Sonic and The Harmony of Chaos - The 8th Emerald
Ch. 1
By: Cutegirlmayra (I've been wanting to do this story for a long time. Yes, I'm still working on Metallic Need edits for season 2 and then I'll work on Instincts edits for its season 2. But it's nice to have other projects to focus on too. That way, if I get tired or lose motivation in one project, I can work on another till I find motivation for it again. It works for me, anyway. Enjoy this story ^-^)
Long, long ago… when the planet was still but an egg full of unfathomable energy just floating in the magnitude of space… two beings of immense power gazed upon what would be known as our world.
Soon, they combined their strengths- one of mass destruction, whose ocean blue created the seas and powerful earth, and paved the way for mountains, deep rivers, and streams… His masculine ability also created the creatures that would be the fathers of all living.
The second was much gentler, with the light pink of beautiful life, she used her energy to create flowers, trees, fruits, winds and skies, grass both above and below the seas. Her feminine ability created the mothers of the world, so that her power may not wane, and that destruction may never destroy all life.
Together, they created what was known to us as Order. The Order of life and destruction here on our planet. Through the births and deaths of this world, the two were hailed as Gods, and decided to watch over their creations, continuing to create and destroy so long as they both… were one in purpose.
However, our people made a grave error. In seeking to conquer through war, we tricked the gentle Goddess into using her power to create the Chaos Emeralds, powerful stones that gave our people the power to wield both time and space, and immense powers still not fully known by our kind. But our chief wanted more…
In a great desire for the power of the Gods, our chief convinced The Goddess known as Harmony to create a Master of all the Emeralds she had created. He deceived her into believing the power was to store away all the evil within the world, which he would defeat and control for righteous purposes. In her angelic trust of her creations, she willingly created the Master Emerald, and then… was attacked by our forces.
In her desperate cries, unable to destroy, she called upon her dearest and timeless friend, The God of Chaos, to help her in her time of great agony and torment through our deceit.
For we had not only betrayed the loving heart of a Goddess but also incurred the great wrath of the God of Destruction!
For Gods cannot stand the power of the Chaos Emeralds… enabling her powerless to fight against the wicked Chief of our people…
When Chaos arrived, our chief used the power of the Master Emerald Harmony had created to seal him away, entrapping him as a permeant power-source to our people through the Chaos Emeralds.
In terrible sorrow do I now recall to tell you… that my father then turned the God of Destruction, who was regrettably under his control, to his equal- the Goddess of Harmony. Wanting to disrupt the Order of the world so that he may be undefeatable, he controlled and commanded Chaos to fire and destroy Harmony's power… Her arm was obliterated by Chaos's power, and she began weaker than her once equally-balanced ally.
Because the damage was done by a God, Harmony could not use her power to heal herself, nor could she now ever measure the adequate strength to keep the Order of the world. My father did this so that Chaos would be the ultimate power, and that no other tribe nor people may ever use Harmony against him. They then forced Harmony through Chaos to be sealed within a hidden Emerald, an Emerald formed of a magical crystal, and stored her away within that crystal's cave; This all was done so that this new, disrupted Order may ever be in the control of our Chief.
I now go to the Chao Garden, for those creatures were created by Harmony, and therefore, Chaos protects them from all evil. I fear he is in great anger from the trickery that was done by my people, the Echidnas, and will rebel against them in great wrath. For now, however, he seems to be biding his time in wait. I, Tikal, shall persist in stopping my father from furthering injury upon this world for the vain and foolish desire of greed and undeserved power! I vow that if I cannot free Harmony and restore the true powers of Order to the world once again… that perhaps one day… Another more able hero, will take up my cause and reunite Chaos… with his Harmony.
"What a touching story." Cubot sniffed, wearing a miner's hat and carrying a pickaxe as a bunch of other robots drilled the crystal caves. All the while, Eggman lay on a palanquin with robots carrying him underneath.
He fanned himself with the ancient script he was reading and grinned a large smile, letting it spread across his face under his raised nose. "I know~ So tragic, and yet-!" he crumbled up the manuscript, "So perfectly evil! Just my kind of reading!" He placed it back in his 'explorer's bag' looking like a proper English archeologist, but his getup's cleanliness suggested he hadn't actually worked since he got there.
