Chapter 5 - From Outer Space to a Romantic Cruise
Author's note: Hi, dear readers! I decided to post this chapter today, because, well, it's Valentine's Day! I was thinking I'd have finished the story by now, but real-life obligations got in the way, plus I want to rush myself while writing it. Now, time for me to respond to your reviews!
CVGWJames, yeah, Twinkle Park is cool, isn't it? :)
karimalibhai123, that makes a lot more sense now. Thanks for clarifying!
UltimateCCC, "Indirect Kiss alert!" HAHAHA, yep!
serpent1234, I am well aware of that problem. FFN has been full of bugs lately, and I'm sure it's very annoying for everyone using the site. (It certainly is for me!)
Guest, you're correct! "Valentine's Fray" (issue 16 of the Sonic X comic for those who aren't familiar) is one of my all-time favorite comic books, period. I remember reading issue 15 (Bad Eggnog) as a kid and getting all excited about issue 16 because the announcement literally said, "Amy & Sonic on a date?! It's true! Find out how in how in Sonic X #16! On sale February, of course!" Wow, that was way back at the beginning of 2007! And of course I'm so happy you're enjoying my little story. It'll only get better—and more romantic—from here on! Now, on with the story!
"Well, looks like that race was a tie for once!" Amy cheerfully exclaimed as she and Sonic walked underneath the Asteroid Coaster's entrance sign and into an enormous building shaped like a meteorite.
"Yeah, only because I was running slower than usual so that you could keep up with me," Sonic replied with a smirk.
"Ha! Keep telling yourself that, Sonic," Amy shot back with a playful grin, nudging him lightly with her arm as they stepped into the queue.
The Asteroid Coaster's queue consisted of winding metal railings that led Sonic and Amy through what looked like a space station, complete with flashing control panels, flickering screens, and of course, plenty of Eggman's signature branding.
As they walked further along, a large bulletin board with bold red text caught their attention:
Eggman, with his obviously genius intellect, managed to somehow recreate the ENTIRE Asteroid Coaster and compress it into one indoor ride in his next clearly infallible plan to beat the Blue Blur, who was, by the way, currently chilling and eating a hot dog like it was a normal Tuesday—completely unaware of the interference of his egg-shaped, mustachioed nemesis. A nemesis who, might I add, did defeat him once... but only in a dance contest. Since then, Dr. Eggman has been desperately trying to prove to the world that he ACTUALLY DID BEAT SONIC, but to no avail! UNTIL NOW!
Sonic smirked. "Oh man, I almost feel bad for the guy. Almost."
Amy giggled. "I love how the ride itself is just an excuse for him to cope with all the times we kicked his butt. Or in my case, every time I whacked his butt with my hammer!"
Sonic chuckled, and he and Amy gave each other a quick, triumphant high-five. They then strolled into another room with all sorts of high-tech gadgets, and a large screen flickered to life, revealing Dr. Eggman himself in all his glory.
"Ah-ha-ha! Welcome, foolish thrill-seekers, to the Asteroid Coaster!" he cackled evilly. "Using my obviously genius intellect, I have managed to recreate the ENTIRE Asteroid Coaster from my Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park and compress it into one ride! Why, you ask? Because this is my latest, clearly infallible plan to prove my superiority over Sonic the Hedgehog!"
Sonic crossed his arms. "Oh boy, here we go again."
The mad scientist continued his grand speech, gesturing dramatically. "You see, despite my countless victories—"
"Countless?" Sonic snorted in amusement.
"—the world REFUSES to acknowledge my greatest triumph: the time I bested Sonic in a dance contest! That's right! A dance contest! And yet, do they sing my praises? Do they recognize my indisputable talent? NO! And so, I present to you all...THIS!" The video zoomed out to reveal a ridiculous blueprint filled with scribbles, arrows, and the words 'Ultimate Victory Plan (Trademark Pending)'.
"You have to admit, he sure is persistent," Amy said with a giggle.
Sonic crossed his arms in an attempt to stifle a giggle of his own. "Yeah, persistent in embarrassing himself!"
The queue continued forward, bringing them past animatronic Badniks posed in various scenes of failed attempts at conquering Sonic. One jittery robot shuffled through a stack of blueprints, while another repeatedly pressed a flashing red button that did nothing but make a goofy spaceship noise. A third animatronic short-circuited and exploded in a puff of grey smoke, prompting a pre-recorded voice clip of Eggman groaning, "Ugh! I just fixed that one!"
Amy grinned as she read a dramatic sign aloud. "In this very facility, Dr. Eggman devised the ultimate plan to finally defeat Sonic, utilizing advanced physics, intergalactic asteroid manipulation, and—" she paused, squinting at the fine print, "—a highly questionable budget that totally did NOT cut corners!"
"Yeah, sounds about right," Sonic snickered.
