Chapter 5 - At the Beach
As the entire group was enjoying the breakfast, they seemed to be focusing more on conversing than the food. They all seemed to sound more relaxed than normal, mostly due to relief from being able to relax from what they were all through. Aura was particularly pleased at the reception she was getting from the group, both in the form of pleasant conversation and in the form of words of encouragement. Aura even looked as if she was going to cry again, grateful for having such good friends.
Just as they began to discuss what they were going to do that day, a knock was heard on the door. Tails got up to answer the door and found Lisa and Kyle on the other side, with Kyle holding Hogi-San.
"Hey, guys," Lisa said, calling out to the group.
"Hey, come on in, Lis," Rebecca said. "We were just about to talk about what to do today."
As Lisa and Kyle sat down and Hogi-San went over to where a bowl of fruit was laid out for Ryndar (and for him as well), Tyreke asked, "So...what should we do to get this vacation back on track?"
"We could try going to Twinkle Park again," Sonic said, "since that was interrupted by the PHM."
"Ugh...I'll pass," Anthony said. "The last thing I want to do, after what we were just through, is go to a crowded place with a bunch of screaming kids...no offense, Kyle..."
"None taken," Kyle responded.
"Yeah...I have to agree," Julie-Su said. "I insisted on bringing Knuckles here so he could relax...and I fell like just stretching out myself."
"Hey, how about a picnic at Emerald Coast?" Rebecca asked. "That should allow us to unwind enough from the PHM incident."
"Sounds way cool to me," Sonic said. "We could lie in the sun, catch some rays..."
"While the rest of try to figure out how the heck Sonic tans under that blue fur of his," Sally quipped.
"Hey...my arms and legs aren't covered in blue fur," Sonic said. "Nice tan legs look way cool with my cool blue quills."
"Which is useless...since no one can see your legs anyway since you run so fast..." Mina said.
"C'mon, leave me alone guys, I'm just saying I'm for that idea!" Sonic said.
"How about the rest of you?" Sally said, addressing the rest of the group.
"I'm for that," Rouge said.
"Me as well," Lisa said.
"Yeah, that sounds like fun!" Tails said. The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
Anthony looked towards Lisa and Rouge and said, "Um...Lisa? Rouge? What about your jobs?"
"Oh...because of the PHM, several areas needed some construction and rebuilding work done," Lisa said. "My area included, so I decided to close up shop for a while since I most likely won't get customers for a while."
"Ditto," Rouge said. "GUN came in to aid with city security, so we have plenty of people helping with that. Also...my superiors gave me some time off as a reward and to allow me to recover after how I helped on the ARK."
"Gotcha," Anthony said. "Well...looks like it's unanimous. So...who wants to bring what?"
"Better question..." Lazer said. "Anyone notice that both of our major gatherings today seem to be focused on food? First this breakfast, now a picnic..."
"Hey...after that battle with Chaos Shadow, I'm surprised I didn't burn out the food replicators on board the ARK, I was so hungry..." Red Sonic said.
"Good point..." Lazer said. "So...as Anthony asked...who wants to bring what?"
The group then began to make plans for their picnic.
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Later that day found the entire group arriving at Emerald Coast's main beach. Several of the group were carrying baskets of various items and all appeared in high spirits. All except one that is...
"Alright..." Anthony said, struggling under the weight of several blankets he was carrying, "how did I get chosen to carry all THIS?!?"
"Consider it part of your Guardian training," Knuckles said.
"Well...I'm just glad I have Clairvoyant ability, otherwise I couldn't see where I'm goooooIIIIIIIINNNNNNNG," Anthony said, finishing his sentence as he tripped over a piece of driftwood and dropping all the blankets. "Ow...why am I reminded of when I brought Jenna and Lars to Doc Light's?"
Knuckles immediately helped Anthony up and said, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah...but you're helping me with the blankets this time," Anthony said, grabbing a couple of the blankets.
"Alright...sorry about that," Knuckles said, picking up a couple blankets as well.
Knuckles and Anthony then walked to where the rest of the group was waiting and spread out the blankets. Everyone then found a spot to sit down and began taking in the atmosphere.
"The breeze feels nice here..." Aura said.
"Yeah...I needed this..." Anthony said, taking in deep breaths of the seaside air. "This is exactly what I wanted from this vacation..."
"I'm with you, Anth..." Sonic said, beginning to lie down and spread out.
Red Sonic shook his head at the two of them and said, "MAN, you guys are boring..."
"Ah, leave them alone, Red..." Julie-Su said. "After all we've been through the last couple of days, they deserve to be boring."
"Well, not me," Kyle said, getting up and turning towards Tails and Amy. "You guys want to..." he started to say, but was then interrupted by a young voice.
"Kyle?"
Everyone present turned towards the source of the voice, and Anthony saw someone he didn't see before running towards the group. It was a young female rabbit with cream colored fur with orange markings around the eyes and on the tips of the ears and on the head. She was wearing a red dress with a blue ribbon on the top of it, a pair of red and yellow sneakers, and a pair of white gloves with gold buttons on the cuffs. She was followed by an older female rabbit also with cream colored fur and similar markings, wearing a pink dress, red shoes, and white gloves like the younger rabbit's...as well as by a Chao that looked like a regular, unevolved Chao, but was wearing a bow tie. For some reason, both rabbits reminded him of Bunnie...
"Cream?" Kyle said. "You came here too?"
"Yeah!" the younger rabbit, now recognized as Cream, said. "With everything closed because of the PHM, this is the only place anyone can have fun!" She then looked towards the rest of the group. "OMIGODDESS!!!"
Kyle snickered a bit and said, "I see you've noticed Lisa's friends..."
"You know Sonic...AND THE GAMEMASTER?!?" Cream said.
"He sure does..." Anthony said, walking up to both of the rabbits and extending his hand towards Cream. "The name's Anthony."
"Uh...hi..." Cream said, shaking the hand of Anthony.
After Cream released her grip, Anthony looked towards the older rabbit and asked, "And you are her mother?"
"Yes...my name is Victoria Buns," the mother, now recognized as Victoria, said. She also shook Anthony's hand as she introduced herself. "An honor to meet you, Gamemaster."
"No need for the title, Victoria. Just call me Anthony," Anthony said as Cream was introduced to the rest of the group. It was then that Anthony noticed something. "Wait...Buns? By any chance are you related to Bunnie Buns, one of the Knothole Freedom Fighters?"
(A/N: Yes...according to my sources, "Buns" is Bunnie's real last name.)
"Yes...I'm her sister in law...and my child is her niece," Victoria explained.
