Here I am! I was taking a little break on my story writing but I'm back now. Here is the next chapter. Read and review!
Chapter 11: The Hidden Laboratory
Amy sat in the room on a wooden and somewhat creaking stool as she watched the blue hedgehog of interest to her sleep on the bed. It has been an hour since he passed out and still Amy hasn't budged from that spot since. She had already pieced together the info given off by the hedgehog's attire and deducted that he was the world-renowned hero Sonic the Hedgehog. Her parents always got a look of disgust on their faces when they read an article about him in the newspaper. They never liked seeing the cheery hedgehog's smiling face in a picture of him standing toward the camera with his thumb extended and a visible smoking robot created by Eggman lying in a scrap heap behind him. Amy however thought he was cute. She enjoyed reading those articles, which is until the one about the massacre at the mall came out.
"I wonder…" Amy whispered to herself as she turned to face the other unconscious creature on the bed. She immediately staggered back and almost fell off the stool when she saw him. It was the same fox in the newspaper! That thing is the evil menace that killed all those people! But why would Sonic be venturing around with it? She knew that this hedgehog was said to be reckless at times but not stupid. She then got off the stool, for the first time since they have been unconscious, and walked toward the fox and examined him. She then realized, for the first time, that he had two tails! She stood and thought for a minute.
"A fox with two tails… Cool!" She said. Just then she heard sounds coming from the bed behind her. She turned around and saw the blue hedgehog sit up, admitting a groaning noise as he did so, and face Amy. Before he could get his vision focused he was transfixed into a huge, painful, and bone crushing hug by the pink hedgehog.
" 'Ack' What…What's going on?" Sonic choked out.
"I'm so glad you're awake!" She shouted with excitement as she loosened her grip and eventually let go.
"Um…me too. So... uh...what is your name?" Sonic asked a little curious.
"Oh…uh well…my name is Amy Rose." Amy chuckled.
"My name is Sonic."
"I know…"
"So what are you doing here anyway? I thought rich girls like yourself usually stay at their fancy suites." Sonic asked.
"How did you know I'm rich?" Asked a slightly surprised Amy.
"Oh come on, your name says it all. Amy Rose is the daughter of the rich aristocrats Tanya and Marlin Rose. You are mentioned merely everywhere. It was said your family is evil beyond all reason but judging by the way you hugged me I'd say that was an understatement." Sonic explained. His happy grin disappeared when he saw that she was frowning. "Hey, hey, I didn't mean anything bad by it. I was just…"
"No, you're right. My parents are selfish evil tyrants who would do anything to get their way, even send me away." Amy stated. Sonic sat there with a look of sorrow on his face after he heard that. There was a long pause.
"At least you have parents." Came a voice from behind. Amy turned to see who it was. There she saw the two tailed fox sitting up in his bed with a dazed look on his face. Amy didn't know what to say or think. She read in the paper that this kid was suppose to be dangerous but when he spoke just now she didn't hear the voice of an evil blood lusting monster, she heard the voice of a frightened and sad little kid. She then got the courage to speak.
"W-what do you mean?" She asked.
"I never knew my mommy and daddy…the only thing I have that proves I even have a mommy is a picture that…" Tails went silent as he remembered that the picture was ripped up by Hang Nail. He sat there for a moment before speaking again. "…I mean I used to have it but…it was ripped up by a bully who hated me because I…I'm a two tailed freak." Tails said before immediately bursting out into tears. All this talk about parents got him thinking negatively again.
"That's…that's so horrible." Amy said. She all of a sudden didn't care about what the newspapers said. She completely forgot about the article and walked over to the crying fox to give him a hug. Tails stopped balling when he was in her warm embrace. He had never felt such a comfortable warmth come from a woman before. Mostly the woman he comes in contact with just hit him or say move in an uncaring voice. She soon broke the hug and began to speak with him. "You're very cute. I can't imagine why someone would be so mean." She said referring to the picture that was ripped up.
"Yeah, this kid has had some rough times on that island." Sonic said while walking over and sitting on Tails' bed. Tails felt a strange feeling when Sonic sat by him. He now had two people, who actually liked him, sitting next to him on a medical bed. It wasn't a feeling of danger; it was a feeling of warmth and happiness. Tails let a smile creep on his face while Amy and Sonic spoke.
