Pleeeeeeeeeeease forgive me for not updating sooner! ^_^;;; Lots of things have been happening which I must share with you! #1: My sis and I have the beginnings of a potentially humorous crossover, involving Sonic and... that'd be telling! XD Check out me bio!
#2: I've been making changes in all the previous chappies! Feel like going through them all over again? *grins and ducks the flying rotten tomatoes tossed at her*
And #3: SONIC X 0WNZ j00 ALL!!! ^_____________________^ (coughwww.sonicanime.netcough) What? Shameless plug for a friend's uber-kewlbeans site? What're you blabbering about?
Okay.. getting me life under control again. Mewse-chan came back to me! And she lurves me again! YAY!
Mewse: *purrs* X3
Here we go!
*~*~*
RETURN TO LITTLE PLANET
by Ryuko DragonHalf
The palmtree zone of Little Planet is indeed a beautiful sight, but it pales in comparison to the past! Everything came alive in vibrant shades of nameless colors. The water ran clear and free, cascading over miniature cliffs. Flickies chirruped and fluttered in the dense leaves above. Tails was navigating around the tree foliage okay, but it was tricky business.
"Hey Riyu!" Tails shouted, darting in between branches and palm fronds. "Is that force field gone now?"
Below the fox, the azure streak slowed a bit to respond. "Yeah yeah, all clear. We aren't in the time stream anymore." Her tone was nothing short of unfriendly.
Tails would have commented, but wisely restrained himself. "Guys, I'm gonna fly higher and get a better view of things. It's cramped and stuffy down here anyway!" Without another word, the fox cleared the canopy and was out of sight.
Sonic, who could easily hear his comrades, sighed heavily and lessened his pace. He jogged alongside Riyu; she was frowning deeply, keeping a determined glare on the road ahead. "Listen, kiddo," the hedgehog began, "what exactly happened? I mean, you obviously didn't hit things off so well."
"Gee, you noticed!" she replied sarcastically. Then she shook her head and growled. "Please forgive me Sonikku-san.. but I can't stand him! He won't take me seriously! Doesn't think I know what I'm talking about!"
Sonic smirked. "This is about the Tornado, isn't it?"
"What else?" She hopped over a fallen log. "Honestly, it's just a plane. I saved our lives, and he's worried about something that can be rebuilt?!"
"Ahh, he was frustrated, that's all. He hasn't had much luck with his planes lately!"
"Yeah, well, he'd better get his priorities straight! If he's gonna worry about his gadgets more than our survival--"
"Riyu, trust me," interrupted Sonic. "Tails isn't THAT obsessive about his 'gadgets'. He's a great fighter, and smart to boot! Just give him a chance, okay?"
Riyu's eyes seemed to darken. "I'll.. I-I'll try. That's all I can promise." Her attention returned to the road ahead, signalling the end of this conversation.
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllp!!"
The cry was faint, coming from above. Sonic tensed, screeching to a halt and craning his neck back. "Tails! What is it man, what's happening??" Riyu made a quick u-turn, considering her brakes weren't as effective, and turned her gaze skyward.
A few tense moments later, they picked up the sound of hundreds of wings buzzing frantically. It escalated, eventually drowning out Tail's cries for help. But they couldn't see anything yet. "Tails, get back down here!" Sonic yelled, starting to panic.
"Follow the sound of our voices!" Riyu offered.
"Whaddya think I'm doing?! WHOA!!" The flying fox suddenly burst into view, crashing pell-mell through the treetops, his namesakes twirling at top speed. Behind him, a buzzing horde of what looked like mosquitoes were chasing him, needle-noses gleaming in the jungle light.
Sonic recognized them right away. "Badniks! Bring them down here, we'll take care of 'em! Come on, Riyu!" he commanded.
Tails nodded and dove down, nearly vertical, swooping towards Sonic and Riyu. The mosquitoes followed closely. Some automatically dropped like darts, attempting to skewer him as he passed underneath. They missed by several inches, but it was enough to frighten Tails. "Hurry up guys!"
Sonic leaped into the air, curled into a tight ball, and barrelled into a pair of mosquitoes. They spontaneously combusted with a simple "POF!" and vanished into thin air, dropping tiny seeds that drifted to the jungle floor and sprouted on contact. Sonic was a ball of lightning, striking any badnik that dared even glance at Tails, moving from target to target within moments.
Riyu, meanwhile, joined in the fray with moves of her own. She jumped, high enough to brush the canopy, and came crashing down on an unlucky badnik. Like Sonic, she bounced back and forth, her small but strong legs dealing damage.
By now, Tails had recovered from the initial shock. He skimmed along the path, a plan taking shape in his little genius mind. They looked like darts, they acted like darts.. why not use 'em like darts? "Come on, catch me if you can!" he called back, kicking it into high gear. The badniks (at least, the one who'd managed to escape Riyu and Sonic) obediently followed with deadly intent.