"Ah...that would explain the resemblance then..." Anthony mused. "Where is her father?"
Victoria looked down towards the ground and said, "He's dead. He was a member of the Station Square Freedom Fighters...and he died on a mission."
Anthony looked crestfallen upon hearing that. "I'm sorry..."
"It's alright...it was more than a year ago, long before you arrived," Victoria said.
"I see..." Anthony said, looking towards Cream. "Um...I see you kept the last name...even though it means your child is named 'Cream Buns'."
Victoria snickered at this. "Yes...that was her father's idea. He thought it was cute, especially considering the color of her fur. You should hear what she named her Chao..."
"Um...dare I ask?" Anthony said.
It was then that the two of them heard Ryan speak up. "Your name is Cream...and your Chao's name is Cheese? Why am I hungry for a bagel all of a sudden?"
"Never mind, Victoria..." Anthony said. "Did you want to join us?"
"Oh, we couldn't impose..." Victoria said.
"It's quite alright, Victoria," Sally said, walking up to the two of them. "We brought plenty of food for everyone, and we would be glad to have you and Cream join us."
"Oh...well...I'm honored, your highness," Victoria said, surprised at Sally response.
"It is nothing, and please, just call me Sally," Sally said.
As the three rejoined the group, they saw Cream sitting and talking with Kyle, Amy, and Tails...and the three Chao sitting with each other and seeming to talk in their own language, even though it just sounded like a random pattern of squeaks. As Anthony sat down, Aura looked towards him and said, "Looks like Ryndar made a new friend..."
"Looks like it..." Anthony commented back, and then said, "Um...this isn't going to make things harder for you on going back to your world...is it?"
"No...but..." Aura said, "I just wonder if I should leave Ryndar here until I get back..."
"I wish I could help..." Anthony said, "but this has to be your decision..."
"I know..." Aura said, and then seemed to perk up. "Well...I won't let it ruin everyone's fun here. We came here to have fun."
Anthony nodded in agreement, and began to take in the surroundings as everyone began to settle in. After everything was set up, Rebecca said, "The rest of you guys don't need to hang around here. Mina and I can tell you when we're ready to get the food started."
"In that case..." Cream said, getting up from her sitting position, "Tails, Amy, Kyle? You wanna go do something?"
"Definitely!" Tails said. "Should we bring the Chao?"
"Yeah...if nothing else, to get them away from the boring adults here," Kyle said, snickering a bit. He then picked up Hogi-San while Cream picked up Cheese and Aura handed Ryndar to Amy. The kids then ran off to play, bringing the Chao with them.
"I think I'll just check out the coast," Shadow said, getting up as well and turning towards Rouge. "Rouge...would you like to join me?"
"Of course!" Rouge said, and the two of them interlocked arms and walked off.
Knuckles shook his head at their show of affection and then turned towards Anthony. "Anthony...I have an idea..."
"What's that, Knux?" Anthony asked.
"What say I take you over to a deserted part of the coast and give you some initial training with those Emeralds?" Knuckles suggested. "Probably better than just sitting around..."
"Alright..." Anthony said. He then got up to join Knuckles, and then noticed that Julie-Su, Lazer, Red Sonic, Sonic, Teila, Tyreke, and Ryan also got up. Metal Sonic and Gamma also joined those who stood up.
"Mind if we join you?" Teila asked. "This we have GOT to see!"
[Especially me, since I missed what happened with Chaos Shadow,] Metal Sonic said.
"Great...I have an audience..." Anthony said. "I feel like Goten and Trunks when they were trying to perfect the Fusion technique..."
"Well, this won't involve any goofy poses, so feel lucky..." Knuckles said. "Let's get moving..."
Knuckles then led the group towards another area of the beach.
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As everyone went to do their own thing, Rouge and Shadow were simply walking down the edge of the beach of the Coast. Both were arm in arm as they walked, apparently just enjoying each other's company. But Rouge knew better...
"What's on your mind, Shadow?" Rouge asked. "I don't need Anthony's or Tyreke's ability to tell you're thinking of something..."
Shadow looked out at the sea and said, "Just...thinking of something Maria told me. While we were on the ARK, she mentioned wanting to come down to see the sea someday...just like we are doing now."
"And...you wish she was here...don't you?" Rouge said.
Shadow nodded sadly as he continued to look towards the sea. "I just wish she could see this...especially now that the Biolizard is no longer a threat..."
"Maybe she is seeing it with you, Shadow," Rouge said.
Shadow turned towards Rouge and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well..." Rouge said, motioning Shadow towards the ground so they were both sitting on the sand. "I remember several people who had lost friends and family during Robotnik's reign saying how, just by remembering them, that they never really lost them. I mean...I never really lost you when I thought you died..."
"...especially considering you kept one of my bracelets," Shadow said. "So...you're saying that my remembering her...is keeping her alive?"
"Yes," Rouge said. "So...she's probably enjoying this view with you."
Both Rouge and Shadow then turned back to look at the sea, and Rouge even placed her head on Shadow's shoulder, prompting a small smile from Shadow. As the two of them sat and enjoyed the view, a single thought escaped Shadow's mind...
"I hope you're enjoying this, Maria. It's so...beautiful..."
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Mina, Rebecca, Aura, Lisa, Sally, and Victoria were all busy talking with each other. The topic, however, seemed focused on one person in that group...
"You come from an alternate version of Mobius, Aura?" Victoria asked.
"Yes..." Aura said, explaining to the group what had happened to her. "I only came to this version a month ago...but I've been travelling several realities for years now."
"Have you met many people on your travels?" Mina asked.
"Yes...but..." Aura said, almost sounding like she was trying to look for the words, "this has been the only place I've made any real friends."
The others gasped upon hearing this. "Not even one?" Lisa asked.
"No, I...found it hard to get close to people," Aura explained. "Especially since just before I started going to other realities, I lost my parents to Robotnik...and then my brother, Kharis..."
A stunned silence permeated the group as soon as Aura had mentioned her brother. That silence was broken when Aura began to sniffle, prompted by some tears which began to form. Rebecca moved towards her and lent her a shoulder as Aura began to sob. Rebecca was almost tempted to cry herself, since she too had lost her own family to Robotnik.
After a few minutes, Aura finally calmed down and removed herself from Rebecca's embrace. "I...I'm sorry..." Aura said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Don't be..." Rebecca said. "We've all lost family and friends to Robotnik, so we know what you have been through. Lazer and I even lost our entire hometown. You have every right to cry..."
"I see..." Aura said, beginning to compose herself. "Thank you..."
"It's quite alright," Sally said, smiling warmly towards Aura.
