Railway to Casino Park

The Chaotix sat in the train as the city lights of Grand Metropolis sped by. "So what's it like in Casino Park? Do they have casinos like in Casinopolis?" Charmy asked, bugging Vector as he read a newspaper. "Hey, Vector! Listen to me!"

"Gee, I dunno. If they have a daycare we'll be fine, though," Vector groaned, stretching as the train went all the way uphill to the same height as Casino Park. Due to being airborne, the casino city was physically unaffected by the world shattering, even if it ended up hurting them financially. Being so high in the sky made traveling there feel like a rollercoaster, though.

"They don't last I checked. I visited there once when I was a child," Espio said, opening a single eye. "But they don't have a minimum age requirement for gambling in the Dragon Kingdom, so they'll probably let Charmy in regardless."

"Yeah, let's just see how long it takes for him to get us kicked out," Vector said as the car door opened. A couple of Eggman robots strolled through with a cart of Eggman-brand snacks and drinks. Zik opened her hand while hiding under the table, and a purple glow enveloped it. The robots handed the Chaotix a bunch of snacks.

"Wow! You're giving this to us?" Vector asked, surprised. "Do we have to pay?" The tall yellow robot and the short gray robot looked at them blankly with purple eyes as they continued to give them all the food they had. "I'll take that as a 'no'. Thanks a dozen! You guys are real MVPs as far as Eggman robots go." Zik dismissed the robots and rose from underneath the table, taking a seat by Espio as the four members of the Chaotix began chowing down on the snacks. Tasted terrible.

"Detectives! How far have you made it since we last communicated?" Their client suddenly shouted through the walkie-talkie. Vector held it up.

"We're on the train from Grand Metropolis to Casino Park so we can win some cash," Vector replied with a mouthful of Poppin' Eggcorn. It burned his tongue… it was all kernels... none of them were half-popped. "Otherwise, we're gonna be left eating the trash you can get for free on the monorail."

"Don't speak ill of my— I mean, Grand Metropolis' buffet food! It's an acquired taste. Maybe try it again when you grow a refined and adult palette," their client grumbled. "And it's not FREE."

"You should NEVER need an adult palette to enjoy candy!" Charmy sobbed as he sucked on an Egg Candy lollipop that felt like sandpaper. "Old people these days I tell you what…"

"I've traveled the whole planet seeking out the greatest dining experiences…" Zik growled. She slapped her Eggsquisite Lunch into the window, letting it splatter and slide down. "Slate's… Counter of Dreams… OLIVE GARDEN! This doesn't live up to any of them! What a load of baloney."

"I don't think that's baloney…" Espio corrected her, turning green as he looked at the mess on the window.

"Well, I suppose there's something I can task you with during your trip. Hmm…" their client hummed.

"Wait… you're just making this stuff up?!" Vector asked.

"Quiet, I'm thinking!" Their client shouted. "So, about Eggman… I've heard a rumor that his robot army is under control from some kind of dark energy."

"Dark Gaia Force?" Espio asked. "I haven't heard about anything of the sort. You'd think a rumor of that magnitude would spread quicker." Their client paused.

"No, it's something else," their client replied. "Dark Gaia Force is much more volatile. It's characteristic of Erius' wilderness, which is why many draw comparisons between Dark Gaia hosts and primitive animals. This energy is more focused, it's more… controlled. Eggman's army is still acting very organized, the only difference is they are now serving something other than Eggman. I almost started to believe that Dark Gaia was learning to act strategically, but it would seem this new energy is not of this world." Zik felt a cold feeling wash over her. "Still, I'll bet the two energies are related somehow."

"Espio, move. I need to use the restroom," Zik whispered. Espio got up and let her walk out. She traversed the train cars with no real direction, a ringing sound in her head growing louder and louder. She rubbed her temple, reaching what appeared to be the women's room. She couldn't quite tell if the sign had the employee's only symbol or the women's bathroom symbol as her vision grew hazier. "Sweet Sophocles, was that stuff even edible? Or could it be…?" Zik heard faint muffled screams and metallic banging on the other side of the door. "Hey, is everything okay in there?" Zik asked, clutching onto the wall.

