Chapter 64: Interruption

"That pipe looks pretty suspicious," Sonny said to himself as he examined a square-shaped pipe that stuck up from the concrete sidewalk next to the cliffs that marked the northernmost edge of New City.

"I say we should investigate it," the apparition of Sonic suggested.

In response, Sonny nodded. "Agreed."

After looking around to make sure no one was present, Sonny transformed into Sonic and jumped into the air. He rolled up into a spinning ball and broke through the metal grating that covered the top of the pipe, and found himself in a hidden room where a gate similar to the one that took him and his friends to White Acropolis stood. This time, however, it showed a railway track with electric power-lines and a train that was starting to move. Quickly, Sonic jumped through the gate and noticed the rear car of the train had a familiar logo on it.

"Eggman!" Sonic exclaimed. "He must have Elise onboard that train."

So Sonic took off after the train, but it only speed up faster. Then when he got close to it, the rear cars of the train launched missiles at him. Though Sonic managed to dodge them all, this only allowed the train to get further away from him. Then as the train approached a black tunnel, it began to mysteriously slow down which allowed Sonic to board the train, find Elise tied up inside the passenger car, and get her out of it before the train crashed into an iron-gate that appeared in front of the tunnel.

"I knew you'd come back for me," Elise said smiling.

"Well I said I would save you, right?" Sonic replied as he carried Elise in his arms.

Then suddenly a wave of blue energy flew past Sonic's head followed by Silva, who blocked his path.

"Silva," Sonic said as he put Elise down.

"You're not getting away from me this time, Iblis Trigger!" Silva said as he waved his hand towards Sonic.

In turn, Sonic got in front of Elise and was soon paralyzed in the same manner as before. Silva then raised both of his hands and Sonic felt bolts of energy passing through his body. As Sonic cried out in pain, Elise backed away.

"Please, stop!" Elise cried as she looked at Silva. "You're hurting him!"

"Did you enjoy your little walk, Princess?" Eggman said as he appeared from the wreckage of the train in his Egg Mobile.

"No," Elise said as she tried to run away.

"You're not getting from me that easily!" Eggman said as the Egg Mobile's robotic arms caught Elise by the arms and clamped over the rest of her body.

"Sonic!" Elise shouted as she was taken away.

"Elise!" Sonic said between shocks. "Let me go, Silva!"

"Not till you draw your last breath," Silva responded.

There was a flash of light, and Shawn appeared behind Silva. He then kicked Silva in the back of the head and placed Silva's hands behind his back. The aura that surrounded Sonic subsided as he sank to his knees.

"Shawn," Sonic said with mild surprise.

"Get going, Sonic!" Shawn snapped as he held down Silva who was struggling underneath him. "I'll keep him busy."

"Thanks, man!" Sonic said as he gave Shawn a thumbs-up before taking off in the direction of the Egg Mobile as it disappeared behind a bend in the canyon.

"Mephiles," Silva said looking up at Shawn. "Why did you stop me?"

Shawn's eyes widened, and then he started to twist one of Silva's arms. "What do you know about Mephiles?"

"Nothing!" Silva exclaimed as he tried to hold back the pain. "My sister and I ran into him in Westopolis."

"Westopolis?" Shawn raised an eyebrow. "Are you a survivor?"

"Yeah."

"Weren't you and your sister evacuated?"

"We chose not to, because we wanted to find our parents."

"Then how did you get here?"

"I was somehow teleported by Mephiles, along with my sister."

"Why?"

"Because he said the one who will destroy the world, the Iblis Trigger, would be here."

"And Sonic is the Iblis Trigger?"

"That's what Mephiles said."

"Well, he's lying," Shawn said as he stopped twisting Silva's arm. "He's just using you to get rid of Sonic so that he may destroy the time-space continuum without any interference."

"How do you know this?" Silva asked as he stopped struggling.

"I have a friend who knows a lot of things," Shawn answered as he got off of Silva. "If you don't believe me, then let's go back to Soleanna ten years ago and find out what Mephiles really is and the identity of the real Iblis Trigger."

"How?" Silva said as he got up. "Unless you have a time-machine, I'm not convinced we can go back ten years ago to learn the truth."

"All we need are two of these," Shawn said as he showed Silva the Red Chaos Emerald which he took out of his jacket-pocket. "I assume Mephiles used a similar gem to transport you and your sister here."

"He did," Silva answered as he reached inside his jacket-pocket and pulled out the Silver Chaos Emerald. "I know it's not the same color, but will this do?"

"Where did you find it?" Shawn asked.

"My sister gave it to me before I went after Sonic."

"I see." Shawn then cleared his throat and said, "Now, in order to use these gems to go back through time, we need to raise them into the air at same time and I need you to repeat what I'm about to say."

"Okay," Silva said as he nodded. "Go!"

Shawn then raised the Red Chaos Emerald into the air while Silva did the same. Then the two boys said in unison, "Chaos Control!"

###

"There's nowhere to go, Princess," Eggman said to Elise as she had managed to free herself and was now standing on the edge of one of the Egg Mobile's robotic arms.

"I'd rather die than be your prisoner again!" Elise shouted, looking down at the ground below her.

"So what do you plan to do? Jump?"

Elise glared at Eggman and then she closed her eyes and let herself fall.

"No!" Eggman cried, watching as Elise plummeted towards the ground.

But before she hit the ground, Elise was caught by Sonic who was running underneath the Egg Mobile.

"Sonic," Elise said in slight shock.

"Good thing I was here to catch you, Princess," Sonic said as they approached the jungle that separated the canyon from New City.

"Yes," Elise said as she hugged Sonic around the neck. "But don't call me 'Princess' anymore, Sonic. Elise will do fine."

"All right, Elise," Sonic said ignoring the uncomfortable tingling sensation he was feeling. "Let's get you home."

To be continued…