Book V: Maga Mayhem

[tiff15]

Chapter 1

Sally Acorn completely understood when Sonic the hedgehog volunteered to take the morning patrols of the Great Forest himself. temporarily freeing...and later losing... Uncle Chuck had taken a heavy toll on the hedgehogs psyche and confidence. Patrolling the Great Forest would give the hedgehog time to clear his head.

Mid afternoon, Sonic the hedgehog blazed down the secret path to Knothole village to give Princess Sally his fairly uneventful report. the gusts of wind borne of his wake swept the sturdy trees and their fragile leaves in a torrent that announced his arrival far before he even appeared. about seven miles from Knothole, Sonic was jolted from his speed induced daydream by two figures blocking his path. Frowning Sonic abruptly began to skid to a stop, noticing the rapidly sharpening figures frantically waving their arms.

"Woah!" Sonic yelped, dust practically exploding from his shoes as he dug his heels into the dirt path. "Whats up guys?" Sonic asked as he came to a stop in front of none other than half robotic rabbit known as Bunnie and a two tailed kitsune simply known as Tails. "We got a surprise for ya, Sonic!" quipped Tails, walking behind Sonic while taking out a faded yellow blindfold.

"Cool, I love suprises." said Sonic excitedly as the faded blindfold covered most of his eye area. "That's good 'cause this is gonna put you right up on clound nine sugar!" giggled Bunnie as Tails guided Sonic by pushing him from behind and his hands stretched out in front, gingerly feeling the air in front of him.

several tall reeds and grass passed by Sonic's fingertips, and the rustling near him told Sonic that Bunnie and Tails were walking relatively close to him. "Are we there yet?" Sonic asked, quickly getting bored of the slow pace. "I hate going this slow." Sonic whined. silence filled the space except for the crunch of grass and reeds under the trios feet. "Booring." Sonic groaned.
[hr]

"I've examined the computer systems three times, Rotor. Its as clean as we can possibly get it." said Tristina finally, lowering her hand as her irises faded back into view. "Okay, Tiff." said Rotor, walking around the Bi plane in a search for any physical defects. "I hope Sonic likes this." said Sally happily. Tristina nodded and gazed upon their creation as well. "I hope hes cheered by this as well, Princess." Tristina agreed, nodding. "Finding his uncle, and them loosing him again..." Tristina shook her head out of the realm of such dark thoughts. "I think we could all use a nice distraction" Tristina's ears perked up as a childs voice called "We're here, Sonic!"

Tristina looked up as Bunnie and escorted a blindfolded Sonic through one final clump of grass. "So whats the big surprise?" said Sonic, his voice bursting with eagerness as Tails removed the faded blindfold. "Tada!" They called as Sonic laid eyes on the light brown and dark brown biplane, which appeared to be patched together from scrap metal. (Which it actually was) "Oh." was the first word from the hedgehogs lips. Tristina frowned slightly as she heard the disappointment laced in the simple expression.

"Where'd THAT come from?" Sonic asked, approaching the plane. "We built it from scratch." said Rotor as Sonic brushed his gloved hand over one of the wings. "Sonic isn't it past cool?" Tails asked eagerly to his hero. "Yes, yes, way past coo-el" yawned Antione, smiling to the kit. "We call it the Freedom Stormer." said Sally, barely containing her pride. Her tone caught Sonic by surprise, and he decided the best response would be to, in short, 'fake' his approval.

"Its...really great." Sonic finished weakly, and Tristina smiled quietly to herself. It had been five weeks since she had joined the freedom fighters...as well as quickly risen from 'just another citizen' to 'Priority Two Hacker.'

[Prince By-Tor]

An interesting re-telling of Sonic and the Secret Scrolls. I look forward to see where you take it.

[tiff15]

Chapter 1 part 2

"We're flying it to Maga to look for the secret scrolls, blue." said Tristina, wheeling beside Sonic as he walked with Sally to the edge of the small clearing. "What's a Maga?" Sonic asked, scratching his head. As Tristina admired the majestic view from the edge of the drop off, Sally answered "Its a ancient city deep in the Great Mountains." "So um, what's a secret scroll?" Sonic asked, and Tristina turned her chair to face Sally as the Princess said "My father told me the scrolls have great powers, but that no one has been able to find them." "sure." said Sonic. "that's why they're called 'secret' scrolls?" "The Princess believes we can find them, Sonic." said Tristina gently, both to support Sally and explain their plans to Sonic at the same time.

