-Chapter 204-

Perchance to Dream

Temple of Light

In another world, floating in a void-like space, was a floating rock on which sat a majestic temple. Facing off inside were two figures. One was a fairy with pink hair tied in two buns atop her head and blue eyes, donned in a pink and white bodysuit with a white horseshoe-shaped garment with a red gem in center on the chest, pink boots, and golden bracelets. The other was a male figure with green hair and bluish-purple eyes with no visible pupils or irises, wearing a blue bodysuit with green stripes on the torso and feet, yellow toes, and an orange gem on chest, along with purple crystal-like bracelets on his wrists and ankles, and a purple cape.

"Why are you doing this, Void?" the fairy demanded. "The Precioustone is already shattered! What more will you destroy?!"

"I didn't want it to come to this, Lumina," Void insisted. "But you forced my hand."

"If this continues, all of Maginaryworld will be destroyed!" Lumina objected.

"Whatever it takes to get what I want, Lumina!" Void snapped. "I will gather the Ideya I need. I will be whole again!"

He stepped back into a dark portal. Lumina flitted after him.

"Wait!" she screamed.

Void vanished into the portal, which closed behind him. Lumina fell to her knees.

"No…" she let out, tears running down her face as she clutched the fabric of her pants. In desperation, she clasped her hands in prayer.

"I can't do this alone…" she pleaded. "Please, Lady Illumina, if you can hear me, send me aid!"

Knothole

Meanwhile, on Mobius, a week had passed since the incident at Sylvania Castle. The Freedom Fighters all slumped around the living room, dark circles around their eyes and completely exhausted.

"Man…" Sonic groaned. "I'm wiped out."

"You're telling me," Tails agreed. "I haven't slept a wink."

"You think you've got it bad?" Amy whined. "Those stinking Booms have given me nightmares all week and screwed up my beauty sleep!"

She pointed at her face, the dark circles under her eyes looking like swollen bruises. "Look at these bags under my eyes! Even my bags have bags!"

"Damn…" Kat remarked. "Tikal's been working overtime on me. Knux, on the other hand…"

Knuckles was face down on the coffee table, fast asleep and snoring.

"Man…" Sally remarked. "I knew what happened at Sylvania Castle was rough for everyone, but I never imagined it was this bad."

"Honestly, with everything we've gone through, you'd think something like that wouldn't be so bad," Sonic remarked. "And yet, here we are, half-dead."

"With all these bad dreams, I'm almost scared to go back to sleep." Johnny admitted.

Chris had passed out next to a thermos of coffee. Keith patted him a few times, nudging him awake.

"Aw Mom, I'm too tired to go to school!" he moaned.

"Alright, I think I'm gonna say it," Sally sighed. "We're all going to bed. Clearly, all of us need sleep."

"Wait, Sal," Tekno let out, yawning. "You're not the only ones who've been having trouble sleeping. We've been having crazy nightmares too."

Sally perked.

"Yeah…" Mina said tiredly. "They've been the worst…"

"Wait... everyone?" Sally asked. "Everyone who's been having nightmares, raise your hand."

Everyone in the room did so, including the Chao.

"Then... it's not just because of King Boom Boo?" Cream pondered.

"Right…" Sally began. "Okay, everyone to bed, and in the morning, we're going to discuss these nightmares. Maybe there's some sort of connection we're missing."

They all filed off to their rooms, Sonic pulling out all the stops. He downed a few glasses of warm milk and sleeping pills, set up a white noise machine, and had Muttski lay down next to him as he laid down.

"Aurora…" he began, hands clasped, "I know I don't talk to you much, but if you're there, please let me and my pals get some freakin' nightmare-free sleep tonight."

With that, he closed his eyes, snoring within minutes.

Temple of Light

The next thing Sonic knew, he was falling through a starry void. A portal opened up at the end, dropping him down on the ground. As he rose to his feet, he heard other screams, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy falling from the portal as well. They all blinked in confusion, seeing they were inside a dome-shaped room with an empty pedestal in the center.

"Okay…" Sonic began, "Eating those leftover chili dogs before bed was definitely not a good idea."

"Wait... Sonic?" Tails piped up, turning to him. "Are… are you real?"

"Wait, are we all real?" Knuckles asked. "Not just dream visions or whatever?"

"So... we're sharing the same dream?" Amy realized.

"We've gotta be," Sonic deduced. "The last thing I remember is laying down and passing out."

The other three nodded in affirmation.

"So... I'm gonna come out and say it," Knuckles began. "The Booms aren't the reason none of us can sleep."

"Wise deduction," a new voice cut in.

They all perked, looking around.

"Who's there?" Sonic called out.

Lumina popped in at that, hovering overhead.

"My name is Lumina Flowlight," she began, "and I need your help."

"Whoa…" Amy let out, "you're beautiful."

Lumina smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"Wait," Tails cut in. "What exactly is going on? Where are we?"

