Sonic: The Tournament of Chaos

Chapter 2: The Sol Dimension


The day dawned crisp and clear within the Sol Dimension, the first rays of sunlight casting a rosy hue across the morning sky. Golden fingers of sunlight lit up the kingdom, shining softly on the city streets, bringing with it a warm sensation. The residents of the kingdom awoke to another brand new day.

Standing tall at the top of the kingdom was the kingdom's castle, its very presence casting a large presence over the smaller buildings. Residing within the powerful building was their ruler, their protector, someone who willingly put her own life above everyone. Princess Blaze, ruler of the Sol Empire and Guardian of the Sol Emeralds, awoke to another brand new morning.

Taking the opportunity for some quiet time before her busy day went ahead, Blaze left her bedroom and moved towards her personal chambers. She passed many of her royal guards, who bowed with respect as she passed. The other servants raced around the castle, maintaining its perfect image. While Blaze appreciated their services, sometimes she questioned if this was all overkill.

Entertaining her private chambers at the end of the castle, Blaze examined the small room briefly. A circular room, decorated with red banners with a small window overlooking the ocean below. Basking in the silence while it lasted, Blaze sat with her legs crossed in the centre of the room, free from all distractions.

As the ruler of the kingdom, Blaze learned to prepare her mind for battle. She felt at peace, ignoring everything around her but simultaneously still aware of her surroundings. The ocean's waves crawled gently towards the shore, small birds chirping echoing through the air, the light of dawn seeped through the window, basking the princess in a warm embrace. If she had the choice, Blaze would stay here all day. Nothing could possibly disrupt this beautiful day.

"Blaze!"

Hearing her name called broke the princess out of her peaceful solitude. Frowning slightly, she opened her eyes and shifted her attention to the unexpected guest joining her chambers. A young raccoon stood at the entrance, happily waving her hand with enthusiasm.

Slowly standing up from her meditative position, Blaze turned towards her youngest friend, wearing her usual stoic appearance. "Marine, do you not recall the rule we established?"

"The one about no drinks allowed in the Throne Room?" Marine replied with an innocent shrug.

Admittedly, Blaze felt amused by the young raccoon's innocence and enthusiasm. Nevertheless, there were rules within the castle for a reason. "The other rule."

Marine paused for a moment, one finger placed to her head to help remember said rule. Before long, she snapped her fingers excitedly. "I know! No snacks after midnight!"

Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Blaze sighed and stepped forward, approaching her young friend and placing a hand upon her shoulder. "The rule about not disturbing me during my isolation time, less there is an emergency."

Finally on the same page as the princess, Marine smiled and placed both hands behind her back. "But this is an emergency! It's not everyday old friends drop by for a visit! I didn't want you to miss it!"

Blaze's stoic expression moved into curiosity, tilting her head to one side. "And whom may that be?"

Before Blaze could answer, Marine moved to one hand and gestured both of her hands dramatically. Entering the chambers was a familiar blue hedgehog, walking in with his usual upbeat demeanour, carrying himself with a level of confidence no one else dared to replicate. Immediately, a small smile emerged on Blaze's face. "Sonic!"

The hedgehog waved, returning the same gesture. "Hey Blaze! Long time no see!"

"Likewise," Blaze nodded. "It has been a while since my last visit to your world. I trust all is well in your universe?"

"As well as can be expected," Sonic casually responded. "Still forced to clean up Egghead's robots after that whole incident with Infinite. Old Baldy McNosehair hasn't shown his face for a while."

Blaze nodded with understanding. Like Sonic, she too acted as the defender of her world against Eggman Nega, a responsibility she undertook with discipline and determination. With a kingdom to defend as well as the Sol Emeralds and Jeweled Scepter, not many would be willing to take on this burden. She experienced no fear, willing to stand her ground and fight to her final breath if the day ever arrived.

Realising she was diving too deep into her inner hatred against Nega, Blaze glanced towards the small window for solace. The crystal clear sky painted throughout the kingdom, the sun basking everyone within a warm and gentle feeling of safety. Too nice of a day to be cooped up indoors.

