And again, I take forever and a day to update. Please forgive me! I have a whole list of excuses! Wanna hear 'em? No? Well okay.. I just hope I haven't lost any readers! *cue Psycho theme and a blood curdling shriek from Ryuko*
With college on Christmas break, you'd think I have more time.. heh, maybe after Christmas. I gots two jobs now! @_@ And one's at EB! YAAAYY!! So I'll have an excuse to ponder the next few plot twists.. I'm surrounded by games!
One more note! Yes Rob, I am indeed planning to go through the entire of Sonic CD.. well, except one area. But that'll be explained! I've always wanted to write an epic! Just never thought it'd take forever! X3;; Anyway, enough of me! Go, go, go, go... LET'S GO!
*~*~*
RETURN TO LITTLE PLANET
by Ryuko DragonHalf
*~*~*
An innocent crystal ball -- that's who the culprit was. It glowed deep red, the color swirling within it's glassy hub. Sonic cared not about the ominous color. Coupled with the dulling scent of incense and the hypnotic flicker in Kataki's gaze, he probably wouldn't have cared if Eggman surrendered and Tails declared he'd given up on machinery altogether. All he knew was a numb, floating sensation, a blank awareness of existing, and nothing more.
To add to this, Kataki's soothing voice floated through one ear and out the other. Her paws weaved arcane patterns above the crimson crystal ball, the shadows skipping along the walls in a spellbinding rhythm. There was a fleeting moment where Sonic fought to break free, but that's all it was, fleeting. His mind effectively shut down, lulled into a stupor by Kataki's chants.
"The fourth dimension beckons.. follow my voice, your guide... be lost in the stream of time... past, present, future, or all at once.. the realm of Kuronosu... succumb and drift into the flowing river.. lose yourself in its current.."
*~*~*
He stared at the looming contraption before him. "A gigundo pinball machine..? Man, this planet's weird.." No one was around to offer any explanations. He figured it was because Eggman had captured them all. "There's prolly heaps of baddies hiding in there. Awesome! I'm gonna squash 'em all!" he declared with a fearless grin. Sure, the way in was barricaded by a twisted mound of jagged metal, which conveniently pointed out and towards him, but that was no prob! He could see a series of ledges leading to the top, so he figured he could easily jump over the top. Just as he revved up to do some heroics, footsteps and a voice behind him interrupted.
"Heeeeeeyyyyy! Wait up! Sonikkuuuu!"
The little blue hero nearly fell on his face in surprise. "I don't believe this!" he grumbled, looking behind him. Sure enough, there was that girl, her pumpkin colored skirt flapping in the breeze as she ran to catch up with him. "I thought I said to leave me alone!"
"But I can.. help you!" she panted in return.
"Oh yeah? How can you help me fight ol' Eggbutt?" He put his fists to his hips and stared quizzically at the pink little girl, who finally stopped and caught her breath. "You can't run as fast as me. You'd never keep up!"
"Nuh uh... not like that.. I can tell you where the.. Jikan are..." She was bent over double, one paw to her chest and panting dramatically.
Sonic was more confused now. "Jikan? What're those, some kinda animal I should rescue?"
"No, silly!" Amy giggled brightly. She suddenly returned to normal, arms behind her back and standing as tall as she could, grinning cutely at him. Being this close to a girl ('specially THIS one) made Sonic uncomfortable, and he backed away a few inches.
"O-okay then.. so what're these Jikan things?" he rushed.
Amy began rocking back and forth in her high-tops as she explained. "Yanno, those Time Stones? We call 'em Jikan! I heard Eggman say something about 'em when he came. Don't'cha think he'd go after 'em? They're pretty powerful!"
"Oooohh.. I getcha! Kinda like the Chaos Emeralds, right? And if I get 'em first, Eggman's down for the count!" Sonic balled his fists and held them up excitedly. "Awesome! Where can I find 'em?"
"They're hidden in special.. zones...." A blank expression covered Amy's face. She froze, staring into space for a few seconds, then started twirling in a slow circle, taking in the surroundings.
Sonic watched her curiously. "Umm, what's your name again?"
"Amy.. remember?" the girl replied, distracted.
"Yeah, Amy! What're you doing?"
".. Don't you feel it?" She turned to face him. Now she looked concerned and worried. "Sonikku, haven't we done this before?"
Her question struck a flood of dormant memories, stirring them awake. It was Sonic's turn to blink and look around. Everything was uncomfortably familiar. The rush of nostalgia was powerful enough to give Sonic a headache; he clapped one paw to his forehead. "Whoa. I-- hold on, hold on. This is some sort of... i-it's like I'm reliving a memory or something.."
"Same here," added Amy quietly, dealing with her own throbbing cranium. "Like deja vu, but this hurts way more!"
They spent a minute or two gathering their thoughts and memories, completely silent, save for moments where a particular group of recollections was accompanied by stabs of agony. Sonic fought hard to remain upright, while Amy finally gave in and slumped to the ground, kneeling.
At long last, and at the same moment, their misery came to an end. Both hedgies ignored the lingering ebbs of pain and looked at each other. They were still children. They were still at the blocked entrance to Shaniku-sai's massive pinball park. Heck, as far as they knew, Eggman was still ravaging the planet for the Jikan. This only served to confuse them more.
"Ames," spoke Sonic at last. "This was seven years ago.. wasn't it?"
She nodded, nervously. "Yeah. That's not what's so disturbing though."
"What could possibly be more disturbing than being sent back through time to fight the same fights over again?" he demanded.
"That's just it!" Amy sprang to her feet, her little fists clenched and hovering anxiously under her chin. "The Jikan don't send people back in time! They just change the environment and resources and stuff like that! Which leaves just one explanation!"
Sonic beat her to the punch, though he wasn't very reassured by it. "You mean.. I'm lost in my memories. The Jikan can't physically change people in the present, but they can definitely mess with my head."
"Right! I dunno how, maybe my necklace did it.. somehow or other, you've been connected to the Jikan! Just like me!" she exclaimed. Her eyes lit up joyously at that proclamation, and Sonic failed to notice it.
"Wait, like you?" he questioned. "So I'm talking to you? Right this second?" Suddenly understanding, a rush of emotion coursed through him. He tensed and began asking a stream of questions. "That means you're okay! Holy-- what happened to you? Where's Metal? Where ARE you? I can hardly remember my way around this planet, even though Furou told me where to look for the Jikan -- by the way, do you know where they're hiding? I wanna find them and you, save the day, and get back to Mobius ASAP! I already know I'm less than welcome here-- hey, how come I'm connected to the Jikan? Isn't that forbidden or something? I'd have thought Cronos would.... Amy? Hey Ames, are you listening to a WORD I'm saying??"
Nope, she wasn't. Sonic paid careful attention to her face -- a dreamy smile, her fists clenched in excitement, an all-too-familiar gleam in her eye. All of the above were signs of impending doom. "Uh oh.."
"SONIKKUUUU!!" In a matter of milliseconds, Amy closed the gap between them. She launched herself at Sonic and tackled him in a rib-crushing glomp. "I've missed you so much Sonikku! You don't know how happy I am to see you!" she squealed, nuzzling him affectionately.
Sonic, meanwhile, struggled to get up and take gulps of air. "Sure thing, g-good to see you too. *cough* Don't get me wrong, but PLEASE lemme go so I can BREATHE.." he wheezed. To his extreme relief, Amy found herself and quickly released him, blushing horribly. She muttered a hushed apology as she helped him to his feet. "I thought you outgrew that.." he grumbled.
A puckish twinkle glittered in her eyes. "We're reminiscing, aren't we?" she laughed, gesturing to herself and a much younger Sonic. "I couldn't help myself! Really, I'm so happy you're okay!"
"Ames, you're talking to Sonic the Hedgehog, remember? Of course I'm okay! YOU, however, have been kidnapped by a deadly, psychotic robot, and there's no sign of where you are or what he's done to you or anything! Tell me, what's been happening to you?" He looked her dead in the eye and waited for some dramatic tale of horror.
Instead, Amy waved him off, slightly put out. "I'm not a helpless damsel in distress, you know! I'm fine, he hasn't hurt me.. much." She rubbed her arms gingerly as she spoke. This was not unnoticed by Sonic, who felt a tingle of white-hot anger at the sight. "It's nothing to worry about."
"You've gotta be kidding! When I get my hands on that creep, the last thing he'll remember is my fist connecting with his head and knocking it clean off!" Then he proceeded to demonstrate by punching the air before him.
Frankly, Amy was a bit shocked and flattered at Sonic's concern. She could feel a warm glow in her chest, collecting in the vicinity of her heart. Lightheaded, she insisted, "I'm okay, Sonikku, look, I'm right here!"
"True, I'll give you that," he laughed, giving her a kind smile. "Speaking of, any idea why we've met up here?" Sonic turned to the pinball game, the entrance clogged by strategically placed shards of shrapnel. The young girl beside him stared long and hard at the scene, pondering the possibilities.
"Maybe we're sharing this.. simply because it's a memory we share," she theorized.
"Good point. But why this memory? I mean, we share lots of memories, don't we?"
"Oh yeah, good point. Unless someone else shares this memory..." Here she trailed off. Unbeknownst to Sonic, she'd realized something, and the very thought sent a wave of terror down her spine.
Sonic frowned and wondered out loud. "Yeah, but WHO else? There's no one here except you and me!"
".. Sonikku... c-can you hear that?"
