Review Responses:
To dbehi1: That's an astute observation. Keep at it. Comments like that is the reason why I keep writing. More on Sonic being an introvert down in the Author's Notes. And PS, Amy here is 14 years old instead of 12, and Sonic's 16. The characters age in real time.
To Void Reader: The song that was at the end of the last chapter was called "You're My Hero". It's from Sonic 3D Blast. In this continuity, Breezie wrote it during her career as musical artist.
What must be done… …The servers are the seven Chaos.
Chaos is power. A power enriched by the heart.
The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos.
…Feel within… The sea of Chaos… And the ancient waves.
May the light of its power shine down eternally and protect us all.
Royal Chao Garden, Castle Acorn, New Mobotropolis
A full week had passed since the battle of the Music Festival. Within the beginning of the next week, Sonic had been released from the hospital on the doctor's order to not over exert himself and to avoid any form of combat. The hedgehog complied, deciding to take it easy by hanging out with his Uncle for a few days. In between that time period, coverage of the festival's events had highlighted the bravery of Sonic and the Freedom Fighters, bolstering the overall positive reception for the hedgehog and his friends joining the Acornian resistance.
Now, in the grassy terrain of Chao Garden located in Castle Acorn, Knuckles the Echidna sat on the rock by a pool where dozens of Chao frolicked and played. Ever since the Flood of Station Square, the last remaining Yaotl had a knack to dwell near the mystical creatures in memory of his ancestor, Tikal. His tribe's past mistakes, while he had long since accepted and moved on from, had not left his cognition entirely. In fact, it only strengthened his resolve to be mindful of his duty to guard the Master Emerald and to preserve the nature of his island, including the animals and life that thrive on it.
While watching the winged pixie-like species, Knuckles addressed his thoughts aloud.
"I've made notable progress in my quest to restore the Master Emerald to its former glory." The red echidna stated. "Already, I've recovered four pieces in my search. But there's still four more of them that have yet to be reclaimed. I intend to find them. Speaking of the Master Emerald…"
Knuckles began to recall a particular vision that was shown to him when he touched the third shard. The image of a darker Sonic burned in the back of his mind.
"...I still can't rid myself of that image that the shard sent me. It looked like Super Sonic, but he appeared to be ensnared in this dark and twisted aura. I don't know what this means, or if this is some kind of vision of the future. I have a bad feeling about it." Knuckles recounted before shaking his head. "And that meeting with the king and Princess Sally didn't help shake this mood either."
-Flashback, Freedom HQ 72 Hours Ago-
Knuckles and Princess Sally entered the conference room inside of Freedom HQ. Approaching the table, the echidna was greeted with the appearances of Sir Charles and King Maximilian Acorn awaiting the two to seat themselves.
"Good afternoon Daddy, Sir Charles." Sally politely greeted the older men with a nod as she approached the table.
"Afternoon Princess/Darling." Both Sir Charles and King Max greeted the girl respectively.
The ruler of Acornia then turned to the echidna and said, "Greetings, Knuckles. How has the day treated you so far?"
"It has been fine. Uneventful, but peaceful. I have nothing to complain about." Knuckles spoke truthfully as he and the princess seated themselves.
"That's excellent to hear, young man." Sir Charles added, before nodding to the look of his king.
"Thank you for bringing him, Sally." King Max thanked his daughter as he brought his attention to the echidna. "Do you know why you have been summoned to this meeting, by any chance?"
"Not specifically, Your Majesty." Knuckles answered evenly. "If I had to guess, it had something to do with my question regarding what she saw back in the Sandblast Oil Refinery."
"Yes, well there is a reason for our secrecy." Sir Charles explained. "Forgive us for keeping quiet about the matter."
"...I am unsure that I follow you. Am I missing something?"
Clearing his throat, the king got everybody's attention as he firmly said, "Before I continue, this information is to not leave this room under any circumstance unless I say otherwise. Understood?"
Knuckles nodded alongside Sally and Sir Charles.
"Smashing," King Max smirked as he continued in a serious tone. "Sally had informed me of the actions that Oliver had taken to subdue Spike the Porcupine while you were dealing with Tremor the Mole. It was…unsettling, to say the least."
"Unsettling? What could have Sonic done that left everybody spooked?" The Yaotl warrior inquired. "I've known the guy for years. He can be reckless at times, but the hedgehog keeps his battles clean…for the most part. I never heard of him fighting dirty."
"It wasn't that he was using underhanded tactics." Sir Charles clarified, shaking his head. "Oliver had undergone a chilling change of sorts."
Knuckles' eyes narrowed in suspicion from hearing the scientist's reasoning.
"What kind of change?"
"Knuckles, listen," Sally said, gaining the echidna and the other older men's attention. "...Do you remember when we met back in front of the elevator at the bottom floor of the refinery? And how both Spike and Sonar were unconscious?"
Knuckles gave the princess a small nod silently.
"We were at the end of the refinery where Spike showed his true colors.'' Sally explained as she allowed the memory to replay in her mind. "Sonic and Tails fought against the two while I nabbed the Chaos Emerald. Tails learned of Sonar's circumstances but encouraged her to stand up to Spike. And so, she did. Due to her defiance, however, Spike got so angry that he struck Sonar in the face. This left her rendered unconscious."
"What!?" Knuckles heatedly shouted, breaking his calm composure for a brief moment. "That coward! I ought to cave his face in for doing such a thing!"
"Calm down, Knuckles. He was dealt with." Sir Charles instructed.
"At that moment, I don't know how or why, but Oliver suddenly changed. His fur had darkened as he was surrounded in this ominous dark aura." The princess described, visibly shivering at the memory of how Sonic's presence felt in that moment. "And then, he verbally and physically beat Spike down. You should have seen how vicious the thrashing Oliver gave him. It took me calling out to him to get him to stop. If I hadn't…Oliver might have taken his life."
