Shattered 1/4
Note: I've decided to go back & rewrite the Mecha Sally saga. Starting at Chapter 82. This new version is going to mostly the same, but with a new twist.
(Theme song -Kim Possible by Disney Channel on YouTube)
(Julie-Su's POV)
It's been a few weeks since Amy, Knuckles, & I left Soumerca. Right now, we were in Green Hills, just outside of the Kingdom of Acorn. I watched from a cliff as Knuckles climbed down it, on his way to rescue a Locky that had it's wing trapped under a rock. In it's nest, was a Shard of the Master Emerald*
Knuckles: Hang on, little guy! *when rocks started falling, he glided down & picked up both the Locky & the Shard* Don't you know it's dangerous around here? *he grabbed on to the wall & let the Locky fly while he held on to the Shard* You're safe now. Looks you had one of the missing Master Emerald shards! I might actually find them all in time at this rate . . . *then he let go of the wall & went back to gliding* C'mon! We'll ride this updraft to the top!
They made to the top, where Amy & I were waiting for them*
Amy: Are you okay?
Knuckles: Ha! It'll take more than crumbling rocks and certain death to stop me! Locky here lost his nest, though.
Amy nuzzled with the bird*
Amy: You poor thing! You okay? *the Locky sang* I'm glad you're fine. I can't explain your sense of deja vu though . . .
Julie-Su: Wait, was that the only shard?
Knuckles: Yeah.
Julie-Su: Could more have fallen when - ?
Knuckles: It's the only one near us. Trust me, I can sense them.
Amy: All right. It's just . . . Detected that the rest of the shards were on this island.
Knuckles: I know.
Amy: And the Freedom Fighters are getting close to restoring the world . . .
Knuckles: I know. Angel Island is only floating because everything else is too. If we don't restore the Master Emerald in time, it'll fall straight into the planet's mantle or worse, on somewhere populated . . .
Amy & I put our hands on his*
Julie-Su: Hey, we've still got time and we've tracked the remaining shards here.
Amy: It'll be okay. I promise. *the Locky sang out* See? He agrees!
Knuckles shooed away the bird*
Knuckles: Alright! Alright! Let's just get moving.
Amy: Right! Off to Castle Acorn!
We all headed off towards the Kingdom of Acorn*
Knuckles: Yeah, about that. Didn't we decided against it?
Amy: No, I said we need to see the Ling first. You two said you didn't want to. We started to argue and then you said you found another shard and ran off!
Knuckles: Okay, then I decided against it.
Amy: We're on his land, guys! It's only proper that we get his blessing before we go digging around on it!
Julie-Su: Why? Would he tell us "no"?
Amy: No, but - !
Knuckles: Then what's the point!?
Amy: It's polite!
Knuckles: We don't have time to be polite!
Soon, we were outside the gates of New Mobotropolis*
Amy: If it were the other way around, and someone needed something off Angel Island, would you be okay with them wandering around unannounced?
Julie-Su: She does have a point, hon.
Knuckles: No . . But . . . That's not . . . *he didn't know what to say after that* Fine. We're here anyway. We'll talk to the King.
Amy: Thank you. This way!
We made it to the throne room, only to find the King & Queen meeting with someone already*
Julie-Su*whispering* Oh, not these jerks again.
It was Team Dark. Shadow, Rouge, & Omega*
King Nigel: Ah, Amy! What a pleasant surprise. I was just about finished with Team Dark. *he got up from his throne & went up to us* Ah, Knuckles, Julie-Su, it's been far too long. *we shook hands with him* Smashing duels during the tournament.
Knuckles: Thank you, sire.
Alicia: How is your Mother doing?
Knuckles: She's fine.
King Nigel*to Amy* What brings you back to New Mobotropolis? I thought you were with the other Freedom Fighters?
Amy curtsied*
Amy: I was, but I've joined Knuckles and Julie-Su on an urgent mission. We came to ask permission to search your lands for Master Emerald shards.
King Nigel: Really now! Team Dark was asking for similar clearance.
Rouge: I feel another team-up coming on! Won't that be fun?
Knuckles & Shadow looked at each other intensely. Rouge & I face-palmed*
Alicia: . . . I sense some hostility.
Knuckles: "Some"? Maybe because these three tried to steal the Master Emerald, forced me to shatter it, and got me and everyone on Angel Island into this mess in the first place!
Julie-Su: Easy, hon.
Shadow: We were trying to secure it for the sake of the world.
I was about to step in, but Rouge best me to it. She even put a finger under "my" boyfriend's chin, making me glare at her*
Rouge: And we all almost died because you two got distracted beating each other up. But that's behind you now since there's bigger issues at hand, right?
Shadow: . . . He called me a jerk.
Knuckles: Yeah . . . Well . . . You are.
