Chapter 32: You are (Not) Alone
"Tails…"
Helen sighed as she gazed over the dormant farmland beyond the old barn serving as Chuck's lab. The early afternoon breeze blew through her hair, and her hands gently gripped the handlebars of her wheelchair.
"Is something wrong, Ms. Helen?" The young girl peered down at Cream, who was sitting opposite of her, with Cheese by her side, sipping a cup of tea on the picnic blanket strewn out across the grass. "You haven't touched your sandwich yet." Looking down at her lap, she found a fly sitting atop the perfectly cut peanut butter and jelly sandwich with potato chips on the side.
"Oh no, I'm okay," Helen replied, cracking a forced smile as she grabbed one of the chips and took a bite. Her gaze shifted back to the horizon. Cream frowned, an act mirrored by her chao companion, as she returned to her own sandwich. Her expression changed on a dime, however, the bunny nearly spitting out her latest bite before reaching into the picnic basket as her tail wagged from behind.
"I almost forgot!" Cream pushed aside the dried fruit, chips, and treats to find a folder at the bottom. She pulled it out and opened it. "I made this for you, Ms. Helen…" The young bunny gave her a crayon drawing of herself sitting on Helen's lap, the sun wearing a bright smile in the distance and white flowers blooming around them.
"It's…beautiful." A single tear dripped down the young human's face.
"Please don't cry," Cream pleaded as she approached her side, leaning in for a hug around her shoulder.
"I'm okay, Cream," Helen replied. "I'm just…so thankful to be your friend."
"Yeah, we're really good friends!" Cream added as she rested her face on the human's arm.
"Chao, chao!" Cheese mimicked the bunny by resting their entire body like a cat on Helen's opposite shoulder.
"I promise to always cherish this drawing," Helen added.
"Glad you like it, Ms. Helen," Cream replied.
"Chao, chao!"
Helen nodded as she returned her gaze to the distance, sitting silently until her thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of her cellphone in the side pocket of her wheelchair. Opening her flip phone, she read the new text message from Tails.
"Meet me in the barn." Nodding her head, as if to acknowledge the orange fox's request, Helen returned the phone to her wheelchair pocket. "I'll be right back, Cream. Tails needs me for something."
"Okay!" Cream replied with a cheery smile. The young rabbit and her chao companion waved as Helen rolled inside.
"Hiya Tails," Helen greeted.
"Oh, just in time!" Tails replied as he leapt off the head of a large structure, his fur covered in oil stains. "Feast your eyes on this!" He gestured both arms toward the completely rebuilt, taller mech. "I call it the Helengelion 1.1!"
"Original name," Helen relied with a smirk. "Wouldn't it be better to call it the Helengelion 2.0?"
"You of all people should get the reference," Tails said as he leaned against the leg of the machine, a smile across his muzzle.
"Well yeah, of course it's the name of one of the Evangelion films," Helen replied, raising a finger to the air with eyes closed not unlike Tails when he's making a point to a group.
"I chose that one in particular for a reason," Tails replied.
"Oh yeah…its full name is "Evangelion 1.1: You are (Not) Alone"…" Helen froze, realizing the implications of the name.
"Yes…" The young kitsune made his way to the young girl's side, placing a gloved hand on her shoulder. "I know you've been anxious as of late. I've noticed it even before the tournament. I just want you to know that…regardless of what happens when we gather the seven Chaos Emeralds and attempt to replicate chaos control, we will always be with you." Tails pointed a finger at his heart. "We'll always be here when you need us the most."
"Th-thank you…Tails…" The young girl shed a few more tears. "You've all…been such great friends. Words can't describe it…I'm just so…I don't know…"
"I think I know how you're feeling," Tails replied, wiping a tear away from the young girl's cheek. "I know things haven't always been easy for you, well…with your disability and whatnot," the fox stammered over his words, "but, well, I admire your tenacity, strong will, and, well…your kindness in the wake of everything life's dealt you." Tails stepped toward the barn's exit, the sun warming his fur. "Here I was, feeling down on myself for having two tails, and without Sonic helping me out of my rut, I don't know how I would've ended up…" The fox turned back to the young girl. "But you? Despite everything life's put you through, you've managed to view the world positively and to see the good in people. I think…" Tails ran a hand through his hair. "…that you'll be just fine, regardless of what happens."
Helen slowly rolled to the fox's side and extended her arm out. Tails grabbed her hand, and she gripped it tight. "I know, Tails…" The two smiled until, after several seconds, the human girl noticed her grip slipping from the fox's hand. Letting go, she found black grease covering her palm. Peering to her shoulder, she noticed a black stain there as well, and feeling her cheek, she smeared a smidgen of the same black residue.
