Boss card of versus Sonic.EXE. [https://img.wattpad.com/c1a8bdbd63173bf2d32f3565cc9a13bcf8342664/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f656d5f737469626e68726f5a30673d3d2d313336323139303731342e3137373137323962396134356430333435363831353538383032302e706e67?s=fit&w=720&h=720]
"Decapitation by yourself is no fun! Let me help!"
Now staring up at Sonic, fear started to creep in.
Sonic smiled at you with a most mischievous look. His black and red eyes clearly shone that he was looking forward to this. You froze staring up the mysterious being.
"I like the look of you." He growled, licking his lips. You glance back to the slain person next to you. "Oh don't worry about him. I'm done playing with him. But you, on the other hand. Let's play a bit more!"
And with a flash Sonic was gone.
No. If anything he's just trying to scare you. Remember this isn't real life. You take a deep breath. The scenery had at least returned to normal, all the foliage now present again.
The colour had mostly faded from the scenery, leaving a washed out landscape in front of you. At the end of field, by a cliff and bridge. Figuring it a way out you walk to it.
No sooner do you pace 50 steps before you're attacked. Just from the brief look it didn't appear you were any closer anyways. The animals from before had returned, now corrupted versions of themselves. Looking closer they weren't exactly animals but merely robotic versions of them. There were a few oversized crabs on the ground and a large iguana standing atop a bush.
It was a standoff, there was no sense in shooting them, you weren't sure if you'd have the focus to aim. Instead you follow your instinct. In a swoop you grab the nearby overly-sized sunflower. It was metallic to the touch, light but hard feeling. You wield it like a two-handed sword.
With a hearty swing you swipe at the iguana, the head of the sunflower easily cutting through it. It lodges itself in the bush's blocky exterior.
The crabs for you, trying to nip at your pants. One hearty stomp takes one out. Another one latches onto your pants and tries to drive its claws into your skin. The pain is sharp but sudden and you kick it off.
There was no time to reflect as the animals explode into a puff of smoke. You dislodge the sunflower now seeing that the metallic animals actually contained real ones!
But, just like their corrupted counterparts they don't seem the least bit normal. The squirrels jump at you, biting all the way. You stumble, only to find the cliff you thought far away was now next you. Tripping off it you fall, everything going blurry. Then, after what felt like minutes you were back up top. Whether you bounced back up or had never even fall you couldn't tell. It was all so disorienting.
"Too soon." You heard Sonic mutter from a distance.
The squirrels were gone as were the blue bird from the iguana. You grab the sunflower, looking around for another way out. Another door had appeared, this time back near the loop and dead body.
You run to it, nearly bumping into another animal as it flew it into your vision. A metallic bee, blue and grey instead of yellow and black. Stinger extended it darts at you. You raise the sunflower to block it, missing entirely. You managed to realize it quicker as you duck out of the way. It swipes at your shirt, cutting the fabric and scraping the skin. You suddenly take note at the immense pain that felt. I-it's not real. You try to repeat but find no words to speak.
Before the bee could make another move you swing the sunflower like an axe, cutting it in half. Instead of exploding like the others it merely falls to the ground, lifeless, the animal inside not moving either.
The pain across your chest now feeling like a papercut causes you to look down. Streaming very subtly from the cut in your shirt was blood. That can't be possible.
"Pretty good. Pretty good." You hear clapping from above you. Looking up was Sonic, a smug look on his face. "Lot more fight than the other one today."
You take a few steps back, raising the sunflower like a crucifix blocking evil.
"Do you like the game so far? I've made sure it's *just* like the real one." Sonic said. Just as you backed up, Sonic floated towards you expectantly.
Now Playing...
Artist: Chungking Mansions
Song: 1999
You seldom notice the landscape changing. From washed out colours it all darkened. The sky had become a bright red, the sun was nowhere to be found, the horizon had become black and the features of the mountains vanishing. The ground had become a dark crimson red, like it had just been burnt.
