As the sun flew across the sky well into the afternoon, clouds began to multiply into a large blanket of gray. Thunder arose and sparks of lightning stormed down from above. Each bolt leaves a loud bang. So loud that it abruptly interrupted a young fox's sleep. He jumped up and startled his T-pup from the noise. After a few moments of hesitation and recollection, he realized where he was and what he was doing. His right ear perks up upon hearing some kind of beeping nearby. He investigates the source of the noise and finds out it was from his computer. It found something!
The screen showed a small mapped area with a circle pinpointing a location. It read…
[UNUSUAL ACTIVITY DETECTED]
Freezing Temperatures Detected - 2 Degrees Celsius below 0
Extremely Low Energy Levels Detected - Unable To Identify Source
Indeterminate Lifeform Readings - Possibility Of Life 62%
This made Tails' fur immediately stand up. He reanalyzed the data at least 3 times before he actually accepted it. This was it…
"If these calculations are correct, she's here. I found her! I just hope I'm not too late. Come on, T-pup!"
He bolted out of his tent with his bag and Miles Electric Computer in hand along with his companion into the now raining outdoors. Ignoring the rain that now soaked his fur, he journeyed through the rubble and earth to find where he needed to be. He ran past walls, destroyed buildings, and abandoned paths all the while avoiding obstacles that would be in his way.
He looked back down to his Miles Electric which indicated he was almost on top of it. He looked around and saw some debris of sorts on top of some kind of cellar. There was something extruding from the ground underneath and it was made of metal instead of stone.
"This has to be it! T-pup, do you think you could give me a hand with this debris?"
"Arf! Arf!" the companion yelped as he began digging with its paws.
At first, it looked like he was just digging like a normal dog. However, the digging was actually for an attempt at finding an opening underneath the rubble. All the while Tails attempts to shift the heavy rocks off the pile that was blocking the doors to his long lost mother. After one falls, he does the same to others. Once the densest materials were removed, the light weight scrap wood started to jolt. He removed a few planks from the pile and his T-pup's head pops with a smile.
"Arf! Arf!" He barked.
"Great work!" Tails exclaimed.
After a few more scraps of wood were thrown away, the entrance to the cryo-chamber was revealed. At first, it looked to be a simple cellar or a tornado shelter. When he pulled the doors open, it didn't lead to any storm shelter. It led to a long and dark stairwell that was so dark you couldn't see anything inside clearly with its half illuminated arctic blue lights.
"Well, here goes nothing…"
He took his first steps down the stars and his companion followed. After a few steps down the stairs, the doors behind them shut loudly. It startled both the fox and the robot pet. They continued down and the squish and squeaks from his soaked shoes and socks became more dominant over the pounding rain from above. The same could be said about the heat. As he went down, the heat began to disappear with the freezing air. The fox's breath freezes into a cloud of mist as he exhales. They definitely found where they needed to be.
Soon, they reached the bottom and came across a large room with a single door ahead of them. They both slowly approached the door and a blast door slammed shut from above. T-pup was almost crushed but only a tiny piece of his tail was caught by the door. It snapped from the force and a yelp escaped T-pups voicebox.
"T-Pup!"
He knelt down and checked him up. Seeing the damage was slightly only cosmetic, he sighed in relief.
"It's alright, I can fix that later." He looked up to the blast door blocking their only way back. "Looks like this wall is made out of titanium, it doesn't seem to be affected by the ice so much. Pretty secure to protect a facility like this but it looks like the only way to get out of this room now0 is through that door."
He stood up and approached the door. Next to it, an electric baseplate with a screen to the right. It displayed different buttons with encrypted numbers and letters. None of them made any sense, what could they mean? There were a few in one corner but a couple large ones in the center. Without knowing what they mean or how this system is set up, it wasn't safe to just press any random button. However, the only way out was through this door. There was no other choice, he had to act.
He raised his right hand and pressed one of the center buttons which played an audible sound in response. It sounded like it was the wrong one to press. He hesitated but attempted another button. Same sound.
"Enter Authorization Code."
Tails jumped back at the sudden voice. Who was that?
"Hello? Is someone there?"
"Please Enter Authorization Code." The voice repeated.
The voice sounded calm and gentle. It wasn't long before Tails realized it wasn't coming from a person, but the panel itself. It was like a lady's voice instead of the harsh robotic ones he's heard since fighting Eggman.
He attempted to use the panel again only to hear the same noise as before.
"Unable To Comply. Invalid Clearance." The computer announced.
What did he expect? He was trying to break into a secret cryogenic chamber without any authorization. If this were under normal circumstances, he would've been caught by guards and hauled away to a jail cell.
"I don't have clearance. Maybe I could hack into it with my M.E."
He pulled out his Miles Electric and began to wirelessly connect and break down the firewalls of the computer. However, he was not expecting the reverse order. The moment he tried to hack into the computer, Alarms blared and his M.E. was the one hacked instead.
"Attempted Compromise Of Security Systems Detected."
Then, a force field surrounded him and his companion. It was invisible but if he touched it, he would be shocked.
"Initiating Security Scan."
A beam of light emitting from the panel scanned Tails' body up and down.
"Identify Yourself." The computer spoke with authority.
"Uh, Tails?"
"Identity Not Recognized."
"Miles?"
"Identity Not Recognized."
Tails sighed, "Miles Prower?"
"Identity Confirmed. Level 6 Administrative Access Granted."
The alarms and scanner ceased, the forcefield dropped, and the door unlocked and opened. The blast door behind them even raised back into the ceiling.
"Administrative Access?" Tails spoke softly, "Why would I have admin access?"
He looked to his robot companion who tilted his head in confusion. They both pushed past the door and entered into the chamber before them.
At first, everything was dark as before. Then, one by one, beams of light illuminate cylindrical pods big enough for a person. Each one was encased with metal but had glass in the front to view anyone inside them. As the lights flickered on, they began to see how big the chamber really was. There must've been room for at least a couple hundred people. However, each one they passed by was empty and out of power. As they trekked, some lights began to shutter or burn out entirely. This was setting off a few red flags in Tails' head. Faulty equipment is no joke, especially for a chamber in a town in this condition. He had to find what he was looking for and fast. He gained speed in his walk every tube they passed, almost turning into a full on sprint down the halls trying to find one that was occupied.
