Ibis Island - Part 3
After navigating the tangled labyrinth of fencing and checkpoints, Sora, Sonic, and Regina finally reached the entrance Rick had mentioned earlier—the one Donald and Goofy had apparently opened. The jagged edges of the pried-open doorway told a story of desperation—or ingenuity—depending on how you framed it. Scorch marks on the frame spoke of Donald's fiery temper, while the bent and twisted metal edges suggested Goofy had contributed some brute force.
The faint hum of machinery spilled out from within, carrying with it an unsettling sense of foreboding. Faulty lights buzzed and flickered further down the corridor, casting shifting shadows that danced erratically along the cold metal walls.
"Well," Sonic began, gesturing at the twisted metal edges of the entrance, "looks like Donald and Goofy got a little... creative with this one."
Regina crouched down, running her hand over the jagged frame. Her sharp amber eyes narrowed in scrutiny.
"Creative is one word for it," she muttered. "Overkill is another. What did they use, a wrecking ball?"
"Nah," Sonic said, his smirk widening. "Just a stubborn royal magician with a bad temper and a captain who thinks outside the box. You'd be surprised how effective those two can be when they put their heads together."
Regina gave him a look sharp enough to cut steel but didn't comment further. Meanwhile, Sora lingered a few steps behind, his Keyblade resting lightly at his side as he glanced back toward the dark jungle they'd left behind. His expression was troubled, worry flickering in his blue eyes.
Regina straightened, turning to him.
"Something on your mind, kid?" she asked, her tone blunt but carrying a faint trace of concern.
Sora hesitated before speaking.
"Do you think Gail's okay?" he asked quietly, his voice tinged with genuine worry.
"Gail's tough," Regina replied firmly. "He's been through worse. Trust me—he'll be fine."
Sonic stepped up beside Sora. His green eyes softened slightly as he regarded his friend.
"You've got a big heart, Sora," he said, his voice unusually sincere. "Always worrying about folks, even the grumpy ones."
Regina sighed, glancing away.
"It's not about being grumpy or not," Regina said, her tone blunt as she folded her arms. "Gail knows how to handle himself. He's got more experience than all of us combined."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Sonic muttered, just loud enough to be heard.
Regina turned to him, her amber eyes narrowing.
"Pretty bold statement, hedgehog," she challenged.
Sonic shrugged, but there was a spark of defiance in his green eyes.
"I'm not doubting Gail's skills or experience," he said, his tone even but laced with respect. "But has he ever gone toe-to-toe with a literal rampaging water god? Or stopped a dark entity that tore his world apart? How about taking on an evil genie in a magic book? Or, I don't know, saving a whole race of aliens from an evil interstellar amusement park?"
Regina blinked, caught off guard by the sheer absurdity of his claims. She looked him up and down, as if trying to reconcile the confident hedgehog in front of her with the outlandish stories he was spinning.
"You're telling me you did all that?" she said skeptically, gesturing toward him. "A three-foot-tall talking blue hedgehog?"
"Actually, I'm three-foot-three, but hey, who's counting?" Sonic quipped.
Regina sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Three-foot-three," she muttered under her breath. "Right. My mistake. Obviously, that makes all the difference."
Sonic chuckled, "Glad we cleared that up," he remarked.
Regina shook her head, still struggling to wrap her mind around his confidence.
"I don't know what's more ridiculous—your height correction or the idea that you've done all that and lived to tell the tale," she admitted.
"Don't underestimate what I bring to the table," Sonic said, his voice losing some of its playfulness. "You don't get to where I've been—or face what I've faced—without knowing how to handle yourself. Just saying, you might want to keep an open mind. I'm not just here for my sparkling personality."
Regina stared at him for a moment, as if searching for some crack in his bravado. But if there was one, Sonic wasn't letting it show.
Before she could respond, Sora's voice broke through the tension.
"Still, it's hard not to worry about Gail," he said softly, his gaze distant. "We've all been separated from people we care about before. It doesn't always end well."
"He's fine," Regina said again, though her voice lacked its usual edge. "I get it—you care. That's not a bad thing. But Gail's not someone you need to babysit."
Sonic cocked an eyebrow, his smirk returning.
"Wow, Regina. Was that your attempt at empathy? I'm impressed. Almost sounded like you cared for a second there," he teased.
Regina shot him a sharp glare.
"Don't push it, hedgehog," she muttered, though the faintest tinge of color brushed her cheeks.
"I'm just saying, you could use a little work on your delivery. Empathy lessons, maybe?" Sonic teased.