"Hehe, sorry about that," Tails said as he chuckled, blushing through his fur as he ran a dirty, gloved hand through his hair once more.
"Nothing a little stain remover can't get rid of," Helen replied. "Besides, I have, like, a dozen of the same exact outfit in my closet at home anyway. I'm totally fine."
"But still," Tails said as he removed his gloves and threw them to the side, "I should really be more considerate before I go spreading my grease everywhere." The fox pulled a spare set from his namesakes, slipping them on. He wiggled his fingers and made fists. "Good as new!" Tails turned his attention back to Helen. "Oh yeah, there's one more thing I wanna show you." Tails led Helen to the mech and pointed at its chest. "Notice something different?"
"Hmmm…" Helen placed a finger on her chin in thought. "Yeah, there appears to be…a spot for something?"
"Right on," Tails replied as he pulled the green Chaos Emerald from his namesakes. With a grin, the orange kitsune jumped up, spinning his rotary namesakes as he flew to the center cavity of the mech's chest plate. He placed the mystical gem inside, making the entire machine glow green.
"Woahhh…" Helen's mouth was agape. "It's beautiful."
"Well, it's not a required power source," Tails commented as he returned to the ground, itching the base of his nose, "but if you ever have access to a Chaos Emerald and find yourself in a jam, you can always add some extra umph! I even installed a chute in the mech's dashboard for easy installation in a pinch."
"You seem to think of everything," Helen replied with a giggle.
"Well, maybe not everything," Tails replied, chuckling as he scratched the back of his head once more before removing the gem and, with a small keypad behind its leg, made the Helengelion fold into itself, devolving back into…
"My old wheelchair!" Helen exclaimed.
"Yep!" Tails replied with a grin, scratching the base of his nose once more in satisfaction. "Couldn't upgrade the Helengelion without using your favorite wheelchair, after all."
"Can you help me in?" Helen asked.
"Sure!" Tails gently picked up the young girl, cradling her in his arms and placing her back into her old seat.
"Now all we gotta do is test it out…" Tails brought his hand to his chin. "Say, I wonder if Sonic's around for sparring pract—"
"I've been summoned."
Tails and Helen spun around to find Sonic leaning against the wall, spinning two chili dogs on the tips of his fingers like basketballs. With a flick, the hotdogs flew in the air, and Sonic caught them both in his mouth with a single bite. Chewing and swallowing rapidly, Sonic belched loudly before giving the two a thumbs up. Their faces contorted in disgust.
"All right, then," Sonic grinned as he folded his arms against his chest, "let's see how much I judge you after getting gassy from eating just a single chili dog!"
"Okay, fair," Tails replied with a chuckle. "But I don't burp thaaat loudly…most of the time…"
"Manners aside," Sonic approached the young girl, giving her another thumbs up, "I'd be more than happy to duke it out with ya!" The blue hedgehog punched one fist into the palm of his other hand.
"You're on!" Helen replied, matching the blue hedgehog's grin with her own.
Tails sat with Cream and Cheese on the picnic blanket, grabbing a mint bakery treat from the basket as Helen transformed her wheelchair into the Helengelion 1.1, allowing her and the blue hedgehog to start their friendly sparring session.
"Truly fascinating," Decoe said as he watched a large display on the dashboard he shared with his mechanical brother.
"Indeed," Bocoe replied. "The only other person I can think of who is as efficient at constructing machines so rapidly is Dr. Eggman!"
"Let me just get a better perspective…" Gripping the joystick affixed to their dash, Decoe zoomed the lens on the camera attached to the small, spider-like Badnik which had formed a metallic spiderweb in one of the upper corners of Chuck's barn. They watched in amazement as the Helengelion 1.1 glowed a majestic green.
"The doctor needs to hear about this!" Bocoe exclaimed.
"What do I need to hear?" Eggman asked from behind, his hands behind his back. The two robotic henchmen fell out of their chairs in fright, but quickly recovered.
"Tails completed the reconstruction of Helen's mech suit, Dr. Eggman," Decoe replied.
"Yeah, and he even retrofitted a Chaos Emerald energy converter within," Bocoe added.
"Well, has he now?" A sinister grin grew across Robotnik's mustachioed face. "Well, it looks like intelligent minds do think alike."
"What do you mean, Doctor?" Decoe asked, tilting his head in curiosity.
