Chapter 8: Increased Tempo(ral), Archives Room Shenanigans.

Sonya was dashing around the room avoid bullets, grenades and concussion blasts as she knocked out guards with the intent of making sure they could walk afterwards. In between each bout, she would push down the gateway room breakers.

Sonic: What are you doing?

Sonya: Dealing with security, just something to keep me busy while the gateway warms up!

Sonic: Oh. Well… Don't hurry. I'm thinking about staying here. For good.

Sonya: ARE YOU OUT OF– You know what, we can discuss this after I'm done!

Sonya punched a shielded guard into the wall, then she leapt up and split into two copies of herself, the two running around and causing confusion before she stomped on the last breaker. Once done, her copy returned and she looks as the gateway powers up, but then shuts down.

Sonya: Shock it, I'm not even getting a steady enough power flow… I gotta find the schematics to figure out why. If the Archives Room is the same as the one in my time, it should be accessible through a vertical tunnel. You stay put.

Sonic: I'm thinking staying put isn't that bad of an idea.

Sonya: What do you mean?

Sonic: Come on, Sky. It's not like Valkyr was a complete fluke, someone's always trying to kill me. And there's always a risk of my friends or family getting caught in the crossfire. So if I stay here, nobody else will have to suffer or die because of me.

Sonya: What about the good you've done? And will do? The people you'll inspire? Including me?

Sonic: Look, I said the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one, and in this case it applies.

Sonya: I'm not saying it doesn't. From a certain standpoint, your logic makes sense, but the execution is the most important part.

Sonic: Yeah but… I mean, I was… You know…

Sonya: True, but… Well if your DNA is on record in the future…

Sonic: *Sigh* … Yeah…

Sonya: … Look, I get where you're coming from, sometimes, there are days where you feel like the world is better without you in the picture. I know I have those days, more than I care to talk about. But… If we apply the needs of the many, then removing yourself from the equation would be viewed as selfish, even if it was for good reasons.

Sonic: …

Sonya: But that doesn't mean that on days like that, you should ever stop. Push past it as best you can. There's an old saying I like. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it's called present.

Sonic: Who told you that one?

Sonya: My dad.

Sonic: Heh. Sounds like a smart guy.

Sonya: Eh, depends on who you ask. He's street smart, but not… You know. Intellectually smart.

Sonic: Sounds like me most days.

Sonya froze up.

Sonya: Uh… Nah, he doesn't sound like you at all! Heh heh…

Sonic: … What aren't you telling me, at least about yourself? Why haven't you told me about your parents?

Sonya: … Look, I can't say anything right now. BUT. When all this is over, I promise I'll spill the beans on everything. Deal?

Sonic: Alright, deal.

Sonya: That being said, we should keep moving.

Sonic: Right. So, you get to the Archives and I stay put… Or the tentacles can say fuck that! They're at it again!!

Sonya: Just keep clear of them, I'll get things sorted on this end!

Sonya opens the vertical tunnel that would lead her directly to the Archives Room. Much like the last time she free fell, she had to avoid various obstacles, but about a third of the way down, bulkhead doors began to close!

Sonya: Shock it, I'm not gonna get past that door before it closes!

Upon landing, Sonya sighs in frustration, but before she could react, a bullet zooms past her, breaking her mask, exposing her eye shape!

Sonya: SHIT!

She curses herself and then proceeds to KO the guard that shot her, grabbing the shattered remains of her mask and sighing.

Sonya: … Maybe wearing this was stupid in the first place, it's not like anyone knows me in this time period.

She puts them in her pocket before she pulls a level and opens the bulkhead doors, then continues her descent, this time, she went a little faster just in case more bulkhead doors were in wait. And sure enough? There were. She manages to dart past them, and then she breaks through a vent, landing just outside the Archives Room.

Sonic: Sonya, if you're working with the tentacles to convince me 2059 sucks, mission accomplished! So what's the story?!

Sonya: Almost at the Archives.

Sonic: Almost won't stop these FUCKING TENTACLES! Reboot the gateway, please!

Sonya: Working on it.

She zips over to the door leading into the Archives then she growls in frustration.

Sonya: Terrific. A voice coded door. Sonya Oglevie Hedgehog, 5249.

Building AI: Access denied.

Sonya slams her fist into the door.

Sonya: Figures. Sonic! Change of plans.

Sonic: To NOBODY'S surprise…

Sonya: I can't access the Archives on this end, but you can on yours. I'll ping the Archives location via the CLP so you can get me the info I need.

Sonic: The Archives? Hey, that would be handy! I could look up my friends, keep them safe–

Sonya: Don't you dare go poking around in there, hedgehog! You've already seen the dangers of screwing with the past. Learn from your mistakes, don't repeat them.

Sonic: FINE! Fine. Ugh...