"Really, that's so sad." Amy said responding to Sonic's statement.
"Well his life is getting better. Me and him are setting out on a journey that will change both our lives." Sonic said. 'Hopefully for the better.' He thought. Just than doctor Morris came in the room holding a clipboard and walked toward Tails' bed.
"So how are we feeling?" Morris asked in his usual sincere voice.
"Huh? Oh my leg." Tails looked at his bandaged leg with curiosity. Morris saw no blood penetrating it, not a single drop was shown on the bandaged area. He secretly hoped no one would notice this. "I think it still hurts." Tails remembered being shot but didn't remember being bandaged fore he was already unconscious when that took place. He was still a little bit confused on how it happened but decided to just let it go. After all it was feeling a bit better.
"Well if it still hurts then you'll have to stay in the bed for a little while longer." Morris explained.
"No. Really, I'm fine. See." Tails got out of the bed and set his foot on the ground. All of a sudden large amounts of pain seeped from his foot and spread through his body like a wide spreading sound wave. Tails cried out in pain, which startled everyone, and let the rest of his body fall off the bed and hit the floor with a hard thud. Sonic immediately rushed to his aid.
"Tails, are you okay little buddy?" He asked as he hoisted the fox into his arms.
"Yeah. I guess I can't walk right now but I can still fly." Tails said in a reassuring voice. Tails began spinning his tails rapidly and soon took off from Sonic's arm. "See! I don't have to stay in bed." Tails said excitedly.
"Well I guess you don't. I knew nothing could keep my buddy down." Sonic said giving the flying fox a thumbs up. Tails smiled then proceeded to hover around the room happily.
"Oh Amy dear!" Shouted a somewhat portly woman from outside the room. Amy sighed in frustration as she walked toward the door. She was greeted by the same woman that was sewing her ballroom dress earlier. "Amy, oh I'm so glad I found you. Listen your mother wants you to get dressed for the ball tonight." Said the woman.
"What?" Amy whined.
"Hurry dear. Bartleby will be here soon to pick you up."
"ERR! Fine I'm go to the damn ball with Bartleby but I'm not wearing that frilly dress. I'm wearing my regular pink dress and that's final." Amy declared.
"Amy dear…"
"Call me Amy! Just Amy." She declared again.
"…Fine but we must get ready now."
"Why? The ball doesn't start until 9:00 tonight and it's only 11:00 am?" Amy asked.
"Your mother wants to make sure you get your edict lessons perfected." The woman explained.
"No one is perfect. Plus I don't understand why we need to practice proper lady-like edict anyway. Other people don't have to do it so why do we?" Amy asked.
"Well dear…"
"And why can't we just act and behave like a regular civilian family. Just because we have a lot of money doesn't mean we need an unreasonably large house the size of 3 airplanes!"
"Amy you ask to many questions! Now get back to the suite and leave these peasants be." The woman then dragged Amy out the door without even letting her say good-bye.
Sonic watched the scene in disbelieve. He felt sorry for her. If he was forced to do things other people wanted him to do like that he would have already committed suicide. What's the point of living if you can't run freely and enjoy life? Sonic turned to Tails, who was hovering a few inches above the floor, and began to speak.
"Um Tails…did you have any unusual dreams again that I need to know about." Sonic asked.
"…No…I just had a dream about what it was like back on Westside Island." Tails said in a saddened voice. "I hate being hit with rocks and being tossed around by bullies and getting kicked in the stomach every time I finally eat some food. Its not fair." Tails said.
"I know it isn't." Sonic merely stated with no emotion as he got into a comfortable sitting position on the bed.
"But why? I always wanted to know why some mean Mayor guy made it a law to hate someone who was not perfect."
"I do to. What's weird is that they weren't hurting each other."
"Huh? What do you mean? Everyone on that island was perfect cept me cause I got two tails." Tails said with a surprisingly uneducated sentence. Morris merely chuckled behind them.
"Ah the simple mind of children." He whispered to himself.
"Tails they weren't perfect, they just thought they were. Perfection is an unachievable goal. It means no one is perfect." Sonic explained.
