Chapter 20: SA2 Part 5

"Remind me to never get into a space ship with Knuckles ever again…" Tangle groaned out as they landed the shuttle on the ark.

Tangle and Tails were easily able to find Sonic and the others, and though Tails was disappointed that they weren't going to be able to make much use of the upgrades to the X-Tornado, he accepted that taking one of Eggman's space shuttles was a good idea. So, leaving Cream behind, they set off for the Space Colony Ark…

Until Knuckles decided to take over, and nearly killed them all.

"We'll give that Knucklehead a piece of our mind when this is over. For now, let's go find Chris, and find a way to stop that cannon." Sonic said.

"Right…" Tangle said.

"Here, you can ride up here with Tanaka." Amy offered, as she helped Tangle onto the X-Cyclone.

"Thanks Amy…" Tangle said. She was fine with walking, but her foot had taken a lot of abuse lately, so she didn't want to push it.

"Right, let's get moving." Tails said as they started to walk away.

"So… what is this place anyways?" Sonic asked.

"Well, I read that it was a research facility that was shut down due to an accident about fifty years ago." Tails said. "Sorry to say, there was no information on what exactly they were researching…"

"Shadow." Tangle said. "They were probably doing something involving Shadow."

"Really? What makes you say that?" Sonic asked.

"Think about it, Shadow shows up, then suddenly Eggman decides to make this place his base, with a weapon capable of destroying the planet here." Tangle said. "Shadow knew about this place already… and him calling himself the Ultimate Lifeform, created by some guy called 'Gerald'…"

"Hmmm… yeah, I guess that makes sense." Sonic said. "Good thinking."

"Thanks…"

'I kinda cheated to get that information though…'

"Anyways, that doesn't answer what we do about our situation though…" Sonic said.

"Well, I have an idea…" Tails said as he handed Sonic…

"A Chaos Emerald?" Sonic asked.

"Kinda, it's a fake Chuck and I made to help power the X-Tornado." Tails explained. "It's not as powerful, but it was designed to absorb the power of the emeralds, then create an explosion."

"Got it! So we just throw it in with the other emeralds, and BOOM! Cannon is gone!" Tangle said.

"Exactly!" Tails said as they entered a room.

Shortly after, Sonic and Tails heard the sound of glass breaking behind them. When they got a good look, they saw Tanaka on the ground, with Amy tending to him, and Tangle being held up in mid air by a metal claw, clamped around her left foot.

"OOOOHHHHH GOSH THIS STINGS!" Tangle shouted.

When the lights turned on, Eggman was revealed, and he began demanding that they give him the Chaos Emerald in exchange for Tangle's life.

"Oh please, Tangle can handle anything you throw at her." Sonic said.

"True… normally." Eggman said. "But don't think I don't know about her little… handicap."

'Oh no…'

Deciding to act quickly, Tangle used her tail to try and strike Eggman, only for the claw to tighten around her ankle

"YEEEEEE!" Tangle shouted as the tail stopped.

"One false move, and I'll crush it." Eggman threatened.

Seeing that his bluff failed, Sonic leapt out of the Cyclone and began to walk over.

"Place it in the center of the circle." Eggman directed.

"Huh, you really are acting like a real villain Eggman." Sonic teased as he did just that.

Then, Tangle began to recognize the room.

"Oh no… SONIC GET BACK!" Tangle shouted.

"Huh?"

"Gotcha!" Eggman said before pushing a button.

And a glass tube came out and trapped Sonic.

"AAAAAND NOW I'M GONNA SEND YOU INTO SPACE!" Eggman shouted with a laugh.

"Stop! I'll give you the real emerald!" Tails said.

"TAILS!" Tangle and Sonic both shouted.

"Wha- That Emerald's a fake?!" Eggman asked.

Tails looked at the doctor in shock.

"Well, guess I don't have to restrain myself…" Eggman said.

"Let him go right now or I SWEAR!" Amy shouted.

"Amy… take care of yourself…" Sonic said.

"…Huh…?"

Was Sonic… saying his goodbyes?

"Tangle… you really did become an amazing hero… I'm proud of you, never forget that."

Tangle couldn't stop the tears.

