That means, I'm Here. (Sonic SI(+IDW canon))

[Doute Fuller]

Spoiler: AN

This may be a horrible Idea, but I need this out of my system, so I can work on other projects. Warning possible cringe.

---

The wind, gravity, and a splash.
Falling from the sky isn't as fun as some people would say otherwise, it hurt, less then I thought it would but I'll put that to whatever sent me here likely didn't want me to die or get to injured by it. I landed in the water next to a strip of beach. When I realized I wasn't far from a town I headed over... And found a weird orange house shaped like a cartoonish Fox's head/face. Worse, I recognized it. That's Tail's House, or a recreation of it. Wait the house next to it is the same green house from Battle too. Uh oh. If I'm where I think I am, things are going to get dicey, wait why would I care, I could just hide, right..?

"Hmm." I hummed in thought, but as I did that, I was struck with a great idea! Regardless, I repeated in my head, don't think, feel. I know what I got to do, no matter what. Walking past Tail's house and kept on walking around the area. I started moving in a quick jog as I went east for a long while until I reached a city and kept going, turns out this area is much larger then the games implied, It was a real big city, but not as big as some others. Actual skyscrapers nearly caused me nausea just imagining being up in one of them. It wasn't as if there wasn't people passing me by, even they conformed to the art style even when they were human, I didn't care much about them as they were still basically normal, even if a bit odd looking. That's not to mention the few non humans that past my sights, though it was clear that them, and most people I pass were likely on their way home, considering where the sun is heading.

It took me a full four hours to walk through and past the city onto it's outskirts. As the environment goes to a more forested type Zone as I left the city at my back. It took another hour to find an off road path, one that seems to have been used often, and yet not by many. This must be it, thank incredible dumb luck for this find else I'd be looking around for Sonic house like a headless chicken- or is it headless flicky? No no, that's too dark. Moving on. It took another hour to reach his house, I passed over a bridge that sat atop a river, although I'm not sure if it's Sonic's or Tail's back up house from IDW, no it's too soon for that, though it does look a lot like it. Here's hoping no one's home... But if he is. No, Don't think Feel! I walk up to the door of the house, looking to the left it seems a water wheel is turning powering some machine thanks to a river nearby. The right side of the looks like a normal home extension, though it's getting pretty dark so I should lollygag anymore and just break in. I grab the doorknob and turn it...

It's unlocked? That's weird, bu it make's this easier. I slowly open the door peeking through to make sure this isn't a trap of some kind, and it isn't. Walking inside I don't find much in the entryway, just a shoe rack, and a coat rack, which raises questions. Connected to the entryway looks to be a basic living room, with a TV and a couch. Putting a bit more haste in my search, I looked around, even under the couch, but couldn't find the book. "It has to be here." I muttered bitter that I haven't found it, yet this is merely the first room. It took searching a few more rooms before I find the one that is likely to have it, a study. In which was a fireplace, a couch a small table, a desk, and whole bookshelves filled with potentials.

So I started throwing through them, looking for the one that I need, each one that wasn't it I started throwing into a pile. It had to be here, this room is almost exactly the same one from that game, it must be here, it has to be. I started panicking after I had gone through one whole book shelf already, if I'm not fast enough I'll get caught, and my one chance will slip through my fingers! "Come on, come on!" Where is it!? This must be that place it has to be here! Where are you!?

Just as my emotions started to get the better of me, my hand landed on it, I looked at it and beamed, grabbing the leather hard backed book. "Yes! Now I gotta get the hell out of here, and fast!" I said that while I was already running for the exit. It was somehow a clean escape, outside of the destruction of the study, I've manage to acquire the Item I was hoping for. I stopped on the side of the bridge, totaling the amount of time it took to make it this far at seven hours. Lucky number huh, what an odd coincidence. Now to figure out how to use this... I'll start by flipping through the pages to see if I get lucky.

So far nothing, unfortunately, at least when it decides to do something I'll be better read then Sonic on it. I was a bit of the way into reading the book, started to read an entry about a fishermen when he plucks a bottle out of the sea. As I continued to read, it turns out the bottle contained a vengef-

...!?

