Sonic and the gang continued to travel through the void created by their new friend, Necronos, in order to get them all to the Green Hill Zone, now one of all the others Zones that make up Mobius Z. As you may recall, last time, the gang had been transformed into what they were six millenniums ago in their past lives: the ancient magical warriors of the White Wizard. With Espio the chameleon as Tomias, the master of ninjitsu. Rouge the bat as Celestia, the enchantress. Vector the crocodile, as Jurik the knight. Amy Rose as Saiuka, the magician. Knuckles the echidna as Darconda, the druid. Tails Prower as Horu-san, the warrior of the sky. And Sonic the hedgehog, the leader, as Tritaneon, the five star centurion. Their mission: to search Mobius Z for the seven spirits of the demon once known as Catalyst, who recently were released from their jeweled prison: The Cataclysmic Emerald.
Soon an opening in the void was seen up ahead. "Heads up, guys!" Sonic said to everyone. "The exits coming up!" "I hope we have a soft landing…" Amy said to herself. Everyone braced themselves. Then came a burst of light! "Ack! Blinded!" Knuckles shouted. No one could see anymore. "Someone kill the light show!" Vector complained. Then, everyone fell. "WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAAA!" THUD! The gang hit a hard surface. "Ooooh, I'll be feeling that tomorrow." Espio whispered. Sonic slowly opened his eyes. He saw palm trees that reached at least 20 feet high. Vast grassland with checkered brown hills that also formed loops and corkscrew paths. And distant waterfalls under sturdy rope bridges. Sonic finally spoke up. "Guys…looks like we're here."
"The Green Hill Zone," Rouge said softly. "I've never seen this Zone before. It's so…beautiful." "The first one I ever visited!" Sonic announced. "And it hasn't changed one bit!" "It reminds me of the Palmtree Panic Zone." said Amy. "Yeah, they always did look alike." Tails agreed. Espio spoke up. "As much as I'd like to enjoy the scenery, I believe we have a mission to accomplish, everyone." "Right. Now's not the time to get distracted." Knuckles agreed. Vector turned to Sonic. "Well fearless leader, what's the plan?" Sonic paused for a moment. He knew he had to think of a way for them to save their two worlds the quickest way possible.
Soon, he had an idea. "Okay. Listen up guys and girls. Necronos said that we would be able to awaken the warrior within all of us when necessary, just like when Tails became Horu-san when he fought Shadow. I think the only way we'll all be able to do the same, is if we each take on one spirit by ourselves. I say we split up and zip through any Zones along our paths, and hope we find one of the seven spirits. If we fight one of them, then what happened to Tails will most likely happen to us too, and we'll become powerful enough to take them out!" Knuckles agreed. "Right, Sonic. It would be much easier than having all of us go together and try to find them one at a time." Now Tails understood. "I get it. This way, if we're lucky, we can defeat all of them simultaneously!" "Now THAT sounds like a plan, boss man!" Vector complied. Everyone huddled, and put their hands in the center. "Alright guys!" Sonic shouted. "LETS GO GET 'EM!" "YEAH!" Amy looked through her card deck, and found one with the image of beams of light spreading away from each other. She held it up high. "HEROES' DEPARTURE!" A flash of light appeared and vanished in less than a second. Then, everyone was gone…
The Mystic Cave Zone: A dark, eerie forest existing deep within a subterranean cavern. Large vines hung from the stalactites, and trees stuck to the ceiling and ground. Wooden platforms stretched off the sides of cliffs. A never ending rail track laid on the cavern floor. The environment seemed still, and deathly silent, until the silence was disturbed by a 'BAM!' as a flash of light filled the cavern! When the light vanished, Espio stood in it's place. He took a quick look at his surroundings. "Hmm…Dark and dreary, candle lit lanterns being the only source of light, silence in every direction. Sounds like a good place for a spirit to hide out. Well he better watch himself, because Tomias is coming for him!"
