Dark Emerald By David Hayes Disclaimer: MOST charecters are a trademark of SEGA, Archie Comics, and Dic Entertainment. All other charecters are a trademark of LifeJourneys, 1998| Note: In this story people die, and there is not much, but some gore. RATED PG E-mail the auther! I love getting mail about my stories! DHayes432@aol.com THE FINAL STORY? Chapter 1: PRINCESS SALLY ACORN stood by the dock of Knothole's harbor, the scent of the sea blowing in the wind. It was a calm day, it had been for the last week. She loved just to go down here and watch as everything went by. It had about a 50 feet difference from the shore to the grass, giving it alot of sand. She had came down here as a little girl and just played for hours in the sand, and for about a 20 feet in the water, it wasn't even two feet deep, making it perfect for little kids. Maybe that's why she found it so magical. And other than that, the water was crystal clear. Then something odd happened... way, way, way of in the distace in the sky she saw a black, um, horizon it seemed like heading very fast toward the shore. All of the sudden she saw all of the water pull back in the sea, then the sky turned black and the ocean turned a firery red. Then that strange pull of water drained all of the ocean, or so it seemed. She started to slowly back off, looking out at the sea bed, she couldn't see ANY water. Then she saw a blue light, which remined her of a comet, going through the air. The light came closer and closer, and a huge burst of almost deafining sound came, which knocked her down so hard, her muscles couldn't react fast enough to put her hands over her ears. It went strait over her. It was only about a second afterword when she grabbed for her camera, she loved photography. She quickly took a picture then covered her ears. It was like hearing a nucelar explsion taking place. Once the sound was distant, she heard a familiar sound, only amplified by a hundred. She looked back and saw a huge wall of water coming strait toward her. Sally saw a little tide shelter about ten feet away from her. Could she make it? She ran as fast as she could, opened up the latch, rammed in, and slammed it shut. A few seconds later, the water rushed over. She was thinking of the freedom fighters, that it would hopefully not reach as far as Knothole. Chapter 2: It took about an hour for the waters to back off, and Sally slowly rose. All around her she saw that trees fell, and all the structures on the beach were gone. "If I may use humanitisim, 'This is mondo uncool!'" said Nicole tucked in Sally's vest. Sally chuckled. "I think you've been around Sonic too much." Sally walked out of the small notch. "Nicole, check radiation levels in a ten mile radius." said Sally. "30 percent and rising, Sally." said Nicole. "Thirty percent of what?" asked Sally. "40 percent above normal radiation. Suggest we leave this area before radiation gets too high and may cause damage." said Nicole. Sally remembered before Robotnik, the radiation levels of the sea were none. When he came, it all of a sudden leaped past the point of strong illness. Then they established a de-radiation field about a hudred miles out at sea, reducing the number by half to seventy percent... so now the radiation levels were 130 percent than they were before Robotnik. The tidal wave must have broke the field, and then, whatever that light was raised ragginingly. Sally started to quickly walk away toward Knothole. When Sally arrived, she saw people standing, looking around. The ground was wet, but nothing else. She saw Sonic and Tails walking up to her, so she walked up to them. "What happened?" asked Sally. "Well we saw this flash of light then a few secs later a line of water went under our feet." said Sonic. "Yeah, it was salt water too!" said Tails. "Wait till you hear MY story..." Sally continued. Chapter 3: Sonic, Sally, and Rotor were trying to find out what exactly happened. "So we all agree we saw a blue light?" asked Sally. "Yeah." said Sonic. "I think it might have been an asteroid." suggested Rotor. "No. It was the Dark Emerald." said Tails stepping up to them. "Huh?" said Sonic. "What are you talking about, Tails?" asked Sally. "I, don't... know. I just, know." said Tails. "You think it might be that you're The Chosen One?" asked Sally. "Aww come on Sal, you actually belive all that..." blurted Sonic. "No YOU come on, Sonic. It might be true." said