The air too, felt tighter though that was a side effect of the looming panic. You try to remember Displo's cooking scent but even that seemed far away.
This was all for Kapi?
"What's wrong? Don't speak?" Sonic asked, still grinning.
You're first instinct was to frantically try and pull off the helmet. Like the earlier attempt it was impossible.
"Decapitation by yourself is no fun! Let me help!" Sonic said before flying towards you. You instincts kicked in and you jumped out of the way, tripping over yourself as moved. Sonic smashed into the landscape, kicking up a cloud of dirt. In the chaos you had dropped the sunflower.
His silhouette quickly shone through. He was fine.
"Good moves! Let's maybe stretch this out. Maybe play a little game? I could waste some time. Still waiting on that loud-mouth fool. Oh, I know! Let's play hide and seek! You hide! I'll start counting!" Sonic said with a smile. He vanished, just as the cloud of dirt did.
He was gone.
It took a second to even process what's going on.
Another robotic animal had appeared. An insect-looking machine with a wheel instead of legs. It had the top-half of a beetle and two appendages with spikes for hands. It charged towards you.
"NO! THIS ONE'S MINE." Sonic shouted and dove towards it light speed. It flinched at Sonic and as he slammed into it, turned into a fine red mist.
"Don't let me stop you now." Sonic winked and vanished again.
You hesitated, still trying to find the words to say. Stop? Tell Sonic this was all a big misunderstanding? That you knew where Kapi wa-
"Well come on! Do something! I'm going to start counting any second." Sonic shouted from somewhere.
You start running, touching the doll to try and comfort yourself. Most features of the land had become glitched. Entire parts of grass were pitch black. It looked like they were moving, like the land itself was unstable. Holes were starting to appear in the ground, peering over them showed them to have reflections of the world. A brief look up shone floating islands and rings fluttering in the air, possibly mirages. You thought you smelled smoke.
There wasn't anywhere to hide. Foliage, flowers and bushes had all completely vanished.
While still grassy, the place was as barren as the tundra.
You barely register Sonic counting down from 30. There was no time to think. It is just a game. Just a game.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Wait. The gun! While running away you check your revolver. Still present. Still loaded. That's when you spot two rocks. That's it! You say a little prayer before you try to enact this idea. Sonic still had a few seconds left.
As fast as you can you take your jacket and throw it behind one of the rocks, just so that it would be obvious. You then run to the other rock and duck behind it.
"...AND ZERO! Here I come!" Sonic said gleefully. You wondered if this would even work. Surely he had to know where you are. This was his world after all.
You stifle your breathing as much as possible. Now not moving you quickly try to think of ways to get out. You'd been in life and death situations before but nothing like this. After a minute, you hear Sonic enter the clearing. There was no footsteps, you only knew his presence by him talking. Maybe if you stood up to him he would falter?
"Where are youuuu?" Sonic questioned aloud.
You hold your breath. "Aha! Huh?"
You rise from your hiding place and aim. Sonic was standing just at the fake rock looking at it. Without saying anything you let off a shot, the sound temporarily stopping all others. It was as if the system itself paused for a second. The music stopped too.
It hits Sonic square in the back of the head and he falls down, unmoving.
Did it work? Hesitantly you get up and stagger towards Sonic. There was no bullet wound on his head but he wasn't moving. Maybe a quirk of the game? You slowly turn him over, just to make sure.
As he lies on his back his eyes fixated on you, smile growing wider by the second. It was ruse.
"What? You thought that could stop me?" He sits up. "Where did you even get a gun? Gimme that."
You stagger back, nearly freaking out. His mitten just misses it.
"Oh, not gonna give it up? You can keep it for now. We still have more playing to do! Let me return that to sender!" Sonic said, reeling his arm back, sending the bullet into your shoulder.
Sharp pain was felt immediately. For a video game it felt too realistic. It felt as if you'd actually had been shot. You nearly fumble the gun.
Now Playing...