"Hear what?" When he looked at Amy, he was surprised to find her shaking like a leaf. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"It's.. Sonikku, it's them..." She held up a quivering finger, pointing at the shrapnel. Pale, her pupils dilated out of terror, she continued stammering, "..... the en-engines... i-i-it's him!"
Comprehension dawned on Sonic. His brow furrowed even more; now he could hear them too. Roaring in the distance, and quickly closing the gap. Before long, he would smash through the rubble heap, and snatch little Amy.. "Quick, get outta here!" Sonic shouted.
Amy remained rooted to the spot, shuddering and glaring at the spikes before her. The only things standing between her and the worst nightmare she'd ever faced. The fire in her eyes flickered dimly. "Nuh uh.. it's n-not just a memory now. You have to leave."
"Like I'm gonna leave you to face him alone!"
"You have to," she choked, now on the verge of terrified sobs. "I have to face him. You have to go!"
"I'm not going!"
"SONIKKU!" she screamed, wrenching her gaze from the entrance and settling a glare on Sonic. Tears flew from her face, yet she refused to break down and remain helpless. "When he catches me, we're going to fight! I'm going to fight him! And when that happens, do you know who else is gonna be here? Think about it! We're connected to the Jikan, therefore, we're connected to HER!"
"Oh man!" he cried, remembering one of Furou's warnings. By now the whine of rocket-powered engines was mere seconds away. "She doesn't know I'm here yet?"
"She was knocked out or something! This will definitely get her attention though! And if she finds out you're here, she might try to kill you! So GO ALREADY!!"
At Amy's words, Sonic felt like he was shoved backwards. He could feel his mind being torn away from something, and through the head-splitting pain, he thought he saw a shining missile crash through the debris.. Amy screamed... sounds of a fight... a strange trilling noise, like an exotic bird would make...
*~*~*
"Amy..!" The word escaped his mouth as a dazed mumble. Sonic just about fell off his seat, the unexpected surprise snapping him back to consciousness. The world was a dark blur. His senses were fuzzy and dull. It took a very long second for him to adjust and realize where he was.
Alone in Kataki's tent. The incense and candles had been blown out long ago. He could remember an eerie glow coming from the table just before passing out.. but upon glancing there, all that remained was the crystal ball. No light emenated from it at all.
Come to think of it, there was hardly any light finding it's way into the tent. And where did Kataki get to? 'I have a few questions for her,' Sonic told himself. 'She's got something to do with connecting me to the timestream, I know it! Now where'd she get to?'
His answer soon came. A sudden crack of light split the darkness and spilled onto the floor, accompanied by a cool night breeze. The small gust carried a voice with it.. no, two voices! Turning, all he saw was the partially open tent flap, and a feathery figure hastily blocking the light. This was interesting. Sonic leaned closer, quietly, and listened.
"I'm very sorry you've lost your friend," simpered Kataki to someone. "I haven't seen him at all, but if I do, I promise--"
"But you must've seen him! Sonic came this way, and I lost him around your tent!"
A grin instantly cracked through his muzzle. "Tails!" he whispered. The little guy wasn't going to give up so easily! Sonic opted not to run out and reassure the little fox; instead, he'd find out why Kataki was so determined to hide him.
"I was very busy cleaning up in here! Perhaps he ran past, I do remember a strong breeze passing by. I can't say for sure which way it went." The griff was starting to get exasperated. She gestured a touch too wildly to the surrounding booths. "The other vendors may know, go ask them!"
"Please ma'am," Tails begged, "are you sure you didn't even hear anything? I have to find him, it's an emergency!"
"I'm sorry."
"You're sure?!"
"YES, I'm positive! Don't you believe me?"
Sonic barely heard a disappointed sigh. "Sorry," muttered Tails. "It's about the crowds, my friend heard someone saying--"
"Kitsune~~~~~!!" a distant voice cried.
In surprise, Kataki started and stepped out of the opening. The light was cut off once again. This mildly irked Sonic, but that wasn't gonna stop him! He decided it was safe enough to leave his seat and creep closer...
*~*~*
Both Tails and Kataki looked towards the source of the cry. Down the booth-lined path, a little azure figure was racing to them, as fast as her legs could run. "Kitsune! Teirusu! Kitsune!!" she shouted.
"Riyu? What's going on?" Tails called back.
Some feet away, Riyu jumped into the air and soared overhead. She quickly touched down in the narrow space between Tails and Kataki, whirled around, and shoved Tails away. "Get away from her!" she demanded. The fox stumbled backward as the dragoon firmly planted herself between the two.
"AAH! Hey stoppit! What for?" Tails demanded in reply.
Riyu whirled around again, fixing Kataki with an icy glare. "You can't trust her! You can't trust any griffs! She's lying, I know it!"
The sultry black ekisha returned the glare and comment with her own, her voice low and dripping with venom. "What does a filthy scale-sack child know about trust?"
"Plenty more than you do!" Riyu retaliated.
"Oh yes, I agree." Kataki refused to move, and indicated this by folding her arms and curling her paws into tight fists. Her golden eyes pierced into Riyu's amethyst gaze, holding her and refusing to let go. "Indeed, you know how to break trust as though it were no stronger than a feather."
"Lies, all lies! You're the ones who always lie and cheat to get what you want!"
"You speak so hastily! Are you covering up yet another con the dragoons have pulled?"
By now, Riyu was literally shaking with fury. "Don't you dare twist my words around. The fact you griffs constantly do that must mean something!"
"More attempts at self-defense, by putting me in the spotlight. Shameful! But then, you ARE just a child..."
"Just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm stupid!!"
This was going from bad to worse, and fast. Tails wasn't sure if this was an opportune time to act, but better now than too late. "Guys, please, we don't have time for this," he stepped in calmly, standing next to Riyu. The girls were shocked at first, but refrained from arguing any further; that didn't stop the glaring, though. "Miss, we just need an answer, plain and simple. Do you know where Sonic is?" asked Tails.
Under her breath, Riyu scoffed for only Tails to hear. "Even if she did, she'll be lying through her beak."
"I have told you already, young man," Kataki sighed. "I haven't seen Sonikku. Now be on your way, both of you! This petty arguing has tried my patience and energy, no thanks to that brat." She moved to go back inside, then paused as her paw touched the flap. "I should warn you, Teirusu. The company you keep isn't, shall we say... the most reputable on this planet."
The griff glanced over her shoulder to see Riyu's face turn purple with anger. Satisfied, she proceeded to throw open the tent, making sure that she posed just right and a good shower of stardust flew into the sky.
"Really now? That surprises me! Considering everything I just heard, I'm amazed you aren't the lowest of lowlifes around here!"
Kataki realized her mistake too late. Casually standing with fists to his hips, Sonic winked smugly at her and waved to his companions. "Miss me?"
*~*~*
Uuunnhh..... what.. what happened..? Vision... Sonikku! Sonikku!! Oh no, where is he??
Settle down young one, you need your rest! He's no longer connected. He's out of harm's way.
........ Who are you? Not Kuronosu... she's gone again.. not.. but who else could it be? Tell me your name!
Gracious, you needn't be so rough. I promise you, I'm a friend and ally, and close comrade of Cronos, though she sometimes doesn't want to admit it! Stubborn old bird, isn't she?
You sound nice.. and familiar. But I can't be sure. Who are you?
Heh, and you're quite stubborn too! Very well. My name is Furou.
Furou-san! You're the elder of the dragoons! G-gomen nasai, I didn't know!
Never mind. Considering all you've been through, I understand. There's no need for formalities at this point anyway -- those are the least of our worries right now, ne?
Good point. Arigatou gozaimasu, it's so nice to be able to talk to someone else for a change!
I suppose even Cronos can be boring! Ha ha, but you should be careful, I am a doddering old windbag myself!
Not at all, you're very nice, and funny! Say, you're the one I helped earlier - Kuronosu asked me to lend you some energy. Did it help much?
Quite, and I thank you kindly. And by the way, you can call her Cronos if it's easier for you.
Daijobu, I'm getting used to the language again. Besides... I don't think she likes it when people call her that...
Hrrrrm. We still need to work with that.
You mean, you know about..??
I know a great many things, child. What I don't truly know is how to be rid of this hatred she feels. Perhaps we can work together!
Yeah, two heads are better than one! ............
.. ..... .... .. ............ ...
...... what is this presence I feel?
.... I'm scared.
.......... .. ....... ..... .. .................
This-- this is the cause.. it's him, isn't it? This is who we are fighting -- and the reason dear old Cronos hasn't spoken for some time!
Yes Furou-san.. and I'm scared. H-he's going to hurt me...
Hurt you?
And Sonikku, and Tails and Riyu... NO!! Don't TOUCH me!!
Nanda? What's happening?? Calm down!
Leave me alone!! Don't you dare come any closer--.................
Child! Speak to me!
.. . . . . . . . .................. . ....
... whatever you are.. you monster...
. . .......................
*~*~*
Insert awkward moment of silence. Kataki made no move, frozen and staring in disbelief at Sonic, who casually stepped out of the tent. He shook his head sadly, tutting, and patted the griff's shoulder. "You should've made sure I was tied up, too. Very sloppy, veeerry sloppy. I've seen even Eggman do better, right Tails?"
It took a second for Tails to snap out of it. His whole face lit up with relief. "Sonic, you're okay!"
His joyous proclamation seemed to snap the girls out of it too. Just as Riyu realized she was staring, the corner of her eye caught sight of Kataki rushing into her tent. Immediately her blood boiled. "C'mon guys, we can still catch her!" the dragoon cried. She prepared to launch forward with an attack, when Sonic paw closed around her arm and held her firmly. "Lemme go! Lemme at 'er! She kept you hostage AND insulted my family! I can't let her get away!!"