"It just so happens," he replied as he pulled the white Chaos Emerald from his jacket pocket, "that I, too, have been doing a bit of…retrofitting of my own."
"A Chaos Emerald!" The brothers exclaimed in unison.
"You seem surprised?" Eggman replied. "Well, I was too when Chris presented it to me. Turns out that spoiled brat is good for exactly one thing: connections. Apparently, the Chaos Emerald made its way through the Japanese underground auction scene. Chris heard about it through some sort of high society message board and begged his parents to increase the spending limit on his credit card so he could obtain the gem for himself."
"I'm assuming he didn't just give you the Chaos Emerald with no strings attached?" Bocoe asked.
"Right you are," Eggman replied as he spun around. "Follow me. I've been working on one of his…side projects." Eggman cringed as he said this, disgusted at himself for being put in the unfortunate position of having to work for someone else, let alone someone as detestable as Chris. Decoe and Bocoe diligently followed Eggman through the hallways of the secret underground facility, funded completely by the Thorndyke estate.
"Here we are," Eggman said as he pushed some buttons into a keypad, opening the automated door seconds later. Clapping his hands, a set of lights luminated the large room. Decoe and Bocoe gasped at the sight of a mech, slightly taller than Helen's, painted black with red stripes.
"So this is what you have been working on?" Bocoe asked.
"Precisely," Eggman replied. "Ever since his humiliating display at the Chaos Emerald Tournament, Chris wouldn't stop brooding about how he lost to Helen, calling the match rigged because she came prepared with a mech. When he obtained the Chaos Emerald, he had me build his own mech in the hopes of being able to defeat Helen in a rematch and, in his words, reclaim his manhood."
"Wow, talk about toxic," Decoe replied.
"I may be evil," Eggman replied, "but at least I'm still a feminist, and how Chris is treating that Helen girl is nothing short of repulsive." The evil genius slammed his fist against the wall. "If you're going to take over the world, at least treat all your subjects the same. What he's doing is nothing short of backward."
"Then why did you make the mech for him?" Bocoe asked. "Are you not afraid of Chris letting that sort of power get to his head?"
"That thought has echoed in my head since he requested the mech," Eggman replied as he massaged his mustache. "Thankfully, I have a little…insurance policy." The evil genius pulled a remote from his other jacket pocket. "Even when powered by a Chaos Emerald, if his behaviors start conflicting with my ultimate vision, I'll simply shut down his mech remotely! Wooahhooohoohooo!"
Just as Eggman finished divulging his backup scheme, the elevator door on the opposite side of the lab opened, revealing Chris Thorndyke.
"Ahh, perfect timing!" Eggman said as he approached the young boy. "Your mech is finished, and with the power of the Chaos Emerald, you will be unstoppable!" Decoe and Bocoe were not fooled by the evil doctor's pleasant tone, knowing full well he was struggling to contain his lunch.
"Very good!" Chris replied. "Maybe if I were paying you, I'd give you a raise!" The young boy let out a menacing laugh. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's pop in that Chaos Emerald and see what this baby can do!"
"All right, if you insist…" With a snap of his finger, the mech activated, dropping to a single knee. Decoe brought a ladder that Chris used to climb the rest of the way up to the head of the mech, taking his seat in the leather chair. Finally, Bocoe used his extending legs to reach the torso of the mech, placing the white Chaos Emerald within the slot.
The mech started glowing a majestic white, glistening in Chris' eyes as a sinister smirk formed across his face once more. "Yes…yes! This is perfect!" The young boy let out a prolonged, sinister laugh, one that made Eggman finger the emergency remote in his pocket as sweat started to form along his brow.
"With this mech, I'm going to show Helen just how much of a man I truly am!" He pulled out the Xbox controller from his baggy pocket and affixed it to his dashboard, a special request he made of the evil doctor when he found that Tails did the same using Helen's Nintendo Switch Pro controller. He licked the handle of the controller to remove the excess Cheeto dust.
"Now now, Mr. Thorndyke, let us not be hasty…" Eggman raised his arms. "Let's cool our jets for a second here, let you get your bearings before you do something drastic."
"Do you ever see Sonic 'cooling his jets'?" Chris asked, his voice echoing through the speakers installed on the shoulders of the mech. "With the power of the Chaos Emerald, I am certain my victory will be guaranteed! Now, I just gotta figure out the controls here…"
Chris tilted the analogue stick of his controller, causing the mech to swing its arm, smashing into the wall. He tilted the stick the other way, making Eggman dive to avoid the swinging arm.
"What are you doing? Stop!" Eggman yelled.