"So you guys are gonna fly there in that air jalopy?" Sonic asked, frowning worriedly at the plane. "You can only see Maga from the air." said Sally, before crossing her arms and scowling. "and its not a jalopy." she growled, before crouching down to pull her trusty computer, Nichole, from her blue boot. flipping the computer open with a click, Sally politely commanded "Nichole, boot up the map of Maga." "Accessing Sally." Nichole replied, and Tristina wheeled closer to Sally as the hologram appeared in front of them. "This is Maga." explained Sally as the picture materialized in front of them. "I really researched this and found these markers." Sally continued as three dots began to flash on the map. "Those will lead us to the temple where the scrolls are, right Princess?" Tristina asked, pointing to the dots. "Right." said Sally, nodding.

"Plane wont fly, Sal." said Sonic, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "Yes, it will." argued Sally, closing Nichole and replacing the computer on her boot. "No way." said Sonic, closing his eyes. "It will!" Argued Sally, her body tensing. Sensing the tension beginning to build between the two, Tristina pulled her wheelchair away from them. "Wont." said Sonic, shaking his head again. "WILL!" Sally said, raising her voice. "Wont." said Sonic coolly. "STOP that and give me one good reason." said Sally, stomping her boot on the grass at the word 'STOP'. "'Cause you'll be a sitting duck for the Stealth Bombers." said Sonic. "We can fly at night." Sally argued. "Robotnik's radar will pick you up in a Sonic second." said Sonic, snapping his fingers. Sally let out a frustrated sigh, then said "We can fly low, UNDER the radar."

"I dont like it. I'm not goin'." said Sonic, and Tristina actually had to arch a eyebrow at this. she had never known Sonic to be this dead set against one of Sally's plans. "I dont think you should go either." Tristina was about to speak up when Sally did it for her. "Sonic, we can use the scrolls powers against Robotnik." Sally said in a tone which ended the discussion. "We are going...with or without you." Sonic's eyes snapped open at this, and he looked at Tristina. "what about you, Tiff?" Sonic asked. Tristina shrugged. "Any blow we can take against 'Buttnik is worth it to me, blue." said Tristina with a weak smile. "Not to mention the Kings notes stated that the Maga residents might have had relations to Mikanueans, so I guess I'm in. Sorry." said Tristina, wheeling over to Sally to prove her point.

[tiff15]

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Right Rudder."

"Check."

"Left Rudder."

"Check."

Turning her back on 'Freedom Stormer' for the moment, Tristina frowned as Sonic busied himself with the blocks at the base of the planes wheels. "Its really not Robotnik's radar or the Stealth bombers your concerned with, is it?" Tristina muttered quietly, pretending to check the underside of the planes left wing. Sonic didn't answer, but Tristina felt she had a inkling of what was eating at the hedgehog. "If the tin crate makes it off the ground, that's a good enough start for me." Sonic muttered back, casting a leery eye at the plane.



"Antione," said Bunnie as turned from the window to her trembling companion (who gave a startled yelp at his name) "Tell me the truth, are you all afraid of flying?" "M-" Antione squeaked, before clearing his throat and trying again. "Moi?" He asked briefly, trying to steady his shaking hands. "Uh, I am a-scared of abso-toot-ly not one
thing." He stated, glancing once again out the window as Tristina slowly waved a glowing bluish white hand across the nose of the plane before switching to hover mode and flying over to Rotor. "Scan complete. No abnormalities detected in main launch mechanics." Tristina reported in a monotonous tone before bowing her head and allowing her eyes to fade back in.

"Be careful of the throttle, though." Tristina continued after she had blinked a few times. "Theres a chance it may lock up if its rattled too much." "Got'cha Tiff." said Rotor, giving Tristina a thumbs up to signal he understood. "Good luck guys. See you at Maga." Tristina called smiling before she retreated to Sonic's side.



"Turn us loose, Sonic!" Rotor called, waving at his friend from the ****pit. "Rodger!" Sonic replied, jogging under the nose of the plane and tugging on the rope that was secured to two wooden blocks near the front wheel of the plane. As the blocks pried loose and the plane began to inch forward, Sonic jogged to Tristina's side and raised his free hand once again to wave. "Good luck!" He called, waving as the plane began to pick up speed.



"M-M-M-Magnifique!" Antione stuttered through chattering teeth as the plane began to rattle "I love to fly so much like the birds and the bees." His façade of bravado was finally broken as Antione gave a frightened shriek and the plane left the clearing...then continued to fall...

