FA+
Shop
464
Views
Views
5
Favorites
Favorites
Category
Story / Sonic
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 50 x 50
File Size 23.6 kB
Report this content
More from rdphoenix07
Healing Hearts 2
Chapter Two
“Morning, everyone,” Amy greeted everyone as she joined them at the table.
Seated at the table were her friends from Mobius, including Tails, Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, Vanilla, Cream, and Ray. Also present were Amber and Darren. Amy noted that Myotis was absent. She also saw Austin and Sally had yet to join them.
“Mornin', Amy,” Bunnie replied. “Ya'll are just in time for breakfast.”
“Looks good,” Amy remarked, taking a seat next to Tails. “I could use some food after my workout this morning.”
“I hope the training Silver gave you isn't too overwhelming, Amy,” Amber spoke up.
Shortly after the Freedom Fighters had settled in to their new home, Amy had decided to join the Edenian warriors training so she could get stronger and more battle savvy. Antoine had also joined her to hone his own skills, and both had made great strides with the training. While the captain, an Edenian wolf named Silver, was tough, he was also fair and had been pleased with their progress. Amy had just come from an early morning training session and had a towel draped over her shoulders.
“Not at all, Amber,” Amy reassured her. “To be honest, it's been pretty invigorating. And me and Antoine have really made great strides in our training. Right, Antoine?”
“Oui. Zere is no denying we have made ze progress,” Antoine replied.
“And Ah'm proud of ya, sugar,” Bunnie said, kissing him on the cheek.
“Hey, by the way,” Amy said. “I noticed we're missing a few people. Where's Myotis, and Austin and Sally?”
“Myotis isn't exactly a morning person,” Darren replied. “In fact he seldom ever joins us for breakfast. As for the two lovebirds, I don't know. They're probably still snoozing.”
“Probably cuddling together in bed,” Amy giggled.
“Amy,” Vanilla said. “That's not something you should be discussing so casually about, especially in polite conversation.”
“You're right. Sorry, Vanilla,” Amy said.
“Speaking of which, here they come now,” Tails spoke up, nodding towards the doorway.
Sure enough, Austin and Sally had just arrived and joined everyone else at the table.
“Well, look who decided to finally join us,” Darren teased. “I thought we were going to have to come drag you two out of bed.”
“Joke's on you,” Austin said. “Sally and I have been awake for a while now.”
“So what took you two so long, then,” Amy asked.
“As it is, we were discussing something important,” Sally replied. She glanced around the table. “Does anyone know where my mother is right now?”
“I believe she is dining with the King and Queen,” Amber said.
“Good. I'd prefer to keep this conversation between us for the time being,” Sally said. “Now then, Austin and I were talking this morning...regarding my father.”
Everyone at the table fell silent.
“While my mother hasn't really said anything to me, I can tell something has been on her mind,” Sally continued. “And I think it's pretty obvious that something is my father. To be honest, I've been dwelling on that myself, wondering if he's alive somewhere on Mobius. And if he is, I need to know for certain. To that end, Austin I were thinking about going back to Mobius to see if we could learn anything.”
“Sally, Mobius is a huge place,” Rotor said. “If the King is still alive, there's no way of knowing where exactly he is.”
“Yeah, where would you even start,” Amy asked. “You didn't find anything in Robotnik's files. And we can't exactly ask him where the King is seeing as he's, well, dead.”
“There may be another option, Amy,” Austin said. “Besides Robotnik, there was also Snively. I'm willing to bet he knows something about the King's whereabouts.”
“Snively,” Tails said. “We don't even know what happened to him following the battle at Robotropolis.”
“We do know he made it out of there, Tails,” Sally said. “Shade and Shadow mentioned they had run into him during the battle and they let him go. Not only that, but Edena even confirmed as much.”
“Okay. So say he is still alive and well,” Amy said. “Who knows where he is? Considering he worked for Robotnik, I imagine he doesn't want to be found.”
“That's true,” Sally said. “However, I think finding him won't be a problem. We're going to go and speak to Commander Tower at GUN. I can guarantee they would be keeping tabs on Snively.”
“For all we know, they may have even apprehended him,” Austin put in. “Which would make it easier for us, if that's the case.”