"HELP!" The voices screamed. Zik used her technokinesis to override the door's electronic lock, and rushed in. The headache went away, and her vision cleared. It was a supply closet of some kind. At the very back was… a small Prison Egg. It was probably meant to contain small amounts of small animals. The screams were coming from inside. "In here!" Zik hopped on the button atop the Prison Egg. A cloud of dust and steam shot out of the Prison Egg as its walls opened.

"Oh my goodness! How long were you kept in—?" Zik asked, hopping down to get a good look at the prisoners as the dust settled in the dark room. Two people crawled out of the Prison Egg. "No way… YOU?!" The prisoners were…

Professor Pickle and Ata the Olm.

"What were you two doing in there?" Zik whispered. Professor Pickle stumbled to his feet and held his back. Ata couldn't get up. She was hyperventilating.

"Ata, are we actually out? Is this real?!" Professor Pickle asked, looking all around. "We're out! We've made it out alive, Ata!" Professor Pickle laughed ecstatically. "Woo-hoo!" He then looked to Ata, as she collapsed on the floor. "Ata, are you alright, young lady?" Ata got up with the professor's help, all shaky as she clutched the handles of her backpack. Her lip quivered, her nose ran. "Ata, don't cry… don't cry…" Professor Pickle knelt down despite the pain covering his body from being scrunched up in the cramped Prison Egg. He embraced Ata as she hugged his arm. "We're free now. And look who saved us! It's Zik, the oldest Hexi alive!" Zik waved confusedly. "You remember Zik, right?"

"I… I remember most things," Ata sobbed. "Z-Zik… Master Zik, I mean! You saved my life! YOU'RE AMAZING!" Ata continued to cry.

"Thank you, brave olm. Did Eggman lock you guys up? Why? What's going on?" Zik whispered to Professor Pickle as Ata latched onto her for dear life.

"I knew this would happen eventually. It was only a matter of time before our search for the World Instruments would put large 'kick-me' signs on our behinds," Professor Pickle sighed, shaking his head. "It must have been about a week ago, although it felt like a lifetime. We were abducted from our study in Obuericos by a group of Eggman's Swatbots. They couldn't find the World Instruments, I've seen to it that those sacred relics have been secured elsewhere. But for some reason they wanted to kidnap Ata and I regardless."

"That's awful…" Zik mumbled.

"Quite," Professor Pickle replied. "Now, we should get going. We wouldn't want anyone finding out we escaped." He ushered Zik and Ata out of the supply closet.

"Wait! Let me get my phone," Ata whispered. She looked back, and then grabbed her phone from the shelf. "Ah, Brussels sprouts. Amy's been trying to reach me. We should call her back ASAP."

"You can do that later," Zik whispered. "The coast is clear, not a Badnik in sight." Zik grabbed Ata's hand and booked it back to the Chaotix. Professor Pickle followed.

…

"How about we scan the train for bombs?" Vector asked their client, rubbing the walkie talkie against his face as he was bored to tears. "Find people's stolen luggage? PLEASE OH PLEEEASE give me a murder mystery to solve here! I'm beggin' ya, man!"

"I'll think of something…" their client sighed. "It seems I've hit a slump. Being an obsessive creative will do that to you every now and again. Chaotix! How about you… oh I dunno, count how many Egg Puffs you can eat without getting sick?"

"I can't even eat one without wanting to puke!" Charmy screeched. "Who do you think you are giving us all this homework?!" The door to the car suddenly opened, the Chaotix looked over to Zik walking into the car with Ata and the professor. "Ziiik! Use your machiney-controlley powers to make this communicator give us fun work!" Charmy whined, latching onto Zik as well. Her eyelids slid down.

"Will we be recognized out here?" Ata squeaked.

"We shouldn't have to worry about that," Professor Pickle said. "The nearby robots don't seem to be incredibly dangerous."

"What are these two on about?" Espio asked, pointing at Ata and the professor. Ata jumped a little. Zik pulled Charmy off of her arm like he was a suction cup.

"They were kidnapped by Swatbots, it looks like," Zik whispered to Espio, eyeing the walkie-talkie in Vector's hand. "Eggman was keeping them in a Prison Egg on this train, who knows what he was going to do with them?"

"I… I do…" Ata muttered, Zik spinning around to face her as the color returned to Ata's face. "The Swatbots said Eggman wanted my powers."

