-Chapter 212-

Sparking Joy

Sand Oasis

As they flew after the pterosaur, Sonic heard a cry for help off in the distance. Looking down at the area beneath them, Sonic immediately locked eyes on someone being backed into a corner by Ma Djinns. He instinctively shifted to the left, changing course for the endangered civilian.

"What do you think you're doing?" Shahra demanded.

"Someone's in trouble," Sonic said matter-of-factly.

"What?!" Shahra flew in front of the carpet, attempting to stop it from veering off course. "The King's life is in danger! You're going to actually die if we don't collect these rings for Erazor! Master, with all due respect, we don't have time to-!"

"We're making the time, Shahra," Sonic cut her off.

"I think I see the Ma Djinn up ahead," Sally said, her ring blades at the ready.

Shahra turned to Sally. "Princess, please talk some sense into-"

"Shahra, we don't leave anyone behind," Sally informed her. "Sonic can't. He physically can't."

Sonic's hand drifted to his rib, the phantom pain flaring at the very idea. "Way too many people have died or been hurt on my watch. I won't let anyone else get killed. Not if I can do something to stop it."

Shahra took that in, and her argument died. As they approached, Sonic jumped off the carpet, plowing into the Ma Djinns and knocking them aside. Sally jumped down right next to him, her blades making short work of them as well. Leaving her to handle them for the moment, Sonic turned to their would-be victim.

"Hey, you okay?"

He stopped short, blinking as he got a good look at just whom he had rescued. Aside from a turban, red vest, and baggy white pants, he was the spitting image of Tails.

"Oh, thank you!" the fox exclaimed, relieved. "I thought I was done for!"

"Tails?" Sonic let out before shaking his head. "Wait, no. You're another look alike."

"Tails?" the boy let out, confused. "My name is Ali Baba."

"Right, sorry. Thought you were someone else."

"Ali Baba, the woodcutter who found the Forty Thieves' treasure hoard," Sally recalled, approaching.

"I see my reputation precedes me," Ali Baba bowed. "Thanks for saving me. I might not be very strong, but I've still got some tricks up my sleeve. If you ever need help in return. It would be the least I could do to repay you."

Sonic smirked a bit at that.

"I'll be sure to take you up on that." He perked, an idea forming. "In fact, have you heard of a treasure known as the Seven World Rings?"

"Actually, yes," Ali Baba replied. "The Erazor Djinn's minions were after me because they wanted to find out what I knew."

"And what do you know?" Sally asked.

"Very little, I'm afraid. But Morgiana is well versed in the legends."

"Morgiana?" Sonic asked, confused.

"A slave girl Ali Baba owned," Sally explained. "One who saved his life."

Sonic immediately stiffened at the mention of slavery.

"No, you've got it all wrong!" Ali Baba said quickly, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "My brother owned her, not me. I freed her after we dealt with the Forty Thieves. She's my wife now."

"Can you take us to her?" Sally requested.

Ali Baba grinned. "Happily."

-X-

They were led to a modest house on the outskirts of the Zone. Outside, hanging up laundry on clotheslines, was a young woman who, aside from a knee-length white dress, was a dead ringer for Cosmo. She looked up at their arrival, smiling.

"Ali Baba!" she said happily before running over to hug him. He happily returned the hug, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. As they parted ways, she laid eyes on Sally and Sonic, both of whom bowed in greeting.

"We apologize for our abrupt appearance in your home, but we require your aid," Sally said politely.

"What do you know about the seven World Rings?" Sonic asked.

Morgiana blinked at that. "What do you want with them?"

"Mainly to keep them away from that psycho Erazor Djinn."

"We can trust them, Morgiana," Ali Baba assured. "They saved my life."

Hearing that, Morgiana nodded before sitting down. "The Seven World Rings are the cores of our stories, the tales you know as the Arabian Nights. They are the ties that bind us to those who feel our stories in their hearts. Each one represents a powerful emotion, an aspect of the tales that make up this land."

Sonic let out a whistle. "Looks like you called it, Sal. This world's version of Chaos Emeralds."

"Do you know where we can find them?" Sally questioned.

"I only know of one, I'm afraid. And I'm afraid retrieving it will be an impossible task."

