Chapter Text
Bzzzz. B-bzzzz. Cra-a-ackle. Bvooom.
An image sputters into life. There’s a pink haired hedgehog peering over the land that she used to call, Green Hill, from atop a tree branch. The hammer she leans on is worn and bruised, pieces of scrap metal still rammed into the front and sides. There’s also a blue hedgehog next to her, arms folded, scars gleaming with red flesh, a gaze that pierces the smokey air. There’s deep contempt in his battered form. How long has it been since they felt at peace, since they-
Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. Blip.
I look down from our perch, an awful sight of tumbling flames and gurgling cries. Metal death stamping their reign onto what used to be luscious greenery. Eggman, I almost gag, my face wrinkling at the thought of his name, has turned Green Hill into something akin to hell. How could we have let it get this way? I thought… I thought we were stronger.
“Amy, let’s go.”
Sonic’s voice hums in my ears and I snap from focus. There’s grit to his words that I can’t exactly hear. But I can feel it. I press my hand to my chest, the fur covered in soot and tiny glints of shrapnel. After all, this place meant a lot to both of us… at some point.
“We’ve lost so many, Sonic. Where do we even go-“
He pulls my hand before I could even process what’s happening. Half catching me as I recover from our drop, he tugs me again and in an instant, wind is blowing to my sides, our surroundings blurring. I consider the butterflies I once felt just holding his hand, now they’re unable to catch up to the moment.
Looking back, a flock of Eggdragons crowd the trees we were at, dangerously large birds that caw loud and mechanically before bellowing a pillar of fire that rolls over the forest we escape from.
Looking forward, swiftly does Sonic’s body shield as we move at his speed. I can barely even feel the wind. It seems there’s no time for rest anymore. We have to find a way to stop this evil. But I’m terrified that it may be too late.
I’m not sure where he’s leading us, but the run must at least help him with his thinking. Help... I wish I could do more for him, and we don’t have anyone else these days.
“Sonic… I-“
“Watch out!”
He yells, heeling us to a stop as Eggman’s more standard robots drop from Eggcarriers and slam precisely around us. Even at the edge of the forest where we could’ve escaped by jumping into the water and taking off to the mountains, we’re more than surrounded to do anything. He lets go of my hand and I grip my hammer tightly. It’s only a matter of time before the Eggdragons catch up as well. We can’t stay here.
“Sonic, we have to hurry.”
He grunts in agreement before blitzing the robots in front of us. They’re more fortified than before. Ever since Eggman began commanding the emeralds, even small fries have become unbearably difficult. I take a few solid steps before jumping high up in the air. All the pain, stress, anguish, hatred, and loss I’ve endured I channel into this swing. Bringing the hammer from behind me with both arms, I crash it down on the disoriented robots that Sonic attacked. The blow dints the robot I initially hit, almost pressing halfway into itself and forms a crater under it that topples the surrounding bots.
Sonic snatches me from the air and jumps again, angling us off the cliff side and above the water. One look back and I can see the fire had finally caught up. Then I hear the electrical cries of approaching Eggdragons.
As we fall, I close my eyes. I want to take in a moment. Just one so I can breathe because even the water isn’t safe, Eggman has a beast swimming constantly, sensing heat, life, or anything that moves. Eggcetus, and no one has fought it and survived. Opening my eyes again, I brace myself for the impact.
Sp-sploosh.
The sudden water is calming, just us two enveloped in silence and solitude, but I shake off the feeling immediately as I swim to the surface, pulling him and narrowly throwing him above the water. I’m a bit exhausted from that last attack but if I ease too much, the adrenaline will wane. I watch him kick his legs, sprinting away as he makes contact and circling back to reach my awaiting hand. Grabbing hold of me, he yanks me into his arms, and we take off to the mountains.
Another moment, please. I beg whoever is listening, watching us. I press into his messy fur just to rest a little longer, hearing his heartbeat is calming against the reverberating water under us caused by Eggcetus. It must have been alerted by the fight earlier and made its way from wherever. I know Sonic can run faster than it can swim, we will be fine. And perhaps there is a chance we make it through all of this. That we find a way to beat Eggman as we always have done. We just need to regroup and plan things out.
“Oh no…”
And I truly believed in this false sense of hope until we found ourselves hiding in a cave carved into the side of one of the mountains. And perhaps I fantasized too much in my life growing up, in the strength that brought us this far, in Sonic. Eggtitans rise almost like sleeping demigods, their body lengths the size of the mountain we cooped in. We’re trapped here. Two of them, heads reeling from behind to face us, their appearances as detestable as their creator's. Their eyes sit awkwardly, numerous and uneven. One on their saucer-like heads and the others sprinkled over their chests. Intimidating blood stains their plates, their claws the size of trees. One of the robots still has bits of flesh dangling. Something very large was prey to them, what could it have been? I consider as we cautiously and slowly get up.
“Move!”
I let out a yelp as Sonic pushes me to the side. Before I slam into the wall, barely out of sight, I catch the glow of a green, emerald color to the eye on their heads. The thought of Shadow flickers into mind vaguely before I wince at the impact and fall to the ground. That light means they’re about to fire. Sonic focuses, gaining speed I can’t even track. He dodges an incoming barrage of laser shots with slight adjustments in his posture. Only a few slip by, scraping his arms and melting his quills. I have to do something; he can’t keep this up forever. These lasers are almost as fast as he-
“Gah!”
“Sonic!!”
My throat is sore as I look in horror. One laser manages to chunk a piece of leg. I know that these things are intelligent. They respond greatly to movement, but they prioritize what they can kill. If I move, maybe they’ll shift their focus knowing I’m far slower than he is and that’ll be enough time for him to escape. Every second counts so it must be enough. Ah... I’m scared. I’m so scared to die. Blood drips down my head from where I hit the wall. To be apart from him. But I’ll do whatever I can to keep Sonic safe. I can already feel my wobbling limbs screaming my soul into action. I have to do this, for all that we lost, for every mistake we made along the way, for the things I never got to say to him. I have to…
“Run!!!”
I cry out as I jump to my feet, I snatch my hammer off the wall and hurl it with all my might towards the pair. Sonic's eyes grow wide, I wonder how many thoughts are running through his mind in this moment, this instant of brokenness I can see behind the blue as I smile softly. The image of him disappearing leaves a few teardrops as the Eggtitans focus on me. A small indent is visible on the side of one of their heads. The glow of their many eyes now aimed at me. Maybe now I can say I finally helped h-
Bzzzzz. Cr-ac-ackle... Blip.
The visual cuts short. Then Shadow slams his fist onto a keyboard that Tails sits behind as they stare up at the now black monitor screen.
“Dammit! What happened? Where did Sonic go?! Tails, get the feed back up and running, I have to head out there.”
“I’m sorry, Shadow.” Tails whispers, solemnly. “You can’t go out there.”
“Are you saying I’m not strong enough to help?”
Tails’ voice becomes distorted as he responds, almost like he is audibly in an old, damaged cassette tape.
Th…is…isn’t our…sto…ry……
Then the Lost Tape snaps off into silence.