Sonic: The Tournament of Chaos

Chapter 4: Angel Island


Working tirelessly to make his latest creation work, Tails stepped back to examine the small device he spent several hours on. To contact their hedgehog friend in the future, he constructed a device capable of transferring messages across time and space. Or so it would once the device worked.

He stepped back, going through his notes to determine the remaining problems. Tails constructed many pieces of machinery within his life. Planes, robots, communicators, translators, weapons and many more. But this was proving to be his toughest challenge yet. If only one of the Chaos Emeralds were present, this would speed up the time considerably.

Broken out of his thinking by the front door opening, Tails turned around to see the return of his friends, now accompanied with a familiar chameleon. "You're back. And you got Espio!"

"Sure did!" Sonic responded, turning his attention towards said chameleon. "Welcome to Team Sonic, Espio."

The ninja nodded before finding an empty position within the laboratory to begin his meditation. He sat down in one corner, closing his eyes with both hands placed in his lap, slipping away from reality into his own thoughts. Leaving the detective to meditate, Sonic approached his best friend curiously.

"Any luck on the communicator?" he inquired.

Tails shook his head. "It's more difficult than I thought. I don't like to be a Negative Nancy, but we may have to consider reevaluating our team and finding a backup in case we can't contact Silver. But don't worry, I'll stay up all night if I have to if it means getting this working."

Pleased with his best friend's determination, Sonic patted him softly on the back before approaching the writing board, taking the pen to cross out Espio's name. He paused to examine the remaining names. "If Rouge is back at her club, Shadow is probably with her as well. Getting Knuckles to leave Angel Island is going to be the tricky part. May as well get old Knucklehead on the team now. Tails, mind if I borrow the Tornado?"

The fox, one step ahead, tossed Sonic the keys while he continued adjustments to the device. Catching the keys with ease, Sonic spotted his old biplane on the runway outside. Even before meeting Tails, he very rarely used the plane, only to reach areas he couldn't make it to on foot. Still, he enjoyed the occasional flight.

Spinning the keys around his finger, Sonic turned to the rest of their team. "You guys coming?"

The mere thought of leaving the ground sent chills down Blaze's spine, acrophobia immediately kicking in. Her expression visibly dropped, legs trembling to the point she forced herself to sit on a nearby chair. "I will…Remain here for now…"

Espio's eyes snapped open and he stood up, offering to join Sonic in his quest. "I will accompany you. Any opportunity to practise my skills will be beneficial to our team."

The two friends bid their farewell to Tails and Blaze, boarding the biplane. Sonic thought back to the last time he flew, recalling how he almost crashed into a bridge during foggy weather. Doubting history would repeat itself so soon, he strapped himself in and started the plane's ignition, the engines roaring to life after being isolated for so long.

"I never knew you could fly a plane, Sonic," Espio admitted as he took position in the passenger seat.

"You know me, always on the move when I get the chance," Sonic replied modestly.

The plane accelerated down the runway, building up enough speed to take flight into the sky. Now soaring over the lush jungle below, the blue hedgehog set course towards the floating island within the sky, determined to recruit another member of their team.


Basking within the solitude he sought for so long, Knuckles retired from his position as Commander of the Resistance, returning to his role as the Guardian of the Master Emerald. Leaving the sacred island to protect his friends from Eggman was a difficult decision. Six months. Six long months passed since he returned home. Against all odds, the Master Emeralds remained untouched. Eggman made no attempt to acquire the gem of power while he occupied the world. Even the Chaos Emeralds had been old news. Perhaps the good doctor finally accepted he was better off without them.

Exhaling with relief, Knuckles took position at the top of the altar, both arms rested behind his head with his eyes closed and one leg crossed over the other. The sun casted him in a gentle ray, bringing a warm sensation to the echidna. In comparison to his former rival's desire for speed, Knuckles appreciated the silence of staying in one place. This was his home, this was his duty. Forever till the day he passed.

Knuckles' eyes shot open, the familiar sounds of a plane's propeller tingling the tips of his ears. He sighed, realising the peace and quiet was over. "What now?"

Emerging from the clouds in the distance was a familiar biplane. As the plane came closer into view, Knuckles was surprised to see Tails wasn't the one piloting. While he was aware the blue hedgehog knew how to fly, it was a rare sight. To his further surprise, he was accompanied by one of the members of Team Chaotic. An odd combination.

The plane touched down on the open field, the landing gear bumping against the ground. It had been some time since Sonic last piloted an aircraft. Admittedly, his skills were a little rusty. Having made the journey in one piece, the two friends jumped out of the aircrafted and approached the altar. In anticipation, Knuckles jumped down to greet them at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yo Knux," Sonic greeted, offering a friendly two-fingered salute.

