Iced Over

[Symph]

Normally a peaceful and quiet beach, scenic Emerald Coast has been experiencing some strange weather patterns. It was reported that, a month ago, the temperature had reached -23 degrees Celsius, and has been dropping ever since.

Rumors are to believe that there is a problem with atmospheric conditions, while others are quick to blame Dr. Robotnik and his evildoers. Scientists are still baffled to this day.

Even with such conditions, Station Square has reopened Emerald Coast as a ski resort named Emerald Slopes. People and Mobians are welcome to visit and stay in one of their five star lodges and "shred the slopes" whenever desired. Ice skaters can practice or race in competitions. There are even free tournaments where you can race your friends and claim prizes for your own.

This sounds a bit too good to be true. Why isn't anyone questioning the dramatic temperature shift?

Curious to learn of the sudden temperature drop in Station Square's famous Emerald Coast, Symph decided to investigate. Who knows? It could be the work of a demon. Catching a demon would make her like a lot easier and make it sound more successful.

Her mind was causing her to get off topic. She shook her head and pulled up the hood on a coat specially designed for below freezing temperatures-and looking fashionable. The attention people were giving her attire was unexpected, seeing that no one had ever seen such an amazing outfit-

Right, Symph...stay on target.

She stood there, watching children playing in the snow, unknowing of the beach that used to reside below their feet. A mother was showing her daughter how to ice skate right above the home of famous orcas. This can't be real...Symph thought, Has everyone forgotten about Emerald Coast?

This new "Emerald Slopes" idea was lame, but Symph knew how to stop it, Well, at least had an idea. If she could find the source by herself, she might be closer to finding that King... and maybe get a plentiful reward as well.

[Doug]

Again sent out on a mission by his superior commander Nicholas, Doug was sent to investigate the dropping temperatures. He was wearing a large blue winter hoodie, a scarf and more winter-suited pants. Doug had approached the "Emerald Slopes" and looked around. He knew climate change was common but he also knew it wasn't THIS extreme to a point where a beach is turned completely to ice and snow outside of an Ice Age. So Doug prepared to venture off through the Slopes and find out who or what is causing it. "Man it's so damn cold..." He had muttered with a shiver as he began walking, stomping across and exploring, seeing if anything seems unusual or out of place in the seemingly normal area.

[Symph]

After walking for a bit, dragging her feet through the packed snow, Symph finally came across a gate leading into the deeper sections of the Emerald Coast. It was a metal fence staked into the ground, chained shut by pointless locks and chains. A large black sign with red letters said, "NO TRESPASSING."

Perfect... she grinned to herself. If anything's happening around here, it ought to be back this way.

Her Vortexal Ring flashed, powering the diamond shapes in her boots. A sapphire blue shock wave shot out from under her heels, blasting herself into the air into a perfect flip over the gate. With one more shock wave from her ring this time, she blasted some snow over her previous footprints, covering up any evidence.

As long as no one was watching, everything would go according to plan.

[Doug]

Doug slowly had approached a part of the gate himself. "Hmm... Obviously there must be something across the gate if there is no trespassing. This may prove vital to solving this mystery." Doug then rolled into a ball and springed upward into the air over the gate and landing on the other side. "Well, let's get down to business now." Doug then said with a slight smirk as he began trotting through the snow again, he was on military business after all, he didn't have to really worry about being caught or covering his tracks.

As he hopes, the issue may be solved easily if there is anything of interest across the gate.

[Symph]

Symph had been walking across what was left of a dock. It seemed to have been collapsed by ice not too terribly long ago, seeing that the snow around collapsed parts had barely accumulated. The snow felt thicker since the gate, which probably meant that she was getting closer to the source. That, or she was imagining things. A mug of hot cocoa would be nice right about now...

Her ear twitched. Footsteps. Of course, life never could be easy for a demon hunter, could it? She glanced behind herself, looking for any lifeforms besides herself, but only saw dunes covered in ice. Maybe she heard a branch break, or the wood beneath her feet crackle. It was probably nothing.

[Doug]

Doug continue walking across the snow and ice, shivering. "My lord.... I should of brought some Hot Chocolate." He chuckled at his little crack of a joke. He slowly took a breath and glowed with an aura of light, the light's warmth making him feel less cold. Feeling more rejuvenated, he pushed onward, noticing the snow getting thicker from his location as well. He looked around. Nothing at all but the snow, himself, and a clear target ahead. "Well then... The snow is getting a little heavier here, maybe there is something out here after all.." He said before pushing onward again.

