Hello friends! A longer author's note can be found at the bottom of this chapter.

I noticed that one of my favorite gaming channels, the Game Grumps, was playing through an old favorite of mine: Sonic and the Secret Rings. I also remembered my old fan fiction of it, and started re-reading it.

I started that story 8 years ago. I wanted to stretch my writing muscles again, and I decided to rewrite the old story. I hope you all enjoy this newly-revised story!


Chapter 1 - The Genie and the Hedgehogs

Winter winds howled outside, bringing with them a chilling winter snow determined to cover everything in its path. The forecast had called for at least three inches, but the snow storm that had been going on for hours now promised even more. At the height of the cold season, the world's infamous speedster, the fastest thing alive, had found himself slowed down by a measly virus.

Sonic settled himself in on the couch, a cracking fire freshly lit in the fireplace and a book on the coffee table beside him. Amy had bought him The Arabian Nights for his birthday, and while reading wasn't exactly how he preferred to spend his time, he figured his slow recovery would be quickened by investing himself in historical stories of action, magic, and romance. But as he reached for the book, a severe headache overtook him, and he instead brought his hand up to his face. Maybe I should take a nap instead, he thought.

He grabbed a throw off the back of the couch and snuggled underneath, but found himself restless. He reached for the book once again and glanced it over. The ornate cover felt good under his fingertips, and he struggled to remember the last time he read anything.

This will be good for me, he determined.

X-X-X

Many hours later, Sonic was roused from his sleep by a sudden noise. He pulled the book off his face, where it had apparently fallen after he drifted off to sleep. He shut it and looked around, wondering what could have awakened him.

"Hello?" He called out, wondering if anyone would dare brave the blizzard outside just to break into his home. His blue quills began to prick up, and he reached down for his shoes.

He was met with no response and no further noises, and decided that perhaps a he had just been dreaming. He glanced at the clock on the mantle. It was nearly 2 am.

"Geez, is it that late already?" He mumbled to himself. He knelt down to remove his shoes, but a glimmer on the table caught his eye.

What? A ring? I must be dreaming, he thought to himself as he reached for the golden object.

"That's him! That's the blue hedgehog!" A feminine voice echoed around the room, startling Sonic. He dropped the ring, and sparks began to fly.

With a flash of light and a puff of smoke, in front of him appeared two unfamiliar figures. The first was a floating human woman with olive skin and pink hair that spiraled above her head as if it was floating. She wore what Sonic could only describe as something out of a costume kit for a genie, with pink accents as if to match her hair. She wore brown ballet flats on her feet.

The next was a small, golden colored hedgehog, with long quills that were pulled back into a messy ponytail behind her head. Her quills brushed her knees as the smoke cleared around her. Her green eyes locked with his instantly, fear and caution pricking her spikes up. Her outfit seemed a bit less fancy than the woman's, and contained no bright hues. Her shoes seemed out of place with her outfit, being styled tennis shoes that looked like something he could walk into the local department store and purchase.

"Who are you?" He asked. "Did you just come back from a costume party?"

The two strangers glanced at each other, then bowed before him. "Do not be alarmed," spoke the woman. "I am Shahra, the Genie of the Ring, and this is my partner, Amala,"

"... Genie of the Ring?" Sonic replied, baffled.

Shahra straightened up. "Yes, I am a genie, bound to a ring. Have you not heard of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp?" She pointed at the book Amy had gifted him.

"I uh… haven't gotten to it yet," he confessed. "What are-"

"You haven't read it?! Everyone knows the story of Aladdin!" Amala interrupted him. "It's one of the most popular stories in the Arabian Nights!"

"Reading isn't exactly something I prefer to do in my spare time," he quipped back. "Speed's my game. Now, what are you two doing here, and how did you get here?"

Shahra picked up the book and handed it to him. "This is why we're here." She flipped to the back of the book, where many blank pages lay.

"Our world is being ripped apart by a powerful genie named Erazor Djinn. He has been bound within its pages for centuries, and his magic has grown little by little. The book can no longer contain him, so he has begun to set the inscriptions free, absorbing their magic and erasing our world in the process."