"Rotor, whats wrong?" Sally asked, leaning over the front bench seat. "Th-throttles locked up!" Rotor shouted, pulling at metal stick beside him. "Gimmie your hand!" Rotor yelled as Sally placed her hands over his. "Come on, Rotor!" Sally yelled, tugging as fear began to bubble inside her. "Pull...pull!"

Suddenly, a peach furred arm with a black cut off glove leaned into the window, a glowing blue knife clenched in her fist. with a grunt, Tristina stabbed the throwing knife into the controls. the literal materialized code of the knife sank into the base of the throttle, and the mechanism clicked free. "Yes!" Sally grunted as the crucial piece of metal stiffly shifted towards them. "Thanks Ti-" Rotor looked up to see the hedgehog already flying back towards Sonic, and frowned as a pang of guilt flooded him.

"Past cool, Tiff."
Tristina nodded at Sonics gratitude as Sonic continued to watch 'Freedom Stomer' ascend into the sky. "Too close for the old comfort." Sonic muttered, pulling the binoculars from his eyes at last. "See you there, Blue." said Tristina, taking off once again after the plane. "Juice it loose time!" Sonic replied, revving up his legs and taking off as well.

[tiff15]

Chapter 3

'Freedom Stormer's' initial takeoff rattled Tristina's nerves. so much so that every time the plane shook or creaked even slightly, she was performing another scan. Sighing, Tristina leaned over her wheelchair and checked on Sonic yet again. The blue hedgehog was still following at a steady pace, trailing behind both Freedom Stormer and Tristina.

As the chilly mountain air reached both Freedom Stormer and Tristina, the latter immediately regretted not grabbing a jacket before leaving her hut. Tristina leaned her bristled head back into her headrest, and contemplated simply attaching a rope to 'Freedom Stormer's tail and taking a quick nap. She nixed that plan, however, as the mountains began to thin and a stone island came into view.

***

"Feeling better, Antione?" Bunnie asked, gently petting the coyotes hand. "Oui, Bunnie. thank you." said Antione, still looking rather pale. "How much further to Maga now, my Princess?" Antione called to Sally, who had climbed into the front bench with Rotor to help navigate. "Maga should be past these next mountains, Antione." said Sally

the three freedom fighters stared in awe as low mists parted, and the stone island came into view. "Oh my." Bunnie whispered. "Manifique." Antione chimed in. "Oh," Sally moaned "Its even more incredible than legend describes."

***
As Freedom Stormer flew lower towards a strip of rock on the outskirts of the city, Tristina immediately noticed a problem. When failing to get Rotor or Sally's attention, Tristina turned to the only other person who could help.

***
Following dutifully behind both Freedom Stormer and Tristina, Sonic the hedgehog glanced up to see the latter waving to get his attention. He squinted to try to make out what she was mouthing to him as she pointed to the plane, then to him. Finally, Tristina flew lower.

"Sorry, Tiff. I couldn't hear-" "The landing strip is too short and the plane is coming in too fast." Tristina interrupted him. "Rotor wont be able to stop it in time!" "No problemo. I'll stop them." said Sonic, speeding up. "I'll fly around front and try to slow down the plane from there." Tristina called, flying back up towards 'Freedom Stormer.'

***

"woo-wee, lookit that ground rushin' up to meet us." Bunnie cheered, staring out the window as Rotor steered the plane towards a landing strip on the outskirts of the city. "Looks like we're-" "Bunnie!" Antione screamed, his legs curled up to his chest as his hands covered his eyes. "Please to be shutting up your own face!" As Antione let out another shriek of terror, Rotor's confident smirk soon faded as a potential problem came into view. "Oh man," He moaned as his face paled. "We'll never stop this crate in time!"

***

Antoine's scream of terror made Tristina nearly flatten her wheelchairs joystick horizontally as the wheels practically sang with effort. "Antione, shut up!" she heard Sally, Rotor, and Bunnie cry as she flew past the rapidly slowing (although not fast enough) Freedom Stormer. Rotating her chair so she was flying backwards, Tristina flew in front of the rounded nose of the plane. Knowing a code knife would not help matters in the least, Tristina pressed her fully body (and chair's) weight against the plane while changing the rotation of the wheels behind and below her.

Upon hearing a 'Sonic Boom' resound behind them, Tristina filled her lungs full of air and shouted "Come on!" over the raging winds. seconds after her cry, the creaking of metal and a faint grunting could be heard as the plane continued to slow. Finally, after several more terrifying seconds, Rotor pulled on the throttle and the plane rumbled to a stop...just as the nose of the plane came over the cliffs edge.

