Tails the Fox
Chapter 07 - Fake Master Emerald?
Boss 04 - Metal Sonic

2BIT: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and 
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?

The cave rumbled, shockwaves shook the whole glacier. "This can't be good!" Knuckles exclaimed. "Really?" Rouge said, frustrated. "What was your first clue, huh? The earthquakes, the robots, or perhaps the rising lava level!!" she shouted, pointing to the lava lake, which was steadily getting bigger.

Eggman flew overhead, his plane carrying the Master Emerald in its claw! "Sorry to run, my furry fighting friends, but I must be leaving before the volcano erupts. Ciao!" At hearing this word, meaning "good-bye" (for those who don't know), Char flew in. "Someone call for a Chao?"

"Not Chao, ciao, you bone headed...." Eggman started to say, but the crumbling rocks in the roof suddenly began to fall, and a stray one hit his plane, knocking the Master Emerald from its claw! "Now's my chance!" Knuckles said, and jumped passed the falling rocks to grab the Master Emerald. Rouge flew over next to him. "I think it's time to go, red!" she said, pointing to the exit which was rapidly being covered by rocks. But it was too late. The cave was quickly covered, sealing all of them in! "No! Metal Sonic, Char, do something!" Eggman shouted in a panic. "What can we do?" Char said, still enthusiastic as ever somehow. Knuckles ran over to the covered up exit. "Only one way through this!" he said, pulling out his old shovel claws. Immediately, he started digging. Rouge looked back at the lava lake at the other end of the room. It was rising more rapidly, and Knuckles was never gonna make it! "It's not gonna work!" Rouge yelled. There seemed to be no way out...

Just then, a loud crash was heard from the other side of the rock wall. The boulders flew out of the path, and Gemini peeked her head into the collapsing cave. "C'mon people! This glacier's goin' down!" she shouted. They all ran out through the hole, and as they ran, Eggman used his plane's claw to snatch the Master Emerald again! "So long, sucker!" he shouted back at Knuckles, laughing all the way. "Eggman!" Knuckles yelled angrily, as everyone often does when Eggman angers them.

The tunnel was rather narrow, and Gemini could barely fit through, but she made it, with Eggman close behind, followed by Char, Metal Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge, and the Shadow Androids bringing up the rear. The Shadow Androids were one by one getting caught by the lava flow, which was erupting through the tunnel! They all tried to pick up the pace. Rouge ran up past Knuckles and Metal Sonic, jumped up, and grabbed the Master Emerald from Eggman. "Stop that, you thief!" Eggman shouted. "You're the thief!" Knuckles yelled back. "I didn't steal anything!" Eggman replied angrily. "Yeah! How dare you question Dr. Eggman's integrity!" Char added.

Gemini burst out of the tunnel and into the glacier, then flew away through a hole in the roof, which was crumbling fast. This created many small ice platforms in the lava flows. Knuckles, Rouge, and Metal Sonic jumped onto the platforms, each one attacking the others to try to get the Master Emerald. "I'll leave it to you, Metal!" Eggman yelled, flying out through the hole along with Char.

Then, the lava burst through the tunnel, shooting out like a giant, burning bullet. Knuckles grabbed the Master Emerald, and dodged just in time to see Metal Sonic hit by the "bullet." "We won't see him again." Knuckles said, only to find that when the lava subsided, Metal Sonic still hovered in the air, now glowing red. "Heat shield, activated!"

"I've gotta get me one of those..." Rouge and Knuckles said at the same time. The glacier began collapsing more rapidly, and Knuckles slipped on the ice platform he was standing on, dropping the Master Emerald! It fell on the platform and shattered into powdery remains, which flashed, then seemed to be normal rocks...

"What?! It was a FAKE!?" Knuckles groaned.

"Could be worse!" Rouge said, landing next to him. "It could have been the real emerald!"

"Danger! Must retreat!" Metal Sonic said, flying out of the cave. Knuckles and Rouge looked around, and found that the lava was rising up the glacier! "Now what!?" Knuckles yelled. "Now we're fried!" Rouge replied.

"Abra-Ka-Teleporta!" came a voice. Suddenly, wind blew fiercely, lifting Knuckles and Rouge high into the air! Before they dropped, Gemini swooped down and caught them on her back, then soared high above the glacier, which was destroyed in a fiery explosion!

"That was close..." Gemini sighed. "But why did teleport cause wind!? I need my spell book!" Gemini whined.

Gemini dropped them off back in the Mystic Ruins. "I'll see you later, my friends." She said. "I must find my spell book!" and she took off.

Rouge began walking away. "Well, I've got treasure to hunt. See ya, tough guy." Knuckles couldn't help chuckling at her. "You just NEVER give up! Then I won't give up, either! Come back here!" And the two raced off once again, resuming the search for the Master Emerald...

To be continued...