Chapter 1: Just Another Day
Mobius is a world of bright green hills and deep blue skies. On one side of its globe, above the initial surface, floats an island, hidden by the fluffy white clouds: "Angel Island… the home of the largest emerald in all the world…" within the remains of a shattered civilization, between the pillars of temple-like grounds. "Who could resist such a jewel? Certainly not me!" Silent black wings moved in the air, keeping the bat aloft. "But… how to get rid of that guard?"
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Meanwhile, the sun was rising over the lower horizon. Just like every other day, its yellow-orange rays burst across the fields, beckoning the flowers its way. The moon was concealed, vanishing as if it was never there. And the sustained cry of "Soooooooooniiiiiiiiiiiic!" rang out through the air like every other day.
The blue hedgehog to whom the cry was aimed opened one eye and sighed. He had been resting beneath a tree, but it was clear to him that he had to get up on his feet, fast. Luckily, fast was his specialty. He looked off in the distance and saw the pink hedgehog advancing toward him. "Well, at least it brings some excitement to an otherwise boring time," he said to himself. "Though it is starting to get a bit repetitive… how dull." With that, he took off, leaving only a cloud of dust behind him.
Amy finally made it to the tree, long after Sonic was gone. She sighed, sat down, and put her head in her hands. "Sonic… someday I'll make you mine… Someday… you'll come running toward me!" She closed her eyes and smiled, lost in a dreamland.
Sonic had made it to a metal hatch leading underground. After a quick knock, he jumped down, not even bothering with the ladder. "What's up, Tails?" he asked his two-tailed friend, who was working hard on a new plane.
The young fox didn't look up from his work. "If we've got to deal with Dr. Robotnik," he started, "we've got to keep up with his machines!"
"Eggman's never been anyone to worry about for you, buddy!"
Tails finally turned around to face his friend with a smirk. "You know he hates it when you call him that."
"All the more reason to!" Sonic laughed. He didn't stay long after that, immediately scurrying up the ladder and out of the workshop.
Tails turned back to his work. "As long as I get this plane up and running, we won't have to worry about Eggman."
Sonic nearly ran over a small rabbit as he came out of the hatch. "Oh! Sorry 'bout that, Cream!"
Cream dusted off her dress and smiled, "No problem, Mr. Sonic. Are you going inside for dinner?"
"Dinner?" Sonic grinned. "You bet! See you in there!"
As he dashed off, Cream descended into Tails's workshop. She always found it too dark and gloomy down there, which is why she felt it necessary to urge Tails out. "Tails, you must be hungry. Why don't you come up for dinner? Take a break."
"After I'm done here, I'll have time for a break. Sonic never takes a break. Robotnik never takes a break. So I shouldn't either!"
Cream sighed. "Well, then, finish up soon, or your supper will get cold."
"Don't worry… Just one more piece…"
Cream climbed back up, out of the cramped workshop and into the open outside air. She decided to set up everything inside in time for Amy's return from looking for Sonic.
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The guard hadn't moved. He sat on a low wall beside the magnificent gem without so much as a twitch. The bat above was almost convinced that he was merely a statue. "Silly of me to be fooled by such a trick. I'm no cleverer than a crow shooed away by a scarecrow. How humiliating…" She glided down, her high boots landing softly in the grass.
That's when the red echidna finally twitched. Someone's here. I can sense it. Closer… closer… "Begone!" he leapt from his spot and tackled the intruder, pinning the tall, white bat to the ground. "Who are you? Why have you come here?"
"How absolutely rude!" the intruder gasped from under him. "I thought you were a statue! And how am I to know I'm not welcome here?"
Knuckles released her and grunted. "No one is. Leave this place, before I'm forced to hurt you."
"How dare you threaten a lady!" She stood up and dusted herself off.
"Get out!"
"Temper, temper," the bat smirked, eager to regain power by the only way she knew how. "I won't disturb you. I'll leave you be, sugar."
Knuckles was only slightly taken aback by her attitude and tone.
"Such a horrid welcome—"
"You aren't welcome here!"
She waved her finger. "Tsk, tsk. Again, how was I to know such a thing? I see no signs turning anyone away." There was a glint in her eyes as she looked at him—past him, actually, toward the emerald. He followed her gaze easily.
"Don't get any ideas, bat."
"Perish the thought!" She winked, then flapped her wings to leave Knuckles watching carefully after her.
He growled under his breath as she left. "You'll not get your hands on the Master Emerald…"
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Dinner was served. Sonic started shoveling food in his mouth immediately. Cream waited, not touching hers until Tails appeared. Fortunately, he came more quickly than in the past.
