Golden Opportunity

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

"Alright, so from what I understand…" a guy sat inside a filthy room said into his mic, hooked up to a laptop that hadn't been updated in ages. "You're a bit of an outcast in your field, right?" The man on the other side of the video call nodded to the side, sat in a luxurious private jet. "Yeah, nah, dude, I totally get it. Even the conspiracy theory community doesn't want me. Anyways, pleasantries aside, I'd like to hear a bit more about this UMA you're looking into—"

"Mr. Hayes? Your lips are smacking right. Into... My earbuds," said the man, smoothing out his mustache with his fingers. Bernie Hayes tossed aside a grocery bag full of onion rings.

"My bad. Let me start over. Your name is Doctor Robotnik, and you're looking into the recent UMA attack in Tokyo, right? I've gotten some conflicting reports on the exact details of the event," Bernie stuttered, pulling a piece of paper out of a fax machine. "Some people are saying Tokyo was assaulted by a giant dinosaur from space, which shot blue rays of light out of its toes to destroy the city from the ground-up. Is this correct?"

"Your sources offend me on behalf of glorious Nippon. I might have to fire my agent," Doctor Robotnik grumbled, tapping his shoe against the floor. "I'll have you know that my sources indicate at least two mystical creatures that invaded Tokyo. They are very much from our own planet, and the blue blur you mentioned is one of them. Completely unrelated to the giant reptile known as Gojira." Bernie re-read his fax message, and noticed the words were arranged in the shape of a… 

"Now the blue one is what caught my attention. I don't see as many people in America talking about it, playing into the stereotype this country only focuses on the winners, the bigger man. The hedgehog actually seemed to be protecting Tokyo, and now its name is being dragged down to Gojira's level by scum like you." Robotnik snarled a little. Bernie squinted, and opened his mouth to speak. Robotnik spoke first. "That is why I am ending this call, and never speaking to any American ever again. I will live the rest of my days in Kawasaki, studying UMAs and living comfortably at the top of the intellectual food chain," Robotnik almost shouted into his microphone. He then powered off his whole computer, just in time for the plane to land. "Anyhow, I have more… dignified matters to attend to. In…!"

TOKYO

A group of animal researchers waited at an airport gate, anticipating the appearance of someone they were told was a genius from abroad. "Excuse me, Noda-sama…" one of the researchers whispered, tapping his team leader on the shoulder. "Is 'Eggman' his original name?" Doctor Kenji Noda looked to the floor, and adjusted his glasses.

"Well, I've certainly heard some unusual rumors about him, but that sounds a little too absurd," Doctor Noda mumbled. "He's a brilliant man, he can help us, but I've heard he doesn't appreciate jokes made about his… weight..." Noda trailed off as Robotnik stomped into the room. He looked like a normal human, but everyone at the gate could tell simply by the way he moved that there was something unusual about him. Like a cartoon character. He stood in front of the team, awkwardly smiling with his hands clasped together in front of his gut. He didn't say a word. "Hello, Doctor Robotnik. It's a pleasure to meet you." Doctor Noda stood up and shook Doctor Robotnik's hand. It was a little sweaty.

"Hi," Robotnik blurted. He cleared his throat and straightened out his expression. "I am Doctor Ivo Robotnik, a scientist from… Canada… with extensive knowledge on robotics, geology, ancient history, and and aaaand…" Robotnik stared around at every member of the team. They stared back. He smiled. "Zoology." A brief pause.

"Americans are so bizarre," one of the scientists muttered in Japanese.

"I also know Japanese, probably better than you do," Robotnik whispered into the scientist's ear. "So, gentlemen, I'd like to get to know this hedgehog creature you recovered. From the Rainbow Bridge." He looked back to Doctor Noda, batting his eyes with a half-smile. Noda gulped, intimidated.

…

Tsubasa and Yui sat inside their apartment, melting in the summer humidity. Though Tsubasa was grateful to not only be alive, but to still have their apartment standing, he noticed how listless Yui was with all her work gone. They had both tried to track it down after Godzilla left Tokyo, but it wasn't anywhere to be found. It had probably been disposed of along with the rubble. Apparently, Godzilla had left behind scales the government deemed biohazards. Everything on that road could have been contaminated. Still, Tsubasa had no idea what to say to make Yui feel better.

"Y'know, we used to draw together when we were kids," Yui mumbled without any energy. "But when you turned 17, father started letting you pilot those old war planes. I haven't seen you draw since."

"What can I say?" Tsubasa asked, chuckling. "I got distracted." Yui looked to him, smiling with tears in her eyes.

