Legends Awakening I - A Sonic Fan Fiction for the Foxes and Sorcery Series ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Written by: Aaron Lye E-mail: prower@pacific.net.sg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LEGAL STUFF ----------- Sonic the Hedgehog and other characters used in this work of fanfiction are fully owned and copyrighted by one or more of the following: Sega of America, Sega Enterprises (Japan), DiC and/or Archie Comics. Several characters in this story may have been the creations of fanfiction authors. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This story's main characters are: Tails Sonic Tasha Angela And supported by: the rest ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TIMELINE: February 3239, two days after Premature End ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tasha beamed a smile at Tails. "Well, sugah, you've been makin' some real progress since you first started. If you learn ta focus your concentration on the Emerald's energy at this rate, ya'll probably make full Guardian status in... three years." Tails had a pleased expression on his face all that time, glad for the praise from Tasha. A pleased expression that winked out of existence the instant he heard 'three years'. He groaned, "Three years? By that time, I'll be...OLD." with a pathetic look on his face. The two-tailed rabbit stifled a laugh, "17 can hardly be considered old..." Tails looked at her and retorted, "Trust me...when you're 14, 17 IS old." A small chuckle escaped the rabbit, and she proceeded to muss up the fur on Tails' head mischeviously, saying, "Now what was that supposed to mean? You trying to say Ah'm old?" Tails tried to dodge half-heartedly, and laughed, "C'mon..cut that out!" Tasha stopped and said, "OK, Ah guess that's enough for today. We'll continue lessons tomorrow." ***** Tails walked out to the center of Knothole, hoping to find Sonic. However, the hedgehog was nowhere in sight. He looked around, but saw only Antoine. Tails sighed, and proceeded back to his hut. It was then that the two-tailed fox felt it. It was a strange feeling, like a compulsion to go somewhere. Like...an instinct. He walked on, following the compulsion. It led him down the path to the pool where the power ring apparatus was situated, and there, lying under a tree snoozing, was Sonic - the very person he had been looking for. Tails wondered about the compulsion, and why it had led him to Sonic. In the end, the young fox dimissed it as just one of those strange unexplainable occurences that happen from time to time. Sonic woke up when he heard Tails' footsteps, and turned towards the fox. He smiled in greeting, "Hey, little bro. What's up?" Tails sat down next to the hedgehog. "Just finished class with Tasha." Sonic continued, "What'd she teach you today?" Before Tails could speak, the area sparkled a golden yellow, and yet another power ring emerged from the depths of the pool. Tails snapped his fingers and the ring appeared in his paw. He toyed with the ring, his DNA unable to activate the ring's energy, as he answered Sonic's question. "Well, she's polishing up the basic energy wave... and we tried out some healing spells.." "Oh." Sonic watched the fox, and got the distinct impression that something was not right.. He found himself saying something, without knowing why he did so. "It's Angela, isn't it?" Tails stared at the hedgehog, and uttered, "How did you know..." Sonic shrugged, "Beats me, little bro. I just got a feeling, that's all." Tails wondered. It was like Sonic had read his mind... and earlier, he had somehow known where Sonic was... It was getting weird, but the fox still had nothing concrete to follow on, so he let the matter drop for the moment. He looked down, "Yes. When she first went on probation, it seemed like she had changed for the better. She came to me, apologized. Now look what she's done. She damaged Knothole, injured all of us, abducted me...and all because of what? A hatred for telepaths." Tails paused a moment, then continued. "It scares me, Sonic. It scares me how powerful hatred is. The things it drives people to..." Tails looked up at the hedgehog. "Jacer fell prey to the Emerald of Anger, Angela is consumed by hatred for telepaths..." "I worry, Sonic, that someday, the hatred we all feel for Snively and Angela will grow to the extent that it consumes us... until we will not let anything, not even friendship, or loyalty, or even love, get in the way of exacting revenge on them.." Sonic stared at Tails. Since when had he become so philosophical? Sure Tails was an intelligent little fox, but... The