"That's really high up..."
Sunshine gulps nervously as he stares up at the first tower that stood before him, the thought of having to climb up that far into the sky sending shivers down his spine and making his stomach churn with anxiety.
"Looks easy to me, we've been way higher up than that before!"
Starlight grins at his husband, hoping to ease the other hedgehog's fears.
"Yeah, and I almost plummeted to my death one of those times!"
Sunshine retorts, thinking back to when they had stopped The ARK from crashing into the earth not long after they had first met.
"Statistically a fall from those heights would be far more likely to cause serious injury than death for individuals as durable as yourselves, the numerous weapons that make up the tower's defenses would be far more likely to kill you"
Sage pipes up in an attempt to be comforting after doing a quick scan of the huge structure to assess it's defenses.
"Thank you, Sage. That makes me feel so much better..."
Sunshine sighs and shakes his head before taking a deep breath and leaping onto the catwalk that would take them up to the top of the tower, Starlight and Sage in tow behind him. The floating platform spirals a good way up the length of the tower before abruptly cutting off into a ramp that launches the pair of hedgehogs into the air towards a series of floating cubes that were armed with cannons of some sort, which immediately locked onto them and began firing projectiles in their direction.
Sunshine curls into a ball and homing attacks each projectile that was launched his way until he reaches a platform on the other side with a large glowing button on it, with no other way to progress he presses the button and the gap between the nearest cube and the platform he stood on is closed as a new section of walkway shimmers into existence and the cannons shut off, allowing Starlight and Sage to cross over to him safely.
"Looks like the way back down will be easier than going up" Starlight notes, taking his husband by the hand as they continue to progress up the tower, facing many of the same robots that were scattered across the Starfall Islands and shutting down the tower's weapons as they go until they eventually reach the top.
"Finally...how many of these things are there again?"
Sunshine groans as they reach the ancient terminal at the top of the tower, along with a peculiar looking Koco.
"Four, according to the data I was able to gather" Sage replies as she begins to work on hacking into the terminal to completely shut down the first tower while Sunshine and Starlight talk to the Koco.
The hedgehog couple approach the small creature, only for a tall, Chaos like being to appear before them and start speaking.
"I loved my people. More than my own life. More than anything. I happily gave everything to protect our new home. You three went to extremes to protect the ones you love and to protect your home. You fight against your corruption now for their sakes. I respect that. Take my blessing and use it to defend all that you love"
The Ancient tells them with a wave of her hand, casting a bright light over them and granting them her power as the tower shuts down for good and the Koco her soul had inhabited for so long drops lifeless to the ground as her essence joins her loved ones in the cyberspace afterlife the Ancients had created for themselves.
"We should keep moving to the next tower. There's no telling how much longer we have to stop all of this"
Sage says after a moment of somber silence passes and the tower's terminal fades out.
"Right...let's go, where to next?"
Sunshine replies, searching the horizon for the shape of the next tower, quickly spotting it standing out among the surrounding forest.
"I will meet you at the next tower, the way there should be cleared of any enemies. I cannot guarantee that the tower itself will be the same though" Sage tells the two hedgehogs before disappearing.
"Well, let's get moving then"
Sunshine sighs, shaking his head to try and clear the dizzy feeling that being this high up caused him as he grabs a hold of the pulley that had appeared once the tower had been shut down, an arm wrap securely around his husband's waist while they descend the tower. He shuts his eyes and grits his teeth when that familiar nausea begins to bubble up at the back of his throat again, nearly making him gag as his feet finally hit solid ground a few seconds later.
"Are you doing okay? You seem like the corruption is affecting you more than it is for me..."
Starlight asks softly, gently squeezing Sunshine's hand with a concerned look on his face.
"I-I'm fine, heights just make me nauseous..."
Sunshine replies, slowly opening his eyes as the feeling passes and he steadies himself.
"I know, but I've noticed that it's been happening more and more the longer we stay here and the more we interact with cyberspace. I'm really worried about you, Shadow. Maybe you should sit out this next tower and take a break for a bit, Sage and I can handle it ourselves"
Starlight states as the two of them start making their way to the second tower.
