The Legend of Sticks and the Shattered Crystal
Prologue
Sticks, Sticks, Sticks... Sticks is an orange and black jungle badger known more commonly as Sticks the Badger. And she is one of the more reclusive, mysterious, paranoid and important! Members of the unique and strange inhabitants of the far removed Bygone Island.
It had been only a few days since Sticks finished placing all of her Shinies in a nice pile. She got the Shinies from her friends Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy. She was given the Shinies in exchange for mysterious Ancient Crowns that she gathered on Bygone Island over the years. Her friends needed them while on a mission to stop the dreaded being known as Lyric the Last Ancient. Lyric was accidentally revived by Sonic and his friends earlier in the week, this happened because the heroes had no choice but to escaped from a small army of robots known as Destruction Troops. And because of Metal Mach! Long ago Lyric created Destruction Troops with the intention of taking over the world by destroying organic life, however the Ancients and their champion Mach the Hedgehog created Metal Mach to be the vanguard to stop Lyric and his forces. However Dr. Oliver Eggman discovered the robots, and used his knowledge of the Ancients in order to make the robots obey him. Even Metal Mach became a dreadful force of evil, and he was so strong that he crippled Sonic in their first fight.
Within days after Lyric was revived, Sonic and his friends learned about the secrets of Lyric and Mach the Hedgehog. Thanks to the A.I. robot known as MAIA, Sonic and Tails traveled into the past and learned that the hedgehog DNA that Gerald Robotnik used to create Shadow the Hedgehog was actually Mach's DNA! And Mach revealed he is a member of an order called the Knights of Chronos. The Order was meant to keep things from tampering with time, and he tested Sonic and Tails in a death match before they time traveled to meet him for the first time from their perspective. After Lyric was defeated Mach appeared and approved of Sonic's work in stopping the reptile. However Lyric, unknown to the heroes he had help from a robotic being and escaped and now he wants vengeance!
Sticks' friends had to return to the Kingdom of Acorn on Westside Island, before they got news of Lyric's escape, ironically the time of the escape happened when they were all celebrating his defeat. The heroes' mistake was assuming Lyric wouldn't be able to leave his lair, which allowed the strange robotic being the opportunity to save the last of the Ancients. "It's all some kind of trap! I bet that princess is going to indoctrinate or assimilate those perfectly fine heroes into pawns of her will! They'll become some kind of nasty mutants made in her image for her ideal utopia! Never trust royalty because royalty created governments!" She said to herself as she thought over what happened when they left.
"I know of someone else who'd do that. But not Sally." A person said, they startled Sticks and made her shriek and jump up on to one of her piles of junk in her burrow. "Sorry for the scare Sticks."
Sticks growled a little. "Green! You know I don't like it when people read what I'm saying!" She cried out while glaring a little. Green wasn't sure what she was talking about, but brushed it off as just Sticks being herself.
Green had a heavy sigh as he shook his head. "I'm sorry I came at a bad moment... Well what I mean is I'm sorry I came in uninvited."
Sticks glared at her friend, she then jumped down and landed in front of him. "Don't worry about it. I don't really invite people and show up uninvited all the time. It's the only way I can't be tracked or easily have my friends used against me by organizations." Sticks smiled a little as she explained.
Green scratched the back of his head. "Anyway... Mom, dad and the Rose family are looking over the remains of robots. And I had something shiny for you my friend." Sticks then rubbed her hands together.
"You had me at Shiny!" The jungle badger said as she hugged Green.
Later on at the Rose House, Green and Amelia's families were looking over the remains of robots. "The sword on this brawns Swordsman Trooper got cracked badly by Amy's hammer." Green's father said as he looked it over.
Green's mother looked at a laser cannon. "Seems some Blaster Guards and Swordsman Guards had their shields ripped clean off by the Enerbeams in most of the fights. And some of the Blaster Trooper cannons didn't explode upon destruction of their body." She said as she looked at shields that were no longer functioning.
Nicolas the Holo-Lynx scanned over robotic remains. "A shame Tails couldn't study with us. But that happens when you're with Sonic and charge head strong into danger and just go forward." The A.I. did a lot of scanning and reconstruction of images of the robots.