Knuckles, while remaining silent, parted his lips out of shock. He had never would have guessed that Sonic would ever give into such darker emotions. Sure, all people have their breaking points, but he knew Sonic was not the kind of person to let negative inclinations get to him. To hear that his ally had acted out of character, it left him speechless in an unnerving way.
When he finally worked up the nerve to speak, Knuckles said, "Hmph. Never would have guessed Sonic had it in him to fight with the intent to kill. But if what you said about this change is true, it does match the vision that I received."
The word vision suddenly got the other three Acornian citizens' attention.
"What is this vision that you speak of?" King Max questioned.
"Upon retrieving the third piece of the Master Emerald, it showed me a vision of what appeared to be Sonic. Or rather, a version of Super Sonic." Knuckles explained. "Except instead of being golden, he was pitch black with no irises or pupils, just glowing white eyes. His power is that of Super Sonic, but I can tell by looking at him that it was mirrored into something more somber yet violent and twisted. It was way off from the normal Sonic that I know."
"Wait! Was that why you acted strange back in the vault?" Sally asked for clarification as she realized the echidna's past actions. "Because of what you saw?"
"That's right," Confirmed Knuckles.
"Based on my research and evidence from the past," Sir Charles said, reeling the other people's attention back to him. "I inferred that there was at least a correlation between Sonic's two transformations and his emotions based on his connection to Chaos Energy. Sonic explained it to me before, but I'm still unsure of the true nature of Chaos Energy's power."
Out of nowhere, Knuckles answered cryptically, "It's a power intensified by emotion."
The others glanced at Knuckles in a confused manner, with Sally saying, "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos." The echidna said, finishing the ancient prayer.
"That sounded spiritual. That was a prayer, was it not?" The king said after taking in the recited prayer.
Knuckles nodded to the king as he then turned to Sir Charles.
"The power you speak of, Chaos Energy. It is intensified by strong feelings. And the Chaos Emeralds turn the controllers' thoughts into power." Knuckles explained. "I learned this when we were dealing with the water creature that flooded Station Square."
"How does the monster relate to Sonic's dark form?" Uncle Chuck asked curiously.
"The prayer that I spoke came from my ancestor, Tikal. She used it to seal that being in the Master Emerald as it laid waste to my tribe three thousand years ago. The aquatic god of destruction, Chaos. When it was released by Eggman and was given all seven Chaos Emeralds, it turned into that giant sea monster that you saw on the news. But what my ancestor didn't account for was that while the god of destruction did use the gemstones, it only tapped into the negative side of Chaos Energy."
Sally, catching on to what Knuckles was implying and remembering Tails' explanation, said, "Right! He still had the positive energy to utilize. So Sonic could still transform. That's how he defeated Chaos."
"Exactly," Knuckles agreed before thinking aloud. "Though, in this case, if I were to guess, I'd say that Sonic's new state may be a consequence of the Chaos Emeralds or Chaos Energy reacting to his festering negative thoughts and emotions, much like Chaos had done."
A grave expression fell onto King Max, Princess Sally, and Sir Charles. They imagined the power of a darker and emotionally/mentally unstable Super Sonic wreaking havoc on not only his enemies but his allies mistakingly. And given the power that Super Sonic displayed, it only further left a deep pit of fear and worry in their stomachs.
"...Illumina, have mercy," Sir Charles muttered, taking out a handkerchief while wiping it on his forehead. "I'm not even sure that we're properly equipped to handle a situation like this if he were to get out of hand."
"Can we, though?" Sally inquired, having the other men pay attention to her. "I still haven't found a proper method to tap into the Deep Power Stone's magic. Even with NICOLE and everybody's assistance, I doubt we would stand a chance against a negatively powered Super Sonic."
While the king of Acornia was stroking his chin in thought, he spoke aloud, "I suppose that the Sword of Acorns may be needed once again."
Sally and Sir Charles gasped in shock with each of them gaining a look of horror.
Sally then begged, saying, "Daddy, you wouldn't!"
The king held up his left hand, saying "Relax, Darling. I have no intentions to harm Oliver. The sword's mystical properties have the ability to nullify dark powers upon contact. I merely have to touch the boy, nothing more."
"That does sound helpful, but I don't believe that should be necessary." Knuckles said, earning back everybody's attention. "I've handled Super Sonic before, so this Dark Sonic shouldn't be any different."
"How about a compromise, then?" Sally suggested. "I am to keep him from boiling over in hatred and angst. While I'm doing that, Sir Charles is studying more about Chaos Energy so that he can find a way to subdue Sonic if the situation arises. If all else fails, you can fight him as a distraction alone enough for my father to use the Sword of Acorns on Sonic. What do you say?"
Upon hearing this, King Max spoke louder, saying, "All in favor of this plan, say I."
"I," Everybody answered simultaneously.
-Flashback End-
Knuckles sighed at the memory, with the secret meeting never fading from his consciousness. This nagging feeling was thrown off by a random Chao, who decided to chirp in front of him on his lap.
Looking down on the cute pixie-like creature, Knuckles' stern exterior slowly melted. Taking one gloved hand, the Strongest Thing Walking gently patted the Chao. Both he and the Chao felt a wave of calmness soothe their bodies and minds in that moment.
'...Perhaps, I shouldn't be too concerned about this. Sonic has had tough times before, but he always found a way to bounce back from it. Still, if there comes a time where he loses it like what the Master Emerald has shown me, I'll step in to take him down and do what I can to help him out. I'll just have to wait and see what happens until then. Hopefully, the princess can buy us a bit more time.' Knuckles thought to himself with cautious optimism.
Freedom HQ, New Mobotropolis, Acornia
In the base of the Knothole Freedom Fighters, Rotor was replaced by one of the smaller computer setups with Tails standing next to him. The two inventors ran into each other on their way to Freedom HQ and decided to hang out and swap old stories as they got to work.
