Chapter 4: Transparent Forever
Sonic the Hedgehog urged forward, trying to complete his quest as soon as possible. Though, it would still take some time before he gets the rest of the Chaos Stones, since he has only achieved one. He got closer and closer to his next destination, but he finally stopped to rest. He unrolled his sleeping bag and went to sleep.
Nearby, the mystery figure ran up to the slumbering Sonic, approaching him stealthily. He stopped suddenly when he was close enough to not walk much. He went though Sonic's backpack and didn't find what he wanted. He then glanced a shine by Sonic.
The hedgehog turned around and saw the green Chaos Emerald near Sonic's sleeping bag. The mystery hedgehog rolled quietly towards the emerald, and he snatched it up. He held it up, whispering a couple of words. In a flash, he had vanished.
Sonic clenched his fists and got up, noticing a strange light. He just saw the strange hedgehog disappear. Sonic scratched his head, and then he got back into his bag and began to go to sleep. He then noticed something missing.
"The Chaos Emerald!" he yelled out loud. He searched frantically, but to no avail. He noticed the bag that he got for his quest, and he looked through the small package. He pulled the Aqua Arrow from it, and he examined it. "Please, tell me where my prized possession went..."
The Aqua Arrow responded by making Sonic drop it with a flash of blinding light. Sonic closed his eyes and reopened them. He saw the Aqua Arrow on the ground, shooting a hologram out in front of him. Sonic watched the scene replay and the mystery hedgehog snatch the Chaos Emerald. He watched the character disappear in a flash, and the scene ended.
"Who is that guy?" Sonic asked himself as the hologram disappeared.
He picked up the azure gem and clutched it tightly. He was no longer tired, for a mysterious hedgehog was on the loose. Sonic turned to see a light coming from over the horizon. The blue hedgehog ran to a nearby hilltop, reaching its point easily. He watched over the horizon, seeing the bright sun beginning to rise. He saw the great sphere rise over the horizon.
Sonic watched this beautiful sight, and when the yellow circle was completely seen, our hero slid back down the hill. He packed up everything, and kept the Aqua Arrow in his zipper pocket. He picked up his bag, turning to the White Mountain. His emerald green eyes shined curiously, wondering what he would face soon.
He picked up his feet and ran to get the next Chaos Stone.
=====
Sonic finally was close to getting to the next shrine. He saw strange air in front of him, for it seemed to be waving like on a very hot day. He touched it, feeling that it was solid. He drew back his fist and...
"Yow!"
Sonic tested the strange air by punching it, and it was as hard as a wall. Sonic rubbed his knuckles and walked sideways, looking for an entrance. He finally saw the real air and walked into it. He kept walking until the strange air appeared in front of him.
"I'd better slow down so I don't accidentally run into the wall," Sonic exclaimed, but then he added, "This will be so annoying."
He continued evading the invisible wall. Once he left the maze, he saw a large gap in front of him.
"Crap," Sonic said, annoyed.
He could jump, but not this far! Sonic stepped back, but then reconsidered. He ran backwards, and then charged forward. He leaped as far as he could, but made it about half-way. Sonic yelled and trying to go further, but nothing happened, he just kept falling. When he was about to pass the top of the cliff, he fell, head-first, as if he fell to the floor.
Birds flew around Sonic's head, but then he scrambled to his feet. He noticed that he hadn't fallen into the lava below, but he was standing on air! Sonic started to feel dizzy, and he didn't want to stick around, staring at the transparent floor. He ran over to the other side and continued on his way.
He finally got to the shrine, and he entered.
He saw that the ceiling was painted in a space design. The walls were also transparent, and looked as if you could walk right through them. He then saw a Pegasus statue in the far end of the shrine, and it shined like glass.
Sonic stared at the Pegasus, smiling. It looked real, and it was relaxing to see. He finally heard the voice he was supposed to hear.
"Welcome to the Clear Shrine," said the voice, high but serious. "This is where we'll find out if you are able to pass the test to go on to get the Clear Emerald."
"What's my mission?" Sonic wondered out loud.
"It is to fly through space, trying to go through 50 golden rings. You won't be alone..."
The Pegasus's wings glowed from its corner and turned white. So did the rest of its body. The winged horse neighed and walked over to Sonic.
At first, the hedgehog didn't know what to do. Then, be stroked the horse's main. It nudged at Sonic, telling him to climb on. He was unsure at first, but the decision would depend on Tails' life, to he did climb on. The azure hedgehog grasped the Pegasus's main tightly, knowing that he would be going on a bumpy ride.
The winged horse suddenly began to gallop, going right through the wall. The two suddenly appeared in space, stars shining and planets spinning slowly. The Pegasus was flapping his wings, and then Sonic signaled for him to go forward.
The Pegasus responded by running forward, running across the stars. Sonic held onto his life, knowing that one move can be his last.
=====
In Station Square...
Still sick, Tails looked out the window. He wasn't feeling much better, and he wanted to pray that Sonic would make it back safely. He thought that the hedgehog was going through too much trouble, but hey, that's what friends are for.
The fox looked into the stars, and he saw a shooting star. It stopped in one place, and more followed suit. They made a pattern, shining brighter than other stars.
Tails stared wide eyed at the formation, knowing that this was something that probably wouldn't happen in reality. When the stars stopped shooting, a Pegasus consolation had formed. Tails mouthed the word 'wow', and saw more shooting stars coming.
When finished, they formed a certain hedgehog head. Tails knew that it must've been Sonic, and he smiled broadly at the pretty, shining stars, his hopes rising to a greater level.
