"ARMAGEDDON"
Authors: Robert Brown-Francis Tolbert
Disclaimer: This story uses characters created and copyrighted by Sega of
America, Inc. and Archie Comics (except where noted, in which case
they were created and copyrighted by us or by another and we have
permission to use them). The authors hereby give permission for
this story to be downloaded and/or printed at 1 copy per user as
long as (1) no changes to the story are made without our express
written(not e-mailed) permission and (2) no attempt is made to
profit from this story. If either or both rules are violated, it
will be considered a violation of copyright law.
Author's Note: Usually when there is no real note here, it's Francis who asked
me not to do it. This time, it's my idea. So prepare yourselves, for the time
is at hand.
Cast of Characters(in order of appearance)
Knuckles Echidna
Tanis Shi-rat***
Rosie
Dr. Robotnik
Sonic Hedgehog
Princess Sally Acorn
Bunnie Rabbot
Antoine D'Coolette
Miles "Tails" Prower
Princess Sondra Acorn***
Dulcy
Rotor
Donovan###
Nadia***
Princess Lydia Evergreen^^^
Isabela Evergreen^^^
Dorian Lexford***
Uncle Chuck
Maurice Hedgehog***
Patricia Hedgehog***
Kelly Min Hedgehog**##
Lupe
Ari
????????????????????????
#28
Knuckles sat in his cave on the Floating Island, watching the Freedom
Fighters make yet another unsuccessful attempt to gain control of Robotnik's
Emeralds. He sighed, seeing them driven off when they had been so close to
achieving their goal. Right now, he didn't care which side got the Emeralds,
as long as one side did. They were running out of time, and doing so in a
hurry.
Knuckles turned away from the view before him and began to pace around the
Emerald chamber. "How did I know it would come to this?" he muttered. "Ever
since this was revealed to me, I knew it would come to this. And I can't wait
any longer. It must be now."
Knuckles stalked from the chamber, passing many of the Floating Island's
inhabitants along his walk. But where before he had always made time to talk
with them, now only one word could be heard passing from his lips:
"Armageddon"
Tanis sat back, sweat dripping from his brow. Rosie smiled up at him,
catching her breath. "Not so easy anymore, is it?" she whispered.
Tanis smiled. Her training in magic was progressing far faster than
he had thought it would, and these little contests between them were getting
harder and harder to win. Fairly soon, her power could surpass even his own.
"And you thought I was letting you win," he murmured.
"Remember what happened last time you did?" Rosie asked, tracing the
outline of a red palmprint on his cheek. "If I'm going to do this, I don't
want any special treatment from you just because you love me."
Tanis was about to make another remark, but he caught sight of Knuckles
appearing in the main hall. "We'll have to finish this another time," he said,
walking out to meet Knuckles. "What brings you here Guardian?" he asked
calmly.
Knuckles looked to Tanis with flat eyes, speaking to him the only word he
had spoken since leaving the chamber on the Floating Island:
"Armageddon"
Tanis looked down and Rosie rushed out to his side. "Is there no other
way?" she asked.
Knuckles shook his head slowly and then seated himself in one of the
benches near the altar. "I will bring them here," he said, closing his eyes
and preparing the spells needed in his mind.
Rosie touched his arm gently and brushed back a lock of her black hair.
"We will bring them here," she said quietly.
Robotnik was sitting in his command chair, going over a map of the Great
Forest for the hundredth time that day. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear
they were able to move Knothole," he muttered into his mustache. "But I'll
find them. I won't ever give up on it." Then, just as he was about to zero
in his newest satellite on one of the few as-yet unexplored areas, a wind rose
up around him and he was gone.
In Knothole, the Freedom Fighters were returning from their latest attempt
on Robotnik's Emeralds. They piled wearily into the War Room, tending to their
injuries, however minor they were.
"That was a disaster," Sonic muttered as the last of them came in.
Sally motioned for the door to be closed and sat down at the table. "You
know Sonic, it almost seems like you're losing a step or two," she said
jokingly.
"What do you mean Sal?" Sonic asked.
"Well, you used to just run between the SWATbots and make them shoot each
other. I saw you setting a trap for them before we left."
Sonic shrugged, not meeting Sally's gaze. "You're the one who always told
me not to rely on my speed so much. Besides, that would've only gotten me two
SWAT-butts. This way, I think I took out ten at once."
Sally smiled. Sonic was right, and she was privately glad to see it. But
no matter how much Sonic had matured, he still tended to rely on his speed.
This was the first mission that she could ever recall Sonic having to be
reminded to run. That worried her to no end, because Sonic's speed was still
their best offensive and defensive weapon against Robotnik.
But before she could say anything further about it, or anyone could say
anything for that matter, a wind sprang up inside the hut. When it died, the
hut was completely empty.
Strangely enough, the SWATbots that passed out Robotnik's command center
and the animals that passed by Knothole's War Room heard the exact same word
at the exact same time:
"Armageddon"
Tanis and Rosie opened their eyes, looking at the suddenly full Sanctuary.
"Welcome everyone," Tanis said quietly. "I'm sorry for bringing you here so
rudely, but Knuckles told me that you had to be here, and be here now."
"What's all this about?" Sally asked, turning to stare at Knuckles.
Knuckles stood up and faced them. When he spoke, it seemed to them that
his voice came not from his throat, but from inside his very soul. "When the
Race for the Emeralds began, I told you that it must be decided within a year,
and that I could do whatever I needed to do to make sure it was. That means I
could even call a final battle for all the Emeralds. That time is at hand; the
time of Armageddon."