“Even if you find him,” Amy pressed. “What makes you so sure he'll cooperate? He may have been Robotnik's flunky, but he's just as bad as his former boss.”
“It's a long shot, I know,” Sally said. “But right now, it's the only lead we have. I have to at least try.”
“We understand, Sally,” Bunnie spoke up, cutting off any further argument from Amy. “This is somethin' ya'll have to do. Heck, if it were my own daddy, Ah'd be doin' the same as you.”
“And you're not just doing this for yourself,” Amber added. “You're also doing this for your mother, as well. If you feel you need to do this, then I say go for it. Even if the odds seem against you.”
Everyone else present agreed.
“I still think it's a long shot, but I agree, too,” Amy said. “You want us to go with you, Sally? I could probably get Snively to talk if he proves to be a bit uncooperative.”
“I appreciate the offer, Amy,” Sally said, smiling. “But I really don't think that will be necessary. I think Austin and I should be alright by ourselves. I imagine we won't have too much trouble. At least nothing the two of can't handle. And if we do run into any trouble, we still have allies on Mobius like Knuckles and the Chaotix. Which reminds me, we might want to swing by the Floating Island and check up with them while we're there.”
“Well, okay,” Amy said. “If you insist. Just promise us you two will be careful.”
“We'll be careful,” Austin promised. “And at least this time we're letting everyone know where we're going. Right, Amber?”
Amber smirked. “I'm glad to see you learned your lesson. So when were you thinking about leaving?”
“Immediately,” Sally replied. “The sooner we get to Mobius and get some answers the better. Oh, and one other thing. Nobody mention this to mother.”
“What? Why don't you want your mother to know, Miss Sally,” Cream asked.
“Because, Cream, I don't want to get her hopes up,” Sally explained. “There's a good chance we may not even find anything regarding my father, and I don't want to make any promises to my mother that I might not be able to keep.”
“Understood, Sally,” Amber said. “If the Queen asks, we'll simply tell her you and Austin went to Mobius to check up on things. Which is technically true.”
“Thank you, Amber,” Sally said. “Anyway, Austin and I should probably get going.”
“How long do you think you'll be gone for,” Tails asked.
“Hard to say, Tails,” Austin replied. “Hopefully no longer than a week at least. If we're going to be gone for a good while, we'll be sure to get word to you guys to let you know.”
“But with a little luck, when we do come back, we'll have my father with us,” Sally said.
“Well, good luck to ya, Sally-girl,” Bunnie said. “Ah hope you succeed in your search.”
“As do we all,” Amber said.
Mobius-One Hour Later....
Had anyone been around the small clearing, they would have been astonished to see a door appear out of thin air. They would have been even more surprised to see Austin and Sally emerge from the doorway, only to have it disappear afterwards.
“Well, here we are,” Austin said.
“Mobius. I know it's only been six months since I left here, but it feels almost like a lifetime ago,” Sally remarked.
“So, shall we head to GUN headquarters,” Austin asked.
“Absolutely,” Sally said. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her handheld computer. “Nicole, we've arrived on Mobius. Can you pinpoint our current location along with GUN's location?”
“Affirmative, Sally. Accessing global map positioning.”
Sally and Austin watched as a holographic map appeared before them. Displaying the entire planet, two points of light appeared on the map. One light was blue, representing the duo. The other light was red and represented GUN HQ's location.
“Hmm. Looks like we're quite a ways from GUN,” Austin said. “It could take us a few days to get there on foot. Unless we fly there.”
“I think flying would be our best option,” Sally said. “If you don't mind carrying me that is.”
In response, Austin scooped Sally up in his arms as he reverted to his Edenian form, spreading his wings to their full length.
“I would carry you to the ends of the Earth if need be,” he said.
“You really are quite the charmer, you know that,” Sally said, smiling.
With that, they took flight, making their way to GUN.
GUN HQ...
“Geez! Just how many outposts and factories did that maniac build? I feel like we're barely getting anywhere!”
Shadow the Hedgehog ignored the complaints of his teammate Rouge. The two of them, along with their third teammate Omega, had just returned from a mission to destroy an outpost set up by the late Dr. Robotnik. Ever since his defeat six months ago, Team Dark had been busy taking down any and all factories, fortresses, fueling stations, and outposts left behind by him. While he wouldn't admit it, he secretly agreed with Rouge. It seemed an overwhelming task. However, he had accepted the mission and he would see it through.
