Chapter 2: Training and Hippies

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the hedgehog

"So now that we are on the same page you need to be ready on a moment's notice," Sapphire said as they entered the ice cream parlor, "Even if I call you in the middle of the night. You need to help me fight these things."

"Shouldn't we test our new powers to make sure they work," Amy said, "Or at least train with them to make sure we know how to use them."

"Oh I have no doubt that they will work," Sapphire said, "And training is a good idea. Do you two have to be home any time soon?"

Sally and Amy shook their heads.

"Good," Sapphire said, "We can stop by the park on the way to our respective homes and you two can test out your powers. I'll conserve my energy so I can alter reality to make the people who see your powers forget about it."

"This is so cool," Amy practically squealed, "I've always dreamed about being a superhero."

"Do you know what our powers will be like?" Sally asked.

"No clue," Sapphire replied, "But now that you two have touched the shard, you can alter reality up to a certain extent so if your powers aren't to your liking, you can change them. Keep in mind that we have a responsibility to not get carried away. Even though you could, I would highly discourage using your powers for personal gain such as getting a boyfriend. Only use your powers as a last resort in social situations."

"Aw come on," Amy complained.

"She does have a point Amy," Sally said, "We don't want to attract any unwanted attention while we have these powers."

"Thank you Sally," Sapphire said, "I'm not saying you can't have a boyfriend while we are fighting the harvesters, I am just saying it will be a little unfair if you use your powers to force others to do something that they wouldn't normally do."

The waiter came by and deposited three chocolate milkshakes on the table. The girls dug into their treats. When they were done, they paid for the shakes, left, and headed for the park.

"So tell us about your world Sapphire," Sally said, "How different is it from ours."

"You mean how different 'was' it from this world," Sapphire said, "My world is destroyed. When it was in its prime however it was highly advanced and very futuristic compared to this world."

Sapphire examined her school uniform which consisted of a skirt and a sweater. The outfit was similar to those worn by schoolgirls in Japan.

"I like these uniforms though," Sapphire said, "This world has a lot of good fashion for how young it is."

"You should come shopping with us sometime," Sally said, "Amy and I can spend hours trying on different outfits."

Amy giggled at the mention of shopping and Sapphire smiled.

"You two are pretty girly, not that that is bad thing," Sapphire said, "I tend to be more toward the tomboyish side but even I like shopping. However, I am on a little bit of a limited budget right now. I could alter reality to give myself more money but that would be the same as counterfeiting. Plus the money would just distract me from defeating the harvesters."

"You shouldn't just focus on your mission," Sally said, "Part of life is having fun."

"True," Sapphire said, "Well, I do like swords, hence the medieval blade I carry when I activate my powers. Maybe I'll start my own collection."

"That'll work," Sally smiled, "Whatever makes you happy."

The trio soon arrived at the park and to a stroll into the woods where few people would see them. Sapphire transformed into her power mode before giving Amy and Sally some instructions.

"First thing you need to do is refrain from panicking," Sapphire said, "That may be easy for you to do now but it will be harder in battle. Then, focus all of your being into fighting evil. Just thinking about something evil will do."

Sally and Amy both thought of the harvesters and breathed deeply and calmly. Sally was the first to transform. Her outfit consisted of high heels, and an orange body suit that no sleeves for the arms. As if to compensate for not having any sleeves, Sally had white elbow length gloves. On her head was a crown-like diadem with a large orange gem on the front. In her right hand was a triple helix orange crystalline scepter.

Seconds later, Amy transformed. Her power mode outfit consisted of rose pink aesthetic armor. In her hands was a massive hammer with runes on the shaft.

"Um, what am I supposed to do with this scepter wand thingy," Sally said examining her scepter.

"I'm not sure," Sapphire said confused, "Try waving it at something."

Sally waved her wand in an arc at a nearby tree. A massive sphere of orange energy shot out of the wand and completely disintegrated the tree into a pile of ash. Sally nearly dropped her scepter from shock.

"Well, at least we know what it does now," Sapphire said shocked at the power of the scepter.

Amy was up next and smashed a different tree with the hammer.