"No. I'm not leaving you to bare this burden alone, we're in this together. In sickness and in health, remember? I'll be fine as long as you're with me, we can do this"
Sunshine smiles at the blue hedgehog, giving his hand a firm squeeze when they arrive at the base of the second tower. The smile fades from his face when he sees the serious look in the other's eyes, he really was worried. And that broke Sunshine's heart.
"Fine, I'll wait here this time...but once you get back down here I'm going up the next tower with you. I'm not taking no for an answer"
He says, smiling once again at his husband's relieved expression. He loved this man so much.
"Alright..." Starlight sighs and returns Sunshine's smile, reluctantly letting go of his hand before starting to head up the tower.
"Be careful and stay safe up there! I love you!"
Sunshine calls out before sitting down in the tall grass to wait for his husband to return. During the time Starlight was away Sunshine had decided to lay down in the grass while he was feeling sick again and had almost immediately fallen asleep, only to be startled awake by the low rumbling hum of the tower suddenly going quiet followed by a bright flash of light like the one they had seen while talking to the Ancient at the top of the previous tower. Starlight drops down on a pulley soon after and greets his husband with a bright grin.
"See? I told you Sage and I could handle it!"
A relieved smile crosses Sunshine's face and he gets up to hug his husband while Sage appears beside them.
"I managed to hack into the defense systems of the final two towers so we should be able to just ride the pulley to the top and speak to the last two Ancients, finally halt your corruption, and stop the incoming threat to save father!"
Sage cheerfully informs the hedgehog couple, finally beginning to express genuine emotions and understand what those feelings meant.
"And the rest of the world, right?"
Starlight smiles, endeared by the AI girl's newfound enthusiasm. Despite who her father is she was turning out to be a good kid after all.
"Whatever happens to the rest of the world is irrelevant to me as long as enough is still there for father to conquer"
Sage replies, still smiling at the two hedgehogs. Sunshine smiles back at her and holds his husband's hand, things were finally starting to turn in their favor now.
"Thanks to Sage it should all be smooth sailing from here on out. We've got this in the bag now, c'mon let's go!"
Sunshine grins and sets off towards the third tower with renewed energy at the thought of finally ending this long adventure and going home to his children, damn did he miss them. Once they had reached the tower the hedgehog noticed that Sage had indeed managed to shut down it's various defensive measures and a pulley was already waiting to take them up to the top of the massive structure.
"Great job, Sage! This makes our job so much easier!"
Starlight cheers happily and grabs hold of the pulley, an arm wrapped around Sunshine to hold him close as they're yanked up the tower.
Sunshine squeezes his eyes shut until they reach the top, his stomach still doing flips the entire way up. He sways on his feet a bit when Starlight sets him down.
"Ugh...let's get this over with already..."
He groans and takes a deep breath through his nose to try and choke back another wave of nausea before they approach the next Ancient Koco.
"I was once one of the greatest warriors among my people. I relished the chance to prove myself against the ultimate foe, but I couldn't defeat it in the end. You two however, are indeed formidable warriors. It's not just your skills. I can see that you both have unbreakable spirits. Take my blessing and earn the victory I could not!"
The Ancient speaks to the hedgehog couple, granting them his power with a wave of his hand and a now familiar flash of light.
"Ugh...only one more tower to go, right?"
Sunshine groans and opens his eyes slowly, having shut them due to the flash of light. Wasn't neutralizing the cyber corruption supposed to be making him feel better instead of worse?
"That is correct. Once you have spoken to the final Ancient and I have shut down it's tower we should finally be able to stop the oncoming threat when it arrives, assuming your friends have finished gathering the Chaos Emeralds and you do not become too ill to fight by then"
Sage replies as she finishes hacking the terminal and shutting down the current tower, quickly using said terminal to send a message to her father's eggmobile to let him know how their task was progressing and when they expected to be finished so she could return to him.