"This is delicious!" Sonic announced between bites.
"Thanks, Sonic," Amy grinned. "I made it myself!" She winked at him, and he nearly choked.
"Food is food…" he said, trying to take back the compliment.
Cream watched her friends happily, giggling at their banter. She glanced out the window as a shadow drifted across it. The sun had passed behind Angel Island and its clouds for a moment. She remembered the one who was dutifully up there. They had all learned about Knuckles the echidna when Sonic and Tails was framed for stealing his Master Emerald. However, with Robotnik revealed as the true culprit, Knuckles was on the side of good now. She scratched at her whiskers and took another bite. "Why don't we bring some dinner up to Mr. Knuckles?" she asked her friends.
The group stopped eating and stared at her.
"What? He's up there all day… all alone… I'll bet he's lonely."
"Nah," Sonic shrugged. "He likes it up there all by himself. That's just the way he is."
The others nodded in agreement.
"He's hot-tempered… not to mention no fun at all. He just doesn't fit in with us."
"But he needs to eat," Cream urged.
"He doesn't even like us," Tails pointed out. "And he thinks Sonic is a menace!"
"Yeah!" Amy grabbed her hammer. "How dare he insult my Sonic! I'll give him a piece of my mind!"
Sonic ducked as she swung her hammer. "I'm not your Sonic, Amy!"
"Oh, Sonic! You will be!"
The conversation had shifted away from the habitant of the floating island. Cream looked at her Chao friend, Cheese, who shrugged.
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Night fell on the island above before it fell on the rest of Mobius. The island blocked the sunset once it passed the clouds below. Knuckles yawned, curling up in his usual spot of rest. Before he closed his eyes, he heard flapping. If it's that bat again, I swear—looking up, he did not see the form of the bat who had visited just earlier. He saw a smaller, rounder form. It was the bunny, part of Sonic's gang.
"Hi, Mr. Knuckles!" Cream smiled happily as she landed a few feet from him.
"What do you want?" Knuckles snarled, wary of her unexpected visit.
She held out a boxed supper to him. "I thought you might enjoy this…"
Knuckles looked at the box skeptically. "Why are you giving me this?"
She pushed it into his hands and smiled even wider. "Because you're a friend! It's always good to share with friends!"
Knuckles narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"Isn't there some saying… Hm… I've heard Tails use it before… Ah-ha! The enemy of an enemy… is a friend! Something like that. Since you're the enemy of Dr. Robotnik, doesn't that put you on our side?"
Knuckles relaxed slightly. "Um… I guess…"
"Well, I hope you enjoy the supper! I better get back home before it gets dark down below, or the others will get worried! Goodnight, Mr. Knuckles!" She flew off, her little Chao friend following behind as always.
"Good…night…"
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Dr. Robotnik held in his hand a jewel of unmatched power. The gem was golden-yellow, and he smiled at what he had just discovered about it. "Sonic will be in for a real treat now…" he laughed to himself as he inserted the gem into his machine. The hovering egg-shaped vehicle sparked. The doctor laughed.
"Eggman!" Sonic greeted as Robotnik arrived. His fists clenched, he stood atop his sidekick's newest plane.
"How many times have I told you not to call me that, you pest?! I am a doctor! My name is Doctor Robotnik!"
"Okay… Doctor Eggman!" Sonic stuck out his tongue, enraging his nemesis.
"It's time I show you the power I hold!"
The bat had come closer because she sensed the jewel. Now she stayed, transfixed by its power as well as its beauty.
"Sonic! He's got a Chaos Emerald!" Tails shouted.
"Don't worry," Sonic said. "I'm on it!" He ran across Tails's machine and jumped up at Robotnik. "Give up the Emerald!"
"Not a chance!" the villain pushed a button and the emerald glowed in a bright burst. Everyone was forced to squint and shield their eyes. Then, there was a blast from Eggman's vehicle, an explosion that knocked Sonic right off of it—and even forced Tails's plane backward in a flip. "Whoa!" Tails hurried to level out and catch Sonic.
When they were safe, Robotnik was gone. "What was that about? Robotnik… used to be… no problem…" Sonic was gasping for breath. "I didn't know… the Chaos Emeralds had… that sort of power…"
"You've used them to turn into SuperSonic," Tails reminded him.
"Sure… but that took all of them…"
Tails landed the plane, and he and Sonic leaned against it. "I think we might actually be up against something dangerous with Eggman now…"
Tails looked at his friend worriedly. "What do we do?"
"We find out what he's up to… And we stop him, before he causes any more trouble…"
Sonic was starting to regret wishing for the excitement and an end to the peaceful repetition his life had just yesterday morning…
