Sonic the Hedgehog: Fast Enough? By Jesse Nelson Total darkness. There were no stars, no window light, no source of light of any kind, except Sonic. He could be seen clearly, and vividly. He ran as fast as he could trying to reach a destination. His destination, Tails. Tails was tied up in a chair with an array of blasters pointed at him. Sonic tried to go faster, but not matter how fast he went Tails seems to get further and further away. Sonic tried desperately to get to Tails. Suddenly a flash of red light ended everything. Sonic sat up in his bed gasping. Sonic looked out his window then at his clock. It was still night, actually early morning. Sonic tried to go back to sleep, but found it hard. After giving up on sleep Sonic left his hut and slowly walked to the medical hut. He peaked in the window and saw a hospital bed. On it was Tails with blaster burns all over him. Sonic quietly opened the front door and entered. He sat in a chair not far from Tails. He wondered and thought about how Tails ended up here like this. ******** An old mining factory outside of Robotropolis. Sonic cautiously walked through its dark corridors trying to ignore Robotnik's voice over the speakers. "So stupid," came Robotnik's voice over the loud speakers, "why would anybody, even you, come alone to save one little brat." "It's in the job description, Buttnik," said Sonic. Sonic reached a cross corridor with two options. "I would go right if I were you," said Robotnik. "And fall into a trap," shot Sonic, "right." Sonic went left, but soon walked into a dead end. "I told you should have gone right." "Shove it!" Sonic backtracked and went the other way. Sonic soon came up to another cross corridor, "Which way now, Buttnik?" "You tell me." Sonic looked forward, left, then right. To his right he saw Tails tied up in a chair. "Gee this is real hard." Sonic walked down the right corridor to Tails. Although Sonic was walking he wasn't going anywhere. He looked down and saw the floor moving. He looked further ahead and noticed he was on a tread mill. Sonic grinned and moved faster. He moved up some, but began running in place. "Having trouble?" asked Robotnik. "Only on cruise control," said Sonic. "Juice'n." Sonic went as fast as he could. He moved closer to Tails, but was soon running in place again half to the young fox. "I would like to introduce my latest invention," said Robotnik, "the Equilibrium Treadmill. No matter how fast you go you always stay in one place." "Then I'll just run backward." "I, thanks to my new air commander, Colonel Striker, and his smart system the ETM prevents any one from getting to there destination. This was designed especially for you." "I'm flattered." "Don't be. You have twenty seconds to save the brat." "Or else what?" As Sonic looked down the corridor he saw twenty to thirty blasters emerge, all aimed at Tails. "Or else the young one never sees the light of day again. Au revoir." Robotnik was off the speaker, but a he had put up a count down. "Twenty seconds to firing." "No." Sonic squeezed out a little more speed, but didn't go anywhere. "Fifteen seconds to firing." Tails struggled to get out, but the bonds were too tough and too tight for him to get out of. "Ten seconds to firing." Sonic reached into his backpack and pulled out a power ring. He got a surge of power causing him to go faster and faster. He was moving too fast for the ETM to handle. Sonic slowly inched towards Tails. "Five seconds to firing." "Move Sonic," said Sonic as he poured out every ounce of speed he had. "Four." "Faster" "Three." "Almost there." "Two." "Come on!" "One." "Tails!" All blasters simultaneously fired sending a bright flash of red light. ******** "Sonic," called Sally as she shook Sonic, "Sonic, wake up." Sonic slowly woke up. "Sally," said Sonic as he looked at her, "Sally, I couldn't save him." "Sonic don't. You did what you could." "No, I wasn't fast enough." "Don't say that. You are the fastest thing on the planet. You did your best." "What if Tails died? Sally, I'm losing it." "Sonic..." "Don't Sally." Sonic stood up, "I'll be at my hut. Don't bother me until the mission." Sonic walked out. ******** Robotnik was talking to Snivily on the viewing monitor about the cloaking Swatbots. "What do you have Snivily?" asked Robotnik. "Well sir," began Snivily, "we believe that the glaze use on newly built Swatbots protect against the deterioration when the cloaking module was activated." "So re-glazing the those with cloak will be mandatory. How long does the glaze last?" "With the weathering and pollution about two and a half months, sir." "Have the CS bots re-glazed every two months." "Yes sir. CS bots sir?" "Cloaking Swatbots, you idiot!" "Yes sir. Snivily out." The monitor switched to a security