[Symph]

As the end of the dock came into view, leading to the next island, Symph sighed with relief. "Finally..." she exasperated as her eyes fell upon a half-buried medical tent. She could finally get out of the snow for a bit-

The entire ground began to shake. The dock, no longer being able to keep supporting the weight of the ice and snow, was collapsing. The left side crumbled before Symph, who jumped to the opposite side and clung onto a support. Parts of the dock fell into the icy water below, splashing with a great impact. She gripped the support for dear life, knowing that since no one had known about her coming out here, no one would know of her drowning, if not, freezing to death from hypothermia. With a final screech, she felt the dock turning sideways, and her body dangling from the grip of the support before it began to sink into the water below.

[Doug]

Doug was rather disturbed by the loud noise, managing to hear it from the moderate distance he was away. He turned around to the source of the noise and noticed the collapsed dock and the ice broken into icy water. "What the heck...? Am I being followed?" Doug wondered as he quickly ran over carefully toward the area to see what was going on, still glowing with light for warmth. He had stopped at the edge of the ice. "Hey! Anyone?!" He shouted out to see if whoever, in this case Symph, could hear him.

[Arthur]

A white hedgehog stepped out onto the sand of the beaches, looking up towards the sky as snow fell slowly, he wore a dark blue hood-jacket with a pair of jeans and black shoes, a buzzing went off inside his pocket as he removed his cell phone answering the call.

"I'm at the beach as ordered Ingrid, it's the same here as it was in the Mystic ruins, unusual events taking place. Why is The Order interested in this again?" he spoke into the phone

"Because Arthur, The Order needs a scientific reason for these events, if it's because of global warming or Eggman, we need to know and prevent it from damaging the world we are protecting" spoke a woman's voice on the other end of the line

"Right" replied the hedgehog as he hanged up and replaced it in his pocket as he placed his black leather fingerless gloved hands into his jacket pockets as he sighed, mist forming from his breath

[Symph]

"Help! Over here!" Symph cried out, hoping for the unfamiliar voice to return her call. It didn't matter who it was at this point, but she couldn't save herself. It was too risky to use a shock wave to bounce herself out, since there would be no guaranteed direction of impact, and there was barely any time. Whoever that was would have to react fast if they were going to save her, or at least, get her a change of clothes if she fell in...

[Doug]

Doug scratched his head, needing to think of a way to get over to her. He knew this would be risky, but he quickly ran in place and then took a massive leap over to the sinking dock, landing on one of the sideways supports, a little unbalanced but he easily got back in place. "Come on, I gotcha!" He said in a slight hurry and relief as he held out his hand for her to grab.

[Arthur]

Arthur looked towards the dock "Oh dear" he quickly ran over, his cybernetic enhancements in his legs whirring slightly as he ran to the turning dock and held onto it, his muscles tensing as he slowed it down from sinking.
"Work quick I can only hold it for so long!" he yelled out as his hands dug into the wood, his teeth gritting as this was more difficult for him than usual as he was holding the entire weight of the dock from just one side instead of being in the centre where the weight is more distributed

[Symph]

Symph quickly scanned the blue hedgehog, thinking if she had seen him before, but shook her head. With all of her strength, she stuck out her left arm, dangling from the right. Swinging her legs back and forth, she built up enough momentum to grab onto the hedgehog's hand. "Okay!" she briefly shouted as her hand lost grip on the support. She then reached up with her right hand, grabbing the fallen support he stood on, and pulled herself up.

[Doug]

Doug grinned. "And away we go!" Doug held her carefully, taking a slight breath due to his somewhat lack of physical strength. Doug then carefully slid his foot across the support and then jumped over toward the mysterious white Hedgehog who was assisting them, somewhat carrying or pulling Symph along, whatever works. Thanks to his mighty speed, Doug had managed to successfully land near the stranger, who is Arthur of course. "Woo, that was a close call, thanks fellow Hedgehog... You okay?" He said to Arthur and then asked Symph.

[Symph]

Symph didn't like having to be helped, especially when trying to investigate, but she grinned. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks."

She hadn't noticed the white hedgehog until the blue hedgehog addressed him. ""Hey, thanks, too," she smirked at him.

Now that the thank you's were out of the way, maybe she could get away and figure out were that demon was...