"I-I'm getting pulled in..!" I yelped, I wasn't sure if this would work or not, but it turns out I didn't need to wait long to find out! "AAAH-!" It isn't as if it wasn't still incredibly terrifying getting pulled into another dimension, regardless I hoped for a soft landing as I was pulled in. As my body was pulled into the book fully it falls onto the ground, it's cover simply reads:
"One Thousand and One Nights".

 

[Doute Fuller]

I don't like the idea blacking out, but then again, I didn't get a say in the matter. A few minutes ago I awoke in the middle of a deserted dock. It didn't take long to figure out that I was in an Arabic type town, based on the architecture and textiles that litter the area, though it seems recently ransacked, if I had to guess it was likely pirates came through here not to long ago. Good news was how I am now certain I was in the Sonic and the secret ring version of this world, how did I know that? Easy, I found a few large gold rings laying around and picked them up, and they vanished! I counted five here in town, kinda weird how this storybook world has a game mechanic in it, but hey maybe it'll be useful later.

Back to the point, I was on a dock, but I needed to find a way to sea. After all the golden ticket is out there somewhere, and I need to find it before the character in the story does. Only after which can I make any real decisions on what to do. So I tried to find a boat, but most of them seem very sunk, outside of one, very small rowboat. Now taking the boat would be easy, if it weren't for one problem...

It's occupied.

That bring me to here, in the middle of the ocean with one small purple cat. It's not Big if that's what your wondering.

"So, you're out fishing for family?" I asked the Blaze look a like, all the while trying to keep a smirk on my face, despite the fact that I have half a mind to kick her off the ship so I can have the prize to myself, then again she doesn't know about that.

"Yes, since the pirate attack a month ago, the majority of people have gone north, but my family was to injured to follow, so I have to do what I can to care for them." She said with a brave shell of stoicism, while I'm sure it's hurting her on the inside, but I can't really tell as I'm not that good at reading anthros yet. "Can you caste the net out please, I'd assume you have the strength to do so?"

"Okay I'm on it." I muttered as I pick up, and struggled to throw the net properly, luckily I managed, and the net went into the water as it should. "Alright, now what?" I asked as I've never actually been fishing before.

"Now you start to row, slowly, I'll hold the net in place as you do." She practical ordered me to help her at this point, but I think she doesn't realize it sounds like that yet. So we carefully moved around the small boat, until I was in the rowing position and she was holding the edge of the net tightly. "Alright... Start rowing."

I did as the lady asked, and we moved slowly on the surface of the water, I was being careful to gauge her expression on how I was doing so far. Ten feet, twenty feet, thirty. It was a while, I was counting distance in my head as I moved the boat, slowly as it was what she had asked. It took a while, the only noise keeping us company was the wind and the sea, not to say we were very far out, the town was still visible from this spot, but it won't be an easy swim back. I pondered in my head if it was okay. Is it okay to lie to this person just to make it easier to get where I need to be? That bottle, I need to get it, and if I'm luckily I landed nearby since that was the page of the story I was read before I get sucked in. It had to be here. I hope it is, at least.

"Stop, I'm feeling a tug! I think we caught something!" The girl called in excitement, clearly happy that she's caught anything so far. I do as she said, and try to slow to boat to a mere float, and succeed, moving over I help her pull up the catch. "What..?" She muttered confused as the item surfaces from the water. She picks it out of the net, and to my horror, it is the item I'm searching for. "Who throws away an antique bottle? It still looks good as new, if a bit foggy, this isn't what I need right now." As she went on about the item, I keep staring at it, as if I in shock that the thing I needed to find was already right there in front of me. Because that is what I was feeling, shock.

"Why are you looking at it like that?" Snapped out of my dazed state I realized she was talking to me now, not just monologueing like when she picked it up.

I didn't think at all and said "I just want to hold it for a second.". She raises her brow and merely hands it over to me, I nearly drop it as I was expecting it to harder for her to let go of so easily. Sputtering I say "W-wait don't you want this?"

She shrugged "No merchants for night from here, it's pretty but it won't help my family...".

...