Unexpectedly, Tails braked and turned around, now heading towards and underneath the robotic bugs! The mosquitoes wasted no time, calculating their moves and careening down, their needle-noses poised and ready. Tails chanced a look upward at the oncoming attack. He put on a burst of speed. No stopping now, it's all or nothing!
His friends caught sight of him. "Tails!!" they both shouted.
thunkthunkthunkitythunkthunkythunkitythunk! The mass of deadly darts missed Tails by a hair as he passed. And they firmly drove themselves into the ground, their wings beating uselessly; flying backwards wasn't in their program. Every remaining 'bot met the same fate, and Tails finally slowed and turned to view his work, out of breath.
"Okay... I think I'm okay now.." he panted with a grin.
Sonic landed and performed a spin dash to take out the trapped badniks. Then he whirled around and whooped loudly. "Way to go Tails! You definitely showed 'em!" He jogged to the fox, all smiles, and exchanged a high-five. "I was gonna do just that, but you beat me to the punch."
Tails laughed. "Of course, Sonic, of course."
"Hey... not bad, kitsune." Riyu approached reluctantly, her arms behind her back. She refused to look at him. Tails blinked.
"...Thanks." He wondered where exactly this change of attitude came from, when a thought occured to him. "Hey, what'd you call me?" he demanded accusingly.
Now Riyu's fists were firmly clenched at her sides, and her eyes flashed. "It wasn't an insult, for your information! It's a name for foxes, okay?"
"I'd prefer my actual name, thank you!" he returned all too politely. Riyu growled. Sonic sighed.
A loud *chirp chirp* provided a convenient interruption. Riyu tapped her wristband. "Niisan, we're on the planet and coming home already!" she snapped.
"Ri--*kzzt*--we're under--*kzzt*--destroying everything! You've gotta--*kzzt*--trapped in th--*kzzt*--temple--*kzzt fzzzz*"
All three frowned and listened intently to the snatches of speech. Riyu was growing worried. "Niisan? What's happening? You're fuzzing in and out, I can't--"
"*crackle*--need help!--*fzz kzz*--village--*kzzzzzt*--it's Eggm--*KZZZZT*" The connection died, leaving a dramatic silence. Sonic and Tails were dead serious.
"You heard what I heard?" Tails asked.
"No doubt. He said Eggman," Sonic answered darkly. He angrily pounded one fist into his palm. "I knew that scumbag was behind everything!"
Riyu was beside herself. "Y-you mean.. he's attacking my village... my home!" she wailed, glancing desperately back and forth between the renowned heroes. "Everyone must be in the temple! They're sitting ducks, there's no way out!"
"Then what're we doing talking? MOVE!" Sonic lead the group, racing at top speed down the path.
*~*~*
I'm so tired now.. he's taking my energy. Using it to hurt them. I want to stop him, but I can't. I'm drained.
It's because of him.. and her. If she were gone, I wouldn't be in this mess. But it's not her fault. When he drains me, she's drained too. Does he know about that? Probably.
Him. Yes, him... not an it, not a thing, a him. Almost everyone knows there's something more to him, but they don't know what. I know. When he saps my energy, her energy, there's a connection. And I learn more. Who he is, what he's planning, why he's hurting them.. at least, trying to. That last attempt didn't go well. He's mad now.
Draining again... I can't keep my eyes open.. I'll help you, Sonikku.. once I figure out......
.. so tired...
*~*~*
Riyu was the first to reach the large clearing that was her home village. Except the village had quite the makeover. Smoking ruins of huts and houses were strewn about. There was no sign of life, save the occassional badnik patrolling the wreck. On the far side of the clearing, the only building standing, a large stone temple of sorts, was surrounded by robots. At the top of a cobble staircase, a rocky door blocked the entrance, which the robots were trying to break down.
Sonic and Tails came up on either side of Riyu, and took in the damage, frowning in disgust. The dragoon had one paw to her mouth in horror. "Wha.. what... Niisan, Furou-san.. everyone's...." she stammered out.
Tails sighed; he still wasn't used to first-time victim's of Eggman's terror. He clapped a sympathetic glove on her shoulder. She stared at him in surprise for a moment, before blinking away a wave of tears. "Look, Riyu.. yours isn't the first. Eggman's done a lot of damage on Mobius too."
"And we can't let him do this again," Sonic added. "You hafta pull yourself together. There are people waiting for help in that temple!"
She took a deep, calming breath. "You're right.. they're counting on us." She smiled bravely at Sonic, offered a faint one to Tails, and squared her shoulders. "Do we have a plan of attack, or do we race in blindly without dwelling on consequences?"
"That's the way I work best!" Sonic declared. He revved up and charged forward, headed directly for the cluster around the temple.
