Sonic: The Tournament of Chaos
Chapter 6: The Future
The future of the Earth couldn't have been better. Thanks to the actions of their planet's future hero, the inevitable disaster had been altered. Ifrit was no more. The world finally had a tomorrow. Buildings loomed within the distance, the streets were lively with citizens going about their day, the just-risen sun shone softly on the city streets, bringing with it a flurry of early-morning activity. The day couldn't be more perfect as everyone enjoyed their morning without a worry in the world.
Except for one hedgehog.
Sitting at the top of his home, Silver stared off into the distant fields, even as the morning sun bathed him in its warm light. After being forced into the past and joining the Resistance to defeat Infinite, he returned home once more. He should have felt relief to see his world embracing peace. But there was none. The hedgehog questioned how long it would be till he was called away into the past again, to prevent a disaster that wiped away everyone he cared for.
The worst part was the nightmares. For several months, Silver dreamed of his world in ruins, destroyed buildings surrounded in lava with never ending darkened skies. A monster, a being of pure rage, had destroyed everything. No matter how many times they fought the monster, it returned stronger than before. The disaster never happened, yet Silver swore he experienced it before, like a distant memory long forgotten. To his further surprise, the nightmares included Blaze the Cat, the Princess of the Sol Dimension.
While the two were on friendly terms during social events with Sonic, Silver didn't consider them to be best friends. Blaze resided within another dimension. There was no reason why she should be here, especially in this future. Silver crossed many people in his world, and Blaze was definitely not amongst them. The nightmares confused him to no end, leaving more questions than answers. Shaking his head softly to break out of his trance, Silver shifted his gaze towards the street below.
A young squirrel happily skipped towards his house, holding a package between her hands while singing away without a care in the world. This brought a much needed smile to the hedgehog's face as he turned around to greet her. "The future is coming today. There's a shiny new tomorrow on the way… Hey Silver, got a package for ya!"
"For me?" Silver questioned curiously. Calling on his psychokinesis powers, he descended towards the ground to greet her, accepting the small package. "What is it?"
She shrugged. "No idea, but the post office has been holding onto it for the longest time! They said the package has been dated over two-hundred years ago."
His curiosity further grew. Without another word, Silver tore his way through the package till he found the contents. Inside was a small letter addressed to him. The young postal worker stood by, just as curious to see what was so important. He read the letter loudly, moving his gaze through each word. While the letter was unsigned, he identified the handwriting as Tails' work.
Hi Silver, we hope everything is well in the future. Apologies for the inconvenience, but this was probably the best way to reach you. We got this tournament coming up in our world and we could really use your help. It's with Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow, Rouge, Espio and Blaze. You will be our seventh member. If you're interested, meet me at my workshop. I'll write down the date below. Look forward to hearing your response.
"A tournament, huh?" Silver said as he lowered the letter. "Hmm, it's not exactly a disaster that needs to be averted. But it would be nice to see everyone again. What did you think, Bia?"
The young squirrel nodded in agreement. "You should totally go, Silver! You're always talking about how you would like to hang out with your friends without saving the world for once!"
Silver returned his gaze towards the letter, contemplating the decision to travel through time once more. While always ready to battle and help out those he cared for, fighting endless battles had taken its toll. He was no warrior, just a young teenager who wanted to see his world safe from harm. But his friends needed him. Despite countless tiring battles, he couldn't deny he missed them.
"Would… Would it be selfish if I left again?" he spoke aloud, moving his gaze towards the crystal clear sky. "I've travelled back to the past more times than I can count."
Bia broke the hedgehog out of his contemplation with a small scoff, waving her hand down innocently. "Don't be silly, Silver! We'll be okay. Besides, you're a time traveller. You'll be back here five seconds after you leave. It's like you'll never have left."
Admittedly, the young postal worker made a good point. Without a disaster to avert, Silver didn't need to tread cautiously for once. As long as he didn't interfere with important events, nothing in the future would change. Bia bid her good friend farewell, skipping away down the streets to continue her busy day. Alone once more, Silver entered his home.
He resided alone, having no family to share his home with. His house was located within the countryside just on the outskirts of the city. While he was no stranger to socialising with others, Silver enjoyed the peace and quiet. The soft chirping of the birds outside came so sweetly, almost tangible, as if it were softly spun on sugar. It was those quiet days that ideas came as natural things do.
