Sonic IRL
Cyber-Sabotage
By: Cutegirlmayra (Hey guys… -deep breath- I've had… a lot of emotional stresses and issues lately, but I'm getting better 😊 And with the new semester, I have a lot of work, so I haven't been able to write for a while. Thank you for staying so strong and faithful to these stories. All of them. It's amazing to think that just one idea for a collection suddenly turned into a full on novel series XD Please enjoy this next installment of Sonic: In Real Life!)
"WHERE AM I!? WHY AM I HERE?! HOW- HOW AM I HERE?!" Dr. Hope struggled in her chair, rocking back and forth in it, strapped tightly down.
She looked up, huffing as her hair was animated to fall directly in front of her face, automatically showing the emotions of stress and confusion. "All logic says this is impossible! This is virtual reality! A human conscious can't-!"
"P-put the gag back on…" Classic Eggman slowly lifted a hand as if to reach for Boom Eggman's gag in his hand, but he flinched back from it and so Classic Eggman looked at the gag, then him, and then back at the gag and got the message; he slowly withdrew his hand back, disappointed, to his side.
"Listen, you little twerp!" Japanese Eggman leaned forward over the chair, gripping the side of it and shaking a hand out in front of her as he spoke.
Because of this intimidating approach, Dr. Hope's eyes grew animatedly wide and she slammed her back flat on the chair, trying to lean away from his angry looking face.
"You ruined my plans last time,… but I don't give up that easily…" he then slammed his fist on the side of the chair's armrest, causing the whole thing to rattle as Dr. Hope gasped slightly in fright.
"Now,…" he took a second to regain himself, clearly upset that she outsmarted him the last time…
He leaned up and readjusted himself, fixing his appearance and rubbing his hand over his face and back behind his bald head, having his mustache fling up in the motion before straightening back into position. "Ehem…" he leaned fashionably against the armrest this time, as her eyes quickly looked to where they were by her strapped arm…
"We're sure as your precious star-spangled banner that SEGA won't let any of us have an animatronic… Especially after my last little stunt." He let the word hiss out of his mouth and then snapped down on the word… he was clearly fed-up with being imprisioned for so long….
Sore loser… when it's not Sonic beating him…
"Honestly, none of this would be necessary in the end…," he turned his head under a fake, happy smile. "If you just had happened to write a blasted book about the science that makes us even remotely sentient!" he slammed his fists down again, this time leaning over her and breathing intensely, as the other Eggmans quickly went to calm him but he swayed his hands around and rotated his shoulders to flap their hesitant hands away.
Classic Eggman pointed a finger up, "I do love reading~" he swayed his body side to side after lowering the hand to clasp his other in front of him.
"And so…" he leaned up, straightening himself out again.
Dr. Hope was completely left silent, terrified by all the red flags of hostile, uncontrolled aggression he was emoting.
The chair slightly rumbled under her shivering.
"I decided that with the help of my fellow sons… as you so lovingly call the term… that we would collectively escape." He gestured to the other eggmans, and then placed his hands together, grinning an insane smirk of complete tyranny over the situation. "As we speak… electromagnet signals are being sent to your unconscious neurons in your brain… Through those, we've successfully brought your consciousness… here." He unlinked his fingers and happily pointed down to his feet, lifting them up slightly and tapping them to show a bit of whimsicalness to his madness.
"So." He clapped his hands together, walking a bit to the side of her before grabbing her arm and dipping down, right back into his furious, but smiling… excitement of finally taking her down!
"You're going to tell us everything we need to know… or we're going to torture your conscious brain until you do! Ho-ho!" he jumped up, clapping his hands fasts before grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.
"HOW CAN WE BECOME LIKE HUMANS!?"
"Calm down, Japan!"
The other Eggmans pulled him back. "Although it's far more fun to probe brains,-" American Eggman began, before Classic Eggman jumped up near his shoulder, pretending to hold him back as well, and clicking his feet together and apart as he did the action, having been listening over his ear.
"And far more entertaining!"
"Yes, we should still remember that in her traumatic state, she might even budge a simulated muscle if you're SCARYING HER HALF TO DEATH!" American Eggman looked so relaxed and bubbly until he snapped and started screaming the fact into his face.
The Eggmans looked down with Japanese Eggman as they saw her eyes tearing up in little blobs by her eyes…
"…Hmm… Good point." Japanese Eggman shifted his eyes away, grumbling under his breath as he noticed her starting to cry.
"WHHHHAAAAA-HAAAH-HAAA!" she leaned her head back and started blaring out a helpless cry.
The Eggmans, already used to her endless screaming, inserted the cotton into their ears once more, hunching their shoulders and looking exhausted at trying to figure out how to go about this interrogation.
"She is… well, no offense, but still a young lady…" Boom Eggman pointed out, gesturing to her.
"WHAT?" Japanese Eggman had the cotton in his ears already.
Boom Eggman's mustache deflated, as a little 'waat' sound effect followed. He sighed and walked over to Dr. Hope, quietly placing his butt on the side of the chair, and swinging his pointer fingers around, humming something that instantly began to catch her attention.
Not having a lot of time with his other 'papas' Boom Eggman decided his luck at trying to charm Dr. Hope, instead.
Maybe he'd kill two birds with one stone? After all, he was technically being ignored after helping American Eggman break free, and then American Eggman was ignored by Japanese Eggman once freed, who then proceeded to summon Classic Eggman.
Maybe… he could get her to spill and impress the other eggmans?
She sniffles, before looking as though still terribly confused and scared to Boom Eggman.
He stopped once she calmed down. "There…" he patted her hand, "All better?"
She shook her head to show she wasn't.
"Good." He nodded, and got up, turning to the Eggmans, and shaking his head as he lifted his pants a bit higher, and cleared his throat, taking charge as he stood in front of Japan, America, and Class Eggman.
The very act made the three gasp, such a youngster asserting himself in front of the elders, it was the rudest and most offensive thing the three Eggmans ever witnessed.
"Now, would you be so kind as to explain to us how to virtually exists within the real world by taking the contents of this world… and bringing it all the way out there?" he put his hands together and down, before motioning them forward as if moving that idea to another.
"Well?" he parted the hands, opening the floor up for her to speak.
Her eyes were wide again.
"…Hmm." Boom Eggman twitched his mustache up a bit.
"THIS IS POINTLESS!" Shoving Boom Eggman out of the way, Japanese Eggman stormed to the controls, starting to send signals as her body flinched on the screen, showing her in real time, but in the chair, she fidgeted.
"Ahh… AHH!" she felt swarms of thoughts coming to her mind, as Eggman probed around, seeking for what he wanted.
"Catnip effects, next. Children these days, next. Obsolete console games? Just get them fixed or replaced already. Next… WHAT!? How to keep long distance relationships?... hmmm…" Japanese Eggman leaned forward, as if watching the simulation of her reading that book from what her brain was showing.
"Doctor! We don't have time for that!" Classic Eggman, at first twiddling his fingers as the four were enraptured by the article, suddenly shook free of it's enticing effects and jumped up to click off the button, looking more serious. "We must find a way to do this faster!"
"Well, it would go faster if we could sort through her mind ourselves… but that kind of energy transfer would take the force of-"
Japan, leaning on the console with one hand holding his head up suddenly got an idea, leaning up and looking at the space around them. "An enormous… full operational… computer system…"
The four all suddenly leaned up, and turned to the computer.
"…Eggman login 270." American Eggman, taking on a serious tone, waited as the odd rectangular box came up from the floor, having lines of computer glowing over it's surface.
"DOCTOR EGGMAN, 270 CODE RECONGIZED. DATA TRANSFER INITATED. NAME YOUR COMPARMENT IDENTIFCATION FOR IMMEDIATE TRANFER?"
"…" He turned to Japan, who nodded to him to go ahead.
He looked down, as if nervous about this, before looking back at the computer, and tilting his head slowly down as the shadows replaced any light features about him…
"Area 6,543… Unidentified in any other formatted way…"
The Eggmans waited, holding fake breath as Sophie looked over confused, trying to understand what they were talking about doing.
As the computer registered, it suddenly gave a 'bong-bong' noise off.
"NEGATIVE. FILE DRIVE IS DISCONNECTED."
"Blast!" Japan turned to America. "Get your bots and I'll get mine!"
The two nodded, and ordered for Cubot and Orbot to return.
As the two sets did, they watched as the Doctors bent down and opened the tops of their heads, computing new objectives into their data frames.
The two nodded, before they shut off the code by slamming the heads back down, and then continued till the sets were all ready.
