Yay! Part Three is here!! Yahooooo! Again my total thanks to Jim Doe fur
sharing the burden of this fanfic.
Copyright Notes:
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and The Chaotix (c) Sega America.
Jim Doe (c) R. Lowery
Silver Star (c) Silver Star
Sally, Rotor, The Dark Legion, Kragok, Mecha-Sonic/Metal-Sonic (c) Archie
Comics.
If I left out anything..., you can figure it out ^_^;;.
First Contact
Silver Star: Her Story (Part III)
By Silver Star and Jim Doe
She leaned her back against the rock. "Try harder!" Archimedes
encouraged.
"What on Mobius do you think I'm doing?!" Silver snarled with a
strained look on her face.
"Well you could at least make an effort," The fire-ant snapped.
"ARGHH!" Silver screamed in rage as the rock went rolling backwards.
"I don't see why we just couldn't have used my strength" Mighty
flexed his arms, while the exhausted Silver caught her breath.
"Because, this is an activity to see where Silver's magical
capabilities lie," replied Archimedes.
"What?! You mean you really didn't need me to move this stupid
rock?"
"Not exactly." The fire-ant began to explain. "It's what I thought,
you're at your peak when you're angry." Archimedes sighed. "This will
take a lot of time and patience to control your fullest capabilities.
Let's just hope the Dark Legion doesn't come back before then."
Archimedes sighed.
Silver shivered. The Dark Legion. Kragok. What horrible memories,
almost as horrible as what happened 14 years ago. She shuddered at the
thought resurfacing in her mind. She pushed it down, and looked away. A
tear formed in her eye, but she quickly wiped it away before anyone could
notice.
"So, what's up next in our schedule of ticking me off?" she asked.
Archimedes looked her up, then down, then said, "Catch."
Silver looked at him in confusion, then jerked forward as
something hit her in the back of the head. "What the-?!" She turned
around just in time to see a walnut bounce on the ground.
"What kind of joke is this?" she demanded.
"Oh, it's not a joke at all," replied Archimedes. "Catch."
Silver spun around, prepared for a shot from behind, but the next
walnut caught her in the side while she was in mid-spin. She turned on
Archimedes and growled. The fire ant merely extended his arms one by
one, palm up, and shrugged.
"Catch," he said.
Silver turned by instinct and snatched the next speeding walnut
in mid-air. She crushed it with her bare hand.
"You gonna eat that?" asked Mighty.
Silver threw the crushed nut in the armadillo's direction, then
said, "Next."
Archimedes didn't give any warning this time, and Silver still
caught all of the walnuts he threw at her with his magic.
"Twenty out of twenty," said Archimedes. "Impressive . . . for a
beginner." He smiled slyly just before Silver muttered a short phrase,
then his smile turned into an expression of shock as he was lifted from
his seat and spun around like a top.
"Excellent teaching skills, Archy," said Mighty. "Mebbe you can
teach 'em to me sometime!"
"M-m-m-i-i-i-g-g-g-h-h-h-t-t-t-y-y-y-?-?-?"
"Yeah, Archy?"
"H-H-H-E-E-E-L-L-L-P-P-P-!-!-!"
"Okay." Mighty looked over at Silver, who was concentrating on
Archimedes. "Hey, Silv," he yelled, "isn't that Knuckles with a bouquet
of roses behind you?"
Silver looked startled for a second, then released the fire ant and
spun around. When she didn't see Knuckles, she turned back to Mighty
with a red, angry face.
Archimedes dusted himself off and said, "Thank you, Mighty."
"No prob," said the armadillo. "You just have to learn to be a
people person like me."
***
Meanwhile, further down the Floating Island's edge, Knuckles was
practicing his own public relations, mainly by trying to beat the
bewilickers out of Sonic T. Hedgehog.
"Didn't I tell you to keep your carcass off of my island,
spiney?" he asked as he punched.
Sonic dodged with ease born of super-speed. "Ah, come off it,
island boy! I just want to see the girl!"
"Silver? What for?"
Sonic dodged another punch. Seemingly, he wasn't in the mood for
fighting today, just dodging. "Because of the energy she's puttin' off!"
he said. "I'm suprised none of you noticed! The sensors back at
Knothole sure did!"
Knuckles stood there for a minute, considering his options. "Who
did you bring with you?" he finally asked.
"Sally, Tails, and Rotor are waiting back at the edge of the
island where we set down in the Turbo-Prop," Sonic said.
Knuckles' eyes narrowed, but he said, "Alright. Follow me."
***
Silver crossed her arms and glared angrily at the armadillo.
"Hey, don't look at me that way. It was a joke." Mighty waved his
hands defensivly. Silver muttered something under her breath and Mighty went
flying backwards into a tree.
"Hey, watch where you're going." Cried Espio, coming into view.
Silver laughed as she cast a spell and Espio went soaring through the air.
"What the--" Espio exclaimed.
"Oooh. Good thing for my built-in armour, or else that would've hurt
a lot more than it did," Mighty sighed as he patted his back. "Hey, I didn't
know chameleons could fly." He laughed while watching Espio tumble through
the air.