"Oh…well then why did they only pick on me?" Asked the confused fox.
"Because those idiots saw your extra tail as a major imperfection when it really isn't."
"It isn't?"
"No. Anyone who can fly just by using their tails as a propeller is pretty damn special in my book. Everyone has a couple a flaws about them that makes them perfect in a matter of speaking."
"You mean like how I read in one of the magazines back at the hotel that you were afraid of water." Tails pointed out.
"HEY! I'm not afraid of water! I just don't like to get wet." Sonic said in defense. This made Tails chuckle. The hedgehog sure knows how to cheer someone up.
"Okay whatever you say Sonic." Tails chuckled. Sonic jumped off the bed and headed toward the door. "Where are you going?" Asked Tails.
"I'm gonna see if there is a bar or something around here. I need some soda." Sonic said walking out. Tails laid his head on the cold white pillow and relaxed. He couldn't explain why but plopping his body on that pillow made him feel so comfy and at ease. While he pondered this Morris also made his way toward the door.
"I'll be heading toward the ball room to check and see if the preparations are ready. By Mr. Prower." He said also leaving. Tails was now alone, all alone.
Back on Eggman's ship
Metal Sonic had just finished completing the task his master had instructed him to complete. He hovered out of the teleporter only to be met with a small vibration in his head.
"Metal! Are you there!" Shouted Eggman from the other side.
"Yes Doctor." Metal answered.
"Good. Listen, I want you to take the quadrant B ships and attack a cruise ship that was said to be sailing out today. Wait until it is 9:00 pm at night to attack. This way the ship will sink unnoticeably without fear of outsiders seeing the smoke."
"I understand."
"Perfect! Take Bocoe and Decoe with you just in case. He He He! That ship is 3 times as big as the titanic and it will sink three times as deep!" Eggman laughed on the other end.
"Yes sir. 9:00 pm at night on the dot." Metal stated.
"Oh and make sure you close up the portal when you're done with it."
If robots had high emotions Metal Sonic would be terrified to the max as soon as Eggman said that last statement. The communicator was turned off on the other end now, leaving Metal to stand there and ponder.
"… Damn. He knows."
Back on the cruise ship: 11: 30am
Tails had just awoken from a well-needed rest. He sat up and looked around the empty infirmary. He decided since Sonic wasn't here he would take it upon himself to get himself some food. The fox was about to jump out of bed when he remembered his hurting leg. He slowly stepped down and began twirling his tails, which instantly lifted him up a few inches above the marble floor. Tails then hovered out the room and down the hall.
"I'm so hungry. I wonder where the kitchen is." Tails moaned as his stomach began to growl. He hovered past a few aristocrats who paid no attention to him as he flew by. All Tails' mind was focused on was finding a kitchen. He suddenly came across a map of the entire ship on the wall and stopped to read. He was surprised at how incredibly huge this ship was. He read on the map that it was well over bigger than three regular cruise ships put together! Another growl came form his stomach, which made Tails more focused on his goal of getting to an indoor restaurant or some other place that sells food. He then studied the map and got his directions. The fox tried memorizing them and when he did he headed out.
He searched through the halls while following the directions he had in his head. After a few minutes Tails began to feel as though he were lost. He knew he wasn't good at memorizing directions, which didn't turn in his favor in the end. The now worried fox hovered through the numerous halls over and over again. Soon the red embroidered carpet floors and the equally red carpet walls with numerous paintings on them began to dissipate. He soon flew into a less glamorous part of the ship. The floor now had a tattered darker red colored carpet on the ground and the walls, instead of any carpet, had orange paint that was visibly and rapidly peeling off the walls. Tails grew scared as he continued to fly down the numerous halls. Soon the lighting was gone as well.
It was dark. Tails didn't like it dark.