“It's a good thing the fat-man is gone,” Rouge griped. “Because if he were here right now, I'd wring his fat neck! Having to clean up his mess!”
“I personally am enjoying this mission,” Omega spoke up.
“Of course you are,” Rouge sniped. “You get to blow things up to your heart's content.”
“I do not possess a heart,” Omega replied. “But I understand the analogy and it is quite correct. When do we head out for our next mission?”
“We just got back,” Rouge said. “We've been going non-stop for the last several days. We need a little downtime.”
“First things first,” Shadow said. “We report to Commander Tower and debrief him of our mission. After that, it will be up to him whether we head out again or take some downtime.”
“Yeah, yeah, protocol come first,” Rouge said. “Lets just go and get it over with. But if he is going to send us out again, I at least want a hot bath and a few hours of sleep before then.”
“Wait. My sensors are detecting two incoming lifeforms,” Omega said, halting at the entrance.
Both Shadow and Rouge turned to look around but saw no one approaching.
“I don't see anything,” Rouge said. “I think you need to have your sensors checked, big guy.”
“My sensors are functioning properly,” Omega said. “You are just looking in the wrong direction.” He pointed upwards.
Shadow and Rouge looked up into the sky and sure enough they could see something was approaching them. At the moment they couldn't quite make out what it was.
“Shall I open fire,” Omega asked, readying his weapons.
“Whoa, hold your fire, Omega,” Rouge said. She had pulled out a pair of binoculars and now saw just what it was that was heading their way. “I don't believe it. It's Austin and Sally!”
“Austin and Sally,” Shadow said. “I wonder what they're doing here.”
By now Austin and Sally were within sight. Soon they swooped down and landed in front of Team Dark. Austin set Sally on the ground and then resumed his human form.
“Well, well, this is quite a surprise,” Rouge said. “Hey, lovebirds. It's been a while.”
“Hello, Rouge,” Sally greeted her. “Shadow. Omega.”
“Hello, Princess,” Shadow replied. “And hello to you, too, Austin.”
“Hey, Shadow,” Austin returned the greeting.
“So, what brings you two back to Mobius,” Rouge asked. “Did you miss us that much?”
“Sassy as always, Rouge,” Sally said. “Actually, we're here for two reasons. First of all, to check and see how things were going. And secondly, we need to speak with Commander Tower about something.”
“Care to fill us in on what that might be,” Rouge asked.
“When we see Tower,” Sally said.
“Fine,” Shadow spoke up before Rouge could inquire further. “We were actually on our way to see the Commander and give him our report. Follow me.”
“So I take it you guys been pretty busy,” Austin commented as they entered the building.
“Busy? That's understatement, handsome,” Rouge said. “We've been taking down fortresses and factories left and right. And of course that stone you left us has been a big help restoring the roboticized Mobians. Still, it feels like we've been going non-stop and hardly making any head-way.”
“Considering how far Robotnik's reach was, I'm not surprised there are so many out there,” Sally commented. “Still, I'm sure many Mobians really appreciate everything you guys have been doing. By the way, have the Chaos Emeralds reappeared yet?”
“No, they haven't,” Rouge pouted. “We haven't seen so much as a sparkle from those little beauties. Not that it would probably matter, seeing as we're too busy cleaning up after Robotnik to go and search for them.”
“To be honest, maybe it's best they don't reappear anytime soon,” Shadow said. “That's one less headache for us to worry about.”
“How can you say that,” Rouge said. “I never consider those gems a headache.”
“Shadow, has there been any sign of the Dark Legion lately,” Sally asked.
“None” Shadow replied. “Though they're pretty good at staying off our radar. And I don't like the fact they've been so quiet. I get the feeling they're planning something.”
“Well, if these Legion guys do start any trouble, let us know,” Austin said. “We'll help take care of them.”
“Bad as they are, I don't think they're anywhere near as bad as Robotnik was,” Rouge said. “Still, considering their advanced technology and the fact they have knowledge about the Chaos Force, they're a force to be reckoned with.”
