Chapter 103: Great Emerald Battle - Part 2

Last time on Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonia had resumed her quest to find her brother, Manik, by turning to the expert on Chaos Energy, Luna. The two find Manik on Angel Island, where he had ambushed Knuckles with his girl, Mina, and stole the Master Emerald. After cornering Knuckles and readying to finish him off, Manik and Mina were thankfully stopped by Sonia, saving Knuckles right on time and evening the odds...

Starring:

Sonia the Hedgehog - Loud and Proud
Knuckles the Echidna - Guardian of the Master Emerald
Luna-Sta - Leader of Albion
Team Chaotix - Detectives for Hire
Manik the Hedgehog - Hero Turned Villain
Mina Mongoose - Evil Songstress
Dr. Finitevus - Demented Scientist

Albion; 20 Years ago...

*In Albion's Council Meeting Hall, roughly a month after the experiment went wrong and Luna and Finitevus had recovered, the latter, now donning a more albino fur and burnt eyes that turned his sclera black, stood at a podium to announce a suggestion.*

Finitevus: "My fellow Echidna. While the research of accessing the Chaos Force was a failure, I have discovered something truly tragic. In my brief time in that...storm of Chaos... I had seen visions... Visions of calamities to come... The potential end to our very race. My fellow Echidna, our very way of life may be coming to an end as we speak!"

*The members, consisting of at least 7 other Echidnas, one being Luna herself, began to speak amongst each other.*

Council Member Edmund: "And what do you propose, Finitevus?"

Finitevus: "Perhaps we were going about it all wrong. Perhaps we could use the Chaos energy we still have to create a method... An ability to control this power and use it against our enemies. Maybe even have our whole race be exposed to this energy! Yes... We just need a conduit and-"

Council Member Saber: "So you suggest we leave our peaceful ways?"

Finitevus: "Yes! If we toss away our peaceful lifestyle we should-"

Council Member Julie: "You understand what you are asking, yes?"

Council Member Dimitri: "Finitevus, while you are the leader of the science division, we cannot simply abide to such ideology."

Luna: "But members of the council, I must ask... Have we reason to doubt Finitevus? Yes, an experiment put my life in jeopardy... An experiment he built... But I blame not he or the science team... But I for putting myself in that position..."

*Finitevus stared at Luna, looking more optimistic as the council began to speak and talk amongst themselves.*

Edmund: "...Very well... We will at least hear your idea, Finitevus. Continue."

Finitevus: "Thank you, council member Edmund..." *He gives a respectful bow before clearing his throat.* "It is through my digging through the history books that suggests a perfect conduit does exist. The one referred to as 'The Controller'. Refer to the old quote: 'The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power. Power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one to unify the Chaos.' From this, we can infer on a few things... The servers refer to the Emeralds our ancestors guarded at the shrine with the Controller. And by unifying the 'Chaos', we would have unspeakable power at our command to subdue our enemies. By using the Controller as a conduit, the future threats will cease to exist!"

*The council remain quiet after this explanation. They then stare at each other then back at Finitevus.*

Saber: "Lady Luna... Your thoughts?"

Luna: "I mean... He has good intentions. We cannot deny that, yes?"

Edmund: "Good intentions, perhaps. But his heart is not in the right place. Be aware that She had left her clan long ago in order to escape the travesties of war and chaos. By going back that clan's old ways, we would be betraying her beliefs just for our survival. And perhaps our own greed."

*Luna had no rebuttal, just sinking into her seat as she stared back at Finitevus.*

Edmund: "All who agree to abandon this plan of power, say 'Aye'."

Everyone but Luna: "Aye!"

Julie: "...Lady Luna?"

Luna: "...Aye..."

*Finitevus looks at the council before gritting his teeth, storming out of the room in fury. Edmund turns to a disheartened Luna, feeling as if she had betrayed her friend.*

Edmund: "Lady Luna, do know that you must make some pretty strong decisions for the betterment of our people. Finitevus may be your friend... But he should not come before your people and your beliefs..."

Luna: "You... You are right..."

Edmund: "...Meeting adjourned..."

Albion; Present Day...

*At the Chaotix Detective Agency, Luna was with the Chaotix, discussing a job for them.*

Vector: "So ya want us to find some friend of yers that you hadn't seen for months?"

Luna: "That is correct. And I shall pay you however much you want if you can find him for me."

Espio: "So this Dr. Finitevus... He is a scientist who was studying Chaos energy... But why would he go missing?"