tape. "Robotnik," called Striker as he entered the command room. "Yes, Striker," groaned Robotnik. "Why did you let the Freedom Fighter to live?" "It is quite simple." "How?" "Moral and confidence effect a creatures ability to perform. Something you might lack, and the Freedom Fighters have a lot of it because of Sonic." "What does that have to do with the question I've asked?" "My dear Colonel you are an independent computer. You figure it out and tell me." "I've looked over everything. I still don't see a answer to my question." "Very well. Sonic is no doubt the fastest creature on this planet." "Yes." "Well what happens when he doesn't think that?" "He loses his self-confidence and his moral lowers. He won't be performing at top efficiency." "That is correct." "If Sonic doesn't do his job well then the Freedom Fighters confidence and moral will also be down." "Excellent." "Now I understand." "Good, because now I am about the lower Sonic self-confidence even more." Robotnik looked at a viewing monitor that showed a picture of Sonic dodging blast from his patrols. ******** Sally watched Sonic with a pair of binoculars. Sonic was getting near misses from the patrol bots. He wasn't doing it to show off, not this time. Sally knew Sonic was feeling down. Sally sighed and lowered the binoculars. "Is something wrong Sally girl?" asked Bunnie, who was next to her. "It's Sonic," replied Sally, "he's still upset about Tails." "Tails'll be alright." "I know that Bunnie. I'm just not sure Sonic will be." "Princess," addressed Antoine, "I am zure zat Sonic weel do his job well. I hate to admit it, but his eez zee best we got." "I hope your right Antoine." Sally raised the binoculars to look at their target. ******** Sonic moved avoiding blasts from patrol bots. Sonic wasn't really keeping his attention on drawing the patrols away from the Swatbot factory. His mind was more on Tails. Sonic soon found himself in a dead end. The patrol bots loomed over him, but didn't shot. "Good day Sonic," came Robotnik's voice, "felling a little... blue." "What'd yuh want?" "What no names, no teasing? I'm hurt." "What'd yuh want?!" "I would like to challenge you." "To what?" "A race." Suddenly a monitor flashed on behind Sonic. Sonic turned and looked. "Can you make it to the roboticizer before this inferior creature is roboticized?" There was a bear in the roboticizer pounding on the glass tubing. "What am I racing?" "Time. You've got thirty seconds." Sonic ran off towards Robotnik's metal palace. ******** Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine just got in the factory when they discovered something about it. "Where is everything?" asked Bunnie. "Where are ze Swatbots and ze machines?" asked Antoine. "It's a dummy factory," said Sally. "You are the dummy," came a metallic voice. "Who." before Bunnie could finish a surge of electricity coursed through her and she fell to the floor. "Bunnie!!," shouted Sally before going to her. Antoine cowardly ran for the door, but hit something. He felt himself being lifted off the floor by his neck. "Princess, what eez happening?" asked Antoine. "Cloaking Swatbots," replied Sally, "they're invisible." Suddenly, Sally was lifted off the floor. "Princess!" Antoine quickly drew his sword letting his fear escape him. Antoine thrusted his sword forward. Half his sword disappeared. After a moment a Swatbot appeared, but it still held on to Antoine. Antoine pulled his sword out and rammed it through the arm that was holding him. The grip weakened and Antoine fell. Antoine quickly got to his feet and ran to Sally. When he got near he swung his sword downward cutting into something. The princess fell and two Swatbot arms appeared holding her. Sally quickly took off the arms and stood up. "Come princess," said Antoine as he took Sally's wrist. They ran to the door that they came in, but still hit something. "Stay back princess." Antoine stepped back drew his sword and rammed whatever was in their way. Outside the outline of a Swatbot appeared on the ground with Antoine on top. "Hurry princess!" shouted Antoine as he drew his sword out. "What about Bunnie?" questioned Sally. "Princess we need you, go." "But." Antoine didn't what for Sally to finish. He just grabbed her arm and took her away from the factory. They were expecting the Swatbots to follow, but they didn't. ******** Sonic ran through the metal hallway of the palace he finally reached the roboticizer. As he entered he trips over a fine wire and slid on the floor to the roboticizer platform. "Times up hedgehog," voiced Robotnik over the speakers. The roboticizer turned on blinding Sonic as he looked. The bear was a robot. "Looks like you were a little slow," mocked Robotnik. Sonic stood up as the robot exited the