By now they had reached Commander Tower's office. Shadow pressed a button on a com-screen beside the door.
“Commander, it's Shadow,” he announced himself. “We're back from our mission. And we also have some visitors who need to speak with you.”
“Very well, Shadow,” Tower's voice came from the com. “Bring them in.”
The door opened, allowing the group access to Tower's office. They entered and found Tower seated at his desk.
“Princess Sally,” Tower greeted her. “Welcome. It's always a pleasure.” His gaze turned to Austin. “We've never met, but I know who you are, Austin. A pleasure to make your acquaintance at last.”
“Likewise, Commander,” Austin replied.
“Now then, before I speak with you two, I need to hear Shadow's report,” Tower said. “If you would like to take a seat, this shouldn't take too long.”
Both Austin and Sally sat down as Shadow launched into his report. After he had finished, Tower turned to a monitor behind him and brought up a map of Mobius. The map revealed various factories, outposts, and fortresses, all belonging to Robotnik. Areas in red showed which ones were still active while those in blue were ones that had been taken out by Team Dark. While there was a large swathe of blue, there was still a good amount of red remaining.
“Wow. I guess I never realized just how far Robotnik's reach really was,” Austin whispered to Sally.
“Sometimes even I'm amazed at just how bad it was,” Sally remarked. “And I've been dealing with that since I was a child.”
“It may seem bad, but we are making progress,” Tower said, inputting information on the map, causing a section to turn blue. “Though we still have a ways to go.” He turned back to the assembled Team Dark. “Now then, I'll be sending you three out again at some point. Probably in a few days. Until then, take some time to rest and recover.”
“Oh, thank god,” Rouge said. “I was about to drop from exhaustion.”
“Alright, Princess,” Tower said, turning to her and Austin. “What brings you and your friend here?”
“As it is, Commander,” Sally began. “We're need to know where we can find Snively. And I'm certain you probably know where he is.”
“Snively? What do you want with that little creep,” Rouge asked.
“Because he may know where my father is,” Sally replied.
For a moment, the room was silent as everyone present digested that bit of news.
“If I recall correctly, Princess,” Tower spoke up, breaking the silence. “Wasn't it Robotnik who took your father prisoner?”
“That's right,” Sally said. “Though I don't know what exactly he did with him. There were many rumors about what became of him, but we could never verify them. To be honest, I didn't even know if he's alive or not. Since Robotnik's gone, Snively may be my only lead.”
“Hmm. I suppose besides Robotnik, Snively probably would be privy to that information,” Tower mused. “As it is, Princess, you are correct in assuming we know where he is. After you and your friends brought down Robotnik, we made sure to track down Snively to ensure he wouldn't carry on the Doctor's work.”
“I'm surprised you didn't apprehend him,” Austin remarked. “I mean, technically speaking, Snively is a war criminal, if not an accessory to one.”
“We had considered it, actually,” Tower replied. “But by the time we did get a lock on him, we were surprised to find he was living in solitude on a tropical island. What's more he hadn't been to any of Robotnik's outposts. We decided to just observe him for the time being.”
“And where exactly is this little island retreat he's staying at,” Sally asked.
“If you like, I can lend you a warp ring to get to Snively's location,” Tower said. He reached into his desk and pulled out a small golden ring and passed it to Sally. “I trust you know how to use this, Princess?”
“If I'm not mistaken, you just toss it into the air and it opens up, right,” Sally asked.
“That's right,” Tower said. “Anyway, I wish you the best of luck on your search, Princess. And I hope you find your father.”
“Thank you, Commander,” Sally said, shaking his hand. “I really appreciate you helping us out.”
“Do you want us to go with you, Sally,” Shadow offered.
“Thanks, Shadow,” Sally said. “But Austin and I can handle this. Besides, he might take off if you and your team show up on his doorstep.”
“She's got a point, Shadow,” Rouge said. “Probably better to let them handle it.”
“I understand,” Shadow said. “Good luck, Sally.”
“Thank you,” Sally said. She turned to Austin. “Ready?”
“Let's do it to it,” Austin replied.
Sally tossed the ring into the air where it expanded in size. Through the ring, they could see a white sandy beach waiting for them. Together, both Austin and Sally stepped through the ring...