"We'll have this corruption under control by then, it'll be fine. Let's go shut down that last tower and get this all over with"
Sunshine says, casually waving off the girl's concerns so Starlight wouldn't start worrying over him again. The last thing he wanted was to be a distraction for everyone, they had more important problems to handle right now. He would be fine.
"Ready?"
Starlight asks his husband, grabbing the pulley with one hand while holding the other out for Sunshine to take.
"I hate these things...I'm ready, take us down"
Sunshine sighs as he takes Starlight's hand and steps off the tower to hold onto him so the pulley can bring them back down to the ground. The sudden lurch downwards and the feeling of falling causes another wave of nausea to slam down on the dark hedgehog, making him gasp sharply and bury his face into his husband's chest to fight off the unpleasant sensation until they finally reach the ground and he throws up onto the grass.
"S-Sorry, got dizzy again...let's go"
He groans and wipes his mouth on the sleeve of his jacket as he stumbles a bit before regaining his bearings, standing up straight, and heading off towards the final tower. Not noticing the worried looks exchanged by Starlight and Sage before they follow after him.
Sunshine arrives at the bottom of the final tower with Starlight and Sage following a moment later. Starlight holds his husband close and grabs a hold of the final pulley, giving it a light tug so they can be taken to the top of the last obstacle between them and unlocking the power needed to save the world once again. The darker hedgehog groans and squeezes his eyes shut tight as he feels that dizzying pull against gravity, nearly passing out just as they come to a sudden stop at the top of the tower.
"Ugh...please tell me that's the last time we'll have to do that...I don't think I can handle another ride like that..."
He whines softly and clutches his stomach as a dull cramp passes through him, making him even more nauseous than before. Starlight rubs his husband's back to comfort him until he was ready to stand up again, helping him up onto his feet.
"Sunny, are you sure you're feeling up to fighting? You really don't look so good...I'm worried about you. You could get seriously hurt out there if you have another dizzy spell or faint..."
The blue hedgehog frowns, a look of deep concern in his eyes as he squeezes Sunshine's hand. His brows bunched together with worry when he feels his partner's hand trembling in his own.
"I-It's fine, I'm fine...let's just get this over with so we can be rid of this damn corruption and feel like ourselves again"
Sunshine grumbles and pulls away to approach the last Koco and receive their blessing, stumbling a bit before quickly catching himself and standing before the ancient being.
"So, you wish to do as I once did? Stand before our deadliest foe's unthinkable might and attempt to save this world?"
The Ancient speaks, receiving a nod in reply from both hedgehogs. The couple now standing together hand in hand as the creature addresses them.
"You have freed my dearest friends from their Titan shells, and for that you have my deepest thanks. I however, was lost. What you see now is the last memory of me before we flew into battle together. I've been wondering how things ended for them after I sacrificed myself and my Titan for them. Now I know. Take my blessing, and with it my thanks and hopes. You two are this world's heroes now"
He explains, waving his hands and casting an all too familiar white light over the hedgehogs before his Koco goes still and his soul is finally put to rest.
Sunshine gasps and shuts his eyes as his vision blurs and his head feels like it's spinning, causing him to lean against Starlight, who sighs in relief and grins as he feels like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
"It worked! I finally feel like my old self again! How are you doing, Sunny?"
Starlight turns to his husband with a grin, only to see a smile on the half Mobian's flushed face.
"Fantastic! It's good to feel like me again"
Sunshine says, his voice slightly more raspy than normal as he hugs the blue hedgehog close to hide how much pain he was actually in. It felt like removing the corruption only made him feel worse instead of helping him feel better.
"Excellent! Now we must go to the one who can forge that energy into a new power"
Sage informs the pair, using this tower's terminal to send another update to Eggman as a powerful roar cuts through the air.
"No time to lose"
Starlight states grimly, earning a nod from Sunshine as Sage shuts down the tower and activates one last pulley to lower them back to the ground below.