***
"Oh man...too close." Rotor breathed as his shaking fingers gripped the controls of the plane. "I thought..." Sally rasped as Tristina pushed herself off the nose of the plane. "Oh, never mind what I thought." Sally breathed, shaking her head. "can Bunnie open her eyes now?" a quiet southern whimper came from the backseat. "Yep, its okay." said Sally as Tristina finally got her chair rotating the right way again. "We're safe." Sally added as Bunnie removed her hands from over her eyes and looked outside. "Oh my," said Bunnie gratefully. "Look at all that nice solid ground, Antione." Hearing a whimpering from inside the cockpit, Bunnie looked down to see the bottom part of Antoine's red trimmed uniform and brown boots as he trembled under the bench.

***

Activating spider mode, Tristina clambered over the front of the plane and slipped down to the door next to the wing. Tristina reverted to ground mode as the first of the freedom fighters scrambled out of the plane.

[tiff15]

Chapter 3.1

"Everyone cool?" Sonic asked, skidding to a stop by the right wing of the plane.

Tristina gave a thumbs up, but then frowned.

Antione clambered out of the cocpit, his normal beige and tan fur both beginning to pick up various hues of green.

catching Bunnies eye, Tristina gave a slight jerk of her head to Antione, and then smiled as Bunnie worried her lower lip.

"Antione," Commented Bunnie gently "You all look a little on the greenish side."

"For Ant," interrupted Sonic, crossing his arms. "That's normal."

"I am never feeling more fine in my entire day!" Antione shouted, his English becoming rougher in his indignation.

Almost as if to prove him wrong Antione's face deepend to a faded green. Antione's hands flew to cover his mouth, his cheeks bulged, and hurriedly ran behind the plane.

"Is Antione going to be okay?" Tristina asked Bunnie as Sonic began to question Sally.

"Once his stomach settles, I think he'll be fine." said Rotor. "He mentioned earlier he didn't like flying," quipped Bunnie. "I didn't think he'd actually be motion sick from it."

"Sonic," sighed Sally loudly. "We were in a plane, if we'd gone of the cliff, we would be flying."

"Hmm." said Sonic, tapping his foot in thought. "Good point." He admitted, nodding. "But where would ya land?"

"Oh..." said Sally, frowning in at this. "Good point." she muttered under her breath, and Tristina bit back a laugh as Sonic's smug expression grew.

"Thank you, Sonic."

"fooor what?" Sonic asked teasingly. Sally gave a scoff of frustration, then walked towards the ruins as Rotor, Bunnie, Tristina, Sonic and Antione (who emerged from behind the plane now slightly less green) followed dutifully.

"This is truly amazin'" Bunnie muttered. Tristina nodded in agreement, staring up at the large block like stone pillars.

"Yo Sal, whats that?" Sonic asked, pointing to a particular rock. "Its the Arrow Stone." said Sally, inspecting the carved boulder. "It marks the entrance to the ancient city."

Tristina wheeled closer, up beside Sally and Bunnie, and examined the symbols. "Whats it say Sally girl?" Bunnie asked.

"I dont know." said Sally, taking out Nichole from her boot. "Its the ancient language of Mobius. Nichole, can you translate?" Sally asked, holding up her faithful computer. a few beeps of compliance, Nichole soon began speaking.

"Translation: We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are."

"Well, I am shoeless." said Antione, shrugging. "You mean 'clueless', Ant." Corrected Sonic

As Tristina frowned to her legs in thought, the hollow whistle of wind soon reached them. "Wa-Wa-What is that sound?" Antione stammered, grabbing Sally and Sonics shoulders in emphasis.

"I dunno, Ant." said Sonic, his voice taking on a spooky tone as Tristina wheeled closer to Sally. "Maybe its a MONSTER!" as Sonic screamed the last word, Tristina winced and Antione leapt into the air with a shriek.

"Blue!" Tristina protested as she twitched the offended ear. "easy on the volume blasts, okay?"

"Sorry Tiff. couldn't help myself." Sonic said as Rotor caught the decending Antione in his arms.

"Let's do it, Sal" Sonic quipped, voice bursting with bravado.

Tristina followed Sallys gaze. "We have to get through that hedge first, right Princess?" Tristina asked stroking her chin in thought. As Sally nodded in reply, Sonic pointed.

"That hedge? No prob!" "Careful Sonic!" Sally called as Sonic raced at top speed towards the hedge.

"Magan legend says the city is booby trapped!" Tristina echoed, as Sally looked to her in shock. "What? Ive done my homework too, Princess." Tristina said, smiling.