End of Chapter Two...
Chapter Two
“Morning, everyone,” Amy greeted everyone as she joined them at the table.
Seated at the table were her friends from Mobius, including Tails, Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, Vanilla, Cream, and Ray. Also present were Amber and Darren. Amy noted that Myotis was absent. She also saw Austin and Sally had yet to join them.
“Mornin', Amy,” Bunnie replied. “Ya'll are just in time for breakfast.”
“Looks good,” Amy remarked, taking a seat next to Tails. “I could use some food after my workout this morning.”
“I hope the training Silver gave you isn't too overwhelming, Amy,” Amber spoke up.
Shortly after the Freedom Fighters had settled in to their new home, Amy had decided to join the Edenian warriors training so she could get stronger and more battle savvy. Antoine had also joined her to hone his own skills, and both had made great strides with the training. While the captain, an Edenian wolf named Silver, was tough, he was also fair and had been pleased with their progress. Amy had just come from an early morning training session and had a towel draped over her shoulders.
“Not at all, Amber,” Amy reassured her. “To be honest, it's been pretty invigorating. And me and Antoine have really made great strides in our training. Right, Antoine?”
“Oui. Zere is no denying we have made ze progress,” Antoine replied.
“And Ah'm proud of ya, sugar,” Bunnie said, kissing him on the cheek.
“Hey, by the way,” Amy said. “I noticed we're missing a few people. Where's Myotis, and Austin and Sally?”
“Myotis isn't exactly a morning person,” Darren replied. “In fact he seldom ever joins us for breakfast. As for the two lovebirds, I don't know. They're probably still snoozing.”
“Probably cuddling together in bed,” Amy giggled.
“Amy,” Vanilla said. “That's not something you should be discussing so casually about, especially in polite conversation.”
“You're right. Sorry, Vanilla,” Amy said.
“Speaking of which, here they come now,” Tails spoke up, nodding towards the doorway.
Sure enough, Austin and Sally had just arrived and joined everyone else at the table.
“Well, look who decided to finally join us,” Darren teased. “I thought we were going to have to come drag you two out of bed.”
“Joke's on you,” Austin said. “Sally and I have been awake for a while now.”
“So what took you two so long, then,” Amy asked.
“As it is, we were discussing something important,” Sally replied. She glanced around the table. “Does anyone know where my mother is right now?”
“I believe she is dining with the King and Queen,” Amber said.
“Good. I'd prefer to keep this conversation between us for the time being,” Sally said. “Now then, Austin and I were talking this morning...regarding my father.”
Everyone at the table fell silent.
“While my mother hasn't really said anything to me, I can tell something has been on her mind,” Sally continued. “And I think it's pretty obvious that something is my father. To be honest, I've been dwelling on that myself, wondering if he's alive somewhere on Mobius. And if he is, I need to know for certain. To that end, Austin I were thinking about going back to Mobius to see if we could learn anything.”
“Sally, Mobius is a huge place,” Rotor said. “If the King is still alive, there's no way of knowing where exactly he is.”
“Yeah, where would you even start,” Amy asked. “You didn't find anything in Robotnik's files. And we can't exactly ask him where the King is seeing as he's, well, dead.”
“There may be another option, Amy,” Austin said. “Besides Robotnik, there was also Snively. I'm willing to bet he knows something about the King's whereabouts.”
“Snively,” Tails said. “We don't even know what happened to him following the battle at Robotropolis.”
“We do know he made it out of there, Tails,” Sally said. “Shade and Shadow mentioned they had run into him during the battle and they let him go. Not only that, but Edena even confirmed as much.”
“Okay. So say he is still alive and well,” Amy said. “Who knows where he is? Considering he worked for Robotnik, I imagine he doesn't want to be found.”
“That's true,” Sally said. “However, I think finding him won't be a problem. We're going to go and speak to Commander Tower at GUN. I can guarantee they would be keeping tabs on Snively.”
“For all we know, they may have even apprehended him,” Austin put in. “Which would make it easier for us, if that's the case.”
“Even if you find him,” Amy pressed. “What makes you so sure he'll cooperate? He may have been Robotnik's flunky, but he's just as bad as his former boss.”