"Neither did I." Espio cried in surprise.
"Perfect!" Archimedes exclaimed. "If I could only find some way to
teach you how to temporarily control your powers, until I teach you how to
completely harness your magic. The Floating Island sure doesn't need to take
a beating from you, not now."
Silver chuckled to herself and started to walk away. Espio crashed down on
top of Mighty.
"Hey, now it's your turn to look where you're going." Mighty
groaned.
"Think fast." Espio yelled as he whirled a hand full of walnuts at
Silver's head.
Silver whirled around, arms flying in all directions, and in no time
flat, she held out all the walnuts in her hand and dropped them on the
ground.
Mighty and Espio were staring with dropped jaws. Silver grinned.
Archimedes smiled, "I see you're a fast learner. That'll come in handy in
the lessons ahead."
Silver turned to leave but she bumped into Knuckles and fell
backwards onto her butt. "Ouch!" Silver exclaimed as she rubbed her
nose.
Knuckles stepped back in suprise, then stepped forward to
help Silver up. "Uh, sorry about that," he said. "It's a good thing I,
ah, ran into you. There's someone I'd like you to meet. Silver, say
hello to Sonic T. Hedgehog, the spiniest scoundrel around." He stepped
aside to reveal Sonic, Rotor, and Sally.
"Hello," said Sonic. He pointed at Sally and said, "This is -"
"I know you!" Silver interrupted.
"Er, excuse me?"
"You're the one that was fighting Knuckles on FLiCKiE Island!"
Sonic suddenly jumped as if someone had kicked him in the shin.
He looked at Sally and said, "What? What'd I do?"
"You know exactly what you, did!" said Sally. "You told me that
you didn't get into a fight with him on that mission!"
"Well, I wouldn't call it a fight as much as a little scuffle-"
"I don't care. I want you to rewrite the report when-"
"People, people," interrupted Archimedes. "If you don't mind,
time is precious. What are you here for, exactly?"
"I'll field that," said Rotor. He pulled out a small scanner and
trained it on Silver. "For the past week or so, we've been picking up
traces of power emenating from The Floating Island. The other day, that
power jumped tenfold. My instruments were able to pinpoint the exact
posistion of the source of the power, and that source is Miss Silver
here." He extended his hand to Silver. "My name is Rotor, ma'am."
"You don't have to call me ma'am," said Silver, taking Rotor's
hand. "I'd guess that I'm no older than you are!"
"Just being polite."
"What are you picking up off of her now?" asked Knuckles.
"Hard to say," said Rotor. "Some residual energy, possibly
released in the past hour or so, is blocking this scanner."
"Yah," said Mighty. "We were doing some training a few minutes
before you guys walked up." He rubbed his shell absent-mindedly.
"This is all great, but what does it all mean?" asked Knuckles.
"It means, Knuckles," said Sally, "that your friend here is a
power magnet. If anyone else, including Robotnik, picks up her energy
signature as easily as we did, she would be a target for anyone who's
looking for easy power."
"That would explain how the Dark Legion had been able to find her
so easily," mused Archimedes, "even though her energy signature would've
been much lower before her demonstration in the lava reef."
"Great," said Silver, "so any doofus with a descent detector can
just find me and come after me?"
"Essentially, yes," Sally said. "That is, unless you learn to
constrict the expenditure of your power. What is it's nature?"
"Nature? I'm . . . not sure. I use ancient Echidna magic."
Sally screwed her face up. "Echidna magic? That's funny. The
Royal Archives only speak of echidna civilization as being
technologically advanced. Nothing about magic."
"Where are you from?" Sonic asked Silver.
"FLiCKiE Island," she answered. "That's where I saw you and
Knuckles fighting, and I followed Knuckles here afterward."
"Do the Royal Archives have anything about FLiCKiE Island, Sal?"
the hedgehog asked.
Sally shook her head. "Not much. For the sake of knowledge, I'd
like to learn all you know about your island, Silver, and record it.
Would you agree to that?"
"Uh, I dunno. I still have to train in the use of my-" She
stopped short and remembered the walnut rain and the heavy rock. "Never
mind. I'll do it."
"Well, shall we start then?" Sally inquired.
"What the--" Silver fell to her knees holding her head.
"Hrmmm..., there seems to be a high power source emenating from The
Floating Island, Snively, and it's not a Chaos Emerald." Robotnik rumbled.
Silver cried out in pain as the voice continued to echo through her
head.
"Should we check it out, sir?" Snively inquired.
"Of course, you blithering fool." Robotnik slammed his fist onto the
computer, making a soft "Bleep."
"Should I start up the Egg-O-Matic, sir?" Snively cowered, expecting
to get hit.
"No." Robotnik grinned evilly. "Bring me EGG-01"
"Yes, sir. Right away, sir *you over sized hard boiled egg*" He
muttered underneath his breath.
"What was that Snively?" Robotnik turned, eyes glowing red.
"Oh nothing, sir. Just commenting on how well EGG-01 will work, sir."
Snively shook in terror.
"Yes." Robotnik mumbled to himself. "No one will be able to stop me
now, that stupid echinda won't stand a chance."