"Easy, easy!" laughed Sonic, although he was staggering a bit from Riyu's efforts to escape. "Tails, a little assistance?"
Tails couldn't resist an evil grin. "With pleasure," he cackled. Whirling his tails, he coptered to Riyu and took hold of both her arms. Then he rose a few feet into the air, leaving her dangling uselessly.
Needless to say, she was NOT pleased. Riyu struggled with everything she had, and Tails had a time keeping his grip. "Put me down you baka kitsune!! Sonikku-san, why are you doing this?! That stupid griff's gonna get away with doing who knows what to you!"
Sonic wasn't phased in the least. He just shrugged. "Sure, she tried to hold me in one place, but I'm free as a bird now. Besides, she may have been more help than otherwise."
"How so?" Tails asked. Even Riyu paused to listen.
The hedgehog paused, looking back to the tent. "I... was able to talk to Amy."
"WHAT??" Forgetting his own hostage, Tails released her and landed by Sonic, eager to soak in as much info as possible. He easily ignored the shriek, thump, and groan (in that order) from Riyu's general direction. "Is she in there? Do the griffs have her? Does someone else have her? What's going on?"
"Settle down!" he admonished with another laugh. "All I know for sure is that she's still alive. I couldn't talk with her long enough to find out where she is, or who's behind all this."
"Oh.. well, at least that's some good news," said the fox, although he couldn't hide mild disappointment. Then he had another thought. "But if she's not here, how did you talk to her?"
Sonic put a thoughtful finger to his chin. "That's one thing I can't figure out. We know Amy's connected to the timestream, right? I was too. We found each other in a memory..." Briefly he wondered how she was doing against Metal. They were locked in a heated fight last he saw... how did he appear there anyway? He did kidnap her just recently.. maybe that caused her to think of that memory. But it was so intense.. Sonic was saved from a silent-in-thought session by Riyu.
The little dragoon struggled to her feet, rubbing her backside and shooting her most evil glares at Tails. "You are SO paying for that, kitsune.." she growled.
All Tails found the courage to do was sweatdrop and laugh nervously.
Satisfied, Riyu turned to the hedgehog. "You were connected to the timestream, ne? There's only one way to do that. You need a Jikan! And I have yours tucked away, remember?"
The puzzle pieces fell into place. "Into the tent, now!!" Sonic ordered. There was a three-way stampede for Kataki's abode. The cloth was ripped aside, light shone into the small room, and a flurry of ebony feathers flew into their faces. They coughed and spat out the offending plumage, then glanced around the room.
"NO!" snarled Riyu. "She's gone!"
"Bet the Jikan is too," Tails grumbled.
"Sure is. Look." A sullen hedgehog pointed out the large wooden table. An empty space was left where Kataki's crystal ball once sat. "I should've known! Since when does a stupid crystal ball glow red??"
"... huh?" Tails blinked.
Sonic gave his friends a brief summary of what happened. He left out some details about his vision with Amy, thinking this wasn't the time or place to discuss what happened there. The atmosphere had taken a frustrated turn by the time Sonic finished.
Riyu was the first to fume. "You see?! You can't trust griffs! They lie and cheat and are probably sapping Kuronosu-sama's energy the most! Using a Jikan to tell fortunes.. what a disgrace!!"
"All the more reason to catch her," Tails affirmed, examining the scattered feathers now resting on the floor. "She can't be too far -- these feathers were still floating when we got here. No Sonic, wait!" he cried as Sonic moved to rev up and bolt out. The hedgie came close to tripping, but managed to steady himself.
"Sorry bud, we can't wait!"
"No, Riyu overheard something and we hafta warn you!"
"Well, make it quick," he complied, albeit tapping his foot impatiently. Grateful, Tails nodded and gave Riyu the floor. She took it, very seriously.
"When me and Tails were looking around, I overheard some people. They were all excited, so I asked them what happened. They said they had entered a contest to find you and get your necklace!"
"ExCUSE me??"
"Shaniku-sai people can be a little crazy..."
"But how do they know about my necklace??" asked Sonic, incredulous.
Tails took a turn. "That's just it, they don't know it's really a Jikan, they were told it was just a worthless necklace. Whoever made up the contest promised a big cash reward for it! And besides, you know how these people are, they'll do anything to meet you face-to-face!"
Suddenly, Sonic was more fearful of the crowds than before. Although Riyu had the necklace they wanted, he had a gut feeling these were rabid fans who would do anything to get the prize, which included himself. And he knew someone was after the Jikan -- no one else would go to so much trouble for a little trinket that could be found at any fair booth. "Okay then, here's the plan," he said. "You two hunt down that griff and her Jikan. I don't want to start any mobs by being here, so I'm gonna sneak out and wait. If you manage to find her, or even if you don't, get out of here ASAP, especially you Riyu. We can't afford to lose that necklace."
"Wakari," Riyu nodded. "I getcha."
"Hey, what if we find whoever's behind the contest?" asked Tails. "Should we take him out?"
"Nuh uh, there's no telling how tough he'll be. You find him, you come and find me, alright?"
"Alright. Let's do this!"
"I'll agree with you just this once, kitsune!"
"Move out troops!"
Of course, as soon as those words left Sonic's mouth, a timely interruption changed everything.
A brilliant flash of light from outside was soon followed by an earth-shattering roar that ripped through Shaniku-sai. One could barely hear people screaming abouve the waning explosion. Completely caught off guard, the triad tore out of the tent, hearts racing, searching for the source. Their answer wasn't far away. A pilliar of smoke rose into the night, accompanied by flickers of flame. Its origin: the pinball game. They stared in shock for a moment.
"Okaay... new plan," Sonic growled, the people's cries for help ringing in the air.
*~*~*
The one jubilant setting turned to a scene of fire and destruction. All was swept away in chaotic noise and mess, as the people screamed in fear and ran for safety. The uppermost area of the pinball game was reduced to burning, twisted shrapnel, which was quickly falling apart and raining down on terrified patrons below. Through the smoke, small mechanical shapes scurried into the confusion, targeting as many helpless hostages as they could.
"Hurry Nabeki-chan! Don't let go of my paw!" cried a mother dog. She and her pup were being jostled by the panicked crowd, and they couldn't find Nabeki's father anywhere.
Nabeki whimpered and tightened her grip. "Mama! Let's go find Sonikku-san! He saved me last time, I'm sure he can save everyone!" she suggested.
"We have to find your father first," her mother asserted.
"But Sonikku-san could--"
"He could be anywhere, sweetie! Now stay close!"
Obedient little Nabeki did as she was told. Actually, she noticed it was becoming easier to keep up with her mother. The crowd was thinning.. a tingling sensation crawled up the pup's spine. Instinct told her to turn around.. "AAH!! Mama, get down, quick!!" she screamed, throwing herself at her mother and sending them both crashing to the ground. A spinning blade narrowly missed their heads as they fell.
Looking up, the canines froze in fear. An entire fleet of Kamakama came trundling out of the smoke, shooting their weapons at everyone and everything. Three of them were advancing on Nabeki and her mother, all with red-tinted eyes, all trained on the two. The mother was swift to scoop up her daughter and shield the young one with her own body. "Don't come any closer!" she warned, even though she had no battle or escape plans.
But someone else did. The Kamakama trio had no time to defend themselves, as three silhouetted figures dropped from above and made short work of the badniks. Nabeki squirmed out of her mother's hold, to catch a glimpse at their saviors. A dragoon, a fox, and a hedgehog! "Sonikku-san! He's here Mama, I knew he'd come!" she squealed happily, beaming at her mother's shellshocked face.
"Oh.. oh my! It's really him..!"
The three had craned their necks back to search in the smoke above. All of the Kamakama froze in their tracks upon Sonic's timely arrival. They were ready to attack the instant he moved, and fortunately, Sonic knew it. He didn't budge, but he whispered a plan to his comrades. "Okay guys, these badniks look like they mean business. They'll be coming after me first. You take care of whoever's hanging around, then gimme some backup. I have a feeling an old friend of ours is up there. Kapeesh?"
"Kapeesh," they replied.
"Right... let's GO!!"
Sonic crouched and sprang into the air, and the Kamakama launched countless volleys of whirling blades after him. He simply curled into a spin and deflected all of the blows. Some came flying down towards Nabeki and her mother.
"Quick, move!" cried Riyu. She and Tails each grabbed both dogs and dragged them away, barely dodging discarded blades as they tumbled down. They came to a relatively shady spot next to the vendor's control booth. Nabeki's mother was shaking badly by the time they'd stopped. She was still curled protectively around Nabeki, crouched on the ground and leaning against the wall for support.
"Can you calm her down?" Tails asked tersely. "I'm going in to help Sonic!"
"No problem, but leave some for me!" Riyu winked at the fox's retreating form, then turned to the dogs, kneeling. "There's no need to worry, everything's gonna be fine. Will you be okay staying here?"
"Y-yes.. thank you..." she replied uncertainly.
Nabeki piped up, "Sonikku-san's gonna save us, right? And you, and the fox?"
"You bet! But you hafta stay here where it's safe!" She smiled at the pair before rising and shooting off into the fray. Nabeki watched her leave, an odd gleam in her eyes.
"I wanna help save everyone too..."
*~*~*
It seemed as though the badniks had no end. They closed in on Sonic from all sides. However, equalling their numbers was a sea of bobbing flowers that littered the ground below, representing the defeated robots. Sonic was slowly making his way up to the top of the game, and the Kamakama were more of an annoyance than a threat. He spun constantly to protect himself, so he had a little trouble focusing on a direct path up. "I gotta admit though," he commented, countering another wave of blades, "you 'bots are really stubborn! I'm kicking your butts, and you're still coming for me!"
