A.2: Dream

"Sonic!" Nion calls out, her voice resonating off the walls. She runs down the stone hall toward a bluish glow and it opens into a large chamber of ice. Shimmering stalactites push down from the ceiling above, reaching toward the stalagmites straining upward from the floor. Nion shivers, her breath fogging as it meets the cold air. She looks toward the center of the room and sees the source of the light, an icy blue gem suspended in the air atop a pedestal. She warily inches closer to it until it is within her reach. She examines the jewel with her eyes, marveling at its perfection. Hesitantly, she cups her hands around it and pulls it toward her. A blinding light shines from within it and the chamber starts to rumble. Nion crouches close to the ground and looks around, her eyes wide with fear. A whirlwind is emitted from the jewel, accelerating and growing in diameter until it reaches the walls. The frightened hedgehog sits in the calm eye of the windstorm, crouching by the pedestal, as stalactites and stalagmites shatter in response to the storm's force. Shards of ice are sucked into the whirlwind as it whips violently around the pedestal, closing in on Nion as it narrows into an icy tornado. She feels the ice rip through her quills and a mysterious voice hisses a single word. "Chaos."

Up in the sky on Angel Island, a red echidna awakes from the same mysterious dream.

Nion awakes in a cold sweat, her heart beating fast. She gets to her hands and knees, looking around frantically for Sonic.

"Sonic!" she calls. She waits for a response and calls him again, her voice growing panicked, "Sonic!"

"Hey," the blue hedgehog responds behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He sees the relief in her eyes and frowns with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Where were you when I was in that place? How was I able to return?" she demands to know. Sonic looks down at her in confusion.

"What are you talking about? You've been asleep all this time," he tells her. Nion shakes her head in disagreement. "You must have had a nightmare," he realizes. "It was just a bad dream; don't let it get to you."

"Nightmare? Dream?" Nion frowns. "I do not know these terms, please explain."

"It's kind of hard to explain," Sonic informs her. "Dreams are things that happen in your mind. When you're awake it's called daydreaming. You see the images, but you can tell they're not real. When you're asleep it becomes more realistic, and it can be hard to tell that it's not happening."

"I believe I understand," she tells him after pondering his words for a moment. "But what causes them?

"Uh…I'm not really sure. This isn't exactly my forte," Sonic admits. "I know they occur during the REM cycle, though."

"REM," Nion repeats. "I am familiar with the term."

"Good," Sonic sighs, relieved not to have to explain. He looks at Nion with curiosity, wondering what kind of dream could have disturbed her so much. "Nion, what did you dream about?" he asks. She proceeds to describe it to him and Sonic sits in silence at what he hears. "That jewel, Nion, do you know what it was?" he asks after she finishes.

"I do not," she tells Sonic, shaking her head. "Do you?"

"I think so," Sonic says with a nod. "I think it was a Chaos Emerald."

"Chaos Emerald?" Nion repeats, trying to make sense of the phrase.

"That's right," Sonic confirms. "And if that's the case we've got to find a certain red echidna right away."

Far above, on a landmass in the sky, a red echidna sits motionless in the most important chamber of an old temple. Behind him, in the center of the chamber, rests the Master Emerald. He sits, guarding it as he has always done, but he finds himself unable to concentrate on his surroundings. Since waking from the dream he'd been plagued by a sea of questions that remained unanswered no matter how hard or long he thought them over. He sighs. "I just don't understand," his voice resonates through the chamber. "What was that?"

"Well, here we are," Sonic announces. "Angel Island."

Nion peers over the edge of the island, clearly overwhelmed by its nature.

"You okay?" he asks. Nion looks at him.

"This is a strange world," she says. "According to the information with which I have been provided, it is not possible for a landmass, or any other matter, to remain permanently suspended in the air."

"Heh," Sonic chuckles. "Angel Island is no ordinary place. It's the sanctuary of something very special," he tells her. "Now let's go," he says, leading them deep into the forest.