"Sonic," Knuckles responded, eager to get straight to the purpose of their visit. "What brings you over here? With Espio, I see."

"Gee, straight to the point, eh?" Sonic noted. "Came to ask for your help, Knuckles. I take it you haven't heard about the Tournament of Chaos?"

Having been away from society for some time now, the echidna shook his head. "Can't say I have."

The blue hedgehog crossed both arms. "Well, to put it simple-"

Without warning, Espio suddenly shot up his hand, signically for the duo to be silent. His eyes shot towards the trees nearby, his senses detecting a faint presence approaching. Someone was approaching, perhaps even a group of enemies. Unwilling to take any chances, Espio drew three shurikens into his hand. This pushed Sonic into battle mode, preparing to take a stance against the threat. Surprisingly, Knuckles didn't seem too concerned with trespassers on his sacred island.

Their new guest emerged from the treeline, dressed in full black body armour with a pink helmet and boots and pink Leech Blade bracelets. The helmet shaped into two large horns that cured down. Relieved to recognise one of their oldest friends, Sonic placed his hand on Espio's arm, gesturing for the chameleon to cease his attack.

"Good to see you again, Shade," Sonic greeted.

The echidna removed her helmet, revealing her large dreadlocks in a zigzag pattern with a headband tightened above her forehead. "Sonic, it has been some time. When I heard the approaching engines, I feared someone had arrived to steal the Master Emerald again."

The two friends reached each other to shake hands, all the while Espio watched on curiously. Unaware that there were still echidnas within the world, he turned towards Knuckles for an explanation.

"Shade's an old friend of ours we met during a battle against the Nocturnus Clan," Knuckles explained. "Long story short, after we defeated Lord Imperator Ix in the Twilight Cage, Shade's stuck around to help out when she can. Why else do you think the Master Emerald hasn't been stolen while I've been away with you guys?"

The female echidna stepped forward to greet the chameleon as well. "I have atoned for my past mistakes against your world. I take care of the Master Emerald when Knuckles is forced into action. Forgive me for startling you before. Social interaction isn't amongst my strongest traits."

"That is quite all right," Espio assured. "I'm Espio, a friend of Sonic and Knuckles."

"Any friend of Knuckles is a friend of mine as well," Shade replied with a small smile to follow. Her attention drifted towards the blue hedgehog once more. "Forgive my intruding, but what brings you to Angel Island?"

With the four of them gathered at the altar, Sonic went on to explain the tournament and the team they were building to strengthen their chances of competing. With speed, stealth and pyrokinetic abilities strengthening their team, this brought them to Knuckles, the strongest member of their friends. While Mighty's strength rivalled the echidnas, locating the armadillo had always been a difficult task for everyone. Loving adventure as much as the blue hedgehog, Mighty moved from one place to another faster than everyone could count.

As Sonic finished explaining their strategy, Knuckles took the time to consider joining. A mighty & proud warrior himself, he longed for the opportunity to battle opponents of equal strength. But as the Guardian of the Master Emerald, this was a bigger responsibility that outweighed his own personal desires. After being away from home for so long, he questioned whether leaving again so soon would be honourable.

"I don't know about this, Sonic," Knuckles admitted. "We just finished saving the world from Eggman. I can't just leave the Master Emerald unprotected again."

"You wouldn't have to," Sonic reassured. "Shade would be here to protect the emerald. You said so yourself she protected it while you were leading the Resistance. One day isn't exactly the same as six months."

Taking the opportunity to speak for herself, Shade lowered her head with respect. "It would be my honour to protect the Master Emerald for you, Knuckles. It is a responsibility you do not have to burden yourself with alone. Allow me to assist you."

Truthfully, Shade's offer brought a sense of warmth to the echidna's heart. In the past, Knuckles didn't trust anyone, even Sonic, to protect his sacred gem. Their first encounter with Shade brought out distrustful memories at first, recalling how she bested him in combat. After saving her life and allowing her to join them on their adventure, their bond grew significantly. They were alike in many ways: warriors who protected their people and sought to prevent evil from stealing their sacred gem. She was more than just an ally now. For Knuckles, Shade was a true friend, someone he entrusted with his life.

Accepting the proposal, Knuckles stood with confidence, smacking one fist into the palm of his hand. "I'm ready to win a tournament. Where do we start?"

Beaming with joy, Sonic opened his mouth to speak. His expression dropped as Espio lunged forward, throwing a shuriken into the distance. The weapon pierced through a single Buzz Bomber, shattering it to pieces upon impact. Waves of Eggman's robots emerged from the trees. Egg Pawns and Buzz Bombers approached, wielding ranged and melee weapons within their robotic claws.