Normally his cocky remarks would have little effect on the mindless badniks. This was a little different. This time, their eyes became completely red, and their attacks flew much faster than before. It nearly caught Sonic off guard. 'Man, for illusions from the past, they're really touchy! This keeps up, I'll never make it up there!'
"Here we come Sonic!" a friendly voice called. Tails was flying at top speed, unafraid and ready for a fight. He literally dive-bombed into a swarm of Kamakama, and soon there were mechanical parts flying in all directions, leaving a trail of flowers behind.
"I told you to leave some for me, you stupid kitsune!!" Riyu plowed through another crowd, her legs and arms kicking and punching any robot in her way. Puffs of smoke were all that remained of the poor Kamakama that fell victim to her attacks. She leaped back and forth like a rabbit, drawing a good portion of the fleet away from Sonic and towards herself and Tails.
With the badniks distracted, Sonic was able to make progress. "Way to go guys, keep at it!" he shouted back to them. Then he cleared out what few robots were still focused on him, and jumped from ledge to ledge to ledge, until he reached the highest one.
"You thought you had defeated me in the jungle, eh Sonic? Hah! This time I have you right in my trap! There's no escape this time!
Sonic was hardly surprised at the sight before him. Perched in a box-like console, which had attatched itself to the topmost frame of the arena, Eggman crowed at his arch-nemesis with pure, evil confidence. The hedgehog didn't expect him to recall their fight in the dragoon village, however, that point didn't really matter at the moment. The flickering light of the scattered flames cast a menacing sheen across Eggman's thick glasses. He grinned, typing away at a few buttons. "There's no way you'll be able to reach me, so why not surrender right now and save yourself some trouble?"
"Feh! I know you're just an illusion. What harm can you be?" Sonic commented cockily. His smirk widened when Eggman grit his teeth in anger.
"You dare to call the illustrious Dr. Eggman a mere illusion? It's about time I teach you a very hard, painful, final lesson!" Several hatches along the bottom of his console slid open. From them came a platoon of bombs, raining down on the hedgehog below.
He leaped aside, easily missing them; they exploded on contact, not enough to seriously damage the metallic platform, but would have easily burned through fur and flesh. Some missed the ledge and plummeted towards the Kamakama army below. Sonic remembered his friends and shouted to them, "Hey guys! Heads up, incoming!!" He could hear a surprised cry, probably Riyu's, followed by kabooms and rumbles that shook the entire arena. And more bombs were coming! Sonic acted without thinking; he jumped and used his homing attack on the bombs as they fell, gradually launching himself towards his enemy. He was lucky enough to escape the explosions before they could hurt him badly. Soon, nothing was between him and Eggman; his bomb supply stopped dead. One more attack would send this illusion back to wherever it came from!
"Rrrr, you infernal hedgehog... take this!" Eggman punched a bright red button, which opened one more hatch. Another bomb emerged from it.. one shaped like a beetle shell with tiny claw-like legs. It aimed straight for Sonic, and with incredible accuracy, managed to latch onto his back, even as he spun! He stopped in shock and dropped back to the platform, reaching for the device without success.
"What the heck is this??" he growled. "Spill the beans Eggman, you know you want to!"
*~*~*
Meanwhile, a pair of tails swiped through the last Kamakama. The owner of said tails was breathing heavily from the scuffle. The badniks were no trouble, but man, there were a lot! "At least the bombs've stopped.. think we got 'em all?" he asked the dragoon some distance away.
She was panting as well, and proceeded to collapse on her rear with a sigh. "Yattaze... yeah, pretty sure we did..."
"Tails! Hey Tails, gimme a hand, I need an airlift!" a faint voice shouted from up high. The fox in question snapped to attention.
"Hang on Sonic, I'm coming!" he called back, whirling his tails and shooting off to the rescue.
Riyu moved to get up. "Wait up for me--" she started. Then she looked up and saw a flurry of bombs closing on her. She shrieked and jumped aside, and was forced to jump again as more bombs came down. "What the heck is Egguman doing up there??"
Another shriek from the ground grabbed her attention. The blue dragoon angled her previous jump, dropping like a stone and landing roughly on her clawed feet. Her legs were not happy, but neither was the owner of that shriek. Riyu caught sight of the little green-clad puppy, out in the open and away from her mother. Nabeki was surrounded by explosions! She whimpered and whined, running in circles and avoiding injury, as her mother could only watch in horror. "Hold on!" Riyu shouted.
She was off like a shot, skimming the ground and aimed directly at Nabeki. She grabbed her within seconds, cut a sharp right turn to dodge a bomb, another left, then a jump! They landed back in the safe spot. Before the puppy could reunite with her mother, Riyu grasped her shoulders and held her at arm's length. "Why on Little Planet were you out there? It's dangerous!" she chastised.
"I-I wanted to help you, so when the kabooms st-topped, I ran out.." she stuttered. Her all-natural puppy-eyes won Riyu over, and she softened.
"That's very kind and brave of you, but I dunno how you can--"
"Help!! Riyu, we need you!"
"Aw man, what now?" she groaned, looking up at the kitsune flying above. He was dropping very slowly, holding a very tense Sonic by the wrists. Riyu sensed something was very wrong by the way Sonic was sweating bullets. "Guys, what happened?"
Tails explained as they landed. "There's a bomb on Sonic's back! If he moves too fast, the windspeed passing his quills is gonna trigger it, and it's curtains!"
"I'd rather not think of that right now!" Sonic growled. He crouched to make his back more accessible. "Can you guys find some way to get it off or defuse it or something? We don't have much time!" More explosions rocked the arena, chasing off the last few straggling patrons. Nabeki's mother was about to follow suit.
"Wait, we're safe here!" Nabeki protested as she watched the frantic trio.
Riyu carefully used her claws to pry the metal shell off of the bomb. Inside was an incomprehensible mess of wires and lights and sensors, all small enough to fit on Sonic's back. "It's gotta be extra-sensitive now, we gotta be careful not to set anything off," she sighed.
Tails' eyes narrowed to slits. He reached into his sock and pulled out a small screwdriver, which he used to gently move some wires aside for a clearer view. "Can't break the legs off either, they're connected to the trigger too," he groaned. "We hafta figure out which wire to cut. You've done anything like this before?"
"Er, no.. but it can't be too hard to figure out!" Riyu sweatdropped.
"Sorry, but that's not at all encouraging.."
"Well excuuuuuse me for never working with explosives before!"
"Funny! With that temper of yours, you should be the leading expert!"
"STUFF IT!"
"See what I mean??"
A particulary large kaboom detonated close by. "Would you two quit fighting and get this thing off me??" a shaking hedgehog pleaded. Riyu and Tails yipped and went back to work.
Nabeki's mother was uneasy. "I'm not sure how safe we are, Nabeki-chan.."
Some minutes later, the two techno-kids finally agreed on the wire to cut. It was the smallest wire buried beneath everything else, and they could only see it by holding the rest of the wires aside, which left no hands free. There was no other safe way to cut just that wire. "Now what, baka genius?" Riyu commented sardonically.
"Everything going okay?" Sonic whimpered, his eyes squeezed shut.
"Oh yeah, great! No worries!" chirped Tails, then he turned back to Riyu, glowering. "The wire looks weak enough, and you've got claws, so pull it!"
She manouvered her claws to reach the key wire. However, every time she did, she was forced to let go of some wires, which blocked her clear path. "Rggh! I can't risk it!" she hissed at last.
"C'mon, keep trying," Tails encouraged.
"No way, I'm not gonna be responsible for blowing Sonikku-san to smithereens!"
"Don't say that!"
"Then keep quiet while I think of something!"
"You aren't the only one helping him, yanno!"
"I might as well be!"
"Is this it?"
They stopped. Nabeki had managed to come between them unnoticed, and was currently reaching her tiny paw for the wire. She had no trouble at all. She glanced at the two innocently. "This is the wire you need?"
"Uuh, y-yeah, that's it," Riyu stammered, still rather surprised. Tails guessed what was happening and nodded as well.
Nabeki grinned with childlike confidence and swiftly tugged the wire loose. It gave a pathetic fizzle, and a few heartstopping seconds later, the lights and sensors powered down. The legs lost their grip, and the mine clattered to the ground. Sonic stopped shaking.
"Oh man.. you did it," he gasped, rising to his feet. He swiped the sweat off his brow. "Thanks a bundle guys, I really owe you one!" He turned and grinned at his friends (who were still staring into space and feeling rather dumb) before racing out with a cheer. "Finally, I can run again! Time for some payback!!"
The sounds of battle echoed from above. Nabeki was swept up in her proud mother's arms. The little pup was fit to burst: she had helped save the day! She had helped save Sonic's life! Her mother happily swung her around in circles, praising and laughing, as the bombs gradually came to a stop, and a final explosion rocked the pinball game from on high.
During all this, Tails and Riyu continued to gape at each other in disbelief.
*~*~*
Cutting it off there, just because I think a humorous ending is in order! X3 I still don't entirely like this chapter.. but the next few are gonna get good, I promise! *cackles with glee* They don't call me the Dramatic Fanatic for nothin'!
NEXT TIME: So where'd that griff get to anyway? Oh well, moving on! Don't'cha hate it when you gotta do something you really don't wanna do? Then you can relate to Sonic! Another Jikan awaits, and it's in the last place he'd want to be! Still, the locals seem nice.. at least some of them... like the ones without razor sharp TEETH! STAY TUNED!