Sticks looked at Nicolas with suspicion, she didn't trust machines at all, or rather she didn't trust things she didn't create and just disliked sentient machines. "What's the A.I. doin'?" Sticks asked Green.
"He's just going to explain about these Ancient robots." Green said as he sat next to Sticks on a sofa. Sticks was glad she was sitting next to Amelia Rose and Green.
Nicolas then explained about the machines. "The Bomber Elite is a golden D.T unit that has rapid fire abilities and walks on three legs. Charger units resemble small two legged dinosaurs, Charger Dart units resemble pachycephalosaurias and use their powerful horns in their attacks. The Commando Husks are the various husks of Destruction Troops found inactive across the islands. Crusher Brutes are the massive commander modals used to crush enemies with massive spike bludgeons and other nasty weapons, their armor is among the strongest for ground units. Driller Snakes are one of the fewer existing units that Lyric primarily deployed for use in underground reconnaissance. Fridge Brutes and Flame Brutes are elemental weaponry based versions of the Crusher Brutes. Gatling Elites were Destruction Troops very similar to the Bomber Elite but had weaker armor. The Gunslinger Trooper units were units used to fire laser blasts with both arms and Gunslinger Guards were shield wielding variants." After Nicolas was halfway through his explanation three small robots came and gave everyone refreshments.
"Thankfully the Minion robots were easy to reprogram. Stuart, Kevin and Bob are some of the funniest and most useful robots I've had use for in the house." Green's father said as the three Minions left to watch TV.
Sticks growled at the next image Nicolas showed. "Parasite Snakes are evil robots!"
"You've got that right. Just one of those things caused a lot of trouble, I remember when the first one we encountered reactivated a dormant Swordsman Trooper. Well more to the point the Parasite Snake was reactivated when it was already inside the robot." Green said as he remembered the trouble those robots made.
"Indeed... Thankfully Sonic and the others either destroyed them or destroyed the Commando Husks in their adventures." Nicolas said as he went for the next bit of information. "Lyric was cleaver when he made the Ring Thief D.T units. They are one of the few robots we've encountered that steals Rings and uses them, their 21st century A.D recon drone design makes them agile. Swarmer units are essentially self-guided ordinance. Shocker units are aerial units that have rapid fire capabilities. And now I shall present the dangerous Roller Bouncer, which can utilize the Sonic Spin attack. Roller Recoiler units that can utilize the Spin Dash attack. Roller Shocker units which can utilize both abilities from the last two unites mentioned." After Nicolas finished he ended his hologram.
Sticks wasn't too impressed with what she saw. However she enjoyed the nice hugs from her friends. "I have a feeling that things will be good..." Sticks said with a big smile. "Which means things might turn into disaster!" Sticks cried out while looking at thin air. She then looked at the shiny object Green got her, and she loved it. Sticks was glad to have a moment, where she wasn't completely paranoid about something, even if the moment lasted for a few minutes.
Chapter 1
The Ancient Discovery
Green the Hedgehog was busy training with Nicolas in the jungle near his parent's house. Green didn't often do much physical exercise because he always felt that all the running and jumping he always did was all the exercise he'd need. However his parents insisted he tried training with his friends and family more often, Green was currently running down a series of wooden roads that his parents built long ago as part of a training regimen they made for themselves. While Green was running, his girlfriend Fiona Fox started running alongside him. "Hey handsome. You're looking pretty good today." She said with a smirk as she kept up with him.
"Hey Fiona." Green said as he was keeping himself at what would be considered an average pace. "How's the team been?"
Fiona knew that Green was talking about their team of mercenaries called the Destructix who now work for G.U.N in order to make up for all the trouble they made in the past. "They're doing alright, though Flying has been a bit of a hassle lately."
"He always has been." Green said as he jumped over to another road and she followed. "Mom and Dad have been doing well. Though I've been starting to experience what it's like being in a family. At least the way people typically describe parents."
"I get ya... My folks have been getting a little unhappy with the full extent of my past now known to them." Fiona said while rolling her eyes.