Tails sweatdropped and commented, "Which is why I'm amazed he's still alive." Riyu laughed, and the two youths raced after the blue blur.
The group of robots had no idea what hit them. A spikeball was smashing into them, a fuzzy helicopter lashed out with its twin-blades, and what could only be described as an oversized flea bounded from one badnik to the next. They bustled about in a mad panic, trying their best to defend themselves, but to no avail. They hardly had any weapons to speak of!
"These ant-bots crack me up!" Sonic called, running over one and effectively crushing it. "Thinking they can outrun me! ME!" He cackled and bowled into another batch, while Tails eagerly chased a horde of mosquito badniks, forcing them into the ground.
"Payback time! WOOHOOO!!"
"Take this! And that! And a bit of this!" Riyu plowed into the mass of metal in a frenzy. The sight of her decimated home fueled her strength and determination, to the point where she almost wasn't thinking clearly. "Don't let any of them escape! Get them all! Smash 'em to bits!"
It wasn't long until the badniks were no more. Flowers bobbing absently in the breeze took their place. The trio regrouped at the blocked entrance. "Nice job," said a grinning Sonic. "Now let's get this door out of the way..."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, hedgehog!"
Instantly, Sonic bristled and spun around to face the intruder. He knew exactly who it was, as did Tails. The little fox growled and flattened his ears back. Riyu turned, saw the intruder, and just about went postal on him right then and there.
At the bottom of the stairs, perched in a walker mech with star-emblazoned bumpers for arms, was the crazed genius himself, Dr. Eggman. Dressed in his retro outfit, he fixed them all with a beady glare.
The rotund human gave the furries a cheshire smile. "We meet again, Sonic!" he spat. "And you've brought company! The more the merrier!"
"Shut it, Eggman!" Tails ordered.
"Looks like the good doctor believes in recycling," said Sonic. "Why pull that old tin-can outta the trash heap? Felt like reminiscing?"
Eggman blinked. "What're you blabbering about, hedgehog? This is my latest and greatest invention to date! Well, besides Metal, of course." He continued with an evil grin, "You HAVE met him, I'm sure?"
Sonic's frown deepened. "Yeah, we've been introduced. So tell me, where's Metal taken Amy?"
"Oh, you care about her that much, do you?"
"Answer the question!!"
"Don't worry, my friend! Metal is more than capable of taking care of her," he chortled. The quills on Sonic's head stiffened.
"I've heard enough!" Tails boldly spoke up. "We're gonna stop you easy!"
"You'll pay for what you did to my home! You.. boukun no baka!!" Riyu was practically shrieking, trembling in anticipation. She wanted vengeance.
"How rude! And after I renovated just for you. Ungrateful beasts!" He gripped the controls tighter. The mech lumbered forward and began climbing the steps. Each booming footfall made cracks in the steps, which soon spread to the surrounding walls. "Now you'll pay the ultimate price: you AND the animals cowering inside!"
BOOM! Crack!
"He's gonna bring the whole temple down!"
"No DUH, kitsune!" Riyu cried. She crouched and sprang forward, with claws outstretched and fangs bared. "Keep your filthy machine away from them!!"
"Riyu, wait!" Sonic warned. The bumper-arm tracked her every move until they collided. Riyu ricocheted off, back into the wall, her back cracking soundly against the stone door. With a cry and moan, she fell limp, unable to move.
The hedgehog glowered at his arch-nemisis. "Oh, NOW yer gonna get it," he hissed. His legs spun into a blurry figure eight, and he charged!
Sonic's plan was to veer away seconds before touching those infernal bumpers, then dash in for an opening. Eggman wasn't going to blindly stampede at him like before; his current position on the staircase prevented that.
A bright yellow star filled Sonic's vision, nearly brushing the tip of his nose as he turned aside. He aimed above and behind, where he knew the arms couldn't reach. He was about to spin into the metallic hull, dealing the first of several repeated attacks, resulting in his usual victory.
To his complete surprise, the second arm swivelled effortlessly around, and smacked him aside! Sonic was sent reeling, tumbling head over heels through the air. If it wasn't for Tails soaring over and snatching him, our lead character might've been outta commission for a bit.
"Are you okay?" Tails asked, holding Sonic's arm with a death grip. His friend shook his head to sort himself out, and smirked up at him.
"No prob!" Reassured, the duo hovered for a moment as Eggman continued tromping up the steps. The cracks were clearly visible from their altitude now. Riyu struggled to her feet, barely able to balance on her own two feet. What Sonic noticed was that both of the bumper arms (which were trained on them, by the by) appeared to be suspended above the outer shell of the mech, instead of being attached to the front. They could move just about anywhere. Dangit! Eggman was getting smart! "This is a bit different from last time," he commented. "Okay, buddy, new plan! Hope your air brakes are working!"
"I'll do my best," the fox replied without question. "What's the plan?"