After running out of stamina from running for minutes on end, the young fox had to stop and catch his breath. He nearly dropped to the floor but managed to stay on his knees. His hand was placed on the cryotube next to him to keep himself upright. His loyal companion beside him attempted to help as well. His breathing was rapid and heavy.
"There... There's got to be another way… then just… running all around this place. It's… too big… and too cold… Why didn't I just hack the computer again after I got access-"
Then, an idea popped into his head.
"The Computer! Of course! Maybe I could try to use it to find her. I don't want to hack it but maybe I could access it somehow… Computer!"
Audible sounds of the computer chirping responded to the call.
"How many people are in these pods?"
"1, According To The Current Manifest."
He paused for a moment,
"Who?"
"Rosemary Prower."
He froze, his fur stood up. His eyes wide open in hesitation.
"She's here?"
"Affirmative."
"Where!?" He quickly yelled.
"Section 3, Cryopod 34. Approximately .6 Meters From Your Current Location."
"That's so close… Where could she-..." He paused, the realization kicked in so hard he almost didn't believe it.
He turned his head around and looked closely at the glass. Then, wiped the ice and condensation off to reveal the occupant inside. Inside, lay a woman fox Mobain sleeping in an ice cold pod. She was a spitting image of Tails only her fur was slightly more brown than golden. She looked calm as she slept while she wore a dark jade dress. However, her beauty was tarnished by splotches of blood scattered around most of the tears and holes in her dress. The blood reminded him of what Aleena told of the past and a sense of urgency kicked in.
"I've got to get her out. Where's my medkit?"
He scrambled into his bag, grabbing anything medical related and tossing it onto the ground carefully. Anything that needed to be kept sterile was left in the bag until it was needed. Now all that was left to do was to open the pod. There were no controls on the base of the pod and he had no knowledge on how to use this system at all. It was nothing like his or Eggman's OS.
"Computer, Open the pod."
A distorted beep caught his ears as the computer began to speak.
"Unable To Comply."
"Why not?!"
"Damage To Cryopod. Reanimation Procedure Is Not Recommended."
"Damage? Maybe I can repair it! I can use my tools and-"
Before he could pull out his diagnostic tools, the entire chamber rumbled with the sounds of failing machinery and the lights began to flicker and temporarily fail. A new low toned alarm blared as the power failed, startling the fox.
"Warning. Power Failure In Progress. Power Failure In Sections 2, 5, 9, and 10."
Power failures? How badly damaged was this place?
"Explain power failure."
"Insufficient Power To Maintain Life Support. Primary Power Is Offline, Auxiliary Power Damaged And Offline, Emergency Power Failing."
Another power loss swept the area and this time nearly threatened Rosemary's pod but its power levels were still stable.
"Warning. Emergency Power At 18% And Falling. Estimated Time to Power Failure, 45 Minutes."
"Fixing the pod won't do anything good if the power fails! Computer! Where is the nearest power station?"
"Primary Junction 15, Section 3."
"Could you guide me there?"
Emergency lights flashed on which illuminated a path of red towards where he needed to go. He blasted off with his tools and his T-pup bolted after him. This was the final step to save her and there was no time to lose. He must do this at all costs!
It was dark inside the pod. The only thing that gave light were the controls that should've steered them into an open field but instead it led into a cliff face. The crash caused a few boulders to fall and cover the pod. Essentially, they were trapped inside and with no way to call for help. Sonic was trying to break open the hatch with his feet but it wasn't budging. Silver and Blaze were huddled next to each other on the other side from him. Blaze was huddling in a fetal position attempting to gain warmth but something felt off. She was starting to feel warmth in most areas but she still hasn't regained feeling in others.
She found it hard to breathe, felt weak, and cold. Then, a strong stinging sensation in her right wrist became dominant over any other feeling in her body. It felt as if it was burning without the use of her power. However, when she raised her hand, she saw nothing wrong. No cuts, scratches, or blood coming from it but for some reason she couldn't move the fingers on that hand. Carefully, she reached for the end of the glove cloth and pulled it up slowly. What she saw underneath troubled her deeply. The skin of her hand under her fur was an awful shade of purple-ish black. The glove was removed entirely and all of her hand was the same shade.
"Silver… Silver?" She called but he was completely unconscious.
"S-Sonic!" She yelled.
At the call, he stopped his efforts and ran to her.
"What's wrong?"
"M-my hand…"
She showed him her hand and Sonic's face almost went white.
"We've got to get you out of here, Now!"
He jumped into a spindash and attempted to rip the metal door off! However, these pods were made to withstand anything in case of an emergency. He can't break through and he is already in a weakened state from Eggman's little plan. He collapsed on the floor in defeat and groaned loudly.
"Oh, COME ON!"
When all hope was lost, a loud thud caught everyone's ears. A second later, another loud thud.
"Hey!" Sonic yelled, "In here!"
Noises in what sounds like drilling and sounds of rocks being thrown could be heard from outside. Who found them? Was it Tails? Knuckles? Amy? Who?
After the noises ceased, there was nothing but silence. Then, the hatch unlocks, or ripped off, and the hatch opens to the bright sunny sky. The light blinds everyone for a moment as someone enters with them. Sonic tries to see who it was as his eyes adjust to the light. First, he noticed that this person was holding some kind of tool. Then, a long cloak and a mask with a bright light. When he fully opened his eyes, he recognized the silent wolf mercenary and her ring-tailed lemur friend.
"Whisper? Tangle? Where have you guys been?"
"Mission." Whisper whispered.
"What are you three doing in an Eggman escape pod?" Tangle asked.
"Long story but right now Silver and Blaze need help. Do you think you could get them to a hospital? I've got to warn the others."
"Warn them of what? Does it have something to do with the message that told us where you were?" The lemur questioned.
"Message? What message are you-"
Sonic was cut off from finishing his sentence by a strange sound rapidly approaching their location. Then, the wind became stronger as well. Anything loose like leaves scattered across the air. One look outside revealed a small craft headed their way.