"Well, I'm the guy who makes the impossible possible," Sonic boasted. "Who's got it?"

"Not who," Morgiana clarified. "What." She looked out towards the endless sea of sand just beyond their humble home. "Out in the desert, where no life can be seen, the Sand Scorpion makes its nest, guarding its treasures fiercely. Woe to those who seek to rob it of its pride and joy, for it will slay you where you stand."

"So this thing has one of the World Rings," Sonic mused. "Guess that's where we're going."

"Please be careful," Ali Baba requested. "The desert can be quite treacherous."

Morgiana's jaw dropped. "You actually intend to fight the Sand Scorpion? Are you mad?"

Sonic shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first horrible monster I've taken down."

He jumped onto the carpet, holding out a hand for Sally. She took it and he pulled her up next to him.

"Thanks again for the information. See you around!"

As they headed off in the direction Morgiana indicated, Sonic turned to Shahra.

"See, Shahra?" he asked. "Making time to help Ali Baba worked out for us."

"I should not have doubted you, Master," Shahra remarked, looking away. "Please forgive me."

"Eh, nothing to forgive," Sonic replied. "I get the feeling this flame is hitting a bit close to home for you right now, but I promise, I'm not Leila. I'll survive."

-X-

Eventually, they found themselves in a set of ruins. Almost immediately, from a quicksand pit burst a monstrous creature that knocked them off the carpet. Sonic and Sally hit the ground heavily, looking to see their attacker: a giant purple scorpion with fifteen red eyes, five on its two stingers, nine on its back (which were almost hidden by its sides), and one large eye on its head. It also had red marks on its stingers and purple and red legs, torso and eyelids.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this is the Sand Scorpion," Sonic mused.

"Yes, it is," Shahra confirmed. "Beware its poisonous attack. if it hits you, it will kill you long before the flame can."

"And how do we take it down?" Sally questioned.

Sonic looked at the eyes spread all over its body. "Well, when in doubt, go for the eyes."

"Right."

Sally climbed onto the carpet, while Sonic got ready to run. "Let's do this!"

As he ran at it, the scorpion lashed out with one of its pincers, trying to impale Sonic. He darted back before running up its arm, landing a Homing Attack on the largest eye on its back. The scorpion let out a high pitched shriek, recoiling from the hit. Sally then jumped off the carpet, slashing her blade through another eye spreading across its back. The scorpion screamed in pain, trying to crush the two with its pincers. Both quickly got out of the way, the carpet quickly catching Sally.

"It's working!" she cried. "Keep it up!"

The scorpion turned to face them, opening its mouth to roar, and revealing an even larger eye within.

"Jeez, this thing has more eyes than a potato!" Sonic shouted.

Sally looked at the eye, then down at her blades.

"Sonic, I have an idea!" she yelled.

Sonic looked between her and the eye-mouth, realizing her intent.

"Sally, I know this rings a bit hollow coming from a reckless goof like me, but... are you nuts?!"

"Maybe…" Sally readied herself, "but it's the only plan we've got."

Before he could protest, the carpet flung her towards the eye-mouth, her blades outstretched before her. With a sickening squelch, she pierced the massive orb, and the scorpion screamed. Thick black goo spilled from the eye as the Sand Scorpion crumbled to the ground, choking and dying. Sally pulled herself out, covered in the ooze and barely managing not to cringe in revulsion. Seeing this, Sonic rubbed Shahra's ring on his finger.

"O Master, what is thy wish?" Shahra asked, appearing from a puff of fog.

"Clean Sally up, please."

Shahra nodded and pink smoke billowed around Sally. When it passed, Sally was dressed in a beautiful, sky blue Arabian dress. It included a hijab, as well as a sheer, bejeweled face covering. Sonic's jaw dropped at the sight.

"Uh…" he pulled at his collar awkwardly, "when I said clean her up, I meant just get that gunk off of her."

"You were warned about being specific, master," Shahra pointed out.

"It's alright," Sally assured. "Honestly, this feels amazing." She did a quick set of punches and jabs. "And my movements aren't hindered at all. We're good."

Sonic was still staring. She tilted her head quizzically. "Sonic?"

Sonic babbled for a minute before slapping himself.

"Yeah, you look great!" he blurted out a bit too loudly.