"Where are we going?" Nion asks.

"To a very important temple," Sonic informs her.

"Temple," she repeats, searching for a definition. "Flat area on the side of the head of some mammals, located here," she announces, touching her fingertips to the proper spot.

"No," Sonic sighs, wondering how to explain it to her. "The kind of temple I'm talking about is a place of great significance," he begins, looking ahead. He points to the temple in the distance. "See that? It's not a religious place, or devoted to any divine being, but it's sacred all the same. Within it is the manifestation of the most beautiful jewel in the world," he tells her, excitement in his eyes. "And its powers are unmatched," he continues. "It's something that everyone wants, but it's especially important to us Mobians," he hells her proudly. "One of our own is its appointed Guardian."

"One of our own?" she asks, puzzled.

"That's right, another Mobian--an echidna. He's a cocky, sarcastic, anti-social bastard, but he's still one of us."

Nion doesn't fully understand the statement, but asks Sonic no further questions as they continue through the forest at a swift, steady pace, Sonic always a few steps ahead. Nion looks ahead and sees the temple appear beyond the trees before them.

"Is that it, Sonic?" she asks. Sonic nods and they continue on toward it.

Minutes later, Nion looks up at the massive temple standing before them. She notices a dark hallway stretching into its depths.

"We have arrived?" she asks.

"Sure have," Sonic tells her. Nion frowns, wondering how they will navigate through the place after the light fades away.

"But Sonic, how will we see?" she asks.

"Don't worry about that," Sonic tells her, giving her a reassuring smile.

He grabs her hand and leads her through the entrance. He had grown familiar with the dark catacombs and could make it all the way through the temple with no problem. The sunlight vanishes as they walked deeper into the temple, leaving them in pitch black. Sonic feels Nion grab onto his arm.

"The temple will be lit after we get through this leg," he tells her.

He moves to the wall, running his free hand along it. He reviews all the necessary turns, not missing one as they continue on. As they make the final turn, Sonic extends his arm in front of him. When his fingers touch the stone door he stops. Nion doesn't notice, too focused on listening for the sound of anything other than their footsteps in the silence around them, and walks into it.

"Are you alright?" he asks. "I should have warned you."

"I am not injured," she assures him, studying the stone before them with her fingers. "The path ends here?"

"Heh. That was just the entrance," he tells her. "It's enough of a maze to throw most people off. And those who do get this far," he continues, running his hand along the door, "still have to figure out how to get through."

Sonic pushes in three blocks of stone in the rough door and it rises into the ceiling. Candlelight creeps into the hall as the next stretch of the temple's maze appears before them. Nion lets go of Sonic's hand and steps into the lit stone hall. The soft glow of the candles illuminates her body as Sonic steps in behind her, calmed by the warm, welcoming atmosphere. The three stones in the door behind them creep back into place and it lowers itself.

"Come on," Sonic summons Nion, walking past her. She follows as he guides her through the glowing labyrinth. They make their final turn down a long hall that opens into a large chamber at its end. Sonic can already see the familiar green glow. And Nion freezes, feeling an odd familiarity to the place.

"I don't want to go there," she tells Sonic. He turns back and faces her.

"What's wrong?"

"Let's go back, Sonic," Nion pleads.

"Wait, wait. Why?" Sonic asks.

"It's just like my dream, Sonic, I don't want to go in there," Nion tells him, sinking to the floor with wide, fearful eyes.

"Then just wait there. I'll get Knuckles and we can talk out here, it'll be fine," Sonic assures her, continuing down the hall.

"No!" Nion yells and gets to her feet. "Don't leave me," she pleads, following him. Sonic turns back toward her and almost falls back as Nion wraps her arms around him, clinging to him, her eyes squeezed shut. Sonic looks down at her in shock and places one hand on her head.

