- - ACT 1: Stage 6 (Abandoned Ship) || START - -

  — Abandoned Ship (Playa District) —

  “Ugh… Woofa… next time… bring those pills… I don’t want to be on a boat or ship-related next time…” Tricky breathlessly says, not liking his nauseating experience.

  “Kind of ironic, considering we’re going from a boat to a ship. But, hey, I hope you won’t get sick on the vessel! Hopefully, the next mission isn’t ocean-related, or else our mission would be filled with a nauseous porcupine.” Amy hopes that it won’t be a huge factor for their upcoming investigation.

  Now, Woofa could’ve brought some medicine, but she wouldn’t have known that he would get motion sickness. Other than that, he’s just dizzy and needs time to readjust himself. Still, the dog checks on the porcupine, putting her hand on his head for comfort. “This is worse than dealing with Solid drowning… At least when he drowns, we instantly rescue him. But for someone to be nauseous, they require some time… and we worry about their-”

  “Guys! Guys! We found an opening!” Tails exclaims, finding a closed door. Although locked, it’s possible to open with some force…

  Slowly looking at Knuckles, Sonic presents the same knowing smirk yet again, literally the answer right in front of them. “Wanna do the honors?” Everyone backs off, ready for the echidna to punch the door.

  PUNCH!!!

  PUNCH!!!

  “Geez! This door is strong! … That doesn’t stop me!”

  PUNCHHHHH!!!!!

  “Nice one, Knux.” The Blue Blur nudges his elbow at his friend, thankful for his contribution. “Will buy you more ice cream as payback.”

  After Knuckles and Amy attached a tight and secure rope to their speedboat, the team investigates throughout the entire vessel, checking for anything mysterious or noteworthy. But for a giant ship, it requires everyone to separate. Thankfully, this morning, Tails has bought wireless microphones to communicate whenever they do manage to separate. Although it’s not intended for long distances, when he approximated the entire length and width of the ship, it’s possible for communication, but it does have noticeable static.

  Still, the static was the least of their problems, because the biggest problem wasn't the ship or communication; it was one of their friends. Tricky is still nauseous; while signs of improvement in his health, he's still the same nauseous porcupine. Therefore, someone has to force themself to take care of him while they investigate.

  “Hell nah!” Woofa and Knuckles simultaneously leave, with no chance to take care of the porcupine.

  “They really hate me for that…? Geez…” Tricky can only lean against the wall, sitting down on the cold, damp floor. “... I think they still see me as the same pain in the ass, isn’t it?”

  “You’re still a pain in the ass.” Sonic ultimately decides to help out the porcupine, kneeling to his height to check on him further. “Amy, Tails, I’ll take care of him. Gotta help the seasick porcupine while investigating this place! And don’t worry if he does vomit on me, it’s just part of the journey. We’ll still communicate through these mics you provided. Right, Tails?”

  “Yep, these will help us communicate! Hopefully, they don’t fail, cause I spent about three hundred… Mostly from Solid’s money… I’m really sorry for using his, but he’s grateful to use that money, especially for the mission itself.” Even if Tails thanked the orange hedgehog for his humility, he’s truly sorry about the money spent on these devices, wishing he hadn’t purchased them.

  Noticing his expression, Amy pats the fox's shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. While stunned by the amount of money he had to pay for, she isn't upset by his decision. "Don't be sorry about what you're doing. Remember, you're doing this to make our missions easier for us, and he'll be glad to help you guys. He wanted to join, but he couldn't, as he had to accept his situation. What you're doing is helping us, just like what you've done throughout our entire life together… as a team!" She remembers almost all the inventions he had at his disposal during one of the many journeys they've gone through together.

  Sonic sits down next to the porcupine, still checking on his condition whilst talking to the fox. “You think that’s bad? I remember paying for thousands of chili dogs! That’s practically worse than what you paid for! Without this… we wouldn’t have communicated as easily if we managed to separate!”

  In the company of his friends, Tails felt relaxed from his decision. While he still feels bad for Solid, if it truly meant for him, then the purchase was the right choice to make. He didn’t have to feel bad; he needed to hear a positive outlook for his decision. “Thank you guys… I-It’s the right choice. If we do manage to separate yet again, I guess you know who you can thank.” A soft smile on his face warms the vibes; there’s a reason why they’re still here… to this day.

  Gradually, he focuses back on the mission, repeatedly tapping his earpiece to test if it indeed works. Static- “Woofa? Knuckles? Can you two hear me?” -Static.

  Static- “Yeah. Nothing much from where I’m at right now.” -Static. Woofa responds, casually standing at the bow of the ship whilst mesmerized by the view of the ocean and Haven City.

  Static- “All good here!” -Static. Knuckles immediately responds as well, checking around at the stern to check where the base could be located.