Regina exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose again.
"It doesn't matter how it sounds," she replied, beginning to move. "What matters is that we keep moving. Standing around here isn't helping anyone."
"Fair point," Sonic said, pushing off the frame and gesturing toward the corridor ahead. "After you, Red."
Regina stopped mid-step and groaned, spinning on her heel to face him.
"You're doing it on purpose now," she snapped, glaring down at him from her slightly taller stature. "It wasn't funny the first time, and it's definitely not funny the hundredth time."
Sonic smirked, clearly enjoying himself.
"Oh, come on, lighten up. It's a great nickname! It suits you. Fiery, sharp, and—" he paused dramatically, "—easy to rile up."
"You know what is funny?" Regina said, her tone razor-sharp as she tapped the handle of her Glock 34. "My trigger finger when it gets impatient."
"Seriously? You think that's gonna scare me?" Sonic questioned with a smirk. "I can run at the speed of sound. You wouldn't even have time to aim." He tapped his temple smugly. "Boom, I'm here. Boom, I'm gone."
"Speed isn't everything, you know," Regina shot back, crossing her arms. "And you're not that fast. You're still here talking, aren't you?"
"Only because I'm being polite," Sonic quipped, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. "Thought I'd give you a chance to catch up—for once."
"Catch up?" Regina repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. She stepped closer, her amber eyes narrowing. "You're really pushing your luck, hedgehog."
"Hey, I've got plenty of luck to spare," Sonic retorted, rocking back on his heels as if daring her to make the next move. "The question is, can you keep up? I mean, I could probably run laps around this facility while you're still figuring out which door to open."
Sora, standing a few feet away, awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, caught between amusement and discomfort.
"Uh… guys?" he began hesitantly, trying to diffuse the tension. "Shouldn't we focus on, you know, finding Kirk and stopping the Heartless?"
"Stay out of this, kid," Regina said without looking at him, her gaze locked on Sonic.
"Yeah, Sora, better do as she says," Sonic added with a cheeky grin, tilting his head toward Regina. "Wouldn't want to get on her bad side… though, honestly, I don't think she has a good one."
"Seriously?" Regina barked, her tone rising.
"This feels more like a clash of egos than a conversation," Sora muttered under his breath, glancing between the two.
Regina pointed a finger at Sonic, her patience clearly wearing thin.
"Listen, you little blue showoff, not everything is a game. Some of us actually take our jobs seriously."
Sonic placed a hand dramatically over his chest.
"Oh, I take my job very seriously," he replied. "Saving the world, making sure bad guys don't win, and—" he gestured toward her with a sly grin, "—keeping uptight people like you from bursting a blood vessel."
"You're about two seconds away from testing that theory," Regina warned, her tone dangerously low.
Sora stepped between them, holding up his free hand in a peacekeeping gesture.
"Alright, alright, that's enough!" he said, his voice firm but still kind. "We're on the same side, remember? Let's save the bickering for later—when we're not in a facility full of Heartless and, uh… dinosaur things."
Regina exhaled sharply, turning to take the lead with an annoyed huff.
"Fine. But if he calls me Red one more time, I'm shoving him in the nearest air duct," she threatened.
Sonic chuckled, following Regina.
"You know, I bet I'd fit in an air duct better than you would. Perks of being 3ft3," he countered back.
"Keep talking, hedgehog," Regina shot back over her shoulder.
Sora sighed, trailing behind them with a shake of his head.
"Yep. Definitely a clash of egos," Sora muttered.
Inside the Facility
The group pressed on, the cold, dimly lit corridors stretching out before them like a labyrinthine maze, the kind of place where one wrong turn could leave you wandering forever. Every few steps, the flickering lights above would sputter, casting strange, twisting shadows along the metallic walls, as if the darkness itself was alive and watching. The air was thick with the metallic tang of machinery and the faint hum of unseen power lines. Footsteps echoed against the silence, each sound swallowed by the oppressive stillness.
"So," Sonic broke the tension, his voice light and deliberately casual, "how many of these hallways do we have to wander through before we get to something exciting? Or, you know, find the control room? I mean, I get the whole mysterious vibe, but can we get some signs or maybe a map?"
Regina glanced over her shoulder, her sharp amber eyes narrowing.
"This isn't a theme park, hedgehog. Maybe try focusing instead of complaining."
"Hey, I am focused," Sonic replied, grinning. "Focused on not dying of boredom in this metal maze. Seriously, do all research facilities come with built-in gloom, or is this one special?"
Sora couldn't help but chuckle, his mood slightly lifted by Sonic's usual antics.
