Chapter 1 – Blurred Events
Sally stretched her arms into the air and arched her back. She closed her eyes and sighed as she slumped into a padded chair on her balcony in the Royal Palace. She opened her eyes and looked out on the city. It was starting to get dark outside but that is when Mobotropolis came alive. The sun dipped slowly beyond the horizon and suddenly the entire town lit up. Street lamps and signs stated to glow with a soft golden light. Sally rested her head in one hand and gazed out on the city. However much she saw this scene she never grew tired of it. Yes life was good now and soon to get even better. It was now only a few days from Sally's 18th birthday. She couldn't wait. Not only would she come of age but she would also be officially named as successor to the throne. So would Sonic, if he ever found time to come. Sally sighed as she though of him. Their relationship had grown well since Snively had been defeated 2 years ago and over time Sally had accepted Sonic's wayward attitude. She knew he would never be sensible like her, always out looking for adventure, and she had accepted it and let him do what he wanted. At the moment he was out somewhere but Sally hadn't been bothered to ask him where.
She leaned over and picked up a book off the small table next to her. She waved her hand over a switch and a small light came on. She opened her book and continued from where she had left off.
High above the city there was a shimmer and a whisper.
"Yes princess, you continue reading, soon you will be no more fact than what is in those pages." said a cold voice.
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Tails and Amy strode down a road in the east of Mobotropolis. The city had just lit up and Amy was glancing around everywhere. Tails smiled, she always did that. The pair walked a little further and entered a restaurant located just to the edge of the Eastern Plaza of the city. As they entered a familiar voice rang out over the noise.
"Well hello there sugah!"
Tails turned to the side to see Bunnie walking up to them.
"Hi there Bunnie." replied Tails.
"Well look at you two." said Bunnie as she stopped in front of them, "You all look so nice tonight."
They did too. Tails had spent ages earlier today cleaning himself and was wearing a new pair of sneakers similar to Sonic's but a lighter shade of red. Amy had just gone to town. Her pink head quills were still short but had been drawn back and platted slightly. She wore a knee length blue dress which had purple flowers embroiled up one side, a set of silver bangles and a gold necklace with a ruby studded into it.
"Well thanks Bunnie." said Tails.
"Ah your welcome sugah." replied Bunnie as she rubbed her hand on Tails head.
"Ah geez Bunnie." said Tails slightly irritated, "You messed up my hair."
"Oh ah'm sorry there Tails. You have become sensitive about your looks since you turned 12."
Tails blushed slightly.
"Well, yeah maybe, do you have any tables left?" he asked as he scanned the crowded room.
"Sure do sugah. This way."
She led them up a flight of stair and onto the low roof of the building. All the buildings in the area were one floor high and the roof gave a beautiful view of the night scaped city. Amy gasped as she saw the view.
"Oh it's beautiful up here Bunnie." she said.
"I knew you'd like it Amy." said Bunnie as she indicated to a small table on the edge of the roof.
Tails and Amy sat down and ordered their meals. Bunnie smiled and walked off. Amy looked out over the city.
"Oh it's so beautiful Tails." she said.
"I know Amy." he replied with a slight laugh.
She said that everytime she came here but, then again, living in Knothole it was understandable. Soon after Bunnie returned with their meals.
"So what's the special occasion this time?" asked Bunnie.
"Amy's 14th." replied Tails.
"Oh yes! Silly me, ah forgot all about that. Well congratulations sugah."
Amy blushed, "Thank you Bunnie."
"Well I better be going. Other customers to see to. Enjoy yourself kids."
With that she left and Tails and Amy started their meals.
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A fast moving figure suddenly appeared and skidded to a halt at the side of a lake. The figure looked up at the night sky.
"Hmm….any minute now."
Just then there was a shimmer in the night sky and then a flash. The flash formed a bright ball in the sky above the lake and then it died out. The figure looked up to see a large spherical object floating in the sky above the lake.
"Hmm….excellent. My calculations where correct. Now to move on."
The figure's back started to glow and a jet thruster roared into life. He took off into the sky and flew towards the sphere.
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Tails and Amy left Bunnie's restaurant and walked laughing down the street. They walked out into the Eastern Plaza and gazed at the night sky. Just then a voice behind them spoke.
