Episode 4 - Chapter Four: TodStar's Vision (Part 1 of Battle on Angel Island)

The same evening that Nicole drove Gamma back from Freedom HQ, TodStar found Sonic on top of their base, near the flagpole.
"So here's where your hiding, Sonic. Strewth, everyone's wondering where you went after Nicole saved us." He told the blue hedgehog. Sonic didn't say anything. He just stood there with his arms folded, staring at the horizon. "C'mon mate, what's wrong?"
"I don't wanna talk about it..." Sonic replied while closing his eyes.
"Is it that you don't trust Nicole?" Asked TodStar. "Cause I reckon she proved herse-"
"It's not just the robot." Snapped Sonic, inturrupting TodStar. "It's Shadow..."
"Oh. What've you got against my former master, anyway?" TodStar asked again.
"That's just it, TodStar..." Sonic replied. "...I don't even know. I mean, Mom & Uncle Chuck always told me that if I saw Shadow, I should run away from him..."
"Did they tell you why, mate?"
"No. And now that I know you have a bond with him, I don't know what to think anymore..."
"Maybe you oughta sleep on it, Sonic. Sometimes a bloke can think better after a good night's sleep."
"Ok. 'Night, 'mate'."
"Heh, 'night mate. (Where did you go, master? I need your help...)"

Later, back inside Freedom HQ, TodStar found Tails and the girls talking about Nicole's power source.
"Wait... did I hear 'Chaos Emerald'?" He asked them.
"Y-yeah." Tails regrettably replied. "I found it while I was repairing her."
"I apologize, TodStar. I did not know that Dr. Eggman installed it as my primary power source." Said Nicole, apologizing to the green echidna.
"No worries, Nicole. You didn't know." TodStar replied while keeping his distance from the lynx/Gizoid.
"I've been meaning to ask you, TodStar... how come you get hurt everytime you're near a Chaos Emerald?" Amy asked him, but TodStar just shrugged.
"I'll be buggered if I know..." He replied. "So Tails, you got any ideas on how to replace the Emerald?"
"Well, unless we sneak back into Robotropolis and take some Chaos Drives, I've got no idea..." Said Tails.
"I guess until then TodStar, you're just going to have to keep your distance from Nicole." Sally told TodStar, to which he nodded, and that made Nicole feel a little bad.

Meanwhile, on the floating island, a crocodile, a chameleon, and an echidna all spotted a large airship that was within close proximity of the island.
"What is that thing?" Asked the crocodile.
"I'm not sure, but be ready for anything." Replied the chameleon, while the echidna noticed a small pod come out of the ship. When the pod got closer to them, they noticed that inside the pod was none other than Dr. Eggman!
"Greetings, Guardian." Said the doctor while bowing before the echidna.
"You guys get back to the jungle. I can handle this." Said the echidna before the crocodile and the chameleon left the echidna with the egg-shaped scientist. "What do you want?"
"Is that anyway to talk to someone who could help you protect the Master Emerald?" Asked Eggman, which startled the echidna.
"How do you know about the Master Emerald?" Asked the echidna.
"That's not important. Now, how about we discuss just how I can help YOU, and how you can help ME in return?" Eggman proposed.
"I'm listening..." Said the echidna, which made Eggman snicker slightly...

The next morning, Sonic and TodStar were seen sparring with each other in what looked like some sort of cyberspace...
"So, changed your mind about Master Shadow yet?" Asked TodStar while throwing a punch at Sonic, which he blocked.
"*sigh* I dunno, TodStar... Although I'd like to know why you keep calling him 'Master'..." Sonic replied, not wanting to talk about after Spin Dashing into TodStar, but he jumped over the high-speed attack.
"Oh, that. See, back in the Downunda Orphanage, I had no control over my power." Said TodStar. "Then one day, Shadow showed up, claiming that he sensed a great deal of Chaos Energy coming from the orphanage. So between that day, and the day Eggman attacked, Shadow taught me how to master the Power of Chaos within me."
"Well, that makes sense." Sonic replied. "Doesn't change my opinion of him, though..." Before Sonic and TodStar attacked each other again, Nicole appeared in the room, which startled TodStar.
"*giggles* You don't need to worry about me here, TodStar..." She told him. "In this world, I am merely a hologram."
"Oh. (Phew!)" Said TodStar, giving off a huge sigh of relief in his head.
"But that also means I can do this..." Right after Nicole said that, she Spin Dashed into TodStar, sending him flying across the room!
"Oh, so that's why you're 'ere, eh?" TodStar said aloud. "Well, bring it on, babe!"
"Ha, this could be interesting..." Sonic thought as he watched TodStar and Nicole fight. It seemed like Nicole could anticipate all of TodStar's attacks at first, but as TodStar was about to punch Nicole with his right fist, it was set alight, which knocked her pretty far.
"Heh heh. Here I come!" He yelled. But before he could land another hit on Nicole, the flame on his right hand vanished. "(Oh, no...)" Nicole then suddenly disappeared before TodStar hit the ground. "Grr... Chaos Control..."
"Chaos... Spear!" Nicole yelled as she threw an arrow of Chaos Energy at TodStar.
"Chaos... Spear!" Yelled TodStar as he countered it with his own. Nicole tried another Spin Dash, but TodStar was ready for her this time... he raised his arms to form an 'X', then swung them apart, causing a wave of Chaos Energy to move forward, and it literally blew Nicole away!

