Chapter Text
Shadow: After leaving [prior stage], I have found myself at Twinkle Park. My chaos energy is telling me there is an emerald somewhere in the park, but I am still too weak to find the exact location. I’m lucky I was able to track it this far already.
Feminine voice: “Shadow! It has been awhile since I have seen you!”
Shadow: I turn around to see Amy Rose walking up to me.
Shadow: “Almost a decade since our last in person meeting, yes.”
Amy: “What are you doing at Twinkle Park? I didn’t take you as the type to seek amusement activities.”
OPTION:
[I am looking for a Chaos Emerald]
[That is classified information]
Shadow: “I had a run in with the doctor and now I am trying to regain ownership of the Chaos Emeralds. My chaos energy tells me there is one here, but I am too weak to know fully where.”
Amy: “Ah yes, looking for some emeralds, that definitely seems like your usual motive for visiting places!”
Shadow: “I was fortunate enough to find one in [prior stage] before traveling here.”
EVENT
Shadow: As soon as my sentence ended, I heard grinding head toward me and Amy. We looked up and saw Sonic free grinding on the roller coaster rails overhead. He must have noticed us because he jumped down and ran to us.
Sonic: “Shadow! Long time, no see! Looking for another emerald in Twinkle Park?”
Shadow: “Yes, I was just telling Amy about my struggle to pin-point an exact location here in the park.”
Sonic: “Oh, hey Amy. Sorry I haven’t gotten back to your texts…”
Amy: “That’s fine. I am actually here looking for my blind date partner, but I am starting to think he flaked on me.
Sonic: “Oh shucks, Amy. I’m sorry for you. I would join you, but I have to help Shadow find an emerald! Right, Shadow?”
OPTION:
[Pick Sonic]
[Pick Amy]
Shadow: “Sorry Ms. Rose, Sonic and I have to search the park. I know he can keep up with my speed.”
Amy: “Well, I know it is all adventure and speed for you too. I think I’ll just get a funnel-cake for one and head home after. Have fun!”
EVENT:
Amy left, leaving Sonic and I together at Twinkle Park.
Sonic: “So Shadow, why don’t we finish looking up top? I already searched the roller coaster, so all that is left is the rooftops!”
Shadow: “Works for me. Lead the way.”
Shadow: Sonic found some barrels to jump onto and parquored his way up to the castle rooftops that were in the park. I followed behind, double checking any corners or ledges he could have missed while running.
As we continued, getting higher and higher, I felt more energy coming from the top of the park’s main castle. I told Sonic we should head to the center building’s roof and he started making jumps up the smaller side pillars.
Using some of the ledges and ladder systems for maintenance workers, we reached the top of the center of the park. Sonic gazed down below at the park’s lights and rides while I walked around the roof, searching for an emerald.
As I turned the last corner, I saw glowing coming from a gutter on the ledge. I got closer and found a chaos emerald.
Shadow: “Excellent. One step closer to getting all 7 emeralds and solving this mystery. Why did the Doctor’s ray weaken my energy so much and how come the emeralds weren’t increasing my power?”
Sonic: “Shadow! You found an emerald! That’s great! I’m happy for you, buddy. Just a chunk more of them left and you should be ship-shape!”
Shadow: “I hope so. My chaos energy has not been getting much stronger, so I might need all seven to solve this mess.”
Sonic: “I am sure you will find them all before Eggman! He can’t out-beat us! We are the fastest team alive!”
OPTION
[Thank you for helping me.]
[Since when did we form a team?]
Shadow: “Thank you for helping me, Sonic. You are playing an increasingly vital role in my quest for answers.”
Sonic: “I’m always happy to help you, Shads! And I am glad you are so willing now to accept help. Usually, you are so lone-wolf about all your work.”
OPTION
[Working alone means no one gets hurt.]
[It helps me focus when I am alone.]
Shadow: “When I work alone, it means I don’t put anyone else at risk of getting hurt. I wouldn’t want to see you hurt, not like the ways I have suffered.”
Sonic: “I ain’t afraid of nothing! You and I took on an alien force and saved the world! We can do anything!”
Shadow: I chuckle to myself. Sonic’s bravery is reckless at times, but it still comes off as charming in my eyes.
I sit down to rest and look up at the night sky. The moon is halved from the Doctor’s assault, but the stars are brighter than usual on this clear city night. Sonic sits down next to me.