As ruler of the kingdom, Blaze did not have many luxuries when it came to escaping her responsibilities for a short time. Fortunately, with no meetings today and no report on any invasions by Nega, a better opportunity couldn't have prevented itself. She shifted her gaze towards Sonic once more, offering a small smile. "Sonic, would you care to accompany me for a walk around the kingdom?"

"Sure thing!" Sonic replied. His enthusiasm dropped to curiosity for a moment as he studied the attire his friend wore. "Say, you're not planning on going out in your PJs, are you?"

Blaze frowned and looked down, realising she still wore her royal dressing gown. A wave of embarrassment passed over, forcing her emotions to suddenly rise. The intensity triggered her pyrokinetic powers, traces of smoke surrounding her and covering the room with a burning sensation.

Marine noted her best friend turning redder than her Burning form. She sniffed the familiar smell of burning and rushed toward, grabbing Sonic's hand to lead him away. "C'mon mate, better give her a moment before the whole castle comes burnin' down again."


The sun basked the kingdom in a beautiful shade of yellow, bringing a sense of happiness and sense of joy to the citizens. Not a single cloud within the sky, the sea air breezing through the air. Families enjoyed their outing, friends caught up, children played and businesses bloomed. Amongst the outdoor crowd was their ruler. Princess Blaze, accompanied by her closest friends, walked amongst the people she protected.

Sonic and Blaze walked side by side, reminiscing about old and current events. Marine raced off ahead, eager to get an ice cream before they sold out. Many of the locals paused their day to respectfully greet their princess as she passed. Blaze returned the same gesture, happily greeting everyone who took the time to address her. Admittedly, while Blaze held her position with honour, she never felt above anyone and often winced at being called by her title.

Nevertheless, Blaze appreciated their sentiments. A few of the locals even took time to speak to Sonic as well. Familiar with the blue hedgehog's heroics and relationship to their ruler, he had grown a reputation amongst the citizens. Kids even approached and asked for his autograph to which he was more than happy to oblige for them.

During their walk through one of the market areas, Blaze continued their conversation. "It is good to see you again, Sonic. I apologise for not being able to visit as often as I would like. Royal duties often take priority."

Sonic understood and nodded with reassurance. "No sweat. We're together now, all that matters. But you're always welcome anytime to drop by. Cream's always excited to see you when you visit."

Blaze couldn't avoid raising a small smile. "I look forward to seeing her again. Is she well?"

"Couldn't be better," Sonic assured, pausing briefly to examine their surroundings. He loved exploring and didn't often walk as slow as he was pacing now. "Say, this is a pretty cool town you got here. I think I'm the one who should try and visit more often. You guys have chilli dogs here, right?"

"Of course," Blaze assured with a small amused chuckle to follow. She followed suit, appreciating their scenario. "It is nice to get out of the castle. I often have to remind myself to appreciate the outdoors while I can."

Every time Blaze left the castle, whether it was for personal or business reasons, Gardon and the royal guards insisted on accompanying her for protection. Blaze, while thankful for their compassion, rarely accepted their offer. Her powers and skills were more than effective to stop any threat against her life. With Sonic by her side as extra protection, no one would dare to challenge them.

Taking a break from their leisure, the two visited a small outdoor café for some refreshments. Sitting down opposite each other on the same table, Blaze politely drank a latte, cherishing the warm beverage. As for Sonic, he slurped loudly on a milkshake, one hand behind the back of his head with both feet planked on the table. She had since grown accustomed to Sonic's lack of formal manners, though he did receive the occasional glance from a passing local.

Blaze placed her drink down for a moment, leaning back with both hands pressed together. "Sonic, while I do appreciate you taking the time to see me, I am under the assumption there is a reason for your visit."

Sonic finished the last of his milkshake, sighing with satisfaction. Said milkshake was thrown into a trash can nearby, landing perfectly amongst the mess. He shifted his attention toward, answering her curiosity. "I wanted to see how you were, Blaze, but I always wanted to ask for your help."

She tilted her head curiously. "And what may that be?"

"There's this fighting tournament going live this Saturday. It's a battle match, kind of like that game we played at Tails' house once, remember?" Sonic explained, pausing to allow his friend to answer.