Now, Rotor was currently going over the footage of Sonic's ludacris feat of speed, replaying it over and over to wrap his head around the prerecorded video. As Rotor did this, Tails had been standing next to him from time to time before retrieving materials to craft Sonic's new footwear.
"Okay, okay. I gotta wind it back again," Rotor said, playing the video over again as it showed Sonic blitzing Metal Robotnik, covered in blue bio electricity.
Tails, coming back to the desk across from Rotor's computer setup, had come back holding all of his tools wearing different attire thanks to his parents. Much like Rotor, the twelve-year-old wore a brown toolbelt, silver goggles with blue lenses over his head, a blue bandana around his neck, and blue and white boots.
"Are you still watching that, Rotor?" The genius inventor inquired, "Dude, it's already been like a week."
"I know, I know, but I mean just look at this!" Rotor empathized, pointing at the barrage of spin attacks that left a lot of bright trails of light on the dented Metal Robotnik's metallic body. "I'm amazed that the amount of force produced didn't atomize Sonic's body. Heck, Robotnik should be quadruple dead!"
Shaking his head, Tails said, "I used to be in disbelief like that, too. Miraculously, both Sonic and Eggman are that resilient. But we can at least chalk up Sonic's knack of surviving death defying situations to his tenacity, stubbornness, and accumulation of Chaos Energy. Eggman is a bit of a mystery. Either his technology is just that advanced or he's incredibly lucky."
"Or both," Rotor offered.
Tails nodded in agreement, saying, "True. But, I stopped questioning things like that shortly after. I just accepted that this was the world that we live in."
Rotor nodded, then logged off the computer to help Tails with their new project together.
The Mobian walrus then asked, "What are we working on today, Miles?"
Tails then laid out the blueprints, with the title on the top right that read "5G Hi-Speed Shoes (Sonic Drives)". Rotor took a closer look at the details and intricacies of the invention and gaped.
He turned his attention back to Tails, who gave him a foxy smirk.
"So…? What do you think?" Tails asked coyly. "Sonar has helped me with the basic concept. I say that the idea's pretty handy. Wouldn't you agree?"
"...Dude," Rotor said, placing his hands on the younger fox's shoulders. "This is gonna be the best pair of shoes ever made. Period."
Seeing the passion and the dedication that the walrus had, Tails nodded as he said, "Alright, then. Let's get to work!"
The two got to work and began crafting the shoes using five Power Rings and three Chaos Drives as material among lesser important parts.
An hour and a half later, Sally entered the base, carrying a peculiar book with her.
When she was passing by the two noisy mechanics, she greeted them.
"Ah," Sally spoke, looking over to Rotor and Tails' workstation with curiosity etched on her face. "Looks like you boys have been keeping yourselves busy."
The fox kit and the teenage walrus placed their tools down and removed their goggles from their eyes to greet their leader.
"Oh, hi Sally!" Rotor greeted the princess in a casual manner. "We didn't hear you come in."
"I figured as much, given your noisy tools," Sally said knowingly, eying at the progress of their invention. "Could you guys fill me in on what you're making?"
Tails nodded, saying, "Sure thing! I'll explain it like this. Take Sonic's Power Sneakers, but give them multi-purpose functions that benefit the wearer. They'll be tailored around his speed and will be able to withstand the force which Sonic produces as he runs with them on."
"And while they will still be a comfortable and best fitting pair of shoes for Sonic, we want the shoes to serve as a pair of tools for him as well." Rotor added. "For example, one of the ideas that was considered was to add specialized jets to support Sonic as a means for him to hover on the water."
"I see," The princess nodded with an approving smile, "That'll definitely work wonders for him out on the field. I have no doubt in my mind that the two of you together will come up with something extraordinary."
"Thanks," Tails said before noticing the hard covered book that she was holding. "Hey, what's that?"
"Oh, right!" Sally thought aloud as she showed the cover to both mechanics. "Sonar had given us new information about Naugus. As it turns out, he's been searching for information about something that he refers to as Iblis."
"Iblis?" Tails echoed, unfamiliar with the word.
Rotor questioned, "What does that mean?"
"According to NICOLE, it roughly translates to adversary, to be silent, and/or despair. In a language lost to time." Sally explained. "I'm exactly sure who or what this Iblis is, but it seems to be connected to Naugus and the patron deity that the kingdom of Soleanna worshiped."
"Are you referring to Solaris?" Rotor inquired. "What would a glorified torch with white fire on it have to do with something foul-sounding like Iblis?"
"That's what I'm currently trying to sniff out. Whatever it may be, Naugus has an interest in it. If we can find out more about this Iblis, and possibly its whereabouts, perhaps we can intercept it before him or prevent Naugus from obtaining it." Sally said with determination.
"Right," Tails and Rotor agreed.
Bunnie and Antoine came a minute later, with the rabbit having both her mechanical and organic arms wrapped around the coyote's arm.
"Howdy, y'all!~" Bunnie greeted, standing next to her boyfriend.
Antoine joyfully added, "I am hoping zat we are not too late."
Sally, Tails, and Rotor turned to see the couple approaching them.
"Hi Bunnie, Antoine," Tails greeted.
The princess placed one of her hands on one of her hips, giving Bunnie and Antoine a knowing smirk.
"You two seem rather bubbly, today. What have you been up to?" Sally said.
"Girl, y'all know very well that Ah don't kiss n' tell." Giggled Bunnie, giving Sally a wink before whispering to her. "There's a youngun' here."
Clearing his throat, Antoine stated, "Ahem! ...Yes, we've spent our free time together and enjoyed each other's company. Enough said."
Bunnie, turning to her best friend, said, "Chur nose iz still in that book, Sally-girl? Overstudyin' like that's gon' drive you insane. Why dontcha give it uh rest an do sumpn fun?"
With the cyborg's face turned coy in a teasing manner, "There is a certain hero who's got your complete attention. When are you gonna start goin' after ol' Sugar-hog, huh?"