Sally slowly smiled in return, then looked up as Sonic replied "Me? Trip a trap? I dont think so. Spin to win time!" with that, Sonic curled into his signature spindash and started slicing through the head. Hot on his heels, Tristina wheeled after the anthropormorphic buzz saw while Sally, Rotor, Bunnie and Antione followed.

"W-What is this now?" Tristina heard Antione moan. turning she saw that the hedge had begun to repair itself. filing out of the Sonic-made spindash hole, Tristina turned her chair to face the hedge...which had just finished regenerating its destroyed branches.

"That's incredible." Sally muttered. "How'd it do that?" Sonic asked. "Some kind of accelerated cell regeneration." Tristina muttered, examing the last quickly reforming leaf. "Tiff. English please?" Sonic asked, rubbing his forehead. "she means-" Sally was cut off as Bunnie and Antione gasped as the hollow whistling returned. "This place is giving me some creepies." Antione whimpered, trembling. Tristina smiled kindly to Antione, secretly agreeing as the sound sent shivers down her spine.

[tiff15]

"I bet the temple is on the the other side of that wall" said Bunnie as the group walked (and wheeled) towards a large castle like wall.

Wheeling between the pillars, Tristina stared up at the ramparts at the top of the wall. "I think your right Bunnie." said sally excitedly.

Tristina quietly wheeled past the princess towards the structure in question. "Cool." commented rotor, musing up at the wall as well. "But how do we get...Whoa!"

Tristina jerked her hand away as archaic, almost alien like script flowed onto the wall from the brick that she had touched.

The second she pulled her hand away, however, the script began to dissapear. "Yo Tiff, do that again!" yelped sonic, looking as the script vanished from sight.

"Huh?" said Tristina as sonic came even with her. "Do what, Sonic?" Tristina asked, honestly curious.

"This!" said Sonic, grabbing Tristina's hand and pressing it against the brick.

With a ripple, the script reappeared, the symbols and squiggles flowing with a peaceful light blue haze from Tristina's palm on the wall.

"Magnefique" whispered Antoine as he, Sally, Rotor, and Bunnie drew closer to read the newly revealed messages.

"Whats it say, Sally girl?" Bunnie asked as Sally pulled out her trusty computer. "Nichole, translate please."

"Malicious virus detected in mikanuean script, Sally. Translation not recommended."

"Say wha?"

"The ancient mikanuean's encrypted this script so any machine that tried to translate it would get a virus...In Nichole's case, one that would make said computer malfunction or worse." said Tristina

"I can translate, if you wish, princess." Tristina added, carefully positioning her wheelchair so her hand remained on the wall, and she could turn and see sally as well. At the princesses nod, Tristina turned back to the wall and began to read.

"'greetings brother or sister.'" Tristina reported, taking a shaky inhale before continuing.

"Whether alone or with companions, we welcome you to this city. Our oracles cannot say much about you, except that you are kin, and unable to partake in many of the paths of your friends. Also, you have experienced many perils and setbacks. You fight a battle against a untold evil. We would like to help you in this regard."

Tristina paused as a glowing blue circle appeared around Rotors feet, then the ground within the circle vanished.

Thinking quickly, Tristina removed her hand from the wall, flicked both wheelchair wheels with the palms of her hands, grabbed Rotors wrist as the floor vanished beneath him.

"Someone grab my chair please!" Tristina cried, grabbing her chair with her free hand as it began to tilt from rotors weight.

"Gotcha shugah!" Bunnie cried, grabbing Tristina's wheelchair with her robotic arm.

Sonic, Sally and Antoine each latched onto a different part of either Tristina, Bunnie, or Tristina's wheelchair and pulled, slowly lifting rotor from the newly formed hole.

"How did the ancient mobians allow this?" sally cried indignantly.

"Princess," Tristina panted, wheeling her wheelchair back as rotor gratefully scrambled away from the hole. "I don't think the ancient mobians knew of this. As Nichole said, modern machines cant read that code."

Tristina then wheeled as close to the hole as she dared and peered into its depths. She could see a faint blue glow from the large stalagmites near the bottom.

"The ancient mikanueans oracle said they knew I couldn't walk. Maybe this will lead me on a different path to the temple?" Tristina asked, not expecting a answer.

"But mademoiselle Tristina," began Antione "That is looking to be long way down. How will-"

Tristina answered the question by tapping the hover mode key on her wheelchair. "Ah. " said Antione, as Tristina began to hover over the hole.