*~*~*
No.. no, stop! Please! Don't hurt them... don't hurt him.. her.. me...
He won't listen. He's ignoring me, concentrating on the fight.. leave the dragoons alone, they did nothing!
This is hopeless... I have to stop him....
.. oh... she'll help me.. thank you, thank you so much. We can do it.. jikan no fushichou...
*~*~*
The mech teetered up the stairs and shuddered with each violent step. A power-hungry scientist was controlling the pedals, and he wanted this worthless structure reduced to rubble! Nothing could get in his way! "Stand aside, foolish child!" he roared at a defiant Riyu. "There are more than enough of you inside to provide for my army. One less won't set me back!"
The girl, using the door to brace herself, pushed off and stumbled ahead. She put on her bravest face and planted herself at the topmost step, scowling into the scientist's glasses. "I'm.. not afraid of you, Egguman..." Riyu stammered, still reeling from the last attack.
"Hah! You think that's enough to stop me?"
"Yeah I do! Niisan told me that I can do anything if I'm brave!"
"Bravery has nothing to do with success. It's all about POWER!" The mech stomped up one more step, just before the top. The tremors alone caused Riyu to stumble.
She yelped, "Egguman! Hoktoku Kuronosu no kosatsu... imaima!"
Her foreign demands went unheard, because a blue blur suddenly sailed over from behind Eggman's mech. The bumper arms swivelled around to protect the driver. Sonic landed sideways onto the door of the temple, and leaped off, charging full-tilt at the bumper arms. He pulled into a spin, braced himself, and SLAM!!
The force of the attack made Eggman's invention lean backwards oh-so-precariously. The human gasped loudly, fiddling with the controls. He glanced back, down the craggy staircase that would soon crush his precious machine. "Wh-whoooaaa-noooooo!!" Eggman shouted helplessly.
He wasn't the only one in danger! By hitting the uber-bouncy bumpers, Sonic was now sailing back toward the very solid-looking wall, at top speed, and nothing was stopping him! "Tails!"
"Gotcha!" Sonic felt a pair of hands grab him by the ankle, desperately tugging away from the looming wall. Tails flew at top speed in the oppisite direction, fighting inertia to save his friend. Thankfully, he was able to prevent the hedgehog from serious injury.
Well, sort of. Sonic's body swung back, and in the nick of time, his skull rammed into the door.
"OWCH!"
"Oh crap! Sorry Sonic!"
"Uuuugh... s'okay...."
"Baka kitsune.."
"I heard that!"
And the mighty mech finally toppled over, crashing down the stairs before landing in a twisted heap at the bottom. The entire valley trembled when it collapsed, then erupted into flames. There was no sign of Eggman.
Tails lowered Sonic to the ground, and Riyu repositioned him to land on his feet. "Wasn't paying attention to where I grabbed.." the fox laughed nervously.
"Don' worry about it..." Sonic waved his arm as he shook the remaining dizziness off. "Heh, least I'm alive!"
Riyu glanced at the wreckage below. "Think we can say the same for Egguman?" she mumbled.
They stared at the flames for a moment, wondering if the villain had escaped without them noticing. Sonic's necklace flashed abruptly, and Tails and Riyu jumped back from Sonic. He stared in awe at the Jikan, the swirling blue glow catching his eye.
"But... Little Planet isn't supposed to warp so soon!" Riyu exclaimed.
"Then what's it doing?" Tails asked.
As if in answer, a thin beam of light shot out of the gem. It landed on and engulfed the blazing debris of Eggman's mech. Slowly, the wreck dissolved into thin air, disappearing entirely without a trace! A shimmering flash blinded the view...
... the village was repaired, the temple restored, and all evidence of Eggman's attack in the past was no more.
*~*~*
Heh.. we beat you, didn't we? I told you... you'll lose, you know it. Sonikku will defeat you. I'll defeat you! We'll all defeat you! And you'll-- AAH!!
........ itaiii... that hurt...
Why're you doing this..? Why me? Why him? I didn't ask for this..
Ow.. I'm bleeding.. my arm, stings...
What did I ever do to you?
... I'm tired... let me rest...
*~*~*
I'm ending it off here! GOMEN NASAI GOZAIMASU!!! *hides* If I added any more, this chap would'a been waaaayy too long methinks, and I wanna keep you guys and gals interested, not gab yer ear off! LOL Anyhow, I'll do me darndest to update sooner from here on in. The whole story's coming together. I actually know where I'm going for the next while!
So, you know the drill! Take about a minute or so to type up a review and lemme know how I'm doing! Do you WANT me to make uberiously long chappies? Have you any ideya what's really happening? I've given blatant hints, I think.. ^_~
NEXT TIME: Time for a history lesson! There's more to the Jikan than we realize. Why is Chaos so unwelcome anyhow? Aaah, this is only PART of the story! But there's not much time left! They only have so much strength! Who're they, you ask? Find out! STAY TUNED!
