Trust Fall

Radical Train Zone. Legend has it, the original settlers of New City were unsatisfied with the secret on-foot trading routes that existed at the time between their independent colony and the rest of Eurish. So they built the first ever railroad far above the clouds in order to accelerate the development of their town. Though the Soleanna Royal Guard eventually found out about the operation and conquered New City, they never demolished the tracks. No… that would come much later. Like right now.

"Help us, Sonic!" People cried from inside a train chugging headfirst towards a solid wall of imminent crab-like Egg Bombers. Sonic rail-grinded along the faulty electricity wires running along the thin strip of railroad.

"My… people…" Elise whispered tiredly into Sonic's ear. "Sonic, my people are in that train. They're gonna blow up…" Sonic looked like he was running on autopilot, the ringing in his ears drowning out the cries of Elise and her charges.

"Wake up."

Sonic's eyes snapped open, seeing Sage standing above him on Kronos Island. "Don't tell me what to do…" Sonic grunted, rolling back over onto his rocky pillow. Oh… it was the Hermit Koco. He groaned, and moved over to a non-sentient rock to sleep on.

"Sonic, are you serious right now?" Sage asked. "It's six in the morning. I'm hungry."

"You are one strange girl," Sonic yawned, letting his eyes close. "That's not my job."

He was back in Radical Train. "Sonic, what are you saying?! Don't you want to help them?" Elise asked. Sonic leapt down onto one of the train cars, seeing Egg Mites everywhere now that he was up close. Tiny little Egg Bombers that were planting back up explosives on the cars that may or may not stay intact after the incoming collision.

"Yeah! Of course, of course," Sonic gasped. He tried to regain his composure. "I've seen this before, these bitty-Badniks are a real pain in the caboose." Sonic zoomed around, squashing each Egg Mite like they were roaches in his old Kerosen cabin.

"You're gross. Why are you saving cyber-princesses?" Sage's voice called out to him from the waking world. "What do you want from her? A kiss?" Sonic groaned.

"Not at all, this is just the right thing to do," Sonic sighed.

"You know none of this is real, right?" Sage asked, Sonic trying to tune her out. "'Elise' is just another method for Cyberspace to keep you entertained… AND contained. Still, I never expected you of all people to have a hero complex." The sound of a train whistle tore through the air.

"Elise, stay here," Sonic set the princess onto her feet.

"What for?" Elise asked. Sonic then Boosted forward at mach speed. Well ahead of the train, in between the locomotive and a fleet of Egg Bombers. He cast out an Enerbeam, and reeled in the Egg Bombers just in time for them to explode point-blank with the hedgehog. The last thing Elise could see was his pearly grin. Elise watched as the smoke settled, her eyes opening wide when she saw there was no sign of Sonic. None at all.

"Sonic?!" She called out. She heard a mad cackle behind her.

"Yes! I did it, I DID IT!" Eggman hollered, dancing around in the Egg-O-Matic's cockpit. The flying pod was installed into a huge, rabid canine robot that sprinted across the railroad fast enough to keep pace with the train. "I never expected Sonic to go by way of suicide, but I suppose the best things in life are often surprises." Elise gripped her fists. Eggman slammed his hands down onto the Egg Cerberus' control panel. "And now, the only thing standing between the Dark Scepter and I is a defenseless little princess… Give it up, Elise!" Elise held the Dark Scepter away from Eggman, her eyes welling up with tears as she gritted her teeth. The violet flame grew larger. "You're not gonna listen? Okay then, your obedience isn't needed when I have my loyal Egg Cerberus. He knows how to sit, roll over, AND fetch for me." The Egg Cerberus scratched at the train, peeling back the roof. Elise stepped back. "Hear that, boy? It's time for your yearly bloodbath. Sic 'er!" The Egg Cerberus barked and howled. It pawed away at the train cars one by one, knocking a few off the railroad. The car Elise stood atop was derailed, hanging by its link to the next car and grinding away at the side of the mossy bridge.

Elise held on tightly to the car with her one free hand. But then the train took a sharp right, resulting in the car slamming into a solid wall. She was nearly squashed. The Egg Cerberus craned one of its three heads down, snorted exhaust, and bit the train car with its acrylic resin teeth. It held the car, and Elise, up in the air. She took a deep breath.

"What now? Do you plan to jump?" Eggman asked, grinning ear to ear. Elise looked down at the clouds around the tracks. She couldn't tell if there was a safe place to land. "Aren't you worried?" Elise cracked a wicked smile, the flame on the Dark Scepter turning into an explosion. She rocketed off the car, scorching the Egg Cerberus before plummeting into the blinding white clouds. Silver watched from the Egg Carrier as she meteored into the abyss.

"What is she doing?! The royal scepter will be destroyed!" Blaze exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air in frustration.

"We must save her!" Silver exclaimed. He opened the emergency escape door, and began to skydive after Elise. "Princess! Can you—?! Ngh…" Silver began to feel dizzy. But he persisted, reaching out to her. Once he was within range, he grabbed onto her with his telekinesis. He slowed her descent just a little bit, along with the rest of the falling train cars. He lowered them all to the ground safely.

Sonic looked up as Elise fluttered to the ground. He opened his arms and let her lower into them. "Are you alright?" He asked. She opened her eyes, her heart still racing. "Pretty neat trick, huh?" Elise's eyes turned starry.

"Sonic, you're so cool!" Elise squealed, kicking her legs. Silver watched from above, hovering between resolve and doubt. "How did you do that?!"

"Oh, the disappearing act? Learned it from a guy in a rowboat," Sonic chuckled. "I wonder if he's still around…" Elise smiled.

"He has her right there… I wonder why he isn't doing anything," Silver thought. He looked up to the Egg Cerberus as it leapt into the Egg Carrier. He squinted, before flying off. He wasn't flying after Elise, he wasn't flying back to the Egg Carrier. He was just flying away.