Sonic The Hedgehog: Dark-Bright

[INTERMISSION ARC] Chapter 44: Soul Work

It was night. Sonic seemed bored as he lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. "I'm bored. I need to clear my mind," he thought to himself. He got up and went outside. It was midnight, and as he sat on the roof of his house, he gazed at the stars. Looking at those stars brought a nostalgic feeling, and he let out a sigh. "Tomorrow... I was supposed to go to school tomorrow, but... given recent events, I'm all alone now, in the night,'' he mumbled to himself.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard a strange sound. It was like someone tapping their cane on the ground. Confused, he shouted, "Who's there?!" Suddenly, a figure approached Sonic from behind. It was a familiar figure—it was Aeon.

"It seems like your attempts to save people didn't work out as you intended," Aeon sighed.

"Yeah, we may have defeated our enemies, but what good is it? I haven't seen my family since then, and I can't even find the person responsible," Sonic replied, feeling a sense of hopelessness. He sat back on the roof, staring into the distance. Suddenly, he realized Aeon's presence and looked at him curiously. "Wait... how did you get here? And... why are you here?"

"It's quite simple, let me introduce myself first," Aeon said, taking a deep breath. "My name is Aeon, and my job is to guide those who have awakened the power of a Soul Weapon."

"Soul weapon? Do you mean the weapon I mysteriously obtained? It's my way of effortlessly defeating anyone," Sonic exclaimed.

"Yes, you awakened that power through your sheer will. The Soul Weapon is a tool that goes far beyond what you people call 'superpowers'," Aeon explained.

"I see. So, there was a reason I gained this power, right?" Sonic asked, looking at Aeon with a clear eye.

"Any power we possess in this world can be linked to a spiritual variation of it, thanks to the entities known as Soulners. They are the keepers of the spiritual world and guide those in need. While anyone can gain this power, it's rare. It's more common for the rebellious force, Deminins, to achieve this power," Aeon elaborated, tapping his cane on the roof.

"Oh, I understand now. That's how I obtained the power of a Soulner. But now that you mention it, I have a friend who also has this power, but he has some sort of companion. I can't quite picture it," Sonic said, recalling his friend's abilities.

"Oh, you mean him. I've actually met him a few times before. He indeed has the power to summon a physical manifestation of a Soul Weapon. Your Soul Weapon, in particular, has an interesting gimmick. It allows users to extract the physical manifestation of their weapon, called the Soulner Summon. However, there's a drawback—the power of the Soul Blade is halved. It's a power used by the most experienced users," Aeon explained.

"That's... so cool! I couldn't imagine the extent of this power. Can I use it to find our lost parents? Is it possible, Aeon?" Sonic asked eagerly.

Aeon looked at Sonic, scratching his mustache. "Though I have only seen you use it once, back in Emerald Town, it seems that a Soul Weapon alone cannot bring people back to where they belong. It has its limitations."

Sonic looked down, understanding the limitations. "I see. But there's one question I want to ask."

"Yes...? I'm ready to answer any question you have," Aeon replied.

"Do you think the Soulblade is the embodiment of the Soulners you mentioned? Or have I been fighting with a living being all this time?" Sonic questioned.

"Actually, no. The Soulblade is only an imitation of the Soulner's power. But in some way, it is. It's for you to decide," Aeon replied, looking up, leaving the question unanswered for Sonic to discover.

"Now, I feel like I understand my new power better," Sonic said, brightening up.

"So, you believe that with more discovery of the Soulblade, you can figure this out?" Aeon asked.

"Of course! I'll explore every possibility and clean up any mess that comes my way," Sonic exclaimed confidently.

"Oh boy, you really remind me of myself when I was your age," Aeon said with a smile.

As they continued their conversation, Aeon tapped his hand and summoned his sword. With a grin on his face, Sonic looked straight ahead. "I still have a lot to learn about what this sword can do!"

"Here's a trick I can teach you. It's a basic technique that utilizes the power of a Soul Weapon. Though you haven't had much practice, it will give you an idea of what the Soul Weapon can do," Aeon said as he approached Sonic, tapping his sword.

"Uh... what are you going to do with it?" Sonic asked, unaware of what was about to happen but open to the experience.

"First, close your eyes, clear your mind, and think of something that represents a relaxing day for you," Aeon instructed.

"Okay..." Sonic closed his eyes and held the sword, picturing a sunny day on the beach. Suddenly, an effect ran through his body. Sonic felt the energy surrounding the town and sensed his friends' familiar energies. But then, he also sensed two unknown energies, which piqued his interest.

"See? It wasn't so bad. Now, if you'll excuse me..." Aeon began to say but was interrupted by Sonic.

"That trick did something to me. I think I can use this ability to locate those two unknown energies and prove that I've completely mastered it," Sonic declared, excitement in his voice. He jumped down and ran off.

Aeon watched as Sonic ran off and muttered to himself, "This is going to be trouble if he goes out like that. I'd better sense that energy myself." He closed his eyes and performed the same technique, gasping in surprise. "It can't be... the Uni-Balancers are here?!"

-chapter end-