//------------------------------// // A Matter of Survival // Story: Sonic and EQG: Total Eclipse // by SonicAKG //------------------------------// A Matter of Survival The team's spacecraft had taken off into outer space and was now traveling in its dark and vast vacuum. The ship had been flying through for some time now. Pinkie, Sunset, and Starlight were amazed by the fact that they had actually left their planet and were in space of all places as they couldn't help but stare at it's never ending darkness. Starlight was actually feeling a little overwhelmed. Excited but overwhelmed. She then let out a large sigh, which Sunset heard. "Hey, are you doing ok?" Sunset asked her. "Honestly, I don't know. This is all pretty huge and I just don't know what to make of it. I'm sort of scared and excited at the same time." Starlight admitted. "You're not the only one. Space is pretty new for most of us, but we've seen a lot of things, remember?" Sunset responded. "We can handle this." Sunset's word helped Starlight feel more at ease as she gave her a smile. "Thanks, Sunset." She responded as Sunset playfully punched her arm. In the front, Pinkie was still looking out at space as her face was splattered against the glass as Rouge flew the aircraft. She seemed to have a curious look before she frowned and leaned back. "You know, I thought space would be a little more....fun." Pinkie expressed with disappointment. "It looks just really boring. All we've just seen is black." Rouge then let out a small laugh. "Don't you worry. With the speed we're going at, we shouldn't be too far from Planet Wisp." Rouge told her. "I'd say we have a few more minutes or so of flying until we get there." That news didn't seem to sit too well with Pinkie. Like Sonic, she could be rather impatient at times. "Also, I'd just like to say thanks." Rouge suddenly said, making Pinkie turn to her with a curious look. "For what?" She asked. "For what you said back there to Commander Tower. It was nice to see someone defend Shadow." Rouge told her. "Well of course! Shadow's my friend." Pinkie told her. "Good to hear. And I don't care what Commander Tower says. We're not going to get rid of him." Rouge promised. "We're going to bring him back to our side." Pinkie's face grew then grew less cheerful "We have to. Today, I wanted him to have a fun time on Familial Day. I know Shadow's grumpy most of the time and he says he doesn't like those sort of things, but I still don't want him to feel left out while everyone else is celebrating. I want him to know that we do accept him." Pinkie said before Rouge put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. After Shadow hears how you went all this way, I'm sure he won't say no. Well, at least I won't let him." Rouge told her as Pinkie smiled a little. Suddenly, the shuttle started to make a loud beeping sound, catching everyone's attention as they looked up with curious looks. "What's that?" Starlight asked. Rouge flipped a switch in front of her and it caused the beeping to stop. In front of her came a large holographic map, which she then read. "Well, it looks like we're approaching Planet Wisp." Rouge announced. "It should come into view right about...now. The holographic map then vanished from the screen, allowing the others a chance to see Planet Wisp in person. It looked exactly like the image they had seen in the briefing room, but up close, it looked even more vibrant and magnificent. "Wow,so pretty!" Pinkie gushed. "I should start expanding my choices for vacation spots." Rouge muttered at its sight. "Ok then everyone, tighten your seatbelts. We're heading in for a landing." "Ooooh, this is going to be like when the airplanes land! That's always the best part!" Pinkie said as she strapped her seatbelt and eagerly waited for the landing to start. "I'd hold on to your seat." Sunset told Starlight, who took her advice. The spacecraft started to descend into the atmosphere of Planet Wisp. As it was, the ship suddenly started shaking rapidly and violently, much to Sunset and Starlight's dismay as they formed fearful looks and gripped on to their seatbelts for dear life. Omega didn't react at all while Rouge was trying to keep calm as she steered the ship in for a safe landing while Pinkie laughed and giggled. The spacecraft passed through the clouds of Planet Wisp before it began to reach for the ground as its speed and shaking increased. Starlight now looked like she was about to pass out while Sunset held on to her seat more tightly. Rouge started to sweat a little as she tilted