Sonic Future 100 Origins ~Chapter 1~

Sonic Future 100
     Origins

Chapter 1 - Where it all began

  Three Years Ago...

Deep inside a factory, Lark and Blade were tied together, slowly sinking into black sludge while Ly-Ra was watching from the side.
Lark called to her, "Ly-Ra, do something!"
Ly-Ra looked nervous, "Like what? The switch is on the other side! I can't reach it!"
Blade spoke up, "Throw something to hit the switch!"
Lark struggled against the ropes that held them together, "Yeah, what he said!"
Ly-Ra looked worried, "But I'm terrible at throwing! You both know that!"
Blade managed a kind smile as they continued to sink, "Please just try, Ly-Ra."
Ly-Ra sighed and started picking up stones. She threw them one by one, trying to hit the large red button on the other side of the sludge.
She missed miserably every time.
Lark saw the sludge was up to their chins, "We're dead. It was nice knowing ya, Blade."
Blade spoke, "Don't give up on your sister yet! She just has to hit once."
Suddenly, a stone hit Blade on the head. Ly-Ra spoke, "Sorry!"
Blade sighed, "Yeah, we're dead. Nice knowing you too, Lark."
Ly-Ra grabbed up another stone, "I can make it! Just hang on!" She threw it as hard as she could.
It hit!
She jumped for joy, "Yay! I did it!"
Lark gasped as they sank faster, "Oh drat!" They both sank entirely.
Ly-Ra gasped, "Oh no!"

"Mission Failure!"

Everything changed into inside a large, blank metal room. Lark and Blade were on the floor panting. Lark groaned, "Man, those simulations feel seriously real."
Blade nodded, worn out, "Yeah. I actually thought I was about to drown in that stuff."
Then a speaker in the wall spoke, "Nice. You three failed miserably."
Lark sighed as he stood up, "Thanks for that, Shade."
A door slid open to reveal Shade the hedgehog. He smirked, "Not my fault you failed. Your sister shouldn't have set off that trap to begin with. And if she had been more observant, she would have seen the jet pack in the room."
Lark was surprised, "Seriously?"
Shade crossed his arms, "Yes. Truth be told, you two did incredibly well, as usual. Only person who didn't pull their weight was Ly-Ra."
Ly-Ra looked at the floor, disappointed, "I'm sorry, guys."
Lark looked annoyed with Shade, "Well you didn't have to say it like that, Shade."
Shade shrugged, "Just being honest."
Blade scoffed, "Yeah. An honest jerk."
Shade only grinned coldly, "Am I any other kind?" With that, he turned and left.
Lark turned to his little sister, "Don't listen to snooty-pants, sis. I think you did a great job for your first time! You'll be an awesome hero soon enough!"
Blade smiled, "Lark is right! Just take your time with it, ok?"
That cheered up young Ly-Ra, "Thanks, guys!"

A little later

 Shadow was in the retro livingroom of Shaderon's house, reading the newspaper. With him was Shade, who was working on something on his tablet. Lark, Blade, and Ly-Ra walked in from the training room.
Shadow noticed them, "So, I hear you three tried the new simulation. How'd it go?"
Blade smiled, "We failed miserably."
Shadow was surprised, "Really? You and Lark usually do perfect. What changed?"
Shade smirked, "That's easy. They had Ly-Ra with them this time."
Lark gave him a look, "Aw shut up, Shade." Shade gave a mean grin.
Shadow sighed, "Be nice, Shade. She's still learning."
Blade agreed, "And she doesn't have attack powers, just high defense."
Shadow spoke, "If you three learn your tactics, I'm sure you'll find the strategy that fits. You have a lot of potential, you just have to learn how to put them to use properly."
Lark smiled, "Yeah! Thanks for letting us borrow your simulation system, Shadow!"
Shadow looked back at his newspaper, "Sure. You're welcome to use it whenever you like."
Lark grinned, "Awesome! Thanks!"
Blade smiled, "We better get moving, guys! See ya, Shadow!"
Ly-Ra waved as they left, "Bye!" Then they were gone.
Shade spoke, "Grandfather?"
Shadow kept reading, "Yes?"
Shade stopped working on his tablet, "When are you going to tell everyone?"
Shadow was silent a moment, then he spoke, flipping the page, "..not yet, if that's what you're getting at. You weren't even supposed to know."
Shade glanced at his grandfather, "Like you can keep anything from me."
Shadow sighed, "I doubt your father will like finding out you've been snooping again." He glanced at his grandson, "Just don't say anything. Not yet. Not until the right time."
Shade scoffed and turned back to his tablet, "I have a good feeling that won't be coming anytime soon, let alone before its too late."
Shadow looked determined, "I'll take my chances."
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In a house in Downtown, New Mobotropolis