Silver screamed out in pain again as the words echoed through her
mind again and again. Suddenly she was being taken back into her darkest
memories. Hidden far away, deep in her mind.
It was a sunny day on FLiCKiE Island when Silver was born. Beautiful
day, cool breeze blew off of the sea, making a soft taste of salt echo
through the air.
A scream of pain ripped through the air, as the egg slowly began to
emerge. "That's it, just a little more." Her father encouraged his wife.
"There, it's beautiful, perfect shape, and--" He stopped short. His wife
lay limp on the warm ground. "Aurora? Aurora! NOO!" He cried out.
"NOOOOO!!" Silver echoed in pain. The rest of the group was shocked.
Silver burst into tears, holding her head, curled in a ball on the ground.
Her body quivered as she cried. She mumbled something, then she became
invisible. Her cries could still be heard, but she could not be seen.
"Where'd she go?" Sonic inquired with disbelief.
"Sensors show, she didn't go anywhere." Rotor scanned where Silver
had been lying a few moments before. "She's still here, just invisible."
"Amazing." Sally's jaw dropped in awe. "Are you still getting
readings on her, Rotor?"
"Just that she's there," said the walrus. "The amount of energy
she's giving off is . . . well, it's off the scale! I've had to turn my
scanner's sensitivity down just so she wouldn't burn it out!"
"Espio!" Knuckles called. "Go find Charmy and Vector, then bring
them back here!"
"On my way boss," said Espio as he faded from view.
"Archimedes, see if you can help Silver!"
"Already working on it Knux," the fire ant said as he started his
incantations. "Strange, . . . " was the last thing he said just before
going off into a deep trance.
"What do we do?" asked Sonic.
"We wait for Archimedes, blue boy," said Knuckles.
***
A dark figure watched impassively from the jungle. He didn't
care about these people any more than they had cared about him for the
past ten years. The only thing he cared about was the girl, Silver. She
would jepordize everything that was to come in the next year if he didn't
contain her extra energy.
This wouldn't have happened if the Dark Legion had only stayed
underground a few more weeks, like they had been planning. Instead,
Kragok had decided that he had wanted a wife all of a sudden and sent his
troops up to look for Silver. When he angered Silver too much, boom!
He watched from the jungle, confident that none of the others
could see him. Even Knuckles, with his enhanced vision and hearing,
would've been unable to detect the dark watcher if they were standing
face to face. Rotor's scanner was useless in finding him. Espio
wouldn't be able to notice him, though chameleons were adept at picking
out invisible objects and people.
But, Silver saw him. He had outlined her heat signature,
something that Rotor's scanner was unable to pick up with all of the
magical interference, and watched as she stood up painfully and stared
directly at him.
He immediately jumped behind a tree in panic. How powerful WAS
she? Certainly, she didn't have the discipline needed yet to see him, if
that was possible at all! This was bad, very bad. Robotnik was coming
out to the Floating Island with the EGG-01, the Dark Legion might pop
back up any day now - perhaps any SECOND now - and Silver was unable to
control her magic well enough!
With the help of Sonic, the Freedom Fighters, Knuckles, and
the Chaotix, the Floating Island might not become a wasteland, . . . but
the chances were slim.
Jim took a last look at the Mobians in the clearing, then
flickered back to the Great Forest to prepare for the coming maelstrom.
***
Slowly, Silver had become visible again. She was standing, just
barely. Knuckles wrapped an arm around her and helped her stay on her
wobbly legs.
"What happened?" asked Mighty.
"I- I'm not sure," Silver gasped, "but I think the island is in
trouble, . . . "
"In trouble?" Knuckles looked confused. "How do you know?"
"I--I don't know that either." Silver sighed. "All I know, is it's
all my fault." She looked down at her feet.
"Why is it your fault?" Tails inquired.
"Huh?" Silver was taken by surprise, she hadn't seen him when she
met the others. "Oh, I know you." She leaned towards him. "Your Tails,
right? You came out to the island too, but you stopped the fight from
continuing...,"
"Yup," Tails beamed.
"Well," Silver sighed. "All I know is some guy named Robotnik, and
another person named Snively, are coming out to the island to come to get my
energy. They're bringing out something called the EGG-01. The rest,
well...." Silver turned away, afraid she might cry again.
"It's okay, you don't have to say anymore if you don't want to,"
Sally reassured her with a sympathetic voice. Silver sensed Sally had felt
something similar to what Silver was feeling, and she could relate.
"Thanks." She muttered as she put her head down.
"Well Rotor, any idea on what this EGG-01 is?" Sally turned to Rotor
inquisitively.
"Nope. Not a clue. Looks like we're goin' to have to wing it." Rotor
sighed.
"We?" Knuckles echoed.
"Yeah, MOLDILOCKS, we're goin' ta help ya." Sonic snarled clenching
his fists.
"Listen, you blue painted pin cushion, you, *I* don't need *YOUR*
stinkin' help!" Knuckles snapped edging closer to Sonic.
"Eh! Listen!" Silver yelped.
"What?!" The echidna and hedgehog whirled around.
"That! Can't you hear it?!" Silver looked around.
