Heroes (Tails x Reader) Book 4

IV. This is Who I Am

The area is easy to stealth into, the grounds of the plant proving to be child's play as you and Jasper dodge around searchlights and patrols. All things considered it seemed pretty barren for such a busy facility. Rivers of polluted liquids flowed freely through the area, the smog clogging your lungs and burning your eyes. It had become so much worse since you were last here...

And it was already horrible before..

The metal pathways wind and weave together before dipping down into a massive pit adorned with arrays of lights and waterfall-like regions where the purple liquid ran and pooled into different areas. It was almost pretty, and it could've been if the stench wasn't so overwhelming. Flying machines buzz around above you remaining ever vigilant as the two of you dart down the path, Jasper gliding down swiftly beside you. Your eyes scan the various subsections as you progress on, there seemed to be no shortage of things happening in any direction you looked.

"Jasper, scan for signs of people. I get the feeling that if my father is trapped here there's likely others too." You slow down as you reach a crossroads, hopping down onto a lower path and following it's curves deeper in.

Jasper slows as well, closing his eyes as his ears shifted around like satellite dishes. His expression becomes pensive as he tried to sift the ambient sounds out, the noise of the industry proving to be a lot for him to navigate. "No good East, if there's people here they've gotta be further in, all I'm picking up is mechanical whirring and hydraulic pistons."

You nod back to him, sprinting deeper down and flipping down through the chaotic terrain. Jasper is able to follow behind easily, his wings putting in the work and allowing him to weave himself through the winding pipes and exhausts.

The deeper you go the more mechs you seem to see, security only getting tighter with each bit of small progress. But this wasn't going to be enough, you needed to find some kind of terminal and access some kind of map... Peering down you see what looks like a long runway, person sized with flashing red lights trailing on either side. Was that maybe an actual walkway..? The robot presence seemed to be a little less there too, but it felt too convenient to not be a trap for any unknowing intruder...

You stop and turn back to Jasper, "Alright, I'm going on ahead for a while. I don't plan on getting into battle so if you don't hear me within 5 minutes after you lose sight of me contact the others. I won't be able to pinpoint much while we're separated so I'm counting on you to be everyone's navigator, alright?"

His eyes get big for a moment before he shakes his head. "Okay.. Five minutes though and then we're all coming in for you."

You nod firmly, "Most importantly if it comes to that stick together, the last thing we need is our forces getting scattered and lost in here." You look back to the platform, squinting down. "stay hidden."

He looks at you with a worried expression as you vanish. Without Jasper stuck on your back it was much easier to move about the space in Phase speed, the searchlights grazing your body a few times but you were much too fast or any of them to detect you. The patrolling mechs seemed to pause and scan as you blew past them but ultimately continued buzzing about their way. It was beginning to become impossible to tell what was where, the repeated structures all looking the same as you progressed deeper in.

The pathway leads you though several processes, from chemical fusion to chemical purification while the bit and bobs remained hard at work. You scan your surroundings, it must have been at least two minutes by now... Then something catches your eye.

Much deeper down you can see what looks like a structure with an antenna sticking out of the top. Was it a relay perhaps? It didn't matter at this point, it was looking like progress and at this point you just needed to find SOMETHING. Doubling back the mechs seemed on higher alert but were no match for your gentle and quiet step, your body carried back through the long stretches of walkway like a scent on the breeze.