I'm thinking about starting another story. It'll take place after Sonic X. Sound interesting? Let me know what you think!
This one's twice as long as the others! Enjoy!
It had been five years since Knuckles had spilled everything he knew about the Master Emerald. The information was slipping my mind, but that didn't matter. I had it all documented, like any good scientist would. A quick search of my database brought the notes up immediately. I clicked it to refresh my memory.
The red hedgehog described the Master Emerald as sentient, though he did not use that word. I doubt the buffoon knows many words. He says that the Master Emerald can control the chaos emeralds if he wants it to. According to his ancestors' texts, chaos energy is a divine power that exists everywhere at once, but can only be drawn upon through altars and temples devoted to chaos. They believe that the chaos emeralds and Master Emerald were "forged in the heavens" by some deity of chaos. He also said that something's sleeping inside the Master Emerald, but that's all he knows. I'll dig deeper into that subject later. Finally, he mentioned that the Master Emerald was brought to a temple or altar to recharge, but that the chaos emeralds could recharge at long distances through a simple connection with the Master Emerald. He doesn't know much more because the Master Emerald "doesn't really like to talk about itself." He's crazy, if you ask me, but I've learned that the Master Emerald is certainly worth stealing!
"Of course: nothing about it being shattered!" I clicked out of the notes. But… Maybe I could use the altar to recharge pieces of it. That won't help me find the other pieces, but I can find the chaos emeralds with it - it was pure luck that I was close enough to the emerald for a ring to detect it, but now I'll be able to find the other three emeralds in no time! If… If the pieces can actually recharge… Don't know until I try!
Once again, I went to the hangar and boarded the Eggmobile. The five fragments were still there. I located Angel Island on the map and took off.
x-x-x
I was the first awake, as expected. I made my bed and went downstairs to make breakfast. Sonic would have been snoring on the couch, but he was a robot - he couldn't snore. In the kitchen, I took out pancake mix, milk, and a griddle. I poured a proportional amount of mix and milk into a bowl and mixed it. I poured three large circles of the thick batter onto the griddle. Just before the first side of the pancakes were finished cooking, Knuckles came down the stairs.
"Mornin', Tails!"
"Good morning, Knuckles! Want pancakes?" I flipped the half-cooked cakes.
"That sounds great!"
"They'll be ready in a second. Go wake up Sonic for me."
"Okay!" Knuckles left the kitchen. After a moment, I heard a metallic bang, a surprised shout, and hysterical laughing. Fighting then broke out in the living room.
"PANCAKES ARE READY!" The fighting immediately stopped, and they were both in the kitchen in a second. They sat at the table and waited for their food. Once the pancakes were finished, I set them on three separate plates and served them. I knew that Sonic wouldn't be able to eat, but I wanted to watch him try. He picked up a piece with his fork and put it where his mouth would be, only to hit it against his metallic surface.
"Dang it, Tails!" Knuckles and I laughed. Sonic dropped the fork on the plate, pushed it to Knuckles, and crossed his arms. I finished my breakfast quickly and went upstairs. I put Knuckles's used sheets in the washing machine and came back down. Knuckles was done eating, so I collected the plates and placed them in the seats. After a moment, Knuckles spoke up.
"Who's ready to take down Eggman?" He stood up, awaiting an answer.
"I sure am! What about you, Tails?" Sonic looked at me; I thought for a moment.
"Maybe," I answered. "Or we could track down the last three emeralds."
"That's a good idea," Sonic commented.
Knuckles rested his fists on the table and thought for a moment. "Well, since Eggman's still out there, he's still a threat. If he puts the Master Emerald back together, we're in trouble!"
"And how's he gonna find those pieces? They don't have any chaos energy in them, so he has no way of tracking them down. And… How many pieces does the Master Emerald always break into? Twelve?" Knuckles nodded. I continued. "Yeah… he's not finding them soon."
"If he brings a piece of the Master Emerald to its altar, it'll start to regenerate its energy… And… You know, the Master Emerald isn't just a powerful rock - it speaks to me, it listens, it's wise and knowledgeable, it's... it's sentient! It wants to put itself back together, so it'll share any energy it has with its pieces - it'll even try to pull itself back together if it has enough energy! And that's a perfect way for Eggman to find the other pieces."
I only heard one problem with his explanation. "How would Eggman know to bring the pieces to the altar?"
Knuckles made a deadpan face, then frowned. "I, uh… I told him a lot about the Master Emerald the first time we met… when he convinced me to steal the chaos emeralds from you…"
"Knuckles," Sonic said, shaking his head.
"Shut up! That's in the past!" Knuckles sat down again. I was growing tired of standing and sat down, too. I had another question.
"Why hasn't he done that yet?" Knuckles shrugged his shoulders.