"Their message!" Tangle screamed over the noise.
The craft landed and the wind died down. The craft itself looked to be rectangular with a rounded point on the front, square engines in the back, and red lines on the sides with the name "Freedom" along with "NX-01." A hatch on the side hissed and opened to reveal other Mobians inside. One brown fox and a grey dog mobian were the only crew inside. They wore uniforms as well.
"Who are they?" Sonic exclaimed.
"Sonic Hedgehog?" The fox called out.
The blue hedgehog nodded.
"We're here to escort you to the medical facility via shuttlepod. The previous communique was compromised to lead you into Robotnik's trap."
"Yeah, I kinda got that part. Look, you need to take them."
He pointed to Silver and Blaze still sitting inside.
"They need medical attention. I've got to warn the others."
The fox shook his head,
"Can't do that, My orders are to escort you and-"
"You don't understand what's coming! Eggman has got something terrible and I need my team. Tell your commander or superior that I'm not going without them."
The fox looked away for a moment and sighed. Sonic looked around and saw Whisper and Tangle carrying them to the shuttlepod. The dog Mobian officer helped load them in.
"If so…"
He turned his head back to the fox officer who now had something in his hand.
"You'll need this, then."
He tossed it to Sonic and he caught it. In his hand was a small rectangular device with a black finish and a light grey cover.
"Just flip it open with your wrist to call for help."
The fox turned around and hopped into the pod. The others were already in and ready to go. The engines powered up and the wind picked up once more. Tangle grabbed the handle to the hatch and shouted,
"Good luck, Sonic!"
She shut the hatch and it latched on. The pod started to levitate off the ground and move into the sky. The pod got smaller and smaller as it moved away and Sonic put the device in his quills and sprinted to his next destination.
"Next stop, Angel Island!"
Tails made it to the power station and it was in terrible condition. Electric sparks flying, pipes bursting with coolant, and circuits burning out everywhere. He laid on his back on the floor grabbing different tools and wires.
"If I can repair this relay, maybe it will stabilize what power I have left to get her out of that pod. If I can just fix a few wires, bypass some relays…"
He replaced a few chips and wires but everything seemed to be repaired.
"Computer, reinitialize relay station 5 and bypass auxiliary cutoff valve."
"Procedure Is Not Recommended."
"Override."
"Unable To Comply. Insufficient Clearance To Bypass Safety Protocols."
"Sigh… Computer, let's play a little hypothetical game. I'm the only one here in this facility, correct?"
"Affirmative."
"The power systems are failing and I am the only one with engineering experience to fix the power failure."
"Assumption Entered."
"If I am to repair the power systems, how am I supposed to fix it if you deny me access?"
Sounds of the computer thinking played for a few seconds before a response was formulated.
"Emergency Protocols Active. Level 8 Administrative Access Granted."
"That's more like it. Now, override safety protocols."
He reached in and forcefully plugged in a connector. Upon connecting, power started to rise and remained stable.
He sat up and got to his feet. The sounds of his success giving him pride.
"Yes!"
Once again, a similar power loss hit like a wave. Lights failing, alarms sounding, and the announcement repeated.
"Warning. Emergency Power At 12% And Falling. Estimated Time to Power Failure, 22 Minutes."
However, the power loss caused another overload in the relay, damaging a few components.
"No no no no NO!"
He quickly grabbed one of his tools so fast that everything in his bag spilled out across the floor. He jumped in and started to repair the blown circuits, again…
Sonic reached the edges of the forest and saw water ahead. Angel Island couldn't be much farther. He noticed a hill going up and headed for it. He put all of his speed into his feet and sped up and past the edge into the sky.
"Chaos CONTROL!"
In a flash of blue he vanished from the cliff and reappeared on the grass plains of the floating island. He maintained his speed even after he landed and kept his path on course to the mystic ruins of the emerald shrine. A few seconds later, he reached the stairs and arrived at his red echidna friend.
"Sonic? What is now?"
"I don't have a lot of time, something big is happening. I need you to meet me at my house later. Look for anything you can find with the name Nyxus. I'm gonna go find Tails."
"Woah, wait a minute. What is this about? Who's Nyxus?"
"No time! Just find out what you can and head to my house."
Sonic sped off before Knuckles could get another word in and left him in the dust. He saw the trail of blue fly down the stairs and onto the grass before a blue flash took him away.
"Nyxus? I don't know anything about Nyxus…"
"But I do…"
He spun around and saw the spirit of chaos herself materialize out of the Master Emerald.
"Tikal?"
"It's begun…"
"Begun? What's begun?"
"Nyxus' return…"
Sonic materialized into Central City and flew by people on the sidewalks. The city was being rebuilt after the war. Eggman destroyed most of the infrastructure and local businesses. Even G.U.N. didn't survive his attack since he was captured. He ran by every block and intersection without breaking any traffic laws towards the building he needed to get to. One turn at a block and he arrived at his next destination, G.U.N. headquarters. Construction equipment everywhere rebuilding the walls and other areas. He reached the front doors and entered the building. G.U.N. personnel or soldiers were crawling every room and rushing past others like they were all in a hurry. He was bumped by someone at least 4 times before he reached the front desk. However, he was kicked by another officer and fell into the ground.
"Ugh, doesn't anyone look down?"
"Sorry about that but you picked a really lousy time for a visit."
Sonic looked up and saw an outstretched gloved hand in front of his face. Looking forward he recognized the man in his decorated uniform with heterochromia in his eyes.
"Commander!" He grabbed his hand and he was hoisted back onto his feet. "I don't have a lot of time. Do you know where Shadow is?"
"Shadow?" Commander Tower asked.
Sonic nodded his head and Commander Tower looked around frantically.
"Follow me."
Sonic obeyed and was led through the crowd swiftly. They went into the east hall and into a new conference room still under renovation. There was no one inside so the commander could speak to him in private.
"Take a seat. Any seat, really."
Sonic jumped in the closest one and relaxed.
"Shadow is on a mission right now. A mission you are most likely involved in already."