Green and Fiona quickly saw Nicolas and chased him to the Seaside Coast of Bygone Island. The two Mobians quickly ran out to the workshop that Tails had set up with help from Cliff and Green's parents, once there Nicolas and Amelia welcomed the exhausted couple and were glad that they rested up. Amelia also was listing some of her findings in the search for the Lost Crystal.
Meanwhile in another Location
Lyric the Last Ancient was with Destruction Troops and was busy looking for something in a small ravine. (Sonic and his friends may have defeated me. But thanks to Cinos, I have everything I'll need to locate the shards of the Lost Crystal.) Lyric thought to himself as he watched his minions start digging. "Idiots! It was futile to try to stop me! I will have what's rightfully mine!" Lyric said to himself while thinking of the beings he hated so much.
Then out of the blue a dark colored hedgehog came down from a nearby waterfall. "You won't survive this time Lyric!"
Lyric turned, (could it be?!) He blinked a couple times. (How is this possible?!) He knew exactly who he was looking at. "So Mach, you're still alive."
Mach ignored Lyric and glare at him and the Destruction Troops. "Justice must be had by any means necessary." He noticed Lyric came closer. "I'm not weak enough to make Sonic's mistakes!"
Lyric grinned. "I always liked your style. You'll serve me and Cinos well." Lyric tried to coil around Mach.
"I'll never serve you!" Mach shouted as Lyric started to coil around him. Lyric was faster than Mach remembered, it was like he was upgraded since they last met.
Lyric hissed in delight as his tail tri-claw pulled out a device hidden in his armor. "I insist." Then he swiftly placed the device on Mach's head and then said with a grin and triumph in his tone. "Welcome to my army... Fool!" Mach was now being mind controlled by Lyric.
Days later in a Canyon
Sticks the Badger was running in fear. Rocks were falling all around her in a canyon gorge, Sticks looked behind herself as she ran and shouted. "I told 'em the Rocks were out to get me!"
Then out of the blue, Green the Hedgehog and Zack the Echidna came down into the canyon. Green was worried about Sticks, but he decided to be funny. "Hey Sticks. Havin' fun?" He said as he carried her away to safety.
Sticks liked Green a lot, in the short time they knew each other he was becoming a brother figure to her. "Ha! Yer funny!" Sticks said as she laughed.
Green grinned. (Nice to see her smile and laugh.) He thought to himself.
Zack charged at the rocks. The tall echidna looked back to the two for a moment and shouted. "I'll handle these!" He then decided to use a head-butt on an incoming rock, which hurt him. Sticks was now very concerned.
Then Nicolas in his hologram form and Amelia Rose arrived at the top of the canyon. Nicolas used his flight abilities and then used his new Enerbeam (which he created for the team to use) so he could lift his friends to safety. "Green, grab on!" The A.I. said as he saw Amelia use her own Enerbeam.
Green used his head to notion Sticks to jump. "Thanks." He said as he proudly used the Enerbeam in order to escape.
Sticks quickly asked. "Is this thing safe?" While holding on to the Enerbeam like it was a jungle vine.
Amelia with great concern shouted out. "Just grab on!" She made sure Sticks caught her Enerbeam.
Zack then started climbing out of the canyon. Green and Nicolas landed on the ground and helped Zack up. "What were you doing down there?" Amelia asked her friend with concern as she helped her up.
Sticks in spite of her experiences had a grin as she said. "I was gettin' info from the Rocks."
Amelia chuckled a little. (Sticks can be such a kid at times.)
Sticks then yelled out with great insistence. "I was! An underground army's gonna rise up and destroy us all!" She then panted as she looked at her friends.
Green was interested in Sticks' claims. (Sounds like the remnants of the old D.E.L of the Nerb Chapter. Or something to do with Lyric...)
Nicolas seemed to be thinking about the same thing. Amelia sighed she knew Sticks longer than Green and Nicolas and although she cared for her friend she found it scientifically a bunch of nonsense in regards to Sticks' claims, which she was use too hearing. "I'll leave you three to things here. I'm going back to my research on some Ancient ruins. We still need to find the Lost Crystal." Amelia then started walking away and yelled out, "Zack! I'll need you."
