Shadow's Scream Test

Ghost of the Old Castle, King Boom Boo

Throughout an old castle, faint, childlike laughing could be heard.

Outside the castle Shadow yawned from his reclining place atop one of the battlements. Lindsey was preparing for a shoot for her movie.

"You were fantastic in that last take, Lindsey, but I would like to give it one more go. Take it slower, and let those tears go this time." the director said. "And Roger, please try to show some feeling this take." he told lead actor.

"I think we should go with the 65-millimeter here." the cameraman said.

Chris, his friends and Ella were attending the film shoot. Ella approached wearing a different outfit, and her hair was done up.

"Ella? What happened to your hair?" Amy asked.

"Did Mom get you a part in the movie?" Chris asked.

"That's right. They needed someone to play an extremely young and beautiful housekeeper, so they type-cast me. How do I look?" Ella said.

"All right, let's go. Places, please!" the director said.

Filming was underway. In the act, Lindsey character was begging the lead actor's character to stay.

"But Bret, what will I do without you? You can't leave me now! I need you, Bret!" Lindsey said and the lead actor walked away. "Bret, don't go!" she said and cried.

"And cut! Print it!" the director said.

"She sounds like she's really into that guy Bret." Amy said causing Chris to blush and laugh nervously.

Then Lindsey approached.

"Was I good?" she asked.

"Great." Chris said.

"Oh, I thought you were bringing your friends. Where are they?"

"We're right here." Tails said.

"My, you look like a real fox. It's amazing what the makeup department can do with a little hair and a pot of glue these days."

"Uh, didn't you tell her about us yet?"

Chris shrugged.

"I tried, but Mom's clueless sometimes. Hey, I haven't seen Cream and Cheese. I wonder where they went?"

Tails shrugged.

"Don't ask me."

The director was reviewing the shot.

"Rewind that! ... Hold it!" he said and the cameraman stopped on a certain frame. "There. You see?" he said and pointed to a certain part of the frame.

There, watching Lindsey crying, were Cream and Cheese. Chris gasped.

"I didn't call for animals in this shot!"

"Don't worry, D.B. We can erase it digitally in post." Cameraman said.

"Good idea. Let's print it. All right, let's move on to the next scene, people!"

Chris sighed of relief.

Meanwhile Shadow entered the castle and started to explore it.

Outside the next scene was being set up. Chris, his friends, and Ella were sitting on some stone steps nearby.

"We'll be out of camera range over here." Chris said.

"Okay, rehearse it!" the man said and Lindsey started running forward.

"Please, Bret, don't leave me! Come back! What will I do? Where shall I go?" she said.

The camera bumped an object that was right next to it. The object was a pedestal with a talisman on top of it. The top of the talisman depicted a moon and a star.

"I didn't notice this thing before. What is it? Some kind of crazy sculpture? ... Guess I'll have to move it out of the way." the cameraman said.

Inside the castle strange sensation fell on Shadow.

Outside.

"On second thought, I'll move the camera." the cameraman said and moved the camera back a few feet.

Inside the sensation ended.

"I don't think this is part of the movie..." Shadow said.

Outside the next take was on and Lindsey was running.

"Come back! What shall I do? Where shall I go?" she said.

This time, however, the talisman got in the way of the shot.

"It's still in the way." Cameraman said and removed the talisman from the pedestal and put it on the ground.

The cameraman removed the talisman from the pedestal and put it on the ground.

Inside Shadow felt the sensation ending again and looked down the dark hallway.

"Places, everybody!" the man said outside the castle.

"And... action!" the director said.

Night fell on the castle, and the film crew were filming inside. Lindsey was carrying a candle.

"Uh, DB? There's a noise." sound guy said. "Cut!" director said.

Elsewhere, Shadow looked out the window at the courtyard.

"Chris asked for my autograph." Ella said.

"Can't find anything wrong with the sound on my end." the sound guy said.

"Are we good to go here?" the man asked.

"Yeah. Let's try it again."

"All right, Lindsey. Action!" the director said.

Then Lindsey walked down the hall with the candlestick.

"Sorry. There's still noise." the sound guy said.

"Cut! That's a wrap! I hate working on location..." director said.

Later, Lindsey had changed into her normal outfit, and was busy removing the makeup from her face, when Chris entered.

"I just came to say good night." Chris said.

"You're such a considerate young man." Lindsey said.

"Yeah. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

"Chris!" she said then ran over and hugged him. "Sweet dreams, my darling son."

"You too, Mom. Good night." he said they broke the hug.