A shocked gasp went up from everyone there, even Robotnik. Knuckles
silenced them with an icy glare. "It is my decision to make; you all know
this. I'm telling you this now, so you have time to prepare. Armageddon will
be held thirteen days from now. You are all hereby warned not to attack the
other again, for I will be holding all seven Emeralds until Armageddon comes.
"Armageddon will be literally the final battle. Robotnik and one of the
Freedom Fighters in one-on-one combat. The only rule is this: combat continues
until one can no longer fight."
"A fight to the death then," Robotnik muttered, smiling.
"No Doctor," Knuckles said. "It could very well end in death, but it does
not have to. It could be something as simple as unconsciousness or a broken
limb. Anything that would prevent one from continuing the fight."
"Don't forget, I choose the battleground," Robotnik said. "You gave me
such when I allowed them to claim the Shadow Emerald from that...thing."
Knuckles nodded. "I remember. Do you know what battleground you wish?"
"What else? Robotropolis itself. The entire city is the battleground."
"I might have known," Sally said. "He'll probably have the entire city
rigged with traps."
"It is his right," Knuckles said. "Now then, who among you will face
him?"
Every hand shot up in the air. "I'm the princess here," Sally said. "I
can fly, I'm the best strategist, and I'm the third fastest. It should be me."
"You may be able to fly Sally-girl," Bunnie said, "but your fighting
leaves something to be desired. I'm the best pure fighter we have, and I'm
the strongest, except for Dulcy and Rotor of course. Also, with my training,
the fight between me and Robotnik will be short and sweet."
"That may be so, my lovely doe," Antoine said, "but your fighting may not
be as effective against someone of Robotnik's size. I am second only to you
in the martial arts, but I am a better swordsman."
"Swordsperson," Bunnie interrupted.
"Whatever it is. No matter how tall you are, a sword can still bring you
down to size. As the only Royal Guardsman, it is my duty to protect the House
of Acorn. I should be going."
"All of you have great points," Tails said. "Now I'm not the best at
anything you mentioned, but I know some of each. If anything, I should go
because Robotnik won't be able to prepare for me; I'm too well-rounded."
"It doesn't matter how well he prepares for me," Sondra said, forming a
crystal in her palm, "I can make crystals that can cut through anything,
especially him. I'm almost as fast as Sonic, and almost as smart as Sally.
Also, I'm not ready to be Queen. Even if Sally wins, she may not be in any
condition to rule. That's why it has to be me."
Dulcy opened her mouth to argure her point, but her eyes suddenly spaced
out. "I'd love to stay and argue," she said, "but I'm getting called to
Dragon's Nest. It's time to lay my egg. See you all in about a month!" She
hurried to the door and squeezed out, flying off at full speed.
Rotor watched her go. "I have a reason to win none of you do; I'm
fighting for the safety of my child. And with all the powers of Bahamut at my
disposal, and the fact that I'm closest in size to Robotnik, I'll have the
best chance."
Sonic looked around, seeing if anyone else was going to speak. Instead,
they were all looking at him. "All of you want to do this, perhaps as much or
more than I do," he said slowly. "But let me ask you this, who's actually been
training for this? I have, and I'm the most ready.
"Sally may be the real leader, but you all know you look to me. How could
I let anyone else take on Robotnik? This is the day I've been dreaming about
since we were five years old; the day Robotnik took over. I've waited thirteen
long years to settle my accounts with him, and I've got thirteen days to go.
Now if anyone else here can say that they want it as badly, or for as long as I
have, I'll step aside. If not, then it's my fight, just as we all know it
should be."
One by one, each of the Freedom Fighters nodded. Even Robotnik seemed to
smile. "As you said, this is how it should be," he said in a low, raspy voice.
"Bring your best, rodent. You will not get another chance at me."
"I'm looking forward to it," Sonic said, standing on a bench to stare
Robotnik eye-to-eye. "Thirteen days Robotnik. That's all you have left."
As all this was going on, Donovan was waiting in the Great Forest for
Sonic to arrive for another training session. "Hmm, fifteen minutes late,"
he muttered, checking his watch. He pulled his communicator out and turned
it on. "Nadia, do me a favor," he said calmly. "Go over to Knothole and find
out why Quills isn't here yet."
"Sure thing, Donovan," Nadia said, pulling on her boots. She turned off
her communicator and walked toward the door of the hut.
"Someone is approaching the door," the computer advised as Nadia reached
for the doorknob.
"Is it Sonic?" Nadia asked, pausing with her hand on the door.
"If it were Sonic, I would have said Sonic," the computer returned. "I
don't know who it is."
"Describe."
"Female fox, white fur, garnet red eyes, dark auburn hair, black t-shirt
and shorts..."
"Oh, what's Lydia doing here?" Nadia wondered out loud.
"Lydia?"
"Donovan calles her Linda."
"I see. Should I let her in?"
Nadia sighed and opened the door, just as Lydia was about to knock. "Oh,"
Lydia said, startled. "Hi Nadia. Is Donovan here?"
"Actually, no," Nadia said. "What did you need him for?"
"I need to speak to him Nadia," Lydia said. "He's the only one I can
think of who might be able to tell me what's going on. The Freedom Fighters
have disappeared!"
"What?" Nadia asked, then she waved Lydia off as she was going to repeat
herself. "I heard you the first time, I just can't believe it. Come in, and
I'll contact Donovan."
"I already have him," the computer said.
"Now, what happened to the Freedom Fighters?" Donovan asked, his voice
coming over the computer's speakers.
"Like I said, they disappeared," Lydia repeated. "I was a little late
getting to the War Room after they had just returned from another try at the
Emeralds. I saw them all go in, but when I got there, it was empty."
"That does sound strange," Nadia said. "Can you make anything of it,
Donovan?"
"Not yet," he said slowly. "Is there anything you're leaving out, Linda?"
