- Chapter 5 -

Challenge of Chaos

Soundtrack for this chapter:

* HIS WORLD (Instrumental) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl: www youtube com watch?v=d2tdSiQAF20

Sonic became aware of his condition gradually as his consciousness returned. After a minute, he opened his eyes, rubbing his head.

"Ugh…" he groaned. "I'm gonna feel that in the morning."

That was when he looked around and took in his surroundings. He was on a large planet with a green checkerboard design. He looked up, seeing the sky was a surreal mess, containing large checkered cubes, strange tangles of geometric shapes, and what even looked like designs of fish and birds.

"Well, this is new. Where the heck am I?" He got up, dusting himself off before running ahead and looking around. As he took in his surroundings, he found himself more and more weirded out.

"Okay, that bot must have hit me harder than I thought. Either that, or I gotta stop eating chili dogs before I go to bed."

Before long, he came across what looked like a floating TV screen, sitting in the middle of nowhere. Confused, he leaned forward, looking at the screen closely, when suddenly a face formed out of it. Sonic gave a yell before falling back on his butt in surprise.

"Welcome, Sonic," the TV greeted.

After registering the fact that a TV was talking to him, Sonic shook off his surprise and stood up. "Who the heck are you?"

"I am the Omnipotent Omni-Viewer."

Sonic shrugged, deciding not to question it. "Okay then, Omni, you mind telling me where exactly I am?"

"You are in the Special Zone."

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "And what's so special about it?"

"Well, for one, it has housed various forms of your Chaos Emeralds since time immemorial."

That got Sonic's attention. "Chaos Emeralds?"

"Yes." Omni's screen tilted forward in some semblance of a nod. "I'm well aware of what's currently happening to your planet." His face faded away, showing instead an image of the lab explosion that turned Julian Kintobor into Dr. Robotnik. "When the ROCC device your uncle had helped develop exploded, the Emeralds used in it were warped back into this world. Even now, they remain scattered."

Sonic nodded quickly, latching onto those words. "Those Emeralds could help me stop Robotnik. Can you show me where they are?"

"Sadly, it's not as simple as that." Omni's face returned to the screen. "Once the Chaos Emeralds have returned to the Special Zone, they are tucked away in specific locations. Only those who prove themselves worthy may gain them."

"I'm up for it." Sonic straightened up, pointing at himself with his thumb. "What do I have to do?"

Omni's screen changed once more, this new image consisting of a floating cube-like structure with three different entrances.

"The first Emerald lies in the center of the Cuboid Maze. The forces of Chaos itself turn and rotate it at their whim. To earn your prize, you must reach the center of the maze within two minutes' time."

Sonic scoffed. "You call that a challenge? Just point me in the direction of the maze, and I'll be in and out in a sec."

"May the Ancient Walkers be kind, then. To be transported to the Maze, simply jump into my screen."

Sonic immediately jumped into the screen.

-X-

One indescribable experience later, Sonic found himself in the Maze. The interior of the structure consisted of square blocks flashing different colors, and the walls were constantly rotating, sometimes revealing entryways to further in, while others consisted of death traps like spikes.

"Well… this complicates things a bit," Sonic mused, stretching his legs out. "But an adventure's no fun if it's too easy."

He began rushing through the maze. It was tough slaying, and he repeatedly found himself bounced around by star-adorned bumpers and reaching dead ends. Eventually, he reached the center of the maze, and barely stopped in time to avoid falling into a pit of spikes.

"Yikes!" He pulled back as he let out a sigh of relief. "That was close."

Once he got his bearings, he looked up to see the green Chaos Emerald, surrounded by a shield of multicolored diamonds. He jumped up, using a Spin Dash to slowly but surely carve a path through the diamonds. Once he finally cut through, he made a grab for the Emerald. The minute his hand touched it, he was suddenly surrounded by light…

-X-

When the light faded, Sonic found himself standing before Omni once again.

"Congratulations," Omni said with a smile. "You got a Chaos Emerald."

"Thanks," Sonic replied, tossing the Emerald up before pocketing it. "Hope the other six are this easy."

"I'm afraid not. You'll find that each successive challenge for the Emeralds will be more difficult than the last."

"Good, I'd hate for this to get boring." Sonic thumbed his nose. "What's up next?"

That was when he heard the sound of a blade drawing.

"Turn around, hedgehog," came a familiar voice. "Slowly, like your spiny ass depended on it."

Sonic sighed before obliging, turning to see Arsenal, his arm-blade extended.

"You again?" the hedgehog asked, looking annoyed while keeping his hands up. "Didn't I kick your butt already?"

