Chapter 9: Sparks Fly
Classic Sonic, Classic Tails, Amy, Modern Tails and The Man stood outside the Sky Sanctuary hub, their eyes wide with anticipation. The hub, once a dull and lifeless void, began to shimmer with vibrant colors and energy. The ancient floating buildings gleamed with a new radiance, overgrown foliage turned lush and green, and vibrant wildlife began to stir, adding life and sound to the previously silent sanctuary.
"Look at that," The Man remarked, his voice filled with a quiet satisfaction. "Sonic has rescued this past event."
"It's beautiful," Amy whispered, unable to take her eyes off the spectacle.
The sanctuary, with its majestic architecture and serene atmosphere, seemed almost otherworldly as it came back to life. As they marveled at the transformation, the statue of Knuckles caught their attention. It stood prominently, once lifeless and colourless, but now a shining light began to rise from its base.
"And it looks like Knuckles has been saved also," Modern Tails exclaimed.
"Great!" Classic Tails said joyfully.
Classic Sonic looked happy also, another friend saved from this terrible fate.
The light shimmered and glimmered, starting from Knuckles' shoes and slowly moving upward. The shoes regained their vibrant red hue, the light traveling up to his legs, then his torso, and finally his determined face. In an instant, Knuckles realised he was free. With a burst of excitement, he vaulted into the air, his familiar energy and spirit evident in his movements. He landed back on the ground, looking around in bewilderment and relief.
"Where am I?" Knuckles asked, his eyes darting around.
"Knuckles!" Modern Tails exclaimed, rushing over to his friend. "We're so glad you're okay!"
Amy chimed in, "It's great to have you back!"
"Tails? Amy? What's going on?" Knuckles questioned, taking in the unfamiliar White Space and the now vibrant Sky Sanctuary hub behind him. "Is that... my sanctuary?"
As he scanned the area, his eyes landed on Classic Sonic and Classic Tails. He had to blink twice at the sight.
"Wait a minute," he continued, "has Sonic gained weight? And why is there another you, Tails?"
Classic Sonic's eyes narrowed at the comment. He gave Knuckles a hard look, then glanced down at his stomach and rubbed it with a small frown. Classic Tails, trying to be supportive, patted his friend's back.
"It's a rather long story, Knuckles," Modern Tails affirmed. "But to keep it simple, Sonic—our Sonic—helped save you and the Sky Sanctuary of the past."
Knuckles crossed his arms and huffed.
"Well, I'm sure I will say thanks for the help when he gets back here, but I didn't need it."
Amy shook her head and Modern Tails scratched the back of his head at Knuckles' stubbornness. Meanwhile, The Man moved forward slowly toward Knuckles, making the echidna raise his spiked gloved fists in high alert.
"So, you are Knuckles the Echidna, the legendary guardian of the Master Emerald," the man said, stopping near the echidna, his one seeing eye fixed on him. "The last of your kind, I do believe."
"You know me?" Knuckles asked, still on high alert.
"Of course. Your reputation precedes you. You're a formidable protector," The Man exclaimed.
Knuckles relaxed slightly, lowering his fists but keeping a wary eye on the man.
"Well, thanks... I guess. But I still don't know what's going on here."
"All this mess was caused by a hedgehog named Terios and the Organization," Classic Tails piped up, eager to clarify. "He and his group have caused disruptions in time and space, leading to temporal anomalies and spatial distortions that—"
"Come again?" Knuckles interrupted, looking thoroughly confused.
"Basically," Modern Tails interjected, simplifying for Knuckles' sake, "they've messed with time and space, causing all sorts of problems in the past. Think time travel gone wrong."
Knuckles groaned, rubbing his temples.
"Oh great, time travel. Just what we needed," he sighed.
The Man stepped forward, adding more context.
"Your Sonic and this variant," he said, pointing to Classic Sonic, "have been traveling through the past to correct Terios's actions and restore the timeline."
Knuckles nodded as he began to understand, but Amy looked around, seemingly anxious.
