Sonic The Hedgehog: Dark-Bright

[INTERMISSION ARC] Chapter 49: Regain

"It had been an entire day since Sonic, the speedy blue hedgehog, decided to take a much-needed break. Aeon, the wise guy, had advised him to wait just one more day for a complete recovery, and he reluctantly agreed to heed Aeon's advice. Meanwhile, atop a nondescript building's roof, Dijon found himself immersed in deep contemplation. With his sharp mind and keen observation skills, he carefully studied the surroundings. But as Dijon focused on his investigation, he couldn't escape the persistent annoyance of Braso, his loyal and mischievous companion, the Plush Chao. Braso, always eager to voice his opinions, questioned the importance of reading books at a time like this. His impish nature often clashed with Dijon's studious demeanour, and Braso shouted.

"Oh, that's enough, Dijon! Why couldn't we just do something fun, you know... there are no people in this town, we can do whatever we want!" Braso said confidently, believing that since the town was deserted, they could indulge in any activity without consequences. However, his words clashed with his angered expression. "Seriously...? I would never be a thief. Now, I just need to remember the importance of my school lessons, so it won't be a hassle later."

"Oh yeah...? Look, man, I'm still new to this world, so diving into boring stuff won't do it for me. I prefer doing something less mundane, like reading, to make me feel good," the plushie said with a smile.

Dijon closed his book abruptly. "I was just about to be done being a bookworm, since... I keep thinking about that one sighting we had."

"Like... what...? We do remember getting into a lot of trouble with those men in white."

"I may not remember it correctly, but before we were confronted by them, there was a figure. You haven't forgotten... that figure in the mist? It looked like they were wearing a suit, but their voice was feminine. I can't recall it clearly," he said, sitting down, looking concerned as he thought about that memory.

"Uh, yeah. I do remember it too. It was like encountering a mysterious person. Could it be a girl...?" Braso looked at Dijon, waiting for an answer.

"A girl...? It's possible." Dijon tilted his head from side to side. "But the way we found her was out of the ordinary. How did we randomly stumble upon her? It felt like she appeared out of nowhere."

"Maybe that person is a girl. Do you think we'll encounter someone like her again someday? We still have so many questions," Braso pondered.

Dijon assumed a more casual position, flopping his arms behind him. "Who knows? It's not like that person mattered to us anyway."

They continued to chat a little, and it felt like the relationship between Dijon and Braso was just beginning to grow when they heard a voice shouting Sonic's name. They looked down and saw Amy waving at them. Both of them jumped down.

"It's great to see you, Amy," Dijon said, surprised at how she had even gotten there. Braso, witnessing Amy for the first time, jumped off Dijon's shoulder and began waving his tiny arms back and forth. "Oh, hello! You must be his friend or something?"

Amy looked at the plushie and seemed distressed. "Yeah... I'm his friend?"

"I'm so glad! Every girl I've seen must have her head sniffed by me!" Braso's eyes sparkled like a shining star as he jumped into the air and landed on top of Amy's head effortlessly. Their encounter was short-lived as Amy freaked out and threw Braso aside, clearly embarrassed. "Take that thing off me!"

"Ouch... being... a leftover." Braso lay down, feeling dejected.

"Man... I never thought he could do something like that. Is he...?" Dijon wondered.

"A... pervert!" Amy's eyes blazed with rage.

"Dead sentence..." Braso wallowed in sorrow.

"Hey... I think you're only making him doubt his existence even more." Dijon came to Braso's defense.

Amy calmed herself down. "What is that thing, anyway? A Chao... but as a living doll? How did you even find him?"

Dijon explained the whole story of how Braso was one of Aeon's creations and currently acted as his companion. Then Amy looked at him. "I think I've seen him not long ago. Remember when he said he would take care of both Knuckles and Sonic? Well, I saw some kind of shadow beside you, Dijon."

"I think so too. Well... I think he's our new friend, joining us on this journey."

"Yeah, just tell him that he'll never do it again, right?" Amy crossed her arms as she spoke.

As they chatted for a little while, Cream walked up to them. It seemed she and Dijon had been talking. Braso saw Cream and their eyes sparkled once again, but he was swiftly kicked away by Amy's foot, and she looked angry once more. "When will you quit?"

"My day is ruined..." Braso began switching between personalities, proud when he saw something he desired and depressed when the opportunity was lost.

Dijon scratched his head. "Man..."

As they stood there in silence, Aeon approached them unexpectedly. His gaze was fixed on Dijon. "Well... Well... It seems I need to have a word with you, Dijon."

"Aeon...? What could it be? Is it about my friend's recovery?"

"It's not about that. Our situation has gone haywire, and I have given you a chance to regain the powers of a Uni-Balancer."

Amy looked at him and asked, "How is he going to do that? What about his watch? It's destroyed!"

Aeon's hand trembled slightly. "Oh, right, right, right... I haven't explained how the process is going to work. My bad..."

"Even if I didn't particularly enjoy being a hedgehog with supernatural abilities, considering how much our world is dealing with right now, I need to use that power," Dijon said, determined to regain his powers.

"It's settled then, Dijon. Make sure you come to my house at 8 PM in the afternoon, alright? I'll be waiting for you there."

As Aeon spoke, he disappeared mysteriously. It was up to Dijon to find out the reason and how he would regain his powers. Amy looked at him. "I think you made the right decision. If he can somehow make it work, it will be necessary for you to protect yourself from others."

He nodded. "No, my power is meant to protect others, not for me to be protected by it. Now, let's go, Braso. We should get ready." The plushie agreed, and they bid their goodbyes to Amy and Cream before leaving.

It was now 8 PM. Dijon left the house and made his way towards Aeon's house. As he arrived, he looked at it. Although the house appeared normal, it still gave him a slightly unsettling feeling, as if something was stirring inside. But he brushed off his concerns and opened the door. He was greeted by Knuckles. "Yo, so you decided."

"Oh, you know about that? I'm here to regain the powers that Satsugai gave me."

Aeon stepped forward. "Wonderful. Now, follow me."

Dijon shook hands with Knuckles, and then he followed Aeon. They descended into the basement, where a bright light illuminated the area. Dijon hesitated for a moment, still feeling a bit fearful, but he trusted their words and entered what seemed to be a pocket dimension. It was a magnificent scene—a vast field filled with lush greenery and beautiful blue lakes. The landscape ranged from gentle plateaus to towering mountains, with cascading waterfalls, palm trees, and exotic flora. The soil had a checkered brown pattern, and the plants had unique geometric shapes that left Dijon amazed.

Aeon spoke, "This will be your training ground, boy. And That's where your training will begin, here."

-Chapter end-