"Hey! I wondered when you guys would get done."
Tails and Amy turned round to see Sonic walking towards them. The end of his quills where still slightly yellow from the events 2 years ago but they were fading away.
"Hi Sonic! How ya been?" said Tails as the pair walked over to him.
"I've been good Tails. You enjoyed yourself tonight?"
"Sure have. Haven't we Amy?"
"Yup!" replied Amy and kissed Tails on the cheek.
"Ah geez!" said Tails looking into Amy's eyes.
"Look I don't want to hold you guys up." said Sonic, "You're obviously having a good time. I was wondering if I could borrow the Tornado for a few days?"
"Um……but what about the naming ceremony?" asked Tails looking at Sonic a little funny.
"Oh yeah that." said Sonic shifting his weight to his other foot, "Well I….er…." he caught Tails eye, "…..well ok. Look Tails, Sally loves all this responsibility and obligation stuff but me….well…..I'm not sure if I want it. I just need a few days to myself to think it over. I was thinking of going to see Knuckles. We haven't seen each other in months. Sally will understand."
"Well, ok, if you're sure Sonic. She is in hanger 2 on the southern field."
"Thanks big guy. I'll be back in a few days."
With that he turned and sped off into the night streets. Tails looked at Amy.
"I sure hope he knows what he's doing. This thing is really important to Sally."
"She'll understand….I hope." said Amy taking Tails arm and leading him away.
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Sally woke up in bed and stretched. She rolled over to see that Sonic wasn't there. Where was he? It wasn't like him to not come back without telling her why first. She sat up and looked around. The room was exactly like it had been the night before. If Sonic had come in and then left again the room would definitely show some sign of his entrance. But there was nothing. She got out of bed and walked to the window. She drew the curtains open and looked back into the room. It was then that she noticed a small piece of paper on her dressing table. She walked over to it and picked it up. It was a note from Sonic.
'Dear Sal, sorry for this but I just gotta go. I know this naming thing means a lot to you but I'm not sure if I'm ready for it. I've borrowed the Tornado from Tails and by the time you read this I'll be halfway to the Floating Island. I gotta have some time on my own to think things through. Sonic.'
Oh Sonic thought Sally as she slumped onto the bed. Why didn't you just tell me? Why wouldn't you talk to people? She folded the note and placed it in a draw. Just then there was a knock at the door.
"Yes?" she said.
"Sally it's me."
"Father?"
"Yes, may I come in."
"Sure dad."
The door opened and in walked King Acorn. He stood in the doorway for a second before walking into the room. Sally ran over to him and hugged him.
"Hey there father. What is it?"
"We are making final preparations for tomorrow Sally. Where is Sonic? I have to talk to him."
"Erm…..well he's not here."
"What do you mean?"
"He…..er…..he went to the Floating Island for a few days."
"What?!" cried King Acorn standing up, "But the naming ceremony is tomorrow!"
"He isn't sure he's ready for it. You know how he is father. He's just a bit nervous about having to settle down."
King Acorn sighed, "Yes I know Sally but I really had hoped he would come. Well, he will just have to work things out then I suppose."
He turned to go.
"Are we still going ahead with tomorrow?" asked Sally.
King Acorn turned, "Yes Sally."
With that he left. Sally walked over to the window and looked out on the city.
"Oh Sonic."
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Sonic banked the Tornado slightly to the west and dropped lower. His eyes scanned the gauges and dials inside the cockpit. When Knothole had been destroyed by the Chaos Cannon the Tornado had been completely destroyed. It had taken months of work by Sonic, Tails and Rotor to make a new one. They had rebuilt her in the style she was before and had even given her the same paint job. Sonic liked flying, so much freedom. He dropped lower and on the horizon, flying in the sky, was the Floating Island. Sonic smiled and continued on.
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On the island, Knuckles was walking through the Mushroom Hill. He stopped to pick some berries off a bush. He tasted one. Pretty good, but probably needs a bit more sun. He leapt into the air and started to glide. The island was looking as nice as ever he thought. He flew over the Desert area of the island and the Sandpolis zone before finally landing in a clearing in front of the Hidden Palace. He looked at the entrance and then at a tree trunk that was just beside the doorway. He walked over to it and sat down. He took the berries he had picked and ate another. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.
