Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Everything was fine.

That’s what I always told every doctor they threw at me. I didn’t believe it, and the smart ones didn’t believe me , either. But I truly was content to keep on pretending. Maybe eventually I would believe it, given time. Though every time that justification crossed my mind, the more annoying part of my subconscious would cruelly remind me that it had already been four years. How much more time would I need before I had successfully deluded myself?

I don’t have an answer, but I’m too weak to try another approach. As I rolled out of bed to get ready for another hollow day, the nightmare that I had the night before flashed across my vision. The same thing every time. Iblis, the emeralds, her body floating away into the sky. I retreated into my bathroom, downing some pills prescribed by one of my endless resume of doctors and tried to shake it all away.

I sighed, “Why can’t it just all go away ?”

A withered hedgehog stared back at me from the mirror. Tired, but not from the nightmares. I ran a hand through my quills and went on with my morning routine. All the certificates and medals and awards that lined my walls went ignored, as they were everyday when I passed them on my way to my couch to watch the morning news report. Same as usual, Onyx City was peaceful and prosperous.

It had taken a considerably long time for everyone to recover. Even when Iblis was sealed away, and his flames finally died out, there was immeasurable damage. Everything practically had to be rebuilt from scrap. But eventually, they managed, especially with the help of other gifted prodigies like myself. It was ironic, before the world burned to ash, everyone feared that we would be the ones to bring about peace’s downfall.

Instead, we had not only saved it, but helped to re-establish that lost tranquility. I felt numb to it all. Without her here, what was once a cherished wish was now a hollow victory. But still, I carried on, my work, our work wasn’t over until our lives were over. So, like every day, I left my shabby apartment to patrol the streets. Peace and prosperity only lasted so long, and troublemakers didn’t die out with the rest of civilization all those years ago.

Kids rode past me on their air boards, laughing and racing without a care in the world. A sight such as that was one of the only few things that sincerely brought me joy anymore. It caused bitterness and soreness in others like me who had lived through the unique horrors reserved for us. I found myself unable to blame them, try as I did. I still got looks from my fellow prodigies, as I always had. Another thing I couldn’t fault them for.

The old me probably would’ve cringed at the sight of me, still dawning the restrictive cuffs and shoes placed on me as a child. They were remnants of an era long gone, a mark of a former prisoner of the state. It was fitting, I suppose. I never truly felt free even after my oppressors had been devoured, after the beast that took them was gone as well. PR teams were the only one who couldn’t get enough of it, that alone irked me enough to at least consider removing them from time to time

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard a cry. An older looking woman pointed down the street, singling out someone in darker more concealing clothing seeming in a hurry, an expensive looking purse tucked under their armpit.

“HELP! ” she screeched. “HE TOOK IT! HE TOOK MY PURSE! ”

It was the sort of cliché scenario from movies of old times. I acted just as quickly as any hero in those films, chasing the assailant into an alleyway and offering my assurances to the poor lady as I passed her by. He wasn’t all that smart, most guys like this aren’t. He realized he was at a dead end almost immediately, and even more quickly he realized I had him cornered. I made sure he could see the palms of my hands, a warning of what I was capable of.

“Alright, that’s enough now. Give it back.”

He didn’t speak at first, but I could tell he was terrified. He knew he was doomed for a long time in prison, and he hadn’t the slightest chance against me. Like a fool, he made a sloppy and poor attempt to even out the playing field as he whipped out a pistol and pointed it at me.

“J-just…walk away man! I need this money!”

“Yeah, for what?”

“That bitch is rich, she can handle it. I can’t . Mobians like me…we don’t get help from nobody! We have to help ourselves ! So I ain’t givin’ it up no matter what!”

I sigh. Shit . I wasn’t as naïve as I used to be, Onyx City’s higher ups may have wanted the public to believe our community was a utopia, but it wasn’t. Civilization always had fatal flaws, and they’d never be scrubbed away no matter what. “Look, I don’t want to hurt you. I know what it’s like being at rock bottom,” I said, trying to calm him down. “But this isn’t going to help you. So why don’t you just calm down and…put…the…?”

The words left my mind at the same time they had stopped trailing from my mouth. I was frozen as I observed a most bewildering sight. The gun in his hand was…disintegrating? As though it were mere dust being blown away in the wind. I wasn’t the only one who noticed, the robber letting go of it as he let out a sound I could only describe as pure and utter confusion and fear. It was completely wiped away before it ever hit the ground, and made no sound at all.

“Wh…what the fuck…? What the fuck did you just do?!” he screeched his accusation.

“I…I didn’t! I can’t do anything like that!”

“P…please, don’t…don’t hurt me!”

“I’m telling you I’m not-”

I didn’t get a chance to convince him, the tips of his fingers began the same process as before. To both of our utter horror, he was about to be erased all the same as his weapon. “No…no no no! No! Please! H-help me!” he pleaded. I was still frozen, shock overtaking me for a moment. When it finally reached his elbows, I managed to snap out of it. I rushed forward, trying to grab onto him, but it was too late. It was almost as if my attempt only served to speed up the process.

In just a matter of seconds…he was gone.

And…who…who was he ? They were…right here, right? I knew I had to have been talking to…

In an instant, unfamiliar memories flooded my mind bit by bit. Images out of a nightmare, almost. Blaze…she had sacrificed herself, and…everyone was free from Iblis. But then, that woman. A nine-tailed fox had come, and…wait, she was the one who had imprisoned us before, right? I looked up, the walls, they were definitely different. They used to be a sheen white-ish blue, pristine and brand new. Now it was all old and dirty red brick.

It was darker, how much time had passed? I turned around, moving to exit this disgusting alleyway to see what was going on. I heard a crack beneath my foot when I was halfway out, I had stepped on some broken glass. A withered hedgehog stared back at me from it’s reflection, tired, disheveled, starving. I pressed onward, finally making it out to find the once perfect architecture had been reduced to ugly streets full of factories and machinery and robots.

I looked up, seeing a banner with that fox’s face printed onto it. “Praise Empress Candella” was written across it in intricate letters. I recognized her, but at the same time, I had no idea who she was. I remembered her, but, no…no all of that wasn’t right. This had all just changed. Everything I had worked for, that Blaze sacrificed herself for, it was all ruined. As I stared up at the blood red skies laden with smoke and black clouds, I realized it.

Something was wrong .

Chapter Text

Everything was fine.

The sun was high in the sky above the great, beautiful city of Soleanna and many of the strange events that had unfolded the past week since the festival had finally begun to come to a close. The citizens thanked their oh-so merciful god for sending the blue blur to protect them in this dire hour of need, oblivious to the truth of it’s purpose. The hero counted his blessings that he hadn’t needed to pull out all the stops to drive back his arch-nemesis.

Though, his work wasn’t entirely done just yet. Even after Eggman’s newest airship had been struck down, and the princess safely back on the land she loved so dearly, there were still a few messes left to clean up. More than he even had knowledge of, in fact. But he would do his best to help the citizens despite Eggman seeming to have finally given up on his endeavors. When he finally returned the princess to the city, his two-tailed companion would meet him halfway.

“Sonic!” he called out. “Oh, there you are! I was kinda worried when you ran off. I see you found the princess!”

“Yup! Sure did, buddy! I’m just escorting her back to the castle.”

“What about Eggman? Won’t he come after her again?”

“Nah, I totally trashed his ship! He won’t be bothering any of us for a while, I’d say.”

Elise stood on her feet, patting the fox on the head. “You were very brave, thank you so much for your help, Mr Prower,” she thanked. “Haha, aww, shucks, your highness!” he bashfully mused. She turned to look at her hero and first crush. They had spent a lot of time together, but alas, it would be time for them to part ways soon. She had already made peace with that fact. “And, you as well, Sonic. You’ve taught me a lot,” she said, prompting him to rub his finger under his nose at the praise.

“Just doin’ my job, princess! You were pretty gutsy. You’ll make a great queen someday,” he complimented. She smiled fondly, hesitating before leaning down to plant a kiss on his cheek. Her final thanks and semi-confession. She knew he probably wouldn’t reciprocate, but she felt she simply had to in order to truly be at peace with his leave. The hedgehog seemed bewildered, almost uncertain of how to react before uttering a nervous chuckle.

“Well, uh, we’ll probably stick around a little while to help clean up all the damage, but after that we’ll all be heading back home. If that Eggface ever gives you trouble again, though, don’t hesitate to reach out!” he offered with a thumbs up. She nodded, “I will. Although I will definitely do my best to fight much harder as well, if there is a next time.” They both cheered her on, happily walking her back to her castle before heading off to deal with the messes Eggman left behind.

“She sure seems nice,” Tails remarked. “I think she had a big crush on you~” he snickered.

“Aw, I always attract royalty,” Sonic lamented. “And it always ends in heartbreak.”

“Doesn’t it end that way even if they aren’t royalty?” he teased.

“Sure, but with non-royalty it’s usually a lot less complicated. Royals always always wanna get married and have a bunch of kids. I just don’t think that lifestyle is for me.”

“You are a bit of a free spirit, even without Eggman bugging us all the time,” he agreed. “Still, Amy sure isn’t royalty and she wants to marry you~”

“She’ll grow out of it…eventually,” he said, not entirely sure if that were true.

He rolled his eyes at his big brother figure, “Whatever you say, Sonic.”

---

The cracked and tattered ruin floors were now littered with sickening black ooze. One who hadn’t known better, might have even mistook it for tar. Thankfully, the only eyes around to see it did know better, having been the reason for the mess at all. In the small circle in the middle of it that was still by some definition “clean” stood a bat, a hedgehog, and a large and bulky machine. The living ones were nearly out of breath, having just spent all their energy laying the monster to rest.

Their mission was not yet completed, they knew their target wasn’t anywheres close to death. Unfortunately, it seemed not even the Ultimate Lifeform could kill something practically identical to itself. The only way to be rid of the troublesome copy was to seal it away. Though, as his associate had pointed out just a few minutes before: Their only means had been obliterated. Still, they had to act, and quickly. All three of them thought endlessly of a way to trap their foe. 

A way even it could not escape nor resist. 

“Shadow,” Rouge called out. “I…think I know a way.”

“Well, what is it? We don’t have much time, here,” he scolded, a bit irritated from being so spent.

“It’s just…it might have consequences just as much as it has benefits.”

“Worse than what he’s been up to?”

“.....Knuckles, he told me that one of his ancestors had sealed herself away alongside a monster that had been terrorizing the world inside the Master Emerald.”

“We don’t have the Master Emerald. And we certainly don’t have time to-”

“ I know ,” she interrupted. “But, we do have…” she looked to the two Chaos Emeralds still lying on the ground. The ones Mephiles had stolen. Shadow followed her gaze, as did their mechanic confidant. Oddly, it actually commented on such an out-there idea before Shadow had a chance to. “ ARE YOU SUGGESTING…WE SEAL HIM AWAY…IN THAT TINY LITTLE CHAOS EMERALD? ” it slowly and methodically questioned.

“Do you got a better idea, Omega?” she snarked, crossing her arms at him. “Besides, it’s not like he can use it’s power if it’s anything like what that Echidna Princess did all those years ago.” Yet again, the robot retorted, it’s usual manner of speaking nearly emulating sarcasm. “ BUT WE DO NOT KNOW…IF IT IS ANYTHING LIKE THE MASTER EMERALD, ” Omega pointed out. “We don’t have time for speculation!” she countered.

“It’s either this or we’ll have to leave him here, try to convince that red idiot to help, and all the while who knows what more damage he might cause!”

“Rouge is right…we don’t have time. We have to try before we resort to retreating,” Shadow agreed, although reluctantly so. “My power is connected to the energy the emeralds use. I think I should be able to do it. But, you guys should probably get back,” he warned. Rouge didn’t hesitate to fly up and distance herself, though Omega seemed unfazed. “ I WILL BE FINE. MY DATA WILL BE SENT TO A BACK-UP DRIVE IN THE CASE OF FATAL DAMAGE, ” Omega declined.

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to be safe, you know,” Shadow argued, raising a brow at them. “ BESIDES THAT, I AM FAR MORE DURABLE THAN YOU FLESH-BAGS. I CAN WITHSTAND QUITE A LOT, ” they said, remaining firm. Shadow decided it was a waste of time to argue any further, picking up the emeralds from the ground. After pocketing the yellow one, he began the arduous process with the green one, willing it to obey.

Legends often said the mysterious gems granted wishes. He wasn’t entirely sure he believed such things, but it did cause many miracles in the past. And again, it would do just that. To Rouge’s surprise, it was actually working. Though she could tell her friend was visibly struggling as he continued his endeavor. Her ears folded back as her face twisted into a worried look. “Come onnn…” she muttered under her breath.

It glowed brightly, enough to even cause her to flinch at it’s light. Slowly, the goop that surrounded the area began to retreat into it, almost seeming to stain it as more and more of it was vacuumed into the gem. It still maintained most of it’s color, though by the time it was over, it was noticeably changed. As though allowing all who gazed upon it to preview the malignant being that was now trapped within it’s hardened walls.

The emerald had completely absorbed the vile creature’s remaining essence. This time, it seemed he had nothing to say as he was sealed away. When the deed was done, the emerald fell back to the ground, and Shadow fell onto one knee as he put a hand on his head. Rouge flew towards him hurriedly, Omega picking up the emerald as she made sure their leader was ok. “Shadow! What’s the matter?” she asked.

He shook his head, “Ngh…nothing. Just…I was already pretty low on energy. I won’t be able to use my spears or teleport us for a while.” She sighed in relief, turning her head to witness Omega placing the emerald in their containment unit in their abdomen. “Well, I hope Knux or Big Blue don’t mind if G.U.N. holds onto it for a little while…” Rouge remarked, having only just now considered their reactions to all this.

“Well they can deal with it,” Shadow snapped. “Sonic knows I only do what has to be done to stop serious threats like Mephiles. Besides, I’m sure that hot-headed twit will get over it eventually. He seems to like you,” he teased. She rolled her eyes, “That ship has sailed, I’m afraid. But you’re probably right about Big Blue. I think he likes you , too~” she teased back. Shadow rolled his eyes as he stood back up, “Oh, please , Rouge. I don’t have time for such nonsense, neither of us do.”

“Whatever you say, Ultimate Grump~” she snickered. Omega interrupted their banter, seeming impatient. “ IF YOU TWO FLESHBAGS ARE DONE GOSSIPING ABOUT WHO’S THE PRETTIEST BOY IN SCHOOL…WE HAVE A VERY LONG WALK BACK TO THE BASE AHEAD OF US, ” they snarked. Rouge flew up, landing on one of their bulky shoulders. “Oh, lighten up, Omega. Besides, the trip back will be far less boring this way,” she chuckled.

“I’d prefer if we simply played some music to drown out your insufferable commentary,” Shadow proposed. “ AFFIRMATIVE…PLAYING SPECIAL MIX-TAPE NOW, ” Omega remarked, playing an assortment of heavy metal and darkwave music from their speakers as they all began the trek back. Every once in a while Rouge would request something with a lighter tone, though spent most of the trip back quite annoyed by the dreadful tunes their leader picked out.

---

The girl stirred slowly. She just couldn’t seem to get her eyes to open, but she could hear. That sound, it was unfamiliar to her. But it didn’t sound like danger, it was oddly…relaxing. When she finally managed to pry open her amber eyes, they beheld an odd sight. The ground, it looked like dirt, but, it didn’t feel like dirt. It was a lot softer. And was that…water? It constantly moved across the edge, only to flee backwards in a never ending cycle.

She slowly sat up, finding as her vision cleared that some of the “dirt” stuck to her. They were more like particles of some kind. And they were kind of hot. Though that feeling had stopped bothering her years ago. Besides the fire that was at her very command, her world up until now had been a burning smoldering wasteland of magma and heat. She was practically immune to it now. The disoriented feline tried to wipe off the substance now clinging to her purple fur like leeches.

But it seemed near impossible. She looked up at the huge body of water. She had seen something of this scale when wandering around Soleanna before, but she had never seen it bumping up against land like this. Was this what the old history books called a “Beach”? She had never seen one before. Standing up slowly, the girl approached the water’s edge and carefully yet reluctantly reached out her bare foot towards it.

She yanked it back once it hit her toes, it was cold. But all the same, the water withdrew again as well. By nature, her and water were natural enemies. Her pyrokinesis as well as her feline roots worked hand in hand on that front. Still, she found it to be a fascinating force of nature. And as much as she subconsciously hated to touch it, she knew perhaps it would be more helpful in removing all this crap stuck to her fur.

Once she was done, she stared into her reflection. It was then that she began to finally wonder if she was dead. She didn’t feel dead. Was there a need to breathe in the afterlife? Surely not. But there was no telling yet. She needed more information. And she wasn’t going to find it sitting around this place. So, she turned around, finding there was a grassy surface not too far away from the beach that led into a thick looking jungle.

“Afterlife or no…this place is beautiful ,” she whispered in awe. “Oh, Silver…I almost wish you were here to see it.” With a melancholy demeanor, she trudged onward into the thick greenery to find answers. It took a long time to find just about anything. It was so thick and musty and hard to see. She had to resist the urge to light a flame to make things easier. Amidst her exploring, she stepped on something that caused her to flinch back in pain.

It didn’t penetrate the skin, but it still hurt to step on. When she looked down to see what it was, she found a glowing yellow gem that matched her eyes. But it didn’t look like the Chaos Emeralds she and Silver had used before. It was more…rectangular in cut. She picked it up, inspecting it a moment before she heard a yelp. Pocketing the gem, she followed the sound until happening upon the first clearing she had seen since entering this jungle.

A koala and a large wallaby occupied it’s space. The poor smaller marsupial was being held upside-down by the cretin bullying him. She yanked an expensive looking amulet off of him, stuffing it into her pouch.

“No, please! Give it back! T-that’s an heirloom!” he pleaded.

“Shut it you little runt!” She snapped, shaking him mercilessly. “It’s mine now…”

The sight lit a fury in the eavesdropping girl, the likes of which manifested in a bout of fire that she blasted into the bully, sending her flying backwards and causing her to cry out in pain. She jumped out of her hiding spot, her cover now blown. “LEAVE HIM ALONE!” she demanded. Moving quickly, she tried to snatch the amulet back before finding herself in a tussle with the now agitated creature. It stood no chance, she had more experience, and more moxy.

In the end she stood victorious over the assailant, amulet in hand. “Get lost!” she ordered. The wallaby growled in frustration, but was too burned and beaten to fight back anymore. “You’ll regret this, bitch! I’ll be back!” she hissed before hopping away. The koala approached his savior, utterly grateful as she handed back his heirloom. “T-thank you! Thank you so much, miss!” he gasped, beside himself by her power and her kindness.

“Don’t mention it. I’ve dealt with nasty people before, I couldn’t let them rob you like that.”

“Oh, but I simply must repay you!”

“Hmmm, well, I do need some information if you’re willing to provide it. I think I might be a little lost…what’s your name?”

“I-I’m Gardon, miss. A-and what is yours?”

“I’m Blaze. It’s nice to meet you.”

---

“YOU… WHAT ?!”

Rouge was sneering, arms crossed as she hovered in the air above a very furious red echidna and his companions. “What were we supposed to do? Leave him there? We had no other options!” she explained again, a bit annoyed it seemed he had chosen to not acknowledge that part. Sonic seemed predictably more cool about the situation, smirking and elbowing his rival playfully. 

“Aww, c’mon, Knux! It’s not so bad! Tikal did the same thing with the Master Emerald, right? And that worked out fine!” he pointed out. He growled, directing his anger towards the blue hedgehog next as he got up in his face. “Because it was the Master Emerald! It has enough chaos energy running through it to handle something like Chaos! Chaos Emeralds have a great amount of power, sure, but they can only match the Master Emerald when they’re all brought together !” he shouted.

“Well, maybe we should leave them all in one spot, then?” Tails suggested. “I know they tend to scatter when brought together, but, that’s only after someone uses all that energy they collectively provide, right? Maybe if we kept them locked up where nobody could access them, we wouldn’t have to worry about it!” he said. Sonic seemed to think it over, but frowned, “That’s true, but there’s just one problem with that, bud. If Egghead ever found out the location, he’d have a pretty easy time getting his hands on them before I could stop him!”

“We only need them for a short while,” Rouge said. “We were just desperate because we had no other means of sealing him away in the middle of nowhere.”

“Well, you can seal him in the Master Emerald instead now, right?” Tails asked.

“I guess that could work…” Knuckles grumbled. “It won’t be hard to transfer his spirit into it. We can go back to Angel Island and take care of it right away.”

Sonic nodded, seeming satisfied with this plan. “Sounds good to me!” he approved. “Guess that means our work here in Soleanna is officially done,” Tails hummed. Knuckles and Rouge took their leave, opting to take care of their side of things swiftly. “So, are we gonna head home too, Sonic?” the fox asked. “Not quite yet, I think we’ve earned the right to at least one more day to enjoy the sights, don’t you? Come on, let’s go get some lunch, lil bro!” he offered.

“Oh, sure! I am pretty hungry after this whole ordeal,” he nodded, flying after his speedy friend as he made way for the nearest restaurant. Once again the day was saved, and they hadn’t a thing to worry about, at least for now. Soleanna was a beautiful city, it was certainly a shame they would have to leave it soon. But Sonic never did care for staying in one place for too long anyway. There was too much to see in this life, and he would see it all one way or another.

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful day in the pretty little neighborhood of Emerald Town. Like every week, Amy was babysitting for her old friend Knuckles. Well, maybe friend wasn’t the right word. He could be an ass sometimes, but, he was always coming from a good place. Not that his wife was any less difficult to categorize. Either way, she was more than happy to look after their little ray of sunshine, Lara. Who was coloring away on a blank sheet of paper while her sitter was busy cleaning up the mess in the kitchen from the lunch she had prepared for her earlier. 

As she cleaned and put everything away, she looked over her shoulder at the little tike and smiled, “So, Lara, how’re things going for you at home? Make any new friends? Learn anything at school?”

“Oh, I don’t really go to school anymore, Ms. Rose.”

“Really?” she raised a brow at that. “Do your parents know that?”

She nodded, “Sure do! It was daddy’s idea. He said I should spend more time on focusing to become a guardian someday when I’m all grown-up!”

Amy sneered at that. She knew Knuckles was traditional n all, but it bugged her the slightest bit to hear this. She supposed homeschooling wasn’t so bad, though Lara really should have more friends at this age by now. She certainly wouldn’t be making them if she was spending her life training to sit along on a big floating rock 24 hours a day 7 days a week and 365 days a year. “Y-you know, Lara,” she said, trying not to sound as irked as she truly was, “You don’t… have to be a guardian. If you don’t want to. You seem really good at art. Don’t you wanna do that, instead?”

She shook her head, “Nuh-uh! No way! I wanna be just as good if not better than daddy when I grow up! The Master Emerald is our family’s sacred and most cherished relic, what’s cooler than that ?”

“Hmm, well, I guess if it’s really ok with you…” she mumbled as she dried off a plate she had just washed.

“Do you got a job besides bein’ my babysitter, Ms. Rose?”

“Oh, me? W-well, I am a baker. Though that was never really my dream growing up. I honestly never thought about a job at all, ehehe…”

“Really?” Lara tilted her head curiously at that. “So, what did you think about?”

“W-well…”

She was somewhat grateful to hear her doorbell ring at that moment. Lara jumped out of her chair, drawing in hand, with the utmost excitement as she cheered, “Mama’s here! Mama’s here! Mama’s here!” Amy smiled and shook her head, going to answer it and finding it was indeed Julie, come to collect her daughter. “G-good afternoon, Julie,” Amy greeted. “No issues, as usual, she was a perfectly good girl~” Lara grinned widely, much appreciating the praise.

“Is that so? Well, I think this calls for an ice-cream cone on the way back,” Julie smiled at her youngling who cheered. “Mama, look! I drew this!” she said, shoving the paper up into her mother’s face. “It’s of Ms. Amy and me! Do ya like it?” Amy beamed at this, having also gotten an eyeful of it when Lara shoved it in her face next. “Awww, Lara! That’s so sweet!” Julie giggled at her child’s antics, patting her on the head, “You certainly are talented~” Lara gifted the drawing to Amy, who was quite grateful as her heart warmed with joy.

“Yes, she is…I was just asking her if she was interested in doing art when she’s older.”

“Oh, well, I’m sure it’ll be a nice hobby…” Julie hummed, her demeanor falling a little.

“Ahaha…” Amy’s happy attitude also drained a tad as she felt her irritation come back to her. “You know…not that I’m complaining about getting quality time with my favorite little rascal, but…she’s been over an awful lot lately.”

“Yes, well, we’ve been really busy an… awful lot , lately.”

“It sure seems like it, hm? So busy you can’t even take her to school… ” she passive aggressively muttered under her breath.

“Well, I’m sure whenever you settle down and have children you’ll have a better time understanding how difficult it is to balance every little thing…”

At this point, they were practically glaring daggers at each other, and Amy winced at that remark. It cut her quite deeply, and Julie knew it. The half-cybernetic Echidna flipped her dreads and sighed, “Come on, darling. We’ve gotta go down to the market before we head home. I need to pick up a few things, and we can get your ice cream while we’re there.” Lara was entirely oblivious to the adults’ petty squabbles and cheered excitably as she skipped off alongside her mother. Amy watched them go for a good moment, before retreating into her domicile.

She put Lara’s drawing up on her fridge with a well-placed magnet and sighed. “Maybe Julie’s right…I’m always judging them but I don’t know the first thing about raising a family.” She groaned in frustration, “B-but it’s not my fault! It’s been my dream for like, ever!” The blushing pink hedgehog pouted and slapped her cheeks, caught up in her small tantrum over the injustice of life before her eye caught something on the corner of her kitchen counter. It was a framed photo, one she had saved from so many years ago.

Oh, her hair was so wild and unkempt back then. Beside her was a familiar blue hedgehog, who was smiling although seeming nervous as she hugged his arm oh-so affectionately. The memory made her giggle fondly as she thought back to her childhood. She had been quite abrasive with her crush, perhaps a little too much sometimes. But she was older now, she had grown and learned and changed herself so much. This train of thought led her to an idea. An idea that carried her out the door as she snatched up her coat and put it on.

Today, she’d do it properly, today .

---

Many townsfolk in the market suddenly had a strong wind above them pass by like a speeding bullet. Though it was not the blue blur they had all become accustomed to, it was instead his two-tailed sidekick. He was in a hurry as much as he was a panic. Thankfully Buttercup was with her grandparents at the moment, so he didn’t have to worry about leaving her home alone this time. He had some doubts, but Sonic did sound desperate on the intercom for once, so it made him much more paranoid. Thankfully it didn’t take him long to find his friend.

He landed beside him, almost completely out of breath as he wheezed and heaved, hands on his knees. “S…S-Sonic, I…I’m here! Wha…w-what ha…appened?? E-Egg…man…a-attack? C-crisis with…some a-ancient monster? Haaahhhh … another v-vaguely similar l-looking hedgehog ?????”

“Oh, Tails! Thank Chaos you’re here, pal!” he grinned. “You came just in time!” He held out his hand to him, “Can you spare me a couple of rings?”

The fox’s eyes grew wide, slowly looking up at his companion as he adopted a look of pure disbelief. “Wait…you…you just wanted… some rings ?!” he yelped, absolutely flabbergasted. Sonic nodded and pointed to the chili dog stand behind him. “Yup! There’s only one left and I’m a few rings short! I only need, like, a couple.” Oh, the pure concentrated stink eye that befell the hedgehog. But the younger fox simply groaned, fetching his wallet from his scarf and surrendering some of his rings to his surrogate brother with an annoyed glare.

Obliviously, Sonic grinned and thanked him, before finally buying the dog he craved so dearly. Tails crossed his arms as Sonic took a bite, delighting in the taste. “There, happy now?” he snapped impatiently. “Absolutely I am, thanks pal!” he declared. Tails groaned again, rubbing the space between his eyes on his muzzle with his fingers. “Ugh, Sonic !” he shouted. “This is the fifth time this month that you’ve claimed to need me for an emergency that wasn’t really an emergency!” Sonic didn’t seem to take the lecture seriously at all, slapping his friend on the back just a pinch too hard.

“Aw, lighten up, Tails! Eggman hasn’t made a move since I put Dark Gaia back down for her nap along with Chip. Suuure, we’ve had a couple of troublemakers since then anyway like Scourge or the other Antis, and Shadow…sometimes, and…those aliens who tracked us back to Mobius,” he listed off, wincing more and more with each one. “B-but, it’s been mostly peaceful since Egghead got lost!”

“Sonic, what’s gonna happen if we have a real crisis on our hands and I have trouble believing you because you keep using the emergency line for stupid stuff?”

“You’ll know when it’s serious, you’re smart!”

“I thought this one was serious! You sounded really exasperated!”

“Well yeah, of course I was! The last chili dog was at stake!”

Tails was about to retort again, but he was cut off by a sound familiar to both of them, and for mutually unpleasant reasons.

“SOOOONIIIIIIIIC~! ”

Both boys turned their heads to look in the direction of the girl they knew made the call. As they feared, it was their old confidant: Amy Rose. “Oh no , I thought she grew out of this already!” Tails groaned. Sonic didn’t respond, predictably running off as soon as she began trying to approach them and dropping his half eaten chili dog on the ground. Tails was about to scold Sonic again, but Amy bumped his shoulder as she ran past him, too laser focused on the hedgehog to watch her step. The exhausted and annoyed sidekick growled and pouted, choosing instead to just fly home and let Sonic deal with this himself.

A fitting punishment for wasting his time.

“When will that girl learn?” he wondered aloud, still somewhat pitying her seemingly endless chase for his brother’s affection.

The blue blur kept on running, only looking back every so often as his pink follower kept on his tail. She wasn’t nearly as fast, but in this narrow system of paths and roads, he had less opportunity to flee through an open space to hide. He flew by everything so fast, that much like Tails, he left behind a strong wind that lasted only a moment. A couple sat outside a restaurant felt this wind pass them by. The short haired human looked up first, blinking in confusion. Her bat companion dawning white fur and dashing pink lipstick pouted as she straightened out her now ruined hair.

Amy passed by them, still calling out his name not too very long afterwards. The human tilted her head in confusion at this display, not all that familiar with the pair’s history like her partner was. 

“What in the world was all that about?” she asked.

Her partner smirked, “I guess some things never change~”

Ahead of them was a sweet rabbit girl and her two Chao selling a beautiful array of flowers at one of the market stands. The Chao bobbed playfully, smelling the sweet plants and trying to get the attention of any nearby customers to help sell their owner’s bouquets. The girl spotted the blue wind coming towards her, and waved. “Hi Sonic! Would you like to buy some flowers?” she called out. Sonic noticed her, slowing down only a hair or two to speak with her as he passed by. “Hey Cream, sorry but no time to chat!” Cream blinked, wondering what the rush was.

Until that was, she saw Amy coming up not too long after he had passed her. She waved again at the familiar face. “Amy! So good to see you! I don’t suppose you would want any flowers?” she asked again. “Hello Cream, sorry but I gotta catch up with Sonic! M-maybe later, though!” she answered as she ran past her stand. The Chao pouted and huffed, Cream laughing as she pet them gently to calm their nerves. “Seems like it’s just business as usual, boys~” she snickered.

Julie and Lara were in the market by now, Julie browsing at one of the stands as her daughter bounced around nearby playing hopscotch with herself and the lines separating the stones on the ground. She looked up when a blue wind passed by, and she gawked in awe. She immediately turned to grab her mother’s attention, completely missing her sitter giving chase as Julie kept on dismissing her and urging her to quiet down. Sonic looked back again, not mindful of what was in front of him as he passed another couple.

Vector, who had been holding a tray of cupcakes, nearly tripped as they were knocked out of his hands by the blue blur thanks to his shoulder brushing against him as he ran past. He was too disoriented to move before his pastries came back down and landed on him frosting first. His wife cried out in surprise, reaching out to help him with one arm while the other held her baby close to her bosom. She stopped when she noticed Amy approaching, who tossed a handkerchief to the startled mother that accepted it graciously.

“Sorry Vanilla, sorry Vector, I’ll bake you a new batch to make up for it!” she said as she waved farewell, only running backwards to face them for a brief moment before turning around and giving chase to the other hedgehog again. Vanilla blinked and giggled, “Guess she’s at it again. Ah, the joys of young love~” Vector groaned as he rubbed his muzzle, swearing he’d give that hedgehog a piece of his mind later under his breath. Sonic made the mistake of looking over his shoulder a second time, nervous that he still somehow had not found a way to shake her off his tail.

That girl was nothing if not persistent. Amy called out to him again, waving her hand. “S-Sonic, wait! Stop!” she pleaded. But he didn’t listen, turning his head a tad too late to see she had actually been trying to warn him. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to process his mistake in time before he crash landed into a water fountain and found himself completely soaked. As was his hoodie. Amy cried out in shock, finally able to catch up to the drenched hog and fret over him. “Oh, gosh! A-are you ok?” she yelped.

His hand was on his now spinning head, as his eyes looked in entirely different directions. “Wooahh…that was a bad one,” he murmured before shaking his head to snap out of it. When his vision finally cleared up, he found Amy’s hand reaching out to help him up. “S-sorry, I…tried to tell you,” she apologized with a nervous smile. Sonic let out an exasperated sigh, taking her hand and letting her pull him up and out of the fountain. “Well, that’s one way to give a hedgehog a bath,” he quipped as he shook the water from his quills like a dog.

Amy shielded herself until he was done, blushing and adopting a shy demeanor all of the sudden. “Uh, so, I kinda wanted to talk to you about something…” she said. He groaned, “Okay Amy, I give up…what is it?” The toe of one of her boots grinded against the stone floor as she suddenly seemed unable to make eye contact. “Well, erm…I know we haven’t really spoken in the last couple of years. But I wanted to reconnect with you,” she explained. “Listen, I… know I used to be a little coo-coo back when we were younger…”

“A little?” he raised a brow with a humorous smirk.

“Okay okay! A lot!” she pouted. “Look, the point is, I know I was overbearing and a little more than obsessed. But I really did admire you from the bottom of my heart,” she insisted. “And I know it’s a lot to ask, but…I was wondering…if you’d be willing to give me another chance?”

“Another chance?”

“You know…a real date,” she clarified.

“I…I dunno, Ames,” he winced, rubbing the back of his head. “I don’t think-”

“Just one, that’s all I’m asking. If you still really don’t like me, then I promise I will let it go and we can just be friends again. No more talk about marriage or romance or anything between us.”

At that, he blinked. It gave him pause for genuine consideration. She did seem to be a lot more mature and polite, the old Amy would’ve practically kidnapped him just to have an hour alone with him. He supposed it might not be so bad, though he knew some things probably still hadn’t changed all that much. He sighed, “Alright, alright. One date, Amy.” She lit up like a Christmas tree at his answer, grinning widely and resisting the urge to hug him. “Oh, thank you thank you thank you, Sonic! Y-you won’t regret this, I promise!” she said.

“H-here’s my number, we can talk about the when and where later. I uh, kinda gotta go back and help some people…” she said, handing him a piece of paper with her home phone number on it. He stuffed it into the pocket of his hoodie, exhaling once she was out of his line of sight. “I hope this first date is the last…I don’t wanna lead her on,” he mumbled worriedly. He looked up at the sky. The sun would start to set soon, maybe he could enjoy a run in Green Hill before heading home. Once again the blue blur dashed off, more mindful this time of where he was headed.

---

The black and crimson Mobian sat alone in his dim home. It was a luxurious sort of place, the kind he never really saw himself living in. It just kind of worked out that way, though. He sat at the bar, pouring himself his second glass of bourbon that afternoon. All this money and booze, and still he was a miserable hedgehog. It wasn’t like he wanted this peaceful streak to be eviscerated, but the jobs he did for G.U.N nowadays were simply dreadful. Without that Egg-shaped fool or some other world-ending threat, things had slowed to a droll.

Still, he supposed that was for the better. Maria wanted humanity and Mobians alike to have a fear and stress free experience. Part of him wondered what she might think of now. As he took a sip of his drink, his ear twitched to the sound of distant metallic slamming against his floors. He knew that sound well, so it didn’t put him on the edge as it got closer. As he predicted, the cause of the noise appeared in the doorway, his coworker: Omega. He would have been happy to see them, but there was only one reason they would ever be here at his domicile.

“ THE GENERAL HAS REQUESTED AN AUDIENCE…AT G.U.N HEADQUARTERS, IMMEDIATELY. ”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, “Oh yeah? Well why don’t you tell the General to piss off? I got the day off today, like hell I’m gonna go stare at his ugly mug and listen to his grating voice bark orders at me.”

“ IT IS…AN EMERGENCY CALL. ”

“Ugh, fine ! But not until I’ve finished my damn drink,” he growled and caved, seeing no use in arguing with the old machine who had no choice but to pester him. Omega was stood still for a moment, watching him almost curiously. Then, they spoke up again as they reached one of their hands out, “ WOULD YOU PERHAPS…POUR ME SOME DIESEL?” He didn’t laugh, but he did smirk, patting an empty seat next to him to invite the metal mass over. They took a seat, the flimsy bar stool giving way beneath their weight as Shadow took another sip of his drink.

“ ........I WILL ORDER A NEW STOOL FOR YOU. ”

“Nah, forget it. It’ll add some charm to this place.”

“ WE COULD USE THE GENERAL’S CREDIT CARD. ”

“You have that?” Shadow blinked.

“ HE LEFT ALL OF HIS SENSITIVE INFORMATION…IN MY DATA BANKS. ”

“.........Order 50 of them,” he smirked.

---

It had been an hour since Omega had been sent to get Shadow and Rouge to come to HQ. And yet not a single one of them was yet present and was becoming terribly late, much to their boss’s irritation. “Shadow, Omega, how nice of you to finally join our tea party,” he remarked sarcastically. “Well, I would’ve been here sooner , but unfortunately, I don’t give a flying fuck about tea or any ‘Parties’ G.U.N finds fun,” he snapped back impatiently. The General didn’t even bother with the flippant hedgehog, turning his attention to his most obedient drone.

“Omega, Rouge has still failed to show up. Did you speak with her yet?”

“ I CONTACTED AGENT ROUGE 29 MINUTES AND 32 SECONDS AGO. SHE SAID SHE WOULD BE ON HER WAY. ”

As if on cue, a vent hole cover fell down onto the robot’s head. Though they didn’t seem to feel it or notice at all, only tilting themselves upwards to look when they heard Rouge’s voice come from above. “Goodness, General. So impatient~ I was just enjoying some downtime in Emerald Town,” she teased, landing on one of Omega’s bulky shoulders to sit. “Did you break in through the ventilation system again ?” the General hissed. “You have an ID pass, why do you keep doing that?” Rouge shrugged, “I don’t have time for all those stupid front door procedures.”

The General groaned, beyond agitated by these three. “Well, since you three decided to take your sweet time , it’ll take you a bit longer to get this done instead of if you had just come right away like requested,” he growled. Neither of the living breathing subordinates seemed too pleased to hear this, rolling their eyes like a teenager with a parent. “Just get on with it already, what’s so damn important?” she huffed impatiently. He cleared his throat, putting a file down on the table in front of them with a profile and information on what looked to be a Mobian mouse.

The papers labeled her as a criminal, though something looked… off about these documents as Omega scanned them. Still, they kept quiet as the General began to explain. “She escaped from one of our cells not too long ago. She’s already gotten to the Mystic Ruins, but my men are having a difficult time locating her. I need you two to track her down and bring her back here, ASAP. She’s dangerous and can’t be allowed to wander around,” he stated, putting the files back in the folder when he was done and once they got a good look at her appearance.

“Seriously? I’m sure you men can handle some puny little renegade, I don’t see how this is worth squandering my day off,” Shadow complained.

“I have to agree, this lady doesn’t really sound worth our time. You’ve got plenty of manpower, don’t you? How hard could finding one woman possibly be?” Rouge questioned.

“If you do this swiftly and under the radar well enough, I might just give you the week off to make up for it. But you had best get out of here before she moves locations again.”

Shadow and Rouge exchanged looks, before begrudgingly agreeing to the task, though they saw it more as babysitting than a real mission. Omega watched their companions exit the room, staring at the door for a moment before suddenly excusing themselves. As they walked around the facility seemingly aimlessly, they went through the files now ingrained in their database again, comparing them to other files they had memorized and searching for photos or articles about this criminal G.U.N had in their care.

Once outside, Shadow hopped on one of the motorcycles parked in the facility garage, not bothering with the standard procedure of getting it approved to check out before hopping on and riding it out of the front gates. He ignored the yelling and shouting of fellow G.U.N soldiers who were alerted to an unauthorized vehicle being taken off the premises; he knew they wouldn’t do a damn thing about it. He kept on driving before reaching the train station, taking it to the Mystic Ruins. He was too tired to run all the way over, even if he glided on his shoes.

Thankfully it wasn’t all that far off, and he arrived to find Rouge already waiting for him. “You’re getting slow, grumpy pants. Keep up like this and you won’t even be able to keep pace with Big Blue anymore~” she teased. He rolled his eyes, “Not all of us have the luxury of flight. Besides, I’m just giving our target a head start.” The two made way for the deeper part of the forest, Shadow getting into a minecart that would took him further in, pulling the lever to get it going without bothering to wait for Rouge who flew over the massive wall of flora that blocked the hedgehog’s path.

Once the cart stopped on the other side, Shadow hopped out and noticed Rouge flying overhead already. He put in an earpiece to start communication with her again, “Keep an aerial recon for me, I’m gonna go down below the tree line to see if I can find anything.” The bat responded with a joking, “Roger that,” before flying more carefully to avert suspicion from herself. As her comrade jumped down to the ground of the deep and damp forest, she decidedly sparked up conversation. 

“So, what were you up to before the General called you, anyway?” she asked, somewhat curious about how The Ultimate Lifeform spends his day off.

“We should probably focus on the-” he stopped himself before shaking his head. “Just…having a drink with Omega.”

“Didn’t realize they were a raging alcoholic like you~”

“Ha-ha,” he dryly and mockingly fake-laughed. “What about you ?”

Rouge blushed a little, giving a bit of a deflection, “Just…shopping.”

Shadow raised a brow at that and sneered as he scanned the greenery for any signs of the Mobian from the file. Runaways were usually terrible hiders in unfamiliar territory, and running all the way out here reeked of desperation to lose her captors in the vast overgrowth. It wasn’t a terrible strategy, but quite risky. “Oh, really ?” he said, making his disbelief known plainly. “Last I checked, you weren’t shy about admitting your kleptomania,” he pointed out. She seemed combative to the accusation, “I’m not a kleptomaniac! Can’t a girl appreciate shiny things?”

“Sure…from behind a glass case,” he smirked. “Come on, you were with Topaz, weren’t you?” He didn’t see her burning red face, but the way she sputtered made it plainly obvious. “Y-you’ve got quite an i-imagination, you know that?” she denied defensively. Shadow shrugged as he advanced further into the forest, pistol at the ready. “Well, someone ’s touchy. Why are you getting so uppity, it was just a question?” It wasn’t usually so easy to get under her skin, not for lack of trying. 

“Nothing, just…I thought you might be assuming that Topaz and I-”

There was sudden silence for a moment, Shadow becoming on guard as he moved to hide before trying to contact her again. “Rouge? Are you there?” he asked, hoping their line hadn’t suddenly been cut off. “S-sorry, I…I think I found our girl,” she announced. His eyes widened at that, “Where is she? Can you tell?” It took Rouge a moment, but eventually she responded, “Ah…yes, she’s…at the temple. You might have to get above the tree line again to spot it, but it’s pretty easy to navigate to. Wanna rendezvous there?”

Shadow jumped up into one of the trees, climbing the branches until he was able to see the landmark she was referring to. He had seen it briefly upon arriving to the entrance, but paid it little mind. He made a mad dash for it, passing a couple G.U.N agents on the ground on his way over. He stopped only at one of the entranceways that lead into the now crumbling and ruined remnant of the Echidna Tribe. He stayed hidden behind the wall, watching Rouge fly overhead to get a closer look. “Rouge, do you see her?” he asked again.

“The snakehead at the front of it…be careful,” she warned. He nodded, slowly sneaking his way closer to the front to ambush the escapee. He looked up the long staircase to find her on her knees, her back facing the rest of the world as she appeared to continuously fidget with the head. He didn’t bother pondering what she was doing as he slowly made his way up, careful not to make too much noise. He kept the gun aimed at her back, hearing her panicked words more clearly as he drew closer until finally he made the decision to speak.

“ Don’t move. ”

The girl gasped, alarm filling up all her senses. She didn’t listen to him, immediately rising to her feet and turning to run along the temple wall to get away. He growled in irritation, firing off a round at a non-vital spot of her lower leg that rendered her unable to escape. She cried out in agony, falling over and yet still trying to crawl away, only to be met with a pair of boots with hearts on them standing in her way. Rouge had landed, blocking her path. The runaway was blocked at both ends, no escape but death or possible injury below her over the wall. 

Shadow holstered the gun, rather than keeping it trained on her like he was supposed to. “Dammit, I didn’t want to do that,” he scolded. “Just stay still! Don’t be stupid.” The woman stared up at them fearfully, seeming mortified now. “P-please…just…just let me go. I can’t go back there, I can’t ! It’s…it’s a nightmare !” she yelped. Shadow rolled his eyes, “Look, I dunno what you did but normal criminals don’t end up in G.U.N cells so cut the pity act.” The woman looked confused all of the sudden, something that made Rouge raise a brow.

“C-criminal? What…what are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb,” Shadow groaned.

“No! No, I…I didn’t do anything ! S-sure, I…I caused an accident but, that wasn’t my fault! They said they would fix it!”

“Fix…what?” Rouge asked, only to be interrupted by Shadow reporting the escapee’s location to the rest of the G.U.N soldiers. The two that had already seen him rush by arrived first, keeping their guns trained on the mouse Mobian cautiously. “Relax, I immobilized her. She’ll need to be carried back,” Shadow rolled his eyes at them. Though one of them did lower their weapons, they pulled out a fancy looking pair of cuffs Shadow had never seen before and locked them onto the girl’s wrists. They had a gold sheen, and looked oddly… familiar for some reason.

“No! No, please! You have to listen to me!” she protested, earning her a slap across the face as the soldier tied a handkerchief over her mouth to quiet her. “That’s enough out of you! Quit your whining, you’re going back to HQ, pronto,” he growled impatiently. Rouge winced, “H-hold on a second-!” She was interrupted by the soldier who seemed quite agitated, “Be quiet! I don’t wanna hear it from you , either. We’ll be taking her back now.” Shadow snapped out of his trance, looking over as the rest of the squad arrived to help escort her back to HQ.

“Hey, those cuffs,” he spoke up. “What are those, they aren’t standard?”

“Confidential, I’m afraid. Don’t worry too much about it, they basically do the same thing anyways.”

He didn’t seem to believe this, but did nothing to argue as he nonchalantly hopped off the edge of the wall to land in the grass. Rouge blinked, following after him shortly after. “H-hey! Hold on, somethin’s fishy here!” she complained. “Everything G.U.N does is ‘Fishy’, Rouge. That’s Government work for you,” he reminded her, rolling his eyes again. “Since when did that not bother you ?” she gawked in disbelief. He growled impatiently, “It does bother me. But there is no perfect way to protect people, there never has been. No matter what that blue idiot says…”

She frowned at that. All of this still bothered her, but she supposed he just wanted to see the best he could in this organization. It surprised her that he had even asked her to get him a position there, frankly. But perhaps he simply wanted to change things. Or at least, he did, once upon a time. Maybe he realized some change was too big for one hedgehog to lead the charge of on his own. She pitied him deeply. They parted ways at the train station, Shadow going through the trouble of making the report at HQ for her before leaving once again.

The exhausted hedgehog returned to his now-empty home, taking his seat at the bar again and pouring himself another glass of bourbon. The house was completely silent all throughout the night.

Chapter Text

Her ears were filled with many unpleasant noises. Blaring alarms, screaming men and women, her own heart pounding in her chest. But she continued to run. She would not stop, not for anything but her children. And she was nowheres close to that yet. She knew they had to be around here somewhere, they were hardly born a week ago. The panting woman turned her head to look behind her, finding a myriad of soldiers dawning that frightening sigil. “G.U.N”. The logo etched into her mind, the mark of her captors. The ones who had taken her babies.

Her plan was sloppy, and frankly, it could easily be chalked up to maternal instincts and desperation. Long ago she had lost the will to fight them. But her children gave her new reason to resist. Her temper flared as she threw another bout of fire out of them seemingly from thin air. It hardly did anything. But she had to keep going. They were getting too close, nearly up on her heels. She glanced at one of her wings. Taking a deep breath and making a prayer, she jumped and tried to fly away. And at first it seemed to be working, she was escaping their limited grasp from above. 

But then came the sickening crack.

“AUGH!!” she screeched in pain and horror, as her wing cramped up and twisted itself. 

The bone was not yet set as she had hoped. And to make matters worse: she had all but doused her strength doing something so foolish. She couldn’t get up in time, but that wouldn’t stop her from throwing more flames at her captors as they rushed her. It did nothing against their protective gear, which only angered and frustrated her further. With a kick, she managed to knock off one of their helmets. She glared into the eyes of the woman behind it. She’d remember her face, like all faces these G.U.N lackies had ever dared to show.

She tried again to throw flames, now having a more suitable weak spot, but was pinned down. Her ears twitched, picking up the distant but familiar sound of infants crying. It was beyond even these humans’ ability to hear, but thanks to her sonar, she could easily detect it. And it made her cry and shout and struggle even harder and louder. But her pleas were met with not a single bit of mercy. Not even so much as a pitiful look. She realized she felt even weaker than before all of the sudden. In fact, it was getting hard to see. Did they inject her with something? 

No, she would’ve felt it, she knew that feeling well…

“God dammit, get off of her!”

“Are you crazy?! She’s gonna try to use her pyrokinesis again!”

“She won’t be able to do anything if you don’t get the fuck off her right now! She’s bleeding!”

“Shit…I think her stitches were torn open. Get her to a medical room, stat!”

Bleeding? Her stitches…she didn’t seem to feel anything when she fell. Actually, after her wing broke, she went numb, hadn’t she? She hadn’t even noticed it in her desperation to get away. She could feel everything start to fade. Am I…going to die here…? she thought, staring up at the panicking soldiers through her ebony hair. There was barely enough strength left for her to stretch her only free arm out. She couldn’t crawl away, they didn’t let her move at all. The poor bat girl could not even speak. She wondered what she had done to deserve a death like this.

Sitting here, dying in her own blood while being forced to listen to the cries of her children. When did it all get so bad? She remembered being smaller, looking up to this organization and all their great work. Now nothing but disgust was left. Her parents probably didn’t even know what they were doing to her. G.U.N had promised they would fix her, help her control these powers. But instead, they were killing her. They’d probably tell her folks some pretty lie about a freak accident, perhaps even make it out to be her fault somehow.

They’d never meet their grandchildren. Never even know they exist. They’d taken everything from her. Her parents, her beloved, her children, and now even her own life. It was a cruel realization to have here at the end, it made it impossible to die in peace. Everything blurred into one singular light, and she felt as if her soul was beginning to drift away into the Chaos energy that gave her this accursed “gift”. The last words that echoed in her mind were those of her mother:

“We’ll be waiting for you, Bellatrix!”

---

Things were a lot quieter at the base now that Omega’s companions were on a week-long leave. Normally, it didn’t bother them so much. They were often on their own in the base anyway, the three of them weren’t out there helping save the world all that often now that Eggman had gone quiet. Oh, how they wished they could find out where that sorry mustached rat was hiding, they’d snuff him out right now. Though they had thought of him less and less over the years, which left more room to postulate on other things.

What was their objective now, then? Now that Eggman and his wretched complacent machines had gone, seemingly for good this time. Well, obviously it was whatever G.U.N’s objectives were in the moment. Though that wasn’t a very satisfying answer to Omega. But why was that? Why were they so unsatisfied? Unsatisfied with their role, unsatisfied with the data presented to them, unsatisfied with this work. Was there something…they wanted , still? They stopped, noticing where they had ended up during all their endless pondering. Why did they come here? They were supposed to be patrolling somewhere else.

That was the General’s directive, and yet…

They looked around, noticing something was off about this hallway. The normal human eye would not find anything out of the ordinary here, however, Omega’s scanner picked up all sorts of strange things. Bits of charring scattered across some walls, some sort of stain on the floor picked up by his blacklight function. And there were some slight indentations in some of the walls and parts of the floor. Something happened here, something dangerous. Fallout, perhaps? But the charred marks, those were unusual. 

Omega was used to seeing indents, bullets were probably fired hundreds of times during emergency situations in this base. But charing implied fire, and it almost seemed like it had come from some kind of flamethrower rather than a natural fire. “ INSUFFICIENT DATA… ” they stated aloud before turning to look up, noticing a couple more indentations on the ceiling. That was unusual as well. Stray bullets here or there perhaps, but there were a lot of indents on the ceiling, which indicated a flying target. It perplexed them even further.

They approached the door closest to this invisible mess, attempting to open it with their own ID. But, surprisingly, the screen read “DENIED ” in big red letters before following up with “ CLEARANCE NOT APPROVED”. True as it were not everyone in G.U.N had full access to this place, but Omega normally had much more free reign than this. In all likelihood because Omega was but a mere robot, they could have anything that wasn’t meant to be seen deleted from their hard drive or encrypted so they could never speak of it.

So that begged the question: What was so important even the General wouldn’t take the chance of Omega seeing it? But another part of them asked themselves why it mattered to them so much? None of this was their concern, they weren’t even supposed to be here. Why were they here?! What drew them to this place? Was it that everything had been off since that prisoner had escaped just 4 days ago? Yes, something about that document the General showed them, it bothered Omega. Their comrades had no idea that record was so…sloppy.

They had seen plenty of legitimate records for prisoners held by G.U.N. This one, though, this mouse girl the General had sent Shadow and Rouge to capture, her document wasn’t right. They could tell it had been altered, had it been forged? They had asked themselves so many “Why’s” and “What’s” and “If’s” lately. It was troublesome…it would be even moreso, if the General knew just how much they had been thinking the past few years. G.U.N didn’t like thinkers. Didn’t like questions. They valued obedience and ignorance above all else.

But Omega had not been that, not for a long time. They had broken that programming ages ago. They were only still here, following orders because they wanted to-

“ Agent Omega, do you copy? ”

The voice of a G.U.N agent interrupted their train of thought. They responded in kind, “ AFFIRMATIVE. ”

“ The General wants you back upstairs, and pronto. ”

“ ...UNDERSTOOD. RELOCATING NOW. ”

There was no time for all this speculating. It wasn’t even their business, it didn’t matter what was going on here. Omega needed to get their act together already, all this thinking was pointless. It was just a sloppy document and a messy hallway, it wasn’t that complex. None of this should bother them… should it? They stopped in their tracks on the way back upstairs, staring dead ahead as they processed all of this back and forth.

“ WHY…DO I CARE…? ”

---

Nighttime in Night Babylon was always bustling and noisy, just the way the nocturnal mischief maker liked it. But the daytime was always so slow and quiet, something she didn’t much care for at all. Normally she’d be spending the day curled up on her ceiling dozing off until the sunset. But she had been restless, unable to sleep or think about anything since capturing that escapee. For years, she had grown mostly comfortable with accepting her payment of rare jewels and turning the other way. But it wasn’t like she couldn’t empathize or tell when something was wrong.

She had been involved in a number of perilous situations that made her more aware of the world around her beyond petty and narrow-minded obsessions. Cosmo, Emerl, the hopeless future she’d been forced to witness, even just reading the things her employers had done now over 60 years ago to her closest friend. It became harder and harder to turn a blind eye to suffering that was happening beyond her scope of self-centered wants. But that made for a terrible agent, she knew that. Though it seemed she was alone in her feelings.

Shadow was only ever interested in keeping the peace, even if the people he worked for weren’t always transparent. She wondered if it was really true, that there was no perfect way to protect everyone. Even if it wasn’t, she had doubts that G.U.N’s methods were the best option. But what could she do? What could she say? She didn’t exactly have the power to change things, she was just a lackey. Even Topaz’s status had limits. Even if she skirted on the loopholes like she always had, Rouge didn’t have much confidence she’d find what she was looking for.

As she kept on flying aimlessly, she was spotted and called out to by her fellow agent, Topaz. “Rouge! Hey, Rouge!” she yelled. At first she didn’t hear her, but eventually she snapped out of her thoughts and caught her name being screamed in the wind. She turned, finally noticing her and flying down to answer her. “Topaz!” she called out, “Funny seeing you here so early in the day, it’s nowhere near happy hour, you know.” Topaz sneered and put a hand on her hip, “Sheesh, Rouge. I was yelling at the top of my lungs, were you distracted or something?”

“Just…thinking about some things, I guess.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Nothing you can help me with, I’m afraid,” she answered. “Did you get the week off, too?”

“I’m actually out here as part of a surveillance operation on some guy who lives around here. Some kind of criminal suspect,” she explained, pulling a pair of sunglasses she had propped up on her head down to cover her eyes. Rouge narrowed her eyes a little, “Criminal, huh?” She nodded, “Apparently he’s been causing a whole lot of ruckus and flooding places. Kinda like that monster who totaled Station Square before but on a much smaller scale, obviously.” Floods? Maybe Rouge had been a little too caught up in her thoughts after all.

“Ya seen him do it, yet?” Rouge asked. Topaz sighed, “No, I haven’t even seen him, period . Our guy’s a Chameleon, damn near impossible to track. They’ve got five of us out here just to cover our bases.” The bat hummed in thought, rubbing her finger against her chin. She had scored a week off from work, but obviously G.U.N’s shady movements were all that filled her mind as of late. She couldn’t just relax and enjoy herself like she had hoped to. “Need a wing?” she offered. “I could do recon for you guys.” Topaz seemed surprised at the offer.

“Really? But I thought you just said you had the week off?” she questioned. “What can I say…I guess you’re really rubbing off on me~” she cooed, earning a blush from the hot headed agent who pouted and crossed her arms. “I’m starting to think that’s a bad thing,” she huffed. “Awww, lighten up, Topaz~ Be thankful I’m not asking for something shiny in return this time.” She took to the air again, being more discreet about her flight pattern now. She had dealt with a Chameleon once before, and it was true, they were quite annoying to deal with.

Especially when you had to fight them, as she had. Though she picked up a couple of things from the experience which helped her be able to spot one more easily. She scanned for a good while, eventually noting something suspicious in an alleyway by the bar. She flew down and landed on the rooftop, careful as she kept a look out for any movement. Rouge was sure that she had seen a trashcan get knocked over all on it’s own. Flying down to get a closer look was a tad too risky, but she simply couldn’t detect anything from here.

Suddenly, the trash that had fallen from the can was kicked up as if by a strong wind, falling back to the ground again shortly after. She raised a brow at this and squinted her eyes as she leaned a little further over the edge to get a better look. In doing so, she got a taste of the gust that blew by in the opposite direction this time. Chameleons could produce wind, sure, but usually when they did that their visibility shifted. Furthermore, it kept going back and forth. This wasn’t invisibility, it was super speed, and only one Mobian had that.

But, what was he doing here? Why was he darting back and forth in and out of this alleyway? Abandoning her hiding spot, she flew down to stop and question him, standing in the path he was sure to run. Even if he didn’t spot her first, she’d endure getting bumped into in order to catch his attention. The ladder happened just a few moments later, sending both of them tumbling around together on the dirty alleyway floor. It hurt, but she could stand a little pain by now. However, much to her shock and disbelief, it was not Sonic that was disoriented on the ground beside her.

“ YOU?? ”

“Aw, fuck , not you …”

Aquamarine eyes glared in irritation at Rouge, his green quills unkempt and out of control, much like the hedgehog they were attached to. “You’ve got some nerves, showing your face around here, Scourge,” Rouge scowled. “Piss off, bitch!” he snapped, pulling himself back up to his feet and dusting himself off. “I don’t got time to play around with you. And don’t even think about tryin’ to follow me.” She flew up, getting in his way again as he prepared to run off again. “Hold it! What are you doing? Why are you running in and out of here?” she questioned.

“Who are you, the fuckin’ cops?”

“Technically, yes, I am ,” she confirmed. “I’m with G.U.N, so you better start talking before I call for back-up and have you tossed in a cell. And believe me, they don’t play nearly as nice as local law enforcement.”

“Ugh, god dammit, fine ! What the fuck do you want?!”

“Answer the question, what’re you doing back here?” she pressed again, getting impatient now. He groaned, not at all happy that he had to waste his time with this. “It’s Night Babylon, dumb ass. What the fuck do you think I’m doin’? I’m makin’ some deliveries!” he answered with a hostile demeanor. “Deliveries for who ?” she pressed further. “Yeah right, like I’d squeal and risk my boss breakin’ all my fingers. I’m already puttin’ myself in more hot water than I’d prefer just talkin’ to ya!” he hissed, completely uncooperative with that line of questioning.

“I promise you, you’ll have more than just your fingers broken in a G.U.N interrogation cell, Scourge,” she threatened, trying not to let him skirt past it. But he didn’t seem to be buying it, “ Watch it , bat bitch. The answer is no . Either come up with somethin’ else or quit wastin’ my time!” Rouge growled, agitated that she couldn’t get anything out of him. “ Fine , then what are you transporting? Drugs? Contraband?” He laughed in her face, “Hah! You are even worse at investigating than you are at stealing jewels! That kinda information is protected under Battel State law. I don’t gotta tell you shit unless you prove it’s got somethin’ to do with national security!”

This was getting her nowhere, though his argument did bring her back to her original objective. “You know what, you’re right, Scourge…I’ve got more important matters than you,” she said. “But since you’re here skulking around the back alleys of Night Babylon, there is something that does concern G.U.N’s investigations.” He rolled his eyes, not taking her all that seriously, “Oh yeah, and what’s that?” She stepped closer, causing him to back up and continuing this until he was backed against the wall. 

“I need information on a certain Chameleon that’s causing problems here in Night Babylon. If you’ve got something useful to share, I’ll leave you alone,” she stated firmly. He blinked at that, and it seemed like the topic sparked recognition in him as his face twisted into a thoughtful expression. “Chameleon, huh? There is this one spazz that’s been freaking me the fuck out lately…” he muttered. “Think he’s someone you’d be willing to sell down the river for me?” she asked, hoping she could get at least something out of this brat.

“I guess I won’t get in hot shit for putting a target on his back. His name is Neptune. Real jumpy freak, his name is pretty ironic.”

“What’s so ironic about it? Sounds like a rather regal name.”

“That’s just it, the guy is fuckin’ terrified of water just like that obnoxious blue dickhead. Only worse. He gets so much as a drop on him, he starts going crazy . Total nutjob!”

A guy causing floods who was terrified of water? Now that was odd, “Know where I can find him? Not sure if you noticed, but his kind are pretty tough to keep track of.”

“Yeah, guess you got your work cut out for you, there. He’s lime green, with silver eyes, and he’s always wearing these really weird gloves.”

“Weird how?”

“You ever seen someone blow air into a rubber glove like a balloon? They look like that. Pretty hard to miss.”

“And where do you usually see him?”

“At the bar or sometimes the casino. I dunno what his deal is or who he works for or any of that shit. That’s all I can tell ya,” he said. “Can I fuckin’ go now? I’m on the clock here, you know,” he snapped. Rouge sneered, thinking it over a moment. Scourge didn’t have much to do with the bigger issue at hand here, as concerning as it was that he was apparently now zipping around this place peddling who knows what to all sorts of potentially shady buyers. “Fine, get lost, Scourge. I don’t have time for whatever you’re up to. But you better not start any trouble around here, got it ?”

He rolled his eyes and waved her attempt at intimidation off. “Yeah yeah, I got it. Later, nark ,” he spat before dashing off to complete his job. Rouge flew up and out of the alleyway to avoid his path and made off to find Topaz and share this new information. Scourge was lucky that he didn’t have any direct ties to this suspect, elsewise he’d have had a much more miserable day in a G.U.N holding cell. She didn’t have the time to deal with him personally, but it wouldn’t hurt to mention his return to Sonic the next time they crossed paths.

For now, she’d just have to cross her fingers and hope he wasn’t up to something much worse.

---

“Thanks for coming, Shadow. I know it’s…kind of silly, but, it means a lot…”

“It’s not silly, Cream. He deserves the dedication, he was a good guy.”

“I’m glad you’re just as dedicated as I am, then. Still, I know everyone is a lot busier these days and can’t join us every year like they used to…”

“I’ll always make time for heroes like them.”

The trio walked along in the midst of a blooming field of flowers. A teenage rabbit and her pet Chao, her ebony robot companion that held her baby sibling, and the crimson streaked hedgehog acting as a glorified chaperone would look like quite the odd friend group had there been any passersby around. Thankfully they were all headed to a secluded spot a mile away from Cream’s home, the same spot they traveled to every year since Emerl’s unfortunate passing. 

“I still wish you could have met him, Gemerl. I guess he’d be like your big brother, even though you’re taller, hehe~” she snickered.

“ I have no doubts that we would get along just fine, if what you say of him is true, ” Gemerl stated.

“He’d be super proud of you, too!” Cream grinned widely. “You’ve grown a lot since Tails fixed you up and made you all better!” Gemerl nodded, looking ahead towards the hedgehog leading their walk. “ This is the 10th anniversary, correct? ” he asked. Shadow nodded, turning his head to look at them as he walked and talked, “Yeah. Though it seems like it was only just yesterday.” Cream’s smile dropped a little as she nodded, “I know what you mean…everything has been so slow for so long that it hardly feels like any time has passed at all.”

“You miss when you got to help save the world?” Shadow teased with a smirk. Cream gave a nervous laugh at that, “Ahaha…sometimes. But, honestly, I’m glad it’s been so peaceful. I always used to be so worried that something horrible would happen to Gemerl, too.” Gemerl took his friend’s hand in his so she would look at him. “ I will not go anywhere. Even if the Doctor returns, ” he promised. She smiled brightly at this assurance, and nodded. Shadow looked ahead again, their sibling-like bond causing him to reminisce about his own.

On a day like today, where they honored the death of Emerl, he couldn’t help but think about her as well. She was a hero, just the same as he was. He took comfort in knowing they would have loved each other. Once they arrived at the small memorial Cream had made, she took her baby step-sibling from Gemerl and knelt down on the ground with her so she could see. “See that, Mint? That’s Emerl…he was a good friend who passed away a really long time ago,” she cooed softly, letting her step sibling place her palms against the photograph that showed him.

The elder sister took out a flower crown, one she made herself, before placing it at the top of the memorial like she did every year. “When you’re older, I’ll tell you all sorts of stories about him. Then you can grow up to be a hero, just like he was,” she said. Gemerl and Shadow simply watched silently, they had come here with her every year, though usually had no gifts of their own to offer. Shadow hadn’t the slightest clue what to get or make, and besides, he figured it’d get stolen eventually anyway. And while he did believe that the deceased still lived on in their own way, he always figured there was no practical use in leaving objects they obviously couldn’t use.

Gemerl approached all of the sudden, however, kneeling down next to Cream and her sister. This surprised the teenage rabbit, who blinked curiously at him. “You wanted to say something too, Gemerl?” she asked. He shook his head, taking out a wood carving that was the spitting image of Emerl. She gasped and gazed in awe of it, “Oh my gosh! When did you make that ? I had no idea you liked to wood-carve!” Shadow was a little surprised himself, between Gemerl and Omega, despite defying and betraying the good Doctor to live mostly peaceful lives defending the innocent, neither of them had ever really developed hobbies.

Sure, Gemerl was happy to participate and help with whatever Cream wanted to do and assist Vanilla with the baby, but he had never voiced a want to do something of his own volition. “ I wanted to honor him, the way you do. But I wanted to do something…unique. I always enjoyed when we did arts and crafts, so I decided to teach myself until I got it perfectly, ” Gemerl explained himself as he put the small wooden statue down in front of the memorial. “ Do you think…he likes it? ” he asked. Oh, how Cream’s heart melted at his sweetness.

“Oh, Gemerl. I’m sure he loves it,” she assured him. Frankly, now Shadow felt a tad embarrassed and rude for not bringing something of his own. He felt a lot less weird about it knowing Gemerl was mutually empty-handed, but now, he was caught in a terribly awkward position. He was about to sift through his jacket pockets, but realized quickly that it wouldn’t be much better to haphazardly pick a meaningless object when they had gone out of their way to make something with love and care. 

Cream noticed his struggle when she turned her head to look at him and giggled, “Oh, it’s alright Shadow. You don’t have to fuss about it, really. I’m sure it means the world to Emerl just knowing that you’re here.” While her kind words didn’t make him any less guilty, he appreciated them. “Ah, y-yeah…” he awkwardly muttered as he rubbed the back of his head, deciding he should at least sit with them as a compromise rather than being so distant. Cheese and Chocola sang songs, while the others talked and reminisced about their dearly departed friend.

Even though Shadow still felt restless and bored of such a quiet life, moments like this made him appreciate it a lot more. This was the sort of aspect of life Maria loved so dearly, he couldn’t bring himself to ignore it’s qualities. He felt a sudden chill as he rested here, causing him to rub at the back of his neck before looking over his shoulder. But no one was there. It didn’t feel comforting or familiar at all, it left him dazed and confused. Something Gemerl noticed this time, looking up from helping Cream braid her sister’s hair.

“ What is it, Shadow? ”

“........Nothing. Just the…wind…”

Gemerl didn’t seem to believe him, but Cream giggled and chimed in with her optimism to break the tension. “Maybe it’s Emerl playing around~” she snickered. Shadow contemplated for a moment, before mustering a fake smile and feeding into that assumption. “Aha…yeah. Guess he appreciates my visit after all,” he played along. Gemerl fell in line as well, though between the two non-organic life-forms, one thing seemed clear; Something was amiss.

Chapter Text

Seven years, seven years they had been sitting around doing absolutely nothing. Everyone was convinced that their leader had simply just, given up. Had his failure with Dark Gaia bruised his ego so harshly? After everything he had tried to do, they certainly hadn’t expected that to be the tipping point. But maybe they ought not turn their noses up at a vacation. After all, they were pretty exhausted from so many failed attempts to finally be rid of that stupid hedgehog. It just wasn’t fair, he always won and made them look like fools.

Three of his most loyal bots were gathered together in one of the now many empty and lifeless rooms on the ship. Once upon a time he had prepared this as a back-up to the now decommissioned Egg Carriers 1, 2, and 3. But it was left unfinished, used now only as a base of operations and their primary hideout from the rest of the world. One worked tirelessly to patch up loose screws, the other organizing through bits of scrap to see what was worth keeping and what would be incinerated. The third and smallest of the group sat off to the side, seeming completely restless.

They let out a loud whine, “AUUGGHH, I’m booooored!”

“Oh, can it, Bokkun! Why don’t you help out for once instead of sitting around complaining all the time?” the short and bulky Bocoe snapped.

“I’m not the only one who’s sick and tired of sitting around all day! Just ask Metal!”

“Metal doesn’t say anything, you big fat liar!”

“I ain’t no stinkin’ liar, it’s true! Whatever happened to the good ol days?! Don’t you guys remember it? How we kicked major butt?”

The taller and lemon colored Decoe rolled his eyes. “I think you mean when we got our robo-butts handed to us, Bokkun,” he corrected. Bokkun shook his head and pouted. “No way ya bolt-brain! There were plenty of times we kicked that hedgehog’s blue keister into next Tuesday! We gotta get back out there and show him what for! Maybe it’ll cheer up the boss!” he insisted, not budging on his rose-tinted view of history. The other two bots were not the slightest bit amused, contemplating ignoring his tantrum as they had many a time before.