Knuckles strained his ears. Nothing.
"I don't know what yer talkin' about Silver," Sonic snapped. "I think you fell a little harder than you'd
like to admit, a few minutes ago." Sonic sighed.
CRUNCH! Knuckles' fist came in contact with Sonic's jaw. "Shut up!"
Knuckles snarled.
"Rotor, does your scanner pick up anything?" Sally questioned.
"In fact, yeah, it's..., it's..., coming our way!" Rotor yelled in
terror.
"They're getting ready to fire!" Silver screamed. A few seconds
later, the EGG-01 one appeared. Lasers hit the ground with dust sparking up
everywhere. Silver could hardly see. Everyone was on the ground, but she
couldn't see Knuckles. "Knuckles? KNUCKLES!?" She screamed as she looked
around in panic.
***
"Didn't I tell you to stay back at Knothole?" admonished Sonic.
"Yeah, but it was boring back there!" Tails complained.
They both lay face down on the ground as the massive machine
floated up above them. Sonic hadn't gotten a good look at the thing that
Silver had called an EGG-01, and he knew that sitting there like a bump
on an island wasn't going to get him any better look at it. He jumped up
ran around checking that everyone was okay, but he couldn't find Knuckles.
Oh well, he thought to himself, deadhead can take care of himself
for now. He streaked up a tree as the others stood up and ran for
cover. From his vantage point, Sonic could see the EGG-01 as it fired
another volley of laser shots at the ground.
It was slick, whatever it was. Every part of it was shaped like
an egg and had a silvery shine to it. On the side was Robotnik's giant R
symbol in the midst of laser cannons pointed at them. The EGG was about
two hundred feet long and half that wide. It started to set down on the
ground.
"Come now, hedgehog," Robotnik's voice boomed from a speaker,
"surely you aren't hiding in the jungle, shivering in fear! Why don't
you come out and face me hedgerat to ultimate weapon of death and
destruction?"
As soon as the EGG had landed, Sonic was at its side. He saw
Robotnik sitting in a clear egg shape in the center of the machine.
"I've done it before and won, chubby! What's going to stop me this
time?"
"Ah," said Robotnik, "such endless bravado. But, this time,
hedgehog, it's not YOU I'm after! EGG-01, form 35."
The separate egg shapes of the EGG shifted and rolled around each
other. Within seconds, the EGG-01 had taken the shape of a giant robot,
with Robotnik as the head.
"And now," said the not-so-good doctor, "I'm off to catch myself
a little bundle of energy! Don't wait up for me!" The EGG walked off in
the direction that Silver had run off to.
"Stop 'im!" Mighty yelled as he jumped in the path of the
machine. He swung a fist at the thing's leg . . . then jumped back in
pain as the only reaction he got was a slight ringing noise in the EGG's
eg.
"Don't bother," said Robotnik as he moved off into the jungle.
"Each shell is protected by its own personal force field. You can't
crack it. Toodle-loo!"
***
Silver ran. Panting. Pushing brush out of her way. "Where did
Knuckles go?" she thought to herself. CRASH! She whirled her head around to
see an enormous robot, with a little egg-shaped fat guy in the driver's
seat. "SHINGA!!" She cried as she almost ran into a tree. She tripped and
rolled for a few feet. (Shinga is the ancient Echidnian equivlent of a swear
word.)
"Hrm," Snively sighed.
"What?! What is it Snively?!" Robotnik snarled.
"Sensors show that *SHE* is the power source." Snively grinned.
Robotinik smiled evilly. "This is goin' to be like taking candy from
a baby." He chuckled as he pulled a lever.
Silver stood up, and started running again. The robot's large arm
was reaching towards her. She had to think fast. She jumped into the air,
grabbed a branch, flipped around it, summersaulted through the air, and
landed on the robot's shoulder. "Aieee!" She cried as she slipped backwards
off of the robot. She closed her eyes and hoped for a soft landing. She
suddenly landed in someone's arms. "Huh?" She opened her eyes. She was in
the arms of a cloaked figure, similar to one of The Dark Legion. "Oh no, not
this again." She sighed as she drew her hand back to hit the figure.
"If you want to survive and save your friends, come with me." The
voice huskily whispered.
Silver paused. Then dropped her amr and followed the figure through
the bushes. "Where are we going?" Silver asked, while swatting branches out
of her face.
"You'll see." The voice replied.
***
"Hrmm...," a voice from another part of the island sighed. He
scratched his chin. "Who *IS* this interesting figure?" He leaned forward
typing like mad on the keyboard.
***
"Where'd she go, sir?" Snively whined.
"Does it look like I know, you idiot!" Robotnik snarled as he pushed
his nephew out of the way. He looked at the sensor screen, but nothing
appeared. "Dammit!" he yelled. "Fine! I don't care if I have to tear
down this entire jungle, rip off the surface of the island, and sink it
all to the BOTTOM OF THE SEA! I! WANT! THAT! GIRL!"
"Good idea, sir," mumbled Snively, who was smashed into his seat
in the small compartment.
Robotnik settled back behind his controls and set the EGG to firing
lasers into the jungle and ripping trees out by the roots.