"Keep in touch with..."

"Will do princess" said Tristina, slowly lowering herself into the hole.

[tiff15]

Chapter 4

Tristina couldn't help but let her jaw drop at the various stalactites as she passed. "Wow." Tristina whispered, gazing around at the rock formations glittering in the holes light.

Tristina smiled quietly, before looking back up the hole to give a thumbs up to Sally. "See you inside, princess" Tristina called.

"Come on, guys. We have to find this 'chair'. Tristina can handle herself" said sally in a rallying tone. Each freedom fighter waved to the disabled hedgehog as they passed, with Sonic appearing last.

"Be mondo careful, tiff"

"You too, blue!" Tristina replied.

Once Sonic left and Tristina was alone, she looked around as much as the holes light would allow. "Okay ancestors, what do I do now?"

Almost as if in response, a swarm of fireflies encircled Tristina, then flew over to one of the stalagmites reaching up from the ground.

The second a strand of fur from her finger brushed against its surface, the same script that created the hole formed a set of glowing footprints towards surrounding darkness.

"Got it." Tristina then smiled and pushed forward towards the encompassing darkness.

"Whats next Sal?" Sonic asked as he caught up to the princess, who was examining a map of the area.

"Well, we have to find the first marker: the chair" just as she finished speaking, the wind began to pick up around them. "Strange" Sally muttered, checking her watch.

"That sound is always right on schedule. It sounds every 2.10 minutes." mere seconds later, the group was struggling to keep their footing as the winds began to pick up speed.

"We gotta find shelter!" Rotor shouted to his friends, his hands clamping his hat to his head. "Behind the pillar!" Sonic cried, shielding his eyes with one hand while pointing with the other.

"Grab on!" Sally's hand soon clutched Sonic's, and rotor, Antoine and Bunnie fell into line behind sally. Sonic's feet became a blur as he cried "Hang tight" and took off towards the pillar.

Several harrowing seconds later, the wind passed, and Sonic peered out from behind the pillar.

"Yo guys!" he called, looking around curiously. "Where'd everybody go?"

"Here we are Sonic!" Sonic's ears perked at his beloved princesses voice, but his eyes keep reporting otherwise.

"Where?" he asked, looking around. "I cant see you." hearing footsteps behind him, Sonic jumped as Sally seemingly materialized as she stepped out from the shadow of the pillar.

"Man," sonic groaned, trying to calm down from what he had just seen. "That is too weird. That shadow makes you invisible."

"Wish Tiff was here. It might be something to do with the mikanueans again." said Rotor, seemingly invisible due to the shadow.

"I am still not liking this place to much" Antoine whimpered as he too appeared from the pillars shadow. "Come on," said Sally in a rallying tone. "We've got a lot to do."

[tiff15]

***
Tristina's wheelchair, now shifted to hover mode to avoid tripping over the unpredictable cavern floor, puffed along quietly as she gently brushed each stalagmite with her fingers, flashing its coded message before moving on. In the flashes of script, the ancient mikanueans told of their partnership with the ancient mobians, enemies they had faced and vanquished together, and minor squabbles between the two intelligent groups. She stopped to rest for a moment, reviewing the latest scripture, when a low rumble reached her ears. With a flick of her fingers, Tristina strained her ears to hear over the quiet clicking and metallic whispers of her wheelchair.

Tristina didn't know how long she sat in silence, listening to the unfamiliar rumbles and whispers in the darkness. Soon, silence reclaimed the area. What was that about? Tristina frowned to herself in thought. Is someone here with me? Tristina glanced behind her wheelchair, half expecting to see Antione blindly stumbling his way through the rocky ground to her. Only the quiet drips of water from stalactites clinging to the cavern ceiling greeted her. "Okay Tristina." Tristina muttered, shaking her head. "Get a hold of yourself. If someone was following you, you would have noticed. Focus." Tristina closed her eyes, inhaled, and slowly exhaled while opening her eyes again. "Save the ghost stories for tails. The princess is counting on you." nodding to herself in determination, Tristina flicked her wheelchairs joystick forward, and brushed the nearest stalactite to continue her ancestors tale.

***
"Nichole...Translate" a few blinking lights and beeps later... "What one cannot achieve in learning, one will achieve...In the light of day" sonic scratched the base of his blue quills in confusion. "This stuff boggles the hedgehog mind." he mumbled, frowning at his princess. "It will become clear eventually." said sally, smiling confidently to her leader. As they walked away, her facade faded. "I hope." she muttered, turning her back at last on the inscription.