Amala stepped forward and put her hand on the book. "We need your help, legendary one," she muttered quietly. "You may think we are joking, but this is no laughing matter. If the Erazor Djinn escapes, he will destroy our world, and all the stories within the Nights. Countless innocent souls will be lost, including our own, and the stories will disappear forever. He craves the power of the book, and we need your help to stop him."

"The power of the book, huh? Here I thought the only power books had was the power of imagination!"

Amala and Shahra exchanged a disappointed look. "Sir, please, if we don't stop him now, he will break into your world and continue to seek power! He must be stopped," Shahra pleaded.

He gave up his humor, clearly lost on these strange guests. "Well, that definitely sounds like trouble. But what do you want me to do about it?"

"You must stop the Erazor Djinn," Amala said. "We have traveled far and wide, searching for ways to save our world. You came to Shahra in a vision, and we have been searching for you ever since. We need your help, Sonic. You have done many valiant deeds in your life for your world. Now, we humbly ask for your help with ours."

"So, this guy needs to be put in his place?" Sonic smirked. "I can help with that - it might even be fun! ...But this is all from a storybook, right? How am I supposed to do anything?"

"Do you have cotton stuffed in your ears?" Quipped the female hedgehog. "Shahra is a GENIE, she can grant any wish you have!"

"Well, simple wishes, at any rate," Shahra admitted meekly. "But you are now my master, having called forth the genie of the ring, and I will do my best to serve you." Amala held out her hand as Shahra disappeared in a puff of smoke, and a small golden ring fell into Amala's hand. She held it to Sonic.

"Here, put this on and rub the ring," she instructed.

Sonic gingerly took it out of her hands and glanced it over. He slipped it over his finger, and sparks began to fly.

"Hey, hey, take it easy!" He exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, O Master, but the contract is now sealed. As the new master of the ring, I am bound to protect your life at the cost of my own. Now, rub the ring,"

Sonic did as he was told, and Shahra appeared before him, her head bowed in respect. "Oh master, what is thy wish?"

As he inhaled to reply, some of the smoke tickled his sinuses, and Sonic began sneezing profusely. "Well, how about a handkerchief, for starters?"

Amala reached down to grab a box of tissues from the coffee table, but as she did, hundreds of small handkerchiefs began to form out of thin air and fluttered towards the floor. Several landed over both hedgehogs, who looked at each other and laughed.

"That is a bit much, isn't it, Shahra?" Teased Amala.

"You're a lifesaver!" Sonic joked as he blew his nose. "I could totally get used to this. You see, I caught a cold yesterday-"

"Please, be serious!" Exclaimed an exasperated genie.

"Okay, okay. Seriously though, thanks for the hankies!"

Shahra sighed. "Master, please. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes!" He replied confidently, feeling his cold leave him completely. "Let's head into this world of Arabian Nights! Oh, and enough with this 'master' stuff. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!"

Shahra nodded and conjured a carpet in front of them. "As you wish, Sonic, the Legendary Hedgehog."

Amala leaned over to Sonic and whispered, "Just go with it."


Long explanation:

I've missed writing a lot. My life has been a whirlwind in these past 4 years or so, and writing fell off my radar. I've finally reached a point of stability once again, and now I want to get back into writing.

I used to be extremely proud of the old Seven Rings in Hand story. At the time, it was really an achievement for me: it was popular among others my age, it was imaginative, and it was one of the first stories I actually finished.

8 years later, I don't feel that way anymore. The whole story feels a bit disjointed (though I will partially blame the scattered script of the original game for that), and had some seriously outlandish themes. Many times during reading that story, I thought of the phrase "0 to 100 real quick." Figures, since I was 16 at the time, and my filter at the time was sparse, if existent at all. Very little of that story was planned out before it made it onto the screen, and I remember that I often failed to connect my ideas via a flowing storyline.

I sincerely hope that this story is of a much better quality, and the storyline I have chosen appeals to all of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my stories and providing your support. Every review I receive fills my heart with joy, and I especially love receiving constructive criticism. I don't just write for funsies - I write because it is something I feel I can always improve on.

Finally, I apologize for any weird typos. I've written a lot of this story while at work on my iPad. It doesn't always catch my mistakes!