Blaze was so accustomed to the light that when she finally registered the darkness it jolted her awake. She stood up, trying to shake an uncomfortable tingling sensation coursing through her skin.
What happened? That light…what was it? And where— she gasped, the Sol Emeralds!
She frantically took in her surroundings. The mountainous area she was in seemed quiet and lonely, with only a few patches grass here and there to show life.
The emeralds aren't here anymore. But where exactly is "here"? I could be halfway across the world for all I know! And the things that mustachioed man said…
She shook her head. It was irrelevant now. Now she had to take relics that could destroy the world back from a madman. She turned her gaze towards the horizon, looking toward the blurry dots of streetlights in the distance.
If I am to find out my location, the best option would be to go into town.
She leaped down the slope, sliding towards the city highlighted by the setting sun.
It was somewhat ironic that this place was called Night Carnival, for it couldn't be brighter if it were daytime. Artificial lights lit up the large amusement park so blindingly that Blaze had to squint her eyes as she ran past the neon signs and billboards. The sounds of metal on metal and the blaring of obnoxious carnival music out of speakers grated against her eardrums. The noise and painfully bright lights blended into a kind of tangible static for her sensitive cat ears.
Wherever this Eggman sent me, it was surely with the intent for torture. What kind of town is this?
The skeletal frameworks of roller coasters that were so useful to Blaze as platforms were not hidden, but rather pronounced with flashing lights for a more complete feeling of being at a fair as though everything else didn't get the message across already.
And as if this place wasn't strange enough…where is everybody?
Despite all of the noise, flashing lights, and even working rides, there truly was no living being in sight. Ticket booths were empty. The many Ferris wheels were rotating yet there were no people admiring the view from their compartments. Milk Bottle Stack games lacked the sound of fair-goers accusing the curator of rigging the bottles. Grinding roller coasters lacked the screams of thrilled and/or terrified customers. Gravitron UFOs gyrated like tops, but no one exited their doors psyched for such a wild ride or making a beeline for a trash can whilst swearing off chili-cheese dogs.
Blaze' vision was focused everywhere but right in front of her, therefore she didn't notice the robot until she'd nearly run headlong into it.
Gasping in alarm, she dug the heels of her stilettos into the ground and jumped to the side. The robot turned to the high-speed cat with surprise. The robot was a Casino Pawn, a more festive-looking Egg Pawn of the E-1000 series. It's bright magenta body and floppy bunny ears made its laser arm look somewhat unthreatening, which in a way, it was. Before it could properly cock its arm to aim, Blaze ripped it apart with a fiery swipe of her claws.
Neg—no, Eggman robots! That would certainly explain the lack of people. They would have all fled after he came with his forces. He must be here.
She leapt atop a spinning billboard, the advertisements on its screen being changed shutter style. Her eye caught rainbow flashes of sparks near the center of the park.
I'll bet he knows where we are.
"Grrrr!" Eggman grunted, struggling to control his vehicle. The Sol Emeralds, each set in a slot in a velvet case, were flashing wildly and giving off waves of energy that were interfering with the Eggmobile's electrical systems.
Accursed alien emeralds! They're going into shock from being moved to another dimensional plane!
The control panel was giving off dangerous multicolored sparks and it was all Eggman could do to just keep things steady. Deciding to make repairs, he docked his hovercraft onto a nearby amusement park ride and shut down his navigation systems.
Now if I can just…
"You there! Mustachioed old man!"
A fireball struck the side of the Eggmobile, nearly knocking Eggman out of his seat.
"I've finally found you."
Eggman pushed himself back up and looked down at the one responsible of launching the attack, "Ah, you're that cat girl who I saw when I made that little visit to the shrine. I'm surprised that you were able to come to this world to find me."
His words hit Blaze unexpectedly, 'This world'?
—Flashback
"I am Dr. Eggman, the greatest scientific genius this world has ever seen!"
—End Flashback
He'd said 'this world' that time also. I thought he had merely said that to be boastful, but if he meant that literally…
"If you wanted them back, then you're out of luck," Eggman continued, "they are my means to ultimate power!"
"Return the Sol Emeralds to me at once!" Blaze demanded.
Eggman gave a smug grin, "You mean…" he pulled the red emerald from its slot and held it aloft, "these pretty little things?"
Seeing a villain's hands touch one of the crown jewels of her kingdom was intolerable for her.
"You seem to like playing with fire," she said with barely controlled fury, "Let me light up your fingers then!"
She was about to shoot another fireball when an intense quake on the platform she was standing on knocked her off her feet. The ride Eggman was perched on came to life with the sound of a whirring motor as the robot started to spin.
"If you want your precious emeralds," Eggman taunted, his hand pulling a remote, "you first have to get past…the G-force Egg!"
The "ride" was a carnival version of a centrifuge, the machine that astronauts use to train for rocket take-off. With the doctor's twisted sense of design however, a large spiked ball hung on the end opposite of the shuttle. Eggman was safely lodged on the center point between the two segments while Blaze was standing on the circular platform surrounding it. Unfortunately, with the machine spinning as it was, that put her directly in the ride's path.
She ducked just in time to avoid being struck by the mace, only to be nearly hit again by the shuttle. While Blaze was busy dodging the spinning parts of the rogue thrill ride, Eggman was busy fixing the damaged parts of the Eggmobile.
A simple matter of distraction, he thought, I just have to keep her occupied long enough to give me time to repair the electrical systems. And judging by her progress—Blaze shot a blast of fire at the mace, only to be forced to stop and dodge the shuttle again—there is very little need to hurry.
