We enter the second story arc with Chapter 7! I apologize for the little hiatus. It'll probably be another good while before the next one as well.

Just a heads-up for this chapter. The focus of this chapter is on Zelda and Amy instead of Link and Sonic. No, this isn't a filler chapter; it is actually an important part of the story. This will be the only chapter where I will focus on other characters besides the main ones.

Anyway, on with the story! And don't forget to leave a review!

Chapter 7: Zelda's Escape

The terrain of Hyrule was changing. Palm trees were sprouting in the forests and fields. The grass and dirt started to bear checker patterns. A large facility was being built next to Hyrule Castle, which had been taken over by the dark lord. And yet, nobody thought that this strange occurrence meant anything.

High in the sky, a humongous flying red battleship soared over Hyrule. It was known as the Egg Carrier. Inside, a very fat man with a bushy mustache and a red jacket was glaring angrily at Shadow, who had just returned from his mission.

"I am disappointed in you, Shadow," the fat man said sternly. "You let those fools take that Chaos Emerald!"

"I am sorry, Doctor," Shadow said. "I challenged Link for the emerald and lost. I had underestimated him. It will never happen again, Doctor."

Just then, another person stepped in: a tall man wearing black armor and a red cape. He had deep-green skin, orange-red hair and sideburns, and a jewel embedded in his forehead. His metal boots clanked as he walked in.

"Dr. Eggman," the man said in a deep voice, "Our troops have detected where another Chaos Emerald is hidden."

Eggman turned around to face the man. "Excellent," he responded. "Where, exactly?"

"At the Ice Caverns," the man answered.

Eggman faced back at Shadow. "I'll give you another chance, Shadow. Bring me that Chaos Emerald from Ice Cavern. Fail me again, and you shall suffer the consequences."

"Understood, Doctor," said Shadow. He skated out of the room, passing by the tall man.

"Do you still trust him?" the man asked.

"Of course," Eggman answered. He walked over to the window and gazed outside. "You know, Ganondorf, I should thank you for your assistance in finding the emeralds and fending off that pesky hedgehog, along with the swordsman you call 'Link'."

"My pleasure, Doctor," Ganondorf said. "And I should thank you for lending me your robot army and this fine aircraft. It makes a fine prison for my captive, the lovely Princess Zelda,"

"Along with Amy Rose, Sonic's friend," Eggman added. "Soon enough, this world will be ours!" (He was about to say "mine", but quickly corrected himself.)

Ganondorf walked up next to Dr. Eggman. "And there will me no one above us!"

They both laughed maniacally.

Elsewhere within the aircraft, a princess wearing a white-and-pink dress and a pink hedgehog in a red dress were locked up in the prison cells. They managed to hear Eggman and Ganondorf's conversation.

"This isn't good," said the princess in worry.

"You're telling me, Zelda!" the pink hedgehog said in agreement. "I might never see Sonic again!"

"That's not what I mean, Amy!" Zelda said. "The fact that they are working together only makes this situation worse! When Ganondorf and Eggman formed their pact, Hyrule and your world... what was it again?"

"Mobius," Amy answered.

"Right," Zelda said. "Anyway, Hyrule and Mobius started coming together and are slowly becoming one."

Amy gasped.

"If we don't find a way to stop this," Zelda continued, "our worlds will become corrupt and eventually be destroyed!"

"Oh no!" Amy gasped again. "But how do you know this?"

Zelda held up her right hand, showing a triangular marking on it. "The Triforce of Wisdom gives me the knowledge of such things."

"If what you said is true, we could all perish! We have to find Sonic!" Amy declared.

"And Link as well," Zelda agreed.

"But we're locked up in here," Amy pointed out. "And the security here is strict. We might not make it out in time!"

"The situation is desperate," Zelda said. "We have to escape, no matter what! Fortunately, I have a plan."

She held up her right hand. The marking of the Triforce began to glow. Zelda vanished behind a flash of light. When the light dimmed, a person dressed like a ninja stood in her place. The person bore the sheik symbol-a singular eye with a teardrop beneath-on his chest.

"Whoa!" Amy said in disbelief. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I am Sheik," said the ninja. His voice sounded like Zelda's, but somewhat deeper. "This is my disguise. Just stay close and we'll escape together safely."

"But how do we break out of this cell?"

"Observe, little hedgehog," Sheik said. Sheik kicked the cell door down with ease. The instant the door broke, sirens wailed and red lights flashed.

"BREAKOUT ALERT! BREAKOUT ALERT!" blurted the alarm.

