So, for the month of December, I will be spamming chapters as best as I can. I will definitely try to post some chapters on the other fanfictions as well, but right now, I'm on fire for this particularly fanfiction!

Without further ado, here's Chapter 5, beta'd by ThinMintE!

Chapter 5

This may appear strange, but I would like to talk about a place that I had similar feelings for as I did with Emerald Bay. It is still related to the story, so do not fear in that regard.

This place...it is an island, one with no name that no Spirit remembers, one that lies far out at sea. Placed just shy of the equator. Almost tropical...and very, very full of Chaos Energy.

A land checkered in hues of brown and cloaked in a lush carpet of green, with strange formations. They wind and curve, like a restless serpent, and there are even land forms that appeared to be formed like an adder stone.

Adder stones are connected deeply with us, with our plane of existence. They are created by Spirits of the earth, as if a sacred rite of passage. A stone of their origin (their mountain, hill, valley, wherever they were born) is chosen.

With their growing powers, the Spirits then carve a perfect hole in the very center. This hole, imbued with the Spirits' Gaia and Chaos Energies, if strong enough, will even allow a mortal to see our forms if they peer through.

As such, this island, full of Chaos Energy and these adder-stone-like formations, is perfect as a home to beings known as Chaos Spirits.

Soft giggles and chatter fill the air as the red mountain Spirit arrive at his destination. His eyes give nary a glance at the sky, where thousands of tiny forms are flying, riding the unseen currents of the Chaos Energy Fields. Instead, they are focused, staring across the landscape in such a glare that it is as if he is trying to stare right through the earth and find what he is seeking.

One of the small forms leave their brethren, coming down to circle the mountain Spirit. A meter long, with three limbs and a singular eye, the Chaos Spirit giggles and chirps enquiringly, in a voice of their language, one that sounds high pitched and distorted to the Spirit. "WhAt BrInGs A sPiRiT oF tHe FaRlAnDs AlL tHe WaY tO oUr HuMbLe AbOdE? WhAt Is It ThAt YoU sEeK?"

"I come with no intentions of harm or violence," Knuckles warily replies. Despite the harmless appearance, Chaos Spirits deserve their given name. Mischievous and full of chaotic potential, they can bring either great fortune or great disaster. Unpredictable, with a sense of intelligence that is far different from Spirits. An anomaly, so to speak. It would be wise for the Spirit to not anger them, not while he is in their home territory. "I come at the behest of the shaman of the God Chaos."

"OoH, yOu SpEaK oF TIKAL!" the Spirit squeaks happily, recognizing who the Spirit refers to. "HoW iS tHe SeEr'S dAuGhTeR dOiNg?"

"She is well," Knuckles answers curtly, but not unkindly, and quickly continues from his previous words. "I have come at her behest, in order to retrieve the treasures you hold dear. A Chaos Festival is coming, and she wishes for the Seven Emeralds to be present for it."

A chorus of chirps and squeaks follows his declaration as the Chaos Spirits all swarm around, bringing a tense line to the mountain Spirit's shoulders. Yet, the Chaos Spirits seem to mean no harm, merely dancing in the air as they sing happily. "ThE CHAOS FeStIvAl! It CoMeS oNcE mOrE tO bLeSs. ReJuViNaTe! ReBiRtH! ReBiRtH oF oUr DeAr GoD!"

The Spirits seem even happier at those words, swirling around faster in a kaleidoscope of colors. The first Spirit that spoke to Knuckles before flies forward, boldly at the echidna-shaped Spirit's face. "OuR dEaR gOd DeSeRvEs ThE gRaNdEsT wElCoMe! YoU aRe MoRe ThAn WeLcOmEd To TaKe ThE eMeRaLdS wE gUaRd! CoMe! I sHaLl LeAd YoU tO tHeM!"

"Thank you," Knuckles say with a polite bow, before following the singing Chaos Spirits as they all fly towards the very heart of the island.

The island has mountains that form a ring around the entirety, sentinels guarding the treasure within. For at the very heart, the very center of the island, rests a lake. More than being a pool of water, it is also a pool of Chaos Energy so concentrated that beneath its waters, lies a bed of golden rings imbued with this great energy. These rings, formed by this Chaos Energy, are appropriately called Power Rings.

But that is not the only secret that this lake holds.

"ThE eMeRaLdS tHaT yOu SeEk ArE hIdDeN aMoNgSt ThE pOwEr RiNgS!" the Chaos Spirit laughs as Knuckles peer down at the lake, catching glimpse of the ring-covered bottom. "So MaNy RiNgS, sO mUcH eNeRgY! No SeNsEs CaN dIsTiNgUiSh ThE eMeRaLdS' pOwEr FrOm SuCh CoNcEnTrAtIoN! PeRfEcTlY hIdDeN iN pLaIn SiGhT!"

