Sonic the Hedgehog

Arrival

"Attention all passengers, brace for a smooth landing, courtesy of Miles Tails Prower," Sonic says in his best, (but ultimately lacking), pilot voice.

Tails chuckles at the joke nonetheless.

Even with the laughter and high spirits, no amount of joy can suppress the dark mood present in the air. Just the sight alone is enough to get the bluester's spirits down. The dark, brownish night sky act as a looming raincloud for the duo. And the giant river below the plant, once full of bright, gorgeous water and aquatic life has now been tainted with countless chemical waste, turning it into a purple pool of radioactive goo. A permanent stain in Mobius's history that no one wants to clean up.

Circling around the plant, high in the sky are GUN military helicopters, full of agents who are likely trying to scan for any notable energy readings. Judging from the small number of helicopters around, GUN hasn't been here for very long.

Funny, considering they set off well before us. Sonic thinks. This Tornado must be fast! Sometimes, Tails' smarts scare me. This fox can do anything he sets his mind to.

"Huh, I almost forgot about the spill," Tails remarks. "That must be why the agents are staying high up."

"Goes to show them," Sonic says. "If they had some Mobians on their team, they could've already set up a ground operation by now."

The rushing wind and high altitude Sonic had been enjoying for the past hour come to an easing halt as the Tornado descends towards the metallic stretch on the edge of the facility that was often used as a runway. With its landing gear deployed, the plane's acceleration slows once its wheels hit the floor. After a few seconds, it comes to a complete stop, and Sonic hops off, happy to have his feet on the ground once again.

His happiness is cut short once the sour stench of the plant's chemicals hit his nostrils. That smell is one he had thankfully long forgotten, but upon inhaling, immediately recognizes. Judging from Tails's seemingly lack of notice towards it, it must be one he's very used to. After all, he had to stay here for years while aiding in GUN's manufacture of weapons. Who knows how he did it.

I almost forgot how big this place was. Tails thinks to himself.

Before the bad memories get a chance to creep up his spine, he turns around and grabs a yellow, rectangular device with two blue antennas sticking out on opposite ends. On the device is a screen with a green radar. Sonic takes notice of the contraption as he sees his buddy hop off the plane.

"What you got there?" he asks.

"Miles Electric!" Tails enthusiastically answers.

Sonic scratches his head.

"Sorry," Tails stammers, visibly embarrassed. "Uh, the name needs some work- heh... um, this here device will help us scan for whatever Eggman is looking for."

"That's great!" Sonic says. "Glad we didn't have to bring along a metal detector. Has it picked up anything?"

"Yes, actually," Tails mummers as his brow furrows.

His face is practically glued to the screen.

"These readings are unlike anything I've ever seen, it's- it's off the charts!"

Tails lower Miles Electric and turns to his left, along with Sonic.

"The source is coming from somewhere no-"

Tails's wide eyes open with surprise after they catch something far off in the distance on one of the plant's high buildings. The faintest silhouette of a Mobian... watching them. Before Tails can even turn to Sonic, the hedgehog is nothing more than a blur that speeds off in that direction without a word.

No Mobian in their right mind would ever visit this place, especially at this time of night. Sonic reasons. And GUN would sooner shut down their agency than recruit a Mobian on their team. That just leaves one explanation. Whoever it is that's watching us is bad news. Perfect! To think I was scared this would be boring.

Sonic races past a large bridge suspended over a lake of chemicals with the speed of a fireball. As the distance between him and a dead-end wall closes in two seconds, the hedgehog leaps up. Once the sole of his flashy red shoes hits its surface, he speeds up the wall without so much as a sweat. Now on the roof, Sonic leaps across a gap containing a deadly drop and lands on top of another building. Coming up is the exact spot where the figure stood. Sonic runs up on the ladder leading up to it and speeds up the bars, one quick step after another.

The second he lands on the ground, it reaches his ears. The click of the weapon, the piercing sound of the fuse powering up, Sonic registers it all just in time to step out of the way. A red laser leaves a crispy impact on the spot a vaporized hedgehog would have been had Sonic not reacted in time.

"So you are fast..." a voice remarks.

Sonic looks up at the neighboring building in front of him. Standing on the edge of it is a black Jackal, with a signature Robotnik plasma rifle held in his gloved hands.

"As if that'll do you any good," the Jackal concludes as he takes aim.

...