"Now, go." American Eggman nodded, as the cubots and orbots nodded, before turning sadly to Dr. Hope, hovering by her.
"We're sorry about this." One Orbot whispered as he went by her.
"Wait… s-sorry? Sorry for what?" she started to struggle, trying to look after them, before back at the Eggmans.
"What are you planning to do with me, Eggmans!?"
"Nothing personal… well, actually…" Japanese Eggman stood at a profile look from her, adjusting his cuffs on his gloves… before suddenly wickedly smiling over at her.
"It is."
CRASH!
"Woah!"
The Eggmans felt the warning signals sound off as the ground rumbled from an explosion.
They all tried to use their arms to stay balanced in some way, but they ended up lowering down and stabilizing themselves on the ground.
"My knees are too old for this!"
"What was that?"
"Quiet!" Japanese Eggman turned to the doors, before his eyebrows narrowed to a glare at the entrance.
"They're here…"
"Oh!" Classic Eggman put his hands to his mouth, realizing what he meant.
There was a spin sound effect here… then there…
The doors were knocked down by Knuckles with Shadow by his side.
"Knock, knock." Knuckles smirked, striking a pose back to back with Shadow, who adjusted his limiters.
"If you've done anything to her… I'll personally eliminate your code one… by ones…"
"Haha! Punny!"
Dr. Hope's ears recognized the sound, and searched for the owner of the voice.
"Sonic!?"
Sonic walked from behind the two, patting Knuckles's shoulder, pretending to hang his head down to wipe a tear from it, "Ahh… so great. I love a good, Sonic meme." He swayed his arms as he nonchalantly, and with great confidence, walked towards the Eggmans.
"The one and only…" he winked to her, before seeing the condition she was in, as his smile dropped, and he looked more concerned.
He turned to the Eggmans, seeming just slightly more serious. "What were you planning on accomplishing by bringing her here?"
"Hmph, typical! Even in America, you're still so sentimental about 4Ds!" Japanese Eggman got up, flicking off dust and then challenging Sonic head on, staring straight at him without a shred of fear.
"I've been wondering what took you so long…"
Sonic smirked, liking the strong stance of Japanese Eggman, and surprised to see.
"Japan? Now, why does that seem less than surprising?" he put a hand to the side of his face, looking charming in his own way. "I should have known my Eggman would need help with a scheme this complicated."
"WHY YOU-!?" American Eggman lunged forward, but Boom and Classic held him back.
"He's baiting you, you idiot!" Classic grabbed one of his legs, fully straddling it as if that's how he restrains.
"Grr…" American Eggman lowered his leg down, as suddenly Tails flew in with Amy behind Sonic.
"Sonic!" Tails called out, coming down before Amy gasped and ran to Dr. Hope.
"Hope!" she thrust herself into the chair, not bothering to stop her speed before she started throwing straps off her. "What have they done to you!?" She carefully helped her up, but with every look of a loving friend and even sister, she helped her come off and down from the chair.
"Amy… I… I think I'm not dreaming." Hope's eyelids flickered a lot, as if she was just starting to realize that this was all too real…
Boom Eggman stepped back, hearing Sonic and Eggman continue their little dialogue spit-spat, he looked over his shoulder… Seeing the Orbots and Cubots hoisting Dr. Hope's body up to the glowing computer screen, and shoving her limp face into it as the other two directed virtual guns to the people around her, who didn't know the difference.
They seemed shocked to see virtual people, so maybe they were fans experiencing the virtual life for the first time outside the television screen.
"Really, Eggman… if you wanted some counseling, her door's always open." Sonic gestured a hand around, as if distracting while Amy got Dr. Hope on her feet, and Tails flew up to keep her top half steady.
"Steady…" he tried to calm her, "Everything will be okay." His voicebox shifted to Sonic Adventure 2's chao garden that Dr. Hope recognized at once from her studies of the characters and playing that game.
It made her stifle a chuckle, before almost having a knee go limp and fall before Shadow and Knuckles also stepped in, realizing she wasn't used to having code conduct her motions.
"Wh..Why is my body..?"
"Dr. Hope, I don't know how, but the Eggmans have converted your brain signals into a direct link with our virtual world! That means, that in this world, you're polygon base can only move through coding… which right now…" Tails opened her data frame, as her eyes shone with amazement as she looked around her at the beautiful constellations in front of her face.
"…This…?"
"Wow." Tails had to fly back a moment, "It's so lazily constructed… and yet…" he tapped a section and suddenly billions upon billions of files were being downloaded into existence. "WOAH!" he shut the system off, flabbergasted, "Ha! You're data never ends!" he almost choked on the words in his excitement. "The human mind… downloaded… everything… it's incredible! It shouldn't even be able to be transferred like this! It's impossible! How did the Eggmans get enough space to properly get you here..? With all that memory… even beyond Petabyte! I've never seen it before, ha! And knowing our ram drives capabilities… you shouldn't have been able to be downloaded so seamlessly!"
"You spiky blue rat! I'll have you know I busted the lock that kept the settings on his file in Japanese! Now, tell me who else can read and code at the same time!?" American Eggman swiped a hand out, trying to prove himself to his Sonic before Boom Eggman took the chance, seeing the places all aligned.
He gulped, before tilting his head to the side, slamming his hand on the jump-overdrive. "GERONIMO!" he lifted his head back and up, before his code turned into lines and then numbers, before digitally being downloaded and…
Disappeared.
"DATA TRANSFERING… 56%... 98%... FULLY fUNCTING, TRANMITTING… SYSTEM DATA TRANSFERRED COMPLETE. READYING FOR SECOND TRANSFER UNIT…"
"That's my go!"
Classic Eggman spiffed himself up by taking his two hands and shaking his coat up, puffing up his chest in bravery as he jumped up and slammed his own hand on the same, jump overdrive button…
"INGITIATING SECOND TRANSFER. CLASSIC DOCTOR ROBOTNIK."
"Yipee!"
He jumped as his data froze into computer lines, then bluish green code burst and he was turned to 0's and 1's, flying into the computer screen where the gang suddenly saw Dr. Hope's body up against the computer screen in the real world,…
Orobot and Cubot holding her up.
"Could they hurry!?" Orbot complained, standing beneath her to keep her upper-torso up. "This girl doesn't hold back on the cafeteria donuts!"
"Ohh~ The pink sparkly ones!? Or-or, the chocolate..? Glazed?!"
"Shut up, Cubot! Just keep her head up!" Orbot strained to keep his hands up by her sides, as Cubot was holding her chin and pushing her head towards the screen.
"O-oh, right." Cubot put his hand down from thinking and quickly continued to tilt her head to the glowing computer screen, whose data flew out and surrounded her noggin, before the data seemed to materialize through her.
"It's… it's working. Ha! I can't believe it!" Japanese Eggman looked ecstatic, and turned to American Eggman.
"Last one in's-!"
"Bob's your uncle!" American Eggman didn't wait for him to figure out his American terminology and just dashed as fast as he could to the button.
"..A…a…HEY! Originals, first!" Japanese Eggman took off after him, as they fought for the button before they smirked as both hands hit the sides of the button, and they were transferred together.
"…What… are they…" Tails, having the dots start to connect, suddenly realized with horror what could be happening.
"SOONNIICC!"
"What's going on!? Tails?"
"We have to get Dr. Hope to her body, RIGHT NOW!"
The little fox flew as fast as he could to Dr. Hope's body.
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he kicked and struggled to get her up, but was able to lift her on his own, flying her over to the computer.
"Hope! Hope!" he frantically tried to wake her up, as she lifted her head slightly, hair covering most of her face.
"You have to- you have to hit the button!" he was losing strength, but Dr. Hope's head slightly staggered down, as if she was trying to nod in comply but only swayed her head in a 'S' formation, lifting her hand to the button, shining blue.
When that didn't work, she banged it again, and again.
Suddenly, the button flickered off.
"ERROR. AREA LOCATION HAS DISCONNECTED."
Sonic turned around, not sure what was happening and hoping someone would explain. When he saw the same shock on their faces as Tails beforehand, he turned and walked up to him.
Tails's mouth completely dropped open,… as he stared at the screen.
The others walked forward, as Dr. Hope felt herself collapse to the floor, before gripping the side of the computer console, control room… thing.
She looked up, feeling drugged out by all these weird, simulated sensations that didn't feel remotely real to her at all… more dream-like real…
She stared at the screen, before…
Her face dropped into despair and panic.
On the poorly defined blue screen,…
Dr. Hope's body stumbled up, gripping her head.