"OnLy We CaN fInD tHe EmErAlDs," another Spirit titters, swooping down to lightly skim across the still surface of the lake. "ThInK oF iT aS a TeSt, GuArDiAn!" Another giggle follows those words as it flies back up to join with the others in circling the lake, leaving behind a disgruntled yet resigned mountain Spirit. The Chaos Spirit still by Knuckles' side finds amusement in his sour look, but does not take pity.

"I aSsUmE iT wOuLd Be EaSy, As YoU wOuLd HaVe A sTrOnGeR cHaOs SiGhT tHaN oThEr SpIrItS. BuT pErHaPs ThAt WoUlD aCtUaLlY mAkE tHiNgS mOrE dIfFiCuLt InStEaD..." it muses, even as Knuckles slowly closes his eyes.

Chaos Sight. That is the name we have given to the ability that all Spirits have to different degrees, being able to see the Chaos Energy. Upon temporarily giving up our usual sight, one where we see all the details and colors of the world, we are able to 'see' the Chaos Energy in our surroundings. They form the shapes, but we see no other color, only a black background where the Energy shines as a golden light.

Stronger, older Spirits have stronger Sights. Some are rumored to even be able to scan distances with this sight, or see in such detail that they are able to follow the actual flow of the Chaos Energy, even if so minuscule.

Knuckles himself as such strong Sight. His position as a Guardian of the Master Emerald is only an added advantage to his already-strong Chaos.

Even though Knuckles was careful upon activating his Chaos Sight, he still cannot hold back a wince as the lake's bright Chaos nearly blinds him in its intensity. As if staring at the sun, the lake's entirety shines brilliantly. The surroundings, while also saturated with a decent amount of Chaos, barely hold a candle, only appearing as faint outlines of light. In the sky, the Chaos Spirits appear as small orbs of dimmer gold, streaking across the black background of his Sight.

The Spirit takes moments to compose himself, to adjust to the contrast of intense-so-bright-it-is-blinding lake to barely-noticeable surroundings. It is after several moments that he is able to scan the lake, starting to open up his senses to take in more details. The incoming pressure in his head is anticipated, but he endures it with merely a scowl, as details of the individual Power Rings slowly appear.

"YoU cErTaInLy Do NoT dO tHiNgS lIgHtLy," the Chaos Spirit speaks up, nearly startling the mountain Spirit as it floats close to his face. "ThE iNtEnSiTy Of ThE pOwEr RiNgS wOuLd HaVe AlReAdY bLiNdEd A wEaKeR sPiRiT." Giggling, it dodges Knuckles' hand and backs away, keeping a hold on its mischief. "ThE pOwEr RiNgS sHiNe As BrIgHt As ThE sTaRs On A cLeAr NiGhT. ThE sEvEn EmErAlDs EvEn BrIgHtEr, MiNiAtUrE sUnS iN cOmPaRiSoN. Do Be CaReFuL nOt To StArE tOo ClOsE, lEsT yOu TrUlY bLiNd YoUrSeLf!"

With that warning given, the Chaos Spirit finally leaves, joining its swarm in the sky. Knuckles is left on the bank, steeling himself as he steadily keeps increasing his Sight's sensitivity. He needs all the strength he has if he is to distinguish the Emeralds from the Rings. For even if they appear like miniature suns in comparison, with this many Rings, their glow is entirely covered up.

Yet, it is not just the glow that one can sense with the Chaos Sight.

Every Chaos Energy signature is different. It is like how the Chaos Energy of a Gaia-born Spirit is different from that of a Life-born Spirit, or how the Energy of a Chaos Spirit differs from a Power Ring, and how a Power Ring's differ from a Chaos Emerald's. As a Guardian of the Master Emerald, Knuckles had plenty of time to get acquainted with the unique signature of an Emerald of Chaos.

It might end for him as with the tale of Icarus, burning from trying to reach the sun, but he is determined that it doesn't come to that. He will find those Emeralds.

Knuckles has always been hard-headed, stubborn, with his own brand of recklessness that he has no right to accuse others (especially me) of. Yet, he is a mountain, one that endures through whatever the world decides to throw at him, and come out of it only stronger and better. It is a trait that I admire, and one I know will see him through the many years that will come.

As such, his endeavor may have costed him some of his Sight, but in the end, he manages to locate all Seven.

