"The Sonic Test"
Written by SpiderDom321
Chapter 2
~Tails' Workshop – Mystic Ruins – Night
After leaving Station Square in a heartbeat, Amy Rose made it to Emerald Town where Miles "Tails" Prower was informed of tonight's events. Much like Silver and Blaze, he thought the idea was dumb; however, after learning more about it, he realized it could be a lot of fun. With Amy leaving his house to prepare, Tails spent the rest of the day coming up with games for the teams and constructing the grand prize.
The time had finally come.
In the dark of night, a cool breeze brushed against the Mystic Ruins. Silver stood on top of a small hill watching the moonlight sparkling upon a dark sky. Counting the stars to himself, he pondered how pointless the game show was, but he knew he'd feel guilty if he left Knuckles for himself. Speaking of which, he looked down and saw Tails' Workshop in the distance. Orange lights shined from the windows which left the hedgehog to wonder what Tails was doing in there. He hadn't seen anyone else show up yet, so he assumed the fox was still working on preparations.
He let an annoyed sigh escape from his mouth as he resumed his stargazing. In the process, he found himself lost in his thoughts.
This is ludicrous. I come back to this timeline to make sure nothing bad happens, and I get roped into a silly game show. Not to mention the whole thing's about Sonic. I like Sonic; he's my friend, but if he were here, he'd probably use this as a way to promote himself.
He chuckled after having a mental image of a happy teared Sonic finding out there's a game show about him. Shaking his head, Silver took a deep breath and folded his arms.
However, thinking about tonight does bring back some memories. The first time I met Sonic was when I followed Eggman Nega back in time. He crafted this camera that turned everything it photographed into cards. What a stupid plan that was. Well, it would've been dumber had he not thought of turning Mobius into a card. I met Sonic during my journey, and… well, we didn't have the best first meeting. I was impulsive and hot-tempered at the time; I don't like it when people get in my way.
But after that day, Sonic and I became really close friends. I feel I got to know a lot about him since then. Hopefully, that knowledge will do us good tonight.
Oh, what am I saying? This is a dumb idea.
"Mind if I join you?"
Silver jumped back at the sudden voice only to realize it was Blaze, who startled herself.
"Oh! Sorry, Silver. I didn't mean to scare you."
"N-nah, that's okay," he replied, scratching his quills. "What did you ask me?"
"If I could join you. I'm not ready to go down there yet."
"Join the club," he chuckled with a nod. "Actually, no one's here yet. Tails' lights are still on. Makes me wonder if he's still preparing."
In a split second, the lights went dark, and the workshop turned black.
"Oh, they just turned off," Blaze pointed.
"Hopefully, this means he went to bed and forgot about this whole thing."
"I assume you're not looking forward to tonight."
"What gave you that impression?"
Blaze laughed and approached her best friend. "I'll admit, I'm not excited about this either. It seems childish for Amy and Knuckles – and now this Jet character – to settle a silly dispute like this. Although, I spent some time thinking about it, and realized it could be fun. My friends back home are always telling me to have fun, so that'll be a good way to follow their advice."
"Heh, I wish I had time for fun."
Blaze looked at him with a sorrowful expression. "I thought your future was peaceful."
"It is. It's been that way since the gang, and I defeated Eggman Nega. But I'm always on guard. I fear that my future will return to the way it once was and that Eggman Nega will return. I come back to this timeline a lot to make sure nothing bad happens. Any dire situation can affect my future, so I need to be prepared. It takes a mental toll on me sometimes, but for my home's safety, I can't afford to take breaks or slack off. It's one of the reasons why I think this competition is really stupid. That, and the reasoning behind it is childish."
"That, I can agree," Blaze chuckled. She looked at her friend with sincerity and added, "But I believe you should take a break too. I know you and I have our histories with Eggman Nega, and you told me about the day you defeated him. It was one of the rare times I've seen you excited. If he were to come back, you know you don't have to fight him alone. You have Sonic, Espio, Knuckles, me, and the others to help you. However, if you spend your time constantly worrying about the next big threat, you'll miss out on the little things life has to offer."
Silver took a moment to process all of that.
She was right, there was no denying that. He's done a lot to save his timeline again and again. When he and Espio traveled to the Chaotic Inferno and fought The Ifrit, that marked the end of Eggman Nega. Deep down, he still believed the only descendant of the Robotnik family would return; however, he realized that dwelling on it would cause him to reject the beauties of life – whether it's in his future or the past. With a soft smile, he turned to Blaze and nodded.
"It's clear that your friends back home have taught you well."
"Not just them," she said, mirroring his expression. "The friends I have here too."
"Right."
The two stood and shared their moment before they heard something in the distance. Two whooshing sounds came from afar and the duo looked to see what it was. Near the water, streaks of green and purple light raced near the shoreline and parked near Tails' Workshop.