hedgehog tried to think up something reassuring to say, but failed. All he managed was, "It won't turn out that way.. we're stronger than that.." Tails got up, "I hope so, Sonic. I really do." Sonic watched the fox leave, then picked up the ring he had left on the ground. He guessed that Tails was feeling betrayed by Angela's actions... and the little fox was now insecure... These thoughts left his head, as the energy in the power ring filled him and he focused on other thoughts.. ***** Tails walked out of Knothole, and into the vast area of Mobius known as the Great Forest. He walked on, until he reached a clearing. There, he spotted a sleeping tiger. The familiarity of this place hit him, and he immediately walked off in a direction he knew would lead him to only one place. ***** Miles Prower looked at the small tombstone that had been erected next to the entrance of Matthew Prower's domain. The Ghylcanan Guardians had buried him next to his home, as per his will. The fox took a long look at the resting place of the grandfather he never he existed, then entered the afore-mentioned domain, and looked around. The place had been left intact, and other than a lot more dust, was exactly as Tails had last seen it. He saw the burnt ground near the entrance, where Matthew had cast the wall of flame to create a diversion for Tails last year, and Tails felt a wave of emotion sweep over him. He walked on, and entered the room where the Emerald of Sorcery had once resided. There, sitting on it's podium, was a dull grey stone, the shell of the Emerald of Sorcery. As he peered into the dull grey crystal, Tails noticed a strange change in the room. It was starting to get brighter, lit up by a strange white light... The light soon got so intense, that Tails had to cover his eyes, and even then, the light still penentrated. Suddenly, the light subsided and the fox opened his eyes. Tails gasped, for in front of him sat a shining white Emerald, with streaked of every imaginable color swirling around inside. The white Emerald had a large chip on one facet, and the chip was sitting a short distance away. On the left of the Emerald stood a lone dark blue hedgehog who bore a startling resemblance to Sonic, except that this one had much longer quills. ***** Tails found his voice, "Who are you?" The figure replied, "Who I am is not important. I have merely taken this form to inform you of the fight ahead..." Tails asked, "Fight?" The hedgehog replied, "Yes, Miles Prower. Today, an evil being has once again been released on Mobius, and he seeks control of this planet and all on it, be they living creature or roboticized machine. This being nearly succeeded the last time, and without intervention, this time.. he will." The blue hedgehog's voice took on a commanding tone. "Listen and understand, Miles Prower, and when the time comes for the Confrontation, know that the two parts of the Emerald must once again become one, and that all Emeralds must stand united, if the ultimate foe is to be defeated. Remember this, Guardian of the Emerald of Sorcery, and stand firm in it against your worst enemy, for yourself, and for Mobius.." Tails jerked up, and realized that he had been lying down all this time on the floor of the Emerald Chamber, apparently unconscious. He looked at the grey crystal, reassured that it had not really happened, but had been another vision.. ***** He rushed back to Knothole, wanting to let Tasha know about this turn of events. Maybe she knew what the emerald was trying to tell him this time.. ***** The magic swirled around Sonic's finger, and this time, he targeted a fruit on a tree about fifty meters away. The energy streaked towards it's target and the fruit exploded in a conflagration of juice and flesh. ***** As Tails flew back to Knothole, he looked down at his paws, and to his surprise, saw them flare briefly for a second. The fox was getting more and more worried about these strange things.. perhaps he would ask Tasha later.. ***** Bunnie asked, "So, Aunt Tasha, what did happen to the CaribStone wizards?" The older rabbit sat down opposite Bunnie, and replied, "Two thousand years ago, magical energy was much more prominent and commonplace than today. Many could do magic-energy conversion... the Order of the AraqTree, the GreyStaff mages..." She continued, "The CaribStone wizards were one of them. However, the Guardians were, by far, the most numerous and the most powerful of these magic users. We accounted for over sixty percent of the total magic on this planet. However, one day, two thousand years ago, these groups of magic-users started to