Episode 8: The Dark Gaia Saga (Part 2):
The Gaia Manuscripts
In the city of Spagonia, Sally Acorn, one of the founding members of the Freedom Fighters, was walking around the streets during the daytime. The people were waving towards her as she waved back.
"Yo, Sal!" came Sonic's voice, getting Sally's attention. She turned around and saw the Mane 6, Sonic, Tails and Chip running up to her. Sonic and the Mane 6 were in their normal forms.
"Sonic, Tails, Twilight," Sally asked. "What are you all doing here?"
"We've come here to have a talk with one of the professors at Spagonia University," Tails said. "Mutt said that he knew him and we need some information about the planet being broken apart."
"Oh, I know where that is," Sally said. "So, which professor are you going to see?"
"Professor Pickle," Twilight said.
"Oh, yes," Sally said. "I remember him. In fact, I saw a picture of him, Mutt and Sir Charles in his office."
"That's how Mutt knows Professor Pickle," Sonic said. "Mutt was my uncle Chuck's assistant while he was still alive."
"That would make sense," Twilight said. She then looked at Sally. "Anyway, you mind taking us to the University?"
"Sure," Sally said. "Follow me." She then led them all towards Spagonia University.
The Mane 6, Sonic, Tails, Sally and Chip went up to a directory of the University. They saw one name. The professor that they were looking for, Professor Pickle, in the History building. They then walked over towards the building. They reached the office of where Professor Pickle works at, but they were then stopped.
"I'm sorry, but you can't go in there!" came a man's voice. The group looked towards who spoke and saw someone.
"Sorry to disturb you, sir," Sally said. "But my friends need to see Professor Pickle."
"I'm sorry, Princess," the man said. "But I'm the Professor's assistant. And sorry to disappoint you, but sadly, the Professor has been kidnapped.
"Whaaat?" Tails asked, surprised. "Professor Pickle's been kidnapped?!"
"It was a little bit before the tremors hit," the Professor's Assistant said. "This old man showed up... With a..." He then mimicked a large belly around his body. "And a..." He then mimicked a large mustache. "And a whole pack of robots. They carried poor Professor Pickle off, lab data and all!"
"It can't be!" Twilight said. "We were so close!"
"That sure sounds like Eggman," Sonic said.
"What a horrible thing to do!" Chip said. "We've got to go help that professor guy out, and fast! If he got kidnapped that long ago, he's got to be really hungry by now! And-and, if I was that hungry... I-I don't know how long I would last! I'd rather be dead!" He then fell down, but then his body fell, but his soul was still flying. It was still talking, but no words were coming to the ears of the others. Fluttershy on the other hand was freaking out that she was seeing a ghost of the small creature. She jumped into Tails's arms.
"I-I'm sure Eggman is feeding him," Tails said. "Even he's not that cruel."
"Go back to your body, Chip," Rainbow Dash said. Chip then looked down and saw his body passed out on the floor. He then flew back into his body, retaining his life.
"We've already told the authorities about this," the Professor's assistant said. "GUN has sent one of their best agents there. A rabbit in a red jumpsuit and spy gear. She was accompanied by an otter with a bow and a quiver with trick arrows, and a little pink pegasus with a Shirley Temple hairstyle."
The group looked at each other. Twilight, Sonic, Tails and Sally all said in unison, "Olive, Alex and Cozy Glow."
"They said that they found some mud from the Amazon Jungle," the Professor's Assistant said. "They think that's where Professor Pickle is being held."
"Then let's move!" Sonic said. Then the Mane 6, Sonic, Tails, Sally and Chip ran out of the building. They all went into the Spirit of Freedom and started taking off towards the South American Continent.
Eventually, they made it to the Amazon. It was already nighttime, and the Mane 6 and Sonic were back in their monster forms.
"Whoa, you weren't kidding when you said you guys turned into monsters at night," Sally said.
"Told ya," Sonic said. "Now, let's get going." When they got out, they saw something there. It was Midpoint's ship, the Patriot Arrow. "They're here."
"Follow their footprints," Tails said. Then they looked down at the ground, trying to find the footprints of Midpoint and Olive. But eventually, they stopped. They almost went over a cliff.
"Okay, new rule!" Rainbow Dash said. "Watch your step."