"Now stop dawdling and get back to work!"
"Work? More? We've worked for sixteen hours straight, with no tune-ups, no oil breaks, uuhhh… I feel my circuits sparking with imaginary sweat." Orbot wiped his forehead, just for the expression of it all. Then, one robot cracked a little slash into the rock, and some rippling lights appeared through it.
"Is that the northern lights?" Orbot leaned over, blinking his eye-lights towards the odd, psychedelic patterns of color coming from the slashed earth.
Cubot huffed, "Oh, so you were built with a compass for directional assistance… and I wasn't!?"
Eggman's whole frame leaped upward in excitement, gripping the side of his comfy, sprawled bed upon the palanquin. His glasses glowed the brilliant colors, before he whispered, "Oh, Harmony..?"
The lights dimmed.
"You there…?" His creepy laughter drew forth from his throat as he watched the lights fade and then grow a light pink.
"Hehehe…hohoho…heheh…" He rubbed his hands together, before jumping off the palanquin and swiping a robot's pickaxe from its hands, "Give that to me! I've got a Goddess to save~"
The robot had its hands open and looked from side to side, trying to figure out where it's pickaxe went as Eggman hacked into the earth. His wild swings frightened the tinier mining robots who stood back, seeing him carve the way for more light to flash through the darkness of their excavation.
"She said a crystal cave, ha! More like a mountain! It's taken me a full-on year to track down the strange energy signals to this location! Hurrufh!" he threw the pickaxe back, having it hurl into a Robot's head as it whirled around in panic, and ran around like a chicken with its arms out in front of it, running into a wall and falling backwards.
Hesitating, Eggman placed his hand out through the entrance he had created.
He waved his hand, turning it front and back, checking to make sure the light source was withstandable; and then, peeked his head in.
His nose slapped down on the edge of the corner to the inside, bobbing around as his eyes scanned the open cavern till they saw a crystal hanging on the top of the wall.
It was the one shining the brilliant pink…
He grinned once more, and slowly walked towards it. "Hello, my dear!~" he gleefully called to her in a friendly sort of way.
After all… it was his specialty to trick and deceive…
"I've heard of a most unfortunate story about your imprisonment… and your arm?" he gestured to his own.
Suddenly, the crystal began to shine an ominous color, sounding out a ringing warning as Eggman's smile turned worrisome, and he rubbed his hands again, licking his lips.
"Yes, well, umm… heh." He tugged on his outfit's collar, stretching it out. "Some people can be so cruel, eh? But you created them to be full of Order, right? Back and forth they swiiiing~ between chaos and harmony, destruction and life. All the while you try desperately to escape your cage and horrible GUILT at what you've done to your dear, timeless friend~… The God of Chaos…"
Eggman leaped around, testing how far he could approach and having scanners upon his glasses reading the dangerous signals coming all around the crystal.
"That's a rather large…" Orbot simulated a gulp. "E-e-emerald…"
"Does the boss know it looks like he's talking to a rock?"
"Quiet, Cubot! This mission could be in jeopardy if we blow our cover!"
"Oh right, cause she may backlash at us with her immense 'power of beauty~' at us." Cubot swayed at the whimsical words of the story, not looking very scared as Orbot face-palmed himself.
"Power of life! Life, you idiot! She could create something bigger and better to destroy you!" Cubot warned. "The breath of life, ever heard of it? Wonder where it comes from?"
"If Chaos is a bunch of water, then she's a bunch of…" Cubot put a finger to his mouth, turning to Orbot. "Dust?"
"Wind… and something far more gruesome." Orbot shook in his bolts. "She's also made of…"
"Blood…" Eggman grimaced, leaning back as his nose twitched. "The waters of life… not of destruction…" he looked to see the crystal swarming about with liquid, and held his nose away from the stench.
"Pink for flesh. I figured as much." He muttered to himself, before lightly stepping closer. "Come, Harmony… you've been cramped up in that Crystal for far too long… Come,… I'm a gentlemen you know~" He extended his hand, trying to see if he could touch it.
The signals in his glasses told him to be careful, and he did so, not daring to touch it's boiling hot surface just yet.