He was woken a few hours later by a loud buzzing. He opened his eyes and looked around sleepily. In the sky above the island there was a little red dot. Knuckles watched it as it got closer and closer. He began to make out features. Long, thin, two sets of wings, a light red colour, propeller driven….the Tornado! Knuckles leapt up from his seat and ran towards the make shift airstrip that had been made in the jungle area near the Angel Island zone. He arrived to find the Tornado on final approach. It jinxed to the side a bit, straightened out and then drop a bit. Eventually it touched down with a thud on the ground. Knuckles walked over as Sonic got out.
"Hey there yellow quill!" cried Knuckles as Sonic took off his flying goggles.
"Ah Knuckles! Please don't call me that, I hate being reminded." replied Sonic indicating to his yellow tipped quills.
"Ha ok Sonic. What brings you out here?"
"Oh nothing really. Just needed to get away from things."
"I see."
"Yeah. I figured this place is about as far away as anything."
"Too right Sonic. Come on back to the Palace, we got lots to talk about."
Sonic and Knuckles started to walk back to the Palace chatting.
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The next day in Knothole, the atmosphere was buzzing. Later that day, well at about six in the evening, Sally would be officially made successor to the throne. Virtually everyone had been invited, including Tails and Amy, who were now getting ready.
"Ah gods! Where is it?" grumbled Tails as he rummaged through his draws.
"What you looking for?" asked Amy.
"That nice pendant Sally gave me last year. You know the silver one with the green emerald in it."
"Oh that thing." Amy thought for a moment, "Second draw from the top in that cabinet."
Amy indicated towards a small cabinet on the opposite wall. Tails walked over and open the draw. Sitting there in the middle of the draw was the pendant.
"I'm sure I checked there." said Tails as he slipped it over his head, "You sure have a knack for remembering where things are."
"Just a good memory." blushed Amy.
"Yeah suppose so." said Tails, "So you nearly ready?"
"Yeah almost. I just gotta find my other shoe."
"What?!"
"Well I kinda forgot where I dropped it when we came back last night."
"Oh I see good memory eh?" joked Tails.
"Shutup." said Amy and playfully threw the other shoe at him.
Tails leapt to the side, picked the shoe up and handed it back.
"Well I'll see you in a bit. I just gotta go check on a few things."
"Ok Tails, meet you in the Eastern Plaza at five, ok."
"Sure."
With that Tails left. Amy turned back to the room.
"Now where's that shoe gone?"
She spent the next few minutes or so searching but couldn't find it. Finally she stood up, red faced and very irritated.
"AAAH! This is starting to drive me mad!" she screamed loudly as she quickly scanned the room. It was then that she noticed a small trunk lying in the corner. It was very old and battered and had a small pink symbol painted on the top. She walked over to it.
"Oh my! It's my old trunk." she gasped as she looked it over. She hadn't really paid it much attention since she moved to Knothole.
"I wonder if it's in here?" she said as she flung open the lid and started to rummage through all her old stuff.
"Wow! I didn't think I still had this!" she said to herself as she pulled out a lime green coloured shirt and orange poofy skirt from the trunk, "I wonder if it still fits."
She removed her usual red dress and put on her old clothes. They did fit, not as well as they had done, she had grown after all, but yes they still fitted. She looked at herself in the mirror. The sight took her back to her childhood on Little Planet. She sighed as she though of Little Planet, her home. Suddenly a thought came to mind.
"I wonder." she said to herself as she returned to the trunk.
She looked through the trunk a bit more and finally found it. She pulled out a pair of purple and white sneakers and sure enough on the side was what she was looking for. She removed her old tarot cards from their holder and lay down on the bed on her stomach. She shuffled the cards for a bit and then started to deal them out. On dealing the third card she stopped.
"No! That can't be!" she gasped as she stared at the cards.
She dealt the next and it too produced a similar reaction. And the next. Finally Amy sat up. A look of complete astonishment and shock on her face. She quickly leapt off the bed, sending the cards scattering. She pulled on her old sneakers, as she still only had one of her current ones, and ran out of the house.