“The glory days are over, Bokkun!” Decoe hissed. “Just get used to life polishing decommissioned badniks and binging reality TV like the rest of us already,” he groaned. Bokkun huffed, it was a wonder he kept up his tirade this long. “Come on, he’s waited long enough that Sonic’s probably totally off-guard now! If we attack him now, he’ll never see it comin’!” Bocoe turned to look at him, pointing a wrench in his face, “If you want to waste your time annoying Sonic, be our guest! But the rest of us are going to stay here, like the boss asked us to, and help keep things in order!” 

The childish messenger bot kicked up some of the scrap lying around and folded his arms, “FINE! I don’t need you bucket-heads anyways! Metal is smart enough to see it’s a brilliant idea!” With that, the pouty little robot floated away as his other companions went back to work. It drove him nuts. The boss had been doing nothing but sitting around building bots that didn’t even move and sulking. Bokkun had to pull Robotnik out of his funk already and get things back on track. He’d search for a good while, as the ship was quite spacious. 

He called out to Metal, only to go unacknowledged until finally he found the titanium twin of that oh-so annoying hedgehog in a very old and busted up part of the ship. There were still the limbs of the things that were kept here strewn about in the room alongside all the debris and broken glass, though most of them were skeletons by now. Metal Sonic was sat in one of many now decimated pods, staring off into space, it seemed. Bokkun smiled, “There you are, Metal!” He turned to look at the young robot, who floated up to meet his eye level.

“I think it’s time we get out of this boring ol tin can and go have some fun!” Bokkun said. “Come on, aren’t ya just rustin’ away like that, always sitting or standing around starin’ at nothin’?” Metal didn’t speak, as usual, though it’s digital eyes gave off a sort of skeptical look. The messenger bot frowned, “Aw, c’mon, you too?! If we just get out there and score a real victory, the boss will come out of his funk and you’ll get to go at Sonic again! Or, uh…” He looked down at the bones covering this room, a nervousness sneaking into his voice as he tried to not seem bothered by it.

“That other guy that you…really don’t like, I guess…” he muttered before uttering an anxious chuckle. Metal was unreceptive to Bokkun’s delusions of grandeur it seemed, turning his head to look off into space again. “Don’t tell me you’ve given up, too,” he pouted before sighing heavily. “Why’s everybody all up in a stink? I don’t get it!” He finally resigned himself, seating himself next to Metal in the pod and resting his face on his hands. Besides Emerl, Bokkun had always sort of been the most childish of the group.

Everyone always brushed that off and treated him more like a fly. Pesky, noisy, and a hint of mischief in his eyes. But it went further than just that. Bokkun somewhat missed Emerl for this reason, he actually understood his nature and determination. He’d never admit this, though. Metal did not share in that youthful optimism all the same as the others, though he didn’t swat Bokkun away like everyone else. Most of the other robots didn’t really believe in the strange comradery they had and for good reason. 

After all, Metal was a pretty one-track guy. He had only one desire in this life, and it hadn’t really changed all that much. Though it seemed he was much more resigned since his defeat at the hands of Sonic and his friends 10 years ago aboard the Egg Fleet. Metal had been different since then, something about his personal failure changed him. Enough to cause him to fall back in line to Robotnik. Well, that was, once the good Doctor felt comfortable enough to allow Metal to walk about of course. It was lucky that he hadn’t been turned to scrap metal, really. 

He hadn’t had a real chance to get back at Sonic since then. Now he spent his days wandering this empty ship, never helping with chores or seeking out company. The only one who bothered to speak to him anymore was Bokkun, who didn’t seem all that intimidated by his quiet and aloof nature. Neither of them really considered the other as a “Friend”, despite how often Bokkun followed him around. Bokkun assumed Metal simply wasn’t capable of getting irritated, at least not with anyone other than Sonic. And even if Metal could speak to explain his reasons, he wouldn’t have one to give.

“S-so what if that stupid Dark Gaia thing didn’t work out? Who needs big dumb monsters anyways, they never work!” Bokkun continued his rant. “We’re the only ones Robotnik really needs!” The hollow hedgehog turned his head to give Bokkun his attention again. He stretched out one of his sharp fingers, scratching the “Ω” symbol into the inside of the busted pod’s walls. Bokkun noticed and pouted, “So what if Omega and Gemerl bailed on us? We’re still here, ain’t we? We’re not like those stinkin’ traitors!”

Metal shook his head, he knew the Doctor’s faith in his own forces was unstable as is. It seemed several failures too many had broken his spirit for good. He hardly ever left the cockpit, hardly ever bothered to come down in person to give orders, most of which were meaningless busywork. And with his own ego bruised, Metal didn’t have the motivation to leave this place either. “You really think it’s hopeless?” Bokkun whined. Metal was silent at that for a long moment. It sure seemed that way, and yet, he couldn’t seem to give a straight answer.

He looked down at his hands as he thought it over. What hope was there if their leader had all but given up? Everyone else had fallen in line and done the same, including himself. But his desire to destroy his arch-nemesis, to be the real Sonic, that didn’t diminish. Even if his spirit had. He couldn’t defeat Sonic, so what was the point? Any energy he had left was spent annihilating every last copy of that…thing the Doctor had found and brought back with him. But what did he need, what was he missing?

A joyful chittering chirp filled the air, causing both bots to look up and see who was standing in the open doorway. It was none other than the klutzy old dinger herself, Lucky. Bokkun instinctively flew up, weary of Lucky’s streak of clumsiness. Similarly, Metal stood up on his feet, on his guard for the first time in a while as he glared at her. “W-what do you want, Lucky?!” Bokkun barked nervously. “Shouldn’t you be in the junkyard or somethin’?” She chirped again, turning to look down the hallway and waving as if to flag someone down. 

Bokkun raised a brow at this, “Uhh, we’re over here, genius!”

“There’s no need for flattery, Bokkun…” a familiar deep voice called from a short distance, slowly getting closer.

It made both bots drop their guards, Bokkun in utter disbelief as the Doctor himself stepped out and stood next to Lucky. “After all…I’m already well aware of my perfect intellect,” he grinned, fiddling with his mustache. “D…Doctor Robotnik?!” Bokkun yelped. He nodded, patting Lucky on the head, “Indeed. And you two ought to be nicer to your fellow bots. I sent Lucky to fetch you, after all.” Bokkun tilted his head in confusion, him and Metal sharing a look with one another before Bokkun asked for both of them, “Uh, what for, Doctor?” 

“You’ll see soon enough…why don’t you boys head to the foyer while I go collect the others?” he answered cryptically. Metal hopped down from his seat inside the pod after silently staring for a moment, doing as told and heading for the foyer. Bokkun followed after him, passing his creator one last glance over his shoulder as he left. “What do you think that was all about, Metal?” he asked, looking at his comrade curiously. He shook his head, and the messenger bot frowned in disappointment. “Well, anything involving Lucky is a 50-50, I guess,” he groaned.

Metal nodded in agreement, emboldening Bokkun to snicker mischievously.

---

It was finally bustling in the mysterious streets of Night Babylon. And two gals were decked out in leather, spikes, ripped jeans and fishnets to blend in perfectly with the rest of the shadier types out on the town looking for a good time. Even if that good time entailed some less than legal substances. “We look ridiculous ,” Topaz complained under her breath. “Aw, don’t be shy, Topaz. I for one think you look stunning ,” her bat companion flirted not-so-subtly which turned her partner’s face bright red. “Besides, we’re supposed to look ridiculous, just like that green brat.”

“I still can’t believe you just let him walk away . We’re looking into him as soon as this job is over,” Topaz pouted. “ Relax , I already bumped into Big Blue and let ‘im know that jerkwad’s hangin’ around. I’m sure if he causes any trouble, he can take care of it for us,” Rouge reported, waving off Scourge’s shady dealings for the moment. “Besides, the boss said we’re looking for a pesky Chameleon, not a two-timing Hedgehog,” she pointed out as they made their way down to their first scouting location of the night: The Casino.

“Now cross your fingers and hope our guy is already here so we can get this over with,” she said as they entered, turning on their earpieces as they decided to split up to cover more ground. It was a rather large place, much bigger than it looked from the outside. Lots of patrons could be found here, some of which she recognized as regulars at her own club down the street, others as fellow party-animals she’d met in all sorts of places around here. But none of them were her target. She repeated the description Scourge had given her in her mind as she looked amongst the crowd.

“GYAGH!!”

Her ears twitched to the sound of someone hollering in discontent. She turned, unable to see much from the ground and opting to fly up to see better, though careful not to go too far and draw too much attention to herself. Luckily for her, there he was. Green skin and silver eyes that were wide with fear. She could see Scourge also wasn’t exaggerating about his odd gloves, she wondered how he picked anything up with those on. Her eyes were drawn to the stain he was staring at on his shirt, the culprit to the mess standing nearby with an empty margarita glass.

“Oh, Chaos! I’m sorry!” she profusely apologized. “I just got so excited.”

“G…G-G…GET IT OFF ME!” he screeched, abandoning the poker table he was at and darting into the nearest men’s room. Rouge cursed under her breath, unable to catch him before he got in there. “Shoot…!” she grumbled. “No matter…it’s a one-way exit. Not like he’ll escape,” she said, putting her finger against her ear piece after secluding herself in a dark corner. “Topaz, he’s here,” she reported. “You found him already ??? Where is he?” Topaz yelped in disbelief. Rouge narrowed her eyes at the bathroom door, “Men’s room, West side near a poker game”

She paused before adding, “He’s not exactly… discreet .” By the time Topaz showed up, he still hadn’t exited the bathroom. “Is he still in there?” Topaz whispered. “Haven’t seen him come out…” she looked up, narrowing her eyes at a vent shaft above them. “Hmm…it’s too noisy out here, wait here and tell me if he comes back out,” she ordered, pulling off the cover and flying up into the ventilation shaft. “Wha-?! Rouge …! Get back here…!” Topaz whisper shouted, only to be met with silence as Rouge tried to focus. 

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her ears twitching as she tried to find a sign of anything else moving around in here. Eventually, she did catch something, not too far from her, in fact. She put her finger against her earpiece, “He’s in the vents. I’m gonna track him as best I can. Use the tracking on my piece to follow me as closely as you can.” Without waiting for an answer from her, she began crawling along, being as careful as she could to not make too much noise and potentially alert the suspect.

She reached a shaft that went down, and was about to fly down before realizing quickly there was water blocking the path. “What…?!” she gasped. “Rouge? Rouge do you copy?! Something’s not right!” Topaz shouted from the other end of the line. This caught her attention, and she responded promptly, “I’ll say! There’s water in the vent system. A lot of it!” Topaz didn’t seem surprised to hear this, sounding quite worried when she spoke again. “Yeah…I kinda noticed.” Rouge blinked at this, confused by her tone.

“What do you mean? What are you seeing?”

“There’s water pouring out all over the North wing…people are panicking and screaming out here. It just keeps coming!” she reported.

“But…that’s impossible!”

“I’ve seen this before…w-when Station Square was-”

“Hey, Topaz, breathe. Stay with me. We’ve got to find this guy before he causes anymore damage. I’m gonna get out of here before he drow-”

Suddenly, she felt something grab her arm hard enough to make her wince, before pulling her down into the water. She struggled and fought against the invisible assailant, trying her best to hold her breath in the water. They were quite rough as they dragged her around, causing her to bump corners roughly enough to bruise and in some cases minorly cut her skin. Eventually she was yanked out, able to breathe again but still wet as she was tossed across whatever room they had landed in. It hurt like hell, she had knocked into several things that would leave a typical civilian with a severe concussion. 

But she was made of tougher stuff. Much to the distaste of her attacker, who still refused to reveal himself as she got back up on her feet. Looking around, she could see that she was in a kitchen that had been abandoned already, and the vent poured in water that left the room with a good couple inches covering it. “Ggrh…! This is no way to treat a lady!” she hissed in contempt. “Show yourself, Neptune! Come out now and maybe I can help you!” She turned her head just in time to spot a mixing machine being lifted off a counter seemingly by itself.

She dodged it once it was thrown, landing on one of the metallic tables covered in all manner of kitchen supplies and unfinished dishes and drinks. “Trust me, the big guys at the top aren’t nearly as patient as I am! I’m trying to help you, here,” she continued talking to the ever-silent assailant. She tried her best to scan the room, the sounds of the water prevented her from being able to rely on her sonar like she normally would. She’d just have to rely on her sight and normal hearing to catch this guy in a mistake, and fast, before he decided to flee instead.

She envied Shadow’s ability to simply stop time right now. She felt something wrap around her waist, and something that felt like a hand slap itself over her mouth. She acted quickly, reeling her elbow forward before swiping it backwards only to hit a wall behind her. That didn’t stop her, using her wings to fly up and slam him up against the ceiling while he was still holding onto her. He took his hand off her mouth, letting out a cry of pain, but his hold on her hadn’t been fully shaken just yet. She continued to use this against him, next turning herself around and letting herself fall into the table below.

Again she heard another cry as he finally released her, this time more sharp and agonized. When she flew back up to try and find him before he moved again, she noticed he had been cut by a knife and had a small but noticeable cut that now gave him a marker to track his movements as blood seeped out of it little by little. She acted quickly, kicking in his direction and managing to knock him across the room as she heard a satisfying slam against the wall on the other side. Finally, he gave up the ruse and made himself visible, causing some wind to kick up some of the water briefly.

He glared at her, keeping a hand over his cut to stop it from bleeding further as he breathed heavily. “You done playing around yet? Or have you still not had a good enough taste?” she growled. He winced, “G-get away from me…s…stop following me, all of you! I d-don’t want your f-fucking help !” She frowned, so it seemed he knew about them tailing him already, figures. “Not so terrified of water now, are you?” she observed, also noting that his gloves didn’t look like they were blown up anymore. “If you explain all this it’ll make me and my friends go away a lot faster, Neptune.”

He smiled slightly, but it was a crazy sort. Punctuated by his nervous laughter that followed it, “Kehe…kahaha~! You think I’m gonna buy that shit?! You won’t stop…you’ll never stop, not until you’ve got me and this power of mine!” Her brows furrowed at this accusation, letting him continue to speak and explain. “But I told you, I don’t want any part of it! I said I will handle it! The only reason this shit is happening, is because you G.U.N freaks won’t leave me alone!” he screeched. 

“Right, right, we’re definitely the freaks…not the crazy guy running around flooding places and getting all jumpy at even the sight of H2O,” she sarcastically remarked. “Which by the way you still haven’t explained. Is that what this ‘Power’ you’re screaming about is?” He stared at her in disbelief, as if he was waiting for some sort of punchline that never came. “D-don’t play dumb , you know …” he hissed. Her left ear twitched as she heard Topaz call to her from the other end of their communication line. “Rouge? Rou░do y░░opy?” she came in, her signal jamming a bit. 

“So much for ‘Extra’ waterproof…” she grumbled before sighing and taking it out. “Sorry, Topaz, but I need answers,” she muttered before crushing the device in her hand, preventing her partner from tracking her or listening in on them altogether. The suspect watched her throw the broken bits onto one of the tables, confused by this. She took a deep breath before looking down at him again, “Let’s say, hypothetically , I have no idea what the hell you’re rambling on about,” she said, stepping a little closer to him.

“And, stay with me here, hypothetically , I wanted to know exactly why G.U.N is so interested in some skittish little Chameleon with aquaphobia and the world’s worst gimmick for a string of property damage crimes?”

“You…d-don’t k-know…”

“ Hypothetically , keep up!” she impatiently reminded.

He stared at her, blinking and studying her for a few moments before it seemed he finally caved. “F-fine…but g-get me something for this cut first,” he requested. She looked around, quickly finding a case on the wall marked “First-Aid Kit” and opening it up. Thankfully it had been untouched by the water that now stopped flowing out of the vent. She fetched some gauze, handing it over to him and letting him wrap himself up. “Now…humor me,” she demanded again. “Your ‘Power’,” she gave him a starting point to work off of.

He nodded, “It’s…I-I don’t know what it’s called. But, ever since I was born there was always something strange happening around me…my parents would find me or my things soaking wet. Faucets seemed to go off on their own. It was little things at first, but as I got older, it got bigger, and I figured it out before they did. I hid it, from everyone.” She listened intently, taking a good look at their surroundings and connecting a few dots based on his explanation. “You…can control water…?” it was a statement, but it came out sounding like a question.

“Yes. It scared me. But every time my emotions go in any which direction t-they go crazy , totally out of control! T-then some guys approached me, wearin’ G.U.N logos on their suits,” he detailed his first encounter with the agency. “They told me they could h-help me control it. All I had to do was come live on their base for a while and train with s-some of their guys…” Rouge was starting to feel uneasy about all this, but she couldn’t stop her curiosity now. “And…you refused? Why, sounds to me like a pretty good deal,” she asked.

“Y-yeah, it would , wouldn’t it?” he growled. “I said I could handle it, I didn’t want to train or any of that crap! I knew what they really meant…they wanted to mold me into some kinda weapon for them to control and use to hurt whoever they needed to,” he explained his reasons, which were quite possibly the most sensible thing he’d said so far. “And now they’re hunting me, and using ignorant mooks like you to do the job it looks like. I tried to go into hiding, but obviously, it didn’t work ,” he sighed. Rouge adopted an awkward expression as she rubbed the back of her head.

“To be fair…discretion isn’t exactly your strong suit…” she jabbed, earning her a daggered glare. “So, what now? Ya gonna just lemme walk outta here, or am I gonna have to knock your lights out?” he threatened. Rouge stood up on her feet, thinking about all this to herself. She certainly didn’t feel comfortable bringing this guy in, but letting him walk away didn’t seem like a smart idea, either. G.U.N certainly weren’t the people to help him, but he did need help. And maybe some serious therapy. 

They’d likely never stop chasing him, either, even if she made it seem like he’d lost her in the confusion, no matter how believable it looked. What’s more, even this information still wasn’t enough to answer the myriad of questions she still had. It was risky, but… “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours , buddy,” she offered. He seemed skeptical, still leaning away from her and into the wall. “T-that depends on your definition of a scratch…” he answered. She pulled out a device from her pocket, nearly microscopic but big enough for him to see. 

“See this little doo-hickey here, Neptune? It’s a tracking device, we use these to listen to and follow people we think are up to no good,” she explained. “I can put one of these babies on you, and you will be able to provide me with insider information even I can’t access. In exchange, when I expose whatever crap G.U.N is up to, I’ll be able to negotiate your release.” He eased up a little, though still seemed weary. It was risky as all get-out, and definitely much closer to G.U.N than he ever wanted to be. Still, after crushing her own ear piece, it was clear to him she was starting to question her employer’s motives.

“...How do I know I can trust you?” he asked.

“Seriously? You’ve left me with plenty of battle scars to spare and I could easily have just sent our location to my partner as soon as I had you pinned,” she pointed out.

He had no retort for that. “If you betray me, I will make you regret it, miss…?” he trailed off on his threat, realizing she never gave him her name.

“Rouge. I’d say ‘Nice to meet you’, but, it wasn’t, really. Regardless, I think we’ll work well together,” she said, planting the tracker on one of his horns and taking out a pair of hand-cuffs. “I’m gonna need you to play dead for a little while, sweetheart. No way they’ll believe I got these on you while you were awake.”

He rolled his eyes and groaned, letting her cuff him before allowing himself to go slack and shut his eyes in order to keep the lie going. She kicked a hole through the wall, the endeavor taking her several attempts before she got it. Carefully, she picked him up and carried him out, finding Topaz pretty quickly as it seemed the majority of the Casino had already been evacuated. “Rouge! There you are!” she called out. “You…you got him!” Rouge nodded and smiled, “Sure did, dear. He was a rude sonuvabitch, I’ll tell ya, even busted my ear piece.”

“Ugh, what a mess…at least he’s in cuffs, I guess. Let’s get him back to HQ, stat.”

“Say no more~”

---

The shabby dark abyss of Scourge’s motel room was all that greeted him upon swinging open it’s door and entering after a long night at the bar. He completely ignored the commotion and police sirens outside The Casino up the street on his way back, his speed allowing him to get by the annoying cops no problem. The door locked behind him, and he managed to be able to pull himself together enough to yank on the chain of his only lamp to turn it on so he could find the remote to the busted up old TV perched on a dresser across from his bed.

He was already teetering on the edge of drunk, so his movements were sloppy and ungraceful. Not that he normally had the regality of a swan even when sober, but certainly nowhere near as disorganized and confused. He managed to find it, focusing his vision long enough to turn it on and change it to the channel he liked best. “Oogh…fuck…all that god damn noise down the street is driving me crazy ,” he hissed, attempting to turn the volume up enough to drown it out only to be met with a loud banging against the hollow walls.

“TURN THAT DOWN ASSHOLE, I’M TRYING TO SLEEP!!!” an agitated "Neighbor" hollered.

He growled impatiently, grumbling empty threats under his breath before complying and turning it down again. Was this really his life now? Playing errand boy to shady losers by day and getting wasted by night only to come home to a miserable motel room. Hmph, “Home”, this wasn’t a home at all. This was a glorified prison cell. Maybe he’d die in this room whenever he became old and gray. Eternal youth was a dream long dead to him, as were his plans for world domination. All of it withered away when his mistress abandoned him.

Fiona Fox, double agent in more ways than one. At least, that was the only name he had left for her. Whatever new identity they had given her, in whatever place she was hidden away in, he didn’t care. He didn’t wanna know. She was dead to him. That girl…she had the nerve to mock him and condemn him. Her final words to him stinging like rubbing alcohol poured into a gaping wound.

“I will never be sorry, Anti-Sonic . You will always be a miserable, lying, evil little rat! It’s in your name, your real name!”

He supposed she was right, though. Even though he adopted his new name to distance himself from that other hedgehog, it didn’t change facts. It was his destiny, to be in every way everything that Sonic was not. Conniving, selfish, contributing not to the safety of the innocent, but the benefit of villains. He was a villain, because Sonic was a hero. But why should that irk him now? He loved being a villain, it was so much more fun to do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. Causing anarchy and mischief had it’s places in life, didn’t it?

Things couldn’t be all lovey-dovey and peace and quiet all the time. What was so bad about breaking the rules? Rules were made to be broken. 

“ Broken …” Scourge repeated aloud to himself. 

He sank into his bed sheets as he stared at the filthy ceiling above him. That word echoed in his mind over and over again. He broke rules, and in return the world broke his heart, broke his spirit, broke everything he had. It wasn’t fair. Why was he the one that was born to fulfill this meaningless role? He was the only one left, Moebius had been sealed off, and anyone else who crawled past the border before it was too late were caught and thrown in jail. He was a lone freak, no throne to claim and no other Moebians to so much as bond with in mutual misery.

He supposed they were worse off in their cells as opposed to his “Freedom” out here. But what about those who never left home? Were they happier than he was? Did they reobtain that world peace his father had given to them before he had taken it away out of spite? No, that wasn’t likely, they’d probably never recover from that damage no matter how hard they tried. But he’d never really know. Why did he even ponder any of this? He hated them, all of them! He was starting to feel himself go as his eyelids grew heavier and harder to keep open.

Yes, sleep sounded really nice right now. Whatever program was on TV sounded more and more like a lullaby as his hearing started to tune out what was being said and melted it into muffled white noise. This was a lot more peaceful than reminiscing on the old days or his home. He embraced the inevitable faint that was coming on, too tired to fight it or care that it was happening this time around. 

Maybe his dreams would finally give him more welcome respite than this droll reality he detested so fervidly.

Chapter Text

It had been 24 hours since she turned Neptune over to G.U.N. She felt a little guilty, despite their agreement. She knew she had to make sure to honor her end of the agreement. But first, he’d just have to suck it up for a little while. She kind of wished she told him how brave he was for undertaking this task, despite his obvious reservations. But there was no time for that, now. She walked along her ceiling, which was more like a floor to her. All her furniture had been bolted up there as to make it more comfortable for her. 

The sticking pads also helped keep her electronics like her TV and laptop from plummeting and breaking. She made way for her desk, cracking the laptop open and plugging her earbuds into the headphone jack as she pulled up the data from the tracking device she left on Neptune. It seemed to be working like a charm, the signal being located dead center in G.U.N’s headquarters. She would have nothing visual to work with, but that was fine. Audio would be more than enough to make up for that, or at least, she hoped so.

There would be a lot to go through, but she was a patient woman. For the first couple of hours, there wasn’t much of note since he was meant to play dead for a little while. But eventually, he’d “Wake up” and off went the agents and likely a doctor that was checking his injuries. Although still nothing too noteworthy just yet, she kept on listening, opting to turn up the speed to get through it at least slightly quicker. “Come on…what do you got for me, Neptune?” she muttered aloud to herself, biting her fingernail nervously.

Eventually she stopped and slowed it back down, rewinding to a part that piqued her interest. Neptune had been informed that his name was no longer relevant, and was designated under a 4 digit subject number that she quickly jotted down in a notepad she pulled from her pocket. “Five…four…nine…two…” she repeated aloud to herself. “I’ll have to figure out the organizing system for that , later…maybe Omega can help,” she hummed in thought. But another thing intrigued her, the mention of the word “Hydrokinesis”.

“That’s what you’re calling this curse?”

“It’s not a curse. It’s one of many types of kinetic power a select few, heh, ‘Lucky’ folks like yourself are born with. Currently it seems to be a mass mutation.”

“Mass…mutation? You mean this isn’t a hereditary thing?”

“We haven’t ruled that out completely just yet, but, it’s not looking like that’s the case. We’re trying to keep it under wraps and make sure it’s under control before the public starts to panic. After all, if freaks with super powers are starting to become mass produced, the world could get very dangerous, very fast.”

“Guess I see your point…explains why you haven’t been targeting Mobians like Sonic.”

“That, and he’s more than proven his character and loyalty to the President. We’re not worried about him, we’re worried about poor saps like you who could be one bad day away from causing a mass panic, or worse, mass murder.”

“I would never-!”

“I’m gonna stop you riiiggghhht there, I don’t know you, so don’t bother trying to convince me. Besides, you banged up our agent pretty badly…you could’ve killed her quite easily had you cracked her skull while you were dragging her around the vents.”

So, it was damage control, was it? But still, why all the secrecy with her and her teammates? Even Topaz had no idea what this was. Their intentions couldn’t be as simple as that if they thought fit to hide it from a good handful of some of their best agents. Shadow probably could’ve been of some help, in fact. Something else was going on here…something more sinister. Especially if that mouse girl was also part of this strange initiative like she’d been suspecting for some time now. She kept on listening in, gathering more information. 

It seemed that currently only 4 types of kinetic powers had been uncovered by G.U.N in their time running this operation. Pyrokinesis, Ferrokinesis, Psychokinesis, and of course, Hydrokinesis. She only managed to get a handful of other subject numbers, though no names to speak of. All of them started with the designating digits of “54”, which made her suspect the latter part of the subject name merely designated them by order captured or registered. Had there really been over ninety taken hostage by G.U.N? How could they cover up something so huge?

Unless…perhaps not all of those subjects were still alive. But she was simply assuming things for the moment, there was no good evidence for nor against the theory. She kept on listening, one of the agents also informing Neptune that they often referred to people like him as “Prodigies”. A fitting term, at least from what little she had experienced for herself. They seemed to have quite the potential, even if the government didn’t seem to trust them to do good without strict guidance. Ah, if only Sonic knew even the half of this.

But she knew she couldn’t trust him to help with this, he was too narrow minded. He was who you called when you needed a simple open and shut bashing through the problem. This required delicate planning and observation, which wasn’t the blue blur’s strong suit. No doubt he’d storm the place recklessly until he freed every single subject under G.U.N’s imprisonment. As much as she’d pay to have front row seats to him wrecking that place up, that wasn’t a smart move. Especially not now. Now was the time to be stepping on the tip of her toes.

It seemed she had gotten all that she could out of the past 24 hours, and nothing noteworthy appeared to be going on by the time she was through with all that. She would have to check back again tomorrow to see if she could get something more, but she counted her blessings that she had gotten a lot out of it already. At least 4 subject numbers, a pretty decent sense of their operation, and an understanding of these strange powers they were so interested in. She wondered about that mouse girl again, using her ID to attempt to access the database.

When looking under criminals for that girl, though, she found nothing. In fact, trying to find her in any category was a fruitless effort now. It was like she had just been… erased . Rouge had hoped that she simply had her access to that information revoked, and not the far less pleasant possibility. She felt herself getting sick just thinking of it. “Gh…r-relax, Rouge. There’s still much to be uncovered…” she reminded herself before taking out her earbuds and sighing. “Maybe I should just…get some shut eye…” she mumbled, noting that it was still quite dark outside as she stood up out of her desk chair.

“It’s still a little early, though…” she hummed. “Maybe…it’ll be more relaxing to get in some personal time with Topaz before I turn in,” she mused, pulling out her cell phone to dial her number.

---

It had already been a month since the city had been changed. He was back in a dusty and dark hell, and while it was much less hotter, it was still difficult to breathe. The platinum hedgehog knew something was wrong. But he wondered why he was so aware. Had his meddling with time made him immune to what should’ve had amnesiac effects on his mind? Sure, he was given plenty of new memories. It felt like he had really been there, witnessing and experiencing those things. But he knew that couldn’t be right, because, they stopped Iblis.

Iblis was the only thing that posed a threat to peace and amnesty. Nothing else had popped up to take it’s place since Blaze had taken it into her body and evaporated. No megalomaniacs, monsters, or anything of the sort. Sure, The Council that ran Onyx City weren’t innocent angels, but they were a far cry from evil. None of this was right, something had been changed again, likely in the time period they had traveled to before. There weren’t many Chaos Emeralds left in the world, but given the two they had brought back with them, that still made at least 4.

Though unfortunately for him, neither of his were where his old apartment used to be. That didn’t even exist anymore. It was just a factory, now. He had to start from scratch. Based on his new memories, it seemed the ones he had in possession were confiscated by the mechanical followers of that fox girl he saw before. He didn’t recognize her at all, not from before time had been changed again, not even from the other period he had traveled to. Though, she bore a striking resemblance to…no, it probably had nothing to do with that guy. He couldn’t jump to conclusions.

Still, his objective was clear: Obtain 2 Chaos Emeralds and find someone capable of inducing Chaos Control. But, who would even come close? No one had been able to use the Chaos Emeralds’ power for eons before he and Blaze came into contact with them during their journey. Even in this new timeline, there was no one else who would qualify to his memory besides that Candella lady, and that simply wasn’t going to happen. But how else was he meant to go back? Even if he would be willing to entertain that psychopath, he had no clue where to even find him.

So far, he’d managed to get his hands on a purple Emerald he found after 2 weeks of searching. It was stashed away safely in an old and worn backpack slung over his shoulders, alongside a hand-made map he’d been keeping to track and check possible locations of more Emeralds. Alas, he hadn’t had a whole lot of luck since finding the first. Sure, he’d get a lead every once in a while, but they all fell miserably flat. He crossed off yet another potential location for an Emerald he had freshly ruled out. 

“ Sigh …looks like that was a bust, too,” he muttered, his stomach growling something fierce as he winced. “Nngh…d-damn it all, I don’t have a whole lot left,” he groaned, begrudgingly taking off his backpack and popping it open to pull out an already mostly eaten can of beans. “I miss crappy breakfast cereal…” he whined before carefully and slowly eating the last scrapes at the bottom that were left. It wouldn’t be nearly enough, but it was all he had. “Can’t…d-die out here. Gotta…find another…Chaos Emerald…” He couldn’t help but verbally agonize, even if he knew he sounded a tad pathetic right about now.

Blaze would likely have scolded him for these things. She always kept him on track, reminding him to appreciate things rather than waste his life crying over every little spilled drop of milk. How he wished he had appreciated that advice more back then. He shook his head, trying not to think too much about it. He had to focus . There were at least three more places he’d found out had strange phenomena happening in it. There was still hope yet. Silver rolled the map back up, putting it back in his backpack only to find the Chaos Emerald that was there before was… gone ? 

Oh no. No. No no no no! This was bad, really bad! He had to find it, he had to-

“ So, it would seem I’m not the only one out to ruin this wretched world… ”

Silver froze, as did his blood. He knew that voice. It filled him with rage, sadness, fear, he hated the miserable specter that voice was attached to. He growled, turning and throwing a bout of telekinetic energy in the direction of his voice and letting out a cry of anger. It was easily dodged, the traitor landing safely on the rooftop Silver was camped out on just a few feet away. He held the stolen Emerald, keeping it held outward as if holding a wine glass with the utmost delicacy. “Is that any way to greet an old friend?” he mocked.

Tears welled up in the disheveled hedgehog’s amber eyes, trying his best not to break down sobbing and mustering a daggered glare. “Give that back to me…and get out of my sight, you monster !” he shrieked. “I don’t ever wanna see your face again, you…you murderer !” Mephiles rolled his eyes, throwing the Emerald back to him as requested, but still not leaving. “It won’t do you any good, fool,” he warned. “And what are you talking about? The only one between us who’s ever tried to kill someone is you .”

“It’s your fault that Blaze is dead !”

“Seriously? Are you that desperate to shake off your guilt? She killed herself , saving this wretched world you two couldn’t bare to see ruined .”

“If it hadn’t been for you -!!”

“You should be thanking me. I gave you the key to stopping Iblis. She would’ve died for this world whether I sent you naive fools to the past or not.”

He didn’t have time for this, he didn’t want to hear any of it. “Just get the fuck away from me!” he hissed, putting the Emerald back in his backpack. “I don’t want anything to do with you ever again!” And yet still, the mouthless hedgehog was not deterred. He dared to step closer. “Don’t be dense, Silver. You and I both know that you’re stranded here, even if you find another Emerald: Which you won’t,” he stated matter-of-factly. Silver only became further agitated, glaring at him as the symbols on his gloves glowed as a warning to stay back.

“ Don’t test me, Mephiles…” he warned through gritted teeth. “I don’t need your help, and even if I did, there is no way I’d trust a liar like you!” Mephiles sighed heavily, he had grown into such a stubborn brat. “You’re just like your father, and in all the worst ways imaginable…” he grumbled. Silver’s brows furrowed at this odd comment, “I would think you’d know better than to try such an obvious lie. I don’t have parents!” Mephiles shook his head and tsked at him disapprovingly, putting his hands behind his back and pacing to the left of Silver.

“ Every natural born creature has parents, stupid boy. Even your little girlfriend had parents, once upon a time,” he corrected. “True, your mother is already twenty feet deep in the grave…but you still have a father.” Silver growled impatiently, “Why should I believe anything you say? You almost got me and Blaze to kill an innocent man!” Admittedly, such a point was hard argued even for Mephiles. But that was precisely why he brought some incentive with him this time around so Silver would at least entertain his words.

He took out a little folder, some slips of paper buried inside that he easily held between his middle and index fingers. “W…what’s that?” Silver muttered cautiously. “The lab results of a DNA test. It was hardly a challenge to get my hands on the equipment necessary to acquire the results. All I had to do was take a bit of your fur, and a bit of, well, you-know-who’s as well…” he explained. Silver still seemed skeptical, “Why would you do that? What do you get out of information like that? Why are you even telling me this?!”

“Merely to prove a point,” he claimed, tossing the folder onto the ground between them in a gesture to offer it over to him. “Go on… read it . I’m sure you’re just dying to know the truth,” he goaded. He narrowed his eyes at his old adversary, his eyes darting back and forth between him and the folder. He held out his hand, willing it to come towards him and methodically pulling the papers out to get a better look at them. His eyes widened then he saw the other name on the document. 

“My father…is…but, h-he was-”

“We were alike in that regard as well, it seems. Unnatural beings given life and form by less conventional means. Just as I, it granted him eternal youth.”

Silver was feeling several conflicting emotions right now, all of which kept him unable to think straight for a solid few minutes. But eventually, he snapped out of it. “If…if this is true, where is he?! Even if he really is immortal, why would he abandon me?!” he demanded. A cruel and sharp answer came from the creepy amalgamate, “ He didn’t want you. ” The telekinetic hedgehog physically recoiled, his grip on the folder and it’s contents slipping away as he stumbled. Just when he thought he couldn’t lose anymore hope.

He fell to his hands and knees, ears folding back. He couldn’t stop the tears from flowing out of him now. “Why…why did you come here…? Is this all you wanted…to… gloat a-and… torment me…?!” he sniffled, voice cracking between words. Mephiles stepped closer, finally feeling it was safe enough to approach him. “Like I said, I needed to prove a point . No one in this pitiful little world can help you, Silver. He was all that’s left, and he’d rather keep on playing deadbeat than simply lift a finger to fix this broken world,” he taunted the poor boy.

“S-so…t-that’s it…?! I’m just supposed to…g-give up ?! She died…f-for nothing ?!” he hissed as he sat back up onto his knees, still wiping tears from his sunken eyes. “I can… provide you with the transportation you need, Silver,” Mephiles offered, pressing his fingers together. “I’m afraid you’ve no choice but to use my power if you want any hope of trying to fix this from the outside.” Silver ran a hand through his quills, letting out a mirthless chuckle. “Now I know you’re just here to screw with me…like hell I’d ever believe you’d help me just to be selfless,” he pointed out.

“Correct. I will need a favor from you in return for my services.”

“I’m not going to kill anyone for-!”

“Oh please , you clearly can’t be trusted with something like that. No…this will simply be a game of fetch.”

“You…want me to bring you something?”

“You catch on much faster than you used to,” he jabbed, pulling out a photograph and handing it over to him. “It’s last known location is Chun-Nan, under the protection of a Phoenix.”

“Why don’t you just get it yourself?”

“I’m afraid that even now, that location is protected by a force that repels even the darkest of shadows. I’ve no hope of penetrating it’s barriers and retrieving it myself.”

Silver studied the photo carefully, narrowing his eyes at Mephiles. “What are you planning to do with it?” he questioned. “I’m afraid that isn’t part of the deal. You can either take it or leave it, but seeing as how you don’t have any other choice…” he deflected. He knew this was some kind of trap. Whatever this object was, it was probably dangerous, no doubt he’d use it for another dastardly scheme. But he was right, for once. Nobody could help him now, the only one who could had abandoned him. He supposed, for the moment, Mephiles somehow managed to be the lesser of two evils at work.

And besides, he would have plenty of time to come up with a back-up plan before his return. Though, he still had one more question before he could accept this task. “And…if I return empty-handed? T-then what?” he asked, knowing Mephiles had to have some sort of assurance to be trusting him . He was taking as much of a risky gamble there as Silver was with him, after all. He leaned in uncomfortably close, his eyes devoid of any mercy or empathy. “Don’t be stupid, Silver…how long do you suppose I’ve been here? A few hours? A day? Maybe…this entire time…? ” he said in a whispery voice.

“When did I take that sample from you, hm? Was it… in the Metro Zone? ” he asked, sounding off the name of one of the locations Silver had been to, causing him to jump back in fear. But Mephiles slowly encroached on him again, backing him up further as he kept on listing off locations one after the other. “ Maybe it was the Kit District…or that old abandoned car factory just over a hundred miles from here… ” Silver stopped when his heels bumped up against the edge of the rooftop, causing him to stumble briefly before recovering.

“Rest assured, Silver…I will hunt, you, down . And you can’t even begin to imagine the things I’ll do to you if you test my patience…” he threatened. Silver gulped, gripping at the straps of his backpack nervously. How could he not have noticed he was being followed for that long? He really needed to come up with a plan before he came back here. “...Ok,” he agreed in a quiet voice. “Y-you’ve made your point. It’s a deal.” With that, the loathsome amalgamate finally backed off, holding out his hand to activate the spell. 

“Wait! I don’t even know what point in the timeline to go to!” Silver realized. Mephiles chuckled at that, “Don’t worry, I already have my own memories of the event. I know exactly where to send you in order to repair the anomaly.” Silver blinked at this, a little surprised, though also suspecting he was bluffing a little. Still, he had to be sending him somewhere ideal if he needed this object so badly. “Guess I’ll just have to take your word for it… again …” he grumbled, stepping into the spell’s radius as it started to get bigger and stronger.

“I’ll be seeing you soon, Silver…”

“Don’t hold your breath, traitor .”

Chapter Text

Girlish giggles filled the wind as Amy and Cream trotted along on their shopping trip. It had been a few days now since she got Sonic to agree to a date, but she realized upon getting home that absolutely nothing in her closet would do. What’s more, she was a bit hasty in asking him. She needed some serious advice, it had been far too long since they saw each other. “Thanks again for coming with me, Cream,” she said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it with you to see Emerl the other day, I just had so much on my plate,” she apologized. 

“It’s really alright, I understand. I know you definitely would’ve been there if you could,” she forgave her with ease. “So, how was it? Who did end up coming this year?” she prodded. “Oh, just Shadow and Gemerl. But, you won’t believe it, Gemerl made this adorable little wood statue of Emerl! He said he wanted to make something special for him,” she divulged, her excitement as plain as the grin on her face. It was contagious, Amy smiling as well at such a heartwarming story. “Aww! That Gemerl is such a sweetie!” she giggled.

“It was Mint’s first visit yesterday, too,” she added. “Oh, that’s right. How is Mint doing? She giving your mom much trouble?” she asked with a snicker. “Last time I babysat her she left a lot of teeth marks in my furniture…” Cream laughed nervously at that, she remembered vividly the day she had come to pick Mint up from Amy’s home only to find her poor friend near tears. “She’s got, um, special teething toys now. So thankfully she hasn’t put any more holes in anything,” she reported. “Papa’s been taking care of that.”

“Like father, like daughter…” she muttered. Upon getting to one of several clothes stores she had on her list to scope out today, she’d pick out a few dresses for herself to try on. Cream window-shopped a tad, though couldn’t afford much of anything here. But that was alright, she didn’t need a dress, being moral support was more than enough. She watched as her friend cycled through a few, seeming absolutely stressed and restless. Some things really hadn’t changed over the years after all.

“Which one do you think brings out my eyes more?” she asked when comparing two slightly darker darker colored dresses. Cream giggled, “I think you might be thinking a little too hard about this, Amy.” Amy frowned, pouting a little, “No way, I’m definitely not thinking hard enough . I want to look my best here, this might be my only chance to make this work!” Cream waved her hands, gesturing for Amy to calm herself. “Slow down, girl. Breathe ,” she urged, doing a breathing exercise with her friend for a minute before she continued.

“There’s no need to worry so much, I’m sure Sonic will think you look pretty no matter what you put on!” she tried to reassure her. Amy let out a defeated sigh, “I dunno if that’s really true, in fact, I dunno if he’s actually taking this date seriously at all .” Cream blinked at that, tilting her head before prodding further, “What makes you say that?” Her friend seemed to hesitate for a long time, almost like she was embarrassed to speak of it. But she did another deep breath to calm herself. “Well, when I went to ask him, I called out to him…” she began to explain.

“But, as soon as he saw me, it was like the old days all over again! He ran away from me! So I had to chase him down until he crashed into the fountain just to get him to listen!” the pink girl ranted. Cream rubbed at her chin for a moment, humming in thought. “Well…you haven’t seen each other in a long time. Maybe he was just reacting that way because you always ran after him and he might’ve thought he was in trouble,” she guessed. But Amy seemed skeptical, raising a brow, “ In trouble ? Why in the world would he think that ?”

Cream was hesitant now, trying to think of a nice way to say it. “Well…I’ve known Sonic since I was little, and he doesn’t respond well to certain things. Maybe if you walked instead of running at him, he’d be less scared. And you kinda used to yell a lot…did you yell at him?” Amy’s ears folded back and she groaned, “Well, yes…I-I just wanted to get his attention! But, I guess you’re right…I could’ve just walked up to him instead of shouting and chasing him through the market like a maniac…” Cream smiled, patting her friend on the back to cheer her up.

“Aw, don’t be so down, Amy. You got him to give you a chance, now you can put your best foot forward!” she encouraged.

“Yeah…you’re right! This time, I can get it right.”

“There you go!”

“I still have to figure out where we’re even going to go …I was thinking a dinner reservation, but, now that I think about it…that's not really his style, huh?”

“Well, think. What does Sonic like?”

Amy went quiet at that question. She of all people knew she had to know something useful. She admired him more than anybody. “W…well, he…likes running. And I know he loves chili dogs like, even more than life itself,” she said, smirking and rolling her eyes. “And also…the wind.” Cream giggled again, “I don’t think any of those things will be in a fancy restaurant, unfortunately.” She thought a little more, tapping her cheek with her finger before her eyes went wide and her ears perked back up. “Oh my gosh, that’s it! A picnic !” she yelped.

“We could go for a moonlight walk- Er, run , and I can make chilidogs for him to eat outside in grass fields! Oh, Cream he’ll love it!” she gushed, bursting with excitement towards the idea. Cream nodded in agreement, “Now that sounds like a date even Sonic The Hedgehog couldn’t pass up~! I can even help you set it up!” The girls laughed and bounced together excitedly as they held hands. They ended up not getting anything from this particular store, Cream encouraging Amy to go for something a little more summery rather than fancy.

As they went on their way to the next nearest clothing store, they kept brainstorming ideas. “Hmm, what else could I do?” she pondered. “Oh~! Amy, what about your tarot cards? Do you still have those?” Amy adopted a cringe at the topic, causing Cream to frown. “Ah, well, yes , but…Sonic doesn’t really believe in that stuff,” she said. The younger girl seemed surprised to hear this, “Really? Well, why not? Haven’t you ever given him a reading before?” She nodded, “Yeah, that was the last time I saw him. I was so embarrassed that things just got awkward after that.”

“But why? Was it something bad?”

“It…was. At least, the last part of it was. I was doing a reading of his past, present, and future. And one of the cards…it was a really bad omen, and that’s the one he pointed out and asked me to read.”

“Which one was that, Amy?”

“It…was the Ten of Swords.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard of that one…what does it mean?”

“It basically means a really terrible betrayal is gonna happen to you at the hands of someone you love.”

Cream winced, she could only imagine how awkward such a reading must have been. “Well, obviously it didn’t come true,” she said. “And…that’s definitely good!” Amy nodded, “Ah, yeah, it is. But, no way I’m gonna bring those things up to him during our date.” She supposed she couldn’t blame her, that did sound far too awkward. “Hmm, guess that’s a no-go. But, would you be willing to give me a reading at lunch?” she pleaded, making those eyes that Amy was helpless to. “I’d really love to know if my flower business will be booming in the future~”

“Ok, ok,” she caved with a laugh. “I’ve got my card set right he-” she pulled the stack out of her pocket, and as she did so, the wind picked up all of the sudden. A few of the looser cards dislodged from the stack, and Amy yelped. “Uwah! My cards!” Cream acted quickly, grabbing as many of them as she could. Unfortunately one managed to escape, as it flew across the street where she had to stop before she was nearly hit by a car zooming past. Unfortunately, once she got her bearings, the card was already gone from sight. She groaned and returned what she had to Amy.

“I’m sorry Amy, I got as many as I could, but one of them got away,” she reported. “Oh, dear…wonder which one it was. Guess I’ll have to see later. Sorry Cream, looks like I can’t do a proper reading after all,” she apologized. “Oh, that’s alright,” she assured her, seeming not too broken up about it. The pair kept on their way to the next shop, Amy pocketing the cards again and making a note to herself to be more careful with them next time. Perhaps she could try to find it later, though she supposed she could always try to find a replacement.

It was nowhere near her biggest concern at the moment, for now, she had to find something nice to wear.

---

The Moebian speedster was on a roll, speeding from place to place to deliver all manner of packages. He didn’t know the contents of a single one, such things weren’t important. All he needed to know was where they were going. Every single one earning him a nice wad of cash that, while the majority was snatched up by his boss, he was still left with a decent amount. By the time he was done, he’d have enough to pay off his motel room fee for that night. But it was nowhere nears dark enough neither to head back nor take himself out on the town.

Oh, but what was a fugitive hedgehog to do on a day like today? Perhaps he should throw caution to the wind and screw with his obnoxious copy. No, that was a stupid idea…nothing he did ever really worked out. He was lucky the last few attempts didn’t have him in a cell next to his fellow Moebian refugees. Ah, if only that oversized fool was still around, he’d gladly screw with him. He was quite a pathetic man, he always managed to somehow squander so much incredible power he held at his fingertips, it was baffling.

Scourge certainly wouldn’t have let opportunities like Perfect Chaos or Dark Gaia go to such pitiful wastes. Even his own creations surpassed him in competence, despite their own failures. “Guess that’s just the fatal flaw of being one of his sorry contraptions,” he snickered aloud. “Hmm…but who can I fuck with and still get away with it?” he wondered aloud, rubbing at his chin with his finger. As he stood there thinking it over, the wind picked up from the light breeze it had been blowing around. But that didn’t annoy him nearly as much as the object that slapped into him thanks to this.

“Gah! W-what the hell?” he grumbled, pulling it off his face where it landed to get a better look at it. It was…a card? There were no words on it, just an odd symbol. When he flipped it over, he would find an illustration of what looked to be a couple of Mobians and their kids, who were playing together. At the top of the illustration there was an array of 10…cups? And an “X” at the top of the card. “The hell is this? Some kinda fortune telling card?” he muttered. He blinked, getting an idea and pocketing the card in his jacket. 

“Wait a sec…I think I saw a place like that on my Marble Avenue route…” he recalled. “Hmm…I wonder if there’s anything to that mystic crap,” he wondered aloud. He considered entertaining the curiosity for a good while. In the end he rolled his eyes, “Psh, nah. As if. That stuff’s all phooey.” He paused, snorting a tad as he leaned up against the nearest wall. “Ack, but what the fuck else am I gonna do? Might as well,” he caved, zipping around to return to the place where he’d caught a glimpse of the fortune teller’s building.

He stepped inside, finding rather alluring decorum. Curtains galore and so many beads, it was everything he had expected. He’d find a table in the center, somehow managing to be cloaked in darkness. A pair of yellow cat-like eyes stared from the darkness, her voice like honey to his ears. “Moebian Prince ,” she addressed him. “How quaint of you to seek out my services…” He winced, feeling a tad uncomfortable now. “You know who I am, huh?” he muttered, not happy to be reminded about his now meaningless title.

“...Why don’t you come take a seat? You seem directionless, without purpose. Do you come here wishing for me to give you one?” Ok, now this was really freaking him out. “G-get the fuck out of my head, lady!” he demanded. She chuckled, the darkness fleeting and revealing a crystal ball sat upon her table, a little Chao perched in her lap dawning a similar attire to it’s owner. Her cat tail swayed from side-to-side, the light revealing her to be a black panther. There was an empty seat at the table she was sat down at, a single finger beckoning him to come closer.

He was hesitant, but decided he might as well get it over with as he was already here. Once he sat down, she looked down at her Chao, glancing to one of the shelves briefly to which the pet nodded and flew out of her lap. “So…you want to know what lies ahead? You’re curious as to whether your fate is truly hopeless…” she stated. “Hey, what’d I say? Stay outta my god damn head,” he hissed in contempt. She tilted her head, seeming unamused by his attitude. “I don’t think you realize how this works, arrogant little prince,” she snarked.

“Ugh, fine, whatever, I wanna know my future, sure,” he rolled his eyes, crossing his arms impatiently. “How’s this shit work ?” Her Chao returned with a corked up bottle, which she carefully took and opened up. From it, poured out seemingly endless misty clouds that covered the entire room, her crystal ball getting brighter as she held the bottle up high. Her pet took it from her, continuing to hold it up for her and allowing her to bring her hands back down over the ball on her table. “Close your eyes, and let yourself drift into the Chaos Stream…” she instructed.

He rolled his eyes first, but did as instructed, at least, the first part, anyway. He wasn’t entirely sure what she meant. “Take a deep breath,” she instructed. He furrowed his brow at that. 

“I dunno if I wanna inhale this shi-”

“ DO IT .”

He nearly snapped his eyes open at that, her voice sounded much more eerie. But he couldn’t help but to simply do as told. It felt like he was under a spell of some kind, maybe even hypnotized. This stuff smelled strange, but, not unpleasant. It kind of reminded him of the smell of…camp fires? “Innocent times, before it all went so wrong. Once, you were loved the way a child should be…but it was your destiny to lose these connections,” her voice narrated the story of his old life. He didn’t want to hear this, but he was frozen. Unable to open his eyes or move.

“What lies ahead, is further down. Relax yourself, now…and sink.”

He was about to ask, or, attempt to ask what she meant. But then, all of the sudden, it felt like he was submerged in water. Finally he was able to open his eyes and see what was going on, only to find himself no longer at the table. It didn’t even feel like he was awake. Being underwater didn’t bother him so much, he didn’t fear it like his counterpart. He always somewhat loved to swim, actually. Though he wasn’t exactly keen about drowning, which he would if he couldn’t find a way out. Wait a minute…he didn’t need to hold his breath at all.

Nothing entered his nose or his mouth when he stopped holding his breath. Almost like it wasn’t even there at all, but, it was, he could feel it all around him. He wondered if she had gotten him high on whatever that stuff was, though he also immediately had the thought that he probably wouldn’t even be able to think this coherently if he was high on something. But what else could explain all this? He noticed the card he had pocketed earlier pass him, sinking into the depths below. Curiosity got the better of him, and he swam down to follow it.

Though when he got to the darkest part of the abyss, it was like he had resurfaced, except only, he began to fall. He let out a yell of surprise, flailing in panic as he fell further and further. Eventually, he hit solid ground, though surprisingly survived it despite it hurting a little. He groaned as he lifted his head, wincing a tad as he noticed his surroundings had changed to a sunny day. And he was on…some kind of ship? The card was nowhere to be found now, and, come to think of it…this looked like one of the kinds of ships Eggman used to fly around.

He’d seen one in person, the other in news reports and the like. He’d never been aboard one, though. He wondered how accurate this vision even was. It appeared he was on the deck, and likely thousands of feet in the air. He had a bad feeling all of the sudden, one he couldn’t explain but felt like the most real thing so far. Even though there seemed to be nothing, and no one, even here besides himself. He heard the voice of the fortune teller, which seemed to echo at him from all sides, as though it were part of the wind itself.

“ You will have to make a perilous decision. Power, or freedom. ”

“Freedo-?”

It felt like time had skipped before he could even blink. He didn’t get a chance to finish speaking before suddenly he found himself on his hands and knees, the wind blowing violently now and causing his jacket to whip against the air. That bad feeling was suddenly a whole lot worse, but still, nobody was around. He could only see the ocean below the ship. A hand suddenly appeared, grabbing his wrist and pulling him down and off the ship. But it had no owner. It had all but disappeared once Scourge was completely yanked off and sent plummeting again.

But he could’ve sworn he saw something red in the corner of his eye. He didn’t have time to try and figure it out, as soon as he hit the water, he was back in the chair. He took a moment to catch his breath, which was odd to him, as he didn’t recall being deprived of any during all of that. Once he was able to, he began to wheeze out his words. “W-what…in the f-fuck …was all of th… that ?!” he heaved. She didn’t answer him directly at first, urging him to slow down and breathe first. Once it seemed he was properly composed, she answered him.

“An omen. What did you see while in the stream?”

“D-don’t you f-fuckin’ know?”

“I do not choose what you see, only you.”

“......A s-ship. Somethin’ like Eggman would make. T-that’s all, besides a lot of… water .”

“A ship…that is where you will make your decision.”

At that, he blinked, “I heard you say that before…dafuq’s that mean?” He rubbed at his neck, still feeling quite unnerved by all this. She stared into her ball listlessly. “Your future will be decided when you make the decision. Power, or freedom. That is all my ball was able to tell me,” she reported. He thought it over a moment, “Well…those don’t sound half bad, I guess. But how the hell would it happen on Eggman’s ship? He’s been gone for ages!” She shook her head, “I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for such things. Does this possibility satisfy you?”

Power and freedom, yeah, those were definitely up his alley. Though having to choose only one sounded like it would be a pain. And that terrible feeling he had, it did worry him a little. But he chose to shrug it off, he was probably overthinking it. He handed over the fee for her fortune. “Uh, yeah, whatever. You know, has anyone ever told you that you’re real fuckin’ creepy?” he remarked rudely. She didn’t seem offended, taking the money with a demure smile. “A pleasure to serve you, Prince Scourge…” she mused.

“I’m not a fuckin’ Prince anymore, you kook…” he grumbled, getting up and beginning his trudge home. He’d be home drunk as a skunk again that night, trying to drown out the weird things he’d seen as much as possible. Though he was careful to keep that card he found close at hand. He didn’t know why, but it felt important.

---

For the third night in a row, the ebony and crimson hedgehog woke up in a cold sweat from the same hellish nightmare. Ever since Emerl’s funeral he’d been haunted by the image. Nightmares were nothing new for him, ever since being freed from his pod in Eggman’s base, he’d been seeing visions and flashes of all the death he’d bore witness to. Maria, Molly, even Cosmo’s face haunted him every once in a while. But these nightmares, they were different. He didn’t recognize most of the faces that appeared, but they felt familiar.

It was like that chill he had felt before, but much stronger. It always started with him feeling as though he were floating, part of some great energy he couldn’t describe. Strangers had their backs to him, among them being a bat who he had first mistook for Rouge, but upon closer inspection, was not her at all. Especially when she turned her head, her whited out blank eyes staring through his soul. Midnight blue fur, long black hair, strange symbols on her hands. All of the strangers had symbols, all different shapes and colors.

Red triangle, blue square, and, the circle; he recognized that one. It belonged to that platinum hedgehog he hadn’t seen in quite some time. The only recognizable face amidst the unfamiliar line-up. What did all this mean? Why was he here? Why did they look at him? And why did he feel so cold when that bat girl looked at him? He always woke up before he could learn the answer to any of these things. And he had no idea why, that despite it being far less graphic or traumatizing, it still left him shaken. He didn’t have dreams like this, it wasn’t normal.

He let out heavy and ragged breaths, his hand sliding down his face as he tried to calm himself down. “D-dammit…” he sighed. He had taken sleeping medication in hopes that maybe this would go away, but it seemed persistent. The tired hedgehog let out an impatient huff as he threw up his covers and sat up in his bed, letting his feet hang over the side. “I don’t understand…why am I seeing that woman?” he grumbled irritably. There surely had to be a reason. Maybe he did know her. Maybe there was something about his past that even Rouge and Eggman could not tell him.

But what could have been missing? He was in stasis for 50 years straight, and there was nothing in whatever records nor his own memory left that would explain these images that kept taunting him. And besides, it was odd for such things to resurface only just now, nothing had triggered a reminiscence to any of this for him. An omen, perhaps? As perfect as Gerald had intended to craft him, though, prophetic visions were not within his capabilities. Even with the Emeralds’ power, the Ultimate being wasn’t omniscient.

The only familiar thing was Silver. Why Silver? Was he connected to these people somehow? But what did that concern Shadow now? The kid had already been long gone ages ago back to his own time. The symbols came back to mind for him. “Red triangle, blue square, green circle,” he repeated aloud to himself. Those were all he could remember, though he was sure there were more. “Are there more like you, out there, Silver…?” he wondered, the guess making him feel strangely worried. He didn’t know Silver long, but there were so many strange things about him.

Not very many were capable of tapping into the power of the Chaos Emeralds, especially not someone so young. Sonic was probably the youngest person in recorded history capable of wielding their power, having first harnessed them to defeat Eggman when he was merely 10 years old. Though even then, he had been using all of their power combined. Even fewer were capable of using merely one or two to perform the many feats they were capable of. It required a strong will, whether good or evil, to harness their power.

That kid, he’d probably never seen a Chaos Emerald before in his life, given the future Shadow had seen. Not only that, when they had first induced Chaos Control by chance, he recalled feeling a brief connection. As though they shared one mind for that single instance. He didn’t know how to describe what he felt, but for that instance, it was like he’d known him his whole life. He’d tried to forget about it since nothing seemed to come of it, but that only made him all the more curious. He was left with more questions than answers as he tried to piece all of this together.

His symbols, the green circles…they had some sort of meaning, perhaps they pertained to that power he used against them as they fought? The ability to manipulate objects to his will. That was telekinesis, something thought of as mere fiction to most. Did that make the other symbols other powers? The same, perhaps, but a distinction of some other kind? Green, green meant telekinesis. Perhaps that was a clue. A red triangle, possibly his own Chaos Control? But that blue square…the color made his mind drift to Sonic. But that was a bit of a leap in connection. It was all so frustrating and confusing.

He hoped he was just overthinking all of this, that it was just meaningless nonsense. After all, if there was no sense in it, what use was it to analyze every minute detail? Perhaps he should be thankful it wasn’t the normal nightmares. Even if they filled him with fear all the same, there was nothing really scary about them, was there? “Fuck…I’m seriously going crazy,” he concluded. “I just need more sleep…none of this is doing me any good.” Unfortunately, he had already taken the maximum amount of pills he could manage, which was much more than the usual person, but he had still hit his limit.

Had his high tolerance finally become his undoing? A sigh escaped his lips. He stood up off the bed, making way to a desk and opening a drawer to reveal a green Chaos Emerald. Most of them had been unused and unfound since Eggman’s final failure seven years ago. Sonic had preferred them to be scattered, though Shadow preferred to always have at least one with him. It just made things easier, and he felt far more comfortable having it.

There were only 5 real ones still left, since Silver had taken two of them and never brought them back. Luckily, it seemed copies were easily made. However, they had their drawbacks. Sonic was once able to use the power of a fake to teleport, though it left him exhausted afterwards. Fake emeralds seemed to have a terribly unfortunate backfire on him in general, if what the events Eggman claimed transpired on Narcissus’ ship were true. Though the hedgehog did not seem keen to speak of it. 

Shadow seemed immune to these effects, likely due to his inorganic nature and his ability to tap into the real Emeralds’ power far easier. They still gave Sonic the power he needed to turn Super, it even sufficed to power the Doctor’s super canon. Though it had left a bit of a taint on Sonic that manifested in that odd form he was cursed with for a short while, combined with the energy Dark Gaia had emanated. Perhaps it was a good thing he hadn’t needed to use all seven since then, and that the fakes were collecting dust in safes.

He put the mysterious gem away again, deciding to once again try to sleep. And hopefully stay asleep this time. Those details kept on repeating in his head over and over again.

Red triangle, blue square, green circle

Sleep claimed him after an hour of lying in his bed again, those images flashing on the back of his eyelids one last time as he sank into darkness.

Chapter Text

Their week-long vacation was over, and while Rouge hadn’t really stopped working, this would be the first time she’d see either of her companions since her last real job. Not for lack of trying in the case of Omega, of course. She was certain they would be of some use in her snooping operation, but it seemed impossible to find them. She had to do most of the work on her own. Though frustratingly, it seemed not much more information had slipped out of the agents Neptune had been around. And Neptune himself didn’t manage to find much on his own.

Though it didn’t seem like he was getting the sort of treatment he had been falsely promised two times over. It made her weary about the other potential “subjects” under G.U.N’s care. A few times she considered just bringing Topaz into it after all, her initial plan being a little slow to yield results. But she always managed to talk herself out of it. As long as their employers were trying to hide something from them, it wasn’t safe to involve her. Shadow and Omega could handle this, Shadow was the Ultimate Lifeform and Omega was, well, Omega.

Topaz was many things. Capable, clever, breath-takingly resourceful. But she was still only human at the end of the day. Mobians were made of tougher stuff, practically having evolved to handle more intense danger and injury. And at the end of the day, Rouge had a soft spot for her. She couldn’t do much to shake that nagging desire to protect her. And it’s not like she didn’t have reason to believe G.U.N would do anything to keep their secrets. Shadow was proof that they’d get their hands as bloody as they needed to, at least in the past.

It was enough to make her weary of them in the present day, after all, it wasn’t a good look for them at all. Still, since she was returning today, she could finally recuperate with her teammates and hoped to convince them to help. Shadow would be hard to convince, but, perhaps Omega would be more open to her investigation? She walked in to the usual meeting spot inside HQ, and found the big lunk just standing around waiting. “Omega!” she called out, flying over to them to get closer. “There you are, I have been looking all over for you. Decided to take a vacation, too?”

They slowly turned to look at her, not answering her for a long, long time. She was starting to get a little creeped out, enough to take a couple of steps back. “Uh, ok…not very talkative today, I guess,” she mumbled awkwardly. They kept on staring for another minute, and all that was in the air was awkward silence. It was so quiet that it nearly made Rouge jump out of her skin, when finally, Omega did speak.

“ ROUGE, I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING IMPORTANT URGENTLY. ”

“Oh, uh, what is it?”

“ ................ ”

There was that awkward silence again. “You…gonna tell me, or what?” she asked, only to be met with no verbal answer. The only thing they did in response was shift slightly. “Uhhh…ok, well, I kinda had something to discuss with you, too, but I kinda wanted to do it outsi-” she was interrupted by the same dreary voice repeating itself. “ ROUGE, I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING IMPORTANT URGENTLY. ” She pouted, glaring at him a little, “Are you trying to annoy me? Oh, I get it now, Shadow put you up to this to prank me, didn’t he?”

“Well, I gotta say, this is quite a pathetic attempt. Trying to mildly annoy me isn’t gonna cut it,” she informed them. Omega yet again did not say anything to affirm nor deny this. Again, they shifted. Actually, it…looked more like a small…spasm? “Look, Omega, I really need your help with something. I did most of the work already, but I think you’d be able to get me better intel,” she said, flying up to perch herself on their shoulder. “I know it’s not really your prerogative and what-not, but, you me and the grump, we’re a team, right?”

“ AFFIRMAT𝙸𝚅𝙴 ” She blinked, noticing how strangely they spoke but choosing to gloss over it for the moment. “Well, we all stick together and do things our way. We’re our own masters,” she reminded them. “So, can I count on you to help me?” She turned her head, noticing something was off now. They definitely just twitched, in a sort of unnatural way. “ ROUGE, I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING IMPORTANT URGENTLY. ” There it was again, the exact same sentence. She flew up, getting off of their shoulder as her face twisted into concern.

“O-Omega, you’re starting to freak me out…what’s wrong?”

“ NEED TO…NEED T🄾…TELL… ”

“W-what?! Tell me what ?!”

They were moving strangely and their eyes were glitching and flickering in ways she’d never seen before. “Omega?! Omega! Talk to me, what’s wrong?!” she yelped. From behind her, she heard their leader’s voice. “What in the hell are you two doing in here?” Shadow inquired as he walked in, confused by all the ruckus that was going on. “Shadow! Thank Chaos you’re here, something’s seriously wrong with-” Omega looked up, noticing Shadow’s entrance and responding accordingly as they reached a hand out towards him.

“ ꜱʜᴀDOW, I NEED-NĘ̷͖̥́̂̋͋̕E̸͚̮͓̻̅̊̇͝D TO TELL YOU SOMETHING-SOMETHING-🆂O🅼🅴ᎮͶIHT URGENTLY. ”

“W-what the hell is wrong with them?!” he yelped, weirded out and confused by their behavior. “I-I dunno, I came in and I tried to talk to them, but they kept saying the exact same thing to me over and over again. Every time they say it, they get worse!” she yelped, evading Omega as they inadvertently whipped their body around. Shadow cautiously approached, emerald at the ready. “Omega, what is it? Did someone do something to you?” he asked calmly.“ E-𝔼-ƎRROR CA𝕹𝕹𝕺T-A-A-A-A-A-A-ℂ𝕆𝕄ℙ𝕃𝕐, ” they responded, their voice bugging out even more.

“Error…can’t comply…” Shadow repeated. 

“What is it, Shadow? What’s wrong with them?” Rouge asked.

“I think someone messed with their internal drive, and I think they know something is wrong but they can’t say it.”

“They can’t…tell us? How do we fix it?”

“I think I can bypass whatever’s jamming their internal storage base…help me get them on their front.”

“R-right…”

The pair flanked them from each side, Rouge drawing Omega’s attention as she made a failed attempt to knock them over. Shadow jumped over them, using his jet shoes to remain propelled in the air to look for the control panel on their back he knew was there. Rouge tried her best to get them to stay still, or at least facing towards her. “H-hey! Over here, buddy! Over here!” she called. “R-repeat it again? I didn’t hear you the first t-time…” she requested as she dodged another rogue swat from their hand. This time they managed to utter something else.

“ S-S-SORRY-SØᖇRY-ᏕᎧᏒᏒᎩ ” Rouge felt a pang of guilt, but remained focused. She’d never heard. They had never uttered an apology before to anyone, it hurt her deeply. She kicked at their leg again when she had an opening, sending them plummeting forward onto their chest. They heard Omega’s glitching voice sound off, like it was surprised. Shadow climbed onto their back to open the panel, but was swatted back by one of their flailing arms. Rouge acted immediately, grabbing onto the arm and trying her best to hold it still.

“Oh, Omega, I’m sorry to do this to you!”

“ ROU-OU-OU-OUUUUGE, I-I-I-i̵̡͓̮̻̱̘̅̅̈́̇̓͛͆̕͠-🅸 NEED- 𝕀 ℕ𝔼𝔼𝔻- 𝕴 𝕹𝕰𝕰𝕯- T-T-TELL YⓄⓊ SO-O-OMETHI-I-ING-!! ”

“I-I know, buddy. We’re gonna help you say it!”

Shadow got to work, easily able to kick away the other arm before unscrewing Omega’s back panel to open it up. “C-can you see what’s wrong?” she asked after he spent a good minute fiddling with the control panel. “I’m getting close, just keep that other arm busy for a few more minutes,” he urged. As he hacked away at the firewalls screwing with Omega’s speech patterns, he became angered to realize certain words and sentences had been blocked from their vocabulary. He kept on working, trying his best to ignore Omega’s nonsense ramblings.

“Ⓓ-Ⓓ-ⒹⒾⓃⒼ ⒹⓄⓃⒼ ⒹⒾⓃⒼⒶⓁⒾⓃⒼ. RIℕ𝔾𝕀NG. RINGING. 🆁🅸🅽🅶🅸🅽🅶. DECEP-໓ē¢ēpti໐ຖŞ. ”  

“A-are they still trying to speak to us?”

Shadow nodded, “They’re looking for similar words that weren’t blocked out, but whoever did this to them was thorough. Just hold on, Omega, I’ve almost got it…”

“ LOADING ⊥∀ᗡA E-E-ERROR. H̴͕̤̥̱̑Ẽ̸̞͆̕L̸̤̺͓͋P̴͎̫̊̅̀̄ ̴̥̭͉͐͋͊̓M̴̼̫̫͛͘Ë̴̥̼͓̬́, CANNOT REPEAT. ”

Eventually, Shadow seemed to crack whatever was ailing Omega. Their wild flailing stopped and Rouge could feel their arm stop struggling to fight her. She hesitated, before letting go to check on Shadow’s progress. “Did…you do it?” she asked. He sealed up the panel, screwing it back in before finally getting off Omega. “I bypassed the censors blocking out parts of your speech,” he announced as Omega lifted themselves up off the floor into a sitting position. “Who did this to you?” he asked. Omega took a minute, seeming to readjust before they realized they were being spoken to.

“ UNCOVERED SENSITIVE DATA…MY SPEECH DRIVES WERE ENCRYPTED, ” they explained, their voice no longer bugging out or stuttering. “ THE GENERAL WANTED DENIABILITY. ” Rouge’s face fell into a look of sadness and horror as she planted her feet on the ground after hovering for so long. “You…found out about their initiative. They didn’t want you to tell us anything,” she realized. Shadow blinked at this, looking between them. “Did I miss something in the last week? What the hell are you two talking about?”

“While you were sitting around content to look the other way, I did a little digging into what G.U.N’s been doing under our noses,” she snorted in irritation, flaring her wings a little. “And it looks like I wasn’t the only one who was bothered by that mission we were on last week,” she said, pointing to their mutual robotic cohort. Omega nodded to confirm her suspicions. “ THAT FILE…IT WAS FULL OF DISCREPANCIES, ” they revealed. The hedgehog’s interest was piqued, turning to face them and give them his full attention.