As the freedom fighters continued to walk around the outskirts of Maga, Nichole pulled up more information about their culture. "According to Magan history, the markers represent a test on the three degrees of awareness. Intelligence, spirit, and courage, in which only the worthy can succeed." "That's three degrees but there's only two markers right?" Bunnie asked, frowning in confusion. "Right." agreed Sally, frowning to her friend. "It does boggle the mind."

***
"Wow" Tristina's hand twitched the joystick to stop her chair as she came by a opening in the cavern. A large waterfall had formed, cascading into the cavern and forming a ancient...Yet pristine... Lake. This...This is beautiful. Tristina thought, savoring the moment and making a mental note to describe this place to the princess in great detail. Slowly easing her wheelchair down the rapidly sharpening incline, Tristina wheeled as close as she dared next to the lake. Adjusting her bangs, Tristina frowned as she noticed something floating near the edge of the lake. Squinting, Tristina stretched out her hand as her iris's faded to pure white.

Tristina then blinked, and wheeled back from the lake. "Oil? How..." Tristina looked around the cavern, searching for the culprit. A moss green and night black hover unit sat parked on a slab of newly destroyed cavern wall. "It cant be..." Tristina whispered, scanning around the area. Near the bottom of the cavern, a few feet from the lake, Tristina noticed a bright yellow piece of fabric, torn from a larger garment.. Picking it up, she quietly brought it under her nose and inhaled. As the sickening familiar odor of sweat and oil reached her, Tristina's eyes snapped open and her hand slammed down on the call button. "Come on, princess, pick up....Pick up!" Tristina muttered as the red light on the button continued to flash. "I have to warn them somehow." Tristina whispered, looking around. Following the path of the footprints, Tristina's hand brushed against a looming stalagmite. Tristina took notice of the lettering and touched the stalagmite again.

We know your enemy is here. He blocks the path to your friends. Tread with caution, brother or sister. He will reveal his presence to them before you do. Act only when the moment is right, lest you perish at your enemies hands.

[tiff15]

Chapter 5

"I am so tired" yawned Antione, stretching. "Oh, I could plop." at the word 'plop', Antione collapsed on his rear near a pillar. "Sally," said Rotor as Sonic stood between Antione and the walrus. "What are we looking for?" "Something called "'the chair'" said sally, checking Nichole as Sonic frowned in thought. "What kinda chair?" sonic asked quietly, rubbing his chin in thought. "I dunno," said sally, checking Nichole for any further clues. Antione merely glanced at sonic as the hedgehog rubbed his chin in thought. Glancing behind him, Sonic observed the sun slowly passing a wall of rubble among the ruins. In the rubble was a tall plinth with a hole near the top. As the sun passed over the hole, a beam of light showed through towards a large stone chair. "Yep, definitely a chair," said sonic, licking his finger and touching his arm. "Yow, you are sizzling hedgehog!" he exclaimed.
***
"It can't be too far now...Can it?" tristina asked no one in particular. Her heart had been pounding in her throat ever since she read the warning from the ancient mikanueans. Stopping once again, tristina narrowed her eyes at several pairs of bootprints pressed neatly into the dusty cavern floor. A quick scan with her hand told tristina what she feared. "Alright chrome dome. What are you and your posse doing in a place-" tristina placed her own hand over her mouth as voices flowed from the darkened space in front of her. Setting her shoulders determinedly, Tristina lightly tapped the button atop her joystick and soared. "Sally, come in." the crackling over her communications button told her that her quarry had set up security measures in the form of signal jammers. "Please, ancestors, let my friends do the right thing.." she whispered, floating every closer towards the voices that filled the caverns.
***
Unaware of the danger Tristina had discovered, Sally scanned the side of the concrete furniture Sonic had discovered partially thanks to the suns rays. Holding Nichole up to the chair, Sally and the gang waited. "What we do not achieve in learning, we achieve in the light of day" Sally's grin broadened "Just like the inscription," she exclaimed. "Good job, Sonic." "Sally, shouldn't we let tristina know we found the chair? I know she said she'd meet us at the temple, but..." "Past cool idea, Rote." said sonic, smiling as he nodded to his friend. "Nichole, contact tristina's wheelchair, please," said Sally, holding the computer in front of her. "Working..." soon 5 seconds, (although Sonic's foot began its rhythmic tapping at 3) turned into 10...Then 15...." "Yo Nichole, what's the holdup?" sonic asked, frowning. "No response, sally," Nichole reported, and 4 friends exchanged worried looks. "We'll find her. For now, I think..." said Sally, backflipping onto the chair. "We sit."