Eggman and Ganondorf heard the alarm go off. "Breakout?!" Eggman shouted. "It's those brats! Send out the troops!"

Ganondorf rushed and grabbed the microphone. "Report, all troops!" he commanded. "Stop those prisoners, no matter what! We can't let them escape!"

"Not good!" Amy said in worry. "They already know our plan!"

"There's no time to waste!" Sheik told her. "Let's move!"

Sheik and Amy quickly navigated the corridors of the Egg Carrier, but it wasn't long before a horde of Ganondorf's monsters blocked their path. "HALT!" growled a pig-faced moblin. "Do not try to escape!"

"Don't think that we won't!" Sheik said. She reached behind her back and pulled out a golden bow. As she pulled back the string, a golden arrow magically materialized. Sheik then released the string, launching the arrow straight at the monster horde and knocking them all out.

"Wow!" Amy said in pure awe. "What a shot!"

"Thank you, my friend," Sheik said. "But the battle is not over yet. I'm certain that they're sending reinforcements."

They continued running down the corridors until a band of Eggman's robots blocked their way. "THIS IS AS FAR AS YOU WILL GET," beeped one of the robots.

"Oh yeah?!" Amy said. Her confidence had built up. She reached behind her back and pulled out a giant mallet. She swung the mallet around, knocking every robot out of the way.

"Great work, Amy," Sheik said. "Now let's hurry!"

Eventually they reached a staircase at the end of the hall. The stairway led them to the top deck of the Egg Carrier. Sheik looked around for a safe way down, but the aircraft was so high up that the ground seemed too far down. Soon enough both groups of minions found their way atop the deck and surrounded Sheik and Amy. They were cornered. The monsters and robots all lunged to attack, but Sheik thought quick.

Sheik held out her arms and said, "Nayru's Love!" Instantly, a blue force field formed around the two. The minions tried to bust through the shield. The force field started flickering as the minions attacked.

"Now what do we do?" asked Amy nervously.

"This shield won't last for long," Sheik said. She looked over the side of the ship. "Our only choice now is to jump off!"

"What?!" Amy shrieked. "Are you crazy?! We can't survive a fall like that!"

"What other choice do we have?" Sheik said. "Grab my hand!"

Amy grabbed Sheik's hand, unsure about her plan.

Sheik took Amy under her arm and leaped over the side of the ship just as the shield faded. The monsters and robots could only watch as the two fell.

Amy was screaming the entire way down. As they fell, they could see a volcano right underneath them. Worse still, they were right above the lava-filled crater. "We're about to land in lava!" Amy shrieked. She shut her eyes.

"Oh, no we're not," Sheik said. "Farore's Wind!"

As soon as she said those words, they vanished from midair and reappeared on the ground next to the lava pit. Amy slowly opened her eyes and looked around. "We're... we're alive...?" Upon discovering that they were safe, Amy let out a sigh of relief. "You really had me worried there! But where are we?"

"This is Death Mountain," Sheik said, "and that means that Kakariko Village is nearby."

"But what about Sonic and Link?" Amy asked.

"I would guess that they're on their way to the Shadow Temple, which is also near Kakariko." Sheik paused briefly in thought. "They might be passing by the village now! We must make haste and warn them about the crisis!"

Without hesitation, Sheik and Amy rushed off to the village.

"HOW COULD YOU LET THEM ESCAPE?!" Eggman yelled at a short, orange robot (an Egg Pawn).

"I'm sorry, Dr. Eggman," said the Egg Pawn. "They had outsmarted us."

"That's no excuse!" said Eggman.

"However," the robot continued, "We have a puzzling situation."

"And what would that be?" questioned Eggman, as he stroked his mustache.

"The person that accompanied Amy in her escape was identified as 'Sheik', but Zelda was not with her. When we checked the cell, but prisoners were gone."

"Hmmm..." Eggman said in thought. "How interesting... Still, it matters little. Send out more troops!"

"Yes, sir!" answered the Egg Pawn, saluting. The little robot exited the room.

Eggman sent out a message to Shadow. "Report, Shadow!"

"Reporting, Doctor," answered Shadow's voice. "Just found the Chaos Emerald."

"Excellent," Eggman said. "But don't return yet; I have a new mission for you."

"What is it?"

"Our two prisoners Zelda and Amy have just recently escaped. I want you to find them and bring them back to me. Do you understand?"

"Understood," Shadow answered.

"And remember," Eggman added, "Do not fail me again."

Nothing like a little Sheik action, am I right? ;)