Sonic Runaways

"Sonic! Over here!" Yari exclaimed. Sonic ran right by her, kicking grass in her face without even thinking about it. He then zipped back around, happily jogging over to Yari and noticing she had a Koco beside her. It seemed larger than all the others he'd seen before. Save for the Hermit.

"Yari! There you are. Thought I lost you for a second… What's her problem?" Sonic asked, inspecting the large Koco from all angles at supersonic speeds.

"This poor mother says that she's lost her children!" Yari bawled, hugging Sonic. Blood shot out from Sonic's sides as she sliced his torso with her sharp blades. "Oh my goodness! Sonic, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—!"

"It's… perfectly fine!" Sonic grunted, giving her a red thumbs-up. The wounds slowly sealed, RED-CODE working its magic. "Look! Not a scratch." The Mother Koco smiled weakly as Yari stepped back. "Okay, do you remember where your kids are, ma'am?" Sonic asked, kneeling down by the Mother Koco's side. The Mother looked to the ground, ashamed. She babbled something in Koco speak. "That's okay, we'll find them all for you!"

"We will?" Yari asked. She thought on it, then smiled wide. "We will! Yeah!"

"Stay put, we'll bring your kiddos back in no time," Sonic and Yari dashed into the distance.

Soon enough, Sage caught up with them. She held Pebble in her arms as she glided through the field. "This is a waste of time," she muttered. "What do you hope to accomplish by continuing to get sidetracked? Weren't you both looking for a way off the island?"

"We're gonna be here a while, anyways. Why not try to make a positive impact in that time?" Sonic asked.

"You're saying… you wish to leave this world in a better state than it was in when you arrived here?" Sage asked, cocking her head. "I suppose that's a fair desire."

Sonic and Yari first looked around Aphrodite Woods. Kronos Island was huge, but they had recently found a huge grind-railroad known as Arachne Web while looking for materials to build the house. It was in the center of the island, instantly connecting Kronos Field, Rhea Range, and Aphrodite Woods.

"I don't see any Kocos," Yari mumbled, squinting at her surroundings. "Do you think they're hiding from us?"

"Here's one!" Sonic exclaimed, his eyes lighting up under the sunset. The Koco appeared to be sleeping, face-down in the middle of the trail. "Hey, it's time to rise and shine. We gotta bring you back to your mom." Sonic rolled the Koco over, only to see its eyes were rolled into the back of its head. It wasn't asleep… It was dead.

"Sonic?!" Yari cried, as a shadow was cast overhead. Sonic turned around from the Koco corpse, only to see a huge, white robot with huge, slithering snake-like arms. Asura. It wasn't nearly as big as Giganto, but it still looked like it would be trouble. "What do we do?!" Asura raised an arm into the sky.

"RUN, YARI!" Sonic shouted. Yari ran, and the arm slammed down onto Sonic. Sonic threw his arms to the sky, and held Asura's arm up with the power entrusted to him by the Red Seed. He lifted it higher and higher, eventually backflip-kicking it high enough for him to escape. He air-dodged out of the way, and the arm slammed down so hard that a red shockwave formed. Sonic was blown back by the shockwave, spinning through the trees and cutting them down. He hardly had time to get up before the trees were tossed in his direction by the shockwave. He dodged all of them, protecting his head as a large branch flew his way. He parried the branch with his own hand, and then ran up Asura's arm. Sonic created shockwaves from his speed, these ones blue, as he blasted up to Asura's weak point. He stomped down onto one of Asura's tower-like heads, crushing it under his heel. The arm he had used to run to the top exploded. "So you're the one who killed that Koco! Say goodbye, you stupid mechanical monster!" Asura slapped Sonic away with one of its two remaining arms. Sonic ate dirt and skidded along the trail.

"Sonic, are you okay?" Yari cried, approaching him. Sonic got up and ran back to Asura, jumping into the shockwaves he created and getting shot into the air like a rocket. He was now looking down at Asura, then he crashed onto the roof of the robot. He cut away at the second to last head, severing it but getting caught in the explosion that followed soon after. From high up, he could see a trail of dead Kocos leading into Rhea Range and beyond. He then realized… Asura couldn't have done this.