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Far from the scene with the ladies, the four kids and the Chao found a way to occupy their time. In their case...it was in the form of a game of volleyball. They had rented a ball at a nearby kiosk and were using one of the already pre-setup courts.
It was boys versus girls...and the Chao were helping by keeping score. The score...14-14. The next point would win the game.
"Alright, Amy," Cream said, whispering strategy to Amy. "When they send the ball over our way, just pop it up in the air. I'll handle the rest..."
"You have a plan?" Amy asked.
"Yeah...one you'll be surprised with as well..." Cream said, giggling a bit.
"Girls...we're WAAAAAAITING!!" Tails said.
Cream and Amy gave Tails a bad look, and Amy said, "We're done...no need to turn into Sonic on us, Tails. Hogi-San's already got that covered!" This statement prompted a smile from the Chao in question.
"Okay...here it comes!" Kyle said, and sent a serve towards the other side.
Amy got under the ball and hit it skyward. Then, to everyone's surprise, Cream actually flew up towards ball, flapping her ears like a pair of wings. She then spiked the ball towards the boys' side of the court. Both Tails and Kyle were still surprised by Cream's ability to fly, and both ended up missing the ball, causing the girls to win.
"Alright!" Cream said as she landed. Amy was still gaping at Cream as she landed, prompting a questioning look from Cream. "What?"
"How...did you learn...?" Amy tried to ask.
"Actually...I learned to fly from watching Tails," Cream said. "After Buttnik's defeat, they showed some pictures of the Arcadian heroes in action on the local news...including Tails. Since my ears were as big as a pair of wings and since Tails found a way to fly, I thought I'd give it a go.."
"Cool!" Kyle said as he and Tails went over to the girls.
Tails was still a bit surprised at how Cream learned. "You learned to fly...by watching me?"
"Yeah...in fact..." Cream said, looking towards Tails. "Think you can teach me any tricks?"
"Well...I don't know..." Tails said.
"Aw, come on..." Cream said, now giving Tails the puppy dog eyes. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeese?"
Tails began to blush a bit and then said, "Alright. Ready your ears and follow me!" He then fly up into the air with Cream following him.
Amy shook her head at this and then turned towards Kyle. "Well...what should we do now, Kyle?"
"Why don't we make a sand castle? You know...something for the Chao to play in so they're not just sitting around?" Kyle suggested, noticing all three of the Chao beginning to look bored.
"Alright then," Amy said, and then the two of them took the Chao over to another area of the beach.
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"Okay...so, why are we doing this, Knux?" Anthony asked as the group assembled near a vacant area of the beach. "I was hoping to actually relax on this vacation..."
"Yes...but I also know you don't like just sitting around," Knuckles said. "Besides, I'm not going to teach you anything fancy, just some basics."
"If you say so..." Anthony said. "So...what's first?"
"Well, it's like this..." Knuckles said as he began his instruction. "You know how SegaSonic and SegaShadow on Ani-Earth are able to go Super at will, right?"
"Yeah, and personally I'm surprised you guys can't do the same here..." Anthony said.
"Well, for us, we have to be in close proximity to the Emeralds," Knuckles explained. "The Ani-Earthers probably have the Emeralds, or part of them, embedded in them like you now have the Servers in you. That's probably why they can go Super at any time."
"Okay, so...you're going to teach me how to go Super at will as well?" Anthony said.
"Yes," Knuckles said. "All you need to do is feel the presence of the Emeralds within you and draw upon their power...similar to how you draw upon the Descendancy Powers."
"Alright...I'll try..." Anthony said.
However, before Anthony did anything, Sonic spoke up and said, "No...do...or do not. There is no try..." in his best attempt at a Yoda voice.
"Goddess...Sonic..." Lazer said, placing his head in his gloved paw and shaking his head in disbelief.
[I can NOT believe my life data comes from him...] Metal Sonic said.
Anthony shot Sonic a bad look and then returned to his concentration. He soon felt the Emeralds within him...and then yelled, "CHAOS CONTROL!!!" He was soon enveloped in a golden light, and became the Chaos Knight Gamemaster.
"Nice!" Tyreke said, and the others nodded in agreement.
"Okay, Anthony," Knuckles said, getting Anthony's attention. "Now that you're super, you should sense all your abilities increasing...and not just your psi ability. Your strength, speed, and agility should have all increased as a result. Try out your new strengths."
Anthony nodded in understanding, and then looked towards the water. He then rocketed off over the water, flying just an inch over the water's surface and causing a large wake to follow him as a result.
"WOOHOO!!!" Anthony yelled as he flew. He almost seemed to be enjoying the power that was flowing through him...but still managed to keep his excitement under control so he could see his limits. He was about to get his first test...
"ANTHONY...LOOK OUT FOR THAT ROCK OUTCROPPING!!!" Teila yelled.
Anthony saw the outcropping...but instead of trying to avoid it, he charged a large amount of psi power into his fist and used that fist to blast through it. The rubble continued to rain down as he continued to rocket off.
"Whoa..." Sonic said, and then turned to the others. "Okay...remind me never to piss him off!" It was then he noticed Anthony coming back. "He's coming back...and he's...not...slowing...down..."
"ANTHONY...SLOW DOWN!!!" Knuckles yelled as the others readied themselves to dodge him.
However, instead of running into them, Anthony stomped his feet on the ground just inches before reaching the group and rocketed skyward, causing a small sonic boom which knocked a few of the group off their feet.
"SHOW OFF!!!" Red Sonic yelled.
Anthony stopped in the air and looked back towards the group. "Sorry, guys! Couldn't resist a setup like that!"
"Anthony...the LAST thing we need is another big egoed hero like Sonic," Julie-Su said, prompting a glare from both Sonics.
"Hey Anth...how do you feel?" Ryan asked.
"Well...now I know how Goku and Vegeta feel when they go Super Saiyan!" Anthony answered back. "But, other than that, I feel fine!"
"You feeling tired at all?" Knuckles asked.
"Not really," Anthony said. "Mind if I fly around a bit to get used to this?"
"Just be careful, Anth," Sonic said. "Land as soon as you feel yourself getting tired!"
"Will do, Sonic," Anthony said, and then flew off towards where some of the others were located.
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The sonic boom that was created didn't fail to catch the attention of Rouge and Shadow, as both woke up from the trance they were in from watching the ocean. It was then that Shadow sensed something.
"Strange...I sense...Chaos energy..." Shadow said, looking off in one direction.
Soon the two of them saw a golden streak flying near their location, and they both recognized the streak as Anthony in his super form.
"Looks like Knuckles couldn't wait to start training Anthony," Rouge commented.