"Ohhhh…." She groaned, before looking at her hands, and then laughing mechanically, looking around herself, gripping her head again, then her shoulders, hugging her waist, and doing a little dance.
"WE DID IT!" she suddenly shouted out as the speakers transferred the noise to the virtual beings…
They're eyes locked onto the image… unbelieving of what they were seeing.
Dr. Hope turned around, jumping, 'yes'ing before turning to the security cameras at SEGA, and jumping on a chair to grip the camera, kissing it, "GUESS WHO!?" she shouted, laughing before her face shifted suddenly.
"Ohh, lovely!"
She suddenly twitched and turned as if talking to someone beside her.
"Stop shoving! Let me drive!"
Then she smiles back at the camera. "Second thought, we're going to make your lives a living-!" she suddenly have full cheeks.
"Excuse me…" she swallows, stumbles off the chair, whacks Cubot and Orbot's hands away, seeing one set looking at each other in dumbfoundment as the other set try to stabilize her body.
"Ohh… ohhh, this feels awful!" She stumbles to the door, but falls and grabs the trashcan, barfing noises followed.
"Being human sucks!" She shouts out.
The team, panicking, shove Dr. Hope into a capsule to transfer her to Japan.
"You'll be safe there!" Tails states, as Shadow constructs the code necessary for her 'little adventure' through the web.
"Got it!" American Sonic charges back, "Boom me's contacting Japan, they'll protect her until we can figure out how to get her body back. Until then…" he looked down at her squished up form in the capsule, her blinking up at him.
"…You'll be okay. I promise." Sonic nods, as she notices his eyes truly mean what he's saying.
"Sonic…" she tears up, not sure what's going on. "Am I really..?" she can't even say it.
"…Yeah." Sonic looks, for the first time, sympathetic. "You're digital."
"….Ha." she lets out some restrained air, even though she doesn't feel she needs to breath anymore, it's scary not too.
She looks away as Amy grabs her hand.
"Sopie! Listen to me! I won't let them do anything to your body! They may possess it now, but…" she looked down, trying to think of something comforting.
"Do you even know what this means?!" At the worst time possible, Knuckles shakes a fists as he enters the conversation, speaking too much… truth.
"Eggman could corrupt the system! He could rewrite the game!" he looked to Sonic, then turned to Shadow. "He could delete us!" he gestured a gloved hand to him, before turning to Tails, who was trying to avoid his gaze.
"He could ruin all our lives, the company, and especially Dr. Hope's career! Not to mention we have no idea how they downloaded themselves into Dr. Hope's body in the first place!"
"Not her body, her brain!" Tails corrected, growing angry as he turned to Knuckles.
"And not- NOW." He slammed the capsules lid down, and put a hand down on the clear, cylinder window…
"Don't worry, Hope. You never let us down… we won't let you down, either."
She was crying, breathing hard as Tails couldn't think of anything else to comfort her.
Amy had stepped away as she started to tear up too, holding her hands together and looking like she was praying for the best as she bent her head down.
Sonic walked up to stand beside her, smiling gently to her with a nod, before looking more seriously to the container.
"If we transfer her code, we still have a chance to stop the Eggmans from fiddling from the outside… for now, we just have to protect her. Let's go." He nodded to Tails.
Tails nodded, and turned to Shadow.
"Is she locked and loaded?"
"Ready to launch." He stated, turning to them with his hand on the little square panel that is connected to a long, slender pole.
He also nodded his consent.
"See you soon,… Hope."
The team tried to give her a good image to say goodbye too, but the second her container shot through the internet signals to Japan, zooming through the air and watching everything dematerialize to code and strains of data…
The team looked solemn… realizing that they couldn't stop a 4D from meddling with their data, their computers… they're very lives…
Despair crept in before Sonic shook his head, and patted Amy's shoulder, then shoving his head in a direction to show that the team needed to move out.
It was time to prepare for war…
-SEGA OF JAPAN-
"You want me to do what?" Hoshi was working overtime, having some 'mishaps' happen in America's cutscenes brought this extra work upon his shoulders. Now he had to fix it.
He nodded to his Sonic on the phone, who had hacked the phoneline to let him know what was happening.
"Umm.. an email? Or a phone call?"
Hoshi opened the companies email, which was strictly private for investors and other such accompanies.
"…Oh!" he saw the new message, tilted a strange number, but he shrugged, hearing from Sonic on the phone to open it.
"Alright, Mr. Hedgehog." He smiled, not knowing what was happening, but feeling a bit of excitement at doing something a video game character told him too.
He hovered his mouse over the email…
"You're the boss."
He clicked it.
Dr. Hope kicked the capsule open, coughing as she felt her body materialize with all it's many coding and finding that some of it was pulled so tightly compacted to each other that her body almost seemed stiff.
She had to climb out, forcing her arm to move and pulled it like a stiff puppets, before it finally, robotically, began to move correctly again.
"Ugh, I hope I don't lag." She tried to tease, but she was literally just so…
She dipped her head down, sitting on the rim of the capsule as her hair was fully out of it's normal placement.
She groaned again. "I'm so broken!" she tried to push her hair down, not sure why her hand could phase through it.
When the hair motioned back to normal, she tried to see if any remaining data hadn't come through.
The computer was trying to stop it, but due to Japanese Sonic's permission override, all of her was getting through.
At least… she thought that was possibly why… otherwise she would have been swarmed by the Japanese government thinking someone was hacking their system, right?
"Dr. Hope!"
She heard a familiar Japanese voice, and quickly felt relief as Japanese Amy raced to her, jumping into her arms.
"OH, HOPE! I heard it all! How terrible! She closed her eyes and let herself fall as her arms wrapped around her. "Having your body possessed and then yourself downloaded as a placement holder!" she lifted her hands up to her face, and then got up. "I will cook you something delicious so you don't need to think about such horrible things!"
"Calm down,…Emi." Japanese Sonic suddenly walked up, with Tails and the Chaotix behind him.
"Dr. Hope, we're here to keep you safe." Sonic winked, then turned to team Chaotix, who stepped forward. "These will be your knights in shining armor!"
"It will be our honor!" Vector bowed politely, as the other two did so as well.
"Miss Hope! Is it true you're really virtual now?!" Charmy spoke up, but Vector showed an anger mark like in anime and bonked him on the head.
"YOU IDIOT! She's probably traumatized! And you just reminded her of it all!" he burst, stomping a foot up and down as his hands were raised aggressively upwards as well.
"Ah! I'm so sorry! Sorry!" Charmy realized his rude error and threw his hands to his eyes, whining at his foolishness and kicking his feet around as he hovered in place.
"Ehem, this way. If you please." Espio coughed into his hand, before angling himself to the side and extending a gentlemen's hand to her.
She looked to Amy, who nodded, gesturing for her to take it.
"It's okay." She cooed, grabbing her hand and letting her feel the coding of Espio's hand.
The sensation was dream-like! Not really real at all… but strangely, she could still register that she was holding something.
"W-woah!" She let out an exclamation, amazed that this coding felt different from America, or maybe… she was just able to calm down enough to notice the subtle change in her… virtual environment now…
"It's so different from reality!"
The character's suddenly lost their strong faces, turning to more of sorrowful disillusionment.
They could never know what that meant, other than the animatronics, but they were still very different.
They were featured on some Japanese game shows, some popular t.v, and even had a dance choreographed for some special gaming events.
That was all they could ever know about her world…
Tails suddenly flung up close to her face, pulling out a notepad, "Tell me, how do you feel? What's the difference? Why are you still simulating breathing patterns? Can you still taste?" he stuck a finger in her mouth to open it and look in, "Say, ahhh?" he peered in as Dr. Hope looked like this was the strangest thing the world, before Sonic grabbed the tuff of his back and pulled him away.
"Tails, don't you bombard her too!" he scolded lightly, letting him down and then folding his arms.
"Sorry, Sonic… b-but! If she really is virtual, think of all the things we could learn through her experience! I mean-!" he turned back to her, excited before looking concerned she wouldn't agree. "As a scientist studying our way of life and coding capabilities to virtualize before the real world… aren't you interested in documenting your experience?"
"…Ah! You're right!" Dr. Hope stood straight up, but her code, having such a multitude of data, memories of all the years of her life, compiled so minuscule and perfectly compacted together to be able to fit her into one form and being… since she wasn't connected to any computer, her brain, anymore, it was forced to move with her conscious thought made virtual.
"I need to record this!" she quickly scampered, with the help of Espio's sturdy hand, over and passed the gang to try and figure out what to do next. "That'll be amazing for our research!"