Luna: "I don't know... I've been worried lately and...after giving Sonia the location of her brother, a...pit in my stomach has only grown in recent time. Like something isn't right and it involves Finitevus..."

*Vector and Espio exchange a look before Charmy buzzes up to Luna with enthusiasm.*

Charmy: "Don't worry! We'll help you out no problem!"

Vector: "Yeah! Consider this case closed by the end of the day!" *Stands up from his desk.* "Mind showing us to his room? Might as well start there."

Luna: "Yes... I'll show you to his apartment..."

Angel Island; Mushroom Forest

*Manik and Mina stood a fair distance away from Knuckles, having been bashed away by Sonia, who was glaring at the duo. Manik then smiles before rubbing the blood off his mouth.*

Knuckles: "Urgh..." *Stands back up, shaking his head.* "Thanks, Sonia. I was not handling this well..."

Manik: "Hey, sis. You're looking awfully frustrated. But I get why; Sonic leave without you? Off on his usual adventures? Without you? I got ya, sis." *Walks up to Sonia, looking pretty casual.* "Come on. Let's you and I go on some adventures without him. You, me, and Mina. What do you say?"

Sonia: "..." *Slaps her hands onto the sides of Manik's head before activating her sound waves, dazing him from the intense sounds so close to his ears. She then jumped and slammed a kick right to his face, sending right to a nearby boulder and breaking it.*

*Mina looked at where Manik crashed before turning back to Sonia.*

Sonia: "Answer me truthfully and I promise you'll come off with less ringing than he did. Now tell me who corrupted my brother."

Mina: "...Like I would." *Breaths in, but is quickly met by a punch to the gut. A sound-based punch that causes her to choke on her own breath.*

Sonia: "Knuckles. Beat my brother down until he calms down. I'll handle his little girlfriend."

Knuckles: "...You...okay, Sonia?" *Reaches out with a bit of concern.*

Sonia: "Yeah. ...Just stressed."

*Knuckles looks at Sonia before turning and going after Manik, who had fell off a cliff. He glances back at Sonia's direction before sighing.*

Knuckles: 'Better hope Manik's down for the count so I can get back to Sonia...' *lands near where Manik landed and see him still dazed.*

Manik: "Ugh... Anyone get the number on the soundboard..." *Shakes his head before standing up.* "Ahh... I got a massive headache from that attack..."

Knuckles: "Manik. What is this about you 'adventuring'? Are you calling this adventuring? Stealing my Master Emerald?"

Manik: "Of course. It's a heck of a lot better than anything Sonic's done. Which is what... Fight a bunch of bozos? Big whoop."

Knuckles: "Manik, do you know what you sound like right now?"

Manik: "All I hear... Is how cool I sound, Knucklehead. Get with the program."

Knuckles: 'Something's not right...' *Puts his dukes.* 'But whatever it is, I've got to knock some sense back into him the hard way...'

Albion; Apartments

*The Chaotix were looking through Finitevus' things, Vector held out a magnifying glass, Charmy looking through the closet, and Espio finding the fridge. Espio immediately reeled back from the stench coming out of the fridge.*

Espio: "By the love of Chun'nun..." *Coughs before stepping back.*

Vector: "You okay, Espio?"

Espio: "I'll live..." *Recomposes himself.* "But from the smell, his food hasn't been touched in a long time. Look."

*In the fridge, maggots had started to infest the food, flies over taking it.*

Vector: "Egh... I think I'll skip on the pizza today... I've lost my appetite... Yo, Charmy! Anything on your end?"

Charmy: "Nothing but a bunch of lab coats. But they don't look like they've been touched in a long while!"

*Luna enters the room, but is immediately met by the sight of the fridge.*

Luna: "Oh my! What happened...to his food!?"

Vector: "Alright, Miss Luna. We've got a quick question."

Luna: "Um... Very well..."

Vector: "You said you haven't seen him fer months... Which I'm to assume it was around the time Eggman's forces had attacked yer city the first time, right?"

Luna: "The aftermath, yes... In which he came to claim he 'told me so' in a fit of rage..."

Vector: "What'd he do afterwards?"

Luna: "I...do not know... That was the last I spoke with him..."

Espio: "And yet, judging by the state of this room, he clearly hasn't been seen in years. Almost like he disappeared entirely after he spoke with you."

Luna: "Disappeared? Wait... Surely you're not calling me a..."

Vector: "Course not." *Walks out of the door and into the dining room.* "Your story checks out... But he had to have disappeared somehow..."