***
The jungle seemed to fly by Silver at break neck speeds. Every
once in a while, she thought she saw the scenery jump, but figured that
it must be her imagination.
After an undeterminable amount of running, the cloaked figure
stopped. Silver almost ran into his back.
"This should be far enough," he said. He let go of Silver's arm,
reached up, and pulled away the hooded cloak. It seemed to disappear
into nothingness. Underneath was a young male deer with unruly brown
hair and sharp green eyes. He was wearing a scuffed up jacket, faded
blue jeans, heavy boots, and a backpack. Muscles rippled underneath the
jacket, and he stood almost half a foot taller than Silver.
In short, he looked like he was used to a life of travelling from
one place to another.
"Wh-who are you?" asked Silver.
"I . . . don't have much in the way of a name," the deer said.
"If you have to call me anything, call me Jim."
"What do you want with me?"
"I want to help you with your powers," said Jim.
Silver snorted. "You picked a fine time for it!"
If Jim heard the sarcasm, he didn't let on. "Yes," he said, "I
believe I did. If you and your friends are going to beat both the EGG
and the Dark Legion at the same time, you have to learn to harness the
natural energy that is inside you."
"WHAT?!" cried Silver. "At the same time? What are you talking
about?"
***
Finding the EGG was hardly a problem for the Freedom Fighters and
The Chaotix. It was standing in the middle of the jungle, thrashing
around and taking out everything within the nearest 200 feet.
"Alright, Tails," said Sonic, "attack maneuver S-24!"
"Aye-aye!" said Tails as he picked Sonic up and lifted him over
the treetops. Using a few evasive maneuvers, they snuck up to the back
of the EGG without being detected - or so they thought. A sudden blaze of
laser struck the EGG-01 just inches from Sonic and Tails' posistion.
"DESTROY THEM!" yelled a coarse voice. A dozen hooded figures
scrambled out of the jungle, weilding a large variety of heavy weaponry.
They set themselves and fired missles and lasers at the EGG.
Sonic and Tails beat a hasty retreat.
"Who the hey are they?" Sonic asked Sally as they set down.
Sally was looking at Nicole. "I don't know, Sonic," she said.
"They seem to be echidnas, but Knuckles and Silver were supposed to be
the only ones left! Plus, they have massive amounts of cybernetic
systems in their bodies . . . origins unknown. The systems are of a
configuration Nicole and I both don't recognize!"
"Whoever they are," said Rotor, "they seem to be doing our work
for us!"
"They're the Dark Legion!" exclaimed Mighty.
"You know these guys?" asked Sonic.
"Er, not personally, but we met up with them just the other day!
They're what got Silver angry and made her start spewing out all that
energy you were talking about. They want to take over The Floating
Island and, well, kill all of us. The only reason they're attacking
Robotnik is 'cause they think he's competition! Once they're done with
him, they'll take US down!"
"Yipes!" said Sonic. "Looks like its time to beat feets for
now! Let's regroup at the clearing."
***
Robotnik whirled the EGG around to face the new attackers. He
opened fire with all laser cannons.
He turned on the speakers and said, "Your military stylings are
quite amusing, but I'm afraid that they just aren't up to snuff." He
wiggled his fingers at them out the cockpit's window. "Say good-bye, you
little annoyances, you!"
Half of the echidnas didn't make it back into the jungle in time.
Robotnik pushed a small red button and the top of the EGG-01 whirled.
He chuckled to himself. "This is all going to be such fun. I'll destroy
these annoyances, get the girl, and rule the world with an endless energy
supply." He laughed out loud.
Snively snarled and muttered something under his breath, but
Robotnik didn't hear it.
BOOM! A blue laser shot out of nowhere destroying the gun that
whirled at the top of the EGG-01. Robotnik gasped in horror, "What the *&^%
was that?!" He snarled.
"I don't know, sir, but it seems to have detroyed the EGG-01's
BIG-GUN..., the repairing system has gone off-line. The shock has rippled
through the BIG-GUN and into the main engines. We will have to retreat and
repair the damages, sir. Unless you want to be defeated." Snively whined.
"Does it LOOK like I want to be defeated, Snively?!" Robotnik
snarled.
Snively mumbled something under his breath again. He quickly hit a
blue button, and the EGG-01 started to transform back into an egg. As it
lifted off all of The Floating Island could hear Robotnik cry, "I'll be
back! And I'll get that girl TOO!" He snarled as the EGG-01 flew out of
sight.
***
"What was that?" Silver whirled around just in time to see the
EGG-01 fly by.
"That's what it is." Jim exclaimed as it whipped by. "But never
mind it. You need to learn to control your powers, and soon. Robotnik's
just gone for a bit, and he'll be back in no time. The Dark Legion will
soon be looking for you again, too."
"Who?" Silver asked.
"Who what?" Jim inquired.
"Who's Robotnik?" Silver continued.
"Oh. That fat egg-shaped guy who was flying the EGG-01, but
forget that for now; we have more important things to do." He sighed as he
motioned Silver to follow. Silver advanced hanging onto Jim's every word.
