*THERE IS A STORY BELOW THE DESCRIPTION*

Tikal has to got to be in my top three of the Sonic gals, easy.

HornedRam does like her too, having agreed to draw her in a new kind of Arabian Nights attire for me. Kind of a shame she was only ever in one game (and a small handful of comics), as there was potential with her. Nevertheless, here she is as if she had been in Sonic and the Secret Rings (or at least my version of it), dressed in a way that mixes both baladi/belly dancer aesthetic with her own. The pantaloons, bolero vest and the slightly more human-looking size does give a lot to like in this one. Ram did an excellent job, that's for sure.

Before we get to the story, just a little mention of my Patreon (shilling, yaaaaaay!) https://www.patreon.com/incredibleintruder

But who is she really and what is her role? Read on to find out!

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THE SECRET OF THE SUPREME SAPPHIRE

Fang always got what he wanted, one way or another.


In all the cities and sultanates, none could really rival him when it came to bounty hunting, treasure tracking and other such activities. This was because he was known as ruthless, rumors having it that he was unable to feel remorse or guilt so long as his actions helping him reach his goals. Tracking down a slave that fled from an abusive master, guarding a corrupt lord against his people, threatening and dealing with rebel leaders permanently...no job was too dirty so long as the money was good. The jerboa was a scourge upon the Arabian Nights, a scoundrel of the heartless variety who certainly did not object to this reputation as it kept the coins coming. Yet sometimes he did wish to retire, buy himself a veritable harem of beautiful slave girls, build himself a palace and live leisurely...which was where the treasure-seeking part of his many skills came into play.


As he floated above the vast desert that had once been the home of the ancient empire of Echidnarabia, he sought the mythical gem known as the Supreme Sapphire. Rumors had it that not only was it a humongous precious stone, but it also possessed magical properties unheard of. Legends had it that it had a been a gift from the djinns who had an amiable relationship with the echidnas, yet things turned sour when some of their ranks tried to use it for malevolent and conquering schemes. The sapphire had a built-in failsafe, both a gift and a trap to judge their character and their leaders had failed such a test. Those were, of course, but myths and yet some stories did tell of travelers who got lost, nearly died, yet miraculously saved by the guardian of the Supreme Sapphire who nursed them back to health, then sent them on their way. No matter how much Fang did try to make them spill the bean on where it was, the path they took never did lead to the gem as it seemed to move with a will of its own. He would be the first to actually find it, a spyglass in hand as he flew above the dunes on a magic carpet he had taken as payment for a past job.


The desert was indeed vast, some ruins of Echidnarabia seen on the horizon as statues and old buildings that might have been temples could be witnessed in random spots. Whatever was the truth, they were long gone as Fang went at it, searching as hard as he could while he feasted on occasion, having brought a great many rations and flasks of water for the journey. Success eluded him, however, hours upon hours of fruitless wandering yielding him no results as he thought to perhaps employ associates for this...yet he did not want to share the bounty and thus did he drop the idea as soon as it dawned on him. Yet as he gathered his thoughts and went on to eat anew, some lingering magic mixed with the harsh climate of this desert created a sandstorm the like few had ever seen, resulting in Fang being taken by surprise. Shocked by this, he tried to go faster, to fly away and yet the storm proved too big and sudden, sending him off to the ground and into unconsciousness.


Thinking himself lost for good, about to be buried so far away from civilization, Fang saw only darkness and felt numb until he was woken up by the touch of something cold and somewhat round. Startled by this, he woke up and rose quickly to defend himself, only to see a miniature humanoid being act as shocked as he was by this sudden awakening reaction. Much to his surprise, Fang was neither dead nor even injured, though a bit groggy and disoriented as he was laying on a small carpet which acted as a mattress. Someone had put a blanket on him, placed a cushion beneath his head and had nursed him as he tried to gather his bearings, only for the little blue being with a head like a small dewdrop to look at him in silence, its big eyes open in confusion and wonder.


“Ah, I see you are awake. That is good,” a voice came from nearby, getting closer to the tent he was in as this a feminine and gentle tone, far removed from the rough inflections of the crowd Fang used to be with. Revealing herself, it was someone he certainly not expected to see, not due to familiarity but rather because of her species: she was an echidna. Light orange of fur, youthful though mature, dressed in a way that was both simple yet elegant, classy yet certainly alluring, it was akin to the vestments of a priestess and a baladi practitioner. Long hair in many locks akin to dreads, bandages upon her hands and sandals, white pantaloons with hip holes, a cream-colored top upon which a bolero vest of light green rested, she wore some light jewelry yet not in an excessive way like some of the most expensive dancers Fang had the opportunity to behold. She had a kind look in her eyes, moved slowly as if no stress could ever reach her, a serene being whose species she was the second he knew to exist, the first being Sindbad the sailor as per tales Fang had heard. “We found you on the ground, fallen from up high given your predicament. Ah, but do please allow me to introduce myself: I am Tikal and my lively little friend here is called Camembert.”