"… H-hello… a-anybody… I'm lost… " Tails said in a small frightened voice. He was clearly in some deserted area on the cruise ship. Being the young kid he was he still believed in monsters. He stayed alert hoping none would come out. Despite this he still keep going down the hall, he thought it was too late to turn back. What really kept him going was the strange sound he heard at the end of the dark hallway. It sounded like whimpering, loud monstrous whimpering! Tails slowly hovered down the hallway. He flew until he reached a door. It was a rusty metal door with a dirty copper colored sign taped on it that read: CAUTION: CHEMICALS IN LABORATORY ARE TOXIC. NO TRESPASSING! Tails didn't want to know what that meant but he was cursed with that fact that he did. The whimpering sounds got louder and Tails was positive they were coming from behind this very door. Being the curious fox he was he decided to chance opening it. And that's what he did.
The door creaked open spookily and reviled what was on the other side of the door. It was a huge laboratory. The place was wide spaced, like everything on this ship, and had a huge glass tube in the exact center of the room. The tube was so large that it had to connect with the floor and the ceiling in order for it to fit. Tails flew up to the tube and noticed something huge inside. The thing in there was as big as the tube, making it get a little scrunched up at the tubes sides. The monster inside looked like a huge lizard with wires imbedding and puncturing the monster's skin. The tube was filled with green chemicals as well. Tails didn't know what it was but it didn't look friendly too him. The fox went up to the control panel in front of the tube, looked at the inscription, and read it.
"It says "BIOLIZARD PROTOTYPE 2- COPYRIGHT OF ORIGINAL BLUEPRITS CREATED BY PROFESSOR GERALD 87 COMPLETE" Tails read. "Biolizard? Who's Professor Gerald?" Tails asked.
"ROOOOOOAAR!" Tails heard a loud roar come from the obviously scared beast inside the tube. Tails backed up trying not to get it mad. He grew even more disturbed when the creature's eyes opened. Tails flew back again and stopped spinning his tails by accident. He fell to the ground and looked up at the beast's yellow eyes. It whimpered again. Tails couldn't help but notice it's eyes didn't look threatening. They looked…sad. Tails got up, flew toward the tube, and touched his hand on the glass.
"… You're sad aren't you?" Tails said silently. The beast merely whimpered yet again.
"What's that?" Tails didn't really understand this thing's language so he had trouble communicating with it. "I wish I knew what you were thinking so I could help." Tails said. He didn't know who or what this creature was or even why it was here but judging by the look on its face it wasn't happy. The beast nudged against the glass.
"Y-you want me to open the case for you?" Tails asked. The beast said nothing.
"Don't worry about it, I'll try." Tails said. He usually didn't help anything that looked threatening to him, he never actually wanted to get near anything like that, but something told the fox that this guy was all right.
Tails searched the control panel for an open switch or button anywhere. However, not being familiar with this technology, Tails had no idea which one opened it. All the buttons were unlabeled. He soon decided to chance trusting his gut. Tails pounded a flashing yellow button. All of a sudden he heard a huge sound of pain shrieking coming in front of him. He looked up and saw the beast being electrocuted in the glass tube.
"Hold on, I'll stop it!" Tails pressed random buttons all at once. Soon the electrocution stopped and the green water drained. A few seconds later the green water drained completely and the monster was free. Tails saw that the lizard didn't move from it's lying position on the metal floor. It looked tired and scared. Tails confronted it and reached out to touch it. When he did however it inched away.
"I'm not going to hurt you." Tails reassured as he reached out again. This time the beast let Tails put his hand on his head. All of a sudden Tails began to here a voice inside his head. It was a scared and yet calm voice. The fox was hearing the voice of the lizard. They were communicating telepathically.
"… Your name…is… Ryan?" Tails said answering to the thoughts in his head. The beast said nothing. "… You say that you miss your mommy and daddy…? Don't worry Ryan I'm sure you'll see them again. The beast blinked. "So how did you get here?" asked Tails. The beast's face all of a sudden turned to that of fright. "Huh? Look behind me?" Tails turned around to see the silver haired scientist in a white lab coat he knew as Morris. Tails immediately took his hand off the lizard's head. Morris started walking toward Tails at a normal walking passé.
"Hello Tails. I see you've stumbled upon my creation." Morris said in his usually kind voice.
"Y-yeah…wait a minute, your creation? Ryan said that he has a mommy and a daddy." Tails explained. Morris continued walking up to the huge lizard monster until he was at the beast's head.