With college on Christmas break, you'd think I have more time.. heh, maybe after Christmas. I gots two jobs now! @_@ And one's at EB! YAAAYY!! So I'll have an excuse to ponder the next few plot twists.. I'm surrounded by games!
One more note! Yes Rob, I am indeed planning to go through the entire of Sonic CD.. well, except one area. But that'll be explained! I've always wanted to write an epic! Just never thought it'd take forever! X3;; Anyway, enough of me! Go, go, go, go... LET'S GO!
*~*~*
RETURN TO LITTLE PLANET
by Ryuko DragonHalf
*~*~*
An innocent crystal ball -- that's who the culprit was. It glowed deep red, the color swirling within it's glassy hub. Sonic cared not about the ominous color. Coupled with the dulling scent of incense and the hypnotic flicker in Kataki's gaze, he probably wouldn't have cared if Eggman surrendered and Tails declared he'd given up on machinery altogether. All he knew was a numb, floating sensation, a blank awareness of existing, and nothing more.
To add to this, Kataki's soothing voice floated through one ear and out the other. Her paws weaved arcane patterns above the crimson crystal ball, the shadows skipping along the walls in a spellbinding rhythm. There was a fleeting moment where Sonic fought to break free, but that's all it was, fleeting. His mind effectively shut down, lulled into a stupor by Kataki's chants.
"The fourth dimension beckons.. follow my voice, your guide... be lost in the stream of time... past, present, future, or all at once.. the realm of Kuronosu... succumb and drift into the flowing river.. lose yourself in its current.."
*~*~*
He stared at the looming contraption before him. "A gigundo pinball machine..? Man, this planet's weird.." No one was around to offer any explanations. He figured it was because Eggman had captured them all. "There's prolly heaps of baddies hiding in there. Awesome! I'm gonna squash 'em all!" he declared with a fearless grin. Sure, the way in was barricaded by a twisted mound of jagged metal, which conveniently pointed out and towards him, but that was no prob! He could see a series of ledges leading to the top, so he figured he could easily jump over the top. Just as he revved up to do some heroics, footsteps and a voice behind him interrupted.
"Heeeeeeyyyyy! Wait up! Sonikkuuuu!"
The little blue hero nearly fell on his face in surprise. "I don't believe this!" he grumbled, looking behind him. Sure enough, there was that girl, her pumpkin colored skirt flapping in the breeze as she ran to catch up with him. "I thought I said to leave me alone!"
"But I can.. help you!" she panted in return.
"Oh yeah? How can you help me fight ol' Eggbutt?" He put his fists to his hips and stared quizzically at the pink little girl, who finally stopped and caught her breath. "You can't run as fast as me. You'd never keep up!"
"Nuh uh... not like that.. I can tell you where the.. Jikan are..." She was bent over double, one paw to her chest and panting dramatically.
Sonic was more confused now. "Jikan? What're those, some kinda animal I should rescue?"
"No, silly!" Amy giggled brightly. She suddenly returned to normal, arms behind her back and standing as tall as she could, grinning cutely at him. Being this close to a girl ('specially THIS one) made Sonic uncomfortable, and he backed away a few inches.
"O-okay then.. so what're these Jikan things?" he rushed.
Amy began rocking back and forth in her high-tops as she explained. "Yanno, those Time Stones? We call 'em Jikan! I heard Eggman say something about 'em when he came. Don't'cha think he'd go after 'em? They're pretty powerful!"
"Oooohh.. I getcha! Kinda like the Chaos Emeralds, right? And if I get 'em first, Eggman's down for the count!" Sonic balled his fists and held them up excitedly. "Awesome! Where can I find 'em?"
"They're hidden in special.. zones...." A blank expression covered Amy's face. She froze, staring into space for a few seconds, then started twirling in a slow circle, taking in the surroundings.
Sonic watched her curiously. "Umm, what's your name again?"
"Amy.. remember?" the girl replied, distracted.
"Yeah, Amy! What're you doing?"
".. Don't you feel it?" She turned to face him. Now she looked concerned and worried. "Sonikku, haven't we done this before?"
Her question struck a flood of dormant memories, stirring them awake. It was Sonic's turn to blink and look around. Everything was uncomfortably familiar. The rush of nostalgia was powerful enough to give Sonic a headache; he clapped one paw to his forehead. "Whoa. I-- hold on, hold on. This is some sort of... i-it's like I'm reliving a memory or something.."
"Same here," added Amy quietly, dealing with her own throbbing cranium. "Like deja vu, but this hurts way more!"
They spent a minute or two gathering their thoughts and memories, completely silent, save for moments where a particular group of recollections was accompanied by stabs of agony. Sonic fought hard to remain upright, while Amy finally gave in and slumped to the ground, kneeling.
At long last, and at the same moment, their misery came to an end. Both hedgies ignored the lingering ebbs of pain and looked at each other. They were still children. They were still at the blocked entrance to Shaniku-sai's massive pinball park. Heck, as far as they knew, Eggman was still ravaging the planet for the Jikan. This only served to confuse them more.
"Ames," spoke Sonic at last. "This was seven years ago.. wasn't it?"
She nodded, nervously. "Yeah. That's not what's so disturbing though."
"What could possibly be more disturbing than being sent back through time to fight the same fights over again?" he demanded.
"That's just it!" Amy sprang to her feet, her little fists clenched and hovering anxiously under her chin. "The Jikan don't send people back in time! They just change the environment and resources and stuff like that! Which leaves just one explanation!"
Sonic beat her to the punch, though he wasn't very reassured by it. "You mean.. I'm lost in my memories. The Jikan can't physically change people in the present, but they can definitely mess with my head."
"Right! I dunno how, maybe my necklace did it.. somehow or other, you've been connected to the Jikan! Just like me!" she exclaimed. Her eyes lit up joyously at that proclamation, and Sonic failed to notice it.
"Wait, like you?" he questioned. "So I'm talking to you? Right this second?" Suddenly understanding, a rush of emotion coursed through him. He tensed and began asking a stream of questions. "That means you're okay! Holy-- what happened to you? Where's Metal? Where ARE you? I can hardly remember my way around this planet, even though Furou told me where to look for the Jikan -- by the way, do you know where they're hiding? I wanna find them and you, save the day, and get back to Mobius ASAP! I already know I'm less than welcome here-- hey, how come I'm connected to the Jikan? Isn't that forbidden or something? I'd have thought Cronos would.... Amy? Hey Ames, are you listening to a WORD I'm saying??"
Nope, she wasn't. Sonic paid careful attention to her face -- a dreamy smile, her fists clenched in excitement, an all-too-familiar gleam in her eye. All of the above were signs of impending doom. "Uh oh.."
"SONIKKUUUU!!" In a matter of milliseconds, Amy closed the gap between them. She launched herself at Sonic and tackled him in a rib-crushing glomp. "I've missed you so much Sonikku! You don't know how happy I am to see you!" she squealed, nuzzling him affectionately.
Sonic, meanwhile, struggled to get up and take gulps of air. "Sure thing, g-good to see you too. *cough* Don't get me wrong, but PLEASE lemme go so I can BREATHE.." he wheezed. To his extreme relief, Amy found herself and quickly released him, blushing horribly. She muttered a hushed apology as she helped him to his feet. "I thought you outgrew that.." he grumbled.
A puckish twinkle glittered in her eyes. "We're reminiscing, aren't we?" she laughed, gesturing to herself and a much younger Sonic. "I couldn't help myself! Really, I'm so happy you're okay!"
"Ames, you're talking to Sonic the Hedgehog, remember? Of course I'm okay! YOU, however, have been kidnapped by a deadly, psychotic robot, and there's no sign of where you are or what he's done to you or anything! Tell me, what's been happening to you?" He looked her dead in the eye and waited for some dramatic tale of horror.
Instead, Amy waved him off, slightly put out. "I'm not a helpless damsel in distress, you know! I'm fine, he hasn't hurt me.. much." She rubbed her arms gingerly as she spoke. This was not unnoticed by Sonic, who felt a tingle of white-hot anger at the sight. "It's nothing to worry about."
"You've gotta be kidding! When I get my hands on that creep, the last thing he'll remember is my fist connecting with his head and knocking it clean off!" Then he proceeded to demonstrate by punching the air before him.
Frankly, Amy was a bit shocked and flattered at Sonic's concern. She could feel a warm glow in her chest, collecting in the vicinity of her heart. Lightheaded, she insisted, "I'm okay, Sonikku, look, I'm right here!"
"True, I'll give you that," he laughed, giving her a kind smile. "Speaking of, any idea why we've met up here?" Sonic turned to the pinball game, the entrance clogged by strategically placed shards of shrapnel. The young girl beside him stared long and hard at the scene, pondering the possibilities.
"Maybe we're sharing this.. simply because it's a memory we share," she theorized.
"Good point. But why this memory? I mean, we share lots of memories, don't we?"
"Oh yeah, good point. Unless someone else shares this memory..." Here she trailed off. Unbeknownst to Sonic, she'd realized something, and the very thought sent a wave of terror down her spine.
Sonic frowned and wondered out loud. "Yeah, but WHO else? There's no one here except you and me!"
".. Sonikku... c-can you hear that?"
"Hear what?" When he looked at Amy, he was surprised to find her shaking like a leaf. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"It's.. Sonikku, it's them..." She held up a quivering finger, pointing at the shrapnel. Pale, her pupils dilated out of terror, she continued stammering, "..... the en-engines... i-i-it's him!"
