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.

“The Rings will always remember,
but they do not live.
Why then do they have a god?
Surely the beasts are more deserving”

···

♪ ~ [Schala’s Theme ~ Yasunori Mitsuda · Millennial Fair ~ CHRONO TRIGGER & CHRONO CROSS ARRANGEMENT ALBUM/To Far Away Times]

         A geyser of snow exploded upward, a gentle snowfall following it as the force of Rosy’s impact with a snowdrift faded. Lying upside down with her feet dangling above her, Rosy laughed as Sonic looked down on her with his hands on his hips.

         “You know, I get you want to practice, but you aren’t doing anything but slowing us down.”

         “Sorry,” Rosy apologized as she smiled sheepishly. She did not fail to notice Sonic’s tapping foot though and let her eyes drift skyward. “But even though I don’t want it to happen again, I want to be prepared just in case. I just can’t help but feel like if I could have done more than hold out… So, I’m going to be ready next time!”

         Though Rosy’s good cheer triumphed over her doubts and concerns, Sonic could not believe in the smile she wore. It was not a lie, but her eyes still lingered skyward. Turning his own gaze upwards, Sonic too took in the marred daytime skies.

An eclipse unending
The small planet named Yoluku
Cold blue skies over mountains of ice and snow
An unending wall like castle buried within and under fog
Ballrooms and clockwork machinations its interior
Golems of wood dressed as jesters
Instruments dancing and playing themselves
Roses of white entangling all
Light Blooms bobbing in the icy winds

          ~This Zone used to have day and night, sunset and sunrise. But then Yolk appeared, and the sun has not moved from behind it since. The wind still blows and the fog and clouds drift by just the same, but the sun no longer moves in the sky.

          ~In the Far Lands it’s easy to forget something so simple as the Rings constantly take my memories. If not for my Diary Ring, I’d have probably forgotten everything again. It’s frustrating, and kind of sad. Yolk up there on his little self-named planet isn’t affected by it. But if everyone who found their way into the Far Lands is they would never remember he’s up there. He’s a creep, but I think what was done to him was taking it too far…~

         “Hey, Sonic? Do you think Yolk could have any good in him?”

         Having long since extracted herself from the snow, Rosy ran along with Sonic, without a destination but hoping for the giant gray cat who brought them to the Zone to appear. Her question was not particularly surprising to Sonic who knew that Rosy had nothing against dealing with villains and bad guys but preferred to talk people into doing the right thing. Sonic was however as surprised as Rosy when a voice not known to either of them spoke.

         :I had thought it unusual that Children of Chaos would appear in the Far Lands after they all had fled. It was most curious to see the Dreaded One resisted, and fought against, even by one of his Mediums. That you were followed by a machine untouched by the will of the Machine Gods was even more fascinating.

         :The others have always said I was a fool for my curiosity, but seeing your naïveté has made me feel I must educate you.:

         Looking to the side, Sonic and Rosy both skidded to a halt. Reality was not as it should have been. They had been running, but the speaker lay beside them with a great yawn before proceeding to clean their face. That they had not moved at all, yet Rosy and Sonic could not move past them despite their speed was unsettling. Almost as much as the realization that the giant gray cat's voice was not spoken but projected from their very being.

         :Is something the matter, Children of Chaos?: the giant gray cat asked, lowering a great paw down to the snow. They did not move further however, watching the two hedgehogs with amber eyes from a flat face two meters in height. “You look as though you have never seen a god before. Or is it that you have never seen a sacred beast? So ignorant are the Children of Chaos.”

         “The name’s Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog,” Sonic finally corrected the giant gray cat, his surprise seemingly having subsided.

         “And you can call me Rosy,” Rosy squeezed in her introduction before Sonic continued. “I mean, my name’s Amy Rose but I prefer my nickname, Rosy the Rascal.

         “But it’s really you,” Rosy continued, rather in awe of the giant gray cat.