"He did…but you see I found him in the wild all by himself. The forest he scampered out of was being invaded be lumberjacks anyway so I took him home with me. I gave him a nice home and now he's developed quite nicely I must say."
"… But if that's true then how come he looked so sad in that tube. It wasn't very roomy in there and there was even a button on that panel that shocked him. Why is that?"
"… It builds character."
"But, I…"
"Listen Tails, this monster is dangerous. Just leave." Morris said while pressing a button that made the tube reappear and form around the lizard.
"But it's not dangerous. Me and him just…"
"GET OUT!" he shouted no longer having that kind voice Tails liked much better. Tails started to get a little scared when Morris started to speak so meanly. Without a second thought he ran out of the room. "…And his name isn't Ryan. Its name is Bp2…" Morris mumbled.
That night: 8:46pm
Bartleby escorted Amy to the ball being held in the huge party room in the center of the ship. When they arrived they were in a HUGE white room. There was no other color present, excluding the red punch in the punch bowl, the food, and the black tuxedo's worn by the men (excluding Bartleby who wore a pink jacket, a white dress shirt, and light brown pants). Everything else was sparkling white. Bartleby, by the way, looked like a yellow colored hedgehog who was a bit taller than Amy and his hair was shaped into that of a curling style. Amy didn't care what Bartleby looked like however so it really didn't matter. There was a huge glass dome at the top of the room and it led down to the glass windows as well. It was as though everything was put into perfection at this ball. Rich people were in fact snotty and they do dwell on perfection a lot. But despite all this fancy decorating Amy just couldn't find herself to care. She then yawned out of extreme boredom.
"Amy my dear, anything wrong?" Bartleby wondered noticing she was yawning now.
"No Bartleby." Amy merely said. She was too busy thinking about her hero Sonic to worry about such nonsense as a pointless ball. It was then that she heard a 'pisst' sound come from the bottom of the table they were standing by. "Um Bartleby."
"Yes my love."
"Could you get me some punch?"
"Why certainly." He said letting go of her hand and walking toward the punch bowl.
"Why certainly." Amy mimicked. "Why can't rich people just say yes?" Amy asked to herself. The 'pisst' sound came back once again. It was then that Amy looked under the table and saw Tails sitting there with a smile on his face.
"Are you having fun yet?" Tails asked.
"The ball just started." Amy answered. "But I bet I wouldn't have much fun anyway. I'm just not the way they are." Amy said pointing to the dancing aristocrats and their wives.
"I bet Sonic sure knows how to pick up the passé of a party." Tails said.
"Speaking of Sonic, could you get him for me?"
"What?"
"Please, just find him and bring him here. I at least want someone of interest to be here."
"But I can't go out there again. I got lost the first time I did and I barely found my way back." Tails explained.
"Pleeeeeeeease. Do it for me. Pretty please." Amy begged.
"…With a cheery on top." Tails said.
"Sure and a kiss." Amy leaned in and kissed Tails' forehead. His cheeks immediately went crimson red and his hair bangs shot straight up.
"Okay I'll find Sonic." Tails said in a stunned and dream like voice as he got form underneath the table and headed for the exit.
"Oh Amy I'm back." Bartleby said holding two drinks.
"Oh goodie." Amy said sarcastically.
At a bar not far from the ball area
Sonic entered the bar and sat down on the stool next to a buff rich aristocrat. He was a little freaked out when he saw this man wearing a suit that was so close to ripping off his back but decide not to dwell on it.
"I'll have a nice cold beer." Said the muscle bound aristocrat. The beer was delivered to the man in no time flat. Sonic saw the man get up and walk away and stared at him ponderingly.
"What will you have kid." The bar tender said referring to the eleven-year-old hedgehog.
"Who? Me? Oh I…uh…I'll have some Sprite I guess." Sonic said. The bar tender went to get what he requested while another man walked in and sat next to Sonic. They made no eye contact.
"I'll have a Sprite." Said Smokestack as he fixed himself in the seat next to Sonic. Neither on them knew the other was sitting right next to each other. A few minutes later the bar tender had given Sonic his drink and soon Smoke his. They sat their drinking at the same passé, same speed, and they both set their glasses down at the same time holding half empty cups.