"The Babylon Rogues?" Silver asked.
"Looks like them."
"Wow, those are some cool boards. I know Sonic has one, but those are really cool."
"They made it just in time. Look up there."
Darting his yellow eyes upward, he saw Knuckles glide down from above and land on the workshop's roof. Following that, Amy pulled near the garage in her Pink Cabriolet – a pink car given to her after competing in Dodon Pa's Grand Prix Competition. She parked right beside the garage and hopped out, greeting her three rivals.
"The gang's all here," Blaze said. "Shall we?"
Silver sighed and nodded. "As Sonic would say, let's do it to it."
Using their powers, the dynamic duo lifted themselves off the ground and levitated towards the party. With everyone turned toward them, they walked near their assigned partners. Knuckles and Silver shared a fist bump as Amy and Blaze held both hands and shook them.
"Everyone ready?" the pink hedgehog asked.
"We didn't come here for nothing," Wave replied. "The Rogues are ready to win this thing."
Knuckles knocked on the door and stood back, waiting for his two-tailed friend to let them inside. The waiting lasted five seconds, and there was no movement. Hitting the door again, the echidna waited for the same amount of time. No answer.
"Tails?" Amy called. "Are you in there?"
"Is he asleep?" Knuckles asked as he walked around the building and peeked through the windows.
"He better not be," Jet folded his arms.
Knuckles returned to the group only to say, "The windows are all dark. I can't tell if anyone's in there."
"Is the door locked?" Wave asked, approaching the entrance.
"Doesn't look like it," Amy replied.
"Then let's just go in."
"Wouldn't that be trespassing?" Blaze inquired.
"Tails always keeps his door unlocked for Sonic and the rest of us," Amy said. "I don't think there'd be anything wrong with going inside. Besides, he knew about tonight. It wouldn't be like him to bail out now."
The pink hedgehog opened the door and allowed everyone to go inside. The moon's light allowed the group to see a path inside, but nothing else. Once everyone was in, Amy closed the door behind her only to realize she may have made a mistake. In other words, the workshop was pitch black; no one could see a thing.
"Is there a light switch anywhere?" Silver asked.
"Hey! Watch where you're stepping!" Wave snarled.
"Sorry!" Blaze replied. "I can't see a thing."
"I thought cats could see in the dark!"
"Not in total darkness!"
The group pondered what was going on before…
FLASH!
…a light came on and startled the group.
"GAH!"
The workshop was mostly shrouded in darkness; however, a spotlight from above showed the group an object in front of them. An orange podium sitting on a circular black base with a silver microphone on top.
Raising eyebrows and sharing baffled faces, the group took a few steps forward before a second light flashed followed by another. Two more podiums – one green and one purple – were shown.
"What in the world?" Knuckles scratched his head.
Just after he finished his query, the floor beneath turned pearly white, shining a bright light all over the workshop. More lights of the same color followed after, revealing a sight the group – especially Silver and Blaze – never thought they'd see. A set of bleachers were on each side of the room and dozens of Mobians were sitting on them, clapping and cheering as the group widened their eyes. Amy and Knuckles dropped their jaws at how many Mobians were here; they wondered how Tails got all of them to come here.
Silver and Blaze shared a curious glance. Mentally, they debated whether or not they should feel flattered people came here to watch them participate, or feel weirded out. They already hated the game show idea, so people being here to observe may or may not make things worse. Scratching the back of his head, the hedgehog admired the room and saw several Mobians holding up signs and banners with the team's faces on them.
Blaze cringed at a group of birds who wore T-shirts and hats with their idol's face on them. The Legendary Wind Master himself thought otherwise as he waved to his fans and shot them several winks. Wave nodded in amusement. She doesn't like to admit that Tails is a genius; however, she was impressed he managed to make this possible.
As the crowd applauded the group's arrival, whimsical party music blasted loudly. Guitars, drums, and other instruments blasted on a set of loudspeakers beside the podiums. Speaking of which, a sparking purple curtain was hung behind it. The white lights above began to flash different colors; red, yellow, and blue. The group looked up and watched each color shine one at a time.
Taking a few steps forward, everyone suddenly jumped back because they saw a familiar face.
Flying in front of them was Omochao, who held a bright gold microphone in his hands. He wore a mini black suit with a bowtie as orange as his eyes. Waving to the audience, he held the microphone close and began to shout.
"Welcome all to an exciting competition! It's my deepest pleasure to introduce your host…"
With that, the organizer himself came out of the curtain.
"Miles Tails Prower!"
The twin-tailed kitsune waved the crowd, showing off his formal attire – a glossy black tuxedo with a white shirt underneath. Around his neck was the same tie as Omochao except it was red. Adjusting a headset that matched his clothes, the fox shined the brightest smile and waved to the crowd, who sounded like a pack of dogs waiting for their snack.
