Hello! Sorry about the long wait everybody, but I needed to cut down on my workload, it was completely overwhelming, but I'm back to updating this story! Let's get back at it!
MilesADChipmunk: Thanks! All their personalities and designs are loosely based on themselves from Sonic Boom. But many have distinct personality quirks or differences that separate themselves from their canon selves!
Obliviblur: There's reasons for everything! All of which will be explained over the course of the story! I'm happy you like this story!
Yori Micah: I'm sorry you didn't like this story, I know it's not everybody's favorite, but I write what I want to! I completely understand however!
Let's get started!
Sonic Boom: The Ancients
The Ultimate Lifeform
Lyric's relocation went smoothly, it did require effort from all five of them, but they managed none the less. Lyric's frozen stone self was now located at the inner sanctum of the temple, directly where they could all keep watch on it, and where it could be a constant reminder of what would happen if they failed.
After moving it however, things quieted down. Root and Bolts injuries had fully healed and all of Lyric's remaining forces had been defeated. It would seem that the Ancients didn't have much distraction outside of locating the cure for Lyric's insanity for several days.
That was, until Ruby had a potential breakthrough as he was studying the Primal Crystal.
"It's like a living being!" He thought. Plenty of time to think had given him the idea to approach the problem not treating the Crystal as just a power infused rock, but rather, as a living being.
He quickly rushed to Rose as told her about his idea.
"It's something we haven't experimented with," He began. "Potentially, it's a way to finally figure out exactly how it works!"
"I can't deny that, and from what I've managed to pick about the Crystal myself it's definitely a possibility. It has some sentience at least."
"Exactly, this could be what we've been missing!" Ruby responded.
Rose seemed to think it over again for a second, but then nodded. "Alright, so what do you suggest we do about it? I mean I know it's a new potential discovery, but I don't exactly know what it could be used for."
"We won't know until we've done it! Maybe something will come up!"
The two of them presented their idea to Blues, who had a similar reaction to Rose on the matter.
"Well, it certainly isn't impossible!" The cobalt hedgehog responded. "I figure it's worth a shot!"
Bolt was convinced of their tests afterward, he decided he would get to work almost immediately in investigating the Crystal's unique properties with Rose's help.
"Alright, first things first. I'm going to run a thorough scan of it." Bolt told Rose. "It shouldn't take long."
After a few moments of silence the results appeared and Rose began to look over the data, and immediately something caught her eye.
"Bolt, come look at this!"
The fox rushed over and looked at the screen, "What about it?" He asked.
The hedgehog pointed to a set of data values. "Look at it, it's information about a DNA strand!"
The information puzzled Bolt, he quickly scanned it over and sure enough it did appear to be a DNA string of some sort. Rose continued with her commentary.
"It doesn't look long enough though, it's only a few bits and pieces…"
"Maybe some of it's missing?" Bolt suggested, they looked over it for a bit, until, Rose had an idea.
"Bolt, I've got something you're going to think is, a bit crazy…"
He smiled, "You know I like crazy, what?"
She pulled one of her quills out and handed it to Bolt, "Scan this, try to get the DNA strand from it."
He looked at her quizzically but followed along with it, "So, what's this going to do?"
"Well, I've read from the inscriptions around the temple that the four of us are connected to the Crystal somehow, maybe it could help!"
The scan finished and the DNA structure for Rose was pulled up, as they looked over the data, Bolt noticed something. "Look at this…"
He simulated a connection between Rose's DNA and the strand they had gotten from the crystal, they matched and Rose's completed a missing potion of the Crystal's.
They looked up at each other, massive grins across their faces. Bolt plucked out one of his own fur strands and did the same Rose had, sure enough, his connected to another missing portion, finishing the sequence.
"I'll get Ruby and Blues!" Rose exclaimed, racing out of the workshop, she returned a few moments later with the other two team members in tow.
"What is it you two?" Ruby asked.
"We need one of your spines," Rose responded. "Same goes for you Blues."
The two looked confused for a moment, before plucking out one each and handing them to Rose. Whom quickly set them up to be scanned.
Bolt was busy fixing small inconsistencies in the strand, but they connected together incredibly well in the simulation, he was already thinking through potential designs for an incubation chamber to test his theories.
As they worked, Root stepped in, as she did however, her eyes went wide as she scanned the room. "Does nobody else see the ghost!?"
The four if them looked at her, confused as to what she meant. "What did you say Root?" Bolt asked.
The badger instantly jumped backward, her eyes taking on a slight cyan hue. "It can talk! Does nobody else notice this!?"
