Unstoppable Inferno, Uncontrollable Flood
A Sonic the Hedgehog fanfiction.
Part 1
By Hikari-san42
Rating: T – for curse words and violence; no death.
Pairing(s): None
Summary: In the medieval Mobius, Users of Water, Fire, and Gaia are able to manipulate the elements surrounding them to do their bidding. One Water User – a young fox with double tails – is challenged with a task from the Echidna princess. He is to travel across the land, accompanied by a blue criminal with a gift in Fire and the ability to run with the speed of the Wind. Will he be able to control his unlikely friend and complete his quest?
Warnings: STRONG AU – Jump from cannon. Fantasy story. OOC Characters, and a few forgotten characters making an appearance.
NOTES: (Expanded upon more on the bottom) This is a gift for Yami-sama42 for our third Friendaversary on the 28th of June. It is also my contribution to the Sonic 20th Anniversary celebration. I know it's not all nostalgic and junk like Generations and every other piece of fanart and fanfiction coming out for the celebration, but I like to challenge the norm. This will encompass as many characters as I can shove in, and I will try to include as many places as possible. Also, as it has a deadline on when it needs to be finished, THIS IS MAINLY A COLLECTION OF SCENES CONNECTED BY ONE SOLID PLOT. Please keep this in mind as you read. Thank you.
"You called, Lady Tikal?" A high pitched voice asked, bowing low at the waist and allowing large eyes to close. Once the appropriate three seconds had passed, the young one rose, standing to his full height. He was tiny, only about eight years old, but his large blue eyes sparked with an intelligence that even the most weathered of scholars couldn't boast. Two tails sprouted behind him, constantly in motion, and a thick tablet was clutched in his arms.
"Yes, Sir Miles," the woman seated in front of the fox answered, standing and gracefully stepping down towards him. She was young as well, though not as young as the male, with red-orange fur that hung in thick, long tresses around her head. Her eyes were a crystal blue, and a small unassuming crown rested on her brow. She held herself with nobility, but she allowed her features to show the stress of what she was undergoing. "I have a quest for you."
The kit's eyes widened and he swept lowly again. "I will do my best to fulfill whatever it is you may ask of me."
"As you know, our enemies are encroaching further and further into our boundaries, and our numbers are dwindling. I need you to go to the far reaches of our land and seek out the one called Knuckles. He has the key to our success."
"Yes, milady. I will do my best." He looked at her, a hint of fear in his eyes. "Is anyone to accompany me?"
"Yes, my mage," she clapped her hands, and two guards clanked their way in, weighed down by heavy armor. Between them, they carried a bloodied and bedraggled form. The fox had to struggle to keep a gasp from escaping his lips. "My guards have informed me that this criminal has been effectively neutralized and that he wishes to help with our cause. You may know of him."
The guards threw the limp being onto the floor between the young one and the female, and he lay there, unconscious.
"Sonic?" The mage twisted around, dropping the tablet in his hands. "Sonic the Hedgehog, Lady Tikal? He's the man who almost killed you in your sleep!"
The princess raised her hands, making a calming motion towards the fox. "Calm, young Tails," he froze at the familiar nickname. "I know you are still young and easily impressionable, but I also know that you are not easily sold on public opinion. I trust that you will give him the benefit of the doubt and allow him to help you in your quest. He could prove to be most useful."
Tails gulped low in his throat as the blue form on the ground started to twitch. "How can we be sure that he can be trusted?"
"We can't." Blunt and to the point, Tikal smoothly swung a hand towards the slowly waking hedgehog. "But do you not see his gloves, Mage Tails? They are fingerless; the sign of a Fire User." She then moved her hand around to gesture to the fox's own gloves. "Much the same way yours do not possess fabric to cover your palms. I'm sure you could control him easily."