  “Glad that it works!” Focusing back on where he’s at, he knows that there’s a mission to finish in this district. Now that they’re separating, Tails gives each other good luck, retaining the positive vibes. “Alright, guys… Let’s do our best to find the base. It’ll take some time, but we’ll find it. And when we do, we’ll communicate via our mics. Got it?”

  — Lower Levels (Abandoned Ship (Playa District)) —

  “Ugh…” Helped by Sonic, both the hedgehog and porcupine stand up as they walk through the hallways. “Great at swimming but ass at being on a literal boat or ship… Can’t believe I’m like this…” Tricky wraps his arm around the Blue Blur’s back, definitely needing the provided support of his friend. “Thanks… Sonic.”

  “No problem, Tricky. Gotta help someone along the way.” Both the hedgehog and porcupine advance through the hallways, investigating the now dimly lit area. Tricky decides to hold the flashlight for Sonic’s assistance, making sure they know where they’re going in the dark. “Also, why are you heavy? Did you eat more than your little brother?”

  Chuckling. “That’s out of the blue. I think I ate too much with Knuckles yesterday. Ordered like some burgers, bet that made me weigh more than two hundred pounds.” Whilst the Blue Blur investigates, he becomes more interested in their conversation with the porcupine, feeling the need to hear more humor along the way. “My brother probably weighs half the amount. Surprised by how much he eats that sushi, he literally has the same build as you! Like, how in the hell does that hedgehog live?!”

  The blue hedgehog can’t help but laugh, the porcupine seemingly not knowing who he’s talking to. “Speaking of the orange hedgehog, weird that you didn’t consider my addiction to chili dogs. I probably eat more than what that hedgehog eats! Still, we’re lean as hell, considering we’re constantly on the move.”

  “Heh, true…” Tricky signals Sonic to put him down, where he slowly leans against the wall, taking deep breaths. “Geez… everything is just… dizzy… It’s like I’m seeing things here and there… Crap…” Suddenly, the porcupine holds his mouth, desperately signaling the hedgehog for something. “GIVE ME A TRASH CAN!!!” The hedgehog instantly understands what his friend needs and runs to find it. Not even three seconds, and he comes back with a trash can, where the porcupine grabs it and immediately closes the door, doing his usual business.

  Once the Blue Blur opens the door, he watches the porcupine throw the trash can into the sea for some apparent reason, where it crashes onto the water, afloat, never to be seen again. The porcupine wipes the remaining content from his mouth, casually taking deep breaths. “Did that relieve you?”

  “Ugh…” Tricky tries to lift himself, but no progress. He’s just… stuck like this, incapable of continuing with this mission. Even so, he’s determined to finish this mission with his friends; therefore, he grabs Sonic’s hand for support. “... I don’t care about my health… I wanna finish this… no matter how damn annoying this motion sickness is…”

  Sonic helps his friend up, making sure they can continue with their investigation. “You’re fine. You’re fine. Like an injured basketball player who still plays. Can’t blame you for the fight you’ve put on. And hey, you can borrow some money for some of the chili dogs after this.”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Hell nah! You’re tryna scam me!” Both managed to laugh, enjoying the casual talk during this moment. “I’ve seen worse scams than this! I remember one time I paid about a hundred Lunars, and I got scammed because it was a hoax! Ah… I wish I could get revenge on them… Until then, they won that battle, for sure!”

  The Blue Blur tries his best to hold his laughter, making the porcupine playfully glare at him. Yet, his exaggerated facial expression ultimately makes the hedgehog laugh. “I’m sorry! I can’t…! You are a professional dumbass! What the hell is your entire subplot?! Literally random weird-ass moments of your-”

  CLANK!!!

  “... That wasn’t me…”

  Exploring the lower levels, the entire place eerily becomes darker. No windows, nothing. Just pure darkness with a subtle hint of light coming from the level above, it’s enough to make both their spines shiver. Just like what Sonic had witnessed back at the Grand Good ol’ Maze, he’s showing signs of agitation within him.

  The same can be said of the porcupine. He glances at his friend, seeing sweat drip down from his fur, as well as his own. Furthermore, his hand trembles, causing the flashlight to shake constantly. But the worst news is that, combined with his dizziness and being scared, it forces his body to become lightheaded, becoming even more dizzy. It was something he definitely didn’t expect in his bingo card, but here they are, in this already worsening situation.

  “Sonic… Put me down…” The porcupine breathlessly says, his head constantly hurting here and there.

  The Blue Blur immediately settles him down, his friend needing to relieve himself yet again. Understanding what’s about to come, Sonic immediately and anxiously explores the dark area, doing his best to find a trash can nearby. After grabbing a trash can, the hedgehog places it next to the porcupine, letting him puke yet again. “It’s a shame that we didn’t bring any medicine. If we did, we wouldn’t have to worry about your nauseated state.”

