Early in the morning, as the sun began to rise, the three would wake up, getting ready to leave once again. However, this would mean having to trek through more of Green Hill's forests. Fortunately for them, Sonic could provide them with the fastest route to cut through all of it to reach the edge, leading to their destination.
"We've made it out!" Sally exclaimed, happy to finally leave Green Hill. "But this journey isn't over just yet. We need to get to my kingdom before Eggman does!"
"The guy must be after you, Sally. He said that much when we were being chased by him. And if we can get to your castle, I'm sure he won't bother anyone else," Sonic replied.
"Easier said than done, I'm afraid," Amy said to her companions. "What if he finds another Chaos Emerald while we're still on our way?"
"Hmph. Guess that means we should pick up the pace," Sonic suggested, looking ahead. They would soon find themselves in a new area altogether, no longer surrounded by nature and the lush beauty of the tropics, but instead, they would be greeted by the sight of volcanoes and craters. The sounds of rocks clashing and falling could be heard.
"Look at this..." Sally said in amazement, seeing what the place was like. There were deep holes in the ground filled with lava, mountains surrounding the area, as well as dark clouds in the sky. There were small bridges that could be used to cross gaps in between rock platforms and cliffs. There were also doors that would lead into different caves that could be entered. There were several pathways throughout this whole place. It was truly amazing to behold.
This was the Marble Zone.
It was an ancient ruin nestled in a mountain landscape. The ground here featured grassy areas that grows on top of the local architecture that encompasses most of the ground, which was mostly made of purple bricks. On the surface, the Zone was filled with various blue stone pillars, and Greco-Roman architecture in the form of columns, arches and walls that are mostly colored green. There were also tall, fern-like trees, medium-sized mountains. Further into the background are also tall purple mountains with a deep blue overhead that features wispy cyan clouds.
"So...what do you guys think?" Sonic asked his female companions.
"I'm not so sure..." Sally frowned. "I mean, it seems safe here...but then again, it might be dangerous..."
"But it doesn't seem like we have a choice, unfortunately." Amy sighed. She wanted to get back home too, and fast! "Let's just get going and try to stay away from trouble..."
The girls both sighed in unison as they headed off into the ruins. This area was certainly a far cry from the Green Hill Zone, which had vast fields, crystal clear waterfalls, and giant palm trees. However, there were still a few similarities, like the rocky ledges, large spikes sticking out of the ground, and bottomless pits. The only real differences were that it lacked grasslands or tropical areas.
Thankfully, they would not encounter any dangers. So far...and hopefully, there would be none later.
But the place seemed rather strange, and eerily quiet. While there was some life present, the amount of flora and fauna seemed scarce in comparison to Green Hill's bountiful environments.
Elsewhere in this zone, someone else was present, exploring the area for his own purposes.
It was a fox that was present. The young orange-yellow fox wore white gloves with sock-like cuffs, similar to Sonic's gloves. He wore red and white sneakers with a white strap, almost appearing as sneakers.
This boy was Miles Prower. Although, everyone around these parts called him by his nickname, Tails.
"Where am I?" he muttered, wandering through these ruins. "I don't remember this place..." He wondered how he even got here, to begin with. Maybe it's because he got lost...or maybe he's dreaming about being lost right now.
A loud roar could be heard throughout the entire area, followed by the sound of crumbling rocks and shifting stones. Miles' ears perked up at the noise and his body went rigid as the fear washed over him. This wasn't his first time in this kind of situation, nor would it likely be his last. Still, hearing something like this always scared him.
As the dust settled, he could hear the clicking and whirring of machines nearby, accompanied by voices. He cautiously looked out from behind a rock formation to see Eggman's robots scouting the area, along with two men.
One was a fat man with glasses, wearing a lab coat and carrying a clipboard. Another was an anthropomorphic hawk, dressed in black pilot gear with gold trimmings. A leather jacket adorned his shoulders. The hawk held a blaster pistol holstered to his belt.
"This is gonna take forever!" The Hawk groaned. "I thought we'd already finished searching everywhere for that accursed Emerald!"
"There must have been some sort of oversight on our part! A detail overlooked!" The overweight scientist spoke. "Surely there is one within our proximity!"
"Do you two ever shut up?!" Eggman yelled out through a communicator. "Just keep searching! I refuse to lose against that pesky hedgehog again, and we NEED those Emeralds! They are vital to my plans. Do not fail me."
"Yes sir." Both men simultaneously responded, quickly going back to work.
Miles felt uneasy as he watched the events unfold around him. Even though he wasn't directly involved, he could feel the pressure building up inside him. His nerves began to jangle uncomfortably. Something bad was about to happen...
Suddenly, without warning, there was a loud boom from the distance. Everyone turned toward the source, and Miles peered nervously out of his hiding spot, his heart racing. What had happened?
"What was that?!" The scientist exclaimed. The Hawk immediately ran over to the noise's origin, taking note of what was before him.
"GRRRGHHH!" The beast roared loudly, stomping the ground, causing rubble to fly into the air.
The ground beneath their feet shook violently as they stared at the monstrous beast before them. It resembled a large, red dinosaur with two horns protruding from its head, as well as a tail ending in an axe-shaped blade. It had thick scales covering its entire body, which made it appear even larger than normal dinosaurs.