the ship up as its wheels began to emerge. The wheels then collided with the ground of the planet, making a large bump which made Pinkie more excited while Starlight almost had a heart attack. The ship then traversed across the ground in a rocky manner for a bit before it came to a complete and sudden stop. As it did, Rouge wiped a brow of sweat. "Whew, made it." She said with relief as she and others unbuckled their seats. "Again, again! Let's go again!" Pinkie excitedly yelled. In the back, Starlight rose up from her seat and wobbled as she struggled to get her balance. She let out a few moans as Sunset got up and had a little trouble standing as well. "Wow, I feel like I might pass out." Starlight weakly said before Sunset latched on to her. "You meat bags and your frail bodies." Omega criticized as he stood up perfectly fine and walked past the two girls, causing them to give him slight glares. Rouge and Pinkie walked to the back to join the rest of the team as Sunset and Starlight managed to get over their small ordeal. Rouge held on to Tails's Miles Electric as the five of them stood in front of the door of the shuttle, which then began to open. "Ok then. Our mission starts now!" Rouge declared as the door finished opening as she and the others came down and landed on the planet's soil. They then stopped as they got a look at Planet Wisp. Planet Wisp looked like an enormous forest. There was alien flora everywhere that resembled grass and different colored flowers. Ahead were huge trees which were several stories high and had flat leaves covering them as they shot out towards the clear blue sky. There were a few small mountain ridges covered in grass and some which formed arcs as well. Honestly, everyone save for Omega was awestruck by the sight of the planet. "Wow." Is all Rouge could say "This place is beautiful." Sunset praised as she looked around the planet. "I've seen a lot of things from Equestria but this..... This is wonderful." Starlight said in awe as the nervousness she felt was now replaced by a newfound sense of tranquility. "I'll say! This looks like the perfect place to throw a party! Good thing I brought my cannon!" Pinkie said as she took out her blue portable cannon. Hearing this caused Omega to suddenly turn to Pinkie with a look of interest. "A cannon? So you too like to destroy things with weapons?" Omega inquired with slight eagerness in his voice as Pinkie's eyes widened at his statement. "Of course not, silly! This cannon isn't meant to destroy stuff! It's my party cannon!" Pinkie said as she gave Omega a demonstration. Her cannon then shot out harmless multicoloured confetti which covered the robot. Omega looked as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard. He then slowly raised his hand as he pointed to Pinkie. "You have a cannon...yet it does not destroy?" Omega slowly asked as Pinkie nodded. "I have never felt more betrayed." He added in a melancholic tone as he walked away from Pinkie, who gave him a strange look. He then came next to Rouge. "May I start shooting now?" Omega questioned to her. "Hold on. We haven't even found anything to shoot." Rouge reminded him as the two Rainbooms and Starlight came next to her as well. "So, what's the plan?" Sunset asked. "Well, this planet is huge and we don't have any way to track Eclipse or Shadow. Until then, we're going to just have to walk until something comes our way." Rouge admitted. It wasn't the most efficient plan, but it was the best one they could come up with for now. "All rightie then! Shadow, here we come!" Pinkie stated as she pumped her fist in the air. The team then started to move out and explore Planet Wisp. Team Dark, the Two Rainbooms, and Starlight walked through Planet Wisps's grass as they kept out on the lookout for anything while at the same time, it gave them a chance to sightsee the planet. They had started to walk for quite a long distance before Starlight decided to speak up as she had a slightly stumped look. "If I remember correctly, Sonic and Tails mentioned that this planet was home to aliens, right? Does anyone else think it's a little weird we haven't seen any of them for now? Starlight pointed out. "True. It's odd we haven't come across any of the Wisp." Rouge agreed. "Oh no. You don't think Eclipse has done something horrible to them, has he?" Sunset expressed with worry. Before anyone could answer, Pinkie suddenly stopped in place as her hair stood up, and started to twitch, causing the rest of the group to stop walking as they all turned to her. "Wait a