“It's a long shot, I know,” Sally said. “But right now, it's the only lead we have. I have to at least try.”
“We understand, Sally,” Bunnie spoke up, cutting off any further argument from Amy. “This is somethin' ya'll have to do. Heck, if it were my own daddy, Ah'd be doin' the same as you.”
“And you're not just doing this for yourself,” Amber added. “You're also doing this for your mother, as well. If you feel you need to do this, then I say go for it. Even if the odds seem against you.”
Everyone else present agreed.
“I still think it's a long shot, but I agree, too,” Amy said. “You want us to go with you, Sally? I could probably get Snively to talk if he proves to be a bit uncooperative.”
“I appreciate the offer, Amy,” Sally said, smiling. “But I really don't think that will be necessary. I think Austin and I should be alright by ourselves. I imagine we won't have too much trouble. At least nothing the two of can't handle. And if we do run into any trouble, we still have allies on Mobius like Knuckles and the Chaotix. Which reminds me, we might want to swing by the Floating Island and check up with them while we're there.”
“Well, okay,” Amy said. “If you insist. Just promise us you two will be careful.”
“We'll be careful,” Austin promised. “And at least this time we're letting everyone know where we're going. Right, Amber?”
Amber smirked. “I'm glad to see you learned your lesson. So when were you thinking about leaving?”
“Immediately,” Sally replied. “The sooner we get to Mobius and get some answers the better. Oh, and one other thing. Nobody mention this to mother.”
“What? Why don't you want your mother to know, Miss Sally,” Cream asked.
“Because, Cream, I don't want to get her hopes up,” Sally explained. “There's a good chance we may not even find anything regarding my father, and I don't want to make any promises to my mother that I might not be able to keep.”
“Understood, Sally,” Amber said. “If the Queen asks, we'll simply tell her you and Austin went to Mobius to check up on things. Which is technically true.”
“Thank you, Amber,” Sally said. “Anyway, Austin and I should probably get going.”
“How long do you think you'll be gone for,” Tails asked.
“Hard to say, Tails,” Austin replied. “Hopefully no longer than a week at least. If we're going to be gone for a good while, we'll be sure to get word to you guys to let you know.”
“But with a little luck, when we do come back, we'll have my father with us,” Sally said.
“Well, good luck to ya, Sally-girl,” Bunnie said. “Ah hope you succeed in your search.”
“As do we all,” Amber said.
Mobius-One Hour Later....
Had anyone been around the small clearing, they would have been astonished to see a door appear out of thin air. They would have been even more surprised to see Austin and Sally emerge from the doorway, only to have it disappear afterwards.
“Well, here we are,” Austin said.
“Mobius. I know it's only been six months since I left here, but it feels almost like a lifetime ago,” Sally remarked.
“So, shall we head to GUN headquarters,” Austin asked.
“Absolutely,” Sally said. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her handheld computer. “Nicole, we've arrived on Mobius. Can you pinpoint our current location along with GUN's location?”
“Affirmative, Sally. Accessing global map positioning.”
Sally and Austin watched as a holographic map appeared before them. Displaying the entire planet, two points of light appeared on the map. One light was blue, representing the duo. The other light was red and represented GUN HQ's location.
“Hmm. Looks like we're quite a ways from GUN,” Austin said. “It could take us a few days to get there on foot. Unless we fly there.”
“I think flying would be our best option,” Sally said. “If you don't mind carrying me that is.”
In response, Austin scooped Sally up in his arms as he reverted to his Edenian form, spreading his wings to their full length.
“I would carry you to the ends of the Earth if need be,” he said.
“You really are quite the charmer, you know that,” Sally said, smiling.
With that, they took flight, making their way to GUN.
GUN HQ...
“Geez! Just how many outposts and factories did that maniac build? I feel like we're barely getting anywhere!”
Shadow the Hedgehog ignored the complaints of his teammate Rouge. The two of them, along with their third teammate Omega, had just returned from a mission to destroy an outpost set up by the late Dr. Robotnik. Ever since his defeat six months ago, Team Dark had been busy taking down any and all factories, fortresses, fueling stations, and outposts left behind by him. While he wouldn't admit it, he secretly agreed with Rouge. It seemed an overwhelming task. However, he had accepted the mission and he would see it through.