Opening a small box he kept hidden under his couch, Silver grabbed the two Time Wrist Cuffs. They were two golden wrist bracelets with cyan circles matching the patterns of his palms. It was thanks to these handy tools that Silver could travel through time and space as he pleased. Taking one final look at his world outside, Silver gave himself one final pep talk before attaching the cuffs around his wrists.
Their powers connected with his own psychokinesis abilities, giving him the strength to open portals between the past and the present. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the specific point he intended to visit. His mind raced through past memories, reminiscing his first meeting with his old friends. "Here I come, guys."
Sonic tilted his head towards the first days of the day, breathing in the morning, absorbing the promise of a new day. Leaping out of bed and hastily putting his sneakers on, he raced outside of Tail's home. The two-tailed fox was hard at work once more, maintaining his plane to keep the aircraft in prime condition. Nearby, Espio and Blaze sparred with each other, gaining experience in preparation for the upcoming battle. The tournament forbade the use of weaponry, forcing the chameleon to leave behind his kunai blades & shurikens and rely solely on his ninjutsu abilities.
While Blaze had her pyrokinetic abilities to call on, relying solely on them would prove to be a disadvantage if her opponents wielded similar abilities. Training from a young age gifted the princess with her own unique fighting style. She moved with grace and delicate movements similar to a ballerine, yet struck with incredible accuracy and force. Her hits were precise, knowing where to strike to incapacitate her opponents quickly. Even now as she held her powers back, her abilities proved to be a challenge for the chameleon. She threw her leg towards Espio's head. He raised one arm to block, ducking down to swipe at her feet. Blaze dodged, jumping back out of striking range with a small eloquent twirl.
Panted softly to regain her stamina, Blaze shifted out of her combat stance, placing one hand above the other as she slightly bowed her head. "You are a strong warrior, Espio. Vector is lucky to have you on his team."
Espio cupped one hand over his fist, returning a similar bow. "I've never seen a martial art like yours, Blaze. Where did you learn to fight like that?"
The princess crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes teasingly. "Secrets are not for sharing in my family."
Respecting her decision, Espio grinned. "Very well. We shall spar again later."
Sonic greeted the duo as they returned. "Good news, we picked up Shadow and Rouge last night."
Tails narrowed his eyes, searching for the members of Team Dark. "I don't think you did a very good job at that."
Rolling his eyes, Sonic clarified. "They're dropping by tomorrow morning. All we need to do is see if your package idea worked. Then we're good to go!"
At that moment, the soft wind unexpectedly strengthened, lifting their hair into a dance. The grass flattened in waves, reflecting the light. The nearby river was covered in waves as if it were in open water. A portal emerged from thin air, making its presence well known to the group. Sonic and Tails looked on curiously, Blaze summoned flames into her hands and Espio took up a combat stance, ready to stand their ground.
A small figure jumped from the portal, his boots landing softly against the grass. The portal evaporated and the wind returned to its soft breeze. Pausing briefly to shake his head from the discomfort of time travel, their visitor happily waved to the small team. "Hey guys, I got your message!"
Tails immediately raced over to greet their friend of the future. "Silver, you made it!"
"Welcome back, Silver," Sonic greeted. "It's good to see you again."
"When I saw your letter about the tournament, I figured, why not?" Silver said with a light shrug. He narrowed his eyes towards Blaze and Espio, greeting the duo with a friendly wave. "Good to see you guys! Is this our team?"
"Shadow and Rouge will be here tomorrow, Knucklehead is off doing his own thing," Sonic explained. "Probably looking for a new hat again."
Excited to see their plan had worked, the fox swiftly raced back inside the workshop with Sonic following closely. Tails grabbed his pen and crossed out the final name on the writing board. "And that's everyone! We got our team! Nice work, Sonic."
Sonic offered a thumbs up with appreciation. "I couldn't have done it without you, buddy."
Outside, the chameleon excused himself to enter the house, seeking to make himself some refreshments. This left the princess alone with the future warrior. Silver approached Blaze to reminisce about old times. No words formed out of the hedgehog's mouth, unsure on how to start a conversation. A sense of awkwardness filled the air as neither spoke, merely staring at the other in anticipation. Blaze raised one eyebrow, patiently waiting for the future warrior to respond.