"You know, I hate when you call me that," Lydia muttered. "Anyway, now
that you mention it, there is one other thing. It didn't make sense to me, but
maybe it will to you. As I looked in the War Room, I heard someone whispering.
I didn't see anyone, so I dismissed it, but maybe it's important."
"Could you make out what was being said?" Nadia asked.
"I think it was 'Armageddon'."
Nadia's eyes widened in shock, and she knew Donovan's good eye was doing
the same. "Meet you in Knothole Donovan," she said quickly. "If Lydia's
right, it's crunch time."
"Fine," Donovan said, then clicked his communicator off. "Device one,
activate!" he nearly yelled, taking off for Knothole at full speed.
It didn't take long for Donovan to reach Knothole. He wasn't surprised to
see Nadia and Lydia there ahead of him, but he was surprised to see them be
escorted into the War Room by Sondra and Sally. He pulled up quickly and tried
to turn around and fly away, but didn't see that Dorian and Isabela were right
behind him. They collided and went down in a heap of fur.
"Isabela!" Lydia yelled, hurrying over and picking up her daughter.
"I'm OK Mommy," she said quietly. "But I don't think they are."
"Didn't expect to see you here Donovan," Dorian muttered, pushing Donovan
off of him.
"Ah Donovan," Sally said, coming up and grabbing Donovan by his arm. "So
glad you're here. Saves me the trouble of going to your hut to get you.
There's quite a few things you need to know."
Donovan rolled his eye, but put up only token protest as Sally dragged him
inside the hut. In addition to the other Freedom Fighters, all of whom he saw
except Dulcy, Donovan saw Uncle Chuck sitting near Maurice and Patricia.
Patricia had Kelly Min on her lap, and the kid was squirming and twisting
trying to get down to the floor. Patricia had a loving, but very tight grip on
her daughter, knowing full well if she got to the floor, she would scoot out of
reach in a second.
Sally walked Donovan to a seat in the front and sat him down next to
Nadia. "Now that we're all here," Sally said, walking to the table in front,
"there are a few things we need to go over. First, for those who weren't
there, the reason Dulcy is not here right now is because she's flown to
Dragon's Nest to lay her egg. Second, and more important, Knuckles has called
Armageddon; the final battle."
Nadia sighed bitterly and Donovan closed his one good eye slowly. "Sonic
will be our representative in the battle," Sally continued. "He said he's been
training for this for a while now. And now that we are home, Sonic, mind
telling us what you meant by that?"
Sonic shrugged. "It was going to come out eventually. I've had Donovan
train me for this. Antoine was the one who suggested him to me, after I swore
him to secrecy about it."
"You suggested him over me?" Bunnie asked. "You know nobody can match me
in a fair fight!"
"Very true, my love," Antoine said. "But the fight that will happen
between Sonic and Robotnik will be anything but fair. Out of everyone I know,
Donovan has been spending the most time studying Robotnik. If anyone could be
training Sonic for what Robotnik has planned, it will be him."
Donovan had turned to watch the exchange between Antoine and Bunnie. When
he turned back, Sally was right in his face. She hooked two fingers into his
nostrils and brought his face to within inches of hers. "I know you were a
loner for most of your life," she said, smiling what could be taken for a sweet
smile, were it not for the hard glint in her eyes, "but you are a Freedom
Fighter now. You may not think so, but you are. That means anything you know,
anything you do, you tell me about. Do we have an understanding?" She moved
her arm up and down, forcing Donovan to nod. "Good."
Sally let him go and straightened up. "Oh, and one more thing," she said,
turning away. "I will be overseeing the remaining training sessions. You
don't mind, do you? After all, you only have thirteen days left."
Donovan stood up slowly and walked over to Sally. "With you saying that
as princess, I have nothing to say about that," he said in a calm, normal
voice. Then he turned her around, grabbed her by the arms, and brought her
face-to-face. "But you saying that as Sally, I've just begun," he said, his
voice having a hard edge to it.
Nadia jumped up from her seat and put her hand on Donovan's arm. "Easy
Donovan," she said quietly. "You know she's right, and we don't have time to
argue."
"And besides," Sonic added. "Don't we have a training session today?"
Donovan let out a low grumbling sound. He looked at Sally again and said,
"I train rough. Any interference, and you will be asked to leave. That's
number one. Number two, only two people grab me by my nostrils like that: my
mother and Rosie. Do that again and it will take more than Nadia and Sonic to
calm me down." He let go of Sally, turned around, and walked out, expecting
Sonic and Sally to follow.
Sally opened her mouth to make one of a number of sharp retorts that came
to mind, but Sonic stopped her. He didn't say a word, but just looked at her.
With Sonic looking at her like that, Sally couldn't think of anything bad, and
she just grumbled something to herself and walked out. Sonic followed behind
her quietly, seeming very subdued.
Over the next six days, Donovan put Sonic through the most intense
training he could devise. Sally was there every second, but never interfered,
to Donovan's surprise. "Of course I want to help him," she would say. "But I
learned long ago I have to do what's best for Mobius; and this is it."
When the last training session was over, Donovan sat Sonic and Sally down.
"I've done all I could," he said. "I'm leaving you with one last thought.
Expect anything from Robotnik. Anything."
Sonic and Sally nodded seriously and then headed back to Knothole. "How's
your foot Sonic?" she asked as they ran side-by-side.
Sonic shrugged. "It doesn't hurt me when I run, but I wouldn't want to
try to kick anything with it."
Donovan took the communicator from his pocket and turned it on. "Crunch
time Nadia," he said. "Everything ready?"
"I'm moving the last piece of the equipment to the hut now," she said, her
voice straining. "I'll meet you there."