"Well this cruise is going nowhere." Sonic finally spoke while taking another drink of the lemon-lime soda.
"Tell me about it." Smoke said then let his eyes widen when he realized whom that voice was. He turned to see the very same blue hedgehog he had last seen back at Westside Island. "Hey it's you!" Smoke said in an angered voice. Sonic, still drinking his soda, turned to see who it was. He immediately spit out the soda at Smoke face in surprise when he saw him. The soda shot out of the hedgehog's mouth and into Smoke's face for about a minute until the soda was gone. They both sat there in an awkward position for a minute before Sonic took action.
"AHH! It's you!" Sonic immediately jumped off the stool and ran out the bar. Smoke sat there with an angered and drenched face for a few seconds before chasing the hedgehog with two clouds of smoke projectiles in his hands.
Outside the cruise ship: 9:00pm
Thousands of Eggman mini fighter ships flew toward the cruise ship rapidly. The top deck of the cruise ship also had a party going on and because of it little orange lights were set around the decks perimeter so everyone could see better. The top deck looked like one big road with orange streetlights shining on it and it created a nice orange reflection in the water. The sky was pitch black and the humming of Eggman's ships grew louder with each passing second. Suddenly all the ships became visible.
"I say. What are those tiny little things heading toward us?" One man asked as they drew closer.
"I don't know but they look threatening." Said an old woman.
"And how do you know they pose a threat?" asked the man. Suddenly a huge missile collided with the top of the deck and exploded. Suddenly more and more missiles came at them all. Soon the ships were close enough that they were literally hovering over the huge cruise ship.
"Are cruise ships really this long?" Decoe asked from inside the main ship.
"I don't think so. These aristocrats thing they're hot stuff don't they?" Bocoe asked.
"They sure do! We'll we're about to teach them a lesson they will never forget." Decoe said pressing a button on the consul. Metal Sonic just watched and let the two robots have their fun. He wasn't at all interested in what was taking place.
Back in the ballroom
"Hey butler! Bring me a hotdog!" Rouge demanded as she sat on the table on her own whim. The butler immediately came over.
"Miss! This is the 8th time you've called me for a 'hotdog'. And this is the 8th time I'm going to say we don't have any!" Shouted the butler in his English accent a little irritated.
"Hey don't yell at me! I don't take any lip from gays!" Rouge shouted back.
"I beg your pardon!"
"You heard me. I called you gay!"
"…Are you accusing me of being a homosexual?"
"Nothing gets by you, does it?"
"Well I've never been so insulted!"
"You're not fooling anybody with that attitude. I saw you checking out all the men in that crowd. The rich ones are the cutest aren't they?" Rouge said smugly.
"I am no homosexual!"
"Oh please! You're so fruity you could cure scurvy!" Rouge shouted then broke out laughing. The butler merely fixed his collar and walked away. "Ha Ha! Well as much fun as this is I think we'd better find that chaos emerald I was hinting about when we first got on here." Rouge suggested as she turned to Big and Froggy stuffing their faces at the table. Big turned to her when she spoke and merely nodded. When they both left Tails came back in.
"It's no use. I'll never find Sonic on this huge ship. I need to find Amy." Tails said while looking around the room. He soon spotted her by a different table then the one she was at before. He silently crawled toward her and under the table as to not be seen by Bartleby.
"Well I hope your having a fun time." Bartleby said while having another sip of the tasteless punch.
"Oodles." Amy merely said. Suddenly the glass on the top of the dome shattered, which surprised everyone. Without warning, many robots began to crash through the dome and land in certain area around the ballroom.
"What's going on?" asked Tanya Rose from the other side of the room as she saw more robots burst through the ceiling. Not just the ceiling however, they rammed through the glass windows as well.
"I don't know Tanya." Marlin Rose answered as he grabbed his wife and pulled her into his embrace. The robots extended their guns at the scared crowd and began to fire in all directions. Tails, who hid under the table, peaked his head out and saw the silver robots shooting everywhere.
"Eggman." He whispered.
Sorry it took so long. I was taking a little break. The next chapter will be up soon. Keep reading and reviewing everyone.