"Looks like it," Shadow said. It was then he noticed something in Anthony's face. "What the...?"
"What's wrong, Shadow?" Rouge asked.
"This could be bad, Rouge...I think Anthony's enjoying the power a little too much..." Shadow said, and then stood up. "Come on...we'd better follow him..."
Rouge nodded in understanding and stood up. Shadow then grabbed Rouge by the wrist and ran along the shoreline in the general direction Anthony was headed.
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"What was that?!?" Aura asked, after hearing what sounded like a booming sound.
"Sounded like a sonic boom," Sally commented. "Sonic must be running again..."
"Not likely...Look!" Mina said, pointing.
Everyone present looked where she was pointing and saw Anthony in his super form, flying around as if practicing some maneuvers. Anthony even waved to the group.
"Vegeta...is going to have a FIT when he sees Anthony do that..." Sally said. It was then that she noticed Shadow and Rouge running up to the group.
"Guys...we may have a problem..." Shadow said.
"What's wrong, Shadow?" Victoria asked.
"I think Anthony may be getting himself into trouble," Shadow remarked. "I just saw the look on his face...and it looked like he's overly excited by the power he's wielding right now."
"How is that bad?" Rebecca asked. "I mean...he probably is excited by what he's able to do now...it's only natural..."
"Not if his excitement prevents him from feeling his power draining," Shadow said. "He could pass out mid-flight from power loss!"
"Oh no..." Mina said.
"Shadow...keep an eye on Anthony," Sally said. "We'll get the others and meet you where Anthony is."
"Will do, Princess..." Shadow said, and he and Rouge ran off towards where Anthony was heading next...
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"Looks good, Kyle!"
Amy and Kyle had finished the sand castle they had made for the Chao...with a little help from the Chao themselves, since they managed to scoop out some rooms for the castle from the inside. All three of the Chao were covered with sand, and Hogi-San even had to shake some sand out of his shoes and gloves.
Kyle giggled at the sight of the sand covered Chao. "Looks like the Chao had fun building it as much as we did, Amy..."
"Yeah, no kidding..." Amy started to say, and then her eyes widened when she saw something Hogi-San was doing. "Oh Goddess...check this out, Kyle!"
Kyle looked at what was transpiring, and laughed at the sight. The Chao had found a small fragment of a shell that resembled a Chao sized crown, and both Cheese and Ryndar were "coronating" Hogi-San by placing it on his head.
"Kind of a glimpse of the future...King Sonic!" Amy remarked.
"Yeah...now all we need is a Chao that looks like Sally..." Kyle remarked.
As soon as he had said that, Tails and Cream had returned from their flight. Tails looked like he had been through the wringer.
"Cream..." Tails said, taking a few quick breaths, "where the HECK did you learn to fly like that?!?"
"Was she that good, Tails?" Amy asked.
"Try that BAD..." Tails said. "She kept bumping into me and at one point her ears and my tails nearly got tangled up!"
"Okay...so I need a little practice..." Cream said. As soon as she said that, she noticed something flying over the water. "What in the Goddess's name is THAT?!?"
The other three kids looked and noticed the glowing form of Anthony flying over the water. "Looks like Anthony's stealing your schtick, Tails," Kyle said.
"Looks like Knux decided to start his training," Tails said. It was then that he noticed Shadow running up with Rouge in tow, and that Shadow was keeping a close watch on Anthony.
"Is something wrong, Shadow?" Amy asked.
"Just that Anthony appears to be enjoying the power rush a little too much," Shadow said. "I'm keeping an eye on him just in case."
It was at that point that Anthony glanced over towards the beach and saw the kids, Rouge, and Shadow. He flew over to them, still in Chaos Knight form. "Hey, guys..."
"NICE getup!" Cream said.
"Thanks...though I still wonder what the deal is with super forms and gold coloration," Anthony commented, looking at the gold parts of his armor.
"Anthony...maybe you should power down, if you're super for too long..." Shadow began to say.
"Don't worry...I feel fine, and I was just about to head back," Anthony said. "Feel free to follow me if you like." He then flew back up into the air and headed back to where Knuckles and the rest were waiting.
"Geez...and I thought SONIC had an impulse problem," Rouge said.
"I know..." Shadow said, grabbing Rouge's wrist. "Come on." He then sped off, following Anthony with Rouge in tow.
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"I hope he comes back soon," Knuckles mused to himself as the group waited. "He can't hold his super form for much longer."
"Ah...don't worry, Knux," Sonic said. "I'm sure Anth will be careful." He then noticed something gold approaching them in the sky. "See?"
"Thank the Walkers..." Knuckles said. It was then that he also noticed Shadow speeding along the shore with Rouge in tow. "Shadow?"
Shadow skidded to a stop, setting Rouge down carefully, and said, "Sorry...I saw the look on Anthony's face and thought I'd better keep an eye on him."
"Good idea...since he WAS kinda acting like Sonic for a moment..." Ryan said. It was then that he noticed something with Anthony. "Guys...is Anthony falling asleep?"
All eyes turned towards Anthony, and they noticed that he seemed to be wobbling a bit while he was flying towards the group. Suddenly, he fell unconscious and powered down to his original form, plummeting towards the water.
"ANTH!!!" Sonic yelled.
[Let's go, E-Series,] Metal Sonic said, and the two robots fired up their rockets and flew towards where Anthony was falling. They managed to catch him just as he was about a few inches above the water.
Anthony came to just as they were beginning to carry him towards the shore. "Wha...what happened?" Anthony asked.
"YOU POWERED DOWN," Gamma said. "INSTANTANEOUS POWER LOSS."
"Geez...I didn't even feel tired, and I just blacked out..." Anthony said to himself as he was lowered to the ground. As he was set in a reclined position, the group ran up to him.
"I thought I said to BE CAREFUL!!!" Knuckles said.
"I was...it was just...I didn't feel tired at all, and then I just blacked out," Anthony said weakly as he continued to lie on the sand. "Why didn't...?"
"Your adrenaline..." Knuckles commented. "You got so excited from the power you were feeling that it caused a rush. You have to learn not to get too excited from the power."
"Damn..." Anthony said as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head.
"You going to be alright, Anthony?" Teila asked.
"Yeah...I'm feeling my strength coming back..." Anthony said. He then stood up without difficulty. "Let's head back to the rest of the group."
"Alright," Julie-Su said.
As the group began to walk back, Gamma went to Anthony's side and said, "ALLOW ME TO ASSIST YOU."
"I'm fine now...but stay to my side, just in case," Anthony said.
"UNDERSTOOD," Gamma replied.