"Speaking of our Sonic, where is he?" Amy interjected, glancing around with concern.
Modern Tails nodded in agreement as he responded, "Amy's right. He should be back by now."
Just then, a swirling hole began to materialise out of nowhere, drawing everyone's attention. The air around it crackled with energy, and a deep vortex formed, spiraling into existence with a menacing hum. Shadows danced around the edges of the portal as it stabilised, creating a gateway into the unknown.
The Man, intrigued, stepped closer, his eye narrowing in curiosity.
"Fascinating," he murmured. "But this isn't a hub we have become accustomed to. I wonder what lies on the other side."
Before anyone could respond, a sinister laugh echoed from the portal, sending a shiver down their spines. Classic Tails's eyes widened in recognition, and he looked surprised.
"That's Doctor Robotnik's laugh!" Classic Tails exclaimed.
"Wait, Eggman is here?!" Knuckles shouted, lifting his fists in readiness. "I knew he would be behind this too."
Modern Tails pondered for a moment, his mind racing.
"But why is Eggman here?" he asked, looking at the group. "I thought he was still lost in the Realm of Darkness, from what Sonic told me."
"Maybe he escaped?" Amy suggested, glancing at the two-tailed fox.
"No, it's not that simple... unless," Modern Tails muttered, his mind piecing together the possibilities.
"Unless this is a version of the Doctor from the past," The Man theorised, turning to Classic Sonic and Classic Tails. "Perhaps, from the timeline where our two young friends have come."
Classic Sonic stepped forward, his mute but expressive body language conveying his determination to find out. He gave a confident nod, his eyes reflecting his resolve.
"It seems Sonic wants to take on his arch nemesis to find out," The Man remarked.
"Sonic, are you sure?" Modern Tails asked, turning his attention to the smaller Blue Blur, slight worry on his features.
Classic Sonic nodded his head and gestured to the swirling portal, eager to spring into action.
"Typical Sonic," Knuckles teased. "Even from another time, he's still the same headstrong hedgehog rushing in."
"Well, I don't see you going in, Knuckles!" Amy remarked, looking to her friend with a scowl.
Knuckles looked flustered by the comment, shifting his weight awkwardly.
"Well, you see..." he began to explain. "I'm still recovering from being stuck in that time, void thing."
"Yep, sure you are..." Amy replied, her face giving off a deadpan expression.
Above the banter between Amy and Knuckles, Classic Sonic gave a thumbs-up to Modern Tails, his classic counterpart and the mysterious man. His confident grin showing that he was ready for whatever awaited him on the other side. Classic Tails moved closer to his friend, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Just be careful, okay?" Classic Tails said, his voice filled with concern and determination.
Classic Sonic nodded, giving his friend a confident smile before turning to face the swirling portal. With one last look at his friends, he dashed forward, disappearing into the vortex.
As the portal closed behind him, the bickering between Amy and Knuckles resumed.
"Honestly, Knuckles, you always have an excuse!" Amy teased, crossing her arms.
"Hey, it's not an excuse! Time anomalies are serious business!" Knuckles retorted, his expression a mix of annoyance and embarrassment.
The Man shook his head, turning to the two foxes next to him.
"Are these two like this normally?" he asked.
Modern Tails chuckled, while Classic Tails nodded.
"Pretty much," they both replied in unison.
The Man sighed, a faint smile on his lips.
"Well, let's hope Sonic finds what he's looking for on the other side. In the meantime, we should prepare for whatever comes next."
Elsewhere...
Modern Sonic had expected to return to the familiar expanse of White Space after completing his mission. Instead, he found himself standing in a stark, white room. The walls were blank and featureless, and the floor beneath him was smooth and cold, reflecting the dim, ambient light that seemed to come from nowhere. The silence was almost oppressive, broken only by the sound of Sonic's footsteps as he took a few cautious steps forward.
"This definitely isn't White Space," Sonic muttered to himself, his eyes scanning the room. "What is this place? Could use a bit of decorating, maybe some plants or a nice picture."