The kit looked down at his hands, permanently wrinkled from constant practice of his Craft, and he smoothly ran a gloved finger over the bare skin of his palm, not blocked by the pristine white that dictated his position. "I still don't understand… Why have you deemed that he be worthy of a Royal Quest?"
The princess's eyes twinkled as she turned to go sit back on her throne and review the battle commands sent from her father on the frontlines. "We are but pawns, young one. You are yet too naïve to understand the complex game going on around you, but you shall, soon enough."
With a heavy sigh, Tails turned, taking the tone used by the girl as one of dismissal. Passing by the blue comatose form on the ground, he stopped near the hands, leaning down and grabbing one gently, eyeing the fingertips. They were blackened, not tan like the rest of his arms and hands, confirming what the princess had been hinting at. With another sigh, he let the hand drop, standing and starting towards the large wooden doors.
Before he could take one step however, a loud concussive boom sounded behind him and the entrance exploded into flames, licking eagerly at the timber and moving towards the equally wooden ceilings.
Tails reacted quickly, throwing both hands out with a thick, startled cry and letting long jets of clear, pure water shoot out of his palms and into the fire. The liquid extinguished the blaze quickly, and Tails could feel his fur standing on end as he turned slowly to see the source of the inferno.
Sonic the Hedgehog, attempted murderer and apparently reformed criminal, was grinning hugely, sending a shiver up the young fox's spine. "Hello, fellow User." His eyes twinkled and he sat up easily from where he was lying on his stomach, blowing away the smoke that was drifting off the tips of his fingers. "Shall we play a game of wits, or of might?"
o0o
To say Tails was upset would have been an understatement. He stormed his way into the Captain of the Guard's office in a blind rage, frozen water crystals hanging about his head like some unearthly crown. The air in the room dropped ten degrees as his anger rolled off him in tangible waves, making every person he passed shiver.
Everyone in the palace knew of the young fox, having seen him doing odd jobs for the princess or running around with the children that inhabited the stronghold. He had captured the hearts of everyone, even the princess, because of his young face and innocent behavior. His past was shrouded in mystery, and not a single soul could actually pinpoint exactly when he had shown up in the building.
He was a Mage – one of a select group of people who could manipulate the elements around them – and so was gifted with white gloves, a privilege usually reserved for those of noble birth or high learning. (Since Mobians didn't wear clothes, the style and color of the gloves would tell someone all they needed to know about a person, whether they be commoner or royalty.) Not one person had seen him angry, so it was a sight to behold as he stomped around the castle, throwing ice crystals about as if they were playthings. His gift was Water, and he could summon it from nowhere, as well as conjure it and throw it any direction, in any form. He was a force to be reckoned with when angry, and everyone took extra care to be out of his way.
He slammed open the doors to the Captain of the Guard's chambers without touching them, splashing water every which way, but somehow managing to stay dry. The person sitting behind the desk didn't flinch a bit though, and he calmly looked up at his furious caller.
"Espio!" Tails screeched, swooping into the room, letting the ice crystals hanging in the air fall to the ground. They evaporated quickly, going up in a puff of steam. "What is the meaning of this?"
The man was a magenta chameleon with a yellow horn sprouting from his head, amber eyes shining brightly in the candlelight. He was thin, but he held a commanding air, like nothing could get past those sharp eyes of his. His gloves were green, with a thick black stripe running from the tips of his index and middle fingers down to his wrists, showing his Guard status. A small star placed in the middle of his right palm announced his position of Captain.
"The meaning of what, Mage Tails?"
He spoke in a low voice, but with a warm tone. Tails and Espio were old friends, the chameleon basically raising the fox since he had been a tiny child.
"Princess Tikal assigned me a quest today, did you know?"
"Congratulations, Tails. This is a great hono-!"
"But, that is not the best part Captain! I am to be accompanied by a known criminal! One that your soldiers declared reformed!"
"Calm, Tails. I assure you that anything that has passed this day is for the better of our country and our king. Tell me, which criminal is it you speak of?"