As the entire group was enjoying the breakfast, they seemed to be focusing more on conversing than the food. They all seemed to sound more relaxed than normal, mostly due to relief from being able to relax from what they were all through. Aura was particularly pleased at the reception she was getting from the group, both in the form of pleasant conversation and in the form of words of encouragement. Aura even looked as if she was going to cry again, grateful for having such good friends.
Just as they began to discuss what they were going to do that day, a knock was heard on the door. Tails got up to answer the door and found Lisa and Kyle on the other side, with Kyle holding Hogi-San.
"Hey, guys," Lisa said, calling out to the group.
"Hey, come on in, Lis," Rebecca said. "We were just about to talk about what to do today."
As Lisa and Kyle sat down and Hogi-San went over to where a bowl of fruit was laid out for Ryndar (and for him as well), Tyreke asked, "So...what should we do to get this vacation back on track?"
"We could try going to Twinkle Park again," Sonic said, "since that was interrupted by the PHM."
"Ugh...I'll pass," Anthony said. "The last thing I want to do, after what we were just through, is go to a crowded place with a bunch of screaming kids...no offense, Kyle..."
"None taken," Kyle responded.
"Yeah...I have to agree," Julie-Su said. "I insisted on bringing Knuckles here so he could relax...and I fell like just stretching out myself."
"Hey, how about a picnic at Emerald Coast?" Rebecca asked. "That should allow us to unwind enough from the PHM incident."
"Sounds way cool to me," Sonic said. "We could lie in the sun, catch some rays..."
"While the rest of try to figure out how the heck Sonic tans under that blue fur of his," Sally quipped.
"Hey...my arms and legs aren't covered in blue fur," Sonic said. "Nice tan legs look way cool with my cool blue quills."
"Which is useless...since no one can see your legs anyway since you run so fast..." Mina said.
"C'mon, leave me alone guys, I'm just saying I'm for that idea!" Sonic said.
"How about the rest of you?" Sally said, addressing the rest of the group.
"I'm for that," Rouge said.
"Me as well," Lisa said.
"Yeah, that sounds like fun!" Tails said. The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
Anthony looked towards Lisa and Rouge and said, "Um...Lisa? Rouge? What about your jobs?"
"Oh...because of the PHM, several areas needed some construction and rebuilding work done," Lisa said. "My area included, so I decided to close up shop for a while since I most likely won't get customers for a while."
"Ditto," Rouge said. "GUN came in to aid with city security, so we have plenty of people helping with that. Also...my superiors gave me some time off as a reward and to allow me to recover after how I helped on the ARK."
"Gotcha," Anthony said. "Well...looks like it's unanimous. So...who wants to bring what?"
"Better question..." Lazer said. "Anyone notice that both of our major gatherings today seem to be focused on food? First this breakfast, now a picnic..."
"Hey...after that battle with Chaos Shadow, I'm surprised I didn't burn out the food replicators on board the ARK, I was so hungry..." Red Sonic said.
"Good point..." Lazer said. "So...as Anthony asked...who wants to bring what?"
The group then began to make plans for their picnic.
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Later that day found the entire group arriving at Emerald Coast's main beach. Several of the group were carrying baskets of various items and all appeared in high spirits. All except one that is...
"Alright..." Anthony said, struggling under the weight of several blankets he was carrying, "how did I get chosen to carry all THIS?!?"
"Consider it part of your Guardian training," Knuckles said.
"Well...I'm just glad I have Clairvoyant ability, otherwise I couldn't see where I'm goooooIIIIIIIINNNNNNNG," Anthony said, finishing his sentence as he tripped over a piece of driftwood and dropping all the blankets. "Ow...why am I reminded of when I brought Jenna and Lars to Doc Light's?"
Knuckles immediately helped Anthony up and said, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah...but you're helping me with the blankets this time," Anthony said, grabbing a couple of the blankets.
"Alright...sorry about that," Knuckles said, picking up a couple blankets as well.
Knuckles and Anthony then walked to where the rest of the group was waiting and spread out the blankets. Everyone then found a spot to sit down and began taking in the atmosphere.
"The breeze feels nice here..." Aura said.
"Yeah...I needed this..." Anthony said, taking in deep breaths of the seaside air. "This is exactly what I wanted from this vacation..."
"I'm with you, Anth..." Sonic said, beginning to lie down and spread out.
Red Sonic shook his head at the two of them and said, "MAN, you guys are boring..."
"Ah, leave them alone, Red..." Julie-Su said. "After all we've been through the last couple of days, they deserve to be boring."
"Well, not me," Kyle said, getting up and turning towards Tails and Amy. "You guys want to..." he started to say, but was then interrupted by a young voice.
"Kyle?"
Everyone present turned towards the source of the voice, and Anthony saw someone he didn't see before running towards the group. It was a young female rabbit with cream colored fur with orange markings around the eyes and on the tips of the ears and on the head. She was wearing a red dress with a blue ribbon on the top of it, a pair of red and yellow sneakers, and a pair of white gloves with gold buttons on the cuffs. She was followed by an older female rabbit also with cream colored fur and similar markings, wearing a pink dress, red shoes, and white gloves like the younger rabbit's...as well as by a Chao that looked like a regular, unevolved Chao, but was wearing a bow tie. For some reason, both rabbits reminded him of Bunnie...
"Cream?" Kyle said. "You came here too?"
"Yeah!" the younger rabbit, now recognized as Cream, said. "With everything closed because of the PHM, this is the only place anyone can have fun!" She then looked towards the rest of the group. "OMIGODDESS!!!"
Kyle snickered a bit and said, "I see you've noticed Lisa's friends..."
"You know Sonic...AND THE GAMEMASTER?!?" Cream said.
"He sure does..." Anthony said, walking up to both of the rabbits and extending his hand towards Cream. "The name's Anthony."
"Uh...hi..." Cream said, shaking the hand of Anthony.
After Cream released her grip, Anthony looked towards the older rabbit and asked, "And you are her mother?"
"Yes...my name is Victoria Buns," the mother, now recognized as Victoria, said. She also shook Anthony's hand as she introduced herself. "An honor to meet you, Gamemaster."
"No need for the title, Victoria. Just call me Anthony," Anthony said as Cream was introduced to the rest of the group. It was then that Anthony noticed something. "Wait...Buns? By any chance are you related to Bunnie Buns, one of the Knothole Freedom Fighters?"
(A/N: Yes...according to my sources, "Buns" is Bunnie's real last name.)
"Yes...I'm her sister in law...and my child is her niece," Victoria explained.