Donovan nodded and took off for the hut, hoping they could get everything
set up in the seven days that remained.
Sonic didn't just lay around for those seven days either. Each day one
of the Freedom Fighters trained him. Sondra made him avoid her crystals.
Tails dropped things from above that Sonic had to dodge. Rotor threw
everything he had at Sonic, and then some. Antoine duelled him in a sword
fight. Uncle Chuck devised a holographic maze that Sonic had to beat his
parents through. Bunnie took him to the limit in a wrestling match. And
finally, Sally raced him all over the Great Forest. But he passed each test,
not easily, and not without some injuries, but if had been Robotnik he had
faced, the Emeralds would be Sonic's.
That last night before Armageddon, Sonic turned in as soon as the race was
over. He took a quick shower and then crawled into bed, fairly exhausted. As
he snuggled down under the covers, he felt a warm body press up against his.
He quickly turned around and was met by Sally's lips. After what Sonic had to
admit was the best kiss he had ever received, he pulled back slightly and
looked at her. "Sally...." he began.
Sally put a finger on his lips. "Sonic, I know what we agreed on, but I
don't care anymore. If you don't win, then I want this to be the last memory
I have of you. If you do, we'll be married before anyone realizes what
happened, if anything at all. Please Sonic."
Sonic trembled slightly as Sally put her arms around him and held him
close. "Sally," he said quietly, "I would love nothing more than to show you
just how much I love you tonight. But I want to wait until our wedding night
when it will mean so much more."
"What if there isn't a wedding night?" she asked softly.
"There will be," he said. "I promise you that."
Sally laid Sonic's head against her chest and held it there. Sonic hugged
Sally close and soon fell asleep, comforted by the sound of her heart beating.
Sally fell asleep soon after, and they spent the night like that, just holding
each other.
Early the next morning, before the sun rose, Sonic was awoken by a voice
in his head. He knew the voice to be Knuckles, and the word it said left no
doubt what he had to do.
"Armageddon"
Sonic opened his eyes and looked around. At first, he couldn't see
anything, so he thought it was still the middle of the night. But when he
moved his head, he felt soft fur brushing against his face. It didn't take
long for Sonic to realize exactly where his head was.
He swallowed hard, moving his head back slowly, fighting the urge to wake
Sally up and give in to what she had been asking for for so long. He slowly
untwined her arms from around his head and back, and then he sat up. He eased
off the bed and pulled on his sneakers.
"Sonic?" Sally murmured sleepily.
"It's time Sal," he said quietly.
Sally sat up in bed and looked at him squarely. "I wish you didn't have
to go," she whispered.
"You know I do. It's now or never Sal, and it's got to be now."
Sally nodded quietly. "I know. Sonic you better not get killed out
there, or I'll kill you."
Sonic chuckled a moment, but his heart wasn't in it. "I'll be back. Hey,
has the hedgehog broken a promise to you yet?"
Sally smiled down at him, and it was reflected brightly in her blue eyes.
She didn't say anything more, and neither did Sonic. He just picked up his
backpack and walked out of the hut slowly. He knew if he looked back, he'd
never be able to bring himself to leave.
Sonic thought he was just going to leave without anyone noticing. To his
surprise, all of Knothole was waiting for him. They had formed two lines along
the path heading for Robotropolis. As Sonic walked between them, every single
animal shook his hand, clapped his back, and told him to go kick some 'Botnik
butt.
By the time he got to the end of the lines, he could hardly see for the
tears in his eyes. He turned around to face everyone. "Thanks you guys," he
said, wiping tears from his eyes. "This means more to me than you know."
"We know nephew," Uncle Chuck said. "Go out there and fulfill your
destiny."
Patricia came up and kissed her son on the cheek. Sonic hugged his mom
for what he knew could be the last time. Then he kissed little Kelly Min's
forehead and held her hand. "Take care of them for me, Sis," he whispered to
her.
Kelly smiled up at Sonic and pulled her hand from his. But before Sonic
could move his hand back, she balled her hand into a little fist and bumped
Sonic's hand with it. Sonic smiled back and hugged her. "I love you kid," he
said softly.
It was then Kelly Min whispered something so that only Sonic could hear,
but it was the first word she ever spoke. "Son-ic"
Sonic started crying, and looked up at everyone and at the little village
that had been his home for thirteen years. Sally was standing in the doorway
to his hut looking right at him. Slowly, deliberately, she closed her right
hand into a fist and placed it thumb-first over her heart, extending her
pinky straight up. Then she crossed her arms over her chest, and then pointed
right at Sonic.
Sonic smiled and repeated the gestures. Even here on Earth, those three
movements are used to tell someone "I love you." Sonic turned around and
walked away, heading toward Robotropolis and the single most important fight
of his life.
Sally watched him until he was out of sight. "All right everyone," she
said, her voice ringing clear over Knothole. "You have five minutes to get
ready, and then we go to Donovan's."
Donovan and Nadia had been awake for at least an hour, working feverishly
to get everything set up in their hut. "Everything's done on my side," he
said. "How about you?"
"Just let me connect a couple more wires," Nadia said back. "Thirty
seconds, that's all I need."
"Computer, as soon as she's done run a final diagnostics check on all
systems."
"Will do," the computer said.
"There, finished," Nadia said, standing and stretching her back out. "Go
to it computer."
"Starting sequence now. Estimated time to completion: ten minutes."
Donovan walked to his chair and slumped down into it. "If we make it, it
won't be by much," he said, yawning.
Nadia draped her arms around his neck from behind. "I never doubted you
for a minute," she whispered, kissing his ear.
Donovan put his hands on her arms and smiled. "Us. You mean doubted us."
He brought one of her hands to his lips and kissed it. "Now, we wait."
