Dude, Worlds Are Gonna Collide (A Sonic-TMNT Crossover)

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

The city was illuminated in the first rays of dawn when Kay and Silver stepped back out onto the rooftop, though the sun had yet to show itself. The air was gradually getting warmer – a reminder that it was still summer for a few more weeks.

"You once told me," Kay explained to Silver as they reached the edge of the roof and leaned on the half-wall, "that you always watched sunrises on Mobius Prime because of how pretty they were compared to your time. I don't know if that's still the case, but..." She paused, recalling the other event that had occurred that morning so long ago.

"What?" Silver asked, sensing her sudden uneasiness.

She let out the breath she'd been holding and looked at him. "That was also the day I found out you'd known I was actually a human for weeks. It scared me to death to think that anyone knew that about me. I tried to hide it from everyone. I was a hedgehog with an exclusively echidnan power – I didn't want them to think I was even more of an outsider." Kay smiled. "But you knew for weeks before fessing up, and the amazing thing was...you didn't care. Knowing I was human inside didn't change your opinion of me. And on top of that you promised to keep it secret from the others. It wasn't what I was expecting. You weren't what I was expecting, despite my knowing everything about you."

Silver opened his mouth as though he wanted to speak, but nothing came out. He blinked at her.

Kay continued, "Silver, I know you don't remember, but you were a true friend to me in my darkest hour, and I appreciate that to this day. Thank you."

His gaze softened from confusion to compassion. "I'm happy to know I was able to be a friend to someone when they needed me most. Even if it was in an alternate reality."

The world had brightened much more during their brief talk, and now the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. Kay stood up straighter. "You asked me if Earth's sunrises were better than Mobius Prime's. I think it's time you judged that for yourself."

The two of them watched quietly as the brilliant yellow-orange globe climbed into the sky, lighting up the world in hues of pink and blue. The air was so still and calm, in that delicate medium between the crime-ridden streets of the night and the never-ending rush of the day. It was peaceful. Kay closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment.

Until Silver gasped, drawing her attention to him once more. He was staring at the air above her with wide eyes, jaw dropped in awe.

"Huh? What?" Kay asked, whirling around but seeing nothing. She looked back to Silver. "What?"

He blinked several times. "You...you had—"

"There you are!" The new voice startled the both of them, drawing their gazes to the direction it had come from.

"Raph!" Kay exclaimed. "Are you kidding me? The sun just came up. What are you doing up here?"

The red-clad Turtle stopped when he was close enough to her that she had to look up to meet his eyes. "Looking for you. What else? Next time you plan to run off and ignore Leo, let me in on the fun." Just then he noticed the third figure in their group and raised an eye ridge at Kay. "Who's this?"

Quick introductions were made, then Kay went back to drilling the Turtle. "Seriously, Raph, you've got to go back underground. People are going to flood these streets any second. You'll be seen."

Raph crossed his arms. "I ain't going anywhere unless you come back with me."

Kay took a step away from him. "You too? What part of 'I'm staying away for your own good' don't you Turtles understand?"

"I understand just fine, Kay," he replied in a gentler tone. "Trust me. I know what it's like to want out of that crazy joint. But I wouldn't ask you to come back if it weren't serious."

Fear gripped her suddenly. "What? What's happened? Is everyone okay?"

"We're all fine. But there's this weird portal thing hanging out in the living room. Monsters were coming out of it all night. Donnie snapped a picture of 'em and looked 'em up. They came up as—"

"Dark Gaia Creatures," all three of them said at once. Raph stopped his train of thought as Silver and Kay exchanged glances.

"We had a Portal open up here, too," Kay told him. "That's how Silver got through."

"Right." Raph grunted. "Well, once the sun came up on their side they stopped coming through, but now all of us are exhausted and we have this giant window to another world taking up a lot of space down there. We don't know what to do about it. I figured if anyone had a solution maybe you did, since it's kind of up your alley."

Kay again looked at Silver, who watched her with an equally awed expression. They each knew what the other was thinking: maybe this Genesis Portal could get them to Mobius to see Knuckles.

"The chances of that, though," Silver said, and Kay had to agree.

"Come on." She looked to Raph. "Let's go see what we can do about it."

Raph began to lead the way and Kay followed, but a call from Silver made them both stop and turn back. "Um...what about your friends?"

Casey and April! Kay had already forgotten all about them. She gestured for Raph to wait just a minute and hurried back to the stairwell for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "I'll write them a note."