"Come on, Sonic. You've been in places like this before, right? Eggman's bases must be just as bad?"
"Eggman's bases at least have personality," Sonic quipped, gesturing to the monotone walls. "You know, giant portraits of him, robots trying to destroy me every five seconds... This place? Total snooze-fest."
"You really don't know how to shut up, do you?" Regina retorted, rolling her eyes.
"Not really," Sonic admitted proudly. "It's part of my charm."
Before Regina could retort, Sora's gaze flicked to the floor ahead. His eyes sharpened, and he raised his Keyblade slightly, slowing his pace.
"Wait," he said softly, his voice cutting through the banter. "Do you hear that?"
The group froze, their ears straining against the faint hum of the facility. For a moment, there was only silence. Then, the unmistakable sound of something skittering echoed through the halls—a faint, rapid tapping like claws scraping against metal.
Regina tensed, her hand instinctively going to her Stun Saber.
"Heartless," she muttered under her breath, her tone grim.
"Finally, some action," Sonic remarked. "I was starting to think this place was abandoned."
"Trust me," Regina said, her amber eyes scanning the shadows ahead, "it's not."
As if on cue, a group of Neoshadows emerged from the darkness, their sleek, ink-black forms slinking into the light. Their glowing yellow eyes burned with a predatory intensity as they moved in unison. One by one, more appeared, their numbers growing until they nearly filled the corridor.
Sora stepped forward, raising his Keyblade in a defensive stance.
"Stay on guard! These ones are tough," he affirmed.
"I know," Regina said curtly, drawing her stun sabre and Glock. "They already tried to tear me apart earlier, remember. Let's make sure they don't get a second chance."
Sonic glanced at Sora, his usual confidence shining through despite the odds.
"You ready, buddy?" he asked
Sora grinned back, his Keyblade shimmering faintly with light.
"Always."
Sonic shifted into his battle stance, quills sparking faintly with energy.
"Alright, let's show these creeps what teamwork looks like."
Battle in the Facility
Battle Music: Breakout - Dino Crisis
The Neoshadows wasted no time, lunging forward in unison with their razor-sharp claws extended. Sora stepped forward, his Keyblade glowing faintly as he intercepted the first attacker, parrying its swipe with a loud metallic clang. He followed up with a quick combo, his strikes radiating bursts of light that sent the Heartless staggering.
Sonic zipped past Sora, darting between two Neoshadows with ease. He launched into a Spin Dash and activating his fire ring. Flames licked at Sonic's blue quills as he slammed into one of the creatures, sending it flying into the wall.
"Gotta say, these guys really don't learn, do they?" he quipped, flipping backward to avoid another swipe.
"Keep your focus, hedgehog!" Regina barked as she sidestepped an incoming Neoshadow.
Her Glock barked twice, the bullets grazing the creature's shoulder before it leapt back into the shadows. She ignited her Stun Saber, the crackling energy blade illuminating the corridor as she swung it in a sharp arc, catching another NeoShadow mid-lunge. The creature dissolved into dark mist with a distorted screech.
"Nice hit!" Sora called as he cast Blizzard, freezing two NeoShadows in place. With a quick twirl of his Keyblade, he shattered them both, their forms dissipating into black smoke.
"Not bad yourself," Regina muttered, already turning to face another attacker. "But we're not done yet."
As if on cue, the air around them seemed to grow heavier, an oppressive darkness seeping into the corridor. From the shadows, new forms began to materialise—Dark Talons. Their eyes locked onto group as they flanked the Neoshadows, creating a deadly pincer formation.
"Oh, great. The Jurassic crew's back," Sonic muttered, rolling his shoulders. "I was starting to miss these guys."
The Dark Talons hissed in unison as they advanced. Sonic glanced at the glowing Wisp Bangal on his wrist, his grin widening as it began to pulse faintly with light.
"Alright, time to kick it up a notch," he said, raising his arm to summon the Orange Wisp for a Rocket attack. But before the Wisp could fully materialise, Regina shot him a sharp glare.
"Are you nuts?!" she hissed loudly, stunning a Neoshadow into defeat. "The noise alone could attract even more of these things!"
Even Sora, usually quick to back up Sonic's plans, nodded in agreement as he slashed a Neoshadow in half.
"Regina's right," he said. "We can't risk it right now."
Sonic sighed, lowering his arm as the light on the Bangal dimmed.
"Fine," he muttered. "But when things really go south, don't say I didn't offer."