As Sonic looked around, trying to make sense of his new surroundings, a figure suddenly appeared before him. It was a woman with blonde hair slicked back into a sharp style, two long antennae-like strands framing her face. She wore a black hooded coat and gloves. Her black boots were heeled, giving her a feminine yet imposing presence. Her green eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint. Between her fingers, she held a set of eight throwing knives, each resembling spikes of a mysterious insignia in yellow and blue.
"Awh, are you lost, little hedgehog?" the woman taunted, her voice dripping with mock concern.
"Oh great," Sonic muttered, rolling his eyes. "I can already tell you're going to be trouble..."
"Oh, I'm more than just trouble, Sonic the Hedgehog," she replied, her smile widening.
Sonic inhaled deeply and shook his head, placing a hand on his hip.
"So, you know me then?" he questioned. "And your name is...?"
"My name is Larxene," the woman replied sharply.
"Ok, Larxene, and I'm guessing you're one of those Organization members Terios is working with?" Sonic asked.
"Yes, I am. But Terios? Don't mention that arrogant rodent's name. He's a pain in my side, just like you!" Larxene scoffed, her annoyance palpable in her response.
"Wow, sounds like there's some friction between you two," Sonic teased, a sly grin spreading across his face. "What happened? Did he steal your lunch or something?"
"You think this is funny, hedgehog?" Larxene snapped, her voice filled with anger. "Terios is reckless, a loose cannon. He undermines everything we're trying to accomplish."
"Yeah, I'm getting that vibe," Sonic replied, his tone mocking. "It must be so tough dealing with a co-worker who's such a pain."
"Oh, do you ever shut up, rodent?" Larxene shouted, her annoyance becoming more noticeable with each passing second.
"Chill out," Sonic remarked sarcastically. "You're going to pop a circuit or something."
Larxene's features became etched with frustration; the hedgehog was really starting to grind her gears.
"So, want to explain why you dragged me to this rather boring-looking room?" Sonic asked, gesturing around their location. "You weren't after some advice to spruce this place up, were you?"
Larxene's eyes narrowed, and she responded bluntly.
"It is simple really. If I defeat you, Terios gets out of our hair, and we can focus on our real plans without his reckless attitude getting in the way. We need to concentrate on obtaining the Keyblade."
"The Keyblade, huh? So that's your game," Sonic said, his eyes narrowing with realisation.
"Enough!" Larxene snapped, her hands crackling with electric energy around her throwing knives. "I've had it with your constant chatter. Let's see how smug you are when I end you!"
Sonic's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the electricity but quickly returned to their usual confident gleam.
"Electricity, huh? Nice trick. But you know what they say—if you play with sparks, you're gonna get shocked!" Sonic quipped, his grin widening as he saw Larxene's annoyance grow.
Larxene's eye twitched violently at Sonic's remark, her irritation palpable. The air around her began to crackle and hum with a growing intensity. Sparks of electricity started to zip and arc around her frame, illuminating her face with an eerie, furious glow.
"Oh, you're so hilarious," she sneered, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "Let's see if you're still laughing when I fry you to a crisp, you insufferable rodent!"
Her emerald eyes blazed with fury as the electric energy around her surged, creating a web of crackling lightning that filled the room with a menacing hum. Sonic's grin only widened, sensing the storm of anger he had ignited within her.
"Before we rumble, I have one question for you," Sonic said, as he slowly got into his defensive stance.
"What?" Larxene demanded, exasperation dripping from her voice. "Do you want to know my favorite color or something? Newsflash—it's not blue."
Sonic smirked, ready to make his final taunt.
"Nah, I just wanted to know if your hair always looks like you stuck a fork in an electrical socket or if that's just for special occasions."
Larxene's eyes narrowed, her patience now worn thin. With a swift flick of her wrist, she launched one of her throwing knives. It whistled past Sonic, missing him by mere inches and embedding itself into the wall behind him. The hedgehog whistled low, his expression turning serious.