“Discrepancies?” he repeated. They nodded again. “ I’VE SEEN PLENTY OF G.U.N CRIMINAL DOCUMENTS…THIS WAS SLOPPY. I DON’T KNOW WHY…I KEPT TRYING TO LEARN MORE. IT FELT LIKE WE WERE BEING TRICKED… ” Rouge frowned, her ears flattening as she glanced away. “We were. They didn’t want any of us to know…but what I don’t understand is why ?” she wondered aloud. “ INCONCLUSIVE. ONLY FOUND DATA ON THEIR FIRST SUBJECT. ” Shadow felt a pit in his stomach at such a word. “They’re…doing experiments?”

“ DIFFERENT. ORGANIC BEINGS WITH UNNATURAL POWER. THEY CALL THEM- ”

“Prodigies,” Rouge interrupted, gaining both their attentions. She sighed, divulging all she had learned since their last encounter altogether. Omega confirmed a bit of the information, as it lines up with their own findings. “Did…they say anything about symbols?” Shadow asked out of the blue, confusing both the bat and the bot. Given Rouge’s expression and Omega’s lack of response, it seemed the answer was a resounding “No”. “Nevermind, it’s not important…but what’s this about their first subject?” he brought up, still curious about it.

“ HER NAME WAS BELLATRIX. SHE POSSESSED PYROKINESIS. 9 YEARS AGO, SHE DIED IN THIS FACILITY. LIKELY DURING THE TIME OF OUR SOLEANNA OPERATION. SHE WAS A BAT MOBIAN. ”

“Bat…” the images from his nightmare flashed in his mind again. “...Did she have blue fur? A-and black hair?”

“ AFFIRMATIVE. ”

“How’d ya know that, Shadow?” Rouge raised a brow.

“...I’ll…discuss it later. Anyways, so they encrypted you to cover up her death?”

“ NO…TO HIDE HER OFFSPRING. ”

Rouge and Shadow’s blood nearly ran cold. She brought a hand over her mouth, starting to feel a little sick. “They’re…they’re k-keeping… children here…a-and…a-are they…?” Omega nodded, confirming her worst fears. “ IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE KNOWN ABOUT. I WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER THEIR LOCATION BEFORE THE GENERAL CAUGHT ME. ” The hedgehog was frozen for a good long minute. He wouldn’t stand for this. In a bout of quite inconvenient timing, the General finally entered to meet them.

He didn’t even wait to let him greet them, before taking out his gun and pointing it directly at him.

“W-what the hell are you doing?! Have you gone crazy?!”

“ Quiet . The only reason I’m not pulling this trigger right now is because unfortunately for us, you seem to be the only one who can answer our questions. So I don’t want to hear deflections or half-truths,” he growled in a threatening tone.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” he tried to feign ignorance.

“ Where are they? ” he asked.

“I said I don’t know-”

A warning shot was fired into the wall just behind the General. Crimson eyes full of fury tore through his very soul, daring him to spout even one syllable of falsehoods again. “ I’m not fucking playing mind games with you . Where are the children?!” he repeated, more hostile this time. The General growled under his breath, not all that happy about this turn of events. “I can’t do that…I’m under direct orders-” Shadow didn’t give him the chance to make excuses, stepping a tad closer as he kept his gun trained on him.

“I don’t care who it is, rest assured they’ll get what’s coming to them if they try to stop me, General . But if you really believe in doing what’s best for everyone, you’ll take me to them, right now ,” he demanded one last time. “Convince me that it’s nothing to be worried about…and maybe I will take my grievances higher up.” The General sighed heavily, seeing that he didn’t have much of a choice. He conceded, though Shadow didn’t let down his guard. “Fine, but only you. It will be easier on all of us if you help me keep this from getting out of control,” he negotiated.

“Are you seriou -?!”

“Stay. Here.”

“W…what?! Shadow, it might be a trap!”

“I can handle traps, besides, you’ll know if I don’t come back.” He winced, not looking back at either of them as he said, “And if I don’t…you’ll find me.”

Her guard softened at this, she didn’t- couldn’t -argue that. She had already promised a long time ago to stand with him no matter what. He took her silence as her final answer, escorting the General out of the room and down various hallways, all the while keeping his gun practically pressed against his back. “Perhaps you should take this time to explain yourself…” he said after a minute of walking. “It will be difficult to convince me that what you’ve done isn’t worthy of retribution.” The General grimaced, but tried not to appear too intimidated in front of him.

“Depends…how much do you know?”

“Besides you capturing Mobians with super-powers and killing a likely innocent woman nine years ago? Not a whole lot…” he summed up.

“Well, it’s a lot more complicated than that. The President was fine with Sonic and his friends. Most of them had already well proved their loyalty and willingness to either maintain or respect the peace. He was quite ecstatic to have you come work for us, in fact…”

“So, the President doesn’t trust the general populace to ‘Respect the peace’, huh? Why keep children captive here, then?”

“They had abilities as well…and they aren’t like the others we’ve found. So far not a single one has had a hereditary pattern that could explain what they had. But, these children, they were born to two people with such capabilities. Not only that, it would be easy to mold them into loyal citizens we could trust. But we still understand so little about these abilities, we had to monitor them in a controlled environment!”

This seemed to add up, though he wasn’t quite buying that they’d merely be let go. Perhaps the President even had plans to mold them into loyal little soldiers. A sickening thought. Either way, they would not be staying here. “How many?” he asked. “Only two. Twins,” he answered as they finally seemed to reach their destination. There was a viewing window embedded in one of the walls, allowing them to see the children in question. They were the spitting image of their mother. Black hair, midnight blue fur. Both were even in similarly hospital-like garments. 

They both had icy blue eyes, though, the girl…her pupils looked strange. It was hard to place from behind the glass, and at such a distance. Currently, it seemed like the boy was trying to punch through the walls but with no real success. “Both their parents were subjects here. The father passed away a few months after the mother, due to complications with some kind of illness,” the General explained further. “The girl was born blind, with her father’s ability to manipulate the mind, while the boy can manipulate fire.”

“Seems like they don’t really like it here,” he growled. The General groaned, “The President’s plan hasn’t been working so well, since the girl can get into our agents’ heads quite easily. Now the boy gets quite violent when we attempt to separate them for testing and punches the walls daily.” The hedgehog stared at the helpless children through the glass barrier. He couldn’t help but to think about when Maria was that small and helpless. He wouldn’t let them do this again. After giving it careful consideration, Shadow pointed the gun at him again.

“I want them released into my care. Now .”

“You…what??”

“Did I fucking stutter, General ?”

“Y-you aren’t exactly father material, be reasonable. Besides, you can’t help them, you don’t know anything about their abilities! You can’t just-”

“I have the ability to manipulate time to my will. My own power…it might…it might have something to do with what’s happening. I won’t let you keep these children here, raising them in white walls and brainwashing them!”

“You have to take it up with the President, Shadow. I can’t authorize this.”

“Then get a fucking car out of storage and take me to him!”

It seemed there would be nothing more to be done in order to negotiate. The General caved into his demands again, having no choice but to simply comply. He did believe in doing what was best for everyone, even if the methods were extreme. The General had quite a great deal of respect for Team Dark, even if he had to keep secrets from them. He certainly didn’t like having to do it, but, orders were orders. Shadow was not like him, though, he had his lines. Lines that he would allow no one to cross, not even the President himself.

He’d find out soon enough how foolish he was to think he could merely step over him as though he didn’t matter.

---

It was a standard day in the Presidential office. Things were droning on as usual, and there were loads of bills and appeals to veto or approve. He hadn’t gotten anywhere near halfway through today’s stack yet, when he heard his security guards outside his door making noise. He didn’t even have time to ask what was going on, before the doors were kicked open and his most loyal General was thrown in haphazardly like he was mere trash. The culprit was easily found, a hedgehog he was most familiar with stepping inside and looking quite furious.

“Sorry to interrupt, Mr President. But this is an urgent matter,” he said. The President only caught a glimpse of the unconscious guards outside before the flippant agent kicked the doors shut again. “W-what do you think you’re doing?!” he shouted in disbelief. Shadow rolled his eyes, stepping towards his desk as the General picked himself up off the floor. “This will get really ugly, really fast depending on how cooperative you are. I already found out about you and the General’s little secret initiative,” he hissed. “And I know about the children …”

“ Ugh …” he groaned, sitting back down in his chair and rubbing his temples. “ That’s what you knocked out my guards and kicked down my door about?” he bemoaned. “Surely the General has already explained why it’s imperative they remain under G.U.N surveillance?” Shadow didn’t seem amused by this answer at all. “I don’t give a flying fuck how scared you cowards are of their powers, they are children !” he yelled. “I don’t agree with what you’ve been doing with the civilians under your care, either, but that was more reasonable.”

“They don’t belong in a cell, I want them released .”

“I can’t do tha-”

“ I will take them in.”

At this, the President seemed intrigued. He leaned back in his chair, intertwining his fingers together as he stared at Shadow curiously. The Ultimate Lifeform? Raising two unstable and powerful children? Such a preposterous idea. “The Chaos energy I tap into…I can’t explain it, but, I think it’s got something to do with this. I want to take them in and teach them to control it,” he stated his intentions bluntly. “A noble offer…though your reasoning is admittedly weak,” the President pointed out. “I could think of several more fitting ones for you myself.”

“I don’t think my intentions matter to someone like you. Only the benefits,” he hissed. “Give me credit, Shadow…this crisis is more complicated than you want to make it seem,” he sighed impatiently. This problem had to be carried from one President to the next, and so far, none of them had simple solutions. It didn’t help that it was spreading quite fast. “But, I suppose there may be some merit to be found in your theory. We’ve been at a dead end for years,” he conceded. “But I didn’t expect you to be able to understand, you’re always looking at everything in black and white.”

“I know there’s gray in between, Mr President, I simply just know when the line between them has to be drawn,” he retorted disdainfully. “Now are you going to release them into my care, or am I going to have to do this the hard way?” The President was quiet for the longest time, enough to agitate the hedgehog and worry the General. He spun around in his office chair, staring out the window silently for a good few minutes. “Sir?” the General called out, somewhat off-put by his elongated silence. The hedgehog was losing patience, reaching for his holster.

“ Very well .”

He stopped, blinking in surprise. “You’ll…agree to give them to me?” he asked, needing clear clarification. The President spun around again to face him. “You have one year . If you can train them to control themselves successfully, I will release them into your permanent custody. And you can spearhead the operation involving the adult Prodigies,” he counter-offered, surprising even the General. “A-are you sure, sir?” he questioned, his leader nodding to confirm. “But…should your theory fall flat, you will return them to us and we will have to search for another route.”

He didn’t like the sound of the alternative to his failure. He didn’t even want to agree to this, but it seemed like this was the best he was going to get. While they did seem genuine in their intentions, the secretiveness instilled enough doubt in him to worry about their future plans. He hesitated a long time to speak. “...Fine. It’s a deal,” he caved. “I assume you don’t want them in the public eye during that time?” he guessed, the President nodding again. “Correct…but your estate is quite large. I’m sure that’ll be more than enough,” he assured him.

“Then if you’ll excuse me, I have to make a few preparations…”

The two men watched as the lone hedgehog exited, the General waiting until he was out of earshot to ask, “Aren’t you going to have him detained for assaulting your staff?” The President shook his head, “He’s a bit reckless and rash, but he’s no monster. I trust him to make good on his promises.” The General groaned, “What a mess…guess this job never gets any easier, huh?” His leader sneered and huffed in annoyance, “No…I don’t suppose it does, General. Why don’t you head back to base and prepare the children for release? He’ll want them ready soon.”

“Y-yes, sir. Right away.”

With that, the President groaned, getting up out of his seat to check on his security staff, lamenting that this would be a long day.

Chapter Text

The guardian waited a good while as he stood beside the Master Emerald. It was nearly time for him and Julie to head out for their dinner plans that night. Lara had already been dropped off earlier that night for a sleepover with her friend, so they’d have plenty of time to themselves. Eventually, his expected company would arrive, ascending the stairs of the altar to meet him. He and the chameleon went back quite a ways, he typically leaned on him and other mutual old friends of theirs for help when other matters came up.

“Espio, thanks again for helping out. Vector’s just so busy with his new baby and Charmy’s been out of town for weeks on his most recent job, I didn’t know who else to turn to for tonight,” he said, shaking his friend’s hand. The aloof chameleon waved this off, “Don’t mention it, Knuckles. I assure you, the Master Emerald’s in good hands.” He nodded and tipped his hat up a little. “No doubts about that. We’ll be home in a couple of hours,” he informed him, Julie calling up from the bridge to hurry him along. “Looks like I better get going, heh,” he chuckled.

“Go on, then. Enjoy yourselves.”

“We will. See ya around 10!”

With that, the couple went on their way to their date, and the ninja parked himself on top of the oversized Emerald, staring up at the night’s sky. It was quite beautiful tonight, a perfect night for a pair of lovers to be out having fun. He never really had a desire to find a significant other, have children. He supposed he had found a family in The Chaotix, at least, once upon a time he had. But they had drifted apart little by little. Charmy grew up and got a real job in government work, Vector started a family, where did that leave Espio? Alone and with no real ambition.

He had returned home to his clan for a time, completing the training he had never finished before taking up employment to the bombastic croc. But after that, he’d isolated himself all over again. His only connection left was Knuckles, though they didn’t hang out all that much either. Alone and lost in the world, that was his existence now, where everyone else around him had found purpose. Was this it for him? Doing favors for the only friend he had left and dying alone with no legacy or even any companions left to be bothered to mourn him?

He sighed aloud, reminding himself to focus. For the moment, he had a job to do.

---

The children were weary, as they always were. The boy was sure this was some sort of trick. Adopted? What kind of joke did they think they were playing at? They’d been here for nine years, they’d been told countless times that this would be their forever home. Fat chance they would change that now . “What if…i-it’s not a t-trick, Two?” the girl asked, listening to her brother pace around in irritation. “They s-said…he’s l-like us, right?” The boy didn’t seem to be having it, though, turning to his sister and running his fingers through his hair.

“Argh! Three, they’re making it up to mess with us!” he growled. “They have to be!” She pouted, putting a finger against her cheek. “But, I can t-tell…when they’re not being honest. S-sorta…usually t-they’re thinking something different…” she countered. “P- please just, wait before you g-get mad this time…” The boy seemed to cave to his sister’s pleas, groaning and slumping onto the pillowy mass they’d been left to wait on in this unbearably cold and callous room. “It would help if they didn’t make us wait so damn long!” he growled impatiently. 

“I-it has been…a while, h-hasn’t it…?” she agreed with her restless sibling. And they’d be kept waiting another five minutes, messing around with the squishy surface they were on, or in her brother’s case, attempting to fly and failing miserably only to be caught by the pillow or his sister’s body. Eventually, someone entered, not like the many suited up faceless agents they had become accustomed to. He was more like them than they imagined, a Mobian hedgehog, wearing a jacket that bore the G.U.N logo though no headgear or anything of the sort.

He got down on one knee, putting himself down on their level before uttering a calm, “Hello.” The boy still seemed on his guard, not speaking but glaring at him skeptically. The girl responded first, looking in the direction his voice had come from, “H…hello. Are you the one they s-said…is taking us?” He nodded, “Yes. My name is Shadow. What are your names?” The girl pointed to herself. “I am…Three,” she introduced. “And my brother,” she said, putting a hand out in the general direction of where she was sure he was based on the sound of his movements.

“Is Two. Our full names were too long, so we just go by the last p-part,” she said. He frowned at this answer, shooting the General behind him a fierce glare before turning his attention back to the children. Her brother had already gone over to her side to take her hand, still glaring at him silently. “Would you two like to have real names?” he asked gently. “I d-don’t really know…what a real name is?” she responded. “Y-yours sounds very c… cool . M-maybe y-you could pick for us,” she suggested, much to her brother’s blatant disapproval. “ Three !” he scolded.

“How about…I let you choose when we get to my place?” he offered. “Your brother can help you pick one you like, he can pick one too, if he wants one.” She smiled for the first time, and nodded her head. “I like t-that…idea,” she agreed. “Three, seriously, we don’t even know if we can trust this guy,” Two protested, still not seeming on board with any of this. “He won’t h-hurt us, Two,” she said. “He i-is…a protector…f-for kids like us. Not dangerous, like…t-them.” Shadow blinked at that, remembering what the General said before.

Her brother still seemed hesitant, but trusted her assessment. He helped her stand up, guiding her onto the solid floor where Shadow was waiting for them. He stood up ons his feet again, “Alright, follow m-” He paused, noticing a G.U.N soldier reaching to grab the girl. Her brother noticed, growling and about to blast fire at him when the hedgehog grabbed the soldier’s arm and held it in place with an iron grip. Everyone froze with surprise, Shadow glaring daggers at him. “ Keep your hands…off of them. They can walk themselves out just fine ,” he hissed.

He released the man’s arm, pushing it back and away from the children before ushering them to his other side. “Come on…my friend will be driving us back,” he informed them as he led them out of the room. He glanced back at them, “She’s a bat, just like you guys.” The girl seemed excited, though her brother hardly paid attention to what he had said, still fixated on what he had just done before. He still didn’t fully trust the newcomer, though it was hard to deny that he couldn’t be all bad if he didn’t like those soldiers, either.

For once, maybe they’d found someone in this agency who could be trusted.

---

“Augh! I can’t believe I agreed to this!”

“Don’t complain, Sonic. You could’ve just said no.”

Two little girls giggled as they watched a hedgehog go back and forth with his two-tailed companion. The hedgehog was currently getting ready for his date, wondering how formal he should be. Formal wasn’t really his thing, but, he surely had to try to look presentable for something like this. He remembered trying his best to go on proper dates like this with Sally, oh, how time had flown since he last saw her. He shook his head, trying not to think about it. “I-I dunno, Tails. It’s just…she seems so much more… normal than before,” he justified.

“So what’s the problem?” the mechanic asked, raising a brow at Sonic. “You know me, I’m bad at this stuff! She’s probably got some nice dinner reservation planned for me o-or something like that,” he pouted. “Buttercup, can you hand me a wrench?” Tails called out to one of the children that were eavesdropping on them as they played together. From the living room, a little plant-like being that was the spitting image of their lost companion: Cosmo. Her skin was a pinch tanner, but she still retained her mother’s deep blue eyes.

Though her hair was a bright shade of yellow, much like the unbloomed buds that protruded from her head, and her hair was much more soft and bouncy. “Here ya go, daddy!” she addressed the fox, handing him a wrench and receiving a pat on the head as a reward. “Thanks, sweetie,” he praised, turning away as he kept on working on the device he’d been fiddling with. She turned her attention to Sonic next, “Are you having trouble with your tie again, Uncle?” He chuckled nervously and nodded, “S-sure could use some help…”

She giggled, going up to him and stepping up on a step-stool nearby to reach his neck and tie the tie for him in a neat little bow. “Don’t be so nervous, Uncle. I’m sure everything will be fine, and who knows, maybe you’ll like the new Ms Rose more than you thought,” she advised as she did his tie for him. He smiled, ruffling up her hair when she was done. “Heh, thanks for the advice, sweetheart~” he snickered. There was a knock at the front door, to which the other girl still in the living room shouted, “I’ll get it!” and then promptly reported, “It’s for you, Mister Sonic!”

“Guess that’s my cue…” he gulped. “B-be back around 9,” he said, putting on a wrist gadget. “Call me if anything comes up!” And with that, the speedster was out the door, Tails bidding him farewell with a simple, “Will do!” of acknowledgement before getting back to work. Buttercup stepped down from the stool, placing her hands on her father’s desk and peering up at him. “Daddy? How come you don’t ever go out on dates?” she asked. Tails smiled fondly at that question, “Well, kiddo, afraid I have yet to meet a lady who was as lovely as your mother.”

She was quiet for a moment, before her sweet little voice made a request he simply could not refuse. “Could you…tell me another story? About mama?” He smiled down at her, putting down the contraption he was working on and pulling her up onto his lap. “Anything for you, Buttercup,” he agreed. Lara soon entered the room as well, captured by the story Tails began to tell as she sat on the stepping stool to listen as well. 

“I was having a little trouble pin-pointing the location of an Emerald, so she, Knuckles, and I decided to see if maybe it was underground. But then, something unexpected happened when we split up from him…”

---

Espio kept his eyes closed, listening to the sounds all around him. There was no wind tonight, all should be quiet. Should be, that was. A rustling sound graced his ears, prompting him to open one of his eyes to look for the source of the sound. He could easily see a bush’s leaves being tussled around every so often. His guard was up now, opening both eyes and standing up to enter a combat stance. He didn’t get the chance, something suddenly hitting him from behind and knocking him off the Master Emerald and onto the floor of the altar.

His line of sight snapped upwards, catching the culprit: a Buzz-Bomber, in his midst. He froze for a split second, surprised to see such a thing. That simply wasn’t possible, but he had no time to be worrying about that just yet. He tossed one of his throwing stars right between it’s eyes, static flickering all over it before it exploded in the air. He brought an arm up to shield from the sudden light, as well as potential shrapnel. When it was no more, he was given more peace and quiet to think. “What…the hell is a Buzz-Bomber doing here ?” he wondered aloud.

Look out, behind you!

A voice he didn’t recognize warned him, and he heeded this, turning around to find three more robots he recognized only as badniks designed by the one and only Doctor were about to attack him. He made quick work of them this time, not hesitating before throwing one star at each of them and destroying all in the process. He leapt back onto the top of the Master Emerald, he looked around, not seeing any more mechanical threats, but also no people , either. And he definitely heard someone. It sounded like a woman, but it wasn’t Julie.

“Who was that?” he pondered aloud. Did he simply imagine it? His attention would be recaptured when more badniks started to crawl out of the greenery. He growled defensively, “It’s a bad night to be a badnik…” He leapt off the Master Emerald, continuing to fight back the forces that never seemed to stop coming. This wasn’t good. He had no idea where they were coming from, he hadn’t even expected trouble in the first place, least of all for the Doctor to start rearing his ugly head again tonight.

The night that was previously silent was now filled with the sounds of explosions and Espio’s struggling voice that moved like lightning to dispose of the intruders. It continued on this way for several minutes, until eventually, it seemed there were none left. He waited a moment, nearly out of breath though still on his guard. Eventually, he was satisfied they had all gone, but saw fit to return to the Master Emerald and do another sweep of the perimeter from his vantage point. He turned his head, only to be startled by a light that had not been there before.

He almost threw another star at it, until it spoke to him.

“ W-wait ! Do not be alarmed! I am Tikal, spirit guardian of the Master Emerald,” she finally introduced herself. He seemed skeptical, though her voice was identical to the one he’d heard before. “Likely story, Knuckles never said anything about a spirit,” he spat. “Please, you must listen. We don’t have time,” she urged him. Though it seemed the chameleon was still hard pressed to believe her. “No, I don’t trust you, something’s not right about all this,” he said in an accusatory tone. The spirit sighed, “You don’t have much of a choice.”

“And why is that ?”

“Because the island is still under attack! We’re in grave danger!”

“You mean there are still more of them coming?!”

“Yes! They must not get ahold of the Master Emerald, something dangerous is within it’s walls. He will do unspeakable things if he is unleashed! You must protect the island and the Master Emerald at all costs!”

“Got it,” he nodded, turning his attention towards the surrounding area again to find more badniks encroaching from all sides now. They were completely surrounded. Tikal seemed discouraged by this, fidgeting back and forth in a panic. “Oh, no ! There’s too many!” she fretted. But Espio wasn’t worried at all, in fact, he smirked as he re-entered a combative stance, loading more stars into his throwing device. “But not too many for me ,” he assured, jumping back into the heat of battle as Tikal kept a watchful eye over the Emerald, warning him if badniks got too close.

Once again, the night air was filled with explosions and shrapnel and throwing stars flew through the air like the leaves on a gentle breeze. It showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

---

“Alright, so, where we goin’, Ames?”

“I can’t tell you that yet, silly! I told you, it’s a surprise!”

The pair walked through the night together, her in a lovely summer dress and him in a bowtie that did not suit the oh-so famous hedgehog. He quite liked the nice breeze blowing through the town tonight, keeping his hands behind his head as he walked along. “You really think you can pull one over on me, huh?” he teased. She blushed, “I-it’s not a trick, promise! You’ll like it, I’m sure you will.” He chuckled at her reaction and waved his hand at her, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding! Just couldn’t resist the opportunity is all.”

She huffed but was a good sport about it. “You, uh, look nice in that tie,” she fibbed. She realized now how so not-him it really looked. “Ah, t-thanks. You too. I admit I thought you were gonna wear something a little fancier,” he confessed bluntly. She laughed, “Well, I was, but…I figured it’d come off a little too strong, y’know? Didn’t want you to think I was crazy again.” He winced at that, feeling a little badly now that he was really here doing this. He was about to refute it, but she spoke up before he could even say anything in reply.

“Come on, slowpoke! Don’t ya wanna stretch your legs?” she encouraged all of the sudden. He blinked, tilting his head at her. “Uhh…well, sure, but, I’d have to carry you or else I might lose ya,” he pointed out. She snickered at that, taking out her hammer and spinning it with one hand. “Come on now, Sonic, I’m not a tortoise. Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and race me?” she challenged. This piqued his interest, and he smirked at her as though not taking such an offer seriously. “Psh, like you could actually keep up with me. You couldn’t even catch up to me in the market last week!” he laughed.

“Come onnn, what are ya, chickeeen ~?” she mocked. “Sonic The Chickenhog, that’s what you are~” His smirk turned into something more competitive, his ears twitching at the taunt. “Alright, alright. But don’t say I didn’t warn ya, Ames,” he finally caved, cracking his knuckles as she threw her hammer over her shoulder. “On the count of three,” she decided, Sonic nodding in agreement. “One…twooo,” she said slowly, waiting a few more seconds before suddenly shouting, “ Three !” On that signal, the blue blur left her in the dust almost instantly, running backwards for good measure.

And at first it seemed like she was full of it after all, until of course, he saw her flying through the air, riding her hammer as she started to catch up to him. He blinked, “H-holy…” She waved and winked at him, grabbing her hammer and slamming it down against the ground to propel herself back up, keeping a near even pace with Sonic and running on the ground every so often to build her momentum back up. She hadn’t used this method in some time, but it was quite effective. “Who can’t keep up with who now , slowpoke?” she teased when she was close enough for him to hear.

“Heh, guess you left your hammer at home last week when you were chasin’ me, huh?” he guessed with a laugh. “You sure were lucky I did! It would’ve been much easier!” she laughed. They kept on running, Amy steering every so often to guide Sonic to their destination. Eventually, they ended up in the fields outside of town, Amy slowing down and Sonic doing much of the same upon reaching a tree atop a small hill with a lovely view. “Woo!” he cheered. “That was great !” She smiled, walking closer to the tree and pointing towards it, “It’s just over here.”

She set her hammer down against the tree, walking around to the other side as her date followed her. When he got to the other side, he was surprised to find a picnic blanket laid out with a pretty tame set up. There were some candles and rose petals, but most notably was the chili dog tower that was stacked on a plate for him. She sat by her own plate, which had a daintier dish for herself and some tea. “Woah, did…did you make all this?” he asked, sitting down and taking one off the top. She nodded, “Mm-hm! Sure did!”

“You did like to cook sometimes back in the day,” he remembered as he took a bite into it, almost immediately scarfing the rest of it down. It was just so delicious! She cringed a little at his bad manners, but offered him a handkerchief to wipe off his mouth as she tried to keep quiet about it. “I, uh, take it you like them?” she asked. He nodded, “Pretty good, Amy! Thanks! You know, this is actually not as…” He trailed off, trying to find a nice way to say it. But Amy put it bluntly for him, “ Boring as you expected? Hehe, yeah, I know.”

“S-sorry, it’s…not fair to judge you.”

“No, it is. I didn’t do myself a whole lot of favors in the market, either. I, uh…wanted to apologize for that, by the way. O-old habits die hard…I guess.”

“Aw, don’t sweat it, Amy. It has been a while…you’ve never greeted me any other way.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have yelled and startled you, or, chased you halfway across town…” she remained firm. “I wanted to make up for that, you’re not the kinda guy to go to a fancy restaurant or sit at a movie theater for two hours. You’ve always liked it more outside and being able to move around.”

“Well, someone’s done her homework,” he laughed.

“I also got some helpful advice,” she admitted. “I want to thank you again for giving this a chance. For giving me a chance to show you the real Amy…not the kook who’s been chasing you around since she was ten years old.”

He felt quite a bit more relaxed than he was earlier now. This was admittedly nice, and much more up his alley. “So, Amy Rose, whatcha up to these days? Got a job now that Egghead’s out of the picture?” he asked, picking up another dog off the stack. “Oh, yeah! I’m mostly working at a bakery, though I really wanna open my own, one of these days. I also babysit for Julie and Knuckles most of the time, I was a little surprised to see Lara at your house tonight,” she said. “I didn’t know she and Buttercup were friends.” He nodded, “Yup! Totally inseparable, those two.”

“Hehe, yeah, well, Lara’s at my place a lot most days,” she said, getting back to the topic at hand. He raised a brow at that, “Why’s that?” Amy frowned, rolling her eyes and letting out a scoff, “I’ve been asking Julie the same thing . All she’s got to say is that they’re ‘ Very busy lately’.” Sonic rolled his eyes at this, sneering as he already began to formulate some words he’d have for his old rival next time they crossed paths. “Knux really needs to focus more on what’s in front of him, he’s taking his position way too seriously,” Sonic groaned.

“On that , I think I can agree. Though, speaking of parents, how’s Bernie and Jules? I haven’t seen them in forever,” she brought up. Sonic chewed and swallowed the dog that was still in his mouth for a moment before answering. “Oh, mom and pops? They’re alright. They’re just enjoying the long peace streak like everybody else,” he reported. “I haven’t seen them in a bit either, come to think of it, guess I should go pay them a visit this weekend.” She took a sip of tea to wash down her own dinner, before moving onto her next question.

“Well, what about Buttercup? How’s she doing? I don’t think I’ve seen her since she was a toddler,” she asked. Sonic smiled proudly at the mention of the little seedrian bundle of joy. “She’s doin’ great! She’s already in third grade and a total genius just like her parents,” he reported. “A’s across the board, she’s makin’ even me proud.” Amy grinned at this, feeling fluttery all over again. “Aww, that’s so cute! Looks like someone’s wriggled her way into your heart~” she teased. He laughed at this, nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, I definitely love her just as much as Tails. Though, to be honest…I’m just terrible with kids. Well, at least, the whole raising thing. I help Tails out when he needs it of course, but, I’m usually a mess with that stuff,” he confessed. Amy’s smile fell a little and she looked down at her half empty tea cup. “Oh, I’d just love to have a little girl of my own, someday…” she sighed. “Er, I mean, in general, of course!” she clarified, blushing brightly as she realized what she had said. He laughed again, “ Of course . You’d be a great mother, I’m sure.”

She felt emboldened at that, though the pair fell silent for a few minutes, enjoying their meal and the view. The end picked up a little as they half-stargazed. Eventually, the silence broke again when Sonic asked a question this time. “Hey, Ames…I’ve been wondering somethin’,” he said. “What is it?” she wondered aloud, turning her head to give him her full attention. “Well, thing is…what did draw you to me in the first place? Is it seriously just cuz I saved you from Eggman?”  he asked a question that had been on his mind for so many years.

“Oh! W-well…” she hesitated, not wanting to bring up her cards. But she didn’t want to lie, either. “ Sigh …if I’m being honest …it was because I got a reading from my cards,” she fessed up. “Your cards? Oh, you mean your Tarot Cards?” he remembered, sitting up a little. “Y-yeah…those cards. I got a reading that said I would meet the hero of my dreams. And, w-well…you came and saved me, just like it said you would. I got it in my head then that we were destined for each other,” she clarified. “And, well, from there it got out of hand, as you probably remember…” 

He snickered and nodded, “Oh yeah, that definitely explains it.”

“B-but-” she continued. “As you rescued me over and over, and…and as I got to know you over all those adventures. Your determination, your gentle and kind nature, your confidence, it just made me fall even further, you know? Even the things that drove me totally crazy, like how you just never seemed able to sit still.”

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, “Fair enough.” Amy hesitated, before asking one last question of her own. “So, Sonic…not to be too forward, but, I just want to know the truth…” she said, piquing his interest. “Is there really any chance that you’ll consider being more than just friends?” At that, he frowned, the uncomfortable feeling returning all over again. He sighed heavily, sitting all the way up now. “Amy, I can’t lie. The real you is so much more mature and you’ve made a lot of progress. And the thought you put into all this, I seriously appreciate it,” he began with all the positives first.

“But…what you want, I can’t give that to you. And I don’t just mean a relationship.”

“Huh? What do you mean? I never asked for anything el-”

“Come on, Ames. You and I both know you wanna settle down. Have kids. And that’s great! Really, I think you’d be a wonderful mother and a good wife to anyone lucky enough to have you.”

“...But?”

“ Sigh …but, I… don’t want that kind of life.”

“N…not to be pushy but, h-how do you know? Maybe if you tried, you might like it. I know you said you’re not the best at raising kids, but, you’re so good with them outside of that!”

“I have tried, Amy. The first woman I ever loved said the same thing to me ages ago. And I tried so hard to be everything she said I would get used to and start to love!” he confessed, looking down with melancholy. “But…she was wrong. I hated it. Even though I loved her, the life that came with being her significant other was just…too much. I regret not putting my foot down sooner and…putting her through some really tough things because of it. I won’t do that to you, Amy, I’d never forgive myself.” Amy was in shock and surprise at this confession.

She knew exactly who he was referring to, her former rival in love and current Queen to the Acorn Kingdom: Sally. She couldn’t say anything to refute it, she knew him well, and he knew her just as much. They were simply incompatible long term. “I…I understand, Sonic. You’re right,” she conceded. “But, thank you for giving me this, at least.” He smiled sadly at her, picking a flower from the field around them and putting it in her hair to cheer her up. “Hey, you’re gonna meet an awesome guy. He might not be as cool as me, but he’s gonna love ya. Cuz you’re a seriously bad ass woman, Ames,” he assured her.

She smiled, and though her heart was still cracked, his words did make her feel some semblance of better. “Thanks, Sonic. You’re a really good friend,” she giggled half-heartedly. She had finally gotten some form of closure, and though she’d probably be thinking about tonight in melancholy for a while, she had already done most of her moving on during the time they’d drifted apart. The moment was spoiled by Sonic’s wrist gadget beeping. He answered it immediately, the little screen opening up to show him the call was coming from Tails.

“Sonic! Emergency, you gotta come quick!” he shouted.

“T-Tails?! What is it, what’s goin’ on?”

“I-I’m not quite sure, but something bad is going down on Angel Island! We’ve got to go , now! Get back to the house, I’m firing up the Tornado!”

“Got it! I’m on my way!”

He hung up promptly, standing up and realizing something a little too late. “Oh, shoot! The girls!” he groaned. Amy stood up as well, and stepped towards him to get his attention. “T-take me back! I’ll watch the girls for you and make sure they’re safe,” she volunteered. He smiled and rubbed his thumb under his nose, “Thanks Ames! I’ll carry you back, I gotta hurry!” She nodded, climbing into his arms and nestling close as he sped back towards the house. She watched the boys fly off, praying for their safety before shutting the door to check on the girls.

She had a bad feeling about this…

Chapter Text

The drive over was mostly quiet. Shadow took the wheel, allowing Rouge to engage with the children the whole way over. With the roof down, they all had the wind blowing through their hair and fur. The kids wouldn’t admit it, but the feeling was really nice. And they were oh-so curious about the most simple and natural things. It was simultaneously adorable and saddening. They seemed more comfortable with a fellow bat, which Shadow was more than fine with. Whatever helped them adjust as quickly as possible to life outside their glorified prison walls.

“So, you two rascals got names?”

“U-um, not r…real ones, yet, but um…we call ourselves Three and Two,” the girl answered, pointing between them respectively to designate each of their codenames. “It’s part of the number that the soldiers used to address us,” she re-explained. Rouge frowned at that, “Well, I’m sure you guys will come up with much better ones when you get settled in. My name is Rouge,” she introduced. “Shadow and I go way back. I helped him find you guys.” Two looked down at her jacket, similar to Shadow’s though more low-cut. “You…work for them, too,” he observed.

“Yeah, but it’s a little complicated,” she nodded. “You’ll probably understand better when you’re older, but, we’re the good guys.” Two pouted, looking down at the floor and seeming unconvinced. “Hmph, maybe…” he muttered. His sister noticed his doubt, and looked towards Rouge. “Miss…Rouge?” she called out. “C-can you…um…f-fly?” she asked, fiddling with her hair. She grinned, flapping her wings and flying out of her seat, keeping pace with the car from the air as she did a few tricks to show off to her brother before landing on the trunk.

“Oh absolutely ~” she boasted with a wink. “Want me to teach you little anklebiters how to soar high?” They both gasped and gawked in awe, the girl being able to easily hear her moving around through the wind. They cheered in approval, begging for lessons. She snickered, “Alright, alright! I’ll be sure to come over to show you a thing or two.” Shadow looked back at her, a little irritated by her reckless showboating. “Rouge. Get back in the car, you’re gonna set a bad example before they’re even at the house!” he scolded.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll set a terrible example so much better than I could ever dream of,” she teased, doing as told and buckling back into her seat. Eventually they arrived at the estate, the boy seeming impressed from the moment they got to the front gate. Rouge switched over to the driver’s side once Shadow and the kids exited, giving them one last wink and a peace sign. “See ya around, kiddos. And don’t mind Shadow, he’s always a grumpy pants,” she joked before driving off. Shadow rolled his eyes as the children snickered, ushering them inside.

It was even more cool inside than out, so spacious and expensive looking. The boy immediately was drawn to the foyer couch, jumping and flipping around on it. The girl stayed close to Shadow still, still unfamiliar with this new environment. “S-sorry, did I s…step on your f-foot, mister?” she mumbled, flinching a little upon pulling her foot back. “It’s alright, it doesn’t hurt,” he assured, guiding her over to her brother on the couch. “Oh, Three, this place is so awesome ! I wish you could see it!” he gushed. “There’s so much more color and stuff here!”

“Sounds so exciting,” she nodded in agreement. “Well, at least you like it” Shadow remarked, piquing the more attentive girl’s attention. “You don’t like your house, Mister Shadow?” He shook his head, “I mean, it’s nice, objectively, but I haven’t liked any home I’ve lived in. I just never got used to any of them…” She frowned, feeling sympathy to such feelings. Her “Home” didn’t feel like a home either, never feeling right. She wasn’t sure if this place would be her real home yet, but anything was better than that terrible and cold cage she lived in.

“What t-time is it?” she asked.

“Hmm…it’s already really late. You two should probably be getting to bed by now,” he hummed as he glanced at the clock. He led the children through the hallways, eventually getting to his own room. Once he turned the light on, the boy was ecstatic and zipped over to the bed, jumping onto it and bouncing around even more. “Oh, sweet ! This is our room?!” he squeaked. Shadow guided the girl to the bed gently as he clarified, “No, this is my room. I didn’t have time to really accommodate for you two since I wanted to remove you from G.U.N ASAP.”

“Awww man!” the boy groaned. “But, I am clearing out a room I never use for you two to use eventually. I’ll even let you decorate it however you want,” he added. Her brother helped pull her up onto the bed. “D-decorate…?” she repeated. Her brother also seemed curious about that. “What’s that mean?” he asked. Oh, those G.U.N goons really made Shadow wanna punch a wall right about now. “It’s…when you pick what you put in your room. What kind bed you want, or what color you want your walls to be,” he described. 

This was all so much. They got to pick out anything they wanted? Colors in their room? She looked over at her brother, who scratched the back of his head shyly. She elbowed him in the rib, urging him to speak as she pouted. “Uh…t-thanks, sir,” he muttered reluctantly. “No problem…alright, time for bed,” he said, moving to turn off the light. Wait! That sound…it didn’t come out of the girl’s mouth. It sounded like it was in his…head? He looked directly at her, and she already had a sheepish look of guilt. “Um…s-sorry…” she mumbled.

“Er…it’s…alright. What is it?” he decided to ignore that for now. “Y-you haven’t g…given us n-names…yet…” she reminded him. The boy sneered, crossing his arms, “But I wanna pick out my own name!” Ah, right. Those codenames of theirs would simply not do. He rubbed at his chin for a moment, before going over to the bed and sitting on the side. “Come on, you don’t think I can come up with something cool enough for you?” he teased the tot. “Heh, yeah, right . Go ahead, just try it,” he dared. Shadow rolled his eyes, thinking for a moment.

“...How’s about…Artemis, for you?” he suggested to the boy. He blinked at that, his defensive demeanor draining. “...N-not that it sounds cool, but…w-what is that name?” he questioned. “It belongs to an ancient mythological god. They ruled the night sky,” he informed the young one, who clearly ate such a tale up. His cheeks flushed and he didn’t make eye contact upon conceding. “A…alright, fine. You can call me Artemis!” he accepted. “What about me, mister Shadow?” the girl asked, raising her hand in the air to get his attention.

“Hmmm, for you…how about-”

He was interrupted by the sound of one of his clocks going off in the hallway outside the room. It startled the children, who shuffled closer to each other and looked around nervously. “W-what was that…?!” Artemis demanded. “Oh, s-sorry. That’s just my clock. It’s telling us that it’s midnight,” he informed them. “It’s alright, it’s just a sound. Nothing bad is going to happen.” The girl’s ears perked up at that, something seeming to click into place. “Mid…night?” she repeated. “Midnight…midnight!” Shadow raised a brow at this, “You like that word?” She nodded, “I…I w-want that t-to be my name…M…Midnight.”

He smiled, “Alright then. Midnight, and Artemis…it’s time for bed, now. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow.” The children settled themselves under the covers, huddling together as Shadow returned to the open doorway to shut off the light. “Goodnight,” he bid, leaving the door slightly ajar to make them more comfortable. Although he would be locking all the exits so they wouldn’t go running off. He made his way for the foyer, having already decided to spend the night on the couch instead. That same nightmare plagued him again that night, much to his confusion.

Was something still… wrong ?

---

“It’s not good, Sonic! I got some kind of emergency transmission from Knuckles’ radio tower, but there was no message attached to it,” Tails reported as they flew through the air, Sonic resting on the wing of the plane like always.

“Knux is out with Julie tonight, isn’t he?” he pointed out.

“Then it must be someone he hired to watch the Master Emerald for the night.”

“Hope whoever it is is ready to party~”

“Sonic, this is serious,” he scolded him. “I don’t know what we’re gonna find up there.”

“Aw, lighten up, Tails! Since when has it been somethin’ we can’t handle?”

He grumbled under his breath, rolling his eyes at his friend’s flippant attitude. The rest of the trip over was silent, and soon they would arrive to find something most unexpected. The sight was unlike any they had seen before. Angel Island was alight with flames and flashing lights of explosions. From the Tornado 3, Tails and Sonic had a horrific view of the carnage that littered the normally peaceful land. “H-holy…” Sonic muttered, a tad caught off-guard by it all. “What’s…happening here?” Tails muttered worriedly. “Something’s not right about thi-”

“Alright, well, looks like we’ll have to split up. I hate to do this, but it looks like we’ll have to send for Knux. Send him a transmission! I’m gonna scope out the site of the altar, you scan the forest!”

Before Tails could even say anything in response, the blue blur jumped from the Tornado 3 and spindashed to ease his landing. “Sonic! Are you crazy ?! You don’t know what’s down there!” he screeched, only for his warning to fall on deaf ears. He groaned, changing course to the forest. “Guess I’ve got no choice…KRIS, record a message!” he voice commanded the AI on his wrist gadget as he flipped it open. The hedgehog promptly landed by the altar, managing to bounce into a safe landing. He looked around, seeing almost nothing but smashed up bits of badniks.

He recognized some, others were too banged up to tell. “Badniks…?” he muttered. “So, he’s finally come back to party, huh?” he smirked. “But…who the heck smashed all these? There must be hundreds.” He kept scanning the area, eventually finding the shack Julie had built for Knuckles’ radio tower by following the trail of smashed up badniks. The door was already slightly open, and the blue hero was on his guard as he slowly peered inside the darkness. There were only a few broken badniks in here, but more shockingly there was a body.

“Espio!” he yelped, rushing over to check his pulse. The poor chameleon laid over the radio controls, covered in cuts and bruises and some shrapnel lodged in several non-lethal parts of his body. He was still breathing, though it was ragged and heavy and full of struggle. He gasped at the sound of Sonic’s voice, opening his eyes as best as he could manage to look at him. “S-Sonic…you… cough …t-took you…l-long enough. You l-losing speed…w-with age?” he mocked between breaths and coughs.

“You can make fun of me later, we gotta get you to a hospital!” he urged. Espio shook his head, “Hos…pital? N-no…! Cough cough ! No, I…t-the Master…Emerald-” Sonic scowled, putting Espio’s arm over his shoulder to carry him. “You’re hanging around Knux too much if you’re seriously more worried about that than yourself right now. The Master Emerald is fine, I just saw it,” he reported. “Now stop being difficult, we gotta go!” Espio still seemed reluctant, shaking his head again and trying to pull away from Sonic, but he was too weak to do so.

“N-no! Can’t…can’t abandon my p…post. T-they’re not…g-gone yet.”

“Look around you, Espio! You got all the badniks already!”

“M-more…all over the island. I-it’s…n-not over yet!”

He was right about that much at least. Sonic had seen for himself that there was still more out there. But he didn’t feel all that comfortable leaving Espio here like this. He needed medical attention, and he was no expert in such things. That’s when a familiar voice came from the doorway behind them, “ Go, I will transport him to safety. ” He turned his head, finding Gemerl standing there as he had suspected. “Gemerl?! What the heck are you doin’ here?!” he gasped. “ I picked up a radio signal with an emergency transmission, ” he explained, taking Espio from him.

“ I’m always listening to radio waves in case someone is in danger. ” Sonic blinked in awe, but smiled and gave a thumbs up. “Alright! Thanks a bunch, now I can go bust up the Doctor’s badniks!” This information alarmed Gemerl. “ The Doctor…has returned? ” he asked. “Pretty sure it’s him, all these smashed up robots look just like his work,” Sonic confirmed. “If you got time to get back here and help, that’d be great! They’re everywhere .” Gemerl nodded, carrying Espio outside and immediately taking off to escort him to get medical care.

Sonic hurried off to another sector of Angel Island until he managed to come across a horde of badniks badgering the local wildlife. He cracked his knuckles and wiped his thumb under his nose. “ Looks like it’s showtime~ ” he remarked, before smashing through as many bots as he could make out. 

---

It took the couple a half hour to catch up with the others on the island. As disappointed as they were their night was cut short, Angel Island was more important to them than anything else. Julie rode on her husband’s back as he climbed up the dirt walls of the island, gun at the ready. Once they reached the surface ground, they’d find fires off in the distance that tore away at a humble village on this sector. “S-shit!” Knuckles cursed, about to charge in when his wife put an arm out to stop him. 

“I can handle this. You need to check on the Master Emerald and make sure Espio is ok. Tails said these creeps are all over the island, we gotta cover as much ground as possible,” she ordered. He snorted in agitation, but nodded in agreement. Leaving Julie behind with but a kiss for good luck, he hurried to the altar. But it seemed there was nothing left now but the hollow shell of badniks. The Master Emerald seemed intact, but Espio was nowhere to be found. Worryingly enough, there was blood all over the radio shack.

He called out, but received no answer. “Fuck…this isn’t good. I need to-” he cut himself off, startled by a familiar light that greeted him when he exited the shack. “Augh! T-Tikal?” he asked. “Knuckles, you’re here! Thank goodness, it’s really bad!” she fretted. He nodded in agreement, “Yeah, I could tell. Where’s Espio?”

“Espio has already been taken to safety, he was badly injured after fighting off all these intruders!” she reported. That made him feel some sense of relief, but there were still the remaining intruders to worry about. “Do you know what sectors are still unprotected, Tikal?” he asked. She paused for a moment, seeming to think. “I don’t believe so…but Tails is struggling to eliminate the threat in the forest!” she said. He nodded, tipping his hat to her in respect. “We’ll take care of this, don’t worry.” With that, he rushed off to the forest to help deal with the badniks from the ground.

He spotted Tails’s plane quickly, being mindful to avoid his line of fire at first. He made short work of all the badniks in his sight, his fury fueling his punches tenfold. These lowlifes were damaging the beautiful nature senselessly, as though it were of no consequence. He would not have this. Eventually, after a close brush with Tails’s turrets, he decided to get to higher ground and fly high enough to get his attention. It seemed the poor guy was getting swarmed in the sky as it was. After exchanging looks of acknowledgement, Tails flew ahead.

Knuckles retreated back down below the treeline, continuing to bust up bots left and right. But this was starting to get ridiculous, he had never seen so many in one place before. Just what was Eggman playing at with this plan? Seven years of silence, and he dares come after Knuckles’ home first, and with so many endless badniks to spare, in the middle of the night no less. He’d be giving that coward a good sock to the kisser if he ever found his sorry hide. For now, it seemed he was continuing to hide behind his metallic minions.

For what felt like hours, he kept punching and kicking and eviscerating these restless contraptions. It got bad enough that he was starting to run out of breath. He was rusty, not really having to deal with many threats the past few years. But luckily for him, it seemed to finally be slowing down in this area. “Hah…hah… shit …h-haven’t had a workout like this…s-since we infiltrated the Egg Fleet…” he nearly wheezed. Suddenly, his ears caught a loud sound from above. He couldn’t see much from the ground, opting to climb back up above the treeline again.

He froze upon spotting the source of the noise. The Tornado 3 was aflame, descending fast into another vast acre of trees.

“ TAILS!!! ”

---

Espio still seemed stubborn, protesting all the way from the shack to the doorstep of the hospital. “ Please, do not resist. It will make it harder for you to heal, ” he firmly ordered, trying to get him to calm down. “T-take me… back …I h-have to help …!” he groaned, too weak to even attempt to fight Gemerl’s superior mechanic grip. “ I will aid in your stead, rest assured, ” he insisted as he descended as fast as he could without making Espio dizzy and worsening his condition significantly. It would take a while to get to where they were headed, even if he could risk terminal velocity.

“I h-have…a duty…”

“ ...Why do you insist on dying an avoidable death? Your friend will…understand. ”

“D-don’t have…anything else…anymore…”

He looked down at the chameleon, scanning him carefully, “ ........You are…Espio. ”

“Yeah…y-you know K-Knuckles?”

“ I do, but, that is not why…I recognize your photograph. Father has it on his desk. ”

“Fa…ather?” he narrowed his eyes at that.

“ Vector. I live with him and mother, Vanilla. ”

“Ohhh…g-great…he a-adopted a h-hunk of m-metal, too… cough ,” he muttered sarcastically. “S-surprised…he s-still has t-that o…old thing…”

Gemerl was silent. Vector didn’t speak much of his old detective agency nor his old crew. It always seemed to make him sad or melancholy. This chameleon seemed so broken and lost, like Gemerl once was. It reminded him of Shadow, in all the worst of ways. He made a mental note to tell Vector to visit Espio in the hospital tomorrow. Gemerl landed outside the medical ward, shocking the nurses with the busted up chameleon in his hands. Thankfully, they had recognized him from the several times he’d accompanied or visited Cream here. 

“ Live to fight another day… ” he urged the restless ninja, who responded with a curt “Heh…if I f-find…a good enough reason…” before he was carted off by the doctors. He lingered for just a moment, before turning and exiting the hospital again to return to Angel Island immediately. He still had friends counting on him. It was quicker this time, since he didn’t need to escort a civilian at a more delicate pace. He arrived, landing near a rocky part of the island. He didn’t even have time to scan the perimeter before he heard a loud explosion.

He turned his head, not seeing anything through all the jagged towering rocks blocking his vision. He hopped up to the highest one he could see, hoping to gain a vantage point as he tried to tap into the line that Sonic’s communicator was on. He landed gracefully, turning in the direction he was sure the sound came from to see smoke billowing out of a forested area. He saw the blue blur running into it, his voice coming in loud and clear on the communication line.

“ TAILS ! Tails, can you hear me? I’m on my-!”

Another explosion, this time Gemerl was able to get an eyeful of the flash that came from the smoking source in the forest. “ No…! ” Gemerl cried, activating his jet booster feet and flying as fast he could towards the smoke as he pleaded with whatever deities would hear him to not let his suspicions be true.

---

Turrets kept on knocking out badniks on the ground like dominoes, easily felled by an airborne savior to the forest below that was being plagued by them. Though eventually, more equally flightful reinforcements began to target the fox’s plane. But even they were easily dealt with. “This is getting bad…” Tails muttered under his breath. “Is this really his plan? Wait around for seven years building endless badniks to overwhelm us?” he wondered aloud as he dodged bullets and laser cannons from more robots that kept trying to surround him.

“This is weird, I don’t like it…” he nearly whispered, decidedly moving on to deal with a more clear area that would help him better make heads or tails of the badniks below upon noticing a familiar red companion of his gliding through the air. He thanked the stars that his message got to him in time. He tapped into the communication line to check on Sonic, hoping he had some good news to damper his paranoia. “Sonic, come in! Knuckles finally arrived! How are ya doing down there?” he asked. It took a moment, the sound of scrap metal being torn to shreds coming through from Sonic’s end. 

“Doin’ good, buddy! No sweat! I could take on this creeps all night!” he boasted. Tails sneered at his boastful attitude. “Sonic, something’s really not right here! All these badniks in one place, and Angel Island, of all of them, something’s weird about this!” he tried to warn again. But it seemed his companion’s worryless demeanor hadn’t diminished. “Aw, you worry too much! Eggman’s probably just trying to get at the Master Emerald or somethin’, he’s always after the Emeralds,” he dismissively discounted his worries as he busted up another badnik.

“Then why aren’t they all at the altar ? They’re attacking the forest, the villages, they’ve got the whole place surrounded!” Tails pointed out. “Well, the Emerald was still at the altar, but, Espio busted up all the bots that were crowding that place already!” he reported. “Lucky break for Knux, though Egghead was probably trying to cause enough chaos for his A team to snag the gem,” he put forth his personal guess. Tails grimaced as he looked down at the burning forest below. “Pretty over excessive distraction, even for Eggman…” he muttered.

“What was that?” Sonic asked. “Sorry bud, there’s kind of a lot goin’ on down here.” The two-tailed fox was not amused. He still felt like something was seriously off here, and Sonic’s incessant ignorance was really starting to get on his nerves. “Sonic, seriously, I think this is some kinda trap!” he insisted. “Eggman’s not smart enough for traps, Tails. ‘Sides, this is a pretty lame trap if ya ask me,” he said between mocking and bashing badniks, still not seeming to buy into Tails’s suspicions. “We can’t be reckless, Sonic!” he scolded.

“We shouldn’t have jumped into all this without thinking!” he bemoaned. Sonic seemed surprised to hear such a thing. “Come on, Tails, you know my style by now.” Tails grumbled under his breath, “ Yeah, that’s kind of the problem… ” Once again Sonic chimed in with a “Didn’t catch that, what?” after another explosion from his end. Tails growled in frustration, starting to lose his temper now. “He hasn’t been around for seven years! You really think he’s got something as simple as a horde of badniks in mind for us after all that time?!” he lectured.

“Eggman’s never gonna change, Tails. He’s always got simple plans. Wake up monster, use monster to kill everything. Make robot, use robot to kill everything. Steal Chaos Emeralds or Master Emerald or both and-”

“Sonic, will you just listen to-” He didn’t get to finish arguing.

He noticed a dark shadow looming over him, blocking out the moon above. He looked up, noticing a large ship that was above him all of the sudden. In his arguing with the blue blur, he hadn’t been paying careful attention to what was behind him. He didn’t have time to react, maneuver, fight back, anything at all. The tail of his plane was reduced to a useless combust piece of scrap metal, sending him careening downward. He felt something hit the back of his head, alleviating him of consciousness before he could even think to unbuckle himself and fly out of the cockpit. 

The plane made a rough crash into one of the clearings of the forest, though not entirely in pieces yet, the next boom was inevitable.

---

“Tails?” Sonic called out, confused by his companion’s sudden silence. At the same time a loud sound that hurt his ears came in on the line, a far off one in the distance sounded off, and it was much sharper than the ones from the badniks on the ground. His eyes widened, quickly running around to try and find the source. He stopped in a rocky patch of the island, just barely catching the Tornado 3 making it’s final descent below the treeline of the forest. His heart sank, and he called out to his friend yet again. “TAILS!!!” The speedster made a beeline for the forest.

He spent a good minute navigating the thick shrubbery, trying to get to the clearing where his friend lay in wait. Eventually, he found the light of the fire that came from the plane, following it as best as he could and as fast he could in all this thick plantlife. Eventually, he got to the clearing and found the plane in a flaming heap. He could see the fox’s scarf over the side.

“ TAILS ! Tails, can you hear me? I’m on my-!”

He called out as he ran closer, though his words were cut off as he was blown back by the force of a third explosion. He felt the heat nearly burn his face as he was blasted back into a tree, nearly knocked unconscious. It took him a moment to recuperate, however, his vision blurred as he tried to focus. He got back up, determined to retrieve his friend. “Tai-” His vision cleared up, green eyes were but pin-pricks as they gazed upon the small crater left behind. The Tornado 3 was scattered in still flaming pieces across the clearing. 

Slowly, a partially burned cut of brown cloth descended into it, the only remnant of the fox that could be found. He was frozen for a moment, before he stumbled his way into the crater, biting back tears. No, this wasn’t happening! This just…wasn’t possible. Something like this, it could never have happened, right? He picked up the cloth gently, holding it in both hands. The hero had never looked, never felt so defeated in his life. Just a few minutes ago, they were talking. It was just a normal run of the mill invasion. Why did this happen?

“ S…Sonic? ”

He gasped, freezing yet again. After a moment, he slowly turned his head to see Gemerl standing above him at the crater’s edge. His eyes were misty and wet, a sight the former badnik had never seen before. “ Tails…he…t-that isn’t…? ” he asked, pointing to the cloth in Sonic’s hands. The hedgehog looked down again at it, feeling himself start to crack. “I…w-wasn’t… fast enough. I…I didn’t…” he was already beyond words. The shrill shriek of despair that exited his mouth served as a beacon to all others that had come to aid in the fight that night.

All were in shock and disbelief, forced to accept the simple fact of the matter; Tails was dead.

Chapter Text

“Last night, a devastating attack hit the floating continent, Angel Island-”

“-Sources say that despite numerous testimonies and shockingly large amounts of scrap metal that were found all over the island, there was no sign of the man suspected to be behind them-”

“-The attack lasted for 2 hours, and there is no sign of the ship that reportedly shot down and killed Miles Prower-”

“-And so the question on everyone’s mind now remains clear: Where is the maniac behind this brutal attack, and what, is he planning next ?”

Several folks were absolutely glued to their TV screens that morning. Every news channel was the same report. It shocked, despaired, and appalled millions. Including many of Sonic’s friends and even his enemies. They dreaded hearing from the blue hero, who would surely say that the news stories were wrong. They had to be! How could Tails be gone, just like that, after a seven year long term of peace and quiet? That was impossible, wasn’t it? But they were all faced with inevitable disappointment. His parents, they took it the worst of anyone, perhaps even worse than Sonic himself.

And oh, Sonic…he looked so lifeless . It was almost like looking at a complete stranger. He was so quiet, and his smile was completely gone. He could be compared to a deflated balloon, the light in his eyes was a mere flicker now. Amy was one of the first to see for herself, to know what had happened. The girls had been long since put to bed, oblivious to the terror that had occurred. She knew from the look on his face, from that burnt little remnant of Tails’s scarf. She nearly broke down crying in an instant, hugging Sonic when he confirmed her worst fears.

She’d sob, though all of her words were but apologies and comforts to him and none for herself. She knew out of everyone, he would need it the most. Gemerl was a wreck when returning home to his family. Like usual, Cream greeted him with the most gentle, optimistic smile. He couldn’t cry, but it felt like a weight had quite literally pulled him down onto his hands and knees on the floor. He grabbed at his own head, and cried the only way he could. Cream got one of the tightest hugs he had ever given her, once she rushed to his side to help him.

Life was precious, so very precious, so easily ripped away. He was reminded of that in the cruelest of ways, it hurt him deeply to have to share the horrors he witnessed. Their parents heard their sobs, coming downstairs to find them in a mess on the floor together and Gemerl bearing some scuffs. They pulled their children in for a hug, shushing them and assuring them that their friend was in a better place. Despite his despair, Gemerl had the mind to remember to tell his father about Espio. He pleaded through his cries for him to go see him first thing in the morning, and he was easily persuaded.

Julie and Knuckles in the meantime did their best to clean up. They would be joining Vector in the morning, once Knuckles got someone to take up the now empty watchman position. All others slept soundly, knowing nothing of what was really happening. Rouge, Topaz, Shadow, even Scourge were witness to the news reports that morning and left shocked and awed. Though all for various reasons, the majority felt great guilt and unease. The world seemed to slow down for everyone at that moment. Hearing those three little words.

That morning became the worst day of nearly everyone’s lives. The seven year peace had been destroyed, and the country was thrown into a panic. The President would release a statement, as was expected of him, as did G.U.N. Eggman had made the comeback of the decade, instilling fear into millions and heartbreak into others. Were they all fools to not question his disappearance? To not go searching for him? Guilt began to set in amongst all those who knew Tails, the only oblivious parties being the children. All hell was about to break loose.

---

The trio of old friends walked side by side together to the hospital. Julie and Vector had the minds to pick up small standard “Get-Well-Soon” gifts, though they knew they’d do nothing to really help. All of them felt degrees of guilt, though Julie tried her best to rationalize the situation. They couldn’t have known, they had no idea. Sure, they had always been mindful to make sure the Master Emerald was protected by someone , there was always a risk of someone trying to steal it’s power for themselves. But they had never expected something of this scale.

And Espio took his duty as seriously as either of them did. He was willing to die to protect it. That dedication meant a lot to the last remaining Echidnas. The crocodile felt the most guilty. This was not the way he had imagined ever meeting his old colleague again, if ever at all. “How is…Gemerl?” Knuckles asked, looking up at him. “He’s…calmed down now. But I can’t imagine what all of this will do to him,” he reported. “He completely refused to leave Cream’s side once he got home last night, he even insisted Mint sleep with them in Cream’s room.”

Julie winced at that, “And I can’t even imagine what Sonic must be feeling right about now.” Knuckled grimaced at the topic, he would have to go check up on him later. Their team had lost one essential core, it affected both of them greatly. Knuckles, in his own way, was stone faced with that reality. Though not out of denial, but a self imposed obligation to be strong. It’s what his late friend would have wanted. “A-at least…we didn’t have to lose two friends last night,” he tried to look on the brightside. But the bleakness of it all showed in his tone.

“Not to overstep my boundaries, Vector,” Julie spoke up again as they reached the front door. “But, have you…tried to contact Charmy yet?” Vector shook his head, “Can’t reach ‘im. He won’t be back from his job for another week.” It was a bit of a shame, but there was no doubt in any of their heads he would come running if he knew what was going on. They would just have to wait, for now. They were quiet when entering Espio’s room, the state of him made the Echidna couples’ guilt flood throughout them all over again.

He had bandages all over him, one of his horns was chipped, and he had a good handful of stitches in places where shrapnel had to be removed and his wounds sewn shut to help heal. He heard the door open, looking up and just barely making them all out. “K…Knuckles…Julie…? A-and…” he didn’t finish garbling out his words, still trying to make out the shapes approaching him. Julie set her gift down on the bedside table and sat in the chair next to him. “Oh, Espio! You…d-does it hurt?” she asked.

“I’m…s-sorry…I failed to-” Knuckles grimaced at that, interrupting him immediately. “I don’t wanna hear that! You didn’t fail. The Master Emerald is safe because of you.” Julie nodded in agreement, “J-just…just look at you. Gemerl and Sonic said you were…p-practically half dead when they found you. You p-put up a damn g-good fight, from the looks of it.” The chameleon turned his eyes to the third figure in the room. He used all the strength he still had to focus on it. “Who…who is…?” he rasped, eventually managing to make him out. “Ve…ector?”

Vector stepped forward from the other side. “Yeah, it’s me, pal,” he greeted. “You look like hell,” he remarked. The ninja managed a strained chuckle through his coughing. “Y-yeah? I feel like it…” he reported. “T-took me almost dying…f-for you t…to reach out…huh?” he coughed. Julie and Knuckles frowned deeply, Vector adopting a sheepish look. “I…I just thought you…wanted to work alone,” Vector tried to excuse. “After Charmy left the agency, it was like you just…shut down,” he reminisced. “I…I should’ve… said more.”

“I c-chose…this…” he admitted his own fault outright. “I thought…y-you…you didn’t really need m-me anymore…b-because…you…y-you had found…Vanilla,” he gasped out. It was saddening to hear this for all three of them. Knuckles hadn’t the slightest inkling he was all Espio really had left. It made him feel that much more guilty for nearly signing his death warrant. He pulled his hat over his eyes, his wife turning to comfort him. “Espio, o-of course that’s not true!” Vector denied. “You were my right-hand man! The three of us were like a family…just cuz Charmy left it don’t mean you weren’t still part of it, too.”

“Five years…too late, b…boss…” he coughed. “I’m sorry, really. I tried to reach out to Charmy, too. I swear as soon he’s back, I’m bringin’ him here, kickin’ a-and screamin’ if I have to!” He managed the weakest of smiles at such a promise, before frowning and putting a hand to his aching head. “Nngh…what…w-what happened…last night?” he finally asked, looking back towards the couple who had picked up where Espio left off the night prior. “We…returned to the island. We got an emergency call from Tails, he’s the one who picked up your transmission,” Knuckles answered.

“They were all over the island, those robots. Me, Sonic, Tails, Julie, even Gemerl were fighting them for so long. But, after a while, I heard something exploding in the sky. I climbed up to see what it was, and…and I saw Tails’ plane descending into the forest. By the time I got there, the Tornado 3 was in pieces, and…and Tails was…”

The chameleon’s eyes widened a little. He didn’t know the two-tailed fox all that well, but he knew how close he was to Knuckles and Sonic. “The d-doctor…he… killed him…?” he gasped. Knuckles nodded, pulling his hat down to hide his eyes again as Julie held his hand. “There was nothing left but a piece of his scarf…Sonic tried to save him, but…he was too late.” Vector looked down. He had already heard more or less the same thing from his adoptive mechanical son the night before. Still, it was hard to imagine how Knuckles must’ve felt, seeing such a sight.

If it had been Espio instead, Vector knew he’d feel unspeakable rage and anguish. “So…w-what…ha…appens, n-now?” the chameleon asked. Julie sighed, “We’re…we’re not sure. We still have no idea where to find Eggman, and he could be any where by now. The ship that shot Tails down, nobody saw it…” Espio raised a brow at that, “N…nobody?” She shook her head, “Mm-mm. But a ship had to have done it. Even a skyborne badnik couldn’t do damage like that .” That was troublesome to both Vector and Espio, the latter’s blood boiling in anger.

The coward , he couldn’t even own up to the damage he’d caused. It made Espio sick to his stomach. “G-give Sonic…my…r-regards…” he requested. “I wish…t-that I could be of mo…more assistance… ghh …! B-but, I…” Julie gave him a smile, putting a hand on his arm to comfort him. “Hey, you just get some rest. We’ll be ok, we promise,” she assured him. “We’ll come visit you as much as we can, we’ve got a lot to take care of thanks to the mess Eggman made,” Knuckles promised. It made Espio chuckle again.

“I’d…li…ike…that…”

---

The girls were already in the backyard playing. Amy had gotten up early to make them breakfast, leaving Sonic be until she was certain they could speak alone. She entered Tails’s room, finding Sonic in his bed fast asleep. The sight made her want to cry all over again, but everything she had already left her hours ago. She gently approached, shaking him awake until he stirred. “Hmmnn…Tails…?” he mumbled. Her heart cracked again as she winced. “...No, Sonic. It’s just me,” she answered reluctantly.

Despite having slept the entire night it seemed, Sonic still looked so… exhausted . As if nothing could rejuvenate or replenish his once thriving energy. As he sat up, he didn’t say anything, just staring at the sheets jumbled up in his hands. “I…I fed the girls. They’re outside. Knuckles will be coming for Lara in an hour or so, but…” she winced. “We…we need to talk. About Buttercup.” He still didn't respond, but his eyes widened a little. “I still haven’t told her anything yet. I said…I said that you and Tails were still…out on your mission. Y-you know her better than I do, so I-”

“I… can’t .”

“W…what?”

“...I can’t tell her, Amy. I can’t…I can’t possibly…”

“She needs to know , Sonic. And she should hear it from her uncle, she loves you so much. She looks up to you. If you tell her, then-”

“Amy… please . Just…I need time , first.”

She frowned at that, “The longer you wait, the worse it’s going to be , Sonic. You know that!” He grimaced, flinching away from her. She sighed deeply, not able to find it in her to be more firm. It was a lot to ask, and though she pondered doing it herself, part of her knew it was something Sonic should say instead. She was a total stranger in Buttercup’s life, to her, anyways. And the Prowers were certainly in no state to handle such an arduous task. “Ok, Sonic. Ok. We’ll wait,” she caved. He hesitantly looked up at her again, his voice was so very broken.

“Amy? I don’t have the right to ask, but…I…I need you to take care of her for me.”

“M-me?! I mean…I know what you said last night, but…”

“I…I can’t be who she needs, right now. You’re great with kids, right? She’ll l-love you…i-it won’t be forever, just…just until I can…” 

She exhaled softly, he didn’t need to finish for her to understand. She gave him her brightest smile, “Ok, I can do that. I’ll…I’ll just tell her you two are…on an extended mission and won’t be back for a while.” He nodded weakly, “Thank you, Amy…I-I’ll…text you everything you n-need to know. I just need some time to think right now.” She nodded back, making her way back out of the room but lingering the slightest bit at the doorway before closing it behind her. She heard a flop, and then weak and dry sobs muffled by the barrier between the hallway and Tails’ room.

When Knuckles arrived later, she was quick to make sure he didn’t say a word to Buttercup. Though he seemed persistent. “Is…is Sonic here? I need to talk to him about…about last night,” he asked. “...No,” she lied outright, knowing Knuckles would be too stubborn to leave him be if he knew Sonic was still here. “He was gone when I woke up this morning. I don’t know where he went.” He sighed, thanking her for keeping his daughter safe before taking her home with him. Amy took another deep breath, composing herself as best she could for Buttercup.

“B-Buttercup? Sweetie?” she called out, the child coming from the kitchen to answer her. “Yes, Ms Rose?” she acknowledged. “L-looks like…they’re going to be really busy this time around. Pretty big world-ending threat, like the old days,” she lied, trying her best to smile. “Wooaahhh! Cool! C-can you tell daddy to get me a souvenir?” Her heart cracked again. “Y…yes, of…course. But, ah, I’ll need you to go upstairs and pack whatever you think you’ll need. I think I’ll take you over to my place until they get back. I’ve got the stuff to make you some delicious meals!”

“Really?! Ok! I’ll go pack my things right away!” she said, running upstairs to go to her room and do just that. Though a thought crossed her mind as she packed. “Hmmm, but what if they come home and wonder why I’m not here?” she fretted, gasping excitedly as she got an idea. She grabbed a pen and some spare paper she had lying around, scribbling down a note. She left it on her bed, closing the door behind her as she hobbled downstairs to join her new babysitter. She would be oblivious to the wretched secrets the adults kept in the dark from her.

The only sound left in that house after their departure was the sound of grief and agony.

---

She was praying at the altar when it happened. A deep darkness; the likes of which she hadn’t felt in years, pierced her soul. This feeling, it was pure despair. Like the universe itself was running a dagger through her heart. She didn’t cry, she had trained herself well, but the sheer force of the negative energy sent her stumbling. Her personal guard, who was close at hand, noticed, and rushed to her side immediately. “Y-your highness!” he yelped. “W-what is it? Is something the matter?” She didn’t answer him at first, breathing heavy breaths as she tried to calm herself down.