It was an Eggman creation known as Rexon.
"Aww, wonderful. A wild robot gone amok again, I suppose." The Hawk said as this was not the first time this kind of thing had happened.
A creature created by the mad genius Doctor Robotnik has run rampant on the land, threatening innocent lives. When it first occurred, nobody believed their eyes, thinking it to be a trick or illusion, but they learned quickly otherwise.
These beasts are created by fusing living beings with robots. These creatures are extremely tough, strong, and powerful. Some are so powerful they can crush buildings underfoot or tear through solid steel like paper.
They have even been shown destroying tanks with their bare hands. Their destructive capabilities rival those of even the greatest superweapons ever devised.
In addition to their physical prowess, these mechanized abominations possess high levels of intelligence, being capable of speaking and thinking independently of one another. If they do escape from their creator's control however...
This one clearly was on a rampage.
"At this rate, finding that Emerald while it rampages will be difficult!" The scientist said.
"How do you propose we contain this behemoth?" The Hawk asked.
"I dunno! Shoot it!" The Scientist shrugged, as both would run towards it.
Miles gulped audibly as he heard the shots fired and explosions ringing out across the landscape around him. This wasn't happening!
A loud, booming crash resonated throughout the area, sending shockwaves reverberating across the ground below them. The entire structure seemed to vibrate slightly under the sheer force of the impact. It seemed the Rexon slammed its tail, creating a quake-like effect.
"Gh! This monster has caused quite a ruckus in these parts already!" The hawk growled as his laser blaster failed to cause damage.
"Quick! Get in my mech suit!" The fat man suddenly said as he pulled out a device, pressing a button.
Within moments, a massive mech suit materialized before them. It appeared to be heavily armored, equipped with numerous weapons, such as missile launchers, flamethrowers, lasers, saws, drills, etc., as well as various other implements designed specifically for combat purposes.
"Well well, time to see what this baby can really do!" The scientist smiled as he jumped inside the suit, putting it on.
The machine lurched forward with a rumbling noise as its legs began moving slowly forward. Its metal claws extended outward menacingly, while its engines roared louder still.
Miles was terrified, frozen in fear as everything unfolded. Why hadn't he just stayed behind?! Why couldn't he have stayed safe at home?
"Now to crush this defective dinosaur!" The man piloting the suit spoke as he advanced toward the robot. The suit lifted its arms and fired a barrage of missiles from each arm's rocket launcher.
The Rexon didn't seem fazed by the attack but instead charged forward at full speed, ramming into the suit with considerable force. This sent the suit flying backwards several meters before slamming down hard on its backside.
Both parties continued their brawl, the mech launching attacks with its weaponry. This would cause Rexon to stagger in response, before launching itself at the suit with a roar.
As a result, the two giants crashed together, causing an explosion. Pieces flew everywhere, including pieces of concrete and debris from the crumbling ruins surrounding them. Both robots fell apart upon impact, their limbs detaching and scattering in all directions.
Sonic, Amy, and Sally would all be strolling across the Marble Zone, hearing the commotion in the background. Or in this case, witnessing it from afar. Pieces of the machines flew into the air as smoke billowed up into the sky.
"What's all the commotion going on down there?!" Sally questioned. The trio looked over at the destruction, and it appeared as if a battle had just taken place, leaving behind nothing but destruction and carnage. This didn't bode well at all. Especially when considering Eggman's forces could very well have found another Emerald.
"That looks bad..." Amy muttered nervously.
"Well, we better check it out then." Sonic nodded, as they all raced down towards the site, to investigate.
"Check it out?!" Sally questioned, looking at the blue Hedgehog. "That sounds dangerous! We're just supposed to avoid danger and get back to my Kingdom, not run straight into it!"
"Yeah, but we gotta make sure that any people and animals in that place are okay, ya know." Sonic retorted back, looking at Sally. "You never know..."
"...You do have a point..." Sally sighed. "Fine. Let's hurry and check on it. But make it quick!" Amy and Sally would nod, as Sonic would guide the three of them to their destination.
As the battle ended, Miles emerged from his hiding spot. Everything seemed normal, except for the fact that the area now appeared completely destroyed, having suffered extensive damage.
The young fox had been hiding during the entire ordeal. He didn't dare leave his position until everything died down. It took some time but he managed to get up enough courage to venture outside once again.
He noticed that the Rexon was still alive but severely injured, laying on top of the destroyed mech, which also had fallen apart, leaving the man exposed and unconscious. Miles walked closer to the Rexon to observe the extent of the injuries it sustained, before approaching it carefully.
The creature looked almost like a dinosaur, albeit much larger. Its skin was covered with red scales. A pair of large horns protruded from its head. And its mouth was filled with razor-sharp fangs. The creature's body seemed heavily damaged and broken beyond repair.
The scientist's mech was also in shambles, laying next to the beast, as the man was laying on the ground, passed out cold. The fox was wary of this whole situation but decided to get a little bit closer. Maybe he could help in some way...
But he would not be able to do that, however, as he heard the sound of an Egg Mobile coming in. "H-Huh?! What was that?" He looked up to see the ship arriving. Miles gasped, ducking behind a large chunk of debris. The vehicle hovered in the air as it approached the wreckage of the Rexon and the mech suit.