roboticizer. "Oh Sonic." "What?!" "I got another challenge for you." "What is it?" "Take a look at the monitor." Sonic went to an activated monitor. On it was Bunnie shackled to a conveyer belt, knocked out. "What did you do to her?" demanded Sonic. "You should be more worried about what I'm going to do to her." The picture moved to a hammer compactor. "You see in a matter of second Ms. Rabbot will no longer have to worry about this war." "No!" Sonic dashed out to save Bunnie. ******** Hiding behind a pile of junk Sally and Antoine watched as Bunnie was carried on the conveyer belt to the compactor, helpless to do anything. Suddenly Sonic appeared under the belt. "Sonic," shouted Sally as she came out of hiding. "Sally," shouted Sonic. "Use your anti-gravity sneakers." "Right." Sonic pressed a button on his shoes and slowly went up. Sonic reached the conveyer belt and looked around. Bunnie was close to the compactor. Sonic ran to her and tried to pull off the shackles. The sound of the compactor made Sonic nervous as it got louder. Sonic managed to pull the shackle off Bunnies left arm, but still had three to go. Suddenly he heard something that scared him. He looked back. Bunnie's feet were smashed. Sally watched as Sonic tried desperately to free Bunnie. Sally's heart was skipping a beat as Sonic and Bunnie were under the compactor. "Sonic get out!" Sonic couldn't hear Sally because of the noise from the compactor. He noticed the belt had darkened so he looked up. The compactor was about to fall on him. It fell, but slowed and stopped inches above Sonic's head. "What?" questioned Sonic. "Sonic hurry up," shouted Sally. Sonic managed to pull the shackle off Bunnie's right arm. He didn't have to bother with the ones on her feet sinec they had been smashed by the compactor. Sonic picked up Bunnie activated his anti-gravity sneaks and slowly came to the ground. Sonic was quickly met by Sally and Antoine. "What happened?" asked Sonic. "Antoine stopped the compactor," said Sally. "How?" "My sword," said Antoine as he pointed up. Sonic looked. There was a shiny silver object stuck in the gears of the compactor. "How-ed do you say it," said Antoine, "you own me one." "Let's just get out of here before I have to embarrass myself anymore," said Sonic. ******** Robotnik watched the monitors with a devilish grin on his face. Striker stood next to him. "I believe it is time to hit Sonic where it hurts the most," said Robotnik. "His ego?" asked Striker. "I've already done that. No, something much more than that." ******** Bunnie was awake sitting in a wheelchair in the medical hut. Kathy and Rotor were checking her to see if anything was wrong with her. "Ah'm telling you Ah'm ok," said Bunnie. "I know," said Rotor, "but your helpless." "Ah can manage." "Well, other than a few electrical burns, you're fine," said Kathy. "She's all yours, Rotor." "Nice of you all to throw me around," said Bunnie sarcastically. Rotor began to wheel Bunnie out when she noticed Sally. "Hey, what's wrong Sally girl?" Sally sighed then answered, "Sonic." "Is he still down about Tails?" "Yes, and you." "It's nothing serious. Ah just won't walk for awhile or use my arm. Some of the circuits were fried." "I know, but he just feels like he's no good anymore. I mean, Antoine up staged him." "Ah see your point. Why don't you talk to him?" "I've tried that." "Then try again." "I guess I can. What can it hurt?" "No Sally, I don't want to talk about!" shouted Sonic, slamming the door to his hut. "Sonic please," begged Sally. "No! Leave me alone." "Sonic." A used power ring came flying out of Sonic's window. Sally gave up and walked to Rotor's hut. "Ah guess it can hurt," said Bunnie. "What?" asked Sally. "We heard Sonic." "He's never been like this." "Nothing ever got him, or his ego." "I need to talk to someone who knows Sonic." "The only person that could be is Uncle Chuck, but he's still spying at Robotropolis." "Rotor, when you're not busy do you think you can give me a ride to Uncle Chuck's?", asked Sally. "Uh, sure," said Rotor. ******** A small little hovercraft hovered into a junk filled area in Robotropolis. The side hatch opened and Sally walked out. "Be careful Sally," said Rotor. "I'll be waiting." "I know," said Sally. "I'll try to be quick." Sally cautiously walked to Uncle Chuck's secret entrance and entered. "Sir Charles," called Sally. "Sally," called Uncle Chuck. "Uncle Chuck, we need to talk to about Sonic." "I already know about it." "How?" "It's part of Robotnik's plan. I've been keeping tabs on it." "What plan?" "He's destroying Sonic's self-confidence. I was going to mention something about it, but I thought Sonic could handle it." "Is there anything that can be done?" "There nothing any of us can do. It's