"Yeah, Eggman's plan to destroy us."
"Yes, he has accelerated his plans as well. He's already gotten his new starship in the air and begun attacking our relief convoys."
"Starship? You mean airship, right?"
"Unfortunately, no. He's developed some kind of starship capable of flying both air and space. He must've been working on this project since before the war but I don't understand how he kept it secret for so long."
"I was just on that ship before I headed here." Sonic interrupted.
"I couldn't get a view from the outside but I was able to get a view inside. Before you ask, not much. Mainly just hallways and an elevator. I would've targeted his power core and destroyed it but I had to get my friends out who were trapped."
"Well it's a good thing you didn't. Our intelligence reports indicated that his ship runs on a matter and antimatter reactor core. If you destroyed or even damaged it, it would cause an antimatter explosion that would decimate anything within a whole continent."
"Woah, that's a lot of power even for Eggman."
"And he didn't create it. It was made by one of our own, or should I say your own."
"Huh?" Sonic tilted his head. One of his own?
"The power core was designed by a Mobian engineer decades ago. The core was still in it's prototype stage when it was tested but it was carried on by his progeny after he passed. It was then passed to us in order to perfect it for defensive purposes. Now, we have our own starship. The Freedom. They have a similar reactor core and should generate the same amount of power on our side."
"The Freedom?" Sonic scratched his head. He hopes the commander didn't hit his head too hard during the war.
"Our new starship. Some of your friends from the resistance during the raid to take back Mobotropolis banded together to create their own starship with the core to further ensure the planet's safety from Eggman. The M.S.S. Freedom. To answer your question from earlier, that is where Shadow and Rouge are now."
Freedom… Why is that hitting Sonic as familiar?
"Wait…" Sonic interrupted, a memory surfaced in his head.
"Before I got here, I was visited by other Mobians in uniform on a flying craft with a similar name printed on the side…"
"You must mean one of their shuttlepods," Tower explained. "It's used for short range travel."
Sonic nodded his head in understanding. Now it all started to make sense.
"I'm going to be honest, Sonic. I thought you would've asked questions about something more… personal."
He almost forgot about that. G.U.N. was somehow involved with his home and kingdom's evacuation. That's something he would have to ask him about. The look on his face must've caught the commander's eyes.
"You didn't know?"
Sonic slowly shook his head silently.
"Well…" He took a seat himself. "I assume you have questions."
"You bet I do, starting with how you know my family and the royalty."
Commander Tower sighed, put his hands together, and rested his elbows on the table.
"At first, I didn't even know. You see, most personnel in the lower ranks of G.U.N. are kept in the dark about this. Shortly after G.U.N.'s founding, a treaty was made with this organization and the kingdom of Mobius. Before this treaty, there was… a conflict. A royal during that time became unstable and started to attack our forces and their own civilians with powers beyond anyone's control. The report had very little information on how but some testimonies stated that they saw the royal with powers of lightning and psychokinesis."
Sonic froze. Powers of lightning? Manic has that same power and he almost killed Eggman with it if it wasn't for Aleena stepping in.
"The aftermath of that event put both sides back to negotiation to avoid further loss of life and a treaty was soon signed after that. Ever since then, G.U.N. and your kingdom have been at peace and even became allies. Fast forward a few generations, we lost all contact with Mobotropolis. It was only a matter of time before our scouts found out why."
"The first invasion on the day of my birth…" Sonic whispered.
"When the invasion occurred we thought all was lost for Mobotropolis. We never received a distress call during the attack so we were late to arrive. However, we couldn't get past Eggman's blockade of robots on the coast. We had to retreat and accept the fact that the capital was lost."
"Until our revolution took it back!" Sonic exclaimed.
"Yes, a few months after that point, we regain communications with the capital. I was appointed commander for only a year when I received word from the current royal, Queen Aleena, that Mobotropolis was back under Mobian control. We've been keeping track of Eggman and aiding the kingdom's relief efforts along with keeping the capital a secret and to be on the lookout for their oldest son by her majesty's request ever since. Then, you appeared on our radar a few years later. Especially when we thought you were trying to destroy the town only to learn that it was Shadow's doing."
Sonic scratched his quills, "That was something, huh?"
"Indeed. Then recently, we received word that Mobotropolis was under attack from Eggman again. This time, we were ready to fight and evacuate civilians. I sent Shadow and Rouge to look for the royal family and escort them to a secure bunker. The rest you probably already know."
Sonic kept quiet but nodded his head to this new information. In the silence, Commander Tower stood up off his chair and placed a hand on Sonic's shoulder.
"I'm also sorry about your mother. My condolences." He sympathized.
"Condolences?"
"None of our troops found any trace of Queen Aleena during the evacuation. She was assumed to be MIA but I'm afraid she might've been lost in the attack."
"No she wasn't. I have her." Sonic corrected.
"She's alive? Neither Shadow nor Rouge reported anything on her! You need to take her to a secure location at once!" The commander exclaimed.
"Relax, Commander. She's at my place and she is in no condition to be moving!"
"What do you mean she's in no condition to move? Every moment she spends in an unsecured location, the higher the risk of getting attacked."
"Commander, I understand you are just trying to protect her. But you don't know what's happened in the last few days. I will explain but I spent too much time here. Let Shadow and Rouge know I need them. They'll know how to find me. Seeya!"
"Sonic! Wait!"
Too late. He didn't listen as he peeled out into the hallway and left the building.
"Watch yourself, Sonic. We don't know what kind of firepower Eggman has now…"
Sonic sped off into the least populated area he could find and used his full speed with the open environment. Once he reached his threshold, he thought of his home and channeled his energy. A few sparks shot out and in a flash he was transported back into the fields of his home. He ran and ran until he reached his front doorstep.
"I hope you're home, Tails."
He walked up the steps and opened the front door. He called for his buddy once he entered.
"Tails? Tails are you home? I need to talk to you- … Mom?"
He saw his mother sitting on the sofa holding something in her hands. She raised her head and noticed him. Most of her wounds must've healed because when Sonic looked at her, most of her bandages were removed. All that remained were faint scars, some more prominent than others. She definitely seemed to be getting better.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
"I should be asking where you've been but…"
She held out what was in her hand and saw a piece of paper. Sonic took it out of her hand and noticed a written message on it. Tails' message.