Wave folded her arms and snickered as everyone else simply watched.
The music began to die down as Tails made his way to the group. As soon as it turned off, he tapped his microphone and cleared his throat.
"Hello, everyone! Welcome to the show! Are you ready to have a good time!?"
The audience cheered and clapped.
Once they settled down, Tails turned to his friends and cracked his fingers, "Hey, my friends! How are you? What are your names? Just kidding! I know you all are! I'm happy you guys can make it, tonight's going to be amazing!"
He paused for a moment to walk around and interact with the audience. "Each of you is here for one reason; to see who has the skills to pay the bills! In other words, you'll all be competing to see who knows my best friend! The Blue Blur, the Hero of Mobius, the Fastest Creature in the Universe!"
"That's debatable," Jet whispered to his partner.
"Sonic the Hedgehog!" Tails shouted as he turned around and pointed at a large TV screen behind him. It showed an animated graphic of Sonic in various poses. One where he's running, another one fighting Dr. Eggman, and the other one collecting golden rings. The graphic turned off as Tails clapped his hands together. "So! You will all be split into three teams of two! Luckily, a certain pink hedgehog picked the teams beforehand, so let's not delay, and move on to introductions!"
Tails looked over his shoulder, shooting a thumbs-up at Omochao, who miraculously held a drum around his neck with two drumsticks in hand. Beating on the drum at a rapid pace, the robot Chao hovered close to Amy and Blaze, who picked their ears.
"To our left, we've got a fiery pink hedgehog with a heart as big as her hammer! Beside her is a powerful princess from a world beyond our own! Introducing Amy Rose and Blaze the Cat... aka Team Rose!"
The crowd applauded as Amy and Blaze waved at them.
Turning to the team in the middle, Tails cued Omochao again and introduced them to the crowd. "In the center, we have a lone guardian who watches over a powerful relic with unspeakable power. With him is a time-traveling hedgehog with incredible psychokinesis! Give it up for Knuckles the Echidna and Silver the Hedgehog… Team Fighters!"
Knuckles and Silver nodded at each other before they acknowledged the crowd.
"I like the name," the former said.
Signaling Omochao yet again, the fox turned his attention to the final contestants. "And last, but certainly not least – a team of rogues who are fast in the air; one with the wind. We've got a leader whose spirit is undying and a mechanic who makes sure their gear's in check. Let's have it for Jet the Hawk and Wave the Swallow… Team Babylon!"
"WE LOVE YOU, JET!" a group of male birds shouted amongst a cheering crowd.
Jet and Wave shot a wink before they happily greeted the audience.
Omochao put his drum and sticks away as he joined in the clapping.
"Contestants!" Tails spoke again. "You're all here to test your knowledge of Sonic. Each of you will be answering questions related to his life, so choose a podium of your liking, and let's get this party started."
"Ahem," Amy coughed, pulling the fox by his bowtie toward her face. "Not that I don't mind people watching, but I thought I told you to keep this simple."
"Hey, you also said to be creative," Tails whispered before he turned to the audience. "Let's get a move on, shall we?"
With the audience repeating what they've done before, the three teams walked up on stage and stood near their podiums. Amy and Blaze chose the orange podium, Knuckles and Silver picked the green one in the middle, and Jet rushed toward the purple one with Wave. Tails stood near a golden podium and removed his headset, tapping the speaker in front of him.
"All right, teams! Before we begin the first round, I first want to introduce my assistant! Once he heard his friends were competing, he came to me asking to help out. He'll be helping me keep score, so give it up for… Omochao, will you please?"
The robot nodded as he got his drums back and beat them again.
Tails waited a few seconds before he introduced, "Storm the Albatross!"
Surprised to hear that name, Jet and Wave share a glance before their eyes darted at a spotlight pointing at the curtain. Team Rose and Team Fighters did the same thing as the crowd waited patiently for Storm to arrive.
After five seconds, no one showed up.
Raising an eyebrow, Tails cleared his throat. "I said… Storm the Albatross!"
Five more seconds passed, and no movement.
"Storm?" Wave asked.
"What are you doing back there?" Jet added.
"I'm not coming out there!" the albatross grunted.
"Come on, you have to!" Tails replied. "You were the one who came to me, remember!?"
"That was before you had me wear this!"
"It's not my fault we couldn't afford Madonna!" Tails retorted. "Will you just get out here!? You're wasting time!"
"Okay, fine!"
Storm waited four seconds before he stumbled out of the curtain.
Team Babylon widened their eyes and dropped their jaws.
Team Fighters cringed.
And Team Rose gasped and covered their mouths.
Storm – with a grumpy look on his face – walked on stage wearing a blue sparkling dress.
