A Chilling Discovery
(Ayla's POV)
*It's been a few days since we left Planet Secco*
Chris: My new program will let us detect a Chaos Emerald anywhere in the galaxy no matter how far away it may be. *the computer screen opened* Alright, Sonic, what do you say we try it out?
Sonic: Sure thing.
Chris: Okay.
*He took the Chaos Emerald we found & put it in the computer*
Tails: Now we just connect it to the main interface and we'll be on our way. *something appeared in the window in front of us* Knuckles, everything okay?
Knuckles:*off-screen* So far, so good.
Tails: Whoa!
Knuckles:*off-screen* What's up? You got something?
Tails: Yeah, I'm detecting a response already.
*We all looked at the window & saw a blinking light*
Cosmo: It's thanks to you, Chris.
Chris: It's no big deal, really.
Tails: Sure it's a big deal! I've built lots of neat stuff, but I couldn't have come up with something this good overnight!
Chris: Aw, come on, Tails, you're embarrassing me!
Tails: Amy, what's the location?
Amy: The signal's coming from a place called Planet Breezy.
Tails: That sounds cool. Okay Planet Breezy, here we come!
Amy: We're on our way!
*She was about to press the button, when suddenly*
Ayla: Wait, guys! *they all looked at me* Something's wrong.
Shadow: What is it?
Tails: Are you not sensing anything?
Ayla: No, I can sense something, but it feels different than usual.
Cosmo: Different how?
Ayla: I'm not sure. Something just feels . . . Off about this Emerald.
Sonic: Don't worry, we'll figure it out when get there.
*Amy pressed the button*
Tails: Engage warp field driver! *a giant ring of light appeared in front of the Blue Typhoon* Warp field ready! Let's go!
*Soon, we were going through a rainbow tunnel. As we were, I couldn't get rid of that weird feeling. It was starting to make a little queasy*
(Gotta Go Fast!)
(Ayla's Theme song - KC Undercover Theme Song)
*The next thing I knew, we were above a pure white planet. The thing was still beeping*
Amy: There it is, guys, straight ahead. But it looks like rough weather. The whole planet's in the middle of a terrible snowstorm.
Cosmo: Oh, maybe the Metarex has taken its Planet Egg away.
Tails: That would explain the weird weather they're having.
*A picture appeared on the screen. Snow had covered everything & the wind was howling like a pack of hungry wolves*
Cosmo: Everything looks so cold and lonely . . .
Chris: Even so, we have to go down there and look for the Emerald, guys?
Sonic: Sure. Let's go!
Ayla: I'm ready when you are.
*Shadow just nodded*
*We started to go down. As we did, the feeling in my stomach was getting worse by the second. I clutched my stomach in pain*
Cream: Are you feeling okay, Miss Ayla?
Ayla: I'm ok, Cream. Just getting that feeling again.
Chris: Are you sure? Maybe you should sit this one out.
Ayla: It's okay. I can handle it.
*As we were getting really to land, the ship started shaking*
Cheese: Chao-Chao Chao!
*Suddenly, a dragon Metarex attacked the ship. It hit us with it's tail*
Amy: What is that thing, Chris?
Chris: It's a Metarex.
*We were hit again. Chris hit a button & missiles were launched at the dragon, but it launched missiles back at us. Our missiles destroyed the Metarex, but his missiles hit one of our engines. A red light turned on & a siren was blaring*
Tails: Hang on guys, I'm gonna have to bring it in for a landing!
Shadow: Brace yourselves!
*We landed, but not without some damage*
Tails: Knuckles, do we have any damage?
Knuckles:*off-screen* I'm afraid so, looks like engines one and three have been hit. We'll have to fix 'em or we'll never get off the ground.
Tails: Oh great.
*While Tails, Amy, Cream, & Cheese stayed on the Blue Typhoon to repair the engines. Me, Sonic, Shadow, Knuckles, Chris, & Cosmo got ready to go out & look for the Chaos Emerald. We opened the door & were hit by a cold wind. Chris came into the room wearing his snow gear*
Sonic: Let's get this snow on the road.
Chris: It might be . . . *Sonic jumped off the ship & got trapped in a snow bank* . . . Deep. *all we could see was Sonic's ear & the top of his head* Don't worry, I packed some new snow shoes.
*Sonic poked his head out of the snow*
Sonic: Got any earmuffs?
Ayla: I'll make sure to make plenty of hot chocolate when we get back.
Shadow: Sounds good.
*Later, we were all standing around a frozen tree. Cosmo out her ear to the trunk of the tree*
Knuckles: What are you doing?