"Alright, I guess I better take you seriously then," Sonic remarked with a cocky grin.
"That's right, hedgehog," Larxene hissed, her knives now fully visible between her fingers, each one cracking ominously with electricity. "Let's see how fast you really are."
LARXENE
Battle Music: The 13th Struggle - Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories
Larxene lunged forward, her knives acting like claws. Sonic dodged to the side, feeling the static charge in the air as the blades narrowly missed him. He retaliated with a Spin Dash, launching himself toward her. Larxene vanished in a blur, reappearing behind Sonic with a mocking laugh.
"Too slow!" she taunted.
Sonic quickly pivoted, launching into a Homing Attack. Larxene was ready, blocking the attack with her knives and sending a shockwave of electricity through the air. Sonic felt the tingle of static, but he quickly disengaged, landing a few feet away.
"Nice trick," Sonic said, grinning. "But I'm just getting started."
He dashed forward, a blur of blue, and executed a Sonic Boom, sending a shockwave toward Larxene. She countered by summoning a bolt of lightning that struck the ground, dissipating the shockwave. The force of the lightning sent a shudder through the room, illuminating their faces with an eerie glow.
Larxene sneered, "Is that the best you've got, rodent?"
"Not even close!" Sonic replied.
Sonic shot forward, using Phantom Rush to deliver a flurry of rapid attacks. Larxene deflected most of them with her knives, but a few hits landed, pushing her back. She hissed in frustration and retaliated with a flurry of Voltic Rush, her knives slashing through the air with lightning speed. Sonic dodged and weaved, but a few slashes grazed him, sending jolts of electricity through his body.
"Okay, that stings," Sonic muttered, shaking off the residual static.
Larxene smirked and launched into her Final Limit, enveloping herself in lightning. She darted around the field, her speed and power amplified. Sonic struggled to keep up, his eyes barely able to track her movements. She reappeared behind him, striking with a lightning-empowered knife. Sonic barely managed to evade, the knife cutting through his quills.
"You're fast, but can you keep up with this?" Sonic challenged.
He launched himself into a Stomp Attack, coming down hard on Larxene's position. She teleported away just in time, but the impact created a shockwave that disrupted her balance. Sonic followed up with a Spin Dash, catching her off guard and sending her crashing into the wall. She rebounded quickly, her eyes flashing with anger.
"You little pest!" she shouted.
Larxene summoned a storm of thunderbolts, the lightning strikes converging on Sonic's position. Sonic dodged and zigzagged, his reflexes pushed to their limits. He countered with a Sonic Wind, a whirlwind of energy that deflected the lightning strikes. Larxene growled in frustration, her patience wearing thin.
Sonic seized the moment and dashed toward her, executing a rapid series of Homing Attacks. Larxene struggled to block them all, the sheer speed and ferocity of Sonic's attacks overwhelming her. She teleported again, reappearing on the other side of the room, breathing heavily.
"Had enough yet?" Sonic taunted, his confidence unshaken.
Larxene's eyes blazed with fury. She raised her arms, and with a sharp motion, threw all eight of her electrified finger knives toward Sonic. The knives whistled through the air, each crackling with intense electric energy. Sonic's eyes widened for a split second before his body became a blur of motion, effortlessly dodging each knife as they embedded themselves harmlessly in the walls behind him.
"Come on, Larxene! You're gonna have to do better than that!" Sonic jeered, wagging his finger in his signature taunt. "I thought you were supposed to be tough!"
Larxene's temper boiled over, her frustration palpable. The air around her crackled with electricity, her patience completely worn thin by Sonic's relentless taunts.
She gathered all her remaining energy, the room filling with a blinding light as she prepared to unleash her most powerful attack. Her body became enveloped in a swirling maelstrom of lightning and fury, her eyes burning with determination and anger.
"Voltic Rush!" she screamed, her voice echoing with power and rage as she charged at Sonic, her entire form a blur of electrifying energy.