She knew if she, and her friends, were going to survive this ordeal, she'd
have to pay attention to what this guy was saying.
***
Do you understand the principles behind your magical abilities?
(Jim asked.) No? Do you understand the basics of chaotic physics? No?
Do you know simple correlation theory? No?
Do you know how to tie your shoe? Yes? Good, we'll start from
there. *sigh*
In our universe, which is really one of many, there live three
beings you call the Ancient Walkers. Though they did not create our
universe, they did bring order to it. The planet of Mobius, however,
they DID create. They used another planet, one in another dimesion.
This planet was Earth, and that is where Robotnik is from.
The Walkers saw how destructive the humans of the planet Earth
were, and decided that they would use a more "environment friendly"
species to populate Mobius. They couldn't decide which of the animal
species to evolve, so they evolved all of them in a similar direction.
So, we are here. Because of the detrimental affects of
technology as showed by the humans, both on Earth and here on Mobius,
the Walkers tried to find a balance to technology, and this is Magic.
Magic, at its most basic, is Chaos. Anything that can happen,
will happen. The Ancient Walkers allowed some Chaos to seep into their
ordered multi-verse, but only if the Chaos promised to keep itself reined
in. One of the ways this is done is the Chaos Emeralds: they are merely
containers for Chaotic beings.
Now that Chaos was allowed a foothold in the ordered universe,
magic appeared on Mobius. Magicians started popping up here and there,
and technology was balanced by these people.
That was the history lesson. Now for the practical application.
Magic is Chaos, and Chaos tries to rein itself in so that it can
stay in our universe. Unfortunatly, some Chaos cannot do this on its
own. Example, your magic. The Chaotic powers you hold are barely
contained, and so they flare for all to see, especially when you exhibit
extreme emotions. Even pure happiness can send a surge of magic out of
you. The only reason Archimedes was testing your anger was because anger
is an easily attained emotion.
You are not really to blame for your condition. Your outburst at
the lava reef was merely the last straw for the Chaos within you. It
would've happened sooner or later; you just got a bum wrap in the magical
constraint department.
So, what you have to do is reach within yourself and bottle up
this magic. Once you have it stored away, you can open it anytime you
need it and use bits and pieces without going totally out of control.
And I'm going to help you do that. I can't do it for you, of
course. You must learn the constraint on your own, so that you keep
control on it while I'm not here.
Here's what I want you to do: sit down. Yes, anywhere, it
doesn't really matter. Now, take the Lotus posistion . . . er, well, I'm
not actually sure where I got that term, but anyway . . . there. The
Lotus posistion is how meditators sit while they go into their trances.
I want you to close your eyes and concentrate on the sound of my voice.
You are going into a deep sleep. I'm going to count to twenty, and with
each number, you will fall deeper and deeper into the trance, . . .
***
"It would appear," said Snively, "that the echidnas found the one
weakness in your design, . . . sir."
Robotnik was pacing back and forth in the aircraft room that
temporarily housed his EGG-01.
"No problem, Snively," he fumed. "Next time, I'll just invent a
force field that I can shoot OUT of, but they can't shoot IN to. I
should've known that . . . no, YOU should've WARNED ME that the barrels
of the cannons were not protected! WHY DIDN'T YOU?"
"Lousy old buzzard," Snively muttered.
"What was that?"
"I, er, said, 'Sorry for the trouble,' . . . sir."
Robotnik continued pacing. "NEXT time," he said, "next time that
girl will be MINE!"
***
Silver didn't know where she was, but it seemed that she was
floating. Floating, floating in purple and pink clouds. All seemed
peacefuland content. She saw images of Knuckles and The Chaotix float by
with her.Her heart skipped a beat, and a white light shot out of one of
the clouds."What was that?" Her voice echoed throughout her mind. She saw
pictures of Sonic, Robotnik, and the Freedom Fighters. Then she saw three
big lizards, with old masks, similar to ones used in ceremonies her father
used to perform. They held up their hand, one by one as she drifted by.
"Hrmm..., they must be the Ancient Walkers." She sighed and continued on
her journey down memory lane. "Wait a second! I'm travelling backwards, in
my memories..., What the--" She came to an abrupt hault.
Then everything thing went into fast forward and she whirled
through her life like a hurricane. Then she was thrown down on the ground.
"Huh?" She shook her head with disbelief as she saw her father slowly
laying her mother into a grave. "Momma," She cried softly as she watched
in pain.
Another bright light shot through the scenary. She looked around
is surprise. "Whoever it is-stop it now!" She snarled. Then again the
whitelight shot through, then another and another. Then she remembered
what Jim had said, "Contain your magic." Or something like that anyways.
"Hrmm...," She sighed as she looked around. "Ah-HA!" She snatched
an old pot from the ground. "Come here, lighty-light-light" She snickered.
No light came. She grumbled, "Oh, sure. When I'm actually prepared then
you don't come."
The white light shot out again, Silver grabbed the pot and took a
position. BANG! Silver was thrown against a tree. "Gotcha!" She
exclaimed.