minute, everybody." Pinkie said as looked around frantically. "I'm picking something up with my Pinkie sense." Pinkie's word caused Rouge to raise an eyebrow as she turned to Sunset and Starlight. "Pinkie sense?" She asked as if she hadn't heard correctly. "Pinkie somehow has a sense of knowing whenever certain things are going to happen." Sunset explained. "We don't know how it works and it's best if you don't question it either." Rouge was still slightly confused, but she had seen a lot of crazy things in her line of work, so she just kept silent. Pinkie started to twitch in place as she continued to move her head. "I feel like something's coming up." Pinkie went on. "Is it something I may shoot at?" Omega asked as Pinkie shook her head. "Nah. It's coming from...." Pinkie said before she pointed upward. "There." The rest of the team looked up to see what Pinkie Pie was pointing towards. Coming down was a small squid like creature with a whitish-blue body. It had three tentacles and no mouth. It had one large eye which was violet and a swirl on its head It looked slightly tired while the group continued to watch the alien as it flew down and came in front of them. "Wow, I presume this is one of the Wisps." Sunset guessed. "My first alien... and it's pretty cute actually." Starlight observed. "I'll say! It's so adorable!" Pinkie gushed as she squeezed her cheeks together due to the Wisps sight. "This does not even look worthy of eradicating." Omega said with a tone of disappointment The Wisp then began to move around its body in a rapid manner, much to everyone's confusion and it started to make noises from its mouth which sounded like warbling gibberish . It seemed to be quite troubled. "Hey, settle down." Sunset said. "It's ok. We're not going to hurt you." "Now for Tails's device to come in handy." Rouge said as she held up the Miles Electric and tuned the top, allowing for a translation to occur. Seeing the Miles Electric made the Wisp's eye widen and it began to make its noises more rapidly. "Wow, slow down." Rouge told it as the translation was coming on the screen. "Ok. The Wisps says that it recognizes the device I'm holding in my hand and that we must be friends with Sonic and Tails." "You're right about that!" Pinkie confirmed as she smiled to the Wisp. It then began to make more noises, which were translated by the Miles Electric. "He says his name is Yacker and he's glad we're here because his world is in trouble. He says to follow him and he'll show us what he means." Rouge translated. "In trouble? It must be Eclipse." Sunset realized before she then turned to Yacker. "Please, lead the way." Yacker flew off as the group followed him. He then lead them to the edge of a small cliff which he then descended down into with the others joining him shortly after. When they saw what was down there, they formed appalled looks at the sight. In front of the team were many Wisps, each which had different colors and a variety of different shapes such as like blocks, lighting bolts, spheres, zigzags and even more. The number of eyes varied on each Wisp. However, most of them looked extremely weak as they laid down on the ground with their eyes barely open as they seemed to be in pain. Behind them was a large red glowing tree. The ground around it was different from the rest of the planet as it was devoid of any flora and totally barren. "This is awful." Starlight said as she put her hand to her mouth as she and the others rushed forward towards the Wisp. Pinkie and Sunset each held a Wisp in their hand but they felt so fragile and weak, much to their concern. Mid-air, Yacker's eye started to droop and he began to descend but Rouge placed him in her hand and then gently on the floor as he slightly stood up. "What happened here? What's going on?" Rouge asked. Yacker then made a series of noises in response for the Miles Electric to translate as Rouge stood up and turned to the rest of her team. "He says that a while back, some black and red alien came with here with these other aliens that sort of looked like Wisps, but they weren't. With him was someone who looked like Sonic except his hair and clothes was black and red." Rouge informed everyone else. "Shadow!" Pinkie realized. "According to him, they then planted some seed in the ground, which grew really fast into that red tree over there. When it did, he and the Wisps suddenly started feeling really sick and could barely move and the grass started to die as well. He says the black alien made some of the Wisps take bites of the trees and after they