Sonic and his friends stood before Necronos, who was getting ready to transform them all into the magical warriors they once were, in their past lives. Necronos stepped forward. "Everyone. Please stand together. I need you to pay attention, or else the transformations won't work." Sonic looked more focused than ever before. "We're all ears, Necronos. Just say the word." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Alright. Hold your arms out horizontally, and close your eyes." Everyone did as they were told. Necronos positioned his hands towards the gang. "Now concentrate…" Necronos began to surround himself with a shining blue light. "Open your hearts…wider" Soon, everyone else were also surrounded by the same light. "It's working…Keep it up everyone! It's almost complete!" The light grew brighter, until the whole cavern glowed as if it was bathed in sunlight. Necronos then shot his hands into the air. "ANCIENT SPIRITS, UNITE!" Then, the gang was shining in an aurora of multiple colors! But they remained still, eyes still closed. Slowly, the light faded until it was gone, and the cavern grew dark again, with only the candles' light keeping the room lit. "It's done." Necronos said.
Sonic and the others opened their eyes. "Whoa. Guys, check it out!" Sonic said in excitement. They all took a look at their new selves. They each had their own personal costume or armor. "Now this is way cool!" Tails said. "Not bad. Not bad at all." agreed Espio. Everyone couldn't help but admire how amazing they looked together, feeling so, empowered. Necronos walked towards them, preparing to finish what he had started.
He stopped in front of Espio, who was now wearing metal gloves, and clothed in a violet colored, ninja-like outfit, with his eyes and horn visible. "Espio. You are Tomias, the master of ninjitsu. With your combined strengths of magic and stealth, you can change one of your symbolic shurikens into ten, merely by thought." "Sweet." Espio- er, Tomias answered.
Then Necronos stepped in front of Rouge. She wore a lavender scarf, and a silver, tiara-shaped headband. She was dressed in a dark purple gown, from here chest, down to here ankles, with matching sparkling elbow length gloves. She held what appeared to be a wand. "Rouge. Mystical, agile. You are now Celestia the enchantress. With your vast knowledge of incantations and charm spells, you're practically untouchable when in combat." Then Rouge smiled, feeling satisfied.
He now stood before Amy. She wore- well, lets say she was dressed like a Dark Magician Girl (y'know, from Yu-Gi-Oh), with a deck of cards in her left hand. "Amy. Full of energy and life. You are Saiuka, the magician. With your deck of magical cards containing spells for healing and fighting, you have the perfect arsenal." "And I look, SOOOOOO CUUUUUTE!" she answered happily.
Vector was next. He wore a suit of bronze medieval armor, bearing gemstones of all colors upon it. He held a broad, heavy sword in his right hand. "Vector. Powerful, brave. You are Jurik the knight. With your magic sword you can convert your inner strength into pure energy, and created impenetrable force fields." "Now THAT, I'm gonna enjoy. Thanks, Necronos."
It was Knuckles turn. He wore a dark, black cloak that reached the ground, with a metal hood concealing his face. "Knuckles. You are Darconda the druid. Mysterious master of every martial art known in history. Using the light of the moon, you can fuel yourself with negative energy powerful enough to match that of the forces of darkness." "Cool. I look just like my grandfather Spectre." he notice.
Tails was covered in a awesome assortment of armor. A spiked, steel headband, metal plated arm and leg guards, a metallic green colored chest plate, and a staff with a curved blade at the end. "Tails. You are Horu-san, warrior of the sky. Since your specialty is air combat, your armor doubles as retractable weapons." "Wow, and no plane for once!"
Finally, Necronos stood before Sonic, wearing a blue helmet with a spear-like spike pointing upward. He also wore metal gloves like Espio's, and the same metal chest plate as Tails, only red colored, with spikes growing out of the back. His shoes were a shining platinum, and he held a tall, golden triton lance. "And Sonic. The wizard's greatest apprentice. You are Tritaneon, the five star centurion, and leader of your team. Your powers are so great it would take forever to describe them. But worry not, for you will soon discover them for yourself." Necronos stepped back. "Finally. The ancient warriors are born, AGAIN!" "YEEEAAAAAAAAHHH!" everyone shouted!
Necronos turned serious again. "Now everyone. This quest you're about to begin will most likely be a long one. If any of you have anything that you must do before you set off, do so now!" "Oh. Hold that thought!" shouted Amy. She reached into her outfit's pocket, and noticed her cell phone was still with her! She dialed her apartment's number. "This should only take a second, Necro." Far away, at her apartment in the city, Cream heard the phone ringing. (Cream lives with Amy in her apartment). She answered it. "Hello? Amy and Cream's residence." "My, how formal of you." "Amy? Is that you?" Yep! It's me, Cream. Listen, me and the gang are going on a little trip that may take a while. You can have Charmy stay with you while were gone. Just be sure to take care of yourselves, OK?" "OK. Gotcha, Amy. Thanks for telling me." "OK, bye!" The girls hung up. "Let me get this straight…" Knuckles wondered. "You're letting two six-year-olds take care of themselves in your apartment? All alone with no one to look after them?" "C'mon, Knux. Did you forget that they helped us when we fought Metal Overlord? I think they can handle living by themselves for a few days." "Hmm…Good point." he agreed.