Amy: I'm sorry, I don't think I heard about this part of the story.
Knuckles: Ahem! It was just a minor scuffle. We stopped Eclipse. That's what matters.
Julie-Su: Uh, by "minor" you mean you two fought each other across Angel Island, giving Eclipse an opening to steal the Master Emerald and nearly getting me, Rouge, and Relic killed.
Knuckles: Not helping, 'Su.
Amy: Yeah, but he and his Dark Arms are still out there. Is that why you three are here?
Shadow: Exactly.
King Nigel: Team Dark believes the fiends have taken refugee somewhere in the territory of the Kingdom of Acorn.
Julie-Su: Wait, you mean Eclipse and his Dark Arms are here?
Omega: LONG RANGE SENSORS DETECTED A BIO-FORMSIGNATURE OF CONSIDERABLE POWER.LIKELIHOODOF IT BEING ECLIPSE AND HIS MINIONS: 85%.
Amy: You guys told me Eclipse was after the Master Emerald when Knuckles shattered it. You don't think . . .
Knuckles: He must be after the shards! And with them grouped together, it must mean he's gathered a lot of them!
Rouge: Looks like we're teaming up for another bug hunt.
Julie-Su*in her mind* Oh joy.
Omega: I DO NOT WISH TO SHARE THE ALIEN SLAUGHTER WITH THEM.
Shadow: They just want the shards. You don't have to share anything.
Omega: UNDERSTOOD. THIS IS ACCEPTABLE.
Rouge: Then it's settled! All we need is your Royal Blessing and we'll get to work!
Alicia: Of course. And the openness of your request is appreciated . . .
King Nigel: However, I am deeply concerned I'm only being informed now. The Black Arms threatened all of us, and so everyone should be informed of their threat. Commander Tower has my deepest respect. He had done much to reform G.U.N., but the old regime still casts a long shadow. The G.U.N. of old put my Father on edge. It made we wary enough to trust Dr. Eggman and Snively once. I would be very disappointed if things were to slip back to their old ways. Am I clear?
We all felt a chill in the air at his tone*
Rouge: O - Of course. I'll pass that up the chain of command.
King Nigel: Smashing! Miss Rose, would you be so kind as to act as the Kingdom's liaison during the missions?
Amy: Sure! *she corrected herself & curtsied* I mean, yes, Your Majesties.
Alicia: You have our Royal Thanks. Be safe, and good luck.
We all left the throne room, Rouge shivering a bit*
Rouge: Brrr! What was that? He always comes across as such a jolly guy . . .
Amy: I know, right? I guess the Kingdom of Acorn and United Federation must have some bad history. Even before the Great War . . .?
Knuckles: Speaking of "bad history" hand them over.
Rouge: Whatever do you mean?
Knuckles: The Master Emerald shards, of course. You know I can sense them.
She suddenly pulled out three shards of the Master Emerald*
Rouge: Aw, you spoiled the surprise.
Knuckles: "Surprise"?
Rouge: Yes. I found them while we were hunting Eclipse. I wanted to surprise you with them once you'd found the others. Oh well. Spoil sport.
She gave them to him*
Knuckles: You're "oop!" just giving them to me?
She touched his nose, which made my blood boil*
Rouge: I've got a job to focus on, handsome. I can't chase after your Emerald right now.
Then she walk away, sending me a smirk over her shoulder*
Knuckles: . . . I'm not sure if that's reassuring or worrisome.
Julie-Su: I'd go with the latter.
Amy: It's three more shards we don't have to look for. Be thankful!
We arrived at the Royal Airfield, where a G.U.N. shuttle was waiting for us*
Shadow: If you're joining us, you may as well ride with us.
Amy: An official G.U.N. shuttle! Fancy!
We all got in & sat down. Knuckles was having a little trouble with his seat belt until he helped him*
Shadow: Don't get comfortable. We're only bringing you for the sake of convenience.
Amy stuck her tongue out at him*
Amy: Don't be mean! The Freedom Fighters are working really hard to get everything needed to fix the planet!
Shadow: So Sonic is running to the four corners of the map, having adventures, and saving the world with Abigail . . . Again . . .?
Amy: Jealous? *he just huffed in frustration* What about the rest of G.U.N.? Are they looking for Eclipse too?
Shadow: No. The Air Fleet has been deployed to the seven largest chunks of the shattered world. Their personnel are handling fallout from the Continental splits, providing survival gear to those displaced by the crisis and so on. The mechanical forces keep peace when night falls and Dark Gaia Energy causes . . . Disturbances.
Amy: Wow. All that almost makes our efforts sound trivial.
Shadow: Hmph. G.U.N. will keep the world secure while Sonic and the Freedom Fighters save it. That is all there is to it.