"Not again...I think I'd rather take my chances jumping down instead"
Sunshine mumbles miserably as he takes hold of the pulley this time, offering a hand to his life partner before they're both sent whizzing towards the ground at great speeds. Normally a drop like this would be nothing to Sunshine, but now it felt like something had knocked the wind out of his lungs. His legs shake slightly when the pair finally make contact with solid earth.
"Follow me, quickly. Father has informed me of the location of the Koco's leader, the final Ancient we must speak with to grant you both the necessary power required to end this tiresome adventure"
Sage says before quickly darting off towards the pyramid like structure at the center of the island. The two hedgehogs exchange a nod before following the artificial child.
"I wonder how are friends are doing at finding the emeralds"
Starlight wonders aloud, glancing around to try and spot any of them as they approach the pyramid.
"I bet they're having an easier go of it than we have been so far, I'm sure they've got it all wrapped up by now"
Sunshine replies with a small smile as they arrive at the base of the pyramid, whose previously sealed door now stood open and waiting for the trio to step inside.
"The Master King Koco is in there, just head straight down the corridor until you find his throne chamber. I cannot enter with you so I will wait here and check in with Father so he can update us on how retrieving the emeralds is going"
Sage points towards the deep hallway that seemed to stretch on forever into the depths of the pyramid.
"Right. Enter spooky pyramid, talk to really old and powerful guy. Got it!"
Starlight beams enthusiastically as he scoops up Sunshine bridal style and dashes inside the pyramid's door before it slams shut behind them, earning a surprised yelp from the blue eyed hedgehog in his arms. It doesn't take long for them to reach the throne at the end of the tunnel, a large Koco with a mossy beard sat upon the throne ready to greet them when they approach.
"Welcome, heroes"
The Koco speaks, a projection of his original form barley visible behind him.
"Our friend says that you're the one who can turn the cyber corruption into new power, is that right?"
Sunshine asks, cutting straight to the point so they can settle things as quickly as possible.
"That is correct. I was the mighty leader of my once proud people. I lead them away from their doom and oversaw the colonization of this planet that was to be our new home. I directed the installation of cyberspace. I ordered the construction of the Titans. I have been the guiding voice of my people for far longer than you can even begin to comprehend!"
The Ancient king speaks, gazing down at the Mobians that knelt at his massive stone throne.
"And now you're a cute little mossy rock dude"
Sunshine snickers, unable to imagine the Chao like creature as a powerful leader.
"You two remind me of another that I once knew long ago. They gave everything to stave off the end and protect our people. Step forward and I shall grant you the power to achieve where we have failed, I must warn you though. This power is a fragile thing, you must not use it recklessly or else it may leave you entirely with no way to harness it ever again. I can feel that the enemy's approach is nigh. Go. You have been given all we have to give. I can do nothing more for my people so I entrust the rest to you. Do not fail"
The King warns as cybernetic sparks swirl around the hedgehog couple, enveloping them entirely before quickly fading away to reveal that they were now standing back outside of the pyramid.
"Where you two successful?"
Sage questions, her eyes flickering between blue and red as she hovers in front of them.
"Naturally! Was there ever any doubt?"
Starlight boasts, earning a chuckle and a jab in the side from Sunshine as Sage rushes off towards the Eggmobile that was now parked a short distance away with Tails, Amy, and Knuckles waiting alongside the evil genius himself, each of them holding onto the seven Chaos Emeralds.
"You guys are the best! That includes you this time too, doctor"
Sunshine smiles, his ears folding back against his head for a moment as yet another cramp and wave of nausea passes through his body. Their reunion is cut short as a deafening roar rumbles across the sky, shaking the ground beneath them.
"We're out of time. I command that you save us! That's a direct order, rodents!"
Eggman snaps in a panic, causing Sage to giggle despite the dire situation they were all in.
Blue eyes meet green as the couple nod in silent agreement to see this fight through together to the end, taking each other's hands as the emeralds float around them and they both turn Super in an instant. With one last wave and thanks to their friends and sworn enemy, the hedgehogs fly off towards a new Titan as it claws it's way out of the ground and an eerie purple moon looms unnaturally low over head.
This is it. The end was just beginning.