"So, uh… How have you been, Blaze?" Silver inquired, awkwardly rubbing one hand behind the back of his neck.
"As well as can be expected," the princess replied. "How are things in the future?"
"Good, really good!" Silver replied eagerly with a hint of discomfort in his tone.
Sensing his self-consciousness was taking a hold, Blaze spoke up to ease his anxiety. "Thank you for joining our team. Your help will ensure our victory."
"It's gonna be fun!" Silver agreed. "Uh, serious but fun. Yeah!"
The awkwardness didn't last much longer as the others returned. Sonic and Tails joined the two with Espio trailing closely behind, now holding a green tea within his hands.
"Well, we got some time to kill before the tournament begins," Sonic announced, patting his growling stomach. "I'm starved. Anyone up for a Meh Burger?"
Tails threw his hand into the air. "I am!"
Blaze raised her eyebrow, unfamiliar with the name. "What is a Meh Burger?"
"I know, we have them in our world!" Silver exclaimed excitedly. "They're these burgers made solely from vegetables and wholegrain. Really good!"
Sonic's smile dropped, shaking his head with disgust. "What? No, they're not!" He paused and listed the ingredients he memorised from countless visits, holding up his fingers to emphasise his point. "It's a cooked patty with beef, cheese, sauce and toppings."
"Really?" Silver said curiously. "Huh. I guess they changed their standards in my time."
Sickened to find out one of his favourite restaurants would undergo health changes in the future, Sonic hastily gathered everyone to follow. "No time like the present!"
"Do you really think stuffing yourself with junk the day before the tournament is a good idea?" Espio questioned curiously with Blaze nodding in agreement. "You should reconsider."
Sonic casually waved towards the two disciplined members of their team. "Suit yourselves, don't come crying to me when you're hungry. What about you, Silver?"
"I'll go," the future warrior agreed. "Now that you've mentioned it, I want to see what they taste like in the past. It'll be a nice story to tell everyone back home."
The blue hedgehog briefly frowned. Silver's life must be pretty dull back home if sharing stories of a burger was the most exciting thing within his life. Nevertheless, Sonic was eager to get moving. He raced towards the destination, calling for the others to follow. Tails and Silver took the skies, following the blue hedgehog from above. Espio and Blaze exchanged glances, shrugging lightly with nothing to say.
At that moment, the Guardian of the Master Emerald emerged from the tree lines, now sporting a brown cowboy hat. This new accessory caught their attention, eyeing the echidna with confusion. "I'm back… Why are you guys looking at me like that?"
"Hey, this is really good!" Silver exclaimed, eager to bite into the delicious meal.
The trio located the nearest Meh Burger restaurant within a small town in the middle of Mystic Ruins. After ordering their meals, everyone dug into their breakfast at a nearby park. The town was quiet, the locals going about their day during the early morning. Today was a beautiful day, ambient and kind to the eyes and skin, a fine day had come as the opening of a beloved book, the story ahead one promised joy and happiness. This was going to be a great day.
"See what you've been missing, Silver?" Sonic asked after finishing his own meal within seconds.
"I could get used to this!" Silver replied, cherishing the delicious taste. "Say, what's this weird salty taste called?"
"...Salt," Tails answered bluntly. "You've never heard of salt before?"
Silver shook his head. "I was always told salt comes from the ocean and wasn't safe to drink. Does that mean salt was safe to eat at this time?"
Sonic and Tails exchanged confused glances, turning towards the other for help. Neither of the friends could find an answer. Saving the future on multiple occasions didn't leave much room for Silver to partake in luxuries. He was young with still so much to learn, in both his own time and this one. With a full day to themselves before the tournament began, a more perfect opportunity couldn't have presented itself.
"Sonic!"
The blue hedgehog turned towards the source of the voice, spotting two familiar faces coming to join them. "Hey Ames, what brings you out here?"
Amy held up a small shopping bag tucked over her arm. "Cream and I were just going some early morning shopping for a tea party this afternoon," Her eyes casted towards the other hedgehog, forcing her smile to widen with joy. "Silver, you're back!"
"Good to see you again, Amy," Silver replied with a small wave. After finishing his breakfast, he hopped out of his chair, floating over towards the duo. "You too, Cream."
