Welcome all, to Chapter One in a new story of epic proportions. By the time we are through, we shall have shed some light on Sega's 2006 game. We shall truly know who Mephiles is, we shall learn what exactly happened when Sonic blew out that candle, and we shall understand what drove the dark god to such extreme measures. So sit back, relax, and enjoy…
The Reign of Solaris!
"I'm just saying, why does he turn me green?"
Sonic the hedgehog, fastest thing alive, was pacing over the crumbling remains of the gas station. In anticipation of the upcoming battle, he'd replaced his white gloves with fingerless leather gauntlets and dyed his red shoes black. Otherwise, his spiny blue visage remained unaltered from its classic appearance, apart from the expression of mixed anticipation and confusion. Nearby, Knuckles leaned against an old support pillar and rolled his purple eyes. He had rearranged his quills so a diamond of red jutted out from his forehead, but this was the only adjustment to his appearance he'd submitted himself to. Clearly, he'd heard it all before.
A rapid whirring of gyros turned the pair's attention to a newcomer. An orange sheathe dress fluttered around her childish form as her black metal feet pounded against the ground. One long ear, capped in persimmon fur, trailed behind in the wind, and her squinting brown eye gauged a slowing skid. She reached down her metal arm, clenching the ground between the charcoal fingers as her silver legs ratcheted to a close. Sliding to a stop, she stood and adjusted her cobalt dual-flap tie with her gloved hand, dusting off the yellow-accented limb of steel attached to her other shoulder. A full third of her face was covered in ebony metal, broken yellow crest marking the end of light-brown fur, and from the field of darkness peered a glowing blue eye.
"Hey Sonic, Knuckles. Sorry we're late. Did we miss anything?" The figure unconsciously checked the power level of her robotic arm.
"Just three hours of hedgehog angst," Knuckles replied, thumbing at Sonic. "Nothing important, Cream."
Sonic stopped midpace. "HEY!"
"Where's Exio?" Cream peered at the sky, searching against the glaring sunlight for some sign of the missing companion.
"Dunno. Usually he's here by now…" Knuckles put his hands on his hips, walking out of the shade and joining the quest to find the absent member.
"I'll have you know that was not angst!" Sonic angrily stalked up to Knuckles, waving his finger at the echidna. "It was curiosity! I was merely inquiring-"
Very casually, a white-mittened fist rose and connected with a peach muzzle, knocking the fastest thing alive to the ground. Knuckles didn't even spare a glance as he landed the blow, his eyes instead locked on a flying silhouette rapidly approaching. "There he is! No… wait…"
"It's Cheesy!" Cream cried, surprised.
The bee-like chao descended from the sky. The expression behind the flight goggles was resigned to being the bearer of bad news, but he nevertheless adjusted his orange vest. "Chao chao chao," he began, twitching his yellow antennae sadly. "Chao… chao. Chao, chao chao." He somberly bowed his helmeted head.
"Well?" asked Knuckles, turning to the local linguist.
"Exio's not coming," Cream replied. "He's trying to break the chain."
From the ground, there came a moan. "Owwww… My nose…."
Thus ends chapter one. What do they face? Who is Exio? Why is Cream a cyborg who refers to herself in plural? All will be answered… Later.