Bunnie's blatant statement caught Sally and Tails off guard, which also had the added effect of causing the princess to sputter about with her muzzle turning bright red in embarrassment.
"W-What!? I-I'll have you know that I'm doing n-nothing of the sort!" The girl denied while crossing her arms close to her chest, puffing her cheeks in frustration as she walked towards the main computer to skim through files. "Honestly, I have no idea how you guys came to such baffling conclusions. If you'll excuse me, I'll be updating files"
Tails watched as the coyote, rabbit, and walrus lightheartedly laughed at the princess' stubbornness at her expense.
Tails turned to Rotor and tapped on his shoulder, getting the older mechanic's attention.
"What was that all about, Rotor?" The fox asked in a whisper.
Wiping a tear from his right eye as he sighed in relief, Rotor answered Tails' question casually.
"Oh, it's nothing new. Sally has a major crush on Sonic."
Tails blinked in surprise, saying, "You're kidding! And here I thought Amy was being paranoid for no reason."
"Nope, it's true. She's got it pretty bad for him, even if she doesn't want to admit it," Rotor said, holding back a chuckle. "But Sally swore off having relationships after her last one failed a year ago. We playfully tease her from time to time in hopes of lifting her spirits about seeing people again. And since Sonic's here, the team and especially, Bunnie, have been dead set on getting Sally to make her move. She deserves some happiness in her life after all the work she's put in."
Tails, while admiring how much the Freedom Fighters cared for their field leader, couldn't help but feel apprehensive about her trying to pursue Sonic, given his current state of mind and the recent revelation in regards to Sonic's past relationship.
"I don't know…" Tails trailed off, rubbing his neck. "I mean, I'll support Sonic in whatever he does as long as it makes him happy. In fact, I'm all for it. But…I don't think it's a good idea."
"Huh? Why not?" Rotor questioned curiously. "I know that he apparently had a history with Breezie but that was a while ago. A guy his age would be jumping into the dating scene. Wouldn't Sonic want to get out there and, you know, live a little?"
Tails shook his head, saying, "Sonic's not a typical teenager. I'm not him, but living with him has shown me that it's hard for somebody like Sonic to open up and express his true self. He seems to only be comfortable with others that he's familiar with, but it's to a certain degree. To be honest, I think that he retreats to himself if he's emotionally wounded and hides it with a facade. If I were to make an educated guess, Sonic doesn't take an interest in dating in fear of being vulnerable again."
Rotor averted his eyes to the ground, now pitying Sonic for his situation.
Bunnie walked over to the two, wrapping her arms around the boy's neck in a friendly and comforting manner. Hey! Lighten up, will ya? Sugar-hog an' Sally-girl will come around. Give them time."
"How can you be so sure if that's what he wants?" Tails questioned.
Antoine approached "Have faith, Miles. Our blue friend iz not knowing of what he wants. But I can tell that he iz led by his heart. Our princess iz known to touch ze hearts of those she meets. Very few had even been her lovers in the past. I believe that her own love for her people was what paved ze way to free Acornia and restore ze throne. Perhaps, that could be the love Sonic seeks."
"...I guess you could be right," Tails said, feeling slightly reassured. "I still think that we should let them sort things out for themselves. Or, at least on Sonic's end."
The three older teens nodded while smiling, Rotor said, "Of course! We wouldn't dream of interfering with their business. We're just giving them a helpful nudge here and there. There's nothing wrong with helping our friends out, right?"
Tails nodded, cracking a small smile.
Just as the others were drifting off to different conversation, King Maximillion Acorn had made his presence known as he entered the base and walked down to the command center.
When NICOLE reported this through the main computer, everybody was made aware as they presented themselves to the king.
"Your Majesty," The Freedom Fighters said while kneeling.
King Max evenly greeted, "Good day, children,"
"Father?" Sally spoke with confusion. "I don't mean to sound rude, but what are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting with the High Minister of Auro–"
Sally paused, noticing the unusual sadness in her father's eyes. Something that she hadn't seen since his return from the Void.
"...What's wrong?" The seventeen year old girl inquired?. "Did something happen?"
Walking up to Sally, King Max placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, saying, "Sarah, my dear, this pains to bear such terrible news…"
"W-What news?" Sally said, suddenly sensing a spike dread forming in her heart.
"...It is in regards to Spencer Pierce and Trevor Burrows. They have both been pronounced dead." The king revealed grimly.
Sky Deck, Egg Carrier, Several Miles Away In The Sky
Dr. Robotnik stood at the top of the watch tower while in the Sky Deck, analyzing the design of Metal Robotnik, taking into account the flaws and limitations it had based on his recent defeat to Sonic.
Sure, the doctor definitely wasn't elated at the fact that the hedgehog had bested him again, there was no denying that the results of his mech were more than what he could imagine. The prototype was able to blitz, react, and counter anything Sonic mustered.
It was a nearly perfect vehicle.
And he had Sonic at his mercy right there, much like when the hedgehog arrived in Acornia!
"...And I would have finished that annoying blue pincushion if it wasn't for that blasted echidna and his meddling!" Eggman bitterly spat, recalling Knuckles damaging the Ixis Power Core. "Still, the prototype had shown extraordinary power. This model was more effective than even my Death Egg Robo and Egg Emperor. All that it needs is a bit of refining."
Feeling a chill run down his spine, Eggman stood still with his arms placed behind him with anticipation.
"I was wondering when you would come again..." The scientist neutrally as a dark figure began to emerge from a shadow on the ground five feet away from Robotnik. "…Naugus."
The shadowy figure had then revealed himself to indeed be the Ixis Warlock.
The troll walked along the deck slowly, saying, "Greetings, doctor. Were you expecting me?"
Deactivating the computer in his glasses lenses by pressing one of his golden buttons on his jacket, Eggman asked, "A question has been lingering in the back of my consciousness since the very start of our partnership. How do you plan on utilizing the Chaos Emeralds' power when all seven are gathered?"