Sally. "Well, I think Tails may be right," said Rotor. "...I mean someone just wouldn't make that up." "Aww ok." said Sonic. Sally pulled out Nicole. "Nicole, boot up all files that link to an item called, 'The Dark Emerald'." said Sally. "File acsessed, 'The Dark Emerald is a Chaos Emerald that comes through Mobius on every 7000th circle. It begins Mobius. All other files locked for unstable, dangerous, or unknown information." said Nicole. "What is it locked by?" asked Sonic. "Let's not worry about that now, Sonic," said Sally. "I think what Nicole means is that everytime Mobis goes around the sun seven-thousand times the susposed Dark Emerald comes. In other words, every seven-thousand standard years." said Sally. "I don't know what it means by 'begin' Mobius though. Nicole, what are the rest of the files blocked by?" "Password, Sally." said Nicole. "Hmm... Nicole, is there anyway you could bypass the password?" asked Sally. "That is not one of my functions, Sally." said Nicole. "Nicole open those files or we'll rip out your circiuts!" said Sonic. "Blackmail is not one of my actions, Sonic." "Who locked the files, Nicole?" asked Sally. "King Acorn." replied Nicole. "Hmm... oh I know!" Sally wispered something to Nicole. "File acsessed." said Nicole. "File Two: One mobian must use their inner power to unleash the power of the Dark Emerald or Mobius will come to it's fate." said Nicole. "Who's worthy of unleashing such power?" asked Sally. "Someone who has strong power inside, yet someone who could survive the wrath of it's power." said Nicole. "Me!" said Sonic. "Yeah right, inner power?" said Sally sarcastically. "I can be a pretty sensitive guy." said Sonic. "SOMEtimes, Sonic. Sometimes." said Sally. "I think Tails should do it." said Rotor. "Huh?" went Sonic and Sally. "Well Sally, you said yourself that Tails is The Chosen One. Shouldn't he be the Chosen One for this?" said Rotor. "Well, he surley has inner power, he's tried to prove that to us for years. And I think if he's the Chosen One, he could take it's wrath." said Rotor. "Gee, thanks!" said Tails. "You all are forgetting one very important thing." said Sally. "What?" asked Sonic. "How are we even going to find this emerald?" asked Sally. All of a sudden there was another blue flash, this time it was followed by a massive earthquake. People were thrown in the air if not knocked off thier feet. They were experincing the aftermath of a collision. Chapter 4: After the four got up they saw Knothole Village in ruins. Most the huts were destroyed. "Oh my gosh..." said Sally. Medical officers were trying to pick up the injured. Sonic saw his hut, which was turned into oblivoris. Tails' hut was damaged, but still standing. Rotor's hut was destroyed. So was Sally's. Sonic heard a tiny voice. "Sonic... help me... I'm tapped under this 'ol tree..." Sonic knew that voice. Bunnie. "Say something again, so I can here where you're at!" said Sonic. "Help me!" Sonic looked to his left and saw an arm coming out under a large tree; he just noticed something. Most trees in the forest were gone. He rushed to help Bunnie. There was no hope trying to lift the massive tree. "Bunnie, hold on!" said Sonic. Sonic turned into a Sonic Spin and blasted the part of the tree Bunnie was under. He held her in his arms. He looked at her. Her robotic arm had been busted, and blood ran down her face. He rushed her to the Knothole medical center which thankfully held together. Her eyes were closed, but Sonic noticed her smiling, which made Sonic feel like she was saying, "Thank you." Sally was gathering her belongings like most people. Her smashed drawer had papers and drawings scattered everywhere. She picked up a picture of Sonic and Bunnie she had drew when they were younger. Then she thought. Bunnie! She ran around asking people if they saw Bunnie. One cat responded by saying, "Yeah, I saw Sonic rushing her into the hospital." She just said thanks in reply and ran off to the medical center. She looked through the hospital's rooms, seeing sad sites. Some people just had cuts, others lost limbs. Finally, she found Bunnie's room. She saw Sonic in there. "Oh Sonic, thank you so much!" said Sally. "No prob Sal." Chapter 5: Sonic was walking out of the medical center to see how Rotor and Tails were doing. He over heard one lady speaking to a doctor. "My son needs help! What's taking you so long?" she said angerly. "Ma'dam, were going as fast as we can." said the doctor. "But my son needs help!" "So does the rest of the two hundred people here, ma'am. The best you can do is just try to comfort your son." Sonic saw other people crying, others sitting on the floor with their hands over their faces. He'd done that before, but that was then.