Sonya stops in her tracks.

Sonya: … Are you okay?

Sonic: … No. Today is not my day…

Sonya: … Wanna talk about it?

Sonic: What is there to talk about?! The only things we CAN talk about are me not listening to you, followed by me dying, and now I'm stuck in the fucking future! I'm mad at myself because I didn't listen!

Sonya: … One second.

Sonya starts messing with the Chrono Link Program, then she sits down on a nearby chair.

Sonic: Oh, sure, it's not like– WHOA!!

Sonya sat still as Sonic came into view in front of her, and she in front of him.

Sonic: … So THAT'S what you look like.

Sonya: I figured now might be a good time for a pseudo face to face talk.

Sonic: I–

Sonya: Sonic. Look. I'll admit, I was pretty mad when you died, but… I've been doing my best not to nag you about it further because I know your beating yourself up over it.

Sonic: Beating myself up? You think it's as simple as that?

Sonya: The more accurate term is your screaming at yourself in your own head and simultaneously fighting an internal struggle to keep your cool. I get your mad. I really do.

Sonic: No, you don't. You don't know what the hell–

Sonya: I know EVERYTHING about the Zanybe Tribe incident, Sonic. I know that you have a literal inner demon that is trying to claw its way out.

Sonic stops and he goes wide eyed, then glares at Sonya.

Sonic: … You are NOT gonna tell anyone about it.

Sonya: My lips are sealed about it. I'm not gonna nag you for not listening to me, but I am gonna nag you about being mad at yourself. So how about this? When all this is said and done, and if we ever, for whatever reason meet face to face? You get to slap me at least once.

Sonic: Why would I want to slap you?!

Sonya: Because I ruined your day by trying to help you, and kept bitching at you for not listening.

Sonic: Sonya, this, ALL of this, isn't YOUR fault. Okay? If anything, it's Jeremiah's, and he got his comeuppance. I just wish I got to kick him in the dick before he did…

Sonya: Oh, I do too.

Sonic: But even if it isn't your fault, it's still mine for not heeding your warning. I rushed headlong into danger thinking I would come out on top, like always. I fucked up.

Sonya: EVERYONE messes up, Sonic. Nobody's perfect.

Sonic: … Yeah…

Sonya: Hey. Chin up. We'll get through this.

Sonic: … I know. Good thing you did this when the tentacles stopped.

Sonya: Had a feeling they did. So, ready to get back to it?

Sonic: Yeah. And… Thanks. For the pep talk.

Sonya: No problem, Sonic. And call me Sonya, if you want.

Sonic: Alright, Sonya.

Sonya smiles under her buff and she disables the visual feed for them both, but keeps the communications function active.

Sonya: Okay, so. New goal, you need to get to the Archives room, and I need to head back to the Gateway.

No response.

Sonya: Sonic?

Sonic: Crap, Sonya I'm stuck in the Garbage Compactor, and there isn't a way out! Now might be a good time for some Quantum Causality thingies!

Sonya: But I don't know what to do!

Sonic: You're in a better position than I am!

Sonya paces, panicking a bit as she brainstorms.

Sonya: Uhhh… If I can find the architectural plans, make some changes… But I'd need a computer for that!

Sonic: Then find one!

Sonya quickly zips around, but then she finally has an idea. There was ONE terminal outside of the Archives that she could use, and it was specifically used for architectural changes to the building. She could use that and get Sonic out of his current situation! She quickly dashes into the Archives Lounge, and she flat out breaks down the door to the terminal, but finds lasers impending her progress.

Sonic: Sonya, it's getting to be crunch time!

Sonya: Don't panic!

Sonic: I NEVER panic! There's an electrical panel, maybe I can short circuit this thing!

Sonya had quickly pulled out her hacking tools to try and disable the laser systems.

Sonya: See if you can't slow down the compactor!

Sonya was punching in numbers at high speed to try and disable the lasers, and she got a quarter of the way done.

Sonic: Um… Sonya? Remember that whole I never panic thing? That was more of a guideline than a rule…

Sonya: Did it work?

Sonic: I made it worse, the incinerator started up.

Sonya: Shock…! Almost there!

Sonic: … Great. I either get fried or flattened. Now I know how an egg feels…

Sonya manages to break through half the security, disabling most of the lasers. Then bulkhead doors slam shut!

Sonya: Oh come ON!

Sonic: HEY! Remember when you told me to hurry up?! Right back at ya!

Sonya: I'm doing my best, bulkhead doors just slammed shut!

Sonic: Do better than your best, I'm running out of room!!

Sonya was scrambling to get the doors open, and upon doing so, she dashed to the terminal, logged in using an old friend's ID, then she got to work. She made changes to the architectural plans, having the garbage compactor moved further down the facility, near the bottom.

Sonya: Sonic?! Are you still there?!

No response…