   Devon, before he became General, knocked on the bedroom door, "Don? Don, are you still studying?"
A voice came from inside, "Of course! What else could I be doing? Nothing fun obviously!"
Devon sighed, "Look, I know you don't like it, but your studies are what's going to keep you alive someday. It certainly was for me."
Don groaned, "These are just a bunch of stupid books on stuff no one cares about anymore! Why can't I study something more worth my time? I mean, who cares about the legend of the Black Emerald?"
Devon sighed, "Forget it." He turned and left.

 Inside the room, Don the hedgehog was laying across his bed while large towers of books sat all around his room and bookshelves were filled to their maximum. He groaned, "And it's Extreme, dad! Not Don! Don is a lame name! Who on Mobius names their kid Don in this generation?"
No answer.
Extreme grumbled to himself as he tossed aside the book he was reading, "Why couldn't I be Uncle BR's son?"
Devon, who was just walking past again towards the livingroom, smirked, "I heard that. Be grateful. I'm only asking you to read a few books. At least you don't have to jump off a cliff, get back on your feet within five seconds, climb all the way back up, and jump again. That's exactly what BR would have you do if you were his son."
Extreme grinned, "At least it would be cool!"
Devon scoffed, "Tell that to Sash."
Extreme grinned bigger, "Already did, and he says you get used to it! Might I remind you that was how he became one of Mobius's most powerful fighters!"
Devon rolled his eyes with a smirk and walked into the livingroom. He sighed as he sat on the couch, "He really just can't see reason, can he?"
Robo-Ann walked over and sat beside him, "Don't feel bad, hon. He's just a kid. He doesn't understand yet!"
Devon sighed, "I know. Though, I'm pretty sure by fifteen he ought to have some reason."
Robo-Ann giggled, "Well, apparently not our son."
Devon laughed, "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Robo-Ann cuddled close to him, "Of course I am. Now snuggle me, handsome."
Devon chuckled and hugged her close, "Where would I be without you?"
She giggled, "Working at GUN as a mad scientist." They both laughed.
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Outside the city, in a Training Camp

BR blew his whistle, "Come on, you little girls! Get a move on!"
A group of teen boys were running an obstacle course while BR stood and watched. A large house sat nearby while a two-story shed sat to the other side of the track. A whistle hung from BR's neck while he held a clipboard.
He blew his whistle again, "Come on! Faster, James! Get your butt off the ground, Terry! I ain't got all day! Move it!"
Sash the hedgehog walked out of the house through the sliding backdoor and walked over, "Dad, could you quiet down? Mom's trying to watch something."
BR groaned, "She's always watching something. Maybe one of these days she should come work out or something."
Veronica was standing at the door, her arms crossed, "Did you say something, honey?" She looked as gorgeous as ever, getting the teenagers on the track's attention.
BR gulped with a grin, "Uh, of course not, my darling angel!"
Veronica smirked, "I didn't think so." She turned and walked back inside.
Sash smirked, "Nice save, dad. Listen, I'm going out, ok?"
BR looked over his clipboard, "Drop and give me fifty first."
Sash sighed, "Dad, I did fifty this morning."
BR grinned, "Then let's make it a hundred today. Drop and give me fifty."
Sash sighed and did the fifty push-ups easy. He stood up, "Now can I go?"
BR smirked, ruffling his son's bangs, "Sure, you can go. Have fun."
Sash left, "See ya."
BR turned to the boys and blew his whistle, "Come on, you wimps! My son can do three times as many laps through this track without breaking a sweat! I get paid fifty bucks per head to make you cry babies even a fraction as good as my kid! So get moving!!"
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In the Guardian Residence on Angel Island

 Claw peeked into his brother's room, "Uh, Jaremiah?"
His older brother was reading in a chair. He didn't look up from his book, "What?"
Claw felt nervous. His brother always seemed to make him feel that way. He was so dark and silent.
Claw cleared his throat, "Uh, I'm going to a party with my friends. Wanna come?"
Jaremiah spoke without looking at him, "No."
Claw sighed, "Um, ok. See you later then." He walked out.
Jaremiah, Cobra at the time, glanced up from his book, looking where his little brother left, then went back to reading. He didn't have time for such things. He had far bigger plans.
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