As they moved closer to the station, the final screen displayed a very animated (and overly dramatic) recreation of Eggman's dance contest "victory." The footage showed Eggman performing absurdly exaggerated moves, striking victorious poses as a crowd of robots cheered. Meanwhile, a very much not present Sonic was replaced with a hastily drawn stick figure labeled "Definitely Sonic."
Sonic shook his head. "I don't know what's worse: the fact that he's still going on about this, or that he actually animated it himself."
Amy nudged him again. "Maybe you should challenge him to a rematch."
"No way!" Sonic responded, throwing his hands up in the air. "The last thing we need is Eggman creating another amusement park in space to fuel his dastardly ego."
At last, the two hedgehogs entered the Asteroid Coaster's station, where an empty train was waiting. The rocket-shaped train consisted of six cars with metallic plating, a pointed nose at the very front, and glowing LED "thrusters" at the very back. In front of the train was a dark, narrow tunnel that stretched as far as the eye could see. A staff member ushered them into the front row of the train, and as they sat down and pushed down their orange lap bars, Sonic flashed a grin and a thumbs-up towards Amy. "You ready for this?"
"As ready as you are, my Valentine!" Amy replied with a grin of her own.
Suddenly, a countdown appeared on the screen while Dr. Eggman announced, "Prepare for blastoff, you meddlesome fools!" In an instant, the coaster shot out of the station, accelerating into the darkness. The sudden burst of speed pinned everyone to their seats as they rocketed through the pitch-black launch tunnel, gaining momentum with every passing second.
Just as Amy was about to catch her breath, the train roared upwards into a cobra roll, flipping everyone upside down twice before diving back down. "W-whoa!" she yelped, half-laughing, half-surprised.
Sonic, of course, was grinning from ear to ear. "What, getting dizzy already?" he teased as they whipped up into a sidewinder inversion, twisting to the right before suddenly plunging left, narrowly dodging a volley of holographic asteroids.
Amy couldn't help but giggle as the track straightened out, only to veer left again. "This is insane!" she shouted.
The train slowed slightly as it hit the mid-course brake run, giving Amy just enough time to catch her breath. She turned to Sonic, who was barely visible in the darkness. "Not bad at all!"
"Ehh, could be faster," Sonic said. "The brakes were actually turned off when I last rode it!"
Before Amy could reply, the track suddenly dropped into a chaotic mess of highly-banked turns in total darkness. Amy and Sonic threw their hands up, laughing as they spiraled downward, twisted right, then swept into a 90-degree banked turn to the left.
"Woohoooo!" Amy shouted in excitement as they flipped through a corkscrew before the final brake run brought the train to a smooth stop. "Okay, that was actually quite intense!"
"Told ya it'd be a blast, Ames!" Sonic replied with his usual thumbs-up.
"So, Sonic, which ride shall we do next?" Amy asked her cobalt counterpart as they stopped in front of an illuminated display of the park map. Her heart was still pounding with excitement and adrenaline from riding the Asteroid Coaster. Much to her relief, the white lily was still securely tucked behind her left ear.
"It's your turn to choose," Sonic smiled, offering Amy his hand. She took it without any hesitation.
"Hmmm, let me think," Amy murmured, tapping her chin with her free hand. "Well, there's Journey Through Romance here," she grinned while pointing at the map. "And you never rode it with me before..."
"Ohhh, so that's what you're after, huh?" Sonic smirked.
Amy giggled. "Well, it is a classic couple's ride! And besides, I think it'd be very interesting to see how the one and only Sonic the Hedgehog handles something so...romantic."
Sonic tilted his head, pretending to think. "Hmm…I could just say no."
Amy gave him a sideways look. "You could...but you won't."
Sonic sighed dramatically, shaking his head with a small grin. "Gosh, you really don't let up, do you?"
"Not when it comes to celebrating Valentine's Day with you," Amy said with a wink. "Come on, let's get going!"
Hand in hand, they stepped into one of Twinkle Park's most elaborately-themed areas: Cupid's Cove. The cobblestone path beneath them changed from industrial grey tones to soft, shimmering pink, leading them into a picturesque plaza. Cherry blossom trees lined the walkway, their delicate petals fluttering gently in the breeze. At the very center of it all stood an ornate fountain, where a pair of white swans perched atop the water's surface. Their graceful necks curved inward to form a perfect heart, and a soft cascade of water trickled down from beneath their wings.
"This was always my favorite area of Twinkle Park," Amy said with a dreamy look in her eyes, and she squeezed Sonic's hand just a little tighter. "And now we're here together, just me and you, on the most romantic day of the year!"
Sonic smirked. "Eh, I don't really think one day of the year should be more romantic than any other." He glanced at her with a small grin. "But...I'll go with it, Ames. Besides, being here with you is actually kinda nice, you know?"
"Oh, I know alright, my darling Sonic," Amy smiled. She leaned in ever so slightly, and, for once, Sonic didn't flinch.