Sonic: “I think we deserve a short break, don’t you? I usually like to sit with Tails and watch the clouds float by as we point out what we see in them. Not as easy to do that with stars, though!”
Shadow: “When I was at the ARK, Maria had a book that taught us about star formations the ancients recorded. These stars have stories and shapes like the clouds do too.”
Sonic: “Really? I never looked at the stars enough to see anything like that! Can you show me some?”
MINIGAME
A star pattern will be shown to the player and they will have 3 options to pick from on what the constellation is. There are 5 rounds of play. Getting 3 or more correct will result in a positive date with Sonic. Getting 2 or less correct will result in a failure.
Dialogue from correct options picked during minigame:
Shadow: “This one is Aries. The shape the stars form is that of a ram’s head. The Greeks attributed this star formation to the story of Jason and the Argonauts. He and the Argonauts sought to find the golden ram’s fleece to prove he was the rightful king of Iolcos. He was also the great-grandson of the messenger god Hermes.”
Sonic: “Sounds like me and the Freedom Fighters! We would sometimes try to take Eggman’s jacket or goggles after we finished all his robots as a joke!”
Shadow: “This one is Gemini. The stars represent two twin brothers, Castor and Pollux. Castor’s father was the King of Sparta, and Pollux’s father was the god Zeus. They spent their whole lives together, but Castor eventually died since he was mortal. Pollux, who was immortal and couldn’t stand to be without his twin, begged his father, Zeus, to help. Zeus made Castor immortal in the process and now the two live together in the constellation Gemimi.”
Sonic: “That reminds me a lot of Tails. I don’t think I would live the same way if he wasn’t in my life. I would want to have him by my side through eternity like the brother in the stars.”
Shadow: “This one is Leo. In the first of Hercules’ trials, he must slay the Nemean Lion, whose hide is impenetrable. Hercules eventually finds a solution and is able to kill the lion and take its pelt as proof of victory. After the lion’s death, Hera was saddened by its loss and decided to let it live forever in the stars as Leo.”
Sonic: “That was the first trial? He must be pretty clever if he was able to finish the rest of them! I don’t expect the gods to have gone easy on him.”
Shadow: “This one is Aquarius. Ganymede was a beautiful young prince in Troy. Zeus, the god of gods, saw his beauty and wanted him as a servant. He kidnapped Ganymede and forced him to be his drink bearer. After some time, Ganymede decided enough was enough, and poured out all the wine and water of the gods, bringing floods to Earth. Zeus wanted to reprimand the prince, but instead Zeus realized he stole Ganymede’s life and decided to make him immortal in the stars.”
Sonic: “There is a certain beautiful hedgehog I wouldn’t mind pouring me wine, but I don’t think I would have to kidnap them to have them pour me a drink!”
Shadow: “This one is Pisces. The legend says that a great monster named Typhon attacked Mount Olympus and most of the gods fled. Aphrodite and her son Eros stayed but needed to find a way to escape. Their plan started by having both of them transform into fish, and in that state, two fish found them and helped the gods swim to safety. For their assistance, the gods immortalized the fish in Pisces.”
Sonic: “Okay, now that one both makes the most sense and the least sense at the same time!”
AFTER MINIGAME WIN
Sonic: “Wow, Shadow! You know so much about the stars! Thank you for telling me those stories.”
Shadow: “Of course. I am glad I was able to retain those somber memories I had from ARK.”
Shadow: I turned my head over to Sonic, who I saw was looking at me with half closed eyes.”
Shadow: “Are you tired, Sonic? I know it is getting later by the minute up here.”
Shadow: Sonic shook his head and then perked up his head.
Sonic: “Not at all! I guess I was just lost in thought…”
…
Sonic: “I’m glad you stayed up here with me. It is nice having you around more, Shadow. I wish you luck on finding the rest of your emeralds!”
Shadow: Sonic said his goodbye and ran down back to the entrance of Twinkle Park. I am sure he wants to check on Tails as the night grows dark. I sat up on the top of the castle for a bit longer looking at the stars. I felt at home when I looked at space, even if I was looking up and not out a window.
Shadow: I eventually headed back to base to rest before continuing my search for chaos emeralds tomorrow. I think I started to feel my power growing after resting with Sonic. Maybe the emeralds were helping charge me back to normal. I must continue my search.
END