"Off you go."

"We'll see you on the set in the morning, Mom."

"Until the morrow, my love."

Chris left the room.

Meanwhile, the sound guy is walking the halls with a microphone and headphones, searching for the source of the sound.

"I can't sleep 'til I find that noise." he said.

Chris headed to his room to see that the only one there is Tails reading a book.

"Where is everybody, Tails?"

"The girls are having a sleepover in Ella's room." Tails said.

"And Shadow?"

"He's probably exploring around as usual."

"I sure hope Shadow doesn't get into any trouble..."

Meanwhile Shadow was walking around outside when he noticed the talisman on the ground. He walked over and picked it up.

Inside the sound guy finally found the source of the noise, it was coming from behind a door.

"Oh! It's here." he said.

Suddenly four ghosts, known as Booms, appear behind the sound guy. They laugh.

"Sounds like some kids are playing." he said and turned around, but the Booms disappeared.

Meanwhile, Lindsey was continuing with her makeup removal, when she heard the sound of children's laughing.

"Chris, honey?" she said and the laughing continued.

Then she stood up.

"All right, come out here. This little joke has gone far enough." she said and looks around, but no one was there. "I thought I heard something. Perhaps it was just the wind." she said and turned back to her makeup removal. "It's been such a long day..."

Suddenly her reflection looked back toward her. The reflection's face had the features of an aggressive Boom.

"Well hello there." her reflection said and she screamed.

Outside the castle Sonic was examining the moon side of the talisman.

Then he turned over.

"I wonder what this thing is for?" he said.

Soon, everyone was looking for Lindsey. The sound crew were searching outside.

"Can you hear me? Lindsey! Answer me! Are you all right?" the director asked.

Inside Chris and Tails were searching one of the rooms.

"Hey Mom!" Chris said.

Ella, Amy, and Cream were searching the halls.

"Are you here, Mrs. Thorndyke?" Ella asked.

"Hey, Mrs. Thorndyke! Are you okay?" Amy asked.

"We're all worried about you!" Cream said.

"Chao chao chao chao chao chao!" Cheese said.

"Do you hear something, Cheese?"

Then they heard laughter.

"I don't like the sound of this, Ella." Amy said.

"It's coming from behind this wall." Ella said and knocked on the wall. "Excuse me! Is that you, Mrs. Thorndyke?"

"I better go get some help!" Amy said and started to race off, but ghostly hands shot out of the wall, cutting her off.

She screamed.

Outside the castle.

"Sounds like Amy!" Shadow said.

Inside the castle Chris and Tails raced over.

"What's happening, Amy?" Chris asked and Cream and Cheese were gone.

Amy was trying to keep Ella's arm from going through the wall too.

"Help me save Ella!" she said.

Not even the combined forces of Chris, Tails, and Amy could stop Ella from being pulled into the wall causing them to be thrown backward.

"Something pulled them all right through the wall!" she said then Shadow arrived carrying the talisman.

"What's goin' on?" he asked.

"We were looking for Chris' mom and all of a sudden, we were attacked by ghosts!"

"I don't believe in ghosts."

Then four booms poked themselves out of the walls, as if to taunt him.

Then he attacked the wall. A chunk of it broke off, revealing a purple portal.

"Whoa. What is that?" Chris said.

A group of ghostly hands emerged from the portal. As Chris, Tails, and Amy fled, Shadow tried to attack the hands.

"Maybe there is such a thing as ghosts after all!" he said and the hands grabbed Tails and pulled him through the portal.

"It grabbed Tails!" Chris and Amy said.

"Bring him back!" Shadow said and hands attacked again.

He dodged them, but they grabbed him anyway and start to pull him through the portal.

"Shadow!" Chris and Amy said.

"Chris, catch!" he said and tossed the talisman to Chris, who caught it.

"What's this, Shadow?" he asked.

Suddenly the broken pieces of the wall started to seal back together and repair the wall.

"I don't know, but it fell off a pedestal outside and I think it has to do with all this!" Shadow said.

"No! Shadow!" Amy said and hammered the now-completely sealed wall. "Bring him back, you hear me?! You can't... take... my... Shadow..."

Then Chris and Amy inspected the pedestal while Chris held the talisman.

"This must be where Shadow found that thing. But I don't see what this has to do with those ghosts." Amy said.

"Well... I'm not sure, but there's something written here. "Appears under the moon. Disappears under the sun." I wonder what that means?" Chris said and bent down and felt a spot at the base of the pedestal.