"Yeah, especially with Quicksand in random places here," Sally said. Then she saw something ahead. "Look!"
They saw a building out in the middle of the forest, surrounded by robots. Sonic then said, "That must be where Eggman's holding Professor Pickle."
"Let's go," Twilight said. She then levitated her friends and started flying towards the base. When she got there, the robots aimed their weapons towards them. "Oh, boy." Sonic then jumped out of Twilight's hold and started fighting off the robots. The Mane 6, Tails, Sally and Chip then joined in. But then eight robots surrounded them in an electrical field, trapping the group.
"Oh, great!" Sonic said. "We're trapped!" Then they started getting closer to the group, the electrical field shrinking.
"Looks like this is the end o' the line!" Applejack said. Then they all waved away Applejack's bad breath.
Then a bunch of arrows landed on some of the robots while the rest got blasted by lasers. The electrical field surrounding the heroes vanished. The group looked in one direction and saw Midpoint, Olive and Cozy Glow there. Olive had her fists extended and Midpoint was in a position that looked like he had released an arrow from his bow.
"Golly!" Cozy Glow said. "What happened to you guys?!"
"Eggman happened," Rarity said.
"You guys came at a good time," Midpoint said. "We've been having a hard time fighting off those monsters out there."
"So, this is where Professor Pickle is being held?" Tails asked.
"Yes it is," Olive said. "And luckily, we've got the key!" She then extended her left fist, and a laser fired from her glove, destroying the control console. Then the door glitched and opened up. They then all ran into a room.
"Look up!" Midpoint said. They all looked up and saw a containment area.
"Professor Pickle!" Sally said. "Are you okay in there?!" Tails, Chip and Cozy Glow flew up towards the containment cell, seeing Professor Pickle with a sandwich.
"Professor?" Tails asked, knocking on the cell.
"Uh, hello?" Chip asked.
"How dare they call this culinary concoction food?" Professor Pickles said. "He then held it up to the three flying creatures. "Look here, do you see this sorry excuse for a sandwich? The bread should be no less than 3/4 of an inch thick. Upon it, one tablespoon of mayonnaise and a pinch of black pepper. The contents: fresh cucumber sliced thinly if you please! Am I quite right, you three?"
Tails and Cozy Glow looked at each other confusedly while Chip was bewildered.
"I know I learned something here today!" Chip said. Just then, the cell opened up and descended to the ground.
"We better get out of here," Midpoint said. "Nice to see you again, Professor."
"Nice to see you again, too, Alex Lynol," Professor Pickle said. "Especially in that new look of yours. I remember you since you were still human."
"We've gotta get out of here before more of Eggman's robots show up," Twilight said.
"Oh, yes. Quite," Professor Pickle said. "But let us be sure to collect the contents of that vault before departing." Sonic then looked towards the vault, and then he stretched his fist towards the safe, and it broke apart.
"Whoa!" Midpoint said. "That's new!" Cozy Glow then flew into the vault and grabbed what was inside. It was a rolled up scroll in a container.
"Ahh, thank you. Those documents are our only hope for surviving this crisis," Professor Pickle said. "Let's go. There's no time to lose. I'm half-starved after being fed nothing but those terrible sandwiches!" They started walking away as Chip flew up to the Professor.
"Want some chocolate, Professor?" Chip asked, holding up a chocolate bar.
"My, my! Don't mind if I do!" Professor Pickle said. He then took the Chocolate Bar from Chip. Then they all headed out of there.
The Mane 6, Sonic, Tails, Sally, Midpoint, Olive, Cozy Glow and Chip made it to Spagonia University. In Professor Pickle's Office, Professor Pickle was showing the group the contents. It was still night time there. Olive was gathering blood from Chip for finding out who he was.
"These ancient documents are known as the Gaia Manuscripts," Professor Pickle said. "They tell the legend of a disaster that befell our planet some tens of thousands of years ago."
"A disaster...?" Tails asked.
"According to these manuscripts, this wasn't the first time the planet was broken apart," Midpoint said, looking at the manuscripts and the ancient language translator. That made the Mane 6, Sonic, Tails and Sally look at each other in amazement.
"The cause lies at the very core of the planet," Professor Pickle said. " All of the phenomena we've witnessed are the direct result of one creature... the hyper-energy organism spawned at the planet's core, Dark Gaia."
