“You just had to say that you thought dowsing was for finding water, didn’t you Sonic,” Rosy whined as she bobbed on the surface of a pool of water deep underground. Leaning back from where she was curled up, she could no longer even see the shaft of light where she and Sonic had fallen into the ruins from. “This is always more fun when Tails is with me.”

     Pouting as she was, Rosy was not ill equipped for her situation. Her pretty, white leotard despite its puffy princess sleeves doubled as a swimsuit and she was a competent swimmer. She could even use Sonic’s speed to swim at speeds nearing her land speeds and she soon pulled herself out onto a ledge constructed of monolithic bricks.

     “I hope Sonic isn’t being stubborn and is actually using my ability to swim.”

     Talking out loud was almost habitual by herself to scare off any anxiety and to narrate her own adventures. Yet her concern was genuine as she did not feel the warmth in her chest that she had when Sonic had made a further Ring Bond with her to learn how to swim. With a bigger pout and puffing her cheeks up as much as she physically could she turned away from the pool behind her and towards the ledge in front of her. “Well, since I’m here I might as well at least have fun by myself!”

     Though her aim was fun, the nature of the ruin quickly stripped her of the enjoyment she was seeking.

     “Why do you have to be so mean!” Rosy wailed as she deftly dodged and scrambled out of the way of bolts of green energy fired from the same type of stone golems she and Sonic had discovered recently. “I just wanted to help Sonic find an Ancient Ring so he could read the writing here!”

     The golems offered sympathy in the form of a quick death and continued to fire mercilessly. Much as Rosy wanted to keep running away, the structure of the ruin forced her back into the path of more golems at every turn, her speed becoming a hinderance. The arrival of floating golems that were little more than glorified eyeballs forced her hand, however.

     “Ah~! I’m not good at fighting! Rosy complained as she dodged again and leapt into the air, her form curling into a tight pink ball that blasted through the green gemstone eye of a floating golem. Bouncing off the ground Rosy did not uncurl until she was high enough to land on top of a bipedal golem. “Can’t you just help me find Sonic? I’ll tell your fortune if you do.”

     An awkward smile from the hedgehog girl was met with a violent jerk from the golem to dislodge her and she flipped over backwards watching the bouncing blue bloom of the flower grown from the first golem she defeated. “I really can’t believe that these big pretty flowers are dangerous–Ack!

     “Well, not more dangerous than these golems,” Rosy bemoaned her situation and the nature of the flower as she scrambled away from another golem. She had heard from Zooey about how Mighty had barely escaped from a patch of them and that his escape attempt had left a patch in his wake miles long before he gave up and used his emergency Ring Gate to return to the Skyskipper. “I hope Sonic didn’t go back too. I know he doesn’t like water, but he wouldn’t really leave me here, would he?”

     Dodging another bolt of energy more casually as she had a thought on her mind, Rosy absentmindedly spin attacked her way through another golem freeing the flower within. The twinkling of the seed in the otherwise dark ruins lit only by the light carrying water quickly pulled her from her thoughts though.

     “Hehehe,” Rosy laughed to herself and pressed a finger into her cheek. “I would have been in trouble if I hadn’t noticed.

     “Uh oh!”

     Speaking much too soon Rosy noticed the golem behind her only in time to be backhanded across the floating path she had landed on, an explosion of Rings scattering in her wake.

     “Ow! That hurt you meanie! Huh?”

     Bouncing back to her feet angry and ready to take on the golem, Rosy was immediately distracted by a dark figure darting through the Rings that bounced about after her carelessness. What set them apart however was their speed and for a moment she was certain it was Sonic and called out to him.

     “Sonic!”

     “Sorry lass, but I’m not your man. Thanks for the Rings though, Mach Frog Gill sends his regards!”

     The voice that croaked out from the shadow was obviously not Sonic, and that they were taking her hard-earned Rings, of which she obviously needed to collect again spurred Rosy into action.

     “Wait! I need those!”

     “So do I lass! Rings are a life saver out here in Prison Prairie. Besides, you seem to have the speed to get away from these thugs. Though the advantage will be mine with but a hop!”

     Mocking Rosy with a spin, the shadow named Gill leapt up backwards and with a wave fell into the water with a plop. Rosy smiled though knowing she had a much better chance than Gill believed and dove into the water without breaking stride and with barely a splash.

     Once underwater, the light was far better diffused and Rosy was at last able to make out the lanky frog who had made off with her Rings. His feet clad in stylized toe shoes of an orange shade, he was able to use his webbed feet and hands to swim with tremendous speed. Actually seeing him, Rosy was starting to realize his moniker of Mach Frog was far from inaccurate. He really did seem to be able to keep ahead of her using Sonic’s speed underwater. However, he was not prepared to escape from her and right into a school of golem fish. He was in for a bigger surprise though when he turned around and found her still coming after him. So surprised he nearly exhaled in shock before remembering he was underwater. He still compromised his air supply however and scrambled for the surface.