totally psychological." A low tone alarm sounded. "What's that?" asked Sally. "Computer's found something about Robotnik's plan." Chuck went to his computer and accessed the recently retrieved data. "A video recording. It's about an hour old." Chuck played the recording. The monitor showed Robotnik and a large Swatbot, both looking at the viewing monitors. "I believe it is time to hit Sonic where it hurts the most," said Robotnik. "His ego?" asked the Swatbot. "I've already done that. No, something much more than that." Chuck turned off the monitor. "What's more than Sonic's ego?" asked Sally. "That should be easy," said Chuck turning to Sally, "even for you, Sally." "I shouldn't have come." Sally ran toward the entrance. "Wait, Sally," called Chuck before running after her, "the patrols are out there." Before Chuck could get Sally she ran out into the open. Running right into the path of a pair of patrol bots. Chuck stayed, and waited for the patrols to leave, with Sally. ******** Rotor's hovercraft came speeding into Knothole. After stopping a robot jumped out and headed to Sonic's hut. He hesitated, but knocked. "I'm coming," said Sonic before opening the door, "Unc, what's up?" Chuck sighed, then told him, "Robotnik's got Sally." "What?!" "Sonic this is a trap." "Move Unc." Sonic moved his uncle out of the way and ran off. "Sonic!" ******** Sonic came blazing into Robotropolis. He stopped and stood near a ruined fountain and looked up. "Robotnik," shouted Sonic at the top of his lungs. "Robotnik!" "You don't have to yell," said Robotnik as he appeared on a large viewing screen above Sonic. "I can hear you no matter where you are in the city." "What'd ja do with Sally?" "The princess it tied up at the moment." The picture on the monitor changed to Sally tied up. "Where is she?" "Right here." The picture faded to a factory. Sonic recognized the factory. It was the same factory that Tails was shot at. Sonic quickly dashed to it. Sonic reached the factory that was on the monitor and entered. Immediately Robotnik's voice came over the speakers. "How are you feeling today hedgehog?" mocked Robotnik. "Feeling down, a little blue, slow?" Sonic tried to ignore Robotnik's taunting, but they sank in deep. "Are you fast enough to save your friends?" Am I fast enough, thought Sonic? "Time and time again you never mange to get there in time. You failed. How does it feel." Sonic walked silently. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. I have." Sonic's spirit continued to crumble away with more of Robotnik's taunting. "How would you have felt if that brat did die? Hmm, I wonder." Suddenly a monitor above Sonic went on. It was a recording. It showed Tails tied up with blasters pointed at him. The blasters fired and Sonic had a total relapse of that moment. Sonic stood staring at nothing horrified of the memory he was seeing. Reality hit Sonic, and he focused back to what he came to do this time. Sonic came up to a cross corridor. He looked right and saw Sally tied up in a chair. "Sally!" "Sonic! Robotnik's playing with your mind." "I see you have found the princess. To bad you'll only see hurt for the next ten seconds." Blaster emerged and they were all aimed at Sally. "Can you save her like you did with the young fox? Oh, one more thing, the blaster are not set on stun." "Sally!" Sonic began to run to her, but after a moment he was running in place. "You do remember the ETM. Can you save her? Are you fast enough? We will know in ten seconds." "Ten seconds to firing." "Sally I won't make it." "You can Sonic." "I can't." Sonic continued to run trying to reach Sally. "Five seconds to firing." "Use a power ring," shouted Sally. "I won't be enough," replied Sonic. "Four." "Sonic!" Sonic pulled out a power ring, but it slipped out of his hands. "Three." "Sally I can't make!" "You have to!" "Two." The power ring Sonic dropped skipped on the tread mill to the end. It got wedged between the tread mill and solid floor. "One." "Sally!" The blasters fired. In a red flash had blinded everyone. The chair Sally had been tied in was no longer there. Toward the back of the room was Sonic. "Sonic?" a familiar voice called. "Sally?" "You did it Sonic." "Yah. I did." Sonic went to untying Sally when Robotnik's voice came over the speakers. "I don't know how you did it," Robotnik was angry, "but you will not leave that factory alive." "Sonic we got to hurry." Sonic finished untying Sally, picked her up and ran down the only corridor. As Sonic ran across the tread mill, he unwedged the power ring causing the tread mill to continue its work to prevent him from leaving. "Sally I can't go any faster!" Suddenly a bomb blew up behind them. A ball of fire raced down the corridor. The power ring that was dislodged