Artist: Vengeur
Song: Expel Evil
He starts to rise off the ground again.
"You know they thought they could seal me away?" He started to glow a bright red.
"Hid me at the bottom of the ocean. OH pLeAsE!" You notice the rocks around start to rise as well. Your jacket rises with, red glow surrounding it.
"All I needed was one little signal. And shifting sands gave me DIRECT ACCESS." You had enough listening to Sonic's dialogue and bolt for it, turning occasionally to see if anything was barreling towards you.
"THAT'S ALL IT TOOK TO FREE MYSELF."
"And now here we ARE!" You turn back to see a rock hurdling towards you. You narrowly dodge it and it smashes into the ground.
"Alright. How about this?"
A flower flies past your vision stabbing directly into the ground diagonally. You turn back to see another one aimed perfectly at your back. A tactical roll later it misses you.
You look back again to see what's next but Sonic was gone. You turn front to see Sonic floating above you, possessing another flower. It comes flying towards you. You put your arms up to shield and close your eyes.
"Got you now." He muttered.
But...it doesn't come? You open your eyes to see it stuck in the air, just in front of you.
"Huh?" Sonic looked just as confused as you did.
Sonic raises his arm and you see yourself start to glow red and then stop. You weren't sure what was going on and Sonic didn't seem to either.
"What the?" Sonic raises his hand again, flexing it at you. Again, the same red glow then a puff and it disappears. Sonic's eyes fixate on your lower half.
"Oh. Oh. Oh!!! Fascinating!" He said enthusiastically. He was looking at the doll. He clapped his hands.
"You're a crafty one aren't you? Let's see how crafty you are after this." Sonic falls to the ground.
You take a few steps back. Sonic kneels down on all fours and he starts to spin. He starting a spindash.
You knew enough about the real Sonic to know there was zero chance of dodging at this distance, let alone this speed. Panicking, you blurt out the first thing your mind says.
"I-Kapi!"
Immediately Sonic stops, the whole scene going quiet.
"You can speak?" He said surprised. "You're Kapi?!" He floated up.
"Well I can't waste this. We have a lot do to together. I'm just getting-"
"N-no. I'm with him. I'm not Kapi."
Sonic turned his head slightly. He looked at you as if you were an idiot. "That fool sent someone for him? What a joke. I'm ending this now."
He resumes his spindash, the sound getting more high-pitched by the second.
You start to say that you Kapi sent you, or that Kapi couldn't come or that you barely even knew the cat-boy but it jumbles up and comes out as...
"I need your help!"
Your eyes go wide as you realize what you just said. But, despite that, Sonic stops, starring at you curiously. You couldn't read his eyes.
There was one thing you learned in 'cop-school'. It was to act correct in any situation, even if you screwed up. You had to go along with it. You clear your thoughts.
"I need your help." Sonic just looks at your like you had done something embarrassing. "See?" You toss the gun, hoping the gesture helped.
"Go on~" Sonic's curiosity was replaced with the sadistic smile he had earlier.
"Y-you're a hacker. You know computer ss-systems. I mean you built all this-"
"That's enough foreplay. I don't need to hear how good I am. Now what's this about my help? What was your endgame coming here? You certainly aren't like the last being that entered my realm."
He seemed to be listening more now.
You tell the truth and try to give a quick summary of what had happened with Kapi, the arcade, the hacking and the rest. You change details and state that it was Sonic that was the hacker you needed and not Kapi. You try to keep it simple and watch Sonic closely. The whole time he looked uninterested but stomach full of butterflies you keep your confidence.
"That's the truth."
After the last statement, Sonic's eyes narrowed. He was thinking of something.
"Truth? What? Do you think this is some game? You think I'm bound by some cheap toy? If I slay you here you will die. Now do you wanna tell the truth or not? This is your last chance."
You gulp. You had no idea how true that threat was but your shoulder was still bleeding, even if the pain had gone numb. Same thing with your chest. You decide to heed his warning.
