a/n: Keep shining. #herewego

Revolutionary Operation, Type Zero

Kinetic Sky

05. Revolver Action, Act 5

"Caves. Gotta love 'em."

"…"

Sonic and Amy stood in front of the entrance to Mystic Cave. As expected, it was pitch black with barely any way to see inside.

"It'll take a bit of effort, but we can make it pretty easily if we want."

"That's too much," Amy said. "Even if you lifted the restrictions."

Sonic looked at the rings around his wrists.

"Well, what do you suggest?"

"We have to backtrack from the next place over. That's Metropolis, right?"

"Yeah. Out on the other side of the mountains. But we can't exactly run the whole way, it's still too dark up here."

"Then we can walk. I can feel out where Tails is…in the same place as before. It seems like he's stabilized."

"Really? Okay," he said. "In that case, let's loop back around. Maybe then we can pinpoint where he's being held. And in that case, since Oil Ocean is opened up from the air…" Sonic tapped the ring on his left wrist and a holographic screen came up. He whistled while sliding through a list. "Okay, there it is. Automatic setting…Amy, how far do you think we're headed?"

"Mm…set it for about fifty-five miles."

"Fifty-five it is." He touched the screen and then shook his wrist once to make it disappear. "Alright, let's make tracks across this mountain range. Tails might be fine, but I think we still gotta hurry for the sake of Earth."

"Yeah."

"Want a lift?" he asked her.

"I can make it on my own."

"But…" He gave her a smile and she sighed.

"But I'd enjoy a ride."

He knelt down and she hopped onto his back, resting safely against his flattened quills. She gently placed her arms around his neck as he stood up and started walking, holding her in place. A flash of lightning showed the once majestic mountain range, now coated in a layer of black metal.

She closed her eyes, deciding to occupy herself with memories.

"I'd say that's decisive enough!"

Sonic sneered at Eggman, standing on top of his overturned Eggmobile as the doctor was laid out on the ground. The blue hedgehog was covered in cuts and scrapes, blood leaking from a cut on his brow. Some of his fur was singed black and there were tears in his tough gloves.

Behind him were the remains of three Egg Dragoons, fully upgraded and loaded with weapons.

"Ya pushed me…that was a heck of a fight, Doc. Ya really pushed me this time."

The sound of explosions went off in the distance. Eggman's factory complex was being blown apart piece by piece. Flying machines fell from the sky, riddled with bullet holes. The tarmac where Sonic and friends stood was peppered with holes, gouges, and burn marks.

"But it's over," Sonic said triumphantly. "And you ain't getting away this time. I'm gonna put an end to the games."

"You're going to kill me?"

"Nah. That's passe," Sonic said as he hopped down from the overturned machine. Sparks sputtered from it as it fell over. "And not my style, besides."

"…"

Sonic paused as he saw Eggman hesitate. "I'm not gonna kick you when you're already in the dirt. I think I'm about ready to grow up…a little. And that probably means-"

The groaning of metal snapped him out of his speech.

"What?"

Eggman looked on as a metallic arm creaked and brought a drill-like spear upwards, pointing it straight into the air. It fired, throwing up an explosion as the object flew into the sky before coming back down.

"Shoot! Where's it going…gotta stop it!"

Sonic sprinted towards his friends some distance away before he saw something happening. His mind raced as he slowly watched the trajectory of the rocketing spear change.

You've gotta be kidding me.

He slid to a stop. Checked the energy he had left.

Not enough for both of them.

He cursed to himself.

The things I do.

A mellow, resigned smirk.

Right. This is what being a hero's all about.

He rushed back towards where Eggman was sitting. Saw his brows rise and his mouth start to stretch out in horror.

"There's one shot…here it is! Chaos Control!"

He warped himself in front of Eggman and landed an open palm on the scientist's chest. The man flew back, but not before being sucked into a dimensional tear and getting thrown out some distance away.

"It's on me, Doc."

Sonic turned around, and with the last of his energy gathered a whirling current of blue wind in his palm.

"Well. This one's gonna hurt."

He heard his friends yell for him as he thrust his palm forward.

Amy opened her eyes to the distinct sound of rushing wind.

"Glad to have you back, Rosie-o. I figured I'd make some headway after I found a flat path."

Sonic was quickly and carefully jogging through the mountain range.

"It's not strictly safe, but…we'll be okay."

"I can't believe it's only been a year," she said.

"Feels a lot longer, eh?"

"Yeah. But in a good way."

He smiled, his eyes on the road ahead. "Marriage is just a formality, anyways. But if there's anything I've learned, it's that girls love having fancy titles."

"A little biased, no?"

"What? It's the truth. I'm not saying you think that's all there is to it, but I don't think you'd be satisfied with all this if we were just…what'd they call it. Domestic partners."

"That's true," she admitted.

"See? I know a few things." A bolt of lightning flashed and she felt him accelerate for a bit before slowing down.

"Do you really think he's behind this?"

"Yeah."

"Even after…that?"

"Yeah. I'm sure it's him. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. But he was probably setting us up for this-"

"Sonic. Do you remember…Metal Overlord?"

"…"

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"I did," he admitted. "You don't think…"

"We should consider it. That…it might not be his intention after all. Or at least, not totally his will."

"A hostage?"

"It's possible."

"Well, Tails seemed to think it was him…we'll ask our lil' buddy when we get to him."

"That works. We can confirm everything then. Sonic?"

"Yeah, Amy?"

"I know for a fact…that he hasn't forgotten it. Even as much as he's continued to go after us the past few years, I know he remembers. And that he holds it close to his chest."

"…"

Amy closed her eyes again. "I know it's hard to imagine. Especially after all the years you've fought. All of the things that have come between you."

"It's not hard."

"Really?"

"He just wanted to win real bad. But…there wasn't a gap that couldn't be closed. Not completely, anyways. I think if that were the case, he would already be dead a long time ago."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Yes. I just wanted you to remember." She kissed the top of his head. He sighed and allowed himself a smile.

The lightning flashed and he could see the outline of the city. He hopped over a ridge and landed, locking his feet into a slide down the side of the last mountain.

For the first time, bright lights shone in the area ahead.

Metropolis was calling.