Blaze recalled the game and remembered being quite bad at it. Video games were not amongst her many skills. "I do recall. Please continue."

"The guy hosting it, Jit the Eagle, has all the Chaos Emeralds. He's offering them to the team that wins. I mean, I could just swipe them off him anytime I wanted, but what would be fun about that? I looked over the rules with Tails. We need to put together a strong team of seven if we want to pass through the qualifications and then win the actual battle. You're one of the toughest gals I know, Blaze. Want to join our team?"

The princess fell silent for a moment, processing all the information just given to her. On the one hand, Blaze appreciated Sonic's compliments in her skills. On the other hand, fighting wasn't something she took pleasure in as much as Sonic. While the hedgehog embraced battle with enthusiasm, Blaze did so with more seriousness and only preferred fighting when necessary. To use her skills in a sport was something she didn't like the idea of. It took hours of persuasion to convince Blaze to partake in the Olympics with their friends from the Mushroom Kingdom.

While she contemplated, Sonic waited for her answer with anticipation, hoping she would accept. Without Blaze on their team, passing through the qualification stages would prove difficult. Only two teams were permitted to enter the actual tournament. No doubt in Sonic's mind there would be hundreds of teams signing up, especially with the Chaos Emeralds as an award.

After some time, Blaze finally spoke up. "I appreciate the offer, Sonic. However, I am uncertain if this is something I can commit my time to. It is difficult to leave my kingdom for some time. I have a responsibility to protect everyone."

"It wouldn't be for long," Sonic reassured. "The tournament is only for a day. We'd be back before you know it."

Pausing once more to stir the wooden spoon within her drink, Blaze continued with uncertainty. "It is a difficult decision, Sonic…"

"There you cobbers are!"

The two shifted their gaze the same direction, spotting Marine hopping over with three ice creams within her hands. She happily ate away her ice cream while offering the other two for her friends. "Strewth, this is the best ice cream ever! Mates, you need to try it!"

"Don't mind if I do!" Sonic replied while accepting the offer. "Thanks Marine."

Blaze hesitated to accept. She was not one for sweet food and usually stuck to a strict diet. The beaming eyes of her closest friend washed away any further uncertainty. One ice cream wouldn't hurt. She leaned forward and accepted. "Thank you."

While biting through the rest of her cone, Marine jumped into the empty seat between them, eager to join the conversation. "What are you guys chatting about?"

Before Blaze could answer, Sonic jumped in. "I was just telling Blaze about this tournament coming up. Hoping she will join our team."

"A fighting tournament, eh?" Marine responded with interest. When Sonic nodded in confirmation, she immediately turned her attention back to the princess. "You should go, Blaze! It'll be a lot of fun. You're always saying it would be nice to have a vacation once in a while."

Blaze frowned for a brief moment. "Partaking in a tournament isn't my idea of relaxation. Besides, I'm not sure if now is a good time to leave my kingdom."

Marine waved her concerns away. "Nonsense! I'll watch over everything for you!"

While the offer was appreciated, Blaze shook her head softly. "It is no easy feat, Marine. Watching over a kingdom requires observation, discipline, leadership, and that's just the name of a few."

Standing up on her chair proudly, Marine placed both fists against her hips as she boosted. "You forget who you're talking to, mate! I'm Captain Marine of the Coconut Crew! Besides, Gardon and the guards would be here to help as well. No one's gonna stand by and let those bad guys take over."

Feeling obligated to interject before Blaze's anxiety took over, Sonic spoke up. "I can get Tails to hook Marine up with one of our dimension communicators. That way you guys will stay in touch the whole time. If there's any sign of trouble, Marine'll contact you and we'll be back over before you know it. Right Marine?"

The raccoon nodded. "Right you are, mate!"

Still uncertain, Blaze leaned back and took everything they said into consideration, all the while she ate her ice cream. It tasted better than she expected, the sweet sensitization leaving her craving for more in the future. Focusing on the urgent matter at hand, she thought over the proposal once more. Leaving the kingdom in the hands of Gardon while Marine acted as their messenger wouldn't be the worst idea. When forced to in the past, she had left the kingdom for longer without a way to contact home.

