Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Fear ❯ We Need the Emeralds! ( Chapter 7 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Tornado landed right in front of the Master Emerald. Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow sat up, rubbing their eyes to get the sleep out and trying comprehend what was going on. Amy leaped out and dashed over to Shadow, who grunted in shock as she hugged him.

"Sonic! There you are! Oh, we've been looking everywhere for you!" she exclaimed, pulling back to see that the blue hedgehog had wide eyes.

Sonic was dying of laughter, pointing at them.

"This is no time to laugh, Knuckles," Tail said seriously, hurrying up to Shadow and holding out a note. "We got this from Eggman. It's a trap, no doubt, but you always like a little fun, so it shouldn't matter much."

"Why are they giving this to me instead of you, Sonic?" Shadow asked as he forced Amy off of him and took the note.

Knuckles frowned. "Because to them, you are Sonic, and Sonic is Knuckles. And I'm Shadow."

Shadow and Sonic looked at each other and thought at the same time, "Shit."

"Shit indeed," Knuckles replied. "And we're ten feet under it."

"Hey…" Amy said, looking between them. "What is Shadow doing here?"

There was dead silence as every eye landed on Knuckles.

"What do I say, Shadow?" Knuckles asked in a rapid burst of thought.

Shadow answered him back in the same way. "Nothing. Cross your arms, scowl, and say absolutely nothing."

Knuckles did as he was told and Tails huffed and looked away. "Typical," he muttered.

"Shadow," Sonic burst, "read the note out loud. Try to sound like me."

Shadow felt nervous, but held the note up and tried his best to sound like Sonic. "I know that you're out there Sonic. I have a proposition for you. You bring me the Master Emerald and all the Chaos Emeralds, and I will seal up Fear with them. I am the only one who knows how to do it, so you have no choice. You don't want such a powerful monster killing people, now do you? Eggman."

Sonic looked thoughtful. "Hey, Kn…I mean, Shadow. Do you think that will work?"

Knuckles frowned, shifting his weight as he drew on Shadow's memories and instructions on how to look and act. "Well…the combination of all the emeralds sealed that thing up before. But I wouldn't trust Eggman with them. The way the note was written…He knows he's got the best excuse in the world to get his hands on the emeralds, and he knows that you…that Sonic has seen Fear, and that he would want that thing contained. We don't want Eggman to do it, but the question remains…can we do it ourselves?"

"Yes, but do we have to use the Master Emerald?" Sonic asked, mimicking Knuckles' personality.

"Yes. We need its power to combine with the power of the Chaos Emeralds," Knuckles replied.

"Yeah," Shadow said with a snort. "So get off it, Knuckles. Just bring the stupid thing."

Sonic felt his temper flare. Oh, he knew that Shadow was acting, but to talk about M.E. that way?

"Can it, Sonic!" Sonic barked, grabbing his throat.

"Okay! Geez, I'm sorry."

"You're damn right you're sorry," Sonic growled, releasing him.

"Knuckles, relax," Tails said, grabbing Sonic's arm. "He didn't mean anything by it."

"He should know better by now," Sonic muttered, crossing his arms.

"Yes, well, you know Sonic…" Tails muttered.

"What do you mean Tails?" Shadow demanded.

"I just…you like to joke around."

"Oh. Yeah. I do."

"Can we get back to business?" Knuckles asked irritably.

"Shadow has a point," Amy said, smiling at him.

Knuckles ignored her. "So, Knuckles, do we have the Master Emerald?" he asked Sonic.

Sonic frowned and shifted as he thought about it. "Fine. But I keep the Master Emerald. Got it?"

"Whatever," Shadow said. "Hey, Shadow, do you have any Chaos Emeralds on you?"

Knuckles nodded, pulling it out of subspace. "The red one. And I know Rouge has the yellow one."

"You go ask her for it. She's your friend right?"

Knuckles shrugged one shoulder. "Something like that."

"Go on then. Knuckles, grab the Master Emerald and come on!"

They set off on their tasks. Tails and Amy were talking about the note, but Shadow and Sonic went quiet, staring off into the clouds. They just stared at the floor of the transport unit and connected their mind to Knuckles, who was racing off to Rouge's house. His running was better than it should have been, given his previous level of control and skill, and they were all freaked out by it.

"That was scary easy," Sonic moaned into his friends' minds.

Knuckles nodded, bouncing off a tree and shooting across a river. "I felt like I was actually Shadow when we were talking. It was so natural to act like you, Shadow."