"OK then," Sonic began. "It looks like we're all set, Necro. So lets teach those spirits a lesson they'll never forget!" Suddenly, a deep, booming voice filled the cavern room. "You're not going anywhere!" Everyone was startled. "Who-who said that!" Tails said nervously. Sonic turned around, and saw a black figure standing 15 feet behind them, with large, upward pointed quills, with red streaks on top of them. "SHADOW!" he shouted. Everyone turned around and spotted him. "What are you doing here?" Shadow seemed to be full of rage. "I'm here to stop you from starting you little quest!" "What?" Rouge questioned. "What are you talking about?" Shadow's enraged expression didn't change. Suddenly, his eyes started to glow bright red! "My masters wouldn't like having the ancient warriors ruin their plans to plunge your worlds into darkness!" Vector began to approach Shadow. "Hey, who's side are you one anyway, bub?" "VECTOR, GET BACK!" Necronos shouted. "Your friend here must have been the one who shattered the emerald setting the spirits free! He's now under their control by their dark magic!" Shadow began to lunge forward. "I'll make sure none of you leave this cave ALIVE!"
Everyone cleared the way as Shadow dashed past them. But he quickly turned around. Knuckles saw his coming close. "Everyone! Get!" WHAM! Shadow tackled him right in the chest. Knuckles fell to the ground with a THUD! "Ooooh. That hurt…!" "KNUX!" Sonic shouted. But before he could react, Shadow grabbed his arm! "Take this, Spike-head!" And Shadow threw Sonic right into the wall! WHAM! "Ooooh, my aching…" Then Shadow did a combo attack: He tackled Espio when he wasn't looking, "UUGGH!" grabbed a hold of his body, and hurled him straight at the rest still standing!" WHAAAMM! Everyone was down. "HAH! Now to finish you off!" Shadow said menacingly, eyes still glowing like fire. "Not yet!" said a voice. "Huh? Who's there?" Shadow said confusingly. He looked up. Tails was hovering above him!
"HAH! You think you stand a chance against ME, SQUIRT!" Shadow said while laughing evilly. But what he saw next, actually surprised him. Tails was beginning the glow himself! His body was surrounded by an orange colored energy aura. And, his voice was filled with anger. "Dark one tainted by evil! Prepare to be healed by the powers of light!" Necronos starred in amazement. "Horu-san. He has returned!" Tails removed his spiked head band. "BOOMERANG BLADE!" He hurled it straight at Shadow, as it began to spin rapidly, like a saw blade! Shadow wouldn't be able to avoid it at the rate it was approaching him. "Oh crud." he whispered. And the blade made contact! BAAAMM! Shadow fell to the ground, unconscious.
Soon everyone was back on their feet. Sonic was amazed at what he and the others just witnessed. "Way to go, little buddy! I can't believe you took down Shadow in one blow!" "Yeah. You really whooped him!" Espio agreed. "Actually," Tails began, "I don't know what came over me. Just seeing you guys getting beat up by him, made me so angry that-that-" "-that your ancient powers returned to you." Necronos finished. Everyone glanced towards him. "Your powers are dormant now. But when you believe that the time is right, you shall awaken the strength needed to defeat the seven spirits." Just then, Sonic noticed Amy standing by Shadow, who was still unconscious. "What are ya doin', Amy?" She was searching through her deck of cards. "Hang on a second…" She found a card that had a picture of a potion, with an incantation written on it in the same ancient language written on the cave walls. "Watch this, guys." She closed her eyes to focus. "EVIL'S ANTIDOTE!" Just then, a dark Shadow came out of Shadow's body, and flew way, out of the tunnel! "There," she said to everyone. "The evil hold the spirits had on him, has been removed!" "Well done, Saiuka." Necronos said to her.
