Chapter 4: Doomsday O'clock, The Worst Coming To Pass.
2023, Robotnik Enterprises Time Research Lab.
Sonic had gone through several layers of security in order to track down Valkyr. She was NOT making it easy to find her, and she especially wasn't making it easy to talk her down. Then again, Sonic knew she was under some kind of mind control, and he was more determined than ever to save her. He enters a hallway that lead to the building's main source of power, which consists of 3 VERY powerful Atomic Energy Regulators. Before he could move again, Valkyr grabbed him and pinned him to the wall!
Sonic: We've been through a lot, Valkyr, but you've never been anyone's patsy!
Valkyr roars in his face in response, VERY mad at that remark!
Sonya: Oh good, sit there and call her names, great plan!
Sonic kicks Valkyr off of him, sending her through a large grate!
Sonic: Maybe I should make myself scarce… Valk, listen! You got a chip inside you making you do this!
Valkyr stood back up, clutching her head with one hand.
Valkyr: Just making it… Easier…!
She punches Sonic and sends him back, but he backflips and recovers, landing on his feet.
Sonic: The longer that thing's in you, the more it's rewiring your thinking!
Valkyr: No…! No it…! CANT…!
Valkyr runs away, and roars out… Then a BIG explosion goes off, causing the whole place to light up in flames! Sonic had to move fast or the Atomic Energy Regulators would turn half of Metropolis into a nuclear wasteland!
Sonya: HEDGEHOG, WHAT ARE YOU DOING…?! Because it's causing MAJOR problems over here…!
Sonic: I gotta get the Atomic Energy Regulators out of the way so their not destroyed!
Sonya: So… I'm in danger of frying from radiation because of… of explosions on your end…?!
Sonic: Hey, your the one who told me about Quantum Causality!
Sonya: Yeah…! And now I'm telling you to fix this…!
Sonic: Sheesh, what a grouch… (Thinking) Then again, she probably would be less of a grouch if I listened to her… At the same time, I can't just sit by and let this happen, especially not to Valkyr!
Sonic darted away from the flames, jumping through the debris, across metal pipes and through small sewage grates to get to the first Regulator. He had been shown how to engage the safety override controls in case of an emergency, and he was thankful he had been, so with that, the first Regulator had been saved.
Sonic: Okay, Sonya! First Regulator is safe!
Sonya: Radiation level is dropping… My gear is providing some protection but… It's not gonna last forever…!
Sonic: Just give me a minute to take care of the other two Regulators!
Sonya: A minute's about all I have…!
More explosions went off, and Sonic darted through more debris, this time he had to run across water to get to the next Regulator. Once there, he repeated the procedure and sealed it into its safety lockdown.
Sonic: I've gotten the second Regulator to safety! Is it still affecting things on your end?
Sonya: Yeah… Still dropping but… The cumulative effect…! If it isn't stopped entirely…
Sonic: Have body parts started falling off yet?
Sonya: No, I'm still– What do you mean YET…?! You plan on fixing this or not…?!
Sonic: You know, you gotta learn to lighten up! I'll take care of the last one, and everything will be fine!
Sonya: Says the blue fur ball who won't end up as a walking night light…!
Sonic dashes away as the flames nearly catch up to him, he was going as fast as he could without breaking the building apart. He stops and jumps down a big shaft, landing right next to the last Regulator, engaging in the same procedure to get it to safety… But this time, one of the clamps was stuck on the Regulator!
Sonic: Ohhh fuck…
Sonya: What do you mean "oh fuck"?!
Sonic: Gotta close the secondary bulkhead!
Sonic jumps up and he smacks a panel next to the ceiling away, then he pulled with every ounce of strength he could on the lever it revealed, and once it swung down, the secondary emergency bulkhead slammed shut, causing the flames chasing Sonic to be halted in their tracks, therefore saving the last Regulator. He drops to the ground, sighing in relief.
Sonic: Sonya! Tell me you're okay!
Sonya: Pfft, BETTER than okay! I'm back up to FULL STRENGTH!
Sonic: … I hate to admit but Quantum Causality is pretty damn handy.
Sonya: Dangerous, but handy. A weird combo.
Sonic: I can think of weirder ones that sound great in actuality.
Sonya: Like what?
Sonic: Hawaiian Pizza.
Sonya: Oh. That's not THAT weird.
Sonic: Wait, you have that in the future?
Sonya: Are you kidding me? Pizza is a delicacy!
Sonic: … My kind of future right there. (Thinking) Focus. Gotta find Valkyr.
Sonic opens a door and finds a storage area for spare parts…
Sonic: Dead end… Wait, there's a vent. I can get to Valkyr that way!
Sonic rolls up and enters the vent, rolling around in it until he drops down from above some… Sick looking beast with six eyes. Sonic knew Robotnik Enterprises had a Genetics Lab, but he didn't know what they did! Thankfully the creature wasn't alive, or at least, it looked like it. Sonic then whips his head around and he sees the place he had been looking for. The gateway room on floor 77. Dr Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik was there, working on the gateway while standing over him was, Sonic guessed, Jeremiah Robotnik. Valkyr was in the room as well, and so he darted into it and he skids to a stop a good 9 feet away from her.