"Hohohoho! Seems that my men have done an admirable job! It seems the Emerald is here, after all." Eggman laughed. He flew in with his eggmobile, looking at the damage done to the area. "And it appears that one of my robots went on a rampage...I shall have to deal with that. And look at that..." Eggman looked to the scientist. "Snively is in that pile of scrap metal! And one of my other men is there as well!" The Doctor would fly in closer to the area, to investigate further.
He would then notice Miles Prower, hiding behind a piece of debris. "Oh ho? What is this?" Eggman smirked. "It appears I've found something very interesting indeed." He hovered over to him. Miles trembled at the sight of the doctor, his fear getting the better of him.
"Now, now. There is nothing to be afraid of, little boy." The mad man reassured him, in a sarcastic and mocking tone.
Miles would back up against a wall, having nowhere to go. "Wh-What do you want with me?"
"Hohoho! Now now, little boy. Don't be scared. All I ask for is that Emerald of yours. And then, I shall let you go on your way." He grinned.
"Em...Emerald? I don't know what you're talking about." Miles stammered nervously.
"Sure you do! That gemstone around your neck, I'm certain you've seen it before. Give it to me." The Doctor ordered.
"I-I don't have it!" The Fox lied.
"Is that so? Well then, I'll just have to take it by force!" The man grinned menacingly.
Miles shuddered as the Doctor descended on him with his machine, grabbing him. He cried out in pain as he struggled against the metal grip of the eggmobile. "Let me go!"
"Struggling is futile! I will get that Chaos Emerald from you, one way or another!" Eggman said, his claw tightening its hold on Miles. "Now, give me the Emerald!"
"Let go! I told you I don't have it!" The fox continued struggling.
"I know you do. Now stop this nonsense and hand it over!" Eggman yelled. He was beginning to get annoyed with this fox boy. He squeezed his arm even harder, making him yelp. "You're only delaying the inevitable."
"Alright! You win!" Miles relented, as the claw released him, and Miles fell to the ground. He reached into his backpack and pulled out the Chaos Emerald, holding it up for Eggman. "Here!"
The Doctor grinned, reaching down and taking the Emerald. He admired his prize, smiling wickedly at his prize. "Hoho! Excellent work, child! You did well. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Kingdom to visit. Farewell." Eggman laughed proudly as he flew away.
Miles was still on the ground, shaking from the experience. His mind was filled with confusion.
The three were getting close to where the action took place, with Sonic leading them, of course. "There's something over here!" Sonic said. "Come on!" He raced ahead of the girls. Sally and Amy would follow behind, as Sonic stopped abruptly. "Whoa...what's all this?" He looked around. "It looks like there was a battle here."
Sally and Amy walked over to where the hedgehog was, and they too stopped abruptly. They saw what remained of the wrecked mech and the dinosaur robot, both having taken a beating during the scuffle. "What happened?" Amy asked. "It's a mess."
"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm going in for a closer look." Sally said as she stepped into the ruined battlefield. The hedgehog followed behind, with the hedgehog's two female companions trailing after him.
They got a closer look at the wreckage, and they noticed the remains of a robotic T-Rex and the scientist who piloted a giant mech. It appeared the dinosaur had lost an arm, its head, and most of its body. Its tail had also been ripped off. As for the mech, it was reduced to pieces of metal and wire, the scientist laying next to it, unconscious. They approached the man and saw he was knocked out.
"Whoever this is, he's gonna need some serious help..." Amy muttered, as they checked the scientist's condition.
"Hey, look." Sally pointed. "He has a name tag on him." It read 'Snively'. "What's that?"
"I dunno." Sonic replied. "Maybe we can find out where this guy is from. He must be important if he has his own name badge." The Hedgehog walked over and picked up the scientist, carrying him away.
Sally would turn her attention to the broken mech, seeing a panel with buttons. She had no idea how to work any of this technology, and so, she just pressed whatever she could. One button would cause a compartment to open, a small device emerging. "A communicator..." she said.
She took the device and pressed the button on it. "Hello?" she spoke, waiting for someone to respond. Nothing happened at first, but after a few seconds, someone responded.
"Eggman to Snively, do you copy?" The voice came from the device. It sounded gruff, almost robotic sounding. Sally frowned. She knew exactly who this was.
Once she heard Eggman's voice, she dropped the device like it had burned her hands, and she ran over to Sonic and Amy, who were busy with the scientist. "This is one of Eggman's people! Eggman's here!"
Amy gasped in horror. They quickly began moving towards the exit, but the sound of an explosion stopped them in their tracks. They turned to see the Rexon rising up from its resting place. The creature was now standing on its hind legs and glaring at them with a single red eye. Its remaining arm had a sharp claw at the end. "GRAAAAARR!" The beast growled angrily.
The robot then lunged forward and grabbed Amy instantly, pulling her into the air with ease. Amy screamed out loud, being held up high by this damaged yet active machine.
"Amy!" Sally yelled, and Sonic rushed toward the machine, jumping onto its back. He started to try to pry the Rexon off Amy.