Zack nodded and followed Amelia. Many years ago when the First Robotnik War began, Amelia discovered Zack and believed he was the last purple echidna left in the whole world. He was found with a serious head injury and had some bandages and exercise tape on his body, it's unclear what exactly happened to him, but the result made Zack degrees into a childlike state of mind even though he was in his late teens to early twenties, he also suffered memory problems off and on, and acted very foolish. But Zack's most redeeming quality was his loyalty to his friends, especially Amelia even though he got on her nerves at times because of his foolishness. And he was very strong, strong enough to keep up with Knuckles. Zack worked closely with Amelia as a bodyguard and muscle to help unearth Ancient ruins.
While Amelia appreciated the extra muscle on her side, Zack was in his "are we there yet?" State of mind and asked every half hour the same question as he and Amelia traveled to the ruins she was going to study next. Once they were within sight of the ruins, Amelia faced him and asked him to guard the path, so she'd have some peace and quiet while researching the ruins. Zack happily agreed and stood in one spot and was vigilant as he guarded the entrance.
Meanwhile back at the canyon, while Amelia and Zack left, Green asked Sticks a question. "Was the army machine or living?"
Sticks seemed surprised that someone was actually listening to her. The reason Sticks was surprised is because most people didn't take her seriously because of both her age and the fact she grew up in the wild. She was also a bit of a loose cannon at times and paranoid on several things, especially the various governments of the world. And she has a strong dislike towards machines, especially robots. "I don't know, the Rocks started attacking when I asked those questions, of course touching one of them didn't help either. Rocks are very touchy and sensitive." The badger said with sincerity as she looked at Green.
The trio then began walking back to Bygone Island. "That's a shame... I wish we knew." Nicolas said. Nicolas cataloged the information that Sticks mentioned and wondered if she possibly had some kind of power that allowed her to talk with rock and mineral based lifeforms.
The trio then got to an old machine built by the Ancients, it was essentially a giant slingshot which an Enerbeam user could use for travel. Only a certain chain of islands around Bygone Island had these machines, and with them travel was a breeze. The large models like the one the three used could send them clear to another island, and they worked hard to make sure they safely worked. Sticks held on to Green as he fired his Enerbeam at the machine, it activated and then he stepped back and jumped and got sent flying, Nicolas followed behind, they noticed some kind of purple aura protected them as they went flying across the skies. After the three landed they sat down for a rest. "I agree with you Nicolas, especially since Sticks became fluent in standard Mobian and English. And those library visits have made her grammar much better." Green said as they walked after thinking over what Nicolas said, though a much delayed response his friend appreciated the reply.
"Hey! Just because I'm a feral badger doesn't mean I have bad grammar. I mean I'm way better at a ton of stuff next to other people." She said as they passed a tree.
Then out of the blue a beaver wearing a bowtie said. "Actually the current phrase is, much better." And the trio knew the beaver all too well. He was Fastidious Beaver, the beaver who ran the library and was a grammar enthusiast.
"Where did he come from?" Green wondered as they made it to Sticks' Burrow. Green looked at the odd lanterns that Sticks put up since they last met, "what's with all of these turquoise lanterns?" Green asked Sticks after taking a moment to examine the new decorations.
"I had a feeling something big was happenin' today. So I got out my family's Spirit Lanterns for when something big and sacred my family alone can do would happen!" Sticks said quickly as she grabbed the handheld of Nicolas and closed it. "And I'm not lettin' this machine see it. Because if he does then the government will know my secret!" Sticks looked like she was very concerned.
Green took Nicolas' handheld form, he then calmly said. "Don't worry Sticks, only we will know of these lanterns. I can respect keeping family artifacts secret." Green said as he got ready to leave, Sticks gave him a hug before he could say goodbye. After the friends said goodbye, Green and Nicolas headed back to Tails' Workshop. Green however felt he needed some alone time. The hedgehog then left for Seaside Beach of the Seaside Coast on Bygone Island.