Sonic cruised through the Great Forest easily. He knew he had time to get
there, and he wasn't going to use up any more energy then he absolutely had to.
When he reached the outer edge of Robotropolis, the sun just started to rise
above the horizon. He stood watching it for a moment, hoping that the next
sunrise would rise over Mobotropolis. Then he ran toward Robotnik's command
center, just somehow knowing that they were waiting for him there.
"Diagnostic complete," Donovan's computer said, startling Nadia and
Donovan. "Everything is in order, and Sonic has just entered Robotropolis."
"Now comes the crucial moment," Donovan said, crossing his fingers.
"Activate monitors," Nadia said, crossing her fingers as well.
One by one, each monitor flickered to life, showing various rooms and
hallways of Robotnik's main building. Donovan and Nadia scanned over the
monitors, looking at each of the thirty-six monitors stacked in six rows of
six monitors each. They both breathed a sigh of relief as the last monitor
lit up. "We did it," Nadia whispered, hugging Donovan tight.
"Yes we did," Donovan said, getting up and hugging her back.
"I hate to break this up," the computer said, "but there is a large group
of animals heading this way."
Donovan took a step back and shrugged. "That must be Silly bringing a few
of...." Then he did a double-take. "Computer, define 'large'."
"Cross-referencing. Comparing against current roster of Knothole
residents, it appears she's brought them all, and a few more."
"What?" Donovan nearly yelled. He and Nadia hurried to the door and was
greeted by what could be termed a mob.
"You know you can't all fit inside," Nadia said, looking inside their very
cramped hut.
"We had no intention of that," Lupe said, standing with the last remaining
members of the Wolf Pack. "How many do you think you can hold?"
"Computer?" Donovan asked, turning inside.
"Including the two of you, we can fit fourteen inside the hut. Sixteen if
you choose to bring in the two youngest."
Ari nodded, scratching at one of his horns. "The decision is yours,
princesses."
Sally, Sondra, and Lydia huddled together a moment. "OK," Sally said as
they separated, "it will be the three of us, Donovan and Nadia, Bunnie, Tails,
Antoine, Maurice, Patricia, Kelly Min, Isabela, Uncle Chuck, Ari, Lupe, and
Dorian. The rest of you stay out here and we'll be sending out updates."
"No time to argue," Donovan said, walking inside and sitting down in his
chair. "Sonic has just arrived in Robotropolis."
Sonic arrived at Robotnik's command center and saw Robotnik and Knuckles
waiting for him. "Let's do this," he said, immediately going into a fighting
stance.
"Are you ready, Doctor?" Knuckles asked.
"Never been more ready in my life," Robotnik answered, his hands behind
his cloak.
Knuckles held out his palms and the seven Emeralds appeared, floating
above his hands. "Then begin."
Robotnik acted first, pushing a button on a nearby console. Spikes
extended up from the floor, piercing Sonic's bad foot. Sonic screamed in pain
and tried to pull his foot free, but the spikes were barbed and held his foot
fast. "Let's see how you handle my robots without your speed," Robotnik said.
The floor gave way under Sonic, sending him down to the cellar, spikes and all.
"Doctor!" Knuckles said harshly. "That is not how it is done."
"Oh but you see my dear Knuckles, you gave me the idea. You said all that
had to happen was that one of us be unable to fight. By the time he gets back
here, if he does, he will be in absolutely no condition to fight."
Knuckles cursed under his breath, but couldn't say anything. Robotnik had
found the ultimate loophole, and there wasn't a thing Knuckles could do about
it. "And you know that if he doesn't make it in a certain time, I will be
forced to turn them over to you," Knuckles stated.
"Of course."
"Grab her!" Nadia yelled, jumping out of Donovan's lap and pointing at
Sally. Sondra tackled her sister to the ground just as she was about to break
through the door. "Hold her down!" Nadia said, running over with a gas
canister in hand.
Sally kicked, bit, scratched, and clawed Sondra, trying to get free.
Nadia sprayed the canister right into Sally's nose, and even then had to use it
all to knock her out. Meanwhile, Donovan sat calmly in his chair, not moving
his eye from the monitor. "I said _anything_," he said quietly, oblivious to
what was going on around him.
Sonic landed hard when he finally stopped falling. He immediately tore
off his sneaker and began to work out the barbed spikes. It was slow going,
and there were many of them, but he finally got them all out. His foot was
swelling up, and blood leaked out of the many holes. "I can't even walk like
this," he thought.
He looked around the room for something to bind his foot with. He had
ended up in the boiler room in front of a large coal furnace. Nearby were some
workerbots shoveling the coal into the furnace. A piece of coal dropped off
the pile and fell near him. He looked at it for a second, then closed his eyes
and winced. "I can't believe I'm actually going to do this," he thought,
picking up the coal and crushing it into dust. He spread the dust over his
foot and pulled a power ring from his backpack. Taking a deep breath, he
touched the power ring to the coal dust.
The ring glowed brightly, and then ignited the coal dust. Sonic let out
a cry of pain that could be heard through most of the building. But it had the
effect he wanted. The wounds were closed, cauterized. He pulled his sneaker
back on and stood up. The pain was bearable, but he knew there was no way he'd
be able to run. Focusing his mind on getting Robotnik, he shut out the pain
and walked from the room.
Sonic stood in the hallway, getting his bearings. He had a general idea
where he was and how to get back to Robotnik. He turned left and walked until
he hit a nearby room. Even in the dim light, he could see there was a grid of
tiny holes in the floor. "Why don't I have a good feeling about this?" he
asked himself sarcastically.
