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Sonic and the Chaos Opal

~ Setting: Post Sonic Adventure 2 ~

"This is not simply my way, my own style,

Gotta get a hold of my life.

I wanna fly high.

So I can reach the highest of all the heavens."

- Tails' Theme -

Chapter one - The Animal Changing Machine

After defeating the Biolizard, all things were starting to wrap it self up like presents. Rouge left, no one really knowing where she was off to, perhaps to sever all ties to the government. Knuckles departed as well, returning to his rightful place at Angel Island protecting his beloved Master Emerald. Tails decided to start this time in an attempt to make a name for himself. Sonic, quickly followed up by Amy, went back home—to nights under a swinging hammock. During those lazy days Sonic ran, with no destination, no goal. He ran just to run. Everything slowly returned to the way it was before as if nothing ever really happened.

Winter came; the snow fell heavy that year. Amy on occasion stood outside in her cute little puffy coat watching the snowflakes descend like small little faeries to the ground. She looked up towards the sky and sighed.

"Oh Sonic," she whispered.

The gang made this little solemn grave commemorated to the unlikely hero—Shadow. The one who was misunderstood. At first they stopped frequently to pay their respects but slowly one by one, that amount decreased to only Sonic. And during this snowy day, Sonic stood watching the small stone slab that stood as a remnant of the "Faker".

"Stupid ass," he mumbled, "Why did you have to go on and die like that ....Stupid ass"

Sonic closed his eyes and clenched his fists. It was all a misunderstanding. Shadow the entire time acted only as a tool that carried out Gerald Robotnick's last wishes. He had his own pains and inner conflicts—in other words, he was one of us, one of the good guys. Sure, he was a little dark, but the moment he starts hanging out with us he could change. It could of really worked out for the better.

Sonic sighed. Perhaps it is better this way. He was the one who caused this and he—the imposter took responsibility of those actions, He became a hero. An infamous hero, but a hero nevertheless.

"Sonic?"

"Oh, Tails….it's just you," Sonic looked back once more and returned his gaze back to the memorial.

"Sonic…." Tails reached out a hand and placed it on his shoulder. "There was nothing we could do about it, even if he did survive, all the humans still considered him an enemy—the government will be searching for him."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sonic slowly closed his eyes.

Yes, the misunderstood.

Tails moved his hand and placed his arm around Sonic's shoulder consolingly. "Sonic, lets go to my house, I wanna show you something."

Sonic lifted his head and stared right into Tail's eyes. There was a sly twinkle in them. Tails broke off from him and flew ahead.

"Come on Sonic, I'll race you!!"

Sonic flashed a grin, "Tails, you know better than to race me," He shrugged his shoulders, "But if you insist, just don't cry when I leave you in the dust."

"Heh, I'm big now, you'll never see me crying!" Tails called back.

Sonic sped off leaving a line of dust for Tails to choke on—but he had a plan. Sonic ran through the forest that surrounded the mystic ruins, zoomed passed Big's house. Froggy, Big's best buddy, got caught in the gust of wind and flew in the opposite direction.

"Froggy!!!" cried Big the cat with a passion.

Sonic jetted across the lake, over a couple of mountains and hills, jumping over cliffs and speeding through valleys, finally stopping suddenly and abruptly at the doorstep of Tails home/workshop.

"Hmmm, "Sonic placed his hand shading his eyes to get a good view of the surrounding area. "Heh, and I took a huge detour too, oh well, I guess I win again."

"Guess again," said a familiar voice behind him.

"Huh?!" Sonic turned around to see Miles Tails Prower standing in the doorway with a smile from ear to ear, "Are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna come inside?"

"Tails how did you…?"

"I'll explain, just come inside."

"Whoa…" Sonic breathed as he walked inside Tail's home. It was barely recognizable. There were ticking clocks and moving gears all over the place. Miles had small robot chaos that acted like servants. Omachao served them both a cup of warm hot coco. Sonic seated himself, his mouth open as Tails set down a strange disk like device on the table.

"Tails what the hell is all this?"

"Oh," Tails noticed his friend's reaction and laughed a little, "I've spent all winter long here in my shop experimenting different gadgets. I've borrowed a lot of ideas from Gerald Robotnick's research."

"Wha?" Sonic's eyes widened.

Tails blushed, "I couldn't help myself. Sure he was bad, but he was a genius. I secretly downloaded all available information on him and his research before ejecting from the space colony ARK."

"Hurmmmmm…" Sonic crossed his arms and closed his eyes in deep thought, "So how did you beat me, you must of cheated, somehow."

"Heh, heh, I did."

Sonic looked up to see Tails lifting the disk-like device to pass on to him, "What's this?" he asked, taking it into his hands.

"It's a trans-particle device."

Sonic moved the gadget about in his hands to examine it on all sides, "Tails speak English please," he asked lowering the object back on the table to look right at him.

Tails only sighed, "It's a teleportation device."

"Teleport?" Sonic picked the thing up again and gawked at it, "Really Tails? You teleported using this thing?!"

"Yup!" announced Miles quite happily.

"So this whole time I was running..."

"I was here waiting for you," finished Miles.

"Whoa Tails," Sonic crossed his arms and slowly nodded, "You never cease to amaze me."