"So how do we stop this Dark Gaia and put the world back together?" Sally asked.
"Luckily, Dark Gaia has yet to be fully reborn," Professor Pickle said. "We most likely have Dr. Eggman's pre-mature wake-up call to thank for that. If we act now, we may be able to restore the planet by returning power to the Chaos Emeralds." Sonic then held out one of the darkened Chaos Emeralds. Sonic, Twilight, you and your friends must travel to each of the temples listed in the Gaia Manuscripts. The planet's power will restore the Chaos Emeralds, and in turn the Chaos Emeralds will restore the planet and help it heal naturally."
"Okay," said Rainbow Dash. "So where's the first temple?"
Olive then looked at the Gaia Manuscripts with her cyber patch and went wide eyed. "No way..."
"What is it?" Applejack asked. The others then waved in front of them. Except for Cozy Glow. She fainted from the smell.
"Applejack, get a breath mint!" Midpoint said.
"Sorry," Applejack said.
"Anyway, it would seem that we were actually close to a temple back in the Amazon," Olive said. "Which means..."
"Eggman will eventually locate the temple there and destroy it before we get a chance to restore it," Twilight said. "It's a race now."
"Get back there and get to the temple, and start bringing the planet back together," Professor Pickle said. "Get going!"
Then the Mane 6, Sonic, Tails, Sally and Chip headed out of there. Olive then walked over to Cozy Glow with some smelling salts and got her to smell it. Making her wake up.
"Whoa!" Cozy Glow said. "What happened?"
"You passed out getting a whiff of Applejack's breath," Midpoint said. "And boy, did it stink! Whoo!"
Hours later, back in the Amazon, there was a campsite there, and a bunch of people were backing up in fear due to the robots coming at them.
"Who are you?!" asked one camper.
"Oh ho ho ho! Fear not good camping folks!" Eggman said. "If you all behave, I won't have to do anything nasty. All you need to do is tell me where the Temple of Gaia is."
"We're not telling you anything!" a little kid said, throwing a rock at Eggman. Just then, a small round robot came from the Egg Mobile, laughing at him.
The kid was pulled back and Eggman pushed down on the robot, saying, "So you dare to defy me, do you?" Just then, Sonic came down, smashing all of the robots. Eggman noticed what was happening. "Wh-whaaat?! Sonic!"
Just then, Sonic landed and the Mane 6 came in behind him.
"Yo, Eggman," Sonic said. "Thanks for that little skydiving adventure the other day!"
"I should have known you all would still be alive, you stubborn little creatures!" Eggman said.
"What are you doing out here?" Twilight asked.
"I see no reason to tell you!" Eggman said. "In any case, I'm busy. Farewell!" He then flew away in the Egg Mobile.
Chip flew towards where the Egg Mobile hovered, calling out, "Wha-? Hey! Wait! That's playin' dirty! Come baaack!"
"Just ignore him," Sonic said. Then he and the Mane 6 looked towards the campers. "Is everyone here all right?"
Back in Station Square, MC was supervising the preparation of the Halloween Party they were setting up. Since he didn't have his powers currently.
"Alright, guys, we've got a few days to get this place decorated!" MC called out. "Halloween is almost here! And we have to get this place decorated!" He then noticed something. "Izzy! That's a tablecloth! Not a ghost costume!"
Zipp was still watching MC as he was leading the group. She then pulled out her phone and said, "Update on MC's power failure. It would seem that MC's power is connected to the planet itself. And since the planet is broken apart, MC is left without most of his powers. For some reason, Doctor Eggman has broken the planet into huge pieces. Why he's done it, I don't know. For ruling the world in fear, or some other dastardly goal."
"Zipp! Mind giving me a hand with this banner?!" came Pipp's voice. Zipp then rolled her eyes, put her phone in her pocket, and she went to help Pipp with the banner. As the two were putting up the banner, Pipp asked, "So what were you doing with MC earlier today?"
"I've been trying to figure out why his powers disappeared when the planet broke apart," Zipp said. "And why would Eggman do that?"
"It's because Eggman is trying to release a monster that has been living under the planet's crust for a long, long time," came Mutt's voice. The two futuristic pegasi looked down and saw him standing there.
"How do you know that?" Zipp asked.