Once Nicole got back to her feet, she saw Sonic give TodStar a high-five.
"That was one brutal fight, dude." Sonic told TodStar. "You all right?"
"Tch. I'm fine and dandy, mate." Todstar replied before walking over to Nicole. "Man, you were good." He then extended his hand out to her.
"Thank you, TodStar." Nicole replied as she shook his hand. "You were incredible, also." Before TodStar could say anything, he saw both of his hands generate some kind of jolt between them.
"What the? What'd you do to him?" Sonic asked Nicole.
"Apart from shaking his hand, I did nothing, Sonic." She replied. Both Sonic and Nicole looked at TodStar, who seemed to be in a trance...

"What? Where am I?" TodStar asked as his voice seem to echo where he was: A misty realm of some sort. "Sonic? Nicole? Is there anybody here besides me?" Suddenly, a light appeared in front of TodStar before he shielded his eyes.
"You, and all of Mobius are in great danger..." Said a young female voice.
"*groan* Who's there?" Asked TodStar. After the light mostly faded, TodStar then noticed he was the image of the girl who saved the Knuckles Clan: Tikal, only she was liquified.
"Tikal?"
"Mm-mm... I am Chaos." She said, introducing herself to the young echidna after shaking her head. "Tikal and myself have been one for 4000 years."
"Huh. Since you two have been merged together for that long, why not just call yourself 'Tikhaos' or something?" TodStar asked.
"Hmm... that's not bad..." Said Chaos before her eyes changed from blue and green, to white and blue.
"That's why I always enjoyed your company, TodStar..." She said, somehow seeming kinder.
"Wha? Tikal, I don't think I know you like that."
"You will. Soon..."
"Eh?"
"...Anyway, you must unleash the true power within you if you want to overcome the power from Angel Island that threatens Mobius." Said Chaos when she regained control.
"True power? Angel Island? What are you talking about?" TodStar asked Chaos.
"Just remember: Chaos is power, and power is enriched by the heart..." She replied before disappearing back into the light, leaving TodStar to experience another flash.

When TodStar came to, he realized he was back in the Cyber Ring, where both Sonic and Nicole were worried about him.
"About time, man. We were gettin' worried!" Said Sonic.
"Are you all right, TodStar?" Nicole asked while scanning him. "Your heart seems to be beating rather fast..."
"We have to get to Angel Island, pronto!" He said as he got up.
"Hey, guys. We have to get to Angel Island, right now!" Said Tails via radio.
"Heh, it's like he read my mind." TodStar thought as he and Sonic ran out the Cyber Ring, while Nicole's hologram just vanished.

Once everyone had gathered back in the lab, Tails showed them what he received: Amateur footage of the Egg Carrier crashing into Angel Island.
"The person that sent me this says that all of Angel Island has fallen into the ocean just off the coast of Downunda." Tails said, which startled TodStar.
"All right, I'll meet you guys there." Said Sonic as he raced out of Freedom HQ.
"I'll give him a hand. Chaos... CONTROL!" TodStar added before he vanished from the lab.
"OK ladies, I'll let you know when the Tornado's ready to go." Said Tails as he ran outside to prep the group's plane.

Sonic was already in Downunda when he was stopped by TodStar, who appeared via Chaos Control.
"Whoa, this place has barely changed..." Said TodStar, as he looked around.
"You can look at this place once we get Angel Island back in the sky." Sonic told him. "How about we race there? My speed vs. your Chaos Control."
"Oh, you're on. Chaos CONTROL!" TodStar yelled as he vanished with Chaos Control, and Sonic zoomed towards Angel Island with all the speed he had.

By the time Sonic arrived on the edge of Angel Island, TodStar was already waiting for him.
"Aw, SHOOT!" He yelled.
"Ha ha! Never challenge a bloke who can control time and space, mate." TodStar cheerfully replied.
"Yeah, whatever. Well, there's Eggman's ship..." Said Sonic, pointing at the Egg Carrier that was just visible above the treetops.
"Yeah, but how're we gonna get it off the island?" TodStar asked before he heard rustling.
"You won't have to." Said a voice unknown to both Sonic and TodStar, as the owner of the voice leaped out of the bushes, revealing a red echidna.
"And you are...?" Sonic asked him.
"(He seems familiar to me... but why?)" TodStar thought.
"My name is Knuckles." The echidna replied. "...and you will regret setting foot on this island!"

END OF CHAPTER

Emerald Count:
Nicole - Purple Chaos Emerald
Gamma - Green Chaos Emerald
TOTAL - 2 Chaos Emeralds