Sonic,
If you are reading this, it means you returned home after acting so strange before I could complete my mission. You must know that this mission is mine and mine alone. I'm sure you can manage on your own for a while. Don't try to come looking for me. I must find her alone.
-Tails
"He's run off? Oh man, you picked a bad time to go missing to who knows where, little buddy."
"I know where he went…" Aleena interjected.
He paused and lowered the note, all the while giving a confused stare.
"What do you mean?"
"A few days ago, your friends, Amy, Tails, and I were having a conversation. During that conversation, Tails told me his real name, Miles Prower. It was a complete surprise to me."
Aleena got up off the sofa and walked towards the hallway with picture frames of her son's adventures.
"You see, Sonic, the family name Prower was an honored one of my royal guard…"
She passed by a couple photos of their adventure across the world. Always seeing the yellow fox next to her son.
"A high ranked commander named Amadeus Prower and his wife Rosemary Prower were known to me, not just for their service, but as my close friends. Then, only a few years after you and your siblings were born, Rose gave birth to a fox of her own. A two tailed fox to be precise."
Sonic stopped dead in his tracks. The realization of similarities between his friend and the royal relations from his family to theirs.
"Wait a second, are you saying that Tails' parents were with you in the royal guard? But he never said anything about it! He said he doesn't remember anything about them!"
"Of course he wouldn't!" Aleena barked, causing Sonic to step back.
"He was only several months old when the ambush took the life of his father and his mother's condition!" She covered her mouth after blurting out the horrific event. Her outburst stunned Sonic for a few moments until he snapped out of it and spoke.
"His father was killed?"
Aleena slowly nods.
"Wait, his mother's condition? What condition?"
Aleena lowered her hands and spoke once more.
"She was critically injured and had to be put into a cryostasis pod at the time. She was never taken out of the chamber since the reconstruction…"
"That's where he is…" Sonic concluded, "Do you know where the chamber is?"
"It's in a secure facility underground back at mobotropolis."
Sonic looked away in thought for a moment. If he could get to the city, it shouldn't be hard to find an underground chamber dug up from the ruins.
"I think I could get there."
He looked back towards Aleena with a stern look,
"Mom, something big is happening. I don't want you to leave this house, it's too dangerous. I might be late so don't freak out if I miss curfew, alright?"
A smile grew on his face and winked to which Aleena smirked slightly. Her worries slightly diminished.
"Once you get there, a computer will ask you to identify yourself. It's programmed with my DNA. So once it recognizes you as my son, it will allow you access. Just don't be out too late and make sure he's safe and could you check on your siblings? I haven't seen them all day."
"I will. Chaos- CONTROL!"
He vanished and a small gust of wind flew a few frames hanging on the walls, leaving Aleena alone once more.
Finally, after almost an hour of work, Tails finally repaired the problems of his power relay station. Turns out other damaged relay stations were the cause of his failing. After isolating and shutting down those damaged stations, power was stable enough to power Rosemary's pod. He placed all of his tools down and collapsed on the ground. He needed at least a few moments to catch his breath. However, those moments could cost him a long lost family member. He pushed himself up and rushed to the pod.
"Computer, how much power is left?"
"Emergency Power Levels Are At 2% And Falling. Pod Failure Imminent."
"Begin emergency protocols and initiate the reanimation sequence."
The computer complied and the pod began to increase power. The light inside changed from a soft blue to a soft white as the ice on the surface began to melt. Small mechanical arms extended inside and injected a few needles one at a time into her arms. The procedure seemed to be going well and was entering a critical stage in the process.
"Come on, Come on!"
All of a sudden, the pod began to malfunction. Sparks flew across from its ports where it received power, the lights inside flickering, and the machinery inside started to fail. He backed away to avoid the sparks but not only was the pod failing, the lights all around him began to fail as well, threatening to leave him, his pet, and Rosemary in the dark forever. The computer's voice was also failing as it tried to give out one last warning. Barely audible as fluctuated in pitch as its power source ran dry.
"Warning. Power Failure In Progress…"
"No no no NO! This can't be happening!"
"Warning. Lifesigns are destabilizing…"
He rushed back to the pod and placed his hand on the glass. He looked back inside and for a few seconds, he saw Rosemary slightly lurch for breath but she was shaking violently. The reanimation process was interrupted at a crucial point and all chances of survival were diminishing. There was nothing he could but watch as he was too late to stop the power failure. He wouldn't be able to open the pod because it was magnetically sealed and couldn't be opened with the current tools he had.
"Mom! MOM!"
He screamed as he pounded his fist on the glass but it was futile. The power faded too quickly and the pod was too strong. All he could do was fall on his knees, rest his head on the side of the pod, his hand slowly falling down the side, tears forming and falling down his face, and his pet huddling next to him as all the lights faded into darkness.
Every inch of the chamber went pitch black and nothing could be seen. No sound escaped from either Tails or his T-pup. Only silence as he wallowed in defeat.
But then, all the lights powered on and the generators hummed to life. Every electronic in the chamber powered on and the pod was brought back to life.
"Emergency Power Restored. Emergency Power At 10% And Rising.."
He raised his head up and looked around in confusion. All the lights and tech were online and running somehow. But he didn't save the power in time. What could be powering it?
"What happened…?"
"Heh, you weren't kidding Tails."
Tails spun around and saw his blue speedy buddy next to the generator along with a chaos emerald inside a compartment of the generator.
"These emeralds pack a powerful punch to tech, huh?"
"Sonic!"
He ran to Sonic and hugged him with all his might. Sonic smiled and returned the favor.
"How did you find me?"
"Technically I didn't. My mom figured it out from the note you left back at the-"
"Reinitializing Reanimation Protocols…"
The interruption from the computer caught both their attention as the pod came back online. Tails ran back, jumped next to a console on the pod, and rapidly pressed buttons displaying different information.
"Is she gonna be alright?" Sonic asked.