But then, "AAAGGHH!" Rouge dropped down on her knees, with her hands grabbing her head. "Rouge! What's wrong?" Vector shouted. Her eyes were shut. "I-I don't know. I see…images in my head! They won't go away! Why won't the go away!" She was struggling. "Rouge! Calm down!" Necronos grabbed a hold of her. "It's one of Celestia's powers: to see danger in other locations. Now focus…What is going on? What do you see?" Rouge began to calm down. "I…I see, Station Square…It's, deteriorating!" Everyone 'GASPED' in unison. "The buildings are rusting rapidly, and the people are panicking in the streets!" Espio looked worried. "I bet this counts as a bad omen." "Gee, ya think!" Vector answered sarcastically. "Wait! I see…Knothole City, too. The trees…their drying up! The crops are dying, and so is the rest of the forest!" Sonic stood in shock. "No……"
Necronos spoke up. "Oh, no! It's worse than I feared. It wasn't supposed to happen this quickly!" "What! What's going on!" Sonic demanded. "Necronos gathered his thoughts and began to explain. "When the spirits are free, their negative energy can spread out across the globe if they have been out for at least one day. As long as they remain outside the shattered Cataclysmic Emerald, the planet will eventually be easily conquered, unless you find them and defeat them as soon as possible!" "Well, what are we waiting for?" said Amy excitedly. "Yeah, Necro! Where can we find the spirits, already?" Tails asked. Necronos explained. "When Catalyst became powerful enough to practically control reality itself, like I told you in the legend, his powers became much stronger as long as he was in an area that exists in it's own reality. Sound familiar?" Everyone thought for a moment. Then it became clear. "The Zones!……MOBIUS Z!" "RIGHT!" Necronos shouted. The spirits have most likely taken refuge there, to enhance their powers until they become invincible!" "But, how will we even get there?" Knuckles wondered. "Stand back, everyone!" Necronos ordered. He began to pose his hands into patterns, and shouted and incantation: "RYN-SU-KAI-CHEN-NI-YO-HAAAAAAAA!" He held his hands out in front of him, as a burst of light and energy filled the room!
When the light grew dimmer, everyone looked to see what he had done. Before them, stood a shining vortex portal! "Listen up, everyone. When you enter this void, you will be transported to the first Zone that formed on Mobius Z: The Green Hill Zone! Once there, you will have to search for the spirits, and defeat them all." Everyone looked ready. "However, I'm afraid you'll have to handle this mission without me." Now everyone looked disappointed. "You-you're not coming with us, Necro?" Amy asked sadly. "Believe me, everyone. I would if I could. But only you seven are destined to face the spirits. I must stay here, and try to protect this planet's inhabitants from anymore destruction that may occur from the spirits' negative energy." "We understand." said Tails, although disappointment was heard in his voice.
"Well then," Necronos began. "Is everyone ready?" "YEAH!" everyone shouted. Except Sonic. A strong worried expression masked his face. "Sonic?" Amy asked with concern. "Sonic, what's wrong?" "I was just lost in thought…" he admitted. "No matter was big evil force we take down, another more powerful one takes it's place. Why? Can't Mobius just stay at peace forever!" A small tear formed under his eye. Necronos stood next to him. "Sonic. I can understand your disappointment. Many people wish peace was everlasting. But you must remember, with every Yin, there is a Yang." "What?" Sonic looked up towards him. "What I mean is, the universe is balanced with the powers of light and darkness. One can never outweigh the other, otherwise, the balance is thrown off. Just as you said: With every great evil you defeat, another takes it's place. But the same goes for the forces of good!" Everyone soon realized what he meant. "That's right!" Knuckles began. "Just like the wizard who faced Catalyst! When he had fallen in battle, his apprentices took HIS place!" "Now it makes sense!" Tails realized. Sonic finally stood up. "Thank you, Necro. I believe I'm ready now." "Just what I wanted to hear, my friend."
The team stood together in front of the portal. "Everyone ready?" Sonic asked. But he already knew the answer. "YEAH!" they all shouted. "THEN LET'S DO IT TO IT!" And the all jumped in together. One they were inside, they all took one last look at their new friend biding them farewell. "GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!" he called out to them. "Next stop: The Green Hill Zone" Sonic thought to himself. "And, the beginning of once again, saving the world!"
Song sequence (as the gang travel through the portal):
We stand, hang our heads disbelieving,
then not knowing how could such a thing be wrong.
We wonder just what they must be thinking,
to take a life of one so young.
So tell me, when will it be over now, how soon?
How far must they go to prove to you?
We wait and we wonder how this happened,
killing the old, the innocent, the young.
While sons follow in father's footsteps not understanding,
that what they do could somehow be so wrong.
So tell me, when will it be over now, how soon?
How far must they go to prove to you?
So we will wait and we'll wonder.
No regrets, no forgiveness, no compassion.
These brave heroes only know to hit and run.
Slowly my sadness, turns to rage, and we wonder
how can these scars ever heal when all is said and done?
So tell me, when will it be over now, how soon?
How many tears must fall to prove to you?
Please tell me, when will it be over now, how soon?
And how far must they go to prove to you?
So we wait and we wonder…
(A/N: "We wait and we wonder" sung by Phil Collins, "Both Sides" 1993 Atlantic Recording Corporation)
How was that chapter? R&R please.