"Tails… you were the best brother I could ask for… thanks for being my family."

Tails handled that even worse.

"Tails, Tangle… I'll be counting on the two of you to finish things here… good luck." Sonic said.

And just like that, he was gone.

Deciding that he had no more use for Tangle, Eggman tossed her to the side. After gathering her bearings, she could only look on in horror as the capsule Sonic was in drifted off into space…

Before it exploded.

"No… Sonic…"

'Is… is this my fault?! I… I…'

"Amy… Tangle… Tanaka… get somewhere safe." Tails said. "Sonic is counting on me to finish this… and that is just what I am gonna do!"

"… He's counting on me too Tails." Tangle said stepping forward. "Let's teach this creep a lesson!"

And so, the fight began.

Tails used his X-Cyclone to keep fighting at a distance while Tangle tried to get up close.

Though she felt a spike of pain in each step, she ignored it.

'Ignore the pain! You have to stop this guy!'

When she got close enough, Tangle attempted a tail hammer on the doctor, who was barely able to dodge it.

"Why you… take this!" Eggman said as he fired a laser at Tangle, who was able to barely dodge.

Though, landing on her left foot was a bad idea.

"AGH!" Tangle shouted as she fell to the floor, clutching her ankle.

"Tangle!" Tails shouted.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho! How pathetic." Eggman said. "A little lesson for you…

Don't go into a battle when you know you're going to be a liability."

Tangle didn't say anything, and just stared at the doctor.

At that moment, Tails charged in close, and fired a laser at point blank, sending both of them flying into the walls.

Shortly after, Tails came walking towards Tangle.

"You alright?"

"Y-yeah… I'll be fine…" Tangle said.

"Don't listen to him, you're never a liability." Tails said.

"Y-yeah… I know…" Tangle said.

At that moment, a claw came out of no-where, bust into the cockpit of the Cyclone, and stole the Chaos Emerald inside.

"Wha-"

"LATER SUCKERS!" Eggman shouted as he left.

And everyone just stared at the now closed door.

"Oh… come ooooonnnnn!" Tangle said as she laid back in annoyance.

"Come on, let's go find Chris and Knuckles. We'll figure something out, I promise!" Tails said as he helped Tangle to her feet.

At that moment though, all the abuse that Tangle's foot had been taking proved to be too much, as a sharp pain surged through it.

"AH!" Tangle said as she lifted it up off the ground.

"You alright?" Tails asked.

"Y-Yeah… foot is just really sore right now."

"Here, I'll help you." Amy said as she used his shoulder to support her.

"Thanks…"

"Don't go into a battle when you know you're going to be a liability." Eggman's words echo'd in her mind.

After walking for a while, they came across Knuckles and…

"CHRIS!" Tanaka shouted as he went and embraced the boy.

"Hey Tanaka… sorry for worrying you." Chris said.

"Anyways, I guess there's nothing to worry about, since Sonic is on the case." Knuckles said.

This got the groups attention.

"Sonic?"

"Yeah, just bumped into him. He said he's gonna go destroy the cannon." Knuckles said.

"…He's… alive?" Tangle asked.

"Uh… yeah? Wasn't he just with you?" Knuckles asked.

The sigh of relief that came out of Tangle, Tails and Amy told Knuckles all he needed to know.

"Ah, things got kinda dicey I guess." Knuckles said.

"Yeah, they did." Tangle said. "Don't think I am gonna be in action until this thing heals after this…" She said, gesturing to her foot.

"You shouldn't even be helping in the first place… you could of made it worse." Knuckles said.

"Don't go into a battle when you know you're going to be a liability."

Shaking those thoughts out of her head, Tangle took a look at Knuckles.

"Sorry, but I can't just sit around when my friends need help." She said.

Knuckles smiled at this. "Heh, you really are something."

After a while of waiting, the group saw that the Eclipse Cannon was being destroyed.

"Sonic did it…" Tangle said.

"Yeah… he really did." Tails said. "Never should of doubted him for a second."

"Yeah…"

Then… something happened that Tangle never expected.

Professor Gerald appeared on a screen in front of the group.

End of Chapter 20


Next time, the end of SA2.