* Nurses and doctors ran up and down the hall, trying to maintain order. Sonic shut his eyes and walked out. He ran to Tails. "Hey man! How's it goin'?" asked Sonic. "Ok I guess. It won't take to long to repair my hut." Sonic went over to Rotor. "We're really going to need you.'' said Sonic. "Hmm... I'm just thankful we were so lucky. Not me, you, Tails, or Sally were injured." said Rotor. "You're right. I say first thing tomorrow the four of us find that emerald." said Sonic. It was now 12:00 'o clock midnight, everyone was sleeping in tents, but Tails let Sonic and Rotor sleep in his hut. Sonic tossed and turned, he was having a night- mare. Sonic was in the middle of Knothole, everything was fine. The huts were standing, but no one was anywhere. "Ready, Sonic?" said a voice from behind him. "Sally! For what?" he asked turning around. It wasn't the Sally he remembered, though, he couldn't put his finger on it. "To die." said Sally. "What?" "Yeah. Everyone's gone. Why not just kill ourselves?" asked Sally. She ran off into the forest. Sonic was terrified. He couldn't just stand there, having fear someone my jump him or something. He ran after her, seeing that's the only sensible thing to do. He kept running and running, but didn't see her. He all of a sudden was falling, off a cliff it seemed like. He landed flat on his face. He got up and looked around, he was in some type of graveyard. He looked at one of the stones, it said, "PRINCESS SALLY ELISHA ACORN." He heard a voice behind him. "Um, excuse me, sir, have you seen a person named 'Sally'?" Sonic turned around and saw himself when he was a kid. "Na, no... I haven't." said Sonic. Little Sonic dissapeared, and he saw Sally behind him. "Oh, Sonic. I've finally found my place after all these years!" Sally said. Sally ran off and dissapeared into her own grave. Sonic cleared his eyes, and saw a figure quickly running at him, whatever it was, it jumped him, it had a knife and hit Sonic with it numberous times until... Sonic jumped right up, seeing it was 12:01, and everything was cool. Though, he probably wasn't going to get much sleep, so he walked into the medical center, to find Sally sleeping in Bunnie's room. He smiled and just sat in a chair by Bunnie. About an hour later, Sally woke up. "Hello, Sonic." she said. "Hi Sal. What did the doctor say?" "Well, he said that her arm is repairable, but he said that she had a serious concusion. And, said that they weren't sure if she'd ever be able to walk again, even with her robotic leg." she said. "Well I hope she'll be o.k." said Sonic. "I think she'll. But Sonic, umm, go to floor B2, and check out room #One-thirty-eight." said Sally. "Wha, why?" asked Sonic. "Just go." said Sally. Sonic stepped out of the room running down the stairs. He remembered this was the vetrinarian part. Muskki. Chapter 6: Sonic ran in the room. Muskki was lying on a bed, half his body was de- tacthed. Sonic just wanted to scream right now. He was a robot, but no one could repair him. Sonic had a few tears fall out his eyes. He sat down in a chair, and hugged Muskki's neck. The morning came, after such a harsh night. Sonic, Tails, Rotor, and Sally got in Sonic's biplane, letting Tails fly. They were ready for anything. They took off, making sure no one saw them and asked questions. Tails was a good pilot, that's what people said. They had some hint of where to go, Nicole had just a clue: "Where Mobius Seperates." They thought of one place: The Golden Hall. Where sorcerers, kings, great knights, and other people of importance went when they were going to the next world. "We're getting a... bit of bad weather guys." yelled Tails. They all saw a few lightning bolts off in the distance. Sally started to feel a few droplets of water. "Take her down when you see the next batch of land." said Sally. Dark clouds filled the sky and it started to rain harder and harder. It was fogging up Tails' goggles, and he couldn't see anything. He threw them out the plane and squinched his eyes. "Whoa! That wind's to strong!" yelled Sonic. "The plane's not gonna be able to take