Comprehension dawned on Sonic. His brow furrowed even more; now he could hear them too. Roaring in the distance, and quickly closing the gap. Before long, he would smash through the rubble heap, and snatch little Amy.. "Quick, get outta here!" Sonic shouted.
Amy remained rooted to the spot, shuddering and glaring at the spikes before her. The only things standing between her and the worst nightmare she'd ever faced. The fire in her eyes flickered dimly. "Nuh uh.. it's n-not just a memory now. You have to leave."
"Like I'm gonna leave you to face him alone!"
"You have to," she choked, now on the verge of terrified sobs. "I have to face him. You have to go!"
"I'm not going!"
"SONIKKU!" she screamed, wrenching her gaze from the entrance and settling a glare on Sonic. Tears flew from her face, yet she refused to break down and remain helpless. "When he catches me, we're going to fight! I'm going to fight him! And when that happens, do you know who else is gonna be here? Think about it! We're connected to the Jikan, therefore, we're connected to HER!"
"Oh man!" he cried, remembering one of Furou's warnings. By now the whine of rocket-powered engines was mere seconds away. "She doesn't know I'm here yet?"
"She was knocked out or something! This will definitely get her attention though! And if she finds out you're here, she might try to kill you! So GO ALREADY!!"
At Amy's words, Sonic felt like he was shoved backwards. He could feel his mind being torn away from something, and through the head-splitting pain, he thought he saw a shining missile crash through the debris.. Amy screamed... sounds of a fight... a strange trilling noise, like an exotic bird would make...
*~*~*
"Amy..!" The word escaped his mouth as a dazed mumble. Sonic just about fell off his seat, the unexpected surprise snapping him back to consciousness. The world was a dark blur. His senses were fuzzy and dull. It took a very long second for him to adjust and realize where he was.
Alone in Kataki's tent. The incense and candles had been blown out long ago. He could remember an eerie glow coming from the table just before passing out.. but upon glancing there, all that remained was the crystal ball. No light emenated from it at all.
Come to think of it, there was hardly any light finding it's way into the tent. And where did Kataki get to? 'I have a few questions for her,' Sonic told himself. 'She's got something to do with connecting me to the timestream, I know it! Now where'd she get to?'
His answer soon came. A sudden crack of light split the darkness and spilled onto the floor, accompanied by a cool night breeze. The small gust carried a voice with it.. no, two voices! Turning, all he saw was the partially open tent flap, and a feathery figure hastily blocking the light. This was interesting. Sonic leaned closer, quietly, and listened.
"I'm very sorry you've lost your friend," simpered Kataki to someone. "I haven't seen him at all, but if I do, I promise--"
"But you must've seen him! Sonic came this way, and I lost him around your tent!"
A grin instantly cracked through his muzzle. "Tails!" he whispered. The little guy wasn't going to give up so easily! Sonic opted not to run out and reassure the little fox; instead, he'd find out why Kataki was so determined to hide him.
"I was very busy cleaning up in here! Perhaps he ran past, I do remember a strong breeze passing by. I can't say for sure which way it went." The griff was starting to get exasperated. She gestured a touch too wildly to the surrounding booths. "The other vendors may know, go ask them!"
"Please ma'am," Tails begged, "are you sure you didn't even hear anything? I have to find him, it's an emergency!"
"I'm sorry."
"You're sure?!"
"YES, I'm positive! Don't you believe me?"
Sonic barely heard a disappointed sigh. "Sorry," muttered Tails. "It's about the crowds, my friend heard someone saying--"
"Kitsune~~~~~!!" a distant voice cried.
In surprise, Kataki started and stepped out of the opening. The light was cut off once again. This mildly irked Sonic, but that wasn't gonna stop him! He decided it was safe enough to leave his seat and creep closer...
*~*~*
Both Tails and Kataki looked towards the source of the cry. Down the booth-lined path, a little azure figure was racing to them, as fast as her legs could run. "Kitsune! Teirusu! Kitsune!!" she shouted.
"Riyu? What's going on?" Tails called back.
Some feet away, Riyu jumped into the air and soared overhead. She quickly touched down in the narrow space between Tails and Kataki, whirled around, and shoved Tails away. "Get away from her!" she demanded. The fox stumbled backward as the dragoon firmly planted herself between the two.
"AAH! Hey stoppit! What for?" Tails demanded in reply.
Riyu whirled around again, fixing Kataki with an icy glare. "You can't trust her! You can't trust any griffs! She's lying, I know it!"
The sultry black ekisha returned the glare and comment with her own, her voice low and dripping with venom. "What does a filthy scale-sack child know about trust?"
"Plenty more than you do!" Riyu retaliated.
"Oh yes, I agree." Kataki refused to move, and indicated this by folding her arms and curling her paws into tight fists. Her golden eyes pierced into Riyu's amethyst gaze, holding her and refusing to let go. "Indeed, you know how to break trust as though it were no stronger than a feather."
"Lies, all lies! You're the ones who always lie and cheat to get what you want!"
"You speak so hastily! Are you covering up yet another con the dragoons have pulled?"
By now, Riyu was literally shaking with fury. "Don't you dare twist my words around. The fact you griffs constantly do that must mean something!"
"More attempts at self-defense, by putting me in the spotlight. Shameful! But then, you ARE just a child..."
"Just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm stupid!!"
This was going from bad to worse, and fast. Tails wasn't sure if this was an opportune time to act, but better now than too late. "Guys, please, we don't have time for this," he stepped in calmly, standing next to Riyu. The girls were shocked at first, but refrained from arguing any further; that didn't stop the glaring, though. "Miss, we just need an answer, plain and simple. Do you know where Sonic is?" asked Tails.
Under her breath, Riyu scoffed for only Tails to hear. "Even if she did, she'll be lying through her beak."
"I have told you already, young man," Kataki sighed. "I haven't seen Sonikku. Now be on your way, both of you! This petty arguing has tried my patience and energy, no thanks to that brat." She moved to go back inside, then paused as her paw touched the flap. "I should warn you, Teirusu. The company you keep isn't, shall we say... the most reputable on this planet."
The griff glanced over her shoulder to see Riyu's face turn purple with anger. Satisfied, she proceeded to throw open the tent, making sure that she posed just right and a good shower of stardust flew into the sky.
"Really now? That surprises me! Considering everything I just heard, I'm amazed you aren't the lowest of lowlifes around here!"
Kataki realized her mistake too late. Casually standing with fists to his hips, Sonic winked smugly at her and waved to his companions. "Miss me?"
*~*~*
Uuunnhh..... what.. what happened..? Vision... Sonikku! Sonikku!! Oh no, where is he??
Settle down young one, you need your rest! He's no longer connected. He's out of harm's way.
........ Who are you? Not Kuronosu... she's gone again.. not.. but who else could it be? Tell me your name!
Gracious, you needn't be so rough. I promise you, I'm a friend and ally, and close comrade of Cronos, though she sometimes doesn't want to admit it! Stubborn old bird, isn't she?
You sound nice.. and familiar. But I can't be sure. Who are you?
Heh, and you're quite stubborn too! Very well. My name is Furou.
Furou-san! You're the elder of the dragoons! G-gomen nasai, I didn't know!
Never mind. Considering all you've been through, I understand. There's no need for formalities at this point anyway -- those are the least of our worries right now, ne?
Good point. Arigatou gozaimasu, it's so nice to be able to talk to someone else for a change!
I suppose even Cronos can be boring! Ha ha, but you should be careful, I am a doddering old windbag myself!
Not at all, you're very nice, and funny! Say, you're the one I helped earlier - Kuronosu asked me to lend you some energy. Did it help much?
Quite, and I thank you kindly. And by the way, you can call her Cronos if it's easier for you.
Daijobu, I'm getting used to the language again. Besides... I don't think she likes it when people call her that...
Hrrrrm. We still need to work with that.
You mean, you know about..??
I know a great many things, child. What I don't truly know is how to be rid of this hatred she feels. Perhaps we can work together!
Yeah, two heads are better than one! ............
.. ..... .... .. ............ ...
...... what is this presence I feel?
.... I'm scared.
.......... .. ....... ..... .. .................
This-- this is the cause.. it's him, isn't it? This is who we are fighting -- and the reason dear old Cronos hasn't spoken for some time!
Yes Furou-san.. and I'm scared. H-he's going to hurt me...
Hurt you?
And Sonikku, and Tails and Riyu... NO!! Don't TOUCH me!!
Nanda? What's happening?? Calm down!
Leave me alone!! Don't you dare come any closer--.................
Child! Speak to me!
.. . . . . . . . .................. . ....
... whatever you are.. you monster...
. . .......................
*~*~*
Insert awkward moment of silence. Kataki made no move, frozen and staring in disbelief at Sonic, who casually stepped out of the tent. He shook his head sadly, tutting, and patted the griff's shoulder. "You should've made sure I was tied up, too. Very sloppy, veeerry sloppy. I've seen even Eggman do better, right Tails?"
It took a second for Tails to snap out of it. His whole face lit up with relief. "Sonic, you're okay!"
His joyous proclamation seemed to snap the girls out of it too. Just as Riyu realized she was staring, the corner of her eye caught sight of Kataki rushing into her tent. Immediately her blood boiled. "C'mon guys, we can still catch her!" the dragoon cried. She prepared to launch forward with an attack, when Sonic paw closed around her arm and held her firmly. "Lemme go! Lemme at 'er! She kept you hostage AND insulted my family! I can't let her get away!!"
