Egg. He followed the tubes through this underwater cave, stopping to renew his invincibility.

"Usually this invincibility thing is rare," he thought.

He finally got to the middle of the pipe maze and found the green Chaos Emerald.

"Sonic, are you okay? You don't look so good."

"Some genius thought it'd be funny to put an Emerald in a cave filled with water."

"Oh, right. You can't swim."

"Yeah…let's keep going."

They at last made it to the end of the construction zone.

"All trespassers will be dealt with."

"What do you have for us this time, Eggman?"

"Well I was going to call it the Bouncy Boss Robot, but that sounded too stupid. So I tried harder and now, behold the Hopping Egg Vulcan!"

"He's right," Tails said, "That does sound a lot better."

"Tails, please stop that."

This machine looked a bit like the Eggmobile. Atop it was a head that looked like Robotnik's. A giant spring on the bottom was where it got the 'hopping' part of its name. On the front, it had a Vulcan cannon that started shooting bullets.

"This thing is almost as ugly as Eggman," Sonic joked.

"Is this really the best time for joke, Sonic?"

"When you've been through what I have, Tails, then any time is good for jokes."

As the Robot hopped closer, Sonic did some hopping of his own, onto the head of the machine. I reacted by springing high into the air, trying to land on one of the two heroes.

"Can I have a whack at it?"

"Be my guest, little buddy."

Tails hit the robot on the head. Sonic and Tails took turns hitting the robot until it exploded.

"That was something else. That's all I can say."

"Say no more, Tails. Let's just keep at it. Good job, by the way."

Tails smiled as the two of them went on. After a while, Tails spoke.

"This place is starting to look familiar."

"It does, kinda. I can't quite put my finger on it."

They ran to the top of a hill to get a better view. What they saw, well, was quite shocking.

"Whoa…"