Amy continued screaming as Sonic began his approach to save her. "Hold on!" Sonic smirked, taking off instantly in a burst of blue speed. The machine's single eye turned toward the Hedgehog, releasing a laser that struck Sonic in the chest, knocking him to the ground.
"Woah!" Sonic exclaimed, rather shocked by the impact.
"Sonic! No!" Amy screamed again, as Sonic landed hard on the ground. Amy continued struggling in vain against the robot. "Please let go of me!" She begged, but it wouldn't budge. Sally would run towards it. She grabbed the arm that was holding Amy and pulled with all her might. "Ghhghg!" But it was to no avail, as the machine had far more power than she did. It wouldn't release its grip.
"Get off her, you big hunk of junk!" Sally screamed, as the robot looked down at her, raising its foot. She dodged just in time to avoid getting crushed by its heavy stomp. "Nnnhhh!"
"Oh, man...what a blast..." The hedgehog was starting to get up. He rubbed the dirt off his chest and saw Amy still in trouble. He ran at the Rexon, attempting to spin dash it in the head, only to miss again and get slammed into the ground. "Gh...! It's tough..."
"Grrr..." The Rexon roared, as it then took its free arm and grabbed Sonic, pinning both of his arms down. The robot lifted both Amy and Sonic into the air and then slammed them together violently. Both were thrown backward. Sonic rolled along the floor, stopping when his momentum ceased, and Amy was flung onto the ground.
"Sonic!" Sally ran to his aid. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah...I'll live..." Sonic groaned. "Man...I thought it would've been easier..."
The two of them watched in horror as the Rexon stood before them once more. Its claw was pointed towards the two hedgehogs menacingly, and the dinosaur roared again. The claw would suddenly glow, before a beam was fired at the ground right next to Sonic and Sally.
"Ooops! Get back!" Sonic shouted, pulling Sally out of the way. The claw would fire again, as the two continued running. "Okay! Time to switch up the game-plan and I've got something sweet in mind!" He grinned, speeding up to avoid the attacks.
The Rexon fired again, and Sonic leaped forward. The claw missed its mark completely, and Sonic spun around mid-air, launching himself at the robot's head, smashing through it and landing behind the machine, the robot falling over and crashing into the ground. It wasn't over though, the robot was still active. It raised itself back up, roaring furiously at the Hedgehog.
"Try this! Sonic Wind!" While airborne, Sonic's foot would glow, before he would swing it, sending forth a blue shockwave of energy from it. This shockwave would then hit the dinosaur, sending it flying back into the air.
"GRAAAHH!" The Rexon screamed furiously, landing roughly on the ground.
Sonic ran over to where it landed, looking down at it. "It's still kicking..." He looked at the robot and grinned, raising his fist and preparing to punch. "Not a bad robot, Eggman. Time for a good old fashioned pounding!"
Sonic's hand would soon glow next as he prepared a Spin Attack, charging up. He would then proceed to slam his fist into the dinosaur's face repeatedly, as the dinosaur struggled beneath the blows. With one last powerful strike, Sonic finally knocked the robot's head off its neck. Sparks flew out from the broken body part.
With no head remaining, the Rexon's body began twitching uncontrollably before it collapsed entirely. Sonic stood victoriously over the defeated enemy and smiled, wiping sweat from his brow.
Sally walked up to him and gave him a hug. "Thank goodness...you saved us. Again..."
Amy would soon join the hug as well, smiling at him. "Thanks for saving us from that robot! I thought I was a goner!"
"No problem, girls. I'm glad to help out." Sonic grinned. He turned his attention to the defeated machine, which lay unmoving now. "Well, that takes care of that." The Hedgehog would soon walk away.
Sonic would hear a whirring sound behind him. The robot had reactivated! It rose back up, staring at Sonic. It was clearly not finished with its mission.
The dinosaur would then roar once more as its claws glowed with power and it fired them directly at the blue Hedgehog. Sonic dodged quickly and rolled away from the blasts, but they followed after him. He dodged left and right, trying to escape the onslaught of energy shots coming his way.
The dinosaur continued firing relentlessly at the blue Hedgehog as Sonic tried desperately to avoid being hit by the blasts.
He was unable to get away from them. The Rexon roared loudly again, raising both of its arms above its head and firing off several beams simultaneously.
"I got this! Don't worry! Sonic Wind!" He would soon send forth another shockwave at the dinosaur. The beam struck the dinosaur square in the chest, causing it to fly backward. It crashed into a nearby pillar, destroying it entirely. It then fell to the floor and exploded, sending shrapnel everywhere.
"I-Is it down for good?" Amy questioned.
"Looks like it. But man that thing was tough." Sonic whistled. "But we can't stay around here anymore. We gotta move. Before something else like this happens. But I wouldn't mind." He said.
Sonic, Amy, and Sally would then leave the area, heading towards where Eggman's ship would be located, hoping they would find the Chaos Emerald before he did.
But there was something they had all missed. A young orange-yellow fox boy, hiding behind the rocks. He had watched the whole fight transpire, in awe at Sonic's speed and power. He had felt inspired by the heroic act he witnessed, watching as he had saved two girls from danger, defeating that giant monster and even a giant robot!
This boy was Miles Prower.