=====
Sonic the Hedgehog urged forward, trying to complete his quest as soon as possible. Though, it would still take some time before he gets the rest of the Chaos Stones, since he has only achieved one. He got closer and closer to his next destination, but he finally stopped to rest. He unrolled his sleeping bag and went to sleep.
Nearby, the mystery figure ran up to the slumbering Sonic, approaching him stealthily. He stopped suddenly when he was close enough to not walk much. He went though Sonic's backpack and didn't find what he wanted. He then glanced a shine by Sonic.
The hedgehog turned around and saw the green Chaos Emerald near Sonic's sleeping bag. The mystery hedgehog rolled quietly towards the emerald, and he snatched it up. He held it up, whispering a couple of words. In a flash, he had vanished.
Sonic clenched his fists and got up, noticing a strange light. He just saw the strange hedgehog disappear. Sonic scratched his head, and then he got back into his bag and began to go to sleep. He then noticed something missing.
"The Chaos Emerald!" he yelled out loud. He searched frantically, but to no avail. He noticed the bag that he got for his quest, and he looked through the small package. He pulled the Aqua Arrow from it, and he examined it. "Please, tell me where my prized possession went..."
The Aqua Arrow responded by making Sonic drop it with a flash of blinding light. Sonic closed his eyes and reopened them. He saw the Aqua Arrow on the ground, shooting a hologram out in front of him. Sonic watched the scene replay and the mystery hedgehog snatch the Chaos Emerald. He watched the character disappear in a flash, and the scene ended.
"Who is that guy?" Sonic asked himself as the hologram disappeared.
He picked up the azure gem and clutched it tightly. He was no longer tired, for a mysterious hedgehog was on the loose. Sonic turned to see a light coming from over the horizon. The blue hedgehog ran to a nearby hilltop, reaching its point easily. He watched over the horizon, seeing the bright sun beginning to rise. He saw the great sphere rise over the horizon.
Sonic watched this beautiful sight, and when the yellow circle was completely seen, our hero slid back down the hill. He packed up everything, and kept the Aqua Arrow in his zipper pocket. He picked up his bag, turning to the White Mountain. His emerald green eyes shined curiously, wondering what he would face soon.
He picked up his feet and ran to get the next Chaos Stone.
=====
Sonic finally was close to getting to the next shrine. He saw strange air in front of him, for it seemed to be waving like on a very hot day. He touched it, feeling that it was solid. He drew back his fist and...
"Yow!"
Sonic tested the strange air by punching it, and it was as hard as a wall. Sonic rubbed his knuckles and walked sideways, looking for an entrance. He finally saw the real air and walked into it. He kept walking until the strange air appeared in front of him.
"I'd better slow down so I don't accidentally run into the wall," Sonic exclaimed, but then he added, "This will be so annoying."
He continued evading the invisible wall. Once he left the maze, he saw a large gap in front of him.
"Crap," Sonic said, annoyed.
He could jump, but not this far! Sonic stepped back, but then reconsidered. He ran backwards, and then charged forward. He leaped as far as he could, but made it about half-way. Sonic yelled and trying to go further, but nothing happened, he just kept falling. When he was about to pass the top of the cliff, he fell, head-first, as if he fell to the floor.
Birds flew around Sonic's head, but then he scrambled to his feet. He noticed that he hadn't fallen into the lava below, but he was standing on air! Sonic started to feel dizzy, and he didn't want to stick around, staring at the transparent floor. He ran over to the other side and continued on his way.
He finally got to the shrine, and he entered.
He saw that the ceiling was painted in a space design. The walls were also transparent, and looked as if you could walk right through them. He then saw a Pegasus statue in the far end of the shrine, and it shined like glass.
Sonic stared at the Pegasus, smiling. It looked real, and it was relaxing to see. He finally heard the voice he was supposed to hear.
"Welcome to the Clear Shrine," said the voice, high but serious. "This is where we'll find out if you are able to pass the test to go on to get the Clear Emerald."
"What's my mission?" Sonic wondered out loud.
"It is to fly through space, trying to go through 50 golden rings. You won't be alone..."
The Pegasus's wings glowed from its corner and turned white. So did the rest of its body. The winged horse neighed and walked over to Sonic.
At first, the hedgehog didn't know what to do. Then, be stroked the horse's main. It nudged at Sonic, telling him to climb on. He was unsure at first, but the decision would depend on Tails' life, to he did climb on. The azure hedgehog grasped the Pegasus's main tightly, knowing that he would be going on a bumpy ride.
The winged horse suddenly began to gallop, going right through the wall. The two suddenly appeared in space, stars shining and planets spinning slowly. The Pegasus was flapping his wings, and then Sonic signaled for him to go forward.
The Pegasus responded by running forward, running across the stars. Sonic held onto his life, knowing that one move can be his last.
=====
In Station Square...
Still sick, Tails looked out the window. He wasn't feeling much better, and he wanted to pray that Sonic would make it back safely. He thought that the hedgehog was going through too much trouble, but hey, that's what friends are for.
The fox looked into the stars, and he saw a shooting star. It stopped in one place, and more followed suit. They made a pattern, shining brighter than other stars.
Tails stared wide eyed at the formation, knowing that this was something that probably wouldn't happen in reality. When the stars stopped shooting, a Pegasus consolation had formed. Tails mouthed the word 'wow', and saw more shooting stars coming.
When finished, they formed a certain hedgehog head. Tails knew that it must've been Sonic, and he smiled broadly at the pretty, shining stars, his hopes rising to a greater level.
=====