IMPORTANT: keep in mind that everything is happening at the same time!
Violet Dreams
Part II
Chapter 30: Dawn, Part 2
"Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil."
Location: Spagonia – 11:45 am
Traversing the busy streets of the Spanish capital seemed like an impossible feat to the trio, but sure enough they pushed and shoved their way through. After visiting a medic clinic to have their wounds tended to, the Chaotix were off once again. Though Charmy was the only one with a serious injury, he continued buzzing around with the same amount of energy as usual. His fascination with the bands playing on the street corners, and the extravagant statues and fountains kept him occupied for the entire trek to the Spagonia University. Students bustled to and from their lectures, acting like traffic. In one direction, a steady flow of students occupied with their cellphones or friends moved away from the school towards cafes or the nearby strip mall. The other direction had a continuous flow of people making their way into the high, iron gates of the University. Past the gates, a great courtyard expanded into view, with a massive statue of a king rested in a fountain.
"Wooooww!" Charmy exclaimed with awe, pointing at the statue. "Look at that guys!"
Ignoring the bee's comments, Vector and Espio made their way to the office of the one person they knew would be able tohelp them out. Ever since the planet was split apart, Professor Pickle had become a great asset in the heroes lives. It was roughly two summers ago that the Chaotix met the witty professor, at a celebration for Tails' invention being bought by GUN. Vector had struck up a conversation with the old man over food, and insisted that tomato sandwiches' were muchbetter than cucumber. After a heated debate, the two actually became good friends. Besides, the Chaotix had to give credit to Pickle for all their latest jobs!
After walking through the halls of the university for what felt like ages, the trio found the door that led to their old friends. After knocking briefly, the team walked in to find the old man delved deep into a book on Echidna History, with a cucumber sandwich in hand.
"So the Nocturnus and Knuckles tribe leaders were actually brothers?" Pickle exclaimed in shock, taking a bite of his lunch and jotting down the information in a notepad.
"Hey there, Professor!" Charmy greeted happily with a wave.
Dropping his book onto his desk gently, the Professor threw his arms up into the air with delight, a smile planting onto his wrinkly features. "Ah! It's good to see you boys! How's life in Spagonia treating you three? Have you come for another job?"
"Er, no," Vector sighed. "We didn't do so hot with the last one. But that's actually why we've come here."
"What is it I can do for you boys today?" the Professor asked, standing up from his large leather chair.
"Well, you see, during our job at the museum last night," Espio started somewhat nervously. "A band of thieves broke in and stole the Chaos Emerald being held there. We were wondering if you've heard anything that could help us out?"
"Hmm, a theft?" the Professor sighed and shook his head at the thought. "Interestingly, there has been three other thefts – all of which involving the Chaos Emeralds! One in Station Square, and the other in Empire City. Were these thieves wearing a robe to disguise themselves?"
"Yeah," Vector replied excitedly. "Have they been caught!"
"No."
"Oh," the trio sighed in unison.
"However I did do some research on their wardrobe," the professor mused, pulling out an old book. "It actually dates back to just after Chaos attacked the Knuckles tribe nearly two thousand years ago!"
"I never took you to be a fashion expert, old man," Charmy snickered, earning a swat to the head by Vector.
"The exact same robes were worn by the presumed Gods of the Echidna culture," the Professor explained, showing a page of the book to the trio. On the page a brilliant painting of eight figures stood in front of a brilliant green light, each wearing a similar styled robe as the figures from their encounter at the museum. "You see, I did some research, and the Echidna's believed the white along the front there, resembled purity. The gold cuffs resembled free will. And the circle on the back stood for unison."
"What's all that supposed to mean, gramps?" Vector asked curiously.
"The purity was relevant because they were considered Gods, while the gold cuffs important because the Echidna's believed the Gods granted anyone who worshipped them free-will. Finally, if the Gods were split, or deceived one another for power, they would crumble, and fall victim to being overcome by the great power of the Master Emerald, you see."
"So these crooks are extremists hooked on Echidna lore?" Espio questioned. "Why don't they just get together and play Dungeons and Dragons while they're at it?"
Shutting the book and returning it to the shelf, Professor Pickle finished his sandwich and sat down. "It's nothing to joke about, Young Espio. The Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds are the living examples that the Echidna lore was more or less true! However, for what reason these crooks are copying the Echidna fashion is beyond me."
"What do you suggest we do?" Vector asked with a sigh.