Sally chuckled, then a strange, golden light began to emanate from the sand. Shahra floated over, finding the source was a yellow ring roughly the size of a basketball, made of a glass-like substance and decorated with silver markings.

"Morgiana was right. This is one of the World Rings!"

She reached for it, trying to grab it, only for her hand to phase right through it like it wasn't there.

"What the…? I can't pick it up?"

Sonic approached, reaching for the ring himself. It began to crackle with power as he approached. When he touched it, the ring exploded with yellow lightning. Sonic stumbled back, and his mind became flooded with images. He saw himself running across Green Hill, hitting every loop perfectly. He saw himself eating chili dogs while hanging out with Tails and Sally. He saw himself hugging his family, curled up on the couch for a family movie night. He saw himself sitting on a rug in a familiar living room, two human girls playing with him as a six year old. Each memory he saw filled his heart with the purest of joy. When the images faded, he found himself back in the desert, the golden ring now wrapped around his wrist like a bracelet, warm and pulsating against his skin.

"Sonic?" Sally asked in concern.

"I'm fine," Sonic assured, managing a smile. "I feel... happy. Really happy."

He looked down at the ring, which was still glowing slightly, and felt pleasantly warm.

"Morgiana did say the rings were based on emotions," Sally recalled. "Maybe this one is... Joy."

"Guess so... but why weren't you able to touch it, Shahra?"

When he turned to her, he was shocked to see a soul-crushing sadness on her face. She looked ready to cry, and in her eyes, Sonic saw one emotion he recognized all too well: guilt.

"Shahra?" Sonic asked. "Is... is there something you're not telling us?"

"I... I had hoped I could take up the rings," Shahra said. "That I could be their collector. But... they will only respond to you…"

A single tear ran down her cheek.

"Shahra... there's a part of the legend you haven't told us... isn't there?" Sally asked.

"Yes," Shahra sighed, turning away slightly. "'When darkness descends upon Shanazar - the legendary blue hedgehog from another world shall come.'"

"Me? Legendary?" Sonic asked. "You've gotta be kidding! You're gonna make me blush!"

"There's another part of the legend," Shahra went on. "'When the seven rings that control the world are gathered, the portal between the worlds shall open. But the life of the collector of the rings shall be offered up in sacrifice as the key for that control.'"

A dead silence followed.

"Wait, what?!" Sally shrieked.

"I had hoped I would be the one to gather them, that I would be the life sacrificed," Shahra told them sadly. "Believe me, I do not wish to have another life on my conscience… and yet…"

She just broke down, sobbing.

"Erazor... that slimy bastard…" Sally spat angrily. "He was never going to break the curse. He planned to kill you from the start!"

Sonic glanced down at the flame on his chest, the black marks crawling under his shirt as the golden light of the ring on his wrist faded.

"Honestly, I'm not even surprised," he deadpanned. "But we'll figure it out. We always do."

"You still want to collect the World Rings after that?!" Sally demanded.

"Look, Sal, there's nothing else that we can do," Sonic pointed out. "Either I gather the rings for Erazor and probably get killed, or we do nothing and this curse will definitely kill me. Besides, once we get all seven, if they are like the Chaos Emeralds back home, maybe I can use their power to rid myself of this flame."

"How can you remain so confident?" Shahra questioned. "So positive when your death is all but assured?"

"It always seems bad at first, but then I find a way," Sonic replied. "That's how it always is."

Shahra sniffled, wiping her eyes. "Forgive me. If I hadn't brought you here in the first place, this wouldn't be happening to you."

"Now stop that," Sonic ordered. "I chose to come here, we both did. You had no way of knowing what would happen. This is on Erazor, not you. Now stop feeling guilty and let's get moving. We still need to save Ju- King Shahryar."

As they boarded the carpet, Sonic turned to Shahra.

"I'll have you smiling by the end of this, Shahra. And that's not me ordering you as your master," he held out his pinky. "That's a promise... from me to you."

Shahra looked at the extended finger, wiped her eyes, and extended her own.

"A promise…"

Author's Note:

Another one bites the dust. And just in case anyone was wondering, yes, Morgiana was a part of the original story in the Arabian Nights. I looked it up.

Please R and R. Until next time!