He unslung his backpack and looked inside. A few pieces of coal had
fallen in from the tumble he had taken earlier. He pulled one out and skipped
it across the floor. As soon as it landed, spikes extended from the holes in
the floor. And it wasn't just in the area of the coal either; the whole floor
was covered. Even though the spikes weren't barbed as the ones that had
pierced Sonic's foot, they were coated in a sickly green liquid.
Sonic watched for a moment until the spikes retracted. He was about to
go through the room, thinking the trap disarmed, but something told him to
wait. Ten seconds after the spikes retracted, they shot out again, repeating
the cycle. "Ten seconds," he thought, watching as the cycle began again. "I
can make that, even without running. I just gotta time it right."
Sonic waited a few more cycles, then headed across the room as soon as the
spikes retracted. The room was only about five yards long, so he got through
without any problem. But he kept moving for the whole ten seconds, and it was
a good thing he did. What he hadn't noticed was that the spikes came out into
the hallway beyond the room. He just got passed them when his ten seconds were
up.
Sonic checked his sneakers to make sure the last set of spikes didn't clip
him, which they didn't. "Man, 'Buttnik's pulling out all the stops today," he
thought, continuing on. "Then again, he better hope I don't make it back to
him."
As Sonic walked, he began to notice the floor was curving. The more it
curved, the more it began to look like a half-pike. Even the ceiling was torn
away in a part of it to raise the height of the walls. "What's he up to now?"
Sonic thought, walking down the center of the "U" shaped corridor.
He didn't have to wait long to find out. Just ahead of him six metal
balls were rolling across the curve of the hallway, mostly in an alternating
manner, but slightly out of sync. Sonic began to time the rhythm of the
rolling balls. He wouldn't have been able to run it, even with a power ring.
The way they were timed, Sonic had to pass each one and then wait a second or
two for the next one to pass.
Just then, Sonic heard a rumbling behind him. He turned to look and saw
a giant black metal ball bearing down on him. "No more time," he thought,
hurrying past the first ball. As he waited for the second to pass, he heard
the first one get crunched by the monster rolling along behind him. The
timing was exacting: too soon and he'd get run over by the small one in front
of him, too late and he'd get flattened by the one behind him.
Just as Sonic passed the sixth and final ball, there was a big hole in
front of him. "Oh man!" he yelled, just barely keeping his balance. But he
had no time to set himself as he heard that sixth ball get crushed. He closed
his eyes and flung himself across the hole. His toes hooked on the opposite
end and he fell flat on his face, but he was across. The ball fell into the
hole, effectively covering it and making the floor look level.
Sonic took a few minutes to compose himself before moving on. This was
truly the deadliest game he'd ever played, and it was only going to get worse.
Back at Donovan's hut, nearly all the Freedom Fighters were looking at the
monitor screens in awe. "Are you sure that's Sonic?" Sondra asked, pointing
at the hedgehog on the screen. "There's no way he's ever had that much
patience."
"I am thinking we have Donny to thank for that," Antoine said. "I am not
thinking Sonic would have even gotten this far without his help."
"You're right about that sugarfox," Bunnie said. "Looks like I owe you an
apology after all."
Donovan never took his eye from the monitors, but arched one eyebrow.
"Where's Silly?" he asked.
Just then, everyone heard an "Oof!" outside the hut. The door flew open
and Rotor tossed Sally back in. "Keep an eye on her this time," he said,
stretching his wings. "I don't like having to sit on her to keep her here."
"Anybody got any rope?" Tails asked.
"What happened to doing what's best for Mobius?" Donovan asked.
"I'd like to see you stay calm if that were Nadia out there," Sally said,
holding her back.
"I would have been knocked out, tied up, and bolted down before she even
made it to Robotropolis," Donovan said seriously. "I didn't want to go that
route with you, but if you insist, it can be arranged."
"And I've got it all right here," Nadia said, patting a bag next to her.
"And one shot from the computer will stun you long enough for us to do what we
have to."
Sally grumbled, but said nothing more on the subject. Instead, she asked,
"How's Sonic doing?"
"Maybe you should try watching the screens for a change," Lydia said with
a smile. "I think you'll see your fiancee is doing quite well for himself."
Back in Robotropolis, Sonic was now faced with an immense room filled with
an intense heat. But look at he might, Sonic could see no source of the heat.
He took a cautious step into the room and nearly fell through an illusionary
floor. He laid down and stuck his head under the illusion. About eight feet
down was a pool of molten steel. "I'm toast if I fall," he thought, looking
across to gauge the distance. It was easily jumpable and Sonic was able to
make it, bad foot and all.
He walked with his hands out in front of him, stopping every time he felt
the intense heat of the molten steel. At one point he jumped too far and
almost fell into a pool on the other side of a short ledge. "I gotta be more
careful," he thought, jumping across that pool and continuing on.
There was one final pool near the far wall, larger than the others but
the jump was still makable. He lifted his head up and saw a nice, wide
passageway in the wall, and immediately became suspicious. "It's too easy,"
he muttered under his breath. "What are you up to now Robotnik?"
He took another piece of coal from his backpack and threw it at the
opening. It looked like it bounced off something and fell to the steel below.
"Another illusion," he thought. "So where's the real one?"
Just then, he felt a light breeze stir his quills. He moved around until
the breeze hit his face flush. Of course, he was facing a blank wall, but he
remembered back to that maze in the Void. He tossed a piece of coal at the
wall and nodded as it passed right through. Sonic backed up a few steps and
jumped where he knew the opening was.
As soon as he landed in the hidden hallway, nozzles hidden in the walls
sprayed out a greenish-black mixture Sonic knew all too well. "Megamuck!" he
yelled as he and the entire hallway was coated in it. "Oh great, I can't even
reach a Power Ring!"
Robotnik smiled cruelly, watching as Sonic slowly started to plow through
the megamuck. "There, you see, he'll never get out of that," he told Knuckles.