Sonic: Back off, Valk! You're a puppet! Fight the puppet master, not me!
Valkyr turns around and looks at Sonic. Her face was one of sorrow and anger due to the fact she was made into a tool… Sonic couldn't help but feel bad for her, especially since she was his friend.
Sonic: You don't know what you're doing!
Valkyr: I know enough… You have to die…
Sonic: OR, we both can live!
Valkyr: You… You aren't worried about me… You never were…!
Sonic: I AM, I am Valk! I am worried about you, and I'm worried about what you'll do to other people! … And yeah, to me. But if you can just fight it…
Jeremiah: She can't. Trust me.
Jeremiah turned around, giving Sonic a cheeky smirk.
Sonic: Sure, cuz I always trust the people who are trying to kill me. So your Jeremiah huh. We haven't been properly introduced. I'm the Hedgehog who's gonna kick your ass.
Jeremiah: Good luck with that. Valkyr? Finish him.
Valkyr clutches her head, kneeling.
Valkyr: CAN'T…! CAN'T…!!
Jeremiah: Impressive resistance. But activating the remaining control chips, releasing your more beastial side, should do the trick.
Jeremiah pressed a button on his wrist, and Valkyr began to writhe in pain before she fell to the ground. Then, her body began to armor up with the all too familiar bronze scales she had, she got bigger, and horns sprouted from the top of her head, curving beautifully.
Once she finished transforming, her eyes went from blue to red, then from red to having red sclera and white vertical slit pupils. She stood up, letting out a roar of pure, unyielding rage before she slammed her fists onto the floor. She stood back up, towering over Sonic, glaring at him.
Sonic was about to be in for a VERY rough fight.
Valkyr made the first move, charging at Sonic but just missing him. Sonic kicked her in the face, and before she could grab him, he darted under her and punched her in the back. She grabbed him with her tail before she threw him up into the air, and then she leapt up to try and punch him, but he countered by Homing Attacking her fist. She gets sent to the ground, and Sonic had done enough damage upon impact to break her arm. That didn't last, as she focuses all of her blazing red energy into her broken limb, healing it!
Sonic: Great, she's got self healing. NOTHING is ever easy.
She roars and then she decides to crank her speed up, and the two engage in a high speed clash around the room. Sonic was winning, and then he smacked her into a wall before he revs up a Spindash, slamming into her gut and then blasting her into the room behind her after! Sonic landed back on his feet, then darted into the room, not finding Valkyr anywhere in sight.
Sonic: Oh. Uh… Hello? Valkyr? We… we all done here? … Huh. How bout that. Sonya, good news! Turns out you were WRONG! Hope that doesn't wound your ego…
Sonya: Firstly, I don't have that big of an ego. Secondly, do you really think if you die, I'll be happy to be right?
Sonic: I don't think you're happy to be wrong!
Sonya: Then you know as little about me as you think I know about you.
Sonic: What I know is that Valkyr looks to be down for the count. If she is, I'm gonna get those chips out of her, then put a stop to Jeremiah. I'll keep you posted.
Sonic looked around the room, moving slowly and making sure he checked all his angles. Even looking up. He then stops in the middle of the room.
Sonic: … Okay. Looks like I can go back now, and take care of Jeremy once and for all.
Before he could do anything, Valkyr sprung up from the floor grate and grabbed him with both hands! Then she began to drain his powers again!!
Sonic: No…! NO…! AHHHHHH!!!!!
Valkyr: HOLD… STILL…!!
Sonic barely manages to break free by kicking her arms. She drops him, and he fell to a knee, his jacket a bit battered and damaged now, and his fur looking a bit ragged. He was breathing heavily now.
Sonic: Nice try… Didn't work…
Valkyr: Yes… It did… Now to FINISH THE JOB!!
She was right. Sonic couldn't move as fast as he could before, and as a result, he took a direct punch to the face from Valkyr. He gets sent into a wall, and then she rams into him, drags him across it by his face and then she slams him into the floor, kicking him! He coughs up some blood, and tries to get up, but Valkyr grabs him with her tail, slamming him down on the floor, and then she throws him up, and just before he hits the ground, she spiked him into the floor, causing a HUGE shockwave that makes a crater for in the room! Sonic barely managed to stand up. He was hunched over, holding his right arm…
Sonic: Okay… Okay…! Guh…! The chip they stuck in you is messing with your power! Fight it Valk!
Sonic gave her a pleading look. Valkyr stood there, snarling like a wild animal…
Valkyr: You're… about… to die…!
She goes to slash him with her claws, but he BARELY avoids it. He coughed and his legs began to buckle.
Sonic: Valkyr… Don't you get it?! This is your chance to take back your mind! You can end this NOW!
Valkyr: Yes… end this…
Sonic: Good…!
Valkyr: By ending YOU!
Valkyr goes to slash at him again, and this time? She landed the hit. She cut Sonic's chest. With that last hit, Sonic's legs finally gave out, and he fell onto his hands and knees…
Sonic: … R-rings are out of juice… Fantastic…! Um…! Sky…! You might get to be…! Right after all…!
Sonya: BELIEVE ME, THAT'S THE LAST THING I WANT!!