To hear that kind of praise coming from his hero and friend caused his cheeks to glow with bashfulness and pride. So this is my own way, thought Miles. My style, my manner of making an impact on the people I care about. So they can one day say; Miles "Tails" Prower was a good fox who did such and such. Make my own way so they can know me instead of just Sonic's best friend.

"So…uh, this is what you wanted to show me?" asked Sonic who stood and began stretching his legs.

"No, no!" Tails stood suddenly, he knew how quick Sonic was to leave from one place and wanted to catch him before he did, "My reason for bringing here is to show you my latest invention.

Sonic lifted an eyebrow, "You mean this," he lifted the trans-particle device, "Is not your newest invention?"

"Nope!" Miles grabbed the end of a blanket that covered something large that loomed before them, "THIS IS!!!!" He tugged on the sheet with much vigor revealing an enormous machine. Steam pumped out from all directions there was also three capsules that were each about six feet in length. A large computer monitor flashing all types of lights with tubes connecting from the monitor base to it's capsules.

"What in the—Tails? What the hell is this?" Sonic gasped as he backed off from it. The last time he had seen technology like this was on the space colony ARK.

"You wouldn't believe it even if I told you!" cried Miles in excitement, "You just wouldn't believe it!"

"What? What?" asked Sonic as he cautiously walked up to the machinery. He stood next to it and gave it a few knacks with his knuckles, "Looks like a piece of junk to me—sorta like that cannon on the ARK."

"PIECE OF JUNK!!!" cried Tails enraged.

"Sorry, sorry," whimpered Sonic backing off immediately from the precious machine, "I mean, what's it's purpose?"

Miles Tails Prower puffed up his chest and placed his hands on his hips with much pride. "It has the power to transform animals into human beings." He explained calmly.

"What?!" exclaimed Sonic. He blinked once, twice. He suddenly understood the use of the capsules. "Tails…" he began slowly, "Can it really do such a thing?"

Miles scratched his head in doubt. "It's not completely finished yet, there is a few kinks still left to fix before I can test it…"

"Nuh-uh! I'm not gonna test that thing no way!" Sonic back from Tails slowly.

"Chill Sonic! I wasn't going to test you on it." Miles sat down and sighed, "I also need and incredible power source to keep it running." Miles gave Sonic that look.

"A Chaos Emerald," muttered Sonic solemnly. "Tails can you make a fake one—like you did last time?"

Miles nodded," I can, but, I need the real one to make it. Sorta like a reference, ya know?"

"Hmmm, I see…" Sonic pondered, "Tell me Tails, your idea for this came from—

"Yes," Miles replied. His face now became more serious and Sonic knew right then what he was going to say was something demure. "Sonic, Maria was in love with Shadow."

"Huh?!" Sonic lifted a hand and placed it on his head, "Get the fuck outta here! You have to stop lying your ass off, Tails!!!"

"It's true, I read it in Gerald Robotnick's diary," Tails ordered the Omachao to make them warm toasted bread before he continued on. "It was so much time they spent together that, they both fell hopelessly in love but there was one problem, Shadow was an animal—a hedgehog and well Maria was only a human girl. Since Gerald Robotnick only cared about the happiness of his granddaughter, he worked on a plan for a machine…"

"That can change animals into humans," finished Sonic, "That makes perfect sense…uh, did he actually build it?"

Miles shook his head, "Nah, he never did. I built this machine based on his plans making a few changes here and there of course."

"Shadow… No wonder he seemed so attached to the ARK," mumbled Sonic to himself.

"Sonic?"

"Huh—oh nah, it's nuthin'."

"Oh well, " Miles chomped on the crispy bread that the Omachao served. "In other news, Knuckles birthday is coming up!"

"Aww man!" Sonic covered his face with his hand. "It's already February! I can't believe it!" (Note: Knux b-day is Feb, 2)

Tails nodded. I'm planning that we all celebrate it on his island so he don't have to worry about leaving it unguarded.

"Feh, he's always leaving that shit unguarded. Every time he goes chilling with us is another day it stands without protection."

"Sonic, give him a break. Imagine yourself in his place, having to spend day and night protecting a large gem from getting stolen."

Sonic shuddered, "Don't even mention that, It gives me the creeps, no running what so ever? It's like prison. Then it hit him. Knuckles, he thought. All this time. All this time I knew him and I never realized the great burden that knucklehead carried of having to stay in a floating island day and night. Of course, he had a right to run off some time. Oh well, sucks to be him.

"When is it? His birthday I mean?"

"Tomorrow. Sonic, are you in la-la land? Are you even keeping track of the days?" Miles tilted his head in worry, "Sonic you've been acting funny."

Sonic rapidly stood, "I'm leaving!" He declared. He stretched his legs and walked to the door.

"Are you coming tomorrow Sonic?" Tails asked in a worried tone.

"Yeah, don't worry bout it—See ya tomorrow. Uh, Tails?"

"Yes?"

Sonic shifted his feet uncomfortably, "Is Amy coming?"

"I think so…"

"Damnit!"

"Heh, heh," Sweat, Tails placed his hand behind his head. Poor Amy, is Sonic ever going to understand her?

"Oh well then—see you tomorrow Tails."

Miles smiled, "Bye Sonic."

The door rapidly closed as Sonic sped off with no destination, running just to run, leaving behind him, a long trail of dust.

End Chapter