Miles watched as they all walked away, wondering what kind of people they were. He wanted to follow them, but he decided against it, not sure what to make of it. Maybe someday...maybe...
The Acorn Kingdom.
A vast, prosperous kingdom that is located in the land of Mobius.
The kingdom itself was a shining jewel of the planet. It had a vast population, consisting of Mobians, which are animals with human characteristics. They could walk and speak in human languages, though they were not necessarily considered fully human. It was a city that was built on top of a mountain. The buildings were very large, towering structures that stretched towards the sky. Some even reached as high as fifty feet! Each building was made out of either stone or brick, while some others were metal or even wood.
The city itself was divided into three sections: Upper, Middle, and Lower. Upper City was where most of the nobility and upper class resided. Here, they would enjoy all the luxuries of their status, such as private homes, gardens, and servants.
The middle part of the city was mostly composed of middle class people who were able to afford nice houses. They enjoyed good food and clothing, though not as luxurious as the upper class. There were many stores here, too, selling things from clothing to food. This area was where the average citizen lived and worked.
Finally, the lower section was where most of the lower class lived, usually in tenements, slums, or just dirt-covered tents and huts.
Some of them were able to get jobs at local businesses, but most did not. Instead, these citizens often turned to crime and violence in order to survive. Many would resort to stealing, mugging, and sometimes killing to make ends meet. The slum area also contained some of the poorest neighborhoods on the entire planet.
But the pride of the kingdom was the castle. A majestic palace where King Nigel and Queen Alena ruled. But right now, the two were greatly worried about their daughter's absence.
"She's been missing for a day! How can I not be furious?!" King Nigel Acorn yelled in frustration, sitting in the throne room, with Queen Alena by his side, and a servant nearby.
"Your highness, I understand you're worried about the princess, but she was in the company of two trusted guards. There's no reason to think that something terrible has happened." The servant said, attempting to comfort the King.
"How do you know? You don't even have a daughter, so I wouldn't expect you to understand the pain I'm feeling. My daughter is missing, and I have every right to be concerned." He responded to his servant, looking angry at the fact the situation is so dire.
"My King, please calm yourself. You are only hurting yourself and your wife with these thoughts." Queen Alena said to the man.
"You're absolutely correct. I must remain calm. I need to focus on finding my daughter, rather than worrying about her safety. She will come back safe and sound, I'm sure." He said to himself. "Ruling on emotion is not wise but...to have her be missing for a day? Who even is this Eggman character? And who is this blue individual that ran off with my daugther?!"
"I have heard stories from our people, your majesty." The servant answered. "I believe they may know something. I believe it was called 'Sonic'. It seems to have been spotted in the forests, according to my reports. It was a hedgehog, like our princess. I also hear it is incredibly fast. If it truly is the same as the one that our guards mentioned, then perhaps this Sonic is actually the one that saved Princess Sally from this 'Doctor Robotnik'." He explained.
"A hedgehog...that saved her? I find that hard to believe." King Nigel said, crossing his arms. "Hedgehog's haven't been seen in years."
"It seems to me that this hedgehog may be the same person that the villagers saw. And it does seem like the one that our princess met in Soleanna." The Queen said. "Maybe we can get some more information about this Sonic, if he is the one responsible for rescuing my daughter." She added. The queen then looked up at her husband, giving him an encouraging smile. "Do not lose hope yet. Our princess will return home, I promise you that. And once she returns, we will make sure she never leaves our sight again."
King Nigel smiled at his wife's words, and then he sighed. "Yes, of course. You're right." He then stood up, putting on a determined expression. "I am going to search for her. If there's even the slightest chance that she might be alive, I must go and find her." He then walked out of the throne room, the queen following suit.
The servant bowed as the King walked out. "Good luck, my king. May the stars guide you."
As the royal couple left, the servant thought to himself. "Hmm. A blue hedgehog that can move at high speeds, saving the princess...interesting." He thought, before smirking. "How long has it been since Hedgehogs have even been seen in this world? I believe it was over a century ago, when we fought that ancient battle." He then looked towards the sky, the sun shining down upon his face.
Sonic, Amy and Sally continued across the Marble Zone, approaching a pathway. Beneath and near this pathway was a ton of lava, some of it even shooting small lava projectiles up from time to time. They would also be surrounded by lava as they walked across the pathway. Sonic was ahead, the girls following. They would soon approach a cliff with a long set of stairs. They all stopped, taking a moment to catch their breaths before they began their climb.
"Watch your step ladies. We'll have to blast past that bridge to get across," Sonic told them, as they nodded. Sonic took the lead again, speeding ahead. "Let's roll!" Sonic yelled out as he dashed forward, jumping over some gaps, and running on walls.
Amy would soon follow behind, the two of them following behind the hedgehog. Sonic would stop at the edge of the pathway, as the two would follow behind him. They looked down, seeing a large river of molten rock flowing below them.
"What's the plan here?" Sally asked the blue hedgehog.
"I'm thinking I'll jump across. You girls stay behind me." he replied.
"But how will you know when it's safe to cross?" She asked, worried about what could happen if the lava shot upward. Sonic just smiled confidently.