The young rabbit nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Silver. We're so glad you're back. Would you guys like to come over to my mother's house for tea and cookies?"
Never one to pass up on food, Sonic spoke up. "You know me, I can't stay away from treats!"
"I think that sounds like a good idea," Tails agreed. "We should go and see if Blaze, Knuckles and Espio want to join."
Cream's ears perked up, excitement coursing through her veins. "Blaze is here, too?!"
"That's right," Sonic confirmed. "She says she's looking forward to seeing you again."
Unable to contain her excitement, Cream squealed while hopping up and down on the spot. During her enthusiasm, she dropped her own shopping bag. Silver was quick to react, throwing his hand to restrain the bag within his telekinesis before it hit the ground. Now manipulating the bag within a gentle green aura, he calmly set the object down to one side.
"Oops," Cream gasped while holding both hands to her mouth. "I'm sorry, Mr. Silver."
"That's okay, I needed the practice," Silver reassured, picking up the bag. "Why don't you let me hold this for you?"
Overwhelmed with the hedgehog's manners, Cream lowered her head briefly. "Thank you, Mr. Silver."
The two walked on ahead, Cream's voice faintly heard conversing with their friend from the future. Tails jumped up to follow them, leaving Sonic alone with his self-proclaimed girlfriend. While Sonic often used any opportunity to escape her overwhelming feelings, the two had grown closer in recent times. Amy had matured greatly, no longer chasing after the blue hedgehog at every reunion. The duo began following the rest of their friends while reminiscing about old times.
"So, a little birdie told me you and the others were entering the Tournament of Chaos tomorrow," Amy said slyly.
"Boy, news travels fast around these parts," Sonic noted, albeit nervously as thoughts of a hostile reaction from the pink hedgehog raced around his mind. "Uh, not that I didn't think about asking you to join, it's just-"
Amy held up her hand, offering a small smile. "Don't fret over it, Sonic. I understand. Besides, I'm gonna be there supporting you the whole time."
Appreciative of her support, Sonic smiled. "Thanks Ames."
By the time the small group of friends reached Cream's house, the afternoon sun came as a golden tunnel to a world of eternal light. The clouds opened as if the sun itself was a gateway into a dream world. Another beautiful day awaited for the heroes. Vanilla the Rabbit was always such a welcoming host, happily allowing Cream's friends to visit when they pleased.
The friends socialised within their host's garden, happily conversing with one another. Even before the war began, several of the friends had been separated for so long. With Silver and Blaze residing in different worlds, it wasn't often everyone was together. Now that the war was over with no reports on Eggman's return, today was going to be a great day.
Upon arriving, Tails contacted the rest of their team to partake in the afternoon party. Blaze didn't hesitate to accept, eager to reunite with one of her closest friends. Knuckles and Espio, while not the most sociable of the friends, decided to partake in the event. An afternoon of fun was just what they needed to relax in preparation for tomorrow's battle
Blaze sat at the end of the table, a fresh mug of warm tea resting within her hands while she listened to Cream reminisce about their fondest memories, speaking a mile a minute. The princess listened intently with a warm smile on her face, her expression softened and relaxed. Cream was the only one who could soothe Blaze's stoic personality at anytime. It was thanks to the young rabbit's compassion she was no longer the same antisocial princess as before.
As the ruler of her kingdom, Blaze often held diplomacy meetings with leaders from other continents within her world, helping to settle political problems between nations. While this was a responsibility she upheld very seriously, Blaze couldn't deny how tiresome they had grown over the years. But now, partaking in informal parties with her closest friends, she could finally relax and leave her obligations back home. She would gladly listen to Cream talk all day.
"-and that's how we found out how to make a Special Strawberry Cake!" Cream concluded her story, pausing to take a sip of her own tea.
"Fascinating," Blaze replied, smiling. "I look forward to trying a sample."
Before Cream could continue, a small beeping noise emitted from her friend's wrist. Curiously, Cream glanced over. "What's that noise, Blaze?"
"Excuse me a moment," Blaze requested, tapping on the communicator strapped over her wrist. Without warning, the princess expression hardened with concern. "Marine! What's wrong?"
Her raccoon friend appeared startled for a moment before beaming with a smile and offering a happy wave for the video camera. "Geez, hello to you too, Blaze. I'm just calling to say hi."