"Now then, can I have my Emeralds?"
"He is still moving, Doctor," Knuckles said, more than a touch of anger in
his voice. "Until he gives up, which I don't see happening from your traps,
the Emeralds stay with me. And besides, there's only one more room to go and
he's here."
"Ah, but there is that one, last room," Robotnik said, chuckling.
It took Sonic over a half-hour to get through that hallway, and he was
completely exhausted when he did. He spent the next ten minutes cleaning the
megamuck off himself and his backpack and catching his breath. "I'm coming
Robotnik!" he yelled, staring right at him through the open door.
"By all means, hedgehog," Robotnik said, pushing a nearby button.
All of a sudden, the hallway was lit by no less than fifteen krypton bulbs
aimed right at Sonic's eyes. The flash of light blinded him and he reeled
backward into a wall. As soon as he touched it, an electric shock went through
him, robbing him of his sense of touch. He fell to the floor, and speakers
started blaring a cacophony of meaningless sounds at such a high volume that
Sonic was deafened. Blind, deaf, and unable to feel, Sonic lay in a crumpled
heap until the floor tilted, depositing him right at Robotnik's feet.
"Thirteen years I've waited for this," Robotnik said, kicking Sonic
savagely in his ribs. "And now, I'm going to enjoy it."
"NO!!!" Sally screamed, jumping to her feet.
"Get her!" Sondra said, diving for her sister's waist before she could
leave Donovan's hut.
Immediately, the computer fired a stun beam at Sally, but Sondra's dive
made her get caught by it instead. But before she had a chance to take two
steps, every single animal there jumped on Sally, even Donovan and Nadia. But
such was Sally's level of anger, fear, and adrenalin that they were barely able
to keep her down. Even Bunnie, with her robotic arm, had trouble keeping down
just one of Sally's arms. And since Rotor could not fit inside the hut, it was
a very long fight.
At one point, Donovan got thrown near the monitors. He picked himself up
and about to make another try at holding Sally down when something caught his
eye. Robotnik had tossed Sonic near a laser rifle, but before Sonic could do
anything more than make a weak grab at it, Robotnik kicked it out of the way
and backhanded Sonic across the room.
Donovan studied the monitor very carefully, but not paying attention to
the beating Robotnik was giving Sonic. Slowly, a smile spread across his lips.
But that smile nearly vanished at what happened next.
"Doctor!" Knuckles yelled. "Enough! Call off your attack; you can have
the Emeralds."
"Come on Robotnik," Donovan muttered in the suddenly still room as what
Knuckles said sunk in, "let your hatred get the better of you...."
Robotnik turned to look at Knuckles and smiled. "You said the fight goes
on until one cannot continue," he said in a low voice. "The hedgehog is still
getting up. This isn't over until he no longer can."
Knuckles scowled but said nothing more. Robotnik turned back to Sonic,
laughing. But his laugh was cut short when he saw Sonic fishing around inside
his backpack. "It ends now!" he said, picking up the laser rifle and aiming
it at Sonic. Without any hesitation, he pulled the trigger.
"Sonic!!!" Sally screamed, heaving everyone off her. She ran to the
monitor, expecting to see Sonic's charred and lifeless body there.
"Don't worry Sally," Donovan said quietly. "For you see, the real fun is
about to begin."
Robotnik pulled the trigger again and again, but it never fired. "What is
wrong with this thing?" he yelled, tossing it to the floor.
All of a sudden, a yellow glow surrounded Sonic. Though he was bruised,
battered, and bloodied, his eyes focused on Robotnik and stood up straight and
tall. "Looking for this, Ro-BUTT-nik?" he asked. In one hand, Sonic held a
power ring. In the other was the power cell to the rifle.
"No!" Robotnik yelled, kicking savagely at Sonic again.
Sonic just caught the foot and twisted it, sending Robotnik sprawling.
"You were right about two things," he said, his voice low and menacing. "It
has been thirteen years, and it ends now!"
Robotnik scrambled to his feet and out the main door, not the one that
led to the megamuck. Sonic and Knuckles were right behind him. Sonic was
attacking him with his trademark speed, getting Robotnik so turned around and
dizzy that he didn't know which way he was running anymore.
Then, suddenly, Sonic fell and skidded along the hallway, his bad foot
giving out on him. Robotnik turned back to him and reached down to grab him
by the neck. "I'm not taking any more chances," he said. Sonic went into a
Spin Dash and finished it off with an uppercut that sent Robotnik almost flying
through a door.
Donovan saw which room Robotnik landed in and a huge smile broke out on
his face. "I love irony," he said, staring right at the monitor. Everyone in
that hut looked at the monitor and smiled, knowing immediately what Donovan
meant.
Robotnik rubbed his chin, trying to clear the cobwebs. He got unsteadily
to his feet, just in time for a large glass tube to come down and surround him.
Robotnik looked around, realizing in a second exactly where he was. "NO!" he
screamed, pounding on the tube.
Sonic stood at a nearby console, hand poised above a red button. "Do you
feel it Robotnik?" Sonic asked. "Do you feel the fear thousands upon
thousands of Mobians have felt inside that tube? I hope you enjoy it, because
that is the last thing you're ever going to feel. This is for Mobius!" he
said, slamming his hand down on the button.
Sonic watched coldly as the tube was filled in a bright purple light. He
wanted every single second of this burned into his memory: the moment when
Mobius finally became free.... The moment when Robotnik himself was
roboticized. And then, it was done. The tube lifted, and the robot that had
once been Robotnik waited quietly for orders. But no orders would come, for
all roboticized creatures were programmed to follow Robotnik, and in this state
he could not give himself any orders.