Knuckles gasps and breathes shallowly, finally opening his eyes as he breaches the lake surface. As a Spirit, he has no need for air, nor is he affected for long by the water. For that he is thankful, as he is already breathless from his overuse of his Chaos Sight. His vision is full of black spots, he feels drained, but above all, he feels a sense of triumph welling up inside him as he looks down in his arms where he carries seven shining gemstones.

"YoU dId It!" the Chaos Spirit squeals in congratulations, provoking a smug smile from the mountain Spirit.

"Was there any doubt?" he asks with confidence as he trudges onto the bank of the lake, his clothing and fur completely dry. "I will be taking my leave now."

"FaReWeLl, GuArDiAn. WhEn ThE fEsTiVaL tRuLy BeGiNs, We WiLl Be ThErE," it says in reply, before joining the swarm as they take off to places unknown. Despite the sense of strangeness that accompanies the Chaos Spirit's words, Knuckles pays little attention, still high on his victory and thoughts of the Chaos Festival. With the seven Emeralds gathered, all that is left is the move to Emerald Bay. Preparations will be made at that location, and he must hurry. Barely a month is left before the coming day after all.

Yes, by then, only a few weeks were left before the Festival. As Knuckles journeyed back to his mountain, the Spirits were starting to gather. Giddy and excited by the prospect of witnessing the rare event, they took no notice of the humans that were also heading for Emerald Bay.

If one possesses the sight to see Spirits, one would only describe this scene as the greatest migration in history. Like rivers all coming together to a singular estuary are caravans upon caravans, all drawn by a myriad of creatures from bovines and horses to camels and even polar bears for those coming from the far North.

Alongside, but remaining unseen, is the parade of Spirits. Colorful and vibrant, in different shapes and forms, they all come, from the land, the water and the skies themselves. The sight is truly one of the greatest movements, as they are all drawn to Emerald Bay like a magnet to North.

As the journey progresses, Tails and I were currently in the Ice Caps, awaiting a friend that would accompany us on our own trip to Emerald Bay. The Ice Caps are a section of the mountain range that divides the continent in half. And just like its name, its peaks are forever coated in a layer of snow and frost, a natural occurring phenomenon that makes it the perfect home for several snow and frost Spirits.

Rumors also has it that this is where the Season Winter was born. And concerning the rather enormous Chaos Field that sits right at that location, I can understand why many Spirits believe this rumor to be true.

Among the Ice Caps is also Knuckles' mountain from which he was born, called Mount Crescent for its curving peak shaped like the crescent moon against the sky. We would have asked if Knuckles wished to travel with us, but he is the Guardian, and it is tradition for his own trip to be made by himself.

It might also be his overprotective tendencies concerning the Master Emerald, but you did not hear that from me!

The sun has just barely risen up the side of the Ice Caps when a sharp whistle echoes through the air.

In a blur that stirs up the snow, Sonic races upwards, his laughter ringing across the mountains. Right on its tail, his kitsune friend, in his full vulpine form, follows, bounding through the snow on all fours and sending the white cold flakes flying. They are early, earlier than the time agreed on, but the two spirits cannot wait, especially the kit.

"This is amazing! I have never seen the Ice Caps before!" Tails joyfully yips, much to the wind Spirit's amusement.

"It is not that different from the usual snow and frost you see in the Mystic Forest. What happened to the little fox that is so tired of the cold that he proclaims he will never set foot outside of the den again?" Sonic asks teasingly, to which the kit yelps in protest and playfully pounces on the other spirit. The mountain air is filled with their gleeful laughter as they give way to a friendly chase, climbing higher and higher up the crescent.

It is Sonic who first reaches the top, but he barely has a chance to take in his victory before Tails catches up and executes a perfect pounce, yipping excitedly as he pins down his brother. Sonic huffs in fond exasperation, but he stays still and lets the kit have his fun despite hating being caught. As long as the kit is having fun, the wind Spirit doesn't mind making some exceptions.

"Sonic, look!" Tails suddenly speaks up, drawing the wind's attention. Just ahead of the two, the snow is starting to stir, before swirling upwards on its own. More and more flakes gather, swirling round and round before suddenly, in one swift motion, falling back to the ground and revealing a white bat mobian standing in that spot.

She is incredibly beautiful, with her pure white fur, ice-blue eyes and hourglass figure. A rich purple coat with a hood and lined with thick black fur is worn over a sleek black dress with a pink heart on its torso. All of her clothes, and even her fur and wings, are lightly frosted, making her shine as if she is covered in diamond dust (which could even be the case knowing the spirit's infamous love for jewels and gemstones).