The trio braced themselves as the Neoshadows and Dark Talons advanced, their movements eerily synchronized, like predators working in perfect unison. The oppressive hum of the facility seemed to amplify the tension, each step the creatures took reverberating through the corridor like a countdown to chaos.
Sonic was the first to spring into action, a streak of blue energy as he dashed between two Dark Talons. His fists and feet blurred as he unleashed Phantom Rush, each strike igniting faint sparks of light in the dim corridor.
"Too slow!" he quipped, nimbly flipping over a snapping jaw and landing behind one of the raptors.
With a quick pivot, the hedgehog unleashed Sonic Wind, a streak of energy slicing through the two creatures. The Dark Talons roared briefly before disintegrating into misty tendrils of darkness.
Sonic landed with a smirk, dusting off his hands.
"And that's why they call me the fastest thing alive. Too easy!" he taunted.
Sora wasn't far behind, his Keyblade gleaming as he raised it high. With a swift swing, he hurled it forward in a Strike Raid. The spinning weapon carved through two Neoshadows in quick succession, their forms bursting into dark mist as the Keyblade returned to his grip in a flash of light. Without missing a beat, Sora called down Thunder, the bolts striking true as they engulfed a Dark Talon mid-leap. The creature screeched as the electricity coursed through it, dissolving into nothingness.
"Nice work, kid," Regina called, her voice cutting through the cacophony. Her Stun Saber crackled with electricity as she drove it into the chest of a Neoshadow lunging toward her. The creature writhed against the crackling energy, then burst into mist, leaving only the faint scent of ozone behind. "But keep the magic to a minimum," she warned, glancing at Sora. "This place feels like it's held together with duct tape and bad decisions. We don't need any more explosions."
Sora gave a sheepish nod but kept his Keyblade ready.
"Got it. No fireworks," he replied.
The group was beginning to gain the upper hand, the corridor clearing of enemies, when the air suddenly grew colder, heavier. The faint hum of the facility warped into an unsettling pulse, like a heartbeat that wasn't entirely mechanical. A strange, rippling energy spread through the corridor, distorting the air and bending the flickering light.
At the far end of the hallway, a figure began to materialise, stepping through the haze as though emerging from another dimension. It stood taller than the Dark Talons, its sleek, silver frame glinting faintly under the sporadic lighting. Its body was a grotesque fusion of organic and mechanical, long, slender limbs ending in razor-sharp claws that glinted like steel. Its head resembled that of a predatory dinosaur, elongated and angular, with glowing, empty eye sockets that burned with a faint blue light. The Nobody insignia gleamed faintly on its metallic crest, pulsating like a heartbeat. Tendrils of silvery mist coiled around its frame, as if the creature itself was unraveling reality with every step.
"Well… that's new," Sonic muttered, his voice a mix of awe and exasperation. "I'm gonna call it—"
"Hedgehog, focus!" Regina barked, raising her Glock with precision, her sharp amber eyes narrowing as she locked onto the creature. "Cute names later. Surviving now!"
The raptor-like Nobody let out a guttural screech, a sound that reverberated through the corridor and sent chills up their spines. Its movements were unnervingly fluid, its claws scraping the floor as it crouched low, preparing to strike. Every motion exuded a lethal grace, its presence demanding attention.
"What the heck is that thing?" Regina demanded, her sharp amber eyes darting between the group and the advancing foe. Her grip on her Glock remained trained on the creature. "It doesn't look like one of those Heartless."
Sora tightened his grip on the glowing Keyblade, his expression tense but resolute.
"It's a Nobody. But… I've never seen one like this," he admitted, stepping forward.
"Great," Sonic muttered, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles with a cheeky smirk. "Dino-Nobody it is, then."
Regina's eyes narrowed, still locked onto the metallic monstrosity.
"Wait, a Nobody?" she asked sharply, her voice tinged with exasperation. "Do I dare ask what that even means?"
"Long story," Sonic replied, his green eyes flickering with determination. "We'll explain later."
"Good," Regina muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "The first thing you've said that I agree with, hedgehog."
"Glad we're finally on the same page," Sonic quipped, shifting into a ready stance. "Now then, who wants first crack at it?"
Before anyone could answer, the Dino-Nobody made its move. It blurred forward with terrifying speed, its claws slicing through the air in a lethal arc. Sonic darted out of the way, the razor-sharp talons missing him by mere inches and screeching against the floor as they struck. The sound echoed through the corridor like nails on a chalkboard.
"Whoa!" Sonic exclaimed, skidding to a stop a few feet away.