"Easy, easy!" laughed Sonic, although he was staggering a bit from Riyu's efforts to escape. "Tails, a little assistance?"
Tails couldn't resist an evil grin. "With pleasure," he cackled. Whirling his tails, he coptered to Riyu and took hold of both her arms. Then he rose a few feet into the air, leaving her dangling uselessly.
Needless to say, she was NOT pleased. Riyu struggled with everything she had, and Tails had a time keeping his grip. "Put me down you baka kitsune!! Sonikku-san, why are you doing this?! That stupid griff's gonna get away with doing who knows what to you!"
Sonic wasn't phased in the least. He just shrugged. "Sure, she tried to hold me in one place, but I'm free as a bird now. Besides, she may have been more help than otherwise."
"How so?" Tails asked. Even Riyu paused to listen.
The hedgehog paused, looking back to the tent. "I... was able to talk to Amy."
"WHAT??" Forgetting his own hostage, Tails released her and landed by Sonic, eager to soak in as much info as possible. He easily ignored the shriek, thump, and groan (in that order) from Riyu's general direction. "Is she in there? Do the griffs have her? Does someone else have her? What's going on?"
"Settle down!" he admonished with another laugh. "All I know for sure is that she's still alive. I couldn't talk with her long enough to find out where she is, or who's behind all this."
"Oh.. well, at least that's some good news," said the fox, although he couldn't hide mild disappointment. Then he had another thought. "But if she's not here, how did you talk to her?"
Sonic put a thoughtful finger to his chin. "That's one thing I can't figure out. We know Amy's connected to the timestream, right? I was too. We found each other in a memory..." Briefly he wondered how she was doing against Metal. They were locked in a heated fight last he saw... how did he appear there anyway? He did kidnap her just recently.. maybe that caused her to think of that memory. But it was so intense.. Sonic was saved from a silent-in-thought session by Riyu.
The little dragoon struggled to her feet, rubbing her backside and shooting her most evil glares at Tails. "You are SO paying for that, kitsune.." she growled.
All Tails found the courage to do was sweatdrop and laugh nervously.
Satisfied, Riyu turned to the hedgehog. "You were connected to the timestream, ne? There's only one way to do that. You need a Jikan! And I have yours tucked away, remember?"
The puzzle pieces fell into place. "Into the tent, now!!" Sonic ordered. There was a three-way stampede for Kataki's abode. The cloth was ripped aside, light shone into the small room, and a flurry of ebony feathers flew into their faces. They coughed and spat out the offending plumage, then glanced around the room.
"NO!" snarled Riyu. "She's gone!"
"Bet the Jikan is too," Tails grumbled.
"Sure is. Look." A sullen hedgehog pointed out the large wooden table. An empty space was left where Kataki's crystal ball once sat. "I should've known! Since when does a stupid crystal ball glow red??"
"... huh?" Tails blinked.
Sonic gave his friends a brief summary of what happened. He left out some details about his vision with Amy, thinking this wasn't the time or place to discuss what happened there. The atmosphere had taken a frustrated turn by the time Sonic finished.
Riyu was the first to fume. "You see?! You can't trust griffs! They lie and cheat and are probably sapping Kuronosu-sama's energy the most! Using a Jikan to tell fortunes.. what a disgrace!!"
"All the more reason to catch her," Tails affirmed, examining the scattered feathers now resting on the floor. "She can't be too far -- these feathers were still floating when we got here. No Sonic, wait!" he cried as Sonic moved to rev up and bolt out. The hedgie came close to tripping, but managed to steady himself.
"Sorry bud, we can't wait!"
"No, Riyu overheard something and we hafta warn you!"
"Well, make it quick," he complied, albeit tapping his foot impatiently. Grateful, Tails nodded and gave Riyu the floor. She took it, very seriously.
"When me and Tails were looking around, I overheard some people. They were all excited, so I asked them what happened. They said they had entered a contest to find you and get your necklace!"
"ExCUSE me??"
"Shaniku-sai people can be a little crazy..."
"But how do they know about my necklace??" asked Sonic, incredulous.
Tails took a turn. "That's just it, they don't know it's really a Jikan, they were told it was just a worthless necklace. Whoever made up the contest promised a big cash reward for it! And besides, you know how these people are, they'll do anything to meet you face-to-face!"
Suddenly, Sonic was more fearful of the crowds than before. Although Riyu had the necklace they wanted, he had a gut feeling these were rabid fans who would do anything to get the prize, which included himself. And he knew someone was after the Jikan -- no one else would go to so much trouble for a little trinket that could be found at any fair booth. "Okay then, here's the plan," he said. "You two hunt down that griff and her Jikan. I don't want to start any mobs by being here, so I'm gonna sneak out and wait. If you manage to find her, or even if you don't, get out of here ASAP, especially you Riyu. We can't afford to lose that necklace."
"Wakari," Riyu nodded. "I getcha."
"Hey, what if we find whoever's behind the contest?" asked Tails. "Should we take him out?"
"Nuh uh, there's no telling how tough he'll be. You find him, you come and find me, alright?"
"Alright. Let's do this!"
"I'll agree with you just this once, kitsune!"
"Move out troops!"
Of course, as soon as those words left Sonic's mouth, a timely interruption changed everything.
A brilliant flash of light from outside was soon followed by an earth-shattering roar that ripped through Shaniku-sai. One could barely hear people screaming abouve the waning explosion. Completely caught off guard, the triad tore out of the tent, hearts racing, searching for the source. Their answer wasn't far away. A pilliar of smoke rose into the night, accompanied by flickers of flame. Its origin: the pinball game. They stared in shock for a moment.
"Okaay... new plan," Sonic growled, the people's cries for help ringing in the air.
*~*~*
The one jubilant setting turned to a scene of fire and destruction. All was swept away in chaotic noise and mess, as the people screamed in fear and ran for safety. The uppermost area of the pinball game was reduced to burning, twisted shrapnel, which was quickly falling apart and raining down on terrified patrons below. Through the smoke, small mechanical shapes scurried into the confusion, targeting as many helpless hostages as they could.
"Hurry Nabeki-chan! Don't let go of my paw!" cried a mother dog. She and her pup were being jostled by the panicked crowd, and they couldn't find Nabeki's father anywhere.
Nabeki whimpered and tightened her grip. "Mama! Let's go find Sonikku-san! He saved me last time, I'm sure he can save everyone!" she suggested.
"We have to find your father first," her mother asserted.
"But Sonikku-san could--"
"He could be anywhere, sweetie! Now stay close!"
Obedient little Nabeki did as she was told. Actually, she noticed it was becoming easier to keep up with her mother. The crowd was thinning.. a tingling sensation crawled up the pup's spine. Instinct told her to turn around.. "AAH!! Mama, get down, quick!!" she screamed, throwing herself at her mother and sending them both crashing to the ground. A spinning blade narrowly missed their heads as they fell.
Looking up, the canines froze in fear. An entire fleet of Kamakama came trundling out of the smoke, shooting their weapons at everyone and everything. Three of them were advancing on Nabeki and her mother, all with red-tinted eyes, all trained on the two. The mother was swift to scoop up her daughter and shield the young one with her own body. "Don't come any closer!" she warned, even though she had no battle or escape plans.
But someone else did. The Kamakama trio had no time to defend themselves, as three silhouetted figures dropped from above and made short work of the badniks. Nabeki squirmed out of her mother's hold, to catch a glimpse at their saviors. A dragoon, a fox, and a hedgehog! "Sonikku-san! He's here Mama, I knew he'd come!" she squealed happily, beaming at her mother's shellshocked face.
"Oh.. oh my! It's really him..!"
The three had craned their necks back to search in the smoke above. All of the Kamakama froze in their tracks upon Sonic's timely arrival. They were ready to attack the instant he moved, and fortunately, Sonic knew it. He didn't budge, but he whispered a plan to his comrades. "Okay guys, these badniks look like they mean business. They'll be coming after me first. You take care of whoever's hanging around, then gimme some backup. I have a feeling an old friend of ours is up there. Kapeesh?"
"Kapeesh," they replied.
"Right... let's GO!!"
Sonic crouched and sprang into the air, and the Kamakama launched countless volleys of whirling blades after him. He simply curled into a spin and deflected all of the blows. Some came flying down towards Nabeki and her mother.
"Quick, move!" cried Riyu. She and Tails each grabbed both dogs and dragged them away, barely dodging discarded blades as they tumbled down. They came to a relatively shady spot next to the vendor's control booth. Nabeki's mother was shaking badly by the time they'd stopped. She was still curled protectively around Nabeki, crouched on the ground and leaning against the wall for support.
"Can you calm her down?" Tails asked tersely. "I'm going in to help Sonic!"
"No problem, but leave some for me!" Riyu winked at the fox's retreating form, then turned to the dogs, kneeling. "There's no need to worry, everything's gonna be fine. Will you be okay staying here?"
"Y-yes.. thank you..." she replied uncertainly.
Nabeki piped up, "Sonikku-san's gonna save us, right? And you, and the fox?"
"You bet! But you hafta stay here where it's safe!" She smiled at the pair before rising and shooting off into the fray. Nabeki watched her leave, an odd gleam in her eyes.
"I wanna help save everyone too..."
*~*~*
It seemed as though the badniks had no end. They closed in on Sonic from all sides. However, equalling their numbers was a sea of bobbing flowers that littered the ground below, representing the defeated robots. Sonic was slowly making his way up to the top of the game, and the Kamakama were more of an annoyance than a threat. He spun constantly to protect himself, so he had a little trouble focusing on a direct path up. "I gotta admit though," he commented, countering another wave of blades, "you 'bots are really stubborn! I'm kicking your butts, and you're still coming for me!"