Finally settling on a decision, Blaze finished her ice cream and nodded. "Very well. Sonic, as long as I have a way to contact home from your dimension, I will join your team."

Sonic beamed with enthusiasm, offering his signature thumbs up and smile. "All right! Glad to have you onboard, Blaze!"

Marine joined the enthusiasm, throwing her hands in the air in excitement. "Nice one, Blaze! Don't you worry, Captain Marine will make sure your kingdom is safe."

"Actually, Gardon will be taking my place during my absence," Blaze explained.

Immediately, Marine's enthusiasm dropped, turning to her closest friend with sad eyes. Sonic noted this, concerned this was about to be a reenactment of an argument during their first adventure together against Captain Whisker. The last thing Sonic wanted to do was break up a friendship, going as far as to consider withdrawing his proposal.

Before he could do so, Blaze suddenly stood up to approach Marine, kneeling down to place both hands on the raccoon's shoulders. "You will have a bigger responsibility,"

Marine's face shifted with curiosity. "I will?"

"That's right," Blaze confirmed with a nod. "You will have the responsibility of making sure Gardon does his job properly. If there is any danger, however big or small, it will be up to you to report back to me. Can I entrust this to you?"

The initial shock of not being able to lead the kingdom faded away from Marine as she smiled widely, nodding her head with assurance. She placed one hand behind her back while the other against her forehead as a salute. "You can count on Captain Marine! I'll make sure no baddies get inside!"

"Excellent," Blaze responded.

Sonic watched the events unfold, impressed with the princess' handling. During their first meeting long ago, Blaze was very antisocial and maintained a distance from everyone, including her own people. Thanks to the close bond she now shared with Sonic, Cream and the others, her social skills improved considerably. This allowed her to handle situations without resorting to battle first.

"Then it's official. Welcome to Team Sonic!" Sonic said enthusiastically. Jumping onto his feet, he stretched and jogged lightly on the spot, eager to get moving after being still for so long. "I need to burn off all this sugar before we head back. What do you say, Blaze? Fancy a run around the kingdom before heading back to the castle?"

A playful smile rose on Blaze's face, her eyelids half closed as she placed one hand to her hip. "Sonic the Hedgehog. Are you challenging me to a race?"

"You betcha!" Sonic exclaimed, returning a similar gesture as a means of egging her own. "What do you say? Or has the mighty Blaze accepted she isn't the fastest?"

His teasing further increased her determination. Grinning with anticipation, Blaze raised her other hand, snapping her fingers that formed a small trace of flame at the tip of her thumb. "I look forward to watching you fail, Sonic."

With the challenge accepted, Sonic moved towards the open path. He knelt down, hands placed against the ground with his sneakers pressed tightly against the gravel. Blaze moved to his side, leaning down with one arm forward while the other one moved behind her back. Her heels pressed tightly against the ground, flames forming under her feet in anticipation. The friends exchange glances, both sizing the other up.

Marine eagerly jumped to the side, one hand placed within the air. "On your marks…Get set…GO!"

Without warning, the speedsters raced forward at incredible speeds, leaving only a trail of blue and fire within their wake. The force at which they moved almost knocked Marine off her feet, the powerful gust of wind pressed against her body. She beamed with excitement, cheering them on as they raced.

The speedsters raced through the kingdom, pulling off sharp turns while avoiding hitting into someone by accident. Blaze had the advantage when it came to the layout, knowing the exact routes that would lead her back to the castle as quickly as possible. Sonic, while not as familiar with the kingdom, was a fast learner and adapted to the situation as quickly as possible. Many citizens paused in awe as fast gushes of wind passed, having only seconds to spot the speedsters before they were within a different area.

Sonic loved the breeze flowing through his quilles, the sea air bringing a sensation of pleasure. He briefly shifted his gaze towards Blaze, who returned the same gesture. Resuming their teasing game, Sonic gave her a thumbs down before increasing his speed, pushing ahead. Blaze didn't let this falter her confidence. Her surrounding flames enlarged, increasing her speed to swiftly catch up with the blue hedgehog.

