The Gems in Us All (HIATUS)

Night Flight and Fight

Sonic was unable to sleep that night. He was thinking about that other Amethyst he'd sensed. Would he last until morning?

"Not taking that chance." Sonic decided, getting up and heading outside. "Wind, can you tell where they are?"

...downtown... Eastern District.

Sonic nodded, taking a deep breath. "Nobody would be outside at this hour, though. Any of those buildings could hold him."

Trust your instincts. They are the most powerful. Reach into your energy, try to connect your mind with their memories...

Sonic closed his eyes, trying to feel for the other Amethyst. It felt so faint... images flashed by his eyes before he could identify them. "Augh...! I can't do this!"

They're not another Amethyst of Autumn. That makes it harder, but you must try!

Sonic put his hands on his head, trying to slow the images. Then one formed in front of him, not an image, but a word. "Faker...!"

Pardon?

"I know who it is! It's someone I know!" Sonic shook his head. "I need to hurry!"

You'll get there faster if you transform.

"What?"

I didn't just give you powers. Call out Emissary of Hope!

Sonic nodded, clenching his fists. "Emissary of Hope!"

A warm rush surged through his body as light washed around him, lifting him off of the ground. He curled up in a fetal position, feeling something extending from his shoulders. Then he shoved out of the light, exposing his new form to the night sky.
"Whoa...!"

He was now wearing a brown jacket, boots and gloves, and protruding from his shoulders was a pair of blue-feathered wings, and he was surrounded by an orange glow.

You did marvelously! Now let's go!

Sonic grinned, then took off towards the city. He didn't need instruction, somehow knowing how to fly with his wings already.
He could fly just as fast as he could run, that was what excited him. "How are we going to get into his house?"

I've got a plan...

................................................................

Shadow sat at the table, holding a screw in his hand. He focused on the metal, feeling its warmth increase more and more until it melted into a puddle.
It should've melted straight through his hand, but instead it sat like a water droplet.

"So I can heat things until they melt. Fine. But why only get this power now?" He sighed, dropping the metal into an icy cold bowl of water to cool it.

Suddenly he heard movement in the house, and he looked around. "Who's there!?" He hissed. "Come out!"

Suddenly a head poked out of the fireplace, green eyes and white smile glowing against a sooty face. "Hey, Shadow!"

Shadow growled. "What are you doing in my chimney, Faker?"

Sonic sighed. "I didn't wanna wake you with the doorbell." He dropped down, and Shadow saw wings on his back. "I came to warn you. Someone's coming to kill you."

"Why?"

Sonic pointed at the metal in the bowl. "That...It identifies you as an Amethyst, like me. These guys want us wiped out. He could be here any minute!"

"Uh huh... Sorry, Sooty-Feathers, but I'm not believing anything unless you bring up some proof."
Suddenly the window shattered, and Sonic put himself in front of Shadow as a knight in dark armor stepped in.

"That enough proof for ya?" Sonic hissed, then waved his hands and blew a gust of air at the knight, knocking him to the floor. "Your friend still licking his wounds, Obsidian?"

The Obsidian scoffed. "Onyx never was a good fighter on his own...! I, on the other hand, will see to it that neither of you leave this place alive."

Sonic jumped into battle, and Shadow dashed into the back room. "Rouge, Silver, get up!" He hissed, shaking them both.

"What...? What's-" Rouge stopped as she heard a crash. "Someone's in the house!"

"Yeah. Sonic's holding him off."

Silver scrambled to his feet. "What do we do, Shadow?"

"You two sneak out the back. I'm going to help Sonic." Shadow dashed back out to the living room. Sonic was kicking and dodging the knight's attacks, and Shadow ducked into the kitchen. What could he do?
Then he saw the metal in the bowl.

The knight's armor was made of metal.

"Sonic, get him pinned!" He shouted.

"More focused on not dying, but I'll try!" Sonic replied, swinging down from the chandelier and knocking his enemy over the couch. He jumped over, then yelped as he was knocked into the wall. He crumpled, clearly disoriented.

It was now or never.

Shadow jumped from the counter, his hands making contact with the knight's armor.

The knight screamed in agony, flinging Shadow to the floor. "Augh...! I see you've chosen a more mature keeper, Spring Thaw...!"

You got that right, Zircon!
Shadow heard a voice in his head shout, then he lost control of his body and his hands glowed green. Zircon wailed as the armor burned hotter and hotter, then he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Shadow regained control of his limbs and he fell onto his knees, panting before looking to Sonic. "You okay, faker?"

Sonic sat up again, holding his head. "Yeah...we're fine."

"We...? You've got a lot of explaining to do, you know..."

"I know...I know."

................................................................

Sonic did what he could to explain what he knew about their situation, with Wind popping in with details on occasion.

Shadow, Rouge and Silver listened, not hardly speaking. As Sonic finished his explanation, Shadow stood up. "So the two of us have voices in our heads that give us powers, and we're supposed to defend the world from more of those soldiers out to kill us?"

Sonic nodded. "I don't want anyone getting hurt by those guys."

I agree...not again.

Sonic put a hand on his shoulder in an effort to comfort his partner. "What do you say, Shadow? Will you help me find the rest of us and protect them?"

Shadow was quiet for a moment, looking to Rouge and Silver. Then he clenched his fists and looked Sonic in the eye. "Where do we start, Faker?"

Sonic smiled. "We start by training you to use those melting powers of yours..."