"Sonic!" The word was spat with venom, as if it were poison on his lips.
Espio clucked low in his throat. "I see." Easily, he stood and walked across the room. Reaching a small shelf, he bent down and grabbed a thin scroll. He walked back to his desk before unrolling it and taking a look. "It says here that Sonic the Hedgehog is a known Fire User and attempted murderer of Princess Tikal. He has spent two years in prison, and has shown signs of remorse and even loyalty to his princess. It was determined earlier this week that he should be released and given a second chance, because of his rare gift."
"Yes, yes," the eight year old replied, waving a hand. "I know all of that. I would like to know why exactly he is so important that he must come with me on my mission! I was expecting a guard or two! Not a criminal!"
Espio seemed only to be half listening to Tails. He carefully moved a finger down the paper, moving his mouth as he read the words written there. "Hm. Interesting."
"What? What is it?"
"His Second Gift." Espio rumbled thoughtfully.
"He has a Second Gift? From what I've heard, he only has one."
"How do you suppose he got all the way up to the Princess's chambers without being seen, Tails? It wasn't by using his Elemental gift."
"Well, what is his Second Gift? Is it Air based?"
A nod. "No one person that has seen it could testify in total faith that it actually was him, because they claimed that all they saw was a blue blur, but it says here that Sonic can run faster than the wind itself."
o0o
The next day found Tails pacing in this small room, thick stone tablet clutched in his hands. He was reading the weird symbols inscribed on the rock intently.
"Water Users are strong against Fire Users, but weak against Gaia Users. Chaos Wielders are stronger than the others, though they are weak without a Gaia User nearby…" He spoke to himself, attempting to memorize the table scratched into the stone. "Wind is the uncontrollable Element, though some Mages are given a Second Gift based in Wind – or Air, as some entitle it. The degree at which the Mage has mastered his Craft determines the power of the Second Gift."
He sighed, blowing his bangs out of his eyes and wiping a hand across his brow. He was to leave on his quest in three days, and he still didn't have the basics of his Craft memorized…
"When given a quest by a royal, the Mage receives a special pair of gloves to dictate the importance of his journey, as well as to allow him access to anything that would usually be barred from him. He is to wear these gloves proudly and keep them clean. If the gloves are dir-."
He was cut off when a loud knock jolted him from his thoughts, making him jump and almost drop the tablet. "Enter." He called shakily, holding a hand to his heart.
"Sir Miles?" A young apprentice a few years older than Tails opened the door and bowed lowly before speaking again. "The princess has requested that you meet with Sonic the Hedgehog and assess his abilities as a User, as well as his Second Gift."
The fox took a deep breath, steeling his nerves, before laying the tablet on his small bed and turning towards the door.
The boy led him down a few halls and down a set of stairs, into the dungeon of the castle. Most of the journey was a fog to the kit, his thoughts spinning with the facts he was still trying to memorize. Vaguely, he could hear his soft footfalls on the stone steps, but that was all he remembered as he moved further and further underground, his eyes slowly adjusting from sunlight to candlelight.
"We've arrived, Mage." The apprentice muttered, bowing low again before turning. He left Tails with two guards, standing in the middle of a huge stone room with the criminal in question tied to a chair in the center. He was fully conscious this time, his hands tied securely behind his back with what looked like thick metal shackles.
"Hello, young User," he greeted, his low voice sending chills up Tails' backbone.
One of the guards roughly cuffed the hedgehog across the skull, making his head snap forward and meet his chest. "Be silent. The Mage is here to see if your Craft is fully developed, not to hear you gab."
He didn't speak again, but his deep, green eyes sparked a bit as he gazed at Tails through narrow slits. The fox shivered a bit, and he calmly attributed that to the way the cold seemed to seep into his bones and not how the hedgehog's stare seemed to reach into his very soul.