The crowd didn't hesitate to roar with laughter as the embarrassed albatross trotted past his teammates and ignored the stares from Team Fighters. Amy nudged Blaze and laughed loudly. The cat – while she thought this was funny – only chuckled softly. Wave joined in as Jet facepalmed, letting out an annoyed sigh.
Storm walked toward a TV screen beside Tails, which showed a picture of Sonic with a question mark above his head. Tails cackled a little before he signaled the audience to quiet down.
"You look lovely, Storm," he said with a smirk.
"Shut up, twerp!" he growled.
Releasing one more chuckle, Tails cleared his throat and spoke to his contestants. "Okay, teams. Allow me to explain the rules. Each of you will be playing a series of games that will show how much you know Sonic. We have three rounds in store. Whoever wins the most will not only claim bragging rights, but they'll also get…"
A spotlight shined from the left, revealing a golden trophy shaped like Sonic's head.
"The Sonic Cup!"
Like clockwork, the audience cheered and clapped. The three teams eyeballed the trophy, feeling determined to win it.
"Not bad," Jet said. "Not a fan of the shape though."
"The first round will contain various questions about Sonic," Tails continued. "There are three categories with three questions each. If a member of your team gets the question right, the team itself will earn one point. If your team gets a question wrong, the team that goes next will have the chance to guess the correct answer. Whoever gets the most questions right wins the game. Before we begin the round, we must first determine which team goes first. Storm, if you may?"
Huffing in annoyance, Storm grabbed some pens a sheets of paper and trailed toward the contestants. He handed them one sheet and a black pen.
"As you can see, Storm's coming around with a piece of paper and a pen. Your job will be…" the two-tailed host stopped for a second and cackled softly. "You know how most people draw straws? As in they pick a straw and see who gets the shortest one? Well, I thought it would be more creative if you guys actually drew straws?"
All three teams peeked their heads up, shared a glance, and gave their host a deadpanned expression. The audience and Omochao did the exact same thing. Everyone was quiet as Tails laughed to himself, not caring what everybody thought.
"Booo!" someone from the crowd shouted.
Tails wiped a tear from his eye and cleared his throat again. "Teams, choose one person to draw the straw. You'll have ten seconds to draw the most creative straw. Whoever has the best one goes first in the round. Your timer starts…"
Storm returned to his post where his finger hovered over a red button. He waited for Tails to signal him.
Amy and Blaze whispered to one another before the former took the pen and paper.
Jet cracked his fingers as he held the pen tight.
Silver took the pen, but Knuckles grabbed it from his hands as well as the paper.
Tails waited three more seconds before he had Storm press the timer, which initiated the countdown sequence.
"NOW!"
The TV showed a golden timer counting down from ten seconds. Beside it was an animated GIF of Sonic running after Dr. Eggman, who was somehow able to outrun him.
The three teams didn't hesitate to slam their pens against the paper, attempting to draw the best straw they could make. Amy and Blaze squinted their eyes as they gently stroked the pen across the paper. The hedgehog stood and observed her lavender friend as she meticulously added extra details. Jet and Wave were mostly the same, but the former – living up to his name – moved his hand quickly. Wave was amazed by his speed as one moment, Jet was drawing in the bottom right corner before he suddenly swerved the pen upward.
As for Knuckles and Silver… well, let's just say drawing wasn't Knuckles' forte. Silver stood as still as a stone, not knowing what to do. The red echidna grunted and groaned as he mashed the pen against the paper, trying to make something that should be simple.
The clock continued to count down, reaching below five seconds.
"Four… three…" Tails said.
Knuckles continued to slam the pen.
Blaze was close to finishing.
And Jet nodded in satisfaction as Wave facepalmed.
"Two…"
Storm wiped away nervous sweat as he prayed for his team to win.
"ONE!" the fox shouted as the timer finished.
When the clock reached zero, it showed another GIF of Sonic catching up to Dr. Eggman, knocking him down with a spin dash. The three teams dropped their pens and listened as the audience clapped and chanted their names.
"All right, teams," Tails spoke aloud. "Let's see what you got. Team Fighters, we'll start with you. Show us your straw."
Glaring down at his paper, Knuckles slowly picked it up and sighed embarrassingly. Silver had the same reaction as the team held their drawing up. Instead of seeing a straw, everyone saw a thick, oval-esc, shape with a line down the middle.
Jet and Wave couldn't help but laugh as Amy and Blaze raised their eyebrows.
Storm chimed in with his team as Tails mirrored Team Rose's reaction.
"Um…" the host said dumbfounded. "Is… is that a potato? What is that?"
"It was supposed to be a straw," Knuckles grunted. "What do I look like? A professional artist?"
"Well, you know I could have made the straw, right?" Silver inquired.
His teammate nodded and put the paper down. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry, man."
"Okay," Tails said, tapping his microphone. "Team Rose, you're next. What did you make?"