After that, I carried the bottle behind me and continued to help the cat girl in her fishing endeavor. It was an excruciating six hours, where we caught many different fish, and I avoided telling her anything about the bottle. At the end of it, the sun was starting to set, and the fish nearly all vanished, luckily I help her get a large haul. As we returned to town and loaded her cart to take home.

"Thank you for today, it was nice to finally see someone visit and help out for once." The girl informed me while at sea the she hadn't had help with these things before, which was a result of the pirate attacks I'd assumed, likely if not for that she wouldn't be carrying such a weight on her shoulders.

I however try not to think about the bottle while talking "It's alright, you really shouldn't thank me." and fail anyway.

She continued anyway, not noticing the weight on my own shoulders as she goes on "No I really mean it, your a nice person. I hope we can meet again, under more preferable circumstances.". Afterward I say my goodbyes, and she did the same as she pushed her fish full cart with haste through the empty streets.

...

I stood there at the dock, with bottle in hand and thought to myself, is it okay? Is it okay to hide this from her? I didn't tell her anything, not who I was not what this is, not even my name. Just that I was looking to help, I'd imagine that wasn't going to go over well with myself later. It already isn't, but hey I got the thing, time to find I secluded spot to open it.

It didn't take long to find a covered enough building that isn't half way shattered. I hide away in a corner and start trying to open the bottle, it's a hinged lid if memory serves, meaning it can be resealed easy but opening it is hard. It's like lead or something, real tight on I nearly rip a nail off trying it, Okay no more fucking around, I search for some flat and metal to pry it open. After a few ticks I find a saber buried in the wall, guess some won't be messing this. Wait if there was a huge fight here, where are all the bodies? With that disturbing thought I take the saber and start trying to pry open the jar with it. "One, Two, Three!" I mutter as I heave and push on the jar's lid, trying to dislodge it.

With a snap, it flies open, and luckily I don't stab myself by accident when it does. The saber clatters onto the ground as I fall back, water starts pouring out from the bottle in a deluge, an impossible amount of water falls from the bottle nearly covering the entire room, and raising the level to my waist. Then out from the water emerges a figure, it's not Chaos strangely, but a human type being of dark blue, with long orange hair, and black and gold eyes. They are wearing a dancer's garb in all black.

"I am Shalaal, you who have freed me, will be first to suffer a painful death on my path to revenge."

 

[Doute Fuller]

It has come to this, the demented Djinn has been released, and now I need to do what that fisherman from the story would do. Good luck me I guess, I'll need it. Immediately I arrange myself to be bowing deeply to the djinn while stating "Oh, great, and powerful Djinn, I know not the source of you're anger, but please tell me why I must perish!?" woes and praises in equal measure, the actual fear I was feeling helped make it seem authentic.

Shalaal let lose a mirthless chuckle before answering "All mortals of this world will pay for my imprisonment, I am merely granting you the mercy of choosing how you end.".

I turn my head up looking confused and yet still very scared and ask "But why would I get such a treatment?"

The Djinn tilted it's head "You are the one to releases me from that bottle, of course I would grant thee a choice."

Furrowing my brow, I look at the bottle, then at the Djinn, then back to the bottle, then back again. "I don't believe it..."

"What..?" Shalaal asked, or more like commanded an answer from me, with it's evil eyes bearing now on me.

Cringing slightly, I gesture to the bottle, "I don't mean to be rude but," then back at the Djinn "aren't you a bit too big for that?". Shalaal for what it was looked indignant at my suggestion, as if the very idea of not being from the bottle was somehow an insult. "I mean, I don't think you could fit in there..." I gestured a wave of my hand at the bottle again.

"Are you questioning me?!" Shalaal barely contained a yell, anger boiling under the surface.

My body stiffened, barely I held down a shudder of panic. "No, absolutely not. You the great and powerful Shalaal, clearly I simply am unable to believe something that my weak human eye haven't seen." Trying to recover while maintaining the track is going to be a struggle, not to mention the fact the water is actually getting hotter the angrier Shalaal gets.

"Of course I would fit, I came from that very bottle, how wouldn't I fit in it!" Shalaal stated, not questioned, clearly the idea was getting heavy in their mind. It was close, if I push the wrong way at this point the Djinn might kill me for prattling on for too long, so I can only do this now.