"Mage," the younger of the guards started, walking up to Tails and placing a thick hand on his shoulder. "We understand that you are only eight years old but-" At this, Tails' eyes narrowed and he shrugged off the hand, feeling the air drop a few degrees as his power was fueled by his anger.
"I may only be eight, like you so helpfully pointed out, but I am also one of the princess' elite. You would do well to remember that." With that, he stomped up to the hedgehog, taking notice of the calculating edge in his eyes. "I take it you think you're some important fool because you deserve so much attention from the princess and her guards. I'm here to tell you that this is not the case. You have shown signs of promise, and the court has deemed it necessary that you prove yourself by accompanying me into the Green Hill Forest, in search of something. You will be told more if you are found trustworthy."
"And if I'm not?" The hedgehog asked, voice a little sound in the large room.
"I know not of your outcome should you disappoint the princess." Tails suddenly spun around, namesakes whirling with him and barely missing the blue one. "Release him, guards. We can't very well test his abilities if his hands are bound!"
"But Sir Tai-"
"Must I remind you that I am here in response to a request from her Highness?"
"N-no, Mage Tails," the younger guard's voice was nervous, and he wasted no time rushing forward and sliding a key into the lock on the shackles.
Once the hedgehog was free, he stood easily, rubbing at his wrists. He opened his mouth, possibly to let out some sort of sarcastic comment, but Tails cut him off.
"Shoot me."
"What?" Sonic's voice was colored with disbelief. Shoot at a Royal Mage? Surely this was a trap to get him sent to an early hangman's noose…
"Do it. I am here to judge your ability in battle and your reaction times. Shoot me so that we may do battle."
At this, a sly grin overcame the hedgehog's face, and he leaned back easily on one foot. "You may be surprised, Young User, to find that my reaction times are more than they appear."
And, with that, he disappeared in a flash of blue.
o0o
"It is hard for me to say this," Tails reported hours later, standing in the middle of the Court, his fur looking a tad bit singed, "but the criminal is well-versed in his Craft, and his Second Gift is truly remarkable."
"It is true then?" Tikal asked, sitting just a smidgen higher. "He justly can run with the winds on his heels?"
The little fox nodded, clasping his hands in front of him. "Much faster, my princess. I believe I have only witnessed the beginnings of his power."
The echidna female nodded at this, leaning back a little. "Then he is acceptable, Tails? Were you able to control him?"
A golden head nodded slowly. "Once I took to the air and I could see his movements a bit better, I was able to douse him before he could light his fingertips. His strength seems to lie, not in his Craft, but in his speed. He relies more heavily on his Wind Gift than on Fire."
"Strange," the princess hummed, leaning her chin into her hand in thought. "Peculiar, but not unheard of, as I'm sure you know."
Tails colored at this, his tails wrapped around his face to help hide his embarrassment. "My tails are not a thing of Mages, milady." He answered respectfully, glaring down at said appendages. "When I was born, a Chaos Wielder predicted that I would only come to be evil."
"This I know, little one, but here you are, doing the bidding of my kingdom. Chaos Wielders aren't the best fortune tellers, as I'm sure you know." She winked, making Tails smile. "Moreover, I believe that your tails are a Gift of the Wind. They allow you to fly, do they not?"
"Yes, milady, but are they not the same as a bird's wings in that aspect then?"
"Nay, I think not. You were born a land based creature, yet you soar above the rest of us. The gods have blessed you, young one. I suggest you embrace that. Your brain is large; I'm sure you can."
"Yes ma'am," his voice was low and small, and he slowly bowed before backing away. "If that is all, then I must continue my studying before I leave in two days."
"Halt, my mage," the princess' voice was strong and loud compare to the fox's, and he froze in his tracks. "Do you believe that I called you before me for just a report?" Silence followed her pronouncement, and she continued hastily, clapping her hands three times and motioning towards the back of the room. "There is another reason for your being summoned. Your quest gloves were completed earlier this day and it was decided that you would receive them early, so you may get accustomed to them."