The G-force Egg sensed by then that it wasn't striking its target, so after Blaze ducked underneath the mace again it abruptly lowered itself. Blaze, unprepared for such a tactic, was rammed head-on by the following shuttle.
Her eyes were shut, head dizzy with pain. She wanted to clutch her bruised abdomen, but the speed of the ride was holding her to the shuttle's glass like a splattered fly on a windshield. Knowing that if she tried to escape she could be severely injured, she instead used the opportunity to attack.
She bathed her hands in fire and pressed her palms against the glass, willing it to go white hot. With her hands illuminating the inside of the cockpit, she absently noticed a mass of circuit boards and wires within. The G-force Egg, vulnerable to several thousand degree temperatures, took measures to protect itself.
The machine halted spinning on a dime, effectively tossing Blaze off of the shuttle. She rolled across the platform, barely catching the edge with her claws.
As she pulled herself up from a near-fatal experience, the G-force Egg turned itself onto its side, putting the shuttle high into the air and the mace low to the ground.
Unfortunately for Eggman, who was still trying to repair his hovercraft, the maneuver knocked him to the side as well, "Whoa…gahh! Watch what you're doing you rusty pile of rivets!"
The red Sol Emerald, still out of its slot, fell on the floor of the Eggmobile, utterly forgotten.
Blaze looked at the changed form of the G-force Egg, trying to deduce the purpose of its strange angle, Why would it align itself in such a way? In raising the shuttle it has effectively halved its attacking ability, so what is the reason…?
—Flashback
She bathed her hands in fire and pressed her palms against the glass, willing it to go white hot. With her hands illuminating the inside of the cockpit, she absently noticed a mass of circuit boards and wires within.
—End Flashback
Of course! It's trying to protect the shuttle because that is where it shelters its brain!
Now in a new position, the G-force Egg resumed its mission to defeat Blaze and started spinning again.
That means all I have to do is destroy that single part. But how to reach it…?
With the mace incoming, Blaze decided that it would be easier to destroy the shuttle if the mace was destroyed first. With precise aim at a non-spiked area, she clobbered the mace with a lateral kick.
With a metallic reverberation, the knockback from the collision nearly threw Blaze back off the platform again. What happened to the G-force Egg however, gave her a critical piece of information. After the sharp kick, the entire structure, not just the mace, was thrown back as well. Including the shuttle.
The whole machine is connected. For the shuttle to spin, the mace must spin as well. Likewise, for the shuttle to go up, the mace must go down. So if the mace were to go up…
Battle plan ready, Blaze readied herself for the spiked ball to pass in front of her. A split second away from impalement, she bent down and landed a vertical strike to the underside of the mace. The mace flew upwards as the vulnerable shuttle plummeted.
Before the G-force Egg could correct its forced position, Blaze shot toward the downed shuttle and gave a fiery kick to its glass with the sharp point of her heel.
*Crack!*
The safety glass didn't shatter, but now sported a large, splintery fracture.
Before Blaze could attack again the G-force Egg managed to orient itself, putting the shuttle out of reach.
It may try to protect itself all it wants, I will simply do the same thing again!
But there was a problem; Blaze struck the mace so harshly in her effort to lower the shuttle that some parts of it were damaged. Exposed cables made the spiked ball crackle with spilled electricity.
Blaze attempted to kick the spiked ball again, but as soon as she made contact the electricity arced and knocked her away.
Shaky from the rogue current in her muscles, Blaze tried to figure what to do, If I can't touch the spiked ball, then I need another way to reach the shuttle.
Apparently, more damage was done than originally thought, as the G-force Egg accelerated its spinning to a psychopathic rate in a desperate attempt to win. This foolish tactic gave Blaze just what she needed.
With a stroke of inspiration, she jumped towards the electrified mace, not at the bottom, but at its top. The effect was similar to Blaze's first attempt at the crackling spiked ball, except instead of being thrown down the arc vaulted her upwards, just at the height of the rapidly approaching shuttle.
"Hah!"
With a fiery flip-kick, she broke through the safety glass and flooded the interior circuitry with flames.
"Aha! All set!" Eggman said in triumph, restoring the Eggmobile to its former glory.
*BOOM*
"Oh what now!"
Blaze touched down onto the platform, the G-force Egg out of commission.
"As you see," she addressed, "I have destroyed your pitiful contraption. Now unless hand over the Sol Emeralds, I will do the same to you!"
Eggman frowned, "Hmph! Your pyrotechnic parlor tricks don't impress me! Now if you don't mind, I have other places to go."
He activated the newly repaired electrical systems and began to take off into the air.
Blaze growled, "Don't be a poor loser! Give me back—" she gave a leaping kick at the retreating Eggmobile, "—the Sol Emeralds!"
"Ahhhhh!" The hovercraft flipped several times in midair. The red Sol Emerald, which Eggman neglected to pick up, fell out of his vehicle. Blaze, seeing the familiar crimson glow, caught it with an impressive jumping catch.
"You'll regret this!" Eggman called as he flew away.
Blaze frowned, Pitiful.
She looked at the jewel in her hand, determined to reacquire its brethren, "That's the first one…"
Fun Author's Note: I feel dissatisfied with this chapter, probably because trying to novelize the Night Carnival boss battle stinks! I'll try and make the next chapter better.
I really like the Sonic X Eggman, so I added some of his alliteration in some of Eggman's dialogue.
You may be wondering, "Where's Sonic?" or "I love Blaze so much I don't care where Sonic is! 8D". Well luckily or unluckily for you, Sonic's coming next chapter, WOO!