“It's a good thing the fat-man is gone,” Rouge griped. “Because if he were here right now, I'd wring his fat neck! Having to clean up his mess!”
“I personally am enjoying this mission,” Omega spoke up.
“Of course you are,” Rouge sniped. “You get to blow things up to your heart's content.”
“I do not possess a heart,” Omega replied. “But I understand the analogy and it is quite correct. When do we head out for our next mission?”
“We just got back,” Rouge said. “We've been going non-stop for the last several days. We need a little downtime.”
“First things first,” Shadow said. “We report to Commander Tower and debrief him of our mission. After that, it will be up to him whether we head out again or take some downtime.”
“Yeah, yeah, protocol come first,” Rouge said. “Lets just go and get it over with. But if he is going to send us out again, I at least want a hot bath and a few hours of sleep before then.”
“Wait. My sensors are detecting two incoming lifeforms,” Omega said, halting at the entrance.
Both Shadow and Rouge turned to look around but saw no one approaching.
“I don't see anything,” Rouge said. “I think you need to have your sensors checked, big guy.”
“My sensors are functioning properly,” Omega said. “You are just looking in the wrong direction.” He pointed upwards.
Shadow and Rouge looked up into the sky and sure enough they could see something was approaching them. At the moment they couldn't quite make out what it was.
“Shall I open fire,” Omega asked, readying his weapons.
“Whoa, hold your fire, Omega,” Rouge said. She had pulled out a pair of binoculars and now saw just what it was that was heading their way. “I don't believe it. It's Austin and Sally!”
“Austin and Sally,” Shadow said. “I wonder what they're doing here.”
By now Austin and Sally were within sight. Soon they swooped down and landed in front of Team Dark. Austin set Sally on the ground and then resumed his human form.
“Well, well, this is quite a surprise,” Rouge said. “Hey, lovebirds. It's been a while.”
“Hello, Rouge,” Sally greeted her. “Shadow. Omega.”
“Hello, Princess,” Shadow replied. “And hello to you, too, Austin.”
“Hey, Shadow,” Austin returned the greeting.
“So, what brings you two back to Mobius,” Rouge asked. “Did you miss us that much?”
“Sassy as always, Rouge,” Sally said. “Actually, we're here for two reasons. First of all, to check and see how things were going. And secondly, we need to speak with Commander Tower about something.”
“Care to fill us in on what that might be,” Rouge asked.
“When we see Tower,” Sally said.
“Fine,” Shadow spoke up before Rouge could inquire further. “We were actually on our way to see the Commander and give him our report. Follow me.”
“So I take it you guys been pretty busy,” Austin commented as they entered the building.
“Busy? That's understatement, handsome,” Rouge said. “We've been taking down fortresses and factories left and right. And of course that stone you left us has been a big help restoring the roboticized Mobians. Still, it feels like we've been going non-stop and hardly making any head-way.”
“Considering how far Robotnik's reach was, I'm not surprised there are so many out there,” Sally commented. “Still, I'm sure many Mobians really appreciate everything you guys have been doing. By the way, have the Chaos Emeralds reappeared yet?”
“No, they haven't,” Rouge pouted. “We haven't seen so much as a sparkle from those little beauties. Not that it would probably matter, seeing as we're too busy cleaning up after Robotnik to go and search for them.”
“To be honest, maybe it's best they don't reappear anytime soon,” Shadow said. “That's one less headache for us to worry about.”
“How can you say that,” Rouge said. “I never consider those gems a headache.”
“Shadow, has there been any sign of the Dark Legion lately,” Sally asked.
“None” Shadow replied. “Though they're pretty good at staying off our radar. And I don't like the fact they've been so quiet. I get the feeling they're planning something.”
“Well, if these Legion guys do start any trouble, let us know,” Austin said. “We'll help take care of them.”
“Bad as they are, I don't think they're anywhere near as bad as Robotnik was,” Rouge said. “Still, considering their advanced technology and the fact they have knowledge about the Chaos Force, they're a force to be reckoned with.”
By now they had reached Commander Tower's office. Shadow pressed a button on a com-screen beside the door.