The lively little friend seemed to be rummaging through Fang's stuff, taking a liking to his hat as he played with stuff that did not belong to him. In some circles this would mean death, though Fang knew that such a reaction from him would not result in anything good. Tikal went away and came back with water, its cool temperature a wonder in such a climate as she helped him up. With Fang getting better and better, slowly but surely, the sight that greeted him upon exiting his lodgings were nothing short of splendid as this was a small paradise the likes he had never seen. Palm trees, ruins rearranged to act as living arrangements, fruits and vegetables growing aplenty, dozens of small ponds and oasis, enough to build not just a community but a small kingdom if one was wise enough. The denizens, however, seemed to be only this echidna as well as an immense amount of those little beings like Camembert here.


“Those are the Chao's, they are my family and I tend to them in this community of ours. It is a peaceful and soothing life,” Tikal went on to say, explaining things to her newest guest as Fang took all of this in stride. He did wonder how come he hadn't noticed such a lush environment in his research and who even tended to the food that seemed to grow in multitude, yet his answer would be answered soon enough as Tikal turned around, showing off a wonder that surpassed much of everything else. “This is all possible due to this object of power, a sad but ultimately benevolent relic, charged with might but also a tragic history...”


The Supreme Sapphire. As Tikal went on to explain all about hubris, war, a very downer of a tale, Fang stopped listening as his quest would be soon over. The occasional words like “my father”, “poor little ones” and all would probably sound very sympathetic to a great many beings...but not to him, not when his objective was in sight. It was four times his size easily, glistened under the sun and from what he could see it was the actual source of all that water and goodness. If he picked this, he might as well build his own sultanate or kingdom; it would be easy.


“And when I woke up, I was a princess of nothing, yet felt that it was my duty to protect the Supreme Sapphire and, most importantly, those little ones,” Tikal finished, feeling happy as those Chao's had indeed been listening and gave her hugs. It was a touching scene, yet such sentimentality did nothing to move Fang as his was a world of cold hard facts, with cold hard actions. Still, he knew better than to try to fend off this woman and the innumerable little pseudo-babies as he played along for the time being, feigning a dizziness. “Oh, I apologize deeply, sir! Barely up that I weight you with my own story. Let me help you go back to bed so that you may rest.”


Thus did he end up resting, gathering his strength as Fang fended off those annoying little child-like creeps, drinking water and juice, being served salad and healthy snacks which were as boring as Tikal herself. While he did find her pretty, she was just so kind as to be nauseating, playing with those Chao's, tending to their needs and his, sappy and much too sweet for her own good. The kind of woman who'd make a nice, albeit exceptionally boring wife, not one to make a harem exciting as far as Fang was concerned. He bade his time and, when night did arrive and the moon was at its zenith, past the bedtime of those little irritating “bundle of joys”, he got up and then rummaged through his stuff. Most of everything was there, including his crucial flying carpet which would be instrumental in picking up the Supreme Sapphire. He had lost his water and food, but he just needed to grab some quickly from here and he'd be on his merry way.


He floated on his mode of transportation, making no sound as every little Chao was fast asleep, no security detected to prevent someone like him from taking what he wanted. Being so secluded and care-free had certainly not prepared them for someone like him to take advantage as he got closer to the Supreme Sapphire, the gem glistening under the moonlight as the only thing he'd need would be to position the carpet beneath it...and then fly upward. Easy-peasy. It would deprive Tikal and her charges of all that they had, but reality was harsh and it was time for them to get a lesson on how life could be unfair and cruel...and he was just the one to do them this courtesy. He approached, prepared to commit the deed as he got on the ground and put everything in place...yet he made a serious mistake prior today as he had assumed something wrong.


They did have a protector.


Had he bothered to listen to Tikal's story, one full of warnings but also important information, Fang would have known that the one who did dissolve the Echidnarabian empire was a being possessing force beyond measure. An entity capable of miracles, both for good and ill, one that was extremely fond of the Chao's and their caretaker, Tikal. Its morality beyond that of mortals, it nonetheless knew what love was and anyone about to hurt his family would pay the price. Its name was Khaos and it was unlike anyone Fang had ever met.