For the record, this is not the friend we were waiting for. She is our friend nonetheless; our frosty, mischievous, jewel-obsessed friend, a snow Spirit of the Ice Caps named Rouge.

Her eyes gaze at the nervous yet curious kit and the wind Spirit practically dangling in his jaws, and a mischievous smile spreads across her face. "Well now! Fancy that! The Spirit that proclaimed to be uncatchable, being caught by a younger Spirit? You must be losing your touch, Sonic..."

"Haha, very funny," Sonic huffs grouchily while the kit's ears lower in guilt and his jaws open, freeing the other Spirit. The hedgehog-shaped Spirit shakes himself off and ruffles Tails' fur in a wordless 'don't feel bad'. Once Tails' guilty expression gives way to mock affront, a sign of a job well done, Sonic turns to the newcomer. "Hello there, Rouge. To what do I own the pleasure of your company?"

"I was just curious. My home has not received visitors often," Rouge purrs, her voice low and sultry as always. "And my curiosity has paid off. I did not know that you have taken in a kitsune. I thought you would be a lone drifter. I see now that the mountain's words are true."

"And I see you are still following him," Sonic remarks as he casually flicks his fingers, sending little breezes to stir up the snow in nonsensical patterns. "Which makes me curious to why you are here. I thought you would have already followed Knuckles once he left for the Festival ground."

" While I would love to travel with the mountain and his gorgeous green beauty of a gemstone, I was prior invited to travel along with...another acquaintance," Rouge sighs in disappointment, before perking up. "Still, this is the event of a lifetime! I have heard from the walls of this mountain that the Seven Chaos Emeralds will be there as well... Quite an opportunity!"

It is now the wind Spirit's turn to sigh while Rouge daydreams of shiny gemstones. While the supernatural community knows better than to try and obtain the Chaos Emeralds (Chaos forbid anyone dared to try and take the Master Emerald; they'd just be asking for a beating from its overprotective mountain guardian), it does not mean that the Chaos Emeralds will be safe after the Festival.

Usually, it is the Seasons and Mother Nature's job to protect the Emeralds after the Festival...which brings up a question.

"Have you heard anything from the Seasons?" Sonic asks Rouge, who starts to smile widely, a fang-filled smile that is more of a warning than any gesture of warmth. The wind Spirit merely raises an eyebrow at the expression, but still does not back down from his question.

"...I hate to admit this...but even I, Winter's Ambassador...haven't heard a word from my Master," Rouge grits out through her smile. "Why not ask your little admirer? I am sure Amy would be delighted to reveal anything she knows, as she IS Spring's Ambassador..."

"Did somebody call my name~?"

Sonic's eyes widen in surprise before another Spirit (the second one in today; he must be losing his touch like Rouge said, and isn't that a frightening thought) manages to tackle him, nearly knocking him down from the force. The strong scent of roses reaches his nose while peach-furred arms, adorned in jewelry akin to golden thorny vines bearing ruby roses, wrap around his waist. They cling onto him tightly, as if he would disappear if given a moment's reprieve.

Which he would, as a matter of fact.

"Oh darling~! I missed you so much! Winter never felt so long! Why haven't you visited me during the spring?" the rose Spirit bemoans, her leaf-green eyes looking up and her long eyelashes fluttering in a coy manner.

"Rose..." Sonic coughs, hands coming up in order to insistently push away the other Spirit's arms without a hint of subtlety, much to her dismay. "I was needed elsewhere during the spring. I also would prefer not to be harassed for distracting you by your helpers..."

'And speaking of which...'

From behind Amy, several Sprites fly into the open. Bird-like, their feathers rose-petal-soft and shaded in similar colors, they appeared as a hybrid between a Flicky and a rose. Upon glimpsing the grinning blue hedgehog, they chirp angrily and try to dive bomb him, missing only by inches (all the wind Spirit's fault). "I see that they still have not forgiven me yet for my last exploit. Their red roses' new white coloring have not been well-received..."

"Oh, silly~!" Amy laughs at the Sprites, calling them back to her side as she addresses them. "You do not need to be furious about that! In my opinion, the gesture is quite lovely~! White roses, the symbolism of purity, innocence and a traditional flower for the ceremonial union between two lovers~!"

Sonic (and the other two Spirits, though Rouge would not admit it for her immortal life) slowly backs away as Amy sighs dreamily, lost in her fantasies and her own memories of witnessing such unions in the mortal realms. "Oh, how romantic~! My darling, while you may not accept our fate together, have you not seen the signs~? Just you wait darling. One day, you will fall in love with me, just as I am in with you..."

