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The Second Cross:
The Glimmering Hope
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[A scene of pure devastation is lay before Cruce's eyes. Everything as far as the eye can see has been torn apart by the wind. In addition, it seems as though some of the geography and landscape has warped in a very odd fashion, causing the ground to bend upward and downward. Even asphalt and concrete bend as though a wormhole has ripped open near them. It some spots, trees bend completely into loops. In a sense, this matches the violent winds that still blow after the havoc they have wreaked. Cruce looks around his feet to find that the building that has come down crashing on top of him is the very same office we had been trying to protect.]
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Cruce: What...? ...This is the house... [He looks at his furry palms.] (Oh God, what happened to me...?) ... [He lifts his head, observing the area before carefully stepping off of the rubble pile. The warped ground almost causes him to lose his footing. It evens out as he walks forward.] This is... this is out of control. Where's everyone at? Mom? Topher...? ...Topher... Maybe he's still around here... I have no other choice but to find him... Off we go. [He runs ahead at an alarming speed. Unprepared for this burst of speed, he trips and falls face first into the fairway of the torn up golf course. He rolls a few times before landing upright on his bottom.] ?! The hell?! [Rubs the back of his head.] Agghh... Good God, where on Earth did that come from?
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Cruce: [He remains sitting for a few moments in order to gather his bearings. However, the area around him has been so badly ravaged that nothing appears as it once was. Upon closer inspection, he can see that some moments have been raised from the ground and are held up by unfathomable forces, suspended in midair with enormous trails of roots and dirt floating underneath. These risen mountains have left giant craters as well as large slabs of warped land acting as ramps to them. Even part of the road has been warped into the shape of the mountains, acting as a sort of ramp to the sky. Clouds have been bent and curved to look like bridges high above. It is a surreal sight.] ...I... have to find someone... I know I'm not alone... this is... [He stands slowly.] This is just another vision...
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"Can I deny it...?"
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"This... has to be a vision... I don't want to..."
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"Don't want to relive that... again..."
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[Hesitant and incapable of digesting the scenery around him, he moves ahead throughout the tattered fields of what was once Singing Hills...]
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[The wind bows with unwavering ferocity. Tremors shake the earth. The ground is being pulled from the crust of the earth and virtually flung into the air where it hangs suspended in spacial paralysis.]
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"I remember the world transformed into a giant forest only a few days after I met the first Eclipse..."
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"If another transformation like that is coming... God... please help us all..."
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[A voice.]
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"There's no mistaking it, I've got this hunch who I'm looking for is here... Here in this broken world."
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(Stream the Skunk)
-Aeroscarred Streets.-
-Aeroscarred Streets.-
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[He speeds through the twisted, distorted former-roads that rise and warp into the air as huge swells of asphalt and concrete. Stream is a skunk whose colors are, put simply, backwards. A streak of black runs up his tail and back, eventually forming into a mohawk as it reaches his head. The rest of his fur is a light gray. His ability to, essentially, run at the speed of sound is a blessing, or curse, his world as seen very few times in the past...]
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Stream: [Jolting through ruination as a gray blur, he finally comes to a stop at a dilapidated house. This house remains standing higher than many of the others in the area; or at least those that are still grounded. Many houses have been flung into the air and warped as a part of the sky-bound mountains and earth.] Who-hoa, nelly... [He removes his pilot-esque goggles, leaving them strapped to the top of his head just in front of his ears. His huge, fluffy tail rises as he identifies that this house has not been completely felled.] This looks like a pretty solid place to hold out for a few moments. Get out of this wind... Doesn't look like it's gonna let up anytime soon, nah. [Stream enters the house through the garage, which has caved in. A path through rubble that leads itself to a broken-down door allows Stream to make his way to safety.]
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[As Stream enters the house, he notices that the technology appears much different, however commendably on the same level as what he is used to.]
Stream: [He stops in front of a small, spherical robot with multiple miscellaneous attachments. It is not active.] ...Now what's this here...? [He lifts the robot up, observing it carefully.] (Never seen this kind of gizmo before. 'Seen robots, but...) [He sets it down on a counter nearby, rubbing his forehead.] ... Is this... for real...? [Stream walks slowly through the kitchen, spotting what he assumes to be some sort of social room. He leans up against the only couch that has not been thrown against the wall, giving himself a quiet moment to think...]
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[The wind howls ferociously outside...]
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Stream: [He sighs.] Boy, I've gotten myself into trouble before, but this here might be the champ... My head's killing me. And not in the headache sort of way...
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[Amidst the howling wind, a series of gunshots are heard. Stream's ears flick up.]
Stream: Whoa, nelly! [He faces the shattered window, quickly approaching thereafter. Stream searches for any signs of the previously heard gunfire. Without giving it much thought, he lowers his goggles over his eyes and leaps through the window, rolling on the front lawn and rising immediately, following his gut and sprinting to where he believes the site of the gunfire is...]