"I recommend you go reunite with Tails and Sonic! No doubt they put a stop to the crooks back in the United Federations. I haven't a shadow of a doubt that Tails has been researching all that's possible about these figures."
Suddenly a scream from outside caught the attention of the four, each of them turning to the large window lining the far wall of the office. With the shattering of glass, the Chaotix yelped and shielded their face, only for a figure dressed in the black robe to jump through. A portal spun open between the Chaotix and the Professor, allowing the figure to push the Professor in and jump through.
"Professor!" Charmy bellowed, flying after him.
"Charmy, no!" Vector hollered, reaching after the young bee, but came up short.
The portal spun to a close, causing a storm of papers to flutter to the ground. However, a beep sounded from the communicator on Vectors watch.
"Vec!" Charmy called. "I'm on Prison Island! I'm chasing the hooded weirdo, he has the Professor!"
"Don't give away your position, Charmy," Espio spoke up. "Keep silent and be stealthy!"
"Right! We'll be there as soon as we can!" Vector bellowed with certainty.
Location: Adabat
"Omega!" Rouge exclaimed with shock. "How did you find him? More importantly, how is he in such good shape?"
Continuing to input data and commands into the computer, Shadow finally finished and watched as the light flashed brighter within the walls that held their friend. Finally, two red dots flashed to life within the blackness of the robots optical sensors. After emitting a few, long beeps and clicks, Omega stepped forwards. His body shifted around, examining and overlooking his surroundings. Columns of information flashed across his optical sensors, recording everything from chemical make up of the two figures head of him, to information from the Internet about the weapons found in the bunker. Finally its sights rested on Shadow and Rouge, and it approached them slowly, searching its memory banks for records of the people before him.
"Rouge the bat," Omega droned, and turned to face Shadow, who had remained expressionless. "Shadow the Hedgehog. Greetings, teammates, awaiting mission briefing."
"How did you get him functioning again, Shadow?" Rouge questioned with delight.
"Using the technological experience from living aboard the research vessel, Space Colony Ark, Shadow was able to reconstruct my armor and upgrade my weaponry." Omega explained, his upper torso spinning around. "What is my mission, Shadow?"
"His hard drive and AI systems were still tact after he exploded," Shadow informed Rouge, and then turned to Omega. "Locate and track all remaining Chaos Emeralds in the United Federation. Inform me of any movement regarding the targets."
"Tracking three targets," Omega responded, and then spun around to face one of the cabinets. A precise laser shot upwards from its head, slicing the wood structure apart. Laying on the ground, the green Chaos Emerald lay idly after spinning briefly from falling. "One of three targets located. Target two is located in Capital City, White House."
Walking over to the faintly glowing gem, Shadow retrieved it and returned to his teammates, only for a flash of green light to engulf them. As the light faded, the bunker remained silent, only for the generator to power down once more after all signs of life were confirmed gone. The lights flashed off, and once again it was left barren.
Location: Prison Island – 12:00 pm
"Been awhile since we've been here, eh guys?" Sonic called above the roaring wind.
"It's been virtually untouched since it blew up during the fight for the ARK!" Tails exclaimed, surprised that so much time had passed.
"A lot can change in such little time, huh?" Knuckles remarked with a smirk.
As the biplane descended through the clouds, the former landing pad GUN had used for their aircrafts on the coast of the island came to view. With a clank, the landing gear aboard the plane dropped down, allowing the plane to make its landing. As the aircraft skimmed across the asphalt, Tails slowly cut back on the thrust, allowing the plane to bounce gently on the ground, and eventually come to a smooth stop. Immediately the blue hero jumped onto the ground, scanning around him with a grin of nostalgia.
"That's the route I took to find you and Amy before the entire place blew," Sonic explained, pointing to a pathway through the forest. "Man that was crazy!"
"We just barely escaped too!" Tails piped up with a grin.
With a snort of anger Knuckles walked towards the signal on the scanner in his hand. "While you two were having your little adventure," he barked with annoyance. "I was looking for the pieces of the Master Emerald scattered across the country no thanks to Eggman!"
Smirking and slapping the echidna on the back, Sonic laughed. "C'mon," he chuckled. "The ol' Doctor is dead, don't hold a grudge on a guy who isn't even alive! He might come back n' haunt ya'!"
With a grin, Sonic dashed out onto the beach, leaving Knuckles terrified and pale. "H-hey! Don't joke about that!"
"Relax, Knuckles!" the blue hero waved. "Ghosts don't exist!"