Espio trekked through the cave's forest, hoping that one of the spirits had taken refuge somewhere within the Zone. For a long time all he saw were trees and formed stalactites, with no end in sight. "I hope one of those ghostly guys appear soon." he said to himself. Then a voice came from nowhere. "You sure about that?" Espio turned around fast, to find no one there. "Who's there!" he shouted. At first there was just silence, then the dark voice spoke again. "You wanted to find one of Catalyst's spirits, right intruder? Well, look no further…" Espio didn't see anyone. "Show yourself, coward!" he heard it again. "But that would ruin all my fun. Heh, heh, heh…" Espio stood perfectly still, waiting for a chance to find where the spirit was hiding. He saw something that caught his eye! "HIYAA!" He threw one of his shurikens to his left! Out of a shadowed area behind a tree, a hand reached out, and grabbed it in midair! Out stepped a large creature, covered in black scales, and spikes growing from his back. His physique look like a G.U.N. Hunter robot. The creature's hands and feet were formed as three fingers and toes pointed like daggers. His entire body was colored pitch black, except for his glowing, fiery red eyes. "Hello…Tomias. You can call me, Alpha Catalyst."
"Alpha, huh?" Espio replied. "Well, at least I can finally see you. Don't you know the whole voice coming from nowhere trick is becoming cliché?" "Heh, heh. Cocky as ever, aren't you, Tomias." Alpha answered back. "Not much has changed for you in 6000 years, I see. Including your unique wardrobe." Espio looked annoyed. "What? You're not gonna tell me I'm the only ninja you've ever seen!" "No," Alpha answered, "Maybe the only ninja I've ever seen colored violet! HA HA HA HA" he cackled evilly. Now Espio felt insulted. He stood in a tiger fighting stance. "Alright, demon boy. Enough trash. Why don't you just surrender yourself now before I go all Taebo on you?" "HA HA HAAAA!" Alpha cackled again. "But if you won THAT easily, wouldn't whoever's reading this be disappointed? I'm sure they would all appreciate a good fight!" Espio stood focused and ready. "Fine. Bring it on, gruesome!" Now Alpha looked more fierce than cocky. "You better be prepared, foolish one. I'm about to settle a long time grudge! Me and my brethren won't waste our only chance in so many years to destroy the seven apprentices of that accursed wizard who caused our separation from one body in the first place, and trapping us while we were so weak! Do you have any idea how it feels to be locked inside of a tiny cramped gemstone for six millenniums! It's deathly boring!" Espio looked even more determined. "Well, I can tell by your anger that I'm at least going to have a challenging fight!" Then Alpha's red eyes widened. "Tomias! I will tear you apart like I should have so long ago!"
Just then, Alpha's spikes grew two times longer, and he curled up until he looked like a giant spiked ball! He began to roll straight towards Espio at an incredible speed. "SPINNING MACE!" Espio jumped out of the way just before impact, but Alpha turned straight around right after he missed. "What th!" BAM! "AAGGGHH!" he shouted, as Alpha struck him head on. He fell to the floor. "HA! You should've known better than to try to fight me on my own turf, Tomias!" Espio slowly got back up. But as he looked around, no one was in sight. "Where are you, Alpha!" No answer. "No one strikes me behind my back and lives!" He got a shuriken ready. Then, something grabbed his feet! "HEY!" He looked down, and saw two hands rise out of the ground, holding him down! Alpha slowly rose out of the ground from beneath Espio. "Surprised to see me do that?" He grabbed a tighter hold on Espio, and flung him straight to one of the trees. "WHOOOOAAAA!" BAM! "UUGGHH!" Alpha stood tall, looking disappointed. "Hmph! You've gotten sloppy. This is too easy." He reached his arm out, and grabbed Espio by the throat! "ACK!" The two stared at one another. "I don't know whether I should finish you now, and taste the sweat nectar of victory. Or shall I make you suffer? After all, I can only enjoy your pain while you're still alive…Hmmm. Which sounds better to you?" Espio could barely breathe, but managed to speak up. "I say…how 'bout we go to Round 2!" Just then, Espio raised his foot straight up, and kicked Alpha in the face! "AAAAAAGGGHH!" That caused Alpha to lose his grip on Espio to cover his face.