He pivoted quickly, launching into a fiery Spin Dash, sparks trailing behind him as he crashed into the Nobody's side. The impact reverberated through the creature's frame, but instead of recoiling, it absorbed the hit, twisting its body unnaturally to face him again. Its glowing, predatory eyes locked onto Sonic with eerie precision.
"Okay," Sonic said, shaking his head as he backed off slightly. "Not as squishy as the others. Good to know."
The Nobody screeched, the sound guttural and inhuman, as its claws elongated unnaturally. Without hesitation, it lunged toward Sora and Regina, its movements swift and deliberate. Sora stepped forward, his Keyblade glowing brightly as he swung it upward to intercept the attack. The resulting clash sent out a burst of light and energy.
Regina wasted no time. She darted to the side, her Glock barking a series of shots aimed at the creature's joints. The bullets ricocheted off its metallic frame, barely leaving a scratch. Gritting her teeth, she holstered the firearm and reignited her Stun Saber. The electric hum of the weapon filled the air as she charged low, aiming for the creature's legs.
"Guess we're doing this the hard way," she muttered, sliding in and delivering a precise jab to one of its joints. The electricity crackled along its frame, causing the Nobody to flinch momentarily but not falter.
"That's the spirit!" Sonic called, zipping around the creature at blinding speed. "Keep it busy while I figure out if it's got a weak spot."
Sora nodded, his Keyblade gleaming as he leapt forward. A quick Aero spell surrounded him and Regina with a protective barrier, the faint winds deflecting some of the Nobody's smaller, clawed tendrils as they lashed out.
"Let's take it down!" Sora called, his voice steady and full of determination.
The Dino-Nobody twisted its form unnaturally, its clawed limbs bending in ways that defied logic. It swiped toward Sonic, who ducked low and countered with a swift series of punches, his Phantom Rush ability lighting up the corridor with streaks of blue energy. Meanwhile, Sora moved in to flank the creature, slashing at its exposed side with a series of quick Keyblade combos that sent sparks flying.
Regina circled back, her movements precise and calculated. Spotting an exposed panel of the Nobody's metallic frame, she lunged forward and drove her Stun Saber into it with all her strength. The electric surge coursed through the creature's body, causing it to convulse violently. Its screech echoed louder than before, rattling the metal walls around them.
"Looks like we're starting to get somewhere!" Regina shouted, pulling back to avoid the creature's counterattack, her amber eyes locked on its weakened form.
Sonic zipped past her in a blur of blue, flipping into a crouch just beyond the Nobody's reach.
"Great teamwork! You might actually be growing on me!" he quipped, the trademark smirk plastered across his face.
"Keep talking, hedgehog, and I'll let this thing have you for dessert," Regina shot back, though this time there was a faint glimmer of a smirk tugging at her lips as she pressed the assault again.
But then, Sonic paused. His expression shifted, a look of sheer determination crossing his face.
"Hold that thought," he muttered, crouching down like a sprinter preparing to launch.
Blue sparks of energy began to crackle around him, growing brighter and more intense with each passing second. His green eyes glowed electric blue as raw energy surged through his body.
"Guys, you better move out of the way!" Sonic called out, his voice louder than usual and tinged with urgency.
Regina glanced over her shoulder, her brow furrowing.
"What the hell is he doing now?" she demanded, clearly unimpressed with Sonic's theatrics.
"READY!" Sonic declared loudly.
Sora, mid-dodge from a swipe of the Nobody's elongated claws, suddenly caught sight of Sonic's glowing form. Recognition dawned on his face, and his eyes widened.
"It's the Light Speed Dash!" he exclaimed.
"The Light Speed wha—" Regina started, but before she could finish, Sonic's voice thundered through the corridor.
"GO!" Sonic shouted, the sparks of energy erupting around him like a crackling storm.
"Hit the deck!" Sora yelled, diving to the floor just in time. Regina barely had time to react, throwing herself down next to Sora as Sonic became a blinding blur of energy.
The corridor lit up with streaks of electric blue light as Sonic rocketed forward, moving faster than the eye could follow. He collided with the Nobody like a kinetic missile, the sheer force of the impact sending the creature flying backward. The metallic foe crashed through a wall with an earsplitting boom, the entire corridor shaking violently from the shockwave.
Dust and debris rained down from the ceiling, coating the corridor in a fine haze. The Nobody's crumpled form shuddered violently before it dissolved into mist, leaving behind the eerie hum of machinery and the occasional creak of the battered facility.