"We really should be going now, Amy," Tails decides to speak up, drawing their attention. "The sun is already over the peak. We will be late if we do not get going soon."

"Before you leave, if I may have a word with Amy dear here?" Rouge smoothly interjects, gliding over to the pink-furred hedgehog's side. "We would like to have, as mortals call it, a 'girl talk'."

Tails hides a cough behind his paw and quickly trots away at those words. Sonic however, isn't as dissuaded by those words as the young fox. He stares at Rouge for a few seconds, emerald green orbs suspicious, curious, but eventually relents, flying off after the fox.

Once the two Spirits are out of sight, Rouge immediately turns to Amy. "What are you doing here?" she asks, her turquoise eyes and voice as bitingly cold as her origin. "As Spring's Ambassador, you know you should be accompanying your Master, as I will do so for mine."

"Spring gave me permission!" Amy protests against the harsh words. "I told her of my desire to make this journey with my darling, and she lets me!"

Rouge scoffs in disdain. "I know you, Rose. You are good friends with your Master, despite your role being unsuitable for such a close personal relation. And I know that beneath that lovely visage you hide your thorns. I am quite certain that it was not very hard to convince Spring. You just needed to say your words in a certain tone, and willing to please you, the Season would have-"

"That is enough, Rouge."

The two Spirits immediately fall into a low respectful bow at the voice, recognizing the immense chill and power. Before them stands a purple chameleon mobian, but he is no mortal. Just like the snow Spirit, his scales are frosted and outlined with ice. Elaborate wristbands and ankle bands made of the darkest pine wood and studded with gold are what he wore, given to him by Mother Nature herself.

His gold eyes that marked him as a Season gazed intensely at the snow Spirit. "Spring may be the youngest of us Seasons, but she is no fragile delicate thing. And the relations she has with her Ambassador are none of your business. It is up to them to determine how they see each other."

"And you, Rose." Amy wilts as Winter turns his cold dispassionate gaze upon her. "While Rouge may be at fault, you are not entirely blameless either. Should I find out that you did manipulate Spring into giving you permission to shirk your duty, we will resign you as unfit to continue with your role. Is that clear, to the both of you?"

"We understand, Master Winter," the two Spirits reply demurely, properly chastised.

Winter nods in acceptance and turns. "Now, we will be leaving Rouge. I assume you will meet Spring at Emerald Bay as soon as possible, Rose."

"Yes."

"Then that will be all." With those last words, Winter heads off with Rouge while Amy catches up to Sonic and Tails waiting on the other side of the mountain. As the Season and his Ambassador travel onward, Winter's gaze turns towards the direction where Spring's Ambassador is headed, catching glimpse of her two companions. "Those two..."

"They are a wind Spirit and a kitsune, the latter being taken in by the wind," Rouge explains at the unsaid cue.

"A wind Spirit... Recently born, I take it?"

"Four decades old."

Winter's eyes remain cold, but there is a certain spark to them at those words. "Four decades...I see. And a wind Spirit with such Chaos..."

Rouge's ears twitch nervously, but she keeps her composure in her voice as she asks quietly, "Master Winter?"

"It is nothing to be concerned about," Winter replies curtly as he turns away and keeps on walking. "Now we must make haste. The preparations for the Festival will soon be underway."

I did not get to meet Winter back then. If I did, I wonder what I would have said, what I would have done...

How I would have reacted...if I knew...

Note: Every creature/Spirit/etc. in this fanfiction you have seen so far are not created by myself. They are all this AU's versions of already-existing creatures from the Sonic universe. An example would be the Chaos Spirits, which are this AU's version of Wisps from Sonic Colors.

Here are more references if you wish to know more or clear things up:-

The island: South Island or whatever island Green Hill is located at
The location itself: Green Hill zone
Chaos Spirits: Wisps from Sonic Colors
The lake: The Power Ring lake from Sonic SatAM (that is the main inspiration)
The Power Rings: Power Rings/Rings Sonic collects in the games/Rings from every Sonic media
Ice Caps: A zone on Angel Island, chosen to refer to Knuckles' home
Mount Crescent: Reference to the crescent moon mark on Knuckles' chest
Amy's helpers: A Rose-hybrid Flicky (because Amy is friends with one in Sonic X and Sonic Adventures, during the fiasco with Chaos)
Winter: Espio the Chameleon (he is the 'cool' guy of the Chaotix, so he's Winter, despite my reservations of reptiles and cold-blooded not fitting well with the winter scheme)

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And hope the list clears things up.