The following is a work of fan fiction by Joshua D. Tarwater and is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Sega Sammy Holdings Inc.

“Rings are his will.
Rings are his power.
Rings are his curse.
Dreaded is Yoluku”

···

♪ ~ [Alone but Together ~KOHTA YAMAMOTO ~ テレビ朝日系木曜ドラマ「サイン―法医学者 柚木貴志の事件―」オリジナル・サウンドトラック -完全版-]

A city of manufacturing plants.
No gears or clockwork
Instead, electricity and paved streets
Steam pipes and fog
A layer of water reflecting the blue sky
Street lights and gentle clouds
Yoluku eclipsing the afternoon sky
A great branched tree
A golden Ring

         Ripples raced across the surface of the water with each step Rosy took towards the great tree. She was strangely alone, but she was not afraid. The technology of the Zone being a century more advanced than she was used to seeing also did not bother her, though it did generate questions inside of her. But her eyes were set on the sizable Ring that floated in the air under the boughs of the great tree.

         It was a peculiar Ring in that it did not spin on its axis. Rather, it simply hung there, unmoving, much like the eclipse clearly visible just above the tree where Rosy stopped. Like the eclipse formed Ring around Yolk in the sky, this Ring also held a Yolk. A human male with skin the color of sun kissed beach sand, beautifully slender and golden maned. Youthful like a boy, with mischievous ruby eyes and smile to match. White attire of boots, hose, and puffy sleeved shirt under a circular cape. If he bowed and tossed out his cape, he would look like an egg prepared sunny side up. Where he lounged in the Ring however he appeared like an egg more sloppily prepared. Still, he was beautiful and his voice so pleasing to the ears and comforting.

         “Such an unexpected surprise, my Medium,” Yolk’s voice came from the young man as he eyed Rosy. As he continued to speak, several ripples started to mark the rising of a number of machines from under the water. “Did you hope to attack me after saving that dull Zone?”

         Rosy did not bat an eye at the small machines as they rose, each one a small clockwork motor powering whirring iridescent wings and serving as the handless grip of a saber. Instead, she clasped her hands behind her back and leaned her shoulder’s back as she puffed her cheeks up.

         “What is with boys and always wanting to get into fights?”

         The young man burst into laughter, a sound as pleasing as chimes ringing in a gentle summer breeze.

         “You never cease to amuse me my Medium,” he laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. “I’m so glad I found you. You couldn’t be more perfect. A medium touched by the presence of all my greatest brethren. Chaos, the Gaias, Solaris. It is only natural I would claim you as my own.”

         “My name is Amy Rose,” Rosy countered the young man’s claim over her being. Her confidence subsided momentarily though as she meekly and playfully corrected herself too. “Though I prefer Rosy, Rosy the Rascal.”

         “And I prefer to be addressed as His Divine Majesty, Emperor Benedict Yoluku of the Empire of the Ring,” Yoluku offered his own counter. Before playful whining and enticing Rosy to puff up her cheeks more. “Yet you and the Dirt Dweller constantly compare me to simple eggs.”

         “Well, your name is hard to say,” Rosy countered and stuck out her tongue.

         “As should be the name of the divine to dirt dwellers such as yourselves.”

         “I’ll stick to calling you Yolk,” Rosy huffed as she tried to make her pose more defiant. “Besides, no one who controls others like you did deserves to be addressed with such big fancy titles. It’s easier to say too.”

         “So full of fire you are, but that amuses me so I will allow it.

         “Surely though, you did not come all this way just to spar with nicknames, my Medium,” Yoluku smiled playfully as he watched Rosy’s cheeks grow redder.

         To his surprise though, Rosy took control of her temper and closed her eyes, clearing her mind with a long sigh. As she finished exhaling, she opened her blue eyes to look at him and smiled confidently.

         “You’re right,” Rosy agreed, allowing Yoluku a tiny victory. “I came to tell you stop trying to control everyone, cause no matter where you put those Red Gear Rings, Sonic and I will destroy them and save everyone.”