"Ah...that would explain the resemblance then..." Anthony mused. "Where is her father?"
Victoria looked down towards the ground and said, "He's dead. He was a member of the Station Square Freedom Fighters...and he died on a mission."
Anthony looked crestfallen upon hearing that. "I'm sorry..."
"It's alright...it was more than a year ago, long before you arrived," Victoria said.
"I see..." Anthony said, looking towards Cream. "Um...I see you kept the last name...even though it means your child is named 'Cream Buns'."
Victoria snickered at this. "Yes...that was her father's idea. He thought it was cute, especially considering the color of her fur. You should hear what she named her Chao..."
"Um...dare I ask?" Anthony said.
It was then that the two of them heard Ryan speak up. "Your name is Cream...and your Chao's name is Cheese? Why am I hungry for a bagel all of a sudden?"
"Never mind, Victoria..." Anthony said. "Did you want to join us?"
"Oh, we couldn't impose..." Victoria said.
"It's quite alright, Victoria," Sally said, walking up to the two of them. "We brought plenty of food for everyone, and we would be glad to have you and Cream join us."
"Oh...well...I'm honored, your highness," Victoria said, surprised at Sally response.
"It is nothing, and please, just call me Sally," Sally said.
As the three rejoined the group, they saw Cream sitting and talking with Kyle, Amy, and Tails...and the three Chao sitting with each other and seeming to talk in their own language, even though it just sounded like a random pattern of squeaks. As Anthony sat down, Aura looked towards him and said, "Looks like Ryndar made a new friend..."
"Looks like it..." Anthony commented back, and then said, "Um...this isn't going to make things harder for you on going back to your world...is it?"
"No...but..." Aura said, "I just wonder if I should leave Ryndar here until I get back..."
"I wish I could help..." Anthony said, "but this has to be your decision..."
"I know..." Aura said, and then seemed to perk up. "Well...I won't let it ruin everyone's fun here. We came here to have fun."
Anthony nodded in agreement, and began to take in the surroundings as everyone began to settle in. After everything was set up, Rebecca said, "The rest of you guys don't need to hang around here. Mina and I can tell you when we're ready to get the food started."
"In that case..." Cream said, getting up from her sitting position, "Tails, Amy, Kyle? You wanna go do something?"
"Definitely!" Tails said. "Should we bring the Chao?"
"Yeah...if nothing else, to get them away from the boring adults here," Kyle said, snickering a bit. He then picked up Hogi-San while Cream picked up Cheese and Aura handed Ryndar to Amy. The kids then ran off to play, bringing the Chao with them.
"I think I'll just check out the coast," Shadow said, getting up as well and turning towards Rouge. "Rouge...would you like to join me?"
"Of course!" Rouge said, and the two of them interlocked arms and walked off.
Knuckles shook his head at their show of affection and then turned towards Anthony. "Anthony...I have an idea..."
"What's that, Knux?" Anthony asked.
"What say I take you over to a deserted part of the coast and give you some initial training with those Emeralds?" Knuckles suggested. "Probably better than just sitting around..."
"Alright..." Anthony said. He then got up to join Knuckles, and then noticed that Julie-Su, Lazer, Red Sonic, Sonic, Teila, Tyreke, and Ryan also got up. Metal Sonic and Gamma also joined those who stood up.
"Mind if we join you?" Teila asked. "This we have GOT to see!"
[Especially me, since I missed what happened with Chaos Shadow,] Metal Sonic said.
"Great...I have an audience..." Anthony said. "I feel like Goten and Trunks when they were trying to perfect the Fusion technique..."
"Well, this won't involve any goofy poses, so feel lucky..." Knuckles said. "Let's get moving..."
Knuckles then led the group towards another area of the beach.
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As everyone went to do their own thing, Rouge and Shadow were simply walking down the edge of the beach of the Coast. Both were arm in arm as they walked, apparently just enjoying each other's company. But Rouge knew better...
"What's on your mind, Shadow?" Rouge asked. "I don't need Anthony's or Tyreke's ability to tell you're thinking of something..."
Shadow looked out at the sea and said, "Just...thinking of something Maria told me. While we were on the ARK, she mentioned wanting to come down to see the sea someday...just like we are doing now."
"And...you wish she was here...don't you?" Rouge said.
Shadow nodded sadly as he continued to look towards the sea. "I just wish she could see this...especially now that the Biolizard is no longer a threat..."
"Maybe she is seeing it with you, Shadow," Rouge said.
Shadow turned towards Rouge and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well..." Rouge said, motioning Shadow towards the ground so they were both sitting on the sand. "I remember several people who had lost friends and family during Robotnik's reign saying how, just by remembering them, that they never really lost them. I mean...I never really lost you when I thought you died..."
"...especially considering you kept one of my bracelets," Shadow said. "So...you're saying that my remembering her...is keeping her alive?"
"Yes," Rouge said. "So...she's probably enjoying this view with you."
Both Rouge and Shadow then turned back to look at the sea, and Rouge even placed her head on Shadow's shoulder, prompting a small smile from Shadow. As the two of them sat and enjoyed the view, a single thought escaped Shadow's mind...
"I hope you're enjoying this, Maria. It's so...beautiful..."
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Mina, Rebecca, Aura, Lisa, Sally, and Victoria were all busy talking with each other. The topic, however, seemed focused on one person in that group...
"You come from an alternate version of Mobius, Aura?" Victoria asked.
"Yes..." Aura said, explaining to the group what had happened to her. "I only came to this version a month ago...but I've been travelling several realities for years now."
"Have you met many people on your travels?" Mina asked.
"Yes...but..." Aura said, almost sounding like she was trying to look for the words, "this has been the only place I've made any real friends."
The others gasped upon hearing this. "Not even one?" Lisa asked.
"No, I...found it hard to get close to people," Aura explained. "Especially since just before I started going to other realities, I lost my parents to Robotnik...and then my brother, Kharis..."
A stunned silence permeated the group as soon as Aura had mentioned her brother. That silence was broken when Aura began to sniffle, prompted by some tears which began to form. Rebecca moved towards her and lent her a shoulder as Aura began to sob. Rebecca was almost tempted to cry herself, since she too had lost her own family to Robotnik.
After a few minutes, Aura finally calmed down and removed herself from Rebecca's embrace. "I...I'm sorry..." Aura said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Don't be..." Rebecca said. "We've all lost family and friends to Robotnik, so we know what you have been through. Lazer and I even lost our entire hometown. You have every right to cry..."
"I see..." Aura said, beginning to compose herself. "Thank you..."
"It's quite alright," Sally said, smiling warmly towards Aura.