disappear, one by one.. until all except the Guardians were gone... This happened roughly around the same time a person called Zoreth appeared, wanting to conquer Mobius. He claimed to have absorbed all the magic of those other groups, and was planning to use it to defeat the planet. One on one, Zoreth is far more powerful than any one Guardian, but mah ancestors, along with the help of one special Guardian, managed to defeat him and seal him off." It was then that Tails flew into the room, out of breath, and described exactly what had happened. Tasha listened, and as she did, the color drained from her face. When Tails had finished, she whispered, "Oh mah stars... he's back.. It's starting all over again..." At Tails' quizzical expression, Tasha repeated what she had just told Bunnie. The fox asked, "So you think this evil may be Zoreth?" Tasha nodded weakly. Tails continued, "Is he the hedgehog that told me about this?" Tasha looked at Tails, and replied, "No, Tails. That hedgehog you described, was the Guardian of the Emerald of Sorcery two thousand years ago, the special Guardian whom Ah said enabled us to defeat Zoreth. His name was Michael.. Michael Hedgehog." The truth of the matter sank into Tails... one of Sonic's ancestors had defeated Zoreth, and now... he was expected to do the same... "I'm supposed to defeat him?", the fox asked warily. Tasha smiled, and shook her head, "I don't know. Michael thought up the plan that enabled us to defeat Zoreth. We know what to do this time... all we have to do is wait for him to make the first move. You might have a hand in it, though." Tails persisted, "Tasha, what did the emerald mean when it said 'The two parts of the Emerald must once again become one'?" Tasha looked at the fox, and said, "Tails, have you noticed anything strange happening lately, ever since you got back your Emerald?" The fox nodded, and described the three incidents. Tasha smiled, "Then it is time I tell you this. You never got back all of the Emerald from Sonic. A part of it refused to return, choosing instead to remain with him. He now has part of your Emerald, and due to that, you two now share a special bond. You will know things about him that you wouldn't normally know, and he will know the same about you. Every time he is charged with a power ring and uses the emerald, your paws will flare, and when you use it, his will flare." Out of the corner of her eye, Tasha could see that Sonic was standing at her doorway, listening in to the conversation. The hedgehog entered, and asked, "But why would part of it want to remain in me? And how can it? You said I couldn't handle that amount of power." Tasha continued, "That is why such a small portion remained in you. It is the maximum amount of Emerald energy you can handle. And, if a part of the emerald remained in you, there has to be a reason for it.. even if it isn't known at the time.." She concluded, "In other words, Ah think that if Zoreth is to be defeated this time, both parts of the Emerald of Sorcery must work together, in other words, Sonic, you and Tails have to work together to help us solve this problem.." Tasha turned away and muttered to herself, "What Ah'm wondering is how he escaped in the first place.." TO BE CONTINUED ***** EPILOGUE A while before Tails had the vision... Angela stood at the mouth of the cave and eyed the shifty-looking ferret that had brought her here. She spoke briskly, "You sure this is the place?", and the ferret nodded, extending a paw. Angela fumbled under her cloak, took out a bag, and handed it to the ferret. "There, ten thousand Mobiums. Now go away." The ferret obliged, and Angela walked into the cave. There, a long way in, on a podium, sat a Chaos Emerald. The Emerald of Imprisonment. She tried to lift it, but it refused to budge. She took out her CaribStone and blasted away at the seal holding it down, and finally managed to take it. The minute she did, the cavern started shaking. A blackish cloud emerged from the hole under the Emerald, and formed into a black-furred wolf. He looked at Angela, and spoke, "I am Zoreth.. you have freed me and I am grateful. Tell me your name." Angela did so, and Zoreth continued, "I give you a chance to aid me in conquering Mobius, Angela, once-Guardian. Do you accept?" She nodded. Finally.. revenge.. Zoreth nodded, "Then you will need this. I am transferring to you part of the magical energy of the GreyStaffs, the AraqTrees, the CaribStones, and the one Chaos Emerald I managed to get from the Guardians... the Emerald of War.." A multicolored wave flowed from Zoreth, and into Angela. Finally... revenge... *****