Blaze held up her drawing, which was definitely more accurate than the previous one. However, instead of being a basic straw, it had a curve at the top and the straw itself sat in a cup of water. Three cubes of ice were sketched inside it. The crowd was impressed as they shook their heads and complimented the details.
"Nicely done, you two," Tails smiled. "I love how it's a bendy straw. Those are my favorites. Team Babylon, you're next. Show us your straw."
With a smirk on his face, Jet held up his sketch and both his fans and the audience gasped with astonishment. It was a picture of him sitting in a lounge chair slurping a drink from a bendy straw. Instead of being a basic curve like Blaze's drawing, it had a zig-zag formation. The rest of the drawing showed a beautiful sandy beach with a castle in the background and a tidal wave washing up on shore. An umbrella sat behind Jet which shielded him from a hot summer sun. The hawk himself was in a Hawaiian shirt with flowers on it, and black sunglasses laid on his forehead.
Team Rose and Team Fighters rolled their eyes.
Wave facepalmed and mumbled to herself, "Show off…"
"Wow, that's…" Tails paused for a moment to gain his thoughts. "…extra."
Jet's fans in the crowd clapped and cheered his name.
"It is creative though," the host acknowledged. "Team Babylon goes first!"
The crowd uproared as Jet and Wave shared a high-five. Knuckles gently slammed the podium with his fist as Amy mumbled "Dang it" under her breath.
"Team Rose will go second which means Team Fighters will go last," Tails continued. "Which reminds me. Storm, if you may?"
The albatross – feeling happy for his team – nodded and pressed a blue button on his console. In the blink of an eye, all three podiums slowly lifted themselves off the ground. Not too far up, just a few inches. The three teams held on tight as the bases circled around the stage and placed themselves in different positions.
Team Babylon was all the way on the left, Team Rose was in the middle, and Team Righters was close to the right.
"That's better! Now, we can keep better track of who goes first," Tails said. "Now, we can finally begin!"
Everyone in the audience repeated what they'd been doing the whole time; bringing down the house with applause.
"As I mentioned before, each of you will be answering questions about Sonic from different categories," Tails paraphrased. "A point's rewarded if you get the question right, but another team can steal that point if you get it wrong. Without further ado, here are the categories!"
Storm pressed a green button and flicked a yellow switch, which generated a loading screen on the TV. It was just a simple graphic of Sonic napping, which Amy found adorable. The icon went away and loaded the first category.
"Foods and Beverages!" Tails read out loud.
The second category appeared.
"Friends and Foes!"
Finally, the third title arrived.
"And Darkest Fears!"
A chart with three options below the titles appeared on the screen. The options were square-shaped and were light blue.
"Team Babylon," Tails called. "Since you guys won the straw challenge, you get to go first. Pick your category."
Jet stroked his chin and pondered which one to choose from. He knew he could ace all three of these in a second, but he believed in playing fair. Squinting his eyes, he looked at all three options and read them to himself. Wave did the same thing as she scratched her head.
"Which one should we choose, Jet?"
"We'll go with…" the leader paused and recited the categories again. In three seconds, he snapped his fingers and yelled, "Foods and Beverages!"
Storm pressed the first icon and a question loaded on the screen.
Tails looked up and read it to everyone, "Every summer, Sonic hosts a big barbeque at Emerald Beach. He invites his closest friends and occasionally, his bitter rivals. Instead of making hamburgers and steaks, Sonic makes a unique chili dog called The X-Treme. However, he's the only one who eats it because everyone else is disgusted by its unusual appearance. What ingredients does Sonic put in The X-Treme?"
"Oh…" Jet said with a nervous expression. "Starting out with a tough one. I do like a challenge."
"When was the last time we've been to one of those parties?" Wave asked.
"Had to have been last summer," he replied. He tapped the bottom of his beak and scratched his head. "I avoid this thing because it's disgusting, but I know what's in it because the smell is awful."
"I'm about to vomit by just thinking about it," his purple friend cringed. "But I know the obvious ingredients. Three tablespoons of chili, four hot dogs, cheese, bacon bits, crispy onions…" She snapped her fingers as her train of thought halted; she couldn't think of the rest. "Oh, gosh. What were the others?"
"Guacamole?"
"Yes! That's another one!"
"Then he puts one more ingredient," Jet said. "I know what it is, but the name escapes me."
Amy and Blaze shared a glance, hoping the birds would get this wrong. They've been to Sonic's barbeque parties more times than they could count, so of course they'd know what recipe he uses for The X-Treme. Knuckles and Silver had the exact same thoughts.
A thousand eyes were on The Babylon Rogues, waiting to know what their final response was.
Jet and Wave stood and whispered to each other before light bulbs came on in their heads; they figured out what it was.
"Sauerkraut!" they shouted at the same time.
"All of those answers are correct!" Tails exclaimed happily. "Well done!"