"I have never been one for strong emotion," Shadow said blankly. "Yet Sonic feels so strongly for everything. Every word has an emotion attached to it. I'm drained."

"You can't be drained, Shadow!" Sonic said, placing his boxing-gloved hand on the blue arm. "We have to stop that thing! Maybe if we do, we'll go back to normal…"

They thought about that, relishing the idea of being back in their own bodies. Sonic could see himself hanging out with Tails and laughing over their most recent victory. Shadow saw himself sitting with Rouge and Omega and talking about how silly the others were. Knuckles saw himself…alone. With the Master Emerald and Tikal. On Angel Island. Where nobody else lived.

"Geez, Knux," Sonic snickered. "You can always join me and Tails. He enjoys your company a lot."

"After some major alone time, Sonic," Knuckles said as he shot up a tree to Rouge's front porch. "I am a loner by nature. I'm stressed by all the time I've spent with you two. Don't get me wrong, you're good company, but I could use some good old R&R with M.E. and Tikal, and nobody else."

"Be very careful to act like me, Knuckles," Shadow said seriously as Knuckles raised his hand to knock. "Rouge is naturally very suspicious, and so is Omega. They will notice the little things that you might not. If in doubt, stay silent, scowl, and shrug if the situation calls for it."

"Thanks, Shadow," Knuckles thought then knocked. Rouge came to the door and smiled.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Shadow the Hedgehog. What brings you here?"

"I need your Chaos Emerald."

She frowned. "Just like you to be direct. What do you need it for? Did you lose yours?"

Knuckles shook his head. "No. I need it to defeat Fear."

"Fear? Shadow the Hedgehog afraid?" Rouge asked playfully.

"No. It is a powerful magical being made before time was recorded," Knuckles said, crossing his arms. "We need to seal it back into its gem."

"Which requires the Chaos Emeralds," Rouge surmised.

"And the Master Emerald."

Her eyes lit up. "Ooh, so we have to steal it from that stupid echidna?"

Knuckles was so in character that he didn't even react. "No. Knuckles has agreed to be a part of this plan. We have the Master Emerald and my chaos Emerald. Sonic, Tails, and Amy are going to try to pinpoint the other five."

She narrowed her eyes and Knuckles panicked internally. Rouge shook her head.

"You are helping those idiots and you didn't invite me? And where's Omega?"

Knuckles snickered. "Relax, Rouge. I didn't just come for your emerald. We're going to need the best to help us contain this thing. And you are the best. And so is Omega. We're going to find him next. But I need your emerald. Are you in?"

She studied him then brightened. "Sure. As long as I get it back. It looks really pretty where it is and I'd hate to lose it."

Rouge retrieved it and looked at it longingly before handing it to Knuckles, who slipped it effortlessly into subspace. She leaped into the air.

"Grab on. I think I know where Omega is."

Knuckles took hold of her feet and off they flew. Within an hour they were to their destination. Omega was cheerfully tearing through about twenty Eggman Robots. Rouge launched Knuckles over and they quickly terminated the robots. Omega scanned the area when they were done and made a satisfied buzzing noise.

"You have my gratitude," he intoned.

"Stupid Eggman," Rouge laughed. "Thinking he could defeat you. How many did you go through?"

Knuckles spoke before Omega could reply. "Now is not the time, Rouge. We have more pressing matters."

"Eggman?" Omega queried.

"I'm sure we'll have to fight him along the way, but our enemy is greater than Eggman."

"Nothing is greater than Eggman's demise," Omega said angrily.

"I understand that you have a personal vendetta against Eggman. However, you want to be the one to kill him, right?"

"Affirmative."

"Well, if Fear gets anywhere near him, he's as good as dead. Even if he could break away from Fear the way that Sonic, Knuckles, and I did, he probably would be certifiably insane, and not like he is now. Maybe even braindead. And what's the fun in killing somebody who can't scream as you shoot them?"

Omega considered this carefully. "Answer: I will help you. But if the chance arises to terminate Eggman, I will not hesitate to take it."

"Understood," Knuckles replied.

"Grab on, boys. We're going to Tails' lab!" Rouge laughed, flapping into the air.

Knuckles grabbed her feet and felt Omega latched onto his as they took off.

Omega made a beeping noise. "Fear does not compute," he said loudly. The black hedgehog and the bat looked down.

"What do you mean, Omega?" Rouge asked, just as loudly.

"There is no record in my database for Fear. More information is needed."

