"The pizza place!" Beast Boy suddenly yelled. I felt like I had been woken up by an alarm clock. I had been kind of lost in thought, so having him screaming right next to me was surprising. At least he hadn't turned into a dinosaur or something. "Ooo! Ooo! Let's go! Let's go!"

"You heard Robin, Beast Boy." Cyborg said. "No detours. Not even... For... the most delicious pizza in the world..." As he spoke, he stared at a building that was obviously advertising for pizza.

Beast Boy had turned into a monkey and sat on Cyborg's shoulder as they drooled and stared at the pizza place or whatever as if it was the most amazing sight in the world. "Seriously, guys," I interrupted, tapping my foot. "It's just pizza."

'It's just the most DELICIOUS pizza in the world..." Cyborg said. Again.

"After we find the Emerald, we'll come here." I told them. "Okay? But can we get a move on, please?"

"Fine..." Beast Boy said hesitantly. "Killjoy. I thought you were the fun one."

"I am when the whole world isn't at stake!" I continued walking, and I was glad to have them follow.

"I don't get all this serious biz." Beast Boy shrugged. I rolled my eyes and let Cyborg continue on in front, since he had somehow gotten there.

To tell the truth, the Chaos Emerald could have been anywhere. I didn't really have psychic powers to tell where it was. It wasn't one of those moments where I could stop and go, 'Okay... See the Chaos Emerald... Feel the Chaos Emerald... Oh! It's right over there, guys!' Yeah... Maybe Tikal, Blaze, or Shadow could do that, but I definitely couldn't. If it was a foot away, I could feel it a little, but a mile? Sorry, no.

"Why does this city have to be so big...?" I complained. "I could have found it by now if you had let me run around..."

"You heard the man." Cyborg replied. "You stick with us."

 "You guys are like really protective parents." I muttered. "Mom, I'm thirsty..."

"Well, shame on us for trying to help you."

"It's your world..."

I folded my arms and stayed quiet for a while. I guess they thought they were just trying to protect me or whatever, but it sucked. People stared at me and whispered, their faces showing that they thought I was dangerous or weird. Hoorah for other planets.

Eventually, we reached a bunch of docks. Butterflies swarmed around my stomach as the water waved back and forth, moving the few ships that were there slightly. I stared uneasily at it. Somehow, I knew the Emerald would be in there somewhere. 

"Why does it always have to be water?!" I cried out.

"What?" Beast Boy asked.

"The Emerald." Maybe my mind was just a bit sharper here. "It's in the water. I don't know how far out, but it's there."

"That'll make the search more difficult." Cyborg commented.

"Cover me." I said confidently. "I'll search the edge of the water."

I watched for any sign of the Emerald, any glow or color to shine through the blue water. Of course, I had to keep gulping down any fear of the water jumping out and grabbing me or something scary like that. I. Hate. Water.

"Is this it?" Beast Boy asked. He was out searching the edge of each of the docks as a squid and was holding something red and glowey. 

I ran towards him, grabbing it from his hand. I turned it over and over, but it was definitely the real deal. Its glow turned my gloves red, and for a few seconds, I couldn't do much but blink. "Finally..." I eventually muttered. "Now we just have to find six more."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something flying towards me. And, unfortunately, it wasn't Cyborg coming to us. Blackfire was flying at top speed towards me.

I cartwheeled out of the way, refusing to let her take the Emerald. "Aw, come on. Just let me have a look at it!" She said.

Beast Boy turned into a dinosaur and had attempted to eat her, but she had flown out of the way and smashed one of his teeth out. I winced as Beast Boy roared in pain. 

I rolled to the side as she tried to zap me with her pink laser. "You aren't going to get this." I told her. "So stop. Go away."

"Oh, okay." She rolled her eyes. "I forgot that I always listen to blue mutant..." Her face contorted. "Hedgehogs."

"As you should. They're smarter than you. But you knew that."

She shouted in frustration, trying to shoot at me again. I dashed to the side multiple times, waiting for her to finally give up. But it soon became clear that she wasn't going to. 

"Yo, Cyborg!" I called, running away a bit. "Where'd you go?"

For a moment, he didn't answer. 

"Hey!" I called again. "Cyborg!"

Then the Emerald was blasted out of my hand and into the water. I tried to grab it before it went to far down, but it was no use. It sunk faster than I did. Blackfire was flying towards the water, rushing in to get it. I had a split second. It would be stupid to jump in. I should have just waited for her and jump on top of her as she came out of the water. But I didn't. The Chaos Emerald was too precious to lose even for three seconds, apparently.

So I took a deep breath and jumped in, stretching my arm after it. I got it, holding it as tight as I could against my body. There was nothing I could do except wait for something to happen. I closed my eyes. Blackfire would be there soon, thrusting her foot into my gut to force me to drop the Emerald. But I wouldn't drop it. I couldn't. I needed it. This world needed it. 

But she didn't come. I counted to ten, and she didn't come. Maybe she couldn't swim either. Great. So I would die here, alone, with my greatest fear. I never found Tails. What would happen to him? Would he make it back? Shoot. 

"Of course you'll be fine." Someone said. I opened my eyes. I was still underwater, so...

I rubbed my eyes, still making sure the Emerald was secure. "The hero never loses in the end, Sonic.There's so much time. You know this. The bad thoughts come, but the ending never does."

In front of me was Tikal, the ruler of the Master Emerald. Great, I was hallucinating.

"You just have to wait." She said, her calm voice starting to drift away. "A hero will always have pride, but it won't always be able to be shown. Sometimes, rescue is the best option."

I couldn't save myself. Someone had to rescue me. But I didn't like it. I wanted to always win.

I felt something pull me out of the water, throwing me onto the dock. "Sorry for the rough landing..." Beast Boy said. "You were under a long time."

"Yeah." I coughed. "I know. I can't... swim."

He blinked. Then he shrugged. "You can't do everything."

Cyborg came running from behind what looked like a storage shelter, yelling, "She's still up!"

"Blackfire?" I asked Beast Boy.

He nodded.

I looked at the Emerald. I had to protect it. I had to get Robin and the others. "Can you two hold your ground for a few minutes?" I asked.

"What?" Cyborg asked. "Why?"

"I'm going to get Robin. He'll know how to protect the Emerald."

Cyborg didn't looked very confident, but he nodded. I didn't feel comfortable leaving them there with Miss Unpredictable, but... I had to.