Naugus remained silent for a moment, cranking his head forward with an inquisitive tilt to it. One of his eyebrows was cocked
"Oh? That is but a simple inquiry, doctor." The troll lied with a soft sickly rasp of a tone. "When those accursed gems are gathered, their darker powers combined shall amplify my Ixis Magick to near incomprehensible levels, a height that no Power Ring could ever match. With such might, I can grant all your machines the necessary energy to invade every global super power, leaving them at our mercy. The leaders of the world will have no choice but to bend to our will."
Dr. Robotnik, while pleased at his explanation, cocked an eyebrow of his own.
'...Accursed?' Eggman thought to himself. 'What gripe does he have against the Chaos Emeralds?'
"I see," The doctor nodded.
"Doctor, I cannot help but notice that Metallix has been away for quite some time." Naugus pointed out. "Would you happen to know where he currently is?"
Eggman, receiving a notification from his computer through the lenses of his glasses, simply looked overhead with a smirk.
Naugus glanced at the scientist oddly at first, only for his ears to pick up the sound of a power roaring in an engine miles away heading their way. Soon enough, a familiar robot in navy blue and silver emerged from the clouds, soaring quickly towards the Egg Carrier.
This was Metal Sonic, now known as Matellix.
The robot then landed in front of Eggman and Naugus, standing tall with his digital crimson eyes glowing ominously bright.
"Doctor, I have returned from my mission." Metallix stated neutrally.
Eggman questioned, "Were you successful?"
Instead of speaking, Metallix opened up the metal plating of his metallic chest, revealing a small housing unit with his red reactor core as a gray Chaos Emerald sat inside one of the seven other empty spaces.
"Yes," Eggman grinned as he collected the gemstone. "Brilliant work as always, Metallix."
"Save your pointless dotting for a unit that cares for it." Metallix scoffed, turning away from his creator with mild irritation.
"You had him track another Chaos Emerald down?" Naugus questioned, turning to Robotnik. "For what reason?"
"It's all a part of my plan, sorcerer. I've taken your feedback to consideration and have motioned a plan of action accordingly upon my defeat earlier." Eggman said confidently before facing Metallix again. "Let us move on to the next phase."
Without saying a word, Metallix closed his chest back up, flashed a light in his reactor core, and took off to the skies at high speeds using his built in jet engine.
"What are you planning, Robotnik?" The warlock queried.
Eggman smirked, then pushed his glasses against his face.
"...Revenge. Purely cathartic revenge." Eggman stated, as his lenses traced Metallix's location towards a familiar green island towards the southern hemisphere.
Sally's Room, Castle Acorn, New Mobotropolis
Sonic walked down the halls of the royal palace. While expression remained neutral, one could see the slightest furrowing of his brows as his emerald green eyes had a twinkle of concern in them.
He eventually came across Bunnie Rabbot and Rosie Woodchuck, who were whispering amongst themselves, harboring the same kind of worry as the hedgehog himself.
While Sonic approached them, Rosie took notice of the blue hedgehog's arrival and greeted him with great thanks.
"Oliver, oh thank heavens that you're here!" Rosie said, pulling Sonic into a quick hug.
When Sonic got out of the hug, Bunnie approached Sonic and said, "Seriously, chur timin' couldn't be better. Have ya heard whut happend?"
Sonic stiffly nodded, stating, "Yeah, I was visitin' Sonar, Amy, and the Prowers when Uncle Chuck came over to break the news. …Sonar's not takin' it well either."
Forming an expression filled with pity, Bunnie replied, saying, "Oh, thet poor thang. Bless thet girl's heart."
"How bad is it?" Sonic questioned softly, now looking back at his former nanny.
Rosie shook her head solemnly as she explained, "Sarah hasn't left her room since her father told her the terrible news. The girl's utterly heartbroken. We've tried to comfort her, but no matter what we say, nothing seems to get through to her."
Sonic nodded slowly, glanced over to Sally's door, then back to the two women.
"She's been in there for how long?" Sonic questioned.
"'Bout four hours," Said Bunnie. "Can you do us uh solid and talk tuh her? She'll be out o' it fo' days if we don't snap her out o' it. We can't make it as uh team without our leader. We need her, Sugar-hog."
Sonic gave the two a tentative nod. Rosie escorted the teen to Sally's room door as she announced that she had another visitor.
When entering inside, Sonic looked around and noticed how neat and organized it was. He saw a mounted mirror that was over a beautifully crafted long dresser made of oak, a surprisingly small makeup table, a large walk-in closet that was next to its own personal bathroom door, and a window with a blue silk curtain which was right beside a queen sized bed.
There were specific places on the walls where memorabilia, group photos, personal goals, ongoing tasks, and other milestones were displayed.
One, in particular, showed Sally and Spike spending a day at a theme park not too dissimilar to the one in Furville. Sonic could tell that she had enjoyed the late porcupine's company that day.
'...She must have really loved him at one point.' Sonic thought with pity, prompting his ears to droop.
Walking closer, the green eyed hedgehog found Sally laying on her bed, holding onto a pillow with puffy red eyes ridden with tear stains that ran down the tuffs of her cheeks. Her hair was all over the place, and her clothes now had wrinkles and tear stains on them.
This once proud and diligent field leader of the Freedom Fighters, now reduced to a shell of her former self.
'Aw, man. She's takin' this much worse than I thought…' Sonic thought as he mentally sighed. 'Sure got some work cut out for me. I better handle this with care if we're gonna see this through to the end. …Well, here goes nothin'!'
"Sally?" Sonic spoke softly as he approached her bed. "Hey, Sally."
The young woman remained silent, finding her sheets to be more interesting than whoever had entered her room. Sonic frowned at this, with his face shifting into that of a sorrowful and concerned exterior. He folded his gloved hands together with humility.
"...Everything's gonna be okay, ya hear? We can make it past this if we come together and-" Sonic began when Sally cut him off with a tone void of emotion.