"Oh yes they do!" shouted Knuckles angrily. "I had to fight one just to get your sorry ass up to space to save the day!"
"Then you almost killed us, remember?"
Sonic quickly shot across the beach, easily avoiding Knuckles enraged rampage. Tails simply sighed as he walked behind the infuriated treasure hunter, keeping an eye on his computer for any signs of the Emerald being found before them. As the duo walked across the beachfront, and slowly made their way through the depths of the jungle portion of the island, Sonic had ran ahead to scout for danger of any sort – or so he said. Hearing shrill calls of excitement from all around, Tails and Knuckles sighed and made their way through the many tree-trunk tunnels. Finally the scanner began to beep frantically, as the pulsing dot on the screen released rings of light across the black screen sporadically.
"It's right up ahead!" Tails announced, pointing up to a ledge.
Using his namesakes to climb, Knuckles quickly ascended the steep, moss covered rock formation, while Tails simply flew up. As the duo reached the top, Sonic walked up to them tossing the Emerald up and down in his hand with a smirk. Finally he glanced around the scenery, noticing a large fallen tree in the distance.
"Hey, this is where I fought Shadow," he explained. "He came flying through the air, out of absolutely nowhere, and landed on that log over there!"
Pointing over to the mentioned tree, Tails and Knuckles turned their attention to the point of interest, only to find a person standing ready to strike. Before either of them could register what had happened, the figure shot across the wide river snaking through the forest, and jabbed a fist into Sonic's face, knocking the blue hero to the ground harshly. Tails and Knuckles each jumped away as the figure slid between them, the Emerald in hand. With a quick recovery, Sonic jumped back to his feet, and spun to face the thief.
"You!" Sonic hollered, and slung his arm out to point at the cloaked figure. "Just who are you guys, anyway?"
"We're not too different from you three," the figure spoke with a cool voice, which caught Knuckles attention.
The scarlet echidna roared out and quickly jumped towards the cloaked figure, his fist drawn back to strike. Rock and dirt shot up from the collision of Knuckles punch against the ground, the thief having easily back stepped to avoid the attack. Electricity suddenly crackled in the air, and with the crack of thunder Knuckles rolled across the platform with a smoking mark on his chest. Snow and leaves fell to the ground around the knocked out echidna after smashing against a tree. Sonic turned his attention from his downed comrade, and back to the escaping figure.
"Take care of Knuckles," Sonic explained to Tails. "I'll go get the Emerald back!"
In a flash of cobalt light, the blue hero shot across the river, water flying up behind him as he snaked up the current and after the electrical lion jumping across the branches. The blue hero glanced upwards as he quickly jumped from the top of the water to the carved out tree trunk lying on its side. The blue hero shot around the curved chunk of wood as if it were a racetrack, watching as the electrified figure dashed across the water as if he were made of helium. Sonic soared through the air after the escaping thief, and once again shot across the water, this time across a lake. Beginning to catch up to the figure, Sonic noticed the electrical currents spreading from each spot the figure landed, forcing him to swerve between electrified patches in the water. The blue hero quickly drew back his hand, holding his hand out as if holding a baseball. Slowly ribbons of white and blue wind-like energy curled and spun around within his palm. The strands of energy spun and rotated together to form a tightly packed sphere of rotating light within his hand. Smirking, the blue hero sped up and lunged at the lion, thrusting the attack forwards with all his might.
Glancing behind him, the lion quickly shot through a spinning violet portal, only to have it close right before Sonic's attack exploded into a vicious, rotating sphere of cutting wind. Water shot upwards on either side of the attack, when suddenly it died down, allowing the lake water to crash back in on itself. The blue hero jumped back from the point of impact, scanning the water for his target, but found nothing.
"Sonic!" The blue hero spun around on the rock he landed on, finding another figure jetting across the top of the water like a jet.
"Woah!"
Narrowly avoiding the speeding figure, Sonic jumped onto shore, watching as streak of blue energy flared from behind the figure, leading into the same portal the other had fled through. Sonic clutched his fists and readied himself to jump, beginning to run towards the bank, only to realize the portal closed. With a yelp, Sonic shot across the lake with a Sonic Boost, only to fly into a snow bank on the opposite side. The sound of a plane engine roaring suddenly filled the forest, causing birds and animals to retreat and back to their homes. The Chaotix screamed for dear life as the flaming aircraft bounced on the lake, and suddenly spun out of control across a patch of ice on a clearing in the trees. Using the installed ejection seats, the Chaotix shot out of the fiery plane and landed in the trees just before it exploded.