"Easy! Just wait till the lava shoots out again, then jump across." He told them. "Don't worry about it, it won't hurt you. You'll see!" With that, he dashed ahead, jumping over the lava pit and landing on the other side. "There, now just jump over!" he said to the two girls, motioning them to follow him.
They hesitated for a moment, but then followed Sonic. The three of them crossed the bridge together. Once on the other side, they continued up the stairs, climbing higher. Eventually, they came upon the next pathway.
Sally stopped as she felt a rumbling coming from behind her, and the sound of something cracking. "What is that? What is that noise?"
"Hm?" Sonic turned around quickly and looked behind him, noticing that the pathway had split apart. It seemed as if the entire pathway was falling apart. But not only that, it was being set on fire. "Oh! Time to speed up!"
"W-What do you mean?" Amy asked, looking back as well. "The pathway is falling apart!"
"Yeah! So let's move it! Sonic Wind!" He then sped ahead, running along the wall. He was able to avoid the fireballs and the crumbling pathway, but he couldn't run at top speed because he had to carry the two girls. He kept running, but soon the path would end, with a pit of lava in the middle of the room.
The hedgehog was forced to jump across, but his momentum slowed down due to having to hold the girls, as well as the fireballs, causing him to stumble. He lost his footing and began sliding towards the lava. "Woah man!" He yelled out, as he began sliding towards the lava.
"SONIC!" The girls yelled, as Sonic fell into the pit, the two of them grabbing onto the edge, their bodies hanging on. Sonic fell down to the ground below, almost landing in the lava, but was able to roll out of the way. He ran towards the wall, trying to reach it, but there were no stairs. The wall itself had broken off, leaving nothing but a small ledge.
The girls were struggling, and Sally was about to fall. Sonic jumped up, grabbing her hand, and pulled her back up onto the ledge, but she slipped and almost fell off again. "Hang on!" He yelled, pulling her up again.
"Ahhh!" She screamed as she slipped and was dragged along the ledge, but this time, she managed to hold on. She was able to pull herself up and climb onto the ledge, panting heavily. Sonic would then grab Amy and pull her up as well.
The two girls would lay there for a moment, exhausted. They looked over the edge and saw the lava flowing underneath. They were all relieved to be safe. But then, a rumbling came from the ground. "What now?!" Sally asked. The ground beneath the girls was cracking, and suddenly, the ground gave out, causing them to slide down the side of the mountain. "Whoa!" Sonic shouted as they began falling towards the lava below. "Gotta go fast!" He would then jump down to them and grab them, speeding them out of the way in the nick of time, and landing on solid ground.
"Phew...that was a close one." Amy sighed, looking down at the lava. "I can't believe that just happened. I thought we were gonna die!"
"I know, me too. But Sonic saved us again." Sally smiled. "Thank you Sonic, we'd be dead without you. Too many close-calls recently..."
"Anytime." Sonic smiled. "Let's keep moving, we've got a Chaos Emerald to find!" Sonic said, as they would then run up the stairs.
Tails wasn't too far behind them. He had just left the ruins, having been watching from afar, when he had seen what happened to the pathway. "I wonder if that was caused by the earthquake. I should go see if the princess and the others are okay." he said, before running up the stairs himself. "Maybe I'll get lucky and meet that hedgehog again." He smiled. He was excited to see what was going on, but at the same time nervous. He didn't know what to expect from this place. He was worried that he might encounter more danger than he had expected, and that he may get caught up in it all.
He would continue making his way through the ruins, until he finally arrived at the bottom of the stairs. There was a large gap separating him and the next area, and there was no way to jump across. "Great. Looks like I'm stuck." Tails said, frowning.
Suddenly, a large shadow loomed over the young fox, as a massive machine landed behind him. It was the Egg Mobile, piloted by Doctor Eggman, and it was carrying an unconscious scientist. "Y-You!"
"Sneaky little fox. You almost pulled a fast one on me. This Chaos Emerald is a fake!" Eggman held up the fake emerald "I was just about to test its power but nothing happened. I must say, it's impressive that you managed to build such an authentic-looking fake emerald. It fooled even me, Doctor Robotnik, the man of science. But now you're mine!" Eggman said, laughing maniacally. "I'll get the real Emerald from you!"
"W-What?! No! Let me go! Please!" Tails pleaded.
"Oh, I'll let you go, little boy. Just as soon as you give me the Chaos Emerald!" Eggman shouted, as he began descending down into the pit below. He would drop down, landing on the floor. "Where is it?"
"I don't know! Honest!"
"I don't believe you!" Eggman shouted again. "If I find out that you're lying to me, I will destroy you! I won't hesitate to crush you!" he said, holding the unconscious man. "Show me the emerald, NOW!"
Tails trembled, but then stood firm, his two tails swishing. He wasn't going to be bullied around, not after he witnessed Sonic's heroic actions against the Rexon and that other mech. "N-No! Never!" Tails shouted back at the mad scientist. "I won't let you take it!"
But alas, there was nothing he could do.
But Sonic could do something.
A blue blur zoomed in, striking the Egg Mobile, causing it to crash and fall to the ground, Eggman falling down as well. Tails looked over at him, smiling, "It's you..."
"Are you alright, little boy?" Sally ran over to Tails, picking him up. "You're not hurt are you?" she asked worriedly. Amy also approached him.
