Hello everybody and welcome to the exciting sequel of the evil chaos emeralds. I started writing this story a long time ago after I finished the original but couldn't find the interest to finish it. Now here I am after completing my rewrite of the original to finish the sequel. Some of the original ideas remain intact but some of it is subject to change. Anyway, here is the sequel to the evil chaos emeralds.

Chapter 1: Looking For Closure

It had been nearly a year since Eggman was defeated and the evil chaos emeralds were destroyed. Life returned to normal for our heroes but there was one hedgehog that could not shake the events from his mind. Sonic was resting against a tree in the jungle, trying to clear his head from the images that filled it. In his anger he'd attacked Eggman, blasting him down through the atmosphere and back into the planet he so longed to conquer; only this time, he would not be around to try it again.

Looking at his palm, Sonic remembered the warm glow of the emeralds as they imbued him with power. They came through for him when he was in a pinch, just like he'd believed, but did he make the right decision with their power? Shaking his head from the indecision, he stood up and ran off to see if talking with Tails could help calm his doubts.

He arrived at the workshop to find Tails in the kitchen, packing a picnic basket.

"Hey Tails, what's up?"

"Oh hey Sonic" said Tails as he placed another sandwich in the basket "I was just finishing packing."

"Got a date with Cream today?"

Tails blushed at the thought.

"Well not really. I'm going to a picnic and she'll be there but so are Amy, Rouge, and Knuckles so it's not quite a date."

He closed the basket and turned to face the blue blur.

"You should come along. I was going to invite you earlier but I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I was in the jungle; I needed to clear my head. Actually that brings me to why I stopped by."

"Do you care if we talk about it while we walk? I don't want to keep the others waiting."

"Sure no problem" smiled the hedgehog.

The two of them exited the workshop and made their way down the stairs. The picnic was to be held on the grassy plain of Angel Island; a decision that was made to accommodate Knuckles. Despite his excitement to be with everyone, he couldn't help but let his guardian instincts control him. Sonic and Tails took their time as they walked, taking in the sights a little more closely than they normally would.

"So what's going on?" asked Tails.

"I keep having flashbacks to when I fought Eggman; it feels like I'm living it all over again."

"It's been about a year since you fought him, shouldn't everything be put to rest?"

"That's the thing Tails, there's one detail I didn't tell anyone about."

Sonic swallowed a lump in his throat before continuing, making sure to make eye contact with Tails.

"I tried to get Eggman to change his ways, I really did, but he was as stubborn as always. I told him he deserved to die…and then I killed him."

Tails was speechless at what he heard. He knew how serious Sonic was before he left that day, but for him to actually go through with killing Eggman was something unlike him.

"I…I thought he was just dormant, making another one of his crazy schemes."

"I can't forgive myself for what I've done. I let my anger at everything he's done get the best of me. Maybe I'm no better than Eggman."

"Don't say that Sonic" Tails tried to assure him "We never know what Eggman could've been planning and when he attacked us that day he wanted us to know it was kill or be killed. If you hadn't done that, then we might not be here today to enjoy this picnic."

"Still, I watched him fall to his death. I had the power to save him and I chose to end him. I don't know if I even deserve to use the chaos emeralds at all."

Before they could continue chatting, Amy ran up to them and attacked Sonic with a hug.

"Sonic!" she wailed "I missed you so much!"

He noticed his usual instinct of fearing Amy was strangely absent this time. He welcomed the invitation from her.

"Thanks Amy. I'm happy to see you too."

She smiled softly at him, her heart doing cartwheels in her chest. They had arrived at Angel Island and were greeted by the others as they took their place in the circle on the blanket.

"About time you got here" teased Knuckles "I thought I was going to starve to death."

"That's Knuckles for you" moaned Rouge "If he's not thinking about the master emerald he's thinking about his stomach."

"I could say the same about you!" he laughed.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Ok" Cream intervened "Let these two talk long enough and a fight is sure to break out."

She smiled at Tails as he sat down beside her.

"It's nice to see you again" she said as her cheeks became rosy.

Tails returned the gesture.

"Likewise" he said while rubbing the back of his head.

They all settled into their spots and let the memories flow as Amy passed out some sandwiches. It was almost surreal for Sonic, to be sitting with the friends that he nearly lost because of Eggman. He smiled away his pain and let the blue sky remind him of the hero he is. The group was so engrossed in their stories that they neglected to notice a certain purple weasel hiding in the bushes.

"I haven't had a bite to eat in forever" complained Nack as he held his stomach "I just have to be quick and that basket will be mine!"

Nack slowly moved in closer until he was in a bush just a few feet from the group. With great haste he lunged forward and snatched the basket, tumbling away from them and running away as fast as he could.

"Hey!" cried Rouge "That dirty weasel has our lunch!"

Sonic stood up and was getting ready to chase after him when he noticed a strange figure emerge and attack Nack with a torrent of fire! The figure pulled back the flames and held Nack up his by vest, dragging him back to the party. As they approached, the figure came into the light to reveal it was none other than Blaze the Cat.

"Sorry if I surprised you" she smiled "I think this belongs to you."

The group cheered and Cream hurried from her spot to give her friend a hug.

"It's good to see you too Cream" she smiled.

As they took a moment to welcome her, Knuckles caught sight of Nack as he tried to sneak away. He grabbed him by the vest.

"What's the big idea?" Knuckles shouted "Do you have to try and ruin everything?"

"I'm sorry!" he wailed "I was just hungry!"

"Well if you want a sandwich that bad then you could've just asked. You really need to change your attitude and maybe you wouldn't feel like you have to steal from us all the time."

Knuckles words touched Nack.

"You'd really let me eat with you guys?"

"Yes, as long as you stop trying to make my life Hell."

Nack chuckled and grabbed a sandwich from the basket, chomping at it viciously from hunger. The others laughed at this and returned to their spots at the picnic.

"It's awesome we get to see you again" noted Sonic "But it must be difficult travelling between dimensions like that. Is there any particular reason you came here?"

"Yeah actually" she answered "Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see you guys but there's another reason I'm here. There's going to be trouble showing up in your dimension really soon."

The others were puzzled at her words, unaware of what could possibly be happening.

-Several Days Earlier-

Deep in the mountains were the remains of Eggman's fortress. There was little more than the supporting floor and various piles of broken glass and chemicals. Traces of Eggman's work still lingered but were destroyed in the explosion. A figure hiding himself in a black robe shuffled about, taking in the sights of the destruction.

"Such a waste" he spoke with sadness in his voice "Of all the creative minds I've ever met, yours was the most perfect. We could've ruled this world together; and all others beyond it."

He glanced down at his gloved hand that held seven square emeralds within it. He teleported away to a grassy knoll just behind the mountains where a tombstone sat at its peak. It wasn't much but considering Eggman's body was completely erased, it was all he could do. The wind blew a cold breath across the air, further icing over the heart of this mysterious man.

As he reflected on the sight of the tombstone, another hooded figure appeared behind him.

"It really is a shame" he spoke with an eerie innocence "It's very rare to find a man as smart as him."

The face of the figure had fur around his mouth as he smiled to himself.

"But I think you are his equal and then some; Eggman Nega."