this anymore!" yelled Tails. "I gotta idea, Rotor, see that island? Swim to it. I'll spin on the water to get there, and Sally, Tails will hold you while he's flying to get you guys there. Now jump!" screamed Sonic. Sonic jumped out, spread out his arms and legs, getting ready to do his spin. He loosed his spines, and started to spin. Rotor turned into a cannonball and jumped. Tails cranked up his tails and grabbed Sally. Sonic skidded faster than the eye could see across the water to the island. Rotor hit the ocean and started to swim. Tails and Sally were hovering to the island. The cove was a almost complete circle, and waves pounded the cliffs. Sonic spun up the cliffs, jetting himself 200 feet in the air. Sally and Tails landed, and Rotor climbed the cliffs. They all gathered together. The island was very misty, and you could only see a few feet. It was grass covered, and a cool atmostphere. Sonic landed on his feet. "Well, we're not going to get any further today." said Sally. "Let's picth camp and then tomorrow will go out on our journey." said Sally. "Are you crazy, Sal? How on Mobius are we gonna find the Dark Emerald now?" cried Sonic. "I dunno... we'll find it somehow. We have to save Mobius." she said in a soft voice. They started to make camp. Chapter 7: It was night and the mist cleared and the sky was filled with stars. Sonic was sitting off the cliff looking at a note Uncle Chuck had wrote to him. Dear Sonic, I think you are risking alot going on this journey. And I think you for that. I am not writing this note, someone is writng it for me, yet I am truley stating it. I couldn't excape my hut in time for the earthquake to strike and I fear that I am not going to make it. I will always be with you, Sonny. Uncle Chuck P.S. Enclosed in this envelope is the will. "I am so so sorry Sonic." said a sweet voice from behind him. Sonic had a tear in his eyes and looked up in the sky. "Sally, what's the meaning???" asked Sonic in a sad voice. Sally sat down beside him. "Meaning of what?" asked Sally. "Life." said Sonic. "I guess it's to live, Sonic. No one really knows why we're here. Maybe it's becuase of some experiment. Maybe we were just put here to love, to learn, to die." said Sally. "But why does it have to end so suddenly? First Muskki, now Uncle Chuck. Who knows? Maybe we are going to end Mobius by unleashing this power!" said Sonic. "Sonic, does it really matter what happens? If we die, or even if we're saving just a hand full of people, isn't that at least a help?" asked Sally. "You know Sally, I don't know. For the first time in my life, I'm actually, well... scared." said Sonic. Sally smiled. "You know Sonic, I love this place. It's so peacful." said Sally. Sonic looked at Sally. Sally turned and looked at Sonic. They smiled. The morning came, and Sally awoke. Sonic was sleeping about five feet away from her on the bear ground. She guessed she didn't notice falling asleep, Sonic and her had just watched and listened to the sound of the ocean. She was going to wake up Sonic, but she thought, What's the use? So she just walked over to the camp fire. Chapter 8: Everyone awoke and circled around the campfire. "Good morning." said Sally. "Today, we continue our search for the Dark Emerald. How you ask? Nicole's GPS unit says that right around this area is the acient temples of the Mincas... acient people who invented the Golden Hall. They were peacful citezens in a huge society then mysteriously dissapeared." Sally puased. Sonic looked at her. She obviously had something else on her mind. "Anyway, all we have to do is find the death, erg... temples so we can find the Sonic.... I mean, Dark Emerald." said Sally. "So let's start to break camp and search!" said Sally. Most everyone started to get ready, but Sonic stayed to asked Sally, "What'd you mean, Sal?" Sally sighed. "Ask me sometime later." In an hour everyone was moving through the island. The grass was now about two and a half feet tall. It was hot, but strangley even though it was by the ocean, it wasn't humid. They all were wearing hats, the sun was beating down hard. You could hear crickets and birds chirping and singing. All of a sudden, a dead silence came on. The freedom fighters stopped. Nothing was heard. Then they heard rustles in the grass around them. Next, a tiny wooden box flew from the grass and it landed in the middle of the path. Smoke started to come out of