"Right!" Tails's tails flung up, intrigued to help. "Can't I go help her?" Tails looked to Sonic, as if needing him to approve.
Sonic looked a little confused, "I don't really get it… but do what you want." He shrugged.
"Ah! Thanks, Sonic!" he nodded, glad he was able to without Sonic's disapproval, and flew off with a laugh towards Dr. Hope.
"This is gonna be so much FUN! Ah, I mean, we'll of course protect you until America can get your body back, that is!"
Dr. Hope sweat dropped, before freaking out and looking to the side of her face to realize that a little,… kinda wet but warm image had appeared.
"Wha..?"
"Haha! Look at that!" Tails stopped as he flew in air, before poking it, having it jiggle and then burst away. "Looks like the system is storing you into a file, just like we planned! You may get a little bit of a weird update associated with it… but I'm sure it won't harm your data!"
"U…Update?" Dr. Hope blinked her eyes, as the Chaotix gestured to follow them this way, out of the capsule room.
Being stuck at the Chaotix's place so long, hearing their silliness transpire, Dr. Hope asked to kindly get some 'fresh virtual air' and left to wander outside.
The computer kept stopping her every five feet though… asking for her identification.
She was told to repeat a silly combination and it would leave her alone.
She was invited to Amy's a little while ago… maybe she should go?
She walked along the virtual strains of grass… seeing clouds of virtual dust be clicked up by her heels, and truly wondered what this all was.
"Have I … Really lost all of my humanity? Am I just… a bunch of collected brain signals? Can a personality and knowledge really be transferred to a computer figuration?" she looked down at her hands,…
She squinted her eyes like Tails had instructed, and suddenly, she saw the framework of animation, and it spoked her that she could see the lines of vectors, and the greyish white base, and even the polygons that created her being.
It was too weird!
She closed her eyes and shook her head, "No!" she gripped her hands into fists. "I'm still me! I'm still alive!" she felt tears well up again, and couldn't even feel the pain from her hands… just a numb sensation of clenching… or at least…
From what she could remember.
It was so strange… the computer was over processing to make up for her extra datacodes, and so she had to compress herself millions or so times to get herself what she was now. Okay… so it wasn't a million times, but still!
As she walked along the ground, she suddenly felt something poke her and turned around.
"Huh?"
She felt like she had a bunch of never-ending energy in this form… this world… and even felt her agility and flexibly was better!
But… who was poking her?
She looked up, towards the sky as suddenly a screen appeared, and…
A familiar… handsome face was looking down at what she assumed was the keyboard…
"Huh." Hoshi was surprised by this new data, he'd never seen structures or coding like this before… it was a jumbled mess. Still, he had work to do…
He shrugged and closed out of it.
"Not my concern." He told himself, just muttering to himself as he opened his work tabs again.
Before he did, he thought about Sophie, strangely enough, and turned to a photo of her.
It was one of her and him getting a soda pop together… her leaning into his shoulder to do a peace sign with her hand, and him just smiling, leaning slightly towards her head too.
"Heh." He smiled fondly to it, but his eyes were full of missing her.
He rubbed his eyes, needing to stay awake, as he looked back at the screen, the only source of light in the now darkened room he was working in.
Everyone was basically home with their families or in their apartments by now.
"Alright… what was this sequence again?" he pulled out some notes he had taken, before something strange began to happen…
Tiny fragments, like stars but in the form of squares, started to glow and shine at different intervals, before he pushed his chair back and gripped the armrests, looking all around him at the beautiful, flickers of light.
Suddenly forming, Dr. Hope looked at herself, unable to believe what just happened.
"…Hoshi!" she called out, excited as anything.
He fell from his chair, slowly kicking away, unable to fully speak.
Her heart suddenly dropped as she went to try and reach for him, but pulled back a bit. "Oh my gosh, are you okay!?"
"Y-you're…" he stumbled to grab his desk and try and hoist himself up, but just couldn't, his feet not getting under him.
"What on earth..?"
"It's me! Oh my gosh! I think I might know what happened! B-but this changes everything!" She suddenly turned around, having her hands in her hair as she thought this through.
"My Will was already there… then how did the 'Life' stage happen? Ah! I have photos!" she looked to the picture on his desk and tried to pick it up, being a member of SEGA still, she was able too. Since it was printed on Sega's printers, but she didn't know that, she still didn't recognize these small details.
"I mean! People know me! I have articles published about my work! I have fans! AHH! Hoshi! You know me! You brought me here too!" she started getting giddy, "I got a 'Heart'! And then the last bit was 'Action'! Which, ha! I don't have anyone stopping me!" she did a little jig, before Hoshi stumbled up and held a hand out.
"Why are you here..?! Like… like that?!" he wasn't trying to sound angry, but he was just so confused and shocked that it came out that way.
She was puzzled by his tone and stopped dancing around a moment, turning back to him and slowly placing a foot that was raised down.
"…Hoshi… they didn't tell you?" she moved in front of him.
"It's… it's a long story…" she looked sorrowful, but he slowly lifted a hand, still pushing himself back against a wall near his cubicle, before…
His hand moved straight through her.
She couldn't understand why, and the shock made her step back.
"Heh… that's…. ehem, that's new." She looked down, clearing her throat.
She realized something very significant in that moment.
Without her body… her life… she would be an A.I for….
For forever.
-Back at SEGA of America-
Dr. Hope strutted down the halls, dancing in a strange 80's way, and sliding with a clap as she even swung her hand a slapped another girl's butt.
"I love being alive!"
"Quit hogging the remote!" Another Eggman must have assumed control, as suddenly she started to hunch her shoulders, looking like a girl with a motive, and growling a husky groan from her throat as she entered a business room.
Setting up, she suddenly turned around, muttering to herself with a hand on the chair.
"You're going to ruin everything! Just let me take the wheel and add a little pizazz!"
She suddenly turned around with a ridicously big grin on her face, as if she was the joker or something.
"Gentlemen!" she clasped her hands together, before seeing the only other woman in the room. "AH! And a fellow lady! Congrats on beating the glass ceiling! Hoho, I'm all for ya, girl! Girl power!" she placed both hands on the chair, tilting her body slightly as if saying 'good show!' and then laughed, hitting an arm out for her as the girl looked around, professionally unsure what was going on.
"Ehem." She suddenly turned serious as if she had embarrassed herself, and turned to her pictures, poorly drawn.
"Dr. Hope." A man leaned forward, having his hands together. "This is marketing… and the first time we're meeting you, so maybe we could just start by getting to know you and-"
"I've learned from my ways and have decided to take a new lead!" She turned around, hands confidently to her sides, "…I'm gonna stop the Sonamy incitiative." She shimmied her shoulders a bit. "Ohh!" she did a little Michael Jackson's kick and then spun back to her drawings, moving a board to show a child's drawing of Eggman firing lasers at Sonic.
"New compaign everybody's! It's Eggman's time to shine! I've heard his poor, horrible confessions in my work and let me tell you-!" she turned around and leaned both hands on the long desk, then putting a hand uncomfortably to the man's shoulder next to her, and dramatized as she spoke.
"He DESPERATELY needs his own game… I'm just saying! Taking over the world and all that? Is that so bad? Really? Seems like a small price for an epic game, what do you think?" she pointed to another person before someone spoke up again.
"Dr. Hope… what on earth are you doing?" The man straightened his back up. "You're going to get fired at this rate! Please! Take a seat and stop this… this parading around as if you've got nothing to lose." He got up to gesture for her to sit down.
She just barely put her butt to the table, before crossing her legs. "Oh, but Mr. official and well dressed, sir… I have an agenda." She grinned, mischievously, ducking her head down.
"I'm here for more than just money… I'm here for revenge."
After the meeting, she quickly dropped her purse down and happily sat at an animator's desk, spinning around and kicking her feet up as she laughed lightly and kicked her heels off.
"Ahh…haha… that was fun!"
She then started typing, pulling up a hacker's board…
"Now… to have some more fun… hehehe." she narrowed her eyes as her hands went faster than her laughter, sounding an awful lot like…
Lots… of Eggmans…
The Sonic cast were awaiting orders on the games dynamics when all of a sudden the computer and the entire world flashed red.
"Sonic!" Amy leaped to him, but as he went to catch her, the ground between them split apart.
"SONIC!" she called out, holding her hands out before gripping her side of the earth.
"Amy!" Sonic outstretched an arm, before looking around at all the error boards that were suddenly popping up everywhere.
"A virus?"
"A HACKER!" Tails flew in his X-Tornado, "Sonic, look out!"