"Your powers?" Zik asked. "Oh, right. She can see into the past of whatever Zone she's in, Espio." Everyone paused. "What use would Eggman have for that? No offense."

"None taken, because I have no clue either," Ata sighed. Suddenly, a long blade jabbed through the roof. Everyone in the car screamed, and piled out into the next car. Everyone but the Chaotix, Ata, and the Professor. "What was that?!" Vector cautiously got out of his seat and approached. He blew a bubble with the gum in his mouth, inched towards the blade, and let the bubble pop on the point.

"Yikes! This thing's sharp! Stay back, Chaotix!" Vector cried, jumping back and sucking the gum back in. The leg spun around quickly, creating a hole in the roof. Two figures jumped in. "Who are you?!" Vector shouted. The teal girl turned to him as the purple squid seethed and stood still.

"I am Blade the Japanese Marten!" The teal girl announced. "I have come to pick up one of my own." She turned to Ata. Ata didn't even have to look into the past to get the impression Blade was smiling. Ata ran to Professor Pickle's side. Professor Pickle picked her up off the ground and ran into the next car with most of the other passengers.

"Let's get out of here, Ata! It's not safe!" The professor exclaimed, opening the door and closing it behind him just in time for the door to be riddled with bullet holes from Slinger. Blade tried to swipe at the door with her knife leg, but her leg was held in place by some kind of magnetic force. Zik glared at Blade as she held her legs in place.

"Aah, what's this? A Hexi… I never thought I'd get to see one in the flesh," Blade sneered, eyeing Zik. "I never thought… I'd get to see one's flesh."

"Just like that, I can tell you're up to no good," Zik grumbled. She threw her hands forward, throwing Blade into the wall by her own legs. "Leave now and never return, this is your only warning." Slinger loaded his head-guns, but Espio sprung into action and shot ninja stars at his fins, leaving them hanging on by a thread. A few bullets spilled out.

"I will say, your EM-manipulation is impressive. But you really shouldn't attack the one who gave you these abilities in the first place," Blade said, spinning like a ballerina on one of the tables and forcing Zik and Vector to duck. Espio clung to the ceiling and Charmy flew above, zipping towards Slinger and stinging him all over before he could snipe anybody from the other side of the car.

"What are you talking about?" Zik asked, using her EM-manipulation to hold Blade's legs still. "I'm a Hexi, my kind has been granted these powers at birth for centuries." Zik pulled at thin air, tearing Blade's leg clean off. It rocketed to the window next to Zik and pierced through it. Zik took a deep breath, and pulled at Blade's other leg. Carefully this time. It slowly slid out and released Dark Gaia Force as Blade tried to control it to slice Zik, who ducked and jumped over it while trying to keep her focus. Eventually, it fell limp and Zik physically grabbed ahold of the handle. She pointed it at Blade's throat. "Even if what you're saying is true, it's only natural for people to use the skills they've learned against the one that taught them. That is the only way to prove yourself proficient. I'll give you one last piece of helpful advice: study under a master of your craft, hone your pathetic abilities. Then you'll learn to never get in my way again." She tried to slash at Blade with her own leg as a warning while the core Chaotix handled Slinger, when Zik's head began to hurt. She grunted in pain, falling to the ground and dropping the knife. Blade laughed as Zik fell.

Zik felt as if somebody was smashing her head against a brick wall over and over again. Her brain pounded like a forcefully beating heart, her skull felt like it was cracking apart. She envisioned the greatest volcano of Lava Mountain erupting blood and brain matter. She envisioned a watermelon breaking apart. She envisioned her own head bursting and leaving her decapitated. The visions cleared away, leaving her on the floor screaming in agony. This pain… was one she hadn't felt in a long time. This was the same pain given to her by the Cacophonic Conch's Mystic Melody. It felt even worse now.

"Master Zik!" Espio shouted, dashing over and helping her up. The legless Blade smirked. "Are you okay?"

"No more… no more…!" Zik gasped as Espio helped her up. Espio turned to Blade with a piercing glare.

"What have you done with my master?" Espio growled. Blade giggled.

