Well, here she is at long last! The next installment of a story that thankfully has won much appreciation and positive energy. Apologies for it taking so long, as I had to get some other things straightened out. Anyways, on with the journey!
Part Twenty-Five: Revival
It was a cacophony of consonants his ears had never expected. The instant the neurons in his brain had connected the sounds of the word with its meaning, all motion in his conscious thoughts ground to a halt. Like the resounding crash of nature's undeniable fury, those eight little letters had strung themselves together into a javelin and pierced the last-ditch hope that had been Sonic the Hedgehog's mission this night. Granted, a journey of jealousy and mislead reasoning seemed completely out of character for such a hero as the blue blur, but it was the best conclusion his mind had come up with in the days following that horrible battle. Deep down, Sonic had been out of place ever since that night at K.H.A.O.S. He had watched helplessly as Sally gently ripped out Amy's young heart and pulverized it, an act he had deemed out of reach for anyone he knew, even Eggman himself. Yet the scene played out before him, a shattered flower running away in tears and a treacherous squirrel deserting him for a more musically-inclined canine, all in a single evening of alcoholic intake, bass-blasting music, and one massive concussion. The days that had fallen off the calendar after that had eaten away at his core, and guilt was not a feeling the speed king was familiar or comfortable with. Now, it seemed that fate had called in his tab. All those days of simply brushing Amy off his shoulder like an annoying fan-girl, playing hard-to-get at the speed of sound, and promises of 'next time' or 'when we're both ready' had evaporated into the unreachable. All the while, allowing the one being he would never suspect in all the cosmos to slip right on in and show young Rose the one thing the blue blur had only teased her with. And as his cranium collided with the cold and sterile floor, only that one word stood above all else.
Pregnant…I can't believe it! How the hell could this happen?!
The loud thud of the knocked over hedgehog drew quite a circle of attention from the rest of the lobby, mainly from his comrades next to him, though none were quick enough to catch the speedster's weight. Actually their bodies were still too frozen from the news themselves to move. Save for Rouge, who simply shrugged her shoulders innocently. The shock tremor unhinged the echidna's jaw and caused it to fall to his waist. Only Tails regained his senses quickly enough to attempt some manner of revival for the blue blur.
"Well, I'm glad that went over well" Dr Caimen commented.
"Amy is…prwhat?!" Knuckles stammered, louder than most ears were accustomed to.
"Pipe down red! You're gonna wake the dead!" his ivory thief added.
"Actually, we may need something strong to revive your subdued comrade here" Cale jested.
"I hope so Doctor, I've never seen Sonic just drop like that." Tails said, concern riding on his voice like a small wave.
"Indeed. But don't worry; I have the perfect remedy for such a spell." As he spoke, the canine physician produced a thin glass vial from his pocket and wafted the opening under Sonic's nose. The stinging smell graced by the kitsune's nose, causing him to shuffle back for comfort. So naturally, the sensation jolted the hedgehog's brain back into the moment as Sonic snapped awake and rocketed towards the ceiling with a howl.
"GAAAAAHH!! Holy crap, doc! What the hell's in that thing?! My nose is on fire!" the cobalt cruiser growled out.
"A simple sulfur solution used to alleviate dizzy spells and light concussions. It's simple and side-effect free, so there's no need to wail. Besides, I doubt your comrades want to wait for you. Speaking of that, I'll hand this off and be back in a moment." Dr. Caimen finished as he went to hand his chart back to a passing aide.
Sonic shook off the fire in his nose as Tails helped him onto his sneakers "Sheesh, this doc has a weird sense of humor."
"No kidding. And I thought I was loud as hell. I bet Amy heard your whimper all the way up there" Knuckles replied, adding his own salt to the hedgehog's wounded pride.
"Oh har dee harr harr spikey!"
"Come on, you two. We're here to see Amy, right? That should be the most important thing here." Tails said, still supporting his blue brother's weight. Still, the enthusiasm in his voice was clear and energized.
"The lil fox is right. Chill out guys" Rouge coupled on, appearing more interested in her styled fingernails than her three male compatriots. And as long as the ivory thief could keep up the appearance of eager indifference, no one would suspect her growing concern and paranoia about every other passer-by around them. The encounter with a former comrade had sparked her intrigue, but only when Cale divulged the truth of his mission did her mind go ballistic behind those cerulean eyes. He said it was a simple observation mission. And unless I missed a major change in procedure, the standard for this op would be two agents. But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this was just a lucky coincidence and Cale is working solo. After all, GUN can't possibly have enough manpower to cover everything…right?
