Subspace Shortcut

"Alright, let's go over the plan one last time, please." Sonic uttered as he stepped onto the teleporter while putting on his red aviator jacket, now modified into a makeshift hazard suit, over several other layers of clothing. He had managed to keep calm for the past couple of hours, making wisecracks and acting like it was just the good old days when fighting Eggman was a regular occurrence. Yet as he braced himself for the mission ahead, a mild fear began to take hold of the blue blur.

"So, the plan is we're gonna use the teleporter to send you to the Special Zone." Tails responded, his hands typing away at the keyboard connected to the teleporter. "While you're in the Special Zone, I'll redirect the Chaos Emeralds' power to the quantum projector sitting outside the shop that will open a portal on Mars that will let you out of the Special Zone."

"And how long will that take?"

"From my perspective, about six minutes. For you, it's however long it'll take for you to find the portal on that end; It probably won't be too long, but we never know with a pocket dimension like that one."

"So, once I'm out of the Special Zone, I head up to the dynamo, drop the nuke, and run right?"

"Maybe not that simple." Tails corrected. "We don't know how durable the dynamo itself is, so it'd be better if you go past the dynamo and put the bomb near something more fragile like a steam vent, axle, or turbine."

"And once that's done, I start the timer and run like hell back to the portal and find a way back to Earth." Sonic took a deep breath. "Nothing like a trip to Mars and back before you've even had lunch."

"I'll cook up some chilidogs for when you get back." Tails promised as he typed in the last few commands for the teleporter. "So, are you ready?"

"Well, it's not like we have much of a choice. Clocks tickin' after all."

"Alright, here's the bomb." Tails handed the duffle-bag-sized explosive over to Sonic. "It's already armed now, so don't go hitting it against anything or-"

"Or else I'll become a nuclear-fried hedgehog?" Sonic joked as he slung the bomb over his shoulder. "Okay, let's get this show on the road."

"Good luck, Sonic. Initializing teleporter in Five. Four. Three. Two. One."

The whole workshop began to shake as machine fans whirled at high speeds and bolts of electricity arced from the base of the teleporter. Sonic watched as the world around him seemed to fade away in a heavenly glow. Although this was his first time using Tails' teleporter, it felt very similar to the large warp rings that had taken him to the Special Zone in past adventures. Suddenly, the glow became an almost blinding flash and within moments, Sonic found himself standing in a field of pink grass. A feeling of tranquility washed over the hedgehog as he gained his bearings. Marble pillars dotted the field, each with peculiar statues depicting exotic and unfamiliar creatures at the top of them. It's strange how often I've been here but never actually met anything that could've built this stuff. Sonic took in the scenery as he began jogging along at a comfortable sixty miles per hour.

It just wouldn't make sense for some ancient civilization to just show up here, build all this stuff, and immediately leave. Were they forced to leave because of something, or what? Sonic soon came upon a large glass panel floating a few feet above a clearing in the field. The face of the panel revealed a scene of a coral reef behind it, fish and various other aquatic creatures swimming about. Sonic gave an expression of unease upon viewing the underwater vista and turned his gaze to a collection of golden rings, each the size of his palm, encircling the glass panel. Haven't nabbed these things in a hot minute, could use a little pick me up for the road ahead.

Sonic quickly grabbed a few of the rings while he continued on his search for a desirable exit. As soon as he had clutched onto the first ring, the blue blur began to feel a warm and almost therapeutic force coursing through his arm and into his recently bruised shoulder. Within seconds, the injury Sonic had sustained from his clash with Tails' workshop door vanished. He shuffled the rest of the rings into his jacket pockets as he kept moving along, his pace ever so slightly increasing. Minutes passed, or at least Sonic thought it had been that long. Then, a strange series of hums and chants began to echo in the distance, replacing the silence that until now, was only filled by Sonic's quick and rhythmic footsteps. That's coming from somewhere on my left, right? This choir of alien hymns continued as the hedgehog veered off towards its direction.

I thought that sound only came from the chaos emeralds, but since Tails has them back on Earth… He theorized about the mysterious realm and the artifacts that originated from it as he sped onward. The choir began to grow louder. Getting close, whatever it is they're leading me to. Maybe that's what's left of the civilization that built all this? Some mystical guides that show the hero the path to victory or something? Sonic scoffed at the thought. My life's starting to sound like a cheesy fairytale now.

Just then, another glass panel appeared on the horizon. Is that the one I'm looking for? Sonic's pace increased further, effortlessly reaching a hundred miles per hour within five seconds. The panel was not like others sonic had seen before, its form flickering and shifting slightly. The… Singing is still dead ahead. Just need to get a little closer so I can make out where it leads. The panel was a minute away by this point, and the scenery it held became much clearer; a grayish-brown desert with mountains in the distance and a hazy brown sky. Sonic was pretty sure this was his destination at this point but then the metallic glint of a tall slender tower made it even more apparent this was Mars. Well, this is it, Sonic. Nervous anticipation swelled within Sonic as he readjusted the nuke's shoulder strap. Sonic was thirty seconds away when he finally reached the little control panel Tails had attached to the chest of his jacket. Turn the dial three clicks left and press the green button twice.

"Atmosphere field generator activated." The hazard suit chirped out in a robotic voice. "Will maintain habitable conditions for three hours."

"Well strange and mysterious choir that likes to guide me around, it's been real." Sonic called out jokingly. With the entryway to Mars only a few feet away, Sonic made a hefty leap towards it, his momentum carrying him through the air like a golf ball being struck by a pro athlete. He was mere inches from the panel when the choir of voices called out in unison.

"Chaos is power, enriched by the heart."

"Wait who-" Sonic's question was interrupted as he slammed into the inter-dimensional exit. His vision twisting and distorting around him as he slipped out of the forgin yet eerily comforting Special Zone and into a much more cold and cruel reality.