Tails didn't answer and only focused on the pod. He stayed silent and let him work. The mechanism inside the pod activated and sounds of motors moving everywhere inside. It continued for a few seconds before aggressive beeps rang out in alarm. Sonic could almost sense how much Tails tensed in response. The pod's hatch hisses as it opens and fully reveals Rosemary inside, shocking Sonic with how bad her condition really was.
"Help me get her out and onto the floor.." Tails ordered.
Sonic did so without question. With all the gentle care he could give, he helped carry Rosemary out of the pod and onto the floor next to all of Tails's medical supplies and the fox jumped to work. He attached a few wires and his instruments immediately blipped on with her heart rate and blood pressure. It beeped just like the console from before and he noticed that all of her levels were dangerously lower than normal. The screens showed her heart rate was at 42 beats per minute and blood pressure was 100 over 65.
"That doesn't look good, how can I help?" He asked.
Tails reached for a roll of medical bandages and tossed it to him.
"Try to cover the wounds as I disinfect them. I need to stop the blood loss."
Sonic nodded, "Got it!"
As Tails disinfected each wound and sutured them, Sonic would use his speed to quickly cover them. Soon, all wounds were covered and the bleeding slowed to a stop. Luckily there were no broken bones so Tails wouldn't need to do anything too complex. He grabbed a bag with fluids and hooked it onto the side of the pod for it to slowly drip down the tube into a needle that he carefully inserted into Rosemary's arm. This kind of expertise surprised Sonic.
"When did you learn to be a doctor?" He asked.
"I've had a few lessons from Amy. She taught me some basic medical knowledge and I learned from there." His voice was steady but serious.
After finishing up, there was nothing else he could do. He would just have to wait and hope her system recovers. The screens showed no change other than her levels being so low. He fears that at any moment those levels could drop further and would never rise again.
"So… This is your mom?" Sonic whispered.
"Yes… After all this time, she was here… and I never knew it. I never knew what she or my father looked like."
He raised his fist towards Sonic and a chain with a locket hanging from it. The chain was gold like his fur and the locket was open with a picture inside. He held the locket in the palm of his hand as Tails let go of the chain. The picture inside showed a little baby fox with big blue eyes wrapped in a blanket being held by another out of frame. Most likely it's mother was holding him when this photo was taken.
At that moment, Sonic started to realize how similar their family backstories really are. They've both been separated since birth, struggled to live in a world without help, and now facing the fact of almost losing them. He could see himself as if he was reliving his past life of finding his mother all over again.
"Tails…"
He kneeled on one knee and placed his hand on Tails' shoulder.
"You helped me save my mom, so I'll do everything I can to save yours. Even if that means I have to wait, haha."
He shook his shoulder in an attempt to add some humor to relieve tension. It brought a small smile on his face and his eyes didn't look so dull anymore. They were full of life, color, and wonder. Just like how he remembers it. After all that, they always come back on top.
BOOM!*
An explosion above ground shook the chamber hard. Some electrical components were knocked out of their sockets and sparks flew everywhere. Even a support beam several yards away collapsed and crushed a couple pods nearby. Alarms throughout the chamber resumed once more.
"Warning. Base Is Under Attack."
"Stay here, Tails!"
Sonic ran towards the door and bolted up the stairs to the surface.
Once he reached the light, he saw the enormous ship the commander spoke of. It was huge! Not all details of the exterior could be seen but judging by the size it looked to be at least 20 stories high from the bottom to top. It had a large cylinder as base and two thinner much longer cylinders attached with pylons at an angle on both sides. Finally a wide saucer with a neck attached from the saucer to the base cylinder.
A bright white orb launched from the centermost point below the saucer and crashed nearby. The impact caused another earthquake and the explosion was just as powerful. Anything within it was obliterated with debris beyond recognition. Eggman must've been upgrading his weapons with the stolen tech too.
"Well, Well, Well, I knew you would show your face the moment we attacked."
"Nyxus…" He snarled. "What are you doing here?"
"You stole something that belongs to me. The chaos emerald, where is it?"
"Like I would tell you! That emerald is far away from here."
Nyxus smiled and chuckled.
"You don't lie very well, do you? Our sensors showed massive amounts of chaos energy from this location. It's here but what interests me is why you hid it here. What importance is this wasteland to you?"
That struck a nerve, how dare he insult what was a beautiful town.
"It's not a wasteland, It's my home!"
"Your home? There is nothing left but destruction and death. You sure didn't help save it when Dr. Eggman attacked and destroyed your pitiful guards. Even your protective mother couldn't help them or your friends."
Sonic's eyes widened when he heard what Nyxus said. His brow furrowed and his aura flared once again. However, it was calm, more controlled, and had a different glow. A smooth coat of yellow surrounded him and a large build up of power was directed to his feet. He clenched his fists and braced himself.
"I told you... Leave my mother... Out of this!"
He jumped upward and all that energy below his feet exploded and propelled him towards Nyxus. He lunged for a punch but Nyxus dodged easily. He tried again and again but Nyxus dodged them all. In the fray of punches, he pushed back, instinctively waved his hand like he was throwing something, and launched a chaos spear. The unexpected attack caught Nyxus off guard and hit him in the chest. The sudden attack made both parties stall in the air as they caught their breath. Sonic looked at his hand in confusion as well as himself defying gravity.
"Well now, it looks like you've had a hidden power inside you."
"Heh, looks like I do." He grinned.
He raised the palm of his hand and shot out multiple chaos spears from multiple directions. However, Nyxus either dodged, deflected, or even absorbed some of the spears. With every counter, he reached closer and closer to Sonic. Before Sonic could see how close he was getting, he reached out and grabbed his arm. His own dark purple aura invades his golden aura upon contact. He started to feel tired and drained, almost as if he was stealing his energy.
"Ah, What are you doing?"
The longer he kept his grip, the more drained and weaker he began to feel.
"If I didn't need you to survive, I would kill you where you stand. Instead, I'll leave you to the doctor…"
He released Sonic's arm and punched him away. The drain of his energy dulled his aura and his vision blurry. The sudden loss of energy distracted him until he looked forward and saw Nyxus flying away. He turned around and raised his hand and then aimed at Sonic.