     ‘Oh no you don’t,’ Rosy thought to herself as she watched him ascend with the fish golems in pursuit. ‘You’re not getting away that easily!’

     Throwing her arms out wide, Rosy immediately tucked into a ball and spun in place revving a swimming Spin Dash. She could not risk revving it for long lest she lose too much height as she sunk, but she nailed her timing and launched through the fish.

     With each fish she destroyed she was accelerated by the release of the power that bound the flower within in and gave it life. That same destruction caused a rumbling that carried through the water far easier than it did otherwise and Gill looked back and took a high-speed spinning pink ball to the midsection. With the air knocked clear out of him Rosy had no trouble uncurling as they erupted out of the water and positioning herself to land on the frog. As they crashed into a new platform Gill proved a fine cushion for Rosy whose rear end was all the cushion Gill received to be saved from her weight.

     “Yay!” Rosy elated from where she sat upon Gill’s stomach, throwing her arms above her head, “I win!”

     “And a lot of bloody good it’ll do you lass. Why are you so obsessed with me anyway! With moves like that you should have no problem making your way out of here.”

     “Hehehe,” Rosy giggled and scratched at her cheek looking away from the irritable Gill. “Well, I don’t normally get everything working together that well. Besides, you took my Rings.”

     “So, you’re going to harp on about those are you lass? Fine, fine, I’ll return them! Right pretty for you and everything. And with that done do you mind getting off me finally!”

     “I don’t know,” Rosy teased as she took hold of only a few of the Rings Gill offered her. “You needed the Rings enough to risk stealing them so maybe you can help me out if I let you have some.”

     “Are you really aiming to make a deal here lass?” Gill asked incredulously. “What could I possibly help you with that your little skill set can’t.”

     “Well, my boyfriend is lost down here too, so once we find him, we’ll need some help getting back out.”

     “So, it’s we now is it?” Gill groaned defeat as Rosy looked at him with a massive smile and sparkling eyes. “And aren’t you a touch young to have a boyfriend lass? Though he must be something to have a lass like you nipping at his heels.”

     “If you know the name Sonic the Hedgehog then you’ll know I have the coolest and most amazing boyfriend in the whole world! EEE~! Sonic is just so wonderful, I’m sure he doesn’t even need us to rescue him and he’s probably already looking for me~♥”

     “Well that’d be nice, but I haven’t the foggiest who you’re talking about lass,” Gill confessed that like the nomads Rosy had met that he had no knowledge of Sonic and her little moment of giddiness came to a disappointed end.

     Disappointment did not linger long on Rosy however and she soon beamed with enthusiasm, her wagging tail thumping rapidly against Gill who she had yet to remove herself from on top of. “Don’t worry! I’ll introduce you as soon as we find him!”

     “You keep saying as such lass, but how exactly are we going to head about doing that down here?”

     “Hehehe,” Rosy laughed more mischievously as she dug a hand into her sleeve and pulled out a small waterproof case with an exclamation. “Tada! With these of course!”

     “And those would be?” Gill queried with a curious look.

     “My tarot cards! They always tell me where Sonic is if I ask, though I’ll have to use them to dowse since I don’t think I can really do a proper reading here.” As she finished explaining, Rosy finally stood up and offered Gill a hand to help the frog to his feet. “So come on, let’s be friends and you can help me find Sonic while I help you find more Rings. Believe it or not, but hunting Rings was my job before I ended up here!”

     “Is that so lass?” Gill sought confirmation from the hedgehog with a peering gaze. Her honest smile and sparkling eyes though held no lies or even a hint of doubt and he could only laugh to himself with a shake of his head before taking Rosy’s offered hand.

     “Alright then lass, you’ve got yourself a deal. Mach Frog Gill would be a fine fool to refuse an offer at easy Rings.”

     “Yay! Rosy exclaimed again and leapt up tossing her arms above her head and pulling Gill to his feet far fiercer than he was prepared for.

     “My word lass–”

     “It’s Rosy!” Rosy interrupted and introduced herself at last with her typical cheer and energy. “Rosy the Rascal! I’m an adventurer!”

     “Pfft! You actually call yourself a rascal of your own volition?” Gill laughed and near choked on his own croaking. Rosy’s continued good cheer however told him all he needed to know, and he smiled more honestly. “Well, you’re a fine right rascal then, and one with a tremendous amount of strength for one so young. But let’s have at it then Rosy and go find this lad of yours.”

Scene 4 · CLEARED

Doused, End