it, then everything started to fade... Sonic awoke to find himself in chains. He looked around to find himself in some kind of dungeon. Rotor and Tails were on the other side still asleep. "Hey! Is this ANY way to treat guests?!" yelled Sonic. He heard a key turn and a door open. A dark figure stepped in. It was a chipmunk, he looked very primitive with necklaces, and not alot of modern day clothes. Kind of like, a savage? Behind him, was another chipmunk, this one was in a munk costume. The munk said, "Do not worry, stranger. I speak your tounge." The fist one said, "Eipsm, klofglinj, lockhgne!" The munk then said, "Who are you?" "Sonic the Hedgehog now get these chains off me!" he yelled. The munk quickly looked up, it had been looking down the whole time. "Sonic...? Sonic the Hedgehog?" said a sweet voice. He saw a female face. The queen. "Queen Acorn! What are you doing here?" asked Sonic. "It's a long story." she said. "There is someone in our party who would like to see you again." said Sonic. "Sally?" asked the queen. Sonic nodded. Then she said something in a former luangage to the guard and ran off. Chapter 9: The queen ran down a hallway to a main corridor- The Golden Hall. She saw her duaghter sitting in a throne, asleep, instead of a crown she had a power ring. People were all stading around, probably studing her. She walked up to the pedastal and woke her up. Sally's eyes slowly opened. "Sa-Sally?" asked the queen. Sally looked at her. "Who are you?" she asked. "You wouldn't forget your own mother now, would you?" said the queen. "Mom?" asked Sally. "Yes dear." said the queen smiling. Sally started to cry as they hugged. The queen looked at Sally. "You're so grown up. And you still have those pretty blue eyes." said the queen smiling. "I though you were dead!" said Sally. "It's a long story, Sally. Right now you need to tell me what you're doing here." Sally sighed explaining exactly what the "Dark Emerald" was. The queen responded, "We've had similar happenings. You see, what most people think is the the Mincas all dissapeared. But they actually built all these tunnels underground and lived here for 2,000 years without any contact with the outside world. "The way I ended up here," the queen continues, "was beacuse when Julian took me on a flight ship that crashed on this island. All the Swatbots were destroyed by the Mincas, but they spared me. In the next ten years, I learned their culture and language." said the queen. Then Sally continued, "Mom, there is alot the Freedom Fighters, a group I've made to fight against Robotik, or Julian, have done in the past ten years. We've destroyed Robotnik recently, and rescued daddy from the Zone of Silence." The queen was in shock. "And Mom, alot other things have changed too, I'll have to explain later." said Sally. "Where's Sonic and Tails and Rotor?" asked Sally. "They'll be here soon enough daughter." said the queen. It was about an hour until the other three were brought in. The were all chained to a long stick being carried to Sally. Sally's eyes looked in horor, because it looked like they had been tortured. "Let them go!!!!" she screamed. The queen siad it in Mincaneese and then they let Sonic, Tails, and Rotor free. They ran up and hugged each other. "I was so worried about you guys!" said Sally. "We were too!" said Tails. All of a sudden the reunion was broken by another earthquake. Alot of the Mincas were on unstable ground. "Move!" yelled Sally. The Mincas obviously didn't understand what Sally was saying and just kept screaming. Sonic pointed over to a huge doorway. They knew that was the saftest place, because all the tunnels were made out of stone. They all started running as fast as they could toward it. The queen followed. They stopped and looked back when they got there. A huge piece of ceiling fell on the Mincas. "No..." said the queen a tear coming to her eye. A few seconds later it ended, and was followed by a calming silence. "We have got to find that emerald." said Sally. She pulled out Nicole. "Nicole, see what other information you have, and I don't care how many firewalls there are, this is a lifethreatining situation." "Files accsessed, Sally. Inner power is a chain, and must be united." said Nicole. "Well, no time for that. Let's get moving." said Sally. Chapter 10: The five treked down the tunnels, following a strange blue light. Finally, then, after all the work they