"Here's what I know," Knuckles said, then began filling in his companions, sparing a single, passing thought for Shadow and Sonic.

They were sitting silently in Tails' lab, staring at the screen as their fox friend tried to pinpoint the other Chaos Emeralds.

Tails was really busy, but he paused in the middle of a sentence and turned to look at Shadow.

"Are you alright, Sonic?"

Shadow didn't move so Sonic elbowed him hard.

"Sonic! Are you alright?"

Shadow blinked and looked up at Sonic. He shook his head and descended into character.

"What? Yeah, sorry Tails. Just trying to figure out Robotnik's game."

"You usually leave that to me…" Tails was confused.

Shadow floundered for a thing to say and said the first lie that popped into his head. "I just had a dream about my parents last night. I haven't felt good all day."

Tails immediately understood, and his expression showed it. "Oh. Do you need to talk about it?"

"Nah. I already told Knuckles."

The two-tailed fox looked hurt and a little bit angry. "Oh. So you don't visit me for two months, but you take time to visit Knuckles and talk about your dead parents?"

Shadow was drowning, and his mind screamed loudly for Sonic to stop sitting there and help him!

"Chill, Tails," Sonic said soothingly. "Maybe he doesn't feel like he can talk to you about that."

"Why not? We're best friends!"

"Well, I know this is a sensitive subject, but you are only eight. What happened to his parents is really gruesome, and I think that Sonic feels like he needs somebody older to talk to. What he told me, I really wouldn't want you to know. It's nothing personal, but you're just too young for him to burden you with this."

Tails frowned and thought about it. "I guess I can see your point. Sorry I got mad at you, Sonic."

"Eh, we're cool," Shadow said with a shrug. "Find any emeralds yet?"

"Yes. I've found the blue one and the silver one. Why don't you two go get them. When you get back here, I'll probably have the other three down." He handed Shadow the locations.

"Aw, yeah! Time us! And if we're too slow, you know who to blame!" Shadow laughed, grabbing Sonic's arm and rocketing off.

When they were clear of the cameras and the audio receptors that Tails had installed around the lab, they dropped the act and Shadow moaned. "You are way too emotional Sonic. How do you stand it?"

"I don't know," Sonic replied, his grip locked around Shadow's arm; he didn't like being dragged along, but it was the only way to get around fast in Knuckles' body. "I just like being emotional."

"Guys?"

"Knuckles!" they both exclaimed.

"Hey, have Rouge and Omega killed you for not being Shadow yet?" Sonic asked with a laugh.

"Yes, this is my dying wish," Knuckles said sarcastically.

Shadow chuckled as he ran up a cliff, 'accidentally' dragging Sonic through a branch. Sonic cursed and brushed his fur to get the splinters out. Knuckles was so in character that he didn't laugh. He smirked.

"Thanks Shadow. I owe you one."

"No problem," Shadow replied. "What do you need? Having trouble?"

"…No. That's the scary part."

"Yeah…I know. It's only when you stop acting that it hits you. So what's up?" Sonic said as Shadow put on another burst of speed; any faster and he would go supersonic.

"Do you always fly in silence?"

"Hm? Yes, unless one of us has information to convey. The three of us find idle chatter to be useless. Though…when Rouge feels like it, she shares some details about her life," Shadow replied. "Ready Sonic?"

"Born ready!" Sonic crowed. "Hit it!"

Knuckles felt the moment they went supersonic. His body tightened at the sensations that flew through him. He had never been a fan of going fast, but in that one moment, as the boom sounded out on the other end of their connection, he felt the desire to run as fast as he could to reach that instant when the speed took your breath away and sound couldn't catch you. It scared him that he wanted that. He shifted his grip and swallowed.

"Shadow?" Omega asked. "Are you functioning correctly?"

Rouge looked down and flapped only to keep them aloft. Knuckles felt that Shadow's advice would be bad here, so instead, he snorted.

"Just keep flying, Rouge."

She looked worried, but obeyed. "We're here for you," she said softly. "You know that, right?"

"…Yes."

Rouge sighed and lowered them down to the ground as they reached Tails' lab. They leapt apart, and walked in. Tails was frantically typing at the computer.

"Tails," Knuckles greeted coolly.

Tails grunted as he reached out and grabbed a piece of paper. He scribbled two lines on it then held it out behind him as he resumed typing with his free hand.