Espio: *Starts looking at the paintings, which were artistic pieces for any scientist.* "Hmm..." *Stares at one before lifting it off the wall and discovers a safe.* "Bingo."

Luna: "A safe?" *Looks at it, finding it to be electronically locked.*

Vector: "Well, being he hasn't used the apartment in a while. He doesn't mind me tearing the door off!" *Grabs at the small safe door and tears it off, the contents falling onto the floor.*

*The contents were of plans to use Chaos energy on gold rings to create some kind of warp portal from one area to another. There were even instructions on how to activate these rings.*

Luna: "Warp rings? This was among one of Finitevus' pitched ideas, but it was denied out of fear of what using Chaos energy would do..."

Charmy: "Hmmm... I can't make heads or tails of this stuff." *Tosses the papers away.*

Espio: "Okay... So he could literally be anywhere in the world... As if our search couldn't be more difficult..."

Charmy: "Well, if I was some missing person in hiding, I'd probably go back to the place that means the most to me." *He shrugs before seeing his teammates stare at him.* "...What? Was it something I said?"

Luna: "...Place that means the most to him...?" *She closes her eyes before thinking.* "The Electrodome..."

Vector: "Electrodome?"

Luna: "After an incident there, the place was shut down under the council's orders. It has been abandoned since so..."

Espio: "So that's the next place we should look."

Vector: "Good going, Charmy!"

*Charmy smiles at the praise before the group head out to the Electrodome.*

Angel Island; Mushroom Forest

*Several explosions begin to rock the mushroom filled forest as Knuckles and Manik speed through, creating craters and waves of lightning across the whole place.*

Knuckles: "Forget it, Manik! Power beats Speed any day!" *Jumps up and slams fist right on the ground in front of Manik, creating a stone slab to block the green hedgehog.* "And my Power ain't got an equal."

Manik: "Yeah?" *Runs up the stone slab and over it, an electric powered axe kick coming at Knuckles from above.* "I've got more than just speed on my side!"

*Knuckles jumps back as Manik's kick slams onto the stone slab, destroying it. He then curls up and slams right into Knuckles, pushing him deeper into the forest.*

*Meanwhile, Sonia stared off at the forest, seeing the destruction from where she was. As she stared on, she heard some slight movement behind her and quickly turned to send her sound waves at it, blocking Mina's scream.*

Mina: "Ugh... Your sound waves are good, but my singing is better."

Sonia: "Mina. Why are you doing this? You and Manik."

Mina: *Jumps at Sonia and tries to punch her.* "Who cares why!? Why do you side with your bro when he just leaves you behind?"

Sonia: "I side with my bro because it's the right thing to do!" *Dodges the fist, then the next fist before grabbing Mina's foot as she tried to kick.* "I do care about adventuring, but Sonic chooses who he wants to go with him! And I choose to understand him for it!"

*Mina slams her foot down and tries to grab at Sonia, only for their fingers to cross in a holding stalemate.*

Sonia: "If you care so much for Manik, you'll stop him from becoming a jerk! If he wanted to go on adventures he should have asked!"

*Mina stared at Sonia before reeling back.*

Mina: "...Urgh... He could have... What was he...? What was I...? My head..."

*Sudden memories flash in her mind. A strange echidna snuck up on her, grabbing her face so she wouldn't scream. Some kind of energy enters her system before...all went blank. She lets out a scream as energy leaves her body, taking the goth look with it as she is left sitting on the ground, looking normal.*

Mina: "Ugh... What...happened? Where am I?"

Sonia: "Hey. You okay, Mina?"

Mina: "Uh... Yeah... I just...need a second for everything to catch up..."

*A big explosion catches Mina's attention.*

Sonia: "I don't think your boyfriend is going to give you a second..."

*With Manik and Knuckles, Knuckles had kept up his fight as much as he could, panting hard as Manik walked out of the smoke.*

Manik: "Man, you are something though. Tougher than the rest of 'em. You're pretty lucky to have that kind of strength...but your luck's about to run out."

*Sonia, who was carrying Mina, immediately come to Knuckles' aid, the two standing in front of Knuckles.*

Manik: "Mina? Babe, what's this? You're turning on me?"

Mina: "Manik... What's... What's with that awful look? What's gotten into you?"

Manik: "...Tch... I've just learned to accept hate. And I hate Sonic."

Sonia: "...Mina... You tend to Knuckles. Looks like I've got a little brother to ground."

*Mina looks at Sonia before nodding, helping Knuckles away from the ensuing fight. Sonia and Manik share a glare as they stare each other down.*