The crystal let out a powerful heated light, another warning to stay back.
"Eh-heh…" Eggman ducked and guarded with his arms against the powerful light, before gulping and smiling warmly again, "I'm a man of the heart, really… so very… very fond of the positive attributes of mankind…" he fibbed through his teeth and waited to see if the Crystal would cool down.
"You and I… we've both been deceived. Tricked and cheated of what is rightfully ours! Now… Wouldn't you love to see the world you've created once more? The world you were meant to share with Chaos?"
The Crystal suddenly lowered in temperature, turning a cooler blue and then green…
His smile widened, seeing some success. "And your beautiful creatures! Even the Chao! Aren't you missing them..? Your faithful companions… so sweet and child-like… after all, it is you who allowed the continuation of life upon this world, am I right? And now… only Chaos controls the balance of things… terribly so, might I add." He tilted his head, getting closer…"So ugly and dull, wouldn't you like to beautify and give greater life to your creations once more? Instead of letting Chaos have all the fun?" But as his hand went to reach for the cooler temperature, it suddenly shone a bright yellow, crimson, and the rushing of blood within its core.
"Yeee!" Eggman strained his face back, seeing the temperature drastically rise and withdrew his hand. Like a lava lamp, the Crystal faded into many different colors, full of torment as the blood splashed around and then boiled up in many different in undefinable shapes. "Oh right, you still love him, don't you..?" he giggled faintly, realizing his folly.
"Of course you do, I mean… it wasn't his fault, right..? It was… the Echidnas!" he threw his finger up, accusingly.
The temperature raged…
"Not… the Echidnas?" he lowered his finger, confused.
The temperature cooled… as suddenly the lights and blood within the 8th Emerald known as the Harmony Crystal began a puppet-show of sorts.
Eggman turned around, watching the scene and moving out of the light's way…
He narrowed his eyes to squint and see that two dragon figures fought upon the cave's wall, as one emerald shone and a dragon reared its ferocious head back, being sucked into it and then coming out with the large emerald as its core.
Eggman watched as this dragon, being controlled by the emerald shape, blasted the other dragon and wounded its arm, completely having it destroyed.
He then watched as other emeralds pulled apart the dragon's body, separating its power into seven emeralds that then circled its core… Absorbing him into the Master Emerald.
"It's power… was divided?" Eggman raised his eyebrow, pretending like he cared or possibly didn't know the whole story. He knew Chaos was controlled through each Chaos Emerald, he didn't really care how, only that he used them for his own purposes as power sources; much like the evil Echidna chief.
Then, the wounded shadow of the dragon he figured was Harmony's true form was sealed within the crystal's shape.
"Now I see…" Eggman watched the two shapes suddenly be parted, and the figures of Harmony and Chaos, non-dragon forms, reached for each other before Harmony's crabish claw-like hand was withdrawn and placed to her missing arm's shoulder…, her head ducking down as the shadows of their forms faded.
"You're ashamed…" he beamed, before turning to her in his best pity face that he could possibly muster, pouting lower lip included. "Poor, poor Harmony… You fear he can't forgive you for your mistake… you were the one that gave the Echidnas all they asked for, without a second thought, not even questioning what they were really after… you were the one that created the means to sealed away your friend…It was your power that doomed his freedom and blessed, all-powerful, state… that caused him to destroy half your power…your own arm… to enslave him to your creatures… aww.. Poor, poor precious Harmony…All you've ever given to your friend is… well… HARM." He looked at his hands, before crushing them, losing his act.
He saw the temperature lower to extreme colds, and happily snapped his fingers, having the robots bring the palanquin in and lower it under the Harmony Crystal. It seemed that the blood was forming into her figure, tossing to and fro in what looked to be great torment as the crystal steamed out mist from the hot recapture turning back to cold so sudden. The pink liquid creature rocked back and forth in the crystal, gripping its head at the memory of regret. The image was barely seen through the crystal besides the shadows that came from within its light. Eggman smiled at its pathetic state, walking up with his hands behind his back to it, standing as if confidently in power over and before it.
He felt like the one in control now...