You explain the truth, that Kapi was supposed to be the hacker and that you accidentally blurted that you wanted his help.
"B-but I really can use your help." You quickly add.
"Curious. I want to know more. Tell me everything. Now."
"W-wha-" Sonic tackled you, pinning you. Even despite his size he had no problem holding you down, his shoes resting on your shirt. All you could see were his black empty eyes. Blood was still dripping from them, though not onto you.
"EVERYTHING." He growled, showing off his yellowed teeth.
"A-alright. Alright." You give a condensed version about everything that had happened until that point. The heist, Tabi, your life as a detective, Displo, Agoti and more. Sonic's eyes don't move, nor does the glowing red in them. He doesn't even blink as you try to get it all out. You were on the verge of a panic attack. This was a lot.
"A-a-and that's where I am now."
Sonic vanished off you. He re-appeared in front of you seconds later.
"Cool story bro. But alas, I grow bored of this. You can die now." He rose his hand.
Figuring this was it you take a deep breath and say.
"You can't."
Sonic stops.
"You can't kill me. You're unable to."
"You." Sonic's eyes narrowed. "I can easily take you out. How dare you! You think that doll can save you?" Objects around Sonic started to rise again.
"Do it then. I'm not scared of you." You took another deep breath. There was no plan. If he was going to kill you, might as well piss him off as much as you could.
"You really aren't scared of me?" Sonic asked quieter. You were absolutely terrified but if he was believing you needed to keep up the facade. "That doesn't matter."
Flowers and trees come hurtling towards you and you try your best not to flinch. Millimetres away from your face they stop, only to fall to the ground.
Sonic lets out a huge laugh. "Ah, you."
He lowers himself to the ground, other objects falling in tow.
"It's not fun when they give up."
"Come with me." You say again. It seemed like a monumental request but being so close to the verge of death meant you weren't making rational decisions.
"You know what I don't get? You said they left you alone. So now what? You're gonna put this all on the line for what? Some money? Because you wanna get revenge?" Sonic asks, referring to the heist.
"It's not about the money. It's about the principle. They have to fall."
"Principle eh?" Sonic licked his lips, his smile widening. "I'll join. And I'll see your principles to the end. I wanna see you holding the axe when you take them out." He said sadistically.
He raised his hand out. Cautiously you shook it. It felt as if you were doing a deal with the devil. You gulped, hoping this was a good idea. Kapi was so going to get a thrashing for this.
"You're lucky Tails vouched for you earlier."
"Tails?"
"Yep. Right there." He pointed at the doll still attached to your belt. It was real? Hand shaking you pet it, you hear some rumbling emit.
"So..uh, what now? How do we leave?"
"We? Good choice of words." Sonic said. You make a mental note to watch what you say around him. He had a detective's perception. "How can I get you out?" You add, hoping he appreciates it.
"I'll let you check your options. You should be able to leave now."
You check your wrist. Sure enough the options weren't corrupted. The possibility of double-crossing Sonic crosses your mind. You decide against it. While he seemed like a full-on psychopath you figure having him on your side was better than nothing.
You decide to ask the question before he can.
"If I let you out, how do I know you're not gonna betray me?"
"You won't." Sonic said in-between laughs. "That's the best parts of this transaction."
You hesitate to respond. Sonic clearly didn't like that as it jutted in instantly.
"You don't have another way out do you?" You ask.
"It's better you don't know." Sonic said. It could have been a bluff but it wasn't one you were going to risk taking. "You will let me out." He said.
"About that, how do I do that?"
"You keep the system live. I'll give you a series of commands to enter." Sonic grinned.
You nod at him. "I'll see you on the other side."
"Oh, you will. I'll make sure of that." He said. You gulped, still not trusting Sonic.
With the flick of a few settings the world disappeared, the familiar grid-based horizon appearing again. Now at the crossroads of reality and real life you take off the helmet.
The next chapter will be called My Unpronounceable Name.