"I would've been perfectly content leaving you to rot here after throwing you in the giant ring," Arsenal shot back. "But Brutus just had to insist I make sure you were dead."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Hey, you wanna go 0 for 2, more power to ya. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

"You just got lucky hedgehog, but I might be persuaded to let bygones be bygones... if you hand over the Chaos Emerald you just got."

"So you can hand it over to Robotnik and let him do who knows what with it?" Sonic shook his head. "No thanks."

"Fine." Arsenal drew his other blade. "But when I chop you up into little pieces, remember: you brought it upon yourself."

"Bring it on!"

With that, he darted toward Arsenal, dodging his blades and kicking him in the back. Arsenal stumbled forward, but was largely unfazed.

"How stupid are you?" he demanded. "I'm made of Megatal, remember? You can't hurt me, Sonic!"

Undaunted, Sonic launched at Arsenal with a Spin Dash, only for his attack to have no effect.

"I don't care how tough you are!" Sonic spat, continuing his assault. "My dad and Uncle Chuck fought in the Great War. They taught me never to give up, and to stand up for what's right no matter what!"

"Like I give a Flicky's tail!" Arsenal shot back. "Nothing you say can change the fact that you don't stand a chance!"

Sonic ran at him again, only for Arsenal to grab him by the throat and lift him up.

"Last chance," the evil robot said. "Give me the Emerald."

Sonic scowled, glaring at him defiantly. "Bite my spiny blue butt, Chrome Dome!"

Arsenal let out a furious yell before tossing Sonic to the ground. He rebounded twice before landing with a groan.

"You know what?! Fine! If you're so intent on hurrying to your grave, I'm more than happy to show you the way!" He loomed over Sonic, blades at the ready. "I'll pry that damn Emerald from your cold, dead hands!"

*As he raised his blade to strike Sonic down, the Emerald in Sonic's pocket suddenly started to glow. Sonic noticed this, a smirk gracing his face before he sped out of the way, seconds before the blade made contact. Arsenal freed his blade, looking at Sonic in surprise.

"Over here, blade-for-brains!" the hedgehog mocked, waving.

Arsenal turns towards him, growling in response. He tried swinging again, but Sonic sped around it again, this time dashing against his shoulder and tearing a piece of metal off in the process. He looked at his damaged shoulder in shock.

"What?!" he shouted. "Impossible!"

"Guess you're not as tough as you thought!" Sonic taunted.

Sonic then sped back towards him, running around him and dashing back and forth, each time tearing off a piece of metal from his body. Arsenal kept slashing, but every time, he missed. Finally, Sonic jumped into the air, curled into a ball, and came down with full force. Arsenal drew up his blades in defense, but Sonic's spines tore right through the blade before slicing through Arsenal's body vertically. He stood there in silent shock, realizing the end had come for him.

"Unbelievable…" he let out in a resigned voice.

With that, he began to spark before his two halves split apart, falling to the ground and exploding. Sonic came to a stop, clapping his hands together before thumbing his nose. "Game over."

Soon after, he turned to see Omni, who had vanished before the fight began. "Did you see that? I annihilated him!"

"Yes, good work. But I have some bad news."

Sonic tilted his head quizzically. "What?"

Omni's screen changed to reveal a new image. Sonic gasped in shock to see Robotnik alongside several Swatbots menacing Castle Acorn.

"No…" Sonic let out. "He's at Mobotropolis?!"

"Yes. He believes King Max's resources can help him track the Emeralds."

"I gotta get there now. If he hurts Sally, I'll-"

"Calm down, Sonic. I can aid you in that regard as well."

Sonic composed himself. "How?"

"My screen isn't just limited to transporting you to the challenges. I can send anyone anywhere in the Special Zone or Mobius."

"Then let's get going!" Omni shifted his screen back to the image of Mobotropolis, and Sonic took a few steps back before jumping in. "Watch out, Robotnik! I'm comin' at ya full speed!"

Author's Note:

There we have it. Sonic got the first Chaos Emerald, beat Arsenal, and is now going to chase Robotnik out of Mobotropolis. Will he succeed?

The Omni-Viewer is a main character in Fleetway's Sonic the Comic, though there, it's never revealed how he and Sonic met. I changed that here.

The Chaos Emerald situation is based on challenges devised by Feist, ruler of the Special Zone in the pre-Super Genesis Wave Archie comics; he devised them to prevent anyone unworthy from getting the Chaos Emeralds, and for his own amusement.

As for Sonic being powered up by one Chaos Emerald, that was based on the Sonic X episode "Beating Eggman Part 2"; that episode had Sonic using two Emeralds for a power boost against a robot.

Voice cast for this chapter:

* Omni - LaMonica Garrett (Monitor from the Arrowverse, Sergeant Griggs from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare)

Please R&R. Until next time!