"I don't take orders from anybody except my mommy and daddy!" Chris peered at his controller once more. "I wonder…what does this button do?" Pressing one of the action buttons, the mech jumped up, its head and shoulders breaking through the next floor of the multi-level basement.
"Stop, you're destroying my lair!"
"Your lair?" Chris scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous! You own nothing. Everything here belongs to me, and I can do whatever the hell I damn well please!" The young boy pressed a shoulder button, causing a missile to launch from the mech's torso. Robotnik dove out of the way once more, pushing Decoe and Bocoe with him, narrowly avoiding the explosion.
"That's brat's out of his mind!" Eggman reached into his jacket pocket and pressed the button on the remote, causing the mech to freeze and the white glow to disappear.
"Wh-what's going on?" Tears started to form in Chris' eyes. "Eggface! Explain yourself! Why isn't my mech working!" The spoiled brat started to flail his arms.
"Well, you see, Mr. Thorndyke," Eggman replied as he pulled himself up, dusting the soot from his jacket, "the mech wasn't constructed for indoor, close quarters combat! That last missile, ummm…jammed a sensor, which caused the processing unit to become unstable, so instead of melting down, it…ummmm…just shut down! Yes, that's exactly what happened!"
"How do you fix it then!?" Chris was becoming increasingly irate.
"Fixing it is relatively simple," Eggman replied. "Just give me a week, and I'll have the mech back to full working order."
"A week!? Ha!" The young boy wiped the tears from his eyes. "No. You'll get exactly two days to fix up my mech and the lab! Do you read me!?"
"…if you make it three, I'll throw in an air fryer and a refrigerator."
Chris pondered this bargain, raising a hand to his chin in thought. He could confront Helen for his epic rematch while enjoying a freshly cooked plate of Totino's pizza rolls and a cold bottle of Mountain Dew Baja Blast.
"Bet."
"C'mon, Ames, this thing is suffocatin' me…"
"Oh, will you relax, blue boy? I'm trying to fix your tie here…"
Sonic peered around, a blush across his muzzle as Amy straightened and tightened his black tie, which accompanied his black suit and pants, his blue tail sticking out from behind. They were standing on the opposite side of a stage located in the Station Square Community Center.
"Do I really have to do this?" Sonic asked.
"Sonic, we've been over this," Amy replied with a sigh. "The President put together this event on behalf of you and your friends to show his appreciation for everything you've done for the humans. The least you can do is go up there and accept the medal."
"Heh, sure doesn't beat a ring," Sonic replied with a chuckle. "Or a chili dog."
"Here…" Amy reached in for a kiss on Sonic's lips, making him freeze and blush harder than before. "Can you go up there and act mature? For me?"
"Well, when you put it like that," Sonic replied, giving Amy a kiss on the cheek in return, "I promise to be on my best behavior." The blue hedgehog even raised his palm.
"Thank you," Amy said with a smile.
"And now, I would like to introduce our special guest!" The president paused for the applause in the crowded hall, humans completely filling the auditorium save for the row of Mobians, and their friends, occupying the front row. Rouge and Topaz were on either side of the double doors on the far side of the hall, looking out for any suspicious activities.
"Anything for you, Ames," Sonic replied, blowing his girlfriend a final kiss before spindashing through the curtain, earning a facepalm from the pink hedgehog. The crowd gasped at his sudden appearance.
"Sonic the Hedgehog is always known for his speedy entrances," The President joked, earning some muffled chuckles from the audience. Sonic smirked in satisfaction, his eyes closed as he itched his nose. The black tie Amy worked so hard to get just right had since loosened up. "Well, I'll just let Sonic give his prepared statement!"
"My prepared statement?" Sonic took his position behind the podium and cleared his throat, sweat starting to form along his brow. "Well, hi everyone! My name is Sonic…Sonic the Hedgehog!" The audience started to cheer.
Man, this is gonna be easier than I thought!
"You may remember me from all the times I've fought Eggman, or maybe from my good looks!" This earned whistles from some women in the audience. Amy kept her Piko Piko Hammer at the ready.
"Anyway, I'm honored to be accepting this Presidential…ummm…" He turned to Michael K. and whispered, "what is this thing called?"
"The Presidential Medal of Freedom," he whispered back.
"Right!" Sonic exclaimed as he returned his lips to the microphone. "The Presidential Medal of Freedom! While I do appreciate this award, I can't accept it on my own!" Sonic jumped on top of the podium, causing the crowd to gasp once more. "C'mon up here, Tails! Knux! Cream n' Cheese! Helen and Chuck! Rouge and Topaz! Bokkun!" Sonic turned around. "And you too, Ames!"