#2: I've been making changes in all the previous chappies! Feel like going through them all over again? *grins and ducks the flying rotten tomatoes tossed at her*
And #3: SONIC X 0WNZ j00 ALL!!! ^_____________________^ (coughwww.sonicanime.netcough) What? Shameless plug for a friend's uber-kewlbeans site? What're you blabbering about?
Okay.. getting me life under control again. Mewse-chan came back to me! And she lurves me again! YAY!
Mewse: *purrs* X3
Here we go!
*~*~*
RETURN TO LITTLE PLANET
by Ryuko DragonHalf
The palmtree zone of Little Planet is indeed a beautiful sight, but it pales in comparison to the past! Everything came alive in vibrant shades of nameless colors. The water ran clear and free, cascading over miniature cliffs. Flickies chirruped and fluttered in the dense leaves above. Tails was navigating around the tree foliage okay, but it was tricky business.
"Hey Riyu!" Tails shouted, darting in between branches and palm fronds. "Is that force field gone now?"
Below the fox, the azure streak slowed a bit to respond. "Yeah yeah, all clear. We aren't in the time stream anymore." Her tone was nothing short of unfriendly.
Tails would have commented, but wisely restrained himself. "Guys, I'm gonna fly higher and get a better view of things. It's cramped and stuffy down here anyway!" Without another word, the fox cleared the canopy and was out of sight.
Sonic, who could easily hear his comrades, sighed heavily and lessened his pace. He jogged alongside Riyu; she was frowning deeply, keeping a determined glare on the road ahead. "Listen, kiddo," the hedgehog began, "what exactly happened? I mean, you obviously didn't hit things off so well."
"Gee, you noticed!" she replied sarcastically. Then she shook her head and growled. "Please forgive me Sonikku-san.. but I can't stand him! He won't take me seriously! Doesn't think I know what I'm talking about!"
Sonic smirked. "This is about the Tornado, isn't it?"
"What else?" She hopped over a fallen log. "Honestly, it's just a plane. I saved our lives, and he's worried about something that can be rebuilt?!"
"Ahh, he was frustrated, that's all. He hasn't had much luck with his planes lately!"
"Yeah, well, he'd better get his priorities straight! If he's gonna worry about his gadgets more than our survival--"
"Riyu, trust me," interrupted Sonic. "Tails isn't THAT obsessive about his 'gadgets'. He's a great fighter, and smart to boot! Just give him a chance, okay?"
Riyu's eyes seemed to darken. "I'll.. I-I'll try. That's all I can promise." Her attention returned to the road ahead, signalling the end of this conversation.
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllp!!"
The cry was faint, coming from above. Sonic tensed, screeching to a halt and craning his neck back. "Tails! What is it man, what's happening??" Riyu made a quick u-turn, considering her brakes weren't as effective, and turned her gaze skyward.
A few tense moments later, they picked up the sound of hundreds of wings buzzing frantically. It escalated, eventually drowning out Tail's cries for help. But they couldn't see anything yet. "Tails, get back down here!" Sonic yelled, starting to panic.
"Follow the sound of our voices!" Riyu offered.
"Whaddya think I'm doing?! WHOA!!" The flying fox suddenly burst into view, crashing pell-mell through the treetops, his namesakes twirling at top speed. Behind him, a buzzing horde of what looked like mosquitoes were chasing him, needle-noses gleaming in the jungle light.
Sonic recognized them right away. "Badniks! Bring them down here, we'll take care of 'em! Come on, Riyu!" he commanded.
Tails nodded and dove down, nearly vertical, swooping towards Sonic and Riyu. The mosquitoes followed closely. Some automatically dropped like darts, attempting to skewer him as he passed underneath. They missed by several inches, but it was enough to frighten Tails. "Hurry up guys!"
Sonic leaped into the air, curled into a tight ball, and barrelled into a pair of mosquitoes. They spontaneously combusted with a simple "POF!" and vanished into thin air, dropping tiny seeds that drifted to the jungle floor and sprouted on contact. Sonic was a ball of lightning, striking any badnik that dared even glance at Tails, moving from target to target within moments.
Riyu, meanwhile, joined in the fray with moves of her own. She jumped, high enough to brush the canopy, and came crashing down on an unlucky badnik. Like Sonic, she bounced back and forth, her small but strong legs dealing damage.
By now, Tails had recovered from the initial shock. He skimmed along the path, a plan taking shape in his little genius mind. They looked like darts, they acted like darts.. why not use 'em like darts? "Come on, catch me if you can!" he called back, kicking it into high gear. The badniks (at least, the one who'd managed to escape Riyu and Sonic) obediently followed with deadly intent.