Sonic stood his ground, focusing all his energy into a Phantom Rush. The two clashed in a dazzling display of speed and power, the room shaking with the force of their battle. Sparks flew, and the air crackled with electricity as Sonic and Larxene exchanged blow after blow.
Sonic felt the strain, but he knew he had to end this. With a final burst of speed, he executed a Stomp Attack, catching Larxene off guard and sending her sprawling. He followed up with a Homing Attack, striking her squarely and sending her flying across the room.
Larxene crashed into the wall, she struggled to get up, her body sparking with residual electricity. Sonic approached, his green eyes fixed on her.
"Now, have you had enough?" he asked, his voice steady.
Staggering forward, Larxene glared at him, her pride wounded. She summoned the last of her strength, preparing for one final strike. But Sonic was faster. He launched into a Spin Dash, knocking her back into the wall.
"You... you're something else," Larxene admitted, her voice tinged with exhaustion and pain. She struggled to stand up again, the electricity around her flickering weakly.
Sonic smirked and wagged his finger in his iconic taunt, a gesture that had infuriated countless foes before her.
"Aw, come on," Sonic quipped, his tone playful and mocking. "You didn't think you could beat me with just a few sparks and some flashy knives, did you?"
Larxene's eyes narrowed, but she was too drained to muster a retort. Sonic continued, his confidence radiating from him like a palpable force.
"Next time, you might want to bring a bit more juice to the fight," Sonic said, grinning widely. "Because this was shocking...ly easy!"
RANK: A
Larxene managed to get back to her feet properly, but she staggered forward, feeling weakened and seething with anger. Her frame crackled with residual electricity, her eyes burning with a mixture of exhaustion and rage.
"You think you're so clever, don't you?" she hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
Sonic shrugged, unfazed by her animosity.
"Aw, come on, Sparky," he taunted. "You gotta admit, that was a real zinger."
Larxene's face contorted with disgust at the nickname.
"Don't call me that!" she snapped, her sarcasm barely masking her irritation. "You haven't seen the last of me, hedgehog."
"Like I haven't heard that one before," Sonic taunted with sarcasm.
"You are so annoying!" Larxene replied, with sparks still zipping around her in frustration.
"So, spill. What do you want with the Keyblade?" Sonic demanded. "Also, what do you know about Terios and his powers to mess with the past?"
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know..." Larxene replied, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
"Look, are you going to tell me or are we going to have to rumble again?" Sonic asked, his patience thinning.
Larxene huffed and turned her head, but she gave off what seemed to be a taunting side-eye.
"The Keyblade is none of your concern, hedgehog, that's my agenda. Terios, however, well, let's just say he lives on a false sense of identity."
Before Sonic could press for more answers, the shadows in the room shifted. Another member of the Organization appeared from the darkness, materialising next to Larxene. Sonic saw a tall, slim man with red hair, marked by small tear drop tattoos under his eyes.
"There you are, Larxene," the newcomer said, his tone a mix of reprimand and amusement. "I warned you not to go after Sonic."
"Great, another one of you," Sonic muttered. "So go on... who are you?"
"My name is Axel," the red-haired man said, pointing to the side of his head. "Got it memorized?"
"Don't tell me that's your catchphrase..." Sonic remarked, shaking his head with a sigh.
"What, you got a problem with it?" Axel replied, his tone becoming serious.
Sonic crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing.
"Yeah, I've got a problem with a lot of things right now," the hedgehog replied.
"Let me guess," Axel replied, his voice laced with a knowing smirk. "You're having some memory trouble while dealing with Terios's time manipulation?"
"Wait, you know about my memories?" Sonic retorted, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Indeed I do," Axel said. "It all comes full circle."
"What do you mean?" Sonic demanded, his frustration mounting.
"It's simple really, hedgehog," Axel began to explain. "Your memories are connected to the Keyblade's Master, who's struggling to understand his own memories."
Sonic paused, his hazy memories seemingly trying to connect back together and reach out to him.
"Sora..." he murmured.