The boy nodded slowly. "Yeah...I think I'm fine." He said. But since Sally's clothes were still a mess, Tails instantly spotted the visible bra, causing his eyes to bulge and his face to scrunch as he looked away.
"Oooh...that had to hurt..." Eggman said as he sat on the floor. Sonic approached the mad man. "You again! How dare you attack me?!"
"I knew I heard a familiar voice nearby. Looks like we meet again, Doc." Sonic told the doctor. "Going after kids too? Afraid of playing fair?"
"Hmph. Well, if you insist. I am a man of honor, you know." Eggman said, as he repositioned his Egg Mobil. He dusted himself off, and adjusted his glasses. "But this increases my luck. Now that you and those two are here, I can get two Chaos Emeralds for the price of one. You're going to pay for ruining my plans yesterday." He laughed.
"Hah! You think you can take me?" Sonic smirked. "Let's see what you've got, eggface!"
"You won't escape me a second time. Behold!" The Egg Mobile was more than just a vehicle for Eggman to move around in, as a hatch opened up on it, revealing a pair of robotic arms that were equipped with buzzsaws. The Egg Mobile would then begin spinning around, moving towards the three. Sonic jumped back, Amy and Sally jumping away from the attack.
"Hohoho! Get a load of this! Time to cut you all down to size!" The doctor grinned as he charged forward, aiming the buzz saw at them. Sonic quickly reacted, grabbing both of the girls' hands, before running off in a burst of blue speed, taking them with him. They dodged the spinning robot's attacks, but they weren't out of the woods just yet. "I've got a special surprise for you!" The arms on his machine changed to missile launchers.
He then proceeded to launch the missiles, the weapons homing in on his targets. Sonic ran forward, as the missile flew right towards him, and he leapt over it, and the missiles exploded harmlessly in the air behind him. Sonic then ran towards the Egg Mobile, jumping at the machine and delivering a swift kick to the side of its cockpit, causing it to spiral across the air. Sonic would land and skid along the ground. "Gotcha now!"
"Not bad! Let's try this again then, shall we?!" Eggman would press a button on the console, the Egg Mobile flying higher up, and a new weapon emerged, which were two mechanical tentacles.
Sonic charged forward again, as Eggman's vehicle moved to attack him again with its buzz saw, the blue hedgehog jumping and spin-dashing straight through the saw, destroying it entirely, and damaging the machine.
"You're not half bad, rodent. But I have a lot more tricks up my sleeve." Eggman said, laughing manically, as his machine flew upwards. He pressed another button, and a large laser gun emerged.
Sally and Amy ran over to the side of the ruins where Tails was, hiding behind the wall. "Is everything okay?" Sally asked, as the young fox boy was watching the battle unfold, admiring the hedgehog's speed and skill.
"Yeah, I think so. But that guy's pretty tough..." Tails said nervously.
"Come on, Sonic!" Amy encouraged. "Show him what you're made of!"
Eggman would aim the cannon at the blue hedgehog, as Sonic ran around the machine, dodging the lasers that came out of the cannon. Sonic would then leap and deliver a kick at the cannon, damaging it heavily. The cannon fell to the floor and exploded, destroying it completely. "Damn you, hedgehog!" Eggman would growl. He would fly upwards, pressing another button.
"What's this?" Sonic said. The tentacles would start smashing the ground, causing tremors and earthquakes. All of them felt these tremors. Eggman laughed maniacally again, as Sonic was forced to jump up to avoid them, and was then grabbed by the tentacle. Sonic would be slammed to the ground by it. He grunted and struggled, as the other tentacle then slammed on top of him.
The doctor grinned. He was enjoying this, as Sonic tried to get free. He was able to pull his hand loose, finding the strength to break free. Seeing this, Eggman threw him right at Amy and Sally, who were both losing their balance.
"Aaahh!" Both girls screamed as Sonic slammed into them. They fell to the ground, their clothes becoming torn up and ruined, and their chests were fully revealed to Sonic. Sonic would be on the ground, a bit perplexed by this. At the same time, his face would be in Amy's chest, his head being cushioned by the softness and warmth of her breasts, and his hands would be on Sally's.
The girls were still laying there on their backs, dazed and confused by what had happened to them. They were both embarrassed at how their outfits had gotten so badly torn and damaged. They both blushed at this, not knowing how to react. Sonic would get up slowly, not knowing what had happened. The two girls would blush even more at this, covering themselves up quickly with their arms.
"KYAAAAA!" The two of them screeched.
"Not bad..." He held his head before looking back at Eggman. "Now to end this!" He would spin dash towards the mad scientist, and Eggman, noticing him approaching, moved his mech forward. Sonic's attack would knock him back, damaging his machine further. He then flew upward, pressing the last button, a claw emerging.
"You won't win that easily, you blue nuisance! You may be faster than me, but you're no match for my intellect!" Eggman cackled manically, as his vehicle flew upward.
"Sonic Wind!" Sonic said as a whirlwind appeared and blasted the vehicle. It was damaged even further. The hedgehog would then spin dash at the machine and deliver another kick. This one was even stronger than the previous one, knocking him back further, and damaging him more.