Back on his feet, Sonic stood near the jagged hole he'd blasted into the metal wall, sparks still flickering faintly around his quills as his electric blue eyes slowly faded back to green. A triumphant grin spread across his face, his energy still riding high. He placed one of his gloved hands on his hip and surveyed the scene with a mix of pride and amusement.
"Well," Sonic quipped, gesturing to the destroyed wall, "looks like this dino just got hit with an extinction-level event. Courtesy of yours truly."
RANK: S
Regina shot up from the ground with the precision and force of someone who'd had just about enough, her amber eyes blazing. She swiped at the dust clinging to her gear with sharp, impatient movements, her jaw clenched so tightly it could've cut glass. Sora pushed himself to his feet more slowly, brushing off his clothes and coughing faintly as he waved away the lingering debris.
"Sonic," Regina started, her tone dangerously calm as she marched toward the blue hedgehog. Her boots echoed heavily in the now-silent corridor. "What… was that?"
Sonic turned, unfazed by the storm brewing in her expression.
"That?" he said, pointing a thumb at himself with a cheeky grin. "That was a classic Light Speed Dash! Got us out of a tough spot, took down the big bad Dino Nobody, and—bonus points—did it with style."
"With style?" Regina echoed, her voice rising as she came to a stop just a foot away from him. "Are you kidding me? That 'dash' could've brought the entire facility down on top of us! You didn't just risk your life—you risked all of ours! Do you even think before you act, or do you just see an opportunity for chaos and go for it?"
Sonic tilted his head, his grin never wavering.
"Well, technically, it's controlled chaos. And, come on, it worked out, didn't it?"
Regina pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a long, frustrated exhale.
"Why am I even surprised? Teaming up with you is like voluntarily strapping myself to a rocket and hoping it doesn't explode!"
"Aw, come on, Regina," Sonic said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "You've gotta admit it was impressive. Dangerous, bonkers, sure, but you can't say it didn't get results."
Regina dropped her hand and fixed him with a glare that could have melted steel.
"Impressive? Sonic, we're in a highly unstable facility. One wrong move like that again, and we're not walking out of here. Forget the mission—there won't be a damn mission because we'll all be buried under rubble!"
"Yeah, yeah," Sonic said, waving a hand dismissively, though the sparks of energy still crackling faintly around him betrayed his lingering adrenaline. "I hear you loud and clear. Next time, I'll think twice before pulling off something so reckless… maybe."
"Maybe?" Regina barked, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I'm questioning every life choice that led to this moment. I could've gone solo. I could've stuck you with Rick, Donald, and Goofy. But no, I'm here with the speedster who apparently thinks every problem is solved by ramming into it at Mach 1!"
Sora stepped forward, trying to diffuse the tension with a nervous chuckle.
"Uh, for what it's worth, Regina, that was pretty amazing. I mean, the Nobody didn't stand a chance," he admitted.
Regina shot him a look, and he quickly added, "But, you know, maybe next time we… plan things out more?"
Sonic leaned casually against the jagged remains of the wall, his smirk firmly in place.
"Look, I was just thinking: take out the big bad Nobody, save the day, maybe even rack up a sweet S-Rank in the process."
"S-Rank?" Regina asked, her tone dripping with disbelief. "What in the hell are you talking about?"
"You know," Sonic said, making exaggerated hand gestures, "like in video games. The kind of ranking you get for flawless, stylish moves? That's gotta be worth an S-Rank at least."
Regina stared at him, slack-jawed, before shaking her head and throwing up her hands.
"I can't believe I'm even having this conversation," she sighed.
Sonic leaned toward her with a grin.
"Admit it, though—you're impressed. I'm growing on you, aren't I?" he teased.
"No," Regina said flatly.
"Aw, come on!" Sonic groaned. "After all that? Tough crowd."
"I need a vacation after this..." Regina muttered, shaking her head as she peered into the room beyond the destroyed wall.
Sora gave Sonic a sympathetic shrug.
"You might want to dial it back a little, Sonic," he admitted.
"Dial it back?" Sonic repeated, trailing after them. "What part of 'save the day' am I supposed to dial back, Sora? You're welcome, by the way!"
Ignoring him, Regina crouched slightly, her sharp amber eyes scanning the wreckage in the adjacent room. The dim light revealed what looked like the remnants of an office—overturned chairs, shattered monitors, and scattered papers coated in dust.
"Find something?" Sora asked, stepping up beside her.
"Looks like an office," Regina confirmed, her tone as sharp as ever. "Well, whatever's left of it, anyway."
"Was it destroyed before Sonic smashed the Nobody into it?" Sora wondered aloud, his brow furrowed in thought.