"Who knows? He may have just wanted to grab a chaos emerald before he did it! Either way, we need to go to Angel Island - just in case."
"What if he's collecting chaos emeralds instead? Then we'd just be wasting time on Angel Island while he gets the other three emeralds."
"Wait," Sonic interrupted. "Tails, check my locator! We'll know exactly where he is! He still has your communicator, right?"
I shook my head. "I checked earlier. He tossed it out after he escaped. It's in the middle of a forest."
"Alright, how about this: drop me off at Angel Island while you two look for the emeralds. Tails, go get your communicator so I can tell you if Eggman shows up. How's that?" Sonic and I nodded in agreement. He nodded back. "See, I can come up with plans, too!"
"Never doubted ya, Knux," Sonic teased. Knuckles growled, so I ran off before another fight started. I followed Sonic's locator to my communicator's position and returned home with it. I left the two alone for three minutes, but I was surprised to find that nothing was wrong.
"Wow! I expected at least something to be broken… Good job, you two!"
"Yeah, can we go now? Whatever Eggman's doing, we need to hurry up and stop him!" Knuckles stood up and headed towards the door of my workshop.
"Yeah. I'll get the emeralds from my room." Sonic and Knuckles entered me workshop while I retrieved the chaos emeralds. I brought them down to the plane and inserted them. Knuckles was riding the wing while Sonic sat in the passenger seat. I smiled. "Guess what!"
"What," they both asked.
"We've got four emeralds. That means a six hundred twenty-five kilometer radius!" Neither of them really cared.
"Cool! Let's go, now!" Knuckles was getting impatient. I started the plane and directed myself towards Angel Island.
x-x-x
I placed the armload of pieces onto the altar. I started at them for several seconds. My patience was wearing thin - ten whole seconds and nothing happened!
"You gonna recharge or not," I snapped. There was a subtle flicker of light. I studied it closer. Did it react to my words? "Recharge!"
The light flickered once more. It did, but I need it to stay! "Recharge permanently!"
The light returned - and stayed - but it was only a pinpoint. If it's really sentient, maybe compliments will help. "Recharge… O, good Master Emerald!"
The light grew. I smiled and laughed at my small victory, which caused the light to become even brighter. Oh, yeah! Chaos is powered by… emotion and stuff! "O, great… powerful Master Emerald! I request thee to… regain thy… awesome power!"
The light did not become any brighter, but it spread slowly over the five pieces. Much of it was still left dark, though. So you like praise, huh? "O, great, powerful, wise Master Emerald! Be restored to thy… glorious beauty! I call upon the power of chaos to, uh… rekindle thy mighty light!"
The light spread until it engulfed all five pieces. To my great annoyance, the light dimmed. I balled my fists, and the light immediately returned. Just then, the pieces began to emit a familiar sound: several vibrations of various pitches. I uncurled my fists and watched in wonder as the light began to pulse eerily.
Your temperamental soul is filled with zeal and petty annoyance. Your chants had little heart, but it was enough to restore my presence. I heard no sound, but the neutral, impersonal voice invaded my mind.
"Sorry, what?"
Your temperamental soul is filled with zeal and petty annoyance. Your chants had little heart, but it was enough to restore my presence, the voice repeated.
"Uh… You… You're, uh… You talking to me?"
Indeed. I am talking to you. You have shattered me out of desperation, and now you summon my presence in an unwhole body.
"Uh, that was Knuckles who shattered you."
I do not heed corporeal figures, but the souls of those who inhabit them. You have inhabited multiple frames.
"Oh, uh… Sorry 'bout that…" I really hoped that I hadn't upset the Master Emerald. There was no telling what would happen if the power of chaos were against me!
I cannot be upset, nor can the power of chaos be turned against anyone or anything. I am ever unbiased. I yield power that is equivalent to the strength of the emotion of those who call upon me, limited only by what is available to me.
"Oh, really?"
Indeed.
"Do you answer questions?"
I do.
"What's the meaning of life?"
Life does not have one common meaning. Many lives do share meaning, but many vary. Do you wish to know the meaning of your life?
"Yes."
The meaning of your life is to bring hope and joy to others.
"What? That's impossible! I spread destruction and despair!"
You have caused minimal destruction. The temporary despair you bring lays the foundation for unshakable hope. The terror you inspire creates room for joy when you are defeated.
"Bah, shut up! Where are Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles?"
They are on this island.
I cursed under my breath, snatched the pieces of the Master Emerald from the ground, carried them into the Eggmobile, and flew off.
Edit: Thanks for pointing that out, gabage6.2!
Well… The Master Emerald spoke to Eggman for the first time! I hope you enjoyed!
Eh, you know what I'm gonna say next.