One of the puddles near the Supreme Sapphire, while identical to the others in look, was of a different composition. As it slipped and slithered like a serpent, a tendril of semi-liquid substance approached and connected to the Supreme Sapphire, resulting in some of the innate magic in the gem to resonate and make reality pulsate around them. To Fang, it looked only like extra glistening, some further sparkles on an already-delightful huge gemstone, yet it was but a subtle effect of a spell which would affect someone like the jerboa very strongly: a spell of fascination.


Not unlike mesmerism and hypnotism, each facets of the Supreme Sapphire seemed even easier to delimitate, to recognize as the dozens, if not hundreds, of cuts upon the large gem appeared as clear as the stars in the sky to the culprit. As it began to slowly rotate on its axis, its floating self moved by forces unseen, Fang became not only captivated but in awe before the opulent object. Deep and light hues of blue reflected the stars and the moon, animated by a sheen and a glow of ethereal beauty as his actions were stopped, his reactions slowed down to a crawl as by now the bounty hunter and treasure-tracker was helpless, powerless before an unseen and unknown foe.


Had it been the past, Khaos would have coiled, crushed and reduced this miscreant to a pulp. The fact that it cared not for the well-being of its loved ones, of its family, did rise its anger...yet for a second time did Fang get saved by Tikal, albeit unknowingly this time around as the entity knew that she abhorred violence. Too much tragedy and death had not sullied her kindness and it wished not to cause her pain, thus did Khaos do as it did with others that knew not how to behave: it connected to them and began to transform them. A tendril went on to wrap itself around Fang, along with another as a more humanoid shape emerged from the puddle, an easier shape to understand for those like the Chao's and Tikal...though one Fang would not get to see.


As the Supreme Sapphire seemed to make him lose track of the situation alongside himself, time stretched onto infinity as its radiance sapped his will. Too entranced to even react, his flesh slow and his thoughts even more so, the tendrils of Khaos went on to wrap around him as they began to drain him slowly but surely. His strength of character, his willpower, even his intellect were taken, sucked in as one of the many powers the djinns had invested Khaos with manifested itself. Small bulbs of energy were taken from Fang, whose eyes spiraled in various shades of blue, whose dull-mindedness translated to a wide smile as he became limp and weak. His current perception, even cognition began to shift around this splendid sight, nothing else as important as the mysterious and unidentified will that forced him to admire and to obey turned him into a puppet.


Soon enough, the tendrils wrapped all-around him as only the smallest vestige of consciousness remained within Fang, the barest hint of who he was contained within his vulnerable and feeble flesh. A cocoon of slime enveloped him, draining even further what he was, yet through it all could he still perceive the Supreme Sapphire. His villainy, his ambitions, all was wiped away in favor of a clean slate, a gift he was unworthy of and yet would receive anyway as the slime began to bubble, heat and magic filling it. In the middle of this secret sorcery did Fang get affected, getting smaller, meeker, unable to conjure words or token resistance as he had been but the prey of the mighty Khaos, the results of his heartless actions and spirit. Eventually was the process complete and thus did Fang drift to sleep, darkness welcoming him anew.


Morning came and he had forgotten everything. Why he was here, where he came from, what he wanted, even who he was...all gone. The morning sun greeted him as the gorgeous sight of the Supreme Sapphire greeted him, yet what it was and why he was in front of it gave him no sudden illumination, no answer as to his queries. He was hungry, a bit thirsty, confused even, yet thankfully someone did come.


“Hi little one. Are you lost?” said a woman much taller than him, splendid and gentle, motherly even if he could understand the concept. She picked him up slowly and carefully as he felt safe now, cared for. “You must have seen the Supreme Sapphire and wondered what it was, uh? It guides those like you to us, to a community and family full of little ones like you. We are always eager to welcome more Chao's into our midst here~”


Had he memories of his self, of his deeds, of any vestige of his past, Fang would have screamed in terror. Khaos had turned him into a harmless Chao, like it had done with so many fiendish felons prior. Tikal knew nothing of this, Khaos unable to really speak nor all that willing to talk about unsavory matters with the caretaker of this community. To her, Fang had merely been gone in the wee hours of the night or the morning, back to adventures or business she knew nothing about. She had her hands and mind far too busy with tending to the needs of her little ones, with another joining their ranks as the oblivious yet kind soul that she was would never abandon a Chao in need.


Due to his reputation, no one would ever try to look for Fang, nor really wonder all too deeply why he was gone. A job going wrong, getting on the bad side of someone powerful, moving to a new country and laying low...so many options for a scoundrel like him. None would ever know or be aware that he had regressed and transformed, kept healthy in a place of power and nurtured so that he'd thrive...


Least of all him.