"-Everything is not okay."
"Huh?" Sonic uttered in confusion.
"I don't know how much more I can take." The girl confessed wearily, sniffling at the end of her sentence.
Sonic said nothing, rather, he merely approached her bedside and sat beside. Seeing this, Sally let go of her pillow and sat up next to her old friend with her hands placed gently on her lap. The Mobian chipmunk took one look at the tenderness and supportiveness in the hedgehog's eyes and recognized that he was willing to sit back and listen to her instead of talking at her like the other people that visited her.
Grateful for his mature approach, Sally composed herself to the best of her ability and began to speak despite the whirlwind of emotions that she was currently going through
"...I know that he w-wasn't the best guy." Sally whispered. "S-Spencer never the one t-to care about excellent first impressions. Nobody liked him, not even Sir Charles… But he wasn't always like…that. I saw it, t-that noble and courageous man that stood for the right. That was Spencer, once upon a time. The Spencer t-that I fell for. I could have never had g-guessed that he and Trevor would dare side with that accursed monster! And yet…"
Sally gripped the fabric of her pants with her quaking hands, trying her hardest to let any more tears fall from her eyes.
"...And yet, Naugus keeps taking things from me when I least expect it. My old city, my mother, my people, my friends, and loved ones… He just keeps on taking and taking and taking!" Sally vented loudly, processing the built up anger that had been weighing in her heart for so long that she had to take deep breaths at the end of her last loud word. "But I have to press on. It's not like I have time to properly grieve, I have to be ready to lead and stay on guard at all costs."
The overflowing of hot tears finally escaped her eyes, so Sally wiped them off with her left arm. Sally leaned to the side where Sonic sat, only for Sonic to catch her from falling on the sheet covered mattress.
"Sally…"
Sniffling, the Acornian princess said, "Twelve years, we've endured the pain of war. Twelve years, I have been forced to shoulder the blood of my people that had been spilled in warfare due to my decisions or inaction. I don't think I can handle another twelve years, Oliver. I just can't."
"Hey, now," Sonic said with a comforting smile. "You don't have to. You got me, my friends, and the Freedom Fighters, remember? We're here to support ya."
Sally shifted her sapphire eyes to the ground, saying, "Right…"
"...I ain't good at this kind of talkin', but I know what it's like to lose somebody close in life. It hurts like hell." Sonic reflected, thinking about his old foster grandparents before shaking his head. "But their deaths won't be for nothin'. We got a plan, and it's gonna work out in the end. But for that to happen, we're gonna need the best of the best. And we can't finish this war without you, Sally."
Sally slowly turned to Sonic, visibly touched by the hedgehog's words.
"Sonic…do you really think that highly of me?"
The hedgehog had taken the opportunity to gently get her off the bed and stand up.
Sonic nodded positively, saying "Sure do," as he brought right gloved hand up and opened up his pinky finger to her.
"What are you-?"
"Listen, don't feel so glum. We'll make it through this together, no problem! I'll have ya smilin' by the end of this. Count on it!" Sonic said, flashing a toothy grin.
Sally felt her heart swelling up with hope.
Raising her left hand with her own pinky finger, she asked the Blue Blur, "...You promise?"
Sonic intertwined his finger with Sally's, declaring, "Mhm! That's a promise, from me to you!"
When Sonic finished speaking and let go of Sally's finger, Sally latched on to the hedgehog's gloved hands tenderly, taking Sonic by surprise. She then pulled him to a hug, which caused his heart to pound in a tempo unlike when he runs.
"Sonic, thank you," Sally whispered, placing her head on Sonic's shoulder.
A blush formed on Sonic's muzzle, given the warm and fuzzy sensation that began to spread from his heart and continued to grow. Out of habit, a nervous grin formed on his face with Sonic chuckling awkwardly.
"Heh heh, n-no problem."
The touching moment was cut short by the sound of Sally's handheld computer blaring an alarm, prompting the two to immediately break apart. After the two quickly apologized out of their teenage awkwardness, Sally took out the small devices and materialized her AI confidant which appeared in her holo Mobian lynx form.
"What's the sitch, NICOLE?" Sally asked, now back in her right mind.
"Pardon the interruption, Princess, but it has come to mine and Miles' attention that another Chaos Emerald has been located." NICOLE revealed, prompting Sally to gasp while Sonic sported his trademark grin.
"Already?" Sally questioned.
"Heh! There's never a dull moment with ya'll, huh?" Sonic quipped. "So spill! Where's the Emerald at, NIKKI?"
Sally raised an eyebrow at Sonic's supposed pet name for her AI friend, but NICOLE had paid no mind to it as she answered.
While pulling up a hologram of a map, NICOLE responded, "The location of the signature has been detected in a tropical region on an island in neutral territory."
Before Sally could respond, Sonic instantly recognized the topography and the shape of the small landmass, causing him to speak first.
"Hold on, that's South Island!" Sonic said before slapping his right hand on the right side of his head as he laughed. "Man, what are the odds? It ended up in Green Hill, of all places!"
"That's right," Sally recalled. "You grew up on that island while we were separated. With that being the case, you must have extensive knowledge regarding landmarks and routes there. So, finding the Chaos Emerald wouldn't be much of a problem for us."
Sonic gave the two a thumb's up with his right hand, saying, "Yup!"
"If this is the case then I must cleanse myself once me. I can't exactly lead the team when my appearance is less…presentable." Sally expressed, slightly ashamed and embarrassed at her current state.
Sonic scratched his quills sheepishly while smiling with his eyes clothes, "...Yeah, freshin' up would be the best way to go."
"That is exceptional news, Princess. Should we contact Miles to prepare the X-Tornado?" NICOLE inquired, awaiting her leader's response.
Sonic, however, had beaten her to the punch as he said, "That won't be necessary."
"Oh really?" Sally asked, placing her hands on her hips with a bit of sass. "What makes you say that? You know that we have to get to South Island somehow."