The audience cheered and clapped as the TV loaded an image of Sonic eating the meal with its exact recipe. To the right of the background, Amy and Knuckles cringed and to the left, Rouge the Bat ran toward the trash can to throw up.
"Well done, Team Babylon," Tails smiled. "You got yourselves a-"
"YEAH! GO TEAM BABYLON!"
Everyone assumed it was Jet's fanbase in the audience; however, it was actually Storm. They all turned to him with startled expressions. All he did was stare back and say, "What? Just because I'm not playing doesn't mean I can't support my team!"
Jet sighed and rolled his eyes.
"As I was saying, Team Babylon gets a point!" The fox finished as he turned to the second group. "Team Rose, you're up next. Pick your category."
Both girls whispered to each other before Amy replied, "Friends and Foes!"
Storm clicked an icon in the second group and another question appeared.
"Back when he was younger, Sonic was captured by Dr. Eggman and thrown onto a remote island called Eggman Island. However, Sonic wasn't the only prisoner because he met two new friends who helped him escape. He's still friends with them to this day, but it's tricky to stay in touch because they're always traveling the world. What are the names of those two friends?"
"Mighty the Armadillo!" Amy replied.
"And Ray the Flying Squirrel!" Blaze added.
"Might and Ray are correct!" Tails nodded.
The TV loaded another image of Sonic, Mighty, and Ray – at a time when they were much younger – escaping from Dr. Eggman's machines.
"Well done, Team Rose," Tails beamed from ear to ear. "You're off to a great start. Team Fighters, you know the drill. Pick your category."
"Wanna pick this one?" Knuckles whispered to his friend.
"Sure," Silver replied. "Foods and Beverages!"
With that, another question appeared.
"With every meal he eats, Sonic enjoys a nice refreshing can of Chao Cola," Tails began. "However, there's only one specific flavor he guns for. What is that flavor?"
"I know this one," Knuckles said. "It's a trick question. He used to like the red one, but I foolishly got him into drinking the grape one. Now, every time I go to the store, I see the grape cans are out of stock because of him. The answer is grape."
"Grape is correct!"
The TV loaded an image of Sonic sitting on the couch drinking a grape-flavored soda. The can had a picture of a Chao with sunglasses eating a pile of grapes.
The audience clapped and cheered various names of the teams, rooting for them to take home the gold.
"Back to you, Team Babylon," Tails pointed to the two birds.
"Darkest Fears," Wave grinned.
Storm mimicked her expression as he clicked a button and spawned the question.
"While Sonic doesn't have a fear of water, he's never been known to be the best swimmer. Therefore, he gets around water by running on top of it, or via a hovercraft. However, in the rare occurrence where Sonic joins his friends to swim at the beach, he brings some equipment to make sure he doesn't sink. What does he bring?"
Jet and Wave smirked at each other before the latter replied, "Life vest and floaties."
"Those are correct!"
Another graphic popped up on the screen, showing Sonic wearing the equipment listed. He had a nervous expression as he dipped the tip of his shoe into the water.
"Team Babylon, you guys are on a roll. Let's see if you can keep it going," Tails said. "Team Rose, what's your category?"
"Foods and Beverages is almost done," Blaze observed. "Want to try and finish that?"
"Sure," Amy nodded. "We'll pick that one!"
Storm loaded another question onto the screen.
"While Sonic's never had much of a sweet tooth, he does have his picks for a good dessert. However, there's one particular dish he hates. He even went out of his way to say it sucks! What would that dish be?"
Amy sighed upon hearing that.
The room fell silent as she glared at the screen, reading it to herself again.
"Do I have to say the answer?"
"If you want the point," Tails replied. "Yes."
"Fine," Amy groaned as she whispered the answer into Blaze's ear.
"Strawberry shortcake?" the cat inquired.
"That is correct!" Tails exclaimed.
The audience clapped once more as a graphic of Sonic shouting "Strawberry shortcake sucks" appeared on the screen. Right beside him was an annoyed Amy, who matched her real-life expression.
"Team Fighters," Tails said. "You're up next."
"We'll take Darkest Fears," Knuckles said.
Another question appeared.
"Sonic isn't known to be scared of much. He's the bravest hero to ever live on Mobius; however, there is one thing that scared him more than anything. What is he afraid of?"
Knuckles and Silver shared a smirk as they both said, "Spiders."
"That's correct!"
A graphic showing Sonic caught in a spider's web showed up on screen. A bunch of tiny spiders were crawling over him, causing him to scream loudly.
"Wait, what?" Jet said with shock. "He's afraid of spiders? I didn't know that."
"And yet you claim to know everything about him," Amy said with a smug grin.
"Oh, shut up! When did this occur?"
"Well, Knuckles, Sonic, and I were exploring one of Eggman's abandoned bases one time. A spider sprouted down from the ceiling. As soon as Sonic saw it, he was out like a light."