"I was the assistant to Sir Charles Hedgehog, who happens to be Sonic's uncle," Mutt said. "And Sir Charles knew a man who studies some ancient documents that showed what happened to the planet thousands of years ago."
"Really?" Zipp asked. "What is it?"
"Something called... Dark Gaia," Mutt said. "I don't know much about it, but the only one who knows about this is Professor Pickle."
"So, where can we find this Professor Pickle guy?" Zipp asked.
"Spagonia University," Mutt said. "But I wouldn't go alone. Besides, ever since the planet broke apart, there have been sightings of monsters at night."
"Monsters?" Pipp and Zipp asked in unison.
"Yeah," Mutt said. "Things have been getting stranger and stranger since the planet broke."
"Well, maybe I should go to this Professor Pickle guy and find out what's going on," Zipp said.
"You're not going alone," came another voice. Zipp looked towards the voice and saw Amy and Truemen standing there. Truemen then said, "Amy just wants to go and find Sonic."
"Why else would I go?" Amy asked. "I have to find Sonic and help him out on his big adventure!"
"Sheesh," Zipp said. "So how are we gonna get there?"
Later, Amy, Truemen and Zipp were at the airport waiting area, waiting for their plane. Amy handed something to Zipp.
"You forgot your passport," Amy said.
"Passport?" Zipp said. "When did I get a passport?"
"When going to another country, always bring a passport," Amy said. "Good thing we've gotten them for you, Sunny and the others who are from the future. Along with one for Blaze since she's from another dimension."
"Flight Four-Three-Nine-Seven to Spagonia, now boarding!" came an announcer on the intercom.
"That's us," Truemen said.
"I still can't believe you've gotten past those metal detectors," Zipp said. "How did you?"
"Easy," Truemen said. "I just told them that the arm doesn't come off without making the metal detectors going crazy. I told them I'd take the pat down."
"Smart move," Amy said. They then grabbed their bags and headed onto the airplane. They were lucky to get a row all together. Eventually, the plane started taking off as it headed on up and over towards Spagonia.
Meanwhile, back in the Amazon, Sonic, the Mane 6 and Chip were running through the rainforest, chasing Eggman who was flying through a huge clear path with a machine coming near him.
"Eggman!" Sonic called out, getting Eggman's attention.
"Rrgh! How'd you get here so quickly?" Eggman asked. "No matter. Your road ends here!" Just then, the machine then turned around as the Egg Mobile landed where the head of it should be.
"Behold! My new power!" Eggman said from the cockpit. "Egg Beetle, go!" The Egg Beetle then clamped its pincers, trying to intimidate the heroes. The seven heroes then got into fighting positions as Chip was striking some poses.
Eggman then started flying backwards as the heroes started chasing him. Eggman fired missiles at the group, but Twilight caught them with her magic. She then threw them back at Eggman.
"Gaaagh!" Eggman cried out. "You little... you little...!!"
"Ha ha! Good job, Twilight!" Sonic said.
"Why I oughta...!" Eggman said. He then moved the machine closer to the group, the pincers were about to snap them, but Applejack jumped up and prevented the pincers from pinching the group with her strength. "Impossible!" Sonic then jumped over Applejack and struck the cockpit. "Gaah!" Sonic and Applejack then landed on the ground.
"Nice job, girls!" Sonic said. "We gotta finish him off!"
"Remember that move we've done back before Canterlot Castle fell off the mountain?!" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Yeah, but we don't have Tails, Amy or MC with us," Pinkie Pie said.
"Oh, I think we can manage that," Twilight said. She then lit up her horn and a magenta circle appeared in front of them. Sonic then spin jumped into it, rolling circles in it. Then the Mane 6 were surrounded in a white aura, and a rainbow beam came out from the center in between them and went into the circle with Sonic. Then Twilight used her magic to throw the circle and Sonic, then they collided with the cockpit of the Egg Beetle.
"Gaaaaah!!" Eggman said as the Egg Mobile was launched from the Egg Beetle after it exploded.
Sonic then came back down and landed in front of the girls. Chip then flew up to the group.
"Way to go... guys..." Chip said, panting. He then looked around and saw something between the trees. "Hey, look!" Sonic and the Mane 6 looked towards where Chip was pointing at and saw some kind of stone building.
"Is that the Temple of Gaia?" Sonic asked.