Oh dear god, please let him be working alone!
The canine caretaker returned as swiftly as he promised "All right then gentlemen, and m'lady, are we all ready to proceed upstairs?" He was acknowledged by four appropriately proportioned and impatient agreements; from the sunrise kitsune's energetic bound, Rouge's shielding smile increasing its radiance, her echidna grunting something about 'taking their sweet-ass time' and Sonic's hearty nod. Together, the five boarded the nearest elevator and Cale pressed the marker for the twelfth floor and the box quietly began its skyward journey, a trip that seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Even with Tails' exuberance seeding the atmosphere, doubt lingered thick among them. After all, Sonic may have been accused of being too nonchalant, or even as dense as the knucklehead at their side, he was by no means ignorant. Wonder what Rouge and the doc were chatting about outside. She looks like whatever it was rattled her nerves a bit. I wonder what Knux knows…
Indeed, even the echidna was lost inside his own head on the same subject. Though he had spent a majority of his life until now isolated on a floating island guarding the most powerful natural weapon ever formed, Knuckles had still encountered his share of visitors. Most of them had been simple visitors, or more meddlesome reoccurrences like Sonic and crew. And with them came the likes of Eggman and other thieves, who had tried every method from brute force to bribery to try and alleviate the crimson echidna from his solemn charge. So thanks to these random spices of excitement, he had come to trust his instinct about the environment and those around him. Right now, those feelings were practically screaming in his ear Somthin ain't right here. The doc has something hidden up his sleeve and Rouge knows it! If it were a simple glitch, she would've told me by now. Hell, even Sonic is actin stiff as a board! Damm, I hate walking into messes like these.
A quickened hand signal caught his violet eyes as the very hedgehog he had just pondered signaled him silently. Casting a careful glance over his shoulder, Knuckles tried to make sense of whatever was on his cerulean comrade's mind. Though there wasn't much a muffled gesture could convey save for a finger in the thief's direction and a shrug to which Knuckles could only respond in kind. Not much help for either side. Sonic quietly scoffed his stronger partner's density as the echidna simply looked more frustrated than helpful before his voluptuous companion grabbed his attention away. Great, Knucklehead is just as clueless. This isn't cool, not in the slightest. Still, frustration quickly gave way to his interior maelstrom quickly enough. For as soon as Sonic re-crossed his arms, two pairs of small, round accessories shifted inside his gloves. The very accessories that could well determine the next path to walk, the four bracelets that left Sonic himself in charge of at least three lives.
Nobility and his good nature demanded that the fastest thing alive return the rings to their proper owner, not only for the lawful action, but the fact that only Sonic himself had seen what his darker rival was like in combat both with and without them. He had seen firsthand the rage and power Shadow could encompass without these little trinkets, and while he had no doubt that his doppelganger's intentions were pure enough in this case, Sonic still was not convinced that either of the two new lovers really knew what they were getting into.
After all, since when did Shadow the Hedgehog, the self-proclaimed ultimate life-form, learn what the word love itself even meant?
For that, Sonic needed Amy's half of the story. Which rushed closer with every passing second as finally, the lift slowed to a halt and its doors silently slid open. Together, the group walked by past exam room after exam room until Cale stopped and faced them "Hmmm, it appears she has dozed off for the moment. Can't say I blame her, she's recovering from quite the ordeal. Still, if you all are ready…"
Nodding their approval, the quartet swept past their guide into the room, with Sonic entering last Well, this is it…please Amy, please be okay. Because, if you're not, then someone else has to pay…
By now, the feeling of the artificial woolen sheet on his spines and the thicker cotton of the blanket constricting his torso had become engraved in his nerves. So when the time came that Shadow's body had decided to catch up with his mind, his joints had all but locked into their position and the fur along his back had become pressed and matted. Still, that was the least of his concern as the soft overhead light collided with his crimson irises, allowing the embers of life to reignite into some example of existence. With a subdued growl worthy of such a long rest, the still-tenderized hedgehog let the illumination sink through his brain and into his extremities. They even confiscated my airshoes this time. Guess the word 'overkill' isn't quite lost on them either. Once he was generally assured that everything was still attached, Shadow's eyes began to focus on the environment itself. The breathing mask around his muzzle was the first distraction he noticed, its constant rush of cool air somewhat refreshing though a bit disheartening as that same breeze seemed to chill his ribcage from the inside. Then was the taut feeling of the dressings around his shoulder, torso and hands, serving as a harsh reminder of the payment the onyx warrior had made to transport both himself and his delicate flower to safety.