As they strolled further into the plaza, they passed by Cupid's Carousel, a slow and graceful merry-go-round where hand-carved white horses and unicorns took riders on an enchanting journey. Nearby, a floral-themed teacup ride called Rose Petal Twirl spun gently under a canopy of fairy lights, and each cup was shaped like a blooming rose. And off in the distance, a massive Ferris wheel called The Wheel of Love stood tall against Twinkle Park's starry sky. The individual passenger compartments were made to look like the carriages from a fairy tale, and they were painted all sorts of colors. In addition, there were thousands of LED lights built into the framework of the Ferris wheel, and they were programmed to rapidly change colors and put on a spectacular light show while the ride slowly rotated, providing couples with breathtaking views of Twinkle Park.
Finally, the rides were rounded out by the signature attraction of Cupid's Cove, an indoor boat ride called Journey Through Romance. The ride's building was made to look like an elegant garden pavilion, boasting white marble columns that were wrapped in ivy and roses in red, pink, and white shades. As for the entrance, it consisted of a white, wooden archway with intricate floral designs hand-carved into it. The ride's name was perched on top, and it read "Journey Through Romance" in glowing, pink cursive letters.
"So this is the ride you chose for us," Sonic said, his eyes widening as he took it all in.
"Mhm," Amy said, nodding. "I bet this is your first time actually being here, isn't it, since you kept running away from me every single time I tried to take you on it?"
Sonic chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Heh…yeah, you got me there. Guess I never really gave it a chance." He glanced up at the elegant pavilion, taking in the golden lights and the gentle mist rising from the fountain. "Gotta admit, though…it's fancier than I expected."
"See?" Amy grinned, clasping her hands together. "It's not all that bad! Besides, what could be better than a peaceful, romantic boat ride with your one and only?"
"Alright, alright," he smiled, shaking his head slightly. "You won at last, Ames. Let's do this."
The pink hedgehog beamed with happiness, taking his hand again. "That's the spirit! Now, come on...before the line gets any longer!"
After passing beneath the archway, Sonic and Amy followed the path as it wound its way through a tranquil garden. There were a few couples ahead of them, talking softly to each other. The glow of hanging lanterns cast a warm, golden glow on the cobblestone path, and the air was filled with the delicate fragrance of roses and jasmine. A gentle breeze rustled the ivy-covered trellises, adding to the peaceful ambiance.
Amy looked around, taking in the soft glow of the lanterns and the winding cobblestone path. A strange sense of déjà vu suddenly washed over her, and she squeezed Sonic's hand a little tighter.
"This reminds me of a dream I had last night," she remarked.
Sonic's ears perked up. "A dream?"
Amy nodded. "Yeah. You were there. We raced each other along the beach at Emerald Coast. Then, you took my hand, and we strolled down a path just like this one. The peaceful atmosphere, the glowing lamps, even the way our shadows lengthened and shortened beneath us..." She turned to him with a soft smile. "It felt so real."
"And…how did that dream end?" he asked, half-teasing but also genuinely curious.
Amy giggled. "You really wanna know?"
"Perhaps I would," Sonic replied.
Amy giggled again, leaning just a little closer to him. "Well, maybe you'll find out by the end of the night."
Sonic shrugged his shoulders, but he didn't complain. Instead, he gave her hand a small squeeze as they continued forward. Before long, they entered the building itself through a tall pair of white double doors with golden handles, and the station, which was just beyond, came into view. It was an elegant, lantern-lit platform where a line of swan-shaped vessels built for two slightly drifted in the water. The boats never came to a full stop, instead drifting along with a moving conveyor platform. Couples young and old disembarked on the opposite side while new passengers climbed aboard on the loading side.
"Here, Sonic!" Amy called out as she stepped into one of the now-empty swan boats and sat down on the starboard side. She patted the plush red velvet seat beside her. Sonic hesitated for half a second, looking at Amy, the seat, and then Amy again. With a small chuckle, he settled in next to Amy. As the two hedgehogs made themselves comfortable, a soft chime rang out, catching their attention.
"Welcome aboard, lovebirds," a feminine voice announced through the PA system. "For your safety, please keep your hands, arms, feet, legs, and hammers inside the boat at all times. We also ask any and all hedgehogs present to keep the speed-boosting antics to a minimum, especially on a day like today. Lastly, as you embark on your voyage, we wish you the most delightful and romantic experience. And, of course, if you and your partner happen to share a smooch by the end of the ride…well, let's just say that's highly encouraged. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride…because, with your Valentine by your side, how could it not be magical?"
Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! it took a while for me to come up with the safety spiel for Journey Through Romance, but hopefully I did a good job. As always, please feel free to review, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Oh, and happy Valentine's Day! :)
Also, if there's any coaster enthusiasts (like me) reading this chapter, you may notice that the Asteroid Coaster's layout was based on the Flight of Fear coasters at Kings Island and Kings Dominion, as well as the outdoor Six Flags clones like Joker's Jinx and Poltergeist!