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Tails was getting worried. It was just after five and Amy still hadn't show up. There was now a large bustle of people moving towards the palace for the big event even though the ceremony was to be held privately. Tails waited another ten minutes but still Amy didn't show. He glanced at his watch, 5.45pm. Now he was really worried, Amy was never this late. He had expected to wait maybe ten minutes or so but not three quarters of an hour! He looked at his tails. He had spent a while grooming them earlier and he didn't really want to have to fly to Knothole to find her. Another five minutes past and he finally gave in. He folded his tails out behind him and climbed onto a small hill to the side of the plaza. He twisted his tails and leapt from the hill spinning his tails as he did so. Below several people were nearly knocked over by the downdraft. Tails had become a very strong flyer in recent years and was still pretty much unaware of it. He steadily gained altitude and was soon flying high back to Knothole.
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A figure approached a small altar. On it was a glowing stone. The figure picked it up and smiled to himself.
"That's four now. Just three to go." said the figure placing the stone in a small bag with three others, "Now onto the next stage."
The figure's back glowed again and erupted in a jet blast. The figure left the zone and flew to the next.
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Tails touched down in Knothole. It was virtually dead. Nearly everyone was in Mobotropolis. Tails walked into the village and up to his and Amy house. He opened the door and called in.
"Amy? You here?"
There was no reply. He walked in and switched on the lights. The room was virtually the same as it had been earlier but with a bit more clutter lying around. It was then that he noticed the tarot cards spread across the bed. He walked over to then. He had never understood them so he just left them where they were. He noticed Amy's old trunk was open and he went to see. He looked in and then back to cards scattered across the bed and then back to the nearly empty trunk.
"Oh no." he said to himself.
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In Mobotropolis, thing were almost ready. Sally and King Acorn were standing on a small raised section on the middle of the throne room. Around them stood Bunnie, Rotor, Dulcy and Sir Charles. Sally looked around a bit annoyed, where were Tails and Amy. They should have been here by now. Just then King Acorn spoke.
"Friends, tonight we celebrate my daughter's appointment to the throne."
Bunnie and Dulcy cheered.
"Sonic couldn't be here tonight because of…" King Acorn looked over at Sally, "…..because of personal reasons."
Sally smiled at him and nodded.
"But I'm sure he…."
King Acorn was cut off in mid sentence by the door at the end of the room flying open with quite a force. Tails burst in and collapsed to the ground breathing deeply. He was looked awful. His head fur was all scraggy and he was covered in sweat. Bunnie ran over to him and helped him up. Tails stood leaning against the doorframe for a few minutes before he looked up. His face full of fear and panic.
"What is it Tails?" asked Sally joining the rest of then beside him.
"Am…..Am…Amy!" said Tails still gasping for air, "She's……she's gone!"
"Gone?" asked Bunnie.
"To Little Planet." replied Tails.
"Where?" asked Rotor.
"Little Planet. It was where she grew up. It appears over Never Lake for the last 30 days of every year."
"That's mighty strange." said Charles.
"Why?" asked Sally.
"I don't know. I was supposed to meet her at five in the Eastern Plaza but she never showed. I went back to Knothole to find her and when I got there I couldn't find her. All I found was her old tarot cards spread across the bed and her old outfit gone."
"Tarot cards?" asked Bunnie.
"Amy has a very special ability. She can foretell the future of Little Planet through the use of her tarot cards."
"But why did she go?" asked Bunnie.
"I don't know. But I'm worried. She has never gone off like this before." said Tails wiping away a tear.
Bunnie gave him a hug.
"Tails we have to go and look for her. We'll start searching, you go and get Sonic. We may need him."
Tails looked straight at Bunnie.
"Right Bunnie." he said purposely and strode out of the throne room.
Sally turned to her father.
"Father?"
"I know Sally. The ceremony can wait. Your friend may be in trouble, go and find her."
"Thank you father." said Sally as she hugged her father.
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"Ok you all set Tails." yelled Charles over the roar.
"Roger, stand back." replied Tails.
Sir Charles stood back as Tails pushed forwards on the throttle. The Tornado 2's engines roared and the plane sped forwards onto the runway. Tails hit the afterburners and the rocket engine flared sending the plane virtually straight up into the air. Tails levelled out and headed for the Floating Island.