"Well, I think we all know what our powers do now," Sapphire said, "Now we should…"

"Yo Sapphire are you okay!" a voice from behind the group shouted.

Sapphire and the others turned to see a large male ferret with an afro and hippie clothes sprinting toward them.

"Hunter what in the world are you doing here?" Sapphire said, "How did you even find us?"

"I followed the shard's power Sapph," the hippie ferret said, "I could tell you were altering reality and I wanted to make sure you were okay. Did the harvesters do anything to you?"

Before Sapphire could respond, Hunter noticed Amy and Sally, and more particularly, their outfits and weapons.

"Not cool Sapph," Hunter said, "You let them touch the shard."

"We can trust them," Sapphire said, "You never help me fight anyway. Now, if you would like to introduce yourself that is fine but we are training here and I would like it if you weren't so overprotective."

"I'm you older brother Sapph," Hunter said, "I'm supposed to protect you. Any way havin' said that your friends already know who I am."

"You look rad," Sally complimented. She had a soft spot for hippies.

"Thanks girl," Hunter said, "You pretty cool too in that outfit of yours."

Sally blushed and Amy giggled.

"Enough," Sapphire sighed, "Look Hunter, you know we're safe so please just go home and try not to trash the house."

"Hey you know I'm tidy," Hunter said, "Why don't I watch you girls train?"

Sapphire sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to get him to go away so she gave in.

"Alright," Sapphire said, "But if you get high again and start flirting with my friends I will personally gut you."

"Hey you know I quit that stuff a long time ago," Hunter said, "I'll be on my best behavior."

"Good," Sapphire said curtly before turning back to Amy and Sally. Sally was staring dreamily at Hunter.

"Sally snap out of it," Sapphire said, "He'll bring you nothing but misery and irritation."

Sally realized she was staring and started to blush.

"Right," Sally said, "So what's next?"

"We need to practice altering reality," Sapphire said, "Now it can only be done to a certain extent with the power of the shard. I want you and Amy to focus all of your being on making it so that those tree's were never destroyed."

Sally and Amy both focused their powers on the task. Within seconds, Amy's tree was as if nothing had happened to it. Sally took a little bit longer because she was still thinking about Hunter. Eventually, her tree was repaired as well. Hunter started clapping when both trees were repaired but stopped when Sapphire told him to shut up.

"Now we need to practice spells," Sapphire said, "Normally, incantations are pretty long but they can still be cast if you focus on the task and mentally think the words of what you want to happen. I wan two each to shoot a single fireball straight up into the sky."

Sally and Amy nodded aimed their hands up in the air. After thinking through the spell, Amy shot a large fireball into the sky while Sally only produced a few sparks.

"You might be low on energy Sally," Sapphire noted, "Like everything else in the world, these powers cost energy. That sphere of energy you shot earlier probably took a lot."

"I am a little tired," Sally said, "Should we call it a day?"

Amy and Sapphire nodded. Before heading out, Sapphire altered reality so that anyone who may have seen them training, apart from Hunter, would forget about it.

"It's getting late. I'll see you girls tomorrow at school," Sapphire said, "You have my cell phone number and I have yours. I will call you the next time there is a harvester attack. Although now that you have touched the shard, you should be able to feel it when they are near."

Sally and Amy nodded and said good bye before heading to their respective homes. Sapphire woke Hunter who had fallen asleep and the two siblings went home.

*** meanwhile, somewhere very far away.

A lone harvester with an obsidian black crown on his head listened as his subjects reported that the retrieval of the shard had failed. The room around him was like that of a medieval castle.

"Well, I can't execute them for failing since they are already dead," the crowned figure said, "Oh well, have you anything else to report?"

"Yes your majesty," the harvester who had given the report said, "We now have confirmed that there is another shard in their world."

"We must find it before they do," the harvester king replied, "Send a squad to their world at midnight tonight and search for it. Do not come back until you either have it, or you are dead. Our enemies will detect it soon and they will try to find it. They must not."

The other harvester nodded, bowed to his king, and left the room. The harvester king remained on his throne with no readable expression. He closed his eyes, or what could loosely be called eyes, and waited.