Chapter 2: Dark Horizons, A Future Changed For The Worst!

Sonya had to scuffle with the security bots in the building but after reducing them to scrap metal, she was sitting on top of an elevator that was going up. While she did, she was working on something that Valkyr taught her how to do in case of emergencies: she was making a Chrono Link Program. The catch is if she wanted to use it to communicate with Sonic directly, she needed a sample of his DNA. So she had to make a gamble and use a sample of her own, but only extract bits that held Sonic's specific signature. She was ecstatic when it ended up working, as she was able to form the link, and now could communicate with Sonic as well as share information with him through it!

Sonya; Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog!

Sonic: Huh?! Who's that?! Who's talking to me?!

Sonya: My name is Sonya. I go by the nickname and alias "Sky". I'm a speedster Hedgehog from the future.

Sonic: … Is Silver in my head too?

Sonya: No. It's just you and me, old timer. Had to throw together a Chrono Link Program using a sample of your DNA. It's allowing me to communicate with you from across time space. I just wish I had done this sooner, we have almost NO time…

Sonic: Until what?

Sonya: (Quietly) … Until your killed…

Sonic: U-until I'm WHAT now? Cuz it sounded like you said "killed".

Sonya: I did. Listen, a lunatic named Jeremiah Robotnik from 2059 built a gateway. It was a one way trip that dropped him in the early 2020's. He then used his advanced knowledge to found Robotnik Enterprises years before it was supposed to be established by Ivo Robotnik, when he retired from villainy, transforming your world, and mine.

Sonic: But I WORK for Robotnik Enterprises! And you're saying this is somehow… wrong?

Sonya: Completely! At this point in time, your do side work as a editor for Terry the Wolf, you help him make artwork!

Sonic: Wait, Terry? The freelance artist? … Huh. I dunno why but I believe you there, considering working for him was a first option as a job until I got approached for security details for Robotnik Enterprises… So where does my death happen?

Sonya: Jeremiah's building a new gateway on the 77th floor so he can travel back and forth. I saw you being killed, right there.

Sonic: By who?

Sonya: I couldn't make it out. It doesn't matter! Get out of the building–

Sonic: What, so a crazed killer can wander around with no one to stop em? Screw that! Besides, if I find this guy somewhere else, then I'm invincible, cuz I can only die at the gateway. Right?

Sonya: It's… not an exact science, Hedgehog…

Sonic: Meaning what?

Sonya: You wanna spend an hour getting a crash-course in Temporal Physics? No? Then do what I say!

2023, Robotnik Enterprises Security Office. Four Months After Brightest Future Part 1…

Sonic: You have a LOT to learn about priorities, kid. I'm gonna do what I think is right, and tender my resignation from the company, then chase after bad guys. You want a Sonic the Hedgehog who will do whatever you want? Go play a video game.

Sonic said as he stood in his now former office, getting his red Tornado jacket on as well as his wedding bands, followed by his white gloves with black finger tips. He took a glance at himself in a mirror, smiling as he looked damn good with those thin white stripes on his quills. He DID have fur on his arms, but he was convinced by Amy to shave it off for now as Robotnik Enterprises required some clean shaven areas, and for most Mobians in the company, that included their arms with a few exceptions.

Sonic popped his neck and just as he was about to leave, an explosion went off outside his office!

Sonic: What was that?

He zips out to check what happened, seeing… Nothing.

Sonic: Huh. That was–

BOOM! Another explosion goes off, knocking him into a wall. He stood up and saw the familiar 12 foot figure with red hair was patched to the wall above him!

Valkyr: AHHH…! SAVE YOURSELF…! FROM ME…!

Valkyr jumps away, heading further into the building!

Sonic: Wait… Valkyr Aurelius? SHE'S the one who's gunning for me?! But she's one of my best friends!

Building AI: Hostile Intruder detected in the security wing. Security team deployed.

Before Sonic could move, he was tackled by a VERY large bear Mobian!

Sonic: Sorry about this, Smalls…!

He kicked the Bear in the gut, then knocked the poor guy out with a Homing Attack, sending Smalls right into the wall that Valkyr knocked Sonic into before. Then he zips into the next room, which is like an open Mall!

Sonya: What? What did you say? I can't hear you.

Sonic: We NEED to work out the kinks of this Time Travel communications thing if it's gonna have ANY hope of catching on.

Sonya: Hedgehog, focus on what's important!

Sonic: I am, which is why I'm headed to the 77th floor. If that's where we're supposed to butt heads, maybe I can draw her out en route. I'm gonna go look for an elevator.

Sonya: Do you WANT to die?!

Sonic: Course not! But I wanna run away even less!

Sonic dashed across the area, finding an elevator on the opposite side. It was closed for maintenance… Valkyr was latched to the ceiling above Sonic.

Valkyr: CAN'T HOLD BACK…! MUCH LONGER…! GET OUT!

Sonic: Valk, just sit tight okay? I'm coming to help you!

Sonic manages to force open the door and he enters the elevator shaft. Valkyr was now at the top of the shaft…

Valkyr: Grrrr…! Warned… you…

SLICE! Valkyr slashed the cables holding the elevator up, causing it to fall! Sonic jumps out of the way and he grabs hold of a metal support column!