  “... Yeah.” The porcupine sets the trash can next to him, still feeling dizzier with each passing second. “Can you… report the others on what’s happening here? Just call one of them here; the rest can still explore the ship while we continue to-” “Not again…”

  Sonic sighs, looking away once more as Tricky throws up. “I should probably give them a warning about your… sickness, cause I don’t want them to take that foul smell differently.”

  Static- “Guys, I need one person down in the lower level. Though you should worry about how dark it is and Tricky’s…” -Static. To make things worse, the porcupine continues to suffer from his overwhelming sickness. Static- “... Yeah, Woofa, you should’ve brought some medicine. Just saying.” -Static.

  Static- “You really think I’m supposed to predict the future? I wouldn’t know if that porcupine will have this kind of problem!” -Static. The dog sighs and continues with her investigation at her level. Static- “Still, I’m alright… There are too many rooms in my level that I need to investigate…” -Static.

  Static- “I can!” -Static. Amy exclaims, feeling optimistic about the Blue Blur’s decision. Static- “Not a lot of floors here, and I can provide you with some hammer crushing! For now, let me finish this place up before I join with you guys.” -Static.

  Static- “Yep! Got’cha covered on that! If you do smell anything foul, just remember, it’s from-” -Static.

  Static- “My sickness! Yeah, I get it!” -Static. The porcupine yells before the hedgehog mentions it yet again, just to show how exhausted he is. Static- “... I hate it… We’ll just… continue exploring this area while we wait for you… Amy…” -Static.

  Now feeling a bit relieved, yet again, Tricky sets the trash can down, wiping the contents from his mouth. Then, he grabs Sonic’s hand and helps himself up, continuing their exploration in the dark, wondering what they can find. The air is eerily calm; nothing much is heard other than some subtle noises. The ship still sways, not much, but enough for it to be felt, and enough for the porcupine to remain dizzy. It's the point where the hedgehog has to hold the flashlight, making sure the porcupine relaxes while he’s still having his arm around the Blue Blur.

  As they continue their descent, the place becomes more uncanny. They reach the bottom deck of the entire ship, which contains the critical and operational stuff. At the stairs, Sonic points the flashlight at some random places on the deck until he finds something. The main electrical system, which is already damaged, is not to be replaced soon. “No wonder the lights wouldn’t work at all, they violated that poor machine! Tails would’ve been sad forever. Still, I guess there was activity; that doesn’t stop us from our investigation.” The hedgehog smirks at the porcupine, uplifting their vibes momentarily before they continue their descent.

  Exploring the entire deck, the place is flooded with ocean water; it’s some kind of leak, but it isn’t problematic. The water levels only reached up to their ankles, and don’t seem to be rising. “Aren’t you supposed to be scared about these waters?” Although sick, Tricky teasingly asks the Blue Blur. “You said you wouldn’t be touching, not even one minuscule of water. Isn’t it?”

  “You really wanna talk about that exaggeration? At my ankles, there is no problem. It’s only when it’s above my waist that it is.” Sonic playfully looks at the porcupine whilst walking on the water. The water splashes and ripples with each movement he makes. “That doesn’t mean I’m not scared, it’s only when it’s deep! But, whatever that’s gonna matter, where is the damn base?” He points the flashlight everywhere, literally nothing for the hedgehog and porcupine to see.

  “Really getting to the point of quitting? … I mean, yeah, I’d be feeling that way. I don’t even know if this ship has anything other than water and whatever even happens here… Other than a trash full of my contents. Laughing once more, ironically in this eerie atmosphere, they continue to create jokes in a dark place. “Don’t worry… someone’s gotta throw that trash can away-”

  Ding!

  Immediately, they’re drawn by the attention from ahead. The hedgehog points the flashlight at the noise, where some kind of elevator door creepily opens by itself. Both of them looked at each other, anxious yet determined. The porcupine sighs one last time, still feeling dizzy, but enough for him to continue their investigation. “... Take that back… This ship is legit a horror movie, and we’re definitely characters making the wrong decision.”

  — Upper Levels (Abandoned Ship (Playa District)) —

  “Man… this view is amazing!” Mesmerizing the view, Tails can see the ocean and city skylines from both sides, creating a cinematic masterpiece. While he still has some places to investigate here and there, he wants to enjoy some time to embrace life in this world.