Yari looked at Asura's last head. Its eyes opened and looked down upon her. She shot one of her arms through Asura's ankles, piercing them both and watching it fall over. The arm then shot over to Sonic, allowing him to grind on it like a rail to break his fall. It didn't go straight to the ground, though. It instead shot back to Asura, circling around its last head. Sonic activated RED-CODE, and Cylooped Asura's final head fifty times at high speeds. When he landed on the ground, Asura was captured by a noose of RED-CODE and forced into the air. Asura's last head was sliced off after a few seconds, the mechanical screeching slowly dying out.

Sonic landed on the ground, and Yari pulled her arm back to her side. The RED-CODE covering Sonic's legs crawled back into his veins. "The poor Koco…" Yari squeaked, looking back at the empty shell.

"It couldn't have been Asura," Sonic glanced to the broken remains of the mighty Guardian. "There's a whole TRAIL of dead Kocos leading into Rhea Range. We better follow whoever's doing this and stop them before they can kill any more." Yari nodded.

Yari walked through the snowy tundra, Sonic hitching a ride inside her coat made of fish leather to stave off the cold. "This is nice," Yari stated.

"Easy for you to say," Sonic jeered. "You're just like Sage, neither of you can feel the cold or the snow biting away at your legs." A lone snowflake fell onto the heart flower on Yari's head. She shivered.

"Says who?" She asked, with closed eyes and a peaceful smile. "I've been feeling a lot more things lately." Sonic looked over her shoulder. "I feel the air getting warmer back by our home, I feel winter coming and going." Yari sniffled as her tears froze. "When I'm fighting robots, or I get a splinter from carrying firewood, it hurts me too. When I realize I may never see the snow after this, it hurts me deeply. But somehow, it still feels detached. Just not as detached as I felt before I woke up in this body."

"Right, but you're a robot," Sonic mumbled. He bit his tongue for a second. "Yari, are you real? Do you ever FEEL like everything you're experiencing… is simulated?" Yari kept walking down a slippery slope, taking Sonic downhill with her.

"Have you ever flown around in a dream? Like you're lighter than air?" Yari asked. "That's what it feels like to me, anyway. I'm still not sure if this is just another dream or not. All I know is that as long as you're here with me, I don't want to wake up." Sonic kept on looking back, even though his view of whatever was behind him was shrouded by red snow fog. Like a grainy phone camera.

…

Yari and Sonic rounded the corner, and saw a small boulder atop a shrine. "Welcome back, my dear Koco," the boulder said, covered in frostbite. Sonic and Yari squinted, and saw Sage at the bottom of the altar. "I'm so glad you've returned after all this time. And thank you, young lady. For bringing so many of my Kocos back to me. Are you sure about this, though?"

"I'm sure, Elder. Execute the purification protocol," Sage muttered, looking down at something.

"Once this Koco is given the Zap, you will never see him again, you know," the Elder Koco stated. "He will be happy for all eternity, but will you be content as well?"

"Get it over with," Sage spat. "His time has come." Pebble jumped up and down in distress. Finally visible to Sonic from behind the Elder.

"Oh no… oh dear, oh me oh my, this isn't good…" the Elder Koco gasped, his mouth agape. "This Koco is not yet ready for the Zap. His last wish has not been fulfilled."

"Do it, Elder," Sage muttered. "Give me his Final Breath, this is the last one I need!"

"I can't. Do you know what happens to Kocos who are given the Zap without having accomplished their Last Wish?" The Elder muttered. Sage inhaled sharply. "They are not given peace. They will never truly pass on. They'll just be trapped forever. Like me."

"Very well. What is this Koco's 'Last Wish'?" Sage asked.

"All he wants is to see his mother one more time," the Elder replied. Sonic and Yari looked to each other.

"That's… Pebble," Yari whispered. "Is she trying to get him killed? What is this?"

"Only one way to find out," Sonic hopped out of the coat and ran up to the Elder. "Hey, you! What's your deal? Were you the one who killed all those Kocos?" Sonic grabbed the Elder's mossy beard.

"Sonic!" Sage cried. "Get out of here! Do you even know what this place is?" Sage's curled fingers were visible through her bunched-up sleeves.

"I'll tell you what this place is, Sage," Sonic hissed. "It's a sacrifice… cult… thingy!"

"You really have no idea, do you?" Sage asked. Yari watched from around the corner as the Mother Koco hopped over, cautiously approaching the shrine.

"Young man, is this your Koco?" The Elder asked, glancing to Pebble. Sonic let go of his beard.

"Yeah, that's Pebble!" Sonic exclaimed. "Sage, you're in big trouble for all this."