Forced to take to the rooftops after reaching a blocked path, the friends decreased their speed to avoid falling between the many gaps between the buildings. With every leap across the buildings they performed different acrobatic movements. Sonic, being the showoff and cocky hedgehog he was, performed many dramatic poses, throwing his hands and feet around with vanity. Blaze, as a princess with courtesy, moved a lot more with grace, elegantly performing dance-like movements with the occasional spin.

The rooftops finally came to an end, forcing them back onto solid ground. Their race continued for many moments, passing through buildings, rooftops, parks and even along the beach. The castle came into view at the top of the hill with both speedsters still tied for the lead. Realising the time to play was over, Sonic pushed himself further, his feet moving so fast they formed afterimages. Blaze roared, flames surrounding her whole body to the point she resembled a giant fireball racing through the sky.

The duo zoomed inside the castle, coming to a stop within the centre of the Throne Room. The guards took a moment to realise their princess had returned, having not seen them enter at the speed they were moving at. The friends panted softly, catching their breath from the intense race. As wielders of super speed, it didn't take long for their stamina to return.

"Well raced, Sonic," Blaze praised, taking a respectful bow to her opponent. "I see you haven't lost your touch."

"I could say the same about you," Sonic agreed modestly. "Not many people can keep up with me like that."

"Your Highness!"

Sonic and Blaze shifted, spotting the latter's personal guard running over to her aid. He stopped to bow respectfully before speaking. "How was your walk, Your Highness?"

"It was well, thank you," Blaze answered. "And please, Gardon. Just Blaze will be fine."

"As you wish, Your High-I mean, Blaze!" Gardon replied before bowing once more. "Is there anything I can do to be of assistance?"

Now that Blaze had agreed to go with Sonic, there was much to be done in preparation for her absence. She gestured for her personal guard to follow. "Walk with me, Gardon. We have much to discuss."


While Blaze held a meeting with her senior officers, Sonic contacted Tails and informed him of the situation. Arriving to assist with setting up surveillance across the kingdom, Tails gifted Marine with one of their dimensional communicators. While Marine was nowhere near as tech savvy as her friend, her experience in technology was superior compared to Sonic's understanding.

Tails fitted the communicator around Marine's wrist, configuring the final adjustments. "That should do it. Now we'll be able to stay in touch across the universe."

"Tails, is there nothing you can't do?" Marine asked with admiration, hoping to be as inventive as the two-tailed fox one day.

The fox chuckled modestly, rubbing one hand behind the back of his head. While Marine tinkered with her new device, Blaze entered the Throne Room with her senior officers following closely. Everyone gathered to bid their princess farewell until she returned.

Sonic, who had been waiting patiently, approached his younger brother. "We set to go, buddy?"

"Sure are," Tails nodded, holding up his own communicator towards the raccoon. "Marine and I have our communicators linked. Now we can contact each other from different dimensions."

Always impressed with Tails' inventions, he patted the younger fox with praise. Shifting his attention towards Blaze, he nodded softly. "Ready to get going?"

"I am," Blaze confirmed, moving her gaze away from the trio towards Gardon and her personal guards. Her voice strengthened, gathering the attention of everyone. "During my absence, Gardon will take my place as ruler while Marine will monitor the kingdom to make sure we are not attacked. Treat them with the same respect as you would show me."

Her personal guards bowed with respect, accepting this decision. With no further reason to stick around, Tails brought up his dimensional gateway device. A simple press of a button opened up the portal leading them back to their world. On the other side was Tails' workshop. With one final glance towards her kingdom, Blaze nodded towards Gardon, who returned the same gesture, before she jumped through. Sonic and Tails followed shortly, the portal closing behind him.

The kingdom was now officially without a princess. Gardon accepted this responsibility with honour, turning towards the guards with a level of confidence. "You heard Princess Blaze. Let's make sure everything is exactly the way she left it."

Everyone shifted in several directions to resume their duties. As for Marine, she roamed the castle to make her way to the roof, a perfect view of the full kingdom. Here she could monitor everything, keeping an eye out for intruders. Of course, this didn't mean she couldn't make it fun. Jumping into a lounge chair with a cool drink and sunglasses, she exhaled with relaxation.

"This is the life."