In response to this, Sonic took off his Warp Ring and flicked it up and down with his left hand cheekily.
Needless to say, the AI program and princess had received their answer.
Dr. Thorndyke's Office, Science Department, GUN HQ
Upon receiving Shadow's request through his partner, Dr. Thorndyke had his research specialists scour archives within United Federation's territories in order to compile the findings into a file for the military to have. Within a week's time, the scientist and his research team gathered a ten paged packet and placed them in a file for GUN and certain operatives to see. Once the research and the sources had been verified, Dr. Thorndyke had called for Topaz and Rouge for a scheduled appointment during his office hours.
Soon enough, Rouge and Lt. Commander Topaz Tower entered the man's office.
While the two women seated themselves, Dr. Thorndyke said, "Agent Facet, Lt. Commander! Glad you could make it!"
"Somebody's having a good day~!" Rouge said with her usual flirty tone.
Nodding formally, Topaz said, "Good afternoon, doctor. We were informed that you found some information about what we asked for."
Dr. Thorndyke nodded stiffly, stating, "You'd be correct."
Pulling the door from his bottom file cabinet, the doctor took out a thin file that was labeled classified and placed it on the table for the agents to see.
As Rouge grabbed a hold on the file, opened it up, her face soured.
"...This is it? There's only ten pages of content here." Rouge complained with a hint of irritation in her tone. "Where's the rest of it?"
The bright smile that was on Thorndyke's face thinned, as he explained, "There wasn't much that we could find, unfortunately. We're talking about a supernatural force older than anything documented. We still wonder if this so-called Ixis Magick predates the legend of the Gems of Miracles. We're lucky to have even come across this information."
Taking the file from Rouge's glove hands, Topaz turned to Dr. Thorndyke and said, "Never mind her. We appreciate your team's hard work, nonetheless."
"Would you like the general rundown of what is in the documents?" The scientist inquired, to which the two women nodded.
"Little is known about the origins of this mysterious energy. But the term, Ixis, has roots in Old Spagonian, with the root word "Ix" meaning forbidden. According to ancient text and folklore, it's a darker form of sorcery that involves taking into the power of something that is referred to as the Void." Explained Dr. Thorndyke.
"...The Void?" Topaz and Rouge inquired simultaneously after blinking twice.
"We're still unsure about what this void actually is. Some versions of the legends translate it as the Nothingness, the Darkness, or simply Null." Dr. Thorndyke elaborated as he stared at Rouge to continue speaking. "Given what you've stated to have experienced as a team with E-123 and Agent Black Wind, it's not a logical leap to guess that this alleged Void could be in a dimension outside our own. …Perhaps those mages could be tapping into the power of dark matter, for all we know."
"... I can't believe that I'm entertaining the thought, but what can this Ixis Magick do, exactly?" Topaz inquired. "We know about Chaos energy's capabilities and the Chaos Emeralds, so what kind of power are we talking about here?"
Dr. Thorndyke shook his head grimly, "None can be sure of its potential. Its true abilities have yet to have been recorded. However, what we do have is that Ixis Magick is depicted to be a corrupt, vampiric, and deadly art to learn. Murals show ancient beings use it as a means to increase longevity by draining the life out of their victims."
Topaz gasped while Rouge cringed.
"...Ew, that's one sick magic trick. They should have stuck to pulling little rabbit Mobinies out of top hats." The former theif scowled.
"That's not the interesting part," Dr. Thorndyke pointed out. "See, this magic is cursed. If not controlled, any time a person who's not the user gets in contact with it gets turned to crystal. Doesn't that ring a bell."
"...Just like some of our soldiers from a couple months back!" Topaz realized in horror. "Shadow reported this!"
Rouge then asked, "Okay, we get how dangerous this dark magic is, how do we stop it?"
Dr. Thorndyke turned away, not daring to look them in the eyes.
"...I'm sorry. That is all that we have on the subject." The old scientist confessed in remorse. "As far as we know, there's no known weakness or counter for it."
Rouge bit her lip out of anxiety, hating that she would have to return to Shadow's side with next to nothing to show for her search.
Topaz, on Rouge's behalf, questioned, "There's got to be a way to deal with this issue. Isn't there anybody around that you know can at least point us in the right direction?"
Dr. Thorndyke crossed his arms for a moment to think before letting out a soft sigh.
"...I know a fellow colleague who's been in close proximity more times than I can imagine." Said the old man. "I can call in a favor for you and your teammates to go over there and speak with him. But I'd have to get in contact with him."
Rouge's eyes lit up for a brief second before sighing in relief.
"Thank you, doctor. Trying is all that we ask." The Lt. Commander said.
"I'll see what I can do on my end. Cross your fingers, though. My fellow colleague can be quite the workaholic." Dr. Thorndyke stated cheekily.
The girls nodded as they each both bid the doctor farewell and left his office. From there, Dr. Thorndyke opened up his e-mail account and began composing an e-mail with Sir Charles hedgehog ending being the one he sent the e-mail to.
-Time Skip, A Few Hours Later, Dr Thorndyke's Laboratory-
Once his shift was over, Dr. Chuck Thorndyke was walking around with his lab to make sure that nothing was out of place.
Once that was down, he eventually reached the room where the Scepter of Light was displayed on a console under security.
He looked at the scepter with hardened eyes, having a vague idea of what destructive capabilities it had if it were to be released onto the world. Upon second glance and so on, Chuck felt like the energy inside it had some form of life or sentience.
Or perhaps he was finally going senile and he should retire.
Nevertheless, he said, "...I can't explain for the life of me as to why, but something tells me that you had something to do with the explosion that erased Soleanna from the map thirty years ago. I don't know when, why, or how, but you may be a key piece to the puzzle that I'm looking for. One way or another, I will figure you out."
Taking his security card out, Chuck stepped away from the console and exited the lab. While walking down the hall, the temperature began to fall so much, the scientist's breath became visible which sent chills down his spine.