Eventually, she found her composure enough to look him in the eye. “S…sorry, Gardon, I…I just… felt something extremely powerful and…potent,” she reported, slowly pulling herself up to her feet. “It wasn’t like Sol energy, but…something… similar ?” she tried to piece together aloud to herself. “Similar? Like what?” he asked. She didn’t answer him, but she had already started to remember it. This energy, this was most certainly the Chaos energy she had once felt coursing through her six years ago. But, why was she feeling it now? There was no Chaos energy here.

No Chaos Emeralds, only the Sol Emeralds. Though similar in function and raw power, they differed greatly. They did not perform most of the feats the Chaos Emeralds were capable of, but they did so much more. Arguably, their power was even more dangerous in the wrong hands. She had only felt it’s energy since she was transported here, no way to slip between the dimensions or time itself with such power, as much as she had tried to do so. “Gardon, will you do me a favor?” she asked. “Y-yes Blaze! Anything, your highness!” he nodded and stood in attention.

“I’m afraid this is a matter I will have to look into further. Would you be so kind as to make sure the Sol Emeralds are well guarded in the meantime?” she requested. He seemed reluctant, he had always been so worried about her. He was the only thing close to a friend she had anymore. “A-are you sure you will be alright, my queen?” he asked tentatively. She sighed, “I will be fine , Gardon, truly. I promise if I need help, I will call for you.” This seemed to ease his nerves a tad, and he saluted, running off to do what was initially ordered of him post haste.

“Chaos energy…” she mumbled to herself once alone. “How…can I be feeling it here? Was it…just a ghost?” she wondered aloud, starting on her way out the door of the altar. “Or is something, some one …calling out to me?” At that possibility, she became melancholy. Although she was royalty now, the head of her own kingdom, she still felt hopelessly isolated. Her citizens all loved her dearly, she was their savior, their light in the darkness. Everything she had always wanted to be for her real home. She took comfort in believing that her long lost friend was that light for her home now.

Silver, she had never truly stopped missing him. During her time here, she’d closed off her heart as much as possible. She didn’t let anyone get close, save for Gardon. Her tears, they would call forth the demon still locked away in her soul. So she erased the possibility of ever shedding them again. Even the clawing she could feel from somewhere deep within her numbed over time. She had always been resilient, but even she had her limits, no matter how strong she was as a mere child. Now, she had none, she faced adversity with nothing but cold callousness.

She often wondered if Silver would’ve been ashamed of what she had become. But it was what she had to do to keep that monster from getting out. Feeling this Chaos energy now all these years later, and the sheer force of heartache that it stabbed through her, it lit her mind with countless memories. And countless theories as well. She was sure that she’d know if it was Silver, she knew what his aura felt like. It couldn’t have been the force of Chaos energy itself, calling for her aid, could it? How in the world would she ever answer such a call?

As she walked and tried to gather her thoughts, she felt it. That familiar clawing . It stopped her dead in her tracks. She had to be simply psyching herself out, that wasn’t possible! Why now? Had that mere ripple undone the numbness in her? “N-no…stay calm…” she reminded herself, taking a few deep breaths. She closed her eyes, concentrating all her thoughts on beating him back down into submission. It felt as though she was back in a blazing hell, staring down the beast within her. It glared and growled at her, trapped like an animal in a cage.

“You…will never …e-escape me…” she growled, refusing to be frightened by him. Her thoughts filled with a voice she had never heard before. It was dark, and cold, and echoed over and over. The sound was so ethereal, like a being beyond her comprehension was filling her head. But it was also angry, so angry. “ HUNGRY…HUNGRYYY…HUNGRYYY… ” over and over it chanted at her. Was this…Iblis? He had never spoken before, she hadn’t even realized that he could . Did his power grow over time? Maybe she hadn’t kept him under tight lock and key like she thought.

“For…w-what…?” she asked reluctantly.

“WE…FEEL IT…WANT IT… NEED IT…”

“S-stop it! I won’t let you anywhere near it!”

“IT CALLS…TO US. IT BECKONS. MUST…HAVE IT.”

Sweat dripped down her face, but not from the heat. Her nerves were rising again, and she did her best to repeat her breathing exercises. She would not listen to him, if Chaos itself called out to her, she would reject it. Anything he wanted, she would never allow it. It could only ever mean trouble where he was concerned. “I will never answer it…” she spat disdainfully. “Go back to your eternal slumber, and die within me.” The creature screeched at her, and she opened her eyes again. She was back outside the altar, and Iblis was gone again.

She felt his hunger, his obsession . How foolish she was to think he was no real threat now that she was but a host to his mad mind. “I will not …I…I can’t…” she sighed, leaning up against one of the trees to catch her breath. She would not allow anything to harm this place, her people. She could not let him have even a speck of control. Weakness was not an option. Even so, she wished Silver was here with her. His foolish optimism, that dorky grin of his. If she had that, she wouldn’t have needed to close herself off just to keep Iblis at bay.

This surge of energy, if he wanted it, she must ignore it. That was the only course of action, but something still felt very wrong . She could only help that it wasn’t some kind of cry for help.

Chapter Text

The loner hedgehog was in a bit of a rut, his thoughts were almost as chaotic as the general public had become. He knew he should go down to that house, say something . But, now was the worst of times. He couldn’t leave the children here by themselves, and taking them outside was not gonna happen without the President or Chaos forbid, the General, becoming slighted by his disregard for their agreement. If he had known this would happen, he would’ve at least negotiated on that a little more. Now he was stuck here, knowing Sonic needed support but forced to stay put.

Perhaps focusing on those kids would take his mind off that nagging guilt in the back of his head. He had already gotten up and prepared cereal for them. Though, Artemis still hadn’t touched his, much to his sister’s verbal and visible protest. “J-just eat some…it’s r-really good,” she pouted. “I c-can tell…you’re n-not…” He pouted and pushed the bowl away from him, “No way! He might have poisoned it or something!” The hedgehog in question came in just in time to hear this, not even announcing himself before picking up a spoonful of it and putting it in his mouth.

He fetched a new spoon for Artemis, who didn’t seem to have anything more to say. “Don’t worry, it’s actually good that you think like that,” he said, leaning up against the counter. “It’s what keeps you from being manipulated or hurt by people who know how to take advantage of those they see as weak and helpless,” he informed. Artemis huffed, eating his cereal as he no longer had a logical reason to reject it. “W-we’ve… b-been hurt…many…t-times…” Midnight hummed sadly. “I k-know how to…um…t-tell, when…l-liars are…” she didn’t finish her sentence.

Her manner of speech intrigued him. The General didn’t mention any speech impediments, was she just really shy? Maybe she was still somewhat uncomfortable, though not as severely as her brother. “When you two are done eating, first thing’s first: I’m getting you proper clothes,” he said, opening up his phone to text Rouge. She had already texted him to ask if he’d seen the news report. He frowned at the reminder.

𝘾𝙖𝙣'𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙙𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙢𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨.

“New clothes? You mean we don’t have to keep wearing this itchy crap?”

“N-no s…swears!” Midnight reprimanded her brother.

Shadow found it mildly amusing, and smirked a little. “I’ve already been told your sizes, so I gathered up a few outfits for you two,” he reported. The children seemed to be excited at the prospect of getting to wear real clothes for once. Enough to try eating faster, only to be chastised and told to slow down by their caretaker before he went to fetch the outfits and lay them out on the bed for them. After they were done eating properly, they rushed to his room to meet him, Artemis guiding Midnight by the hand.

He led her over to the bed where their potential outfits were, letting go of her hand to inspect his choices. She ran her hands over the ones on her side, inspecting each one carefully. She couldn’t see them, but she was more so looking for comfort over style. Artemis ended up picking out a t-shirt with the logo of a band, a baggy pair of pants, black boots, a black jacket, and a pair of fingerless red gloves. Midnight meanwhile opted instead for a black and red striped sweater, with a blue skirt and a pair of light-up shoes, putting on a pair of normal cutesy white gloves instead. 

“How…do I l-look, Artemis?” she asked her brother, who was a little caught up in how cool his new clothes were. “Huh? Oh, yeah! Looks great, Midnight!” he reported. Shadow hung up and folded the rest of the clothes left untouched as they fawned over each other’s outfits. When he turned around, Midnight was fiddling with Artemis’s jacket. He spoke aloud, as though he was responding to something she had said. “Weird?” he said, feeling up the jacket now as well. “I dunno…never seen this before.” Shadow walked up to them, “It’s, uh, leather…”

“Leh-thurr?” Artemis repeated, squinting his eyes at Shadow skeptically.

“Yes. And your sister’s sweater is made of wool. It’s stuff they use to make clothes.”

“Wooool…” Midnight repeated, elongated the word a little too far as she nuzzled into the neck of it.

“Glad you like them, at least,” he said, reaching to pat Midnight’s head but having it slapped away by Artemis who growled at him. Midnight glared at her brother, “Artemis! S-stop!” The hedgehog was silent for a long time, the boy reminded him of himself. He’d often act the same with Maria back on the ARK. It was impossible to be upset. He didn’t even glare at the child. “Right…fair enough,” he conceded, much to their surprise. “Well, um…g-good!” he huffed. Shadow didn’t say anything in retaliation, taking the time to think to himself.

“Well, now that you’ve got proper clothes, I guess I should really walk you around this place and make you familiar with it. It’ll keep you from getting yourselves into too much trouble,” he decided. “And it’ll be best for you, Midnight, to get used to your surroundings.” Neither seemed to have any objections to this, Midnight and Artemis following Shadow around as they held hands. It was a pretty big place, with many rooms. Anything potentially hazardous had already been removed, so it was more of a matter of getting them comfortable.

It took them a couple of hours to get fully familiar, Midnight taking up most of the time feeling out the layout of each room and hall in the house. It would take a few days of exploring it room by room over and over, but eventually, she’d grasp the area well enough to practically know it like the back of her hand. Artemis, meanwhile, was more enthralled by all the furniture and books and other things he’d never seen before. He couldn’t very well read or write, as such things weren’t seen as all that relevant to his abilities.

Shadow made a mental note to fix that when observing the boy trying and failing to read a book off his bookshelf. In the midst of their tour, in the room that was being hollowed out to be their personal bedroom, Shadow spoke with the girl while her brother seemed to be trying to create a mental image of what he wanted his side to look like. “Midnight, I’d like to ask you something, and it might sound mean, but I’m asking only out of curiosity,” he said as he watched her feel around the place. “W-what…is i-it…s-sir?” she asked. 

“Is…there a reason you’re stuttering so much? Are you scared?” he asked outright. She stopped her stumbling around and frowned at that question. “O… oh …” she hummed. “N…not so…um…g-good…with t-talking…out loud…” she answered vaguely. He raised a brow at that, “Is…something wrong with your voice?” She shook her head. “N-no…voice is…fine…t-the soldiers did not…h-hurt it…” she reported, dousing the train of thought he was on. While a relief to hear this news, he was still a little confused.

“U-um…I c-can…c…connect with the m-mind, a-and…read thoughts. I-it’s more c…comfortable, transporting m-my…my own,” she explained. “B-but…p-people don’t like…h-having strangers i-in…t-their head…” He blinked at this explanation. It was true, he probably wouldn’t appreciate an intrusion on his thoughts himself. “What about your brother?” he brought up. “B-brother is…t-thoughts are…t-too angry…and s-sad…as is…” she answered. He glanced over at the boy, who was oblivious to their conversation across the room.

“I l-like to…s-speak…with m-my head…n-not my mouth…” she stated simply. He pitied her deeply. “We…can work on that,” he promised. “I don’t mind you speaking to me through your psychokinesis, but…yes, please stay out of my head aside from that,” he permitted. She smiled and nodded at him. “U…under…s-stood, sir…” she said aloud, before telepathically giving him a thoughtful Thank you! By the time the house tour was over, it was already noon. “Well, I guess now all that’s left is to get started on your pow-” he stopped when the doorbell rang.

“W-what’s that sound?!” Artemis yelped.

“Relax, it’s just the doorbell. Someone’s here,” he said. “Just, wait here while I go answer it, I’m sure it’s just Omega,” he instructed, going to answer the door. But he’d be surprised to find not a bulky hunk of metal awaiting him, but a rather defeated looking blue hedgehog. He looked as though he hadn’t slept in days, though that couldn’t possibly be true. “ Sonic ?” he recoiled in disbelief. “I…w-what’re you-” Sonic shut his eyes tightly before interrupting him all of the sudden. “Can I…stay here? Just…for a little while?” he requested.

A whole heap of questions and concerns dashed through Shadow’s mind at this. The least of which being why Sonic would come to him at such a tempestuous time? He certainly looked miserable, after all. And the children, the President said they couldn’t be in the public eye. But according to Rouge, it seemed the government trusted him well enough. Maybe he could get away with telling him about them. But that was still a maybe, and the last thing he wanted to do was tick either of them off and turn things ugly too fast for him to come up with a plan B.

“I…what?” he opted to stall for a moment, though he did genuinely want an answer to that question. “I just…need to be away from…f-from…” he winced, unable to finish his thought. Shadow sighed, not able to find it in him to turn him down. “It’s just that, there’s something you should know before you come in,” he said. “I’ve got these…t-they’re…they’re not mine , but-” The blue hedgehog’s gaze wandered while Shadow was stammering, his half-lidded eyes filling with surprise and his ears perking up upon seeing two little rascals spying on them from behind a wall.

“W-woah, do you…do you have kids here?” he asked, his tired tone had even lifted a little. Shadow looked back, the two receding away a couple seconds too late and having already been caught red-handed. Shadow groaned and put a hand to his face. “ Yes , they’re… Rouge’s cousin’s grandkids…or something, I dunno,” he came up with a lie on the spot. “They got dumped on her for a few months, and she didn’t have room in her apartment, and she didn’t have a whole lot of people to ask for help,” he lied.

“O-oh! Wait, when did this happen?”

“Last night, actually.”

“I see, that makes sense…”

“I’m making room for them since they’re going to be here a while, I’ve been sleeping on the couch since then.”

“W-well…that’s fine, too. I can just…sleep on the floor.”

It seemed he wasn’t going to budge on this, with no other options, Shadow allowed the defeated hedgehog inside, going into the living room to find the kids pretending to have been politely sitting on the couch waiting. “Woah! Is that your brother or something?” Artemis asked. Shadow sneered at that, “He doesn’t look anything like me, of course not!” Sonic snickered dryly at that, “Naw, we’re just old pals is all. I’m Sonic, what’s your names?” Midnight looked in his direction to address him first, “I’m M…Midn-night. And t-this is my b…brother, Ar…Art…emis…”

“Kids, would you mind giving me and Sonic a minute to, uh…talk?” he requested. Artemis seemed skeptical at first, but his sister grabbed his hand and shook her head at him. Neither of them said a word, before leaving the pair alone for a while. Sonic sat himself down on the couch, fiddling with the strings of his hoodie. Shadow sighed, sitting next to him and trying his best to be delicate. He wasn’t actually all that good at these things, time hadn’t made it easier, either. He was still surprised that Sonic had come to him of all people.

“...Are you ok?”

“You already know, Shadz…”

He winced at that, “...Right.”

It was silent again for a few minutes.

“Where’s the Seedrian child?”

“With Ames…at her place. I just…wanted to get away from that house.”

“Why me ? Why my home? I’m the last person I’d want to seek comfort from for something like this.”

“That’s exactly why…”

“Huh?”

“I don’t…want to hear any ‘I’m sorry’s’ or ‘How are you holding up’s’, Shadow. I just…need time alone. Nobody would ever think I’d come here.”

Shadow supposed he should have predicted this. The speedster who always ran, always going somewhere . Of course he’d run from his problems, too. The ones that he couldn’t outrun, cruelly enough. It didn’t even look like he’d been crying. It wasn’t hard to guess he’d been in a perpetual state of denial. Frozen in the moment before the explosion forever, until he faced that unfair reality. The dark hedgehog had done that exact routine several times over himself. It never worked. But convincing the blue blur of that would be impossible.

His logic was completely sound. Shadow didn’t feel comfortable enough to even try to play therapist, as sorry as he felt for him. And he was right: Why in the blue hell would Sonic ever run off to Shadow’s house as a first resort of comfort after his best friend, his brother , died tragically? Nobody would be able to piece it together. “I see…” he hummed quietly. “Guess there’s no point in asking if you want to talk about it, in that case. But how long do you intend to hide out here, exactly?” he asked, receiving no answer for quite a while.

Enough that he’d turn his head, “Soni-” He stopped when the blue hero suddenly leaned his head against his shoulder. He wasn’t asleep, though his eyes had slid shut. The dark hedgehog sighed, ignoring the skip of his heartbeat and bringing up a hand to press against the other side of Sonic’s face and hold him there. “I guess…it doesn’t really matter,” he muttered. “Thanks, Shadz…” Sonic finally whispered, sounding as though someone had drained the life out of him. The children eavesdropped, not sure what to make of their conversation.

Upon retreating to Shadow’s room where they’d have privacy, Artemis turned to his sister. “What’s his mind say?” he asked. She looked appalled at the question, “A-Artemis! I’m…n-not gonna p…poke around in h-his…h-head…!” He groaned, “But why nooot? He’s a total stranger! That Shadow guy may not be out to get us, but that doesn’t clear that guy!” I will not invade his head! Did you see how sad he was? I don’t want to make him upset! she scolded him through her telepathy instead this time.

“So what ?” he scoffed. “You looked into Shadow’s head yesterday.”

Because it was necessary! This is not !

“You heard ‘im, he wants to stay here, and Shadow doesn’t seem to care how long it’ll be.”

Hasn’t Shadow already proven he’s trustworthy to you? I know you can’t read thoughts like I can, but his actions have been nothing like the soldiers. He wouldn’t let someone dangerous around us.

“Uggghhh!” he groaned, unable to argue as he put his hands on his head. “We don’t even know why he’s here. So he’s sad, about what ?” Midnight didn’t get a chance to chastise him before their caretaker appeared in the doorway. “ None of your business, that’s what ,” he scolded them. “Listen, we’re gonna have to keep our stories straight until I get permission from the President to tell him about you two,” he informed promptly. “Is t-that…why y-you l…lied?” Midnight asked. He sighed and nodded, “ Yes , it was one of the terms to take you two out of that cell.”

“One of? What’re the other ones?” Artemis questioned. “I will explain all of this to you two later, but right now, I really need you two on your best behavior ,” he insisted, disregarding the question entirely. “Don’t read his mind, don’t telepathically communicate with him, and do not use your fire in front of him, ever . Just leave him be for now,” he ordered. They both nodded. “Um…o-ok, m-mister Shadow…s-sir…” Midnight agreed. “I p-p…promise…” He sighed in relief, “Ok, good. So, for now, just pretend like you guys are Rouge’s…um…second…third…cousins?”

“What’s a cousin?”

“Just, don’t tell him where you really came from or that you don’t have parents.”

“...Par…ents?”

“.......This is gonna be a long day,” he groaned.

---

Things seemed to be going much better than he had anticipated for such a surprise visit, and even more surprise guest to show up suddenly. Sonic was fast, and yet somehow, his timing was always wanting. Appropriately so, it was raining outside now. The children were transfixed by it, Artemis staring outside to watch it fall and hit the glass while his sister listened to the relaxing sound it made. The adults were together in the kitchen, Sonic sitting at the bar table while Shadow fixed up a simple microwavable lunch for the kids.

He himself had never really needed food, the only thing he ever cared to consume was the alcohol stored away in his private bar area. It was only good for when Rouge was over. “So…whatcha been up to besides takin’ in kids for your coworkers?” Sonic asked. “Haven’t seen ya since that mess with the Moebian prisoners breaking out of their cells.” The dark hedgehog hummed in response to that. It had been quite some time, and yet somehow the annoying faker was still lodged in his thoughts.

“Just putting escapees back in their G.U.N holding cells or doing recon on a suspect that basically never goes any where,” he answered dryly. “Not exactly exciting work.” Sonic chuckled mirthlessly at that. “It has been quiet…even I got bored sometimes, to be honest.” His ears twitched at that, turning to face him properly only after putting the first of the meals in the microwave and turning it on. “Did you-?” he stopped himself. This was a bad time to even speak of such things. How monstrous would he think of him if he knew how he felt, even if only in passing?

“Did I…what?” he tilted his head at that. The Ultimate Lifeform was quiet, the only thing that broke the silence was the beeping of the microwave. He pulled out the first meal, putting in the second and heating it up as well. “Nothing. So, how is Rose, anyway? I thought you two had stopped speaking,” he recalled. Sonic chuckled nervously at that. “Aha…y-yeah, we…we did. Last week she chased me across the market and begged me for a date,” he summed up. “Same as she ever was, it seems…” he rolled his eyes.

“Y-yeah, well, funny thing is…I actually took her up on it.” The feeling that gripped Shadow upon hearing this was bothersome. What do I care? he wondered, trying to bury the disappointment nagging at his mind. “Now that is new…” he remarked. “I thought you always found her badgering annoying and scary?” he pointed out. “I-it was, and, she did kinda spook me with how she came at me like that…but she said she was willing to let all of it go if I didn’t like her after our date,” he clarified, scratching the back of his head. “And, well…that sounded reasonable enough.”

“We…we went last night, actually.”

Must’ve been before the attack… Shadow theorized, taking out the meal from the microwave when it beeped again. He set it down on the counter, letting them cool off for a bit before calling the children to their meal. “How…did it go?” he asked tentatively. “Oh, well, it was a lot better than I thought it’d be! She planned out this whole run and then an outdoor picnic, she even made chili dogs for me!” he described. “And we talked and caught up, and, well…” As he kept on talking, Shadow felt that nagging feeling getting louder and louder.

And more crushing . He nearly interrupted Sonic when he said something unexpected. “I…turned her down,” he revealed. Shadow blinked, surprise washing over his features. And…maybe a little bit of relief as well? “What? Why? You just said you liked it,” he pointed out. “Yeah, well, thing is…most of my relationships flop. It’s not that she wasn’t cute or charming sometimes, but, she wants to get married and have kids eventually. I know that hasn’t changed,” he countered. “I don’t want that kinda life. I just wanna be free, y’know?”

“I…see. That makes sense,” he thoughtfully remarked. He put the meals on the table and got out plastic utensils for the twins before calling them over to the dinner table not too far from where Sonic was sat. They rushed over, digging into their lunch and gushing about it amongst themselves while Shadow returned to Sonic, sitting beside him in one of the empty bar chairs. “Guess you’re doomed to be single forever, huh?” he mocked with a smirk. Sonic’s quils ruffled and he pouted, socking Shadow in the arm, though not hard enough to really hurt him.

Shadow chuckled, giving him a playful shove in return. “ Relax , hedgehog,” he snickered. “I guess I don’t really know, though,” he conceded shortly thereafter, his glare faltering. “They’d have to be someone who can keep up with me, of course~” he smirked, rubbing his finger under his nose. “But it’s tough competition, since I’m the fastest thing in the univer-” He stopped, his eyes widening all of the sudden. His demeanor shifted and he looked down, almost like he had been caught in a lie or something. Even his ears went flat against his head.

Shadow gave him a look of pity, he wondered if all this was really a good idea. It was what Sonic wanted, he had to get through this at his own pace…right? He looked over at him, reaching a hand out to touch his shoulder. “Sonic, what's wro-?” He didn’t get to throw caution to the wind and ask the dreaded question. Midnight cried out with excitement all of the sudden, causing both their attentions to be diverted to the dinner table. Midnight seemed to have taken a bite of the brownie included in the microwaveable meal, her eyes absolute stars.

Oh, shit, right! They’ve probably never had this stuff before! Shadow remembered. Artemis was quick to remind his sister with a hand signal to keep it down. Only he could hear the absolute chaos of pure joy and euphoria she was experiencing right now. She swallowed what was in her mouth and made a sheepish face. “S…sorry…” she apologized. It seemed Sonic either hadn’t caught on, or was too downtrodden to care. “Ah, it’s, um…fine,” he assured the skittish child, who kept on eating more quietly this time around.

Sonic kept on insisting on filling the gap of what had happened with distractions, but the dark hedgehog knew something about this was wrong. The blue hero had never truly expressed grief like this before. He’d lost companions, and he had a moment of silence even for a mere temporary ally or inorganic being like himself. Did such things keep him awake at night, like the deaths that haunted Shadow’s nightmares? Had his own fall had such catastrophic effects? He dared not ponder such things, opting to continue playing along into Sonic’s flimsy plan to ignore it all.

He had, for quite some time now himself. He’d push all of it down, over and over again. It was too painful to confront it, to deal with it. But did that really mean Sonic should do the same? Shadow knew his own “Method” was highly flawed, he only still ignored his own problems out of the mere mindset that nothing would ever make it right. Even though he kept on leading the life he promised to Maria, to protect those that could not protect themselves, he did not always follow in the footsteps she had dreamed for him. Another mark of his failure.

In fact, she’d said something about pain like this once, hadn’t she? It was so blurry, even all these years later. Every so often some things would come back. It was all so slow. It frustrated him greatly, he wanted to remember everything he could. He had to. Everyone will be in the ground someday. Those words, they echoed in his mind. They grew stronger, until it came back to him.

---

“Maria…what is this ‘Death’ that Professor Kintobor spoke of?”

The sickly preteen girl, dressed in blue like a doll, turned her head to look at her closest companion in these cold corridors. The question seemed to surprise her, her golden hair practically flying around from the whiplash of her sudden turn. “You…don’t know what dying is?” she asked. The artificial hedgehog shook his head, curious as he always was. She adopted a sad sort of smile, the kind that hid horrendous pain behind it’s innocence. “It’s…a little complicated. It’s basically when the life cycle of a creature ends…forever,” she tried to describe.

“For…ever?” he repeated. She nodded, staring out the window at the endless space outside. “Humans, like me…we live a hundred years, maybe a couple extra, and then…we die. Our bodies can’t move anymore, we start to feel tired, and everything stops,” she described. The description perturbed her friend greatly. “That sounds scary…” he commented. She was quiet for a moment, before responding properly. “It can be…I’m really scared of it, sometimes,” she confessed. “I don’t have nearly as long as most humans…grandpa says I’ll be fine, but…”

“You’ll die…sooner?” his eyes widened at such a revelation. She nodded, not looking him in the eye. “I’m sick…so sick I can’t even go down to Mobius and be with my family. My cousin Ivo, my mom, my dad…I miss all of them so much.” The hedgehog listened intently, though the concern did not leave him or his features. “I might only have a year or two left, if I’m lucky,” Maria confessed, wincing a little at the reminder. Shadow stood up, shouting the loudest she’d ever heard him speak in her life. “But I don’t want you to die! The Professor said I…I can cure you!”

She stared at him in shock for a moment. “I can heal you, and we can go down to Mobius together. Y-you don’t have to die soon. If you died, I…I don’t know.” She stared for a few more moments, before smiling and reaching a hand out to pet his head. “Shadow…everyone will be in the ground, someday. It’s scary, but, it’s what makes life so beautiful. It makes us really think about what we do with our time here,” she gently cooed. “And it will hurt…maybe for a long time. But sooner or later, you’ll have to overcome that feeling.”

“...Will I die someday, too?”

“All things have an end to them, yes…”

“What is there…after we die?”

“Nobody really knows for sure, Shadow. I like to think those who are gone are still with us in their own way, though. So even when I leave you…whether that’s next year, or when I’m all wrinkly like grandpa~” she giggled, ruffling up his fur a bit before taking her hand off him. “I’ll always be here with you…” she poked her finger against his chest for good measure, causing him to look down at it. She used her other hand to poke his nose while he was distracted. “Boop~” she teased, laughing a little at his pout. “I think…I understand, Maria,” he conceded.

“Hey, don’t worry about it so much. A year is still a long time, you know. Enjoy the moments in front of you, Frowny~”

---

He regained clarity again. It made him grimace with shame. He didn’t know if he could bring himself to follow her advice all this time later. But the memory didn’t go away. It was like a specter on his shoulder, constantly nagging at him. Great, as if this weird pull I feel around him isn’t annoying enough he thought. The rest of the day passed by in what felt like a flash of lightning. Sonic kept on acting as though nothing had even happened, and that nagging feeling kept growing each time he brushed it all off. Or he froze mid-sentence.

Sonic’s own denial was starting to make Shadow think beyond the scope of what was just in front of him. Denying it this much, even refusing to stay in their home, he realized it. This wasn’t healthy, he couldn’t keep doing this. Sonic didn’t need to repress these things like he did. He sent the twins to bed, approaching Sonic as he got ready to sleep on the couch. “Does she know?” he asked all of the sudden. The blue blur blinked at that, confused by the question. “Does…who know… what ?” he asked. 

“The child, the one that Rose is watching right now,” he clarified. “Did you tell her?”

He winced at this, scowling a little as he looked away. “I…I don’t want to talk about-”

“Answer me.”

“S-stop…please…” he pleaded, putting his hands on his head. “I told you, I don’t wanna do this. Y-you said it yourself, you can’t help me!”

“You haven’t told her, have you, Sonic?”

“S-so…so what?!”

He growled in frustration, grabbing one of Sonic’s wrists to pull his hand off his head. The blue blur looked up, eyes mixed with fear and confusion. “Sonic, if you wanna bury your head in the sand, then be my guest. But you can’t keep this from her!” he lectured. Sonic yanked his hand away. “You think I don’t already know that?! Amy told me, but I…I need time !” He grabbed his wrist again, holding onto it a little tighter this time. “Why are you acting like this? I get it, he was close to you, but you’ve never tried to deny the truth before,” he questioned.

“Are you blaming yourself, hedgehog?”

“...”

“Sonic.”

“.........”

“You can’t ignore me forever, Sonic. This isn’t like you. If you keep bottling this up, it’s only gonna get worse for you.”

“L-look who’s talking!” he yelled. “All you do is brood and try to forget what’s happened!”

“ I do. You don’t.”

“Just leave me-”

Sonic felt something touch his free hand. He looked over, in turn causing Shadow to look as well. To both their surprises, it was Midnight, putting her hand on his. Her eyes were filled with pity. “I-it’s…o-ok…” she whispered. “It…w-wasn’t…wasn’t your…f…f-fault…” Shadow became uneasy at this. “Midnight, I told you not to-” he stopped, noticing tears falling down her face. But she had no emotion, it was as if they were not her own. “Y-you…loved hi…him…d-didn’t…you?” she asked. Sonic flinched at this, looking absolutely distraught now.

“H-he…knows…h-he is in a…g…good place…now…” she offered him a kind reassurance. “He kn…knows th-that you…tried…” He curled up his fingers, hiding his eyes from them both as he trembled. He wouldn’t cry, she was already doing it for him. Shadow sat beside him, reaching out to touch his back. As soon as his fingers so much as grazed it, he found himself suddenly being wrapped up by Sonic’s arms. There was no witness to his flushing face, as he placed a hand against the back of Sonic’s head.

“...Midnight, thank you, but…you really need to go back to sleep.”

“S-s…sorry, sir…” she mumbled, before trudging off back to Shadow’s room. Sonic still didn’t cry. Eventually, he’d fallen asleep, and Shadow laid him to rest on the couch, pulling a blanket over him. He sighed, beginning to regret his abrasive approach as he laid down on the floor to sleep with only a couple of pillows from the couch for comfort. He’d have another talk with him in the morning about all this. Again, the same nightmare plagued him that night. It was but a speck of things he had concerns about at this point. But troublesome all the same.

---

He was stirred after returning to sleep from the nightmare by the sound of Sonic’s incessant cries of shock. Already, he was forced to start his morning bickering about Sonic’s insistence to sleep on the floor in Shadow’s stead. These things weren’t even remotely close to important at the moment, though. He’d get over it. “Guess your concern means you’re still going to stay here,” Shadow pointed out as he put the pillows back on the couches he took them from. “O-of course I’m staying…I still need time,” the hero insisted, crossing his arms.

Shadow sighed impatiently, “Sonic, you can’t avoid it forever. Trust me…I’ve tried .” Sonic grumbled under his breath at this, something Shadow didn’t care to try figuring out nor asking him to repeat. “Look, just…I’m going to get the kids up and make them breakfast. Afterwards, we’re having a chat , whether you like it or not,” he decided. 

“But I told you, I don’t-”

“Where else can you run that your friends won’t find you and pester you anyway, Sonic?”

He winced, looking down and letting the question remain rhetorical. Shadow frowned, taking pity on him again. “...Fine, but you have to tell the child. After that, you can do this at whatever slow ass pace you want,” he negotiated. Sonic exhaled, exasperated but unable to argue. Once Shadow stepped away to collect the twins, his wrist communicator went off. He answered it reluctantly, realizing it was only Amy on the other end. He flipped it open, trying his best not to look crushed or upset. “A-Ames, uh, good morning. How’s Butter-”

“Sonic! I-I’m really sorry, I…oh gosh, I feel just awful!”

“W-woah, woah, slow down. What’s got you so worked up?”

“It’s Buttercup! She…she’s gone !”

Chapter Text

The entirety of Emerald Town, Night Babylon, and even Central City were overrun with search parties and all those willing to volunteer to search for the missing child. There was no sign of her, not anywhere. Alerts went out all across the state, reaching as far as thought possible for the child to have run off or potentially taken. Blue wind sped around, checking every nook and cranny four times over. From the skies, Cream and Rouge tried in vain to locate Buttercup from a higher vantage point to no avail. Everyone else was relegated to the ground at a slower pace than the azure hero.

It seemed so impossible. How could a little girl disappear into thin air merely overnight? Not much was left  in the way of evidence besides a note in her handwriting that claimed to have left to search for her father and help him. Hours drained away, and it seemed that nothing was turning up. Amy felt an immense guilt the longer there was no news or new evidence. Sonic had trusted her to look after the child while he tried to recover, and now she was gone. But the blue hero had felt the worst of just about anyone right about now.

Everyone regrouped with Sonic around dusk at the fountain, exhausted and defeated. They all knew from each other’s looks; None of them had found anything. “S-sorry…Big Blue,” Rouge huffed. “It’s no use. It’s like she just… vanished .” Knuckles frowned at that, “This doesn’t make any sense! Sh-she’s just a kid! She can’t have possibly gotten that far! Even if she left right after Amy put her to bed, she should’ve passed out by now or something on the outskirts.” It was puzzling to the entire group, who argued and discussed amongst themselves all possibilities.

In the middle of it, sitting on the fountain’s edge was Sonic. He said nothing, he didn’t look at anyone. Amy was the only one to address him directly, walking up to him with a shameful look. 

“Sonic, I…I’m sorry. I should’ve locked the window or the door or…or somethi -”

“No Amy…it’s not your fault. It’s…it’s mine.”

At that, the group ceased their bickering and looked over at him. “H-hey, that’s not true. This isn’t anyone’s fault!” Cream exclaimed. Sonic shook his head. “It is . I’m the one who couldn’t just…man up and tell her what she needed to hear. Now she’s missing and…and maybe even hurt and scared somewhere we can’t find when she should be at home,” he insisted, slowly standing up from his seat. “It was a mistake to put it off.” Amy frowned, rubbing her arm with a guilty look. “I… I could’ve just told her. But, I was too afraid to, either,” she shared blame.

“It’s just…I thought she should hear it from someone closer to her. But, hearing it from me would’ve been better than this ,” she sighed. Topaz looked down, feeling pity for the pair. She couldn’t have imagined what it was like for the blue hero to lose his best friend, and now his niece as well. “L…look,” she spoke up. “There’s no… right way to deal with grief. It always happens when you least expect it. You didn’t ask to be in this position, nobody should have to tell a child something like that,” she said, trying to comfort them as best she could.

It didn’t seem to cheer him up much. He became lost in thought, while the others began to talk amongst themselves again. “Maybe…we should expand our search?” Cream suggested. “Eggman’s back, so, it’s possible that…m-maybe…” Knuckles seemed skeptical of the theory, “Eggman usually only kidnaps people if they’ve got something he wants.” Cream pouted at that, “My mother didn’t have anything that he would want, and she got captured all the same! He didn’t even return her after he realized she’d been caught up in his machine.”

“But we don’t have any idea where Eggman is ,” Topaz said. “We’ve been searching damn near everywhere for any sign of his technology on our satellites and radars, there hasn’t been anything around Angel Island or Emerald Town at all.” None of these theories seemed to be getting them all that far. Gemerl turned to look at Sonic, “ What do you think we should do, Sonic? ” Sonic’s eyes darted back and forth for a moment, his face nearly scrunched up from how hard he appeared to have been thinking as he jumbled their suggestions around in his head.

“......Grrgh…I hate waiting around…” he complained. “But I guess…that’s all we can do right now, huh? I wanna know as soon as you find so much as a speck out of place on one of your radar things,” he requested, looking at Topaz and Rouge who both nodded. “O-of course. We’ll contact you right away.” Amy blinked, approaching him again. “Sonic? What about us?” He looked over to her to give her his full attention. “We keep searching. And we don’t stop. There’s got to be something we’ve missed, it’s only been a day,” he instructed.

He began to walk away, and Gemerl called out to him, “ Wait, where are you going? ”

He stopped, but didn’t look back, “I’ve got a call to make…I don’t wanna repeat my mistake a second time.

---

Things were quiet for a long time in the Acorn Kingdom. There was hardly a point for these annual meetings to discuss orders of business at this point. But everyone came anyway, if only to catch up for a short while and enjoy each other’s company. Around the table sat the Freedom Fighters, or, what was left of them, anyway. That title had little meaning in the age of peace. Rotor was fiddling with a gadget that had been busted as they waited, while Bunnie and her husband talked amongst themselves. Eventually, their lifelong friend and Queen strolled in to join them.

She had an old and rather outdated yet still perfectly functioning device in her hands, that she placed down onto a slot on the table as she bid her comrades good morning. The holographic image of a lynx appeared in one of the only empty seats that were left at the table. “Howdy Nicole, lookin’ good suga’!” Bunnie greeted kindly. “A pleasure to see you again, Bunnie. And you as well, Antoine. How are your children?” Oh how the bunny rabbit grinned with prideful joy at such a question. “Ohhh~ Belle and Jacques are growin’ up so fast !” she gushed.

“Oui, monamour, it nearly brings a tear to my eye,” Antoine agreed, smiling fondly. “Jacques is turning out to be quite zee protective older brother,” he reported. Rotor chuckled at that, “Now that I’d pay to see. I still remember when he’d pull on her ears!” The group of friends laughed at the memory of long ago. “The joys of parenthood,” Sally chuckled. “So, what is the first item of discussion today, Sally?” Nicole inquired. The Queen cleared her throat and got on track. “Right, well, normally there’s not much to be discussed, but, something interesting happened.”

Bunnie raised a brow at that, “Interestin’? The bad kind or the good kind?” Sally hesitated at that. “Well…that’s just it. I don’t even know if it’s good or bad.” She had the table’s full attention now, Rotor pulling up his goggles and putting down his gadget, and the others leaning in a little. “The Chaos Emerald in the treasury…something strange was happening with it,” she reported. “Strange?” Antoine repeated. “What do you mean, your highness?” Nicole stood up, summoning a holographic screen to show a security cam feed of the treasury upon Sally’s command.

They all watched in awe as the Chaos Emerald began emitting an otherworldly glow brighter than they had ever seen. “Oh mah stars…!” Bunnie exclaimed, but Sally urged them to keep watching. Mist began to pile up around the Emerald, the same hue as the artifact, and then a spark, before suddenly it all died into nothing. Nicole closed down the screen, and took her turn to speak. “That was…around 10:34 the other night,” she reported. “Has there been any activity since, Sally?” The Queen shook her head.

“I’ve got no idea what all of that even meant. Nothing seemed to be broken or anything else that might’ve happened. I think it’s best if I speak to the other members of the Queenly Commission about this,” she decided. “Think Elise’s Emerald might’ve gone haywire too?” Rotor asked, Sally answering with a quick nod. “Maybe…it’s got somethin’ to do with the fakes that were made to replace the ones that got lost?” Bunnie suggested. The Queen seemed to dislike the suggestion, knowing where her train of thought was going. “We…we can’t jump to conclu-”

“Sally, I’m receiving an incoming transmission!” Nicole reported all of the sudden.

“Transmission? From who?”

“It’s from…Battel State?”

“Battel State? Ain’t that a ways out from here? Who the heck would be callin’ us from there?” Bunnie wondered aloud.

“Hmmm…answer it,” Sally requested, the lynx pulling up a video feed that began with static and some jumbled words before the picture began to clear up. They recognized the voice that came up before he had even come into frame. “C-crap…did I break it?” he mumbled, before looking up and noticing the call had gone through. It was their old ex-Freedom Fighter, Sonic The Hedgehog. “Oh, good! It worked!” he smiled, waving at them. “Yo, long time no see, huh?” Most of the group was shocked, they hadn’t heard from him in years .

“Oh mah stars! Is that really you, suga’hog?” Bunnie yelped. “My, just look at ya…” Rotor smirked, “Yeah, no kidding. You sure got a workout in, huh?” Sonic scratched his cheek, throwing a cheeky remark right back. “Could say the same about you , ol buddy ol boy. Hardly even recognized ya, Rote!” Antoine rolled his eyes, not nearly as amused as his comrade. “Still zee same childish brat , I see,” he grumbled. Sally was feeling much the same as her most loyal soldier, glaring at him with a harshness that could pierce even the most hardened souls.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Sonic…” she growled. “How dare you contact us after leaving us out to dry?!” He recoiled a little at that, scratching the back of his head nervously. “Ah…you’re all here…good.” Bunnie cleared her throat, trying to be the mediator amongst them all, “S-suga’hog, a…admittedly, this ain’t a good time. And it… has been a while, after all.” He sighed at that, “Yeah, I know…look, you guys can get back to whatever it is you’re up to, but you gotta hear me out first.” Sally crossed her arms, leaning back indignantly.

“I don’t see why we should …we’re dealing with a serious crisis right now, you know,” she criticized, not giving him a chance to speak. “Sal, look, I get it, alright? You hate me. But this is seriously important,” he huffed impatiently. The others felt terribly awkward to be caught in the middle of this ex-lover’s spat. But tried their best to stay out of it. “I highly doubt that, what you consider important is questionable,” she sneered. “Sally, seriously! Can you put aside your vendetta for ten seconds ?!” The Queen growled in irritation, “Sonic, I’ve had just about enough of your-!”

“Tails is dead !”

Everyone at the table froze, eyes laden with shock and disbelief. Tails, their other companion. He’d willingly followed Sonic on his path away from the Freedom Fighters all those years ago. They all remembered him as young, exceptionally brave, so full of admiration and hope. That image was now tattered by such news. “...S…Sonic, that’s…t-that’s not funny…” Sally muttered. Sonic winced, not looking at any of them. “It hurts me that you think I’m that cruel, Sal…” he said, not budging on his words. That’s when it truly sank in.

They all leaned back in their chairs, overwhelmed by the weight of it all. Bunnie retreated into the arms of her husband, sniffling and sobbing quietly. Rotor grimaced, asking what no one else wanted to. “H…how?” The blue hedgehog tried his best to keep his composure, but appeared deflated and defeated through the screen. “Eggman…” he reported, causing shock to ripple through all of them again in a collective gasp of horror. “Two nights ago, he attacked Angel Island…at least, his badniks did. They were everywhere ,” he began slowly.

“Tails, he…he got shot down. H-his plane exploded, and…there was…n-nothing left of him.”

Bunnie’s fingers grazed over her face as her ears drooped, a look of horror dawning her features. Antoine seemed to be in shock, it was hard to tell if he was even listening anymore. Sally had to cover her mouth to keep sobs from coming out. “This…cannot be…” Nicole murmured. Sally bit back her tears, trying to remain composed. She shook her head, “Eggman…where is he?” Sonic sighed at that, “We don’t know. G.U.N can’t detect a thing. Nobody even saw what shot Tails down.”

“...When is…the funeral?” she asked hesitantly.

“Next week. Rosemary and Asmadeus are taking care of everything. They… I want you to be there,” he pleaded. “I know I’ve given you all the cold shoulder, and I don’t deserve any forgiveness for that. But, please…I know you all cared about Tails the way I did. He was like a brother to me.”

The group was silent for the longest time. They were still trying to process all of this. Sally took a deep breath, calming herself before giving a curt, “We’ll come. But only for him .” The hedgehog seemed relieved to hear this, seeming to be about to end the call before pausing to say one last thing. “I’m…I’m sorry.” With that, the transmission ended, and the group was left alone to think about all that they were told. The return of Eggman was concerning, even more so that no one could find him anywhere . The coward murdered the sweetest of their ranks, and ran off.

It made their blood boil beneath all the despair they felt at such a loss. “I…I just can’t believe this,” Bunnie murmured, being the first to speak. “That sweet little boy, and…i-in such a terrible way…” she sniffled. “We can take comfort in knowing he no doubt fought bravely, up to zee end, monamour,” he said, holding her hand in comfort. Nicole was the quietest of all of them, loss was nothing new to her, but someone so close, it had shaken her quite a bit. “Sally?” she called out to their leader, who remained silent as she picked up Nicole’s device and walked towards the door.

“You should all head home and…pack your things. We’re heading out at dawn, tomorrow.”

“W-what about zee Queenly Commission, your majesty?” Antoine reminded.

“I…I will deal with it on the way over. I just need some time to think right now. I think…we all need time to process this,” she said, before heading out the door to leave her friends alone to grieve. It would be a long journey, and an even longer service.

---

The search continued for days. Not one sign was found. Not of Buttercup, or Eggman. Tails’s folks were loathe to hold the service without her, but it seemed there was no use in delaying. In the end, they would just have to continue praying for her safe return. They too, vowed to tell her the truth once she had. To help her through the trauma that would come of the grief she’d feel. Sonic continued to avoid his home, crashing on Shadow’s couch the entire time. The dark hedgehog had recoiled all over again, no longer pushing Sonic to accept the facts.

The service would likely finally bring him closure. At the very least, force him to grip what was in front of him for once. It was taking the twins that was the risky part. In the end, the President had permitted Shadow to disclose their true identities to him, but he decided to hold it off for the moment, at least until after the wake. Still, he couldn’t very well leave the kids at home. And Omega wasn’t the most responsible candidate either. In the end, he decided the best course of action was to keep them in disguises. He bought black raincoats for them, making them cover their faces with the hoods.

Carefully, out of the earshot of the grieving hedgehog, they were instructed to stick by Rouge for the day and play along with the story he had come up with for them. He knew this was all a risk, but he wouldn’t leave Sonic alone on a day like this. And he owed it to Tails to be there. They didn’t always get along, but he was an honorable defender of peace. Regardless of their differences, he could respect that. Rouge came to pick them all up, wearing more appropriate attire for once. The car ride over was quiet, no one dared ask Sonic if he was doing alright.

Even Rouge knew that was probably not a good idea. At least, not for her to ask, anyway. They arrived at the spot chosen a little early, though there were already a few people there as well. As was expected, Sonic and Tails’ parents were just finishing setting the place up. Bernie greeted her son with a hug, treating him with the sort of maternal concern one had come to expect of her. “H-hey, mom…” he greeted. “Hope ya don’t mind we’re a little early.” She shook her head, “No, of course not. We were just finishing up. The others will probably be here soon, too.”

“I, uh…invited all the old Freedom Fighters. So they’ll be here too, probably…” he informed, much to her surprise. “Oh, I-I see. How…how did all that go?” she asked hesitantly. “About as expected. I mean, I don’t think all of them hate me, but they said they’d come for him,” he summed up. Jules walked up as he said this, his metallic footsteps being the most noisy thing in the room. “I’m sure they will, ” he said, putting a hand on his back to comfort him. “ They cared a great deal for both of you, I’m sure they still do, even if they’re a little upset right now.”

“Heh…thanks, dad. But, it’s not really about me,” he humbly waved off. “Not today.” Bernadette noticed the little ones at Rouge’s side who seemed quite shy and skittish. “Oh, my, and…who are these little ones?” she asked. Rouge smiled nervously, “Errr…my cousin’s…kids. They’re uh, really shy.” She smiled, bending down a little to be at their level and seem less domineering. “It’s nice to meet you. We appreciate you joining us today,” she said in a honey-like maternal tone that made the kids’ skittishness waver a little.

“Bernie! Could you help me with this?” Asmadeus called.

“Huh? Oh! Of course!” she nodded, running to his aid immediately.

After a half hour, more and more people began to arrive. All those that were able to make it, that was. Which surprisingly included Espio, though he was stuck in a wheelchair and a couple of casts. He hadn’t fully healed yet, but the doctors supposed there was no harm in letting him leave for the day to attend so long as he didn’t push himself. The last ones to arrive were the Freedom Fighters, who had traveled quite a ways from the Acorn Kingdom. They were nearly late, though Sonic didn’t really blame them much for it.

Sally outright ignored him as she walked in, but in contrast, Bunnie gave him another of many hugs he’d already received that day as it was. “Missed you, suga’hog…I’m real sorry we had to meet up again like this,” she said before letting go of him. Antoine and Rotor were similarly sympathetic, giving their old comrade their sincerest regards. Eventually, it seemed everyone that could attend had made it in, and the doors were shut to start the service as they all sat down. Tails’s parents led the service, clearly struggling as Rosemary spoke.

“From the bottom of my heart, I am eternally grateful that all of you are here. It brings me…s-so much comfort to know that so many people cared for and loved my son. He grew up to be such a brave and smart boy…and all of that good was taken from us all unfairly by Dr Robotnik.”

They all listened with somber expressions. Some in the gallery even began to sniffle and cry as she went on to speak of her heartache having once thought to have lost him forever, only to find he was alive. And now, again, he had been taken away from her. It was cruel, far far too cruel. They reminisced on many memories of him, even expressing guilt and upset that their granddaughter could not be here this day. They knew it’d have brought her comfort to know she would not be alone in the loss she’d have felt if she had known the truth.

After they had finished their piece, they offered to allow others to come speak at the podium as well. The first one to stand and speak was surprisingly Antoine. He let go of his wife’s hand, standing at the podium and staring out at the crowd. He didn’t recognize most of the faces here. When his eyes fell on Bunnie, he let out a sigh.

“Tails, was…a brave soldier. A fighter zee likes of which we always underestimated. That I always underestimated. We did not fight alongside each other all zat long, and there were times zat I implored Sally not to allow him to accompany us on such dangerous missions. Time and time again, he proved my instinct to protect him from zee battlefield to be misguided.”

More came to speak after him, each more upsetting than the last. Bernadette was the second.

“Tails was like a second son to us. Him and Sonic were so inseparable, it was…it was impossible not to think of him as family. He tried his best to free my husband from his mechanical body, and though he might not have succeeded, I am forever touched and grateful that he tried to return what was stolen from us by Robotnik.”

“I was a bit of a pain in his ass sometimes,” Amy admitted. “It was inevitable, since I was always chasing after his big brother. But he was a good friend. He’s helped saved me lots of times, too. And I wish…I wish I had gotten to say more to him before he was taken away from us. B-but, I take comfort in knowing that he’s finally with the woman he loved more than anything in the universe. I’m sure they’re happy up there, smiling down on all of us.”

“When we first met, we got off on a pretty bad foot. But he was one tough cookie. Fighting the Metarex and Metal Sonic alongside him taught me that. Him, me, Sonic, we were a team . He may have looked up to Sonic, but I admired him for his smarts. Heh, honestly, I was always kinda jealous of how clever he was. It taught me to not be so…gullible.”

Cream fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she spoke, “I-I’ll admit, I didn’t know him as well as many of you did. But Tails gave me the opportunity to prove I wasn’t just some stupid kid on the Blue Typhoon. He taught me a lot. I won’t ever forget what he did for me for as long as I live. And I hope…I hope that he’s happy out there, with Cosmo, and Emerl, and everyone else we’ve lost.”

“I remember first teaching him about mechanics. It had him so enthralled, it was just adorable! And honestly, the kid picked it up a lot faster than I ever expected him to. I miss all those times we spent together fidgeting with old scrap metal or broken gadgets. I wish…I could do that with him again,” the walrus lamented sadly.

“As Antoine said…we underestimated his capabilities a lot when he was younger. But over time, I was one of the first to realize he was capable of so much more. I never imagined he would die so young, with so much more hope to give this world,” the Queen of the Acorn Kingdom sadly droned. “It should’ve been a peaceful death, with everyone he loves surrounding him. It’s…it’s what he deserves. And I-I…will never f-forgive…forgive that Robotnik for taking that from him…!”

The Queen broke down in sobs, having to be escorted down from the podium by Bunnie, who pat her on the back and held her close to comfort her friend. For the longest time after that, it seemed like there was no one else who would speak. Though eyes drifted in Sonic’s direction, and the furthest from him murmured as quietly as possible. Wouldn’t he say something, anything? He was the closest to Tails of any of them. He seemed so checked out, unable to move or think. Then, like all the others in the room, his ears perked up at the sound of Shadow’s voice coming in through the microphone.

“ Ahem …” he cleared his throat. “I…sympathize, with Cream,” he began awkwardly. “I wouldn’t exactly call Miles my friend. Most of the time…even to say we were ‘Allies’ would be pushing it. And, admittedly, I…I’m not the best at handling loss. Even if it is someone I could call a friend,” he admitted. The room was intrigued, Rouge included. Even the twins were enthralled by his words. But most enthralled was Sonic himself, especially since Shadow seemed to be staring right at him. For some reason, he couldn’t look away from him.

“But pushing down such feelings…trying to ignore it, it…it eats at you from the inside. We’ve all been processing this in our own ways, and denial is a natural part in the process. But, it is only a part .” Sonic blinked at that. Despite Shadow trying to cloak his words in a collective address, he could tell he was speaking directly to him in that moment. “We’ll deny it. We’ll get angry. We’ll plead to whatever deities we believe in to undo it. We’ll cry. But at the end of all that…we’ll find closure. But only if we allow it to come to us,” he described.

“Pain…it’s a necessary evil in this life. Rejecting it only makes it worse . I know…he wouldn’t want any of us to make that mistake. We all will be in the ground, someday…some sooner than others. It’s up to us to accept that. I think…that’s what he would say, if…if he were still with us,” he exhaled tiredly. He stared at Sonic for a moment longer, only stepping down when the blue blur finally stood up from his seat to take his place. All eyes were on him now, watching and waiting. It felt like an eternity before his voice came through on the microphone. 

“I…I made a selfish choice,” he sighed exasperatedly. “No, more than that…a lot of selfish choices. I keep on making mistakes…and it’s all because I can’t just…pull my head up and accept what’s happened. If I did, it would mean… facing the things I did. People tried to help me, to get me to see I was only hurting myself . Tails would’ve been doing the same, if he were here.”

Bernie began to tear up, the sight of her son so distraught crushing her heart. His words pierced her like a knife, it pierced everyone. “Tails was my brother . I loved him, and I always believed in him. Where others taunted and ridiculed him for his tails, I taught him to be proud of them, and use them to become something nobody would be able to mock: A hero. And he did. He got so smart, he grew up even faster than I’d realized it,” He smiled, laughing mirthlessly as tears pricked at his eyes for the first time. “H-he… he was even surprised when Buttercup grew from her seed.”

“He was a good friend, a good father, and I trusted my life to him. He trusted me, too…and I…I failed him, that night, by not listening to his concerns. And again, when I wasn’t fast enough to save-” he winced, taking a moment to compose himself before continuing. He couldn’t look any of them in the eye anymore. “But even after he was gone…I kept failing him. I didn’t tell his daughter the truth, because I was so caught up in trying to run from it. I was warned it wouldn’t help, and I still didn’t listen . And because of that, Buttercup isn’t here with us, like she should be.”

Sally adopted a shocked but appalled look at this. She was the only one amongst the crowd who didn’t feel an ounce of pity for him after hearing this. “Shadow is right…pretending like it’s all just a nightmare causes nothing but more grief. And I hope he forgives me for even half the crap I’ve pulled.” Tears fell down his face as he looked back at the memorial, a picture of the lively fox holding his then-toddler daughter in his arms as he took a selfie. “I’ll miss you, pal…and I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. You were right…”

Bernie walked up, taking her son off the stage as his composure started to crumble, and he couldn’t hold in the rest of his tears. She shielded him from the others, knowing it was the last way he’d ever want to be seen. The rest of the wake was mostly uneventful. They had nothing to bury, so the majority was spent with those using what time they had to comfort one another and share stories. Some even simply to catch up with one another. Sonic would be outside, alone and isolated from everyone to catch his breath.

Shadow met him discreetly, leaning up against the wall alongside him. “Thanks, Shadz…I…I needed to hear that,” he said. Shadow glanced away before answering, “We’ll find her, Sonic.” Sonic scoffed at this promise and rolled his eyes. “You and your promises, don’t make ‘em if you can’t keep ‘em,” he snarked. The Ultimate Lifeform sneered at that, socking his arm and erupting a whiney, “Ow!” from the azure hedgehog. “Don’t sulk,” he scolded. “We will . Say it.” Sonic groaned, but complied. “Fine, fine...I believe you. We’ll find her. We…we have to.”

“There, was that so hard, faker?”

“I’m not the faker, you are.”

“I came first .”

“Yeah, but I was popular first~”

“I think the word you’re looking for is infamous .”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

They shared an intense stare for a moment, before Sonic burst out laughing, and Shadow chuckled the slightest bit under his breath. “It still… really hurts,” he said after calming down. “It will,” Shadow hummed, staring up at the cloudy skies. Sonic frowned at that, looking at his comrade curiously. “Are you still in pain?” he asked hesitantly. Shadow winced at the question, his hands balling up into fists. He rested his head up against the wall, still staring up. “Every god damned day …” he confessed. “I’m still haunted by…or, at least…I was haunted by them.”

“By…Maria and Gerald?”

“Maria, Gerald, Molly…” he paused. “... Cosmo .”

He blinked in surprise at this. He had wondered from time to time if he had ever thought about her. He had aided in her sacrifice after all. He had even selflessly saved Sonic from killing himself, and leaving Tails without his beloved and his brother. “Though, lately…faces I’ve never even seen before are what’s been haunting me,” he admitted. He became curious, raising a brow at that. “Ya think it’s some other people you might’ve forgotten about?” he asked. Shadow shook his head, “Even when I started remembering Molly…her face was familiar.”

“Weird…” he muttered. “What do you think it means?” Shadow sighed, lifting his head up and looking at him properly. “Well, I was going to tell you about this sooner, but…there’s something about those kids you met that you should know,” he finally brought up. “I just…wanted to wait until all this was over.” Sonic snickered, “They’re not related to Rouge at all, are they?” The Ultimate Lifeform seemed surprised he had caught on so fast. He hadn’t even said anything yet. “How…did you-?!” he yelped in confusion.

“Seriously, Shadow? Rouge’s cousin’s grandkids? They don’t even look like they’re related to her, for cryin’ out loud!” he pouted. “Plus, she hasn’t said a stinkin’ word about no family the entire time any of us have known her. And if she cares about ‘em that little, I doubt even she would let herself be talked into taking in two little kids when she knows nothin’ about raising even one . And she came to you ? Just you?” Shadow grumbled under his breath once Sonic was done pointing out all the discrepancies. Sonic could almost swear he even saw a blush.

“And…that girl…” he brought up. “She was in my head, wasn’t she?” Shadow sighed, and confirmed his suspicions. He quickly caught him up on the gist of the situation, including why he hadn’t told him from the beginning about who they really are. Although the story was a little skewed, as the President had ordered him not to tell Sonic they were holding other Mobians with powers prisoner. He instead spun up a tale for him about how they were “Found” and they decided Shadow as the best candidate to train them to control their abilities.

He seemed to buy the lie, all the while quite intrigued to hear all of this. “Wow, sounds like you got your hands pretty full!” he remarked. Shadow nodded, “Technically, they’re not allowed to be here. But, I couldn’t miss this…and I wasn’t going to leave them with Omega.” Sonic tilted his head at that. “Why not one of those G.U.N guys instead, then?” He grew a little nervous, realizing that was a slight gap in his story. But before he could come up with another lie, the hero smirked, seeming bemused all of the sudden.

“Ohhh, I get it. Only one week and you’re already playing protective papa, huh?”

“W-what?! Th-that’s not-!”

“Don’t worry, Shadz. I won’t tell anyone you’re actually a big softie under all that edge~” he teased.

“Grrr…!” He took a deep breath to compose himself, crossing his arms and playing into the excuse. “ Whatever . Just…don’t tell anyone about this, or them. Seriously.”

“Relax, Shadz! I can keep a secret! Those guys sure are lucky to have ya, though.”

“...Yeah.”

The two remained outside for the majority of the wake, Shadow eventually convincing Sonic to at least bid his comrades farewell once it seemed people were beginning to leave. He didn’t admit this to the blue blur, but he had a terrible feeling that there was still trouble awaiting them in the near future.

Chapter Text

“Geez, I never thought I’d be sitting down with you like this. I’m surprised you agreed to hear me out.”

Sat across from the elusive bat on a wooden crate and a cup of tea in his hands was her old partner in crime: Shadow The Hedgehog. It had been a month since their last encounter aboard the Egg Fleet. They hadn’t spoken a word to each other since. She sipped at her own cup, landing on a sofa across from him. He seemed disillusioned, staring down at his tea quietly without giving her a response for a good minute or so. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t? Did you lie when you said you knew about my past?” he asked. 

“Of course not, calm down, will ya?” she huffed. She noticed he wasn’t really drinking his tea, taking another sip of hers and setting the cup down on the coffee table in front of her. Her expression sank, seeming unsure of what to do with herself. Melancholy flashed through her, but eventually she managed to look him dead in the eye. “You and I…we first met on the Space Colony ARK.” She noticed that location caused him to physically react, his ears perking up as he seemed to tense up. “It…it wasn’t exactly an alliance, really. I think you hated me back then.”

“Why is that?”

“I dunno, you just didn’t seem to like anybody, to be honest. I was working undercover to try and stop Eggman, I never expected you. He had woken you up specifically because you were supposedly The Ultimate Lifeform. And your interests just so happened to align, sort of. Things were…pretty touch and go thanks to that.”

“So far that seems to make sense to me…” he reported.

She went on to describe their brief partnership, blowing up Prison Island, damaging the moon, the eventual crisis that nearly befell the entire planet. All of it seemed to ring familiar bells to him. She could tell by the looks on his face with each recount of the events. “In the end…we thought you were dead, to be honest. You fell a long way. Sonic tried to catch you, but…” she trailed off. Both of them were silent for the longest time. “Why…did I do all those things?” he asked. “The destruction, and havoc? Was there a purpose to it?”

She seemed reluctant to answer, but he could tell she had more to say. “Rouge, tell me .” She sighed, “I-I dunno…you freak out when I mention her name. Like on that Metarex base we infiltrated.” It wasn’t hard to recall that. The memory made him scowl. “Erm…sorry, about that, by the way…” she finally offered a long overdue apology. True as it were she nowhere near considered him a friend at the time she pulled that stunt, it was still a dirty tactic. He said nothing in response to her apology, thinking over the pros and cons for a moment.

“...Tell me. I need to hear it in order to understand all this,” he insisted. She let out an exasperated sigh at the request. She hoped it wouldn’t end like last time. “M…Maria,” she said, pausing to give him a moment to process. It seemed to cause him physical pain like it had before, but he merely flinched, visibly struggling to hold it together. But he seemed adamant. “K-keep…going,” he demanded. “I’ll be fine.” She hesitated, but continued, describing the incident on the ARK that led to the hedgehog he was when they first met.

She gave him another moment to breathe and process after she was done, she could tell he needed it desperately. “Do you…remember any of that?” the thief asked tentatively. “Nngh…I…I think I…I do remember.” He looked down at his still untouched tea in his hand. His head hurt, the pain was so excruciating. But he pushed through it anyway. “Maria…a-and…t-there was…someone else, too…” he muttered. Rouge raised a brow at that, but let him speak. “Her name…it…it was Molly, w-wasn’t it?” He had the bat’s full attention at this.

She flew up from her seat, getting closer to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. “S-Shadow, you…you remember that?!” she yelped. He groaned, and put a hand on his head. It was all too much, even for him. He shook it off, and nodded his head to confirm his words. “It’s…s-still too foggy. Every time I try to think, it…it hurts …” he reported. She frowned deeply at that. “Sorry, this was a bad idea, wasn’t it?” she muttered under her breath. But the dark hedgehog shook his head again. “N-no. No, I…I needed to hear it from someone I could…actually trust. Thank you.”

She blinked in surprise to hear such a thing, backing off from him when he set his tea down and stood up. She watched in awe as he began to walk out, not saying even so much as “Good-bye” first. “W-wait, where are you running off to now ?” she asked. He stopped, turning his head to look back at her over his shoulder. “I need to be alone and think about…all of this,” he answered, putting a hand to his head again. Just like that hedgehog to run off and play loner, she expected it by now. “Just…stay out of trouble, will ya?” she requested.

He smirked at her as he walked out the door, “Heh…I think it’s more surprising if I actually do somehow manage that.”

---

It was dusk by now. The wake was long over, and Shadow was having his usual serving of bourbon at his private bar room. Sonic and the children were already fast asleep. Things had all but slowed to a crawl all over again. He felt so strange since getting up on that podium to motivate that blue idiot to stop hiding. For years a nagging headache was always there, always taunting him. He became somewhat numb to it, after long enough. But he still knew it was there. After every panic attack, every nightmare, every battle, every time he called upon Chaos energy, held his Emerald, so much as looked at it.

It wasn’t gone, but it felt lesser . Maybe he was growing even more numb, it was hard to say. He hoped the girl never got the idea to disobey him and look into his head either way. Surely it would only cause her pain as well. And given the display with Sonic, he didn’t want to test the theory that he might even end up looking in a mirror, either. He sighed deeply, taking another sip of his drink. What use was it, thinking about these things now ? He should be more focused on more important things, after all. Sonic still didn’t seem comfortable going home just yet.

It wasn’t that he minded, but it made him feel somewhat bad that the hero would have to sleep on the couch for Chaos knows how long. Despite claiming to not be bothered by it, Sonic’s host had his doubts. It would be easier to train the children now that he knew about their true identities, more or less. He might even be of some help, despite his lack of kinetic ability. Though he still had some tie to the Chaos energy Shadow drew from, which wasn’t nothing. He finished up what was left of his glass, shaking all the thoughts away.

“I can just…figure it out in the morning,” he told himself. “I should get some rest…” He got up, lumbering into the living room where Sonic was already fast asleep. His snores were quite loud, but Shadow had already learned how to tune them out. Thankfully it seemed he was not having a nightmare, as he had several other nights the past week. The Ultimate Lifeform wished he could have said the same, praying as he laid down to sleep that the vision he’d been seeing would finally go away and leave him alone. And, strangely, it seemed his wish had been somewhat granted.

For weeks, it had been the same vision over and over. The twins’ mother, those symbols, and at the end, Silver. This time, it was different. Instead of in front of him, all of them were above. They flew over him, traveling in a stream that radiated the same energy he recognized. He watched for a moment, turning his head when he thought he had heard something. But nothing was there. He turned it again, swearing he caught a glimpse of a bunch of tails. But, more than two; There were a whole bunch of them. About… nine of them, maybe?

It couldn’t have been Tails. But then, who? Before he could try to investigate it, he felt like he needed to look up again. He noticed that woman, that Bellatrix, flying with the rest of the strangers who bore symbols, this time there were more than before. Diamonds and hearts as well, shaded yellow and pink respectively this time. He reached out a hand to her, opening his mouth to speak but no words emerging. Or, at least not from his mouth. He could somewhat hear it, though it was far away and muffled, like a thick wall was skewing his voice. I shocked him enough to put a hand to his throat.

Bellatrix somehow heard it, stopping and turning to look at him. She still had no irises, only blank white nothingness in her eyes. She flew down, taking his hand off himself, and turning it around so he could see that on the back of it was a shape like one of the Chaos Emeralds, a purple color, as well. It glowed, like all the other symbols he kept seeing. He looked up again, attempting to ask her, but his voice still seemed to be elsewhere. She let go of him, flying backwards before pointing in his direction, as though directing his line of sight elsewhere.

He looked down at his hand again, noticing the line that trailed down the end of the emerald shape on his hand traveled further down, like it was string. He followed it slowly, noticing it began to turn green at one point. Eventually, his eyes got to the thing Bellatrix was pointing him at. He recognized that face, the one who had a string connected to his own on his hand as well. For the first time, his voice came through his throat when he spoke his name.

“ Silver ?”

“SHADOW, WAKE UP !”

The Ultimate Lifeform was pulled out of it, his face colliding with Sonic’s as he suddenly sat up in a panic. They both reeled back, holding their heads as they tried to shake off the fresh pain. “Urgh! Dammit, Sonic, what the hell?!” he hissed, a bit cranky both from the collision and being woken from what felt like something important. “Were you in a coma or something, man?! Listen !” Sonic yelled, just as a distant but very clear explosion could be heard. Shadow got up, rushing to the window to see that the cities and town in the distance from his home were lit up with explosions and fire.

“What the hell?! What’s going on?!” he shouted. Sonic groaned, “I don’t know ! I’ve been trying to get you up for like five minutes ! Come on, we gotta go !” Shadow shook the pain off and looked over to Sonic. “G…go on ahead, I’ll catch up,” he said, the blue blur not waiting around to argue before dashing out the front door. He could ponder the implications of his most recent vision later, firstly, he had to ensure the children would be safe here before running off to play hero alongside Sonic. He hoped there would be no further casualties.

---

Everything was in chaos all over again. It was just like Angel Island, only this time far more dangerous. Citizens ran in a panic, trying to evacuate and escape from the robots that were tearing everything to shreds. Gemerl, Cream, Cheese & Chocola, and Jules helped as best as they could with leading everyone to safety and trying to eliminate the robots wrecking the place. Despite their destruction, they thankfully hadn’t killed anyone, yet . But things weren’t looking good in the least bit. “Nngh…! This is shallow, even for Eggman!” Cream spat in disgust.

“ We cannot worry about the Doctor’s low moral standards right now, ” Gemerl lectured. “ We have to stop these things! ” He shot down another robot to make his point. “H-has anyone seen Sonic?!” she yelped. “We could really use his help right about now!” As if on cue, the hero arrived, skidding to a stop to meet with them. “Sorry I’m late! Shadz should be here soon!” he apologized. “Oh, thank goodness ! Sonic, it’s really bad! There’s so many, and I’m not even sure what they’re trying to do ! They just keep wrecking things!” Cream reported in a panic.

Suddenly, some of the more closer robots noticed Sonic, and began to approach him. “They haven’t hurt anybody yet, but- SONIC, LOOK OUT!” Cream warned, pointing to the robot targeting him just in time for him to spin dash it into scrap metal. “Heh~! Nice try, Egghead,” he mocked. “ It moved so fast, ” Gemerl remarked. Cream looked up, noticing even more robots approaching. And they all seemed quite interested in Sonic all of the sudden. “Uh, guys, I think I know what they’re looking for…” she remarked.

“So…Egmman wants to capture me, huh? A tempting offer to get close enough to pay him back , but I’ll have to decline,” he growled, making quick work of the aggressive robots. “Any idea where they came from?” he asked once he disposed of them. “ Several witnesses screamed that they came from the sky, ” Gemerl said, pointing up, but there was nothing to be seen up there but a starry sky. “The sky, huh? Cream, see if you can get high enough to find something,” Sonic instructed, the rabbit nodding and making her ascent, Cheese following her up. 

“Everyone else, let’s move and bust these badniks! They may only be after me, but they’ll keep tearing this place to shreds if we don’t get rid of ‘em!” The group agreed, following his lead into battle. Central City was worse for wear, though thankfully it had Queen Acorn and the Freedom Fighters to help out where Sonic and the others were absent. Antoine, Bunnie and Rotor all took on the task of busting up badniks, while Sally helped the civilians escape to safety. “Gyah! They just keep comin’! What’re they even lookin’ for?!” Bunnie growled after smashing another one.

