No Brotherly Love 2: Echoes In Time

Chapter 6: Back With A Vengeance

Amy and I had been walking for a good while now, and we still seemed to make absolutely no progress in reaching the Government Sector. Perhaps it's down to almost every path being blocked by steel doors, debris or even an army of those things: The Darkness.

Or maybe it was because my 'guide' had no clue where she was going. Really, how hard can it be to find an entire sector? It's not like we're searching for anything inparticular, just some way off this hell hole!

"Righty then…I think…I think, I think, I think…It's…This way!" My companion exclaims suddenly, after tapping her chin in thought. "This way…Right?"

Shaking my head at just how hopeless this girl actually was, I decide to take a break, sitting myself on the floor with my back against a metal wall.

When she realises what I'm doing, Amy asks, "Just what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Resting." I answer, simply, while rubbing the back of my aching neck. "Why?"

"We have to keep moving!" She points randomly. "No telling when one of those things will make a jump on us!"

"If one makes a jump on us." I counter, refusing to move.

After a good minute of playing the waiting game, she gives in and settles herself next to me. "Damn. And here I thought you'd be fun and exciting. Where's your spirit, eh? That metal dude made you out to be something special; an adventurer and the like!"

I chuckle slightly, unable to resist the urge. Metal, of all people, leading others to believe I was cool? That's something else.

"I used to be." Focusing my gaze on the window that shows the endlessness of space, I find myself remembering all those good times. 'Good' times, eh? Well, they certainly were. Even the near-death gave me a thrill. Running at breakneck speeds, both towards and away from Robotnik. Heck, I even remember a time when I was running from Amy and-

…Amy…

I turn my head to look at Amelia, who, just like myself, found herself staring curiously into outer space. "But times change, I guess."

"What changed?" She questions me, turning to look me in the eyes.

I can only shrug in reply, before changing the subject. "Tell me more about yourself."

She shakes her head furiously. "Oh no! You're not playing that card! You know enough about me as it is. It's you who needs to do the enlightening."

"Enlightening?" Frowning, I give her a puzzled expression. "You certainly have a unique way with words."

"And you don't." She pokes. "So, how about you at least tell a few white lies and make yourself sound at least a little interesting?" I give her a glare, but she lifts her hand and makes an 'O' shape with her thumb and finger, both separated by only a small gap. "Just a little."

I scoff, actually somewhat hurt by her finding me uninteresting and dull. But, before I can say anything, something to my left, just around a corner, starts to make a static sound. Rising to my feet, slowly, I follow the noise, and see something horrific. Some kind of…Armoured…Man is laid on the floor, his arms and legs sprawling out in strange, unnatural directions. He was dead.

"Holy-sweet-picking-nut cracking-mole rats! What happened to him?" Amy asks, safely behind me.

Studying the still corpse, I can't think of anything that could possibly do this. Then again, I'm hardly a part of the Crime Scene Investigation team. "I'm not sure." The sound I'd still echoes on. I look to the body's waist, and see some sort of communicator strapped there. Deciding that it was in our best interest to acquire such a thing, I give Amy a serious look. "Stay here."

With caution, I make my way over to the body, and reach for the device, never once taking my eyes off of the corpse. Just in case…

"Wait!" Amy whelps, in a hushed voice. "What if he's not dead?"

Letting out a deep, irritated sigh, I respond, "That doesn't help."

She waves her hand apologetically. "Oh! Err…Carry on, then. Ignore me." That was the plan.

Then, at lightning speed, I grab the communicator and jump back to Amy, who grabs my back, preventing me from falling.

"Did…Did you get it?" She asks.

Lifting up the device, I answer, with a smirk, "Of course." We return to where we had once sat, and I can't help but find myself bewildered by this form of…Machinery? I mean, it's just too advanced. Even Tails would struggle with this thing! "What do we do?"

Giving me a look of disbelief, Amy comments, "You have got to be kidding? It's easy." After a series of 'this goes here, that goes there's, a small, holographic screen seems to appear out of nowhere, projecting from the device.

The static still rings through my ears. "Hey, what's with all the noise?"

"It means there's a station-wide broadcast."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"Someone or something is looking for someone or something else. You understand, oui?" Amy smiles.

Damn it, what is she saying. "Umm…Oui?" A small tablet seems to appear on the holo-screen. "What'cha doing now?"

"Syncing with the frequency." She replies, far too busy pressing what seemed like random buttons to even glance at me.

"Syncing with the frequency? Don't you mean-"

"Aren't I the one who knows all this?" Placing her hands on her hips, she gives me an unamused expression.

After looking away in shame, she continues with her button mashing. Before long, a voice can be heard…A familiar one.

"Sonic. If you are hearing this, enter the numbers 542109 into the communicator. Respond immediately. Sonic. If you are hearing this, enter the numbers 542109 into the communicator…"

"Amy…" I start, before being interrupted.

"Already on it, amigo."

Then, after another minute of the replaying messages, a voice asks, "…Sonic?"

Unable to resist the smile that's dying to be let loose, I exclaim, "Metal! You ol' clunk-head, where've you been?!"

"Busy, I'm afraid. Listen, there's no time for chit-chat. I need you to make your way over to the Government Sector."

"That's where we're headed, anyway." My smile refuses to die.

"We?"

Pointing to the person by my side, I respond, "Yeah! Me and Amy!"

There's a long pause, before Metal questions, "Amy?"

Realising why he's confused, I answer, "Oh…It's a long story - I'll explain later."

"Alright. Just get to the Government Sector, ASAP. Once you're there, contact me again, and I'll find you."

"Got'cha."

As I'm about to take off with Amy, Metal speaks again. "And…Sonic?"

"Yep."

"There's something you need to know." Metal's voice was quiet and, somewhat, timid, which has rarely, if ever, happened. "Someone is here with me. An old…Acquaintance."

Curious, I ask, "Who?"

Metal takes a second to reply. "It's-"

…No…That name…How…When…What?…

The world seems to grind to a halt. It's as though everything has stopped. Never again had I expected to hear that name. Never. And yet, according to Metal, they were there…With him…

"…Sonic?" Amy's voice snaps me back to reality. I give her a stunned look, unable to say a word. "Are you alright?"

No. No, I'm not alright, Amy. This is bad…This is…

And then…I feel it…The Darkness…

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

After a long hiatus, I'm back! I deserve a huge, face-shattering slap! But I've been meaning to return to this for a long, long, LONG while! And I'm so sorry it's been nearly a year, if not that! Hope you enjoyed this chappy, and please, PLEASE, PLEEEAAASSSEEE REVIEW! I don't deserve it, but I still want them. Thanks for reading!