Normally his cocky remarks would have little effect on the mindless badniks. This was a little different. This time, their eyes became completely red, and their attacks flew much faster than before. It nearly caught Sonic off guard. 'Man, for illusions from the past, they're really touchy! This keeps up, I'll never make it up there!'
"Here we come Sonic!" a friendly voice called. Tails was flying at top speed, unafraid and ready for a fight. He literally dive-bombed into a swarm of Kamakama, and soon there were mechanical parts flying in all directions, leaving a trail of flowers behind.
"I told you to leave some for me, you stupid kitsune!!" Riyu plowed through another crowd, her legs and arms kicking and punching any robot in her way. Puffs of smoke were all that remained of the poor Kamakama that fell victim to her attacks. She leaped back and forth like a rabbit, drawing a good portion of the fleet away from Sonic and towards herself and Tails.
With the badniks distracted, Sonic was able to make progress. "Way to go guys, keep at it!" he shouted back to them. Then he cleared out what few robots were still focused on him, and jumped from ledge to ledge to ledge, until he reached the highest one.
"You thought you had defeated me in the jungle, eh Sonic? Hah! This time I have you right in my trap! There's no escape this time!
Sonic was hardly surprised at the sight before him. Perched in a box-like console, which had attatched itself to the topmost frame of the arena, Eggman crowed at his arch-nemesis with pure, evil confidence. The hedgehog didn't expect him to recall their fight in the dragoon village, however, that point didn't really matter at the moment. The flickering light of the scattered flames cast a menacing sheen across Eggman's thick glasses. He grinned, typing away at a few buttons. "There's no way you'll be able to reach me, so why not surrender right now and save yourself some trouble?"
"Feh! I know you're just an illusion. What harm can you be?" Sonic commented cockily. His smirk widened when Eggman grit his teeth in anger.
"You dare to call the illustrious Dr. Eggman a mere illusion? It's about time I teach you a very hard, painful, final lesson!" Several hatches along the bottom of his console slid open. From them came a platoon of bombs, raining down on the hedgehog below.
He leaped aside, easily missing them; they exploded on contact, not enough to seriously damage the metallic platform, but would have easily burned through fur and flesh. Some missed the ledge and plummeted towards the Kamakama army below. Sonic remembered his friends and shouted to them, "Hey guys! Heads up, incoming!!" He could hear a surprised cry, probably Riyu's, followed by kabooms and rumbles that shook the entire arena. And more bombs were coming! Sonic acted without thinking; he jumped and used his homing attack on the bombs as they fell, gradually launching himself towards his enemy. He was lucky enough to escape the explosions before they could hurt him badly. Soon, nothing was between him and Eggman; his bomb supply stopped dead. One more attack would send this illusion back to wherever it came from!
"Rrrr, you infernal hedgehog... take this!" Eggman punched a bright red button, which opened one more hatch. Another bomb emerged from it.. one shaped like a beetle shell with tiny claw-like legs. It aimed straight for Sonic, and with incredible accuracy, managed to latch onto his back, even as he spun! He stopped in shock and dropped back to the platform, reaching for the device without success.
"What the heck is this??" he growled. "Spill the beans Eggman, you know you want to!"
*~*~*
Meanwhile, a pair of tails swiped through the last Kamakama. The owner of said tails was breathing heavily from the scuffle. The badniks were no trouble, but man, there were a lot! "At least the bombs've stopped.. think we got 'em all?" he asked the dragoon some distance away.
She was panting as well, and proceeded to collapse on her rear with a sigh. "Yattaze... yeah, pretty sure we did..."
"Tails! Hey Tails, gimme a hand, I need an airlift!" a faint voice shouted from up high. The fox in question snapped to attention.
"Hang on Sonic, I'm coming!" he called back, whirling his tails and shooting off to the rescue.
Riyu moved to get up. "Wait up for me--" she started. Then she looked up and saw a flurry of bombs closing on her. She shrieked and jumped aside, and was forced to jump again as more bombs came down. "What the heck is Egguman doing up there??"
Another shriek from the ground grabbed her attention. The blue dragoon angled her previous jump, dropping like a stone and landing roughly on her clawed feet. Her legs were not happy, but neither was the owner of that shriek. Riyu caught sight of the little green-clad puppy, out in the open and away from her mother. Nabeki was surrounded by explosions! She whimpered and whined, running in circles and avoiding injury, as her mother could only watch in horror. "Hold on!" Riyu shouted.
She was off like a shot, skimming the ground and aimed directly at Nabeki. She grabbed her within seconds, cut a sharp right turn to dodge a bomb, another left, then a jump! They landed back in the safe spot. Before the puppy could reunite with her mother, Riyu grasped her shoulders and held her at arm's length. "Why on Little Planet were you out there? It's dangerous!" she chastised.
"I-I wanted to help you, so when the kabooms st-topped, I ran out.." she stuttered. Her all-natural puppy-eyes won Riyu over, and she softened.
"That's very kind and brave of you, but I dunno how you can--"
"Help!! Riyu, we need you!"
"Aw man, what now?" she groaned, looking up at the kitsune flying above. He was dropping very slowly, holding a very tense Sonic by the wrists. Riyu sensed something was very wrong by the way Sonic was sweating bullets. "Guys, what happened?"
Tails explained as they landed. "There's a bomb on Sonic's back! If he moves too fast, the windspeed passing his quills is gonna trigger it, and it's curtains!"
"I'd rather not think of that right now!" Sonic growled. He crouched to make his back more accessible. "Can you guys find some way to get it off or defuse it or something? We don't have much time!" More explosions rocked the arena, chasing off the last few straggling patrons. Nabeki's mother was about to follow suit.
"Wait, we're safe here!" Nabeki protested as she watched the frantic trio.
Riyu carefully used her claws to pry the metal shell off of the bomb. Inside was an incomprehensible mess of wires and lights and sensors, all small enough to fit on Sonic's back. "It's gotta be extra-sensitive now, we gotta be careful not to set anything off," she sighed.
Tails' eyes narrowed to slits. He reached into his sock and pulled out a small screwdriver, which he used to gently move some wires aside for a clearer view. "Can't break the legs off either, they're connected to the trigger too," he groaned. "We hafta figure out which wire to cut. You've done anything like this before?"
"Er, no.. but it can't be too hard to figure out!" Riyu sweatdropped.
"Sorry, but that's not at all encouraging.."
"Well excuuuuuse me for never working with explosives before!"
"Funny! With that temper of yours, you should be the leading expert!"
"STUFF IT!"
"See what I mean??"
A particulary large kaboom detonated close by. "Would you two quit fighting and get this thing off me??" a shaking hedgehog pleaded. Riyu and Tails yipped and went back to work.
Nabeki's mother was uneasy. "I'm not sure how safe we are, Nabeki-chan.."
Some minutes later, the two techno-kids finally agreed on the wire to cut. It was the smallest wire buried beneath everything else, and they could only see it by holding the rest of the wires aside, which left no hands free. There was no other safe way to cut just that wire. "Now what, baka genius?" Riyu commented sardonically.
"Everything going okay?" Sonic whimpered, his eyes squeezed shut.
"Oh yeah, great! No worries!" chirped Tails, then he turned back to Riyu, glowering. "The wire looks weak enough, and you've got claws, so pull it!"
She manouvered her claws to reach the key wire. However, every time she did, she was forced to let go of some wires, which blocked her clear path. "Rggh! I can't risk it!" she hissed at last.
"C'mon, keep trying," Tails encouraged.
"No way, I'm not gonna be responsible for blowing Sonikku-san to smithereens!"
"Don't say that!"
"Then keep quiet while I think of something!"
"You aren't the only one helping him, yanno!"
"I might as well be!"
"Is this it?"
They stopped. Nabeki had managed to come between them unnoticed, and was currently reaching her tiny paw for the wire. She had no trouble at all. She glanced at the two innocently. "This is the wire you need?"
"Uuh, y-yeah, that's it," Riyu stammered, still rather surprised. Tails guessed what was happening and nodded as well.
Nabeki grinned with childlike confidence and swiftly tugged the wire loose. It gave a pathetic fizzle, and a few heartstopping seconds later, the lights and sensors powered down. The legs lost their grip, and the mine clattered to the ground. Sonic stopped shaking.
"Oh man.. you did it," he gasped, rising to his feet. He swiped the sweat off his brow. "Thanks a bundle guys, I really owe you one!" He turned and grinned at his friends (who were still staring into space and feeling rather dumb) before racing out with a cheer. "Finally, I can run again! Time for some payback!!"
The sounds of battle echoed from above. Nabeki was swept up in her proud mother's arms. The little pup was fit to burst: she had helped save the day! She had helped save Sonic's life! Her mother happily swung her around in circles, praising and laughing, as the bombs gradually came to a stop, and a final explosion rocked the pinball game from on high.
During all this, Tails and Riyu continued to gape at each other in disbelief.
*~*~*
Cutting it off there, just because I think a humorous ending is in order! X3 I still don't entirely like this chapter.. but the next few are gonna get good, I promise! *cackles with glee* They don't call me the Dramatic Fanatic for nothin'!
NEXT TIME: So where'd that griff get to anyway? Oh well, moving on! Don't'cha hate it when you gotta do something you really don't wanna do? Then you can relate to Sonic! Another Jikan awaits, and it's in the last place he'd want to be! Still, the locals seem nice.. at least some of them... like the ones without razor sharp TEETH! STAY TUNED!