Chapter 11 Apotos

Early the next morning, I head whispering of chitter chatter, and the gentle touch of Sakura snuggling closer as she slept on my pillow in the hotel room. I cracked open my eyes to look at the clock on the dresser by my bed, only telling me that half the night was over and the remainder needed for the sleep that I longed for some time now.

I'm glad yesterday was over.

After everyone recovered from their bizarre nightmares, we headed back and found the management crew, and the rest of the actors and actresses. They were all tied up in one of the dressing rooms that we once passed by. After rescuing them, they rewarded us by giving us autographs, tickets, and backstage passes for the next show. Unfortunately, we couldn't take half of the reward they given us, since we were on a non-stop tour around the world. And as if things couldn't get worse, the police showed and made us stay for another hour for questions and investigations.

…Anthony. If he and the other two haven't shown, it would've been a great ending to a great day. How did he get here? What is his strategy? When did he and his friends get powers? Ugh I need to stop thinking and go to sleep. Although when I tried, the whispers in the room got louder.

"Night Chelsea!" Hushed Dylan, leading to a sound of a hitting pillow.

"No!" Chelsea replied loudly, as I heard another hit. "When I close my eyes, all I can see are spiders!"

Then it led to a squeal by Trevor, making everything in the room wide awake.

"Me too!" He agreed frightened.

"So…much…water…" I heard Sonic's voice tremble with fear. Then it led more chattering from the three of them. It was then at that point that Shadow couldn't take it anymore.

"SHUT UP! Sleep! All of you!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. Dead silence. It wasn't long till the peaceful sound of sleep came shortly after.

Later in the morning, I was awakened this time with the fresh aroma of coffee filling the air. I made a peek and saw Dylan in the kitchen area drinking some out of a mug while texting on his phone. When he placed it back into one of his jean pockets, I saw him make a glance over to us to see if anyone was awake. I quickly shut my eyes when he looked at my direction, but I was a little late.

"Court – Court…" I heard him say my nickname as he made a loud sip of his coffee. He continued on doing so till I opened my eyes again and had the urge to sit up on the bed. I automatically looked at the clock, which turned out to be eight seventeen. Still early (for me), but it was around the time that all of us should get up. Thankfully the coffee did its magic and disperse of the remaining drowsiness that was in me.

While putting a little more cream into my coffee, Muffins flew up from his resting place where Dylan had slept, and went over to him with a cutely yawn. He curiously looked at the mug Dylan held and the warm light brown liquid inside it. "Chao!" He cried to him, wanting to know what it was. Dylan made a little chuckle, and made him take a sip. However the sips became bigger and then he snatched the mug out of his hands.

"Hey!" Dylan yelled at his little friend with fake anger. "Chao Chao!" Muffins replied, then going back to drinking rest of the coffee. I smiled when Dylan made a fake grumble as he went through the process of making another cup.

"What time did you wake up this morning?" I asked while continuously stirring my beverage with a spoon. He was about to answer till we heard a soft buzzing sound.

"Around like seven something. Angela and my mom text me." He said while pulling out his phone and text again, and made a soft laugh. "They said they missed me, and it isn't the same at home without me…I miss them too." With a sad sigh, he placed the phone back into his pocket.

I wanted to say something to cheer him up, but it doesn't help that we're still in the beginning of our adventure, and that I'm feeling the same way as well. On our taxi drive to the hotel last night, I checked my phone and saw many texts and missed calls from my parents and grandparents, wanting me to know that they missed me and if I was doing alright. Oh course when I replied they were angry with worry, but our conversations lasted about an hour as I told them what's happened, and them telling about their days. I hate doing this to them second time in a row, but with Dr. Eggman and now Anthony and his gang in the way, we need all the help we can get.

I swear if anybody new pops up and wants to cause more problems to this mess, they don't know what's coming to them.

"Um Courtney?" a familiar voice asked. "You okay?"

"Huh?" I blinked and looked at Dylan.

"You were making a really dirty glare. Is there something wrong?"

Great, I was probably thinking too much and spaced out. "Oh! Nothing's wrong…it's nothing…"

Not for long, the rest of our friends had woken up out of their slumber. Half of them having coffee and all of us having breakfast after calling room service. Once we were done with everything, we paid for the hotel room and the food, which led to the conclusion of where to head next on the journey.

From the second we got there, it felt like paradise.

In a base far away from our heroes, stood a man with a egg-shaped figure with bandages covering half of his face. He was standing in front of a huge army of new modeled Eggbots, waiting for their creator to give out the first order.

"Alright…In case all of you were listening to my complaints before, you should know that I despise Sonic, Shadow, Courtney, and Dylan. I also despise many more, but let's not go more into details." Eggman had explained to them. "Just focus on the four that I've named. Behind you, you will see a screen that displays of what they look like. Remember those images."

All the bots turned their glance from the Doctor and onto the four images of hedgehogs on the screen. Unlike the two images on the left, which pictured Sonic and Shadow, the other two on the right switched from hedgehogs to humans, meaning that they took another form. The mechs burned their identities into their micochiped brains.

"Now that you know…" Eggman spoke again, making the Eggbots turning their attention back to him. "Do anything to stop them! Anything! And if by any chance you spot any of these gems…" The Doctor held up a yellow Chaos Emerald and a colorful Harmonic Iridescent. "Get them! Immediately bring them back here ASAP! Understand? Now move!"

In instant, the Eggbots fled from the base. Half of them going to the outside world, the other half going to another room, which they entered through a portal to the other world. All of them left, leaving Eggman all by himself. He sighed as he began to walk away while rubbing where the band-aids where placed on his face.