"Hey, what's goin' on?" She cried as the scenary started to melt
away. This continued, she went through all her most painful memories,
re-living them, and capturing her magic and emotions in the pot she
carried from one memory to another. Until she was thrown into the
lava-reef scene. "ACK!" She cried. "There's too many of the lights,
they're flying out in all directions!!"
"Calm yourself, Silver." Jim's voice echoed.
Silver took a deep breath in. "Okay. Calm." She slipped the lid
off of the pot and the light seemed to shoot in all at once. She slowly
faded away and back into the real world.
"I..., I..., I did it, Jim! I did it! I contained my magic. Oooh!
Do I ever have a headache!" She rubbed her head painfully.
"Good, now go help your friends." Jim sighed.
"Thank you for helping me, Ji-?! Jim?"
He was nowhere to be found. More than likely, he had ducked off
into the jungle, so Silver yelled "Thank you, Jim!" into the jungle,
confident that he heard her. How far could he have gone in such a short
time anyway?
Then, she set off to find the others.
***
"Ki-ya!" yelled Sonic as he lunged forward. He had
"appropriated" one of the echidnas' weapons, but he had no idea what it
did. He hoped that he could fake the Dark Legion members out, though,
and it seemed to be working. The echidnas in front of Sonic started
backing away.
"Yah, that's it," Sonic muttered under his breath, "back up
before I learn how to use this thing." It seemed like some type of
hollow transparent tube, and Sonic was weilding it like a staff. Little
mechanisms were inside the tube, but they didn't seem to be doing
anything.
The tube began to beep. Sonic looked down at it and noticed a
light blue glow emmiting from the mechanisms.
"Uh," he said. He threw the tube at one of the hooded echidnas,
who caught it instinctivly. "Hold this for me, would'ja?" said Sonic,
then he zoomed clear as the tube exploded.
Jeez, Sonic thought, I wonder what made it do tha-"OOF!" He fell
down and looked up at the chrome armed echidna he had run into. One
normal eye and one glowing red eye looked down at him.
"Enjoying yourself, hedgehog?" Kragok asked. "You realize, of
course, that our weapons are attuned to echidna physiology? Any other
race, including hedgehogs, will go . . . boom!
"But, where are my manners? My name is Kragok, leader of the
Dark Legion. I know of you, Sonic the Hedgehog, the fastest thing alive,
so you do not need to introduce yourself."
Five armed Legion members surrounded the prostrate Sonic.
"Oh," amended Kragok, "it isn't necessary for you to get up,
either. We can attend to you in any posistion."
"Can you do it while you're knocked silly?" asked a voice.
"Eh?" Kragok turned around just in time to see Knuckles' fist
fly into his face. The guards, temporarily distracted, fell easily to a
flurry of Sonic punches and kicks.
"Ya gotta admit, island boy," said Sonic, "sometimes we make a
good team. Now if you'd only keep up your part of the team by knocking
out as many people as *I* do -"
"I got the leader, didn't I?" asked Knuckles.
"Yah, but he wasn't paying attention!"
"Why, you-"
"Uh, anyways," Sonic said quickly, "where did you disappear off
to when Robuttnik attacked?"
***
Silver looked around the jungle and sighed. "Now, if I could only
find my way back. Was it this way? Or that way?" All of a sudden the Ancient
Walkers appeared pointing to the south.
"Thank guys!" She yelled as she tore off in that direction. Silver
felt like she was running forever and getting no where. "Hrmm...." She
grinned suspiciously as she looked around. She muttered something under her
breath. A bright blue light engulfed her body as she floated up into the
sky. "Whoa!" She cried as she adjusted her height. She soared over the
island with delight, until she spotted a blue dot along with a red dot,
hitting a bunch of black dots.
She laughed. "I think I might have a little fun with these Dark
Legion people." She sighed as she landed not too far away in a bush. She
grinned excitedly and watched in pleasure. She mumbled something and a few
of the cloaked figures were lifted into the air. They looked shocked at
first, then realized that they might have a great advantage, and started
firing.
"Oh, no you don't." Silver wiggled her fingers and the guns
went flying out of their hands. They started spinning around and around
until they looked like a couple of black tornadoes. Then she lost interest
and let go of them; they went flying in different directions. She laughed,
"This is too easy!"
***
"I-" Knuckles started to answer Sonic.
"What the hey was that?" Sonic looked surprised at the soaring
echidnas.
Knuckles grinned. "I think I have an idea."
Silver smiled as she watched the two finished off the rest of the
cloaked figures, and then vanished. Knuckles, sensing her presence in the
bush, walked towards it, pulled back the branches and cried, "Gotcha!"
"What you got is a bunch of nothing, island boy." Sonic laughed.
"Huh? But i could've sworn--" Knuckles started.
"BOO!" Silver appeared behind them.
"Yaahiiiee!" The guys screamed in unison. Silver laughed
hysterically.
"Man, you're worse than Espio!" Knuckles sighed.
"Sheesh." Sonic mumbled as he rubbed his chest. Silver couldn't
stop giggling.
"So, island boy, where *DID* you go when we were attacked last
time? You never answered me." Sonic inquired.
"Yeah. I was worried, I couldn't see you anywhere." Silver
grinned.