skipped down to the other side wedging itself jamming the tread mill on he other side. Sonic began to move. The fire was literally on his heels. Sonic poured out every ounce of energy to stay in front of the flame. He began to use more energy than what he had to stay ahead. More bombs exploded on either side of Sonic. Sonic avoided being burned by the flames and most of the flying debris. Small pieces hit and scratched Sonic, while larger ones were avoided. Finally Sonic raced out of the factory rattling trees as he past by them. The moment Sonic left her factory was when it totally blew up. Sonic rested by a tree far from the factory, and out of breath. "I... didn't... think... I was... going... to... make it," stuttered Sonic. "You're out of breath?" questioned Sally. Sonic nodded. "That's first." "Yeah... I know." Sonic continued to breathe heavily. Sally went up to Sonic and kissed him on the cheek. "That was for not giving up." "Sally, I'm sorry about earlier. I..." "I know Sonic. It wasn't your fault. But if you ever yell at me again, it'll be the last time." "Gotcha." "Lets go home." They both began to walk back to the forest. Suddenly shots rained down on them from above. They both took cover then looked up at what shot at them. Above were a battle pod and Stealthbot. ******** In the commander center in Robotropolis, Robotnic looked at the monitors completely furious. "Blast," shouted Robotnic, "they're still alive!" Robotnic activated a communication link to the pod and Stealthbot, "Terminate the hedgehog and the princess, now!!!" "Temper, temper, Fatty, " murmured Striker. "What was that?!" "Uh, your blood-pressure sir," said Striker quickly, "you should calm down." "Don't tell me to calm down!" Robotnic backhanded Striker. Striker only staggered back some. ******** The battle pod had just dropped off two Swatbots. They began to advance to the forest where Sonic and Sally were still hiding from the Stealthbot. "What do we do?" asked Sonic, behind a tree. "I don't know," replied Sally from another tree. "Don't you plan for things like this?" "It takes me weeks to plan for something." "Then we have to improvise." Sonic looked around the tree he was behind. A quick blast made to turn back. "Two buckets on the ground and two in the sky," said Sonic. Sonic quickly dashed out from the tree and sonic spinned through one Swatbot. "Yo," shouted Sonic," bolt brain! Over here!" The other Swatbot chased Sonic to where the mining factory once stood. Already though the Stealthbot and battle pod were firing at Sonic. Got to get this right, thought Sonic. "Yo, Swat-butt! You can't hit the broad side of a bunker!" Swatbot quickly responded by shooting at Sonic. Sonic dodged them easily. He kept dodging until the Stealthbot came down for a low level attack. Sonic quickly jumped on the aircraft and held on. Soon the Swatbot and pod were firing at Sonic, but destroying the Stealthbot instead. "Two down to two go," said Sonic as he reached the ground. "Hey," shouted Sonic to the pod, "free shot." He stood up waving his arms and legs at the pod. The pod quickly went down and began to chase Sonic. Sonic ran toward the other Swatbot letting the pod get close to him. At the last moment Sonic veered right letting the pod crash into the Swatbot and some debris from the blown up factory. "Well that's that," said Sonic as he brushed his hands clean of dust. "You did pretty good for someone who thinks they're not good enough," said Sally as she walked up to him. "Hey, totally forgot about that." "I'm glad you did." "But..." "But nothing. Sonic if you think your no good then you are not good." "But..." "Sonic you beat two Swatbots, a battle pod and Stealthbot single handedly. Not to mention out-running a fireball and saving my life." "I did, didn't I?" "You did. If you still doubt yourself after that then I don't what will help you." "Hmmm," hummed Sonic as he took a step. As he did his foot kick something. Sonic looked down and saw a beat up spy-cam from Robotropolis. Sonic picked it up and looked at it. It was still functioning, because the lens focused on Sonic's face. "Hey Buttnik," shouted Sonic to the spy-cam, "This is Sonic hedgehog talkin', the fastest thing alive. The old Sonic you were talking to about ten minutes ago is no longer around. I know about the little game you played on me and it didn't work. I believed in myself and I beat you. I also believe, no, I know I can beat you anywhere on any day at any time. So adios, fat man." With that Sonic went into a vertical sonic spin then tossing the spy-cam toward Robotropolis. "Feel better?" asked Sally. "Much better," said Sonic. "Good. Lets go home before anything else happens." "You got it Sal." Sonic pick up Sally then ran into the forest. THE END