Cosmo: I'm trying to listen.
Sonic: Trying to listen to what?
Cosmo: If this tree's still alive, I will hear its life force. *she listened for a few seconds & then became sad* I knew we were too late.
Chris: Don't worry, Cosmo, maybe it'll come to life again next spring.
*She shook her head*
Cosmo: There won't be a spring.
*A cold wind blew past us*
Ayla: She's right. *the boys all looked at me* If the Metarex have already taken the Planet Egg, then this world has been trapped in an eternal winter.
Sonic: If the Metarex had already taken the Planet Egg away, there'd be no reason for them to still be hanging around. Maybe it's because the Egg's still here someplace!
Cosmo: If that's true, we have to try and find it.
Knuckles: We don't have time.
Cosmo: If we find it, this planet might have a chance to survive, I know we came here for a Chaos Emerald, but couldn't we look for a Planet Egg too?
Knuckles: No way.
Ayla: Knuckles! There's no reason we can't do both!
Chris: What do you think, Sonic?
Sonic: The Blue Typhoon's damaged.
*Chris shrugged*
Chris: Maybe we can use the X Tornado.
Ayla: And my board's always ready for action.
Chris: If we look for the Egg, we might find the Emerald.
Sonic: Then I say we do it!
Ayla: I'm in too.
Shadow: So am I.
Cosmo: Thank you all. This planet would be so grateful to you.
Ayla: Sorry Knuckles. 5 to 1, so you loose.
Knuckles: Alright, let's go!
*Later, Chris & Cosmo were sitting in the X Tornado. Sonic, Shadow, & Knuckles were standing on the wings & I was was on my hover board. And then we took off. Soon, we were flying over a castle made entirely of ice. Floating in the air above it, was an army of Metarex soldiers*
Knuckles: There they are.
Sonic: We're ready for em'! *he turned to me* Ready to rock, sis?
Ayla:*activating Ring Blades* Ready to roll, bro!
Chris: Let's go!
*Chris shot a Power Ring out of the X Tornado. Sonic jumped up & caught it*
Sonic: Got it!
*He did a spin dash & destroyed multiple Metarex. I sliced multiple Metarex in half. Knuckles & Shadow then jumped up from the X Tornado & then punched & kicked all the Metarex in their way*
Shadow: Chaos Spear!
*Chris then fired lasers & missiles from the X Tornado. The boys landed back on the X Tornado*
Sonic: Don't let 'em get away, Chris!
Chris: I won't. *he flew in X Tornado after the Metarex that escaped into an ice canyon. They then stopped. Suddenly, explosions went off on the mountain behind them & an avalanche started* I think we're in big trouble! *we kept flying towards the avalanche. we were going to fast to stop in time* Oh no!
*Just then, the Blue Typhoon came flying towards us & blocked the avalanche for us. Soon, it was buried in snow*
Ayla:*in her mind* Guess the Blue Typhoon needs to be repaired again.
*We then focused on the ice castle. Sonic, Shadow, & Knuckles jumped from the X Tornado & landed on the ice. But Sonic & Knuckles had a little trouble standing up. Shadow had no problem because of his hover shoes. Neither did I because of my board*
Chris:*off-screen* Sonic, use this!
*He launched another hover board from the X Tornado & Sonic jumped on it. Me, Sonic, & Shadow battled to Metarex*
Knuckles: Wouldn't happen to have one of those things for me, would ya?
Chris:*off-screen* Sorry Knuckles! I only had time to make one!
Knuckles: Yeah, well that's - !
*He tried to stand up, but slipped & fell down. He had to jump back on the X Tornado again, while the rest of us were knocking away the Metarex*
Tails:*off-screen* According to the scanner, the Chaos Emerald's in the center of that ice palace.
Ayla: He's right. The closer I get, the more this feeling in my stomach grows.
Chris: Roger! But first things first. Hang on, Knuckles!
*He flew into the ice canyon to let Knuckles battle a few soldiers. Meanwhile, Sonic, Shadow, & I made our way into the castle. We were sliding on ice slides, knocking away & slicing any soldiers in our way & dodging missiles being launched at us. Chris then launched his own missiles at one of the castle towers, making a hole in the wall. We went inside. There, we found the red Chaos Emerald, incased in a pillar of ice*
Sonic: Well, there it is.
Ayla: Now how do we get it out?
Shadow: Good question.
*Just then, Knuckles, Chris, & Cosmo appeared through another hole in the wall*
Chris: Sonic, can you get it out of there?
Sonic: I'll try.
Knuckles:*wearing his Shovel Claws* Leave this to me. *he jumped towards the pillar, but was bounced back* That ice is harder than a diamond!
