GeneX - Tails the Fox
Chapter 34 - Path to the Dream Temple
Stage 18 - Forest of Dreams
Boss 23 - Shadow Tails

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

Tails burst out of the water, gasping for breath. He had no idea how he wound up in a lake in the middle of a forest. Looking around, he realized that he had never been here before. It was endless trees in almost every direction, but across from the lake he had awoken in there was a small shrine that appeared to be made of crystal. Tails decided to check it out. Perhaps there might be someone there who could tell him where he was. He opened the door and peered inside. It was pitch dark inside, and he could not see a thing. A bit afraid, he decided not to enter. He turned to leave, but then spotted a shining orb of pinkish light. Tails knew he had seen it somewhere before. The familar light orb darted past Tails and into the shrine. It apparently wanted Tails to follow it. He couldn't recall where exactly he had seen this light, but he felt he could trust it. Gathering up his nerves, Tails entered the crystal shrine...

As he stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind him. Then, the room seemed to transform. It was still dark, but now Tails could see. It seemed as though he was transported to a cavern somewhere, and he could see no exits. As he looked around the area, he realized that he had seen this place before. It was the same place he saw in his nightmares! 

Standing in the center of the room was a familiar fox whose features were hidden by the lack of light. "No, it can't be!" Tails found himself shouting. "You're him! You're...." The dark fox turned to face Tails, and stepped closer to him. On closer inspection, Tails realized that the fox had all black fur, black shoes and gloves, and glowing red eyes. "Welcome, mortal," the dark fox said, without moving his mouth, "to the Dream Shrine!" Tails stepped backward, a bit scared. "Th-the Dream Shrine?" he questioned. The dark fox circled around Tails as he spoke. "Here, you see the world of your dreams.... or nightmares!" his voice had a demonic quality to it. Tails felt he was speaking to fear itself. "Who-who are you?" he managed to say. "Me?" the dark fox said. "I am the creature you see in your nightmares! Call me Shadow Tails!" Tails watched Shadow Tails as he walked around him. There was something he had to know. "Are you supposed to be Copter?" he asked. Shadow Tails stopped and faced Tails. "No, I am YOUR NIGHTMARES!!!! HA HA HA HA!! You cannot stop me!" Tails shut his eyes and backed away. "It's just a dream... It's j-just a dream... He can't hurt me..." he said to himself. However, with his eyes shut, he did not see that Shadow Tails had approached him. He opened his eyes fast as he felt Shadow Tails grab him by the throat and lift him into the air. "Fool! You face death here! In this place, your nightmares are real!!" Shadow Tails snarled. Tails struggled to break free, gasping for breath. He managed to kick Shadow Tails in the head, causing the creature to drop him. Shadow Tails did not let up, though, and ran after Tails to attack him. Tails stood his ground and fought back, struggling against the shadow creature. Finally, Shadow Tails caught him by the throat again and flung him onto his back. As Shadow Tails ran at him, Tails scrambled to his feet and pushed Shadow Tails away. Tails then ran to get as much distance from Shadow Tails as he could. The shadow creature laughed. "You are afraid! You fight hard, but you are afraid!" the creature declared. Tails raised his fists into a defensive position. "That may be so, but that doesn't mean I can't beat you!" he shouted back. Shadow Tails' eyes narrowed. "Why do you fight on? Such fear stops most in their tracks..."
"I can't let villains like you hurt anyone! If I let you beat me, you might hurt my friends next!" Tails shouted defiantly. Shadow Tails shut his eyes, pondering something. "Ah... You take the fear and use it to drive you to fight... Interesting..."

Suddenly, the room returned to the pitch dark from before, and the door Tails had entered reopened in front of him. Tails turned around and shouted at Shadow Tails, who he could no longer see. "Copter!"
"Not me." Shadow Tails responded. "I am merely a figment of your dreams. Come to the Dream Temple, located in this forest. You may find the answers you seek there."
"Where is it!?" Tails asked, but Shadow Tails had fallen silent. "I guess he's waiting for me there..." Tails thought. "I have to find my way there. I need to find out if he knows anything about Copter. Maybe he knows why he looks just like me...and what he's after."