Sonic suddenly saw his code flying everywhere, "Tails!" he reached out, but his body was flung upwards, towards the screens of the sky, as one square flickered into existence, grinning wickedly down as Dr. Hope's face came into view.
"Eggman!"
"That's 'Animator' to you!"
"What are you… erk!"
Sonic struggled in the air, but felt himself spreading his arms out, his legs tightening down, "What is this!?"
The eggmans laughed, but you could only hear Dr. Hope's girly chuckle.
"Who-hohoho! You see!" she lifted a pointer finger up.
"By now having complete and total control of the new game, I'll be making some… revisions~ so to speak… and that will mean I get to control you and your pathetic little friends!"
"No!"
"Oh, yes!"
In a girly squeal, Dr. Hope's body suddenly started to type in coding and Sonic was forced to comply.
"Attack your beloved friends, Sonic! Let's make this game one heck of ride!"
"T-…Tails…" Sonic couldn't fight the programming, as he flung around and his Super Mode was activated in his coding, his body turning yellow as he started to dive down and attack them.
"HAHAHHAAHA!" Dr. Hope leaned her head back as she cried out more ridiculous, cartoony villain's laughter.
-Back in Japan-
Hoshi shook his head, holding his hands down and together by his sides. "You mean… you're…?"
"Like them." Sophie sighed, and looked to the computer. "It's a blessing I'm still, technically, working for SEGA or none of this would be possible…" she turned back to Hoshi. "I'm sorry, Hoshi-san. Do you think I've meddled to much with the affairs of Sonic and his friends?" she looked guilty, as if this was somehow her fault.
"Are you joking?" Hoshi leaned forward on his chair, moving to the edge of it, trying to comfort her as he turned to a soothing manner of speech. "Hope-san, you have single-handedly stopped Sonic's dramatic overload of self-pity and doubt. You have reunited lost data back into SEGA's hands. You took down Doctor Eggman using your new Animatronics systems, and you have never once quit on them… You were always there to battle for Sonic and his friends since the day you arrived in America, here, and anywhere else you may have gone too. Video Game characters look to you to speak for them when no one else seems to treat them like actual living beings. They may not breath like us, but they live very similarly. They like to eat. They like to sleep. They like to run around and help out the world where they can. They've got good hearts,… Sophie-chan." He suddenly became a bit more intimate, as her head looked up from nodding and listening to his comforts.
He looked square into her eyes, "You… are the Ambassador for Game Characters."
She smiled, but looked down again, gesturing her hands about as if she was taking it a little too lightly.
"Well, that's flattering and nice and all… but I'm no good while I'm in here." She watched as he looked to the screen, her code flying by as it was too much for the computer to compute.
"…I could learn so much about you through this…" he suddenly whispered, as she looked up again, and to the screen.
"…But it's a little unfair. All too unfair." He closed the program, lifting a finger and shutting it off.
He took a deep sigh then…. Before his eyes lit up.
"Hold on…" he got up, speedily, jumping to a higher employee's workspace in the back, having an actual room, and started opening his files.
"…Hoshi?" she got up, looking confused as she followed him in, peeking through the doorway. "What is it?"
"The Eggman's downloaded themselves into you! They used a system area code to do it! If one can take one in, then one can take one out!"
He fumbled with files before getting the right one out and slamming the paper down, digging through it as his tongue stuck out slightly between his lips, something he did when he was calculating and deep in thought.
"Hope!" he looked ecstatic, his hands shaking in the air a moment as he looked at crucial data frames.
"I found his figurative 'plug' for an off switch!"
"Off… switch?"
Jumping back inside the computer, Dr. Hope rallied the team, getting everyone to come together and listen to Hoshi's bright idea.
However…
"We just got a message from the Boom squad." Japanese Sonic opened the digital message, shaking it out as he read it. "The main cast are being manipulated by Dr. Hope's possessed body. She's hacked the game and shut down half the… woah! Half of the American district is closed off!"
"What?!" Dr. Hope walked more toward the letter, reading over him.
"I can't believe this! He's trying to get you fired!" Sonic turned around to Hope, "Do you know what this means?!"
"Yes…" Dr. Hope breathed deeply, looking up and terrified.
"If I'm disconnected from SEGA… my ability to remain an A.I here will be…" she gulped.
"Erased."
"It's impeding with your theories." Tails stepped forward, looking worriedly to her. "I've tried to figure out your method of making sense of all of us… I'm afraid there's more than one flaw to it…"
"I know." Dr. Hope turned away, moving a hand through her hair in great stress. "That's what happens when you're the only one that cares about this research… and funds it… and hires people to care with you." She lowered her hands to her sides, sudden anger forming inside her.
"But we have to try!" She turned around, "Hoshi's got a plan! If we can save SEGA of America, then we can do anything…"
The characters all seemed to nod in agreement, though they were surprised that the computer started virtualizing many other characters to the area.
"We're willing to lend our assistance." Blaze stepped forward, out of the pillar of blue light she emerged from.
Silver suddenly appeared to her side, as a mass of many, even obscure characters appeared, as long as they data stored somewhere in the system or in SEGA archives, they were there.
"The future of all of us are at stake… I have to protect my sons!" Silver raised his hand up in a tight, clenching fist. "As their original… and just as them in particular! I wouldn't stand around and let this all happen without lending my full strength!" he nodded, moving his fists to arc up in front of himself, narrowing his eyebrows to show how determined he was to aid them in their cause.
"Let's get that bad egg." Rouge waltzed up, hand on her hip, as she angled herself nicely to the side before letting her eyelids slide down.
"But honey, if we're gonna do this, we're gonna need to set some ground rules." She leaned forward, before moving more up towards her.
She batted her wings to make sure she was eye level with her.
"R-…Rules?" Dr. Hope stepped back as she was basically now in her face.
"Heh. I've never liked 4Ds… but I also don't hate them." Rouge admitted, turning to the other characters, "Most of the time, they agree too." She leaned away as Dr. Hope looked around at the many faces, all eyeing her, but willing to help.
"You stick with the characters that want you messing with their affairs. But keep us out of it!" She spun back to the ground and walked to Sonic, holding a hand out as she gestured it with a slight tap before pulling it back up and having her fingers touch the tip of her chin.
"Does that sound pretty pardonable to you?"
"Whatever you guys decided, it's not any of my concern." Sonic nodded, giving up the rights over them for a split second as Rouge nodded, and turned to the other characters.
"Who wants to infiltrate SEGA of America?" she held up her fists, daintily.
The characters all cheered.
-Back in America-
Amy was off to the side, her code forcing her massage Dr. Hope's feet, as she looked upset by this minuscule task and watching the screen where the Eggmans had taken the data for the new game and made an 'All hail Eggman' cutscenes out of it.
"BAHHAHAHA!" Dr. Hope laughed as she kicked her feet, almost hitting poor Amy underneath as she flung an arm up and leaned back to dodge it.
She was spraying popcorn everywhere, the whole of the company shut down and only her controlling it. The doors were trying to be smashed into by police, but she had hotwired the whole place and trashed it all within the time the Eggmans quickly took over and seemed to execute their plan as fast as possible.
They must have known they were going to be consequences if they were too slow…
"I love it when I WIN!" Dr. Hope shouted out, leaning forward and slamming her fists down on the armrest of the theater room, meant for viewing content for review and not released materials yet.
"OW!" she shook her hands up, and held them by her armpits. "Pain is ten times less durable here!" She complained, before getting up.
"Sooooniiiccc!" she shouted out, as the screen suddenly stopped the force out play, and he panted, trying to fight his code.
"I order you to… let's see…. Oohh! Juggle a thousands golfballs!" Her expression changed suddenly, as if a new Eggman took over the reins…
Suddenly, tons of golfballs fell towards Sonic, as he hurried tried to catch them and juggle them, looking ridiculous.
"No, no, no… that's not harsh enough… above a water abyss with swimming crocodiles and hedgehog-eating sharks!" she was wearing some odd, circle glasses that shined in the screen's reflection. A new Eggman once again seemed to push the other out of the way, and was now calling the shots.
They kept switching out and in, as Sonic was forced to do their bidding by his code…
"Sonic…" Amy looked to her hero with such sorrow in her eyes, knowing they were doomed if this continued.
"Hmmm…?" Dr. Hope raised an eyebrow, frowning as she looked down below her at Amy.
"Ehem!" she coughed into her hand as Amy looked up, shocked that the Eggmans had noticed her.
"Read to me once again, Amy. The plot of the new game!"