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Far from the scene with the ladies, the four kids and the Chao found a way to occupy their time. In their case...it was in the form of a game of volleyball. They had rented a ball at a nearby kiosk and were using one of the already pre-setup courts.
It was boys versus girls...and the Chao were helping by keeping score. The score...14-14. The next point would win the game.
"Alright, Amy," Cream said, whispering strategy to Amy. "When they send the ball over our way, just pop it up in the air. I'll handle the rest..."
"You have a plan?" Amy asked.
"Yeah...one you'll be surprised with as well..." Cream said, giggling a bit.
"Girls...we're WAAAAAAITING!!" Tails said.
Cream and Amy gave Tails a bad look, and Amy said, "We're done...no need to turn into Sonic on us, Tails. Hogi-San's already got that covered!" This statement prompted a smile from the Chao in question.
"Okay...here it comes!" Kyle said, and sent a serve towards the other side.
Amy got under the ball and hit it skyward. Then, to everyone's surprise, Cream actually flew up towards ball, flapping her ears like a pair of wings. She then spiked the ball towards the boys' side of the court. Both Tails and Kyle were still surprised by Cream's ability to fly, and both ended up missing the ball, causing the girls to win.
"Alright!" Cream said as she landed. Amy was still gaping at Cream as she landed, prompting a questioning look from Cream. "What?"
"How...did you learn...?" Amy tried to ask.
"Actually...I learned to fly from watching Tails," Cream said. "After Buttnik's defeat, they showed some pictures of the Arcadian heroes in action on the local news...including Tails. Since my ears were as big as a pair of wings and since Tails found a way to fly, I thought I'd give it a go.."
"Cool!" Kyle said as he and Tails went over to the girls.
Tails was still a bit surprised at how Cream learned. "You learned to fly...by watching me?"
"Yeah...in fact..." Cream said, looking towards Tails. "Think you can teach me any tricks?"
"Well...I don't know..." Tails said.
"Aw, come on..." Cream said, now giving Tails the puppy dog eyes. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeese?"
Tails began to blush a bit and then said, "Alright. Ready your ears and follow me!" He then fly up into the air with Cream following him.
Amy shook her head at this and then turned towards Kyle. "Well...what should we do now, Kyle?"
"Why don't we make a sand castle? You know...something for the Chao to play in so they're not just sitting around?" Kyle suggested, noticing all three of the Chao beginning to look bored.
"Alright then," Amy said, and then the two of them took the Chao over to another area of the beach.
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"Okay...so, why are we doing this, Knux?" Anthony asked as the group assembled near a vacant area of the beach. "I was hoping to actually relax on this vacation..."
"Yes...but I also know you don't like just sitting around," Knuckles said. "Besides, I'm not going to teach you anything fancy, just some basics."
"If you say so..." Anthony said. "So...what's first?"
"Well, it's like this..." Knuckles said as he began his instruction. "You know how SegaSonic and SegaShadow on Ani-Earth are able to go Super at will, right?"
"Yeah, and personally I'm surprised you guys can't do the same here..." Anthony said.
"Well, for us, we have to be in close proximity to the Emeralds," Knuckles explained. "The Ani-Earthers probably have the Emeralds, or part of them, embedded in them like you now have the Servers in you. That's probably why they can go Super at any time."
"Okay, so...you're going to teach me how to go Super at will as well?" Anthony said.
"Yes," Knuckles said. "All you need to do is feel the presence of the Emeralds within you and draw upon their power...similar to how you draw upon the Descendancy Powers."
"Alright...I'll try..." Anthony said.
However, before Anthony did anything, Sonic spoke up and said, "No...do...or do not. There is no try..." in his best attempt at a Yoda voice.
"Goddess...Sonic..." Lazer said, placing his head in his gloved paw and shaking his head in disbelief.
[I can NOT believe my life data comes from him...] Metal Sonic said.
Anthony shot Sonic a bad look and then returned to his concentration. He soon felt the Emeralds within him...and then yelled, "CHAOS CONTROL!!!" He was soon enveloped in a golden light, and became the Chaos Knight Gamemaster.
"Nice!" Tyreke said, and the others nodded in agreement.
"Okay, Anthony," Knuckles said, getting Anthony's attention. "Now that you're super, you should sense all your abilities increasing...and not just your psi ability. Your strength, speed, and agility should have all increased as a result. Try out your new strengths."
Anthony nodded in understanding, and then looked towards the water. He then rocketed off over the water, flying just an inch over the water's surface and causing a large wake to follow him as a result.
"WOOHOO!!!" Anthony yelled as he flew. He almost seemed to be enjoying the power that was flowing through him...but still managed to keep his excitement under control so he could see his limits. He was about to get his first test...
"ANTHONY...LOOK OUT FOR THAT ROCK OUTCROPPING!!!" Teila yelled.
Anthony saw the outcropping...but instead of trying to avoid it, he charged a large amount of psi power into his fist and used that fist to blast through it. The rubble continued to rain down as he continued to rocket off.
"Whoa..." Sonic said, and then turned to the others. "Okay...remind me never to piss him off!" It was then he noticed Anthony coming back. "He's coming back...and he's...not...slowing...down..."
"ANTHONY...SLOW DOWN!!!" Knuckles yelled as the others readied themselves to dodge him.
However, instead of running into them, Anthony stomped his feet on the ground just inches before reaching the group and rocketed skyward, causing a small sonic boom which knocked a few of the group off their feet.
"SHOW OFF!!!" Red Sonic yelled.
Anthony stopped in the air and looked back towards the group. "Sorry, guys! Couldn't resist a setup like that!"
"Anthony...the LAST thing we need is another big egoed hero like Sonic," Julie-Su said, prompting a glare from both Sonics.
"Hey Anth...how do you feel?" Ryan asked.
"Well...now I know how Goku and Vegeta feel when they go Super Saiyan!" Anthony answered back. "But, other than that, I feel fine!"
"You feeling tired at all?" Knuckles asked.
"Not really," Anthony said. "Mind if I fly around a bit to get used to this?"
"Just be careful, Anth," Sonic said. "Land as soon as you feel yourself getting tired!"
"Will do, Sonic," Anthony said, and then flew off towards where some of the others were located.
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The sonic boom that was created didn't fail to catch the attention of Rouge and Shadow, as both woke up from the trance they were in from watching the ocean. It was then that Shadow sensed something.
"Strange...I sense...Chaos energy..." Shadow said, looking off in one direction.
Soon the two of them saw a golden streak flying near their location, and they both recognized the streak as Anthony in his super form.
"Looks like Knuckles couldn't wait to start training Anthony," Rouge commented.