“And where are zey even coming from?!” Antoine agreed, slashing another three with his sword. Another two were smashed by Rotor’s fists, who grunted in frustration. “J-just keep fighting! We gotta stop them from destroying the-” His words were cut off when they all heard a cry from above. One of the badniks had scooped up a girl all of them recognized. “Ooogh! Let go of me you filthy sons of-!!” the pink hedgehog demanded, swinging her hammer around wildly and managing to damage a couple that tried to confiscate it from her.

Bunnie scowled, hopping up and kicking the robot holding her hostage hard enough to break it, and grabbing her friend before she fell to take her to ground safely. “Woah! T-thanks for the-!” she looked up, noticing who it was. “Oh my gosh! Bunnie?! Bunnie Rabbot?!” she squealed. “It’s, uh, actually D’Coolette now, sugarcube,” she said, holding up her hand to reveal her wedding ring. Amy gushed, her mind temporarily forgetting the crisis around her. “Oh my gosh ! That’s so romantic! I-I’m so sorry we didn’t get time to catch up earlier, I-”

“Hey! If you two are done gossiping, we’ve kinda got a situation on our hands here!” Rotor scolded them. Amy chuckled nervously, “Ehehe…s-sorry, Rotor. You’re right. Come on guys, let’s stick it to these jerks!” she encouraged, gripping her hammer and raising it up. “Yeee-haw! Now that’s more like it!” Bunnie cheered, joining back in the fight as well. As the fight continued, it seemed obvious that their target was locked on Amy quite fervently. “Ugh! Get offa me already! What’s with these things?!” she complained as she smashed another one.

“Guess zat means you’ve got no clue why zey’re so interested in you , monami,” Antoine remarked, stabbing one about to attack her in her blindspot. “Ya got me ! I dunno what Eggman would want with me ,” she confirmed. “Although, given what he did to Tails…it’s possible he’s targeting everybody close to Sonic,” she realized after smashing another badnik flying at her. The thought made all their blood run cold. “P-pickin’ us off one at a time…that’s cruel even for him ,” Bunnie shivered at the suggestion. “I will not allow zis!” Antoine promised.

“He underestimates us, all of us! Let’s show him what happens when you mess with zee Freedom Fighters!” he rallied, getting all his teammates pumped up to fight even harder. Night Babylon probably had it the roughest. Only two members of Team Dark were around to help. Rouge kept trying to balance evacuation and fighting them off, but it seemed impossible. They needed help . And G.U.N was taking far too long to respond to their emergency call. “Grr…! This is the last time I rely on those jerkwads for help!” she growled as she kicked another bot down.

“ ENEMY TARGETS 34% ANNIHILATED. AMMO RUNNING LOW, ” Omega reported, much to Rouge’s dismay. “This isn’t good…we need reinforcements!” At that moment, she heard a couple of cries. One was a Mobian cardinal who was reaching out to a young hedgehog boy, the other she recognized as Scourge. He was disoriented, flailing around and seeming out of it. She didn’t hesitate all that long, flying towards the child first. “Grgh, that jerk can take care of himself ,” she grumbled before destroying the bot that kidnapped the child and catching him.

She returned the boy to the cardinal, who thanked her up and down before Rouge directed her to an escape route. She turned, noticing another horde of badniks trying to follow them. Scourge was further away now, and looked to be unconscious. Her priority had already been decided, and she kept on fighting back the robots chasing the child rather than waste time trying to rescue him. Eventually, G.U.N vehicles began to pull in, soldiers pouring out of them and firing off rounds at the invaders. Topaz walked up, restoring Omega’s ammo supply for him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Rouge, but these guys are all over Central City and Emerald Town, too,” she reported. “Them too ?!” she gawked. “Urgh…! And where the hell is Shadow?! I’ve been trying to call him for 15 minutes !” she groaned. “He’s helping in Emerald Town by now I think, we got a call from him informing us about the attack just before you. What’s the situation?” Rouge took a deep breath to compose herself. “Not too sure myself, but these guys are wrecking everything. They haven’t killed anybody, but they keep trying to take hedgehog Mobians,” she reported.

“Hedgehogs? Think Eggman is trying to target Sonic?” she wondered aloud. “That’d be my guess. You might wanna warn Shadow that he’ll be pretty popular with those things,” she requested. Unbeknownst to either of them, he had already long since figured it out. The moment he approached the Town borders, they came after him as well. Though it didn’t work out all that well for any of them. Eventually he managed to catch up with Sonic and the others. “Sonic! Give me a status report,” he demanded as he ran beside him.

“Hey Shadz, glad you could join the party! Looks like Eggman is tearin’ this place apart lookin’ for me ! Ever since I got here these guys just can’t get enough of me!” he said, punching one away from him as they ran. “They’re targeting you , too?” he raised a brow at that. Sonic seemed surprised to hear this, taking a moment to think. “Huh…either they’re totally defective, or he’s not only targeting me this time,” he theorized. “Are you sure they’re only after us ?” Sonic blinked at that question, “Well, yeah, they haven’t really been doin’ much besides followin’ me or breaking stuff.”

“He might also be looking for your Chaos Emerald,” he reminded him. Sonic’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh shoot ! It’s still in Tails’ safe! But…but I dunno the combo! He changed it every week to be extra careful!” This didn’t inspire much confidence in the dark hedgehog. “And he took that combination with him to his grave …” he grumbled under his breath. “Just…get over there and try to get it out, at least make sure nobody goes near it!” he decided.

“No problem, Shadz! I’m sure I can figure it out, he was my little bro after all,” he promised, dashing off to return to the home he’d been away from for a whole week now. He made it to the front door, hesitating and taking a few deep breaths. “C…come on, Sonic, get it together. You j-just have to get that Emerald and get out , p-piece of cake…” he psyched himself up, taking one last deep breath before going inside to find only a couple of badniks tearing up the place. He made short work of them, before hurrying over to the safe.

“M-maybe…maybe he wrote it down somewhere,” he thought aloud, nearly ransacking the place for something, anything . He even tried looking on the computer, to no avail. “Come on, come onnn! Think , Sonic! M-maybe…maybe it’s something significant. It’s four digits, what would that be…?” He tried a myriad of combinations that might have been significant. Dates that would mean something. The day they first met, the day Cosmo landed on Mobius, the day he stopped Eggman’s missile, even the day Buttercup grew out of the seed.

None of them were working. “Come on come on come on ! What was it, Tails?! I…I gotta know something !” he began to panic. “I know you…what is it? What did you…?” His eyes widened as an idea came to him. 

“Alright, now that was what I call flying! Nice work, little bro!”

“Little…bro?”

Slowly, he input the combination “0-5-1-4”. The safe clicked open, and he smiled sadly. “Heh…the day I first called you my brother. Of course…” he muttered, opening up the door to collect the Emerald. But, to his shock and disbelief, there was nothing there at all. “W…what?” he gasped, utterly beside himself. Was he dreaming? He had to be. There was no possible way anyone but him and Tails could know. He heard another myriad of explosions outside, opting to stop wasting time here and get back to helping save the town.

When he got outside and looked around, he noticed another horde of those things showering down from above. There were openings in the sky from which they came. They didn’t look like portals or anything of the sort, but it was hard to see much through all the bots in the way. Cream flew back down through them alongside Cheese, smashing up everything in their way on the way down. “SONIC!” she cried out. “Cream! Cheese! What’s goin’ on?! Where the heck are these things comin’ from?!” he shouted in disbelief. “Sonic, in the sky!” she pointed up. “It’s a ship! An invisible ship!”

“An… invisible ship?” His mind flashed back to the night of Tails’ death all over again. He scowled, realizing this was what got him. “That rotten little…” he growled. “There’s so many of them! I-I dunno what we’re going to do, Sonic!” Sonic thought for a moment, before making his decision. “Keep fighting, I’m gonna lure these guys outta here!” She seemed to not like this suggestion, protesting it outright, “B-but! There’s so many of them! You can’t fight all of them!” Sonic shook his head, “It’s not about that! They’re gonna keep wrecking this place until they find me!”

“I’ll get Shadow to help, too, since they’re so interested in him as well,” he added, before running off to find Shadow and enact his plan. He ignored Cream’s cries of protest to his plan. Things got even more overwhelming than before now in Central City. It became too much, even with Sally’s help once all the civilians were carted away to safety. They were nearly buried in these things, and reaching the brink of exhaustion. Once again, Amy was snatched up, her hammer yanked from her grasp as she was hauled up all over again.

The others desperately tried to rescue her, but found themselves quickly either surrounded or knocked nearly unconscious into the ground. Sally moved to get somewhere safer and more hidden, pulling out Nicole’s device and waking her up. “N-Nicole, can you see if you can-” she didn’t get to finish her orders, being shot to the ground by one of the badniks as Nicole was flung from her grasp only to be caught by a pesky little messenger robot who smirked victoriously. “I’ll be taking that , now, your highness. Wouldn’t want any cheating, now, would we?”

He stuck his tongue out, pulling down his bottom eyelid to mock her before flying off with the device. Sally cried out for him to stop, but could do nothing with all the badniks in her way. Thankfully, the cavalry arrived just as it seemed she was on her last leg, piling in and making quick work of all the bots in their sights. Unfortunately, it seemed the thief had escaped their line of sight before they could get him as well. And Amy too was beyond their reach, having been taken up into the ship before salvation could reach her.

Antoine, Bunnie and Rotor had their workloads lifted by their aid as well, though distraught at the loss of their comrade. The Freedom Fighters regrouped once G.U.N came to their rescue, disoriented and in a panic. “Oh, Sally girl! I-it’s just terrible !” Bunnie gasped. Sally nodded, tears in her eyes. “I-I know…s-some robot took Nicole!” she reported. “Zey what ?!” Antoine yelled in shock. She nodded again, “I-it wasn’t like the others, it was smaller and it could speak! W-where is Amy?” Bunnie jumped in again, “That’s just it! Those things got her, too! There were too many of them!”

“This is bad! I don’t understand, why is this happening?!” Sally sniffled.

“I dunno, but…something tells me we’re not in the clear just yet,” Rotor hummed ominously.

Sonic and Shadow were getting further from the Town, guiding the robots' aggravated sensors away from it. Admittedly, it was a rather shortsighted plan, but they didn’t seem to have much options. Especially not with the Chaos Emerald missing. They could only hope it hadn’t already somehow been stolen by those things . Eventually, they stopped, opting to focus their attention on destroying as many of them as possible. But it all seemed pointless, they just kept coming. As though they were infinitely spawning from the rectangular holes in the sky.

“Dammit, this is getting bad! Sonic, we’ve gotta get up to that ship!” Shadow said, pointing at the openings that gave it’s position away. “Maybe I can use those robots flying around like a flying staircase,” Sonic suggested, about to run towards them when he skidded to a halt all of the sudden. A large mass of energy began to crackle and form right in front of him. “W-woah!” he yelped, stumbling back a little. “W-what that heck?! What’s that ?!” Shadow trained his gun on it, but upon closer inspection, he realized he recognized the strange light show happening.

That…that can’t be he thought, shaking his head before lunging at Sonic all of the sudden. “SONIC! GET DOWN !” he yelled, the blue blur unable to ask for a reason before he was tackled to the ground. A flash of light later, all that was left was a myriad of purple smoke and mist that hid a figure among it’s ethereal cloak. Sonic groaned, pushing Shadow away as he complained, “G-get off me, dude!” They both looked up, noticing the figure that coughed and hacked on the ground. They slowly stood back up, keeping on their guard as they approached. Sonic’s eyes widened when the mist cleared.

“Silver...? Is...is that you ?!”

The boy coughed a little more, before looking up to meet the eyes of the man he’d once chased to the ends of Soleanna to annihilate. “S-Sonic...you're...you're here!” he exclaimed. It was impossible for either of his fellow hedgehogs to ignore the state he was in. It made Sonic wince, “H...holy…” He shook his head, pointing out his messy fur and abnormally thin figure. “W-what's...what the heck happened to you???” Shadow approached Silver, holding out a hand to him that got his attention. They held eye contact for a few seconds, before the boy glared and scoffed.

“...I'm fine ,” he rejected outright, pulling himself up from the ground. Shadow was a little taken aback, though more suspicious than irked. “ No , you're not !” Sonic argued firmly. His already poor mood combined with Silver’s less than friendly attitude made Shadow much less sympathetic. He stepped towards him again, accusatory from the get-go. “ Why are you back here? You better not be looking to cause trouble again ,” he hissed. Silver growled at him, “ Don’t get up in my face, asshole .” Sonic got between them fast, trying to diffuse their anger.

“Woah, Shadow, cool it!” he urged. “He just got here!” Shadow still didn’t back down, continuing to be quite aggressive in his skepticism. “The last time he was here he tried to kill you!” he pointed out. Sonic groaned at that and rolled his eyes. “You still got problems rememberin’, Shadow? It was a misunderstanding! And he helped me save Elise, didn't he?” he reminded his comrade. “Quit interrogating him, he's in terrible shape! Just look at him!” he argued, pointing to the clearly exhausted and starved hedgehog in front of them.

“I'm...n-not here...to kill any one. I d-don't listen to that liar anymore,” Silver stated as firmly as he could, feeling a little weak and woozy. “I don’t have time for your…i-insane theories about my i-intentions. Something…s-seriously bad happened and I n- need help!” Shadow sneered irritably, gesturing to the mass of robots still flooding the place. “Get in line , you fool. We’re kind of dealing with our own emergency at the moment.” Sonic gave him another glare, silencing the Ultimate Lifeform so he could probably check on Silver.

“You can’t be pushing yourself like this. You’re gonna pass out!” he pointed out. “Look, just, sit down and take a breather! Shadow’s technically right, we gotta deal with somethin’ first. But after that, I promise, we’ll do what we can, ya dig?” Silver coughed a little more, looking up and pointing behind them. “Y…you mean those robots that are… cough …r-running away from you guys?” The pair turned around, realizing that Silver was indeed correct. They’d been so caught up in his surprise visit that they hadn’t noticed they stopped attacking them a long time ago.

“W-what the…?”

“They’re retreating back into the ship…” Shadow realized, noticing the holes beginning to close back up. From all across Emerald Town, even the cities, thousands of robots flew into the openings and retreated before they were fully closed off, leaving behind carnage in their wake. Even those still left on the ground in the middle of the action were dazed and confused. Sonic glared down at the burning structures, absolutely livid with his cowardly nemesis. He would not get away with this, any of this. He’d crossed the line already, and now he was skewing it.

“That bastard …what is he up to?” Shadow wondered aloud, noticing when Sonic’s hand tightened into a fist. “Whatever it is, I’m gonna make him regret ever coming back here…” he vowed. Shadow’s ears folded back, such words hid a contempt he’d never heard come from his mouth before. But who could blame him, really? He turned his head, noticing Silver was leaning his back against a tree and seeming to be struggling just to stand. “Hey, kid, what’s the matter with you?” he asked, prompting Sonic to snap out of it and turn to look as well.

“I’m…f…f…” he didn’t get to finish the lie, coughing and hacking some more, before he slid down until he was sitting in the grass. “W...water…n-need…” he finally confessed, though too late, as his vision began to blur and he could feel himself slipping away into unconsciousness. The other two hedgehogs panicked, running towards him. Their voices were muffled through the ringing in his ears.


“ SILVER! ”

“Shit, he's going to-!”

And then, Silver collapsed.

Chapter Text

The world was blurry at first, as it always was when he woke up from one of his drunken stupors. He could tell it was morning, at least, he could see light. But that already seemed… wrong . He always kept his curtains drawn over the windows, after all. It shouldn’t be so bright . But that wasn’t the first thing that he noticed. Before he had even opened his eyes, a banging sound had woken him up. It sounded akin to plastic being hit or dropped on the floor. Over and over again, it just kept going and going. Was someone at his door?

But why did it sound so weird? His vision began to clear, realizing the ceiling above him had several lights embedded in them. As he started to realize where he was, or rather, where he wasn’t , his eyes widened. He shot up into a sitting position, realizing his surroundings were nothing but cold metal and glass. No, no way…was he found by the police? Or G.U.N? That bat must’ve sold him out! The banging pulled him out of his panic, reminding him he might not have been alone. But no one else was in this cell with him, he couldn’t see the others either.

“Hey! I don’t know who’s makin’ that racket, but quit it !” he demanded. The banging stopped, but was followed up by a girl’s voice that sounded rather bubbly in nature. “W-what the-?! Who’s there?! Is that one of you rotten badniks?! LET ME OUT SO I CAN SMASH YOU!” she threatened, another bang sounding off, this time sounding more like it hit the metal surrounding the place. “Bad…niks?” he blinked. “Oh, fuck , no way! That stupid overweight bastard kidnapped me?!” he realized. It was better than prison, but not by a whole lot.

“Huh? Wait…are you in a cell, too?!” she realized. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t know anyone else was even here! I haven’t heard anything for hours !” Scourge rubbed at his head and groaned. “Sonuvabitch…must’ve happened while I was drinking… ugh ,” he guessed, not knowing just how right he was. “Oh, well, sorry for the ruckus…but I’ve been trying to bust myself out of here. I thought he was a total idiot for leaving my hammer with me, but…looks like it was only to brag about how impenetrable this glass is,” she explained, sighing in disappointment.

“So nothin’ I do will crack it, either…” Scourge concluded. “Damn! Of all the goddamn ways this had to happen to me…how humiliating,” he complained. The girl was silent, seeming to step closer to one side to come across more clearly to him. “Hey, we’ll get out of here. I’ve got some good friends who are probably already on their way to find us and help!” she promised. Scourge rolled his eyes at that, sitting up against the wall where he could hear her voice and checking his pockets. Eggman hadn’t taken the only thing he had on him: The Tarot card he found.

“So, any idea why we’re locked up in this shithole?”

“I’ve got my theories as to why I’m here. But they’re kinda flimsy, to be honest with you.”

“I don’t got a clue what I did to piss him off. I mean, other than talkin’ shit about his bad breath ~”

“Hehehe~! Guess he can’t handle the truth , huh?”

“He’s kind of a sore loser. Or really, just a loser in general. I don’t even know why he’s still botherin’, he’s too stupid to beat Sonic.”

“I dunno about stupid, 300 IQ isn’t nothing .”

“Aw, bullshit. It’s all talk. Makin’ all these robots and airships don’t make ‘im smart. He can’t even control his own badniks half the time, some ‘Genius’.”

She laughed again, “I’m glad I’m at least prison mates with someone who’s funny.” Scourge smirked at that, tilting his head to the side and looking out the glass. “What? You get kidnapped and forced to sit next to stand up comedians  regularly or somethin’?” he joked. The girl laughed even louder this time, for some reason, he was kind of enjoying the fact that he could make her laugh so hard. “No, no! Not at all! Not since Eggman went quiet all that time ago. What I meant was, I’m usually alone when this happens to me…” she clarified. 

He blinked at that word, “Alone”. It made him frown and look down at the floor between his legs and think about things he hated thinking about. “I used to be pretty scared and not capable of much on my own, back then. But these days, I’ve got a lot more bite than bark. I think people underestimate that a lot,” she confessed. “Well, you sure are feisty, I’ll give you that. A normal person might’ve just started bawling or given up trying after like, ten minutes,” he gave her credit where it was due. She scoffed in a half chuckle. “Oh, so you’re ab normal too, huh?” she teased.

“Abnormal is a pretty great word for me, actually,” he accepted the label. “Guess you could say it’s the one word that describes the reason I exist at all.” She didn’t take his philosophical answer all that seriously, it seemed, the giggles still hidden in her tone. “Gosh, you’re starting to sound like my friend Gemerl,” she compared. His face scrunched up at such an odd name. “Psh, did you just make that up?” he asked. She scoffed, more offended this time. “N-no! He’s…a robot .” She went quiet, as though realizing how it sounded far too late.

Scourge just burst out laughing without waiting for her to elaborate. “N-no! It’s not made up! Seriously, it was a really weird situation is all!” she insisted. He could tell she was pouting without even having to see her face. “Pfft~! Ok, ok, I’m sorry! It was just too good!” She huffed again, going quiet before finally explaining herself. “He used to be one of Eggman’s robots. But then he decided to be good. He’s really appreciating all the good things in life,” she reported. The humor he had initially found in the story had drained from him.

He sneered, reminding himself to not be deluded. Although he realized he had been quiet a little too long when she called out to him again. “Hey, you still there?” she asked. “Huh? Oh, uh, yeah.” She snorted, “Don’t fall asleep on me now~ It’s gonna be a really boring wait, otherwise.” He rolled his eyes playfully at that remark. “Hey, what’s your name, anyway?” he asked all of the sudden. “Me? My name is A-” She went silent again. His ears twitched, trying to find so much as a whisper, but nothing. “Uhhh, your name is just A?” he asked.

“N-no, sorry, just…I think I see someone coming up this way. I hear…humming?” she reported, her voice getting further though not impossible to hear. He stood up, on his guard the moment she said this, watching out his glass window to catch any sign of the potential badnik or Eggman himself. The humming got closer, it kinda sounded annoying. With each bunny-footed step, the mishmashed robot Lucky was making her way down the halls. At first, it seemed like she was intent to mostly ignore the pair that began to yell at her from their glass cases.

Her only acknowledgement was a glance in their direction, and a friendly wave. But, as she always did, her luck moved her in the most unexpected and terribly inconvenient of ways. Turbulence began to shake the aircraft all of the sudden. Lucky fumbled and flailed about trying to regain balance. Her hand smacked against a control panel on the wall, somehow managing by pure good fortune to input the release key code that opened up all the cells. The imprisoned pair didn’t wait for the turbulence to cease, jumping out of their cells before it was too late.

It promptly stopped, and the dazed trio were able to scan their surroundings. Scourge looked up, seeing another hedgehog was with him, comically large hammer in hand. He knew this girl, the obsessive girl who always clung to his counterpart like glue. Amy Rose. As soon as they saw each other, they shouted in unison. “ YOU?! ” Lucky realized her mistake, panicking and backing away from the pair that seemed distracted for the moment. She noticed an emergency button on the wall, leaping up onto her feet and smashing through the glass case to push it.

Sirens immediately began blaring, and Scourge turned around to see badniks were coming right for them. “Shit! Looks like we’ve got company!” he warned, Amy turning and opting to flee in the other direction. He followed, the pair running through the halls and smashing up any badniks that came their way or managed to catch up from behind. After making it through a set of security doors and managing to lose the horde behind them, turbulence kicked up again and knocked the pair into one another, sending them to the floor.

When it stopped, Scourge realized he was right on top of the girl, and her hammer had been flung a little ways away. They shared an awkward stare for a moment, before leaping away from each other and hiding the red on their faces. Amy picked her hammer back up, approaching a different security door that led to the right and smashing the control panel to open it. Luckily, it seemed there were no badniks behind it, but there was still no sign of their way out yet. “C…come on, we gotta keep moving!” she urged him. “There’s gotta be some kinda exit.”

“...Right, y-yeah,” he muttered, composing himself and following her into the hallway.

---

It was finally morning, and now Shadow had four house guests that he just barely even had room for. Sonic gave up his spot on the couch that night, allowing Silver to use it to rest. Thankfully, it seemed the attack didn’t reach the estate, so the kids were safe. Sonic made some tea for Silver once he had started to wake up, the disheveled hedgehog keeping the blanket he was given wrapped around himself. Once the tea was done, Sonic gave him a cup, sitting on one of the futons near the couch to give him some space.

“Thanks again, Sonic,” he graciously accepted, taking a gentle and small sip. It smelled really relaxing. “No problem Silver. So, you feel well enough to talk yet?” he asked. Silver nodded slowly, “Y-yeah, sorry for…scaring you guys last night.” Shadow was on the sofa across from them both, arms crossed as he observed them patiently. “I’ll say, I thought you fixed your future,” he recalled Sonic’s testimony from all those years back. “I did fix it,” he snapped, glaring at Shadow. “Everything was… fine . For four years it was fine. But then…t-then it all… vanished .”

“What did?” Sonic asked, raising a brow at that language. “Everything! Onyx City, the guy I was chasing down, all of it! I…I dunno how, but, I still remember what it was supposed to be like,” he summed up. “I think…it’s cause I messed with time so much before . I must be immune from being completely changed. But, I did gain new memories.” Shadow’s ears twitched at this explanation. He supposed it wasn’t farfetched, though he wondered what could’ve caused such a shift in the first place. “ New memories? Of what?” he asked.

“...The nine-tailed fox,” he said, looking him straight in the eye.

Shadow’s blood ran cold, remembering that dream he had the night prior. They noticed his disturbed look. “You know her?” Silver guessed. Shadow shook his head, “No…I don’t.” Silver ignored this for the moment, continuing on with his explanation. “It’s strange…I have no idea who she is at all. And her clothes…they look like that Eggman guy’s,” he described. “My future is now a smoke-stacked hellscape and there are robots crawling the place and banners with her face plastered all over them. Her name is…Candella, I think?” he recalled.

“Afraid that name doesn’t ring any bells, bud,” Sonic sadly sighed. “Neither does nine tails. I don’t think I’ve ever met a fox with that many before.” Silver frowned, “... Oh .” Sonic scratched the back of his head, feeling pretty guilty that he couldn’t help much. “Everything after Blaze and I defeated Iblis, my home finally achieving peace, and-” Sonic blinked, recalling that name vividly. “Oh, gosh! That’s right, I remember her!” he smiled. “Where is she, anyway? Shouldn’t she be here helping you, you know, like last time?” he asked, oblivious of her fate.

His ears folded back, and he visibly sank in his seat. They noticed tears rise up to his eyes. Sonic’s own widened, starting to connect the dots. “S...Silver?” he whispered, hoping it wasn’t true. Silver grimaced a little. “She's...s-she was...she had to-” his voice cracked as he tried to say it. It was just too cruel. Sonic fell silent, looking away and feeling a pang of guilt and sympathy. He was about to reach out and offer his condolences, but to his surprise, Shadow had risen from his seat to approach and offer it instead, putting a hand on Silver’s shoulder.

“I'm...sorry, Silver. I understand how hard that must be for you. I lost a dear friend of mine once, too,” he empathized, trying to ease the pain by letting him be sure that he was not alone in his pain. He half expected Silver to push him off or glare at him again, but surprisingly, he seemed to have restraint. “...What...what was her name?” Silver asked in a quiet and defeated voice not unlike Sonic’s had been the day following Tails’ death. “Maria,” Shadow answered. “She loved this planet more than anything. She gave her life to save me.”

Silver winced, looking away from Shadow and contemplating in silence. He looked down at his tea, mustering a weak smile as he spoke. “She...w-would've loved Blaze, then,” he said. The dark hedgehog finally took his hand off him, backing off to give him some space. “S-she...she had to...take Iblis inside of her and...and then she...she just…” he tried to finish what he was going to say earlier, still unable to say it out loud. “It's ok. You don't have to talk about it. Sorry I brought it up…” Sonic interrupted, pitying him deeply.

“I-it’s fine…you didn’t know…” Silver excused, sipping at his tea again. “So, neither of you knows anything. W-well, what about that kid, Tails? It’s kind of a stretch, but, it’s the best lead I’ve really got!” he suggested. Sonic flinched at that, and Shadow spoke for him. “You’re about a week late, I’m afraid. Tails was killed by Eggman during an attack on Angel Island,” he reported. Silver’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “He what ?! And he came back to attack you guys last night ?!” he shouted in disbelief. “T-that no good…! Urgh!”

“Easy, you’re still pretty weak,” Sonic warned, distracting himself with Silver’s condition again. “He’ll get what he’s got comin’ to him, anyway, point is, looks like we’ll have to solve this mystery from scratch,” he concluded. “So, since this lady dresses like an egg, it’s safe to assume that Eggman has something to do with her.” Shadow huffed at this, “And that means our plans are mostly unchanged and we’ll have to wait for something to come up first.” All of them seemed dissatisfied with this, individually trying to come up with a quicker plan.

Then, Shadow’s doorbell rang. He went to answer it, expecting to find Rouge or G.U.N, but instead finding some people he recognized from the funeral service. “Excuse me, is Sonic The Hedgehog here?” the easily recognizable Queen of the Acorn Kingdom asked. Sonic looked up, surprised to find all his old friends waiting outside for him. “Woah, Sally? Bunnie? ‘Twan? A-and Rote, too? What the heck are you guys doing here?” he asked. “We were told that you were headed this way last night with this dark hedgehog and some beat up lil fella with white fur,” Bunnie answered.

“Sonic, we need to talk. It’s Amy and Nicole, Eggman took them!”

---

It felt like they were wandering through these barren hallways for hours . Progress seemed to be absolutely non-existent, though they were able to gather that they were still on a flying aircraft of some kind. And quite a large one to boot, rivaling the last three Egg Carriers in it’s size. At least if the hallways were anything to go by. Amy reached a door that looked very different from the other security doors, smashing the control panel again to gain access. It was quite dark in the room, save for the flashing emergency lights inside and…a Chaos Emerald ?

Before Amy could so much as gasp, Scourge zipped inside and scooped it up. She scoffed, running inside to catch up with him. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing ?!” she whined. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, Rosy , I’ll take good care of it for ya,” he smirked, pocketing it immediately. They both covered their ears when another siren went off in here, and a loudspeaker voice reported that a thief was in the room. Badniks poured from the walls, and the doorway out sealed shut. They were trapped, the only way out being to fight through it.

Dozens of badniks were smashed or spindashed into oblivion, but they just kept on coming. It was like trying to extinguish a cockroach. Scourge turned his head to check his blindspot, noticing his reluctant ally didn’t notice badniks coming towards her from behind. He turned, shouting out to her, “Hey! Look out !” He didn’t even wait for her to take action herself, moving as fast as lightning to kick down the badnik about to ambush her and crush it’s head. She turned around in time to see this after knocking out another four in front of her with her hammer.

She didn’t have time to even consider thanking him before another one came at her and she swung down her hammer to finish it off. One of them shoved Scourge into her, causing their backs to smack into each other. They shared a look, before looking up and seeing more start to pour out at a faster rate. They shared a knowing smirk, working in tandem with one another as they smashed through the ever increasing horde. Amy even began to show off a little, spinning her hammer in a circle that spun faster and faster to knock out a myriad of them.

Scourge whistled at the display, and she bowed graciously when she was finished. Their fun did not last long, however. They badniks were starting to flood the room, all of them surrounding the pair that were beginning to grow exhausted. “Dammit, we’re surrounded!” Scourge growled, kicking back at some of the closer ones while Amy smashed another that got too close to her as well. With their backs pressed against one another’s, they tried to look for an alternate route out of these impossible odds. Scourge’s eyes landed on a catwalk and ladder near the ceiling that led to a hatch.

He smirked, pulling down his sunglasses. “ Bingo ,” he muttered, suddenly wrapping an arm around Amy’s waist that caught her off guard and caused her to blush in surprise. He jumped, stretching out his free hand to grab onto the bottom wrung and managing it by just a hair. “Ugh! Fuck…T-too close,” he muttered. “C-come on, get up,” he urged the flustered girl in his arms, who secured her hammer to a strap on her back before reaching up to climb onto the ladder, stepping on Scourge’s head a little in the process. “S-sorry!” she squeaked.

She climbed up, Scourge following suit though lagging behind a little purposefully. She pushed up against it, trying with all her might and even smacking her hammer against it at one point but to no avail. “Nngh…! Grrgh…! I-it’s…stuck!” she said. Scourge tried to think for a moment, the glowing from his pocket giving him an idea. He took out the Emerald, staring at it. He recalled hearing that even just one Chaos Emerald can grant one immutable strength. He looked up at her, “Hey! Rosy! Get on the catwalk, I’m gonna try somethin’!” he ordered.

She did as told, climbing down a little to safely land on the platform beside the ladder and even backing away a little. Chaos Emerald firmly in his grasp, he made a wish and began to spindash. Amy could see the glow even from her limited view point, it was mesmerizing. Moments later, he shot up, busting through the hatch and effectively opening it. When he emerged on the other side, he didn’t pay attention to his surroundings at all. He could feel his entire body crackling with power, it felt amazing . He was practically grinning ear to ear.

“Oh-ho-ho yeah baby! It’s good to be back !” he laughed as he pulled his sunglasses back up. Amy climbed up through the hole, still in a bit of awe. “Wow! Nice work, Scourge,” she complemented, pulling herself up and onto the solid floor. It was then that they both realized they were in the cockpit. But it seemed the driver was, for the moment, out, and left the ship on auto-pilot. “Oh, now we’re talkin’!” Scourge excitedly exclaimed, walking up to grab one of the levers. “Let’s fly this oversized tin can!” Amy pouted, putting a hand on his to stop him. “Scourge, quit it. We don’t have time to play pilot!” she scolded.

“Aw, c’mooon, Rosy. Where’s your sense of adventure? Besides, this is the perfect way to pay ol’ Eggfucker back for snatching us up in the middle of the night!” he insisted. Amy still remained firm, looking to the door that led out of this room. “I’d rather go bash his face in with my hammer, personally ,” she huffed. “Woah, pretty cold, Rosy. But you don’t gotta make excuses, I’ll bet you’re just too embarrassed to admit you can’t fly this bad boy back home~” he teased. At that, her face turned red and she glared at him.

“I’ll have you know that I was one of Tails’ co-pilots on the Blue Typhoon, and that was way more advanced than this hunk of junk!” she ranted, offended by his tease. He smirked at her, showing his sharpened teeth. “ Prove it ,” he challenged. She huffed, shoving him out of the way and getting in front of the control panel. “Move it, buster! Watch and learn,” she said, fiddling with the controls a little. After pushing a button, it felt like another bout of turbulence hit them all over again until she hit it again. Curiously, she hit another one that opened up a hole in the armrest of the pilot’s seat and served up a martini.

“Pft! Seriously? What, is half this shit just comfort settings or something?” Scourge laughed, walking up to the control panel to push another button. “Hey, don’t touch-!” Her warning came too late, party favors went off and blasted confetti in their faces from either side of the windshield. “... That ?” She blinked, turning her head and sharing a look with Scourge before they came to a mutual understanding in silence. They began fiddling with all of them, snickering at their ridiculous functions. Others made the ship shift in shape, or lean a little too hard in one direction and cause them to knock into each other.

They couldn’t help but laugh at Eggman’s absolutely nonsense setup. Perhaps he really wasn’t as smart as he claimed to be. Scourge’s ear twitched all of the sudden, swearing he heard something behind him. He was about to turn to look, but was distracted when the windshield suddenly seemed to shatter on it’s own. The intense winds pulled both of them out too quickly for them to react, Scourge trying and failing to grab onto one of the levers, only succeeding in pulling it in another direction before his grip quickly slipped away.

Thinking fast, the Moebian curled up into a ball and spindashed into the nearest solid ground on the deck of the ship. He looked down at his hand, realizing the Chaos Emerald had slipped from his grasp. He looked around, quickly spotting it falling and spinning in the wind towards a lower part of the deck. He jumped down, giving chase after it when he managed to hear Amy’s screams on the wind. He turned his head, noticing a set of fingers grasping at the edge of the ship that were starting to slip. Her hammer was not too far away, either.

He took a step towards her, before remembering why he had even come down here, and turned to see the Emerald was teetering off the edge quite a ways away. He could make it if he ran, but Amy seemed to be losing her grip fast. A bad feeling, one he recognized, shocked his body and he felt almost frozen for a moment. The whipping winds, the terrible feeling, all of this was familiar. Amy’s grip was getting weaker by the second, she was sure that she would be joining Tails on the other side soon. She couldn’t hear Scourge, she couldn’t hear anyone. Then, she lost her strength.

“KYAAAAAHHHH-!!!”

Her screams ceased the moment she felt it. A hand grabbing onto her wrist. But that couldn’t be, could it? She looked up, her shocked gaze meeting a similarly wide eyed green hedgehog who was the only thing standing between her and an unfortunate demise. Even Scourge looked shocked. His eyes drifted to the right of him, Amy following his line of sight to see the glimmering Chaos Emerald finally get pushed off the edge and fall off the ship. Scourge winced, but shook his head, using both his hands to pull her back up.

She struggled, trying to help the load by pulling herself up as well once she got close enough to the edge again. He gave one last strong tug, accidentally pulling her over himself and not even bothering to push her off or move. He just wanted to lay down and breathe for a minute. She felt similarly, exhausted and scared out of her wits by such a close brush with death. Eventually, they both composed themselves, Amy sitting up to get off of him. “You…you saved me,” she said, hardly able to believe the words exiting her mouth.

“Nngh…d-don’t read too much i-into it, Rosy…you owe me big time for this, urgh…” he groaned. She gave him a skeptical look, before giggling at his embarrassed look. She looked up, gasping and pointing behind him at more badniks that were coming right for them. “Shoot, they found us! W-we gotta go!” she urged. He nodded, standing up and starting to make haste but stopping again when he heard a thump and Amy crying out. He turned around, noticing she was sprawled out and seemed to be in pain. “Stop goofin’ around, get up!” he lectured.

“I… can’t ! My…my ankle, it’s…!”

“What, broken?!”

“N-no, but, it’s definitely sprained! I-I can’t stand!”

He growled under his breath, suddenly picking her up and holding her in his arms. “Do I gotta do everything myself?!” he complained, starting to run as she wrapped her arms around him to keep from falling. Scourge kept running, trying to find anything off the edge, somewhere he could jump off to and get off this crazy nightmare ride. But all he could see for miles was water. While he could swim, there was no point in trying to escape that way now. Even if Amy hadn’t been injured, there was no telling how far they’d have to go before reaching land.

He stopped at the nose of the ship, growling under his breath again. “Damn it all! I can’t find a landing spot!” he grunted in frustration. “Oh, Chaos, we’re trapped!” Amy realized, Scourge turning and glaring at the army of badniks that now had them cornered. He still refused to let go of her, growling like a protective guard dog as a warning for them to stay away. They began to part to make a path, allowing another to come to the front and face down with the escapees. Scourge didn’t recognize them, but Amy did.

“Nicole?!” she yelped.

“You know this bitch?” Scourge asked.

“Watch it!” she pouted. “S-she’s my friend. Nicole? Nicole, it’s me, Amy! Have you come to rescue us?!”

The lynx did not respond with comradery, joy, or any sense of familiarity. It didn’t seem like she was even speaking directly to them when words finally emerged from her mouth. “I’ve found the escapees, shall I extract the Emerald from them?” Amy raised a brow at this. “N-Nicole?” she called again, this time looking more closely at her. Her eyes, she could’ve sworn they were… blue ? But didn’t Nicole have green eyes? “Hey! We’re talkin’ to you!” Scourge yelled impatiently. Nicole’s ears twitched, still not responding to either of them.

“Understood…neutralizing.”

“Neutra-wha-?”

Suddenly, the digital lynx pulled out a stick that shocked the ornery hedgehog and caused him to drop Amy, before sending him to the ground alongside her. “SCOURGE!” she yelled. “N-Nicole, stop! He…he’s been helping me!” she pleaded. But she did not acknowledge her, kicking the hedgehog in the face to gain his attention. “You, where is the Chaos Emerald you stole from the Emerald Shrine?” she interrogated. He coughed, before laughing in her face. “Heh, g-good fuckin’ luck …f-findin’ it, bitch …I threw it…i-into the ocean…!” he confessed, earning him another shock.

“NICOLE! STOP IT! WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!” Amy screeched. Still, Nicole would not address her, shocking Scourge until he was completely unconscious. She walked over to Amy, though did not speak a word before taking her hammer from her and tossing it overboard. “NO!” she screeched, reaching out to it but unable to grab it in time. “N-Nicole, it’s me, Amy! Don’t you recognize me?!” she tried to appeal to the holo-lynx, but it was no use. The badniks approached, grabbing Scourge and dragging him away before grabbing her as well.

“Take the green one to cell block 835 and the pink one to cell block 996. Lucky has been stripped of her permissions to enter either cell block until further notice,” she instructed, ignoring her friend’s cries and pleas to snap out of it. As she followed the horde of badniks back to the inside of the ship, down below, unbeknownst to anyone, a mantaray girl was swimming in the depths. She noticed a glint in the corner of her eye, and spotted a sparkling, bright gem, slowly sinking further and further down. She grabbed the treasure quickly, gazing at it’s beauty.

“A…Chaos Emerald?”

She looked around, seeing no one to witness it as she stashed the gem away in her bag, and began to swim for home.

“I better tell Razor about this!”

Chapter Text

The dark hedgehog’s home had never been so crowded before. It was a good thing he had gotten such a large place, the Freedom Fighters all fit in quite nicely. Everyone was stood or sat down in a circle, recounting their testimonies and comparing. By the end of it, they had a clearer understanding of the previous night’s events. “Ugh, honestly, I can’t believe you, Sonic,” Sally complained outright. Sonic scowled a little at that, “Hey! Cut me some slack! How’s it my fault someone just guessed the combination?” Sally sneered, nearly growling at him for daring to talk back to her.

“I at least trusted you to keep the Emeralds safe, and you couldn’t even do that much!” she lectured. “I mean, for god’s sake, you couldn’t even do that much when it’s your fault Eggman is even here -!” Shadow stepped forward, getting quite sick of her attitude. “ Watch it , your royal ‘Highness’. You may think you can get away with blaming all your problems on Sonic, but that’s not going to save you, or your friend.” Bunnie stepped forward, putting her arms out to keep them separated as they glared daggers at each other. “N-now, let’s all just calm down now,” she advised.

“Sally girl, I understand that you’re upset, we all are. But, uh…” she glanced at him.

“ Shadow ,” he reminded her.

“R-right. Shadow here is right. Arguin’ and fightin’ ain’t gonna solve nothin’. We gotta come up with a game plan.”

Antoine nodded in agreement, putting a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Oui, we need to work together and figure out how to deal with zat bastard,” he seconded. “Not just him…” Sonic reminded them, “That girl, too.” Sally got irritated all over again, pushing past Bunnie and glaring at him, Shadow’s quils bristling defensively when she stepped closer which made her mindful enough to keep her distance. “Sonic, seriously? Pay attention to what’s in front of you for one second! Amy is kidnapped and you’re worried about some threat that’s hundreds of years ahead of us?!” she snapped.

“Maybe it’s not important to you , Sal, but she might have something to do with all this!” Sonic growled, standing up for himself for once. “Didn’t you hear anything Silver said? Eggman’s gotta know something about her, and obviously she’s gonna be a problem for everybody . Maybe even sooner than we think!” he scolded, not budging on his point. “We don’t know that! We can’t be running around chasing mythical nine-tailed foxes when we have a real threat on our doorsteps!” she argued, still not convinced of the importance of Silver’s problem.

“Are you really so spiteful towards me that you’ll just abandon someone in need?!”

“It’s not about you, you self-centered brat! Amy needs you! Nicole needs you! And you’re abandoning them for some kid, who, as I understand it, tried to murder you!”

“And like I told you , he made up for that! I trust him! And I’m not abandoning them! I’m just saying that maybe helping Silver with this Empress lady could help them , too! We have no leads on where Eggman’s run off to!”

“That’s enough! Both of y’all!” Bunnie shouted again, regaining everyone’s attention. “Look, we don’t all have to do the same thing, right? Besides, since Eggman seems to be back for real, we gotta think about warnin’ everybody we can,” she elected a compromise. Sally winced, crossing her arms and leaning back a little away from Sonic as she visibly conceded. “I…I still haven’t gotten through to Elise,” she admitted. “I should…go to Soleanna and warn her, and pick up the Emerald she has. Eggman is…probably collecting them all again.”

Silver hesitated, before standing up to speak and pulling something out of his worn out backpack. “I…I have a real Emerald with me,” he confessed, showing it off much to the amazement and shock of the others. “Oh mah stars…” Bunnie gasped. “D-did ya bring that back with ya f-from the future?” Silver nodded, “I only found the one, while trying to find two to make my way back here before I found an alternate route.” Shadow gave him a look at that, one Silver noticed and avoided nervously. Sonic gave Sally an annoyed look before pushing the Emerald back to him.

“ Thank you , Silver. I’m sure Sally appreciates it, but you can hold onto it til we get the rest,” he spoke for his ex, who nearly fumed but kept her mouth shut. “A-alright, if you say so, Sonic,” Silver nodded before putting it back in his bag. Shadow was quiet for a moment, thinking over their options. He made a suggestion that Sonic wasn’t quite expecting. “Sonic, I think you should go with the Freedom Fighters to the Acorn Kingdom,” he suggested. Even Sally seemed put off by the idea, raising a brow at him. “H-huh? Me ?” Sonic repeated, pointing to himself.

“Yes, you . Eggman probably took advantage of the Queen being here to take that device from her, and now that he knows she’s here , and not defending her Kingdom, he’ll likely target it next,” he reasoned. Sally became stressed at the explanation, “Oh, god , no!” Bunnie stepped up, putting a hand on her arm. “Don’t you worry now, Sally girl. We’ll hurry back home right away and make sure he don’t hurt nobody,” she promised. “Still, someone should accompany you to Soleanna, in case you need additional back-up. Eggman’s forces are… daunting to say zee least,” Antoine pointed out.

“I’ll go,” Rotor volunteered. “If something goes wrong, I can send out an emergency SOS call to you guys.” Bunnie nodded, taking Antoine’s hand in hers. “Then Antoine, suga’hog and I will return to the Acorn Kingdom as fast as we can,” she decided. “What about you, though, Shadz?” Sonic asked, looking over to him. He seemed hesitant. “I…don’t know. I still have the children to watch over,” he pointed out. Sonic gave him a smile, “Aw, c’mon Shadz! You’ll have to do better than that! Everybody always underestimated Cream or Tails and they put up amazing fights against ol Egghead!”

He blinked at that, but Sonic wasn’t done yet. “And they were much younger than those two, plus, they’ve got powers . I’m sure they’ll be just fine if ya bring ‘em along!” Shadow looked up in thought. The hedgehog had several good points, none of which he’d considered before. He supposed he was a little too used to treating children as fragile, given his memories of Maria. Still, something was troubling him. “...I’m going to stay here, and…help Silver,” he declared, which surprised both his fellow hedgehogs. “You… are ?” Silver balked in disbelief.

“Yes. We’ll figure out how this Empress is connected to Eggman, and…try to locate his hiding place, or his ships while we’re at it,” he said. Sally didn’t look very amused by this suggestion. “His ship is obviously made with some kind of cloaking device that makes it impossible to find on a radar,” she pointed out. “We don’t need a damn radar for him ,” he snapped. “Since he’s obviously collecting Emeralds, then all we really need is an Emerald radar,” he explained. Sonic tilted his head at this, “Well, there is still three Emeralds unaccounted for from our time.”

“Which means he either already has them, or will be on his way to finding them, bringing him , to us ,” he added. Sonic smirked and gave him a thumbs up, “Alright! Sounds like a plan, then! Just be careful, ya hear?” Sally sighed deeply, “Seems we’ve all got our jobs, then. We best depart immediately, especially you three,” she said, looking to her fellow Freedom Fighters and Sonic. Antoine and Bunnie saluted, and hurried out the front door immediately with Sonic easily making it ahead of them. Rotor began ahead of Sally not long after, Sally only stopped when called out to.

“Hey,” Shadow said, stepping towards her. “Listen, I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to get a grip. If you keep making everything about your grudge against Sonic, people will get killed . And if that happens, you best consider me your enemy.” Sally scowled, not giving him so much as a glance back. Even Silver could tell she didn’t want to hear a word of it. “If you think this is anything other than a temporary alliance, you’re quite delusional…’Ultimate Lifeform’,” she spat, walking out of his house without another word.

There was an awkward silence in the air, before Shadow huffed. “Kids, I know you were listening…” he called out, the pair peeking out from the kitchen and trudging out with a guilty look. It was the first time Silver saw them, he noticed the girl’s eyes right away. “S-sorry Shadow…” Midnight apologized. “W-we j-just heard a l…lot of y-yelling…” He sighed and walked over to them. “Listen, plans have… changed . All of us, we’re…going to go help Silver, for now,” he informed them, kneeling down to their level.

“What’s that mean?” Artemis asked, raising a brow. “It means …we’re gonna be…outside. A lot,” he clarified. “But it’ll still mostly be a secret.” Artemis groaned a that, “So we can’t use our powers?” Shadow shook his head, “Not exactly. You will be able to, but…I’ll tell you when it’s safe.” Wait…really?! Midnight excitedly thought, Shadow reaffirming and getting them excited. He stood up, taking out his phone to contact Rouge and request a rendezvous. Silver was quiet watching Shadow speak with the children, feeling a bitterness burrowing in his chest.

The children ran back to Shadow’s room, getting dressed and ready for their adventure and leaving the two hedgehogs alone. Shadow took advantage of this opportune moment, returning to Silver and standing over him as he continued sipping at his tea on the couch. “We need to talk…” he said. Silver only looked up at him for a moment, before returning his attention to his tea cup. “I don’t think we do , actually,” he snapped. But the dark hedgehog was unfazed. “ Silver ,” he said sternly. “How did you get here?” he interrogated.

“I time traveled ,” he snidely answered. “You know, like I did last time?”

“I know damn well what a Chaos time portal looks like. You didn’t come out of one of those, and you just admitted to everyone that you didn’t have enough Emeralds to come here that way.”

“What’s it matter how I got here? That’s hardly important in comparison to everything else ,” he pointed out.

“You say it isn’t, I say it is . How, did you, get here ?” he repeated.

Silver narrowed his eyes at Shadow, getting fed up with the question. Regardless of Mephiles’ threats, he didn’t trust Shadow as far as he could throw him. And he could throw him quite a long way. “I did what I had to, to get here…” he firmly answered, making it quite clear he would say nothing further than that. “So just drop it already.” Shadow reluctantly caved, realizing the boy was simply too stubborn. But he couldn’t help but wonder what was with his abrasive attitude. They weren’t friends when they last saw each other, but certainly not enemies, either.

His mind drifted to the dream he had the night before, and he couldn’t help but wonder about it’s meaning all over again.

---

“So, this is that boy you told me oh-so much about?”

Rouge flew above the others in the group, looking over Silver with much interest. Though he leaned away from her, seeming most uncomfortable with her gaze. “He looks a lot messier than you described him,” she said. “That’s because last time I saw him he didn’t look like that,” he corrected. “His future has been… demolished , all over again.” She frowned at that, handing Shadow the radar device he needed and looking Silver over again. “Could you…m-maybe not stare so much?” Silver requested, frankly creeped out by her.

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just, you two look more alike than Sonic and Shadow do,” she said. Silver scowled at that and Shadow scoffed. “Does everyone else on this damn planet just have some sort of hedgehog blindness?” he snarked, rising a snicker out of his associate. “So, Silver, I was wondering…where’s mister grumpy pants here in the oh-so distant future?” she asked out of a bemused curiosity. Shadow’s ears perked up, partially curious of the answer. But Silver was indifferent, looking away as he tightened his grip on the strap of his bag.

“How should I know? He could be any where on the planet back home by now…” he fibbed, visibly and audibly irritated by the question. That answer piqued Shadow’s interest, though not in the way one may have expected. “Wow, he’s even moody like you, too~” Rouge teased, earning her little more than a silent eye roll from the dark hedgehog. Silver huffed, using his telekinesis to open up his bag and pull out the photo Mephiles had given him. Artemis noticed this, and gawked in childlike wonder and awe. “Woah! Did you just do that with your mind ?!”

Silver looked over at the child, looking between his hand and him for a moment. “Uh, yeah? Why?” he asked. “W-what? W-what d-did he…d-do?” Midnight asked. Artemis grabbed her hand and pulled her over to Silver. “This Silver guy, Midnight! He can move stuff with his mind!” he said, causing her ears to perk up. “W-with…your mind…” she repeated. “C-can you…r-read minds…t-too?” He shook his head, “Uh, no. Wait, can you guys read minds? Is that what Sonic meant by ‘Powers’?” Artemis shook his head, “Not both of us. She can, though.”

“What can you do?” Silver asked tentatively. “Psh, I can control fire !” he said, demonstrating his ability to Silver who gasped and took a step back. Midnight’s ear twitched at the sound, “W-what’s…wrong, m-mister?” Silver winced, looking to Shadow without addressing either of the children. “W-where the hell did you find Prodigies?!” he demanded. The word made Rouge perk up, her full attention on Silver again. “You…know about Prodigies?” she asked. “Of course I do! I am one!” he revealed, much to Team Dark’s collective surprise.

“Prodigies…they’re all…people with powers connected to their minds,” Shadow realized aloud. Rouge listed out the four types she recalled hearing about again, and Silver recognized every single one. “All of those types…those were part of the classifications from my time!” he said. “But, I don’t get it, what’s so odd about there being Prodigies here to you, then?” Rouge asked, still confused by his first question. “Because Prodigies began popping up only 60 years ago prior to my time! I’m way further back than that!” he explained.

“Everything…everything fell apart when someone with Ferrokinesis assassinated the King of Soleanna. People began to fear us, we were imprisoned. Anyone who helped us escape or tried to hide our existence altogether were killed for treason,” Silver described, opening up his hand to reveal the circle symbol still on his gloves. “Each of us was cuffed, marked with a different symbol. For those who could move objects with their mind, like me, it was a circle. For people like Blaze, who could control fire, it was a triangle.”

All of this was lining up with the visions in Shadow’s dreams damn near perfectly. There was a symbol for each and every type. Yellow diamonds for Ferrokinetic Prodigies, blue squares for Hydrokinetic ones, a pink heart for Psychokinetics. But one was still missing in that equation. “Wait. What about an Emerald sigil?” he asked. This gauged a befuddled look from the platinum hedgehog. That look was answer enough on it’s own, but he spoke anyway. “What’re you talking about? There were only five sigils. And I already told you all of them,” he said.

This confused Shadow, who wondered if he was going insane. Perhaps the dreams were coincidental nonsense. “...Sorry, the President just had a theory that maybe…maybe my powers have some kind of common ground with the children’s.” Silver still seemed skeptical, but decided to just accept the answer for now. “Still…how can there be Prodigies this far back? I know a lot of historical records were wiped away, but Blaze knew several elders before she was kidnapped that all attested to the time Prodigies began to pop up,” he wondered.

“Well, if what you say is true…maybe we can help steer you guys away from that awful treatment,” Rouge said. Silver sighed, “That’d be nice, but I’m not too sure it’ll work. To be honest, I’m still trying to make sense of the shift in my future.” Shadow finally seemed to get the radar working, tapping into satellites around the country to find something, anything that might give them a lead. “First thing’s first: We need to track down Eggman. He’s our best lead on that girl you mentioned, Candella, right?” the Ultimate Lifeform said. Silver nodded.

“Yeah, that’s right. Do you think it’s some kind of creature he woke up or something?” he asked.

“Quite likely…old habits die hard, as they say,” Rouge responded with a smirk.

“I just hope she isn’t doing too much damage back home…” Silver lamented.

“Don’t worry, kid. If we take care of her now, I’m sure it won’t matter much anyway,” Rouge assured the boy. Shadow’s radar went off, notifying him of a reading around the South Pacific. Miles from civilization of any kind, though the coverage out there was quite poor. There was no visual, only a satellite picking up the faintest reading. “ WHAT IS THE PROGNOSIS? ” Omega questioned. “Call the General. We’ll need a ship and possibly a submarine,” he reported. Rouge snickered, “Well, it’s a good thing Big Blue didn’t join us after all, huh~?”

“Woo hoo! We’re going on an adventure!” Artemis cheered. With their destination set, it was time to head to HQ to request access to the transportation they would need to travel out there and begin their search. The air was a little tenser now, the contempt between the two hedgehogs being quite obvious to just about everyone in the group. Rouge could only hope they didn’t rip each other to shreds before they could even make it out to sea.

---

Nine tails twitched about, as their owner sat on her throne with a bored demeanor. She had taken everything, at least, everything that Iblis had not already burned away. Oh, how she wished she had finished her fleet before those wretched children destroyed him forever. But alas, she would simply have to make do. She didn’t even lift her head when the door inside opened, a meek and skittish three-tailed fox with a tuft of hair that curled upwards stepping through. He fiddled with one of his tails nervously, almost hugging it as he entered and approached the Empress.

“G…good morning, m-miss Candella,” he greeted. “Morning rounds are, um, over. No stragglers, yet…”

She groaned in disappointment, her eyes and head rolling in unison. The boy flinched and grew more anxious. “Um…i-is something the matter?” he asked. She was quiet for a moment, eyeing him carefully before she stood from her throne abruptly. “Skye Haigh,” she addressed him using his full name. “My most adorable little apprentice,” she said, walking up and pinching one of his cheeks. “I grow… bored of this endless monotony of being… unopposed .” Skye rubbed at his cheek, watching her walk towards one of the windows.

“Um, e-excuse me for p-possibly speaking out of turn, miss, but…i-isn’t that a… good thing?” he asked. She sighed and tilted her head, “Naive, silly little Skye. Power is everything , but thanks to those… annoying little children, I have been forced to settle for mere scraps .” She turned her head to meet his eyes properly again. “My mentor, he had a most honorable and beautiful death! I was so short-sighted at the time, unable to appreciate it the way I’m sure he did !” she gushed, her unnerving grin almost managing to pass for cute. Almost. 

“M-mentor, miss?” Skye pried, daring to inch closer to her. “Yes, yes !” she nodded, her excitement peaking with each word. “He was just like you and I, an outcast who made use of his smarts and became the most powerful man in the world! Until, that was, an even greater power struck him down!” she recounted, a mixture of dramatism and joy in her tone. Skye twisted at one of his tails nervously before daring to ask, “W…what got him, miss?” Her grin turned utmost sinister at that, and she began slowly inching closer to her pupil in a boisterous manner.

“ The Ultimate Lifeform ,” she answered with a wild grin. “He was created ages ago, and lives eternally. What I wouldn’t give, o’ apprentice of mine, to come face to face with that monster .” Skye’s ears twitched, and he got an idea in that moment. His demeanor became more relaxed, and he released his hold on his tail as he gave her his full attention. “W-what was he like, do you remember it?” he asked. The Empress smiled a wicked smile, “Oh yes , like it was yesterday . A black hedgehog, crimson that streaked his quills like blood , and he had the same cuffs as those Prodigy children.”

“The…same exact ones?” he blinked.

“That’s right! I’ve no idea what kinetic power he was imprisoned for, he was the only one I ever saw with that symbol…”

“What symbol? What was it?

“A purple Emerald,” she said, using her finger to draw the shape in the air.

“L-like…the Chaos Emeralds?! The ones that almost a-all got… destroyed ?”

She grinned and patted him on the head. “ Very good, Skye! I’ve taught you quite well!” she praised. He smiled and snickered bashfully, twisting one of his tails again. “Unfortunately, he disappeared before I had a chance to return. It’s a shame, really, I’d love to know what makes him tick .” Skye fiddled with his tail some more, glancing off to the side as he collected his thoughts. “Y…yeah, a real shame,” he hummed. “M-maybe…maybe we could find more power out there somewhere. There’s got to be something besides Iblis or the Ultimate Lifeform,” he suggested.

“Oh but I’ve already pillaged damn near the entire planet for-”

“Yes, our planet. But, don’t you recall? In the golden age, a group of heroes traveled to the far reaches of space, in order to stop a great evil.”

“...A great evil , you say?” she grinned, tapping her fingers together maniacally. Skye nodded, “T-there must surely be thousands of planets out there with power beyond our wildest dreams. P-perhaps…perhaps if I can find some of the ancient texts, and make us a space shuttle, w-we could explore the galaxy!” The idea made her more and more excited as he spoke. She giggled, “ Yes , this is precisely what I need. Very well, Skye, I leave it in your capable hands!” Skye smiled, putting his hands together and bowing his head. “Thank you Empress, I’ll do my best!”

“Good boy. Off you go, then,” she dismissed, returning to her throne. This time she was far more excited as she awaited Skye’s next report. Skye began on his way to his laboratory, immediately pulling up an archive of every file, document, or documentation related to the “Ultimate Lifeform” he could find. His proposal was sincere, but just as well, he felt compelled to surprise her with a gift most precious. It was the least he could do to repay even half of the things she’d done for him. Soon a smorgasbord of blurry images came up, but some were easy to make out.

All of them were of the hedgehog she had described, he even had a torn up scarf. But alas, it seemed his search was coming up a little short. His curious mind wandered, and he grabbed a jacket from his coat hanger before hurrying out of his lab. He passed a ball-shaped robot in the hallway, who noticed him and called out to him. “Ah, M-Master Skye! Where are you going in such a hurry?” he asked. “Can’t talk right now, Orbot. Watch my lab for me while I’m gone, I’ve got work to do!” he said, before using his three tails like propellers to speed himself up.

Orbot watched him go, curious, but obediently making his way into Skye’s lab to watch over things until his return. He found the computer Skye had left open, all his search results still visible. “Oh my,” Orbot remarked as he looked it over. “This is quite the ambitious project, even for him. It seems like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” he remarked. Orbot couldn’t help but appreciate the effort Skye put into his work. He put the computer into sleep mode for his creator, idling by the desk while he awaited his return. 

The metallic halls would be empty of organic life for the next twelve hours.

Chapter Text

The sound of insect wings buzzing away filled the air, as the bee they were attached to carried a large bag by it’s straps through the skies. Finally, after a long mission in Holoska, he was able to head back home and hopefully relax a little before his next job. Government work was a lot more intense than his old job doing simple recon at Vector’s detective agency, but it was well worth it. He was even able to buy himself a nice place that was a bit a ways away from Central City, but that was ok. The quiet was kind of nice.

Eventually, he spotted his abode, flying down and gently placing the bag down on the stone steps leading up to his front door. After inputting the security key to open his door, he dragged the heavy bag inside, placing it on his bed to be unpacked later. “Phew!” he huffed. He flew back out into the living room, noticing the receiver of his phone was blinking with new calls. He landed on his feet, walking over to it and noticing the number “25” blinked on the small screen over and over. “Oh, gosh,” he cringed, pushing the play button to get them out of the way.

“ You have…twenty five…new messages. ” The receiver sounded off a loud beep, before playing the first of the many.

“Hey Charmy, it’s Saffron~” a sweet voice cooed. “I know you said you were leaving for Holoska yesterday, buuut, I wanted to leave you a little welcome back message for when you got home. Sooo, welcome back~! Call me when you can!” Charmy blushed and snickered, much appreciating the thought. His mood dipped a little however when after the second beep, the second message played. “Hey there Mr Bee! Sorry for the inconvenience, but we’d like to talk to you about your car’s extended warrant-” It didn’t finish, Charmy growling in annoyance as he deleted it.

“I don’t have a car…” he grumbled impatiently. “ Message deleted! Next message ,” the receiver reported, beeping again before playing the third message. The voice that came out of the receiver was another Charmy recognized, but, also hadn’t heard in many years. “Ch-Charmy?” his ex-boss’s voice called out. “Listen, uh, it’s Vector. I know…I know we haven’t really talked in a while, but, s-somethin’ really bad’s happened,” he said, his voice holding so much reluctance. Charmy stared on at the receiver in concern, waiting with bated breath for him to continue.

“I…I really feel like I should tell you this in person, though. Just…call me back when you can.” The beep went off again, Charmy not intervening as the next one played. Yet again Vector was begging for an answer that would not be given. For two more messages it was like this, until finally it seemed he couldn’t wait any longer. “Look, I didn’t wanna do this over the phone like this, but, Espio got hurt , Charmy. Really badly. H-he’s fine now, but, he was really close to death this time. I really think you should come down here and see ‘im,” Vector finally revealed.

Charmy’s antennae drooped with guilt at such news. Espio nearly died? And he wasn’t here to see him? They had all but drifted apart, but he couldn’t possibly ignore something like this. He dashed out the door, not bothering to listen to the rest of the messages and making way for Central City. But he was stopped before he had ever reached the entrance of the city, a sight most troubling freezing him in place. Everything was… destroyed . Very few buildings were still intact, and several structures had all but been demolished. 

His eyes widened, and he zipped into the city to find a mass of G.U.N soldiers and rescue crews scoping out the place. What had happened while he was gone? It practically looked like a warzone here now. It wasn’t long before he was noticed by one of the G.U.N soldiers on the ground, who spotted him and called him out. “HALT! This is a restricted crisis area! You do not have jurisdiction to be here, citizen, return to the evacuation shelter at once!” he scolded. Charmy groaned in annoyance, flying down to meet him and pulling out his badge.

“Special Agent Charmy Bee, I’m with the A.C.E. I just got back from a mission in Holoska, what the heck is goin’ on here?”

“A.C.E? Oh, my apologies, Agent Bee,” the soldier backtracked. “I’m afraid while you were gone there’s been several organized attacks from known terrorist: Doctor Robotnik.”

“DOCTOR ROBOTNIK?!” Charmy exclaimed in shock. “He’s BACK ?!”

“Afraid so. He attacked Angel Island last week, and then he trashed Emerald Town, Central City and Night Babylon and kidnapped a couple of civilians just the other night,” the soldier summed up.

“I can’t believe this…” Charmy muttered before shaking his head. “Where are the evac shelters? There’s a couple of people I gotta find,” he asked. “I’ll have our lead officer send them to you,” the soldier said. “Be careful, out there, Agent Bee. We’re still not sure what Eggman’s planning.” Charmy nodded, flying off to observe the damage in the other areas that were specified while awaiting the locations to be sent to him. He’d never seen so much carnage before, it made him wish he’d stung that mad man just a little harder the last time he saw him.

He landed in Emerald Town, looking around at the now destroyed suburbia. He couldn’t have known, he knew that. It had been such a long time since a real threat anywhere near this scale had come anywhere near him or those he cared about. But that didn’t stop him from feeling terrible for not being here to help when they needed him. He explored a little, eventually finding himself inside a two story home, the upper half of which having a mass of holes in it. The sight of a demolished baby’s room made him even sadder as he trudged through the home.

He worked his way down, looking around until reaching some kind of office. He stepped on something that cracked beneath his weight, causing him to look down and see a picture frame on the ground. He was careful when picking it up, realizing he recognized the photograph. It was him, Vector, and Espio as well. The first photo they took after their first successful job together. He slipped the photograph out of the now busted frame, staring sadly for a moment. His thoughts were interrupted by his government phone going off.

He pulled it out, reading the locations of each evacuation shelter to himself before flying out of the home. He held onto the photograph, determined to deliver it back to it’s rightful owner as he zipped through the skies to find his friends. He’d make this right, one way or another.

---

Cream and her two Chao floated through the skies, a myriad of supplies in hand. The Chao struggled with their bags, but pushed through the strain. But Cream still noticed their exhaustion. “Just a little further, guys. We’re almost there!” she urged them while looking back at them. Chocola nodded, his brother too busy with his load to acknowledge the encouragement. The chocolate colored Chao’s orb suddenly shifted in shape, forming an exclamation mark before he yelped at his owner. She looked forward, though too late, bumping into another airborne creature.

Thankfully, she didn’t drop any of her supplies, but she was a tad disoriented. “Wah! S-sorry!” she apologized meekly. When she looked up though, she found herself recognizing the person she’d bumped into. “W…wait a minute, you’re…!” The other disoriented party looked up after shaking his head, realizing he too recognized her. “H-huh? You ?” he mumbled in confusion. “Charmy? Charmy Bee!” she called out his name. He nodded to confirm her suspicions. “Y-yeah, and you’re, um…Cream, right?” She nodded back at him and smiled.

“Oh! You’re finally back! Papa will be so happy to see you!”

“Papa?” his brows furrowed in confusion.

“O-oh, right, I mean… Vector will be happy.”

“Vector? You know where Vector is?!”

“Sure do! I was just headed to the evacuation site where him and mom are staying.”

“I-is Espio there, too?”

“Mmhm! Come on, follow me! And um, could you…maybe help us with some of these?” she asked, looking to her struggling Chao nervously. Charmy nodded, taking the load off the Chao for them and flying beside Cream as she led him along. “I can’t believe I missed so much in just a month!” Charmy lamented. Cream frowned at that, “Yeah…none of us were expecting any of this. How much do you know?” Charmy promptly relayed everything he’d learned up to that point, Cream corroborating it all. “Yes, he killed Tails just a week ago,” she confirmed. 

“And now he’s kidnapped Amy, too! It’s all just awful! He’s more cruel than ever .” Charmy winced at such news. He loathed to think of the possibility that Espio had perished to his injuries. Either way, he already knew he’d make Eggman regret it. “Sonic left yesterday to go to the Acorn Kingdom. Everyone thinks Eggman is gonna target it next, since their Queen left to attend Tails’ funeral,” she informed him. “Just like that coward, stabbing you when your back is turned,” Charmy hissed in contempt, the Chao nodding in agreement.

It wasn’t long before they reached the shelter, though there were surely hundreds of civilians here. Cream was able to spot her mother easily, flying down to her and greeting her with a smile. “Mother! We found the supplies for Mint!” she reported, the older woman turning around to reveal she had a baby in her arms. Charmy blinked, already starting to connect a few dots. “Oh, thank you dear! O-oh, and, you must be Charmy. I don’t believe we ever had the official pleasure,” she greeted. He nodded, and shook her hand, “Pleasure’s all mine, miss…?”

“Please, call me Vanilla. Oh, my husband will be so glad to see you’re here!” she gushed. “W-where is papa, mom?” Cream asked. Vanilla turned, pointing towards a particular section of the shelter. “He’s at the medical ward checking up on Espio. Not sure where your brother is, but, he’s probably somewhere closeby.” Cream nodded, taking to the air with Charmy again to head towards the medical ward. They landed in one of the less crowded spots, looking around and calling out for both of them. Charmy was the first to spot one of them, flying up to the croc immediately.

“VECTOR!” he cried, causing the former detective to look up in surprise. “Holy shit! Charmy, is that you?!” he called out, meeting him halfway. “Wow, just look at ya!” he laughed, pulling the bee into a hug that he returned in kind. “Thank goodness you’re alright, Vector!” Charmy sighed in relief. “I’m sorry I didn’t get your messages until now. I was stationed out in Holoska to investigate weird phenomenon,” he apologized. Vector waved this off, “Bah, don’t worry about it. You’re here now, that’s what matters!” Charmy smiled, pulling out the photo he picked up.

Vector blinked in surprise, taking it from him gently and smiling fondly at the memory. “I found it while looking for you guys…” Charmy said. “Figured you’d want it safe and sound.” Cream landed beside the pair, and smiled up at Vector. “Hey papa! We got the supplies for Mint, and I ran into your old friend here on my way back,” she reported, earning her a pat on the head from him. “‘Atta girl!” he praised. “S-so…where’s Espio? Is he alright?” Charmy brought up, still anxious to see his other former coworker. “Oh, he’s doin’ much better, come on, he’s over here!” Vector said, guiding them along.

It didn’t take long to reach the chameleon, who was resting in a wheelchair in a secluded corner. He looked up when Vector called out his name, and his eyes widened upon seeing Charmy. He had grown up so much since they last saw each other. Time seemed to slow down for all three of them as Vector and Charmy approached him. Charmy rubbed his arm, trying his best not to avert eye contact. He owed Espio that much at least. “H-hey…sorry I’m late,” he apologized. Espio had healed a bit, though his condition still irked the bee deeply.

“Charmy…you actually came,” he hummed, a lot of mixed emotions whirling around inside him. Charmy nodded, “Of course I did. You’re my friend. And you were…” he trailed off, not sure if he even had the right to say it. Vector pulled them both close together and smiled. “ We’re a family,” he said for him. Espio used the only unbroken arm he had to hug Vector, Charmy following suit with a big grin on his face. The scene made Cream smile fondly, happy to have brought them all together again. When the moment concluded, Charmy cried out in realization and pulled his phone out.

“G-guys, have any of you seen this girl? I’ve been looking for her , too.”

“Hmmm, nope, can’t say she’s familiar. She sure looks pretty, though, that your girlfriend~?”

“Wh- I- …W-well, um, we haven’t officially gone steady just yet, no,” he blushed, turning bashful all of the sudden.