"They say you can hear the ocean when you press your ear against a conch, right?" Blade asked, casting a similar glare to Espio as she grew new knife legs. Espio turned completely invisible out of fear, something he couldn't usually achieve for long. Using this rare opportunity to his advantage, he crept towards Blade with unpredictable movements. She should have been none the wiser as his invisible shoes hit the carpet without a sound, in a silent clog dance all around the car. But every time he was about to approach her, she looked him dead in the eyes. At first he thought it was a fluke, but his worries were confirmed all the way up until he turned visible once more. She could see him the whole time. She got up and circled around him, her legs leaving small holes in the floor. "If you're done hiding away, I'll let you know that the Cacophonic Conch behaves similarly. Only you don't hear the ocean… the Mystic Melody is a song from the deepest reaches of Erius' core, where Gaia once resided. The Cacophonic Conch is the shell of a Cacophonic Crab, an extinct species of Gaia's Disciples. They carried Gaia's lullaby into the surface, where that song could be used to keep Zeti in check. To suppress their demonic tendencies, drive away Sin, and cause the Zeti great pain. I am a piece of Gaia. I am one half of Gaia's mind. So I am able to directly cast the effects of a purer form of Mystic Melody to this evolved Zeti's brain. She cannot win this now. She is completely outclassed." Espio looked over to Zik, writhing on the floor and clutching her head. "And if you get rid of me, I'll come back for you all. If WE can't find you, there's more of us."

Slinger pulled at the sides of his head and fired one last round of bullets towards Espio, finally tearing off his own fins before being tenderized by Vector and injected with gallons of deadly toxins from Charmy's stinger. Espio raised his hands, not in a kneejerk reaction to protect his head, but to summon a whirlwind. The wind picked up the bullets and spun them around at high speeds, shooting them right at Blade. Blade deflected them with her leg, sending them flying through the train car walls. While she was distracted, Vector rushed in, and as she slashed in his direction, he clamped his mouth shut over her leg. He grabbed her by the head and gripped tightly, chewing away at the sharp metal with his sharper teeth. He thrashed her around in a circle, twisting and bending her legs until they could no longer cut. He then unleashed a blast of flame from his lungs, and burned away at the metal until it was molten and her fur caught ablaze. He crushed her entire head with his hand, Dark Gaia Force seeping out from between his fingers. He tossed her into the wall as the flame nearly spread from her fur to his hand.

"Is she dead…?" Espio asked, breathing heavily as Zik got up to her feet. Vector looked on, unsure as the Dark Gaia Force dissipated along with the flames. "Zik, are you alright?" Espio rushed to her side.

"I'm… fine…" Zik gasped, holding her forehead and putting her arm around Espio. The explosions in her brain turned to ringing. "We must check on Ata."

"And the professor guy?" Charmy asked. Zik opened the dented metallic door and walked through.

"There's no need to panic," Zik scoffed, pushing through the car filled with terrified passengers. She found Ata and knelt down by her. "You are very brave for making it through all that." Ata smiled weakly amidst the crowd. "Except you ran. You fled. You cowered in fear." Ata's smile fell, for an expression of pure mortification. "Clearly you don't know how to protect yourself. We will have to fix that."

"What are you saying?" Ata asked. Zik put a hand on her shoulder.

"You had to run from GUN, you were captured and that's why you're here. You wouldn't have stood a chance against those two Dark Gaia monsters," Zik replied. She smirked devilishly.

"No need to rub it in…" Ata pouted. "Not in front of all these people."

"In the future, there won't be a need to rub it in! I will train you! From here on out, you will be my student," Zik exclaimed. "I will teach you how to fight for yourself… and grow you into a great warrior." Ata barely had any time to register what Zik said when…

"Absolutely not!" Professor Pickle exclaimed. "MY student is too important to be thrown into fisticuffs. You know this very well. Without her, the hunt for the World Instruments will fall into disarray! And… it won't be nearly as perky in my study."

"I'll do it," Ata said. She grabbed Zik's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Ever since my first adventure with Tails, I've wanted to prove that I'm more than just a backup, a getaway. I want to be brave and strong like him!" Ata gripped Zik's hand with all her strength. Zik looked surprised as Ata smiled with determination. Professor Pickle's toupee jumped off his head. "I want the power to protect myself and my professor. So please… take me into your team. I want to be part of the Chaotix! Let me become your student!"