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[He dashes through obstacle after obstacle until eventually coming to a unique warp in the asphalt. It curves upward like a half pipe and twists into a hill that seems to rise into an area of tall, bent trees. Each tree has been bent away from the center of this area...]
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[Upon spotting a truly terrible force literally emerge from the ground. A small, nearly pitch black being with tiny devilish wings and a body like an imp spawns from a puddle of liquid Darkness. It is facing Stream...]
Stream: Nightmares... What are you jerks doing here...? ...
Nightmare Grunt: ...[Simply stares at Stream with a dire hatred in its white eyes.]
Stream: Now I know what those gunshots were all about...
Nightmare Grunt: [Its devilish, three-pronged hands reveal dark red claws the length of small knives. Without any hesitation, it flies for Stream.]
Stream: ! [Having very toned reflexes, he leaps backwards, managing to curl his body into the shape of a ball, or so it seems due to his rapid midair spinning. The light around him shimmers outward before he suddenly bursts forward at the Nightmare. Upon impact, a splash of vaporous white light leaves the point of collision. The Nightmare appears to vaporize along with this light. Stream lands skillfully on three limbs before standing on his feet, eyes forward.] So... where the heck am I? Because Darkness knows. And that's a no-no... [He shakes his head with a smirk before rushing ahead at a more eased speed. He makes his way to a parking lot that has warped inward, forming a large dip. He notices a crowd of students and a couple teachers across this lot. It seems like a few peculiar police units have been stationed here. They are defending the crowd from oncoming swarms of Nightmares, which all appear to be imps at this point. These policemen are wielding high-tech firearms, from semi-automatic to auto-shotgun. The crowd is being told to head back into the buildings.]
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Stream: !! [He glances forth at the next swarm of Nightmares to attack. Without wasting a second, a bursts forth at an incredible speed, light streaming behind him. Stream hops high into the air, forming into a ball once again and homing in on each Nightmare, chaining the attack together by hopping from grunt to grunt. Each strike vaporizes a foe. The officers stand, bewildered... Stream lands completely upright, facing the officers whom he expects to be grateful for the rescue.] Hey folks! Good to see you're all humans here, yeah--Whoa, nelly! [He backs up, his hands raised in front of him.]
[Each officer points their weapon at this strange, skunk-like alien.]
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Leading Officer: Hold, hold! ...Hold on a second... [He lowers his own pistol, gesturing to the Awgo officers behind him to do the same.] ...What are you...?
Stream: Well, I can tell you what I'm not. I'm not a Nightmare.
Leading Officer: A Nightmare...? I take it that's what we just faced.
Stream: You bet. Did you all hold them off without losing anyone? I know humans are especially prone to becoming Nightmares if they're even touched.
Leading Officer: There have been no casualties... You know a lot about what's happening, don't you?
Stream: No, not at all. [He shakes his head, a sincere frown on his face.] I don't know where I am, what's going on, what I'm doing here... This ain't my place. I just know what you up and faced are Nightmares...
Leading Officer: ...What is your name, boy?
Stream: Stream. Stream the Skunk. Pleasure's all mine, sirs. [He smirks to the officers.]
Leading Officer: Well, Stream, follow me... [He motions with his hand for Stream to follow.] Send some more officers out here! I want as much as all of you to have this place fortified against any 'o this so-called Nightmares. You two! [He points to two officers.] Go check if your mounted sentry turrets work. I doubt electricity is exactly at its peak in this hell, but it doesn't hurt to try. C'mon, boy, name's Officer Gordon, head of these Awgo units. [He starts walking as Stream is close behind him...]
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-St. K. Campus.-
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[Gordon opens the door to one of the nearby classrooms. The entire set of buildings has managed to stay upright through the storm, as well as most of the trees. And upon entering this room, it becomes clear to Stream why. And, in truth, he does not even know what he lays his eyes upon...]
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Stream: [In this classroom, a generous amount of students have their eyes glued to him while his own are glued to a reddish, pinkish orb that has planted itself in the center of the room. It has warped its surroundings violently. Even the walls of the room have a concave sort of shape.] Wha-hat is that...? [He approaches the luminous orb slowly.]
Gordon: Stay back, boy! [Grasps Streams shoulder, holding him back from the orb.] That's no toy.
Stream: Wha! ...'Guess not. Just look what happened to this room...
Gordon: Exactly. [He lets go of Stream.] I'm not expert on those... Nightmares... But I'm going to lay down the assumption that this is what they are after.
Stream: ...So that's why they're here. I didn't see any of them on the way here... Well, one. But it was really close to this spot. [He stares at the orb.] ...What is that...? I can feel my heart racing like never before, yeah...
[Deafening gunshots are heard outside.]
Gordon: If you can figure it out, by all means! I can't leave them out there alone! [Without leaving much left for Stream, he hurries back outside to his position.]
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[Many of the students watch Stream in silence as he observes the sphere, a quarter of the way grounded into the floor. It radiates a gentle, pink light. Upon closer inspection, Stream can see a series of loop-like carvings on this sphere.]