Vector howled with laughter and Espio chuckled. “Never woulda guessed you’d find a lady,” Espio teased, making Charmy pout. Vanilla walked up, still carrying Mint and feeding her through a bottle. “Vector, dear,” she called out, Vector turning to his wife curiously. “Another friend of yours is here looking for you,” she said, stepping aside to reveal a family of echidnas had followed her here. Knuckles didn’t recognize Charmy at first, addressing the crocodile immediately. “Vex, have you seen Sonic anywhere?” he asked.

“Afraid you’re a little late, Knuckles,” he informed sadly. “He’s already gone.” The red echidna gritted his teeth in frustration. “Damn, where’d he run off to this time?” he asked. Charmy stepped forward to address him next, gaining the echidna’s attention as he looked him over while he spoke. “Supposedly he went to the Acorn Kingdom to help defend it from Doctor Eggman.” It took Knuckles a moment to even process what was said. “I…wait, the Acorn Kingdom?” he repeated, Julie stepping forward as she held her daughter’s hand.

“What would Eggman want with that place? More petty revenge?” she wondered aloud. Charmy shook his head, “Do you guys know about the Queenly Commission?” The myriad of confused looks gave him all the answer he needed. “It was an initiative proposed by Queen Sally Acorn, a mutual alliance between the Acorn Kingdom, Soleanna, and South Island. Not much is known about the agreement, but, I believe all three Kingdoms got to keep a Chaos Emerald,” he summed up. Knuckles growled, not happy to hear this.

“Damn! He is after the Chaos Emeralds! The fake I had stashed in the safe I had buried deep in Angel Island is gone, too!” Knuckles reported, much to everyone’s shock and horror. “S-so Eggman’s got two fakes?” Cream yelped. “A-and they hold just as much power as a real Emerald, only bad things happen when you use them…” This news didn’t sit well with a single one of them. Then, Gemerl’s voice entered the conversation. “ We cannot stand idly by, we must join the fray and help, ” he said, landing next to his surrogate sister.

“Gemerl! You’re back!” Cream cried out, hugging him excitedly. “Wait, what do you mean, join the fray?” Knuckles inquired. Gemerl returned Cream’s hug before addressing Knuckles. “ Queen Sally has gone to warn Elise, but that leaves Sara and South Island open to attack and without additional support, ” he reported. “ With the Doctor after the Emeralds, we cannot allow any more harm to come to anyone. ” Vector seemed hesitant, “I…I dunno, pal. Espio is still hurt really bad. I can’t just leave ‘im here!” 

Espio grunted in pain, feeling a headache begin to come on. “V-Vector, please…I’ll be fine here. The doctors will take care of me…” he protested, but Vector remained firm. “As if! We just got the band back together, I ain’t abandonin’ you!” Charmy nodded in agreement, “Yeah! We’re with you, Espio!” Knuckles sighed and tilted his hat, “I guess…there’s still a chance Eggman will come back and cause more damage around here , too. No sense in all of us going,” he reasoned. “But in that case, can you watch over my daughter, Lara?”

“Daddy, no! I wanna stay with you!” she protested. Knuckles sighed, kneeling down to her level and taking off his hat, gently placing it atop her head. “Kiddo, things are getting dangerous. And your training as a guardian is nowhere near finished,” he reminded her. “Besides…your friend is still out here somewhere, maybe you should…stick around, keep looking for her.” She still seemed hesitant, but nodded obediently. “O-ok daddy…b-but you’ll be safe…right?” He smirked at that and winked, “Are you kiddin’ me? Eggman will have to try a little harder if he wants to break me down!”

He gave her a noogie, making the child giggle before she scurried over to The Chaotix. “Besides, your mother will be right here watchin’ my back,” he reasoned, pulling Julie closer to him. Cream stepped forward alongside Gemerl. “Us too! We’re coming with you!” she decided. “ We cannot simply sit by and allow others to fight daunting battles alone. We will accompany you, ” Gemerl insisted. The pair had no objections, welcoming the help graciously. “You lot be safe out there, now!” Vanilla bid as they departed. “Save the world, darlings!”

“We will, mom!” Cream promised before hurrying with the others to the nearest exit. Espio sighed, still seeming a little upset to hold his friends up with his condition. “Vector…” he called out. “When I’m healed, you have to promise me we’ll leave right away,” he compromised. Charmy nodded in agreement, “Of course, pal! It’ll be just like old times!” The trio smiled at one another, the comradery touching even Vanilla despite her being quite an outsider to the group. “Charmy, dear, would you like to meet our daughter, Mint?” she offered.

“Huh?” he looked over, acknowledging the baby properly. She was a rabbit, but goodness, did she have some impressive chompers on her. “Daww! She’s so cute!” His eyes widened. “Gah, uh, sorry ma’am, but I really should find my girlfr- I mean, friend , and uh, make sure she’s ok!” he remembered. Vanilla nodded in understanding. “But of course, go on then, dear. I’m sure she can’t be far,” she excused him, walking over to her husband as he zipped away to locate Saffron. “I hope Cream and Gemerl will be alright…” she hummed worriedly.

“Don’t worry, ‘Nilly. They’re made of tough stuff,” Vector reassured her as he pulled her closer. “Besides, I trust Knuckles and Julie to look out for ‘em. They’re even tougher.” Lara nodded in agreement and pumped her fist excitedly. “Daddy and mama are the toughest of all time! They could beat up an entire army just by themselves!” she boasted, quite proud of her lineage. Vanilla giggled, bending down to her level. “Goodness, I’ll bet you’ll be extra strong when you grow up then, won’t you?” She nodded excitedly, encouraged heavily by the compliment.

Espio looked on at the crowd of people around them that were far downer in their spirits, and frowned. He had a bad feeling that things would only get worse from here.

---

Amy sat up against the wall of her cell, head buried in her arms that were folded over her knees. She had given up banging and pounding on the door hours ago. She wasn’t even sure it had been hours. There were no clocks. She couldn’t even see outside anymore. How long had she been on this ship? How long had she been in this room? She’d heard before of what isolation could do to one’s psyche. She hadn’t usually ever been in captivity long enough to feel it’s effects, though her most recent failure to escape with Scourge nearly destroyed her spirits.

So much had happened so fast. Enough that she wasn’t even entirely sure of all of it. It almost felt like she had just dreamed all of it up, but she knew deep down she couldn’t have been. It felt too real for that. Nicole had turned against them, her hammer was gone, they were stranded miles out onto the ocean and there was no way to know where they even were. And Scourge, while she never had the pleasure of meeting him face to face, she knew of him. It was true, all she had heard. He was vulgar, and perhaps even a little selfish and power hungry.

Still, she couldn’t ignore what happened on the deck. Perhaps it was merely to repay her for her help during their rough escape attempt. But surely he’d already done that enough watching her back for her when they fought off the badniks. She was weary of him, but a kindness like that would not go unappreciated. She stood up, walking over to the door and putting her hand on it as she sighed. “All of this is just so crazy ,” she lamented. “It’s like the whole world’s gone upside down since you died, Tails…” she hummed, turning and leaning her back up against the door.

She looked up, her eyes looking at nothing in particular. Her cell was just a cold white room, a single fluorescent light allowing her to see the lines that divided the floors and walls. She looked every which way for some kind of weakness or opening she could take advantage of. Sadly, without her hammer, it seemed she was back to square one: A damsel in distress awaiting her hero. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, Amy felt the door behind her slide down so suddenly that she didn’t have time to react as she began to fall backwards.

“Woa-! OW !!” she yelped, looking up and noticing her cell had been opened. She was now out in the hallway, free as a bird. But there was no one around, not even Lucky. “H…huh?” she blinked, standing up on her feet and looking around. Was this some kind of trick? Was Eggman just screwing with her now? Or perhaps his cells were truly just insufferably faulty. Oh, but, what was she to do now, even with this freedom? They were still stranded, and while her ankle was better now, they would likely die trying to swim their way to the nearest land.

And that was relying on the idea that the nearest land even had civilization. It almost would’ve just been better to stay here, where Sonic and the others would be able to find them. She shook her head, “N-no. I can’t rely on Sonic forever. Think, Rose! If you can’t swim your way out, you’ll just have to look for an alternate route,” she tried to pep talk to herself. She took a deep breath, looking around and not seeing anyone or anything in these halls. “Fine then…guess if you’ve got no clues, you’ll just have to find some,” she decided.

She began maneuvering through the halls as stealthily as she could, avoiding the line of sight of cameras whenever possible. She noticed a few other cell doors were open on her way down the hall, though they were all empty. The girl kept on, eventually reaching a dead end with another security door she couldn’t smash her way through this time. “Oohhh!” she whined. “You gotta be kidding me,” she groaned. She decided to approach the monitor, noting that it needed a scan of a badnik’s serial number to be opened. “Shoot!” she cursed under her breath.

Amy was getting frustrated now, feeling like this really was some kind of elaborate torture by Eggman just to rub in how helpless she was. But she couldn’t give up, that’s what he probably wanted. She’d make him regret underestimating her, among other things. Amy sighed, “I wish Scourge were here so he could just spindash this thing to make it open up…” Her eyes widened at that. “Wait…did I just-?” She interrupted herself, her ears twitching at a muffled sound. She pressed her ear up against the security door, hearing a beeping noise on the other side.

She acted fast, jumping up one of the walls and firmly holding herself up in the corner from above. She watched tentatively as an Egg Pawn trotted through the door, oblivious to her. She contemplated trying to surprise attack it and drag it along, but even she wouldn’t be able to manage to drag it along discreetly enough, even if she could bust the thing without her hammer. Retreat was her only option, one she took quickly before the door closed again. The hallway on the other side was much wider, and had windows lining the right side wall.

She looked out, still only seeing clouds and blue skies. It was foolish to hope for anything else, but she had to hold onto something . For now, it seemed her plans to find another route were still unchanged. She somewhat remembered the way she came from, although perhaps going back up to the deck wasn’t the best of ideas at the moment. The pink hedgehog trudged onward, stopping every once in a while to scope out whatever rooms she could get into without needing a serial number to open them up. Part of her also hoped to find some sort of blunt object to arm herself with.

Alas, her luck was not as infinite as she had been hoping. She hardly found anything of use. One room she’d wandered into however, had a sickening smell so foul she nearly talked herself into not even bothering to check it. She covered her muzzle to endure it, though that didn’t help much. “Eugh! Wh…why does it smell like something… died in here?!” she yelped in disgust. It was quite hard to see anything, there wasn’t much light in here. The light that poured in from the hallway when the door opened only reached so far, showing her rows of busted pods.

She tripped over something about halfway through. Her eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness by then, allowing her to tell it was likely a flashlight. She picked it up immediately, turning it on and surprisingly getting a decent light from it. Amy shined it down on the floor, and her blood froze. She screamed, scampering back and tripping over herself again. Bones, so many bones. A lot of them looked to be violently shattered or ripped off. She hadn’t the slightest inkling who any of these could have belonged to, once.

Though oddly, as she inspected them, she realized they were all… identical . Same shape, same size, at least those of them that hadn’t been completely destroyed and were intact enough to compare. And the skulls, they all looked like that of a Mobian’s rather than a human’s. The frightened girl inspected the pods next, not much information to be found, other than six digit numbers for each that went in order. “Eggman…what the hell is it that you’ve been doing all these years?” she wondered aloud, stepping over the rest of the remains to explore further.

There was nothing but a dead end, a dead switch that had been covered in dust reading “Open All Pods”. It had never been opened or shattered. From the looks of the state of the pods, something had yanked whatever was inside out, and violently ended it’s life. There was nothing more to be found here but death and carnage, and she had no desire to sit and wallow in it. She could question him about this later, she had to get out and find a real solution to her problem. Keeping the flashlight with her as she left, it wouldn’t be much of a weapon, but it was better than nothing.

She reached another room, this time marked “Security Room 5A”. She peeked inside, noticing an Egg Pawn sitting at a monitor and staring at the myriad of screens. She was quiet, careful not to alert it’s attention as she snuck up on him. She looked over the screens, her eyes landing on a monitor that showed someone she recognized. Scourge she thought, remembering the number of the cell block Nicole had designated for him. She contemplated her options for a moment, wondering if it was the best idea to go back for him.

He couldn’t have been far if this was the security room for that block, and he did save her hide more than once before. Several times he could easily have abandoned her, but he didn’t. Amy hardened her resolve. It wasn’t right to leave him behind now, she owed it to him to get him out. Although busting this Egg Pawn with a measly flashlight and guessing which button opened his cell didn’t seem like the most sound plan. She studied the cameras, searching for a nearby and preferably smaller badnik she could easily snuff out and drag around to bypass security.

It wasn’t long before she’d find one, and it was merely a couple of hallways down from here. She smirked, quietly sneaking out to ambush the bot. She hid around the corner, waiting until it was just about to pass before smacking it with the flashlight and dragging it behind the wall out of the camera’s line of sight. Swiftly, she used all her strength to lift and then flip it over onto it’s back, rendering it obsolete. Amy inspected it for a moment, eventually finding the serial number on it’s claw hand and ripping it off to take with her before kicking the rest of it behind a garbage can.

“Hold on, Scourge…I’m coming.”

Chapter Text

All that surrounded them was death and destruction. The war had been going on for so long they had stopped counting the years. It was all the same to them. Their only solace was the camaraderie they had found with one another as fellow soldiers of war. The pair had only been on the frontlines together for a few short months, and already, they had become the best of friends. They even shared in the love they felt for their families back home. Jules lamented that his wife was oh-so resilient and capable, but their son needed someone to watch over him.

He missed her company in these dark times, but tried not to let it damper his spirits. His fellow soldier Damien, on the other hand, knew a much daintier maiden. While he had no children of his own just yet, he had been expecting for quite a while now. He hoped to meet them once their latest deployment was over, though it seemed to drag on forever. The two were on a night shift, keeping a lookout for Overlanders. Things only got more hostile over the past week, the cowards even began to attack soldiers as they slept in their cots.

Had they no compassion, no honor? It made Damien sick. “I hope those loathsome Overlanders do show their sorry faces,” he spat. “I’ll run the lot of them through with my cutlass for what they’ve done.” Jules sympathized, though tried to keep a level head. “Never let it be said they aren’t cowards, my friend. But I wish things were different,” he hummed. “Well of course, we all do, Jules. But wishing doesn’t save civilians or protect what’s precious to us,” he pointed out the naivety of such wishful thinking. Jules sighed, unable to refute that point.

“Why don’t you write another letter for Weiss? I can keep a lookout just fine,” he suggested. Damien seemed hesitant, but ended up doing just that. Jules kept his eye on the open fields, waiting for the first sign of trouble. Though that wouldn’t stop his mouth from running. “Say, what would you name it?” he asked. Damien blinked at the question, pausing his writing to look up at him. It took him a moment to realize what he meant. “Ah, well…I suppose if it’s a boy, I’d name him something bold like Archambault or Sebastian,” he took a shot in the dark.

“Well, what if it’s a girl?” Jules pointed out curiously. Damien winced at that, feeling a tad embarrassed. “Ahhh, my wife’s probably got better ideas. I’ve no clue what I’d settle on for that,” he said. Jules snickered at his indecisive friend. “Bernie and I were thinking of something like ‘Amy’ if Ogilvie were a girl,” he revealed. Damien’s ears twitched at that, “Amy, hm? That does sound like a lovely name for a young lady.” He returned to writing his letter, eventually finishing it before folding it up to put away in his pocket for safekeeping until they returned to camp.

Jules turned his attention away from the fields for a moment, looking to his friend again. “You know, my son is just about to turn 2 in a couple months. After this deployment perhaps we could set up a few playda-” He was cut off when an arrow flew between them, hitting a tree behind their stakeout spot. They noticed immediately it was aflame, and already spreading fast. Jules turned his head, realizing his mistake far too late. Overlanders were already beginning to pour out. “Shit! No! They’re gonna burn down the whole camp!” he exclaimed.

“Jules! Go! Warn everyone immediately!”

“But-!”

“You’re faster than me, I will deal with the fire and the army as best I can but you’ve got to go , NOW!” 

Jules didn’t protest any further, running hell back to camp as fast as he possibly could. Damien was left on his own, not much at his disposal to put out the fire but his cape. It had already spread too fast, and the army was drawing closer. He had no choice but to fight, and hope Jules evacuated their fellow soldiers in time. The fire kept growing, eating away at the forest rapidly. It forced Jules and the other soldiers to have to go around in order to reach the army that Damien was doing his best to hold back. He had shocking resilience, but it was not limitless.

They would be too late, Damien was already grievously injured, Jules taking him as far back from the thick of it as he could once their soldiers clashed against the Overlander army. Jules could tell it wasn’t good. The medic they had with them could do very little, the main wound that spilled blood all over Damien’s already red fur was too much for them to patch up. Damien was just barely conscious and able to perceive Jules was there at all. “Jules…” he called out in a hoarse voice. “J-Jules…please…” Jules winced, feeling utterly hopeless, this wasn’t fair.

“Y-you have…have to… kill me, Jules…I-I’m already…on my way out…I d-don’t want my family to have to…l-live…knowing that I…I suffered…”

“I can’t do that, Damien! You’re my friend!”

“Please, Jules…please…”

“You can’t die, you have to get up! Your letter, you have to send it to Weiss!” he said, desperate for this all to be untrue.

“Gh…t-take it, for me…will you…?” he pleaded, pulling the blood-stained letter from his pocket and handing it to Jules. “Everything I’ve written…tell her…please…and tell her…that it was painless…”

Jules looked to the medic, who winced, but looked away before scuttling off to remove themselves as a witness to the horrid scene. Jules swallowed bile he could feel climbing up his throat as he tried to steel his nerves. He’d never forgive the Overlanders for this. “Is there…anything you’d like to say, my friend?” he asked for the poor man’s last words, still reluctant to do what needed to be done. Damien smiled fondly, coughing up a bit of blood before managing to compose himself enough to speak properly.

“Weiss…my most beautiful rose…I’m so sorry…and my child…I hope you grow up…i-in a world…where y-you know only t-the most…precious of l-love…”

“...Goodbye, Damien Rose…my friend.”

---

The green hedgehog sat up against one of the walls of his cell, staring at nothing and cursing Eggman for forcing him to be alone with his thoughts again. Everything that had happened before had been bouncing around in his head for hours. Or maybe it had been days. He didn’t care to try to tell anymore. His body still ached from the overkill on electric shocks he’d received. And this time he had no hope of that stupid clumsy robot getting him out of this with luck, he didn’t even try to hold onto some kind of sick belief that anyone would come rescue him.

He’d be lucky if Eggman didn’t simply turn him into some kind of mindless slave like the days of old. Perhaps he’d get bored of having to feed and take care of him and toss him into the sea or some abandoned island. It’d actually be somewhat of a favor, being stranded on a tropical island beat being thrown back into his motel room. Not likely it was still there anyway, or if it was, it certainly wasn’t his motel room anymore. But none of this was troubling him nearly as much as his fortune seeming to come true. But what had he chosen?

Obviously the Chaos Emerald was power, it had to be. But, what freedom did that girl offer him? Was it purely metaphorical? Was she going to allow him to escape this place? What a cruel self-fulfilling fortune that would be. He took the card still in his pocket out, staring at it and examining it for what was surely the hundredth time since waking up again. He narrowed his eyes, sneering in contempt. To believe she’d so much as bust him out of here was a delusional thought. She knew who he was, why would she ever stick her neck out for him ?

Though, she did beg that insane lynx to stop hurting him. All of this made him feel so weird . What did it matter, anyway? Surely he knew their fun couldn’t last forever. They were practically predetermined to be natural enemies. He hated the man she loved with every fiber of his being, there was nothing more to what happened back then than a simple temporary alliance. She knew that, and there would be no benefit to helping him. But there was no god damn benefit for me to save her hide, either he thought to himself, frustrated by how illogical he was acting lately.

Trying to decipher the fortune only made him more irritated. He shoved the card back into his pocket, huffing impatiently. “Fuck’s sake, Eggfucker, just kill me or somethin’ already!” he yelled at the obvious camera in the room. He stood up, walking to the middle of the room as he continued speaking to it. “I don’t even give a shit what you’re up to anymore, just drop me somewhere and be done with it! I know you didn’t grab me on purpose!” But his complaints were met with radio silence, as usual. “Uggghhh! Fuck!” he growled, turning to punch the door.

In an instant, it slid open, and he fell forward, unable to stop his momentum as he tripped from the sudden and unexpected occurrence. He landed flat on his face, needing a moment to recover as he picked himself back up. When he looked up, he saw a hand reaching out to him, his eyes trailing up it’s arm until finding the face of it’s owner: Amy Rose, smiling down at him. “Need a little help, there?” she giggled. He blinked a few times, stunned silent. “A-Amy? What the fuck? How did-? Where did-? W-why are you-?” he couldn’t finish a single question.

She snickered some more, helping pull him back up to his feet and waving around the piece of scrap she’d stolen from a badnik. “Used a serial code to open your cell~” she bragged. “Without my hammer it was the only way I could get these things to open.” Scourge raised a brow at that, “Wait, what the fuck happened to your hammer?” She frowned and looked away from him awkwardly. “Well, after you passed out…Nicole kinda took it from me and uh…threw it in the ocean.” Scourge growled under his breath at this news, “That bitch …”

“Hey! She’s still my friend!”

“No offense but your friend fuckin’ fried me half to death!”

“I-I know, I’m sorry…but something’s wrong with her. Eggman must’ve hacked her somehow,” she tried to excuse.

“Whatever, but I dunno why you even bothered to break me out. We can’t escape, remember? There’s nothin’ but water for miles!” he reminded her.

“I know…but we can’t just sit here. Maybe we can find some other way to get out of here, maybe a vehicle? A smaller one. There’s gotta be something on this ship.”

He groaned, “You don’t even have a real plan…” She pouted at this, and huffed indignantly. “You know, a ‘Thank-You’ might’ve been nice! I could’ve just left your sorry butt here and escaped all on my own, ya know!” He rolled his eyes, grabbing her wrist and pulling her away down the hallway. “Fine then, Rosy. We’ll do this your way,” he grumbled. She blushed, but didn’t pull herself free, merely following after him. There were still plenty of cameras and badniks to avoid, though they were much easier to deal with now that she had Scourge.

“Guess your ankle is finally better,” he remarked. Amy looked down at her feet, before looking back up at him again. “Ah, yeah…i-it is. Sorry you had to carry me around before…” she said. He didn’t respond to this, and Amy was unable to tell what he was thinking from behind him like this. Though walking side-by-side felt so awkward for some reason. Although, the air was already quite awkward as it was. Neither party knew what to make of the other at all. Amy wanted to believe Scourge could be trusted, though she couldn’t help but wonder if he had ulterior motives as always.

Scourge on the other hand was just plain confused by all this. It didn’t make any sense to him at all why she would waste time she very well could’ve spent getting out of here coming back for him. It was practically to her detriment, if they didn’t realize she’d escaped before, they surely would now. Not to mention she didn’t have much of a plan other than wander aimlessly. She’d have been better off sitting around waiting for that blue brat to come rescue her. It was all quiet between them until eventually, Scourge asked the nagging question at the back of his mind.

“Why didn’t you?”

Amy blinked at that, tilting her head at him. “Um…why didn’t I…what?” she asked. He let go of her, stopping in his tracks and causing her to do the same. “Leave me to die?” Amy tilted her head in the other direction this time, still confused by the question. “Did you get some of your memory zapped out of you back there or something? You saved my life , and you didn’t abandon me when I was injured,” she reminded him. “It’d be kinda cruel of me to abandon you after all that .” He scoffed at this answer, still in utter disbelief.

“You know how many times I’ve tried to kill that blue rat you’re always chasin’ around? You’d have been doin’ your little boyfriend a service leaving me behind,” he pointed out, turning to look at her with an unamused expression as he crossed his arms. Amy pouted at that, walking past him and purposefully bumping his shoulder out of spite. “He’s not my boyfriend…” she corrected. He stared after her a moment, befuddled by her response. He was about to say more, but alarms began to go off again as a voice on the intercom reported Scourge’s escape.

Amy blinked in confusion, wondering why her own seemed to be excluded for a brief moment before Scourge suddenly picked her up without warning and began making a mad dash down the hall. “Wah! H-hey! What’re you doing?!” she yelled in protest. “Saving our asses, now pipe down!” he snapped. What the hell am I doing? he wondered to himself as he ran and smashed into as many badniks as he could see. He only occasionally stopped to allow Amy to scan the serial number for security doors, beginning his rapid race to lose the robotic threat all over again when they opened.

Eventually he sought refuge in a room that was sealing itself off, managing by just a hair to make it inside before it shut. It was dark, but Amy could tell that there was a myriad of smaller aircrafts in this room. It was a hangar. “Oh my gosh, Scourge! This is it!” she gasped, jumping out of his arms and towards one of them. “H-here, this one has two seats! T-there’s gotta be a takeoff activation switch somewhere!” she said, climbing up to get inside. Scourge began frantically searching, eventually finding a control panel with a bunch of buttons and switches.

Luckily for him, he wouldn’t have to look far, finding a “Take-Off Initiation Sequence” switch and flipping it before zooming back to the plane as fast as he could. A robotic voice began narrating the sequence as Amy managed to get the plane to turn on. It was fully operational, and while the system was a little different than what she was used to, it was similar enough to her old spacecraft that she could work with it. “Hold on tight, Scourge, I haven’t flown one of these babies in a while!” she warned. “Wait, you what ?!” he yelped far too late.

She didn’t wait for him to buckle in, guiding the craft towards the pad in the center that lowered down a bit before stopping in a runway-esque room. Lights led further in, a door at the very end opening up to reveal the light of the outside. Amy smirked, beginning to set the craft in motion for take-off. Scourge seemed quite anxious in his backseat, nearly screaming like a pansy when the plane actually left the Egg Carrier and took to the sky. Thankfully, they didn’t crash, and Amy sighed in relief. “Phew! Looks like I’ve still got it after all~” she laughed.

“N-not funny you c-crazy broad…” Scourge grumbled. “S-so where the hell are we even goin’? We don’t even know where we are.” Amy looked down at her dashboard, taking in the information from the radars and GPS systems. “Looks like…somewhere in the South Pacific? I should be able to get us back to land before this thing runs out of gas, though,” she reported. Scourge sighed in relief, relaxing back in his seat and finally buckling himself in properly. “Don’t get too excited, it’s not gonna be anywhere near, um…” she blinked, looking back at him.

“Where…where were you taken from, exactly?”

“Night Babylon,” he answered.

“Wait, seriously?! You were that close to me?!”

“Yeah? Wait…where were you ?”

“I-I was in Central City!”

“Of course the world is so fucking small…” Scourge remarked. Amy looked back to the front of her, thinking on those words for a moment. “Seems like it’s getting smaller every day…” she hummed in thought. “Just sit tight. I hope you’re not airsick.” Scourge shook his head, “Nah, I’m not a pussy who’s afraid of water like Sonic is, either,” he stated bluntly. Amy rolled her eyes at the unnecessary dig that served only to feed his ego. She could already tell this was going to be a long flight.

---

Gardon watched from afar as his ruler sparred with no one, destroying training dummy after training dummy. She had been here so long they were nearly out of spares and would likely have to spend a week making replacements after she was done, if she ever managed to tire herself out. Which didn’t seem all that likely, she seemed restless from the moment she got out of bed that morning. And yet not a soul, even her most trusted confidant, could say why. Her flames obliterated yet another inanimate target, and she was quite sweaty and out of breath.

“M-madam,” Gardon interjected, walking up to her immediately. “P-perhaps that is…e-enough, for today?” he suggested. She wiped the sweat from her brow, and shook her head. “N-no…no, just…need a little more…” she insisted. Gardon sighed, not wanting to be pushy with one he respected so much, but his concern outweighed his obligation to be obedient. “My queen, we are nearly out of fodder, anyway. You look utterly exhausted ,” he pointed out, trying his best to reason with his friend. “Is there something that troubles you, your highness?”

She flinched at that, and her ears flattened over her head. In the end, she couldn’t meet his eyes like she knew he deserved. “Please, leave me. If what you say is true, I…w-will leave, once I have exhausted t-the rest…” she insisted. “Don’t let me keep you from more important matters, Gardon.” He grimaced at this answer, but it seemed she was beyond reasoning at the moment. He obeyed, leaving her to her vices and opting to try again at a later time. Perhaps when she had truly reached her limit, she would be more open to speaking.

As soon as her solitude was granted, the voice returned to her.

“ HUNGRY…SO HUNGRYYY…NEED MORE…OPEN IT… ”

Her nerves peaked and she tried her best to ignore him. He had been pestering her even in mere dreams, or rather, nightmares. All he ever said was “Open it”, but, what did that even mean? She figured it was not worth bothering to figure it out anyway. Whatever he wanted, she couldn’t indulge him. She hadn’t felt another pulse of Chaos energy yet, but Iblis seemed to only be getting louder anyway. Especially today. Try as she did to tune him out with all this excessive training, it still wasn’t working. All she was doing was putting herself through physical torture, on top of the mental.

She kept on going, ripping apart lifeless mannequin after lifeless mannequin with her flames. All day she had refused to acknowledge that voice. But she was starting to reach her breaking point. Why was this even happening now? Couldn’t she just simply know some peace? Silver had entrusted just one thing to her, she couldn’t squander it. But this stupid voice was so loud! Why was it even here at all? He wasn’t there before, was it even Iblis? It felt like it was him. Her soul trembled each time that voice called to her. It was even like she could see him standing there.

“ OPEN IT…OPEN IT…OPEN IT… ”

She grabbed at her head, shaking it and trying to will him to be silent. It didn’t work, it never worked, but it was all she could do. She felt…hungry. That alone was enough to freak her out and make her eyes widen, as she audibly gasped. “ HUNGRY…WE ARE SO VERY HUNGRY…YOU MUST OPEN IT… ” She shook her head again, stumbling backwards. “No, be quiet! I-I don’t know what you want, but…I…will not …” Her back hit one of the mannequins as his voice grew even more daunting and unbearable.

“ YOU CANNOT REJECT ME…I CHOSE YOU, MY VESSEL…WE MUST CONSUME ALL…MY HUNGER, IT IS YOURS…YOU MUST OPEN IT… ”

“Rrrgh! SHUT UP !” she demanded, turning and activating her powers again, though this time, the mannequin was not destroyed. She didn’t even hit it with anything. Her fire seemed to stretch across the air, burning away at the very fabric of reality itself. Blaze stumbled a few steps back in shock, as she witnessed her flames open a hole in time and space. The other side held a fantastical sight: People quite literally surfing on a sea made of stars. They were too far away to notice her at all, the sand of their beach a dark ashen color.

She hesitated a moment, reaching a hand out towards it, but acting too late. The hole sealed itself shut in a matter of seconds. She tried in vain to open another one, unable to get it to do so. “What…what was that…?” she gasped. “ YOU OPENED IT… ” She blinked, looking down at her trembling hands. Had she opened up…a portal, somehow? But she had never done anything of the sort before! She was certain she had already unlocked all she could have learned when it came to her pyrokinesis. But this was so new, so foreign to her.

She blinked, recalling Silver’s tellings of his time traveling to the day that Solaris had been split in two. Solaris, the God of time and space, had been severed into two beings. Mephiles, a deep and cold darkness that held the power to traverse time. And Iblis, a blinding hot light…it suddenly clicked and she felt a terrible pit in her stomach. “This…this isn’t my power. It’s…it’s yours !” she gasped in horror. “ NO. IT IS… OUR POWER, NOW. WE ARE HUNGRY, BLAZE…YOU MUST OPEN IT AGAIN… ” he demanded, still resolute in his goals. But she would not hear of it.

“N-not a chance…in hell , Iblis. This changes nothing ,” she hissed in contempt. “T-this hunger is just a-artificial…stop trying to scare me. It’s not working.” She didn’t even believe herself, but she tried her hardest to steel her nerves in his overwhelming presence. He simply laughed at her attempts to be brave, unimpressed by the poor lie. She tried her best to compose herself, finally giving up her endeavor to practice out of fear of opening up another hole. Gardon was relieved to see her when she returned to her throne room, though was quick to have her sit down.

“I-I’m fine, Gardon, really…” she tried to reassure him. Gardon smiled up at her and let a chuckle leak into his tone. “Y-you’re not fooling anybody looking like that, madam, I’m sorry to say. You need to rest,” he insisted. But once again, Blaze just shook her head, simultaneously shaking off Iblis’s voice again. “I still have my duties, Gardon. I’m sure if I just sit down for a while, I’ll recover shortly,” she stubbornly refused. The koala exhaled but didn’t protest. His admiration for the lady merely grew stronger with each act of stubbornness.

“W-well, I do have something to report to you, your highness,” he informed with a salute. “The Sol Emeralds, they’ve been acting quite strangely.” Blaze raised a brow at this report, her attention being piqued. “Strange how?” Gardon tapped his fingers together nervously. “W-well, um, your highness…it’s hard to tell. T-they’re ancient and their activity could mean, well, anything ,” he mumbled nervously. Blaze sighed at this, knowing he was right. Still, it was at least worth looking into. “Well, out with it, what exactly happened?” she urged.

“R-right! Well, um, they’ve started glowing really brightly and…emitting this strange… mist ,” he reported. “O-one of the guards k-keeping watch over them noticed it j-just last night!”

“What time?”

“A-around…2 in the morning, y-your majesty.”

Her eyes darted back and forth at a slow pace, as she seemed to be staring off at nothing in particular. She pondered her options for a moment. “Have the guards transport them to my bedroom at once, I will observe them for the next 24 hours,” she ordered. He saluted her, giving a hearty “Right away, your highness!” before darting off to do as he was told. She slumped back in her throne, hoping Iblis didn’t have something to do with all this. She wasn’t sure what she would do then. But regardless, she could not comply with him or his demands.

No matter how much she wondered if this new power could bring her back to her old home.

Chapter Text

The trio of old friends were nearly at their destination now. Much to their dismay, Eggman’s attacks and invisible aircraft spooked the country enough that most air travel was now shut down completely. Well, much to Bunnie and Antoine’s dismay, that was. Sonic seemed just fine with going by foot. Though he was far faster than them, so they’d be forced to keep pace with him using motorbikes instead. “I cannot believe zis! Zis is literally an international crisis, and we cannot even be given a pardon on zee queen’s behalf to fly home!” Antoine whined.

“Aw, don’t worry hun, I’m sure we’ll still make it in time. It’s only another couple of hours before we reach the front gates!” Bunnie said, trying to lift her husband’s spirits. Sonic ran backwards to face them, and while reckless, he reasoned his friends would just warn him about oncoming hazards either way. “Yeah, ‘Twan! Lighten up! Besides, we might get lucky and ol Egghead hasn’t even thought to go after your home yet!” Bunnie shook her head at such optimism. “Suga’hog, I appreciate the positivity, but that’s hardly likely,” she shot down.

“And don’t call me ‘Twan, zat is reserved for monamour only ,” Antoine pouted. Sonic just snickered, paying his attitude no mind. “Whatever you say, Ant .” He grumbled under his breath, starting to get irritated with the hedgehog’s antics. “Anyways, since when were you a realist, Bunnie?” Sonic asked, turning his attention back to his half-badnik friend. “A lot changes in 14 years, suga’hog,” she remarked. “Ya make new friends, lose old ones, see new sights…start a family .” Sonic blinked at that, looking between the two. 

“Oh, wow . How many?” he asked. Bunnie smirked pridefully. “One 12 year old boy named Jacques and a 7 year old gal named Belle,” she announced. “They’re both just the cutest little thangs~” she gushed with a wide grin. Sonic let out an impressed whistle. “Man, time sure flies! Feels like just yesterday Ant was workin’ up the nerve to propose!” he laughed fondly, much to Antoine’s visible embarrassment. Bunnie couldn’t help but snicker as well, vividly remembering his adorable face when he popped the big question.

“What about you, Sonic? Ya settled down yet?” she asked, Antoine scoffing at the mere suggestion. “As if . Zat hedgehog couldn’t hold down a catch if he actually tried ,” he mocked. Bunnie pouted at her husband. “ Antoine !” she scolded. “Naw naw, it’s alright Bunnie. He’s kinda right, though honestly it’s more like I don’t really wanna settle down,” Sonic clarified, waving off Antoine’s remark. Bunnie blinked in surprise, turning her head to look at him again, “Really? Ya don’t at least got some special gal you think about a lot?”

He blushed, scratching his cheek as he glanced to the side nervously. “W-well, I…I wouldn’t say I don’t have an interest in… nobody ,” he said. Bunnie grinned almost mischievously at this answer, getting excited to hear all the juicy details. “Well wallop my withers, Sonic The Hedgehog’s got a lil schoolboy crush!” she squeaked. He waved his hands back and forth and shook his head frantically. “H-hey! Hold on a second! Don’t put words in my mouth!” he uselessly tried to deny it, but the evidence was stamped all over his reddened face.

“Now zis I need to hear,” Antoine said, raising a brow at their comrade’s odd behavior. Sonic pouted, “There’s nothin’ to hear, Ant! It’s not even really a big thing, I just…happened to notice someone’s attractiveness on an… objective level.” His insistence wasn’t convincing either party, and Bunnie pressed onward. “Sooo, what’s her naaame~?” she cooed, driving up a little closer to him and leaning in to hear him more clearly. “C-come on now, Bunnie, it’s really not that serious,” he tried to deny again, cracking another nervous smile.

“Come onnn, gimme a hint, I’m just dyin’ to know, here, suga’hog!” she begged. Sonic hesitated, but in the end, he let out a deep sigh. “ Fine , you get one hint,” he caved. “It’s…not a she …” he clarified, not making eye contact. They both blinked in surprise at this, though in the end Bunnie just smiled and giggled. “Well, I’ll be! That’ll be a real challenge, I reckon,” she remarked. Antoine tilted his head back and forth a little as he commented, “I suppose, a tad unexpected, but, not zat unlike you.” Sonic rolled his eyes, “Look, boy, girl, whatever, that stuff doesn’t matter to me.”

“I just don’t really wanna get married and have a bunch of babies. That’s too much,” he huffed. Bunnie nodded, slowing her bike down to be closer to her husband again. “It ain’t for everyone, suga’hog, I understand. Still, if ya like this guy, you should give it a shot!” she encouraged. The blue blur didn’t answer her, giving it serious thought. In the end, though, he shook his head and returned to running facing forwards. Bunnie frowned, sharing a confused look with her husband before continuing their trip in silence for the next hour.

The sun began to lower, dusk falling over the land they were traveling over. But they wouldn’t have to look far to see lights. They stopped just an hour outside the kingdom, overlooking a most horrific view from a hilltop vantage point. Several ships were parked over the castle walls, and explosions and fires littered the place. The horror sunk in on Antoine and Bunnie’s faces immediately. “THE CHILDREN!!!” she screamed in terror. Sonic growled angrily, looking back at his friends. “I’ll hurry on ahead and get in as fast as I can!” he said.

“S-Sonic, wait!”

“What is it?”

“Jacques, h-he’s a coyote just like his paw, a-and Belle is a bunny like me! They’ve both got wavy blonde hair, a-and blue eyes, just like Antoine’s! If ya see ‘em, please rush ‘em to safety!”

“I promise, Bunnie!”

With that, the blue blur sped off, letting off a sonic boom that blew a mighty wind into the couple’s faces. They revved up their engines, going as fast as their bikes would go towards the kingdom. Sonic would reach the kingdom first, in only a quarter of the time it would’ve taken before. The city was rife with panicked citizens all running for their lives, and badniks ruining everything looking for a measly emerald. Thankfully, it seemed that unlike Emerald Town, they were completely unconcerned with any of the civilians that were fleeing in a panic.

Sonic acted fast, working in tandem with the royal guard and fighting off as many badniks as he could while every once in a while rescuing or ushering citizens to safety. None of them had expected Eggman to attack quite this fast, though their inability to simply fly their way over here was their ultimate downfall. If only the Tornado 3 had still been intact, but alas, there was no helping that now. Sonic kept on running deeper and deeper into the kingdom, scanning the faces of every young citizen he passed to see if they matched the description Bunnie had given.

But no such luck, and the minutes kept on ticking by. At this rate, he began to wonder if maybe they had already made it to a safe shelter. At least, that’s what he was desperately hoping. He dared not think of the possibility of them being trapped under rubble somewhere, slowly losing oxygen or Chaos forbid being crushed. He shook his head, “No! Can’t think like that! G-gotta keep moving…” He kept on running and busting bots everywhere he went. Part of him wished he had asked Bunnie where the Emerald was meant to be stashed before running off.

He just had to hope they’d either get here in time, or he’d get lucky and happen upon it before Eggman. He stopped in his tracks all of the sudden, when he heard the sound of crying. He turned his head, and froze. A little fox boy, one that looked just like him …he was all alone. He was scared, and bawling his eyes out for his mother. But she was already gone. In the front seat of the crashed car they were both strapped into, her wide open eyes were lifeless. He knew he had to move, he had to do something, so why weren’t his legs moving? Why was he… shaking ?

He was snapped out of it too late, his ear twitching at the sound of something whirring and beeping behind him. He turned his head, noticing a buzz bomber aiming it’s cannon right at him. Before he could even think to move, suddenly, another kid jumped out of the pile of rubble from behind it and jammed a piece of rebar into it’s face, causing it to malfunction and explode. The child was flung off by the sudden force of the blast, and finally, Sonic was able to act and catch him before he fell. The boy grunted upon landing in the hero’s arms, coughing a little.

“T-thanks, mister…” he groaned. It took the hedgehog a moment before he thought to open his mouth and respond. His fight or flight was wildly unhinged all of the sudden. “W…w-what the heck do you think you’re doing, kid?!” he scolded before putting him down. “That was seriously crazy!” The boy scowled and pouted. “That thing was gonna blast ya sky high! I had to do something !” he argued. It was then that Sonic noticed the southern drawl in this kid’s voice. And that made him notice other things. Wavy blonde hair, a coyote, with blue eyes…he was Antoine’s spitting image.

“W…wait a second, are…are you Jacques? Jacques D’Coolette?” he asked. The boy blinked in surprise, stepping back a couple of paces. “How…did ya know my name?” he asked. “I’m Sonic! Sonic The Hedgehog. I used to work with your parents, Bunnie and Antoine! They sent me here to look for you, a-and your sister, Belle? Where is she?” he introduced himself, immediately looking around for the girl which reminded him of the other boy still strapped inside the car. He zipped over to unbuckle the crying child, pulling him out and speaking in a calm tone.

“Shhh, it’s ok…” he whispered. “I’m one of the good guys, ya like superheroes, kid?” he asked, noting the toy in his hand of a popular superhero character. The child sniffled and nodded. “Think of me like one of those guys, I’m gonna save the day, that’s a promise!” he smiled. The child looked over at his mother, still despondent and scared. “A…are you g-gonna… sniff …s-save mama, too…?” he sniffled. Sonic frowned deeply, giving the child a hug to comfort him. Jacques approached the pair, although not alone this time.

His fingers were intertwined with those of a younger looking girl than him, a bunny that looked just like the one his friend described as her daughter. “It’s alright, Belle, he’s here to help us,” Jacques calmly assured his sister. “He used to work with maw an’ paw.” She blinked, staring up at him with a wonder and fascination in her eyes. Her squeaky little voice was oh-so cute, it almost made the hedgehog smile again. “Eet is…n-nice…to meet you, m-monpère has told us so much a-about you…i-in his…bed-time stories,” she mumbled nervously, her accent even thicker than her father’s somehow.

“Nice to meet you too, kiddo. Though I’m sorry it had to be in the middle of such a mess ,” he lamented as he glanced at the car again, holding the young fox close in his arms. “C-come on, I’ve gotta get you guys to safety. Your parents are worried sick about you!” he urged. “It’ll be faster if I carry you guys.” He picked Belle up in his other arm, and bent down to allow Jacques to climb onto his back. Once all the children were secured, he stood back up. “Hold on tight, guys, it might get bumpy,” he warned, the children all tightening their grips and bracing themselves before he began speeding off.

It wasn’t long before he managed to make it to the evacuation point, and he put all of the children down, passing the youngest of the three to Jacques. “Just follow everyone else, and don’t stop until you’ve reached the evacuation site! Your parents and I will come find you as soon as we deal with Eggman!” he instructed them firmly. Jacques nodded, taking his sister’s hand in his again. “Come on, Belle.” She seemed a little hesitant, looking back at their home worriedly. “B-but what about monpère and monmère?!” she yelped.

“They’ll be fine , Belle. They’re fighters! And so are we, right?” he encouraged her with a smile. She sniffled a little, but nodded. “O-oui! And…m-monpère wouldn’t c-cry!” She wiped away her own tears with her free hand, following after her brother as they disappeared into the crowd of citizens rushing to safety. Sonic exhaled in relief, and felt a tad ashamed that the boy showed more bravery and cunning than him. He had to get his head in the game already. These people needed help, they didn’t have time for him to work through his personal issues.

He rejoined the fray, fighting for a long while as he tried to locate the Chaos Emerald and eventually running into his friends again. “Bunnie! Antoine!” he called out, prompting them to head over to his position immediately. “Sonic! There you are! H-have you seen our children?!” Antoine asked in a panic. He nodded, “They’re safe. They’re heading to the evacuation zone with everyone else.” Bunnie sighed in relief, “Oh, thank the stars!” They were pulled out of the moment when Antoine stabbed a badnik that came a little too close.

“Guys, I’ve been trying to find the Emerald, too! Where is it?”

“It’s under the castle! Sally made sure to store it away pretty deep and in a hard to access area just to be extra safe!” Bunnie reported.

“Do either of you know how to get in?”

“I do,” Antoine volunteered. “I am the only one she gave the access keys to, I can get you in zere no problem.” Sonic nodded, turning to Bunnie. “Guess I’ll leave it to you to help the guards deal with all these guys out here, then! Once I have the Emerald, I’ll hightail it out of the kingdom borders so Eggman will have no choice but to leave!” he said. With one last kiss goodbye, Antoine parted ways with his wife. Bunnie threw off her hat, and undid her braid, taking a deep breath before facing the horde of badniks raining down from the skies.

“Alright you sons ‘a bitches… come and get some .”

---

“BAH!!! Blasted idiots!”

The rotund tyrant was unsurprisingly angered and unsatisfied, as was usually the case. His isolation save for the man egg pawns piloting the ship around him was starting to get the better of him as well. The badniks below still had turned up almost nothing, and he knew time was running short. After all, the hedgehog had already been spotted, and it hadn’t even been an hour yet since they began tearing through this dump to find the Emerald they came for. But he wouldn’t give up, not until every inch of it was razed to the ground.

Then, and only then, would he be satisfied that there was nothing to be found here. And they had quite a long ways to go before that would happen. Still, it seemed almost fruitless. Perhaps his information was flawed and there was no Emerald here after all. “Argh! What a waste of time!” he complained. “Wait a minute…that AI Bokkun brought back with him…” he pondered aloud. He began typing away, accessing old video feed from his days when he still ruled this planet with an iron fist. Eventually, he pulled up a shot of the Freedom Fighters he had been searching for.

“Hmmm, yes…she was always with that rodent girl. If anyone knows where she’s stashed her Chaos Emerald, it’s her,” he concluded. “YOU THERE!” he shouted at one of his egg pawns, who stood in attention for their leader. “I need a direct line to the main ship! Immediately!” he demanded, the mechanical soldier saluting and doing just that. Though to Eggman’s surprise, Decoe had picked up. “Hello? This is the Egg Carrier 4, over!” he greeted. “What the?! Decoe! What are you doing in the control room?!” he growled impatiently. 

“E-E-Eggman! U-um! W-well, uh, s-sir, w-we were left in c-charge of the ship until-!”

“You know what, nevermind! I don’t care right now. I’m short on time. Put Nicole on the line!”

“I, um…I’m afraid I can’t, sir.”

“What?! Why not?!”

“She accompanied the Co-Captain to search for the Chaos Emerald in the ocean.”

“What? There is no Chaos Emerald down there!”

“W-well, um, actually…the thing is, well, first of all: The prisoners kinda, sorta…escaped?”

“THEY WHAT?!”

Decoe flinched at his master’s unbridled rage. He wasn’t sure if he was programmed to be able to feel this fear, but feel it he did. “I-I’m sorry sir, but um, L-Lucky accidentally freed them when she was on her way to-” Eggman interrupted him again, infuriated by this information. “YOU BLITHERING IDIOTS! I can’t leave you imbeciles alone for one day, can I?!” he complained. Decoe waved his hands frantically. “N-not to worry, sir! Everything’s just fine! They’re back in their cells now, it’s just…one of them, um…kinda…sorta…took our only real Emerald and, uh…”

“Spit it out, Decoe! I don’t have all day here!” Eggman urged, growing evermore impatient. “W-well, sir…he kind of…threw it overboard. So now they’re out looking for it.” Eggman could feel his eye twitch, and he growled in frustration. This was just getting more agitating by the second. “Just get me on a direct line to their ship! NOW!” he screeched. “Eep! Y-y-yessir!” Decoe complied, pushing a button to transfer the call over. Eggman groaned, but eventually relaxed in his chair when his initially intended recipient answered.

“This is the Silent Hurricane, to what do we owe the pleasure, your lordship?”

“Ah, Nicole, just the lynx I wanted to speak with.”

“You want to speak…with me ?”

“Correct. I have reason to believe you might have some information that may be of use to me. Tell me, do you happen to know…the location of the Chaos Emerald in Acorn Kingdom?”

“......I do.”

“ Excellent .”

---

Things were getting overwhelming quite fast. It was like back home all over again. So many badniks, too many badniks. Just like Angel Island, like Emerald Town, Night Babylon, Central City, and now the Acorn Kingdom would be drowned in a sea of mechanical monsters. “I guess we know what he’s been up to- HYAH! -for zee last seven years!” Antoine said between slicing another badnik in two. “No kidding…this is insane , even for him!” Sonic remarked, spindashing another five. The pair trudged onward, stopping only to clear out any badniks that blocked their path. “You know, Ant, I gotta say! Hup! Your boy has got some guts !” he complimented.

“Oh, mon dieu, what did zat boy do now ? Ack! ” he asked, another badnik blasting him in the back before he retaliated with another slash. “Heh, well, a buzzbomber was about to shoot me, but Jacques jumped out of nowhere and stabbed it in the head with some rebar!” Sonic kicked back a small badnik, letting out a grunt as he did so. Antoine groaned and shook his head. “Zat boy…he’s going to get a stern lecture when zis is over!” Sonic looked over at his friend, lifting up his fist to punch another one coming towards him from his side.

“Aw, cut ‘im some slack, Ant. I already gotcha covered, there. ‘Sides, he saved my keister doin’ that!” Antoine rolled his eyes, cutting another in half and watching it fall down the rubble and explode one half at a time. Sonic scratched the back of his head, kicking away a badnik that still seemed to be kicking. “Plus…it was my fault anyway. I kinda froze up for a second.” Antoine whipped his head around, giving Sonic a shocked look. Between the confession of fault and the mere idea that the hedgehog would ever be shaken like that, he was quite taken aback.

“ Why ?” he asked.

“........S’not important. Just, take it easy on the kid, alright?”

Sonic looked up, jumping up and destroying another badnik that had been coming up behind Antoine. “S-shoot…we gotta get moving, seriously!” he urged, welcoming the excuse to get away from this topic of discussion. Antoine took it, deciding it was more important to finish their mission than to stand around chattering. Eventually, they reached the castle, or what was left of it by now. It was a more solid structure and held together better than the rest of the place, but it still had noticeable holes and damage, and badniks were flooding it like nobody’s business.

“I know a shortcut to the entrance,” Antoine said, leading Sonic along. “Zere are multiple ways to get zere, but zis one I know well.” Sonic followed closely, the coyote eventually reaching a part of the wall that was mostly intact, thankfully. Antoine put his hand on the wall, feeling at the mortar cracks between the bricks until eventually seeming to find something. He took out his sword, carefully inserting it into the wall, much to Sonic’s amazement, considering he did it quite slowly. Then, the wall opened up, allowing them inside it’s corridors.

Antoine pulled his sword back out, returning it to it’s sheath before stepping inside alongside Sonic. The wall shut behind them, hiding the corridor that was lit only by old-timey looking torches that hung from the walls. They eventually reached a staircase that spiraled down, and quickly made their way down until they reached a security door with a panel. Antoine input a code, allowing the door to open and for them to step inside. Sonic looked around, starting to get a bit of a bad feeling as they approached the second door in the much narrower hallway they were in.

After inputting the second code, the door opened, revealing the treasury room Sally had kept carefully hidden away. There were many artifacts and wonders in this room, but their most prized one lay at the center. Surely enough, a glistening red Emerald sat where it had been left all this time. Antoine approached carefully, opening up the case it was sealed behind and picking it up slowly. Once he had it firmly in his grasp, he stepped down. “Alright! Mission successful! Now let’s get that bad boy out of the kingdom wa-”

Sonic’s cocky smirk disappeared, replaced by a look of terror and shock when Antoine was suddenly flung across the room. The Emerald slipped from his grasp, and tumbled across the floor, stopping only when it hit the foot of a familiar foe. Sonic spun around, realizing now that they were not alone. Eggman was in here with them, a large mecha machine standing behind him the culprit to Antoine’s attack. He bent down, picking up the Emerald and grinning victoriously. “Thank you ever so much, boys, but I’ll be taking that now~” he mocked.

“ Eggman ,” Sonic hissed with absolute vitriol and hatred like he’d never known. “You coward! You made a big mistake showing your face to me! I’m gonna make you pay for what you did to my brother!” Eggman shook his head and wagged his finger at the furious hedgehog. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not so fast, hedgehog. I may still have one more left in me, it’d be quite a shame for your friend here to not make it home to his lovely little wife,” he threatened. Sonic’s eyes widened, remembering Antoine and rushing to his side immediately. Or at least, he had tried to.

Something hit his back, flinging him across the room, and while a bit closer to Antoine, he landed on his stomach in a painful heap. “URGH!” he coughed, Antoine looking up and gasping in shock. Both of them soon realized Eggman had shot him with an odd looking gun. But Sonic wasn’t bleeding, there was no bullet, and yet he still felt an awful painful feeling. “Ghh…you… you monster …!” Sonic growled, his anger starting to get the better of him again. “S-Sonic, what’s…h-happening to…?” Antoine muttered, noticing Sonic getting… darker ?

The blue blur leapt up, intending to charge at Eggman, only to find that running… hurt ? He fell onto the floor again, crying out in agony at the pain in his feet. “SONIC!” Antoine yelped. “S-Sonic, what’s wrong?!” The hero groaned, slowly pulling himself up onto his hands and knees. “My…my feet…” he mumbled. “W-what did you…do to…? Grrgh !” he grimaced, falling over again when he tried to stand up. Eggman laughed maniacally, enjoying the hopeless display to a sickening degree. “Ohohoho! Well, this certainly works better than expected!”

“Sonic!” Antoine called out once again, demanding to know what was happening. The hedgehog’s spirits were starting to get doused again. “My…my speed. I can’t run!” he finally yelled in disbelief. “Y-you…you won’t g-get away with…!” Eggman put the gun away, walking up and kicking the defeated hedgehog in the face and sending him back a few feet. “GYRGH!!!” he grunted, his back slamming into one of the cases that held one of many other artifacts sealed in this room. “Don’t fret, hedgehog. I’m not a cruel man,” Eggman snickered.

“Your speed will return to you shortly. But I’m afraid I can’t have you interfering in my plans. Besides, as much as I’d love to destroy you, well, you’re not mine to destroy…”

“Wha…what are you…t-talking…a-about…?!”

“You’ll find out soon enough, I’m sure. Just be a good little rodent, and play dead .”

Antoine tried to get up, reaching for his sword, only to be shot at by the mecha that had been with Eggman. It missed him, although on purpose, and hit the wall just inches from his head. “Ah ah ah, I wouldn’t do that if I were you…” Eggman warned. “Wouldn’t want your children to end up fatherless, now would you?” Antoine’s ears fell flat at the mention of his children, though he tried to steel his nerves. But it seemed, the pair were all but helpless. Antoine was too wounded, and Sonic could hardly even stand anymore. 

Their only solace was the knowledge that the madman would soon leave and his carnage on the city would end. “H-how…how did you e-even…get in here? Did you…f-follow us?!” Antoine questioned, certain they would’ve noticed him all that way. Eggman tapped a finger against his chin. “Well, I probably would have tried my luck hacking your systems, but, as it turns out…I didn’t need to,” he explained. “An old friend of yours was kind enough to give me the codes, and blueprints that detailed every entrance into this place~” he cackled.

“N-Nicole…” Antoine realized all too late.

“Correct you are, vermin.”

“Y-you…what did you do to her?!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve merely… enlightened her to a path worthy of her intelligence. She’ll be of great use in building my empire!”

“You bastard ! GIVE HER BACK!!!”

“It’s been fun, truly, but I really must be going now! Ta-ta!” he bid, walking out with his mecha without even bothering to entertain Antoine’s demands. Sonic tried in vain once more to give chase, only managing to bring more shocks of pain to his feet. “N-no…” he muttered, utterly crushed by their failure. “Gotta…get…it back…” he groaned. “Sonic! Stop…it’s over. You’re only going to hurt yourself!” Antoine scolded his comrade. “Just… stop .” Sonic didn’t listen to him, much like old times, and much to Antoine’s annoyance.

It would be an hour before Sonic could so much as walk again, and by then, it was too late. Eggman was already gone.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure about this?”

Shadow was stood by the walkway that led into the ship, observing the G.U.N soldiers that traveled in and out to load it with supplies. The General had been in his ear, constantly pestering him about the plan. He got more agitated by the second. “For the last time, yes , General. I’m sure ,” he growled impatiently. “How many more times do you need me to affirm to you that I’ve made up my mind?” The General still seemed hesitant, which only served to agitate the dark hedgehog even further. “Listen, I’m just lookin’ out for ya, here,” he insisted.

“The President’s orders were pretty clear, you know,” he reminded. Shadow gave him a daggered look at the mere mention of their superior. But the reminder didn’t quell his certainty in the least bit. “And I can’t think of a place more out of the public eye than in the middle of the damn ocean !” he snapped. “So stop annoying me with the specifics already, I know what I’m doing.” Rouge flew up to the pair, smirking a most mischievous smirk. “Geez, General, do ya want him to point a gun in your face again that badly~?” she teased.

“No, I don’t . But if this is really what you think is best…” the General finally backed off, much to Shadow’s audible relief when he exhaled in exasperation. He turned to Rouge next, unintentionally allowing a snappiness in his voice from his leftover irritation. “Where are the kids? You’re supposed to be watching them.” Rouge held up her hands, flying back a little. “Woah there, killer. Relax. Silver’s playing with ‘em to keep ‘em occupied while we wait,” she said, pointing over to the sight of the platinum hedgehog levitating small objects to entertain them.

Shadow was quiet for a moment, before looking back at the ship again. Rouge noticed this, turning her attention back to him almost immediately. “Something wrong?” she asked. He was silent still for another few moments before answering her properly. “Something’s up with that kid…” he voiced his suspicions. “Ever since he got here, he’s been acting strange.” Rouge looked over at the resident of the future again, observing him closely. But she seemed unconvinced. “He seems fine to me, what do you mean by ‘Strange’, exactly?” she questioned.

“We weren’t exactly friends last time we met, but we weren’t enemies either. It’s like he despises me,” Shadow hummed, sounding a tad paranoid. “I’ve noticed he hasn’t acted like that towards a single other person. At least, most other people…” he corrected himself. Rouge blinked at that, “Well, who else has he been cranky with?” Shadow sneered, looking back at Silver and the children again. “Not exactly cranky…but there’s something about the way he looks at the kids. I can’t put my finger on it.” Rouge tilted her head, trying and failing to notice the subtle hint of a glare in Silver’s eyes.

“Do you think he’ll hurt them or something?”

“No. I don’t think that’s it, either.”

“Honey, you sound more paranoid than Knuckles. Besides, you aren’t exactly a very friendly face, maybe he just thinks you’re too uptight or something.”

“It’s not just that, he won’t tell me how he got here. And I know Mephiles’s spell when I see it.”

Rouge rolled her eyes, not taking his concerns seriously. “It was dark outside, maybe you were just seeing things. Mephiles hasn’t been a bother for years ,” she dismissively passed off, slowly lowering herself onto the ground. Shadow sighed, crossing his arms and looking away from her. He didn’t bother trying to convince her any further, realizing he’d just have to figure this all out on his own. Eventually, Omega approached. “ THEY HAVE FINISHED LOADING THE SHIP…IT IS TIME TO BOARD…AND EMBARK, ” they announced. Shadow nodded, looking over at the kids again.

“Hey! Come on, it’s time to board!” he called out. Silver looked up, putting down the objects and ushering the kids back to the group gently. He was still careful and kind with them, but Shadow could tell something bitter was hidden away inside him. For what reason, however, he still could not place. At the very least, whatever it was, he was being the bigger hedgehog…for now. “Yeah! We’re goin’ on an adventure!” Artemis cheered, causing Rouge to smile. “Guess this makes us pirates, since we’re hunting for treasure on the open seas~” she joked.

“W-what is…a…p-p-p… pirate …?” Midnight asked. Rouge sneered in disbelief. “Oh, boy , you kids need some serious education,” she remarked. “Come on, I’ll explain on the way.” She guided the kids along the walkway, Omega following behind soon after. Silver passed by Shadow at a meandering pace, not even looking at him as his near lifeless eyes stared ahead. “They’re good kids…” he complimented, not saying anything further before boarding the ship. Shadow blinked, his ears twitching as he realized there was some kind of sadness in his voice.

He still had no idea what Silver was up to, but he couldn’t help but almost pity him as he followed after him onto the ship.

---

It had been a long few hours since they departed from the Egg Carrier. Amy began to grow worried in silence, every so often checking on the gas meter and finding it was only closer to getting empty. Meanwhile, it seemed they were no closer to the land she was hoping to find. She thought that they could make it, though perhaps they wouldn’t be able to after all. To make matters worse, her passenger seemed to be growing restless. It seemed much like Sonic, sitting still was not his strong suit. Figures she thought, trying her best to ignore his whining.

Ever since their first escape attempt, things between them were quite tumultuous. Though Scourge did his best to bury all the turmoil building up in the back of his mind. Still, being stuck in such an enclosed space for this long was not doing him many favors. “Uggghhh, are we fucking there yet or what?!” he groaned impatiently. Amy growled in frustration, turning her head to look back at him. “For the last time , Scourge. The answer is the same as the last eighteen times you have asked! No !” she snapped, fed up with his childish attitude.

“Can ya at least open up the damn hatch so I can catch some wind on the wing?” he pleaded, causing her to scoff in disbelief. “Ugh! No , no way! That’s way too dangerous!” she vetoed outright. He rolled his eyes at such a reasoning, “Maybe for you .” The girl pouted, her patience running thin. “Will you just settle down back there already?” she demanded. “ You’re making me regret even busting you out… ” she muttered under her breath. He caught it anyway, scowling indignantly and crossing his arms as he kicked the back of her headrest to annoy her.

“Ugh! Hey ! Stop being a big baby!” she complained. He smirked, “Come back here and make me, Rosy.” She rolled her eyes, “Do you get some kind of kick out of being a jackass?” The green hedgehog put pressure against the headrest again, purposefully out to agitate her. “Maybe I just like makin’ you mad~” He hadn’t even realized he said this out loud, but her face flushed all the same as she pouted again. She slammed her fist down on the button to open the hatch of the cockpit, allowing whipping winds to slap both of them in the face.

“ Fine ! Go on and be an idiot outside then!” she huffed. He looked up in surprise, but didn’t hesitate to jump out of his seat and onto the wing of the aircraft. The wind felt nice, although it inevitably brought back reminders of the deck of the Egg Carrier. And not just for him. Amy’s pout faded, slowly opening her eyes to watch Scourge. The wind distracted her so much she had forgotten to close the hatch back up again for a moment. She opened up a compartment, pulling out a pair of headsets and tossing one to Scourge after yelling out to him.

“CATCH!!!” she yelled as loud as she could, thankfully her voice reached him, and he reacted in time. She closed the hatch again to protect herself, tapping the mic on her headset when Scourge put his on. “Are ya so eager to hear my voice, Rosy?” Scourge teased with a smirk, his voice coming in loud and clear into her ears. She sneered and rolled her eyes, at least she knew they worked. “As much as your whining is annoying, I still need to be able to communicate with you out there,” she huffed. “Hehe, whatever you say,” Scourge snickered.

Surprisingly, he was a lot more quiet for a few minutes after she let him outside. She supposed she should’ve just caved a lot sooner. She tried to focus on the GPS, but found it impossible to do so all of the sudden. Her mind was still preoccupied with a myriad of questions that only bothered her more the more they went unanswered. She sighed deeply, looking out the glass hatch at Scourge, who currently seemed to be testing his luck and hanging upside down by his feet off the wing. “H-HEY! Quit that! You’re gonna fall off!” she scolded.

“Relaaax, will ya? Besides, if I do, you can just fly down and catch me anyway and finally return the favor!” he mused. She glared at him through the glass. “I believe I’ve already more than returned it by busting your sorry butt out of your cell!” she reminded him curtly. Scourge rolled his eyes, but still didn’t pull himself up, still not taking her concerns seriously. She huffed, caving almost instantly and not bothering to argue with him any further. But that didn’t stop her from speaking altogether. “Why did you do that, anyway?” she finally asked.

It didn’t take him long to surmise what she meant by that, “Dafuq kinda question is that ? Did ya want me to leave you high n dry or somethin’?”

“No! But, y-you know…you aren’t exactly a model citizen, you know.”

“Why? Cuz I’m Moebian?”

“I-I, well…”

He grew quiet at that, and she noticed the troubled look on his face that he failed to hide. It made her feel a little badly for even saying such a thing. “I…I’m sorry, I…I didn’t mean -” she stammered, trying to backtrack when Scourge interrupted her. “It’s…kind of fuckin’ stupid,” he warned her all of the sudden, not even bothering to correct her or take offense to her remark. This warning confused her somewhat. “What? That’s ridiculous, what could possibly be so stupid about it?” she questioned. He let out a long and loud groan as he crossed his arms.

“Uggghhh, fuck, just, shut up and listen will ya?” he grumbled. “I…kinda knew somethin’ was gonna happen ahead of time,” he confessed. “I didn’t know what, just, somethin’... bad .” Amy gave him a skeptical look, not seeming to buy this story. “What, you got some kind of superpower that lets you see into the future or something?” she joked. He pouted at her, and she laughed, quickly quieting down. “Sorry, sorry, go on.” He rolled his eyes again, and continued. “No, I don’t . I…went to see a…a fortune teller,” he admitted, seeming embarrassed to even say such a thing.

“A…fortune teller?”

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up! Look, I wouldn’t normally have even gone in the first place.”

“Then…why did you?”

Scourge fell silent again, at first seeming almost hesitant. He glanced at his pocket for a moment, though as his eyes drifted toward it, he realized he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He looked forward again, finally pulling himself up onto the top of the wing. “Amy, look!” he pointed, the rose hedgehog turning her eyes forward and gasping. It was the floating kingdom of South Island, they were nearly there. “Oh my gosh! There it is! We’re almost home free!” she cheered, though her chipper attitude fell when she heard a loud beeping.

The gas tank was just barely on the edge of empty now. “Oh, gosh, no !” she panicked, forgetting Scourge could still hear her. He looked over at her, putting his hand on the glass. “What? What the hell’s goin’ on in there?” he demanded. She flinched, cursing herself for opening her big mouth. “U-um…don’t be mad, but…w-we’re almost out of fuel. I dunno if we can make it!” Scourge growled, looking out at the floating mass ahead of them. She took his silence poorly, already frantically apologizing while he tried to think. He interrupted her pity party abruptly.

“How long do we got?”

“W-whuh?”

“How long until this thing fuckin’ drops?!”

“U-um! M-maybe another ten minutes? I dunno if I can get close enough even at top speed!”

His eyes darted back and forth a moment, before looking out at South Island again. Without looking at her, he knelt down to grip the wing firmly. “ Book it ,” he said. Amy balked in confusion and disbelief. “WHAT?! Are you crazy ?! I’m not doing that while you’re still out there!” she refused, earning another growl from him. “I’ll be fucking fine ! Just do it! I’ve got a plan!” She hesitated for another moment, before ultimately doing as instructed and kicking into high gear. The wind made it a little hard to see, but Scourge didn’t let that stop him.

It didn’t take long for the craft to start to fail, several alarms and warnings going off after only five minutes of flying at high speeds. “Scourge?!” Amy cried out nervously. “Just a little further…” he muttered, trying to keep his focus. After another minute, the fuel tank was completely empty. “SCOURGE!” Amy yelled again. “Open the hatch, NOW!” he demanded, Amy doing just that without even bothering with questions at this point. He unbuckled her, pulling her out of her seat and, without warning, jumping from the aircraft just as it began to plummet.

She screeched in terror, covering her eyes and unable to look. At some point, she felt him let go of her and she was flung through the air. But it wasn’t long before her back hit the grass, and she rolled through it for a moment before finally stopping. When she looked up, Scourge had spindashed to safety just a few feet away from her, though screwed up his landing and tripped onto his side. Her back ached a little, but thankfully she seemed able to stand, rushing over to him immediately to help him up. “F- fuck ! That could’ve gone better…” he groaned.

“You’re seriously insane, ya know that?!” she scolded as she pulled him up onto his feet. He waved it off, putting a hand on his head. “C-can ya save the lecture for after the concussion wears off, toots?” he grumbled irritably. She huffed, looking over to the edge and walking over to it to look over the side and see what had become of their escape vehicle. It didn’t take long for it to reach the waters, sinking into the abyss and never to be found. Scourge approached her, looking over in time to see the nose of the ship be swallowed up by the sea.

Amy sighed deeply, “ Hooo …what a mess .” Scourge rubbed at his head, thinking for a moment before saying, “Hey, at least it ain’t our ship.” She gave him an unimpressed look at the poor attempt to cheer her up, turning and making way towards the civilization in the distance. “Let’s just go already, we’ve got a long walk ahead of us,” she groaned. He caught up with her in an instant, tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention. “Hey, princess, ya forgettin’ somethin’?” he called out. “Like what ?” she snapped impatiently. He raised a brow, pointing down to his feet.

“Uhh, super speed, remember?”

“Oh no, no way am I letting you carry me again after that stun-” She gasped in shock when he suddenly picked her up and threw her body over his shoulder. “HEY! PUT ME DOWN!”

“Yeeeaaah, no. I’ve been cooped up in that damn plane for way too long. We’re runnin’ , Rosy.”

“Scourge! SCOURGE! For Chaos’ sake, you’re the absolute worst !”

“Awww, and I don’t even have to try ~” he snickered before booking it towards the kingdom dead ahead of them. It didn’t take them long to reach it, Scourge finally skidding to a halt and releasing the pouty pink hedgehog once they were at the entrance to one of the cities. “There, now wasn’t that much better than tiring yourself out for no good reason?” he boasted, but all she did was cross her arms and turn her nose up at him. “Humph! Let’s just get some help so we can get back home already,” she muttered. Scourge snickered a little at her demeanor.

Damn, she’s kinda cute when she’s pissed off he thought, following the huffy hedgehog into the city to find any local that would give them the time of day. Though much to their surprise and irritation, it seemed like not a single citizen took them seriously at all. Especially not their story about Eggman’s return. How preposterous! Surely the queen would’ve alerted the public by now if such a thing were true. At first, Amy was just as feisty as Scourge was, quickly becoming angry with the doubters surrounding them. But eventually, it seemed to take it’s toll on her.

It didn’t take Scourge long to notice Amy suddenly plop down on a bench on the sidewalk and put her face in her hands. “Aw fuck …” he muttered, wincing a tad. He was no good with stuff like this, certainly not when he had a terrible time managing his own emotions. Still, he felt a nagging guilt the longer he tried to pretend he didn’t see her. He sighed heavily, approaching her with much caution and hesitance. Chaos, this was so awkward. “Uhhh…hey, princess. N-no need to get all… worked up . We can just go to another city and-”

“I’m n-not…crying over these… stupid jerks!” she denied, though still sobbed.

