Unleashing Sonic: Story Mode

The darkness that covered the world like a blanket dispersed after the defeat of Dark Gaia- not permanently gone, but vanquished for another million or so years to come. The skies cleared up instantly, filling the citizens of the world with renewed hope and faith. People from all over celebrated, and it was as if all the continents of the globe had come together as one…

I had done exactly what I was supposed to do- save the world.

Maybe it wasn't my destiny, or my place to interfere, but I was glad that I helped Chip out, and I would gladly do it all over again if needed. I got to see the world in its entirety, I made new friends and rekindled the flame with old ones, and I had the greatest time doing it all…

Even if there were a few downsides to being a hero, like being at high risk of dying almost twenty-four seven, all the good parts definitely made it worth it…

. . .

Somewhere in some remote location was Eggman, resting against his up righted Egg Pod, wallowing in his failure. His round headed robot, on the other hand, had a much more lighthearted take on the situation.

"Pleasant morning, wouldn't you say, Doctor?" he asked, watching the sun rise over the horizon.

Eggman just grunted in response.

"You can simply begin your plans anew. Even if all your efforts this time were utterly wasted. Even if it was a complete and utter humiliating loss. Even the most pathetic loser in all the world will sure have his chance to-"

"Oh, SHUT UP!"

Eggman sprung to his feet, revving his leg back to give his robot a hearty kick. Being the clever contraption that he was, Orbot simply bent over backwards, causing Eggman's kick to fail and for him to land right on his back. Now in a blind rage, Eggman chased down his own robot into the sunrise…

And yet, he was already forming his plan of revenge…

. . .

Back in Shamar, the people there were rejoicing just like the rest of the world. Pickle was noticeably the most grateful for a blue sky once more.

"Ah, the light reigns over darkness and the world is returned to peace. It's simply a miracle. We've been saved by a miracle!"

That miracle being me, of course.

"I told you, didn't I?" Amy Rose boasted, wearing a grin that couldn't get any wider. "There was no way Sonic would let something like that happen!"

"And right you were. Still…we cannot live without the night. We all must sleep. We all must rest. Darkness is a part of our world, just the same as light. It may be that the darkness has not been destroyed, but merely laid to rest. It grows strong over eons, rises up, then is put to slumber by the light. Perhaps that is the true balance of Dark and Light Gaia…that balance may be the very will of the planet itself."

Amy listened patiently, waiting a few moments to take it all in before grabbing Pickle's hand.

"Save the speech for later. We've got to get things ready for Sonic's coming home party!"

And so they returned to the lab to prepare things for my return…

Yeah…IF I was going to return…

. . .

Back beneath the seventh continent, which was slowly once again putting itself back in place, I continued to rest in the palm of the Gaia Colossus, motionless.

What was I thinking? It was obviously not my place to meddle…I took on too much, along with tackling someone else's job…and now look where it got me…

Even if I was able to move, there was no way I could get back up to the surface before the continent sealed itself and trapped me beneath the planet forever. Eggman was right, this gorge was going to be my grave…

As I rested, Chip came down to check on me, to see if I was truly out. He was no longer a solid being- he was now nothing more than a spirit, a manifestation of the light. But he still looked like good ol' Chip.

"Sonic…" he said sorrowfully, watching me. He regretted allowing me to tag along, he regretted not doing something more…he regretting letting it end like this. His first and probably only true friend, now doomed to be lost in the underground, never to see the light of day again.

"Sonic, you have to live!"

No response- what was the point of even trying? Chip turned his back, but not before giving me a final wave, and started to float away. There was no point in trying to save me if I was already gone. Time was running out- everything would return back to normal all too soon…

"C-Chip…?"

A sound escaped my lips- Chip's name, a sign I was still breathing! Chip stopped on a dime, glancing back down at me. I was still pretty unconscious, but I was alive. A smile spread across Chip's face, the Gaia of Light not taking his eyes off of me as he ascended back into the Colossus. There was still time…

Holding me tight in his fist, and revving his right arm back, the Gaia Colossus chucked me upwards, surrounding me in a green sphere to affirm a safe trip back to the surface.

The green sphere…Chip had saved me even before I knew it was him…

I hung limply on my way back up, still out cold from my tedious battle. The continent was almost completely back in place, but I would make it.

But to think…I'd never see Chip again…I never even got the chance to tell him goodbye…or to thank him for saving my life…This was apparently the way we would separate…the way I couldn't predict…

Light Gaia saw me out as he was consumed by the fiery furnace within the planet, being sealed away by the seventh continent once and for all…

. . .

"Nooooo…!"

Apparently I was tossed a bit too high, because I was now falling down instead of up. Landing head first into the ground was definitely a good wake up call, because I was certainly awake after that. I dislodged my head from the ground, stumbling back a bit before grabbing my now aching head.

"Ow…"

Falling out of the sky hurts a lot more when you are not a darkness-filled beast.

I scanned my surroundings- I was back in Apotos! Talk about de ja vu…and to add to the eerie coincidences, I found Chip, lying on the same spot as from when I first saw him. Consumed with disbelief, I rushed over to wake him up, but to my disappointment he disappeared, just a figment of my imagination…

But he left behind his necklace.

I picked it up, and it was almost as if Chip was talking to me through it…because I certainly heard someone that sounded like Chip speaking to me.

"I'll never forget you. I'll be here by you, always. A part of the earth you tread…"

Without a word, I slipped his necklace on my wrist, just like before. I was going to miss him, but as long as he was with me…well, I think I'd do alright. I took in the beauty of an Apotos sunrise one last time before running off to my next adventure.

"Hey, Sonic!"

I looked over my shoulder- Tails was pulling up alongside me in the Tornado, perfectly fine and waving eagerly. I saluted him back, slowing down so I could run next to the plane. We had so much to talk about, so much to discuss…what happened, how'd I take down Dark Gaia, where Chip was, what was going to happen next…there was going to be a time for all that, but not right now.

After every adventure, there's a time when a hero needs to just think about what's he been through, what he managed to survive through…he feels grateful for still being alive, he cherishes the lessons he's learned along the way, and then he takes a nice long rest after it's all over…

Unless you're me and just want to find the next robot to smash.

Some people have a hard time going from one thing to the next, but I was never like that, and I never will be. Each adventure is just another chapter in my life, with each one being more meaningful and eventful than the last. I'd miss Chip, but then again, I miss everyone who I haven't seen in months as well.

The thing about Chip was, he meant just a little bit more to me…

I didn't want to say we'd never meet again, because although it was very unlikely, it wasn't exactly impossible- anything could happen! The list of probabilities could go on and on! I may never speak to him again, and I may never be able to give him my proper thank you or goodbye, but what did I know?

The possibilities are endless, after all.

I wanted to end this with a bang, but considering what the ending already was and the story itself, well, I think it all turned out just the way it should have. :)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or just took time out of their lives to read something I wrote. I really enjoyed doing this story, and it's definitely one of my favorites...and after how long it took, I'm pretty amazed it's finished. :P