The Legendary Wind Master guffawed happily and slapped his knee. "Ha-ha! I'm totally going to tease him about that."
"Back to you, Rogues!" Tails said, getting the group refocused. "Pick your category."
"Darkest Fears," Wave replied.
"Wow, you guys must really like that one," The fox said under his breath. "Storm, load it up."
The blue-dressed assistant did just that.
"It's common knowledge that hedgehogs are really good swimmers. Unfortunately for Sonic, he doesn't fall under that group. Of course, he didn't know this when he went on his first adventure. In what location did Sonic find out he was a terrible swimmer?"
"The Labyrinth!" Wave shouted.
"That is correct! Well done!"
A graphic of Sonic running through the Labyrinth Zone flashed on the TV.
Team Rose and Team Fighters gave each other nervous glances. Two questions were left which means each of them has a few shots of beating Team Babylon and each other. Even if one of them lost the competition, they'd feel silly if they let a group of thieves walk away with the prize. Plus, the birds would definitely abuse their bragging rights. Who could blame them? They obviously knew Sonic, but this didn't mean they were experts. Both teams shared determined nods as Tails spoke to the next time.
"Team Rose, what's it gonna be?"
"Friends and Foes!" the pink hedgehog ordered.
Storm loaded the next question and Tails read it clearly, "Sonic has had several rivals over the years. Each rival tests his speed and strength, making him determined to become stronger and faster. However, there is only one person he considers his true rival. Someone who always puts him to the test. Someone he looks forward to beating. Someone who taught him a skill he holds onto this day. Who is that rival?"
Upon hearing the end of the query, Jet and Wave turned their heads to each other, shining the biggest smirks.
"It's Shadow!" Team Rose called out.
However, a deep buzzing sound came from Omochao's speaker.
"I'm so sorry, Team Rose. Shadow is incorrect," Tails shook his head, leaving both girls shocked. "Team Fighters, you have the opportunity to take this point. Who is Sonic's rival?"
"Sonic and I fought a few times, but it can't be me," Silver scratched his head.
"Of course not. It's me," Knuckles bragged.
However, Omochao made the same noise as before.
"Sorry, Knuckles," Tails said. "It's not you either."
"What!?" he widened his eyes. "How could that not be!?
"Who is it, Metal Sonic!?" Silver inquired.
"Shhh!" Knuckles snarled. "You'll give the answer away!"
"What does it matter? We lost the question anyway."
"Normally, I'd penalize you for something like that; however, Metal Sonic is not the answer. Team Babylon," Tails said. "I can tell by the cocky grins that you have the answer. Tell us, who is Sonic's rival?"
Jet turned to Wave as he brushed his shoulders and said, "You're looking at him."
"That is correct!"
As Team Fighters and Team Rose stood in utter disbelief, an image of Sonic and Jet racing on their Extreme Gear popped up on the screen. Wave and Storm cheered for their leader as he took several bows and listened to his fans scream. His opposing teams shot each other confused looks as they shot their host deadly glares. When the audience died down, Tails prepared to make an announcement. Just before doing so, his pink friend couldn't help but file a complaint.
"Tails! What are you doing!?"
"My job?" he replied with his eyebrow raised. "What's wrong?"
"Are you rigging these questions in favor of The Babylon Rogues?" Knuckles grunted. "You're supposed to be helping Silver, and I win!"
"Hey! Don't try to make him cheat for you!" Jet snarled. "It's not my fault you guys suck!"
"What did you say!?" Knuckles growled as he leaped off his podium and launched himself towards Jet. Just before he could get to him, Silver grabbed him with his psychokinesis and pulled him back.
"Knuckles, Knuckles! Calm down!" he exclaimed. "You're making a scene! Besides, there's one more question left! We have a chance to catch up!"
Knuckles took a moment to regain his composure and nodded. "You're right. Sorry about that, Tails."
"Save that for backstage, will you?" the fox huffed. "Actually, please don't. T-Pup's sleeping back there and I don't want to wake him up."
Clearing his throat again, he continued his speech. "Team Fighters, this is the last question. While Team Babylon is ahead, you have a chance to catch up. Are you ready for the final question?"
"Let's do this," Knuckles said as he fist-bumped his teammate.
Storm popped up the final question.
Tails cracked his fingers and read it carefully, "Romance has never been a word in Sonic's dictionary; however, when he was younger, he had a brief relationship with someone he truly loved…"
Amy's smile quickly faded, and her eyes were as open as the sky. Her shoulders hung low, and her quills dropped. Her heart stopped, leaving her body frozen like ice. A deadpan look flashed on her face, spooking her friend Blaze.
"W…what?"