Unexpectedly, Tails braked and turned around, now heading towards and underneath the robotic bugs! The mosquitoes wasted no time, calculating their moves and careening down, their needle-noses poised and ready. Tails chanced a look upward at the oncoming attack. He put on a burst of speed. No stopping now, it's all or nothing!
His friends caught sight of him. "Tails!!" they both shouted.
thunkthunkthunkitythunkthunkythunkitythunk! The mass of deadly darts missed Tails by a hair as he passed. And they firmly drove themselves into the ground, their wings beating uselessly; flying backwards wasn't in their program. Every remaining 'bot met the same fate, and Tails finally slowed and turned to view his work, out of breath.
"Okay... I think I'm okay now.." he panted with a grin.
Sonic landed and performed a spin dash to take out the trapped badniks. Then he whirled around and whooped loudly. "Way to go Tails! You definitely showed 'em!" He jogged to the fox, all smiles, and exchanged a high-five. "I was gonna do just that, but you beat me to the punch."
Tails laughed. "Of course, Sonic, of course."
"Hey... not bad, kitsune." Riyu approached reluctantly, her arms behind her back. She refused to look at him. Tails blinked.
"...Thanks." He wondered where exactly this change of attitude came from, when a thought occured to him. "Hey, what'd you call me?" he demanded accusingly.
Now Riyu's fists were firmly clenched at her sides, and her eyes flashed. "It wasn't an insult, for your information! It's a name for foxes, okay?"
"I'd prefer my actual name, thank you!" he returned all too politely. Riyu growled. Sonic sighed.
A loud *chirp chirp* provided a convenient interruption. Riyu tapped her wristband. "Niisan, we're on the planet and coming home already!" she snapped.
"Ri--*kzzt*--we're under--*kzzt*--destroying everything! You've gotta--*kzzt*--trapped in th--*kzzt*--temple--*kzzt fzzzz*"
All three frowned and listened intently to the snatches of speech. Riyu was growing worried. "Niisan? What's happening? You're fuzzing in and out, I can't--"
"*crackle*--need help!--*fzz kzz*--village--*kzzzzzt*--it's Eggm--*KZZZZT*" The connection died, leaving a dramatic silence. Sonic and Tails were dead serious.
"You heard what I heard?" Tails asked.
"No doubt. He said Eggman," Sonic answered darkly. He angrily pounded one fist into his palm. "I knew that scumbag was behind everything!"
Riyu was beside herself. "Y-you mean.. he's attacking my village... my home!" she wailed, glancing desperately back and forth between the renowned heroes. "Everyone must be in the temple! They're sitting ducks, there's no way out!"
"Then what're we doing talking? MOVE!" Sonic lead the group, racing at top speed down the path.
*~*~*
I'm so tired now.. he's taking my energy. Using it to hurt them. I want to stop him, but I can't. I'm drained.
It's because of him.. and her. If she were gone, I wouldn't be in this mess. But it's not her fault. When he drains me, she's drained too. Does he know about that? Probably.
Him. Yes, him... not an it, not a thing, a him. Almost everyone knows there's something more to him, but they don't know what. I know. When he saps my energy, her energy, there's a connection. And I learn more. Who he is, what he's planning, why he's hurting them.. at least, trying to. That last attempt didn't go well. He's mad now.
Draining again... I can't keep my eyes open.. I'll help you, Sonikku.. once I figure out......
.. so tired...
*~*~*
Riyu was the first to reach the large clearing that was her home village. Except the village had quite the makeover. Smoking ruins of huts and houses were strewn about. There was no sign of life, save the occassional badnik patrolling the wreck. On the far side of the clearing, the only building standing, a large stone temple of sorts, was surrounded by robots. At the top of a cobble staircase, a rocky door blocked the entrance, which the robots were trying to break down.
Sonic and Tails came up on either side of Riyu, and took in the damage, frowning in disgust. The dragoon had one paw to her mouth in horror. "Wha.. what... Niisan, Furou-san.. everyone's...." she stammered out.
Tails sighed; he still wasn't used to first-time victim's of Eggman's terror. He clapped a sympathetic glove on her shoulder. She stared at him in surprise for a moment, before blinking away a wave of tears. "Look, Riyu.. yours isn't the first. Eggman's done a lot of damage on Mobius too."
"And we can't let him do this again," Sonic added. "You hafta pull yourself together. There are people waiting for help in that temple!"
She took a deep, calming breath. "You're right.. they're counting on us." She smiled bravely at Sonic, offered a faint one to Tails, and squared her shoulders. "Do we have a plan of attack, or do we race in blindly without dwelling on consequences?"
"That's the way I work best!" Sonic declared. He revved up and charged forward, headed directly for the cluster around the temple.
Tails sweatdropped and commented, "Which is why I'm amazed he's still alive." Riyu laughed, and the two youths raced after the blue blur.