Hours passed by, and at the Ancient Ruins. Amelia used her A.V.A to catalog all of her findings, she was curious why in these particular ruins there were warnings about Lyric. "All these glyphs keep mentioning Lyric." Then as she said that a snake cyborg came out of nowhere behind her.
"Am I so easily forgotten?" He asked with a sly grin. As he came out of the blue.
Amelia turned while startled by the huge cyborg, she then pulled out her Piko Hammer and asked the mighty serpent. "Who are you?!"
"I'm Lyric, the Last of the Ancients, and Timeless Overlord of this world!" And Amelia knew of Lyric all too well, she remembered everything her little sister Amy and her friends said about Lyric. And Cliff mentioned one of his big findings from a while back on a book about Lyric. "This time... You'll help me in my conquest Amy!" Lyric clearly mistook Amelia for her sister, but why did he want her? Regardless he fired a shot of lighting energy from his suite, and Amelia noticed that the button on his chest was replaced by some kind of seal. "Tell me what those symbols mean!"
"Back off Lyric!" Amelia said as she swung her hammer and kept his tail tri-claw away from her. She found it odd that Lyric didn't understand the language of his own people.
"Not until I know what those symbols mean. I know they'll lead me to the location of the fragments of the Lost Crystal!" Lyric said as he hit and broke a wall with glyphs on it.
Amelia then thought quickly for a moment, she theorized that there were a couple possibilities why Lyric didn't understand the language. One possibly could be that the Ancients changed their whole language before they vanished so Lyric could never find the Lost Crystal. Another could be that they wiped his mind of any knowledge on how to read their language, or it could've been that it was a secret code that Lyric didn't know about, another possibility could be something else altogether. "Why do you think your fellow Ancients hid the Shattered Crystal Fragments in the first place?" Amelia asked Lyric as they fought, she hit him hard before doing a back flip. "Too keep slippery snakes like you from finding them."
Lyric was angered by her remarks, he didn't realize she was eyeing her dropped A.V.A. "Those frightened fools were too weak to use the true power of the Lost Crystal! And now they're all dust in ruins. I could've made us far greater than any of the past Great Civilizations, but they fell just like the others. As the last of the Ancients, it's my birthright to own the Lost Crystal!" Amelia dodged attacks from Lyric and then used her hedgehog speed to get to her A.V.A before Lyric noticed.
Once Amelia was a fair distance away from Lyric, she quickly used her A.V.A to contact Green on his own A.V.A, "Green come in!"
Green answered Amelia's call while standing near a palm tree on the beach he was at. "Hey Amelia, what's up?"
"The usual, exploring ruins and fighting for my life, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance." She said as she quickly tried to send her coordinates to her friend, along with some vital encoded information.
Then Lyric suddenly came behind Amelia. "Amelia! Behind you!" Green shouted as he tried warning his friend, but it was too late.
Lyric then used his tri-claw on his tail to hit the A.V.A and Piko Hammer away from Amelia. "You'll tell me what I need to know little girl."
Amelia got back on her feet. "I don't think so." Amelia said as Lyric's tail moved behind her.
Then suddenly, Lyric attached a mind control device on to Amelia much like what he did to Mach the Hedgehog. "What you think, is exactly what this device will reveal to me."
Green tried getting a good view of what was going on, on Amelia's end. He saw Amelia suddenly drop and then Lyric lifting her up with one of his tri-claw hands. "Who are you?" Green asked, he asked mainly to confirm if he actually was looking at Lyric the Last Ancient.
Lyric looked down at the A.V.A that belonged to Amelia, he saw something that was vaguely familiar just about the hedgehog but he couldn't place where or when he saw the being. Regardless he grinned and taunted the hedgehog. "You can call me Lyric, or Master! Honestly once I've ripped out of Amelia's brain the location of the Shatter Crystal Fragments, I don't care what you call me." Lyric then slithered away and used his tail tri-claw to smash the A.V.A so no one could track its location.