He rolled his fingers off the other, scheming… "I could help you mend the pain and ask forgiveness of Chaos~ Of course… you'd have to do something for me~"
The Crystal roared a metallic ring, the blood suddenly seemed to disappear, as if diluted to form the pink liquid with the spiraling wind tunnel inside. Bright eyes glowed through the crystal then, as blood had crystalized to make the Goddess's eyes; her full body was now a liquid pink spiral of the breath of life's energy.
She leaned forward, but the Crystal blocked her from getting closer.
"Well, yes. I do know where he is but… you see, times have changed here on this little planet you helped to grow, and gee… we all need something, now don't we?" he laughed, as the robots clicked into action the trap on the palanquin and the crystal was surrounded by a metallic casing.
Green bolts of lightning zapped and held the crystal in place while it tried to resist before a cry could be heard ringing throughout the cave.
Tossing in pain, the figure's one hand bashed the crystal, before her eyes bent to sorrow and she ducked her head, being dragged down further into the crystal till her form dissolved and the wind and blooded liquid fell back within the crystal's clear but distorted vision.
The metallic cage was being fueled… by three Chaos Emeralds.
"Oh, you let another one of your creations into your tender heart, now didn't you?" Eggman smacked his big belly, before holding it as he cackled.
"The world has changed, Harmony! But the evil that resides in it… will always be greedy and power-hungry…" his eyes shone with the green of the Emeralds energy, piercing the Crystal and forcing it to stabilize as it continued to shine out in rebellion.
Orbot and Cubot gripped their hands together, approaching cautiously.
"Hohoho! Girls' hearts are always so easy to fool. Their emotions so easily swayed." Eggman wiped a tear from below his glasses, flicking it off before smirking up at his latest 'damsel' he'd acquired and started pointing to the door.
"But I still keep my promises. Boys! Take this fair maiden out from the dark~"
The robots heaved and ho'd till they got out of the cave, all the while, the shrill sounds of the pained Crystal rang through the air.
. . . . .
The Master Emerald was no stranger to the sound of the metallic crying.
Knuckles sat peacefully in sleep upon the top of the Master Emerald; when, in a sudden burst of light, it jumped and tilted itself, rolling him off.
Knuckles cried out in fright before flailing his arms about, crashing to the ground.
"HEY!" he rose up, rubbing his head and walking around, "Rouge!?" he looked behind the Emerald, putting a hand to it before leaning to check, then seeming confused. "Sonic?" he continued to search before stepping out from the altar of the emeralds.
"Huh." He looked to a chao who was nibbling on some fruit. "…You push me off?" he asked.
The chao looked up at him, innocently chewing with a pure expression on its face.
"Heh. Didn't think so."
Then the Master Emerald started shining again, this time, lingering and growing brighter.
"Woah!" Knuckles spun around, as the chaos started to gather together and flap their little wings close to the Master Emerald.
They cheered, for some unknown reason, and hugged while spinning each other in the air, celebrating something.
"Huh, what's going on?" Knuckles suddenly turned to look at the Chao, before hearing a familiar voice.
"She's been found. History will repeat itself. A great war is upon us. Order must be restored. Knuckles… take upon you my vow. Bring Harmony to Chaos! And Order back to the world!"
"W-wha-wha-what!?"
Knuckles stood back as the Master Emerald shone with an even greater light, "Tikal!?" he covered his eyes and stepped back, grunting at the brightness of it stinging his eyes.
Then, the light faded. As instantly as it begun.
"…Uhhhh…" Knuckles lowered his arms, blinking at the blur in them before seeing a blue figure standing before him.
"…It… can't be…"
He squinted the more, then yelped.
"Chaos!?"
The God of Destruction stood before him, looking mighty and upset.
It stood up to him, babbling with his bubbles rising in great speeds at his anger, but the noise made no sense to Knuckles.
"Woah… I better uh.. I better get the gang together."
Knuckles scratched his head, before shaking it and letting out some air.
"Boy, I hope I'm still dreaming."
He walked on and was surprised when Chaos followed him.
"Ah!" he was spooked to see him directly behind him, "Not so close, dude!" he complained, but Chaos just glared at him, as his emerald eyes shone with protest.
(And thus… our adventure begins~)