"Looks like it," Shadow said. It was then he noticed something in Anthony's face. "What the...?"
"What's wrong, Shadow?" Rouge asked.
"This could be bad, Rouge...I think Anthony's enjoying the power a little too much..." Shadow said, and then stood up. "Come on...we'd better follow him..."
Rouge nodded in understanding and stood up. Shadow then grabbed Rouge by the wrist and ran along the shoreline in the general direction Anthony was headed.
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"What was that?!?" Aura asked, after hearing what sounded like a booming sound.
"Sounded like a sonic boom," Sally commented. "Sonic must be running again..."
"Not likely...Look!" Mina said, pointing.
Everyone present looked where she was pointing and saw Anthony in his super form, flying around as if practicing some maneuvers. Anthony even waved to the group.
"Vegeta...is going to have a FIT when he sees Anthony do that..." Sally said. It was then that she noticed Shadow and Rouge running up to the group.
"Guys...we may have a problem..." Shadow said.
"What's wrong, Shadow?" Victoria asked.
"I think Anthony may be getting himself into trouble," Shadow remarked. "I just saw the look on his face...and it looked like he's overly excited by the power he's wielding right now."
"How is that bad?" Rebecca asked. "I mean...he probably is excited by what he's able to do now...it's only natural..."
"Not if his excitement prevents him from feeling his power draining," Shadow said. "He could pass out mid-flight from power loss!"
"Oh no..." Mina said.
"Shadow...keep an eye on Anthony," Sally said. "We'll get the others and meet you where Anthony is."
"Will do, Princess..." Shadow said, and he and Rouge ran off towards where Anthony was heading next...
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"Looks good, Kyle!"
Amy and Kyle had finished the sand castle they had made for the Chao...with a little help from the Chao themselves, since they managed to scoop out some rooms for the castle from the inside. All three of the Chao were covered with sand, and Hogi-San even had to shake some sand out of his shoes and gloves.
Kyle giggled at the sight of the sand covered Chao. "Looks like the Chao had fun building it as much as we did, Amy..."
"Yeah, no kidding..." Amy started to say, and then her eyes widened when she saw something Hogi-San was doing. "Oh Goddess...check this out, Kyle!"
Kyle looked at what was transpiring, and laughed at the sight. The Chao had found a small fragment of a shell that resembled a Chao sized crown, and both Cheese and Ryndar were "coronating" Hogi-San by placing it on his head.
"Kind of a glimpse of the future...King Sonic!" Amy remarked.
"Yeah...now all we need is a Chao that looks like Sally..." Kyle remarked.
As soon as he had said that, Tails and Cream had returned from their flight. Tails looked like he had been through the wringer.
"Cream..." Tails said, taking a few quick breaths, "where the HECK did you learn to fly like that?!?"
"Was she that good, Tails?" Amy asked.
"Try that BAD..." Tails said. "She kept bumping into me and at one point her ears and my tails nearly got tangled up!"
"Okay...so I need a little practice..." Cream said. As soon as she said that, she noticed something flying over the water. "What in the Goddess's name is THAT?!?"
The other three kids looked and noticed the glowing form of Anthony flying over the water. "Looks like Anthony's stealing your schtick, Tails," Kyle said.
"Looks like Knux decided to start his training," Tails said. It was then that he noticed Shadow running up with Rouge in tow, and that Shadow was keeping a close watch on Anthony.
"Is something wrong, Shadow?" Amy asked.
"Just that Anthony appears to be enjoying the power rush a little too much," Shadow said. "I'm keeping an eye on him just in case."
It was at that point that Anthony glanced over towards the beach and saw the kids, Rouge, and Shadow. He flew over to them, still in Chaos Knight form. "Hey, guys..."
"NICE getup!" Cream said.
"Thanks...though I still wonder what the deal is with super forms and gold coloration," Anthony commented, looking at the gold parts of his armor.
"Anthony...maybe you should power down, if you're super for too long..." Shadow began to say.
"Don't worry...I feel fine, and I was just about to head back," Anthony said. "Feel free to follow me if you like." He then flew back up into the air and headed back to where Knuckles and the rest were waiting.
"Geez...and I thought SONIC had an impulse problem," Rouge said.
"I know..." Shadow said, grabbing Rouge's wrist. "Come on." He then sped off, following Anthony with Rouge in tow.
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"I hope he comes back soon," Knuckles mused to himself as the group waited. "He can't hold his super form for much longer."
"Ah...don't worry, Knux," Sonic said. "I'm sure Anth will be careful." He then noticed something gold approaching them in the sky. "See?"
"Thank the Walkers..." Knuckles said. It was then that he also noticed Shadow speeding along the shore with Rouge in tow. "Shadow?"
Shadow skidded to a stop, setting Rouge down carefully, and said, "Sorry...I saw the look on Anthony's face and thought I'd better keep an eye on him."
"Good idea...since he WAS kinda acting like Sonic for a moment..." Ryan said. It was then that he noticed something with Anthony. "Guys...is Anthony falling asleep?"
All eyes turned towards Anthony, and they noticed that he seemed to be wobbling a bit while he was flying towards the group. Suddenly, he fell unconscious and powered down to his original form, plummeting towards the water.
"ANTH!!!" Sonic yelled.
[Let's go, E-Series,] Metal Sonic said, and the two robots fired up their rockets and flew towards where Anthony was falling. They managed to catch him just as he was about a few inches above the water.
Anthony came to just as they were beginning to carry him towards the shore. "Wha...what happened?" Anthony asked.
"YOU POWERED DOWN," Gamma said. "INSTANTANEOUS POWER LOSS."
"Geez...I didn't even feel tired, and I just blacked out..." Anthony said to himself as he was lowered to the ground. As he was set in a reclined position, the group ran up to him.
"I thought I said to BE CAREFUL!!!" Knuckles said.
"I was...it was just...I didn't feel tired at all, and then I just blacked out," Anthony said weakly as he continued to lie on the sand. "Why didn't...?"
"Your adrenaline..." Knuckles commented. "You got so excited from the power you were feeling that it caused a rush. You have to learn not to get too excited from the power."
"Damn..." Anthony said as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head.
"You going to be alright, Anthony?" Teila asked.
"Yeah...I'm feeling my strength coming back..." Anthony said. He then stood up without difficulty. "Let's head back to the rest of the group."
"Alright," Julie-Su said.
As the group began to walk back, Gamma went to Anthony's side and said, "ALLOW ME TO ASSIST YOU."
"I'm fine now...but stay to my side, just in case," Anthony said.
"UNDERSTOOD," Gamma replied.