The group of robots had no idea what hit them. A spikeball was smashing into them, a fuzzy helicopter lashed out with its twin-blades, and what could only be described as an oversized flea bounded from one badnik to the next. They bustled about in a mad panic, trying their best to defend themselves, but to no avail. They hardly had any weapons to speak of!
"These ant-bots crack me up!" Sonic called, running over one and effectively crushing it. "Thinking they can outrun me! ME!" He cackled and bowled into another batch, while Tails eagerly chased a horde of mosquito badniks, forcing them into the ground.
"Payback time! WOOHOOO!!"
"Take this! And that! And a bit of this!" Riyu plowed into the mass of metal in a frenzy. The sight of her decimated home fueled her strength and determination, to the point where she almost wasn't thinking clearly. "Don't let any of them escape! Get them all! Smash 'em to bits!"
It wasn't long until the badniks were no more. Flowers bobbing absently in the breeze took their place. The trio regrouped at the blocked entrance. "Nice job," said a grinning Sonic. "Now let's get this door out of the way..."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, hedgehog!"
Instantly, Sonic bristled and spun around to face the intruder. He knew exactly who it was, as did Tails. The little fox growled and flattened his ears back. Riyu turned, saw the intruder, and just about went postal on him right then and there.
At the bottom of the stairs, perched in a walker mech with star-emblazoned bumpers for arms, was the crazed genius himself, Dr. Eggman. Dressed in his retro outfit, he fixed them all with a beady glare.
The rotund human gave the furries a cheshire smile. "We meet again, Sonic!" he spat. "And you've brought company! The more the merrier!"
"Shut it, Eggman!" Tails ordered.
"Looks like the good doctor believes in recycling," said Sonic. "Why pull that old tin-can outta the trash heap? Felt like reminiscing?"
Eggman blinked. "What're you blabbering about, hedgehog? This is my latest and greatest invention to date! Well, besides Metal, of course." He continued with an evil grin, "You HAVE met him, I'm sure?"
Sonic's frown deepened. "Yeah, we've been introduced. So tell me, where's Metal taken Amy?"
"Oh, you care about her that much, do you?"
"Answer the question!!"
"Don't worry, my friend! Metal is more than capable of taking care of her," he chortled. The quills on Sonic's head stiffened.
"I've heard enough!" Tails boldly spoke up. "We're gonna stop you easy!"
"You'll pay for what you did to my home! You.. boukun no baka!!" Riyu was practically shrieking, trembling in anticipation. She wanted vengeance.
"How rude! And after I renovated just for you. Ungrateful beasts!" He gripped the controls tighter. The mech lumbered forward and began climbing the steps. Each booming footfall made cracks in the steps, which soon spread to the surrounding walls. "Now you'll pay the ultimate price: you AND the animals cowering inside!"
BOOM! Crack!
"He's gonna bring the whole temple down!"
"No DUH, kitsune!" Riyu cried. She crouched and sprang forward, with claws outstretched and fangs bared. "Keep your filthy machine away from them!!"
"Riyu, wait!" Sonic warned. The bumper-arm tracked her every move until they collided. Riyu ricocheted off, back into the wall, her back cracking soundly against the stone door. With a cry and moan, she fell limp, unable to move.
The hedgehog glowered at his arch-nemisis. "Oh, NOW yer gonna get it," he hissed. His legs spun into a blurry figure eight, and he charged!
Sonic's plan was to veer away seconds before touching those infernal bumpers, then dash in for an opening. Eggman wasn't going to blindly stampede at him like before; his current position on the staircase prevented that.
A bright yellow star filled Sonic's vision, nearly brushing the tip of his nose as he turned aside. He aimed above and behind, where he knew the arms couldn't reach. He was about to spin into the metallic hull, dealing the first of several repeated attacks, resulting in his usual victory.
To his complete surprise, the second arm swivelled effortlessly around, and smacked him aside! Sonic was sent reeling, tumbling head over heels through the air. If it wasn't for Tails soaring over and snatching him, our lead character might've been outta commission for a bit.
"Are you okay?" Tails asked, holding Sonic's arm with a death grip. His friend shook his head to sort himself out, and smirked up at him.
"No prob!" Reassured, the duo hovered for a moment as Eggman continued tromping up the steps. The cracks were clearly visible from their altitude now. Riyu struggled to her feet, barely able to balance on her own two feet. What Sonic noticed was that both of the bumper arms (which were trained on them, by the by) appeared to be suspended above the outer shell of the mech, instead of being attached to the front. They could move just about anywhere. Dangit! Eggman was getting smart! "This is a bit different from last time," he commented. "Okay, buddy, new plan! Hope your air brakes are working!"
"I'll do my best," the fox replied without question. "What's the plan?"
*~*~*
No.. no, stop! Please! Don't hurt them... don't hurt him.. her.. me...