"I suppose that wasn't ready to be flown yet," Vector gulped, as he and Espio fluttered down below Charmy.
In the distance, Vector noticed Team Sonic making their way towards the clearing. The flaming wreck that was once Professor Pickle's experimental jet puffed smoke into the sky, as the flames began to die out. Charmy waved excitedly towards their friends, signaling them over.
"Hey, Vector!" Knuckles called out. "What are you three doing here?"
"Well Charmy jumped through this weird portal after Professor Pickle," Espio explained. "So we took one of his jets, and since Vector here can't fly it properly, we crashed."
"Wait, where's the Professor then?" Sonic exclaimed, excited to see the old man himself.
"Someone in a strange cloak kidnapped him right out of his office," Vector explained. "Say, have you guys been dealing with the same group?"
"I fought off two of 'em in Station Square last night," Sonic explained with a smirk. "It seems like they're planning something big if they need the Professor as well!"
"We had better get to Capital City and see if Amy and the others are okay!" Tails exclaimed worriedly, the Tornado landing in the clearing thanks to Tails autopilot feature. "I have a feeling they're going to need help!"
Location: The Whitehouse, Capital City – 12:45 pm
Screaming civilians and sirens filled the air as Team Dark appeared in the courtyard of the Whitehouse. The same horrific creatures that had attacked twelve hours earlier swarmed through the streets, overturning cars and jumping across the streets attacking innocent bystanders. A bolt of dancing, yellow energy shot through the air, tearing the head of one of the beasts clean off. Shadow quickly turned his attention back to Omega, who had begun firing at a group of the creatures swarming the entrance to the gigantic presidential residence. Drivers smashed their horns madly as the cars screeched and slid into each other attempting to avoiding fleeing citizens. Flames surrounded the gardens lining the gates to the Whitehouse, while the beasts jumped over the iron gates, and swarmed around the walls of the building. Team Dark sped through the chaos, attempting to find their way through, and into the building.
"What the hell is happening!" Rouge yelled amongst the destruction. "Are they trying to destroy the city?"
"It's all a distraction," Shadow relayed, noticing three cloaked figures jumping through to the upper levels of the Whitehouse. "We have to hurry!"
Once again, a brilliant flash of light expanded around the trio, warping them within the sturdy walls of the brilliant structure. Once the light had faded, the team continued their way through the building, and made their way across the winding hallways and corridors. Marble statues of previous presidents lined the hall to the oval room, while the flags of the United Federation hung between each statue. Glass shattered in on the elegant marble flooring, as a swarm of the beasts roared and jumped in their path.
"Chaos…LANCE!"
A dazzling bolt of pure Chaos Energy shot across the hallway, skewering the central beast and exploding into a field of violet energy, eradicating the entire group. Using the sheer bulk of Omega, the trio smashed directly through the wide oak doors, finding the President tied to a chair. The dark hedgehog scanned the room. The floor was littered with the dead bodies of the Presidents bodyguards, and many of GUNs soldiers – many of whom Shadow knew by name. Forcing the thoughts and information of the fallen soldiers from his mind, Shadow noticed four cloaked figures standing with their backs towards the GUN agents.
"Surrender yourselves!" Shadow barked, Chaos Energy dancing around his fist.
Having already encountered the figure to the immediate left, Shadow noted she was Athana from the attack on Empire City. The central figure had its cloak torn, revealing indigo and white fur, while the other two were completely indistinguishable, save for electricity surrounding one, and fire the other.
"Ah, so GUN sent their secret weapon out to play, hm?" the center most figure chuckled, insanity showing through his voice. "Well it seems they're too late! With four emeralds in my possession, I'll be able to cripple the nations defenses, and bring about the first phase to the end of the beginning!"
"It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience." Ivan Janswick quoting Julius Caesar, Project Shadow Test Subject 005, 1947
To Be Continued
AuthorsNote – Now before you say anything! I updated this all at once because, well, it introduces the next arc of the story! Finally we get to see exactly who these disguised figures are, as well as a glimpse of what they want! I already have the next chapter written, but I'm going to hold off on that, just so you can all digest the last four chapters =P. Next time we get into the all out invasion on the world…remind you of someone? Oh, and we've hit the halfway mark of the story! Cheers! Leave your theories, comments and tips in a review!