Knuckles walked up to Sonic and caught him as he fell. A few spoken words
of magic, and Sonic was fully healed. "You've won, Sonic Hedgehog," he said
solemnly. "The power of the Emeralds is now yours to command. Come let us
return to Knothole."
Everyone, both inside and outside Donovan's hut, let out a cheer. "He did
it!" Sally said, grabbing onto the nearest animal, which just happened to be
Donovan, and giving him a sound kiss on the lips and held it for about fifteen
seconds. Donovan just looked at her in surprise and shock, but Sally was way
too happy to notice. "Everyone! Back to Knothole!" she called.
Everyone followed, except for Donovan, who was still standing in shock
from being kissed. Nadia walked up to him, snapped her fingers in front of his
face a few times, and then kissed him herself, more soundly than Sally did.
Donovan put his arms around Nadia as she let him come up for air. "I'll just
say this," he said in a low whisper. "I pity Sonic on his wedding night."
"Shall we go join them?" Nadia asked, kissing his ear gently.
After a couple of seconds, Donovan snapped out of it and nodded. "Yeah,"
he said, walking arm-in-arm with her. "Besides, I'm not ready for kids yet."
Sonic and Knuckles stood in the center of Knothole, waiting for the others
to return. Sally was the first one to reach them and literally flew into
Sonic's arms, covering his face with kisses. "You did it," Sally whispered,
snuggling into his chest. "It's over.... It's finally over."
"Not quite yet," Sonic said. He looked over to Knuckles. "Let's get this
over with."
Knuckles nodded, and the seven Emeralds appeared in the air before Sonic.
"Call their names," he said, smiling. "Whichever will be the center one is the
one you speak last."
Sonic nodded, turning to look at the Emeralds full on. In a strong, clear
voice, he spoke the seven names. "Earth. Fire. Wind. Water. Lightning.
Shadow. Life."
The Emeralds joined as Sonic indicated, the grey Life Emerald at the
center. Sally backed away as Sonic took hold of them. In a flash, the
Emeralds disappeared, absorbed into Sonic. Immediately, a change came over
Sonic. He grew a little taller and more muscular. The blue of his quills
was replaced by white tinged with yellow, as if he had become a living Power
Ring. He was stronger, faster, and better than he had ever been. In short,
he was Super Sonic.
"I feel their power," he said quietly, his voiced tinged with awe. "I can
feel their energy coursing through my veins. And I know what I must do with
it."
He turned to look at Sally, extending a yellow hand toward her. "Will you
do it with me, my love?" he asked gently.
Sally nodded, taking his hand. As she did, the Emerald energy coursed
through her as well. Her brown fur turned a pink so bright, she almost glowed.
Her auburn hair stood out on end, much like Sonic's quills. Everything Sonic
had become, so did Sally. Or should I say, Super Sally.
"Oh Sonic," she breathed. "It's beautiful. And you're right, I know what
we must do."
What happened next was the object of much discussion and legend throughout
Mobius for generations. Though many sides of the story were told, they all
agreed on one thing. A comet circled Mobius that day, yellow and pink
intertwined. Anything that comet touched was restored to its former self,
before Robotnik had dared touch it. All roboticized creatures were cured of
their curse, all areas fouled by pollution became clean and pure again. Even
Robotropolis, for thirteen years a place of death and evil, became Mobotropolis
once more.
When all was ended, Sonic and Sally stood by the fountain in the center
of Mobotropolis, holding each other and sharing a long, passionate kiss. They
were vaguely aware of a crowd forming around them, but they didn't acknowledge
them until they were ready. "It is done," Sonic said quietly as the Emeralds'
energies faded from their bodies. "Everything is restored to what it once
was."
Sally nodded, and they turned to face the crowd. "Let today see a
celebration the likes of which this planet has never seen!" she called, her
voice ringing clearly through the city's streets. "Today is the day we have
taken Mobius back!"
The entire crowd let up a cheer. All that is, except Donovan, who had
suddenly disappeared. But only Nadia noticed that, and she set off in search
of him.
Sonic and Sally turned to look at Knuckles, who now held seven dull
stones. "Will you stay with us, at least for the party?" Sally asked.
Knuckles shook his head. "My work here is done. I must now return to the
Floating Island. And you'd better not party too long...now that Robotnik is
deposed, you only have a week to become queen."
"Don't worry about that," Sally said, smiling. "All that will be taken
care of tomorrow, when the weddings finally take place."
Knuckles nodded and opened a portal. To those who could see, a female
echidna waited on the other side, smiling warmly at Knuckles. "I take my leave
then," he said. "After all, I think I have my own plans to make now that my
job is completed. Me and my love, Julie-Su."
"Will we see you again?" Sonic asked.
"Who knows Sonic? It's possible. Until then, farewell." He stepped
through the portal and was gone, leaving all of them to their celebrations.
But there was someone who was not celebrating. Donovan was in the room
that held the roboticizer, on his knees, his father's sword on his lap. Nadia
walked in quietly and kneeled down next to Donovan. "I failed in keeping my
promise," he said quietly.
"What do you mean?" Nadia asked, a hint of fear in her voice.
"I told him just when he thought he got away, I'd be there to slit his
throat. Yet he is gone, and there is not a drop of blood on my sword. Which
means it truly isn't over. He _will_ be back."
Though Donovan could not have known it, the one he spoke of stood on a
hill overlooking the newly restored Mobotropolis. "You may have won this day,
hedgehog," he said quietly. "But I still survive, and I will return."
So intent was he, he did not notice a black-robed figure appear beside
him. "You are correct Doctor," the figure said, touching Robotnik's left arm,
restoring it to metal. "But when we return, it will be as my Master directs."
"This is not the end."
(
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