"Why you little…I'LL MAKE SURE YOU DIE FOR THAT!" "Not if I finish you first!" Espio threw three shurikens toward his opponent. "TRIPLE STAR STRIKE!" They all hit their Alpha head on. But bounced off as soon as they struck! "What the!" Espio couldn't believe it. "Save your ammo, weakling! You never make a scratch on my stone hard body!" Espio stood in shock. "You mean, you're THAT strong?" "Of course, you fool! Why else do you think me and by brethren took refuge on this planet?" Then, Espio remembered what Necronos said about the spirits being more powerful in a place with a reality if it's own. "Now I get it! You all came here to adapt your powers into the multiple environments!" Alpha looked slightly impressed. "HA! I guess you're not as stupid as I gave you credit for!" Espio explained further. "It all made sense when I remembered we're in the Mystic Cave Zone! You're body has become as strong as the cavern walls, hasn't it!" "Is that your final answer?" Alpha taunted. "You becha!" Espio answered. Suddenly, Alpha stretched his arms outward, and ten stalactites appeared at his right and left sides, all pointing at Espio! "Then, accept your prize! SPIRE BARRAGE!" The stalactites flew right at Espio's position. "Say goodbye, rebel!" But Espio didn't move! And all of the pointed rocks ended up flying right past without even touching him! Alpha was surprised. "What? Why didn't you try to avoid my attack!" Espio remained calm. "Because now that I know the secret to your power, I believe I can now defeat you easily." Alpha wasn't impressed. "HA! I'd like to see you try, foolish mortal!" Espio sweat dropped. "Why do the villains always need to say that?"
Alpha stood prepared. "Go ahead! Give me your best shot!" Espio closed his eyes, and stood perfectly still, as if he were a standing statue. But Alpha didn't feel like waiting for him to strike, so he held his hand out in front of him, and took control of a ground growing stalagmite a few feet behind Espio. He levitated it off the ground, and aimed the point right at Espio's back. "He made this is waaay to easy…" he thought to himself, while grinning evilly. Ten seconds later, Alpha made his move. He pulled his arm in quickly, and the stalagmite rocketed straight towards Espio's back! "Gotcha!" he said to himself. "Impact in 3...2...1..." But suddenly, Espio jumped into the air, just as the point was about to impale him! With his eyes still closed, he flipped backward over the stalagmite as it flew right under him! And as soon as Espio landed, the rock had a new target! "Gotcha!" Espio said as his eyes flew open. "WHAT? NOOOO!" Alpha couldn't move in time! STAB! "AAAAAGGGHH!" the stone went right threw Alpha's chest, and stuck him to the tree behind him.
Alpha was stunned by what had just happened to him. He could barely open his eyes. But when he did, he saw Espio glowing, surrounded by a violet colored energy aura! He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. "Uugh…How?…How were you able to…see my attack…?" Espio answered. "Because I'm just what you've been calling me this whole time, Alpha Catalyst. I am Tomias, the master of ninjitsu. His spirit and powers lie within me, just like all my friends, and the warriors that lie within them. We all came here with a mission to accomplish. And that's exactly what I'm going to do right now!" Espio leaped into the air, threw one of his shurikens, and remembered his special power that Necronos had told him. With his own thoughts, he magically turned the one shuriken flying toward Alpha, into ten! "STRIKE OF THE TEN STARS!" They all hit their target perfectly, and exploded on impact! "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" And with a blinding flash of violet colored light, Alpha was gone.
"Well, that felt good!" Espio said to himself. But just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye. "What the? What's that?" Right where Alpha was destroyed, a small jewel shard laid on the ground. Violet colored. Espio picked it up. "Where did that come from?" Then, from out of nowhere- "Espio! Can you hear me?" He recognized that voice. "Necronos? Is that you?" "Yes, my friend. It's me! How's your quest going?" "Where are you? Why can't I see you?" "I'm using a temporary telepathy spell. Tell me Espio. Did you just defeat one of the spirits?" "Yeah, I sure did! But It wasn't easy, let me tell you! But he left behind…this jewel piece thingy." "He did! That's great!" "It…it is?" "Yes! What you're holding, is a shard of The Cataclysmic Emerald!" "Whoa! No foolin'?" "Nope! I believe that one you all have defeated all of the seven spirits, you will win all of the pieces needed to put the emerald back together!" "Oh…I get ya! I better find the others and tell them the same!" "It's best that you do, my friend! Just like any cliché critical mission, time is of the essence!" "Thanks for the tip, Necro! I'm off to find the others. Espio out!"
One spirit defeated, six remaining…Until next time, folks! R&R please!