ROSE! her name screamed across his thoughts like a meteor, snapping his eyes wide and alert. After a quick moment to adjust his senses from the sudden reactivation, the hum of the circulation fan paired with the beeping of the monitor attached to his pulse and breather flowed into his ears like the first melody of reality. The stark white walls again greeted his gaze, though they seemed far different that the last time. Gone were the softer, warming hues of his previous accommodations. Replacing them were the frigid screens of shining metal all around him, placed far closer to his small resting place than before. Only the small viewports to his left and right allowed the more inviting hues of the stars to comfort his reborn view. If not for the hiss of air rushing into the chamber or the subdued hum of a nearby generator, the ultimate life-form would swear he was back in space or still lost in that hellish dream.
Nevertheless, logic began to rear its mane as the facts slowly clicked into place as Shadow torqued his arms and legs around to fully awaken them. There was too much left to accomplish and time was being fretted away in this state. Somewhere out there, Amy was calling to him, crying out for his presence at her side, and Shadow would not disappoint. Raising his battered body upright, the midnight warrior could still feel the sickly feeling of fresh muscle tissue and stitching shifting under the dressings and the frigid air slipping through the binds to cool the newly exposed torso. Carefully, the healing onyx hedgehog tired to lower himself to the equally chilled floor, only to find neither his once strong arms nor legs were up to the task of supporting his frame as Shadow tumbled down onto the tile. Even with such a quick fall, the impact jarred his thoughts and bones, the fresh stitching coming undone in at least one place on his chest to allow his warm blood to spill once again.
Still, the jolt was enough to slap his slumbering muscles and joints awake as the midnight hedgehog growled and pushed his way back onto his knees, before standing tall once again. At first, his steps were slow and wavering as his balance returned. Regardless it didn't take long for Shadow's more advanced traits to shine through as he made his way forward to the closest wall of the room. The metallic barrier was itself already unusual, and judging from the muted echo from his protected knuckles rapping against it, he could only estimate they were fairly thick, like the skin of the warship he had blasted through a while ago. Someone has gone through a lot of trouble to keep me here, too bad I don't have time to stay and play. Now his eyes did their job, scanning for signs of an entryway or signs of weakness. Even a properly sized air vent. Luckily enough, the tell-tale track of the airtight door stood out to his right.
Yet as he made his way to that sweet promise of freedom, the sound of another door slamming shut close by stopped his progress as his ears stood on end and breath became muted. Even as sharpened as his senses were, they could not yield any more warning as to who or what approached until the seal on the door in front of him collapsed as it opened, revealing three towering figures sheathed in white airtight suits from collar to shoe and windowed helmets concealing the rest. Their voices emerged from small speakers on either side of the jaw line, voices that seemed surprised to see the patient awake, let alone inches from them. "Holy freakin crap! I thought we were collecting a dead body!" the first one spoke, voice masculine, yet wavering with shock.
"Are we in the right room, cause I'm pretty sure this thing isn't a corpse. It looks pretty pissed" one of his partners answered, a female by the sound of her speakers.
"The orders say Isolation One. We're in the right place alright. Maybe a radiation spike reanimated it's tissue or something?" proposed the third of the trio, apparently the most youthful from his ambient vocals.
"What, like a zombie?!" the female squeaked out.
By now, Shadow was already annoyed at being detained by such stupefied figures. Especially when they refused to even acknowledge his name "If you three don't mind, this thing can here you just fine. Now, get out of my way."
Ominous silence fell over the standoff, broken only by the exhaling rasps of the taller invaders. And seeing as how with that silence came immobility, Shadow deftly stepped around them. Through the door way was a transparent airlock chamber, complete with various sprinklers and detectors that screamed in panic at his presence. Suddenly, another pair of suits scrambled from the other side of the chamber to stop him, causing the wounded warrior to freeze in his tracks. For these two bore on their breast a symbol he had not seen in a long time, and one Shadow swore to avoid as long as he stood.
The shining golden shield and triangular crosshairs completing of the badge of the Guardian Units of Nations.
It may seem like a cliffhanger, I know. But compared to some of the others, this felt like a good transition point. Hope you all enjoyed!
Reviews always welcome.