"How DARE you? You're not my dad!" Sage shouted. She turned away. "That's why I CAME HERE!" Sage screamed. "I want to escape you two." Sage glared at Sonic with those piercing red eyes. "I'm trying to get my creator back."

"Huh?" Sonic asked. The Mother Koco rolled over to Pebble. Sonic turned around and Sage peeked over his shoulder. "Mother Koco, no! Run!"

"Quiet," Sage murmured. "Do not interrupt their reunion."

"Welcome back, Hinawa," Elder Koco sighed. "Are you ready for the Zap of Purification?"

Hinawa the Mother Koco looked at all the shells of her children, strewn out carefully along the temple floor. She nuzzled Pebble, her final child, knowing their time together was fleeting. "Isn't it beautiful, Sonic?" Sage asked. She looked to Yari. "These two Kocos form a family born of love. And their Final Breaths will allow me to recreate my own family. My father…" Images flashed in front of Sonic's eyes. A large watery orb. Slowly separating into smaller droplets. Only for all of those droplets to splash against the ground and die.

A blinding light. Sonic was pulled back into the present.

Just in time to see Hinawa and Pebble fall over, two blue orbs escaping from their now cold and empty shells. "NO–!" Sonic shouted, reaching for the light as it floated into the sky. Into a constellation of a strange symbol.

It… could have been interpreted as the English word "Zap".

"Please don't cry out for them. They're happy now," the Elder Koco consoled Sonic and Yari through their devastation, as Sage floated towards him.

"My part of the deal has been fulfilled. Final Breaths, please," Sage whimpered. Elder Koco nodded. Sage took a deep breath. "If my theory is correct, and there's no reason to say 'if', because they always are… These breaths will bring back the man who made me."

"I will say this once more, child. There is no guarantee this will work," Elder Koco told her. "Besides, it could be very dangerous to bring back the—"

"Please!" Sage mumbled. Elder Koco frowned.

"Very well," Elder Koco formed a yellow, glistening cloud in between him and Sage. Sage took it. "Please, take care of yourself. And my dear Kocos."

"Finally," Sage whispered, looking down at the Final Breaths. "Sonic, Yari, come. I want you to see my father when he wakes up." Sage floated off. Sonic and Yari followed from a good distance.

"That… what was that?" Yari asked Sonic.

"Pebble… he's… gone," Sonic muttered. "Forever."

"What do you mean 'forever'?" Yari asked, getting in front of Sonic and blocking his path. "That doesn't sound right! How can something or someone be here, and then disappear forever? I mean, he has to come back, right?" A lightbulb lit up over Yari's head. She smiled. "A Memory Token! You said one of them breathed new life into me, right?"

"It doesn't work like that. I don't think so, anyways," Sonic replied. Yari's smile weakened. "The Passion Spinel held Cyber Energy inside of it. It was one of a kind, and there was a special slot on your old form that it perfectly fit into. I'm not entirely sure where we'd find something else that could…" Sonic looked to a strange hole on a mound of snow. He walked up to it, and brushed away some of the snow. There was metal and chiseled stone underneath. RED-CODE began to appear on his hand as he felt the structure. A zapping sensation ran up Sonic's arm, and he jumped away.

"Sonic? Are you okay?!" Yari asked.

"Fine, I'm fine," Sonic replied. "Just some more weird Fallen Star stuff. Let's keep moving."

Sonic and Yari approached the red bunker they had visited many nights before. "So this is where Sage lives? Lucky," Sonic spat.

"Are you still mad at her?" Yari asked.

"No. Just jealous," Sonic sighed. He looked at the grinning face on the side of the bunker. His head began to feel fuzzy.

"What took you so long?" Sage asked, opening the door a crack. "Come in, now. I've been waiting forever."

"Don't give me that. You left me in a Titan's GUTS for a decade," Sonic chuckled. He and Sage stepped inside, and the doors slammed shut behind them. Sage turned on the weak tangerine lights. They weren't fire… they weren't Cyber. They were electric. In the middle of the room sat another Artificial Ancient.

"Sonic, Yari…" Sage breathed deeply. "Meet my maker." Sage looked to the Artificial Ancient, its mask hooked up to a container full of the Koco's Final Breaths. Sonic looked at the dying breaths as they danced around within their cage. Nothing about this completely sat right with him.

"Uh, hi, Sage's dad!" Yari exclaimed, waving her blade arms everywhere. She cut Sonic on the arm without even noticing. He didn't want to bring it up.