  Static- “Guys, I found some documents around here.” -Static. Knuckles speaks, flipping through some pages while the others await what they can make out from his audio. Static- “Says that this ship was first built in 2013, and has been in operation for quite some time. It’s a container ship and… What kind of information…? … I DON’T WANNA READ THE WHOLE THING!” -Static. Skimming past some maybe relevant, but mostly irrelevant information, he suddenly stops at a singular page, noting something interesting. Static- “They said this ship stopped operating a few days ago due to a loss of fuel in the engine. And although the mayor has told the public that she’ll do something about it, she did nothing.” -Static.

  Static- “Guess that’s the reason why she didn’t do anything… If you know what I’m talking about.” -Static. Groaning in exhaustion, Woofa randomly leans against the railing, feeling the ocean breeze blowing and the sun beam down right on her fur.

  Static- “Don’t we already know that this ship is already an Eggman base? It already feels eerie enough.” -Static. Questions Amy, who’s still investigating the remaining doors around her level. Static- “Argh… Nothing… That’s fine! I guess I’ll go to where Sonic and Tricky went. Just gotta take out my flashlight on my way there… and we’re good to go!” -Static.

  Eventually, Tails resumes his investigation, flying around to see what the ship contains in general. He spots Woofa strolling around, and they wave at each other, enjoying their presence until he descends. Now checking the hull to notice if anything unusual happens, which is futile. “Nothing but a still vessel afloat… I guess I’ll check-”

  CRASH!!!!!

  Static- “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!” -Static. Slowly getting up from that unexpected crash, Knuckles groans, unsure what’s happening from the outside. “Made me crash into the wall, like what?!”

  Static- “A strong amount of waves crashed onto the ship! It just happened unexpectedly and… I-I see water rushing inside the hull!” -Static. The fox closely observes what’s, unsure what kind of force would cause the hull to be blown out… Not until he realizes… Static- “Oh no… SONIC?!?! TRICKY?!?! ARE YOU GUYS ALRIGHT?!?!” -Static.

  “How despicable of you to be here…”

  An anthropomorphic female leopard seal responds right behind the hedgehog and porcupine, where water rushes inside rapidly, causing the entire deck to flood instantly. “Invading my entrance is insanity! Who knew someone would enter a ship and find the entrance to my base! Seems like someone’s gonna have some great invitation…”

  GUSH!!!

  Sonic tries his best to communicate via the microphone, instantly alerting the team. Static- “EVERYONE!!! WE- UND- -ACK!!! HELP!!! -Static…

  Immediately swept by the water and into the elevator, both remained trapped inside, and there was nothing they could do to fight it. The leopard seal instantly follows inside, trapping them against the wall, but lets them speak for once. “What we got here… A beautiful, charming hedgehog and his very… nauseated friend. Here… you wanna take some pills?” Surprisingly, she hands some pills to the porcupine, an offering. “Some of my recruiters are nauseated like you, so please, take some as you please…”

  “... For real…?” Sure yet unsure, Tricky slowly reaches out for the pill-

  “Did you imagine giving some pills to the enemy? I’d figure, you brat, professional dumbass, porcupine.”

  “... Yeah… You really are unattractive…” The porcupine slowly groans and looks down, completely exhausted by whatever the hell even happens in this ship, letalone wherever they’re headed to. He’s dizzy, and he wants some kind of miracle to consume those pills in no time. Even then, wherever this elevator takes them, it’s probably the-

  “The base… It’s all…”

  “Underwater… Yeah? Surrounded by all my powers… and don’t even think about any divers or submarines going in my path. I made it so all the currents will direct around it while the glass makes it invisible to those from the outside.” She allows the two to take a full scenery of the base, and it’s quite literally the same, except they can see water everywhere.

  Seeing water behind every glass of the base makes the hedgehog's situation worse; if this entire place floods, it could be the end of his life. And that leopard seal knows what that hedgehog is capable of; she knows how strong he and his friends have been through. Quite literally, the doctor had told her everything about this "rat" skills. Even then, Sonic has to find a way with their entire plan, but first… "... One question… What's your name?"

  “Oh? Tryna flirt with me? The name’s Dao Leo. Unattractive name, huh? I know, someone’s gotta let that slide for once; incredible swimmer, leader of this base. Some recruiters suck at handling nausea, just like that beautiful porcupine.” Weirdly, Dao rubs her finger on the porcupine’s chin, her wet glove casually being felt on his fur.

  “The only thing I’m attracted to is that swimming part. I enjoy swimming, might as well make me your boyfriend so my brother doesn’t get that dog before I get a girlfriend.” Despite his still nauseated state, he retains his usual comedic side, casually trying his best to flirt with her.

  “Seems like we both have something in common! How nice… Just one problem… We’re enemies, bitch.” Dao unexpectedly slaps the porcupine’s face, causing him to be stunned. “Cute otherwise, I’ll tell you that.” Once they finally reach the base, the elevator door opens, and now she’s ready. “To you two… All I’m going to say is…”

  “Good luck.”