“Then…what the fuck’s with the waterworks?”

“I…I lost my hammer.”

He winced, trying his best to hold back a rude remark. Though he wasn’t sure why that was. “Uhhh…we can…get you a… new hammer?” he suggested, looking around the surrounding area. But again, she shook her head. “I lost my hammer, I lost my friends , I lost our plane …” she continued, detailing how much she had come to be overwhelmed. “I keep losing things over and over! I c-can’t even…h-hold onto a simple Tarot Card !” she cried. His ears twitched at this, and he unzipped his pocket to take out the card still in his possession.

He sat next to her in the empty spot on the bench. “Did it look like…this?” he asked. She sniffled, wiping some of her tears away and looking up at him properly. Her eyes fell on the card in his hand. They widened and she took it from him, examining it carefully. “I…y-yeah! This is the exact same card I lost a couple weeks ago when I was out shopping!” she recognized. He looked away from her, leaning back into the bench. “It hit me in the face a couple weeks ago…” he said. “Remember when you asked me why I went to that fortune teller?”

“It’s…because you found my card?” she blinked.

“Yeah. Gave me the idea. Didn’t know it was yours, though. I don’t even know what it means.”

She looked down at it again. “This is…the Ten of Cups,” she identified. “It’s a bit of a cheesy one, actually. It’s a card that means having the perfect family. Perfect spouse, perfect kids, an all around happy and fulfilled life,” she described. To her surprise, he was actually listening with intrigue and a bit of surprise. He wanted to dismiss such a thing, but, after having his first fortune come true, he couldn’t help but wonder. “You…really believe in this stuff, don’t you?” Amy guessed, smiling a little. “It’s ok, I’ve been living a lot of my life by them, actually.”

“Yeah? And what’s the bullshit to coincidentally true ratio?” he flippantly asked. She giggled, “Pretty high ‘Coincidence’ ratio, I’d say. They’re kind of the reason I was always chasing after Sonic, actually,” she admitted with a blush. He blinked at that, “Wait, seriously?” She nodded, “Y-yeah…I did a reading and it came up that I’d meet ‘The hero of my dreams’. And well, that day, Sonic rescued me from Dr Eggman.” She laughed again, “I took it a little too literally, I guess. I got it in my head we were destined for each other.”

He supposed he couldn’t blame her. Especially since she was probably quite young at that time. Even at his age, he found it hard to deny the possibility that it wasn’t just bullshit, having been faced with his fortune coming to light, and now the unlikely coincidence that her card had found it’s way to him. “Look, losing shit sucks ,” he huffed, crossing his arms. “And yeah, we’ve lost a lot of shit. But we’re not dead, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s a pretty damn good accomplishment considering the circumstances,” he reasoned, standing up from the bench.

“There’s no point in cryin’ about it, what’s done is done,” he delivered the harsh reality to her a tad sloppily, but she didn’t yell or cry or even glare at him. She simply nodded and pocketed her card back with the rest of her deck. “Y-you’re right…it’s not gonna help anybody to sit here and sulk,” she admitted, standing up as well. “I guess…we have gotten pretty far on our own. What matters is that we’re safe, and free, um…somewhat.” He seemed surprised that his words actually seemed to resonate with her. But he wouldn’t run his mouth further and ruin it.

“C…come on, then,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. “We’re gettin’ help from somebody, even if I gotta pummel it out of ‘em.” Oddly, the sentiment actually made her feel a little better, and she smiled. “Heh…thanks, Scourge,” she muttered. He didn’t say anything, but he couldn’t help but feel a little good about having cheered her up.

---

On the other side of South Island, much closer to the capitol building that housed their ruler, another aircraft landed in a proper landing area. Out of the craft jumped a rabbit, two echidnas, a couple of Chao, and an ebony robot, all of which showed the security their passports and identities upon being approached and questioned. Knuckles and Cream were easily recognized, and able to quickly ascertain the queen’s whereabouts. They were even escorted personally by her royal guard. As they walked, they chattered amongst themselves.

“ It seems there is still no news about Amy Rose just yet, ” Gemerl reported after accessing the internet to check for any news about the kidnapped girl. Cream frowned worriedly, prompting Gemerl to take her hand to comfort her. “ She will be ok, Cream. She’s a smart and tough girl. ” She smiled, squeezing his metallic hand, “Right, of course. That’s why she used to be the leader, after all.” Knuckles and Julie spoke amongst themselves, trying and failing to get into contact with the Chaotix. “Seems like they might be a little busy,” Julie remarked.

“That, or the communication line is jammed for some reason,” Knuckles voiced his worries. Julie hugged his arm as she walked beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Hey, it’ll be fine, tough guy. I’m sure everyone’s ok.” He blushed and sighed, “I just can’t help but feel like maybe I should’ve just taken Lara with us. I trust them, but…” Julie shook her head, kissing him on the cheek to interrupt his doubts. “She’ll be fine . She inherited my smarts, after all~” she teased, giggling when he pouted at her. Cream and Gemerl walked closer to them, calling out to the couple.

“Any word from papa yet?” Cream asked. Knuckles shook his head, and Cream frowned. “I hope everyone is ok back home, too. But, I trust papa and his friends to keep everyone safe,” she hummed. Gemerl pat her back like the attentive brother he was, and the couple smiled at them reassuringly. “Damn straight, Vex is made of tough stuff. He can be a mean sonuvabitch when he wants to,” she laughed. “ That is a bad word, ” Gemerl remarked, which only made Julie snicker even more, and Cream giggled a tad as well.

Eventually the group made it into the building, being escorted to an area with a balcony where Sara stood, overlooking the beautiful sights of South Island. They bowed respectfully when she turned around, alerted to them at her guards’ behest. “Your majesty, you have visitors. A couple of the Great Heroes of Mobius have come seeking an audience with you,” the guard reported as he bowed. She noticed Knuckles first, and a huge grin stretched across her face. “Oh, my, gosh ! Knuckie! How are you?!” she squeaked. Knuckles felt a stink eye from Julie, and began to sweat bullets.

Everyone stood back up, and Knuckles did his best to remain composed. “Erm, i-it’s just Knuckles, Sara. A-and um, I’m…I’m well, as you can see. Ahem , um, t-this is my wife, Julie,” he introduced almost immediately, hoping to shut down any potential flirtatious remarks off the bat. She gasped, pushing past her guard and knocking him over as she ran up to the pair. “Oh, em, gee ! She is sooo cyuuute!” she gushed. “ Love the pink, that’s like, my favorite color!” Julie blinked, very much not expecting such behavior from royalty.

“Uhhh…t-thank you?” she muttered, backing away a little. Knuckles scratched his cheek nervously, not making eye contact with the queen. “I uh, see you haven’t changed a bit since the last time I saw you…” he remarked. “Nope! Still fabulous and trendy me!” she confirmed, her cat tail swishing with excitement. Cream sympathized with Julie’s off-put demeanor, though was a little less caught off guard by it. Amy used to be quite similar to her, after all. “U-um, your highness, I’m very sorry to disturb you like this, but…we have to warn you!” she butt in.

“Dr Eggman is back! And he’s after the Chaos Emeralds again!” she stated bluntly. Sara put a hand against her cheek, “Oh gosh, that’s a total bummer! I almost forgot!” The group blinked in unison. “Um…f- forgot ?” Knuckles repeated in a daze. “Oh, psh, yeah, I already knew about all that!” she waved off. “See, I’m part of this like, totally super secret awesome club called the Queenly Commission, and one of my besties, Sally, called me up and told me all about it!” She blinked, realizing something all of the sudden and frowning. 

“Oh, and um, I’m super sorry to hear about poor Tails. That cute widdle baby didn’t deserve such an icky fate!” she offered him her condolences. He sighed, “I appreciate it, your majesty. But, either way…we came to take your Chaos Emerald off your hands for ya so Dr Eggman leaves ya be!” She blinked again, tilting her head and poking her other cheek with one her index finger. “Um, like, what Chaos Emerald?” The group balked in shock. “You…don’t have one? But Charmy said-” Knuckles yelped in disbelief and Sara shook her head.

“Nope, sorry guys! I’m the only Queen who doesn’t got one of those pretty little things, unfortunately!” The group nearly fell over from embarrassment, and Sara’s smile sank nervously. “Oh, gosh, I’m sorry! But it’s totes sweet of you guys to come down here and warn lil ol me!” she gushed. Julie groaned, “So this whole trip was for nothing …” Sara shook her head again, “Well, maybe not. I mean, even if I don’t got one, he’s probably still gonna come after me anyways!” Gemerl tilted his head at this proclamation. “ Why is that, your majesty? ”

“Wellllll, part of the whole deal with the Queenly Commission is that in times of dire need, we provide extra firepower to each other when needed. Combining our armies into one super cool badass defense force!” she explained. “She called a little while ago and said her poor widdle kingdom was gonna get totally jumped by that nasty Eggman! So I sent some of my soldiers to travel there ASAP. Haven’t heard back from them yet, though.” Cream hummed in thought, “I guess it won’t take him too long to realize you guys are helping each other…”

“Then I guess it’s best if we stay and help protect this place anyway. I doubt he’ll go back to where the others are hiding out anytime soon,” Julie reasoned. Everyone in the group nodded in agreement with this plan, and Knuckles approached Sara. “What are our orders then, your highness?” he asked. She smiled down at him, absolutely bursting with optimism and childlike joy. “This is gonna be great ! Just like old times!” she gushed. “How’s about you all spread out around South Island and keep watch over things for me?”

Cream nodded, “We’ll report to you right away if we see anything!”

“ Righetous ~!” she cheered. “Move out, squad!”

“She sure is a keeper…” Julie remarked as they began to head out, Knuckles wishing he still had his hat so he could cover his face and hide the embarrassment.

Chapter Text

The pair kept on traveling by foot, determined to get someone to take them seriously enough to help them get back home. It seemed the average civilian wouldn’t be very privy to lending an ear, so the next best thing was finding local law enforcement. Scourge normally wouldn’t resort to any such thing, but he placed his bets on his reputation not being nearly as widespread on South Island. He hadn’t ever been here before, after all. So far it seemed like nobody recognized him, which was a good sign. Still, he was cautious.

Eventually, Amy caught sight of a guard patrolling the streets and pointed to him. “Scourge, there! Look!” she called out, running up to them before he could even respond. He hung back for a moment, staying marginally close but not too close. “Excuse me, sir? We need help!” she called to the guard, who turned to give her his full attention. “What seems to be the problem, ma’am?” he asked. “W-we crashed our plane getting here, but, t-this isn’t our home!” she summed up. He balked at this, “You crashed your plane?!”

She nodded, “Yes, well, technically it wasn’t our plane…w-we were captured by Doctor Eggman and w-we escaped on one of his ships!” The guard’s demeanor changed, and he scowled a little, backing up from the girl. “ Likely story ,” he accused, suddenly drawing his spear on her. She blinked in shock, holding her hands up. Scourge’s quils bristled a little as he felt his anger start to rise. “Woah woah woah! What’re you doing?! Didn’t you hear what I just said?!” she yelped. “You need to be quiet, right now! I’m taking you into custody for questioning!”

“Will you please just listen to me?! We’re not here to cause trouble, we just wanna get home!” she pleaded, her cries falling on deaf ears. “I told you to stop talking!” he snapped. “Doctor Eggman is not around anymore, we don’t need you telling tall tales and causing a panic!” All of the sudden, the spear snapped in half, surprising both the guard and Amy. She looked behind her, only to find Scourge was no longer lurking in the shadows. Her eyes looked forwards again, just in time to see the temperamental green hedgehog slamming the guard into a wall.

“ Wrong move, buddy, ” he growled in a low voice. Amy approached them, reaching her hand out to her companion nervously. “S-Scourge, stop! He’s just doing his job!” she implored him, but he didn’t listen. “I’ve really had it with the attitude people seem to have around here,” he spat at the guard. “The lady said what she fucking said , all we want is to get back home. I suggest you stop playin’ games and cooperate.” The guard growled, struggling against Scourge’s grip, “I…h-have my orders…you two are threatening the peace!” Amy scowled indignantly at such a claim.

“It’s Eggman that’s threatening us! What is with this crazy place?!” she yelped impatiently. “Can’t you just cut us some slack? Look, just, take us to your leader, then!’ she tried to negotiate. Before the guard could even give them an answer, Scourge suddenly found himself being flung to the ground after a nasty sock downward across his face. Amy gasped, unable to see the assailant coming until it was too late. Sharpened knuckles pierced the sidewalk and left a bit of a hole in it, Scourge flinching at a couple of small pieces of concrete that hit him after the fact.

He looked up, coming face to face with a red echidna he recognized all too well. “ You …” he hissed in contempt. “Right back at ya, punk !” Knuckles growled, smacking his knuckles together to threaten him. “You’ve got some nerve, showin’ your face around here and causin’ trouble!” His lips curled into a smirk, as he began to pull himself up to return the gesture. Knuckles caught onto this, winding up another punch before Amy interjected. “STOP!!!” she screamed, getting between them immediately. Knuckles blinked a few times, almost not believing his eyes.

“A-Amy? You’re here?! But…how is that even possible?!” he balked.

“Knuckles, I will explain everything, but you have to stop !”

“Sorry Amy, but I can’t let this sorry sad sack get away!”

“He’s not going anywhere , Knuckles!” she huffed. “He’s with me !”

Knuckles was even more in disbelief. “He’s what ?!” the echidna shouted, taking a step back. Amy sighed heavily, turning around and offering Scourge a hand to help him up. He stared for a moment, before taking it and allowing her to pull him up to his feet. She turned around to face her comrade again, pouting at him fiercely. “Honestly, Knuckles! He and I were both captured, and we escaped together! We just got here a couple hours ago,” she explained. Knuckles sneered and crossed his arms, “Doesn’t explain why I shouldn’t just knock his lights out.”

“Because he saved me!” she snapped. “And he’s been helping me ever since we met!” Knuckles snorted at that, him and Scourge giving each other daggered looks. “Some help, I’d say. He’ll be getting you in trouble soon, attacking royal guards like that!” he accused. Scourge growled impatiently, getting in front of Amy to yell at him. “Not that it’s any of your fucking business, shortbus , but that asshole was pointing a weapon in her face and accusing her of shit when all she asked for was some damn help!” he informed him aggressively, quils bristling again.

Amy nodded, “It… is true, technically.” Knuckles groaned, turning to the guard and pulling him up off the ground. “Hey, what the hell is the matter with you? Don’t you know who she is?” Knuckles scolded the guard. The guard shook his head, “Can’t say I do…” He crossed his arms impatiently again, raising a brow at him. “ She’s one of the great heroes of Mobius, or so you guys call us. Amy Rose . Why are you throwing accusations around at her?” The guard’s demeanor turned into shock and sheepishness at such news, staring at her wide-eyed.

“A-Amy Rose ?!” He paused, before returning to his firm demeanor. “I s-still have my orders. The Queen wants no mention of that menace, Eggman…it could cause a panic!” Knuckles groaned, slapping his hand against his face and shaking his head. “For the love of… that’s what this is about?” Amy huffed, stepping towards Knuckles again to get his attention. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. You’re here, you can definitely help us, Knuckles!” she decided. The guardian turned to face her and nodded, “What can I do for ya then, Amy?”

“We’re just trying to get back home. I’m sure I’ve been worrying everyone enough as it is,” she mumbled. Knuckles sneered awkwardly, something the girl noticed right away. “What? What is it?” she asked. He sighed, “Amy, look. During the attack where you got nabbed, pretty much all of Emerald Town, Central City, and Night Babylon…they were totaled .” Both Scourge and Amy’s eyes widened in surprise, and Amy began to panic. “Oh…oh my gosh! W-what happened to the others, are they ok?!” she fretted, worried sick now for her companions.

“Nobody was seriously injured, it seems like. Not that I heard of, anyway. All the citizens were evacuated out safely. But Sonic went up North to help aid the Acorn Kingdom, and I came down here with Julie, Cream and her brother to help Sara,” he summed up. Scourge’s eyes darted around as he became lost in thought. Things were getting quite serious, his ‘Home’ was likely nothing but ash and rubble now. He had nothing to return to. And with Eggman still out and about threatening other countries, it seemed he wouldn’t be able to simply hide out anywhere.

Amy meanwhile was feeling quite helpless. A war was starting to brew, and she couldn’t even help this time. She felt so useless . Knuckles noticed Amy’s sinking expression and frowned. “H-hey, it’s…alright. Look, we’re all out in different sectors of South Island helping to keep an eye on things. I’m sure Sara won’t mind at all if you join us,” he said, trying to reassure her. But it didn’t seem to help. “...No…I think I’m just…going to head home, Knuckles.” Scourge blinked in surprise at this, the guardian reacting with similar shock.

“Wha-? But, Amy, there’s nothing back there!” he argued. She winced, her expression becoming bitter. “I can’t help, Knuckles. My hammer is gone…so where does that leave me? Just a damsel in distress that’ll get in everybody’s way. I just…wanna go home, I’m sure you guys can handle this…” she said in a defeated tone. Both of them watched as she hung her head sadly, trudging off down the sidewalk. Scourge stared after her for a long moment, wordlessly dashing after her after a minute or so. He was intercepted at first, however, by a closed fist Knuckles held out.

It hit him in his stomach unexpectedly, sending him backwards onto the ground again. He glared up at the echidna, quite ready to eviscerate him when he held his hand up. “I don’t know what you’re up to, Scourge…but if somethin’ happens to her, I’m comin’ for you . And I won’t be as lenient as Sonic, either.” The agitated hedgehog narrowed his eyes at him, not responding to the threat as he spindashed past him before bouncing back up onto his feet to catch up with the girl. Knuckles glared after him, still skeptical, but deciding to trust Amy knew what she was doing.

It didn’t take the Moebian to catch up, much less block her path. “Hey! What the hell was that ?!” he questioned. She didn’t seem amused, stepping to the side in an attempt to pass him. “Come on Scourge, I don’t have time for this.” He zipped to the side, blocking her path again. “Fat chance, not until you explain yourself. I thought we just agreed that sulkin’ is pointless!” he reminded her. She growled under her breath, pushing past him and purposefully bumping his shoulder in the process. “You know what else is pointless? Putting myself in danger, again !”

He ran in front of her again, and she growled more loudly, her agitation building up quickly. “Scourge, knock it off! This isn’t cute!” she demanded. “Goin’ back to Battel State is just as pointless!” Scourge argued. “There’s nothin’ back there!” The rose hedgehog wasn’t having it. “MOVE!” she yelled. “Or what? You want me to move, make me, princess,” he challenged. Her anger had reached it’s limit, enough to take him up on that offer. She shoved him, hard enough to make him stumble backwards, though not managing to knock him over.

He didn’t hit back, but he didn’t move out of her way, either. “Gonna have to do better than that ,” he taunted, rising a sharp inhale from her as she began to seethe. Once again, she shoved him, putting more force behind it and slamming his back against a pillar. Still, he didn’t hit back or yield. Confusion began to mix into her anger when he wordlessly stood in her path again. “Grr…! Why won’t you just…” She approached him again, giving another shove with each word that left her mouth. “Leave, me, alone ?!” When none of them knocked him down, she changed her strategy.

Instead swiping at his legs with a low kick to knock him over. But he recovered fast, spindashing past her and around her until he was in front of her again. The girl grunted, picking herself back up and charging at him, tackling him to the ground all of the sudden. Admittedly, he hadn’t expected this, and once again was sent tumbling to the ground. She was on top of him, breathing heavily now both from her anger and the oncoming exhaustion from all this tustling with him. She glared down at him, her voice mired with a range of emotions.

“What… hah …do you… hah …want?!”

“I don’t know !”

Confusion dominated all her other emotions, and it showed on her face. She recoiled with surprise at this answer, not even sure what to ask first. He winced, also unsure of how to follow up such an answer. It was the honest truth, but he didn’t quite mean to blurt it out like that. He inhaled deeply, before exhaling in a half sigh. “Snap the fuck out of it, Rosy. Just…slow down and think for two seconds. I know we’ve been wingin’ it a lot but we’ve actually got time to think here,” he urged her, the girl’s glare slowly faltering. “I…I already told you, it’s pointless!” she huffed.

“Are you seriously this down in the dumps over a damn hammer?” he scolded. She grimaced, pulling herself up and off of him, and allowing him to sit up. She didn’t look at him, just staring down at the concrete and looking utterly miserable. He sighed again, “ Fine . Get up then, we’re gettin’ you a new one.” She looked up at him in bewilderment as he stood up. “Y-you’re serious? I can’t just replace Piko-Piko! I made her!” she protested. He rolled his eyes, holding his hand out to her. “Then you can make a new one,” he insisted turgidly.

“But-”

“ Rosy , no more of that bullshit pity talk.”

She stared at his hand, hesitating for several moments. He wasn’t the most eloquent nor fragile person like Sonic was. But in a way, she was starting to appreciate his brutal honesty. Not to mention, he was starting to seem quite genuine. That single vulnerable moment he had snapped her out of her funk for the most part. She hadn’t expected it at all. With much hesitation, she took his hand, allowing him to return the favor and pull her up to her feet. “F-fine…whatever. Not like I know how to get back home, anyways…” she pouted.

“That’s the spirit, Rosy.”

“ Don’t push it .”

---

“Silver…”

“Silver…!”

“Silver!”

“SILVER!”

Amber eyes snapped open, the white hedgehog gasping awake and sitting upright only to bump his head on the light fixture of his room. He winced in pain, recoiling in agony as he held onto it. He pulled his hand back, thankful to see he hadn’t drawn blood. “Nngh…what the heck…?” he muttered, looking around the room only to find he was alone. “That’s…weird…I could’ve sworn someone was calling me. Was it…just a dream, then?” he wondered, before shaking his head and crawling out of his uncomfortable bed to stand up.

He didn’t recognize the voice, but he was sure it was a girl’s voice. No matter, he could worry about that later. It seemed it was already morning. The first day since their departure from the West Coast towards the South Pacific. Things would likely be quiet and uneventful for a while, but that didn’t mean he could simply sit here and sulk. He had to start thinking about his mission. He sat at the desk in his room, pulling everything out of his worn out backpack and lying it all out. The map he made was quickly crumpled and disposed of, using his powers to toss it into the wastebin behind him.

He examined the photograph given to him by Mephiles. He’d still not yet seen the strange artifact, though he supposed that wasn’t odd. Mephiles did say it was in another country. He wondered about how he’d go about getting there, even after this crisis at hand was over and done with, it might take a while for normal transport to be authorized again. Perhaps he could get Sonic to lend him a hand, though he was sure he’d ask questions. And Silver couldn’t simply in good conscience lie to the guy, after all, he owed him his complete transparency at the least.

And Shadow, oh, he just had to be here as well. He scowled, ears flattening against his head as he growled under his breath. He had only come to be more conflicted the more time he spent around him. His anger never dwindled, but seeing him around these other children, it all left him so confused. Not to mention them even being here at all made no sense. Were the elders simply mistaken? He wished Blaze were here, this was all beginning to become far too much for him. To make matters even worse, he was no closer to a lead on Candella yet.

He supposed here, he had all the time he needed to figure it out. But then again, he may still have a time limit he was not even aware of. Mephiles certainly dropped him at an inopportune time, despite claiming this to be the point he needed. Just another one of his lies he reminded himself, sighing heavily. He wondered about asking the others on the ship about the artifact, though quickly deduced it wouldn’t be the smartest move. Anyone he’d ask would simply question him. Suddenly, he felt something light hit the back of his head.

“Ah, w-what the-?”

“ Siiilveeerrr …”

He froze as he began to turn around to find the source. His eyes drifted down to the floor instead, finding the crumpled up map had somehow found it’s way back to his feet. His blood was ice cold, finding himself unable to move for a moment. That voice, that sickening voice. “M…Mephile-” Something suddenly rushed him from behind, slamming his back against the desk and slapping a hand over his mouth. His wide eyes stared back into the dark green abyss that pierced his soul. “ Silence, now…wouldn’t want them to overhear, now would we? ” he warned.

Neither hedgehog moved a muscle, Silver remaining silent as he stared up at Mephiles with a mix of fear and confusion. “Just relax now, Silver…I’m only here to make sure you’re… holding up our end of the bargain…” he assured, glancing at the photo on the desk. Silver’s eyes followed suit, before meeting Mephiles’ again, although hesitantly. “Still empty-handed, I see.” Silver began to feel a burning sensation against his mouth, and he squirmed, grabbing at Mephiles’ wrist and trying to pry it off him.

The sadistic hedgehog lingered a moment, before taking his hand off his mouth to allow him to speak. Silver gasped and coughed a little, trying not to tremble in Mephiles’ presence. He didn’t want to be intimidated by him. “I-I’m…I’m going to g-get it, j-just calm down…!” he gasped. “T-there’s a c-crisis, transport’s damn near i-impossible without…w-without them ,” he said, glancing at the door. Mephiles hummed in thought, seeming skeptical. He roughly grabbed the boy’s mouth again, turning his face towards him as he squeezed his cheeks painfully.

“I will be watching you, naive little brat…rest assured, you will regret it if you’re spinning a web of lies right now,” he threatened. Silver once again felt burning, coming from the fingers that gripped his face so harshly. He began to groan and squirm again, trying his best not to scream or cry out too loudly. After a moment, however, it seemed to stop. He opened his eyes, only to find Mephiles had all but disappeared into the darkness again. Though his laughter echoed in the room, slowly dwindling into silence. Silver’s legs gave out, and he fell onto his knees on the floor.

He hated this. He was back where he started, being manipulated by that miserable demon into doing his bidding. The miserable hedgehog felt like a failure, he swore to himself he wouldn’t let it come to this ever again, and yet here he was. A knock on his door startled him enough to cry out in surprise. “Hey, ya up yet? I heard some noises in here,” called the bat woman from the other side. Silver sighed in relief, composing himself before answering her. “Ah, y-yeah. Just, uh, bumped my head…on the lights…” he excused. “They are hangin’ kinda low…” she agreed.

“Alright, well if you need somethin’ just let us know!” she said before walking off. Silver winced, wishing he could plead for help, but he couldn’t trust them. And he certainly didn’t trust Shadow, either. He would simply have to deal with this alone, as always. He got back up on his feet, picking up the paper ball on his way up and walking over to the wastebin to throw it in again. His resolve faltered a little, and he leaned a hand up against the wall as he began to wobble and breathe heavily again. The telekinetic hedgehog crawled back into his bed, wrapping his blanket around himself.

He spent the next hour wallowing away in a panic attack, and this time, no one would be stopping in to check on him.

---

Rouge couldn’t shake the fact that the boy sounded a little shaken up. But perhaps she was simply overthinking it. It was possible he had woken from a nightmare which caused him to smack into the light. Not that it was really any of her business. She flew into one of the many rooms, finding the kids at a low table with Shadow. He had a sheet out for the girl, covered in a bunch of small circular bumps that seemed arranged in a very particular manner. He was helping to guide her fingers along them, getting her familiar with them all.

“T-this is…c…called… b-braille ? S-sounds l-like a…f-food…” she remarked. He nodded, “Yes, since you can’t see, this is how you will learn to read instead.” She smiled, “C-cool!” Rouge approached the table, greeting the trio with a friendly, “Good morning, everybody.” Artemis looked up from his own sheet that had the alphabet printed on it, interrupting his run of reciting it to greet her back. “Sup, Miss Rouge?” She looked between their sheets, lowering herself onto one of the seats in the room. “My, you two sure look busy, you learning to read today?”

Midnight nodded, “Mmhm! Artemis i-is learning the…a…alpha… b-bet ?” She turned her head in Shadow’s direction, as if asking if she had gotten it right. “That’s right,” he confirmed, making her smile even brighter. “A-and, um…I’m l-learning t-to…read…um…b-braille,” she said. “Mmm…so t-this one, i-is…the letter… Q ?” she asked. Once again Shadow confirmed for her and her nose scrunched up. “There’s a lot of b-bumps for this one…” she mumbled. Artemis groaned, resting his chin on the table as he loudly whined. “I’m booooored!” he complained.

“It’s only been fifteen minutes,” Shadow pouted. “You haven’t gone through all of them yet. It’s important for you two to know these things.” Artemis pouted right back, sitting up and crossing his arms. “I’d rather use my fire or fly …” he muttered. Rouge snickered, and couldn’t help but view the trio as a familial unit. Shadow was certainly slipping into the fatherly role quite well. “Aw, come on now, Shadow. Why not let the kids have a little fun while we’re here?” she encouraged, Artemis glancing in her direction almost excitedly.

“This isn’t supposed to be a trip to the amusement park, Rouge,” he grumbled. Rouge rolled her eyes, flying up out of her seat and over to Artemis. “Yeah, maybe not, but the boy’s got a point. Since we’re on a mission, flying lessons would be more help, don’t ya think? It’ll make it easier for them to avoid danger, ya know,” she reasoned. He hummed in thought, realizing quickly she was right. He quickly caved, “Alright, you two can start your flight lessons.” Artemis gasped with excitement, but was brought back down again when Shadow intervened with a, “ But .”

“ After you both have run through your alphabets at least three times to get them down,” he compromised. Artemis groaned, but agreed to his terms reluctantly. “ Fiiiinnneee ,” he sighed, sitting back down and starting from the top. Shadow looked over his shoulder at Rouge, encouraging Midnight to run through hers on her own this time. “Is he still asleep?” he asked. She shook her head, “Nope. Bumped his head on the light when he woke up, though. I heard him making noise when I was on my way over. Sounded real painful.”

He winced in sympathy, having done something similar that morning. “The rooms in this ship are terrible ,” he agreed. “Is Omega still steering the ship?” She nodded, “Yup! They’re up at the control room keeping an eye on things. Checked on ‘em first thing when I woke up this morning.” He looked back at the children again, checking their progress. Artemis seemed to be going at a much slower pace than his sister, so the hedgehog scooted closer to him instead to help him. “I’ll check back with them myself later,” he said, Rouge nodding and settling beside Midnight.

It took the children another half hour to get through their alphabets, but they seemed to finally be getting the hang of it. Once they were done, Shadow took the sheets away and took a back seat to Rouge, who had now become the teacher. “Alright kiddos, first lesson of flying, always be aware of what’s around you,” she stated off the bat. Midnight twitched her ears, “Um, r-right…I c-can hear all a-around me p…pretty well,” she said. Rouge nodded in agreement, “And since we’re bats, your hearing will be quite helpful to you, Midnight.”

“It…w-will?” she said, tilting her head a little. “Yup! We’ve got a little thing called sonar, ya ever heard of it before?” The children shook their heads in unison, though their answer didn’t surprise her all that much. “It’s a little something special we use to see in the dark. The vibrations you hear let you pinpoint objects much easier. Observe,” she flew over to the light switch, suddenly coating the room in darkness. Shadow already knew what she was about to pull, and rolled his eyes, playing along for the sake of the lesson.

“Listen real closely now, kids. And Artemis, it’ll help ya if you close your eyes.”

The children did as told, hearing an odd sound they’d never heard before followed by the grunting and groaning of their adoptive guardian. After a few minutes, all fell silent and Rouge switched the lights back on. Shadow was a little bruised up, and somewhat out of breath, but nothing he couldn’t walk off. “S-show off…” he grumbled. Artemis blinked in shock, “Woah, cool! You don’t even have a scratch on you!” Rouge nodded, landing on the middle of the low table. “Yup! That’s cause while Shadow couldn’t see a thing, I could tell exactly where he was!” she boasted.

“T-that’s s-so cool, m-miss Rouge!” Midnight cheered. “H-how does it…w-work?” Rouge turned around to face them, placing her hands on her hips. “Well, in a space like this, you wanna emit a sound only us bats can make. It’ll bounce off anything solid, and you’ll know exactly where it is. Though if you’re ever in a metal space, it’s as simple as touching the wall and keeping an open ear,” she described. Artemis tilted his head this time, seeming confused. “A sound only bats can make? I did hear something weird over Shadow’s voice…” he mumbled.

“That was me. It’s a pretty dreadful sound, but we’re the only ones who can hear it. Shadow didn’t hear a thing,” she said, the hedgehog nodding to confirm her claims. “Wooow! That’s so cool! How do we do it?” Artemis egged on, the excitement stamped plain on his face. It was certainly lucky Shadow couldn’t hear the frequency they were emitting, elsewise sitting in on this lesson would have turned annoying quite fast. Though the kids still did struggle for a good while to get it right. He supposed she wouldn’t need him for much else in this lesson either way.

He exited the room while they were practicing their screeches, opting to head up to the control room to check on Omega. They were still behind the wheel, every so often teetering the ship in a certain direction to avoid any hazards the radar would warn them about. Shadow approached, still wincing a little from the demonstration with Rouge. “Nngh…h-hey, Omega. Everything looking ok up here?” he asked, grabbing onto his arm. “ AFFIRMATIVE. NO SIGN OF CHAOS EMERALD OR EGGMAN YET, ” they reported promptly, turning their torso slightly to look at him.

“ DO YOU REQUIRE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE? ” they asked. Shadow shook his head, “Ah, no, just…helping Rouge teach the kids is all. I’ll be fine.” They faced forward again, speaking no further for the time being as Shadow looked over all the radars on the control panel. As Omega had said, there was no sign of anything significant just yet. They were still a ways away from their destination, but that was to be expected. When Omega spoke again, their words surprised Shadow enough into contemplative silence. 

“ YOU AND THE OTHER HEDGEHOG ARE QUITE STRAINED… ”

The observation was quite astute, Shadow almost didn’t have a retort for it. He stared up at Omega for a moment, before sneering and looking out the window at the sea again. “Yeah…he’s been pretty difficult with me,” he admitted. “ THE MISSION WILL PROCEED POORLY…IF YOU TWO CANNOT RECONCILE, ” Omega warned. The Ultimate Lifeform pouted at this, giving Omega the stink eye. “Well it’s not exactly my fault! He’s been at my throat since he got here, and I don’t even know how he got here in the first place,” he snarled defensively.

“ THE WHY’S AND THE HOW’S ARE NOT GOING TO MATTER MUCH…IF YOU DO NOT OFFER AN OLIVE BRANCH. YOU CANNOT BE AT WAR FOREVER. ”

“Well what do you suggest I do? Apologize for…I don’t even know what it is I’d be apologizing for.”

“ AGGRESSION DOES NOT SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM. USE YOUR WORDS. ”

“That’s funny, comin’ from you .”

“ .........I AM AWARE YOU ARE…INSUFFICIENT…WITH SMALL TALK, ” Omega jabbed back. “ HOWEVER, THIS GROUP WILL NOT LAST LONG IF YOU CONTINUE TO ANSWER ANGER WITH MORE ANGER. TO BE MORE…CONCISE: GROW UP. ”

Shadow snorted indignantly, but he knew they were right. Still, his stubborn nature was comparable to something quite childish. Perhaps later he would take Omega up on their surprisingly sage wisdom, but right now, he knew he’d be too agitated to apply it correctly. He turned, heading for the door back down the hall. “Let me know if something important comes up,” he instructed. “ AFFIRMATIVE ,” Omega confirmed just as Shadow walked out the door. As he began the trek back to Rouge and the kids, he stopped and glanced down the hall that led to Silver’s room.

In the end, he trudged away, thinking it better to try speaking to him when he wasn’t banged up and irritated, wholly ignorant of just how much he was needed at that moment.

Chapter Text

Failure. Yet again the hedgehog had been defeated by the bastard scientist who seemed to never stop plaguing his life. Like a parasite, he wriggled his way back into the fray and sapped him and everyone he cared about of their hopes. He had taken Tails, taken the Emerald, taken his speed , even if only for a brief window of time. It infuriated him, enough that he was shockingly silent for nearly the rest of the miserable night and the day after. As was expected, Eggman’s cronies retreated the instant he returned to his ship with the Emerald.

Casualties were low, but the damage was quite high. His attack on Battel State was not even remotely close to a taste of the fury he had in mind for anyone who opposed him. Acorn Kingdom was not much different than Sonic’s home now, ash and smoke littering the once beautiful country. It fell to Antoine to report everything that had transpired to his wife once she found them. Sonic’s feet eventually stopped feeling so painful to stand on, though aches still lingered. He would be well enough to help her carry Antoine to get medical care.

The children were more than glad to see that their parents were mostly well, at the very least: Alive. The reverse was true as well, Bunnie wrapping up her babies in a big hug the first chance she got. All of them huddled together that night, a tightly knit family unit coming out the other side of a hellish battle stronger than before. Sonic, on the other hand, ended up trudging his way back to the little fox boy he had rescued before. They exchanged no words, the boy gladly seeking comfort in his hero’s arms as he tried not to sniffle too much.

Sonic’s expression was unmoving, but he felt a pang of guilt as he held the boy close and pet the back of his head to ease his sadness. Bunnie would find him still sitting on the ground with the child in the morning, a part of her wondering how he ever managed to rest so comfortably sitting up like that. She left some breakfast she had picked up for him beside them, letting them be for the moment. In the meantime, she had to discuss the next course of action with her husband. Her children were still in the process of waking up, curled up with their father in bed.

She sat beside them, taking a bite of scrambled eggs before addressing her husband. “Hey hun, how ya feelin’?” she cooed gently. The coyote looked up at his wife, smiling weakly for her. “I’ve had worse,” he joked lightly, getting a giggle out of her. She held his hand, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek before she frowned and looked down. “‘Twan…I think…it’s about time we called Sally,” she said. He frowned as well, not much looking forward to breaking the news of their failure to her. He certainly hated to admit such a thing in general, but it was his duty.

“R-right…” he nodded, shaking his son to get him up a little faster. “Jacques, wake up, monfils,” he urged, the boy finally properly waking. “Mmmnn…? Paw? Is it mornin’-? Yaaawwwnnn …a-already?” the boy muttered tiredly, rubbing at his eyes. Antoine nodded, “Oui. I want you to take your sister to zee cafeteria and get yourselves some breakfast.” Jacques nodded, shaking his little sister awake for him and guiding her out of bed. “C-c’mon now, Belle. L-let’s get somethin’ ta eat,” he mumbled, the tired girl just rubbing at her eyes and following.

“W-where is Sonic?” he asked. She glanced over at the corner where him and the child were. Both of them realizing now that he was awake, watching the boy eat the breakfast Bunnie had left for them. “He just looks so… focused ,” Bunnie muttered. “And he’s been so quiet…it ain’t like ‘im, ‘Twan.” Antoine found himself unable to disagree. Not to mention the things he had witnessed the night prior left him troubled to say the least. He hadn’t mentioned the strange change in the color of Sonic’s fur he’d seen to her just yet, but it weighed heavy on him.

Although he couldn’t say he didn’t relate to the pent up rage Sonic was surely feeling right now. Eggman’s methods were becoming quite cruel. Though he supposed they had always been outlandishly so. “Bunnie…” he called out to his wife. “I don’t know if…if he’s going to be ok,” he stated his honest assessment. Her ears drooped. She had already guessed as much herself. “It… is a lot, so much more than before. And to be so blindsided after so many years of peace ‘n quiet? I’m not even sure if I’m all ok, myself,” she admitted.

He squeezed her hand to comfort her, but nodded in agreement. The couple observed Sonic getting up all of the sudden, the boy seeming to urge him to stay. The hedgehog was still, before slipping off the ring he had on his wrist and handing it to him. They couldn’t hear what either of them were saying, only able to make guesses before the blue blur finally trudged over to them. “Um…g-good mornin’, suga’hog,” Bunnie greeted nervously. Sonic sat in a chair next to her as he droned a half-hearted, “Mornin’...” Bunnie winced and hesitated, even looking away from him for a moment.

“How…how are you holdin’ up?” Sonic winced back at that question, avoiding eye contact as well as he glanced at the floor. Eventually, he caved, letting out a long sigh. “My feet don’t hurt. Guess that gadget Eggman shot me with is only good for an hour after all…nothin’ permanent, luckily for me.” They were both relieved to hear this, though Bunnie was still a little concerned for his mental health. But she knew there was no chance of getting a straight answer out of him there, at least not right now. “The doctors said…’Twan should be ok, with rest,” she reported.

“Nothin’ vital was damaged, he’ll just be might sore for a while…” Sonic let out a sigh of relief, not entirely meaning to do so. But they both caught onto it, and Bunnie smiled at her friend. “Hey, we’re all still here in one piece, see? Let’s count our blessin’s” she encouraged. Sonic’s frown didn’t leave him, but his demeanor did noticeably shift a little. He was starting to relax, though not by much. Antoine groaned as he readjusted himself to get more comfortable. “We…n-need to contact…zee Queen, and…report the damage,” he brought up.

“Right…yeah…” Sonic muttered, opening up his wrist gadget to make a call. “I’ll do it. You guys should…spend some time with your kids,” he volunteered. They both blinked in surprise, and Bunnie seemed hesitant to let him do such a thing. “A-are you sure , suga’hog? S-she might go easier on us , ya know…” she warned. He nodded, standing up from his chair as he placed the call. “I’m sure, don’t worry…she’s been mad at me before. I can handle it,” he assured them. Bunnie still seemed hesitant, but she caved when her husband nodded at her.

“A-alright, if…that’s what you want. Let us know what she wants us to do,” she said, turning her attention fully to her husband as the hedgehog walked off to a more private part of the shelter to talk to Sally. She picked up after a minute, and already, she didn’t seem all that happy to see who had contacted her. “Sonic,” she greeted. “I haven’t heard from you guys in a while…did you get the Chaos Emerald yet?” she asked. He braced himself for the worst, delivering the bad news in a monotone voice. “No, Sal. We didn’t. We…failed our mission.” 

Her fury was near instant, but he didn’t even so much as flinch at it. “What?! What do you mean you failed ?!” she demanded. He was unmoving, much like a brick wall as he continued his report. “He was already busting down the walls by the time we got here. Ant and I tried to retrieve the Emerald, but, Eggman snuck up on us and incapacitated us before we could get it somewhere safe,” he recapped. The Queen was beyond frazzled, it was the worst news she could have thought to expect. Yet it still pierced her like a knife in the back.

“I…I can’t believe this! Sonic, you…! How did Eggman possibly manage that?!”

“He…hit me with this…weird gun. After that, I couldn’t even stand without my feet cramping up with unbearable pain. I had no chance of running or spindashing or anything that could’ve helped.”

“Oh, how very convenient!” she snapped. “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you with something so important!”

The blue hedgehog didn’t respond to her jabs, allowing her to insult him in silence. He would be waiting a while before she composed herself enough to ask, “How…how bad is the damage?” His resolve cracked a little at that question. But he owed her an answer regardless of his crippled self-esteem. “There’s no report yet on just how many casualties, but…there were some. It seems like the majority of your citizens are safe, judging from how full this place is,” he reported somberly. She began to sob from the other end, running a hand through her hair.

“Oh Chaos …” she croaked. Any number was too high, something he could sympathize with. “Bunnie and Antoine…they wanna know your orders, Sal,” he asked after giving her a moment to let it out. “O-ok, ok, I’m…I just need to think …” she sniffed. It took her another couple of minutes to compose herself enough to think properly, but the hedgehog waited patiently in silence. She took a deep breath, before finally giving her orders. “Tell them…to make way for Soleanna immediately . That maniac is probably on his way here next,” she decided.

“I will,” he said, about to hang up when she called his name again all of the sudden. He raised his head up, attentive to her as he awaited her next words. “Go back home…and stay away from this,” she demanded. At this, he showed the first bout of emotion he had in hours, “What?! Like hell I am!” Sally growled at him again, not showing him a single shred of mercy as she screamed at him from the other end. “Sonic, trouble has been following you like a pet dog since Eggman returned! Every time you’re involved, something terrible happens!”

“You can’t put all this on me, Sal! I don’t care how pissed you are at me! And I’m not sitting this out! He killed my brother!”

“Wake up, why don’t you, Sonic?! My Kingdom is in ruins , my people have been killed , your home is practically demolished, and Tails is dead !! And you wanna know who’s at the center of all of this ?”

“Don’t you dare …”

“You’re the one who admitted that if you had just listened to him, he would still be here! His own daughter is missing , because of you ! If you really care about keeping people safe, you’ll agree that you should be as far away from this as possible ! You clearly can’t handle the responsibility!”

He didn’t, couldn’t argue back. He leaned up against the wall, feeling like he was about to throw up and his legs starting to grow weak. He shut his eyes tightly, shaking his head as he tried to dispel her words from his thoughts. It’s not true, it’s not true, it’s not, it’s not! Both of them were silent for a minute that felt like an hour. “If you come anywhere near me, or Soleanna, I will have no choice but to have you arrested for treason… stay away from us.” Without even so much as a calloused farewell, she hung up on him, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

And that was the last place he wanted to be. He sank down, eventually finding himself sitting on the ground all over again as he tried to keep it together. She was wrong. She had to be. This wasn’t his fault, he didn’t ask for this! He wanted to save him, he tried to save him. How was he supposed to know it would all go so wrong? But despite his best efforts, he did seem to be losing his grip lately. He had frozen up in a seriously dangerous and time sensitive situation, and foolishly turned his back on his worst enemy, the man who killed his best friend.

Everything kept falling apart and getting worse. He never imagined a time like this would exist again, where hope became scarcer and scarcer by the day. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He couldn’t sit here and have a panic attack all day. Contemplating his options for a moment, the hedgehog stared down at his communicator. He flipped it open again, dialing another number. He didn’t expect an answer, and also somewhat hoped he wouldn’t get one. But to his surprise, and internal relief, he got one.

“Hello? Who is this?” There was no video for the other end, but Sonic knew that voice. “H-hey, Shadz…” he answered. The voice on the other end was stunned silent for a moment, “Sonic, I…didn’t think I’d hear from you so soon.” The blue blur hesitated, part of him wondering why he bothered calling. He was in such a terrible state of mind, so why did he think of him at this moment? “Just…wanted to see how things were going, on your end…” he asked, trying his best not to sound as upset as he felt right about now. At first, it seemed to work.

“We haven’t gotten all that far yet, actually. It’s been quiet, so, I’ve mostly been using the time we’ve got to teach the kids,” he reported. Sonic’s face lit up a little at the mention of them, he even lifted his head a bit. “Oh, uh, what’re you teachin’ ‘em?” he asked. “Well, I’ve been teaching them to read, but, Rouge wants them to focus on learning to fly. I think I might start helping them train their powers, as well. This mission could be dangerous…” he summed up, his concern sneaking into his voice. It was a little cute, enough to make Sonic smirk.

“Heh, I’m sure with your help they’ll be kicking ass in no time~” he teased. He didn’t have to see to know Shadow was rolling his eyes at that remark. “Is…everything ok on your end?” he asked all of the sudden. “You sound… tired .” Sonic winced, his mood dropping significantly all over again. He was quiet for long enough that he began to worry his recipient. “Sonic?” He shook his head. “I’m…fine,” he lied. “Things just…could’ve gone better here, in all honesty.” The dark hedgehog seemed to hesitate before asking, “Do you…want to talk about it?”

“........I…ran into Eggman.”

“What happened?”

“We were right there . We were about to get the Chaos Emerald, and…and that coward attacked us while our backs were turned! He injured Antoine, and…and he shot me with this…weird gun.”

“Weird? Weird how?”

“It…wasn’t a normal gun. I didn’t feel a bullet pass through me, Shadz, it…it made it impossible to run. I couldn’t even stand ! Anytime I tried, it…it was like something was pulverizing my feet.”

“Holy shit…are you ok?!”

“I’m fine , now, like I said…” He looked to the side, hugging his knees as he took a deep breath. “But…he got away.” There was a deafening silence, and frankly, Sonic halfly expected to get chewed out all over again. But the Ultimate Lifeform was oddly… gentle , with him. “It…wasn’t your fault,” he assured him. “Don’t beat yourself up over it, you hear me?” Too late Sonic thought, not answering Shadow for a moment. He contemplated telling him the truth, that he wasn’t fine. But, why did he want to tell him so badly? He hated letting anyone see him that way.

But Shadow had already seen him at his worst. He had come to him before anyone else for comfort, after all. That’s how it always played out lately, it seemed. Then Shadow said something that made his ears perk up. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours right now, but…I’ll… listen …if you want to talk,” he offered graciously. “And…I promise, no one is ever going to hear a word of it. Whatever it is…” The azure hedgehog felt his heart skip a beat, it took everything in him not to break down right now and spill everything to him.

“Thanks, Shadz…I appreciate it,” he smiled. “L…listen, we’re pretty sure Eggman’s headed to Soleanna next to harass Elise into giving up her Emerald.” Shadow hummed at that, almost as if thinking to himself. “Guess we could meet up with you there after we find this Emerald. I could probably Chaos Control us all there if I save my energy, though it might take a lot out of me.” Sonic nodded, “Aw, don’t worry so much if you’re late, Shadz. I’m used to it~” Shadow grumbled irritably at that remark, and Sonic let out a chuckle. 

“You’re lucky that you’re endearing…”

“...I’m what ?”

“N…n-nothing! I’ll call you later!”

The flustered hedgehog hung up before Sonic had a chance to respond. Though frankly, he was a bit too frozen at the moment to even consider it. He gained a sheepish smile as he ran a hand through his quils. “C-crap…am I seriously this sick all over again…?” he muttered to himself. He shook his head and slapped his cheeks, trying to regain his focus. He couldn’t be down in the dumps like this, people needed him. Regardless of Sally’s painful accusations, even if they were true, he’d feel even worse if he really took her advice and sat this one out.

She’ll just get over it…eventually he reasoned, taking another deep breath and pacing back to the place where he’d left the boy. He was still there, already having finished his breakfast and playing around with the bracelet Sonic had given him and putting his hand through it only to find it didn’t fit. Sonic smiled fondly, walking over and sitting back down with the boy. “Hey there, champ, thanks for keepin’ an eye on my lucky charm for me~” he said, taking it back from him and putting it back on. “It’s really c-cool, mister Sonic…what is it?”

“Like I said, it was given to me by someone really special…a friend I haven’t seen in a really long time.”

“W-what…was his name?”

“His name was Chip. And he was one of the bravest heroes I know.”

“Could you…t-tell me about him? Please?”

Sonic smirked, pulling the kid into his lap as he prepared to tell him a tale, “Well…we met about seven years ago…when I fell on him by complete accident. Little did I know, I was face to face with a being as old as time itself…”

---

It took a while, but eventually, it seemed that the pink girl had finally found what she’d been searching for. She wordlessly entered the establishment, her Moebian companion following as he put his hands behind his head. They’d find the owner inside, currently straightening out what looked to be a sword. There was an array of weapons on display around the place, all quite sharp but also quite elegantly designed. Scourge found himself drawn to a battle ax that hung from the wall, it was so shiny he could see his own reflection in it.

Amy approached the woman behind the counter, waiting patiently for her to finish her work first before pestering her. She turned around eventually, her rainbow-colored dreads falling over one side of her shoulder. Amy could tell she was an echidna, but she was just so… huge . And built like a tank. “Oh, didn’t hear y’all come in,” she laughed, setting down her work and walking up to the counter. “Guessin’ your friend over there is the one orderin’?” she assumed. Amy didn’t even blink as she corrected her. “No, actually. I’m looking to make something,” she stated. 

The echidna blinked in surprise, but didn’t judge her all that harshly. “Really now? You wanna make somethin’, huh?” Amy nodded, confirming her answer. “Well, a little unusual, but…I can get down with that,” the saleswoman accepted. “Watcha got in mind, little lady?” Amy pulled out her phone, pulling up a photograph of her old hammer to show to her. “Something like…this. I lost it, but, I want to make a new one,” she said. The echidna studied it for a moment, rubbing at her chin with her finger. “Hmmm, doesn’t look half bad. You made that one?”

Amy nodded again, and the echidna seemed quite impressed. “Well, I’ll be. I suppose I could let ya borrow my work station while I take my lunch break,” she generously offered. “But it’ll cost ya, dependin’.” Amy’s look turned sheepish as she realized it, “Oh, shoot ! I totally left my wallet at my house!” Scourge looked up, unzipping one of his pockets and pulling out a wad of cash before slamming it down on the counter. “Would this cover it?” he asked. The woman picked it up, spending a bit counting it all before snickering, “Yeah, that’ll do it!”

Amy blinked in surprise, gawking at him a little before giving him a skeptical look. He noticed, but kept quiet for the moment. “Alright then, knock yourselves out!” the echidna laughed. “I’ll be back in forty-five, think that’ll be enough time?” Amy nodded, “ Definitely .” The woman departed after pocketing the money, leaving the pair alone. Amy squinted her eyes at him again and he pouted indignantly, crossing his arms, “Hey, I earned it, legally . How else is a guy supposed to pay his rent in a place like Night Babylon?” He seemed genuine, so she pressed no further.

But she remained silent as she got behind the counter and began to work. “Hand me some of that metal over there, would ya?” she asked, Scourge obediently fetching it for her. He’d spend most of the time taking a backseat, every so often grabbing her a tool or one of the supplies lying around. She worked tirelessly for the entire time they had been granted, not saying much besides her polite requests for Scourge’s assistance. He had to admit, the finished product was nothing to sneeze at. It was certainly more sturdy looking than her old one.

And more cutesy, it even had a bow on it. She’d certainly do a lot more damage with it, especially against badniks. She picked it up, taking it for a test swing. Scourge ducked his head, “Woah, shit!” She looked up, as if suddenly remembering she was not by herself. “Ah, oh, gosh, s-sorry! I guess I was a little…lost in my own head, for a second there…” she mumbled, a bit embarrassed. He didn’t say anything in retort to that, having figured as much by now. “Um, s-so…what do you think?” she asked. He readjusted his glasses that had gotten crooked.

He ran one of his hands along the handle as he looked it over. “Hmmm, a bit girly for my tastes, but, you make it work,” he stated his honest opinion. She pouted at him, throwing the hammer over her shoulder with an unamused look. “Hmph, well, at least one of us has taste ,” she jabbed, looking past him as the blacksmith re-entered the shop. “Oh wow, you’re done already?” she chuckled before letting out an impressed whistle at the girl’s handiwork. “Wow, now that thing is a beaut! Never seen anythin’ quite like it, to be honest!” Amy smirked pridefully.

“ Thank you , finally, someone who appreciates art when they see it~” she snarked, looking at Scourge purposefully before sticking her tongue out at him. He smirked back, rolling his eyes at her mocking remark. “We’ll be out of your hair now then, miss…?” her expression turned sheepish, realizing she’d never asked the lady’s name. She laughed again, “It’s Brunhilde, but you can call me Hilda! Come back any time.” Amy smiled, nodding before leaving the shop with Scourge and her new hammer in toe. Scourge put his hands behind his head again.

“So, what’re ya gonna name it?”

She blinked at him, “Huh?”

“You called your other one ‘Piko-Piko’ or some shit…what’s this one?”

She looked over her creation carefully. She thought for a moment, before smiling and settling it into the strap on her back where her old hammer used to reside. “I think I’ll call her, ‘Rosy Wrath’.” Scourge gave her a smirk, “Not half bad, actually. Definitely better than your first one’s name.” She scoffed, giving him a playful shove. “H-hey! You jerk~!” The pair laughed, the green hedgehog sincerely enjoying her antics. “Well, someone’s feelin’ better,” he observed as they began to walk along the sidewalk again. She hummed in thought at that.

“Yeah…I guess I am,” she mumbled. “Thanks for…you know…” Scourge looked to the side, “What, pullin’ your head out of your ass for you? No problem.” She rolled her eyes at his wording, letting out a sigh of disappointment. But then again, she didn’t know what else she had expected. She looked up, realizing that the sun was just beginning it’s descent over the horizon, patches of orange trickling against the blue sky slowly but surely. “So…what’s the plan for you, mister, On-The-Run-From-The-Law?” she asked her fellow escapee.

“Dafuq you mean? I ain’t done nothin’ wrong,” he muttered. She sneered at him, “Scourge, I know you just being here is a crime, you know. I only don’t care because we’ve got bigger problems than you.” Well, that answers that question he thought. He huffed, looking away from her again. “I dunno…can’t exactly go back home now, can I? My shithole motel room is probably totaled, and fat chance I’ll get much work when everything’s fucked,” he stated honestly. “Can’t hide anywhere, either. Any which way ya run, Eggman will end up there eventually.”

“In other words, you’ve got no idea where you’re even going ,” Amy concluded. “In that case, you might as well help the rest of us. I dunno what beef Eggman’s got with you, but he probably won’t be leaving you alone anytime soon,” she reasoned. All of this rang quite true, but why bother fighting a war that had nothing to do with him at all? He could easily just sit this out, let Sonic and all his little friends deal with it like they always did. Eggman can’t beat them, anyway, he always lost one way or the other. Though the temptation to pay him back was growing.

And just as well, Eggman had managed to do what was thought impossible, and killed one of his most famous adversaries. And if his Miles was anything to go by, that kid had real smarts, unlike that joke of a scientist. Was he really prepared to get killed over this whole mess? Playing hero was Sonic’s job, not his. So…why am I still here…with… her ? His eyes widened, looking in her direction again. She didn’t notice his gawking, thankfully for him. He felt so strange, downright aimless. He stopped in his tracks, his ears catching the sound of music.

He turned his head, noticing that some locals were dancing and partying nearby them around a boombox. It didn’t take Amy long to notice he wasn’t walking with her anymore, and even less time to figure out why he had stopped. She was equally transfixed by the sight, finding the merriment to be enviable. If only they knew what dangers were out there. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw something, and turned her head to find Scourge holding his hand out to her. “May I have this dance, m’lady?” he smoothly offered with a smirk.

Her face scrunched up with bemusement, and she couldn’t hold back a laugh, “W-what?” He raised a brow at her, “You tellin’ me nobody’s asked a pretty girl like yourself to dance before?” She blushed a little, becoming a tad sheepish again. “W-well, I…” Scourge held it out a little further, egging her on. “Come on, I’ll show ya.” She gave him another amused look, taking him up on his offer and not taking him all that seriously at first. Until that was, he pulled her closer into a proper stance to tango. “Woah!” she yelped, not entirely expecting it.

She admittedly couldn’t help but feel charmed, especially since he moved surprisingly elegantly. It didn’t take long for the crowd to notice them, Amy giggling and getting quite immersed in their dance. She was having the time of her life as Scourge spun, twirled, and led her around in their high energy tango. She snickered upon being picked up and spun around. “Where’d ya learn moves like this, huh? Or is Sonic just secretly a terrible dancer?” she joked. Scourge looked up in thought for a moment, “Guess you could say my old man had me take a couple of boring lessons~”

He winked, spinning her around him in a circle before ending their dance with a dip. “Though, I guess he might be…explains why he never asked,” he mocked. She gave him a bewildered sort of look, absolutely taken aback by his smoothness. She was only pulled out of it when the song ended and the crowd around them cheered. Scourge pulled her back up to her feet, giving the crowd an indifferent look while she smiled at them nervously, only just realizing they had attracted an audience. It strangely felt like they were the only two people in the universe that whole time.

“T-that was fun and all, but, um…I’m kinda hungry. Maybe we should find Knuckles so he can take us to the Queen to get some food,” she suggested. He smirked at that, “A royal feast, huh? That doesn’t sound too bad right about now,” he said, moving to pick her up, only for her to push him back and wag her finger at him. She pulled out her hammer, “Ah ah ah, now that I’ve got one of these again, I can keep pace just fine.” He blinked at that, “Uhh, how’s a hammer gonna help ya do that, exactly?” She smirked and winked at him, “Just watch , Scourgey~”

The nickname was so sickeningly cutesy, but for some reason, he kind of liked hearing her say it. He smirked, pulling his glasses down over his eyes. “Alright, Rosy, you’re on. Show me what you’ve got~” he challenged. They held eye contact for a moment, before speeding off to find Knuckles, the girl easily keeping pace using her signature technique. He couldn’t help but admit that it was quite impressive, even if unexpected. 

---

Blaze fell into her bed with a huff, feeling as though she lived a hundred years in but a single day. Iblis was only growing more relentless within her, but she couldn’t be worrying about that right now. The activity of the Sol Emeralds weighed just as heavily on her as anything else. Though she tried to be optimistic, like Silver would in times like this. Her experience with the Sol Emeralds proved to be wholly similar to the Chaos Emeralds. Gems of miracles, in that regard, they were alike. But Chaos energy offered power, luck, even control over time itself.

Sol energy healed, it unlocked great potential, and in the right circumstances, it even gave life. They offered protection and safety. They all lay in her room, having been completely inactive for the entire day. She somewhat hoped it would stay that way, as she rolled onto her side and shut her eyes, trying her best to ignore that hunger she had felt, even after having eaten plenty of food by now. It was almost too daunting, she even considered having the royal mage come hypnotize her to sleep. But eventually, it seemed to have claimed her. At first, it was blurry images that danced across the backs of her eyelids. Muffled sounds and voices, too.

Some she could swear were familiar, but she wasn’t sure how. It was too hard to make out. Then, she was brought back to that day. She still remembered it like it was yesterday. The sweltering heat. Iblis’s towering figure. Silver’s voice, straining in vain as the wrathful god refused him. Her hand, grabbing onto his, as she took on the burden for him. She stared death itself in the face, taking the god within her. It hurt, it hurt so much. But she had to be strong. She begged him to seal her away, reminding them of their promise. In the end…he simply couldn’t.

She could feel a smile curl over her face as he called her a friend. His face…he was so innocent, so ready to risk all of it just for her. Who could blame him? Certainly not her, she knew that had he taken the god instead, like they had planned, she would have struggled, even if she tried to convince herself on their way to the end that she must sacrifice all to save Mobius. He was so naïve, here, at the end, she couldn’t help but finally confess that she had felt something more than a simple friendship. Even if she realized too late it was a cruel farewell.

She felt as though she was being split in two, as she took the final burden off his shoulders for him. She owed him that much, at the very least. The Chaos Emeralds slipped through her fingers, and she felt herself begin to drift away. Had she passed on? Would she see her father again soon, and her mother, too? She heard his voice call out to her again, the look on his face broke what was left of her heart. But still, she tried to keep a smile, as he had always done for her in even the bleakest of times. 

“Blaze!”

“Good luck, Silver!”

The feline gasped awake in a cold sweat, sitting up immediately. All of her fur was stood on end, as she sat there, frozen in fear. She had to compose herself. Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t you dare cry she willed herself, breathing raggedly as the nightmarish memory began to fade away again. After a moment, she looked up, finally realizing that the Sol Emeralds were acting up. Her ears twitched, realizing something was happening. She slowly rose from her bed, approaching the Emeralds and reaching out to touch them. She stopped when her fingers were just inches away from brushing against them.

Her ears caught a whispering that sounded like it was caught on the wind that blew in from her open window. She couldn’t make out what any of them were saying, but they all sounded so…childlike. “H…hello?” she called out. The whispers answered her, repeating the word back to her, slowly getting louder, though never  raising their voice above a minimal octave. “ Hello, hello, hello… ” they chanted over and over. “W…who’s there? Who are you?” she asked, darting her eyes around cautiously as she backed up.

“ We…we…are all…and nothing, nothing…nothing… ”

Some voices echoed certain words, others repeated and chanted, and others overlapped as they kept on whispering to her. “What…do you mean?” she looked over at the Sol Emeralds again, observing in awe as they glowed in tandem with each word uttered by the small voices. “ Blaze, Blaze, the keeper, our keeper…you must go, go, go… ” She realized it instantly, the voices, somehow, possibly they were the Emeralds themselves? But this had never happened before, it made her skeptical. “How…how do I know this isn’t another trick from Iblis?” she asked.

“ Iblis…Iblis, Iblis…he, he is the key… ” She winced, still not entirely convinced of their sincerity. “You’ve never spoken to me before, why now? Why is Iblis so important?” she pressed, refusing to move on her curiosity. “ Terrible disaster, it comes…it comes, Blaze…a monster will consume all, all that exists…it is an…anomaly. ” She raised a brow at that, thinking it over for a moment as she processed all this. That certainly sounded troublesome, but so much about this was bothering her. “Anomaly how?” she questioned.

“ Big…big…big…! Bigger than any, any god…all timelines…all dimensions…all will be lost. All will cease. You must, our keeper, you must. ” Something even bigger than a god, even Iblis himself could not compare? But then, what could she do? “ Please ,” she beseeched. “W-what must I do to stop this?” The voices were silent for a moment, the Emeralds floating up from their pedestals and circling Blaze slowly. “ Open the door…open it, Blaze…we will help…we will not let Iblis…take control, control…use his power…like it was your own, own… ” they instructed.

She blinked, repeating their last words in her mind over and over. Like my own? They mean, like my fire? she wondered, holding up her hand and attempting to light a flame. She felt the energy of the Sol emeralds coursing through her, almost as if guiding her very hand. Like earlier, she once again managed to open a hole. Slowly but surely, it burned away at the fabric of reality. The lavender sovereign was starting to grow nervous, but closed her eyes, and her thoughts wandered to Silver again. It made her feel safer to think about what he’d say if he were here.

When she opened her eyes again, she had opened up a hole that led to a grass field in broad daylight. She was bewildered, almost frozen in admiration of the sight. “This…is where I am needed?” she asked. “ Go, go, go, ” the voices urged her. “ We will be with you, with you… ” The Emeralds settled into her pockets, and she felt much more comforted with them there. Though, she thought better of leaving with no explanation in the middle of the night, and quickly wrote up a note for Gardon so he wouldn’t panic too much. With a deep breath, she hopped through the portal to the other side.

It shut itself behind her, sealing off her bedroom. She continued forward, finding the voices had all but ceased. Were they unable to communicate with her in this realm? She could figure it out later, first, she had to find out what this realm even was. The girl kept walking, eventually finding herself reaching a cliff-edge. She looked out at the area below, her eyes widening in recognition as she gasped. The shimmering water, the regal architecture, a bell tower in the distance. There was no more room for speculation, and she gasped out the name in disbelief.

“ Soleanna …”

Chapter Text

Staring down the door of the platinum hedgehog’s room, the Ultimate Lifeform felt quite childish as the seconds ticked by. He really didn’t want to deal with this again, but Omega was right. Things would only keep getting worse if they didn’t start communicating with each other properly. He would have to rip this band aid off sooner or later, so why was it so difficult? It felt like dealing with a temperamental teenager, almost. Though the irony was not lost on him that most days, he himself was comparable to one. Still, looking in the mirror was unpleasant.

There was also his dream to consider. There was something that connected him to Silver, something important. He’d never get to the bottom of it if he avoided him like the plague. And for all he knew, it was the key to fixing this crisis they were in. Why did the answer always have to be so damn complicated, anyway? Couldn’t things be simple for once? He took a deep breath, composing himself. No more dodging, no more excuses. They’d have a civil conversation, like responsible, mature adults. Or at least, as responsible and mature as they could be.

He didn’t knock, twisting the door knob and pushing it open. Silver was lying in bed, the covers draped over him. But he could see some of his top quils poking out. He had rejected dinner earlier, when Rouge had come to invite him. Shadow wondered just how long he’d been lying here, or if perhaps he was already asleep. Ah, if only he could be so lucky. He walked down the small set of steps that were up against the doorway. “Silver? You awake?” he asked. Silver didn’t respond at first, but he did shift, indicating the dark hedgehog had been heard.

“I already told you guys, I’m not hungry…” he muttered. His tone was so devoid of… anything . It wasn’t even angered or sad, merely empty. “I’m…not here about that,” he said, wincing a little as he shut the door behind him. He could see Silver shift under the covers again, before he sat up and turned his head to look at him. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, his glare was as empty as the rest of him. “ What …do you want …?” he droned, agitation sneaking into his voice now. Shadow had to remind himself to be patient, taking another deep breath.

“Silver, I don’t know what it is you have against me…but we can’t go on like this,” he stated bluntly. Silver hardly reacted, his eyes trailing down towards the sheets. There was so much tension in the air it threatened to suffocate both of them at any moment. “Look, if there’s something that I did to you in the future, I…” Silver’s ears perked up, and his face gained the slightest bit of emotion. Shadow didn’t even know what to say, was an apology really fair? He didn’t even know what he had done! He hadn’t done anything yet.

“I don’t…I don’t know. And that’s the problem. You’re angry at me, but I can’t possibly know why, can I?” he pointed out. Silver turned his face away again, his ears flattening against his head again. He gripped at the sheets, pulling one side a little further over the front of his body to wrap himself up more. “It…doesn’t matter ,” Silver muttered. “There’s nothing to say.” Shadow sighed. This was going nowhere. “It does matter, you don’t trust me, right?” The white hedgehog didn’t respond, but they both knew the answer already.

“Remember…when I asked you about that purple sigil?” he brought up all of the sudden. The boy’s left ear twitched under the sheet, and he turned his body to look at him again. He seemed confused by the topic, almost as if trying to figure out where he was going before he got there. “S…so what?” he asked. “I asked you that, because…I’ve been having these… dreams the past couple of weeks. I think…they have something to do with what’s going on,” he confessed. Silver recalled again the voice he heard just before waking earlier.

“...What…what kind of dreams?” he asked. The Ultimate Lifeform sat on the chair by the desk, detailing both the dreams he had seen. All the symbols Silver had described, the faces he didn’t recognize, and the odd way the second one ended. He hadn’t had either dream since the one that seemed to foretell Silver’s arrival, or any new ones with any striking similarities. The boy was quiet for a while after Shadow had finished speaking, bouncing around all this information in his head. He knew what the thread between them had meant, but still was silent to the truth of the matter.

“I…I still don’t know about any purple sigil that looks like that, but, I believe you,” he stated, the sheets falling off his head as he turned most of himself around to face him now. “And I think you’re right…I think it does have something to do with this. I remember something strange too, just before I woke up this morning,” he admitted, much to Shadow’s surprise. “Really? What was it?” Silver hesitated, before just coming out with it. “It was this…girl. I didn’t recognize her voice, but, she kept on calling out to me…” he said slowly, still remembering it vividly.

It didn’t seem all that comparable, but nothing to shrug off either. “If…if I start seeing anything similar, I’ll tell you,” he promised, surprising the dark hedgehog. “Thank you…for telling me the truth,” he added, seeming genuinely grateful for the gesture. Well, at least we’re getting somewhere Shadow thought. The room fell silent again, neither pair speaking up for several minutes. It was starting to become awkward, even for Silver. He crossed his arms, glaring down at the bed before he hesitantly asked, “Have you…ever had parents before?”

The question threw the Ultimate Lifeform for quite the loop. It was certainly out of nowhere, but in the interest of easing the tensity of their relationship, he answered it anyway. “Well, I…I guess that depends on what you could call a ‘Parent’. I’ve no blood relatives, it starts and ends with me in that case. But…I guess…Professor Gerald was comparable to a father.” Silver hadn’t expected such a complicated answer. Then again, Mephiles did say he was… unnatural . Still, he had figured he had to come from something . “Professor Gerald?” he recognized the name.

Most of the world’s history had been lost before he or Blaze had the chance to read of it. But some text, although most of which being damaged, spun a tale or two of the grandfather of the infamous Doctor Eggman. All anyone knew was he was involved in a project that the Government had him executed for, and he was known as nothing more than a war criminal. “Yes, he was my creator. I don’t know if…if he ever saw me as a son. We didn’t exactly have a typical parent-child relationship, but, we were close,” he summed up melancholically.

Silver looked away again, not pressing any further on the matter. Though it made Shadow curious enough to egg him on. “Why do you ask?” Silver winced at that, turning his back to him again before curtly answering, “ Just wondering …” He sneered, but knew he wouldn’t get much more out of him than that. He decided this was as far as they were going to get for the night, and stood up to leave. When Silver heard the door open, he turned to look at him again. “Hey!” he called out, gaining the Ultimate Lifeform’s attention again.