“Commander, it's Shadow,” he announced himself. “We're back from our mission. And we also have some visitors who need to speak with you.”
“Very well, Shadow,” Tower's voice came from the com. “Bring them in.”
The door opened, allowing the group access to Tower's office. They entered and found Tower seated at his desk.
“Princess Sally,” Tower greeted her. “Welcome. It's always a pleasure.” His gaze turned to Austin. “We've never met, but I know who you are, Austin. A pleasure to make your acquaintance at last.”
“Likewise, Commander,” Austin replied.
“Now then, before I speak with you two, I need to hear Shadow's report,” Tower said. “If you would like to take a seat, this shouldn't take too long.”
Both Austin and Sally sat down as Shadow launched into his report. After he had finished, Tower turned to a monitor behind him and brought up a map of Mobius. The map revealed various factories, outposts, and fortresses, all belonging to Robotnik. Areas in red showed which ones were still active while those in blue were ones that had been taken out by Team Dark. While there was a large swathe of blue, there was still a good amount of red remaining.
“Wow. I guess I never realized just how far Robotnik's reach really was,” Austin whispered to Sally.
“Sometimes even I'm amazed at just how bad it was,” Sally remarked. “And I've been dealing with that since I was a child.”
“It may seem bad, but we are making progress,” Tower said, inputting information on the map, causing a section to turn blue. “Though we still have a ways to go.” He turned back to the assembled Team Dark. “Now then, I'll be sending you three out again at some point. Probably in a few days. Until then, take some time to rest and recover.”
“Oh, thank god,” Rouge said. “I was about to drop from exhaustion.”
“Alright, Princess,” Tower said, turning to her and Austin. “What brings you and your friend here?”
“As it is, Commander,” Sally began. “We're need to know where we can find Snively. And I'm certain you probably know where he is.”
“Snively? What do you want with that little creep,” Rouge asked.
“Because he may know where my father is,” Sally replied.
For a moment, the room was silent as everyone present digested that bit of news.
“If I recall correctly, Princess,” Tower spoke up, breaking the silence. “Wasn't it Robotnik who took your father prisoner?”
“That's right,” Sally said. “Though I don't know what exactly he did with him. There were many rumors about what became of him, but we could never verify them. To be honest, I didn't even know if he's alive or not. Since Robotnik's gone, Snively may be my only lead.”
“Hmm. I suppose besides Robotnik, Snively probably would be privy to that information,” Tower mused. “As it is, Princess, you are correct in assuming we know where he is. After you and your friends brought down Robotnik, we made sure to track down Snively to ensure he wouldn't carry on the Doctor's work.”
“I'm surprised you didn't apprehend him,” Austin remarked. “I mean, technically speaking, Snively is a war criminal, if not an accessory to one.”
“We had considered it, actually,” Tower replied. “But by the time we did get a lock on him, we were surprised to find he was living in solitude on a tropical island. What's more he hadn't been to any of Robotnik's outposts. We decided to just observe him for the time being.”
“And where exactly is this little island retreat he's staying at,” Sally asked.
“If you like, I can lend you a warp ring to get to Snively's location,” Tower said. He reached into his desk and pulled out a small golden ring and passed it to Sally. “I trust you know how to use this, Princess?”
“If I'm not mistaken, you just toss it into the air and it opens up, right,” Sally asked.
“That's right,” Tower said. “Anyway, I wish you the best of luck on your search, Princess. And I hope you find your father.”
“Thank you, Commander,” Sally said, shaking his hand. “I really appreciate you helping us out.”
“Do you want us to go with you, Sally,” Shadow offered.
“Thanks, Shadow,” Sally said. “But Austin and I can handle this. Besides, he might take off if you and your team show up on his doorstep.”
“She's got a point, Shadow,” Rouge said. “Probably better to let them handle it.”
“I understand,” Shadow said. “Good luck, Sally.”
“Thank you,” Sally said. She turned to Austin. “Ready?”
“Let's do it to it,” Austin replied.
Sally tossed the ring into the air where it expanded in size. Through the ring, they could see a white sandy beach waiting for them. Together, both Austin and Sally stepped through the ring...
End of Chapter Two...
Category Story / Sonic
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 23.6 kB
Comments