Tails and Ami dashed down the sandy slopes, trying to catch up with the snake. But while the enormous rock creature could just smash every obstacle that was in its way, they had to dodge all the rocks, cacti and whatsoever.
Tails decided it was time for a desperate move.
"Watch out," he shouted to his sister. "I'm going to try something!"
"Okay, just don't try to be too brave, you hear?" Ami responded.
Tails steered his board over to a rocky ledge that looked like a ramp. With skill, he jumped on it, slid along its length, and when he reached its tip, he did an enormous spin-jump towards the snake. He landed on its body, glided along it, grabbed the surprised girl, reached the monster's head and jumped into the air, just as it was going to snap him with its mouth.
He used his propeller tails to safely land on the ground, while the snake continued slithering downwards. He skidded to a stop and put down the trembling girl.
Ami zipped towards them and braked. "Wow, Tails! Good job! I think Sonic is a good influence, after all."
Tails laughed bashfully.
Only then did he recognize the girl he just saved. "Hotaru?"
The girl looked up and smiled. "Tails! So it was you, huh? I knew it would be handy to have such a good friend of yours. You just saved us in time."
"Us?"
Hotaru pulled the frog out of her pocket. "I was following this little guy here, when suddenly, this huge snake appeared."
"Is she a friend of yours, bro?" Ami asked.
Tails nodded. "Um, yes! Hotaru, this is my little sister, Ami Prower! Ami, this is..."
The violet-haired girl bowed. "Hotaru Robotnik! Nice to meet you!"
Ami blinked. "Wait a minute... Did you just say ROBOTNIK?"
"Yes!" Hotaru looked down. "Dr. Ivo Robotnik is my father..."
Ami gaped at her brother. "And she... is your friend?"
"I know what you're thinking, sis... But don't worry! Hotaru isn't anything like her father. She's the sweetest person you could ever imagine... Well, right after Cream, of course!"
Hotaru, who had met Cream once, smiled. "Yes, nothing surpasses the cuteness of a little bunny." They all laughed.
"But how did you get here, Hotaru?" Tails wanted to know. Hotaru sighed. "After Daddy left with his Egg Carrier, I was all alone on the base... Well, alone with all the robots. And I was so bored... Daddy never has time for me. Always going to take over the world..."
Ami smiled. "Must be hard with a father like that, huh?"
Hotaru nodded. "That's right! But... I love him, in spite of everything. He is my father, after all... And when he has the time, he's taking good care of me."
Ami shook her head. "Dr. Eggman, a loving father... Who would have thought it."
Suddenly, a gleaming ball of light came floating out of nowhere and surrounded them all with a bright flash.
----
They looked around. They were standing in a deep valley, as before, but there were no sand or rocks anywhere. It was green and lush, and a stone bridge was leading over a deep river. And nearby, they could see a strange building... "I thought we were in the desert," Ami said. "What's this place?"
Tails looked at the big shrine-like building near them. "Well, it looks familiar somehow..."
Then he gasped as he saw what was lying on top of this shrine. "The... Master Emerald! But... how? I thought it was in pieces!"
Hotaru pointed to the pillars surrounding the shrine. "Look at that! These stones... they look just like this green one I found."
And indeed, resting on the pillars were the seven Chaos Emeralds, every single one of them.
Tails looked at the green one in Hotaru's hand and back to its counterpart on the pillar. "That's crazy," he murmured. "There can't be more than 7 Chaos Emeralds."
"Wait, I hear someone coming," Ami whispered.
Across the bridge, a young, orange-furred echidna girl came running. She looked at the shrine and gasped. Then, small shapes came out of the surrounding bushes. They were blue, cute and had floating yellow dots over their teardrop-shaped heads.
"You're the... Chao!" the girl said in amazement. The little creatures seemed to be nervous around her, though.
"Don't be afraid," she said. "You're safe with me!"
Careful, the Chao approached her. The echidna girl smiled and scooped one of them up in her arms. The little guy smiled happily and cuddled into her embrace.
Suddenly, a strange, gurgling sound came from the water basin surrounding the shrine. Startled, Tikal looked over to the shrine.
And just as something rose out of the water, another bright flash surrounded Tails, Ami and Hotaru...
----
When they opened their eyes, they were standing at the Mystic Ruins, in front of Tails' workshop. "How did we get here?" Ami wondered. "Doesn't make any sense..."
"I wonder who that girl was..." Tails mumbled. "Perhaps... we all had a vision?"
"Could be," Ami said. "But that doesn't explain how we got transported from the desert to the workshop.
"Oh, little froggy," Hotaru shouted, as the green amphibian slipped out of her grasp. He hopped away. She sighed. "Well, I guess he didn't want to play after all."
Tails looked at his human friend. "Hotaru, may I have a look at that emerald?"
"Um, sure," she said. "Here, you can have it!"
Tails examined the jewel and nodded. "Yes, definitely a Chaos Emerald! Well, at least we now have something to power up my new plane!"
Ami smiled. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's finish your great invention!"
They looked at Hotaru. "Do you wanna come along, Hotaru?" Ami asked.
She nodded. "Sure!"
See other episodes by Shritistrang
(Posted Tue, 15 Aug 2006 14:05)
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