He won't listen. He's ignoring me, concentrating on the fight.. leave the dragoons alone, they did nothing!
This is hopeless... I have to stop him....
.. oh... she'll help me.. thank you, thank you so much. We can do it.. jikan no fushichou...
*~*~*
The mech teetered up the stairs and shuddered with each violent step. A power-hungry scientist was controlling the pedals, and he wanted this worthless structure reduced to rubble! Nothing could get in his way! "Stand aside, foolish child!" he roared at a defiant Riyu. "There are more than enough of you inside to provide for my army. One less won't set me back!"
The girl, using the door to brace herself, pushed off and stumbled ahead. She put on her bravest face and planted herself at the topmost step, scowling into the scientist's glasses. "I'm.. not afraid of you, Egguman..." Riyu stammered, still reeling from the last attack.
"Hah! You think that's enough to stop me?"
"Yeah I do! Niisan told me that I can do anything if I'm brave!"
"Bravery has nothing to do with success. It's all about POWER!" The mech stomped up one more step, just before the top. The tremors alone caused Riyu to stumble.
She yelped, "Egguman! Hoktoku Kuronosu no kosatsu... imaima!"
Her foreign demands went unheard, because a blue blur suddenly sailed over from behind Eggman's mech. The bumper arms swivelled around to protect the driver. Sonic landed sideways onto the door of the temple, and leaped off, charging full-tilt at the bumper arms. He pulled into a spin, braced himself, and SLAM!!
The force of the attack made Eggman's invention lean backwards oh-so-precariously. The human gasped loudly, fiddling with the controls. He glanced back, down the craggy staircase that would soon crush his precious machine. "Wh-whoooaaa-noooooo!!" Eggman shouted helplessly.
He wasn't the only one in danger! By hitting the uber-bouncy bumpers, Sonic was now sailing back toward the very solid-looking wall, at top speed, and nothing was stopping him! "Tails!"
"Gotcha!" Sonic felt a pair of hands grab him by the ankle, desperately tugging away from the looming wall. Tails flew at top speed in the oppisite direction, fighting inertia to save his friend. Thankfully, he was able to prevent the hedgehog from serious injury.
Well, sort of. Sonic's body swung back, and in the nick of time, his skull rammed into the door.
"OWCH!"
"Oh crap! Sorry Sonic!"
"Uuuugh... s'okay...."
"Baka kitsune.."
"I heard that!"
And the mighty mech finally toppled over, crashing down the stairs before landing in a twisted heap at the bottom. The entire valley trembled when it collapsed, then erupted into flames. There was no sign of Eggman.
Tails lowered Sonic to the ground, and Riyu repositioned him to land on his feet. "Wasn't paying attention to where I grabbed.." the fox laughed nervously.
"Don' worry about it..." Sonic waved his arm as he shook the remaining dizziness off. "Heh, least I'm alive!"
Riyu glanced at the wreckage below. "Think we can say the same for Egguman?" she mumbled.
They stared at the flames for a moment, wondering if the villain had escaped without them noticing. Sonic's necklace flashed abruptly, and Tails and Riyu jumped back from Sonic. He stared in awe at the Jikan, the swirling blue glow catching his eye.
"But... Little Planet isn't supposed to warp so soon!" Riyu exclaimed.
"Then what's it doing?" Tails asked.
As if in answer, a thin beam of light shot out of the gem. It landed on and engulfed the blazing debris of Eggman's mech. Slowly, the wreck dissolved into thin air, disappearing entirely without a trace! A shimmering flash blinded the view...
... the village was repaired, the temple restored, and all evidence of Eggman's attack in the past was no more.
*~*~*
Heh.. we beat you, didn't we? I told you... you'll lose, you know it. Sonikku will defeat you. I'll defeat you! We'll all defeat you! And you'll-- AAH!!
........ itaiii... that hurt...
Why're you doing this..? Why me? Why him? I didn't ask for this..
Ow.. I'm bleeding.. my arm, stings...
What did I ever do to you?
... I'm tired... let me rest...
*~*~*
I'm ending it off here! GOMEN NASAI GOZAIMASU!!! *hides* If I added any more, this chap would'a been waaaayy too long methinks, and I wanna keep you guys and gals interested, not gab yer ear off! LOL Anyhow, I'll do me darndest to update sooner from here on in. The whole story's coming together. I actually know where I'm going for the next while!
So, you know the drill! Take about a minute or so to type up a review and lemme know how I'm doing! Do you WANT me to make uberiously long chappies? Have you any ideya what's really happening? I've given blatant hints, I think.. ^_~
NEXT TIME: Time for a history lesson! There's more to the Jikan than we realize. Why is Chaos so unwelcome anyhow? Aaah, this is only PART of the story! But there's not much time left! They only have so much strength! Who're they, you ask? Find out! STAY TUNED!