Relieved there was no trouble within her kingdom, Blaze sighed, relaxing her stance and leaning back into her chair. Before long, a familiar frown presented itself over the princess' face. "Marine, I told you to only call in if there was an emergency."
"Crikey, what's wrong with checking in on a friend?" Marine replied innocently. "Just wanted to see how your vacation in Sonic's world was going."
"I told you before, this isn't a vacation," Blaze reminded.
Marine moved her side to one side, looking over her friend's shoulder. "Then what are you doing at a tea party?"
Blaze opened her mouth to protest, no words forming as she leaned back in defeat. Knowing there was no counter argument, she sighed with acceptance. "I'm… Just catching up with my friend."
Cream smiled at this, happy to see Blaze had since formed further friendships with others.
Marine continued to hold her beaming smile, placing two fingers against her forehead in a mocking salautre. "Well, I won't keep you, mate. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!"
"No, wait, it's not a-"
The video feed vanished from her device. Slightly embarrassed over her friend's call, Blaze covered her face with one hand. She maintained her composure to avoid letting her emotions take over again, returning her smile to the young rabbit. "I apologise for the call."
"That's okay, your friend seems really nice to call you like that," Cream noted.
"She's… An interesting one, but yes, a very good friend," Blaze admitted while brushing down the ends of her tailcoat anxiously. "Tell me more about these cakes."
Nearby, Vanilla returned with another fresh good of food. She placed a plate of fresh salad for the young chameleon. "Are you sure this is all I can get for you, Espio? There's plenty of other snacks to go around."
"This will be enough," Espio reassured. "Thank you, Ms. Vanilla."
The kind mother nodded. "You're welcome. Oh, and tell Vector I'll have another basket of cookies for him soon. Has he been sharing them with you and Charmy?"
"So, that's why he sneaks out every Tuesday morning. For a detective, he isn't very subtle," Espio thought before offering a small smile for their host. "Of course. They're very delicious."
Across the other side of the table, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy conversed about their adventures since the war had concluded. Several weeks had passed since they were last together. Shortly after disbanding the Resistance, everyone went their separate ways once more. With no hint of Eggman returning soon, they mingled without a worry in the world.
"I've been meaning to ask, who else is on the rest of your team?" Amy inquired.
"Shadow and Rouge are coming by tomorrow morning," Tails replied while munching on a cookie. "As soon as they're here, we're gonna make our way over to the qualification arena in Emerald City. If you guys make it through, you get transported to this island where the actual tournament is being held."
"If we get through?" Knuckles repeated, shooting his friend a cautioned gaze. "Are you having second thoughts, Tails?"
The young scientist shrugged. "I'm not worried about losing, Knuckles. But we have to remember this isn't going to be easy for you guys. All of you have to pass the qualifications. Then you have the tournament itself to win. I'm not saying it's a guaranteed loss, but you have to keep your guard up. There's another team you have to beat. They're going to be just as strong as the rest of you."
While understanding his best friend's concerns, Sonic offered a confident grin. "It's going to be okay, Tails. None of us are in this alone. With mine and Shadow's speed, Knuckle's strength, Espio's skills and Silver & Blaze's powers, we're practically unstoppable. You know what they say: teamwork makes the dreamwork."
Giggling with amusement at her 'boyfriend's' confidence, Amy spoke up. "This reminds me of that time we all fought against Metal Sonic when he tried to take over the world."
"Don't remind me," Knuckles groaned. "That bag of bolts was tough."
"I'm still waiting for a rematch," Sonic said with enthusiasm. "That Phantom Copy didn't count."
The echidna rolled his eyes with irritation, though he couldn't hide his growing smirk. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"
Everyone chuckled in response to the guardian's comment.
With the Tournament of Chaos less than a day away, Team Sonic knew this was going to be their last day of relaxation. Tomorrow would truly test the limits of their strengths, a day to be remembered for years to come. The Chaos Emeralds were at stake, the powerful gems just begging to be taken from those seeking power. The toughest warriors across the planet were going to partake in the ultimate battle of strength.
No matter who they faced, Team Sonic knew failure was no option.
I'll admit, I was a bit worried about this chapter dragging on a bit. If you liked it, great. If you weren't a fan of the filler, I understand. As always, feedback is always appreciated. Stay tuned for the next chapter for the tournament to finally begin.