The two drew Sonic from memory, or at least attempted to. "Aren't his shoes blue like his fur?" Tsubasa asked, tilting his head and observing his drawing. Yui lifted her black-and-white drawing of the super-fast hedgehog. He looked just right.

"How should I know?" She laughed with her mouth behind the paper.

As the sun set and the air got a little colder, they were able to finally sleep. Both their drawings of Sonic were displayed inside the same photo frame on the wall.

…

A metal door slid open deep within the Central Institute for Experimental Animals. Robotnik and Doctor Noda's team entered the room. Sonic glared at them from inside a maximum security cage. Robotnik gasped in awe of this creature. "Oh, hello there, little guy…" Robotnik whispered as if he was talking to a kitten, crouching down and getting in Sonic's face from the other side of the cage. Sonic scowled at him. "It's okay, I don't bite." Robotnik grinned, clacking his teeth together twice.

"We're not supposed to… provoke him, Doctor Robotnik," Doctor Noda said. Sonic wound up his fists in a circular motion, and unleashed a flurry of punches into the reinforced glass containing him. The cage then zapped him, and he fell right onto his tail. He rubbed his seared glove and crossed his arms. Noda frowned, having to bear witness to this caged creature hurting itself for the sake of chasing freedom.

"I can't help but feel bad for the hedgehog. But we can't let him go for a few reasons," Noda muttered. "It was able to survive Gojira, unlike countless people that day. Its durability and running speed is beyond extraordinary, even rocket ships struggle to reach such velocity." Robotnik's glasses glinted. "Although most people… including the Japanese government, find its abilities dangerous, many of our top scientists have conjectured that it's our best chance to distract Gojira if it ever returns." Noda knelt down next to Robotnik and stared at Sonic. "Can you run across water? Can you evade bombs with blasts great enough to destroy Gojira? I bet you can." Kenji Noda smiled warmly at Sonic. Sonic looked conflicted.

"Hmm, I think he's saying yes AND no, in that order," Robotnik said. He stood up and turned away from Sonic. Noda quickly did the same. Robotnik reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out a fuzzy red box. "There is no way for a creature of his mass to survive anywhere near an explosion that could harm that oversized Odo odor. Bombs won't get the job done, anyways." Robotnik put a hand on top of the box, and began to open it. "These, on the other hand…" The box was opened completely, revealing six brilliant-cut gemstones each emitting a radiant beauty. The scientists had never seen anything like it. Sonic pressed his hands up to the glass, shocked. "You like these?" Robotnik grinned, discreetly glancing at Sonic. The look of wonder on Sonic's face fizzled. "These are the Chaos Emeralds! They turn thoughts into power, but only so many people can harness their latent abilities. Here's my idea: I'll supply you with a machine that will transfer their power into the hedgehog. In return, you'll allow me to boss him around in his attack on Gojira. I believe he and I can achieve some wonderful things together." Robotnik tapped his foot. Sonic did the same, puffing out his stomach and staring daggers into the doctor.

…

Godzilla once again stepped foot onto South Island. It paid no attention to Odo, or the people escaping into what was left of the woods. Instead, it sniffed the air. Following the odd scent, Godzilla stomped all the way over to South Island's tallest mountain. Grabbing the sides of the stone spire, Godzilla peered into a crack at the peak. Sniffing the cave, it knew this temple had the power the monster was tracking.

With a powerful headbutt, Godzilla split the Temple Mountain down the center. The mountain fell apart, revealing it was hollow. Looking straight down into the cauldron of the long dormant volcano, Godzilla's eyes dilated.

Inside the mountain was was a psychedelic kaleidoscope of shifting, ever-changing depth and dimensions. Where Earth ended and somewhere else began. Fish in the sea, and birds in the sky were visible in the same exact spots. Without further hesitation, Godzilla pulled its lower body up Temple Mountain. Then jumped right down the throat of South Island. Disappearing into the warp of confusion and untold power.

Godzilla fell for an unknowable amount of time. Was it briefer than a nanosecond? Longer than an eternity? Godzilla's simple mind couldn't tell or afford to care. The beast crashed into an endless expanse that made him feel so small. A trove of gemstones flashing every color between blue and red. Superfluous treasures that would turn to pure water outside of this place, false grails for the gullible and weak. These rocks were not what the beast was after. Kicking them away, crushing and gnashing and stomping the specious gemstones to dust, Godzilla's eyes widened. Its heart beat faster and faster. Until it saw something amidst the dust.

A Chaos Emerald.