Sonic: Whew…

Sonya: What the shock!?

Sonic: What happened?

Sonya: The elevator I was in just changed into a closet!

Sonic: Huh. Valkyr just tried to kill me with an elevator. Weird coincidence.

Sonic jumps up the shaft, making it to the top.

Sonya: … Maybe not.

Sonic stops dead in his tracks.

Sonic: Waitwaitwait, are you telling me that something that happened here affected you in 2059? That's impossible!

Sonya: Theoretically, it's not. The idea is called Quantum Causality–

Sonic: HOLD THE HELL UP! Are you telling me that the two gateways formed a link between our time periods like a worm hole through the 4th dimensionZ?!

Sonya: Y-YEAH! Exactly! How did you–

Sonic: Me and Tails do some crash courses in Theoretical Physics in my down time.

Sonya: … Why???

Sonic: Why not? Turns out it's a lot cooler than most people think once you get a good understanding of what it is.

Sonya: … Okay, fair. But yeah. Normally changing the past just creates an alternate timeline that branches off from where the change occurs. But thanks to the wormhole, what you do there affects my time, and in some VERY rare instances, a vice-versa effect can occur, meaning the future can alter the past.

Sonic stood there for an entire minute.

Sonic: Cool.

Sonya: I know, right?

Sonic keeps moving and he heads into a second elevator shaft, but he finds the entrance to the higher floors blocked by a security barrier.

Sonic: Security field has all the entrances blocked. Gotta go take out the security mainframe.

Sonya: Uh, Hedgehog? My way back to the 77th floor is blocked by a forcefield.

Sonic: Welcome to MY world. I'll have it down in a mo.

Sonic zips into the room where the security mainframe was, and it was guarded by two people, Helen the Cat and Doug the Dog.

Sonic: Hey guys! Uh, is it okay if I break that security mainframe, behind the glass?

Doug: Protect security mainframe!

Sonic: Ah well, worth a shot.

Literally a split second later, Helen and Doug were both knocked out and Sonic was dusting his gloves off as he used their key to open the door to the security mainframe.

Sonic: Thank you for shopping at Robotnik Enterprises. Do come again. Okay, I'm about to scrap the mainframe, how you doing Sky? You still stuck?

Sonya: Yeah.

Sonic: Well listen and learn, kiddo!

Sonic revs up a Spindash, slamming into the mainframe and destroying it!

Sonic: Ta da! That solved both our problems, right?

Sonya: The energy field just turned into sentries!! Robot guards!!

Sonic: (Thinking) This whole Quantum Causality is a real wild card. I can't control if it makes things better or worse. (Out loud) Ah well, at least I can go further up.

Sonic zips back to where he was, heading further up the building. He makes it to the biggest VIP Lounge the place had before another explosion goes off and sends him back, Valkyr roaring at him!

Sonic: Valkyr, wait!

She took off again, and Sonic sighs in frustration.

Sonic: I hope you realize that this whole situation is gonna cost me my ability to get a job here again!

Sonya: It's not your job! That isn't even YOUR reality!

Sonic: So you said, but how do you know?

Sonya: Because I DO! And deep down, so do you! Now let me concentrate! You're making this harder for me! Not easier!

Sonic: Hey, controlling Quantum Causality is a stupid idea!

Sonya: They said penicillin was stupid too!

Sonic: We're talking about the FABRIC OF REALITY! NOT FUCKING BREAD MOLD!!

Sonya: JUST GET READY TO HELP ME!!

Sonic: Bread mold. Sheesh. I cannot believe her crust…

Sonic zips further into the building, taking out security guards by knocking them out, and then he stops at the Robotics Research Facility.

Sonya: HEDGEHOG! STOP SCREWING AROUND AND GET ME OUT OF THIS!

Sonic: Hey, I'm not an expert yet, how do I– (DING!) Wait, what if I trash the Robotics Research Facility? Is that worth a try?

Sonya: ANYTHING IS WORTH A TRY!!

Sonic: Stop yelling at me! I'm still learning about Quantum Causality!

Sonya: LEARN FASTER!!

Sonic zips into the facility, and he looks at the Death Egg Robot in the middle of construction.

Sonic: Okay, I'm here, I'm gonna start breaking shit, and we'll see what happens!

Sonya: AT LEAST ONE OF US WILL!

Sonic Spindashed into the legs, breaking them off, then he got to work on the chassis, Homing Attacking it. He landed on the higher platforms as the thing went up in flames.

Sonic: How you doing, Sky?

Sonya: FASTER!!! FASTER WOULD BE BETTER!!!!

Sonic: I'm doing my best!

Sonya: BEST…! NOT…!!! GOOD ENOUGH…!!!!! CAN'T…!!!!!!! BREATHE…!!!!!!!!!!

Sonic: NO! Sky! Hang on!!

With that, Sonic revs up a Lightspeed Attack, and then proceeds to absolutely demolish the Death Egg Robot, causing an explosion that he just walked away from.

Cuz cool guys don't look at explosions. And he was WAY past cool.