Sonic grinned, pleased to see their old nemesis wasn't as silent as they expected. "Looks like Egghead couldn't stay away after all."

"I do not believe this is a coordinated attack," Shade stated, placing her helmet on firmly for extra protection. "This may be just a few remnants from the occupying forces."

"Doesn't matter to me why they're here," Knuckles replied, slamming both fists together tightly. "Let's get these hunks of junk off my island!"

The heroes raced forward, using this opportunity to test their skills for the tournament. Sonic bounced into the air, homing into a few of the Egg Pawns while navigating behind the wave of robots. The ones that continued advancing forward were confronted by Knuckles, who smashed them into pieces with single strikes. Shade stayed close by his side, striking each Egg Pawn with precision, taking them out as quickly as possible. Espio focused on the Buzz Bombers, leaping into the air before hurling a group of shurikens. The weapons hit their mark, piercing through their weak armour with ease.

Reinforcements emerged from the trees, charging towards the heroes with overwhelming numbers. Unfazed by the approaching forces, Sonic grinned and charged into battle. Racing around a group of Egg Pawns, he circled around his opponents at high speeds, leaving a blue trail in its wake. A blue vortex of air formed around the robots, carrying them into the air. The tornado dispersed, leaving the robots to slam against the ground before shattering into pieces.

In only a matter of seconds, most of the robots were disposed of. One final robot charged, towering over the group while wielding a large hammer. Sonic taunted the Egg Hammer, pulling silly expressions as it repeatedly slammed its weapon against the ground. With every strike, the hedgehog would already be in a different location.

Knuckles took this opportunity to intervene, holding out his fist towards Shade. "Up for a little teamwork?"

She nodded firmly. "Let's do it!"

The echidnas charged toward into battle, determined to finish the intruder. Sonic taunted the Egg Hammer one more time before racing to the side. The hammer collided against the ground, shaking the area upon impact. Missing his original target once more, the robot looked up to see the two warriors changing his way. They pressed on his hammer for momentum, launching forward and landing a double uppercut.

The impact knocked the robot to the ground, a thundering smash followed upon impact. Its helmet detached from its head, exposing the robot's core. Before it could recover, a single kunai pierced its weakness, finally deactivating its functions for good. Espio retrieved his trusty weapon, scanning the surrounding area for more intruders. All fell silent, the high altitude winds blowing softly against their bodies in a low hum. The threat was over. Pleased with their success, Sonic shared fist bumps with the echidnas. Shade paused for a second to understand the gesture, awkwardly pressing her fist into the hedgehog's.

"That's all of them," Espio declared.

"Nothing we couldn't handle," Sonic said proudly. "Just like the old days."

Watching the former member of the Nocturnus Clan in action reminded Sonic of how effective she was in battle. He briefly considered asking her to join as well, though this in turn would mean no one trustworthy would be available to protect the Master Emerald. While disappointed, Sonic moved onto their original plan.

"Ready to get going, Knuckles?" Sonic inquired. "Sooner we're gone, sooner you can come back."

The unexpected ambush forced Knuckles to briefly reconsider joining. However, seeing Shade in action strengthened his trust in her to protect his sacred gem. Taking one final glance towards the Master Emerald, he nodded firmly. "Let's do it."

Everyone returned to the Tornado, preparing to head back to society. As the plane only seated two occupants, Knuckles took position at the side of the wing. While Sonic loved to do the same, he would be piloting the aircraft and was forced to stay in the pilot's seat. Espio took a moment to thank Shade for her assistance, bowing with respect before entering the passenger's seat once again.

Shade bowed her head, bidding her allies farewell for now. "I wish you all the best in your tournament. Rest assured, the Master Emerald will be safe."

"We'll be back before you know it, Shade," Sonic assured, holding out a thumbs up in support.

The Tornado's engines roared to life once more, the heavy aircraft moving toward to build enough momentum before ascending into the sky. Shade continued waving till the aircraft disappeared amongst the clouds, leaving her alone to protect the island. Truthfully, Shade didn't enjoy the solace as much as Knuckles. While he grew accustomed to protecting the emerald alone, Shade grew up within an entire clan, hundreds of warriors she once considered family.

Leaving them had been a difficult decision, a guilt that weighed down heavily on her heart. But in spite of her personal feelings, she knew switching allegiances had been the right choice morally. She hoped one day the rest of their tribe accepted the right morale and could finally leave the Twilight Cage. Till the day arrived, Shade had her own responsibilities.

Taking position at the top of the altar, she sat with her legs crossed, hands placed on her knees with her eyes closed. "Good luck to you, Knuckles."