"FIRE!"
At his command, a beam of pure phased energy was fired from the same spot on the ship's saucer. The direction of the beam was directed at Sonic! He barely had a few moments to brace with both his arms crossed in front before getting hit. He tried to resist the force of the beam but it slowly pushed him closer and closer to the ground. The continuous beam started to burn his arms but he had to keep going. With most of his unexpected power boost drained, he couldn't hold on. The beam took over and Sonic was launched into the ground. A large crater as a result of the impact. He laid in the crater in pain.
Nyxus slowly emerged and laughed to himself.
"You know, we didn't detect just the chaos emerald at the location. There is someone else here, isn't there? Don't try to lie, this time…"
He didn't say anything at all. He just slowly sat up so that he could look Nyxus in the eye.
"You choose to say nothing? Hmm… Well, as they say, "Actions speak louder than words," and action is what I will take…"
"What- What are you-"
"Target the underground chamber and fire!"
"What?!"
The ship fired another torpedo that was headed directly for the entrance to the cryo chamber. It was going to detonate and destroy everything inside including Tails! Sonic tried to get up, but his body was too badly hurt. He could do nothing more than crawl from the crater. He couldn't speed in and save his buddy.
"NO!"
As the torpedo got close to the surface, a second orange colored torpedo intercepted the first one and exploded in the air. The shockwave blew dust and smoke everywhere, blinding both Sonic and Nyxus for a brief moment. After the dust cleared, a new starship appeared in the sky and began attacking Eggman's ship. The shape was similar except it was just a saucer with pylons near the rear. They had torpedoes of their own as well as energy beams. Each attack damaged different sections of the Eggman's ship to which Nyxus groaned.
"The halfbreed again… I should've made sure he was destroyed."
Then, Sonic heard something on his person beeping repeatedly. He reached into his quills and pulled out that same device the fox officer gave him before. He flicked his wrist and the device opened with the beeping halted.
"Hello?" He spoke to the device.
"Heard you needed some help." The voice on the other end said.
"Thanks but who is this?"
"A friend. 'll take care of Eggman's ship, do what you need to do down there. Keep a hold on your communicator. Good luck."
Nyxus looked back down at the entrance that was still intact. He harnessed energy into his hand and reeled it back.
"Must I do everything my- AGH!"
Before he could fire, another beam attacked from the general direction of the second ship. It came from a smaller vessel, a shuttlepod, heading towards him. It fired again and Nyxus was shot in the chest. The impact launched him far away, far enough that the shuttle was able to land. The hatch opened and an away team, all in uniform, jumped out. One called out into the field.
"Sonic!"
Sonic looked over and noticed his green hedgehog brother among the crowd running towards him. He also had a similar uniform as the others.
"Manic?"
Manic reached over to him, grabbed his hand, and helped him off the ground. He couldn't help but notice the aura light around his brother.
"Are you alright, bro? What's with the aura?"
"It's nothing…" Sonic clenched his fist and the aura faded away. "What are you doing here? And why are you wearing that uniform?"
"It's a long story but right now, we need you out of here!"
Manic tried to help Sonic to the shuttle but Sonic broke free from his grip.
"No, wait. I can't leave, not yet. I have to deal with Nyxus. I need you to protect the entrance to the underground chamber. Tails is in there with an injured person."
"Hold on, Who's Nyxus? What are you-"
"LOOK OUT!"
Sonic quickly pushed Manic away just before an energy blast impacted where they once were. Looking back, Nyxus was floating above the crater with another energy blast in his hand. Sonic got up and his aura returned. His energy returned and stabilized for his upcoming fight. However, Manic grabbed his shoulder to stop him. When Sonic turned his head to look at him, Manic lifted his drum medallion from his neck. Sonic noticed and understood his idea. He reached for his own and grabbed it. Both medallions glowed with power and transformed into their respective instruments.
Nyxus laughed as they stood.
"You think your weapons of music will stand a chance? Go ahead, Show me what you're made of."
"What I'm made of?" Sonic grinned, "Alright, I'll show you just what I'm really made of…"
He began strumming his guitar into a solo and Manic started a beat on demand. This caught the attention of a few officers and the music grew louder. Nyxus growled as he heard the loud chords.
Sonic
"I don't care what you're thinkin' as you turn to me,"
"'Cause what I have in my two hands is enough to set me free"
Manic
("Set me free")
Sonic
"I could fight the feeling to resist it over time,"
"But when it's just too much to take,"
Sonic vanished from the ground and reappeared behind the dark ghost.
"You sneak up from behind."
He aims the neck of the guitar towards his target. A ball of energy charging before firing as an energy beam of his own. Before it could damage its target, Nyxus faded into smoke and dissipated from his physical form. Sonic landed and searched for him as he continued to sing with his brother.
Sonic
"Is it me, you say,"
"You're looking for?"
Nyxus appears in the sky and fires energy blasts at Sonic to slow him down. However, he just evades them and gets closer all the while singing.
Sonic and Manic
"Let me show you who I am and what I'm here for…"
"Here for…"
Manic
"Hey!"
"Try to reach inside of me,"
Nyxus turned around to Manic's call as he beat his drums. With every beat, a spark of green energy fires into the sky. Each spark redirects and homes in on Nyxus. A shield materializes around him and each spark is either reflected or dissipated upon impact.
Sonic
" Try to drain my energy!"
Sonic and Manic
"Let me show you just what I'm made of!"
Manic
"Simple curiosity,"
Sonic
"Tries to take a bite of me!"
Sonic and Manic
"Let me show you just what I'm made of now!"
Sonic runs up and leaps into the air. His guitar charging, his aim locking on, and a burst of multiple light blue arrows fired. Most of the arrows hit their target but it only angered Nyxus even more.
"Agh! You annoying pest!"
He waved his hand and a wave of energy formed as a trail before turning into a blade and speeding towards the blue blur but with the same amount of speed, he was able to dodge it by a few centimeters. Only a few strands of fur were cut clean off from the blade. He continued to run around to try and wear him down.