Tails left the Dream Shrine with no idea what to do next. If there was a Dream Temple in this forest, it was hidden well. He looked around and noticed some people talking at the corner of the shrine. One of them was Espio, and the other was someone Tails had never met, Illusi. As Tails approached, they stopped talking and faced him. "Ah, Tails, are you lost here, like Espio?" Illusi asked. "How do you know my name?" Tails said, confused. "Who are you?" Illusi bowed slightly to Tails. "I am Illusi the Shrew. It is a pleasure to meet you at last, heroic one."
"Illusi grew up in this forest." Espio said. "He can show us the way out." Tails wasn't ready to leave yet. "I need to find a place called the Dream Temple. Do you know where that is?" he asked. Illusi grinned, as though he expected this question. "I know the way, but I can't take you there. I do know a creature that can, though." he snapped his fingers, and an odd, green check mark shaped creature appeared. "This is a Righto. Much friendlier than my Wrongos. Follow him to the Dream Temple, but don't be slow! He won't stop for you. This makes things difficult, because the Lost Ones are patrolling this forest. So, I would like to request that Espio assist you." Illusi turned to the chameleon, who nodded in agreement. "I suppose I can lend my assistance." he said. Tails shook their hands. "Thanks a lot, you guys!" he said gratefully. Illusi pointed to the Righto. "Get moving. The Righto will go slowly, but won't stop. If you deviate from its path even a little, you will be lost. This forest is cursed..."

As if on cue, a howling sound was heard around them. A new breed of Lost Ones stepped out from behind the trees. Several of them. They all resembled nine tailed foxes, but the tips of their tails seemed to end in blades. Their bodies were drenched in losol slime, and their eyes glowed red. Their mouths concealed a layer of razor sharp fangs, and they were truly terrors to behold. "Run for it, Tails! It's the Los Foxes! They're fast and lethal, so don't waste another second!" Illusi shouted before snapping his fingers and vanishing, leaving Tails and Espio alone.

The Righto took off into the forest, and Tails and Espio had to take off quickly to keep up with it. A pair of Los Foxes were standing in the way, and attempted to slash at them with their razor sharp tails. Espio changed his color to become invisible, making it difficult for the Los Foxes to hit him, while Tails flew over them. They ran off through the forest after the Righto, with the Los Foxes in hot pursuit. The Righto often made sudden turns, darting one way to another through the trees, making it difficult for Tails and Espio to keep up. However, Tails was determined to find the Dream Temple, and wouldn't let anything stop him. Not even when more Los Foxes dropped from the trees to block his path. Tails simply used his spring shoes to hop over them quickly. They kept up well, but neither Tails nor Espio expected what happened next.

As they reached a small clearing, the Righto was suddenly attacked by a blast of dark energy that caused it to vanish, destroyed. Lospector flew into the clearing, taunting Tails and Espio from the air. "Nya nya, no more guide for you! Aw, but don't worry. Look, my little pet foxes are here. I promise, they'll tear you apart quickly!" The spectral slime spirit laughed like it was all a hilarious joke, then vanished. Looking around, Tails and Espio realized they were surrounded. "Now what do we do?" Espio said, somewhat frustrated. Tails looked around and spotted that same pinkish light in the trees, floating there as if waiting for him. 

"All right, Espio! I think I know how we can still reach the Dream Temple! Follow me!" Tails shouted. The Los Foxes suddenly tore off into the clearing after them. Tails flew past them and ran after the orb of light. Espio followed, throwing ninja stars at the Los Foxes in his way in order to knock them out of his way. As Tails reached the light, he heard a familiar voice call out to him. "This way!"

The light took off down the path the Righto was leading them. Tails followed intently, feeling they were almost there. Espio followed behind Tails, apparently unable to see the light. They were still being pursued by the Lost Ones, but they had a much larger distance between them than before.

Soon, a large, crystal building came into view. The building itself had a very dreamlike quality to it, so Tails knew it had to be the Dream Temple. The light orb stopped suddenly, while Tails and Espio continued forwards toward the building. Tails realizing the light had stopped, turned around to see what was going on. Espio looked as well, and saw that the Los Foxes were catching up. Suddenly, the light orb took the shape of Tikal the Echidna, whose body glowed with a powerful energy. "Lost souls of darkness, begone!!" she shouted. The light coming from her glowed even brighter, and consumed the Los Foxes as they attempted to pass. In a brilliant flash of light, Tikal and the Lost Ones vanished. Espio rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "What just happened?!" he wondered. Tails smiled. "We just got help from an old friend." he said quietly. He then turned to the Dream Temple. "Now I gotta go in there. Maybe then I can find out why I keep having that same nightmare, and what Copter has to do with it!"

To be continued...