Chapter 4: Wake Up Call.

This is the most uncomfortable bed I've ever been on, and coming from a guy who's spent the night in the middle of the woods that's saying something. I open my eyes. I see a familiar set of lights, and hull plating. Am I on the ARK? Why would I be here? "Finally you're awake." I look to my right to see Shadow sitting on a stool next to me. "What's going on? Why am here?"

"You should consider yourself lucky. That truck messed you up pretty bad. Fortunately I happen to know that the ARK has the most advanced medical equipment available."

"Isn't most of this stuff like 50 years old?"

"Still more advanced then anything we have planet-side."

"What, did the GUN soldiers just leave everything here?"

Shadow smirked, "Pretty much."

I rolled of the bed, which was actually more of solid metal table than a bed. No wonder it was so uncomfortable. "So what now?" I ask. "The shuttle we took isn't to far from here."

"Alrighty then, let's get going." I start walking toward the door. "Not so fast." I stop and look at Shadow. He has a dark smirk. "You see, seeing as I saved your life. That mean's you owe me, and I fully intend to collect." Um... Okay. "What did you have in mind?"

"Oh I have ideas." he says, then his eyes dart down, then back up as if to say: "If you know what I mean." "Whoa, whoa, Shadow, hold on a sec, um, Okay sorry, but I'm not like that. I can't-"

"I don't think you have much of a choice. Considering I'm the only one with the access code to the shuttle, your hands are tied. Figuratively speaking, though if you give me a minute..." Okay, I have no idea what's gotten into Shadow, or why, but this is getting way too weird. I need to get out of here quickly, and tactfully. "Okay, well in that case I guess I have no choice, but to- LATER PSYCHO!" I yell as I sprint away as fast as possible. Behind me I hear him yelling. "You can't escape me! I know this place like the back of my hand! You will be mine!"

I just keep running, going down random hallways, entering every third door. I have no idea where I'm going, but as long as the Ultimate Hornyness, can't find me I'm okay with it.. All I can do as I run is think. This whole situation is messed up. It's almost as crazy as that dream I had with the zombies, and that trigger happy survivor. Heh, that was a weird dream, but it seamed so real. I stop for a second, as a thought pops into my head. Come to think of it, every dream I had while I was out was pretty convincing, every time I completely believed what was happening, and then I would "die" and then I would wake up, in another dream thinking that that was real... I wonder if- "SONIC!" The sound of my name being yelled jars me out of my pondering. I quickly turn towards the source to see Tails waving at me through a door way. "In here, quickly!" I run into the room, which happens to be some kind of storage closet. Tails seals the door behind me. "What are you doing here?" I ask "Looking for you!" "Why, didn't Shadow tell you he was bringing me here?"

"No, as things are I'm the last person he would tell."

"Why?"

"Well, you see... the thing is um... while you where gone... there was this book that came out that changed my perspective on... certain things." Okay Tails is acting very nervous, and shy around me, that never happens, and he keeps stealing glances, like I'm some girl he's got a major cru- Oh, chaos no. "Tails... is there something you need to tell me?"

"Um, yeah see while I was reading the book I realized something about myself... I... I'm g-"

"FREEZE!" The door behind me opens back up to reveal a GUN soldier pointing a machine gun at us. I'm scared, yet at the same time surprisingly relieved at this situation. The soldier starts talking into his radio. "This is Private Walker. I have Sonic, and Prower. Requesting orders." A voice on the other end of the radio says. "They're trespassing on government property. Terminate them." The soldier brings his weapon up to his shoulder, and aims. Okay I have the reaction time, and speed to dodge automatic gunfire. Tails does not. So I'm gonna have to try, and save him, and probably end up getting shot myself. Here we- Suddenly a leg comes up from behind the solder, and kicks the rifle out of his hands. At the same time a hear a familiar voice say: "Nope." The soldier turns to his left only to be met with a rifle butt to the face. He falls to the floor revealing... "Alex?" "Yo!" he says as he discards the rifle.

I can't believe it! It's the exact same guy from my zombie dream! Only difference is he's wearing what looks like some sort of spec ops get up, a set of form fitting clothes, and a utility harness. Not to mention the samurai sword on his back. But what is he doing here?!

"I can tell this is all very confusing for you, but we've got to get moving before more GUN flunkies find us."

"Sonic who's that?" Asks Tails while eying him suspiciously. " He's a..." weirdo, psycho, unstable, and trigger happy nut-job, who's possibly a schizo. "...Friend."

"Guys. Moving. Now." We ran down the hallway. As we run I ask: "So, um... whatever your name is. What is going on." Alex sidled against a wall, and peaked around the corner, then looked back at me. "Aw, you forgot my name already? But we had such a good time together last time we met."

"Uh, when was that?"

"You remember, you where in that hospital, there was all those zombies, Oh! And I shot you that one time."

"'Shot you!?'" Tails cut in

Oh crap, right. "With a paintball! Yeah I remember, we where horsing around with some paintball guns!"

Alex smirked "Yeah... paintball."

Alex led us into a room with a large computer. "Tails, your a computer guy right?" Alex asked "Think you could use that to see if there are any escape pods left, while Sonic and I stand watch?"