Although Manic couldn't really move with his drum set, his powers were more than enough to fight off Nyxus. However, he felt like it wasn't enough. He felt that Sonic was doing all the work while he just sat there. Helpless and weak. Then, his memories replayed events of what his actions and inaction caused towards his friends.
Manic
"Like a million faces, I've recognized them all."
"And one by one, they've all become a number as they fall."
Sonic
("As they fall")
Standing behind others when they needed his help, standing idling in emotional turmoil as a close one nearly dies, and letting his emotions take over. This time, he would take control.
Manic
"In the face of reason, I can't take no more."
"One by one, they've all become a black mark on the floor."
He focused his mind and controlled his emotions. Lightning bolts started to appear around his hands, his eyes crystal white like diamonds, and he began to levitate without even noticing.
Manic
"Is it me, you say,"
"You're looking for?"
Sonic and Manic
"Let me show you who I am and what I have in store."
"In store,"
"Oh? So the quiet scared one has powers of his own and would like to show them, huh?"
Sonic looked past him toward his brother with a concerned look on his face.
"Manic?"
"I'm fine, Let's just kick this guy's butt. You know, like old times."
He smirked and winked at Sonic and his worries melted away in an instant. He smirked and nodded back. Then, he focused his attention back on Nyxus.
Sonic
"Hey!"
Manic
"Hey!"
Sonic and Manic
"Yeah!"
Both hedgehogs began a coordinated attack. Each firing from different directions to weaken Nyxus defenses. All the while the singing made him more frustrated.
Manic
"Try to reach inside of me,"
Sonic
"Try to drain my energy."
Sonic and Manic
"Let me show you just what I'm made of!"
Sonic
"Simple curiosity,"
Manic
"Tries to take a bite of me."
Sonic and Manic
"Let me show you just what I'm made of now!"
Sonic
You can take another lifelong try!
Sonic and Manic
"You can take another try!"
Sonic
"Hey!"
In the midst of the battle, the officers from the shuttlepod stood their ground near the entrance of the underground cryo-chamber. A few were stationed with weapon rifles trained on Nyxus but won't fire unless fired upon as per their orders. A couple other officers were exiting the chamber with Tails behind them. His mother was being held by a gurney with T-pup laying beside her. They were being transferred into the shuttle pod to be taken out of the warzone. Once Tails saw Sonic and Manic fighting, he called out to them.
"Sonic! Manic!"
They both turned their heads towards the source of his call and noticed he was holding a chaos emerald. The same emerald that Sonic had that saved Rosemary's life.
Tails held the emerald high and reeled back. With one swift motion of his arm, he threw it high in the sky towards them. Manic quickly caught it and stared into the emerald, a new memory resurfacing. The memory of when he first used the emerald to stop Nyxus while he was trapped in Sonic's body when they thought he killed Eggman. If it worked back then, it could work now. When he looked back towards Tails, the shuttlepod was already lifting off and heading to safety. He quickly glanced at Sonic and called out,
"Sonic! Take him down!"
Sonic nodded, boosted his power and speed, and began to fire rapidly to try to push Nyxus down on the ground.
Sonic
"Yeah!"
"Try to reach inside of me,"
Manic
"Try to drain my energy,"
Sonic and Manic
"Let me show you just what I'm made of!"
Manic joined in with his electric powers, trying to stun him long enough for Sonic's attacks. He gripped the emerald tighter and prepared to use it to drain Nyxus energy just like he did before.
Manic
"Simple curiosity,"
Sonic
"Tries to take a bite of me."
Sonic and Manic
"Let me show you just what I'm made of now!"
Nyxus' feet touched the ground and now used it as leverage to keep his shield up against both of their attacks. Manic saw this as his chance and used the emerald. Nyxus immediately sensed the emerald's power and noticed Manic using it against him. Sonic stopped his barrage and charged up for a beam and fired. Keeping the beam constant and active.
Sonic
"Try to reach inside of me,"
"(Let me show you what I'm made of,)"
Manic
"Try to drain my energy,"
"(Let me show you what I'm made of,)"
Sonic and Manic
"Let us show you just what we're made of!"
"Enough!"
He pushed outward and his shield turned into a blast which startled Sonic and Manic for a brief moment. Both sides stopped fighting and were silent.
"I've grown tired of this meaningless battle…"
"Then, let's end this, now…" Manic raised the emerald and tried to use it again. However, Nyxus began to disappear into gold particles and vanish from the battlefield.
"I'll make sure your disgusting bloodline ends soon enough…"
Manic notices something getting closer as Nyxus' body fades away. Before he could react, Sonic tackles him down and the torpedo impacts the surface with a large explosion.
After everything subsided, Eggman's ship started to escape north with the Freedom holding position above the capital. When the dust settled, they both collapsed on the ground facing up to the sky, exhausted from the battle. The sun is setting just onto the horizon. The sky is clear and begins to fade from ocean blue to golden yellow.
"I… I think we've won…" Manic said out of breath.
"Not yet, Manic. He'll be back but we will be stronger. We just need to-"
His plan was interrupted by the same beeping from the communicator as before. He pulled it out and opened it with a flick.
"I'm here." He spoke.
"Sonic? Can you hear me?"
"Tails! Where are you? Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I'm in the ship's medical bay. The doctor is looking over my mother. I didn't want to be in their way."
Then, a new voice joined in.
"Sonic, Manic, you should get back to the ship and heal up. We're not out of the woods yet."
"Aye, Captain." Manic acknowledged.
"Captain?" Sonic asked.
"Long story."
Before anything more could be said, both of their bodies were surrounded by a bright white light and everything around them faded into white sparkles. Then a whole new scenery appeared as the sparkles faded away. A room filled with technology and supplies, personnel running everywhere, and a fox lady on a medical bed. Sonic's train of thought was interrupted when a small fox boy wrapped his arms around his waist tightly. The squeeze was painful from all the fighting. He looked down and tried to negotiate his release.
"Uh- Tails? Mind if I heal first before you crush my spine?" He groaned.
"Oh! Sorry…" Tails apologized.
He faced back to Rosemary, then to Manic.
"While I'm here, mind explaining what this is about?"