"Here's two more Chaos Emeralds. Go find them as fast as you can. I've already sent Sonic and Knuckles out to get the blue and the silver. You're looking for the purple and the turquoise."

Knuckles silently grabbed the paper and read the locations.

"We'll have to go fast to get these," he said to Rouge and Omega.

"Affirmative," Omega replied.

"Fine with me," Rouge said.

They exited the lab. Knuckles grabbed Rouge's arm with one hand and held out his other arm for Omega to clamp down on. That done Knuckles took a deep breath then took off as fast as he could. He immediately felt strange dragging along two other people. Is this how Sonic and Shadow felt? He was careful not to drag them into anything.

"Rouge, check the paper," Knuckles said over the wind.

She took it out of her pocket and looked it over. "Casino Park is farthest. What say we go get the turquoise emerald then swing back by Metropolis?"

"Sounds fine to me. But it's a long way away and we have limited time."

Rouge shivered. "Fine. Go supersonic. But don't you dare let go!"

"Of course."

Knuckles was pushing the edge of supersonic, and he could feel the barrier of sound pushing against him. He quivered in anticipation then asked the question that Shadow always asked to prepare them.

"Ready?"

"Affirmative."

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Knuckles braced himself then sped up even faster, pushing against the barrier. It resisted for about three seconds then burst open, and there was a boom as he shot forward, faster than he had ever gone before. He couldn't help his gasp of delight as he raced toward Casino Park. His body was vibrating so fast! It was the freest feeling he'd ever felt, and he finally understood why Sonic and Shadow liked running so much. He smirked, glad that Omega and Rouge couldn't see him, and pushed himself faster and faster. He was going so fast that he nearly flew off a platform onto a pinball table. He caught himself at the very last second as Rouge gave a little scream. She sank down, looking ill.

"I hate going supersonic," she moaned.

Knuckles nodded, helping her up. "I know, but we had to get here quickly. We have to get to Metropolis quickly. And we have to get back quickly. Ergo, we must go supersonic two more times. You stay here with her, Omega. I hear Robotnik's robots, and she is in no state to fight."

"Robots will be terminated," Omega promised.

"Aw, so you do care," Rouge purred.

Knuckles turned away, waving dismissively. "I'll be back soon."

She laughed, settling down. "Oh, Shadow."

Dashing off alone, he dropped the act. Would he have to play a table to win the emerald? He hoped not. That could take forever, and his luck had never been as good as Sonic's. He linked up to Sonic and Shadow.

"Hey, where would an emerald be in Casino park?"

They paused in their climb to the top of a mountain. "Try the BINGO Highways. Just don't fall off. It hurts when you do," Sonic suggested.

"Yeah, it's probably off that ramp in the middle. You might have to play through a few times to get just the right speed and angle," Shadow added as Knuckles began to head that way. "We have to fight some kind of rock beast, from the sound of it. I think the emerald woke it up."

"Aw, no problem. You distract it while Sonic punches off its arms and legs. From there it should be easy."

"Good luck, Knux!" Sonic exclaimed as they began climbing again.

"Use Rouge and Omega, too. Don't go it alone," Shadow instructed. "If there's one thing Rouge knows, its how to get her hands on a Chaos Emerald, and Omega could give you a boost."

"She's a little out of sorts."

"Oh. Supersonic?"

"Yeah. I enjoyed it though. Man that was fun!"

"Told ya so!" Sonic boasted.

"Punch that thing as hard as you can, and I'll show you a new kind of fun."

"Shadow?"

Sonic and Shadow immediately withdrew to a faint murmur, and Knuckles descended into character.

"What?"

"Are you okay?" Rouge asked worriedly.

It had worked before, so he reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Let's get to BINGO Highway."

She tugged against him. "No! You explain what's wrong! You're acting a little funny."

Knuckles pulled a Shadow. "I'm not explaining to either of you about Maria. So drop it if you know what's good for you!"

Rouge looked hurt at Knuckles' angry tone. She sniffled and stilled.

"Fine! Keep your secrets," she said, looking away. Knuckles didn't like her all that much, but he felt the desire to reach out and comfort her.

"No, Knuckles. Just get Omega and take off. It's better this way," Shadow whispered from where he and Sonic were just finishing their climb.

Knuckles didn't agree with that at all, but he obeyed. Was Shadow really that heartless? He knew the answer to that. The red echidna had more heart than most people. He just didn't want it broken again. So Knuckles focused instead on getting the Chaos Emerald. That's what he had to do. But it didn't feel right at all.