"What, Chris?" she asked and he stood up.

"I feel a breeze coming from the base. There must be a hidden passageway underneath it."

So Amy drew her hammer and slammed into the pedestal, knocking it aside and revealing a hidden staircase.

"Whoa..." he said. "You think we should go take a look?"

"We may be able to rescue Shadow. Let's go." she said and started heading down the staircase, but Chris grabbed her arm.

"Hold on. It could be dangerous down there."

"I know that."

"But... don't you think we should let the police check it out? I mean..."

"Hmph." she said and headed down the stairs.

"But Amy, we..." he started but she said nothing. "All right..." he said and followed.

In the basement they were descending the stairs together.

"I thought you were scared, Chris." Amy said.

"Of course I'm scared. Aren't you?" he said.

She shrugged.

"No."

Then a drop of water fell from a stalactite and onto her, causing her to scream.

Meanwhile Shadow, Lindsey, Tails, Cream, Cheese, and Ella, were all unconscious and floating around. Nearby are King Boom Boo and the Booms, were laughing. Suddenly the Booms changed to their aggressive forms.

Back in the basement Amy was holding onto Chris for security as they continued their descent.

"Remember, Chris, ghosts love it if they see you're scared, so if you run into one, stay calm." Amy said.

"I'll pretend like I don't even notice them." Chris said.

They reach the bottom of the stairs. Suddenly four Booms come from the door at the end of the hall and speed toward them, then change into their aggressive forms. Amy grabs the talisman from Chris and holds it above her head. This causes the Booms to retreat back to where they came from.

"It seems like they're scared of that thing." he said.

"All right... Let's show those glost's that we can spook them!" she said and ran toward the door.

"Amy, wait!" he said and Chris followed her into another room.

"Where'd the ghosts go?"

"They must be around here someplace..."

"They can go through walls. Maybe they already escaped."

"They're heading down those stairs!" he said pointing.

They saw the Booms flying through another door. One of them stopped to look at them before proceeding.

Meanwhile Sonic regained consciousness and saw the Booms flying around and King Boom Boo himself.

Back in the basement Amy and Chris were standing before the door.

"Are you ready, Amy?" Chris asked.

"Let's do it." Amy said and opened the door slightly and held the talisman out in front of her, before they both entered the room. "Is anybody here?"

They walked further into the room.

"It looks like the ghosts led us to a dead end." Chris said.

"Shadow must be here." Amy said.

"But there's nobody around. Where could they be keeping him? "

"Shadow! ... Shhhadooow!" she called out.

"Amy! Chris! I'm up here!" someone called out.

They looked up to see Sonic looking down at them from the portal on the ceiling.

"Shadow!" they said.

"There's not much time, so listen! I've always loved you, Amy." Shadow said.

"Well, I'm sure you know how I feel..." Amy said.

"You can free me if you place that stone into the space in the wall."

"Right, Shadow. I sure am glad we brought this thing along." she said blushing and found the hole in the wall. "That must be where it goes."

"I said don't put that thing over there, Amy! That's how the ghosts get power!"

Amy reached the window.

"Is this where it goes?"

"Wonderful, Amy. Now place that stone in the space in the wall with the moon side facing upwards."

"What do you mean, "the moon side"?" she said and flipped the talisman over. "Oh, I see."

"I don't think this is a good idea..." Chris said.

"It'll be fine. Shadow knows exactly what he's doing."

"No, Amy! Don't!" Shadow said but she placed the talisman into the hole anyway. "You're the best, Amy."

Amy blushed.

"Oh, it was nothing. I'm just glad we're going to be back together again." she said.

Suddenly the moon on the talisman glows, filling the room with a bright light. When it dies down, King Boom Boo and his Booms are there in the room.

"Where'd he come from?!" Amy said.

"Thank you, Amy." King Boom Boo said and he and Boom laughed.

"Hey! That was you pretending to be Shadow!"

"You don't have a chance against that thing! Don't even think about taking it on!" Shadow said.

"I'm not letting some fool make a fool out of me!" she said to king Boom Bo and leapt toward him, hammer drawn.

But King Boom Boo disappears as she reached him, causing her attack to fail. She struggled to keep her balance upon landing. Then suddenly, King Boom Boo reappeared behind her and grabbed her.

"Oh!" Shadow and Chris said.

"No! Let me go!" Amy said struggling to free herself, but a Boom possessed her, and she fainted.

King Boom Boo placed her on the ground, and Chris ran up to her.

"Amy! Please, Amy, open your eyes for me!" he said and her eyes snapped open.