"Bingo!" Axel revealed. "You're catching on fast."
Sonic looked contemplative, his expression showing one of confusion and perplexity, his mind racing to understand further.
"Aww, the hedgehog is all confused," Larxene taunted. "Don't tell me you can't remember your adventures with Sora and his pals."
"Donald... Goofy..." Sonic muttered, remembering the other two who had been part of his last adventure.
"Seems like the haze is starting to clear," Axel teased, watching Sonic's expression rapidly change from confusion to realisation.
"I remember... They were the three in Traverse Town. And Sora..." Sonic said, trying to piece together everything, but Axel interjected.
"Go on..." Axel urged, his eyes gleaming with interest.
"He... wielded the Keyblade. Like the one my friends Aqua and Mickey used..."
Axel's grin grew wider, a hint of mystery in his eyes.
"You're getting warmer, Sonic," he teased.
"But why... Why am I forgetting them? Why are all my friends forgetting them?" Sonic asked, his voice tinged with frustration. He lifted his head, his eyes demanding answers.
"It all comes back to the Organization's agenda," Axel replied, turning to Larxene, who nodded sinisterly. "We have our reasons for needing Sora and manipulating his memories. But that isn't your concern right now. You have your hands full with Terios and saving your friends."
"You can't save everyone, hedgehog!" Larxene taunted. "Are you going to abandon your friends, trapped by Terios's time manipulation? Or are you going to save a friend you can hardly remember?"
"Tough decision, hero. So, what's it going to be?" Axel added, seemingly taunting Sonic's integrity.
Sonic's mind raced, the weight of the decisions pressing down on him. He shook his head, determination flaring in his eyes as he looked at the two Organization members.
"There is always a way to save my friends and my memories. Sora... he must be tough, and I know his heart is strong. He will get through this, and so will I."
Axel's expression turned somber as he replied, "You talk big, Sonic, but the reality is harsher than you think. Sometimes, you can't save everyone."
"Maybe not, but I won't give up on any of them," Sonic declared. "Not Sora, not my friends trapped by Terios. I'll find a way. That's what heroes do."
"Such confidence. Let's see how long it lasts when the stakes get higher," Larxene sneered.
"We'll see, hedgehog. We'll see if your determination can stand against the trials ahead," Axel added.
Before the tension could escalate further, a portal of darkness swirled open behind Axel and Larxene. Axel glanced at it, then back at Sonic.
"Another time, perhaps. We've got bigger fish to fry," Axel remarked.
Larxene's eyes met Sonic's one last time, a mix of frustration and grudging respect in her gaze.
"Until next time, rodent," she taunted.
With that, the two vanished into the portal, leaving Sonic alone in the room. The echoes of their confrontation lingered in the air, and Sonic felt the weight of the mysteries he still needed to unravel pressing down on him.
"Boy, this is going to be one doozy to explain to Tails and that mysterious guy back in White Space," Sonic said to himself, trying to put everything together. "So the Organization wants the Keyblade for their own agenda, but I can barely remember this Sora guy and his two friends."
Sonic then turned around the room, his mind racing with theories and thoughts.
"On top of that, Terios is seemingly not what he appears to be," Sonic muttered, shaking his head in frustration. "What kind of game are they playing?"
He paced the room, his thoughts swirling.
"And that blonde-haired girl back at Sky Sanctuary, Naminé... She tried to warn me, but she was snatched into that portal. Is she behind this too, or trying to help?"
Sonic looked to the ground and placed his hands on his hips, trying to piece together everything.
"I need to warn Tails and that man. Maybe they can help figure this out."
Sonic raised his head and dropped his hands to his sides, his determination solidifying.
"I will get these memories back in check and stop Terios. My friends and my past need saving. I don't have time to dwell and overthink everything."
Without saying a word, Sonic rushed toward the door across the room. He needed to get back to White Space and warn his allies, but most importantly, he needed to save his friends, his past, and these foggy memories, twisted by the Organization's manipulation.