Julie-Su*in her mind* Which leaves me, Knuckles, and Amy to save Angel Island . . .
We soon arrived at Mystic Caves & went inside after the shuttle landed*
Shadow: Keep your guard up.
Omega: WE ARE ON A "SHOOT FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS NEVER" POLICY.
Rouge: That's "ask questions later."
Omega: MY WAY IS MORE SUCCINCT. *we made it to a broken bridge* BIO-FORM SIGNATURE DETECTED FURTHER BELOW.
Julie-Su: Knuckles?
Knuckles: I can sense the last three shards . . . They're down there. *Amy & I held on to his hands as we all flew down to the bottom of the ravine. we found an area full of crystals* Wow. Who knew all this was down here? This place almost gives Angel Island a run for it's money.
Just then, Amy, Rouge, & I noticed something*
Amy: Knuckles . . . There's only one Master Emerald, right?
Knuckles: Yeah. Why?
She turned his head to the right*
Amy: Then what is that!?
Rouge: It's gorgeous!
What we saw a giant gem that looked just like the Master Emerald. Rouge ran to it & layed on top of it*
Knuckles: What in the world . . .? It certainly looks like the Master Emerald. *he put his hand to it* But I don't detect any power coming from it. It's . . . Just a big rock.
Rouge: Then you don't need it, right? It's all mine, then!
Shadow: The mission comes first.
Rouge: But we will come back for it, right? I need this, Shadow.
Omega: WARNING. ABUNDANCE OF CRYSTAL SURFACES ARE INTERFERING WITH MY SENSORS. I CANNOT PINPOINT OUR TARGET.
Rouge: That's no good. Do our comms still work?
Omega: AFFIRMATIVE.
Rouge: Then we'll keep in touch at least. *she looped her arms around mine & Amy's* Amy and Pinkie can come with me. The King's liaison keep an eye on the super-shady spy, right?
Amy*laugh* Well, I . . .
Julie-Su: You said it, not us!
Rouge: Omega, you can handle yourself. If you find the targets first, try to leave some for the rest of us.
Omega: NO PROMISES. I AM PACKING HEAVY ORDINANCE.
Rouge: Which . . . Hmm . . . I guess leaves you two together! Funny how that works out.
Shadow: Rouge . . . If Eclipse and his Dark Arms ambush any one of us . . .
Rouge: We have our comms, and we know what they can do. We'll regroup and be fine.
Shadow: And if Eclipse gets in my head again?
Rouge: Knuckles can neat the mind control out of your brain.
Shadow: Seriously?
Rouge: No. I know it got dicey last time and Abby isn't here to snap you out of it. But Eclipse and his monsters have to be weak from hunger now. We'll be careful. Plus, Knuckles is one of the very few echidnas left on Mobius. You need to make sure he doesn't get killed before he restores the Master Emerald.
I left with Rouge & Amy*
Amy: Play nice, you two!
Julie-Su: Call me if anything, happens, okay?
Knuckles: Same to you.
Soon, Amy, Rouge, & I were jumping across a bridge made of round green stones*
Rouge: Even the bridge is made of gemstones! So many baubles, so little time . . .
Amy: You give Knuckles and Shadow a hard time about them working together, but you're the one getting bedazzled. Remember the killer aliens?
Rouge: Yes, well, gems are a weakness of mine. I'm still focused on the job. Mostly.
I pointed out another giant fake Master Emerald sticking out of the ground*
Julie-Su: So, I guess I shouldn't point out there's about fake Master Emerald?
Rouge: This place is heaven!
Suddenly, the giant gem grew until it was as tall as a tree & it's branches surrounded us*
(Knuckles' POV)
I traveled through the cave with the Ultimate Jerk behind me. I still don't know what Abby sees in him*
Shadow: A minute ago you the shards were above us.
Knuckles: Yeah, well, they keep moving. If you weren't slowing me down, I might've found them by now.
Shadow: I'm slowing you down?
Knuckles: Grr . . . Look, can we not give Rouge the satisfaction of another lecture? Let's just find the shards, find your alien, and finish this!
Shadow: Agreed. I will finish Eclipse. But the security of Angel Island will remain as laughable as ever.
Knuckles: My family was doing fine until Eggman came around!
?*off-screen* Easy there, strangers! No need for a fuss!
We turned towards the voice & my eyes went wide. Standing in front of us was a tall dark purple male echidna with white marks all over his body, red eyes, dark tan skin, & wearing gray gloves with spikes on them, a gray kilt, & gray boots*
Nixus: Sorry if I startled you, I'm Nixus. I couldn't help but overhear your . . . Conversation. Now, I don't know anything about any aliens, but I've been some Master Emerald shards myself.
Knuckles: Wait, WHAT!?
To be Continued . . .