"When Robotnik appeared in that monster of his," Knuckles said, "I
was flung clear into the jungle. I was unconscious for a little bit, but
woke up just as everyone was running off. Just then, Espio came back with
Vector and Charmy, so we circled around and jumped in to help when the
Dark Legion came in.
"Even though, it doesn't seem that you NEEDED our help. Way to
go, Silver. Where did you learn to do magic like that?"
"Um," said Silver. "Some . . . forest spirits helped me reach
enlightenment."
Both Sonic and Knuckles looked at her skeptically, but said
nothing more about it.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Sonic. "Let's go kick some
butt! But first, . . . !? Where did that Haglock dude go?"
"Kragok," Knuckles corrected him, then looked down. Kragok was
gone. "Hurm, . . . he seems to be making a habit of this. Let's go see
if we can find him on the battle field."
***
The Dark Legion was no match for The Freedom Fighters and the
Chaotix combined, especially now that Silver had more control over her
powers. They made a strategic withdrawl into their underground caverns,
then locked the door behind them.
"They got away AGAIN!" Vector complained. "Man, this ain't good
for our track record."
"They didn't get away without damages this time, Vector," said
Archimedes. "We trounced them pretty good before they finally gave up. I
believe we have our friend Silver to thank for that!"
Silver was standing off to the side, patiently waiting as Rotor
continued to scan her. "Oh, it was nothing," she said. "You said I was a
quick learner, Archy. I just decided to learn quick. The rest was easy."
"Don't think you're done learning YET, Lady Silver," the fire ant
said as he waggled a finger. "You've learned control, but now you have to
learn restraint. You did quite a bit of random and over the top maneuvers
out there today, and you have to learn to restrain yourself. You have to
learn to manage the power you have contained."
"Speaking of which," interrupted Princess Sally, "what energy
readings are you picking up, Rotor?"
Rotor looked up from his scanner. "Almost non-existent, Sally.
It's amazing! Just half and hour ago, Silver was the center of an energy
hurricane, now I can barely read her heartbeat! Your control is
astounding, Silver. I think with a little practice, you could make
yourself totally invisible to electronic sensors!"
"Something else to work toward," said Knuckles. "Say, . . . now
that you aren't putting out energy all over the place, you might be able
to go back to FLiCKiE Island without fear of the Dark Legion or Robotnik
following you!"
Silver's eyes brightened. "You think so?" she said. "I'd love to
go back . . . for a visit," she amended. "I think, the Floating Island is
my home now. FLiCKiE Island doesn't need a guardian. At least, not me,
not now. I need to learn more about my powers before I go back
permenantly, and to do that, I need your help."
"But who IS going to guard FLiCKiE Island while you're gone?"
asked Charmy.
"No problemo," said Sonic. "I'm sure we could spare a few Freedom
Fighters, right Sal?"
Sally nodded. "With the interdimensional power surrounding the
island, it would be a great disaster if it fell into the wrong hands. We
could set up a temporary remote base there, if that's alright with you,
Silver."
"Will they do anything to harm the environment or the FLiCKiE
birds?" Silver asked.
"Not a thing," said the Princess. "The Freedom Fighters are
environment friendly. Knothole Village itself is built right into the
trees, so we don't interrupt the natural eco-system there too much."
"Then I accept your help. And as for the visit to FLiCKiE Island,
I'm ready when you guys are!"
***
The Freedom Fighters left for Knothole later that day. Rotor had
taken in as much information as he could get from Silver, and was itching
to start analyzing it. He promised to bring back the analysis for their
viewing as soon as possible.
The Chaotix, in the meantime, set about packing up for the trip to
FLiCKiE Island. They had decided that only Silver, Knuckles, and
Archimedes would go. The rest of them were to stay behind and safeguard
the island until their return.
Charmy, Espio, Mighty, and Vector got Knuckles' promise for a
vacation after the echidnas and fire ant got back, though. Knuckles,
feeling that they deserved it, readily agreed.
The next day, they walked to the edge of the island, and glided
off.
***
Jim watched them go.
Though Silver was still not in full control of her powers (or
herself), she was now prepared to face the danger that lay ahead for her,
something that would threaten not just FLiCKiE Island, not just Mobius,
and not just their universe, but an entire section of their multi-verse.
His job was done, though. Only if it was absolutely nescessary
would he step in and use his powers to help them after this. He could
leave the island and go back to his normal life of foraging through the
Great Forest without another worry.
"Don't call me that," he said to the empty air.
<>
Jim wasn't sure, but he thought he could hear just a trace of
amusement in the voice.
"Maybe," he said. "I don't know. I just want to get out of here,
go my merry way, and let everyone else go THEIR merry way."
<<>>
"Yeah, yeah, I love you, too, Walker. Go choke on your masks, all
three of you. I'm no hero, and I don't pretend to be. Ciao."
There was a flicker of light, then the sound of three spirits
sighing off with the wind.
For tonight, the Floating Island was quiet.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Didya like this fanfic? Well write Jim Doe saying "Hurry it up with Part
4!" Or e-mail me saying "I want Part 4 NOW!!" hehe =).
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