"Only one way to find out," Twilight said. Then the eight of them walked towards the temple. They went inside and there was a path that led to some kind of altar, and on the sides of the path were columns with turquoise glowing gems, shining the path for the heroes.
"Whoa! Awesome!" Chip said.
"Are you sure this is the temple?" Fluttershy asked. "It's so... spooky."
"If it is, I'm sure it's just how old temples are supposed to be," Rainbow Dash said. "Remember when we went to that one temple, Fluttershy? With the chest plate that makes you tell the truth just by touching it?"
"Oh, right," Fluttershy said. She then noticed the altar. "What's up with that thing over there?"
Chip then flew towards it and looked inside it. He then asked, "Hey, what's this hole?"
"Hold on!" Twilight said. "It could be some kind of..." Then the place started shaking. Twilight noticed Chip's collar glowing as he was near the altar. Just then, a small pedestal came from the altar, and in the middle of it was a small hole.
"Hmm? What's that?" Chip asked.
"Ah don't know, sugarcube," Applejack said. "It could be somethin' that might have held some sorta treasure."
Rarity then inspected it, then looked at the mural that was over the altar. She then looked at Sonic and asked, "Sonic. Mind giving me one of the Chaos Emeralds?"
"Why?" Sonic asked, holding out one of the Chaos Emeralds, Rarity taking it in her magic.
"If this is the Temple of Gaia, and it needed the Chaos Emeralds to put the continent back into position..." Rarity said. She then grabbed the Emerald in her right hand and then she put the Chaos Emerald onto the pedestal, standing up correctly. Then the Chaos Emerald started rising and green energy came towards it, restoring it to its former glory.
"Wahoo! The Emerald's come back to life!" Chip said excitedly.
"Rarity, you did it!" Twilight said. "If the Chaos Emerald is restored to its former glory, that means..."
"This was the Temple of Gaia!" Sonic said. "That's got to be why Eggman was so keen on taking the place over." Then the place started shaking and all of them started losing their balance and crying out.
"Here we go agaaaain!" Chip yelled out.
Getting a satellite view, the South American Continent was lowering back towards the core, it being in its regular position.
Meanwhile, back in Station Square, Mutt was putting away some extra supplies into the storage closet. On the floor was a bucket that was on its side, a wooden plank, and some gardening sheers on it. As Mutt was putting the last of the stuff away on the top shelf, he accidentally pushed over some stuff that made a domino effect, heading towards a bowling ball, which fell off the shelf, landing on the risen side of the plank, sending the gardening sheers towards MC.
"MC! Incoming!" Mutt shouted.
MC looked towards Mutt, seeing the sheers coming towards him, them piercing through his chest, and him crying out in pain, "GAH!!"
"Noooo!" Mutt said. "MC, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! It was an accident!"
MC groaned at the pain. He then pulled the sheers out of his chest, but there was no sign of blood on the sheers. Then the wound hold started glowing in a golden aura and them sealing up.
"Whoa!" Mutt said. "You... you healed!"
"I'm... getting my powers back?" MC asked. He then thought of something. "Nicole, status of the broken world update!"
"Checking live satellite view," came Nicole's voice. "Interesting! It seems that the South American Continent has been put back into its original position."
"And with each continent moved back into position..." Mutt said.
"One of my powers restores to its glory," MC said. "I got my healing factor back. Nicole, send this information to the news across the world, and to Tails. He's gonna want to show Sonic and Sparkles."
"Already on it, Michael," Nicole said.
Meanwhile, back at the South American Temple of Gaia, the Mane 6, Sonic and Chip were heading back towards the entrance until they heard Tails's voice.
"Sonic! Good news!" The group looked up to see Tails, carrying Sally, who was carrying Tails's tablet, the Miles Electric. "The planet! One of the broken pieces of the planet moved back into place!"
"All right!" Sonic said, looking towards Rarity and Chip. "Nice job, you two."
"Take a look!" Tails said as Sally held out the Miles Electric. The group looked into it and saw the South American continent was lowering back into position.
"One down..." Twilight said.
"Six to go!" Tails said. "At this rate, you'll have the whole world back together in no time, guys!"
"A planet-sized jigsaw puzzle?" Sonic asked. "Sounds like a great excuse to see the world!" They all nodded and laughed at Sonic's comment.