Chapter 4: Omens of the past, Revelations of the future

The scene returns to Mario and Sonic, who, after being reunited with Mario's old friends, Goombella and Koops, were walking with them to their base deeper in the forest. Sonic, feeling unusually awkward around his old rival's companions, was uncharacteristically silent. Meanwhile, the red plumber laughed as he talked with his old friends. As the blue hedgehog gazed up at the setting sun, he wondered what his friends were doing on Mobius.

Back on Mobius, within the safety of the tree, Tails and Knuckles were debating where they should head towards next, while Luigi quietly sat, wondering about the state the Mushroom Kingdom was in. Knuckles wanted to return to Angel Island, making the point that the Master Emerald could tell them what had transpired during their absence. Tails argued that their enemies would be expecting that, and that a much wiser move would be to search for other surviving Mobians. Luigi occasionally listened in on the conversation, though he didn't feel his input would change anything. He didn't mind what the plan was anyway, as long as it involved him returning to the MK somewhere along the way.

Again, our scene returns to the ship which looms over Mobius, to the control room.

The shadowed figure was intently watching his monitors. All of them were changing between views of Tails and Knuckles in their current base. Enraged by the sight of the two heroes, the cold and smooth voice pierced the air.

"Android 205!"

Immediately, the same android that had reported sightings in sector 7 appeared, kneeling before it's master.

"You called for me, sir?"

Without turning to make eye contact with the robot, 205's master simply continued watching the monitors as he spoke.

"Two of our old friends has returned. Knowing the echidna, I can easily deduce where they are sure to go."

"Would you have me track them, my Liege?"

"No. You are needed here. Instead, send out our little pets. But don't release the savage weapon just yet. That is all. Dismissed."

"Sir."

With a salute to it's master and new orders to carry out, android 205 left as quietly as it had entered.

Back to the group on Mobius.

After Tails had given in to Knuckles' stubbornness, the group waited for nightfall. Knuckles was gazing into the colorless emerald near the entrance, keeping watch as he pondered why the gem's color had been drained. Inside, Tails was drawing out blueprints for new weapons he planned to make once the opportunity to acquire the proper components presented itself. Luigi, who had only seen such complex designs drawn by his friend Elvin Gadd, watched in awe at the young fox's work. Thinking out load more than anything else, the young prodigy muttered to himself.

"Would the weapons uses make up for it's extra weight? Or would it just be unnecessary cargo?"

Thinking he was being asked a question, Luigi replied.

"That'd depend on what materials were used to make the weapon."

Mistaking Luigi's comment for another of his own thoughts, Tails went back to drawing in silence. The green plumber smiled, looked over to Knuckles and noticed that he seemed to have dozed off while on watch duty. Joining the sleeping guardian outside, Luigi took out his hammer and stood watch, unaware that the red echidna wasn't sleeping as soundly as he seemed to be.

The setting changes to within Knuckles' dream.

'Where am I?'

Knuckles wondered to himself, surrounded on all sides by ruins. It felt like a graveyard somehow, yet the red guardian felt some kind of connection to the desolate place. Suddenly, he was surrounded by flames. He heard screams of terror and cries of agony. Falling to his knees, Knuckles gripped his head. Looking up, he saw what looked like a small army of warriors running towards some kind of altar.

'Power... Emeralds... OURS!'

Realizing the danger that would follow if they reached the Master Emerald, the red echidna rushed to overtake the spear wielding mob, struggling to get between them and the altar. But when he looked ahead, he saw that someone else had tried the same thing, and had been shoved aside for their efforts. Kneeling down to help the fallen stranger, he was surprised when she shouted out in desperation.

'STOP! YOU'LL ONLY ANGER THE GUARDIAN!'

'The guardian? There's another?'

The confused echidna looked toward the center of the altar, and the answer to his question suddenly struck him as an enraged being revealed itself from within the Master Emerald.

'CHAOS!'

End of dream...