'What on Mobius is going on!? Did somebody lower the temperature of the thermostat? It's freezing here!' The older man thought to himself as a mist with a tinge of lavender began to form
"...Hahahahahahaha!"
The chiling laughter that echoed throughout the misty hallway had raised the anxiety of Dr. Thorndyke as it caused his entire body to tense up.
"W-Who's there!?"
"Such insolence! For countless eons, I've observed the mortal plane until I have been made manifest as means to experience mankind." A raspy voice echoed in the mist, as sounds of heavy footsteps and the dangling of chains could be heard together. "I was to be worshiped, loved, and respected by you mortals despite your inherent flaws. I allowed you to borrow my light to bring hope to all living creatures."
A crystal rod was shot out of nowhere, impaling Dr. Thorndyke through his right shoulder, mounting him on the wall while a scream escaped from the scientist's throat as the crystal rod started to stain with his blood.
As the footsteps got closer and a silhouette began to form, the voice continued, saying, "To make errors but learn from them, thus forging a better world. I had been to that was the essence of a mortal's spirit. But as I have seen and experienced, that simply isn't so. The folly of mankind lies in their entitlement and their fundamental need to subjugate other beings to their will and to know control forces beyond their comprehension. They stop at nothing to get what they want, even going far as to commit global atrocities to obtain knowledge and power. A sickening psychology that remains to be unchanged to this day. And Mobiankind is no different."
As he struggled to free himself, Dr. Thorndyke listened to his words extremely carefully.
'...Light…Hope? Countless eons? Mortals? He speaks like he's some kind of divine being.' Dr. Thoendyke thought to himself while gritting his teeth in pain, feeling blood slowly leaving his shoulder. 'What kind of monster is he?'
The shadowy figure from within the mist began to take a more solid form, with the blood red sclera and the piercing emerald green irises of the figure making direct eye contact with the gray haired man.
'...W-Wait! Those eyes! I've them before! H-He's-!'
"This discernment had led me to the ultimate conclusion. All mortals are a blight in the vast beauty that is creation and threatens all things holy. They have tainted reality through the sin that is their mere existence. Therefore, the only solution the need for a universal renewal. A canvas wiped clean of the Chaos Gods' foolish mistake. And by my hand, I shall make my dream of a silent paradise to be."
"That's madness!" Dr. Thorndyke growled, briefly disregarding the pain that was in his right shoulder. "I don't care about who you are or your cryptic sob story, there's no way to argue for the implications of what you're trying to accomplish! That isn't some sort of "divine justice", you're talking about genocide on a universal scale! Who are you to make that decision on peoples lives!?"
Finally, the figure emerged from the far end of the misty hallway, revealing himself to be the very being that GUN was hunting down.
The Ixis Warlock, Naugus the Dark.
A key feature that was on this malicious troll's apparel was the symbol of the fallen kingdom of Soleanna, which Chuck instantly recognized.
Staring down the the nervous and bleeding scientist, Naugus smirked at him while saying, "Even with the divine gifts of wisdom and intelligence, you are too blind by ignorance to fully fathom what your dealing with. No matter, When I reclaim my other half and collect those accursed gems, I will show this world the meaning of despair. And you will not live long enough to see it."
Just then, using his magic, Naugus had transformed into an identical twin of Chuck, taking the Overlander by complete surprise.
"W-What the-ARGH!"
The crystal rod was suddenly ripped out of Chuck's arm, prompting him to wail in pain. This scream was shortly silenced by Naugus, who plunged the rod through his heart and drained his life force slowly until Chuck's body was completely turned into crystal.
"Begone."
Once the process was complete, the troll, disguised as Chuck, shattered the remnants of the real Dr. Thorndyke into pieces as the mist faded. The disguised troll found Thorndyke's key card and went back to the laboratory. Within a minute, the troll came back out of room, smirking as he held the Scepter of Light within his hands.
'...All according to plan.'
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! It's your boy, DSG451 back with the last chapter of 2022!
Firstly, I would like to thank everybody for sticking around through this year! The time you've taken to read this and the love/support that you've shown it is much appreciated. I wasn't expecting this to be a big story, but the interest that you have for RESURGENCE means a lot to me both as a aspiring writer and as a longtime Sonicthe Hedgehog fan. I'm looking forward to see what your thoughts on about this story overall as it continues to unfold.
Secondly, I have seen the newest television show, Sonic Prime, and I adore it. Canadian Sonic and his cast of friends and shattered variants were entertaining to watch and its story is surprisingly dark for a colorful program. My favorite characters there are Rusty Rose, Dr. Deep, Tails (Nine), Prime Sonic, and Prime Shadow.
Thirdly, I'd like to mention that for the past few weeks, I've been slowly updating the chapters to tweek it a bit and retcon some past lore. One of the major changes is Sonic, himself. Or rather, how Sonic is portrayed here. Sonic's mannerisms and personality has shifted to match and reflect the original Japanese characterization of his Game counterpart while the way that he speaks is a nod to American/SatAm Sonic. That means he is more reserved, speaks less, tends to sit back and watch event's unfold before acting, gets lost in thought more often, and is introverted. This is to make him much more consistent as a character and less polarizing since different places around the world view the hedgehog's character in differently. So, I recommend that you reread the story to spot these changes until you're up to date to avoid confusion.
Also, in the beginning of each chapter from now on, Tikal's Prayer will be the intro of each chapter. This is a translated version of the start of the Sonic Adventure arc of Sonic X that was cut from the 4kids Dub.
Lastly, Cream, Cheese, Sonar, and Amy will not join the group this arc. However. Team Dark, Big, and Team Chaotix will appear in the near future, so be on the lookout for now.
Please, share your thoughts by reviewing. I love reading your opinions and any suggestion might help improve this story in the long run.
Anyway, I'll be signing off for now. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all, and I wish all a Blessed New Year!
-DarkShadowgGames451