The four of them exchanged concerned glances, Root had been acting strange since the incident with the Crystal, seemingly avoiding Bolt for whatever reason. Ruby calmly escorted her out of the room, as he did, Rose noticed immense amounts of energy in the air, she grew curious, but figured there was more pressing matters to attend to with her and Bolt's new discovery.
"Alright," Bolt began. "I think I've stabilized it…"
Rose looked at it and confirmed, "It looks to be finished, what's it for though?"
"I've got an idea, we could try and build something to, maybe let it synthesize?"
Rose looked over at him for a moment, "Well, it's not going to build itself! Let's get started!"
Bolt grinned and they started to work, drawing out potential plans for the device. They were both incredibly curious as to what the result would be…
-X-
The two worked tirelessly for four days, receiving occasional help from Ruby and Blues. Eventually however, they had finished, now, before them, stood an incubation chamber of their own design. The two smiled and Rose uploaded the sequence of DNA they had acquired from the Crystal. Now, all that was left to do was wait…
And they didn't have to wait long as very quickly cells were born from the genome and began multiplying. It would be at least a few days before anything major happened, but having some development was good.
As the two left the workshop, they passed by the frozen stone form of Lyric, Bolt stopped and sighed, glancing down at his feet. Rose gently gave him a pat on the back. "Hey, we'll fix this…" She said.
"I just miss him… He meant a lot to me…"
"I know, but he'll be alright, we're making progress…"
Bolt wiped away some small tears in his eyes, the two traveled back to their respective quarters, waiting to see what their new discovery would bring.
After a day or two, they had it, something had formed inside the capsule, and judging by how quickly it had grown, it had some form of cellular regeneration…
Everyone was excited, after all, some of their DNA had gone into completing it. So naturally when Rose decided to make the announcement that they were opening it everyone jumped at the opportunity to be there.
Rose was given the honor of activating the release, and as she did, and the machine opened, they were met with something they didn't expect…
A small black hedgehog stood in the center of it, he looked extremely confused as to where he was and who exactly were with him. Ruby decided to be the first to speak, "Hey bud, come here."
The hedgehog stepped toward them, they noticed small red highlights accented his quills. The ebony colored hedgehog was confused who were these people, and why was he here?
They ran several tests to check his health, but, after they had all come back with positive readings. Rose decided on a name, "Shadow, we'll call him Shadow."
"So, what exactly is he?" Ruby asked, as the black hedgehog was busy spending time with Blues, blissfully unaware of the circumstances of his creation.
"He's the creation of a DNA strand we found embedded in the Primal Crystal's data… Hopefully we'll be able to figure out more about what and who he is as we get to know him better." Bolt explained.
Ruby nodded, "I just hope you two know what you're doing…"
"We do, he seems fine!" Rose added.
The echidna walked out of the workshop, he wasn't sure about what to think about the two of them working together on projects more, but he figured that could be put aside, for now, he needed to figure out who Shadow was.
It didn't take long for him to find Blues and Shadow, the former was giving a tour of the temple, although he was probably too young to understand what was being told to him.
That was, until Ruby heard him speak. "So, what do you guys do again?" Shadow asked.
"We try and stop evil things from taking over the world, kind of protectors of sorts…"
Ruby cleared his throat, getting Blues' attention. The cobalt hedgehog walked over to him.
"How does he know how to talk, he's only like a few minutes old!"
"I'm not sure… He just started doing it…"
"I'll ask, Bolt, or maybe Rose, she's probably more familiar with this stuff."
Blues nodded and continued his explanations to Shadow, Ruby returned to the workshop, where he found Rose. "Why can Shadow talk?" He asked.
Rose looked surprised for a moment before responding, "Well, his DNA is sourced from the Primal Crystal, which we already know has some form of sentience, maybe he got the ability to speak from it?"
Ruby puzzled over the thought for a moment, until suddenly, the two were hit with an overwhelming wave of intrusive thoughts… The Crystal flared to life as instantly, the two heard another voice inside their head…
"After all these years, you've done it… You created me a physical body, and for that, I am grateful… However, he must be kept from Lyric's grasp, lest his power be used for evil…"
"What power?" Rose asked.
"You will learn in time, now, I will return to my slumber until my vessel is ready… You have done well, Guardians…"
The pain ceased as the two returned to their senses, their bodies trembling with the newfound information, that was the first time they knew of that the Crystal had directly spoken to them, there were writings about it before but actually having it happen was a whole other story... Rose quickly began to jot down what had occurred, meanwhile, Ruby puzzled over what was said, Shadow was a physical vessel for the Crystal…
He wasn't sure what to think…
Alright guys! That's all for today! A bit shorter but it needed to be to set up the next chapter! Let me know what you thought! Until next time!