Returning to the land below, Sonic brought the Tornado down towards the runway leading towards Tails' home. Still rusty from not flying for so long, the plane's wheels bumped against the ground a few times before resting against the runway. Slowly bringing the plane to a standstill, Sonic jumped out of the pilot's seat, relieved to be back on his own two feet after sitting still for so long.

Knuckles didn't hesitate to criticise the hedgehog's piloting skills as he jumped from the wing back to solid ground. "You need to take lessons, Sonic. Even Professor Pickle could have done better."

Sonic shot his friend a remindful gaze. "This is coming from the guy who crashed our shuttle into the ARK. Ring a bell?"

The echidna opened his mouth to protest. No words escaped his open mouth. Instead, Knuckles crossed his arms and turned away. "Touché."

"If you two are done, perhaps we should check in on Tails," Espio suggested. "We still have the rest of our forces to assemble."

Sonic nodded in agreement. The trio entered the workshop of their two-tailed friend, meeting the small scientist who was currently conversing with Blaze. Upon seeing the return of their friends, everyone greeted each other once more.

"Welcome back!" Tails declared. "Good to see you again, Knuckles!"

"Someone's inventing days aren't long over, I see," Knuckles noted, playfully bumping his fist against the young fox's shoulder. He examined the various machinery stacked around the workshop, studying them curiously. "Hmm, someone's been busy."

"Any joy on the device, Tails?" Sonic asked once more.

Tails shook his head once more, gesturing towards the now destroyed device scattered over his workbench. "When I tried to power it up, the thing practically blew itself up. It doesn't look like we'll be reaching Silver this way. But don't worry, I have another idea!"

Intrigued by the fox's determination despite the setbacks, most of the group gathered around to hear his proposal. Knuckles excused himself for a moment, returning with a carton of grape juice. Tails always stocked his friend's favourite beverages and snacks in anticipation for their visit.

Clasping both hands together with anticipation, Tails began detailing their plan. "Now, I think we've been going about this the wrong way. Our past determines the future events. So, all we need to do is make a change in this timeline that will affect current events in the future. Right?"

Everyone exchanged confused looks, uncertain of where this was leading. Rolling his eyes with a small sigh, Tails dragged another writing board, drawing two large circles with a line in between. "Let's try this again. When you guys first met Silver, he said he came back in time because Ifrit destroyed our world. That in turn destroyed his future as well. When we stopped Ifrit, Silver returned back home. Everything was back to normal."

Grasping the concept his best friend explained for them, Sonic spoke up. "So, you're saying if we do something here, then that should do something in Silver's future at the same time?"

"Precisely!" Tails exclaimed. "And I have just the thing!"

The young scientist grabbed a recently packaged box, holding it up proudly. The members of Team Sonic exchanged glances once more, leaving Tails to exhale with annoyance. Knuckles finished the last of his beverage before eyeing the package curiously. "You're gonna send him some chocolates?"

"What? No!" Tails replied. "I'm going to drop this off at the post office. I've dated the package to the exact date of Silver's timeline. By law, the post office has to hold onto it until the delivery date arrives. If this works, Silver will get our letter and will be here in an instant."

"That…Might just work," Espio agreed. "Good thinking."

"Nice plan, Tails," Sonic praised with his signature thumbs up. "If this works, the team's almost complete. Speaking of, I better go and see if I can get Shadow and Rouge to join us. Anyone tagging along?"

Without hesitation, Knuckles jumped at the chance to accompany the blue hedgehog. "I want to keep both eyes on that thief. She's not getting the Master Emerald when I turn the other way."

Sonic rolled his eyes amusingly. "Sure. That's the only reason you want to come."

Suddenly growing defensive, Knuckles shot Sonic a warning glare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Holding his hands up innocently, Sonic backed away before suddenly racing out of the workshop. Unwilling to allow him to get away with this, Knuckles pursued, racing forward as fast as his legs would carry him. While nowhere close to the blue hedgehog's superior speed, the guardian moved faster than the average morbian.

With the two rivals gone for now, Espio returned to his mediation position while Tails crossed out the echidna's name from their board. Blaze watched as the duo raced off into the distance, forming into specs on the horizon. Shaking her head with disappointment, Blaze turned towards the young fox. "Are they always like this?"

"Only on occasion," Tails assured. "Now, if you will excuse me, I better deliver this package before they get back."

Seeking to make herself useful, Blaze picked up the package from the fox's hands. "I will deliver this for you, Tails. You have done enough. Get some rest."

Appreciating the princess' gesture, Tails thanked her before moving towards the kitchen for some refreshments. Blaze raced into the open fields, flames carrying her forward with superior speed. Now with four members secured on their team, the group were officially halfway to finishing their goal.