The mad doctor growled, his machine in bad shape. "Why you...!" His machine would fly up, the claw extending outwards. It aimed right at Sonic, as the hedgehog prepared to attack, only to stop. The claw was going after Amy!
"Hmph." Eggman said, his claw reaching towards Amy, as it would grip onto the squirrel. Sally gasped at the sight, and Tails watched in horror as the claw grabbed hold of Amy.
Sonic's eyes widened. "Let her go!" He would rush at Eggman's mech.
"Get back, blue nuisance!" Eggman said as his tentacle arm smashed at Sonic, sending him backwards. The tentacle grabbed Sonic, and threw him into Sally.
Sonic got up. He looked over to see that the claw had already captured the pink-bodied girl. She was being held in mid-air. Sonic growled. He knew that she needed to be rescued.
But then Eggman noticed something. Amy was holding onto a green emerald. He grinned, as the claw squeezed harder. "Ah, so you still have it! Give it here!"
"Ngh..." Amy squirmed and writhed, as the claw tightened around her. She was unable to fight back, being too weak to resist the powerful force. It looked like Eggman would leave here with at least one Emerald, claiming it a victory.
However, it happened
In response to Amy's struggling, the Chaos Emerald would suddenly begin to glow. Its color was beginning to shift, as it turned into a dark shade of black. Then suddenly, the emerald's power was unleashed! The whole place shook from its sudden burst of energy. Amy was completely enveloped by a bright aura unlike any other.
"W-What is this...?!" Eggman didn't understand what he was looking at. Neither did Sally or Tails. But what Sonic saw was an opening. He had already found his opening prior to this, but thanks to this brief pause, he would capitalise on it even more.
Amy let out a glow so grand that it felt rather divine to her. The aura was warm and comforting, but also powerful, and she felt as if her body was being consumed by its power. Then, in an instant, her eyes began changing.
The pink furred girl's eyes became luminous, a pair of stars twinkling and shining within them. Her pupils had changed entirely as stardust began filling her sclera, perplexing the mad doctor.
"WHAT?!" Eggman gasped. "What's going on here...?!"
"Sonic Wind!"
Before Eggman could do anything, Sonic had used the attack to destroy the remaining buzz saw on his vehicle, and the claw was no exception, Amy falling out from its grip. Sonic would catch her, looking at her with a grin. "I got you, Amy!"
"T-Thanks Sonic..." She blushed at the sight of Sonic's face, her body no longer glowing and her eyes returning to normal. She had no idea what happened. What did Sonic just do? How did she end up being caught in his arms?
But Sonic wasn't finished yet.
With Amy in hand, the hedgehog would spin dash at Eggman. The attack would send him flying across the air, and would slam him against a nearby rock face, causing the entire structure to collapse, the rubble crushing the Egg Mobile.
Eggman gasped in pain as he fell to the ground, landing hard and rolling on the ground, groaning in pain. He had lost his hold of Amy and the Chaos Emerald, which Sonic took back.
The doctor groaned. "I was so close to having it!" The mad scientist said as his mech exploded.
The ruins were starting to collapse. His plan was a failure. He was defeated, yet again. Sonic had saved the day once more. "You'll regret this, hedgehog! Next time!" He then pressed a button on his glove, and would disappear into thin air, using a teleportation device he installed, vanishing without a trace.
"Ugh...he got away...!" Sally said, annoyed that she couldn't stop Eggman.
"That guy's pretty strong, huh?" Tails said, watching as Eggman vanished into thin air.
After the battle was over, Sonic, Amy and Sally regrouped with the two-tailed fox.
"Sonic! You did it!" Amy said, running up and hugging Sonic tightly, nuzzling against his spines. The pink hedgehog was still wearing her ripped clothing, and Sonic could feel her chest against his. "How many times are you going to save us?!"
Sonic grinned, "Haha, all in a days work! Glad you're all okay. That guy's persistent, but he's gone for now." He held the Chaos Emerald in his hands, grinning. He would then turn to Amy and wink at her. "Nice going there, Amy. I didn't know you could glow and get star eyes. That was really cool, whatever that was! It really gave me that opening."
"I...I have no idea what I did...I was just struggling to escape that claw and I ended up like that." Amy said, scratching her head. She had no idea what that was, nor why she ended up like that.
"Sally, did you see what I did?" Amy asked, turning to the squirrel.
"Well, I was just looking at the Chaos Emerald that was in your hand, and then suddenly, it started to glow. Then you were enveloped by this aura of energy. It looked divine and powerful, but I'm not sure what happened. Maybe it had to do with your emotions or something." Sally told her. She wasn't entirely sure what had occurred, but she was amazed by what happened, as was everyone.
"I'm glad I was here. That was incredible! How'd you do that?" Tails asked. He was amazed by the power the emerald had, but didn't understand what happened, as did the others.
"I don't know..." Amy said.
"I wonder if we'll figure out what it is later." Sally said, crossing her arms. She would then walk over to Sonic, and put a hand on his shoulder. "We have a lot to thank you for Sonic. You saved my life, and Amy's as well, multiple times." She would then look down at the emerald Sonic was holding, smiling.
Sonic smiled and nodded. "Alright. Let's go. Your Kingdom's still waiting for you, Sally."