"No idea," Regina replied. "But from what I can tell, it could be both—could've been messed up before"
She gave a sideways glance at Sonic, who stood leaning casually against the jagged edge of the wall, watching the scene unfold with a grin that could melt the coldest of glares.
"Let me guess—I bet there is a random keycard just lying around in here, right?" Sonic chimed in with exaggerated flair, his tone teasing. "I'm getting total 90s horror game vibes right now. You know, the kind where everything's grim and then bam—keycard to unlock some mysterious, over-the-top evil plot."
Regina shot him a look, but didn't comment further. Instead, she stepped carefully into the room, her boots crunching over the broken glass and debris. Amid the chaos, a faint glint caught her eye on the desk beneath a toppled file cabinet. She crouched down, shifting the debris aside to reveal a worn keycard, its surface scratched but still intact.
"Bingo," she muttered, holding it up for Sora and Sonic to see.
Sora blinked in surprise.
"What's it for?" he asked.
"No idea," Regina admitted, inspecting the card closely, her brow furrowed. "But Rick might. Let's head to the control room and—"
"Wait, wait!" Sonic interrupted, holding up a hand dramatically. "Can we just take a moment to appreciate how spot-on I was? A random keycard in a trashed room? Totally called it!"
Regina ignored him, standing up and pocketing the keycard.
"If this gets us one step closer to Kirk, I don't care where it came from," she remarked, her voice smooth and deliberate.
"Fair enough," Sora replied with a small chuckle, following her out of the room.
Sonic trailed behind, still grinning ear-to-ear, clearly enjoying the spotlight.
"Admit it, though," he teased, his smirk practically glowing. "You're impressed. I'm growing on you, aren't I?"
"No," Regina said flatly, without missing a beat.
"Aw, come on!" Sonic groaned dramatically, throwing his hands up in mock defeat. "After all that? Really?"
"You're impossible," Regina muttered under her breath as they moved down the corridor. Her patience was worn thin, but her sharp instincts kept her focused.
Just then, a low beep from Regina's communicator interrupted the tense silence. The green light blinked as Rick's voice crackled through, his usual casual tone laced with annoyance.
"Regina," Rick's voice barked, "What the hell is taking you so long? And what was that commotion? Was that you guys?"
Regina stopped in her tracks, a subtle groan escaping her lips. She raised the communicator to reply.
"Yeah, that was us. More Heartless, more Heartless Dinosaurs—one of which was a Nobody," she explained in a clipped tone, eyes flicking toward Sora as if confirming what had just happened.
"Yep. A Dinosaur Nobody," Sora clarified with a nod.
There was a brief, stunned silence on the other end of the comms. Then, Rick's voice broke through, laughter clearly evident in his tone.
"A Dinosaur Nobody? Wow, you're making this up as you go, aren't you?" he teased, the incredulity in his voice as thick as his sarcasm.
Sonic's grin widened as he looked between Regina and Sora.
"We still haven't explained what a Nobody is to ol' Regina here," he remarked, playfully pointing at the redhead. "You know, the real details."
"I don't want to know," Regina muttered, shaking her head as if trying to rid herself of the idea altogether.
Rick chuckled again, but his voice turned a bit more serious.
"Alright, alright. A Nobody is a creature made when someone loses their heart," he explained. "They're like shadows of the person who used to exist, only with their own twisted purpose."
Regina blinked, the gears turning in her head. She glanced at Sonic, then back at Sora, and finally sighed.
"Wait, you know about this?" she asked, her tone a mixture of exasperation and surprise.
Rick's voice took on a more casual tone, as if the answer was obvious.
"Yeah, Donald and Goofy filled me in. I'm not totally in the dark here, you know."
As if on cue, Goofy's cheerful voice rang through the comms, his words crackling with static.
"Hi, Sora! Hi, Sonic!" Goofy said, his usual warm tone belying the situation.
But Donald's voice quickly cut through, full of impatience as ever.
"Come on, hurry up! We've got to stop Kirk, remember?!" Donald quacked loudly, the urgency in his tone impossible to ignore.
Regina shot a glance at Sonic, her eyebrows lifting slightly.
"Well, the duck gets it," she said dryly, pointing to the comms device with a nod toward Donald.
Sonic's eyes widened, and he placed a hand dramatically over his heart, pretending to be wounded.
"Hey! I know the mission, Red. Don't think I've forgotten."
Regina's eyes narrowed as her patience finally snapped.
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU? DON'T CALL ME RED!"
Sonic grinned even wider, looking unbothered.