[tiff15]

chapter 5.2


Sonic, Antione, Rotor, and Bunnie followed thier princess almost immediately. after a few moments, however, Sonic's heel began its rhythmic tapping against the stony exterior of the marker. Sonic's heel had only tapped about 5 times when the chair shot into the air, its screaming occupants clinging to its unphased exterior. shooting over the wall, the chair landed unceremoniously on the stone blocks leading to a mystical building in front of them. "oh my stars, this must be the place!" said Bunnie, once the shock of their journey had worn off. "it is." gasped Sally, hopping to her feet. "come on!"

sonic, Rotor, Bunnie, and Antione followed thier leader eagerly into the stone temple. as they entered, however, an obvious problem sat before them. inside the darkened room, (no bigger than one of thier huts back in knothole) a table, bathed in sunlight, held two vastly different hand-made models of the very temple they had entered. inside both models were two scrolls of parchment. one model was glittering tantalizing in front of them, seemingly carved from a block of solid gold. the other was hastily made stick house as if someone had picked up sticks from somewhere around thier forest home.

"sally," said Rotor gently, his eyes shifting from one model to the other. "why are there two scrolls?" "one is fake." said sally, tensing suddenly. "if we approach the wrong platform, the temple will explode." "explode?" Antione shrieked, his trembling palms leaping to his mouth. "oh no no no no no no" Sonic cautiously approached the two models. "man, they sure don't make this easy." the hedgehog muttered, looking from the gold model to the stick and back again. "somewhere there is an answer" sally muttered, tapping her finger on her upper lip. "hey!" said Bunnie, brightening. "what about all those hieroglyphics Nichole's been translatin'?" a smile spread across Sally's face as her friend's suggestion. "yes, yes yes!" she exclaimed. "the arrowstone! 'we each see things differently' that's it!"

"it...it is?" said rotor, uncertainly and confusion flooding across his muzzle. "yes." said sally, smiling. "we overcame the first obstacle, the chair, with our intelligence." said sally, motioning to sonic. the hedgehog, boastful as ever, began to bow. "thank you, thank you." he said "then this is the second degree of awareness: spirit!" said Bunnie. Sonic, catching on to Bunnie's train of thought, followed up with "yo, that's us. the freedom fighters!" 'yeah!" chimed in Rotor, looking from Antione to Bunnie. "we're survivors!"

slowly, the freedom fighters gazed at the two scrolls. one was housed in a miniature hut made from gold. the gold, it seemed, clashed with what 'spirit' meant to the freedom fighters. they shifted thier gaze to the second hut. it was simple, almost archaic, and seemed to be made out of nothing more than sticks and dry grass. such materials were common around knothole and thus resonated deeply with the freedom fighters. in unison, keeping thier gaze on the stick hut, they cried "that's it!"

"only one way to find out." said sally, and she determinedly began to approach the stick hut. "i...can...do this," she whispered to herself, keeping her eyes on the stick hut as it began to glow eerily. she heard Antione whimper something as the glowing became brighter. as sally came close enough to reach the scrolls, the mysterious glow engulfed both her and the table. in a flash of light. Sonic, Rotor, Bunnie, and Antione shielded thier eyes. when the light faded, sally stood stoically in front of the two scrolls. "sal?" sonic cried, almost questioningly. his princess calmed his worries with a smile and a thumbs up.

taking the fragile ancient scrolls into her hands, she unrolled it and handed it to Bunnie. removing Nichole from her boot, she said the computers name, then took a deep breath and said "translate"

[tiff15]

Chapter 5.3
After a few beeps, Nichole spoke:

"Translation: the sacred scrolls of maga contained herein are the seven wonders of Mobius. Powerful natural wonders, but dangerous if misused." here, Nichole paused for a moment.

Sonic...Being Sonic...Began to tap his foot. "Nichole, we're waiting," he said quietly.

"The first wonder is the wind tunnel called: the breath of Mobius"

"Blowhole," said Rotor while Sonic smirked. "That's where the big wind came from"

"That's cool. What's next?"

"Courage," Sally replied.

Sonic frowned in confusion. "Say what?"

powering down Nichole and placing her back in her boot, sally continued.

"There are three degrees of awareness." sally continued as she took the scrolls back from Bunnie.

"The last test is courage".

A grinding of stone caused them all to gasp as a false wall slid aside, revealing the last person any of them wished to see. Robotnik grinned as he eyed the scrolls in Sally's arms.

"Surprise." he purred.