Stream: [He almost forgets that he has become the center of attention. It is not normally something he neglects.] ... [He looks around.] Oh... Oh, hi everyone. I'm Stream. 'Guess you all aren't too familiar with this... sphere...
Shady Student: Not really.
Confused Girl: Um, Stream...? I hope you don't mind me asking, but...
Stream: What am I? [Smirks and chuckles a little.] Well, call me a Mobian. I guess I really ended up on another world, didn't I?
Hooded Boy: Another world...?
Blond-Haired Boy: [He looks away from Stream, distress in his expression.]
Frightened Girl: You're an alien--er... Extra...terrestrial...?
Stream: In all my time with C.E.P.O., I've never actually been called that until now.
Frightened Girl: Sorry!
Stream: Don't worry about it. We've got bigger things to worry about.
[A group of students gather around Stream in a non-aggressive manner, very curious at his being.]
Quiet Student: So you're like... Sonic the Hedgehog...
Stream: [His ears and tail both flick up He spins around to the student who spoke.] What did you say...?
Hooded Boy: Sonic. Yeah, I'm a Sonic fan! Now that you mention it... he is kinda like a Sonic character, isn't he?!
Quiet Student: Almost exactly. Was their an error with V...? I don't know of any games that have a Sonic character like this.
Hooded Boy: Or any games that have a messed up world like ours?
Confused Girl: Or an orb thingy like that? [Points at the pink sphere.]
Stream: [With his mouth agape, he blinks a few times before shaking his head quickly.] How do you guys know about that guy...? Ab-about Sonic? I thought this was a different world!
Hooded Boy: Sonic's a popular game here on--[He is elbowed in the side by the Shady Student.]
Shady Student: [Whispers. 'Can't just call him a video game, Bongo.
Bongo: [Hooded Boy.] Well... it's true!
Stream: ...Video game...?
Bongo: Way to go, Nic...
Nic: [Rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.] I guess I can't lie...
Stream: ...Wha...?
Bongo: Look, you're not actually from a video game... Sonic is though. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles... [Counting on his fingers with each name.]
Ivan: [Quiet Student.] Uh, don't mind him... I'm Ivan.
Pat: [Confused Girl.] I'm Pat.
Emelina: [Frightened Girl, although she is not scared anymore.] My name's Emelina. Nice to meet you.
Al: [The Blond-Haired Boy. He faces Stream.] ...I'm Al...
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[After Al speaks, he receives a glare from Emelina.]
Emelina: Hmph! [Crosses her arms and looks away.]
Al: What? What'd I do...? It's not my fault they decided to bolt out of here...
Emelina: Yes it is! If you hadn't have told Officer Gordon about them, they'd be here with us!
Al: Oh, come on! Like Awgo didn't already know what they were looking for! And besides, we're all... probably just going to die here...
Nic: ..Hm... We could've all been together for our last moments...
Al: ...Stop blaming me for this...
Stream: ...I hope I'm not intruding, but who are we talking about here? I feel the inclination to ask... I don't know why.
Pat: Two of our good friends.
Bongo: They're part of this group. We call it the Circle.
Kevin: And we're all a part.
Bongo: [Turns to Kevin.] Do I even have to say anything...?
Nic: [Dismisses Kevin's comment.] ...Yes... We're called the Circle. This group was formed by our mutual friend Cruce. He and his cousin, Topher, ran away after being exposed or something... I'm not too clear on the story.
Stream: ...Cruce...? ...Cruce... Holy Chaos Emerald... [He slaps his forehead, keeping his palm there.]
Al: What, do you... know him?
Ivan: C'mon, that can't be possible...
Al: Yes it can... Cruce always says he has visions of stuff like this...
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[All eyes turn to Al...]
Pat: ...How do you know... this...?
Al: Shouldn't we all?
Nic: We all know he hears voices, but how can you deduce that--
Stream: I think he's right...
Everyone: What?!
Stream: [Nods.] I've called his name a lot. I've never been able to really talk to him through the spiritual network let's just say I have access to... I can't believe this! If my optimism is right... [He faces the pink orb...]
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"He could be the one I'm looking for."
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"He... could be the one a lot of us have always been looking for."
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--ENDING--
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Notice how symmetrical this is to EC1's Part 1: The Crystalline Genesis? It's almost the same thing. As these crosses go by, you'll notice less symmetry. Yes, it's gonna start with this one. It'll start out a lot like EC1, but end up TERRIBLY different. Granted, at the moment, I don't really know if the final battle scenes are going to be that much different. I'll find a way to change shiz up.
Yeah though... Teeerrrrribly different. I said previously that no one's gonna be ready for what's about to go down in crazy town. Now, people turning into Pokémon is pretty wild. But -THIS- is going to -ROCK- your -WORLD-... Which implies that it is going to do something crazy to Earth. HAHA, irony.
Anyway, watch out, because the most famous character in the history of my writing project is in this cross. THE ENTIRE REASON FOR MASS SORENIFICATION IS IN THIS EC!