She sighed, pulling out the script. "Eggman takes over-"
"How much?"
"The… the whole world." She felt her heart drop, as Dr. Hope's voice, once perfectly friendly and cheery, was replaced with evil and mocking tones of scorn.
"And?!"
"Sonic… is ruined…" she looked up at the screen.
Through all the tasks he was given, he was still able to give her a slight glance from the screen.
"…He's mocked and scorned by his friends…" her eyes tear up, knowing that could never be the case.
"He's lost the ultimate battle… to the overlord and emperor of the new found universe… Eggman."
"HAHAHAHA!" Doctor Hope danced in delight, spinning around, "That's it! That's the story! Eggman Forces the greatest coup that's ever known! I now control SEGA! I now control Sonic! There's nothing in this world that isn't held by me!" she turned to Amy, pointing dramatically at her. "And you! Worthless, imbecile… all made it possible by your SELFISH passion for getting more significance in an already doomed main male lead. HA!" she pranced away, as Amy's heart felt it burst from deep within her.
Her eyes couldn't take it, letting the tears fall as she gripped her heart and lowered herself down, crying silently.
When Eggman had disappeared out of the room, getting other characters to do what he would, still controlling Dr. Hope's body, Sonic peered over the screen to the door, before rushing to the screen's edge, dropping all the tasks he was forced to do and holding each hand up to the screen.
"Amy!"
On his knees, he tried to speak out to her.
He banged his fists on the glass, "Dang it!" due to Eggman's restriction, he was forced to remain in the virtual world… while all his friends were out of it… still doing Eggman's pleasures through Dr. Hope's human body…
"He just wants to be human… that's what started this whole mess, not you!" he cried out, as Amy's soft sniffles suddenly stopped, looking up and wiping her tears from her eyes, turning to her still true hero.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Amy! He's always wanted a way for power and authority! Always wanted to be treated like one of them!"
She slowly rose up, walking weakly to the screen, and placing her hand on it.
None of them were allowed back into the virtual world either, to separate them from their only hope, and truly keep Sonic all alone…
Mayhem and Chaos… that's all Eggman wanted to bring.
With them all in America…
And the entire business being destroyed left and right…
Papers flew on the ground of floors…
Graffiti ordered by Eggman of his logo all over the walls…
Tables flipped over and machines smashed into…
How would the company ever survive this?
"Amy…"
Amy looked up back at him, and pushed her forehead to the screen, closing her eyes in her grief.
"He's really won… hasn't he, Sonic?"
Sonic frowned, hearing her crying again.
His eyebrows arched forward, not sure what to say to that as he looked away a moment, down, and back at her.
"No."
She turned her head.
"He hasn't."
He put a hand to his heart… as data sprang from it.
"Not when I still have this."
She looked up, and through the blur of her glossy eyes, was shocked to see that the data was…
"That's…"
"It's still my heart, Amy. He hasn't replaced what we've gained."
He closed it off and put his hand back to where her hands were, even through the screen, he could see her slightly laugh and smile.
"…Amy…" he softly spoke again, "I still can love you."
"He can't make me not love you."
Amy shook her head, and kissed the screen.
He chuckled, obviously unable to receive it, but understanding the gesture as he leaned back, and then gently let his forehead touch where she pressed her lips too…
"Oh, how sentimental."
In shock, the two spun around to the door.
"AMY!" Sonic shouted, seeing Dr. Hope take out a tablet and force Amy to her knees.
"Good point, Sonic. How can I fully rid all joy and happiness from you if I haven't even tampered with your little girlfriend?"
"Eggman! Stop this!" Sonic looked to see her code spiraling around, her body flinching in pain as she slightly arced her back and seemed to slightly curl as he forced the data out of her, having it in plain sight to be fiddled with.
"I'll never forgive you for this… EGGMAN!"
"It's no use~" Dr. Hope flipped a leg up, "I'm going to take everything from you, Sonic! Even your new found love for her!" she pointed down to Amy, "And her only objective in life! Without her purpose, she'll be a lost, stranded, GLITCHING code of worthless data bits! Constructed for what? Nothing but utter-!" she clicked a button, as all the data in her was highlighted.
"NOOO!" Sonic spun into the screen multiple times, but nothing worked!
"Miserable-!" a message appeared, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DELETE ALL DATA FROM EXISTENCE?
"EGGMAN! YOU'LL KILL HER!"
"I'll leave her as a vegetable for you to look at! Remembering you're worst loss yet!"
His finger went for the 'accept conditions' button.
"AMMMMYY!" he ducked his head down, screaming with every bit of his being…
System deletion…. Complete.
Amy's eyes were cold and lifeless, her frame was still in tact as he only had erased her soul, her personality, everything that she was or ever will be...
She was motionless on the ground,… she didn't blink, she didn't stimulate breath,…
Nothing.
"Whohoho! Now, get up my little zombie! I want fresh, virtual cookies!"
Dr. Hope did a little dance as she walked away, as Amy slowly got up, Sonic falling to his hands and knees, feeling the threat of tears on his face.
Amy walked as if without meaning, without conviction,… there was nothing left inside of her.
"Not again…" Sonic fell to his side, curling up slightly as he gripped his head…
"I lost her again…"
"Not quite."
"Shadow?"
Sonic looked up, seeing a figure coming from the other side of the theater.
"Wait…" he squinted his eyes, wiping them and then getting up, taking a breath to try and shake himself out of it, but unable to lose that awful, gripping feeling of total loss.
He wasn't human… of course he couldn't possibly understand…
But he did understand losing data… and having it replaced with another data…
He had just learned to accept this new Amy as his Amy, and now…
I know now… that any Amy who tries to love… will find my same fate… A-an-an-and perish… to their curse… of loving Sonic The Hedgehog.
"Sonic, snap out of it."
Sonic shook his head, remembering something Amy had told him about the glitch…
And what she had spoken.
"Shadow… is it true?"
Shadow raised an eyebrow, not used to seeing Sonic so defeated.
He climbed back to the screen, and hung his head low as his arms rose above him to grip the screen.
"…Am I unlovable? Cursed to bring this fate to anyone I ever decide to be close with?"
He remained silent, before turning to something or someone in the darkness behind him.
"I think he's lost it. Should we just scrap him all together?"
"Haha, very funny."
Sonic rose his head up, amazed to hear his voice again.
Unable to tell data apart through the screen, he bit his teeth down, and glared at his image who cockily smirked as he walked up to him.
"So? Eggman decided to recreate you, did he?" His voice was full of threat, but the other Sonic shook his head, shrugging.
"Eggmans made a lot of fakes,… hasn't he?" he walked up to the screen, placing his hands on his hips and then leaning forward, still that same signature smile on his face.
"Lucky for you… it's good that I'm not one of them."
"Sonic!"
"Hope?"
American Sonic looked up, as Japanese Sonic turned away and let her through, winking to American Sonic before running with Japanese Shadow away.
Hope leaned against the screen, "Oh my gosh! What has he done with you!? With everyone? With the whole place?!" she looked at the popcorn scattered everywhere and the new stains on the chairs and floors.
"He's a monster!"
"Hope! We have to find backup data for Amy!" American Sonic shouted out, still pressed up against the glass, "We can't let her die like this!"
"Die..?" Hope hadn't seen anything, neither anyone from Japan.
Outside, there was a massive war going on, where each Original fought their 'son' or 'daughter' as they tried to get to Eggman.
"No good, we need a way to get to Eggman. And even then, we need a way touch a 4D." Wave spun around and smashed her electrical attack into her American 'daughter' before turning back to Jet.
"Heh. I'll tell the loser." Jet nodded, smirking as he saw his 'son' get on his air gear. "What's this? Think you can defeat me just cause you ARE me? We'll see about that!"
Japanese Sonic was with his Knuckles and Tails, as they protected him from on-coming attacks as he went to find the location of Eggman and Dr. Hope's body.
"Sonic!"
Turning around, they stopped running and searching as they saw Jet slide the corner, and his American 'son' slam into the wall adjacent.
He looked back, and shook his head, "And you're suppose to be my equivalent clone?"
He got off the air gear and ran to slow his speed, stopping in front of Sonic and taking his goggles off. "Bad news, Sonic. Wave just thought of a dead-end." He gestured the air-gear towards him. "Apparently, even if we find the blasted girl's body, we're still powerless to get Hoshi's idea going without being able to physically hold her down." He raised a hand up and tightened it, before letting it go to show that the Japanese characters, although in a SEGA building, still couldn't touch anything real without it owning to SEGA.