Trying to not look confident was easy as I was still scared for my life as I asked "Could you show me?".

"..What?"

"My mortal eyes and mind are soft, and yet I can't fathom such a great and powerful being emerging from such a small bottle. If I saw it with my eyes, I would be affirmed in your greatness, and would gladly give you my answer."

When I finished I noticed that Shalaal paused, and I literally started to hold my breath.

"...Really now? Of course, yes, how else to prove it then to show the mortal..." Shalaal had turned away and muttered that, even though it's voice still carried throughout the room, guess it forgot? "Very well mortal, I will give a demonstration my greatness, behold my great and mighty form, and behold how easily I can enter this meager container! Hold it in place for me peasant!" I did as they asked and picked up the bottle that had been floating in their water this whole time, and I hold it with both hand pointing the opening upward.

Then they started to move like water through the air, and the water of the room followed them, leaving the area where it once was dry. Shalaal twisted through in swirls in the air water rushing behind them, and quickly they started to flow into the bottle. It was fast as it started only a second past before almost all of the Djinn and it's water was in the bottle, and when the Djinn was fully in the bottle before the rest of it's water could follow...

I put the lid back on it, and latched it.

"-W-what the- HEY" Shalaal cried out in a tiny voice now safely resealed in the bottle. "What has thee done!? Why!?"

I sigh, or groan rather and fall on my back before answering "About your earlier question, not today, and not by you.". I look at the bottle in my hand, the fog is gone, I can clearly see Shalaal in it yet it looks a bit cramped even with the Djinn so clearly shrunk down, in fact it unnatural how clear the glass is now. "Maybe I should tie you to an anchor and throw you back into the ocean."

"WHaT!? No Please, have mercy you foul mortal!" Shalaal cried indignantly, while actually starting to cry. I'd almost feel bad if not for the earlier death threats with a side of massive ego. Unfortunately for me this is where my knowledge on what to do ends. The reason for this is simple, after doing roughly what I just did, the fisherman then began an exposition of a story lengthily at the Djinn, I however didn't read past the start of that, because it wasn't about a wish granting genie, and I wasn't going to read likely over ten thousand words for a single 'moral of the story is'. In retrospect that's not what they were leading towards, and I'm just an idiot, who is now very under equipped to finish this simple plan to actually get wishes from Shalaal.

Setting down the bottle, I get up brushing off the dirt from my outfit, then picking up the bottle again. "Alright... What can you tell me about the World Rings?" Myself said while having the bottle held to eye level, they had stopped crying before I picked them back up.

"...World Rings?" Shalaal raised a brow at my question, before following with a head shake asking "What is that?". I rolled my shoulders and lowered the bottle, damn it, of course they wouldn't know about the World Rings, why would they!? Regardless I put the bottle in my pocket despite their protests. I started walking of the hovel, I can't head to the Fishergirl's home, so I needed to find somewhere else to find warmth for the night, until then I'll walk the streets for a while checking every building until I find someplace warmer. Which is really weird to think considering this is a desert.

The reason for this search is because when Shalaal was first released, the Djinn has effectively soaked the entire hovel, meaning that even though when it resealed, the building's structural integrity effectively was fill with holes because of the flash flood and flash dry. I was only a few blocks away before I heard it start to loudly crumble and collapse behind me. Yep that place is gone, thanks for that Shalaal, totally not one of the only mostly intact buildings now reduced to sand and splinters, nope, not at all.

The cold desert winds buffeted my body, my meager clothing insufficient to keep my warmth in. Even if I want to, I can't go to the Fishergirl's home, I can't let her find out the bottle contained a magical being. If I did she may try to release it in hope helping her family or something, and Shalaal would likely kill her and myself. The only option left is to find the World Rings, and if I'm lucky Shahra. Only as a last resort though, hopefully I can convince Shalaal to chill out on the revenge murder thing, but that sounds like a task Sonic would be more capable of then myself. Faking it can only get me so far with the Djinn, I doubt I could convince it in a day or two, so instead of being an actor, I gotta be real with them. Now that I think about it would Shalaal respond better to he or she instead of it or they..? More questions for later, I guess.