"This is Maginaryworld," Lumina explained. "The realm of dreams. And recent events that have occurred are precisely why you Mobians have been plagued with nightmares."

"Looks like you called it, Knux," Sonic noted. "So what's screwing up our sleep?"

"Not what. Who," Lumina turned to the empty pedestal. "This is the Temple of Light. Here once sat the Precioustone, a crystal of solidified Ideya that created this world."

"Ideya?" Amy questioned.

"The very essence and energy of dreams."

"And let me guess, something either took, hid, depowered, or broke this weird stone, and that's why we're in nightmare central," Sonic said.

"Yes," Lumina confirmed. "The power of the Precioustone makes dreams come true and is the essence of Maginaryworld's existence... Illumina, the Goddess of Dreams, and I are the protectors of the Precioustone. But a figure called Void emerged from Nightmare, the darkest corners of Maginaryworld. He invaded Nightopia, and shattered the Precioustone, scattering its fragments." She sighed. "When the Precioustone shattered, Lady Illumina lost her powers and became a prisoner in a faraway world…"

"That's awful!" Amy exclaimed.

"Without the Precioustone to protect us, Void's darkness is spreading across Maginaryworld, corrupting it and turning what should be beautiful dreams into horrific nightmares," Lumina closed her eyes. "If this keeps up, this world will... it will…"

"Go 'pfft'?" Sonic offered.

"Essentially, yes," Lumina nodded. "I prayed to Lady Illumina to send me aid, to rescue this world and repair the Precioustone. That is why you were summoned here. Please, you must help me save Maginaryworld."

Team Sonic and Amy exchanged looks.

"Well, I've never been one to turn down a plea for help," Sonic remarked. "And this Void character's gotta be taken down a peg if we're ever gonna get a decent night's sleep again."

"Always wanted a chance to punch my nightmares in the face," Knuckles mused. "And now I can."

They turned to her.

"Don't you worry about a thing, Lumina," Sonic assured. "We'll help you."

Lumina sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"FOOLS!"

They all spun around as Void materialized from the shadows. Immediately, they were on the defensive.

"You think these Dreamers can keep me from my goal?" he demanded.

"You must be Void," Sonic noted.

"And you're all truly foolish if you believe yourselves strong enough to prevent me from seeing my mission through," Void hissed. "Mere Dreamers cannot hope to surpass Nightmares Incarnate."

"Why are you doing this?" Amy demanded. "What do you hope to gain by destroying this world?!"

Void scoffed. "My dear, do you ask a snake why it bites? Or a fish why it swims?"

"Well, no. But-"

"Precisely," Void cut her off. "They do it because it's in their nature to do so. And that's exactly what I'm doing now."

"Well it's our nature to stop freaks like you," Sonic declared, "and we won't rest until we do!"

Void smirked at that, a feral grin spreading across his face.

"Is that so?" he asked. "Well then, let me help you with that."

He let out a roar, purple flames engulfing all four. When it faded, they were all surprisingly unharmed. Void chuckled darkly.

"The game is afoot. Let's see who wins."

He ducked into another portal, vanishing.

"No, no, no, no…" Lumina stammered.

"Relax, we're fine," Sonic assured. "Not even singed."

"No, you don't understand!" Lumina exclaimed. "Those flames were meant to curse you, not incinerate you!"

"Curse us?!" Amy exclaimed.

"Guys, there's something on my chest!" Knuckles shouted.

He had his shirt pulled down slightly, revealing a purple mark. The others did the same, revealing similar markings.

"Void's curse," Lumina began. "So long as you bear that mark, you cannot awaken. It's called the Unending Dream. Or the Eternal Sleep."

"Say what?!" Tails screamed.

"So unless we beat Void and fix that stone thing, we're stuck here?" Sonic asked.

"I'm sorry…" Lumina sighed, tears in her eyes.

"Oh no…" Amy let out.

"The others are gonna be so worried about us!" Tails cried.

"Oh Aurora…" Knuckles remarked. "It's gonna be a panic."

Angel Island

Morning came to Angel Island, Kat slowly awakening in her hammock by the Master Emerald. Knuckles was slumped over next to her, sound asleep.

"Well, seems you may have gotten at least some sleep," she remarked before hopping down and giving him a shake. "Come on, wake up. We've got a meeting to get to."

Knuckles didn't even stir, out cold. Kat raised an eyebrow.

"Knux?" She shook him again, a bit harder this time. "Knux, come on."

He still didn't wake up. As she kept trying, Kat got more and more frantic, slapping him repeatedly before bodily picking him up and shaking him with all her might. His head flopped back and forth bonelessly, but otherwise, she got no reaction.

"KNUCKLES!" In a panic, she turned towards the village. "LOCKE! MOM! Something's wrong with Knuckles!"

Knothole

"Tails…" Cosmo nudged Tails in his workshop. "Tails, please wake up."

Tears came to her eyes when he didn't stir. Sally was doing the same with Sonic, Muttski nudging him as well.