did, they turned into these red eggs right there." Rouge finished as she and her teammates turned to their left to a series of red eggs growing. "This is terrible! That tree must be a parasite and is poisoning the Wisps and their environment!" Sunset stated. "And Eclipse must also be using it in order to make more of those Wisps like Aliens." Rouge deduced. "Then we have to do something! We have to get rid of that tree, right?" Pinkie said. "Hold on. I've seen this tree before and it's very dangerous for us to touch it. I have a better idea. Omega!" Rouge said as the robot came next to her. He knew what she wanted him to do and he changed his arm into a cannon. "Finally, I get to destroy something. Though I wish it could put up more of a fight." Omega commented before he unleashed a powerful blast which blew the tree to smithereens as the others stepped away due to the force of the explosion. All that was left was a smoldering hole. With it gone, the Wisps suddenly began to lose their pained expressions and fully open their eyes as they rose up in the air, much to the group's pleasure. "All right! They're ok!" Pinkie squealed. "I am not satisfied, but it was a start." Omega said as his arm returned to normal. "Should I destroy the eggs as well?" Omega and his team then turned to see the eggs. However, Yacker suddenly began to speak quickly as the Miles Electric got a hold of his words. "He says no. His species could still be alive in there." Rouge said for him before she looked up at him. "I get that you're worried but they could turn into those monsters you saw before." "Still, it's not a reason to destroy them. Maybe we can fix them somehow." Sunset said in Yackers defense, who nodded vigorously. Rouge then gave a shrug and turned to Omega. "You heard them. Keep them around for now." Rouge said as Omega didn't seem too pleased but did as he was told. "For now, we have to make sure Eclipses plan doesn't succeed. If we come across any of the trees, we'll destroy them." Rouge added. "In the meantime, I think we should make sure these Wisps are safe." Starlight said as a few of them surrounded her. "I'd hate for something worse to happen to them." Starlight then started to walk forward As she did, She accidentally stepped on a large yellow flower, which made a large crunching sound. She then lifted her foot up to see it in it's crushed stated and formed a worried look. "Oh no! I don't want to hurt anything here, even if it's only a plant." Starlight expressed with displeasure. Suddenly, the yellow flower began to stir, making Starlight surprised alongside the others. A large green root then emerged from the ground as the flower shot up in the air as the team looked on in shock at the sight. The flower then opened itself up and released a roar, which made Starlight gain a look of dread as she fell to the floor. "Look, I'm sorry for stepping on you, ok?!" She shrieked as the flower came down to her. Starlight yelped and rolled out of the way as the plant crashed down to the floor and the other Wisp scatter away from it in fright. 4 other large plants then erupted from the ground, making the group horrified at the sight and the Wisps fled save for Yacker. "I thought this planet was supposed to be peaceful!" Starlight screamed as she looked up at the flowers. "Those plants don't look native to the planet. They must be ones Eclipse planted." Sunset guessed. A plant then charged towards Starlight again but before it could hit her, Rouge jumped up and came down as a spiral drill with her legs, smashing it on the floor. Sunset then came next to Starlight and helped her off the ground. "Come on, we have to move out of the way." Sunset said as the two of them got away from the battlefield. Another killer plant came towards Rouge, who jumped in the air to avoid its attack. She then unleashed a series of powerful kicks on it, which blew it back on the ground. A plant then tried to hit Rouge as her back was turned but Omega fired a series of bullets to get rid of it. "Finally! Something that fights back!" He said with glee as he fired an array at bullets at another plant. The plant responded by breathing a stream of fire, making Rouge move out of the way while the blast just annoyed Omega. "You call that firepower?! Let me show you what firepower really is!" Omega exclaimed as he fired a charged shot from his cannon, blowing the plant away. Pinkie Pie then took a can of sprinkles and sprayed a few in her palm. As they did, her body began to glow pink as her hair grew longer and she grew pony ears at the