         :It is I,: the giant gray cat agreed, its tail flicking slightly.

         “And who exactly is that?” Sonic asked as he crossed his arms and started tapping his foot.

         :I have told you Ring Mage. I am a god, and you walk in my domain at my invitation so that I might study the Children of Chaos who have come to the Far Lands. That you fight Dreaded Yoluku and know nothing is so curious.:

         “This is your domain?” Rosy queried as Sonic let her, directing his impatience and irritability solely at the giant gray cat.

         :Need you question?: the giant gray cat asked in kind as it stood and stretched, night falling over the Zone in an instant, the stars stretching as they were spun across the night sky. :I suppose next you will ask me what the Children of Gaia and the Children of Chaos are.:

         “I actually was curious,” Rosy laughed sheepishly, unsure of what was going on, especially as cats from all over the Zone flooded around her and Sonic.

         :Then look down and see for yourself,: the giant gray cat instructed Rosy. :You will see them amongst mine. So obvious as you sapients are from your brethren.:

         As the giant gray cat implied, looking down Rosy could see that the cats were diverse, with some standing out far more than others. It was like looking at a flicky compared to other birds. A giant head and small body, no different from her or Sonic save for the body and limbs being obviously those of a non-sapient cat.

         :Do not think the Children of Gaia have not Sapients among our number as well. You have surely seen their ghosts.:

         “The seed girl,” Rosy breathed with some understanding as she knelt and petted any cats that would let her.

         :And far are they from the only denizens of the Far Lands,: the giant gray cat continued as it began to walk, the scenery sliding along under Sonic and Rosy’s feet in time to its stride. :You Ring mage would do well to arm yourself with knowledge of the denizens of the Far Lands if you aim to face the Dreaded One and keep safe his Medium.:

         “Amy doesn’t belong to anyone,” Sonic countered as he began jogging to keep pace with the great gray cat and keep himself connected to the moving scenery. “And troublesome as Eggs Benedict is, I’ve brought down worse.”

         :You have only ever faced the fury of a god, Ring Mage,: the giant gray cat laughed at Sonic, stepping in front of him to sniff him as though to confirm its suspicions. :Never have you faced the guile of one who seeks to amuse themselves at the suffering of all life. You know not the Dreaded One and his might. You know not what you battle, or the full extent of his power. You know not what this world lost to fight him, or even realize he has already bested me even in his slumber.:

         Looking up, the giant gray cat brought Sonic and Rosy’s attention to the daytime sky and Yoluku resting before the unmoving sun. Lowering its head once more, the giant gray cat walked towards the valley in front of it and the castle ruins nestled in overgrowth of vegetation untouched by the hands of man for ages untold. Looking back at the valley grassland full of flowers swaying in the wind it left Sonic and Rosy in, it seemed to smile and narrow its eyes.

         :If you are to challenge the Dreaded One, you best learn all you can, and test yourself against the seven Machine Gods who stripped him of his power. If you cannot stand against even one, you will be helpless when at last the Dreaded One wakes from his slumber. Or perhaps you plan to stop even that, knowing nothing of it.:

          ~With that last warning the great gray cat left. Chasing after them, all we can find are castle ruins full of gears and overgrowth. It seems to be the wall castle, but…

          ~As we leave it all behind, I know Sonic is deep in thought. He promised to get me home, but as long as I have a Red Gear Ring in my eye, we’ll have to fight Yolk. But are we really as ignorant as the cat said? If we are, Sonic will want to learn everything he can, and the Machine Gods are a fight I’m sure he’s thinking about even now.

          ~Ooh~! It’ll be fun, but I’m not good enough yet to make it easier on Sonic. I hope I’ll have the time to practice some more before we have to face a Machine God. Maybe they’ll be willing to talk instead. Hee-hee, I know that’s not likely to go without Sonic wanting to challenge himself anyway. Maybe the other people who live out here will be easier to talk to. I wonder who they are.