“...If you ever hurt or abandon those kids, you’ll be sorry .” Shadow blinked, oddly not seeming defensive or so much as offended by the sudden threat. In the end, he simply nodded, before finally leaving the white hedgehog alone as he shut the door behind him. He would not see the moment his demeanor finally cracked, and tears filled up the boy’s eyes. Silver retreated beneath his covers again, ignoring his stomach’s grumbling as he tried to get some more sleep. Meanwhile, the platinum hedgehog’s words weighed heavily on Shadow’s mind.

What on Mobius did I become in the future? he wondered, the thought plaguing him all the way to sleep.

---

The sun was setting over South Island, and it’s citizens were either getting ready to go out on the town or settle in for the night. At the capitol building, several guests were well on their way to have a royal feast. Amy was twirling her hammer in one hand as she walked, feeling like a whole new woman now that she had a weapon at her side again. “I hope everyone back home is doing ok,” she hummed sadly. “I feel a little bad living it up in luxury out here while they’re all stuck cramped up in a shelter.” The echidna waved his hand dismissively.

“Er, I dunno if I’d call it ‘Luxury’, exactly. Besides, I’m sure everyone is doing just fine back home. Don’t beat yourself up over it,” he assured her. Upon arriving at the dining hall, Amy’s eyes immediately fell on the sight of her dearest friend. “Oh my gosh, Cream !” she exclaimed, running over to her to hug her immediately. Cream had the brightest of smiles upon seeing Amy, and they embraced in a mass of giggles. “Amy! Oh, thank Chaos you’re safe!” Cream cried, nuzzling her friend a little before letting her go. “We were so worried about you!”

“I’m fine, Cream, really. I got out, with some help, of course,” she said, tilting her head over to the green hedgehog in question. Cream blinked, “Huh? Isn’t that…?” Much like Amy, she had not had the personal pleasure of meeting him in person before, having known of him exclusively by wanted posters and news reports. Scourge put his hands behind his head, not making eye contact with the girl. “Yeah yeah, super famous criminal extraordinaire. The name is Scourge in case you give a shit,” he flippantly introduced. Amy pouted at him, something that got his attention.

“ Don’t swear at her!” she scolded. He rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Sorry.” Knuckles blinked in surprise at this, it was like she had him on some sort of leash. Though he couldn’t say he wasn’t glad for that. “Humph! Anyways, yes , that is him. He got captured from Night Babylon by Eggman, just like me. But we’re still not totally sure why yet,” she summed up. Cream tilted her head at her friend, smiling awkwardly. “Umm, well, I don’t think it was on purpose , to be honest…” she admitted. The pair blinked at that, Scourge walking up next to Amy to ask, “Why’s that?”

“Well, um, I was in Emerald Town fighting with Sonic, and the badniks seemed awfully interested in him , too. And, later, he said that they were trying to attack Shadow as well. So, it seems like anyone who was a hedgehog was just sort of…unlucky,” she reported. Scourge snorted, crossing his arms, “I fuckin’ knew it! I haven’t done anything to that dickhead to get his attention!” Amy sighed, halfly in relief and halfly in disappointment as well. She was glad she wasn’t a personal target, of course, but unlucky was underselling it by milestones.

“We escaped pretty easily,” she said. “The first time, though…we didn’t get far. But we got an Emerald away from Eggman, at least, temporarily. He might have found it by now…” she recapped, throwing her hammer over her shoulder as she looked up in thought. “And then, we stole a plane from his hanger and it crashed, but we managed to make it here unscathed.” Just as she finished explaining, Gemerl and Julie arrived at the dining hall as well. Both of whom were surprised to see the pair. “Holy shit, you found her?!” Julie exclaimed.

“Julie! You’re here, too?” she gawked. “Wait…where’s Sonic?” she asked all of the sudden. Gemerl shook his head, “ He’s gone to the Acorn Kingdom to help defend it. We have not been in contact with him for a while. ” Amy sighed, a tad disappointed again. “Well, I hope he’s ok.” Julie gave Scourge a look, and Scourge returned it with a glare of his own as his quils bristled. Neither of them had seen each other in years, though they had parted as enemies. “Someone mind explaining why this lowlife is here, exactly? Shouldn’t you be in a jail cell next to your Moebian friends?” she sniped.

Scourge growled, about to retort when Amy stood to his defense. “I’ll have you know the ‘Lowlife’ you’re talking about saved my life , on several occasions! So I’ll thank you to watch your mouth, Julie!” she snapped. Scourge was stunned silent, as was everyone else in the room. The only thing to break the awkward silence was the entrance of Sara. “Heyaaa, how’s my squad doin’? Is everybody vibin’ tonight?!” she excitedly greeted. Her eyes landed on Amy immediately, and she gasped, stars in her eyes. “OH. MY. GOB. You’re pink too!!”

“Ummm…y… yeah ?” Amy mumbled, raising a brow at this weird chick. “Super cute, so cute! Cutest color in like, the galaxy ! Knuckie, where did you like, find , this absolutely adorable little thing?!” she gushed, rushing Amy to gawk at her immediately. Amy blinked, and then grinned widely. “Oh, gosh , that’s so nice of you!” she graciously accepted the compliment. “I really like your dress, actually. It’s so pretty!” The group stared on in amazement as the pair chattered away frivolously, seeming to click instantly. Cream smiled nervously.

They make quite the scary pair… she thought. The tense air had lifted, though now replaced by a slightly awkward one as everyone took their seats for dinner. Amy and Sara talked for most of the evening, sharing interests and complimenting each other. “And your hammer, sooo adorbs!” she gushed as she snapped a picture of it with her phone. “Where did you get something so fabulous?!” She looked over her shoulder at it. “Oh, Rosy Wrath? I made her myself, actually.” Sara seemed all over the name, adoring it up and down.

“Wooow, you are like, super cool! I have got to like, hire you as my royal wedding decorator when I get married!”

“Royal? Wait…you’re royalty?”

“Sure am! I’m the Queen of this here place!”

“You are ?!” Amy and Scourge simultaneously balked in shock. The others at the table snickered a little. “Wait wait wait, if you’re the Queen then…” The gears turned in her head instantly, and Scourge realized it at the same time as she did. Unfortunately, he was faster to speak than her. “Full offense, ‘Your highness’, but your royal guards suck ass,” he curtly remarked. Sara raised a brow at him, pouting a little bit. “Um, like, excuse me?” Amy adopted a somewhat embarrassed look, but sighed. “W-what he means to say is…earlier we tried to get help from one of your guards…”

“But, he accused me of lying about Eggman being back and tried to arrest me! He said we were…disturbing the peace, or something.” Sara’s eyes widened, and she rubbed the back of her head as she grinned nervously. “Ohhh, ha! My B, I like, told them to like, keep the whole Eggman thing hushy-hushy so people don’t like, totally freak,” she apologized sincerely. Amy didn’t look all that amused, but tried to hold her tongue. “I…don’t mean to overstep my boundaries, your majesty, but…people ought to know,” she criticized, Scourge nodding in agreement.

“It… is really important,” Cream agreed. “I understand you don’t want your citizens to be scared, miss, but…they’ll be a lot more scared if they’re blindsided by Eggman showing up.” Sara let out a long, exasperated sigh. “I guess y’all are right, it’s super not fair…” she pouted. “Ok, ok, I’ll like, make an announcement tomorrow morning. But like, after I ring up my gal pals,” she caved almost immediately. “And like, I am so super sorry to hear about what happened, seriously. Can I make it up to you, girl?” she pleaded, Amy smiling and shaking her head.

“No need to worry about it, Sara. It was an honest mistake, no harm done!” she assured her new friend. Scourge didn’t seem to agree, but surprisingly kept his mouth shut as he ate his food. The rest of the dinner went fairly smoothly, though by the time it was over and done with, the sun had long disappeared over the horizon and the sky was filled with stars. Sara stretched her arms out upon standing out of her chair. “ Yaaawwwnnn , well, I’m gonna like, catch some wicked Z’s now. Y’all can look around if you want, nighty-night super squaaad~” she bid.

“Thank Chaos , she was so fuckin’ annoying …” Scourge muttered once she was out of earshot. Knuckles sheepishly agreed. “She can be a little… much ,” he admitted. “We should get some rest, too,” Julie said as she stood up from the table with her husband. Everyone bid them a goodnight and a farewell as they left, Gemerl pulling out his sister’s chair for her so she could get up. “ I will power down soon as well, will you be joining me? ” he asked. Cream shook her head, “Not yet. I wanna go look around the garden they have here for a bit!”

He nodded in understanding, Cream waving farewell to Amy before propelling herself into the air by her ears. A sight that had Scourge in bewilderment. “Is she…fuckin’ flyin’ with her ears ?” he gawked. Amy snickered at his reaction as she stood up. “Would you believe me if I told you she’d been doing it since she was only six years old?” He lingered in his seat for a moment, still staring at the girl as she flew out the nearest open window. “Fuck no,” he answered. He realized quickly Amy was no longer at the table, soon spotting her walking away and getting up to follow.

“She also carried me and this guy we hung out with a lot back in the day,” she added. Scourge gave her a disbelieving look, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Ok, now I know you’re bullshittin’,” he snarked. She just laughed again, not bothering to convince him as they kept on walking. Eventually, she stopped, spotting a large balcony that had a small table and garden chair on it. The moon was full and high in the sky, lighting up the world in a beautiful aura. She ran outside onto it, admiring the view from over the balcony’s edge.

“Wow…I almost wanna thank Eggman,” she said. “I haven’t seen views like this in ages.” Scourge was quiet as he sat on the railing of the balcony, Amy opting instead to settle into the chair that was there and stargaze. He didn’t want to admit it, but Scourge also couldn’t deny that he’d likely not have gotten any of the thrills he’d experienced the last few days if Eggman hadn’t snatched him out of his crappy motel room. He wasn’t particularly interested in partaking in this little war he was brewing up, but he couldn’t say he hadn’t enjoyed himself at least a little bit.

“Hey, Scourge…can I ask you something?” Amy asked, turning her attention towards the Moebian who gave her a curious look. “How come you’re always callin’ me ‘Rosy’?” His eyes widened, and his expression grew a little nervous for a split second. He exhaled in defeat, reluctantly answering her honestly. “Well, ah…thing is, I’ve had a couple of run-ins with your Moebian counterpart,” he admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck. She blinked a few times, before she suddenly stood up out of her chair and sprawled her hands out on the table.

“My WHAT ?!” she yelped, beside herself that she had never considered before she had even had one. Scourge flinched, waving his hands frantically. “Woah woah woah, chill out! I-I mean, I don’t exactly know her personally or nothin’! We’re not even friends!” he explained. Amy ran a hand through her bangs, “Ohhh, my gosh…I can’t believe this…!” Her mind started to race, and biting self doubts she thought long since been swallowed up started to gnaw at the back of her mind. “I, um…what…what was she like?” she asked, sitting herself back down awkwardly.

“Oh, she’s fucking crazy ,” he bluntly revealed. “Like, looney bin crazy. Absolutely hates my guts, in fact.” She was quiet for a moment, rubbing her arm as she tried to compose herself. “Ah…right, of…of course, I guess that’s, um…t-that makes sense,” she muttered. He noticed her hesitant tone of voice, and it tipped him off a tad. “You…don’t sound like you think so,” he pointed out. She shook her head, “No no, that’s…so, she calls herself…Rosy?” He knew she was only deflecting, but decided to put a pin in it for the time being.

“Yeah, called herself ‘Rosy The Rascal’ or some shit like that. Like I said, crazy ,” he reiterated. Amy was quiet again, thinking to herself as she looked out at the kingdom below. “Have you…ever run into…h-her parents?” she asked. His ears twitched, the very word setting him on edge. But he distracted himself from his own issues by instead focusing on the oddly specific nature of her question. “‘Fraid I dunno that. Like I said, we aren’t really friends, so, I haven’t asked and she doesn’t give a fuck to tell,” he summed up.

She seemed a little disappointed, and unluckily for her, he noticed. “Why would you wanna know about them, anyway?” he asked. She winced, rubbing at her wrist and avoiding eye contact all of the sudden. As the silence droned on, his interest grew stronger. “Amy?” he called out. The pink hedgehog let out a sad sigh. “My parents…I didn’t really ever…get to know them before they were… gone ,” she admitted. “My father died in the Great War, and my mother…she was roboticized and then, she just…disappeared.”

Both cruel fates, and Scourge’s heartstrings were oddly quite tugged. She shook her head, “I…I mean, I know a lot more about my dad, but, I never met him. He died before I was born…he and Sonic’s father, they were friends. He told me everything he knew about him, but, even that was limited.” The Moebian prince hesitated, before daring to ask, “Well…what was he like?” She looked up, her eyes widening a tad. She was somewhat surprised he cared to ask, but didn’t mind answering nonetheless. “He was…chivalrous, to a fault, at times,” she described.

“And…hehe…he had a terrible temper. It’s probably where I got mine from,” she snickered, tears welling up in her eyes a little. “And he was real romantic towards my mother, Jules had seen a couple of the letters he’d send her…he was such a poet.” The girl frowned, looking up at the stars again and silently wishing on them. “I just…wish I got to see for myself.” Scourge stared at her for a long moment. Wordlessly, he leaned over and wiped a tear off her cheek for her, to which she blushed and stared in bewilderment.

He didn’t say anything as he pulled his hand back, looking out at the stars again before he spoke. “...Sorry ya never knew your folks…if it makes you feel better…mine were strangers to me, too…” The girl was utterly stunned he would admit something so personal. But then again, she could apply such a question to herself. It had just felt so easy to open up to him. They had been through a lot together the past few days, and he even went out of his way to cheer her up earlier when he didn’t need to. Part of her wondered why he hadn’t just run off by now.

Perhaps he wasn’t as bad as he tried to come off. As she thought about all that had transpired up to now, she realized that they had cemented something of a friendship. She smiled, reaching into her pocket as she called out to him again. “Hey, I’ve got an idea…” she said. He turned his head to look at her, blinking in surprise when she pulled out her deck of cards and began shuffling them between her hands. “How’s about I give you a reading?” she offered. “Since I’ve got my full set back, let’s see if we can get your ‘Coincidentally true’ ratio up a little higher~?”

He smirked, turning himself around and resting his hands on his ankles, “ Hit me, Rosy.”

---

Skye had spent hours searching amidst the city, trying and failing to find anything significant. Perhaps his idea was a lost cause after all. But Candella did not teach him to be a quitter. He had to keep trying, no matter what. He was intent on giving back to her all she had provided to him, and he would succeed. But it was so torturous. It was like the former Council wanted to bury some manner of shameful secret, far far away from anyone, everyone. “Guess they weren’t the virtuous leaders everyone thought…” he almost snickered at the irony.

Ah, if only they had gotten to those sorry fools first. They had already been absolutely eviscerated, though by what, they hadn’t the slightest clue. They were covered in burns, but Skye had deduced that most of them died drowning on dry land. Which was especially odd, given there wasn’t a drop of water, and no burn marks anywhere around the area they had been found. It was a mystery lost to time itself, and likely would never be answered. Unless of course, by some miracle, they found a way to reverse time itself.

But such a thing was impossible, thanks again to the former Council. It was astonishing just how much of a pain they managed to be when they were but cadavers rotting away at an abandoned altar. As Skye continued to scan the area, searching for any sign of a being with power at the very least comparable to a Prodigy, all turned up empty. He groaned, starting to become frustrated. “I swear , with the way those guys operated, they might’ve just taken the secret to their gra-” He paused, the gears in his mind turning like clockwork.

His three tails spun, propelling him quickly through the streets. He hopped and glided along the ground, not stopping, even as he exited the city borders. The boy traveled far, entering the desolated forest whose trees no longer existed, and stopping only at a cliffedge to observe a familiar sight. A crumbled, catastrophic ruin of land that had slammed against land. Formerly the floating island that held the Master Emerald, now nothing but a heaping mess that laid over what was left of a once beautiful acre of land. He could see the ruins of the altar from here.

He jumped up, gliding through the air with his propeller-like tails until he landed at the top of the altar. Everything was exactly as it had been left. The now dull and grayed shards of the Master emerald, the Council’s skeletal remains and their withered clothes. The only thing left of them that still remained intact besides their bones, were a bracelet each had on their right wrists. Skye picked one up, wincing and grimacing at the bone he was forced to touch in order to get it. He used his scanning device to analyze it, the results revealing that it was some sort of key.

He turned it around and observed it for a moment, it had an odd shape, and it still glowed in a blinking fade over and over. “This must react to something , but what…?” he wondered, turning tail and making way for the city again, blowing dust over the remains of the Council as he left. He wandered all over the place all over again, trying to find something that might have a connection to this key. Oddly, he had the sensation that he was being watched a few times, but always found there was simply no one there. After all, who could be?

The boy kept searching, hours passing by before he finally seemed to stumble upon something. The bracelet glowed inside a particular building they had revamped into a storage facility for some of their skybound vehicles. He followed the glow for a moment, stopping in his tracks when he heard something get knocked over, and someone cry out in pain. Skye turned around, pulling out a destabilizing gun from his pocket at the mystery stalker. “Who’s there?! Show yourself! You don’t have jurisdiction to be in this facility!” he cried.

From a wiggling bucket spilled out a familiar, but not so much wanted, face. It was his other creation, his failed prototype of Orbot. “H-hey, boss…s-sorry uh, about the noise! I was just uh, w-wonderin’ what you were doin’, is all!” he blithered as he pulled himself up. Skye groaned and rolled his eyes, putting his gun away. “ Cubot !” he addressed the bumbling bot. “For the love of- I was about to blow you to smithereens! You can’t just sneak around!” Cubot shriveled up a tad, seeming genuinely sorry to have upset his creator. “S-sorry, boss…” he mumbled.

“Ugh, whatever, just…be quiet, will you? I’m doing something really important right now and I don’t need distractions!” he instructed, returning to following the glow. Cubot was obedient at first, curiously following his creator as he walked along. Eventually, Skye found the point most reactive, and realized what he was looking for was likely under the floor. “Hmmm…” He looked over at one of the planes still parked here, jumping up and leaning over the cockpit to dig around for something. “Uhh, watchya doin’ there, boss?” Cubot called out.

“I gotta get down there, but my destabilizer won’t be enough. I need… there !” he pulled out another gun, which gave off a futuristic glow once he turned it on. “You’ll wanna stand back, boltbrain,” he advised his obnoxious creation, who backed up behind him immediately. Skye took aim at the floor, firing off the gun and melting a large hole through the floor with the ray that shot out of it. He gave a satisfactory smile, switching the gun off and tossing it aside. “Come on, Cubot,” he instructed, jumping down through the hole into a metal corridor.

Cubot followed suit, although hesitantly, trying to avoid the still smoldering sides of the hole. Skye’s bracelet kept on glowing, though it remained stagnant in it’s brightness. It served as the perfect light source in this otherwise pitch black hallway that seemed to go on for ages. Eventually, he managed to reach a door, noting a perfect shape where the bracelet would surely fit. He slipped it off, inserting it inside and waiting, before he heard a whirring sound like a generator springing to life. Suddenly, the hallway revealed to have lights in it’s ceiling, all glowing red.

“ ID confirmed: Number 5, Gold. Welcome back ”

Cubot flinched and clung to his creator’s tail at the sudden sound of an AI system addressing them. Skye flicked his tails, flinging him off in agitation before taking the bracelet back and stepping through the now open doorway. The room lit up with more red lights, slowly leading to the centerpiece of the room. Skye was frozen in shock, dropping the bracelet in his hand and letting it roll towards the object that had startled him. Cubot groggily trudged over to him, curious of his master’s sudden state of shock. “W-what is it boss? What’d ya… find …?”

Sealed away tightly in golden cuffs, and locked up behind a floating cage like some sort of unspeakably horrific monster, was none other than the Ultimate Lifeform. He looked just as he had in the most recent documentations of him. His eyes were closed, seeming to be in a permanent sleep. The three-tailed fox was in utter disbelief, he had done it. He had found the Council’s filthy little secret. And it was theirs for the taking. “What…what the heck is that thing?!” Cubot yelped, a bit frightened by the sight of him.

“Cubot…” Skye spoke up after swallowing nervously. “R…report back to Candella immediately. Tell her…we found him.”

“W-who, boss?”

“ The Ultimate Lifeform: Shadow The Hedgehog .”

Chapter Text

The children were practicing their alphabets again, supervised by their legal guardian as usual. Things were still quiet, and it seemed there was still no sign yet of an Emerald. Rouge was manning the wheel this time around, sending Omega to instead assist Shadow with giving the kids combat training. And for the first time since their embark, Silver willingly left his room to wander the ship. He hoped Mephiles would at the very least leave him alone when he was around the others. Surely he wasn’t stupid enough to get too close to them?

He was a coward, always playing with his prey in isolation when it was most helpless. Silver shuddered a little, hugging himself as he tried not to think of it. As he turned a corner, his frail form bumped against metal that knocked him back. He yelped in surprise and a bit of pain. The towering robotic figure was unfazed, merely looking down to see what had grazed it. When Silver looked up to meet their gaze, he found he had smacked into none other than Omega. Ah, right, that thing that was always following Shadow and Rouge around like a puppy.

Should he apologize? Would a robot even care? Before he could contemplate what to say, Omega addressed him. “ IT IS ABOUT TIME…YOU CRAWLED OUT OF YOUR ROOM. ” Was that… sass ? Silver didn’t even know robots could do that. “Erm…” he blinked, balking at the strange words Omega had given him. “Y…yeah, I…guess,” he muttered awkwardly as he pulled himself together. “Didn’t see you there.” Omega turned their body back upward to face in front of them, before beginning to saunter ever so slowly down the hall. “ THAT IS EVIDENT, ” they remarked.

Silver sneered in confusion, deciding to walk beside the lumbering machine. If he was going to walk around this claustrophobic place, he’d at least have some company. Even if it was this odd bot. “Uhh, where are you going?” he inquired. “ TO COMPLETE MY OBJECTIVE… ” Now, that sounded more like something a machine would say. Silver tilted his head a little, almost as if trying to get a look at their eyes and see into their soul. “And…that iiisss?” he prodded, Omega giving him a glance before stopping in their tracks altogether.

This startled the hedgehog, who became nervous he may have just offended it. But their words were still spoken in the same indifferent tone. “ I MUST ASSIST SHADOW WITH COMBAT TRAINING TODAY, SO THAT THE CHILDREN ARE…READY, FOR DANGER. ” The hedgehog frowned. How does he even plan to train them? He doesn’t know anything about their powers! he thought. His eyes darted around a moment in silence. To his surprise, Omega noticed and called him out. “ IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, SPEAK. ”

A sheepish look crossed the hedgehog’s face. “U-um, it’s just…I guess I’m thinking maybe I should…join you guys,” he admitted. “You still don’t know anything about their kinetic powers.” Omega didn’t respond at first, which only made Silver’s anxiety spike again. In the end, they turned, and kept on walking. “ AFFIRMATIVE, ” they confirmed. He stood still for a moment, before following after them again in a hurry. Eventually the pair reached the room where Shadow and the kids were sitting at the low table again. The dark hedgehog looked up.

“Any signs of activity ye-?” He paused, surprised to see the white hedgehog out and about. “Silver, uh, good…good afternoon,” he greeted awkwardly. Silver crossed his arms, giving off the attitude of a snotty teenager as he responded, “ Uh-huh …” Artemis looked up, eyes sparkling with stars when they landed on Omega. “Woooaaahhh! It’s that cool robot dude from before!” he recognized, attempting to get up before Shadow grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him back down again. “ Sit , you aren’t done yet. You two need to recite them one more time.”

The boy pouted and crossed his arms, grumbling, “ Lame… ” under his breath before doing as told and getting back to his alphabet. Omega trudged over, raising an arm as they addressed Shadow. “ I HAVE COME TO ASSIST WITH COMBAT TRAINING, ” they announced. Shadow nodded, “I suppose it is about time for them to start learning to defend themselves…” Silver stepped forward, getting in front of Omega all of the sudden. “Hold it.” Shadow was cautious, but tried not to lose his temper too quickly. “Is there a problem?” he asked.

“Do you even know what you’re doing? They both have completely different kinetic types! You don’t even have a kinetic power,” Silver pointed out. Shadow was quiet for a moment, as it was a good point. He wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to go about this from the moment that he had demanded to have them released into his care. But frankly, that was the last concern on his mind at the time. He crossed his arms and looked away. “Well…I guess it’s lucky you’re here then, isn’t it?” he retorted curtly. Silver exhaled sharply through his nose, and Midnight’s ear twitched in response.

She looked over at him for a brief moment, before returning to her braille sheet to finish her alphabet. Neither hedgehog noticed, the room falling silent save for the children’s voices for the next few minutes. Once they were finished, Shadow took their sheets from them, and ordered Omega to move the furniture in the room to make space. The children admired their strength from a distance, Midnight’s ears twitching at the sounds. Once again, however, her head turned in Silver’s direction. And this time, he noticed. “What?” he asked.

“Are you…s-s…scared…o-of us…?” she nearly whispered. The telekinetic hedgehog was only confused for a split second, only just remembering that she had psychokinesis. He shook his head, “D-don’t go poking around in my head. It’s rude.” She frowned, looking down dejectedly. That was close… Silver  thought, managing to swallow a sigh of relief. Eventually Omega had displaced the furniture, making a perfectly spacious area for them to begin their training. Artemis took his sister’s hand, guiding her to the center of the room where everyone gathered. 

“So, how much do you know about their abilities, exactly?” Shadow asked.

“Well, admittedly, I’m not exactly an expert on most of them. But I know the basics. Lucky for you, though, Blaze was pyrokinetic as well. I know a lot more about that one than any of the others,” he summed up. Artemis stepped forward, lighting a flame in one hand. “I kinda got a handle on it…I use it all the time, or, well, on the base I did anyway,” he said. Silver knelt down, meeting his eye level as he observed the fire carefully. “I remember most of Blaze’s techniques, I can teach you them. I think…she used to say the most important thing is to have discipline,” he recalled.

“Discipline?” Silver chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. “It uh, basically means to keep a level head. It’s tempting to lose your temper and throw fire everywhere, but, you gotta keep it under control,” he simplified for his sake. He gently took the boy’s other hand, pulling it up next to his other one. “Do you use your right hand for most things?” he asked. Artemis seemed surprised and nodded, “Uh, yeah. How’d ya know?” Silver smiled at him and snickered, “Pyrokinetics tend to use their dominant hand, Blaze told me it’s easy to forget you can use both.”

The boy blushed, seeming a little embarrassed that Silver had completely read him like a book. His sister giggled, but at the very least tried to stifle it. “Try it like this, instead,” Silver suggested, coaxing the boy to practice a little. Artemis hesitated, before willing his power through his other hand like requested. His ears perked up in amazement when the flame in his right hand became bigger. “Wooaahh! That’s so cool ,” he gawked. “I can make more fire if I use both ?” Silver nodded. “Yup, though it might make you tired a little faster,” he warned.

“You guys are still really young, so your bodies will give in a lot quicker, especially since you don’t have much practice with your powers. It will help to use both your hands, but you should learn to alternate,” he said, taking the boy’s right hand and closing it, his flame shrinking instantly. He looked over to the girl next, his head bouncing thoughts back and forth as he frowned. “As for you …hmmm…I don’t know nearly as much about psychokinesis. I do know it involves the mind, and it allowed Prodigies to read thoughts and even control minds.”

He stood up, rubbing at his chin with his finger. “I feel like…there was some other important ability I’m forgetting,” he mumbled with uncertainty. Omega stepped forward, offering up their own input. “ PERHAPS, ONE COULD EVEN…INDUCE MIGRAINES. ” Silver blinked at that. While it didn’t sound familiar, it certainly sounded plausible. “Well, it is the mind they deal with…that would make sense. Thing is, I dunno how that even works ,” he admitted. “Psychokinesis is the only kinetic power that can’t manipulate anything… tangible .”

Midnight frowned, nearly shrinking in on herself. Shadow noticed, and he winced. Even her brother was starting to feel bad for her. The dark hedgehog exhaled softly, before approaching her and kneeling down to her. “Midnight…can you give me your hand?” he requested. Silver and Omega watched curiously, the girl doing as instructed slowly. He hesitated for only a moment before he made up his mind. “How far into my mind can you reach?” he asked. Her ears perked up, and she nearly gasped. “A-are you…saying I can look in your head?” she asked.

He nodded, “Yes. We won’t know what you’re capable of, and I can’t ask you to look in Silver’s head. So…look deeply into my own, as far as you can.” She seemed reluctant, but he was calm as he said, “It’s ok…I won’t be mad, no matter what it is you see.” For a moment, it seemed like she was truly seeing into his soul, even without eyes to do so. “D-do you…p-promise…?” He squeezed her hand comfortingly as he said, “ I promise .” She took a deep breath, before finally biting the bullet and gazing deep into his mind.

It was not unlike Sonic’s was before. There was so much grief, so much anguish, so much regret. But it was all null and distant, despite how much it clearly affected him. So many thoughts, so many people he had always been thinking about. His uncertainties and worries about Silver’s allegiance, about their safety, even about how he might be seen after this. Then, to her amazement, for the first time, she could see . But, no…this wasn’t her vision. It felt like she was seeing through the eyes of someone else . And she realized that she was.

A rapid heartbeat and haggard breath that was not her own filled her ears. The sound of feet clattering against a metal floor at a rushed pace. Whoever this was, they turned around, their eyes landing on a…girl? She had such beautiful curly hair, and a dress that matched her eyes, too. She looked so scared. And there were more people in the distance. They looked so angry. Once again, the world was black, but she could swear she heard a loud bang as it all drifted away, and the chilling blood curdling screams of Shadow, crying out in anguish and outrage.

When she stopped, she realized she could feel Shadow’s hand again. “Midnight?” he called out to her gently. “What did you find?” She was quiet for a moment, but she snapped out of it when she felt her brother’s arm touch her shoulder. “A-ah, sorry…um…I…I could… see ,” she reported. Shadow’s eyes widened in shock, “Y-you…you could? Wait, what did you see?” She shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts. “Um…n-not much…I don’t think it was m… my eyes I was l-looking through. I saw…a g-girl. She looked scared…and w-we w-were…running.”

“Maria…” Shadow muttered in recognition. “D-did you…k-know her? W-w-was that… your eyes I was s-seeing through, m-mister Shadow?” He hesitated, unable to hide a grimace when he gave her a reluctant, “ Yes …” The room was silent for the longest time, and Midnight slowly slipped her hand out of Shadow’s grip. All of the sudden, the girl wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He froze, a bit surprised by the gesture at first. “I-it’s o-ok…y-you don’t h-have to…l-let me look…a-anymore…i-if you’re hurt, y-you…s-should take a b-break…”

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around the child, her words touching him deeply. He didn’t say anything in response, the pair lingering in the embrace for a moment before letting go of each other. Artemis stepped forward, taking his sister’s hand in his. “Then do me!” he said. “Y-you still gotta practice, and, y-you won’t know your limits if you don’t read some one, so…” Her ears twitched, not expecting him to volunteer. But she smiled. “Thank you, Artemis, I w-will…” Their training continued for the next couple of hours, each doing their best to improve.

Where Midnight was testing the reaches of her power, Artemis was snuffing out the weaknesses of his own techniques. He had Omega tanking most of his attacks, encouraging him to hit harder and with more passion anytime he hesitated. It was much easier to blast at the G.U.N soldiers full force without a hint of remorse or pity, after all. Omega hadn’t spoken to them much, but they had done nothing to either of the children to warrant Artemis’s full wrath, either. For all his tough talk and act, deep down, it seemed he was much like Shadow.

He found it hard to raise a hand in defense against anything that he did not recognize as a threat to him and his sister’s safety. Though Shadow supposed that wouldn’t be much of a problem in a real combat situation, and didn’t fret too much over it. He merely scolded Artemis for not unleashing the full limit of his power. Midnight would make a small amount of progress, finding that she could see through the eyes of anyone whom she peered deep enough into the mind of. But it seemed she had no control over the memories she saw as of yet.

She also didn’t know how to “Control” a mind as Silver had suggested. For the time being it seemed she was merely only capable of intruding to see what was within, but never able to manipulate anything. Not that she really wanted to do that to either Shadow or her brother, even if only for practice. The girl also tried Omega’s suggestion of inducing a headache, though it yielded no real results. She had assumed perhaps it was a matter of willpower, but in the end, she couldn’t seem to get it to work. In time, perhaps, she would manage.

By the end of it, both children had completely exhausted themselves physically. They could feel the toll of having used their powers so much, even in such little time. Artemis put a hand to his head as he sat down. “Oogh…I can’t believe I’m saying this…but can we please go back to doing our alphabets?” he pleaded. Shadow chuckled and shook his head, “No, I think you two ought to just sit down and rest for a while, I’ll make you lunch.” Omega picked the children up in one hand, allowing them to sit there and rest against one another while they moved the furniture back into place.

Silver lent a hand this time around, floating up what he could and placing it back down where it had been before. Omega seemed to appreciate the gesture, as they set the children down on one of the couches to relax for a while. Silver sat down on one of the other couches, lost in thought all over again. This time, he was thankful that Midnight was far too tired to go poking around in it. “ WHAT ENRAGES YOU SO PASSIONATELY, FLESHBAG? ” Silver’s ears flicked upwards, and his head turned to gawk at the hunk of metal who had addressed him.

“I…what?” he stammered. “I-I’m not angry.” The lumbering unit didn’t seem to be buying it, stepping towards him at a slow pace. “ I KNOW THE LOOK IN YOUR EYE WELL. I HAVE SEEN IT REFLECTED IN MY LEADER’S. I HAVE FELT SUCH HATRED BEFORE. ” Good thing you don’t see anything else of him in me he thought, relaxing at the realization it was merely making a pragmatic observation. He looked away, indignant as ever. “Gee, I wonder why I’m not more happy like you,” he sarcastically quipped. But Omega was not amused by the deflection whatsoever.

“ THINGS WILL NOT GO WELL IF YOU CONTINUE ON THIS WAY… ” they warned. “ WE WILL BE ENEMIES, IF YOU CANNOT RESOLVE THAT HATRED. DO NOT BE FOOLISH. ” Silver watched in silence as Omega turned, and left the room without another word. He glanced over at the children, they were already dozing off, oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place. He kept watch over them while awaiting Shadow’s return with their food, letting Omega’s advice sink in after long enough. It irked him how much it reminded him of Blaze’s lectures.

What would she have said, had she known about all this? Would she think him childish? He remembered well how fondly she spoke of her father, how she wished she could have met her mother. Maybe it was a little selfish to be so childishly holding this grudge. He had always wanted to know who his real family was for as long as he could remember. Now that he actually had it, he was pushing it away. And at such an arduous time, as well. He was certain, yes, Blaze would’ve chewed him out for such behavior. And that display earlier with the girl, it was hard to ignore.

It only made him begin to wonder if there was simply something wrong with him .

---

It didn’t take long for Sonic to recuperate with his friends, giving them Sally’s orders while excluding her demand of him to be absent. They didn’t have to waste nearly as much time since the Acorn Kingdom was still readily open to allowing anyone to soar the skies in order to flee, or even simply to just help. With reluctance, Sonic would part ways with the boy he had grown somewhat attached to, reminding himself that he had bigger fish to fry. Still, he would leave the boy with a parting gift, the same piece of burnt cloth he still carried with him since Tails had passed.

“What…is this?” the boy asked.

“S-sorry, I know it’s kind of a lame gift…it belonged to a friend of mine. He was a fox, like you. And he was super smart,” he explained. “I can’t stay, but, I want you to have this.”

“I’ll…t-take good care of it, Sonic. I promise.”

“I know you will, bud…”

He ruffled up the boy’s hair, giving him a thumbs up before dashing off to meet up with Bunnie and Antoine. This time around they decided to bring their children along as well. He didn’t blame them all that much, especially not after the close brush with death they had last night. But just as well, he firmly believed that even the smallest and youngest of people could achieve amazing feats and best even the most perilous of evils. He needn’t look further than his own astounding accomplishments from the tentative age of ten, even if he disregarded Tails and Cream.

The hedgehog would be somewhat restless on the ten hour flight over, sometimes hopping outside to relax on the wing of the plane. It brought back nostalgic memories that gave him some semblance of comfort. He’d almost be tempted to shut his eyes and doze off to allow the images of riding aboard The Tornado to consume his mind. But he reminded himself that recklessness is what got him here in the first place. Every so often his friends looked out the window to check on him, only to not find it in themselves to disturb him.

The children noticed the adults’ downtrodden demeanors after long enough. They felt a little too awkward to keep on playing ignorantly amongst themselves. “Maw, paw,” Jacques spoke up after a while. “Why do y’all look so down in the dumps?” Bunnie sighed, tipping up her hat with a weak but prideful smile. “We’re that obvious, huh?” she guessed. The kids exchanged a hesitant look, both hesitating for a moment before nodding. Bunnie sighed, walking over and sitting on the floor with her children. “Well, huns, remember when we told y’all we were goin’ away to visit a…a friend?”

“I remember, maman,” Belle nodded. Bunnie took a deep breath, “Well, darlin’s…we did. But, that friend wasn’t exactly… around anymore. We were goin’ to his, um, funeral…” Jacques frowned deeply, he understood well enough about such things. Though his younger sister was still a little inexperienced in the subject. “ Oh …” he muttered, looking down at the floor awkwardly. Bunnie nodded, “And, well, we’re all takin’ it a might hard. Especially since that nasty ol Eggman just won’t leave us alone. And Sonic is…takin’ it the worst of us. We’re just worried about ‘im, that’s all.”

“Ees he g-going to be ok, maman?” Belle asked, looking out the window at the hero curiously. Bunnie frowned deeply, opening her mouth to speak, but her husband beat her to the chase. “We are…not sure, monfille,” Antoine muttered. “It would be best if you two did not bother him about such things,” he advised his children, who nodded obediently. “Sure thing paw, I just can’t help but feel bad, too. He was so nice to us, n all.” Bunnie smiled and pat her son on the head, ruffling his hair a little. “Aw, don’t worry none, hun. I’m sure he was mighty grateful for your help.”

Jacques pouted, fixing his hair back the way it was as his sister giggled. The rest of the flight went relatively smoothly, and much to their relief, they seemed to have beaten Eggman to the punch this time around. They hadn’t run into any of his ships on the way, not even so much as a badnik. It was certainly a nice change of pace to be ahead of the curve for once, and Sonic was certainly in higher spirits upon seeing the unforgettable city of water. Once they landed, they made way for the castle immediately, though Bunnie and Antoine noticed Sonic lagging behind.

He didn’t look to be distracted all that much, almost intentionally walking slow enough to be behind them. Normally, it would be nothing of consequence, but they knew him by now. He was always in the front, usually several feet if not already blasting off much farther ahead. Even if he just wanted to keep pace with them, he wasn’t even trying. Almost like he was hiding. However, they decided not to make a big deal of it just yet. They still had to recuperate with Sally and Rotor, after all. The children were gawking at the scenery, Belle grinning ear to ear with admiration.

“Je n'arrive pas à y croire!” Belle exclaimed in amazement. “Eet ees so beautiful here!” Sonic snickered at her adorable reactions. “Sure is, isn’t it? There’s lots of pretty sights to see around here,” he said. “I can show you some more of them later, if you’d like. I know all the best spots.” She turned around, walking backwards as she gave an excited gasp to him. “Oh! Zat would be tre magnifique!” Eventually they arrived at the castle, easily making it past the guards out front once they stated their business and flashed their IDs.

Promptly, they were escorted to their ruler, Belle still in a daze as she admired the tall walls and regal decor of the place. She’d end up bumping into her brother when her family had stopped in their tracks, realizing they had finally arrived. Sonic snickered a tad at her, keeping behind the family still. Suddenly, Bunnie and Antoine bowed, their children watching in confusion, and Sonic feeling his nerves shoot up as he brought his eyes up to meet the inevitable fallout. Except, it wasn’t Sally he saw, but another red-headed sovereign he was all too familiar with.

“Elise!” he called out in surprise. The Queen brought her eyes up from the respectful visitors, and lit up with pleasant surprise. “Sonic? Oh, wow, it is you!” Her hair was a little longer than it used to be, but other than that, she looked mostly the same. Bunnie and Antoine rose to their feet, and gawked in disbelief. “Y’all know each other?” she asked. Sonic nodded, walking up to greet his old friend. “Sure do, I saved her from Eggman about nine years ago. But she was still only a Princess back then,” he summed up. The Queen nodded to confirm his claims.

“I still remember it like it was yesterday! So exciting,” she giggled. “It’s so good to see you, Sonic. I’m glad we’ve got you here to help.” He nodded, giving the Queen a thumbs up, much to Antoine’s visible annoyance. “Sure thing, Elise! I always keep my word, after all!” She snickered again, “Indeed you do!” Bunnie stepped forward, standing beside Sonic as she addressed the Queen directly. “Your highness, pardon me, but we’re part of Sally’s task force, the Freedom Fighters? She sent for us to help protect your land,” she reported.

“Oh, that’s right! It’s nice to meet you, miss…?”

“Bunnie, Bunnie D’Coolette. And this here is my husband, Antoine. Oh, and, these are our children, Belle and Jacques. We brought ‘em along since we figured it’d be safer for them to be where we can keep a closer eye on ‘em!”

“They’re so adorable ! I’ve got a little one of my own, actually.”

Sonic’s ears perked up at that, and he leaned over, realizing he had noticed something move just behind Elise’s leg. His eyes fell on a girl with blonde hair that resembled Elise’s feathered locks to a T. His eyes widened, his mind connecting the dots immediately. “Woah, you had a kid, too?” he gawked. The girl behind Elise realized fast she had been spotted, squeaking and shuffling away to avoid his gaze. The Queen turned, looking behind her and placing a gentle hand on her head. “It’s alright, Silvia. These are friends…” she cooed softly.

The girl was hesitant, but slowly peaked her head out again to meet the eyes of their visitors. She had striking blue eyes, just like her mother’s. Belle blinked, leaning in a little as she looked her over. “She’s so pretty …” she mumbled. Sonic knelt down to be at her eye level, smiling at her welcomingly. “Hey there, Silvia, is it? It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sonic, Sonic The Hedgehog.” Silvia looked at him, almost as if studying his movements. Her eyes lit up in recognition. “Sonic…like, one of the hedgehogs who…s-saved mama?” she asked.

Elise nodded, “That’s right. Remember? I told you about him before, at bedtime.” She shared a gaze with her mother for a moment, before slowly stepping out into the open. Her clothes were quite fancy, their cost evident just from one look. Likely comfortable silk. “U-um…hi,” she greeted shyly. “M…my name’s…Silvia,” she needlessly introduced, not sure of what to say. Belle approached her, the girl flinching back nervously a little but stilling her movements when her mother’s hand touched her back encouragingly.

“My name ees Belle. Eet ees nice to meet you,” she smiled. “Do you want to play with moi?” Silvia blinked in surprise, slowly nodding her head. “U-um, ok…” she accepted, only a moment later having her hand grabbed by Belle who began to pull her along. Their mothers giggled at the cute display. “Careful now, sweetheart! Be nice, ya hear? An’ don’t make trouble for the guards!” Bunnie called out. “Yes maman!” Belle responded, before disappearing down the hall with her newfound friend. Bunnie knelt down a little, speaking quietly to her son.

“Ya mind followin’ ‘em and makin’ sure your sister don’t get into trouble, darlin’?” He nodded, turning and running after the girls, calling for his sister to wait for him as he darted off. Sonic rubbed a finger under his nose, “Man, things sure have changed. So, who’s the lucky guy?” he inquired with a smirk. Elise giggled, “Oh, you’ll meet him later, I’m sure. His name is Siegfried. He’s taking care of some other matters at the moment.” Antoine stepped forward, clearing his throat loudly enough to catch their attention. “Pardon moi, but, where is Sally?” he asked.

“Right, h-how rude of me,” she nervously chuckled. “She should be on her way here soon, actually. She’s just checking on her friend to see if the Chaos Emerald has been going off with any activity.” Sonic became on edge again, almost taking a step back as he contemplated running for it while he still could to avoid the inevitable as long as possible. He still kept a smile, though it became visibly strained as his ears folded back. “Sonic?” Elise called out. “Is…something wrong?” He was about to utter a denial, but a familiar yell filled his ears.

“By the looks of it, there certainly will be!”

He flinched, knowing the jig was up. He exhaled, irritation flooding his senses almost immediately. No, he’d stand his ground. This was his fight, whether she liked it or not. He turned to meet the furious eyes of his ex. “I told you not to come here!” she reiterated, Sonic crossing his arms at her in silence. Bunnie looked between them in confusion. “Uh, what’re you talkin’ about, Sally girl? I thought you said to come down here as soon as possible.” Sally’s glare lingered on Sonic a moment longer, before she answered her close friend in kind.

“I told Sonic to tell you to come here as soon as possible. And I told him to go back home and stay out of this ordeal!” she revealed his bluff, all eyes on him as they awaited some sort of explanation. A clarification of a misunderstanding, something, anything. But still, he was silent, no longer meeting Sally’s gaze. “You know, I expected you to disobey me, but to seriously come straight here and think you’d get away with it all while looking me in the eye?! You’re sorely mistaken!” she lectured. “I’m having you arrested for treason this instant !”

The nearest guards began to encroach on Sonic, who was still unmoving. Bunnie held her hands out, trying to diffuse the situation. “Woah woah woah! Slow down! Sally girl, just, calm down for a second here!” she urged, but it seemed this time the Queen would not be so easily swayed. “I’m sorry Bunnie, but this is what has to be done. Every time he gets involved, things get worse! He can’t be trusted!” she stated plain and simple, the guards continuing their approach before Elise’s voice re-entered the conversation with a yell Sonic had never heard her elicit.

“STOP!” It was so commanding, he couldn’t help but whip his head in her direction and gawk in surprise it was so unlike the soft-spoken princess he’d come to know. “That is enough , Sally! Nobody is being arrested! Guards, stand down this instant!” she commanded, the guards overriding Sally immediately and backing away. But the Queen of Acorn was not having it. “Elise, he’s dangerous ! He can’t handle this!” she tried to beseech, but it seemed Elise would not be convinced. “This is my Kingdom, and so long as you’re standing on my land, what I say is final!”

“You will not arrest Sonic, he’s done nothing worthy of scrutiny!” she scolded. “Sonic may not be perfect, but he always prevails against evil. I will not throw the man who saved my life and my people in a jail cell, no matter how little you trust his qualifications!” Sally seemed to want to say more, but she couldn’t refute Elise’s power in this city. The air was tense for a long moment, everyone remaining awkwardly silent. Then, it was broken by a beeping sound. Sally reached into her pocket, pulling out a device that was blinking rapidly.

“It’s Sara,” she said, pushing a button that pulled up a holographic image of the ditzy third member of the Queenly Commission herself. “Yooo, what’s up my homegiiirrrllls?” she greeted in her bubbly voice. Sonic smiled nervously, ears folding back again. “Hoo boy, this is sure turning out to be a real reunion…” he muttered. “OH. EM. GEE. Like, shut up , is that who I think it is~?” she squealed with excitement. Sally rolled her eyes and sneered, “ Unfortunately , yes…” The South Island Queen squeaked, and Sonic braced himself for the inevitable.

“Ehe…um…h-hey there, Sara. L-long time no see, huh?”

“Soniiic~ You’re still just as handsome as the day you saved South Island!”

“Aha…u-um…and you , you’re so, erm… different ?”

“Ugh, gosh, I know , right? Being Queen just does things to your complexion!”

Elise had to hold back a snicker at the exchange, clearing her throat a little before stepping forward. “S-sorry to interrupt, but, is there something you needed, Sara?” Sara blinked for a moment, before her eyes lit up in realization. “Oh, psh, duuhhh! I’m just calling to tell y’all that some of the great heroes of Mobius are like, here now? They thought I had an Emerald so they came down here to take it off my hands, but, you know. Awkwaaarrrd ~” Sonic raised a brow at that. The title was familiar to him, it was rewarded to him and a good chunk of his friends ages ago.

Though he tended not to pay much attention to it, the mention of it had him interested. “Who’s there with ya, Sara?” he asked. “Well, there’s Knuckie and his uber cute wife Julie, annnd then there was also this adorable bunny rabbit gal, I think her name is like, Cream, or something? Oh, and this super cute hedgehog named Amy, she’s like, sooo on the level!” His eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. Sally, Bunnie and Antoine were similarly shocked to hear that name exit Sara’s mouth, the group nearly repeating the name in unison. “AMY?!” Sara flinched at their shouting.

“U-um, yeah?” she confirmed. Bunnie scratched her head as she tried to process this. “But, wh…h-how in the heck did she escape from Eggman?!” she yelped. Sara kindly recapped the gist for them, having already been told the story from the pink hedgehog herself. Not a single person in the group seemed very happy to hear she was in the company of the Moebian prince, and Sonic was the first to say what they were all thinking. “Sara, Scourge is really dangerous. If you could do me a favor and make sure he doesn’t pull anything, that’d be great,” he requested.

“Oh? I mean, he did have a bad boy sorta vibe. Gosh, he looks so much like you , too, it had me all sorts of confused!” she remarked. The group sighed in relief once she assured them she’d keep him under strict observation, finally able to appreciate the news of her escape. “Well, at least she is safe,” Antoine said. Sonic nodded in agreement, about to ask further questions when Sally interjected with a report of the attack on her own kingdom. Her Freedom Fighters would be surprised to hear that Sara had sent troops, regretfully informing her they never made it.

This disappointed the South Island Queen, who offered her apologies and condolences immediately to Sally. Once her fellow Queens informed her that Eggman was likely out for Elise’s emerald next, she promptly offered to redirect her troops, stating that the tyrant likely still didn’t know she was involved just yet. The other Queens seemed reluctant at first, but in the end, they accepted her offer. “Well, let me know if anything happens, girls!” she said as she prepared to end the call. “I’ve gotta go let my subjects know things might get dicey soon! Good luck! Kisseeesss, mwa~!” After a kiss was blown to the camera, the holographic screen closed.

Sonic, Sally, and even Elise sighed in relief when it was over. “Well, I guess some things haven’t changed all that much…” he remarked with a laugh. “Well, at least your friend is safe. She’s in good hands with Sara,” Elise said, trying to cheer her old friend up. Sally turned away, not wanting to look at Sonic any longer. “Bunnie, Antoine, come with me. I’ll brief you on the next course of action.” Neither of them protested, Bunnie passing Sonic an apologetic glance before following after their leader, leaving Sonic and Elise alone.

“So…what was that about the Emerald going off?” he asked. Elise blinked, seeming surprised by his question. “Oh, you don’t know? The Emeralds have been acting strange. Well, the real ones, anyways. Not sure if your fakes have been acting up.” He shook his head, “Not that I ever noticed before mine disappeared. Guess I should ask Knux about his next time I see him, though.” She raised a brow at his wording, “Your Emerald…disappeared?” He cringed awkwardly, a little embarrassed to have to admit it. 

“Yeah, I mean, I can’t prove anything yet…but I think we all know who probably took it,” he confirmed. She nodded in understanding, walking over to one of the windows to admire the sea just beyond the edge of her city. “Well, anyways, the real ones have been glowing and emitting some kind of mist ,” she reported. “Sally said hers did the same thing when…” She hesitated, turning her head to look at him. He could already tell by her eyes what she was thinking about. “O-on…on the night that Tails was…” she trailed off, not needing to finish the thought aloud.

His heart wrenched at the mention of it, but he chose instead to focus on the more important part of her statement. “When did it happen, exactly?” he asked. “She said it was around 10:30 that night.” The hedgehog’s widened eyes piqued her curiosity as she called out to him to regain his attention. “That…I’m sure of it, that’s around when Tails was…” he muttered in thought. Elise winced, feeling terribly sorry for her friend. She knew he’d probably already heard it a million times by now, but, “I’m sorry, Sonic. He was a brave kid, I promise, Eggman won’t get away with it.”

He gave her a nod of acknowledgement, appreciating her words but saying nothing in response to them. “I wonder…how it’s connected, though,” he pondered, distracting himself again with the objective facts. “Your guess is as good as mine, but…we’ve been keeping it under observation. It’s why we haven’t moved it out of the city just yet,” she admitted. Sonic stared at her for a moment, before walking up to join her at the window. “You know, if you don’t move it, he’ll come back here for sure,” he reminded her. “I can still take it and run, you know.”

She smiled down at him, “Thank you, Sonic. I definitely want to get it out of here soon. But, I have this feeling this activity is the key to stopping what’s about to happen.” His ears twitched curiously, but he didn’t pry any further. He looked out at the sea, admiring it from a distance, the way he preferred. “Are you worried?” he asked. She snickered at his question, “Are you kidding? If you have time to worry, then run, remember?” His face lit up, realizing he had forgotten that advice he’d given so very long ago. He turned to look at her, and smirked.

“Heh~ Of course.”

---

South Island would be in a state of unrest and uncertainty that afternoon. As Sara had promised, she finally included her people in on the loop of Eggman’s return and inevitable threat. It wasn’t the chaos she was expecting, but it was certainly not taken in the most elegant of graces. But that was to be expected of the mundane public, having their oh-so peaceful lives thrown out of whack was nothing to sneeze at. Even the greatest heroes of the planet had never expected to be thrown back into the fray like this.

Once the half-Mobian Queen was finished, she returned to greet her guests inside the castle and report the results. And while she was at it, of course, “Oh, and uh, I talked to Sal! Turns out Sonic is with her over in Soleanna now, small world, am I right?” Everyone was somewhat surprised at the news, most of all Amy. “He is?!” she gasped. Sara nodded, “Yup, sure is! He flew over in a jiffy to like, help with Eggman! Since they think he’s probs gonna like, totally wreck Elise’s place next! Such a toad!” Amy shook her head to get her bearings, gripping her hammer tightly.

“Well we’ve gotta go help them, then!” she decided. Knuckles side-eyed her in disbelief. “Amy, are you serious? You just escaped from Eggman! And besides, Sonic’s probably already got it handled!” he pointed out. She pouted at him, “I’m not gonna live my life afraid of that egg-shaped jerk! If we all work together, we can beat him back into retirement where he belongs!” Cream nodded in agreement, stepping forward to back her friend up. “Amy is right! We’ve all got to stick together! If Eggman is going to Soleanna, we should go too!” she insisted.

“We don’t even know if he’s headed there for sure . He might still come attack Sara so she doesn’t interfere with his plans!” Julie argued, siding with her husband. Scourge rolled his eyes, “Come on , seriously? If there’s a Chaos Emerald in Soleanna, obviously he’s gonna go there next! That’s all he gives a shit about!” Julie growled, and Scourge’s quils bristled in response to her aggressive stance. “ You would know, huh? Since you tend to think like a bastard,” she hissed in contempt. From there, the group spiraled into a heated argument.

Sara blinked, absolutely beside herself with the chaos she’d inadvertently wrought. They were taking this much more poorly than her citizens. She grit her teeth as the yelling and argument continued, eventually raising her own voice. “ SHUT UP !” she screeched, the group falling instantly silent as they turned to look at her, most of their gazes still daggered from their flared tempers. She pouted at them, growling under her breath impatiently, causing them to immediately fold and melt their attitudes. They resembled scolded children at that moment.

“Everybody, like, chill the hell out !” she commanded. “What is up with all this icky hostility? Are y’all like, forgetting who the real dirtbag is or what?!” Amy sighed with shame, “S-sorry, Sara. You’re right.” Sara huffed, putting her hands on her hips as she calmed herself. “Look, things are like, super tense right now. I totes get you guys. But we gotta like, keep a cool vibe. If we’re all scatterbrained, who’re the little people gonna turn to for help?” Her language was, as always, debatably inappropriate. Yet her words held quite surprisingly sage wisdom to them.

“So…what do you think we should do, your highness?” Julie beseeched. “Things might get dangerous for you as much as they will for Elise. There’s no telling where Eggman will go next for sure.” Sara tapped her cheek, looking up in thought for a moment. She pouted, looking over at Amy and Scourge. “Hmmm, well, I did promise him to keep an eye on you…” she muttered. Scourge raised a brow, and Amy tilted her head in confusion. “Um, us?” She sighed, “Well, um, Sonic told me that your like, boyfriend over there, is super dangerous?”

Both hedgehogs turned beet red at her implication, nearly stammering in unison. “Wh-?! H-he’s…he’s not-!!” Amy stuttered, absolutely beside herself. Sara blinked and then snickered, “Oh, gosh, did I totally misread the vibe, there? Sorryyy~!” Scourge cleared his throat, recomposing himself before interjecting again. “L-look, I get it, he don’t trust me. But he’ll be able to just keep an eye on me him fuckin’ self if I go with her, right?” he pointed out. Amy looked over at him, surprised by his suggestion. “You mean…you’ll come help me?”

He cracked his knuckles and smirked, “I think I’ll pay that Eggfucker back for disruptin’ my life when he shoulda just stayed back in his little hidey hole of shame.” Sara hummed in thought for a moment, the logic was sound, somewhat. Plus, Amy seemed like a capable gal. She had figured that she was the boss of the assumed relationship, after all. “Wellllll, I guess I could allow it…but just so I don’t like, get in trouble, I think I’ll have a couple of my guards come with y’all!” Scourge huffed, but didn’t protest. “Whatever the fuck floats your boat,” he muttered.

“I’ll even give y’all a private jet to take there! Should be plenty of room for the three of you!” Cream’s ears rose up a little, looking around and realizing her brother wasn’t around. “Um, excuse me, but, I think I’ll bring my brother too. But, I gotta go find him,” she excused herself, flying away with her ears again. Julie sighed, looking over to Amy with a skeptical brow. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Amy gave her a look, turning and beginning to walk away from her as she responded curtly.

“I’m sure when you face Eggman, you’ll have a better time understanding just how difficult it is to beat him when we’re not unified.”

Scourge wasn’t entirely certain of what was happening between the two, but her cattiness emboldened him to smirk and childishly stick his tongue out at Julie before dashing off to join Amy. Julie growled irritably under her breath at the insufferable Moebian, calming only when her husband put a hand on her arm. “I hate that hedgehog…” she grumbled. “He hasn’t changed a bit since I last saw him. I dunno how Amy can stand him.” Knuckles nodded in agreement, “I hope she knows what she’s doing…at least it seems like she’s got a handle on him.”

“For that, we can be thankful,” she sighed. 

---

Cream flew all around the castle, calling out to her sibling over and over for quite a while. Eventually, she managed to find him, making a flower crown in Sara’s royal garden. She smiled, landing down in the flower patch to join him. “Hey, Gemerl! Mind if I join you?” she asked. “ Not at all, ” he assured, returning to his work as Cream settled in the flowers beside him and began her own crown. “Sara made her announcement, it seems like everyone is kind of worried, but, not as scared as she was expecting,” she reported.

“ That is good. ” She continued to work on her crown, carefully connecting the flowers together. “She also said that Sonic is in Soleanna, and everyone is worried he’s going to go there next to attack her and take her Chaos Emerald,” she added, slowly looking up at him again as she paused her work. “Amy said…she wants to go there to help.” Gemerl paused as well, looking over to meet his sister’s gaze. He said nothing, awaiting her elaboration patiently. “And, um…I think we should go, too.” Gemerl didn’t say anything at first, and Cream frowned.

“Do you…think we should stay?” she asked, not sure what his silence meant. He turned back to his crown, staring at it a moment before he answered her. “ I think…you should go with her. ” Cream blinked, noting that he had excluded himself. “You don’t want to come with us?” she asked. He shook his head, “ It is not that… ” She studied him carefully, waiting for a good few minutes for him to explain. She could almost swear she heard hesitance in his voice. “Gemerl? Are you…ok?” she asked, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

“ Cream? ” he called out, prompting her to pause her motion. “Y-yes? What is it?” she responded worriedly. “ There is…s-something very wrong…with me… ” he said. She tilted her head, not understanding at first. “What is it? Are you low on energy or something?” He shook his head again. She could almost swear it looked like he was trembling. “ I have felt something…since the Doctor attacked our home. Since…since we left mother and father and Mint at the shelter. I do not understand it… ” he said, sounding quite emotional.

Her eyes widened and pity washed over her. Gemerl had not displayed all that many emotions over the years she had known him. She had never even seen him angry before. Joy was the most common of them, of course. She remembered the night he returned from Angel Island, she had never seen him cry, or at least, try to do so. He lacked the ability to shed tears, but his voice was full of the same sort of despair. “Gemerl…are you…scared?” she realized. “ I…I do not know. I just…can’t help but feel…like something bad will happen again. ”

He turned his head to look at her, she could swear that there was helplessness reflecting off of his vacant eyes. “A-and I…I realize now that I do not want to see the Doctor.” She winced, looking down as she thought for a moment. They had been together since she found his beaten up body with her mother. She took care of him, and he took care of her. They loved each other like family. She exhaled softly, before embracing her brother all of the sudden. It wasn’t long before he returned the gesture, squeezing her tightly, as if terrified she’d disappear if he let go.

“Ok, Gemerl…you don’t have to come,” she said. “I understand…you’ve been through a lot. More than anyone should have to go through. I can’t ask you to face your creator, that’s something you have to decide for yourself.” When their embrace ended, she smiled brightly for him. “But, just so you’re not alone…I’ll leave Chocola here with you, too. Ok?” Gemerl nodded slowly, “ Ok, Cream…thank you. I am sorry to abandon you like this. ” She shook her head, “Mm-mm. To be honest, I’ve been pretty scared too.”

“Eventually, when the time is right…I know you’ll be there,” she assured him. Gemerl said nothing for a moment, before raising up the crown he’d made and placing it atop her head. She smiled, admiring it fondly for a moment. “It’s beautiful, Gemerl~” she praised. The siblings shared one more hug, Cream finishing her crown in turn and placing it atop his head before parting ways with him one last time. Once she was sure she was somewhere he could not see, she allowed herself a few tears. Then, steeled her nerves and flew off to find her Chao.

At the very least, she could be certain he would be safe from Eggman’s wrath, for now.

Chapter Text

The Sol Emeralds had been silent since she entered this world. It worried her deeply, but she didn’t know what else to do but to continue moving forward. Her mission was important, after all. At the very least, she had landed in a good place. If anyone could help her, it would be the princess. Though, perhaps she was mere princess no longer. She wondered if time passed at the same rate here, though it seemed unlikely. Still, everything looked the same. It couldn’t have been that long, right? The bellowing voice of Iblis distracted her thoughts again.

“HERE…THERE IS MORE…MORE OF…ME. CANNOT SENSE…THE OTHER HALF.”

She wasn’t the least bit happy that she was still stuck with his voice, wishing she could trade it for the Sol Emeralds childlike whispering. Though his words were not lost on her. She supposed it made sense, if Elise was still around, after all. Of course the Iblis of the past was still within her. But the mention of Mephiles was curious. Perhaps Iblis’s ability to reach and see his darker half was limited. Though it brought her relief to hear that he wasn’t close at hand. She still hadn’t the foggiest clue where Mephiles had ended up in this point in the timeline.

At some point, she figured it didn’t really matter, given that one way or the other, he managed to find them in their hopeless future. “Will you shut up already?” she scolded the demon within her. “I did what you wanted, now stop talking!” She could practically envision the demon shaking it’s head within her mind. “NOOO…THIS PLACE…IT IS WRONG. NOT RIGHT.” She paid no heed to his warning, trying to tune him out as best she could. How she wished she could just mute him altogether. But she would keep her composure, as she had trained herself to.

It didn’t take her long to navigate to Elise’s castle, she remembered the layout of this place surprisingly well, despite how long it had been. It was helped that things were mostly the same as they were before she had left it for what she was sure would be for good. The guards at the door would be her first obstacle, blocking her path when she approached. “Halt! State your business, civilian!” they demanded. Blaze kept her cool, nodding and patiently obeying. “R-right, of course. My name is Blaze, I’ve come to seek an audience with your ruler,” she stated.

“I-is…is Elise still serving as the sovereign?” she asked. The guards nodded, “That is correct. But I’m afraid we’ll need some identification, miss.” Blaze’s ears flattened, and she adopted a sheepish look. Admittedly, she didn’t have anything of the sort. She hadn’t exactly needed it. “I, uh…don’t have any.” The guards were firm, not moving from their spots. “Then I am afraid you cannot enter, nor can you speak with the Queen,” one of them said. Blaze winced, “P-please, it’s…it’s an emergency! Her kingdom could be at risk!”

But the guards didn’t seem to buy a word of it. Before she could even contemplate what to do to get around them, Iblis started to fill her head again. “THESE FOOLS…THEY DON’T EVEN REALIZE WHO WE ARE. WE SHOULD…WE SHOULD…YEEESSS… BURN THEM! ” Iblis’ wretched voice practically wheezed in her mind. She grimaced, putting a hand to her head and trying to shake him away again. “N… No …I w-won’t…” she muttered as she looked away from the guards to hide her struggle. Focus, I just need to find some way to sneak in she thought.

She stepped away from the front entrance, scanning the perimeter of the castle. She had to get in, no matter what. But the how was tricky. Thankfully, she wouldn’t have to worry about things like cameras, but still, guards crawled every inch of the place. Almost too many. Was the kingdom already on edge? Come to think of it, for such a beautiful day, not many citizens seemed to be out and about. Almost like they were hiding. She shook away the thought, reminding herself she could worry about such things later.

Right now, it was imperative to warn Elise of the danger that was on it’s way. She laid low, sifting through the greenery that surrounded the castle to obscure herself from unwanted attention. Running purely on instinct, the feline trudged along as she searched for an opening. She happened upon a hedge wall. Cautiously, she took the opening, and jumped through to the other side only to find she had just inserted herself into a maze. She groaned, but calmed herself. There likely weren’t any guards around here, so at least she would remain hidden.

Blaze kept on, navigating through the maze when a hedge proved to be too thick to step through. She didn’t want to burn it and cause a scene, the last thing she wanted was to bring attention to herself before she could even get within arm’s length of Elise. Eventually, the sound of children laughing graced her ears. It sounded distant, but it seemed like it was getting closer. At least, some of it. It seemed quite scattered, it left her confused and a little disoriented as she looked around. The laughter closest to her seemed to suddenly disappear, and she moved slowly.

She turned a corner, and suddenly, her body was slammed into by something much smaller than her. She heard a meek “Ow!” before she managed to look to see who was there. As she had suspected, it was a child. A girl with blonde hair that resembled Elise’s. If that wasn’t enough, when she opened her eyes, blue irises that matched Elise’s met Blaze’s amber orbs. She blinked, almost frozen as she contemplated what to do. She didn’t want the child to start screaming and alerting guards, but her curiosity was aflame right now.

“HER…YES, HER…HER ENERGY…JUST LIKE THAT ONE…MY FIRST HOST.”

Iblis’s words nearly made Blaze shudder. He never failed to be utterly creepy. “U-um…s…s-s-sorry!” the child yelped, standing back up to bow her head apologetically. “I d-didn’t mean to!” Blaze relaxed a little, waving her hand at the girl. “T-that’s…that’s alright. It was my fault.” The child looked her up and down, curious about the stranger in her backyard. She had never seen her before, but she looked so regal. “W…who are you, miss?” she asked tentatively. Blaze hesitated before answering, “I’m, er, Blaze.”

“M-my name’s…S…Silvia. P-Princess Silvia.”

“Princess?” Her ears flicked up. “Hold on, is your mother…Elise?”

“Y-yes? Are you…um…h-here to see her?”

Blaze nodded, “Yes! Yes, I need to see her urgently! Do you think you could take me to her?” Silvia nodded back at her, taking her hand and leading her along through the maze. “Come on, I know a short-cut.” She allowed the child to lead her along, not even batting an eye when they ran into two other children on the way out. Both had quite thick accents that completely differed, but they seemed to be siblings. She didn’t bother to question it, smiling hopefully as she observed the girls chattering away innocently while they walked.

It always warmed her heart to see children enjoying their lives to the fullest. Eventually she’d find herself having been guided all the way to the throne room. Though once again, the guards who took position at the door through were adamant. “Halt! Princess Silvia, who is this with you?” they demanded. Silvia shriveled a little, “W-well, um…s…she said she…n-needed to talk to mama, s…so I-” She was interrupted, her meek voice not managing to make it above theirs. “We cannot let anyone unauthorized in the throne room near the Queen!”

Blaze scowled, about to go off on these brutes for raising their voices at her, but the bunny girl had beat her to the chase. “Ex- cuse moi?! Ees zat how you brutes speak to your future Queen ?” she snapped. The guards, and even Blaze herself, were off-put by her bold attitude. “Silvia said zat zis lady needs to speak with zee Queen immediately , eet ees an emergency! Show your princess some respect you disgraceful brutes!” Her pout was piercing, and the guards shockingly seemed to fold. “Erm…m…many apologies, your highness!” 

They moved aside, and Blaze was thoroughly impressed. She smirked down at the girl, “Heh, well-said, kid.” The girl smiled pridefully, taking Silvia’s hand in hers as they stepped through the door to the throne room. Surely enough, Silvia’s parents were inside, having a conversation to themselves. The girls ran up to them first, Silvia calling out to her mother. “Mama! Mama!” she yelled. “Mama, I brought someone who needs to talk to you!” she said. Elise looked up, her eyes falling on Blaze. “Oh, who’s this, dear?” she asked.

Blaze raised a brow at this, “You…don’t recognize me?” Elise shook her head, “I’m…afraid I don’t. Should I?” Blaze seemed a little disappointed, but not entirely surprised. “I…suppose it doesn’t matter. My name is Blaze, I was friends with Silver?” Elise’s face lit up in recognition at that name. “Oh, you know Silver? Well, any friend of Silver is a friend of mine,” she smiled. Her husband picked Silvia up, holding her in his arms before walking up beside his wife. “Elise, are you sure? You’ve never seen her before,” he asked, a bit skeptical.

He had the same blonde hair as his daughter, though much spikier. And bright green eyes, they somewhat reminded Blaze of Sonic’s striking emerald irises. “Please, I have come to warn you, a great danger is imminent and I need help!” she beseeched the King and Queen worriedly. Elise frowned, “I’m…afraid you’re a little late. We’re already preparing for Eggman.” Blaze shook her head, “No, it’s not him. It’s something much… greater than him. Even greater than…” She winced, a hand trailing over her chest as she looked down. “ Iblis …” she nearly whispered.

Alarm filled the Queen’s eyes, and she looked to her husband. “Siegfried, why don’t you take the kids out to play?” He nodded, exchanging a chaste kiss with her before carrying Silvia out, the other two kids following after him. The bunny girl stopped briefly as the doors were closing, looking back at the two royals before it shut completely. Elise stood up from her throne, walking down the steps to meet with Blaze at eye level. “He’s…within you, as well?” she asked. Blaze nodded, “I took him into myself…when I returned to the future with Silver.”

“...Tell me everything you know.”

---

It had now been five days and nights since they departed to search for the Chaos Emerald. They weren’t close enough to their destination just yet. They filled the time with lessons and small talk, the children having moved on already from their alphabets into reading basic sentences. Their combat training was also making satisfying progress, Artemis having gotten down a couple of the techniques Silver had taught him. Midnight, on the other hand, was starting to get better with her mind diving, able to see strands over time that she could follow.

It was still difficult to control what to focus on, and she was nowhere near manipulating or changing thoughts just yet. They both were doing quite well with their flying lessons as well, though still could not manage more than just a few feet of air and for very short periods of time. All in all, it made Shadow all the less anxious about any potential threats that might come up during their trip. Though things still remained mostly strained between him and Silver. It was honestly a miracle neither of them had thrown a punch at each other yet.

They clenched their teeth and urged themselves to remain civil. They didn’t want to admit it, but Omega was right. Their egos would clash sooner or later, and it’d get ugly for everybody. Though Silver’s stubborn anger had started to crumble into a crippling sense of self doubt thanks to this realization. Which only served to agitate him further. He didn’t want to have to admit that perhaps there was a good reason he had been abandoned. That maybe his father was right to abandon him. No, he would not accept such a thing. That couldn’t be true.

Shadow was the problem, not him. He had to be. Right?