"C'mon Sonic, say something!" she pleaded. "Wake up!"

Mina was in a similar state in Amy's room, nothing waking the pink hedgehog.

"Amy, get up!" she cried. "This isn't funny!"

Panic was beginning to set in, especially when Sally pulled out her trump card.
"Uncle Chuck's whipped up a fresh batch of chili dogs! You don't wake up, you won't get any!"

Sonic didn't even twitch.

"No, no, no, no, no…" Sally let out. "Nicole, gather EVERYONE! Emergency meeting, NOW!"

-X-

It didn't take long for the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix to gather, Team Sonic and Amy gathered up in sleeping bags.

"Knuckles, too?!" Keith exclaimed.

"Nothing worked..." Kat managed. "Smelling salts, me shaking him like a rag doll. Locke even threatened to throw me off the island - all a ruse, by the way - and Knuckles did nothing."

Off to the side, Sticks was doing everything in her power to try to get a rise out of them. She blasted off two air horns at once, threw ice water on them, before grabbing an electric guitar from Sonic's room, hooking it up and playing a riff that cracked more than a few windows.

"C'mon, something's gotta snap 'em out of it!" She finally propped Sonic up, slapping him again and again. "Rise and shine, Big Blue! Up and at 'em!"

"Enough," Sally cut in firmly. "It's not working. You're just giving us a headache."

Sticks hesitated for a minute, before slapping Sonic one last time. Sally pulled her back by the scruff, annoyed.

"Will you knock it off?!" the princess snapped.

While this was going on, Shard and Nicole were running scans.

"Their vitals are stable," Shard reported.

"Physiologically, there's nothing wrong with them." Nicole added. "However, their brainwave patterns are higher than normal."

"Is that bad? Charmy asked.

"We're not sure," Shard replied.

"Whatever's going on, I'll bet my crown that it has something to do with our nightmares," Sally realized.

"But what do we do?" Rotor asked.

"What can we do?" Johnny questioned.

Maginaryworld

In the temple, Team Sonic and Amy were pacing around. Lumina was wringing her hands, fighting back tears.

"Forgive me," she let out. "If I hadn't called you four here, this wouldn't be happening."

"It's okay," Sonic soothed. "You had no way of knowing this would happen. Besides, it's just a further incentive for us to kick Void's butt."

"Yes... of course." Lumina composed herself, wiping her eyes. "The Precioustone fragments are scattered across the different regions of Maginaryworld. If we can collect and repair it, we can break the curse and send you back."

"If only I had my Miles Electric…" Tails lamented. However, as he said this, the device materialized in his hand. "Whoa…"

"Ugh, of course!" Amy slapped herself on the forehead before holding out a hand, summoning her Piko Piko Hammer. "This is a dream! Anything can happen!"

"Well, that works out," Sonic said with a grin. "Okay Lumina, where to first?"

Lumina waved a hand at that. Their surroundings shifted around, and they found themselves on a familiar beach.

"Wait…" Amy let out, looking around in surprise. "We're on the Emerald Coast?"

"A reasonable facsimile, yes," Lumina clarified. "This is a tropical island paradise created from the dreams of those who enjoy peacefulness and the sun."

"Heh," Knuckles chuckled. "My kinda place."

"Indeed," Lumina confirmed. "You have appeared on these shores many times, Knuckles. But you'll find it... less pleasant than you remember."

She pointed in the distance. Much to their shock, they found glaciers floating nearby, frozen tornadoes and icy water on the horizon.

"Uh…" Sonic began, "anyone call for an ice age?"

"This is Void's doing," Lumina explained. "His dark power is changing this paradise into a cold world of ice."

"Right," Sonic nodded. "Opposite of peace and sun means cold, unforgiving ice. Tails, your dreamscape device working?"

Tails fiddled with it for a minute, getting several blips.

"I'm getting a lot of strong energy signals," he reported. "It's gotta be the Precioustone shards."

"Where are they?" Knuckles questioned, holding up his fists as the Shovel Claws materializing on his hands.

Tails pointed to the horizon. "Most of them are scattered in the glaciers."

"The sooner we get 'em, the better," Sonic declared. "Let's do it to it."

As they headed off, Sonic chuckled to himself.

"I literally prayed to Aurora that we could get some sleep tonight. Careful what you wish for, huh?"

Author's Note:

That's right, kiddies! A pseudo-adaptation of Sonic Shuffle, with more than a little influence from Nights into Dreams.

Next chapter, Sonic and co. become Dream Warriors, as their friends fret and worry.

Voice cast for this chapter:

* Lumina - Melissa Hutchison (Clementine from Telltale's The Walking Dead, Katie Forester from Yo-Kai Watch, Bianca in Spyro Reignited Trilogy)

* Void - Max Mittelman (Saitama from One-Punch Man, Meruem from Hunter × Hunter, Leo from Fire Emblem Fates)

Please R&R. Until next time!