Metarex Crystal:*off-screen* OF COURSE IT IS. IF IT WERE NOT, WE WOULD BE AT THE MERCY IF THIEVES LIKE YOU.
Knuckles: Come out where we can see you!
Metarex Crystal:*off-screen* VERY WELL. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE EMERALD.
*We all looked at the Emerald as it glowed brightly. Just then, a Metarex that looked like it was made of ice appeared in the pillar behind the Emerald*
Knuckles: You don't scare me!
*He jumped back at the pillar, but bounced off again. Sonic did a spin dash, but that didn't work. I tried to slice at it with my Ring Blades, but it didn't even make a crack*
Shadow: Chaos Spear!
*But his spears didn't work either*
Metarex Crystal: NOW I WILL DESTROY YOU.
*He then took the Emerald & put it in his chest. It began to glow really bright & everything started to shake*
Chris: It's getting power from the Emerald! *a tornado appeared in the center of the room & then the ceiling began to cave in* Run!
*We all ran out of there as the whole castle came crashing down around us. When the dust settles, we all saw the boss Metarex had grown into a giant. He smashed his claws into the ground, causing the ice to break. Chris & Cosmo almost fell in, but Sonic & Knuckles caught them. Just then, the Blue Typhoon came towards us*
Tails:*off-screen* Hang in there, guys!
*Metarex Crystal then sent a blast that froze the Blue Typhoon. Chris & Cosmo got back in the X Tornado & fired missiles at the Metarex, but them didn't do any damage. Sonic got back on his board*
Chris:*off-screen* Heads up, Sonic!
*He fired out two Power Rings. Sonic caught them & went into spin dash mode. He tried to attack the Metarex, but it sent out a pillar of ice, but he sawed right through it. He stopped at the claws & was about to get grabbed, when suddenly, the X Tornado fired a laser be that sliced through the Metarex's arm. Sonic got free & jumped on the X Tornado. I flew next to the X Tornado & looked at Chris. He smiled at me*
Ayla:*in her mind* I know that look. He has a plan.
*He flew the X Tornado back to towards the Blue Typhoon. We all met up in the bridge*
Tails: We're almost ready, Chris. You see, all we have to do is get Knuckles to power up the laser cannon and we'll be good to go!
Knuckles:*off-screen* Let's do it!
*Tails pressed a button & aimed two of the laser cannons at the Metarex. The ship's power began to go up*
Chris: 60, 70, 80, 90.
Tails: Fire!
*The lasers fired*
Ice
Metarex Crystal: YOUR WEAPONS ARE OF NO USE AGAINST ME.
*He readied his ice pillar, but the laser meteled right through it & then hit the Metarex, destroying him. A star shaped crystal landed on the ground next to him & sunk into the snow. Soon, all the ice started to melt. We went outside*
Knuckles: I found it!
*He had found the Chaos Emerald. He was about to pick it up, when suddenly, three cards blocked his hands. Then Rouge swooped down & grabbed the Emerald*
Rouge: Thanks for doing the dirty work, I owe you one, Knuckie.
Knuckles: You bring that back here!
*Amy ran up to him*
Amy: She just stole the Chaos Emerald!
Knuckles: Thanks very much for the update!
Sonic: Hey Knuckles, *he pointed at the ground* Take a look at this.
*I looked at where he was pointing & saw little seedlings growing out of the ground*
Cosmo: The grass! It's growing!
Chris: Spring came after all. And before you know it, this place will be just as green and beautiful as it was before.
Sonic: Sure. Happy Cosmo?
Cosmo: Yes!
Ayla: Come on. Let's get back to the ship. I believe I owe everyone a cup of hot chocolate.
*As I was walking into the bridge with a tray of hot chocolate with marshmallows for everyone, I heard something from Tails, I didn't expect*
Ayla: What? You mean that Emerald we found in that ice castle was a fake?
Tails: Yeah. After I got a real good look at the response data, I noticed something I hadn't seen the first time. The components of the Emeralds were off so slightly even the scanners didn't pick it up.
Ayla:*handing a cup of hot chocolate to Cream* That would explain that nauseous feeling I got in my stomach.
Chris: I've reprogrammed them, Tails, next time they'll only respond to real Emeralds. But what I can't figure out is what that Metarex was doing with a fake Emerald.
Tails: Maybe the fake Emerald was a decoy the Metarex used to throw us off the track.
Shadow: Who knows?
Knuckles: Wait'll Rouge finds out she filched a phony. *chuckles*
Note: I added a song for the music box in "Birthday Bash".