Her face has the features of a Boom.

"Stop interfering with my plans or you'll never leave this castle!" she said.

"Amy!"

Suddenly Amy chased after him, swinging her hammer. Chris fled, but tripped over a stone.

"Amy, please don't do it!" she said and raised her hammer blow but he narrowly dodges, gets up, and continues running.

Amy swings her hammer, but Chris narrowly dodges, gets up, and continued running.

"Shadow! Help me!

"I'll help you, but first you have to get me out of here!" he said.

Chris stopped in front of the talisman.

"Please... Stop, Amy!" he said.

Amy, who was about to deliver another hit, stops.

"Now I get it..."

"Wonderful, Amy. Now place that stone in the space in the wall with the moon side facing upwards." king Boom Boo said in a flashback.

"The moon side upwards... What did it say on that pedestal? 'Appears under the moon. Disappears under the sun.'" he said to himself." "Hey, that's it!" he said out loud and took hold of the talisman. "The ghosts show up when the moon's facing up!"

Then King Boom Boo and the Booms raced toward him in a last-ditch attempt to stop him.

And when the sun is up, they're in big trouble!" Chris said and flipped the talisman over.

The room was bathed in a light so bright that he was forced to squint, and Shadow was freed from the portal. He rushed over to Amy and knocked the ghost out of her as she opened her eyes.

"Amy, are you okay?" he asked.

"Oh, Sonic..." she said and hugged him. "Oh, Shadow!"

"Please, Amy, we still have to stop the ghost attack!" he said and turned to the Booms that were approaching. "I'll show you!" he said and punched and kicked them, and they dropped like flies.

Then he turned to King Boom Boo.

"Bring it on!"

"You spooks better slip right away!" Amy said and tried to hammer the other now-sweat dropping Booms, but went right through them.

Then the Booms merge to form a larger Boom.

"You creeps can't creep me out anymore!" she said and readied her hammer. "It's time to say goodbye!" she said and slammed her hammer into the Boom with all her might, send it into the opposite wall, before striking a smug pose.

"Mom! Wake up!" Chris said waking her up.

"Chris...?" she said and opened her eyes to see Ella, Chris, and Tails looking at her, concerned. "How was I in that take?"

The others smiled in amusement.

"This isn't a movie, Mom."

"Chris! Get goin' now!" Shadow said.

"Here, Shadow!" Tails said and tossed him a Power Ring, and he caught it.

"Thanks!" he said.

The others left the room, but Chris stopped.

"Go on; I'll catch up with you guys later." he said.

Tails watched as Chris ran back into the room. As Shadow charged his ring power, Chris grabbed the talisman and headed out. Then Shadow home attacked King Boom Boo, sending him into the wall and showering him with rocks.

"See ya!" he said.

"Let's go, Mom. We gotta hurry." Chris said.

"If we're going to film an action scene, can't I have more comfortable shoes?" Lindsey said.

The others stared and Shadow stopped in front of them.

"I thought you guys would be out of this place by now." he said.

"Did you stop the ghosts?" Chris asked.

Shadow shrugged.

"They didn't stand a ghost of a chance." he said.

Suddenly King Boom Boo emerges from the rubble.

"What?!"

Then it started eating the stairs in a last-ditch effort to stop them. Shadow carried Lindsey up the stairs, and Chris followed closely behind.

"Okay, maybe I was wrong!" Shadow said while made it out and Chris was the last to emerge into daylight. "Hurry, Chris!"

Amy drew her hammer.

She slammed the pedestal back into place just as King Boom Boo was about to escape. Then Chris placed the talisman back onto the pedestal, causing a bright light and covered his eyes.

"Amy... Did I put the right side up?" he asked.

Amy took a look.

"It's the moon side!" she said.

"So I messed up..."

Then Shadow gave a wink and thumbs-up.

"Yeah, big time." he said sarcastic.

"That was fun, but I didn't know this was a fantasy film. Those special effects were incredibly realistic!" Lindsey said.

"Hey!" someone said.

The director, a police officer, and another film crew member ran up to the group.

"You really had us worried." the director said.

"Did something go wrong?"

"Nobody ever got away from the ghosts down there before." a police officer said.

"Who are they? Where did they all come from?" Chris said.

"Well... some folks say this place sits on an ancient burial ground. When the man who built the castle heard legends about ghosts, he laughed and said they were nonsense. Then the man disappeared the first night he stayed here, and nobody ever saw him again."

Then two laughing Booms appeared in one of windows before disappearing.