His friends sheepishly shuffled their way to the stage. Tails, Amy, Helen, Cream, Cheese, and Bokkun were embarrassed, blushing profusely. Knuckles and Topaz simply stood stoically, and Rouge casually placed her arms on her hips. Chuck took a hit from his blunt.
"Everyone here has helped stop Eggman and keep the fine folks here safe from his threats," Sonic began, giving Tails some headpats (earning some awwwwwes from the audience). "Without my lil' bro's ingenuity, support, tactical genius, and wicked inventions, I'd be at a major disadvantage." He quickly shifted to Knuckles. "And Knux, here? His brute force is always welcome! He may not be the brightest shovel claw in the crayon box, but sometimes blunt strength is enough to win the day!" Knuckles tried punching Sonic in the gut, but the blue hedgehog shifted too quickly to Amy, wrapping his arm around her back. "And Amy here, well, let's just say there's a reason why I love her so much!" The audience awwwwwed once more. "Her hammer makes my heart beat a billion times a second, and yet she's as gentle as a flower. Give it up for my one true, special rose everyone!" The crowd cheered as Amy blushed hard. She turned away as she brought a tissue to her bleeding nostrils.
"Helen and Chuck have been gracious enough to provide support as well! Helen has accompanied us on our adventures and helps Tails in the shop! Not to mention her infectious kindness keeps a smile on our faces, and now she has the raw power to boot thanks to her Helengelion!" Sonic shifted over to Chuck, whose eyes were bloodshot. "Chuck's scientific prowess only rivals that of Tails! He's truly a wise elder who has bestowed his wisdom upon the younger generation! For the kids watching, though…" Chuck took another hit of his marijuana. "…drugs are never the answer! Stay in school, do your homework, file your taxes, and brush your teeth before every meal!" He wagged his finger at the camera.
"Cream and Cheese!" Sonic gestured to the iconic duo. "I can't imagine anyone as wholesome as these two polite folks, but as you saw in the tournament, they pack quite the punch! I'm sure when we return home, Cream's mother is going to be proud of her daughter's accomplishments!" The crowd cheered once more as happy tears started to form in the young bunny's eyes.
"Bokkun was created by Eggman, but despite his origins, he helped Cream escape from Eggman's captivity back on Mobius! He's been a good guy ever since! It just goes to show that, no matter what circumstances you were born into, you have the power to be a good person!" Bokkun blushed as he ran a hand over his ears. Cream gave the robot a hug, causing him to blush an even deeper shade of red.
"And finally, I can't forget Rouge and Topaz, the power couple!" Sonic turned to the jewel thief first. "Rouge is crafty, stealthy, and powerful, and so is Topaz! You're lucky to have 'em doing their super-secret missions for the President!" Rouge jumped up, keeping herself suspended in the air by flapping her bat-like wings. She went in for a kiss, which Topaz gladly accepted, earning applause from the audience. Just a few months ago, the thought of kissing someone on a stage watched by millions on live television would've been unfathomable for the human agent, but being in a relationship with Rouge has had a profound impact on her.
"I may be way past cool," Sonic concluded as he approached the podium once more, "but I couldn't do any of this alone. I may be the one getting the medal today, but it's my friends who deserve the most applause!" The audience clapped, giving the honored Mobians and humans alike a standing ovation.
"Thank you for that touching speech," President Michael K. said. "Before we conclude today, I will now give Sonic the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his outstanding bravery in the midst of unspeakable threats." Sonic stood on the stage, his arms on his hips, and his friends on either side, as the President clipped the necklace around his neck, the circular medal against his chest glistening as it reflected the auditorium lights. The audience clapped once more.
Beep, beep beeep…
"Oh, that must be…" Tails pulled the Miles Electric from his namesakes as the audience continued clapping. "Oh, ummm…Sonic?"
"Yeah, lil' bro?" Sonic replied to his side.
"Look at this." Tails gave the blue hedgehog his tablet.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"Yes: a Chaos Emerald." There was a dot approaching the cluster of six other dots representing the gems held by Sonic, Tails, Helen, Knuckles, Rouge, and Cream. "And it's almost he—"
Tails was interrupted by an explosion on the opposite side of the auditorium. Through the smoke, a large, black silhouette could be seen, and a menacingly evil voice came from its direction.
"Hello, Helen…we meet again."
At long last, we are in the final stretch of the first season of A Bridge Between Worlds! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.