"As many times as it takes... Red," he teased.
Rick, who had been listening to the back-and-forth, finally intervened, his voice cutting through the noise with an easy calm.
"Alright, alright, chill," he said, clearly unfazed by their antics. "Look, you're not far from the control room. Look up. I got eyes on you."
The group paused, glancing up at the flickering overhead lights. To their surprise, the CCTV camera above them began moving, swiveling smoothly as it focused on them.
"That's me," Rick's voice crackled from the comms. "I'm watching. Now, head down the corridor and take a right. You'll find the door. We're waiting."
Sora, who had been a little distracted, suddenly waved at the camera.
"Thanks, Rick!" he called out with a smile.
Rick's voice responded quickly from Regina's communicator.
"You're welcome, Sora!"
Goofy's cheerful voice came through, barely containing his excitement.
"See you guys soon!"
But then Donald's voice followed, tinged with impatience.
"Hurry up! We don't have all day!"
The comms went silent after that, leaving only the distant hum of the facility's power systems.
Sonic stretched his arms out, his trademark grin spreading even wider.
"You heard the man, let's move!" he said, smirking at Regina as he started to move down the corridor, taking the lead.
Regina shot him a sharp look but then turned towards Sora, her expression softening just a bit.
"Alright, let's go. We've got a mission to finish," she remarked.
Sora nodded in agreement, following her.
With that, the group walked down the dimly lit corridor, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the eerie silence as the camera above them continued to track their movements. As they turned the corner, the tension seemed to lift slightly, but the weight of the unknown still pressed on them.
Deep in the Facility
In the dimly lit corridors of the facility's lower levels, Dr. Kirk paced restlessly, his mind consumed by the catastrophic events that had unfolded. The Third Energy project, his life's work, had spiraled into chaos, unleashing horrors he had never anticipated. As he approached the reinforced door to his private lab, a familiar voice halted him.
"Dr. Kirk, we meet again."
Startled, Kirk turned to face the hooded figure emerging from the shadows. Recognition flickered in his eyes.
"You..." Kirk's voice trailed off, his expression a mix of suspicion and curiosity. "What do you want now?"
The figure stepped closer, his presence imposing yet enigmatic.
"I understand your frustration. The Third Energy has proven more volatile than anticipated."
Kirk's gaze hardened as he replied.
"It's beyond my control now. The facility is overrun, and the creatures—" He paused, his voice faltering. "They're everywhere."
A subtle smirk played on the figure's lips.
"Indeed, the situation is dire." He gestured toward the lab. "Perhaps I can offer assistance. Show me your work; let me see the extent of your research."
Kirk hesitated, then nodded, leading the way into the lab. As they entered, the figure's eyes gleamed with interest, scanning the array of monitors and equipment.
"Impressive." He turned to Kirk. "But tell me, have you considered the true potential of the Third Energy? Beyond mere power generation?"
"What do you mean?" Kirk asked with a skeptical frown.
"What if it could be harnessed to control life itself? To bend creatures to your will?" the man remarked.
"That's... that's madness," Kirk muttered in suprise.
"Is it?" The figure's tone was smooth, persuasive. "With the right application, the Third Energy could be the key to unimaginable power."
Kirk's mind raced. The idea was both alluring and terrifying.
"And what do you propose?" the doctor questioned.
The figure stepped closer, his voice a mere breath.
"Embrace the darkness within. Let go of your doubts. Together, we can unlock the full potential of your creation."
"Darkness?" Kirk asked, intrigued but confused.
"Yes." The figure's eyes gleamed. "The Third Energy is unstable because it taps into the very essence of darkness. Embrace it, and you can control it."
Kirk's thoughts were a whirlwind. The figure's words resonated with a part of him he had long suppressed—the desire for control, for power. He glanced at the monitors, at the chaos unfolding outside. Could this be the answer?
"What do you need from me?" Kirk asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
The figure extended a gloved hand.
"Your cooperation. Your expertise. Together, we can reshape this world and beyond."
Kirk stared at the hand, his mind torn. The figure's presence was both a temptation and a warning. Could he trust this mysterious ally? Or was he being drawn into a deeper abyss?
As he reached out to shake the figure's hand, a sudden noise from the hallway interrupted them. The figure's demeanor shifted instantly, becoming cold and calculating.
"We will continue this discussion later." He turned to leave, his cloak swirling around him. "Remember, Dr. Kirk, power is within your grasp. Don't let it slip away."
Kirk stood alone in the lab, the weight of the figure's words pressing down on him. The darkness was tempting, but at what cost?