Tails was struck speechless, and he watched, agape, as a guard marched in holding a very ornate box adorned with various symbols. Flames licked up the side, water swirled across the top, green leaves snacking around amongst the blue and red, and small different colored stones mixed in. The whole thing looked well-used and faded, but even the test of time couldn't take away from the significance of such a chest. It held his quest gloves, sized and designed specifically for him.
"I'm honored," the little fox breathed, falling to his knees as the guard passed him and respectfully held the chest up to the princess. She opened it gingerly, easing the small pieces of fabric out carefully, fingering the silky material. She motioned him closer with her head and he tiptoed towards the throne, making sure to keep his head lower than hers.
"I have to say, these are the smallest quest gloves I've ever given out. You have large shoes to fill, young one, but I'm sure you will do legendary things." She placed the gloves into her lap before reaching for his hands and easily pulling his white gloves off. Then, she slipped the newer pair onto his hands, making sure to snap the small clasp under the wrist. Tikal stared down at his small hands for a second longer before patting them and letting them go.
In awe, Tails stared down at his hands, memorizing the pattern and design of his new apparel. They were covered in waves, rising high like they did in the Emerald Sea and scooping down low to kiss his wrist. On each finger, there were two rows of waves, each a different shade of blue. At the base of each finger, a spray of water was kicked up, going in two different directions, a strange white-blue color tinge in the spray. The surge reached all the way down to his knuckles before transforming back into ocean waves, alternating colors once more. A flip of the hand showed that the wave pattern continued around, cutting off at the flat part of his hand, where the glove was missing so he could practice his Craft. The tips of the fingers were also missing, allowing him freer movement and more control.
"Thank you," the eight-year-old breathed, clenching his hands into fists to test the flexibility of the fabric.
"Of course, my Mage. You are only getting what is entitled to you. Now, go rest. You are to leave in the morning."
"The morning, Lady Tikal?" The kit's eyes were wide, staring at the princess in shock. "But the royal guard informed me that you instructed I leave two days from now!"
"The human armies have moved further into our land, and we don't have two days to spare. I trust that you will be ready at dawn."
"Yes, milady." There was no questioning the princess once she made a decision, and he bowed once before backing out of the room. When he hit the long corridor outside the throne room, he bolted, taking to the air to avoid people and rushing into his room.
o0o
"Mage Tails?" The same apprentice from before knocked roughly on his door, sticking his head it without permission. "The Princess wishes that you visit with Sonic the Hedgehog while he gets his gloves and his instructions.
Tails sighed, placing the scroll currently resting on his lap onto the bed and scrambling onto the floor. He quickly followed after the other boy. They moved at a brisk pace, and it seemed like seconds later when Tails was standing back in the dungeon.
Sonic was sitting in the same chair as before, unshackled this time, with the princess and five guards before him. The girl held the same box that Tails had received his gloves from, and the fox couldn't help but stare at it. It seemed to have lost its luster now that it was held in front of the criminal.
"Come closer, young one." The princess called softly, opening the box. Slowly, Tails toed his way toward the girl, careful to keep his eyes on the unrestrained hands of the hedgehog. "I gift thee, Sonic the Hedgehog, with these gloves. They dictate your position in serving under me and your king, and you shall wear them with pride. Do not let them soil with dirt for tha-."
"Yes, yes," the blue one interrupted, holding his hand out. "I know how it works. Give me the gloves so you can go back to your important life and I may get some sleep. It is my understanding that the young User and I are to leave tomorrow."
Tikal stared at him in shock, her mouth dropping open. "Y-yes," she recovered, deciding against reprimanding him for breaking social protocol. "But, I must make it understood to you that if you harm my Mage, whether through accident or purpose, you will forever be banished, and hung if found."
The hedgehog rolled his eyes, and one of the guards standing around Tikal tensed. "I do not hurt children." His answer was short and to the point, accompanied with a tone that seemed to finish the conversation.