"She's still an employee, isn't she?" Sonic spoke back, but Tails looked down, thinking a moment, putting his hand up to his chin.
"Hmm… no, she's right. Wave's made a good point." Tails looked to Sonic. "She's under marketing and counseling now, right? But with all that's Eggmans done, and no one knowing it's him controlling her.."
"They've probably already got the paperwork for more than just firing her. Have you seen the SWAT team out there?"
He gestured a thumb back behind him, "I highly doubt any of those men still believe in Sonic." He spat out, 'pfft'ing at that idea.
"…Hmm.." Sonic looked down, realizing the situation. "Do we have any employees left?" He turned to Jet, before a closet kicked down, and three men and one girl stepped out, all holding brooms, mobs, and some plungers.
"They said… there wouldn't be an Armageddon." One man bravely spoke up, his Japanese pretty horrid, but good enough to get what he wanted to say out. "But the apocalypse with zombies or the robot rebellion is basically the same thing."
"How long have they been in there!?" Knuckles gestured, completely confused as the one who was speaking bad Japanese stepped forward.
"Mr. Japanese Sonic. We've heard a bit from rumors about all this mess, but we're still not sure on the specifics…" He bowed politely before speaking again, gripping his broom. "H-however! If you need a human to assist you in taking down Dr. Hope… whose… being controlled by Eggman?" he leaned his head back, not sure how to translate what they were saying about that.
"Close enough." Sonic smiled, and walked towards them. "Are you brave warriors ready to help me take down Eggman and stop him from ruining your jobs here at SEGA of America?" he smiled and looked to each of them.
"…All I heard was America." The girl looked to the boys, who the other two shrugged as the leader up front let out a fanboy cry of joy.
"We're gonna help Sonic defend the world!" he lifted his broom up.
"Yay!" the boys shouted out, but the girl looked confused.
"Wait, we're just gonna believe the robot!?" she gestured to Sonic, who stopped to shift his eyes to the men.
"…Well… He's Sonic." One guy stated, as the other two nodded in agreement.
"If he wanted to rule the world, he wouldn't have come first to America. They have strong opinions on his games, after all." The other boy shrugged.
"Wouldn't that make it even more a target?" She leaned forward, but her skepticism wasn't working on them, as they shook their heads and turned to their translating leader.
"Tell him we'll do what he wants!"
"Excellent!" Sonic spoke English, raising a thumbs up and winking to them in his signature way. "Let's go!"
The boys all squealed while the girl rolled her eyes.
Dr. Hope was sitting in the old CEO office, ripping valuable papers to shreds one by one, humming Eggman's tune before Sonic and the team bust the door down with the help of the four employees, they all entered, ready to battle…
"…Hmm? What's this? Stragglers?" Dr. Hope got up out of her chair, and had badniks all around her, hanging from the ceiling or on top of desks.
When Dr. Hope saw Sonic out of the screen, she suddenly widened her eyes and slammed her hands on the desk. "BUT HOW!? That's impossible! How'd you escape from your coding!?"
"It's not cause of Amy or anything." Japanese Sonic folded his arms, looking pretty cocky as he made that joke. "But I'll assure you, for what you've apparently done to her, my son's gonna make sure you never see the light of day again…"
"Son..? Ah!" Suddenly, an Eggman must of switched as she gripped her head. With the eggmans out of the virtual world, they couldn't sense the data difference, and so the waves he usually sent out through signals weren't effecting them now.
"It's him! It's the Original Sonic The Hedgehog!" she bit her nails, turning away as she lifted a leg up as if needing to pee.
"Quiet! All of you! We're fine as long as we're in this body!" Another Eggman must have taken over because she switched back into an aggressive stance, shouting at nothing but looking to the side of her, before grinning calmly and putting her hands together.
"Now then, I'm sure we can come to some… arrangements?"
"Sorry, Eggy… but with all the damage you've done.. especially screwing up the game and even more so… deleting Amy…. There's no better justice then what's coming to ya." Japanese Sonic suddenly took on a new tone, before he turned to the employees.
"Hold her down!"
"Go, go, go!" The leader charged as the girl stopped the boys.
"Hold on!" she stood in front of her, as Dr. Hope pulled her face back in fright and ducked behind the table, peeking out.
"It's a girl!" she stated, as the men looked awkwardly to eachother.
"…That's means go for the legs and the arms, I'll get the no-no box."
The men suddenly nodded and charged like a football squad, but being nerds, they had to collectively overpower her with all their masses.
The tackle only sent out a small shrill from Dr. Hope, before the girl laid across her belly and the men took on arms and legs.
Japanese Tails took the laptop, able to touch it, and pushed it against Dr. Hope's face.
"With the force of the Originals, you're going down, Egghead!" He shouted out, as the laptop turned blue.
"NOO! This is impossible! I barely had a struggle!"
"But you've done enough." Japanese Sonic included, and nodded as Tails downloaded the Eggmans own data of how they got her and sent them all to a flashdrive.
Then, Hoshi caught the signal of that download from Japan, and started to activate a code sequence that forced the Eggmans into a deep freeze…. Shutting them to be powerless as they all swarmed the flashdrive and were frozen in blue ice…
The flashdrive's contents was uploaded to an email and Hoshi sent back frozen Boom Eggman and American Eggman, but sealed away Japanese Eggman and Classic Eggman in a hyper-coded file, one that could only be opened through inserting the flashdrive with the data to unlock it on it, and even then…
They needed Hoshi to unwrite the coding.
Dr. Hope's body was free for Dr. Hope to return too… but as she tried, she only had her body phase through it.
"What do I do now?" she looked worriedly to Tails.
"Jump in." Tails held the computer up to her. "It's blank anyway, it should hold enough data at a time to get all of you back through. That decompressing wasn't saved, the original you is still you. I hope you don't mind my methods…"
"No, you're fine." She waved it off, after all… What was the proper method for re-downloading someone's consciousness back into their brain?
She materialized in the computer, felt the tingles she thought was only a joke by Sonic, and suddenly…
Dr. Hope's eyes flickered open.
"She's regained consciousness!" an employee went to bonk her head with his plunger.
"NO! It's the right one! Don't-!" he struggled to reach up and keep the nasty object away from her head.
Dr. Hope groaned, blinking her eyes a bit and moving her head around.
She gripped her forehead, feeling the massive headache, and not wanting to think before finally speaking a moment.
"If I… find one Eggman tattoo on my body… I'll delete him."
It was official, the game was to officially be called, 'Sonic Forces' after the teamwork portrayed by every character in the series coming together to help a real person out.
Due to the expenses… however, SEGA of Japan, convinced by Japanese Sonic of Dr. Hope's innocence, didn't press charges and instead, moved the American division to L.A, permanently…
Leaving for good, the characters and anything that could be preserved were sent to L.A… as Sonic gripped Amy by her side, keeping her close as he helped her into her flashdrive…
There wasn't much to download…. Anymore…
Japanese Sonic was asked to call him, but American Sonic wanted nothing to with it.
Finally, landing in L.A, SEGA of America heard of a leak online where the whole story was published, and the news got wind of it.
They worked quietly and secretly on the new game, and finally brought the news down before it went any further on the internet. But because of the reputation already existing from previous times… they were forced to hold back Sonic Mania until they were sure the Eggmans didn't do anything to it as well.
Dr. Hope missed Hoshi… but at the current moment, was more worried about Sonic… and Amy…
"So you see, that wasn't me." In a meeting, the marketing chairmen and his associates all stood with arms crossed, not wanting to affiliate with some ridiculous notion as 'was possessed by a fictional character'.
"I can't believe they brought you back." A man stated, getting up and grabbing his work suitcase, walking out of the room.
Sophie shook her head down, and looked up as she leaned on the table, standing firm. "Look. I love this company, okay? I've spent a long time with it! I know characters can assume a Will, then Heart and Life to get to be seeable by true fans or even employees! Just cause you can't, is not my problem. But after everything that happened, do you really think SEGA would have let me say if I was lying to you!?"
The people looked oddly to one another.
"I have an idea, and I'd like to present it. I'll work with you, learn from you, and I'm so sorry for- …. What's this?"
There was a present on the side of her folder-holder.
"…We thought,… since that must have been a pretty big… traumatic experience for you… that you may desire a little… something." A woman spoke up, as she picked the box up, looking to them all.
Opening it up, it was a Tails keychain, and she smiled, realizing that some of them did believe.
She wiped her eyes and placed the keychain in her pocket. "Thank you. He's… ehem… he's my favorite." She flicked her nose to try and remain professional, and continued her lecture as she had planned to before being possessed.