"That boy with the fire…I'll make him pay for ruining my handsome face with these burns! Ugh!" He grumbled while heading to his hovercraft that he used for who knows how long. He thought of new improvements he could make on it. Maybe after that's done, he can finally make that massive Eggbot that he's been fascinating for weeks. Oh the joy to his imagination to see the blue hedgehog and the others fall down in defeat from it.

His thoughts vanished as a dark orange figure dropped down in front of him.

"What?" Eggman flinched as he quickly took a few steps back. As the figure stood up, it revealed a light rusty colored hedgehog. He wore a grey and black jacket along with darkened blue jeans. A smirk was placed across his face.

"Hello Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Or should I say Dr. Eggman?"

"What?" The egg-shaped Doctor said again, but more shocked. "Who are you? How do you know me? And how did you manage to pass through my security?"

The hedgehog mischievously laughed. "I have my ways…I see you live in an unusual world, a world with nothing but fantasy and wonder…a world that I might happy to take over and make it my own image." After hearing the last part of the unknown hedgehog's sentence, Eggman made a long and hysterical laughter that which we all know and hate.

"Mahahaha! Don't make me laugh! You taking over this world? Ha! Get in line, because I'm going to rule it! Two worlds to be more precise!"

"Oh really?" The hedgehog continued to smirk. "I guess you didn't thought about merging them together did you? It would be easier to reign without having trouble of going to two worlds." The Doctor's eyes grew wide.

"Actually yes I did! It is easier! That's why I'm searching for these in the other world." He pulled out a colorful Harmonic Iridescent to show him. "Along with the Chaos Emeralds, they are the key to success for that plan!"

"Oh really?" The mysterious hedgehog gave out a fake surprise to the small beautiful gem in his gloved hand. Then he reached out something out from his jeans pockets and pulled out a necklace with the same exact gem dangling on its chain. Eggman gave out a shriek.

"You! You have one!" He pointed at the stranger trembling with excitement. "P-Please! Give it me! I'll do anything for it!"

"Anything…?" The unknown hedgehog's smirk turned to an evil smile.

"Anything!" The Doctor pleaded.

The hedgehog flung the necklace over to Eggman, and caught it and danced happily like a little boy who had gotten everything for Christmas. "So, what do you want?"

The stranger made the same mischievous laughter that he had made before. "Like I said, the world, the new and approved merged world. Let me and my friends join you Dr. Eggman, and we will succeed to making the world ours. Nobody will stop us."

The Doctor slowly thought it over. He knew this guy will do something to get him out of the picture, he could see it plainly in his eyes. But, he wouldn't worry about it until that time comes. For now, he was happy he had a few suckers doing some of his dirty work for him, and that he wouldn't be that lonesome.

"Alright, you have a deal." Eggman agreed. "And again, what's your name?"

"Anthony."

Apotos.

A sea breezy town with a lovely ocean backdrop with many windmills on the island, as well as the island's close neighbors across the sea. It almost made me feel that I was in Florida again. The scent of the sea air and the crashing of waves in the distance… Oh, it was wonderful.

Before we took the chance to relax and have fun, we had to search for the Emerald first, sadly. Fortunately though, our tracker watches beeped so it wouldn't be that hard to find. We searched and searched till I eventually found out where it was. Gregorios, The town's priest, had it. He said he will give it to us if we'll help him find his missing glasses that he lost on the Windmill Isle. It left me confused how an elderly priest gotten through that isle with all the jumps and grinding, but I guess some things are better left unsaid.

"Got this Court?" Sonic asked a little uncertain before I began to dash off through the stage. I answered confidently with a nod. I've done this stage countless times whenever I got to play Sonic Unleashed. It was my second favorite next to Rooftop Run. To do the stage in perso-er hedgehog was like a dream come true.

And there I went, going through the isle as fast as I can while passing by breathtaking scenery, it was hard to focus because of it. Finally at the end of the stage, I found the pair of glasses lying in a wide space area with many windmills circled around. I grabbed them as I did a little pose as if a rating chart was next to me. "Yay S-rank!" I said happily to myself and then I headed back through the stage backwards.

When I gotten back, I gave the glasses to Gregorios and he gave me the blue Chaos Emerald. Mission accomplished. At last, we were finally free to do what we wanted. It was even better that we had a lot of time to spare, it was still morning.

"Hey Court! Want a Sundae Supreme? My treat!" The blue blur had asked me with a wink before he walked down to the Ice Cream stand.

"Sure!" I made a smile as he gave me a nod and proceeded. I looked around and noticed that all my friends disappeared. When Sonic walked back with the ice cream, I questioned that and he said they all went down to the beach and might be going sailing later.

"Oh that's sounds fun!" I said with excitement.

"You can meet them down later after we finish. I was thinking about going for run while you guys enjoy yourselves."

"And leave you alone?" My excitement drowned. I didn't want Sonic to be left out by himself, all because of water.

"I'll stay with you." I decided and took my first lick of my Chocolate Chip Sundae Supreme. Sonic was going to respond, but I was blown away by this ice cream! I never had ice cream that tasted this good.

"It's one of Chip's favorites." Sonic smiled and then continued where we left off. "Court, I don't want you to miss all the experience here in Apotos. This may be the last time you'll visit here." He sounded a little bit sad.

"But what about your experience? I know you visited here once, it doesn't mean to blow it off on the second time here. Let me stay."

"Courtney…I'll be fine. Your friends are going to miss you." His sad tone continued.

"I'll still see them, its still morning. Please Sonic." I grabbed my hands together and made a begging face. The blue hedgehog shook his head till another smile appeared on his face.

After we finished our ice cream, both of us ran and raced through the Windmill Isle, and many other places across the peaceful breezy town of Apotos, creating laughs and memorable memories. I only wished days like these would last forever.