Ignoring that, Tails finished the rest of the question. "The two were in a relationship for two years before they decided to call it quits. Not to worry though, their break-up was mature and well-mannered. Since that day, Sonic has decided to live a life free of romance as he prefers to be free like the wind. What was the name of Sonic's girlfriend at the time?"
"Girl… girlfriend?" Amy muttered.
Jet – after registering the whole – thing felt tears drop from his eyes as he wheezed loudly. His blue eyes were filled with watery tears as he closed them and dropped to the floor, laughing uncontrollably. Wave looked at him and raised an eyebrow; never before had she seen him laugh this hard. The only time he laughed was when he was winning, or insulting someone. She didn't think in all of her years of being a Babylon Rogue she would see Jet this happy, especially regarding a game show question. However, Jet knew how much Amy loved Sonic which made this moment funnier.
Storm joined in and bashed his fists against the control console. He pointed at Amy and mocked a kissy-face expression. While he didn't have as much fun as his boss, he still let loose and cackled loudly. Wave shook his head and sighed; she too knew how much Sonic mattered to Amy, but she didn't think it was that funny. She was more dumbfounded by the fact Sonic had a girlfriend.
Not as dumbfounded as Blaze though, who had known Sonic since she first came to the Prime Zone. Back then, she was collecting the Sol Emeralds which had been stolen by Dr. Eggman and his descendant, Dr. Nega. She met Sonic and has been his friend since. She thought she knew a lot about him like how he wasn't in the mood to have a romantic relationship. Knowing he had one in the past was a shock to her.
But of course, Amy was the most surprised and she was furious. She kept the same expression since she heard the word "romance", and it got worse when she heard "girlfriend" near the end. With a slow deep breath, she bolted her eyes at Knuckles, who looked at her with a slimeball grin.
Silver was just confused as Jet and Storm continued their laughter.
"Team Fighters, do you have an answer?" Tails asked.
"We do," Knuckles replied. "Her name was Tiara Boobowski."
Tiara Boobowski… Amy said in her mind. Tiara… Boobowski…
"You are correct!" Tails replied as he pointed to the screen and showed off another graphic.
This time, Sonic was sitting on one of Green Hill's luscious mountains beside an orange-furred Manx with a red skirt and shoes. The yellow bow in her hair matched some of the details on her clothes, and her eyes shined as blue as the ocean. Amy stared at the picture, noticing a smirky look on Sonic's face; almost as if he was trying to seduce her. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
"Team Fighters, well done!" Tails nodded. "However, Team Babylon got the most questions right. Therefore, they win the first round! Congratulations, Team Babylon!"
Jet stopped laughing in time to wave to the crowd and fist-bump Wave. Storm cheered from his station and laughed, feeling proud his team's off to a great start. The audience cheered, clapped, screamed, and shouted as they were all happy the show was going so well.
Tails kindly took a bow and calmed everyone down. "Nice work, Team Babylon. You've won the first round. However, you haven't won yet. You all still have two more rounds left to play. So, without further ado! Let's commence the next challenge!"
The audience repeated what they had done before, and the contestants joined in.
As Tails motioned for them to get off their podiums, Blaze comforted Amy by wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"Are you okay, Amy?"
"I'm fine, Blaze," Amy replied sternly. "Sonic and I… we'll be having words when this is over."
Knuckles and Silver walked away from their station, but before they could link up with the group, they heard a whisper come from Tails' reluctant assistant.
"Hey," Storm said as he approached them. "Your team may have gotten second banana in the first round, but don't think this means you're gonna beat Jet. Team Babylon's the best there is, and they're gonna crush you."
"I can't take you seriously when you're wearing that, Storm," Knuckles replied.
Annoyed, Storm looked down and snarled. He stayed mad for a few seconds before he analyzed the dress again. "You know… it actually looks nice on me."
Knuckles and Silver shared a confused glance.
End of Chapter 2
Post-Chapter A/N: This chapter was a lot of fun to make. I had to go back and rewatch "The One with the Embyros" a couple of times in order to draw inspiration. There's no joke about Sonic being a "transponster" like Chandler in here lol, but I did the best I could to make some references.
My friend Ways and I have talked about Sonic's rivalry with Jet and both of us agree that he is Sonic's true rival and not Shadow. Yes, Shadow and Sonic have fought each other several times; however, I've always considered Shadow to be one of Sonic's allies. They're not best friends, but they do have a mutual respect for each other. I've always preferred how their relationship was in some of the 2000s games as well as Archie.
Tiara Boobowski was fun to reference lol. I threw that in there as a joke. For those unaware, Tiara was a Manx character scrapped from a couple of Sonic games that faced cancellation. One of which was the infamous Sonic X-Treme. Tiara was supposed to be Sonic's love interest with a personality similar to his. For my dorky AU, I have it set that she and Sonic used to date but broke up. I'm thinking of doing a story about that sometime in the future, so stay tuned for that.