"His name is… Eggman," Sage sighed. Sonic locked his eyes onto the Artificial Ancient, his ears ringing harshly. "He made me. Programmed me. And then, he left me all alone. I've never met him before. His original self is no longer in this dimension, so I gathered up the remnants of his memory from Cyberspace and coded it into an artificial intelligence. It was incomplete, so I had to fill in some of the blanks and gather up the Final Breaths to inject it with life. But now, he's complete. I just need to activate the mask that will act as the brain for this Artificial Ancient vessel. I wanted to share this moment with you two, because I want to show him that you are alive, well, and scrutinized as per his request. Sonic."

"Why am I here?" Yari asked.

"I always preferred you," Sage mumbled. Sonic crossed his arms and side-eyed a beaming Yari. "Okay. Let's power this on. Please work…" Sage placed her hand on the mask's power button. The entire bunker shook, the electricity flickered. The Artificial Ancient's hands clawed. It slithered free of the chair's restraints, and stood up tall above Sonic and Sage, maybe even Yari. Sage gasped happily. "FATHER!" She cried, hugging the Artificial Ancient. Its yellow eyes opened.

"Hello, young lady," the Artificial Ancient said. "What might your name be?" He placed a hand on Sage's head. Water ran down her face along with her own tears.

"SAGE, standing for Supremely Administrative Gambit (of) Eggman, SIR!" Sage exclaimed proudly. "Eggman… father, do you love me?"

"I will say, you've certainly put a smile on my…" the Artificial Ancient laughed jollily. "Ah… where's my mouth? In fact, where are we?"

"Don't you remember?" Sage asked, tugging at the Artificial Ancient's finger. "This is your EGG BUNKER! You told me to gather your data from Cyberspace and revive you here in case you missed my birth. That was approximately a decade ago, but you're here! You're back! You've come back for me, finally, and now we can be a…!"

"I'm sorry, but… who do you think I am?" The Artificial Ancient asked. "My name isn't Eggman. I'm…" The Artificial Ancient scratched its helmet. "Mr. Tinker. Right, Mr. Tinker. I am not your father." Sage's smile broke, her eyes widened.

"Yes you are!" Sage replied. "There must be some sort of mistake. You're my father!" The Artificial Ancient caught sight of Sonic.

"You there… hedgehog…" Mr. Tinker said, approaching Sonic. Sage tried to hold him back, but her fingers slipped right through his watery arm. Like a ghost. Sonic gulped, watching as the Artificial Ancient approached. Yari and Sage could see the reflection of a large mustachioed menace in his fearful eyes.

Tip… tap… tip… tap… Like a leaky faucet.

Mr. Tinker reached for Sonic.

"I… remember you," Mr. Tinker said, grabbing Sonic's hand. "You're… Sonic?" Sage looked on, bereft. She gritted her teeth.

"Yeah, that's my name!" Sonic confirmed, smiling. His watery hand felt cold, refreshing.

"So is that… your dad?" Yari asked Sonic.

"WHAT?!" Sage cried, shaking even more than before.

"Yes, I adopted him when he was very small," Mr. Tinker replied. He squished Sonic's face gently. Sage clenched her fists. "My son, how you've grown…" Sage shrieked, a furious cybernetic storm forming in the room. She struck Mr. Tinker with a bolt of RED-CODE, shoving him and Sonic out the door. They tumbled downhill, Sonic's head slammed against a large rock. Mr. Tinker splashed onto the ground, his helmet cracking.

"Sage…!" Yari shouted. Sage tried to calm down, her manic breathing eventually turning into a gasp. She and Yari jumped out of the bunker, and approached Sonic. He was still conscious. "Thank GOD…"

"I didn't mean to— I'm sosososo…" Sage squeaked. Sonic got up, Sage's heart sunk. "Sonic, I wasn't thinking! Don't be mad, please…!"

"Be mad? I can hardly tell which way is up, how am I supposed to be mad?" Sonic asked, wobbling around.

"We should get you back home," Yari mumbled. Sonic nodded.

"Sure thiiing, Amy," Sonic slurred. Yari felt her heartbeat get faster. She looked to her gloved hand, and then away from her arm blade.

"Sage?" Yari blurted, sweating.

"Yari?" Sage asked.

"You can come back to the cabin with us," Yari mumbled. She walked off with Sonic in her coat. "There's a few things I need to ask you about." Sage watched her disappear into the distance. She followed soon after.