         “You haven’t rid yourself of the one in your eye yet,” Yoluku laughed, but only momentarily as Rosy maintained a precocious and almost haughty attitude.

         “The world and it’s people are not yours. And you should just ask if you want people to do something. But be ready to work too. People help each other because it’s the right thing to do, and everyone is just trying their best to be happy and live as best of lives as they can. They don’t need you making things worse!”

         “Worse?” Yoluku feigned scoffing as he laughed. “The world is made of Rings and Rings are mine to control. The whole world is my sandbox, and you dirt dwellers the toys that litter it. I will have my fun and you shall all enjoy yourselves.”

         “I can have all the fun I want hanging out with Sonic and with no input from you,” Rosy harrumphed loudly as she fought back. But Yoluku disarmed her with a smile.

         “Do you think the Dirt Dweller would have shared with you his gift if not for me? You two run alone in my abandoned toy box, the speed you possess only granted for the Dirt Dweller’s benefit.”

         “Maybe you did influence Sonic, but he still made that choice himself,” Rosy denied Yoluku any ground in her heart, closing her eyes and holding a hand to it as she shook her head. “Sonic is kind of selfish too, and he’d never just carry me everywhere, so this is the best he could do. But I still have to do my part too. And we don’t need you for that. This world doesn’t need you at all!”

         “But the Far Lands exist to hold me. These Zones you seek your joy in would not be if not for me.”

         “I’m just trying to make finding our way home more fun,” Rosy countered as she locked eyes with Yoluku. “And Sonic and I can have fun while helping people too!”

         “Oh, but I have so much more fun prepared for you two,” Yoluku laughed as he held up a hand, a normal sized golden-hued Ring spinning above. But it was not normal, as it, like a Red Gear Ring, was only a two-fifth fragment of a Ring, a cog wheel of matching color turning through it. “Would you like to learn about this one, or perhaps you are more interested in the one I keep seeing your eyes dart towards. I didn’t think you could see it. I am impressed.”

         Smiling, and though he could not possibly see it from where he sat, Yoluku turned his head to direct Rosy’s eyes to the eclipse, and the Ring born of it in the sky.

         “Whatever will you do when you find one, I wonder. I’m curious, so, so very curious. I’m sure it will be so amusing to find out.”

         Rosy did not get a chance to ask what Yoluku meant however as the sound of Rings scattering filled her ears, and she was again in the steam and clockwork age Steamplant Canyon. The sky was still clear however, the factories lying quiet. The eyeball golem before her drawing energy into its green gem core was not so quiet though.

         “Really, Sonic!” Rosy complained cheerfully as she dodged the second energy beam that was fired at her. A moment later the golem was smashed as Sonic performed a spin attack through the golem’s core.

         “I figured you had enough of our favorite egg problem,” Sonic laughed as he uncurled and slid to a stop lying on his side. Pointing with a thumb behind him, he shifted Rosy’s attention to the pile of stone rubble left in his wake. “That, and these guys were being nothing but trouble once you picked up enough Rings to chat with him.

         “Anything new I should know?” Sonic asked as he rose to his feet and was met by Rosy bumping her hips into him playfully and batting her eyes at him.

         “Nothing new,” she giggled as Sonic took a step back from her. “He’s still a creep and planning to cause trouble. But he’s all but harmless right now. So, how about we find a Zone that doesn’t need saved from him and just enjoy ourselves for a little while.”

         “I got nothing against ditching this place for some new scenery, but–”

         “Oh Sonic!” Rosy huffed and puffed up her cheeks before Sonic ran off ahead. “Honestly, you think I don’t know you like me! Stop hiding from that fact! I can it feel through our Ring Bond! Grow up and accept it already!”

         Though Rosy yelled at him, her ire only lasted a moment, a huge smile bright as the rising sun taking over her features. Sonic could not run from her for long thanks to having shared his speed with her through a Ring Bond, and Rosy knew it. With one foot in front of the other she chased after him as always, but with no chance of falling behind like she would have before the Ring Bond.