"I won't leave you," he assures her, feeling a hand land on his shoulder.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Sonic," a proud voice chuckles. "Why don't you too get a room? Such behavior is inappropriate in a temple."

Nion pulls away from Sonic as he turns to face Knuckles, careful to remain hidden behind Sonic's form, peering over his shoulder at Knuckles, fear emanating from her eyes.

"What's up, Red?" Sonic asks, his voice lacking enthusiasm. "Why didn't you greet us earlier in the temple like you do most visitors?"

"None of your business," Knuckles hisses, glaring at Sonic. "I've got a lot on my mind right now."He motions to Nion, "Who's your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend, Knux, it's a long story," Sonic says.

"I hope you don't plan on telling it, because I don't want to hear," Knuckles informs.

"That's not what we came here to tell you," Sonic assures him. "We're here because she had a really strange dream last night." Knuckles glances at Sonic, a thought crossing his mind. He focuses his eyes on Nion's, causing her to cower.

"What business is it of mine?"

"I think it may have something to do with the Chaos Emeralds," Sonic tells him as Nion crouches a bit behind him, hiding from Knuckles's piercing gaze. "And if that's the case, it's more your business than anybody's."

Knuckles sighs. "Oddly enough, I had a strange dream last night, too," he tells Sonic. "It's been bothering me all day."

"You don't think they could have anything to do with each other, could they?" Sonic wonders.

"There's only one way to know," Knuckles tells him, his eyes still on Nion, unwavering. Sonic turns and faces her, taking her arms gently in his hands.

"Nion, I need you to tell Knuckles about your dream," he requests. Nion shakes her head.

"I wish not to. It gives me an unpleasant feeling to think about, an unpleasant feeling to be here," she tells them.

"I know," Sonic replies. "That's how nightmares are, but this is important," he tells her. He leans close to her ear and says softly, "After this, you won't ever have to talk about it again."

"Understood," Nion finally agrees after a few moments. She walks up to Knuckles. "It would be impolite to continue without a proper introduction. I am International Scientific Laboratory subject E1491514, but you may refer to me as Nion. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she greets mechanically. Knuckles raises an eyebrow.

"Likewise," he returns. "She really must not be your girlfriend, Sonic; she's got way too much class. Although I'm not sure she's quite right in the head," he teases, making his way back into the chamber.

"Can it, Knuckles," Sonic shoots back, following and urging a reluctant Nion along. When they reach the chamber she takes a look around and finally calms down.

"It…it's not the same," she notices, relieved. Knuckles looks at her with a suspicious eye.

"What do you mean by that?" he asks.

"My dream…it began with a stone hall," she begins, looking back toward the hall leading into the chamber. "Just like that one…I couldn't find Sonic. I was running toward a glowing light, and when I reached it I found myself in-"

"A chamber of ice," Knuckles interrupts. Nion nods.

"How did you know?" she asks.

"Did it somewhat resemble this chamber?" he continues to inquire. Nion nods again.

"And in the center of the chamber…"

"There was a jewel," Nion and Knuckles voice simultaneously, their voices resonating off the walls around them. Nion and Sonic wear puzzled expressions.

"Knuckles? How-" Sonic asks.

"I had the same dream last night, and I can't stop thinking about it. I didn't even notice you two were here until she yelled," Knuckles tells them, turning to face the Master Emerald. He had been struggling all day to figure out the meaning of the dream with no success. His thoughts had been focused on where that chamber could be located, what that jewel could be.

"I have one final question," Knuckles announces. "In your dream, were you able to touch the jewel without consequence?" he asks, holding his breath as he waits for Nion's answer.

"No," Nion tells him after a few moments of silence, the frightening scene in her mind once again.

Knuckles exhales silently. He hadn't been able to either, convincing him that this jewel was unlikely to have been a Chaos Emerald. He wheels around, his eyes on Nion.

"You said that the story behind this girl is a long one?" Knuckles asks, sitting down. "Make yourselves comfortable, now I want to hear it."