"Why don't we just use the Tornado?" Tails asks

"GUNs' probably found it by now, and has it under guard, and before you ask, I posed as a GUN soldier, and came in on the transport they used."

"Alright escape pods it is."

"We'll be right outside, yell if you need us."

We walked outside, and sealed the door.

Now that we're alone I need some answers "Okay, what the heck is going on? Shadow tried to rape me, Tails has got the hots for me, G.U.N.'s shooting at us, again, and you're here remembering something that happened in a dream! What the hell!?"

Alex took deep breath, and started explaining. "Okay, One, Eggman, using a guise, has published a book, that he printed using a special ink that screws with your brain chemistry, causing you to fall in love with the person you feel the strongest emotions for, regardless of what kind of emotions they are. I.E. Tails's brotherly love, and Shadow's rivalry. Two, G.U.N. is here because, the ARK is a restricted area. Top level clearance only."

"Wait, I've been here twice, and they picked now to say that this is a restricted area?"

"I know, right!?" Alex replied incredulously... Wow I've got to stop looking at the thesaurus Tails gave me.

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain how you remember fighting zombies, that was a dream.. right?"

"Yeah."

"Then how do you-"

"So, is this."

"...What?"

"This is a dream too."

"...WHAT?!"

A soldier came in from around a corner behind Alex.

"Hold it, right-."

Alex pulled out a pistol, and shot him without looking. "I was wondering when he was gonna come out."

"How can this be a dream, it's way to real!"

Alex arched his eyebrow. "Really? Think about the what's going on right now. Doesn't it seem like it could be a dream?" He had a point this whole scenario was a little out there. "And check this out." Alex aimed his pistol and shot my knee. "Hey! What the...hell?" My knee was fine. "See? If this had been real you'd be on the floor right now." I took a moment to soak all this in. So this is all a dream. Definitely explains everything that's been going on, but wait if this is a dream then... I look to Alex "Who are you?" He cocked his head "You already know my name, be more specific." I thought for a second then said. "What are you exactly? If this is all my dream, how do you know everything that's going on?" He smiled. "Ah, finally an intelligent question. The simplest way I can explain it is: I am a collection of random fragments of your subconscious put together into this." He gestured at himself. "And the reason why I know so much is because I have bits of your logic portion, and am connected to your senses, which is why I happen to know that you've actually been in the hospital for about five hours now, and when you do wake up you're gonna be higher then Angel Island is when Knuckles is doing his job." I don't know what's weirder his explanations, or the fact that they make sense.

"So you're trying to tell me that, not only is this all a dream, but you are actually part of the dream, despite knowing more about what's going on than I do."

Alex shrugged. "Pretty much." There's a long pause.

"Why bother telling me this?" I ask

"Because there's a bit of a problem." A problem?

"What kind of problem?"

"Well you see right now your kind of in a transition between comas." I have no idea what he means, and it shows on my face.

"Okay, there are two types of comas. There's your typical 'I got bashed in the head' coma which is what you are in now. If you're not too banged up you usually wake up in a few hours. Then there's the 'deep' coma, which is the kind you've been dreaming about having where you basically sleep for a few years before waking up. You're not there yet, but if you don't wake up soon you will slip into one, which is why I've been giving you these dreams. Trying to make you want to be awake, but obviously it hasn't been working too well." Wait that doesn't make any sense. "I thought you just said you where part of my mind. Why would it be so hard for you to make me wake up?" Alex raises a finger. "I said I was part of your subconscious. The subconscious doesn't have any direct control over your body. At most it can hint at things, but ultimately it's up to you, the conscious mind, to make a decision." I guess that makes sense. "So, what? I just will my self awake?"

Alex got an uneasy smile. "Kind of. You see as I said before you're slipping into a deep coma. Which means you, well your mind anyway, is at a point between the conscious and subconscious. We're going to need to get you back to the conscious point in your brain before you can wake up."

"Uh-huh, and how do we do that?"

"The simple version? I'm going to guide you through the inner parts of your mind until you reach the point which will allow you to wake up."

"I hear a 'but' coming." Alex nodded. "The inner workings of the mind is a labyrinth of emotions, and memories if you get lost, and wake up while in the wrong portion of your mind, you'll basically turn into a babbling lunatic."

"That would be a unfortunate, but else am I supposed to do?" Alex sighed. "Alright just remember: People don't typically go wondering around inside their heads. You'll probably run into aspects of yourself that you didn't know you had, and may not like. Just remember that no matter what you see in there, you are the sum of your parts, no one emotion defines you." I take a deep breath. "Alright let's do this." Alex raised his left hand, and snapped his fingers.

Authors Notes:

Hol-ly CRAP! I cannot believe I took this long!

So sorry, I'll try to do better. I basically started losing direction with the plot and only just recently got back on track.

I decided to give Alex a more permanent role in the plot as I just liked his character. But I did hold back on the fourth wall jokes this time around. Tell me what you think.

P.S. The first part of this chapter is NOT meant as a jab at gays, but as a joke towards the crazy fan service you tend to see on these kinds of website, and what Sonic's reaction might really be in that kind of situation