Because the game wasn't fully able to be fixed, half of Eggman's storyline got through in the game, but the rest was edited and fully turned to a true Sonic game, and Sonic not looking half as ridiculous as before.
Being forced to sit and skype Japan wasn't what Sonic was hoping for, but the main director insisted, due to his performances and lack of interaction with the staff.
His usual attitude was gone, he was like a shell of a man, and they needed that fixed, proto.
"…You okay?"
The cheery voice from the speaker came on, and he nearly smashed his hands into his face just to avoid it.
"NO." he admitted, and looked away.
"Hmm…" A long sigh came from the skype call, as Japanese Sonic looked a bit concerned.
"…This is the second time you've lost her and had to accept the next one… right?"
"You don't get." American Sonic shook his head, kicking the table. "None.. of.. us… can get it!" he got up and threw the chair out of his way.
"America!" Japanese Sonic called for him, as he stopped and turned around.
"You.. all of us… are TRAPS." He stated, boldly, gesturing to the world around him, as if stating every Sonic was included in this.
Japanese Sonic bent his head down, but kept concerned eyes on American Sonic.
He gripped his head, his guilt swarming him.
"You never had to truly say goodbye to Rosy… she's still part of your Amy. I had to watch the 1 from Amy's code fade into nothing! I had to WATCH as Eggman used Dr. Hope to delete everything Amy was! I've experienced… forever death… TWICE." He slammed his fist into the table, having it twitch as Japanese Sonic closed his eyes, remaining calm.
"And worst of all… I … I was powerless to save her… each time." He squinted his eyes shut, before his legs gave out and he gripped the edge of the table, leaning on it for support as he felt his new data take over…
He tried to hide the glossy eyes from his Original, not wanting him to see his weakness or his grief swarm him out of the norm…
But it was too late.
He ducked his head down, "WHY!? WHY US!? We're suppose to save Amy! It's part of who we are!" he pushed the table away from him, having the laptop shake as Japanese Sonic 'woah!'d from the other side, as if seeing the screen rock and feeling the need to emote it.
"Calm down! Let's talk about this-!"
"I'm through with talking! I'm through with accepting a new Amy and with loving only to have that love taken away! What more can they do to us, Japan!? What more can they give and take!?" He bent down and let himself cry, something he wasn't willing to do before.
"…Kid…"
"I don't need your sympathy…" he shoved the desk away again, getting ready to leave.
"I lost one too! It's empathy! But because we still have her data, you can't truly lose her!"
American Sonic shook his head, slowly raising it up to the ceiling.
"…I don't want anymore…" he admitted… his voice soft and barely audible.
"I can't take it…" he put an arm over his eyes. "I can't… I can't keep failing her like this." He wiped his nose and then stood still, as if his legs wouldn't let him move.
"…Sonic… you know you love her."
He clenched his teeth, shaking his head more and more as his hand came up, catching some tears that were falling, facing away from the screen that was tilted a little at an angle away from him on the desk, anyway.
His grief so great… he almost saw how Japanese Sonic would take data away from himself.
"I can't… I don't want backup data! I want Amy! I want her to be safe, and happy, and…"
"Loved?"
"…I don't know anymore…" he shook his head, "I can't … I can't keep being the reason she…"
"Dies?"
American Sonic lowered his head.
"…I'm gonna be really… real with you." Japanese Sonic began, holding a hand up to the screen, lower and below his muzzle.
"She can't DIE. She's not even real."
American Sonic seemed to lose all feeling then, looking up from his misery at the door.
"We're not even… this new 'love' initiative? It's not real! Love's not real! We can't have real things!" Japanese Sonic spoke very clearly, as his words were harsh but the truth in them resounded.
"Now,… you can either feel gloom and doom all about that small,… but significant fact… or you can do what you should have done in the first place. Make. Her. Feel. Loved." He stared at the screen, before he finally saw American's head move, as if listening to him.
"You can at least do her that favor. You know why? Because for the first time in my virtual existence… I feel peace. I feel like… it's so fake… it's real. It's real to me. And thereby, it's real to you."
American Sonic turned around, looking defeated as he knew what Japan was saying was true.
"Guess what? Making Amy happy… It actually makes me happy. Simulated or not? That has some value to me. She's been hurting just as much as you, you know. She feels it's her responsibility to save her 'daughters' all over the world too, and she feels like she's failing. But you both don't get-" he suddenly turned a little aggressive. "Is that both of you have learned what it truly means to lose something… and I threw those emotions away…"
His voice cracked suddenly.
American Sonic looked up to his 'father', the original Sonic of them all, and suddenly saw him…
Breaking his façade.
"I've been selfish…. For so many years…" he dipped his head away from the screen, sniffing.
It wasn't like the Original to be like this in front of others, but it was amazing that for a split second, he let his new data take the reins.
"But you two… you face your grief head on… you've gained… more than strength… but perceptive in life's struggles and challenges that are so vastly different from real life… and yet,.. so similar."
"…" American Sonic stared at the screen, his eyes still full of sorrow, but finally gaining some deeper respect for his Original, seeing that he wasn't the only one who let the new data take over him.
"…It's great to choose." Japanese Sonic suddenly stated, "It's great to have that choice… what a blessing."
"Blessing?" American Sonic smiled, cocking an eyebrow up. "Why a blessing?"
"Because let's be practical for a moment here." He grinned, looking up at the screen as he motioned his hands up from the keyboard, being humorous as he usually was again, and chuckling slightly. "We need all the luck we can get."
The two smiled and chuckled one with another, even going deeper by letting out steam and stress through cackling a better, more sincere laughter with each other.
"You should introduce yourself." Japan finally spoke up.
"…Yeah… Yeah, after two tries…" America lifted his head, wiping his quills back. "I'll get it right this time."
He winked to the screen, "Thanks dad."
"And comfort your son!" the Original Sonic leaned up, ready to close the laptop, "He's been freakin' out since you moved from San Francisco!"
"You're accent hilarious."
"I would say your face is hilarious, but that'd be counter-productive." He teased, and then nodded, "See ya, kid."
The two parted as Boom Amy was talking with the new Amy, showing her around as Sonic had to brace himself, remembering that she wasn't 'New' but just had a few days missing, days that were probably better not to mention…
He reached a hand forward… before that curse came back into his mind.
He felt around his chest for data… something that would be right in this situation.
Within the new data… a path opened up.
He felt a peace come over him, and let out a soft breath before smiling and walking up to her.
"Hello, Amy!" he cheerily stated.
American Amy turned around, her happiness at seeing him had a double effect on him. Relief… and misery mixed for the first time.
Her wide smile was still soft and beautiful… she was very pretty.
This time, it looks like they upgraded her for the new game, and he liked the definition on this one…
She went to embrace him, and he opened his arms to welcome it.
After a tight hug, he gripped her closer to him, as Boom Amy could suddenly see his true heart seeping out from his face… and her smile faded to one of more understanding… though Sonic hoped she'd never have to experience what this feeling truly meant.
He pulled Amy away after a moment, and tried to seem normal.
"Welcome home." He almost choked up, "Ames, do you mind?" he actually used Boom Amy's nickname, something she wasn't used too.
"Oh, S..Sure!" Boom Amy was startled as she gestured for him to lead the way, and watched as Sonic showed American Amy the way around, the new, tinier spot they had for L.A, and kept reassuring her that the future game was going to be like nothing they've ever experienced before!
Watching a scene of them together, Amy leaned into Sonic shoulder, yawning.
"You tried?"
"A little~" she cooed, humming the word at the end as she started to fall asleep.
"Yeah… this part was always boring, anyway." He was about to skip the scene before she glared and pouted up at him.
He chuckled, winking down at her as if submissively stating 'Joking! Sorry.' As she smiled and looked back at the screen, cuddling up close to him.
"…Do you think they'll like it?"
"Like what?" he asked.
"….Us?"
She looked up at him.
Code soared in his new data as he slowly lowered the controller, and looked deep into her emerald green eyes as he registered how close he was to her.
How close she was to him.
"Yeah, well.. they better!" Sonic put the control down beside him and picked up the remote, turning the game and t.v… all distractions.. off.
"Because they're gonna have to get used to it." He smirked her way, as she grinned, and leaned up.
It was a sweet, over his shoulder kiss, before the two faded into data bits that slowly floated and made their way into the game console…
Wonder what they're doing in there..?
(Yeah, I killed her again xD Did I make it all better, though? XD Sorry for the rushing writing, but It's been hard to write lately… I hope you'll understand :') )