did, it finally paid off. For there they were, standing in a huge dome room. And there, at the middle, was the Dark Emerald. It was black, but the blue light swirled around it eluminating off a vortex. "Oh my gosh." said Sally. Lightning bolts zapped from it in every direction. The five slowly walked up to it. "Nicole, check radiation fields." said Sally. "4000 percent, Sally." said Nicole. "But how? That would instantly kill and form of being." said Sally. "You have a chosen one umung you, Sally." said Nicole. Sally turned to Tails and smiled. They reached it. The fate of Mobius. All life was now in their hands. Chapter 11: Tails reached out his hand, very slowly, trying to touch the Dark Emerald. "Wait Tails! United power! Everyone put their hands together!" said Sally. They all reached out and put their palms on each others. "Now, let's do it." said Sally. "Oh god, I pray that this will work." wispered Sally. They just did it quickly. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the blue light went strait into the five, turning them all a glowing blue. It was aggonizing pain, and none could help it. They screamed their vocal cords until the noise made the room start to shake. A huge energy blast of blue blasted them in every direction. They hit the ground hard. The emerald started to spin at sub sonic levels, then all of a sudden, it stopped, and fell to the ground. It just layed there, a black stone. No shine, no glow, just a black rock. It then started to melt, litterally. Then, it dicenigrated and turned to nothing. Everyone jumped up and cheered. Chapter 12: Another earthquake, the biggest on yet happened. "Run!!!!" yelled Sally. They all ran as fast as they could, coming out the way they came in. It took a few minutes but they excaped. They turned around. Sally saw in horror as she looked back at the collasping tunnels. The queen didn't excape. "NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" she screached in the loudest voice she had ever said. Tears poured from her eyes and she fell to her knees. A minute later it was all over. The tunnels had caved in. She almost broke into a rage screaming. Sonic ran over to her and grabbed her arms firmly. "Sally! Get control of yourself! It's not going to do any good crying!" said Sonic. She hugged Sonic tightly. "No Sonic! It can't be true!!" yelled Sally. He just hugged back. Rotor was bandaging up Tails, because he was hit hard the most. He had too many cuts, and every nerve in his body exploded when he moved. Blood covered him, and so did sweat from the intense heat and running they had to do. He was crying too, it was unberible. After Rotor was done Tails had a bandage around his head, fifty large bandaids, and a cast around his ankle. Rotor pulled out a small box from his backpack, pressed a button on it, and it turned into a raft. Epilogue: When they got back to Knothole, everything seemed to be getting better. Huts were being rebuilt, people were being cured. Sally stood at a podium ready to give a speach. "Hello today, Knothole Villagers. We have recently stopped all the troubles that we've had. Huts have been knocked down, most of the forest was devistated, and we've lost thirteen people in this incedent. And, the old queen, we will.... never see again." said Sally. The crowd started to talk to each other about what Sally had just said. "But, life has gone on. We have survived. We must rebuild our huts, replant our forest, and say goodbye to some of our best friends. But it will go on." said Sally stepping down. She saw Bunnie in a wheel chair wheeling along to Sally. "Oh Bunnie! Is it permenant?" asked Sally. "Luckly no, surgah. I get this darn ol' thing off in eighteen months. But, when that ol' tree busted up my arm, it practically busted my chances of it being derobotisized too." said Bunnie. "Oh Bunnie, I'm so sorry." said Sally hugging her. The sun started to set, and Sonic and Sally were looking off the cliff. "Sally, what did you want to tell me?" asked Sonic. "Well, this is kinda personal, Sonic, but I was going to say I wouldn't know what to do if I lost you back there." said Sally smiling. Sonic hugged Sally. "Same here, bean." said Sonic. "Huh?? How'd you-" put his hand over her mouth. He kissed her on the cheak. "Don't worry 'bout it Sal. Nothing will ever come between the freedom fighters, and we'll take back Mobius- not in a second, in a Sonic Second!" THE END