The meeting was over thirty seconds later, with the blue hedgehog putting his new gloves away and the princess and Tails walking away, stunned.
o0o
They left at dawn, escaping quickly into the semi-darkness. They ran at a sedate pace, fast enough to pass for a hurry, but slow enough to conserve energy.
Tails couldn't help feeling like he was running towards his doom. The criminal next to him was staring forward, looking completely rested despite only getting three hours of sleep last night. Suddenly, he seemed to sense that Tails was looking at him, and he snapped his head to the side. A small smile graced his face, and Tails felt a great feeling of peace and safety overcome him without his permission. "Calm, young one. You and I are on a mission, and I do not hurt those that are on my side."
How do you know I am on your side? The fox couldn't help thinking to himself, turning his head to look forward once more. And how can I be sure that you are on mine?
o0o
Tikal watched them until their forms faded into the trees of the distant forest, standing in the dim light of her window, hand on the sill. Her spines were loose, like she had just climbed out of bed, and there was a sweet smile on her face, as if she was completely at peace.
Suddenly, a dark hand snaked its way onto her shoulder, pulling her roughly back into the room. She didn't make a sound, though she did flip around violently, ready to attack whoever had their hands on her.
"Princess!" Another identical hand was slapped over her face, stilling the scream working its way up her throat. "It's me!"
The girl's eyes widened and she glared at her attacker, placing her unrestrained hands on her hips. Roughly, she said something into the hand covering her mouth, the muffled speech sounding very much like a death threat.
The other quickly reeled back, letting her go and sputtering out apologies.
"Shadow!" She hissed, glaring with harsh eyes, anger coloring her form. "What are you doing here? You know how dangerous it is!"
The other figure, now revealed to be a dark colored hedgehog, held up his hands, showing off the black gloves of an outcast. "I'm sorry, my queen." He bowed lowly, his black and red quills catching in the candlelight. "But I had to see the individuals who you were sending off today." He nodded towards the window, moving away at the same time. "Those were the ones that threaten you so?"
Tikal's eyes widened again and she rushed forward, placing her hands over the other's mouth in an attempt to shush him. "Hush, Shadow! There are ears everywhere!" She paused, finally catching what he had said. "And I'm not the queen. Not yet."
The dark hedgehog ignored the last part of her statement, easing himself back into the conversation. "Do you believe that they will be able to succeed in getting what you want?"
"Oh, I know that they will fail, my faithful subject. That is what I'm counting on." She easily ran a hand along his cheekbone and down to his chest, resting it over his heart. "The Chaos Mages have predicted that the fox will unwind my fate. I can't have a child, no matter how powerful, taking from me what is rightfully mine. The criminal's heart is strong, and the Mage is still naïve, he trusts too easily. I do not doubt that the hedgehog will influence the young one into doing something he believes is right. Then, the child will be a criminal, and my guard will have no choice but to give him the proper punishment."
Shadow nodded, grabbing the hand resting on his chest. Easily, he raised it to his lips, kissing it lightly. "But, if they do reach Knuckles, what then?"
The princess snatched her hand back, chuckling lightly. "Knuckles it but a myth, along with those blasted Emeralds." She turned then, walking back towards her bed. "Now, get out of here. You are still an outcast in my father's eyes, and if you are caught in my chambers you will be killed." She waved her hand towards the window in a rushing motion. "Follow the criminal and young one. Make sure they don't make it to the other side of the forest." She smiled evilly then, climbing back underneath the covers. "The Water User has yet to come across a Chaos Wielder. Why don't you show him what you are capable of?"
"Yes, my qu- princess." Shadow bowed again before standing and snapping his fingers. In a flash of light, a bright green ball of energy flared at his fingertips, lighting the room with an ominous glow. "I will make sure that the young one never wonders about the power of Chaos."
End Part 1
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