top. She then noticed a killer plant was charging fire towards Omega. Pinkie then tossed the sprinkles towards it, making a large pink explosion, which stunned it. "What is this?" Omega wondered as he turned to see Pinkie had caused the explosion. She then started to throw more explosive sprinkles at the plant, each blow causing to spaz out. She then floated up and filled both her hands with sprinkles and shook them around before tossing them into the plant's mouth, creating a giant explosion that sent it to the floor as she floated down. Omega witnessed the whole thing. "You." Pinkie heard him say as she saw Omega coming to her. "You are able to release explosions and destroy things by using your hands?" He began as Pinkie proudly put her hands on her hips. "Yep! It's my super power!" She told him. Omega then came up to her and put his hands together in delight. "I have changed my mind! I like you! We should destroy things together!" Omega requested, making Pinkie slightly stumped. Before she could answer, the last killer plant let out a roar, making the two of them turn to face it. It charged up to fire but Rouge released an ax kick, bringing the flower down. As it came down, Pinkie launched an explosion from both of her hands, which blew it back before Omega fired two charged shots, defeating it for good. The three of them then regrouped before they were joined by Sunset, Yacker, and Starlight, who seemed pretty shaken up as she took in deep breaths. "You know, I'm glad we brought you along. Having another explosive teammate comes in handy." Rouge told Pinkie before she turned to Starlight. "You ok?" Rouge asked her. "Yeah." Starlight said in a tired tone. "I'll be fine. It's just not every day I'm almost killed by plants of all things." "It looks Eclipse has affected the planet more than we thought. We have to stop him before the situation gets any worse." Sunset stated as Yacker flew around rapidly in agreement. "And we have to find Shadow ASAP!" Pinkie added. However, unbeknownst to the team, above them was the Dark Arms Cregal, who had witnessed the whole thing. It let out a small roar before it flew way. In another section of Planet Wisp, Eclipse, Shadow, and the other 3 Dark Arms were walking across a plain that was on the edge of a purple river bank. "This is so unnatural...this planet seething with so much life." Eclipse said with disgust before he turned to his Dark Arms. "Look around, little ones. The planet which we are about to cultivate! Soon, your inferior counterparts will be gone and you will have more Dark Arms brethren!" Eclipse then said, causing the Dark Arms to respond happily. "And we all owe it to our brother, Shadow." Eclipse said as he turned to Shadow, who still had the same monotone expression. Eclipse slightly frowned due to his lack of response. "Hmmm, I might need to fix that once we are done with this planet." Eclipse murmured. Suddenly, Eclipse heard the sound of squawking and warbling. He then turned to see Cregal coming towards him. "Cregal!" Eclipse greeted as the Dark Arms came down and Eclipse petted it. "How goes our progress?" Cregal then released a series of sounds to Eclipse. When he heard them, he formed a look of panic on his face. "What?! Earthlings followed us here and they already destroyed one of the trees I planted?!" Eclipse shouted with rage. He then smashed his fist angrily on the ground. "No! I cannot let these vermin ruin my plans! I am so close to reviving our species!" Eclipse said as he grit his teeth. He then began to seethe with rage before he turned back to his Dark Arms, who gave him concerned looks. He then calmed down slightly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you, little ones." Eclipse said before he sighed. "I need to get rid of those pests or otherwise my plans will be for nothing." Eclipse then suddenly gave off a malicious smirk as he turned to face Shadow. He then walked up towards him. "Brother, I have your first real task to show your loyalty to the Black Arms. Some earthlings have followed us here and are trying to disrupt our plan. Go find them and kill them." Eclipse ordered. "I, on the other hand, need to find something here with our Dark Arms, the key to our success. Understood?" Shadow responded by bowing before Eclipse before he lifted his head up, making Eclipse grin. "Excellent. I will see you later, brother." Eclipse said. "Oh and make sure you don't show any mercy. Make them suffer." Shadow then turned around from Eclipse before he dashed off, leaving behind a blazing trail throughout the planet.