"Amelia! Amelia!" Green called out as he lost the connection. "Amelia if you can hear me I'm coming to save you!" Green said as he closed his A.V.A, he then thought to himself. (I'd better get to Nicolas and the rest of our friends on the island. Then we're going to stop Lyric and his forces of Destruction Troops once and for all. Sonic was too soft on Lyric... I may have to finish what Mach and I started with Lyric 5.000 years ago... But I don't remember much from my past life that encountered Lyric.) Green then took off, he was exploring the Seaside Beach of Bygone Island when all of this happened and knew he had to get back to Tails' Workshop that was established where Green's airfield belonging to his family was located. He jumped on Bounce Pads, ran across bridges, used Enerbeam Swings and jumped over water. However as Green explored, he encountered Destruction Troops, the robots weren't like any models he had seen before. He quickly destroyed the robots and was surprised that they were each taken down with only one Homing Attack. When he looked at the few remaining parts, he decided to take a couple and then saw something in the distance held in some kind of containment unit. Green ran towards it and felt a familiar power from it, he then slowly approached the containment unit and then stopped when he saw the familiar pink violet color of the Shattered Crystal. "I'd better take this quick." Green said as he touched the containment unit, it opened automatically and the Shattered Crystal Fragment floated to him, he took it and it went into Hammer Space, the same place where Chaos Emeralds went when he collected them and didn't need them.
Several minutes later Green encountered Nicolas at Tails' Workshop. "Hello Green. Did you enjoy your run on the Seaside Beach of the Seaside Coast on Bygone Island?" Nicolas asked his friend.
"A bit... Since when did you state where I've been exactly?" Green asked while sitting down on some sand.
"I just felt like talking like some G.P.S from the 21st Century A.D for the heck of it." Nicolas grinned and laughed a little.
Green blinked, "Okay... Anyway, Amelia got captured by Lyric in the ruins she was exploring." Green said, Nicolas quickly became more serious.
The holo-lynx then asked what happened, Green explained everything he knew. The two then went into the workshop and Nicolas played an old recording of an event that happened to the Ancients 5.000 years ago. The recording began with an explosion happening at the gates of an old temple with a long wall, then as the camera angle of the recording moved Lyric and Destruction Troops came into view. "Now do you see you old fools?! I am unstoppable!" Lyric hissed in triumph as he charged for the Lost Crystal. But as he entered the chamber where it was being protected, five priests of the Ancients used their powers over the Lost Crystal and shattered it. When Lyric saw this he shouted out, "no! That Crystal was mine! Its power... Arrrgh!" Lyric shouted before he was suddenly encircled by energy the priests were using from the Lost Crystal.
Lyric was knocked out, and then one of the priests spoke after she noticed Mach the Hedgehog was taking care of the Destruction Troops using her telepathy. "All we've done is slow him. He'll be free one day."
Another priest spoke, he said. "We must do what we can while he's incapacitated."
One of the priests picked up one of the fragments of the Crystal. "The power of this Crystal would've made him omnipotent. We must take the shards and scatter them." The priests shook their heads in agreement.
One of the other priests then added. "Not even Mach will know of their location." He said as they all vanished with the fragments.
When the recording ended Green scratched his nose a little. "I see... So Lyric was the reason the Ancients scattered the Lost Crystal into pieces across the islands."
Nicolas nodded. "In addition to what Sonic has told us. Lyric has attempted to take power from his fellow Ancients twice while they were alive. And to think he's resurfaced so soon since his last battle with Sonic and the others."
Green did find it a little odd how in such a short amount of time Lyric came back, and how the serpent looked like he had none of his old injuries and no evidence of being captured in the Enerbeams that Team Sonic and Amy used. "I counted at least 40 shards in the recording. We'd better find Sticks and get going." He was sure Nicolas found Lyric's resurfacing unusual as well.
"But first we'll need to find Q-N-C and bring him up to date on what's going on." And so the two heroes began another adventure to save the world.
Lyric has returned! Mach the Hedgehog and Amelia Rose captured! Metal Mach back in action?! Looks like we'll have a new series of adventures. And in the next chapter we'll see Sticks in action as she leads the heroes to save the world!